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. Get a dose 24x7 at your convenience: Govt removes time constraint for getting Covid-19 shot India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Mar 03: The government has lifted the time restriction on receiving COVID-19 vaccine jabs so as to increase the pace of immunisation, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Wednesday. People can now get vaccinated round-the-clock according to their convenience, he said in a tweet, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi values the health as well as the time of the citizens of the country. "The government has lifted the time restriction to increase the speed of vaccination. People can now get vaccinated 24x7 according to their convenience. Prime Minister Narendra Modi understands the value of health as well as the time of citizens," Vardhan tweeted in Hindi. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan told a press conference on Tuesday that the timeline of vaccinating the beneficiaries from 9 am to 5 pm has been done away with and it is up to the hospitals to decide whether they want to continue administering the vaccines even after that. "Co-WIN 2.0 does not provide 9 am-5 pm vaccination sessions. It has done away with that timeline. If a hospital has the capacity, the system permits it to do vaccination even after 5 pm in consultation with the state government. This has been briefed both to the state governments as well as the private and government hospitals," he said. The second dose of the vaccine against COVID-19 started being administered from February 13 for those who have completed 28 days since the receipt of the first dose. The vaccination of frontline workers (FLWs) started on February 2. Corona vaccine price fixed at Rs 250 per dose in private hospitals The next phase of the COVID-19 vaccination commenced from March 1 for people over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions. More than 1.56 crore (1,56,20,749) vaccine doses were administered in the country through 3,12,188 sessions, according to a provisional report till Wednesday 7 am. Anurag Kashyap, Tapsee Pannu face tax raids by income tax officials| Oneindia News The beneficiaries include 67,42,187 healthcare workers (first dose), 27,13,144 HCWs (second dose), 55,70,230 FLWs (first dose), 834 FLWs (second dose), 71,896 beneficiaries aged more than 45 years with specific co-morbidities (first dose) and 5,22,458 beneficiaries aged above 60 years. New Jersey schools must begin age-appropriate lessons about diversity and inclusion as early as kindergarten under a new law signed Monday by Gov. Phil Murphy. The law, which several Republican lawmakers vocally opposed, calls on schools to promote economic diversity, equity, inclusion, tolerance, and belonging in connection with gender and sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, disabilities, and religious tolerance. It also asks schools to examine the impact that unconscious bias and economic disparities have at both an individual level and on society as a whole. The law takes effect next school year. Students should already be learning to respect their individual and cultural differences as they build relationships, the bills Democratic sponsors said in a statement. The natural next step is to promote diversity, tolerance and respect for all, said the sponsors, Assembly Democrats Carol Murphy, D-Burlington; Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, D-Mercer, Hunterdon; and Anthony Verrelli, D-Mercer, Hunterdon. These are values students will take with them long after they graduate. The proposal faced opposition among Republicans in the Legislature. Opponents said the requirements trample on the rights of parents and potentially expose children to sensitive topics at too young an age. Theres a certain level of naivety that our children enjoy, and we should really protect that, Assemblyman Brian Bergen, R-Morris, said earlier this year. Bergen said he supported a previous version of the bill that was limited to grades 9 through 12. If we as parents want to explain different identities or sexual preferences, then thats our prerogative and our choice, Bergen said. This is not a decision for the school system, and this is not a decision for the Legislature. Supporters argued students are already talking about these very issues. Teachers need guidance to help them teach children to accept, tolerate and appreciate differences among them, they said. The state already requires schools to teach middle school and high school students about the political, economic and social contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. New Jersey was the second state to mandate an LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum the requirement went into effect this school year. Under the new requirement to further examine diversity and inclusion, the state Department of Education must develop sample lessons and resources for schools, according to the new law. Some of what is covered in the new law already appears to be part of the states academic standards, which drive district curriculum. For example, students are already supposed to learn by the end of fifth grade that all individuals should feel welcome and included regardless of their gender, gender expression or sexual orientation. That includes demonstrating ways to promote dignity and respect for all people, such as those from a different race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, immigration status or family configuration. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Adam Clark may be reached at aclark@njadvancemedia.com. Have a news tip or a story idea about New Jersey schools? Send it here. New Delhi, March 3 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday said the huge pendency of cheque dishonour cases has become an intractable problem, which accounts for 30-40 per cent cases in the trial courts and a very high percentage in the high courts. A bench comprising Chief Justice S.A. Bobde along with Justices L Nageswara Rao and S Ravindra Bhat suggested that the government should establish additional courts for the better administration of laws: the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (NI Act) under Article 247 of the Constitution. Article 247 says Notwithstanding anything in this Chapter, Parliament may by law provide for the establishment of any additional courts for the better administration of laws made Parliament or of any existing laws with respect to a matter enumerated in the Union List. The bench noted that prima facie this Article confers a power coupled with duty on the government to establish additional courts, for better administration of laws made by Parliament. "There is no doubt or dispute about the fact that matters under the N.I. Act have posed what by now has become an intractable problem/accounting for close to 30 to 40 per cent of the pendency in the trial courts and a very high percentage in the High Courts also", said the bench. Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee, representing the Centre, submitted that the Ministry of Finance has suggested that instead of setting up of additional courts, certain measures specified in para 6(a) of the Office Memorandum dated March 2, 2021 produced in the court, be implemented. "It is not necessary to reproduce and analyse the impact of the measures suggested by the Union of India. Suffice it to say that having gone through the measures and heard learned counsel on the said measures, we find that the measures are, to say the least, inadequate for the purpose", noted the bench. Banerjee also suggested the matter requires wide ranging discussion of various stakeholders and officers and the secretaries of various ministries who will be able to suggest a solution to the problems of pendency of the cases under NI Act. "This suggestion is completely acceptable to us. We might add that it would be necessary to have a former Judge who has had wide ranging experience as a trial judge, on the Committee", said the top court. The matter has scheduled for further on Thursday. The top court has taken suo motu cognizance to work out a mechanism for expeditious and just adjudication of cases connected with dishonoured cheques. The Hungarian government has stopped supporting the Budapest Spring Festival, but we are organizing it online with free programming between April 9 and 18, announced Budapest Varoshaza (Townhall) on Facebook. The event marks its 41st anniversary this year, and until now it has been funded by the city council and also the state, the deputy mayor responsible for culture, said at an online briefing. Gy. Erzsebet Nemeth highlighted that while the 2020 festival was cancelled due to Covid, this year the festival would no longer enjoy government support for the first time yet would happen as, "This series of cultural experiences helps those living in lockdown, continuing the tradition of the capital festival with a priceless value". This years series of events will be streamed online with the aim of bringing culture closer to the people, all free of charge, the boss of organiser Brand Zrt, Csaba Faix, is reported as saying. As far as the theme this year, in 20201 the festival will feature a retrospective programme from past decades mixed with new events, he added, saying the exact programme schedule will be published in the near future. Chinese Australians have been "collateral damage" in the midst of the breakdown in Canberra-Beijing relations. (Photo: Xinhua/Bai Xuefei via Getty Images) More than half of Chinese-Australians who experienced recent racial discrimination attribute it to the deteriorated relationship between Canberra and Beijing, new research has found. The Lowy Institutes new Being Chinese in Australia' report , released today, revealed nearly one in five Australians with Chinese heritage had been physically threatened or attacked in the last 12 months because of their Chinese identity. Also read: Of more than 1,000 people who were surveyed, nearly one in three (31 per cent) said they had been called offensive names due to their heritage, and this figure rose to 37 per cent when looking at Chinese-Australians who said they had been treated differently or less favourably because of their background. Of all those who answered yes to having experienced negative treatment or abuse, more than half (52 per cent) said that the state of Australia-China relations had contributed to that experience. (Source: Lowy Institute) (Source: Lowy Institute) And half of the Chinese-Australian community feel that Australian media coverage of China is too negative. Report co-author Natasha Kassam said she wasnt surprised to hear that bilateral tensions had had a negative impact on this demographic. As the relationship has soured, theres been increasing scrutiny on these communities, she told Yahoo Finance. Neither the Australian government nor the Chinese government have reached out adequately to the Chinese-heritage community in Australia, she added, stating there was a culture of fear and suspicion and propaganda on both sides. However, she pointed out that the research also revealed some heartening results: a majority (63 per cent) of Chinese-Australians said they personally felt accepted in their day-to-day- life in Australian society. But the political fall-out between Australia and China had contributed to racist experiences, Kassam said, adding that Australias political leaders had not helped. Story continues There is still great concern that the political relationship and tensions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic has led to Chinese Australians seen as collateral damage. The combination of heightened rhetoric in the media and comments from politicians have certainly harmed the governments efforts to address this serious problem. Liberal senator Eric Abetz sparked a storm of outrage after he repeatedly asked three Chinese-Australians to denounce the Chinese Communist Party during a Senate committee hearing in mid-October last year . Think tank Per Capita research fellow Osmond Chiu, who was one of the three grilled by Abetz, said in an opinion piece that he refused to answer Abetz because it was demeaning and I would not legitimise his tactic with an answer. Abetz has refused to apologise for his comments . More recently, Prime Minister Scott Morrison attempted to appeal to the Chinese-Australian community by stating they were appreciated as part of our great Australian family. This was followed by comments from Health Minister Greg Hunt who said: I remember going down to see Tommy at the Wok on Bay in Mount Martha; still serves the best prawn crackers on the Peninsula. The Lowy Institutes report comes four months after a survey of over 3,000 people by Australian National University revealed 84.5 per cent of Asian-Australians reported at least one instance of discrimination between January and October 2020. "We know that sadly many Asian-Australians still face and experience discrimination every day," said report partner ANU Centre for Asian-Australian Leadership (CAAL) director Jieh-Yung Lo. The rapid descent in Australia-China relations began when Canberra led the call for an independent inquiry into the origins of the COVID-19 virus, which was first reported in Wuhan, China. Since then, Canberra has been the subject of relentless attacks from Chinese state media. Make your money work: Follow Yahoo Finance on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter, and subscribe to the free Fully Briefed daily newsletter. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. UPDATE: N.J.s quietly added 11 medical conditions including being overweight, asthma to COVID vaccine eligibility list Hundreds of thousands of additional New Jerseyans including kindergarten through 12th grade educators and grocery store employees will be eligible for a coronavirus vaccine in March following an announcement by Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday. Educators and school staff members highlight the groups who can register for a vaccine appointment on March 15. Murphy said Monday he fully expects all schools to be open for in-person learning by September. Most are operating on a hybrid basis now. Tents are set up for those waiting in line to receive a COVID-19 vaccination at the Rowan Medicine COVID-19 Vaccination Center at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021.Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com People currently eligible for a coronavirus vaccine in New Jersey include people age 65 and older, first responders such as police, firefighters and emergency medical technicians, as well as paid and unpaid health care workers. Residents of nursing homes, group homes and prisons are also eligible. People between the ages of 16 and 64 with medical conditions that increase the risk of severe illness from the virus can also get vaccinated. So can smokers. Eligible pre-existing conditions include cancer, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Down syndrome, heart conditions, including example heart failure, coronary artery disease and cardiomyopathy, obesity, severe obesity, sickle cell disease and Type-2 diabetes. That group current eligible is estimated at more than 4 million New Jersey residents. Others who will become eligible as of March 15 include: Child care workers in licensed and registered settings Motor Vehicle Commission workers NJ Transit workers and other transportation workers Public and local transportation workers, including bus, taxi, rideshare and airport employees All public safety personal who have not already been made eligible such as child protective service workers and probation officers. Members of tribal communities Migrant farmworkers People who are homeless and people living in homeless shelters or domestic violence shelters Several big groups will become eligible on March 29: Food production, agriculture, and food distribution Eldercare and support Warehousing and logistics Social services support staff Election personnel Hospitality Medical supply chain Postal and shipping services Clergy Judicial system Officials said 2,166,452 have been administered a vaccine dose as of Tuesday afternoon. Of those, at least 732,926 have received both doses and are considered fully vaccinated. On Wednesday, more than 90,000 doses of the newly approved single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine are due to be delivered to New Jersey. The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines require two shots. Murphy reported another 2,820 cases of the coronavirus and 48 additional deaths on Tuesday. Since last March 23,321 residents have died from complications related to COVID-19, including 20,990 confirmed deaths and 2,331 fatalities considered probable. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin was one of several mayors and elected officials who today called on the Biden Administration to remove a ban on local hire programs in federally-funded infrastructure projects. The policy keeps cities and states from using their local hire policies to prioritize local firms in projects funded with federal dollars. In a virtual news conference earlier today, Woodfin said bureaucratic hurdles shouldnt be a thing. We need every tool available to provide good paying jobs, and thats definitely true for us here in Birmingham, Woodfin said. Removing the ban allows local workers to design and build in their communities, but it also provides an opportunity to cultivate a new generation of builders. The effort is being led by Jobs to Move America, a national non-profit. The group worked with elected officials who sent a letter to President Biden laying out its case. It wrote that the federal provision, adopted in 1986, was meant to keep the number of bidders on projects high. However, the group says theres no evidence the policies have kept prices down or resulted in more bidders. The group argues that local hire creates jobs for local residents, a must in the post-COVID economy, it says. The effort comes as the Biden Administration is expected to pursue an infrastructure package. Woodfin argued removing the ban will create good paying local jobs. It strengthens the local tax base to ensure, as a city, we can reinvest in our neighborhoods, he said. And this discussion fits our focus on training and retaining a local workforce to build the best version of ourselves, as a community and a city, we can be. Removing the ban allows local workers to design and build in their communities, but it also provides an opportunity to cultivate a new generation of builders. Signers of the letter include the cities of Alexandria, Va., Chicago, Los Angeles, Madison, Wis., Seattle, Syracuse, N.Y., Miami-Dade County, the National League of Cities, the National Association of Counties, the AFL-CIOs Transportation Trades Department, North Americas Building Trades Unions (NABTU), and others. Two individuals have been arrested for damaging the United National Movement opposition party office in Gori. The incident took place on March 2, 2021. The detainees bloke the windows of the office, Agenda.ge reported. The opposition party says that the office has been attacked six times so far by different individuals. The crime is punishable up to three years in prison. The first arrival of COVID-19 vaccines to Kenya is offloaded from a Qatar Airways flight at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya, early Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Around 1.02 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India arrived at the airport as part of the COVAX facility, according to the Ministry of Health. (AP Photo) Kenya has received just over 1 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine in the first batch from the global COVAX initiative that was created to ensure that low- and middle-income countries have fair access to vaccines. Some 1.02 million doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, arrived in Nairobi early Wednesday, according to a joint statement from UNICEF, the World Health Organization, international vaccine alliance GAVI and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. Kenyan Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe expressed excitement and optimism that the vaccines would help stop the spread of the coronavirus that has forced the East African country to partially lock down its economy with devastating consequences for many citizens. "We have been fighting the pandemic with rubber bullets but what we have acquired today is equivalent, metaphorically speaking, to bazookas and machine guns," Kagwe said. The minister said the vaccines will be administered to some 400,000 medical workers and the rest will go to other frontline workers such as teachers and police officers. Many Kenyan public health care workers have been disgruntled over the inadequate supply of personal protective equipment, and they say they were never paid the allowances that the government promised them for the extra work and risk while combating COVID-19. The first arrival of COVID-19 vaccines to Kenya is offloaded from a Qatar Airways flight at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya, early Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Around 1.02 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India arrived at the airport as part of the COVAX facility, according to the Ministry of Health. (AP Photo) Austine Oduor, an official with the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers, said there is no palpable excitement from members of his union and nurses who were forced by a court order to resume work last week after a 70-day strike. "What they really wanted was payment of the allowances," Oduor said. " In fact, some are questioning whether the distribution will be done fairly in a country where corruption is rampant." Kenya has more than 106,000 confirmed virus cases including more than 1,800 deaths. 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. We know youve got questions about the vaccine rollout. Why are there so many ways to sign up? Cant it be simpler? My friend got an appointment for Friday and all I found online was April 22, what gives? What do I need to know about the three vaccines? Why cant my doctor give me the shot? The person at the center of it all, Connecticut Public Health Commissioner Dr. Deidre Gifford, has joined Hearst Connecticut Medias Dan Haar in a webinar today that you can see on Facebook. Shes a medical doctor and shes in the room for all the big COVID decisions in this state. Send us your questions or comments here. H John Voorhees III / Hearst Connecticut Media Leitrim For Life, at the request of many of its supporters, are calling on the Government to remove immediately the ban on public Masses. A statment from the groupoutlined We are also asking all our local TDs and councillors to state publicly what they intend to do, or have done, to make this happen. To do nothing is to show contempt for the many people who are affected by this outrageous restriction. Never before in all our campaigns have we encountered so many people upset and annoyed, especially because of the lack of scientific evidence for banning public Masses, together with the fact that Ireland and Slovenia are the only two countries in Europe with a ban on public religious ceremonies. The Church has been meticulous in conforming to the HSE guidelines which make the Churches safe for everyone. We have shops, takeaways, etc, already open (and rightly so) that many people access on a daily basis, while strict regulations are enforced in these places it is much more difficult to reach the required level of social distancing and hand hygiene that is present in our Churches, the statement concluded. Cllr Enda Stenson has also called for the reopening of churches for services for Holy Week. Cllr Stenson put forward the proposal at Monday's Council meeting noting "that the opening of churches for Holy Week is important and should be done for the well being of people". He said that the matter had been raised with him adding that the opportunity to attend mass was very important to people, especially the week leading up to Easter. His proposal was backed by Cathaoirleach, Cllr Mary Bohan who said that she believed that the reopening of church services was important, however she added that it was important that any reopening be done so with Covid-19 safety foremost in mind. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 00:44:19|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends a virtual ceremony with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to formally commence the celebrations of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries in Beijing, China, March 2, 2021. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- China and Pakistan should push their cooperation to a higher level, wider range and greater depth as they celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Tuesday. He made the remarks when attending a ceremony to commence the celebrations with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi via video link. Noting the China-Pakistan friendship enjoys a time-honored history, Wang said the two countries have carried out all-round cooperation and developed all-weather friendship under the personal care of generations of leaders of both countries since the establishment of diplomatic ties 70 years ago. He said China and Pakistan should deepen political mutual trust, continue to firmly support each other on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns, strengthen communication and cooperation on major strategic issues, and jointly respond to changes in the international and regional situation as well as various risks and challenges. Wang urged the two countries to uphold the principle of mutual benefit for win-win results, promote the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and create new growth points for cooperation to better benefit the two peoples. China and Pakistan should encourage people from all walks of life, especially the younger generation, to more actively participate in activities of friendly exchanges, so as to advance mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, he said. Hailing China's development achievements and fruitful results of bilateral cooperation, Qureshi said Pakistan firmly adheres to the one-China policy, firmly supports the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and believes that CPEC will become a paradigm project of the BRI's high-quality development. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 12:43:39|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia reported 841 new COVID-19 cases over the last 24 hours, taking the nationwide tally to 160,813, the country's health ministry said on Tuesday. The ministry said 13 new deaths were recorded in the same period, bringing the national death toll to 2,386. The East African country reported 902 more recoveries, taking the national count of COVID-19 recoveries to 136,079. Ethiopia, Africa's second most populous nation, has so far reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the East African region. The government has been urging the public to implement COVID-19 precautionary measures to contain the spread of the virus. Ethiopia has so far conducted 2,146,457 COVID-19 tests, said the ministry. Enditem Police say letter claiming responsibility for car near Ambanis house may be a hoax India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Mumbai, Mar 03: A letter in the name of 'Jaish Ul Hind' claiming responsibility for parking a vehicle with explosives near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's house in Mumbai appears to be a hoax, the police said on Tuesday. The letter, posted on messaging app Telegram on Sunday, also demanded payment in crypto currency and provided a link to a webpage for depositing it. On the same evening, another letter posted by a group claiming to be the 'real' Jaish Ul Hind said it had not posted the first message and it had nothing to do with the car found near Ambani's house. SUV with gelatin sticks found near Mukesh Ambani's Antilia residence Officials of the Mumbai Crime Branch during their probe found that the link in first letter did not lead to any webpage. Investigators suspect that the letter was merely a prank, a senior police official said. Anurag Kashyap, Tapsee Pannu face tax raids by income tax officials| Oneindia News A Scorpio with gelatin sticks was found parked on Carmichael Road near 'Antilia', the multi-storey residence of Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries, on Thursday evening. Sydney, March 3 : Australia batsman David Warner admitted that he made a mistake by playing in the Test series against India before his groin injury could heal completely. Warner made his comeback after the injury in the third Test but had meagre returns in the series. "I made the call to play those Test matches. I felt I needed to be out there. It put me back a little bit. Looking back in hindsight, I probably wouldn't have done that," Warner told reporters on Wednesday. "If I'm thinking about myself and the injury, I probably would have said no. I did what I felt was best for the team," he further said. Warner described the pain he went through when he sustained the injury during the second ODI against India in November as "horrible". "It was like I got kicked in the nuts. It was horrible. I'd never felt anything like it. It was a lower ab tear with two other tears in my groin. It was quite painful," he said. He is, however, feeling a lot better now and is set to return to action for New South Wales in the Marsh Cup, Australia's domestic 50 over competition. "I feel pretty good (now). The other day I went and had a jab, a cortisone, so I have been running freely. I'm pretty much at 100 per cent running in straight lines. Now it's about the side-to-side, lateral movement," said Warner. "I'm not going to do further damage, it's just going to be a little niggle for a little while. There's not much I can do about it," he said. Advertisement These stunning aerial pictures shows a blast crater the size of a double decker bus left after a recently discovered World War Two bomb exploded in Exeter. The controlled detonation, which sent metal debris flying more than 250 yards, was seen and heard by shocked residents from several miles away. More than 2,600 people had to be evacuated and a 400-yard cordon set up to mitigate the explosion of the unearthed Nazi 'Hermann bomb' on Saturday evening. The majority of locals have now been allowed back to their homes and are assessing the scale of destruction caused in the city, which includes smashed windows and broken walls. An aerial view captured by a drone showing a blast crater the size of a double decker bus left after a recently discovered World War Two bomb was exploded on Saturday evening in Exeter, Devon Other images capture the scale of destruction caused in the middle of the city and to properties nearby. The majority of locals have now been allowed back to their homes and are assessing the amount of damage caused Damage assessments are underway at the site in Exeter, Devon, following the control explosion of the World War Two bomb by the Ministry of Defence. More than 2,600 people were evacuated before the detonation Rubble pictured near the site in Exeter. A police spokesperson said: 'Debris, including large metal objects, were thrown in the blast, some of which landed on nearby roofs, which required the use of a crane to remove' Pictures captured by a drone show the huge mass of the crater that remains on the site next to university land in Devon. They also lay bare the extent of damage caused to a number of properties nearby. Police say these are 'predominantly' within the 100m-zone and 'suffered structural damage, including broken windows and cracked walls'. A spokesperson added: 'Debris, including large metal objects, were thrown in the blast, some of which landed on nearby roofs, which required the use of a crane to remove.' The MoD said it had to be detonated in-situ instead of being taken away over fears it had been booby-trapped by the Nazis. A spokesperson added: 'The fuse was so corroded they could not determine what type of fuse it was, whether it was booby trapped (a common German practice to defeat the EOD teams of the day), so it was not safe to try to remove the fuse and thus render the device safe to move.' Around 800kgs of the 1,000kg bomb was made up of high explosive and to mitigate that, a 400-tonne sand box was installed around the device. The MoD spokesperson added: 'The most significant damage to property was sustained within a 100m blast radius, with mitigation debris, e.g. some of the 400 tonnes of sand being kicked out to approximately 250m from the detonation site. 'MOD JRLO assessment is between five to 12 structures will require structural inspection by civil engineering companies. An aerial view showing the huge mass of the crater that remains on the site. Police say damaged properties are 'predominantly' within the 100m-zone and 'suffered structural damage, including broken windows and cracked walls' A cordoned off area near the site in Exeter, Devon, following the controlled explosion. The MoD said the bomb had to be detonated in-situ instead of being taken away over fears it had been booby-trapped by the Nazis Damage assessments underway near the site in Exeter. Around 800kgs of the 1,000kg bomb was made up of high explosive and to mitigate that, a 400-tonne sand box was installed around the device Nearby properties and a cordoned-off area in the city following the blast on Saturday evening. An MoD spokesperson said: 'The most significantly affected property is the residential Dennyshill Care Home' 'The most significantly affected property is the residential Dennyshill Care Home; this is a privately-owned business that cares for elderly residents with learning and physical disabilities. These residents have been re-housed locally. 'The care home is assessed to have received the most significant amount of damage and it will likely be weeks before it might be safe or appropriate for residents to return.' 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.' The controlled bomb detonation seen in Exeter, Devon, on February 27 in a still image obtained from a video taken with a drone by Devon and Cornwall police drone team The moment the bomb exploded on the building site near Exeter University halls, pictured above. People reported hearing the explosion as many as six miles away after its detonation at about 6.15pm Smoke rises after the controlled bomb detonation in Exeter. 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, 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. Another round of loosened health restrictions has left out vocational training for adults with intellectual disabilities. Advertisement Advertise With Us Another round of loosened health restrictions has left out vocational training for adults with intellectual disabilities. "Some of the decisions theyre making just baffle me, but this ones bothering me," said Career Connections executive director Tracy Williams, with audible frustration in her voice. At greatest issue is Career Connections Vocational Development Program, in which 24 people typically take part in training to develop various vocational skills in Brandon. Funded through the provinces Community Living disABILITY Services, the program caters to people with intellectual disabilities and has been closed since the provinces level red restrictions came into play in mid-November. Nobody in the program is medically compromised (and therefore more susceptible to COVID-19), Williams said, adding with 3,330 square feet of space, theres plenty of room for everyone to physically distance. Participants wear masks at all times and follow health regulations, she said, perplexed as to why theyve not been allowed to reopen at a time when schools are open for in-class instruction. "It seems like the province has more faith in a five-year-old going to school and following public health guidelines than an adult with an intellectual disability going to a vocational program," she said. "Theyre willing, able and wanting to work in the community. The program teaches them the skills hands-on skills, and everybody wants to be there." After a strong push by Williams, the government began allowing eight people into the program on Monday, but restricted this allowance to those in crisis. Theyre people who are "really isolated," said Williams. "Most of them are in supported independent living, and some of them have had real impacts to their mental health" points she had to have verified before they were allowed to rejoin the program. These eight people are now allowed to attend two half-day sessions per week, which Williams said is a step in the right direction but still far from ideal, particularly when paired against various inequalities in current health orders. Although there has been some leeway with the vocational program, the government has yet to budge in the closure of Aviss Place drop-in centre, which has been shut down since November. This is despite efforts to rejig the interior space to allow for physical distancing, including the installation of small tables separated to six feet apart. "I did so much at the centre to follow the guidelines and they wont even talk to me about it," said Williams. "Anyone with an intellectual disability has as much value as anyone else. They deserve the opportunity to take part in programs that are there to benefit them. It just really bothers me." tclarke@brandonsun.com Twitter: @TylerClarkeMB Charities and politicians have said the Government's decision to extend the 20-a-week uplift in Universal Credit for six months 'makes no sense' and will damage the mental health of people living in poverty. Chancellor Rishi Sunak said the temporary 20 rise, introduced at the start of the coronavirus pandemic last year, will remain in place for half a year and 'well beyond' the end of the current national lockdown. Working Tax Credit claimants will receive equivalent support over the next six months through a one-off payment of 500, due to the way the system works. The uplift to Universal Credit - worth 86.67 a month to the average single person aged over 25 - will be extended for 6 months, the Chancellor announced today But the end of the uplift, worth 86.67 a month to an average single person aged over 25 on Universal Credit in 2020-21, is set to coincide with a peak in UK unemployment. As many as 2.2million people could be out of work in the final three months of this year after the end of the furlough scheme in September, with the unemployment rate set to hit 6.5 per cent, according to the latest forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility. However this represents 400,000 fewer people out of work compared to its previous estimate made last November. Charities and politicians have been calling for the increase to be kept in place for at least a year or for it to be made permanent. They urged the Government to think again, saying families need 'help and certainty, not a stay of execution'. Labour MP Stephen Timms, chair of Parliament's Work and Pensions Select Committee, told This is Money: 'In six months' time, with unemployment at a very high level, it will be very hard to justify cutting benefits by 20 per week.' A previous report from the committee said the increase needed to be extended for at least a year to stop 700,000 more people from falling into poverty. The Chancellor boosted the tax credit element of Universal Credit by around 20 a week in March last year to support those whose incomes were hit by the coronavirus pandemic Citizens Advice had told it that 75 per cent of benefit claimants would be unable to afford the basics if the 20-a-week boost was scrapped, up from 43 per cent otherwise. Its acting chief executive, Alistair Cromwell, said: 'It will be a huge relief for people on Universal Credit to not face a cut to their benefits next month. But with a challenging recovery ahead of us, this is a stopgap. Labour MP Stephen Timms said it would be 'hard to justify' cutting benefits as unemployment peaked this year 'A six-month extension kicks the can down the road, only to leave millions facing a financial cliff edge in the autumn. 'We urge the government to think again. The Universal Credit uplift must be kept for at least a year to help people pick up the pieces from this crisis.' The British Psychological Society warned that the six-month extension will be 'very damaging' to people's mental health. Dr Julia Faulconbridge, vice-chairwoman of the BPS's Division of Clinical Psychology, said: 'Psychologically the impact of a six-month extension and the uncertainty this brings is very damaging and this decision will have a significant impact on the mental (and physical) health of those already placed at risk as a result of living in poverty. 'Increased uncertainty and worry are known to be psychological stressors, and, combined with the relentless grind of trying to make ends meet, leave people just trying to survive and struggling to be the independent adults and parents that they want to be. 'People need security at this turbulent time and today the Chancellor has failed to provide that.' Under the previous plan to phase out the boost, which was scotched after a rebellion by six Tory backbenchers in January, the amount paid to a single person aged 25 or over would fall by a fifth in April, from 409.89 to 324.84. Some 2.6m people were claiming either job seeker's allowance or Universal Credit while looking for work in January 2021 - up 109% on last March One of the rebels, Jason McCartney, the MP for Colne Valley in West Yorkshire, told This is Money he 'very much welcomed' the Chancellor's announcement today. The number of people claiming either job seeker's allowance or Universal Credit while looking for work rose 109 per cent between March 2020 and January 2021 to 2.6million. There are around 5.5million claimants in total. Figures from the OBR found the 3.005billion outlay on all extensions to the welfare system announced in the Budget would make up just 4 per cent of all spending on Universal Credit in 2021-22 and just 1.2 per cent of the entire welfare budget. The six month extension of the uplift is set to cost 2.2billion, down from 4.6billion in 2020-21. Richard Lane, director of external affairs at StepChange Debt Charity, said: 'The extension of the furlough scheme until September is a crucial acknowledgement that, while the country may be hoping to be "back to normal" by the end of June, millions of households' finances will be anything but. Collective boosts to the benefits system will cost 3.005bn in 2021-22, with the 6 month extension to the 20-a-week uplift costing 2.24bn 'This principle needs to be reflected more widely in other support, too. 'The extension to the 20 uplift to Universal Credit will provide short-term relief to millions currently relying on it to feed their families, pay their bills and keep their homes, however the one-off payment of 500 in working tax credits risks eating into the existing debts of anyone with a negative budget or in problem debt rather than providing the much-needed boost to day-to-day income of a regular payment. 'That's why StepChange is calling for the 20 uplift to Universal Credit and the boost to working tax credits to be kept permanently unemployment is set to be at its peak in 6 months, and if these measures are dropped people relying on them will be faced with the lowest relative level of unemployment benefit in nearly 20 years.' SAN JOSE, Calif., March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- PayActiv, the only EWA Program to receive an Approval Order from the Consumer Financial Protection Board (CFPB), welcomes Hancock Whitney, the first bank to offer PayActiv's financial wellness solution to its bank clients. Starting immediately, Hancock Whitney will include PayActiv as an additional banking solution for its business clients. "We are pleased to offer PayActiv to our business clients with 100 or more employees. This solution aligns perfectly with our goal of helping clients achieve holistic financial wellness," says John Hairston, the chief executive officer of Hancock Whitney. With PayActiv in the workplace, businesses help their employees avoid costly service fees and charges associated with short-term payday loans. By accessing a portion of their already earned but unpaid wages, a PayActiv user can save up to hundreds of dollars in fees and charges. According to the CFPB, "the PayActiv EWA program is an innovative alternative to credit." "Hancock Whitney has shown leadership and lived its commitment to serve hard-working Americans. Their clients can now attract, retain and recruit talent with a powerful and innovative benefit," said Safwan Shah, CEO of PayActiv. "Businesses that choose Hancock Whitney can now help workers live the lives they've earned, navigate the ups, downs and unknowns in life and be able to participate more fully in the economy they helped create," Shah concluded. The EWA Program from PayActiv is the only one to have received an Approval Order from the CFPB and available across 50 states. PayActiv saved users $572 million in payday loan, overdraft and late fees and reduces turnover by up to 50 percent. About Hancock Whitney Since the late 1800s, Hancock Whitney has embodied core values of Honor & Integrity, Strength & Stability, Commitment to Service, Teamwork, and Personal Responsibility. Part of Hancock Whitney Corporation, Hancock Whitney offices and financial centers in Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas offer comprehensive financial products and services, including traditional and online banking; commercial and small business banking; private banking; trust and investment services; healthcare banking; certain insurance services; and mortgage services. The company also operates a loan production office in Nashville, Tennessee. BauerFinancial, Inc., the nation's leading independent bank rating and analysis firm, consistently recommends Hancock Whitney as one of America's most financially sound banks. More information is available at www.hancockwhitney.com. About PayActiv PayActiv Inc., a Public Benefit Corporation and Certified B-Corp, provides holistic financial wellness services that include on-demand access to already earned but unpaid wages, as well as savings and budgeting, bill payment and financial health measurement tools. Businesses that partner with PayActiv see significant cost reductions through increased recruitment, engagement and retention. Payactiv is the winner of the Innovative Payments Association's Consumer Champion Award for 2020, and also the winner of the Finovate 2020 Sustainability Award. Payactiv has also won best in class awards in both FinTech & HRTech and is the EWA provider to Walmart. In August 2020, PayActiv released a short film titled We Heard You . Learn more at, visit www.payactiv.com. SOURCE Payactiv Related Links http://www.payactiv.com 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. What Papers Do Chinese Citizens Traveling to the US Need? What Papers Do Chinese Citizens Traveling to the US Need? (Photo : Pixabay) As the two largest economic superpowers in the world, Chinese and American companies do a lot of business together, meaning their citizens often have cause to travel between the two countries. Also, as many Chinese immigrants have settled in the United States over the decades, there are thousands of visitors from China to the US each year who come to visit family and friends. Advertisement For many years, every Chinese passport holder who intended to visit the United States, whether for business, pleasure, or any other reason, was only required to hold a B1, B2, or B1/B2 visa, which was valid for 10 years and had to be shown to immigration officers at their American port of entry. As a new aspect of the visa granting system, American travel officials implemented a program titled the Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS). As of November 29th, 2016, in addition to their valid B1, B2, or B1/B2 visa, an EVUS is required for Chinese passport holders before they will be granted entry into the United States. The EVUS enrollment program is an online procedural process that was designed to be straightforward to apply for and receive. Read on to find out more about what it entails and how to acquire it. EVUS Application Requirements Applying for an EVUS application for Chinese passport holders is a simple but important part of the visa acquisition process. There are a few requirements that each person who aims to enroll in the program must have, so the many Chinese citizens who already hold a B1, B2, or B1/B2 visa, should gather the following personal items: A People's Republic of China passport with a minimum of six months of validity remaining from the traveler's intended date of entry into the United States Their valid 10-year B1, B2, or B1/B2 visa An email address so they can receive confirmation of their EVUS A credit or debit card as the EVUS carries an application fee Note: The EVUS program applies not only to citizens from mainland China, but also to travelers from Macau, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. How Long Does the EVUS Remain Valid For? Part of the appeal of the B1, B2, and B1/B2 visas for Chinese citizens is that they have a validity of ten years. Considering that most passports tend to also have a ten-year window before expiration, this means that in the majority of cases, Chinese passport holders will only require one visa per passport. While the policies for visa eligibility continue to change, the EVUS is a separate entity altogether. An EVUS is valid for up to two years, no matter if their visa and passport have more time remaining before they expire. Within that two-year window, EVUS holders qualify for multiple entries into the United States, and they are eligible to stay for a total time of six months inside the country. The EVUS must be valid when the traveler enters the US, but it is not a problem should the EVUS expire during their stay. A traveler must enroll in the EVUS program again, even if they have done so in the past should any of these circumstances apply to them: The two-year window of their EVUS has elapsed, rendering it expired Their passport has expired or will expire within fewer than six months Their B1, B2, or B1/B2 has expired They have legally changed their name, sex, or nationality Traveling to the US on an EVUS The coronavirus has made travel difficult for every nation in the world. For anyone who aims to visit the United States, simply holding a valid EVUS, visa, and passport does not guarantee entry. It is wise to always stay up to date on the most recent news and information regarding travel restrictions when planning to visit the US or go anywhere abroad. As always, the discretion as to whether someone will be granted entry into another country is in the hands of the border and immigration officers who examine each traveler's information. In rare cases, even if all of someone's papers are in order, it is still possible to be denied entry for any number of reasons. The COVID-19 pandemic has made the already heavily politicized topic of international movement more difficult on both a personal and a national level as governments must consider the safety of their citizens as well as their country's economic outlook. Thankfully, the rolling out of several vaccinations across both China and the US has given people hope that we will soon be able to resume international travel at the levels that the world saw before the pandemic hit. This means that Chinese passport holders with a valid visa and EVUS will once again be able to visit the US to visit their family and friends and conduct business. PITTSFIELD Getting to the altar and saying the words I do just got a little easier and safer in Pike County, thanks to a new system that allows people to obtain their marriage license via Zoom. Pike County is the first county in Illinois to offer the option. The process hasnt changed. We have just added the ability for people to finish it at home, which keeps them safe, Pike County clerk and recorder Natalie Roseberry said of the online application and approval process. Pike County partnered with Fidlar Technologies during the early months of 2020 as COVID-19 cases were rising and the state was shutting down amid stay-at-home and social-distancing orders. It convinced Roseberry that using technology to keep people safe is the direction to go. How do we keep going on and protect the people? Roseberry said. Do people have to get married in a pandemic? No. But we did see an uptick in them. The county had around 20 more applications for marriage licenses in 2020 compared to 2019, she said. With an updated online portal by which people can apply, the biggest difference in the application process is that, at the end, they have the option of scheduling an in-person meeting or a Zoom meeting. All of the stars aligned, Roseberry said of decision to try the online process. We were the perfect one for it. The countys small size made it a a good place to test the process to see if larger counties might implement it later, she said. Chief Deputy Recorder Jeana Springer and Deputy Recorder Jenny Presley will be leading the new system. Once the application is submitted and the $30 fee is received, they will schedule the online meeting. It should take a minimum of 30 minutes, Presley said. As we do more, it will go faster. During the Zoom meeting, both of the two applying for a marriage license will have to show documents, such as a drivers license or any previous divorce papers, and then sign digitally. We have to have a signature on file, Presley said. In addition to the ability to conduct the Zoom meeting, applicants also will be able to sign remotely, too. Once the application is completed and approved, the papers will be mailed to the couple to further minimize contact. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 3, ARMENPRESS. The US State Departments Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs presented its International Narcotics Control Strategy Report. Armenia is gradually strengthening its AML legislation and has sharply increased its money laundering investigations and convictions since the 2018 Velvet Revolution. Armenia is aggressively pursuing criminal cases against high-level officials from prior governments and oligarchs connected to them, and thanks to new legislation, can now pursue assets connected to illegal activity in civil court following the establishment of a non-conviction-based asset forfeiture regime. Armenias parliament passed amendments to strict bank secrecy laws that hinder the ability of Armenian investigators to gain access to banking records. Although the Constitutional Court struck down the amendments, the government is currently working on new draft legislation to address the Constitutional Courts concerns. The non-conviction-based asset forfeiture regime and these prospective changes to the bank secrecy laws should provide the Armenian criminal justice system with the authorities and tools to strengthen money laundering investigations and ramp up convictions even further in 2021 and beyond, the report, in part, says. Although the current government is implementing an ambitious anti-corruption program, narcotics smuggling, the shadow economy, significant inflows of remittances from abroad, the hiding of assets within the real estate sector, and the use of cash remain widespread and constitute vulnerabilities. Between mid-2018 and November 2019, the Financial Investigation Unit received inquiries on a total of 200 criminal cases involving elements of money laundering. That number increased to approximately 700 such investigations from January to October 2020, the report said. These cases were mostly initiated with charges for predicate offenses such as high-profile corruption, embezzlement, tax evasion, theft, and fraud. A significant number of these investigations target representatives of Armenias former regimes and associated oligarchs. Armenia should provide criminal penalties for legal persons involved in money laundering or terrorist financing, ensure all reporting sectors provide mandated financial intelligence reports, criminalize misrepresentation, and create vetting mechanisms to prevent corrupt criminal actors from serving as, owning, or managing DNFPBs. Patna, March 3 : Even as Janata Dal United (JDU) state president Vashishtha Narayan Singh said Upendra Kushwaha and his party RLSP may merge with the ruling party in Bihar, Kushwaha himself isn't ready to open his cards, yet. "As far as I am concerned, it is right that I have met CM Nitish Kumar twice and had a series of meetings with other top leaders but a decision has not been taken yet," Kushwaha told IANS. Earlier, Vashishtha Narayan Singh had claimed that talks with Upendra Kushwaha were in the final stages and the merger could take place soon. "We welcome Upendra kushwaha and his supporters in JDU. We have worked together in a past and we are ready to work again. JDU will give appropriate respect to him and his supporters," Singh had said. Nitish Kumar and Upendra Kushwaha are popularly known as Luv-Kush in Bihar's political circles. While Kumar holds sway over the traditional vote banks of Koiri and Kurmi, Upendra has a hold on the Kushwaha community. After parting ways with Kushwaha a large chunk of the Kushwaha vote bank shifted towards RLSP and this had hurt Kumar. Political experts believe that if both these two leaders contest elections together, it will help both parties. The RLSP did not win a single seat in the Bihar assembly elections of 2020. After the dismal performance in Bihar assembly election 2020, Nitish Kumar is making all efforts to strengthen his position in the NDA. In the Bihar assembly elections of 2020, the JDU managed to win just 43 seats which is much less than 2015 when the party had won 69 seats. Recently, Kumar welcomed BSP and independent MLAs in the JDU fold and gave ministerial berth to them in his cabinet. Moreover, 5 MLAs of the AIMIM also met Kumar last month. Besides more than 200 active workers of the LJP also joined the JDU. Mritunjay Tiwari, the spokesperson of RJD reacted sharply to talk about the JDU-RLSP merger. "It shows the desperation of Nitish Kumar. He has formed the government by cheating the people of Bihar. He has no importance in the NDA, hence he is adding to his strength through the backdoor," Tiwari said. "Upendra Kushwaha ji was part of NDA and he was Union Minister of State for HRD. When he switched over to UPA camp on his own, he must be remembering the kind of respect he earned in NDA. He was ignored, abused and sandwiched between the Congress and RJD. It's his politics and surely it will be his decision as to what he will do next and whom he is going to part with," said Nikhil Anand, chief spokesperson of BJP's Bihar unit. MONROE COUNTY, MI -- A 33-year-old Toledo woman was injured Tuesday in a crash in Monroe Countys in Whiteford Township, police said. The crash occurred at 10:50 p.m. March 2 when the woman, who was driving a Chevrolet Impala north on U.S. 23, went off the highway north of Sterns Road and into the median, striking a traffic barrier over the Ottawa Lake Outlet., according to the Monroe County Sheriffs office. The vehicle crashed through the barrier and fell 24 feet into the water, police said. The woman was not wearing a seatbelt, and it is unclear at this time if she was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, police said. The woman was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition, police said. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call 734-240-7756. Foul play suspected in death of man found inside burning car in Washtenaw County, police say Fugitive team apprehends armed man wanted for Jackson County shooting Ypsilanti man pleads guilty to embezzling $140,000 from elderly man March 03, 2021 SolarWinds (News - Alert) , an American software development company that creates infrastructure technologies for a variety of client companies, was the subject of a widespread cybersecurity attack near the end of 2020. The attack, according to Brad Smith, President of Microsoft (News - Alert) Corp. (one of SolarWinds clients whose systems were compromised) was one of "the largest and most sophisticated attacks the world has ever seen. You may have heard Smith say this on "60 Minutes," the Sunday evening program on CBS. In the end, this attack is still being investigated and fixed. The breach went on for months before it was diagnosed in December of 2020, and engineers are still fishing out the hackers and identifying which systems were compromised. Clients and their networks and data were ultimately breached via a network monitoring software called Orion. According to SolarWinds, approximately 33,000 private and public customers used Orion at the time of the attack, including several United States government agencies and Microsoft itself. U.S. government officials have targeted Russia as the source of the attack. While no one can go back in time to prevent this catastrophe, there are some things we can learn from it concerning todays state of cybersecurity. We spoke with several experts in the network security IT field, and heres what they had to say. What Can We Learn From the SolarWinds Attack of 2020? #1 Unfortunately, hackers will never slow down. Carl Fransen of CTECH Consulting Group said it best when he said: There is a continuous game being played between the threat actors (attackers) and the IT industry (defenders). Call this what you will a contest, battle, a fight for justice, an all-out war but it seems this is the norm, and itll stay that way until it becomes unlucrative to be a hacker. As new software and innovations are being introduced by the industry, Fransen continues, threat actors are continuously finding ways of discovering and exploiting vulnerabilities. This back and forth creates a natural evolution of creating more secure software and promoting better coding practices. This is a case of adversity creating better software. #2 Above all else, detection is key. Network security is a lot of things. Most people think of it as simply prevention, however. Clients go to network security providers to prevent breaches and attacks completely. They think that if they invest in the proper firewalls and other software components, they can stop all hackers from getting in in the first place. People like Guy Baroan of Baroan Technologies have a different take: The SolarWinds hack just shows how there is NO way to stop someone from getting into your network and data if they want to get in It is nearly impossible to be so secure that no one can get in. While this may sound dismal, the point here isnt that you should just give up and stop worrying about security. The point is that prevention is only a part of proper security. The other part is detection. Guy continues: The most important aspect of all the different security needs for an organization is the need to be able to detect when something is going on. There are still so many organizations that dont have this in place the detection part of the security framework. Put simply, if SolarWinds had been able to find the breach earlier in 2020, they could've prevented a lot of damage and compromised data. #3 Companies need cybersecurity professionals at the helm. A little-known fact regarding the SolarWinds attack is that at the time of the breach, the company did not have a senior director of cybersecurity or a chief information security officer on staff. In fact, this is quite typical of even large IT companies, says 4ITs Alexander Freund. He goes on to say that quite often, the people responsible for approving a cybersecurity budget are not cybersecurity professionals, and far more often than not, their primary motivation is profitability We have watched this exact problem play out historically across almost every industry when organizations are free to choose risk vs. profit. If there is a way out, there is a way in. Demetrius Cassidy, In The Cloud Technologies Unfortunately for many companies who simply want to defer their network security management to an IT company and call it a day, ensuring the safety and security of your own data and network systems is a bit more complicated. Naturally, this was the case for clients of Microsoft who didn't realize that even if Microsoft had its security act together, they also had vendors of their own that they were working with. It doesn't stop with people who are your immediate vendors, explains Demetrius, You also need to examine their supply chains. The SolarWinds attack has left companies with a lot of questions. While its true that you can never totally guarantee that you wont be the victim of a cyberattack, you can see clearly the importance of network security and data protection. Especially today, this is not an area where you should put profits above security. Advertisement A 'crude' and controversial algorithm is being used to divvy up Covid jab supplies around the UK, MailOnline can reveal. Department of Health bosses today confirmed officials deployed the Barnett formula to decide how many doses should be allocated to the devolved nations. The method used in the Treasury since the 1980s to distribute public funding is widely recognised as being flawed because it looks almost solely at population size. The Taxpayers' Alliance pressure group previously described the formula as a 'crude, back-of-the-envelope rule' because it doesn't consider different needs in different areas. It also doesn't account for a range of other factors, such as the number of elderly people, rates of poverty and ill health all of which make people vulnerable to Covid and bump them up the vaccine priority list. The decision to use the strategy means England is receiving 84.1 per cent of vaccine shipments from Pfizer and AstraZeneca, Scotland 8.3 per cent, Wales 4.8 per cent and Northern Ireland 2.9 per cent. A source told MailOnline that the devolved nations agreed that, despite its flaws, the Barnett formula was 'the most efficient method of vaccine allocation across the UK', given the urgency of the pandemic. Public health experts said the UK's jab allocation strategy 'should have been stratified' so areas with larger elderly populations, like Wales, got more doses quicker. But Professor Gabriel Scally, former director of public health for the South West of England, told MailOnline the success of the roll-out had 'probably nullified' any flaws in the Government's approach. The decision to use the formula means England is receiving 84.1 per cent of vaccine shipments from Pfizer and AstraZeneca, Scotland 8.3 per cent, Wales 4.8 per cent and Northern Ireland 2.9 per cent, based on their population sizes Despite fears the Barnett formula could lead to some areas lagging behind due to fewer supplies of vaccines, latest official figures show the home nations are jabbing at roughly the same rate Despite fears the Barnett formula could lead to some areas lagging behind due to fewer supplies of vaccines, latest official figures show the home nations are jabbing at roughly the same rate. Scotland has already given first doses to 97 per cent of over-70s, while England and Wales have jabbed 96 and 92 per cent of elderly residents, respectively. Equivalent age-related data for Northern Ireland is not yet available. Experts said the slightly lower uptake in Wales' uptake was unlikely to be significant enough to be attributed to the formula. More than 20million people across the UK have been given the initial injection and 800,000 have received both doses. A successful roll-out and high uptake is at the heart of Boris Johnson's lockdown-easing plans, with a smooth programme essential to restrictions being relaxed fully by June. A UK Government spokesperson said: 'We have secured and purchased vaccines on behalf of the whole of the United Kingdom. 'And with over 20million people already vaccinated nationwide, the vaccines programme underlines the strength of our great union and what we can achieve together.' WHAT IS THE BARNETT FORMULA? The Barnett formula is an algorithm which dictates the level of public spending in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is used by the Treasury to decide how extra funding, or cuts, should be allocated based on population size and which powers are devolved to them. When the UK Government decides to spend more or less on health or education in England, for example, the formula decides how much money the other nations should get. If 1billion was to be added to the education budget in England then the formula would essentially times that money by the devolved nations' population proportion compared to England. This is then multiplied by the extent to which the UK departments services are devolved. The formula is named after its inventor, the former Labour Chief Secretary to the Treasury Joel Barnett, who devised it in the late 1970s. It is widely recognised as being flawed because it looks almost solely at population size and doesn't take into account different needs in different areas. Public spending is significantly different in parts of the UK - for example it has typically been 20 per cent higher in Scotland than in England. Officials in Wales, which has the lowest GDP in the UK, claim the country misses out on up to 300m a year. On why the formula has stood the test of time, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) told MailOnline: 'First, being based on population means it's simple to apply and to explain. 'Second, it's just already there and replacing it with a new, more complex formula would mean losers as well as winners. 'That makes reform politically difficult even if in the end it would be arguably fairer. Agreement would be needed on which other factors to include and what weight to put on them, requiring consultation, debate, and - at least in parts of the country - unpopular decisions to be taken.' Advertisement They added that the formula was used 'to ensure public spending is fairly distributed across all four nations' and said it is the 'fairest way of ensuring an equitable distribution of vaccines'. The Barnett formula which has been criticised for favouring Scotland has been used in Westminster for more than four decades. When the UK Government decides to spend more or less on health or education in England, for example, the formula decides how much money the other nations should get. If 1billion was to be added to the education budget in England then the formula would essentially times that money by the devolved nations' population proportion compared to England. This is then multiplied by the extent to which the UK departments services are devolved. Professor Scally told MailOnline: 'It [the allocation of supplies] should really have been stratified because age is really the biggest single predictor of vulnerability [to Covid]. 'They probably should've taken into account age distribution of population, and also underlying conditions. But that may also have slowed down the roll out, and in many ways it is currently working well ahead of schedule. 'That success has probably nullified any issues that would arise from [not going with a] population compensation strategy.' The Institute for Fiscal Studies suggested the formula, while flawed, may have been the best option given how quickly supplies needed to be distributed across the country. A spokesman told MailOnline: 'Everyone recognises the drawbacks of the Barnett formula for allocating public spending to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. 'For example, it takes account of differences in population levels but not differences in population growth rates. 'And it doesn't account for a range of other factors - such as the number of elderly people, and rates of poverty and ill health - that might affect the needs of different parts of the country. 'So how has it survived so long? First, being based on population means it's simple to apply and to explain. Second, it's just already there and replacing it with a new, more complex formula would mean losers as well as winners. 'That makes reform politically difficult even if in the end it would be arguably fairer. Agreement would be needed on which other factors to include and what weight to put on them, requiring consultation, debate, and - at least in parts of the country - unpopular decisions to be taken. 'For a funding formula used to allocate billions of pounds year in year out, I think we should still grab this bull by the horns - given the long-term prize of a fairer and more rational funding system. 'But I might think differently if I was dealing with a one off decision that needed to be taken very quickly, and I didn't already know what other factors I should be taking account of.' It comes after Public Health England published its first major real-world analysis of the impact of the Pfizer and Oxford University vaccines on the UK's epidemic on Monday The hugely encouraging data showed a single shot of either vaccine cut hospital rates in the over-80s by 80 per cent and stopped six in 10 people in the same age group from getting ill. The PHE data also suggests the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, which was the first to be approved and rolled out a month before the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab, leads to an 83 per cent reduction in deaths from Covid. The team said they could not accurately predict the Oxford jab's impact on deaths yet, because there had not been enough time and data since it was rolled out. PHE also assessed protection against symptomatic COVID in those over 70. It found four weeks after the first jab, efficacy ranged between 57 to 61 per cent for the Pfizer vaccine and 60 to 73 per cent for the Oxford vaccine. A scene from the documentary "Korea's Cultural Heritage" featuring "Jongmyo jeryeak," a royal ancestral ritual performed at Jongmyo shrine and its music / Courtesy of Korean Traditional Performing Arts Foundation By Kwon Mee-yoo The Korean Traditional Performing Arts Foundation is airing a 20-episode mini-documentary series on Korea's UNESCO-inscribed intangible cultural heritage. This is part of the foundation's efforts to make use of and promote Korea's intangible cultural heritages, especially those recognized by UNESCO. Korea has 21 entities inscribed on the list of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, starting with "Jongmyo Jeryeak," a royal ancestral ritual performed at Jongmyo Shrine and its music, listed in 2001. Other notable intangible cultural heritages include pansori (traditional narrative singing style), ganggangsullae (circle dance under the full moon), weaving of mosi (fine ramie) in the Hansan region, the folk song Arirang, kimjang (the making and sharing of kimchi), the Jeju haenyeo (female divers), and ssireum (traditional Korean wrestling), which was jointly submitted with North Korea. Last year, Yeondeunghoe, a lantern lighting festival for Buddha's birthday, joined the list. The first episode, aired Monday, looks at how the tradition of Jongmyo Jeryeak was passed down during Japan's colonial rule of the peninsula, defying the Japanese imperialist policy to obliterate Korean culture. The second episode was on Cheoyongmu, or the dance of Cheoyong, which is derived from the tale of the mythical character Cheoyong from the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.935 A.D.). Kim Chung-woo, who is designated as the holder of the national Intangible Cultural Property No. 39, reenacts the 1,200-year-old dance. A scene from the documentary "Korea's Cultural Heritage" featuring "Cheoyongmu" or the dance of Cheoyong / Courtesy of Korean Traditional Performing Arts Foundation The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky invited President of the European Council Charles Michel to take part in the Crimean Platform summit and called on the European Union to impose sanctions on those who violate human rights in the occupied Crimea. Zelensky noted that Michel's visit to Ukraine coincided with the seventh anniversary of the occupation of Ukraines Crimean peninsula. "We share the assessment of the situation in the occupied Crimea, in particular with regard to systemic human rights violations. I am grateful for the EU's consistent policy of non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea. At the same time, more effective international steps are needed. The issue of Crimea should be put on the international agenda... I took the initiative to hold the inaugural summit of the Crimean Platform, which will take place in Kyiv on August 23... I invited Mr. President [of the European Council] along with other international leaders. I very much count on his personal participation," the Head of State said at a joint meeting with the European Council President in Kyiv, an Ukrinform correspondent informs. He also recalled that the European Union had recently approved a new global human rights sanctions regime. "In this regard, I proposed to impose these sanctions on those who commit arbitrariness on the occupied Crimean peninsula. This could be a powerful contribution of Brussels to the activities of the Crimean Platform," the President of Ukraine said. As reported, the Crimean Platform is a new consultative and coordination format initiated by Ukraine to improve the efficiency of the international response to the occupation of Crimea, respond to growing security challenges, step up international pressure on Russia, prevent further human rights violations, protect victims of the occupying power and to achieve the de-occupation of Crimea and its return to Ukraine. The Crimean Platform is expected to operate at the level of heads of state and government, foreign ministers, in the dimension of inter-parliamentary cooperation and expert network. The Crimean Platform is to be launched officially at an inaugural summit in Kyiv in 2021. ol The Department of Agriculture has identified at least 40,000ha of drained grasslands for rewetting, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture has heard. Addressing yesterdays committee hearing on bog rewetting, Dr David Wilson of Earthy Matters Environmental Consultants outlined that rewetting drained grassland sites offers the opportunity to target a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile, the expert also warned about the impact of Bord na Monas bog rewetting plans on farmland around the River Shannon. Dr Wilson said: Under the Department of Agricultures Ag Climatise Roadmap, released in December 2020, at least 40,000ha of drained grasslands on peat soils have been targetted for rewetting referred to as reduced management intensity in the report. "Rewetting of these soils is interesting as it has not been widely implemented in this country, although it has been carried out in other jurisdictions. "In contrast to cutover and cutaway sites, where there is an emphasis on restoration to a functioning peatland ecosystem with a desire to bring back characteristic peatland flora and fauna, rewetting of drained grassland sites offers the opportunity to solely target a reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To date, only one study in Ireland has evaluated the potential for GHG emission reductions in this land use category, and show that carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration and minimal methane emissions could be achieved even at water levels down to 25cm depths. Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice asked the expert for further clarity on the 40,000ha of grassland identified by the Department for rewetting pointing to Listowel, Co. Kerry, as an example, whereby dairy farms operate on reclaimed boglands that grow grass. Sinn Fein TD Matt Carthy also sought additional clarity on the other jurisdictions where grassland rewetting has been carried out. Dr Wilson responded: "They have identified at least 40,000ha of grassland on organic soils the point being that, because it is on organic soils, it isnt sequestering carbon, it is releasing carbon and that has been recognised in our submissions to the National Inventory Report. If it was mineral soil or mineral grassland, there might be a small amount of carbon sequestered, but not on organic (peat) soils. "Rewetting grasslands is new for us, its something we havent engaged in in Ireland; but the Germans and Dutch have been working on it. Their sites were extraordinary GHG emitters because of the amount of nutrients that had gone into those sites before rewetting, so there was an impetus on them to rewet. The benefits of rewetting in Germany and the Netherlands was very high because the emissions were so high beforehand, he said. Based on Irelands National Inventory Report for 2020, GHG emissions from the countrys estimated 330,000ha of drained grassland on organic (peat) soils under the Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector was reported at 8.3 million tonnes of CO2 per year. However, recent work by Teagasc indicates that the area of grassland on drained peat soils could be 450,000ha which, according to Dr Wilson, would suggest that emissions from this land use category may be currently underestimated by 3 million tonnes of CO2. It was also outlined to the committee chaired by Fianna Fail TD Jackie Cahill that a new Teagasc project will address some of the uncertainties associated with the rewetting of grasslands and subsequently enable Ireland to benefit from the 2018 EU Effort Sharing Regulation. Shannon Fears Meanwhile, on the issue of Bord na Monas peatland rewetting project and its potential impact on adjacent farmlands, Dr Wilson warned of possible consequences for lands along the River Shannon. "My experience of working on Bord na Mona rewetted cutaway bogs over the last 20 years has been that for the majority of these sites, flooding of adjacent lands has not been an issue an experience in agreement with the community living around Abbeyleix bog for example. "However, issues might exist for those areas around the Shannon where industrial extraction was previously facilitated by active pumping of drainage water, and where flooding (as opposed to rewetting) may be a problem when the pumps are switched off. In closing, and pointing the momentum that is clearly increasing in Government for peatland rewetting, Dr Wilson highlighted the new European Innovation Partnerships (EIPs) announced by the Department of Agriculture last month which, he said, will build on the work of ongoing projects such as Burren Life and the Pearl Mussel and Hen Harrier projects. "These new EIPs will provide an important platform to evaluate the potential of transitioning from current conventional practices to new carbon farming models, he concluded. Gov. Greg Abbott is lifting the face mask mandate next Wednesday. A local doctor says it's too soon. Dr. Ray Altamirano, the owner of Casa Salud Family Medicine Clinic, said we can expect to see a spike in cases once the face mask mandate is lifted. Abbott also said he's opening Texas "100 percent," which Altamirano says he understands as many businesses are looking to get as much revenue as possible during a tough time. However, he says having the no face mask order at the same time isn't the best decision. RELATED: 'This is a reckless decision': Texas leaders react to Gov. Greg Abbott's announcement "It does come with a risk," he said. "I'd like to see more Texans vaccinated before we go on with something like this but it looks like it will happen in Texas anyway." According to Abbott, nearly 5.7 million vaccine shots have been administered to Texas. He says by next Wednesday about seven million will have been administered in Texas. Currently, both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses before individuals are considered fully vaccinated. Altamirano said he is hoping this encourages others to get vaccinated as he's thinking about how the lift of the face mask mandate could lead to more deaths and cases. "People are still dying every day across the state," the local doctor said. "As a physician, that crosses my mind. It is too early to go this route. I understand the economic standpoint, but I see it as there are many lives at stake here." With Abbott's actions, Altamirano said the responsibility is now on the individual to protect not only themselves but others around them. He said he hopes others continue to wear face masks and practice social distancing, as he doesn't want to see another massive COVID-19 spike that causes stress on local hospitals. RELATED: San Antonio restaurant owners dish on Gov. Abbott's ruling to fully reopen Texas "We just started showing improvements and decline in cases these past few weeks, and it's up to us to continue that," Altamirano said. "It's not really about you. It's those around you." The Texas Hospital Association also believes Texans should still be wearing face masks regardless of Abbott's lift. "We're asking folks to continue masking. We know it works," the association tweeted after Abbott's announcement. "It protects health care workers and those around you. More infectious variants are circulating in Texas, and millions of more people need to be vaccinated. We should still be doing everything we can to protect each other." In San Antonio, local officials reported 288 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, bringing the total cases in Bexar County to 196,816 cases. Since the pandemic started in March, there have been 2,670 deaths. Case numbers are expected to be skewed following February's winter storms, which closed testing centers across the state for several days on end. According to the Washington Post, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) also lifted his state's mask mandate on Tuesday. However, the newspaper reports Texas is the largest state to do so during the coronavirus pandemic. Priscilla Aguirre is a general assignment reporter for MySA.com | priscilla.aguirre@express-news.net | @CillaAguirre WILLIAMSPORT One of the three of the men who admitted their drug sales were partly responsible for a rash of heroin overdoses in Lycoming County in 2017 has been sentenced to 17 years in prison. U.S. Middle District Judge Matthew W. Brann on Wednesday told Wayne Saquon Davidson, 27, after sentencing him he deserved everything he got. The judge called it one of the worst cases in his eight years on the bench. Davidson, Nathan Crowder Jr. and Markeese Askew pleaded guilty in October to a charge of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and are awaiting sentencing. The three admitted distributing more than 100 grams of a mixture of heroin and carfentanil between October 2016 and July 2017. Four of those who bought drugs as part of the conspiracy nearly died after overdosing. ALSO READ: Body found in Susquehanna near Sunbury identified as missing Williamsport teen Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin pointed out in her sentencing memorandum that in the opinion of a doctor the four would have died had they not gotten medical help. In each of the four instances, Davidson was determined to have been the supplier of the carfentanil-laced heroin, she wrote. Many of those who overdosed and lost consciousness but survived identified Davidson as their supplier, she said. The overdoses occurred in late June 2017 when UPMC Susquehanna in Williamsport reported treating 51 such cases within a 48-hour period. There were three confirmed deaths at that time but none are attributed to the three. Martin in her memorandum accused Davidson of recklessly inflicting grave harm on a vulnerable population, those suffering from addiction. She pointed out carfentanil is a substance developed to tranquilize elephants. Crowder, Davidson and Askew admitted when they pleaded guilty that they obtained heroin in Philadelphia and used cell phones to arrange distribution locations, relay information about law enforcement and to share information on the price and demand for drugs. The fourth man named in the indictment, Raymond Howard, chose to stand trial and was found guilty of the same conspiracy charge. He also is awaiting sentencing. Davidsons sentence also includes four years of supervised release when he gets out of prison. American model-actress Emily Ratajkowski's pregnancy photoshoot in the nude has angered show anchor Piers Morgan, who has gone ahead and spoken about the trend in general. (instagram) Image Source: IANS News London, March 3 : American model-actress Emily Ratajkowski's pregnancy photoshoot in the nude has angered show anchor Piers Morgan, who has gone ahead and spoken about the trend in general. "She has gone completely naked. It seems almost mandatory now for famous women, when they're pregnant, to go naked. Just to show what a naked pregnant woman looks like," Morgan complained on "Good Morning Britain". He went on to rant: "We are kind of done, aren't we? Of the naked, pregnant, famous person doing it just for clicks? Demi Moore did it about 30 years ago and ever since, every week there's another famous woman going: 'Look at me! I'm naked and pregnant. But please respect my privacy'." Morgn did face some opposition from co-host Susanna Reid but that didn't stop him from fuming iver the issue. Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High around 65F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 46F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 (Natural News) The atheism of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is a domineering, authoritarian force that is both faithless and rogue. More than 90 million CCP members are not allowed to join any organized religion and are barred from practicing any personal religion while in office. The CCP is devout to power and void of a spiritual or moral foundation. Any attempt to seek out God, forgiveness, and/or salvation is swiftly punished as party members are accused of feudal superstitious activity. Today, China recognizes only five organized religions, including Buddhists, Taoists, Catholics, Protestants, and Islamists; however, none of the spiritual adherents are allowed to worship freely or have significant influence in their communities. Instead, the CCP imposes strict rules over the religions, dictating religious operations, while infiltrating church leadership to control their direction and influence. This same kind of thought control exists with Big Tech in America and around the world. Amazon bans books on Christian teachings and Biblical principles. Facebook bans high profile Christians who speak out about their faith and their moral principles. Cancelling Christians and labeling their beliefs hate speech is a prelude to communism. Christian persecution in China is accelerating in America According to the Economist, there are at least 100 million Christians now in China, outnumbering the 90 million atheist members of the CCP. As the teachings of Jesus Christ expand in Asia, the people of China face persecution if they openly express their Christian beliefs. The salvation of Jesus Christ and the conviction of the Holy Spirit are a vital part of Christian moral principle and personal growth, but these tenets are viewed as religious extremism in China. These Christian teachings are also being deemed hate speech online, as Big Tech accelerates persecution of Christianity in America and abroad. Since 2013, the CCP has been on an anti-Christian crusade, removing crosses from upwards of 1,200 Christian churches. China routinely trashes religious texts and jails people of faith. Many Christians are forced to go underground in order to worship God freely and minister to their communities. State agents monitor religious activity and will conduct raids on home gatherings to seize and destroy religious texts and communications. Christians, Tibetan Buddhists, Uyghur Muslims and Falun Gong practitioners live under constant threat from the Chinese government. If they are caught reading, printing or distributing religious material, they could be forcibly jailed, abused or punished with harsh labor. Falun Gong practitioners have also been labeled state enemies for many years. Facing torture, harassment and detention, Falun Gong practitioners must teach their moral principles of compassion, truthfulness and forbearance in secrecy. Likewise, the Uyghur and Kazakh ethnic groups are profiled and taken to political training centers or reformation centers where they are often separated from family members and imprisoned for spreading extremist religious beliefs. Around the world, governments are clamping down on religious gatherings, as ministers are threatened to comply with faithless, authoritarian public health measures. Facebook eliminates any faith-driven content that promotes freedom and health, insisting that all users acquiesce to authoritarian demands. The parallels between Chinas book burning and Big Techs thought control In October 2019, a state library in Chinas Gansu Province caused an uproar when they set up a public book burning ceremony. CCP officials tossed so-called tendentious religious publications, Christian media, and other spiritual content into the flames. Amazon also burns Christian media, suppressing moral principles taught by Christian authors. For instance, Amazon banned a Christian title called A Parents Guide to Preventing Homosexuality. This book teaches families how to guide their children toward healthy relationships, establishing respectful boundaries and only engaging in heterosexual marriage. Apparently, no one is allowed to question the LGBTQ agenda. All moral principles are to be quashed as the LGBTQ agenda preys on children, mutilates their biology and convinces them to deviate from biological reality and the natural progression of heterosexual reproduction. In Taizhou City in the eastern Zhejiang Province, CCP officials arrested Chen Yu, the owner of an online Christian bookstore. Chen Yu was sentenced to seven years in prison in October 2020 for selling unapproved religious books imported from Christian nations. Similarly, Facebook was caught censoring Christian evangelist Franklin Graham for a post he made opposing North Carolinas House Bill 2, which allowed transgendered men to enter womens restrooms, and vice versa. Just as reformation centers in China use propaganda to strip groups of their beliefs and heritage, Facebook uses censorship and algorithmic controls to dictate the information people can access in order to slowly change their beliefs and ideas. These are just two examples where Big Tech acts like the CCP, suppressing Christian influence in the culture to impose an all-powerful, atheistic and authoritarian agenda. Sources include: EpochTimes.com BusinessInsider.com NaturalNews.com EpochTimes.com NBCNews.com Brighteon.com CharlotteObserver.com Journalist Azar fined $2,000 for calls for participation in illegal actions RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 17:44 03/03/2021 MOSCOW, March 3 (RAPSI) Moscows Tverskoy District Court on Wednesday fined journalist and municipal lawmaker Ilya Azar 150,000 rubles ($2,000) for calls to participate in unauthorized rallies, RAPSI was told in the courts press service. He was found guilty of breaching the order of organizing a public rally. According to the administrative protocol, in 2020, Azar wrote on his Facebook page a post calling to take part in an illegal action. The U.S. Treasury Department has imposed sanctions against seven Russian officials over Alexey Navalny's case, the agency website informs. Director of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) Alexander Bortnikov, First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Kiriyenko, Chief of the Presidential Domestic Policy Directorate Andrei Yarin, Deputy Defense Ministers Alexei Krivoruchko and Pavel Popov, Federal Penitentiary Service director Alexander Kalashnikov and Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov were targeted by sanctions. "We join the EU in condemning Alexei Navalnys poisoning as well as his arrest and imprisonment by the Russian government," Secretary Janet L. Yellen stated. The United States also blacklisted the 33rd Central Research Institute and the 27th Scientific Center of Russias Defense Ministry, and the State Research Institute of Organic Chemistry and Technology. In addition, the technical document includes the FSB and the Main Intelligence Directorate (currently called the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces), who were sanctioned earlier by Washington on other grounds, TASS reported. Earlier, the European Union announced its own sanctions against Head of the Russian Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin, Director of the National Guard Viktor Zolotov, head of the Federal Penitentiary Service Alexander Kalashnikov and Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov over the Navalny case. They are all banned from entering the EU or hold assets in EU banks. These are first sanctions that were introduced against Russia as part of the mechanism that envisages responses to human rights violations. Previously, such restrictions were either imposed as part of general sanctions against separate countries or the so-called special mechanisms, for instance for using chemical weapons. Navalny was rushed to a local hospital in the Siberian city of Omsk on August 20 after collapsing on a Moscow-bound flight from Tomsk. Later, he was airlifted to Berlin and admitted to the Charite hospital. On September 2, Berlin claimed that having examined Navalnys test samples, German government toxicologists had come to the conclusion that the blogger had been affected by a toxic agent belonging to the Novichok family. On January 17, Navalny was detained at Moscows Sheremetyevo Airport upon arrival from Berlin. On February 2, Moscows Simonovsky District Court replaced Alexey Navalnys suspended sentence in the Yves Rocher embezzlement case with a three-and-a-half-year jail sentence in a medium-security prison. During the drilling, the company intersected zones of strong alteration and base-metal sulphides above a large EM conductor. RC chips from hole AC3RC004 with the grey mineral being lead sulphide and red is zinc sulphide. ( ) has completed its second reverse circulation (RC) drilling program in the Central Lachlan Fold Belt just over a month after its IPO. A total of 1,242 metres was completed at the Cargelligo Project across seven holes as part of a drilling campaign at Achilles 3 gold and base metal target. During the drilling, the company intersected zones of strong alteration and base metal sulphides above a large electromagnetic (EM) conductor. In the five eastern holes, (AC3RC003-AC3RC007) drilling intercepted encouraging alteration zones of around 100 metres in thickness with strong quartz, sericite, chlorite, pyrite alteration of felsic volcaniclastics and silicified siltstones/sandstones dipping 50 degrees to the east, with disseminated galena. This zone lies directly above a deeper EM conductor and the company is confident that it provides encouragement for drilling deeper in future programs. Cargelligo licence potential Intersecting banded base-metal sulphides in the first drilling campaign has confirmed that the Cargelligo licence is fertile and provides further confidence with the 8-kilometre-long shear zone that could host deposits of economic scale. It also highlights the potential significance of the EM conductor at depth below Achilles 3 RC drilling. The company has submitted RC drill samples to the laboratory in Orange NSW and has now mobilised the RC drill rig to the Mount Boorithumble prospect. Location of the Cargelligo Project in relation to the companys Moorefield Project and major mines and deposits within the Central Lachlan Fold Belt. About Achilles 3 Achilles 3 is one of three Hera or Federation style targets within the Cargelligo licence (EL8968) which include Achilles 2, Achilles 3 and Mount Boorithumble, and are in Southern Cobar Basin of the Central Lachlan Fold Belt. These targets lie along a north striking shear zone, and AGCs near term plan is to move the rig as quickly as possible from discovery focused target to target with RC drilling of seven near-surface gold and copper targets. Following the recently completed IPO, the company is well-funded to deliver extensive follow-up drill programs. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed concern about the humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia's Tigray region while he spoke to the country's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Tuesday. Secretary Blinken expressed concern on behalf of the United States and urged the Ethiopian government to take "immediate" and "concrete" steps to protect civilians, refugees and prevent further violence. Last year, a civil war displaced tens of thousands of refugees, including residents of the Tigray region that garnered condemnation from across the globe. Read: Ethiopia Red Cross: 80% Of Tigray Region Cut Off From Humanitarian Assistance Blinken pressed for the immediate withdrawal of outside forces from the Tigray region, including the Eritrean troops and Amhara regional security forces. Blinken also urged the Ethiopian government to allow independent investigations into alleged human rights violations that took place during and after last year's military offensive. Read: 'We'll Be Left Without Families': Fear In Ethiopia's Tigray The US State Secretary acknowledged the Ethiopian government's recent announcement of providing aids group full and unhindered access to the conflict zone. The United Nations and other humanitarian agencies had accused Ahmed's government of blocking assistance to the Tigray region since it managed to overpower the local Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) forces late last year. Last month, the United Nations had described the situation in Tigray as "extremely grave", saying many people in the region have been forced to eat leaves to survive. Read: US Asks Eritrean, Amhara Forces To 'immediately Withdraw' From Tigray The conflict The conflict in the region was sparked after the ruling TPLF party, a minority party at the centre but a strong and powerful group in the region, allegedly attacked a military base of the federal forces on November 4 following which Ahmed's government launched a military offensive. But relations between the two political groups had already started to sour way before the November attack, particularly after Ahmed announced reforms to end ethnic federalism in the country, from which TPLF was benefiting the most. Read: Ethiopia's Tigray In 'grave' Situation, People Forced To Eat Leaves To Survive, Says UN Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 3) The Philippines called for the immediate release of detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and a complete return to the previous state of affairs in Myanmar, a month after the military in the troubled nation seized power in a coup. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., in a statement at Tuesday's informal virtual meeting among foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, also recognized the role of the army in preserving Myanmars territorial integrity and national security. "As part of ASEAN, indeed as part of the civilized community of nations, we are deeply concerned about the recent developments in Myanmar," Locsin added, alluding to the military's ouster of civilian leaders and violent crackdown on protesters. He stressed that the Philippines recognizes Suu Kyi's "unifying role in her country's history and in its destiny" and has always stood by Myanmar's side while it faced "ethnic challenges." "Our call is for the complete return to the previously existing state of affairs: with respect to the preeminent role of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; alongside the Army her father created for the protection of the people he led to freedom and the country he gave them at the cost of his life," he said. The first step, he noted, should be the immediate release of Suu Kyi and subsequent dialogue among the parties involved in Myanmar's destiny.. "In the Philippines, we have a saying: the hurt of the small finger is felt by the whole body. Myanmar is not a small finger but a big part of the two hands that together make up the family of ASEAN 10," Locsin added. He called on the rest of the ASEAN community to stand by Myanmar and be ready to extend whatever help is asked by its people and government. Suu Kyi is currently facing charges after her National League for Democracy Party won by a landslide in the November 2020 election. The army alleged the polls were marred by fraud and seized power. Mass protests in various areas of Myanmar were held over the past weeks in defiance of the coup. At least 18 people were reported killed and 30 were injured after an encounter with the police and military during the demonstrations. The military has been in power in Myanmar from 1962 until 2011, when the new government started ushering a return to civilian rule. Despite the transition and the power-sharing arrangement with civilian officials, the army has retained significant power in Myanmar. RELATED: Myanmar's military has detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi in a coup. Here's what you need to know Australia passed legislation requiring Big Tech to pay for news generated by local media companies New Zealand called on Google and Facebook Wednesday to strike deals with Kiwi media similar to those reached in Australia, which require the tech giants to pay for using news. Broadcast Minister Kris Faafoi said he was considering rules implementing the same type of arrangements for New Zealand's struggling media sector but hoped the deals could be reached through negotiation. "Last week I met with both Google and Facebook," he told a parliamentary committee. "I'm confident that commercial discussions taking place between traditional media and digital platforms will also begin here in New Zealand and I encourage that." Australia last week passed legislation requiring Big Tech to pay for news generated by local media companies, which have long complained that digital giants are sucking up their advertising revenue while also using their content. Facebook and Google did succeed in having some provisions of the new law watered down, meaning the deals are more likely to arise from negotiations than being imposed by regulators. It followed a bitter row that included Facebook attempting to flex its muscles by briefly blacking out Australian news from the platform. Faafoi said the progress of talks in New Zealand would determine how the government framed its regulations on the issue. "They will be heavily influenced by the nature of the actions and discussions between the platforms and media companies," he said. He said New Zealand media were facing a financial crisis at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic meant their work was increasingly important. "The media's role through the pandemic was key to New Zealand's successful response," he said. "As minister, I'm committed to supporting the sector... and to deliver the change required to make it stronger and sustainable in the future." Explore further Facebook says it will pay $1B over 3 years to news industry 2021 AFP For 16 months, GTI and its partners have been designing and assembling fuel cell-electric terminal tractors in a project called Zero Emissions for California Ports (ZECAP) that will assess vehicle operation in a demanding, real-world cargo-handling application. (Earlier post.) Performance verification is nearing completion, and the first-of-a-kind pilot project is preparing to launch. The hydrogen fueling equipment is in final assembly and slated for installation this spring, along with the delivery of trucks. A terminal tractor (yard truck) is a heavy-duty tractor designed to couple and uncouple quickly with trailers to move them within a cargo yard. More than 1,800 yard trucks operate at the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angelesmore than half of all cargo-handling equipment (CHE) at these ports. Yard trucks are the single largest source of CHE emissions but are more difficult to convert to zero-emission fuel cells or batteries because of their variable duty cycles and fundamental requirements for power, versatility, and durability. In the ZECAP program, project partner TraPac will operate two fuel cell electric yard trucks for 12 months. The trucks are Capacity of Texas Trailer Jockey Series TJ9000 gliders configured with BAE Systems electric drive powertrain capable of peak propulsion power of 200kW (270 hp) and Ballard Power Systems FCveloCity-HD85 85kW proton exchange membrane fuel cell. The Capacity truck can store 9.1kg of hydrogen at 350 bar and will fill at an onsite Hydrogen Technology & Energy Corporation (HTEC) hydrogen fueling station with 182kg storage capacity. Other project partners are Frontier Energy and ZEN Clean Energy Solutions. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) funded the project through a grant. We designed the project to maximize the time the trucks will be in service. TraPac is a 24-hour operation. The fuel cell yard trucks are expected to operate for two shifts and refill in minutes, with minimum disruption to TraPacs operation. Well collect and analyze real-time operating data to evaluate safety, reliability, efficiency, and ability to meet operational requirements. Bart Sowa, GTIs project manager This project is a step toward achieving the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles goal of using 100% zero emission cargo handling equipment by 2030. The $11-million project is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environmentparticularly in disadvantaged communities. TORONTO, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The future of truck yard management just got a whole lot smarter thanks to LocoMobi World's launch of WorldStream Truck Yard and Fleet Management. LocoMobi World, a leader in smart city transportation technology, has developed a seamless automated system that tracks trucks' and other fleets' entry and exit into a compound using its proprietary WorldStream Cloud Portal and its LetMeThrough System powered by LPR Express. (PRNewsfoto/LocoMobi World Inc.) The most outstanding feature of this system is that it allows for dual authentication of both the cab and the trailer. The Licence Plate Recognition system scans the front licence plate of the cab, the driver is contacted via SMS that is registered to that plate, the driver responds to the SMS asking for the trailer identification, and access is then granted if the driver is permitted. LocoMobi's WorldStream Cloud Portal allows trucking and fleet companies to manage drivers, cabs, and trailers in real time online. They can control things such as adding and removing drivers, short- and long-term permits and updating permission levels for each trailer. As an added level of security, trucking companies can also register the drivers' personal vehicles exiting the lot. Upon exit, the system immediately allows the car to exit based on licence plate recognition. The system then sends an SMS to the driver to confirm it is ok to exit, which can ultimately prevent theft. "LocoMobi World continues to develop innovative technology for all facets of the transportation industry. WorldStream Truck Yard and Fleet Management is another example of how our Smart City technology is connecting vehicles anywhere they travel," said Grant Furlane, LocoMobi World CEO. "WorldStream Truck Yard and Fleet Management streamlines operations for both the drivers and the companies, providing added levels of security and secure cloud infrastructure." LocoMobi World Inc. seamlessly connects drivers to the LocoMobi World Inc. transportation network. Soon, users will be linked throughout the city and have exclusive offers as they navigate through LocoMobi World's network. About LocoMobi World Inc. LocoMobi World Inc. is a cloud-based Smart City technology company specializing in parking, tolling, transit, storage, asset tracking, and threat management solutions. Our WorldStream cloud portal is the first fully distributed cloud infrastructure management system. In addition, LocoMobi World provides pioneering technology to government, institutional and parking management clients throughout North America and has a growing platform of transportation infrastructure patents. LocoMobi World Inc. has reinvented how people travel throughout the transportation infrastructure in terms of parking, curbside, drive-thru and security. LocoMobi's leading cloud-based Licence Plate Recognition (LPR) system offers a refined approach for revenue control, virtual permitting, violation and citation management, toll road management, managed traffic lanes and gated lane environments, as well as residential multi-level condominium building parking control and access. Our Smart City technology is connecting vehicles anywhere they travel. For more information, please visit the company's website at https://locomobiworld.com or call Grant Furlane at 416.898.3455. Related Images image1.png SOURCE LocoMobi World Inc. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Britain's coronavirus vaccine drive should drastically pick up pace from March 15 because supplies will 'increase substantially', NHS bosses have revealed. The programme, which is crucial to Britain's hopes of seeing lockdown eased over the next few months, slowed down in February due to manufacturing issues. Ministers promised March would be a 'bumper' month for the roll-out, with the NHS racing to vaccinate as many people as possible before millions of second doses must be prioritised. Health chiefs have now told local Covid vaccination teams to get prepared for extra supplies from March 11, hinting the UK may get almost 5million doses a week from next Thursday double the amount it is currently receiving. NHS sites have also been told to ensure extra staff and volunteers are ready to help scale up the operation four days after that, on March 15, and re-offer jabs to anyone who has yet to be inoculated. In a letter to local leaders, bosses also revealed plans to clamp down on regional disparities in the roll-out, with the programme having descended into a 'postcode lottery'. Some parts of the country have already began dishing out jabs to healthy people in their twenties and thirties. Writing in the letter, senior officer for vaccine deployment Emily Lawson and director for primary care Dr Nikita Kanani reiterated patients not included in the current roll-out should only be invited in 'very limited circumstances to avoid wastage'. They wrote: 'From 11 March, vaccine supply will increase substantially and be sustained at a higher level for several weeks. 'Therefore, from the week of 15 March we are now asking systems to plan and support all vaccination centres and local vaccination services to deliver around twice the level of vaccine available in the week of 1 March.' wrote: 'Local systems have made an impressive start to the Covid vaccination programme. However, there is geographical variation between and within local areas. 'As we continue to progress vaccination in line with the JCVI cohorts, it is important all vaccination providers focus on ensuring maximum cohort penetration, inviting patients outside the cohort only in very limited circumstances to avoid wastage.' The letter says a national advertising blitz will 'commence shortly' to remind Brits about the importance of getting their second dose of vaccine. 'Crude' and flawed formula used to divvy up Covid vaccine supplies around the UK A 'crude' and controversial algorithm is being used to divvy up Covid jab supplies around the UK, MailOnline can reveal. Department of Health bosses today confirmed officials deployed the Barnett formula to decide how many doses should be allocated to the devolved nations. The method used in the Treasury since the 1980s to distribute public funding is widely recognised as being flawed because it looks almost solely at population size. The Taxpayers' Alliance pressure group previously described the formula as a 'crude, back-of-the-envelope rule' because it doesn't consider different needs in different areas. It also doesn't account for a range of other factors, such as the number of elderly people, rates of poverty and ill health all of which make people vulnerable to Covid and bump them up the vaccine priority list. The decision to use the strategy means England is receiving 84.1 per cent of vaccine shipments from Pfizer and AstraZeneca, Scotland 8.3 per cent, Wales 4.8 per cent and Northern Ireland 2.9 per cent. A source told MailOnline that the devolved nations agreed that, despite its flaws, the Barnett formula was 'the most efficient method of vaccine allocation across the UK', given the urgency of the pandemic. Public health experts said the UK's jab allocation strategy 'should have been stratified' so areas with larger elderly populations, like Wales, got more doses quicker. But Professor Gabriel Scally, former director of public health for the South West of England, told MailOnline the success of the roll-out had 'probably nullified' any flaws in the Government's approach. Despite fears the Barnett formula could lead to some areas lagging behind due to fewer supplies of vaccines, latest official figures show the home nations are jabbing at roughly the same rate. Scotland has already given first doses to 97 per cent of over-70s, while England and Wales have jabbed 96 and 92 per cent of elderly residents, respectively. Equivalent age-related data for Northern Ireland is not yet available. Experts said the slightly lower uptake in Wales' uptake was unlikely to be significant enough to be attributed to the formula. More than 20million people across the UK have been given the initial injection and 800,000 have received both doses. A successful roll-out and high uptake is at the heart of Boris Johnson's lockdown-easing plans, with a smooth programme essential to restrictions being relaxed fully by June. A UK Government spokesperson said: 'We have secured and purchased vaccines on behalf of the whole of the United Kingdom. 'And with over 20million people already vaccinated nationwide, the vaccines programme underlines the strength of our great union and what we can achieve together.' Advertisement Currently fewer than 1m of the 21m vaccinated people in the UK have been given their second injection after ministers delayed the top-up jab for 12 weeks to get wider coverage quicker. There will be higher demand for second doses beginning later in March because the programme is now three months in. Numerous studies showing that a single dose is highly effective but scientists believe the protection from the first shot may wane if people don't get their follow-up. NHS vaccination teams are also being asked to 'redouble' efforts to target the vulnerable who have not come forward for their jabs yet. The letter urges local leaders to set up 'pop up' vaccination centres at places of worship or other community sites where some people may 'feel more welcome'. Vaccine hesitancy is particularly high in black, Asian and ethnic minority (BAME) groups, which is thought to be due to a lack of trust in Government. The letter adds: 'We ask all systems to use these and other interventions to redouble effort and ensure all eligible frontline health and social care workers, the clinically extremely vulnerable and clinical vulnerable, as well as unpaid carers and those aged 60 and over are offered a vaccination. 'Bookings can be made through the National Booking System into community pharmacies or vaccination centres and local communication plans should be used to encourage uptake through all options.' However, the NHS has warned that vaccine supplies will be limited next week due to the February slump in production at Pfizer and AstraZeneca's manufacturing sites. It said that during that week, sites will focus on getting the vaccine to those 'whom delivery is more complex and time-sensitive', such as housebound patients. 'It provides an opportunity for all sites to end the week in a near-zero stock position', the letter said. It comes after a University of Bristol study today found one dose of the Covid jabs being deployed in Britain are up to 80 per cent effective at stopping already-ill elderly people from being hospitalised with the disease. Earlier this week, the first real-world analysis of the Oxford and Pfizer jabs in England found a single injection prevented eight in 10 over-80s from falling severely sick with the virus. The Bristol study suggests the first dose works just as well in people of the same age who also have multiple underlying health woes. Scientists said the results were significant because they were in people least expected to be protected by the vaccine. They found the Oxford University/AstraZeneca jab prevented around 80.4 per cent of patients from being hospitalised with Covid two weeks after the first dose. A single shot of Pfizer/BioNTech's vaccine was estimated to be 79.3 per cent effective after 14 days. Researchers looked at 460 over-80s who had pneumonia or lung diseases, both of which make them extremely vulnerable to Covid. Many also had other conditions which drove up their risk even further. Professor Adam Finn, a medical expert at Bristol who led the research and a member of the UK's top vaccine advisory panel, said he expects the effectiveness of the jabs to be even higher in younger age groups. Age is the biggest risk factor for the coronavirus and the vast majority of deaths and hospitalisations are in elderly people, which is why the UK prioritised jabs for over-80s and care home residents. But having underlying health conditions also drives up the risk of the virus, which is why Britons with conditions such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes came after the elderly on the priority list. In commemoration of this years International Womens day celebration, B-HeCK Africa NGOs Alliance, in collaboration with the Embassy of Mexico will be hosting a virtual symposium themed GLOBAL REFORM ON DIPLOMACY INCLUSION AND EMPOWERMENT FOR THE MODERN WOMAN AMIDST COVID-19. This webinar is spearheaded by the gender activism arm of B-Heck Africa, Kuaba Mmo, which seeks to achieve its prime objective through engagement in gender development and activism focusing on inclusion, whiles projecting the unique contribution of African women to socioeconomic growth and general development worldwide. The initiative ultimately seeks to challenge the young African female scholar to explore careers on the international relations and diplomacy fronts globally. The symposium will host an array of diplomats as well as experts in gender, international affairs and diplomacy; H.E Abel Antonio Cardenas Tuppia (Ambassador of the Gender Activism Initiative) Head of Mission, Embassy of Peru in Ghana. Mrs. Charlotte Osei Lawyer, International Elections Consultant, H.E Anna Bossman Ambassador Extraordinary, France-Portugal, UNESCO-OIF-OECD, Dr. Afua Boatemaa Yakohene Research Fellow at LECIAD, University of Ghana, Mr. Martin Kaphui Tamakloe Jnr. Veteran Broadcast Journalist, Founder & Chairman of B-HeCK Africa NGOs Alliance The symposium will cover topics including: Diplomatic Power in various forms and how it can be applied to trade opportunities, allies and collaborators. Diplomacy Education and Careers opportunities Movement building, organising, and individual actionhow to link the global to the local and vice versa. The ethics of diplomacy, developing your leadership potential, setting precedents: Knowing what, when and how. Bridging the gender, race, culture gap for womens empowerment. Mentorship on the international relations front building up the women around you (Brighten the corner where you are). As an organisation dedicated to empowering all Africans within the continent, B-HeCK Africa is morally pressed to lead the conversation on female inclusion in International relations and Diplomacy in Ghana. The mission is to get the attention of relevant stakeholders and policymakers to tune in and make the necessary shifts to empower females to aspire to careers in Diplomacy. The symposium will be the first of a quarterly series fronted by the Kuaba Mmo Foundation, the gender activism arm of B-HeCK Africa NGOs Alliance which focuses on women empowerment in the fields of Agriculture, Commerce and Education. The program will also launch an all-female movement dubbed Ladies in International Relations and Diplomatic Affairs (LiIRDA), across all academic and professional fields. This movement will propagate the tenets and ideologies of Kuaba Mmo in line with female inclusion and promotion of the topic of women in Diplomatic affairs. This movement will serve as an infinite vehicle for networking and mentorship for women in the said field and the younger ones with dreams of pursuing related careers and attaining higher heights. This virtual program will be hosted on Zoom and streamed live on Facebook and YouTube on B-Heck Africa NGOs Alliance on Monday the 8th of March 2021. 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 Historic rape accusations have taken a heavy toll on Christian Porter but his emotional denial was genuine, a body language expert claims. The attorney-general outed himself as the federal minister accused of raping a 16-year-old girl in 1988 to insist it never happened and he will not stand down. In an extraordinary press briefing in Perth on Wednesday, a shattered and tearful Mr Porter said he had been subjected to a 'trial by media'. Reporters then grilled him over the allegations which were investigated by police who closed the case on Tuesday concluding there was insufficient evidence. The 50-year-old former public prosecutor confirmed he attended a debating competition at Sydney University with his accuser when he was 17 and she was 16. But he categorically denied ever even sleeping with the woman, who has since taken her own life. Body language and speech expert Michael Kelly saw a politician under heavy duress, while keen to show the public he had nothing to hide. A tearful Christian Porter looks harrowed and pained while his grieved facial expression signal remorse, regret and resignation, according to Michael Kelly He said the politician came across as a man who is aggrieved and righteous, but also dejected. 'He gave a genuine presentation of himself and his ideas. He was very measured,' Mr Kelly told Daily Mail Australia. 'But you can tell it has taken a heavy toll on him.' Mr Porter ended six days of speculation over the accused's identity after the woman's allegation was published in the media without naming the cabinet minister. A body language and speech expert for more than 20 years, Mr Kelly could see and hear Porter's deep distress and anguish as he battled to maintain composure through some tell-tale signs. 'His eyes were watery and red, his voice was trembling and he had trouble taking intakes of breath about five minutes in,' he said. Attorney General Christian Porter (pictured) grimacing during the press conference signaled elements of anger, according to a Body language and speech expert He added Mr Porter showed a wide range of emotions during the gruelling 30-minute press conference. Mr Porter's red eyes tearing up were the sign of a man who was harrowed and pained while his grieved facial expression signaled remorse, regret, and resignation. Facial expressions of him grimacing signalled elements of anger while the gesture of Porter holding his hands out suggests he's doesn't wanted to hide anything, Mr Mr Kelly added. Footage of Mr Porter holding his hand on his heart conveys an expression and of the words coming from the heart while a photo of with his eyes cast downward and pressed lips signal remorse. Mr Porter said he asked Prime Minister Scott Morrison to take some mental health leave to recover from the ordeal. 'He's a public figure accused of some serious allegations and that stress showed through his words, body language and gestures,' Mr Kelly said. 'He showed to be not hiding or covering anything up.' His open arms signal Christian Porter does not wanting to hide anything, according to Mr Kelly Body language and speech expert Michael Kelly (pictured) saw a politician under heavy duress when he watched Christian Porter's media conference on Wednesday Mr Kelly also addressed Mr Porter's emotional and poignant message to the family of his deceased accuser where he acknowledged their terrible loss. He added they didn't deserve the frenzied politicisation in the past week of the circumstances of her death. Mr Porter pleaded with the family to understand why he was refuting their loved one's claims of historic sexual assault but didn't want to impose anymore on their grief. 'His pained, facial expression and flushed facial skin (lack of blood to the face) signal that his vitality; some of his life force has been drained due to the accusation,' Mr Kelly said. 'Throughout the delivery, there was a thin, tremulous voice signalling remorse, resignation, sorrow and empathy (for the family) about the incident.' Christian Porter's hand across his heart conveys an expression and of the words coming from the heart, Michael Kelly told Daily Mail Australia Mr Porter took sharp intakes of breath while he was grilled by reporters after giving his statement. 'He appears frustrated about the position he's in but he doesn't shut them down,' Mr Kelly said. 'His face showed no inconsistencies. If you look at the whole piece, it all fits, there was nothing out of place.' 'He's earnest in trying to do his job.' Michale Kelley said Christian Porter's eyes cast downward and pressed lips signal remorse. Mr Porter has refused to stand down from his position. 'If I stand down from my position as Attorney-General because of an allegation about something that simply did not happen, then any person in Australia can lose their career, their job, their life's work based on nothing more than an accusation that appears in print,' he said. 'My guess is if I were to resign and that set a new standard there wouldn't be much need for an attorney-general anyway because there would be no rule of law left to protect in this country. 'So I will not be part of letting that happen while I am attorney-general and I am sure you will ask and I will state to you, I am not standing down or aside.' Mr Porter announced he had split from his second wife Jennifer (pictured together) - who is 13 years his junior - in January 2020. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 2) The remains of four Filipino oil workers in Libya, who were abducted and later executed by Islamic State militants in 2015, have finally been located, the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli said on Tuesday. The migrant workers were identified as Donato Santiago, Gregorio Titan, Roldan Blaza, and Wilson Eligu. The four, along with two foreign coworkers, had been missing since they were kidnapped by ISIS fighters who attacked the Ghani Oil Field on March 6, 2015. According to the Embassy, their gravesites were found on Monday in the Dahr Ahmar Islamic Cemetery in the city of Derna with the help of Libyan authorities. Embassy Chief of Mission Elmer Cato said since the oil workers abduction, not much had been heard from them until 2017. This was when a video footage of their execution was supposedly found in a laptop seized from slain ISIS fighters in Derna. They were presumed dead, although their bodies were not recovered. In 2018, Cato said they were informed that the remains of the four could be among those recovered and later buried by the Libyan Red Crescent in various parts of Derna. The Embassy explained that due to the unstable security situation, it was only able to send a search team to the city in October last year. After six long years, the families of our four kababayan [fellow Filipinos] will finally find closure, he said. We are indebted to our Libyan friends for making this possible. While the Embassy is convinced the bodies they found belong to the missing Filipino workers, Cato said the Office of Migrant Workers Affairs will still make arrangements for forensic experts to assist in confirming the identity of the remains, as well as bringing them home. The families of the four workers have already been informed of this development, Cato added. BBC, the world-renowned news organization, interviewed U.S. Sen. Cory Booker last week on its Newshour radio program. There was just one problem: The man at the other end of the phone wasnt the New Jersey Democrat, and the news agency quickly apologized to Booker. The BBC in a statement called the incident a deliberate hoax and said the news agency was looking into what went wrong to make sure it doesnt happen again. The BBC said the interview only aired once. The Daily Mail, a British newspaper, said the phony Booker was asked about U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia. The real Booker sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Listeners, though, immediately knew that the subject of the interview was an imposter. Listening to the @bbcworldservice Newshour on @wnyc and trying to figure out how they did an entire interview with someone they introduced as Sen. Cory Booker, who I'm pretty sure was definitely not Sen. Booker, and didn't realize it. Amy Eason (@AEasonNY) February 26, 2021 I listened to this in my car & had the same reaction. @BBC Newshour apologized on their website but I can't imagine that many who heard the "interview" have seen it. Democracy is not a spectator sport (@BRT_Austin) February 28, 2021 Booker had no comment. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. A suspected pipe bomb hit a Dutch coronavirus testing centre on Wednesday, shattering windows but causing no injuries in what officials branded a "cowardly act of destruction". Bovenkarspel, Netherlands, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Mar, 2021 ) :A suspected pipe bomb hit a Dutch coronavirus testing centre on Wednesday, shattering windows but causing no injuries in what officials branded a "cowardly act of destruction". The blast early in the morning in Bovenkarspel, 60 kilometres (40 miles) north of the capital Amsterdam, apparently targeted health workers, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said. The incident comes weeks after another testing centre was burned down during violent riots across the Netherlands against a coronavirus curfew. "Police were called at 6.55 am by a security guard from the corona test centre to say that an explosion had taken place. He had heard a loud bang and then saw that several windows of the building had broken," a police statement said. "Outside the building was a metal cylinder that had exploded. No one was injured in the incident." North Holland police spokesman Menno Hartenberg said the explosion appeared to be deliberate but that the motive was still being investigated. "It's not possible that this was by accident, the object was placed there and exploded near the front of the test centre," Hartenberg told AFP by telephone. Hartenberg added: "It was a metal object somewhere between a tube and a canister." Police forensics officers in white overalls were conducting a fingertip search of the area, which was cordoned off, an AFP journalist at the scene said. - 'Intimidating vandalism' - The explosion caused shock in the Netherlands, which goes to the polls in two weeks in a general election seen as a test of the government's coronavirus policies. Prime Minister Mark Rutte said workers at the centre who "work terribly hard to keep us safe" appeared to be the targets, adding that it was "really terrible, really scandalous", according to the ANP news agency. "For over a year now, we have relied heavily on the people on the front lines. And then this. Insane," added health minister Hugo de Jonge on Twitter. The Dutch GGD public health department said it was "horrified" by the "aggressive and intimidating vandalism." "Our people must be able to do this crucial work safely. This cowardly act of destruction affects us all," GGD national president Andre Rouvoet said on Twitter. A bomb squad was sent to determine whether any explosive material remained at the scene, public television network NOS reported. The part of the Netherlands in which Bovenkarspel is located is currently suffering one of the country's most serious outbreaks, with 81 infections per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to a national average of 27.2, NOS said. The Netherlands has recorded more than one million coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic and over 15,000 deaths. Some 1.3 million people have received at least one dose of vaccine. Broadway's Music Box Theatre, La MaMa, Park Avenue Armory, St. Ann's Warehouse, and the Apollo Theatre are among the "Flex Venues" that will reopen beginning April 2 to host performances as part of the NY PopsUp series. NY PopsUp, the new festival of pop-up events overseen by producers Scott Rudin and Jane Rosenthal, was established to help revitalize the spirit and emotional well-being of New York citizens through the energy of live performance set over 100 days throughout New York City and State. New safety protocols developed by NYPopsUp in coordination with the New York State Council on the Arts and Empire State Development will aid in the reopening of venues, which also include Harlem Stage, National Black Theatre, and the Alice Busch Opera Theater at the Glimmerglass Festival. The New York State Department of Health and NY PopsUp are collaborating with Broadway theater operators to create specific safety plans for each participating building, in advance of April's first performances. This thorough process will serve as Broadway's own pilot program that will increase audience size over time as the Department of Health allows, and will put select protocols into action as New York prepares for Broadway's complete re-opening. Flex venues are established performance spaces that are able to be adapted for social distancing guidelines. Per New York State's Department of Health, attendee capacity of any performance must be limited to the lesser of 33% of the maximum occupancy for the particular area or 50 people; exclusive of performers, crew, and other staff who are necessary for the event. Effective April 2, 2021, the number of attendees may exceed the social gathering limit of 50 people, up to a maximum of 150 attendees, within a 33% maximum occupancy limit for the particular area so long as all attendees receive an appropriate negative diagnostic test result prior to the event. Given the nature of the pop-up format, not all performances will be announced in advance. The Music Box is currently home to Dear Evan Hansen, though it is unlikely that the production will resume performances as part of this series, instead waiting for an official reopening of Broadway. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) listens during a Senate hearing on Capitol Hill, in Washington on Feb. 24, 2021. (Tom Brenner/Pool via AP) Collins Says Shell Vote to Confirm Haaland as Interior Secretary Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said on March 3 she will support President Joe Bidens nominee for Interior secretary, New Mexico Rep. Deb Haaland, making Collins the first Republican senator to back her candidacy. Haaland promised to be bipartisan in her new role at the Department of the Interior, and I look forward to working with her, Collins said in a statement. The announcement makes Haalands confirmation nearly certain after last weeks endorsement by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), who last month irritated his Democrat colleagues by declaring that he would oppose Bidens choice for budget director, Neera Tanden, who has subsequently withdrawn from consideration. While Collins said that she and Haaland certainly have differing views on some issues, she touted Haalands support in the House for a conservation bill Collins co-sponsored, the Great American Outdoors Act, which authorizes nearly $3 billion on conservation projects, as well as the maintenance of public lands, including national parks. The Republican senator also praised Haalands support for issues of concern to her constituents in Maine, as well as her deep knowledge of tribal issues, which has earned her the support of tribes across the country. Haalands confirmation would make her the first Native American Cabinet secretary. Declarations of support from Collins and Manchin are key for Haaland in the 50-50 split Senate, providing some breathing room if any Democrats were to cast an opposing vote. The Department of the Interior oversees the nations public lands and waters and leads relations with nearly 600 federally recognized tribes. Under Biden, the departments priorities are to address the four intersecting challenges of COVID-19, economic recovery, racial equity, and climate change, with acceleration of renewable energy development on public lands and waters one of the implementation objectives. Haaland is on the record as opposing fracking and the Keystone XL oil pipeline, leading some Republicans to come out against her candidacy, with Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wy.) among them. Barrasso, who is the top GOP senator on energy matters, has denounced Bidens moratorium on oil and gas leases on federal land and waters, arguing that it would cost thousands of jobs. During Haalands confirmation hearings before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee, Barrasso said he was troubled by many of Representative Haalands views, which he characterized as radical. We shouldnt undermine our energy production and we shouldnt hurt our own economy, he said. Representative Haalands positions are squarely at odds with the mission of the Department of [the] Interior. Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) said he was deeply concerned by Haalands support for the Green New Deal and the pause on new oil and gas leases, as well as her opposition to Keystone XL. Biden, in one of his first moves after taking office, revoked the permit for the pipeline, which former President Donald Trump had revived after it stalled under the Obama administration. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 In this week's Where in the World is Miami Wednesday, we meet Savanna Stoddard, a junior Information Technology major who is studying abroad in Glasgow, Scotland this semester. What are you studying in your program? Digital Media and Information Studies Why did you choose your study abroad program? Ive always had a fascination for Scotland and the culture. Ive also heard that Glasgow is rated one of the friendliest cities. The University of Glasgow is also gorgeous and highly rated which really drew me in. How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your experience? Before arriving I had to be tested before traveling through the Netherlands. This wasnt difficult to manage, as I was able to get a test in time and I tested negative before flying. Once I arrived in Glasgow, I had to complete a 10 day mandatory quarantine in my flat. They provided me with food for a few days and offered services so that I could order groceries or takeaway. Since being out of quarantine and school starting, Ive adjusted quickly to the city and the COVID-19 regulations. When in stores we are required to wear masks. There is also a lockdown in place for the country but we are allowed to travel within our council area for outdoor recreation, which is what I love doing. COVID-19 has definitely affected my experience and made it impossible to travel to the highlands or other areas that Id like to see in Scotland, but Ive adjusted and am enjoying Glasgow on its own. Im just happy to be here! What are the coolest places you have visited on your program? Glasgow City Center, Pollock Country Park and the University of Glasgow itself. Not much traveling is allowed currently due to the lockdown restrictions. I told (my friend) Im not getting in the middle of that stuff up there, said the man, who asked that his name not be made public. She kept telling me, You know, theyre not going to believe the victims because of who Mike is, and maybe if you talk to somebody and say what you know, it may help the victims with their credibility. It finally kind of started sinking in. I thought, I have to say something. Iraq has begun administering vaccines against COVID-19. The campaign comes ahead of Pope Francis' visit and during a period of relatively high coronavirus cases. The Ministry of Health started giving vaccine jabs in the capital, Baghdad, on Tuesday, according to a post on its Facebook page. Doses have arrived in several other provinces as well, including disputed Kirkuk in the north and Najaf in the south, according to the ministry. Iraq began its vaccine campaign after receiving 50,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine from China on Monday night, Reuters reported. The autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government in northern Iraq received 5,000 doses of the shipment, Kurdish Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said in a statement sent to Al-Monitor. The news precedes Pope Francis upcoming visit to Iraq. The head of the Catholic Church will be in the country from March 5-8. Francis will visit Baghdad; the Kurdish capital, Erbil; the northern city of Mosul and other cities. Iraqs Assyrian, Chaldean and Syriac Christian populations constitute some of the oldest Christian communities in the world. Health experts told The Associated Press last week that the popes visit could be risky due to Iraqs weak health care system, the high number of coronavirus cases there and the likelihood that Iraqis will crowd to see him. The start of the vaccine campaign just a few days before his visit is unlikely to have an impact on the virus-related risks of the trip. Like other countries in the region, Iraq has experienced highs and lows in daily COVID-19 cases. The Ministry of Health registered 4,690 cases on Tuesday. The historic high was just over 5,000 in the summer. Coastal communities at the forefront of climate change reveal valuable approaches to foster adaptability and resilience, according to a worldwide analysis of small-scale fisheries by Stanford University researchers. Globally important for both livelihood and nourishment, small-scale fisheries employ about 90 percent of the world's fishers and provide half the fish for human consumption. Large-scale shocks -- like natural disasters, weather fluctuations, oil spills and market collapse -- can spell disaster, depending on the fisheries' ability to adapt to change. In an assessment of 22 small-scale fisheries that experienced stressors, researchers revealed that diversity and flexibility are among the most important adaptive capacity factors overall, while access to financial assets was not as important for individual households as it was at the community scale. The research was published Jan. 23 in the journal Climatic Change. "The idea of assets not being essential at the household level is an empowering finding because we looked at a lot of places in developing nations without a lot of assets," said lead author Kristen Green, a PhD student in the Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources (E-IPER) at Stanford's School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences (Stanford Earth). "It shows we can invest in non-financial or non-asset-based adaptive mechanisms, and fishers can still adapt." Focusing on response mechanisms The researchers measured adaptive capacity using a new framework with three response pathways: adapt, react and cope. Adaptation is defined as proactive planning or taking collective action, reaction as an unplanned response, and coping as passive acceptance of consequences. The team of 11 study authors determined whether or not each fishery community or household had capacity in the areas of knowledge, assets, diversity and flexibility, governance and institutions, and natural capital. "These adaptive capacity domains don't work in isolation -- it's the recipes or combinations that are important for successful adaptation," Green said. While previous research has calculated a quantitative or numerical resilience score for different regions and sectors, the focus on community response is fairly new, according to senior author Larry Crowder, the Edward Ricketts Provostial Professor and professor of biology in Stanford's School of Humanities and Sciences. "Millions of people are dependent on making a living in small-scale fisheries, and some of them are currently doing it better than others," said Crowder, who is also a senior fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. "If we can identify the features that allow communities and individuals to be better prepared for those perturbations -- in other words, to have an adaptive response -- then we can try to build that capacity in communities that don't have it." In one case study in their analysis, a tropical island in Vanuatu exhibited flexibility when a cyclone disrupted fishery reefs, infrastructure and fisher livelihoods. Because the fishers had agency over management of the marine area, they were able to temporarily open a previously closed section to maintain food supply and income. "Part of our findings run counter to the emerging conventional wisdom that making specialists of fisherman is a good thing," Crowder said. "Historically, these fishers were generalists, and our findings suggest they're more able to adapt to fluctuating circumstances if they can maintain that generalist fishing approach." Incorporating diverse needs The researchers found that diversity and flexibility were important at every scale, for both community and household adaptive capacity in responding to acute and chronic stressors -- for example, being able to diversify fishing portfolios or shift to other means of income. In addition to climate stressors, the researchers assessed responses to biological, economic, political and social changes, as well as environmental degradation and overfishing. The patterns that emerged from the study may be applied to adaptive capacity in other sectors, such as agriculture or manufacturing. Using a broad "way of life" approach allowed the co-authors to consider what factors drive behavior, such as culture, heritage or spending time with their families -- not necessarily economics. "From a Western perspective, sustainability would be a nice thing to have happen. But for people in these communities that are highly resource-dependent, it's not nice -- it's necessary," Crowder said. "Their future is potentially compromised if they and we don't help figure out how to make those lifestyles more sustainable in the long term." The analysis revealed several examples of how Western-style management -- such as imposing fixed protection areas or maximizing one product that will make the most money -- doesn't always work for small-scale fisheries. ### Co-authors on the study include Jennifer Selgrath, Timothy Frawley, William Oestreich, Elizabeth Mansfield and Stephanie Green of the Hopkins Marine Station; and Jose Urteaga, Shannon Swanson, Francisca Santana and Josheena Naggea of E-IPER. Frawley is also affiliated with the Institute of Marine Sciences at the University of California, Santa Cruz; S. Green is also affiliated with the University of Alberta. [March 03, 2021] The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz Announces Investigation of Ormat Technologies, Inc. (ORA) on Behalf of Investors The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz announces an investigation of Ormat Technologies, Inc. ("Ormat" or the "Company") (NYSE: ORA) on behalf of investors concerning the Company's possible violations of federal securities laws. If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. On March 1, 2021, before the market opened, Hindenburg Research published a report entitled "Ormat: Dirty Dealings in 'Clean' Energy." According to the report, the Company "has engaged in what we believe to be widespread and systematic acts of intentional corruption," adding that it "expect[s] the blowback to these revelations to be seere, threatening Ormat's contracts in its most lucrative markets." The report alleges that Hindenburg "uncovered evidence tying Ormat to corruption with senior government officials," and "direct evidence tying Ormat to corruption with senior Guatemalan government officials" further noting "Ormat paid contractors in Kenya tied to corrupt government officials." On this news, Ormat's stock price fell $1.00, or 1.1%, to close at $84.67 per share on March 1, 2021, thereby injuring investors. The same day, after the market closed, Ormat responded to the report and acknowledged that "[t]he Company is aware of claims being investigated in Israel regarding Ravit Barniv, an Ormat Board member, and Hezi Kattan, the Company's General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer." Though the "claims involve Ms. Barniv's and Mr. Kattan's work at another company, prior to joining Ormat," the Company announced that it would "transfer the responsibility for the Company's compliance function to other members of the Ormat management team until these issues are resolved." On this news, Ormat's stock price fell $1.68, or nearly 2%, to close at $82.99 per share on March 2, 2021, thereby injuring investors further. Follow us for updates on Twitter (News - Alert) : twitter.com/FRC_LAW. If you purchased Ormat securities, have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Frank R. Cruz, of The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz, 1999 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 1100, Los Angeles, California 90067 at 310-914-5007, by email to info@frankcruzlaw.com, or visit our website at www.frankcruzlaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005367/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] State-run power giant will stop 105MW of power supply to in view of non-payment of outstanding dues of Rs 89 crore, a source said. " will regulate power supply to in view of non-availability of Letter of Credit (LC). 105 MW of supply, which is entirely from is being stopped. The outstanding beyond due date is now Rs 89 crore," the source said. In spite of requirement of LC, was not maintaining the same, the source told PTI. The power distribution utilities are mandated to open letter of credit for getting power supply from generation firms. The Regulation shall continue till adequate payment security mechanism is established and current dues are cleared, the source 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.) Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. IRVINE, Calif., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. (the "Company" or "Sunstone") (NYSE: SHO), the owner of Long-Term Relevant Real Estate in the hospitality sector, today announced the retirement of Marc Hoffman, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Hoffman joined Sunstone in 2006 and has been responsible for Asset Management and Design & Construction. Chris Ostapovicz has been appointed Senior Vice President & Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Ostapovicz will join the Company in March and will report to John Arabia, President & Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Hoffman will remain with the Company during a period of transition. John Arabia stated, "Throughout his nearly 15-year tenure at Sunstone, Marc has been a driving force behind our asset management initiatives and major renovation and repositioning projects. Anyone who knows Marc can see his knowledge, creativity, and passion imprinted on our most successful hotels, including Wailea Beach Resort, Marriott Boston Long Wharf, Hyatt Regency San Francisco, and so many others. Marc has been a great business partner and friend over the years and I, along with the rest of Sunstone and our hotel teams, wish him the very best as he enters the next chapter of his life." Mr. Arabia continued "It is a great pleasure to welcome Chris to our team. Chris is a proven industry executive with extensive experience in hotel asset management, operations, and capital planning. With his depth of experience, breadth of industry relationships, and proven leadership skills, Chris is well suited to oversee Asset Management and Design & Construction and contribute to Sunstone's long-term success and profitability." Mr. Ostapovicz most recently served as Senior Vice President of Asset Management at Host Hotels & Resorts, which he joined in 2007. Prior to joining Host Hotels & Resorts, he held various operating and finance positions at both The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and Marriott International. Chris was board director and treasurer for the Hospitality Asset Managers Association (HAMA) the last five years and one of three faculty to start Georgetown University's master's in global hospitality in 2014. Mr. Ostapovicz earned an undergraduate degree in accounting from University of Maryland, a master's degree in business administration from Georgetown University and a master's degree in real estate from Johns Hopkins University. About Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. is a lodging real estate investment trust ("REIT") that as of the date of this release has interests in 17 hotels comprised of 9,017 rooms. Sunstone's business is to acquire, own, asset manage and renovate or reposition hotels considered to be Long-Term Relevant Real Estate, the majority of which are operated under nationally recognized brands, such as Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt. For further information, please visit Sunstone's website at www.sunstonehotels.com. For Additional Information : Bryan Giglia Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. (949) 382-3036 Aaron Reyes Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. (949) 382-3018 SOURCE Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. Related Links http://www.sunstonehotels.com At the general audience, Francis asks to pray for the journey that begins on Friday. In Myanmar, "aspirations for peace must not be stifled by violence". Before knowing Jesus, he said, "we really did not know how to pray: what words, what feelings and what languages were appropriate for God." Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Pope Francis hopes to make the trip to Iraq, which will begin the day after tomorrow, Friday in the best possible way. " or a long time I have wanted to meet those people who have suffered so much; to meet that martyred Church in the land of Abraham. Together with the other religious leaders, we shall also take another step forward in brotherhood among believers.. Then recalling that John Paul II was prevented from visiting, he added that "one cannot disappoint a people for the second time.". Before asking for prayers for his visit to Iraq, Francis went back to talking about the " Sad news of bloody clashes and loss of life continue to arrive from Myanmar. I would like to draw the attention of the authorities involved to the fact that dialogue prevails over repression and harmony over discord. I also appeal to the international community to ensure that the aspirations of the people of Myanmar are not stifled by violence. May the young people of that beloved land be granted the hope of a future where hatred and injustice make way for encounter and reconciliation. Finally, I repeat the wish I expressed a month ago: that the path towards democracy taken in recent years by Myanmar may be resumed through the concrete gesture of the release of the various political leaders imprisoned". Previously, continuing in the cycle of catechesis dedicated to prayer, Francis illustrated the theme "Prayer and the Trinity". Before knowing Jesus, he said, " We really did not know how to pray: what words, what feelings and what language were appropriate for God. In that request the disciples addressed to the Master, which we have often recalled in the course of these catecheses, there is all of humanitys fumbling, repeated attempts, often unsuccessful, to address the Creator: Lord, teach us to pray (Lk 11:1).. Not all prayers are equal, and not all are convenient: The Bible itself attests to the negative outcome of many prayers, which are rejected. Perhaps God at times is not content with our prayers and we are not even aware of this. God looks at the hands of those who pray: to make them pure it is not necessary to wash them; if anything, one must refrain from evil acts. But perhaps the most moving acknowledgment of the poverty of our prayer came from the lips of the Roman centurion who one day begged Jesus to heal his sick servant (cf. Mt 8:5-13). He felt totally inadequate: he was not a Jew, he was an officer in the detested occupying army. But his concern for his servant emboldens him, and he says: Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed (v. 8). It is the phrase we also repeat in every Eucharistic liturgy. To dialogue with God is a grace: we are not worthy of it, we have no rights to claim, we limp with every word and every thought... But Jesus is the door that opens us to this dialogue with God.". "Why - he then asked - should humanity be loved by God? There are no obvious reasons, there is no proportion So much so that most mythologies do not contemplate the possibility of a god who cares about human affairs; on the contrary, they are considered bothersome and boring, entirely negligible. While "a God who loves man, we would never have had the courage to believe him if we hadn't known Jesus", What kind of God is prepared to die for people? Which one? What kind of God loves always and patiently, without demanding to be loved in return? What God accepts the tremendous lack of gratitude of a son who asks for his inheritance in advance and leaves home, squandering everything? (cf. Lk 15:12-13).". "It is Jesus who reveals Gods heart. Thus Jesus tells us through his life the extent to which God is a Father. Tam Pater nemo: No one is Father like he is. The paternity that is closeness, compassion and tenderness. Do not forget these three words, that are Gods style: closeness, compassion and tenderness. It is his way of expressing his paternity towards us. He concluded: It is difficult for us to imagine from afar the love with which the Holy Trinity is filled, and the depth of the reciprocal benevolence that exists between Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Eastern icons offer us a glimpse of this mystery that is the origin and joy of the whole universe. Above all, it was beyond us to believe that this divine love would expand, landing on our human shore: we are the recipients of a love that has no equal on earth. The Catechism explains: The sacred humanity of Jesus is therefore the way by which the Holy Spirit teaches us to pray to God our Father (no. 2664). And this is the grace of our faith. We really could not have hoped for a higher vocation: the humanity of Jesus God who came close to us in Jesus - made available to us the very life of the Trinity, and threw wide open this door of the mystery of the love of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - In Nigeria, too little is being done to help teenagers left traumatised by the recent spate of attacks on schools and mass abductions, UN-appointed independent rights experts said here Wednesday Legal experts and politicians have lauded efforts by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to bring about security, stability, and development in Egypt. During a seminar run by MENA board chairman Ali Hassan on Wednesday to discuss a book written by head of the Court of Appeals Khaled Mohamed El-Qady, the participants spoke about the significant role played by President El-Sisi in fighting terrorism. Speaking about his book, The Protection of Peoples in Wartime, El-Qady said it took nearly 10 years to compile, review, and finalise. Egypt was and will remain the cradle of civilisation, science, arts, and literature, El-Qady said, adding that the book is his gift to the whole world. Egypt was the first country in history to establish the principle of justice, he said, adding that ancient Egyptians chose Maat as a goddess of justice. The seminar was attended by former prime minister Essam Sharaf and former foreign minister Mohamed El-Arabi. Short link: The Center for Civic Education is renowned for its "We the People" national academic competition, a yearly event for high school students. You can learn more about the National Finals and learn how to support the Center's critical work here . Context is a cultural education provider, connecting global scholars with lifelong learners through online seminars and in-person tours. In celebration of their anniversary, Context has re-launched a selection of their most popular seminars to date. They are offering 15% off these " Context Classics " now through March 14. "At this moment in our history, Americans are clamoring for clarity about what the Constitution says and how our system of democracy can ensure a representative society that protects everyone's rights and honors our diversity," said Christopher R. Riano, president of the Center for Civic Education. "Our partnership with Context will bring nationally recognized scholars to provide a firm grounding in the fundamental principles of American governance." "For 18 years, Context has been connecting passionate learners with the highest quality experts around the globe," said June Chin-Ramsey, CEO of Context. "Our vision is to inspire lifelong learning by bringing context to our world, and we've always believed in the ability to bring people together through the pursuit of knowledge and understanding. That's why I'm thrilled about our partnership with the Civic Center for Educationtogether, we will inspire the next generation of global-minded citizens." The online lectures will bring nationally recognized scholars to discuss topics that have been at the forefront of our recent political discourse, including Rick Bell of the University of Maryland, Ben Rubin of Drew University, Susan Sullivan Lagon of Georgetown University, and Jeremi Suri of the University of Texas at Austin. Follow Us @CivicEducation @ContextTravel Related Links About the Center for Civic Education About Context SOURCE The Center for Civic Education Related Links http://www.civiced.org Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon and the other team members of the film Bhediya recently met the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu before beginning to shoot for the same. Varun and Kriti reached Arunachal Pradesh to shoot the first schedule of the film after announcing the same a few days ago. The pictures of the actors along with their Bhediya team meeting the CM has been going viral on social media. Talking about the same, the meeting also had Minister Of Home And Interstate Affairs Bamang Felix, Commissioner TO HCM Sonam Chombey and Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar in attendance too. One of Varun Dhawan's fan clubs on Instagram shared the pictures from the meeting. In one of the pictures, Varun can be seen being felicitated by the Chief Minister while in the other, the team of Bhediya can be seen interacting with the dignitaries present. In another picture, Varun along with Kriti Sanon and the rest of the team can be seen striking a pose with the CM. Take a look at the same. Bhediya will be marking the third association of Varun Dhawan with Kriti Sanon. The two were earlier seen in the films Dilwale and Kalank together. The film will be helmed by Amar Kaushik and will be bankrolled by Dinesh Vijan. The two had earlier collaborated for the hit horror-comedy Stree. The film will also be starring Deepak Dobriyal and Abhishek Banerjee in pivotal roles. The movie will be penned by National Award recipient writer Niren Bhatt who has earlier written the scripts of acclaimed movies like Bala, Wrong Side Raju and Made In China. The film is slated to release on April 14, 2022. Also Read: Varun Dhawan Mourns The Loss Of Entertainment Journalist Aarti, Recalls Her To Be 'Extremely Passionate' Earlier, Varun Dhawan had channelled his funny side and had shared a hilarious video on his social media handle. The video had the Coolie No 1 actor getting on a chartered plane and howling like a wolf hinting towards his character in the film, Bhediya. The actor can be seen looking dapper in a black tee which he had paired up with a black leather jacket, glares and blue jeans. Also Read: Bhediya: Varun Dhawan Turns Into A Werewolf; Makers Announce The Film With An Intriguing Teaser Frontline Impact Project partners with twenty-six companies to direct resources to vaccination sites nationwide. Tweet this Bill Creelman, the founder and CEO of Spindrift, maker of sparkling water with real fruit, says, "At Spindrift, community is at the center of everything we do, so we're thrilled to contribute to the Frontline Impact Project. We hope our beverages will be a refreshing bright spot in the day of frontline workers who are so selflessly dedicating their time and energy to help." Frontline Impact Project has involved a myriad of on-the-ground partners, including state and county health departments; regional healthcare providers; nonprofit organizations; and primary care associations, to ensure products are distributed equitably and efficiently. One partner, Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE), a crisis relief non-profit organization, is operating fixed and mobile vaccination sites, including a megasite at Dodger Stadium. "Our staff has been fighting tooth and nail for nearly a year to protect our communities during the pandemic, so we are extremely grateful for any opportunity to show them our appreciation," said CORE co-founder and CEO Ann Lee. "We are blessed to have the Frontline Impact Project's recognition and platform to support our incredible frontline workers who deserve to be rewarded for their hard work." Other partners include the City and County of San Francisco; Illinois' Cook County; Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston, Texas; the City of Baltimore; Atrium Health and StarMed Healthcare in Charlotte, North Carolina; CIC Heath in Cambridge, Massachusetts; The University of Alabama at Birmingham Medicine in Birmingham, Alabama; and NYC Health + Hospitals and the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City, with a footprint across New York City's five boroughs. Daniele Baierlein and JL Paniagua Valle, Co-Executive Directors of the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City, explain why support from the business community is meaningful, saying, "The frontline workers who serve day and night to bring this pandemic to an end deserve our material support in addition to our praise. We commend the companies that have joined Frontline Impact Project. This demonstration will no doubt encourage others to help those who sacrifice so much for the safety and health of our communities." Daniel Lubetzky, Founder of KIND, whose team started Frontline Impact Project last April, elaborates, "Those operating our nation's vaccination centers join the body of frontline volunteers selflessly working around the clock to overcome this pandemic. We owe them our gratitude and support. I hope that Frontline Impact Project inspires more companies to realize the impact we can have when we mobilize our resources and, together, deliver them to those in need." In addition to Spindrift, the following companies have joined the effort: To date, Frontline Impact Project has helped companies donate more than six million products. In addition to vaccination sites, it continues to support healthcare and emergency response groups nationwide. To learn more, visit www.frontlineimpact.org. SOURCE Frontline Impact Project Related Links https://www.frontlineimpact.org/ Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Apparel exports have been showing signs of a rebound since the end of the third quarter last year Recent figures by the Vietnam General Department of Customs show that as of February 15, Vietnam raked in $3.77 billion from textile and apparel exports, up $270 million compared to the same period in 2020. Le Tien Truong, deputy chairman of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (Vitas) and chairman of state-run group Vinatex noted that with the COVID-19 situation still intense and consumption declining in Vietnams major export markets like the US, EU, and Japan, many local firms have adopted smartly by shifting to producing items for common use with reasonable price tags. In fact, the textile and clothing sector has been trending in this direction from the second half of last year, helping to ensure continuous work for labourers with stable order placement. This helped the sector to reach an export turnover of $35.2 billion last year, which, albeit lower than in 2019, was much better than other major exporters like India and Bangladesh, Truong said. According to Vitas, in the brightest forecast the sector would recover consumption level as in 2019 in the third quarter of 2022, whereas based on the slow recovery scenario such consumption would reach by end of 2023. Due to the pandemic, total aggregate demand for textile and apparel products shed more than 22 per cent globally, going from $740 billion to $600 billion. Competing countries all saw 15-20 per cent decreases. The reduction of Vietnams textile and apparel sector was far less than the world average. A Vinatexsource certified that many firms in the sector, including Vinatex members, have signed orders until the end of April. Significantly, orders have been placed for several product lines such as knitwear and items for common use until July and August. Hung Yen Garment Corporation (Hugaco) a major member belonging to Vinatex group posted a revenue of $15.7 million and after-tax profit of $1.07 million in January 2021, up 83 and 160 per cent compared to January 2020. The company has signed export orders until the end of this years second quarter, ensuring stable work for its labourers in the upcoming months. In 2020, COVID-19 has adversely impacted firms across the board, and Hugaco was not an exception. Its total revenue shed 5 per cent to VND2.6 trillion($113 million) and profit sank 20 per cent due to declining orders and price rates. Nguyen Xuan Duong, chairman of Hugaco, said that after a challenging year like 2020, this year, Hugacos prime goal in the short term is to sign more export orders and expand its market to ensure employment for its labourers. According to Vitas, in the best case scenario, the sector would recover 2019 consumption level by the third quarter of 2022, while under a slower recovery scenario it would take until the end of 2023. Under the current market conditions, the sector has set forth the target of achieving $39 billion in export value this year, equivalent to the 2019 performance. WASHINGTON, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Arcadia, a clean energy technology company offering a monthly subscription service connecting renters and homeowners across the US to wind and solar energy, announced today the expansion of its community solar program into Maine. Community solar allows anyone to directly support a new solar project in their community and get cheaper, cleaner energy at home. Instead of installing panels on a roof, customers can subscribe to a solar farm without fees or long-term contracts. As the solar farm generates energy, customers earn savings on their power bills and more clean energy is added to the local grid. Two-thirds of Americans , or 85 million households, aren't able to put solar panels on their rooftops. That's a huge gap in access that particularly impacts renters, those who can't afford to buy or finance panels, or those who have a shady rooftop that isn't a good fit for rooftop panels. Community solar makes it possible for everyone, not just those with the ideal financial circumstances, to access affordable clean energy. Arcadia is the largest manager of residential community solar subscriptions in the U.S., and has pioneered a no-credit check, no long-term contract model that is consumer friendly and opens access to everyoneregardless of economic status. "The future of energy is people-powered, and we look forward to bringing Maine households hassle-free guaranteed solar savings," said Kiran Bhatraju, CEO of Arcadia. "Community solar can, and should, be easy to access for everyone from Portland to Millinocket." The expansion of Arcadia community solar into Maine comes through partnerships with leading community solar developer BlueWave Solar and leading solar project financier Summit Ridge Energy (SRE). "Summit Ridge is excited to partner again with Arcadia to help subscribe our ever-growing community solar fleet," said SRE CEO Steve Raeder. "Once construction activities are completed in 2022, thousands of households, along with dozens of commercial customers, will realize monthly utility savings while simultaneously supporting a greener Maine." "We're pleased to work with Arcadia to provide residential customers in Maine with a convenient way to support local, clean energy," said Trevor Hardy, CEO of BlueWave Solar. "Our partnership with Arcadia is part of BlueWave's broader development efforts and customer outreach in Maine which also includes community solar for both small and large businesses, energy storage, and partnerships with farmers to deploy agrivoltaics - solar paired with active agricultural uses. We are excited to bring the benefits of solar to all of these stakeholders and contribute to Maine's commitment to a clean energy future." The expansion is also an important step in Arcadia's nationwide effort to reach a 100% renewable energy future. Arcadia has partnered with solar developers to add 89 new projects in MD, RI, MA, IL, CO, NY, DC, and ME in 2021. In their first year of operation, these community solar projects should generate 400,000 WH of clean energy, enough clean solar to power 48,000 homes for a year. To find out more information on accessing community solar through Arcadia please visit: https://www.arcadia.com/ ABOUT ARCADIA Arcadia gives customers a simple, easy, and affordable way to choose renewable energy, connecting their home and community to the highest standards of clean energy. Founded in 2014, Arcadia integrates with 125 utilities in all 50 states, manages 4.5 terawatt-hours of residential energy demand, and is the largest manager of residential community solar subscribers in the US. Join us in achieving our vision of a 100% renewable energy future at www.arcadia.com . ABOUT SUMMIT RIDGE ENERGY Summit Ridge Energy is the country's leading owner-operator of community solar assets. Through dedicated funding platforms, the team acquires pre-operational projects within the rapidly growing solar energy and battery storage sectors. By the end of 2021 SRE's will have over 200 MWs of operating solar farms providing annual electricity savings to over 30,000 households. Follow Summit Ridge Energy on LinkedIn and Twitter for updates, or learn more at srenergy.com . ABOUT BLUEWAVE SOLAR BlueWave is on a mission to revolutionize energy with simple, powerful solar solutions. As a pioneering solar developer and leading community solar service provider, BlueWave has built more than 155 MW of solar projects to date and provides community solar access to thousands of customers. As built, these projects collectively generate enough solar energy to avoid roughly 119,000 metric tons of carbon emissions annually. BlueWave's innovative community solar subscriptions make it possible for homeowners, renters, small business owners, municipalities, and commercial building operators to save money and to be part of the energy revolution. BlueWave's cutting-edge Solar Management Platform enables solar asset owners and installers to conveniently manage their customers while giving those same customers an easily accessible online dashboard to sign up, manage their subscriptions, and review their account activity. A certified B Corp, BlueWave has received national recognition for its work to protect the planet, including being named the Clean Energy Company of the Year in 2018 by the Northeast Clean Energy Council, a top impact company by Real Leaders Magazine, and a leading growth company by Inc. Magazine and the Boston Business Journal. Contact: Brennan Johnson [email protected] SOURCE Arcadia Related Links https://www.arcadia.com Editor-at-Large Gail Walker finds out views of five more commentators. Eoghan Harris Although I believe the Irish Sea Border poses no economic threat to Northern Ireland, it has dealt an enormous political and psychological blow to unionists by damaging their sense of security as part of the United Kingdom. Too many commentators have tried to play down that psychic shock. They dismissively blame unionists for bringing it on themselves by supporting Brexit and trusting Boris Johnson. There is some truth in this charge, but it leaves out far too much context. Simon Coveney, who took over the Northern Ireland portfolio equipped with a megaphone, has typically told unionists to own it as if the Republics rigid position on the backstop played no part in forcing Johnson into a political corner from which he predictably extricated himself by sacrificing what unionists see as a core principle. Accordingly, its critical for political parties in the Republic to show the same sensitivity as Taoiseach Micheal Martin who, while urging unionists to work the Protocol, has always acknowledged the deep sense of hurt involved. Like other shrewd observers, he sees unionist anger is not abating and that all politicians, whether in the UK, NI, ROI or the EU, should be aware of a highly and volatile situation, which thankfully has so far been contained by a responsible unionist and loyalist reaction. What should unionists do? Everything they can legally do to express their anger at a crude betrayal. It is better to vent these feelings openly and democratically than to let them fester. Although I am pessimistic about the prospects of the legal challenge, the fact that three unionist parties united to support it is a positive development. Until now a fragmented unionism has lacked a common lobbying voice to promote and protect the kind of core principles violated by the Protocol. Eoghan Harris is a columnist in the Sunday Independent Peter Shirlow There are aspects of the Protocol that are unhelpful such as the Irish Sea border. The whole Brexit saga began with threats if there was a hard border and now threats as there is a sea border. Read More It is peculiar to have checks on the movement of goods within a nation. However, the Protocol is law and will not be removed. The best that unionism can affect is changes to Articles 5-10 via a majority in the Assembly. That is unlikely. Brexit is effectively over beyond some tinkering around trade and movement issues. So the threat to unionism can only come from its reaction to the Protocol and any sense that it is merely reacting to a section of unionism that is traditional and intransigent. Unionist political parties are losing votes to Alliance, not the TUV, and you would think energy for electoral renewal would be directed at winning over the majority of the pro-Union community who are socially liberal and who are not overly-exercised by the Protocol. What unionism should do now is very simple. Stop behaving in a manner that will breathe life into the debate over a border poll. Examine and promote the aspects of the Protocol that will lead to economic growth. Promote Northern Ireland as unique and with two customs territories. Bargain with Downing Street to encourage GB-based companies who want unfettered access to the EU to locate here and not in the EU. The Assembly has delivered Belfast as one of the fasting growing software economies in the EU so more politics of the pragmatic that promotes NI as a site of investment, educational advancement and opportunity. Forego the politics of resistance and not an inch, that is long gone, and build a politics of inclusion and societal renewal. Professor Peter Shirlow is the director at the University of Liverpool's Institute of Irish Studies and a founding member of the www.arinsproject.com Sarah Creighton The Irish Sea Border changes the dynamic between GB and NI. That's significant and it's the reason why people are so angry. But it will only pose a threat if unionism lets it pose a threat. Unionism needs to be smart in how it addresses the problem. Unionism now needs to make the Protocol work to their advantage. They should try and get it mitigated and, in the long-term, encourage GB to align more closely with the EU. If they want rid of the Protocol they need to come up with a viable alternative. Any alternative must take account of nationalist and republican concerns around a hard border. Sarah Creighton is a lawyer and commentator Dr John Kyle Expand Close Dr John Kyle / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dr John Kyle The careful equilibrium achieved by the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement has been disrupted by the Northern Ireland Protocol. Northern Ireland's integrated position in the United Kingdom has been fundamentally altered by the extensive restrictions on the movement of goods and services between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and therefore the Irish Sea border, and the implementation of these restrictions is a threat to Northern Ireland's position within the United Kingdom. Unionists are unanimous in calling for the removal of the Northern Ireland Protocol which has given rise to the Irish Sea border. Boris Johnson must recognise that he has placed a region of the United Kingdom under the governance of the European Union but without representation. Taxation without representation was unacceptable to the early American colonies and remains so today for unionists. The existence of the Irish Sea border is a product of Boris Johnson's duplicity and the European Union's inflexibility, intransigence and failure to understand the balance inherent in the GFA. It makes no allowance for Northern Ireland's unique position. The movement of goods and components from Great Britain to Northern Ireland as their final destination presents no threat to the Customs Union or Single Market and therefore should not be subject to any restrictions or additional regulations. Frictionless movement is only a problem for the EU if the goods are in transit to the wider European market. Biosecurity measures which have successfully protected the island of Ireland for decades are being unnecessarily strengthened, another example of the gratuitous implementation of unnecessary regulations embedded in a largely unnecessary Irish Sea border. Dr John Kyle is a PUP councillor Dr Graham Gudgin The Northern Ireland Protocol is an unnecessary and undemocratic sledgehammer to crack a nut. There are simpler ways to protect the EU from receiving illegal imports across an open land border without constructing a customs border in the Irish Sea between NI and GB for the first time in hundreds of years. The Protocol states "a shared aim of avoiding controls at the ports and airports of Northern Ireland" and "of impacting as little as possible on the everyday life of communities in Northern Ireland". It also "has regard to the importance of maintaining the integral place of Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom's internal market". Despite all of this it goes ahead and imposes customs controls on the sea border. This has infuriated unionists who demand that Northern Ireland should be treated the same way as any other parts of the UK. While this demand is understandable it is also true that NI has never quite been the same as other parts of the UK and can live with light customs controls, but these need to completely avoid the current heavy handedness. Will a sea border destroy the Union? The answer is no. There is a solid majority in support of remaining in the Union, and living standards are higher than in the Republic. The Union is safe. What should unionism do now? The protocol was shamefully poorly drafted, and the EU is exploiting its advantage even though it faces absolutely no current problems with imports from the UK. Unionists should support David Frost and employ all methods to insist on the lightest possible application of the rules. If the EU continues to insist on checks for goods that were until very recently no problem at all, then nuclear options may be needed. In extremis these include removing cooperation with the North-South Ministerial Council and cross-border bodies. Dr Graham Gudgin is an honorary research associate at the Centre for Business Research, Judge Business School, University of Cambridge. He was special adviser to the First Minister in Northern Ireland 1998-2002. Philip Orr The Irish Sea border is an unwanted tangle in the link between Northern Ireland and Britain - and those pro-Union citizens who voted to remain in the EU can't help but feel annoyed at this further consequence of Brexit. In truth, Northern Ireland has often felt like a place apart within the UK, in terms of progressive legislation, options for party affiliation and standards of living. Unionists have often felt themselves clinging on (as the poet Tom Paulin phrased it) to "the window-ledge of the Union". However, this place is still in the UK 100 years after its creation despite massive challenges. That is remarkable. I think there is no great value in yet another attempt to create a successful protest movement. Previous attempts to overturn imposed change have not worked. Repeated failure demoralises. Northern Ireland must instead take hold of the opportunities that are presented by having a foothold in the EU as well as being in the UK. With a smart young workforce, an English speaking population and advocates in Biden's America, this place is ideally placed to host global companies who want access to both the UK and EU. The future beckons and it could actually be exciting. The Illustrated History Of Flight by Philip Orr is published by Singular Publishing. To purchase a copy, go to www.ptorr.com Read part one of this article. MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI Public officials who wear or display political campaign materials, such as T-shirts or hats, at meetings are violating the Michigan Campaign Finance Act (MCFA), according to a recent decision by the Secretary of States office. The office came to that conclusion after a 16-month investigation into a complaint against a Republican Muskegon County Commissioner who wore a Trump hat to a commission meeting. A letter issued Feb. 26 from the Bureau of Elections states that the display of materials that expressly advocate for or against a candidate or ballot question by a public official engaged in the conduct of their public duties will be considered a violation of the MCFA. The complaint was filed in October 2019 against Commissioner Zach Lahring, alleging that he displayed and wore a Trump 2020 hat to a Muskegon County Board of Commissioners meeting earlier that month. Lahrings response to the allegation included a claim that the display and wearing of the hat were protected political speech under the First Amendment, according to the letter. He also claimed that because he didnt intend to assist in the re-election of former President Donald Trump and that the hat was not displayed during an election year, that it was not a violation of Michigan law. Related: County official who displayed, wore Trump hat during meetings focus of complaint While the Bureau of Elections determined that theres a potential that Lahring violated campaign finance law, it also said the letter sent to Lahrings attorney Feb. 26 was a formal warning and served as notice to other public officials and bodies. The letter explained that because Lahring spent money on the hat and then displayed it at a meeting he was paid to attend, he was in essence giving contributions to the Trump campaign. The complaint against the Republican commissioner was filed by L. Kip Smith, who ran for, and lost, a seat on the Muskegon County Board of Commissioners in the August 2020 Democratic primary. His complaint alleged that Lahring was using a public resource, the Muskegon County courthouse, to promote and endorse a federal candidate. In his complaint, Smith provided as evidence two pictures of Lahring displaying his hat and a video recording of public comment at an Oct. 22, 2019, meeting of the Muskegon County board. He filed his complaint three days later. The video shows Smith asking Lahring to remove his hat from view. Lahring says nothing in response but defiantly picks up the hat and places it on his head. During that 2019 meeting, a heated debate over illegal immigration resulted in two members of the public being removed by sheriffs officials. Related: Two thrown out for making threats at illegal immigration debate in Muskegon Smith told MLive the hat was tinder to an all-ready flammable situation. The commissioners escalation of the situation by placing the item upon his head and using my speaking time to stare me down, left me having no other option than to file a complaint, Smith wrote in an email. He said he was satisfied by the states finding, and he hoped that everyone, regardless of political leaning will respect this decision. Lahring did not provide a comment when requested by MLive. Lahring was first elected in 2018 to represent Muskegon Countys District 5, which covers Fruitport, Ravenna and Sullivan townships. He was re-elected to a second two-year term in November 2020. Smith lost in the primary to Susie Hughes, the then chair of the county board who ended up being re-elected in Novembers general election. Also on MLive: Michigan to relax COVID-19 restrictions for restaurants 56,000 laid-off Michigan workers get $800 grants, but thousands of others were denied Police identify young couple, unborn baby killed in crash GEORGETOWN COUNTY End-of-course tests for high school students in the Georgetown County School District showed a significant difference between hybrid and virtual students after the end of the first semester, with hybrid averaging nearly 6 points higher. Unveiled at the GCSD school board meeting on March 2, the overall average scale score on all end-of-course tests was 63.6, with hybrid students at an average of 66.1, while virtual students were below the average at 60.4. David Hammel, GCSD executive director for accountability and assessment, presented two items to the board during the meeting: a comparative grade analysis for first- and second-quarter grades and an overview of high school end-of-course tests. According to the presentation, 36.4 percent of 2nd to 8th grade students failed one or more classes the first quarter of school, with that number dropping to 32.4 percent for the second quarter. For high schoolers, 23.3 percent failed one or more classes first quarter, and that number dropped as well to 20.7 percent for the second quarter. A comparison to failures in 2019-20 was not offered, but board member Lynne B. Ford said these numbers were not surprising to her because of the COVID-19 pandemic. "My question is always now that we know that, what are we going to do next?" Ford said. End-of-course test results saw disparities in other areas as well, with African American and special education students scoring on average the poorest, with average scores of 57.8 and 52.7, respectively. Hammel said the numbers that stood out to him were the Hispanic students and English language learning students scores, which were exactly five points apart with an average score of 64 for Hispanic students and 59 for ELL students. "They've been a lot closer together (in previous years)," Hammel said. Sign up for our Myrtle Beach weekly update newsletter. Sign up for weekly roundups of our top stories, news and culture from the Myrtle Beach area. This newsletter is hand-curated by a member of our Myrtle Beach news staff. Email Sign Up! The three subjects that students are tested on that were presented to the board Algebra 1, Biology and U.S. History all saw drops in average test scores from the 2018-2019 school year, with U.S History seeing the biggest drop from an average score of 66.7 to 61.1. Test scores for 2019-2020 were unavailable, Hammel said, due to there only being first semester end-of-course testing in the schools. For the quarter grade analyses, board member Dr. Arthur Lance asked if these numbers were reflective of normal numbers, or if COVID-19 had any effect on them. Hammel said that he has not run and stored this specific data in the past, so he has no way of knowing, but that he plans on running a comparative analysis of the two years to see if there are significant differences in the numbers or not. During the presentations, Patti Hammel said the board needs to pay attention to the 7th and 8th grade numbers going forward, as they both saw the highest percentage of failures second quarter. Michael Cafaro said that further disaggregation of the numbers to see more affected groups, such as students in poverty, would make the numbers look worse. Ford said nothing beats face-to-face learning, even if it is just two days a week, and the presentations confirmed that for her. "When you have students that are in a class, that have a teacher in front of them, they're more apt to be able to concentrate, not be as distracted, as opposed to being home watching a screen," Ford 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 double murder suspected lady killer will have his Kansas City day in court despite objections of bias. Similarly, we notice KSHB double crossing their mugshot policy given that tattooed dude doesn't have a lot of sympathy in this cowtown. Read more . . . Seegene's new product filters COVID-19 and variants during primary PCR testing in 1 hr 55 minutes Seegene's proprietary high multiplex technology enables detection of 10 different targets S. Korean firm to research additional versions of variant diagnostic tests SEOUL, South Korea, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Seegene (KQ096530), a biotechnology company specializing in molecular diagnostics, said Monday it finished the development of the world's first-ever variant diagnostic test that can simultaneously detect COVID-19 and screen multiple virus variants, with a single multiplex real-time PCR testing. The 'Allplex SARS-CoV-2 Master Assay' can detect both coronavirus and its variants in the initial round of testing. It's an ideal way of screening coronavirus genes, as the pandemic continues after being coupled with more contagious variants that have spread to at least 70 countries. The new COVID-19 test detects a total of 10 targets including four coronavirus genes (E gene, RdRP gene, N gene and S gene) as well as five defined virus variants notably spotted in the most recognized lineages. Those variants include B.1.1.7 (U.K. lineage of concern, associated with the N501Y mutation), B.1.351 (South African lineage defined by 501Y.V2), P.1 (Brazilian lineage with variants of biological significance E484K, N501Y and K417T), B.1.1.207 (U.S. lineage). Detecting four coronavirus genes in a single tube of assays can only be realized by Seegene and its unique technology, one that is extremely vital when distinguishing the virus that keeps on evolving at a fast rate. Seegene's technology can precisely detect various types of mutant variants including those of point mutation and deletion of amino acids. Additionally, Seegene's 'Allplex SARS-CoV-2 Master Assay' can pre-screen suspicious new variants that are believed to carry composition of the already discovered mutations. Recently multiple COVID-19 mutations have been reported to overlap, like the N501Y mutation, now being spotted in multiple lineages, after having been reported in the U.K. and South African variants. 'Allplex SARS-CoV-2 Master Assay' can also be used in conjunction with 'Allplex RV Essential Assay,' a one-step assay for screening 17 target causative viruses for respiratory infections. With a single swab sample, the two provide high usability in detecting essential respiratory pathogens accurately and comprehensively. Seegene also utilized its original technology of endogenous internal control system that verifies entire testing process, starting with the sample collection, making the less-invasive saliva sampling method a viable option. The company added the extraction-free application is currently under development. The extraction-free method can shorten the testing process and eliminate concerns over possible extraction reagent and consumable shortages. By incorporating Seegene's proprietary high multiplex technology, Seegene becomes the first in the market to target both COVID-19 and variants with a single tube of reagent. The company already has over 150 multiplex diagnostic tests in its portfolio including HPV and STI assays. With the company's big data auto-surveillance in silico system, the diagnostic firm said it closely monitors and analyzes global databases on the coronavirus and its variants, enabling swift response with further product development. Dr. Jong-Yoon Chun, CEO of Seegene said its new COVID-19 test will "help lessen the burden of the testing process as the turn-around-time for screening both COVID-19 and virus variants will drop to less than two hours after nucleic acid extraction." Currently, health authorities have to go through an extra round of genomic sequencing to distinguish the existence of COVID-19 variants after standard PCR tests, automatically leading to a more prolonged testing time. Dr. Chun added its "variant diagnostic test will ultimately boost massive testing ability in its fight against COVID-19, coupled with more contagious mutant variants." The need to screen COVID-19 variants has become an essential tool in effectively controlling infections and handling patient care, following worrisome developments that some COVID-19 vaccines produce a weakened immune response against the contagious virus variants. Seegene previously introduced 'Allplex SARS-CoV-2 Variants - Assay,' a diagnostic test capable of identifying origins of multiple variants. This particular test can detect and differentiate virus variations that seem to have originated from the UK, South Africa, Japan and Brazil as well as additional suspicious variants. The two diagnostic assays can be complimentary in that it can screen COVID-19 as well as filter and identify the origins of virus variants, allowing health authorities to better trace the virus and handle patients. Dr. Chun added that "Seegene will continue to monitor the progress of virus variants and provide with more COVID-19 diagnostic tests to help contain the spread of COVID-19." About Seegene, Inc. Founded in Seoul, South Korea in 2000 and with subsidiaries in the U.S.A., Canada, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Brazil, and the Middle East, Seegene, Inc. is an in-vitro diagnostics (IVD) company that has been turning concepts into products through its pioneering R&D activities. Seegene owns its original patent technology including DPO (Dual Priming Oligonucleotide) for multiple target amplification; TOCE, for multiple target detection in a single channel; MuDT, the world's first real-time PCR technology that provides individual Ct values for multiple targets in a single channel for quantitative assays.; and mTOCE multiplex mutation detection technology. With these cutting-edge molecular diagnostic (MDx) technologies applied to diagnostic kits and other tools, Seegene has enhanced the sensitivity and specificity of PCR (polymerase chain reaction) to unprecedented levels, providing multiplex PCR products that target and detect genes of multiple pathogens simultaneously, saving testing time and cost. Seegene continues to set new standards in MDx providing new, cost-effective innovations. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1357790/Seegene_logo_Logo.jpg CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the past few years, TKXS, a B2B data-driven solutions provider, has worked with several animal health clients. It's been a natural fit, as the industry is strikingly similar to and sometimes overlaps with TKXS' bread and butter work in agriculture. Now, the company is taking a more dedicated approach to the vertical, expanding the team, committing to further growth, and giving the animal health market, including companion animals and farm animals, its full attention. Not only is TKXS significantly scaling up efforts to bring its proven, data-driven solutions to the animal health market, but the company has brought in an industry veteran who is 100% focused on the animal health vertical, Bryan Armstrong. "Bryan brings a decade's worth of experience in animal health," says Diana Henderson, TKXS' EVP of business development and client services. "More importantly, he brings a passion for helping customers build and execute strategies so they can excel." Before joining TKXS as VP of business development, Bryan was the national strategic account manager for corporate accounts for the animal health division of one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies. It was there that he honed his customer-centric reputation. "What's made me successful is putting customers first. I see everyone as my 'customer,' whether client, employee, colleague or employer," says Bryan. "As a servant leader, I put their goals and objectives first, helping them build strategies for the best return on investment." TKXS has been developing B2B data-driven software solutions for over two decades. The company is now a cornerstone of TELUS Agriculture, a new business unit of TELUS, dedicated to providing innovative solutions to support the agriculture industry. "With the vision and backing of TELUS Agriculture, TKXS is perfectly positioned to become a force within the animal health industry," says TKXS' CEO, Thad Armbruster. "Our reputation and commitment to client success are well-established, and our agriculture experience is already opening a lot of doors. More importantly, TKXS fills a real need in the animal health space. We don't see any other player offering a more complete suite of data-driven products and services than TKXS." ABOUT TKXS: Founded in 1998, TKXS is a North Carolina-based B2B technology and data-driven solutions company. As a cornerstone of TELUS Agriculture, we provide data collection, data science, technology and data-enabled marketing and incentive management capabilities primarily in the agriculture and animal health industries. These products and services allow our clients to gain intelligence, operate more effectively, and create demand. For more information, please visit www.tkxs.com, and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Or contact Winn Maddrey, vice president of marketing and corporate communications, at [email protected]. ABOUT TELUS AGRICULTURE: TELUS Agriculture leverages technology and data to enable a better flow of information across the agriculture and food industry. We deliver better food outcomes for consumers, while enabling cross-industry collaboration, with solutions that drive efficiencies and profit for farmers and ranchers, agri-businesses, and agri-food, consumer goods and retail companies. TELUS Agriculture's growing list of solutions includes farm management software, precision agronomy, traceability, supply chain and trade promotion management. TELUS Agriculture currently serves over 150 million acres of agricultural land, backed by a team of over 1,200 experts across Canada, the USA, Mexico, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Slovakia, Armenia, Germany, China, and Australia. For more information please visit telus.com/agriculture , follow us @TELUS_Ag on Twitter and TELUS Agriculture on LinkedIn. SOURCE TKXS, LLC DOHUK, Iraq A barrage of rockets was fired on Wednesday at the Ayn Al Asad air base in Iraqs western Anbar Province one of the last remaining Iraqi bases where U.S. forces are stationed. An Iraqi security statement and one released by the Pentagon said 10 rockets were launched toward the sprawling base. A senior Defense Department official said a U.S. contractor had died of an apparent heart attack during the rocket barrage. Officials in Washington did not identify the group responsible for the attack. The Pentagon said in a statement that the missile defense system at Al Asad engaged in defense of our forces and added, We extend our deepest condolences to the loved ones of the individual who died. The way it was: Christy Walsh, back left, with Chips Scanlon, Eric McNamara, David Casey, Pat Healy and Berkie Browne at the Cheltenham Preview fund-raiser in The Well in 2018. Photo by Domnick Walsh Outside of the Listowel Races, it's one of the biggest nights in the famous horse-loving town for the Sport of Kings. Thankfully, COVID hasn't entirely put paid to the annual Cheltenham Preview Night at Christy's Well Bar in the Square - as the action goes online. As ever, it's in aid of the vital work of the Kerry Parents' and Friends' Association, complete with a fantastic expert panel, and with Pat 'Cash' Healy and Billy Keane on point as hosts. "Kerry Parents and Friends Listowel Branch are delighted to announce that our annual Preview Night will go ahead on Tuesday, March 9, between 8pm and 10pm but in a different format this year," organiser Eilish Stack said. "Pat Healy and Billy Keane will host the event and will be joined on the panel by Michael Winters, Eric McNamara, Kevin Brouder and Berkie Browne. "On the night, we hope to have interviews from other famous names in Irish Racing who will share their expert opinions on the runners and riders. "There will be charity bets kindly sponsored by Bar One Racing and Browne Bookmakers as well." The event will be streamed live via the Kerry Parents and Friends Association Facebook page with a GoFundMePage for donations to the charity also set up. Established in 1973 to provide a community-based service for adults with an intellectual disability in Kerry, the KPFA provides residential and day services together with respite; home support; training for life and individualised services for more than 200 adults in Kerry. "We hope everyone will tune into what should be an entertaining, enjoyable and informative night," Eilish said. "There will also be spot prizes for a raffle among those who donate to the Go Fund Me Page. "A special thanks to Christy Walsh, Pat Healy and JC O'Shea for all their help in organising the night." ben porter News of Gov. Greg Abbott's decision to completely reopen Texas and end the statewide mask mandate left residents considering what the move would mean for essential trips to places like H-E-B. Dya Campos, H-E-B's director of public affairs, said mask-wearing will still be supported at the stores. Beazley Chief Executive Officer Andrew Horton is leaving to become the group chief executive officer of QBE Insurance Group Ltd. in Australia, the two companies announced. Horton will be succeeded in the role by Adrian Cox, the current chief underwriting officer. QBE had appointed Richard Pryce as interim CEO in October 2020 after CEO Pat Regan was forced to step down, following a complaint from a female employee in the United States. A search for a new CEO had been conducted since that time. Horton will remain with Beazley until March 31, 2021 and is not expected to take up his new role until Sept. 1, 2021. Andrew is an inclusive and collaborative executive, who places a strong focus on risk, culture and relationships. He is known for driving positive change and high performance and has built a well-respected business over a number of years, said QBE Chairman Mike Wilkins. His deep understanding of the insurance landscape and the opportunities and challenges across each of our markets, see him well placed to build QBE for the future. When Horton moves into his new role, QBEs Interim CEO Pryce will move to an advisory capacity, providing a three month leadership transition before retiring from the company in December 2021. Hortons appointment is subject to regulatory approvals. Effective April 1, Adrian Cox will succeed Horton as CEO of Beazley, where he has worked for 20 years, most recently as chief underwriting officer. With more than 25 years of industry experience, Cox has been a member of the Beazley plc board since 2010. Following Coxs appointment, Bethany Greenwood will be the interim CUO of long-tail underwriting (cyber and executive risk and specialty lines), and Tim Turner will be the interim CUO of short-tail underwriting (marine, market facilities, political, accident and contingency, property and treaty). These responsibilities will be in addition to their current roles, while Beazley conducts the process to appoint a new CUO. Hortons Biography Horton joined Beazley as finance director in June 2003 and became CEO in 2008. During his tenure as CEO, the company profitably grew by around 10% per annum and it successfully added international operations on what had been a purely London-based company, said QBE in its announcement about the appointment. Prior to Beazley, Horton spent 15 years in the banking industry at ING, Nat West and Lloyds Bank in a variety of finance roles, ultimately being the UK chief financial officer for INGs wholesale banking division. He qualified as a chartered accountant with Coopers and Lybrand in 1987. Horton completed a Bachelor (Hons) of Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge and was a non-executive director of investment management firm, Man Group from 2013 to 2020. On behalf of the whole board, I would like to thank Andrew for his leadership and outstanding contribution to Beazley, in particular as CEO, a position he has held since 2008, commented Beazley Chairman David Roberts. He has overseen the expansion of Beazley over this period, and leaves it in a strong position operationally and financially. We wish Andrew well in his new role. [Adrian Coxs] appointment provides continuity in Beazleys leadership team and strategic direction. This ensures that we will continue delivering for our people, our clients and our shareholders in the years to come, he added. QBE Chairman Wilkins thanked Pryce for stepping in and leading QBE with focus and clarity at a critical time for the group. On behalf of the board, we wish him every happiness in retirement, and we thank him for his commitment and service to our company over many years, he said. Source: QBE and Beazley Topics Australia Lynda M. Gonzalez-Pool/Getty Texas Governor Greg Abbott Texas is officially reopened, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday afternoon on Twitter. "I just announced Texas is OPEN 100%," Abbott, 63, tweeted. "EVERYTHING." "I also ended the statewide mask mandate," the Republican governor added. The announcement makes Texas the largest U.S. state to commit to fully reopening, nearly a year after all 50 states shut down businesses and implemented varying forms of stay-at-home orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves also announced Tuesday that his state would abandon its mask mandate and allow businesses to fully reopen this week. Most Americans and Texans have not received a COVID-19 vaccination yet. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Texas has recorded the second-highest number of COVID-19 cases and third-highest number of deaths, behind California and New York, according to a New York Times tracker. There have been at least 515,254 U.S. deaths caused by COVID-19, according to the Times. At least 28.7 million people across the country have been infected by the coronavirus that causes the COVID-19 respiratory disease. In Texas, the Times reports 44,107 people have died from COVID-19 while more than 2.6 million have been infected with the virus. Abbott's announcement also comes less than 24 hours after The Houston Chronicle reported that Houston is the first U.S. city to discover all new major strains of the coronavirusmany that are more contagious than the initial strain discovered in 2019, the newspaper reports. RELATED: CDC Director Says U.S. Could 'Completely Lose' Progress with COVID-19 as More Variants Continue to Spread Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, warned Monday that the U.S. could lose its progress in fighting COVID-19 if people become too relaxed about safety precautions. "Please hear me clearly: At this level of cases with variants spreading, we stand to completely lose the hard-earned ground we have gained," said Walensky, speaking from the White House. Story continues "These variants are a very real threat to our people and to our progress," the health official added. "Now is not the time to relax the critical safeguards that we know could stop the spread of COVID-19 in our communities, not when we are so close." At least 51.8 million people across the country have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccination thus far, according to The Washington Post, with 26.2 million Americans being fully vaccinated. That equates to 7.9% of the country being fully vaccinated and 15.6% having received at least one dose, according to the Post. In Texas, at least 3,883,032 peopleor 35.4% of the prioritized populationhave received at least one dose. About 13.4% of the state's population is fully vaccinated. Abbott's announcement means businesses in Texas are legally allowed to return to 100% capacity, according to a press release from his office. "Make no mistake, COVID-19 has not disappeared," the governor said. "But it is clear from the recoveries, vaccinations, reduced hospitalizations, and safe practices that Texans are using that state mandates are no longer needed." According to the Post, more than 6,000 Texans are currently in the hospital with COVID-19. As information about thecoronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from the CDC, WHO andlocal public health departments.PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMe to raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, clickhere. On January 8, the Cyberspace Administration of China published a new Draft Revision to its Measures on the Administration of Internet Information Services and further suppressed freedom of speech on the internet by prohibiting individual news bloggers from commenting and reporting on political developments. The original document, Measures on the Administration of Internet Information Services, was published on September 25, 2020. The original measures were made to regulate Internet information services activity and to promote the healthy and orderly development of Internet information services. Significantly, in the new draft revision, the phrase preserving national security and public interests was added. Chinese flag (Wikimedia Commons) There are a number of other notable additions in the new draft, including: * The state will take measures to monitor and address illegal and criminal activities using domestic or foreign internet resources that would harm the security or order of the nation's cyberspace or infringe on citizens' lawful rights and interests. * All organizations and individuals are required to provide personal identification information when they arrange or use internet services, including for internet access, internet information services, domain name registration and resolution. * Mobile phone SIM cards and network adaptors must not be resold by any organization or individual. These cards are to be connected with their buyers personal ID, and most websites and applications require a valid phone number during registration. Thus, prohibiting the resale of these cards allows the state to track an individuals online and offline activities. * The state, in accordance with the law, can take technological and other measures to block information published outside of China that are prohibited by laws and regulations. * Individuals and organizations are not allowed to help others acquire and spread information that is blocked by the state. These additional clauses explicitly justify the states internet surveillance and censorship and threaten any individuals who attempt to circumvent these restrictions with legal penalties. Anyone in violation of the measures could face detention of up to 15 days and fines up to 100,000 RMB ($14,285). Previously, the state denied the existence of the so-called Great Firewall, which blocks access to a number of foreign websites, including Google-based services, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, etc. Access to the World Socialist Web Site is also blocked in China. However, in recent years, the regime has begun to acknowledge the Great Firewall and the draft revision is an attempt to legalize its existence. Reports of people being arrested for trying to circumvent the Great Firewall had already begun to emerge last year. Another regulation was published on January 22 to further restrict press freedom. This new regulation, entitled Regulations on bloggers providing information service, was to be implemented on February 22. This regulation requires all bloggers who publish or write about the news to apply for a licence from the Cyberspace Administration. Days before the new regulation was to be implemented, many news bloggers have received a notice, which advised them not to write or publish any commentaries on political, economic, military and diplomatic developments if they do not have a licence. It warned that publication without a licence could constitute a violation of relevant laws and regulations, and might bring inconvenience when publishing their materials in the future. The Cyberspace Administration held a meeting a week after the new regulation was published, emphasizing that it would strengthen it further to address prominent issues that have disrupted the rules of communication over the internet among bloggers (especially those run by individuals, not corporate media), trending pages on social media, push ads, and short-video platforms. At the meeting, the Cyberspace Administration justified its anti-democratic measures aimed at strangling free expression on the ground it was necessary to provide internet users with a correct orientation in political issues and public opinions that would inspire a fighting spirit. It warned of tougher punishments for those gathering or reporting on the news not in accordance with the new regulationthat is, writing about and commenting on political developments without a licence. One blogger who specializes in political commentary and has over 400,000 followers on Weibo social media confirmed that he had received the notice. According to the current regulation, blogs run by individuals are not allowed to comment on political, economic and social issues. I have received a notice a few days ago, too. I have been following news on political events since I was eight and am only good at writing about [politics]. Now I really dont know what I can post here. This new regulation was questioned and criticized widely, not just by bloggers. For instance, an ordinary Weibo user with only a hundred followers commented, What crimes have news-reporting bloggers committed? The new measures are an attack on the democratic rights of the working class. Even though the bloggers affected span a wide range on the political spectrum, ultimately, the censorship is aimed at suppressing left-wing organizations and political opposition particularly from the working class. Almost every year, new regulations have been implemented by the Chinese regime to impose tougher restrictions on information and communication over the internet. This is also not restricted to China in particular, but is an expression of the growth of authoritarianism and police state measures around the world. China claimed last year to have eradicated absolute poverty in rural areas, but the social gulf between rich and poor has widened drastically over the past three decades. The new censorship measures are a response to rising social tensions produced by an economic slowdown that worsened amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Millions and millions of workers are confronted with declining wages, increasing work hours, and growing risks of unemployment. At the same time, the super-rich in China experienced a staggering increase in their wealth in 2020, which surpassed the increases of the past few years. The ruling regime in China is terrified that the working class and the impoverished in rural areas could be radicalized by unlicensed political commentary that does not parrot the party line, shaking the seemingly strong, but actually weak, state apparatus that defends the interests of the super-rich by authoritarian means. Wyoming lawmakers on Tuesday introduced a bill aimed at combating hate crimes in the state, one of three remaining with no laws against bias-motivated crimes on its books. The move comes after a push by advocates in the state where gay college student Matthew Shepard was killed in 1998. More than two decades later, Wyoming remains without the law even though the 2009 federal anti-hate crime law bears Shepard's name. A state hate crime bill narrowly failed to pass the legislature the year after Shepard's killing, and several more attempts to introduce bills since then have failed to gain traction, according to a report on hate crimes in Wyoming issued by an advisory committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. The bill would apply to offenders who target a victim or their property "in whole or in part because of the actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, or physical, intellectual or developmental disability of the person affected regardless of whether the belief or perception of the person committing the crime was correct." Though Wyoming's tagline is "The Equality State," named so for being the first to grant women the right to vote, civil rights advocates say the state is known to outsiders for Shepard's brutal murder, which drew intense national spotlight and galvanized the LGBTQ rights movement across the country. Shepard's mother Judy Shepard told CBS News that while she was traveling several years ago wearing a Wyoming shirt, she was asked, "Isn't that where that gay kid was murdered?" "That's how they talked about it -- 'They murder gay kids there,'" said Shepard, who along with her husband Dennis Shepard advocates against hate through the Matthew Shepard Foundation. "That's the reputation it has. [The legislature] could have fixed that 20 years ago, but they chose not to." Story continues Sara Burlingame, a former Wyoming Democratic legislator who championed the hate crime bill before losing her seat in the November 2020 election, said she considers the lack of hate crime laws an "abdication of our values as Wyomingites." In Wyoming, "neighboring is a verb," said Burlingame, executive director of the LGBTQ rights advocacy group Wyoming Equality. "We take care of each other," she said. Hannah Villnave, a Cheyenne minister and Wyoming Equality board member, said values of being a good neighbor are paramount in the conservative state, which is the least populous in the country and sometimes known as "a small town with big streets." Despite that, she said there's been a lack of urgency to pass a hate crimes statute and some in the LGBTQ community feel unsafe. Villnave said the statute would send a signal that the state welcomes all. Then-president Barack Obama applauds the sisters of James Byrd, Jr., Betty Byrd Boatner, second from right, and Louvon Harris, second from left, and the parents of Matthew Shepard, Judy Shepard, center, and Dennis Shepard left, after Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act October 28, 2009. / Credit: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images "I think Wyoming is at a decision point around what kind of state we want to be, what kind of reputation we want to have nationally and how we want to move into the future," Villnave said. Pressure has been increasing on lawmakers in Wyoming and the two other states that remain without hate crime legislation -- South Carolina and Arkansas, where bills have been introduced -- especially after the Black Lives Matter movement galvanized a national conversation around systemic racism and civil rights. Last year, Georgia passed a hate crimes law following a push by advocates outraged over the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black jogger gunned down by White men who pursued him through a coastal neighborhood. Some advocates also include Indiana on the list of states without hate crime laws, calling a law passed in that state in 2019 "problematically broad." Supporters of the bill in Wyoming include the Anti-Defamation League, which has advocated for hate crime legislation through their "50 States Against Hate" campaign. The group says the bills are important because perpetrators of hate crimes not only target victims for their inherent characteristics, but aim to intimidate the protected group to which the victim belongs. Some similar laws in other states mandate enhanced sentences for those convicted of a crime motivated by bias meaning the person convicted would face additional criminal penalties on top of a sentence for the underlying offense, such as assault or vandalism. Wyoming's proposed legislation, however, would not mandate enhanced sentences. The bill says a court may consider whether the crime was bias-motivated as it weighs sentencing for the underlying offense, and allows for a civil cause of action against the perpetrator. Jeremy Shaver, senior associate regional director at ADL Mountain States region, said the bill's language is crafted for Wyoming's criminal code which already has strict sentencing requirements. "We very much support this approach in Wyoming, and it still gets us to the same point it allows for a bias-motivated crime statute in Wyoming," Shaver said. In this Oct. 9, 1999 file photo, a cross made of stones rests below the fence in Laramie, Wyo., where a year earlier, University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard was tied and beaten. He later died. / Credit: Ed Andrieski / AP The bill, sponsored by Republican Rep. Pat Sweeney, would also mandate that law enforcement agencies report hate incidents and require training for law enforcement officers on how to recognize and respond to bias crimes. For certain misdemeanor offenses, a court may require the perpetrator to participate in community service, treatment and education relating to the bias crime in addition to criminal penalties. The bill will likely be assigned to the legislature's judiciary committee, where a hearing is expected to be scheduled in the coming weeks, said Democratic Rep. Cathy Connolly, a co-sponsor of the bill. But rather than being voted on, she expects the bill will be marked for discussion over the interim period following the legislative session, a move that would need to be approved by legislative leaders. "There's a desire for more conversation about the elements of the bill and the elements of what ultimately a hate crime statute should look like," Connolly said. "People have lots of different opinions about that. It makes it a really good subject for interim committee." While questions remain to be hashed out including over the scope of incidents that law enforcement should be required to report Connolly said the introduction of the bill is a "big deal." "Not only are we the state where Matthew Shepard was murdered and the state that has rejected hate crime legislation on several occasions, we now have other instances where I think it's valuable for us to recognize systemic racism and systemic homophobia, and to be able to do something about it via the statutes," Connolly said. This Sept. 26, 2008 file photo shows a bench in front of the University of Wyoming Arts & Sciences building with a memorial plaque in honor of the late Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyo. / Credit: Andy Carpenean / AP What we learned from national security officials at hearings on Capitol assault Governor Cuomo apologizes but says he will not resign over sexual harassment allegations Amazon changes its app logo after some said it resembled Hitler Mumbai, March 3 : National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Mumbai has upheld the petition of Doha Bank resulting in 100 per cent recovery for the Financial Creditors of Reliance Infratel Ltd. (RITL), aggregating to Rs 3,515 crore. Doha Bank, one of the Financial Creditors of RITL had filed an application against Corporate Guarantee Holders of Reliance Communications Limited (RCOM) and Reliance Telecom Limited (RTL), seeking priority payment for the financial creditors of RITL, from the proceeds of company's resolution plan. Reliance Jio has acquired these assets through NCLT driven debt resolution process. NCLT, Mumbai had approved the Reliance Infrtatel resolution plan on December 3, 2020 in favour of Reliance Projects & Property Management Services Limited, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited. While approving the resolution plan, NCLT had directed that the distribution of proceeds to the Financial Creditors was subject to the disposal of Doha Bank application. Reliance Infratel had issued certain guarantees in favour of Reliance Communications Ltd. (RCOM) and Reliance Telecom Ltd (RTL) lenders. When RCOM and RTL defaulted, the lenders of these 2 companies invoked guarantees issued by Reliance Infratel and converted them into debt. Doha Bank's contention was that the direct lenders of Reliance Infratel had a first right over the proceeds from the company's resolution plan, and not the corporate guarantee holders of RCOM and RTL. NCLT in its order has upheld the Doha Bank plea, thus paving the way for 100 per cent recovery for the financial creditors of Reliance Infratel. The Resolution Plan allows distribution of Rs 4,400 crore to the lenders of Reliance Infratel. The State Bank of India will receive Rs 728 crore, Mahima Merchantile Rs 514 crore, SC Lowy Rs 511 crore, VTB Capital PLC Rs 511 crore, Doha Bank Rs 409 crore, Emirates NBD Rs 322 crore, ICBC Rs 278 crore, and Standard Chartered Bank will get Rs 242 crore. Reliance Infratel will also get Rs 455 crore towards the equity and Working Capital needs from Reliance Jio. The implementation of Resolution Plan is expected to be completed by March 31, 2021. Dublin, March 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Freeze-Drying Equipment Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2021-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global freeze-drying equipment market grew at a CAGR of around 7% during 2015-2020. Freeze drying equipment is utilized to remove frozen solvents and bound water molecules from a material through sublimation and desorption processes. Unlike other dehydration equipment that uses higher temperatures, freeze drying equipment does not cause shrinkage or toughening of the material, which helps in keeping the product appearance and characteristics intact. Consequently, the equipment is employed in the food and beverage (F&B) industry to preserve and retain the flavor and smell of perishable products. It also finds substantial applications in the pharmaceutical industry to extend the shelf life of heat-sensitive and thermolabile materials, such as proteins, microbes, tissues and plasma. The growing inclination towards packaged food products on account of changing lifestyles, busy schedules and inflating disposable incomes represents one of the key factors impelling the market growth. Additionally, as the freeze-drying method removes water, reduces the overall weight of the food and helps in easy storage and transportation of food to military camps and spacecraft, its demand is escalating worldwide. Apart from this, the rising prevalence of diseases is increasing the application of freeze-drying equipment in the pharmaceutical industry to store injectables and biological samples for longer periods. Furthermore, with the sudden outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the urgency of testing, there is a rise in the adoption of freeze-drying equipment to meet the demand for diagnostic kits. The growing focus of researchers on developing more sophisticated processes that combine freeze drying technology with electron microscopy, biochemistry and refined surgery is anticipated to further drive the market in the coming years. Looking forward, the publisher expects the global freeze-drying equipment market to exhibit moderate growth during the next five years. Key Market Segmentation: The publisher provides an analysis of the key trends in each sub-segment of the global freeze-drying equipment market report, along with forecasts for growth at the global, regional and country level from 2021-2026. Our report has categorized the market based on region, dryer type, scale of operation and application. Breakup by Dryer Type: Tray Style Freeze Dryers Manifold Freeze Dryers Rotary Freeze Dryers Breakup by Scale of Operation: Industrial Scale Freeze Dryer Pilot Scale Freeze Dryer Laboratory Scale Freeze Dryer Breakup by Application: Food Processing and Packaging Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Biomedical Engineering Others Breakup by Region: North America United States Canada Asia-Pacific China Japan India South Korea Australia Indonesia Others Europe Germany France United Kingdom Italy Spain Russia Others Latin America Brazil Mexico Others Middle East and Africa Competitive Landscape: The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being Azbil Corporation, Cuddon Freeze Dry, GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft, Harvest Right, HOF Sonderanlagenbau GmbH, Labconco Corporation, Martin Christ Gefriertrocknungsanlagen GmbH, Millrock Technology, Inc., OPTIMA packaging group GmbH, Shanghai Tofflon Science and Technology Co. Ltd. and Thermo Fisher Scientific. Key Questions Answered in This Report: How has the global freeze-drying equipment market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years? What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global freeze-drying equipment market? What are the key regional markets? What is the breakup of the market based on the dryer type? What is the breakup of the market based on the scale of operation? What is the breakup of the market based on the application? What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry? What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry? What is the structure of the global freeze-drying equipment market and who are the key players? What is the degree of competition in the industry? Key Topics Covered: 1 Preface 2 Scope and Methodology 2.1 Objectives of the Study 2.2 Stakeholders 2.3 Data Sources 2.3.1 Primary Sources 2.3.2 Secondary Sources 2.4 Market Estimation 2.4.1 Bottom-Up Approach 2.4.2 Top-Down Approach 2.5 Forecasting Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Introduction 4.1 Overview 4.2 Key Industry Trends 5 Global Freeze-Drying Equipment Market 5.1 Market Overview 5.2 Market Performance 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Market Forecast 6 Market Breakup by Dryer Type 6.1 Tray Style Freeze Dryers 6.1.1 Market Trends 6.1.2 Market Forecast 6.2 Manifold Freeze Dryers 6.2.1 Market Trends 6.2.2 Market Forecast 6.3 Rotary Freeze Dryers 6.3.1 Market Trends 6.3.2 Market Forecast 7 Market Breakup by Scale of Operation 7.1 Industrial Scale Freeze Dryer 7.1.1 Market Trends 7.1.2 Market Forecast 7.2 Pilot Scale Freeze Dryer 7.2.1 Market Trends 7.2.2 Market Forecast 7.3 Laboratory Scale Freeze Dryer 7.3.1 Market Trends 8 Market Breakup by Application 8.1 Food Processing and Packaging 8.1.1 Market Trends 8.1.2 Market Forecast 8.2 Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 8.2.1 Market Trends 8.2.2 Market Forecast 8.3 Biomedical Engineering 8.3.1 Market Trends 8.3.2 Market Forecast 8.4 Others 8.4.1 Market Trends 8.4.2 Market Forecast 9 Market Breakup by Region 9.1 North America 9.1.1 United States 9.1.1.1 Market Trends 9.1.1.2 Market Forecast 9.1.2 Canada 9.1.2.1 Market Trends 9.1.2.2 Market Forecast 9.2 Asia Pacific 9.2.1 China 9.2.1.1 Market Trends 9.2.1.2 Market Forecast 9.2.2 Japan 9.2.2.1 Market Trends 9.2.2.2 Market Forecast 9.2.3 India 9.2.3.1 Market Trends 9.2.3.2 Market Forecast 9.2.4 South Korea 9.2.4.1 Market Trends 9.2.4.2 Market Forecast 9.2.5 Australia 9.2.5.1 Market Trends 9.2.5.2 Market Forecast 9.2.6 Indonesia 9.2.6.1 Market Trends 9.2.6.2 Market Forecast 9.2.7 Others 9.2.7.1 Market Trends 9.2.7.2 Market Forecast 9.3 Europe 9.3.1 Germany 9.3.1.1 Market Trends 9.3.1.2 Market Forecast 9.3.2 France 9.3.2.1 Market Trends 9.3.2.2 Market Forecast 9.3.3 United Kingdom 9.3.3.1 Market Trends 9.3.3.2 Market Forecast 9.3.4 Italy 9.3.4.1 Market Trends 9.3.4.2 Market Forecast 9.3.5 Spain 9.3.5.1 Market Trends 9.3.5.2 Market Forecast 9.3.6 Russia 9.3.6.1 Market Trends 9.3.6.2 Market Forecast 9.3.7 Others 9.3.7.1 Market Trends 9.3.7.2 Market Forecast 9.4 Latin America 9.4.1 Brazil 9.4.1.1 Market Trends 9.4.1.2 Market Forecast 9.4.2 Mexico 9.4.2.1 Market Trends 9.4.2.2 Market Forecast 9.4.3 Others 9.4.3.1 Market Trends 9.4.3.2 Market Forecast 9.5 Middle East and Africa 9.5.1 Market Trends 9.5.2 Market Breakup by Country 9.5.3 Market Forecast 10 SWOT Analysis 10.1 Overview 10.2 Strengths 10.3 Weaknesses 10.4 Opportunities 10.5 Threats 11 Value Chain Analysis 12 Porters Five Forces Analysis 12.1 Overview 12.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers 12.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers 12.4 Degree of Competition 12.5 Threat of New Entrants 12.6 Threat of Substitutes 13 Price Analysis 14 Competitive Landscape 14.1 Market Structure 14.2 Key Players 14.3 Profiles of Key Players 14.3.1 Azbil Corporation 14.3.1.1 Company Overview 14.3.1.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.1.3 SWOT Analysis 14.3.2 Cuddon Freeze Dry 14.3.2.1 Company Overview 14.3.2.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.3 GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft 14.3.3.1 Company Overview 14.3.3.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.3.3 Financials 14.3.3.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.4 Harvest Right 14.3.4.1 Company Overview 14.3.4.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.5 HOF Sonderanlagenbau GmbH 14.3.5.1 Company Overview 14.3.5.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.6 Labconco Corporation 14.3.6.1 Company Overview 14.3.6.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.7 Martin Christ Gefriertrocknungsanlagen GmbH 14.3.7.1 Company Overview 14.3.7.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.8 Millrock Technology Inc. 14.3.8.1 Company Overview 14.3.8.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.9 OPTIMA packaging group GmbH 14.3.9.1 Company Overview 14.3.9.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.10 Shanghai Tofflon Science and Technology Co. Ltd. 14.3.10.1 Company Overview 14.3.10.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.10.3 SWOT Analysis 14.3.11 Thermo Fisher Scientific 14.3.11.1 Company Overview 14.3.11.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.11.3 Financials 14.3.11.4 SWOT Analysis For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/soo7wb General Assignment Reporter Chris Mays is a general assignment reporter for the Brattleboro Reformer. He has been with New England Newspapers Inc. since 2012. Pennsylvania teachers and other school employees will receive the states allocation of the newly approved Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the governor and the COVID-19 Vaccine Joint Task Force announced Wednesday. The plan will help protect school communities and get more students back into classrooms, leaders said. We all know in-person education is absolutely important for students, Gov. Tom Wolf said. We know the educational losses students have experienced over the last year are severe. School employees who work with younger and the most vulnerable students those with the greatest need for in-person instruction will receive first priority for the first shipment of Johnson & Johnson vaccines. The state will continue to allocate those vaccines to school employees until everyone has the opportunity to receive the one-dose shot. That state will receive 94,600 doses this week. Leaders do not know how many of the approximately 200,000 school employees still need the vaccine. State Rep. Bridget Kosierowski, D-114, Waverly Twp., a member of a joint vaccine task force, called the plan a critical step in keeping communities safe and getting students the in-person instruction they need. The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and the departments of Education and Health are partnering with the 28 intermediate units to establish vaccine sites. The Pennsylvania National Guard and AMI Expeditionary Healthcare will administer the vaccine. The vaccination of educators is separate from the ongoing Phase 1A vaccine rollout, which continues at an accelerated pace. The Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit plans to begin offering vaccinations at its Archbald offices between March 10 and 13. The agency, which provides services for 20 school districts, along with charter schools and private schools, expects to receive 2,600 doses for Tier 1, or for the employees who work with preschool through fifth-graders or with special education, English language learners and other students who will benefit the most from in-person instruction. About two to four weeks after the first shipment, the agency expects to receive another 2,800 doses for additional school employees. This is an awesome program to get our kids back in school and reopen the economy, NEIU Executive Director Bob McTiernan said. He expects between 350 and 500 people will receive vaccinations daily at the offices at 1200 Line St. The state will work through the retail pharmacy partnership to ensure all early childhood education and child care workers, including those not associated with an intermediate unit, have access to the vaccine. Pharmacies in the partnership should receive 30,000 doses in the first shipment. The state task force met Sunday to discuss providing the allocation to school employees. On Tuesday, President Joseph Biden said he wanted states to prioritize providing vaccines to teachers. School districts cannot mandate employees receive the vaccine, but educators should be ready by the end of the March to be back in the classroom, Wolf said. If youve been offered the vaccine, you really should come back to school, he said. Schools with in-person instruction must still practice other safety measures, including enforcing the wearing of masks and keeping socially distanced to the greatest extent possible. Except for Scranton, students in all other Lackawanna County school districts anticipate being in school full time or receiving hybrid instruction this month. The plan will also provide greater organization and equality within the vaccine rollout, as area superintendents previously were trying to secure vaccinations for their employees. Some districts were able to find medical providers willing to vaccinate employees, even though some staff members were ineligible in the first phase of the states vaccination plan. Other school leaders have been left contacting providers daily, trying to find enough doses for employees. Teachers are very concerned about their safety, and this will help alleviate that, Riverside Superintendent Paul Brennan said. The district has operated in a hybrid model for most of the school year, and Brennan contacted state legislators often, asking for school employees to be prioritized. Its definitely a breath of fresh air for our employees, he said. Our voices were heard. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) speaks in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, on March 2, 2021. (Graeme Jennings/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) Biden Admin So Far Has Eased Pressure on Communist China: Sen. Cruz Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) raised alarm over what he saw as a pattern of a systemic decision from the Biden administration to embrace communist China. So far, every action, every nomination that we have seen from the nascent Biden administration, insofar as it concerns China, has lessened the scrutiny, has lessened the sanctions, has lessened the pressure on communist China, Cruz said in a speech during a Senate meeting on Tuesday. We are seeing a steady and systematic embrace of communist China, and that is dangerous. That is dangerous for our nation. It is foolhardy. Cruz opposed the confirmation of President Joe Bidens pick for Commerce secretary, Gina Raimondo, who he believed has joined the rush to embrace the worst elements of the Chinese Communist Party. Raimondo, the governor of Rhode Island, has refused to clarify whether she would uphold the trade restriction on Chinese telecom giant Huawei, which Cruz described as an espionage agency of the Chinese Communist Party. The Senate voted 84 to 15 Tuesday to confirm her as the coming secretary of Commerce. Over the past two years under the Trump administration, the Department of Commerce placed Huawei and roughly 150 of its affiliates on the sanction list in a bid to cut the firm from critical American technology and software. The Federal Communications Commission officially designated Huawei a national security threat last June. During her Jan. 26 confirmation hearing, Raimondo, a Democrat, pledged a hard stance on China to protect U.S. telecommunication networks from anti-competitive Chinese behaviors, but declined to say whether she would maintain the blacklist on Huawei. Pressed by Cruz, she said she would work with lawmakers, industry, and allies to make an assessment as to whats best for American national and economic security. As my colleagues know, nominees will never be more engaged, more transparent, or more forthcoming than during their confirmation process, Cruz said. That governor Raimondo has refused to be any one of these speaks volumes to how she would act if confirmed as secretary. Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo, nominee for Secretary of Commerce, speaks at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Delaware, Jan. 8, 2021. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images) The Biden team has projected a tough-on-China image but often remained elusive on details. White House press secretary Jen Psaki has described the two countries relationship as one of strong competition, citing the need to deploy a strategic, multilateral approach when dealing with China. Katherine Tai, nominee for U.S. Trade Representative, described the Chinese regime as simultaneously a rival, a trade partner, and an outsized player whose cooperation well also need to address certain global challenges. President Joe Bidens CIA director nominee William Burns called Beijing a formidable, authoritarian adversary but also noted areas of mutual interests, such as climate change. Chinese officials have meanwhile escalated their rhetoric, laying out demands for the United States on issues such as trade, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and human rights as preconditions for healthy diplomatic relations. While officials from both political parties have mistaken Beijing as a friend, the COVID-19 pandemic has led the world to see the systemic pattern of lies and deception and death coming from the Chinese communist government, Cruz said. Following the pandemic, the UK, which was on the path of allowing Huawei to build its 5G network, awakened to the regimes threats and stepped back from the brink, Cruz said. He expressed hopes that the perceived pattern of the new administration appeasing China will not lighten up on our allies and encourage them to move forward with Huawei, to allow the espionage architecture to be put in place in their nations. That would render America more vulnerable. It would render our allies more vulnerable. It would render the world more vulnerable, he said. Almost half of the Scottish potato crop was still in grower-held stores at the end of January, according to an estimate by the AHDB. Scotland accounted for 29 percent (608.7Kt) of what remained in UK growers' ownership at the end of January, the levy organisation said in a new report. While there was a slight uplift in production in Scotland, much of the Scottish area is grown for seed production. There have been reports that growers delayed their seed orders this year whilst deciding what to plant, awaiting news for the industry as the pandemic pans out. Those growing seed are also facing political uncertainty around UK exports to the European Union. AHDBs Head of Potato Exports, Patrick Hughes has been working with the government to supply evidence to those in UK and EU trade talks. He said the UK and the EU continued to discuss equivalence for seed potatoes, and progress was being made. "As things stand, it is very unlikely that a future trade deal in seed potatoes will be in place prior to seed crop planting for the 2021 season," Mr Hughes noted. This would leave the sector facing difficult decisions around their planting arrangements for 2021, he said. "Seed potatoes specifically scheduled for EU export will either not be planted or will be significantly reduced and a greater emphasis placed on supplying the domestic or alternative international markets. Potatoes have seen strong performance at supermarkets in the last quarter, with volume sales up 13.9 percent year on year, according to Kantar. Meanwhile there is hope that a summer with fewer restrictions on hospitality businesses and a UK staycation boom could drive late-season demand. Alice Bailey, AHDB's Senior Analyst for Potatoes, said that with the bulk of any uplift coming as the market switches from old to new season crop, the data suggested what is currently in store will cover any demand rise. Following the governments release of the roadmap out of lockdown, there is now a light at the end of the tunnel for many within the industry," she said. "A return of hospitality and the foodservice sector in the coming months are providing hope for increased trade. "With stocks slightly higher than previous years, it is likely that growers have the volume of potatoes to cover it assuming that the quality holds. Southeast Asian foreign ministers urged a halt to violence and the start of talks on a peaceful solution in Myanmar, where the military seized power from an elected government and is escalating its use of mass arrests and deadly force against peaceful protesters.Myanmar's top diplomat briefed other foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations during a video conference Tuesday, according to the meeting's agenda. It was the first meeting of foreign ministers of the 10-member ASEAN since the Feb. 1 coup, when Myanmar's military detained Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders.Brunei, which heads ASEAN this year, had proposed that a joint statement be issued after the meeting. But the ministers apparently failed to agree on a declaration, and Brunei issued its own chairman's statement. We expressed our concern on the situation in Myanmar and called on all parties to refrain from instigating further violence, and for all sides to exercise utmost restraint as well as flexibility. We also called on all parties concerned to seek a peaceful solution, through constructive dialogue," the statement said. It also said the ministers heard calls for the release of political prisoners and for the U.N. special envoy on Myanmar to play a mediating role, without identifying who made those proposals. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi led efforts to lobby for the ASEAN meeting. She has visited other member countries in recent weeks, including Thailand, where she held three-way talks with Thai counterpart Don Pramudwinai and Myanmars new foreign minister, retired army colonel Wunna Maung Lwin, who also traveled to Thailand. This situation is worrisome, Marsudi said after Tuesday's meeting, It is worrisome because an increasing number of civilians have lost their lives and are injured, its worrisome because there are still arrests of civilians, its worrisome because this situation could threaten the transition of the democratic process. She called for a restoration of democracy and a return to normalcy. This ASEAN meeting was to discuss and find a solution. However, it takes two to tango. The will and goodwill of ASEAN to help will not be implemented if Myanmar does not open its doors to ASEAN, she said. Singapore and Malaysia have also urged Myanmars military junta to halt the use of violence.Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan told Parliament on Monday that his country was appalled by Myanmars use of lethal force against unarmed civilians, calling it inexcusable. He said prolonged instability in Myanmar would lead to serious consequences for it and the region. He urged the release of Suu Kyi and other political detainees, saying it was the only way to jumpstart negotiations and return to the path of democratic transition. Although ASEAN has long operated on a principle of non-interference in each others domestic affairs and its decisions are made by consensus, Balakrishnan said the group can play a key role in facilitating Myanmars return to normalcy.Malaysian Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein also urged ASEAN to play a more proactive role and said Malaysia viewed the military takeover as a setback to Myanmars democratic transition in the past decade. He urged the military to uphold the rule of law and respect the peoples right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression. It is crucial that ASEAN leads a sincere discussion and constructively engage with Myanmar and all stakeholders to show that ASEAN is effective as a cohesive regional grouping, he said ahead of Tuesday's meeting. The Philippine delegation said, "Our call is for the complete return to the previously existing state of affairs, adding that the first step should be the immediate release of Suu Kyi, followed by a dialogue.ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.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. Many Boston neighborhoods that were hit hard early on in the COVID-19 pandemic are posting fewer vaccinations than others, where the impact has been less severe, according to new data released by the city. Neighborhoods like Dorchester, East Boston and Mattapan had the lowest rate of first doses administered per capita than all other parts of the city, with 10,636, 10,403 and 10,560 per 100,000 residents, respectively. Those three neighborhoods, which are predominately communities of color, had some of the highest infection rates in the state earlier in the pandemic. First doses administered per capita in neighborhoods like Jamaica Plain, the South End and West Roxbury were nearly double what they were in harder hit zones, at 18,882, 19,842 and 20,068 per 100,000 respectively, the data shows. Our hardest hit neighborhoods are also the neighborhoods with the lowest vaccination rates by population, Marty Martinez, the citys chief of health and human services told reporters during a media roundtable on Tuesday. Martinez detailed the citys efforts to identify racial disparities and gaps in vaccine access, which will include more direct outreach, establishing priority group vaccine clinics, community-based clinics and mobile vaccination teams on top of the already-ongoing large-scale vaccinations at Fenway Park and the Reggie Lewis Center. Boston officials will also be launching a public awareness campaign to help counter vaccine hesitancy, raise visibility and educate residents about the now three different COVID vaccines available for distribution and use. Martinez stressed that officials want to continue addressing the impacts of the pandemic on Black and Latino residents, whove suffered disproportionately in terms of infections, hospitalizations and deaths. That means opening more vaccine sites in diverse communities, addressing language and transportation barriers and continuing to ensure that residents looking to get a shot dont need to provide proof of residency. Roughly 96,000 first doses of the vaccine have gone into the arms of Boston residents as of Feb. 23, which represents about 16% of the population over the age of 16, data shows. Roughly 45,230 of those shots have been administered to white residents. Another 17,658 have been administered to Black residents; 8,968 have been administered to Asian residents; and 8,463 have been given to Latino residents. Alexandra Oliver-Davila, executive director of Sociedad Latina and a member of Mayor Marty Walshs COVID-19 Health Inequities Task Force, said that many Latino residents face a number of barriers to getting the vaccine. Oliver-Davila added that many Latino immigrants also harbor a growing distrust of government, which worsened under the Trump administration. It speaks to a lot of issues, Oliver-Davila said. Theres been a distrust of government on the part of Latinos. Were coming from an administration, this past administration, that has instilled a lot of fear. Officials will be releasing new data each week showing the number of residents vaccinated, which will be broken down by age, race/ethnicity and neighborhood. Related Content: AUSTIN, Texas Business operators throughout Central Texas expressed a mix of uncertainty, anger and relief after Gov. Greg Abbott's announced that he's lifting the mask mandate in Texas and allowing businesses to return to 100% capacity beginning March 10. That news drew criticism from some in the business community, who said dropping the mask order would increase the risk of workers and consumers contracting COVID-19 but it won praise from others, who said recent declines in cases justify the decision to allow businesses to get back to more normal operations. Laura Huffman, CEO of the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, said continuing to wear masks in public will serve the entire community. "There are practical things each of us can do to keep ourselves and those around us safe as businesses reopen to full capacity - one of those is choosing to wear a mask in public," Huffman said. "We believe a mask on each of us is a win for all of us and urge businesses to continue implementing measures that protect both employees and patrons. Here's a look at how specific sectors of the business community responded to the news: More: Texas isn't alone. These 15 states also do not currently have a statewide mask mandate. H-E-B, other retail stores update mask policy "H-E-B believes it is important that masks be worn in public spaces until more Texans and our partners have access to the COVID-19 vaccine," the San Antonio-based grocery chain said in a written statement. It says it will require partners and vendors to continue masking up and urge customers to do the same. Grocery chain H-E-B, the dominant grocer in Central Texas, said that while customers will be encouraged to wear masks in its stores, they will no longer be required. Employees and vendors still will be required to wear masks, the company said. "Although there is no longer a statewide mask order, H-E-B believes it is important that masks be worn in public spaces until more Texans and our partners have access to the COVID-19 vaccine," the San Antonio-based company said in a written statement. "H-E-B will still require all our partners and vendors to wear masks while at work, and we urge all customers to please wear a mask when in our stores." Story continues Houston-based grocer Randalls said employees and vendors will continue to be required to wear face coverings. Customers will be encouraged to wear masks but they will not be required, the company said. Austin-based grocer Fresh Plus, which has three stores, said it will keep enforcing its mask policy. "We will continue to require all shoppers and employees to wear masks when inside the store," said Averey Robertson, store manager of the chain's Anderson Lane store. "The sign on our door says, 'Masks required to enter,' and that will stay the same." The lifting of mask requirements will put a burden on small, local merchants, said Elizabeth Dixie Patrick, executive director of the Austin Independent Business Alliance. "This means small business owners have to go back to having to enforce safety protocols alone, without the government behind them to back them up," Patrick said. Patrick said she was "stunned" by Abbott's announcement, but feels confident that Austin will respond responsibly. "The city of Austin, the citizens of Austin, the local business owners have been incredible throughout this difficult time," she said. "I believe that the city of Austin as a municipality will make good decisions for the public good." Patrick said that even if Austin can't create its own mandates, "hopefully they come out strong with public messaging that can maybe mitigate the impact." Restaurants A woman passes a sign advising people to wear their masks outside Amy's Ice Creams in Austin, Texas. Olamaie chef Michael Fojtasek was the first major restaurant owner in Austin to close his dining room due to the public health threat from the coronavirus, shuttering last March a few days before the governor ordered dining rooms closed. Fojtasek reacted to Abbotts announcement Tuesday with an all-caps Instagram post that read: Reopening Texas Without Vaccinating Hospitality Workers is Murder. I know people who have caught the virus and died from it, Fojtasek told the American-Statesman on Tuesday. I know that there are people who are in the homes of the people who work with me who are at risk and who are not vaccinated. This is the second time that our state leadership has put us in a bad position by reopening too early. We had made some progress, and now its all going to be walked back. More: Editorial: Dont ditch masks yet. Were still in a pandemic. Fojtasek said that the governors decision has created more urgency in the hospitality industry about getting workers vaccinated. He said that the Texas Restaurant Association has stepped up by reaching out to vaccine suppliers like CVS in hopes of setting up mass vaccination sites. Fojtasek said that reopening the state will make more sense once restaurant workers are vaccinated and can feel safe about returning to work. My whole thing is I just want to get our teams vaccinated so we can open safely. Thats it. Thats been my issue since the moment the vaccine was announced until this moment. If we can just get vaccinated, then we can run these businesses. Just dont put it out of order. Some restaurant owners and operators praised Abbott's decision. Fort Worth celebrity chef Tim Love, who owns and operates Lonesome Dove in downtown Austin, posted a picture of himself with a caption that read, In true Texas form - Gov Abbott announces on #TexasIndependenceDay that its time for us to return to our regularly scheduled program! 100 percent capacity and NO MORE MASK MANDATE! Texas Restaurant Association and Education Foundation President and CEO Emily Williams Knight said her group had been in discussions with Abbott's office since last March about guidelines for restaurants. "So thats how we were able to work with a large group of restaurant owners to create the Restaurant Promise, which mirrors his protocols," she said. "We have never made any decisions for the governor, but we certainly are sought after for input, and clearly hes been working with his medical team to make these decisions." If an operator chooses to do away with social distancing and mask requirements at their business, some service industry workers might have to make a choice between their job and being in an environment where customers aren't required to wear masks. Williams Knight said many restaurant operators "have determined what their employees and their customers need to feel safe and will continue doing those things. Even without a mandate, she said the group believes that "restaurants will keep those safety protocols that have helped them stay in business these last nine months." Music industry Cody Cowan, executive director of the Red River Cultural District, said that consumer confidence for in-person experiences is low due to public health realities. With tours and festivals that help venues pay the rent unlikely to return nationwide for some time, Cowan said he is concerned that a return to 100% will not only negatively affect public health but also may also trigger outstanding debt as due, by manufacturing the false public perception of financial viability for cultural tourism businesses. Dianne Scott, publicity director of the Continental Club in Austin, said she was furious about Abbott's decision. Beyond the risks to service industry workers, she said it sent the wrong message to people who are on the fence about whether to get the vaccine. "It's going to tell them that they don't need to. It's going to cost more lives. No question about it," she said. Austin musician Mobley posted several remarks on Twitter that were critical of the governors announcement. This will extend (& maybe mutate) a deadly pandemic & the death/suffering itll bring are the most important thing to worry about, he wrote in one post. Also, spare a thought for those of us who depend on crowds to work and stand to lose YEARS of our careers to this. Pleeeeeease mask and distance. More: Can cities still issue local mask orders? What you need to know about Texas' new executive order Contributing: Deborah Sengupta Stith, Peter Blackstock, Shonda Novak and Kara Carlson. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas mask mandate ends: HEB, more businesses react to Abbott's move A growing crisis surrounds New York Governor Andrew Cuomo over allegations of sexual harassment made by three women, two of whom are former aides. The New York Times, which has spearheaded the recent use of misconduct claims to force out prominent politicians, artists and others, has played a central role here too, soliciting one of the complainants allegations. The knives are clearly out for Cuomo in certain circles, although to what precise ends are not yet apparent. Behind the screen of this sex scandal, as is often the case in the US, political scores and conflicts are being fought out. Cuomo has undoubtedly alienated a great many people in the Democratic Party and beyond. The real issues are being concealed from the public, and the inevitable outcome of such a sordid affair will be a further shift to the right in official politics. Governor Cuomo Holds Briefing on COVID-19 Response. (Image Credit: governorandrewcuomo/Flickr) It may be the case that the medias concoction of this controversy is aimed at least in part at distracting attention from the very real and genuinely criminal scandal arising from Cuomos deadly policy during the coronavirus pandemic and his conduct in regard to nursing homes in particular. The governor is responsible for unconscionable delays in lockdown measures, reckless reopening policies that have allowed for a second surge (with a third on the way) and turning nursing homes for the elderly and group care homes for the disabled into veritable killing fields, while shielding the industry from lawsuits. The Times and the media generally, however, are choosing to focus popular attention on the lurid details about alleged sexual misconduct. Cuomo was in the midst of the controversy about the states nursing home deaths when Lindsey Boylan, a former Cuomo aide and current candidate for the borough presidency of Manhattan, published an account on February 24 of alleged sexual harassment from 2016 through 2018. According to Boylan, Cuomo gave her an unsolicited kiss, invited her to play strip poker and made inappropriate comments. In December, Boylan made a vague claim that Cuomo acted inappropriately toward her, but she only provided specifics for the first time last week. After another former Cuomo aide, Charlotte Bennett, retweeted Boylan with the comment, For those wondering what its like to work for the Cuomo admin, read @LindseyBoylans story, the Times solicited Bennetts accusations too, which it published in lengthy detail on February 27. Bennett, for her part, alleged that Cuomo (who is divorced) asked a series of supposedly inappropriate questions about her love life and revealed details about his own, including that he was lonely. She viewed the comments as clear overtures to a sexual relationship, in the words of the Times. After raising these comments with Cuomos chief of staff, she was transferred to another job in the state government, apparently with her approval. She also spoke with a special counsel to the governor but decided to let this go and move on, at least until contacted by the Times . On March 1, the Times published yet another allegation of sexual misconduct against Cuomo, this time from Anna Ruch, a veteran of the Obama administration and Biden campaign, who said that Cuomo touched her back, grabbed her cheeks and asked to kiss her at a September 2019 wedding reception. He then allegedly kissed her cheek. A photo taken by one of Ruchs friends and published by the Times appears to corroborate at least that Cuomo grabbed her cheeks. The various allegations, little more than micro-aggressions, have metastasized into a widening crisis for Cuomo. He denied Boylans claims, and members of Cuomos staff, who would have been around when he allegedly asked her to play strip poker, denied that the incident took place. After Bennett spoke to the Times, however, Cuomo issued a semi-apology, stating that he never intended to offend anyone or cause any harm but admitted that he could be playful in a way that was open to misinterpretation. I acknowledge some of the things I have said have been misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation, his statement continued. To the extent that anyone felt that way, I am truly sorry about that. He has continued to claim, I never inappropriately touched anybody, and I never propositioned anybody, and I never intended to make anyone feel uncomfortable, but these are allegations that New Yorkers deserve answers to. Cuomo initially asked former federal Judge Barbara Jones to investigate the allegations, but this became untenable because Jones used to work with a former Cuomo aide. He then asked Attorney General Letitia James and State Court of Appeals Chief Judge Janet DiFiore, a Cuomo appointee, to appoint an investigator. James, whose report on nursing home deaths touched off the crisis, demanded that Cuomo officially refer the matter to her office so she could appoint an independent investigator with subpoena powers, which has since occurred. According to the Wall Street Journal, the administration has retained defense lawyer Elkan Abramowitz, who defended Harvey Weinstein, to defend Cuomo and his closest aides in both the nursing home scandal and the sexual harassment allegations. Prominent Democrats have weighed in. New York State Senator Alessandra Biaggi tweeted: As a New Yorker, a legislator, Chair of the Senate Ethics and Internal Governance Committee, and a survivor of sexual abuse, I am calling for Governor Cuomo to resign, followed by a statement calling for a truly independent investigation, which, she makes clear, should follow Cuomos resignation. The elementary principle that any penaltiessuch as being forced out of officeshould follow an investigation, rather than precede it, is left by the wayside. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who has long squabbled with Cuomo, has said that the governor should resign if the allegations are true. Representative Kathleen Rice has become the first congressional Democrat from New York to call for Cuomos resignation, tweeting early on March 2: The time has come. The Governor must resign. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki have backed an independent investigation and have indicated their sympathy for the complainants, although, at least on Monday, had not gone as far as Biaggi. Pelosi, somewhat unusually in these circumstances, gave lip service to democratic rights, saying, The independent investigation must have due process and respect for everyone involved. In addition to soliciting the second accusation and scooping the third, the New York Times has also enlisted its opinion columnists in the effort. Michelle Goldberg published a column on Monday bemoaning the diminishing power of MeToo, essentially expressing her disappointment that the Democratic Party has not completely turned against Cuomo. So eventually, Cuomos fate will tell us whether theres still power in the #MeToo movement, she declares. The World Socialist Web Site is not in a position to determine what occurred between Cuomo and the complainants. At this stage, the alleged behavior seems trivial in nature, although if it occurred, it was inappropriate. As noted, the current sordid scandal erupted under conditions in which Cuomo was already in crisis. His administration had forced nursing homes to admit residents who were or could be positive with COVID-19 during the spring 2020 surge. He followed this up by granting those very same nursing homes legal immunity from pandemic-related injuries and deaths through a provision buried in the 2020 budget. Then the state Department of Health obscured a third of the deaths of nursing home residents by not including deaths that occurred outside of the homes. The governors office stonewalled the State Legislature for months on the subject out of fear that its answers to legislators questions would be used against us. Cuomo responded to the crisis surrounding nursing homes, which sparked bipartisan calls for an investigation, by allegedly threatening to destroy critics, only worsening his position and accelerating the drive to revoke Cuomos emergency powers, which may happen as soon as Friday. The effect of the prurient coverage of allegations of sexual harassment has been to divert attention from the deaths of 15,000 nursing home residents, Cuomos cover-up of the scope of the catastrophe and the homicidal actions of the ruling class as whole. Another element in the dissatisfaction with the governor reflected in the sex scandal may be the fact that New York has been somewhat slower than other states to reopen schools and nonessential businesses. While the reopening, particularly of New York Citys public schools, has been reckless, Wall Street may well be getting impatient. The Financial Times and CNBC gave voice to wealthy layers venting their frustration with Cuomo for finding himself engulfed in these crises and for not quashing more forcefully talk of taxing the rich by progressive Democrats in the State Legislature. Several high-profile fundraisers for Cuomo told CNBC that they are in a wait-and-see mode, in the words of one. On the other hand, Bernard Schwartz, a businessman and investor who has donated $70,000 to Cuomo just in the past two years, said, Unless he comes forward and faces it [the sex scandal] completely and openly and honestly, he doesnt deserve a fourth term, even though I like him immensely. If Cuomo is forced out in the coming days, there would be a precedent for this in New York politics: the forced resignation of Governor Eliot Spitzer in 2008 amid a sex scandal instigated by George W. Bushs Department of Justice. Even more recent is the forced resignation of Senator Al Franken in 2018 at the height of the #MeToo campaign. The ruling elite, principally its Democratic faction through the New York Times, may well be seeking to revive the #MeToo campaign with this scandal, after a hiatus during the 2020 election, when Joe Biden faced allegations of his own (which were handled quite differently by the Times and the media as a whole). The powers that be resort to these methods to settle their internal affairs without involving the population, suppress democratic consciousness and set reactionary precedents to be used against rising social opposition. The working class must deal with figures such as Cuomo, but with its own methods. Graham Bond Hearing Continued to March 17 By West Kentucky Star Staff PADUCAH - A woman charged in an August double-murder was in court Wednesday for a bond hearing.According to the McCracken County Circuit Court Clerk, 22-year-old Alexis Graham's bond hearing was continued to March 17 at 1 pm.Graham and 23-year-old Mykweze Cox were arrested following an August 22 shooting at Lone Oak Manor apartments on College Avenue. The shooting resulted in the deaths of 23-year-old Justice Hicks and 31-year-old Victor Moore.Graham faces two counts of Murder, one count of first-degree robbery, and one count of serving alcoholic beverages to minors. The Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance has allowed the import of apples from eight Azerbaijani enterprises and tomatoes produced by 19 Azerbaijani enterprises into Russia since March 3, 2021, Trend reports with reference to the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance. This decision was made under the guarantees of the Azerbaijani Food Safety Agency, as a result of a quarantine phytosanitary expertise of product samples selected during the joint video inspections. The restrictions on the supply of tomatoes and apples from Azerbaijan were introduced on December 10, 2020, due to the systematic revealing of quarantine items dangerous for agricultural production - the South American tomato moth (Tuta absoluta (Povolny) and the eastern moth (Grapholita molesta (Busck). The Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance lifted the ban for the import of products from some enterprises. Emily Mieure covers criminal justice and emergency news. She also leads the News&Guides investigative efforts. She has reported for WDRB TV in Louisville, Ky., WFIE TV in Evansville, Ind., and WEIU TV in Charleston, Ill. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Most parties in the Chamber of Deputies agree that the government should not wait any longer to tackle the pressing issues affecting the country's police force. On Monday, Minister of Internal Security Henri Kox presented his reform plan for the Luxembourg Police to the Chamber of Deputies. The majority parties express a certain optimism, even if they still admit that the Minister and the MPs will have their work cut out for them in the coming years, according to MP and president of the Parliamentary Commission for Internal Security Stephanie Empain from the Green Party (Dei Greng). Empain explained that even though it feels like everything is happening at once, there is a good dynamic and a lot of issues to be tackled: digitalisation, Visopol, recruitment, collaboration with the unions, collaboration with municipal officials, and the "Platzverweis" (the prerogative to expel beggars). CSV sceptical of "miracle recruitment" The biggest area of contention, however, remains recruitment. While the Minister is optimistic, the Christian Social People's Party (CSV) does not believe in the "miracle of 200 recruitments" in 2021. CSV MP Leon Gloden stated that he is sceptical that the government will be able to achieve this goal because, in his eyes, many factors have not been taken into account, such as pensions, parental leave, or sick leave. Gloden pointed out that it is already complicated today to have two to three patrols in some areas. MPs are pleased that the Minister is considering the introduction of a section dedicated to the security industry in secondary schools, so that young people who wish to enter such a profession, whether as a police officer, prison officer or municipal officer, will have the opportunity to prepare for such a career at an early stage. The highly controversial measure of the so-called "Platzverweis", i.e. giving police officers the right to force beggars to leave public places, does not go far enough for the CSV. While the Minister wants to limit the eviction to private access to residences, the CSV points out that there are often entrance gates that border directly on public areas, whether it be pavements or a pedestrian zone. The current draft bill would, in the eyes of the party, not solve this problem. A "social emergency service" against domestic violence? The Alternative Democratic Reform Party (adr) stressed that pressure from the public is increasing, leaving the government with no choice but to react. The police should be relieved, wherever possible. Domestic violence in particular must be approached differently, the party argued. A type of "social emergency service" should be introduced as a first responder, so that the police do not have to get involved immediately. adr MP Fernand Kartheiser pointed out that most of the time, such instances do not justify police intervention, but rather require a form of mediation. The party also criticised the regionalisation of the police force, which often led to police officers taking a significant amount of time to arrive on site, depending on the location in the country. The adr hopes that recruitment will ease this situation, but also demands that the competences of police officers should be increased. While the party also supports the "Platzverweis", it also demands that officers should be able to check identity cards. By KEVIN McGILL, The Associated Press NEW ORLEANS (AP) Roman Catholic leaders in St. Louis, New Orleans and elsewhere are advising Catholics that the COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson, newly approved for use in the U.S., is morally compromised because it is produced using a cell line derived from an aborted fetus. The New Orleans archdiocese says the decision to receive a vaccine is one of individual conscience. In its statement late last week, it stopped short of advising Catholics not to take the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, but adds that Catholics should choose coronavirus vaccines made by Moderna or Pfizer if they are available. The Archdiocese of St. Louis on Tuesday encouraged Catholics to seek out the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines and avoid the Johnson & Johnson version if possible. However, the St. Louis statement stressed that Catholics can get that vaccine in good conscience if no other alternative is available. Later Tuesday, a statement issued by chairmen of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops committees on doctrine and abortion issues issued a statement reiterating the moral concerns. It said the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines are preferable if one has the ability to choose a vaccine. While not disputing the church officials contention that an abortion-derived cell line is used in the production, Johnson & Johnson issued a statement Tuesday stressing that there is no fetal tissue in its vaccine. Johnson & Johnsons COVID-19 vaccine is made using a harmless cold virus, called an adenovirus, the same technology it used to produce a successful Ebola vaccine. The adenovirus is grown using whats called an immortalized cell line, and the virus then is pulled out and purified. Several types of cell lines created decades ago using fetal tissue exist and are widely used in medical manufacturing but the cells in them today are clones of the early cells, not the original tissue. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops said in a January statement that abortion-derived cell lines were used to test the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines but not in their development or production. The Archdiocese statements renewed religious discussions about the vaccine and the use of abortion-derived cells. In December, the Vatican said that it is morally acceptable to receive COVID-19 vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses in the research and production process when ethically irreproachable vaccines arent available to the public. Pope Francis has frequently spoken about the need to ensure that vaccines are widely available, especially to the poor and marginalized. And, last month, a decree signed by the governor of the Vatican city-state said that Vatican employees who opt out of vaccination without a proven medical reason could be subject to sanctions, including being fired. More: There will be enough vaccine for all U.S. adults by the end of May, Biden says Drugmaker Merck to help make rival J&Js COVID-19 vaccine Dr Ronan Glynn, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, said third-level educational settings in the west and mid-west are under investigation. Photo: Colin Keegan Covid cases among students attending third-level colleges have led to outbreaks of Covid-19 in the wider community, public officials warned today. They are bringing the infection beyond the confines of the college to people outside. Public health officials were dealing with 13 open outbreaks of Covid-19 among third-level colleges and students at the end of February. There were three more outbreaks reported during the week, the latest letter to Government from the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) revealed. Deputy chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said a significant number of clusters in the community are associated with students who attend third level in the west and mid-west are under investigation. There were three newly notified outbreaks associated with third-level institutions and students and 13 open outbreaks associated with these settings, Dr Glynn said. A number of significant clusters in the community associated with students who attend third-level educational settings in the west and mid-west are currently under investigation with outbreak control measures being implemented as appropriate including targeted testing. Read More Outbreak control teams are overseeing the targeted testing. He also revealed a rise in workplace outbreaks up to 33 the week before last, a jump of 33pc. They happened in commercial settings, food production plants, manufacturing and the construction industry. There were nine outbreaks in childcare facilities with 26 linked cases. Dr Glynn said the situation nationally is fragile, although there is slow and continued progress in all areas of concern including hospitals. There has been a recent increase in incidence among young adults aged 19-24 although this is not the case across the whole of this age group. Indicators of mobility, where people are moving about more, are low but continue to drift upwards. The more infectious UK variant accounts for 91pc of cases. We are maintaining suppression of transmission but this progress is still fragile. People who are infected with Covid-19 can now assume they are immune to re-infection for six months as opposed to the previous three months, according to new Nphet advice. Dr Glynn said it is also recommending that medical-grade masks be worn by certain groups. These include vulnerable high-risk and very-high risk groups such as older-age groups when they are in crowded outdoor spaces or confined indoor areas. The masks should also be worn by people infected with the virus as well as people with suspected symptoms. Household contacts of infected cases should also wear these masks. It does not apply to residents in long-term care as these facilities are their homes. When New Jersey significantly expands vaccine eligibility later this month, it wont just be teachers and essential workers joining the list. The state will also add 11 more medical conditions that make people eligible to receive a coronavirus vaccine including asthma, high blood pressure, and a body mass index that qualifies them as overweight. In a move that will affect several hundred thousands of New Jerseyans, Gov. Phil Murphy announced announced Monday that pre-K through 12th grade teachers, as well as child-care and transportation workers, will become eligible March 15 and front-line essential employees, including restaurant workers and grocery store employees, will become eligible two weeks later, March 29. At the same time, the state quietly revealed it will update its eligibility list to include all individuals 16 to 64 with conditions the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says increase the risk or might increase the risk of severe illness from the virus. That is also effective March 15, according to the state Department of Health website. That covers 11 conditions the state previously didnt list, all of which the CDC says might increase the risk of serious COVID-19: Asthma (moderate-to-severe) Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain) Cystic fibrosis Hypertension or high blood pressure Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, or use of other immune weakening medicines Neurologic conditions, such as dementia Liver disease Overweight (those with BMIs greater than 25 but less than 30; obese residents were already eligible). See the CDCs BMI calculator here. Pulmonary fibrosis (having damaged or scarred lung tissues) Thalassemia (a type of blood disorder) Type 1 diabetes Murphy did not highlight that part of the expansion during his public briefing Monday, though it was included as a link to the CDC website in a press release issued by his office later that day. People with eight other medical conditions all in the CDCs increased risk category were already eligible in New Jersey: Cancer Chronic kidney disease Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Down syndrome Heart conditions, including example heart failure, coronary artery disease and cardiomyopathy Obesity (BMI over 30) and severe obesity Sickle cell disease Type-2 diabetes New Jersey has been rolling out the vaccine in phases. In addition to people 16 and 64 with the above medical conditions, health-care workers, first responders, residents 65 and older, and smokers are also currently eligible to vaccinated in the state. Its unclear how many people will be eligible among New Jerseys 9 million residents after the upcoming expansion. Murphy did not have a clear estimate Wednesday at his latest coronavirus briefing in Trenton. But a CDC report in 2016 found that 64% of New Jersey residents are either overweight (36.3%) or obese (26.9%). The expanded eligibility comes even though officials say demand for the vaccine continues to outpace supply and residents have struggled to get appointments in a winding online system. Officials said Wednesday that the state should still be hamstrung by low supply over the next few weeks. Still, Murphy said the states vaccine supply is expected to explode by early April. And he has said even with supply issues, folks deserved to know when they will be eligible. A big boost is the arrival of the new one-dose vaccine from New Brunswicks Johnson & Johnson, the nations third COVID-19 vaccine. The state received its first shipment of about 73,000 doses on Wednesday. On Tuesday, news broke that fellow New Jersey drugmaker Merck will help Johnson & Johnson, its rival, produce the new vaccine to increase supply. Murphy said that will supercharge the states vaccination efforts and get more shots into peoples arms. President Joe Biden said Tuesday his administration is invoking the federal Defense Production Act to increase production of the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine and said the U.S. will produce enough vaccines for every adult in America by the end of May. Biden also called on states to prioritize teachers and school staffers in their vaccination schedules. Murphy was asked Monday what he would say to those already eligible who have been unable to obtain a vaccine appointment and can now expect substantially more competition for one. He expressed sympathy for those thwarted by the supply/demand imbalance, while also noting the universal praise for the actual administration of the vaccine. Theres no question theres frustration for the folks still trying to get in there, Murphy said. Among other reasons, by giving a two-week window to this first tranche and a four-week window to the second tranche, is to try to get as much of that community through the system as possible. State Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said Wednesday the state is starting to contact residents 75 and older who have registered with states Vaccine Scheduling System. She also said they will go first in the queue. Those who have already registered will not lose their place in line when the new groups can sign up, Persichilli added. There have been about 2.19 million COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in New Jersey as of Tuesday morning, according to the states dashboard. That includes about 1.44 million first doses and about 740,400 second doses. Thats out of more than 2.6 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. Editors note: This post has been updated to correct the date that people with 11 new medical conditions become eligible. NJ Advance Media staff writer Matt Arco contributed to this report. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 21:56:20|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NAIROBI, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) said Wednesday it will promote green bond listings in order to boost market liquidity. Geoffrey Odundo, CEO, NSE told journalists in Nairobi that so far one green bond has been listed to finance the construction of environmentally friendly student housing. "We are keen to promote more green bonds listing because we continuously see social impact investors coming to the country who will help to boost our market liquidity," Odundo said during the launch of the study "The Top 100 Most Loved Brands By Women In Kenya" that will serve as an insight-led tool for Kenyan businesses into the power of women markets. Odundo noted that climate-friendly bonds will raise the profile of the NSE and enhance the level of trading activity at the capital markets. He revealed that Kenya is an ideal location for green finance because it has a huge untapped potential in renewable energy and green transport. "We want to provide a platform for companies to put their money in green projects, to enable them to get green certifications and support the climate change agenda," he added. The NSE chief noted that most leading global investment funds are focusing on certain asset classes that focus on green projects. "So if they get a green opportunity that has a fairly reasonable return and high impact they will invest in Kenya," Odundo said. Enditem Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 Colorado Public Utilities Commission released an anticipated report Tuesday that confirmed what critics have suspected: performance issues at the Comanche 3 power plant near Pueblo makes electricity generated from coal a costly proposition. The 89-page, highly technical report is blunt in places, blaming poor maintenance, equipment defects and poor communications among the reasons for the costly issues that have dogged the last coal-fired plant built in Colorado. Despite being Xcel's newest plant, it has been its most unreliable the last decade, the investigation states, alleging it has racked up an average of 91.5 days of outages over its 10-year lifespan. "The significant performance issues at Comanche 3 support Staff's position that Company-owned generation should be subject to a performance standard to ensure it delivers the value proposition that led to its approval," the PUC report states. Xcel spokeswoman Michelle Aguayo said Tuesday night that the company was still reviewing the report, but, "Meanwhile, we are committed to the continued safe and reliable operation of the plant through its proposed early retirement in 2040." She pointed to the utility's drive to renewable energy faster than expected and get out of the coal business in Colorado, per the wishes of Gov. Jared Polis and the state's Climate Action Plan. "We are dedicated to operating our power plants with the safest industry standards and continue to look for ways we can grow, learn and improve how we run our generation fleet," Aguayo said. "We appreciate the Commission staffs time in reviewing operations at Comanche 3. The plant was originally expected to cost $680 million to bring online, but overshot its budget to $784 million, with an additional $72 million the last 10 years. When it was proposed in 2004, Comanche 3 was expected to operate until 2070. The plant, however, has dealt with those performance issues at the same time it has faced the consequential economics of green energy and the environmental heckles of generating electricity with coal. Xcel has amended its timeline to 2040, when it will phase out the use of coal, according to an announcement of its plans to shift to renewable energy last week. Xcel Energy's plant was the home of problems even before it began generating electricity, including boiler tube leaks in 2009. The plant has had issues with the welded components in its boiler and a malfunctioning water cannon. In January of last year, turbine damage cost $4.8 million plus $1.7 million to buy replacement power because of it. Then last June, an issue that caused the loss of lubrication for the steam turbine, along with other equipment damage, rang up another $20.4 million in losses, with $14 million in replacement power, the report states. The Public Utilities Commission, which regulates the utility, asked for an investigation of the costly malfunctions in October to find root causes. Xcel, the plant's primary owner, sought to pass $11.7 million for repairs to customers last year, but the PUC said no, although it still allowed $45.3 million in increases that were expected to add a little over a dollar a month to the average Xcel user's bill. The ask to ratepayers is based on the cost to replace the plant's finishing superheater after it operated for just five years. The PUC said the company should have recognized the costly design flaw to begin with. I hope this is the last time that Xcel Energy wastes millions of customer dollars to fix outdated coal energy technology," Anna McDevitt, the senior campaign representative for Sierra Clubs Beyond Coal initiative, said in a statement. "Its 2021; any expenditures on fossil fuels is a step backwards when we could be saving customers money with cheaper, cleaner alternatives." She called keeping Comanche 3 online another 20 years a "money pit." Chief executive Richard Petti said: Rich joins IQGeo at a great time. Our existing European team has established a strong foundation with a growing utility and telecoms customer base..." Richard Weiss (pictured) brings with him a wealth of international sales and business development experience, with extensive technical and product management expertise, IQGeo said PLC ( ) has appointed geospatial industry veteran Richard Weiss as European regional manager. He has 25 years experience and joins from 3-GIS where he was managing director for Europe, the Middle East and Asia. He brings with him a wealth of international sales and business development experience, with extensive technical and product management expertise, IQGeo said. In past roles Weiss has built regional teams and accelerated awareness and sales in markets around the world, it added. Chief executive Richard Petti said: Rich joins IQGeo at a great time. Our existing European team has established a strong foundation with a growing utility and telecoms customer base and his industry and professional experience will help us increase our European market share. He will also be working with our global team to develop channel strategies for the distribution of our recently acquired OSPInsight software, which is ideally suited for the growing number of alternative network providers across Europe. IQGeo works with telecoms and utility companies to help them digitise their operational processes and capture their network assets. Very simply, the firm's system ingests data to create a geospatially correct digital twin of a network that can be used by thousands of employees. Not only that, but its functionality is also such that the mobile-first system can be used by maintenance technicians, sales, and even the accounts department. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 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 Pennsylvania Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee is holding a meeting at 7:30p.m. EST Thursday night, March 4, to discuss the developments in Philadelphia and mobilize opposition to the deadly reopening of schools. Register now and share this link with your coworkers to build the committee! All teachers, support staff and supporters should join the network of Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committees. With the collaboration of the teachers unions, Philadelphia schools will begin in-person classes for about 3,000 kindergarten through second grade students Monday, despite the spread of new and more infectious coronavirus strains that are making their way into the population. The move comes as the result of a ruling by an independent mediator appointed by the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) and the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) as part of a Memorandum of Agreement signed last fall. The mediator, Chicago doctor Peter Orris, reviewed the condition of buildings, in particular the ventilation systems, and issued a ruling determining whether they are currently safe to reopen or whether rudimentary changes should be made. Pennsylvania classroom with in-person instruction [Credit: Conestoga Valley School District Facebook page] According to the decision, 53 school buildings will reopen this Monday for K-2 students. Teachers have been instructed to report to their buildings today to prepare. Each week, another 50 schools will be opened until March 22, when the school district hopes to have all K-2 schools opened. The school district plans to then follow with special needs students, second language learners, and those in vocational programs, followed by the opening of other grades. The move in Philadelphia is part of a nationwide campaign, led by the Biden administration, to reopen all K-8 schools by the end of April. Along with schools in Philadelphia, schools in Pittsburgh are set to reopen April 6. In neighboring Maryland, schools reopened Monday as a result of pressure from Republican governor Larry Hogan. Montgomery County is the only jurisdiction in Maryland that hasn't yet opened for kindergarten, but opened for special education and vocational classes starting yesterday. It will open on March 15 for K-3. Elsewhere in the region, schools in Washington D.C. and Fairfax, Virginia have also been reopened. Under the continuing pandemic, as well as the threat of new and more dangerous variants of COVID-19, there are no possible conditions where reopening schools for in-person instruction is safe. On the contrary, studies have shown that school closures are among the most effective public health measures to contain the spread of the disease. The claim that ventilation systems can be made safe has been disproven in many scientific studies. CDC school opening guidelines ignore the critical role of ventilation and infection control in classrooms . The reopening of schools threatens the lives and health of educators, staff, children, parents and community. Pennsylvania has been devastated by the coronavirus. Over 938,000 people have been infected with COVID-19more than one out of fifteenand there have been over 24,000 people who have died, the sixth highest in the nation. Throughout the country, the teachers unions have played the decisive role in containing the opposition of teachers in order to force through returns to classrooms. American Federation of Teachers (AFT) president Randi Weingarten, according to the New York Times, is on the phone for 15 hours a day organizing this campaign. The new plans to reopen next Monday come after the district and the union were forced repeatedly to shelve earlier plans to reopen, first on February 8, then February 22 and finally March 1, in the face of overwhelming opposition. The Pennsylvania Federation of Teachers (PFT) was compelled to sanction job action on February 8, while teachers and parents took part in a system-wide protest. This, however, was only so that the union could bide time. The terms of the Memorandum of Agreement, which was itself accepted without a vote by the membership, allow it to force through a deal to reopen schools without even the pretense of a vote. A series of meetings were held recently between the PFT, Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. and Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney. In addition to PFT president Jerry Jordan, AFT-Pennsylvania president Arthur Steinbery and AFT president Randi Weingarten took part in the process In a press conference held Monday at Richard Wright Elementary School in North Philadelphia, Mayor Jim Kenney said We all agree that the time is right to get our young people back into school buildings. Kenney was joined at the press conference with Superintendent Hite and teachers union leaders. Emphasizing the role of the union in pushing teachers back to work, Weingarten said, There is a will teachers, food service workers, they understand that in-school learning is better. They want to be safe, as do the parents of our kids. In fact, polls conducted by the unions themselves have shown that returning to classrooms is overwhelmingly unpopular among both teachers and parents, particularly in the country's largest working-class school districts. As a fig-leaf, the union bragged and said that every classroom has been reviewed by PFTs environmental scientists and that the School Districts plan to use window fans will be replaced with the purchase of air purifiers for rooms that lack adequate ventilation. Parents and teachers are also being told that students will be pre-screened each day at home, wear masks and be kept 6 feet apart. In addition, teachers are in the process of receiving their first dose of the vaccine. However, most will not have received their second dose nor are measures in place for students and parents to be vaccinated. Teachers and parents reacted with anger over the reopening plans. "Shame on the PFT for allowing us to find out this information at the same time as the general public DURING our work day. NO respect for the K-2 teachers at the 53 schools who are returning on Wednesday," said one teacher. A parent and social worker told the World Socialist Web Site, I understand that our children are struggling to deal with all of the hardships surrounding this pandemic, however at what point are we going to admit that this virus is still a major cause for concern? When you go to work you deserve to be provided with the safest environment possible and for teachers, that is teaching remotely. How did we go from praising teachers for what they do to not listening or speaking over them if they try to express any personal safety concerns? While it is not possible to make every job out there completely safe, we can do that for our school staff. In the statement Stop the deadly reopening of Philadelphia Schools! The Pennsylvania Educators Rank-and-File Safety committee in fact warned that the PFT decision to call in a mediator would be used to make a few cosmetic changes to building ventilation systems as the excuse for reopening unsafe schools. The Pennsylvania Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee is part of a rapidly growing network of committees throughout the United States and worldwide, which fights to mobilize workers independently to fight for a shutdown of schools and nonessential industry to contain the pandemic and defeat the herd immunity policies of the capitalist class. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Its more and more the ideologies that are motivating some of the extremists, and they are less and less coherent, less and less linear, less easy to pin down, he said. In some cases, people are coming up with customized belief systems, a little bit of this and a little bit of that combined with some personal grievance in their lives. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Register with JOC.com and receive 5 free pieces of content for the first thirty days. After thirty days, you will receive 3 pieces of content and after sixty days you will receive 1 piece of content. To receive full access, Subscribe Today . You can also subscribe to our daily newsletter. Register President Joe Biden speaks about his administration's COVID-19 response, in the State Dining Room at the White House on March 2, 2021. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters) Biden: States Should Vaccinate Teachers Against COVID-19 by End of March President Joe Biden called for states on March 2 to prioritize getting teachers at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of the month, even as he acknowledged that schools can be reopened without educators and child care workers getting a vaccine. Let me be clear: We can reopen schools if the right steps are taken, even before employees are vaccinated. But time and again, weve heard from educators and parents that they have anxieties about that, Biden said in remarks from the White House. So as yet another move to help accelerate the safe reopening of our schools, lets treat in-person learning like an essential service that it is. And that means getting essential workers who provide that serviceeducators, school staff, child care workersget them vaccinated immediately. Theyre essential workers. Teachers unions across the country have pushed for officials to make COVID-19 vaccines available to teachers before making them return to classrooms for in-person learning, even as studies indicate and officials say vaccinations arent required to safely reopen schools. COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, also known as SARS-CoV-2. According to the White House, more than 30 states have taken steps to prioritize teachers and other educators for vaccination. Biden urged others to do the same. A Los Angeles Unified School District teacher plays the ukulele as she waits to receive a COVID-19 vaccination at a mass vaccination site in a parking lot at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif., on March 1, 2021. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images) My challenge to all states, territories, and the District of Columbia is this: We want every educator, school staff member, and child care worker to receive at least one shot by the end of the month of March, he said, adding that his administration would use its federal pharmacy program to prioritize vaccinating pre-K through 12th-grade workers, as well as others who spend time with children for their jobs. The request is another sign of how much sway unions have with Biden, whose administration consulted them before issuing school reopening guidelines last month, which critics said set unrealistic standards for resuming in-person teaching. Former President Donald Trump told a crowd in Florida over the weekend that schools should be fully open by now. The only reason that most parents do not have that choice is because Joe Biden has sold out Americas children to the teachers unions, he said. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, a national teachers union, praised Biden for the announcement. What a tremendous relief to have a president who is meeting this moment of crisis. Vaccinations are a key ingredient to reopening schools safely, and this is the administration taking the steps to ramp up vaccinations for educators, which is great news for everyone who wants in-school learning, she said in a statement. Nearly 45 percent of K12 students in the United States have returned to in-person, five-day-a-week classes as of Feb. 28, according to Burbio, a research group. Another 27.8 percent are attending in-person schooling on some days. The CDCs advisory panel recommended that states prioritize first vaccinating health care and long-term care facility personnel, followed by people 75 or older and front-line essential workers, defined as essential workers likely at highest risk for work-related exposure to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, because their work-related duties must be performed on-site and involve being in close proximity (<6 feet) to the public or to coworkers. The third set of groups recommended for prioritization were people 65 to 74, people 16 to 64 with high-risk medical conditions, and essential workers not included in the previous phases. The recommendations are nonbinding but were widely followed across many states, except for some that chose to elevate the elderly because that population is especially vulnerable to COVID-19. Michelle Obama touted a new kids' version of her memoir on Good Morning America on Wednesday morning, when she urged young people to 'protest' against racism - but noticeably made no mention of yesterday's controversial ban on six Dr. Seuss books, which she frequently read to children during her time as First Lady. The 57-year-old - who inked a joint book deal with her husband Barack, 59, in 2017 that reportedly earned them $65 million - released her youth-focused book, Becoming: Adapted for Young Readers, on the same day that it was announced that several Dr. Seuss titles will stop being published because of 'racist and insensitive imagery'. Despite being asked about racism and the Black Lives Matter movement by anchor Robin Roberts, neither woman made reference to the controversy surrounding the ban on several of Dr. Seuss' books. Dr. Seuss Enterprises, the company that preserves and protects the author's legacy, made the announcement on Tuesday, which coincided with the late author and illustrator's birthday. The news came one day after Michelle's close friend President Joe Biden omitted Dr. Seuss from Read Across America Day, which is held annually on the children's author's birthday on March 2, a move that was slammed by critics, who accused him of trying to 'cancel' the author. Biden broke presidential tradition when he left out any mention of Dr. Seuss during his proclamation on Monday; both Michelle's husband Barack and Donald Trump recognized Dr. Seuss' contributions several times in their annual proclamations during their respective presidencies. Michelle also has a close personal connection to Dr. Seuss, having read many of the authors books to children during her time as First Lady, from 2008 to 2016. Staying mum: Michelle Obama appeared on GMA on Wednesday morning to plug a new version of her memoir for kids - but made no mention of this week's ban on Dr. Seuss books Speaking out: The 57-year-old's interview with Robin Roberts - during which she discussed racism - came just one day after it was revealed publication of six Dr. Seuss books will cease Memories: During her time as First Lady, Michelle frequently read Dr. Seuss books to children - as she is seen doing in Florida in 2009 Favorites: Michelle often read The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham, neither of which have been banned, and she was trolled by Trump supporters in 2017 for choosing 'racist' books Michelle was most regularly pictured reading Green Eggs and Ham and The Cat in the Hat, neither of which is on the list of books that have been banned, also revealed in 2010 that Dr. Seuss was incredibly popular in her home, telling a group of children that one of the family's favorites was Horton Hatches the Egg, another choice not included on the no-publish list. The six books on the list are And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, If I Ran the Zoo, McElligot's Pool, On Beyond Zebra!, Scrambled Eggs Super!, and The Cat's Quizzer. In 2017, Michelle was trolled by Trump supporters over her choice of children's literature amid a spat between Melania Trump and a Massachusetts school librarian. In September of that year, Melania personally selected a selection of Dr. Seuss books to send to one school in each state - however the gift was rejected by Cambridgeport Elementary School librarian Liz Phipps Soeiro, who claimed that their whimsical illustrations were 'steeped in racist propaganda, caricatures, and harmful stereotypes'. Supporters of the Trump administration were quick to bring Michelle into the debate, pointing out that she regularly read Dr. Seuss' books to children, and insisting that it was unfair to OK the books when they were promoted by the Obama White House, and then slam them when they were highlighted by Melania. 'Dr. Seuss ok when Michelle Obama read it to children but now has racist undertones when our First Lady donates books?' one person wrote. 'Unreal.' In 2015, Barack heaped praise on the author for providing thorough life lessons to children while speaking to White House interns about the messages of inclusivity that can be found in the books, saying that 'pretty much all the stuff you need to know is in Dr. Seuss'. Naming The Sneetches and Horton Hears a Who, neither of which were included in the publishing ban, as prime examples, he said: 'We're all the same, so why would we treat somebody differently just because they don't have a star on their belly? 'If I think about responsibility, I think about Horton sitting on the egg up in the tree while Lazy Mayzie's flying off, doing whatever she wants. Know what I mean?' Upset: These six Dr. Seuss books will no longer be published because of racist and insensitive imagery, according to the company that preserves and protects the author's legacy Big bucks: Michelle and her husband Barack, 59, inked a joint book deal with Penguin Random House weeks after leaving the White House, which is believed to be worth $65 million .@MichelleObama tells @robinroberts that the inauguration was a glorious day.: To watch our friend Joe Biden and Jill stand there...to see Kamala...brave and bold, knowing that they were taking on a massive amount of responsibility to get this country back on track. pic.twitter.com/ztB5fp8GuP Good Morning America (@GMA) March 3, 2021 Although Michelle did not discuss the Dr. Seuss controversy during her interview, she did share her thoughts on the fight for racial equality in the US, urging young people to continue 'marching' and 'protesting'. Michelle also shared how she is teaching her own daughters to use 'the power of their voices' in her first interview since Joe Biden's inauguration. Speaking about the Black Lives Matter protests that were held across the country in the wake of George Floyd's death last year, Michelle urged young people of all races to continue taking forceful steps to fight racism, saying: 'We gotta march, we gotta protest.' She added that 'what happened at the polls this November' has given her 'hope' that the country is moving towards positive change - but insisted that more needs to be done in order to ensure that the younger generation is educating themselves about key issues. 'We have to vote. We have to be educated. We have to be informed,' she said. 'Young people are putting those pieces together and understand that it's not either/or. It's all of it.' The former First Lady also said that she and her husband are working to teach their own daughters, college students Malia, 22, and Sasha, 19, to use 'the power of their voices', saying: 'I always have wanted them to start practicing the power of their voices very early on. 'Look, if you sit around the dinner table, me and Barack, we can't get a word in edgewise and we like it like that. We want to hear their thoughts and their opinions and that's where it begins.' Both Malia and Sasha took part in anti-racism protests last year, their father revealed in November while praising the girls for getting involved in the marches 'without any prompting' from him or Michelle. 'I didn't have to give them a lot of advice because they had a very clear sense of what was right and what was wrong and [of] their own agency and the power of their voice and the need to participate,' Obama told People. Clearly eager to keep focus on her memoir Becoming, Michelle made many references to the title, telling Robin that the responsibility of change in the US rests with young people because they are 'they are not jaded' or 'beaten down' and are 'still wide open' which 'is the point of becoming'. 'They are our hope,' she said. 'They are not jaded yet. They are not beaten down by what they're supposed to be. They are still wide open. That's the point of becoming. Lesson: The mother-of-two said that she and former President Barack are teaching their daughters Sasha and Malia to use 'the power of their voices' 'If you are lucky, you will never become something and that's the end. If you are lucky you will constantly grow and evolve until the day you cannot breathe anymore, you know. We are all learning and becoming something better and greater.' Speaking about her own evolution since leaving the White House in early 2017, Michelle explained that she is working on 'becoming someone who is comfortable getting out of the way so that the next generation can take the seat that I'm sitting in'. 'I'm becoming more free and I hope I'm becoming smarter and wiser and more patient,' she added. The latest: Michelle's new book Becoming: Adapted for Young Readers features a new foreword, and three photo inserts The mother-of-two, who has also released a new paperback version of her book this week, made a thinly-veiled dig at former President Donald Trump while discussing the inauguration in January, praising Biden and Vice Preident Kamala Harris for being 'brave and bold' enough to 'taking on a massive amount of responsibility to get this country back on track'. 'To watch our friend Joe Biden and Jill stand there with their beautiful family, to see Kamala and her family standing there brave and bold knowing that they were taking on a massive amount of responsibility to get this country back on track...' she said, describing the event as 'glorious'. However, Michelle admitted that there was a cloud hanging over the inauguration in the wake of the Capitol riots, which took place just days before the event, leaving many attendees afraid that something similar would happen again in protest against Biden's presidency. 'It was a glorious day, the sun was shining, the mood was wonderful but it was also mixed,' she shared. 'I think everyone was concerned about more riots but we were assured that things were under control. When you see fellow Americans storming the capitol, that sits with you. That reality was with us on that stage.' She heaped praise on inaugural poet Amanda Gorman, saying that she was 'moved almost to tears' by her performance - and adding that she was 'proud' to see the 22-year-old showing the world that 'a lot of black folks contribute to this country'. Fear: Speaking about President Joe Biden's inauguration, Michelle admitted that there was fear among attendees about more riots taking place at the Capitol High praise: She paid tribute to inaugural poet Amanda Gorman, saying she was 'proud' that the 22-year-old is showing the world 'a lot of black folks contribute to this country' 'I was proud and moved almost to tears to hear not just her words but the confidence with which she delivered [them],' Michelle said. 'I know there are many, many Amanda Gormans. I'm just proud when one of them gets a chance to be seen and the rest of the nation and the world gets to see, yep, a lot of black folks contribute to this country. A lot of black folks have made this country what it is today.' Michelle concluded the interview by delivering a message to America's youth - while paying tribute to late civil rights activist Vernon Jordan, who died on Monday. 'That's the thing I want young people to know. There are many ways to make change,' she said. 'We need a lot more decent people who have humility and compassion and who are ready to be out in the world showing that off in whatever occupation they choose.' Michelle's interview comes one day after she published two new versions of her bestselling memoir Becoming - a special edition for 'young readers' and a paperback option - which she announced last month. The new youth-focused edition of the book, which retails for $18.99, features a new foreword from the author, as well as three photo inserts, and is aimed at children aged 10 and older. Becoming: Adapted for Young Readers comes two and a half years after the 2018 release of Michelle's book, which has also been released in an audiobook format, and led to the launch of a $20 'guided journal' created by the former First Lady. Dolce&Gabbana Velvet Black Patchouli New Fragrances In 2021, Dolce&Gabbana expands the Velvet Collection with Velvet Black Patchouli, an exclusive invitation to the world of Domenico Dolce and Stefan Gabbana. The Velvet Collection was introduced in 2011 and expands every year for one or more new releases. Perfumer Rodrigo Flores-Roux returns to the Velvet line, whose first fragrances he created ten years ago. The complex composition, developed with the finest ingredients, as they say from the house, combines rich woody notes of patchouli oil with spicy sage and balsamic, fruity davana oil in a mysterious oriental scent that revives Italy's unique cultural diversity. Velvet Black Patchouli was inspired by the times when precious goods arrived from the East to the shores of Italy, and the mysterious, intoxicating scent of patchouli lingered in the air. Opening with vibrant, balsamic top notes of Indian davana oil and Tarocco Sicilian blood orange, this woody-oriental scent releases the heart of aromatic sage its fruity, floral accents giving way to sweet musky tobacco undertones before culminating in the base of Venezuelan tonka bean and sweet caramel. Top: Indian davana oil, Sicilian blood orange, Indian papyrus essence Heart: black patchouli, clary sage, coriander Base: tonka, vanilla, caramel Dolce&Gabbana Velvet Black Patchouli is available as a 50 and a 150 ml Eau de Parfum. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Appearances can suggest we care less about things than we really do The column starts with a 90s movie reference that is probably lost on most people who actually still read the newspaper. However, the premise is more relevant than ever . . . Kansas City Star: No charges in fatal shooting of Donnie Sanders. Wonder why Black men fear KC police? And here's where it gets really interesting . . . A KANSAS CITY STAR COLUMNIST JOINS PROTESTERS IN QUESTIONING THE CONDUCT & CONTROVERSIES CONNECTED TO A KCPD OFFICER!!! It's a bold tactic that was scrawled across city hall steps last year following the rough arrest a young woman which featured the controversial officer's shoe on the lady's back. Finally, here's the premise of the column . . . "Kansas Citians do have the right to know if there is a problem officer patrolling city streets. "This was [THE OFFICER'S] first line-of-duty shooting death, prosecutors said. But will it be his last?" As far as this blog is concerned, neither the question nor the answer are as important as the fact that the so-called Kansas City paper of record is now echoing the very same rhetoric used by "mostly peaceful" protesters and activists demanding a local leadership change for law enforcement. Politically, it's far more important to see how local institutions are lining up as the nation's culture war worsens. You decide . . . by Francis Khoo Thwe Today's death toll included five in Monywa; two in Mandalay, one hit in the chest and one in the head; two in Myingyan, one in Magway, and one in Yangon. Strikes and acts of civil disobedience are spreading across the country. Some 34 journalists have been arrested, many for spreading fake news. Thousands have been arrested. ASEAN foreign ministers meeting yields no results. Yangon (AsiaNews) At least 10 people have been killed in several Myanmar cities after security forces fired on demonstrators protesting last months military coup. ASEAN foreign ministers, who yesterday condemned violence against the civilian population , tried again to promote talks with the new military government. Also yesterday, the head of the new junta, General Min Aung Hlaing,asked security forces not to shoot at people, perhaps to please ASEAN or to curb international criticism. Myanmars rulers are increasingly frustrated that protests are showing no sign of abating and that strikes and acts of civil disobedience are multiplying in more and more cities, and slowing down the economy. For their part, soldiers are becoming increasingly violent with water cannons, tear gas, rubber bullets, and live rounds in their response to growing popular pressure and calls for end to the coup d'etat and the release of democratically elected political leaders, Today, AsiaNews sources reported five deaths in Monywa; two in Mandalay, one hit in the chest and one in the head; two in Myingyan, one in Magway, and one in Yangon. In Yangon, the country's economic capital, police wearing riot gear and carrying firearms faced off against protesters wielding handmade shields and helmets, behind barricades of tyres and bamboo poles erected to hold back the police. Meanwhile, the death toll is rising with more than 30 dead, hundreds injured, and thousands thrown in prison. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, 34 journalists have also been arrested. Of these, 19 were released, whilst the others were charged with spreading fake news. Yesterday ASEAN foreign ministers held a virtual meeting to discuss the crisis together with junta representative Wunna Maung Lwin. Many Myanmar groups and many NGOs have criticised the move because it appears to acknowledge the coup. In any case, the talk proved fruitless. After the meeting, Indonesian Minister Retno Marsudi appeared frustrated at the junta's lack of cooperation. Marissa Banez, of counsel in the Litigation Practice in the New York City office of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP, will present on the 60-minute Celesq AttorneysEd Center live webinar, Unnamed Class Member Standing: A Circuit-by-Circuit Analysis, March 4, beginning at noon ET. This CLE webinar will examine the question of whether unnamed class members must have standing for a court to certify or enter judgment in a class action. Banez will discuss how the Supreme Court has not squarely decided the question and how circuit courts address this issue in various and sometimes contradictory ways. This presentation will discuss the various approaches employed by circuit courts throughout the country so that attorneys can use recent cases to argue for or against class certification or judgment where the standing of unnamed class members may be a determining factor. Banez focuses her practice on products liability defense, which includes asbestos, tobacco, and black lung litigation, as well as medical devices and pharmaceuticals actions, in state and federal courts throughout the country, representing Fortune 500 and Fortune 100 companies. In asbestos matters, she has represented from complaint through trial (many times as lead counsel) major manufacturers, contractors, and distributors of asbestos-containing products in both personal injury and property damage cases. In addition, Banez regularly litigates as appellate counsel in residential mortgage foreclosures, having won the vast majority of her appeals and obtaining multi-million-dollar settlements. She also has represented a Fortune 500 company in several premises liability actions. About Greenberg Traurig's Litigation Practice: Greenberg Traurig's Litigation Practice includes a team of more than 600 attorneys. The firm's trial lawyers regularly appear in state and federal courts throughout the country, as well as in appellate courts and before international arbitration panels. They work closely with in-house counsel to develop a strategy that best fits a litigation cost and proficiency model appropriate to the client's unique needs and goals. About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT), has approximately 2200 attorneys 40 locations in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. GT has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, diversity, and innovation, and is consistently among the largest firms in the U.S. on the Law360 400 and among the Top 20 on the Am Law Global 100. The firm is net carbon neutral with respect to its office energy usage and Mansfield Rule 3.0 Certified. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com ADVERTISEMENT The Edo State Government said it has received doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines for distribution in the state. The Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie, disclosed this in a statement issued in Benin on Wednesday. According to him, the doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines are in the custody of the state government which was finalising the arrangement for its deployment across the state. The Edo State Government is in custody of doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines received from the Federal Government for distribution in the state. We are preparing a local distribution network for rolling out the vaccines in line with the national plan, Mr Ogie said in the statement. Mr Ogie did not, however, mention how many doses of the vaccines the state received from the federal government. Nigeria on Tuesday received 3.94 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines through the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Assess Facility, COVAX. COVAX, an initiative co-led by the vaccine alliance, GAVI and the World Health Organisation (WHO), aims to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines by dividing about two billion doses across 92 low and middle-income countries. There are 4,607 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Edo State as of March 2, according to the data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. One hundred and seventy (170) people have so far died of the viral infection in the state. Lagos, Nigerias commercial capital, remains the epicentre of coronavirus in Nigeria, with 56,001 confirmed cases, and 410 deaths. The total confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection in Nigeria is 156, 496 as of March 2. (NAN) [March 03, 2021] France Cards and Payments Market Opportunities and Risks Report 2021-2024 - ResearchAndMarkets.com The "France Cards and Payments - Opportunities and Risks to 2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. 'France Cards and Payments - Opportunities and Risks to 2024' report provides detailed analysis of market trends in the French cards and payments industry. It provides values and volumes for a number of key performance indicators in the industry, including cash, cards, credit transfers, direct debits, and cheques during the review-period (2016-20e). The French payment market is on a path of constant innovation. To reduce the dependence on cash and drive the country towards a cashless society, as part of its National Retail Payments Strategy (2019-2024) Banque de France has formulated various measures that are being adopted by commercial banks and payment service providers. The plan includes promoting acceptance of card payments by merchants even for payments starting from 1 ($1.12), incorporating contactless functionality in every payment terminal in the country, and strengthening the security of electronic payments. With such measures in place, the frequency of card-based transactions is anticipated to increase further over the forecast period. To protect card holders against loss or theft of their payment cards, in July 2020 Societe Generale collaborated with Apple (News - Alert) Pay to launch an instant digital card in France. This virtual payment card can be issued on a permanent or temporary basis If customers lose their payment card, the bank issues a digital version and makes it available to the card holder via the Apple Pay app. As a result, the card holder's funds remain safe and they can continue to make contactless payments. Amid COVID-19, Federation Bancaire Francaise raised the limit on contactless cards in the country from 30 ($33.68) to 50 ($56.14) in March 2020, in a bid to encourage consumers to use contactless payments rather than cash for purchases of essential items. As a result, consumers do not need to enter their PIN for payments worth up to 50 ($56.14). The report also analyzes various payment card markets operating in the industry, and provides detailed information on the number of cards in circulation, transaction values and volumes during the review-period and over the forecast-period (2020e-24f). It also offers information on the country's competitive landscape, including the market shares of issuers and schemes. This report provides top-level market analysis, information and insights into the French cards and payments industry, including - Current and forecast values for each market in the French cards and payments industry, including debit and credit cards. Detailed insights into payment instruments including cash, cards, credit transfers, direct debits, and cheques. It also, includes an overview of the country's key alternative payment instruments. E-commerce market analysis. Analysis of various market drivers and regulations governing the French cards and payments industry. Detailed analysis of strategies adopted by banks and other institutions to market debit, credit and charge cards. Key Topics Covered: Payment Instruments Card-based Payments Merchant Acquiring Ecommerce Payments Buy Now Pay Later Mobile Proximity Payments P2P Payments Bill Payments Alternative Payments Job Analysis Payment Innovations Payment Infrastructure & Regulation Appendix Companies Mentioned Credit Agricole Credit Mutuel Groupe BPCE La Banque Postale Societe Generale BNP Paribas Cartes Bancaires Mastercard Visa American Express Carrefour Pay PayPal Samsung Pay Google (News - Alert) Pay Apple Pay Amazon Pay For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/czrxgw View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005733/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Texas is lifting its mask mandate, Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday, making it the largest state to end an order intended to prevent the spread of the coronavirus that has killed more than 42,000 Texans. The Republican governor has faced sharp criticism from his party over the mandate, which was imposed eight months ago, and other COVID-19 restrictions. It was only ever lightly enforced, even during the worst outbreaks of the pandemic. Texas will also do away with limits on the number of diners that businesses can serve indoors, said Abbott, who made the announcement at a restaurant in Lubbock. Its time to open Texas 100%, Abbott said. He said the new rules would take effect March 10. Removing statewide mandates does not end personal responsibility, said Abbott, speaking from a crowded dining room where many of those surrounding him were not wearing masks. Its just that now state mandates are no longer needed, he said. The decision comes as governors across the U.S. have been easing coronavirus restrictions, despite warnings from health experts that the pandemic is far from over. Like the rest of the country, Texas has seen the number of cases and deaths plunge. Hospitalizations are at the lowest levels since October, and the seven-day rolling average of positive tests has dropped to about 7,600 cases, down from more than 10,000 in mid-February. Only California and New York have reported more COVID-19 deaths than Texas. The fact that things are headed in the right direction doesnt mean we have succeeded in eradicating the risk, said Dr. Lauren Ancel Meyers, a professor of integrative biology and director of the University of Texas COVID-19 Modeling Consortium. She said the recent deadly winter freeze in Texas that left millions of people without power forcing families to shelter closely with others who still had heat could amplify transmission of the virus in the weeks ahead, although it remains too early to tell. Masks, she said, are one of the most effective strategies to curb the spread. Abbott imposed the statewide mask mandate in July during a deadly summer surge. But enforcement was spotty at best, and some sheriffs refused to police the restrictions at all. And as the pandemic dragged on, Abbott ruled out a return to tough COVID-19 rules, arguing that lockdowns do not work. Politically, the restrictions elevated tensions between Abbott and his own party, with the head of the Texas GOP at one point leading a protest outside the governors mansion. Meanwhile, mayors in Texas biggest cities argued that Abbott wasnt doing enough. Most of the country has lived under mask mandates during the pandemic, with at least 37 states requiring face coverings to some degree. But those orders are increasingly falling by the wayside: North Dakota, Montana and Iowa have also lifted mask orders in recent weeks. Ahead of the repeal in Texas, Democratic lawmakers urged Abbott to reconsider. Texas will experience more cases, more hospitalizations and more deaths, state Rep. Richard Pena Raymond, a Democrat from the border city of Laredo, told Abbott in a letter Monday. Laredo, whose population is predominately Latino, has endured some of the worst outbreaks of the pandemic, running out of beds in hospital intensive care units as recently as January. The international trade hub has been among Texas most aggressive cities in trying to blunt the spread of the virus, taking measures that have included curfews. Elected by the people, your most fundamental obligation is their health and safety. Please do not abrogate your duty, Raymond said. New Delhi, March 3 : India and Uzbekistan are swiftly moving to strengthen their partnership to develop connectivity in Central Asia via the Chabahar port. Last week, the Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan, Abdulaziz Kamilov, had visited New Delhi and met External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, to discuss various aspects of bilateral cooperation. Kamilov invited Jaishankar to attend an international conference on regional connectivity in Tashkent in July this year. This was preceded by the India-Uzbekistan Virtual Summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in December last year. The two high-level meetings are significant in view of the change in the administration in the US. Unlike the Donald Trump administration which followed a strong pro-Israel line, alienating Iran, the recently elected government of Joe Biden in the US is keen on re-engaging with Tehran. It is likely that Biden may revive the US-Iran nuclear deal which had been signed under the Barack Obama administration but was revoked by his successor Trump. A land-locked country, Uzbekistan is interested in the Chabahar port that India is developing in Iran. Soon after Biden was elected in the US presidential elections, Uzbekistan, India and Iran held their first trilateral meeting for the joint use of the port. Home to almost half of Central Asian population, Uzbekistan is a fast growing economy which has picked up pace under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's economic reforms. This has created huge demand for investments. Because of the lack of connectivity to sea, the oil and gas-rich Central Asia remains largely dependent on China's market. The coronavirus pandemic related shutdown brought in a realisation across the world that over dependence on China for essential and manufactured goods was fraught with grave dangers. As a result, President Mirziyoyev has been keen on exporting to diverse markets, including India, via the Chabahar port. For India, the historically hostile Pakistan, has been a stumbling block to access the oil and gas resources through land route in Central Asia. Amid this blockade, China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which runs through Central Asia, poses greater economic competition. To overcome the two-pronged challenge, New Delhi has invested $500 million in the Chabahar port, which connects India with Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan. India's budgetary allocation to Chabahar doubled in 2020-21 from the previous year. In the meantime, Uzbekistan has built a 75-km railway line between Mazar-i-Shareef and Hairatan town on the Uzbek-Afghan border. Tehran has also built the first railway link between Afghanistan and Iran. India and Uzbekistan under the 2011 Ashgabat Agreement are to build a transit and transport corridor between Central Asia and the Persian Gulf. Given the significance of the partnership with Tashkent on Chabahar, New Delhi confirmed a $448 million Line of Credit for the development of connectivity related infrastructure, information technology and energy in Uzbekistan. Both the countries have also signed several agreements in various sectors apart from actively cooperating in the regional platforms like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the India-Central Asia Dialogue (ICAD). DENVER, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- DispatchHealth , a provider of in-home medical care, today announced it has secured an additional $200 million in Series D financing, less than one year after closing a $135.8 million Series C round. Tiger Global led the Series D investment with previous investors Alta Partners , Echo Health Ventures , Humana , Oak HC/FT and Questa Capital funding the remainder of the round. This latest investment brings the company's total funding to more than $417 million and raises its valuation to $1.7 billion. DispatchHealth will use the funding to expand its platform for in-home medical care to a total of 100 markets and ensure its Advanced Care line of service is widely available in the United States. Since launching in 2013, DispatchHealth has pioneered the delivery of in-home care and at its current growth rate, will generate more than $2 billion in medical cost savings by 2023. The company has developed a platform that integrates an array of in-home care services, including: On-demand, high-acuity care that substitutes an avoidable emergency room visit 30-day episodes that substitute for a hospital stay A marketplace to coordinate ancillary services DispatchHealth has been able to extend the excellent care provided by a hospital system, thereby adjusting to changing consumer preferences and achieving value-based goals. "We've created the most complete platform that solves all aspects of delivering health care to the home including clinical logistics, care coordination and the delivery of caring medical professionals, all while improving health outcomes and lowering costs," said Dr. Mark Prather, CEO and co-founder of DispatchHealth. "We anticipate the care continuum to continue to move into the home and we expect our platform to enable the movement of that $140 billion marketplace." The company's model of in-home care, which aligns the payer, provider and patient, has proven to be vital during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past year, patients and health systems increasingly looked for ways to avoid unnecessary exposure to the virus and receive medical care at home. Beyond the pandemic, DispatchHealth will continue to be valuable to a variety of partners including health systems, payers, delegated risk organizations, emergency medical services and employer groups by offering convenient, safe and lower-cost medical care. "DispatchHealth has established itself as the most comprehensive provider of internet-enabled in-home healthcare in the United States and is well-positioned to continue improving access to quality, convenient care," said Scott Shleifer, partner, Tiger Global. "DispatchHealth's model is accelerating the shift to at-home care and we're excited to back the leader in a large, underpenetrated market." Patients, care providers, payers and health systems can coordinate DispatchHealth medical care via phone, mobile app or website . For patients requiring acute care, a medical team quickly arrives equipped with the necessary tools and treatments. DispatchHealth's Advanced Care offers qualified patients a substitution for a hospital stay by providing an advanced level of care in the home. The service provides patients access to an on-call dedicated DispatchHealth medical team, which includes an internal medicine trained physician with emergency room experience and a physician assistant or nurse practitioner. Advanced Care patients also receive 24/7 physician coverage with remote monitoring, an emergency call button and daily visits from DispatchHealth's medical team, including bedside nursing. The funding comes on the heels of a recent agreement with Humana to provide DispatchHealth's Advanced Care to Humana Medicare Advantage members in select cities across the country. The agreement expands access to an advanced level of care in the home, substituting a hospital stay, allowing Humana members living with multiple chronic conditions an opportunity to be treated safely at home and avoid unnecessary hospital visits. DispatchHealth's platform also enables the coordination of additional services, such as pharmacy and meal deliveries, physical and respiratory therapy, Durable Medical Equipment (DME) access and imaging services. DispatchHealth offers acute, extended and advanced care services to treat simple to complex injuries and illnesses across the U.S. and is rapidly expanding to new cities across the country. DispatchHealth is open seven days a week, 365 days a year, including holidays. For more information, visit DispatchHealth.com . About DispatchHealth DispatchHealth is building the world's largest in-home care system in order to deliver trusted and compassionate care to all. DispatchHealth offers on-demand acute care and an advanced-level of medical care for people of all ages in the comfort of their own homes. DispatchHealth's emergency medicine and internal medicine trained medical teams are equipped with all the tools necessary to treat common to complex injuries and illnesses. DispatchHealth works closely with payers, providers, health systems, EMS, employer groups and others to deliver care in the home to reduce unnecessary emergency room visits, hospital stays and readmissions. Acute care medical teams are available seven days a week, evenings and holidays and can be requested via app, online or a quick phone call. DispatchHealth is partnered with most major insurance companies. For more information, visit DispatchHealth.com. About Tiger Global Management, LLC. Tiger Global Management, LLC is an investment firm that focuses on private and public companies in the global Internet, software, consumer and payments industries. The Firm's private equity strategy was launched in 2003 and has invested in hundreds of companies across more than 30 countries, in all stages of funding from Series A to pre-IPO. The venture business, currently investing its twelfth fund, aims to partner with dynamic entrepreneurs operating market-leading growth companies; examples include JD.com, Meituan, Facebook, LinkedIn, Spotify, Peloton, Credit Karma, Toast, Stripe, ByteDance, Stone, Warby Parker, Flipkart, Despegar, Ola and DiDi. Tiger Global was founded in 2001 and is based in New York with affiliate offices in Hong Kong, Beijing, Singapore and Bangalore. SOURCE DispatchHealth The company believes being able to lock a rig in for the next year is a great achievement as it is very difficult to source and contract drill rigs in Western Australia. ( ) has signed a drilling contract with Seismic Drilling Services Pty Ltd that locks in a drill rig for the next 12 months to be used across Aurochs three high-grade nickel sulphide assets in Western Australia. This will enable the company to undertake ongoing and systematic drilling at the Nepean, Leinster and Saints nickel projects, which are all in the nickel-endowed Norseman-Wiluna Greenstone Belt. Seismic will dedicate an LMP 2000 Multipurpose Drill Rig to Aurochs nickel sulphide portfolio, allowing the company to drill reverse circulation (RC) and diamond holes as required with the same rig, for a scope of works that comprises more than 20,000 metres of drilling. Currently, this drill rig is on-site at the Nepean Nickel Project completing a 3,500-metre RC program. Sourcing rig a big achievement Auroch managing director Aidan Platel said: We are very pleased to welcome Seismic to the exploration team and look forward to sharing many exploration successes over the next 12 months. Seismic has a very experienced team and management, and their equipment and work ethics are excellent. It is currently very difficult to source and contract drill rigs in Western Australia, so being able to lock a rig in for the next year is a great achievement. Invaluable flexibility He added: The flexibility that comes with a multi-rig being able to drill both RC and diamond holes will be invaluable when tackling the wide range of drill-holes we have planned for this year across all three nickel sulphide assets. Importantly, the rig will undertake both resource drilling as well as exploring high-potential targets for possible new high-grade nickel sulphide discoveries. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reclaiming their narrative after the United Kingdoms Times newspaper published a buzzy report about a bullying complaint allegedly filed from inside Kensington Palace. According to the Times, a former communications secretary to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex during their stint at Kensington reportedly alleged in 2018 that toxic behavior by Meghan forced two personal assistants to leave their positions and negatively affected another palace employee. The Duchess is saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma, a spokesperson for Meghan and Prince Harry wrote in a statement provided Wednesday morning to the Los Angeles Times. She is determined to continue her work building compassion around the world and will keep striving to set an example for doing what is right and doing what is good. Per People magazine, the complaint allegedly filed by Jason Knauf claimed that Meghans alleged conduct brought one of her staffers to tears and caused a royal aide to physically shake at the prospect of interacting with the Duchess. The Times report comes days before the Sussexes intimate conversation with TV mogul Oprah Winfrey is scheduled to air on CBS, and the timing of the leaked allegations was not lost on the Duke and Duchess. Lets just call this what it is a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation, the royal couple said in a statement to Britains Times, according to People. We are disappointed to see this defamatory portrayal of The Duchess of Sussex given credibility by a media outlet. Its no coincidence that distorted several-year-old accusations aimed at undermining The Duchess are being briefed to the British media shortly before she and The Duke are due to speak openly and honestly about their experience of recent years. During their highly anticipated interview with Winfrey, teased by CBS earlier this week and set to air Sunday, Harry told the OWN founder he was relieved and happy to be sitting here talking to you with my wife by my side. I cant begin to imagine what it must have been like for [my mother] going through this process by herself all those years ago, Harry said as a photo of his younger self and the late Princess Diana appeared on the screen. Because its been unbelievably tough for the two of us. While appearing on The Late Late Show last month, the Duke also offered his thoughts on Netflixs hit historical drama The Crown, which portrayed the debilitating toll royal life took on Diana (played by Golden Globe winner Emma Corrin) in its most recent season. When asked for his opinion on the series while cruising through his new home of L.A., Harry told TV host James Corden that its dramatizations are loosely based on the truth and provide viewers with a rough idea about what that lifestyle, what the pressures of putting duty and service above everything else, what can come from that. Im way more comfortable with The Crown than I am seeing the stories being written about my family, my wife, or myself, he told Corden. 2021 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. WASHINGTON Democrats' $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill includes a proposed change to the tax code aimed at pulling millions of children out of poverty, but it's likely to see Republican objections as the Senate considers President Joe Biden's plan this week. Democrats want to increase the child tax credit up to $3,600 per child under age 6 and $3,000 for children up to age 17 for one year to help combat the economic damage of the pandemic. Some liberals are pushing even further to make the tax credit permanent. The current tax credit is up to $2,000 per child. Biden told House Democrats during a private question-and-answer session Wednesday evening he supported making the expansion permanent in response to a question from Rep. Suzan DelBene, who had sponsored legislation to do so, according to a person familiar with the call not authorized to speak on the record. Advocates hailed the proposal as a tool to fight child poverty by opening the credit to working families who did not qualify because their income was too low. Republicans have derided proposals such as the tax credit as not relevant in a COVID-19 relief package and oppose efforts to make it permanent. The House passed Biden's plan last week, Senate debate could start as soon as Wednesday, and a vote is likely by the end of the week. The House would need to approve the bill again if the Senate makes changes, meaning the bill could get a final vote Monday before heading to Biden. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., predicted Democrats would pass the bill, saying Tuesday he did not think there would be any Senate changes "so egregious" it would fail when it returned to the House. Here's what the child tax credit provision in the bill would do: Can we guarantee income for everyone?Cities from Stockton to St. Paul are already testing monthly checks for residents House passes Biden relief bill: Legislation, which includes $1,400 personal checks, heads to Senate Story continues What's the credit do? Democrats' proposal would expand the tax credit from $2,000 to $3,600 and expand eligibility to families who make no or very little income each year. A National Bureau of Economic Research report last year estimated that most children living in the bottom 10% of incomes were "completely ineligible" for the credit and that the bottom 30% could receive only a partial credit. Half of Black and Latino children were eligible for the full credit. The left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimated Democrats' changes would lift 9.9 million children above or closer to the poverty line. Many of those would be Black, Latino or Asian American children whose families did not qualify because their household incomes are too low to qualify for the tax credit. Democrats' first draft of the bill turned the child tax credit into a monthly refund, but the final House draft made the credit a "periodic" payment, potentially a quarterly one, to survive procedural challenges in the Senate. Payments would start in July 2021 based on 2019 or 2020 tax returns. The $2,000 tax credit has been in effect since a Republican-led tax overhaul in 2017 and is an annual tax credit. Families are eligible to receive up to $1,400 per child if the amount of tax credit exceeds the amount of taxes owed. It phases out when incomes exceed $400,000 for a household or $200,000 for individuals. The revised credit would phase out when incomes exceeded $150,000 for a household, or $75,000 for individuals. According to the Joint Congressional Committee on Taxation, a nonpartisan congressional panel, the proposal could cost more than $110 billion for the year the expanded credit was in effect. Who supports the credit? Democrats strongly support the proposal, and it is likely to remain in the final version of the bill the Senate is working on this week. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., has spent nearly two decades advocating for the credit. Its expansion, she said, could be "transformative" for American families and might be "as big a change as with the New Deal and Social Security." She addressed Republicans' concerns about the implementation of the legislation and it becoming a form of "welfare," telling USA TODAY the child tax credit was "not a new concept" and had "been successful." DeLauro noted Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said at her confirmation hearing she would work to get a payment system for the child tax credit set up "as rapidly as possible." More: Democrats left scrambling on a $15 minimum wage now that it appears left out of COVID-19 relief bill It is unlikely the final package will pass with Republican support in the Senate. Many Republican senators oppose the $1.9 trillion price tag and the inclusion of provisions they call irrelevant to COVID-19 relief. The bill passed the House last week without any Republican votes, and two Democrats voted against it. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., says the expansion of a tax credit for families could be "as big a change as with the New Deal and Social Security." More: With the economy healing, is Biden's $1.9T COVID-19 relief package too much? Who opposes it? Republicans stand against the permanent expansion of the credit but have supported more modest versions of the same program. Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, the top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, and Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, expressed concerns to the IRS about the implementation of a payment system for the credit and difficulties in funding it. Grassley said Tuesday the credit would be an "administrative nightmare. Other Republican senators proposed their own changes to the child tax credit. Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Marco Rubio of Florida introduced a proposal that would expand the credit to $3,500 and $4,500 for young children. Democrats' proposal, Rubio said in a statement, would turn the credit into "welfare," so their proposal ties the benefit to employment. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, introduced a plan to provide a $350-per-child monthly cash benefit for families with children under 6 years old or $250 per month for children 17 and younger. Romney's proposal would be paid for by eliminating federal programs such as a deduction for state and local taxes and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, a cash assistance program. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden COVID-19 relief bill heads to Senate with $3,600 child tax credit SAN JOSE, Calif., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Corporate Legal Operations Consortium (CLOC), the leading organization dedicated to transforming the business of law, announced today their reimagined 2021 event plan, including several new formats and key dates. The plan includes virtual offerings and allows for in-person events as a possibility later in the year. Nicole Cote, Head of Marketing and Events, said, "The landscape for bringing people together safely is still a moving target, so we built a powerful virtual education program to help our community carry out their learning objectives, while we continue to explore opportunities for in-person events later in the year." The event plan includes 6 key offerings: CLOC's flagship event, the CLOC Global Institute , is scheduled May 10-13 . In a change from the 2020 program, this virtual experience will span four days with new outcome-focused workshops, live Q&A with industry leaders, dedicated executive programming, and new learning formats. , is scheduled . In a change from the 2020 program, this virtual experience will span four days with new outcome-focused workshops, live Q&A with industry leaders, dedicated executive programming, and new learning formats. International Summits, formerly the London and Sydney Institutes, are being rebranded as the EMEA & APAC Summits as part of a long-term strategy for growth and inclusion. In 2021, the EMEA Summit will take place virtually in June 2021 bringing a full-day program focused on region-specific topics and content. CLOC plans to reconvene the APAC Summit in 2022. formerly the and Sydney Institutes, are being rebranded as the EMEA & APAC Summits as part of a long-term strategy for growth and inclusion. In 2021, the EMEA Summit will take place virtually in bringing a full-day program focused on region-specific topics and content. CLOC plans to reconvene the APAC Summit in 2022. New for 2021 is an "ask me anything" program that will bring together a panel of legal industry experts by answering timely and topical questions submitted by the CLOC community. This Ask the Experts LIVE! webinar series will focus on the CLOC Core 12 functional areas. Dates will be announced in the coming weeks. will focus on the CLOC Core 12 functional areas. Dates will be announced in the coming weeks. The CLOC Solutions Lab is a new webinar series thoughtfully designed to provide one-hour webinars featuring choices in case studies, product demonstrations or innovative projects geared toward solving in-house legal department obstacles. The series will kick-off at the CLOC Global Institute. thoughtfully designed to provide one-hour webinars featuring choices in case studies, product demonstrations or innovative projects geared toward solving in-house legal department obstacles. The series will kick-off at the CLOC Global Institute. CLOC Mentorship Monday will provide in-house members with a 20 minute 1:1 chat with an legal industry leader to discuss questions and advice on professional development or anything else that's top of mind be it career, technology, or bouncing off ideas. The first Mentorship Monday is scheduled for March 22 with Mary O'Carroll , CLOC President and Director, Legal Operations, Technology and Strategy at Google. will provide in-house members with a 20 minute 1:1 chat with an legal industry leader to discuss questions and advice on professional development or anything else that's top of mind be it career, technology, or bouncing off ideas. The first Mentorship Monday is scheduled for with , CLOC President and Director, Legal Operations, Technology and Strategy at Google. CLOC will continue hosting in house Regional Group Meetings, Community Connect Huddles, Town Halls, along with webinars and video conferences as topics arise. Several Regional Meetings are scheduled through June and the first Community Town Hall is scheduled for March 16 . "What has always been the cornerstone of our success is how much this community loves coming together in person to share and build relationships," said Mary O'Carroll, CLOC Board President "Virtual fatigue is real, so we've put a lot of thought into platforms and formats that will keep our community connected and engaged in this environment. The blessing in disguise here is that we've been able to reach new audiences and launch new types of programs because of going virtual, allowing for new, diverse opportunities to share and collaborate so we can continue to disrupt the business of law." CLOC recently launched a new event calendar on their website updated regularly. Sponsorship opportunities are available immediately. Inquiries can be made by contacting [email protected] . CLOC has noted that pending any major changes to the current vaccine trajectory, the EMEA Summit (formerly the London Institute) will take place live in January 2022. For more information on the Corporate Legal Operations Consortium, visit cloc.org . SOURCE CLOC Related Links www.cloc.org Les Schwab liked to talk about how his companys unusual profit-sharing and bonus plans could build a nest egg for his employees, from managers overseeing his shops to the frontline workers swapping out tires on a hydraulic lift. Thats why I dont like to talk about how successful Ive been, Schwab told The Oregonian in 1997. I prefer to talk about how successful my employees are. Schwab died in 2007, though, and his descendants sold the company last year to a California investment firm, Meritage Group. Meritage initially said Schwab Tire would continue operating as it always had, but recently notified employees of one major change: It will stop paying an annual employee dividend that workers had long depended upon. In recent years that amounted to an annual payment of more than $3,000, with all 7,000 workers getting the same amount regardless of their rank within the company. As you know, the dividend was a discretionary gift made by the family and paid outside of our company programs, current Schwab CEO Jack Cuniff wrote in a January note to employees, obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive. With the change in ownership, the dividend program will not continue for the 2021 calendar year. Employees will receive their 2020 dividend this month, Cuniff said, and a separate bonus that is also paid annually based on their own stores performance. Going forward, he concluded, well continue to look for additional ways to thank employees for their incredible contribution to our companys success. Les Schwab Tire Centers is among Oregons largest businesses, with annual sales approaching $2 billion and 500 stores across 10 western states. Its headquarters are in Bend and its lone distribution center remains in nearby Prineville, Schwabs hometown. Meritage didnt disclose what it paid for the Oregon company, but when Schwab Tire announced plans to sell the business in 2019, Bloomberg reported that Schwabs heirs were hoping the business would fetch $3 billion. The decision to stop paying the dividend represents a major cultural test for Schwab Tire and its new ownership. Its bonus and dividend structure differentiated it from other retail chains and have been an essential element of its workplace culture. Employees, who asked not to be named speaking about their company, noted that the $3,000 dividends represent a hefty share of their annual income. Tire dealers nationally pay an average annual wage of about $45,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Its not clear whether Schwab Tire will create an alternative to the dividends to replace the lost income. Our employees are the heart of our Company, and we continually modernize and optimize our programs to ensure they remain competitive and highly valued by our workforce, Dale Thompson, Les Schwabs chief marketing officer, said in a written statement Tuesday. Its absolutely our intention to provide our employees with outstanding programs, in keeping with the generous, special company Les Schwab is, Thompson said. He did not say whether the company will continue paying the separate, annual profit-sharing bonus. Schwab Tire delivered the news about cutting off the employee dividend in a larger note thanking them for their work last year and setting the date for their annual bonus and for their final, 2020 dividend payment. Our 2020 accomplishments are a direct result of your consistent delivery of World Class Customer Service in the face of what was one of the most challenging years weve ever had, Cuniff, the CEO, wrote. You are the Les Schwab difference. -- Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699 Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor I am beyond thrilled to have Larry on the team to help us digitally transform the wealth management industry as large enterprises that support thousands of financial advisors are racing to upgrade their legacy systems. INVENT, an innovative cloud technology platform and consulting firm for the financial services sector, today announced the commencement of the next stage of the companys ongoing growth vision, with the appointment of wealth management industry leader Larry Roth as a Strategic Advisor. In this role, Mr. Roth will align his expertise in investment banking and growth planning with his network of strategic relationships to further fuel INVENTs ongoing success. Mr. Roth previously served as CEO of Advisor Group as well as CEO of Cetera Financial Group, two of the largest networks of independent wealth management firms in the country. He is currently Managing Partner of RLR Strategic Partners, a New York City-based M&A advisory and private equity investment firm affiliated with Berkshire Global Advisors, a role he will remain in while providing strategic guidance to INVENT and helping the company navigate its way forward through its current rapid growth phase. I am beyond thrilled to have Larry on the team to help us make the most of our opportunities to digitally transform the wealth management industry, said INVENT CEO, Oleg Tishkevich. As large enterprises that support thousands of financial advisors are racing to upgrade their legacy systems and bring new cloud-native solutions to stay current with a much more challenging and competitive marketplace, we are experiencing exponential growth. Larrys experience, knowledge and advice will be critical to helping us best manage these tremendous opportunities. As part of his Strategic Advisor role, Mr. Roth will build out an advisory board for INVENT, comprised of seasoned wealth management industry leaders and influencers who will further support the companys broader growth objectives. Additionally, and on a highly selective basis, Mr. Roth will provide strategic guidance to the INVENT Elite consulting team. INVENT was designed to help financial institutions supporting financial advisors and vendors in creating wealth tech software, solve their complex systems architecture needs. Central to INVENTs value proposition is the companys cloud-native software development platform, which directly addresses the growth constraints of legacy operating platforms that rely on proprietary data storage and curation. INVENTs cloud-native platform enables organizations of all sizes and business models to streamline their technology infrastructure and legacy systems, while simplifying the adoption of third-party solutions, including APIs, and integrating applications and systems that are in separate silios and systems. Im excited to serve as a Strategic Advisor to INVENT, a fintech company that is leading the way in helping wealth management firms migrate to a cloud-native technology architecture, and supporting their ability to develop, adopt and deploy cloud-based digital solutions to drive accelerated growth and success. I look forward to helping INVENT as the company embarks upon its next stage of growth. As Managing Partner of RLR Strategic Partners, Mr. Roth works closely with senior management teams and boards of directors across the financial services sector to deliver high-impact growth strategies as well as capital raising and M&A solutions. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Oppenheimer & Co. Inc., the global investment bank and wealth manager; a member of the Board of Directors of Clark Capital Management Group, an independent asset manager; and Board Chairman of Haven Tower Group LLC, a financial services-focused public relations firm. A CPA and an attorney by training, Mr. Roth has a J.D. from the University of Detroits School of Law, a B.A. from Michigan State University is a graduate of Harvard Business Schools President Management Program. He holds Series 7, 24, 63 and 79 FINRA registrations. About INVENT INVENT brings a unique combination of experience, domain expertise, design and technical implementation, combined with broad connections throughout the industry. Currently serving over 14,000 users via multiple broker-dealers and RIAs, INVENT is rapidly becoming the industry standard for fintech development. Founded by Oleg Tishkevich, former CEO of Finance Logix, an industry leading financial planning software platform acquired by Envestnet, INVENT is leading the charge to transform the industry to scale businesses to capture the trillions of dollars of opportunity in wealth management. http://www.INVENT.us About INVENT Elite INVENT Elite is an industry consulting group made up of the industrys most respected thought leaders experienced in helping wealth management enterprises, wealthtech firms, and their affiliated advisors successfully embrace and integrate the latest technologies to better serve clients and scale their businesses. The INVENT Elite consulting platform helps companies not only deploy the latest technology developed by INVENT, but to also enable organizations to maximize adoption and realize the benefits of that technology through business strategy, operations, client experience, marketing, and public relations consulting advice, implementation and support. http://www.INVENT.us/ELITE Authorities confirm the presence of the first cases of the more transmissible South African variant of COVID-19 in the country. As China's Sinovac vaccine Coronavac reaches more parts of the country, Malacanang believes the vaccine rollout has been successful. As the President reconsiders easing quarantine restrictions in Metro Manila, experts warn against the continued rise in COVID-19 cases. Pinky Webb speaks to Health Spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire. 32 33390390 10133700 31CNN 32000110 31 500692019 Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 Guardian The potential consequences of the origins of the virus are shattering if they can be proved My own complacency on the matter was dynamited by the lab-leak essay that ran in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists earlier this month. Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters There was a time when the Covid pandemic seemed to confirm so many of our assumptions. It cast down the people we regarded as villains. It raised up those we thought were heroes. It prospered people who could shift easily to working from home even as it problematized the lives of those Trump voters living in the old economy. Like all plagues, Covid often felt like the hand of God on earth, scourging the people for their sins against higher learning and visibly sorting the righteous from the unmasked wicked. Respect science, admonished our yard signs. And lo!, Covid came and forced us to do so, elevating our scientists to the highest seats of social authority, from where they banned assembly, commerce, and all the rest. We cast blame so innocently in those days. We scolded at will. We knew who was right and we shook our heads to behold those in the wrong playing in their swimming pools and on the beach. It made perfect sense to us that Donald Trump, a politician we despised, could not grasp the situation, that he suggested people inject bleach, and that he was personally responsible for more than one super-spreading event. Reality itself punished leaders like him who refused to bow to expertise. The prestige news media even figured out a way to blame the worst death tolls on a system of organized ignorance they called populism. In reaction to the fool Trump, liberalism made a cult out of the hierarchy of credentialed achievement in general But these days the consensus doesnt consense quite as well as it used to. Now the media is filled with disturbing stories suggesting that Covid might have come not from populism at all, but from a laboratory screw-up in Wuhan, China. You can feel the moral convulsions beginning as the question sets in: What if science itself is in some way culpable for all this? * I am no expert on epidemics. Like everyone else I know, I spent the pandemic doing as I was told. A few months ago I even tried to talk a Fox News viewer out of believing in the lab-leak theory of Covids origins. The reason I did that is because the newspapers I read and the TV shows I watched had assured me on many occasions that the lab-leak theory wasnt true, that it was a racist conspiracy theory, that only deluded Trumpists believed it, that it got infinite pants-on-fire ratings from the fact-checkers, and because (despite all my cynicism) I am the sort who has always trusted the mainstream news media. My own complacency on the matter was dynamited by the lab-leak essay that ran in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists earlier this month; a few weeks later everyone from Doctor Fauci to President Biden is acknowledging that the lab-accident hypothesis might have some merit. We dont know the real answer yet, and we probably will never know, but this is the moment to anticipate what such a finding might ultimately mean. What if this crazy story turns out to be true? The answer is that this is the kind of thing that could obliterate the faith of millions. The last global disaster, the financial crisis of 2008, smashed peoples trust in the institutions of capitalism, in the myths of free trade and the New Economy, and eventually in the elites who ran both American political parties. In the years since (and for complicated reasons), liberal leaders have labored to remake themselves into defenders of professional rectitude and established legitimacy in nearly every field. In reaction to the fool Trump, liberalism made a sort of cult out of science, expertise, the university system, executive-branch norms, the intelligence community, the State Department, NGOs, the legacy news media, and the hierarchy of credentialed achievement in general. Now here we are in the waning days of Disastrous Global Crisis #2. Covid is of course worse by many orders of magnitude than the mortgage meltdown it has killed millions and ruined lives and disrupted the world economy far more extensively. Should it turn out that scientists and experts and NGOs, etc. are villains rather than heroes of this story, we may very well see the expert-worshiping values of modern liberalism go up in a fireball of public anger. Consider the details of the story as we have learned them in the last few weeks: Lab leaks happen. They arent the result of conspiracies: a lab accident is an accident, as Nathan Robinson points out; they happen all the time, in this country and in others, and people die from them. There is evidence that the lab in question, which studies bat coronaviruses, may have been conducting what is called gain of function research, a dangerous innovation in which diseases are deliberately made more virulent. By the way, right-wingers didnt dream up gain of function: all the cool virologists have been doing it (in this country and in others) even as the squares have been warning against it for years. There are strong hints that some of the bat-virus research at the Wuhan lab was funded in part by the American national-medical establishment which is to say, the lab-leak hypothesis doesnt implicate China alone. There seem to have been astonishing conflicts of interest among the people assigned to get to the bottom of it all, and (as we know from Enron and the housing bubble) conflicts of interest are always what trip up the well-credentialed professionals whom liberals insist we must all heed, honor, and obey. The news media, in its zealous policing of the boundaries of the permissible, insisted that Russiagate was ever so true but that the lab-leak hypothesis was false false false, and woe unto anyone who dared disagree. Reporters gulped down whatever line was most flattering to the experts they were quoting and then insisted that it was 100% right and absolutely incontrovertible that anything else was only unhinged Trumpist folly, that democracy dies when unbelievers get to speak, and so on. The social media monopolies actually censored posts about the lab-leak hypothesis. Of course they did! Because were at war with misinformation, you know, and people need to be brought back to the true and correct faith as agreed upon by experts. * Let us pray, now, for science, intoned a New York Times columnist back at the beginning of the Covid pandemic. The title of his article laid down the foundational faith of Trump-era liberalism: Coronavirus is What You Get When You Ignore Science. Ten months later, at the end of a scary article about the history of gain of function research and its possible role in the still ongoing Covid pandemic, Nicholson Baker wrote as follows: This may be the great scientific meta-experiment of the 21st century. Could a world full of scientists do all kinds of reckless recombinant things with viral diseases for many years and successfully avoid a serious outbreak? The hypothesis was that, yes, it was doable. The risk was worth taking. There would be no pandemic. Except there was. If it does indeed turn out that the lab-leak hypothesis is the right explanation for how it began that the common people of the world have been forced into a real-life lab experiment, at tremendous cost there is a moral earthquake on the way. Because if the hypothesis is right, it will soon start to dawn on people that our mistake was not insufficient reverence for scientists, or inadequate respect for expertise, or not enough censorship on Facebook. It was a failure to think critically about all of the above, to understand that there is no such thing as absolute expertise. Think of all the disasters of recent years: economic neoliberalism, destructive trade policies, the Iraq War, the housing bubble, banks that are too big to fail, mortgage-backed securities, the Hillary Clinton campaign of 2016 all of these disasters brought to you by the total, self-assured unanimity of the highly educated people who are supposed to know what theyre doing, plus the total complacency of the highly educated people who are supposed to be supervising them. Then again, maybe I am wrong to roll out all this speculation. Maybe the lab-leak hypothesis will be convincingly disproven. I certainly hope it is. But even if it inches closer to being confirmed, we can guess what the next turn of the narrative will be. It was a perfect storm, the experts will say. Who coulda known? And besides (they will say), the origins of the pandemic dont matter any more. Go back to sleep. Thomas Frank is a Guardian US columnist. He is the author, most recently, of The People, No: A Brief History of Anti-Populism 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 They say that good things come in threes. Well, on Monday, three North Alabama teams were in action, looking to advance to the state finals. Belgreen, whose only previous appearance in the finals is a 1994 loss, pushed past Notasulga with a dominating 66-44 win Monday. Will Bonner led the charge with 19 points. The Bulldogs will go on to face Autaugaville (who defeated Decatur Heritage 62-48) at Bill Harris Arena on Friday at 4:30 p.m. Skyline also has its sights set on taking home a blue map. The Vikings dominated Linden 60-38, advancing to the title game for the first time since 2019. A win would be their first-ever. The Vikings are set to square off with Marion County, also at Bill Harris Arena, at 2 p.m. Friday. GREENVILLE Twenty years ago, leaders were practically begging for developers to invest in the city of Greenville after four decades of population decline. It was nearly unthinkable then that the city would recover its population in half that time, and even more so the prospect it could add another third in the coming two decades. Fresh off adopting its comprehensive vision for the next 20 years, the city has big plans to expand its economy while preserving the environment and trying to keep housing costs affordable. But there is also a price to pay for the foundation on which the growth depends. As the city has grown, its infrastructure hasn't adequately kept up and now the cost is estimated at an almost unimaginable $833 million over the next two decades. That's the figure shared recently with City Council members planning how to spend taxpayer money in the coming year. Neither they nor the city administration yet know exactly how to tackle it. To address the infrastructure needs, the city will have to invest another $24.4 million each year in addition to the $11.5 million it allocates for its $380 million in capital investments now. The takeaway is that weve got a huge unfunded capital requirement, and short of something like what other states and communities have done with an infrastructure sales tax or something to that effect, its going to be very difficult to address this deficiency, City Manager John McDonough said. City leaders have long desired the ability to put the question to municipal voters. An optional sales tax that would fund the construction and upkeep of the city's roads, bridges, sidewalks, sewers and parks. But in the state of South Carolina, cities aren't allowed to, and efforts over the years to lobby the state legislature to change that have failed. We dont control that as a city," Councilwoman Dorothy Dowe said. "We dont have the power to do anything on that as a city." Instead, Dowe said, the city will need to rely on its AAA credit rating to borrow money, which will become more flexible in the coming years as other payments expire. Longtime Councilwoman Lillian Brock Flemming, who is entering her fourth consecutive decade on the council, said that the city has ignored its infrastructure problem for so long that it requires bold action. 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! "When you have 40 or 50 years of neglect," Flemming said, "you can't just come back and do it with two or three bond issues." The city has committed more funding to capital projects in recent years, such as $1 million annually for sidewalks and road paving, but those efforts only take small bites. "If we keep hitting them like this," she said, "we'll be sitting her next year, same time, same station, same number or bigger number." Mayor Knox White said he thinks the $833 million figure is misleading because it assumes that everything must be done. For instance, he said, not every street in the city needs a sidewalk. The infrastructure estimate includes $175 million to create 130 miles of sidewalks. "You can have a theoretical, abstract need for sidewalks everywhere, but that's not really on the ground at all the case," White said. "It is a matter of priorities, and you could do all this with a massive tax increase but I don't think we want to do that." There are more than 45,000 addresses in Greenville, and 2,000 of them have been added within the past year, McDonough said. More are coming. From Fall 2019 to Fall 2020, the national real estate brokerage site Redfin ranked Greenville No. 8 for the largest increase in home searches across the U.S. In many areas, more than half of the city's roads and bridges are considered in poor or fair condition and in need of repair or replacement. The Main Street bridge over the Reedy River downtown alone will require $750,000. For decades, the infrastructure lapses have occurred in predominantly poorer areas of the city, said Councilman Ken Gibson, who represents one of those districts. Gibson said the city "cannot go forward spending a million dollars a year to fix problems that have existed for decades." We have a significant infrastructure problem," he said. "We are not putting the money toward fixing that infrastructure problem. We have to figure out a way to come up with more money to solve that infrastructure problem. As far as the details are concerned on it, Im looking forward to hearing some options as to how we do that. United Methodist leader who helped create denomination's separation plan dies from cancer Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment An official in the United Methodist Church who helped create a proposed plan of gracious separation for the denomination has died from cancer at age 55. The Rev. Junius B. Dotson, the general secretary and chief executive officer of the UMCs Discipleship Ministries, an agency of the denomination, died last Wednesday after a weekslong battle with pancreatic cancer. In his memory, there will be a livestreamed celebration of life service held on Saturday in Houston, Texas, with limited in-person attendance due to the coronavirus pandemic. Junius Dotson was an exceedingly faithful disciple of Jesus Christ, said the Rev. Tom Berlin, lead pastor of Floris United Methodist Church in Herndon, Virginia, as reported by UM News. His love for Christ expressed itself in conviction about the nature of the church who the church should include, how the church should be in ministry and a desire that all would know the love of Jesus. Dotson was ordained in 1992 and known for being a church planter and former megachurch pastor when he was elected head of Discipleship Ministries in 2016. Dotson was senior pastor of Saint Mark United Methodist Church in Wichita, Kansas, where he was instrumental in transforming the 3,500-member church into a multi-campus congregation, explained his official biography. In 1996, Rev. Dotson responded to the challenge of planting Genesis United Methodist Church, a new and innovative church in the Silicon Valley of California, which grew into a diverse faith community of nearly 500 people. Dotson was one of 16 UMC leaders from diverse theological backgrounds who came together to write the Protocol of Reconciliation & Grace Through Separation. The Protocol was created as a proposal to help resolve the denominations longtime debate over whether to change its biblically-held position on homosexuality. Along with identifying homosexuality as a sin, the UMC also bans clergy from officiating same-sex marital unions and prohibits the ordination of noncelibate homosexuals. Although past proposals to change the UMC's stance on the issue have failed, LGBT advocates within the denomination continue to resist the official standards. Announced in January 2020, the Protocol sought to allow congregations that hold to the biblical standard of marriage and sexuality to create their own denomination with funds from the UMC. To take effect, the Protocol still needs to be approved by a majority of delegates at the UMC General Conference, which recently postponed their legislative meeting to next year over ongoing COVID-19 concerns. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. OROVILLE, Calif. The Butte County Sheriff's Office will apply for grant funding through the California State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation program, according to the Sheriffs Office. The programs grant will help the Sheriffs Office in patrolling the Jonesville Snow Park, the Plumas National Forest and the Lassen National Forest. The Sheriffs Offices responsibilities include enforcement of state laws, federal regulations and Butte County ordinances. If Butte County Sheriffs Office receives the grant, they will use patrol vehicles and snowmobiles to patrol in and around the areas on a year-round basis. They will assist in visitor safety, education, enforcement and search and rescue efforts. On Tuesday, the draft of the grant application was made available for viewing and public comment. It will be available through Monday, May 3. Click here to access the page. The Sheriffs Office will also accept comments by mail to Sergeant Dave Ennes at the Butte County Sheriffs Office, 5 Gillick Way, Oroville, CA, 95965. 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 There are no tensions in relations between Ukraine and the United States, which is confirmed by the communication between Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, said President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky. "As for the issue of relations with the United States. There was contact with the administration of President Biden. Foreign Minister Mr. Kuleba had communication with Mr. Blinken, I know the detailed content of their conversation. Nobody feels any tension in connection with this conversation On the contrary, support from our strategic partner has been confirmed. That is how the things are standing now," Zelensky said at a joint briefing with President of the European Council Charles Michel in Kyiv on Wednesday. Advertisement Buckingham Palace today denied claims by Meghan Markle that it is orchestrating a 'calculated smear campaign' against her ahead of the Sussexes' Oprah interview after it was alleged she bullied and 'drove out' two PAs and eroded the confidence of a third royal aide. The Duchess of Sussex claims The Times is being 'used by Buckingham Palace to peddle a wholly false narrative based on misleading and harmful misinformation' about her treatment of staff after former aides accused her of 'emotional cruelty and manipulation', reducing them to tears and leaving them 'shaking' with fear. Her lawyers said the former actress was 'saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma'. Buckingham Palace has refused to comment today but senior royal sources told MailOnline that complaints being made by ex-staff members were not in any way being orchestrated by the palace or members of the Royal Family, who are focused on Prince Philip's health problems in hospital. It came as ITV1 confirmed the ViacomCBS show, called Oprah With Meghan and Harry, will be broadcast in the UK between 9pm and 11pm on Monday night, almost 24 hours after it is shown in the United States. Meghan is accused of 'driving out' two PAs and shattering the confidence of another member of staff, with one former aide branding Harry and his wife 'outrageous bullies' in The Times today. The newspaper reported the claim was made in October 2018 by Jason Knauf, who worked as communications secretary to Harry and Meghan. Staff told The Times they have spoken out to give their story before the couple's tell-all interview, claiming that when Meghan was urged to support palace staff she replied: 'It's not my job to coddle people.' It is also claimed that the couple's treatment of aides worried Harry's brother William so much, because some staff were shared, that he and his most senior advisor Simon Case hastened the split between the Sussex and the Cambridge households and the destruction of their joint foundation. MailOnline has asked Kensington Palace to comment. The Duchess claims The Times is being 'used by Buckingham Palace to peddle a wholly false narrative based on misleading and harmful misinformation' about her treatment of aides, with her lawyers denying she or Harry have ever been bullies. Other extraordinary revelations in The Times include claims Meghan wore a pair of 500,000 diamond earrings to a dinner in Fiji in 2018 that were a wedding gift from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, three weeks after the US claims he approved the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. A bullying complaint was lodged against the Duchess of Sussex by a senior member of Kensington Palace staff before she and Prince Harry quit as working royals, it was dramatically claimed last night Meghan Markle wore a pair of striking diamond earrings that were allegedly a wedding gift from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia. She is pictured wearing them at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, Fiji, on October 23, 2018, three weeks after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul A spokesman for the Sussexes said in a statement to The Times: 'Let's just call this what it is - a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation' Revealed: Meghan's 500,000 diamond earrings were NOT 'borrowed' but a 'wedding gift from Saudi Crown Prince' - and worn by Duchess three weeks after assassination of Jamal Khashoggi in consulate The Duchess of Sussex was again seen wearing the earrings one month later on November 14, 2018 as she was photographed leaving Kensington Palace to attend Prince Charles's 70th birthday party at Buckingham Palace Meghan Markle wore a pair of striking diamond earrings that were a wedding gift from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, who approved the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, it was claimed today. Kensington Palace had said at the time of the formal dinner in Fiji in October 2018 - which took place three weeks after the killing at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul - that the jewellery was 'borrowed', without stating from whom. Lawyers for the Duchess of Sussex have now told The Times that she may have stated they were borrowed, but did not say they were borrowed from a jeweller - and denied that she had misled anyone about their provenance. The newspaper was also told by Meghan's team that every relevant member of royal staff knew who the earrings were from, and the Duchess was unaware of rumours at the time that bin Salman was involved in the killing. Bin Salman is not thought to have met Meghan or given her the earrings in person. The jewellery is considered Crown property because it was a gift from a foreign head of state, and she would not be allowed to sell them. The earrings Meghan wore for the black tie reception at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, which was hosted by Fiji's president Jioji Konrote, were later revealed as being made by celebrity designer Butani. Advertisement And in a further twist Ms Markle, a campaigner for women's rights, told aides they were borrowed from a jeweller, rather than a present from a regime known for human rights abuses and the oppression of women. Lawyers for the Duchess of Sussex have told The Times that she may have stated they were borrowed, but did not say they were borrowed from a jeweller - and denied that she had misled anyone about their provenance. The newspaper claims that on the same official tour the Duchess was seen being ushered out of an official engagement to a local market due to apparent security concerns. In fact, it says, Meghan had cut short the visit because she had reservations about the organisation UN Women, which had an involvement in the event. Describing life working for Meghan and Harry, aides have claimed they 'bent over backwards' to help her when she arrived after the couple became engaged in 2017. A source told The Times: 'Everyone knew that the institution would be judged by her happiness'. According to the Times their sources say two 'senior' members of royal staff were bullied by the duchess. An ex-employee alleged they had been 'humiliated'. Another aide described the experience of working for the Sussexes as 'more like emotional cruelty and manipulation, which I guess could also be called bullying'. Staff claimed that had on had occasion been reduced to tears after dealings with Meghan and one aide told a colleague 'I can't stop shaking' as they anticipated a row with the Duchess. Meghan's lawyers vehemently deny she is a bully and said that one person had left the job because of misconduct. The Times said it could not corroborate that claim before publication last night. Meghan has hit back and believes she is the victim of a 'calculated smear campaign' by the Royal Household after it was alleged she bullied and 'drove out' two PAs and eroded the confidence of a third aide. Her lawyers said the former actress was 'saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma'. The finger was pointed at Meghan when a bullying complaint was lodged against the Duchess of Sussex by a senior member of Kensington Palace staff before she and Prince Harry quit as working royals, it was dramatically claimed last night. The newspaper says Mr Knauf, who now heads the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's charitable foundation, seemingly acted to get Buckingham Palace to protect staff he claimed were coming under unbearable pressure from Meghan. It further claims Harry 'pleaded' with him not to pursue the allegations. Sensationally, the couple's lawyers told the newspaper it was 'being used by Buckingham Palace to peddle a wholly false narrative' before this weekend's interview with Oprah Winfrey. The Mail also approached a spokesman for the Sussexes for comment. Meghan Markle's aide Melissa Touabti (right) quit just six months after the Royal wedding at Windsor Castle in May 2018. She had also worked for Robbie Williams and his wife Ayda (pictured left) The Times said it was contacted by sources who felt a 'partial version' had emerged of Meghan's two years as a working royal. It makes clear they wished to tell their side in advance of Sunday's 'tell all' television interview, which is likely to make uncomfortable viewing for Buckingham Palace. The newspaper says Mr Knauf sent his email to Simon Case, then the Duke of Cambridge's private secretary and now the cabinet secretary, after conversations with Samantha Carruthers, the head of HR. Mr Case then forwarded it to Miss Carruthers, who was based at Clarence House. In his email Mr Knauf also made clear he was concerned nothing had been done, or would be done in future, to protect palace staff. The Times quotes from his email, which is alleged to say: 'I am very concerned the duchess was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year. The treatment of X was totally unacceptable.' He added: 'The duchess seems intent on always having someone in her sights. She is bullying Y and seeking to undermine her confidence. We have had report after report from people who have witnessed unacceptable behaviour towards Y.' A spokesman for the Sussexes said in a statement to The Times: 'Let's just call this what it is - a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation'. Jason Knauf said in his email that his colleague Samantha Carruthers, the head of HR, 'agreed with me on all counts that the situation was very serious', but added: 'I remain concerned that nothing will be done'. Insiders told The Times that despite the intervention nothing was done to investigate the situation or to protect staff from bullying from senior royals in the future. One source told The Times: 'I think the problem is, not much happened with it. It was, "How can we make this go away?', rather than addressing it". The email also described his worries about the stress the Sussexes' private secretary Samantha Cohen was placed under. Mr Knauf wrote: 'I questioned if the Household policy on bullying and harassment applies to principals'. The Sussexes lawyers told The Times the couple remained close to Samantha today, and are very grateful for all her work them, denying she was ever bullied. The Times claims that after the email was sent, Prince Harry had a meeting with Mr Knauf and asked him not to pursue the claims against his wife. Lawyers for the couple deny the claim, or that the meeting took place at all. Aides say that they did more to welcome Meghan than has been publicly acknowledged and wanted to give their side of the story before her interview with Oprah is broadcast in the US on Sunday and in the UK on Monday. One source claimed: 'Senior people in the household, Buckingham Palace and Clarence House, knew that they had a situation where members of staff, particularly young women, were being bullied to the point of tears. 'The institution just protected Meghan constantly. All the men in grey suits who she hates have a lot to answer for, because they did absolutely nothing to protect people'. The Times reported it was made in October 2018 by Jason Knauf (pictured left with the Duke), who worked as communications secretary to Harry and Meghan Mr Knauf's email also described his worries about the stress the Sussexes' private secretary Samantha Cohen was placed under (pictured behind Meghan and the Queen). The Sussexes' lawyers have said they remain close to Samantha and deny she was bullied Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Cabinet Secretary Simon Case (left) was working at for William at the time and may face questions over how bullying allegations were handled Times sources described a 'febrile' atmosphere at Kensington Palace, where the Sussexes lived alongside Harry's brother William and his family. After the 2018 royal wedding there was a split between the royal households, which was made public in 2019. The newspaper claims that concerns over the treatment of staff, shared by both William and Harry, became so urgent that William and his aide Mr Case sped-up the split of the two households. The source said: 'What was a long-term plan became an immediate plan'. Kensington Palace has not responded to the claims. The Times says Mr Knauf sent his email to Simon Case, then the Duke of Cambridge's private secretary and now the cabinet secretary, after conversations with Samantha Carruthers, the head of HR When Meghan arrived in London she claimed to have been a good boss. People magazine in the US claimed she once paid for an ice cream stand at Kensington Palace to treat staff in February 2019. A friend of the Duchess said that workers 'were remarking how it was the "best day of work ever". Meghan's personal assistant Melissa Touabti quit just six months after the Royal wedding at Windsor Castle in May in 2018. The 41-year-old from France had previously worked for X Factor judges Robbie Williams and his wife Ayda Field, who she loved working for, according to friends. Another PA before he left shortly after the Duchess arrived in London, it is alleged. 'Robbie Williams is a lively character, but she worked for him longer than she worked for Meghan,' a friend pf Melissa's told the Daily Mail at the time. Royal biographer Robert Jobson claimed in his book Charles At Seventy, that Meghan's wedding preparations were so stressful that Harry became 'petulant and short-tempered' with members of staff. He wrote: 'Raising his voice on occasion, Harry would insist: 'What Meghan wants, she gets.' Both PAs who left signed non-disclosure agreements lawyers for the Sussexes said they had no idea about the NDAs and believed the staff to be 'comfortable and happy' in their jobs. The Times claims that after Harry and Meghan became engaged in late 2017 a senior member of palace staff warned them about the problems they may have if staff were treated badly. Meghan allegedly replied: 'It's not my job to coddle people.' Friends of the couple have since explained that Meghan was not being rude, but she came from a different culture. Defending the Duchess' management of people, Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand's Finding Freedom book says: 'Americans can be much more direct, and that often doesn't sit well in the much more refined institution of the monarchy.' But staff who spoke to The Times allege that it was worse than that. One said: 'I had unpleasant experiences with her. I would definitely say humiliated.' Another said they were 'shaking' and 'terrified' after a row about whether Meghan was told the media was attending one of her events. Months after the wedding the couple embarked on their first royal tour, visiting Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga. When staff complained of stress it is said that a senior adviser tried to reassure them by saying: 'You are dealing with a very difficult lady'. Meghan's lawyers have said that their client had been distressed by negative press stories about her while living in the UK and her friends became 'rightly concerned for her welfare, specifically as she was pregnant, unprotected by the institution and prohibited from defending herself'. But aides trying to defend themselves before Sunday's Oprah interview, have described bending over backwards for her as soon as she arrived. They also revealed that she was asked if she wanted to continue acting or working in the film industry, such was the clamour in the Royal Household to keep Harry's new wife on side. But Meghan politely declined. An insider with knowledge of the conversation told The Times: 'The entire place, because of everything about her, and because of what Harry's previous girlfriends had been through, was bending over backwards to make sure that every option was open'. Another source told the newspaper: 'Everyone knew that the institution would be judged by her happiness'. Meghan's lawyers say she had left her life behind in the US to support her husband and work with him on charitable work and joint passion projects. The Finding Freedom book the couple deny collaborating with, says: 'Nothing could convince Harry that some of the old guard at the palace simply didn't like Meghan and would stop at nothing to make her life difficult'. Responding to this allegation, a source told The Times: 'The way I see it, their view of not getting institutional support was that they were not getting permission to blow up the institution's relationships with the media'. The Sussexes' lawyers denies these claims. Another insider claimed that staff were panicked when there were rows with the Sussexes, because it was considered so unusual in the royal palaces. 'When someone decides not to be civil, they have no idea what to do. They were run over by her, and then run over by Harry. They had no idea what to do', the source said. A spokesman for the Sussexes said in a statement to The Times: 'Let's just call this what it is a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation. We are disappointed to see this defamatory portrayal of The Duchess of Sussex given credibility by a media outlet. It's no coincidence that distorted several-year-old accusations aimed at undermining The Duchess are being briefed to the British media shortly before she and The Duke are due to speak openly and honestly about their experience of recent years. 'In a detailed legal letter of rebuttal to The Times, we have addressed these defamatory claims in full, including spurious allegations regarding the use of gifts loaned to The Duchess by The Crown. 'The Duchess is saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma. She is determined to continue her work building compassion around the world and will keep striving to set an example for doing what is right and doing what is good.' Buckingham Palace declined to comment when contacted by the Mail. The duchess denies bullying and her lawyers stated that one individual left after findings of misconduct. The spokesman for the Sussexes said in a statement to The Times: 'Let's just call this what it is a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation. We are disappointed to see this defamatory portrayal of the Duchess of Sussex given credibility by a media outlet. 'It's no coincidence that distorted several-year-old accusations aimed at undermining the duchess are being briefed to the British media shortly before she and the duke are due to speak openly and honestly about their experience of recent years.' 'Revelations about race' in Oprah interview... and nothing is off-limits Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will discuss race is Britain in the 21st century with Oprah Winfrey and open up about her experience as a mixed race woman, it has been claimed Meghan Markle will talk about her experience of race issues in Britain during her interview with Oprah Winfrey, it has been revealed. There is a growing expectation that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's talk with the US chat show queen will live up to its billing of having no subject 'off-limits'. It was claimed yesterday that the programme will be a 'horror show' for the Royal Family. The journalist who broke the story that the Sussexes were doing the TV interview claimed Meghan's comments about 'the issue of race in Britain' would be 'what we will all be talking about' the day after it is aired. Chris Ship, the royal editor for ITV News, told Good Morning Britain yesterday: 'I know that she's going to mention things like mental health and the impact that being in the UK had on her mental health. I know that she's going to mention about the press intrusion... but also she's going to raise the issue of race in Britain.' Mr Ship suggested this would be the main thing viewers discuss after watching the interview, to be broadcast in the US on Sunday night. Meghan's mother Doria is African-American and her father Thomas is white. ITV was facing growing criticism over plans to broadcast the interview with Miss Winfrey in Britain while the Duke of Edinburgh remains in hospital. There is increasing unease about the 'horrendous' timing. There were warnings last night that the broadcast could be a 'reputational mess' for everyone, which could 'herald terrible consequences' for the royal pair. There were calls for ITV to 'await events' before screening the programme in the UK. One critic branded the broadcaster's decision to buy up the interview rights as 'deplorable'. Advertisement Revealed: Meghan's 500,000 diamond earrings were NOT 'borrowed' but a 'wedding gift from Saudi Crown Prince' - and worn by Duchess three weeks after assassination of Jamal Khashoggi in consulate Meghan Markle wore a pair of striking diamond earrings that were a wedding gift from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, who approved the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, it was claimed today. Kensington Palace had said at the time of the formal dinner in Fiji in October 2018 - which took place three weeks after the killing at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul - that the jewellery was 'borrowed', without stating from whom. Lawyers for the Duchess of Sussex have now told The Times that she may have stated they were borrowed, but did not say they were borrowed from a jeweller - and denied that she had misled anyone about their provenance. The newspaper was also told by Meghan's team that every relevant member of royal staff knew who the earrings were from, and the Duchess was unaware of rumours at the time that bin Salman was involved in the killing. Bin Salman is not thought to have met Meghan or given her the earrings in person. The jewellery is considered Crown property because it was a gift from a foreign head of state, and she would not be allowed to sell them. Meghan is pictured arriving for the state dinner in Suva with Prince Harry on October 23, 2018 during their royal tour of Fiji Timeline of Jamal Khashoggi's murder and Meghan's earrings (2018) May 19: Meghan Markle marries Prince Harry at Windsor Castle and is allegedly given a wedding gift of a 500,000 pair of diamond earrings from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia October 2 : Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi is killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul : Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi is killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul October 20 : Saudi government reveals a preliminary investigation finds Mr Khashoggi died during a 'fight' after resisting efforts to return him to Saudi Arabia : Saudi government reveals a preliminary investigation finds Mr Khashoggi died during a 'fight' after resisting efforts to return him to Saudi Arabia October 23 : Meghan wears the earrings at a formal dinner at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, Fiji : Meghan wears the earrings at a formal dinner at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, Fiji November 14 : Meghan wears the earrings again for Prince Charles's birthday party at Buckingham Palace : Meghan wears the earrings again for Prince Charles's birthday party at Buckingham Palace November 16 : Central Intelligence Agency concludes bin Salman had ordered Mr Khashoggi's assassination. Advertisement The earrings Meghan wore for the black tie reception at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, which was hosted by Fiji's president Jioji Konrote, were later revealed as being made by celebrity designer Butani. The Duchess was again seen wearing the earrings one month later on November 14, 2018 as she was photographed leaving Kensington Palace to attend Prince Charles's 70th birthday party at Buckingham Palace. Washington Post columnist Mr Khashoggi died on October 2. The event in Fiji on October 23 came less than a fortnight after the first reports on October 10 from US intelligence intercepts that suggested Bin Salman had ordered an operation to lure Mr Khashoggi back to Saudi from his home in Virginia and detain him. Then on October 20, the Saudi government revealed a preliminary investigation by prosecutors had found Mr Khashoggi died during a 'fight' after resisting efforts to return him to Saudi Arabia. By November 16, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the US had concluded that bin Salman had ordered Mr Khashoggi's assassination. The bloggers behind Meghans Mirror eventually identified the earrings brand in January 2019, and an expert then revealed to MailOnline that the generously sized multi-tier earrings could be worth up to 500,000. An array of celebrities including Jennifer Lopez, Kate Beckinsale, Rihanna, Christina Hendricks and even Michelle Obama have also been spotted wearing the Hong Kong-based brand. It is not clear if Meghan still has the earrings. Members of the Royal Family attending official engagements are not usually seen wearing jewellery borrowed from designers. Meghan also wore a 1,095 dress by designer SAFiYAA at the dinner. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia (left) approved the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi (right) in 2018 Speaking about the opulent earrings, Deborah Papas, gemologist at Prestige Pawnbrokers of Channel 4's Posh Pawn, said in 2019: 'The Duchess of Sussex never ceases to amaze us with the beautiful jewellery she wears. 'In Fiji she chose to wear an absolutely stand-out pair of chandelier style diamond drop earrings in three strands set with white and yellow coloured diamonds. Most are round but some are pear shaped to give the stepped drop effect and all set in white gold. 'These drops appear very heavy, almost pulling down the lobe, but sparkle beautifully even with the slightest turn of the head and are truly stunning. They could easily be worth 500,000 or more.' Explaining the etiquette on royals wearing jewellery, William Hanson told MailOnline at the time: 'For grand events like state banquets and formal dinners, royalty usually wear more lavish, priceless jewellery. For less showy daytime events the 'bling' is often toned down to something more subtle and discrete, with the exception of any engagement or wedding rings.' He added: 'Royal women do have it very difficult - we all want them to look like royalty but if they wear anything too over the top or expensive they are criticised for being out of touch. They can't win.' Butani was founded in 1977 by brothers Manoj and Mukesh Butani from Hong Kong. The brand is popular on the A-list circuit, with an array of celebrities seen wearing their jewellery on the red carpet. Rihanna wore a pair of their earrings in her Love On The Brain video in 2016, which famously saw her soaking in a tub wearing nothing but jagged diamond earrings and black lipstick. Elsewhere Ariana Grande was pictured wearing a pair of large solitaire studs to the Met Gala in 2018, while Kate Beckinsale wore a pair of diamond string earrings to the premiere of The Only Living Boy in New York in 2017. That same year, Jennifer Lopez sported a pair of her trademark hoops embellished with diamonds by the designer for the World of Dance premiere. The Times made further claims relating to Meghan's same official tour of Fiji when the Duchess was seen being ushered out of an official engagement to a local market, which was initially said to be due to security concerns. In 2017 Jennifer Lopez sported a pair of her trademark hoops embellished with diamonds by the same designer, Butani Ariana Grande (left) wore a pair of large solitaire studs by the designer to the Met Gala in 2018 (left), while Christina Hendricks (right) attended the 19th Annual Post-Golden Globes Party in the same year wearing a pair of Butani earrings In fact, the newspaper says, Meghan had cut short the visit because she had 'reservations' about the organisation UN Women, which had an involvement in the event. The Duchess denies these claims about the event. (Alliance News) - Vivo Energy PLC on Wednesday reported an overall weaker performance for 2020, as volumes declined on severe mobility restrictions, while revenue dropped on falling oil prices and lower demand. For the year, Vivo - a downstream petroleum company which sells branded products from Royal Dutch Shell PLC and Engen Petroleum - reported a pretax profit of USD175 million, down 29% from USD246 million the year before. This was on revenue that declined 17% year-on-year to USD6.92 billion from USD8.30 billion, as a result of lower volumes solid and the decline in crude oil prices over the year. Total volumes were down 7.5% at 9.64 million litres from 10.42 million litres the prior year, as mobility restrictions imposed around the world following the pandemic's spread affected the Aviation, Marine and Retail businesses. In Aviation, volumes fell 55% year-on-year as most airlines were restricted to cargo and repatriation flights across Vivo's markets, while the Marine business volumes also declined due to lower cargo and cruise line movements. Vivo Energy declared a final dividend of 3.8 US cents per share for the year, in line with the proposed total payout for 2019 which was withdrawn due to the pandemic. Looking ahead, Vivo said following a swift recovery in performance in the second half of 2020, these trends are expected to continue into 2021, with the Retail business set to recover, with Aviation and Marine remain subdued. "The recovery would not have been possible without the actions we took to support our stakeholders which meant that as demand recovered, we were ready and able to supply our customers and keep the continent moving. The strong recovery has reinforced our confidence in the future, and the board has recommended a final dividend of 3.8 cents, in line with our progressive dividend policy. Our markets have not been knocked off course by the pandemic, with a young and growing population driving economic development and future fuel demand," said Chief Executive Officer Christian Chammas. Shares in Vivo Energy were up 0.9% at 90.30 pence on Wednesday in London, while its Johannesburg shares were 3.3% higher at ZAR19.21 in Johannesburg. By Dayo Laniyan; dayolaniyan@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Karnal, March 3 : As many as 57 students of the Sainik school here have tested positive for the coronavirus, health officials said on Wednesday. The officials said that three students of the Sainik school tested Covid-19 positive on Monday, following which samples of 390 students and staff members of the school were collected for testing. "The reports later said that around 54 students have contracted the infection, while the remaining 330 were found negative on Tuesday," the officials added. Following the outbreak, classes and other activities of the school have been suspended and the premises including the hostel were declared as a containment zone. "About 57 students of the school hostel have also tested positive for the Covid-19. Later, we have carried out a survey in the area but didn't detect any other patient," Yogesh Kumar Sharma, Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Karnal told IANS. Schools in Haryana and the rest of the country were closed in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Haryana allowed students from classes 9 to 12 to return to schools in December and reopened for those from classes 3 to 5 on February 24. The government also decided to start regular classes for classes 1 and 2 from Monday. An order issued by the Department of School Education has stated that schools can function for the specified classes from 10 am to 1:30 pm. According to the state government guidelines, the students need to carry along with them the Covid-19 negative test report before entering the school premises. It is also mandatory for students to carry a consent letter signed by their parents, declaring they don't have any problem with their children attending physical classes, the guidelines said. In case any student tests Covid-19 positive, the protocols laid down by the government would be followed. The schools will have to adhere to all the Covid-related Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) There is an emerging cultural shift that is happening across the world. More women are entering the workforce, voicing their choices and asserting their point of view. Bombay Shaving Company has been at the forefront of building on this narrative and driving more awareness for the voices from women. As a brand that believes in building a tribe of powerful women who are driven by their mission and passion, they found an amazing partner in Shriya Pilgaonkar. Shriya is the face for the latest campaign from Bombay Shaving Company - #FlexYourAwesome. Shriya is an actor, an advocate for womens rights, a dancer and a creative thinker. Her expanse of work goes across genres and languages. #FlexYourAwesome encourages women to assert their might, strength and achievement. Through the #FlexYourAwesome campaign, Bombay Shaving Company is celebrating women by bringing stories of those who have been awesome and unstoppable in their lives. The aim is to empower women to actively break down stereotypes and remind themselves to not be afraid to choose their own unique path. In the first leg of the campaign, in a freewheeling monologue, Shriya effortlessly echoes the sentiments of millions of women in our country who faced societal bias, sharing her personal and professional experiences and the challenging career choices she made. During the course of her journey, she ensured to not lose her confidence and instead made a conscious choice to flex her inner strength, passion, drive and awesomeness. The video mirrors the stark reality of our societys behaviour towards women and how women should be unstoppable and awesome at every step of their life. Speaking on the campaign, Samriddh Dasgupta, Vice President, Marketing and New Brands said; #FlexYourAwesome is not an isolated campaign for us. We undertook user-group research to understand the need gaps faced by our female customers and the challenges they face in this world. What emerged was a strong theme of indifference. On one hand, there is indifference to the power that women have in this world and how the world renders an unidimensional perspective to them, and on the other, there is an utter indifference to the pain women are going through during hair removal. Over the last many years, the pain associated with hair removal for women has been normalized. Threading, waxing, epilating and even hair removal creams are all painful and messy. Simultaneously, there has also been an increase in the myth surrounding shaving. Shaving, which is a rather easy, painless and convenient method of removing hair has been seen as a mans choice. We wanted to ensure a cultural and practical shift in the way women remove hair painlessly through our Defender for Her Shaving Solutions. In the second leg of the campaign, Bombay Shaving Company celebrates self-made women across industries who carved a niche for themselves. The brand is celebrating inspiring stories of real women across different entrepreneurial walks of life and gives them a voice on its social media platforms. Few of these strong and confident women are Snigdha, Founder, Tea Trunk; Bani Nanda, Founder, MIAM; Surabhi Bhandari, Co-founder, Unashamed Health; Swetha Subbiah, Trainer, Sisters in Sweat and many more, who overcame deterrence and embarked on progressive journeys in their lives. The campaign video with Shriya Pilgaoankar also introduces the audience to the brand's women razor, Defender For Her Body Razor which guarantees one-stroke irritation-free and smooth shave with its FlexBlade Technology and anti-clog design. Police in Myanmar have again used tear gas and rubber bullets to violently disperse protesters against last months military takeover. Multiple reports from several cities and towns claimed officers also used live ammunition, causing at least one death. Myanmars new military rulers escalated their use of deadly force and mass arrests over the weekend to try to quash protests against the February 1 coup that ousted the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. Expand Close Riot police fire tear gas in Mandalay (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Riot police fire tear gas in Mandalay (AP) The UN Human Rights Office said it believed at least 18 people were killed on Sunday. The escalation of violence has led to increased diplomatic efforts to resolve Myanmars political crisis. The UN Security Council is expected to hold a closed meeting on the situation on Friday, diplomats said, at the request of the UK. But any kind of coordinated action at the United Nations would be difficult since two permanent members of the Security Council, China and Russia, would almost certainly veto it. Some countries have imposed or are considering imposing their own sanctions. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Myanmar is a neighbour, held a teleconference meeting of foreign ministers on Tuesday to seek a consensus on helpful measures. Expand Close An anti-coup protester displays defaced images of Commander in chief, Senior Gen Min Aung Hlaing in Mandalay (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp An anti-coup protester displays defaced images of Commander in chief, Senior Gen Min Aung Hlaing in Mandalay (AP) The regional group of 10 nations has a tradition of non-interference in each others internal affairs. A statement issued by the groups chair, rather than as a joint declaration called for an end to violence and for talks to try to reach a peaceful settlement. Snubbing ASEANs appeal, Myanmars security forces continued to attack peaceful protesters. Details of the crackdowns and casualties are difficult to independently confirm, especially those occurring outside the bigger cities. But the accounts of most incidents have been consistent in social media and from local news outlets, and usually have videos and photos supporting them. It is also likely that many incidents from remote areas go unreported or generally unnoticed. In the central city of Monywa, which has turned out huge crowds to protest the military takeover, three people were shot on Wednesday, including one in the head, reported the Democratic Voice of Burma, an independent television and online news service. There were also fatalities in the city on Sunday. In Myingyan in the same central region, multiple social media posts reported the fatal shooting of a 14-year-old boy. Expand Close Anti-coup protesters stand behind makeshift barricades made with bricks in Mandalay (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Anti-coup protesters stand behind makeshift barricades made with bricks in Mandalay (AP) Photos showed what was said to be his body, with his head and chest soaked with blood, being carried from where he fell by fellow protesters. In Magwe, also in central Myanmar, a student was reportedly seriously injured after a shooting. In the town of Hpakant in the northern state of Kachin, four people were reported to have been shot with live ammunition. Myanmars ethnic Kachin minority has historically had tense relations with the central government and fields a guerrilla force of its own. One person was reported shot in Pyinoolwin, a town in central Myanmar better known to many by its British colonial name, Maymyo. The town is popular with tourists because of its cool climate and was once a colonial hill station set up for British administrators during the hot season. Expand Close Policemen armed with guns, sling-shots and shields advance towards anti-coup protesters in Mandalay (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Policemen armed with guns, sling-shots and shields advance towards anti-coup protesters in Mandalay (AP) The shooting was said to have broken out when security forces blocked a road to protesters. Meanwhile, Associated Press journalist Thein Zaw and five other members of the media were charged with violating a public order law that could see them imprisoned for up to three years, a lawyer said. The usual daily protests in Yangon and Mandalay, the countrys biggest cities, were again attacked by police. In Mandalay, riot police backed by soldiers broke up an anti-coup rally, chasing around 1,000 teachers and students from a street with tear gas and what seemed to be warning shots. Video from The Associated Press showed a squad of police firing slingshots in the apparent direction of demonstrators, after the dispersal. One of the men also levels his firearm in the same area. The February 1 coup reversed years of slow progress toward democracy in Myanmar after five decades of military rule. It came the day a newly-elected parliament was supposed to take office. Ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy party would have been installed for a second five-year term, but instead she was detained along with President Win Myint and other senior officials. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Omar Abdullah welcomes renewed bilateral engagement between India and Pakistan India oi-Deepika S Srinagar, Mar 03: National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah on Wednesday welcomed the renewed bilateral engagement between India and Pakistan, saying the "changed understanding" of the neighbouring countries about Jammu and Kashmir will act as forerunner of peace and prosperity in the region. India and Pakistan had announced on February 25 that they have agreed to strictly observe all agreements on ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir and other sectors. "It was a welcome step that must be carried forward positively," Abdullah said, while interacting with party delegates here on Wednesday. The evolving situation, he said, has made it pretty clear that the outlook of both the countries towards J&K has undergone a "big change and has been replaced with a policy of peaceful engagement". "The renewed outlook of both the countries gives an inkling of a changed mindset towards Jammu and Kashmir," he added. He said his party had been pleading with the Centre, with no success, to restore the 4G mobile services over a period of time. But these services were restored all of a sudden, he said. "The let-up in the woes of people wasn''t confined to that measure only. Over the period of time, we saw how both the neighbouring countries came up with a DGMO level talk on the cessation of violence on the LOC, IB (International Border)," he said. "It was much later, to our surprise, though that we were able to learn that the DGMO level formations were a product of diplomatic negotiations, which all of us were unmindful of," he said. Abdullah said reports of allowing Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to offer congregational prayers at Jamia Masjid after 18 months "also gives an insinuation about the changed attitude we hail on account of it being in sync with our stated policy underscoring goodwill between India and Pakistan as a means to foster peace in J&K". The February 25 statement issued jointly in Islamabad and New Delhi had said the Director Generals of Military Operations of the two countries held discussions over the established mechanism of hotline contact and reviewed the situation along the LoC and all other sectors in a "free, frank and cordial" atmosphere. "Both sides agreed for strict observance of all agreements, understandings and cease firing along the Line of Control and all other sectors with effect from midnight of February 24/25," the joint statement had said. Indian Army officials have, however, maintained there will be no let-up in the troop deployment as well its operations against terrorism and infiltration along Pakistan borders. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 3, 2021, 23:27 [IST] During the period of 1980s and 1990s the approaches of the UN Commission on Human Rights were constructive, painstaking, dialogical, and understanding of the intrinsic socio-economic problems of the developing and poor countries. by Dr Laksiri Fernando Developing countries, including Sri Lanka, should be practical, pragmatic and openminded to listento the views, nationally and internationally, in resolving their ethnic, human rights and other problems, but obviously not to the dictates, undue pressures or bullying. At this stage what is important is to resist the undue interferences, dictates and bullying coming from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, her Office, and the so-called Core Group. It is hilarious that the Geneva Office that drafts reports, recommendations, and run all sorts of activities is not the office of the Human Rights Council, but the Office of the High Commissioner! High Commissioner is like a President of a dictatorial country. That is the democracy you have there now who preaches democracy to the developing nations. Developing and poor countries cannot get proper access to this Office, and only the rich countries and their supported NGOs can do so. This is democracy to them, not to us. From Centre to Office There has been a dramatic change in the way that human rights have been handled by the UN and its agencies, primarily by the UNHRC since 2006. This was not the case during the UN Commission on Human Rights. The office of the Commission on Human Rights or more correctly the Centre for Human Rights in Geneva was not only an office for the Commission, but also for all countries, rich or poor. This change must have happened as a late response to the neo-liberal economic and political order to control the world and particularly the poor countries. Even the influential international NOGs have come under this hegemony, although even before they had some of these hegemonic attitudes. I make my criticisms through experience in Geneva (1984-1991) and thereafter through research including a PhD on human rights at the University of Sydney (1992-1995). Since then, I have been teaching, researching, and writing on human rights. Let mefirst relate what I was doing in Geneva. Laksiri Fernando has been in the employment of World University Service (WUS)since September 1984 based in the organizations International Secretariat in Geneva. Since that date he has held the post of Associate Secretary for Asia/Pacific, an executive post. This was written by the WUSs General Secretary. He further said, Mr. Fernando was responsible for the development of WUSs new program of Human Rights from its inception (1985). His work in respect of human rights has involved contributing to the conceptualization of the work of WUS in the field of human rights; developing cooperation with a range of UN and non-governmental organizations working on human rights issues; producing and editing written materials in regard to the program More importantly, the following was what the Chief of the Centre for Human Rights, United Nations Office at Geneva stated in 1991. Laksiri Fernando is known to us for several years. We have had occasion to work together in his capacity as representative for World University Service (WUS), and its efforts in the field of human rights. This experience extended to the United Nations human rights bodies, and in particular the Commission on Human Rights, as well as the Centre for Human Rights. In the context of the Commission, the contribution of Laksiri Fernando in the field of human rights education was fundamental. In particular, since 1988, with the launching of the World Human Rights Information Campaign by the General Assembly of the United Nations, the emphasis on human rights education made it possible to work closely with Mr. Fernando. Other scholars in the field have also benefitted from WUS and the contribution of Mr. Fernandos experience. Thanks to his effective planning and knowledge of the subject, it was possible to see progress in the field of human rights education already in the early stages of the Campaign. During the period of 1980s and 1990s the approaches of the UN Commission on Human Rights were constructive, painstaking, dialogical, and understanding of the intrinsic socio-economic problems of the developing and poor countries. Instead, now the approaches have become superficially legalistic, arrogant, partial, and dictatorial. One example is the long list of authoritarian recommendations in the Report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on Sri Lanka. Continuous Bullying How many Reports and Resolutions that theso-called High Commissioners have persuadedthe Human Rights Council to approve, with the help of the British led Core Group, against Sri Lanka? Over 1 -dozen during the last 12 years. They now hardly mention the resolution S-11/1 adopted in May 2009 with an overwhelming majority. It was against that resolution they appointed their own Panel of Experts without even requesting the GoSLto nominate any member. It was after that Sri Lanka appointed the LLRC commission. The report was comprehensive, and still is a good building block for accountability and reconciliation. But the then High Commissioner was not satisfied and then passed the 19/2 resolution in 2012. Even the present Report says the recommendations of the LLRC were dissatisfactory. The government also appointed the ParanagamaCommission on the question of missing persons and that was also rejected by the High Commissioner. During this period there were much progress in the resettlement of displaced persons, rehabilitation of former LTTE cadres and child soldiers, and reconstruction and development of infrastructure and livelihoods of the people. It may be true that the accountability matters did not make much progress to the satisfaction of the aggrieved parties or the High Commissioners/Office. One reason among others were that the accusers/victims were asking for arbitrary justice. Weaknesses in the legal/judicial system and political hesitations also could have been factors. When there is so much of arbitrary international pressure,it is obvious that political hesitations also could occur. Of course,the Geneva Office managed to get the co-sponsorship for the resolutions 30/1, 34/1 and 40/1 from the last government. Perhaps thegovernment or the Minister was so desperate and succumbed. But has there been a satisfactory progressduring that five years (2015-2020) to the satisfaction of the so-called international community?The greed for controlling culturally differentpoor countries is quite insatiable, it appears, particularly under the neo-liberal system. There are of course accomplices from some poor countries themselvesand,also from Sri Lanka. The hypocrisy is not with the Western people, but primarily with the Western politicians. Moral Imperative JehanPereras last article (23 February) titled An Adequate Response Needs to be Given to the Case for International Justice clearly admits that international bullying comes because of the strategic importance of Sri Lanka. In itself Sri Lanka is an interesting and important country for world politics at present he says. However, his conclusion is quite submissive further saying This resolution will be presented by a core group of countries led by the United Kingdom and will be supported by the United States which, though not a current member of the UNHRC, has opted to return to it under the presidency of Joe Biden. This will be a powerful combination for a small country like Sri Lanka to challenge. My opinion is different. If the motives behind are immoral and dubious, it should be opposed very strongly of course rallying the third world support as much as possible. The big powers do not have any moral right to bring any resolutionagainst any country under the conditions of worldwide coronavirus pandemic at present. Even in the approved procedures onhow to bring a resolution, discuss/negotiate, and voted on, there are no provisions of doing so in a virtual meeting of the Human Rights Council. If there are no possibilities to an accused or a victim country to properly discuss and negotiate a resolution in Geneva, that is completely undemocratic. New Delhi: As part of the global COVAX initiative, the African country of Rwanda received its first batch of COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday (March 3, 2021). Rwanda received 240,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, with another 102,960 doses of the Pfizer vaccine expected to arrive later today. The vaccine doses will be administered to the most vulnerable citizens in the country on Friday. With two doses of the vaccine to be administered as many as 171,480 people have been identified as priority risk groups, including frontline workers, people above 65 years and people with underlying health conditions. Health Minister Daniel Ngamije said that the target is to vaccinate at least 30 per cent of the population by the end of this year, and further 60 per cent 2022 end. Rwanda is receiving vaccines for free through the COVAX initiative, which is led by the WHO, but the scheme has been hampered due to the severely limited global supply of doses and logistical problems. The initiative was aimed to ensure fair access to COVID-19 vaccines by low- and middle-income countries. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said the overall campaign to secure vaccines has been extremely uneven, with most worldwide doses administered in a small number of richer countries. Rwanda has recorded 19,111 cases and 265 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. Five for Five at Take 5 Oil Change: The Five Tetlow Brothers Plan to Develop Five Locations in Texas March 03, 2021 // Franchising.com // CHARLOTTE NC. - The Tetlow brothers, all five auto enthusiasts and mechanical engineers by trade, have signed on with Take 5 Oil Change to develop five new Take 5 Oil Change locations in the greater Tyler, TX and Longview, TX markets. Matt Tetlow and Alex Tetlow are leading the family investment group in their first franchise business. Matt is a Rotating Equipment Engineer for Shell Oil, where he designs, builds and commissions large offshore oil production platforms. Alex is a VP of Sales for Rotating Machinery Services, Inc. and has 15+ years of sales experience for multiple large turbomachinery companies. Brothers Wayne, Nick and Jake work for Fedex, Ford Motor Company, and Arizona Public Service, respectively. All five brothers followed in their fathers footsteps to study engineering. We chose Take 5 as an investment because the business model is very manageable in terms of capital investment and size, plus it offers opportunity for great returns, said Matt. Take 5 has a proven, successful strategy that enables us to replicate over five stores. When you dont have your own new business idea, and you are new to franchising, you borrow someone elses successful formula, and Take 5 has one. They offer great training and assistance to help ensure new franchisee success. Why try to figure it out yourself when you can follow a successful playbook to accelerate your business growth? The Tetlow brothers plan to keep their current jobs and as the business grows, develop more store managers and district managers to run the daily operations. Another benefit of partnering with Take 5 is that they have a great system for helping investors find and develop district managers, so that we can each be remote owners, said Tetlow. SOURCE Take 5 Oil Change ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus WASHINGTON Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken on Tuesday pressed the leader of Ethiopia to end hostilities in the northern Tigray region, citing a growing number of credible reports of atrocities and human rights violations and abuses. In a phone call with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Mr. Blinken pushed for Ethiopia to withdraw outside forces from Tigray, and for an immediate end to the violence, according to a State Department spokesman, Ned Price. The Biden administration is seeking an end to what it describes as a deepening humanitarian crisis. It was the second time in less than a week that Mr. Blinken cited reports of atrocities in the region. The secretary urged the Ethiopian government to take immediate, concrete steps to protect civilians, including refugees, and to prevent further violence, Mr. Price said in a statement Tuesday. Appearances can suggest we care less about things than we really do New Delhi, March 3 : With over millions of species breathing on earth, the world celebrates Wildlife Day today, March 3, to raise awareness of global flora and fauna. There are many rare and extoic animals that can be found only in India. Wildlife plays an important role for the earth, as it scientifically balances the environment and ensures harmonious co-existence among beings. Indian wildlife sanctuaries are home to rare, beautiful and elusive species of animals that can be found only in our country. From lion-tailed macaque in the Western Ghats of India to Sangai, subspecies of brow-antlered deer that holds cultural significance in Manipur, here are some wildlife sanctuaries worth visiting, curated by Booking.com curates to bring you a little closer to the beautiful species. 1. Lion-tailed macaque, Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala) Image Source: IANS News As an Old World monkey native to the Western Ghats of South India, they rank among the rarest of the 250-species (approx.) of primates around the world. The Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary, a protected area in the Kollam district of Kerala houses and protects the highly endangered species. Spread over 172.403 sq.km, India's first eco-tourism project, Thenmala Eco-tourism Project has been formulated in and around Shenduruny Wildlife Sanctuary. During your visit to the sanctuary, you can stay inside the forests in specially built camping houses and experience the majesty of the jungle by trekking, going on jeep safaris or bird watching, while getting a chance to spot the rare lion-tailed macaque. 2. Nilgiri marten in Anamalai Tiger Reserve (Tamil Nadu) Image Source: IANS News The Nilgiri marten, a small carnivorous mammal, is the only marten species native to India. They are found in moist and wet evergreen forests of the Western Ghats, living at altitudes of 150-2200 m. The animal that usually appears of dark brown colour with a yellow-coloured patch at its forefeet. Their name has been derived from the Nilgiri Hills, however sightings have been reported as far north as Charmadi Ghat and as far south as the Neyyar. You can spot the Nilgiri marten at Anamalai Tiger Reserve, a pristine 958.59 sq. km reserve of tropical jungle, shola forest and grassland rising to 2400m and spilling over the Western Ghats into Kerala between Kodaikanal and Coimbatore 3. The Kashmir Stag in Dachigam National Park (Jammu & Kashmir) The Kashmir Stag, also known as Hangul, is a subspecies of elk and is native to Kashmir. Only found in the dense riverine forests of Dachigam National Park located at 22 km from Srinagar, the Kashmir Stag is listed as one of the critically endangered and rare species. With their magnificent antlers, the stag is the state animal of Jammu and Kashmir. In the 1900s, there were about 3,000-5,000 of these species found in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, but today, about 150 remain in the state. You can locate these majestic animals in the wild at the Dachigam National Park, where you can also spot leopard, hill fox and Himalayan serow, among others. Image Source: IANS News 4. Sangai in Keibul Lamjao National Park (Manipur) The endangered subspecies of brow-antlered deer, called sangai, is only found in Manipur. They reside in about 15-20 km area across the Keibul Lamjao National Park in Manipur, the only floating park in the world. As the state animal of Manipur, its significance is seen in the cultural folklore where sangai is the binding factor between humans and nature and killing it was a sin. Today where a lot of conservation efforts are made to save and protect the species, one should not miss a chance to visit the park situated at the Loktak Lake and be in the company of these rare animals. 5. Pygmy Hog, Manas National Park (Assam) As a critically endangered species, pygmy hog is now only found in Assam. These are the smallest wild pigs and piglets, and they are one of the very few mammals that build its own home and complete it with a roof. The species is the sole representative of Porcula, suid native to alluvial grasslands in the foothills of the Himalayas, and their extinction may result in the extinction of the species. Of the 150 pygmy hogs left, Manas National Park in Assam hosts some of the rare species. The park is known for its endemic wildlife such as the Assam roofed turtle, hispid hare and wild water buffalo. 6. Nilgiri Tahr, Eravikulam National Park (Kerala) As the only mountain ungulate in Southern India among just 12 species found in India, Nilgiri Tahr is found only in the tropical rainforest of the Western Ghats. With curved horns, coarse and short fur, the Nilgiri Tahr is extensively found in the Eravikulam National Park (Idukki district) where an estimated 700-800 Nilgiri Tahrs live. Nilgiri Tahr in Eravikulam National Park occurs in two types of groups: the mixed groups and an all-male group. At the Eravikulam National Park located at the backdrop of tea plantations, one can witness the mass flowering of Neelakurinji flowers that bloom once in 12 years and turn the carpet blue. (IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in) -- Syndicated from IANS The family of cervical cancer victim Joan Lucey has settled the High Court action which brought the deathbed plight of the retired Dingle nurse to public attention last month. Ms Lucey died, aged 73, just hours before the mediation she had bravely fought for was finally to get underway - with the talks agreed as her health deteriorated amid what her family said, they believed, was the stress of the ongoing case. Ms Lucey tragically died just before midnight on Friday, February 19, with talks set to finally begin on the Saturday. They were put back until Tuesday of last week, by which time Ms Lucey's Funeral had been held in her native Dingle amid widespread mourning and tributes. In a moving Eulogy, her son, Sean, told how his mother, who became the latest woman linked to the CervicalCheck scandal on waiving her anonymity in the action, was 'courageous and brave to the last'. She brought a claim for general damages against the HSE and two laboratories over the alleged misreading, misinterpretation or misreporting on cervical slides taken in February and August of 2011, in an action alleging that cancerous cells were allowed to develop and spread unidentified, unmonitored and untreated until her diagnosis in July 2019. The claims were denied by the parties, and Ms Lucey's claims for general damage fell away when she died, but her children replaced her as plaintiffs as the action was reconstituted as a fatal claim. Mediation got underway on Tuesday last week, less than a day after Ms Lucey's Funeral, but the Court was informed the talks had proved unsuccessful, ending at 10pm on Tuesday. Lucey family counsel Oongah McCrann SC, instructed by Aisling Maher of Cantillons Solicitors, told the Court on Thursday that the case had been resolved. Mr Justice Kevin Cross - who had urged the HSE to take instruction 'at the highest level' to try to settle by mediation just the day before Ms Lucey's death - congratulated all sides and the mediator on the outcome. The case comes back before the Court on March 4, when the settlement is expected to be approved, one which is understood to have been reached without an admission of liability. The much-loved Dingle woman, who lost her beloved husband, Robbie, at a tragically young age to illness in 1994, worked for the HSE as a district nurse in West Kerry in recent decades, and had volunteered with the Irish Cancer Society. The Boogaloo, which has been identified by the FBI as a far-right, domestic terrorist movement, derived its name from a poorly rated 1984 Breakdancing musical film sequel, Breakin 2: Electric Boogaloo. While the cinematic follow-up centered on a harmless and physically dazzling dance craze, the social movement is far more ominous; it centers on plans for a sequel to the Civil War, according to the FBI. The Boogaloo ideology, as well as the fashion trends, lingo and imagery that define it, were outlined by FBI Special Agent Henrik Impola during a preliminary hearing in Jackson County District Court Wednesday. Boogaloo is a term for civil war, Impola testified, which is the complete collapse of society in which anarchy rules. The belief is: you have to prepare for it and you have to defend yourself proactively and be engaged in the fight (against the government) because in a complete collapse of society, everybody will need to defend themselves and the government will be trying to maintain control of you. More coverage from the hearing: Militias memes take center stage in Whitmer kidnap plot court case Impola played a key role in an FBI investigation that led to thwarting an alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and commit other acts of violence. The FBI agent acted as the handler of a Flint-area informant referenced in court testimony as Dan, who first contacted local law enforcement to report that a group of anti-government militants calling themselves the Wolverine Watchmen were discussing possible violence against police, Impola said. The mole wore a wire that transmitted live audio to Impola and gave the FBI access to his Wire account, a message encryption application through which the suspects had candid text-message discussion about their plans. A joint preliminary hearing for Joseph Morrison, 26; Pete Musico, 42; and Paul Bellar, 21, who are three of 14 men suspected in the kidnap plot, began in Jackson County District Court before Judge Michael J. Klaeren on Wednesday. The hearing is to determine whether prosecutors have enough evidence and testimony to take the case to trial court. Bellar, according to the FBI, is the founder of the Wolverine Watchmen, a militia organization that started as a Facebook group. Musico and Morrison were among the earliest to join. Impola said the group shared Boogaloo propaganda, often through memes posted on the page, in order to attract and vet new members. Those deemed trustworthy and on board with the Boogaloo cause were invited to join chat groups on encrypted texting applications that the government cant intercept -- without an insider -- the FBI agent said. The loose-knit Boogalo boys or bois, as they sometimes reference themselves, often wear tropical-patterned Hawaiian shirts to announce their membership and use imagery of an igloo in propaganda, said Impola. The term big igloo is a play off Boogaloo, the way to talk about it without being censored online or the government knowing, Impola said. They also refer to it as the big luau, which is another play off the term Boogaloo. Flower patterns, thats mockery of the uniform worn by Red Coats, which is what the Boogaloo movement views the government as - Red Coats (a term for British military during the Civil War) or Nazis, so they mock the uniform. Prior to their arrests, Musico and Morrison were interviewed by TV news reporters alongside another defendant during a June 18 gun rights protest in Lansing. All three men were armed and wearing Hawaiian shirts. Its summertime, Musico said when asked about his fashion choice. Its Hawaiian time. We like Hawaiian shirts. An example of the Boogaloo Boys meme that was shared on the Wolverine Watchmen Facebook group page, according to the FBI. The movement heavily recruits people who identify as Constitutionalists and molds its ideology around what it believes Founding Fathers intended when they wrote the Constitution. Musico said in conversations intercepted by the FBI that he was ready for the boog (slang for Boogaloo) and to become a martyr for the cause, according to Impola, and Bellar said he was willing to fight and die for the Boogaloo and also pushed propaganda to recruit members. The trio of defendants later linked up with other members of the alleged plot and conducted armed training exercises and surveillance of Whitmers vacation home in preparation for her abduction, investigators say. Six men are charged with federal crimes and five others are charged with state crimes in Antrim County, which is where the purported surveillance mission occurred. The preliminary hearing for Musico, Bellar and Morrison is scheduled to resume Thursday at 9 a.m. More on MLive: The ties that bind the suspects in alleged plot Alleged kidnapping plot photos, video released Liberate Michigan, Trump tweets Whitmer said Trump is inciting domestic terrorism Town alarmed by presence of militia plot Men trained with guns, explosives, neighbors say Feds want to share grand jury testimony He cant believe he got involved Ghost guns seized during searches Citizens arrest defense probably wont fly Are you a current print subscriber to Columbia Gorge News? If so, you qualify for free access to all content on columbiagorgenews.com. Simply verify with your subscriber id to receive free access. Your subscriber id may be found on your bill or mailing label. The U.S. Capitol is seen behind the metal security fencing around the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Feb. 18, 2021. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Photo) Capitol Police to Increase Security Around March 4 Due to Concerning Intelligence The U.S. Capitol Police Department is moving to increase security and staffing on Capitol grounds for a number of days that will cover Thursday, March 4, owing to the intelligence it has obtained. The Department is aware of concerning information and intelligence pertaining to March 4th and continues to work with all of our law enforcement partners, the department announced on Twitter late Tuesday. Based on the intelligence that we have, the Department has taken immediate steps to enhance our security posture and staffing for a number of days, to include March 4th. The Department has communicated our enhanced posture as well as the available intelligence for the entire workforce. Inauguration Day used to be March 4 under the U.S. Constitution, until the passage of the 20th Amendment in 1933, which moved the date to Jan. 20. Conspiracy theories have been circulating on social media platforms suggesting that former President Donald Trump would return as the president on Thursday to reclaim power. Members of the National Guard are seen on the East Front of the U.S. Capitol Building on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 2, 2021. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images) House Acting Sergeant at Arms Timothy Blodgett told all members of Congress in a message on Monday that his office and Capitol Police are monitoring information surrounding the date, which he said some have described as the true Inauguration Day. Blodgett said that Capitol Police have no indication that groups will travel to Washington to protest or carry out any violence, and that the significance of the March 4 date has reportedly declined amongst various groups in recent days. Despite this, extra personnel will be posted throughout Capitol grounds as a precaution, he said. Additionally, the National Guard continues to maintain a presence on Capitol grounds to support the USCP with maintaining an increased security posture. Members and Congressional staff should present their Congressional ID to any law enforcement officer or National Guard member staffing access points to campus, Blodgett told lawmakers. 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. ARMYs something to look forward to in the coming days! On Tuesday, March 2, it was revealed that BTS has collaborated with KBS2 for a very special talk show in 2021. BTS Set to Star in a KBS2 Talk Show Special Titled 'Let's BTS!' After making waves in audio streaming sites and numerous music charts worldwide, new reports suggested that Jin, Jimin, Jungkook, J-Hope, Suga, RM, and V are set to dominate the small screens very soon. It was confirmed that Shin Dong Yup would be hosting the "Let's BTS" talk show, which will reveal the never-before-seen sides of all BTS members. Devoted followers of the South Korean boyband could expect BTS to open up about their personal lives and careers. Jin, Jimin, Jungkook, J-Hope, Suga, RM, and V would also be given a chance to interview each other as they show their avid followers a more personal side of them through unique challenges and games. Aside from that, "Let's BTS" is also projected to feature some special and never-before-seen live stage performances of Jin, Jimin, Jungkook, J-Hope, Suga, RM, and V. Besides Shin Dong Yup, speculations are rife that comedian Jang Do Yeon would also be joining the fun as he would host some quirky segments of the upcoming KBS2 show. "Let's BTS" is set to premiere on March 29, 2021, at 10:40 p.m. KST. So, devoted supporters of Jin, Jimin, Jungkook, J-Hope, Suga, RM, and V should stay tuned for more spoilers and updates. BTS' 'Map of the Soul: 7' and 'BE' Albums Extend Streak on Billboard 200 Meanwhile, recent music tallies seem to confirm that BTS is a worldwide phenomenon. As a matter of fact, the "Map of the Soul: 7" album of Jin, Jimin, Jungkook, J-Hope, Suga, RM and V has extended its placement on the Billboard 200 chart. As of this writing, it already spent 53 weeks on the said tally. "BE," also by BTS, reappeared on this week's Billboard 200 chart at No. 7. Previously, the second album of Jin, Jimin, Jungkook, J-Hope, Suga, RM, and V in 2020 peaked at No. 1. As of press time, it already spent a total of 14 weeks on the said tally. BTS' multi-awarded song called "Dynamite" has also continued its dominance on the Billboard Hot 100 chart as it entered its 27th week on the said tally. The same track re-appeared on the Billboard Global 200 Excl. U.S. and Billboard Global 200 charts at No. 4 and No. 8, respectively. On the Billboard Artist 100 chart, BTS re-peaked at No. 1 this week. The South Korean group fell from the top spot in the last few weeks. Fortunately, they were able to regain supremacy anew. All in all, Jin, Jimin, Jungkook, J-Hope, Suga, RM and V have spent a total of 229 weeks in the said tally. In other news, BTS is announced to be part of the incredible lineup of "Music On A Mission" event performers. Other artists confirmed to perform and appear on the show include John Legend, Usher, Carole King, Jonas Brothers, Shakira and more! The virtual concert is set to happen on March 12, 2021, at 8 P.M. ET. To secure a ticket, click here. For more K-Pop news and updates, always keep your tabs open here on KpopStarz. KpopStarz owns this article. Written by Nica Vaughn [March 03, 2021] Dr. J. Goosby Smith Named Vice President for Community Belonging and Chief Diversity Officer at Pepperdine University Pepperdine University announced today its long-anticipated selection of the University's inaugural vice president for community belonging and chief diversity officer, Dr. J. Goosby Smith. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005877/en/ Dr. J. Goosby Smith, inaugural vice president for community belonging and chief diversity officer for Pepperdine University. (Photo: Business Wire) Smith will join Pepperdine on June 1, 2021, from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, where she currently serves as associate professor of leadership; associate professor of management; assistant provost for diversity, equity, and inclusion; and director of the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Center. Smith received her BS in computer science from Spelman College and her MBA and PhD in organizational behavior from Case Western Reserve University. She anticipates earning her master of divinity from Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia, in December 2021. "What an honor it is today to announce Dr. Smith is returning to the Pepperdine community," said Pepperdine president Jim Gash. "I'm especially grateful to the Search Committee for identifying an amazing and experienced leader. I simply cannot wait to work alongside Dr. Smith as we chart a distinctively Pepperdine path forward addressing one of the great issues of our time. Our goal isn't just to have a community of belonging but to train generations of graduates to create the same in their own communities." Smith is no stranger to Pepperdine having served previously as an assistant professor of organizational behavior in the Seaver College Business Administration Division from 2002 to 2006, and then as a tenured associate professor of organizational behavior in the same division from 2011 to 2015. She has also served as assessment coordinator for the Seaver Diversity Council and as an adjunct professor in the Graziadio Business School's MBA program. Smith will report directly to President Gash, serve as a member of the University's Steering Team, and be a principal leader on the University Diversity Council for which she previously served as inaugural faculty co-chair in 2005. The selection of a vice president for community belonging and chief diversity officer is one in a series of initiatives the University has been implementing to cultivate a community of deep belonging and to build and model a diverse, informed, loving, and unified community at Pepperdine. Joining Smith in leading diversity and inclusion initiatives at Pepperdine will be Dr. April Harris Akinloye ('00, MA '05), who will return to her alma mater as the assistant vice president for community belonging. Harris Akinloye is a double alumna of Pepperdine, receiving her BA in speech communication and religious studies from Seaver College and her MA in education from the Graduate School of Education and Psychology. She earned her PhD in education with a focus on cultural perspectives from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Harris Akinloye will join Pepperdine from Social Good Solutions where she is currently a senior consultant for diversity, equity, and inclusion. She previously served as the chief diversity officer at Vanguard University. "In the first few months of my presidency, I made it clear that hiring a chief diversity officer would be among my top priorities," said Gash. "Though we began our national search for a chief diversity officer, after getting to know these two extraordinarily qualified leaders, each of whom has a deep love for Pepperdine and our mission, we decided to hire a team-and what a team it is! Drs. Smith and Harris Akinloye will be a venerable force to help lead Pepperdine to a new level of inclusion, excellence, and genuine belonging, befitting the Pepperdine community's unwavering commitment to radical Christian hospitality." View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005877/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Colorados Senate tentatively endorsed a bill this week to eliminate a six-year statute of limitations for victims of child sexual assault to pursue civil action against perpetrators, an effort lawmakers have struggled with for years. The bipartisan bill faces a third and final vote before moving to the House. Colorado has no statute of limitations for criminal cases involving sexual abuse of minors. Sponsored in the Senate by Democrat Jessie Danielson and Republican Don Coram, the legislation removes the statute of limitations for filing civil claims on or after Jan. 1, 2022, or for claims within the six-year statute as of that date. It also removes several restrictions for filing civil claims, and it would apply to claims against a person or organization that didnt directly perpetrate the alleged misconduct. Danielson and Coram argued that assault survivors can take years, even decades, to recover from their abuse before even contemplating legal action. Under current law, those survivors must file any civil claim against abusers by the age of 24, and by age 20 against employers or organizations harboring abusers. Danielson noted 10 states have eliminated civil statutes of limitations in such cases: Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Utah and Vermont. Republican Sen. Bob Gardner urged, without success, that the bill be referred to the Judiciary Committee, insisting its one hearing in the Health and Human Services Committee may not have addressed all legal aspects of changing statute, especially when it comes to potential third-party liability. You have no idea how little I care about who that third party is. I care about that child, Coram said. Senators also voted down a Gardner amendment to extend the statute of limitations to 20 years. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Abuse Molestation Politics Colorado Companies which sought SEZ denotification include Fab City semiconductor SEZ (285 acres), Emaar Hills, Brahmani, Sanghi, Maytas Enterprises, Rudradev, Mahavir Sky Scrappers, Parsvnath Biotech SEZ, TSIIC Hardware IT SEZ, Madikonda IT SEZ, Warangal, and Hasanparthy VR Enterprises IT SEZ. Representational image Hyderabad: Companies are vying to shed the SEZ tag in the state as they no longer enjoy certain concessions that were announced by the Centre earlier. These companies now want to come under the state governments TS-iPASS which has benefits like faster approvals among others. A large number of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) were sanctioned in the state especially on city outskirts by the UPA goverment between 2004 and 2013. There was heavy demand for the SEZ tag due to tax holidays and other incentives. The UPA government later withdrew some of the concessions and the subsequent NDA government removed some more. Following this, several SEZs with thousands of acres of land have remained non-functional. Official sources in the industries department said that 15 SEZs, mostly on the city outskirts, have applied for withdrawal of the SEZ status. The state government has to issue a no-objection certificate (NoC) to enble the Centre to denotify an SEZ. Official sources said the companies which sought SEZ denotification include Fab City semiconductor SEZ (285 acres), Emaar Hills, Brahmani, Sanghi, Maytas Enterprises, Rudradev, Mahavir Sky Scrappers, Parsvnath Biotech SEZ, TSIIC Hardware IT SEZ, Madikonda IT SEZ, Warangal, and Hasanparthy VR Enterprises IT SEZ. The Centre has given in-principle nod for denotifcation of SEZ status to four SEZs: Dr Reddys Pharma SEZ in Medak, Biological E Biotech SEZ, Maytas Ventures and S2Tech IT SEZ. The UPA had approved 67 SEZs in the state of which 24 are operational. Another seven are under various stages of approval. Approval for 21 applicants were denied and another 15 SEZs have sought denotification. Even the state government's TS Industrial Infrastructure Corporation has sought denotification of its three IT SEZs with a plan to set up IT parks in their place. Moncks Corner, SC (29461) Today A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. High 82F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Increasing clouds with showers arriving overnight. Low 64F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. ADVERTISEMENT The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) on Wednesday in Jigawa arrested a 25-year old man allegedly posing as a brother of its Comptroller-General, Mohammed Babandede, who was promising residents of the state employment into the agency. The states comptroller of Immigration, Ismail Aliyu, said Mohammed Babaji, a resident of Bayi quarters in Hadejia LGA, was arrested while parading himself as a younger brother to Mr Babandede, collecting the credentials of job seekers and promising them jobs. He said the suspect used a pseudo name, Baffa Babandede, and attempted to defraud the chairman of Birniwa Local Government Area in Jigawa before his arrest on Wednesday. The NIS official said Mr Babaji told the council chairman that Mr Babandede directed him to collect the curriculum vitae of three interested persons for employment into the Immigration service. The council chairman became suspicious and called the Comptroller-General who hails from the region to verify if he had indeed sent the person. He denied and directed for the immediate arrest of the culprit, Mr Aliyu narrated. Parading the suspect, Mr Aliyu said the man confessed that he was previously jailed for fraud. He said the suspect had been targeting vulnerable residents, claiming to be an agent that would provide employments opportunities for them and promising others chieftaincy titles in the Hadejia Emirate. Habitual fraudster Meanwhile, while responding to questions, the suspect said he is an habitual fraudster. Defrauding people is my destiny in life, I have been doing so for long. I have also duped a member of the House of Representatives and others, promising them chieftaincy or employment opportunities, the suspect told reporters. LOS ANGELES, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Filmmakers Marisa Polvino and Kate Cohen announced the launch of Straight Up Impact, a woman-owned, fully integrated media company, which will finance, develop and produce thought-provoking stories that inspire audiences to enact positive change. The new company will release a wide variety of content, including feature films, series, documentaries and short films. Straight Up Films founders Polvino and Cohen have teamed up with Pam Roy, a strategist and financier who began working with the team on two of its forthcoming projects. The company will finance and produce projects up to $20 million. "Through film, we want to create a strong call-to-action to encourage people to think differently and inspire transformation," Polvino and Cohen said. "We believe that film is a powerful catalyst for change, and we want to be part of driving those conversations. We want to leave the world a better place for our children." Straight Up Impact has already begun the development of three projects, including two features and a documentary series. Its first full-length feature film "Joseph Merrick," based on the life of the Elephant Man and directed by Kornel Mundruczo, the acclaimed director of "Pieces Of A Woman," will begin filming this fall in Budapest. "I've been so fortunate to partner with these talented women to bring these stories to life," Roy said. "Filmmaking is one of the most powerful ways to impact perspectives and inspire social change. We look forward to sharing this important content with audiences." Founded in 2008, Straight Up Films has produced a string of successful features, including Transcendence, distributed by Warner Brothers and starring Johnny Depp, Paul Bettany, Morgan Freeman and Rebecca Hall, and has worked with the likes of Gavin O'Connor and Spike Lee. For more information on Straight Up Impact, contact Jami Schlicher at 973-647-0655 or [email protected]. About Straight Up Impact Straight Up Impact finances, develops and produces thought-provoking stories that inspire audiences to enact positive change. Straight Up Films Founders Kate Cohen and Marisa Polvino have partnered with strategist and financier Pam Roy to lead this woman-owned company, which will focus on releasing a wide variety of content, including feature films, series, documentaries and short films. For more information, visit www.straight-up-impact.com. Contact: Jami Schlicher JConnelly 973-647-0655 [email protected] SOURCE Straight Up Impact Related Links https://straight-up-impact.com/ Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, former Deputy Health Minister and Member of Parliament Ledzokuku constituency, has urged Ghanaians to make history by submitting themselves for the COVID-19 vaccine jab. Ghana has begun her vaccination exercise with 600000 vaccines currently being procured into the country. About 20 million Ghanaians have been targeted to be inoculated. Speaking on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo", Dr. Okoe Boye has advised Ghanaians to take the vaccines saying ''the deployment of vaccines marks the beginning of the end of every pandemic including COVID-19. Anyone who avails himself or presents himself for a jab is writing his name in the history books as being part of those people that got rid of this particular pandemic. So, let's make history together ". Watch full submissions below: 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 Italy has extended key parts of its pandemic restrictions for about another month, the government said on Tuesday. This means that Italians may not cross the internal borders of the countrys 20 regions until March 27, although exceptions are allowed for work and emergencies. Other restrictions will stay in place until April 6. Also, schools in areas designated high risk, known as red zones, must close, Health Minister Roberto Speranza said. Prime Minister Mario Draghi signed off on the measures in a decree. Mr Speranza and other health experts noted that the British strain of the virus now accounts for well over half of the countrys cases. The variant is more transmissible and causes more severe illness, initial studies suggest. Overall, Mr Speranza said, the infection curve is rising. As the spread of the British strain is affecting young people, in particular, the government has moved to clamp down on schools, he said. The regulations are to enter effect on March 6 and are still based on classifying the country by risk zones, described by colours. Remote learning is to be introduced in red zones and areas with a seven-day incidence of 250 cases or more per 100,000 people. There was relief, however, for some cultural institutions in areas with a lower infection rate. Theatres and cinemas in yellow zones, for example, will be able to open their doors as of March 27, albeit to smaller audiences than before. Museums in those zones which are already allowed to open on weekdays will be able to admit the public on weekends, too. Mr Draghis new pandemic decree has been awaited for some time but lawmakers held differing views on issues such as education, for example. On Tuesday, the country of some 60 million announced more than 17,000 new cases in the past 24 hours. Overall, Italy has seen just fewer than 3 million cases since the outbreak began. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT By David Milliken, William Schomberg and Andy Bruce LONDON (Reuters) - Finance minister Rishi Sunak delivered what he hopes will be a last big spending splurge to get Britain's economy through the COVID-19 crisis, and announced a corporate tax hike from 2023 as he began to focus on the huge hit to the public finances. Sunak said in an annual budget speech on Wednesday that the economy would return to its pre-pandemic size in mid-2022, six months earlier than previously forecast, helped by Europe's fastest coronavirus vaccination programme. But lasting economic damage equivalent to 3% of annual output would persist, and 65 billion pounds ($91 billion) of extra support was needed in the short term as restrictions were lifted over the next few months, he said. Sunak's early warning that he will demand more money from companies - and most individual taxpayers too - makes him one of the first policymakers from rich countries to set out a plan to tighten budget policy after the pandemic. Britain's first rise in corporation tax since 1974 will see big, profitable companies pay 25% from 2023 compared to 19% now and the overall rate of taxation in the economy increase to its highest since 1969. But before then firms can use a two-year "super-deduction" tax break that Sunak hopes will snap them out of their pandemic deep-freeze and invest to boost short-term growth. The government's budget watchdog said the move was likely to bring forward investment that would have taken place later. In his speech to parliament, Sunak repeated his plan to do "whatever it takes to support the British people and businesses" after the economy slumped by 10% last year. Britain has also suffered Europe's biggest COVID-19 death toll. "Once we are on the way to recovery, we will need to begin fixing the public finances and I want to be honest today about our plans to do that," he said. The support measures included a five-month extension of Britain's huge jobs rescue plan, wider help for the self-employed and the continuation of an emergency increase in welfare payments. Story continues A property tax exemption for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses will now run until the end of June, by when Prime Minister Boris Johnson hopes to have lifted most COVID-19 restrictions. An existing tax break for home-buyers was extended by three months until June 30 and then for cheaper homes until the end of September. PUBS AND HOUSE BUILDERS GAIN, BOND PRICES FALL Shares in housebuilders gained on the news, with Persimmon one of the top risers in the FTSE 100, up almost 7%. Pub firms JD Wetherspoon and Premier Inn owner Whitbread also rose more than 5%, helped by an extended VAT cut for the hospitality sector. But British government bond prices fell sharply after Sunak said overall borrowing will be much bigger next financial year than thought just a few months ago - 234 billion pounds, or 10.3% of gross domestic product, compared with a previous estimate of 164 billion pounds, or 7.4% of GDP. The UK Debt Management Office said it planned to sell 296 billion pounds of gilts in the coming year, well above the 247 billion pounds expected in a Reuters poll. "The UK's fiscal stance has become much looser, and more focused on investment, more in line with its U.S. and euro area counterparts," Morgan Stanley economist Jacob Nell said. "This shift changes our view of the UK. Near term, we see a stronger and more investment-focused recovery bringing forward the return to pre-COVID-19 levels of output." To get a grip on borrowing, Sunak's future hikes will increase the tax burden from 34% to 35% of GDP by the mid-2020s. "The UK is thus to become the first major economy to consider such measures," Valentin Marinov, head of G10 foreign exchange research at Credit Agricole, said. As well as the COVID shock, many companies are also under strain from Brexit after Britain left the European Union's single market on Jan. 1, and the government faces the challenge of huge investment to meet its promise to create a net zero carbon economy by 2050. UK EARLY MOVER ON TAX HIKES Britain's Office for Budgetary Responsibility (OBR) said the economy was likely to grow 4% in 2021, less than the 5.5% it had forecast in November, due largely to the current lockdown which began in January. The growth forecast for 2022 increased to 7.3% from 6.6%. Sunak has already racked up Britain's highest borrowing since World War Two, with the deficit reaching an estimated 17% of GDP in the 2020/21 financial year that ends in April. Sunak said the corporation tax rise would still leave the headline rate lower than in the rest of the G7 group of rich nations. Rain Newton-Smith, chief economist at the Confederation of British Industry, said the hike was "a huge jump" and that other G7 countries would be more competitive than Britain when state and federal level tax breaks were taken into account. The Institute for Fiscal Studies said that after the tax rises, corporation tax revenues would be a greater share of GDP in Britain than in the United States, Germany, France or Italy. Sunak also said he would freeze the amount of money that people can earn tax-free and the threshold for the higher rate of income tax at the 2021/22 level until April 2026. (Additional reporting by Guy Faulconbridge, William James, Costas Pitas, James Davey, Estelle Shirbon, Elizabeth Piper, Paul Sandle, Alastair Smout and Sarah Young; Writing by William Schomberg; Editing by Catherine Evans) M&A AT&T divesting defense IT professional services business What they are keeping and what Tyto Athene is getting in this deal First things first -- AT&T remains a blue chip player in the federal market even though it has agreed on the sale of its defense IT professional services business to government systems integrator Tyto Athene. AT&T is the company responsible for building and rolling out the multibillion dollar FirstNet network for public safety personnel across the U.S. They are also one of nine carriers on the governmentwide EIS contract vehicle to help agencies implement next-generation telecommunications environments. There is hence plenty of market share AT&T already has in tow and to also go after, especially amid the 5G revolution. Market intelligence firm FedSavvy Strategies outlined in an analysis last year how AT&T has emphasized research-and-development in its bids for federal technology contracts. Expect that to continue as AT&T evolves its federal strategy. AT&T has also agreed to enter into teaming agreements with Tyto for IT professional services opportunities with the Defense Department, the companies said Wednesday in announcing the transaction. Terms of the deal were undisclosed, but Tytos employee count will grow to around 1,200 in the U.S. and worldwide by adding the business known as AT&T Government Solutions. Divesting these assets aligns with our strategy to support and serve our public sector customers with our industry leading networking solutions, AT&Ts business segment CEO Anne Chow said in a release. We remain firmly committed to enabling our clients success across the public sector, including defense, civilian, national security and public safety agencies, and helping them modernize their infrastructure in support of their missions. We look forward to the opportunity to work with Tyto Athene to meet the needs of our federal customers. Tyto Athene is owned by private equity firm Arlington Capital Partners, which purchased and created the company in 2018 through a carve-out from former parent Black Box. That initial deal to form Tyto is a carbon copy of what this transaction with AT&T looks like. Acquisition number one by Tyto followed in 2019 when the company purchased Island Information Technology Consultants, which provides communications tools to intelligence agencies. So what does Tyto Athene get by adding the AT&T Government Solutions business? The tangibles include a suite of multiple-award contract vehicles such as the General Services Administrations Alliant 2 and MEGASTAR, Armys RS3 and ITES-3S, and Navy Seaport Next Generation. An undefined group of select other contracts is also going to Tyto Athene. But the company also believes that with its increased size, the company can better support the military in its digital transformation and joint all-domain operations. We will continue to be poised to benefit from the secular tailwinds of U.S. Government investment in legacy IT modernization and cybersecurity efforts, said Tyto Chief Operating Officer Chris Meilhammer. Tyto looks forward to teaming with AT&T to identify and pursue opportunities in the DOD and beyond. Both companies expect to close the deal in either the latter part of the first quarter or early in the second quarter. The larger corporate story for AT&T is this divestiture is its latest move to find new homes for non-core assets as the telecommunications giant seeks to take down its debt load and focus on its connectivity and TV streaming businesses. Late last month, AT&T spun off three of its video services including DirecTV into a new entity that will own and operate those assets. Private equity firm TPG will manage that entity and hold a 30 percent stake, while AT&T will hold the remaining 70 percent. Activist hedge fund Elliott Management took a stake in AT&T in September 2019 and exited that investment in December 2020, but pushed for changes during that time. One did happen: the retirement of longtime CEO Randall Stephenson in mid-2020 and elevation of then-COO John Stankey as the successor. Much of AT&Ts efforts to sell non-core businesses also have been in the works before that stake was disclosed. For GovCon watchers in the room -- Elliott is the same group partnering with private equity firm Veritas Capital to acquire defense and transportation company Cubic Corp., which will go from being publicly-traded to privately-held. (EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was updated to clarify that AT&T is selling the professional services piece focused on DOD contracts) By turning it into an early mid-term review of the Modi governments performance and the BJPs politics, Ms Banerjee has achieved what many other parties were trying to do but were clueless about how to galvanise people into making a choice. (PTI file photo/Ashok Bhaumik) West Bengal has always been able to buck the trend, overturn expectations and be an uncontainable force in Indian politics. The 2021 Assembly polls will be a reflection of the particular politics of West Bengal, where the local is entangled with the national and works its way into the contemporary discourse on democracy and the nature of the threats that endanger its survival as an organically evolving political and institutional form. From December 18, 2020, after the defection of a key leader from East Midnapore, Suvendu Adhikari, it seemed that the Trinamul Congress was on the run. By the time Mamata Banerjee reached Dunlop on February 24, an industrial wasteland after the closure of the legendary tyre factory immediately after Prime Minister Narendra Modis public meeting at the same venue, she worked out her offensive strategy that would unshackle her from the corner into which the anti-TMC parties -- BJP, CPI(M)-led Left Front and Congress -- had tried to box her in. Till then it was a fight between the very different but powerful charismatic appeal of Narendra Modi versus Mamata Banerjee. It was also a confrontation over nation-nationalism, secularism versus Hindu vote consolidation by raising anxieties over the legitimacy of claimants as Indian citizens and the anti-Hindu decisions of the Mamata Banerjee government to appease the Muslim minority, on whose votes she was perceived as disproportionately dependent. In Dunlop, Ms Banerjee attacked the Modi governments move to raise petrol-diesel-LPG prices. She pointedly referred to the withdrawal of the kerosene subsidy and its disappearance from the market, that increased hardship for the poorest 20 million of the states population. By the time she rode a e-scooter back from her Nabanna office on February 26, the elections had been transformed from an Assembly contest into a partial referendum on the Narendra Modi governments performance. The West Bengal election has morphed. The Modi governments actions and policies, brutally ignoring the farmers protests seeking repeal of the three controversial agricultural laws, incremental hikes in petrol-diesel-LPG and kerosene prices, centralising power and decision-making in New Delhi by invalidating the claims of federalism and usurping the rights and powers of the states on education, healthcare, agriculture, social welfare, is as much under the scanner as is the performance of Mamata Banerjees government. By February 28, with the announcement of the Samyukta Morcha of the CPI(M)-led Left Front-Congress-Indian Secular Front led by Pirzada Abbasuddin Siddiqui of Furfura Sharif, a rookie politician with a newly hatched platform, the transformation of the election into a political consolidation against the BJPs communally polarising and anxiety-induced divisive agenda was complete. The ISF and the anointing of Prizada Abbasuddin at a mammoth Brigade Parade Ground rally could be the X factor that makes an unprecedented election fascinatingly unpredictable -- never before has a cleric led a party and come to the assistance of the Left to oust the BJPs communally polarising politics. By turning it into an early mid-term review of the Modi governments performance and the BJPs politics, Ms Banerjee has achieved what many other parties were trying to do but were clueless about how to galvanise people into making a choice. The e-scooter ride, great theatre as it was, was also a political statement. It symbolised the buildup of the simmering anti-incumbency sentiments against the Modi government, given the reactions on the social media. The conversation that the RJDs Tejashwi Yadav had with Ms Banerjee on Monday will have an impact on how votes fragment in a dozen-odd seats. For the BJP, the current round of elections is crucial, and every seat won or lost in West Bengal will affect its future. The strengthening of anti-BJP forces cant be good news. The BJPs boast that it will win 200 of West Bengals 294 seats is a tough target, even for a party that won a surprising 18 Lok Sabha seats of the states 42 in the 2019 parliamentary election. It would have been much easier if Ms Banerjee were a spent force and the Left-Congress didnt seem on the verge of a revival, with the infusion of the ISFs new blood. The earlier nebulous form of the 2021 election has acquired substance. There are two simultaneous battles going on in the elections to the five Assemblies -- against the BJP, which will be the larger context within which the local contests will play out. Its only in West Bengal that the BJP has set itself a challenge. In the other states, like Tamil Nadu, the tussle is within the AIADMK over Jayalalithaas legacy and which party, AIADMK or DMK, gets to rule; and in Kerala, where the BJP is not a factor in the face-off between the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front and the Congress-led United Democratic Front. But, separately and together, these state elections challenge the BJPs hegemonic ambitions variously described as double engine sarkar, one party-one nation, and one nation-one election. On March 7, when Narendra Modi addresses the BJP rally at Kolkatas Brigade Parade Ground, he and the party need answers to the demands and issues raised by Ms Banerjee on one hand and the anti-BJP-anti-TMC consolidation on the other. The CPI(M)-Congress-ISF rally of February 28 was a spectacular mobilisation. Its purpose was to launch the Samyukta Morcha and give it the heft and credibility it needs to offer itself as a viable sustainable alternative to the ruling TMC and the aspirant BJP. It is uncertain how the BJP will bill the PMs rally; will he play aspirant or will he celebrate a presumptive victory over Ms Banerjee? Either way, it will position Mr Modi as the aspirant against the incumbent Mamata Banerjee. The TMC today is different from the party last week; the unintended consequence of the ISF joining forces with the CPI(M) means Ms Banerjee has been bleached clean of one of the BJPs most effective charges against her -- of Muslim appeasement. It remains for the BJP to offer an alternative appeal that is local to West Bengal, instead of a promise to cut and paste the Modi model of development via the double engine sarkar. It may need to review its strategy because raking up religious identity could be alienating, citizenship and identity too could be alienating and it would be very risky to offer itself as a defender of Bengali culture, because pinning down this elusive but tangible and powerful force is never simple, not even for a diehard Bengali. New Delhi, March 3 : Russia on Wednesday threatened to retaliate against the sanctions imposed on it by the US and the EU for allegedly poisoning an opposition leader. In a statement issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry, spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the US administration, teaming up with the EU, has made a hostile move towards Russia by announcing new sanctions "to punish Moscow". The US and EU on Tuesday had imposed sanctions on Russia over the alleged poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny with Novichok nerve agent and his subsequent arrest and detention. Reacting sharply to the anti-Russian sanctions, Kremlin said that the move indicated that the White House is again trying to cultivate the image of an external enemy while it is badly enmeshed in its own domestic problems at home. Describing the US policy as devoid of "logic and common sense", Zakharova said that it is increasingly aggravating bilateral relations that Washington has already brought to a complete halt. In a stern comment, she said that absurdity triumphs when the reason behind the sanctions is based on Alexey Navalny's alleged "poisoning" with some toxic "chemical warfare" agent. This is just a pretext for the continuing undisguised interference in our domestic affairs, and we will not accept this, she said. "Based on the principle of reciprocity, we will respond but not necessarily with symmetrical measures," the Foreign Ministry threatened. Russia, the spokesperson said, can only assume that the US administration does not realise that times have changed and that in the current geopolitical realities, attempts to dictate one's will to others are counterproductive for those who are unable to quit this approach. "Instead of instigating a new round of confrontation, the US should concentrate on the honest implementation of its commitments, for example, on the destruction of its chemical weapons, weapons Russia hasn't possessed since 2017," the ministry said. The Russian spokesperson said that the US finds it difficult to understand and accept the idea that their claims to exclusivity are baseless. Any hopes to impose something on Russia by way of sanctions or other pressure have failed in the past and will fail now, the ministry warned. "If the US is not ready for an equitable and reasonable dialogue, it is their choice," the spokesperson said, adding that Russia will continue to consistently and resolutely uphold its national interests and rebuff any aggression, regardless of the US enthusiasm for sanctions. "We urge our colleagues not to play with fire," she said, adding that as a serial violator of international treaties and agreements on arms control and non-proliferation of weapons, Washington is, by definition, deprived of the moral right to "lecture" others. Vital rural services are being taken away from local communities according to local politicians, who have hit out the latest branch closures by Bank of Ireland this week. The decision by Bank of Ireland to close three Kerry branches - in Killorglin, Castleisland and at Tralee MTU - comes hot on the heels of Ulster Bank pulling out of the Irish market and affects customers across Kerry. Services were already at a minimum at the branches, but the decision has been labelled an 'attack on rural Ireland'. "Up to now our main worry was about the closure of small rural Post Offices which are so crucial to rural life, but the announcement of the closure by Bank of Ireland of 88 of its branches has brought devastation, for both business and private customers, to a whole new level," said Cllr Michael Cahill. "As a nation, we need a strong, clear plan to be put in place, whereby financial and postal services are mapped out and guaranteed to all of our people, not just those in the cities." Bank of Ireland announced that its services in towns where banks are closed will be available in local post offices, which is seen as a positive move. Cllr John Francis Flynn, although critical of the decision by Bank of Ireland to close local branches, said that providing bank services in the local post office will benefit the community and ensure that customers have some service. Damian Quigg, who is a former councillor, is however highly critical of the decision and said that it 'beggars belief' that Bank of Ireland would close its branch in a thriving town like Killorglin. TD Michael Healy-Rae has said the decision marks the end of 'another vital service' in rural Ireland. The Kerry deputy feels that this is a second-phase attack on rural institutions as the network of rural Post Offices has already taken a "severe battering in recent times", and he feels that the door is now being firmly closed on rural Ireland once and for all. Sinn Fein TD Pa Daly blasted the decision as "not just a cynical move, but a slap in the face that will hurt customers, staff, and communities". In Castleisland, Michael John Kearney of Castleisland Chamber Alliance said the news was "disappointing" but had been coming for some time, with on-site services being scaled back over the years. He added that he feels this will be a short-term blow as opposed to a death kneel for the town. "People in Castleisland and its environs will be left stuck, and they'll be left with long distances to travel, particularly older people," he said. "But Castleisland is bigger than Bank of Ireland and is doing better than most towns in the county as it has a broad base of businesses, and you still have AIB, a strong Credit Union, and the post office, so there are banking options there." Labour Councillor Terry O'Brien was also fiercely critical of the move and said the MTU branch closure would hurt Tralee, especially its student population. Sorry, no valid subscriptions were found for this Publication. Please select from an option below to start a subscription. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 24 Hour Access Kangana Ranaut Seeks Transfer Of Cases From Mumbai To Shimla, Moves SC Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut and her sister Rangoli Chandel have moved the Supreme Court seeking transfer of cases pending against them in Mumbai to a court in Shimla, alleging there would be threat to their lives if the trial proceeds there because of personal vendetta of Shiv Sena leaders against them. The actress and her sister said they apprehend that if trials in these cases are conducted in Mumbai, there would be a material threat to their life and property as the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government has been harassing them. "The petitioners face a threat unto life if the trials proceed in Mumbai, because of personal vendetta of Shiv Sena leaders against the petitioner herein," said the plea, filed recently through advocate Neeraj Shekhar. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kangana Ranaut (@kanganaranaut) The plea has sought transfer of the trial of FIRs and complaints registered against them, including a complaint case filed by veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar against Ranaut alleging defamation, from Mumbai to a competent court in Shimla in Himachal Pradesh. It said that Akhtar had filed a complaint case against Ranaut alleging criminal defamation after the actress had given an interview to a news channel last year in which she had talked about a meeting with the lyricist in 2016. It has further sought transfer of an FIR lodged in Mumbai by one Ali Kashif Khan Deshmukh which relates to Chandel's tweet in which she had expressed her anguish over attack on doctors during COVID-19 pandemic. It said subsequently, Twitter account of Chandel was suspended after which Ranaut had spoken on a social media video against it. The plea said Khan had lodged an FIR against Ranaut and Chandel for the alleged offenses under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 295A which deals with deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class. It said that the same complainant had also filed a complaint case before the Metropolitan Magistrate, Andheri, against the petitioners. "Multiple proceedings on the same cause of action clearly demonstrates how the said complainant is just trying to harass the petitioners herein," the plea has alleged. The plea has also sought transfer of an FIR lodged by one Munawar Ali for the alleged offenses of sedition against them. It is pertinent to mention that all the FIRs and complaints in question are frivolous and have been filed with a malicious intent to harass the petitioners herein and malign their public image, the plea has alleged. While, the petitioners have utmost respect for the courts of the country and are ready to face the trial as per law, but they apprehend that if the trials are conducted in Mumbai, there will be a material threat to life and property of the petitioners herein, it said, adding, It is pertinent to mention that the Maharashtra government led by Shiv Sena has been harassing the petitioners herein. It said that in September last year, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had illegally demolished a part of the Pali Hill bungalow of Ranaut. The plea said later, the Bombay High Court had declared the BMC's act as illegal. These acts of the Maharashtra government clearly shows that the Maharashtra government has malafide intentions against the petitioners herein and that if the petitioners visit Maharashtra to attend the said trials, there will be a constant threat to them from the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra government, it claimed. The plea has also mentioned that looking at the threat perception of Ranaut, she was granted Y-plus category of CRPF security by the home ministry. Therefore, it becomes quite evident that the petitioners face a serious threat to life and property and if the trial of the cases are not transferred out of Mumbai, the petitioners' life will be at risk, it said while seeking transfer of these cases from Mumbai to Shimla. It alleged that the Shiv Sena will leave no stone unturned to eliminate the petitioners herein, because of petitioner No. 1's (Ranaut) continuous outspokenness against the wrongs done by the Shiv Sena in collusion with big names of Bollywood . Killeen, TX (76540) Today Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy this afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 81F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies early with scattered thunderstorms developing late. Low around 65F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Donald Trump thinks hes like a god after golden statue emerges at CPAC, Michael Cohen says Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Former President Donald Trump now thinks hes like a god after a golden sculpture bearing his likeness became a major attraction at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, his ex-lawyer Michael Cohen has argued. I remember when I went with Donald that time to CPAC. He had a great time there. He really enjoys the cheers of the crowd. Now its even more interesting because of the artist that produced that gold Donald, Cohen explained in an interview Saturday with MSNBCs Ali Velshi. Now he actually thinks hes a god. Hes like a pagan god. People are lining up down the hallway to take a picture with a stupid-looking pagan idol of Donald. Attendees at the conference flocked to the events merchandise hall to take photos with the golden sculpture created by Trump supporter Tommy Zegan, who called the artwork Trump and His Magic Wand. Zegan, who recently moved to Mexico from the United States, told The New York Times that the six-foot-tall gold-painted fiberglass mold of the former president features Trumps customary suit jacket and red tie, American flag shorts and flip-flops because technically he should be retired. Zegan said he included a magic wand in the statues left hand as a reference to former President Barack Obamas quip in 2016 that Trump would need a wand to bring back manufacturing jobs. But he insists that there is nothing idolatrous about the statue. Its definitely not an idol, Zegan told the publication, noting that he was a youth pastor for 18 years. An idol is something somebody worships and bows down to. This is a sculpture. Its two different things. Self-styled evangelical prophet Jeremiah Johnson, who recently faced death threats from evangelical Christians for apologizing for inaccurately prophesying Trump would win a second term, warned in January that some of the support he has witnessed for the former president has been idolatrous. In a statement on Facebook about the attacks he faced, Johnson said he realized that parts of the prophetic/charismatic movement are far SICKER than I could have ever dreamed of. Over the last 72 hours, I have received multiple death threats and thousands upon thousands of emails from Christians saying the nastiest and most vulgar things I have ever heard toward my family and ministry. I have been labeled a coward, sellout, a traitor to the Holy Spirit, and cussed out at least 500 times. We have lost ministry partners every hour and counting, said the leader of Jeremiah Johnson Ministries. I have been flabbergasted at the barrage of continued conspiracy theories being sent every minute our way and the pure hatred being unleashed. To my great heartache, Im convinced parts of the prophetic/charismatic movement are far SICKER than I could have ever dreamed of. He said he never realized how absolutely triggered and ballistic thousands and thousands of saints get about Donald Trump. Its terrifying! Its full of idolatry! he warned. If I helped to prop up this ideology concerning him, I will need to repent again and stir up even more hell. In an op-ed this week, conservative radio host Michael Brown, who adheres to Messianic Judaism, argued that it doesnt take someone bowing down in worship to treat something like an idol. When it comes to Trump, to this day, I hear Christian leaders proclaim, Only Trump can save America! Brown wrote. That is idolatry, plain and simple. That is glorifying a man. That is failing to realize that, for all the good that he accomplished, there was a trail of bad as well. Not surprisingly, when I say that Trump is not our savior, the Christian response is always the same, Only Jesus is my Savior. Trump is just a man that we support and appreciate, the best man for the job. We all know that, Brown added. But if that is truly the case, why the despair and near panic over his defeat? Why the crushing emotional letdown? Why the persistent hope among many of his supporters that he will miraculously displace Biden within the next few months (or years)? Why the inability to move on from Trump to any other potential candidate? And why the virtual denial of the amount of damage he did during his presidency, damage which largely offset the good? Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 A 25-year-old passenger who was allegedly raped at gunpoint by a taxi driver and a conductor in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa on Monday, said she was scared to reveal she is HIV-positive. The woman who was dumped in a cane field after the ordeal told Reaction Unit SA (Rusa) security officers on Monday, she wanted to let her attackers know about her status but was afraid they would shoot her. Rusa spokesperson Prem Balram said they were called by a passing motorist just after 3pm after the driver was flagged down by the victim on the northbound lane of the N2 near Sibaya Casino. "Reaction officers and medics were dispatched to the scene. On arrival they located the hysterical female seated in the emergency lane. She told a female reaction officer she operates a stall in Durban he said. Balram said she boarded a taxi to visit her boyfriend. "As they left Durban she asked the two why there were no other passengers in the minibus he said. The conductor put a cloth over her face and instructed her to be silent. "She was driven to a cane field where both men took turns raping her at gunpoint. They then drove off and left her in the field he said. Police spokesperson Capt Nqobile Gwala said a case of rape was opened at Verulam police station. "It is alleged by the complainant that [on Monday] at 2.30pm she stopped a taxi near the Moses Mabhida Stadium as she was going to KwaDukuza. While the taxi was on the N2 Sibaya turn off the conductor covered her mouth while [the driver] pointed a firearm at her. The victim was then raped by the suspects before they left her on the side of the road she said. Source: https://www.minutegoal.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 Appearances can suggest we care less about things than we really do Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 19:04:18|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SUVA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Fiji's first-ever Satellite Community WIFI was on Wednesday launched in Nakavika village, Namosi province, pioneering the innovation of broadband services in the Pacific island country. According to Fiji Broadcasting Corporation (FBC), 61 households in Nakavika village, about 57 km west of the capital city Suva, now have Internet connectivity after Vodafone Fiji launched their community wifi on Wednesday. Vodafone Chief Marketing Officer Rajnesh Prasad said that the Satellite Community WIFI is a drive for innovation and equal connectivity, breaking barriers of locality. He added that amid COVID-19, people may be socially distanced, however, the new service makes them socially engaged. Namosi Provincial Administrator Laisenia Tui said that they have waited too long for such services to allow them to engage outside of their community. Vodafone Fiji said that they have received requests from other communities for installation of the Satellite Community WIFI. With a population of around 900,000, Fiji's connection to the Internet is good in some places, but patchy in some of the more remote islands or no service at all. Over the past years, Fiji has taken measures to make more people access internet service. Enditem ROME, MAR 3 - Industry Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti on Wednesday hosted a meeting with representatives of the pharmaceutical industry to talk about producing COVID-19 vaccines in Italy. The meeting also featured the head of Italian medicines agency AIFA and the nation's new COVID-19 Emergency Commissioner, Francesco Paolo Figliuolo.. A statement by the industry ministry said many firms are ready to start producing a vaccine here. Giorgetti gave a mandate to the firms to identify enterprises that can help them be ready to produce vaccines before the end of the autumn. (ANSA). Majority of Downtown Toronto Employees Are Comfortable Returning to Onsite Work: Survey Most downtown Toronto workers say they are comfortable returning to on-site work, according to a new survey. The survey released Tuesday by research company Nanos says 64 percent of downtown Toronto workers are comfortable going back to work in the downtown area. Fifteen percent expressed feeling uncomfortable, and another 19 percent said they felt neutral about it, while 2 percent said they are unsure. Among those who said they felt uncomfortable, 56 percent said its because they are concerned about COVID-19 and the possibility of catching the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the COVID-19 disease. Nearly 15 percent of respondents said they were concerned with crowding in downtown, and 12 percent said they were concerned about commuting. In order to return to work feeling comfortable, respondents said it is important for them to know their workplace is safe from a public health perspective. They also want their employers to tell them in advance what is and not expected of them while onsite. Nearly half of the respondents rated the public health authorities as their preferred source of information on going back to work downtown, according to the survey. While 29 percent prefer to hear it from their employers, followed by 20 percent from the City of Toronto. In all, 506 downtown workers participated in an online survey between the period of Jan. 29 and Feb. 5, 2021. To be eligible, respondents must be either working full-time, part-time, or temporarily laid off due to the pandemic and work or worked in downtown Toronto defined as between Bloor and the Lake and Jarvis to Spadina, said Nanos, which conducted the survey on behalf of the Toronto Region Board of Trade (BOT), a commerce chamber in the city. President and CEO of BOT Jan De Silva told the Toronto Star that her group wants the public to know they are working with the public health authorities to prepare a safe path back to work in the downtown area. Public health needs to deal with the health crisis but we can deal with retrofitting our urban environment to enable us, when the time is right, to put protocols in place that would be helpful as were going through the vaccination period to try to get back to a more normal environment, De Silva said. Its the fatigue of this non-stop virtual world, of not being as productive as you can be if you can just get into a meeting face to face and work things through. You really need to schedule everyone now. In addition, remote work has also resulted in longer working hours, according to a survey published in November 2020 by global human resource consulting firm Robert Half. More than half (55 percent) of professionals who transitioned to a remote setup as a result of the pandemic said they work on the weekend. In addition, one-third (34 percent) of remote employees reported regularly putting in more than eight hours a day, according to the survey. Among the five Canadian cities surveyed, Toronto ranked second (60 percent) in the highest percentage of remote workers working during weekends, behind Calgary (65 percent), and ahead of Ottawa (56 percent). Despite the significant benefits of working remotely, such as saving time spent commuting and increased flexibility, it can also lead to putting in longer hours, said David King, Canadian senior district president of Robert Half. Heavier workloads have become a reality for many professionals during the pandemic, making it more challenging to disconnect while at home. It is critical that employers encourage their teams to take regular breaks and prioritize themselves and their wellbeing. Guest Column ASEAN Members on Myanmar: Agreeing to Disagree An informal meeting of foreign ministers of 10 ASEAN member states on March 2. It is clear that the ASEAN foreign ministers hold different views on the situation in Myanmar and this has attracted global condemnation. However, when they joined up and aired their disagreements, they agreed to disagree. For the time being, that will be the modus operandi. But this platitude will not last very long. Depending on the juntas behavior, ASEAN will make necessary adjustments as it responds to the level of pressure and measures on its peer. Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines have been vocal about the military junta in Naypyitaw for obvious reasons. The island republics sharp criticisms were well timed and internationally exposed, reflecting its political vision for Myanmar. Singapore still retains its leadership role in ASEAN in setting forth the groupings trajectory. In tandem, both Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Foreign Minister Vivien Balakrishnan have done well in outlining their positions against Myanmar and earned praise for their democratic aspirations. Singapore has a major stake in Myanmar. Lee was right when he told the BBC that the amount of Singapore-Myanmar trade was small. However, the countrys investment inside the country is a different matter it is the highest among foreign investors. More importantly, the financial transactions between the two countries have facilitated the latters economic progress, linking it to the international economy. Singapore urged ASEANs external partners not to impose broad-based economic sanctions that will harm the ordinary people of Myanmar. Malaysia has always been the maverick within ASEAN, voicing views that highlight the countrys leading voice in the Muslim world. Kuala Lumpurs attitude towards the Rohingya over the years has been a prime example. The coup in Myanmar provides Malaysia with an opportunity to call for a stronger ASEAN response as well as international engagement. Foreign Minister Hishamuddin Hussein came up with quite a few proposals for ASEAN and Myanmar to adopt including the establishment of an ASEAN Troika on the situation in Myanmar. Outwardly, the Indonesian foreign minister was more subtle in her approach to the crisis. Indonesia being the blocs biggest countryand Retno Marsudi being the only woman among her ASEAN peersshe is mindful of her significance to the groupings diplomatic legacy. She has used her shuttle diplomacy to create a space for dialogue on the crisis. That much is clear. Retnos media team is pretty savvy and keeps the anxious media informed of her latest moves. At the informal meeting, she was forceful, much to the chagrin of her ASEAN colleagues, recommending the steps the junta needs to take to win back regional and international support. Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia would like to see the UN engage through its special envoy, Christine Schraner Burgener. She should be allowed into Myanmar to meet with all parties concerned. They also called for the release of those retained during the coup. It is also clear that within continental Southeast Asia, the countries that share a common border with Myanmar have little to say, knowing full well their limits. Therefore, it is better not to say anything that could jeopardize their future bonds. They have to coexist with the new junta, just as they did in the past. Thailands attitude and statements were typical, urging peace and calm, a halt to violence, and reconciliation. With memories of its own 2014 coup still fresh, Thailand has been extremely cautious. Myanmars eastern neighbor has lots to learn from the Thais. But the junta in Naypyitaw will not behave the same way as the Thais, who have experienced more than 19 coups since 1932. Besides sharing a porous, 2,401-km border, the cross-border movement of people, trade and commerce is substantial. These elements dictate Thailands overall responses pragmatic and realistic. Any unrest inside Myanmar would have devastating effects on Thailand, especially when the whole world is still under serious threat from COVID-19. Since Myanmars opening up a decade ago, Thailand has built up excellent ties with both the Tatmadaw and the ruling party, the National League for Democracy. At the Tuesday meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai stated that Thailand supports a negotiated peaceful and sustainable settlement of the situation in Myanmar. For this objective to be achieved, the winner-take-all approach and mindset is not a winnable option. The history of Myanmar should be heeded, and the wellbeing of the 54 million citizens of Myanmar should be the underlying guiding principle. Both Vietnam and Laos called on the parties involved to refrain from and avoid all violent activities, guarantee public safety and organize dialogue as soon as possible. It must be noted here that only Laotian Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith addressed his Myanmar colleague, U Wunna Maung Lwin, as foreign minister. Brunei Darussalam, as the ASEAN chair, must be credited for spending time preparing the statement that would sum up the blocs discussions. The first draft put forward by Indonesia and the one Singapore asserted on the day of the meeting were very strong. The chair was patient to get all contributions while issuing the statement on time. You may also like these stories: Doctors in Civil Disobedience Movement Put Pressure on Myanmar Military Regime Myanmar Student Unions Call on China Not to Recognize Military Regime Myanmars Military Arrests Doctors for Joining and Supporting Civil Disobedience Movement Panama City, March 3 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Mar, 2021 ) :The Miss Panama organization announced that starting this year, the pageant would include transgender women "who have completed all their legal and medical procedures" in its competition. The contest, which is responsible for choosing the country's representative for the Miss Universe pageant, said the decision was made "after plenty of conversations and in line with the rules of the Miss Universe organization." Miss Panama "will permit women officially legally recognized in the country," which will "open the door to transgender women who have completed all of their legal and medical procedures," the organization said. Miss Universe requires that each national event allow people legally recognized as women to participate in that particular country. President of Miss Panama, Cesar Anel Rodriguez, told AFP Tuesday that the country's move is a response to the Miss Universe regulation in regards to transgender women. "We investigated the issue of people who are legally recognized for changing their gender" in Panama, he said. He said that a 2018 announcement indicated that at least 10 transgender women had been recognized in the civil register. "Guaranteed to be an inclusive organization, we approved this decision based on strict legal guidelines and according to previous international agreements," the organization's statement said. For now, there are no transgender women registered for the pageant, according to its officials. In 2018, Angela Ponce became the first openly transgender woman to compete in the Miss Universe pageant as the representative from Spain. str-mav/yow/caw/to A tipster with knowledge of the automakers plans told Automotive News that a mid-size pickup is definitely coming. Nevertheless, its not known when Ram will launch the all-new Dakota. The only clue we have in this regard is the PowerPoint presentation from the 2018 Capital Markets Day.Thats when Ram presented the brands outlook until 2022, and a certain slide of the presentation listed the next-gen Dakota as part of the product plan. If the truckmaker starts production in 2022, we should expect the Dakota for the 2023 model year. Coincidence or not, the redesigned Ford Ranger is expected to launch in the United States as a 2023 model as well.Ram also mentioned a metric ton during the Capital Markets Day Presentation, which probably means that other markets will get it. Canada is the most obvious candidate, along with Mexico. Outside of North and Central America, there is huge potential for the Dakota in Europe and Asia thanks to Stellantis financial stoutness and large-scale dealership network.But wait, doesnt Groupe PSA already offer a metric-ton truck in the guise of the Peugeot Landtrek ? You are right, dearest reader, but that pickup wouldnt be suitable for Europe or Australia because its a badge-engineered twin of the Kaicene F70 built by Changan Automobile in China.The Dakota is expected to share a few bits and pieces with the Jeep Gladiator, which means that a free-breathing V6 and a six-speed manual transmission could be on the menu. The 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and an off-road variant with electric locking differentials front and aft, as well as a disconnecting sway bar, should be considered as well.A V8 engine such as the 4.7-liter Magnum from the good ol days is out of the question, but a plug-in hybrid powertrain could also make the cut. Lest we forget, the Jeep Gladiator will get the Wrangler 4xe treatment in due time. Roka, a leader in robatayaki cuisine, is set to open its doors this summer in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Roka Riyadh will be one of the first key international brands set to enter the up-and-coming F&B scene in Saudi Arabia. The new venue is the brainchild of co-founder and creator Rainer Becker, and the brands second international opening following the successful launch of Roka Dubai one of last years most anticipated new dining destinations. Located on the new Tahlia Gate, the 5,629-sq-ft venue seats 161 diners inside and 82 covers on the urban oasis terrace with design elements taken from the iconic London venues in Mayfair and Charlotte Street. Roka brings to Riyadh, its award-winning Japanese robatayaki concept and unique style of contemporary Japanese cooking. The robata grill is at the heart of its award-winning menu, a traditional Japanese cooking method inspired by fishermen cooking fish over charcoal on the boats of Northern coastal water off Japan. Highlight dishes from the flaming grill include kankoku fu kohitsuji (lamb cutlets with Korean spices and sesame cucumber) and the yakitori-negima yaki (grilled chicken skewers with spring onion). Roka Riyadh will also be serving key signature dishes such as the sake no taru taru (salmon tartare with den miso and yuzu) and kampachi sashimi no salada (yellowtail sashimi, yuzu-truffle dressing), a dish made famous in London. Commenting on the new opening, Rainer Becker said: After such a warm reception in Dubai, we are extremely excited to launch our second GCC location in Riyadh and showcase the Roka experience to the community. The launch of Saudi Seasons cultural events has been used as a springboard for many brands to make moves into the Kingdom, and we have plans to launch Rokas sister restaurant Zuma 2022. The Saudi culinary scene will be one to watch this year. The announcement follows the news that Azumi had partnered with MJS (Mohammed Jawa) Holding to expand the Azumi brands into the Kingdom. Azumi Limited is an award-winning global restaurant business with established brands offering contemporary dining in key cosmopolitan locations. Created by Rainer Becker, and co-founded with Arjun Waney, Azumis journey began with the opening of Zuma London in 2002, followed by Roka London in 2004. In addition to the Zuma and Roka Japanese concepts, Oblix opened in The Shard in 2013. TradeArabia News Service That's especially true regarding her support for that "Enough Is Enough" legislation, which forces colleges and universities in the state to adopt tough, comprehensive policies to combat sexual assault, including a uniform definition of what it is. A review of press clippings from across the state show that Hochul, who has been lieutenant governor since 2015, has visited dozens of college campuses to discuss the law and what it means to college students. And along the way, she has had plenty to say about sexual harassment and assault that seems especially relevant now that her boss stands accused of sexually harassing three women far younger than him. We are addressing this issue head on in the state of New York," Hochul said during an August 2016 visit to the State University of New York at Geneseo, according to a report in the Genesee Country Express. "We have a governor who has three college age daughters. He is very aware of the challenges we face and it troubled him deeply. Governor Cuomo came up with a plan to protect young people on campuses. We needed to create a better environment, so they could feel like they could come forward with their story." Two months later, the Union College News Wire reported on Hochul's visit to that Schenectady campus. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 16:28:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close VIENTIANE, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The National Taskforce Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control of Laos said on Wednesday it has been monitoring 2,212 people across Laos. Some 2,212 people have been quarantined at 31 accommodation centers across the country, Deputy Director General of the Department of Communicable Diseases Control under Lao Ministry of Health Phonepaserd Sayamoungkhoun told a press conference in Lao capital Vientiane on Wednesday. The Lao government continues to implement preventive measures and carefully monitor people entering Laos, said Phonepaserd. People entering Laos will be sent to quarantine centers for 14 days. On Tuesday, a total of 3,000 people entering Laos through international border checkpoints. The temperature of each person entering Laos was checked and no one showed signs of fever. As of Wednesday, Laos has tested 114,867 suspected cases with 45 cases tested positive, and 42 patients have recovered. Laos announced its first two COVID-19 confirmed cases on March 24 last year. Enditem Burma At Least Nine Protesters Shot Dead in Three Cities in Myanmar Three protesters were shot dead in Mandalay on Wednesday. / The Irrawaddy YANGONAt least nine protesters were killed and several wounded in three cities in Myanmar as police fired live rounds and rubber bullets at anti-coup protesters on Wednesday morning. In Mandalay, a 19-year-old female protester was shot in the neck and another man was shot in the chest. Both died on the spot. Another man also died from a gunshot. In Myingyan, Mandalay Region, a 14-year-old protester also reportedly died after being shot in the head and at least a dozen protesters were wounded by gunshots. At least five were shot dead in a violent crackdown by riot police and soldiers on an anti-coup protest in the morning in Monywa city in Sagaing Region, locals told The Irrawaddy. Of them, 25-year-old Ma Kyawt Nandar Aung was shot in the head and died on the spot. Her sister told The Irrawaddy that Ma Kyawt Nandar Aung together with her siblings had participated in protests against the military regime for several days on the frontline. When the incident happened, her younger sister was also at the frontline of the protest. She is still too young to leave, her sister, who was crying over the phone, told The Irrawaddy. She was so brave. I take her death as something to be proud of. She added that she and her remaining siblings will continue to take to the streets to fight for democracy until victory is achieved, to compensate for their sisters death. The military regime has ramped up the crackdown on mass protests nationwide. At least 21 protesters were reported killed in shootings by police and soldiers from Feb. 1 to March 2. Besides the three cities, protests in Yangon, Magwe and Mandalay regions and Kachin state were also cracked down upon on Wednesday. Several people were shot and wounded, and a number detained during the crackdowns. In Yangons Tamwe Township, at least 200 protesters, mostly young people, were detained on Wednesday at noon. Soldiers forced them to stand in the midday sun near the townships police station before pushing them into army trucks. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Diplomat in US Refuses to Work for Military Regime Myanmar Military Detain More Than 1,200 Since Coup Myanmars Military Council Labeled Terrorist Group Q Tell us about your childhood. A I had a wonderful childhood growing up in a very warm and loving family. I'm an only child and lived with my parents, Raymond and Jean, in the country which was idyllic. As well as their positive influence I had a grandmother who adored me and my wonderful Aunt Lily who is like a second mother. I was involved in music from an early age singing in the church choir and at school. A lady called Ethel Benson got me to sing in church when I was about five and that was it. I had discovered something that made me feel wonderful, excited and complete. I went through a Star Wars, BMX, Go Kart, Scrambler and photography phase too. My days at Rainey Endowed School in Magherafelt cemented for me that music would be my life. No one has the 'perfect' childhood but mine was pretty fantastic and filled with kindness, care and a lot of love. Q What are you most proud of? A I'm so proud that 80 of my students have gone on to study Music Theatre at many of the leading UK drama schools. Four hundred and twenty of my students have achieved their London College of Music Diploma in Music Theatre or Classical Singing and over 2,500 have achieved a graded exam. That's 3,000 in total to date which is something I am incredibly proud. Over the years I have had such pride and overwhelming joy when I've seen past pupils perform in professional productions in London's West End or with touring companies. It's wonderful and so special watching these pupils knowing that I was the person who guided and tutored them at the start of their journey. I saw one of my past pupils in The Phantom of the Opera and another in the original London cast of the continuation of the Phantom story Love Never Dies. I saw three past pupils as three leads in The Beautiful Game (Union Theatre, London) and I remember thinking 'I taught all three of those guys!'. As a musical director my highlights would include directing my vocal group Adoro in performances for HM Queen Elizabeth's diamond jubilee and 90th birthday as well as Lady Mary Peters' 80th birthday gala. I'm very proud that over the past 12 years, since founding Adoro, we have raised nearly 50,000 for various charities including 25,000 for the Mary Peters Trust. Q What is the one regret you wish you could amend? A I try to be positive and learn from past situations as opposed to regretting them. Probably like a lot of people, I wish I'd hugged my mum more and took more time to stop and appreciate all the wonderful things in my life as I was building my career. Q What about phobias - do you have any? A I'm not a fan of spiders or mice. I'm not sure I'd say it was a phobia but I'm not overly happy when I see either. I do have a bit of OCD too. Q What's the one temptation you cannot resist? A A coat! I have every shape, colour, style, length and design imaginable. Q What is your number one prized possession? A My piano. When I was 16 I fell in love with it; it was the perfect fit for my fingers and had the most comfortable touch and delicate tone. Q What is the book that has most impacted your life? A The Road Less Travelled by M. Scott Peck. Like a lot of people in the artistic world and performing arts industry I've suffered on occasions from stress and anxiety. This book really helped me develop coping strategies for dealing with the down days. It explained that without feeling the lows can we ever really experience the highs and that it's ok to own how you are feeling. Q If you had the power or authority, what would you do? A I would make music compulsory for every child in school both primary and secondary. Whether it be listening to, singing or learning an instrument, music should be accessible and enjoyed by every child. Music can inspire, evoke emotion, calm us, excite us and comfort us. When we sing we inhale breath quickly and have to maintain a long exhalation as we sing a phrase. Exhaling slowly slows down the heart rate and thus has a calming influence. Also singing really improves communication skills. We are now in an age where children spend so much time communicating through their laptops and mobile phones that I fear the art of conversation is slowly dying. Singing really helps with communication and confidence. I hope, that when they get back to school, time and importance is given to music, singing and playing together. Q What makes your blood boil every time, without fail? A Talent being ignored, criticised or stifled. Everyone should be encouraged to shine. If someone has a talent encourage them and build them up. I try to inspire everyone I work with and encourage them all to realise their potential and achieve their goals. Q Who has most influenced your life? A My biggest influences were three wonderful women. The first was a lady called Ethel Benson who discovered my musical ability when I was five or six and she nurtured and encouraged it. I spent many hours with Mrs B playing, singing, arranging and composing. The second was my inspirational music teacher from school Sylvia McMenemy who was so encouraging. In many ways Sylvia was the person who inspired me to follow my dream. When I went to Queen's University in 1992 to study a Bachelors Degree in Music, I was introduced to a wonderful, larger than life soprano Irene Sandford who became my singing teacher and mentor. Expand Close Ashley with Cool FMs Pete Snodden and Lady Mary Peters at the Go The Distance concert in the Ulster Hall, produced and directed by Ashley / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ashley with Cool FMs Pete Snodden and Lady Mary Peters at the Go The Distance concert in the Ulster Hall, produced and directed by Ashley Q Who are your top three dinner party guests, dead or alive? A I'd have to say Andrew Lloyd Webber and I think the reasons for that are obvious. Alexander McQueen because he was such an inspirational, innovative and talented designer. Finally, the exceptional Captain Sir Tom Moore just to be able say in person well done Sir Tom and thank you for inspiring the nation. Q What is the best piece of advice you have ever received? A My dad has a wonderful saying 'Worrying is like being on a rocking horse, it gives you something to do but gets you nowhere'. I would be someone who is inclined to overthink so I remind myself of this saying every now and again. Q What is an unlikely interest or hobby that you love? A I love reading! Nothing like a murder in a sleepy English village or on a flash train to get me gripped! My dad collects vintage cars and kindly gave me a couple so maybe that could count as my unlikely hobby. Q What is the poem that touches your heart? A Baby Crying by Godfrey Rust. It's the most beautiful Christmas reading about the cries of a baby for the world into which it has been born. As the vocal director on The Music Box with Peter Corry, this was one of the poems read. It was underscored by the music of In The Bleak Midwinter, the combination of the powerful words and beautiful melody was so emotional. I cried every night when it was being recited. Q The happiest moment of your life? A The day I graduated from QUB with my B.Mus Hons degree. I remember looking up to the balcony in the Whitla Hall and seeing my dad wipe away a tear when they called my name. I had made them proud, I was so happy. Q The saddest moment of your life? A I guess I'd have to say the first time I was old enough to be touched and impacted by death. My beloved grandmother died when I was 14 and I was completely devastated. I sang at her funeral and it that was my way of saying 'I'm going to miss you'. Q One event that made a difference in your life? A I think it was probably moving to Rainey Endowed School and studying music with Sylvia McMenemy. She was a wonderful teacher and friend and was the catalyst to the rest of my career. Q What is the ambition that drives you forward? A During the past month I have become one of the first people in the country to become a fully qualified and credited vocal health first aider, I am so passionate about safe, healthy singing and the vocal wellbeing of all my students, so I'd say my ambition is their success. I will do whatever is in my power to ensure they are given the best tutelage possible. Working with young people, nurturing their talent, developing their skills and affording them opportunities to excel is the focus of my life. Q What's the philosophy you live by? A Life isn't a dress rehearsal, we all only get one chance at it. I tell all my pupils to be the best version of themselves and to make the most of every opportunity that presents itself. Sometimes it's hard to take your own advice but I do try to life every day to its fullest. Q How do you want to be remembered? A I would like to be remembered as a person who made a difference. Someone who inspired others to follow their heart, who mentored and encouraged them. I hope that all the pupils I've tutored over the years would say 'he taught me, he was a good guy, he made a difference'. Interested students can contact Ashley on Ashleyfulton72@icloud.com Patna, March 3 : Ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal, its effects are also being felt in the politics of Bihar. According to the trends that have emerged in West Bengal so far, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are contesting alone while the Congress has forged an alliance with the Communist Party of India (Marxist). The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) which is with the Congress in Bihar and Jharkhand, has announced support to the TMC in West Bengal. The Bihar Congress leaders are unable to come to terms with this decision of the RJD. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Monday announced unconditional support to Mamata Banerjee's TMC in West Bengal. After this decision politics in Bihar have also intensified. An RJD leader says that Tejashwi is working hard to expand the party's base. The RJD has intensified its efforts to expand its reach in other parts of the country after losing the 2020 Bihar Assembly polls. Tejashwi has his eyes on the upcoming Assembly elections in Assam and West Bengal. He said his party would contest the elections by aligning with like-minded parties. During his two-day visit to Assam, Tejashwi met Assam Congress unit President Ripun Bora and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) Chief Badruddin Ajmal. It is believed that the RJD would contest in Assam going ahead with the Congress-AIUDF alliance to give a tough fight to the BJP. RJD Spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari says the party's popularity has increased. Tejashwi Yadav is also popular down south, including other states. He said the RJD has been forging alliances with like-minded parties in the past and will do so in the future also. The Congress is doing everything to stop the BJP and the TMC in West Bengal. Sources say that the main political plan of the Congress and the RJD is to stop the expansion of the BJP but the paths followed by both the parties are different. An RJD leader says that in West Bengal only the TMC can stop the BJP while the Congress wants to stop the BJP but also wants to establish itself as a potent opposition. Congress Legislature Party leader Ajit Sharma says that the party's efforts from the beginning have been that secular parties in Bihar should come together in West Bengal as well to stop the BJP and Mamata Banerjee. There is a lot of public anger against these two parties. Sharma said the RJD leadership took the decision to support the TMC without consulting the Congress. He said the RJD's move was unexpected. Meanwhile, BJP leaders are taking a jibe at both the Congress and the RJD. BJP Spokesperson Nikhil Anand said, "Tejashwi Yadav does not want to stay in Bihar that is why he continues to plan a nationwide political tourism. In the matter of political tourism, Tejashwi wants to compete with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who holds the numero-uno position. But at the same time the RJD's objective is to exert pressure on the Congress to keep it playing second fiddle." Larry Crabb, former Colorado Christian University prof., Bible teacher, psychologist dies at 76 Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Larry J. Crabb, a psychologist, Bible teacher, author of more than 20 books, and a longtime professor at Colorado Christian University, has died after battling various illnesses. The Larger Story, a ministry founded by Crabbs eldest son, Kep, that seeks to preserve his fathers works, announced that Crabb had passed away early Sunday morning at age 76. As one who taught so many of us that it is possible to trust no matter our circumstances or condition of soul, Larry can now testify to the unspeakable joy and unlimited goodness of God. It truly is well with his soul, stated The Larger Story. Larry lived his life firmly anchored in the truth of this scripture, and now he is healed and whole and his lifelong faith points us all to the certainty of Gods great victory. What an honor to be part of his legacy. The family, which includes his wife, Rachael, and sons Kep and Kenneth, plan to hold two memorial services, one in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the other in Denver, Colorado. CCU President Donald W. Sweeting said in a statement that the school was heartbroken to learn of the passing of Dr. Larry Crabb, one of our biggest advocates and friends. He was a leader, an educator, and a spiritual adviser to many in the CCU community for a number of years, stated Sweeting. He had a passion for Christ-centered, biblically grounded psychology, and for seeing sound Christian counseling transform people's lives. He will be greatly missed by all of us at Colorado Christian University. Born in 1944, Crabb was a noted psychologist who authored several books, including When God's Ways Make No Sense, Understanding People, and Real Church: Does it exist? Can I find it?. In an interview with The Christian Post in 2010, Crabb explained that he hoped readers of his book Real Churchwould leave with the sense of excitement that there is a huge story going on that is unseen, but those listening to God will hear it. There is a huge opportunity to become a very different man or woman, somebody who is willing to give all they have for the sake of another. Abandoning myself for your sake, that is the opportunity of Christianity and not just to have a blessed life, said Crabb at the time. I hope people get away from the idea that God is a genie that you rub a lamp and call it a prayer and you get everything you want. That is not how it works at all. But rather we have the chance to move into the world with the attitude of Christ. In addition to his books, Crabb served CCU as a professor as well as a former chair of their graduate-level counseling degree program and a regular speaker at their chapel services. In honor of his many endeavors for the university, CCU created the Larry J. Crabb Center for University Counseling in November 2018, based on the schools Lakewood campus. During his over 30-year affiliation with CCU, Dr. Crabb was a bestselling author; served as the spiritual director of the American Association of Christian Counselors; founded NewWay Ministries; and was a trusted colleague to six CCU presidents, stated CCU on Monday. In recent times, Crabb had had his share of severe medical issues, including battles with liver cancer for the past several years and a struggle with leukemia for around two years. On Feb. 24, the official Facebook page for Crabb posted a statement announcing that Crabb was going to receive hospice care in North Carolina, being near his children and grandchildren. During this time, we are all struggling with various expressions and experiences of grief and perhaps even confusion and anger, but Larry would be the first to remind us to rest in the good story God is telling with his life and to be glad, the page stated. His deepest desire is to be with Jesus and he will soon see his Father face to face. She confirmed her pregnancy last month. And on Tuesday, Christine Quinn was spotted showcasing her growing baby in a skintight leopard print dress and pointed black pumps during a grocery run with husband Christian Richard. The 32-year-old Selling Sunset star also opened up about her pregnancy during an interview with People magazine, revealing she passed her six month mark in her pregnancy and revealed why she and Christian aren't planning on finding out the gender. Glam day out: She confirmed her pregnancy last month. And on Tuesday, Christine Quinn was spotted showcasing her growing baby in a skintight leopard print dress and pointed black pumps during a grocery run with husband Christian Richard Christine donned a knee-length dress featuring a leopard pattern, highlighting her growing midsection. The blonde beauty added a black zippered jacket with coordinating heels while she toted a red statement bag. The glam look was for a grocery run at LA's Bristol Farm; the star appeared maskless on her way in but California mandates mask wearing in indoor settings so she assumingly had one in her purse. Christine styled mermaid long hair in waves loose around her with pink gloss on her full pout beneath defined brows and smokey eye makeup. Looking amazing: The 32-year-old Selling Sunset star also opened up about her pregnancy during an interview with People magazine , revealing she passed her six month mark in her pregnancy and revealed why she and Christian aren't planning on finding out the gender Stylish mom to be: Christine donned a knee-length dress featuring a leopard pattern, highlighting her growing midsection The stunner was joined by Christian, 42, who cut a casual figure in a green shirt, tie-dye jacket and black slacks. Christian appeared to put on a mask before heading in, as it was seen on him after they left the store. On Saturday, Christine did a virtual interview from her LA home with People, where she talked about her pregnancy. Errands run: The glam look was for a grocery run at LA's Bristol Farm; the star appeared maskless on her way in but California mandates mask wearing in indoor settings so she assumingly had one in her purse She said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, her and Christian were 'doing a lot of Netflix and chilling.' Christine said: 'It seems like there are so many COVID babies because the only thing left to do was Netflix and chill. So we were doing a lot of Netflix and chilling.' She and Christian don't plan on finding out the gender and she says because 'I don't really see gender.' Explaining: 'So it's something that my husband and I both decided that wasn't important. We just want a really happy, healthy baby and we're coming up with unisex names right now because I think it's important to have something that goes with whatever our angel wants to be.' She and Christian have been making the nursery neutral with a jungle theme, adding animals plants and banana-print wallpaper. 'We're doing something that any baby will love regardless of gender. So we're not concerned about that.' Heading home: Christian appeared to put on a mask before heading in, as it was seen on him after they left the store They were talking about having kids 'for a while' and after she got pregnant they 'found out pretty early on.' Christine explained: 'It was something that we had been talking about for a while. Corona really brought us closer, believe it or not, because we were in the house all the time and we had kind of joked around, "Is this the perfect time to have kids?" And we've been talking about it for a while. So, its just one of those things that, it worked out great, the timing was perfect.' The talk of children has been something they have discussed since they first started dating. Christine said Christian mentioned that his birthday was coming up and that he didn't have kids or a family to celebrate it with. 'And I felt like the timing was just right. So we were talking about it and I was thinking about it for a while and I was just really, really blessed that it happened pretty quickly.' Mom to be: 'And I felt like the timing was just right. So we were talking about it and I was thinking about it for a while and I was just really, really blessed that it happened pretty quickly' Christine says she's 'so excited to pop out a baby' and looking forward to taking care of, adding: 'I can't wait to dress my little angle up in Gucci and Louis Vuitton and just make my baby so extra and over the top.' The star is planning on a natural birth and is something she wants to try, however if she needs an epidural she is open to that: 'It's all about the safety of the baby. And I think it's really important to realize that.' She said though she has been doing a lot of squats and prepping for it.' She's also been doing yoga every day as well as headstands and inversions. The star is 'most nervous' about delivery. She spoke to her Selling Sunset co-stars Davina and Amanza who she said they have 'both been wonderful.' 'Mary reached out as well and we had a brief conversation, which was really nice.' Amanza and Mary are both moms so she said they told her that they are their for her if she needs anythings. Glow: Christine says she's 'so excited to pop out a baby' and looking forward to taking care of, adding: 'I can't wait to dress my little angle up in Gucci and Louis Vuitton and just make my baby so extra and over the top.\' 'Me and Amanza have had a lot of really long FaceTimes at night' and gives her insight on motherhood. Christine revealed that things she used to love like eggs and meat now make her sick and she just wears stretchy dresses as she can't fit in jeans and has yet to wear any maternity clothes. She started showing about three weeks ago and was very strategic with vacation photos in January. She said it wasn't meant to be like a trick or tricking anyone, but she wanted it to be a surprise after she popped. The picture from Bora Bora in January said Christian and he made sure to take it while she was at an angle and twisting her body. Her pregnancy was revealed last month. She married Christian, a businessman, in a lavish gothic themed ceremony in a Cathedral in downtown Los Angeles in December 2019. ANDERSON, Calif. The Anderson Police Department is searching for suspects in an Edward Jones Financial services burglary. On March 1, Anderson Police said they were contacted by employees with the Edward Jones Financial Business who said over the weekend their business had been burglarized. Information related to this burglary can be left on the following telephone numbers: Anderson Police Department Main Line: 530-378-6600 Anderson Police Department Tip Line: 530-224-8435 Dispatch Phone Line: 530-245-6526 Case Number: 21A002166 The business had been ransacked, two televisions were missing along with other miscellaneous items, according to APD. Officers found no forced entry into the business. However, one of their doors was found unlocked. APD examined items for latent fingerprints and were able to lift several fingerprints for examination. The Anderson Police Departments Detective Unit is asking for the suspect(s) to come forward and contact us. They are also asking the public for any information regarding this burglary. Information can be left on the following telephone numbers: New Delhi, March 3 : Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday said that the government has been working on reintroduction of Cheetah in the country. On the occasion of the World Wildlife Day, Javadekar tweeted: "India has a thriving wildlife and biodiversity with 70 per cent of the Global Tiger population and 70 per cent of Asiatic Lions. The country also has 60 per cent of Leopard population." "The Narendra Modi government is working on reintroduction of Cheetah, which went extinct in 1952. This big cat will be a reality soon," he added. In 2020, the Supreme Court agreed that wildlife authorities could reintroduce the Cheetah to the country. The country's last spotted Cheetah died in Chhattisgarh in 1947. Later, the big cat was declared extinct in India in 1952. Now, with the Minister's tweet it seems that after over 70 years later, the fastest land animal appears set to make a comeback in India. The world's fastest land mammal, Cheetah is considered vulnerable under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)'s red list of threatened species, with a declining population of less than 7,000 found primarily in African savannas. Last year, experts from Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WII) had recommended Kuno-Palpur in Madhya Pradesh as the preferred location for the reintroduction of Cheetah in the country. They found that Kuno-Palpur has large grasslands, ideally suited to the Cheetah's need to build up speed without worrying about trees or other obstacles. These grasslands were formed, in large part, through the removal of villages and rewilding of agricultural land to make way for the relocation of the Asiatic Lion. ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE: AJG) will be hosting its regularly scheduled quarterly management meeting on Wednesday, March 17, from 8:00 a.m. until approximately 10:30 a.m. CT. This quarter's meeting will take place virtually via conference call. During the call, the company's operating and financial leaders will present background information and commentary on the company's business operations and financial outlook, and will take questions from the investment community. The conference call will be broadcast live through Gallagher's website at www.ajg.com/irmeeting, and a conference call replay will be available at the same link through March 24, 2021. Any information distributed in conjunction with this meeting will be available on March 17 at 7:30 a.m. CT at http://www.ajg.com/March17materials. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE: AJG), a global insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting services firm, is headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. The company has operations in 49 countries and offers client service capabilities in more than 150 countries around the world through a network of correspondent brokers and consultants. Contact: Raymond Iardella VP Investor Relations (630) 285-3661/ [email protected] # # # # SOURCE Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Related Links http://www.ajg.com New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (March 3, 2021) said that new opportunities are growing for the students and young scientists with a constant focus on higher education, research and innovation. PM Modi said, "India is among the world's top 50 innovative countries in the Global Innovation Index and is doing better continuously. With the sustained promotion of higher education, research and innovation, new opportunities for our students and young scientists are developing very much. And the good thing is that there is satisfactory growth in the participation of daughters in R&D." The Prime Minister's comments came during his address at a webinar on effective implementation of Budget provisions regarding the education sector. Discussing the steps taken in this years Budget for the education sector. https://t.co/2WpBqIAdFL Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 3, 2021 He stated that the second biggest focus after health in this year's budget is on education, skill, research and innovation. "Better synergy in the universities, colleges and R&D institutions has become the biggest need of our country today. In view of this, Glue Grant has been provided under which necessary mechanisms can be prepared in nine cities," the Prime Minister added. He said that this brainstorming session is happening today at a time when the country is rapidly moving towards transforming the entire ecosystem that gives direction to its personal, intellectual, industrial temperament and talent. PM Modi expressed that confidence among the youth of the country is as essential for building a self-reliant India. "Confidence comes only when the youth have full faith in their education, knowledge and skills. Confidence comes only when he realizes that his education is giving him the opportunity to do his job and also providing the necessary skill," he said. He informed that the emphasis given on apprenticeship, skill development and upgradation in this budget is also unprecedented. "All the provisions made in this budget will lead to a massive shift in the country's approach to higher education. The budget further expands the efforts that have been made to connect education with employability and entrepreneurial capabilities over the years," PM Narendra Modi noted. He highlighted that for the first time, there is greater focus on Atal Tinkering Labs in schools to Atal Incubation Centers in higher institutions in the country. PM Modi said that the new tradition of Hackathons for start-ups has become a major force for both the youth and industry of the country. "More than 3,500 start-ups have been nurtured through the National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovation," he said. Prime Minister Modi also informed that three supercomputers - ParamShivay, Param Shakti and Param Brahma, have been set up at IIT BHU, IIT-Kharagpurand IISER, Pune under the National SuperComputing Mission. "Plans are afoot to set up such supercomputers in more than a dozen institutions in the country this year. Three Sophisticated Analytical and Technical Help Institutes (SATHIs) are also serving in IITKharagpur, IIT Delhi and BHU," he said. New York, March 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Surveillance Camera Market: Analysis By Product Type, End User, By Region, By Country (2021 Edition): Market Insights, Covid-19 Impact, Competition and Forecast (2021-2026)" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06030145/?utm_source=GNW The continuous rise in demand of cameras in Asia Pacific region is driving the demand of industrial products from last few years. The recent technology promises substantial reduction in maintenance costs, which is why it is received by a significantly large number of buyers hailing from diverse industrial backgrounds. Owing to low production cost in Asian countries backed with rising industrialization, manufacturers are investing in economies such as India and China which is propelling the market growth. Positive outlook towards automobile and electronic sector coupled with rapid industrialization across developed and emerging economies will drive the Surveillance Camera market size. Additionally, due to expectation of rise in consumer demand and investment by public and private sector in small and medium scale industries will anticipated to drive the market of global Surveillance Camera in future. The market is also expected to register a boom in demand post COVID-19 pandemic situation attributable to the demand for the Surveillance Camera slightly increased, as several leading manufacturers started production of the camera for various sector like construction & manufacturing, BFSI, etc. A surveillance camera system is a surveillance system that captures images and videos, which can be compressed, stored, or sent over communication networks. It can be used in any environment. Security and surveillance are required for all organizations worldwide. Governments, enterprises, financial institutions, and healthcare organizations are expected and required to have a certain level of security and monitoring measures. As a result, there has been a dramatic increase in the demand for security applications such as video surveillance to monitor and record borders, ports, corporate houses, educational institutes, public places, buildings, and others. Dome security cameras get their name by their circular, dome shape. The security camera is encased in a transparent protective dome. Although dome security cameras can be used both indoors and outdoors, many businesses including hotels, restaurants, and retail stores use dome cameras inside due to their discrete design. BFSI stands for Banking, financial services and insurance. A modern bank video surveillance system allows footage from multiple branches to be transmitted to a central monitoring room, or viewed over the internet. This makes audit and control very easy, swift and cost effective. Bank security cameras allow for continuous surveillance of banking facilities, providing protection outside of typical workday hours. Bullet cameras are also named by their distinct cylindrical shape, which looks like a bullet shell or lipstick tube. As one of the most common types of security cameras, bullet cameras are a visible deterrent. In fact, studies have found the presence of security cameras will make your property a less desirable target. Like dome cameras, bullet cameras can be installed indoors and outdoors. Government agencies worldwide use surveillance systems to secure borders and ports of entry, such as airports and seaports and camera systems are also used by defense professionals to monitor military assets and military installations. Surveillance is used by governments for intelligence gathering, prevention of crime, the protection of a process, person, group or object, or the investigation of crime. Scope of the Report - The report analyses the Surveillance Camera Market by Product Type (Dome Camera, Bullet Camera, Box Style Camera, Others). - The report analyses the Surveillance Camera Market by End User (BFSI, Government & Defense, Commercial, Manufacturing & Construction, Healthcare, Residential, Others). - The Surveillance Camera Market has been analysed By Region (Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, MEA) and By Country (United States, Canada, Mexico, Germany, France, Italy, China, Japan, India, South Korea). - Also, the attractiveness of the market has been presented by region, product type, end user. Also, the major opportunities, trends, drivers and challenges of the industry has been analysed in the report. - The report tracks competitive developments, strategies, mergers and acquisitions and new product development. The companies analysed in the report include Hikvision, Dahua Technology, Ambarella, Canon Inc., FLIR System, Panasonic, Axis Communication, Robert Bosch GmbH, Pelco, CP Plus - The report presents the analysis of Surveillance Camera market for the historical period of 2016-2020 and the forecast period of 2021-2026. Key Target Audience - Surveillance Camera Vendors - Consulting and Advisory Firms - Government and Policy Makers - Regulatory Authorities Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06030145/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ STAFFORD and KEIGHLEY, England, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The PSR Group have today announced the acquisition of SYK Healthcare Specialists to offer a unified Healthcare recruitment service to the health and social care market. PSR will acquire the entirety of SYK's assets, staff and customer contracts. SYK will continue to operate under its trading name SYK Recruitment Specialists Ltd. The acquisition comes after PSR's successful period recruiting for The Hospital Group and felt this takeover would be a great opportunity to diversify into other sectors. PSR aims to add their experience and expertise in the contract market to SYK's clients and to build on the current framework agreements SYK has in place such as the HealthTrust Europe Framework. PSR has been providing recruitment services to the construction sector for nearly two decades. With 108 staff, 6 UK offices and in excess of 50m turnover, the company has been continuously striving to expand its visibility and has now acquired SYK. 'We are excited by this acquisition. SYK have a great name and reputation in the sector. Gemma and the team have done fantastically well over the last 10 years and have continually developed the business and are on all the major frameworks' said PSR Managing Director James Sanders. 'They share the same values and work nationally which within our current infrastructure, aligns well to what PSR does in the construction industry.' Special thanks to Kate Hackett from The Wilkes Partnership for helping assist with the completion of the acquisition in a professional and timely manner. For information about the PSR Group and the services they offer, visit the company website: https://www.psrsolutions.co.uk/ Contact info: Name: Luke Hough Organisation: PSR Group Address: Prospect House, Stafford Road, Penkridge, Staffordshire, ST18 9AB Phone: 01785 715505 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1448817/SYK_PSR.jpg SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Triple-S Management Corporation (NYSE: GTS) today announced that President and Chief Executive Officer Roberto Garcia-Rodriguez, and EVP and Chief Financial Officer Juan Jose Roman-Jimenez, will present at the Barclays Global Healthcare Conference on Wednesday, March 10, 2021 via live webcast. The presentation will begin at 11:30 AM Eastern Time. Investors and interested parties may listen to the webcast of the presentation by visiting the Company's investor relations website at www.triplesmanagement.com under the "News and Events" section at the appropriate time. A replay of the presentation will be available on the website following the conference. About Triple-S Management Corporation Triple-S Management Corporation is a healthcare services company and one of the top players in the Puerto Rico healthcare industry, with over 60 years of experience as the premier brand serving more people through the most attractive provider networks on the island. We have the exclusive right to use the Blue Cross Blue Shield name and mark throughout Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Costa Rica, the British Virgin Islands and Anguilla, and we offer a broad portfolio of managed care and related products in the Commercial, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid markets. Triple-S is also a well-known brand in the life insurance and property and casualty insurance markets in Puerto Rico, with strong customer relationships and a significant market share. For more information about Triple-S Management, visit www.triplesmanagement.com or contact [email protected]. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: AT THE COMPANY: INVESTOR RELATIONS: Juan Jose Roman-Jimenez Mr. Garrett Edson EVP and Chief Financial Officer ICR (787) 749-4949 (787) 792-6488 SOURCE Triple-S Management Corporation Related Links http://www.triplesmanagement.com New Delhi, March 3 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought reply from the National Investigation Agency on the bail plea of activist Gautam Navlakha in the alleged Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case. A bench comprising Justices U.U. Lalit and K.M. Joseph issued notice to the probe agency on Navlakha's plea challenging the Bombay High Court order of February 8 dismissing his bail plea. Navlakha had moved the High Court challenging a special court order, which declined to entertain his application for default bail last year. "The main question that arises in the present petition is whether a period of 34 days when the petitioner was in custody by way of house arrest pursuant to orders of the Delhi High Court and this court modifying transit remand order August 28, 2018 of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Sake court, New Delhi, would count as custody for the purpose of default bail under Section 167(2) CrPC", said Navlakha's plea. After a brief hearing in the matter, the top court issued notice to NIA and sought its reply by March 15. Navlakha has argued that the top court and the Delhi High Court cut short or paused police custody does not imply that it was not custody at all. "It is also pertinent to note that although the house arrest was judicial custody there was a brief period of time when the petitioner was in the custody of the police. The police arrested him, his house was searched, and the police seized his devices", argued the plea. The case is in connection with provocative statements made by some activists at the Elgar Parishad meet in Pune on December 31, 2017, which triggered violence at Koregaon Bhima in the district the next day. The police suspects that event was backed by some Maoist groups. The High Court had said it does not see any compelling reason to interfere with a NIA court's order of July 12, 2020, which rejected his plea for statutory bail. VANCOUVER - A lawyer for Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou accused former U.S. president Donald Trump of co-opting her extradition proceedings in an effort to use her as leverage in trade negotiations with China. Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Huawei, leaves her home in Vancouver to attend a court hearing, Monday, March 1, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward VANCOUVER - A lawyer for Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou accused former U.S. president Donald Trump of co-opting her extradition proceedings in an effort to use her as leverage in trade negotiations with China. Richard Peck told the British Columbia Supreme Court Wednesday that Trump's words to media after Meng's arrest amount to an abuse of process. "The only words that will dilute what we say is a stain on these proceedings and on Canada's justice system is a stay of proceedings," Peck said, launching the first of several arguments Meng's team will make in the coming weeks seeking her release. Meng was arrested at Vancouver's airport on Dec. 1, 2018, at the request of U.S. officials on charges of fraud that both she and Huawei deny. Ten days after her arrest, Trump was asked if the United States would intervene in Meng's case to get a better deal with China. "If I think its good for what will be the largest trade deal ever made which is a very important thing whats good for national security, I would certainly intervene if I thought it was necessary," Trump told Reuters news agency. The comment did not exist in isolation, but was the first in a string of repeated statements that demonstrate an ulterior motive, Peck said. "With that utterance, Ms. Meng became a bargaining chip, a pawn in this economic contest between these two superpowers. Those words amount to the opening salvo in this trade war," Peck told the court. But a lawyer for the attorney general of Canada, who represents the United States in the case, said the argument is irrelevant now that Trump is out of office, the trade deal is done and there's been no evidence of intervention. Meng Wanzhou, Chief financial officer of Huawei leaves her home as she heads to B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, Wednesday, March 3, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward Robert Frater said even if that weren't the case, Trump's "vague" comments do not support an abuse of process allegation. "They never had a basis for this argument," Frater told the court. "There's nothing remotely threatening in anything that was said." Wednesday marked the beginning of arguments by Meng's legal team that claim she was subjected to an abuse of process in four different ways and that the proceedings against her should be stayed if any is proven. The case culminates with the actual extradition hearing in May. Peck told the court that Trump's words came in the context of a long-brewing technological race with China in which Huawei threatened to dominate 5G networks worldwide. They cast a pall over court proceedings, reducing Meng from a human being to "chattel" and striking at the heart of human dignity, he said. The comments also make the case unique, he said. "In the annals of extradition law, it appears to be the first time the head of a requesting state has commented directly on the plight of a person sought" and publicly stated a willingness or intent to intervene for any reason, let alone an economic one, Peck said. Peck gave several other examples that he said adds to the cumulative effect of Trump's initial comment on the case. Nearly three months after Meng's arrest, Trump was asked if the United States would drop charges against the Huawei executive as part of a trade deal during a press conference with Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He. "Were going to be discussing all of that during the course of the next couple of weeks," Trump said, adding that at the moment, it was not something being discussed. In June 2019, Trump was asked again about Huawei's role in trade negotiations. "We're leaving Huawei toward the end. We'll see where we go with the trade agreement," Trump said. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's own comments on the case also came under scrutiny Wednesday. Meng's team pointed to a December 2019 statement that the U.S. and China should not finalize a deal until the issue of Meng and two Canadians detained in China, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, is settled. "That is hardly in accordance with the rule of law," said Mona Duckett, another lawyer for Meng. But Frater accused Meng's team of cherry-picking and adding meaning to a statement amid a sea of other clear and consistent messaging from the prime minister that Canada respects the rule of law. "The statements made by the prime minister in my respectful submission have always tried to draw a distinction between this case and any other political considerations." Trump's comments are also inconsistent with statements made by other knowledgeable government officials, such as the then-acting attorney general, secretary of state and lead negotiator on U.S. trade talks with China, Frater said. The Biden administration has also consistently indicated a respect for the rule of law, Frater said. He pointed to comments from the secretary of state, White House press secretary and Justice Department all indicating the Meng's case is the jurisdiction of the courts, not politicians. "The idea that you could make a claim that there is a need to intervene now because there has been no renunciation of this position is simply not credible," Frater said. Frater will continue his response Thursday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 3, 2021. A Co Laois man has been fined 500 for attempting to pay for sexual services in Newry. John Bergin (35) of Fassidinas New Row, Abbeyleix, is also charged with possession of class A drugs on October 18, 2020. A charge of paying for sexual services was withdrawn. The offences are only the second time such charges have been brought forward by the public prosecution services in Northern Ireland. Newry magistrates heard that the PSNI observed a suspicious white Land Rover on Monaghan Street in the city at approximately 2am. Two females were seen approaching the vehicle with one female entering into a nearby property with the accused. Police entered the house and found a female hiding behind a door. Bergin was questioned and admitted to making contact with the woman on the online site Escort Ireland. A search was carried out with an amount of cocaine found said to have been bought by the accused for 70 for personal use. The defendant was arrested and during a PSNI interview admitted the offences. Defence barrister, Kevin OHare said his client, who has no record whatsoever had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and had been embarrassed on mainstream and social media by the incident. He accepts that it was wrong doing and spent a night in custody for it, said Mr OHare. He was handcuffed and taken to a bank machine in order to take out cash surety for his release. The offences have attracted media attention and this has been a humiliating experience for him. He has learned a solitary lesson, added the barrister. Deputy district judge Anne Marshall alluded to the interest of the media as understandable given the context of the offending. This is an unusual type of offending before the court and one that does have victims, said Ms Marshall. The unsavoury background of how these females come into this position including trafficking issues in some circumstances, added the judge. Bergin was further ordered to pay an offenders levy and a destruction order was put in place for the drugs. Research explores what type of online service the Japan wants to access the most and why LONDON, March 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The things people search for on engines like Google can tell a lot about how they live. New research by NordVPN reveals that video content on YouTube is the most desirable to unlock. In total, 90% of Japanese internet users searching how to unblock certain online services want to gain access to YouTube, 8.9% to Facebook and the rest attributed to Twitter and Instagram. People worldwide have a wider list of blocked content they want to gain access to, but YouTube is still the king - it attributes to 82.7% of all queries worldwide. Japanese people enjoy free internet, and the country ranks at 12 out of 100 countries in terms of internet availability reported by Freedom house. However, as per report, "for the third consecutive year, internet freedom declined". Why do people look for how to unblock YouTube much more than other services? Youtube is the second most popular website as of August 2020 , with one billion hours of content watched daily . "Not surprisingly, some video content is not available in certain countries due to copyright or censorship. This makes people look for workarounds," says Daniel Markusson. When it comes to countries where the internet is considered less free , search queries about accessing Google lead the list. The search volumes of this query come right after YouTube in Indonesia (32%), Turkey (12.5%), and India (2%). What are the top 5 countries looking to unblock content on YouTube? First on the list is the US, amounting to 7.7% of all "unblock YouTube" searches. The country is followed by India (6,5%) and Indonesia (5,3%). "The reasons behind attempts to access blocked content on YouTube might be notably different. The high search volumes in the US are the result of students trying to bypass rules at school, where bandwidth is often blocked for YouTube. On the other hand, internet users from India and Indonesia are either trying to overcome geo-restrictions imposed by content creators or bypass censorship. Both of these explanations apply to Japan.," notes Daniel Markuson. The number of attempts to reach YouTube content is the same in the UK and the Philippines. The two countries made the top 5, making up 1.4% of all searches each. 18+ FOR.kg search news service (news aggregator, media aggregator) Read first Agreement on the use of the FOR.kg search site When using materials from the FOR.kg - reference to the source is required For all questions please contact customer support POTTSVILLE Read Across America week comes at an interesting time this year. Dr. Seuss Enterprises, the business that preserves and protects the authors legacy, announced it would stop publishing six of Dr. Seuss books because they contain racist and insensitive imagery. The books are And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, If I Ran the Zoo, McElligots Pool, On Beyond Zebra!, Scrambled Eggs Super! and The Cats Quizzer. The Hazleton Area Public Library will not be removing Dr. Seuss books from its shelves, Michele Kushmeder, executive director, said. As a public library, people can choose to read or not read books from its collection, she said. The books are not on mandatory reading lists, such as in a school setting, she said. Kushmeder believes that parents can use the situation as teaching moment. The books were written in a different time and what was accepted in society then is different than today, and this has to be taken into consideration, she said. People cant erase history, but perhaps they can look at the books and see how far weve come in society, Kushmeder said. They could be considered a good example of a bad example, she said. According to Kushmeder, people also need to look at the body of work that Dr. Seuss produced, and how many children learned to read because of books, such as The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham which were first published in the 1950s and 60s. The books used simple word patterns and rhyming sounds, which children not only enjoyed, but memorized, she said. The Cat in the Hat, for instance, used 236 words over and over, understanding childrens reading and literacy development, Kushmeder said. How many children found fun in reading? she asked, contrasting the Cats mischievous ways with See spot run, readers. Asked about the companys decision, Stacie Cromyak, a third grade teacher at John S. Clarke Elementary Center in Pottsville, said she doesnt think children read into the books the same way adults do. She also noted that The Sneetches is designed to promote diversity and being oneself. His whole reason for writing is for kids to read as early learners and to use word families, she said. They see the rhymes, goofy characters and eccentric illustrations. Celebrating Read Across America To celebrate the annual observance of Read Across America week, John S. Clarke Elementary Center third graders are hearing Dr. Seuss stories read to them from, literally, across the country. I thought about my friends and family that reside in not only Pennsylvania, but other states as well, and realized that with a little planning, we just might be able to Read Across America, said Cromyak, who has taught in the district for 22 years. On Tuesday morning, 19 students in her class and six learning virtually heard her friend, Kimbery Matsko, of Madison, Wisconsin, read The Cat in the Hat through Zoom, with the video projected on a smartboard. A few children chuckled as she read and the students thanked her when she finished her 15-minute reading. Cromyak then assigned the students to write about a time they made mischief, like the main character in the titular Dr. Seuss book does. As an example, she told them about the time her son spread toothpaste all over the bathroom. She said she came up with the idea to invite people from around the country to share stories as a way to bring in guest readers during the pandemic. Last year, she had several guests come and read to the class. She kicked off the week by reading The Sneetches and asked students to complete a writing about what they like best about themselves, and to determine the amount of money the main character, Sylvester McMonkey McBean, made from the fictional creatures. Others scheduled to read this week are Cromyaks sister-in-law Sara Cromyak, who will read Wacky Wednesday from Seattle, Washington; her son, Nathan Cromyak, and his girlfriend, Aslynn Herring, both in the Air Force, who will read What Pet Should I Get from Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Cromyaks friend Leah Hoak, of Pine Grove, who will read The Lorax and lead the students in a planting activity. Read Across America encourages not only reading but also dressing up for themes that coincide with Dr. Seusss books. That includes Oh, the Places Youll Go, where students wear either a shirt with their favorite place to vacation or dress up as someone in an occupation they may want to pursue, such as a police officer; and Fox in Socks, where students can wear crazy socks. On Tuesday, which was the authors birthday, students could dress in different patterns. The National Education Association has been coordinating Read Across America since 1998. It coincides with Seuss March 2 birthday. Acting Principal Michael Maley said the goal for the week is to get students excited about reading and to celebrate literacy. We always want to create opportunities for our students to get lost in a good book, he said. While overseas travel remains unlikely for 2021, Australians can experience a slice of Germany hidden away in South Australia. Situated 28 kilometres south-east from the Adelaide CBD, the historical town of Hahndorf is known for its tree-lined main street, craft brewery, German-style pubs, restaurants and antique stores. According to the Hahndorf SA website, visitors can enjoy a true village experience of 'authentic artisans and producers'. While overseas travel remains unlikely for 2021, Australians can experience a slice of Germany hidden away in South Australia Situated 28 kilometres south-east from the Adelaide CBD, the historical town of Hahndorf is known for its tree-lined main street, craft brewery, German-style pubs, restaurants, cafes and antique stores According to the Hahndorf SA website, visitors can enjoy a true village experience of 'authentic artisans and producers' Stroll down the main strip and admire the heritage stone buildings, or enjoy traditional German sausages and pretzels with a pint of beer at The Haus. When visiting the town, be sure to stop at the barn-style Blacksmith Hahndorf cafe for a coffee or at the Landhaus Wines cellar door for a beverage. Autumn is one of the best times to visit Hahndorf, as the leaves on the trees throughout the town turn bright, radiant shades of red, yellow and orange. Visitors enjoy sharing snaps of their days out at Hahndorf on both Instagram and Facebook Stoll down the main strip and admire the heritage stone buildings, or enjoy traditional German sausages and pretzels with a pint of beer at The Haus A short drive from the main stretch is the Beerenberg Farm where guests can pick their own strawberries When visiting the town, be sure to stop at the barn-style Blacksmith Hahndorf cafe for a coffee or Landhaus Wines cellar door for a wine A short drive from the main stretch is the Beerenberg Farm where guests can pick their own fresh strawberries. The farm is open seven days a week from 9am to 5pm, but bookings are essential via to Beerenberg website. Hahndorf was officially zoned as a heritage area in 1988 by the Government of South Australia and the German history traces back to 1838. For further information on what to do in Hahndorf as well as accommodation opportunities, guests can visit the Hahndorf website. Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Tuesday pulled up officials and government counsels for casting aspersions on judges and courts so as to hide their failures. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy issued showcause notices to Khammam collector R.V. Karnan and special government counsel A. Sanjeev Kumar for indulging in mudslinging after a High Court judge had imposed costs of Rs 500 on the official for non-compliance of court orders. However, Sanjeev Kumar tendered an apology and the bench recalled the notices served against him. The court was angered by an affidavit filed by the collector and drafted by government counsel which stated that the single judge had imposed the costs on the collector in a predetermined manner. The bench asked how a judge could have a personal interest in punishing or imposing costs on an officer or any other person. "What did you think while leveling allegations against a judge? Open (your) eyes wide... see the difference between the judge and the judgment," Chief Justice Hema Kohli said. "When the court orders were not complied with, costs were imposed. Does not the collector, who has around nine years of service, know how to respect court orders? When his neck was on the block, he implemented the orders. He has not even tendered an apology after casting aspersions, CJ Kohli said. The notice issued to the collector asked why his statement against the single judge should not be taken as contempt. In 2019, Justice Challa Kondaram, dealing with a petition of one Karri Venkatramaiah, an agriculturist from Penubally of Khammam district, directed the collector to take action against ineligible persons taking benefits of government schemes and depriving those who were eligible. As the court orders were not implemented, the petitioner filed a contempt case in September 2020. After contempt notices were issued, some efforts were made to implement the court orders of 2019. Noting this, Justice Kondaram had imposed costs of Rs 500 on the collector, which was to be recovered from his salary and payable to the state. The collector filed an appeal in the contempt matter, challenging the imposing of costs. In the affidavit, which was prepared by government counsel, he argued that the single judge imposed the costs in a "predetermined" manner. The bench found fault with government counsel for supporting officials who don't have any respect towards court orders. I am very skeptical about Microsoft Mesh, the companys new virtual-reality platform, and you should be, too. Microsoft's last attempt at virtual reality, the HoloLens headset, was introduced with a flourish before largely melting away. The signs so far for Mesh suggest a similarly concerning pattern. Beyond that, we have to ask, do meeting participants event want to mingle in virtual spaces? Microsoft Mesh was announced Tuesday morning at the companys Ignite conferencean event taking place via Microsoft Teams and YouTube because of the pandemic. Microsoft technical fellow Alex Kipman, the person most closely tied to Microsofts HoloLens efforts, announced that the entire Ignite conference is being hosted on Mesh. If youd like, you can view it in virtual reality. Theres even a Mesh videoconferencing app in preview. Microsoft hopes Mesh will be seen less as a virtual reality platform and more as a virtual meeting platform, an extension of Microsoft Teams that would replace a physical conference room. According to Microsoft, Mesh allowed Kipman to appear as a fully realized "holoportation" of himself, presenting from within a virtual aquarium with coral and even a shark. Eventually Mesh will evolve from projecting ourselves as avatars in virtual space to holoporting in as photorealistic self-representations. (Microsoft Research began talking about holoporting in 2016, as part of a demonstration video.) Does any of this sound familiar? If you remember anything about HoloLens, it should. Microsoft Microsofts Mesh App, in preview. HoloLens hype vs. reality Its been more than six years since Microsoft first showed off the HoloLens at its headquarters in 2015, bridging playa virtual Minecraft worldwith the practical: manipulating virtual models, as well as receiving instructions to manipulate real objects. The HoloLens demo was filled with hope and magic, ushering in a new way of engaging with the world. That magic wore off quickly. Despite a few more consumer-focused hands-on experiences and opportunities to try HoloLens at Microsoft Stores, by 2016 the technology quietly began moving away from Minecraft and Mars exploration to enterprise applications. Mark Hachman / IDG At its best, HoloLens mixed the virtual and the real world together. Can Mesh do the same? That transition was essentially made official in 2019, when HoloLens 2 debuted with a strong business bent. When we reviewed the strengths and weaknesses of HoloLens the same year, it was clear that while the technology generated its wow factor through flashy consumer experiences, Microsoft never sold HoloLens as anything but a $3,000 development tool. You saw that same sort of weird disconnect on display Tuesday. Microsoft again spoke of practical applications, such as collaborating on shared 3D models in VR space. But the demos showed off consumer-oriented experiences, such as people moving around a virtual fish tank, and playing a Mesh-powered Pokemon Go game. Microsoft Moving around large, virtual models has apparently been one of the selling points for Microsofts vision of mixed reality. Its also curious that Microsoft revealed Mesh as a surprise at Ignite, other than a few superficial exclusives. Its reminiscent of the hype cycle surrounding the Surface Duo, Microsofts folding phone: big reveal, exclusive access, tepid reviews, then radio silence. Where is the hardware? HoloLens started a new category but failed to inspire other vendors to jump on the bandwagon. You might recall the 2017 run-up to Windows Mixed Reality: the small herd of headsets from Dell, HP, and other PC vendors that originally lacked Steam support and were frustrating to use. You can find a few leftovers on Amazon, but how often have we heard the term mixed reality in the PC industry recently? Adam Patrick Murray / IDG Very few were given a chance to try the HoloLens 2. Microsoft has said it sees mixed reality as more than just the HoloLens. Weve seen standalone VR platforms emerge from Qualcomm, and finished devices from Oculus and others. Microsoft also includes the PC and the smartphone among the hardware that could use Microsoft Mesh. But if youre going to look at Microsofts track record in mobile augmented reality, youre obliged to note that Microsoft tried, and failed, to make its mobile AR game, Minecraft Earth, a viable business. Microsoft Windows Mixed Reality devices struggled to find a niche. Will Mesh revitalize the industry? Will Mesh fatigue be a thing? However Mesh relates to Microsoft's earlier attempts at virtual reality, the company has tried to up its game. In 2017, Microsoft bought AltspaceVR, a mixed-reality platform that uses avatars as means to socialize virtually. Its not surprising, then, that Microsoft sees the evolution of avatars to photorealistic interaction as the means by which future meetings may be held. By the way, how exactly are we going to be scanning ourselves into virtual reality to enable holoportation? Assuming that not everyone is going to have access to VR or mixed-reality hardware, the future of business meetings for phone and PC users will be--what, some first-person, Skyrim-like view where people swivel and pivot their virtual chairs, while others, equipped with a HoloLens, wander about the room? (Maybe its time for the Kinectyet another failed consumer device that was possibly ahead of its timeto make a comeback.) Its possible that the unconscious interaction with avatars and holoporting colleagues and friends will alleviate Zoom fatigue, the catch-all term for the exhaustion some feel after a days worth of videoconferencing. Its equally possible that youll end up with a killer headache after wearing a VR headset for hours on end. One counterargument to all this is the mythical Microsoft 3.0 rule, where Microsoft, after iterating a number of times, finally gets it right. To be fair, when Microsoft Teams entered the market, we were somewhat skeptical. Microsoft has sent entire phalanxes of developers to support the product, however, adding feature after feature. If Mesh receives the same treatment, its chances should improve significantly. In other words, Microsoft will need more than just a flashy demo to back it up. 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. Multimillionaire real estate mogul Cesar Pina helps readers find financial freedom in his new book "Flipping Keys: Self-Made Real Estate King." Ive been on a mission. Ive tried to tell my story to thousands so that when its told you can envision yourself in my story, and see how everyone can achieve greatness. Of the many things that Ive learned on my way is to never allow anyone or anything to derail you off your track. Stay focused. In the 1990s, Cesar Pina could have been another story of a lost soul destined to hustle his way earning fast money through dealing drugs and other crimes to attain the American dream. He, instead, flipped his life script away from committing crimes to becoming a multimillionaire real estate mogul and helping others reach financial freedom in his new book Flipping Keys: Self-Made Real Estate King. Pina, who is from Paterson, New Jersey and proud of his Dominican descent, describes his life growing up with his family in New Yorks tough and impoverished Washington Heights neighborhood. While his family was a positive source in his life, the streets offered a different career path which brought him jail sentences as a young adult in the 2000s. With a wife and young daughter to support, he had to change his life for the better. Prison helped him focus on creating a legitimate career in real estate. A chance meeting with an inmate with experience was the beginning for Pina to use his street hustle to take on the corporate world and achieving financial success the right way. Owning more than 1,100 rental properties in cities such as New York City, Chicago and Miami, Pina is a sought-after speaker presenting real estate investing seminars and selling out arenas through the United States. Ive been on a mission. Ive tried to tell my story to thousands so that when its told you can envision yourself in my story, and see how everyone can achieve greatness, Pina wrote in his book. Of the many things that Ive learned on my way is to never allow anyone or anything to derail you off your track. Stay focused. I was always willing to try and try again no matter how many times I was turned down or ignored. No one could feel or understand my struggle. But most importantly, no one was going to stop me. It wasnt long before I began to see how some of the people I considered the closest to me, began to look and act differently towards me when I choose to better myself. Flipping Keys: Self-Made Real Estate King is available for presale now on Amazon. About Cesar Pina Cesar Pina started his real estate journey early 2006 and has since made a name for himself giving inspiration and motivation to others who want to invest their money. Pina partnered with DJ Envy (Power 105.1) in 2018 and started touring creating seminars for people who want to learn the real estate business. Their seminars took place across the tri-state area. Being from New Jersey, Pina has also partnered with many people in real estate. He has been featured on The Breakfast Club where he spoke about himself educating others on real estate development, investing & flipping houses. Hes also been featured on North Jersey, Billboard magazine, Paterson Times, Good Morning America, Drink Champs podcast and other media outlets. For more information, visit https://cesarpina.com. ### * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! A 64-year-old man allegedly told a woman 'I'm going to kill you, I want you to die' before he shot his 54-year-old wife and turned the gun on himself in a doctor's office in Texas. Andrew Wang, of Richmond, is accused of shooting his wife twice before he shot himself dead on the 4th floor of the office building next door to the Woman's Hospital of Texas in Houston Monday afternoon. Police were called to the scene just before 3pm and discovered Wang dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Wang's wife, who has not been officially named by police, was taken to hospital in a stable condition. A 64-year-old man allegedly told a woman 'I'm going to kill you, I want you to die' before he shot his 54-year-old wife and turned the gun on himself in a doctor's office in Texas. Pictured the crime scene The shooting unfolded at about 2:55pm Monday at the building at 12121 Richmond Avenue. Police said Wang had an appointment at the medical facility that day and his wife was accompanying him there. A female witness told investigators Wang appeared 'agitated' as he entered the office. The 64-year-old then allegedly grabbed the witness by her shirt and told her: 'I'm going to kill you, I want you to die.' The woman, who has not been named but has no known connection to Wang, pushed him back and ran out of the office, police said. At this point, Wang allegedly turned and shot his wife - once in the chest and once in the right arm. He then turned the gun on himself shooting himself at least once. Police said Wang was armed with two pistols and had fired both during the incident. Officers arrived on the scene and found Wang's wife lying on the floor of the hallway with two gunshot wounds. Andrew Wang, of Richmond, is accused of shooting his wife twice before he shot himself dead on the 4th floor of the office building next door to the Woman's Hospital of Texas in Houston Monday afternoon (pictured) She was transported to Memorial Hermann hospital in a stable condition for treatment. Wang was found inside the office with at least one self-inflicted gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene. Both guns were recovered from the scene. Chief Wendy Baimbridge said at a press briefing outside the facility Monday that investigators believed the shooting was a domestic violence incident. She also stressed that the shooting did not take place inside the hospital. 'I want to be very clear this did not occur at the hospital. It was at a medical office on the fourth floor,' she said. Baimbridge also confirmed neither Wang nor his wife were employees at the facility but that the 64-year-old had an appointment at the doctor's office that day. It is not clear what Wang's appointment was for. Chief Wendy Baimbridge said at a press briefing that neither Wang nor his wife were employees at the facility but that he had an appointment at the doctor's office that day There is also no previous relationship between Wang and the female witness who escaped the office before the shooting, the police chief said. Baimbridge added that it was a 'very odd' incident because there was no known altercation or fight prior to the moment Wang grabbed the witness and then opened fire. It is not yet known if Wang, who once worked at a language school, has any history of domestic violence. Baimbridge described the incident as 'tragic' and urged people to 'stay engaged' with family and friends who are in violent relationships particularly during the pandemic. 'Fifty percent of our aggravated assault incidents in Houston right now, and really across the nation if you're looking at these numbers, they're domestic violence related,' she said. 'If you have family members in domestic violence marriages, talk to them, stay engaged... if you have to get away to save your life do that.' Police were called to the scene just before 3 pm and discovered Wang dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound World Evangelical Alliance announces plans to strengthen, expand network for spiritual awakening Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment After more than a decade since the organizations last general assembly, Bishop Efraim Tendero, secretary general of the World Evangelical Alliance, announced Friday at their latest gathering, that they are now ready to reach every nation of the world with the Gospel through strategic partnerships and focus. The WEAs role is to unite and empower evangelicals globally by giving identity, voice and platform in every nation and that vision guides us in everything that we do, Tendero said in an address to representatives from 92 countries who gathered at the Sentul International Convention Center in Bogor, Indonesia, for the seven-day General Assembly. He explained that in the 11 years since the last general assembly, the organization had made many changes to better carry out their mission, including strengthening leadership teams such as their International Council led by Rev. Goodwill Shana, founder and senior pastor of Word of Life International Ministries in Zimbabwe and president of the Association of Evangelicals in Africa. As leaders, you all know that an organization is as good as its leadership in governance. The WEA has not always fared well in the past 11 years but things have changed for the better. And that is why we are here. As chair of the IC I can confirm, my colleagues in the international council can affirm, that today the WEA has a constitutionally compliant, functionally effective international council, with members of impeccable character, veritable reputations as Christians and leaders who have for years, served the church, he said. Together we are stronger, more effective. Citing the apostle Paul in the New Testament, Tendero shared a comprehensive summary of how the organization is now working to achieve its mission. As secretary general of the World Evangelical Alliance, I often think of the Apostle Paul and his ministry as recorded in the New Testament. Paul traveled throughout the Christian world of his day enduring great hardships to encourage the believers, Tendero said. Paul knew that his efforts would be in vain if the local churches will not prosper. He referred to the churches as his joy and crown. He prayed earnestly for them. He felt deep daily, emotional burden for the churches. And he was especially concerned that the church would function together in unity." Among the WEAs work areas, he said, is their global advocacy for religious freedom. Advocacy for religious freedom is one of our most important activities. This advocacy is essential to our goal of enabling the Gospel to be preached throughout the world. We also, as a matter of principle, support religious freedom for all people, not just Christians. In doing so, we gain respect and partners for our efforts, he said. He pointed to several countries like Algeria, where work with various partners to improve religious freedom has been ongoing. Our efforts to protect religious freedom in Algeria, where churches have recently been shut down by government authorities, are ongoing. Some churches were reopened in 2018 after we encouraged the U.S. State Department to look into the situation. However, in recent months, Algerian authorities have closed six more churches. Our member alliance in Algeria is appealing for support and prayers, Tendero said. He noted bright spots of hope in areas like Palestine. We just enjoyed a wonderful success this week when the Palestinian National Authority granted full recognition to our evangelical alliance in Palestine, which they have been seeking for 12 years, he said. Christians all over the world are suffering for their faith. It is gratifying to know that we play a significant role in standing up for them and encouraging them. He also highlighted efforts to advance the WEAs mission through an idea called polycentric mission. That is, the idea that mission should be from everywhere to everywhere, not just from the West to the rest, he said. The organization expects to promote this mission by publishing books, mobilizing mission organizations and organizing mission consultations." The WEA will also be pushing a global basic training program called Re-forma, targeting a million untrained pastors. Additionally, they have also launched the Society of Christian Scholars, a global network of Christians seeking to effectively represent and communicate the Gospel in academic settings which developed Re-forma. Tendero also noted that the WEA will also be pursuing its mission through more interfaith and intra-faith relationships. As a voice for evangelical Christians globally, [the WEA] is recognized as among the most important religious organizations in the world. Some have expressed understandable concerns that our evangelical message could be compromised as we build friendships and collaborations with people of other faiths. But the apostle Paul called us to live at peace with all people. We have found that we can do so while clearly maintaining our commitment to Jesus Christ as our calling card in every encounter, he said. We have established friendly, ongoing institutional relationships with all major Christian confessions. As part of this work, we have appointed specific, highly knowledgeable individuals, such as our ambassadors to the Vatican, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the Orthodox Churches, and the Russian Orthodox Churches." Tendero said the WEA will now be looking to improve the way the organization uses social media and other platforms to tell their story in an aggressive push to create better disciples and form new alliances. We are not yet a truly global organization. We have national alliances in 131 nations, at various levels of organizational maturity. But there are about 62 more countries where we have no representation. We will be aggressive and focused in establishing new alliances and strengthening the current ones to maturity, he said. During the next decade, we want to accelerate high-quality disciple-making efforts that will usher in global spiritual renewal and awakening, so that we can see the kingdoms of this world become the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ forever." Adityanath misleading people, SP will campaign for TMC: Akhilesh Yadav India oi-Deepika S Lucknow, Mar 03: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav accused Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday of misleading the people in West Bengal and said the party would campaign in favour of the TMC for the Assembly election. The comments came a day after Adityanath addressed a rally in minority-dominated Malda district where he alleged that cattle smuggling and "love jihad" were continuing unabated in West Bengal and the Mamata Banerjee government was endangering national security by indulging in "appeasement" politics. In a statement, Yadav said the BJP wanted to come to power in the state by spreading "confusion and propaganda" during the Assembly polls. "The Samajwadi Party will not allow this conspiracy of the BJP to succeed," he added. He alleged that Adityanath was "misleading" the people and appealed to the voters not to fall prey to the designs of the BJP, which "indulges in politics of hate". BJP: Are not Tejashwi Yadav, other leaders from outside Bengal backing TMC outsiders? "It''s in the interest of democracy to be cautious of it (BJP)," the SP leader said. Yadav said SP vice president and former minister Kiranmoy Nanda would conduct an election campaign in support of the TMC in the state. Incidentally, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had also met TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee two days ago. "West Bengal is home to a large number of Hindi-speaking people from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand," he had said, adding the RJD''s stand is to provide "full support" to Banerjee. The high-stakes elections in West Bengal, poised to be a tough contest between the TMC and the BJP, will be held in eight phases between March 27 and April 29. Votes will be counted on May 2. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 3, 2021, 23:11 [IST] Bamako, Mali (PANA) - Malian police have arrested three individuals accused of setting up a personal business specialising in the production of all kinds of fake documents, PANA learned from a security source A 19-year-old man initially indicted on Measure 11 sex crimes was sentenced this week in Clackamas County Juvenile Court to eight days in jail and up to four years of probation for abusing a minor victim. The short sentence for Kaden Kafoury of Milwaukie was tied to timing and the sweeping changes the Legislature made to how prosecutors handle young offenders facing the most serious crimes. Kafourys case was among a relatively small number of cases caught up in the transition from the states longstanding approach to the new policy outlined in Senate Bill 1008, Senior Deputy District Attorney Bill Golden told Judge Colleen Gilmartin. Kafoury originally faced 16 sex crime accusations involving a child over many years. The Oregonian/OregonLive does not identify sex crime victims. Earlier this year, Kafoury admitted to three counts of first-degree sodomy. He was sentenced Monday. We find ourselves with a case where this is the best outcome, Golden told the court. Senate Bill 1008 and the legislators who drafted it did not really give any guidance for these cases that would fall in between. The dramatic shift in the law occurred while the Kafoury matter was pending. Previously, defendants between 15 and 17 who were accused of Measure 11 offenses, such as murder, rape and sex crimes like the ones Kafoury was accused of, automatically started out in adult court, where defendants typically faced harsher sentences. Measure 11 created a class of crimes that come with mandatory minimum sentences. Under reforms passed by the Oregon Legislature in 2019, those defendants are now prosecuted as juveniles under a system that emphasizes rehabilitation. Prosecutors may request a court hearing to move the cases into adult court, but the bar for such a transfer is high. Kafoury was 17 when he was first charged and he turned 18 before the bill went into effect in January 2020. The Clackamas County District Attorneys Office argued that Kafoury should be tried under the old rules given the timing of his indictment -- a view initially shared by Clackamas County Circuit Judge Thomas Rastetter. Kafourys lawyer, Stephen Houze, disagreed and petitioned the Oregon Supreme Court to review the matter. The court said it would reverse Rastetters ruling but also asked the judge for his explanation of his decision. Rastetter did not provide one and instead reversed his earlier ruling. That sent Kafourys case to Juvenile Court. Philosophically, the District Attorneys Office has a position on Measure 11 that differs from that of many people in the defense bar, myself included, Houze told Gilmartin. For the past two years, Houze said, we have made a concerted effort to demonstrate to anyone and everyone that Kaden Kafoury is a fine young man who despite the conduct he engaged in that has been harmful to (the victim) and certainly to himself, it is conduct that is capable of reformation and that is the foundation, of course, of the Juvenile Court. He said his client has shown he is capable of living his life in a very different and very positive way. Houze objected to his client being identified in this article. The Oregonian/OregonLive routinely identifies juveniles accused or convicted of serious crimes. Kafourys parents appeared in court and offered support for their son. They are part of the extended Kafoury family, well-known in Multnomah County. Kaden Kafoury is the son of county Chair Deborah Kafourys cousin. Further complicating the case, Kaden Kafoury is now an adult. That means he cannot be ordered to the Oregon Youth Authoritys locked facility for youths in Woodburn. The judge also cant send him to a community-based residential program for juvenile offenders. The only options under the law: a jail sentence of up to eight days and probation. And under Juvenile Court rules, he can be on probation only until age 23. Under a deal with prosecutors, Kafoury agreed to register as a sex offender for at least two years once his probation ends. By law, the offender or a juvenile department can ask the court to end the probation term earlier if the person is doing well. Kafoury addressed the court and said he takes full responsibility for my actions. I am very aware it was 100% my fault, he said. I never should have done what I did. I just want to make it clear that I really do feel like I have improved through my treatment. Underscoring the difference between juvenile and adult courts, a second defendant accused of similar crimes against the same victim was an adult when he was charged. Caleb Conlee, 20, of Milwaukie was convicted of attempted first-degree sexual abuse and attempted first-degree sodomy and was sentenced to 223 days in jail and five years of probation. While the charges against Kafoury spanned years, Conlees crimes took place on a single day, prosecutors said. The judge said she would accept the deal negotiated by prosecutors and Houze. She agreed to allow him to serve his jail sentence during his spring break later this month. She spoke directly to Kafoury at the close of the hearing. She told him that while the abuse he engaged in was prolonged, she thinks hes capable of reform. There is still a very long road of work ahead, she said. You have started on that road. You have taken hold of that opportunity to get started before the court made you, which is a very good thing. -- Noelle Crombie; ncrombie@oregonian.com; 503-276-7184; @noellecrombie 12. Everyone must follow the law. Leaders must obey the law. Government must obey the law. No one is above the law. . . . . (@ChaudhryMAli88) WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 04th March, 2021) The arrival of 117,000 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for COVID-19 marked the first distribution in plans by COVAX to supply 28.7 million doses to 36 nations in the Americas by May, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director Carissa Etienne said Wednesday. In COVAX's "First Wave" shipment, 117,000 doses of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine arrived in El Dorado International Airport in Bogota, PAHO said in a press release. "These first doses mark the beginning of a new phase of our COVID response," Etienne said in the release. In the Americas, 36 countries are participating in COVAX, a partnership between the World Health Organization and two international groups - the Gavi vaccine alliance and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), according to PAHO. COVAX has told participating countries that a total of 28.7 million doses of vaccines would be delivered by May 2021, PAHO said. ROCHESTER, Minn. Over a quarter of Olmsted County residents have gotten at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Olmsted County Public Health Services (OCPHS) says as of Tuesday, 27.9% of the countys population has received at least one coronavirus shot and 20.2% have gotten both. That makes Olmsted County of the top five counties in Minnesota with the highest vaccination percentage. As of last Friday, OCPHS says 79.4% of school employees in the county have been offered their first dose of COVID vaccine and predicts all Rochester Public Schools employees will have been offered their first shot by the end this Friday. OCPHS says 59.9% of Olmsted County residents 65 and older have gotten at least one dose of COVID vaccine through their medical provider or one of the state-run clinics. A federal judge in Mexico has ordered the arrest of a former governor of the state of Nayarit over money laundering charges. The daughter of former Nayarit Governor Roberto Sandoval Castaneda was also included in the arrest order. Mexico's Attorney General's Office accused Castaneda and his daughter Lidy Alejandra Sandoval Lopez of having laundered huge drug cartel bribes during the politician's term from 2011 to 2017, according to a Breitbart News report. Authorities said that Roberto Sandoval Castaneda worked through his state attorney general to benefit from criminal groups such as Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Beltran Leyva in exchange for bribes. Also, the former politician was accused of using his daughter to purchase properties in an attempt to launder the money. His daughter at the time was a college student. With his then-Attorney General Edgar Veytia, Roberto Sandoval Castaneda has been allegedly involved in a string of illicit activities such as extortion, kidnapping, theft of properties, murder, and money laundering. However, the politician publicly denied all the charges against him. Veytia is a dual citizen of Mexico and the United States. He was arrested in March 2017 by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials at the Cross Border airport, which is connecting San Diego to Tijuana International Airport. Veytia was sentenced to 20 years in prison in September 2019. He was also fined $1 million after he pleaded guilty to 'international heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine,' manufacturing of marijuana, and distribution conspiracy responsible for the importation of illegal drugs from Mexico to the U.S., according to a Daily Mail report. "The judge considered that the crime that is the subject of the request for the arrest warrant is of special relevance and social impact, given the excessive amount of operations reported to the economic detriment of the public finances of Nayarit," the Office of the Attorney General said in a statement. It added that there was evidence in both the state and federal courts of their alleged relationship with people who have been detained in a foreign country for illegal activities connected to organized crime. Read Next: Ex-State Governor in Mexico Possibly Hunted for Months Before Chilling Assassination Roberto Sandoval Castaneda's Case The Office of the Attorney General is now protecting 10 witnesses who testified against Roberto Sandoval Castaneda and Veytia after the Feb. 8 arson of a restaurant owned by one of the witnesses, who accused the duo of setting up and participating in their kidnappings and tortures in December 2020. The Nayarit state prosecutors' office has already seized two properties, reportedly worth $8.2 million, that Castaneda illegally obtained. One of the properties was a 40,000 square-foot ranch in Tepic, which is the capital of Nayarit. Officials also got the headquarter building of a foundation that specialized in children's physical rehabilitation. Since February 2020, Roberto Sandoval Castaneda and his whole family have been blocked from entering the U.S. premises. Meanwhile, former U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said that Roberto Sandoval Castaneda received bribes from the said organized crime groups and, in return, was rewarded with information and protection. Read Also: Mexican Governor Says Poor People Are Not Susceptible To COVID-19 .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... DENVER A 70-year-old Colorado man accused of killing two women in 1982 has been arrested, officials said Wednesday. Alan Lee Phillips, of the mountain hamlet of Dumont, was being held in Park County Jail on suspicion of killing Annette Schnee, 21, and Barbara Bobbi Jo Oberholtzer, 29, Park County Sheriff Tom McGraw told a news conference. Phillips was taken into custody on Feb. 24 in Clear Creek County. Officials said he could be charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and assault. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Local, state and federal authorities identified Phillips as a potential suspect using DNA testing, authorities said, but they did not provide more details or mention a possible motive for the slayings. Police say the two women had no apparent connection, but both were believed to be hitchhiking outside a Rocky Mountain resort town before they disappeared on Jan. 6, 1982. Their bodies were found apart. Friends and family discovered Oberholtzers body in a snow drift on the summit of Hoosier Pass, near Breckenridge, one day after she disappeared. Schnees corpse was located six months later, fully clothed, in a creek in rural Park County. Both women had been shot. Reached Wednesday by telephone, Phillips public defender, Kyle Nettleblad, declined to comment on the case. I cannot begin to understand the pain and suffering their families have had to face for nearly four decades. With each year that has passed, they have remained vigilant in their unwavering commitment to seek justice for Bobbi Jo and Annette, McGraw, the Park County Sherriff, said. He said Phillips has had no major arrests since 1982 but officials are looking into his potential involvement in other cases. Police showed younger pictures of Phillips at the press conference and asked the public to reach out with any information about the case. Dumont is located about 35 miles (56 kilometers) west of Denver. ___ Nieberg is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Haiti - News : Zapping... Kidnapping of the Minister of Health's husband Tuesday morning at Avenue N, not far from Rue 3, engineer Alix Clement, husband of Minister of Health Marie Greta Roy Clement was kidnapped by heavily armed individuals. Protests : Closure of 250 service stations In protest of the kidnapping of one of their colleagues, the 275 owners who are members of the National Association of Petrol Station Owners (ANAPROSS) announce the closure of their service station as of Wednesday, March 3, 2021 . PNH NOTICE : Convocation of applicants for the 31st promotion Candidates for the training of the 31st promotion of the PNH, are convened on Monday March 8, 2021 from 7:30 am to the Medical Directorate of the PNH located at the National Police School, route de freres. NB : 1) wearing a mask is compulsory. 2) decent outfit. Les Cayes : Arrest of 5 kidnappers On Tuesday, 5 individuals suspected of kidnapping were arrested in Les Cayes following the kidnapping and forcible confinement of underage Rebecca Maima Chilenchie. Marion River dam 98% complete "The construction of the Marion dam, North East is 98% complete, a relief for the population of the lower North East who will no longer be flooded during the rains and who will benefit from electricity in their homes" informs the Ministry of Public Works. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-31269-haiti-politic-towards-the-end-of-the-works-of-the-dam-on-the-marion-river.html Soon an assessment of the fight against crime and kidnapping "The Government Commissioners have already prosecuted several alleged kidnappers with their accomplices. Very soon, they will give a press conference to share with the population their results in the fight against crime and kidnapping. In a democracy, one does not conquer political power by violence and terror. Bandits guided by dark forces seeking to provoke a general uprising in the country will be treated as enemies of society and the state. Enough is enough !" Rockefeller Vincent, Minister of Justice and Public Security HL/ HaitiLibre [DATELINE]Leveljump Healthcare Corp. (TSXV: JUMP) ("Leveljump" or the "Company"), a Canadian leader in B2B telehealth solutions, is pleased to announce that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Canadian Teleradiology Services, Inc. ("CTS") has commenced teleradiology services for its new clients which were announced on January 19, 2021. With over 80% of the expected client volume from the new client contracts already flowing to CTS, the onboarding process of the new clients is almost complete. Additional hospital sites associated with this network of hospitals are expected to be onboarded and receiving CTS services in March 2021. The new clients are expected to increase CTS revenues by between 7% to 11% in fiscal 2021. In addition, with minimal additional costs associated with these clients, Leveljump anticipates its net income to capture almost all the revenue generated from the new clients. "We are pleased to have commenced services for the new hospitals we contracted in January," said Mitchell Geisler, CEO of Leveljump Healthcare. "The delivery of CTS solutions to our new clients continues our mission to become a national brand in delivering radiology services in Canada." About Leveljump Healthcare Leveljump Healthcare Corp., (TSXV: JUMP) is building a national medical diagnostic imaging company and brand, primarily by providing teleradiology (remote radiology) services to its client hospitals and imaging centers. Additionally, JUMP plans to expand through the acquisition of independent healthcare facilities focused on diagnostic imaging as well as acquiring new disruptive imaging technologies. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF LEVELJUMP HEALTHCARE CORP. Mitchell Geisler, Chief Executive Officer info@leveljumphealthcare.com (877) 722-6965 CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the Company's business plans and the outlook of the Company's industry. Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of its officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release and the Company assumes no responsibility to update them or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances other than as required by applicable securities laws. The Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third-parties in respect of the Company, Canadian Teleradiology Services, Inc., their securities, or their respective financial or operating results (as applicable). Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/75911 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. Details still pending on third agreement between Emmet and Bay Bluffs CLEVELAND and BOSTON, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- MPE Partners ("MPE" or "Morgenthaler Private Equity") today announced an investment in 80/20 Inc. ("80/20" or "the Company"), a world-class originator and manufacturer of aluminum T-slotted building systems for various applications and end-markets. MPE Partners' investment positions 80/20 Inc. for accelerated growth, ensuring the Company remains an industry leader, world class employer of choice, and committed partner to all customers. "Our investment in 80/20 is an investment in the incredible people that comprise the Company and the work they do each and every day," said Karen Tuleta, Partner at MPE. "80/20 has a proven track record of excellence and we look forward to helping them achieve their next phase of growth." Joe Machado, Partner at MPE, added "The goal of our partnership is to accentuate their brand, capabilities, product offering, and customer and distributor relationships to further the momentum and cement 80/20's position as the industry leader." Founded by entrepreneur Don Wood in 1989, 80/20 Inc. develops and facilitates multifunction building systems to construct virtually anything that can be used anywhere. With a catalog of over 8,500 innovative products, 80/20 Inc. provides solutions for automation, machine frames, enclosures, displays, workstations, and more. "This is an incredible opportunity for 80/20. With MPE's investment we have access to financial and operational resources that will propel us to be an even better partner to our customers and distributors while we carry Don Wood's legacy forward," said Patrick Buesching, President and CEO, 80/20 Inc. "80/20 was founded on the belief that we should always strive for improvement and find opportunities to evolve and become even better so we can do more for our customers. This is the next step on the path to achieving more." Antares, Churchill Asset Management, and Manulife Investment Management provided financing to support the transaction. BakerHostetler served as legal counsel for MPE Partners. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. About 80/20 Inc. Located in Columbia City, Indiana, 80/20 Inc. is the originator and manufacturer of "The Industrial Erector Set," a modular T-slot aluminum building system for various applications and end markets. From light to heavy-duty, 80/20's products provide the perfect solution for automation challenges, robotic support, machine frames, guarding, enclosures, displays, workstations and the DIY home hobbyist. With over 8,500 SKUs, the Company's products are fully customizable and scalable to adapt to changing requirements over time, making 80/20 a key partner in its customers' automation and growth initiatives. The Company serves its more than 40,000 end users through its nationwide distributors as well as direct through its website: www.8020.net. About MPE Partners MPE Partners ("MPE" or "Morgenthaler Private Equity") seeks to be the preferred partner for entrepreneur- and family-owned companies. Based in Cleveland, OH, and Boston, MA, MPE invests in profitable, lower middle market companies with transaction values up to $250 million. MPE has two primary target investment areas: high-value manufacturing and commercial & industrial services. For more information, please visit www.mpepartners.com. SOURCE MPE Partners Related Links mpepartners.com Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. New Delhi: World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Somalia polio free on Sunday after the country didnt record any cases of the disease in the past three years. The UN health agency said that the last case of polio was recorded in Somalia in 2014 and since then the country has remained free of the deadly disease. The organization, however, has warned that the country still remains vulnerable and hence called for continued vaccination campaign. Mohamed Fiqi, who is the head of WHOs Eastern Mediterranean has been quoted as saying that the extensive vaccination campaigns and commitment from the side of government and international actors had played a key role in ensuring that the polio virus does not recur. The WHOs declaration has kept Somalia outside of the group of countries where the disease is still affecting the people. As a matter of fact, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria are the countries where cases of polio are still being reported. Fiqi has warned that Somalia still faces the risk of importation of the deadly virus from these three countries. Somalian President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo lauded the efforts of the organizations concerned for eradicating the disease which has affected many children in the country. Somalia continued to be a polio-free country for the third straight year. However, this comes in the midst of the worst measles outbreak it has witnessed in years. The country is also battling other diseases like diarrhea and cholera, which started in January this year. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. STORY LINK GBP/AUD Outlook: Pound Australian Dollar Pushes Higher as Markets Await UK Budget Pound (GBP) Supported by Extended UK Furlough Scheme There's now light at the end of the tunnel with a roadmap for reopening, so it's only right that we continue to help business and individuals through the challenging months ahead - and beyond. Australian Dollar (AUD) Falls Against the Pound Despite Positive GDP We reiterate our above consensus forecast for GDP growth of 4.5 per cent this year . . . which implies that allowing for the slump in net migration due to the closure of the border, the economy will suffer no permanent drop in output as a result of the pandemic. GBP/AUD Exchange Rate Forecast: Chancellor Rishi Sunak Budget in Focus Like this piece? Please share with your friends and colleagues: The Pound to Australian Dollar exchange rate headed higher this morning as markets eagerly await the announcement of the UK Spring Budget for 2021.At the time of writing the pair are currently trading at around AU$1.7881.The Pound found itself supported this morning after the announcement of an extension of the furlough scheme in the UK until September, as investors await the UK budget this afternoon.Announcing the support, Chancellor Rishi Sunak said:The Pound was further supported by the IHS Markit UK Services PMI for February.The UK Services PMI came in at 49.5 in February 2021 compared with January's eight-month low of 39.5.Tim Moore, Economics Director at IHS Markit commented on the data, saying:UK service sector activity was relatively stable in February and so it appears that the third national lockdown has seen limited spill overs to parts of the economy beyond the scope of government mandated closures.There were signs of growth in technology and some business services after a disappointing start to 2021.Although the Australian Dollar is down against the Pound this morning, the currency has found its losses limited as a positive GDP Q4 reading from Australia and global risk-on mood pushes AUD higher against the US Dollar.The Australian Dollar climbed after Australian Q4 GDP came in at 3.1% (QoQ) beating forecasts of 2.2%.Marcel Thieliant, economist at Capital Economics, was optimistic surrounding the GDP release, commenting on the data he said:Furthermore, the Australian Dollar has also been bolstered by a sharp rise in commodity prices, which rose 4.7% in Q4.Pound investors of course will be looking towards this afternoons Spring Budget announcement from Rishi Sunak, with more support for the UKs economy from the Chancellor pushing Sterling higher.Australian Dollar traders will be looking towards Australian retail sales figures released tomorrow, figures are forecast to have grown to 0.6%, up from -4.1% the previous month, which could add increased support for the Aussie.The GBP/AUD exchange rate will also be moved by any further coronavirus developments, with global cases of the virus falling investors could be more optimistic and buy into the risk-correlated Australian Dollar. International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements. TAGS: Pound Australian Dollar Forecasts Earn your Associate of Applied Business in Business IT (BIT) degree online from the University of Cincinnati. This program can be completed fully online, with curriculum customized to fit your schedule, interests and how quickly you want to complete your degree. Application deadline July 1, 2021. Learn More A road map for continued U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence was revealed Monday in a 756-page report released by a national commission. Two years in the making, the report by the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence made a number of recommendations to make the United States a leader in the AI age. Those include: Formation of a Technology Competitiveness Council to build a strategy that accounts for the complex security, economic, and scientific challenges of AI and its associated technologies Establishment of Digital Service Academy and civilian National Reserve to grow tech talent with the same seriousness of purpose by which military officers are developed US$35 billion to revive the domestic manufacture of computer chips $40 billion to expand and democratize federal AI research and development "America is not prepared to defend or compete in the AI era," declared the report by the bipartisan panel made up of 15 technologists, national security professionals, business executives, and academic leaders. "This is the tough reality we must face," it continued. "And it is this reality that demands comprehensive, whole-of-nation action." Leveraging Data Brandon Valeriano, a senior fellow at The Cato Institute, a public policy think tank in Washington, D.C. agreed that the United States is underprepared for the age of AI. "That's particularly true in terms of how we're using and collecting data that can be leveraged for AI," he told TechNewsWorld. "I'm not clear that our policymakers and leaders understand how AI works," he continued. "To leverage artificial intelligence, you need data. Our government hasn't done so well in collecting data that we can leverage for AI. That's one of the issues we're falling behind on." "Until we do," he said, "we're not going to be prepared to leverage AI to meet modern challenges." Failure to address the data problem could also affect the nation's position as the leader of AI in the world. "China could take the lead if the U.S. ignores this strategic threat," observed Daniel Castro, vice president of the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, a research and public policy organization in Washington, D.C. "One of China's biggest advantages is its access to data," he told TechNewsWorld. "The U.S. is considering following in the EU's footsteps and more heavily regulate data. This would prohibit U.S. companies, and the U.S. government, from using data for training AI systems. Authoritarian Advantages Vahid Behzadan, director of the Secure and Assured Intelligent Learning Lab at the University of New Haven pointed out that China has a number of advantages over the United States when competing for AI dominance. For example, relaxed data protection and privacy regulations give China access to richer data sets, which can fuel advances in machine learning in domains such as healthcare. In addition, relaxed deployment and implementation regulations allow for a shorter latency between R&D and market deployment. "However," he told TechNewsWorld, "the U.S. still maintains its superiority in terms of innovation and the quality of R&D infrastructure, which can neutralize the momentum gained by China in the data domain." The United States also has a vast array of businesses working on AI. "The number of companies engaged in building out differentiated AI is absolutely massive," observed Suketu Gandhi, a partner with Kearney, a global management consulting firm. "My assessment is that we are way ahead on artificial intelligence," he told TechNewsWorld. Another indicator of U.S. AI supremacy is talent. "If you could go anywhere in the world to solve an AI problem, where would you go?" Gandhi asked. "Most people would say the U.S. because of the broad canvas on which ideas are painted here and the skill set of the people available." "Our universities are churning out some of the best AI developers in the world," he added. Beating the Dragon In its report, the commission emphasized the need for the United States to win the AI competition with China. "China's plans, resources, and progress should concern all Americans," the report noted. "It is an AI peer in many areas and an AI leader in some applications. We take seriously China's ambition to surpass the United States as the world's AI leader within a decade." It added that the AI competition with China wasn't just a technology competition but one also of values. "China's domestic use of AI is a chilling precedent for anyone around the world who cherishes individual liberty," the report asserted. "Its employment of AI as a tool of repression and surveillance -- at home and, increasingly, abroad -- is a powerful counterpoint to how we believe AI should be used," it continued. "The AI future can be democratic, but we have learned enough about the power of technology to strengthen authoritarianism abroad and fuel extremism at home to know that we must not take for granted that future technology trends will reinforce rather than erode democracy," it added. Weaponizing AI The commission also aired concerns about AI being weaponized. "AI systems will also be used in the pursuit of power," its report noted. "We fear AI tools will be weapons of first resort in future conflicts." "State adversaries are already using AI-enabled disinformation attacks to sow division in democracies and jar our sense of reality," the panel reported. "States, criminals, and terrorists will conduct AI-powered cyberattacks and pair AI software with commercially available drones to create "smart weapons," it continued. "It is no secret that America's military rivals are integrating AI concepts and platforms to challenge the United States' decades-long technology advantage." Controlling AI weapons, however, will be as difficult as controlling the cyber weapons of today. "In my opinion, the weaponization of AI cannot be controlled via traditional means of regulatory enforcement," Behzadan maintained. "One of the unique characteristics of the AI domain is its open-source nature -- much of the research publications and advances in AI are openly available to the public," he explained. "Also," he continued, "the technological race for improving AI hardware has led to increasingly cheap solutions for AI-enabled systems. Therefore, the current ecosystem easily enables anyone with sufficient motivation to develop AI-enabled weapons." John P. Mello Jr. has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2003. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, IT issues, privacy, e-commerce, social media, artificial intelligence, big data and consumer electronics. He has written and edited for numerous publications, including the Boston Business Journal, the Boston Phoenix, Megapixel.Net and Government Security News. Email John. RAFAH, Gaza Strip Israeli prisons deprive Palestinian prisoners who are serving long or life sentences of the right to be alone with their wives. For that reason, many of them try to smuggle sperm out of prison to their wives to be used in in vitro fertilization (IVF). Wife of prisoner Mohammad al-Qedra, 35, who has been detained since the 2014 Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, gave birth in February using her husbands sperm that was smuggled out of prison about nine months ago. The Israeli army arrested Qedra in east Khan Yunis during the ground invasion of the 2014 war that lasted for 54 days. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison, of which he has already served seven. His family has been banned from visiting him for four years. The Qedra family in al-Amal neighborhood in the west of Khan Yunis rejoiced at the news of the childs birth, although the IVF conception was not welcomed by everyone at first. Qedras wife, Umm Mujahed, 32, told Al-Monitor, We live in a conservative society and some of the family members objected to the idea while others supported it. The decision was ultimately my husbands who agreed. She said, But everyone is happy now, and they were all by my side when I gave birth at the hospital. Although Umm Mujahed has not seen her husband for four years, she relayed the idea of using his sperm to him through visitors who acted as intermediaries in Israeli prisons. She wanted to convince him of having another child, upon the request of her three daughters whom she conceived before her husband was arrested. The eldest is eight. We wanted a boy to keep us company, and fate has fulfilled our wish, she said. The challenge for the family was finding someone to smuggle the sperm from the prisoner in Israel to Gaza. The last attempt succeeded after a series of failures over the years. In previous attempts, some individuals whom Israel allowed to visit their children in Israeli prisons would bring the sperm with them upon their return, but due to the Israeli checkpoints and the time wasted, the smuggled sperm would be unusable. She said, My husband tried to smuggle the sperm three times, but the medical procedures failed. But finally a former prisoner brought with him the smuggled sperm directly to the fertility center in Gaza. Two weeks later I underwent the procedure. IVF is a way to treat infertility and difficulty in conceiving. In this process, mature eggs are collected, and they are fertilized with sperm in the laboratory. The fertilized egg is then implanted in the uterus. Sperm can live for up to two days under the right circumstances before it needs to be frozen for use in the fertilization process. Sometimes the sperm does not arrive in good condition and the fertilization process fails. Then, the couple has to repeat the sperm smuggling process. Abdul Nasser Ferwana, director of the Census Department of the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs and a member of the committee tasked with managing its affairs in the Gaza Strip, told Al-Monitor, The Palestinian detainees and their families are resorting to conception through smuggled sperm as they fear they could remain locked up. The idea began with the detainees having long sentences. In 2014, the first child was born from smuggled sperm in Gaza; he is the son of former detainee Tamer al-Zaanin who was arrested in 2006 only three months after his marriage. Zaanin was released in 2018. In recent years, the smuggling of semen has increased. According to Ferwana, Qedras case is the first child to be born from smuggled sperm in 2021. In 2020, eight detainees succeeded in smuggling sperm and their wives brought nine kids into the world, including twins. The total number of detainees who have succeeded in this process has reached 68 since 2012, and their wives conceived 96 children. Palestinians call these children ambassadors of freedom because they constitute a link between the detainee in Israeli prisons and his family, Ferwana added. The first person who came up with the idea of smuggling or retaining sperm was Abbas al-Sayed who was sentenced to 35 years and an additional 100 years, and was wanted by Israel in the West Bank. He thought of keeping his sperm at the Razan Center for Infertility in Nablus. But religious, political and social debates prevented him from doing so, until finally a fatwa was pronounced in this regard. The idea was endorsed politically by Palestinian factions, mainly late President Yasser Arafat and former Hamas leader Abdul Aziz al-Rantissi. When Sayed was arrested, he wanted to benefit from the semen sample in 2003, but the IVF procedure failed. The smuggling of semen from Israel began. Mohanad al-Zaben was the first Palestinian child born through smuggled semen in 2012. His father, Ammar al-Zaben, is serving a sentence of 27 years on charges of being affiliated with Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas military wing. Wife of detainee Ahmed al-Maghribi from the West Bank had twins Sindoss and Nour who were conceived through IVF via semen smuggled from her husband in 2013, who has been serving 18 life sentences since 2002. Ferwana concluded, The supportive religious fatwas played a role in promoting social approval of the concept [of smuggling semen]. Palestinian detainees have to serve unreasonably long sentences that sometimes reach 99 years, which is why they seek ways to conceive offspring. A plastic lighter, a bag of chips or the cover of a piece of chocolate can be used to carry the smuggled sperm. Students across the county are floundering academically in the coronavirus pandemic. Young, low-income students are especially vulnerable, and in some places, entire classes of children are struggling to read. A woman in North Carolina has stepped up with a way to help: horses. Caitlin Gooch, whose family runs a horse farm near Raleigh, N.C., gathers a few of her horses and ponies about once a month and brings them to outdoor library events and book fairs in parks where she knows children will be. The children select a free book to take home, but before they leave, they can read the book to a horse. "Horses and books - it's the best incentive ever," said Latishia Hodge, a mother of four who has brought her kids to read to the horses. Hodge, who home-schools her two youngest children, Abel, 9, and Sevyn, 3, said they get especially excited to read to Man-Man, the mini horse. Man-Man, she said, listens patiently while Abel reads and does not judge as Sevyn makes up his own story to go with the pictures. "It's an educational adventure to get outside and read to the horses after being inside all day," said Hodge, 38. Gooch's Saddle Up and Read program aims to help children improve their literacy levels and develop a love for books. Before the pandemic, hundreds of students came to Gooch's farm in Wendell, N.C., to read everything from Dr. Seuss and Harry Potter to classics such as "Black Beauty." Once children started learning at home, Gooch, a self-described cowgirl, decided to take her horses to students in her area who were struggling with reading skills during the pandemic or needing a break from tedious online learning. Gooch, 28, came up with the idea for her program in 2017 when she was working at a youth center and noticed that some of the younger kids had low literacy skills, she said. She did some research and learned that more than half of children in North Carolina were struggling with reading proficiency in the third grade. She was also concerned about statistics showing that nearly two-thirds of fourth-graders nationwide read below proficiency level, she said. "I saw a need for a new way to get kids excited about reading," said Gooch, who has three children, ages 1 to 10. Gooch learned to ride at age 3 on an 87-acre horse farm run by her father, Donal Gooch. The horses have made such a difference in her life that she wanted to bring that experience to other children, especially those who might not otherwise have it. "I have eight horses, and I thought, 'Wouldn't it be cool if I could share them with kids, since not every child gets a chance to interact with a horse,' " said Gooch. "My heart told me that if it involved horses, kids would want to pick up a book." She contacted the Wendell Community Library and offered to start a raffle allowing children who checked out three or more books to win a chance to come to her dad's farm and visit the horses. Connie Harr, a manager for Wake County Libraries, remembers when Gooch sauntered through the door in her cowboy boots. "She just radiated positive energy as she talked about her idea, and how important books and horses had been to her when she was growing up," she said. "I agreed to give it a try, and it just took off. Hundreds of kids checked out books for a chance to win." Harr decided to call the program Saddle Up and Read, and the name stuck. The equine-focused reading incentive was so successful that Gooch said she soon realized she needed to expand it and open it up to everyone. "I put a post on Facebook inviting parents to bring their kids and a book and read to my horses," she said. "After they'd each read a book, I showed them how to brush my favorite horse, Goat, and taught them about horse safety." As the program grew, Gooch developed other incentives such as free pony rides and free books to keep children motivated. She felt it was especially important to reach out to children of color and encourage them to read books about Black equestrians so they could picture themselves in the stories, she said. "If kids don't develop good reading skills, they're going to be limited in life," she said. "If I can be a role model for even a few kids, it's worth it. My goal is to get them so excited about reading that they'll pick up books on their own when they go home." Since she started the program, about 500 children have come to her dad's barn and selected a reading companion from a herd of 40 horses, said Gooch. Now that she's changed her routine to include short road trips with her horses, Gooch said she'll probably continue her mobile program even when most people have been vaccinated and can return to reading at the farm. "I do like traveling around because I've been able to reach kids who don't have a way to get out to the farm," she said. "A lot of them have parents who work all day, and they might not have time to sit down and read books together. These are the kids who need the program the most." She usually has treats on hand for kids to feed the horses, she said, and some children bring apples or carrots of their own to give them. "But the real treat is listening to them read," said Gooch. "They show confidence when they're reading to a horse, because they're more excited to do it." The horses seem to like it, too. "They hear the child reading and think, 'Hey, this is someone showing me some love,' " she said. "Horses aren't judgmental, and they're not picky about what book a child chooses. They really enjoy having the attention and companionship." Gooch said the funding for her nonprofit, which includes buying new books, comes mostly from community donations. She hopes to open an equestrian center with a small library to create even more opportunities for kids in North Carolina to develop their reading and riding skills. That would be fine with Jazmin Perez's daughters. Perez's oldest daughter used to have difficulty reading, while the youngest was terrified of large animals, especially horses, she said. Saddle Up and Read helped Mariyah, 10, and her sister Nataliyah, 7, boost their reading levels and give them an incentive to keep checking books out of the library, said Perez, 29, a pharmacy technician and single mom from Zebulon, N.C. "After the girls read to Caitlin's horses, they were then allowed to ride a horse around the farm," she said. "For my youngest who used to be scared of horses, this has done wonders for her confidence. It helped her to get over her fear. And both of my girls are now reading more books." Her daughters said they have also enjoyed taking time away from staring at a computer indoors to get a hands-on experience with a horse or a pony in the fresh air at Gooch's book fairs. "I like feeding them, and I'm more comfortable reading to a horse than a human," said Mariyah. "I like to read books about animals to [the horses], and I know that they like them because they just chill and stay still and pay attention instead of making noises and going back and forth," added Nataliyah. Their mother has enjoyed snapping photos from the sidelines of them communicating with the horses. "To see their sense of accomplishment and their smiles when they're reading to the horses makes me emotional sometimes," said Jazmin Perez. "Reading combined with horses. It's brilliant." [March 03, 2021] INVESTIGATION REMINDER: The Schall Law Firm Announces it is Investigating Claims Against Ormat Technologies, Inc. and Encourages Investors with Losses of $100,000 to Contact the Firm The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, announces that it is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Ormat Technologies, Inc. ("Ormat" or "the Company") (NYSE: ORA) for violations of the securities laws. The investigation focuses on whether the Company issued false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose information pertinent to investors. Ormat is the subject of a report published by Hindenburg Research on March 1, 2021, titled, "Ormat: Dirty Dealings in 'Clean' Energy." According to the report, the Company "has engaged in what we believe to e widespread and systematic acts of intentional corruption." Hindenburg adds that it "expect[s] the blowback to these revelations to be severe, threatening Ormat's contracts in its most lucrative markets." The report alleges that Hindenburg "uncovered evidence tying Ormat to corruption with senior government officials," and states that there is "direct evidence tying Ormat to corruption with senior Guatemalan government officials" and that "Ormat paid contractors in Kenya tied to corrupt government officials." If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall of the Schall Law Firm, 2049 Century Park East, Suite 2460, Los Angeles, CA (News - Alert) 90067, at 310-301-3335, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at www.schallfirm.com, or by email at brian@schallfirm.com. The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005711/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Her ex Scott Disick recently made his relationship with Amelia Hamlin 'Instagram official' by sharing a photo of himself and the 19-year-old with his followers. And Sofia Richie continued to relish in the single life as she grabbed a late lunch with pals in Beverly Hills on Tuesday afternoon. The 22-year-old daughter of Lionel Richie turned heads in a stylish cheetah print coat that she layered over a nude toned tee. Thriving: Sofia Richie continued to relish in the single life as she grabbed a late lunch with pals in Beverly Hills on Tuesday afternoon She tucked the top into a pair of cuffed high-waisted trousers that showed off the Chanel loafers on her feet. Sofia carried her essentials in a leather Bottega Veneta 'Pouch' bag that she cradled in her right hand as she walked towards the restaurant. Adding even more glamour to her look, the model fastened several chains around her neck that coordinate with the studs in her ears. Adhering to COVID-19 protocols, Richie kept her mouth and nose concealed behind a maroon face mask. Stylish: The 22-year-old daughter of Lionel Richie turned heads in a stylish cheetah print coat that she layered over a nude toned tee Partner in crime: Sofia was joined on her Beverly Hills outing by her BFF Tess Kemper, who also showcased her own fashion forward style She styled her golden blonde tresses in a sleek half up half down hairdo and rocked a pair of black shades. Sofia was joined on her Beverly Hills outing by her BFF Tess Kemper, who also showcased her own fashion forward style. Before arriving to the restaurant, the dynamic duo snapped a selfie in Tess' vehicle. Besties: Before arriving to the restaurant, Sofia and her bestie Tess Kemper snapped a selfie in Tess' vehicle, which was shared to Instagram 'To the moon and back,' wrote Kemper, who shared the sweet in-car snap with her Instagram following. Sofia has been spending tons of time with her tight knit friend group in recent months, following her finite split from Disick, 37, in August. The former couple, who dated for three years, originally called it quits in May, following Scott's brief stint at a rehab facility in Colorado. Parting ways: Sofia has been spending tons of time with her tight knit friend group in recent months, following her finite split from ex Scott Disick in August; Scott and Sofia pictured in 2019 On to the next: Disick recently made his relationship with Amelia Hamlin 'Instagram official' by sharing a photo of himself and the 19-year-old with his followers; Sofia and Amelia pictured in February 2020 After less than two months apart, Scott and Sofia reunited on the Fourth Of July at a friend's beachfront bash in Malibu, California. Things seemed to be heating up again between the pair, with Sofia sharing snapshots from inside's Scott's home with her Instagram followers in the weeks following their reunion. But by mid-August, outlets began reporting that Scott and Sofia had decided to end their romance 'for good.' Loved-up: Since then, Disick has worked his charm on Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin's 19-year-old daughter Amelia Gray, who he began dating in late October; Scott and Amelia pictured on February 28 Since then, Disick has worked his charm on Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin's 19-year-old daughter Amelia Gray, who he reportedly began dating in late October. The age gap couple were first spotted together as they arrived to Kendall Jenner's star-studded Halloween party in Los Angeles on Saturday, October 31. Although their loved-up outings in recent months, including multiple romantic getaways, have suggested the pair's status, Amelia and Scott only recently made their relationship Instagram official. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 3) Health Secretary Francisco Duque III is against proposals to require employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19 first before they are allowed to physically return to work. He said that the Inter-Agency Task Force has not discussed it yet, but he is personally against the idea because of supply shortage. He added that it is unnecessary because workers have been reporting to work even during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Kung meron mang ganung panukala o mungkahi ay kinakailangan pag-aralan. Pero kung ako, hindi ako papayag na 'no vaccine, no work' policy," he said during the vaccination program at the East Avenue Medical Center on Wednesday. [Translation: If there is such suggestion, it needs to be studied. But I am against a "no vaccine, no work" policy.] A labor group, meanwhile, asked the government to put a stop to the "discriminatory and coercive" proposal to mandate vaccination for employees. The Association of Labor Unions said they have received several complaints that some workers have been told by their superiors that they would not be allowed to report to work unless they participate in company-sponsored COVID-19 vaccination activities. They added that some were threatened to be placed on floating status until they receive the vaccine. Another group of employees said they have been told that they would be required to present proof that they have been inoculated before they could return to work. Iloilo Mayor Jerry Trenas also said he plans to issue an executive order regarding a "no vaccine, no work" policy. "These arbitrary actions taken by abusive employers are audacious acts of direct discrimination and straightforward coercion," ALU national executive vice president Gerard Seno said in a statement. "Employees must never ever be subjected to any compulsion." The labor group said the Department of Labor and Employment should step in before the reported policies become the norm in companies. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 30 giorni fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. The report on aGlobal C4ISR Market is segmented by Platform, by Components and by region. Based on Platform C4ISR market is divided into Airborne, Naval, and Land. Based on Components C4ISR market is bifurcated into Surveillance & Reconnaissance, Tactical Communication, Electronic Warfare, Computer, Command and Control, and Others. Regionally into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and Latin America. Factors like increasing Use of Geospatial Intelligence, increasing Need for Short Mission Cycle Time, Increasing Requirement for Situational Awareness (SA) in Military Operations and Increasing Incidences of Asymmetric Warfare are driver of the C4ISR market. Development of Secured Networks to Combat Cyber attacks and Rising Demand for Next-Generation Ip Systems will expected to grow many Opportunities in C4ISR market. Integration of C4ISR Systems Used by Different Military Arms for Increasing Interoperability creates a Challenge for market growth. Click Here to Get Sample Premium Report @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/10354 Airborne segment is dominating the C4ISR market and further followed by land and naval. According to 2017, India and France fuel by airborne market that frequent terror attacks. Thus in forecasting period border protection and surveillance are major aspect to boost the market growth. Increasing adoption of C4ISR systems in naval applications such as marine navigation systems, naval tactical command support systems, and others, is also predicted to accelerate the demand for C4ISR in the forecasting period. Surveillance & reconnaissance segment is dominating the C4ISR market and further followed by command & control and tactical communication. Demand for electronic warfare increases due to cross-border tensions and warfare & fights between the countries. The role of surveillance and reconnaissance has become crucial to military due to the need to counter increasingly stealthy threats more efficiently and within a timeline. However government fund use for modernization of electronic warfare to boost the global C4ISR market growth. You can Buy This Report from Here @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/checkout/10354/Single North America holds major share of C4ISR. North America is expected to grow at high CAGR and approximately share 47% of the total market in a forecast period. The manufacture and development of EW attack devices and sensors systems for changing the landscape of warfare will lead to the strong growth of this region. Asia Pacific region is attributed to the increased military spending in countries such as India, China and South Korea. Also there will be an increment in investment for enhanced C4ISR capabilities in countries like Canada, Brazil, and Argentina during the estimated period, which will turn to drive the marketas growth during the forecast period. L-3 Communications Holdings, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Inc., Harris Corporation, Elba Systems Ltd, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Collins, BAE Systems, The Raytheon Company, Rockwell Collins, Inc., General Dynamics Corporation , Thales Group, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Rockwell Thales, Leonardo. Scope of theA Global C4ISR Market Global C4ISR Market by Components: Surveillance & Reconnaissance Tactical Communication Electronic Warfare Computer Command and Control Others Global C4ISR Market by Platform: Airborne Naval Land Global C4ISR Market by Region: North America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa Latin America Key Players analyzed in the Global C4ISR Market L-3 Communications Holdings Northrop Grumman Corporation, Inc. Harris Corporation Elbit Systems Ltd Lockheed Martin Corporation Collins BAE Systems The Raytheon Company Rockwell Collins, Inc. General Dynamics Corporation Thales Grou Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Rockwell Thales Leonardo. Request For Report Discounts @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/discount/10354 With three coronavirus vaccines available, each with their own set of potential side effects and methods of development that can raise morality concerns, how does a person choose which one to take? The governor and health officials say people shouldn't choose at all, but rather take whichever one is offered. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved three coronavirus vaccines for emergency use in an attempt to control the year-long pandemic. Those from Pfizer and Moderna, which require two shots, have been available since December, while one-dose Johnson & Johnson's was approved last weekend. Distribution sites might receive just doses from one manufacturer, though larger ones, like hospitals, could receive all three. Gov. John Bel Edwards said Tuesday that no one should be choosy. People wont be able to go to a vaccine site and be given a menu to choose among vaccines, the governor said. You do have to weigh this with the common good of ending a pandemic, Edwards said. The fastest way to do this is deploy all the vaccines and have the uptake of the vaccines be as great as possible. State health officials have long given similar advice. The archbishop of New Orleans and the bishops of Baton Rouge and Lafayette, all in heavily Catholic South Louisiana, have said recently that while there are moral differences between the J&J vaccine and the others, the greater good dictates taking whichever one is offered if there are no other options available. Vaccine news in your inbox Once a week we'll update you on the progress of COVID-19 vaccinations. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Amid concern from local Catholics, Baton Rouge's OLOL will give Johnson & Johnson vaccine Our Lady of the Lake, the largest hospital network in the Baton Rouge area and part of a Catholic health system, will provide the single-dose New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond called the Johnson & Johnson vaccine "morally compromised" because of its connection to abortion-derived cell lines. Baton Rouge Bishop Michael Duca approached the question from the other side, calling the Pfizer and Moderna doses "morally acceptable," as they weren't developed along such cell lines. The Catholic Church views abortion as a grave sin, part of its broader teaching on protecting the sanctity of life. Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, the nonprofit Catholic health system that includes the largest hospital network in the Baton Rouge area, Our Lady of the Lake, plans to use the J&J vaccine in addition to the others, a spokeswoman said. John Bel Edwards responds to Catholic church's concern with Johnson & Johnson vaccine After some local Catholic church leadership called the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine "morally compromised" due to its ties to abor "Because of the common good associated with vaccine use and the serious health danger of COVID-19, the Catholic Church has permitted the use of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine while advocating for an end to this method of vaccine development and manufacturing," said Grace Weber, the health system spokeswoman. A pharmacy chain distributing vaccines, Walgreens, said people using their vaccines would have to accept what is available, and won't be available to mix doses if a second one is required. "Given limited supply, customers will not be able to choose which vaccine they receive," said Emily Delnicki, a company spokeswoman. "The same vaccine must be administered for both doses." SAFEGUARDS | SoftlinesNO. 026/21 In May of 2020, SGS published the announcement of the proposed Swedish tax on clothing and footwear. In October, the Swedish government announced its plans to implement the proposed chemical tax in 2022. The tax proposal is intended to phase out hazardous chemicals in order to reduce health problems for consumers that are exposed to the chemicals, to reduce environment impact arising during manufacture, washing and waste, and to increase the quality of recycled materials. The tax will apply to all clothing and footwear that are produced or imported into Sweden from abroad, with the exception of certain protective clothing and toys. The tax rate generally would be SEK 40 per kilogram of the product's weight, but with a possible reduction of up to 95% of the tax depending on the chemical content. There could be an additional tax at a rate of SEK 19 per kilogram if the product includes rubber material, polyvinyl chloride or polyurethane, and another additional tax at a rate of SEK 19 per kilogram for all-weather products. Any manufacturers or importers of taxable products from another EU-country into Sweden will be liable to pay tax. The party liable to pay taxes on imported products will be the party that would have been liable to pay customs duties. Also, distance sales to Sweden from other EU-countries will be covered by this tax. Reference [1] SafeGuardS No. 058/20 SGS Global Softlines has an extensive network of over 40 laboratories worldwide, with a strong team of committed professionals from multi-disciplinary backgrounds. Our internationally accredited state-of-the-art testing laboratories offer a comprehensive range of physical, chemical and functional testing services for components, materials and finished products. We help your company ensure quality, performance and compliance with international, industrial and regulatory standards worldwide. Discover more at www.sgs.com/softlines. For enquiries, please contact: Louann Spirito Consumer and Retail - Softlines US & Canada Softlines Business Head t: +1 973 461 7919 Stay on top of regulatory changes within your industry: subscribe to SafeGuardS! Read more articles for the Consumer Goods and Retail industry SGS Group Management SA - 2021 - All rights reserved - SGS is a registered trademark of SGS Group Management SA. This is a publication of SGS, except for 3rd parties' contents submitted or licensed for use by SGS. SGS neither endorses nor disapproves said 3rd parties contents. This publication is intended to provide technical information and shall not be considered an exhaustive treatment of any subject treated. It is strictly educational and does not replace any legal requirements or applicable regulations. It is not intended to constitute consulting or professional advice. The information contained herein is provided "as is" and SGS does not warrant that it will be error-free or will meet any particular criteria of performance or quality. Do not quote or refer any information herein without SGS's prior written consent. WASHINGTON While serving as transportation secretary during the Trump administration, Elaine Chao repeatedly used her office staff to help family members who run a shipping business with extensive ties to China, a report released Wednesday by the Transportation Departments inspector general concluded. The inspector general referred the matter to the Justice Department in December for possible criminal investigation. But in the weeks before the end of Trump administration, two Justice Department divisions declined to do so. Ms. Chao, the wife of Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, announced her resignation on Jan. 7, the day after the Capitol riot. At the time of her departure, an aide to Ms. Chao said her resignation was unrelated to the inspector generals investigation. The investigation of Ms. Chao came after a 2019 report in The New York Times that detailed her interactions with her family while serving as transportation secretary, including a trip she had planned to take to China in 2017 with her father and sister. The inspector generals report confirmed that the planning for the trip, which was canceled, raised ethics concerns among other government officials. The Charger Blog University faculty in national security, criminal justice, and political science have conducted hundreds of media interviews over the past few months, sharing their expertise and insight on everything from immigration to the inauguration with media outlets from around the world. By Renee Chmiel, Office of Marketing and Communications Robert Sanders, LP.D., J.D., LLM, discusses President Joe Bidens inauguration with Cheddar. Robert Sanders, LP.D., J.D., LLM, recently spoke to Bloomberg about a Texas ruling that temporarily blocked President Joe Bidens plan to pause the deportations of undocumented immigrants. The news agency asked the retired U.S. Navy Judge Advocate Generals Corps Captain and former federal government organization counsel to share his insight into the states ruling. Im hopeful that the court will see it as I perceive it to be an attempt to tie the hands of the Biden administration in ways that are not consistent with presidential power in the areas of immigration, said Dr. Sanders, chair of the Universitys National Security Department. The interview was one of dozens he has done over the past several months, including a live interview with the video news network Cheddar on the morning of President Bidens inauguration. In it, he mentioned that one of his students Brian Nalezynski 21, a Connecticut Army National Guard specialist was serving at the inauguration. Colleague Matthew Schmidt, Ph.D., a national security and political science professor, has also discussed a variety of current events in extensive media interviews. Dr. Schmidt has weighed in on everything from the inauguration to the cybersecurity hack against the United States government late last year. It appears the attackers may have taken our own tools for finding vulnerabilities in foreign networks, Dr. Schmidt told USA Today at the time. They hacked our hacking capability. It's very early, but the level of immediate reaction suggests a very, very serious intrusion. Mike Lawlor, J.D. recently spoke to NBC Connecticut. I'm concerned about the years to come News outlets around the country and the world have been featuring members of the Universitys National Security Department, particularly since the period leading up to the presidential election. Faculty have done hundreds of interviews since early November, speaking with outlets of all sizes, including those that reach national and international audiences. Howard Stoffer, Ph.D., an associate professor of national security, spoke with Newscabal UK News about the chances of a deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel. Some faculty members, including Chris Haynes, Ph.D., wrote op-eds, such as a piece he co-authored about the Georgia run-off election in January that was featured in the Washington Post. An expert on immigration, political framing, presidential elections, race, and ethnicity, Dr. Haynes has discussed topics such as former president Donald Trumps legacy and Trumps second impeachment trial with news outlets around the country. When the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol Building in early January sparked nationwide concern about national security, news outlets reporting on the violence and its impact included insight from experts such as Mike Lawlor, J.D., discussing the complexities of the criminal charges faced by those involved, Dr. Schmidt explaining that the No. 1 national security threat has been domestic extremist groups, as well as Jeffrey Treistman, Ph.D. I'm concerned about the years to come because many of these groups now are extremely motivated to take action and perhaps even deadly action, Dr. Treistman told NBC Connecticut. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Kings of Leon. Source: A screenshot, Instagram/kingsofleon Get your daily, bite-sized digest of cryptoasset and blockchain-related news investigating the stories flying under the radar of todays crypto news. Decentralization news Brave, the developer of a crypto-friendly internet browser, said it acquired Tailcat, the open search engine developed by the team formerly responsible for the privacy search and browser products at Cliqz, a holding of Hubert Burda Media. "Tailcat will become the foundation of Brave Search. Brave Search and the Brave browser constitute the industrys first independent, privacy-preserving alternative to Google Chrome and Google Search," they said. NFTs news On Friday, Kings of Leon will release their new album, titled When You See Yourself, in the form of a non-fungible token (NFT), Rolling Stone reported, citing people involved in the project. The band is dropping three types of tokens as part of a series called "NFT Yourself": a special album package; live show perks like front-row seats for life, and exclusive audiovisual art. Regulation news The Ukrainian central bank, the National Bank of Ukraine, has spoken out about the legal status of crypto in the nation. In a post on its official Telegram channel, the bank stated that legalizing crypto was now of the utmost importance, but conceded that its legal nature was more complex than concepts such as cash, currency legal tender and securities. The bank added that crypto could not be considered a currency. The Verkhovna Rada, the nations parliament, is set to vote on the second reading of a bill that would recognize cryptoassets, after the first reading passed the house in December 2020. Exchanges news The Binance chief Changpeng CZ Zhao has spoken to El Universal about Binance Colombias pilot with the Davivienda bank. The pilot, which is now underway, is being conducted in a regulatory sandbox along with a number of leading Colombian banks and crypto exchanges. Zhao explained that the pilot initiative would allow select Davivienda customers to buy and sell bitcoin (BTC) and altcoins via an interoperable interface while certain Binance customers could also use the bank as a fiat on/off ramp. Investments news Bitcoin-based decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol Sovryn announced that the Origin presale of its governance token SOV has raised the equivalent of USD 10m at a price of 9,736 sats per SOV. This takes the total digital assets funds raised by Sovryn to USD 16m, said the emailed press release. This raise has allowed the leveraging of bug bounty platform for smart contracts and DeFi projects Immunefi to run one of the largest single bug bounty rewards in history, said the release, offering white hat hackers up to USD 1.25m to uncover critical bugs relating to the Sovryn smart contract. announced that the Origin presale of its governance token SOV has raised the equivalent of USD 10m at a price of 9,736 sats per SOV. This takes the total digital assets funds raised by Sovryn to USD 16m, said the emailed press release. This raise has allowed the leveraging of bug bounty platform for smart contracts and DeFi projects to run one of the largest single bug bounty rewards in history, said the release, offering white hat hackers up to USD 1.25m to uncover critical bugs relating to the Sovryn smart contract. TaxBit , cryptocurrency tax and accounting automation software provider, has announced a USD 100m Series A funding round. According to the press release, the round was led by Paradigm and Tiger Global with additional participation from PayPal Ventures , Coinbase Ventures , Winklevoss Capital , investor Bill Ackman, Qualtrics co-founder and chairman Ryan Smith, investor Anthony Pompliano, former Venmo COO Michael Vaughan, Galaxy Digital , Valar Ventures , Collaborative , Global Founders Capital , Album Ventures , TTV Capital , Original Capital , and more. , cryptocurrency tax and accounting automation software provider, has announced a USD 100m Series A funding round. According to the press release, the round was led by and with additional participation from , , , investor Bill Ackman, co-founder and chairman Ryan Smith, investor Anthony Pompliano, former COO Michael Vaughan, , , , , , , , and more. Billionaire hedge-fund manager Marc Lasry and former US Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Christopher Giancarlo have invested in crypto-asset and blockchain investment firm BlockTower Capital , Bloomberg reported, adding that terms were not disclosed. Lasry, the co-founder and chief executive officer of Avenue Capital Group , made an investment independent of his firm, said the article, citing people familiar with the matter. Chairman Christopher Giancarlo have invested in crypto-asset and blockchain investment firm , Bloomberg reported, adding that terms were not disclosed. Lasry, the co-founder and chief executive officer of , made an investment independent of his firm, said the article, citing people familiar with the matter. Australian BTC-focused data center business Iris Energy has doubled a fundraising round to AUD 40m (USD 31.1m) ahead of a planned initial public offering (IPO) in the middle of this year, reported Bloomberg, citing a letter to investors. Proceeds from the fundraising will be used to build a 50 megawatt data center in Canada's British Columbia, while the company already has a funded 30 megawatt project, it added. Mining news Cryptocurrency mining company Argo Blockchain mined 129 BTC in February, compared to BTC 93 in January. Per the press release, this takes the total amount of BTC mined year-to-date to BTC 222 (currently USD 11.26m). At the end of February, the company held BTC 599 (USD 30.38m). Mining revenue in February amounted to GBP 4.34m (USD 6.04m), compared to GBP 2.48m (USD 3.45m) recorded in January. Argo generated this income at an average monthly mining margin of approximately 81% for the month of February (January 2021: 71%), it said. Banking news The number of new users starting to bank with the KT-owned South Korean neobank K-Bank has surged again, with revenues also going skyward with media outlets claiming that a banking partnership with the crypto exchange Upbit is likely the driving force behind much of the movement. Per Sisa Journal and Yonhap, the banks revenues have increased more than threefold in the past three months, and 640,000 new customers opened accounts at the bank in February alone. Domestic Upbit customers are required to create a real-name, social security number-authenticated K-Bank account to access the crypto exchanges services. And as previously reported, crypto trading is now booming again in South Korea, with those aged 30 and above leading the charge. Career news 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. WE are now reading that the Minister of Sport has come out with a statement regarding our participation in the Tokyo Olympics. As with the usual run-of-the-mill political type, the statement vacillates, kicks the can down the road and seeks to avoid the issue. Let us be clear on what the situation is regarding these Olympics. Attorney-General Christian Porter has gone public to deny allegations of rape after days of conjecture about his identity and a NSW Police decision to close its investigation into the case. Mr Porter denied the accusation he raped a woman in January 1988 and said he intended to remain in cabinet and in his portfolio. Attorney-General Christian Porter speaking at a press conference on Wednesday. Credit:Nine News The Attorney-General made his statement after the NSW Police said it did not have enough admissible evidence to proceed with an investigation it began in February last year but suspended in June when the woman took her own life. Nothing in the allegations that have been printed ever happened, he said. Highlights Guardians app is focussed on live location sharing with trusted contacts. Guardians is a standalone app and is now available as a free download from Google Play Store and Apple App Store. The app works in normal and emergency modes to help users reach their trusted contacts. Truecaller, the caller ID and telephone search engine on Wednesday launched Guardians, a new stand-alone app focussed on personal safety through location sharing. Created by the makers of Truelcaller, the Guardians app is focussed on live location sharing with trusted contacts (read; Guardians). The app works in normal and emergency modes to help users reach their trusted contacts when users feel uncomfortable in a location. The guardians will receive a notification which they will have to accept to receive the sanders' live location. The launch of the Guardian app comes ahead of International women's day and the description of the app on Google Play Store reads, "Exploring new places, walking home alone, meeting someone you don't know, taking a late-night cab ride - these are some things that can make us feel unsafe, especially for women. In 2021, we all have phones, and now that can be our line of defense." Guardians app is now available as a free download from Google Play Store and Apple App Store. The company notes that all its features are free to use - there are no ads or premium tiers. Alan Mamedi, CEO and Co-founder of True Software Scandinavia AB in a statement said, "There are probably hundreds of apps on the app stores for personal safety and location sharing. But none of them work in a way where you can involve your family, friends, the community at large, and the authorities. Mamedi said that Guardians was created to crowdsource personal safety like the company crowdsources protection against spam, scams, and frauds with Truecaller. "We also believe that we have the right tools and the conviction to make Guardians happen. Our engineering team has a proven track record of building great user experiences and we have also crossed the milestone of 270 Million active users (200 Million in India alone). With this kind of reach, our past four years of research on women's safety and campaigns like #ItsNotOk, we now understand this problem well. It's now time to do something about making our cities safer for everyone," he added. Here is how you can install Guardians on your phone: -- If you are already a Truecaller user, you can sign in with one tap. -- If you do not have Truecaller on your phone, you will be required to verify your number through a missed call or OTP. -- The company notes that the app needs three permissions: your location, contacts or "guardians" in this case with whom you would want to share your locations and phone permission to show your phone status to your Guardians. -- Guardian users can select personal Guardians or people who they want to share their location from their contact list, choose when to stop or start sharing locations and set up permanent sharing with selected Guardians. The app works quietly in the background when users are sharing their location for a particular trip in the Watch Over Me mode. In normal mode or Forever Share mode, the app is designed to quietly run in the background and share location intermittently while preserving battery life. Users can press the emergency or 'I need help' button in case they do not feel safe about their location and situation and feel that there is an emergency. In emergency mode, the guardian contacts will be notified and will be able to precisely follow and reach users' location or be able to send help. The company notes that emergency mode will also share your location with "community guardians" who may be in the vicinity. However, it will entirely be up to the users if they want to accept help from the community. The company further noted that users will be able to get help from local law enforcement through the app so that they can get help in the shortest span of time. The company assures that it will not share any information with third-party apps for commercial use, including the Truecaller app. Rear Admiral Antony George assumed charge as the new Chief of Staff of the Southern Naval Command and Rear Admiral Rajesh Dhankhar as the Chief Staff Officer (Training) of the SNC. Both Flag Officers are alumni of the and were commissioned into the on July 1, 1987 and July 1 1990 respectively, a defence release said here. Rear Admiral George is an "Anti Submarine Warfare" (ASW) specialist, who has served on board frontline ASW ships and commanded the Missile Corvette INS Khanjar, as well as the Guided Missile Frigate INS Tarkash. As a Flag Officer, he served as the first Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Staff Requirements) at Naval Headquarters after which he took over as the Chief Staff Officer (Training), SNC on February, 2020. Rear Admiral Rajesh Dhankhar is a specialist in Navigation and Direction and has served on frontline warships as Navigating Officer and Operations Officer, the release said. Rear Admiral George is a recipient of the Nao Sena Medal and the Vishisht Seva Medal. Rear Admiral Dhankhar is a recipient of Nau Sena Medal (Gallantry) for undertaking non-combatant evacuation of Indian and foreign personnel from Yemen as part of Operation Rahat in April 2015, it said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 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 KERRVILLE, Texas, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- James Avery Artisan Jewelry, a family-owned jewelry retailer based in Texas, announces the opening of its newest store, today in Ravenwood Village at 235 I-45 South, Suite E in Huntsville, Texas 77340. "Our associates are ready to greet customers in the new Huntsville store today," says James Avery CEO John McCullough. "This beautiful location offers timeless James Avery favorites, rooted in the heritage of our company, as well as all of our new designs in silver, gold and gemstones right here in your neighborhood." Putting customer and associate safety first, the Ravenwood Village store is following recommended COVID-19 health protocols and guidelines implemented in all James Avery stores. Hand sanitizing stations are set up in store for customers and associates and all jewelry and high-touch areas of the store are regularly cleaned and sanitized. Additionally, the company asks customers to honor social distancing guidelines and to wear face coverings when in store. James Avery associates undergo daily health screenings and wear facemasks. Operating hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday, 12 to 6 p.m. and are subject to change. Store Manager Nancy McPherson and her team are ready to welcome customers to shop in the new store or use the Contactless, Curbside Pickup or Buy Online, Pickup in Store options at JamesAvery.com. The James Avery team will announce plans for a grand opening celebration after regular store operations resume across the company. About James Avery Artisan Jewelry James Avery is a vertically integrated, family-owned company located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. We offer finely crafted jewelry designs for men and women in sterling silver, 14K and 18K gold and gemstones. James Avery jewelry is designed by our own skilled artisans in Kerrville, Texas. We are a multi-channel retailer with 99 James Avery stores in four states. Our jewelry is also available in more than 220 Dillard's stores in Texas and 28 additional states, airport stores in Austin and Houston, Army and Air Force Exchange Service locations at Fort Hood and Fort Belvoir and nationwide through JamesAvery.com. James Avery crafts jewelry in Texas workshops in Kerrville, Comfort and Hondo; made of the finest materials sourced worldwide. For more information, visit JamesAvery.com or facebook.com/JamesAvery. SOURCE James Avery Artisan Jewelry Related Links https://www.jamesavery.com Logan, WV (25601) Today Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. High 79F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional showers overnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. OFALLON, ILLINOIS OFallon Police Officer Brian Gimpel received the Fraternalism Award from the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police State Lodge (FOP) during the organizations February board meeting in Springfield. Brian Gimpel has always been there for his fellow officers across the state when it comes to setting up training and fellowship events, said FOP State Lodge President Chris Southwood. His support for fellow officers is an example we all should follow. NEW YORK, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Recessionary pressures in steel industry in 2019 and sudden deceleration in 2020 will weigh down refractories activity in 2021, however, firm construction sector recovery will limit downward trend finds the new edition of 'Refractories Market Study' by consulting firm Fact.MR. The new edition of the study recalibrates previous estimates for COVID-19 impact, in tune with broader developments in end-use industries. The downward trend in refractories mimics the developments in macro-industries. World ex-China BF output was down 13% in 9m-20, whereas EU, US, Japan down about 20%. India BF output was down 14%, with Korea and CIS down 6% and 2% y-o-y according to data from World Steel Association. Steel and Construction Demand Key to Refractories Recovery in 2021 According to Fact.MR's analysis, refractories market recovery in 2021 will be massively influenced by cues in steel demand. There is broader consensus that finished steel demand will recover in 2021, however, lot will depend upon the severity of the 'second wave' and success with vaccination program. Refractory industry is also hoping for 2021 construction projections to hold ground. Fact.MR's analysts believe that after contraction in 2020, construction sector will bounce back. Construction sector makes up nearly 50% demand from refractories, and has traditionally impacted refractories market heavily. "Construction sector outlook remains positive for 2021. Fast-growing Asian countries, which were relatively less impacted by COVID-19 crisis will lead recovery. Construction activity in Latin America is also likely to post gains in 2021," says an Fact.MR analyst. Get Detailed Insights on Refractories Market - Request a Sample https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=4755 Cement Industry Set to Post Gains in 2021 Global cement demand (excluding China) declined by nearly 5% in 2020, which led to further weakness in refractories market. However, demand for cement is likely to pick up in 2021, with construction sector recovery key to growth. Demand is likely to be stronger in South Asian countries, whereas China will lead global growth. Cement demand in Latin America will also offset low demand in Western Europe and US, as countries are being severely impacted by the pandemic. The Foray in Asian Markets At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when many market players were in holding pattern, the refractories market came abuzz with news of American multinational Zampell making a dash in Asian markets. The company signed a cooperation agreement with India-based Somal Refractories to target the lucrative Asian market. According to Fact.MR's analysis, the foray is not an outlier, and many American and European manufacturers may consider similar expansion plans in the future. "Asia Pacific is the most lucrative refractories market, with China and India among leading markets. Concerned by waning opportunities in their domestic market, US and European companies have APAC in their strategic planning," says the Fact.MR analyst. Get Customization on this Report for Specific Country https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=RC&rep_id=4755 China supplies bulk of the refractory raw materials - both for domestic production, as well as global exports. The evolving geo-political scenario has led to uncertainty in refractory industry about future supply-demand disruptions. Fact.MR's analysis on the refractories market includes a detailed competitive landscape section, where strategies of key players have been analyzed. Some of the leading players in the market include Zampell Refractories Inc, Tata Refractories, Vesuvius plc, RHI Magnesita N.V., Krosaki Harima Corporation, Shinagawa Refractories Co., Ltd, Magnezit Group Ltd., Morgan Advanced Materials plc, Refratechnik Holding GmbH, Chosun Refractories Co., Ltd., Minerals Technologies Inc., Resco Products, Inc., and IFGL Refractories Limited. In Fact.MR's survey with stakeholders across the value chain, most respondents agreed that robotics, automation, and digitalization will be the key focus areas in the future. A majority of respondents responded in affirmative about the need for sustainability efforts, and ongoing strategic efforts in their organizations. For example, RHI Magnesita, a prominent refractory supplier, received highest rating for addressing climate risk and tackling carbon emissions. More Insights on Refractories Market Fact.MR, in its new offering, presents an unbiased analysis of the global refractories market, presenting historical demand data (2015-2019) and forecast statistics for the period of 2020-2030. The study delivers essential insights on the Refractories market on the basis of material (Clay and non-clay), form (bricks, monolithic and others) and end-use (steel, energy & chemicals, non-ferrous metals, cement and glass) across five major regions. Key Questions Covered in the Report What will be the impact of construction sector recovery on refractories market? Will geopolitical scenario influence supply-demand equation in refractories market? Why foray in Asian markets is likely to be a key strategy? Will Latin America offset weakening demand in US and Canada ? Request More Information about Report Methodology https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=RM&rep_id=4755 Explore Fact.MR's Coverage on the Chemicals & Materials Domain High Temperature Coatings Market: A recent study by Fact.MR on the high temperature coatings market offers a 10-year forecast from 2021 to 2031. The study analyzes crucial trends that are currently influencing market growth. This report explicates on vital dynamics, such as the drivers, restraints, and opportunities for key market players along with key stakeholders and emerging players. Geosynthetic Clay Liners Market: A recent study by Fact.MR on the geosynthetic clay liners market offers a 10-year forecast from 2020 to 2030. The study analyzes crucial trends that are currently influencing market growth. This report explicates on vital dynamics, such as the drivers, restraints, and opportunities for key market players along with key stakeholders and emerging players. Froth Flotation Chemicals Market: A recent study by Fact.MR on the froth flotation chemicals market offers a 10-year forecast from 2020 to 2030. The study analyzes crucial trends that are currently influencing market growth. This report explicates on vital dynamics, such as the drivers, restraints, and opportunities for key market players along with key stakeholders and emerging players. About Fact.MR Market research and consulting agency with a difference! That's why 80% of Fortune 1,000 companies trust us for making their most critical decisions. We have offices in US and Dublin, whereas our global headquarter is in Dubai. While our experienced consultants employ the latest technologies to extract hard-to-find insights, we believe our USP is the trust clients have on our expertise. Spanning a wide range - from automotive & industry 4.0 to healthcare & retail, our coverage is expansive, but we ensure even the most niche categories are analyzed. Reach out to us with your goals, and we'll be an able research partner. Contact: Sudip Saha US Sales Office: 11140 Rockville Pike Suite 400 Rockville, MD 20852 United States Tel: +1 (628) 251-1583 E: sales@factmr.com Corporate Headquarter: Unit No: AU-01-H Gold Tower (AU), Plot No: JLT-PH1-I3A, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/713666/FactMR_Logo.jpg (Newser) At least 10 rockets were fired Wednesday at an Iraqi military base hosting troops of the US-led coalition to defeat ISIS, including US troops, according to statements from the coalition and military, per ABC News. The rockets struck Ain al-Asad airbase in Anbar province at 7:20am local time, coalition spokesman Col. Wayne Marotto said in a tweet, noting Iraqi security forces are investigating. Major General Tahseen al-Khafaji of the Iraqi security forces said there were no casualties or damages at the base, per NBC News. The attack follows a US airstrike that targeted an Iranian-backed militia in eastern Syria. That attack came in response to a deadly Feb. 15 rocket attack on a US-led coalition base in Irbil, northern Iraq. story continues below "It was unclear if Iran had encouraged or ordered the rocket attack," per NBC, which reports the latest attack "could stoke fears of a repeat of last year's tit-for-tat escalation, that culminated in the US assassination of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani." Dozens of US service members were injured as Iran targeted two airbases, including the Ain al-Asad airbase, in response. Pope Francis, who is due to make the first-ever papal visit to Iraq, asked for prayers that his weekend visit would go ahead "in the best way possible" during his general audience on Wednesday. A planned 2014 visit had to be canceled due to security concerns, per NBC. The pope plans to meet with grand ayatollah Ali al-Sistani during the trip. (Read more Iraq stories.) Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin listens to a question as he speaks during a media briefing at the Pentagon on Feb. 19, 2021, in Washington. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo) Pentagon Says Domestic Extremists Pose Serious Threat to US Military Domestic extremists pose a serious threat to the U.S. military by seeking to add service members to their ranks, and joining the armed forces to boost their combat skills, according to a report from the Pentagon. Military members are highly prized by these groups as they bring legitimacy to their causes and enhance their ability to carry out attacks, the Defense Department report (pdf), compiled last year at Congresss request and published on March 2, warns. In addition to potential violence, white supremacy and white nationalism pose a threat to the good order and discipline within the military. The report didnt elaborate on how many white supremacists are current or former military members, or whether the threat is currently growing, but offered a number of examples of service members with extremist affiliations, and said the issue has become a growing concern in recent years. This week, the FBI classified the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol building as domestic terrorism. In the weeks that followed the incident, more than than two dozen people with military links were charged, including an Army National Guardsman from Virginia, a Navy officer, and a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel. According to the Military Times, officials estimate that one in five of those charged in the aftermath of the breach were either current or former service members. Despite a low number of cases in absolute terms, individuals with extremist affiliations and military experience are a concern to U.S. national security because of their proven ability to execute high-impact events, the report states. 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) Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin on Feb. 5 directed all commanders and supervisors at every level of the military to conduct a one-day stand down by early April to hold needed discussions on extremism in the ranks. We will not tolerate actions that go against the fundamental principles of the oath we share, including actions associated with extremist or dissident ideologies, he wrote in a memo at the time. The events on Jan. 6, which were extreme in and of themselves, in which there were members, sadly, of the active duty force, participating and espousing these radical beliefs, and I think that, I know that, the events of Jan. 6 served as a wake-up call for this department, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said last month. It certainly served as such for the secretary. Last month, the Department of Homeland Security announced almost $2 billion in state and local preparedness grants, with at least $77 million allocated to directly combat domestic violent extremism. The department said that it had, for the first time, marked domestic terrorism as a national priority area for preparedness grants. Homeland Security chief Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement that the most significant terrorist threats now come from small groups of individuals who commit acts of violence motivated by domestic extremist ideological beliefs. Mayorkas described the Jan. 6 breach as a brutal example of our suffering. Five people died on Jan. 6one protester who was shot by a Capitol police officer inside the building, three others due to medical conditions on U.S. Capitol grounds, and a Capitol Police officer, who died in the hospital a day after protecting lawmakers at the U.S. Capitol. Transpara - bringing AI to the fight against breast cancer. 8 studies from 5 countries at ECR 2021 From the studies we did with Transpara, the conclusion was that it could help safely reduce screening workload. This could really help to address the radiology workforce issues that are faced in many countries, ScreenPoint Medical BV, Europes leading developer of AI systems for breast care has announced the introduction of Transpara powered by FusionAI, now improved and enhanced, at the European Congress of Radiology event. 8 more studies from Denmark, France, Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands using Transpara will be presented at ECR this year. Transpara has been in use in over 20 countries around the world for several years now and the latest clinical studies reveal major new benefits for Radiologists and patients alike including: Up to 35% of exams with interval cancers found on earlier mammograms Up to 70% of exams can now be confidently labelled as normal to help reduce workload for increasingly pressured radiologists. Transpara matches the performance of specialist breast Radiologists in both 2D and 3D Whats more Transpara is up to 28% more accurate than a year ago helping to catch more cancers and earlier Professor Nico Karssemeijer, the CEO of Netherlands-based ScreenPoint Medical said, Transpara powered by FusionAI takes deep learning artificial intelligence for 2D and 3D mammography to a whole new level opening up new possibilities for decision support, single reading, workload reduction and personalized screening. We are now able to bring new features to the market faster than before giving radiologists a wider range of options to implement breast AI. Transpara powered by FusionAI is setting the new benchmark for breast AI backed up by clinical evidence, he said. Our clinical partners who have been using and evaluating Transpara across Europe agree. NETHERLANDS Dr Alex Wanders, research collaborator and Radiologist in the Netherlands: "Transpara can give the screening radiologist a wake-up call to review a mammogram again. As a result, incorrect decisions can be reduced." Dr Ritse Mann, Radiologist, UMC Radboud in the Netherlands: Transpara is like having a colleague providing a second opinion, I use it routinely for clinical mammography when in doubt. Dr Jan-Kees van Rooden, Radiologist from the Dutch breast cancer screening program region Southwest: "AI is here to stay, embrace it , incorporate it into daily practice." SWEDEN Dr Hakan.Gustafsson, AI coordinator for Region Ostergotland, Sweden: We plan to clinically evaluate the performance of Transpara in a large prospective study. The overall aim of the study is to evaluate if Transpara can increase the quality of breast cancer screening in Ostergotland County and at the same time reduce the workload of the breast radiologists. GERMANY Professor Sylvia H Heywang-Kobrunner, Radiologist, Head of the Referenzzentrum Mammographie Munich, Germany: Transpara may allow discriminating studies, which require more attention and selection of those, which may be handled with single reading for example. It may thus contribute significantly to both risk adapted screening and optimum assignment of resources. FRANCE Dr Jerraya, Associate Radiologist, Artois Radiologie, France: Transpara can help us identify very likely normal mammograms in large screening volumes that may not need a second reading. It allows faster reading, could reduce time and costs of second reading. SPAIN Dr. Alvarez Benito, Radiologist, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofia, Cordoba, Spain: From the studies we did with Transpara, the conclusion was that it could help safely reduce screening workload. This could really help to address the radiology workforce issues that are faced in many countries. Transpara 1.7.0 is CE marked. Transpara 1.6.0 is FDA cleared. Some features may not be available in all countries, please check with your local representative. https://screenpoint-medical.com/evidence/ Three men in their 20s were arrested last after gardai broke up a massive student street party in Limerick. Videos shared on social media on Tuesday night showed a large crowd of revellers in the Castletroy area of the city. Higher education minister Simon Harris branded the scenes that unfolded in Carysfort Avenue in the College Court student area as completely unacceptable. The University of Limerick (UL) warned that strong disciplinary action would be taken against any student who breached coronavirus regulations. Gardai say they were "forced to intervene" as a "last resort" at 7.15pm after the partygoers failed to disperse. A spokesperson confirmed two men in their 20s were arrested on suspicion of public order offences and another, also aged in his 20s, on suspicion of misuse of drugs. This is just by my home in Casteltroy, Limerick! pic.twitter.com/ftqQEEMzph Mostafa Darwish (@eldarwish90) March 2, 2021 Around 30 fines were also issued for breaches of Covid-19 regulations. UL will take action with strong disciplinary measures against any student who has been found to have breached public health guidelines. Students at UL are subject to a Code of Conduct. University Of Limerick (@UL) March 2, 2021 Read More Gardai also issued approximately 30 fixed payment notices for Covid-19 regulation breaches. A spokesperson said a significant number of its units attended the scene and gardai initially attempted to engage with the young people who had gathered. A Garda statement said following continued and orchestrated non-compliance with public health regulations and failure to comply with Garda direction, gardai intervened around 7.15pm. Gardai have commenced an investigation into identifying the organisers of this event, and as with all breaches of the public health regulations a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions, said a Garda statement. Students like everyone have suffered a lot with #Covid19. The scenes in Limerick tonight are completely unacceptable & a slap in the face to everyone sacrificing so much. It does a real disservice to all students who abide by the rules day in and out. I have spoken to @UL tonight Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) March 2, 2021 A garda spokesperson insisted they would continue to maintain a close and positive working relationship with those associated with the University of Limerick. Gardai in Limerick will continue to provide high visibility patrols in the vicinity of the University of Limerick campus and surrounding residential areas to check compliance to Covid-19 regulations and keep the community safe, the statement added. The Covid-19 pandemic remains a public health crisis and An Garda Siochana continues to appeal to all citizens to demonstrate personal and social responsibility to comply with public health guidelines and regulations in order to continue to save lives. Mr Harris tweeted: Students like everyone have suffered a lot with #Covid19. The scenes in Limerick tonight are completely unacceptable and a slap in the face to everyone sacrificing so much. It does a real disservice to all students who abide by the rules day in and out. The minister said he has spoken to the University of Limerick. He added: My understanding is a full investigation is underway by both the Gardai and by the university authorities. Any student in breach of restrictions and regulations must and will face serious consequences. The university tweeted: UL will take action with strong disciplinary measures against any student who has been found to have breached public health guidelines. Students at UL are subject to a Code of Conduct. In a statement on Twitter, they said they will take action with strong disciplinary measures against any student who has been found to have breached public health guidelines. Ralph Lauren has debuted its very own clothing subscription service, allowing loyal customers to rent unlimited boxes of clothes for just $125 a month. Taking a page out of Rent the Runway and LeTote's books, the brand is the first designer fashion label to offer its own monthly rental plan, which it calls The Lauren Look. The new service is an innovative way for Ralph Lauren to boost its bottom line after an 18 per cent revenue drop in its fiscal third quarter last year. Rent clothes! Ralph Lauren has debuted its very own clothing subscription service, allowing loyal customers to rent unlimited boxes of clothes for just $125 a month Try them on: Taking a page out of Rent the Runway and LeTote's books, the brand is the first designer fashion label to offer its own monthly rental plan, which it calls The Lauren Look The new program launched today at TheLaurenLook.com, offering subscribers unlimited swaps on about 600 different pieces from Lauren, Lauren Woman, and Lauren Petite in sizes from 0 petite to 24W. Currently, the available pieces include dresses, blouses, sweaters, skirts, blazers, slacks, evening gowns; denim and leather jacket, joggers, and jeans. Shoppers can curate the pieces they like and put them in their virtual closet. The Lauren Look ships four items from a subscriber's closet at a time, selected based on availability. If customers want to pick the exact items in a given shipment, there is an additional $8 fee. Items can be kept as long as the customer wants. When they're done, customers can return their items with prepaid shipping label. Once that label is scanned for the return, a new package goes out. Stock up: Subscribers get unlimited swaps on about 600 different pieces, which arrive at their homes four at a time Dress up: Shoppers can curate the pieces they like and put them in their virtual closet. The Lauren Look ships four items from a subscriber's closet at a time, selected based on availability There's no limit on how many boxes a subscriber can get each a month so theoretically, one could wear all four items in a day or two and get another box just days later. Subscribers can also keep items they love by buying them at a discount, usually at about 30 per cent off. When any item has been rented a certain number of times, it will be donated to Delivering Good, a non-profit providing clothes for the underprivileged. 'The Lauren Look allows us to explore an entirely new model tapping into the growing focus on the sharing economy and revolutionizing how we look at fashion consumption,' said David Lauren, Chief Innovation and Branding Officer, according to the New York Post. The Lauren Look also notes on its website that it dry cleans all of its clothes with nontoxic products an important bit of information in light of Americans' health concerns during the pandemic. Like it a lot? If they want to keep favorites, they can purchase them at a discount The unveiling of the new service comes in light of declining revenue for the iconic American fashion brand. In a statement to investors, Ralph Lauren reported worldwide decreased revenue of 18 per cent, to $1.4 billion, for the third quarter of Fiscal 2021. Though sales were up in Asia by 14 per cent which provided an overall boost they decreased 21 per cent in North America and 28 per cent in Europe. This has been due in part to a major drop in brick and mortar sales due to the pandemic. In North America alone, the brand saw a 30 per cent decrease in stores, but a 9 per cent increase in digital commerce. The company has also been reviewing cost-cutting measures, including a plan to 'consolidate its global corporate offices to better align with its current organizational profile and new ways of working.' In addition, the company looking to close up to 10 of its worldwide retail locations through Fiscal 2022, including the Polo store on Regent Street in London. Sales down: Ralph Lauren reported worldwide decreased revenue of 18 per cent, to $1.4 billion, for the third quarter of Fiscal 2021 The new clothing subscription service which is entirely online could also help drive up digital commerce toward higher overall revenue. 'Consumers today are taking a different approach to experiencing brands and building their wardrobes,' president and CEO Patrice Louvet said in a statement, according to Forbes. 'The closet of the future will include a mix of new seasonal fashion, unique customized pieces and wardrobe staples, alongside pre-owned and rented clothing.' Milton Pedraza, president of New-York based Luxury Institute, thinks the model will entire young customers with limited spending power. 'The team at Ralph Lauren has the chops to execute this model,' he said. 'Agility is often more evolutionary than revolutionary in nature.' David Lauren (right), Chief Innovation and Branding Officer and son of founder Ralph Lauren (left), said the new service is ;revolutionizing how we look at fashion consumption' The launch may come as a surprise to those who have watched the difficulties that Rent the Runway has gone through due to the pandemic. In March of 2020, as the coronavirus first rolled through the US, Rent the Runway sent an email out to customers to reassure them that its rental clothes and accessories were clean, breaking down the their cleaning processes and pointing to medical professionals saying that that there's no evidence that the virus can be transmitted via fabric. 'Our cleaning agents and practices are designed to kill viruses such as the common cold and flu,' Rent the Runway said at the time. 'While scientific information is still developing, we have no reason to believe that our processes are ineffective against COVID-19. 'The teams in our fulfillment centers will continue to use a variety of techniques to ensure that each garment is thoroughly cleaned, steamed and pressed, inspected for quality, and carefully packaged so that it arrives ready to wear.' Even in light of Rent the Runway's reassurances, though, fewer customers have had reasons to get dressed up, and the company had to cut costs last year with layoffs and store closings. Cleanliness: Amid the coronavirus outbreak, Rent the Runway assured customers that its clothes are thoroughly cleaned in between rentals 'If you're spending a day alone, you're not really going to get dressed for the day,' CEO Jennifer Hyman told Fortune. 'So I would say that while the pandemic is going to lead to an incredible amount of innovation for many different reasons, I think that innovation as it relates to fashion in particular, is not going to happen until we're in a post-pandemic world. 'I think that coming out of the pandemic, which is one of the few times in recent history where the whole world is going through the same thing, at the same time, everyone in the world is going to be a much more conscious consumer in terms of how they think about health and sustainability, and how they think about the financial impact of their decisions,' she went on. 'Our business has always been about buying less stuff in favor of being able to access whatever you wanted, having a wardrobe on rotation, but not having to accumulate dozens of items that you don't need. Secondhand clothing is now completely normal. 'I think the back half of 2021 is going to be the best moment in time for the fashion industry that I've seen in my career. Fashion is about self-expression, it's about showing up in the world as you want people to see you. And I think that in the back half of next year, when we're able to celebrate, we're able to take vacations, we're able to go back into the office, people are going to want to show up in their own lives with passion,' she 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. Though the Senate parliamentarian rejected their efforts to include a $15-an-hour minimum wage in President Bidens so-called COVID-19 relief bill, Senate Democrats are scrambling for a way to include it. Their efforts demonstrate the importance of this issue for the progressive left. But should they succeed, would such a measure truly help struggling Americans as promised? And what exactly is that promise? Echoing his socialist ally Sen. Bernie Sanders, Biden recently argued that [n]o one should work 40 hours a week and live in poverty." Sanders and Biden also speak of a living wage. But, if the goal is reduced poverty and increased wages, having government mandate a dramatic wage increase is not the way to get there. Job creation is the way to do it. Lets skip the politics and look at the data. The Census Bureau began reporting the poverty rate in 1959. Over those 60-plus years, the federal minimum wage has increased a number of times, but not in 2019. Yet, in 2019, the poverty rate plummeted 1.3 percentage points, the largest single-year decline in over 50 years, hitting a historic low of 10.5%. Minority poverty saw the largest declines. Black poverty fell by two percentage points, Hispanic poverty fell by 1.8, and Asian poverty fell by 2.8. For the first time ever, black unemployment dropped below 20%. Child poverty dropped to 14.4%, the lowest rate since 1973. Though it got little attention, income inequality also declined and for the second year in a row as the share of income held by the bottom 20% of earners increased by 2.4%. More than 4.1 million people emerged from poverty in 2019, the largest number since 1966. Would a $15 minimum wage lift that many people out of poverty? Not even close. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office recently issued a report on the Democrats Raise the Wage Act. It found that raising the minimum wage to $15 would lift only 900,000 people out of poverty, less than a quarter of those who escaped poverty in 2019. So what caused 2019s historic drop in poverty? Employers were competing for employees because the labor market was red hot. In every month in 2019, the unemployment rate was below what the CBO projected it would be, and there were 1 million or more job openings than people unemployed. The total number of people employed hit historic highs. Competition for employees drove wages up 3% or more every month with larger increases for low-wage than for high-wage workers. As a result, the percentage of hourly workers earning at or below the minimum wage fell to 1.9%, the lowest percentage on record going back to 1979; the percentage working 40 hours a week or more fell to less than 1%. The average hourly wage for workers hit a pre-pandemic record high of nearly $24 an hour. To quote Frank Sinatra, it was a very good year. The Trump administrations pro-growth economic policies lower taxes, reduced regulation, and a focus on domestic energy production created jobs and job openings. Wages rose, while poverty and income inequality declined. Trump accomplished everything that Democrats claim their $15 minimum wage would accomplish without a federal mandate. Would a $15 minimum wage re-create the competition for employees that drove up wages and reduced poverty? No. It would kill jobs and reduce that competition. When you increase the price of something, businesses try to use less of it. If you increase the cost of employing people, businesses will hire fewer people. That reduced hiring can manifest itself in various ways reduced staff, reduced hours, reduced growth and automation. The CBO report forecasts that the proposed $15 minimum wage would kill 1.4 million jobs in the year that the wage took effect (2025). Between now and then, it would discourage hiring and wage growth as businesses planned for the future, knowing that their labor costs would be going up. A phased-in approach works only if you assume that businesses invest based on their current, rather than their future, prospects. That would be a mistaken assumption. Unfortunately, according to the CBO, young, less-educated workers would suffer most from the hike. In January, economists David Neumark and Peter Shirley issued a study finding a clear preponderance in the literature that increasing the minimum wage negatively affects employment, particularly with respect to teens and young adults as well as the less-educated. The lesson of 2019 is fairly simple. If you want to assure that people dont live in poverty, pursue pro-growth policies that encourage job growth and the competition for employees that drives wage growth without cutting young and less-educated people out of the labor force. Wages increase and poverty decreases when workers, not jobs, are hard to find. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari is running his illegal activities from Rupnagar district jail in Punjab where he is lodged currently. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted before a bench comprising Ashok Bhushan and R.S. Reddy that Ansari is "dodging" the judicial system. These allegations were denied by the Punjab government. Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, representing the Punjab government, argued that state government has nothing to do with Ansari while he is in custody, instead he was behind bards due to judicial process, and questioned the maintainability of the UP government's plea. The UP government has moved the top court seeking a direction to the Punjab government and Rupnagar jail authority to immediately hand over the custody of Ansari, an MLA from Mau constituency, to district jail Banda. Mehta submitted before the top court several cases are pending against Ansari in UP, and the Punjab jail authorities are denying handing him over to face trial in these matters. "He (Ansari) is dodging the judicial system," said Mehta. Mehta contended that the entire matter looks like a film script, where several cases were pending against Ansari in Uttar Pradesh and suddenly, the Punjab Police lodged an FIR in 2019. He added that Ansari has not been produced before UP court despite several orders. "I am showing the collusion between themHe is operating and running his illegal activities from jail in Punjab", said Mehta. Dave reiterated Punjab government has no special affection for Ansari and cited the case of Kerala-based journalist Siddique Kappan in the matter. Dave said, "Can Kerala tomorrow move the Supreme Court and say that he (Kappan) is from Kerala, so he be transferred to Kerala from Uttar Pradesh?". During the hearing, Ansari's counsel Mukul Rohatgi cited threat to the life of his client, as one of the co-accused was "eliminated in encounter" by the Uttar Pradesh Police. Rohatgi insisted to transfer all cases against him from UP to Delhi. The top court said it will look into this request. The court is likely to continue hearing the matter tomorrow. System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28: 29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fbfee407b20)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fbfee4123a8)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fbfee407b20)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fbfee4123a8)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fbfee411c88)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fbfee4123a8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fbfee4123a8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fbfeda0a0d0)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7fbfee326368)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7fbfee326368)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 Lucknow: The son of BJP MP Kaushal Kishore was shot at in Lucknow on early Wednesday, but the police claimed that he had staged the attack on him by his brother-in-law. However, the motive was not known immediately, the police added. Lucknow: Son of MP Kaushal Kishore was shot in his chest "Ayush, son of MP has received a gun shot injury and was brought to the hospital for treatment. His condition is stable now. Case will be registered. Investigation underway," says police pic.twitter.com/jQQEP4V1ho ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 3, 2021 Ayush (30), the son of the BJP MP from Mohanlalganj constituency, was shot at in the Madiaon area. He was rushed to a hospital from where he was discharged after first-aid. "The probe so far has indicated that he (Ayush) staged the firing at him by his brother-in-law," Commissioner of Police of Lucknow D K Thakur said. Asked whether an FIR will be registered in the matter, the officer said, "No one has filed a complaint. We will do it as the weapon used in the act has been recovered." LAist only exists with reader support. If you're in a position to give, your donation powers our reporters and keeps us independent. Our reporting is free for everyone, but its not free to make. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily newsletter. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now. For months, California planned how to get the COVID-19 vaccine to those hardest hit by the virus -- like communities of color where high numbers of people with service or manufacturing jobs living in crowded housing led to some of the city's highest infection rates. Despite promises of an equitable rollout from Gov. Gavin Newsom on down, the effort is falling short. Just look at the recent vaccine data from the L.A. County Public Health Department: Black Angelenos over 65 have the lowest vaccination rate of any racial group. "It's unfortunate to say, but I wasn't totally surprised," said Rhonda Smith, executive director of the California Black Health Network. One issue for many Black Americans is that structural racism has bred mistrust of the medical system, and that has not been alleviated by the messaging surrounding the coronavirus vaccines, she said. Smith believes the phrase "Operation Warp Speed," the Trump administration's moniker for the vaccine effort, was a mistake. "It created the perception that boom, let's just get the drug to market no matter what," she said. "The process was accelerated, but not rushed. And I think the perception is that corners were cut, the process was circumvented." The science underlying the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines is not new; they rely on messenger RNA technology, which has been studied for over a decade, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The lack of transparent, accurate information about how the vaccines were developed has contributed to hesitancy in communities of color, Smith said. "They didn't talk about the fact that never before in the history of clinical trials, has there been this much diverse participation, especially with the Pfizer vaccine," she said. "It had the highest level of participation for the African American community ever, for any clinical trial, at least to my knowledge." People have a lot of questions about the vaccine, but few places to get accurate information, Smith said, noting that "a lot of communities ... are medical deserts [and] some are Wi-Fi deserts." 'A LOT OF MY FRIENDS ARE SKEPTICAL' Gregory Williams lives in West Athens, an area in south L.A. that has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the county. Just 7% of people there have gotten the first shot. In a number of the county's affluent areas, it's over 20%. February data from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. (Los Angeles County Department of Public Health) A semi-retired finish carpenter, Williams has lived in L.A. his entire life. He's 64, with health issues including damaged lungs from years of smoking. Williams knows a number of people who have gotten the coronavirus, and he thinks he had it in December. He never got tested to confirm it, but he lost his sense of smell, a telltale sign of the virus. "To this day, I can't smell anything," Williams said. "Put a bottle of perfume under my nose, I can't smell it. I'm hoping it comes back." The CDC says reinfection is a possibility over time, especially with the new COVID-19 variants in circulation. But despite his age and health condition, Williams still doesn't yet qualify for the vaccine. At the same time, he's been hesitant about getting it. And he says he's not alone. "A lot of my friends I've talked to, they are skeptical, really skeptical," Williams said. "You don't know if this is good or bad, you don't know what to trust." He has questions about getting the vaccine if he's already gotten the virus, but he's waiting a few weeks until his next doctor's appointment to ask. Williams knows of other people who have been vaccinated, including his elderly mother. But even if he decides to get immunized once he's eligible, he's not sure how to make an appointment -- a problem that's further complicated by the fact that he doesn't have a smartphone or internet. "I'm like a lot of people, you know, I don't use a computer, we don't even have a computer in my home," Williams said. 'WE'RE SEEING SOME HESITANCY, NOT RESISTANCE' To reach people like Williams, St. John's Well Child and Family Center, which operates a network of South L.A. clinics, set up a phone line for patients who don't have internet so they can make vaccine appointments. It has 15 operators to explain that the vaccines are safe and effective, said CEO Jim Mangia. "That's one of the reasons we set up the vaccine command center. Most of the calls are questions," he said, adding, "we're seeing some hesitancy, but we're not seeing resistance." To help spread the word about the vaccines, St. John's is buying TV ads and sending people out into the community to talk, Mangia said. "The more education we do, the more we engage with people, the more willing they become to getting vaccinated," he said, noting that "the more people we vaccinate, the more people will be open to it." But snagging appointments remains difficult. The state's problematic online booking system, MyTurn, won't allow vaccine providers like St. John's to target specific populations. That's led to some Black and Latino seniors getting shut out, even if they have internet access. Mangia expressed frustration at seeing appointments get snapped up by "vaccine chasers" -- healthy people from wealthy, mainly white areas who have the time to wait for appointments to open up. "There was a line of vaccine chasers down the street," he said. "They took appointments before our receptionist could enter ... seniors [from the neighborhood]. They literally walked up with their iPhone or their laptop [and said], 'I have an appointment.' They literally took it in real time right in front of my face." SEARCHING FOR SOLUTIONS Mangia's frustration with MyTurn is shared by L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer. "Ideally you have an appointment system that allows you to just be able to have the people you want to make appointments at that clinic.," she said. "Right now MyTurn doesn't allow anybody to do that." To try to fix the problem, the state has hired Blue Shield to take over California's vaccine distribution.The company says it will divvy up supply using an equity algorithm. How that will be calculated has not been shared with the public. Allowing walk-ins at vaccination clinics and even going door to door in some neighborhoods may be the solution to vaccinating more people in L.A. 's hardest hit areas, Ferrer said. But that depends on the county getting more vaccine doses. "We've been limited in going door to door because we can't vaccinate everybody in the household yet," she said. The newly-authorized Johnson & Johnson vaccine may help. It's just a single dose, and can be stored in a refrigerator, making it an attractive option in hard-to-reach areas. Gregory Williams feels more comfortable with it than the other vaccine options. "If Johnson & Johnson came out with the medicine, I believe I would take it," he said. Williams is more familiar with the company, and he likes the idea of just one shot. Of course once he does qualify for the vaccine, he'll still need someone to help him set up an appointment. DORDRECHT, Netherlands, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Fluitec (https://www.fluitec.com/) is the first industrial lubricant company in the world to become B certified, joining over 3,800 certified B Corporations in 150 different industries. B Lab is a nonprofit organization that certifies B Corporations, in the way USGBC certifies LEED buildings. The B stands for "benefit" and refers to benefiting workers, the community and the environment. Fluitec achieves B Corp Certification Fluitec is purpose-driven with a goal to reduce the environmental impact of industrial companies' operations through innovative lubricant technology. Fluitec's mantra, Fill4Life, is the concept of extending the life of industrial lubricants and increasing equipment efficiency, which directly and indirectly leads to a reduction of CO2 emissions and industrial waste. "You can imagine with customers in all sectors of Oil & Gas, Power Generation, Industrial Gases, Mining, Marine etc. there's great cause to try to minimize environmental impact. As a supplier to these industries in addition to increased reliability and cost savings, we bring measurable sustainability benefits. It is fantastic to see organizations elevate sustainability and the environment as a requirement or KPI in their purchasing decisions," says Fluitec CEO, Pierre Vanderkelen. "Our products have received sustainability recognition and validation in late 2019 from Solar Impulse's 1000Solutions Award. Receiving B Corp Certification further validates that not only are we delivering value to our customers, and the environment, we are also achieving value for our employees, our communities, and our shareholders," Vanderkelen continues. To qualify as a B Corp, a company must have an explicit social or environmental mission and a binding fiduciary responsibility to take into account the interests of workers, the community and the environment as well as its shareholders. "Being the first lubricant company to achieve this high standard sends a message that this level of responsibility can be achieved no matter what industry you're in," says Vanderkelen About Fluitec: Fluitec is the innovator to measure, monitor, decontaminate and extend the life of industrial fluids. Fluitec uses key technologies to transform lubricants into assets while reducing the impact on the environment. Fluitec has a team of internationally recognized experts that centers around increasing the reliability and profitability of manufacturing plants, rotating equipment and transportation industries. Fluitec's technologies also reduce waste streams and lower CO2 output. Fluitec provides rapid return investments that allow our customers to merge economics with sustainability. Visit www.fluitec.com for more information. About B Lab: B Lab is a nonprofit that serves a global movement of people using business as a force for good. B Lab's initiatives include B Corp Certification, administration of the B Impact Management programs and software, and advocacy for governance structures like the benefit corporation. B Lab's vision is of an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economic system for all people and the planet. To date, there are over 3,800 Certified B Corps in 150 industries and 74 countries, and globally, more than 100,000 companies use the B Impact Assessment and The SDG Action Manager to manage their impact. Visit bcorporation.net for more information. Press Contact: Josh Wagner Director of Marketing & IT [email protected] +1-2010-946-4584 Related Images fluitec-is-b-corp-certified.jpg Fluitec is B Corp Certified Fluitec achieves B Corp Certification Related Links Fluitec achieves B Corp Certification SOURCE Fluitec TOKYO, JAPAN --News Direct-- Media Outreach TOKYO, JAPAN - Media OutReach - 3 March 2021 - Back to Blue, a new initiative from The Economist Group and The Nippon Foundation, launches today at the 8th annual World Ocean Summit. With an initial focus on ocean pollution, the three-year collaboration is a response to the escalating challenges posed by plastic pollution and, less visibly, pollution from nutrients and chemical contaminants that are damaging ocean life and ecosystems, and in turn human health. The programme, now under development, has been supported by findings from a Back to Blue global survey* which place plastic pollution (59.6% of respondents) and chemical pollution (39.1%) as the top two concerns, followed by climate change (31.1%). The opportunity to embark on original research, stimulate fresh dialogue and explore new solutions to the vexing problems posed by pollution in the ocean is motivating both organizations. The Economist Group, through its World Ocean Initiative and World Ocean Summit, has been fostering a global conversation on the greatest challenges facing the seas. The Nippon Foundation--with its diverse programmes building and nurturing ocean networks, research and professionals--has a global reputation for championing ocean science and health. The Back to Blue initiative brings together two organisations that share a common understanding of the need for evidence-based approaches and solutions to the pressing issues faced by the ocean, offering a powerful platform from which to accelerate momentum for improving ocean health. During remarks at the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two organisations, Yohei Sasakawa, chairman of The Nippon Foundation, warned that "we are much aware of the land-based problems that occur around us[...]; however, when it comes to understanding the multifaceted problems of the ocean that covers 70% of the earth surface, I believe that our understanding is still very poor. This is already a threat to human security for every individual on this planet." Story continues Echoing these sentiments, Lord Deighton, chairman of The Economist Group, said: "We [at The Economist Group] have also developed our own passion for the ocean. We held our first World Ocean Summit in 2012, after we had argued in the newspaper that the seas were in trouble, and that human activities were having a profound impact on ocean health. A decade or so later we are more committed than ever to our vision of an ocean in robust health and with a vital economy. The ocean is too big to fail." Speaking on the Back to Blue initiative at the launch event, Charles Goddard, editorial director at The Economist Group, noted that "defining and heading towards a pollution-free ocean is an enormous challenge, as we are already seeing in the many extraordinary efforts to address plastic pollution. We hope Back to Blue can contribute vital new knowledge and perspectives on contaminants in the ocean, and to the global architecture of engagement needed to address them. The urgency is very real." * In January 2021, The Economist Group, in cooperation with The Nippon Foundation, undertook two related surveys--one of industry and public-sector executives, the other of the general public (global citizens)--to better understand their views and priorities around key ocean issues. The survey was conducted to provide a reference point for the Back to Blue initiative among the global audience we expect to be engaging, as well as to seek feedback on the direction and relevance of the initiative, and to help us gauge progress towards our goals. Survey details: Survey 1. industry and public sector Sample size: 1000 Geography: 20% each from North America,, Europe and Asia-Pacific, 40% Rest of the World Employment status: Full or part-time employees Type of organisation respondents work for: 70% for profit organisations (a range including minimum 50 each from finance, food (including fisheries) and beverage, travel (including shipping) and tourism, energy 30% public sector, non-profit organisations or academia Survey 2. General Public/ world citizens Sample size: 3000 Geography: 20% each from North America,, Europe and Asia-Pacific, 40% Rest of the WorldAge: 50% Millennials (1981-96) and Generation Z (1997-) / 50% Generation X (1965-80) and Baby Boomers (1946-64) Gender: At least 40% male/female Back to Blue Website: backtoblueinitiative.com MOU signing ceremony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPUar232EkA&t=3s About The Economist Group The Economist Group is built on high-quality, independent analysis which runs through all of its businesses. Based in London and serving a global readership and client base, the group publishes print and digital products, produces global events, and offers a range of subscriptions and other services for clients and readers. Its flagship businesses include The Economist newspaper, and research and analysis division The Economist Intelligence Unit. About The Nippon Foundation Established in 1962, The Nippon Foundation is Japan's largest philanthropic foundation, providing support to public-service activities in a variety of fields across national borders. In ocean affairs, the Foundation aims to cultivate human resources who will chart a course for the ocean's future and to pass on the ocean's riches to future generations. Other primary areas of activity include support for children, persons with disabilities, disaster relief, and international cooperation, with the ultimate goal of achieving a society where all people support one another. Contact Details head of marketing, Content solutions, Asia Alice Tong +65 6428 2659 alicetong@economist.com View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/the-economist-group-and-the-nippon-foundation-launch-a-new-initiative-to-promote-ocean-health-948941399 I believe that Democrats are using COVID-19 as a political tactic to increase government spending and government power. The pandemic-related emergency borrowing by New Jersey state government last year turned out to be unnecessary. Also, they should have let the voters decide on this $4 billion of debt. Now, the Democrats want to use this borrowed money that the state didnt need, to increase government spending in the 2021-2022 state budget. They should send this money back to the lenders early without paying additional interest, but they made a deal with the lenders not to do this. State Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, apparently wanted to make sure he could spend the money, no matter what. But, a majority of New Jersey citizens will not care. As more and more people depend on government spending for their existence, theyll vote Democrat, and even the Republican leadership will not vigorously oppose deficit spending. Even as a Republican president, Donald Trump signed off on two federal stimulus packages. And, he didnt get reelected. For the 1000th time, open up the economy and let people get back to work. The Democrats dont want to do that. They like COVID-19 because its been so profitable for them. Lee Lucas, Gibbstown Twin laws will aid kidney donors, recipients March is National Kidney Month. One in three Americans is at risk for kidney disease and most do not even know it. If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or a family history of kidney failure you are at risk for developing kidney disease. As a living kidney donor and the National Kidney Foundations 2020 Richard K. Salick Award winner, I want to update our community about what has been happening on the kidney advocacy front. In December, after decades of efforts by advocates, Congress passed landmark legislation, signed by President Donald Trump, that expands Medicare coverage of immunosuppressive drugs for transplant recipients. This ensures that patients on Medicare can afford indefinitely the lifesaving anti-rejection medication they need following a transplant. Previously, a three-year cap left patients to pay for extended coverage themselves. A special thank you goes to U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross, D-1st Dist., and others in the states congressional delegation for helping make this happen. In New Jersey, the Legislature just passed the Living Donor Protection Act (A-3199/S2315) and I am confident Gov. Phil Murphy will sign it sometime this month. This would not have been possible without advocacy assistance from Gloucester County Commissioner Heather Simmons, a recent kidney recipient, and Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, who guided the bill through the Senate. It prohibits discrimination against living organ donors in life, health, and long-term care insurance matters. Both of these pieces of legislation will improve lives and save money. To become an advocate about kidney disease, visit the National Kidney Foundation website, advocacy.kidney.org. During March, if you think you may have risk factors, please speak to your doctor or go to kidney.org to take a one-minute quiz to find out. Jason Nothdurft, East Greenwich Township Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. James Kerr Wraps Massive SHR Tampa Series With Main Event Chop March 02, 2021 Mo Nuwwarah A clear trend looks to be emerging when it comes to live poker events in the U.S. not many events are running, but those that do run are drawing some pretty huge numbers. That continued over the weekend with the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Poker Classic $1,700 Main Event, which drew 959 runners for a prize pool of $1,486,450. At the close of said Main Event, three players remained, and they drew up a deal that saw each player walk away with hefty prizes of six figures. James Kerr got the biggest of the bunch with $228,038, about $60K less than the original first-place prize, while Alex Ivan took home $197,172 and Kyrylo Kobzyev banked $166,915. It was really pretty easy," said Kerr, who told tournament reporters that he "ran like pure God." Official Final Table Results Place Player Hometown Prize 1 James Kerr Lakeland, Florida $228,038* 2 Alex Ivan Palm Harbor, Florida $197,172* 3 Kyrylo Kobzyev Auburn, Alabama $166,915* 4 Gary Bowker Philadelphia, Pennsylvania $94,620 5 Stephen Brite Bradenton, Florida $70,543 6 Ken O'Donnell St Petersburg, Florida $53,299 7 Scott Robbins Millbury, Massachusetts $40,819 *reflects three-handed deal Some of the 97 players who made the money but fell short of the final table in the hefty field included Max Young, Hamid Izadi, Byron Kaverman, Justin Zaki and Ricardo Eyzaguirre, recently profiled here on PokerNews. According to the live updates, Kerr held the lead pretty much the whole way from about 27 players on down after he won a three-way all in with aces, the details of which didn't make it into the updates. He held a pretty solid lead with just under 85 big blinds heading into the final day of play on Monday, which saw seven players advance. Massive Early Cooler Propels Kerr With six players remaining, a huge cooler developed in the blinds. Ken O'Donnell had been in good position with the second stack to start the day and had to be feeling pretty good when his limp-raise with pocket kings got shoved on by Kerr. He called off only to be shown black aces, and a bricky jack-high board left him out the door in sixth for an unlucky result, while Kerr's chip lead only grew bigger as he surpassed 100 blinds and held about half of the total chips. A short-stacked Steve Brite was Kerr's next victim as he tried to resteal over his open with only to be dominated by . He flopped a three and turned a gutter but improved no further. Gary Bowker was the short stack four-handed with about 10 bigs, and he found a nice shoving spot with only to have Ivan wake up with the aces behind him and bust him. Negotiations Quickly Started and Completed No sooner had Bowker hit the payout desk than the others agreed to check the numbers for a potential deal. Kerr was in control still with 15 million, more than half of the chips, though the others had playable stacks with Ivan on 8.9 million and Kobzyev 4.7 million at 200,000 big blind. It seems no negotiation was needed as each player accepted the payout that the ICM calculator spit out their stack was worth. Kerr earned his third signature guitar trophy and each player set a new personal best for live cashes. Side Event Results Of course, there was also plenty of side action outside of the stellar Main Event. PokerNews has already covered the biggest of the tournaments with a recap of the $600 Reentry, but here's a look at all of the trophy winners throughout the series: Date Tournament Entries Prize Pool Winner Prize Feb. 17 Event #1: $400 NLH Re-Entry 411 $135,630 John Marlow $12,932 Feb. 17 Event #2: $600 NLH Re-Entry 998 $513,970 Michael Drake $79,319 Feb. 21 Event #3: $200 NLH Re-Entry 265 $42,400 Hristos Tsironis $10,404 Feb. 22 Event #4: $150 NLH Re-Entry 183 $21,960 Vasyl Chubei $5,983 Feb. 23 Event #5: $400 NLH Re-Entry 249 $82,170 Wagner Wysotchanski $17,000 Feb. 24 Event #6: $600 NLH Re-Entry 219 $112,785 Anthony Askey $22,798 Feb. 28 Event #8: $400 NLH Black Chip Bounty 226 $53,110 Kevin Dilk $12,774 Photo courtesy of SHR Tampa From bodice ripper Bridgerton to gay drama Its A Sin steamy love scenes have had as much air time as Boris and his boffins this past year. And far from being titillating asides, shoe-horned in to keep the attention of a generation with worryingly easy access to internet porn (as well as their Fifty Shades Of Grey-loving parents), sex scenes in drama are now considered both an art and a science, around which a whole new industry has sprung up. Britain has 20 registered intimacy coordinators all but three female to thank for expertly choreographing such scenes as Daphne and Simons passionate encounter on the library stepladder in Bridgerton to the eye-opening wham, bam, thank you mam collisions between staff at a London investment bank in BBC2 series Industry. It is a tricky path they tread making these encounters plausible and pleasing to the eye as well as respecting the wishes, and understandable insecurities, of some actors performing a role that can be emotionally, as well as physically, exposing. Ita OBrien (pictured), 56, who previously worked as an actor and movement director, is an intimacy coordinator on Gentleman Jack, Sex Education, Its A Sin and Normal People. Choreographing a sex scene is very much like choreographing a dance, says Vanessa Coffey, one of the UKs leading intimacy coordinators who worked with Billie Piper on last years Sky Atlantic series I Hate Suzie (now out on DVD) and the second part of the BBCs adaptation of H. G. Wellss War Of The Worlds. Released later this year, it stars Daisy Edgar-Jones, one of the first actors to talk about her positive experience of working with an intimacy coordinator while shooting Normal People. The actors need to know exactly where hands are going, where body parts are going to be, whats going to be visible or not visible on camera, says Vanessa. Many have areas, whether thats nipples or their intergluteal cleft (bum crack, to you and me) that theyre not comfortable showing on screen, so we have to respect and accommodate that with careful camera angling. Weve come a long way since Keira Knightley says she had a director holler at her: W*** him off! mid scene, while filming Atonement 15 years ago. Elle McAlpine (pictured), one of Itas former students, has worked as an intimacy coordinator on including It's A Sin and Roadkill Of course she understood what that means, but its obviously only going to be simulated, so as an actor I wouldnt know what I needed to do to demonstrate that to a viewing audience, says Vanessa. That requires proper structuring. In the same interview on the Graham Norton show in which Keira recounted this experience she also revealed how she had been asked, by director David Cronenberg, over Skype to demonstrate her sex faces. keira, who has said she wont be appearing in any more sex scenes in films shot by male directors, then suffered the excruciating indignity of the screen freezing mid-expression. Aussie Vanessa, who married a Brit and settled in Glasgow where she lectures in intimacy coordinating at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, is horrified that actors were still being subjected to such humiliating direction in the 21st century. Elle McAlpine has choreographed sex scenes in shows such as The Great, featuring Elle Fanning (pictured) as Catherine She is also aware that, in an industry which for so long ignored casting couch predators such as Harvey Weinstein, her role would not exist, were it not for the #MeToo movement. The lawyer-turned-actor fell into her role in 2017 after being asked by colleagues to cast a legal eye over contracts and even accompany some of them on set when they felt uncomfortable filming intimate scenes. It turned out it wasnt just the cast who appreciated Vanessas support, but also the crew. Perhaps they viewed her presence as an insurance policy against accusations of impropriety at a time when so much wrongdoing in the industry was coming to light. They also appreciated her role as go-between, sparing them conversations about sexual positions and degrees of nakedness. Some actors want to wander around naked between shots, but it's just not suitable for the crew Initially we were seen as the fun police, a PC brigade trying to stop these sorts of scenes from happening, says Vanessa. Nothing could be further from the truth and now everyone is seeing the effect of what we do and enjoying the results. Directors are relieved that, far from intimacy coordinators interfering and detracting in any way from these scenes, its clear that, when an actor feels safe, knows exactly what is expected of them and that their wishes are being respected, they give their best performances. Ive heard stories of actors being given no further direction than just go for it during a sex scene, something that would never happen with, say, a dance or a fight scene. Leaving it to an actor to do whatever comes naturally in bed, because everyone feels uncomfortable talking about the specifics, is bound to lead to feelings of vulnerability. Vanessa Coffey, one of the UKs leading intimacy coordinators, worked with Billie Piper on last years Sky Atlantic series I Hate Suzie (pictured) Vanessa (pictured right) said the more experienced an actor is, the less daunting intimate scenes can be Its tantamount to saying: Show us how you kiss or thrust, when what is needed is for them to stay in character and let this scene, like all the others, be part of the storytelling. Another aspect of Vanessas role is to pay close attention to what is, and is not, anatomically possible in these scenes. For instance, when sex is meant to be happening standing up, the woman must be in a more elevated position than the man, not something that would necessarily occur to the actors, or even directors, when they are merely playing at it. An intimacy coordinator's nine on set essentials Nipple daisies to cover an actors areola, ensuring only side breast is visible Nipple daisies are used to cover an actor's areola Hibue/shibue strapless thongs, in a range of skin tones, that stick to the pelvis and prevents genitalia from touching Merkins a pubic wig, often used in period dramas or to provide additional covering Flesh-coloured underwear these can be long enough to cover the thighs and, with the right colour, match remain invisible Heat pads are used under robes to keep actors warm between takes Small cushions stuffed with lambswool to create a barrier between the actors genitalia during sex scenes Mints to freshen breath for kissing scenes, especially after one actor has taken a cigarette break Glycerine and water spray to create the illusion of beads of sweat during/after vigorous sex scenes Heat pads used under robes to keep actors warm between takes Aloe Vera gel soothes skin chafed or irritated by modesty garments Mints are used to freshen an actor's breath between takes Advertisement An intimacy coordinator also ensures there is no actual contact between the actors most intimate parts, with coverings for both and pillows discreetly placed between bodies. Only the parts of the body that need to be filmed are left exposed so, unbeknown to the viewer, an actress may be wearing jogging bottoms, or a camisole top, if only one half of her body is in a scene where she appears to be naked. The moment the director says cut, nobody is allowed to move until the actors have been wrapped in dressing gowns. And to remove the risk of actors feeling ogled, Vanessa is one of only a handful of crew allowed to be present for these scenes. We also make sure nobody else has access to monitors so the performers can really give it their all without thinking: Oh gosh, is my driver watching this? We always have a safe word usually pineapple as its so unlikely to be part of any script in case one of the actors needs a break. That might be because of an erection. We recognise those things happen when people are thrusting and theres a lot of friction and they may need a moment to step aside. Vanessa acknowledges that the more experienced an actor the less daunting these scenes are. Billie Piper is no stranger to performing simulated sex scenes with a string of leading roles under her belt, including that of high-class escort Belle de Jour in Secret Diary Of A Call Girl. Consequently, she took a masturbation scene, as well as numerous sexual encounters, very much in her stride in I Hate Suzie. While Vanessa helped with the scene, it was Billies less experienced co-stars who were more in need of her support. Billie has done plenty of intimate scenes before so shes very clear on what her boundaries are and what props and coverings she does and doesnt need, says Vanessa. So, we needed to make sure her male co-stars felt just as comfortable and knew where their hands would go and what was required of them. But its not just sex scenes that require input from an intimacy coordinator, as Vanessa found when she was hired to support the cast on Netflix teen drama, Fate: The Winx Saga. There are partial nudity and kissing scenes and the crew wanted to make sure that the young cast felt safe and supported, says Vanessa. I read that Kate Winslet had hopped into the boot of a car while her on-screen daughter was shooting a kissing scene. She felt that the actress needed some additional support. Kate also revealed she wishes shed had an intimacy coordinator, saying: I could have done with having that friend to say, Can you just ask him not to put his hands there? so its not you having to say it, which can be awkward. However, with many production companies still without intimacy coordinators, Vanessa says theres still a way to go. I was speaking with a director recently about a kissing scene, she says. They hadnt realised that one of the actors was using their tongue, which is a definite no-no unless its somehow relevant and would then have to be agreed until they mentioned it a few days later. Thats the sort of conversation I would have with the actors, rather than just assuming they know. There was the buttoned-up director who referred to a need to see the ladies parts and I was like, Which ladies parts full breasts, nipples, something else? We need to all be comfortable with this language and content. Gentleman Jack's Suranne Jones (pictured with Sophie Rundle) is an 'experienced and empowered' actor but Ita gave greater support to her co-stars in the BBC drama Vanessa (pictured) believes there's still a way to go, revealing kissing with tongue is a 'definite no-no unless it's somehow relevant' Ita OBrien, 56, intimacy coordinator on Gentleman Jack, Sex Education, Its A Sin and Normal People agrees. Ita established Intimacy on Set in 2018. Four practitioners who trained with her are fully accredited and 30 are under mentorship globally. She says: There are three tenets of intimacy coordination open communication and transparency; agreements of consent in relation to touch, sexual content and nudity; and choreography, recognising that this is a body dance that requires clear direction and instruction. Ita, who worked as an actor and movement director before her current role, adds: In how many jobs are people expected to strip off and perform sex scenes in front of a whole load of other people? It would make most of us feel vulnerable. Like Billie Piper, Suranne Jones is an experienced and empowered actor with a clear idea of her boundaries, so it was her co-stars in BBC drama Gentleman Jack who required greater support from Ita. The first thing to remember is that these scenes are pretendWe have lots of modesty garments. The minimum they would wear are genitalia pouches a hibue for him, a shibue for her so even though an actor may look naked, in a simulated sex scene they never actually are. One actress Ita worked with was happy to be nude, but did not want her thighs to be visible, so she supplied flesh-coloured shorts. I also have my cunnilingus cushion, which creates the right barrier, but if you have someones head down below another actors thighs with the correct camera angle it reads right, says Ita. Both in her work as an intimacy coordinator and while training others, Ita feels a responsibility to help counter some of the unsettling pornography with its unrealistic couplings that so many young people are exposed to these days. Ive had secondary schools contact me to say theyre going to use the scene from the top of episode two of Normal People to help show their young people a positive depiction of sexual awakening, she says proudly. And its not just the actors that need protecting on set. It works both ways, says Ita. Ive had situations where its a really hot set and an actor says theyre too hot to wear a towelling dressing gown and instead wants to wander around naked between shots. Ill tell them: Its not suitable for the crew to be confronted with your nakedness in their workplace. Elle McAlpine, one of Itas former students, has worked as an intimacy coordinator on Its A Sin, The Great starring Elle Fanning and Hugh Lauries MP drama Roadkill. As an actor, Elle, 31, knows how tricky sex scenes can be, having been traumatised in her own career. I remember filming a sex scene when I was 21 which wasnt choreographed and all the crew were male, so I had to drag a make-up artist on set for moral support, she says. The crew were equally embarrassed and trying not to look, and that made me feel even more shame. If I could go back in time, I would have asked for some time to go through what was expected what would be on show, what areas of my body could be touched and also asked for female support. The director-actor relationship is a unique one and so often actors just want to please. Now, if they dont feel comfortable going to their director and saying I dont want to do this, they can speak to the intimacy coordinator who will open up the dialogue with the director. Daisy Edgar-Jones was one of the first actors to talk about her positive experience of working with an intimacy coordinator while shooting Normal People (pictured with co-star Paul Mescal) Often when the director explains why something forms part of a scene, why that is part of the character, the actors will be totally fine with it or they might say: I dont want to perform that kind of sex. Please can we change it? Thats a slightly more complicated conversation, but we do get there. Overcoming obstacles in this way often creates better sex scenes. With Its A Sin, Elle worked alongside intimacy coordinator David Thackeray to draw the shapes they were looking to recreate in the sex montage 11 separate scenes at the start of the drama. Those boys were all really comfortable together and so embodied in their characters they were a dream to work with, she says. Russell T. Davies is very detailed, and he writes so beautifully, but, with other productions, it might just say: They have sex and we can help them work through it in a very choreographed way. What is difficult is when an actor, who knows theyre meant to be doing these sex scenes, doesnt want to do them. This happened on one set where Ita and I were brought in late in the day and the content of the sex scenes was a bit of a work in process. The actors were quite young, in their early 20s, and had a lot of gumption insisting: Im not doing that and we had to communicate that to the director. It worked well in the end, but I think its important to have sex scenes written out at the start, so they know what theyre signing up to. As the public appetite for these graphic, sensual depictions is given the viewing figures clearly there, and while the industry has decided time is up for anyone wanting to prey on its members, intimacy coordinators really do have their work cut out for them. 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 SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Turntide Technologies ("Turntide"), the company responsible for the Smart Motor System and the Optimal Efficiency Motor with digital DNA, today announced the completion of an $80 million funding round, bringing the company's total funding to date to $180 million. The round was led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures and includes investments from Robert Downey Jr.'s FootPrint Coalition Ventures, the Amazon Climate Pledge Fund, Keyframe Capital, Fifth Wall's Climate Technology Fund and Captain Planet LP. The electric motors powering our world today account for half of global electricity consumption - more than lighting, heating, and electronics combined. As our climate changes and economy grows, the global demand for electric motors will continue to rise. With this new funding, Turntide plans to expand development and production of its Smart Motor System to meet growing demand and extend it into new applications. "Our investors recognize the critical role that technology will play in our fight against climate change. To curb the carbon emissions driving this crisis, we all need to change the way that we use energy. That starts with modernizing the technology that is currently powering our world," said Turntide's CEO and Chairman, Ryan Morris. "With the support from our investors, Turntide will increase production of our Smart Motor System and ramp up motor retrofitting to provide cost-effective and energy-efficient motors to businesses around the world." Turntide's Smart Motor System is designed around its revolutionary switched reluctance motor (SRM) technology. SRMs have been used for decades in environments that demand 100% dependability. But recent advances in supporting technologies have permitted Turntide to develop a patented, cloud-connected SRM that can power anything, using a fraction of the energy of the legacy AC induction motors in 98% of the world's machines. Funding will also be used to accelerate deployment and advance development of Riptide, a cloud-based building automation software platform that Turntide recently agreed to acquire. Turntide plans to expand further into building automation by improving and extending the company's Building Operation System ("BOS") platform to office buildings, retail locations, schools, and more. Last month at the World Economic Forum (Davos), Robert Downey Jr. announced the launch of FootPrint Coalition Ventures as a rolling fund on the AngelList platform, with a mission to accelerate groundbreaking sustainable technologies through both investment and a unique content strategy that aims to turn complex subjects into culture-defining content. "Turntide's technology and approach to restoring our planet will directly reduce energy consumption," said Steve Levin, co-founder of FootPrint Coalition Ventures. "We are interested in supporting companies with innovative and sustainability-focused ideas like Turntide's Smart Motor System. This technology has the potential to improve the planet in a meaningful way, and we look forward to supporting their efforts." "Turntide's Smart Motor System addresses a huge market with innovation that not only is higher efficiency, but also lower cost," said Carmichael Roberts, Breakthrough Energy Ventures. "The applications for this type of solution are incredibly broad and impactful, and we're proud to be working with the team at Turntide as they revolutionize the motor industry." "Amazon created The Climate Pledge Fund to support the development of technologies and services that will enable Amazon and other companies to reach the goals of the Paris Agreement 10 years earlyachieving net-zero carbon by 2040," said Kara Hurst, Vice President of Worldwide Sustainability at Amazon. "We are excited to be both an investor in and a customer of Turntide as they help us on the journey to decarbonize our operations." "There is no question that a high efficiency electric motor that does not use environmentally destructive rare earth minerals is needed," said Sergey Polikarpov, Managing Partner of Captain Planet LP. "The prophecy of switched reluctance must be fulfilled to preserve the planet." Companies including Amazon, BMW, Five Guys, Sprouts, and JLL have retrofitted old motors with the Smart Motor System, reducing their HVAC motor energy consumption by 64% on average. Turntide also works with Pacific Energy Concepts, providing their Smart Motor System for HVAC solutions. "We partner with some of the best and brightest businesses in North America to help them reduce their environmental impact. Our partners trust that we'll only bring them the very best energy-efficiency solutions to match their sustainability goals with their greater business objectives," said Keith Scott, Founder and CEO of Pacific Energy Concepts. "When evaluating the Turntide Smart Motor System it was clear to us that it provides the most compelling HVAC optimization solution on the market, especially when compared to many legacy solutions currently available. We believe in the revolutionary capabilities of this solution that's why we offer it to our partners." Previously announced investors in Turntide include Meson Capital, BMW i Ventures, JLL Spark, WIND Ventures, and Tony Fadell's Future Shape. Learn more about Turntide Technologies and the Smart Motor System at turntide.com . About Turntide Headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, Turntide makes the world's most reliable, efficient, and intelligent motor system. Unlike most clean tech products, our switched reluctance motor technology is actually less expensive to own and operate than its conventional alternative. When this revolutionary motor is combined with IoT building automation technology, the result is optimal efficiency. Turntide sells motors in form factors for a number of applications, up to 15 HP. The Smart Motor System advances sustainability goals, saves money, and minimizes maintenance calls. For more information, visit https://turntide.com/ or follow the company on YouTube , Twitter , and LinkedIn . MEDIA CONTACT Simone Jackenthal - Trident DMG 202-923-5296 [email protected] SOURCE Turntide Technologies Related Links https://turntide.com Early elections still out of question: aftermath of the EU-led mediation between opposition and government By Veronika Malinboym Shortly after mediating a meeting with Georgian PM Gharibashili on March 1, President of the European Council Charles Michel announced another meeting to occur later in the evening of the same day. PM Gharibashvili, along with representatives of the countrys opposition bloc, gathered at the Presidential palace to participate in negotiations mediated by Charles Michel.Representatives of the opposition parties later reported that during the meeting, six main issues that urgently need to be resolved have been determined: release of the political prisoners Nika Melia and Giorgi Rurua; the question of holding early parliamentary elections; the issue of politically motivated provision of justice in the country; redistribution of power in the Parliament and the overall facilitation and mediation of the ongoing crisis.One of the chairmen of the opposition European Georgia party David Bakradze later noted that no one expected the meeting to provide an immediate solution to the political crisis that Georgia is currently faced with, however, the fact that all the parties involved agreed to beginning a dialogue is a crucial step.United National Movement party's Salome Samadashvili welcomed the resumption of a dialogue between the government authorities and the opposition bloc:Our European partners are doing everything in their power to prevent further deepening of the ongoing crisis and help the political parties reach a consensus. Our position on the matter is very clear as two main issues concern us releasing the political prisoners and holding early elections. We must succeed in this or else the negotiations will result in nothing at all, Samadashvili said.After the meeting, President Charles Michel stated that the political dialogue is 'relaunched', however, there are still issues to be resolved. President Michel added that in two weeks, in Brussels, the EU-Georgia association council will be able to assess the countrys progress in resolving the political crisis.When commenting on the meeting, PM Gharibashvili reinstated that the question of holding early elections is not currently on agenda, as he believes in what he claimed during the meeting with the opposition there are simply no legal grounds that would justify holding new elections. When addressing the detention of Nika Melia, the PM stated that the government will not and cannot interfere with the provision of justice. TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 3, 2021 / Gratomic Inc. ("GRAT" or the "Company") (TSXV:GRAT)(OTCQB:CBULF)(FRANKFURT:CB82) wishes to announce that it has granted 8,850,000 options to Directors, officers, employees and consultants of the Company exercisable at $1.54 per share for five (5) years. The grant is subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange. About Gratomic Inc. Established in 2014, Gratomic is focused on the proposed production of low-cost mine to market carbon-neutral, eco-friendly, high purity vein graphite to be provided to the EV and Energy Storage supply chains. Gratomic is anticipating full operational capabilities in 2021. Gratomic is in the process of solidifying its plans for micronization and spheronization of its clean Aukam graphite. This significant milestone is a small, additional step in the Company's proposed eco-friendly processing cycle and is intended to allow it to meet ideal North American battery grade standards for use in Li-ion battery anodes. The Company plans to deliver mine-to-market traceability and guaranteed quality control. This will be accomplished by providing documented tracking on all graphite generated at its flagship Aukam Graphite Project. The tracking will begin at Aukam and will be verified at every stage during transport. Two off-take purchase agreements are currently held for lump-vein graphite sourced from Gratomic's Aukam Graphite Project in Namibia, Africa. Fulfillment of the contracts is anticipated to begin in Q1 of 2021. The agreements exist with TODAQ and Phu Sumika. TODAQ is an innovative deeptech company that can containerize assets, transactions & markets, and will partner with Gratomic on its mine-to-market commodity tracking and trading. Containerized assets are verifiably unique, keep an immutable record of who has owned them, have embedded smart logic, can be transferred P2P, and are interoperable with any system. Asset owners enjoy stronger ownership control, value retention when trading, and ability to prove authenticity in seconds. Phu Sumika is a large global graphite supplier to battery and lubrication companies. Gratomic Inc. is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol GRAT, on the OTCQB under the symbol CBULF and on the Frankfurt Exchange under the symbol CB82. For more information: visit the website at www.gratomic.ca or contact: Arno Brand at abrand@gratomic.ca or 416 561-4095 Subscribe at gratomic.ca/contact/ to be added to our email list. "Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release." Forward Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Investors are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and by those made in our filings with SEDAR in Canada (available at www.sedar.com SOURCE: Gratomic Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/633131/Gratomic-Announces-Grant-of-Stock-Options Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh is an amazing destination for sightseeing during the ripe rice season at Tam Coc At an advantageous location near Hanoi, just a 90-minute drive from Hanoi, Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh lies on the edge of Van Long Nature Reserve a tranquil reserve of Ninh Binh province's characteristic reedy wetland. Emeralda Ninh Binh Resort & Spa With rich traditional Vietnamese architectural elements and furnishings wedded to cutting-edge enhancements and guest comforts, Emeralda Ninh Binh Resort incorporates the environmental commitment to go with its surroundings. This April, Emeralda Ninh Binh Resort & Spa offers the best deals for visitors starting from VND1.225 million ($55) per guest (inclusive of VAT and service charge), including three complimentary meals for one and complimentary in-room tea, coffee, and bottle of water. The offer applies for a Superior room that can accommodate two guests per room and is available until May 31, from Monday to Thursday. Different pricing will be applied during holidays. On Fridays, a surcharge of VND300,000 ($13) per room per night, while on Saturdays the surcharge will be VND1.1 million ($50) per room per night. Enjoy your vacation at a French colonial villa in the heart of Dalat city French Colonial Villa Village a fairy land in the heart of Dalat city Ana Villas Dalat Resort & Spa is famous for its elegant vintage and romantic beauty where visitors can enjoy a slow pace of life and immerse themselves in the nature of Dalat. Moreover, visitors will be able to fill their Instagram with photos from Ana Villas Dalat Resort & Spa and its magnificent design in the midst of the forest. Visitor at Ana Villas Dalat Resort & Spa Ana Villas Dalat Resort & Spa is one of the top luxury resorts and wonderlands for young people in Vietnam. This April, the resort offers the best rate ever for guests booking directly, only from VND1.75 million ($75) per room night for two guests (tax and service fees applicable), including a buffet breakfast for two and free use of the outside swimming pool and kids' club. The offer is applicable for the Le Petit rooms that can accommodate two guests and is valid from April 1 to June 30, from Monday to Thursday. Friday and Saturday bookings are subject to a surcharge of VND500,000 ($22) per room per night while the surcharge for Sunday is VND200,000 ($8.70) per room per night. Another special offer includes a free room upgrade during the week (from Monday to Thursday) for bookings from two nights with a choice of one of the following special offers: Complimentary afternoon tea for one Villa room booking Complimentary foot massage (30 minutes) for one Villa room booking Complimentary one way pick up at the airport for one Villa Studa booking Visit Ana, breath in the fresh morning air of the pine forest, and enjoy an afternoon tea with sweet cakes. Afternoon Tea & Resort tour: VND170,000 (7.40) per person Set Menu & Resort tour: VND320,000 ($13.90) per person. The prices include VAT and service charge. 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. Politics, as political scientist Harold Lasswell once put it, is defined by the questions of who gets what, where, when and how. Yet especially during economic crises, questions of who needs what and what counts as evidence of need loom large. This is nowhere truer than in the current debate over federal COVID-19 relief aid for state and local governments.Critics of President Biden's plan to allocate $350 billion in federal aid to state and local governments have argued that this money is largely unnecessary due to the recovering economy as well as unspent millions "under the couch cushions." Yet the notion that subnational governments don't need additional support is a myth, premised on a highly selective interpretation of the data and a refusal to acknowledge the hollowing out of state and local government capacity over the last few decades, particularly in the areas of public health and education.A first element of the myth is the idea that state and local governments aren't using the federal dollars that have already been allocated. The CARES Act's Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) provided subnational governments with $150 billion in aid for unanticipated COVID-related expenses. Among current critics of providing more aid, Kentucky Republican Congressman James Comer has argued that more money isn't needed now because "not all [the CARES Act] money's been spent." This overstates and misinterprets the extent of unspent federal money.One reason is that the data on the CRF program collected and reported by the Treasury Department and the pandemic oversight commission not only lags actual spending, since it is reported only quarterly, but also is limited to costsby state and local governments. "Incurred costs" captures spending that has already taken place but, importantly, does not include future spending that is already planned or the full extent of spending needs. Moreover, there has been confusion over what counts as "incurred costs," and the Treasury Department's guidelines on this have changed over time.In a survey conducted by the Government Finance Officers Association , over 70 percent of CRF prime recipients reported that such restrictions were the largest barrier to the allocation of federal funds. And the process of allocating federal dollars itself results in data lag: In some states, political conflict between the legislature and the governor has slowed down decisions about allocating those funds.In any case, federal data on unspent CRF money is hardly indicative of an absence of additional need.Second, the myth relies on narrow assumptions about the appropriate indicators of fiscal need. While on average state and local revenues have fared better than initial expectations due to the combination of an economic rebound and extensive federal stimulus, revenues are only half of the equation. What's missing is a focus on the spending needs created and exacerbated by the pandemic that cannot be addressed even if revenues return to their pre-pandemic baseline.State and local budgets account only forspending and do not capture the amount necessary to meet the full demand and needs of their respective communities. The number of people experiencing homelessness or at risk for eviction has increased, for example, but spending on emergency housing and relief programs is based on the number of people the programs can support, not on how many people actually need assistance. Yet even analyses by supporters of additional aid note that they cannot account for spending needed to "help people and businesses facing extreme hardship," ongoing costs tied to combating the disease itself or "the added costs of providing services effectively and safely during a pandemic."Determining the full scope of spending needs is challenging, and hinges on subjective decisions around what constitutes a COVID-related expenditure and what should be prioritized. Yet few analyses consider whether the pre-COVID status quo for state and local governments was acceptable.For years, governments have deferred maintenance on existing infrastructure and facilities and underinvested in an array of programs and services. While the pandemic placed unprecedented strains on state unemployment insurance systems, their pre-COVID baseline was unacceptable. State UI systems were riddled with administrative burdens and outdated technical infrastructures. In 2019, for example, only 9 percent of Mississippians who were eligible for UI actually received benefits.Schools provide another example. According to Government Accountability Office estimates, in 2019 about 41 percent of school districts needed "to update or replace HVAC systems in at least half their schools." Although deferred maintenance is quantified and recorded in financial reports, the consequences of austerity have long been displaced onto already marginalized, predominantly minority communities. While COVID-19 has made a wider swath of society feel the effects of disinvestment, the crisis has exacerbated racial inequities , which is why the issue of spending and whose needs are not being met is so central.The Great Recession should provide federal policymakers with a powerful lesson: Limited support for state and local governments slows economic recovery. But political pressure for fiscal austerity often re-emerges before the economy is out of the woods and before adequate stock is taken of state and local needs.That pressure is greater when federal policymakers assume they know more than they do. As Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell recently noted , despite improvements in revenue, policymakers in Washington "don't have a great picture" of state and local government expenses.In the midst of an ongoing crisis, myths about money "hiding under couch cushions" are no basis for federal policy.GoverningGoverning At least one connection made by Chinese hackers with the network system of an Indian port is still active, Massachusetts-based cyber security firm Recorded Future has said. The company had earlier said that Chinese hackers could have been behind the massive power outage in Mumbai in October last year. Recorded Future could see a 'handshake', which indicates exchange of traffic, between a China-linked group and a maritime port in India as of Tuesday, Bloomberg reported citing the firm's chief operating officer Stuart Solomon. "There's still an active connection between the attacker and the attackee. It's still happening," Solomon said. Earlier, Recorded Future had said that Chinese hackers have been targeting India's critical infrastructure since the time the troops of both the countries were involved in an intense stand-off at the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh last year. Power Minister R K Singh on Tuesday reportedly denied that the power outage was because of a cyber attack and said it happened because of a 'human error'. Also read: Cyber-attack from China behind Mumbai power outage in 2020 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. Residents across Massachusetts and New England could hear howling late Monday and for the better part of Tuesday, the echoes of bitterly cold wind gusts that reached 70-plus miles per hour in parts of the Bay State. An Arctic airmass moved into the region Monday night, and by around 6 a.m. Tuesday, wind chills had dropped to 4 degrees on Cape Cod, -3 degrees in Boston, -8 degrees in Worcester and -3 degrees in the Springfield area. In the Berkshires, forecasters predicted wind chills would dip to -17 degrees in Pittsfield and -19 degrees in North Adams. The already frigid Arctic air and stinging wind chills were compounded by speedy gusts that clocked in at 78 mph on Mount Tom in Western Massachusetts, 76 mph in Provincetown, 66 mph in Wrentham, 63 mph in Cambridge and 62 mph at Worcester Regional Airport, according to National Weather Service data. Looking north, conditions were even more teeth-chattering. Atop Mount Washington in New Hampshire, wind chills plummeted to a whopping -80 degrees, and gusts peaked at 114 mph, the weather service said. It is a cold morning across New England, but check out the current conditions at the top of Mt. Washington, the weather service wrote in a tweet, posting a freezing emoji face alongside its message. [7 AM] It is a cold morning across New England but check out the current conditions at the top of Mt Washington. -80F wind chill with over 100 mph wind! pic.twitter.com/g4M2Mjr0zG NWS Boston (@NWSBoston) March 2, 2021 From the Pioneer Valley to the Cape and Island, damages from the wind storm were widespread, as gusts that ranged from 45 to nearly 60 mph were felt by the majority of Massachusetts residents. In Belchertown, electrical wires and trees were knocked down on Allen Road, and in Boston, the scaffolding of a seven-story building in Mission Hill collapsed due to the blustery conditions, WCVB reported. It wasnt just Belchertown and Boston, though. Throughout the region, power lines and trees were toppled, and tens of thousands of Massachusetts households and businesses were left without electricity at various points over the course of the bone-chilling weather event. Residents, meteorologists and first responders in New England took to Twitter to document the damages from the storm. Parts of Main Street in Chelmsford were closed near the Westford town line due to a tree and wires that were knocked down. ROAD CLOSED Main Street is closed between School Street and the Westford town line due to a tree down with wires. Please seek alternate routes Posted by Chelmsford Police Department on Tuesday, March 2, 2021 Similar reports were filed out of Duxbury, Hatfield, Lowell, Marlborough, New Bedford, Orange, North Andover, Pepperell, Woburn, Worcester and so many other Massachusetts communities. First responders in Merrimac were working to assist numerous residents that lost electricity Tuesday afternoon, as roughly half the town was impacted by outages. Police officers and public works personnel were dispatched to help out at the scenes of various storm-related damages, according to authorities. Multiple homes and poles in the community were damaged by downed trees, and outages were expected to last as long as 4 or more hours in areas most affected by the heavy winds. No injuries were reported, officials noted. We appreciate our communitys patience and understanding as we work to address these power outages and we will continue to provide updates as needed, Merrimac Fire Chief Larry Fisher said in a statement. In Westborough, firefighters Monday night were responding to several calls related to the intense wind gusts. One home in the town was particularly unlucky, as a tree toppled right onto its roof. Due to extremely high winds we are experiencing several roadway obstructions, black ice patches and power outages throughout town, the Westborough Police Department wrote in a Facebook post. Please use caution if you must venture out onto the roads. Stay safe! As of around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, 13,917 customers across the commonwealth still had no power, with most of the outages reported in Central and Eastern Massachusetts. Of the close to 14,000 homes and businesses without electricity, 6,238 were in Worcester County, 3,184 in Middlesex County and 1,289 in Essex County. Thats according to an interactive map from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, which aggregates data from the states four main power companies and is updated every 15 to 30 minutes. At the height of the storm overnight Monday, nearly 60,000 outages were reported by the agency. Roughly 95% of the Franklin County town of Shutebsury, close to 875 of the communitys 920 customers, had no electricity at one point Tuesday morning. That percentage has since dropped down to around 50%, or 463 households and businesses, MEMAs map showed. The majority of the town is online. The crews are out working to get the rest of our town restored, the Shutesbury Police Department wrote in a 1 p.m. update on Facebook, noting all roadways are now passible after several trees were toppled across the community. We are all working diligently to get the town up and running. If your home or property experienced damage, take photos or videos to document the damage and contact your insurance company. Learn more about how to recover after a disaster: https://t.co/JYG5kNQ7Hg pic.twitter.com/v9PSPBewdo MEMA (@MassEMA) March 2, 2021 Most of the outages in Massachusetts, including those in Shutesbury, were among National Grid Customers. As of Tuesday afternoon, 11,744 households and businesses serviced by the utility company were without electricity. National Grid has already restored power to more than 42,000 Massachusetts customers since the wind storm started Monday night, according to a company spokesperson. Hundreds of crews are supporting the emergency response operations. Among them are overhead line, forestry, contractors, wires down, transmission and substation personnel. The high winds, which are expected to continue throughout Tuesday, caused trees and wires down overnight, the National Grid spokesperson said. Our crews are in the field and will be working throughout the day on power restoration efforts. Related Content: Iran is linked to a recent oil spill off Israel's shores that caused ecological damage, Environmental Protection Minister Gila Gamliel said on Wednesday, saying it was being treated as a "terror" incident. Israel's investigation has focused on an unidentified ship that passed about 50 km (30 miles) off the coast on Feb. 11 as the likely source of what environmentalist groups are calling an ecological disaster that could take years to clean up. Short link: The (CII) on Wednesday asked the to revisit its controversial Bill on reservation in private sector companies approved by governor Satyadeo Narain Arya on Tuesday. The Haryana assembly had passed the bill last year. Chandrajit Banerjee, director general, CII, said in a statement here, "We hope the state government of Haryana relooks at the legislation. With Prime Ministers vision of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat we look forward to an integrated and mobile within the country." He said at a time when it is important to attract investments at the state level, the could have avoided imposing restrictions on industry. "Reservation affects productivity and industry competitiveness," he added. The state assembly had passed the Haryana State Employment of Local Candidates Bill last year that mandates 75 per cent reservation for local people in private sector jobs, where the salary is less than Rs 50,000 a month. This rule will be applicable for 10 years and aims to address rising in the state. March 2 was a red-letter day in America because Texas announced that all COVID restrictions are henceforth over. Additionally, Mississippi, while it didn't go quite as far, did end mask mandates. Individual citizens in those states can still make their own choices about masks, social distancing, and their business plans, but the government is no longer riding herd on its citizens over a disease that is fading away. On Monday, the New York Times expressed a panicky concern that life in America might one day return to normal: Covid-19: The U.S. Is Edging Toward Normal, Alarming Some Officials [snip] Across the country, the first day of March brought a wave of reopenings and liftings of pandemic restrictions, signs that more Americans were tentatively emerging from months of isolation, even if not everyone agrees that the time is ripe. Then came the usual doom and gloom, with Anthony Fauci leading the parade. The fact is that leftists do not want a return to normal. COVID has been the best thing that ever happened to them. It not only allowed them to put into place often unconstitutional rules that warped the 2020 election, but also gave them unprecedented control over Americans. No sane leftist voluntarily gives up that type of power. Thankfully, not all states are Democrat-run. On Tuesday, Texas governor Greg Abbott announced that Texas is re-opening "100 percent": Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced Tuesday that he will reopen the state "at 100 percent" and will rescind the statewide mask mandate beginning next Wednesday. "Too many Texans have been sidelined from employment opportunities," Abbott said. "Too many small business owners have struggled to pay their bills. This must end. It is now time to open Texas 100 percent." "Every business that wants to be open should be open," he said. However, he warned that removing the mandates "does not end personal responsibility." "Personal vigilance to follow the safe standards is still needed to contain COVID. It's just that now state mandates are no longer needed," he said. That is exactly the way it should be in a free county. Mississippi isn't going quite so far, but the mask mandates are now at an end: If you live in the Magnolia state you'll no longer be mandated to wear a mask or face covering. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves announced Tuesday that he's lifting mask mandates for all counties. Reeves said his office is getting out of the business of telling people what they can and cannot do. "The reason the government is no longer telling you that is because of the actions we've taken over the last 12 months has gotten us to a point where our total hospitalizations today the second day of March 2021 is about where we were in late May," said the governor. While there will be no state mask mandate, there are still recommendations for all to continue to follow. Mississippi will continue to urge social distancing and self-quarantining for vulnerable people while requiring K12 school kids to wear masks if they cannot social distance, and limiting indoor arenas to 50% capacity. Still, it's a great start. What we're witnessing is the continuing blessing of America, which is that we have 50 laboratories of democracy, as well as geographic mobility. Much as Biden would like to keep America in perpetual lockdown to consolidate his party's power permanently, he can't. While California can maintain a permanent state of emergency, at least until Gavin Newsom is given the boot, its residents are going to see that life in Florida, Texas, Mississippi, South Carolina, South Dakota, and other Republican-run states is normal, happy, and economically thriving. Just look at North American Van Lines' 2020 U.S. Migration report, which shows the major lockdown states hemorrhaging residents (which means losing its tax base and, eventually, its representation in Congress). Meanwhile, the free states are booming. As red states open up and blue states continue to self-immolate, those trends are going to continue in 2021. Incidentally, the blue states aren't just lockdown states; they're the states that have bowed down to BLM and destroyed their criminal justice systems. That too will lead to people voting with their feet to escape states that have become hellholes of robbery, assault, and murder. This news comes with a caveat: many of those leaving the blue states aren't much given to self-reflection. They understand that their states are going belly up and that they'll do better economically in the red states. However, they don't understand that conservative policies are what make the difference. Unless conservative residents in the target red states work hard to educate the new arrivals, the latter will destroy their new homes just as surely as they did with Colorado and Virginia, two successful red states that leftist migrants turned into damaged blues. Image: Big Tex in 1956 by Bantosh; text and border by Andrea Widburg. CC BY-SA 3.0. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Many years ago, I wrote a post called Paul Offit Pope of the Church of the Immaculate Vaccination. Huffington Post deleted it when they were sold out many years ago, along with most of my years of free work. Today? Paul Offit is hardly an altar server in Bill Gates' Global Church of the Covior. The Covid vaccine is the deity. Imagine the worry among Muslims worldwide who value vaccination choice, having been told they can not take their pilgrimage to their holy Mecca. It's astounding what one year has done. I just spoke with a man who told me he did not want to be vaccinated for Covid, but did so because his son is moving to Europe and he wants to be ABLE to visit. ABLE? Permitted? Allowed? It hurts to type this language, let alone live it. The Global Church of the Covior - you'll tithe whatever "they" say, and it will be far more than 10%. No jab, no Hajj: Saudi says all Muslims will need to have Covid vaccine before they can perform annual pilgrimage to Mecca Health authorities in Saudi Arabia have said that any Muslim wanting to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca will first need to be provide proof that theyve been vaccinated against Covid-19. COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio Senate voted unanimously on Wednesday to repeal the nuclear subsidies that are one of the central components of House Bill 6, the bailout law thats at the center of an ongoing federal corruption probe. Senate Bill 44, sponsored by two Northeast Ohio lawmakers, keeps other portions of the bill in place, but repeals the nearly $1 billion in subsidies that were to have been sent to two Ohio nuclear plants owned by a former FirstEnergy subsidiary. The bill also would eliminate the fees on Ohioans electric bills that pay for the subsidies, which are currently on hold due to two court rulings. The bill is now headed to the House for consideration. Senators said Wednesday that the plants owner, Energy Harbor, has emerged from bankruptcy proceedings in a strong enough financial position that the company no longer needs the subsidies. They also said repealing them would help the legislature move on from the HB6 scandal while saving Ohioans money on their power bills. Senate President Matt Huffman, a Lima Republican, has noted that Energy Harbor has said the bailout might become a liability. Thats because the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ruled in late 2019 that if power generation companies receive state subsidies like the ones offered by HB6, the commission would make it harder for those companies to sell electricity from the two nuclear plants. This is something that I feel will undo an awful lot of damage that has been done not only to our institution (the state legislature) but to the whole state of Ohio, Sen. Rob McColley, a Toledo-area Republican, said on the Senate floor Wednesday. Federal prosecutors say the plants former owner, Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp., and its affiliates got HB6 passed with $60 million in bribes to former House Speaker Larry Householder. Householder was arrested after the investigation was made public last July. He has pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing, but two others who were charged in the probe, plus a pro-Householder political action committee, have pleaded guilty to corruption charges. Prosecutors say the $60 million was funneled through political groups that supported Householders bid for speaker, pushed for HB6s passage and protected it against a repeal effort. Householder remains in the House, and although Cupp has called for his resignation, he has not been able to get enough Republican votes to remove him from the chamber. Last month, the Senate passed another bill undoing part of HB6. That bill, Senate Bill 10, would repeal and seek refunds for a decoupling fee worth $102 million to FirstEnergy this year. The company has agreed to forego the charge, which would have guaranteed FirstEnergy revenues based on 2018, an unusually lucrative year for the company, in the future. The Senate bill now is headed to the House, which is considering five of its own bills that would undo parts or all of HB6, which also subsidized coal plants and a handful of planned solar energy projects, and eliminated subsidies that paid for renewable energy and energy efficiency programs. Its still unclear whether House members would prefer to repeal the subsidies by passing SB44 or via one of their quintet of bills. Huffman told reporters after Wednesdays session that he hasnt spoken recently with House Speaker Bob Cupp about how specifically the the two chambers will deal with HB6. But he said hes prioritized passing bills this year based on his conversations with House Speaker Bob Cupp last December. During general conversations with Speaker Cupp at that time about the things that collectively the House and Senate could get enough votes to pass...those are the first two things that we have done, he said. I think those things are supported by a significant majority. Cupp told reporters he thinks there is support in the House to pass legislation like what the Senate approved Wednesday. We expect the House will have a bill come out of committee next week, and we are hopeful to have that on the floor, Cupp said. Any bill also needs Gov. Mike DeWines signature to become law. DeWine, who signed HB6 into law, has said he supports the bills repeal. Cleveland.com reporter Jeremy Pelzer contributed Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Everyone seems to be reacting to Governor Gregg Abbott's announcement about ending the mask mandate in Texas. Houston residents, celebrities and the rest of the world weighed in on the decision, seeing that the state is ranking 42 out of 50 in vaccinations and positivity rates haven't gone down. Bun B in particular was heated about the announcement. #VERZUZ BATTLE ON THE WAY: Bun B promises an epic 'VERZUZ' battle with Southern rap legends The Houston rapper took to Instagram to share his disbelief. He shared with his one million Instagram followers his disdain for Abbott. "This is bat shit crazy @govabbott and you know it. As if you didnt already have enough blood on your hands. SMFH." This wouldn't be the first time the UGK member went in on the Texas politician, as he blasted Abbott last month about being on television while most of Texas lacked power due to winter snowstorm Uri. Rapper and activist Trae the Truth shared a similar sentiment on Instagram, saying that Abbott "aine even Worried bout the people.....He Gotta Get Up Out Of Office... @governorabbott." THE LONG ROAD AHEAD: Communities of color have a long road to recovery after Texas winter storm On Bun B's Instagram story, he also showed full support behind Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, who, along with Lina Hidalgo, blasted Abbott for lifting the mask mandate. Bun B also shared a collection of local restaurants and businesses that still plan on carrying out the mask mandate. Abbott announced that the mask mandate will end on March 10, and businesses can operate at 100 percent capacity. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE The state House passed a bill Tuesday intended to keep the lights on for utility customers unable to pay because of economic hardship inflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation, House Bill 206, would require public utilities to offer residential customers who are behind on their payments the chance to participate in an installment program to pay what they owe, without late fees. Utilities would also face new restrictions on when they can disconnect a customer's service. The bill would create a broader relief program for low-income families, too. In some cases, a customer could have half their debt incurred during the pandemic wiped off the books. This bill helps people who have experienced great economic hardship and who are in debt because of COVID-19, Democratic Rep. Kristina Ortez of Taos said, and it helps us ensure it doesn't happen again. This is unprecedented, what we're experiencing. Opponents assailed the bill as overreaching and said it would interfere with emergency measures already taken by the state Public Regulation Commission. Rep. Larry Scott, R-Hobbs, said the legislation would socialize the utility industry in New Mexico. Good intentions aside, he said, the bill will simply shift costs from some customers to others. I'm not a believer in a free lunch, Scott said. Somebody will have to pick up the tab. Under the bill, a utility could recover its costs through PRC-approved changes to its rates, applications for federal funding or other measures. The bill would also establish a block grant program for energy-efficiency projects in lower-income communities and authorize the PRC to approve discounted rates for low-income families. The bill won approval 39-31 Tuesday and now heads to the Senate with just 17 days left in the 60-day session. It must win Senate approval by March 20 to reach the governor's desk. Ortez, a co-sponsor of the bill, said the measure would provide more relief than what the PRC is authorized to do on its own, such as the provision for debt forgiveness. Our low-income families need this support, Ortez said. We've never been in a crisis like this before. Six Democrats crossed party lines to vote against the bill, joining one independent and all Republicans. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Welcome Guest! You Are Here: DETROIT An Indianapolis man has been charged in a Detroit murder in which the victim allegedly was targeted as a member of the LGBTQ community through an online dating app. Diabolique Paris Johnson, 34, has been charged with first-degree felony murder and felony firearm in Wayne County, prosecutor Kym Worthy announced Wednesday. It is alleged that Johnson murdered a 39-year-old Detroit man during an armed robbery at a location in the 16800 block of Woodbine Street in Detroit on Sept. 5, 2020. Johnson was previously charged with armed robbery of a 26-year-old Detroit man in the 24130 block of Michigan Avenue in Dearborn on Sept. 1, 2020, but he was never taken into custody. It is alleged that the victims in both cases were targeted on online dating apps because they were members of the LTGBQ community. The charges were made with the assistance of the Fair Michigan Justice Project (FMJP), a program that assists Michigan law enforcement officers and prosecutors in solving serious crimes against lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender persons. Im proud to stand with Prosecutor Worthy and the Fair Michigan Justice Project to announce these charges today. Its my hope that this case marks the beginning of a long partnership focused on providing justice to some of our most vulnerable communities, Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement. Police officers from Dearborn, Detroit, and Indianapolis investigated which led to Johnsons arrest in Indianapolis. He was extradited from Indiana and arraigned on the Dearborn charge in 18th District Court in Dearborn. A probable cause conference is scheduled for March 12 and a preliminary examination is scheduled for March 19. He is expected to be arraigned in 36th District Court in Detroit on Thursday. It is troubling that the perpetrator of these vicious acts apparently used online dating apps to locate and target his victims, said Fair Michigan President Alanna Maguire in a statement. Michigans LGBTQ communities know that the Fair Michigan Justice Project, along with Michigans county prosecutors and law enforcement officials, stand ready to aggressively investigate and prosecute these brutal crimes. Mumbai, March 3 : As the stock market has largely been on a bull run since hitting the decadal lows around a year ago, stocks of public sector undertakings (PSU) were among the ones which held the torch during the rally and have given strong returns. The S&P BSE PSU index surged around 79 per cent from the lows it touched in March last year post the announcement of the nationwide lockdown. On Wednesday, the index closed at 7,334.84 points. This calendar year, the index has increased around 25 per cent, with the latest push to the state-run stocks comes on the back of government's renewed disinvesment plans. The good thing about PSU stocks has been its consistency. The scrip have been moving up slowly but consistently ensuring returns even in time of volatility. "The recent increase in market prices of PSUs reflects the market's enthusiasm about large value unlocking from their potential privatisation," said a recent report by Kotak Institutional Equities. It noted that the government can raise Rs 12 lakh crore if it was to sell its entire holdings in all listed central PSUs at current valuations. The amount could be higher given the likely strategic premium. A recent note by Jefferies India said that after raising Rs 1 lakh crore through the exchange-traded fund (ETF) route over FY19 and FY20, the government stopped the practice in FY21, which has reduced the equity supply pressure. Jefferies analysts noted that Centre shifted towards privatisation from 2019 onwards. The new disinvestment policy which was announced in the Union Budget for FY22 shows that the government plans to sell its stake in most of the state-run companies and exit all non-strategic sectors. In the Union Budget for FY22, the disinvestment target for next fiscal has been set at Rs1.75 lakh crore. Shares of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd, which is among the star companies in the government's privatisation log has surged 22 per cent since January 1. On Wednesday, its share price on the BSE was at Rs 466.40 per share. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, presenting her third Union Budget on February 1, said that all the announced divestment proposals will be completed in this fiscal, which includes BPCL. Further, the government's plan to come up with IPO of insurance giant LIC also has been a positive for the markets. Another state run major, Coal India Ltd has witnessed a 14 per cent growth in its share price during this calendar year. On Wednesday, its share price ended at Rs 154.85 per share on the BSE. Indian Oil's (IOCL) shares have increase 12 per cent in the past two months. Shares of Shipping Corporation of India Ltd (SCIL), another company put on the block by the government, have surged nearly 40 per cent since the start of 2021. The Kotak report, however, noted that the government's plan and the market's enthusiasm may face two issues. "The list of strategic sectors is quite long and 1-2 companies in the strategic sectors may remain as PSUs in the foreseeable future. Thus, companies such as BEL, COAL, HAL, IOCL, NTPC, ONGC and others may remain as PSUs," it said. Nonetheless, the government can raise Rs 5 lakh crore by selling its entire stake from a smaller subset of listed companies at current valuations. Further, it said that the terminal value of PSUs in coal, petroleum, power is quite uncertain and questionable without meaningful restructuring given their business models face serious disruption. "Thus, we are not very clear about the interest levels of strategic buyers even if the government was to press ahead with its ambitious privatisation program. In fact, these companies account for a significant portion of the value of the government's stake in PSUs," it said. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Appearances can suggest we care less about things than we really do Once again, theres an ecological theme. Like her Disney sisters, Raya (voiced by Kelly Marie Tran from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker) has a highly developed social conscience. Shes out to revive a world ruined by The Druun, a malign force that takes the form of a noxious cloud of great efficiency. It has transformed much of Rayas world, Kumandra, into desert, turned thousands of its people to stone and set survivors against one another. Gone, too, are the dragons that helped human beings fight this scourge. Mulan (1998) was set in China during the Han dynasty, Frozen ((2013) was an excursion into Norse legend and Moana (2016) took its cues from Polynesian mythology. Now we have Raya, billed as the studios first south east Asian princess. Once again, the studios writers and researchers have done their homework, zestily plunging into the regions legends and folktales with an army of anthropologists and other consultants, but as usual, its the Disney style and ethos that prevails. Sisu, the sole surviving dragon voiced by the comic, Awkwafina is a large fluffy creature of baby blue that looks as if its been designed expressly for the movies merchandising line and Rayas main allies are a group of cute and cuddly creatures with a supple talent for pratfalling in all directions. The star turn is Tuk Tuk, Rayas chauffeur. Hes wrapped in a circular carapace that can open and shut and she sits astride it while rolling at high speed across the landscape. As well has having to battle The Druun, shes having a feud with Naamari (Gemma Chan), a rival princess from Fang, the most sophisticated of Kumandras five lands. Naamari has a lot of gold jewellery, a trendy modern haircut with razor sharp angles and an elegant wardrobe of martial arts wear. Raya prefers a more natural look and is expert with the sword once owned by her father, Chief Benja (Daniel Dae Kim), one of the The Druuns victims. The voice actors are all of Asian heritage but this hasnt been good enough for a few of the films sternest internet critics who have complained their family background should have been exclusively south east Asian. Since they all have American accents and Raya and Naamaris dialogue makes them sound like habitues of social media, this is hardly the point. More pertinent is the fact all that work on ethnic diversity has done little to dilute the all-too-familiar Disney formula. Yet the tone is a lot lighter than in Mulan or Frozen and the design has great ingenuity, as well as being remarkably beautiful. Its fun but predictable. Supporting VPNs and proxy services enhances Internet privacy Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2021) - Cypherpunk Holdings Inc. (CSE: HODL) ("Cypherpunk" or the "Company"), a sector leader for privacy-technology investments is pleased to announce that it has formally engaged Heficed (part of Digital Energy Technologies Ltd) to procure at least 16,384 of IPv4 addresses. The acquired IP addresses will become a long-term asset of the Company and will be leased out via the market-leading IPXO Ltd. platform, allowing the Company to book operating income. Heficed is a service provider owned by Digital Energy Technologies Ltd, based and operating in the UK and Lithuania since 2009. Heficed clients range from large enterprises to start-ups. The CEO of Heficed, Vincentas Grinius, says: "The prices of IP addresses have drastically increased in the last year, they are up by 35%. A single IP address costs between $20-$25. Due to the demand and limit on supply we think this trend will continue and prices will be rising. One of the biggest buyers is the largest e-commerce platform in the world. They have purchased 20 million IP addresses in 2019 and another 8 million in 2020." Heficed has been engaged on 2nd of March 2021 for an initial period of no less than 24 months. Cypherpunk Holdings has been closely monitoring this space as the Internet of Things (IoT) is a growing sector and IP addresses are widely used in privacy technologies such as Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and various cyber security applications. The Company is further looking to lease the acquired addresses via IPXO platform. The Internet Protocol Exchange Organisation, or IPXO, is a unique IP lease & monetization platform and marketplace that helps to monetize unused IP resources and alleviate the IPv4 shortage problem. Tony Guoga, the CEO of the Company, added: "When the internet was first created it was set to just over 4 billion IPv4 addresses. Today, the world has run out of them and they have been allocated to a very small number of large technology companies or internet service providers. A new version of IP addresses called IPv6 has been created but the adoption rate has been extremely slow. Just like Bitcoin, the supply is limited and this is why we think this a very compelling investment, which we anticipate will yield a healthy return." IPv4 uses a 32-bit address, allowing for 4.3 billion unique addresses. IPv6 uses a 128-bit address, which provides an immensely higher number of unique address combinations. For global organizations, transitioning from majority IPv4 to majority IPv6 is a solution. However, this will not be possible for everyone because less than 30% of all internet-connected networks promote IPv6 connectivity, organizations transitioning to IPv6 will have to run IPv4 and IPv6 simultaneously which is both slow and expensive. About Cypherpunk Holdings Inc. Cypherpunk is a company set-up to invest in companies, technologies and protocols, which enhance or protect privacy. Its strategy is to make targeted investments in businesses and assets with strong privacy, often within the blockchain ecosystem, including select cryptocurrencies. Current equity investments include Samourai Wallet, Wasabi Wallet, Chia, NGRAVE, and Hydro 66. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Generally, any statements that are not historical facts may contain forward-looking information, and forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or indicates that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be" taken, "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to the Company's goal of making investments in the blockchain and other sectors and enhancing value. There is no assurance that the Company's plans or objectives will be implemented as set out herein, or at all. Forward- looking information is based on certain factors and assumptions the Company believes to be reasonable at the time such statements are made and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by law. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. Investor Relations Contacts: Veronika Oswald Investor Relations, Cypherpunk Holdings Inc. veronika@cypherpunkholdings.com Office: 416.599.8547 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/75990 "I needed a coffee partner who would hold my hands and walk me through the process. Crimson Cup has far exceeded my expectations." Angie Davis, Owner, Angie's Sugar Buzz Bakery At Angies Sugar Buzz Bakery, owner Angie Davis aims to serve the best donuts, cakes, muffins, cookies and other baked goods in Sandwich, Illinois. And now, the best coffee. I always wanted to do a coffee shop like Central Perk from Friends that would bring our local community together over coffee, she said. Theres nothing better than a conversation over a sweet treat and a terrific cup of coffee! After years of managing her aunts gas station, she bought the building and transformed it into a bakery cafe in 2014. But, while Davis knows baking, she didnt understand specialty coffee. After her first coffee supplier failed to help grow the business, she began looking for a better solution. I needed a coffee partner who would hold my hands and walk me through the process, she said. A referral led her to nationally renowned coffee roaster Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea. Carol Laube, my morning baker, mentioned that her cousin Penny James, who owns Pennys Perks Coffee House in Dowell, opened her coffee shop with Crimson Cup. After calling Crimson Cup, Davis began learning how to open and run a successful coffee shop through the roaster's 7 Steps to Success coffee shop franchise alternative. Im very grateful it was not a franchise situation, she said. Crimson Cup has far exceeded my expectations. She began the process by talking with 7 Steps Sales Leader Scott Fullerton. Next, she read Seven Steps to Success: a Commonsense Guide to Succeed in Specialty Coffee by Crimson Cup Founder and President Greg Ubert. We were honored by Pennys referral, Ubert said. Its been our pleasure to help her grow Pennys Perks Coffee House over the past three years, and were excited to help Angie achieve her vision for Angies Sugar Buzz. Uberts book forms the foundation of the companys 7 Steps program. Over 150 entrepreneurs in 30 states have used this proven system to start unique independent coffee shops in their local communities. Even during the 2020 pandemic, the Columbus, Ohio coffee roaster helped 19 entrepreneurs open new and prospering coffee shops. From writing a strong coffee shop business plan to hands-on barista training and much more, Crimson Cup guides new coffee shop owners from initial concept through opening day and beyond. Davis said she found Crimson Cups education and customer service instrumental in upping her coffee game at Angies Sugar Buzz. I expected they would help with a few things maybe drop off supplies, make a few drinks and be on their way." Instead, I was blown away by the depth of information we received during training, she said. I learned so much about coffee, the farmers, and the way they source their products." I love that its a small company, she added. It feels like two families joining forces. Davis found Step 5: Focus on Training most valuable. I had no idea how much I didnt know about coffee." I could have found cheaper equipment and products, but Crimson Cup has already found what works and what doesnt saving me from making mistakes through trial and error. The program includes hands-on training on-site at the customers coffee shop. A 7 Steps trainer with extensive coffee shop experience shows the owner and baristas how to prepare drinks using their equipment. The trainer stays onsite for a full week before the shops opening, and returns for grand opening celebrations. I love that were doing a grand opening together and theyre helping me work through any kinks, Davis said. Though the grand opening wont happen until March 16, Davis is already receiving positive feedback on the coffee, roasted by Crimson Cup. We already have repeat customers, and people who see the espresso equipment on the counter are spreading the word fast, she said. Over the past five years, the Columbus, Ohio roaster has won several national coffee awards including a 2020 Good Food Award, which recognizes the best tasting, most responsibly sourced coffees in the nation. Asked what advice she has for those who are considering opening a coffee shop or adding coffee to their existing bakery or cafe Davis said, Definitely go with Crimson Cup. Go Big or Go Home! She said working with an established company with a proven, pre-built system has made growing her coffee business much easier. They help with everything from recipes to equipment maintenance, she said. Just as important, they develop a close relationship with customers so we can work through any issues over the phone." The referral from Carols cousin Penny was huge because it proved Crimson Cup partners with their customers for the long term, she concluded. Angies Sugar Buzz is open seven days a week at 1004 E. Church Street in Sandwich, Illinois. Regular hours are 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Weekend hours are 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. To keep up with events and announcements, follow the stores Facebook Page. About Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea Columbus, Ohio coffee roaster Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea is a 2020 Good Food Award winner, 2019 Golden Bean Champion for Small Franchise/Chain Roaster and Roast magazines 2016 Macro Roaster of the Year. Since 1991, Crimson Cup has roasted sustainably sourced craft coffee for consumers and wholesale coffee customers. Through its 7 Steps to Success coffee franchise alternative program, the company teaches entrepreneurs to run independent coffee houses in their local communities. By developing a coffee shop business plan, entrepreneurs gain insight into how much it costs to open a coffee shop. Crimson Cup also supports life-enriching projects through its Friend2Farmer initiatives, promoting the education, health, sustainability and economic growth of small-plot coffee farmers and their communities. Crimson Cup coffee is available through over 350 independent coffee houses, grocers, college and universities, restaurants and food service operations across 30 states, Guam and Bangladesh. The company also operates several Crimson Cup Coffee Houses and a new Crimson retail flagship store. To learn more, visit crimsoncup.com, or follow the company on Facebook and Instagram. Rupert first detailed his six-year affair with Paula during an extract for the Daily Mail called My Life With the Divas, part 2. Paula Yates and Bob Geldof came to see me in 1982, when I was appearing in the stage version of Another Country, my first West End hit. Rupert Everett and Sharon Stone Bob had just performed in Alan Parker's adaptation of Pink Floyd's The Wall. According to Alan, Bob had a c*** so big that he needed a wheelbarrow to carry it around in. Everything about Bob announced the fact: the incredibly thin body, the large pushy nose, the jungle smell of the man and, of course, the delight he evidently felt at the sound of his own voice. He never listened. But this is not a put-down. Actually, it is the recipe for success. Bob was definitely sexy in a good old-fashioned Rimbaud (the poet) kind of a way, and all set to become a legend one way or another. Rupert described first meeting Paula and Bob for dinner in 1982 (pictured 1994) Rock chick Paula was his perfect foil. Or at least that's how it looked. On the one hand she was a typical English rock chick, with her shock of peroxide hair, a white candyfloss quiff, and a wardrobe of beautiful clothes made by the fashion designer Antony Price. She had a thin, flat voice and she clung to her man like a sweet little cartoon octopus. Literally. But she was no bimbo, although she loved it if you thought she was. She was intelligent. Paula wasn't classically beautiful, and yet she was startlingly attractive. She had a fragility that was erotic to men. She could break if you squeezed her too hard. She had a tiny waist that you could put your hands around and your fingers would nearly touch. This was her most extraordinary feature, because it gave the man she let hold her a sense of protective power; even if you were gay you could not help but feel turned on. Her face had the illusion of beauty, but in fact it was wonky all over. She had a pretty nose, little girl's eyes, but her lips gave everything away. I think lips are more telling than eyes, and Paula's were as expressive as a cardiogram. They were small and pointed at the top, and however sultry she was, I felt the lips could never quite control the mirth inside her, while there was still mirth. They also hid her sweet uneven teeth. Half Mata Hari and half Marti Caine (an old-school Northern music-hall comic), she moved between the two states as guilelessly as a child, and it was easy to fall in love with her. After she and Bob came to see me on stage, we went out for dinner. It was a way of breaking the ice before Paula interviewed me for Cosmopolitan magazine the following day. Undress me When we did the interview, she had a curious technique. She began by undressing me like a doll. In those days I was so thin I wore five of everything socks, tracksuits, T-shirts and in the name of research, they all came off, one by one. Rupert said Paula had a 'curious' interview technique of undressing him (pictured 1995) "What have you got here?" she squeaked. "Another pair of socks?" Pretty soon I was down to my underwear and she was sitting on top of me. Her skirts and petticoats were like an overflowing bubble bath, snapping with electricity, and at some point the interview ended and a strange love affair of utter misfits began. She was married. I was gay. These constraints operated like a kind of safety net and there were no obstacles between us. During those early days, she would come to my dressing room, her arrival down the stairs announced by the rustle of petticoats, the click of Manolo heels and the odd little gasp. She loved a dramatic entrance and had invented her own brand. She would stand in the doorway like Tinkerbell, then bite her lip and in a breathy voice borrowed from Marilyn Monroe she would say: "Hi, big boy..." It was pure genius. When I finished Another Country, I went straight into a play with Gordon Jackson, the actor who played Hudson, the butler, in Upstairs Downstairs. He was a lovely man, and so was his wife Rona. Neither of them had any idea who Paula was or that she was with Bob, whoever he was, or that I was gay for that matter. But they saw us together a lot and so assumed we were an item. They would ask us out for dinner. Rona would tell Paula about the pitfalls of being married to an actor, and Gordon would advise me about the right time to take out a mortgage (never). One night, when Paula and I had both been feeling fairly suicidal about our mixed-up lives, Rona asked us when we were going to tie the knot. Our immediate reactions were to think that she was talking about making a noose. Gordon threw back his head and roared with laughter. "Will ye hark on these young?" he said to Rona. "Soon," screeched Paula, desperately back-pedalling. During our various encounters when we were sometimes joined by a desperately shy Kenneth Williams, Gordon's best friend, the potential for living according to the norm was certainly not lost on me. Rupert said Paula was a 'fragile but unbreakable' character like Princess Diana or Marilyn Monroe (pictured 2000) Fragile It was effortless being one of the guys. "She's quite sensitive, isn't she?" broached Rona one day, while Paula was in the loo. She was right. Paula was desperately fragile and with any kind of confrontation she was channelled back before your very eyes into a nine-year-old child. But she was unbreakable at the same time. In the tradition of the great fragile rocks Monroe, Princess Diana this combination was likely to drive a man mad. Men see it, they want it, they think they can ride it, but when they find it is unbreakable, that's when the murder starts. She had picked herself up and stuck the bits together on her own. But some bits were in the wrong place. Black hole She met Michael Hutchence, the singer from the band INXS, on the set of her TV show The Big Breakfast one morning in 1993. People who were there that day said you could have cut the atmosphere with a knife; there wasn't just sexual tension in the air, but also a feeling of collision. Two runaway trains were crashing into each other. Michael was with the model Helena Christensen, and Paula had three children with Bob, and yet they could barely contain themselves. Rupert said Paula and Michael were 'two runaway trains were crashing into each other' (pictured 1996) It was a black hole that sucked them both in. They were the Cathy and Heathcliff of the Ecstasy generation. When Paula and I met shortly afterwards, she was tinged with hysteria; her little pale lashes framed eyes that glowed like a vampire from a Hammer horror film. But she was in great spirits, ecstatically happy, and playfully dug her stiletto into my groin under the table. We were sitting in Valotti's teashop on London's Shaftesbury Avenue, one of the last establishments of its kind where actors could eat beans on toast in the rush between the matinee and the evening performance. Against its red and yellow squeezy bottles of ketchup and mustard, its stainless-steel sugar bowls and cracked white teacups, she'd never looked so good. She had filled out, turning into a busty barmaid, yet still with that strange fragility, the latest in a line of English blondes, from Dusty Springfield to Diana Dors and Bet Lynch. She was sexy and fatal. Strangers I met Michael only once. Shortly before he died in 1997, Michael and Paula came to a play I was doing at the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith. When they came backstage afterwards, they were sweet but detached. It was a strange place to meet, because neither Paula nor I had been there since the days of Gordon and Rona Jackson all those years ago. We were adults now; strangers to ourselves then. But standing in the same place now, we couldn't get back. Paula was giggly. Michael smiled. I was jumpy. At the dinner afterwards, there definitely seemed to be an aura of tragedy about them. Their faces looked as though they were seeing something else happening in the room. Rupert recalled meeting Michael once shortly before his death Maybe, deep inside, they knew they were reaching the end of their journey. Each moment was just the one before the one before the last. What was a first-night party for the rest of us was just one in a series of sad farewells for them. Events had outdone them. They had the nanny who spoke to a delighted Press of Polaroids and opium under the bed. Bob and Paula fought. That delighted the Press even more. Then it emerged that Paula's real father was not the television evangelist Jess Yates, but the presenter Hughie Greene, a macabre TV monster with the cheery bedside manner of a killer gynaecologist. Suicide Discovering that you were his child would have made you wonder who you were at the best of times, and it came as a death stroke when Paula's world was already caving in. She held it together as long as she had Michael. And then he hanged himself from the bathroom door of a hotel room. Was it sex or suicide? Either way, Paula didn't recover. Her last act was from Hamlet; her Ophelia would drown in a river of flashbulbs. Her every stumble was catalogued; there was nowhere to hide. Somehow death was inevitable. One October morning in 1997, I was in bed in New York and the telephone rang. It was Bob. We had not spoken in nearly 20 years. "Paula's dead and you've got to come and read a poem at the funeral," he said. "She wouldn't forgive you if you don't." The service was at Faversham, Kent, in the converted medieval abbey that Bob had bought for Paula in those heady days when everything seemed as if it could never go wrong, and if it did there was all the time in the world to fix it. Then they had been the Arthur and Guinevere of the New Labour movement; common with a grand touch, and Faversham a kind of Camelot. Bob's Round Table was the cream of international celebrity, though actually Paula had been the inspiration of the Live Aid movement. She was the one who stuck a collection box onto the fridge after watching a television documentary about Ethiopia. Camelot She had escaped from Camelot with Michael, but now she was back. The Round Table were all there to welcome her home: Paul Young, Nick Cave, Bono, Jools Holland; older, a touch tubbier, more cautious, standing in awkward groups in the October sunshine. There was nothing cheery about the event, which is unusual for funerals. Annie Lennox walked up and down at the end of the garden all alone, looking like The Scream by Edvard Munch. Paula's white coffin, covered in tiger lilies, was carried into the chapel and the service began. It was beautiful. Bob had thought of everything and it was moving to watch him. Whatever anyone might say, Paula had been the love of his life. Now he had her back, feet first. At the end of the service they put on a track of Paula singing These Boots Are Made for Walking. I remembered seeing her the day after she had recorded it. We had been shopping in Chelsea, and she bought me a leather jacket. Her disembodied voice filled the old church: breathless, thin. She was no singer, but there she was again over the hiss of static, suddenly alive. Our hearts leapt for a moment at the trick of sound and it was hard to listen to that silly song through chorus after chorus, but finally she said: "Come on, boots, walk." The pall-bearers, big-fingered mafioso types, lumbered from their seats and picked up the coffin as Paula broke into a final chorus and her physical remains left the church to be burnt at the crematorium. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. (Alliance News) - Rules around UK listing could see a major overall after a Treasury-backed review called for changes around special purchase acquisition vehicles, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday. https://www.ft.com/content/2079bd8e-79b7-4820-9be8-c20020f48aee The FT said the review would allow London to "better compete against rivals in New York and Europe" amid a "booming market" for spacs, which provide a quick way for companies to go public. Recommendations from the review, which was commissioned by Chancellor Rishi Sunak and undertaken by former EU financial services commissioner Jonathan Hill, include a lower limit on the free float of shares in public hands to 15% from 25%, which would let founders keep hold of more shares when listing. The FT also cited Hill as wanting to "empower retail investors" through assisting them in taking part in capital raises and proposing a "complete rethink" for company prospectuses in order to encourage fundraising and reduce regulations. He also proposed a rebrand for London's standard listing segment to improve its appeal. Other proposals include amending the liability regime to make it easier for companies to give forward-looking guidance when raising capital and allowing dual-class shares so that founders have more control of businesses. Recommended safeguards around the proposals include a five-year limit for dual shares. The FT reported that the UK government has said it will examine recommendations from the review, with many needing consultations from the Financial Conduct Authority. Hill has "recommended that the FCA be charged with maintaining the UK's attractiveness as a place to do business as a regulatory objective", the FT reported. By Anna Farley; annafarley@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, speaks at the 2015 Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy in Switzerland on Feb. 24, 2015. (Courtesy Hillel Neuer) The Canadian Behind Watchdog That Holds UN to Account Hillel Neuer takes UN members to task for human rights abuses Montreal born-and-bred Hillel Neuer is on a mission to hold the United Nations to account, while calling out member states human rights abuses or inaction on atrocities. The executive director of Geneva-based UN Watch recently reiterated his criticism of Chinas seat at the UN Human Rights Council, saying in a tweet that the UNHRC will adopt 0 resolutions on that countrys gross and systematic human rights abuses. On Feb. 25, he took aim at Beijing over its treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, tweeting, We do have this little problem when you herd 1 million uighurs into camps, disappear those who sounded the alarm about the coronavirus, jail human rights activists and crush democracy in Hong Kong. The previous week, he criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for refusing to recognize the Chinese regimes persecution campaign against Uyghurs as a genocide. Blind Chinese rights activist and exiled dissident Chen Guangcheng (2nd R) receives the 2014 Geneva Summit Courage Award at the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy in Switzerland on Feb. 25, 2014, pictured with UN Watch executive director Hillel Neuer (1st L), UN Watch chair Alfred H. Moses (2nd L), and Chens wife Yuan Weijing. (Courtesy Hillel Neuer) The UN Watch website says the organizations mandate is to monitor the performance of the United Nations by the yardstick of its own Charter. We get the word out, whether it is critiquing the UN corruption, or the failures of the Human Rights Council to live up to its mandate, or calling out anti-Israel discrimination, Neuer told The Epoch Times about his organization, which was launched in 1993 and today attracts several million social media engagements each year. We are a lone voice in the wilderness. There is no one saying the things that we are saying, with the compelling voice we bring, he says, including reprimanding Israel bias and calling out human rights violations in the worst dictatorships like China, Russia, Syriathe list goes on. After the Biden administrations Feb. 8 announcement stating that the United States planned to rejoin the UNHRC, Neuer publicly cautioned President Joe Biden not to be a cheerleader for corrupt regimes. The Trump administration disengaged from the council in 2018, citing many member states rights violations. The cost of the U.S. rejoining is that it lends legitimacy to a council where tyrannies and other non-democracies now comprise 60 percent of the membership, Neuer said in a UN Watch statement. The Biden administration should be candid in calling out the councils abuses. UN Resolutions Neuer believes that the Uyghur crisis in Chinas Xinjiang region is one of the biggest concerns today. However, the UNHRC has yet to take any formal action to address the situation. In a Feb. 18 tweet, he summed up the bodys priority on the matter. In 2020 alone, the UN produced nearly 50 reports on the Question of Palestine, many of them mandated by one-sided resolutions sponsored by dictatorships, he wrote. Thats nearly 50 more reports than the UN produced on the Uighurs in China. On the topic of the Israeli-Palestinian issue, Neuer slammed the Liberal governments unexpected vote backing an anti-Israel resolution at the UN in December 2019. SHAME: Canadas Justin Trudeau government just joined the jackals at the UN by voting for a one-sided resolution singling out Israel, co-sponsored by Syria, Venezuela & North Korea, he tweeted at the time. Delegations vote at the U.N. General Assembly in New York on June 13, 2018. (Don Emmert/AFP via Getty Images) UN Watch has a section on its website that lists up-to-date statistics on UN votes to allow people to track countries responses to resolutions. In a section titled UN resolutions disproportionately condemn Israel, the database shows that 112 resolutions have been made against Israel since 2015, with just 12 against Russia and 8 against Syria during the same period. The voting record shows the world bodys peculiar obsession with scapegoating Israel, the site says. The database also highlights that 60 percent of UNHRC members are non-democracies. As for Venezuela, Neuer laments that the Maduro regime is not being called to task as much as it should, except by UN Watch. Venezuela, because it is a leftist regime, a number of human rights groups dont want to address it because they are sympathetic to the far left. They will ignore it. Cuba is the same, he says. We are picking up the slack. In one example, Neuer tweeted on Feb. 22: Maduro just spoke at the UNHRC. Earlier, I asked them: Given that your own experts just found that Maduros agents committed killings, torture & sexual violence, by what logic and morality can a convicted murderer, torturer & rapist stay a member of this Human Rights Council? UN Watch has been quoted in the media over 500 times in the past year by CNN, Time Magazine, New York Times, Reuters, and others, Neuer says. Despite the global attention, he acknowledges that moving the needle at the world forum is, at best, a slow process. Votes dont change at the UN very easily, but weve seen over the past few years that people have changed votes toward Israel, he says. We are not the end of the story, but the beginning of change. Intelligent.com, a trusted resource for online degree rankings and higher education planning, has announced the Top 47 Master's in Creative Writing Degree Programs for 2021. The comprehensive research guide is based on an assessment of 190 accredited colleges and universities in the nation. Each program is evaluated based on curriculum quality, graduation rate, reputation, and post-graduate employment. The 2021 rankings are calculated through a unique scoring system which includes student engagement, potential return on investment and leading third party evaluations. Intelligent.com analyzed 190 schools, on a scale of 0 to 100, with only 47 making it to the final list. The methodology also uses an algorithm which collects and analyzes multiple rankings into one score to easily compare each school. Students who pursue any one of these programs can expect to gain employment much quicker in comparison to candidates without a degree. In addition to accessibility and cost, the steady job growth in this market is one of the many reasons Intelligent.com researched and ranked the Top Master's in Creative Writing Degree Programs. To access the complete ranking, please visit: https://www.intelligent.com/best-masters-in-creative-writing-degree-programs/ 2021 Master's in Creative Writing Degree Programs featured on Intelligent.com (in alphabetical order): Antioch University Arizona State University Ashland University Bay Path University Bennington College Bowling Green State University Cedar Crest College Chatham University Converse College East Carolina University East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania Eastern Kentucky University Eastern Oregon University Emerson College Fairfield University Fairleigh Dickinson University Full Sail University Goddard College Hamline University Harvard University Institute Of American Indian Arts Johns Hopkins University Lindenwood University McNeese State University Miami University Mississippi University for Women National University New England College Northern Arizona University Ohio University Old Dominion University Oregon State University - Cascades Oregon State University Pine Manor College Queens University, Charlotte Saint Leo University Southern New Hampshire University Texas Tech University University Of Arkansas, Monticello University Of Houston, Victoria University Of Nebraska, Omaha University Of New Orleans University Of Texas, El Paso West Virginia Wesleyan College Western Connecticut State University Western New England University Wilkes University About Intelligent.com Intelligent.com provides unbiased research to help students make informed decisions about higher education programs. The website offers curated guides which include the best degree programs as well as information about financial aid, internships and even study strategies. With comprehensive, user-friendly guides and hundreds of program rankings, Intelligent.com is a trusted source among students and prospective students. To learn more, please visit https://www.intelligent.com/. A 86-year old woman was the 1,000,000th person in Romania who received the vaccine against COVID-19. She received the vaccine from the coordinator of the national vaccination campaign, doctor Valeriu Gheorghita, at the Bucharest Emergency University Hospital. He previously announced that he was going to become a voluntary in one of the anti-COVID vaccination centres.Prime Minister Florin Citu, who was also present at the Bucharest Emergency University Hospital, gave assurance that "things will go much faster from now on in terms of the vaccination pace.""This is a moment we have been waiting for a long time to see happening, since December 27. We are here now, we have the 1,000,000th person vaccinated in Romania. You will see that things will go at a much faster pace from now on. The initial target was to have almost one million by the end of March. We were very close. You must remember that we said that we were going to have 2.4 million dose at the end of March. Unfortunately, we will reach that figure only in March. (...) We still have in place, though, the 10.4 million vaccinated Romanians target for the end of September. The vaccination campaign goes well, we are at the top of Europe, always among the top three countries, and we will make sure that we will continue like this," said Citu.At the same time, the PM added, in order to have a successful vaccination campaign, we need to continue to observe the health protection rules. Union leaders said they were concerned about workers' safety after one garment factory worker tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, as part of a growing cluster that has registered close to 400 cases so far. A worker at Phnom Penhs Y&W Garment Factory tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Tuesday, according to Spean Thmar commune Police Chief Chhim Ra. He said the worker was taken away by health officials for treatment on Tuesday night. Yes, its a positive test. So, she is taken [for treatment], he said. He could not confirm how many workers had been tested but only confirmed that the workers husband was in quarantine. They took her first and they will search further to find out who she was traveling with or who she was living with? Chhim Ra added. The Y & W Garment factory produces children's clothing and employs more than 5,700 workers, according to information on the Garment Manufacturers Association of Cambodia website. According to Khmer Times, a local health official said the worker was likely infected by her son. Cambodia is facing its second community transmission which has seen a large number of foreign nationals, and some Cambodians, contract the disease. The cluster has spread beyond Phnom Penh and Kandal to Preah Sihanouk and Svay Rieng provinces. At least 370 cases have been traced back to this current cluster which was first detected on February 20, with Cambodia registering upwards of 800 total cases and zero confirmed deaths since the start of the pandemic. Or Vandine, spokesperson at the Ministry of Health, and Ngy Mean Heng, director at Phnom Penhs Municipal Health Department, could not be reached for comment on Wednesday. Labor Ministry spokesperson Heng Sour and representatives for Y&W could not be reached as well. Ath Thon, president of the Cambodian Labor Confederation (CLC), said further infections were possible if quick preventive measures were not taken by the authorities because factory workers normally travel together or stay together in shared accommodation. So, if there is one infection, we are really worried about further transmissions, he said. GMAC Secretary-General Ken Loo said he had no official information about a worker testing positive for COVID-19 at the Y&W factory, adding that the factory is still operating normally. As far as I am aware, the factory seems to run as normal, he said. Pav Sina, president of the Collective Union of Movement of Workers, said the factory had decided to suspend its operations and that the building where the woman worked had been closed off and hundreds of workers were taken for medical tests. There were 61 Covid outbreaks linked to third level students last week - including a social gathering with 34 confirmed cases. Overall, 321 cases of infection have been associated with the 61 outbreaks, according to latest figures from the Health Protective Surveillance Centre (HPSC). The outbreaks among third level students may have occurred in locations such as private houses or social gatherings and may not be directly linked to a university or college setting. An outbreak is where two or more people are infected and the figures for last week represent a major surge among this group. Read More Over the 10 weeks from mid December, there were a total of 83 outbreaks associated with third-level students/university/colleges and three quarters of them were last week. According to HPSC data, 36 of the 61 outbreaks were in private houses and 18 were community outbreaks, involving a total of 258 confirmed cases. These include cases where there was a spread beyond private house and extended family to include a wider social circle, but there is no link to a specific event or location There were another two community outbreaks with 16 confirmed cases while there were four outbreaks with 13 confirmed cases in university or college settings. The figures may not include all cases linked to any outbreak. The third-level student -related outbreaks since mid-December have involved 480 confirmed cases, six of whom were hospitalised. The increased incidence of community infection linked to students in recent weeks has been a cause of worry to public health officials. In a letter last week from the public health advisory body, Nphet, to Government, Deputy chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn reported a significant number of clusters in the community were associated with students who attend third level in the west and mid-west. Referring to figures for the previous week, he said were three more outbreaks reported, while the latest HPSC figures, which refer to last week, showing a significant jump on that. Concerns about the student populations in both Galway and Limerick, prompted discussions last week between Higher Education Minister Simon Harris and NUI Galway, as well as with the University of Limerick. These discussions also involved Junior Minister Niall Collins, a local TD. Yesterday footage emerged of a street party involving scores of University of Limerick students. There were three arrests and around 30 fines issued for breaches of Covid-19 regulations. Higher confidence indicated resources were expanded to 4.4 million tonnes (Mt) at 1.51% copper equivalent (CuEq) Ascendant's Phase 1 drill program focused mainly on step-out drilling in the South Zone to increase resources along strike Ascendant Resources Inc ( ) (OTCMKTS:ASDRF) has hailed an updated resource estimate for the South Zone at its Lagoa Salgada project in Portugal, which, it said, shows the deposit could be grown to a size of "global consequence". Higher confidence indicated resources were expanded by 79% to 4.4 million tonnes (Mt) at 1.51% copper equivalent (CuEq), the firm said. Meanwhile, the inferred resource has grown by 26% to stand at 7.7 Mt at 1.41% CuEq. "As witnessed from the assay results from the drill holes of the Phase 1 drill program as press released in January 2021, the 50m step-out holes included long intercepts with substantial grades that were very exciting and confirmed our thesis of expansion of the South Zone to the south and east," said CEO Chris Buncic in a statement. "The updated Mineral Resource Estimate and the large increase in resulting tonnage at consistent grades, highlights how it is possible to add material volume to the overall size of the South Zone Resource. We remain very optimistic that Lagoa Salgada can be grown quickly and efficiently to a size of global consequence." The company's Phase 1 drill program focused mainly on step-out drilling in the South Zone to increase resources along strike. So far, the South Zone has been delineated by a total of 9,134 metres (m) of drilling. A Phase II drill program began in late January 2021 and the deposit remains open to the north and south on strike and at depth, the company said. Ascendant holds a 25% interest in the 10,700 hectare polymetallic Lagoa Salgada VMS project, which lies in the prolific Iberian Pyrite Belt in Portugal, and has an option to earn up to 80%. Shares added 4.35% in Toronto to C$0.24 each. --- Updates for share price and amended details on resource from the company --- Contact the author at giles@proactiveinvestors.com 03/03/2021 Photo (c) kovop58 - Getty Images Coronavirus (COVID-19) tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.) Total U.S. confirmed cases: 28,725,592 (28,669,232) Total U.S. deaths: 517,006 (514,842) Total global cases: 114,912,129 (114,582,356) Total global deaths: 2,552,687 (2,541,808) Texas lifts mask mandate and business restrictions Texas Gov. Greg Abbott had declared its time to get back to normal in his state. With coronavirus (COVID-19) cases on the decline, Abbott has lifted the statewide mandate to wear a mask in public places and declared all types of businesses may resume normal operations at 100 percent capacity. Removing statewide mandates does not end personal responsibility, Abbott said. Its just that now state mandates are no longer needed. Some officials in the states urban areas dont agree with that. They also criticized Abbotts declaration because they say it doesnt allow local municipalities to impose their own virus-mitigation practices. White House steps up vaccination timeline President Biden has announced that there will be enough vaccine doses available to vaccinate every American adult by the end of May, thanks to the recent addition of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Biden also announced that Merck will assist Johnson & Johnson in producing the drug. Biden noted that the new timeline is two months earlier than previously predicted. Were moving in the right direction, he said at a White House briefing. And todays announcements are a huge step in our effort to beat this pandemic. With more vaccine doses entering the pipeline, it should speed up the production and distribution process. Biden urged states to add teachers and child care workers to the list of people who are eligible to receive the vaccine this month. Most small businesses arent requiring vaccinations for workers A survey by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that most small businesses do not require employees to get COVID-19 vaccinations or tests to return to work, and many have no plans to do so. When asked if the business required employees to seek a vaccination or to take a COVID-19 test in the last week, 10 percent of business operators said yes and 70 percent said no. The survey is designed to provide local, state, and federal officials with essential, up-to-date data to help them make informed policy decisions. Senate ready to take up stimulus bill Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said lawmakers are putting the final touches on a Senate version of the $1.9 trillion stimulus bill passed by the House. Schumer said Democrats have the votes to pass it before the end of the week. According to CNN, the bills text is incomplete, with various versions floating around Capitol Hill. Various factions are competing to get their version accepted. Whatever version makes the final cut, it will have to win all 50 Democratic votes in the Senate. No Republicans have signed on to support the measure. Dolly Parton gets a taste of her own medicine Dolly Parton went to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center on Tuesday and got a shot of the Moderna vaccine. Perhaps thats newsworthy because the vaccine was developed, in part, with a $1 million donation from Partons foundation. Parton also took the opportunity to address those who are hesitant about receiving a vaccine against the virus, saying she was excited that it was her turn to roll up her sleeve. Ive been waiting a while, Im old enough to get it. And Im smart enough to get it, Parton wrote in a tweet. So Im very happy that Im going to get my Moderna shot today. And I want to tell everybody that you should get out there and do it too. Around the nation Prosecutors contended that his gross income in 2017 was more than $130,000, and he owed nearly $20,000 in taxes. But Eddie Acevedo allegedly had an accountant file a tax extension and claim the former lawmaker owed no taxes, prosecutors said. He allegedly followed a similar pattern in 2018 and failed to file returns in other years. The resignations of Rio Tintos chairman and a long-serving director have renewed shareholder demands for greater Australian representation on the board of the worlds second biggest miner amid efforts to rebuild local ties after destroying Aboriginal rock shelters last year. Following months of pressure from Australian investors and key Indigenous leaders, Rio chairman Simon Thompson declared he would not seek re-election in 2022 and a search would begin for his replacement. Another director, Michael LEstrange, also announced he would stand down after this years annual general meeting. I am ultimately accountable: Rio Tinto chairman Simon Thompson will step down by 2022 Credit:Eddie Jim The departures and prospect of board renewal were welcomed by large Australian superannuation investors that led last years push for accountability over the mining giants blasting of the 46,000-year-old Juukan Gorge rock shelters. Their demands eventually led to the resignations of Rio chief executive Jean-Sebastien Jacques. Ian Silk, head of the $200 billion superannuation fund AustralianSuper, said the resignations of Mr Thompson and Mr LEstrange now provided Rio the opportunity to increase the Australian profile at board level. Started in 2011, the annual International Student Art Contest inspires young people to use their creative gifts and curiosity to explore the wonders of space and the exciting possibilities in science, mathematics, engineering and technology (STEM) fields. It is a chance for students to explore their interests and showcase their talents, as well as an opportunity for parents, teachers and communities to spark a love of STEM in young people through the lens of space. "Space Foundation is grateful and excited to partner with Noosphere to take the International Student Art Contest to its next level of worldwide impact. Blending the arts, sciences and imagination opens up a wellspring of creativity for young people to explore how they see themselves in the global space ecosystem," said Shelli Brunswick , COO of Space Foundation. "Today's young people are tomorrow's innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. With Noosphere's support, the International Student Art Contest can celebrate students and inspire even more of them to reach for the stars." Noosphere Venture Partners LP , a space-focused international asset management firm, is sponsoring the event on the initiative of its managing partner, Max Polyakov , and has nominated Firefly Aerospace, a Noosphere Venture portfolio company, as its representative this year. Dr. Polyakov has long promoted the awareness of space and STEM, and was instrumental in creating the DREAM program, which has committed a portion of the payload capacity on the Firefly Alpha rocket's maiden flight to support and stimulate STEM on a global basis. "The goals of the International Art Contest align with the Noosphere theory, initially promoted by celebrated academician Volodymyr Vernadsky, which considers the human mind and knowledge to be driving forces of development and the most valuable resources for the preservation of the planet." said Dr. Polyakov. "By instilling younger generations with a love and understanding of space, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), humanity will be better equipped to tackle the challenges facing the Earth.'' Winning artwork to be displayed and shared worldwide Each year, selections of the submitted art works are put on display at Space Foundation's Discovery Center as well as at its annual Space Symposium, held in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Even more of the global artwork submissions are shared via Space Foundation's website, as well as its social media channels. For as diverse as each submitter's/country's submissions may be, they all commonly share an imagination of color, wonder and hope for the future. Students ages 3-18 are invited to enter the contest and share their vision. In recent years, over 4,500 submissions have been received by Space Foundation with numerous entries coming from India, China, Malaysia, UAE, Japan, the United States and elsewhere. Each year, 25 winners are selected from the submissions. First, second and third place honors are awarded for each of the eight age categories, and then out of those finalists, one young artist will also receive the Space Foundation Achievement Award for their submission. There is no cost for students to participate in the contest. Artwork must be submitted online by the student's teacher, parent or legal guardian, age 18 or older. To learn more, visit Art.SpaceFoundation.org . For general contest questions, please email Space Foundation at [email protected] . About Space Foundation Space Foundation is a nonprofit advocate organization founded in 1983, offering a gateway to education, information and collaboration for space exploration and space-inspired industries that drive the global space ecosystem. Center for Innovation and Education is a lifelong learning platform, offering workforce development and economic opportunity for students, teachers, entrepreneurs and professionals. Symposium 365 is the premier source for media and events, offering authoritative news and information and venues for networking and conducting business including the world-renowned annual Space Symposium . Global Alliance is a collaborative forum, partnering with commercial, education and government stakeholders for open dialogues and joint programs around the world. Visit Space Foundation at www.SpaceFoundation.org , and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube. About Noosphere Venture Partners LP Noosphere Venture Partners LP is an international asset management firm with the strategic vision to transform high-potential companies into definitive market leaders. The company's mission is to change the landscape of the digital economy and Noosphere invests in projects around the world that primarily are focused on space, consumer internet, advertising and marketing technologies. About Noosphere Venture Partners: https://noosphereventures.com . SOURCE Noosphere Venture Partners LP Related Links http://noosphereventures.com Marshall was recommended for building a purpose-driven practice, through projects with national and international resonance, and for elevating diverse voices as a force for inspiring and championing global inclusivity through his life's work. "Rare is the architect who not only does important work but, in doing so, seizes the opportunity to draw diverse communities together, catalyze the renaissance of one of the great cities of the world, and redefine the societal role of the architect as an internationally recognized steward of a critical thread of American culture. Such an architect is Michael Marshall," wrote Chris Dunlavey, FAIA, who recommended Marshall's nomination. Marshall's career spans 35 years of dedication to design as a catalyst for positive change in communities, growing his practice over time to include significant projects that ensure that underserved and underrepresented populations benefit from the built environment. A hallmark of his practice has also been projects that celebrate African American history and culture. Currently, he is on the design team for a new park dedicated to Frederick Douglass, the father of the American civil rights movement. Marshall volunteers his expertise as an architectural critic, for competition juries, and most importantly, mentoring young architects and students. He has hired and personally mentored more than 150 young architects of color. His work has received numerous awards for design excellence and he has been honored for his leadership. In 2018 his work was requested for the architectural design archives of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Marshall began his studies in Washington, DC, (at the Washington Technical Institute, which is now UDC) before earning a Bachelor of Science in Architecture at The Catholic University of America. He earned his Master of Architecture degree from Yale University. He started his own architecture firm in 1989 in Washington, DC, Michael Marshall Architecture; today the firm is known as Michael Marshall Design. About Michael Marshall Design Michael Marshall Design (MMD) is a DC-based architecture and design firm, serving clients in the public and private sectors. A seasoned collective of architects, brand strategists and creative thinkers, we work across design disciplines, beyond the expected, to inspire greater engagement and impact everywhere we come together. We are passionate about using architecture and branding to create more relevant public spaces and more dynamic experiences. An architecture firm since 1989, we have always understood the power of the built environment, and now we bring our broad-based design thinking to create greater opportunities and drive positive change in our communities. www.michaelmarshalldesign.com CONTACT: Chrys Sbily Contact: 202.537.1107 SOURCE Michael Marshall Design Related Links www.michaelmarshalldesign.com The Chancellor has pledged an additional 410million to Northern Ireland. Rishi Sunak set out plans to freeze income tax thresholds and increase corporation tax as he began the process of repairing the nation's finances following the coronavirus crisis. He used his Budget to set out a 65billion spending package this year and next year to support the economy as it recovers from the pandemic. Mr Sunak said: "Through the Barnett formula, the decisions I'm taking in this Budget also increase the funding for the devolved administrations, by 1.2b for the Scottish government, 740m for the Welsh government and 410m for the Northern Ireland executive." Read More Mr Sunak told MPs how Northern Ireland had benefitted from the UK coronavirus response and noted that the majority of measures in the budget applied "to all four nations" of the UK. The Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) will also be exempted from Corporation Tax from 2020-21 under plans from the Chancellor. Since the start of the pandemic, the UK Government has supported jobs and businesses across Northern Ireland and this Budget continues our Plan for Jobs through the next stage of our recovery," said Mr Sunak. "It is also a Budget that invests millions of pounds in Northern Ireland to fuel economic growth and ensure we bounce back from this pandemic together. The additional financial support for Northern Ireland comes as the Chancellor also confirmed the furlough scheme would continue until September. The Northern Ireland Secretary, Brandon Lewis, said the measures undermined the UK Government's commitment to Northern Ireland. "The decision to extend furlough, self-employment and business support, the Universal Credit uplift, and the hospitality and tourism VAT cut reaffirms those commitments and gives people and businesses the certainty they need to plan for the future," said Mr Lewis. "Todays Budget has announced an additional 410m for the Northern Ireland Executive as well as 11m for the Community Renewal Fund and the extension of the Governments 4.8bn Levelling Up Fund to cover the whole United Kingdom." Reacting to the Chancellors UK Budget statement, Retail NI Chief Executive Glyn Roberts said: Overall, this Budget is a bit of a Curates egg with a mixture of positive and not so positive measures for the business community in Northern Ireland We welcome the extension of the Furlough scheme until the end of September, but with employers expected to contribute 10% which will rise to 20% in the summer, it does reinforce the need for the Executive to clarify the timescale of its strategy of lifting restrictions and allowing businesses to reopen Expand Close Glyn Roberts of Retail NI / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Glyn Roberts of Retail NI The Chancellor outlined proposals for a 6k Restart Grant per premises for independent retailers and other businesses - this is something we want our own Executive to introduce in Northern Ireland Rishi Sunak has also introduced a year of rate relief for independent retailers in England and this is something our members expect to be brought forward by own Finance Minister The increase of Corporation Tax could potentially cause problems for our recovery and poses huge questions for the future of Northern Ireland having a similar rate to RoI. That being said, it is welcome that some smaller businesses will be protected from this increase with the maintained 19% small profits rate The big questions arising from this Budget are now directed back to the Northern Ireland Executive and how they are going to use the 410m extra funding to support business as we begin the long road toward a post-pandemic recovery. Ulster Unionist leader Steve Aiken welcomed the additional funds for the Executive, but criticised the Chancellor for the increase in corporation tax to 25% and the continued support Protocol, as measures which may act as a "disincentive" to business. The UUP leader also questioned the Assembly's ability to manage the additional revenue granted through the budget. "The Assembly spent several days debating and examining the Finance Minister`s budget for the Executive for the early part of this financial year and supplementary estimates," said Mr Aiken. "What has become clear is that even with an extra 3.3 billion from HM Treasury, the difficulties in managing that budget seem to be beyond the Finance Minister and some other members of the Executive. "Even with this largesse we are looking at real cuts in policing numbers, we still don`t have support for many of those excluded from existing Covid support schemes and yet again our health service will be deprived of the resources it needs." The UK's recovery from the economic damage caused by coronavirus will be "swifter and more sustained" than previously thought, Rishi Sunak told MPs as he set out his Budget on Wednesday. But he warned it would take "a long time" to rebuild and pledged to do "whatever it takes" to support people. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) expects the economy to return to its pre-Covid level by the middle of next year - six months earlier than they previously thought - but Mr Sunak acknowledged that "coronavirus has done and is still doing profound damage". He told MPs that despite the 280bn of support already committed to protecting the economy the damage done by the virus has been "acute". "Our economy has shrunk by 10% - the largest fall in over 300 years. Our borrowing is the highest it has been outside of wartime. "It's going to take this country - and the whole world - a long time to recover from this extraordinary economic situation. But we will recover." The Chancellor said the OBR expects the UK economy will be 3% smaller than it would have been in five years' time because of the coronavirus crisis, but that the economy is forecast to grow this year by 4%, by 7.3% in 2022, then 1.7%, 1.6% and 1.7% in the last three years of the forecast. Arsenii Malinov Wins the GGPoker Super MILLION$ for $661,743 March 03 2021 Matthew Pitt Arsenii Malinovs decision to buy into a $2,500 satellite for the super-sized $25,500 Super MILLION$ event is one of the best hes made in his career because it resulted in a $661,743 prize winging its way to his GGPoker account. This weeks Super MILLION$, the 38th such tournament, saw its buy-in increased to $25,500 from its standard $10,300. The chunkier buy-in resulted in a guarantee boost, with that guarantee blown out of the water when the entrants created a $2,850,000 prize pool. More than $2.5 million of that sum was awarded at the final table. Here is how that final table went down. Super MILLION$ Final Table Results Place Player Country Prize 1 Arsenii Malinov Russia $661,743 2 Seth Davies Canada $503,914 3 REPTAR Germany $383,728 4 Aleks Ponakovs Latvia $292,207 5 Joao Vieira Luxembourg $222,514 6 Matthias Eibinger Austria $169,443 7 Jason Koon Canada $129,030 8 David Coleman Canada $98,256 9 Daniel Dvoress Canada $74,821 It was no surprise when Daniel Dvoress busted in ninth-place. Dvoress entered the final table with a seven big blind stack and was desperate for a double-up. Dvoress pinned his hopes, and his last 4.5 big blinds, on pocket fives from under the gun. Arsenii Malinov called and won the pot courtesy of running spades for a flush. David Coleman became the eighth-place finisher during the 25,000/50,000/6,000a level. Coleman open-shoved for 368,716 chips from the cutoff with ace-four and ran into the dominating ace-ten of Joao Vieira on the button. Seventh place and the first six-figure prize went to Jason Koon. Koon was left with only 8.5 big blinds when his ace-queen lost to the pocket nines in the hand of Germanys REPTAR. The rest of Koons stack went into the middle soon after. Matthias Eibinger made it 144,000 to go from the cutoff with ace-six of hearts, Malinov three-bet to 504,000 from the small blind with jack-five of hearts, and Koon ripped it in for 483,896 in total. Eibinger folded. A five on the flop gifted Malinov the best hand and Koon headed for the showers. Follow all the action from the GGPoker Super MILLION$ Week Eibingers Timing Is Off Eibinger was the next player out of the door, busting during the 35,000/70,000/8,500a level. REPTAR started the preflop betting round with a raise to 154,000 before calling when Eibinger pushed all-in for 1,732,794 with king-ten of hearts. Eibinger flopped a flush draw but neither the turn or river came to his rescue. That hand put REPTAR on top of the chip counts and the German extended their lead by helping themselves to Vieiras stack. Vieira jammed from the button for 1,521,000 chips with ace-six of diamonds, REPTAR called in the Aleks Ponakovsbig blind with ace-queen, which held. REPTAR now held more than twice the number chips of any of his remaining three opponents. A Bizarre Hand Busts Ponakovs The final four became three when Aleks Ponakovs headed for the exits. Ponakovs raised to 480,000, leaving himself only 271,746 chips behind. Seth Davies, the start-of-the-day chip leader, called from the small blind, and Malinov tossed in calling chips from the big blind. The action checked to Ponkovs and he bet 150,000, Davies called, but Malinov was not messing around and he jammed all-in. Only Ponakovs called. It was ace-three for Ponakovs, which gave him a gutshot straight draw, and eight-six for Malinov, which had flopped top pair. Ponakovs improved to a straight on the river but lost to Malinovs higher straight. Jans Arends Helps Himself to a $302K Score at GGPoker Heads-up was set when REPTAR crashed out in third-place in a cooler of a hand. REPTAR open-shoved for 11 big blinds from the small blind with ace-queen. Unfortunately for him, Davies woke up in the big blind with the powerhouse hand that is pocket kings and made one of the easiest calls of his career. REPTAR flopped a queen but couldnt find any more outs. Malinov went into the heads-up battle against Davies with a chip lead of approximately one million chips, or seven big blinds. The pair fought for around 20 minutes before the final hand took place. Blinds were 70,000/140,000/17,500a and Davies limped in with ace-nine. Malinov raised to 560,000 with ace-king and Davies stuck it in his opponents eye with a 4,050,530 all-in four-bet, which Malinov called. Davies flopped a nine but Malinov paired his king. There was no drama on the turn or the river, busting Davies in second-place, and leaving Malinov to be crowned the 38th Super MILLION$ champion. Haiti - USA : Former Haitian-American Marine Duroseau sentenced to 5 years in prison Jacques Yves Sebastien Duroseau (34) born in Haiti former Haitian-American Navy stationed at Camp Lejeune was sentenced to just over 5 years in prison for illegally exporting firearms to Haiti Let's recall that the former naval sergeant was caught smuggling arms into Haiti. Duroseau told investigators after his arrest at the Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, November 12, 2019, that he wanted to help the Haitian military learn to shoot and defeat the bandits responsible for the insecurity in Haiti. In December 2020, following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III, the jury found the accused guilty of conspiring to illegally export and smuggle weapons and controlled equipment from the United States to Haiti, as well as transporting unlicensed firearms to the Haitian army https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-32512-haiti-usa-duroseau-arrested-in-haiti-in-2019-found-guilty-of-arms-trafficking-in-the-united-states.html Prosecutors said Duroseau boarded a plane at the Coastal Carolina Regional Airport in New Bern on November 11, 2019 and was wearing a Marine Corps uniform from an inactive reserve unit in the Marines. Court documents show that he passed himself off as a high-ranking military officer and claimed to be in Haiti for military matters in order to notably pass 8 firearms, but also ammunition and other equipment https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-29259-haiti-security-all-details-on-the-weapons-of-war-seized-at-toussaint-louverture-airport.html : Pistols (X5) : Beretta, model: 65490 (caliber: 9mm) Sig Sauer model: SP2022 (caliber: .40) Sig Sauer model: P229 (caliber: 9mm) Sig Sauer model: P320 (caliber: 9mm) Rock Island model M1911A1-CS (caliber .45) Assault rifles (X3) : Fortis; Model: ST15 (Caliber: 5.56 mm) Holy ; Model: Spring Field Armory (Caliber: 5.56mm and 5.62mm) Ruger precision; Model: 300WIN MAG (Caliber: 30) Ammunition : Caliber 30: 40 units of cartridges Caliber 45: 58 units of cartridges Caliber 40: 35 units of cartridges Caliber 357: 56 units of cartridges Caliber 9mm: 44 units of cartridges Caliber 5.56: 116 cartridge units Miscellaneous : 7 9mm magazines; 2 Magazines 556 mm. Several military uniforms A military helmet A pair of handcuffs 2 bulletproof vests 1 communication radio and gun cases See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-32512-haiti-usa-duroseau-arrested-in-haiti-in-2019-found-guilty-of-arms-trafficking-in-the-united-states.html https://www.haitilibre.com/article-29274-haiti-flash-l-ex-marine-duroseau-affirme-etre-venu-en-haiti-aider-la-formation-des-fad-h.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-29259-haiti-security-all-details-on-the-weapons-of-war-seized-at-toussaint-louverture-airport.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-29249-haiti-flash-a-former-us-navy-arrested-at-the-international-airport-in-possession-of-weapons-of-war.html SL/ HaitiLibre The widow of the Dallas Police officer who was fatally gunned down by Lee Harvey Oswald just moments after he had assassinated President John F. Kennedy in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963, died on Tuesday. She was 92. Marie Frances Tippit, widow to Officer J.D. Tippit, had been suffering from COVID-19 and other medical issues. She died at a hospital near her Sulphur Springs, Texas, home, according to retired Dallas Police Detective Rich Janich. Tippit's exact cause of death was not immediately clear, the Dallas Morning News reports. Marie Frances Tippit, widow to Officer J.D. Tippit, had been suffering from COVID-19 and other medical issues. She died at a hospital near her Sulphur Springs, Texas, home. Pictured in 2013 The widow weeps at the graveside services for her husband in this undated photo 'She really was an ambassador for all the widows I would call her the matriarch of all the widows of fallen officers,' Janich said. 'You and I have no idea what these ladies and gentlemen go through. They have a special bond. She was always the one who told them, "The way to survive this is baby steps. Think of your family. Survive with your family. You will never get over it, but you have to do the best you can for your family."' The widow will be laid next to her husband at the Laurel Land Memorial Park in Dallas, a decision she learned of in 2018 that 'meant the world to her,' Janich added. He continued: 'She never did get over J.D.'s loss. She always told me that J.D. truly was the love of her life... Her wish was simply to be buried next to her husband, and now she will be.' Curtis Tippit, the youngest of the couple's three children, said that his mother started showing symptoms of COVID-19 several weeks ago. President John F. Kennedy (1917 - 1963) is struck by an assassin's bullet as he travels through Dallas in a motorcade on Nov. 22 1963 The officer's death helped link Oswald (pictured on Nov. 23 1963) to the assassination 'She went from having a lung X-ray that said there was no pneumonia on a Wednesday to having pneumonia in both lungs on a Saturday,' said Curtis. 'She also had congestive heart failure, which she's had for a long time. With congestive heart failure, you're going to have kidney issues. She was overwhelmed.' Curtis described his mother as being a 'true survivor.' 'She survived all tragedies, and she did it with honor. She didn't hold any bitterness toward Oswald or his family. She was a person who cared deeply for other people. She was a true warrior who was there with whatever people needed. She depended on God tremendously. She would tell you that was the source for her strength.' The Warren Commission determined that Oswald had killed the president in Dealey Plaza and gunned down Officer Tippit at the corner of 10th Street and Patton Avenue in Oak Cliff just 45 minutes after the assassination. Tippit was just 39-years-old. A historical marker now sits on the site where Oswald killed the officer with four shots from his handgun. The Warren Commission determined that Oswald had killed the president in Dealey Plaza gunned down Officer Tippit at the corner of 10th Street and Patton Avenue in Oak Cliff just 45 minutes after the assassination. Tippit, pictured, was just 39-years-old 'It's such a sadness,' Tippit said in a 2003 interview, recounting the pain of losing her husband. 'A sadness to know that I wasn't there, and even if I had been, I couldn't have done anything for him anyway. It severed his main artery. Nobody could have done anything.' Tippit's sadness turned to anger over the years as people sought to tarnish her husband's name by claiming he took part in some sinister plot to assassinate Kennedy. But the widow chose to seek comfort in the 40,000 letters of support she was sent, along with the $600,000 in donations she received from wellwishers around the globe. Tippit was even sent a letter from Jacqueline Kennedy where the former First Lady expressed her own sorrow for the bond they shared. Included in the letter was an autographed picture. Attorney General Robert Kennedy called Tippit and apologized for his brother taking the trip and ultimately getting her husband killed. 'I said, "But you know, they were both doing their jobs. They got killed doing their jobs." He was being the president, and J.D. was being the policeman he was supposed to be,' Tippit said at the time. Her husband's death helped link Oswald to the assassination. 'It's such a sadness,' Tippit said in a 2003 interview, recounting the pain of losing her husband. 'A sadness to know that I wasn't there, and even if I had been, I couldn't have done anything for him anyway. It severed his main artery. Nobody could have done anything.' Pictured on Nov. 30, 1963 Marie Tippit, the widow of Dallas police officer JD Tippit, who was killed by Harvey Lee Oswald Nov. 22, 1963, poses for a portrait with a photo of her husband, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2013 'Once the hypothesis is admitted that Oswald killed Patrolman J.D. Tippit,' David W. Belin, assistant counsel to the Warren Commission, wrote. 'There can be no doubt that the overall evidence shows that Lee Harvey Oswald was the assassin of John F. Kennedy.' Marie Frances Tippit - maiden name Gasway - grew up in Red River County, Texas, not too far from her eventual husband. Upon his return from WWII, the two went on their first date to church. 'What did I not like about him!' Tippit said. 'He was considerate, always happy and smiling. He was always doing something for someone else. I just fell madly in love. So, we got married and moved to Dallas.' Dallas Police Chief David Brown, left, stands with Marie Tippit during a ceremony commemorating Tippit in Dallas Friday, Nov. 22, 2013 The two married on Dec. 26, 1946, when she was 18 and he was 22. J.D. worked for Sears, then Dearborn Stove Co., before working on a farm in Clarksville for a brief stint. He joined the Dallas Police Department in 1952, scoffing at the notion of danger tied to the job. 'I tried to talk him out of it and did once,' she said. 'That lasted about a month. But obviously, that's what he wanted to do. So, I said, "If that's what you want to do, I'm behind you 100 percent. I just want you to do what you're happy with."' The couple had three children. Their oldest, Charles Allan, died of cancer on May 22, 2014, at age 64. Marie would eventually remarry, wedding Dallas Police Lt. Harry Thomas. The couple were married from 1967 to 1982 before Thomas died of cancer. The widow would marry a third time, to Carl Finner. Their marriage ended in divorce. Sorry! This content is not available in your region Before continuing with this wonderful book, Id like to give you some information on how to contact Susan Cislo, DO if you have pain. The name of her business is, Bay Area Osteopathic, Inc.; 3431 Broadway Suite A2; American Canyon; Phone: (707) 731-0921. Back to more information on the book, Living Long and Loving It, written by two physicians, Dr. Irvin M. Korr and Dr. Rene J. McGovern, one of whom will share with us how he, personally, benefited from Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM). Dr. Irvin M. Korr writes that it completely turned his life around. He had walked with a bit of a shuffle, bent over, had very little energy, and just felt old. After being taken in hand by a young doctor who had trained in OMM, Dr. Korr slowly straightened up, started walking more, and eventually was a runner, I believe, into his 80s. He said that it wasnt only his physical improvement, but also his mental improvement. Dr. Rene J. McGovern, the second author of the book, quoted poet Robert Browning from his poem Rabbi Ben Ezra that we should Grow old along with me!/The best is yet to be,/the last of life, for which the first was made. I truly believe that, dont you? By the time we reach this age, we know what gives us joy and what does not, and we are able to make our choice, and know without a doubt that this is the right way for us to travel. Protests against the military coup showed no sign of abating with more planned across the country, as Southeast Asian neighbors struggled for consensus in their efforts to end the month-long crisis. Video obtained by Reuters showed protesters using the fire extinguishers as well as smoke grenades as they retreated after shots were heard in Sanchaung in Yangon. Meanwhile, Myanmar security forces and protesters faced off in Mandalay, with protesters using a fire extinguisher to create cover and throwing objects towards police. At least 21 people have been killed since the Feb. 1 coup against Aung San Suu Kyi's democratically elected government. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) failed to make any breakthrough in a virtual meeting on Myanmar by its 10 foreign ministers. While they were united over call for restraint, only four members - Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore - called for the release of detainees including Suu Kyi. Russia-occupation forces in Donbas have violated the ceasefire regime three times since the beginning of Wednesday, the Ukrainian soldiers have not been wounded, the press center of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) headquarters has said. "Ignoring the agreements reached on July 22, 2020 within the framework of the Trilateral Contact Group, Russia-occupation forces continue to shell the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Since the beginning of the day, on March 3, three violations of the ceasefire regime by the armed formations of the Russian Federation have been recorded. All of them were committed in the area of responsibility of the Skhid [East] task force," the JFO said in a message on the Facebook page. Thus, the enemy opened targeted fire from grenade launchers of various systems near the settlements of Vodiane and Kamianka. There are no combat losses among the personnel of the Joint Forces as a result of enemy shelling. Justice Minister Helen McEntee said the country will not be able to reopen as planned if incidents like last nights party in Limerick continue. Speaking on Newstalks The Pat Kenny Show Minister McEntee said she believes the end is in sight, but not if behaviour like this doesnt stop. I do firmly believe the end is in sight. We are introducing the vaccinations and we are at a point where we want, in particular this month, to see our numbers coming down so we can start to reopen our society but if we continue to see scenes like this that will not happen, she said. Minster McEntee said she understands how hard it is for young people and students, but that we are amid a global pandemic and public health guidelines are there for a reason. They are there to keep us safe and that includes our younger people, she added. We are asking students to go to college but to stay in their room. We are asking them to go to college but not to socialise or engage with each other. The Justice Minister said that there will be consequences for students involved in the gathering, but that its important for the wider public to not blame all students and young people. Those who were there last night are very clearly responsible. They should not have done this and it is important to say these types of events, in the same way as the events we saw at the weekend, are not without consequence, she said. If you do receive a fixed penalty notice, by law, you have to pay and if not, there are further penalties. So, people need to understand that it is not without consequence but what I dont want to say though is a sweeping comment that every young person is behaving in this way and every young person I breaking the rules. The Duchess of Cornwall has said she suffered no side effects from her Covid-19 jab, and called the injection painless during a visit to a vaccination centre today. Camilla, 73, continued the royal family's prominent support of the UK's vaccination rollout as she carried out an official engagement at St Paul's Church, Croydon, which is being used as a centre for administering the injections. Camilla, who had her first coronavirus jab last month, like the Prince of Wales, spoke to NHS staff, administrators and volunteer marshals, and met members of the public receiving their injections. The duchess, who appeared in good spirits and joked with staff during the visit, chatted to Dr Agnelo Fernandes, a GP leading the vaccination process, about her own vaccination, saying: 'No side effects and it didn't hurt and I'm not a lover of needles.' The Duchess of Cornwall, 73, wrapped up warm in a baby pink coat as she thanked NHS staff during a visit to a church vaccination centre in London today The royal spoke with volunteers, church representatives and NHS staff during her visit to the hall in Croydon today Camilla, who was wearing a medical face mask and a pink tweed Anna Valentine coat, joked to staff: 'Have you had anyone sitting down and then legging it out of the room yet? No? Good.' The royal styled her hair with its signature waves to complete the look and appeared to be wearing very subtle make-up. The duchess asked: 'Are you having a lot of numbers coming in? What are your main problems?' Told misinformation was an obstacle, Camilla replied: 'Social media is an issue, isn't it? The Duchess could be seen chatting with staff members who are supporting the UK's vaccination rollout The Duchess, who wore a medical face mask during the visit, posed for socially distanced pictures with volunteers 'The misinformation put out there - it just helps talking to your friends and colleagues about how easy it was.' She continued: 'It may encourage them. It's good to see the community leading by example.' Camilla spoke to frontline care worker for the elderly Sabina Eze, 51, who told the duchess she had put off having the vaccine as she was scared of needles. 'I am really afraid of needles but all my colleagues have been pushing me to do it, so here I am,' Ms Eze said. 'I have to do it now. It's the responsible thing to do.' The Duchess wrapped up warm in a baby pink coat and accessorised with a pair of leather gloves and pearl earrings The royal opted for a long-line baby pink coat for the appearance today, and kept warm by wearing knee length suede boots Dr Fernandes said the practices had done a tremendous job in getting the vaccination process up and running. 'It's not easy because this is a deprived area and we have a high ethnic population as well,' he said. 'We have a high degree of hesitancy as well. But despite that we have been doing really well.' He said they were dealing with a rate of about 30% of people who did not want to take the vaccine. 'We are working on different ways of combating this, with community leaders and faith leaders, giving them information to make an informed choice,' Dr Fernandes added. Camilla chatted with staff members administering jabs during the visit to the London church earlier this morning 'There is so much disinformation and conspiracy theories. I am on several BAME groups and what is out there, particularly on social media, is just shocking.' He said they were able to vaccinate about 400 to 500 people a day with the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, but fewer with the Pfizer/BioNTech, given the time patients needed to wait afterwards. At an engagement in Birmingham last month, the Duchess reassured Nicki Cadwallader, 50, who was receiving a jab as part of a trial for cancer patients, saying: 'I was waiting for it to be done and they said, 'It has been done'. It was painless. It was brilliant. 'It's very good when it's over as you feel more secure. Panic over.' The royal thanked NHS staff and church representatives supporting the UK vaccination rollout during the visit The duchess later told the vaccination trial staff: 'I leapt for joy. I didn't feel anything. I'm eternally grateful for everything.' The Prince of Wales has expressed concern about the 'variable uptake' of the Covid-19 vaccine in some ethnic minority communities. He described the 100,000 death toll in the UK, passed last month, as a 'most sobering milestone'. Earlier this week, in a video call with NHS officials in charge of the rollout, the Queen 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'. Meanwhile the royal also spoke with front line worker Sabina Eze, who was waiting to be giving her jab, during a visit to the Community Vaccination Centre A senior royal source said: 'It is a passionately held belief that people need to get out there [and get vaccinated] this is important.' It is highly unusual for the sovereign to take such a firm public stand on contentious issues and her remarks will be seen as a victory for efforts to increase take-up. An NHS vaccine chief said it was an 'incredibly important vote of confidence' in the programme. The Countess of Wessex is volunteering as a St John Ambulance volunteer at a vaccination centre. More than 10,000 volunteers have been trained for deployment at 2,500 sites around the UK. More than 18million Britons one in three adults have had at least one jab. Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer H-E-B will no longer require that customers wear masks, but they encourage shoppers to do so. Workers and vendors inside the store will still be required, however. The news comes after Gov. Greg Abbott announced he will end the Texas mask mandate starting March 10. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Ukraine can vaccinate about 5-7 million people a month, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov said during a press briefing in Kyiv on Wednesday. "With regard to capacity: we can reach 5-7 million vaccinations per month," he said. The minister added that since the beginning of the vaccination campaign, 6,888 people have already received vaccinations, in particular, 1,983 vaccinations on Tuesday. He stressed that by the beginning of next week Ukraine should reach 10,000 vaccinations per day. "We are conducting a vaccination campaign in a cascade way, gradually increasing the number. I set a goal that at the end of this or the beginning of next week we reach 10,000 vaccinations per day. In general, by the end of 2021, we want to provide access to the vaccine for everyone," said Stepanov. ADVERTISEMENT Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River on Tuesday inaugurated a construction and fabrication academy, with 500 initial trainees. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the academy will train apprentices on skills such as information and communication technology (ICT), welding and fabrication, tiling and plumbing, among other skills. NAN also reports that the academy is meant to make residents of the state self-employed. Speaking during the inauguration ceremony, Mr Ayade said before now it was difficult to find youth from Cross River with self-reliant skills. He said the youth of the state could not continue to rely on their certificates, pointing out that they needed skills to be truly independent and to boost the states economy. If you go to the oil and gas industry, an experienced welder, who is called a corrosion engineer, earns about 2,000 dollars a month and yet we dont have Cross River youths learning such skills. How long will Nigerians continue to get tilers and other skilled artisans from Benin Republic, Togo and other nearby African countries? Today (Tuesday) is a turning point for the indigenes of Cross River, so let the youth rise up, take advantage of this academy and be empowered in order to be employers of labour. Also, the Federal Government must encourage states to build skill acquisition centres that will help in reducing unemployment and curbing migration Mr Ayade added. In her remarks, Florence Obi, vice chancellor of the University of Calabar, advised the youth to take advantage of the academy to acquire relevant skills that would enable them to be independent and be employers of labour. Represented by Mike Okon, Mrs Obi said a lot of people without formal education were adding value to the economy and the youth of the state should rise and do same. Signor Idiege, commissioner for youth development and skill acquisition thanked the governor for releasing funds for the commencement of the academy. He maintained that the establishment of the academy would reduce the threats on insecurity and free youths and their families from poverty while building their entrepreneurial capacities. With todays inauguration of this academy, we are repositioning our youths to attain the skills and productive capacities that would see Cross River in no distant time emerge as an industrial hub and premier service-driven economy in Nigeria and Africa, Mr Idiege said. (NAN) Unfortunately, it now seems clear that there is no path forward to gain confirmation, and I do not want continued consideration of my nomination to be a distraction from your other priorities, Tanden wrote in a letter to Biden. The president, in a statement, said he has utmost respect for her record of accomplishment, her experience and her counsel and pledged to find her another role in his administration. Ali Imsirovic Crowned MILLIONS Online High Roller Turbo Champion March 03, 2021 Matthew Pitt Ali Imsirovic triumphed in yet another high buy-in poker tournament on March 3 when he emerged victoriously from the partypoker MILLONS Online #21 High Roller Turbo event. This latest victory saw Imsirovic reel in a $92,516 prize. MILLIONS Online #21: High Roller Turbo Final Table Results Place Player Country Prize 1 Ali Imsirovic Mexico $97,516 2 Wiktor Malinowski Russia $60,815 3 Daniel Dvoress Canada $39,526 4 Andras Nemeth Hungary $28,279 5 Dario Sammartino Austria $21,327 6 Christoph Vogelsang United Kingdom $16,823 7 Ivan Zufic Croatia $14,073 The $2,100 buy-in High Roller Turbo was done and dusted in less than six hours, ensuring the 11 players who cashed in the event boosted their usual hourly rate. Team partypoker was well represented among the 65 entrants but none of those sporting orange diamonds managed to make it into the top 11 finishing positions where the $325,000 prize pool was divvied up. Patrick Leonard busted twice, as did Kristen Bicknell, while Isaac Haxton and Mikita Badziakouski both took one shot and missed. 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 Although those on the Team partypoker roster were disappointed not to cash, at least they did not finish in 12 place and burst the money bubble. Pascal Lefrancois had that dubious honor. The Canadians exit secured an $11,016 payout for the surviving players. David Coleman and Sam Greenwood were the players who walked away with this prize after falling in 11th and 10th place respectively. Yuri Dzivielevski and Christopher Brewer were the next to bust; they both secured $12,301 payouts. Brewers exit left only seven players on a single table, each of whom were now guaranteed $14,073 and being only six eliminations away from a near $100,000 score. Ivan Zufic fell by the wayside in seventh before Christoph Vogelsang saw his tournament end abruptly in sixth, a finish good for $16,823. The came the exit of the 2019 World Series of Poker Main Event runner-up Dario Sammartino. The Austria-based Italian claimed $21,327 in prize money. Follow the MILLIONS Online Main Event live updates here The final four players still read like a whos who of the poker world despite all those stellar names biting the dust. The waters became a little less shark-infested when Andras Nemeth bowed out, followed by Daniel Dvoress who finds himself second in chips at the final table of the MILLIONS Online Main Event. Wiktor Malinowski and Imsirovic fought it out one-on-one for the title in a heads-up cash where the difference in prize money was more than $37,000. This did not deter either player and no deal was discussed. This meant Malinowski collected $60,815 when Imsirovic defeated him, leaving Imsirovic to scoop a $97,516 prize. Astedt Among the Other Winners on March 2 Niklas Astedt is known for his No-Limit Holdem prowess but it appears his Pot-Limit Omaha game is on point too. Astedt came out on top of an 89-strong crowd in the $2,100 MILLIONS Online #19 Omaha Knockout event to add a combined $54,817 to his already ridiculous lifetime winnings. The uber-talented Swede defeated Ami Barer heads-up to secure the title, which is no mean feat itself. Kristoffer Jakobsson There was a $530 Mini High Roller Turbo event, also. It saw 111 players buy in and Luigi Shehadeh walk away with the lions share of the prize pool, namely $13,863. Join the Love Party! Valentine's Day took place already more than two weeks ago but the love continues for another two days 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 Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. US lawmaker Ilhan Omar on Tuesday introduced a bill to sanction Saudi's Crown Prince (MBS) for his involvement in the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. This comes after a US report implicated MBS of approving the killing of Khashoggi. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) released last Friday a declassified report prepared by US spy agencies that blamed MBS for planning the 2018 operation that killed Khashoggi, a Saudi citizen and resident of the US, in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, Al Jazeera reported. "This is a test of our humanity," Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, said in a statement. "If the United States of America truly supports freedom of expression, democracy and human rights, there is no reason not to sanction Mohammed bin Salman--a man our own intelligence found to have approved the murder of U.S. resident and Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi." US President Joe Biden and the State Department have declined to punish MBS. State Department spokesman Ned Price said that Washington is working to "recalibrate" and not "rupture" the US-Saudi relationship. "We are working to put the US-Saudi relationship on the right footing," Price continued, defending the Biden administration's decision not to sanction MBS. 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. Omar quoted Khashoggi's fiancee Hatice Cengiz in her statement: "If the Crown Prince is not punished, it will forever signal that the main culprit can get away with murder." "Every minute escapes punishment is a moment where U.S. interests, human rights, and the lives of Saudi dissenters are at risk. Today, I introduced legislation to place sanctions on the Crown Prince for his role in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi," Omar tweeted. Another bill put forward by Democratic Representative Tom Malinowski, called the Accountability for Gross Violations of Human Rights Act, aims to ensure that even MBS would be banned from travelling to the US. Malinowski said not sanctioning MBS weakens the administration's stance "[if] we accuse him of the crime and then do nothing to hold him accountable". (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. A patient receives an injection of the 'Covishield'' coronavirus vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India from a nurse at a hospital in the capital Victoria, Mahe Island, Seychelles Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021. The president of the Indian Ocean island nation of Seychelles says he hopes enough residents will soon be vaccinated against COVID-19 to stop the spread of the virus, hoping to achieve herd immunity by mid-March by vaccinating about 70% of the population. (AP Photo) The Indian Ocean island nation of Seychelles had one of the world's first COVID-19 vaccine rollouts, and this month it aims to again break ground by reaching so-called "herd immunity." In an interview with The Associated Press, President Wavel Ramkalawan said that goal should be reached in mid-March, "when we would have vaccinated 70,000 of our people. That represents 70% because our population is 100,000." The country depends heavily on tourism, and when COVID-19 vaccinations in Seychelles began in January, some workers in the tourism industry were among the first to receive them, along with health workers and the president himself. By the end of February, about 44% of those vaccinated had gotten a second shot. The country has benefited from so-called vaccine diplomacy. Its vaccination drive started in January with 50,000 doses of the Chinese-made Sinopharm vaccine donated by the United Arab Emirates, a close trading partner, according to the Seychelles News Agency. The Emirati carrier, Etihad Airways, has a substantial stake in Air Seychelles. And India donated 50,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine made by the Serum Institute of India. The government of Seychelles, which has a significant population of Indian descent, said it purchased an additional 40,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to have enough to inoculate 70,000 people. A vial of the ''Covishield'' coronavirus vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India sits ready to be administered, at a hospital in the capital Victoria, Mahe Island, Seychelles Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021. The president of the Indian Ocean island nation of Seychelles says he hopes enough residents will soon be vaccinated against COVID-19 to stop the spread of the virus, hoping to achieve herd immunity by mid-March by vaccinating about 70% of the population. (AP Photo) "We have a lot of good friends that love us," Vanessa Lesperance, a medical officer in the Indian Ocean island nation, told the AP last month. "That made it easier for us to get a steady supply of vaccines." She added: "We're looking forward to returning to normal life." But Dr. Sanjeev Pugazhendi with the government's health ministry, said the "new normal" in Seychelles will still include mask-wearing, hand-washing and social distancing at gatherings, which "I think are here to stay." Such measures could be in place for years, depending on the vaccine rollout in the rest of the world, vaccines' duration of immunity and other factors. "There will always be a continued risk of COVID ... until and unless the rest of the world can catch up as well," Pugazhendi said. So-called herd immunity is reached when enough people are protected through infection or vaccination to make it difficult for a virus to continue to spread. The exact threshold for coronavirus is unknown, although some experts suggest that at least 70% of a population would need to be protected to hold the virus in check. The emergence of new worrisome versions of the coronavirus, however, is further complicating the picture. Pedestrians wear masks as they walk on a street in the capital Victoria, Mahe Island, Seychelles Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021. The president of the Indian Ocean island nation of Seychelles says he hopes enough residents will soon be vaccinated against COVID-19 to stop the spread of the virus, hoping to achieve herd immunity by mid-March by vaccinating about 70% of the population. (AP Photo/Salim Ally) Since the pandemic began, Seychelles has had 2,849 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 11 deaths, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Seychelles' first two positive cases were confirmed on March 14, 2020, in a couple from Seychelles who had returned from a trip to Italy. The country, like most other African nations, quickly imposed a nationwide lockdown in which most shops, businesses and schools were closed for three weeks. The airport was closed and ships were prevented from bringing tourists. Restrictions continue on public gatherings, restaurants and bars. Tourists flying to Seychelles are required to have recent negative PCR tests for the coronavirus and have a seven-day quarantine period at a designated hotel with a negative PCR test at the end of it. The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases has dropped over the past two weeks, from 49 new cases per 100,000 people on Feb. 15 to 32 new cases per 100,000 people on March 1, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University. President Wavel Ramkalawan speaks to The Associated Press at State House in the capital Victoria, Mahe Island, Seychelles Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021. The president of the Indian Ocean island nation of Seychelles says he hopes enough residents will soon be vaccinated against COVID-19 to stop the spread of the virus, hoping to achieve herd immunity by mid-March by vaccinating about 70% of the population. (AP Photo/Salim Ally) COVID-19 vaccines in Seychelles are voluntary and free. After those on the front line were vaccinated, the elderly were given priority. The shots are given in hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and some businesses. Now all residents can get inoculated, except for those under 18 years. The publicity surrounding the vaccination drive has helped to dispel misinformation about the shots, according to medical workers. Khamis Juma, left, receives an injection of the 'Covishield'' coronavirus vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, from nurse Amelie Richmond, right, at a hospital in the capital Victoria, Mahe Island, Seychelles Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021. The president of the Indian Ocean island nation of Seychelles says he hopes enough residents will soon be vaccinated against COVID-19 to stop the spread of the virus, hoping to achieve herd immunity by mid-March by vaccinating about 70% of the population. (AP Photo) In this Friday, March 1, 2019 file photo, the sun sets over a small bay with fishing and pleasure crafts at anchor, on Mahe island, Seychelles. The president of the Indian Ocean island nation of Seychelles says he hopes enough residents will soon be vaccinated against COVID-19 to stop the spread of the virus, hoping to achieve herd immunity by mid-March 2021 by vaccinating about 70% of the population. (AP Photo/David Keyton, File) President Wavel Ramkalawan speaks to The Associated Press at State House in the capital Victoria, Mahe Island, Seychelles Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021. The president of the Indian Ocean island nation of Seychelles says he hopes enough residents will soon be vaccinated against COVID-19 to stop the spread of the virus, hoping to achieve herd immunity by mid-March by vaccinating about 70% of the population. (AP Photo/Salim Ally) In this Friday, March 1, 2019 file photo, footprints are seen in the sand on a beach on Mahe island, Seychelles. The president of the Indian Ocean island nation of Seychelles says he hopes enough residents will soon be vaccinated against COVID-19 to stop the spread of the virus, hoping to achieve herd immunity by mid-March 2021 by vaccinating about 70% of the population. (AP Photo/David Keyton, File) "The moment we started giving out the vaccines to leaders, religious leaders and health workers, that started to subside," said Pugazhendi, the doctor with the health ministry. When they spoke with the AP last month, Pugazhendi and Lesperance said neither had a vacation since the pandemic had started, with Seychelles' tropical setting almost always in view. "We're looking forward to the end of COVID more than anyone else," Lesperance said. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 photo illustration, a man holds a syringe with a Credit - Getty Images By the time police discovered the shipment of fake COVID-19 vaccines, the vials had travelled over 6,000 miles from China to South Africa, the work of a smuggling ring that has produced thousands of counterfeit doses, according to Interpol, the global police agency that helped break up the operation. The trafficking case, involving a shipment of at least 2,400 doses, is the first confirmed instance of fake vaccines being smuggled across continents, an Interpol spokesperson told TIMEthough there are likely more that have occurred, and more still that may be uncovered in the future. This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to COVID-19 vaccine related crime, said Jurgen Stock, the agencys secretary general, in a statement on March 3. Interpol first issued a warning about such the potential for such crimes in early December, alerting law enforcement agents in its 194 member countries that criminal networks were trying to infiltrate and disrupt supply chains involved in the global rollout of vaccines to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. These networks are not expected to corrupt vaccination programs that are supplied by reputable companies and administered by national governments, which account for nearly all vaccines available around the world. But small batches of fake vaccines could reach consumers through the Internet or other informal channels, especially in developing countries that have been unable to get sufficient supplies. The warehouse near Johannesburg, South Africa, where police discovered a shipment of fake COVID-19 vaccines in November 2020. Courtesy of Interpol The international smuggling ring that Interpol reported on March 3 began to unravel in November, when police in South Africa discovered a consignment of fake COVID-19 vaccines in a warehouse near Johannesburg. Police officials told local media at the time that the vials were found among a large batch of counterfeit N95 masks, and that two individuals were arrested in connection with the haul: one was a Chinese national, the other a citizen of Zambia. At around the same time, Chinese state television aired footage of police seizing what they described as fake COVID-19 vaccines in Kushan, a city in eastern China. The authorities then arrested more than 80 members of a suspected criminal group, for allegedly producing and selling fake COVID-19 vaccines that consisted of saline solution, Xinhua newsa state-run press agencyreported on Feb. 1. Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for Chinas foreign ministry, told reporters the following day that Chinese authorities had alerted relevant countries about the apparent smuggling ring, but did not specify what countries were involved. Story continues It would be another month before Interpol revealed that some of the fake vaccines allegedly manufactured in China had made their way to South Africa, which has struggled to secure enough COVID-19 vaccines to inoculate its most vulnerable citizens. Nearly half of the COVID-19 deaths reported on the African continent have been recorded in South Africa, which only launched its vaccination drive on Feb. 17, far behind most developed nations. Ampules containing what South African police describe as a shipment of fake COVID-19 vaccines discovered in November at a warehouse near Johannesburg. Courtesy of Interpol China, by contrast, has said it delivered 24 million doses of two domestically made (and authorized) vaccines to its citizens as of early February. Despite concerns about the efficacy of the vaccinesone produced by Sinopharm, and one from Sinovacthe Chinese government has also pledged about half a billion doses of these vaccines to 45 countries around the world, according to a tally published by the Associated Press. In addition to the arrests in China and South Africa, Interpol said in its statement on March 3 that it has received other reports from member countries about fake vaccine distribution and scam attempts targeting health bodies, such as nursing homes. Interpol said it is continuing to work with police forces around the world to combat such scams. But the organization also urged consumers to be vigilant, pointing out in its statement that there are no approved vaccines currently available for sale online, and that any COVID-19 vaccines offered for purchase over the Internet will not have been tested and may be dangerous. SEATTLE (dpa-AFX) - Enterprise software company Micro Focus International plc (MCRO.L, MFGP) announced Wednesday the signing of a commercial agreement with Amazon Web Services or AWS, part of tech major Amazon. The commercial agreement formalizes a strategic collaboration to accelerate the modernization of mainframe applications and workloads of large public and private enterprises to the AWS Cloud. Micro Focus said the companies will work together to deploy Micro Focus technology for customers embarking on the transformational journey to modernize their business-critical mainframe applications and workloads to an agile, cloud-based production environment. In connection with the deal, Micro Focus has issued warrants to Amazon NV Investment Holdings LLC to subscribe for up to 15,924,384 ordinary shares in Micro Focus at 446.60 pence per share. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. President Biden took a PR bow for ironing out the deal between rivals Johnson & Johnson and Merck to collaborate on the production of a COVID-19 vaccine. Merck, which failed to produce its own vaccine and is receiving $268.8M from Uncle Sam to manufacture J&Js COVID-19 shot, said the alliance is part of its commitment to contribute to the global response to the pandemic. It is actively discussing deals with other companies, governments and public health agencies to find other ways to make a meaningful impact on the fight against COVID-19. J&J, which fell behind on its promise of 37M doses of vaccine by the end of March, is being bailed out by Merck. It somewhat downplayed the deal with Merck, noting that eight other companies signed on to its global COVID-19 network since January. J&J did praise Mercks long history of vaccine expertise that will enhance our production capacity so that we can supply beyond our current commitments. Biden spun the deal as the type of collaboration between companies that we saw in World War II." He praised J&J and Merck for stepping up and being good corporate citizens during this crisis. Thats priceless PR for the companies, especially coming from a leader of a political party that is not usually singing the praises of Big Pharma. There was a missing element of the good news J&J/Merck story. Wheres Donald? No credit was given to the Trump administration, which had been trying for months to forge a partnership between J&J and Merck. White House press secretary Jen Psaki sniffed that the Biden team was able to get the deal over the finish line. Thats true but Team Trump set up the starting blocks. It would have been fair play to give Trump some credit for laying the foundation for the J&J/Merck partnership. Freedom House is out with its Freedom in the World 2021 report, and it shows the US continues to slip on the democracy front. The US scored 83 out of 100 points in 2020, compared to 86 in the previous year. Freedom House notes that the US, which once was a beacon of democracy for the rest of the world, needs a serious and sustained reform effort to repair the damage done during the Trump era to the perception and reality of basic rights and freedoms in the United States. It torched the final weeks of the Trump White House for its unprecedented attacks on US democracy. The Report reads: "After four years of condoning and indeed pardoning official malfeasance, ducking accountability for his own transgressions, and encouraging racist and right-wing extremists, the outgoing president openly strove to illegally overturn his loss at the polls, culminating in his incitement of an armed mob to disrupt Congresss certification of the results. The group noted that 2020 was fraught with politically distorted health recommendations, partisan infighting, shockingly high and racially disparate coronavirus death rates, and police violence against protesters advocating for racial justice over the summer. All underscored the United States systemic dysfunctions and made American democracy appear fundamentally unstable. Trumps bid to overturn the election though was the icing on the cake, or arguably the most destructive act of his time in office. President Biden and his team will need to work vigorously to strengthen its institutional safeguards, restore its civic norms, and uphold the promise of its core principles for all segments of society if it is to protect its venerable democracy and regain global credibility," according to Freedom House. No Irish Need Apply was a fixture on help-wanted signs and classified advertising in mid-19th century America as discrimination against immigrants fleeing the Potato Famine and economic collapse at home ran rampant in the US. Pontins, British campground operator, has updated that bigoted view of Irish people, according to the Irish Times and UK press. It put together a list of surnames of undesirables who were to be banned from the parks. The Times revealed the names of the banned 40. They are: Boylan, Boyle, Carney, Carr, Cash, Connors, Corcoran, Delaney, Doherty, Dorran, Gallagher, Horan, Keefe, Kell, Leahy, Lee, MacLaughlin, McAlwick, McCully, McDonagh, McGinley, McGinn, McGuiness, McHarg, McLaughan, McMahon, Millighan, Mongans, Murphy, Nolan, OBrien, OConnell, ODonnell, ODonoghue, OMahoney, OReilly, Sheridan, Stokes, Walch, Ward. The list covers the names of about half the people who live on the island of Ireland. Alastair Pringle, executive director of Britains Equality and Human Rights Commission, said banning people from services based on their race is discrimination and is unlawful, according to the BBC. To say that such policies are outdated is an understatement. Pontins has agreed to change its bookings practices and to enhance staff training and procedures "to promote equality throughout its businesses. The move comes just before the busy summer vacation season. The Irish should skip Pontins and spend their money in the Emerald Isle. Or better yet, The Big Apple welcomes you. SECAUCUS, N.J., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, a Superior Court judge rejected a motion filed by CarePoint Health for a "gag order" on Dr. Nizar Kifaieh, CEO of Hudson Regional Hospital. Dr. Kifaieh previously held several senior roles at CarePoint. This is the fourth time CarePoint and related entities have lost efforts to prevent Hudson Regional Hospital from speaking out against CarePoint Health System's ill-considered plan to sell Bayonne Medical Center to BMC Hospital LLC, which has no experience operating an acute care facility. As the owner of the Bayonne Medical Center Property whose lease governs who may provide services there, we will continue to be heard on this matter in every forum available in the courts, before the Department of Health, and directly to the public. Today's decision properly recognizes that free speech protects the public interest and reinforces our determination to not be intimidated into silence by the threat of litigation. "I am thankful that justice prevailed and I will be to continue to perform my duties in full, which includes participating in a robust dialogue about the state of healthcare in Hudson County," says Dr. Nizar Kifaieh. Health Minister publishes targeted improvement plans for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Mar 3rd, 2021 A new Targeted Intervention framework for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has been published following its de-escalation from special measures. It includes four key areas that require improvement adult and childrens mental health services, strategy, planning and performance; leadership (including governance, transformation and culture), and engagement (patients, public, staff and partners). These areas aligns with the recommendations from the work undertaken by professional bodies and general feedback about the health board over the last 12 months. Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board had been in special measures since June 2015, due to serious and outstanding concerns about leadership, governance and progress after targeted intervention did not work. Services including maternity and out-of-hours, have already come out of special measures in 2019. In November 2020 Health Minister Vaughan announced that the North Wales health board would be removed from special measures with immediate effect and would be moved to a period of targeted intervention. Welsh Government will work closely with the health board throughout the process of Targeted Intervention ensuring that progress is being made and agreeing appropriate interventions where necessary. A further assessment will take place in May and any changes will be added to the framework. The plan has been supported by Welsh Government funding of 297m up to the end of 2023/24, as announced last year. Th investment will be used to improve unscheduled care; build sustainable planned care, including orthopaedics; and deliver improvements in mental health services. Minister for Health and Social Services, Vaughan Gething, said: As the health board moves into targeted intervention, transformation and innovation is essential, with the organisation continuing to build on the improvements that have already been made. Targeted intervention is still a heightened level of escalation that requires significant action, but I am confident that the health board is committed to do all that is needed to see further development. I want to thank the staff at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board who have made and sustained the progress to end special measures, alongside tackling the coronavirus pandemic. However todays announcement has been described as special measures in all but name by Welsh Conservatives Shadow Minister for Health, Angela Burns MS She said: Cynical rewording of the truth does not change the truth; it just hides it, and Labour is playing a dangerous game in the run-up to the elections in May because the people of North Wales will see through it. Mark Isherwood MS, the Shadow Minister for North Wales, added: Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board was in special measures for over five years the longest of any health organisation in the UK. Although we never expected it to be given an immediate fix, it seems that concerns over the delivery of health services for the people of North Wales are as pertinent today as when the Health Board entered special measures under the stewardship of this Health Minister in 2015. We know that staff have gone above and beyond to deliver health services to the people of North Wales, especially during the pandemic. Both they and their patients deserve better. AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Texas is lifting its mask mandate, Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday, making it the largest state to no longer require one of the most effective ways to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The announcement in Texas, where the virus has killed more than 42,000 people, rattled doctors and big city leaders who said they are now bracing for another deadly resurgence. One hospital executive in Houston said he told his staff they would need more personnel and ventilators. Federal health officials this week urgently warned states to not let their guard down, warning that the pandemic is far from over. Abbott, a Republican, has faced sustained criticism from his party in America's biggest red state over the statewide mask mandate which was imposed eight months ago as well as business occupancy limits that Texas will also scuttle next week. The mask order was only ever lightly enforced, even during the worst outbreaks of the pandemic. Removing statewide mandates does not end personal responsibility, said Abbott, speaking from the crowded dining room of a restaurant in Lubbock, surrounded by several people not wearing masks. Its just that now state mandates are no longer needed, he said. The repeals will take effect March 10. RELATED: H-E-B to lift mask mandate for shoppers The full impact of Texas' reversal was still coming into focus. Mark Cuban, owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, said he had no immediate plans to change the limits on fans at home games. Their biggest crowd so far this season was about 3,000 spectators. Restaurant owners began confronting whether they, too, would relax COVID-19 safeguards in their dining rooms. And school administrators scrambled to figure out how the end of the mask mandate would impact the state's 5 million public school students. While weve made significant progress, Id hate to have that go away, said Tinku Saini, the CEO of Tarka Indian Kitchen, which has locations across Texas. He said Abbott's announcement left him with mixed feelings, and that he would now allow customers to go maskless but still require face coverings for staff and keep tables spread apart. Abbott joins a growing number of governors across the U.S. who are easing coronavirus restrictions. Like the rest of the country, Texas has seen the number of cases and deaths plunge. Hospitalizations are at the lowest levels since October, and the seven-day rolling average of positive tests has dropped to about 7,600 cases, down from more than 10,000 in mid-February. Only California and New York have reported more COVID-19 deaths than Texas. Absolutely reckless, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, tweeted in response to Abbotts announcement. Texas is doing away with the restrictions just ahead of the spring break holiday, which health experts worry could lead to more spread as people travel. The fact that things are headed in the right direction doesn't mean we have succeeded in eradicating the risk," said Dr. Lauren Ancel Meyers, a professor of integrative biology and director of the University of Texas COVID-19 Modeling Consortium. She said the recent deadly winter freeze in Texas that left millions of people without power forcing families to shelter closely with others who still had heat could amplify transmission of the virus in the weeks ahead, although it remains too early to tell. Masks, she said, are one of the most effective strategies to curb the spread. The top county leader in Houston, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, called the announcement wishful thinking" and said spikes in hospitalizations have followed past rollbacks of COVID-19 rules. At worst, it is a cynical attempt to distract Texans from the failures of state oversight of our power grid," said Hidalgo, a Democrat. RELATED: Hidalgo, Turner lambast Abbott for lifting mask order Dr. Joseph Varon, chief medical officer at Houstons United Memorial Medical Center, said he called the hospitals top leaders immediately after Abbotts announcement and said they will need more staff and ventilators. I am just concerned that I am going to have a tsunami of new cases, Varon said. I truly hope I am wrong. But unfortunately history seems to repeat itself. Early in the pandemic, Abbott stripped local officials of their power to implement tougher COVID-19 restrictions, but now says counties can impose mitigation strategies" if virus hospitalizations exceed 15% of all hospital capacity in their region. However, Abbott forbade local officials from imposing penalties for not wearing a face covering. Retailers and other businesses will also still be allowed to impose capacity limits and other restrictions on their own. Abbott imposed the statewide mask mandate in July during a deadly summer surge. But enforcement was spotty at best, and some sheriffs refused to police the restrictions at all. And as the pandemic dragged on, Abbott ruled out a return to tough COVID-19 rules, arguing that lockdowns do not work. Politically, the restrictions elevated tensions between Abbott and his own party, with the head of the Texas GOP at one point leading a protest outside the governor's mansion. Meanwhile, mayors in Texas' biggest cities argued that Abbott wasn't doing enough. RELATED: 'This is a reckless decision': Texas leaders react to Gov. Greg Abbott's announcement Most of the country has lived under mask mandates during the pandemic, with at least 37 states requiring face coverings to some degree. But those orders are increasingly falling by the wayside: North Dakota, Montana and Iowa have also lifted mask orders in recent weeks. In Texas, it was only last week that emergency restrictions on restaurants and businesses were relaxed in the Rio Grande Valley, which has been walloped by the virus like few other places in America. I appreciate Governor Abbott's desire to return to normalcy, but I remained concerned that, at least in Hidalgo County, we may be moving too quickly," Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez said. ___ Associated Press writers Nomaan Merchant and Juan A. Lozano in Houston; Jake Bleiberg and Schuyler Dixon in Dallas; and Jim Vertuno in Austin contributed to this report. 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 She recently branded him her 'dream man' after dating for a few months. And Amelia Hamlin, 19, and her boyfriend Scott Disick, 37, were spotted out and about together once again as they enjoyed dinner at Papi Steak in Miami. The daughter of Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin looked sensational in a black corset and form-fitting flared trousers as she posed for snaps at the restaurant. Coupled up: Amelia Hamlin, 19, and her boyfriend Scott Disick, 37, were spotted out and about together once again as they enjoyed dinner at Papi Steak in Miami Amelia boosted her petite frame with a pair of black stilettos and toted her belongings in a chic baguette bag, while accessorising with gold chains. She wore her brunette locks in loose beachy waves and sported a full face of make-up, including heavy eye liner and a slick of lipgloss. Meanwhile, father of three Scott rocked a purple T-shirt with a black zip-up hooded jacket and camouflage trousers with trainers. Low-key: Meanwhile, father of three Scott rocked a purple T-shirt with a black zip-up hooded jacket and camouflage trousers with trainers Scott was continuing to rock his new bubblegum pink hair and added bling to his look with a selection of silver chain necklaces. The couple were seen posing with the restaurant owner and nightclub mogul David Grutman, who opened the beachfront location in 2019. Amelia gushed over Scott on her Instagram Stories on Sunday night, as she posted a rare photo of the two side by side at dinner. Dressed to kill: The daughter of Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin looked sensational in a black corset and form-fitting flared trousers as she posed for snaps at the restaurant Amelia was in a flattering black tank top with her hair in a side ponytail and her beau, who has three children with Kourtney Kardashian, sat next to her. Scott wore a white zip-up hoodie as he added a diamond encrusted watch and matching bulky ring. His hair was tinted pink and spiky with a five o'clock shadow. 'My dream man,' the siren wrote in hot pink on the photo. She has also uploaded a snap of herself wearing a see-through top whilst sitting on Scott's lap, with the caption: 'Everyone can calm down.' Gang: Scott was continuing to rock his new bubblegum pink hair and added bling to his look with a selection of silver chain necklaces Amelia and her boyfriend, who were first romantically linked after they were spotted arriving to Kendall Jenner's Halloween party together in October, enjoyed a getaway to Miami, Florida. Scott shares his three-children with his ex Kourtney whom he was involved with off and on from 2006 until 2015. The Talentless founder has three children, sons Mason, 11, and Reign, six, and daughter Penelope, eight. The former couple met each other at the home of Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis and their ups and downs were filmed for Keeping Up With The Kardashians. A dream! Amelia gushed over Scott on her Instagram Stories on Sunday night, as she posted a rare photo of the two side by side at dinner In a teaser for the new season of KUWTK Scott is telling Kourtney he would marry her on the spot. She is seen asking if he has gotten his life together. He then says that they both know one day they will be wed. Before Amelia, Scott had a three-year relationship with Lionel Richie's daughter Sofia, who would take joint trips with Scott, Kourtney and the children. Freedom House has been publishing its annual Freedom in the World report for the last 47 years, and its been a reliable downer for the last 15. Each year the U.S.-based nongovernmental organization assesses the worlds countries on a range of measures of political rights and civil liberties, dividing them into categories of Free, Partly Free, and Not Free. Since 2006, more countries have seen their scores decline every year than increase. Still, 2020 stands out as a particularly bad year, with 73 countries experiencing declines in freedom compared with only 28 seeing gains. It represents the worst decline since this downward trend began. Advertisement The main headline development in this years report, released today, is that Indiaoften referred to as the worlds largest democracyis no longer a free country, dropping to partly free thanks to the ongoing crackdown on political dissent and the free press, and the scapegoating of Muslims by Prime Minister Narendra Modis Hindu nationalist government. Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe to the Slatest newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. Thanks mostly to Indias decline, less than 20 percent of the worlds population now lives in a free country, the smallest proportion since 1995. India is still considered an electoral democracy by Freedom House, which only highlights the extent to which many of the worst setbacks for freedom are taking place in ostensibly democratic countries. The idea of illiberal democracy is decades old at this point, but it now appears to be becoming the dominant form of politics for much of the planet. Advertisement It wasnt a great year for the United States either, with the report citing official corruption and a lack of political accountability, the heavy-handed police response to anti-racism protests, and, most of all, Donald Trumps attempt to reject and overturn the 2020 presidential election. The U.S. is still free, but it declined 3 points on Freedom Houses 100-point scale in the past year and 11 points over the past decadeone of the largest declines of any country. The level of freedom in the U.S. is now comparable to that of countries like Romania, Croatia, and Panama. The U.S. actually gets off relatively easily in Freedom Houses rankings: Last year, it dropped below the democracy threshold on the more academic Polity index and is considered a flawed democracy on the Economist Intelligence Units annual Democracy Index. Advertisement The trend in 2020 is especially grim given that the previous year saw a remarkable wave of protests against government corruption and authoritarianism around the world. Freedom House notes that out of 39 countries where it identified major protests in 2019, 23 saw scores decline the following year. Several countries, like Armenia and Ethiopia, which had shown promising signs of democratization in this year, suffered setbacks in 2020 due to spillover effects from armed conflict. In a very short section on positive developments, the report highlights two of the 28 countries that saw gains: Malawiwhere the constitutional court ordered a rerun of a presidential election due to evidence of blatant vote tampering, resulting in a victory for the oppositionand Taiwan, which held a successful election in the face of a pressure and disinformation campaign from China, and showed remarkable success at stamping out the coronavirus without coercive authoritarian measures. The report argues that the pandemic has had a devastating effect on global democracy, noting examples in places like Hungary, El Salvador, and the Philippines, where governments used the virus as a pretext to clamp down on dissent, consolidate power, or enforce brutal and excessive lockdown measures. I was more optimistic in a recent piece, arguing that state failures in battling the coronavirus have also galvanized civil society and anti-authoritarian movementsincluding in the United Statesbut, of course, the jury is still out on whether those movements will have a lasting impact. A search is underway for a missing Ohio woman and for the man accused of abducting her. John Henry Mack Jr., 43, is wanted in the disappearance of 33-year-old Melinda Kay Davis. Davis has not been seen or heard from since Feb. 25. Authorities on Wednesday said Mack is charged with kidnapping. The warrant was issued the day after Davis disappeared and the U.S. Marshals are looking for him. Authorities said Mack has strong ties Anniston and Gadsden. A $5,000 reward is being offered for information leading to his capture. Family, friends, and associates of Mack are reminded that providing assistance could result in criminal charges, officials said. According to 19 News in Cleveland, Mack is Davis ex-boyfriend. Davis was driving a black 2013 Volkswagen Jetta, Ohio plate JGZ8921. The news station reported a search warrant was executed at Macks home and deputies said after processing the evidence and consulting with the Richland County prosecutor, they obtained an arrest warrant for Mack for kidnapping. Mack is described as a Black male, 5-feet, 10-inches tall and weighing about 160 pounds. Anyone with information is asked to call the U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at: 1-866-4-WANTED. Type address separated by commas Your Email: The Papal visit bears three messages: hope, peace and coexistence and it is a dream come true". A thank you to the Yazidis for their support over the years. Sunni Muslim: "We want to pray together with Christians", a stimulus from the Pope "to arise and rebuild". Mosul (AsiaNews) - A "dream that becomes reality" in a perspective of interreligious dialogue and coexistence that is strengthened and that must "unite" all Iraqi citizens. In a country that awaits the upcoming apostolic journey of Pope Francis, the theme of the relations and dialogue between different religions, under the motto "You are all brothers", is one of the main and debated aspects. For the Christian journalist Mery Aoraha Marawge, his presence will strengthen "faith in one God, as children of Abraham". For a 49-year-old Peshmerga Yazidi, a native of Sinjar, one of the worst hit areas by the Islamic State (SI, formerly Isis), Francis "is a great man on a spiritual level" who in recent years has also been there for us". Nori Faesl Youni, a Sunni Muslim from Nineveh, hopes that the visit will bring "peace after divisions, fanaticism, the extremism that has been instilled in us" and "for this we want to pray together with Christians". This series of voices and testimonies explores the themes that characterize the apostolic journey: meeting the Christian community; deepen the relationship between different religions; discover Iraq. These voices and the hope they express were gathered thanks to the collaboration of Fr Paolo Thabit Mekko, head of the Christian community in Karamles, in the Nineveh plain, and of Fr. Samir Youssef, pastor of the diocese of Amadiya, in Iraqi Kurdistan. Here is what they have shared with AsiaNews: Mery Aoraha Marawge, retired Christian journalist, 56, Enishke The Pope in Iraq, in Mesopotamia, in my land, is a dream come true. The real value in this visit is theme "We are all brothers" in faith in one God, as children of Abraham. This aspect gives us strength and positive energy to live in peace, practicing our prayers and our faith in freedom. I hope that his arrival will bring peace, stability, security and mutual respect between all religions and that the journey will take place in peace and in complete safety. Shamo Khoded Qolo, 49-year-old Yazidi, Peshmerga soldier from Sinjar We prepared for this visit by studying the figure of the pope. After we emigrated here to Enishke, Kurdistan, we loved him even more and we appreciate his closeness, the support for our cause, the fact that he sent Vatican representatives to visit us. For us Yazidis the Pope is a great man on a spiritual level. We are in his heart; we are not forgotten because he also thinks of us. We share the happiness of our Christian brothers and we participate in this expectation, because we have become one family. All of the events that have been organised are an encouragement to live together, accept one another, and have a great spiritual, social and cultural dimension. In Mosul he will see the destruction, with the helicopter flight he will also be able to see the devastation in Sinjar, my hometown, pray to heaven for all the Yazidi victims and work for the women who are still in the hands of ISIS. Finally, I hope he can encourage the government to rebuild Sinjar and we will stand by him in defending the weak and fighting for the good of the oppressed. Reeta Riyadh, 26-year-old Christian housewife, Karamles We welcome Pope Francis to Iraq with joy, an important visit for peace and dialogue. This takes on particular significance for Christians, who are experiencing difficult times in our country due to the violence of the recent past. Nori Faesl Younis, Sunni Muslim, teacher, Nineveh As an Iraqi citizen, Pope Francis' visit has great significance for me. Iraq is thirsty for visits like this, we need encouragement, a stimulus to arise and rebuild after the destruction and corruption. His coming will do a lot for the country, drawing the world's attention to us, strengthening relations on a religious and cultural level, capturing glances on our history, culture, civilization, the coexistence of religions. I also hope he will be a harbinger of peace after the divisions, fanaticism and extremism that has been instilled in us. And I also hope that his motto "We are all Brothers" will take root in our hearts, in all Iraqis, that he can plant the seed of peace and love that Jesus Christ taught to humanity. For this we want to pray together with Christians, so that they too remain attached to this land, the land of their fathers, and do not think about migrating to foreign nations. Riyadh Gilyana, 60-year-old Christian father of a family, Karamles This it is a historic event, the first Pope to visit Iraq to see with his own eyes and get to know the condition of Christians first hand. This takes on even greater value after all the violence, destruction, displacement and devastation of homes [at the hands of ISIS and jihadist groups]. We really hope that this trip can be a gesture of goodwill towards all Iraqi citizens. Shamy Hawel Iskharia, 34-year-old Christian teacher and catechist, Duhok The arrival of the Pope carries three messages: hope, peace and coexistence. For some time, the country has been waiting for a visit by a Pope, a dream for St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI that finds fulfilment with Francis, who will realize the idea of his predecessors. His motto is an invitation that applies to us and to the whole world, that of being brothers. And in meeting with all the religious leaders in Ur, the land of Abraham, he will give a great boost, a strong encouragement to human fraternity. Finally, we would like the Pope through this visit to tell all Iraqis, all religious leaders and politicians that we are brothers and sisters in this suffering nation. No more refugees, no more violence, no more killing each other! (END OF PART ONE) The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. The largest Protestant adoption and foster agency in the U.S. announced Monday that they will begin to provide services to gay couples and members of the LGBT community, prompting faith leaders to express their disappointment on the matter. Monday marked a major change for Bethany Christian Services, which announced their decision to serve gay couples and members of the LGBT community "effective immediately." In an email to more than 1,500 staff members of the 77 year-old Protestant adoption and foster agency, president and chief executive Chris Palusky said that they would "now offer services with the love and compassion of Jesus to the many types of families who exist in our world today." Bethany Christian Services, which operates in 32 states across America, has facilitated over 3,400 foster placements and 1,100 adoptions and are looking to serve gay couples, who are now protected by recently passed Equality Act. This newly passed legislation aims to "prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation," which means that faith-based foster and adoption agencies may face charges in the event that a gay couple will be discriminated against when applying to adopt a child. Nathan Bult, senior vice president of Bethany Christian Services said in a statement to The Christian Post that while "discussions about doctrine are important," they are not losing focus on their "sole job" to evaluate a family's capacity to provide a safe and stable environment for their foster child. Bult reiterated that Bethany Christian Services is committed to working with churches to find families for vulnerable children and place these kids in loving homes. He explained the importance of "building a broad coalition of Christians'' to carry out that mission. Bult called for unity in their "ambitious mission" to be agents of Jesus' love and compassion and encouraged "Christians with diverse beliefs" to support their cause. However, Bethany Christian Services' decision to serve gay couples earned negative comments from faith leaders. According to The Christian Post, Southern Baptist leader Al Mohler criticized the largest Protestant adoption and foster agency in the U.S. for deciding to "meet the demands of the moral revolutionaries," who are forcing everyone to "pivot and "[absolutely] surrender to the demands of the LGBTQ community." Focus on the Family's Jim Daly took to Twitter to condemn the government's decision to pass the Equality Act, writing, "Bethany Christian Services should not have to choose between holding to their deeply held religious convictions and serving children and families. No government should tell any ministry how to run their ministry, let alone violate deeply held biblical principles." Bethany Christian Services should not have to choose between holding to their deeply held religious convictions and serving children and families. No government should tell any ministry how to run their ministry, let alone violate deeply held biblical principles. Jim Daly (@DalyFocus) March 2, 2021 President of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission Russell Moore expressed how "disappointed" he was with Bethany Christian Services' decision to serve gay couples, as it would "harm already existing efforts to enable faith-based orphan care ministries to serve the vulnerable without capitulating on core Christian convictions." Headquartered in Michigan, Bethany Christian Services was forced to serve gay couples in the state since 2019 following a lawsuit settlement that resulted in the change. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 04:34:57|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TEHRAN, March. 2 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday urged the United States to lift sanctions to save the nuclear deal, which is also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), official IRNA news agency reported. "JCPOA is by no means renegotiable, and the only way to protect and revive it is to remove sanctions by the United States," Rouhani made the remarks in a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron. Iran's gradual retreat from its nuclear obligations is due to the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA as well as the "inability" of Britain, France and Germany to fulfill their nuclear commitments, Rouhani said, stressing that Iran will re-embrace its obligations immediately if other parties of the deal adhere to their undertakings. Iran's recent suspension of the voluntary implementation of the additional protocol of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is within the framework of the law passed by the Iranian parliament, he said. In the meantime, "our cooperation with the IAEA continues and we have never left the JCPOA," he stressed. On Feb. 23, Iran stopped implementation of the voluntary measures including the IAEA additional protocol, as envisaged in the JCPOA, which are beyond safeguard agreement. Enditem Swollen lymph nodes are appearing on mammograms across the country. Usually, this is a sign of breast cancer, but if you've recently been vaccinated, your body is likely reacting to the coronavirus vaccine. Medical Director of the Breast Center at Huntsville Hospital, Dr. Libby Shadinger, said she's seeing a patient every other day with lymph nodes swollen on the same side of the body where the coronavirus vaccine was injected. "I just saw a case yesterday of a patient who had her vaccination six weeks ago and came in for her screening mammogram, and we saw some swollen lymph nodes on the side of her injection," said Dr. Shadinger. "She did not feel the nodes herself, but we did see them on the mammography." Ericka Hopkins, a nurse in North Alabama, said she got her second dose of the vaccine and felt tenderness. "I began to feel it. It was noticeably enlarged," said Hopkins. The swollen nodules Hopkins had after getting the vaccine support what radiologists have been seeing in images. Dr. Shadinger said as more people get vaccinated in the state, more patients will show swollen lymph nodes on their mammograms. She explained the reaction in your body is a response. "We're seeing a foreign pathogen in our lymph nodes and our immune system is becoming activated, which is exactly what we want from the body," said Dr. Shadinger. "It just, unfortunately, adds a little confusion to imaging." Women who are still concerned over their swollen lymph nodes or have a medical history of breast cancer can still get a biopsy. It's advised that you and your doctor make that decision together. Doctors are recommending that you try to schedule your mammograms before getting your coronavirus vaccine. If you're unable to do so, it's recommended after getting your vaccine to wait four to six weeks before making your mammogram appointment. Met Police said they were aware of the dance group but no officer was free to investigate A salsa dance group were spotted appearing to break lockdown rules to hold a dance class in a London park - but they escaped possibly being fined when the police didn't turn up. A shocked passerby spotted the group of around ten people playing music and dancing without wearing masks. The dancers at point even paired up to hold each other as they practised their moves in Battersea Park. But despite Met Police being alerted to the possible breach of Covid restrictions, the group later walked off without fines after officers failed to show up. Passerby Andrea, who captured the scenes, said she was 'shocked' by the dancers who appeared to be openly flouting lockdown rules. She said: 'I was just shocked that they were less than two metres from each other. 'Nobody was wearing a mask. When you're dancing you talk loudly, you breathe [heavily].' 'These are the spreaders,' she added. Andrea said she and a friend had been on a walk but stopped to take in the scenes for around 15 minutes, at which point the dancing did not stop on Sunday night. A salsa dance group were spotted appearing to break lockdown rules to hold a dance class in a Battersea Park, south London - but they escaped possibly being fined when the police didn't turn up In the video, at least five couples can be seen holding each other as crowds of people gather around the bandstand to watch them dance as music blasts from a speaker. It is not clear if each couple is from the same household. According to lockdown rules, you can meet one other person from a different household outside for exercise, but you must remain two metres apart. Government rules stipulate: 'You may exercise on your own, with one other person, or with your household or support bubble. This should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area. 'You cannot meet other people you do not live with, or have not formed a support bubble with, unless for a permitted reason. 'Stay two metres apart from anyone not in your household or support bubble.' Wandsworth Council said parks police were not alerted to the group, who seemingly were allowed to carry on their dancing. A spokesperson for the Council said all events in the park are banned. A Met Police spokesman said: 'We were made aware but it looks like officers didn't attend. It may be the case that officers in the Battersea area were busy dealing with other incidents.' They added: 'No action was taken and no FPNs (fixed penalty notices) were given.' It comes as another group of people in Hampshire were fined a total of 2,000 after police caught them having a birthday party in the early hours. Officers arrived at an address in the centre of Southampton to find presents being exchanged at around 4.30am. In Wrexham, a group of men were caught by police enjoying a golf on a closed course. Three men were reported to police on Saturday, February 27, after they were seen playing nine holes at Moss Valley Golf Club. Each partygoer was reported for summons and slapped with 200 fixed penalty notices for breaching current lockdown restrictions. A spokesperson for Hampshire Constabulary said: 'It's incidents like this that place increased and unnecessary pressure on the NHS. Anyone who does not follow the regulations faces enforcement action.' And in Wrexham, a group of men were caught by police enjoying a golf on a closed course. Three men were reported to police on Saturday, February 27, after they were seen playing nine holes at Moss Valley Golf Club. The golf club is currently closed to members and the public as a result of the lockdown. Two police cars were seen attending the green, before one of the men was arrested and, according to a witness, was put in handcuffs. North Wales Police said they were all reported for flouting the rules, before being moved on. Speaking to North Wales Live, a club member who wanted to remain anonymous, said: 'When I got down to the car park, the police had one of them in handcuffs. 'The police had been called by some resident nearby. Two police cars were seen attending the green, before one of the men was arrested and, according to a witness, was put in handcuffs 'They had clubs with them. They never had a bag. They just carried their clubs singly. They played nine holes.' The member said it was not the first time they've had reports of people illegally accessing the golf course during lockdown. Last summer, some were reported to have had barbecues on one of the greens, with claims others had removed wooden fencing from the car park to access the locked grounds to take their dogs walking. The anonymous member added: 'It's annoying because our members aren't even allowed to exercise on their own there at the moment. 'Our senior section, who are from about 80 up to 89, who have been itching to just go and do a bottom loop just to do some exercise, are not even able to do that. 'So to see people sneaking on to the course and actually going to play is frustrating. A spokesman for North Wales Police, said: 'Three men were reported for breaches at Moss Valley. 'One was arrested and they were sent on their way after being reported.' New Delhi: With the death of 30 children in the last 48 hours at a government hospital in Uttar Pradeshs Gorakhpur due to shortage of oxygen, the Union Government has approved setting up of medical centre to research on children diseases. The decision was announced by Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Sunday during a press conference along with Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath. Nadda addressing the media said, Before coming here, I had approved the establishment of a regional medical research centre in Gorakhpur, at a cost of Rs 85 crore. The minister added that the institute will conduct research into the infections of children and their possible reasons. Adityanath during the conference said, The geography of east Uttar Pradesh is such that we cannot win the war against vector-borne diseases. He added, To win the war against vector-borne diseases we need a full-fledged viral research centre." Nadda said that Adityanath used to raise the issue of Japanese Encephalitis during every session of the parliament which has been claiming lives of several children from the last few years. The Union health minister added the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed concern over the deaths. PM Modi is constantly monitoring the situation, said Nadda. "The Government of India is extending all possible support to the state government," he added. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. America Talks: Join us and #ListenFirst in a virtual conversation with another American [March 03, 2021] Vintage Investment Partners appoints Hamutal Meridor as a Venture Partner TEL AVIV, Israel, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Vintage Investment Partners, a global technology investment firm combining secondary funds, direct co-investment funds, and fund-of-funds, announced today that Hamutal Meridor has joined as a Venture Partner. During the last 6 years, Hamutal was at Palantir as the General Manager of the Israeli branch. Before that, she headed the Web Intelligence Division at Verint. She was also an entrepreneur for several years, following a tenure as a Program Manager at Microsoft and YaData, a data analytics startup acquired by Microsoft. Hamutal was a founding member of "Cracking the Glass Ceiling", a non-profit promoting girls from social and geographic peripheries to STEM. She holds a BSc in Computer Science & Cognitive Science from the Hebrew University and an MSc in Natural Language Processing from the University of Edinburgh. Alan Feld, Founder and General Partner of Vintage, commented "I am honored to welcome Hamutal Meridor to the Vintage family. I have known Hamutal for the last 10 years and am thrilled that she has agreed to jon us. She brings a ton of experience in the AI space to Vintage and helps deepen our coverage in this crucial area. In addition to everything else, she is a wonderful person". "I'm thrilled to be joining the excellent team at Vintage, led by my long-time mentor and friend, Alan. I believe Vintage is uniquely positioned to leverage the opportunities offered during these unprecedented times. I look forward to contributing from my experience in the Big Data and AI space, working with their wonderful portfolio across multiple investment strategies, and further expanding it in the future." Hamutal Meridor added. ABOUT VINTAGE: Vintage Investment Partners is a global venture platform combining Secondary Funds, Direct Co-Investment Funds, and Fund-of-Funds. With over $2.1b AUM across 12 funds in Israel, Europe, and the U.S., the firm is invested in several of the world's leading venture funds and late-stage startups and has exposure directly and indirectly to over 2,200 technology companies. Vintage leverages its unmatched network, and a database of over 8,500 companies to provide the Value-Added Services (VAS), a free-of-charge service, connecting thousands of venture-backed technology startups to hundreds of corporations seeking innovation. VAS has a proven model that has helped generate nearly 200 POs and POCs globally. Media contact person: Danielle Bash Head of Marketing danielleb@vintage-ip.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vintage-investment-partners-appoints-hamutal-meridor-as-a-venture-partner-301239500.html SOURCE Vintage Investment Partners [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Its hard to know whos getting more column inches at the moment Meghan Markle, Nicola Sturgeon or Rishi Sunak. We eagerly wait to hear from all three. The Duchess of Sussex is set to raise the issue of race in her upcoming Oprah interview, as she reveals her time in the royal household was made almost unsurvivable. Speaking of survival, Sturgeon will be fighting for her political life when she reveals her side of the Alex Salmond saga this morning. And Sunak is hoping his tell-all Budget statement at lunchtime will help businesses survive the stormy months ahead. Inside the bubble Political commentator Andrew Grice on what to look out for today: Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 3) Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque has likened the coronavirus lockdown to a "prolonged vacation" a remark which instantly drew the ire of Filipinos still grappling with the effects of the pandemic. In his briefing on Tuesday, Roque defended President Rodrigo Duterte's earlier decision to lessen non-working days as part of the administration's efforts to spur economic recovery. He said the country "has long been on a vacation" due to the pandemic. "Napakatagal na po nating nakabakasyon. Halos isang taon na tayong nagbakasyon dahil sa COVID-19," Roque said, noting that it was the government's economic team that advised to add Nov. 2, and Dec. 24 and 31 to the list of "special working holidays" in the country. [Translation: We have been on a vacation for so long. For almost a year we have been on a vacation because of COVID-19.] But in a statement sent to reporters on Wednesday, Roque clarified that he was only describing the situation of Filipinos who need to regain their sources of income as the economy slowly reopens. "Ang konteksto lang nito, talagang maraming tao ang hindi nakapaghanapbuhay dahil dito sa pandemiyang ito. Kaya nga ninanais ng economic team na makahabol naman tayo," he said. [Translation: The context of this is that, there are really a lot of people who lost their means of income because of the pandemic. That's why the economic team wants us to catch up.] "Hindi naman po talaga bakasyon 'yan, kung hindi, hindi nakapagtatrabaho (It's not really a vacation, but rather not being able to work)," he added. But Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas said such statement was "insensitive and downright offensive." "Para sa Malacanang, ang isang taong pandemya ay isang bakasyon lamang habang para sa mahihirap, ito ay isang walang hanggang bangungot dulot ng kawalan ng ayuda at kabuhayan," Brosas said in a statement. [Translation: For Malacanang, the year-long pandemic is only a vacation while for the poor, it is a never-ending nightmare without any aid or means of income.] Brosas also recalled Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa's public sigh of relief at the early end of a Senate hybrid session last year that was shown live on television, which netizens also called at the time as insensitive in the middle of the raging pandemic. "Tama nga siguro ang sinabi ni Senator Bato dela Rosa: masarap nga talaga ang buhay ng mga malalapit sa Presidente," Brosas said. [Translation: Maybe what Senator Bato dela Rosa said was right: Those who are close to the President are living a comfortable life.] RELATED: 'Mahirap na ang buhay:' Senators tell Dela Rosa to attend session physically Frankie Pangilinan, the daughter of opposition Senator Francis Pangilinan, also slammed Roque's remark. "Lockdown, school and work at home, and forced isolation [is not equal to] a vacation. People have died. How heartbreaking," she tweeted. As early as October 2020, Malacanang had dropped its months-old "stay at home" campaign and started calling on Filipinos to go on vacations after the government loosened quarantine restrictions. Roque has also been showcasing popular tourist spots in his out-of-town briefings as his "personal advocacy" to help the country's tourism sector. However, he denied that these were being done out of leisure. READ: Roque on Boracay opening: 'Panahon na para magbakasyon' CNN Philippines' Triciah Terada contributed to this report. Crop Association Honors UW Extension Entomologist for Diagnosing Pest Problems UW Extension entomologist Scott Schell helps a youngster at his exhibit during a field day at the Powell Research and Extension Center. (UW Photo) University of Wyoming Extension entomologist Scott Schell has received the Wyoming Crop Improvement Association (WCIA) Excellence in Service Award for his contributions to the Wyoming seed industry. Schell was selected for his efforts in diagnosing a complex of insect pests that devastated smooth bromegrass production in northern Wyoming over the last two years -- and for providing guidance on how management could retain that production opportunity. We are proud of Scott Schell and this recognition of his service to Wyoming agricultural producers, says Kelly Crane, director of UW Extension. Scott is an outstanding extension specialist with an unquestionable commitment to responding to the needs of Wyoming community members with technically accurate, relevant and engaging educational programs in entomology. Gary White, a seed production fieldman for Allied Seeds LLC, had noticed a drop in seed yields for smooth bromegrass and reached out to Schell for help. I suspected a bug problem and needed help with the first step in finding a solution, a literature search, White says. Scott helped me with that and volunteered to help with whatever may be found the following season in the grass seed fields. As the growing season progressed, White shared photos and sent samples to Schell. I know it was difficult for Scott, as he informed me he was working from home, but had a microscope and would be able to examine the insect samples if I would send them to his residence, White says. In my opinion, Scott went above and beyond what he had to, to help with this seed production problem. Schells work determined there was more than just one pest causing damage. Some of the insect pests, such as thrips, wheat stem maggot and the wheat head armyworm, are impacting other grasses as well, so the economic impact of his efforts is significant, says Mike Moore, manager of the Wyoming Seed Certification Service, located at UWs Powell Research and Extension Center. Schells efforts related to previous work, such as providing a greater understanding of the lygus bug life cycles, and improving control efforts for the pest that impacts alfalfa and sainfoin seed production in the state. Schell dissected alfalfa stem samples sent by White a few years ago to help with an issue related to alfalfa seed production. Remarkably, Scott dissected those stems and made some groundbreaking photos of alfalfa weevil nymphs exiting stems through the floral buds, White says. Until Scott did that work, everyone thought the larvae exited the stems just above ground level. Those photos helped White better communicate with contract seed producers how and why to control alfalfa weevil to produce higher quality and better yielding alfalfa seed. Assessment of the samples, and communication with follow-up questions, was fast and showed an exceptional commitment to helping, Moore says. Schells efforts led to the creation of a presentation at the WCIA meeting last month to help growers understand the pests. It is not often that someone can have such a significant impact on an agricultural enterprise that is anything but new, and the WCIA is very grateful, Moore says. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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. (CNN) FBI Director Chris Wray told lawmakers Tuesday that the FBI has not seen any evidence indicating that the rioters who took part in the January 6 US Capitol attack were "fake Trump protesters," knocking down a baseless claim that has been pushed by Republican Sen. Ron Johnson in recent weeks as he has sought to downplay the violence committed by supporters of former President Donald Trump. Testifying publicly for the first time since pro-Trump rioters breached the Capitol nearly two months ago, Wray was pressed by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Dick Durbin on whether the FBI has seen any evidence that individuals involved in the January 6 attack were posing as Trump supporters a claim the Illinois Democrat called "the next big lie." "We have not seen evidence of that, at this stage, certainly," Wray responded when Durbin asked if he had seen any evidence the riot was organized by "fake Trump protesters," referring to comments Johnson made during a Senate hearing last week in which he also claimed those involved in the attack were "agents provocateurs." Most Republicans on the panel did not embrace these conspiracies, but the baseless claim that left-wing infiltrators were responsible for the violent attack has been promoted by Trump's impeachment lawyers, several GOP lawmakers and at least one speaker at the Conservative Political Action Conference last week. On Tuesday, Wray made clear that Antifa and other left-wing groups were not part of the violence on January 6, which he called "domestic terrorism" even as several Republicans sought to use the hearing as an opportunity to highlight the threat posed by those groups rather than focus on the Capitol attack. "We have not, to date, seen any evidence of anarchist violent extremists or people subscribing to Antifa in connection to the 6th," Wray told the Senate committee. More than 260 defendants many of them professing allegiance to Trump, disgust for Congress, and supportive of revolution have been charged in federal court related to their actions in and around the US Capitol siege on January 6. Previously, nearly a dozen Trump supporters charged in connection with the US Capitol insurrection have said that Antifa and other left-wing groups weren't involved in the attack, further debunking the conspiracy among Trump supporters. Additionally, Wray testified Tuesday that the FBI is "not aware of any widespread evidence of voter fraud that would have affected the outcome in the election," undercutting a false narrative that was repeatedly pushed by Trump and his allies during the 2020 campaign. Many Republicans on Capitol Hill have continued to push unfounded accusations of widespread election fraud, which Trump critics have taken to calling "the Big Lie," in the weeks since the January 6 attack despite evidence that such claims helped fuel the deadly riot and warnings they continue to motivate domestic extremists. Wray dodges opportunity to denounce lawmakers who endorse QAnon While Wray spent much of Tuesday's hearing dispelling dangerous false claims, he dodged an opportunity to denounce lawmakers who endorse the QAnon conspiracy theories. Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal said he was "disappointed" Wray sidestepped an opportunity to condemn elected officials who have amplified the QAnon claims when asked if they are contributing to the threat of domestic extremism by doing so. "Well, certainly we are concerned about the QAnon phenomenon which we view as a sort of loose, sort of set of conspiracy theories, and we've certainly seen domestic violent extremists of the sort that you're describing, who cite that as part of their motivation. And so that's something that we do," Wray said. Blumenthal interrupted Wray for not immediately condemning the idea that lawmakers support the insurrectionists and asked the question in another way: "When members of Congress, as has happened endorse the QAnon theory, doesn't it worsen the threat of violence?" But Wray still did not take the opportunity to denounce the behavior, prompting Blumenthal to make clear he was disappointed by the response and intends to follow up on the issue in another setting. In October, CNN reported that several congressional candidates engaged with the QAnon conspiracy theory of those mentioned, Marjorie Taylor Greene went on to win a seat in Georgia's 14th Congressional District. Wray pressed on 'Norfolk memo' Wray's team of federal investigators is currently chasing thousands of leads in twin efforts to prosecute people involved in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol and to try to prevent feared follow-up attacks in Washington and around the country. While federal law enforcement officials have sought to reassure the American public in the months since the riot that they are up to the task on both fronts, their public remarks also lay bare the enormity of the challenge they face in tracking potential threats to not only the nation's capital, but across the country. Law enforcement officials have indicated to CNN that authorities missed key signs ahead of the siege, which left five dead and the Capitol ransacked, and the FBI's preparations leading up to the day of the attack have come under scrutiny. On Tuesday, Wray defended the FBI's sharing of critical information about possible threats to the Capitol ahead of January 6, including its handling of the "Norfolk memo," which has become central to questions about whether law enforcement agencies protecting the Capitol had enough sound intelligence before the siege to prepare. Wray described how the FBI shared an intelligence report about online chatter before January 6 quickly, in three ways with other law enforcement agencies, after receiving the information from the FBI's Norfolk field office. His answers to at least three senators' questions on Tuesday about the Norfolk report fill out where and how the intelligence was shared, and stands in contrast to testimony last week from law enforcement chiefs around the Capitol who largely blamed security failures on a lack of intelligence that had been communicated. The Norfolk report was passed to law enforcement partners, Wray said, including the Capitol Police and metro police within an hour of it being received. It was shared in three ways: an email to the Joint Terrorism Task Force, a verbal command post briefing in the Washington field office and at FBI headquarters that involved police in DC, and through the law enforcement portal, according to Wray. "In a perfect world we would have taken longer to figure out whether it was reliable, but we made the judgment, our folks made the judgment to get that information to the relevant people as quickly as possible, like I said, three different ways, in order to leave as little as possible to chance," Wray said. Wray called the memo "raw, unverified, uncorroborated information" that had been gathered from online posts, but was notable enough for the FBI to share with police in Washington almost immediately. "It's more than just an email," Wray said. Wray did not see the Norfolk report until after the 6th, he added. "As to why the information didn't flow to people in all the departments ... I don't have an answer for that," he said later. FBI gaining intelligence through arrests Charging documents continue to reveal new information about the extremists who took part in the US Capitol attack, including members of right-wing militant groups who prosecutors have charged with conspiracy-related crimes. Yet lawmakers have indicated they remain less clear on the threat these types of individuals continue to pose and have unsuccessfully pressed law enforcement officials to justify the heightened security posture on Capitol Hill. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told CNN last month that officials are not currently tracking any "credible or specific threats," but continue to constantly monitor online chatter about potential violence in Washington, DC, and against members of Congress. But despite testifying for more than three hours on Tuesday, Wray revealed very little about how the FBI gathers intelligence on domestic extremists or whether it plans to change its approach based on what occurred on January 6. One of the few insights he did provide is that the FBI is "always looking to develop more and better sources" to combat domestic terrorism and counterterrorism threats, but the key to gaining intelligence is through arrests. He also told lawmakers that says the more arrests the FBI makes, "the more from those cases we learn about who else their contacts are, what their tactics are, what their strategies are ... and that makes us smarter and better able to get in front of the threat, going forward." This story has been updated with additional developments Tuesday. CNN's Jeff Zeleny, Whitney Wild, Ali Zaslav and Manu Raju contributed to this report. This story was first published on CNN.com "FBI Director Wray knocks down conspiracy theory that January 6 rioters were 'fake Trump protesters'" M1 MacBook users claimed that Apple holds their Apple ID hostage once they fail to pay for the new laptop. They said that their Apple Music and other applications are being locked, even if they trade an old MacBook device. Also Read: Apple Leak Suggests Battery Pack Capable of Charging iPhone 12 and AirPods at the Same Time! According to 9to5Mac's latest report, Dustin Curtis, a popular designer, and investor was the one that experienced the issue. He said that his Apple ID was locked when the sequence of events meant that the Cupertino company was unable to collect his payment from his Apple Card. The user added that his Apple accounts were also locked, including Apple iCloud, App Store, and Apple Music. Before his Apple ID was blocked, the designer confirmed that he received an email, but he subsequently worked out the sequence of events. "The internet is filled with stories from people whose Google accounts were locked for unexplained reasons, causing them to lose all of their data, including years of email, so I was somewhat concerned," he said via his official blog post. "But I'd never heard of similar cases involving Apple's services, and I wouldn't expect such behavior from a customer-focused company like Apple, so I figured it was a glitch and made a mental note to try again later," he added. What happened to the M1 Mac user? In his blog report, the user said he bought the latest M1 MacBook Pro from Apple's official website. Curtis added that he even traded an old MacBook Pro since trade-in was offered. After that, the company told him that he would receive packaging for his old device. Apple also stated that he has two weeks to return it to complete the transaction. However, he didn't receive the packaging. The complainant said that because there was no package, he forgot about the remaining balance. Although he tried to contact the company's customer service and said that he will wait for the packaging, Apple still tried to charge his Apple Card for the remaining balance. After a few days, Apple emailed him and told him that his account was blocked since he failed to pay for the full amount. The company advised him to contact the Apple Card helpline at Goldman Sachs so that he can resolve the issue. Whose fault is this? Although it might seem that the issue is on Apple's side, reports confirmed that the issue only occurred because Curtis was not able to trade in his old device before the 14-day deadline. On the other hand, the user also had no valid autopay method associated with his Apple Card. You can click here for more details. For more news updates about Apple and other tech giant manufacturers, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. This article is owned by TechTimes. Written by: Giuliano de Leon. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The historic Villa Guastavillani, headquarters of the Bologna Business School (BBS) The business footprint and the study of markets is a fundamental chapter, the WSET courses are complete and highly professional for anyone wishing to develop a career in the sector: this is why we are convinced that ambitious BBS students will benefit from this opportunity. The doors of the historic Villa Guastavillani, headquarters of the Bologna Business School (BBS), will open from 20 to 22 May to host a WSET course run by the Italian Wine Academy of Verona. This is an opportunity for students enrolled in the Global Master to obtain a globally recognised qualification, (subject to passing the final exam), and to study in depth, from a business-oriented viewpoint, the positioning of wine on the international market, as well as wine-growing, bottling and product distribution techniques. BBS, a firmly established international management training body, has more than 1300 students each year, offers more than 50 training programmes and its walls represent the oldest university in the West. Students enrolled in the Global MBA in Food and Wine are aspiring managers and entrepreneurs capable of guiding the growth and internationalisation of companies operating in the food and beverage sector. In May, the path of the Global MBA students will intersect with the experience of the Italian Wine Academy, an Approved Programme Provider (APP) of WSET courses, a qualification that abroad is considered a must in the wine industry. WSET certifications, in fact, are professional qualifications, internationally recognised and applicable all over the world, issued by the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a leading London-based institute for training in wine and spirits. Italian Wine Academy was the first institute to officially bring these certifications to the city of Vinitaly, Verona. The Academy's headquarters are hosted by the Vinitaly International Academy in the wine2digital spaces, adjacent to the Veronafiere offices, and upcoming courses can be viewed on the Academy's official website (http://www.italianwineacademy.org). Students enrolled on the MBA in Food and Wine will benefit from wine training that is perfectly in line with the master's programme and which, last year, received excellent feedback from students and teachers. The business approach and the strong international focus are the points that the two training organisations have in common, and which have led them to collaborate in order to offer students a 360 knowledge of wine. The Italian Wine Academy was thinking precisely of internationality when it chose Rebecca Lawrence as its guide for the lessons: a native English-speaking DipWSET educator. Dr Lawrence, in fact, is a Wine Educator, Education Development Consultant, Italian Wine Specialist and author, coming directly from the WSET London School. "The beauty of this collaboration," comments Rebecca Lawrence, "is the common vision that BBS and IWA share. We strongly believe that in the world of wine it is essential to learn an international, shared and objective language. In order to be able to talk about wine abroad, it is necessary to learn the terms of the sector, to be able to describe a wine, letting subjectivity, mostly cultural, which we often rely on, and make mistakes, take a back seat. Lawrence continues: "The business footprint and the study of markets is a fundamental chapter, the WSET courses are complete and highly professional for anyone wishing to develop a career in the sector: this is why we are convinced that ambitious BBS students will benefit from this opportunity to be able to better position themselves in the Food and Beverage market, once they have completed their studies." The course, scheduled from 20 to 22 May, will adapt to the rules in force in compliance with anti-Covid regulations and, if necessary, will be carried out online. The Italian Wine Academy is not new to this scenario: it already has a tried and tested distance-learning formula, which has proved to be as effective as an in-person course. Students will receive tasting samples and follow the lessons via the Zoom videoconferencing platform. Last year, the Academy achieved a record 100% pass rate for students enrolled in the WSET L2 online course: a great result that meets the challenges of the new normal. About: the Italian Wine Academy is a wine school based in Verona, and it is an Approved Programme Provider qualified to teach WSET wine courses. WSET - Wine & Spirit Education Trust is the worlds largest provider of education on wine and spirits. WSET qualifications are globally recognized as the international standard in wine and spirit knowledge for wine professionals and enthusiasts. Vinitaly International Academy hosts WSET at wine2digital, next to the headquarters of Veronafiere. MBABANE There are 10 dormant government accounts that have incurred bank charges which outweigh the interest earned in those accounts. The inactive programme accounts, according to the Auditor General, Timothy Matsebula, need to be closed with immediate effect as they are causing a drain to government coffers, with some of them being overdrawn and accumulating bank charges. He said this was discovered during the financial year ended March 31, 2020. The bank charges exceeded interest earned and continued to accumulate deficit that resulted in overdrawn investment balances and depleted the bank balances (cash position), stated the AG in his Consolidated Government Accounts Report for the financial year ended March 31, 2020. The report was tabled by the Minister of Finance, Neal Rijkenberg and is yet to be deliberated and adopted by the Public Accounts Committee and by Parliament at large. Among the dormant accounts are the Swaziland Higher Education Council Accounts, Swaziland Government UNICEF on Education and Training and the Swaziland Government Statistical Capacity Building Account. The others are the Special Care Medical Aid (Phalala) Fund 2 and the Swaziland Government Commonwealth Judges. Matsebula stated that the accountant general and the responsible controlling officers were requested to evaluate the economic perspective of the dormant or inactive accounts and recommend accordingly. The AG further advised the accountant general that it was not economically prudent to keep an account with no activity (transaction) except for the bank charges exceeding the interest earned and reducing the cash balance (position). If there are no ongoing programmes/activities for the dormant or inactive accounts, it is economically wise to bring such accounts to closure and transfer the remaining bank balance to the General Account, to avoid any further reduction of available cash through bank charges, reported Matsebula. He recommended that the accountant general should engage the respective controlling officer to close dormant accounts, because they continue to deplete the cash balance of government. Overdrawn In the case of the Swaziland Government Statistical Capacity Building Account, the AG reported that the account had no activity except for the bank charges of E618.58, which included a debit interest due to the overdrawn bank balance. The bank balance was completely depleted from E51.76 to an overdrawn balance of E566.82, by the bank charges, noted Matsebula. He said this continued to incur bank charges and debit interest, both increases the debt that government has to settle with the bank, from public funds. The AG reiterated that in terms of value for money it was not economically sound to keep bank accounts active at the end of a project or programme. He said as such, if there was no immediate plan to carry on with the programme, the account should have been brought to closure immediately. In a response dated January 12, 2021, the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development stated that a written request was made to close the special account number 100016-2070-14 on March 24, 2020 to the accountant general. It was stated that the account had a negative balance of E513.33 as at February 29, 2020. However, there was allegedly no response from the accountant general, and the account remained accumulating bank charges which increases the overdrawn bank balance. This is an uncalled for loss of public funds. To avoid any further loss of public funds, the accountant general should close the account with immediate effect, otherwise be surcharged for this loss, stated the AG. LOS ANGELES At least 13 people were killed early Tuesday in what appeared to be one of the deadliest border-related crashes in recent decades, as a big rig slammed into an S.U.V. crammed with more than two dozen people. The crash occurred just after sunrise on the outskirts of Holtville, Calif., in the Imperial Valley, a rich agricultural region and a busy corridor for migrant smuggling. The impact threw passengers from the vehicle, a maroon Ford Expedition, the police said. Twelve were killed on the spot, and a 13th died in a nearby hospital, where several other passengers were also treated for injuries. Just thinking about it makes you sick to the stomach, said Michael Kelley, the chairman of Imperial Countys board of supervisors, adding that the area where the crash occurred was heavily traveled by farmworkers who cross the border to work in the local fields. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 13:44:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close YANGON, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin attended an informal meeting among foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Tuesday, state-run media reported on Wednesday. U Wunna Maung Lwin apprised the virtual meeting of voting irregularities in the November 2020 general elections, five roadmaps put forward by the State Administration Council, and the review of electoral voting lists by the Union Election Commission, among others, the report said. U Wunna Maung Lwin was appointed as the foreign minister by the State Administration Council, chaired by Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing. A one-year state of emergency was declared in Myanmar and state power was transferred to Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing after President U Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi were detained by the military on Feb. 1. The military alleged massive voting fraud in the 2020 general elections, which saw the National League for Democracy win a majority of seats in both houses of parliament. ASEAN foreign ministers said in a statement on Tuesday that the regional bloc is ready to assist Myanmar in a positive, peaceful and constructive manner. ASEAN, founded in 1967, groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Enditem A state appeals court had voided the second-degree murder conviction for Anthony U. Starks in a brutal central Pennsylvania homicide, but it wont do him much good. In the same opinion, the Superior Court panel upheld Starks first-degree murder conviction for the October 2018 slaying of his sometime girlfriend Edna Pinder at a York County motel. So, the state court ruling simply means the 54-year-old Starks must still serve one life prison term instead of two. The first-degree murder verdict is solid since the evidence showed Starks deliberately killed Pinder, Judge Anne E. Lazarus wrote in the state courts opinion. However, the second-degree murder conviction was based too much on speculation, Lazarus found, because prosecutors didnt provide sufficient evidence that Starks intended to rob Pinder when he killed her. First-degree murder involves a premeditated killing with malice. Second-degree murder applies when a victim is killed during the commission of another crime, such as a robbery. Anthony U. Starks Pinders slaying at the Kings Inn Motel in York City was gruesome. Investigators said the 65-year-old woman was stabbed 14 times. Her daughter found Pinders corpse stuffed in a basket in the motel room. Mail addressed to Starks was scattered on the floor. Starks was captured in Baltimore while driving Pinders car. Baltimore police said they found Pinders credit cards in the pocket of Starks shirt. He was filmed pawning Pinders cell phone. Video from surveillance cameras at the motel also showed Starks leaving Pinders apartment carrying a bag and her TV and then driving away in Pinders car soon after the time investigators said Pinder was murdered, Lazarus noted. A county jury convicted Starks on the two murder counts in November 2019. On appeal to the state court, Starks contended prosecutors didnt provide sufficient evidence to support either of those convictions. He argues that his mere presence at the scene of the crime, before or during its commission, is insufficient to establish that he was the perpetrator, and that no reliable inference of guilt can be drawn from presence alone, Lazarus wrote. She dismissed that contention by concluding, Here, there was ample circumstantial evidence pointing directly to Starks as the only person who could have killed, Pinder. There were some evidentiary gaps regarding the second-degree murder conviction, though, Lazarus found. Evidence that Starks killed Pinder so he could rob her was lacking, she concluded. Any inferences the jury may have drawn from the evidence presented (regarding a robbery) could only have been based on pure speculation, Lazarus wrote. Indeed, given the facts possessed by the jury, it would have been equally reasonable to infer that Starks murdered (Pinder) and subsequently absconded with her property as an opportunistic afterthought. In sum, the commonwealth here failed to present any evidence that would allow a jury to reasonably infer, without simply guessing, that Starks possessed the intent to rob (Pinder) prior to or at the time he killed her, the state judge found. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. An Indonesian volcano erupted on Tuesday morning spewing a spectacular column of ash thousands of meters into a powder blue sky. Vulcanologists recorded 13 separate blasts as Mount Sinabung leapt to life, belching debris up to 5,000 meters above Sumatra. There was no immediate danger to life or property, authorities said, with a five-kilometer ring around the volcano having been left unoccupied over recent years. No evacuation orders have been issued, and there has been no reported flight disruption. But locals are taking no chances. "The residents are scared, many are staying indoors to avoid the thick volcanic ash," Roy Bangun, 41, told AFP. Muhammad Nurul Asrori, a monitoring officer at Sinabung, said Tuesday's plume of smoke and ash was the largest he had seen since 2010, and warned that it could still get bigger. "The large lava dome at any time could burst, causing a bigger avalanche of hot clouds," he said. Sinabung, a 2,460-meter volcano, was dormant for centuries before roaring back to life in 2010 when an eruption killed two people. After another period of inactivity, it erupted again in 2013 and has remained highly active since. In 2014, an eruption killed at least 16 people, while seven died in a 2016 blast. Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands and islets, has nearly 130 active volcanoes. It sits on the "Ring of Fire", a belt of tectonic plate boundaries circling the Pacific Ocean where frequent seismic activity occurs. Mount Merapi on Java island, one of the world's most active volcanoes, also erupted this week, spewing lava down one of its flanks. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Lawrence: Ryan, Johnson are Republicans willing to speak the truth columns .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) Republican Aubrey Dunn has raised nearly three times more campaign money than incumbent Democrat Ray Powell in the race for state land commissioner. According to finance reports filed Monday by the candidates, Dunn collected about $64,200 in cash and in-kind contributions since last year while Powell raised about $21,700. Dunns fundraising includes $15,000 in personal loans to the campaign. Dunn had cash-on-hand of $48,500 as of last week in his campaign account while Powell reported a cash balance of almost $45,000. In the race for secretary of state, Democratic challenger Maggie Toulouse Oliver has a fundraising advantage over Republican incumbent Dianna Duran. Oliver collected about $111,900 in contributions while Duran raised $82,800 in the past six months. Oliver reported cash-on-hand of about $95,000 and Duran had $83,000. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Members of the New Jersey National Guard deployed to the nations capital following the Jan. 6 insurrection were sickened by tainted food, according to Rep. Chris Smith, who has asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to investigate. Smith, R-4th Dist., said at least 30 New Jerseyans got sick over the last month including some last week from eating the food while they were deployed in the nations capital to protect the U.S. Capitol. This is outrageous, Smith told NJ Advance Media. The women and men deployed here from New Jersey and elsewhere to protect the Capitol deserve meals that are absolutely safe and healthful. Ive learned that dozens of National Guard members from New Jersey have gotten sick from tainted foodwith some vomiting in the Senate parking lot. New Jersey isnt alone. Members of Congress from Michigan have received similar reports from their Guard members. U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., reported that troops received raw ground beef and chicken without the feathers removed. In his letter to Pelosi, D-Calif., Smith wrote: The men and women deployed here from New Jersey and elsewhere to protect the Capitol deserve meals that are absolutely safe and healthful. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., expressed her concerns after hearing from the reports from Michigan, and will do again in response to Smiths letter, spokesman Drew Hammill said. He said the Capitol Police had offered to help but the National Guard did not accept the offer. At this point, this vendor should be discontinued, Hammill said. This is an unacceptable situation. The National Guard Bureau said in a statement that of the 26,000 members who were deployed after Jan. 6 and the 5,200 remaining in Washington, there had about 50 people treated for gastrointestinal complaints out of more than 1.2 million meals served. The bureau said no one had been hospitalized and six were treated at military facilities. The others were treated at aid stations. The National Guard continues to closely monitor the quality and safety of meals provided to its personnel, the bureau said. The state Guard said none of the reported illnesses came from the New Jersey members. Smith said he confirmed that there were 30 members from New Jersey who were sick, eight of them violently, but they might not have sought treatment. Gov. Phil Murphy sent about 500 New Jersey-based National Guard soldiers following the Capitol riots. Many of them have returned home but 333 remain on duty in Washington. There was no immediate response from Murphys office. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him at @JDSalant. Prime Minister of Slovakia Igor Matovic undermines the extremely friendly and sincere relations between Ukraine and Slovakia with his incorrect statements about the "exchange of Zakarpattia" for the COVID-19 vaccine of the Russian Federation, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba has said. "Make him exchange several regions of Slovakia. It is a pity that with his incorrect statements, the Slovak Prime Minister undermines the extremely friendly and sincere relations between Ukraine and Slovakia," Kuleba wrote on Twitter on Wednesday. According to media outlets, earlier, in response to a journalist's question about what Slovakia promised the Russian Federation for the supply of the vaccine, Matovic answered "Zakarpattia region of Ukraine". Later, the Prime Minister assured that he had not given promises to the Russian Federation, and made it clear that he was joking. The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, ordered a stay of proceedings in the ongoing trial of the former Head of Service (HoS), Winifred Oyo-Ita, and her co-defendants. The trial judge, Taiwo Taiwo, cited as his grounds for issuing the order, the prosecutions alleged act of defiance to his directive that the parallel proceedings initiated against the 4th, 5th and 6th defendants in the case before another judge of the court be terminated. The parallel case complained about by the judge involved an ex parte order obtained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from Folashade Giwa-Ogunbanjo, a judge of the same court in Abuja, for the freezing of the accounts of the three co-defendants. PREMIUM TIMES reported on February 11 that the judge threatened to withdraw from the case if EFCC continued to defy his directive for the withdrawal of the case filed before his colleague while the one before him was still pending. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Taiwo, on Wednesday, described EFCCs conduct as judge-shopping, aimed at getting a favourable court judgment. The judge said the anti-corruption agencys conduct was reprehensible and condemnable. Mr Taiwo, who was visibly angry with the anti-graft agencys action, said it was a contemptuous move. The judge then ordered a stay of proceedings in the trial until the EFCC and its lawyer do the needful by withdrawing the application before the other court. It was observed that the judge did not fix a date to reconvene sitting on the case before leaving the matter on Wednesday. NAN reports that while Oyo-Ita is the 1st defendant in the criminal case marked, FHC/ABJ/CR/60/2020, Garba Umar, and his two companies Slopes International Ltd and Gooddeal Investment Ltd the 4th, 5th and 6th defendants respectively. Other defendants in the case are, Frontline Ace Global Services Ltd and Asanaya Projects as 2nd and 3rd, while Ubong Okon Effiok and his two companies; U & U Global Services Ltd and Prince Mega Logistics Ltd are the 7th, 8th and 9th defendants, respectively. Backstory The defence had on December 1, 2020, reported to Mr Taiwo that EFCC surreptitiously obtained the controversial order freezing the accounts of the 4th to the 6th defendants from another judge, Ms Giwa-Ogunbanjo. Describing the development as an abuse of court process, the defence urged the court to adjourn the case indefinitely until the anti-corruption agency presented evidence that the accounts had been unfrozen. Mr Taiwo was displeased with the EFCC after listening to the defence lawyers. He said the prosecutions action was a slap on his face and demonstration of the commissions lack of confidence in his court. When the matter came up again on February 11, Mr Taiwo recalled that he had, on December 3, ordered EFCCs lawyer, Mohammed Abubakar, to close the case in the other court. He noted that the matter was adjourned the case till January 13, but still could not find anything in his file showing EFCC had taken steps in that direction. EFCCs defence Explaining EFCCs position on the issue, the prosecuting counsel, Mr Abubakar, said the commission only filed the exparte motion to obtain the freezing order, but it was the Chief Judge of the court who assigned it to Ms Giwa-Ogunbanjo. ADVERTISEMENT But the judge in response insisted the proceedings before Ms Giwa-Ogunbanjo must be terminated. He then adjourned the matter till February 24 (Wednesday). Trial suspended Clearly displeased that the prosecution had yet to withdraw the case before Ms Giwa-Ogunbanjo, Mr Taiwo, on Wednesday, ordered the suspension of the trial till when the anti-graft agency would do the needful. It is not clear yet if Mr Taiwos order staying proceedings in the case does not offend section 306 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, which prohibits all Nigerian courts from entertaining applications for stay of proceedings in criminal cases. The provisions of section 306 of ACJA was validated by the Supreme Court in a landmark judgment in June 2017. Ms Oyo-Ita and her co-defendants are being prosecuted for engaging in fraud in relation to Duty Tour Allowance, estacodes, conference fees and receiving kickbacks on contracts. (NAN) (Newser) A 30-page letter anonymously sent to the upper echelons of Australia's government last week contained a decades-old rape allegation, and the man accused spoke up on Wednesday. Attorney General Christian Porter confirmed the letter alleged that he raped a 16-year-old girl in 1988 and categorically denied that such a thing occurred. He said the letter claimed that he raped her at a high school debating tournament when he was 17, reports the BBC. "I did not sleep with the (alleged) victim. We didn't have anything of that nature happen between us," Porter said, per the AP. He remembered the classmate as an "intelligent, bright, happy person." She took her own life in June 2020 at age 49, and the New York Times reports it's unknown if there was any connection between that act and her rape claim. story continues below She had been in contact with New South Wales Police last year over the claim but did not make a formal statement. After her death the investigation was halted. The case was last week referred again to police who on Tuesday closed their probe due to "insufficient admissible evidence to proceed." Porter, 50, said he was waiting for that investigation to finish before coming forward, and that his plans are to stay in his post following a mental-health leave. Stepping down, he said, would set a precedent in which "any person in Australia can lose their job and their lifes work based on nothing more than an allegation." As for his time off, "I'm going to take a couple of short weeks leave just for my own sanity. I think that I will be able to return from that and do my job." Some are calling for an independent inquiry. (A rape claim made two weeks earlier rattled parliament.) climbed to a one-week high as risk appetite in returned and investors considered the regulatory issues facing cryptocurrencies. The digital token climbed 7 per cent to trade above $50,000 in early London trading. It was last trading at $51,607. On Tuesday, prices dipped 2.9 per cent after Gary Gensler, nominee for chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission, said that making sure crypto are free of fraud and manipulation is a challenge for the agency. Gensler, who served as a Commodity Futures Trading Commission chairman during the Obama administration, has been viewed as a strong advocate for digital assets. He serves as a senior advisor to the MIT Media Lab Digital Currency Initiative and teaches about blockchain technology and digital currencies. While the market reacted quickly to his comments, Gensler was largely positive about and cryptocurrencies, said John Wu, president of blockchain technology firm Ava Labs. Im hopeful the new administration will help foster innovation in blockchains, cryptocurrencies and digital assets, instead of stifling it. I'd love to tell you that spring is just around the corner, but given that last March felt more like a string of many Marches blurred together into one interminable March, it feels safer to say that spring is a thing we have reason to believe is coming and that will get here whenever it gets here. So that's nice. This March may find us in a similar state as the last one - socially distanced, together but alone, virtually wandering among the blossoms - but it does feel comparably more charged with hope. (Remember? The thing with feathers? That perches in the soul? And sings the tune without the words? And never stops at all?) In that spirit, and in hopes of a thaw that extends to every frozen end of our culture, here's a spring bunch of streams to get you through to warmer weather. - Washington Performing Arts Washington Performing Arts forges forth with two compelling new programs in its strong and steady Home Delivery Plus series. On Friday, Steven Banks - a saxophonist and evangelist for the horn's deserved place in the pit - is joined by pianist Xak Bjerken and Zora Quartet for a concert recorded Feb. 25 at Merkin Concert Hall in New York City, featuring Mozart's Oboe Quartet in F, K.370/368b, Schumann's Fantasiestucke, Op. 73, new works by Banks and premieres of works by Carlos Simon and Saad Haddad (co-commissioned by co-presenter Young Concert Artists). That stream is free and will be available until March 11. And on March 26, mezzo-soprano J'Nai Bridges will perform "Rising, Together," a program taping this weekend at Sixth & I, including works by Simon, Richard Danielpour, Damien Sneed, Margaret Bonds, Patrice Michaels, Xavier Montsalvatge, Florence Price and a piece composed for Bridges by Shawn Okpebholo. That stream is ticketed ($20) and available through April 1. washingtonperformingarts.org. - For the Love of Opera: Celebrating RBG's 88th Birthday Would that Supreme Court justice and lifelong opera lover Ruth Bader Ginsburg were still with us, we'd be celebrating her 88th birthday this month. Ginsburg (who punctuated her tenure on the bench with cameos on the stages of the Kennedy Center) died in September, but the sweep of the news left barely a moment to mourn. On March 15 at 8 p.m., Opera Philadelphia (in partnership with the National Museum of American Jewish History and the Lowell Milken Center for Music of American Jewish Experience at the University of California at Los Angeles's Herb Alpert School of Music) will present "For the Love of Opera: Celebrating RBG's 88th Birthday," a streaming (and on-demand) celebration of Ginsburg's favorite music. Tenor Joshua Blue, baritone Norman Garrett, sopranos Michelle Rice and Ashley Marie Robillard will perform arias by Verdi, Mozart, Puccini, Donizetti and more, accompanied by pianists Stephen Karr and Grant Loehnig. The program will also feature UCLA Director of Opera Peter Kazaras, WNO Artistic Director Francesca Zambello and tenor Lawrence Brownlee - who shared the stage with Ginsburg in WNO's 2016 production of Donizetti's "La Fille du Regiment." nmajh.org. - National Symphony Orchestra And as our minds hover around the Kennedy Center, if you listen closely, you can hear the sweet sound of maestro Gianandrea Noseda having at long last reunited with members of the National Symphony Orchestra - and it feels so good. Rehearsals and tapings are underway for a four-program series of streaming concerts to be released starting this month. The first of these programs, scheduled for a March 19 release - and available free via Facebook or the Kennedy Center's homepage and Digital Stage Plus platform - bookends Sibelius's "Valse triste" with symphonies by Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, (his First) and Mozart (his 40th). Forthcoming programs in the series - featuring works by Jessie Montgomery, William Grant Still, Igor Stravinsky ("Dumbarton Oaks"), Ottorino Respighi and more - will premiere as Digital Stage Plus releases on dates to be announced. kennedy-center.org/nso/home. - Caramoor Caramoor's rows may still be empty but the Music Room at its Rosen House in Katonah, N.Y., continues to host exciting programs well worth clicking into, and just announced its spring season of live-streaming concerts ($15-$45), including Thalea String Quartet (April 11), Callisto Quartet (May 2) and Junction Trio (May 23). The series kicks off March 21 with the pairing of bass-baritone Dashon Burton (an original member of the Grammy-winning Roomful of Teeth) and pianist David Fung. They'll play Schumann's complete "Dichterliebe" as well as works by Price, Bonds, John Dowland, Charles Brown, Ernest Charles, William Bolcom and a set of spirituals. An interactive Q&A with Fung and Burton will follow the program. caramoor.org. - Houston Symphony Orchestra Spring can't come a moment too soon for Houston, but a bright spot through the darkness of the pandemic and the devastation left by winter storms has been the stubbornly productive Houston Symphony Orchestra, which under CEO John Mangum and Music Director Andres Orozco-Estrada has kept live performances going with a strong series of weekly concerts for small, socially distanced audiences at Jones Hall, each of which is available as part of a live stream subscription program that's already reached over 45,000 viewers. (Individual live stream tickets are $20; series passes are also available.) On March 5, 6 and 7, Fabien Gabel leads the orchestra into spring with Stella Sung's Fanfare for brass ensemble, Beethoven's "Pastoral" symphony (No. 6), and his third piano concerto in the hands of the dazzling Yefim Bronfman. On March 12, 13 and 14, clarinetist Mark Nuccio takes on Copland's (Benny Goodman-commissioned) Clarinet Concerto on a program featuring Beethoven's Second Symphony and works by Symphony of the New World co-founder Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson. And on March 26, 27 and 28, composer and San Francisco Symphony Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen makes his HSO debut leading concertmaster Yoonshin Song in Bach's Prelude from Violin Partita No. 3, as well as his own "FOG" (a fantasy around that Prelude) and Beethoven's First Symphony. houstonsymphony.org. 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. US Secretary of State Tony Blinken on Wednesday said authoritarianism and are on the rise around the world with governments becoming less transparent and losing the people's trust. In a major foreign policy speech after becoming the top American diplomat, Blinken said the latest report 'Freedom in the World 2021' by Freedom House is "sobering". The report, which is an annual country-by-country assessment of political rights and civil liberties, downgraded the freedom scores of 73 countries, representing 75 per cent of the global population. Democracy has eroded in the United States as well, the report noted. While still considered 'free', the United States experienced further democratic decline during the final year of the Trump presidency, it said. The US score in 'Freedom in the World' has dropped by 11 points over the past decade, and fell by three points in 2020 alone. The changes have moved the country out of a cohort that included other leading democracies, such as France and Germany, and brought it into the company of states with weaker democratic institutions, such as Romania and Panama, Freedom House said. Blinken, in his maiden foreign policy address, responded to the report by saying Democracy is under threat. A new report from the independent watchdog group Freedom House is sobering. Authoritarianism and are on the rise around the world. Governments are becoming less transparent and have lost the trust of the people. Elections are increasingly flashpoints for violence. Corruption is growing. And the pandemic has accelerated many of these trends, Blinken said. The more we and all democracies can show the world that we can deliver not only for our people, but also for each other the more we can refute the lie that authoritarian countries love to tell that theirs is the better way to meet people's fundamental needs and hopes. It's on us to prove them wrong, he said. We will use the power of our example. We will encourage others to make key reforms, overturn bad laws, fight corruption, and stop unjust practices. We will incentivise democratic behaviour, he added. But we will not promote democracy through costly military interventions or by attempting to overthrow authoritarian regimes by force. We have tried these tactics in the past. However well intentioned, they haven't worked. They've given democracy promotion a bad name, and they've lost the confidence of the American people. We will do things differently, Blinken said. According to the Freedom House report, the government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the global democratic decline. Repressive regimes and populist leaders worked to reduce transparency, promote false or misleading information, and crackdown on the sharing of unfavourable data or critical views. Many of those who voiced objections to their government's handling of the pandemic faced harassment or criminal charges. Lockdowns were sometimes excessive, politicised, or brutally enforced by security agencies. And antidemocratic leaders worldwide used the pandemic as cover to weaken the political opposition and consolidate power, it said. In fact, many of the year's negative developments will likely have lasting effects, meaning the eventual end of the pandemic will not necessarily trigger an immediate revitalisation of democracy, the report said. In Hungary, for example, the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbn took on emergency powers during the health crisis and misused them to withdraw financial assistance from municipalities led by opposition parties, it added. In Sri Lanka, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa dissolved Parliament in early March and, with new elections repeatedly delayed due to COVID-19, ruled without a legislature for several months. Later in the year, both Hungary and Sri Lanka passed constitutional amendments that further strengthened executive power, he said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police in China and South Africa have seized thousands of doses of counterfeit Covid-19 vaccine and made dozens of arrests, Interpol says. In China, police made 80 arrests at a factory allegedly making fake vaccine, where at least 3,000 doses were found. Three Chinese nationals and a Zambian were detained at a warehouse in Gauteng, South Africa, where ampoules containing 2,400 doses were discovered. It is not clear when exactly the arrests took place. The discovery in South Africa was reported by the country's Sunday Times newspaper at the end of December. In Wednesday's statement, Interpol said it was also getting reports of other fake vaccine rings. Interpol, short for the International Criminal Police Organization, is based in Lyon, France and facilitates international co-operation between police forces and crime control. The Covid-19 pandemic has claimed more than 2.5 million lives worldwide and infected nearly 115 million people, according to a Johns Hopkins University estimate. Announcing the dismantling of the suspected fake vaccine network, Interpol stressed that no approved vaccines were "currently available for sale online". "Any vaccine being advertised on websites or the dark web, will not be legitimate, will not have been tested and may be dangerous," it said Vaccines are a vital tool for overcoming the pandemic and competition is fierce worldwide to buy up available doses following the approval of a growing number of products by medical authorities in recent months. What exactly did police uncover? In Germiston, Gauteng, police found about 400 vials - the equivalent of around 2,400 doses - of fake vaccine as well as a "large quantity" of fake 3M masks, Interpol said. It released images of boxes and packages in the warehouse. South Africa only started vaccinating its population on 17 February after concerns over the efficacy of vaccines against a new variant of Covid-19. Africas vaccine rollout gathers pace No location or further details were given for the counterfeit factory in China which was, Interpol said, investigated with the help of its Illicit Goods and Global Health Programme. A spokesperson for the Chinese ministry of public security said police there were conducting a "targeted campaign to prevent and crackdown on crimes related to vaccines" and would step up constructive co-operation with Interpol and police in other countries to effectively prevent such crimes. How big is the problem of fake vaccines? Interpol Secretary General Jurgen Stock said that while the police operations in China and South Africa were welcome, this was "only the tip of the iceberg" when it came to Covid-19 vaccine-related crime. In December, the organisation issued a global alert warning police in its 194 member countries to prepare for organised crime networks targeting Covid-19 vaccines, and gave advice about how to spot fake medical products. Last month, China arrested the leader of a multi-million dollar scam that passed off saline solution and mineral water as Covid-19 vaccines. 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 Securities and Exchange Commission charged Pennsylvania resident Brian A. Miller with fraudulently offering and selling at least $1.1 million of securities to approximately 36 investors through Miller's companies, Renew Forestry Group, LLC, Renew Development Group, LLLP, and Renew Holdings, LLC between February 2016 and August 2018. According to the SEC's complaint, Miller and the three companies falsely claimed that Renew Forestry had about 1.9 million acres under its control, including timber and mineral rights. Contrary to these representations, Renew Forestry allegedly had approval to harvest timber on only 36,000 acres and had no mineral rights. The complaint also alleges that the defendants falsely projected investor profits ranging from 91% to 172% within one year, knowing those returns were not possible because Renew Forestry did not have the required permits and lacked the infrastructure and equipment necessary to even begin operations within the promised timeframe. The SEC's complaint, filed in federal court in Erie, Pennsylvania, charges Miller, Renew Forestry, Renew Development, and Renew Holdings with 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. The defendants have agreed to settle the charges against them and, without admitting or denying the allegations of the complaint, have consented to judgments enjoining them from violating the antifraud provisions of the securities laws and ordering Miller to pay a civil penalty of $90,000. The settlements are subject to court approval. The SEC's investigation was conducted by Patricia A. Kuzma Trujillo and Jacquelyn D. King with the assistance of Julia C. Green, and was supervised by Kingdon Kase, Scott A. Thompson, and Kelly L. Gibson in the Philadelphia Regional Office. The litigation will be led by Ms. Green and supervised by Jennifer Chun Barry. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Hub71, Abu Dhabis global tech ecosystem, to support the expansion of entrepreneurs innovating in Abu Dhabi. Following the MoU signing, Etihad will become the official airline partner of Hub71 which will offer more than 100 global startups within its tech community special rates and access to a dedicated booking platform to simplify their travel needs. Mohammad Al Bulooki, Chief Operating Officer of Etihad Aviation Group, said: Etihad is looking forward to collaborating with Hub71, a flagship initiative of Ghadan 21, Abu Dhabis accelerator programme. Together, both entities will play a vital role in supporting the Emirates development by investing in business, innovation and people. The MoU will support the governments efforts in diversifying the economy by rewarding businesses who choose to develop innovative technologies in Abu Dhabi. Through the partnership, Etihad will tap into Hub71s dynamic, fast-growing community and global network of partners to engage with its startup founders and entrepreneurs to launch innovation-driven activities. The airline will also explore mentorship opportunities, workshops, and community events. Technology and innovation play a key role in supporting the restart of the aviation industry during the Covid pandemic. Etihad looks forward to working with Hub71s global pool of innovators to actively source, support and enable the rapid trial and production of promising solutions for the aviation industry, added Al Bulooki. Hanan Al Yafei, Chief Executive Officer of Hub71, said: As the world prepares to open up, global connectivity will be vital for our growing community of startup founders to be in a position to export their innovative products and services to new markets. Our strategic partnership with Etihad Airways reflects the value we place in unlocking global opportunities from Abu Dhabi, and together we will help grow technology-driven businesses that can sustain the aviation industry with bold new ideas and innovations. The MoU was signed by Mohammad Al Bulooki, Chief Operating Officer of Etihad Aviation Group, and Hanan Harhara Al Yafei, Chief Executive Officer of Hub71. Hub71s tech community expanded from 35 startups to 102 in under two years, representing 191 per cent growth, and raised AED185 million ($50.4 million) for startups in 2020. Abu Dhabis global tech ecosystem now includes startups from Israel, South Korea, Czech Republic and Nigeria, which joined in December 2020. TradeArabia News Service The Minnesota Court of Appeals is deliberating whether to reinstate a third-degree murder charge against Derek Chauvin, the police officer in Minneapolis involved in the killing of George Floyd. A prosecutor from Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison's office argued that the presiding district court judge abused his discretion by dropping the third-degree murder charge against Chauvin. This happened during a virtual hearing on Monday, according to an ABC News report. Chauvin currently faces second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter charges in relation to the May 25 killing of 46-year-old George Floyd. The former police officer did not attend Monday's hearing. "We will ... issue an expedited decision as soon as possible, appreciating that the trial in this matter is supposed to start one week from today," Appellate Judge Michelle A. Larkin was quoted in a report. Three other involved former officers are also being tried separately -- J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane, and Thou Thao. All three former officers are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter. They are scheduled to go on trial in August. READ MORE: Former Police Officer Derek Chauvin Charged With George Floyd's Killing Released on Bond Floyd's Death A footage captured through a cellphone showed Chauvin digging his knee into the back of Floyd's neck for a period of time while Kueng and Lane held the handcuffed man down in a prone position. Floyd was heard repeatedly saying that he cannot breathe. Thao, on the other hand, is accused of standing by and keeping witnesses at bay, while the 46-year-old victim went unconscious and was later pronounced dead at a hospital. Hennepin County District Court Judge Peter Cahill dismissed the third-degree murder charge in October last year. He is also the presiding judge over Chauvin's case. Ellison asked Cahill to reinstate the third-degree murder charge against Chauvin, however, the judge refused, according to CBS News report. Among those arguing through Zoom before the court of appeals was known East Coast lawyer Neal Katyal, who is on the prosecution team. Representing Chauvin was veteran Minnesota defense attorney Eric Nelson. Defense attorney Joe Tamburino, who is not part of the case, said that the prosecution is in a very strong legal position. He said that there are several reasons for prosecutors to want the third-degree charge brought back. Tamburino said it is another means by which Chauvin could be convicted and it may be easier to prove than second-degree murder. Tension as Trial Nears Barbed wire and concrete barriers are surrounding the courthouse where Chauvin will soon go on a trial. Mayor Jacob Frey and Gov. Tim Walz were lambasted for the lack of quick action to stop the looting and destruction -- including the torching of a police station. Others are worried about similar bad, or even worse, things might happen elsewhere if Chauvin would be acquitted, according to an Associated Press report. Elias Usso personally blames Chauvin for what he considers the murder of an innocent man, as well as for the destruction that followed. Usso owned a pharmacy on Lake Street and had been open less than a year when it was destroyed by fire and water. Meanwhile, security is being fortified around Hennepin County Courthouse, City Hall, and the jail. READ NEXT: George Floyd Suspect Derek Chauvin Beats 3rd-Degree Murder Charge Against Him The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. "No mask Texas" and "no mask Mississippi" could happen soon as both state governors announce Tuesday their plan to ease the implementation of COVID-19 health mandates. The announcement was made a day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned regarding the complacency amid SARS-CoV-2 mutations. As NPR reported, Texas Governor Greg Abbott will start with the implementation of the new directives on March 10 (Wednesday), while the Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves gave his directives a shorter timeline. Also read: A Man without Face Mask Asked to Leave a Store in Texas, He Turns Violent Mask Mandate Lifting Yahoo! News mentioned Governor Abbott announcing in Montelongo's Mexican Restaurant that the time has come to open their state 100 percent. He furthered that COVID-19 did not suddenly vanish and that state directive is no longer significant. Texas has a population of 29 million, making them the largest state to end a rule that is inclined to lessening the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and the pandemic itself. NBC News noted that shortly after Texas Governor Abbott announced their state's rollback of COVID-19 health mandates, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves announced in his Twitter account that he would be ending Mississippi's statewide mask mandate, Wednesday, March 3. Reeves added that the reason for lifting the mandate is because their hospitalization cases have plunged, and their vaccine is rapidly distributed. NPR mentioned that both states have a decline in the average daily new cases of COVID-19. Texas has lessened 18 percent in the decline of new daily cases, while the death toll decreased by 13 percent over two weeks. On the other hand, Mississippi recorded a significant dip of 27 percent in their daily new cases and a decrease of 34 percent on the daily COVID-related deaths over about two weeks. Aside from the revocation of the statewide mask, Fox News noted Governor Abbott's announcement that the state will be allowing all businesses in their vicinity to reopen fully. Abbott added that COVID-19 still exists in Texas; however, their data of recoveries, vaccinations, and the reduced hospitalization with the safe practices of Texans make the state mandates no longer needed. Abbott furthered that business establishments may limit their capacity and have additional safety protocols according to their free will, stressing that Texans must continue following the appropriate health guidance. CDC on the Rollbacks NBC News noted CDC Director Rochelle Walensky's worry saying that the public health practices they have mandated are designed to protect people from COVID-19. Walensky also pleaded the states to listen because at this level of cases with variants spreading, the ground the U.S. has claimed against the virus will be lost. Yahoo! News quoted President Joe Biden, saying that the fight against the virus is far from over and that the Americans are encouraged to keep washing their hands, stay socially distanced, and continue wearing their masks. NPR shared that the State of Texas has inoculated 5.5 million doses of vaccine, with 6.5 percent of its population fully vaccinated. Meanwhile, Mississippi has administered 630,000 doses of vaccine to 7.6 percent of its populace. Related article: Biden Says Every American Should Wear a Mask to Stop Coronavirus Spread WATCH: Texas lifts COVID mask mandate, ends limits on indoor dining from PBS NewsHour Expanded use of FreeStyle Libre system allows health care workers in hospital and professional health care settings to remotely monitor expectant mothers' glucose status to minimize exposure to COVID-19 FreeStyle Libre is the only glucose sensing technology in Canada to replace the need for traditional finger pricks for people with and without diabetes, including pregnant women, in the healthcare setting MISSISSAUGA, ON, March 3, 2021 /CNW/ -- Abbott (NYSE: ABT) announced today that Health Canada, under interim order, authorized the expanded use of the FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring system in hospital and professional health care settings to include Canadian women who are pregnant. In April 2020, Abbott received authorization from Health Canada to allow the FreeStyle Libre system to be used by frontline health care workers to remotely monitor the glucose status and glucose history of their patients without the need for painful finger pricks.1 This minimized exposure to COVID-19 and preserved the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) while enabling healthcare providers to make important treatment decisions, as needed. The expanded indication gives people with or without diabetes now including expectant mothers and patients receiving medical intervention/therapy for COVID-19 access to the FreeStyle Libre system in the hospital or professional health care setting. "The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a new set of challenges for pregnant women who are at higher risk of contracting the virus," said Nazli Topors, Pharm.D., medical director of Abbott's diabetes care business in Canada. "The expanded indication for FreeStyle Libre demonstrates the technology's positive impact on managing diabetes and the ability for health care workers to support patients during such an important time in their lives and, at the same time, limit their COVID-19 exposure while they are in the hospital." With a one-second scan using a reader or smartphone2 over the FreeStyle Libre sensor worn on the back of the upper arm, users can see current glucose readings, which are measured every minute, historical trends and patterns, and arrows showing where glucose levels are going without having to fingerstick.3 At the same time, physicians will receive glucose data and actionable information remotely to help make important treatment decisions through LibreView,4 a secure, cloud-based diabetes management system available at no cost to healthcare providers and users. Recent studies showed that users of the FreeStyle Libre system have improved glucose control,5 decreased time in hyperglycemia6 and hypoglycemia7 as well as reduced hospitalizations8 and HbA1c9 levels. About FreeStyle Libre Portfolio As the #1 sensor-based glucose monitoring system used in Canada and worldwide,10 Abbott's FreeStyle Libre portfolio has changed the lives of nearly 3 million people across more than 50 countries11 by providing breakthrough technology that is accessible. Abbott has secured partial or full reimbursement for the FreeStyle Libre system in 36 countries, including Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and the U.S. For more information on the FreeStyle Libre system, please visit myfreestyle.ca. About Abbott: Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 109,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries. Connect with us at www.abbott.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/abbott-/, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Abbott and on Twitter @AbbottNews. INDICATIONS AND IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION The FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring System Reader ("Reader")/FreeStyle LibreLink app ("App") when used with a FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring System Sensor ("Sensor") is indicated for measuring interstitial fluid glucose levels in adults aged 18 years and older (with or without diabetes, including pregnant women) in all hospital and all professional healthcare settings including patients receiving medical intervention/therapy for COVID-19. The Reader/App and Sensor are designed to replace blood glucose testing in the self-management of diabetes, including dosing of insulin. Treatment decisions should not be based on real time Sensor glucose readings alone and instead should consider all the information on the results screen. 1 A finger prick test using a blood glucose meter is required during times of rapidly changing glucose levels when interstitial fluid glucose levels may not accurately reflect blood glucose levels or if hypoglycemia or impending hypoglycemia is reported, or the symptoms do not match the system readings. 2 The FreeStyle LibreLink app and the FreeStyle Libre reader have similar but not identical features. A finger prick test using a blood glucose meter is required during times of rapidly changing glucose levels when interstitial fluid glucose levels may not accurately reflect blood glucose levels or if hypoglycemia or impending hypoglycemia is reported by the FreeStyle LibreLink app or when symptoms do not match the app readings. The FreeStyle Libre sensor communicates with the FreeStyle Libre reader that started it or the FreeStyle LibreLink app that started it. A sensor started by the FreeStyle Libre reader will also communicate with the FreeStyle LibreLink app. The FreeStyle LibreLink app is only compatible with certain mobile devices and operating systems. Please check the website for more information about device compatibility before using the app. Use of FreeStyle LibreLink requires registration with LibreView. 3 A finger prick test using a blood glucose meter is required during times of rapidly changing glucose levels when interstitial fluid glucose levels may not accurately reflect blood glucose levels or if hypoglycemia or impending hypoglycemia is reported, or the symptoms do not match the system readings. 4 LibreView is developed, distributed, and supported by Newyu, Inc. The LibreView data management software is intended for use by both patients and healthcare professionals to assist people with diabetes and their healthcare professionals in the review, analysis and evaluation of historical glucose meter data to support effective diabetes management. The LibreView software is not intended to provide treatment decisions or to be used as a substitute for professional healthcare advice. 5 Haak, Thomas, et al. Flash glucose-sensing technology as a replacement for blood glucose monitoring for the management of insulin-treated type 2 diabetes: a multicenter, open-label randomized controlled trial. Diabetes Therapy 8.1 (2017): 55-73r 6 Acute diabetes complications defined by hypoglycemia, hypoglycemic coma, hyperglycemia, ketoacidosis, or hyperosmolarity ICD-10 codes as primary diagnosis for inpatient or as any position in the outpatient emergency claim; Matthew Kerr, Gregory Roberts, Diana Souto, Yelena Nabutovsky 7 Bolinder, Jan, et al. Novel glucose-sensing technology and hypoglycemia in type 1 diabetes: a multicentre, non-masked, randomised controlled trial. The Lancet 388.10057 (2016): 2254-2263. 8 Fokkert M, van Dijk P,Edens M, et al. Improved wellbeing and decreased disease burden after 1-year use of flash glucose monitoring (FLARENL4). BMJ Open Diab Res Care 2019;7:e000809. doi:10.1136/bmjdrc-2019-000809. 9 Improving HbA1c control in people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes using flash glucose monitoring: a retrospective observational analysis in two German centers; Gerhard Klausmann, Ludger Rose, Alexander Seibold. 10 Data on file, Abbott Diabetes Care. Data based on the number of users worldwide for the FreeStyle Libre system compared to the number of users for other leading personal use, sensor-based glucose monitoring systems. 11 Data on file, Abbott Diabetes Care. SOURCE Abbott For further information: Jennifer Heth, 510-206-6428, http://www.abbott.com Related Links http://www.abbott.com By a vote of 84-15, the Senate on Tuesday confirmed Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo as the next U.S. commerce secretary. Raimondo, who is the first woman to serve as governor of Rhode Island, will be tasked to help the Biden administration revive the American economy, which took a blow from the coronavirus pandemic. According to NPR, Gina Raimondo, 49, will lead one of the federal government's most extensive departments, which also covers the Census Bureau, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Minority Business Development Agency, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Her confirmation to the position came two months following President Joe Biden's announcement of the Democratic governor's nomination. Read also: U.S. Blacklisted More Chinese Companies Over "National Security" and "Human Rights Issues" Gina Raimondo's Stand USA Today noted that as Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo is accountable for promoting the growth of the nation's economy domestically and overseas. According to Investopedia, the head of the Department of Commerce should foster the business community's relationship in developing and growing job opportunities and industries for American laborers and workers. ABC News noted that Raimondo, also a previous general treasurer of Rhode Island, was credited with reconstructing the state's pension system. She was also able to win praise for how the smallest state in the country has dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it faces criticism regarding the vaccine rollout in the area. NPR mentioned that during Raimondo's confirmation process, she emphasized the department's significance in addressing how the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on the nation's economy and highlighted the people's discriminations of color and families with lower incomes face. It can be remembered that Gina Raimondo took a stance on China during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Commerce Committee in January. ABC News reported that Raimondo said China has been anti-competitive and hurtful against the American workers and businesses. She added that she intends to use all the possible tools that will level the American workers' playing field. Raimondo also emphasized that the Department of Commerce must be a partner of businesses and workers for them to innovate and grow during this time of crisis. Republicans Oppose Gina Raimondo's Confirmation According to USA Today, the Republicans, who opposed her confirmation, were concerned that Raimondo would not be forceful enough to confront the Chinese government's efforts to acquire an economic and technological advantage through surveillance. Senator Ted Cruz earlier questioned her on how she would handle the Chinese telecom giant Huawei, and if she would keep Huawei on the department's entity list. Cruz further noted that Biden's nominess show a pattern of embracing communist China. Raimondo explained that there was no reason to remove Huawei from the Commerce Department's entity list since only those that pose a risk to the country's national security or foreign policy interests should be omitted. "I currently have no reason to believe that entities on those lists should not be there. If confirmed, I look forward to a briefing on these entities and others of concern," she noted in a report. Gina Raimondo has a record of creating thousands of jobs for the people of Rhode Island. And as Commerce Secretary, she said she is now looking forward to fight for the American workers. Read more: U.S. Tightens Export Restrictions on Leading Chinese Chipmaker SMIC WATCH: Biden Taps Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo for Commerce Secretary - From Bloomberg Quicktake: Now If you're looking for an indoor space with a low level of particulate air pollution, a commercial airliner flying at cruising altitude maybe your best option. A newly reported study of air quality in indoor spaces such as stores, restaurants, offices, public transportation -- and commercial jets -- shows aircraft cabins with the lowest levels of tiny aerosol particles. Conducted in July 2020, the study included monitoring both the number of particles and their total mass across a broad range of indoor locations, including 19 commercial flights in which measurements took place throughout departure and arrival terminals, the boarding process, taxiing, climbing, cruising, descent, and deplaning. The monitoring could not identify the types of the particles and therefore does not provide a direct measure of coronavirus exposure risk. "We wanted to highlight how important it is to have a high ventilation rate and clean air supply to lower the concentration of particles in indoor spaces," said Nga Lee (Sally) Ng, associate professor and Tanner Faculty Fellow in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology. "The in-flight cabin had the lowest particle mass and particle number concentration." The study believed to be the first to measure both size-resolved particle mass and number in commercial flights from terminal to terminal and a broad range of indoor spaces has been accepted for publication in the journal Indoor Air and posted online at the journal's website. Supported by Delta Air Lines, the research may be the first to comprehensively measure particle concentrations likely to be encountered by passengers from the terminal to the terminal. As scientists learn more about the transmission of the coronavirus, the focus has turned to aerosol particles as an important source of viral spread indoors. Infected people can spread the virus as they breathe, talk, or cough, creating particles ranging in size from less than a micron -- one-millionth of a meter -- to 1,000 microns. The larger particles quickly fall out of the air, but the smaller ones remain suspended. "Especially in poorly ventilated spaces, these particles can be suspended in the air for a long period of time, and can travel to every corner of a room," Ng said. "If they are viral particles, they can infect people who may be at a considerable distance from a person emitting the particles." To better understand the circulation of airborne particles, Delta approached Ng to conduct a study of multiple indoor environments, with a strong focus on air travel conditions. Using handheld instruments able to measure the total number of particles and their mass, Georgia Tech researchers examined air quality in a series of Atlanta area restaurants, stores, offices, homes, and vehicles -- including buses, trains, and private automobiles. They trained Delta staff to conduct the same type of measurements in terminals, boarding areas, and a variety of aircraft through all phases of flight. The Delta staff recorded their locations as they moved through the terminals, and the instruments produced measurements consistent with the restaurants and stores they passed on their way to and from boarding and departure gates. "The measurements started as soon as they stepped into the departure terminal," Ng said. "We were thinking about the whole trip, what a person would encounter from terminal to terminal." In-flight, aircraft air is exchanged between 10 and 30 times per hour. Some aircraft bring in exclusively outside air, which at cruising altitude is largely free of pollutant particles found in the air near the ground. Another aircraft mix outdoor air with recirculated air that goes through HEPA filters, which remove more than 99% of particles. In all, the researchers evaluated measurements from 19 commercial flights with passenger loads of approximately 50%. The flights included a mix of short- and medium-length flights, and aircraft ranging from the CRJ-200 and A220 to the 757, A321, and 737. Among all the spaces measured, restaurants had the highest particle levels because of cooking being done there. Stores were next, followed by vehicles, homes, and offices. The average sub-micron particle number concentration measured in restaurants, for instance, was 29,400 particles per cubic centimeter, and in offices, it was 2,473 per cubic centimeter. We have quite a comprehensive data set to look at the size distribution of particles across these different spaces. We can now compare indoor air quality in a variety of different spaces." Nga Lee (Sally) Ng, Associate Professor and Tanner Faculty Fellow, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology Because of the portable instruments used, the researchers were unable to determine the source of the particles, which could have included both biological and non-biological sources. "Further studies can include direct measurements of viral loads and tracing particle movements in indoor spaces," she added. Jonathan Litzenberger, Delta's managing director of Global Cleanliness Strategy, said the research helps advance the company's goals of protecting its customers and employees. "Keeping the air clean and safe during flight is one of the most foundational layers of protection Delta aims to provide to our customers and employees," he said. "We are always working to better understand the travel environment and confirm that the measures we are implementing are working." Overall, the study highlights the importance of improving indoor air quality as a means of reducing coronavirus transmission. "Regardless of whether you are in an office or an aircraft, having a higher ventilation rate and good particle filtration are the keys to reducing the total particle concentration," said Ng. "That should also reduce the concentration of any viral particles that may be present." Vernon Jordan didn't walk into a room; he entered it. The energy shifted, imperceptibly, as even people who didn't know who he was registered his presence. Then the process of greeting began: His eyes would lock on yours and that infectious smile would fill his face, delighted to discover his favorite person was here. His answer to "How are you?" was inevitably, "The better for seeing you." History books will remember him, rightly, as a civil rights leader, a confidante to presidents, a power broker at the highest levels. But he carries another title: the most charming man in Washington. It would be a mistake to dismiss that as somehow superficial. In a town full of very smart, deeply ambitious but ultimately self-absorbed people, Jordan had a unique ability to make anyone he met feel seen, understood and valued - and they adored him for it. "He was a magnet," says grande dame Buffy Cafritz, one of his closest friends. "You were drawn to him." He was an imposing figure: tall, handsome, elegant and self-possessed. He was formal, in the best sense of the term. After news of his death Monday, Joe Scarborough tweeted this encounter: "Several years ago, Vernon Jordan walked up to me on the way to catching a plane in DCA, shook my hand and said, 'Son, when you're on TV, show some respect to those watching you and wear a tie.' I said 'Yessir.' He smiled and walked off. I started wearing a tie the next day." But there was something more: Call it charisma, call it charm, call it curiosity. "He made everyone feel that they were the most important person to him - and it was genuine," says Ann Walker Marchant, niece to Jordan's wife,Ann Dibble Jordan. "He was laser-focused on how they were doing and what they were doing." That laser focus is key. If charm is an art form, Jordan was a virtuoso. Most people, given the slightest encouragement, love to talk about themselves. It takes discipline to resist that impulse and turn the spotlight onto others, a talent so rare that people have a hard time putting their finger on it. But it is the foundation of what we call charm, a timeless quality in winning friends and influencing people. Some of it can be traced to old-fashioned Southern hospitality and the exquisite manners he learned from his mother, a caterer to Atlanta's elite families. She encouraged her son to leave the South to attend DePauw University in Indiana, where he was one of only a handful of Black students. He went on to Howard University for law school, then launched a legal and business career that took him all the way to the White House as Bill and Hillary Clinton's dearest friend and adviser - before, during and after the Monica Lewinsky scandal. "We worked and played, laughed and cried, won and lost together," the former president tweeted Tuesday. "We loved him very much and always will." Some of it was his circumspection, an invaluable quality to the rich and powerful. Jordan was, by all accounts, a loyal friend through thick and thin. "You knew you had a friend who would never break a confidence, and that's important in Washington," says Cafritz. "He always made you feel a lot better." He was a master at the compliment: He flattered, not in the awkward style of the socially anxious, but with a sophisticated playfulness. He found something about everyone to praise: He made men feel smart and funny; he made women feel smart, funny and attractive. "I really like people, and it begins there," he told me in 2000 for a story on the art of flirting. "I'm a very social being. I like conversation. I find people fun and exciting. And I like women, but I like them all: I flirt with the pretty ladies and I flirt with the not-so-pretty ladies. I'm an equal-opportunity flirt: the old, the young, the fat, the skinny, Black, White - all of them." (That, of course, was two decades ago and the wisdom of powerful men flirting - even in social situations - is viewed differently now.) He was not only a very social being but a very organized one: He had legions of friends and somehow found the time for all of them. "Hardly a week would go by without a call from Vernon just checking in no matter where he was in the world," says philanthropist Roger Sant. Jordan listened more than he talked, asking questions and then follow-up questions. He preferred small dinners - eight people max - where the conversation could go deep and he could get caught up on everyone's lives, says Sant. When he could be persuaded to talk about himself, he was "a consummate and entertaining storyteller, and the stories generally had a moral - like when George Wallace sent him an extremely thoughtful and kind letter after (Jordan) was shot in Indiana. There were so many stories that we seldom heard the same ones." (While recovering from that 1980 attack, Jordan, then president of the National Urban League, was visited by President Jimmy Carter, candidate Ronald Reagan and other luminaries.) Jordan's discretion could be maddening if you were a reporter. He knew everyone and presumably everything, but in three decades of covering Washington's elite, he always returned my phone calls but never once spilled the tea on any of them. "I consider conversations with my friends private," he explained, and after a few niceties, that was that. To wit: Jordan hosted an annual lunch before the Alfalfa Club dinner, an off-the-record gathering of America's most powerful political and business leaders. Even those skipping the dinner would make an appearance at the lunch, including President Barack Obama. But nothing - not the guest list, not a funny story, not even the menu - leaked to the press, because that's how Jordan wanted it. As a result, the Jordans were a fixture on Washington's A-list, sought after as guests or co-chairs at the city's most prestigious events. Jordan was often asked to give a speech, a toast, a eulogy - and never disappointed. He worked hard on his remarks, and then made them look effortless. Jordan's delivery "was unparalleled," says Kevin Chaffee, senior editor at Washington Life. "He gave just as much of himself to a tiny group of listeners as he would have done if his audience had been jam-packed." His lived experience - a Black man at the top of America's power structure - made him an invaluable mentor and adviser across racial, economic and social lines. He met Obama when the future president was a mere state senator; Obama sought Jordan's counsel when he was mulling a 2008 run for president. Jordan famously told him he would support his old friend Hillary Clinton, but pledged his wholehearted endorsement should Obama win the primary. The two men shared the stage at Howard University in 2016, when Jordan formally introduced Obama as the commencement speaker. Howard President Wayne Frederick sent Jordan a framed picture of the two, which hung in a cherished place in his home. "It was a full-circle moment," says Frederick, who became a close friend over the past decade. "I know he was extremely proud." At the heart of Vernon's appeal, says Frederick, was hope. "He had an optimism and an openness about life's challenges and opportunities that let him engage anyone and anything he encountered." That optimism left "no space for bitterness or anger" and propelled him forward - mentoring young Black students, diversifying America's boardrooms. "Yes, he had charisma," says Frederick. "But I also think a part of it was pure goodness. He truly approached people from a place of good and respect for people's humanity." Call it charisma, call it attention, call it respect - but it left an indelible mark on a town hungry for a little charm. RICHBURG, S.C., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The United Steelworkers (USW) today denounced Giti Tire for misspending millions in COVID-19 stimulus funds and demanded that the corporation begin honoring its promises to the people of Chester County, South Carolina. A new report from watchdog groups revealed that Giti, part of a global tire conglomerate, improperly took nearly $10 million from a federal program intended to help small, independent businesses keep workers employed during the pandemic. After pocketing the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds, Giti still threw an estimated 100 workers out of their jobs. "Giti's abuse of pandemic aid is appalling, though not surprising," said USW District 9 Director Daniel Flippo, who represents Steelworkers in South Carolina, six other southern states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. "This company betrayed the public trust long before COVID-19," he explained. "Giti accepted $60 million in tax breaks to build a plant and then broke its promise to create 1,700 jobs for the community. Giti never came close to that number, and when the pandemic hit, Giti permanently laid off many of the workers it did have despite taking the PPP funds." Ray Durmon, one of the workers cut by Giti during the pandemic, struggled for months to make ends meet before moving to Nebraska for a new job. "I had to sell off almost everything I had just so I could afford to move," recalled Durmon, who worked at Giti for four years. "I sold my pool. I sold my storage building. I sold my tractor." Giti continues to reap tax breaks for broken commitments even as the people of Chester County struggle to finance capital improvements to their schools. "It's time for Giti to begin acting responsibly," Flippo said. "That means not only creating the jobs it promised but paying family-sustaining wages and giving back to the community." To learn more about Giti's broken promises, click here. The USW is one of the largest unions in South Carolina. Nationwide, the USW represents 850,000 men and women employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in public sector and service occupations. Contact: Joe Smydo, [email protected], 412-562-2281 SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW) Related Links http://www.usw.org Smallpox or variola is the only human disease to have been eradicated by vaccination, the last natural case occurring in 1977. For centuries, this acute highly infectious viral disease was feared and loathed in Ireland and elsewhere because of its disfiguring effects and relatively high mortality rate, often around 20%. Except in the rarest instances, there were only two ways in which smallpox infection could end in death or with long-term protection against recurrence. It was known that smallpox could be prevented by variolation the inoculation or artificial infection of healthy people with smallpox matter in the hope of producing a mild case of the disease and immunity from future contagion. The practice, which originated in China, was introduced to Britain in 1721 and to Ireland a few years later. Variolation was generally accomplished by obtaining fluid from pustules of an active case of smallpox and scratching it into the skin. This procedure, which was popularly known in Ireland as cutting, was frequently performed by unlicensed itinerant inoculators for a fee. Inoculation with the material of smallpox posed a serious public health threat: the process afforded protection to the recipient, but exposed the general population to the possibility of contracting fully virulent smallpox. The identification and promulgation of vaccination (from vacca, Latin for cow) in the late 1790s by Edward Jenner, an English west country doctor, was a significant advance. Jenner noticed that farm workers who contracted a mild pox disease from livestock, usually from milking infected cows, were subsequently immune to natural and inoculated smallpox. The technique employed in vaccination and variolation was identical, but vaccination conveyed cowpox rather than smallpox. The substitution of cowpox matter for the smallpox virus proved to be safer and more effective and vaccination spread quickly. John Milner Barry, a Cork medical practitioner who was born in 1768 at Kilgobbin near Bandon, was among the first in Ireland to recognise the importance of the new procedure, describing it as Jenners fortunate discovery. According to Barry, smallpox was a 'dreadful malady', a devastating and pestilential scourge that affected the poor disproportionately. He contended that the prevalence of smallpox throughout Europe testified to the inefficacy of variolation as a prophylactic, and he believed that the disease could only be extirpated by variolating the entire population, which he considered impracticable. Barry obtained vaccine steeped in a silk thread by post from a colleague in London, and on June 6, 1800, vaccinated six children in Cork by raising the skin with a lancet and inserting a portion of the vaccine-infused thread, which he secured with a sticking plaster. Barry obtained sufficient doses of cowpox infection from these children to vaccinate others in the city and its environs. Shortly afterwards, he received a second vaccine thread from London and passed it to a colleague, Dr Sugrue, who vaccinated children in the citys northside. Barry estimated that he and Sugrue vaccinated some 330 children in the next couple of months. He claimed that the infection was very mild in all cases and that none of the children experienced any adverse reaction, though some did complain of sore arms, which he attributed to the size of the incision produced by the thread. Although Barry is generally credited with introducing vaccination to Ireland, the procedure was performed at the Dispensary for Infant Poor in Dublin from its establishment in March 1800. The popular awareness in the west of England of the prophylactic power of cowpox, which informed Jenners vaccination experimentation, pertained in eighteenth-century rural Ireland also. In a pamphlet published in Cork in 1800, Barry observed that for the previous half century and more country people were familiar with cowpox, which they termed shinach, from the Irish word sine, meaning teat (of an animal); they recognised the mildness of the cowpox infection and its ability to provide immunity from smallpox. A Church of Ireland clergyman in the parish of Moviddy in east Muskerry informed Barry that shinach was well known in the locality and had long been deemed a preventive of smallpox. Barry had encountered several individuals who as children had been deliberately exposed to cowpox infection. Fifty-year-old Joanna Sullivan related that when she was 13 she and a number of other children were taken to a dairy, where they were made to squeeze the cows teats until their hands were covered with the fluid matter of the disorder, which they called the shinach. Cowpox appears to have been endemic in mid- and west Cork in the middle decades of the 18th century and, according to one of Barry's informants, whose account was substantiated by his octogenarian grandmother, country people exposed themselves deliberately to the disease, such was the general belief that those who contracted cowpox were ever after protected from the more virulent smallpox. Barry concluded that popular belief in the anti-variolous power of cowpox was as old as the disease itself. In addition to its significance as a medical text, Barrys pamphlet on vaccination contains the case histories and oral testimony of many country people, which shed light on popular beliefs and practices in 18th-century County Cork. A particularly striking example was Barrys incidental observation that women alone milked cows, that men dissociated themselves from the work, considering it a disgrace to engage in any rural occupation in which women were employed. Laurence Geary from the History Department at UCC. Photo: Tomas Tyner/UCC We might reasonably deduce from this social reality that women at least those involved in dairying were generally more immune to smallpox and its consequences than men. Barry, an early Irish vaccination convert, was generous in his acknowledgement of Jenners pioneering work, claiming that he was "destined to enjoy that enviable species of immortality which belongs exclusively to the great benefactors of mankind". Barry, too, secured public acknowledgement, though of a more modest and localised variety, but for his attempts to suppress fever, that other great affliction of the age, rather than smallpox. He was an early promoter of the Cork House of Recovery and Fever Hospital, and one of two unpaid physicians appointed to that institution when it opened on the Old Youghal Road on 8 November 1802. Two years after Barrys death from apoplexy on 16 May, 1822, a monument was erected in the grounds of the fever hospital, 'in respectful and affectionate remembrance of Doctor John Milner Barry'. According to the inscription, the hospital had been "the means of preventing the pernicious contagion of typhus fever from diffusing itself widely in the populous city of Cork". Read More Ronan Glynn highlights past vaccine successes to promote Covid-19 jabs SK Group will invest W5 trillion into its hydrogen business over the next five years to become the world's largest producer of the gas for commercial use (US$1=W1,125). SK chairman Chey Tae-won said in a government-led hydrogen energy meeting on Tuesday, "Hydrogen is an environmentally friendly energy suitable for Korea, which is not affected by the climate and requires only a small amount of area to produce." Hyundai chairman Chung Eui-sun also attended the meeting. The automaker pins its future on green cars like electric and hydrogen cell vehicles. Bangladeshs High Court on March 3 granted bail to a prominent cartoonist who has been held for 10 months of pre-trial detention under digital security law. According to the Associated Press, Ahmed Kabir Kishore was detained in May after he drew cartoons mocking a powerful businessman close to the government. He is facing charges of creating confusion over the governments handling of the coronavirus pandemic and contributing to the deterioration of law and order in the country. Kishore is in prison outside the capital, Dhaka, and his lawyers have said that he has been tortured in custody. Kishores lawyer Jotirmoy Barua said that the 42-year-old cartoonists right ear was nearly impaired and a scar had developed on his left leg because of physical torture. On Wednesday, a two-member panel of judges from the High Court issued the order of his bail on health grounds. READ: 'India Will Play Vital Role In Return Of Rohingyas From Bangladesh To Myanmar': Tirumurti Protesters demand annulment of DSA His bail followed an outcry by protesters in the streets and on social media after Mushtaq Ahmed, who was arrested together with Kishore, died in custody last week. They were both detained under Bangladeshs Digital Security Act (DSA), which rights group say is being used to silence and intimidate critics of the government in the country. Ahmed was arrested for making comments on social media that criticised the governments handling of the pandemic. READ: India-Bangladesh Hold HS-level Talks To Discuss Security Issues Ahmed was denied bail at least six times. Following his death, dozens of people have been rallying in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka. On Wednesday, the protesters even attempted to march toward the Prime Ministers Office to demand justice for Ahmed and the release of Kishore. The demonstrators even demanded the annulment of the DSA. It is worth noting that the 2018 DSA includes a jail sentence of up to 14 years for any propaganda or campaign against the countrys independence war, its founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the national anthem or flag. The Act also says that a person can be jailed for up to 10 years for destroying communal harmony or creating unrest or disorder. Amnesty International, however, has concluded that the law is plagued by a lack of clear definitions, explanations, including repressive non-bailable penalties for at least 14 offences. But PM Sheikh Hasina has said that law is necessary to maintain order. (With inputs from AP) READ: Kalahandi Exports High Quality Cotton To Bangladesh READ: Bangladesh High Commissioner Meets Assam Governor Editors note: Its technically no longer Black History Month, but anytime is a good time to note the accomplishments of African Americans. Black History Month is a time designated to celebrate the achievements of African Americans and remember or perhaps become more aware of their pivotal role in U.S. history. Those of us embedded in military and veteran communities often hear about and study veterans like then-Pvt. Henry Johnson, an African American soldier during WWI who served in the 369th Infantry Regiment known as the Harlem Hellfighters. President Theodore Roosevelt later described Johnson as one of the five bravest American soldiers in the war. He exhibited a level of heroism unmatched and was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor; the Proclamation reads displaying great courage, Johnson held back the enemy force until they retreated. Johnsons extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army. Johnson later become the first American to be awarded the Croix du Guerre, Frances highest military honor. Given the culture of discrimination and segregation within society and the military at that time, African American soldiers, like Johnson, were not permitted to fight alongside white service members. Thus, units like the Harlem Hellfighters, established in 1913, were designated as all-black regiments and often served on the front lines of battle. When the opportunity to do so was presented to African American soldiers, they performed as most soldiers did, with heroism and courage. Of course, the military has undergone significant changes in policy and practice, especially since the 1940s. President Harry S. Truman, with Executive Order 9981, permanently desegregated the military, becoming the first federal entity to do so. In many ways, this foreshadowed what would happen just a short six years later with the landmark Supreme Court decision: Brown vs. Board of Education. Ten years later Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, followed by the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968 all further prohibiting discrimination based on race and codifying a legal structure that underpins our society and guides our communities. Seventy-three years later, the American Military has become the greatest fighting force in the history of the world, but unfortunately, remnants of segregation and racism can still be seen today, although the impact may not be quite as visible. The phenomenon of othering is often at play, where in-groups and out-groups, sometimes derived along racial lines, are established. It is important to note that othering is usually not a conscious, intentional process. Rather, it is typically subtle and happens through unconscious assumptions. It can be little things like ascribing positive qualities to people who are like us and negative attributes to those who are different. It might be characterizing others first by their group than by their individuality. The opposite of othering is belonging. When members of the military do not feel like they belong, the consequences are real for the individual and for the military. We know that service members of color report both overt and covert disparities, including differential promotion rates, harsher punishments following disciplinary action, and risk of suffering from PTSD given the time spent in discriminatory environments. These factors have implications for military retention and readiness. We see differences among service members of color as they transition to civilian life. Black veterans generally have higher rates of mood disorders like depression and anxiety disorders compared to white veterans. Hispanic veterans report poorer functioning and quality of life than white veterans. Yet, we also see that Black and Latino veterans are less likely to use health care services, and often face added obstacles when seeking access to benefits. Research shows us that these health-related differences can partially be explained by social conditions in the environment like racial discrimination. So, how do we make further strides with regard to developing the military and veteran networks as places of inclusion? First, we continue to recognize and celebrate the contributions of all people in the military. And here in Alabama, we have a lot to celebrate during Black History Month. We remember the impact of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first Black military aviators who flew more than 15,000 individual sorties during WWII and who helped encourage the integration of the U.S. military. We celebrate women of color like Beatrice Muse, who served in the Army Nurse Corps in the 1940s caring for wounded service members in WWII (including the Tuskegee Airmen) and looked after Gen. George Patton, then served 30-plus years working for the VA. More recently, we recognize the distinguished career of (Ret.) General Lloyd Austin, a West Point and Auburn University graduate originally from Mobile, Alabama who served 41 years in the Army and was appointed the 28th secretary of defense in January 2021. These leaders served their country and opened doors for future generations. These veterans served America and loved America, even when America did not love them back their service should always be remembered and honored - by all Americans. Second, we must move our efforts beyond February and make and act on plans at the individual and community levels for seeking continued progress, inclusion, and resistance to and elimination of structural racism. At the individual level, we have to start with personal accountability. Take time to recognize our own assumptions about others. When someone new or different walks into a room or your workplace, slow your brain down a bit. What assessments did you make about that person? Retrain your brain to be intentional about ascribing positive attribution to others. This is the ole benefit of the doubt phenomenon. When unsure, assume positive intent. At the community level, we need to keep our eyes on leaders and their calls to address issues of racism. Their words are important; their actions even more so in leading us to understand and change norms, values, and behaviors that unfairly privilege some individuals and groups over others. We must continually ask about the follow through: What action steps are being taken to progress towards racial justice and equity; to minimize retrenchment? Our state and country are best served by marching forward together against racism and toward equity and inclusion for all our veterans. Dr. Mallory Lucier-Greer is an associate professor of Human Development and Family Science in the Auburn University College of Human Sciences, where she is the principal investigator of Military REACH, a national initiative to mobilize military family research into practical applications. Dr. David L. Albright is a Distinguished Research Professor and Hill Crest Foundation Endowed Chair in Mental Health Research at the University of Alabama School of Social Work, where he directs the Office for Military Families and Veterans and is principal investigator for Vital Alabama. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 04:56:09|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MOSCOW, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry urged the U.S. administration "not to play with fire" after Washington on Tuesday announced sanctions against Russian individuals and entities over the alleged poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. In an online statement, the foreign ministry called the U.S. sanctions "a hostile anti-Russian attack" under an absurd pretext. "Entangled in its own internal problems, the White House is again trying to cultivate the image of an external enemy. We have repeatedly commented on this American policy, which is devoid of logic and meaning and only more and more worsens bilateral relations," it read. The ministry said Russia will retaliate based on the principle of reciprocity and continue to resolutely defend its national interests. The ministry asked the United States to honor its obligations and destroy chemical weapons, which Russia does not have since 2017. The United States has been deprived of the moral right to lecture others since it is a serial violator of international treaties and agreements in the field of arms control and non-proliferation, it said. Enditem A man who admitted using a van to kill 10 pedestrians in Toronto was found guilty on Wednesday in a case that drew attention to an online world of sexual loneliness, rage and misogyny. Alek Minassian faced 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder in connection with the April 23, 2018, attack. Minassian, 28, told police he belonged to an online community of sexually frustrated men, some of whom have plotted attacks on people who have sex. He admitted to police that he drove a rental van into crowds of pedestrians in a busy north Toronto neighborhood. Eight women and two men ranging in age from 22 to 94 died. Scroll down for video Alek Minassian faced 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder in connection with the April 23, 2018, attack. He was found guilty on Wednesday Minassian, 28, told police he belonged to an online community of sexually frustrated men, some of whom have plotted attacks on people who have sex His lawyer argued he didn't know what he was doing was wrong because he has autism spectrum disorder, angering advocates for the rights of autistic individuals. Minassian had pleaded not guilty and his lawyer argued his client was not criminally responsible. Justice Anne Molloy said his lawyers failed to prove he was not criminally responsible. She said there is no doubt his actions were planned and deliberate and that he was fully aware of what he was doing. 'His attack on these 26 victims that day was an act of a reasoning mind,' Molloy said. 'It does not matter that he does not have remorse, nor empathize with the victims. Lack of empathy for the suffering of victims, even an incapacity to empathize for whatever reason, does not constitute a defense.' The judge noted the man sought and enjoyed notoriety from his actions. She did not name the accused in her decision, referring to him as 'John Doe' and said she hopes that he will no longer be named. He admitted to police that he drove a rental van into crowds of pedestrians in a busy north Toronto neighborhood. Eight women and two men ranging in age from 22 to 94 died The verdict was livestreamed on YouTube because of the pandemic. He faces an automatic life sentence with no parole for at least 25 years. Sentencing will be at a later date. Minassian, who said he never had a girlfriend and was a virgin, rented the van and admitted to police he used the van as a weapon and said he wanted to inspire more attacks. He called himself an 'incel,' short for 'involuntary celibate,' an online subculture that has been linked to other attacks in California and Florida and that often promotes the idea men are entitled to have sex with women. Minassian claimed to police he was in contact with Elliot Rodger, a community college student who killed six people and wounded 13 in shooting and stabbing attacks in 2014 near the University of California, Santa Barbara, before apparently shooting himself to death. A body lies on the pavement covered in an orange tarp after 10 people were killed and 16 people injured in a deadly van attack in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on April 23, 2018 Flowers and messages at a memorial during an inter-faith vigil at Nathan Phillips Square in memory of the 10 people killed held in April 2018 'Nearly three years ago, our entire city was rocked by this heinous act of violence,' Toronto Mayor John Tory said in a statement. 'Make no mistake, this was an attack fueled by misogyny and hatred of women and should be treated as such.' Autism Canada denounced what it called 'egregious claims' by Minassians lawyer that the man didn't know what he was doing was wrong because he has autism spectrum disorder. The Ontario Autism Coalition said in a statement that it was relieved that the use of autism was rejected. 'He can spend the rest of his life in jail because he deserves it. He took lives and he didn't care and you just have to be accountable for what you do,' said Cathy Riddell, a survivor who suffered injuries to her shoulder, spine, pelvis, and ribs as well as head trauma and a punctured lung. Alek Minassian, top, is seen during a police interview just hours after the Toronto van rampage last year, telling a detective about his 'incel' ideology Boris Bytensky, Minassian's lawyer, said he's not discussed with his client whether he will appeal. The trial took place on Zoom last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. In police interview, which was carried out hours after the attack but only made public in Sept. 2019, Minassian said he was an 'angry incel' who hoped that his 'rebellion' would 'force' women to have sex with men like him. He said he had been in contact with California killer Elliot Rodger who had also raged at women before he murdered six people. 'I know of several other guys over the internet who feel the same way,' Minassian said, adding they were 'too cowardly to act on their anger.' Describing the attack, Minassian said he had 'just floored the pedal' and said: 'This is the day of retribution.' When asked by the detective how he felt about the deaths of 10 people,' he said: 'I feel like I accomplished my mission.' Germanys financial watchdog has temporarily shuttered Greensill Bank and asked law enforcement officials to investigate accounting irregularities at the lender, compounding the woes of parent company Greensill Capital. Regulator BaFin on Wednesday (Germany time) said it closed the Bremen-based lender for business after finding irregularities in how Greensill Bank booked assets tied to a key client of Greensill Capital, British industrialist Sanjeev Gupta. A spokesman for the prosecutors confirmed that the regulator filed a criminal complaint, without elaborating. BaFin said it closed the Bremen-based lender for business after finding irregularities in how Greensill Bank booked assets tied to a key client of Greensill Capital, British industrialist Sanjeev Gupta. Credit:Getty During a special forensic audit, BaFin found that Greensill Bank AG was unable to provide evidence of the existence of receivables in its balance sheet that it had purchased from the GFG Alliance Group, BaFin said in a statement. Guptas GFG invests in and revamps moribund steel and power plants and has been an early backer and client of Greensills firm. Greensill said in a statement late on Wednesday (UK time) that it had received extensive advice, from firms Noerr in Germany and Simmons & Simmons in the UK, on how to classify the assets, and that it immediately complied after BaFin advised it late last year and early this year that it didnt agree with its accounting. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 NEW YORK, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Range Resources Corporation ("Range Resources" or the "Company") (NYSE: RRC). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980. The investigation concerns whether Range Resources and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here for information about joining the class action] On February 10 and February 11, 2021, media outlets reported that Range Resources had paid a $294,000 civil penalty after Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection ("DEP") found conflicting and inaccurate information on the status of a Company well in Fayette Countyspecifically concerning whether the well in question was correctly designated as inactive for the purposes of DEP regulation. On this news, Range Resource's stock price fell $0.62 per share, or 6.08%, to close at $9.57 per share on February 11, 2021. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com. CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP [email protected] 888-476-6529 ext. 7980 SOURCE Pomerantz LLP Related Links www.pomerantzlaw.com Several countries in the Americas have received their first vaccine shipments over the past few weeks not from the regional superpower or from Western pharmaceutical giants, but from China, Russia, and in some cases India. Why it matters: North and South America have been battered by the pandemic and recorded several of the worlds highest death tolls. Few countries other than the U.S. have the capacity to manufacture vaccines at scale, and most lack the resources to buy their way to the front of the line for imports. Thats led to a scramble for whatever supply is available. Only Chile (17%), the U.S. (15%), Barbados (12%), Canada (3%), Brazil (3%), Argentina (2%), Mexico (2%), Costa Rica (1%) and Panama have managed to provide a first dose to at least 1% of their populations. Expand chart Driving the news: Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador who has railed against vaccine hoarding by rich countries was expected to ask President Biden in their virtual meeting Monday to share a portion of the U.S. vaccine supply with Mexico. Ahead of the meeting, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the answer would be no, at least until all Americans have access. Canada, which has purchased more doses relative to its population than any other country but struggled to obtain them due to limited manufacturing capacity, has received a similar response from Washington. The state of play: Other global powers have begun shipping doses to the region. At least 10 Latin American countries have obtained Russias Sputnik V vaccine or expect to soon, while 10 more are expecting doses from Chinas Sinovac or Sinopharm. Argentina was one of the first countries in the region to begin its rollout, using Sputnik V, while Chile has climbed to the top of the vaccination charts using a combination of Pfizer and Sinovac. Meanwhile, most of the doses that have reached the Caribbean thus far have come from India, which has become a global player in vaccine distribution due to its massive manufacturing capacity. New Delhi has donated Oxford/AstraZeneca doses to countries including Barbados and Dominica. Israel got into the vaccine diplomacy game on a small scale, sending 5,000 doses each to friendly governments in Guatemala and Honduras. Worth noting: At least eight countries have signed bilateral deals with Pfizer or AstraZeneca. Cuba, meanwhile, is banking on a homegrown vaccine. Expand chart Zoom in: While Bolivia was negotiating the purchase of 5.2 million Sputnik doses in December, at $10 per shot, the government was also in talks with Western pharmaceutical companies who told us developing countries that we had to wait until June, Trade Minister Benjamin Blanco told Reuters. Bolivian President Luis Arce pumped his fist on the tarmac when the first Sputnik shipment arrived. Around the same time, he spoke with Vladimir Putin about potential joint energy projects. But while Psaki warned last month that Russia and China could use vaccines to build leverage over other countries, its Pfizer that has been accused of bullying Latin American countries during negotiations. Vaccines arriving from Russia and China are often received with great fanfare, with political leaders and TV cameras on hand. Yes, but: The shipments are often quite small. Russia has thus far provided Bolivia with 20,000 doses and Paraguay 4,000, enough to cover a fraction of 1% of their populations. Both Russia and China will face manufacturing capacity challenges to cover their own populations, let alone send doses all over the world. However, deals to produce the Sinovac and Sputnik vaccines in Brazil and Sputnik in Argentina should boost supplies. Crucially, the vaccines don't require ultra-cold temperatures. Questions about efficacy remain, though, particularly for the Chinese vaccines. A trial in Brazil found that the Sinovac vaccine was just 50.4% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19, though it was more effective at preventing severe cases. And while both countries are clearly winning diplomatic points, multiple polls have found that many in Latin America would be less willing to take a Russian or Chinese vaccine than a Western alternative. What to watch: By this summer, the U.S. and other rich countries will likely be prepared to share doses internationally, significantly shifting the vaccine diplomacy picture. The global COVAX initiative, which is crucial to the vaccination outlook in the Americas, will also start to ramp up distribution this month. It should quickly surpass Russia and China as the largest source of vaccines for several countries. The bottom line: Moscow and Beijing may have gained lasting goodwill and influence in the region by stepping in when vaccines were at their most scarce. DENVER, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- wemloSM, an innovative fintech company that provides third-party mortgage loan processing services has been named to the ninth annual HousingWire HW Tech100 Mortgage awards list, recognizing the most innovative technology companies in the mortgage industry. A 2-year-old, Florida-based startup, wemlo is reshaping mortgage loan processing in the mortgage broker channel. Wemlo developed the first solution for mortgage brokers that combines third-party loan processing with an all-in-one digital platform. Its product offering is the only enterprise-grade solution of its kind in the mortgage brokerage space. The innovative system automates and streamlines processing tasks. "We are delighted to be a 2021 HW Tech100 Mortgage honoree," said Steve Gelley, co-founder of wemlo. David Rogove, co-founder of wemlo, agreed, "I believe wemlo fosters an environment where innovation is encouraged and that naturally lends itself to evolution and growth. Being included on this list with other ground-breaking mortgage technology companies speaks volumes about the value of our product offerings." According to HousingWire, the HW Tech100 program provides housing professionals with a comprehensive list of the most innovative and impactful companies in the industry. That list can then be leveraged to identify partners and solutions to the problems that mortgage lenders and real estate professionals face every day. "After the uncertainty and unpredictability of last year, we expected a greater adoption of technology. However, these 100 real estate and mortgage companies took digital disruption to a whole new level and propelled a complete digital revolution, leaving a digital legacy that will impact borrowers, clients and companies for years to come," said Brena Nath, HousingWire's HW+ managing editor. The mortgage broker channel is ripe for change and wemlo's goal is to provide loan originators with a transparent processing solution with a strong technology foundation. Interested in learning more about how wemlo's third-party processing services can benefit your business? Visit wemlo.io to get started today. About wemlo Wemlo,SM NMLS #1853218, is a technology-focused mortgage loan processing startup that is reshaping the mortgage broker channel. It developed the first cloud service for mortgage brokers, combining third-party loan processing with an all-in-one digital platform. Its product is marketed and sold to mortgage brokerages and loan originators across the country. Wemlo is a subsidiary of RE/MAX Holdings, which includes RE/MAX, one of the world's leading franchisors of real estate brokerage services, and Motto Mortgage, the first national mortgage brokerage franchise brand in the U.S. SOURCE wemlo Related Links https://www.wemlo.io 404 He's returning as Neo in a new Matrix movie. But Keanu Reeves has also gotten people talking with his cameo in SpongeBob Movie: Sponge On The Run, dropping Thursday on Paramount Plus. Keanu shows up as a magic tumbleweed called Sage who offers words of wisdom to SpongeBob SquarePants as he searches for kidnapped sea snail Gary. Cameo: Keanu Reeves shows up as a magic tumbleweed called Sage who offers words of wisdom to SpongeBob SquarePants in the new SpongeBob Movie: Sponge On The Run The animated film's writer and director Tim Hill revealed Tuesday that he always had the Hollywood star in mind for the role of Sage. 'When I wrote the character, I kept having Keanu in my head so I never really had another person that we were thinking about,' Hill explained in an interview with TVLine. 'It was so lucky that he was like, 'Sure, I'll do that,' Hill said. He added: 'We made little Keanu drawings so long before he actually agreed, he was kind of in the movie. We had temp voices doing him and the momentum was too much.' Inspiration: 'When I wrote the character, I kept having Keanu in my head so I never really had another person that we were thinking about,' writer and director Tim Hill explained to TVLine Good sport: 'It was so lucky that he was like, 'Sure, I'll do that,' Hill said Sponge On The Run had originally been due for a theatrical release in May last year. However, after the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered movie theatres, Paramount and Nickelodeon announced the film would instead skip a theatrical release and be released on the streaming platform in 2021. It will now debut as part of a high-profile line-up for the launch on Thursday of ViacomCBS platform Paramount Plus, which is replacing CBS All Access. Streaming: Sponge On The Run's 2020 theatrical release was scrapped due to the pandemic and the animated feature will premiere on Paramount Plus when it launches on Thursday New adventure: In the film, SpongeBob and best friend Patrick head to the Lost City Of Atlantic City to try and rescue beloved snail Gary who's been kidnapped by the mighty King Poseidon In Sponge On The Run, SpongeBob and his best friend Patrick leave Bikini Bottom and head to the Lost City Of Atlantic City to try and rescue Spongebob's beloved snail Gary who's been kidnapped by the mighty King Poseidon. Along with Reeves, Sponge on the Run features the voice talents of Snoop Dogg and Awkwafina alongside the regular Spongebob crew of Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Rodger Bumpass and Clancy Brown. It's the third film to be based on the hugely popular animated TV series that debuted on Nickelodeon in 1999. It follows 2004's The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie and 2015's The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Boyd joined NYU Langone in 2009, and currently serves as an associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and director of the Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Program. During her tenure she has led various initiatives in gynecologic surgery, creating complex surgical plans to remove extensive ovarian, cervical, or endometrial cancer, specializing in robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgery. A leader in the field of gynecologic oncology, Dr. Boyd has an exceptional record of patient outcomes, and a history of leadership and expertise in investigating best practices and outcomes in gynecologic surgery, identifying disparities in care for patients with gynecologic cancer, and investigating novel chemotherapy options for gynecologic cancers. "We're pleased to have Dr. Boyd's vast expertise and leadership spearheading our division of gynecologic oncology," said Dana R. Gossett, MD, the Stanley H. Kaplan Professor and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. "Dr. Boyd is known for her calm in crisis, her fairness in decision-making, and her deep commitment to mentoring. Her collegiality, approachability, and emotional intelligence make her an optimal leader to continue to elevate our division, which is recognized for its extensive clinical, educational, and academic activities." In her new role, Boyd plans to continue to advance excellence in patient care, strengthen its research arch and foster further expansion of clinical trials within the gynecologic oncology space. Boyd is also committed to ensuring that the division continues to meet the needs of the diverse population of New York City and the tri-state area. "Dr. Boyd is an exceptional clinician whose critically important work in gynecology oncology is changing the lives of many patients," said Benjamin G. Neel, MD, PhD, director of the Perlmutter Cancer Center. "She will serve as an outstanding leader in the division providing new insights and innovations in how we think about and approach gynecologic cancers." Boyd replaces Douglas A. Levine, MD, who recently resigned as director in order to pursue an opportunity outside of academic medicine. Levine joined NYU Langone in 2016, bringing a successful translational research program. Today, the Division of Gynecologic Oncology has dramatically increased its participation in clinical trials, and the reputation of the division has helped elevate Gynecology at NYU Langone from an unranked specialty to #30 nationally on US News & World Report. About Dr. Boyd After graduating from Harvard University, Boyd completed medical school at Yale School of Medicine. She joined NYU Grossman School of Medicine for both her residency in OB/GYN and fellowship in gynecologic oncology. A researcher and educator, Boyd has authored or co-authored more than 70 peer-reviewed publications and abstracts. She has presented at numerous national conferences and is also a member of several prestigious medical societies, including the American Society of Oncology and chair of the Physician Payment Reform Taskforce for the Society of Gynecologic Oncology. Boyd advocates for novel payment systems to incentivize quality and safety in cancer care delivery. "It's a true honor to be selected to oversee this division and I look forward to continuing Dr. Levine's excellent and meaningful work," said Boyd. "As we continue to grow gynecologic oncology, I'm thrilled to be working within a division committed to advancing the detection and treatment of aggressive diseases, including ovarian, endometrial and cervical cancers, which are still leading causes of cancer death among women." Media Inquiries Katie Ullman Phone: 212-404-3511 [email protected] SOURCE NYU Langone Health; NYU Langone Perlmutter Cancer Center Related Links http://www.med.nyu.edu Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. March 02, 2021 Having a creative mind is a gift only a few possess. Creativity allows the mind to stretch out and do exciting and new things that help people reach their potential goals. It has no bounds when it comes to thinking about unique and innovative ideas. Such minds have the potential to do something big. Since they view everything from a different perspective, it becomes comparatively easy for them to think of something in a new way. They do not restrict their thoughts and allow them to flow, which helps them cultivate ideas that can later turn into inventions and developments. The world needs creative people in almost every sector and field to add life, color, and vibrancy to their work. Many disciplines hire people specifically for their creative talent. Just like the creative heads at marketing firm offer innovative solutions to advertise the brand in better ways; similarly, Aquiles Este, an international researcher and practitioner on branding and reputation management has come up with fresh ways to promote a brand and innovative ways to transform a business into a brand. Aquiles believes that everything can be presented with a twist if thought correctly. Innovative Approach for Everything Aquiles Este studied journalism and advertising at Universidad Central de Venezuela and later went to Universidade de Sao Paulo. Intrigued by the idea of marketing and business promotion, he obtained a doctorate degree in Semiotics in Sao Paulo, Brazil, a city that is regarded as one of the most sophisticated creative hubs in the world. Having a creative mind helped Aquiles to think out of the box, particularly as an early researcher and practitioner of what is known today as viral communications and content shareability. His ideas on these topics were appreciated by many. Alejandro Piscitelli, one of the leading international authorities in digital communications, listed Dr. Este as one of the most serious experts in the study of cultural replication. In 1992, Aquiles stepped into his professional career and started off in Caracas by directing ProDiseno, one of the most celebrated design schools in Latin America. As the dean of ProDiseno, Aquiles shared his profound knowledge with the school and helped them win the prestigious International Design Magazine Annual Design Review in 2000. He also taught corporate branding at Instituto de Estudios Superiores de Administracion (IESA), one Latiamericas leading business schools. Este traveled to New York City in 1999 as a visiting scholar to collaborate on Computational Linguistics with New York Universitys linguist, Ray C. Dougherty. He conducted a research project at NYUs Department of Media, Culture, and Communication on the interrelation between Charles S. Peirces concept of sign replication and Marshall McLuhans media theories. The project was completed under the supervision of media critic Neil Postman, one of the founders of Media Ecology studies. As Aquiles was constantly learning and evolving, he found himself inclined towards the growing ad industry. He began his career in the industry as the Creative Vice President for the Lowe network, now known as MullenLowe. He worked with this firm for a few years but soon got disappointed in the field and resigned. Aquiles says, Admen only deal with three audiences: customers, shareholders, and competitors, while Branding is about devising a message for all the audiences involved in the complex process of corporate communications. Because of his extensive portfolio and vast experience and knowledge in more than a single field, Aquiles moved to the United States of America in 2009 with EB1-A. This is an extraordinary ability green card, which is offered to only a select few who pass a certain level of special testing and are deemed valuable to the country. Creativity is Intelligence Having Fun Albert Einstein Being true to the quote, after a few months of observation and studies, Aquiles laid the foundation for his branding firm SEMIoTICS in 2010. As a learned individual, he comprehended the need to merge technology with branding. It found it absolutely necessary to integrate the two to devise invincible branding techniques. His firm dealt with data-driven branding, which was a fresh approach and was not commonly used by many ad agencies. In 2016, Social Data Intelligence, a British consultancy, was able to predict the United States National Election results using one of Aquiles Estes social listening models. Going off-track and doing something that others did not do was indeed a bold and risky move. But his brand was off to a good start as Aquiles targeted the political leaders and their campaigns. He has advised many governments, corporate and political leaders, and organizations on branding, crisis management, and marketing related matters. He created the term polimercial brands, which literally means branding and promoting commercial brands that need to deal with intricate political issues. While writing for the NYT- Este says, We have fully entered the age of polimercial marketing in which most service and product companies will be forced to position themselves on political and social issues and politicians, in full exercise of the office, will shamelessly embrace the topics and techniques of commercial promotion. I truly believe - that the irruption of polimercial brands is the most challenging aspect of contemporary marketing practice. Over the years, Aquiles has positioned, implemented, and monitored brands in North and South America, Europe and Asia, and in almost all categories such as commercial, political, personal, and destination brands. His thirty years of experience can be seen in his firms operational techniques. He is the first choice for many governments, corporate and political leaders, and organizations around the continent to seek advice on branding, crisis, and reputation management. He has also become a permanent contributor to The New York Times, writing on political marketing and polimercial branding. Currently, Aquiles resides in Miami, where he teaches Brand Content Management at Miami Herbert Business School while growing his branding company by using the unique combination of technology and branding. With his esteemed clientele, which includes Regional Brands (J&J, DirecTV (News - Alert) , Renault); Place Brands (Belize, Panama), Political Brands (Danilo Medina, Maria Corina Machado), and Polimercial Brands such as Fluent, Aquiles firm is on the right path to success. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The chairman of mining giant Rio Tinto plans to quit, accepting personal failings relating to the widely condemned destruction of an ancient sacred Indigenous site in Western Australia's Pilbara region in 2020. Briton Simon Thompson said he planned to step down from Rio's board and not seek re-election in 2022 in a company statement because, 'I am ultimately accountable for the failings that led to this tragic event.' The blasting of the cave at Jukkan Gorge, as part of the expansion of the Brockman 4 iron ore mine, was understood to be legal but against the wishes of traditional owners, the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura (PKKP) people. Mr Simon Thompson, Rio Tinto chairman has announced he will step down from the company's board in 2022 following outrage over the miner's destruction of the ancient site - but he will seek re-election in 2021 The 46,000-year-old rock shelters (pictured) in Western Australia's Pilbara region were blasted in May 2020 to extract $188 million worth of high-grade iron ore An archaeological dig at the cave in 2014 led to the belief it was one of the only inland sites in Australian containing evidence of continuous human occupation for more than 46,000 years. Stone tools, an implement made from a 28,000-year-old marsupial bone and a belt made from human hair were among items found there. Although the traditional owners tried to stop the blasting, Rio Tinto went ahead with it. Rio published a full review of the incident and what it had learned on its website in August 2020, which controversially recommended senior executives' bonuses be cut. This is understood to have outraged critics of the site's destruction and it is believed a combination of pressure from investors, Aboriginal groups and the Australian government led to Mr Thompson's decision. In his statement on Tuesday, Mr Thompson said while he was 'proud of Rio Tinto's achievements in 2020', they were 'overshadowed by the destruction of the Juukan Gorge rock shelters at the Brockman 4 operations in Australia'. Mr Thompson said a lot of work was being done 'to rebuild the trust that we have lost' and added 'the tragic events at Juukan Gorge are a source of personal sadness and deep regret, as well as being a clear breach of our values as a company'. It is understood Mr Thompson, who was made chairman in March 2018, would seek to remain in his role for another year by seeking re-election at the 2021 Rio Tinto annual general meeting. Last June Rio issued a statement apologising: 'We are sorry for the distress we have caused.' Juukan Gorge in Western Australia. Explosives were detonated in a part of the Juukan Gorge, demolishing two ancient rock shelters and prompting outcry and renewed national debate on the protection of indigenous heritage sites 'Our relationship with the PKKP matters a lot to Rio Tinto, having worked together for many years. 'We will continue to work with the PKKP to learn from what has taken place and strengthen our partnership. 'As a matter of urgency, we are reviewing the plans of all other sites in the Juukan Gorge area.' Losing the site was a 'devastating blow' to the traditional owners, said tribe representative John Ashburton. 'There are less than a handful of known Aboriginal sites in Australia that are as old as this one ... its importance cannot be underestimated,' he said in a statement. 'Our people are deeply troubled and saddened by the destruction of these rock shelters and are grieving the loss of connection to our ancestors as well as our land.' By Ding Long Having been in office for over a month, the Biden administration has taken a series of moves in the Middle East targeting both its rivals and allies in the region, which has more clearly revealed Washington's policy of bringing its Middle East diplomacy back to the track set in Obama's term. Yet, the approach it has taken obviously deviates from its end and may very well lead to the opposite of what it has in mind. The current signs indicate that Biden and his team have a mind to overhaul Trump's diplomatic policy in the Middle East. First, it will make full use of institutions. The new administration makes a point of giving play to the diplomatic and defense departments as well as official mechanisms. It also takes advantage of international multilateral platforms to solve the Middle East issues, as shown by the plan to kick off a meeting of the Iran nuclear deal participants soon. Second, it will implement a rebalancing strategy. The White House is now committed to reshuffling the balance of power in the Middle East to make major forces balance and check each other so that it can invest less energy in the region and play as an off-shore "balancer" and "arbitrator". Third, it will return to value-oriented diplomacy . At a macro-level, the Biden administration pursues diverse and compound national interests in the Middle East and wants to maintain its regional clout with decreased input. But such a tactic doesn't have much chance of succeeding given the current regional situation, including deepened conflicts between factions and religious sects, worse security dilemma, and the rapid change of inter-state relations. For one thing, Biden's Middle East policy will be restricted in many ways. Washington has never slackened its pressuring on Tehran even when it is trying to restart the nuclear deal negotiations, and the difficulty to "tame" the country has tied its hands in specific moves. Meanwhile, its Saudi Arabia policy also reveals Washington' scruples about taking any aggressive action in the region. For Riyadh, the release of the investigation report on the Jamal Khashoggi case was the second boot falling, and it sees through the US' intentions so well that Biden's "pressuring" is superficial at best without any substantive effect. For another, Biden's Middle East approach is traditional and outdated that, for the moment, seems to aim at nothing more than restoring Obama's diplomatic legacy in the region, which means a major breakthrough like the establishment of diplomatic ties between UAE and Israel is basically out of the question. It must be noted that Obama's Middle East policy was far from being successful. During Obama's term, the Iranian nuclear issue was not effectively resolved, and the US was estranged from its regional allies. A resumption of the nuclear deal, as is pushed by the Biden administration now, will trigger chain effects in the region and disrupt America's relations with its regional allies, which goes counter to its diplomatic objective of relying on its alliance network. Moreover, value-oriented diplomacy has never succeeded in the Middle East in history, and any attempt to repeat that path today would seem stubborn and dogmatic. What's worse, America's capricious Middle East policy will directly affect regional security and stability, as well as expose the faction-cleaved region to greater risks if all Washington can think about is which side to pick rather than how to build a security institution there. (The author is a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute (MESI) of Shanghai International Studies University (SISU).) Editor's note: This article is originally published on huanqiu.com, and is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn. [March 03, 2021] Satori Named Most Innovative Cybersecurity Company, Sweeps 2021 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards in 10 Categories TEL AVIV, Israel, March 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Satori, the industrys leading provider of data governance and secure data access, has been named a winner for 10 categories in the 2021 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards. Among the most significant are the following designations: Most Innovative Cybersecurity Company; Access Control; Data Governance; Database Security; and Data Security. The Cybersecurity Excellence Awards is an annual competition honoring individuals and companies that demonstrate excellence, innovation and leadership in information security. Satoris mission is to help organizations maximize their data-driven competitive advantage by removing barriers to broad data access and usage while ensuring security, privacy and compliance. The Satori Secure Data Access Cloud is the first solution on the market to offer continuous visibility and granular control for data flows across all cloud and hybrid data stores. With Satori, organizations can easily understand where their data is, how it is being used, who is accessing it, and where it is flowing ithin their infrastructure. "We are honored to be awarded in 10 categories for this years Cybersecurity Excellence Awards, said Eldad Chai, CEO and Co-founder of Satori. The significant shift of data to the cloud has made data protection more important than ever as existing approaches to data access and security dont scale in these new environments. Satori is introducing a new DataOps architecture that provides this security, along with simplified data governance, real-time data visibility and self-service access to data. These awards are indicative of the value in Satoris mission and products, and data leaders and CISOs should take note." "We congratulate Satori for the recognition as a Gold award winner in the 2021 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards," said Holger Schulze, CEO of Cybersecurity Insiders and founder of the 500,000-member Information Security Community on LinkedIn which organizes the 6th annual Cybersecurity Excellence Awards. "With over 600 entries in more than 100 award categories, the 2021 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards program is highly competitive, and all winners reflect the very best in innovation and excellence in tackling today's urgent cybersecurity challenges." Each year the Cybersecurity Excellence Awards recognize companies, products and professionals that demonstrate excellence, innovation and leadership in information security. The awards are produced by Cybersecurity Insiders in partnership with the Information Security Community on LinkedIn, tapping into the vast experience of over 400,000+ cybersecurity professionals to honor the worlds best cybersecurity products, professionals and organizations. For more information on Satori visit https://satoricyber.com/. About Satori Satori is revolutionizing data protection and governance. Its Secure Data Access Platform seamlessly integrates into any environment to deliver complete data-flow visibility utilizing activity-based discovery and classification. The platform provides context-aware and granular data access and privacy policies across all enterprise data flows, data access and data stores. With Satori, organizations and their data teams can confidently ensure that data security, privacy and compliance are in place - enabling data-driven innovation and competitive advantage. Contact: Debra Montner Montner Tech PR dmontner@montner.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] (Natural News) Not long before he was banned from Instagram for sharing debunked claims about the coronavirus or vaccines, health freedom advocate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appeared on an episode of the Ron Paul Liberty Report to discuss evidence suggesting that his father, Robert Kennedy, was assassinated by the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency). During the talk, Kennedy delved into some of the history of the CIA, including how it was originally established as an espionage organization tasked solely with gathering intelligence. It later evolved into a paramilitary force charged with overthrowing democracies and engaging in other anti-democratic activities. As for media censorship, the CIAs involvement is something that is rarely talked about but that deserves attention. Edward Curtin, in a piece entitled Opening the CIAs Can of Worms, reveals that the CIA and corporate mainstream media are tied at the hip. The CIA and the media are part of the same criminal conspiracy, writes Douglas Valentine in his book The CIA as Organized Crime, which Curtin cites. The corporate media functions as an army of stenographers for the national security states ongoing psychological operations aimed at the American people, he adds, further noting that when it comes to matters that bear on important foreign and domestic matters, the CIA and the corporate mainstream media cannot be distinguished. While information warfare and psychological operations are nothing new, they have become much more noticeable in recent years, especially as hordes of wrongthinking individuals, groups and independent news outlets are aggressively silenced on social and other forms of media. Even licensed medical doctors and scientists are being silenced by the CIA Kennedy himself has incurred a barrage of censorship and harassment over the years, as has his family all for saying and doing things of which the CIA disapproves. Telling the truth is simply not an option when the CIA requires total obedience and congruency to the narrative at all times. The only way the propaganda works, after all, is if it is the only thing people hear with no contradictions. According to Curtin, the CIAs propaganda is carefully designed to win the hearts and minds of the American people and pacify them into victims of their own complicity. Perhaps never before in history has this been more evident than with the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) scam. The goal with this psychological operation is to convince as many people as possible that they need to get vaccinated in order to return back to normal, or at least some semblance of normal. The CIA-run media, national security apparatus, and medical establishment are all working in tandem with one another to make this happen, which includes silencing licensed medical doctors and renowned scientists who dare to tell the truth about the charade. Just the other day The New York Times had this headline: Robert Kennedy Jr. Barred From Instagram Over False Virus Claims. Notice the lack of the word alleged before false virus claims. This is guilt by headline, writes Curtin. It is a perfect piece of propaganda posing as reporting, since it accuses Kennedy, a brilliant and honorable man, of falsity and stupidity, thus justifying Instagrams ban, and it is an inducement to further censorship of Mr. Kennedy by Facebook, Instagrams parent company. This is just one example among many of this nefarious tactic, which aims to smear all truth-tellers as quacks and liars. The truth, of course, is that the Times and other CIA mouthpieces are the real quacks and liars. These companies and their employees do what they are told, whether explicitly or implicitly, for they know it is in their financial interest to do so, Curtin says. To keep up with the latest news about social and mainstream media censorship, be sure to check out Censorship.news. Sources for this article include: Mercola.com NaturalNews.com Appearances can suggest we care less about things than we really do Tear gas and fire extinguisher gas float around demonstrators during a protest against the military coup in Yangon, Myanmar, March 2, 2021. Reuters Police in Myanmar repeatedly used tear gas and rubber bullets Tuesday against crowds protesting last month's coup, but the demonstrators regrouped after each volley and tried to defend themselves with barricades as standoffs between protesters and security forces intensified. Myanmar authorities have escalated their crackdown on the protests in recent days, making mass arrests and firing into the crowds. The United Nations said it believed at least 18 people were killed on Sunday by security forces. Foreign ministers from Southeast Asian countries called Tuesday for an end to the violence and talks to resolve the increasingly volatile crisis. Despite the crackdown, demonstrators have continued to flood the streets _ and are beginning to more rigorously resist attempts to disperse them. Hundreds, many wearing construction helmets and carrying makeshift shields, gathered in Myanmar's largest city of Yangon, where a day earlier police had fired repeated rounds of tear gas. They dragged bamboo poles and debris to form barricades, chanted slogans and sang songs at the police lines. They even threw banana skins onto the road in front of them in a bid to slow any police rush. The mainly young demonstrators fled in panic each time tear gas canisters were fired but soon returned to their barricades. Videos posted on social media showed similar chaotic scenes in the Insein neighborhood of northern Yangon. Protesters also took up their flags and banners to march through the streets of Dawei, a small city in southeastern Myanmar that has seen almost daily large demonstrations against the coup. One group of demonstrators was targeted by the security forces as it entered a narrow street on its way to pay respects at the house of a man killed in Sunday's crackdown. Another was attacked on the main street in the city's center. Police also dispersed protests in Mandalay, the country's second-largest city, on Tuesday. Army officers intervene during a protest against the military coup in Yangon, Myanmar, March 2, 2021. Reuters Baghdad: At least 10 rockets targeted a military base in western Iraq that hosts US-led coalition troops on Wednesday, the coalition and the Iraqi military said. It was not immediately known if there were any casualties. The rockets struck Ain al-Asad airbase in Anbar province at 7.20am (local time), coalition spokesman Colonel Wayne Marotto said. No one claimed responsibility for the attack. This aerial photo taken in December 2019 shows Ain al-Asad air base in Iraq. Credit:AP The Iraqi military released a statement saying the attack did not cause significant losses and that security forces had found the launch pad used for the rockets. It was found in the al-Baghdadi area of Anbar, an Iraqi military official said on condition of anonymity to discuss the attack with the media. It was the first attack since the US struck Iran-aligned militia targets along the Iraq-Syria border last week, killing killed one militiaman and stoking fears of a possible repeat of a series of tit-for-tat attacks that escalated last year, culminating in the US drone strike that killed Iranian General Qassim Soleimani outside the Baghdad airport. New Delhi: In view of the growing cases of bounce, Chief Justice of India Sharad Bobde, who was hearing the Supreme Court Suo Moto case on Wednesday (March 3), has advised the government to form a committee. The committee will be headed by a retired judge and this committee will give its suggestions to deal with the increasing check bounce cases. The three-judge bench was headed by CJI Sharad Bobde. The bench said that " Having regard to the importance of the matter for the administration of justice of various states, we are of the view that High Courts through their registrar general and states/ Union Territories through their DGPs shall submit a response within four weeks." The Supreme Court has said that the Central government should enable additional quotes to deal with check bounce cases. Check bounce cases are pending between 30-40 per cent in other courts of the country. Ministry of Finance, besides setting up the Additional Court, did the Alternative Measure. The Finance Ministry had proposed to convert the check bounce into a civil case. "By an order of October 27, 2020, all the DGs of Police were directed to file their reports before us with regard to a summons and other issues, but so far only 7 DGPs of various states had filed their responses." the Supreme Court sa Live TV Google Maps has captured the moment pranksters staged an axe murder scene in the street. The bizarre scene was captured in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, and shared to Reddit under the caption: 'Quick, the Google car is coming.' In the photograph, one man can be seen wielding an axe as his friend lays beneath him, supposedly playing dead on the floor. But social media weren't fooled and quickly took to the comments section to suggest that not all was as it seemed - and that those pictured were posing for the Google car after spotting it. Google Maps appeared to capture the moment one man, located in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, 'attacked' another with an axe in the middle of the street. Taking to Reddit, one baffled person commented: 'What is even going on there?' (pictured) 'What is even going on there?' asked one, while a second responded: 'Some guys doing landscaping saw a google street mapping car going around the neighbourhood and decided to have some fun.' A third commented: 'Just Minecraft Steve harvesting the bodies for some meat.' And when a fourth wrote: 'Even with the blur I can tell the guy on the left is laughing his a** off,' another amused by the image joked: 'Or crying because he is next.' Others more specifically pointed out the location in which the scenario took place, with one writing: 'This is Fenton ain't it? Never thought I'd see good old Stoke on Reddit.' Another added: 'Yup, by the Methodist church.' One person took to the comment section and penned: 'Even with the blur I can tell the guy on the left is laughing his a** off' (pictured) It comes just weeks after a cheeky student who took a selfie with the Google Maps surveillance van five years ago was caught on camera by the van again - in practically the same outfit. Vet Charlie Tewson, 32, from Wokingham, was on his lunch break outside the surgery where he works when he saw the camera van filming the street in July 2015. Running to catch up, he took a funny selfie video with the van - and hilariously he ended up appearing on Google Maps. So five years later, he literally jumped at the chance to appear on the site again, when he saw the camera van on his lunch break in November 2020. He has once again ended up immortalised on the internet - this time outside Waterstones in Wokingham, Berkshire. Vet Charlie Tewson, 32, from Wokingham, was on his lunch break outside the surgery where he works when he saw the Google Maps camera van filming the street in July 2015 Running to catch up, he took a funny selfie video with the van - and hilariously he ended up appearing on Google Maps GBP/AUD Exchange Rate Stable Ahead of UK Budget The Pound to Australian Dollar (GBP/AUD) exchange rate is currently trading in a narrow range as investors brace for the publication of the UKs 2021 budget. Australian Dollar (AUD) Exchange Rates Buoyed by Upbeat GDP Figures At the same time, the Australian Dollar (AUD) remains well supported this morning following the publication of Australias latest GDP figures overnight. According to data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), domestic GDP rose by 3.1% in the last quarter of 2020, easily beating forecasts for a more 2.5% expansion, with the release also see Q3 growth revised up from 3.3% to 3.4%. The strong end to 2020 is an encouraging sign to AUD investors and points to a V-shaped recovery for Australia's economy. Analysts attributed the strong rebound in growth to Australias success in minimising coronavirus infections, which has allowed the country to lift most restrictions. Westpac economist Andrew Hanlan, said: Success on the health front has permitted the rolling back of most, but not all, COVID restrictions. Victoria emerging from a second lockdown boosted activity in Q4 and will do so again in Q1. Pound (GBP) Exchange Rates Steady as Markets Brace for UK Budget The Pound (GBP) is holding steady against the Australian Dollar (AUD) and the majority of its other peers this morning, in advance of the UKs 2021 Budget. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to unveil his budget later this afternoon, and is expected to pledge to do whatever it takes to support businesses and individuals through the pandemic. As part of this the Chancellor is expected to extend the furlough scheme until the end of September as well as offering grants to help businesses reopen once the lockdown is lifted. While GBP investors will no doubt welcome the expansion of the governments fiscal stimulus measures, there are still considerable questions over how Sunak will plug the growing hole in public finances. Sunak has warned that there are tough times ahead, and there has been significant speculation that the Chancellor could raise taxes, an outcome which could limit any upside in the Pound. Robert Alster, CIO at wealth manager Close Brothers Asset Management, comments: Were not expecting too many surprises when the Chancellor takes to his feet to deliver one of the most widely leaked budgets in history. The key focus will clearly be continued support for the economy, as we navigate our way out of lockdown. The question is how Rishi Sunak will balance the need for short term support while addressing the long-term problem of the deficit. In recent weeks, speculation about tax rises has been rife. Specifically, a reform of capital gains tax, increasing corporation tax and potential stealth taxes in the form of income tax band freezes. Also in focus for GBP investors will be the accompanying forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), where an upbeat outlook for 2021 is likely to reflect well on Sterling. GBP/AUD Exchange Rate Forecast: AUD Trade Figures to Lift the Aussie? Looking ahead, the Pound Australian Dollar (GBP/AUD) exchange rate could face some headwinds later tonight, with the publication of Australias latest trade balance release. Economists are forecasting another robust expansion of Australias trade surplus in January, which is likely to reflect well on the commodity driven Aussie. Meanwhile, the UKs latest construction PMI may offer some support to the Pound tomorrow, on the expectation that growth in the UKs construction sector will have picked up again last month. An Garda Siochana have asked European anti-fraud investigators not to name anyone in an investigation summary into the alleged misuse of funds at the Templemore Training College in Tipperary. The request came in response to an offer by Olaf, the EUs fraud-busting watchdog, for the gardai to put forward comments or observations on a draft report, the Public Accounts Committee will be told. Publishing names may hinder possible" criminal action against those identified, the force claimed. An Garda Siochana has responded to an offer from the European Anti-Fraud Office, Olaf, to comment on the summary of the facts concerning their investigation into the Templemore Training College funds, Chief Superintendent John Dollard, writing from the commissioner's office, tells TDs and Senators. "Our only comment was to ask Olaf not to publish the names of the persons involved, as to do so may prejudice any possible criminal prosecution. It is not known when Olaf will publish its findings, which could prove a significant embarrassment to the force. The Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) is also investigating claims of sustained diversion of funding to other purposes at the college, including alleged misuse of EU monies, which prompted the Olaf investigation. The PAC is told An Garda Siochana has appointed a Chief Superintendent to act as liaison officer with GSOC in its examination of the affair. "This is to ensure full and prompt co-operation within GSOC inquiry. The Simpsons, the longest running primetime scripted show, has been renewed for two more seasons. The series is renewed for season 33 and season 34 at Fox, according to Variety. It is currently airing its 32nd season, with its landmark 700th episode set to debut on March 21. The latest: The Simpsons, the longest running primetime scripted show, has been renewed for two more seasons Season 34 is slated for 2023, making its total episodes at 757. In 2000, The Simpsons received their Hollywood Walk of Fame star. They already surpassed Gunsmoke as the longest running primetime scripted show in TV history after the animated series' 29th season. The creator of the cartoon, Matt Groening, released a statement after the show's renewal: 'Everyone at "The Simpsons" is thrilled to be renewed once more, and we are planning lots of big surprises,' per Variety. He continued: 'Homer will lose a hair, Milhouse will get contact lenses, and Bart will celebrate his tenth birthday for the thirty-third time.' Even more: The series is renewed for season 33 and season 34 at Fox, according to Variety The show's first episode aired on December 17, 1989. The show has won numerous awards, including: 34 Emmy Awards, 9 Environmental Media Awards, 7 People's Choice Awards, 34 Annie Awards, 13 Writers Guild of America Award, and an Institutional Peabody Award in 2019. It was also the first animated series to win a Peabody Award, the outlet reported. It's almost been nominated for an Academy Awards in 2012; there was a feature film that was released in 2007, grossing over $527 million worldwide. Matt is also an executive producer alongside James L. Brooks and Al Jean. The news comes a week after it was revealed that Kevin Michael Richardson will replace Harry Shearer as Dr. Hibbert on the show, per Variety. In June 2020, the producers of the Simpsons said they will no longer cast white actors to play non white characters. Latest: The news comes a week after it was revealed that Kevin Michael Richardson will replace Harry Shearer as Dr. Hibbert on the show, per Variety The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Seguin, Texas (78155) Today Thunderstorms likely, especially this morning. High 83F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Variably cloudy with scattered thunderstorms. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Credit risk is multidimensional, and a new generation of tools are required that integrate automation, statistical modelling, data science, AI, credit modelling knowledge, regulations, and, most importantly, human judgement and expertise. Leading European Bankers Highlight Covid Challenges to Bank Credit Models. On February 24th, 2021 the United Kingdoms Department for International Trade (DIT) and SPIN Analytics convened a Thought Leadership Roundtable to discuss the upheaval in Credit Risk Management with key players from Spain and Portugals banking ecosystems (bankers, associations, management consultants and system integrators). The DIT and SPIN Analytics invited industry experts to share their experience, discuss the key challenges, and explore potential solutions. Essential Takeaways from the Roundtable: *Credit risk management is the foundation of banking, yet it has never been more difficult. Banks were already under intense pressure to speed-up credit decisions and reduce costs without compromising risk management. The COVID-19 global pandemic introduced unprecedented market turbulence and government intervention and provided many examples of how naively extrapolating credit risk experience from the recent past to forecast the future is dangerous in a crisis. Expert human judgement proved critical. *Banks have spent several years exploring the use of standardized statistical packages and machine learning tools for developing and maintaining Credit Risk Models, but the process remains manual, time consuming (up to 6+ months per model for regulated models), labor intensive, and costly (0.25-1 million to build, plus more for maintenance). Each Bank uses hundreds or even thousands of models, requiring support from hundreds of internal experts across multiple functions. *The pandemic highlighted how during a crisis, backward-looking models can quickly become out of date and dangerously inaccurate, or even fail entirely. By the time enough new data were available to rebuild the models, events had usually moved on once more. Unexplainable AI models and automation tools were not the solution: it was essential to supplement historical data with expert judgement. *Faster, more accurate, more forward-looking credit risk modelling remains a priority, and digitization, automation and AI remain important components of any solution. However, the crisis has reinforced that credit risk management is about more than just historical data and statistical modelling. The next generation of tools for credit risk modelling must also integrate human judgement and credit experience. Participants in the Roundtable included some of the biggest banks in Iberia Region: Abanca, Bankia, BBVA, Millenium BCP Bank, Caixa Geral de Depositos, ING Spain, Credibom, Credito Agricola, Natixis, Barclays Portugal, Haitong Bank Portugal, Unicre Instituicao Financeira de Credito, S.A., Eurobic Bank, kutxabank, Montepio and other ecosystem players like Accenture, Bluecap, APB - Associacao Portuguesa de Bancos. -------------------------------- Quotes: "The Covid crisis highlighted the need for banks to accelerate the development of forward-looking models, including new sources of information. These sources include both internal information, such as transactional data e.g. related to credit card usage, or device-related information; as well as external, industry-related, or based on partnerships with 3rd parties. There are two main challenges to doing this - the time taken to incorporate and update new types of data and the willingness of the regulators to consider these new types of model." Mercedes Morris Munoz, Managing Director of GRM Retail Credit Risk, BBVA "The Covid crisis has been extremely disruptive and Millenium BCP has been the leader in supporting the customers in Portugal. It is clear that all banks now have to work on improving and automating credit risk models to ensure those models are quickly adapted to new context and the information available." Jose Miguel Pessanha, Executive Board Member and Chief Risk Officer, Millennium BCP Bank "The Covid crisis has forced all banks to adjust for the moratoria granted to customers and to address the inadequacy of backward-looking credit risk models. At Caixa Geral we are incorporating new data including feedback from customer surveys and accelerating the digital transformation of our approach to credit risk modelling." Vera Cardoso Santos, Deputy Director for Risk Management, Caixa Geral de Depositos "It is as much a question of what credit risk models can do for the data, as what data can do for credit risk models. Banks should stop dodging the lack of availability of data or budget and resolve data flows by working across business manager, credit risk modellers and IT." Josep Nadal, Lead Partner for Financial and Risk Consulting in Iberia in Accenture "Forward-looking models are essential to improving dynamic credit risk modelling, but many banks lack multi-disciplinary teams, accessibility of data and adequate governance around the modelling activity." Antoni Vidiella, Partner at Bluecap Management Consulting by Globant The Covid crisis provided a dramatic illustration of why automated statistical modelling alone cannot solve the industrys problems with credit risk modelling. Credit risk is multidimensional, and a new generation of tools are required that integrate automation, statistical modelling, data science, AI, credit modelling knowledge, regulations, and, most importantly, human judgement and expertise. Julian Phillips, COO and Head of Data Science at SPIN Analytics "While Covid has given all of us a stressful last 12 months, one of its "silver linings" has been to highlight the need for banks to accelerate credit risk model development and updating incorporating new data, as many of the roundtable participants confirmed. Ever since we started building credit risk models over 25 years ago, data availability and cleansing has always been the major challenge to model building. Now that, as we heard, explainable AI technology can be teamed with credit experts, hopefully this challenge will soon be consigned to history." Andrew Stott, formerly Head of Western Europe for Oliver Wyman and board member at BBVA, currently Senior Advisor to SPIN Analytics --------------------------------- The Department for International Trade (DIT) is a United Kingdom government department responsible for striking and extending trade agreements between the United Kingdom and foreign countries, as well as for encouraging foreign investment and export trade. SPIN Analytics SPIN Analytics helps regulated banks and other credit providers improve credit risk management with its next generation explainable AI-based platform, RISKROBOT. To learn more, visit http://www.SPIN-Analytics.com. Google Street View The "ghost mall" of Elk Grove will soon be transformed into a new casino, with the groundbreaking planned for March 9. The casino is a partnership between the Wilton Rancheria tribe and Boyd Gaming, which also runs a number of casinos in Vegas, including the Fremont, Jokers Wild and Gold Coast. The project is a large one. Boyd Gaming said there will be up to 2,000 slots (for comparison, Cache Creek has about 2,700), more than 80 table games, a proposed 12-story hotel and spa and a convention center that will be among the largest in the region. Buckingham Palace is to investigate allegations of bullying made against the Duchess of Sussex by former royal staff. The Times newspaper has reported allegations that during her time as a working royal, Ms Markle drove out two personal assistants and staff were "humiliated" on several occasions. Underlying the Duchess actions, the paper claims, was the view of a number of sources that she wanted to be a "victim" so her "unbearable experience" would convince Harry they had to leave the UK - something her lawyers have denied. The monarchy's "men in grey suits" have been accused of being aware of the alleged actions of the duchess and of doing "absolutely nothing to protect people". Read More Buckingham Palace said in a statement: "We are clearly very concerned about allegations in The Times following claims made by former staff of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. "Accordingly our HR team will look into the circumstances outlined in the article. Members of staff involved at the time, including those who have left the Household, will be invited to participate to see if lessons can be learned. "The Royal Household has had a Dignity at Work policy in place for a number of years and does not and will not tolerate bullying or harassment in the workplace." A spokesperson for the Duchess said she is saddened by the report she faced a bullying complaint during her time at Kensington Palace. The spokesperson said: The Duchess is saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma. "She is determined to continue her work building compassion around the world and will keep striving to set an example for doing what is right and doing what is good. Read More Industry Update Appointment 3 March 2021 Bere Olmedo Appointed Director of Sensei Lanai Retreat At Sensei in Lanai City - HI, USA Bere Olmedo was named Director of Sensei Lana'i Retreat in August 2020 and currently oversees day-to-day operations for Sensei's unmatched wellness programming and execution of the luxury guest experience. She also is responsible for growing the talented on-site team.Olmedo joined the Sensei team in August 2017 as Hospitality Manager and was promoted to Director of Hospitality in October 2019. Prior to joining the Sensei team, Olmedo worked with AMAN for over seven years in locations around the world, including Cambodia, Japan, Laos and the Dominican Republic. Sensei Sensei applies data-driven health knowledge and utilizes technology in its programs and services to promote preventative care and healthy lifestyle practices. It was founded by Larry Ellison, technology pioneer and co-founder of Oracle, and Dr. more information Recent Appointments at Sensei Lara Weiss - Director of Sales & Revenue Management 3 March 2021 Lara Weiss was recently appointed Director of Sales & Revenue Management at Sensei where she will lead the team in meeting sales objectives and goals. Weiss comes to Sensei with a strong background in hospitality having worked at a variety of West Coast companies and properties including The Beverly Hilton, The Hollywood Roosevelt, Thompson Hotels, Kor Hotel Group and more. read more Jacqueline Pucci - Head of People Operations. 3 March 2021 Sensei also welcomes Jacqueline Pucci as its corporate Head of People Operations. In this role, Pucci will build the brand's portfolio through people leadership, employer branding, opening critical path support and talent acquisition of top technology, wellness and hospitality professionals. read more A program aimed at making Jefferson County Jail inmates employable once they are released will be expanded, Sheriff Mark Pettway announced Wednesday. The first class of the Renewed for Reentry Program graduated in November 2019. The program is a joint effort with the Dannon Project to better equip offenders for entry back into the free world. The program is implemented through three phases: Ready to Work, Training to Work, and finally Graduation and Release. Inmates eligible for the program are those who are being held on non-violent offenses. Program officials will work with judges to identify those best suited for the program and Renewed for Reentry may also be used as a sentencing alternative. All instruction, training and even job interviews will be done on site at the county jail. Some of the skills and assistance offered by this program are job preparation, comprehensive case management, identifying barriers to employment, needs assessment, career exploration and planning, legal assistance, counseling and assistance with linking inmates to the social services required to help them transition back to their communities. Sending a confident, productive member of society back out into the world for good is our goal,' Pettway said. Nothing less will do. The Renewed for Re-entry program was temporarily halted due to Covid-19 restrictions but will ramp back up in the Jefferson County Jail on March 8. Authorities Wednesday announced the expansion of the program will include increased funding through Pathway Homes and a federal grant. Dannon Project director of marketing and outreach Alvin Garrett said the reentry group will deal with inmates ages 18 through 59 with six months or less remaining on their jail or prison sentence. The Dannon Project will offer the services to 300 inmates over the next two years at two Alabama prisons and the Jefferson County Jail, beginning on March 8. During the course of the remainder of their sentence, they will work through a curriculum specifically geared toward them becoming workforce ready and financially independent,' Garrett said. When released from jail they will be prepared to complete state and national certifications. One of the new aspects of the program will be job place after release and training in which the Dannon Project will pay their wages for the first 390 hours on the job. After that, it will be up to the employer to keep them and pay them. Those individuals who have broken the law will go back out into the community, and when they do, we want to make sure they are changed individuals,' the sheriff said. When they go back into the communitytheyre going back with a job to take care of themselves and their families. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 To help reach the states goal of vaccinating 70% of Michiganders over age 16, and bring a quicker end to the COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) officials announced on Wednesday that the state is expanding vaccination eligibility beginning Monday, March 8. This change follows the announcement by President Joe Biden that ramped-up production will provide enough doses for 300 million Americans by the end of May. The more people we can get the safe and effective vaccine, the faster we can return to a sense of normalcy, said Whitmer. I urge all eligible Michiganders to get one of the three COVID-19 vaccines to protect you, your family and your community. Weve already administered over 2.3 million doses to Michiganders of all races and backgrounds, and yesterdays announcement that our national supply will be enough to protect all Americans by the end of May is incredible news. "And as always: mask up, practice safe social distancing and avoid large indoor gatherings where COVID-19 can easily spread from person to person. We will eliminate this virus together. Starting March 8, MDHHS will move forward with the vaccination of Michiganders age 50 and older with medical conditions or disabilities and caregiver family members and guardians who care for children with special health care needs. And beginning Monday, March 22, vaccine eligibility will again expand to include all Michiganders 50 and older. To date, more than 40% of Michiganders age 65 and older have been vaccinated. Over 2.3 million doses of the safe and effective COVID vaccines have been administered in Michigan, and we know more vaccine is coming into the state, said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at MDHHS. We are pleased to expand eligibility for more people to get vaccinated as we continue to focus on our most vulnerable and those at highest risk of severe illness due to COVID-19. "We are well on our way to vaccinating 70% of Michiganders age 16 and up. With three safe and effective vaccines now authorized for use, people should get the first vaccine available to them. These vaccines are the way we are going to end this pandemic. By Monday, all vaccine providers may begin vaccinating the two new priority groups of 50 and older with medical conditions or disabilities, and caregiver family members and guardians who care for children with special health care needs. Those eligible to receive a vaccine should: Check the website of the local health department or hospital to find out their process or for registration forms; or Check additional vaccination sites, such as local pharmacies like Meijer, Rite Aid or Cardinal Health (for U.P. residents); or Residents who dont have access to the internet or who need assistance navigating the vaccine scheduling process can call the COVID-19 Hotline at 888-535-6136 (press 1), Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., or can call 2-1-1. It is important to note that, while supplies are increasing, there remains a limited amount of vaccine available, so there may be a waitlist for appointments. As more vaccine becomes available, the state will continue to move more quickly through the priority groups. Last weekend, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized Johnson & Johnsons COVID-19 vaccine for adults ages 18 and older. The vaccine is deemed 85% effective in preventing severe disease. Michigan will receive 82,700 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine this week. All three vaccines in circulation demonstrate high efficacy against COVID-19, particularly with preventing hospitalizations, severe illness and deaths. The vaccines have comparable safety profiles, with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine having the benefit of requiring only a single dose. MDHHS is accelerating vaccination due to concern around disparity in life expectancy and in an effort to remove barriers to vaccine access. The state recently launched a COVID-19 vaccination strategy guided by the following guiding principles: All Michiganders have equitable access to vaccines. Vaccine planning and distribution is inclusive and actively engages state and local government, public and private partners; and draws upon the experience and expertise of leaders from historically marginalized populations. Public communications are transparent, accurate, and frequent to build public trust. Data are used to promote equity, track progress and guide decision making. Resource stewardship, efficiency, and continuous quality improvement drive strategic implementation. MDHHS follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations for prioritization of distribution and administration of COVID-19 vaccines. CDC recommendations are based on input from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a federal advisory committee made up of medical and public health experts who develop recommendations on the use of vaccines in the United States. The most recent vaccine prioritization guidance can be found on Michigans COVID-19 website. Even with the increase of COVID-19 vaccinations, Khaldun urges everyone to continue to practice preventative measures such as properly wearing masks, social distancing and frequent hand washing to reduce the spread of the virus until the vast majority of people have been vaccinated. Michigan residents seeking more information about the COVID-19 vaccine can visit Michigan.gov/COVIDvaccine. Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus. Knoxville, Tenn. - The Special Investigations Section of the Tennessee Department of Revenue conducted the investigation that led to the indictment and arrest of Michael Patrick Boyle, Jr., for tax evasion. Boyle, 52, was arrested on Monday by Revenue special agents. On February 24, 2021, a Knox County Grand Jury indicted Boyle on two felony counts of tax evasion. The indictments allege Boyle provided false and fraudulent information to the Knox County Clerks Office regarding his registration of a boat and a vehicle. The Department of Revenue promotes voluntary taxpayer compliance by educating taxpayers, aggressively pursuing criminal sanctions and demanding accountability when taxpayers engage in fraudulent activity," Revenue Commissioner David Gerregano said. "This indictment underscores the Department's ongoing efforts to enforce Tennessee's tax laws." If convicted, Boyle could be sentenced to a maximum of two years in the state penitentiary and fined up to $3,000 for each count of tax evasion. The Department is pursuing this criminal case in cooperation with District Attorney Charme Allens office. Citizens who suspect violations of Tennessee's revenue laws should call the toll-free tax fraud hot line at (800) FRAUDTX (372-8389). The Department of Revenue is responsible for the administration of state tax laws and motor vehicle title and registration laws, as well as the collection of taxes and fees associated with those laws. The Department collects about 87 percent of total state revenue. During the 2020 fiscal year, it collected $15.1 billion in state taxes and fees and more than $3.2 billion in taxes and fees for local governments. To learn more about the Department, visit www.tn.gov/revenue. ### A team of scientists in the UK recently evaluated the effectiveness of the Pfizer (BNT162b2) and AstraZeneca (ChAdOx1) vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The findings reveal that both vaccines are effective in significantly reducing SARS-CoV-2 infection in older adults and providing long-term protection. The study is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server. Study: Early effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination with BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine and ChAdOx1 adenovirus vector vaccine on symptomatic disease, hospitalisations and mortality in older adults in England . Image Credit: Maria Kaminska / Shutterstock Background The recent outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a dramatic loss of human life and devastated the healthcare systems and socioeconomic structures of many countries globally. As an attempt to control the viral spread, several vaccines and therapeutics have been developed in record time. Some of these vaccines have also received emergency use approval from various national regulatory bodies authorities. In this context, the UK became the first country to roll out an mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech (BNT162b2). Afterward, an adenovirus-based vaccine developed by the AstraZeneca (ChAdOx1) was also included in the UKs COVID-19 vaccination program. The interim phase 3 clinical trial data indicate that both Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines are highly effective against SARS-CoV-2 when administered twice at intervals of 3 weeks and 4 weeks, respectively. However, there is evidence suggesting that the level of protection can be improved by increasing the dosing interval. Based on these findings, the UK Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization has recommended increasing the dosing interval up to 12 weeks for both vaccines. The current study was conducted to analyze the impacts of both Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines on confirmed COVID-19 patients aged 70 years and above. The efficacy of the vaccines in reducing emergency hospitalization and mortality has also been analyzed. Because the newly emerged B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2 has become the dominant strain in the UK, the vaccine effectiveness in managing this significantly more infectious strain has been analyzed in the current study. Important observations The efficacy of the two-dose regimen of the Pfizer vaccine and a single dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine was analyzed in the study. The study findings revealed that a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine is 60 70% effective in reducing symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection among the older population in England; whereas, a two-dose vaccination regimen was found to be 85 90% efficacious. Regarding the AstraZeneca vaccine, the findings revealed that a single vaccine dose is approximately 60 75% effective in reducing symptomatic infection. With the Pfizer vaccine, an effectiveness of 70% was observed after 28 days of first dose administration and an effectiveness of 90% was observed after 14 days of second dose administration. With the AstraZeneca vaccine, effectiveness of 60% was observed after 28 days of vaccination, which further increased to 75% after 35 days of vaccination. The scientists estimated that compared to unvaccinated individuals, BNT162b2-vaccinated individuals who later on acquired SARS-CoV-2 infection had 44% and 51% lower risks of hospitalization and death, respectively. The AstraZeneca vaccine ChAdOx1 also showed some level of protection (37%) against hospitalization. During the initial phase of the roll-out, older people aged 80 years and above were the target population for vaccination. The scientists noticed that people vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine during this phase had a higher rate of testing SARS-CoV-2 positive within a few days after vaccination. This indicates that the risk of COVID-19 is higher in the initially targeted population and that they may acquire infection before developing desired immune responses to the vaccine. The vaccine started providing protection after 10 13 days of immunization, which reached 70% after 28 34 days and remained constant. By analyzing the spike-gene target failure (SGTF) status, the scientists revealed that the B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2 is currently predominating in England and that the variant has negligible influence on the vaccine effectiveness. Study significance The study findings collectively reveal that both Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines are effective in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection and reducing COVID-19-related hospitalization. In addition, the Pfizer vaccine has shown an added benefit of reducing COVID-19-related mortality. A clear vaccine effect has been observed with a single dose, highlighting the option of maximizing the number of vaccinated people with a single dose to better manage the pandemic. Importantly, a significant proportion of vaccinated people have been found to develop SARS-CoV-2 infection, particularly during the first few weeks after vaccination. This highlights the importance of maintaining pandemic-related precautions even after vaccination. *Important Notice medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. IQ-EQ, a global investor services group, has today announced plans to expand its Irish operations with the launch of a dedicated Funds business in Ireland creating 45 roles over the next five years. The company provides a comprehensive range of compliance, administration, asset and advisory services to alternative funds, global companies, and private and institutional investors globally. This includes a 135-strong team in Northern Ireland, specialised in fund administration and depositary services, plus third-party alternative investment fund manager (AIFM) platforms in London as well as Luxembourg. IQ-EQ has been active in Ireland for over 30 years, providing a full range of corporate administration and structured finance solutions from its offices in Dublin and Shannon. The 45 new jobs created as a result of the expansion will be based from the Shannon facility and include roles in fund accounting, transfer agency and support functions. Welcoming the investment, Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar said, "Im pleased to see that IQ-EQ is expanding in Shannon by creating 45 new jobs over the next five years. IQ-EQ has been long established in Ireland and the companys launch of a dedicated Funds business here demonstrates its continued commitment to Ireland. I wish the team all the best with their expansion plans." IQ-EQs Managing Director for Ireland, Joanne McEnteggart added, "This is an important milestone not only for the Ireland team but for the Group as a whole as it takes us one step closer to achieving our strategic objective of becoming the most complete independent provider to alternative asset managers globally. We very much welcome the support of IDA Ireland in facilitating us in bringing our funds expertise, reputation for high quality service and focus on technology to the Irish funds industry." Source: www.businessworld.ie Space enthusiasts looking for an out-of-this-world travel experience can now sign up for a chance to fly on the first civilian trip to the Moon. Japanese fashion billionaire Yasuka Maezawa is offering up seats on SpaceXs first lunar orbital flight, which is expected to take place in 2023. Maezawa secured a seat for himself and eight passengers on the spacecraft back in 2018. He originally planned to bring six to eight artists from different countries around the world along with him, with the intention of inspiring them to create art about the experience once they had returned to Earth. However, he has now announced that general members of the public will be eligible for a seat. Interest applicants can visit the dearMoon website and hit the Join the Crew banner to sign up. The selection process will involve the following five main steps before the crew is confirmed by June 2021: Pre-registration by 14 March Initial screening by 21 March Assignment Online interview Final Interview and Medical Checkup According to Maezawa, there are two key criteria for those who wish to become a traveller on the first civilian trip to the Moon. Firstly, by going to space, the person needs to push the envelope of whatever activity they are into, in order to help other people and great society as a whole. Secondly, the person must be willing and able to support other crew members who share similar aspirations. It is not known how much Maezawa has paid for the trip, but SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has previously said the cost would be similar to sending an astronaut to the International Space Station. This means Maezawa likely had to put down around $70 million. This is nothing strange for the billionaire, however, as he previously spent $100 million on a painting. Starship readiness promising by 2023 SpaceX plans to use its fully-reusable Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket for the trip, both of which are currently still under development at its Boca Chica test site in Texas. In a video detailing the dearMoon mission, Musk has said that the potential for a 2023 date for the trip is now promising. Im highly confident that we will have reached orbit many times with Starship before 2023. And that it will be safe enough for human transport by 2023, Musk stated. In total 10 to 12 people will be on the flight, which will last four or five days, with the Starship being around 200 kilometres from the Moons surface at its closest distance. A simplified plan for the dearMoon flight can be seen below. Now read: How a supernova somewhere in the Milky Way can disrupt cellphone signals on Earth LONDON, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Commonwealth of Dominica's new geothermal plant is expected to be built in 2022. The project is part of the Caribbean island's goal to become the world's first climate-resilient country. It aims to reduce electricity costs for consumers and supply energy to its neighbouring French islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique. The plant, which is partly funded by the country's Citizenship by Investment Programme, is expected to generate approximately 120 megawatts of electricity when finished. Dominica's Ambassador to the United States of America (USA) and Organisation of American States (OAS), Dr Vince Henderson, stated that Dominica is at an advanced stage of the geothermal plant's execution and on the horizon of an exciting national opportunity. "What we have actually sent is probably USD 5 million from local funds from the inflows of the CBI [citizenship by investment] to finance the geothermal project," Dr Henderson said. He added that the rest of the funds would come from international partners and lenders. "It is really the only way that Dominica can transition in a very efficient way from diesel generation to renewable energy," the Ambassador explained. Investors have contributed over $1.2 billion in Dominica's Citizenship by Investment Programme over the 2017-2020 fiscal years. Proceeds from the programme are used to construct earthquake-resistant houses and infrastructure like hospitals and schools. "The word resiliency is thrown around a lot, [] but it does not mean anything. In Dominica, there is actually a structure and a plan behind it. Resiliency has been incorporated into a broader government strategy," said James Ellsmoor, founder of the Virtual Island Summit, an annual online event that convenes small islands. Since the large-scale natural disaster Dominica faced in 2017, climate resilience is held as a matter of high importance. By 2030, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit's government plans to meet the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals to improve Dominica's living standard further. Dominica has been offering its Citizenship by Investment Programme since 1993, making it one of the oldest citizenship programmes around. Investors may qualify for citizenship through a contribution to the government fund or investment in real estate. After a multi-tiered vetting process, successful applicants receive full rights to live and work in the country with visa-free access to 75 percent of the globe. Investing in Dominica is not only a rewarding decision for the investor but also a noble one. CONTACT: [email protected], www.csglobalpartners.com SOURCE CS Global Partners The UK Government is to take a series "temporary operational steps" to give more time for business to adapt to then Northern Ireland Protocol. Prime Minister Boris Johnson again pledged "nothing would be off the table" to ensure unfettered trade across the Irish Sea in both directions. Mr Johnson said: "The position of Northern Ireland within the UK internal market is rock solid and guaranteed. We are making sure that we underscore that with some temporary operational easings in order to protect the market in some areas, such as food supplies, pending further discussions with the EU and as I have said I think to (him) and his colleagues we leave nothing off the table in order to ensure that we get this right. Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said more time was needed to adapt and implement post-Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland. He told MPs it was the Government's "intention that no charging regime is required for agrifoods", adding further details will be outlined in a statement on Wednesday. Read More The Northern Ireland Protocol was designed by the EU and UK to avoid placing a border on the island of Ireland to protect the EU's single market. However, with checks required on goods coming from GB to NI there has been disruption with delays to items and some businesses stopping sending goods altogether. Unionist have called for the protocol to be replaced saying. The EU and UK, however, have both pledged to made the instrument work and ease disruption. In the Commons, Brandon Lewis said further guidance will be provided later this week on parcel movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, amid concerns raised by DUP Westminster leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson about disruption to orders as the end of the three-month grace period nears. Mr Lewis also told MPs: "We've heard the concerns that have been raised by people and businesses in Northern Ireland and we're sensitive to the economic, societal and political realities in Northern Ireland. "That is why we're taking forward a series of further temporary operational steps which reflect the simple reality that there is more time needed to adapt and implement new requirements as we continue our discussions with the EU. "These include a new operational plan for supermarkets and their suppliers, committed to at the joint committee, and I'll lay a written ministerial statement detailing these steps later today." The EU and UK are to meet later on Wednesday to discuss the matter. DUP MP Sammy Wilson said that even with the grace periods for supermarkets currently in place - which are to end in April - there had been "massive disruption of trade". He said there had to be more than just an extension to those grace periods. "Really there needs to be a reset or a rethinking of the agreement so that we have an alternative arrangement such as the mutual enforcement of regulations which would exempt Northern Ireland being subject to EU laws, and from the EU European Court of Justice [sic] making judgments about this part of the UK." Mr Lewis said his government had to ensure there was no disruption to trade "across the UK". Conservative MP Philip Hollobone accused the EU of an "outrageous abuse" of the Northern Ireland Protocol. He added: "Isn't it clear that as it stands at the moment the operation of the protocol is not working, there is far too much disruption to businesses and families in Northern Ireland and it urgently needs to be either reset or scrapped altogether?" Mr Lewis said there were "challenges" in the operation of the protocol in early January, telling the Commons: "The EU's decision to invoke Article 16 has compounded these issues, there's no doubt about that and it significantly undermined cross-community confidence. "That action was not in the spirit of the protocol and that is partly why we're taking the actions I'll be outlining in the written ministerial statement later today." The EU took the decision to invoke article 16 - a safety mechanism designed to alleviate disruption of the protocol is causing economic, societal or environmental difficulties - over its inability to secure enough coronavirus vaccines. He later backed down and did not activate the article - considered a last resort. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Michigan reported 1,536 new coronavirus cases and five new deaths on Wednesday, March 3. The state is averaging 1,113 new COVID-19 cases per day and 23 new deaths per day over the last week. This is the highest seven-day average since Feb. 8. Since the start of the pandemic, Michigan has reported 591,753 confirmed cases and 15,563 deaths related to COVID-19. Additionally, the state has reported 59,009 probable cases and 987 probable deaths, in which a physician and/or antigen test ruled it COVID-19 but no confirmatory PCR test was done. (The above chart shows Michigans 7-day rolling average of new confirmed coronavirus cases. You can put your cursor over a bar to see the number. You also can click on the option just below the headline to see the actual number of new cases reported by day.) Sixty-six of Michigans 83 counties reported new cases on Wednesday. Wayne County led in new cases with 228, with the next closest being Macomb and Oakland with 169 and 167, respectively. Other top reporting counties included Kent with 90 additional cases, Ingham with 63, Washtenaw with 53, Genesee and Monroe with 49 each, Ottawa with 42 and Calhoun with 37. Seven counties each reported a new death with Oakland, Saginaw and St. Clair reported two deaths each. Ingham, Ottawa, Eaton and Clinton counties each reported one, while one death each was removed from the counts of Macomb, Kent, Jackson, St. Joseph and Houghton counties. (The above chart shows Michigans 7-day rolling average of deaths involving confirmed coronavirus cases. You can put your cursor over a bar to see the number. You also can click on the option just below the headline to see the actual number of new deaths reported by day.) Hospitals statewide were treating 872 patients with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, including 217 patients in the ICU. Thats up from hospitalizations from a week ago on Feb. 24, where there were 835 hospitalizations and 200 patients in the ICU. Of the 34,323 diagnostic tests processed on Wednesday, 4% came back positive for SARS-CoV-2. The average positivity rate over the last seven days is 3.79%. As of Wednesday, Michigan had administered more than 2.38 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine. That includes about 1.53 million first doses, and 870,088 second doses. The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines recommend two doses administered weeks apart. Case reporting First is a chart showing new cases reported to the state each day for the past 30 days. This is based on when a confirmed coronavirus test is reported to the state, which means the patient first became sick days before. You can call up a chart for any county, and you can put your cursor over a bar to see the date and number of cases. (In a few instances, a county reported a negative number (decline) in daily new cases, following a retroactive reclassification by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. In those instances, we subtracted cases from the prior date and put 0 in the reported date.) The next chart below shows new cases for the past 30 days based on onset of symptoms. In this chart, numbers for the most recent days are incomplete because of the lag time between people getting sick and getting a confirmed coronavirus test result, which can take up to a week or more. You can call up a chart for any county, and you can put your cursor over a bar to see the date and number of cases. For more statewide data, visit MLives coronavirus data page, here. To find a testing site near you, check out the states online test finder, here, send an email to COVID19@michigan.gov, or call 888-535-6136 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. Read more on MLive: Michiganders 50 and older will soon be eligible for coronavirus vaccine 6 things you need to know about new Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine Wednesday, March 3, coronavirus data by Michigan county: Five counties had no cases in past week Restaurants, casinos, gyms, nursing homes: All the changes Michigan made to COVID-19 restrictions on Tuesday To wed or not to wed?: How 6 brides are navigating weddings during a pandemic Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change agreed to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 2.0C and, ideally, to 1.5C, over preindustrial levels. However, even before that treaty was signed, scientists had already warned that those "best case" targets were unlikely to be achievable. Consequently, many fire weather studies are built with models that simulate much higher levels of climate warming. Recently, researchers from South Korea, Japan, and the United States have found that by projecting the fire weather conditions under two mildly varying warming levels -- one in which the global climate warms by 1.5C and the other by 2C -- even just a half-degree of warming could significantly increase the likelihood and significance of wildfires! "When it comes to the conditions that make wildfires more likely, a little bit of warming goes a long way," explained lead author Rackhun Son, Ph.D. candidate at Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Korea, "but, of course, this is troubling, because it is quite unlikely that we will only be experiencing a little bit of warming." "Although it is reasonable to look at fire weather under more extreme circumstances, there is little sense in making goals without a good understanding of what might happen if you were to reach those goals," said co-author Seung-Hee Kim of Chapman University, "so, we asked 'what would happen if we did reach these goals? Would the fire weather conditions not become as severe?'" That answer is complex, but this study's key finding is that just a half a degree of additional warming would likely create a notably greater danger of fire on the most widely inhabited continents, with dangers particularly concentrated in the Amazon rainforest and African savanna, and around the Mediterranean. "We also provided evidence that places like Australia and Indonesia are likely to reach peak levels of fire susceptibility even before we reach that lower threshold," said co-author Simon Wang of Utah State University. The study does provide a silver lining of hope to this cloud of danger. Commenting on the implications of their findings, Dr. Wang comments, "If we were somehow able to suppress this extra half a degree of warming, we could reduce climate-driven extreme fire activities in many places, potentially saving many lives and billions of dollars." ### Their research has been published in the journal Environmental Research Letters. Reference Title of original paper: Changes in fire weather climatology under 1.5C and 2.0C warming Journal: Environmental Research Letters DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/abe675 About Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) Website: http://www. gist. ac. kr/ About the author Jinho Yoon is Associate Professor of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering at GIST. His group focuses on understanding and predicting weather-climate extremes under climate change. Prof. Yoon's group is also analyzing aerosol-cloud-precipitation interactions to understand the distribution and characteristics of clouds. Before coming to GIST, he was a scientist (level 3) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. In 2004, Prof. Yoon received a PhD in Atmospheric Sciences from Iowa State University. Two Connecticut residents and a Lee woman are listed as the principals of Forest Wilde LLC, which is behind plans to establish a pot shop/manufacturing operation at the Cork N Hearth location on Laurel Lake. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form A gym owner in New Jersey has been banned from flying on American Airlines after refusing to wear a face covering on one of their flights. Ian Smith, 33, previously defied lockdown by opening Atilis Gym back up to the public in May last year. Now, he has been banned from all American Airlines flights until face coverings are 'no longer required' after he refused to wear one on his trip back from the Conservative Political Action Conference on Friday. The co-gym owner posted an email he received from American Airlines on his Instagram account, informing him he would not be allowed to fly with them again for the foreseeable future. Gym owner Ian Smith, 33, (pictured soeaking to supporters outside his gym on May 19, 2020) from New Jersey has been banned from flying on American Airlines after refusing to wear a face covering on one of their flights. The co-gym owner posted an email (pictured) he received from American Airlines on his Instagram account, informing him he would not be allowed to fly with them again for the foreseeable future In the email, American Airlines said: 'Due to a recent incident regarding our policy on face mask coverings on American Airlines flight 1617 on February 26, 2021 between MCO-PHL, future travel on all American Airlines flights, including all code-share flights, will be denied and future reservations will not be honored, effective March 1, 2021. 'Your ability to travel on American will be restored once face coverings are no longer required and our policy has been rescinded.' The flight ban was put in place after Smith uploaded a video of himself, before, during and after his American Airlines flight in which he shows himself not wearing a face covering. Commenting alongside the screenshot of the email, Ian said: 'This does not bother me. I will happily take any punishment these people wish to hand me. I will happily find a work-around.' An American Airlines spokesman confirmed that Smith had been banned after his Feb. 26 flight from Orlando to Philly. The flight ban was put in place after Smith uploaded a video of himself (pictured), before, during and after his American Airlines flight in which he shows himself not wearing a face covering American Airlines rep Andrew Trull told the New York Post: 'Mr. Smith was added to American's Face Covering Refuse List for failure to comply with repeated crew member requests to wear a face covering. 'As a result, Mr. Smith will not be permitted to travel on American while our face covering policy is in place.' There are currently 35 US states whose governments have enforced rules stating face coverings must be worn when in public - including Pennsylvania, where Smith had been flying to. Under Travel updates on the American Airlines website, it is stated that US federal law requires all plane passengers must wear a face covering from the time you enter the airport you are flying from, until you leave the airport you have flown to. American Airlines state on their website that any passengers who refuse to wear a mask 'may be denied boarding and future travel on American'. Commenting alongside the screenshot of the email, Ian said: 'This does not bother me. I will happily take any punishment these people wish to hand me. I will happily find a work-around.' Pictured: Atlis Gym co-owners Ian Smith (left) and Frank Trumbetti stand outside their gym on May 19, 2020 Last summer, Smith lost his licence to operate his gym after repeatedly reopening the business to the public and faces more than $1million in fines. The reopening defied Governor Phil Murphy's order for non-essential businesses to stay shuttered to slow the spread of coronavirus. Speaking to Fox News in December last year, Smith said: 'We have no plans on paying those fines'. His gym continues to operate every day and the business has not enforced face coverings or social distancing rules. However, the gym's Facebook page says that some measures have been introduced, such as limiting the capacity to 20 percent and allowing only members inside. Gym-goers' temperatures were also being taken on entry, and anybody with a temperature above 100.4 degrees would be turned away. A Texas software mogul accused of being behind the biggest ever US tax scheme is now faking dementia to avoid going on trial, prosecutors claim - as his former associates reveal he is penny-pinching billionaire who would stay in budget hotels and eat frozen dinners despite being worth an estimated $7 billion. Robert Brockman, 79, was charged last year with hiding about $2 billion in income from the IRS in a web of offshore entities in Bermuda and secret bank accounts over a span of 20 years. Brockman, who has pleaded not guilty to 39 counts of tax evasion, wire fraud and money laundering, has argued in court documents that he can no longer stand trial because he has dementia. Prosecutors, however, believe Brockman - the chief executive of Ohio-based Reynolds and Reynolds Co - may potentially be faking his mental decline. His company Reynolds and Reynolds, which he was CEO of until the indictment, provides software used by auto dealerships to help manage their business. Brockman's trial currently hinges on a mental competency hearing that is scheduled for June. Robert Brockman, 79, was charged last year with hiding about $2 billion in income from the IRS in a web of offshore entities in Bermuda and secret bank accounts over a span of 20 years. He is pictured with his wife Dorothy Brockman Authorities had been investigating Brockman over the tax fraud allegations for several years and prosecutors claim he found out about the probe as early as 2016. Prosecutors allege that Brockman started seeking medical evaluations for his mental health shortly after a 2018 raid on his attorney's home in Bermuda, according to court documents obtained by the Wall Street Journal. A doctor found in March 2019 that Brockman had poor short-term recall. Prosecutors claim, however, that Brockman's doctors have a conflict of interest because they work with the Baylor College of Medicine, of which the billionaire has donated millions of dollars to over the years. They also argue that Brockman continued to head his software company during this time despite his alleged mental decline. Court documents reveal he took a cognitive test late last year and had difficulties drawing a clock, with a doctor ruling he had 'moderate dementia'. The case involving Brockman accuses him of hiding $2 billion in income from the IRS over two decades using a web of off-shore companies in Bermuda and St. Kitts and Nevis. The indictment alleges Brockman appointed nominees to manage the off-shore entities for him as a means of hiding his involvement, saying he even went so far as to establish a proprietary encrypted email system and use code words such as 'Permit,' 'Red fish' and 'Snapper' to communicate. Brockman, who has pleaded not guilty to 39 counts of tax evasion, wire fraud and money laundering, lives in this Houston, Texas mansion Prosecutors say he owns a Houston mansion worth an estimated $8 million, an Aspen, Colorado ski cabin, a Bombardier private jet and a a 209-foot yacht Fellow billionaire Robert Smith, who is the CEO of a private equity firm that aided in the alleged schemes, is cooperating with the investigation after turning against Brockman to avoid prosecution himself. Brockman, who has an estimated net worth of $7 billion, was largely unknown outside of Houston before news of his indictment broke last year. Prosecutors, however, believe Brockman - the chief executive of Ohio-based Reynolds and Reynolds Co - may potentially be faking his mental decline. Brockman's trial currently hinges on a mental competency hearing that is scheduled for June The majority of his fortune is believed to be held in a trust in Bermuda that own most of his software company. Court documents show the trust has assets worth at least $7 billion. Even though that wealth would likely see him ranked about 50th on the Forbes 400 list of billionaires, Brockman hasn't ever appeared on the list. Prosecutors say he owns a Houston mansion worth an estimated $8 million, an Aspen, Colorado ski cabin, a Bombardier private jet and a a 209-foot yacht. As the case against Brockman continues, his former associates and employees have painted a picture of him as a penny-pinching billionaire who believed the IRS unfairly went after taxpayers. Brockman, who has a reputation for being litigious, would stay at budget hotels and ate frozen dinners on business trips. He would buy used furniture for his offices and banned his employees from smoking so the company could save on health insurance. Brockman is charged with seven counts of tax evasion, six counts of failing to file reports disclosing foreign bank accounts and numerous other counts including wire fraud, money laundering and evidence tampering. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Fellow billionaire Robert Smith, who is the CEO of a private equity firm that aided in the alleged schemes, is cooperating with the investigation after turning against Brockman to avoid prosecution himself Prosecutors said Brockman used encrypted emails with code names, including Permit, Snapper, Redfish and Steelhead, to carry out the fraud and ordered evidence to be manipulated or destroyed. Brockman, a resident of Houston and Pitkin County in Colorado, is chairman and CEO of Reynolds and Reynolds - a 4,300-employee company near Dayton, Ohio, that sells accounting, sales and management software to auto dealerships. The software helps set up websites, including live chats with potential customers, find loans and calculate customer payments, manage payroll and pay bills. At the time of the indictment, Reynolds & Reynolds issued a statement saying the allegations were outside Brockman's work with the company and that the company is not alleged to have participated in any wrongdoing. Prosecutors said Smith, who helped secure the charges against Brockman and famously announced at Morehouse College commencement that he would pay off the college debt of 2019 graduates, accepted responsibility for his own crimes in the tax evasion scheme. Brockman and Smith have a business relationship dating back to the late 1990s, according to documents filed in connection with Smith's non-prosecution agreement. Brockman became an investor in Smith's private equity fund back in 2000, first with a $300 million commitment, and later increasing it to $1 billion. As part of his non-prosecution agreement, Smith admitted to using a nominee trustee and corporate manager to hide his control in four off-shore companies. Some of his untaxed income was used to buy a vacation home in Sonoma, California, and ski properties in the Alps, and to fund charitable causes, prosecutors said. Daniil Medvedev (R) congratulates Serbia's Dusan Lajovic (L) after losing in the first round in Rotterdam with an error-strewn display Daniil Medvedev became the latest big name to fall in the first round of the Rotterdam ATP after losing in straight sets 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 to Dusan Lajovic. The world number three was the top seed for this week's tournament after arriving in the Netherlands following his run to the Australian Open final but was dumped out in just over 90 minutes by Serbian Lajovic, currently ranked 27th. Russian Medvedev threw his racket down in a fury after being broken in game nine of the second set, having a row with the umpire and starting the final game with a point penalty as a result. The outburst came towards the end of a tense performance from the 25-year-old which featured eight double faults and 25 unforced errors. A calm Lajovic served out the 10th game to set up a second-round clash with Borna Coric. The defeat was painful for Medvedev as he would have taken number two spot in the world rankings from Rafael Nadal, who withdrew from the tournament with a back injury, had he reached the final. Medvedev joins world number seven and Alexander Zverev and three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka in exiting the tournament early. Zverev, 23, was dumped out by Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik on Wednesday in a shock straight sets 7-5, 6-3 defeat. German Zverev was seeded third in the tournament but was surprised by 43rd-ranked Bublik in just one hour, 19 minutes. Bublik, who reached the final of last week's tournament in Singapore, will face Tommy Paul in the second round after the American defeated Italy's Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 7-6 (9/7). Wawrinka was knocked out on Tuesday after losing in straight sets 6-4, 7-5 to Russia's Karen Khachanov. Later on Wednesday Andy Murray continues his comeback attempt with a second round match against fourth seed Andrey Rublev. rbj/dep/td/dmc CARICOM IMPACS will use Windward's Predictive Intelligence platform to identify illicit maritime trade in the region LONDON, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Windward , the Predictive Intelligence company applying AI to transform global maritime trade, announced today that it has partnered with The Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS), an organization of fifteen Member States and five Associate Members in the Caribbean as well as CARICOM's Regional Security System (RSS), a treaty organization comprising of Barbados and other countries in the Eastern Caribbean. Windward's AI-powered maritime intelligence platform will empower CARICOM IMPACS and RSS to support CARICOM Member States in their fight against drug trafficking and illegal activities in the Caribbean's exclusive economic zones. As the entryway to the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea is a main stop-over in the trade route from South to North America and illicit activities such as drug trafficking and other types of smuggling are becoming increasingly commonplace, especially in light of recent sanctions placed on Venezuela. Despite a decrease in general maritime activity in the region during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in illicit maritime activities in the Caribbean in recent months. Windward's platform will support CARICOM Countries, through CARICOM IMPACS and RSS, in their fight against illicit activities by providing a real-time view of the maritime ecosystem and offering AI-powered risk assessments of vessels, companies, shipowners, and all other stakeholders in the maritime domain. "Windward's solution is key in our fight against illegal activities," said Lieutenant Colonel Michael Jones, Executive Director (Ag) of CARICOM. "As illegal shipping methods are becoming more advanced, we turned to Windward's industry-leading Maritime AI solution to assist in detecting these activities and flagging vessels that are suspicious, enabling us to assist CARICOM Member States to crack down on illicit trade, minimize and/or prevent illegal fishing, and surveil the maritime domain, beyond AIS monitoring." Windward's Maritime AI is powered by hundreds of behavioral analytics models and over 10 billion data points, giving authorities the power to make smarter decisions, faster. Relying on thousands of case studies and a vast array of parameters including vessel routes, Dark Activities, and unusual changes in course, Windward's platform analyzes existing behaviors to predict in real-time which entities are likely to be involved in illicit activities. Windward's solution is the new global standard in maritime control, enabling government bodies to protect their borders, national interests, and citizens. The partnership with CARICOM IMPACS and RSS comes on the heels of Windward's announcements of a partnership with the EU's Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre-Narcotics (MAOC-(N)) in October 2020 and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Frontex in January 2021. "We are thrilled that CARICOM has chosen Windward to help protect its territorial waters throughout the Caribbean," said Ami Daniel, CEO and Co-Founder of Windward. "The Caribbean Sea is a major point in the trade route of illegal substances leaving South America and of sanctioned oil leaving Venezuela. Using Windward's Maritime AI technology and real-time insights, CARICOM is strengthening its defenses against these activities and enhancing the transparency needed into the global maritime domain to protect its borders." About Windward Windward is the leading Predictive Intelligence company fusing AI and big data to digitalize the global maritime industry, enabling organizations to achieve business and operational readiness. Windward's AI-powered solution allows stakeholders including banks, commodity traders, insurers, and major energy and shipping companies to make real time, predictive intelligence-driven decisions, providing a 360 view of the maritime ecosystem and its broader impact on safety, security, finance, and business. For more information visit: https://wnwd.com/ . About CARICOM The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) was established by the Twenty Seventh Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government in July 2006, in Bird Rock, St Kitts and Nevis, as the implementation arm of a new Regional Architecture to manage CARICOM's action agenda on crime and security. At this Meeting, the Heads of Government signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement establishing the Agency as a legal entity, with direct responsibility for research, monitoring and evaluation, analysis and preparation of background documents and reports, as well as project development and implementation of the regional Crime and Security agenda. Windward Media Contact Sarah Schloss Headline Media [email protected] +1 914 506 5105 CARICOM Media Contact Keithan Browne CARICOM IMPACS [email protected] SOURCE Windward While the federal government made forgiven loans under the Paycheck Protection Program tax-free, small business owners in Massachusetts could still face a larger tax bill due to a forgiven PPP loan or state business grant. The state makes forgiven PPP loans from corporations tax-free because the state corporate tax code conforms to the federal code, but the states code for individual income tax doesnt default to federal code, Administration and Finance Secretary Michael Heffernan told lawmakers during Tuesdays budget hearing. Barring any change in state law, Massachusetts would tax forgiven PPP loans of independent contractors or small businesses the type of borrowers Congress aimed to help in the first place. House Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz, a Democrat who represents Bostons North End neighborhood, asked Heffernan about the tax liability associated with PPP loans after getting questions from constituents. I think they were just thinking, weve got to survive and take whatever opportunities we can get, he said. When Michlewitz asked about tax liabilities associated with the states COVID-19 grants, Heffernan said they are taxable income at the state and federal income. That includes the COVID-19 relief loans the state disbursed through the Mass Growth Capital Corporation in the spring, as well as the nearly $700 million program launched in December for small businesses. We would, as weve talked with you all, like to put in a fix in for that, Heffernan told the Joint Committee on Ways and Means Tuesday morning. We would ideally like to work with the feds and get a federal exemption as well because its a much bigger number at the federal level. But grants are normally taxable. The fix Heffernan suggested would need to come in the form of legislation, the A&F office later clarified. The Baker administration cant deem grants tax-free on its own, but the governor could sign off on a proposal that would adjust the state tax code so small business owners wouldnt have to pay for forgiven PPP loans or state grants. State lawmakers are exploring a legislative fix to soften the blow to small businesses, Michlewitz told MassLive. I think were exploring exactly what is the appropriate action to be taken from this, he said in a phone interview after the budget hearing. Its good to know the administration is interested in seeing something take place. The U.S. Small Business Administration estimates more than 118,000 PPP loans were approved for Massachusetts-based businesses, totaling $14.3 billion. The Economic Injury Disaster Loan program approved nearly 60,000 loans to Massachusetts-based businesses, totaling $3.49 billion due to COVID-19. How many small business owners in Massachusetts would not be exempt from state taxes for the PPP loans was not immediately clear. Gov. Charlie Baker in December announced a $668 million small business recovery program using federal coronavirus funds. The Baker administration has awarded $563 million in grants to 12,320 businesses with the MGCC. The small business recovery grants are being disbursed in 2021 and wont be immediately taxable like 2020 awards, such as the $10 million in small business loans the state offered at the start of the pandemic. Heffernan said tax liability information will be made available, but it is unclear whether business owners seeking the states small business COVID-19 grant were made aware of the taxes associated before submitting applications. The MGCC did not immediately respond to an inquiry from MassLive. According to the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, the MGCC has advised applicants to consult with a tax advisor and assume the state and federal government can tax business owners for the grants. A lot of these people getting grants, theyve never gotten grants before because theyve never really had to, Michlewitz told Heffernan Tuesday morning. I worry that the communications line, weve got to make it strong for these small businesses to understand what potentially could be coming down the pike. Related Content: Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 00:38:51|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A nurse administers the COVID-19 vaccine to a man at a hospital in Accra, Ghana, on March 2, 2021. The government of Ghana Tuesday rolled out a program to commence the mass vaccination of people living in some 43 epicenter-districts in the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Central regions against the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Seth/Xinhua) ACCRA, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The government of Ghana Tuesday rolled out a program to commence the mass vaccination of people living in some 43 epicenter-districts in the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Central regions against the COVID-19 pandemic. Among eligible persons for the vaccination program includes healthcare workers, frontline security personnel, persons with underlying medical conditions, persons 60 years and above, and frontline members of the executive, legislature, and judiciary. The Greater Accra regional health directorate ahead of the exercise had set up a total of 325 vaccination sites within the 25 epicenter-districts for eligible persons for phase one of the exercise to visit for their immunization. The Greater Accra Regional Director for Health Services Charity Sarpong told Xinhua in an interview her outfit had put in place a number of measures to contain any problem that may occur during the vaccination exercise. "Currently for Greater Accra region, 25 of our districts have been declared as epicenters and are all taking part in the first phase and then across the region we have set up about 325 vaccination sites where people can visit; that is eligible people for the first phase can visit and will be vaccinated," Sarpong said. "We also have put in place all the necessary plans to support any adverse effects that may occur but then as health providers, we have also put in place all the necessary provisions to ensure that we take care of them," she added. The regional health director assured the public the vaccines have been proven to be safe and effective and urged all to embrace them to defeat the pandemic. A retired public servant Alex Sarbah who was vaccinated on the first day of the exercise at the Adabraka polyclinic told Xinhua he has long been waiting for such an opportunity. "I was ready for it, there is nothing to fear. We have all along been waiting for this opportunity and now that it has come, and I decided to take advantage of it. I didn't want to wait a day and before you realize the vaccines are finished so I decided to take it on the first day to make sure I get vaccinated." he said. An information health officer with the Greater Accra regional health directorate Bright Obeng Amoako explained he did not entertain any fear once the vaccine had been approved by the relevant state authorities. "There is nothing bad that went through my mind because it's a vaccine and we need to take. This is something that is approved by the Ghana Health Service and the Food and Drugs Authority. I felt normal to take this vaccine." Ghana became the first country to take delivery of some 600,000 AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines from the COVAX Facility last week. The country's Food and Drugs Authority has so far declared the AstraZeneca and Sputnik vaccines as safe-for-use in the fight against the virus. Enditem KABUL The Minister Foreign Affairs Mohammad Haneef Atmar met today with the US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Mr. Zalmay Khalilzad. During the meeting, the two sides discussed the latest developments and challenges in the Afghan peace process and the review of Talibans commitments by Washington. They also talked and exchanged views on the joint efforts of Washington and Kabul for the success of the peace negotiations with the Taliban. Welcoming Mr. Khalilzad to Kabul, the Minister of Foreign Affairs praised the joint efforts of Afghanistan and the United States towards finding a peaceful solution to the current crisis in Afghanistan, and stressed the importance of regional and international support for an end-state that guarantees sustainable peace in Afghanistan. Mr. Khalilzad also termed the role of regional countries important in the peace process. He assured Minister Atmar of the US full support for establishing regional consensus and consolidating global support for Afghanistans peace process. [March 03, 2021] AM Best Assigns Preliminary Credit Assessment to North End Re (Cayman) SPC AM Best has assigned a Preliminary Credit Assessment (PCA) to North End Re (Cayman) SPC (NER Cayman) (Cayman Islands) with a Financial Strength Assessment of A- pca (Excellent) and a Long-Term Issuer Credit Assessment of "a-" pca. The outlook assigned to these PCAs is stable. Currently, the company is a wholly owned direct subsidiary of Brookfield Asset Management Inc. The PCA reflects NER Cayman's balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management. The PCA reflects the company's plan of making a significant capital investment to keep an appropriate level of risk-adjusted capital, as measured by Best's Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), and regulatory risk-adjusted capital. The company expects to use external and internal revolving lines of credit. The sponsor, Brookfield Asset Management Inc., provides security and resources, especially in the asset management space. The company has a plan to grow the business, including its first transaction with American Equity Investment Life Holding Company (AEL) to reinsure $10 billion of liabilities, starting with $5 billion upon the close of the reinsurance transaction. The company is starting its focus in the United States with AEL, but it has possibilities outside the country. Brookfield Annuity Company (BAC), a sister company, provides pension risk transfer solutions in Canada. Thi press release relates to Preliminary Credit Assessments that have been published on AM Best's website. For all assessment information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual assessments referenced in this release, please see AM Best's Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating and Assessment opinions, please view Guide to Best's Credit Ratings. For information on the proper media use of Best's Credit Ratings and AM Best press releases, please view Guide for Media - Proper Use of Best's Credit Ratings and AM Best Rating Action Press Releases. AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com. Copyright 2021 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005967/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] ISA106's promising results in preclinical tests warrant fast entry into human studies to address the need for effective COVID-19 therapy LEIDEN, The Netherlands, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ISA Pharmaceuticals B.V., a clinical-stage immunotherapy company that develops therapeutics for oncology and infectious diseases, announces that it has completed pre-clinical work for ISA106, a novel COVID-19 immunotherapy and is planning clinical trials. A phase 1 dose finding study in healthy volunteers will start in the next few months. ISA106 is an immunotherapy agent that is intended to treat patients with SARS-CoV2 infections, and prevent progressive pneumonia and further complications - thereby avoiding admission to hospital and ICU. It is designed to elicit a robust T cell immune response specifically against SARS-CoV2, the virus that causes COVID-19. T cells are very effective at eradicating viruses. The mechanism of action of ISA106 is different from prophylactic vaccines, as the latter are designed to prevent infection but can not be used to treat individuals with established infections. Boosting the T cell response against SARS-CoV2 in an infected individual at the right time is expected to shorten the infection period, and prevent serious disease. T cells generated by ISA106 target multiple viral proteins that include the currently known new variants. Safe, specific and effective therapies to treat COVID-19 are desperately needed, in addition to the current preventive vaccination efforts. The emergence of more infectious variant strains of the virus, 'vaccination hesitancy' in the population, and the variable duration of protection of current vaccines create a distinct need for a therapy to serve as a safety net for infected individuals. New virus variants that escape current prophylactic vaccines are likely to emerge in response to pressure from these vaccines. Research also shows that traditional prophylactic vaccines are not as effective in individuals with a less competent immune system such as the elderly, patients with cancer and auto-immune diseases, organ transplant recipients, and other immune-compromised patients. Prof. Dr. Melief, Chief Scientific Officer at ISA Pharmaceuticals, commented: "Preclinical testing of ISA106 has shown clear signals of potential efficacy in humans. It is capable of inducing killer T cells in mice, and re-activates T cell responses of patients that have successfully cleared the virus. A robust T cell response is essential to remove infected cells and prevent disease progression. Strong T cell memory responses may also prevent re-infection." Gerben Moolhuizen, Chief Executive Officer of ISA Pharmaceuticals, said: "There is a desperate need for effective therapeutics to fight diseases that are caused by pandemic viruses like SARS-Cov2, particularly in individuals with a compromised immune system. Our promising preclinical results with ISA106 highlight the potential of anti-viral T cell therapy against SARS-CoV2, and against future pandemic viruses, to provide society with an additional line of defense and help control pandemics." ISA106 uses ISA's Synthetic Long Peptide (SLP) platform technology. The same technology is used for ISA's lead asset ISA101b, which is currently in late stage clinical development for the treatment of human papilloma virus type 16 (HPV16) induced cancers. For more about this therapeutic that specifically drives the T cell immune response against SARS-CoV2 see here: https://www.isa-pharma.com/isa106-slp-therapeutic-for-covid-19/ Meet ISA Pharmaceuticals in March at BioCapital Europe and BIO-Europe Spring Digital, and connect with us on BD@isa-pharma.com. About ISA Pharmaceuticals ISA Pharma is an immunotherapy company developing treatments for various cancers and infectious diseases. ISA Pharma has best-in-class technology to stimulate and activate the human immune system, specifically T cells, to fight diseased or infected cells. Its lead asset ISA101b is in late stage clinical trials for HPV16-induced cancer in a collaboration with US pharmaceutical company Regeneron. Other assets are in preclinical stage development and include immunotherapies to treat patients that suffer from SARS-CoV2 infections, chronic hepatitis B infections, cancers that over-express PRAME, and cancers caused by other HPV types than HPV16. For more information, please visit www.isa-pharma.com. As with most sensationalized or viral events that make national and sometimes international headlines, the legacy media often fail to circle back and report on such events that have left their news cycle but not the victim. On April 21, 2020, Sara Brady was arrested while seeking solace from being locked within her own home and release for her children to play as children do at a nearby park located in Meridian, Idaho. Sara and her kids had been cooped up in their home due to abiding by Governor Brad Little's 21 day stay-at-home order, issued March 25, 2020, for all the people of Idaho. (The infamous arrest video can be viewed here.) It has been nearly a year since this unfortunate incident occurred. In that time, Governor Little has exercised every grit of power he thinks his office should hold by extending lockdowns time and time again over the will of the people who make Idaho. Additionally, the Idaho State Attorney General's Office has taken jurisdiction (Petition of Appointment of Special Prosecutor 4/24/20) of Sara Brady's "criminal" charges for prosecution. Apparently, it has become policy for the Idaho A.G.'s office to appoint a deputy attorney general to prosecute a mother for standing on a playground deemed "closed" by the government. Per the website of the Office of Attorney General for the State of Idaho, the final sentence of their "purpose" states, "The office is part of state government's executive branch and its duties are laid out in the Idaho Constitution." The statement indicates that Governor Little has a say in this case. From a 10,000-foot viewpoint, it is not a stretch to see that the will of government shall not be challenged, particularly by a mother of four, and that doing so will result in the full weight of government coming to bear. What is also not a stretch to see is that the utilization of state resources to prosecute a mother of four for a misdemeanor trespassing charge, on a playground, during a sunny day, with her children, is far beyond ludicrous! In an act of journalistic integrity, NewsTalk 107.9 in eastern Idaho conducted an interview with Sara Brady. What Brady had to say was both inspiring and terrifying. Brady stated that when she arrived at the park, she "sat down on the grass, and they're playing[.] ... I had this mental release, my kids were playing and they're happy, and I can talk to some friends." Somehow, the Idaho state A.G.'s office believes that to be a criminal act when the governor says so that is ripe for prosecution. Others may believe that Mrs. Brady was exercising her rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. From Mrs. Brady's perspective, she said, "I think we are in a point in America where people are not understanding what is really right and wrong." From a different perspective, one can easily coordinate thoughts that it is those in government who misunderstand what is really right and wrong. Perhaps the people of Idaho would be better served by the Idaho A.G.'s office to investigate how a mother can be arrested at a playground in lieu of prosecuting her. When asked about the fallout from this event, Mrs. Brady concluded her remarks this way: "I need to set an example, that if you are being attacked by the state, you need to hold your ground." It is commendable and wrought with integrity that this mother can have the courage to make that statement when faced with the challenge of her being made the example by the Idaho state government. The full interview can be listened to here beginning at about the 1:41:00 mark. Article I Declaration of Rights, Section 1, Idaho state Constitution, can be read here. How the legal defenders of the people of Idaho have made a seemingly onetime policy to prosecute a misdemeanor trespassing charge against a mom standing on a playground should raise eyebrows, particularly in a state that is deemed so open and free. This prosecution by the Idaho A.G.'s office is a stain on the state that is helping to wash away its greatness. The Idaho state A.G.'s office and Governor Little should be ashamed and embarrassed by such actions. The people of Idaho do not need to be protected from a mother of four at a playground; they need to be protected from a tyrannical state government. George is a pen name. Image via Pxhere. 20-month-old Lily Ellen Daly who passed away last Friday following a brave battle with a rare heart condition The family of 20-month old Lily Daly, Ballyhar, have paid heartfelt tributes to their precious daughter who passed away in the loving arms of her parents Caroline and Michael on Friday, having fought bravely throughout her short life. "Lily was a fighter. She was a heart warrior," her devastated mom, Caroline, told The Kerryman this week. Lily was born in June 2019 with a rare heart condition, aggressive Pulmonary Vein Stenosis (PVS) and spent much of her life in Crumlin Children's Hospital. Despite a poor prognosis, her medical team and her parents "left no stone unturned" in their fight to help Lily and, thankfully, the entire family got 20 wonderful months with her before she lost her courageous battle. Lily underwent two open-heart surgeries and four key-hole surgeries in her short life. The family flew to New York just last November to try a 'last resort' operation to save Lily. Unfortunately, the operation did not work - Lily was too young and her condition deteriorated further. Expand Close Lily with her parents Caroline and Michael and sister Sarah / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lily with her parents Caroline and Michael and sister Sarah She passed away last Friday at Crumlin Children's Hospital. "Lily is our hero... There was a lot a lot of medical highs and lows... We were honoured to be on the journey with her," said Caroline. "She had big blue eyes and she spoke with them. She adored her family, especially her sister Sarah (6). There was a cheeky side to her too. "She touched people all over Ireland and internationally even in the US where the wonderful Irish American community reached out us." Lily was laid to rest at Kilnanare Cemetery yesterday, Tuesday March 2, following a poignant Funeral Mass at St Gertrude's Church in Firies, where the family gathered to say good-bye to their 'heart warrior'. Symbols of Lilys life were brought to the altar including her beloved dodo, her bunny, and a book called Sisters First, representing her bond with sister Sarah. Lily was diagnosed with her condition at just eight-weeks-old, throwing the whole family into turmoil, including her aunts, uncles and grandparents, all of whom adored her. Caroline OShea is from Waterville and Michael is from Farranfore. The family live in Ballyhar. Following her diagnosis, Lily was immediately transferred to the care of Crumlin Childrens Hospital, where the medical team took wonderful care of Lily and her family. Caroline has nothing but praise for the support, love and kindness they received in Crumlin. We were thrown into the unknown, but we were put in the safe hands of Crumlin, who fought for her. They were her heart family, and we felt safe putting our trust in them... You werent on the journey on your own. Though the pandemic was difficult for Caroline and Michael, it allowed them to spend all their time with Lily and Sarah, creating wonderful memories that will last forever. Michael is an engineer with Kerry County Council and Caroline is an accountant with Primer Finance and is on leave. With Mike working from home and Sarah home from school, it turned into a positive thing for us. We got to spend so much time with Lily. She was our priority. We are honoured to have been on the journey with her. Sadly, Lily took a turn on Thursday morning and was immediately rushed to Crumlin, where she passed away on Friday. The family have asked for donations, if desired, to be made to The Heart Centre in Crumlin Childrens Hospital instead of flowers. Donations can be made to www.heartchildren.ie As part of a plan by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities to preserve the Dendera Temple complex in Upper Egypts Qena and develop the area around it into an open-air museum, the second phase of restoration and development has been completed. The work includes the restoration and cleaning of the great hall, the entrance facade, and the birth kiosk. In 2020, three crypts and the rooftop of the temple were opened to the public after restoration. The Temple of Hathor at Dendera contains a number of small crypts on its eastern, southern, and western sides. These are thought to have served as warehouses or treasuries for ritual furnishings, sacred and ceremonial equipment, and the divine images used in celebrating various feasts and holidays. The crypts are small, however, and they likely did not serve as the sites of formal rituals. Mustafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), has said that three of the 12 crypts found beneath the temple have been opened. The crypts can only be accessed through small openings and have low ceilings and walls decorated with ancient Egyptian scenes. Only one of the crypts was previously open to the public. The rooftop of the temple was also not previously accessible to visitors, but after restoration, visitors can enjoy the panoramic view of Qena from the top of the building for the first time. Abdel-Hakim Al-Sagheer, head of the Dendara Temple said that the temple conservation project had originally started in 2005, but had stopped in 2011 and then resumed in 2017. In 2019, in collaboration with a French archaeological mission, blocks, stelae and statues that were uncovered in the area and left in situ since their initial discovery were restored and put on newly fabricated mounts in the open-air area of the temple. The displays include artefacts from the areas store galleries. Newly fabricated blocks have been placed in the open courtyard at the entrance of the temple, where a collection of statues of ancient Egyptian deities has been installed. Among these are statues of the goddess Hathor, the god Bes, and the falcon god Nekhbet Waawet. The Dendera Temple, one of the best-preserved ancient Egyptian temples, was built mainly of sandstone, and was uncovered in the mid-19th century by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette. In its present form, the Temple of Dendera is largely Ptolemaic and Roman, its reconstruction having taken place under the Greek Ptolemies, the last dynasty of ancient Egypt (305-30 BCE), and completed some 185 years later under the Roman emperor Tiberius. In dedicating a temple to Hathor, the Ptolemies honoured one of Egypts most popular deities. Under Greek and Roman rule, Egyptian temples continued to have mammisi (birth houses), and the surviving mammisi at Dendera was reconstructed by the Roman Emperor Augustus near the ruins of the one built by the Pharaoh Nectanebo and is adorned with reliefs added by the Roman Emperor Trajan relating to the birth of the god Horus. It was converted into a church in the fifth century CE, and a Christian basilica was built in the area between it and the original birth house of Nectanebo. Short link: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain The United States will have enough COVID-19 vaccines for its adult population by the end of May, President Joe Biden said Tuesday, while Brazil's troubles deepened as it registered its highest 24-hour death toll. The two countries have the largest number of deaths in the world, with 515,000 coronavirus fatalities in the US and 255,000 in Brazil, with both counting the cost of mixed public health advice on masks and other measures. The state of Texas took the contentious step Tuesday of lifting its mask mandate, despite dire warnings from US health authorities against states rolling back steps taken to restrict the spread of the pandemic. Biden announced a major deal for pharma giant Merck to produce the vaccine shot developed by its rival Johnson & Johnson, hailing the accord as "the type of collaboration between companies we saw in World War Two." "We're now on track to have enough vaccine supply for every adult in America by the end of May," said the US leaderwho previously targeted late July to amass sufficient doses to inoculate all Americans. "That's progress. Important progress. But it is not enough to have the vaccine supply," Biden said, stressing that a huge effort still lay ahead to administer the vaccines once acquired. Texas drops masks Biden's remarks came moments after Texas governor Greg Abbott lifted a state mask mandate and authorized businesses to open the state "100 percent." "Now is not the time to let up," warned the president, calling on Americans to keep social distancing and wearing masks, even as new coronavirus cases fall and more are vaccinated. Abbott said he was lifting the restrictions in Texas because of the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines and better testing and treatments. "For nearly half a year, most businesses have been open either 75 percent or 50 percent and during that time, too many Texans have been sidelined from employment opportunities," he said. "Too many small business owners have struggled to pay their bills... This must end. It is now time to open Texas 100 percent," he said to cheers from his audience. A scale of challenge confronting Brazil was highlighted on Tuesday when it registered a record 1,641 COVID-19 deaths in 24 hours. Brazil has had a piecemeal pandemic response, with individual cities and states setting their own policies in the face of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro's repeated attacks on restrictive measures and face masks. Several cities and states last week began imposing a new round of restrictions in a bid to avoid overwhelming their already stretched hospitals. The country began vaccinating in mid-January, but is far off-pace to meet a government pledge of immunizing the entire population by the end of the year. Covax scheme ramps up The European Medicines Agency said Tuesday that it is set to decide whether to authorize Johnson & Johnson's single-shot vaccine for the EU on March 11. If approved by the Amsterdam-based regulator, the vaccine would be the fourth to get the green light for the 27-nation bloc, in a boost for its slow-starting vaccination program. Elsewhere, millions of coronavirus shots from the global Covax scheme arrived in Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola on Tuesday, as African countries ramped up their vaccine rollouts. While Africa's most populous country Nigeria received almost four million jabs, DR Congo got 1.7 million doses, Angola welcomed more than 600,000 doses and The Gambia was expected to take roughly 30,000. Last week, Ghana and Ivory Coast were the first African countries to receive vaccines from Covax, which is aiming to supply two billion doses by the end of the year. Richer countries have surged ahead with vaccinations, but many poorer countries are awaiting deliveries, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to warn that the crisis cannot end unless everyone can inoculate their populations. The Covax facility, run by the WHO along with health NGOs, is aiming to supply vaccines to dozens of countries in the first 100 days of 2021. However, there are still critical hurdles for the rollout in vast African countries with sketchy infrastructure and an array of security challengesa point addressed by Faisal Shuaib, director of Nigeria's primary healthcare agency. "States without a functional airport will have their vaccines transported by road using vans with fitted cold cabins, from the nearest airport," he said. He called the deliverywhich arrived around noon in the capital Abujaa "good day for Nigeria" and promised the rollout would begin in earnest on Friday, with frontline health workers the first to be inoculated. Covax, an initiative led by Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, WHO and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) with UNICEF as implementing partner, is aiming to deliver 237 million AstraZeneca doses by the end of May. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 AFP The European Union , through the IP Key Latin America project, in collaboration with the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property ( IMPI ), presented the study The economic contribution of intellectual property in Mexico that quantifies, for the first time, the economic contribution in the country of the industries that protect trademarks, patents, designs, appellations of origin, among other sources of industrial property. From 2010 to 2019, the industries that protected their brands and inventions contributed 47.8% of the national GDP, which represented 24.2 billion pesos. In addition, these industries generated 17.6 million jobs, which represent 33.6% of total jobs, and registered wages, on average, 10.7% higher, compared to those industries that do not exercise industrial property rights (IPR) . The study, funded by the European Union, highlights that industries that make use of industrial property played a key role in foreign trade, accounting for more than 70% of merchandise exports and imports. The study also highlights the impact of European companies on merchandise exports, as they accounted for 26.5% of the total products exported by IPR-intensive industries in 2019. Additionally, companies with capital participation of European origin that make use of industrial property contributed 1.7 million direct jobs in the Mexican economy in 2019, and about 1.7 million indirect jobs. Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. The Appointment Committee of Parliament would continue its hearing to consider three more of President Akufo-Addos nominees for ministerial roles. Mr Henry Quartey, Mr Seth Acheampong and Mr George Boakye, Ministers Designate for Greater Accra, Eastern and Ahafo Regions respectively are expected to appear before the Committee for vetting. The three nominees who have been nominated by the President Akufo-Addo were persons who held positions in his first term in office. The first nominee to appear before the Committee would be Mr Quartey, former Deputy Minister for Interior and Member of Parliament (MP) for Ayawaso Central. The nominee who served as Deputy Minister of Interior in the Presidents first term has now been elevated to be the Greater Accra Regional Minister. Also, Mr Seth Acheampong, former Member of Parliament (MP) Mpraeso who served as the Chair of the Defense and Interior Committee of Parliament has been nominated by President Akufo-Addo for ministerial portfolio as the Eastern Regional Minister. The nominee was instrumental as Chairman of the Defense and Interior Committee to ensure the passage of many important legislation for the sector. Further, Mr George Boakye, former Member of Parliament (MP) for Asunafo South has been appointed by President Akufo-Addo to serve as the Regional Minister for Ahafo one of the newly created regions in the country. 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. TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) -- Reckless drivers will not be getting off with a warning this month. Six local law enforcement agencies are participating in what they're calling a 'Saint Patrick's Day' Mobilization Blitz. Drivers who choose to speed or choose to get behind the wheel intoxicated could be facing anything from a fine of $169 or more to jail time. This blitz is part of a statewide initiative to keep drivers safe. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is funding the operation. It's allowing agencies to increase the number of officers on traffic patrol. They'll be showing zero-tolerance for people driving aggressively, driving over the speed limit and people driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The year 2020 saw a decrease in drivers in Indiana, yet it also ranked as the third-highest year for traffic deaths in the past decade. As activity is set to increase across the state this month, Lafayette Police Traffic Unit Specialist, Officer Greg McDaniel said this kind of enforcement is necessary from time to time. "It's really important to have presses like this for dangerous driving or drunk driving," said McDaniel. "It's a really serious thing to be driving a car and can be very dangerous if not taken correctly and handled with maturity." He is warning drivers not to pick convenience over safety when it comes to deciding to get behind the wheel impaired. "Might be the most convenient thing for you to grab your own keys and head off to where you're going to go, but what could result from that could be catastrophic, not only for you but for someone else," said McDaniel. "Talking about fatal crashes, they affect both sides of the coin so to speak." March Madness taking place in Indiana this month is also a reason for this increase in patrol. The blitz began on Feb. 26 and will continue through Mar. 21. MOSCOW -- Russian feminist performance artist Darya Apakhonchich has filed a legal appeal against the governments inclusion of her on its list of "media organizations fulfilling the functions of foreign agents." Lawyer Pavel Chikov of the Agora legal-defense organization made the announcement on Telegram on March 1. Denis Kamalyagin, editor in chief of the online newspaper Pskovskaya Guberniya, has also appealed his inclusion on the "foreign agent" list, the website reported on March 3. According to Chikov, Apakhonchich's appeal states that she "never received money or any property from foreign sources for the creation or dissemination of statements or materials that were distributed by foreign media listed under the foreign agents law." Apakhonchich added that she regards the restrictions on her rights to be politically motivated, and her complaint includes 12 pages of examples of alleged violations of her rights to expression and privacy. On December 28, 2020, Apakhonchich and four other individuals, including two contributors to RFE/RL's Russian Service, were included on the governments list of "media organizations fulfilling the functions of foreign agents." They were the first to be added to the list following a new amendment to the law that authorized the government to apply the designation to individuals. The Justice Ministry did not offer any justification for adding these individuals to the list. In an interview with RFE/RLs Russian Service following the designation, Apakhonchich said the listing was a surprise "because I am not engaged in journalism." She added that she believed she was targeted for her "feminist activities." On March 1, human rights activist Lev Ponomaryov -- another of the individuals added to the list -- announced that he was closing down his For Human Rights nongovernmental organization after two decades because of the obstacles created by the controversial "foreign agent" legislation. Russias so-called foreign agent legislation was adopted in 2012 and has been modified repeatedly. It requires nongovernmental organizations that receive foreign assistance and that the government deems to be engaged in political activity to be registered, to identify themselves as "foreign agents," and to submit to audits. Later modifications of the law targeted foreign-funded media, including RFE/RLs Russian Service, six other RFE/RL Russian-language news services, and Current Time. Human Rights Watch has described the foreign agent legislation as restrictive and intended to demonize independent groups. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 30 giorni fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Paraganglioma Market Highlights Paragangliomas, also called glomus tumors, is a rare and slow-growing tumor arising from non-chromaffin paraganglion cells, which are distributed throughout the body from the base of the skull to the urinary bladder. However, in over 50% cases it occurs in the temporal bone. The global paraganglioma market is expecting a healthy growth in the coming future. The global market is majorly driven by increasing paraganglioma patients across the globe. Additionally, increasing smoking population and rising consumption of alcohol have spurred the growth of the market. However, side effects of the treatment, long time for approval, and high cost may slow the growth of the market over the review period. The global paraganglioma market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.1% during the forecast period 2017-2023. Request Sample Report at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/4838 Paraganglioma Market Key Players Some of key the players in the market are Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (U.S.), GlaxoSmithKline Plc. (U.K.), Bayer AG (Germany), Novartis AG (Switzerland), Spectrum Pharmaceuticals Inc. (U.S.), Amgen, Inc. (U.S.), Eli Lilly and Company (U.S.), AstraZeneca Plc. (U.K.), F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. (Switzerland), Janssen Biotech, Inc. (U.S.), AbbVie Inc. (U.S.), Takeda Pharmaceuticals (Japan), Pfizer, Inc. (U.S.), Sanofi (France), Merck & Co., Inc. (U.S.), Immunomedics (U.S.), and Oncomed Pharmaceuticals (U.S.). Paraganglioma Market Segmentation The global paraganglioma market is segmented on the basis of types, treatment, and end users. On the basis of types, the market is segmented into caroid paraganglioma, cervical paraganglioma, jugular paraganglioma, secretory paraganglioma, temporal paraganglioma, vagal paraganglioma, and others. On the basis of the treatment, the market is categorized into therapeutic treatment and diagnostic treatment. The therapeutic treatment is further segmented into surgery, embolization, and radiotherapy. The embolization is further categorized into liquid embolic agents, sclerosing agents, particulate embolic agents, and others. The radiotherapy is sub-segmented into external beam radiation therapy, brachytherapy, and unsealed source radiotherapy. The diagnostic treatment is further segmented into CT scans, MRI, angiography, blood test, and others. On the basis of the end users, the market is segmented into hospital & clinics, ambulatory care centers, and others. Paraganglioma Market Regional Analysis The Americas dominate the global market owing to a huge population suffering from paraganglioma, strong government support for research & development and high health care spending. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2014, over 14.1 million of new cancer cases were registered worldwide. Increasing prevalence of the disease has boosted the market growth in America. Additionally, changing lifestyle and smoking further fuel the growth of the market. Europe accounts for the second leading market in the global paraganglioma market, which is followed by Asia Pacific. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing paraganglioma market. It is majorly driven by India, China and Japan owing to a huge number of patients and rapidly growing economy. Governments in Asia Pacific region are supporting manufacturers for research & development, which can serve as a path for the development of the market. The Middle East and Africa contribute the least to the growth of the global market. The Middle East dominates the market of the Middle East and African region owing to the presence of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. Africa holds the least share of the global market due to limited availability of medical facilities and poor economic condition of the region. However, the growth of the African market is high due to the presence of opportunities for the development of the market. Global Paraganglioma Market Research Report, By Type (Caroid Paragangliomas, Cervical, Secretory, Temporal, And Vagal Paragangliomas), Treatment (Therapeutic, Diagnostic), End Users (Hospital, Ambulatory Centers, Oncology Centers) Forecast Till 2023 Browse Complete 85 Pages Premium Research Report Enabled with 66 Respective Tables and Figures at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/paraganglioma-market-4838 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| 2021-03-03 05:32:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Xinhua photos of the Kremlin in Moscow and the White House in Washington D.C. Russia will retaliate based on the principle of reciprocity and continue to resolutely defend its national interests. MOSCOW, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry urged the U.S. administration "not to play with fire" after Washington on Tuesday announced sanctions against Russian individuals and entities over the alleged poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. In an online statement, the foreign ministry called the U.S. sanctions "a hostile anti-Russian attack" under an absurd pretext. "Entangled in its own internal problems, the White House is again trying to cultivate the image of an external enemy. We have repeatedly commented on this American policy, which is devoid of logic and meaning and only more and more worsens bilateral relations," it read. The ministry said Russia will retaliate based on the principle of reciprocity and continue to resolutely defend its national interests. The ministry asked the United States to honor its obligations and destroy chemical weapons, which Russia does not have since 2017. The United States has been deprived of the moral right to lecture others since it is a serial violator of international treaties and agreements in the field of arms control and non-proliferation, it said. Palisades Park officials ignored New Jersey laws capping sick leave payouts for employees, reimbursed employees for personal expenses and wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to a state investigation released Tuesday. The State Comptrollers Office found widespread financial mismanagement that enriched its employees in violation of state laws and at the expense of taxpayers in the small Bergen County borough. The investigation identified contract, collective bargaining provisions and employee perks far more generous than allowed under state law and mismanagement of expense reimbursements and fuel purchases. The boroughs failure to adopt and implement internal controls to protect borough funds has resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars of improper, fiscally irresponsible, or otherwise questionable payouts for the years reviewed, the report said. Palisades Park did not adhere to state laws limiting compensation to employees for unused sick leave, known colloquially as boat checks, unlawfully paying out $109,000 in 2018 to 27 employees and $95,000 in 2019 to 22 employees. The boroughs failure to comply ... by limiting sick leave payments to employees covered by that law has exposed the taxpayers of Palisades Park to substantial and unnecessary financial obligations that the borough was barred from assuming, the report said. The statewide mandate to protect taxpayers from the costs of runaway sick leave payments has been substantially disregarded in the Borough of Palisades Park. Investigators found problems with the boroughs vehicle policies, noting that Palisades Park, which encompasses 1.25 square miles, spent $120,000 on gas in 2019. The borough wasnt able to identify how many fuel cards were distributed, which employees have fuel cards and whether they were using them for personal travel. There were no limitations on how much an employee could charge on their card and no mechanisms to detect fraud, investigators said. Given that, its unlikely the borough would know whether former employees were still charging the borough for their fuel costs. The boroughs lax approach to fuel card usage has resulted in waste, fraud, and abuse, investigators said. Much of the reports findings were devoted to the borough administrator, a $207,000-a-year employee who also runs a construction business in the borough. Administrator David Lorenzo is entitled, according to his contract, to 57 days off each year, including 25 vacation days, 15 holidays, 12 sick days, four personal days and his birthday. His contract also provides him with extravagant benefits, including health care benefits in which the borough covers not only the premiums but costs for all health, hospitalization, surgical, dental and prescriptions drug plans for himself and his dependents. Hes eligible also for two weeks of severance at his current salary for every year of service to the borough 50 weeks and counting including a dozen as a part-time council member earning just $2,000 a year. All told, the borough would be on the hook for $360,000 in sick leave payouts, severance and other benefits if he retired now, the comptrollers report said. Lorenzos annual sick leave payments already exceeded the $15,000 cap imposed by the state, the report said. More evidence of the boroughs lax oversight, investigators said, is a nearly $68,000 expense reimbursement paid to the administrator for expenses related to a federal investigation. The borough voided the reimbursement once the comptrollers office began its investigation, the report said. Nobody knows Jersey politics like NJ.com. Add your email now and dont miss a story. Of the $68,000 in expenses, the administrator submitted supporting documentation for only $29,000, according to the report. The reimbursement also included $10,500 for his wifes legal defense, even though shes not employed by the borough, $5,200 for a pre-paid vacation he said he had to cancel because of the investigation and more than $16,000 for accounting services related to his private construction business. He sought reimbursement for a retainer for legal representation and then again for legal bills clearly covered by the retainer, thus seeking double payment of the retainer fee, investigators found. Each step of the way, a reimbursement request that should have set off alarm bells was instead pushed along. That constitutes a startling failure by borough officials and employees to protect the public funds entrusted to them by the residents of Palisades Park, investigators said. Lorenzos employment contract stipulates also that he can only be fired for cause and with the unanimous consent of the borough council, which contravenes state rules saying he is an at-will employee who can be removed by a two-thirds vote. The contract the (business administrator) negotiated in 2015 purports to place him in the extraordinary position of being able to remain as municipal administrator even if five of the six members of the Borough Council vote for him to be removed, the report said. Palisades Park does not have the discretion to alter the requirements of state law or to contract away the requirements of its own ordinances. The unanimity requirement, therefore, is unlawful. Lorenzos borough office deferred comment to borough attorney John Schettino, who said the mayor is forming a subcommittee to devise a plan to take all the appropriate action to ensure compliance with all state statutes and practices. Regarding sick leave compensation, Schettino said the states regulations are open to some interpretation, and once sorted out the borough will determine whether it has a basis to claw back some of the money. Many of these practices have been in place for several years, prior to many of the people on the governing body being elected to office, he told NJ Advance Media on Tuesday. Because they were part of contract agreements that may have existed prior to them taking office, or collective bargaining agreements, it was accepted as practice. And now that theyve been alerted to the comments in the state comptrollers report, its going to be remedied and they will take responsibility for ensuring that occurs. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Bengaluru, March 3 : Karnataka Home, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Basavaraj Bommai, said on Wednesday that the state police would carry out the investigation into the sex CD case involving stae Water Resource Minister Ramesh Jarakiholi in a fair minded manner. Kanakapura-based social and RTI activist Dinesh Kallahalli on Tuesday released a CD to different news channels in which Jarakiholi could be seen in a compromising position with a woman. The CD has put the ruling BJP in the state in a tight spot. The CD was released just ahead of the commencement of the state's legislative session from Thursday, and just 24 hours before the Congress' mega pre-election 'Jana Dhwani' was to kickstart on Wednesday. Besides this, the BJP is also gearing up to face by-elections in the Belagavi Lok Sabha seat, and three Assembly segments in the state. Apart from this, the BJP is also readying to face elections in five states/UT. Reacting cautiously after his meeting with Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa here, the Home Minister told reporters that the enquiry into the case will be carried out as per the prescribed law and it will be a fair minded probe. "We have taken the complaint lodged by Kallahalli with the Cubbon Park police very seriously. There is no casual approach in it. We are taking every step as per the law in this case as our sincere intention is to carry out an even handed investigation," he said. He asserted that the truth must come out in this case as it is a very serious matter. "As much as all others are worried about this case, the government too is equally looking forward to know the truth in this case," the minister said. 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. Washington: US President Joe Biden withdrew the nomination of longtime Democratic policy adviser Neera Tanden to serve as his budget director, the administrations first defeat in filling a Cabinet post. I have accepted Neera Tandens request to withdraw her name from nomination for Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Biden said in a statement on Tuesday night (US time). Nomination withdrawn: Neera Tanden. Credit:AP The collapse of Tandens nomination underscored the fragility of the slim Democratic majority in the evenly split Senate, where Vice-President Kamala Harris is the tie-breaker, and the power each senator holds on party-line votes. Tanden was opposed by Republican lawmakers who cited her acrimonious tweets attacking them during the Trump years, when she was serving as the director of a progressive think tank in Washington. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 Amaravati, March 3 : Andhra Pradesh's active Covid-19 cases touched 826 on Wednesday, fizzling out the short lived excitement of dip in count, below 600-mark, for a few days. However, the health officials have failed to explain the reason behind the staggering resurge of such cases. Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh recorded 135 new Covid-19 cases, pushing the tally to over 8.9 lakh, even as 82 more persons have recovered from the virus in the past 24 hours. Chittoor district reported the highest number of cases at 31, followed by Visakhapatnam (23), Krishna (15), Srikakulam (12), Anantapur (11) and Kurnool (10). Among other places, Guntur (9), East Godavari (8), Kadapa, Nellore and West Godavari (5 each) and Vizianagaram (1). However, no infections were recorded in Prakasam district while Chittoor has been logging the highest number of cases for some days already. East Godavari's tally crossed 1.24 lakh, the highest among all the Andhra districts, while the state's positivity rate fell to 6.34 per cent, which is still higher than the national average of 5.1 per cent. Meanwhile, one more person succumbed to the virus in the past 24 hours, raising the toll to 7,170. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Lusaka, Zambia (PANA) - The country has recorded almost 60 per cent reduction in the daily numbers of patients admitted to coronavirus (COVID-19}isolation centres, Health Minister Jonas Chanda disclosed here Wednesday When protests over the death of George Floyd turned into civil unrest in downtown Birmingham last summer, the disturbance moved dangerously close to the citys emergency response dispatch system. Those who run the 911 operation systems in Birmingham and Jefferson County were on standby, watching from afar and plotting the next move. When they were downtown and moving through the city starting fires, one place they stopped was City Hall,' said Donnie West, director and CEO of Jefferson County 9-1-1. They probably did not know that right below them was the main dispatch office. We got the vans ready and were fixing to load dispatchers up and move them out,' West said. We felt confident about it, but could we do it? Fortunately, the crowd moved in another direction, and the crisis was averted. Authorities knew then, however, that while the capability existed, they wanted a test run before a catastrophe hit. It was something we wanted to do on our own time and see if it worked,' West said. That test run took place in Tuesdays predawn hours. When it was over, Jefferson County 911 had moved all of its emergency call services to Birmingham 911 and then vice versa. That was done with just a push of a button, but the drill didnt stop there. More than a half dozen dispatchers were loaded up into SUVS, and the caravan with lights and sirens activated headed to Birmingham City Hall via a sheriffs office escort. In less than 20 minutes, the dispatchers from Center Point were setting up in Birminghams 911 center all done without a call missed by either agency. A few kinks need to be worked out, but no one got overlooked,' West said. That was the important part. The Jefferson County 9-1-1 Emergency Communications District is the largest, fully consolidated center in Alabama. All 911 calls for the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office, 19 incorporated cities and towns and all unincorporated areas of Jefferson County are answered at the massive center in Center Point. The center has 62 full-time and 12 parttime positions, covers 704 square miles and handles roughly 424,000 calls each year. Birmingham 911 handles about 500,000 calls each year. There are 15 different 911 districts in Jefferson County with Jefferson County 9-1-1 and Birmingham being the largest. Jefferson County 9-1-1 also handles fire emergency calls and dispatch for 18 fire districts and volunteer fire departments. Future plans included applying for a $70 million grant to build a facility that would house both Birmingham and Jefferson County emergency communications as well as the Jefferson County Emergency Management Agency. Tuesdays continuing operation plan, aka Operation Bug Out began about 3:30 a.m. It was preparation for any natural or man-made disaster that would force the evacuation of the call takers and dispatchers. It could be a fire in the building, civil unrest if they somehow breached the building, a tornadobasically wed bug out. Pick up all our stuff and go to another location if theres a threat, West said. The evacuation drill began with the push of the abandon button, which immediately routed all emergency calls coming into Jefferson County 9-1-1 to Birmingham 911. The agencies all share the MEVO phone system, so each others numbers are programmed in and ready to take over. Once they were assured the calls had successfully transferred and been dispatched, they then took back control of the calls and Birmingham tested its transfer to Jefferson County. Again, Jefferson County routed its calls to Birmingham, the dispatchers loaded up, headed out and set up shop in Birminghams center alongside the citys dispatchers. Its always been talked about, but I dont know of any center even in the southeast that has done this kind of drill,' West said. Working in a live environment is challenging. The drill will be repeated in coming weeks with Birmingham dispatchers making the trek to Center Point. Beyond that, were looking at technology where we can take a brief case with the MEVO phones, a laptop and go anywhere we want to and run Jefferson County and wont have to rely on bothering anyone else,' West said. Its all about being prepared,' he said. If we didnt do this and something happened, I would have felt really bad. I think weve made major improvements. Its something that 10 years ago no one would have done and its really not just the equipment, its the cooperation of the agencies,' said Greg Silas, 911 District Director of the Birmingham Emergency Communication District. That makes us stronger. Any problems you have, we can back each other up,' Silas said. We know theres another center out there waiting to help and that makes a different because nobody can handle it all. We all learned that during the tornadoes several years ago. A Jacksonville man has been arrested on a charge of murder in the weekend shooting death of a former Jacksonville resident. Joshua E. Wilson, 37, was arrested about 1 p.m. Tuesday and charged in the death of Malcolm V. Fitts, 26. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. China plans to vaccinate 40 percent of its population by June, with its vaccine capacity reaching 2.1 billion doses by the end of 2021, Chinese medical experts told their counterparts in the United States during a virtual forum that underscored the need for the two countries to cooperate in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. As of Sunday, China had administered 52.52 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, inoculating 3.56 percent of the population. That ratio is expected to rise to 40 percent by the end of June, Zhong Nanshan, head of a high-level expert group of China's National Health Commission, said at the forum on Monday. The forum was hosted by the Brookings Institution and Tsinghua University. Mutations of the COVID-19 virus will decrease the effectiveness of vaccination and also decrease the effectiveness of antibody treatments, according to Zhong, a renowned respiratory expert. "The key point is for the world to receive vaccines as soon as possible. The longer until you receive vaccines, the more mutation of the virus," Zhong said. This will make it all the more important for the world to speed up vaccine production and prepare some new types of vaccines that are sensitive to the variants of the virus, an effort that calls for China and the U.S. to cooperate, Zhong said. Zhang Wenhong, director of the Department of Infectious Disease at Huashan Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai, said the current vaccination pace is "really low" in China because the outbreak control was "so good in China in the early stage". But China's vaccine-production capacity warrants no concern, since the country is well able to produce 2.1 billion doses by the end of 2021, Zhang said. However, global vaccination is currently highly unbalanced, as full vaccine coverage can be achieved only in the U.S., Europe and a few other countries such as China and Russia, he told the forum. Zhang said that historically, a pandemic has required global collaboration that transcends politics, and that China and the U.S. as major vaccine producers have the responsibility to implement their own vaccination strategies and also to help with mass immunization in the rest of the world. "We should not just take into account the vaccination by ourselves. We should have taken into account the vaccination of less-developed countries," he said. John Allen, president of the Washington-based Brookings Institution, said the U.S. and China have a long history of "constructive and productive collaboration" to combat diseases, including SARS in 2003, the H1N1 influenza virus in 2009 and Ebola in 2015. "If China and the United States joined forces to fight COVID-19, the world will have a better chance to emerge from the pandemic stronger," he said. "But if these two great countries fail to take action together, the world will in turn become weaker and more divided." Thomas Frieden, former director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said vaccine nationalism will backfire, and only global collaboration against the virus can lead to global recovery. "We're all in this together. The only enemy here is a virus, and the more we are united, the more effectively we will be able to fight that virus," Frieden said. "This is the world's moment to work together, and the U.S. and China have a unique role to play." As the peak of the pandemic has passed, the future direction of the epidemic will depend on a combination of three factors: public health measures, vaccination coverage, and how enduring the protection provided by vaccines proves to be, according to Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Gao Fu, director of the Chinese CDC, said he expected an "approximate normal" by summer next year. Gao called for the U.S. and China to work together to boost the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access initiative and promote vaccine equity. Xue Lan, a nonresident senior fellow of foreign policy at the Brookings Institution's John L. Thornton China Center, also said there's an urgent need for the global community, particularly the U.S. and China, to join forces to stop the pandemic. "With addressing COVID-19 the top priority for leaders in both Washington and Beijing, it is a critical time for collaboration," Xue told the forum. Sorry! This content is not available in your region A scheme to recover water from farmers to benefit the environment under the $12 billion Murray Darling Basin Plan has been abandoned, as the Morrison government says communities cannot sustain the economic impact of reduced irrigation activity. However, the Commonwealths former manager of environmental water has accused the government of caving to pressure from farm groups and experts warn the Morrison governments alternate water-saving policy may not return enough water to the river to restore its health. The Water Efficiency Program was designed to recover water through voluntary on-farm projects like lining irrigation channels, like this one near Shepparton. Credit:Michael Clayton-Jones The Howard government launched the Murray Darling Basin Plan scheme to restore river health by recovering 3200 gigalitres principally from farmers, who through historical government decisions had been over-allocated unsustainable volumes of water for irrigation. Federal Water Minister Keith Pitt on Wednesday axed the $1.5 billion Water Efficiency Program, which was designed to recover up to 450 gigalitres through voluntary on-farm projects like lining irrigation channels or funding efficient irrigation systems, and to share the savings between farmers and the environment. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 India will commemorate 'Chabahar Day' on Thursday on the sidelines of the Maritime India Summit 2021 being held here, the Ministry of External Affairs said Wednesday. The virtual event will see the participation of ministers from Afghanistan, Armenia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Uzbekistan. India will commemorate 'Chabahar Day' on March 04, 2021, on the margins of the Maritime India Summit-2021 which is being held from March 2-4, 2021, the MEA said in a statement. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will address the ministerial level opening session, while Mansukh Mandaviya, the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and Minister of State for Chemical & Fertilizers, will deliver the keynote address, it said. The ministerial-level opening session will be followed by two webinar sessions -- 'Development of Port Infrastructure: Unleashing Opportunities' and 'Boosting Business through Trade Promotion and Regional Connectivity'. The location of the Chabahar port has a strategic advantage and high potential to provide connectivity among India, Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and other Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, and boost trade. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 21:17:52|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close -- In the face of production shortfalls across the world, some rich countries are hoarding vaccines, leaving poorer ones defenseless in the face of the deadly pathogen. As of mid-January, high-income countries, which represent only 16 percent of the world's population, had taken 60 percent of available doses. -- Experts said closing the immunity gap is not only about morality and conscience, but also the key to stopping the pandemic by cutting risk of more new variants. -- In the spirit of "working together as one global family," China is actively cooperating with other countries to speed up vaccine development and production, so as to help relieve the global shortfalls of life-saving vaccines and address disparities in vaccine distribution. -- As of Feb. 25, China has provided vaccine assistance to 53 developing countries in need, and is exporting vaccines to 27 countries. It has also decided to provide 10 million vaccine doses to multilateral vaccine alliance COVAX to meet the urgent needs of developing countries. by Xinhua writers Liu Tian, Mao Pengfei, Hao Yalin HONG KONG, March 3 (Xinhua) -- "United we stand, divided we fall" -- the choice that was put in front of the international community time and again now popped up once more in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic that has claimed more than 2 million lives worldwide. Although the successful development of vaccines in less than a year has been a "stunning scientific achievement" that is giving the world hope to end the pandemic, it has at the same time added a "brick in the wall of inequality between the world's haves and have-nots," said World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. To fight together with the international community in solidarity against the common health crisis, China has been making an all-out effort to promote the fair distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, honoring its commitment to making Chinese COVID-19 vaccines a "global public good" accessible and affordable to people around the world. A medical worker prepares a dose of China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine at the Sabiha Uzun Maternal Child Health Center in Ankara, Turkey, on Jan. 15, 2021. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua) EMERGING VACCINE NATIONALISM Last month, Japan kicked off its vaccination campaign with imported vaccines. While healthcare workers and elderly citizens are put in the first place to be inoculated, others have to wait until summer, if only vaccine import could be stable. According to a report in early February by Japanese news agency Kyodo News, Taro Kono, Japan's minister in charge of vaccination efforts, said the restriction the European Union (EU) put on vaccine export may delay Japan's vaccination plan. Growing nationalism over supplies of COVID-19 vaccine shots could lead to retaliation and disruptions to global supplies, Kono said, adding if the public cannot receive the shots as planned, the Japanese government will face a great challenge on how to inaugurate the already delayed Tokyo Olympics in July. A medical worker receives a dose of COVID-19 vaccine as the country launches its inoculation campaign at Tokyo Medical Center in Tokyo, Japan, Feb. 17, 2021. (Behrouz Mehri/Pool via Xinhua) Japan is not the only country struggling for a stable vaccine supply. In January, the EU said AstraZeneca's new schedule in which the British company's supply of COVID-19 vaccine would fall short of expectation was "not acceptable," and threatened to use legal actions to address the issue. In the face of production shortfalls across the world, some rich countries are hoarding vaccines, leaving poorer ones defenseless in the face of the deadly pathogen. According to Duke University's Global Health Innovation Center, as of mid-January, high-income countries, which represent only 16 percent of the world's population, had taken 60 percent of available doses. Vaccine nationalism and over-stocking of all sorts of necessary supplies to the disbenefit of others are among the clear weaknesses in how the international community has dealt with a range of important issues ever since the outbreak, said Anthony Zwi, a professor of global health and development at the University of New South Wales in Australia. Some countries have demonstrated "a high degree of selfishness" in how they have used their power and resources, said Zwi, adding that pandemic control is a global public health issue that needs a shared responsibility and global cooperation at different levels and in different ways to achieve. DEEPENING IMMUNITY GAP 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 could not 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. A handover ceremony of a batch of China-donated COVID-19 vaccine is held at Noor Khan Air Base near Islamabad, Pakistan, Feb. 1, 2021. (Xinhua/Liu Tian) What concerns Iqbal has also worried Tedros, who noted in January that the comparison between administered doses in higher-income countries and one of the lowest-income countries had been 39 million versus 25. "Not 25 million, not 25,000, just 25," he said. "The world is on the brink of a catastrophic moral failure," and it will be paid "with lives and livelihoods in the world's poorest countries," he has warned. "We can't beat COVID without vaccine equity. Our world will not recover fast enough without vaccine equity." "It's very surprising. It's very unjust that Western countries are having piles of vaccine which they don't require," said Talat Shabbir, a senior researcher at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad, Pakistan. Experts said closing the immunity gap is not only about morality and conscience, but also the key to stopping the pandemic by cutting risk of more new variants. "It's a moment of help, the moment that we need to help countries or those who cannot afford a vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine has to be inclusive. It's just humanistic to have it inclusive," said Shabbir. Margaret Chan, a former WHO chief, said COVID-19 vaccines are in short supply, but equitable vaccine distribution, especially to developing countries, is critical as the pandemic will not 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. PROMOTING FAIR DISTRIBUTION A batch of the Sinovac vaccines donated by China arrived in the Philippines on Sunday, the first COVID-19 vaccine to reach the Southeast Asian country. President Rodrigo Duterte went to the airport to welcome the arrival of the vaccines. Duterte said receiving the vaccines from China made another step forward in the Philippines' ongoing fight against COVID-19. "I convey my sincere gratitude to the Chinese people and the government of China for this gesture of friendship and solidarity -- the hallmark of the Philippines-China partnership." A day before, Malaysia also received its first delivery of China's Sinovac vaccine, days after the country kicked off its inoculation program, which aims to inoculate at least 80 percent of the country's total population. 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. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei) Zulkarnain Md Eusope, managing director of Malaysia's leading pharmaceutical company Pharmaniaga which inked a deal in January with Sinovac for delivery of its inactivated vaccine to the country, called the arrival "a historic moment for Malaysia and an important milestone for the company's venture into vaccine manufacturing." Last month, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan approved the single-dose vaccine developed by Chinese biopharmaceutical company CanSino Biologics for emergency use. The third phase trials of the vaccine were carried out in Pakistan, which offered a new experience to many Pakistani doctors, and helped the country work on its vaccine development. In fact, Pakistan already approved China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in January 2020 after evaluating its safety and quality. The country officially launched its vaccination drive on Feb. 3 after receiving China-donated COVID-19 vaccines. In the spirit of "working together as one global family," China is actively cooperating with other countries to speed up vaccine development and production, so as to help relieve the global shortfalls of life-saving vaccines and address disparities in vaccine distribution. As of Feb. 25, China has provided vaccine assistance to 53 developing countries in need, and is exporting vaccines to 27 countries. It has also decided to provide 10 million vaccine doses to multilateral vaccine alliance COVAX to meet the urgent needs of developing countries. Regarding vaccine cooperation with other countries, mostly with developing ones, China has demonstrated an approach that acts on human development and the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind, which is different from the zero-sum mentality of some countries, said Khalid Rehman, director-general of Islamabad-based think tank Institute of Policy Studies. (Xinhua reporters Lin Hao in Kuala Lumpur, Annie Cheung in Hong Kong, Misbah Saba Malik and Raheela Nazir in Islamabad, and Ye Shan in Tokyo also contributed to the story.) (Video reporter: Hao Yalin, Zhang Yue, Liu Tian, Jiang Chao, Mao Pengfei, Zhao Kai, Kang Wenjun, Wu Danni, Yang Yijun, Yu Fuqing, Li Jia, Ni Ruijie, Wang Ping, Yu Lizhen, Gu Lu, Wa Yang, Emad al-Azrak, Rene Quenallata, Ali Jaswal, Tariq Hameed; Video editor: Liu Yuting, Shuai Anning) Berlin, Feb 12, 2021 (SPS) - The contract between Continental's subsidiary ContiTech and OCP, Morocco's state-owned phosphate company that illegally exploits the phosphate reserves of Bou Craa in occupied Western Sahara, has not been renewed. This was clarified by Continental to Western Sahara Resource Watch (WSRW) in a correspondence this week. We commend Continental for not continuing the supplies to the mine in Western Sahara. Morocco has no right to operate the phosphate mine on occupied land. These resources belong to the oppressed Saharawi people", Sara Eyckmans from WSRW told. The company sent an initial letter to WSRW on 10 February 2021, while today clarifying that this means that the company thus do not have an existing contract or agreement for the territory. Continental is the second company in a space of a few months that announces its termination of servicing OCP's operations in Western Sahara. In October 2020, Swedish mining equipment company Epiroc announced that it will no longer supply the controversial Bou Craa phosphate mine in occupied Western Sahara with drilling equipment. A dozen clients of OCP have stopped purchasing the conflict minerals over concerns of human rights and international law, as desribed in WSRW's annual reports on the trade. The contract, arranging for ContiTech to supply replacement parts to the conveyor installations of OCP, had already expired on 30 June 2020. We call on Siemens Gamesa to follow the examples of Continental and Epiroc. Supporting the operation of the OCP mine in Western Sahara constitutes a serious breach of fundamental ethical norms", Eyckmans From Western Sahara Resource Watch stated. SPS 125/090/TRA Watch: Prince Philip's treatment 'hurts at moments', says Duchess of Cornwall Prince Philip's condition is "slightly improving", his daughter-in-law the Duchess of Cornwall has revealed, after he spent his 15th night in hospital. Camilla gave a brief update on the Duke of Edinburgh's health while visiting a vaccination centre inside St Paul's Church in Croydon, south London. She said: "We heard today that hes slightly improving. So, thats very good news. Well keep our fingers crossed." The 99-year-old went into hospital on 16 February for treatment for an infection. Philip, seen here in July 2020, has now been in hospital for more than two weeks. (Samir Hussein/WireImage ) He was initially treated at King Edward VII's Hospital in London, but was moved to St Bartholomews Hospital on Monday for treatment for a pre-existing heart condition. Buckingham Palace said he is "comfortable and is responding to treatment but is expected to remain in hospital until at least the end of the week". Watch: Duke of Edinburgh moved to different hospital to continue treatment Read more: Should Harry and Meghan's Oprah interview air while Prince Philip is in hospital? Philip, who is set to celebrate his 100th birthday in June, is known for his "no fuss" attitude, and the admission to the hospital was said to be out of an "abundance of caution". The Queen has been carrying on with engagements despite her husband's long stay in hospital, including a number of video engagements and phone calls. She spoke to chancellor Rishi Sunak on Tuesday ahead of his budget, which was revealed in the House of Commons on Wednesday. And she unveiled a statue of herself in Australia, with the palace releasing a cheery call with the governor of South Australia in which she joked: "I would think possibly it might be quite alarming to suddenly see it out of the window youd think, gracious, has she arrived unexpectedly?" Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall made the comments at the Community Vaccination Centre at St Paul's Church in Croydon. (Steve Parsons/AFP) The Duke of Edinburgh was transferred on Monday from King Edward VII's Hospital to St Bartholomew's Hospital, where doctors will continue to treat him for an infection as well as undertake testing and observation for a pre-existing heart condition, Buckingham Palace has said. (Kate Green/Getty Images) Read more: Prince William warns social media is 'awash' with coronavirus vaccine misinformation Story continues The stay in hospital has become Philip's longest admission, as he reached 14 nights on Tuesday. He was said to be in "good spirits" when he first went to hospital, and walked in unaided. His transfer from King Edward VII's to St Bart's was shielded from media view by umbrellas as he was transferred. Prince Charles visited his father when he was in King Edward VII's, but the visiting rules are said to be much stricter at St Bart's and so Philip may not be able to receive anyone while he is there. Visitors can only go to St Bart's in person if the patient is at the end of their life, a child, having a baby, or lacks capacity. Read more: How the Queen has kept working during Prince Philip's hospital stay The duke was last in hospital just before Christmas in 2019, when he was taken in on his doctor's advice as a precaution. He was there for four days before leaving in time for Christmas at Sandringham. He had a hip operation in September 2018 at the same hospital and was there for 10 days. It was a planned operation. In June 2017, he spent three days in the hospital with an infection. Watch: Prince Harry opens up about Princess Dianas death in exclusive interview with Oprah Joe Hoft, writing at The Gateway Pundit, reports: International financial interests and the global scientific establishment have never wanted the true source of the COVID-19 virus to be revealed, despite the fact that its laboratory origin was suspected early after the onset of the pandemic. There is now evidence that elements within the U.S. government coordinated with selected members of the U.S. scientific community, no doubt with the blessing of international business and the media, to protect China from responsibility and, in doing so, protected their own interests. By January 13, 2020, there were already comments on the internet that the COVID-19 virus was manufactured in a laboratory in China and that U.S. scientists may have helped Chinese scientists obtain the knowledge to do so, specifically in the laboratory of Dr. Zheng-Li Shi at the Wuhan Institute of Virology with the assistance of Dr. Ralph Baric at the University of North Carolina. On January 26, 2020, respected investigative reporter and defense expert, Bill Gertz, in his Washington Times article wrote: The deadly animal-borne coronavirus spreading globally may have originated in a laboratory in the city of Wuhan linked to Chinas covert biological weapons program. On February 3, 2020, Kelvin Droegemeier, a product of the Republican establishment and then Director of the White Houses Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), wrote a letter to Dr. Marcia McNutt, president of the National Academy of Sciences, asking: the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) to rapidly examine information and identify data requirements that would help determine the origins of 2019-nCoV, specifically from an evolutionary/structural biology standpoint. Oddly, his concern was precipitated by an obscure, non-peer-reviewed and already retracted Indian study Uncanny similarity of unique inserts in the 2019-nCoV spike protein to HIV-1 gp120 and Hag. In retrospect, that article appears to have been a scientific strawman, suggesting that other government motives were involved, but what they were remains unclear. Nevertheless, based on the scientists enlisted to formulate a response to OSTPs request, the outcome of Droegemeiers inquiry was preordained, that is, the complete absolution of Chinas responsibility. Those scientists were Kristian G. Andersen (Scripps Research Institute), Ralph Baric (UNC School of Public Health), Trevor Bedford (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Institute), Aravinda Chakravarti (New York University School of Medicine), Peter Daszak (EcoHealth Alliance), Gigi K. Gronvall (Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health), Tom Inglesby (Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security), and Stanley Perlman (University of Iowa). By citing a scientific article from the Wuhan Institute of Virology stating the disease outbreak started from a local seafood market, the National Academy of Sciences letter to OSTP unequivocally supported the contention made by Chinas Communist Party government that the COVID-19 pandemic was a naturally-occurring transmission from animals to humans Additionally, the three presidents of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine recommended that the United States continue to work closely with China, in particular, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Most of the scientists consulted for the National Academy of Science response had long histories of collaboration with China and/or were later associated with a robust support of China and the theory that COVID-19 originated as a naturally-occurring event. In some important respects, the final National Academy of Sciences response dated February 6, 2020, bears little resemblance to the original draft, dated February 4, 2020. (see OSTP NAS emails 2 PDF) According to the email exchanges between the National Academy of Science and the consultant scientists, there appeared to be a clear effort by the scientists to support the naturally-occurring theory and to eliminate or downplay any mention that the COVID-19 virus was engineered, had unique human binding characteristics, might mutate towards higher infectivity and possessed a furin polybasic cleavage site not found in any related coronavirus. Subsequently, scientists consulted for National Academy of Sciences response began their own public relations campaign to support China and the theory that the COVID-19 virus was a natural transmission from animals to humans. On March 7, 2020, Peter Daszak and Stanley Perlman were authors on an article in the British medical journal The Lancet, which stated We stand together to strongly condemn conspiracy theories suggesting that COVID-19 does not have a natural origin. On March 17, 2020, Kristian G. Andersen appeared as senior author on the article The proximal origin of SARS-CoV-2, which claimed that the COVID-19 virus was not a purposefully manipulated virus. On September 21, 2020, Gigi K. Gronvall was part of a Johns Hopkins University team that wrote a criticism of Chinese whistleblower, Dr. Li-Meng Yan, who presented evidence that the COVID-19 virus was created in a laboratory. It is also well-known that Ralph Baric has been a long-time collaborator with Zheng-Li Shi, the bat woman from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, including conducting experiments involving highly dangerous gain of function research. As recently described by Neil Patel in the Daily Signal, Peter Daszak, the sole U.S. representative on the World Health Organization team investigating the origin of the COVID-19 virus, is also a close associate of Zheng-Li Shi and was a key figure in directing American taxpayer funds to the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Daszak even organized a public relations campaign to paint the lab leak hypothesis as a conspiracy before any thorough investigation had been conducted. His spokesperson later said the goal was to protect the labs scientists, but ultimately and, perhaps intentionally, the beneficiaries were China, international financial interests and the global scientific establishment. To be continued. Lawrence Sellin, Ph.D. is retired from an international career in business and medical research with 29 years of service in the US Army Reserve and a veteran of Afghanistan and Iraq. His email is lawrence.sellin@gmail.com Original source: EXCLUSIVE: New Evidence Shows U.S. Government and the American Scientific Establishment Involved in Cover Up of COVID-19s Origin (thegatewaypundit.com) Hat tip to Carole Gunn for sending us this link. Covid-19 infections in Irish hospital staff have dropped by around 95%, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has said. Mr Donnelly told the Oireachtas Committee on Health on Tuesday that the fall was largely thanks to vaccinations, as well as dropping levels of community transmission. Citing figures from Chief Clinical Officer Dr Colm Henry, the minister described the news as "very encouraging". He said: "The good news is the pressure has eased. We've seen today that the number of Covid cases in hospitals has reduced below 500, which is very, very welcome. "The Chief Clinical Officer, the figures he's given are very encouraging in terms of the impact the vaccine is having. Now it's not just the vaccine, it will be lower community transmission as well. "But from memory, the Chief Clinical Officer was citing figures that suggested about a 95% reduction in Covid infection rates for hospital staff, which is very encouraging." Review of vaccine priority list Mr Donnelly also revealed that the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (Niac) is conducting a rolling review of the prioritisation list. He suggested the review could see key workers such as teachers and carers moved up the list. He said: "What they're now looking at is the next grouping, which is a very large grouping, which is key workers. "So, for example, family carers. A lot of people have been advocating on behalf of family carers." He added: "So one of the things Niac is now looking at is key workers, including for example, the role they play, for example in supporting healthcare or the vaccination programme itself. "Or indeed other essential activities, like education and, or indeed, caring." Mr Donnelly said that the vast majority of people over the age of 85 will have received their first vaccine by the end of this week. He said there were outstanding cases for some people who are housebound, with special measures such as GP home visits and the ambulance service being put in place for those instances. By the end of this week, Mr Donnelly forecast that 500,000 vaccines will have been administered out of a total of 520,000 received. Hospital waiting lists The committee also heard that there are now over 700,000 people on hospital waiting lists, an increase of almost 22% on the previous year. Mr Donnelly said the nation's waiting lists had been a problem for years and that this had been exacerbated by the pandemic. He said 1.1 billion euro of the Health Department budget would be put towards new measures to tackle the issue. "This money will be used to address the known capacity deficits by funding more beds and employing more staff," he said. A lot of people don't think Venezuela's story is important, a useful warning of how a big successful state can become a vassal of communist tyrants. But with Joe Biden in the saddle, brought in with fraudulent elections same as Venezuela's dictators were, handing out cheap citizenship to swell the voter rolls for the left, enacting cancel culture, allowing violent mobs to enforce a sort of 'order,' ruling by decree, purging the military, and packing the courts, maybe that could change. After all, that's what happened to once-free Venezuela. Worst of all, its leaders had so little faith in the Venezuelan people they sold their country to a dictator -- a really filthy one with one of the world's vilest human rights records and history of economic meltdowns -- Fidel Castro of Cuba, and then robbed and impoverished their country. So the story is coming out, from a secret dissident buried deep inside the Chavista regime. In a new book, featured by indispensible Cuban-American blog Babalu, Alberto de la Cruz has found this gem, and he begins: No matter how much they try to portray U.S. relations with Cubas Castro dictatorship as a relic of the Cold War, the reality is long after the end of the Cold War, the Cuban regime continues to be a threat to the U.S. and the Western Hemisphere. You only need look at the Castro dictatorships invasion and colonization of Venezuela. Via Infobae (my translation): A mole in the Chavista regime reveals how Cuba infiltrated the government of Venezuela to consolidate a police state in exchange for oil It was an economic subsidy, but above all a transfer of sovereignty: That is how The Consensual Invasion describes the relationship between Venezuela and Cuba since the time of Hugo Chavez. It was a unique phenomenon, one of the most peculiar in the history of Latin America and geopolitics throughout the word, said Diego G. Maldonado a pseudonym used for safety in a country where freedom of expression is persecuted. Its the voluntary submission of a rich nation with an area of more than 900,000 square kilometers and 30 million citizens to one that is eight times smaller with three times fewer citizens. The book offers an overview of how Cuba infiltrated the Venezuelan government without resistance or conditions and in many cases was welcomed. Their men are in place all over the country. In the presidential palace, always at the side of the leader; in the ministries, institutes, and state-run companies, said the author. They share in the management of the ports, they have their own aircraft hanger at the presidential ramp at the Simon Bolivar International airport, and they have infiltrated the army and naval bases, all thanks to a secret military convention signed in 2008. Furthermore, theyre deployed all over the national territory leading the main social programs. The piece is amazing, full of details of how the Castroites consolidated power in another country, with a sorry excuse for a leader, Hugo Chavez, serving as Castro's butt boy, handing his country over to another nation, a miserable failure of a nation, with pro-offered gifts of Venezuela's national treasure, and its entire national ministries. We don't even know of another nation that has done anything as grotesque as that. Normally, these things are the result of conquest. Chavez enjoyed being the conqueree, even as he consorted with Joe Kennedy around the issue of cheap or free oil, and blustered at the United Nations and on television about the 'smell of sulfur' and "Mr. Bush, you are a donkey," as the media ate it up. Babalu has a fine translation of the first part of the long article that was published in Spanish on Infobae. If you go to Google Translate, you can look at all of it, but you will need to open three pages to read through the translation. Here are a couple of choice passages from Google Translate: "Under the facade of humanitarian cooperation, a political operation was mounted to subsidize Cuba and indoctrinate the poorest Venezuelans," the author of "The Consensual Invasion" denounced the passage of 220,000 island workers through Venezuela. (REUTERS / Manaure Quintero) The consensual invasion illustrated: The state oil company will pay up to USD 13,000 a month for the work of a Cuban doctor who will barely receive USD 300 as a salary. The profit exceeds USD 150,000 per year per head . ...and... One of the characteristics of the Cuban economy has been the direct control of business management exercised by the Revolutionary Armed Forces. And that model seems to be copied in Venezuela: "With Chavez in power, the military leadership acquired unprecedented economic power," summarized the author of The Consent Invasion. The military was in charge of managing foreign exchange, public banking, the tax collection office, the Treasury, state companies and key sectors of the economy. It is no secret to anyone that several of those officials today are millionaires, "he added. The military administers the country's customs and handles activities such as the importation and distribution of food. But in addition, Maduro opened the possibility that the armed forces have their own corporation of companies with more than a dozen companies, among which an oil company stands out, the Compania Anonima Militar de Industrias Mineras Petrolimeros y de Gas, Camimpeg, a black box of which little is known . And that without talking about other openly criminal activities, he recalled: Much has been said about the participation of the military in activities of smuggling gasoline into Colombia, exploitation of mines in the south of the country and drug trafficking, but what we know about these issues is from the works of other colleagues . ...and... "The influence of the Cuban government in Venezuela remains intact," said the author of the book. "They no longer even bother to deny it. In 2020 Maduro incorporated the Cuban ambassador into his council of ministers." Two things of note for historic context are worth adding: -Castro has always had his eyes on taking over the Andean states, Venezuela and Colombia, dating from the 1940s in his history as a rioter in Colombia, but also in his bid in the 1960s to send troops to invade Venezuela. The late great petroleum scientist and energy expert, Emma Broussard, who knew oil like the back of her hand (I've talked to her) wrote all about the Castro dreams in her superb 2001 book: Power and Petroleum, Venezuela, Cuba and Colombia: A Troika? She was making her prophetic warnings around the same time as former Venezuelan central banker, Ruth Krivoy, who scared the hell out of a room full of hedge fund managers in New York with her warnings aboout Chavista intentions to serve as the destabilizer for the region. I wrote about that here. Around this time, too, James Whelan, author of a masterpiece history of Chile, called Out of the Ashes, I believe also noted elsewhere that Castro was behind the trouble in that country in the early 1970s and took the lessons from it and applied them to a slower march takeover in Venezuela. Bottom line: The warnings from those in the know about Castro taking over Venezuela and using it as his skinsuit, were there. -The signs were there early that the merger of the two nations was on. When I visited Caracas and the Venezuelan interior in late 2005, a major story in the then-still-free press was about a new flag going up on government buildings showing a merger of the Venezuelan and Cuban flags. On that trip, I saw hotel rooms filled with Cuban soldiers, guarded by Venezuelan military troops (I spent a couple hours talking to them on the sidewalk about just what they were doing). I also encountered a cattle veterinarian on a flight from the interior who described how Cubans ran the Venezuelan agriculture industry, dictating which cattle could be raised, and taking out the phones of the Venezuelan officials so that only Cubans could control communications. I saw empty medical kiosks of projects supposedly run by Cubans to help the poor (they weren't), and met Cuban dissidents who fled Cuba who, now in Caracas, said the course of events was very familiar. I wrote about that on Babalu years ago. The bottom line is that it happened, and the result is precisely like Cuba. It's a hellhole no one can believe, because like a lot of colonial masters, the Cubans bled their vassal state dry. And they are still in power, and still trying to take over many countries. Next time Joe & Co., comes out to make nice with Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, note that it's Cuba whom he's really succoring. Image: Pedro, via Flickr, with use of Jean Ventura @jean_ventura photo repost // CC BY-SA 2.0 An 11-year-old girl from Chicago is fighting for her life after being struck in the face by a stray bullet while sitting in her family's car on Monday. Ny-Andra Dyer was on her way home when her family stopped at a gas station in the 100 block of West 127th Street in Chicago. Police said three men started shooting at one another at the BP gas station, and one of the bullets hit Ny-Andra. According to her mother, the bullet lodged in the girl's spinal cord, and it was too close to an artery to be surgically removed. Scroll down for video Ny-Andra Dyer, 11 (left and right) was sitting in her family's car at a gas station in Chicago on Monday when three men opened fire, and a stray bullet struck the girl in the face The shootout took part at this BP station in the 100 block of West 127th Street in Chicago Ny-Andra, a sixth-grader who loves to draw and dance, was rushed to the University of Chicagos Comer Childrens Hospital with swelling in her brain, reported CBS Chicago. Im just asking everybody could you please keep us in your prayers, so my baby could just overcome?' Ny-Andra's mother tearfully pleaded on Tuesday. 'I just need a miracle.' The woman said doctors warned her that if the swelling in Ny-Andras brain does not go down in the next 72 hours, she likely will not survive. They messed her up, Ny-Andras mother said. She will never be the same. Police are looking for the suspects in connection with the shooting. They said Ny-Andra was not the intended target. Police collected 16 shell casings at the scene after the shooting involving three men, including a 19-year-old armed with an assault-style rifle who was hit in the pelvis and knee Ny-Andra's mother (pictured) said her daughter has swelling in her brain and begged people to pray for her child According to investigators, a 19-year-old man was exiting the gas station convenience store when he was accosted by two other men, one of whom pulled out a gun and shot him three times, including twice in the pelvis and once in the left knee. The victim returned fire with an assault-style rifle, before jumping back in his car and racing home, where he called for an ambulance to take him to the hospital. He has not been named. Police collected 16 shell casings at the scene of the shooting. A $30,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the shooters arrest. Ny-Andra's mother addressed the person responsible for her daughter's injuries directly, begging him to turn himself in. And Im just asking you, the shooter, please give me some closure for my baby, said the girls mother. She didnt deserve this. In 1890, Mississippi became one of the first states in the country to call a constitutional convention for the express purpose of writing white supremacy into the DNA of the state. At the time, a majority of the registered voters in the state were Black men. The lone Black delegate to the convention, Isaiah Montgomery, participated in openly suppressing the voting eligibility of most of those Black men, in the hope that this would reduce the terror, intimidation and hostility that white supremacists aimed at Black people. The committee on which he sat went even further. As he said at the convention: As a further precaution to secure unquestioned white supremacy the committee have fixed an arbitrary appointment of the state, which fixes the legislative branch of the government at 130 members and the senatorial branch at 45 members. The majority of the seats in both branches were from white constituencies. Speaking to the Black people he was disenfranchising, Montgomery said: I wish to tell them that the sacrifice has been made to restore confidence, the great missing link between the two races, to restore honesty and purity to the ballot-box and to confer the great boon of political liberty upon the Commonwealth of Mississippi. That sacrifice backfired horribly, as states across the South followed Mississippi, suppressing the Black vote, and Jim Crow reigned. That same sort of language is being used today to prevent people from voting, because when it comes to voter suppression, ignoble intentions are always draped in noble language. Those who seek to impede others from voting, in some cases to strip them of the right, often say they are doing so to ensure the sanctity, integrity or purity of the vote. However, when the truth is laid bare, the defilement against which they rail is the voting power of the racial minority, the young and the dyed-in-the-wool Democrats. In early February, a Brennan Center for Justice report detailed: Thus far this year, thirty-three states have introduced, prefiled, or carried over 165 bills to restrict voting access. These proposals primarily seek to: (1) limit mail voting access; (2) impose stricter voter ID requirements; (3) slash voter registration opportunities; and (4) enable more aggressive voter roll purges. These bills are an unmistakable response to the unfounded and dangerous lies about fraud that followed the 2020 election. On Feb. 24, the center updated its account to reveal that as of February 19, 2021, state lawmakers have carried over, prefiled, or introduced 253 bills with provisions that restrict voting access in 43 states. But it is the coded language that harkens to post-Reconstruction-era racism that strikes me. In Georgia, which went for a Democrat for the first time since Bill Clinton in 1992 and just elected two Democratic senators one Black and one Jewish there have been a raft of proposed voter restrictions. As state Rep. Barry Fleming, a Republican and chair of the newly formed Special Committee on Election Integrity, put it, according to the Washington Post, Our due diligence in this legislature (is) to constantly update our laws to try to protect the sanctity of the vote. Kelly Loeffler, who lost her Senate bid in the state, has launched a voter organization because, as she said, for too many in our state, the importance and even the sanctity of their vote is in question. She continued, Thats why were rolling up our sleeves to register conservative-leaning voters who have been overlooked, to regularly engage more communities, and to strengthen election integrity across our state. Sen. Rick Scott and other Republicans on Feb. 25 introduced the Save Democracy Act in what they said was an effort to restore confidence in our elections. Jessica Anderson of the conservative lobbying organization Heritage Action for America said of the legislation: I applaud Senator Scott for putting forward common-sense, targeted reforms to help protect the integrity of our federal elections and the sanctity of the vote. The Save Democracy Act will protect against fraud and restore Americans confidence in our election systems while respecting the states sovereignty. Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida is pushing a slate of laws that would make it harder for Democrats to win. On his website, the announcement read this way: Today, Governor Ron DeSantis proposed new measures to safeguard the sanctity of Florida elections. The Governors announcement reaffirms his commitment to the integrity of every vote and the importance of transparency in Florida elections. They can use all manner of euphemism to make it sound honorable, but it is not. This is an electoral fleecing in plain sight, one targeting people of color. We are watching another of historys racist robberies. Its grand larceny and, as usual, what is being stolen is power. (Newser) The horrific crash near the US-Mexico border Tuesday left 13 people dead, two fewer than was initially reported, and at least six injured. With the exception of one moderately injured person, that's from just one vehiclepolice say there were 25 people inside an SUV that pulled in front of a tractor-trailer at an intersection on a highway near Holtville, Calif. "Some of the walking wounded were able to pull themselves out of the vehicle," the chief of the California Highway Patrol's border division says, per the New York Times. "Once personnel arrived on the scene, some were wandering around and some of them had already passed away." First responders found a dozen people dead, some ejected from the vehicle and some still inside; the 13th victim died later at a hospital. The big rig driver was moderately injured. Investigators are looking into whether human smuggling was involved. story continues below The SUV could only fit eight passengers safely, and it's not clear why so many people were packed inside; the middle and back seats had been removed. At least 10 of those killed have been identified as Mexicans whose immigration status is currently unknown, and the AP reports it's not clear whether the vehicle "was carrying migrants who had crossed the border, ferrying farmworkers to fields, or was being used for some other purpose." Despite rumors that border agents may have been in pursuit of the SUV when the crash occurred, officials say that is not the case. Officials also do not yet know how fast either vehicle was traveling, whether the SUV ran a stop sign, or "exactly what caused the collision," per the CHP chief. The 28-year-old driver of the SUV, who was from Mexicali, Mexico, just across the border, was among those killed. (Read more California stories.) (Newser) In hunting large mammals to near extinction, early modern humans may have prompted an explosion in brain sizein a good way. Humans emerged as big-game hunters in Africa 2.6 million years ago but would ultimately see large animals dwindle as a result of hunting practices, according to Miki Ben-Dor and Ran Barkai of Tel Aviv University. Whereas the Neanderthals went extinct, humans rose to the challenge, adapting to hunt fast-moving small game. It was a major transformation, requiring more energy, more sophisticated tools, and increased cognitive ability, per a release. Indeed, Ben-Dor and Barkai, whose study appears in the Quaternary journal, observed an increase in human brain volume from 650cc to 1,500cc in ancient remains from east Africa, southern Europe, and Israel during the Pleistocene Epoch (roughly 2.6 million years ago to 11,700 years ago). story continues below This is linked "with the need to become smarter hunters," Ben-Dor proposes in the release. "As the size of animals continued to decrease, the invention of the bow and arrow and domestication of dogs enabled more efficient hunting of medium-sized and small animals." His research also suggests this period of growth allowed for the development of human language, which would've aided in hunting. Toward the end of the Pleistocene, though, the average size of land mammals would diminish to about 110 poundsabout a tenth of the figure at the dawn of humanity, per the Jerusalem Post. And humans, who were spending more energy hunting than they were getting out of it, turned to agriculture. As "there was no more need for the allocation of outstanding cognitive abilities to the task of hunting," brain size then decreased to its current volume of 1300cc to 1400cc, Ben-Dor notes in the release. (Read more evolution stories.) Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 21:44:26|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Journalists attend a press conference of the fourth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) through video link in Beijing, capital of China, March 3, 2021. (Xinhua/Li He) BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisory body will open its annual session on Thursday, returning to its traditional March schedule after last year's session was postponed to May due to the COVID-19 epidemic. But the fourth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) will be shortened in the second year in a row over epidemic control requirements, a spokesperson said Wednesday. This year's session will last six and a half days, instead of about 10 days for sessions before 2020, Guo Weimin, spokesperson for the session, told a press conference. Successful practices including streamlining the process and holding events both online and offline during last year's session will be adopted to improve the efficiency and quality of the session this year, Guo said. Other than the opening and closing meetings, there will be two plenary meetings and six group meetings during the session, Guo said, noting that one of the plenary meetings will be held via video link. All the preparations for the session have been completed, Guo said. Discussions on the draft outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan and the long-range objectives through the year 2035 will be high on the agenda at this year's session, said Guo while briefing the media on the main items of the agenda. During the session, political advisors will hear and deliberate a report on the work of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee and a report on how the proposals from political advisors have been handled, Guo said. The political advisors will also sit in on the fourth session of the 13th National People's Congress as non-voting participants, hearing and discussing reports including a government work report, the spokesperson noted. Foreign diplomatic envoys to China will be invited to observe the opening and closing meetings of the session, he added. A number of Beijing-based Chinese and foreign reporters have been invited to cover the event at the Great Hall of the People, he said. Joint Financial Advisors for Kachi Appointed Brisbane, Mar 3, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Clean lithium developer Lake Resources NL ( ASX:LKE ) ( FRA:LK1 ) ( OTCMKTS:LLKKF ) has appointed SD Capital Advisory Limited and GKB Ventures Limited as joint financial advisors to structure and arrange project finance, with a focus on Export Credit Agencies ("ECA's"), for the development of the Company's flagship Kachi Lithium Brine Project in Argentina. This appointment represents a significant development milestone for the Company and the Kachi Project.SD Capital Advisory Limited is a London-based independent financial boutique which focuses on securing project finance for corporates and mining/resources companies in developed and frontier markets. The firm specialises in strategic business advisory, financial modelling and credit analysis. The team consists of experienced finance professionals with major multinational, banking and emerging markets experience that is complemented by geological and process engineering expertise.GKB Ventures Limited (GKB) is an independent consultancy helping clients to secure cross-border transactions and access international finance via ECAs. GKB has a track record of delivering knowledge and access to government supported schemes, including ECA financing, creating bespoke solutions which are scalable for the long term. GKB is currently appointed on over US$4 billion of structured ECA financings and has successfully closed numerous projects in the last five years. In 2017, Global Trade Review awarded one of its ECA transactions' "GTR Best Deals of the Year".In a joint statement, Mr David Buckle, Chairman of SD Capital Advisory Ltd and Mr Gabriel Buck, MD of GKB Ventures Ltd respectively said: "We are delighted to be appointed by Lake's Board to assist them during this integral phase in the Kachi Project. Having interacted extensively with the Company over the last year, and after a thorough assessment of Kachi and its potential, we applaud the continued progress of Lake's management."They added: "We are attracted by the characteristics of the Kachi Project and Lake's innovative use of disruptive direct extraction technology from California-based Lilac Solutions, resulting in a low environmental impact and impressive ESG outcomes. Ultimately, this leads to the production of a high purity lithium carbonate matching the sustainable goals of global auto manufacturers by offering responsibly sourced battery grade supply. Impressive ESG characteristics are indeed front and centre for financiers today, including Export Credit Agencies."Lake's Managing Director, Steve Promnitz commented: "Export credit offers a low cost and secure form of debt funding which will maximise value for hareholders and minimise risks to the Company. We look forward to engaging further with these parties."About Lake Resources NL Lake Resources NL (ASX:LKE) (OTCMKTS:LLKKF) is a clean lithium developer utilising clean, direct extraction technology for the development of sustainable, high purity lithium from its flagship Kachi Project, as well as three other lithium brine projects in Argentina. The projects are in a prime location within the Lithium Triangle, where 40% of the world's lithium is produced at the lowest cost. This method will enable Lake Resources to be an efficient, responsibly-sourced, environmentally friendly and cost competitive supplier of high-purity lithium, which is readily scalable, and in demand from Tier 1 electric vehicle makers and battery makers. New Delhi: Union minister of state for health and family welfare Faggan Singh Kulaste on Sunday said Gorakhpur hospital tragedy may be a conspiracy of someone. While talking to media, he said, If we compare the data before and after August 9, the data between 9-12 August clearly shows that there was a pressure in the hospital and it led to several deaths. Earlier in the day, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that exemplary action would be taken against those found responsible for the scores of deaths in BRD Medical College. Isme kisi na kisi ki saazish bhi ho sakti hai: Faggan Singh Kulaste (Union Minister of State,Health & Family Welfare) on #Gorakhpur incident pic.twitter.com/MoVaDXSO3K ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017 Meanwhile, the Union government announced the setting up of a regional medical centre at a cost of Rs 85 crore in Gorakhpur for research into children's diseases. 9 tarikh se pehle ke death aur 9-12 ke aakade dekhe to spasht roop se samajh ayega ki jo dabaav hai uss dabaav ke karan death hui-FS Kulaste ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017 "We have formed a high-powered committee under the state chief secretary to probe the reason of the deaths of children in the BRD Medical College and the supply of oxygen. Stringent action will be taken against the guilty, whether in Gorakhpur or elsewhere," Adityanath said. Also Read: Delhi CM Kejriwal to hold emergency meeting in wake of Gorakhpur tragedy For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. An iconic comic book from Mark Millar (Kick-Ass, Kingsman, Wanted) comes to life in the first teaser trailer for Jupiter's Legacy. The 45-second trailer literally shows some of the images from the 2013 comic, written by Millar, drawn by Frank Quitely with coloring and lettering by Peter Doherty, coming to life. Josh Duhamel is practically unrecognizable as Sheldon Sampson, a.k.a. The Utopian, one of the first ever superheroes in this magical world. Hero Josh: Josh Duhamel is practically unrecognizable as Sheldon Sampson, a.k.a. The Utopian, one of the first ever superheroes in this magical world The trailer begins with the cover to the first issue of Millar's comic, and some of the characters from the pages within. These characters are all seen morphing from the comic book version to the live-action TV adaptation version. The first image features a glimpse at the villainous Blackstar, portrayed by Tyler Mane. Villain: The first image features a glimpse at the villainous Blackstar, portrayed by Tyler Mane We get a glimpse at The Utopian with a large mohawk full of black hair, engaging in battle with a group of men in snorkeling gear, for whatever reason. Another segment showcases Elena Kampouris' Chloe Sampson, Sheldon's daughter, morphing from the comic pages to the series. We also get a look at Sheldon's son Brandon Sampson (Andrew Horton) plus a look at an aging Sheldon, flanked by his wife Grace, a.k.a. Lady Liberty (Leslie Bibb) and his older brother Walter a.k.a. Brain-Wave (Ben Daniels). Mohawk: We get a glimpse at The Utopian with a large mohawk full of black hair, engaging in battle with a group of men in snorkeling gear, for whatever reason Daughter: Another segment showcases Elena Kampouris' Chloe Sampson, Sheldon's daughter, morphing from the comic pages to the series Son: We also get a look at Sheldon's son Brandon Sampson (Andrew Horton) Unfortunately, the trailer doesn't feature any actual footage from the series, though we may see some between now and the May 7 debut on Netflix. The series also stars Matt Lanter as George Hutchence, Mike Wade as Fitz Small and Tenika Davis as The Flare. Steven S. DeKnight (Spartacus, Daredevil) created the series, based on the beloved comic book of the same name. Heroes: The trailer features a look at an aging Sheldon, flanked by his wife Grace, a.k.a. Lady Liberty (Leslie Bibb) and his older brother Walter a.k.a. Brain-Wave (Ben Daniels) The series Jupiter's follows the world's first generation of superheroes who received their powers in the 1930s. Now, in present day, they are the revered elder guard, but their superpowered children struggle to live up to the legendary feats of their parents. Millar also serves as an executive producer alongside Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Sang Kim and Dan McDermott. First heroes: The series Jupiter's follows the world's first generation of superheroes who received their powers in the 1930s. Elder guard: Now, in present day, they are the revered elder guard, but their superpowered children struggle to live up to the legendary feats of their parents N Special Envoy for Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener New York [US], March 4 (ANI): Condemning Wednesday's firing on the pro-democracy protesters by the Myanmar military, UN Special Envoy for Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener has said that it was the "bloodiest day" since the February 1 coup. "Today was the bloodiest day since the coup happened on the first of February. Only today, 38 people died...Now, more than 50 people died since the coup started," Schraner Burgener said during a press briefing. She further said that the incidents in Myanmar are not an internal affair as they affect the stability of the region. "We know that ethnic armed organisations are determined not to allow this to continue. They also said that they'd suspend the dialogue with the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military]. If both sides start to use violence, then we have a situation of a real war in Myanmar," she added. The demonstration against the Myanmar Army, which ousted the democratically elected government of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, has entered its fourth week. Security forces have begun a violent crackdown on protestors in towns and cities across the country. At least 18 people were killed and more than 30 injured in Myanmar on Sunday, as police and military forces "confronted peaceful demonstrations," the UN Human Rights Office said. The reported casualties marked Sunday as the deadliest day since the military seized power on February 1. The UN Human Rights Office said it had received "credible information" about the use of deadly force against peaceful protesters in "several locations" in Myanmar on Sunday. "Deaths reportedly occurred as a result of live ammunition fired into crowds in Yangon, Dawei, Mandalay, Myeik, Bago and Pokokku," a statement from spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said. It also noted reports about the use of tear gas, flash-bang and stun grenades. Meanwhile, a Myanmar-based human rights group says at least 15 reporters and camera crew have been detained while covering the protests as of Tuesday, reported NHK World. Story continues Despite increasing international pressure to restore the democratically-elected government, the Myanmar junta have ignored the condemnation and has continued to violently suppress the protests against its unlawful takeover of the country. Several ousted lawmakers have even designated the military as a terrorist organisation. On Saturday, Myanmar's military has fired the country's United Nations Ambassador after he appealed to the UN General Assembly (UNGA) for international help to overturn the coup. Moreover, Myanmar's ousted civilian leader Kyi, who was detained following the coup, said that two more charges have been added to those filed against her since the coup. Hundreds of people have been arrested since the coup, according to activists, the latest a journalist for the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), who live-streamed security forces outside his apartment on Monday in the coastal town of Myeik, where he had been filming protests. DVB confirmed the arrest, Bangkok Post reported. The military coup of February 1 halted Myanmar's tentative steps towards democracy after nearly 50 years of military rule and has drawn condemnation and sanctions from the United States and other Western countries, and growing concern among its neighbours. (ANI) Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 Thursday, March 4, at 13.00, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency will host a press conference entitled "Monitoring of Ukrainian Population's Public Opinion: Assessments, Sentiments." Participants include Chairperson of the Board of the Social Monitoring Center Olha Balakireva, Director of the Social Monitoring Center Dmytro Dmytruk (8/5a Reitarska Street). The press conference will be available on the YouTube channel of Interfax-Ukraine. Admission of journalists requires registration on the spot. Lorraine Kelly has admitted she nearly got a tattoo on her rear to mark her 60th birthday two years ago. The chat show host, who turned 61 last November, told Ross King she's still considering getting 'something naughty' inked on her bottom on Wednesday's episode of Lorraine. Ross asked her: 'You don't have any tattoos or anything to hide? No sleeves or anything?' Rear of the year: Lorraine Kelly has admitted she nearly got a tattoo on her rear to mark her 60th birthday two years ago Lorraine replied: 'No, I haven't got any tattoos. I was going to for my 60th, I was going to get one on my bottom but I couldn't decide what - maybe some planets? 'I don't know, something naughty because nobody would see it apart from [husband] Steve. I might still get it, why not?' Ross suggested she have a giant '60' inked on her derriere. When she did turn 60 in 2019, Lorraine rang in the occasion by jetting to Florida to try her hand at astronaut training. Cuppa? Lorraine rang in her 60th birthday in unique style as she jetted to Florida to try her hand at astronaut training The TV legend revealed she had always been 'obsessed' with space after her father bought her a telescope and she watched the moon landing aged 10. In light of her passion, Lorraine delightedly revealed she flew to the US to try her hand on the 'ominously named' Vomit Comet, where she experienced zero gravity and was seen to pour a cup of tea while floating in the air. Speaking about how she found her passion for space, she said at the time: 'It was a childhood dream come true. I watched the moon landings as a 10-year-old and it was absolutely life changing... 'Here we are 50 years on and Im going to get to experience a small part of what people like Neil Armstrong experienced. At the age of 60, Im going back to school, but this is astronaut school.' At the Kennedy Space Center she met JO Creighton who spent 16 days in space and worked closely with NASA on four space shuttle missions as lead CAPCOM. Happy days: The TV legend revealed she had always been 'obsessed' with space after her father bought her a telescope and she watched the moon landing aged 10 Amazing! Lorraine also travelled to San Francisco for a special zero gravity flight accompanied by her husband Steve Smith Lorraine also travelled to San Francisco for a special zero gravity flight accompanied by her husband Steve. The Zero G flight, nicknamed the Vomit Comet, is the closest experience you can get to space on earth. The pilot flies level to the horizon at an altitude of 24,000 feet and then begins to pull up, gradually increasing the angle of the aircraft to about 50 to the horizon reaching an altitude of 32,000 feet. During this pull-up, those aboard the jet will feel the pull of around 2Gs. The Boeing 727, which took off from San Jose International Airport, repeated the maneuver around 15-20 times and each weightless burst lasts around 20-45 seconds. Space age! In incredible clips from her experience in the simulator, Lorraine appeared totally awestruck as she floated around in the zero gravity space Candid: Lorraine revealed she was given advice by British astronaut Tim Peake on what to expect during her space mission In incredible clips from her experience in the simulator, Lorraine appeared totally awestruck as she floated around in the zero gravity space. In her column for The Sun, she detailed: 'From Nasa we travelled to San Francisco, and the zero gravity experience... 'I didnt sleep a wink the night before and was up and ready hours in advance to be taken on board the specially converted plane G-Force One rather ominously dubbed The Vomit Comet. Bouncing off the walls: Lorraine revealed she wore a special NASA suit with a badge given to her by astronaut Tim ahead of her monumental journey, which he revealed has travelled with him 3,000 times around the planet 'Weightlessness is achieved by flying the plane like an airliner but with no seats through a series of parabolic arcs.' She was then seen in San Francisco, where she poured a cup of tea in the air. Lorraine revealed she was given advice by British astronaut Tim Peake on what to expect during her space mission. Clearly delighted by the experience, Lorraine said: 'I was like a toddler, I was so excited It was amazing very difficult to describe. Its like being squashed and then youre free, total freedom.' A pervert caught by self-styled paedophile hunters has escaped jail because he was "humiliated" enough by the vigilantes. Mark Wolfe had thought he was meeting a young boy for sex in 2017 but in actual fact the 'child' he had been sending explicit sex messages to was in reality an adult working for controversial group Predator Catchers NI. Wolfe, who was 27 years old at the time, had been exchanging "highly explicit and graphic" texts and photos with, what he believed, was a young boy and had set up a meeting. This week a judge told Dungannon Magistrates Court 31-year-old Wolfe, from Strabane, should "thank Predator Catchers Northern Ireland" for not being sent straight to jail. Judge Michael Ranaghan said the manner in which they detained and humiliated Wolfe, while live-streaming the incident, and the fact it had been seen by thousands of people meant he gave him a suspended sentence. This week we spoke to Mark Wolfe at his home in Strabane. He politely told us: "I don't want to go into all of that now, it was a long time ago and I'm glad it's all over." Read More Several child perverts have been convicted in courts across Northern Ireland after being targeted in stings by such vigilante groups. This week Mark Wolfe joined that list after he was convicted of attempting to communicate sexually with a young boy. Wolfe had denied the charge but was convicted after a contested hearing. Dungannon Magistrates Court heard on in December 2017, police were called following a report Wolfe was being detained by Predator Catchers Northern Ireland. They had set up a decoy communicating with Wolfe online and a meeting was arranged in Dungannon, which was live-streamed on Facebook. On arrival, a PSNI officer was handed print-outs of communications and Wolfe's phone was seized. He was arrested and over the course of two interviews gave 'no comment' responses, except to admit the phone was his. On examination it was found to contain "highly explicit and graphic" communication between Wolfe and the decoy, who he believed was a boy, in both written and photographic form, which are too shocking and severe to report in a family newspaper. Defence counsel said the facts were never in dispute and the contest was on a legal point. He described the behaviour Wolfe was subjected to by the so-called paedophile hunters as "intimidating and humiliating, and all broadcast live. "None of this was necessary. They could have given the material to police to deal with in the appropriate way. It was self-aggrandisement. "No arrests were made for assault, threats to kill and potential false imprisonment of my client. "Whatever he was accused of, that was not the way to deal with it in a civilised society. Public humiliation by putting people in the stocks went out of fashion years ago." District Judge Michael Ranaghan told the court: "This court has a duty to impose deterrent sentences on those who attempt to target the most vulnerable in society for sexual purposes, in this instance children. "The defendant thought he was talking to a boy. His actions are at the highest level of culpability, but absent an identifiable victim, the lowest level for harm. "There can be no doubt the custody threshold is breached in a case where a then 27-year-old man attempted to engage a boy, both through sexual conversation and images." Imposing a four-month prison term the judge said: "I have to view sentencing of this type of offence globally and the risk it poses to children generally. Only a custodial sentence is proportionate." However, taking into account the actions of the so-called paedophile hunters Judge Ranghan said: "Their involvement was unnecessary - they acted purely to humiliate and degrade the defendant. "Their actions to my mind were criminal and streamed to a significant body of people on social media. They enjoyed their moment in the spotlight for whatever twisted reason they had. "I take nothing away from the disgust a court must show in attempting to communicate sexually with a child, but I cannot turn my eyes from the effect the actions of the paedophile hunters had, firstly on potential of this prosecution and secondly, the defendant. "What they did has probably punished him more than any form of immediate custody I could impose." He concluded: "The defendant can thank Predator Catchers Northern Ireland, primarily for my decision to suspend the sentence for two years." Wolfe was also placed on the Sex Offender Register and made subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order - both for five years. (CNN) - Ahead of Pope Francis historic trip to Iraq Friday, the Vatican says the visit will go ahead despite rising COVID-19 infections there. All the precautions have been taken from a health point of view, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni told journalists at a briefing on Tuesday. The best way to interpret the journey is as an act of love; its a gesture of love from the Pope to the people of this land who need to receive it, he said. When questioned by journalists about the potential risks to Iraqis of a spread of coronavirus, Bruni said that the Pope will not encounter crowds. He will travel in a closed car and it will be difficult to see him from the street. But even to see him on TV will be worth it, he said. On Wednesday, the Pope urged Catholics to pray for a successful trip. I ask you to accompany with prayer this apostolic trip, so that it might take place in the best of ways and bring home the desired results. "The Iraqi people are waiting for us. They had waited for Pope John II, who was prohibited from going. We cannot disappoint a country (a people) for the second time. Lets pray so that this trip can be done well. Pope Francis and his entourage have all been vaccinated against COVID-19, the Vatican said -- despite the announcement by its embassy in Iraq on Sunday that its ambassador, Mitra Leskovar, has tested positive for COVID-19. The Pope will be staying at the Vatican embassy throughout his trip, the Vatican said on Tuesday. Ambassador Leskovar has been transferred to another residence. The Pope will visit Najaf, a site sacred to Shia Muslims, where Mohammeds son-in-law, Imam Ali, is buried. Najaf is home to one of the most important teaching centers in the Islamic world, and there Pope Francis will meet privately with the Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, one of the most influential Shia Muslim leaders. The significance of the meeting goes beyond just the meeting itself, Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni said on Tuesday. Pope Francis has made dialogue with Muslims a cornerstone of his papacy. In 2019, he famously signed a joint document with Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the head of the top Sunni Muslim authority and university of Al-Azhar, in Abu Dhabi, encouraging peace among people of different faiths. The Pope goes to Iraq looking for his brothers and comes as a brother, Bruni said. In Qaraqosh, Francis will meet Christians at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception which was almost wholly destroyed by ISIS 2016-17; the churchs courtyard was used during the ISIS occupation as a firing range. The declining Christian population in Iraq is one of the major reasons for the Popes trip, according to the Vatican. I am a pastor of people who are suffering, the Pope said in an interview last month with Catholic News Service, discussing his upcoming trip. In Ur, Francis will also meet with some representatives of Iraqs minority Yazidi community, which suffered killings and enslavement by ISIS in 2014. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Pope's visit to Iraq must go on as "act of love" despite Covid concerns, Vatican says" Police handed out 11,000 in fines after a number of parties were held in Belfast's Holyland on Monday night. Officers visited seven addresses in the student area, with large numbers of young people gathering in the streets, some playing loud music and drinking. A total of 55 Covid 4 fines, starting at 200, were issued, alongside 19 Covid 2 notices for holding a gathering. Three people aged under 18 received community resolution notices and one 16-year-old was brought home to their parents. Police have begun preparing files to be forwarded to the Public Prosecution Service over 14 people previously fined for breaking the regulations. Residents campaigner Brid Ruddy said she was not surprised at the fines because there were "parties everywhere". "It was really bad. It has been from last year, but last night was particularly bad. It was a Monday night. It's ridiculous," she added. "We're talking an average of 10 to 15 parties a night in the middle of a pandemic. It's outrageous." Mrs Ruddy, who has lived in the area for decades, said residents "have not got high expectations" ahead of St Patrick's Day. She criticised inter-agency responses to the problem as falling short of what was needed. "Quite frankly, nobody is listening. What are they doing to stop this? The other issue is the parents. What do they think young people are doing when there's no lectures?" she asked. Mrs Ruddy told this newspaper residents had written to the First and Deputy First Minister but had not received a response. "We thought Covid would break this pattern. If a pandemic can't stop it, what will?" she said. Residents "dread to think what will happen when the pandemic ends and the new term starts," the campaigner stressed. The Alliance Party's Paula Bradshaw said the police were to be applauded for their proactive response to the latest parties. She said residents had been "tortured", with the situation deteriorating when students returned after Christmas. "It does seem like costly fines are the ones that really focus their minds in terms of straightening out their behaviour," the South Belfast MLA said. "Nobody is above the law. It's unfortunate, but these young people are well-educated and have the capacity to understand they can't breach regulations. "It's lamentable it has got to the stage where they could be facing criminal records, but we have to protect the wider public." PSNI Chief Inspector Gavin Kirkpatrick said police were increasing resources in the area ahead of St Patrick's Day. "It is disappointing and difficult to understand how some people think the current health regulations and restrictions do not apply to them" he explained. "It is apparent that some parents and guardians need to take more of an interest in what their young people are doing. This is a residential area. Understandably, local people are fed up having to live with this type of behaviour." Belfast City Council said it was working with its partners in the area to prevent problems ahead of St Patrick's Day. The news came as the PSNI confirmed that since the start of the pandemic, it had handed out 2,101 Covid 1 and 3,441 Covid 4 penalty notices for breaching lockdown regulations. More than 140 penalty notices were issued this week alone. Ariadna Phillips was close to panicking. It was nearing midnight in the Bronx, and she was scrambling to find food for an older woman in the neighborhood who was going hungry after deliveries of federal food aid had run out. For the past few weeks, Ms. Phillips, 40, who organizes a mutual aid group in the South Bronx, had been working frantically to gather enough food donations for those left in the lurch after a federal program stopped temporarily at the start of the year, and then again, a few weeks later, when it ran into logistical problems. A year ago, as the pandemic engulfed New York, mutual aid groups like hers quickly formed as stopgaps meant to help tide people over during the worst of the crisis. But even as the pandemic begins to subside, the economic and public health damage it has inflicted persists, especially in less well-off corners of the city that have been particularly hard hit by an outbreak that has disproportionately hurt poor people and communities of color. 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 Guardian The potential consequences of the origins of the virus are shattering if they can be proved My own complacency on the matter was dynamited by the lab-leak essay that ran in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists earlier this month. Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters There was a time when the Covid pandemic seemed to confirm so many of our assumptions. It cast down the people we regarded as villains. It raised up those we thought were heroes. It prospered people who could shift easily to working from home even as it problematized the lives of those Trump voters living in the old economy. Like all plagues, Covid often felt like the hand of God on earth, scourging the people for their sins against higher learning and visibly sorting the righteous from the unmasked wicked. Respect science, admonished our yard signs. And lo!, Covid came and forced us to do so, elevating our scientists to the highest seats of social authority, from where they banned assembly, commerce, and all the rest. We cast blame so innocently in those days. We scolded at will. We knew who was right and we shook our heads to behold those in the wrong playing in their swimming pools and on the beach. It made perfect sense to us that Donald Trump, a politician we despised, could not grasp the situation, that he suggested people inject bleach, and that he was personally responsible for more than one super-spreading event. Reality itself punished leaders like him who refused to bow to expertise. The prestige news media even figured out a way to blame the worst death tolls on a system of organized ignorance they called populism. In reaction to the fool Trump, liberalism made a cult out of the hierarchy of credentialed achievement in general But these days the consensus doesnt consense quite as well as it used to. Now the media is filled with disturbing stories suggesting that Covid might have come not from populism at all, but from a laboratory screw-up in Wuhan, China. You can feel the moral convulsions beginning as the question sets in: What if science itself is in some way culpable for all this? * I am no expert on epidemics. Like everyone else I know, I spent the pandemic doing as I was told. A few months ago I even tried to talk a Fox News viewer out of believing in the lab-leak theory of Covids origins. The reason I did that is because the newspapers I read and the TV shows I watched had assured me on many occasions that the lab-leak theory wasnt true, that it was a racist conspiracy theory, that only deluded Trumpists believed it, that it got infinite pants-on-fire ratings from the fact-checkers, and because (despite all my cynicism) I am the sort who has always trusted the mainstream news media. My own complacency on the matter was dynamited by the lab-leak essay that ran in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists earlier this month; a few weeks later everyone from Doctor Fauci to President Biden is acknowledging that the lab-accident hypothesis might have some merit. We dont know the real answer yet, and we probably will never know, but this is the moment to anticipate what such a finding might ultimately mean. What if this crazy story turns out to be true? The answer is that this is the kind of thing that could obliterate the faith of millions. The last global disaster, the financial crisis of 2008, smashed peoples trust in the institutions of capitalism, in the myths of free trade and the New Economy, and eventually in the elites who ran both American political parties. In the years since (and for complicated reasons), liberal leaders have labored to remake themselves into defenders of professional rectitude and established legitimacy in nearly every field. In reaction to the fool Trump, liberalism made a sort of cult out of science, expertise, the university system, executive-branch norms, the intelligence community, the State Department, NGOs, the legacy news media, and the hierarchy of credentialed achievement in general. Now here we are in the waning days of Disastrous Global Crisis #2. Covid is of course worse by many orders of magnitude than the mortgage meltdown it has killed millions and ruined lives and disrupted the world economy far more extensively. Should it turn out that scientists and experts and NGOs, etc. are villains rather than heroes of this story, we may very well see the expert-worshiping values of modern liberalism go up in a fireball of public anger. Consider the details of the story as we have learned them in the last few weeks: Lab leaks happen. They arent the result of conspiracies: a lab accident is an accident, as Nathan Robinson points out; they happen all the time, in this country and in others, and people die from them. There is evidence that the lab in question, which studies bat coronaviruses, may have been conducting what is called gain of function research, a dangerous innovation in which diseases are deliberately made more virulent. By the way, right-wingers didnt dream up gain of function: all the cool virologists have been doing it (in this country and in others) even as the squares have been warning against it for years. There are strong hints that some of the bat-virus research at the Wuhan lab was funded in part by the American national-medical establishment which is to say, the lab-leak hypothesis doesnt implicate China alone. There seem to have been astonishing conflicts of interest among the people assigned to get to the bottom of it all, and (as we know from Enron and the housing bubble) conflicts of interest are always what trip up the well-credentialed professionals whom liberals insist we must all heed, honor, and obey. The news media, in its zealous policing of the boundaries of the permissible, insisted that Russiagate was ever so true but that the lab-leak hypothesis was false false false, and woe unto anyone who dared disagree. Reporters gulped down whatever line was most flattering to the experts they were quoting and then insisted that it was 100% right and absolutely incontrovertible that anything else was only unhinged Trumpist folly, that democracy dies when unbelievers get to speak, and so on. The social media monopolies actually censored posts about the lab-leak hypothesis. Of course they did! Because were at war with misinformation, you know, and people need to be brought back to the true and correct faith as agreed upon by experts. * Let us pray, now, for science, intoned a New York Times columnist back at the beginning of the Covid pandemic. The title of his article laid down the foundational faith of Trump-era liberalism: Coronavirus is What You Get When You Ignore Science. Ten months later, at the end of a scary article about the history of gain of function research and its possible role in the still ongoing Covid pandemic, Nicholson Baker wrote as follows: This may be the great scientific meta-experiment of the 21st century. Could a world full of scientists do all kinds of reckless recombinant things with viral diseases for many years and successfully avoid a serious outbreak? The hypothesis was that, yes, it was doable. The risk was worth taking. There would be no pandemic. Except there was. If it does indeed turn out that the lab-leak hypothesis is the right explanation for how it began that the common people of the world have been forced into a real-life lab experiment, at tremendous cost there is a moral earthquake on the way. Because if the hypothesis is right, it will soon start to dawn on people that our mistake was not insufficient reverence for scientists, or inadequate respect for expertise, or not enough censorship on Facebook. It was a failure to think critically about all of the above, to understand that there is no such thing as absolute expertise. Think of all the disasters of recent years: economic neoliberalism, destructive trade policies, the Iraq War, the housing bubble, banks that are too big to fail, mortgage-backed securities, the Hillary Clinton campaign of 2016 all of these disasters brought to you by the total, self-assured unanimity of the highly educated people who are supposed to know what theyre doing, plus the total complacency of the highly educated people who are supposed to be supervising them. Then again, maybe I am wrong to roll out all this speculation. Maybe the lab-leak hypothesis will be convincingly disproven. I certainly hope it is. But even if it inches closer to being confirmed, we can guess what the next turn of the narrative will be. It was a perfect storm, the experts will say. Who coulda known? And besides (they will say), the origins of the pandemic dont matter any more. Go back to sleep. Thomas Frank is a Guardian US columnist. He is the author, most recently, of The People, No: A Brief History of Anti-Populism Jessica Christian / The Chronicle San Franciscos iconic cable cars will return to streets this fall nearly a year after being shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, officials announced Tuesday. The landmark cars will come back in the fall ahead of the holidays and the historic street car, F-line, will return in May, according to San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency spokesperson Erica Kato. Hartford Public Schools Safety Officer Victor Rodriguez flexes his arm muscle after receiving a Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 at Hartford Hospital in Hartford, Conn., Wednesday, March 3, 2021. The first shipments of the vaccine arrived at the hospital this morning. Cities and states are rapidly expanding access to vaccines as the nation races to head off a resurgence in coronavirus infections and reopen schools and businesses battered by the pandemic. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill) Buoyed by a surge in vaccine shipments, states and cities are rapidly expanding eligibility for COVID-19 shots to teachers, Americans 50 and over and others as the U.S. races to beat back the virus and reopen businesses and schools. Indiana and Michigan will begin vaccinating those 50 and over, while Arizona and Connecticut have thrown open the line to those who are at least 55. Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are reserving the first doses of the new one-shot vaccine from Johnson & Johnson for teachers. And in Detroit, factory workers can get vaccinated starting this week, regardless of age. Giving the vaccine to teachers and other school staff "will help protect our communities," Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said. "It's going to take burdens off our parents and families. It's going to make our schools get back to the business of teaching our kids." Until now, the vaccination campaign against the outbreak that's killed over a half-million Americans has concentrated mostly on health workers and senior citizens. Around the U.S., politicians and school administrators have been pushing hard in recent weeks to reopen classrooms to stop students from falling behind and enable more parents to go back to work. But teachers have resisted returning without getting vaccinated. Pharmacist Madeline Acquilano draws a syringe of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 at Hartford Hospital in Hartford, Conn., Wednesday, March 3, 2021. The first shipments of the vaccine arrived at the hospital this morning. Cities and states are rapidly expanding access to vaccines as the nation races to head off a resurgence in coronavirus infections and reopen schools and businesses battered by the pandemic. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill) The Department of Health and Human Services has ordered all states to make teachers, school staff, bus drivers and child care workers eligible for shots. That's a major shift for the Biden administration, which controls access to COVID-19 vaccines but previously allowed states to set their own guidelines. Jody Mackey, 46, a middle-school digital media and history teacher in Traverse City, Michiganwhere students have attended mostly in-person since Septemberreceived her second dose nearly two weeks ago after teachers in her district were designated essential workers. Before that, she kept her classroom windows open and used space heaters. "If you want schools to be successful and safe and you want your teachers to have their heads in the game, get them the vaccination," she said. "Putting teachers in a situation where they feel scared all the time, where they're going to want to avoid their kids, how is that good for kids or teachers?" Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on Wednesday ordered students and teachers to return to school this month, saying many teachers have already received their second dose. Granby kindergarten school teacher Christina Kibby receives the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine by pharmacist Madeline Acquilano, left, at Hartford Hospital in Hartford, Conn., Wednesday, March 3, 2021. The first shipments of the vaccine arrived at the hospital this morning. Cities and states are rapidly expanding access to vaccines as the nation races to head off a resurgence in coronavirus infections and reopen schools and businesses battered by the pandemic. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill) "The science is clear: It's time all kids have the option to return to school so they can get back on track and we can close the achievement gap," Ducey said in a statement. The U.S. has administered over 80 million shots in a vaccination drive now hitting its stride, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 20% of the nation's adults, or close to 52 million people, have received at least one dose, and 10% have been fully inoculated. President Joe Biden said Tuesday that the U.S. expects to have enough vaccine by the end of May for all adultstwo months earlier than anticipatedthough it is likely to take longer than that to administer those shots. He also pushed states to give at least one shot to teachers by month's end and said the government will provide the doses through its pharmacy program. In Wisconsin, teachers will get priority when the state receives its first shipment of about 48,000 doses of the J&J vaccine, health authorities said. Pennsylvania teachers will likewise be first in line when an expected 94,000 doses of that formula arrive this week. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced this week that educators, school staff and child care workers can now get shots. In Texas, where teachers have been battling to gain access to shots, state officials on Wednesday ordered vaccine providers to begin administering shots to school workers. Pharmacist Jack Kann, center, delivers a case of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at South Shore University Hospital, Wednesday, March 3, 2021, in Bay Shore, N.Y. Cities and states are rapidly expanding access to vaccines as the nation races to head off a resurgence in coronavirus infections and reopen schools and businesses battered by the pandemic. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) And in Massachusetts, about 400,000 teachers, child care workers and school staff can register for vaccinations starting March 11, Gov. Charlie Baker said, though he warned it could take time to book appointments because supplies remain limited. Tennessee will open vaccinations Monday to an estimated 1 million people over 16 who have high-risk health conditions and those in households with medically fragile children. The rush to vaccinate comes as many states ease restrictions on people and businesses, despite repeated warnings from health officials that the U.S. is risking another lethal wave. Biden called out the Republican governors of Texas and Mississippi for lifting mask rules. "We are on the cusp of being able to fundamentally change the nature of this disease," the president said Wednesday. "The last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking that in the meantime, everything's fine, take off your mask, forget it. It still matters." Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves snapped back on Twitter. "Mississippians don't need handlers. As numbers drop, they can assess their choices and listen to experts," he said. "I guess I just think we should trust Americans, not insult them." Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine is held by pharmacist Madeline Acquilano at Hartford Hospital in Hartford, Conn., Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Cities and states are rapidly expanding access to vaccines as the nation races to head off a resurgence in coronavirus infections and reopen schools and businesses battered by the pandemic. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill) In this March 2, 2021, file photo, Vanessa Guerra, at right, a special education teacher at Grant Elementary School in Hollywood, receives a shot of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine from nurse Kelly Mendoza at a site for employees of the Los Angeles school district in the parking lot of SOFI Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. Cities and states are rapidly expanding access to vaccines as the nation races to head off a resurgence in coronavirus infections and reopen schools and businesses battered by the pandemic. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File) While deaths and newly confirmed infections have plummeted from their peaks in January, they're still running at high levels. The U.S. is averaging close to 2,000 deaths and 66,000 cases per day. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky encouraged Americans to "do the right thing" even if states lift their restrictions. Vaccinations are seen as key to getting people back to work and revitalizing the battered economy. "The more people we can get the safe and effective vaccine, the faster we can return to a sense of normalcy," Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement Wednesday announcing that people 50 to 64 can start getting vaccinations March 22. Cindy Estrada, a vice president at the United Auto Workers, said there have been illnesses and deaths among factory workers, so Detroit's decision to offer them shots "is incredibly important." "It's going to give them some peace of mind," she said, baring her arm for a shot. 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. LONDON, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Morphose Capital Partners, London-based specialists in mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring and finance, secures 250k investment for Mental Health Care sector well-being company, Imagine Health. London and Dublin-based Imagine Health are specialist providers of well-being support and psychology services to businesses, government bodies, charities and individuals. Working with some of the largest global technology organisations to support the mental well-being of their employees, Imagine Health offers fast-track access to a range of mental healthcare professionals, talk therapy and tailored programmes. In addition to its corporate work, Imagine Health supports public sector and charitable organisations, including undertaking psychological assessments and reports of convicted criminals prior to sentencing. The funding round was run by Morphose Capital Partners, and the investment will be used to expand into new territories, advance technology to increase accessibility to its expertise and further Imagine Health's charitable reach. Morphose Capital Partners works with clients to raise capital, identifying compatible investment partners, for funding rounds, full or part-acquisitions. Nick Atherton, Managing Director, Morphose Capital Partners, says: "Imagine Health is at the forefront of mental healthcare provision in both the workplace and public sector, pioneering data-driven research and analysis to help organisations promote employee well-being from within and offer early access to professional mental healthcare support and treatment. Imagine Health is at a really exciting stage in its growth, this investment will further propel its work and reach." Founded by Dr. Ian Gargan, psychologist and medical doctor, in 2009, Imagine Health was a direct response to the frustration being voiced by people who were struggling to obtain timely access to high-quality psychological support. Today, employees need and increasingly demand, specialist resources to help them cope with mental health problems. Imagine Health works to promote the importance of psychological well-being in the workplace and beyond. "Mental health should not be an afterthought, it should be centre stage of any organisation's healthcare plans. Good mental health enhances productivity and optimises talent," comments Dr Ian Gargan, founder, Imagine Health. "The pandemic has tragically opened up a Pandora's Box of mental health conditions. At Imagine Health, we help organisations take a proactive approach by making mental health insight, services and professionals more accessible. As with any medical treatment, preventative, discreet intervention helps stave off more serious outcomes further down the road." Further details at www.imaginehealth.co.uk or www.morphosecp.com. Contact: sara.lavallin@imaginehealth.co.uk +44 (0)7956 904264 Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Kabul, March 3 : The Islamic State (IS) terror group on Wednesday claimed responsibility for a shooting attack that killed three female media workers in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province. Three female employees of a local TV channel Enikass were shot dead and one other staffer was injured in the attack that took place in Jalalabad city, the provincial capital, on Tuesday evening, reports Xinhua news agency. The IS claimed in an online Arabic language statement that their fighters were behind the shooting in the province, where the group emerged in early 2015. The mountainous province, 120 km east of Kabul, has been the scene of clashes between security forces and IS militants from time to time. One female TV anchor of Enikass and her driver were killed in a similar incident in December 2020. Seven media persons were killed in 2020 amid the deteriorating security situation, according to the Afghan Journalists Safety Committee (AJSC), an independent media safety group. OXFORD, England, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- PharmaVentures is pleased to announce it acted as exclusive M&A advisor on the sale of the ERA Consulting Group to PharmaLex GmbH. ERA Consulting is a leading strategic product development and regulatory consulting group serving the global biopharmaceutical industry. For nearly 30 years, the company has provided services at all stages of product development, from conception to registration and beyond, and has enjoyed considerable success completing projects on hundreds of products for a wide range of top international clients. "This transaction highlights our track record in supporting the sale of specialist pharmaceutical clinical services companies in the pharmaceutical industry," said Dr Fintan Walton, CEO and Founder of PharmaVentures. "Our decades of experience in M&A, together with our detailed knowledge of the pharmaceutical clinical services industry which includes the global regulatory affairs outsourcing market, enabled us to deliver the optimal deal for the owner of ERA Consulting Group." Sabine Husmann-Holloway, Co-Founder & CEO of ERA Consulting Group, said, "I feel I made an excellent choice in PharmaVentures to serve as my exclusive advisors for the sale of the Company. They have a comprehensive understanding of our business and helped me identify the ideal partner that shared our strategic vision. The Company's strong market position was effectively communicated to the potential buyer. I truly value the professional advice and the expert guidance made through every step of the process which enabled us to close the transaction to the satisfaction of all stakeholders." Mark Andrews, Managing Director at PharmaVentures said, "In 2020, the global regulatory affairs market was valued at US$ 6.3 billion and is expected to achieve a CAGR of 11.9% over the forecast period between 2021-20281. This particular sector of the Life Sciences market has been experiencing a high degree of consolidation, a trend that is set to continue. This makes it an ideal time for owners of businesses in the pharmaceutical services sector to talk to us about their future plans." This M&A deal follows PharmaVentures' continued success in advising both shareholders in the pharmaceutical services sector on the sale of their businesses as well as major pharmaceutical companies in the divestment of their manufacturing operations to key players in the pharmaceutical services sector. Source: 1 Grand View Research https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/regulatory-affairs-outsourcing-market For further information, contact: Lisa Holloway Senior Marketing Manager PharmaVentures Ltd +44 (0) 1865 332 700 [email protected] About PharmaVentures PharmaVentures is a premier transaction advisory firm and a leading international company in partnering, M&A deals and strategic alliances. For the past 28 years, PharmaVentures has acted as advisor on over 900 deal related projects covering licensing, mergers, acquisitions, divestments, and joint venture activities for companies world-wide. PharmaVentures' deep bank of specialist experience, deal analytics and network of contacts among innovators and large pharma makes it uniquely placed to support business in all aspects of deal making and strategic planning. PharmaVentures is well known for its deep insight into deal structures and its success for generating partnering interest. PharmaVentures' services include: M&A (divestments, mergers, acquisitions, and strategic transactions) (divestments, mergers, acquisitions, and strategic transactions) Licensing (in and out licensing) (in and out licensing) Fundraising Strategy (commercialisation, deal strategy, due diligence, market entry) (commercialisation, deal strategy, due diligence, market entry) Valuation and Positioning (licensing, M&A, and fundraising) PharmaVentures is based in Oxford, UK, and employs over 20 professionals and has associates in Europe and Asia-Pacific. PharmaVentures Capital Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of PharmaVentures Ltd. All regulated activities are delivered through PharmaVentures Capital Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (741356). For more details, visit https://www.pharmaventures.com SOURCE PharmaVentures New Delhi: At least three terrorists including chief operations commander of Hizbul Mujahideen Yaseen Itoo were killed in an encounter with security forces in Awneera village of Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian. Five soldiers were also injured in the encounter, two among them succumbed to injuries while two other terrorists escaped. The encounter broke out on Saturday evening and ended around noon on Sunday. Security forces launched a cordon and search operation on Saturday following a tip off from local police about the presence of militants in Awnira village of Zainapora area of the district. As the forces were conducting searches, the militants opened fire which was returned. Also Read | Ceasefire violation in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri, Naushera sectors, 3 Army personnel injured Intermittent firing continued the whole night, and the operation began in full swing in the morning. All three terrorists who were killed identified as Irfan, a tech-savvy militant involved in online propaganda for the militant outfit, and Umar, who was personal security man of Ghaznavi. Yaseen Itoo, from Budgam district of central Kashmir, had a long association with Hizbul Mujahideen and was involved in keeping alive the prolonged unrest of 2016 following the killing of groups commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces, besides recruiting several young men into the outfit, police said. He was identified by his family members who were brought to the scene of the encounter by police from their residence in Budgam. (With PTI Inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. 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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 Perez Hilton has criticised the documentary Framing Britney Spears, saying it's just another example of her being 'exploited' by the media for profit. The celebrity blogger, whose coverage of Britney's life on his website PerezHilton.com has drawn criticism from her fans, said the filmmakers were no better than the tabloid press that documented her downfall. Perez, 42, told KIIS FM's Jase & PJ in the Morning on Wednesday that the film by The New York Times was 'exploitative' and not journalistic. Having his say: Perez Hilton has criticised the documentary Framing Britney Spears, saying it's just another example of her being 'exploited' by the media for profit. Pictured in March 2020 'Part of me feels like the documentary is a for-profit venture. It's about ratings disguised as investigative journalism,' he said. Perez claimed there was 'no new information' in the documentary, and also noted that it didn't include an on-the-record interview with Britney herself. 'It's just a regurgitation and a re-framing of the past. To me it almost feels like it is exploiting Britney all over again,' he said. 'It's exploiting Britney again': The celebrity blogger, whose coverage of Britney's life on his website PerezHilton.com has drawn criticism from her fans, said the filmmakers were no better than the tabloid press that documented her downfall Elsewhere in his interview, Perez claimed Britney was not a 'prisoner' under the terms of her conservatorship, which has been overseen by her father, Jamie, for 12 years. 'I know for a fact if she wanted to speak she could. She's not a prisoner in her house,' he said. Perez also said there were numerous examples of Britney being spotted by the paparazzi in public last year. He explained: 'Yes, her life is controlled. Yes, things have to be controlled by the conservatorship. But if she were to say, "I want to go shopping in Beverly Hills," the conservator would arrange that for her and her bodyguards.' Hitting out: Perez, 42, told KIIS FM's Jase & PJ in the Morning on Wednesday that the film by The New York Times was 'exploitative' and not journalistic Perez said the conservatorship was also for the sake of Britney's teenage children, Sean, 15, and Jayden, 14, whom she shares with Kevin Federline. He went on to dispute claims made by Britney's fans that she is reading from a script in her Instagram videos and is secretly signalling for help. 'I know her well enough to know she won't say things she doesn't believe in,' he said. Conspiracy theory: He went on to dispute claims made by Britney's fans that she is reading from a script in her Instagram videos and is secretly signalling for help 'I'm curious to hear from Britney herself. I don't think we will see her out of the conservatorship for another five years or so,' he said. Framing Britney Spears, directed by Samantha Stark, was made in association with The New York Times. The documentary aired in Australia on Channel Nine on Tuesday night. Film: Framing Britney Spears, directed by Samantha Stark, was made in association with The New York Times. The documentary aired in Australia on Channel Nine on Tuesday night Aussies watching at home expressed their anger on Twitter, with many saying it was 'disgusting' and 'heartbreaking' to watch. 'The #FramingBritneySpears documentary is so disturbing, how she was treated by the paparazzi and media was disgusting,' one fan tweeted. 'Heartbreaking to see how someone growing up was treated this way in public,' another added. A third viewer said the documentary was 'eye-opening', while a fourth thanked Channel Nine for airing the film Down Under. 'I am crying already': Aussies watching at home expressed their anger on Twitter, with many saying it was 'disgusting' and 'heartbreaking' to watch The #FreeBritney movement has seen fans lobbying for the pop star to be released from her conservatorship, which has been in place since 2008. Her main conservator is her father, Jamie Spears, who has control of her business affairs due to concerns for her mental health. The conservatorship was put into place after Britney began showing signs of mental illness during her public breakdown in 2007 and was admitted for psychiatric care. Resurgence: The #FreeBritney movement has gathered pace in recent weeks following the release of the documentary The New York Times Presents: Framing Britney Spears This is the hilarious moment a Californian woman is prevented from performing her daily yoga routine by her large pet dog. The health fan from San Francisco, who was filming her practice in the back yard, can be seen having a tug of war with the Bernese mountain dog as she tries to lay out her mat. She eventually manages to make a start, but there is no chance her pet is going to let her have any mindful 'alone time'. This is the moment a San Francisco woman tries to do yoga in her back yard but her dog has other ideas The Bernese mountain dog crawls underneath her as she stretches on all fours on her mat The hilarious one-minute video, shows the enthusiastic fluffy dog trying to get in on the routine. At first, its tail wagging with enthusiasm, it nudges the woman and knocks her over sideways as she kneels on the mat. Then it takes hold of a corner of the mat in its teeth and tries to pull it from under her. Eventually, as the woman decides to go into suitably named dog pose it decides to make itself at home on the mat with her. The huge pooch lies across the yoga mat as its owner goes into the aptly named downward-facing dog pose The dog even tries to take away the mat before deciding it is the perfect place to lie down The pooch crawls under the woman as she kneels on all fours and then lays contentedly across the mat as she goes into downward-facing dog. It then rolls on its back and paws the air as she attempts to move into upward-facing dog. All the while, the woman is struggling not to giggle at her pet's antics. Bernese mountain love human companionship but they weigh up to 115lb so aren't ideal pets to share a yoga mat with. However, some yoginis try to incorporate their pets into their practice, with some teachers offering 'doga' classes to help owners and their pets de-stress. According to one doga teacher, Mahny Djahanguiri: 'Doga works on the natural symbiotic relationship that already exist between you and your dog. If there's stress and tension in YOU, your dog may feel it and absorb your tension... this may reflect in his immediate environment and the way he socialises we other dogs.' Experts claim Doga can increase the life expectancy of the dog while reducing high blood pressure and its heart rate. According to Ms Djahanguiri: 'The dogs parasympathetic nervous system would usually kick in after the first 20 minutes of a yoga session. Similar to a human yoga class some dogs may fall asleep on the yoga mat, some may enjoy a quiet space far out of reach from the group while other dogs may happily join in the fun. ' The coronavirus vaccine is not a political issue, but one of effectiveness and reliability, Zoltan Kovacs, the state secretary in charge of international communications and relations, said in an interview to CNN. Asked why Hungary was using Covid vaccines that have not been approved by the European Union, Kovacs said both the Chinese and Russian vaccines were in use in many parts of the world, adding that Hungary trusted its scientists and doctors who have approved those jabs. Kovacs said that, when compared with the vaccination strategies of Israel and the United States, the EUs strategy had failed. He said the bloc was now at least two months behind with its vaccination strategy due to a failure by Brussels to make timely decisions. The state secretary said the only way to combat the third wave of the pandemic was to speed up vaccinations. Kovacs said Hungary was complying with EU directives when it came to the procurement of vaccines. Hungary has not broken a single rule, he said, adding that the country had merely expanded its strategy to include Eastern vaccine sources. Kovacs said the Hungarian government expects the EU to approve both the Russian and the Chinese vaccines within a few weeks. CNN interview available here Photo: Zoltan Kovacs's Facebook page Charleston, WV (25301) Today A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High around 80F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers after midnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. I suspect writer Sarah Smith and her Amazing Grace co-creators David Taylor and David Maher think much the same. Their midwife heroine, Grace Cresswell (Kate Jenkinson), holds the power of life in her hands, and she handles it with, well, grace. What all three deliveries had in common was the involvement of a midwife, that mysterious health professional that superstition has sometimes deemed akin to a witch. Personally, Id rank them alongside superheroes. My three children entered the world via different doors. The oldest was supposed to be born in a birth centre but came via emergency caesarean. The middle was supposed to be born at home, but arrived in a labour ward. The youngest was born on the couch at home. In the birthing centre where shes set up on the grounds of a Sydney hospital, shes unflappable. With her soothing voice, wafty clothing, and gentle exhortations to push, she radiates elegance, calm and encouragement. Shes the Captain Marvel of the birth canal. Outside the centre its a different story. At 34, Grace still has a lot of unresolved anger at the way she was raised by obstetrician mother Diane (Sigrid Thornton). She hasnt fully processed the loss of her own premature baby either, a tragedy that hastened the end of her marriage to Jim (Ben Mingay). And theres the small matter of Sophia (Alexandra Jensen), the heavily pregnant 17-year-old who turns up unannounced at the birth centre one day and reveals she is the daughter Grace gave up for adoption at precisely the same age. Complicated, much? What I like about Amazing Grace on the basis of the four episodes Ive seen is that it doesnt look for the easy laugh to defuse all this drama. But it isnt unduly heavy either. Like the constant stream of births all of them predictable in their unpredictability the drama just keeps coming, and Grace just keeps rolling with it. Or under it. Or around it. Theres lots of meat here for the fine cast to work with, with the secondary roles (Catherine Van-Davies as fellow midwife Lanie, Kat Hoyos as junior midwife Sasha, Ben OToole as the male trainee Max, and Alex Dimitriades as Sophias adoptive father, Kirk) all pretty well developed. I especially like the way Thornton gets to play a woman who is unashamedly interested in her career and her sex life, but not at the expense of a relationship with her family, prickly though it may be. Former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski during an interview with The Epoch Times at CPAC 2021 in Orlando, Fla. (Tal Atzmon/The Epoch Times) Lewandowski: Not Sure Lara Trump Running for Senate Is a Good Thing Since Washington Is Broken Former senior Trump adviser Corey Lewandowski believes it may not be a good idea for Lara Trump to run for the U.S. Senate because the system in Washington is broken. Lewandowski told The Epoch Times that although hes sure Lara Trump would win if she ran for office, she could have more of an impact from outside the government. My problem is, Washington is so fundamentally broken that I dont know if its a good thing anymore, Lewandowski said. You go to Washington, D.C. and then Mitch McConnell or some other leader tells you what committee you get to sit on, how you have to vote, you got to do this, you got to do that, he continued. I think Lara Trumpand she would be an amazing United States senator if she decided to run because she would winshe has more influence and more opportunity to drive a narrative today being on the outside than being stuck in a broken system. Rumors of a potential run for the Senate by Lara Trump, former President Donald Trumps daughter-in-law, have circulated since last year and were revived again after Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) voted in favor of convicting Trump at the impeachment trial last month. Burr had announced in 2016 that he would not seek reelection in 2022. Trump insiders told The Epoch Times they are confident Lara Trump would easily win if she decided to enter the race. Lara Trumps megaphone is massive and she has such convictions as to what she believes in. I know a number of the U.S. senators. You ask them, How much of your job do you love? They say, I love 20 percent. The other 80 percent is things I have to do, Lewandowski said. Its really hard when youre inside that system. Lewandowski said Trump wanted him to run for office in New Hampshire and that he declined for the same reasons. I said, What if I actually won? And I would have won, thats the problem. I said, I would have to go to Washington, D.C., and work with some of these lunatics, Lewandowski said. As much as Id want to do it to help the people, I think being a governor is a much better chief executive role than being 1 out of 100 U.S. Senators, or 1 out of 435 members of Congress, because every decision you make as a governor has a direct impact on the peoples lives in that state almost immediately. Clarksburg students march by grade to the cheers of school and community leaders to celebrate their 100th day in class. School Committee members and community leaders congratulate the children. A teacher playing 'old' leads children up the driveway. PreviousNext Clarksburg's Elementary Grades Celebrate 100 Days in Class School Committee members Laura Wood and Cynthia Brule hold plaques with Principal Tara Barnes on Wednesday morning. CLARKSBURG, Mass. The school community on Wednesday marked its 100th day of in-person learning with a small parade and the presentation thanking students and staff for their perseverance. One hundred days in school wouldn't normally be something to celebrate. But being inside a classroom in this particular year has been anything but normal. Clarksburg's elementary grades along with its fellow schools in the Northern Berkshire School Union Gabriel Abbott in Florida, Emma Miller in Savoy, and Rowe Elementary have been able to operate in person in the midst of the pandemic while larger communities have been forced into hybrid or remote learning. In January, the three smaller Northern Berkshire schools were among only 20 in the state that were fully in person. "We are so proud of the staff and the students and all of our community that helped us to get here to 100 days in person and we just couldn't have done it without all of the town without all of the administration without everybody's support," said Principal Tara Barnes after each grade marched up the driveway from the gym and back into the schools to cheers. "There are so many people from your community that came out this morning to cheer for you, because you've made it 100 days." A 100 days balloon sign with apple and school bus, from Alluring Balloon Creations in Adams, was situated at the front of the school. Some of the children boasted paper glasses made to look like "100" and the sixth grade counted off their steps to 100. Teachers dressed to show their age at 100 canes, walkers, shawls and gray wigs. "Look how much your teachers have changed," shouted Barnes, shaking her cane. The School Committee presented the plaque over the new public address system once the children were back in their classrooms. The round wooden sign, made by School Committee member Cynthia Brule's niece, a school graduate, reads "Clarksburg Elementary School, home of our heroes, with deepest gratitude, Clarksburg School Committee." Circling the sign are the words citizenship, perseverance, responsibility, respect and integrity. School officials were joined by members of the Select Board, Town Administrator Rebecca Stone and state police. Clarksburg returned to school for Grades kindergarten through 5 in September; Grades 6, 7 and 8 have been in hybrid mode because of space issues. The school community has been tight on social distancing, masking and sanitation. Access to the school building is limited and the ventilation system upgraded and air purification filters installed. The school closed the week of March 9, 2020, when the first Berkshire County case of COVID-19 emerged in the town and spent the rest of that year remote as schools across the state were shut down the following week. Grades kindergarten through 5 returned to the building on Sept. 14, gradually transitioning to full days beginning on Oct. 5. "I think it's been a great effort by the whole community working together, from the students to the families, staff, administration, the town leaders," said Superintendent of Schools John Franzoni. "Everyone worked hard in this last year to make sure that we could have in-person learning, and we're very proud of the fact that Clarksburg has been open for in-person learning for 100 days this year with no transmissions in our school. And that's due to all the effort by everybody to follow the safety guidelines and keep everybody in our town in our school safe." The middle school has continued in hybrid but Franzoni said those three grades should be back fully in person by the end of March to comply with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's push to have all or most students in school by April. "We've had good conversations and plans, and the plan will be that for the last trimester of the school year, it will be K through 8 in Clarksburg full-day, in-person, just like the other three NBSU schools," he said. "We're excited about that. It's best for the kids and we've proven that we can do it safely." One of the reasons that Congress should stabilize the U.S. Postal Service is the agencys historical and ongoing role as a unifying national institution. Just about everyone still uses USPS services almost every day, and the public reaction to recent declines in service demonstrates that Americans want that role not only to continue, but improve. That is part of the reason that there is a strong bipartisan support in both houses of Congress for a major reform bill that would be the first step to broader restoration of the service. Part of the USPS problem is in the marketplace. Due largely to the transfer of personal communication and commerce from the post office to the internet, postal business vastly has declined. The USPS delivered 103.6 billion pieces of first-class mail in 2001 but only 52.6 billion pieces in 2021. Over the same period, its number of employees declined from nearly 800,000 to fewer than 500,000. But part of the problem was created by Congress in 2006 a unique requirement that it prefund retiree health benefits up to 75 years in advance. No government agency or private business could meet such a standard, and none are required to do so. Along with pension payments, the health care requirement is responsible for 83% of USPS losses since 2006. In 2020, in a broadly bipartisan 309-106 vote, the House passed the USPS Fairness Act, which would repeal the unsustainable 2006 requirement and put the agency on a pay-as-it-goes basis. The Senate did not act on the bill. Now the bill has been reintroduced with similar bipartisan support. Congress should pass it as the first step to overall postal service reform. I think these are criminal matters and so the police are engaged with this. They have a senior officer who is involved and of course any request for information from the police we will co-operate with. He said sex crimes squad boss Stacey Maloney was addressing hundreds of private school heads, as well as representatives from the Catholic sector, at a meeting later this week. The department is not directly involved in that. There will however be a meeting with the Australian Human Rights Commission to discuss some of these matters, Mr Scott said. Ms Mitchell said she felt confident with what were doing in schools to support our students and staff, and noted that many of the women who had come forward shared experiences from the middle of the last decade. The Department of Education has since introduced a mandatory 25-hour life ready program for year 11 and 12, which addressed consent. The PDHPE syllabus was also updated in 2018 to include a more explicit focus on consent. In some sense we are ahead of the curve, Ms Mitchell said. If there are things we need to do to strengthen the teaching and whats in the curriculum, we will do [that] as well... But again, I think its important that were having this conversation in a respectful way at the moment. Courtesy of Gov. Andrew Cuomos Office A total of 16,100 people, or 8% of the total population, in the GLOW region have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. For the entire Finger Lakes region, which includes Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties, nearly 9% of the total population of more than 1.2 million people has been fully vaccinated. Kelly Marie Tran has said she is 'so much happier' without social media, and doesn't believe she will ever go back on it. The actress, 32, spoke candidly about her intentions as she graced the cover of The Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday, which saw her discuss being cast in Star Wars as well as her new Disney film Raya And The Last Dragon. When she was cast in 2017's The Last Jedi, trolls bombarded her with visceral racist abuse and social media harassment, and forced her to delete all social media. 'I've truly been so much happier': Star Wars' Kelly Marie Tran said on Wednesday she'll NEVER return to social media after racist trolls bullied her off it when she was cast in The Last Jedi Asked if she'd ever choose to return, she said no as she explained to the publication: 'I've truly just been so much happier without being on the internet. 'I've had my agents tell me [I'm] forgoing brand partnerships, but I'm not here to sell flat-tummy tea to young girls.' Reflecting on how negative comments on social media impacts her mental health, she went on: 'For me, that navigation is about how I protect myself in a way where I can continue to work in this world, and continue to lift the stories that I feel like the world needs to hear.' Kelly played plucky Resistance mechanic Rose Tico in The Last Jedi where she was given a prominent role opposite John Boyega's Finn, she had a markedly smaller role in The Rise Of Skywalker. Experience: When Kelly (pictured with John Boyega) was cast in The Last Jedi, trolls forced her to delete all social media after receiving visceral racist abuse and harassment At the time of The Last Jedi's release, when Kelly began being subjected to online abuse, John said: 'If you dont like Star Wars or the characters understand that there are decisions makers and harassing the actors/ actresses will do nothing. Youre not entitled to politeness when your approach is rude. Even if you paid for a ticket! 'To the majority of Star Wars fans thank you for supporting and putting yourselves in our shoes. You understand that there is a process so much appreciated!' In August 2018, Kelly wrote an empowering editorial piece for The New York Times, in which she hit back at online trolls who made her feel she 'didn't belong'. Candid: Asked if she'd ever choose to return, Kelly said no as she said: 'I've had my agents tell me [I'm] forgoing brand partnerships, but I'm not here to sell flat-tummy tea to young girls' She wrote: 'Their words reinforced a narrative I had heard my whole life: that I was other, that I didnt belong, that I wasnt good enough, simply because I wasnt like them. 'And that feeling, I realise now, was, and is, shame, a shame for the things that made me different, a shame for the culture from which I came from. And to me, the most disappointing thing was that I felt it at all.' Remaining strong in the face of the abuse, Kelly concluded with the statement: 'You might know me as Kelly. I am the first woman of colour to have a leading role in a Star Wars movie. I am the first Asian woman to appear on the cover of Vanity Fair. My real name is Loan. And I am just getting started.' [DATELINE] Cortus Metals Inc. (TSXV: CRTS) (the "Company", or "Cortus") is pleased to report the results of its 380 line-km high-resolution ground magnetics survey covering the 2,590-hectare Red Rock project area. The property is located within the prolific Carlin Trend of northeastern Nevada, approximately 15 km southeast along-trend from Gold Standard's Pinion and Dark Star gold deposits, which are part of their Railroad-Pinion Project. A structural corridor trending >10km northwest under shallow alluvial cover was delineated by the ground magnetics survey, which has been interpreted as an along-strike extension of the structural trends hosting the Pinion and Dark Star deposits. Figure 1: The 2021 high-resolution ground magnetic survey highlights a prospective >10km structural corridor under shallow alluvial cover. The interpreted structural corridor is on-trend with Gold Standard's Dark Star and Pinion deposits and considered to be within similar stratigraphy. To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6646/75888_8bd380fd642cd86f_001full.jpg Highlights: A large northwest-trending break in the ground magnetics survey indicates a previously unmapped structural corridor beneath shallow alluvial cover Situated on-trend with the Dark Star and Pinion deposits, which host reserves of 883,000 oz Au and 364,000 oz Au respectively, and measured and indicated resources of 921,000 oz Au and 544,000 oz Au respectively* Important stratigraphic positions controlling mineralization at the Dark Star and Pinion deposits are considered to be drill-accessible under shallow cover at Red Rock Igneous rocks of Eocene age identified adjacent to the interpreted structural corridor are known to be important iron sources for the sulfidation reactions necessary to precipitate gold Jasperoid float is present within the project area, an important vector for gold in the region Carbonate rock units indicated beneath shallow cover are excellent geochemical traps A gravity geophysical survey and a soil sampling program are planned Drill targets will be developed from gold-in-soil anomalies The Red Rock Project is available for acquisition, option or joint venture *Reference: https://goldstandardv.com/site/assets/files/4408/m3_gsv_revised_pfs_23_03_2020.pdf Dark Star and Pinion Deposits Mineralization at the Dark Star deposit is typical of oxidized Carlin-style deposits, occurring within Pennsylvanian siliciclastics and carbonates, and focused where sedimentary rock contacts are coincident with north-striking faults within the Dark Star Structural Trend. At the Pinion deposit, mineralization is controlled by Mississippian and Devonian sedimentary contacts adjacent to a northwest-striking horst. Alteration associated with mineralization at both deposits is the decalcification and subsequent silicification of sedimentary rocks proximal to the structural corridors. The stratigraphy at Red Rock is interpreted to host both important contacts at drill-accessible depths. Next Steps The projection of known mineralized structures from the Railroad-Pinion Project under alluvial cover, in conjunction with geophysical and geochemical methods, indicates a significant opportunity to delineate and drill for buried gold deposits at Red Rock. Gravity geophysics will be completed to map depths to bedrock, and a soil sampling program will test for mineralization along the newly identified structural corridor. Soil geochemistry will be used in conjunction with the recently completed ground magnetics to develop robust drill targets. About Cortus Metals Inc. Cortus Metals Inc. (TSXV: CRTS) is a new Canadian mineral exploration company with a highly prospective portfolio of early-stage projects in Nevada and an innovative project generator strategy to advance them to fruition. Cortus' expert team uses systematic methods and proprietary data to target significant epithermal and Carlin-type mineralization beneath shallow cover. We provide investors with exceptional opportunities to capitalize on the potential for gold-silver discoveries >1-million-ounces in a perennially top-rated mining jurisdiction. Our mandate is to collaborate with third parties to complete drill programs of 2-4,000 metres with Cortus retaining a significant interest in the outcomes. Our projects are available for acquisition via sale, option and/or joint venture mechanisms. The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Michael Dufresne, M.Sc., P.Geol., P.Geo., a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. On behalf of the Board of Directors s/ "Sean Mager" Sean Mager, Chief Executive Officer Email: seanm@cortusmetals.com Telephone: +1.780.701.3215 Cortus Metals Inc. is part of the Metals Group of Companies, managed by an award-winning team of professionals who stand for technical excellence, painstaking project selection and uncompromising corporate governance, with a proven ability to identify and capitalize on investment opportunities and deliver shareholder returns. www.metalsgroup.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. Forward Looking Information This News Release includes certain "forward-looking statements". Although the Company believes that assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, including without limitation, future plans and objectives of the Company, are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this news release. No assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/75888 Egypt: the African Development Bank approves a loan of over $27 million to establish Kom Ombo solar power plant Research shows that when people have access their medical records, they are better able to manage their health. But being able to see the detailed clinical visit notes in your medical record has often been a challenge. That should become easier when the 21st Century Cures Act Final Rule takes effect on April 5, 2021. The Cures Act is intended to make it easier for people to be able to see their medical records, as well as the costs of the medical care. The Cures Act calls for a persons health data, including health care provider notes from office visits, to be available securely on a computer or a cell phone through mobile applications (such as patient portals). The Cures Act also calls for this information to be free to patients. The privacy and safety of personal health information are big concerns as it becomes easier for patients to access their medical records. The Cures Act requires that the data security methods used for patient access be the same as those used for banking and travel information. And decisions about sharing health information can only be made by the patient. Even with the Cares Act, its important to know that certain information still might not be available for patients or their caregivers. For example, if a health care provider feels that releasing specific information could cause harm to the patient or another person, that information may be blocked. This may also be done to protect the privacy of the patient. Technology limits might also prevent some information in the medical record from being available. Still, patients should have easier and faster access to key information such as clinical visit notes, test results, and medication lists. And going forward, more information should be added as technology improves. Many health care providers are already giving access to parts of medical records through patient portals. Talk to your health care provider to find out how you can gain access to your medical records and what you can expect to be able to see. If you dont yet have access, ask when you will. Parking spaces will be offered separately to apartments and tenants will be able to book private areas or dog walkers through an app in one of the inner-Brisbane apartment towers to take shape under Queenslands fledgling build-to-rent scheme. The state government announced the land at Fortitude Valleys 210 Brunswick Street as one of two pilot sites in October, including another within Mirvacs sprawling Newstead development, more than two years after first floating the scheme to help boost affordable housing in the state. An artist impression of the Brunswick Street development, which has undergone a redesign process to suit the housing program pilot. Plans for a redevelopment of the valley site, which now houses a Vinnies store and the former Roxy (later Arena) live music venue, were first approved by Brisbane City Council in 2017. Frasers Property have now revealed changes to the 25-storey tower in amended plans lodged with the council last month, to make it better suited for the build to rent proposal, an application letter states. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 3) Swab samples of COVID-19 patients from Pasay and other cities in Metro Manila have been collected for a special sequencing run in a bid to determine the extent of the South Africa variants presence in the country, the Health Department said on Wednesday. This is a unique run for the specific NCR specimen so that we can be able to determine better if the other cities already have this type of variant, Health Spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an interview with CNN Philippines The Source. In Metro Manila, the different cities have porous borders, so we would want to see if this variant also will be detected in the other cities, she explained. Thats why we collected specimens and we will run a special run, just specific for the National Capital Region. About 140 specimens will be sequenced for this run, Vergeire said, noting that results will hopefully be released by the end of the week. The official did not specify the other selected cities in the capital region. Health and government authorities say they are racing against time to contain the spread of the B.1.351 or South Africa variant, tagged as more transmissible than the original coronavirus strain. DOH reported on Tuesday that six cases of the new variant have been confirmed in the country. Experts have expressed concern over this particular variant after researchers in South Africa warned that it could affect the efficacy and protection of current developed vaccines. Vergeire earlier explained that the variant has a component of immune escape wherein the vaccine may have trouble in helping the inoculated patient build antibodies to fight off the virus because of the presence of the E484K mutation. RELATED: PH eyes 'fast containment' of South Africa variant amid data of lower vaccine efficacy Next few weeks critical Meanwhile, Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto Rubiano announced in the same program that the three local cases of the South Africa variant have already recovered. However, the patients are still continuously being monitored, with two of them awaiting results of their re-tests. Contact tracing is also underway, while localized lockdowns were also implemented in dozens of barangays (villages), she added. The local chief executive also sought for the deployment of more police personnel to help enforce quarantine measures. For the Health Department, the work continueswith Vergeire labeling the next few weeks as very critical for the pandemic response. Thats why we are meeting all the mayors, the DOH spokesperson said. We do not like to experience the surge we experienced last July and August. We would like to preserve health system capacity. Police divers have postponed a planned search off Dover Heights, intended to narrow down what might have happened to missing Sydney businesswoman Melissa Caddick, while remains found in Mollymook have been confirmed as a man missing for one month. A police spokeswoman told the Herald on Wednesday afternoon the divers did not go in due to the sea conditions and Marine Area Command will make an assessment each morning, starting again on Thursday. A hazardous surf warning from the Bureau of Meteorology is in place until at least midnight, spanning from the Hunter Coast down to the Eden Coast. Surf and swell conditions are expected to be hazardous for coastal activities such as rock fishing, boating, and swimming, the warning states. On Tuesday, police determined the human remains found at Mollymook Beach on the NSW South Coast last Friday did not belong to Ms Caddick or a 39-year-old snorkeler missing from the Batemans Bay area. Senator Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, filed a series of bills Tuesday, March 2 to reform the states open government laws, specifically the Texas Open Meetings Act (TOMA) and Texas Public Information Act (TPIA). Seven proposals were filed as Senate Bills (SB) 924-930 and also were combined into an omnibus bill, SB 923, captioned relating to open government. Transparency is essential to preserving democratic governance, Senator Zaffirini said. Texans need to know what happens in the halls of power to hold their leaders accountable. Im delighted to champion not only these proposals, but also the cause of open government generally. The senators proposals would address some of the states most pressing and emergent transparency issues. By defining business day in the TPIA, for example, SB 925 would close a loophole that has allowed some entities to avoid public information requests permanently by claiming every day as a skeleton crew day, which currently is not considered a business day. Three of her bills would create a complaint mechanism at the Office of the Attorney General for requestors to report government bodies that fail to respond to TPIA requests (SB 927), ensure that disease outbreaks at nursing homes can be reported as public information (SB 930), and protect the publics right to participate in open meetings held via teleconference or videoconference (SB 924), respectively. Senator Zaffirini has authored and supported open government legislation throughout her career. Her interest in these specific reforms, however, stems from discussion during a Zoom webinar she hosted in October titled, Government Transparency During Emergencies. The co-sponsors for that webinar, the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, the Texas Association of Broadcasters, and the Texas Press Association, developed these proposals. Kelley Shannon, Executive Director of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, said government transparency cannot be sidelined amid the states many other pressing needs. The pandemic has magnified problems that were occurring in our Texas Public Information Act and Texas Open Meetings Act, she said. Loopholes in these important laws need to be closed so that all Texans can stay informed and fully participate in our democracy. This package of legislation by Senator Zaffirini will get Texas on course again in protecting the publics right to know. The more complicated our government becomes, the greater the potential damage of poor stewardship or outright abuse and the greater the need for transparency, Senator Zaffirini added. This is especially true during emergencies, whether theyre winter storms, pandemics, or even recessions. The publics right to the truth never changes, but its need for it is never greater than during times of crisis. More information about these and other proposals is available via capitol.texas.gov/Home.aspx. Residents of Senate 21 or other interested Texans are encouraged to contact the senator via (512) 463-0121 or judith.zaffirini@senate.texas.gov to share their own experiences or to provide greater insight. 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. This week the Junta de Andalucia's first mass vaccination session will take place in Malaga at the Palacio de Ferias exhibition and conference centre where health workers will be vaccinating educational staff who have not yet received their first dose. The Ministry of Health has planned at least two days: this Thursday and Friday (4 and 5 March), from 1pm to 7pm for those teachers who have been instructed to attend by their health centre. The process aims to vaccinate quickly and efficiently, with a rate of more than a thousand people a day. It is mandatory to go by car, with a maximum of four people per vehicle. The AstraZeneca vaccine, only given in Spain to the under-55s, will be administered, so the appointments are for those born between 1966 and 2003. Those over 55 will be vaccinated later, when the vaccination of older age groups, who are receiving the Moderna and Pfizer doses, is completed. In its latest update of the vaccination strategy, Spains Ministry of Health recommends those who are going to be vaccinated with the AstraZeneca formula, to take paracetamol to avoid adverse reactions, which are usually mild, short-lived and do not affect everyone. Thursday's mass vaccination campaign will coincide with a new mass screening session in Malaga, also at the Palacio de Ferias. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Vietnam's Ministry of Transport has approved the reopening of Van Don Airport in northern Quang Ninh Province from 6:01 am on Wednesday after one month of closure in adherence to a COVID-19 prevention mandate. The halt of the airport was originally planned to last only one day from 12:00 pm January 28 after a case of COVID-19 transmission was confirmed in the locale earlier that day. However, it was extended multiple times and lasted over one month due to the complex development of the epidemic. On March 1, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) appealed to the Ministry of Transport to reopen Van Don Airport from 6:01 am on March 3, considering the attempt to contain COVID-19 in Quang Ninh is seeing great results. According to the CAAV, by Monday, the Van Don Airport had been thoroughly fumigated to prepare for its resumption. Meanwhile, all officers and workers of the airport have completed either self-isolation or concentrated quarantine, besides receiving the third negative result in COVID-19 testing by February 26. Vehicles and functional devices at Van Don Airport have also received maintenance, while staffers for security operations and safety measures have been ensured. Vietnam Airlines will be the first carrier to reconnect the Ho Chi Minh City Van Don route after the airports reopening, with a frequency of one flight per week every Wednesday from March 3 to 17 and three flights per week on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays from March 18 till the end of the year. Flights will depart from Ho Chi Minh City on 1:00 am and leave Van Don on 3:45 pm. Vietnam has recorded 2,475 coronavirus cases as of Wednesday morning, with 1,898 recoveries and 35 virus-related fatalities, according to the Ministry of Healths data. The Southeast Asian country had spent nearly two months detecting zero community cases before it found the first one on January 27 and confirmed it one day later. Quang Ninh Province has reported 61 COVID-19 cases since, but it has so far gone three weeks without recording any new transmission. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Appointment 3 March 2021 Algeo joined WATG in 1997 and is a Senior Vice President, Architect and Master Planner in the firm's Los Angeles, California office. Throughout his 35-year career, Algeo has designed projects in over 20 countries including most recently the master plan for The Red Sea Project - the world's most ambitious regenerative tourism destination - located along Saudi Arabia's west coast. Algeo has served on the WATG Board of Directors since 2019 and as Chairman will work closely with David Moore, President + CEO, to steer the firm's strategy over the next several years. Algeo replaces Moore as Chairman who held the role from 2018 and is stepping down following his appointment as President + CEO. Algeo's design philosophy is renowned for its holistic approach with a focus on hospitality and guest experience, and he has brought this expertise to urban mixed-use, residential, resort and large-scale tourism projects. When Attorney-General Christian Porter came out to publicly deny claims he raped a woman in 1988 - who has since died - he began with a message to her family. Mr Porter, 50, asked them to understand why he was refuting their loved one's claims of historic sexual assault which have come to light in the past week. The accuser, an Adelaide woman whose family do not want her to be identified, took her own in life in June 2020. She was 49-years-old. The shattered and tearful Cabinet Minister, a former Crown prosecutor, started the press conference in Perth on Thursday where he sensationally identified himself as the mystery minister accused by saying: 'To the parents who are grieving for the loss of their adult daughter. 'I only knew your daughter for the briefest periods at debating competitions when we were teenagers about 33 years ago. I was 17 years old and I think that she was 16 years old. 'In losing that person, your daughter, you have suffered a terrible loss. And you did not deserve the frenzied politicisation of the circumstances of your daughter's death in the past week. A visibly upset Attorney-General Christian Porter strenuously denied historic rape claims at an extraordinary press conference in Perth on Thursday An anonymous sender wrote a letter to MPs detailing the woman's allegations (above) after former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins went public with her separate claim against a staffer 'I have thought, long and hard about the implications for you, of what I feel that I need to say today. 'And I hope that whatever else happens, from this point, that you will understand, that in saying today, that the things that are being claimed to have happened did not happen, that I did not mean to impose anything more upon your grief. 'But I hope that you will also understand, that because what is being alleged did not happen, I must say so publicly.' Mr Porter went on to repeatedly say that the woman's claims 'just didn't happen'. ;We didn't have anything of that nature happen between us,' he added. By outing himself as the mystery cabinet minister accused of sexual assault, Mr Porter ended six days of speculation over the accused's identity after the woman's allegation was published in the media without naming the cabinet minister. The accuser's friends had sent a letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Labor Senator Penny Wong and Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young last week and there were suggestions the minister could be named in Parliament. I did not mean to impose anything more upon your grief Attorney-General Christian Porter to the dead woman's family Mr Porter admitted that he can't remember every single detail of the night in question but insisted that he would not have forgotten having sex with someone. 'The things I have read did not happen. And to suggest that they could be forgotten is ridiculous, they just never happened,' he said. The few details he could remember about his interactions with the woman involved two nights out - a formal dinner where a bowl of prawns was apparently served and dancing at Kings Cross - plus the alleged victim showing him how to iron. Porter knew the woman as debaters in their teenage years. She was 16 and he was 16 NSW Police opened Strike Force Wynderra to investigate the claims but for whatever reason the woman never submitted a formal statement about it. Police announced yesterday that detectives had closed their investigation into the case after seeking legal advice. 'Based on the information provided to NSW Police, there is insufficient admissible evidence to proceed,' a spokesperson said. 'As such, NSW Police Force has determined the matter is now closed.' But South Australian Police are still assisting that state's Coroner with an investigation into the woman's death last year. In a statement, Coroner David Whittle said an investigation file regarding the woman's death had been delivered to him by police on Monday. 'Whilst SAPOL has provided information to me, I determined that the investigation is incomplete,' Mr Whittle said. Mr Whittle said an investigation continues at his direction and when it has been completed he will consider whether to hold a coronial inquest. The woman's friends are seeking a form of inquiry into the matter. Mr Porter said he can continue in his position in the meantime, but has taken a two week leave of absence. As for the woman's family, they reportedly 'continue to experience considerable grief arising from their loss' and have asked for privacy. One in six Illinois residents now has received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and nearly 7% of the population is fully vaccinated, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Tuesday. Those numbers are expected to rise quickly during coming weeks as more doses, and a third vaccine, are made available. With public commitments from the White House to send an average of at least 100,000 doses per day to Illinois by mid-March, we are getting closer and closer to widespread availability. Thats what we all want, Pritzker said. The Illinois Department of Public Health said it expects 83,000 doses to arrive today of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which received Emergency Use Authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration during the weekend. The new Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be distributed for use at mass vaccination sites across the state, so that we are maximizing their capacity and getting as many eligible Illinoisans vaccinated as possible so that we can win the race against the new virus variants and end this pandemic, Illinois Department of Public Health Director Ngozi Ezike said. More than 90% of the doses of the new vaccine will be distributed to mass vaccination sites throughout the state. The new doses are in addition to the nearly 288,000 doses the federal government allocated to the state this week. Chicago also receives its own allocation of COVID-19 vaccine from the federal government. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered has reached its highest to date, at 80,416 doses. On Monday, 61,061 doses were administered in Illinois. As of Monday night, a total of 2.8 million vaccine doses had been administered in the state, including 324,827 for long-term care facilities. . Total cases in west-central Illinois counties as of Tuesday, according to individual county health departments, were: Brown County 666 total, 652 recovered, seven deaths Three new cases. Cass County 1,896 total, 1,848 recovered, 32 deaths One new case. Greene County 1,363 total, 1,307 recovered, 47 deaths Two new cases. Jersey County 2,483 total, 2,413 recovered, 45 deaths Macoupin County 4,509 total, 3,938 recovered, 108 deaths Seven new cases. Morgan County 3,673 total, 3,525 released from restrictions, 99 deaths 10 new cases. Pike County 1,676 total, 1,618 recovered, 47 deaths Three new cases. Sangamon County 16,170 total, 222 deaths 18 new cases and four additional deaths, those of two men in their 80s, a woman in her 60s and a woman in her 90s. Schuyler County 654 total, 636 recovered, 16 deaths Two new cases. Scott County 451 total, 447 recovered, one death One new case. Statewide, 1,577 new cases of coronavirus disease and 47 deaths were reported Tuesday, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. There have been 1,189,416 cases and 20,583 deaths in Illinois. While many American citizens are facing lockdown restrictions, the Biden regime has cranked up the catch and release program for illegal aliens, sending them into the US interior and is not testing them for the Wuhan coronavirus. Local governments in Texas are having to step up to at least try to test them and are finding many are Covid positive. The local governments have no ability to detain those testing positive and most are just going on their own way to their destinations, with the virus. Indeed, a pair of them interviewed who had tested positive were waiting on their bus to come to North Carolina. Where are Roy Cooper and his DHH Secretary Mindy Cohen to oppose importing the virus into our state? Missing in action. Meanwhile, the BIden regime says it expects to "welcome" 120,000 "young migrants" into the country this year. Not only will they not be tested for the coronavirus, but they will not be tested as to their real age. Norway started testing migrants who claimed to be "unaccompanied minors" to determine real age and found that ninety percent (90%) of them were really adults who were lying about their age. These "young migrants" are also the pool used by the extremely violent MS13 crime gang to recruit new members. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during a news conference in Albany, N.Y., on March 3, 2021. (Office of the NY Governor via AP) Im Not Going to Resign: Cuomo Facing twin scandals and growing pressure to step down, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared Wednesday that he will not resign. I wasnt elected by politicians. I was elected by the people of the state of New York. Im not going to resign, Cuomo told reporters during a press conference in Albany, in his first briefing since Feb. 22. Some politicians will always play politics, right. Thats the nature of the beast. I dont think today is the day for politics, he also said. The Democrat is facing pressure from Republicans and within his own party to resign because three women accused him of sexual harassment and his administration acknowledged withholding COVID-19 death data from state legislators. Several GOP members of Congress are considering gubernatorial bids amid the turmoil. Cuomos administration infamously in March 2020 ordered nursing home operators to take back residents or accept new residents even if theyd tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. While its still unproven if the policy itself led to additional deaths, state officials refused to disclose how many nursing home residents died in hospitals, only revealing the figure after the states attorney general issued a scathing investigative report in January. Officials also rebuffed queries from state legislators on the data, claiming it could be used against us by former President Donald Trumps administration. Cuomo, a lawyer who has governed New York since 2011, was one of the most visible governors in the nation last year, widely praised by party influencers and leaders for his longwinded press conferences in which he frequently took shots at Trump. But his star has fallen sharply in recent weeks, particularly after a trio of women came forward claiming Cuomo harassed them. Lindsey Boylan, 36, a former deputy secretary, says Cuomo, 63, kissed her suddenly during a meeting, and harassed her on other occasions. Charlotte Bennett, 25, another former aide, says Cuomo asked her inappropriate questions. And Anna Ruch, 33, says Cuomo asked if he could kiss her at a wedding. A photograph shows Cuomo gripping her face with his hands at the event. The governor said Wednesday he often kisses people. Demonstrators hold signs as they gather outside the New York Gov. Andrew Cuomos office calling for his resignation, in the Manhattan borough of New York on March 2, 2021. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters) Lindsey Boylan attends an event in New York City on June 17, 2019. (Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Womens Forum of New York) You can go find hundreds of pictures of me kissing people, men, women, he said. It is my usual and customary way of greeting. Cuomo in a written statement Sunday said he never intended to offend anyone or cause any harm as he described being playful and making jokes while at work in a bid to add some levity and banter to what is a very serious business. On Wednesday, he said he wanted to address the accusations, even though his lawyers had advised him not to say anything. I want New Yorkers to hear from me directly on this. First, I fully support a womans right to come forward. And I think it should be encouraged in every way. I now understand that I acted in a way that made people feel uncomfortable. It was unintentional. And I truly and deeply apologize for it. I feel awful about it. And frankly, I am embarrassed by it. And thats not easy to say. But thats the truth, he said. But this is what I want you to know. And I want you to know this from me directly. I never touched anyone inappropriately. I never touched anyone inappropriately. I never knew at the time that I was making anyone feel uncomfortable. I never knew at the time I was making anyone feel uncomfortable. And I certainly never ever meant to offend anyone or hurt anyone or cause anyone any pain. That is the last thing I would ever want to do. I asked the people of this state to wait for the facts from the attorney generals report before forming an opinion. New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, is conducting an investigation into the complaints. Some Democrats are waiting for the results to take a stance on whether Cuomo should step down, but others are saying he should do so immediately. The time has come. The governor must resign, Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y.) said in a recent tweet. How many more women need to come forward? Governor Cuomo needs to resign, state Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez, a Democrat, added. Lawmakers on Tuesday reached a deal to repeal Cuomos emergency powers, which he was granted last year to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The new briefing drew a response from Boylan, who is running for Manhattan borough president. How can New Yorkers trust you @NYGovCuomo to lead our state if you dont know when youve been inappropriate with your own staff? she wrote on Twitter. LANSING, MI - Michigan senators bickered Wednesday over a resolution that would charge the state with defending the Second Amendment from any future federal gun control measures. Senate Resolution 22, sponsored by Sen. Lana Theis, R-Brighton, seeks to preserve the Second Amendment by stating that the state Senate would oppose federal laws that infringe on the right to bear arms. The resolution passed along partisan lines, 20-15, with Democrats uproariously opposing it. Sen. Erika Geiss, D-Taylor, called it insurrectionist. This resolution is four pages of dark, insurrection-laden language and militia support that challenges the laws of this land, she said on the Senate floor. Its a resolution that says that if we dont like the laws, well meet you at the Michigan border with our guns. Its incredible how fast youll do anything to protect your guns. Geiss continued by saying since armed protesters packed into the Michigan State Capitol on April 30, the Senate hasnt done anything to improve security measures. We had rioters in this space up there, she said, pointing to the upper deck overlooking the Senate floor, hovering over with with firearms, literally telling us, were here to make sure you vote right. On April 30, 2020, a day that has gone down in international infamy. Nothing, nothing meaningful was done to address that. The State Capitol Commission banned the open carry of firearms after a push from Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, but Democrats from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to Attorney General Dana Nessel argued the action fell short. Related: Even if the moneys there, Capitol Commission to leave full gun ban up to Legislature Sen. Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield, echoed the sentiment and went further by connecting right-wing extremist behavior to Republican rhetoric. Theres a line in this resolution that says, The Michigan Senate is firmly resolved to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against every aggression either foreign and domestic. Thats patently false, Moss said. The last several months here, there has not been an attempt by the majority in this chamber to protect many of us from domestic aggression. When you go to the gallery to pal around with armed gunmen during the height of an armed mob in our building, and those men are later charged with a plot to overthrow this government and to create mass death in this building, you are not defending the Constitution from every aggression, foreign or domestic. Related: Michigan was a dress rehearsal for the US Capitol violence The resolution invokes the 10th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which states the federal government only derives power from provisions listed in the Constitution. For everything not listed, state governments maintain power to create laws. Federal laws that restrict or prohibit the manufacture, ownership and use of firearms, firearm accessories and ammunition exclusively within the borders of Michigan, would exceed federal authority, the resolution states. Theis found Geiss comments extraordinarily frustrating for comparing defense of the Second Amendment to insurrection. Im extraordinarily frustrated right now with the use of the word insurrection and conversations about things that the Founding Fathers vested with us with the God-given right to protect ourselves, Theis said. Were going to call this insurrection to uphold that? Our Second Amendment rights not only exist in the U.S. Constitution, but the state Constitution, as well. Geiss responded by implying the Founding Fathers were racist and sexist, and that Theis shouldnt get all weepy and nostalgic about men that wouldnt have allowed women or minorities to serve with them. Theres a whole bunch of us serving right now that the Founding Fathers wouldnt have wanted in this chamber, or any other for that matter, Geiss said. Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, said that gun legislation isnt a priority of his, but he felt it necessary to speak to the body about easing the increasingly intense tone of the argument. I think it is an issue that we have to have a calmer discussion on, because theres obviously so much passion and opinions on it, he said. As (Sen. Moss) said, context is important. Things dont happen in a vacuum. I respect that... but we need to also recognize theres other context and things are not in a vacuum, either, when talking about those that would attack Second Amendment rights. McBroom referred to President Joe Biden, who pledged during his campaign to hold gun manufacturers liable for their products, ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and enact a universal background check system. Additionally, U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., recently introduced the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021 that would require a background check on every gun sale. No one who supports regulating firearms wants to randomly take peoples guns away, Geiss argued. It is unclear if the House will take up the resolution, or if it does, when the vote would take place. Read more from MLive: Open carry of firearms banned inside Michigan Capitol 6 from Michigan arrested during riots, storming of Capitol in Washington D.C. Presence at US Capitol ahead of riot not likely to affect prospective Michigan GOP co-chairs candidacy 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 Attorney-General Christian Porter has gone public to deny allegations of rape after days of conjecture about his identity and a NSW Police decision to close its investigation into the case. Mr Porter denied the accusation he raped a woman in January 1988 and said he intended to remain in cabinet and in his portfolio. Attorney-General Christian Porter speaking at a press conference on Wednesday. Credit:Nine News The Attorney-General made his statement after the NSW Police said it did not have enough admissible evidence to proceed with an investigation it began in February last year but suspended in June when the woman took her own life. Nothing in the allegations that have been printed ever happened, he said. A popular Chinese blogger with millions of followers has been charged for posts regarding military casualties in the Galwan valley clash with India last June. The authorities accused the popular blogger of demeaning military casualties of the border clash, South China Morning Post reported. Also Read | How citizen data led Indias Covid battle 38-year-old Qiu Ziming was charged for comments that prosecutors in the eastern city of Nanjing said, "distorted facts, defamed five soldiers who defended the Chinese border, and have led to severely negative social impacts". The comments came after China admitted for the first time that four of its soldiers had been killed and one seriously wounded during the clash that took place in the Himalayas, SCMP reported. Qiu, a former reporter with the weekly Economic Observer, had 2.5 million followers on China's Twitter-like platform Weibo when he had published two posts that suggested a commander survived the clashes because he was the highest-ranking officer there. He also suggested that more Chinese soldiers might have been killed in the conflict than those disclosed by the authorities. Last month, the Chinese military ended its months-long silence to say that four soldiers - Chen Hongjun, 33, Xiao Siyuan, 24, Wang Zhuoran, 24 and Chen Xiangrong, 18 - were killed in the conflict in the Galwan Valley in June. Their commanding officer Qi Fabao, 41, was badly wounded. State media had also released footage of the clash showing Qi walking with open arms towards Indian troops and trying to stop them. Meanwhile, the Russian news agency last month had claimed that 45 Chinese soldiers were killed in the clashes at the Galwan Valley. In a commentary on Saturday, state news agency Xinhua accused Qiu of "damaging the reputation of heroes, hurting nationalistic feelings and poisoning patriotic hearts" with his sensational posts. The Chinese Communist Party has long been accused of suppressing the idea that could undermine the sweeping authority.In just the past few years, the government has attempted to muzzle critics by making them disappear without a trace, ordering people to physically barge into their houses, or locking up those close to critics as a kind of blackmail. 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. Since that time, there have been many efforts to restrict the use of the filibuster. A frustrated Woodrow Wilson once noted that the Senate of the United States is the only legislative body in the world which cannot act when its majority is ready for action. In 1917, he successfully curbed the use of the filibuster by pressuring the Senate to adopt a rule that allowed for a two-thirds supermajority to end debate. KOSTROMA, Russia -- A court in Russia's Volga city of Kostroma has sentenced a man to 18 months of forced labor on a criminal charge for attacking a police officer during January 23 rallies against the arrest of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny. The Sverdlov district court said on March 2 that a 26-year-old Kostroma resident pleaded guilty to pushing a hat off of a police officer's head and kicking the officer from behind as police moved in to detain demonstrators. The court ruled that the man will be placed in a specialized correctional center, where he will work at an industrial facility for 18 months. Ten percent of his salary will be given to the state. The news website Mediazona identified the man as Aleksei Vinogradov. OVD-Info, an independent monitoring group, says the sentence is the first in a criminal case against someone who took part in the pro-Navalny rallies in January. The nationwide demonstrations held on January 23 and 31 protested the arrest of the Kremlin critic who was detained at a Moscow airport on January 17 upon his arrival from Germany, where he was recovering after being poisoned in Siberia in August by what several European labs concluded was a military-grade chemical nerve agent. Navalny has insisted that his poisoning was ordered directly by President Vladimir Putin, which the Kremlin has denied. Last month, a Moscow court ruled that, while in Germany, Navalny had violated the terms of parole from an old embezzlement case, which is widely considered to be politically motivated. Navalny's 3 1/2-year suspended sentence from the case was converted to a jail term, though the court said he will serve 2 1/2 years in prison given time he had been held in detention. More than 10,000 supporters of Navalny were detained across Russia during and after the January rallies. Many of the detained men and women were either fined or handed several-day jail terms. At least 90 were charged with criminal misdeeds, and several people were fired by their employers. With reporting by OVD-Info and Mediazona 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. 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 United States said it will continue to work with Turkey to achieve common interests in Syria. Responding to a question from Anadolu Agency on whether the Biden administration will cooperate with Turkey on Idlib and the humanitarian situation there, State Department Spokesman Ned Price said Washington "certainly" has common interests with its Turkish partners. "We have shared interests with Turkey, specifically when it comes to Syria. We will continue to work with Turkey, and to work constructively with Turkey to achieve our common interests, when it comes to Syria, going forward," said Price. NEW HAVEN Under the unprecedented circumstances, second-grade teacher Heather Cesare Anzellotti believes the citys Jan. 19 return to school up to the fifth grade has gone well so far. But now, with a vaccine, she said there is peace of mind that she can protect her students and their families, as well as her own family. It just makes me feel better, she said. The 42-year-old teacher Wednesday was among roughly 300 New Haven school teachers to receive a first dose of the two-dose Moderna vaccine, which was found to have 94.1 percent efficacy rate against COVID-19 following clinical trials, at Wilbur Cross High School. Across the city, the health department and community partners held sites at 16 other schools with school-based health centers for teachers, paraprofessionals and other educational staff in those buildings. Mayor Justin Elicker said about 30 people in each school would be eligible for a first dose of the vaccine Wednesday. The state Monday began a new phase for its mass-vaccination program, opening eligibility to people 55 and older and all educators and child care professionals. Gov. Ned Lamont announced the change to an age-based rollout last month, moving away from lettered and numbered phases that did not make clear when certain people would be eligible for the vaccine. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted many conflicting interests in education with desires for in-person learning clashing with worries over keeping teachers and their families healthy. When the school district first announced its intention to open some schools Jan. 19, pushback from some teachers was immediate. Board of Education member Tamiko Jackson-McArthur, a pediatrician, asked at the time why the school district would aim for such an early date when a mass-vaccination program already had begun. Superintendent of Schools Iline Tracey on Wednesday said the vaccine was one of the things they were talking about, so I think theyre feeling pretty comfortable. Tracey said more than 200 staff members are being accommodated under the Americans with Disabilities Act, some of which would allow them to remain out of the classroom because of comorbidities, so the vaccine program might help increase the number of teachers able to teach in person in the classroom. Tracey said there are no plans to bring independent contractors who run after-school programs into schools, but there are discussions as to whether teachers can operate some programs outside of regular school hours. Kasey Rosenfield, an aquatics teacher at Conte West and John S. Martinez schools for the third through eighth grades, has been unable to teach his usual sections because those buildings pools are closed. He has been able to join the regular physical education staff of those schools, teaching students who are separated into a grid in the gymnasiums. After receiving his first dose of the vaccine Wednesday at Wilbur Cross, he said he felt pretty awesome about it. Overall, he said he was grateful that President Joe Bidens administration put an emphasis on getting teachers back into schools, something that he believes accelerated the availability of the vaccine for teachers. Although Rosenfield and other teachers in those schools have been teaching students since Jan. 19, he acknowledged some of his colleagues have trepidation as students in grades 6-8 become eligible to return to buildings Thursday, for the first time since March 2020. Theres an uncertainty, like when kindergarten through fifth grade went back, he said. Some teachers who are newly required to return to their buildings were among those vaccinated Wednesday. Cheryl Canino, a language arts teacher for seventh and eighth grades at Bishop Woods, said she felt nervous about the impending return to schools on March 4 announced by the school district before the state announced teacher eligibility for the vaccine. I wasnt stressing, because we were (teaching) remote, she said. However, Canino said shes been hoping to return. I was willing to take the risk, thats how much I hate remote, she said. I want to make sure students feel safe to come back, so this is a step in the right direction. Fair Haven Middle School seventh-grade teacher Tiffany Nelson was happy to do her part to receive the first dose of the vaccine to make schools safer for the entire community, she said, adding that she will follow all protocols, but hadnt felt too nervous for a return to the classroom. I put God first, because he doesnt give me anything I cant handle, she said. Across the city, officials also are trying to reach people who are eligible for the vaccine but have not received it whether it be because of issues of access, skepticism or something else. Community Services Administrator Mehul Dalal said the city is incorporating pop-up clinics in underserved areas, focusing on locations such as churches and senior centers. Soon well likely see an increase in supply of vaccines, and itll be important for us to work in a cooperative way with all vaccine providers in New Haven, he said. Yale New Haven Health, which held a pop-up clinic at Bethel AME Church Tuesday, will hold a clinic at Hamdens Christian Tabernacle Baptist Church Thursday. Tom Balcezak, chief medical officer for Yale New Haven Hospital, said the health systems COVID-19 call center at 833-275-9644 has the ability to geocode for callers locations. He said callers from a number of underserved ZIP codes would be given scheduling priority for vaccination appointments so all neighborhoods around Greater New Haven see similar rates of immunity. Vaccines at Wednesdays clinic at Wilbur Cross High School were administered by staff from Fair Haven Community Health Care. Everett Lamm, vice president of clinical affairs for Fair Haven Community Health Care, said the clinic is hopeful that a future shipment of the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which was authorized for use last weekend, could mean clinic staff are able to provide home visits for city residents who have mobility or access limitations. That vaccine lends itself to that, he said. brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 Thousands of people are stuck in our prisons during a deadly pandemic because of racist laws; relics of our failed war on drugs. New Jersey was ready to fix this, but the efforts endangered by one state senator who added a noxious provision that would let crooked politicians and government employees off the hook as well. Now the governor may not sign an important social justice reform into law that would make all these mostly Black and brown people, locked up with the virus, immediately eligible for parole. Wed like to urge him to reconsider. The trouble began back in August. New Jersey lawmakers were poised to eliminate long sentences with no chance of early release, known as mandatory minimums, for nonviolent drug and property crimes. The most notorious was the school zone law that imposed harsh sentences for drug crimes within 1,000 feet of a school. That means any street in Newark qualifies, whether the drug deal involved kids or not, and that statewide, 79 percent of those imprisoned under its terms last year were Black or brown. Everyone agrees these absurd laws are a key reason we have the nations worst racial disparity in our prison system. Yet the reform was stalled for months by one classic Jersey trick. Sen. Nicholas Sacco, D-Hudson, whose girlfriends son is being prosecuted for a no-show job, quietly added in a controversial amendment to eliminate mandatory minimums for official misconduct, too, ignoring the reform that was carefully crafted over 18 months of painstaking work by a bipartisan panel of experts. The governor opposed Saccos stunt, and it threatened to derail the entire racial justice reform effort. Sacco should have dropped his amendment, no question. But at this late stage, Gov. Murphy should sign the bill anyway, assuming he cant hash out a compromise over the next few days, because theres so much more at stake than one shady backroom deal. Consider the likely alternative: Murphy may use his scalpel to slice out the corruption bit with a conditional veto, meaning lawmakers would have to reconsider the bill. This could result in more months of haggling. Were fighting over a small number of cases around the margins, while the lives of thousands of people hang in the balance. The Legislatures new strategy, in the bill it sent the governor on Monday, is fairly transparent: Not to single out official misconduct, but take the broader position that we should have no mandatory minimums for any nonviolent crimes the remainder of which are also mostly linked to official corruption, like theft charges by public employees, or tampering with public records, and prosecuted relatively rarely. The new Assembly sponsor, Nicholas Chiaravalloti, doesnt have any glaring personal interest like Sacco, and will get on the phone to eagerly make his case. Someone pulled back the curtain and saw the sausage being made, but honestly and Ive had this discussion with the governors office there is no nonviolent crime that you could make an argument for that should have a mandatory minimum, he says. It is best to let judges make final decisions about sentencing in nearly all cases. The problem, though, is that official misconduct is different from other crimes, because Sen. Sacco signs off on all the judge appointments in Hudson County, and weighs in on their re-nominations. If theyre not reappointed, their pensions are at risk judges dont get a pension unless they serve 10 years. You see why, faced with sentencing a loyal henchman of the same political machine, a judge might prefer the certainty of mandatory minimums. Its a good point. But we can return to that dilemma later. At the end of the day, we need to get something done on this bill, which could release thousands of mostly Black people slapped with draconian sentences for stupid drug cases. Is it a perfect reform? No. But lets not let that be the enemy of justice, either. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. Tell us your coronavirus stories, whether its a news tip, a topic you want us to cover, or a personal story you want to share. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Three persons of interest have emerged in relation to the murder of Mejid Hamzy in Sydneys southwest last year, with police hoping newly released footage will help them find those responsible. The CCTV footage shows two cars seen around the time of Mr Hamzys death, including one that police allege his assassins sat in for several hours prior to the shooting. As part of ongoing investigations, police are releasing CCTV footage of two vehicles of interest seen around the time of Mr Hamzys death. Credit:NSW Police About 7.30am on October 19, 2020, emergency services were called to Simmat Avenue at Condell Park, following reports of a shooting. An injured Mr Hamzy made his way down the street before collapsing outside a friends home in nearby Curtin Place, where he died. Mr Hamzy is the younger brother of one of the states most dangerous criminals, Bassam Hamzy, who founded the violent street gang Brothers 4 Life and has been known to still wield influence over members from within jail. London: Buckingham Palace has vowed to hold an investigation into bombshell claims that the Duchess of Sussex bullied young staff before she and Prince Harry split from the royal family, as a backlash towards the pair builds in Britain. The Queens household spent much of Wednesday in crisis mode after The Times newspaper reported that the couples well-regarded communications chief filed a bullying complaint against Meghan in the months after her marriage to Harry in 2018. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex split from the royal family in 2020 and have recorded a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey. Credit:AP The story, which has caused a sensation in the UK ahead of the screening of a tell-all interview by Oprah Winfrey with Harry and Meghan on Sunday (Monday AEDT), also contained damaging allegations that more effort was put into making the complaint go away than dealing with the substance of it. In a highly unusual statement, Buckingham Palace said: We are clearly very concerned about allegations in The Times following claims made by former staff of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. A French government spokesman said Wednesday officials are hoping to lift some of the nation's COVID-19-related restrictions by the middle of next month, as vaccinations have, so far, proven effective at lowering infection rates. At a Paris news conference, French government spokesman Gabriel Attal told reporters that while the nation is still facing hard times, "For the first time in months, the return to more normal living conditions is in sight." Attal said infection rates are decreasing among groups that have been vaccinated -- meaning the elderly. Attal said it is a sign the vaccination campaign is working, and that it should be sped up. He said the goal of vaccinating the most fragile was to reduce hospitalizations and protect the health care system, which is key to easing restrictions. China has poured massive amounts of government money into its rise as a technological power. The Federation of Korean Industries based the figures on analysis of a report by the EU Executive Committee. They suggest that Korea's proportion in global R&D expenditure fell from 3.9 percent to 3.6 percent over the period while China's jumped from 5.9 percent to 13.1 percent. China is racing ahead of Korea in research and development at an alarming pace. The number of Korean businesses in the world's top 2,500 companies in terms of R&D fell from 80 in 2014 to 59 in 2019, while that of Chinese businesses soared from 301 to 536. As recently as 2018, Samsung Electronics ranked at the top of Asian companies in terms of R&D investments and second in the world. But in 2019, Huawei overtook it with W22 trillion over Samsung's W21 trillion (US$1=W1,125). China's Alibaba and Tencent were also among the world's top 50 at 26th and 46th, while Korea's LG Electronics ranked only 55th. The FKI also analyzed OECD statistics and found that three out of five semiconductor manufacturers with the highest proportion of government support funding in 2014-2018 were Chinese. An FKI staffer said, "China offers massive funding assistance to individual businesses and that money is invested in R&D. But aside from a few state projects, there is virtually no government assistance in Korea." Another problem for Korea is that R&D spending is massively concentrated on the semiconductor sector led by Samsung, which accounts for 47.2 percent of total corporate R&D expenditures. Huawei, the R&D leader among Chinese companies, makes up only 16.4 percent of the country's total spending, while in the U.S., Google parent company Alphabet accounts for 7.5 percent, and in Japan Toyota for 7.9 percent. Korea focuses 59 percent of spending on the IT sector, which includes semiconductors, but in China, the semiconductor sector accounts for 30 percent and in Japan for 19 percent. In contrast, the proportion of R&D spending in new-growth industries like software and healthcare was 23 percent in China and 17 percent in Japan but only four percent in Korea. That may be the reason that Korea's game giant NCsoft only ranked 568th in the world and NXC, the parent company of rival game developer Nexen, 977th. Hanmi Pharm was the only Korean pharmaceutical company among the world's top 1,000 at 816th. Kim Bong-man at the FKI said, "R&D spending in healthcare, software and other new-growth industries in Korea remains weak. The government should not impose more regulations on these industries but rather offer tax breaks and other support for businesses spending money on R&D to boost global competitiveness." WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden said Tuesday that the U.S. expects to take delivery of enough coronavirus vaccines for all adult Americans by the end of May, two months earlier than anticipated, as his administration announced that drugmaker Merck & Co. will help produce rival Johnson & Johnsons newly approved shot. With the bolstered supply, Biden also announced he would be using the powers of the federal government to direct all states to prioritize vaccinating teachers, and said the federal government would provide the doses directly through its pharmacy program. He challenged states to administer at least one dose of the vaccine to all teachers by the end of March as part of his administration's efforts to reopen more schools across the nation. RELATED: Rice University researchers are taking COVID-19 detection to a new level "Were now on track to have enough vaccine supply for every adult in America by the end of May, said Biden, who likened the partnership between the two drug companies to the spirit of national cooperation during World War II. The announcement comes as the White House looks to speed the production of the single-dose J&J vaccine and accelerate the nations plans to reach herd immunity in the U.S. and begin restoring normalcy after the pandemic. Biden noted that vaccine supply was only one bottleneck toward that goal, and that the new challenge will be injecting doses into arms as swiftly as possible. To that end, the Biden administration told governors Tuesday to prepare for their supplies of vaccine to continue to climb over the coming weeks. Additional doses are also heading toward a federally backed program to administer doses in more accessible retail pharmacies. Those pharmacies will be key in getting the vaccines into the arms of teachers, which will help reopen schools to better educate students who have been at risk at falling behind during the pandemic. RELATED: Expert weighs in on 3 new COVID-19 variants now emerging in Houston "Lets treat in-person learning as the essential service that it is," Biden said. Biden had originally suggested that the supply would be enough to vaccinate every adult American by the end of July. But despite the good news, he was leery of predicting when the nation would return to normal. He said, My hope is by this time next year were going to be back to normal," adding that he maybe it could come sooner. Officials have said J&J faced unexpected production issues with its vaccine and produced only 3.9 million doses ahead of its receiving emergency use authorization on Saturday. The company has promised to deliver 100 million doses by the end of June. White House press secretary Jen Psaki also announced Tuesday that the federal government was increasing supply of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines to states next week to 15.2 million doses per week, up from 14.5 million previously. States will also receive 2.8 million doses of the J&J shot this week. On a call with governors Tuesday, White House coronavirus coordinator Jeff Zients said states should prepare for administering 16-17 million total weekly doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines by the end of March, climbing to 17-18 million weekly by early April. The supply of J&J doses to states, expected to dip after the initial shipment this week, will climb to 4-6 million weekly doses by the end of March and 5-6 million doses weekly through the end of April. More than 800,000 doses of the J&J vaccine will also be distributed this week to pharmacies to administer in a separate federally-run program that also includes 2.4 million doses of the other two shots. Both figures are expected to steadily increase, as the White House increasingly looks to the capacity of pharmacy chains like CVS and Walgreens to help speed the nation's mass vaccination campaign. RELATED: Houston doctor weighs in on the pros and cons of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine Facing questions about the company's slipping delivery schedule, J&J Vice President Richard Nettles told lawmakers on Capitol Hill last week that the company had faced significant challenges because of its highly complex manufacturing process. The assistance from Merck was expected to help J&J meet its production commitments and expand supply even further, but the administration did not immediately provide specifics. Psaki said that an "across the administration effort was required to get the two historic rivals to work together on the vaccines, even though conversations between the two companies have been going on for months. Theres a difference between conversations and it moving forward, she said. President Joe Biden is set to highlight the development in a speech Tuesday afternoon, as his administration now expects to have enough supply of the three approved vaccines to inoculate all eligible American adults by June though actually delivering the injections could take longer. It was not immediately clear when the effect of Merck's assistance would be reflected in supply. Previously, federal officials have cautioned that setting up the highly specialized manufacturing lines to produce vaccines would take months. The White House said Merck would devote two plants to the production process. One would make the vaccine and the other would handle inserting the vaccine into vials and ensuring strict quality controls. Psaki said the Biden administration was using its powers under the Defense Production Act to help Merck retool to work on the production. The news was first reported by The Washington Post. Compared to the two-dose versions produced by Moderna and Pfizer, the J&J vaccine is less resource intensive to distribute and administer, making it a critical piece to U.S. plans to spread vaccinations around the world but only once Americans are inoculated. The J&J vaccine can be stored for months at refrigerated temperatures, rather than frozen, and doesnt require patients to return for a second dose three or four weeks later. J&J has set up a global production network that includes brewing bulk vaccine at its Janssen facility in the Netherlands, and with a company in the U.S., Emergent BioSolutions, and another in India, Biological E. Ltd. Other contract manufacturers are lined up to help with later steps, including putting the vaccine into vials, in the U.S., Italy, Spain and South Africa. In the scramble to create COVID-19 vaccines, the three Western drug makers whove dominated the vaccine industry for decades Merck & Co., Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline surprisingly all fell short. Merck halted its own plans to develop a coronavirus vaccine earlier this year, finding that their candidates were generating an inferior immune system response compared with other vaccines. It said it would instead focus its work on developing treatments for COVID-19. Now, amid the global clamor for more vaccine doses, those heavyweights are helping manufacture doses for less-experienced rivals whose vaccines won the first emergency authorizations from regulators. Merck has since said it was in talks to help other drug companies with vaccine production, but wouldnt say Tuesday whether other deals are imminent. Merck remains steadfast in our commitment to contribute to the global response to the pandemic and to preparing to address future pandemics, the Kenilworth, New Jersey-based company said in a statement. Sanofi Pasteur, named for pioneering French biologist Louis Pasteur, produces more than 1 billion vaccine doses a year and is a leader in pediatric, influenza and polio vaccines. It, too, has had delays with its COVID-19 vaccine candidates. While it tries to resolve those problems, Sanofi has agreed to bottle and package about 125 million doses of the vaccine from Pfizer and German partner BioNTech, as well as roughly 12 million doses per month of J&J's vaccine. GlaxoSmithKline, which makes vaccines against shingles, hepatitis, meningitis and many childhood illnesses, has focused its COVID-19 efforts on combining its adjuvant technology with rival companies vaccines. Adjuvants boost immune system response to vaccines, meaning smaller doses could be used and supply could be stretched. ___ Johnson reported from Fairless Hills, PA. Lemire reported from New York. Lauran Neergaard in Washington contributed to this report. [March 02, 2021] Telemedicine platform HiDoc launches Nectar, a community app dedicated to women's health and wellness Following a spike in the number of teleconsultations and enquiries from the women's community during the circuit breaker period, HiDoc created Nectar, a web-based application to inspire a new generation of women to achieve optimal health Prominent features of the app include Nectar's Ask The Expert function which allows users to receive answers to health and wellness related queries, health and wellness content and personalised women's health plans, amongst others function which allows users to receive answers to health and wellness related queries, health and wellness content and personalised women's health plans, amongst others Selected based on its commitment to the community and to showcase how technology has helped Singapore emerge stronger from COVID -19, HiDoc has been invited to participate in the upcoming Smart Nation and U Festival co-organised by NTUC and the Smart Nation and Digital Government Office under the Prime Minister's Office SINGAPORE, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- HiDoc Pte Ltd ("HiDoc"), a healthcare technology start-up providing web-based and mobile app solutions for women and families, announced today the launch of Nectar, a community platform dedicated to women's health and wellness. Nectar was born out of the COVID-19 pandemic when HiDoc Co-Founders Dr Christina Low and Ms Carolyn Goh noticed a rising trend on the HiDoc platform. During the circuit breaker period in particular, HiDoc saw a significant spike in the number of teleconsultations and enquiries from the women's community. Accordingly, the idea of filling this void began to take shape. Speaking on the early days of the Nectar app, Dr Low said, "We started engaging the women's community to understand how HiDoc can better assist and fill the gaps in today's women's health landscape. Through active community engagement and research, we discovered that many women require a unique support system to assist them along their health and wellness journey. Subsequently, what started off as a passion project evolved into a community platform, Nectar." At its core, Necar was created to inspire women of all ages to achieve optimal health through self and preventive care while aiming to catalyse the formation of a community focused on supporting women's health in wellness across the Asia-Pacific region. Backed by an ecosystem of healthcare partners, Nectar is a web-based application that boasts prominent features such as its Ask the Expert function which allows users to receive answers to health and wellness related queries. In addition, Nectar users have access to a vast amount of health and wellness content curated specifically to their profile. Weekly articles on key healthcare topics are written specifically for each member, allowing Nectar users to stay on top of their healthcare needs. Within Nectar, users are also able to gain exclusive access to health webinars to keep them informed of prevailing health issues for women. Finally, Nectar members are able to access personalised health and wellness plans designed specifically for each member. Following an initial soft launch in January, the app has already accumulated 3,000 registered users. Commenting on today's official launch of Nectar, Dr Christina Low, CEO and Co-Founder of HiDoc said, "We want to empower women with the right knowledge to achieve optimal health through self and preventive care. Nectar aims to catalyse the formation of a community backed by experts focused on supporting women in their health and wellness journey. It is a place for ladies to comfortably share their experiences and walk their life journey together". Carolyn Goh, CTO and Co-Founder of HiDoc said, "Nectar is an online community platform that HiDoc has created for women. We built Nectar to foster a trusted and safe haven for women to learn more about their wellbeing from experts and other women sharing their experiences. Already, we are building up the platform to include machine learning algorithms to show relevant content and conversations that are based on the various data points that members have input in the platform. We strongly believe that Nectar will play a key role in the future of women's health as we look to empower a new generation of healthy women." Since 2019, NTUC in collaboration with the Smart Nation and Digital Government Office under the Prime Minister's Office has organised the Smart Nation & U Festival which seeks to educate and engage the wider community on the benefits of digital technologies in their everyday lives. Selected based on its commitment to the community and to showcase how technology has helped Singapore emerge stronger from COVID-19, HiDoc has been invited to participate in the upcoming 2021 edition of the festival where it will be showcasing Nectar and how telehealth will continue to revolutionise the healthcare industry. About HiDoc Pte Ltd Backed by SGX-listed Singapore Medical Group Ltd, HiDoc Pte Ltd is a healthcare technology start-up providing web-based and mobile app solutions for women and families. The company launched its Telehealth App HiDoc on 31st January 2019 and boasts the largest specialist and family telemedicine network in Singapore. For more information, visit: https://www.hidoc.sg/ About Nectar Nectar is a trusted women's community platform focused on delivering knowledge, health and wellness advisory and services to help women make informed health choices at every stage of their lives. With an ecosystem of healthcare partners, Nectar delivers critical, collectable and collative information to arm women with knowledge to manage their health. Committed to inspiring women of all ages to achieve optimal health through self and preventive care, Nectar aims to catalyse the formation of a community focused on supporting women's health and wellness in the Asia-Pacific region. For more information, visit: https://nectar-app.com/home/ For media queries, please contact: James Bywater Singapore Medical Group Limited Tel: +65 9478 4937 james.bywater@smg.sg SOURCE HiDoc [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Six new mental health sites will be rolled out across suburban Melbourne and regional Victoria in priority communities that require urgent mental healthcare services. Mental Health Minister James Merlino said communities in Benalla, Brimbank, Frankston, Greater Geelong, Latrobe Valley and Whittlesea had been identified because of the prevalence of psychological distress and per capita levels of suicide attempts. Mental Health Minister James Merlino. Credit:Nine The announcement on Wednesday follows the release of the 3195-page final report from the Royal Commission into Victorias Mental Health System, which recommended the creation of dozens of adult, youth and child mental health services in a variety of locations, reducing the need for people to travel a long way from home. We are not wasting a day. These sites will support people from their first to their last contact with mental health services, Mr Merlino said. [March 03, 2021] Ron Oertell Joins Purchasing Power as Chief Financial Officer ATLANTA, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ron Oertell, JD, CFA has been named Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Purchasing Power, a voluntary benefit fintech company that offers the leading employee purchase program through the convenience of payroll deductions. Oertell will be based in Atlanta and report directly to Purchasing Power Chief Executive Officer Trey Loughran. Oertell will oversee the business planning, accounting, budgeting, capital structure, securitization funding, and risk management efforts for the company. His responsibilities include the development and implementation of the organization's fiscal function and performance, including financial statement preparation, analysis, treasury and prtfolio management. Oertell also will evaluate and advise at the executive level in the strategic planning, annual budgeting and forecasting processes of the company's ongoing programs and business growth opportunities. "Ron is an ideal addition to the Purchasing Power senior leadership team, with his wealth of knowledge and experience leading financial strategy, capital markets and corporate operations," said Loughran. "He has demonstrated success in developing and executing plans in complex, regulated organizations and excels at guiding teams through challenging projects. Ron is an innovative thinker with strong consumer lending, investment banking and private equity experience, including involvement in more than $9 billion in private capital financings. I am excited about the impact Ron will have on continuing to evolve our financial capabilities and our mission to service our customers in unique and meaningful ways." Prior to Purchasing Power, Oertell served as CFO at LendingUSA, a point-of-sale, automated consumer finance company. There he was responsible for overseeing all of the company's financial and accounting operations. Among his achievements, he raised over $1 billion in capital, including $150 million for an initial product launch, via debt and equity investments. Oertell previously worked as a finance attorney in New York City representing large financial institutions and investment funds. He also ran a $250 million private high yield investment fund which generated a 22% internal rate of return (IRR). Additionally, Oertell served as a senior investment banking and restructuring advisor to a number of well known restaurant and transportation companies. More recently, he was the CFO at several fintech companies as well as Airo Wireless, a specialty cell phone company which he led from start-up to multi-continent operations. Oertell received his bachelor's degree in criminal justice and economics from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He holds a Juris Doctor degree from Emory University School of Law in Atlanta, as was awarded the designated Chartered Financial Analyst by the CFA Institute. About Purchasing Power, LLC Purchasing Power, LLC, offers the leading employee purchase program for consumer products/services through payroll deduction. Purchasing Power is available to millions of people through large companies including Fortune 500s, associations and government agencies. Purchasing Power is a Flexpoint Ford, LLC company. For information, visit www.corp.purchasingpower.com Purchasing Power is a registered trademark of Purchasing Power, LLC. 2021 Purchasing Power, LLC. All rights reserved. Media Contact: Joe Swaney 404.609.5630 jswaney@purchasingpower.com Juliann Kaiser 770.643.0615 jkaiser@kaisermarketinggroup.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ron-oertell-joins-purchasing-power-as-chief-financial-officer-301239330.html SOURCE Purchasing Power, LLC [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Francesca Paris is The Eagle's data and public records reporter. She was previously the North Adams reporter. A California native and Williams College alumna, she has worked at NPR in Washington, D.C. and WBUR in Boston. Find her on Twitter at @fparises. The Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans warns Christians on the newest COVID-19 vaccine developed by Janssen/Johnson & Johnson, saying it is "morally compromised" as it uses cells obtained in abortions. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently approved the newest COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use. Janssen/Johnson & Johnson's single-shot COVID vaccine is the third vaccine to be authorized by the FDA, along with Pfizer and Moderna, which both require more than 1 dosage of the vaccine, The Blaze reported. The federal government's goal is to supply around 4 million doses of the single-shot vaccine by J&J across the nation by next week and expects to deliver 20 million doses by the end of March. But, the archdiocese of New Orleans does not seem to approve of the latest vaccine. In a statement released on their website, they expressed their sentiments over J&J's vaccine. "It is under the same guidance that the archdiocese must instruct Catholics that the latest vaccine from Janssen/Johnson & Johnson is morally compromised as it uses the abortion-derived cell line in the development and production of the vaccine as well as the testing." the statement reads. The archdiocese also explained that although the first two readily available vaccines conducted some laboratory tests that utilized the "abortion-derived cell line," Pfizer and Moderna do not rely on these cells in the production of their vaccines, thus, making it "morally acceptable for Catholics." The archdiocese went on to explain that it is still up to the person receiving the vaccine to decide which provider to choose, but they will not be supporting such wrongdoings of those who choose to use abortion cell lines for the manufacturing of vaccines. "We also maintain that in no way does the Church's position diminish the wrongdoing of those who decided to use cell lines from abortions to make vaccines," they said. "We advise that if the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine is available, Catholics should choose to receive either of those vaccines rather than to receive the new Johnson & Johnson vaccine because of its extensive use of abortion-derived cell lines," the statement added. Although the Archdiocese of New Orleans does not support such production methods, Pope Francis has quite the opposite stand as he has been actively supporting the vaccine despite its production process. "It is morally acceptable to receive COVID-19 vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses in their research and production process," a statement from the Vatican said. In the submitted data by J&J to the FDA, it states that their single-shot vaccine has an overall 66% effectiveness rate against COVID-19 -- significantly lower compared to Pfizer and Moderna, which was found to be 95% and 94% effective, respectively. The single-shot vaccine was, however, less potent against other coronavirus strains, according to the company itself. It is found that the J&J vaccine provides only 57% protection against a new and stronger strain of coronavirus currently rapidly spreading in South Africa. The Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine was approved even with a low effectiveness rate because the FDA has said in the past that it would authorize COVID-19 vaccines with at least a 50% effectiveness rate. She recently revealed how she's overhauled her wellness regimen after being diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder. And on Tuesday, Olivia Munn looked great as she left a gym session in West Hollywood. The actress, 40, was relaxed in a long black Nirvana t-shirt and black leggings after her sweat session. Sweat session: Olivia Munn looked relaxed as she left a West Hollywood gym on Tuesday wearing a long black Nirvana t-shirt and black leggings Munn left her luscious long locks loose and sported sunglasses and a face mask. She carried a black alligator purse and her phone as she headed to her parked vehicle. The star of The Newsroom and Six spoke with People last month about finding out she has fibromyalgia. 'I wasn't really sure what was going on with me,' she explained. 'I was going through a lot of different ailments for years and not knowing what was happening.' Relaxed: The actress, 40, left her long locks loose and sported sunglasses and a face mask. She carried a black alligator purse and her phone as she headed to her parked vehicle Health battle: The star of The Newsroom and Six was recently diagnosed with the autoimmune disorder fibromyalgia which causes musculoskeletal pain and fatigue and memory issues Munn worked with five doctors from UCLA to try and discover what was ailing her. It was determined that she was suffering from the autoimmune disorder which, according to the Mayo Clinic, is 'characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues.' It has no cure but medications and things like stress reduction can help alleviate the symptoms. As a result of the diagnosis, the Oklahoma native said she had to change her wellness routine ' pretty significantly'. 'I had to be super thoughtful about what I put into my body,' Munn told People. 'I had to start eating gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar-free I had to cut out a lot of things that I was used to having every day and things that I really loved.' She now practices 'mindful eating' as well as sticking to regular workouts and exercise. Diagnosis: 'I was going through a lot of different ailments for years and not knowing what was happening,' Munn told People. 'I had to start eating gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar-free' Appearances can suggest we care less about things than we really do Denver, COThe film screenplay of Kevin Schewe's first book in the Bad Love Gang series, Bad Love Strikes, just garnered the Best Sci-Fi Screenplay Award from the Los Angeles Film Awards. The book which started it all, based on the author's childhood interests in time travel, World War II, military aviation and science, set the stage for a book series which has captured the imagination of a wide audience. With all the elements for an exciting movie, Kevin Schewe brought the same energy and dedication to the Bad Loves Strikes screenplay that is amply demonstrated in all three books. Attention to detail, flights of fantasy, camaraderie in battle, WWII planes, fast cars and popular music to bring context and color throughout each story. In Bad Love Strikes, the Bad Love Gang discovers The White Hole project, a "backup plan" time-travel machine created by President Franklin Roosevelt in case America lost the race to create the first atomic bomb. In the exciting sequel Bad Love Tigers, the Bad Love Gang uses the White Hole project to travel back to 1945 to thwart Russian spies and protect the secrets of Area 51, before heading to China to volunteer with the AVG Flying Tigers under General Claire Chennault. Third in the series, Bad Love Beyond sees the gang traveling through time and space to learn the reason behind Blue Nova One's mysterious visit to Earth and get their hands on the cure for breast cancer. They battle KGB agents during the height of the Cold War and dinosaurs on a planet across the universe. During a radio interview Schewe explained how real-life characters Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Gerald Ford, the latter first encountered as a young solider in World War II, helped create White Hole, the top-secret time travel project at the center of everything. A fun aspect of the book series is when the main character continually engages his "musical brain," a created soundtrack enhances scenes throughout all the books. Fans of the Bad Love Gang series can find the book music playlists on Spotify and include famous, and not so famous, classics from The Beatles, Elvis, Led Zeppelin, Frank Sinatra and many others. Because of alien world time-travel elements within each story, the songs are also employed as a form of universal communication device to foster better relations. Schewe, who has a background in physics, has always loved stories about time travel. "These stories just come to life in such an organic way," Schewe says. "They combine my childhood memories with my love of history and time travel." Be sure to watch the exciting book trailers for Bad Love series: https://bit.ly/BadLoveStrikes-Trailer and https://bit.ly/BadLoveTigers_Trailer and https://bit.ly/BadLoveBeyondTrailer. "The Bad Love Gang is back with more edge-of-your-seat adventure involving spies, planes and time travel. This novel will thrill history buffs fascinated by World War II and the Cold War and takes you on a wild road trip across America." John Kelly, Detroit Free Press "The Bad Love Gang is back at it with an ample supply of action, adventure, espionage, intrigue and suspense. Bad Love Beyond is like flying through the Museum of Natural History, the National Air and Space Museum, Jurassic Park and Captain Kirk's starship with a wonderful tour guide." David A. Holladay, M.D. "Bad Love Beyond is the newest volume of the Bad Love series and once again the author mixes history with fantasy so successfully that the book both entertains and informs. Skillful writing, a zesty sense of humor, an appreciation for pop culture, and the ability to create memorably entertaining characters combine to make this an immensely impressive novel." Grady Harp, Top 50 Amazon Hall of Fame Reviewer, 5-Stars Whether you're a history buff, a time-travel buff, a sci-fi lover, or are just in need of a fun book to cheer you up, Bad Love Beyond is the adventure you've been waiting for. Grab your copy today. Kevin L. Schewe, MD, FACRO is a board-certified cancer specialist who has been in the private practice of radiation oncology for over 33 years. He is an entrepreneur, having founded Elite Therapeutics and Bad Love Cosmetics Company, LLC. He also serves as Chairman of the Board of a small, publicly-traded, renewable, green energy and animal feed company called VIASPACE, Inc. Bad Love Beyond is the sequel to the bestselling Bad Love Tigers which was the sequel to his bestselling debut novel Bad Love Strikes. You can connect with Schewe through his website KevinSchewe.com or Instagram: @realkevinschewe. Bad Love Beyond, ASIN: B08P5VSMNZ, Broken Crow Ridge Publishing, 2020, ebook: $9.49, 258 pages, available on Amazon and www.jancarolpublishing.com. Media Contact: For a review copy of Bad Love Strikes, other books in the series or to arrange an interview with Dr. Kevin Schewe, contact Scott Lorenz of Westwind Communications Book Marketing at scottlorenz@westwindcos.comor by phone at 734-667-2090. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @abookpublicist. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has dominated New York state politics for more than a decade and enjoyed a rising national profile, is seeing his power limited by fellow Democrats as dual scandals raise pressure on him to resign. A pugilistic Democratic governor with a reputation for getting his way, Cuomo has now been forced to submit to an outside investigation of sexual harassment claims while he faces a separate inquiry over accusations of a possible coverup regarding the number of Covid-19 deaths in the state's nursing homes. The Democratic-controlled legislature has reasserted its oversight after granting him extraordinary powers to manage the coronavirus crisis in its earliest days. As the deadly pandemic took hold, his daily televised virus briefings comforted New Yorkers confined to their homes as the death toll mounted. His appearances eventually gave him a national audience and the moniker America's governor. The recent events add up to a stunning reversal for the scion of a political dynasty who just months ago was so popular there was chatter about a presidential run. Monica Klein, a New York Democratic strategist and longtime Cuomo critic, said that his tough-guy political style is now hurting him. "New Yorkers tend to like someone who is fighting for them, even if they are fighting aggressively," she said. "It's when they realize that this is someone who is fighting only for themselves that it becomes a real problem." Cuomo is set to face what amounts to a vote of no confidence on his handling of the pandemic that brought him national attention, as state lawmakers agreed Tuesday on a deal to claw back sweeping powers they granted the governor exactly one year ago. Amid a fast-moving pandemic, the Democratic-dominated legislature had given him broad authority to temporarily suspend state laws, order businesses to close and take other actions without legislative approval. "Governor Cuomo is used to operating in Albany with unchecked power," Klein said. "The legislature is starting to check him, and that is a massive shift." Under an informal agreement by leaders of the Assembly and Senate that could be finalized as soon as Friday, any new directives issued by the governor would need legislative approval. Cuomo would have to sign the measure. If he vetoed it, both houses could choose to override it. The move is somewhat symbolic, however, as the powers were already set to expire at the end of April. But it is a rare public rebuke of a leader who has been known to strike back aggressively over any criticism, especially from his own party. Cuomo has been largely silent, and there's been no comment from his administration about legislative action that directly affects it. He has declined to answer questions from reporters in public since Feb. 22. Faced with a third woman accusing him of inappropriate behavior, his office referred reporters to the same statement it had used for an earlier, and different, claim. Cuomo's office did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday. State Sen. Gustavo Rivera, a Bronx Democrat who heads the health committee, said Cuomo's "deeply toxic style of leadership" is making it harder for lawmakers to deal with the pandemic and the upcoming annual budget negotiations. He has called for Cuomo to resign or be impeached. "Step away and let the rest of us govern, because your presence is actually making it harder for us to govern, not easier," he said. Rivera joins a growing chorus of Democrats, including a Democratic member of Congress, who have called for Cuomo to resign, threatened to remove him from office through impeachment or suggested that he might face a primary challenge if he seeks a fourth four-year term next year. The strongest defense of Cuomo being offered by top Democrats in Congress has simply been that it would be premature to pass judgment until investigations into his alleged misconduct are finished. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who represents New York, called the allegations "serious, very troubling" and said "these women have to be listened to." Cuomo, 63, and eldest son of former New York governor Mario Cuomo, is facing accusations from three women who have accused him of inappropriate behavior, including two former aides and a complete stranger. He is also being buffeted by a report from New York Attorney General Letitia James, who found that more residents died in nursing homes from the coronavirus than the state Department of Health had reported. A top Cuomo aide admitted on a private call with lawmakers that the state withheld data because it was afraid of a federal investigation. James has also been charged with finding an outside attorney to look into the sexual harassment claims made by Charlotte Bennett, a former Cuomo aide, and Lindsey Boylan, a former top economic development official, about uncomfortable interactions with Cuomo. The governor has denied the accounts but apologized for what he called "playful" interactions that he said were misconstrued. The controversies have taken a toll, with recent polls from Siena College and Maris College showing Cuomo's job approval dropping from last year's highs. A Hill-HarrisX poll taken in late February found that 71% of registered voters believed that the governor knew about the undercounting of nursing home deaths. On Tuesday, six members of New York's legislature who identify as democratic socialists called on Cuomo to step down, joining Long Island U.S. Rep. Kathleen Rice, the first Democratic member of Congress to do so. Those demands came after a third woman, Anna Ruch, described inappropriate behavior by Cuomo at a wedding. Other Democrats in Congress have called for the sexual harassment allegations to be investigated, but stopped short of saying what should happen to Cuomo. House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries of New York, asked about Cuomo at a Tuesday press conference on another topic, said "these allegations are very serious against Governor Cuomo, made by serious individuals, and deserve a serious and independent investigation.""Now that the attorney general has taken over the investigation, it will be fully independent and thorough, and I await the results," he added. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who was at the news conference, followed up by saying "I associate myself" with Jeffries' position. Jay Jacobs, the state's Democratic Party chairman, urged leaders to allow James's investigation into the "serious, disturbing" allegations against Cuomo to move ahead. "It is both premature and unfair for anyone to opine on the outcome until that investigation is completed and the results reported," Jacobs said Tuesday in a statement. 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. Imgsoup.com scored 46 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2.5/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 2 Nov 2018, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the imgsoup homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if imgsoup has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the imgsoup homepage on Delicious. The total number of people who shared the imgsoup homepage on StumbleUpon. The total number of people who shared the imgsoup homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the imgsoup homepage on Twitter + the total number of imgsoup followers (if imgsoup has a Twitter account). Basic Information PAGE TITLE DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The title 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 keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. Domain and Server DOCTYPE HTML 5.0 CHARSET AND LANGUAGE UTF-8 SERVER nginx OPERATIVE SYSTEM Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Type of server and offered services. Character set and language of the site. The language of imgsoup.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Operative System running on the server. Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world. Referring domains for imgsoup.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines. Facebook link FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The URL of the found Facebook page. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The type of Facebook page. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND Rohit Jain, Founder & CEO, uFaber recently joined NewsX for an exclusive conversation as part of NewsX India A-List. uFaber is one of the fastest-growing Edutech companies in India, specialising in personalised training with the latest technologies and high-quality content. Spearheaded by IITians with over 10 years of experience in education, uFaber has one of the largest course catalogues across languages, entrance exams and skill enhancement subjects Talking about his journey with uFaber, Rohit Jain said, uFaber started in 2014, and since then it has been like a roller coaster journey. From a two people led team back in 2014 to now being almost 2000+ people team, uFaber is growing every year at almost 2x and 3x every year. We are glad to contribute to the growth of the industry and sector by making a lot of people learn online from home without any constraint of time and location and obviously, partnering with a lot of people, having an amazing team together, giving the opportunity to a lot of women who work from home and become a part of our trailer community. So, its been an amazing journey so far. He added, The pandemic has contributed a lot into the surge in the industry. So, that is one reason. The second reason is that some players are getting very aggressive and a lot of funding is coming into this space so that is opening up a market, giving more awareness to the parents, especially in K12 space, where people were very limited to sending the schools students to their schools, or kids to their schools. But now, because of the pandemic, the schools were not available, and there were these several options available outside of school. That has suddenly given exposure to the parents and it is visible into the numbers also. At the same time, online education has been around for a while now. It was growing at a little lesser growth rate, but now people have started seeing a lot of benefits of it. The pedagogy has improved, the internet speed has improved, the content quality has improved. People are seeing that online is as good as or maybe in some cases better than offline. That is why more and more people are shifting to it. When asked about the kind of educational courses offered by uFaber, he responded, uFaber is not sector-specific. We are not limited to K 12, or entrance exams or any space. We have our USP and our offering is basically personalising education. We offer a personal tutor, a personal trainer for every student and whenever we see that there is a learning requirement, there is a good number of students who want to learn that particular subject, we provide personalised courses for that. Currently, we offer programs for entrance exams like UPSC, teacher training programs and courses for school students like programming, communication and robotics. It is a very diversified portfolio that we have started from school to college to post-college and working professionals as well. Speaking about the increasing competition in the market, he said, Adaptation as an industry is not like typical e-commerce or travel industry, where everything is digitised and people are just becoming a marketplace and selling the same thing. Though there are many players but everybody is selling different stuff. Even in the same space as in K12, there are many players but everybody has a different product to offer, a different USP to offer and a different program to offer to the parent. How we are keeping ourselves differentiated and liked by a lot of students and parents is that we focus a lot on personalisation. We are not taking away the role of the teacher, which is essential for education. We all have learned from teachers and have liked some of the other teachers in our learning experience in school or college. A teacher plays an important role in the education of the child, no matter what content or technology you have. Hence, we focus a lot on the teacher quality and offering the teacher to the student. Along with the teacher, we obviously provide you with good quality content and assessment and technology and all those things. One of the things that we really emphasise on and are proud of is a very good quality of teachers, which is very limited in offline space, as well as in other offerings because providing a personal tutor at a large scale with better quality. That is a big problem and that is where we are focused on. Commenting on effectiveness of government policies, he said, Government is already doing good in terms of supporting startups and coming up with policies in education like the NEP, which was launched last year. As far as the government support is concerned, it is quite good. There is nothing specific that this particular industry needs from the government because there is a lot. Rather the industry, especially the private industry, exists because of the inefficiency in the government system, especially in education. If had the public schools been really good, and had colleges been very good, there would be no need for any private player in applications. At last, sharing his vision for uFaber, Rohit Jain said We want to become a leading player in the personalised education space and our growth depends on the number of trainers that we have and the number of programs that we have. We are planning to grow about 5x. So by 2025, we would reach a milestone that we plan to have. The growth is both horizontal as well as vertical. Currently, we have five different offerings and we want to extend that to about 10-12 different offerings, more and more skills, and at the same time, we want to expand our trainer base. Currently, we have about 2000 plus teachers teaching us from all part of the country and we want to increase it to about 10,000 trainers or 15,000 trainers in next couple of years. The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form Yes, no matter what Yes, but it depends on variety No, for medical reasons, uncertainty No, principle Vote View Results (Natural News) A Texas Judge has ruled against the CDCs ongoing Eviction Moratorium Order, an unconstitutional government intervention that is creating a ticking time bomb of financial disasters. In September of 2020, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) gained sweeping new powers over people and property, as they claimed dominion over all private property and rental contracts in the US. The CDC enacted an Eviction Moratorium Order, barring landlords and housing authorities from filing eviction actions against tenants who were unable or unwilling to pay rent. The CDC made it a CRIME for property owners to evict a covered person whose income is below a government-appropriated threshold. Property owners were threatened with $250,000 fines and one year of imprisonment for evicting a covered person. The CDCs order has only allowed governments to continue on with lock downs that harm people financially. The repercussions of the lock downs have not been fully realized yet because the federal government continues to intervene in compounding market issues that arent being allowed to self correct. The fallout from bad government policies and lock downs continues to be kicked further down the road. CDC violates contractual law, holds property owners hostage The CDC justifies their capricious overreach and abuse of power because it is more important to slow the spread of covid-19 and keep people in place than it is to let the market work, with people working together and taking responsibility for their actions. With people held down in poverty, the government can continue to assert power over their lives, keeping them in lock down, in desperate financial situations, and in helpless mentalities. The CDCs order was set to expire by the end of December, but it was extended through January by a provision in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, signed on December 27, by former President Donald Trump. When the Joe Biden regime assumed office in January, the eviction moratorium order was extended yet again, to the end of March. Over the past year, the CDC has set new a precedent, voiding private contracts between landlords and tenants, while suspending the private property rights of millions of property owners. Texas Judge rules against CDCs eviction moratorium Now a Texas judge is taking a stand against the CDC and a federal government that is drunk with illegal authority. U.S. District Judge John Barker stated that eviction moratoriums are typically enacted by the states, not by the federal government. He wrote in his 21-page ruling, After analyzing the relevant precedents, the court concludes that the federal governments Article I power to regulate interstate commerce and enact laws necessary and proper to that end does not include the power to impose the challenged eviction moratorium. The CDC was challenged by a group of property managers and landlords from Texas. The plaintiffs in the case are challenging the constitutionality of the federal governments authority, questioning whether the CDC can impose or legislate a nationwide moratorium on specific tenants, overriding contractual law. These property owners spent months losing rental income and were not allowed to seek new tenants who are willing to pay rent. Landlords have been robbed by the CDC and have been forced to take months of financial losses that only saddle tenants and property owners with more debt, while making it harder for people to adapt their lives to the catastrophic shutdowns that governments have enforced. The courts order today holding the CDCs interference with private property rights under the veil of COVID-19 serves as notice to the Biden administration that the Constitution limits government power, stated General Counsel Kimberly Hermann from the Southeastern Legal Foundation. The Department of Justice defended the CDC and responded with an appeal. Brian M. Boynton, acting assistant attorney general for the departments civil division, said, The Department of Justice respectfully disagrees with the February 25 decision of the district court in Terkel v. CDC that the CDCs eviction moratorium exceeds Congress powers under the Commerce Clause and the Necessary and Proper Clause, and the Department has appealed that decision. For more on the fallout of government lock downs, visit Collapse.news. Sources include: EpochTimes.com CDC.gov CNN.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. [March 02, 2021] INVESTOR ALERT: Law Offices of Howard G. Smith Announces Investigation of Ormat Technologies, Inc. (ORA) on Behalf of Investors Law Offices of Howard G. Smith announces an investigation on behalf of Ormat Technologies, Inc. ("Ormat" or the "Company") (NYSE: ORA) investors concerning the Company's possible violations of federal securities laws. On March 1, 2021, before the market opened, Hindenburg Research published a report entitled "Ormat: Dirty Dealings in 'Clean' Energy." According to the report, the Company "has engaged in what we believe to be widespread and systematic acts of intentional corruption," adding that it "expect[s] the blowback to these revelations to be severe, threatening Ormat's contracts in its most lucrative markets." The report alleges that Hidenburg "uncovered evidence tying Ormat to corruption with senior government officials," and "direct evidence tying Ormat to corruption with senior Guatemalan government officials" further noting "Ormat paid contractors in Kenya tied to corrupt goverment officials." On this news, Ormat's stock price fell $1.00, or 1.1%, to close at $84.67 per share on March 1, 2021, thereby injuring investors. The same day, after the market closed, Ormat responded to the report and acknowledged that "[t]he Company is aware of claims being investigated in Israel regarding Ravit Barniv, an Ormat Board member, and Hezi Kattan, the Company's General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer." Though the "claims involve Ms. Barniv's and Mr. Kattan's work at another company, prior to joining Ormat," the Company announced that it would "transfer the responsibility for the Company's compliance function to other members of the Ormat management team until these issues are resolved." On this news, Ormat's stock price fell $1.68, or nearly 2%, to close at $82.99 per share on March 2, 2021, thereby injuring investors further. If you purchased Ormat securities, have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Howard G. Smith, Esquire, of Law Offices of Howard G. Smith, 3070 Bristol Pike, Suite 112, Bensalem, Pennsylvania 19020 by telephone at (215) 638-4847, toll-free at (888) 638-4847, or by email to howardsmith@howardsmithlaw.com, or visit our website at www.howardsmithlaw.com. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210302006200/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The Education Minister has said the Government would support the wearing of face masks for primary school children between the ages of six and 11 if Nphet recommended it. Norma Foley told the Dail the wearing of face masks by primary school pupils is not recommended by public health officials, but that if National Public Health Emergency Teams advice changed that is exactly what we will do. The Kerry TD made the comments in response to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon, who called on the Government to follow the advice of the World Health Organisation and introduce mask-wearing for primary school children. Phased reopening of schools is something we all wanted to see, @GaryGannonTD tells the #DAil. But parents, pupils, teachers, SNAs and non-teaching staff need to be reassured by the Minister that everything possible is being done to ensure their safety.https://t.co/fPegHNAZiO Social Democrats (@SocDems) March 3, 2021 Mr Gannon said: The WHO have advocated mask-wearing for children aged six to 11 and yet we are still are equivocating on the issue. I think this small measure would make a massive difference. But he added that mask-wearing alone would not make it safer for children at school and that ventilation would also need to be improved. If you see what theyre doing in other jurisdictions in relation to prioritisation of ventilation, it is making us look a little behind not only the trend but the science, he said. Ms Foley said: [Nphet] have not recommended mask-wearing for primary school children, however any child is, of course, free to wear a mask if they so wish to. There is no equivocation on the issue. See https://t.co/XSCXRkUUHv for a selection of posters featuring advice for parents with children returning to in-person learning pic.twitter.com/AOIKFKJ0Zv education.ie (@Education_Ire) February 23, 2021 If it is the expert recommendation of public health then it is exactly what we will do. But as it stands at this point it has not been their recommendation. Under the Governments current guidelines staff and secondary school students are advised to wear face masks or coverings when a physical distance of two metres from others cannot be maintained. But it is not mandatory for primary school children to wear masks. Mr Gannon warned TDs that there was a wave of trauma coming down the tracks caused to children by the pandemic. He said the issue of trauma needed to be taken seriously. We have a wave of trauma approaching us from young people over the coming months and years as a consequence of the pandemic, he said. Ms Foley, who was answering questions in the Dail on the reopening of schools since Christmas, said the department was developing a range of workshops for the promotion of wellbeing and resilience in schools including trauma informed approaches which are designed to address the issues caused by the closure of schools. She said the workshops would be piloted in schools in the coming months to be rolled out in September. Labours Aodhan O Riordain said a radical vision for repairing the damage caused by the school closures was needed. The partys education spokesman called on the Government to introduce a catch-up programme to help children profoundly damaged by the lack of in-class teaching. The damage has been done, particularly for children in acute disadvantage and those who need school most, he said. We need to replicate what is happening in the UK where theres a 1 billion catch-up fund. There doesnt seem to be the same urgency or vision within the Irish education system. Its like we just want children to go back and that will be normal, but we have to acknowledge that not being in class since Christmas for certain cohorts of children is profoundly damaging. Ms Foley said she was very cognisant of the issues caused by school closures and that the Department of Educations inspectorate had garnered considerable information on how it had impacted students. Modern digital transformation is data-intensive, and presents three issues that conflict with each other in various ways. First, large amounts of data need to be ingested in real time, and the latest data needs to be available across geographically distributed systems for enterprises to make the most accurate real-time decisions to delight their customers. To date, the majority of companies have simply duplicated and moved large amounts of data to keep up, essentially covering the business need no matter the cost, risk, or impracticality of such large data volumes on a global scale. Second, there are bandwidth, server, and cloud costs when moving data back and forth between the distributed data management systems that participate in serving the customers of the global enterprise. Third, there are compliance requirements imposed by systems like CCPA and GDPR that direct which data can move and under what conditions. In fact, any violation of these rules may be audited by regulatory agencies, and steep fines may be levied if any compliance failures are discovered. The fines will be compounded by bad customer experiences and resulting brand damage. In order for enterprises to build a system that leverages the data for real-time decisions while still maintaining compliance rules and minimizing costs, a distributed data system must be able to provide mechanisms that can make it easy to solve the complex problems that arise in the interplay of these three sets of requirements. Cross-Datacenter Replication (XDR) in Aerospike Database 5, with Expressions, enables enterprises to build a global data hub that successfully addresses these complex and often changing requirements. Aerospike XDR filtering with Expressions Aerospike XDR uses asynchronous replication to connect two or more Aerospike clusters located at multiple geographically distributed sites. A site can be a physical rack in a data center (DC), an entire DC, an availability zone in a cloud region, or a cloud region. XDR can extend the data infrastructure to any number of clusters with control, flexibility, ease of administration, faster writes, and regional autonomy. The XDR shipping algorithm is based on a records last-update-time (LUT), resulting in simpler and more efficient metadata management. LUT-based shipping allows easy resynchronization of a DC starting at a specific point of time in the past. Furthermore, XDR supports dynamic configuration of and independent shipping between any pair of source and target sites. Aerospike Figure 1: Data replication to geographically distributed clusters. And now, with the new addition of Expressions to XDR, Aerospike can apply fine-grained filtering at the record level to configure XDR routing rulessending the right data to the right target at the right time. Expressions is a functional syntax that is more intuitive and expands the scope of what can be used to select records. It allows control over which namespaces, sets, or bins to ship. A namespace is a collection of records that share one specific storage engine. A record can be grouped into sets and also subdivided into bins. Aerospike nodes can have multiple namespaces, and the different namespaces can be configured to ship to different remote clusters. In Figure 2, DC1 is shipping namespaces NS1 and NS2 to DC2, and shipping namespace NS3 to DC3. Aerospike Figure 2: Flexible clustering. Enterprises can use this flexibility to configure different replication rules for different data sets. They can configure XDR to ship certain sets to a data center. The combination of namespace and set determines whether to ship a record. Enterprises should use sets if not all data in a namespace in a local cluster needs to be replicated in other clusters. They can also configure XDR to ship only certain bins and ignore others. Expressions can be set using the new info command xdr-set-filter . They can also be set programmatically via a new client API. The next Aerospike Client release will support C, C#, and Java. Expressions can be used on any query or API in the database. For example, a secondary index query can have an expression that restricts the amount of queried data. Global enterprises dont need to worry about how much data they have. With Expressions, only the data that has to move will movein an efficient way. This dynamic, fine-grained control of Expressions helps global enterprises better comply with a wave of new privacy regulations while reducing server, cloud, and bandwidth resources. Meeting compliance mandates GDPR and other emerging European Union and state-by-state US regulations mandate strict rules for how enterprises gather, store, map, use, and share consumer data across regions or partner entities. They require enterprises to ensure they are protecting every aspect of consumer data as indicated by the consumer. Aerospike XDR with Expressions helps global enterprises to easily and efficiently meet these compliance mandates to safeguard consumer data. It provides the management granularity to help eliminate data redundancies to minimize the footprint of personal data. This helps them comply with what a consumer wants as well as show proof they took proper steps if authorities investigate. Aerospike XDR with Expressions also allows enterprises to manage data movement across geographies with different data control requirements. Expressions in Aerospike have a rich syntax with access to both record data and metadata, permitting precisely crafted filtering policies. Every global enterprise requires some way to archive data and back it up in other data centers. Depending on what data regulations exist, they might not want to move data from the Netherlands to the UK, as an example. They could write an expression to enforce that rule at the record level. The following expression demonstrates the enforcement of geographic restrictions on where a record is stored. This pseudocode expression will only ship records to a remote DC if they are tagged as originating from the Netherlands: Expression exp = Exp.build(Exp.eq(Exp.stringBin(ISOrgn),Exp.val(NL))) Additionally, data regulations are often changing requirements. Since Aerospike XDR is dynamic and Expressions are applied in a fine-grained manner, Aerospike reduces the complexity of setting up or reconfiguring rules in the database. Reducing bandwidth, server, and cloud resources Aerospike XDR with Expressions provides a level of efficiency when transferring data. Enterprises can decrease the volume of data shipped to destination DCs, which reduces network traffic as well as storage and processing requirements on the destination DC. In Figure 3, with a hub-and-spoke XDR topology, the savings from avoiding overprovisioning of the destination clusters can be significant. Aerospike Figure 3: Aerospikes XDR topology with Expressions. There are also additional productivity gains and cost savings to this approach. First, filtering natively in the database can reduce the programming needed on an application-by-application basis. And lower data volumes reduce egress costs when moving data across or from public clouds. It costs money to take data out of the cloud. By using Expressions to restrict transfers to the exact data that needs to leave the cloud, egress costs will decrease. Simplifying application integration and global data management Many enterprises are racing forward with digital transformation and the applications behind it in the wake of the pandemic. One issue that can cause these efforts to fail is poor data management, which can drag down business processes and increase costs. Aerospikes XDR with Expressions delivers precise control of data, without complexity, throughout the application stackleading to a reduced total cost of ownership to run complex global systems. Srini Srinivasan is the founder and chief product officer at Aerospike, a leader in next-generation, real-time NoSQL data solutions. He has two decades of experience designing, developing and operating high-scale infrastructures. He also has more than 30 patents in database, web, mobile and distributed systems technologies. He co-founded Aerospike to solve the scaling problems he experienced with internet and mobile systems while he was senior director of engineering at Yahoo. New Tech Forum provides a venue to explore and discuss emerging enterprise technology in unprecedented depth and breadth. The selection is subjective, based on our pick of the technologies we believe to be important and of greatest interest to InfoWorld readers. InfoWorld does not accept marketing collateral for publication and reserves the right to edit all contributed content. Send all inquiries to newtechforum@infoworld.com. A former Canadian conservation officer who was fired for refusing to kill two orphaned bear cubs in 2015 has sued to get his job back. At the time, thousands rallied support for Bryce Casavant, 37, of British Columbia, Canada, who was initially suspended without pay before being terminated from his position. He made international headlines when he refused an order to kill the cubs after he had shot dead their mother for repeatedly raiding a freezer of a mobile home near Port Hardy. Casavant was subsequently fired from his position for refusing an order and despite being terminated, he is suing to get his job back. Scroll down for video Canadian conservation officer, Bryce Casavant (left and right), who was fired for refusing to kill two orphaned bear cubs in 2015 has reportedly sued to get his job back Last year, Casavant won a lengthy legal fight over his dismissal. In the initial court ruling, a judge said Casavant acted within the law when he decided to rescue to cubs (Casavant pictured with one cub in 2015) The complaint says that Casavants 'supervising officer filed a complaint against him for refusing to follow the order to euthanize the cubs'. 'On July 6, the day after the incident, a formal Notice of Complaint was issued to Mr. Casavant under the Conservation Officer Service Complaints Policy alleging "the disciplinary default of neglect of duty".' According to court documents, 'Casavant formed the view that killing the cubs in these circumstances would be inconsistent with Ministry policy'. 'Instead of complying with the kill order, he took the cubs to a veterinarian who assessed them and transferred them to the North Island Recovery Centre. They were eventually released into the wild,' the document said. Last year, Casavant won a lengthy legal fight over his dismissal. In the initial court ruling, a judge said Casavant acted within the law when he decided to rescue to cubs, according to Unilad. Despite that ruling he was not allowed to return to his job. In fact, his badge was not reactivated and his uniform was not reissued by the government. Last month, Casavant filed a lawsuit asking his former employer to reinstate him as an employee and give him the pay he's lost over the past five years. Meanwhile, the two cubs Casavant refused to kill were rehabilitated and named Jordan and Athena The cubs (pictured) were successfully released back into the wild According to the Toronto Star, Casavant's complaint is asking that he receives declaration that he is still a conservation officer and was not legally dismissed. Casavant told the news outlet: 'I have always maintained that a constable cannot be ordered to kill it's an illegal order. Public service policing has been my passion and chosen career path since my early twenties. 'It is disgraceful and frustrating to be continually denied the ability to immediately return to my post.' His lawyer is asking that Casavant receive a salary between $55,000 to $75,000 in addition to back pay. 'Mr Casavant simply wants the job which was unlawfully taken from him back,' his lawyer Arden Beddoes, told the Toronto Star. 'The process that was used to take his job was declared void by the Court of Appeal, so there is no lawful basis for the province to deny him that.' Meanwhile, the two cubs Casavant refused to kill were rehabilitated and named Jordan and Athena. They were successfully released back into the wild. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Instruments of national suicide Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Contemporary crises, ranging from COVID to economic and political upheaval, have revealed the fragility of our freedom, and brought into view perhaps two of the greatest threats to liberty in our time judicial usurpation and presidential Executive Order. In the hands of people who either dont understand, or give little regard to Constitutional principle, these can be instruments of national suicide. They underscore that the greatest threats to liberty often come from within. In 1838, twenty-eight-year-old Abraham Lincoln felt he was watching his country tear itself apart. Riots had broken out over slavery, and no doubt Lincoln also had in mind the 1837 assassination of abolitionist Elijah Lovejoy. In that precarious period Lincoln spoke to the Young Mens Lyceum, a gathering of rising leaders in Springfield, Illinois. Lincoln said that if ever there were a serious threat to American freedom it would spring up amongst us... If destruction be our lot, we (would) ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we (will) live through all time or die by suicide. And so, we come to a February 6 Christian Post story by Anugrah Kumar, headlined: Supreme Court allows California churches to hold indoor services at limited capacity Some will applaud the Courts ruling apparently in favor of the churches. At the same time, there is reason to lament the fact that the Supreme Court or any court for that matter is allowing churches to meet, and to do so on terms laid down by the Court. We must see the dangerous precedent in such a move by the Judiciary. A poisonous precedent lurks beneath its surface blessing. Crisis has a way of driving us to desperation and the disordering that goes with it. In the frantic reaches to control COVID, government seems to have forgotten the First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. (Italics added) Usurpation sneaks up on us from behind. The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion, said Edmund Burke in 1784. Burke, an Englishman, was an intense observer of the French Revolution and its excesses. He could see that what the revolutionaries were calling Liberte was itself morphing into an oppressive system pretending to be a freedom-giver. Early on, Thomas Jefferson had a more favorable view of the French Revolution, but also understood the creeping threat of the enlargement of government power in aborning America. On May 27, 1788, Jefferson, in a letter, warned: The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground. Thus, liberty extended by the Court to churches means that a branch of government has presumed it has the authority not only to grant the right of assembly but also to specify its parameters in this case twenty-five percent of capacity, with no chanting or singing. Again, we can rejoice that churches have sanction to meet, but mourn the fact that it must be sanctioned in the first place because another government agencythat of the State of California had forbidden churches to assemble. Not to be outdone, the State declared it would be monitoring the situation and perhaps issuing more guidelines. Then there is the other internal threat to our liberty: Presidential Executive Order. One of the most severe cases occurred in 1952 during the Korean War when President Harry S Truman, through an EO, sought, in effect, to nationalize steel mills. The Supreme Court declared this a violation of the Constitution, and its right of private property. Truman perhaps had learned at the feet of his predecessor, Franklin D. Roosevelt. He issued a whopping 3,721 EOs. True, FDR was a wartime president, but many of his orders were used to structure his prime legislative initiative, the New Deal. Both Republican and Democrat presidents have found the Executive Order handy in avoiding congressional or judicial mire. Republican Richard Nixon, my boss, issued 346, while Democrat Bill Clinton 364. Much attention was focused on the Executive Order issue when President Obama said, in the face of congressional opposition to some of his intended policies, I have a pen, and I have a phone. David Davenport wrote in Forbes, that Obama had established a pattern of unilateral action to set his agenda, advance it, and change it, well beyond ... the Constitutions separation of powers doctrine.[1] It should be noted that Obama issued 276 Executive Orders while Trump 220. President Biden, as of February 26, 2021, was spewing Executive Orders at a rate that, if continued, would amount to 400 per year.[2] Speaking of Executive Order power, Lincoln, in his 1838 speech was also concerned about a dominating tyrant emerging at some point through national crisis: Is it unreasonable ... to expect that some man possessed of the loftiest genius, coupled with ambition sufficient to push it to its utmost stretch, will at some time spring up among us? Watch carefully over the next four years and be concernedvery concernedabout the enlargement of the Judiciarys attempts to usurp freedoms, as well as the emergence of candidates who could easily cloak their passion for power and abuse the powers granted them through Executive Order. And heed the words of John Adams when, amid the stirring of the American Revolution, he wrote: The Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored... Liberty once lost is lost forever. [1]Obama's Executive Power Pen Is Already Worn Out (forbes.com) [2]Executive Orders | The American Presidency Project (ucsb.edu) Graduate student Noah MacKay sits with some of the books he has written. MOTIVATIONS This post appears here courtesy of ECU News Services . The author of this post is Crystal Baity A fascination with astronomy and the mysteries of the universe pushed Noah MacKay far beyond stargazing.Now in his first year in East Carolina University's graduate program in physics, MacKay is a teaching assistant and preparing for his thesis work while researching non-equilibrium noise with Dr. Martin Bier.MacKay earned undergraduate degrees in physics and foreign languages and literatures with a concentration in German as well as a minor in math at ECU in 2020. Eventually MacKay plans to earn a doctoral degree in theoretical physics.As a child, he became interested in astronomy and gravity, and would read encyclopedias and nonfiction books about science, geography and history. By eighth grade, he was hooked on math.MacKay said.As an undergraduate, MacKay co-founded ECU's first official astronomy club, became a member of the Sigma Pi Sigma and Delta Phi Alpha honor societies, and co-published an article with an ECU faculty member on the German Republic-era poet and satirist Erich Muhsam.In summer 2019, MacKay studied in Germany with other ECU students led by Dr. Susanne Jones.he said.Overcoming obstacles is nothing new for MacKay.He was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome when he was 8 after having been misdiagnosed five years earlier.he said.Graduate student Noah MacKay sits with some of the books he has written.MacKay keenly listens to people and his surroundings, which has helped with his coursework, he said.he said.As an advocate for others with autism spectrum disorder, he encourages students to rise above their challenges and dispel negativity. While their voices may seem underappreciated, they are as provoking and valuable as those without a disorder.MacKay said.MacKay has explored a variety of possibilities with his writing and self-published books. He started writing fiction novels at age 15, creating a fantasy series called "Age of War." He also has written several poems in German. MacKay has written four volumes on mathematical physics titled the "The Theory of Physics." And he currently has an independently written scientific manuscript under review.Theoretical physicist (career goal), rock star (dream job)My parents, without whom I wouldn't have come this far.Go on the path least traveled, but always bring your passion with you.Don't take everything you have for granted; work hard, be responsible and be respectful.That the faculty and peers in your major would become an extended family to you. In the past, Israeli officials have said the court has no jurisdiction, saying the Palestinians are not an independent sovereign state. Officials say that Israel has been unfairly singled out and reject the allegations. They say military actions in Gaza were acts of self-defense and the status of the West Bank is disputed and must be resolved through negotiations. HOUSTON, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The winter storm in Texas has left many policyholders with damage from frozen or burst pipes. Insurance companies are dealing with a backlog of claims and these losses are now projected to surpass those of Hurricane Harvey. Merlin Law Group, a law firm specializing in property insurance claim litigation, is reminding policyholders to hold their insurance companies accountable for paying what is rightfully owed. Local MLG attorney Rene Sigman is urging affected residents to file their claim immediately to avoid missing any deadlines that may be in their insurance policies. If you have filed a claim and haven't heard back from your insurance company, especially if they have sent someone out to inspect the damage at the property, keep on them to respond to you and track all correspondence. "If your claim has been denied or you believe it has been underpaid, don't give up! There are remedies under the law that will help you get your money," says Sigman. Another issue facing residents is the delay with getting repairs to their home or business. Sigman urges policyholders to be wary of unlicensed contractors looking to make a quick buck through shoddy workmanship. She recommends gathering references on any contractor, public adjuster, or attorney before signing any contracts. If policyholders are unsure of how to interpret if a settlement amount is fair, Sigman recommends consulting with an attorney. Merlin Law Group is happy to provide a free case review on your frozen pipe damage claim to help you determine whether what the insurance company is offering is fair. "I want to do my part and help as many Texas residents as possible," says Sigman. You can hear more of Sigman's remarks, along with other tips on avoiding potentially costly DIY repairs on frozen or burst pipes by watching KPRC2 Houston's report here. Merlin Law Group also has a blog with insight for policyholders navigating property insurance claims. About Merlin Law Group: Merlin Law Group has been dedicated to representing policyholders and litigating their insurance claims for 35 years. We have represented individual homeowners, commercial enterprises, condominium associations, and municipalities. Our firm has successfully litigated and recovered hundreds of millions in damages for our clients. Having a dedicated trial team, financial resources to fight insurance companies, and attorneys nationwide sets us apart. SOURCE Merlin Law Group, P.A. Related Links www.merlinlawgroup.com LANSING, MI - The Michigan Senate cleared a modified plan to spend more than $4.2 billion in COVID-19 response money available to the state Tuesday, tying some of the funds to policy bills that would limit the Department of Health and Human Services authority to issue pandemic-related orders. The bill package which allocates some of the federal Congress-approved coronavirus aid available to the state for vaccination efforts, returning schools to in-person learning and other funding such as food and rental assistance was agreed to by House and Senate Republicans and is expected to pass the House Wednesday. This plan responsibly and effectively puts billions of dollars in federal COVID-19 funding to use meeting our states most critical needs getting more people the lifesaving vaccines, increasing testing and supporting our struggling families and job providers, Senate Appropriations Chair Jim Stamas, R-Midland, said in a statement. Some of the funding included in the plan comes with caveats. More than $840 million in school funding is tie-barred to House Bill 4049, which would shift authority on closing in-person learning and sporting events during the COVID-19 pandemic from the state to local health departments. Under the legislation, local health departments would only be able to shut down districts that show the following metrics over a 14-day period: New cases are more than 55 per million The average percentage of positive tests are above 10% Health facilities located in the area maintain a surge capacity below 20% in admissions of patient transfers Hospitalizations have increased by 25% or more Lawmakers also passed 20-15 Senate Bill 1, sponsored by Sen. Lana Theis, R-Brighton, and tied it to $370 million in COVID-19 testing funds. The legislation would require legislative approval of DHHS emergency public health orders after 28 days and calls for the specific science and data behind each declaration. Whitmer vetoed a similar bill last session. The Senate did not approve immediate effect for Senate Bill 1, meaning that even if it is signed, it wouldnt become law right away. Read more: Whitmer vetoes bills that would limit public health orders and repeal governors emergency powers The plan doesnt have buy-in from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, whose administration wasnt directly involved in the negotiations, or legislative Democrats, who said on the Senate floor the funding bills contained a political poison pill aimed at soliciting a veto from the governor. I think were all frustrated that this pandemic continues, that our response activities must continue, said Sen. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, in his no vote explanation. But who is it that youre blaming? Who is it that youre shaking your fist at? Are you shaking a fist at the public health professionals who are trying to save lives and get us back on track? Whitmer earlier this year issued her own $5.6 billion proposal for spending the funds, and Democrats have largely adhered to support of that plan. Before the Senate session, Rep. Abraham Aiyash, D-Hamtramck, held a rally on the Michigan State Capitol steps to demand the release of all federal aid in accordance with Whitmers proposal. During a Tuesday afternoon news conference, Whitmer said shes been trying to negotiate with the Legislature and will continue efforts to do so. She urged lawmakers to get to the table and release funds as soon as possible, noting the more than $5 billion in federal funding for Michigan is currently gathering dust. Washington didnt send us this money to sit on it, they sent it to us because people need it, she said. They sent it to us because its crucial to economic re-engagement, and protecting public health is crucial for our seniors and for our students alike, and small businesses, too. Whitmers plan contained some elements that Senate and House Republicans have argued arent immediately pertinent to coping with the pandemic, such as $225 million in grants for job creation initiatives and $5 million to implement increased security measures at the Michigan State Capitol. Read more: Michigan Senate approves $1.9 billion for vaccine distribution, direct care worker payments, school aid The plan that passed the Senate Tuesday and was supported by House and Senate Republican leadership combined elements of both House and Senate-passed plans on how to fund vaccine distribution, COVID-19 testing, emergency rental assistance and school aid, plus an extension and increase on direct care worker payments. While it didnt use all of the federal funding available to Michigan, the final plan allocated significantly more than previous proposals on how to spend the money from legislative Republicans. During the March 2 session, the Senate voted 34-1 to approve House Bill 4047, then 31-4 for 4048 and 20-15 for 4049. The package allocates $2.3 billion for vaccines, testing, direct care worker payments and property tax relief, as well as $1.9 billion in school aid. House Bill 4047, sponsored by Rep. Timothy Beson, R-Bay City, mirrors some elements of the Senates relief bill, such as $110 million for vaccine distribution allocated one-third at a time. Additional funding includes $555 million for COVID-19 testing and $600 million in food assistance benefits. The bill also incorporates $220 million in rental assistance, $300 million for the Department of Treasury to establish a property tax relief program for struggling businesses and a $150 million deposit into the states employer-funded Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. House Bill 4048, sponsored by Rep. Brad Paquette, R-Niles, sends $1.94 billion to fund school programs including More than $1.65 billion in federal money to ensure districts are able to afford $450 per pupil and fill gaps for underfunded districts. About $87 million in federal funds would go to nonpublic schools. Additional programs included in the bill are $90 million for K-8 summer school programs to help offset learning loss during the pandemic shutdowns, $45 million to help high schoolers recover lost credit hours, $17 million for more before and after school programs and $21 million to pay staff that operate during the summer. 2020 was a year marked by hardships and challenges, but the Fauquier community has proven resilient. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you for your continued support, wed like to offer all our subscribers -- new or returning -- 4 WEEKS FREE DIGITAL AND PRINT ACCESS. We understand the importance of working to keep our community strong and connected. As we move forward together into 2021, it will take commitment, communication, creativity, and a strong connection with those who are most affected by the stories we cover. We are dedicated to providing the reliable, local journalism you have come to expect. We are committed to serving you with renewed energy and growing resources. Let the Fauquier Times be your community companion throughout 2021, and for many years to come. Lisa Krantz, Staff / Staff photographer The Hearst Foundations will give nearly $2.5 million to multiple Texas charity organizations to help the recovery effort from the recent winter freeze, which continues to impact residents statewide. The grants were allocated for charities in Houston, San Antonio, Beaumont, Midland, Laredo, Dallas and Fort Worth. Bruce White, Trustee with the Dean and Barbra White Family Foundation, which gifted the center $10 million for operational costs, said, The Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation is proud to be a partner because Dean and Barbara and the entire White family have been and will continue to be about partnerships that improve the lives of all. My mom and dad believed that a place is home because of the people in it. The true potential is unlocked when they all come together. By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 03/03/2021 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 Erik Lake has explained why he stood by silently while Chris Williams was yelling at his wife Virginia Coombs during their offroad buggy excursion in Las Vegas.During Erik and Virginia's honeymoon in Las Vegas, the couple found themselves entangled in drama when Virginia had expressed concern for her friend Paige Banks after Paige's husband Chris had discovered his ex-fiancee Mercedes was about six weeks pregnant with his baby.On the February 24 episode of : Unfiltered, Erik watched back a Season 12 clip of Chris and Virginia arguing while at the buggy excursion."Nobody here can relate to my sh-t and nobody can relate to Paige's sh-t. I don't appreciate the fake concern from you or your husband," Chris tells Virginia in the clip."You think our concern is fake?!" Virginia asks with MAFS co-star Clara Berghaus standing next to her."Particularly from you and Erik, and I will tell him that as well," Chris says."Well, I can promise you none of it's fake concern," Virginia insists."Stay the f-ck out of our business. It's as simple as that," Chris says.When Virginia responded "okay" with a little sass and attitude, Chris noted he was "done" with the conversation because Virginia was acting "arrogant.""You are very arrogant, actually," Virginia counters."Okay cool, and you're a drunkard," Chris claims. "You're a drunkard.""Okay cool," Virginia responds. "I'm not ever going to lie that I like to drink.""Okay, you're a drunkard... You throw shots and I throw shots back," Chris says in the clip.At the time of the argument, Erik was standing next to his wife but didn't say anything to defend Virginia or stop Chris in his tracks.On Unfiltered, host Jamie Otis -- who starred on Season 1 of -- asked Erik what it was like hearing Chris talk to his wife like that."It wasn't good, at all," Erik responded."I don't think any man should talk to a woman like that. I felt like I needed to defend Virginia a little bit more, but I just didn't want things to go into, like, more of a physical capacity there."Erik continued, "So I kind of didn't really know what to say or how to go about it. It was tough. It was just a tough position to be in."Clara's husband Ryan Oubre and fellow star Haley also appeared on the Unfiltered broadcast and offered their thoughts on the fight between Chris and Virginia."I think the tough part from my perspective is I do think it was two people communicating and trying to resolve something but maybe collectively as a group we weren't communicating effectively enough to get our points across," Ryan shared."In an environment like this and a scenario like this, it's tough. Emotions are high. No one is really listening to 'hear,' everyone is listening to 'respond,' and so it's a tough scenario for sure.As for Haley's take on the situation, she explained, "I don't think the way [Chris] handled it was great, but I do think that the girls -- Clara and Virginia -- were coming from a really good spot.""We met all these girls before we met our husbands," Haley acknowledged. "We had more time to bond with them. So they're just coming from a place of concern."Erik then shared his hopes for Chris and Paige moving forward in their rocky marriage."I want the best for Paige. She is such a sweet girl," Erik said. "You know, as long as she's happy and she thinks she can work on this with him and get past it, then I wish them the best."Virginia felt extremely disrespected by Chris that day, especially when Chris screamed and swore at her when riding in a van back to their hotel, and so Erik felt the need to confront Chris at dinner that night.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 dune-buggy outing."You are borderline scaring people," Erik told Chris in front of the group."I was fed up and tired of that bullsh-t," Chris complained."You are out of line," Erik said.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 shouted, "We're leaving.""Unf-cking believable," Erik lamented under his breath on his way out of the group gathering.Ryan pointed out on Unfiltered that tension was already so high by the time of dinner, Erik's attempt to have a civil conversation with Chris was " doomed to fail before it even started."And Erik wished he had heard Chris's apology and then spoken to him in a private manner.After Chris and Erik's explosive altercation at dinner, Paige told her co-star Briana Miles, "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 and remained concerned about Paige's well-being.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! The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Press Release March 3, 2021 De Lima asks court to dismiss contempt case vs her, lawyer Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima and her legal counsel Atty. Boni Tacardon have asked the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court, Branch 205 to dismiss the contempt case filed against them by the Prosecution over their statements about testimonies of witnesses in one of her trumped-up drug cases. In their Comments filed separately last March 1, De Lima and Tacardon said the court should "outrightly dismiss their [Prosecution] petition" because their statements did not present any clear and present danger, or imminent threat to the administration of justice. "In the words of the Prosecution themselves, what they only fear is that the said 'statements' will 'pursuade, influence, intimidate, incite perception and sentiments of their colleagues and other government officials, including the trial court judges,'" Tacardon said. "Truth to tell, the Petition do not in any way point to the actual effect of 'statements' to the Honorable Court. There has been no proof presented that Honorable Judge [Liezel] Aquiatan has been influenced, particularly in favor of respondent in her criminal case owing to the alleged 'statements,'" Tacardon added. De Lima said the Omnibus Orders issued by Aquiatan on Feb. 17 are best proof that there was never any clear and present danger, or imminent threat to the administration of justice occasioned by her comments. "A plain reading of both Omnibus Orders issued by the trial court in Crim. Case Nos. 17-165 and 17-166 [c]learly show that the trial court labored under no undue pressure arising from any purported tendency of Respondent's statements to influence, intimidate, impede, embarrass or obstruct the trial court's administration of justice," she said. Aquiatan granted De Lima's Demurrer to Evidence in Case Number 17-166, but denied the same in Case Number 17-165. Last December 2020, the prosecutors led by Provincial Prosecutor Ramoncito Ocampo asked the court to cite De Lima and Tacardon in contempt, purporting that Tacardon's statements before the media are an "affront to the lawful proceedings" of the court. It may be recalled the said statements merely shared how a financial investigator from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and a Digital Forensic Examiner from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) have reaffirmed under oath that De Lima was not involved in any suspicious transaction that would link her in the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP). "At any rate, contrary to Petitioner's claim that Respondent intentionally and maliciously misinformed the public, the transcript of stenographic notes show that 'statements' attributed to the latter were factual and are consistent with what transpired during the hearings," Tacardon said. De Lima stressed that her lawyers' out-of-court statements are an essential exercise of her constitutional right to a public trial considering the severe restrictions on public access to her hearings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "Per the standards laid down in jurisprudence, the out-of-court statements of respondents consisting of a fair and accurate report of the proceedings in herein respondent's PUBLIC TRIAL in a criminal case are allowed, not only by virtue of the guarantee of free expression and free publication, but more importantly, by virtue herein respondent's constitutionally guaranteed right to a public trial, which not even the courts can deprive her of," De Lima's Comment read. To fully exercise her constitutional right to a public trial, De Lima said she has "directed her lawyers to brief the media after every hearing on the important developments in the case, especially with regard to the testimonies of the witness presented against her by the government." Likewise, De Lima pointed out that the rule on sub judice - where a particular case is under trial or being considered by a judge or court - is subject to the constitutional guarantees of free speech and free press. "The sub judice rule puts limits on what may be considered as fair reporting of an ongoing court case of public interest," she said. "It is not intended to gag public interest in or public comment on a public trial, more specifically a criminal trial or a case involving public interest. These kinds of court proceedings are a public event, and what occurs in the courtroom is public property," she added. Tacardon said he finds it "specious" for the Prosecution to call for a violation of sub judice, when they themselves have spoken before the media in relation to the criminal cases of the former justice secretary. De Lima, for her part, said she believes that the Prosecution filed a contempt case against her and her lawyer in an aim to achieve a "monopoly" on out-of-court statements, comment, and legal opinions. "Out-of-court statements are not prohibited per se under the sub judice rule, they are merely regulated in relation to contumacious conduct prohibited under the Rules of Court," she said. "Otherwise, the prosecution itself should have been barred a long time ago from issuing press statements on [my] trial," she added. [March 03, 2021] Wipro Joins World Economic Forum Initiative to Advance Racial Justice and Social Equality Wipro (News - Alert) Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, today announced that it has joined the 'Partnering for Racial Justice in Business initiative' launched by the World Economic Forum to promote a culture of diversity, inclusion, equity and justice for people of all racial backgrounds in the workplace. The initiative is aimed towards driving action and accountability for companies to confront racism at a systemic level, set new global standards for racial justice in business and accomplish necessary policy changes for inclusion and advancement of professionals with under-represented racial and ethnic identities. Thierry Delaporte, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Wipro Limited said, "As a global brand that influences millions of lives across the world, it is our responsibility to accelerate every attempt towards equity and justice. Wipro is glad to join this important initiative. We will do everything we can to help us all rise up and, together, strive for racial justice. Wipro seeks to access as many different resources as possible, to learn from them, and introduce inclusive practices into our hiring, retention and employee growth approach. Without a doubt, we must be inclusive in our hiring process, create new platforms to engage with employees and alleviate existing racial tensions, encourage racial empathy, and cultivate a fully inclusive and welcoming workplace. We want to ensure legal protection to end discrimination. By joining the Forum's Partnering for Racial Justice in Business initiative, we hope to cross-pollinate ideas with fellow industry leaders who are philosophically aligned with this belief, and accordingly help develop a set of industry standards and best practices." "With just 1% of Fortune 500 cmpanies led by Black chief executives, the need to tackle racial under-representation in business is urgent and obvious. To design racially and ethnically just workplaces, companies must confront racism at a systemic level, addressing not just the structural and social mechanics of their own organizations, but also the role they play in their communities and the economy at large. The Partnering for Racial Justice in Business initiative provides an effective platform for businesses to take individual and collective action towards racially and ethnically just workplaces," said Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director at the World Economic Forum. About Wipro Limited Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO) is a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company. We harness the power of cognitive computing, hyper-automation, robotics, cloud, analytics and emerging technologies to help our clients adapt to the digital world and make them successful. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship, we have over 180,000 dedicated employees serving clients across six continents. Together, we discover ideas and connect the dots to build a better and a bold new future. Forward-looking and Cautionary Statements The forward-looking statements contained herein represent Wipro's beliefs regarding future events, many of which are by their nature, inherently uncertain and outside Wipro's control. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Wipro's growth prospects, its future financial operating results, and its plans, expectations and intentions. Wipro cautions readers that the forward-looking statements contained herein are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results anticipated by such statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, complete proposed corporate actions, intense competition in IT services, our ability to maintain our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which we make strategic investments, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry. The conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic could decrease technology spending, adversely affect demand for our products, affect the rate of customer spending and could adversely affect our customers' ability or willingness to purchase our offerings, delay prospective customers' purchasing decisions, adversely impact our ability to provide on-site consulting services and our inability to deliver our customers or delay the provisioning of our offerings, all of which could adversely affect our future sales, operating results and overall financial performance. Our operations may also be negatively affected by a range of external factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic that are not within our control. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, Annual Reports on Form 20-F. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210302006233/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Belinda Vickers is getting candid about her traumatic childhood. The Married At First Sight bride, 29, spoke about being relentlessly bullied at 'an elite private school in Melbourne' from Year 7 onward in an interview with Who. 'I cant believe I survived it,' the reality star told the magazine. Dark past: Belinda Vickers is getting candid about her traumatic childhood. Seen here during her wedding on Sunday's episode Vickers said her classmates picked her out as the 'weakling' of their year and taunted her for her 'frizzy hair, pale skin' and flat chest. The door-to-door saleswoman said that even though she only stayed at the school for 18 months, the taunts continued long after she left. Even after switching schools, Belinda became the target of cyber bullies from her old school. Moving on: Belinda (right) said her bullying classmates picked her out as the 'weakling' of their year and taunted her for her 'frizzy hair, pale skin' and flat chest. Seen here with a friend - not one of her bullies - in 2014 Belinda also revealed that, at the age of 18, her bullies saw her at a nightclub and 'confronted' her in the bathrooms. 'I pretended they had the wrong person. It was awful,' she admitted. The MAFS star said that while she believed the terrible experience gave her a thicker skin, it may be 'part of the reason' she's never been in a relationship. 'Im scared to get hurt maybe?' she speculated. Damaged: The MAFS star disclosed that while she believed the terrible experience gave her a thicker skin, it may be 'part of the reason' she's never been in a relationship. Seen here with 'husband' Patrick Dwyer Wedding dance: Belinda married Patrick Dwyer during Sunday's episode of the Channel Nine social experiment Belinda married Patrick Dwyer during Sunday's episode of Married At First Sight. But viewers spotted a major editing fail on the Channel Nine social experiment, throwing into doubt exactly when they were matched. According to The Wash's Instagram account, the pictures the experts used to match couples appeared to have been taken at the first dinner party. Posting to Instagram, the account shared an image of the experts pairing couples before the weddings, with a close-up of Belinda Vickers in a purple dress. Oops: Married At First Sight viewers have spotted a major editing fail on the Channel Nine dating experiment, according to The Wash's Instagram account 'Here's the experts matching the couples before their weddings...' The Wash captioned the image. In a second slide, they compared the image to another picture of Belinda and Patrick at the first dinner party. It was captioned: '...using pics of the cast that were taken at the first diner party.' In both images, Belinda sported the same purple dress, implying the couples had already been paired before the experts were filmed 'matching them'. The post also pointed out that the same photos were used 'in this week's rating task'. Awkward: The pictures the experts used to match couples appeared to have been taken at the first dinner party There they are again: The Wash pointed out that the same photos were also used 'in this week's rating task' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Nine for comment. Belinda and Patrick, a personal trainer, immediately hit it off after meeting at the altar. Upon seeing Belinda for the first time, Patrick called out: 'Holy moly guacamole!' Will they last? Belinda was married to Patrick Dwyer on Sunday night's episode of MAFS Speaking to producers, he admitted he was immediately attracted to his bride. 'If I'm being absolutely honest, I think she's one of the most beautiful girls I've seen, to be honest. I can see she's very kind, genuine, very warm, and has a great heart.' Married At First Sight continues Sunday at 7pm on Nine For the time being, the fall in rent prices has stopped, but at the same time, most students in higher education are still studying digitally, so it is not yet known whether this year's changes are lasting or whether the decline in rents has only temporarily stopped, writes origo.hu. According to the latest data from ingatlan.com, the rent of flats and houses in Budapest decreased by 20% year-on-year to HUF 130,000, but there was no change compared to January. Looking at the rental market offer outside Budapest, it seems that there are some county seats, such as Szombathely (215 km southwest of Budapest) and Kecskemet (90 km southeast), where rents have increased compared to January. Netflix Guillermo Del Toros 2013 hit Pacific Rim was a case of two entertaining things that went well togethernamely, enormous Godzilla-style monsters and equally gargantuan robot anime mechas. It was a hybrid concept predicated on scale, with titanic armored warriors dubbed Jaegers doing thunderous weaponized and hand-to-hand combat with creatures known as Kaiju whod appeared on Earth through interdimensional Pacific Ocean portals. Operated by two pilots (via a mind-meld process called The Drift), the Jaegers were striking humanoid machines inspired by those found in Gundam, Neon Genesis Evangelion and Macross (not to mention Robotech and Voltron), while their Kaiju adversaries resembled distant cousins of Japans most famous radioactive beast, as well as his various land-sea-air adversaries. In every respect, Pacific Rim was all about size. Its thus somewhat surprising to find that, following a deflating theatrical sequel (2018s insubstantial John Boyega-headlined Pacific Rim: Uprising), the franchise has now moved to the small screen, courtesy of Pacific Rim: The Black, a seven-episode animated affair premiering on Netflix on March 4. The loss of sheer enormity, however, is made up for by the fact that Greg Johnson and Craig Kyles show returns Pacific Rim to its anime roots, replete with stellar animation from Polygon Pictures that melds throwback style with computer-assisted 3-D effects. Pacific Rim: The Black feels like both a novel and natural evolution of the series, even if it is missing some of the monumental crunch and snarl of Del Toros live-action (if massively CGI-enhanced) original. Murder Among the Mormons Exposes a Bomber and Master Forgers Plot to Destroy Mormonism News soundbites playing over the premieres credit sequence succinctly set the context for Pacific Rim: The Black. With Kaijus now running rampant across the region, Australia has found itself incapable of fending off the invaders, its legion of Jaegers no match for their alien opponents. Consequently, the government has ordered that the continent be evacuateda surrender that plays out in real time during the episodes initial action, which finds one Jaeger falling victim to a Kaiju, and another one, piloted by husband and wife Ford (Jason Spisak) and Brina (Alexandra MacDonald), defeating a collection of tentacled monsters, the last of which is felled when the heroes physically jam a missile down its throat. In winning this skirmish, Ford and Brina save a truck filled with evacuees, including their young children Taylor (Cole Keriazakos) and Hayley (Camryn Jones). Knowing that Australia is lost, and that they cant make it to Sydney, Ford and Brina leave their kids and everyone else in the hidden desert enclave Shadow Basin, promising to return with help. Story continues Five years later, that help hasnt materialized, nor have Ford and Brina, and the now-grown Taylor (Calum Worthy) and Hayley (Gideon Adlon) run the commune themselves. Hayley wants to look for their parents, but gruff Taylorwho as an adolescent trained to be a Jaeger pilotis convinced that theyre dead and thinks its best to lay low. Maintaining the status quo, however, becomes impossible when Hayley falls through a hole in the ground and discovers Shadow Basins abandoned Pan-Pacific Defense Corps (PPDC) facility and, more importantly, an abandoned Jaeger named Atlas Destroyer. Better still, Atlas Destroyer is functional (if lacking any weapons, since its a training model), and boasts an AI named Loa (Erica Lindbeck), which means Taylor and Hayley can finally do something about their predicament. Or, at least, so they think, since as soon as Atlas Destroyer goes online, a Kaiju arrives. Though they survive this encounter, its not without its cost, putting Taylor and Hayley in a desperate situation. Shortly thereafter, Taylor and Hayley set out across The Black (i.e. the abandoned, decimated stretch of Australia). As one might expect from such a serialized affair, their quest is immediately complicated by a variety of factors, beginning with Atlas Destroyer collapsing on its face due to a lack of power. The siblings search for a new power cell puts them into perilous contact with a pair of rabid four-legged fiends that resemble a cross between a Doberman and a velociraptor, and leads to the discovery of a mysterious mute boy whom Hayley finds in a vat of green liquid in a PPDC recruitment center. They also stumble upon a crew of heavily-armed strangers collecting the eggs of an aquatic Kaiju (think a crocodile mixed with a Komodo dragon). Theyre members of a nomadic community run by the mysterious Shane (Andrew McPhee), whos trading those eggs for valuable goods with another shadowy wheeler-dealer. This is all pretty standard-issue adventure material, as is Taylors lingering anger issues and Hayleys guilt over their current circumstances, and Pacific Rim: The Black handles its rock-em-sock-'em carnage and anguished drama with energetic efficiency. With each of its installments running under 30 minutes, the show moves at a suitably swift speed, delivering contextual details and character development through the propulsive action at hand. Its American voice actors ably lend these characters their personality, aided by animation cast in a traditional anime mold, its protagonists blessed with big glowing eyes, pointy chins and hairstyles, and lithe bodies, and its Jaegers and Kaiju designed to recall their spiritual ancestors. Moreover, it visualizes the Drift succinctly and evocatively, with Taylor and Hayley floating through a liquid-y void in which their memories float around them in tiny bubblesif, that is, they dont become completely lost in warped remembrances of their past. Whats missing from Pacific Rim: The Black is the awe-inspiring larger-than-life hyperrealism of Guillermo Del Toros 2013 film, which was energized by the fact that it was bringing such typically two-dimensional sights to real life. Rendering Jaegers and Kaiju via animation is, given their TV origins, fitting, and yet its also a bit less exciting. Without the chest-rattling boom of every seismic Jaeger footstep, or deafening din of a Kaiju shriek, the series packs less of a wallop. That said, the upside to this endeavor is over-the-top action that even Del Toros CGI magicians couldnt quite pull offa trade-off that makes Johnson and Kyles series maybe not a grand success, but certainly a worthwhile addition to the franchise. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. The OPEC+ group is considering keeping their collective oil production cuts in April, given the still-fragile global demand recovery, three OPEC+ sources told Reuters on Wednesday. OPEC and its non-OPEC allies led by Russia are keeping around 7 million barrels per day (bpd) off the market to help the market rebalance and prop up prices after the pandemic shock to demand. OPECs top producer and the worlds top exporter, Saudi Arabia, is also additionally cutting 1 million bpd in February and March on top of its quota. The market has been expecting some sort of production increase from the OPEC+ alliance in April, especially in light of the recent oil price rally. According to Reuters sources, however, some key members of OPEC have proposed keeping the current level of OPEC+ cuts intact in April, while it is not immediately clear if Saudi Arabia would reverse its extra 1 million bpd cut from April. Following the Reuters report that OPEC+ may not increase production from April after all, contrary to most expectations, oil prices rallied by 2 percent as of 7:20 a.m. ET early on Wednesday. At the Joint Technical Committee (JTC) meeting on Tuesday, OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo said that the global economic outlook and oil market prospects showed signs of continued improvement. Still, given continued uncertainties, Barkindo emphasized the need for cautious optimism. Related: Oil Prices Rally As U.S. House Passes Stimulus Package The OPEC+ ministers are holding a virtual meeting on Thursday to decide how to proceed with the cuts. OPEC+ experts said in a document on Tuesday seen by Reuters that the recent rally was more the result of financial investors and speculators instead of significantly improved oil market fundamentals. Heading into the meeting, it looks like the leaders of OPEC+, Saudi Arabia and Russia, are again at odds over who will be cutting how much, with Moscow reportedly pushing for an aggressive easing. Riyadh, via its Energy Minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, has recently warned oil producers to remain extremely cautious and not be complacent. Those who are trying to predict the next move of OPEC+, to those I say, dont try to predict the unpredictable, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said two weeks ago. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company, the sovereign wealth fund of the kingdom, has announced that it is exploring opportunities for investment and other potential joint venture development projects with Israel in several key sectors. The Mumtalakat announcement comes following a virtual meeting yesterday (March 02) which was attended by its CEO Khalid Al Rumaihi and Professor Avi Simhon, the Head of Israel's National Economic Council and the Economic Advisor to the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, along with Lior Farber, Deputy Director General of Israel's Prime Minister's Office for Internal Affairs and Development. The two sides discussed opportunities for investment and further collaboration, said the statement from the Bahrain wealth fund. During the e-meeting, various sector opportunities and potential joint projects were discussed that could present future growth and development prospects for both nations, it added.-TradeArabia News Service On March 3, nations celebrate World Wildlife Day to commemorate the signature of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) that seeks to protect the worlds wild animals and plants. This year, the theme for the special day was Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet. While this day highlights the central role of forests, forest species, and our ecosystem which is integral in sustaining the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people, let's take a look at the critically endangered forest species that have been on UNs red list with the highest risk of extinction. Below are some of the animals which are subjected to life-threatening human-enabled practices such as illegal poaching, habitat destruction, and the effects of climate change, due to which their overall population has drastically reduced pushing them to the brink of extinction. 1. Saharan bovid speciesc Declined over 80 percent in its population over the past three-generation, approximately 21 years, this species of white antelope and the screw horn antelope has reached just a few 300 located in the Tin Toumma region of Niger. Subjected to threats of hunting and habitat loss, the Addax, which inhabits the deserts of Northern Africa throughout most of the Sahara is reaching near extinction largely due to illegal hunting for its striking long spiral horn. Its coat reflects the lightest-colored texture in summer and smoky gray in winter and is known for endurance over speed which makes the species prone to attacks by hunters. While other antelopes of North Africagazelles and the related scimitar-horned oryx are still found in abundance, slender-horned Addaxs sightings are by far a few and have been put on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) in 2020. 2. Amur Leopard The critically endangered Amur leopards are found just about more than 84 in number in the savannas of Africa. Some in the Russian Far East have adapted to temperate forests that make up the northern-most part of the species range. These incredibly fast species that can run 37 miles per hour are similar to other leopards but are rare due to their gigantic size, 19 feet horizontally and 10 feet vertically. With a life span of 10-15 years, the Amur leopard also known as the Far East leopard, the Manchurian leopard, or the Korean leopard is critically endangered. [Credit: Twitter/@rosemallows__] Read: WHO Team Visits Animal Disease Center In Wuhan, China Read: Hong Kong Animal Protection Groups Focusing On Wild Cattle Ahead Of Ox Year 3. Black Rhino Black rhinos, the smallest of the two popular African rhino species due to their hooked upper lip are the endangered species found in Africa. Their population has reduced to a sobering 98 percent to less than 2,500 and the animal has been pushed to the brink of extinction. These rhinos are subjected to poaching and black-market trafficking for their unique two horns, and occasionally a third, small posterior horn. Their recovery has been extremely difficult but the persistent conservation efforts has doubled their population from historic low approximately 20 years ago to at least 5,600 today. After a day of exploring, orphaned black rhino Apollo beds down in his custom-built stable. Freshly-cut greens adorn the walls so he never goes hungry during the night. Your support provides Keeper care, milk and a protective environment for him #thankyou pic.twitter.com/QrWUS57lFs Sheldrick Wildlife (@SheldrickTrust) February 27, 2021 4. Cross River Gorilla This subspecies of the western gorilla, which is very similar in appearance to the western lowland gorilla, has been pushed to extinction due to the human encroachment on the gorillas territoryclearing forests for timber and creating fields for agriculture and livestock. "Poaching occurs in the forests as well, and the loss of even a few of these gorillas has a detrimental effect on such a small population, UNs wildlife organization revealed in a statement. WWF and partners are working with the governments of Cameroon and Nigeria to conserve the population and create Cross River gorilla protected habitats. [Credit: UN/WWF] 5. Asian Elephant The largest land mammal on the Asian continent, the Asian elephant is found in groups of six to seven related females that are led by the oldest female in dry to wet forest and grassland habitats. These endangered species have habitats across South and Southeast Asia. While the elephants survive on forage plants for food, the encroachment in their area has reduced the food options and two-thirds of an elephant's day may be feeding on grasses. With a population decline of more than 50 percent, the Asian elephant has been listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. These animals are often hunted for tusks and are routinely subjected to habitat degradation, fragmentation, and poaching. [Credit: UN/WWF] Read: Scientists Successfully Clone First US Endangered Animal; Named It Elizabeth Ann Read: French Lawmakers Debate Animal Welfare Bill That Bans Circus Animals Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Vazgen Manukian made the statement in a speech delivered at a rally held by the Homeland Salvation Movement, an alliance of more than a dozen opposition parties, on February 20. At any moment -- it could be today, one week later or ten days later -- we must be ready for revolting and taking power at lightning speed, said Manukian. He described that as Plan B of the opposition campaign for Pashinians resignation involving peaceful protests. We will follow Plan A but must always be ready for Plan B, said the 75-year-old politician whom the opposition alliance wants to head an interim government to be formed after Pashinians resignation. Prosecutors said last week that the authorities have launched a criminal investigation into public calls for a violent overthrow of the government. A senior member of the Homeland Salvation Movement said on Wednesday that Armenia Investigative Committee has formally leveled such charges against Manukian. He condemned the move as politically motivated. The Investigative Committee did not immediately confirm the information. Manukian, who had served as Armenias prime minister and defense minister in the early 1990s, first floated the idea of an uprising when he met with opposition supporters in late January. His calls have not been officially endorsed by the opposition bloc. About 300 refugees from a Christian minority community from Myanmar on Wednesday held a protest in New Delhi against last month's military takeover in their country and demanded the immediate release of detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The demonstration by members of the ethnic Chin minority was held at Jantar Mantar, the Indian capital's main area for protests close to Parliament. The protesters held placards with slogans including "restore democracy in Burma" and "no more killing in Myanmar" as they burned a coffin with photographs of Myanmar's coup leaders and Chinese President Xi Jinping, accusing him of supporting the military rulers. They also stomped their feet on the Chinese national flag. During the demonstration, the protesters also called on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to pressure Myanmar's military rulers to restore democracy in the country. Like the Rohingya, the Chin also are a persecuted minority group in Myanmar, living in Myanmar, Bangladesh and India. The coup reversed years of slow progress toward democracy in Myanmar after five decades of military rule. It came the day a newly elected Parliament was supposed to take office. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party would have been installed for a second five-year term, but instead she was detained along with President Win Myint and other senior officials. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Together, Cottonelle and BLKHLTH will work to address stigmas and reduce barriers associated with screening for colorectal cancer by providing health educational resources and free at-home colorectal cancer screening tests [3] available at Cottonelle.com/GoodDownThere , while supplies last. [4] "Due to systemic racism, Black people have reduced access to health-protective resources like livable-wage jobs, healthy foods, affordable health insurance and quality medical treatment - that could impact the prevention, detection and treatment of health conditions like colorectal cancer," said Matthew McCurdy, Co-Founder and President of BLKHLTH. "Cottonelle approached us wanting to address these issues and we are excited to partner with them to further our mission and address the health disparities that Black people face, starting with colorectal cancer, that have a big impact on our community. Together, we'll spread awareness, provide resources like screening, education, and financial support, and encourage our community to take preventative action." To reduce the financial burden of some patients, Cottonelle and BLKHLTH have partnered with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance to provide financial assistance to Black patients in need of follow-up care. Learn more about the Cottonelle and BLKHLTH sponsored financial assistance fund at Cottonelle.com/GoodDownThere. Additionally, BLKHLTH will engage ambassador organizations in five key markets including Detroit, Houston, Oakland, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. to help amplify the messages around the risks for colorectal cancer within the Black community and aid in the distribution of the complimentary screening kits in those communities. Joining the mission is simple, with several ways to get involved: Commit to having conversations about colorectal cancer and the importance of getting screened by tagging your family and friends on social media using hashtag #GoodDownThere and challenging them to get screened Visit Cottonelle.com/GoodDownThere to understand the warning signs of colorectal cancer and complete the online form to request a complimentary screening test (while supplies last) [5] Find a care provider or learn more about the financial assistance fund in partnership with the Colon Cancer Alliance by calling the helpline at (877) 422-2030 Join Cottonelle and BLKHLTH in the "Let's Go There" round table discussion on March 18 at 3:30 p.m. PT / 6:30 p.m. ET on Facebook or YouTube to learn more about the risks, signs to look for and what you can do to challenge your friends and family to complete a screening "As a brand dedicated to downtherecare, being able to provide more access to care and education that will help save lives is an important initiative for us," said Arist Mastorides, Kimberly-Clark North America Family Care President. "Cottonelle is proud to partner with BLKHLTH to help raise awareness around colorectal cancer and shine a light on this typically taboo topic." A recent survey[6] found that one in five Black adults would not be comfortable discussing colorectal cancer with anyone, including a medical professional. To help encourage these important downtherecare conversations, Cottonelle has partnered with actor and comedian, Deon Cole, who has a close friend currently battling colorectal cancer. Deon will moderate a virtual round table discussion alongside McCurdy of BLKHLTH and leading gastroenterologist and health equity researcher at UCLA, Dr. Fola May. "Let's Go There" will be broadcast live Thursday, March 18 at 3:30 p.m. PT/ 6:30 p.m. ET on the Cottonelle Facebook and YouTube pages. "Obviously, I like to use comedy as a way to lighten the mood on serious topics, and we're gonna go there," said comedian Cole about the virtual round table discussion. "We've got a serious problem with thousands of Black people not having access to screening tests and health resources, so we're going to get comfortable by talking about being uncomfortable and help get at-home colorectal cancer screening tests in the hands of thousands of Black Americans so we can help save lives." To learn more about the Cottonelle and BLKHLTH partnership, please visit Cottonelle.com/GoodDownThere. About Kimberly-Clark Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) and its trusted brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Fueled by ingenuity, creativity, and an understanding of people's most essential needs, we create products that help individuals experience more of what's important to them. Our portfolio of brands, including Huggies, Kleenex, Scott, Kotex, Cottonelle, Poise, Depend, Andrex, Pull-Ups, GoodNites, Intimus, Neve, Plenitud, Viva and WypAll, hold the No. 1 or No. 2 share position in 80 countries. We use sustainable practices that support a healthy planet, build stronger communities and ensure our business thrives for decades to come. To keep up with the latest news and to learn more about the company's 148-year history of innovation, visit Kimberly-Clark.com . About BLKHLTH BLKHLTH is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to critically engage and challenge racism and its impact on Black health. This is done through workshops and trainings, practice-based consulting, community health events, and digital media. Its vision is a world where racism and other intersecting forms of oppression do not determine a person's ability to achieve optimal health. Learn more about BLKHLTH at BLKHLTH.com or follow the conversation on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. [KMB-B] [1] The Colorectal Cancer Alliance and American Cancer Society [2] https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/colorectal-cancer-facts-and-figures/colorectal-cancer-facts-and-figures-2020-2022.pdf [3] Kimberly-Clark Corporation and BLKHLTH Inc are not liable for any results or outcomes of the Second Generation FIT screening test included within this kit and make no warranties nor express or implied representations whatsoever regarding the accuracy of the test. Providing of the test does not constitute medical advice nor is it intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. With any medical test it is possible to receive false negatives or false positives so always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified medical provider with any question you may have regarding a medical condition. Use of the Second Generation FIT screening test is solely at your own risk. [4] 5,000 at-home Second Generation FIT colorectal cancer screening tests available, while supplies last [5] Kimberly-Clark Corporation and BLKHLTH Inc are not liable for any results or outcomes of the Second Generation FIT screening test included within this kit and make no warranties nor express or implied representations whatsoever regarding the accuracy of the test. Providing of the test does not constitute medical advice nor is it intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. With any medical test it is possible to receive false negatives or false positives so always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified medical provider with any question you may have regarding a medical condition. Use of the Second Generation FIT screening test is solely at your own risk. [6] Online survey of 503 Black adults conducted by YouGov on behalf of Cottonelle. Fieldwork was undertaken between February 19-24, 2021. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all U.S. Black adults (aged 18+). The margin of error is +/- 4.4% SOURCE Kimberly-Clark In a new study, scientists have found that by projecting two different types of fire weather conditions, an additional half-degree of warming could drastically increase the likelihood and significance of blazes worldwide. Credit: Pexels The landmark 2015 Paris Agreement resulted in multiple studies examining the impact of global temperature increases, but these rarely investigate the effect of warming on "fire weather" conditions. Now, in a new study, scientists have found that by projecting two different types of fire weather conditions, an additional half-degree of warming could drastically increase the likelihood and significance of blazes worldwide. Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change agreed to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 2.0C and, ideally, to 1.5C, over preindustrial levels. However, even before that treaty was signed, scientists had already warned that those "best case" targets were unlikely to be achievable. Consequently, many fire weather studies are built with models that simulate much higher levels of climate warming. Recently, researchers from South Korea, Japan, and the United States have found that by projecting the fire weather conditions under two mildly varying warming levelsone in which the global climate warms by 1.5C and the other by 2Ceven just a half-degree of warming could significantly increase the likelihood and significance of wildfires! "When it comes to the conditions that make wildfires more likely, a little bit of warming goes a long way," explained lead author Rackhun Son, Ph.D. candidate at Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Korea, "but, of course, this is troubling, because it is quite unlikely that we will only be experiencing a little bit of warming." "Although it is reasonable to look at fire weather under more extreme circumstances, there is little sense in making goals without a good understanding of what might happen if you were to reach those goals," said co-author Seung-Hee Kim of Chapman University, "so, we asked 'what would happen if we did reach these goals? Would the fire weather conditions not become as severe?'" That answer is complex, but this study's key finding is that just a half a degree of additional warming would likely create a notably greater danger of fire on the most widely inhabited continents, with dangers particularly concentrated in the Amazon rainforest and African savanna, and around the Mediterranean. "We also provided evidence that places like Australia and Indonesia are likely to reach peak levels of fire susceptibility even before we reach that lower threshold," said co-author Simon Wang of Utah State University. The study does provide a silver lining of hope to this cloud of danger. Commenting on the implications of their findings, Dr. Wang comments, "If we were somehow able to suppress this extra half a degree of warming, we could reduce climate-driven extreme fire activities in many places, potentially saving many lives and billions of dollars." The research has been published in the journal Environmental Research Letters. Explore further Researchers model regional impacts of specific anthropogenic activities, their influence on extreme fire weather risk More information: Rackhun Son et al, Changes in fire weather climatology under 1.5 C and 2.0 C warming, Environmental Research Letters (2021). Journal information: Environmental Research Letters Rackhun Son et al, Changes in fire weather climatology under 1.5 C and 2.0 C warming,(2021). DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/abe675 Provided by GIST (Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology) Help India! Society neglects rape survivors, and those who have been to prison and juvenile homes. Its this exclusion that makes these victims and survivors indulge in criminal and unlawful activities. Suwathy V, TwoCircles.net Support TwoCircles Tamil Nadu: A young girl Nalini (name changed) used to work at a tea shop in Coimbatore in south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Too young to be working, her expressions betray a sense of loss. Behind her plight is a story. Naresh, one of the founders of Seedreaps, an educational and charitable trust based in Coimbatore, told TwoCircles.net that Nalini has faced a lot of hardship at her young age. Her dad and stepmother treated her very badly and compelled her to marry an aged-divorcee for the money he offered. But the girl badly wants to go to college, Naresh told me. The girl did not want to come across as weak or being a minority figure in societys consciousness. Thats why she wants to go to college, he said. Naresh had friends in the government and he tried to seek help for the girl. Helping the girl ignited a spark in him to help others. This made me understand the needs of others and the need to help them. I found many charitable trusts who help the poor but I wanted to do something different. Its then when I thought of focusing on people who are neglected by the larger society, says Naresh. In our part of the world, parents usually dont allow their children to play in the house where there is a rape victim or anyone that has been to prison or a juvenile home. The parents warn the children not to go nearby them. Society has the habit of presuming that the survivors of sexual assault are forever victims and blames them for the violence inflicted on them. The possibility of these survivors wanting to lead a normal life is completely overlooked by society, says Naresh. Society neglects rape survivors, and those who have been to prison and juvenile homes. Its this exclusion that makes these victims and survivors indulge in criminal and unlawful activities. Its a proven fact that many who belong to the above mentioned-category end up doing crime. Minorities in India are not just limited to caste and religion, class, or gender. Whoever is neglected by society should be considered a minority, Naresh comments. I found out that society neglects the family if the one among them is an accused or a rape victim. We neglect the person who comes out of juvenile homes. This kind of attitude has made the victims tread the path of crime and they end up becoming criminals. I wanted to make sure that these people are also treated equally and are as secured as other normal kids, he says. Naresh and his group recently rescued a young girl with the help of officials. She was raped for months by her father and his friends. She was not given food and was too weak to survive, he said. Naresh told TwoCircles.net that cases like this are frequent in the state. Most of the victims are women, he said. Talking about the case, he said the girl belonged to a well-off family. She was born in an educated family where her mother wasnt always around her as she was a working lady. Her father used it to molest her, he said, adding, This is one issue and there are many like this where violence like this occurs even in apparently rich and educated households. Naresh believes that society should not limit its scope in defining a minority, especially keeping economic background as a marker. I will say the issues of the poor come out frequently but there are other minorities as well, he said. Talking about children, Naresh says that, Children believe what parents teach them. Many even believe thats how father-daughter relationships should be like. Naresh says that there is another woman who works at a textile store and who has faced similar violence and we are trying to rescue her from the clutches of the past. In her case, her father used to buy many things like costly phones and other things for her to not say anything to her mother. He has been arrested now, but her childhood scars are still prevalent, he said. Naresh says that not all victims think positively and would be able to move on with their lives. Its very rare that if someone wants to achieve something big, says Naresh. Naresh has worked on many cases where the violation is taking place against the daughter by her father. Many of these cases remain unreported. We at Seedreaps have tried our best to understand their situation. For studies, we take them to a different city where nobody knows them or their story, he said. As per Naresh, Seedreaps tracks violence against minorities and offers them counselling. We offer them education. We try our level best to teach them what education is or try to arrange a source of income for them, he said. Giving an example of a positive story of a girl, Naresh says that one girl, who had faced similar issues, used the Seedreaps platform to pursue an MBBS degree and wants to become a gynecologist. Naresh says that they have many former government officials working with them. This helps us to move forward, This is not just my work, but a lot of people are behind this, he added. BTS Suga, also known as Agust D, has just attained another milestone as a solo artist with his May 2020 song "Daechwita." In particular, the song is doing well on the US iTunes Song Sales chart. Agust D's "Daechwita" Tops the US iTunes Song Sales Chart for the First Time In the past years, BTS Suga launched two mixtapes under the name "Agust D." His second mixtape titled "D2" was released in May last year, and it contains the title track "Daechwita." The name of the song refers to a genre of traditional music in Korea that consists of military music that is created by using wind and percussion instruments. It is generally performed while marching. On March 2, almost ten months since it was dropped on May 22, BTS Suga's "Daechwita" has climbed up to the top spot of the US iTunes Song Sales chart. Although the track placed first on the iTunes Song Sales chart in numerous countries in the past, this is the first time that the single has scored No. 1 on the chart in the United States. Agust D's "Daechwita" has now topped the iTunes chart in a total of 102 countries. On May 23 last year, the song charted at No. 1 in 50 countries. Based on various social media posts, ARMYs (BTS's fan club) have joined hands to achieve this milestone in celebration of BTS Suga's upcoming birthday, which will be on March 9. BTS Suga Attains Impressive Feat on YouTube with "Daechwita" Ranking first on the US iTunes Song Sales chart becomes the second achievement of BTS Suga with "Daechwita" this year. His first milestone is that the music video for the single has already exceeded 200 million views on YouTube. The milestone was reached shortly after 11 p.m. KST on March 1, becoming Agust D's first MV to do so. The "Daechwita" MV was dropped on May 22, 2020, at 6 p.m. KST, which means the music video took more than nine months and seven days to hit the 200-million mark on the platform. The MV for BTS Suga's "Daechwita" is a crucial one in the rapper and BTS's careers, as it has received praises from Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism for promoting the country's traditional culture overseas. Not to mention, the ministry saw a sudden great interest in traditional Korean music, particularly among international fans. Meanwhile, the rapper has two other music videos under his alias "Agust D." His self-titled music video, "Agust D," already has 118 million whiles, while the B-side track "Give it to Me" has 44 million views. BTS Suga Debut under the name "Agust D" The term "Agust D" is derived from the initials DT, which represents the idol's birthplace, Daegu Town, and "Suga" that is spelled backward. The BTS member started using that name in 2016 for his mixtape. He made his debut under the name Agust D with his first mixtape titled "Agust D" in August 2016. It consists of a total of 10 songs, including the title track that has the same name as the mixtape. For more news updates about other K-Pop news, always keep your tabs open here at Kpopstarz. Owned by Kpopstarz Written by Mhaliya Scott Kantar, the worlds leading data, insights and consulting company announces the appointment of Deepender Rana as General Manager for the Insights Division (formerly Kantar IMRB, TNS and Millward Brown) in the South Asia region. Rana succeeds Preeti Reddy who takes on the role of Chairwoman of Kantar South Asia. Most recently Rana led Kantars Insights business in Greater China. Prior to his new appointment, Rana was most recently responsible for managing Kantars Insights division in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. In this role he has driven the successful integration of Kantar Millward Brown and Kantar TNS entities into a domain led organisation and led a significant turnaround of the business with a focus on supporting Chinese brands going abroad, local giants and the tech sector. Rana also laid the foundations for future business transformation embedding the companys digital and analytics practice with the local ecosystem. Rana started his Kantar career with IMRB International in 1994 in Bangalore. In 1999 he moved to Millward Brown in Shanghai during an exciting period of expansion where he was involved in helping set up China, Taiwan, Korea and Philippines offices, subsequently heading the Greater China business for Millward Brown. Ranas specialty lies in helping clients navigate the diversity and complexity of building brands and communications in a digital world. As the Chief Client and Solutions Officer for Africa, Middle East and Asia Pacific from 2008 to 2013, Rana built and led a team of domain experts and regional client leaders which significantly enhanced business with key accounts across multiple regions. Preeti Reddy, who was recently recognised for the sixth consecutive year as one of the 50 Most Influential Women in Media, Marketing and Advertising by Impact magazine, has a 30+ year career spanning consumer marketing, research and consulting. Previously she has been CEO of Kantar's Sri Lanka business, before returning to Delhi to lead first Kantar IMRB and then Kantar in the South Asia region. Preeti is a strong proponent of technology-driven innovation in research, adoption of new, non-conscious methods of understanding consumers and applying analytic capabilities to integrated data to transform consumer understanding into business impact. Commenting on Ranas appointment, Wayne Levings, APAC Regional President for Insights Division said In Rana we have an outstanding successor to Preeti, able to build on her many significant achievements and to continue growing Kantars success in the region. As leader of the Insights business in Greater China Rana led a team that transformed our presence in that market. Celebrating Preetis achievements, Wayne added Preeti is a result-oriented leader with a strong track record for growing the Kantar business in a highly competitive environment. She is rightly recognised in the industry for building strong client relationships, nurturing and growing talent and for strategic thinking that yields a stronger bottom line. Discussing her new responsibilities as Chairwoman of Kantar South Asia, Preeti added The appointment of Rana is a wonderful step for Kantar in the region. In my new role as Chairwoman, I am committed to supporting him grow our business in the region by moving our thinking beyond our current embedded ways of operating and by exploring new opportunities. I will also specifically focus on our I&D initiatives. As many across the industry know Kantar is the market leader in South Asia with very strong market share and stature. This role will help us reinforce Kantar's position in the market and identify ways to put India on the map across the wider Kantar organisation. Deepender Rana assumes his new responsibilities as General Manager for Kantars Insights Division in South Asia region effective 1st March 2021. Donald Trumps biographer Timothy L OBrien on Tuesday compared him to the notorious American gangster Al Capone, as prosecutors were closing in on the Trump Organisations longtime chief financial officer for details about the former presidents financial dealings. "Al Capone ultimately went down because they got his accountant... and the accountant is the one who showed federal investigators how Capones organisations were cooking his books, Mr OBrien, author of TrumpNation: The Art of Being the Donald, told MSNBC News. The comments come as news reports said state prosecutors in New York, who are investigating Mr Trumps financial dealings, are sharpening their focus on Allen Weisselberg and his familys involvement in the Trump Organisation. This [Allen Weisselberg] is about the most vulnerable person you could put in the crosshairs around Donald Trump, said Mr OBrien, saying for example that prosecutors could find out why some Trump properties were allegedly valued one way for tax collectors and another way for insurers and banks. The Trump biographer explained that Mr Weisselberg, 73, is the same age as Mr Trump and he was also the accountant of Fred Trump, the former presidents father. He came into the Trump organisation in the seventies He graduated to becoming Donalds CFO. There was no deal that went through the Trump organisation of significance that Allen Weisselberg didnt look at. There was no financing arrangement he didnt give his blessing to, Mr OBrien said. Investigations into the former presidents financial dealings started in 2018 when authorities started looking into hush-money payments to two women who claimed they had had affairs with Mr Trump. The former president has denied having relationships with the women. But the scope of the investigations has expanded since. Mr OBrien explained that what is happening now is the classic prosecutorial strategy where the authorities are doing more than merely looking at Mr Weisselberg and said he might flip as a result. And if Allen Weisselberg flips you are going to see a number of dominos very quickly tip over inside the Trump organisation and it is going to present a lot of legal peril to Donald Trump around issues like tax fraud, accounting fraud and falsification of business records and some of these other issues that we know the Manhattan attorney is looking at, he said. Last week, prosecutors in New York got a major boost when the Supreme Court refused to prevent them from obtaining tax records the former president has fought for years to keep secret. Worcesters Becker College is facing a precarious enough financial situation that officials at the Department of Higher Education believe the school is unlikely to sustain full operations through the next academic year and have engaged in contingency planning in case of a closure. A Tuesday statement from the department and the New England Commission of Higher Education attributed Beckers financial uncertainty largely to the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis and said the colleges trustees have been meeting regularly to explore all reasonable options and determine how best they can leverage all available resources to help support a plan that prioritizes the best interests of students, faculty, and staff. As stewards of Becker College, the Board of Trustees has been working toexamine a number of challenges facing higher education, including the decline ofcollege-age students, the increased cost of providing a high-quality education and, most recently, the Covid-19 pandemic, Becker Board of Trustees chair Christine Cassidy said in a statement. We have been undergoing a thoughtful process of evaluating the impact of these forces on our College and considering every option. Becker College charges a full-time annual tuition of $37,850 for the 2021-2022 school year, with about 1,700 enrolled students, according to information on its website. The higher education department said its working with the college to develop contingency plans that will ensure students will have opportunities to transfer to other institutions of higher education with minimal disruption to their education if Becker does not sustain its operations at or near current levels next school year. A law Gov. Charlie Baker signed in 2019 requires colleges and universities in Massachusetts to immediately notify higher education officials of any financial situation thats likely to result in their closure or an inability to fulfill obligations to current or admitted students. Schools facing a closure risk need to submit a contingency plan, including measures for providing advance notice to students and staff. The update around Becker Colleges finances marks the second time the department and NECHE have published a notice on a schools financial conditions and risk of potential closure. The two agencies released a joint statement on April 6, 2020 advising that Pine Manor College in Chestnut Hill could not confirm that it can sustain full operations at the current levels beyond the current academic year. The following month, Pine Manor and Boston College announced a deal under which BC would assume responsibility for the smaller school, its assets and liabilities, and Pine Manor students would be able to remain there in a teach-out agreement for up to two years. The states college-closure law came about after the abrupt shuttering of Mount Ida College in 2018 blindsided students and faculty who were left scrambling for opportunities to continue their studies or careers. UMass Amherst purchased the Mount Ida campus in Newton. Responding to the Becker College news, University of Massachusetts President Marty Meehan said that higher education as a whole faces an unprecedented period of disruption caused by a decline in the number of high school graduates and accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and that the UMass system stands ready to work with other colleges and universities and the Board of Higher Education to make sure students have opportunities to complete their educations in as seamless a manner as possible. As the states land grant public research university, creating access and opportunity for students is a central part of our mission, Meehan said in a statement. About 20 percent of our graduates begin their UMass education as transfer students. UMass has experience and expertise in helping displaced students and we are proud of our record supporting students in these situations. Nestled in the foothills of Haitis northern mountain range, the free elementary school in Milot has no running water, no electricity, and no roof over the makeshift classrooms that extend beyond the old, three-room house. When it rains, children sit in puddles. Yet despite the absence of such basics, the roughly 150 students now have improved health, an invaluable resource which the historic community of about 10,000 owes in large part to a project implemented by University of Miami senior Diane Stephen. Diane Stephen developed Operation Lakay from her Broward County home. Six months after Stephen, a public health and health sciences major at the School of Nursing and Health Studies, introduced monitoring, handwashing, and other measures aimed at curtailing communicable diseases at Ecole Marie Claire Heureuse de Milot, the incidents of scabies, pink eye, lice, diarrhea, ringworm, and viral infections that were common at the schooland too often brought homehave all but disappeared. Dianes work left a huge and lasting impact, said Jennifer Charles, a physicians assistant who, with the help of Jude Dhaiti, a longtime data analyst with the School of Nursing and Health Studies, founded the nonprofit HER for Humanity to save the school from closing. Almost any day, we would have five kids in a room with rashes, or fevers, or lesions. Now such incidents have dropped to maybe two a month. She had tremendous results. Stephen, a civic scholar with the Universitys Butler Center for Service and Leadership and Office of Civic and Community Engagement, decided to develop a school-based intervention for her required community project last March, just as the novel coronavirus pandemic put much of the world at a standstill. Forced to stay at home and continue her classes remotely, she initially proposed raising money to buy and donate masks and other infection-fighting supplies to Haiti, a place she has close ties to but only visited once. Her parents, who immigrated to Broward County as young adults, were born in or near Milot, the first capital of Haiti, and the site of some of the countrys most treasured landmarks. She named the project Operation Lakay, which means home in Creole, because she pursued it from her own house for her ancestral home, with guidance from Ashley Falcon, assistant professor of clinical, whose course in Public Health Statistics would prove essential. HER for Humanity founder Jennifer Charles visits with students at the Ecole Mari Claire Heureuse de Milot. But after discussing her idea with Charles, also the daughter of Haitian immigrants who began going on medical missions to Haiti after the catastrophic 2010 earthquake, Stephen realized Operation Lakay needed to meet the most basic tenet of public health. It needed to produce enduring change. Public health is all about preventing rather than treating disease, said Stephen, who hopes to be a physician and work for a philanthropic endeavor one day. And Jennifer made me realize that while donating supplies is nice, its a temporary fix, not a solution. She also helped me understand that while COVID is a big concern here, its not a priority in Haiti because theres so little testing for it, and there are so many other health concerns with so little access to health care. With Charles help, Stephen focused on identifying the health issues most prevalent at the pre-K through fifth grade school and developing a tracking and triage system to monitor and treat the students. No one had kept records, but the maladies werent hard to spot: pink eye, scabies, coughs, running noses, nausea, vomiting, ringworm, and lice. Stephen also raised nearly $1,000, mostly from family and members of her church, and used half to pay for thermometers, masks, hand sanitizer, soap, all-purpose cleansers, bleach, and wipes to curtail the spread of those infections. She donated the remainder to school programs. Today, teachers, staff, and students at the school ritually follow the same protocols. Everyone wears masks and frequently washes their hands with soapfrom new buckets equipped with spigots that dispense unsullied water. Teachers and staff also sanitize seats and tables before each class, and scan faces for sniffles, rashes, or other telltale signs of infections. Now all students and staff at the school routinely wash their hands. And now, anytime a student shows signs or symptoms of infection or illness, its documented with photographs in a medical incident report that is electronically shared with medical professionals affiliated with HER for Humanity and, when necessary, nearby Hopital Sacre Coeur, which has served North Haiti for decades. The whole point was not to treat every illness the same way, to keep track of who got sick, and to intervene when needed, Stephen said. And it worked. Every single month, there was a decrease in the number of people who got sick, in the cases referred to the hospital. I cant begin to describe the feeling. I was overjoyednot only that I was able to help 150 children but also the staff. For them it was eye-opening. We all could see how one little intervention in a population could affect the whole community. There was no joy the first time Charles visited the school in 2018, during her weeklong medical mission to Hopital Sacre Coeur with Nicklaus Childrens Hospital. Asked to serve as a translator, she had to convey the news that the school had lost its funding and would soon close. But after Charles returned to South Florida heartbroken, her boyfriend, Dhaiti, a key organizer of the School of Nursings mission trips to Haitis Central Plateau, began asking questions. Hes a data guy, so he wanted to know how many classrooms they have. How many children? What do the teachers get paid? What are their needs? Charles recalled. When I had the answers, he made me a spread sheet, and said, This wont cost more than $1,200 a month to run. We can do fundraisers, write grants, and keep the school going ourselves. A month later, Charles established HER (for Health, Education, and Resources) for Humanity, and invited other professional women who were similarly interested in philanthropic causes to join the board. She has little doubt that, one day, Stephen will be a board candidate, too. If so, they both have Dhaiti, and his passion for doing good at the nursing school and in his homeland, to thank. A former adviser to the Haitian student organization Planet Kreyol, Dhaiti met Stephen while judging its Mr. and Miss Planet Kreyol pageant in 2019. Until Stephen was crowned Miss Planet Kreyol, neither knew of the others affiliation with the nursing school or connection to Haiti. Soon after, Stephen sought Dhaitis help with her capstone project, but when he read her proposal, he connected her to Charles. I knew theyd be a good match, Dhaiti said. They both pretty much have the same interests, and now Diane knows the magic words. To really help a community, its all about education and sustainability. I can see how she grew and how her project evolved into a lasting solution. At least 13 people, 10 of them Mexican nationals, were killed on Tuesday when a tractor-trailer slammed into a Ford Expedition crammed with 25 adults and children in the dusty farming community of Holtville near the U.S.-Mexico border, officials said. Handmade wooden crosses stretched in a line across a patch of dry grass and dirt next to the highway, and a seat covered in what appeared to be blood lay near the SUV, as the desolate highway remained closed Tuesday afternoon. The white tractor trailer cab with yellow trim was still smashed into the wrecked side of the maroon SUV. The entire drivers side of the smaller vehicle was caved in, and the passenger side was flung wide open. Unfortunately, consular staff have confirmed the death of 10 Mexicans so far, Roberto Velasco, the foreign ministrys director for North America, said in a tweet in Spanish. Mexicans were also among the injured in the crash, he said. It was not immediately clear how fast the vehicles were going, or whether the SUV had observed a stop sign before heading into the intersection of State Route 115 and Norrish Road just outside of Holtville, about 10 miles (16.1 km) north of the border, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) said. Those killed, who included the driver of the SUV, ranged in age from 15 to 53, and minors as young as 16 were injured, said Omar Watson, chief of the highway patrols border division. He said the driver was 22 years old. Several of the occupants were ejected from the vehicle and died on the pavement; others died inside the SUV, Watson said. Most of the survivors are Spanish-speaking, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said. Despite the presence of CBP agents and Spanish translators, Watson said it was too early to know whether the SUVs occupants were migrant workers or others who might have crossed from Mexico in the overcrowded vehicle. Although it varies by trim and model year, the Ford Expedition typically is designed to hold five to eight people. California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers investigate a crash site after a collision between a Ford Expedition sport utility vehicle (SUV) and a tractor-trailer truck near Holtville, California, U.S. in an aerial photograph March 2, 2021. Photo: Reuters Watson said the CHP was working with the Mexican Consulate to determine who was in the vehicle and notify families of fatalities. The CBP spokesperson, who was not authorized to discuss the case publicly, said the agency was not in pursuit of or aware of the vehicle until the Imperial County Sheriffs Department asked for its help at the crash site. The agency does not know and is not investigating the immigration status of the people at this time. The driver of the tractor-trailer, which was earlier said to be hauling gravel but according to the CHP was not, was also hospitalized with moderate injuries, Watson said. The logo of Havens and Sons Trucking of nearby El Centro was on the side of the truck cab. A person who answered the phone at the company told Reuters it had no comment at this time. Several of the victims were taken to El Centro Regional Medical Center, the director of the hospitals emergency room, Judy Cruz, said in a news briefing posted on Facebook. Agriculture drives the economy around Holtville and El Centro. Known as the Imperial Valley, the area is a big producer of fruits, vegetables, grain and cattle despite being desert, thanks to irrigation from the Colorado River and a long growing season. Hospital officials had previously said that 27 people were in the SUV, and that 15 had died, but Watson said there were 25 passengers and 13 fatalities. Three victims were flown to other hospitals and seven others were brought to El Centro. One person died at the hospital, Cruz said. In Washington, the National Transportation Safety Board said it will investigate the crash in concert with the California Highway Patrol. The agencys investigator-in-charge was expected to arrive on Wednesday, the NTSB said. WASHINGTON No governor has publicly called for Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to step aside from his chairmanship of the National Governors Association despite bipartisan calls for his resignation from office amid simultaneous investigations one state, the other federal into sexual harassment allegations made against him and his handling of nursing home deaths in the state. The Times Union contacted the governors of all 49 other states to ask if Cuomo should remain chairman of the nonpartisan political organization, which represents the collective voice of governors. Few offered any response and none said he should leave the role. NGA Vice Chair Gov. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas on Tuesday said the investigation into sexual harassment claims against Cuomo should conclude before the organization considers revoking his leadership role. "Anytime you have allegations that are made by someone, in this case a woman, very serious allegations, they need to be given credibility," said Hutchinson, a Republican. "I am glad that there is an independent investigation ongoing and I think we should all wait for the results of that independent investigation and see where that conclusion leads everyone." On Monday, Connecticut's Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont, who has called Cuomo a friend and worked closely with him on pandemic response, said he supported the investigation into the sexual harassment allegations, but that in his view New York's governor can continue to lead the NGA. Thats going fine right now," Lamont said. I think the independent investigation will tell you a lot over the next two to three weeks. A spokeswoman for Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat who serves on NGA's executive committee, said Whitmer "believes the allegations made against Gov. Cuomo are serious and there needs to be a transparent, thorough, and independent investigation into this matter." The spokeswoman did not respond when asked if Cuomo should remain in his leadership post within the organization. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Maine Gov. Janet Mills, both Democrats, told CNBC they supported an independent investigation into the allegations against Cuomo. Murphy and Mills did not respond to the Times Union's inquiries. The NGA itself did not respond to a request for comment, nor did most of the 50 governors the Times Union contacted. Cuomo's office also declined to comment. Cuomo is expected to remain in his role as chair until the NGA's summer meeting. Each year, a new chair and vice chair are selected; the positions alternate between Democrats and Republicans. While the NGA chair may issue a few collective statements on issues where governors have bipartisan agreement, the post does not confer any particular power. Although NGA staff offer policy support and other services to governors, the association is not typically a high priority for most state leaders, especially when they're focused on significant issues at home. READ MORE: Cuomo is now the darling of Americas editorial cartoonists Cuomo made a few brief remarks at last week's NGA Winter Meeting held Friday, two days after a former aide published an online essay detailing her harassment allegations but otherwise kept a fairly low profile, according to a source with knowledge of the event. President Joe Biden addressed the governors at the virtual meeting. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was asked Tuesday whether Cuomo should retain his NGA leadership role. Thats a decision for the NGA, not a decision for the president or the White House, she said. The White House has supported the investigation into the harassment claims and said it will continue to work with New York officials on coronavirus response. The Republican Governors Association, a separate group dedicated to electing and supporting GOP officials, said leaders should call out Cuomo's behavior. The credible allegations of sexual harassment against Gov. Cuomo are reprehensible, said RGA Spokesman Will Reinert. This should not be a partisan issue, and governors on both sides of the aisle should demand Andrew Cuomo be held accountable for his disturbing actions against these women. The Democratic Governors Association did not respond to a request for comment. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who chairs DGA, told the Washington Post that she expects the group will release a statement soon. "Look, we have to take seriously all these allegations, and I'm, frankly, in that group of elected leaders that you believe the individual, you give real credibility there," Lujan Grisham said. "If you don't, we are re-victimizing brave men and women who come forward." Hutchinson noted that DGA helps choose the NGA chair when it is a Democrat. "In terms of the NGA, the chairmanship (this year) is in the Democratic governorships, and so they control who represents them," Hutchinson said. "Although it is the entire NGA, it is selected by the Democrat governors, just like I was put up as vice chair representing the Republican governors." Cuomo, 63, has been accused of sexual harassment by three women over the past week, allegations that ranged from unwanted touching and kissing to inappropriate questions to staffer many years his junior. New York Attorney General Letitia James will appoint a special deputy to investigate the claims. Cuomo apologized for his actions Wednesday and said he was embarrassed by the allegations. Times Union reporters Ed McKinley and Amanda Fries contributed to this story. [March 03, 2021] Luvera Law Firm announces $18 million settlement with Swedish Health Services and Integra Imaging on behalf of former Swedish nurse who suffered devastating stroke after radiologist missed clear warnings signs on MRI Today, Luvera Law Firm announced an $18 million settlement with Swedish Health Services and others in a medical negligence case involving a radiologist who failed to identify evidence of a brain hemorrhage in an MRI for Isabel De Jesus-Congdon, a former Swedish Health lactation nurse. Several other Swedish physicians relied on the radiologist's faulty conclusions, as De Jesus-Congdon continued to seek care until she ultimately suffered a catastrophic stroke, leaving the 61-year-old mother of two with irreparable cognitive and physical injuries. "Mrs. De Jesus-Congdon advocated for her care repeatedly over two weeks, including three visits to the emergency room, and the Swedish Health Services system failed her," said Robert Gellatly of Luvera Law Firm, the lead attorney representing the Congdon family. "Then, throughout this case, the defense tried time after time to avoid responsibility. This settlement is a huge relief for the family after a long and hard-fought battle for accountability." For several years, De Jesus-Congdon's husband, adult daughters and their attorneys fought to hold Swedish responsible for the negligence of Dr. Richard Travis Clark, an attending radiologist with a large radiology group under contract with Swedish, when De Jesus-Congdon suffered her devastating stroke. The health system pushed back, denying responsibility and, alternatively, placed blame on co-defendants Seattle Radiologists and Integra Imaging - Clark's employers. Then in spring 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the family encountered new headwinds when defense attorneys insisted on conducting depositions in person, which was not possible with pandemic-related travel and social-distancing restrictions, and would have added considerable delays to the case. Ultimately, the Luvera team won a motion allowing all-remote video depositions and preventing defense counsel from using in-person attendance as an excuse to delay the case. The motion is believed to be the first granted by King County Superior Court and has been cited by other cases to support virtual depositions. "We immediately recognized the importance for this case, and others like it, to continue to move forward in a timely manner," Gellatly said. "Not only do video depositions ensure the safety of witnesses, reporters, counsel and others, they also allow for a more efficient and cost-effective discovery process. We wanted to alleviate the burden on the Congdon family, and knew that we could prevent a delay by quickly using the technology available to us." De Jesus-Congdon's tragic ordeal began on Oct. 18, 2016, when she visited Swedish's First Hill Emergency Department complaining of a sudden and severe headache and mild nausea, according to court filigs. Following a CT scan that was reviewed by Clark and interpreted as normal, De Jesus-Congdon was released from the hospital with a diagnosis of a headache. Five days later, on Oct. 23, 2016, she returned to the emergency department with continuing complaints of a headache and vomiting. The emergency physician ordered an MRI to investigate for possible stroke. Once again, the MRI imaging was sent to attending radiologist, Clark, working next door in a remote office, who interpreted the scan as "normal." However, the MRI was not normal. According to court documents, it showed obvious subarachnoid hemorrhage, or SAH, which is a life-threatening type of stroke, usually resulting from a burst blood vessel or aneurism. The suit notes that if Clark reported an SAH, the attending physician would have immediately called in a neurosurgeon to intervene and treat De Jesus-Congdon, instead of discharging her with a diagnosis of a headache once again. "Although Dr. Clark later acknowledged that the MRI results clearly show the hemorrhage, and that he 'should have caught it,' this admission was too late for Mrs. De Jesus-Congdon and her family," said Gellatly. "She should have been prepped for brain surgery, not sent home and told to take some aspirin." De Jesus-Congdon even returned to the emergency department on Oct. 30, 2016 for a third visit. Yet again, the attending physician specifically relied upon Clark's MRI report stating there were no abnormalities, according to the suit. Just three days later, De Jesus-Congdon collapsed in her home and was rushed to Harborview Medical Center, where testing revealed she suffered a massive stoke. "It's devastating to know that if the radiologist had just identified the clear signs of stroke, Isabel could have undergone a routine procedure that would have likely allowed her to recover with full health," said James Congdon, De Jesus-Congdon's husband, who pursued the case along with their two daughters. "The settlement enables us to hold Swedish and the medical providers accountable, and to cover the expenses involved in my wife's care. However, for Isabel, our girls and me, there is no way to ever recapture the life we once had. We continue to live this tragedy every day." Throughout the case, plaintiffs argued that although Clark was employed by Seattle Radiologists, which merged with Inland Imaging to form Integra Imaging, he was serving as an attending radiologist under contract at Swedish Health Services, making the health system liable for his negligence. "Mrs. De Jesus-Congdon never met Dr. Clark and was never informed of Dr. Clark's role in her health care, much less his employment status," said Deborah Martin, one of the Luvera attorneys working on the case. Gellatly added, "Concerningly, Dr. Clark's testimony reveals an obvious lack of understanding of stroke and SAH, yet he was permitted to provide final interpretations of neuroimaging. On behalf of the Congdon family and the public at large, the settlement played a crucial role in holding all parties accountable for safe medical practices." The stroke caused extensive, irreversible injuries for De Jesus-Congdon. She suffers brain damage with profound cognitive impairment, partial paralysis and impairment of her arms and legs. She uses a wheelchair and is completely dependent on others for mobility and safety - requiring full-time care and supervision by family and professional caregivers for the rest of her life. "Navigating the healthcare system, which is full of variables, mistakes and misinformation is exhausting," said Mr. Congdon. "My family has spent the last four years trying to stay afloat with all of the care and services that are needed to support my wife, and we want to shed light on how the stress and trauma of spending months at the hospital can have lasting effects on patients as well as their families and caregivers." Gellatly added, "At the end of the day, patients should be able to trust the doctors that provide their care, whether it's their primary care physician or a contracted radiologist. In an emergency, Mrs. De Jesus-Congdon and her family sought care from a familiar source - her place of employment, no less - not expecting this tragic ending. Though the settlement can't heal the pain, we're proud that we were able to achieve some measure of justice for the Congdon family." About Luvera Law Firm: Luvera Law Firm is a nationally recognized firm, with high standards of ethical conduct. The firm specializes in medical malpractice, brain injury, death and other major damage cases, and seeks justice for clients as well as positive changes in corporate and governmental behavior. Find more at www.luveralawfirm.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005932/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] HUNTSVILLE, Ala., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Alabama public school teachers are eligible to apply for scholarships to attend a special Space Camp for Educators at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. The Alabama legislature provided the funding for the program that brings state educators together to find new ways of teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics concepts. The hands-on learning activities are designed to span grades 4 to 9 and to be easily replicated in the classroom to excite students about STEM education. Teachers take part in Space Camp's simulated astronaut training experience while earning 45 professional development credits. The session includes information about space-related subjects such as: International Space Station; Living and Working in Microgravity; Rocketry; Propulsion; Astronomy; and Astrophysics. The Alabama Space Academy for Educators scholarship includes all meals, lodging on the University of Alabama in Huntsville campus and educational materials as well as a Space Camp flight suit. With two sessions offered, teachers can apply to attend the one that best fits their schedule. Check-in for Alabama Space Academy for Educators session one is Wednesday, June 16, with the graduation ceremony taking place Monday, June 21 and session two is Wednesday, June 23 through Monday, June 28. To apply for an Alabama Space Academy for Educators scholarship, visit spacecamp.com/alsae. Media contact: Pat Ammons, [email protected]; 256-721-5429 About U.S. Space & Rocket Center The U.S. Space & Rocket Center, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is home to Space Camp and Aviation Challenge, the Apollo 16 capsule, the National Historic Landmark Saturn V rocket and world-class traveling exhibits. USSRC is the Official Visitor Center for NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and a showcase for national defense technologies developed at the U.S. Army's Redstone Arsenal. To learn more about the exciting programs and activities at the USSRC, go to www.rocketcenter.com. SOURCE U.S. Space & Rocket Center Related Links http://www.spacecamp.com Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. ZANU PF yesterday claimed that more MDC Alliance bigwigs were ready to jump ship to save their political careers after realising that the Nelson Chamisa-led opposition party was reaching a dead end, with the ruling party determined to finish it off ahead of the 2023 general elections. Party national commissar Victor Matemadanda told NewsDay that the ruling party was targeting over five million votes in 2023 and was busy mobilising from across the political divide, mostly in Chamisas inner circles. I am in Bulawayo as I speak to you. I have had meetings with high-profile people from MDC Alliance who are joining Zanu PF very soon and in about a week or two, we are unveiling more bigwigs while others continue to bark, he said. They are seeing the light and the light is in Zanu PF. We are not there to make noise or lies, but to make the country move forward and achieve our five million vote target. At that rate, we will probably reach 2023 with only five people or no one from the MDC Alliance. We are mobilising people even from MDC Alliance and all their formations, Mthwakazi and other parties. If we can talk to a person from any party to come to Zanu PF, we can surely not fail to talk to a Zanu PF person who was once G40 to join us. But we expect that person to get the correct orientation. Matemadanda said there was nothing wrong with Zanu PF pushing to decimate the main opposition party as that was part of the political game. The argument that is there now is that Zanu PF wants to destroy the opposition. How can anyone expect Zanu PF to work to strengthen the opposition? If they are able to convince people in Zanu PF to join them, that is their strength and if we cant have a programme to stop our people from defecting, that is our weakness, he said. The MDC-T has since lost former Kwekwe Central MP Blessing Chebundo, who was their local government secretary, to Zanu PF. The MDC Alliance also lost its deputy treasurer-general, Lillian Timveos to Zanu PF. Chebundo, who Matemadanda said was retracing his roots as he is a former Zanu PF district chairperson for Kwekwe, and Timveos were unveiled as Zanu PF members at State House in Harare last week. Zanu PF Masvingo provincial chairperson Ezra Chadzamira last week also confirmed that former provincial commissar Jeppy Jaboon had expressed willingness to rejoin the ruling party. Matemadanda said talks between Zanu PF leader, President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Chamisa would only happen when the opposition leader concedes defeat in the 2018 presidential poll. Chamisa has demanded that Mnangagwas illegitimacy be on top of the agenda for the talks and refused to be dragged into the Zanu PF leaders Political Actors Dialogue platform, which he described as a Zanu PF monologue. You must first accept that Zanu PF is led by Mnangagwa and you want to recognise that leadership. Chamisa thinks there is no President in this country and it brings us to the point that the MDC Alliance is saying they want to talk to Mnangagwa, but he doesnt want to recognise his presidency, Matemadanda said. We will never be happy as Zanu PF membership if President Mnangagwa engages Chamisa as long as he (Chamisa) does not recognise his leadership. First thing is Chamisa and anyone else wanting to talk to Mnangagwa must know he is the Zimbabwean President, then everything else comes in. He said Zanu PF was continuing with mass mobilisation strategies even in the lockdown period, arguing that the party was following World Health Organisation guidelines. There are things that are essential, like if you talk of the commissioning of the water project that will benefit the people of Matabeleland, that is essential, that is critical. People are dying in Bulawayo and the President cannot wait for COVID-19 to end for him to address a problem. That is absurd if someone is to think about that. Quizzed on the 12 MDC Alliance leaders arrested in Mashonaland West province while organising the burial of their party member last week, Matemadanda asked: Were they arrested by police with Zanu PF badges? Zanu PF people are arrested by ZRP [Zimbabwe Republic Police], MDC people are arrested by ZRP, so where are we coming in? The MDC Alliance has said it will remain unfazed by Zanu PF moves to infiltrate and decimate its structures, adding this would help sift chaff from real opposition activists. Newsday Recruitment business PageGroup revealed it cut 1,004 roles and saw its profits dive almost 90 per cent to 15.5million last year as the Covid-19 pandemic caused a tough time for the job market. The FTSE 250 company saw its 2020 profits fall in all regions, including the UK, where the added problem of Brexit-related uncertainty caused a 40 per cent slump in gross profit, with big drops in both its Page Personnel and Michael Page divisions. It also did poorly in the Americas, which the firm blamed political and social unrest in the United States and a lack of government support in South America for making a 7million operating loss compared to a 19.3million profit the year before. PageGroup said it cut over 1,000 employees due to the impact of coronavirus, with most redundancies targeting employees who had little experience in recruitment Meanwhile, the reintroduction of stricter lockdown restrictions in response to rising Covid-19 infection rates towards the end of the year severely impacted its performance in Europe, Middle East and Africa. On the other hand, the company said conditions in Asia gradually improved towards the latter half of 2020, as protests in Hong Kong waned while its Mainland China business grew 15 per cent in December. Overall revenues nonetheless fell 21.1 per cent to 1.31billion as the group's chief executive Steve Ingham warned that a 'high degree of global macro-economic uncertainty' remained across many of its territories. Despite the impact of the crisis on its bottom line, Ingham stated that the government's Brexit deal and recent announcements on easing lockdown restrictions 'have provided a great deal of clarity' for the firm. Ingham added: 'We remain confident in our strategy of maintaining our platform and continuing to invest carefully in headcount, as well as continuing to roll-out new technology and innovation. 'We are the clear leader in many of our markets, with a highly experienced senior management team, which, we believe, positions us well to take advantage of opportunities to grow and improve our business.' AJ Bell's Russ Mould: 'Some companies may be regaining confidence as they look to the future and take a view on the likelihood of earnings growth in 2021 and beyond, which could include hiring more staff' PageGroup said most of its 1,004 redundancies affected employees who had little experience in recruitment and those on performance review. Fifteen per cent of its fee-earner jobs were also cut worldwide, and many other employees took 20 per cent salary cuts, although the headcount was 882 lower at the end of 2020 after taking account of around 400 experienced hires. It has additionally vowed to pay back 3.4million in furlough money it claimed from the UK government due to its much higher cash position of 166million against 97.8million at the end of last year. Even so, AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould warned that the extension of the government's furlough scheme to September 'doesn't necessarily send a positive message to recruitment companies such as PageGroup.' Rishi Sunak announced an extension to the furlough scheme today. AJ Bell's Russ Mould warns this could harm PageGroup's bottom line as it may make people more reluctant to find a job He continued: 'It suggests that the country is still in a fragile state which could affect candidate confidence and thus reduce the flow of people taking the plunge and looking for a new job. 'Some companies may be regaining confidence as they look to the future and take a view on the likelihood of earnings growth in 2021 and beyond, which could include hiring more staff. 'However, the fact that the furlough scheme is being extended could continue to make many people already in jobs nervous about wanting to look for a new opportunity.' PageGroup's shares ended the trading session 0.66 per cent higher at 4.90 today. Seasoned journalist Kwesi Pratt has fired shots at the Ghana Judicial Service for ordering the media to delete what they term as ''hateful, spiteful and incendiary'' statements against Judges. Delete Hateful, Spiteful & Incendiary Statements Against Judges Or Else Lawyers for the Ghana Judicial Service, in a statement addressed to all media houses over the weekend, said it is "unacceptable" for media houses to "publish on your platforms, speeches and statements and publications which excite anger, hate and passion against the Justices presiding over the election petition". Such "statements and speeches interfere with the due administration of justice as Justices of our client are threatened with ominous consequences following their decisions which do not meet the expectations of some members of the society", the statement further read. Portiono of the statement also read; This concern has been heightened by the flurry of statements and speeches directed at our clients Justices, especially after the commencement of hearing of the election petition in the suit intituled John Dramani Mahama v Electoral Commission & Nana Addo.'' The legal counsel thus instructed the media to "pull or cause to be pulled down and cleared from your platforms, all statements and speeches which convey and/or insinuate hateful, spiteful, vengeful and incendiary communication against Justices of our client especially those hearing the election petition". They stressed that action will be taken against any media house that refuses to heed their call saying their demand is to "ensure that you do not abuse the right to free speech by deploying and/or permitting your platform to be deployed in a manner that not only threatens our constitutional order and democracy but obviously, adversely interferes with the due administration of justice and also, brings it, into disrepute". Nobody Can Intimidate Us Reacting to the statement, Kwesi Pratt pointed out to the Judges that Ghana has evolved from the era of intimidation. He stated emphatically that no one, including the Judiciary, can cow the media or suppress their freedom in ''today's Ghana''. He asked why the Judicial Service didn't address specific issues in their statement to tell which media houses and reports have been made to ignite such hateful, spiteful and incendiary statements against the Judges. He called on the Judges to name and shame the particular media houses but stressed ''freedom of expression, freedom of association and so forth is not something we're going to allow someone to intimidate us to leave them. It won't happen''. ''I don't see any specific thing that they are describing as such.... Exactly! So, if you write it generally like it, it turns to be a deliberate attempt to cow the media because there is no basis for it'', he added. He sent a strong-worded message to the Judicial Service saying ''where we have reached in Ghana, nobody can intimidate us. Nobody in Ghana can intimidate us; that's out of the question. To intimidate us today is not possible. Even during the difficult times that when you talk, you will be killed, we talked; then today that the soup has simmered down''. Kwesi Pratt made these comments on ''Kokrokoo'' on Peace FM. 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 An effective coronavirus vaccine has long been hailed as a route back to life as we once knew it. (Stock, Getty Images) A single dose of a coronavirus vaccine is up to 80% effective at preventing complications severe enough to require hospitalisation among the elderly, research suggests. The UK has three approved vaccines in its immunisation arsenal, two of which are being rolled out Pfizer-BioNTech and University of Oxford-AstraZeneca. Both jabs were approved as two-dose regimens, with an interval of three to four weeks between the vaccines being administered. To maximise the number of people being immunised, the UK's vaccination strategy is focusing on giving more people a first dose, with the second jab's administration recommended 12 weeks later. Read more: One Pfizer coronavirus vaccine dose cuts asymptomatic infections This approach is increasingly being supported by real-world data, with scientists from the University of Bristol estimating that a single dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Oxford-AstraZeneca jab is 79% or 80% effective, respectively, at warding off complications severe enough to require hospital care 14 days later in people aged 80 or over. Elderly and frail people and those with underlying health conditions are more at risk of coronavirus complications. (Posed by a model, Getty Images) The results are preliminary and yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal. "We are very pleased to share these early results that show the UK COVID-19 [the disease caused by the coronavirus] vaccine programme is working better than we could have hoped," said lead author Professor Adam Finn. "We are also delighted our findings could reduce the burden of serious illness in our elderly population and relieve the pressure on the NHS. "The study will continue to provide further and more detailed information as time goes on." Read more: 12 criteria to meet ahead of coronavirus vaccine passports The Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines were approved after demonstrating 95% and 70% efficacy against severe disease, respectively, in clinical trials. These were not made up of elderly, frail volunteers, however. A lack of efficacy in older populations prompted some European officials to advise against the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab among the elderly, a move that has been criticised by UK scientists and politicians alike. Story continues Watch: Dolly Parton sings as she has coronavirus vaccine The Bristol scientists analysed data collected by the Pfizer-funded surveillance project AvonCAP. This records detailed information on every patient admitted to Bristol's two large NHS hospitals with medical complications or X-ray evidence of diseased lungs, caused by the coronavirus or another condition. Between 18 December 2020 10 days after the UK's coronavirus vaccination programme began and 26 February 2021, 434 eligible patients were noted, all aged 80 or over. Many of the patients were frail with underlying health conditions, making them particularly vulnerable to complications and therefore in need of an effective vaccine. The scientists compared vaccination rates between those with acute respiratory disease who had a positive or negative coronavirus test upon admission, before estimating the effectiveness of one vaccine dose. Results suggest one Pfizer-BioNTech dose was 71% effective at preventing illness severe enough to require hospital care 14 days after the jab was administered. A single Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine was found to be 80% effective. With the vaccines being rolled out almost a month apart Pfizer-BioNTech on 8 December and Oxford-AstraZeneca on 4 January the scientists then reconciled the data to cover the same time period in early 2021. These results suggest a single dose of either vaccine is almost identical in effectiveness, at 79% for Pfizer-BioNTech and 80% for Oxford-AstraZeneca, after 14 days in people aged 80 or over. The scientists accounted for other factors that influence an individual's risk of coronavirus complications and their availability of a vaccine, like their sex, whether they live in a care home and their degree of social deprivation. Read more: I felt guilty for having the coronavirus vaccine The overall results are reasonably similar to recent real-world studies carried out elsewhere in the UK. A Public Health England trial suggested one dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in people aged 80 or over reduced the risk of hospitalisation by 43% and 37%, respectively, after more than 14 days. A paper covering all of Scotland implied one dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Oxford-AstraZeneca jab cut the risk by 85% and 94% after 28 to 34 days, respectively, in adults over 80. These studies linked large databases of test results, immunisation records and diagnostic codes for entire populations. The Bristol scientists, however, drew on a "comprehensive and detailed examination of all medical admissions in two admitting hospitals in a single city". "This means the dates of onset of symptoms could be accurately recorded and included in the analysis, and compensation made for possible biases due to rapid changes in the vaccine rollout and the transmission of [the coronavirus] that occurred during the last three months," according to the Bristol team. "By providing corroborating evidence using a different methodology, the research team provide reassurance the conclusions now being drawn about the short-term effectiveness of one dose of these two vaccines is valid." The scientists believe their results are applicable outside of the UK and may help other countries developing immunisation strategies to protect their vulnerable, elderly residents. Watch: Guidance for Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus jab varies around the world I do not listen to all kinds of music, no. I think that every genre (except for like, literal hate music like those twin girls Louis Theroux interviewed) has good songs and there's probably something in it for everyone, but I listen to two types of music and maybe five musicians with any regularity, which is why whenever there's a Billboard Hot 100 post in here I have heard maybe, maybe one of the songs in the Top 10 (currently that song is Driver's License, which I only listened to because of ONTD). Reply Thread Link Those twins have really good management lol, they're all over the news circuit. Reply Thread Link "I watched the Dolly vaccination video last night. Very typical Dolly and very cute" - text from my dad lol My parents are getting their first dose tomorrow!!! Reply Thread Link i don't go here (watch the view) but THAT GIF OP!!!!! my heart has been warmed this day, thank you <3 Reply Thread Link mte it's adorable Reply Parent Thread Link Only reason I came into this post as well (Im not even on the right continent to be watching The View), that lil alpaca is too much! Reply Parent Thread Link It's little face!!!! Reply Parent Thread Link Only reason Im in here!! Reply Parent Thread Link tbh just here for the gif and to spread the word that all white alpacas look like Falkor from The NeverEnding Story. Reply Thread Link I miss Colin's face on my screen Reply Parent Thread Link i think la diabla would die without clinging onto her perpetual victimhood Reply Thread Link Maybe people should stop making sexist jokes about her. Reply Parent Thread Link that joke was a low blow, but being "oppressed" is part of her brand. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link At work today a gaggle of front desk ladies were gobbling about how moving to Texas would be "cool as fuck" to "escape Joe" and...if only we could relocate all those suffering under Abbott and inject these weirdos who think Texas is the new promised land of FREEDOM or whatever and just...close the gates or something behind them. Reply Thread Link I would love to be a part of an exchange program. If anyone wants to live in my Texan shithole they are welcome to it. Edited at 2021-03-04 12:39 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link first taylor made her comments, her fans supported her with a positive hastag. then at some point toddrick put his 2 cents in and the tide started turning that both of them were coming after a black woman and taylorswiftisoverparty started trending with people bringing up taylor dating underage guys and her taking a pic with the swastika shirt guy. it was a rollercoaster Reply Thread Link Ive just looked at twitter and wtf? The Taylor swift is over party is accusing her of being a Nazi sympathiser, because theres a pic of her with her arm raised Edit: shes also a pedophile, because she said her boyfriend is boy faced? People are really awful on twitter. What underage guys btw? I only saw the 18 year old she dated when she was 22. Edited at 2021-03-03 11:29 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link the kennedy kid was 17 turning 18. and taylor lautner was 17 when she met him on the set of valentines day. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I saw a lot of tweets calling her a pedo and praising Nicki Minaj in the same breath, it was insane. Reply Parent Thread Link How did I miss this?? Holy shit. Sounds like something she shouldve clocked might happen though Reply Parent Thread Link Ontd do you listen to all kinds of music? I do actually. There's gems in every genre. This morning I was listening to a Tejano playlist on spotify and discovered some nice songs on there. Reply Thread Link I dont listen to music much at all, and on the rare occasions I hit the red wine and get the urge I am firmly stuck in the 90s - I love a jangly guitar. I also dont listen to radio so I never know what the latest songs are and the only reason I have heard of anyone in the charts is when they are mentioned here. Occasionally my daughter will recommend I listen to something because I think you will like this. Most recently it was The Fratellis, and she was right, I do like them, so I played them a lot for a couple of months. Reply Thread Link I enjoy artists/songs from a lot of different genres and there isnt any type of music I hate. I dont listen to every genre extensively though and I do tend to just listen to the same music a lot. Reply Thread Link I've seen the twins (and other similar channels) and it always surprises me how little music they seem to have been exposed to. Also, they - and other channels as well - don't often give proper reactions. Sometimes it's just a quick "that's cool" and then it's all about 'subscribe, press the like button' etc. Reply Thread Link The twins mention in their segment that they were only allowed to listen to religious music growing up so that why they dont know iconic songs Reply Parent Thread Link Oh ok. That makes sense in their case. But there are so many channels like this, older YouTubers as well. Not in twins case, but I sometimes wonder if some of them are faking it a bit. Mind you, I do have co-workers in their 30s who have never even heard about ABBA, Queen etc Reply Parent Thread Expand Link That makes sense. I saw them listening to I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston and I was like htf have you never heard this song? Reply Parent Thread Link That's why I love Jamel aka Jamal for reactions. He really engages with the songs and keeps it super positive, which I adore. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Taylor constantly siccing her cult on anyone who does anything other than kiss her ass is insane. I have to laugh at songs like Shake It Off because I don't think that girl has ever, or will ever, shake anything off. She has THE thinnest fucking skin. Reply Thread Link this is going to sound passive aggressive, but i literally just don't know the answer. is donating money to a for-private business, as disgusting as prescription manufacturers tend to be in this country, really worth doing? i realize we are in an exceptional time, but it seems a company listed on NASDAQ/NYSE would have gotten there regardless. Edited at 2021-03-03 11:32 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link In this case I think it was philanthropic, not like a GoFundMe for uber wealthy. She had donated $1M to Vanderbilt University medical research, including Moderna, their version of the vaccination. Reply Parent Thread Link i saw the vanderbuilt logo in the youtube screepcap but i guess i just assumed that's where she was getting the vaccine. i didn't realize universities were involved in the production in USA. i am reading about it now. that's nice. i knew oxford was involved overseas. Reply Parent Thread Link This is kind of a deep cut fact about Dolly (but if you live in TN like me you pretty much learn her whole life story by osmosis) but the man who's administering the vaccine is a longtime friend of hers who works at Vanderbilt/VUMC. When she donated the money it's because she was in touch with him and knew they were working on the vaccine at VUMC. Additional fun fact, if you've ever listened to or heard of the podcast Dolly Parton's America it's hosted by that doctor's son who was always just kind of baffled that his dad was randomly such good friends with her. Reply Parent Thread Link Some op-eds this morning reacting to stimulus news: "Democrats Have Decided to Send Checks to Fewer People for No Actual Good Reason" -- @JHWeissmann "Joe Biden just yanked away stimulus checks from 17 million Americans" -- @ryanlcooper https://t.co/pFCMjSfqR4 Jeff Stein (@JStein_WaPo) March 3, 2021 It's a sickness. Reply Thread Link it defies logic that more people receive checks under a trump administration. bombs before checks, neera tanden, and kneecapping minimum wage increases all in quick succession is pretty remarkable. they are lucky if i ever vote for another federal nominee again. Reply Parent Thread Link It makes no sense at all. It's very disappointing. Reply Parent Thread Link So many people were defending this shit in FB comments too. It's infuriating. He promised $2k checks. Reply Parent Thread Link It's just absolutely maddening, especially in the middle of tax season. I could kind of, sort of, a little bit understand this if they had already sent out a $1400 check with the Trump formula and did another round after the tax day deadline. I could kind of get it then. Sort of. Reply Parent Thread Link From The Simpsons, 1994: feel like you could move the we cant govern sign to the Republican convention but otherwise this holds up. pic.twitter.com/EqiW5FqXPf Don Moynihan (@donmoyn) May 1, 2020 Reply Parent Thread Link "We can't govern" is more than accurate for the Democrats. Reply Parent Thread Link VILE TRASH. Fuck him Reply Parent Thread Link this is just the most stupid and insane thing Reply Parent Thread Link Trump will be president in 2024 and it will 100% be Biden and the DNCs fault. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link This was Manchin/Sinema who represent more conservative states, not Biden. Biden isn't in the Senate. And it's more like 8 million people, not 17 million. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Amid concerns over rising Chinese hacker attacks on India's critical infrastructure, Telangana electricity officials received alerts from the Central Electricity Authority about a Chinese-origin malware entering about 40 sub-stations and thwarted the purported cyber attack on time. The CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team), after an authentic information received from a trusted source, alerted Telangana state electricity officials concerned to take preventive measures as a Chinese-based threat group command and control servers were trying to establish communication with Telangana SLDC, The Times of India reported, adding the malware had already entered 40 sub-stations. The Telangana SLDC, which manages power supply in the state, said the state agencies immediately sprung into action and removed all malware in these substations after the alert from the central agency. The state officials have strengthened the firewall. Servers IPs that tried to establish content were blocked by the SLCD, while temporarily suspending remote operation. Also read:200% rise in cyberattacks from China in a month; India tops hit list post Galwan face-off "Telangana is one among seven states that Chinese hackers tried to communicate with the power systems," Telangana Tansco and Genco Chairman and MD D Prabhakar Rao told the daily.Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company had also faced a similar malware attack in April 2019. The latest cyber attack comes amid heightened concerns over a significant rise in Chinese trying to hack Indian facilities. A report by Recorded Future, a Massachusetts-based company that studies threats to the internet by state actors, has said a Chinese threat group called 'RedEcho' targeted Indian power sector facilities. It also said that a massive power outage in Mumbai in 2020 could also have been the result of the Chinese cyber campaign. Maharashtra Energy Minister Nitin Raut also said the blackout in Mumbai last year was "carried out by Chinese hackers". "10 distinct Indian power sector organisations, including 4 of the 5 Regional Load Despatch Centres (RLDC) responsible for the operation of the power grid through balancing electricity supply and demand, have been identified as targets in a concerted campaign against India's critical infrastructure. Other targets identified included 2 Indian seaports," the Recorded Future report said. Also read: NSE trading suspension, Mumbai blackout: These 'tech glitches' make a worrying trend SANTA FE, N.M., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Thornburg Investment Management ("Thornburg"), a global investment firm that oversees $47 billion in assets1, today announced the addition of two new members to the institutional distribution team to develop relationships with asset owners and consultants in the U.S. and Canada. Jennifer Pittman joins Thornburg as a regional director for the Eastern United States and Christopher Kuhl joins the team as a senior regional associate, supporting institutional clients in the Eastern portions of the United States and Canada. Both Ms. Pittman and Mr. Kuhl report to Anne Lundberg, head of institutional distribution at Thornburg. "Both Jennifer and Chris have strong relationships with leading institutions and consultant firms," said Ms. Lundberg. "We are pleased to welcome them both to Thornburg as we continue to respond to growing institutional demand for our global fixed income and equity investment solutions." Prior to Thornburg, Ms. Pittman was a member of the consultant relations team at Ninety One (formerly Investec Asset Management), where for seven years she was responsible for cultivating and maintaining relationships with consultants nationwide. Ms. Pittman also worked in consultant relations at Fiera Capital Corporation, in equity market research at InterSec Research and started her career at Segal Rogerscasey, now Segal Marco Advisors, as an investment consultant analyst. Ms. Pittman earned an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business and a BA from Dartmouth College. Previously, Mr. Kuhl was an assistant vice president at Nuveen. During his seven-year tenure, his coverage consisted of working with global investment consultants and institutional clients in Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America. Earlier in his career, Mr. Kuhl worked as a marketing and new business coordinator for Marquette Associates and as an investment management and client service consultant at William Blair and Company. Mr. Kuhl graduated with a BA in economics and political science from the University of Illinois. Ms. Pittman and Mr. Kuhl will partner with other members of the North American institutional team including regional directors Frances D'Alessio and Phillip Bennett, and Ben Smiley, senior regional associate. "Together with Chris Elsmark and Jens Bjorheim in London, and Andrew Gu, Yong Zhang and Caroline Hui in Asia, our entire institutional team is well positioned to cohesively address complex investment needs with solutions for global financial institutions and consultants around the world," said Carter Sims, head of global distribution. "I share Anne's excitement about Jennifer and Chris joining our team and look forward to their success." About Thornburg Founded in 1982, Thornburg Investment Management is a privately-owned global investment firm that offers a range of multi-strategy solutions for institutions and financial advisors. A recognized leader in fixed income, equity and alternatives investing, the firm oversees $47 billion1 as of February 28, 2021 across mutual funds, institutional accounts, separate accounts for high-net-worth investors and UCITS funds for non-U.S. investors. Thornburg is headquartered in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with additional offices in London, Hong Kong and Shanghai. At Thornburg, we believe unconstrained investing leads to better outcomes for our clients. Our culture is collaborative, and our investment solutions are highly active, high conviction and benchmark agnostic. When it comes to finding value for our clients, it's more than what we do, it's how we do it: how we think, how we invest and how we're structured. For more information, visit www.thornburg.com or call (877) 215-1330. Media Inquiries Michael Corrao Director of Global Communications Thornburg Investment Management Tel: +1 (505) 467-5345 Email: [email protected] 1 Includes $45 billion in assets under management and $1.8 billion in assets under advisement as of February 28, 2021 SOURCE Thornburg Investment Management Related Links www.thornburg.com A group of researchers from Toho University and NASA Nexus for Exoplanet System Science has found evidence, via simulation, that Earth will lose its oxygen-rich atmosphere in approximately 1 billion years. medicalnewstoday. Published journal Nature, called The future lifespan of Earths oxygenated atmosphere, explains that even if it wont happen in the near future, when the change comes, its going to happen fairly rapidly. Also Read: Videos Allege Shortage Of Oxygen Killed Every COVID Patient In Egypt Hospital ICUs, Govt Denies Scientists say life cannot go on forever on planet Eartheventually, the sun will run out of energy and destroy itself. In this new effort, the researchers sought to find the tipping point for lifewhen the planet will no longer be able to support most plants and animals. Image For Representation They also explain what the lack of oxygen will look like, with atmospheric O2 dropping sharply to levels reminiscent of the Archaean Earth, will most probably be triggered before the inception of moist greenhouse conditions in Earths climate system and before the extensive loss of surface water from the atmosphere. Also Read: With Oxygen Supply Running Low, People In Brazil Queue Up For Those Suffering From COVID-19 Future deoxygenation is an inevitable consequence of increasing solar fluxes, whereas its precise timing is modulated by the exchange flux of reducing power between the mantle and the ocean-atmospherecrust system. The simulation also showed increasing levels of methane entering the atmosphere, speeding the demise of creatures needing oxygen to breathe. The result, according to the simulation, would be a planet without life, save for tiny anaerobic creatures such as bacteriaconditions very similar to Earth prior to the evolution of plants and animals. Researchers also emphasized that its possible that we need to be hunting for other bio-signatures besides oxygen to have the best chance of spotting life. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Dr. Seuss Should Not Be Cancelled Commentary A childs imagination is a powerful thing. Childlike innocence and wonder can transform mundane scenes into extraordinary events. This is what it means to see things through the eyes of a child. No one understood this better than Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss. His first childrens book, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, came out in 1937. It was about a boy named Marco who told his father an elaborate tale about what he saw while coming home from school. And what a tale it was! Among other things, Marco saw a blue elephant, a big brass band, several police officers, the mayor, an airplane dropping confetti, and a magician doing tricks. In reality, of course, all Marco saw was a horse and a wagon on Mulberry Street. Dr. Seusss story is a vivid depiction of the imagination of a child, with very clever rhymes to boot. His books are so well-written, and so filled with rhymes, that children enjoy reading them almost as much as Sam-I-Am liked eating green eggs and ham. Sadly, some of Dr. Seusss books, including this one, are being removed from school and library shelves. In fact, Dr. Seuss Enterprises has decided to stop publishing six of Dr. Seusss books because of allegedly racist and insensitive imagery. This didnt come as a huge surprise, at least not to schoolteachers like me. Woke intellectuals and educators have been denouncing Dr. Seuss for years. The social justice educators group, Learning for Justice, claims there isnt enough diversity in Dr. Seusss writings. They also argue that non-white characters are portrayed in subservient roles. Several years ago, a school librarian made international headlines when she rejected a donation of several Dr. Seuss books from former first lady Melania Trump. According to this librarian, Dr. Seuss is a tired and worn ambassador for childrens literature and his books are steeped in racist propaganda, caricatures, and harmful stereotypes. If this is the case, its very curious that Dr. Seusss books have remained popular among so many children and adults for almost 90 years. In fact, Read Across America Day, which was launched by the National Education Association, was initially tied closely to Dr. Seusss books. It even coincides with Dr. Seusss birthday on March 2. Not only that, Dr. Seusss book Oh, the Places Youll Go! has become a staple at high school graduation events. Many a graduation speaker has quoted the memorable line, You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. Its a vivid and humorous way of reminding grads that their destiny is in their own hands so they should choose wisely. Now if we only used the brains in our head, as Dr. Seuss encouraged us to do, it would be obvious that his books, while far from perfect, do considerably more good than harm to children. When it comes to promoting human rights, Ill take the profound simplicity of A persons a person no matter how small from Horton Hears a Who! over the incoherent ramblings of todays social justice warriors. This doesnt mean that Dr. Seusss books dont contain some stereotypical images. One would expect books written many years ago to be a product of their times. Societal norms and values change over time. We cannot expect books from the past to perfectly reflect the cultural norms of today. That would be unrealistic. It makes far more sense to recognize the tremendous amount of good in Dr. Seusss books by keeping them in circulation. There arent many authors with enough staying power to remain popular from the generation of ones grandparents to the generation of today. The fact that Dr. Seuss has become an icon in North American society is something to be celebrated, not cancelled. In addition, we should not lose sight of the fact that childrens books wont be read, at least not voluntarily, by children if they arent fun to read. Not everything our kids read needs to fit the politically correct norms promoted by a social justice cause. Sometimes children need to read a book for no other reason than simply because it is fun to read. As Dr. Seuss put it years ago, These things are fun and fun is good. Lets not cancel some of the most enjoyable and long-lasting childrens books weve ever had. Cancel culture is the one thing that we really dont need to see on Mulberry Street. Michael Zwaagstra is a public high school teacher, a senior fellow with the Frontier Centre for Public Policy, and author of A Sage on the Stage: Common Sense Reflections on Teaching and Learning. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Cambodia and other ASEAN member states expressed concern in a joint statement over the recent coup and ensuing violence against protestors in Myanmar and called for a peaceful resolution. The statement was issued after an Informal ASEAN Ministers Meeting on Tuesday. The meeting was attended by Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn. The statement said all sides must refrain from instigating violence and called for a constructive dialogue to end the turmoil in Myanmar. We expressed our concern on the situation in Myanmar and called on all parties to refrain from instigating further violence, and for all sides to exercise utmost restraint as well as flexibility, read the statement. The Myanmar military, also known as the Tatmadaw, took control of the country in an early morning coup in early February, claiming that the November general election, which was won by Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy, was tainted and fraudulent. Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint, NLD politicians and hundreds of civil society members have been detained since the coup. The Myanmar people have since launched a national civil disobedience campaign and nonviolent protests have mushroomed across the country. But security forces have used excessive violence and live ammunition to break up these protests, resulting in 18 reported deaths on Monday. The statement also offered ASEAN member states assistance to Myanmar. It did not have any mention of the November election, mass arrests of dissidents, and the Tatmadaws promise to hold a free and fair election within a year. In a Tuesday press release, Cambodias Foreign Ministry said ASEAN ministers exchanged views on regional and international issues of common interest, including the current developments in Myanmar. Koy Kuong, a spokesperson for the Cambodian Foreign Ministry, declined comments on Cambodias position and directed the reporter to the ASEAN joint statement. The Cambodian government has been silent on the Myanmar militarys takeover, claiming it would not interfere in the internal affairs of another country. But, Prime Minister Hun Sen endorsed the November reelection of Aung San Suu Kyi last year. Paul Chambers, lecturer and special advisor on international affairs at Naresuan University in Thailand, said ASEAN tip-toeing around its 1976 clause that forbids interference in the affairs of other members when dealing with Myanmars domestic situation. Thus, the statement calls for peace, stability and prosperity in Myanmar rather than an end to human rights violations or a return to democracy. Most ASEAN member states would prefer it that way because most of them are autocratic anyway, he said in an email. This is certainly the standpoint of Cambodia. The statement is all about appropriate diplomatic wording rather than any real scolding by ASEAN. Sophal Ear, an associate professor at the Occidental College in California, said Cambodia was itself a ringleader of authoritarianism in the region, and would likely be worried about these events inspiring a Cambodian uprising. Cambodia wants to avoid saying anything against Myanmar because it would be like criticizing itself, he said in an e-mail to VOA Khmer. This is bad news for Cambodia where the people might be inspired to do the same for themselves, finally. The people, together, can never be defeated, he added. CLAY COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) Authorities are looking for an escaped offender from the home detention program in Clay County. The Community Corrections Office says Joshua Henry Lawrence Johnson, 33, cut off his monitoring bracelet this evening and took off. Authorities believe he may be in the Terre Haute area. He may be traveling in a four-door champagne-gold Dodge Caliber. Johnson maybe with a woman named Brittany Kelly. If you see Johnson or know anything about his whereabouts, call the Clay County Sheriffs Office at (812) 446-2535. The Democratic Solutions Organization (Demos), a civil society organization operating in northern and eastern Syria with the aim to build a democratic state to fight extremism, wrapped up its first annual conference on Feb. 17 in the northern Syrian city of Qamishli. Some 42 public figures, including 15 women, in addition to activists, media professionals, politicians, representatives of civil organizations and community leaders, took part in the conference to discuss the results of Demos project dubbed Promoting Positivity of Life to Counter Violent Extremism. The project was launched a year and a half ago and directly targeted about 13,000 people and indirectly targeted many more across Hasakah, Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor. Abbas Ali, the project manager, discussed with Al-Monitor the goals of the project, saying, Our project aims to boost the steadfastness of local communities in the cities of Hasakah, Qamishli, Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor against extremism. He noted, The project also aims to strengthen the role of women, youth and the displaced in fighting violent extremism through a number of workshops Demos held in the past year and a half as part of its project." Abbas added that through its project, Demos focuses on several topics, most notably countering violence against women's rights and promoting pride in cultural identity. Mirna Namis, one of the participants and supervisors of the Demos workshops, told Al-Monitor, In the absence of a role for women in fighting extremism and terrorism, we sought through our [Demos] project to support women in this field. We sought ways to engage women in ensuring the safety and security of their families and protecting them from terrorism and extremism. We also discussed ways to involve women in confronting negative forces in society and the effective role that they can play in their surroundings, whether inside or outside their homes, in order to instil a culture of peace as an alternative to hatred. Namis praised the prominent role of education and the press in rejecting the culture of extremism and violence. She added, Our project directly targeted about 13,000 people and was implemented in Hasakah, Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor. The participants in the conference included decision-makers in the region, in addition to politicians, civil society activists and representatives of civil organizations, independent figures and media professionals. Rakan Dargham, a civil activist from Raqqa who participated in the conference, told Al-Monitor, The conference included sessions on the role of the internet in spreading violence and extremism on the one hand, and its role in combating extremism on the other. He explained, Our project addressed the role of the internet as a double-edged sword. The internet is used by militant groups to influence the minds of young people and recruit them. The Islamic State [IS] and other radical groups have used the internet in their recruitment process. But the internet and the media are also used to expose the true intentions and plans of these radical groups, such as IS, that influence and lure a large number of youth and convince them to commit crimes. In regard to the possibility of women serving as a catalyst in the peace process in Syria, Abbas said, Women can play a key role in instilling peace by preventing their husbands, sons or brothers from participating in wars and armed conflicts and getting involved in the activities of extremist groups. Women are inherently peace-loving and their awareness of the importance of peace reflects positively on the environment in which they live. They can be a catalyst in the peace process in the country. Ahmed al-Duwailami, a researcher in terrorist groups affairs, said there is a spread of fanaticism, extremism and violent radicalism in many countries and societies of the region, including Syria. The dark ideology that promotes a culture where women are robbed of their dignity, humanity and citizenship is spreading. Women have been kidnapped by IS and turned into slaves sold in markets. Extremist groups established large networks aimed to recruit women to promote their ideology in marginalized and poor areas, and to get them involved in terrorist activities. This is mainly due to womens influence on their surroundings, especially their children. This is why initiatives like the one Demos launched is important in confronting violence and extremism and eradicating fanaticism. This will help build a better future for Syrians, he told Al-Monitor. Namis stressed the importance of empowering women on the economic level to undermine the plans of terrorist cells affiliated with IS, especially those active in Deir ez-Zor and its countryside. These cells recruit women by luring them with money. They sometimes succeed in light of the deteriorating economic situation in the country. Our project aims to strengthen the economic status of women. We propose programs to integrate women in the labor market and the business sector. We focus on promoting the role of women in the countryside and the desert and in marginalized and poor areas in large cities such as Deir ez-Zor. The economic empowerment and education of women enhances their ability to confront the attempts of extremist groups to exploit their poverty and ignorance, and thus recruit them to form networks that promote extremism and hatred. Duwailami stressed the importance of educational reform, which has become an urgent necessity. Eradicating illiteracy especially among women in rural and desert areas is a crucial need in all countries of the region, especially hot countries like Syria, to fight extremism, he concluded. KYODO NEWS - Mar 3, 2021 - 19:05 | All, Japan A Japanese court on Wednesday approved a request by prosecutors to detain two Americans suspected of aiding former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn to flee Japan for Lebanon while awaiting trial in 2019. The Tokyo District Court gave the green light to detain Michael Taylor, 60, a former Green Beret, and his son Peter, 28, until March 12. The decision came a day after the pair arrived in Japan under an extradition treaty with the United States. The men will face questioning at the Tokyo Detention House, where Ghosn was also held after being charged with financial crimes. Ghosn had been detained for over 100 days before being granted bail. As in the case with Ghosn, the Japanese legal system is expected to come under further domestic and international scrutiny, as detainees can be questioned by prosecutors without lawyers present, and their detention prolonged if charges with fresh warrants are added and the court approves it. Should the Taylors be indicted and found guilty, several judicial sources believe they may receive suspended sentences. But a senior prosecutor told Kyodo News that a jail sentence would not be surprising given the consequences of their actions, enabling Ghosn to evade trial. If a prison sentence is given, they may serve it in the United States under a Japanese law on the transnational transfer of sentenced persons. The father and son were arrested in Massachusetts in May last year by U.S. authorities at the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office's request. Japanese prosecutors say the men helped Ghosn to escape from his home in Tokyo to a hotel in the western prefecture of Osaka, and then smuggled him out of the country in a box used to transport musical equipment on a private jet to Turkey from Kansai International Airport, despite knowing his bail conditions did not allow him to travel overseas. The auto titan then traveled to his childhood home of Lebanon, which does not have an extradition treaty with Japan. U.S. prosecutors have said the men received more than $1.3 million from Ghosn and his family for their role in the plot. Ghosn, who was arrested in 2018, is charged with underreporting his remuneration by billions of yen in financial reports over multiple years and misuse of Nissan funds. He has said he is innocent of the charges and that his arrest was the result of a coup staged by Nissan executives. He also said that he fled Japan to escape a "rigged" justice system. Another American, Greg Kelly, a former Nissan executive who was arrested also in 2018, is currently on trial in Japan on suspicion of helping underreport Ghosn's remuneration. He has pleaded not guilty over the charges. Related coverage: Americans suspected of helping Ghosn flee taken into custody in Japan Nguyen Thi Hang, a teacher of Tan An 1 Primary School in the northern province of Lao Cai left a thank you note before leaving the Urology Surgery Department of Lao Cai Province General Hospital. A laparoscopy performed by surgeon Nguyen Van Hai at Lao Cai Province General Hospital. Photo Courtesy of the hospital The note was sent to the head of the department doctor Nguyen Van Hai and other medical workers. Everyone was so nice to me, Hang said, adding that her pain seemed relieved much when a nurse told her that: I will take your blood for testing. Please tell me if it hurts! Doctor Hai carefully explained her health problems, recommended possible treatment options and encouraged her a lot in a very gentle manner, Hang said. We patients feel at home when staying at the hospital. The doctors and nurses treat us as if they were our family members, Hang wrote. Hai said that he received a lot of thank-you notes and letters from patients like Hang, which inspired him and made him confident in his career choice. A doctor not only treats people but also encourages them, reassures them and helps them stay strong during their illness, Hai said. Hai is known as one of the very first doctors who introduced the laparoscopy technique in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai. I am very interested in laparoscopy with its significant outstanding advantages, he said, adding that he was lucky to attend training classes on laparoscopy offered by leading doctors in Vietnam. With his understanding of laparoscopy, he has launched many initiatives to apply laparoscopy techniques in his hospital which is located in a disadvantaged area in Vietnam. People living in mountainous areas with modest infrastructure development, particularly in transportation, lacked access to medical advances, Hai said. In many cases when laparoscopy could help solve patients health problems easily, due to a shortage of medical equipment, the patients still had to undergo conventional laparotomy which brings higher health risks. In other cases, people had simple health problems but travel difficulties made them arrive at hospital too late, which resulted in serious damage, complications or even death, Hai said. He said he was so sorry to remember a case of a 10-month old baby who died of intussusception in 2014. "Intussusception is a serious condition in which part of the intestine slides into an adjacent part of the intestine. This telescoping action often blocks food or fluid from passing through. Intussusception also cuts off the blood supply to the part of the intestine that's affected. This can lead to a tear in the bowel (perforation), infection and death of bowel tissue," reads the world-famous Mayo Clinic's description of the condition. The baby from the mountainous district of Muong Khuong was taken to the hospital in the early morning and the intussusception was not difficult to treat, Hai said, But the baby arrived at the hospital too late. We could not save him. Seeing modern advanced medical equipment at hospitals in other countries where he attended training courses, Hai pitied his patients in Lao Cai, most of whom are poor, from ethnic minorities and unable to afford expensive surgeries. Returning to Vietnam, Hai spent more time studying laparoscopy, particularly single-port laparoscopy (SPL) - a recently developed technique in laparoscopic surgery. Single-port laparoscopy was a surgical technique that passes through the navel without leaving a scar, Hai said, explaining that if the normal appendix laparoscopy has about 3-4 holes, with this application, doctors only need one hole to perform the surgical technique. However, this application required specialised complex surgical means, Hai said. To fix this disadvantage, from a conventional device, Hai manipulated it by fabricating a small needle to aid in moving the appendix root to cut the appendix or move the gallbladder to perform cholecystectomy. After that, the needle would be removed and the patient has only a pin-foot scar. Other tools are all inserted and exit through the navel. Thus, Hais patients, after recovering, have almost no visible incisions. Normally, patients have to spend an extra few tens of millions of Vietnamese dong on specialised tools used in appendix removal surgery or gallbladder surgery. Meanwhile, at the Department of Urology in the General Hospital of Lao Cai Province, there is no additional cost for surgical tools thanks to Hais initiative. This initiative not only helps patients enjoy the latest medical advances, reduce pain and shorten hospital stays but they also incur no additional costs for surgery. In addition, local people dont need to travel to central hospitals for such surgery anymore. In 2016, Hai started to lead the Department of Urology and Surgery and was determined to promote the application of high-tech services. In 2016 - the first year of the establishment of the Department of Urology and Surgery, the departments doctors successfully implemented two new techniques that are usually performed in central hospitals: laparoscopic surgery to completely remove the kidney and laparoscopy to connect the renal pelvis and ureter. Pham Van Thinh, director of Lao Cai Province General Hospital, said Hai was an example of a hard-working, enthusiastic and responsible doctor. With his leadership, the Urology Surgery Department has earned great fame among hospitals across the country. The departments staff have gained their patients trust and appreciation, which was the biggest gift to medical workers, Thinh said. VNS Doctor turned politician still dedicated to treating poor people Over the past 20 years, after finishing work Mau Van Phi usually drives his old motorbike to offer medical check-ups and treatment to impoverished people, mostly of the Raglai ethnicity, in Khanh Vinh District in the central province of Khanh Hoa. and the US-based Internet Society have expressed concerns over the new IT rules for platforms, saying the rules could harm end-to-end encryption, substantially increase surveillance, promote automated filtering and prompt a fragmentation of the internet that would hurt users. Mozilla, the not-for-profit behind the popular web browser Firefox, cautioned that the new rules could have a series of unintended consequences on the health of the internet as a whole. "While many of the most onerous provisions only apply to 'significant intermediaries' (a new classification scheme), the ripple effects of these provisions will have a devastating impact on freedom of expression, privacy and security," it said in a blogpost. also flagged "harsh" content take down and data sharing timelines under the new rules and said provisions on traceability could break end-to-end encryption that would "weaken overall security and harm privacy". The new rules for intermediaries, announced last week, are aimed at addressing concerns like lack of grievance redressal, fake and online safety of users amid rampant misuse of platforms. The regulations distinguish between 'social media intermediaries' and 'significant social media intermediaries' with 50 lakh registered users as the threshold for the categorisation. Significant social media intermediaries will have to follow additional due diligence, including the appointment of a chief compliance officer, nodal contact person and resident grievance officer, and all three officials should reside in India. Industry watchers have raised concerns that these new rules could raise compliance costs for players, making it difficult for smaller companies to compete against bigger giants like Facebook and Google. The Internet Society -- an American non-profit organisation that aims to promote open development, evolution, and use of the internet -- said any attempts to weaken encryption could undermine the digital security of individuals. Noelle Francesca De Guzman, Senior Advisor (Policy and External Engagement) at the Internet Society said the Indian government must protect the security and privacy of millions of people across India and preserve uncompromised end-to-end encryption. "Over 500 million citizens use end-to-end encrypted messaging apps in India and they rely on strong encryption to keep their communications safe and private," Guzman said. After the rules were spelt out last week, industry body Nasscom had noted that it is imperative that there is a balance between regulation and innovation as the world is in a phase of accelerated technology shifts. The industry body had also pointed out that there is a need for "responsible use" and building of technology for all stakeholders -- government, industry, startups and citizens. The option of voluntary self-verification of user accounts, the right to receive an explanatory notification on removal or disablement of access, and to seek remedy against the action being taken by the intermediaries would be helpful for end users, Nasscom had said. The association had also said the government has emphasised that the new rules will not curb creativity, and freedom of speech and expression of citizens as it urged the government to ensure that this is the 'design principle' followed during implementation. As per the amended IT rules, social media and streaming companies will be required to take down contentious content quickly, appoint grievance redressal officers and assist in investigations. The 'Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code' designed to curb misuse of social media platforms require players like WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter as well as streaming services such as Netflix, YouTube and Amazon Prime Video to appoint executives to coordinate with law enforcement, disclose the first originator of provocative content and remove, within 24 hours, content depicting nudity or morphed pictures of women. Any contentious content flagged by the government or through a legal order has to be taken down within 36 hours. (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.) Island schools at breaking point says Education Minister The number of students attending school has more than doubled since the last lockdown. Education Minister Dr Alex Allinson said 674 primary school pupils and 92 secondary school pupils attended today. Figures from the last lockdown show 259 attended primary schools and 40 at secondary schools. No educations hubs are being offered with children of key workers and vulnerable children instead attending their regular school. Dr Allinson is urging people to think seriously if they need to send their child to school: Media Education Minister Clip 3rd March 21 Florida-based homeowners insurance provider Security First Insurance has appointed Greg Moraski as vice president of Claims. Moraski will oversee the companys claims department, which includes specialized areas such as catastrophe response, special investigations and fraud prevention, and litigation. His hiring comes as Security First implements its strategic plan to combat insurance fraud. The company has begun building an in-house legal counsel team, creating 30 new positions with plans to hire 17 attorneys and 13 paralegal and administrative staff. This new team will also fall under Moraskis oversight. Security First President Melissa Burt DeVriese said Moraski has experience in catastrophe response and the management of high severity and complex losses, as well as claims leadership. Moraski has more than 35 years of claims and litigation management experience. He spent the last 27 years of his career with Nationwide, most recently serving as associate vice president of Southeastern Regional Claims. As associate vice president of Personal Lines Field Claims, he led a team of more than 600 claims professionals across seven states. Headquartered in Ormond Beach, Fla., Security First serves hundreds of thousands of policyholders living across the state. Topics Claims Florida Wilkes-Barre, PA (18701) Today A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High 77F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies. Low 56F. Winds light and variable. 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 [March 03, 2021] Colombia invites Canadian buyers to participate in the 85th virtual Business Matchmaking Forum BOGOTA, Colombia, March 3, 2021 /CNW/ -- PROCOLOMBIA, the Colombian Government agency in charge of promoting trade with high potential markets, invites Canadian companies to participate as buyers at the 85th Business Matchmaking Forum, from April 12-23. Canadian buyers will connect and network via 30-minute B2B meetings with potential suppliers from different sectors including: Agribusiness, Apparel, Manufacturing industries, Software, IT and Creative Industries. All buyers will have access to build their own B2B agendas and review the participating companies' offer before the event. The matchmaking forum will be fully virtual offering the possibility of scheduling as many meetings as desired. Participating in this event has no-cost. In the 2020 edition over 2.000 Colombian and international companies from around the world gthered virtually. Colombia's goods and services are well-positioned in different markets. "This year, Colombia and Canada celebrate the 10th anniversary of their free trade agreement. During this decade, more than 260 Colombian products have successfully arrived in the northern country. The agreement has allowed Colombia to diversify its exportable offer by enabling zero access tariff for 98% of manufacturing goods," said Flavia Santoro, President of ProColombia. Logistics from Colombia to Canada last 9 to 19 days arriving to Eastern Canadian ports: Halifax, NS; Montreal, QC and Toronto, ON; and 14 to 22 days arriving at Vancouver's port. Colombia is highly competitive and is currently considered as a top services nearshore player among the Americas. It offers political and economic stability, skilled workforce, a strong innovation ecosystem, a dynamic and growing economy and a privileged geographic location. Don't miss this opportunity to connect with Colombian vendors, for further information on how to participate as a buyer, click here: https://mcr.macrorruedasprocolombia.co/macrorrueda85/ SOURCE ProColombia Gov. Kay Ivey is pushing back against criticism of classic works by Dr. Seuss just days after reading one of the authors books online as part of Read Across America. Yesterday, Dr. Seuss Enterprises announced it will stop publishing six Dr. Seuss books including And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street and If I Ran the Zoo due to racist and insensitive imagery. Just days before, Ivey released a video of her reading the Seuss book, Oh, the Places Youll Go, for Alabama school children. In a statement to AL.com, Ivey spokesperson Gina Maiola reiterated the governors position. Gov. Ivey believes that there is no place for cancel culture in our country, Maiola told AL.com. Instead of worrying about telling kids it is wrong to read Dr. Seuss, lets worry about getting them back in the classroom. As a former teacher, Gov. Ivey believes teaching students that reading can be fun, that they should pursue their dreams and that the principle of treating everyone with kindness and respect are all relevant lessons today, Maiola added. The decision to stop publication and sales of the six Seuss books was made last year after months of discussion, according to company officials. The other titles affected are McElligots Pool, On Beyond Zebra!, Scrambled Eggs Super!, and The Cats Quizzer. Works by Seuss - born Theodor Seuss Geisel in Springfield, Mass. on March 2, 1904 have been translated into dozens of language and is sold in more than 100 countries. His works remain popular, earning an estimated $33 million before taxes in 2020. Forbes listed him No. 2 on its highest-paid dead celebrities of 2020, behind only the late pop star Michael Jackson. Students at the University of Alberta are raising concerns with online exam proctoring programs they find invasive. (David Bajer/CBC - image credit) Some University of Alberta students are calling for an end to the use of online monitoring services meant to prevent cheating, as final exams approach. This year, with the COVID-19 pandemic forcing the university to use remote learning, many U of A classes have used online proctoring services like Smart Exam Monitoring and Exam Lock. They run in the background of students' computers while they write tests, monitoring movement to flag anything that could be a sign the student is cheating. "Fundamentally, what this software does is it tries to prevent cheating. But all it does instead is make it so that you're more scared and the assessments themselves are less effective," said David Draper, University of Alberta Students' Union vice-president academic. Student representatives have raised concerns about e-proctoring since May. Draper said the type of suspicious activity it flags include things as simple as students reading questions aloud, going to the bathroom or people walking in the background of the camera's view, a problem for people living with roommates or family. They also have led to equity issues, Draper said. He's heard from students of colour who say the programs sometimes don't recognize their face, asking them to move to rooms with better lighting. He's also heard from students with disabilities about e-proctoring not working with accessibility programs that are provided by the university, such as screen readers. "It sends a message to students about who is welcome within a university and who this university caters to," Draper said. "Online proctoring, in my opinion, does more to enforce compliance and does more to enforce structural and systemic views of what somebody should look like, rather than actually enforcing academic integrity." Some also see it as invasive. Inaara Kanji, a second-year criminology student, has had to use online proctoring in many of her classes this year. Privacy is often the main concern for her and other students, she said, with many questioning the security of the video recording them writing tests in their home. Story continues "Online proctoring really just feels like you're trying to avoid getting caught for something that you didn't even do," Kanji said. University strikes task force A blog post by University of Alberta president Bill Flanagan on Jan. 28 announced a task force on remote teaching and learning that would include students and instructors, with a goal to reduce online proctoring in the spring and summer term. "We know that this is a challenging time for everyone and continue to remind members of our teaching and learning community to reach out if they are experiencing added challenges or barriers because of the COVID-19 emergency," said deputy provost Wendy Rodgers on Tuesday. Lucas Marques, vice-president external at the U of A's International Students' Association, said he's frustrated the university hasn't acted more swiftly. Marques spent the fall semester studying from home in Brazil. The four-hour time difference was enough for him to sometimes be awake past midnight writing tests. With some students having to do this while living in a timezone more than 10 hours away, Marques said more students are feeling fatigued and burned out this year, especially as they see the high price of their university tuition come with a seemingly declining quality of education. "Students need help now," Marques said. "They have midterms around this time of the year; this semester is almost ending, and just now we are starting to get some sort of talks into it." Some schools were worried last summer that studying from home could lead to more academic dishonesty. But Draper says from what the students' union has gathered, students aren't cheating more often, but are instead are getting more confused over what is and isn't cheating. Similar concerns about online proctoring services have been raised across Canada, including at the University of Manitoba , the University of Regina and Carleton University . Other schools have rejected using it. The University of Calgary opted not to use online proctoring for exams this semester, citing privacy issues with technology that records people in their homes. Increasing burden on instructors Tim Mills, vice-president of the Association of Academic Staff of the University of Alberta, has been teaching online for several years. He said he's used remote proctoring in the past, but finds it too awkward and invasive. Last fall, Mills worked in a support role to help staff use e-proctoring programs. He said the burden on instructors this year has been difficult after provincial budget cuts led to larger classes and an increased workload. On top of this, Mills says, it's been hard for professors to find the best way to assess their students to the same standard as the structure of their in-person courses. "We don't have that substantial training or the time to build up the experience to deliver these alternative formats the way we would want, or even, I think, to really understand all the ins and outs of remote proctoring," Mills said. David Draper, vice-president academic of the University of Alberta Students Union, worries about how often online exam proctoring is used. (CBC) Draper is happy to see more students and staff raising concerns to the university, but he said the onus should be on administration to restrict use of online proctoring and promote alternatives. And while the university's task force is a positive step, it can only offer recommendations or guidelines, but students need to see more action, Draper said. "It's been eight months more or less since we started talking about these issues and we know the issues," Draper said. "We know the problems, we don't need to scope them out anymore. We don't need to do the research on it, it's already been done." The Samsung Galaxy A32 4G announced last week was expected to arrive in India on March 5, but the company launched the smartphone two days early. The Galaxy A32 4G comes in a single 6GB/128GB memory configuration in India and is listed on Samsung's official Indian website. It's priced at INR21,999 ($300/250) and has four color options - Awesome Black, Awesome White, Awesome Blue, and Awesome Violet. The Galaxy A32 4G is powered by the Helio G80 SoC and runs Android 11-based One UI 3.1 out of the box. It's built around a 6.4" FullHD+ 90Hz Super AMOLED screen with a notch for the 20MP selfie and a fingerprint reader underneath for biometric authentication. We get a quad camera setup around the back, which is a combination of a 64MP primary, 8MP ultrawide, 5MP macro, and 5MP depth units. Fueling the entire package is a 5,000 mAh battery charged through a USB-C port at up to 15W. And there's also a 3.5mm headphone jack for those who haven't switched to wireless earphones yet. Source Months after Hilaria Baldwin came under fire for allegedly faking her Spanish accent and heritage, Alec Baldwin is weighing in on talk about Gillian Andersons accent. Read article The actor, 62, tweeted an article about the Spy Who Dumped Me actress appearing to have an American accent suddenly at the Golden Globes. He used it as an opportunity to joke about the drama involving his wife, 37, which saw her step out of the spotlight for one month. Switching accents ? he tweeted on Wednesday, March 3. That soundsfascinating. John Salangsang/Shutterstock; David Fisher/BAFTA/Shutterstock; Kristina Bumphrey/StarPix/Shutterstock The drama started in December 2020 when a social media user accused the former Yoga instructor of faking her Spanish heritage. The person alleged that Hilaria was not actually from Spain, but rather Massachusetts, and was putting on an accent to fit that narrative. The Boss Baby actor fiercely defended his wife amid the controversy. In December he shared a Mark Twain quote about lying, which read, A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes. The comments quickly filled up with comments questioning Alecs decision to stick up for his wife. One social media user wrote, Just please stop insulting people who can see clear facts. Alec responded, She was born in Boston but grew up in Spain. You got it? Evan Agostini/AP/Shutterstock Another wrote, Like your wife being Spanish when she live in Massachusetts her entire life. I take it her accent is fake as well ? FRAUDS ! The 30 Rock alum replied, Go fk yourself. Hilaria eventually admitted that her real name is Hilary but maintained her Spanish identity. She announced that she was taking a break from social media, resurfacing after some time and several more accusations, including some from her former dance partner who claimed, It was always her desire to be considered Spanish. Read article In February, Hilaria returned to Instagram after taking the time to reflect on the scandal. Ive spent the last month listening, reflecting, and asking myself how I can learn and grow, the Mom Brain podcast cohost wrote. My parents raised my brother and me with two cultures, American and Spanish, and I feel a true sense of belonging to both. The way Ive spoken about myself and my deep connection to two cultures could have been better explained I should have been more clear and Im sorry. Im proud of the way I was raised, and were raising our children to share the same love and respect for both. She added: Being vulnerable and pushing ourselves to learn and grow is what weve built our community on, and I hope to get back to the supportive and kind environment weve built together. Read article Alec and the Living Clearly Method author revealed on Tuesday, March 2 that they welcomed a sixth child just months after Hilaria gave birth to their youngest son. She shared the news via her Instagram Story, posting a pic in bed with kids Carmen, 7, Rafael, 5, Leonardo, 4, Romeo, 2, Eduardo, 5 months, and Lucia with the caption, 7. The pair announced the sweet name they chose for their daughter. Us Weekly confirmed they welcomed the child via surrogate. We are so in love with our daughter Lucia, she captioned an Instagram photo of the baby sleeping in a pink onesie. Just like your brothers and sisters, you are a dream come true. DUSHANBE Deputy Foreign Minister Mirwais Nab met with the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Tajikistan, Ms. Davlatzoda Zulfiya Davlat, in Dushanbe. At the outset, the Deputy Foreign Minister spoke about the historical, civilizational, and cultural commonalities between the two brotherly and friendly countries, stating that these commonalities define and regulate Kabul and Dushanbe's relations beyond any international covenants. Talking about the cultural programs to be held on the sidelines of the 9th Ministerial Conference of the Heart of Asia - Istanbul Process in Dushanbe, Mr. Nab considered establishing relations between national libraries, holding joint cultural meetings, creating friendship associations, honoring common cultural figures, and increasing the number of Afghan students in Tajikistan are essential for strengthening and expanding cultural ties between them. The Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister also called for joint efforts by the two countries' governments and peoples in the concerned areas. Welcoming Mr. Nab's suggestions and views, Ms. Dolatzada informed the Deputy Foreign Minister of her country's readiness to develop cultural ties between Kabul and Dushanbe and provide more scholarships to the Afghan youth. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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. New pandemic support for Hospitality, Leisure & Tourism businesses Wider rates based support could follow March 12th review This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Mar 3rd, 2021 The Welsh Government is today announcing a further 30 million for hospitality, leisure and tourism businesses affected by ongoing coronavirus restrictions. It has also confirmed that pending the outcome of the next review on 12th March, a further 150 million in grants could be made available to firms, including micro businesses, through the Welsh Governments Non Domestic Rates (NDR) scheme if coronavirus restrictions are extended. The latest round of the Welsh Governments Economic Resilience Fund will see 30m of targeted support being made available to support small, medium and large businesses in the hospitality, leisure and tourism sectors as well as related supply chain businesses. The funding is targeted to businesses employing ten or more staff in recognition of the relatively higher level of operating costs that these businesses face. However, should restrictions be extended at the 12th March review, the 150m that will be made available would see businesses in the hospitality, tourism, leisure and non-essential retail sectors that pay non-domestic rates receiving an additional payment of up to 5k regardless of the number of employees they have. From today, businesses in the hospitality, tourism and leisure sectors can access the eligibility checker and calculator on the Business Wales website to help them work out what support they can expect to qualify for in this latest round and to understand the detail they will need to make an application. Minister for the Economy, Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates, said: This last year has been incredibly difficult for everyone and we are aware of the significant challenges facing our fantastic hospitality, tourism and leisure sector. The focus of this latest 30m round of funding is to target further support at the small, medium and large businesses in these sectors with the specific aim of protecting as many jobs as possible. The Welsh Governments support to businesses throughout the pandemic has been the most generous anywhere in the UK and I am pleased that we have been able to get over 1.9bn directly into the bank accounts of our businesses. With restrictions likely to continue for a little while longer we are actively reviewing our options for providing further support. I am pleased to confirm that we have now made provision for a further 150m of support for businesses paying non-domestic rates should restrictions be extended at the next coronavirus review on 12th March which would include support for micro businesses. Minister for Finance, Rebecca Evans, said: The pandemic has had a disproportionate effect on the hospitality, leisure and tourism sectors and the people it employs. This new fund, and our provision of additional funding should restrictions be extended, responds to the latest phase of the pandemic and signifies our continued commitment to the sector, helping them to survive the toughest of times until they are in a position to safely reopen their doors again. Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UKHospitality (UKH) welcomed the latest Welsh Government grants package for the industry: Welsh Government has again listened directly to our constructive proposals for more vital support and the new money will play a leading part in continuing to save local jobs and local businesses until March 31 in communities right across Wales while lockdown persists. Top pic: The Bank award winning wine bar and bistro in Wrexham town centre. (CNN) Buckingham Palace said Wednesday it would investigate allegations that Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, bullied several staff members after a British media report cited unnamed royal aides saying a complaint had been made against her in 2018. The Times in the UK published an article on Tuesday citing sources who said that the complaint claimed the Duchess drove out two personal assistants from her Kensington Palace household and undermined the confidence of a third staff member. CNN has been unable to corroborate the claims. The sources also said they approached The Times because they felt the version of the Duchess that had publicly emerged was only partially true and that they were concerned about how matters of bullying had been dealt with. The report said the sources believed the public "should have insight into their side of the story" ahead of the couple's highly anticipated interview with Oprah Winfrey to air Sunday, their first sit-down appearance since leaving London for North America last year. Buckingham Palace said it was "very concerned" about the allegations outlined in the report. "Accordingly our HR team will look into the circumstances outlined in the article. Members of staff involved at the time, including those who have left the Household, will be invited to participate to see if lessons can be learned," it said in its statement. "The Royal Household has had a Dignity at Work policy in place for a number of years and does not and will not tolerate bullying or harassment in the workplace." Prince Harry and Meghan announced in January 2020 that they were stepping back as working members of the royal family and moved to North America soon afterward. Buckingham Palace confirmed last month that the couple had agreed with Queen Elizabeth II, Harry's grandmother, that they would not be returning as working royals. The move sparked talk of a rift between the couple -- who are settled in California and expecting their second child -- and the British royal family. A spokesperson for the Sussexes dismissed the Times report as "a calculated smear campaign" ahead of the couple's interview with Winfrey. "Let's just call this what it is a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation. We are disappointed to see this defamatory portrayal of The Duchess of Sussex given credibility by a media outlet," the spokesperson said. "The Duchess is saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma. She is determined to continue her work building compassion around the world and will keep striving to set an example for doing what is right and doing what is good." The spokesperson said the claims made in the Times' report were "defamatory" and that a legal letter of rebuttal had been sent to the media outlet. The Times declined to comment when approached by CNN. Harry touched upon the pressures of royal life during a conversation with fellow Briton James Corden for his "Late Late Show" last month. "It was a really difficult environment," the Duke said. "We all know how the British press can be ... and it was destroying my mental health. I was like, 'This is toxic,' so I did what any husband and any father would do: I need to get my family out of here." Harry and Meghan have been mired in a long-running war of words and lawsuits with a large portion of the tabloid media, fighting multiple legal cases against publications and photo agencies that had printed details of their private lives. Last month, Meghan won a privacy claim against the publishers of the Mail on Sunday after they published a letter she sent her father, and launched a stinging rebuke to "dehumanizing" media organizations after the verdict, saying the "damage they have done and continue to do runs deep." The US administration has launched a hostile anti-Russian attack, announcing, in a duet with the European Union, the next measures of sanctions to "punish Moscow." This is stated in a commentary of the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova. Tangled in its own internal problems, the White House is once again trying to cultivate the image of an external enemy. We have repeatedly commented on this American policy, which lacks logic and meaning and only further worsens the bilateral relations, which Washington has already led to a complete freeze. It is absurd when A. Navalnys alleged provocation premeditated poisoning with some military chemical substances is declared as the reason for imposing sanctions [on Russia]. All this is just an excuse for continuous open interference in our internal affairs. We do not intend to put up with this. We will respond on the basis of reciprocity, but it does not have to be symmetrical. We assume that the US administration does not realize that times have changed long ago, and that attempts at violence in modern geopolitical realities are ineffective for those who cannot give them up. Instead of embarking on a new path of conflict, the United States would be better off worrying about the honest fulfillment of its obligations, such as the destruction of chemical weapons, which Russia simply does not have since 2017. It is probably difficult for partners in the United States to understand the illusion of their own exclusivity and come to terms with it. The calculations of imposing something on Russia through sanctions or other pressure have failed in the past and are still failing. If the United States is not ready for an equal dialogue on reasonable grounds, that is its choice. Regardless of American sanctions bias, we [Russia] will continue to consistently and resolutely defend our national interests by rejecting any aggression. We urge colleagues not to play with fire. Washington, being a serial violator of international treaties and agreements in the field of arms control and non-proliferation, is essentially deprived of the moral right to give advice of others," Zakharovas commentary also reads. After decreasing production to match lower demand in 2020, Mexico plans to boost oil exports in 2021 as worldwide demand gradually increases once again. OPEC members heavily reduced oil production and export levels in 2020 amid a precipitous drop in demand. Although Mexico initially supported this initiative to stabilise pricing, the head of state-owned Mexicos Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) announced this week that production would pick up to pre-reduction levels this year. Ulises Hernandez, general director of PMI which manages many of Pemex trade deals stated, Because of the low (production) costs and, of course, the blend of heavy and light oil that we produce has good demand in the international market, we have not had the need to reduce exports. Pemex produced an average of 1.65 million bpd of crude in January, barely less than the previous year. This is expected to pick up over the next few weeks as the cuts come to an end. The state-owned oil giant announced in 2020 that it would focus on shallow water projects, leaving deep sea drilling to international oil majors, to maintain low production costs. However, the effect of Covid-19 did not go unnoticed. Pemex announced in February that it had experienced a loss of around $23 billion in 2020 due to the reduction in oil demand. This average takes into account the return to profit in the second half of the year, showing how devastating the pandemic was in the first two quarters. Start Trading On OPC Markets Today The company criticised "the unprecedented combination of low prices for crude oil and petroleum products" and "a steep fall in fuel consumption that eroded the cash flows of all oil companies." for the loss. Despite failing to reach its goal of 1.84 million bpd in 2020, remaining at its 2019 average of 1.7 million bpd, it is hopeful for 2021 production, aiming for an average production level of 1.94 million bpd and 2 million bpd in 2022. The government stepped in last year to alleviate the companys financial burden, announcing tax cuts and $100 billion in aid. A further $3.5 billion has been allocated to support Pemex in 2021. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) guaranteed his backing for the indebted oil company, vowing to support Pemex in its recovery. According to AMLO, the previous Mexican government deliberately destroyed Pemex to leave the market in the hands of foreigners.. This coupled with the pandemic that followed AMLOs first year in government left the company in need of bailing out. While the company is grappling with its debt and coming out of a difficult year, it has encouraging plans for the future. In December, Pemex announced it would switch its exploration strategy to work in the Tampico-Misantla basin in search of shale. The company is expected to invest $437mn in the drilling of as many as 32 wells, including 12 wells in unconventional resources in Veracruz. Despite efforts by ALMO to rule out the pursuit of shale, Mexican oil regulator the National Hydrocarbons Commission (CNH) approved further exploration by Pemex. It seems that the regulator is at odds with the government as commissioner Sergio Pimentel stated, "It is desirable that Pemex explores those areas with huge potential, as the country needs those resources,". Suggesting that if Pemex did not, other private companies would step in. While Pemex continues to battle with its increasing debt and return to pre-covid production and exportation levels, the potential for shale exploration in promising areas could mean a bright future for the Mexican oil giant. By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: ADVERTISEMENT The Federal High Court in Kano has convicted Maryam Abu Shinga for retaining proceeds of crime. A statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday stated that the judge, Lewis Allagoa, passed his judgment on the convict on Tuesday. The statement added that the convict entered a plea bargain agreement with the prosecution that saw the judge sentence her to pay N110, 000,000 in restitution to victims. No jail term was imposed on her, according to the statement. The convict lured her victims into a phony gold mining investment that she promised would yield 300 per cent profit for investors. She claimed that an investor who put in N500,000 could earn N1.5 million as returns on investment within four weeks. READ FULL STATEMENT: EFCC Press Release Court Convicts Ponzi Scheme Operator in Kano, Orders Return of N110m to Victims Justice Lewis Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Kano on March 2, 2021 convicted one Maryam Abu Shinga on one count amended charge of retention of proceeds of crime. She was also ordered to pay the sum of N110, 000,000 in restitution to victims The convict was said to have lured her victims into a phony gold mining investment where she represented that the investor stands to earn 300% profit. She claimed that when an investor invests N500, 000, such investor could earn N1, 500,000 (One Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira Only) as returns on investment over a period of 4 weeks. Investigation, however, revealed that the convict was never into gold mining or any such investment. It was also discovered that even though Shinga was able to pay some early investors with funds taken from later investors, she allegedly diverted N394,541,910 (Three Hundred and Ninety-four Million, Five Hundred and Forty-one Thousand, Nine Hundred and Ten Naira) belonging to several other investors. Upon arraignment, Shinga pleaded not guilty thereby setting the stage for trial. During the trial which commenced on January 23, 2020, the prosecution called five witnesses and tendered several documents in evidence. However, before the prosecution could close its case, the convict opted for a plea bargain. In his judgment on Tuesday, March 2, Justice Allagoa accepted the terms of a plea bargain agreement, convicted and sentenced the defendant to restitute the complainants in the sum of N110, 000,000. Wilson Uwujaren Head, Media & Publicity 3 March, 2021 Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. Mumbai, March 3 : In one of the fiercest attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said while the Centre clamped an abrupt lockdown last year and asked people to clang thalis, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government provided full meals at affordable rates to the poor, needy and migrants during the pandemic crisis. "When people were being told to bang empty plates, we provided the poor people with full 'thalis' (plateful of meals) in the times of distress," Thackeray said, in his reply to the motion of thanks on the address of Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. In his address, Koshyari had lauded the government's Shiv Bhojan Yojana launched on Jan. 26, 2020 by which over 3.15 crore thalis at Rs.5/plate have been served. Costing the government around Rs.125-crore, the daily consumption of the affordable meals shot up from 18K to 138K, the governor noted on Monday (March 1). Thackeray recalled how he had called up the PM after the sudden lockdown was declared in the country and later the MVA government helped transport lakhs of stranded migrants safely to their home states all over India. "In fact, after they reached homes in Uttar Pradesh or Bihar, the migrants expressed their gratitude to us for the arrangements," the CM said. Thackeray took the opportunity to slam the Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre on the issue of the farmers' agitation outside Delhi and the skirmishes on the India-China borders. "You could put nails on roads (to quell the farmers' protest in Delhi), but you beat a retreat against China," Thackeray said sharply. However, Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis attacked the CM for raising irrelevant issues in the House and said Thackeray had insulted Indian soldiers on the borders. "Not an inch of (Indian) land has gone. Our soldiers defended the Chinese aggressions under extreme circumstances.. Yet you make such insulting statements against them (soldiers)," Fadnavis said. Tom Hardy's biopic Capone was released on Netflix UK at the end of last month. But fans were less than impressed by the offering, with many calling it a 'waste of time' and slamming it as an 'awful' film. Capone follows the last year of the mobster's life, as he settles down in Florida after spending the past 10 years behind bars while struggling with his mental health. 'Don't waste your time!' Tom Hardy's Capone biopic was slammed as 'awful' and 'hard work' to watch by fans after it landed on Netflix last week The notorious gangster was originally sentenced to serve 11 years in prison for tax evasion though he was released early due to his failing health. Capone was just 48 years of age when he died in Palm Island, Florida in January 1947, so Tom was aged up up slightly for the role. Tom's portrayal of Capone sees him plagued by his life of crime, while some scenes also see him wear adult diapers after soiling himself. Fans took to Twitter to share their displeasure with the film, with some claiming it was 'hard work' to watch the film, let alone finish it. Drama: Capone follows the last year of the mobster's life, as he settles down in Florida after spending the past 10 years behind bars while struggling with his mental health Depiction: Tom's portrayal of Capone sees him plagued by his life of crime, while some scenes also see him wear adult diapers after soiling himself One person wrote: 'F**k my 'Capone' on @netflix is an 1.45mins of my life i will never get back. Love Tom Hardy but that was just hard work (sic).' Another added: 'Don't waste your time watching #Capone. Tom Hardy is brilliant but the story and everything else. Meh.' One viewer joked: 'Just wasted nearly 2 hours of potential Sunday nap time on the new Tom Hardy film Capone.' Unhappy: Fans took to Twitter to share their displeasure with the film, with some claiming it was 'hard work' to watch the film, let alone finish it Not mincing their words, one viewer hit out: 'Watched the new 'Capone' movie last night. Actually one of the worst films I have seen. 'I like Tom Hardy as an actor and enjoy the 'gangster' genre. But this was awful. Gave up after an hour. Avoid...' Capone was diagnosed with syphilis and gonorrhea after arriving at the federal prison in Atlanta, and his health continued to decline. Capone was later diagnosed with neurosyphilis, syphilis of the brain, in 1938, which damaged his mental faculties to the point where he was said to have the mentality of a 12-year-old child in 1946. The biopic also stars Linda Cardellini as Capone's wife Mae, Jack Lowden as FBI Agent Crawford, Matt Dillon as Johnny and Kyle MacLachlan as Karlock. Josh Trank returned to the director's chair for the first time since 2015's Fantastic Four reboot, while also writing the screenplay and editing Capone. The death has occurred of Eamonn D'Arcy Linden Court, Kennedy Park, Limerick and late of Assumpta Park and Contract Cleaners. Eamonn, died (suddenly) at University Hospital Limerick. Very deeply regretted by his loving partner Anne Smith, stepson Dean, daughter Shauna, sisters Mary, Sandra and Jean, daughter-in-law Naomi, grandchildren, brothers-in-law, nephews, nieces, other relatives and friends. Arriving for a private Requiem Mass, for family only, in Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, Janesboro, on Saturday (March 6th) at 11am Mass will be live streamed (to view click here) Funeral afterwards to Shannon Crematorium, Shannon, Co. Clare. Eamonn's Funeral Cortege will pass his residence in Linden Court, after Mass. In compliance with the current HSE guidelines, the funeral will be limited to 10 people. Please ensure social distancing and public health advice is adhered. Messages of sympathy may be expressed through the condolence section below or cards and letters of sympathy can be sent to Cross' Funeral Directors, Lower Gerald Griffin Street, Limerick. May He Rest in Peace ------------------------------------- The death has occurred of Michael (Jerome) Cosgrove Ballyclough Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston, Limerick. Michael (Jerome) Cosgrove (Ballyclough Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston, Limerick. Late Limerick Docks). March 3 2021 peacefully at Limerick University Hospital. Beloved son of the late Annie and Jimmy Cosgrove. Dearly loved brother of Majella, Berney, Rena, Ann and Juner. Deeply missed by his sister-in-law Susey, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends. A private Requiem Mass for family will be held in Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Childers Road this Friday (5th March) at 12 noon followed by burial in Mount St. Lawrence (Extension) Cemetery. Requiem Mass will be live streamed here In the interests of public health, attendance at Requiem Mass will be restricted to accord with government guidelines and in line with social distancing protocols. Mass cards and messages of sympathy can be sent to Thompsons, Thomas Street, Limerick. May he rest in peace. ------------------------------------- The death has occurred of Kathleen CLARKE (nee Kelly) Rathcoole, Dublin / Abbeyfeale, Limerick Clarke (nee Kelly) (Rathcoole, Co. Dublin and formerly of Knocknasna, Abbeyfeale, Co. Limerick) Mar 3, 2021, (peacefully), surrounded by her loving family, at home, Kathleen, beloved wife of Edward and dear mother of Audrey, John, Caitriona, Eamon and Aoife; Sadly missed by her loving husband, sons, daughters, brother Pat, sisters Rita and Tess, sons-in-law Pete and Sam, daughters-in-law Laura and Linda, Aoifes partner Mark, grandchildren Sean, Sophie, Darragh, Jack, Amelie, Eleanor and Rosa, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends. Due to current Government guidelines regarding public gatherings, a Private Funeral will take place. Those who would like to pay their respects may do so by lining the route while observing social distancing guidelines on Friday at approximately 10.40am as Kathleen makes her way from her home to the Church of the Nativity of the BVM, Saggart or by joining the private funeral service remotely by webcam by clicking on https://www.churchservices.tv/saggart on Friday at 11am. Those who would have liked to attend the Funeral, but due to current restrictions cannot, please feel free to leave a message in the Condolence Book below. Family flowers only please. Donations, if desired, to The Irish Cancer Society. ------------------------------------- To leave a message of condolences, please click here (@FahadShabbir) Washington, March 2 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Mar, 2021 ) :The Supreme Court heard arguments on Tuesday in a case that could have an impact on voting access for minorities, one of the ongoing political battles in US history. The case, Brnovich vs Democratic National Committee, involves two Republican-backed electoral laws in the southwestern state of Arizona and is seen as a test of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The act was designed to prohibit discrimination against African Americans at the ballot box and is considered one of the landmark achievements of the civil rights movement. It prevented state and local authorities, for example, from enacting measures such as literacy and general knowledge tests that could prevent minorities from voting. The Supreme Court in 2013 struck down part of the act, which had required states with a history of voter discrimination to first receive a green light from the Federal authorities before changing any voting rules. At issue in the case now before the nation's highest court is a section of the act that prohibits adoption of any law that would restrict minority voting access, even if discrimination is not intentional. One of the laws passed by the Republican-majority legislature in Arizona would make it a felony for anyone other than a family member, caregiver or postal worker to collect and deliver an absentee ballot. The other would prevent a provisional ballot from being counted if it is cast in a precinct other than the one where a voter is registered. A federal appeals court ruled last year that the laws would adversely impact African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans, who for socioeconomic reasons are less able to travel to polling stations. Supporters of the state laws argued in the Supreme Court, where conservative-leaning justices have a 6-3 majority, that the laws are necessary to prevent voter fraud. Michael Carvin, an attorney defending the voting laws, said the justices need only to examine whether the "same opportunities" are provided to all voters. "Socioeconomic factors are irrelevant," Carvin said. The outcome of the case is seen as particularly important for the Democratic Party, which receives more support from minority voters than the Republican Party. African Americans, for example, voted overwhelmingly for Democrat Joe Biden in the November presidential election, which former president Donald Trump falsely claimed was marred by voter fraud. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, laws have been drafted in dozens of states since January alone that would restrict voting access. Belagavi, March 3 : Coming out in defence of his brother, Ramesh Jarakiholi, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee working president Satish Jarakiholi on Wednesday felt that release of such CD was certainly an embarrassment for the family. Satish is the younger brother of Ramesh Jarakiholi, who resigned after the CD containing his intimate relationship with a woman was released on news channels on Tuesday. Since Tuesday evening, Satish had refrained from reacting to the media. Interacting with the media here, Jarakiholi said that it will take some time for the family to recover from such a shock. "Investigations can only prove whether the CD was genuine or fake. All I can say is that my brother should have resigned Athe moment this CD was released in the media," he said. According to him, once such CD comes out in public, no party be it Congress or BJP or any other regional party cannot defend such actions. "I will not comment on whether the CD is genuine or fake debate all that I feel is that the family's reputation has certainly dented," he said. He quickly added that the CD episode individually may not have any impact politically or otherwise, but when it comes to family, it certainly is a painful episode, which should not have occurred. In response to a question that though he has not interacted with his brother (Ramesh) yet, it is evident that it will take much longer time for him to recover from such an episode. "This is certainly a lesson for all of us in public life, that every action is recorded nowadays. One needs to be extra careful in the present scenario," he said. Jarakiholi is one of the most politically influential families in Karnataka, who wield considerable clout in Karnataka's sugar belt Belagavi district which sends 18 MLAs to the Assembly. The Klamath County Circuit Court upheld a majority of decisions concerning the Oregon water rights of the Klamath Tribes last week, but basin irrigators say there could be changes in how those rights are enforced down the road. Using treaty language wherein the U.S. government promised adequate resources for hunting and fishing on the former Klamath Indian Reservation, the tribes had successfully proved the existence of their time immemorial water rights in federal court in the 1970s and 1980s. But that litigation required their participation in the Klamath Basin Adjudication in order to quantify those rights. Judge Cameron Wogans latest proposed order upheld most of the Oregon Water Resources Departments decisions on tribal water rights made during the adjudications administrative phase. Basin irrigators, including those within the Klamath Project and along the tributaries of Upper Klamath Lake, had made several motions to limit the scope and quantity of those rights. In a general sense, Wogan denied the majority of those and upheld the validity of the tribes time immemorial rights. However, he did grant a motion filed by irrigators along tributaries to Upper Klamath Lake to vacate OWRDs prior determination of how much water the tribes are entitled to, triggering a re-quantification of those rights. Upper Basin irrigators argued in their motion that the states adjudication didnt apply the moderate living standard, which allows the tribes water rights to be limited if doing so would still allow for the viability of their treaty resources. Wogan agreed, though he pointed out that previous litigation outlined the quantification of tribal water rights as a two-step process: First, adjudicators were obligated to grant a water right adequate enough to support healthy and productive habitat to sustain the tribes fisheries. Second, they were to apply the moderate living standard to limit that water right to the extent that it didnt negatively impact habitat. Wogan argued that, while the adjudication failed to complete step two, applying the moderate living standard on remand may not change the situation. In practice the moderate living standard may not have much effect upon the level of water necessary to have a healthy and productive habitat, he wrote Feb. 24. That is because the water level cannot be reduced below what the evidence establishes is the minimum required for a healthy and productive habitat. Sue Noe, the tribes attorney with the Native American Rights Fund, said the burden will be on irrigators to prove that the tribes fishery doesnt need as much water as its getting. She said evidence the tribes provided during the adjudication to support the existing quantity was already geared toward the minimum water level to support Cwaam and Koptu (Lost River and shortnose suckers) fisheries. Even then, she said the goal of the standard is to keep the fisheries sustainable enough to support tribal populations. Its not just to keep the fish alive there have to be populations that are sufficient to allow harvest, Noe said. Given that the Klamath Tribes havent engaged in the subsistence harvest of Cwaam and Koptu in decades and the fish populations in Upper Klamath Lake and its tributaries continue to decline, Noe posited that irrigators will be hard pressed to argue a quantified water right for the tribes thats lower than what they already have. Still, irrigators were grateful to be handed an opportunity to do so. Martin Nicholson, a board member of Fort Klamath Critical Habitat Landowners Inc. said a settlement reached between the tribes and Wood River Valley irrigators, which was terminated in 2017 but temporarily allowed flows to irrigators, suggests that theres room for the moderate living standard to further limit the tribes quantified water rights. Were pleased to have the opportunity to have the department reconsider these flows. We thought they were too high when they were part of the adjudication, and now the Water Resources Department has the opportunity to get them right, Nicholson said. The judge also denied a motion by irrigators to dismiss the tribes claims to water in Upper Klamath Lake and the Wood River Valley on the basis that those streams lay outside the boundaries of the former Klamath Indian Reservation. He cited legal precedent saying that streams that intersect or border the reservation are claimable by the tribes. Based on language in the Klamath Treaty of 1864, which established the reservation, the judge affirmed that Upper Klamath Lake and the Wood River fit those requirements. However, the judge denied the tribes motion to include the Klamath River, which was part of their traditional territory but ceded to the U.S. during the creation of the reservation. Though some treaties made between tribes and the U.S. government have included clauses that reserve hunting and fishing rights in ceded territory, Wogan determined that this was not one of them. The Tribes do not have reserved in-stream rights for completely off reservation waters such as those they seek on the Klamath River for a number of reasons. Unlike some treaties, the language of this one does not support those claims, he wrote. Noe said the tribes will have the option to appeal that decision and present evidence supporting their claim to water in the Klamath River, though thats quite a ways off in the process. We do think that, under federal law, off-reservation sources should support on-reservation rights, she said. Paul Simmons, executive director of the Klamath Water Users Association, said Klamath Project irrigators are largely unaffected by the decision, as a settlement prevents the tribes from using water rights in Oregon to curtail deliveries to the Project from Upper Klamath Lake. But he said the denial of tribal claims to the Klamath River was a relief, given that some irrigation districts draw water directly from the Klamath River below Lake Ewauna. The macro-existence of the tribes water rights has been affirmed, Simmons said. Some of the qualifications and nuances could be beneficial for irrigation. If the court issues an order in March that requires OWRD to re-quantify the Klamath Tribes water rights, Simmons said irrigators may have recourse to block calls for water the tribes make in the summer on tributaries to Upper Klamath Lake. But Noe said thats unlikely, given Oregon water law. ORS 539.170 says that while OWRDs order is pending in court, the division of water from the stream involved in the appeal shall be made in accordance with the order. Noe said that since Wogan has decided not to issue a final decree until all litigation on the administrative findings has been completed, the tribes should still have the authority to make water calls while their rights are being re-quantified. Dominic Carollo, counsel for Upper Basin irrigators, said that once the order enforcing the judges decision goes into effect, the fact that the tribes rights are vacated means that there wont be any quantifications to base a water call on. If the quantifications are vacated, there are no flows in the order for OWRD to enforce, Carollo said. Klamath Tribal Chairman Don Gentry praised the ruling and Wogans interpretation of treaty rights. We are pleased that Judge Wogan upheld the rulings from the administrative phase of the KBA, Gentry said. He reaffirmed that the 1864 treaty entered into between the Klamath Tribes and the United States reserved to the Tribes sufficient water to keep our fisheries and other aquatic resources healthy so that we can protect our natural resources and cultural traditions. Police have swooped on thieves who stole box loads of NHS-branded lateral flow coronavirus tests which were destined for secondary schools across the country. The thieves took the vital equipment from a lorry parked in Harlow Business Park in Essex, in the early hours of yesterday morning. However Essex Police managed to track down and recover the NHS goods before they were sold on the black market. Three men have now been arrested and remain in custody on suspicion of theft. Essex Police swooped on thieves who stole the lateral flow coronavirus tests from a lorry parked in Harlow Business Park Chief Superintendent Stuart Hooper, who oversees local policing in west Essex, said: 'Our colleagues in the NHS, and dedicated volunteers across the country, are working tirelessly to stop the spread of coronavirus and save lives. 'I'm thrilled that we were able to recover the lateral flow tests so that those in need are able to keep themselves and others safe at this difficult time. 'I'd like to remind the people of Essex that you can go and get yourself tested at sites across the county, and we'd encourage you to do so where possible.' A 31-year-old man from Canvey Island, in Essex, a 27-year-old man from Newham, London, and a 37-year-old man, from Dagenham, all remain in custody on suspicion of theft. The man from Dagenham has also been arrested on suspicion of drug driving. It comes as NHS bosses today revealed Britain's coronavirus vaccine drive should drastically pick up pace from March 15 because supplies will 'increase substantially'. The police confirmed the three men had been arrested and encouraged the people of Essex to get tested Ministers promised March would be a 'bumper' month for the roll-out after the programme, which is crucial to Britain's hopes of seeing lockdown eased over the next few months, slowed down in February due to manufacturing issues. Health chiefs have told local Covid vaccination teams to get prepared for extra supplies, hinting the UK may get almost 5million doses a week from next Thursday double the amount it is currently receiving. Vaccination sites across the country have also been told to ensure enough staff are ready to help from March 15. Bosses have also revealed plans to clamp down on regional disparities in the roll-out after it was found that some parts of the country had already began dishing out jabs to healthy people in their twenties and thirties. A notorious convicted rapist known in Russia as the "Maniac of Skopin" has been released from prison after serving a 17-year prison term Yulia Penkova, a spokeswoman for the Federal Penitentiary Service in the city of Saratov, said on March 3 that Viktor Mokhov left a correctional colony in the Saratov region earlier in the day. Penkova added that Mokhov, whose crimes in 2000 shocked the country, will be under parole-like police control for another six years. In September 2000, Mokhov and his girlfriend abducted two teenage girls in the city of Skopin in the western region of Ryazan, and kept them in a basement garage where he regularly raped them for almost four years before his arrest. He was convicted and sentenced by the Skopin City Court in August 2005. Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax The Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard police blotter of arrests from police agencies around Central New York has been updated today. Most of the new arrests are from the last couple weeks. The police blotter is searchable by name, charge, date and agency. You can search current dates or find arrests made in the past. Our database contains arrests from the current year and two years back. Among the 179 new arrests are: 28 people charged with DWI by drugs and/or alcohol 11 people facing weapons charges 3 people charged with robbery 1 person charged with strangulation You can search the blotter here: Information in the police blotter is provided by the arresting agencies. Arrests are also published in the Neighbors pages of The Post-Standard and is available in the ePost-Standard. Contact Brenda Duncan anytime: 315-470-2265 | Email | Twitter DALLAS, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Accelerating its growth strategy as a leading technology-enabled solutions provider, Jacobs (NYSE:J) has taken a 65% stake in PA Consulting, a leading innovation and transformation consulting firm. The investment places an enterprise value of PA at 1.825 billion ($2.5 billion1) and transforms PA into a global player at scale. The remaining 35% stake is held by PA employees. "This strategic partnership accelerates our strategy to become a leader in bringing greater innovation and creativity to respond to current-day challenges such as climate change, cyber, urbanization and the ongoing healthcare crisis," said Jacobs Chair and CEO Steve Demetriou. "PA has delivered strong growth over the last five years and together our organizations will set a new industry benchmark in differentiated solutions that deliver superior end-to-end value for Jacobs and PA clients, employees and investors." Paving the way for closing, the transaction was overwhelmingly approved by PA employees and shareholders, with 99.9% voting in favor of the partnership. Voluntary election for management rollover was fully subscribed, indicating the enthusiasm and commitment of PA partners and employees about the growth opportunity. CEO of PA Consulting Ken Toombs said: "The completion of Jacobs' investment marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for PA. Jacobs' culture, values and client base are closely aligned to our own, making them a natural marketplace partner. Their complementary capabilities will further strengthen our ability to deliver innovative solutions for our clients. The overwhelming support of PA shareholders for the transaction is a testament to the great potential we all see in this partnership." The partnership respects and preserves PA's independence and heritage, and advances opportunities for both Jacobs and PA employees through collaboration and co-creation of innovative solutions for clients. Joint go-to-market teams are aimed at high growth sectors of Health and Life Sciences, Public Services, Consumer and Manufacturing, and Defense and Security to help address some of the world's most critical challenges. PA's reputation for tackling these challenges is evidenced by their work in: improving people's lives, by supporting the U.K. Government with their ventilator program, and supporting the development of innovative cell and gene therapies; tackling sustainability, creating practical solutions to replacing single-use plastics, and supporting the transition to clean energy; protecting the U.K. by supporting the U.K. Ministry of Defence in its innovation efforts, and creating a regulatory strategy for commercial space travel; and reinventing infrastructure, by developing proprietary digital technology like iPredict to predict energy utility asset failures as well as working with Virgin Hyperloop One on the first new mode of transport for more than a century. Jacobs President and Chief Operating Officer Bob Pragada commented: "We are excited about the leading-edge work that PA does, as well as their performance for 2020, which exceeded expectations. Their pipeline of strategic and technical consulting work continues to grow, and looking further into fiscal 2021 and beyond, the Jacobs-PA partnership presents a compelling organic growth opportunity driven by technology-enabled solutions in response to industry disruption and client needs." Jacobs completed the deal on March 2, 2021, in accordance with the terms announced on November 30, 2020. The transaction was funded through a combination of cash on hand and existing debt facilities. Advisors Rothschild & Co. served as exclusive financial advisor and Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP served as legal counsel to Jacobs. J.P. Morgan and HSBC served as financial advisors to The Carlyle Group and PA. Linklaters served as legal counsel to The Carlyle Group and PA, and Dickson Minto served as legal counsel to the management of PA. Note: 1 The enterprise value 1.825 billion ($2.5 billion) is based off foreign exchange rate of 1.3951 USD per GBP. About Jacobs At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good. With $14 billion in revenue and a talent force of approximately 55,000, Jacobs provides a full spectrum of professional services including consulting, technical, scientific and project delivery for the government and private sector. Visit jacobs.com and connect with Jacobs on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. About PA Consulting We believe in the power of ingenuity to build a positive human future in a technology-driven world. As strategies, technologies and innovation collide, we create opportunity from complexity. Our diverse teams of experts combine innovative thinking and breakthrough use of technologies to progress further, faster. Our clients adapt and transform, and together we achieve enduring results. An innovation and transformation consultancy, we are over 3,200 specialists in defense and security, consumer and manufacturing, government, health and life sciences, transport, energy and utilities, and financial services. Our people are strategists, innovators, designers, consultants, digital experts, scientists, engineers and technologists. We operate globally from offices across the U.K., U.S., Europe, and the Nordics. Discover more at paconsulting.com and connect with PA on LinkedIn and Twitter. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking statements as such term is defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and such statements are intended to be covered by the safe harbor provided by the same. Statements made in this release that are not based on historical fact are forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the anticipated benefits of the strategic partnership between the company and PA Consulting. We base these forward-looking statements on management's current estimates and expectations as well as currently available competitive, financial and economic data. Forward-looking statements, however, are inherently uncertain. There are a variety of factors that could cause business results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related reaction of governments on global and regional market conditions and the company's business. For a description of some additional factors that may occur that could cause actual results to differ from our forward-looking statements, see our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 2, 2020, and in particular the discussions contained under Item 1 - Business; Item 1A - Risk Factors; Item 3 - Legal Proceedings; and Item 7 - Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended January 1, 2021, and in particular the discussions contained under Part I, Item 2 - Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations; Part II, Item 1 - Legal Proceedings; and Part II, Item 1A - Risk Factors, as well as the company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company is not under any duty to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release to conform to actual results, except as required by applicable law. Non-GAAP Financial Measures In this press release, the company has included a certain non-GAAP financial measure as defined in Regulation G promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The non-GAAP financial measure included in this press release is the expected accretion of the transaction to Jacobs' adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for fiscal 2022. Reconciliation of this financial measure to the most directly comparable GAAP measure is not available without unreasonable efforts because Jacobs cannot predict with sufficient certainty all the components required to provide such reconciliation, including with respect to the costs and charges relating to transaction related expenses to be incurred in fiscal 2022 and subsequent periods. Jacobs provides non-GAAP financial measures to supplement U.S. GAAP measures, as they provide additional insight into Jacobs' financial results. However, non-GAAP measures have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered in isolation and are not in accordance, or a substitute for, U.S. GAAP. In addition, other companies may define non-GAAP measures differently, which limits the ability of investors to compare non-GAAP measures of Jacobs to those used by peer companies. For additional information contact: Investors: Jonathan Doros, 817-239-3457 [email protected] Media: Marietta Hannigan, 214-920-8035 [email protected] SOURCE Jacobs Related Links http://www.jacobs.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. 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. 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. In observance of Womens History Month, the Chickasaw Nation is celebrating and sharing the stories of dynamic Chickasaw women who have made history and are blazing a trail forward. It is a time nationally dedicated to the study, observance and celebration of the vital role of women in American history, a time to share their stories. These stories are examples of the untold numbers of Chickasaw women who have contributed to the culture, history or advancement of the Chickasaw Nation and who have had an impact on the world around them. Te Ata: Performer and cultural treasure Mary Frances Te Ata Thompson Fisher was an important figure in Chickasaw history who performed as an actress and storyteller throughout the world. Te Ata performed at the first State Dinner of Franklin Roosevelts presidency on April 22, 1933. As a close friend of Eleanor Roosevelt, Te Ata was a guest at the dinner honoring British Prime Minister Ramsey MacDonald. After dinner Te Ata changed from her evening gown into a white buckskin dress for a 30-minute performance. This was an early highlight of a career which spanned six decades as Te Ata earned international fame presenting a unique one woman show of First American heritage and culture to audiences across the United States, Canada and Europe. Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby said that Te Ata was a remarkable talent. Te Ata touched lives worldwide as she showcased First American culture and traditions, said Governor Anoatubby. She once wrote that art binds all people together. Her career bears testimony to the truth of that noble idea. She was a great ambassador for Chickasaw people and for all First Americans. Her lifes work helped bridge the divide between diverse cultures. She is a shining example of the power of artistic expression to change hearts and minds. Te Ata performed a second time for President Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor in 1939 at the family home in Hyde Park. On this occasion, which was the first time a sitting British Monarch visited the United States, she also performed for King George and Queen Elizabeth. There, Te Ata had the opportunity to speak at some length with the queen about the preservation of First American culture. Quite an accomplishment for a girl who was born in the tiny town of Emet in the Chickasaw Nation a dozen years before Oklahoma was carved out of Indian Territory. While her birth name was Mary Thompson, she was given the name Te Ata, which means bearer of the morning, by an elderly aunt. Te Ata first learned of the beauty and wisdom of First American culture from her father, Thomas, who told her a variety of First American stories, and her mother, Bertie, who taught her about useful and medicinal plants. A fairly ordinary student at Bloomfield Academy for Chickasaw Females, Te Ata felt the need to find some area where she could excel. A Tishomingo High School teacher, Muriel Wright, daughter of Choctaw Chief Allen Wright, provided a role model of a successful First American woman and inspired Te Ata to continue her education. While it was unusual at that time for a First American female, or any female, to attend college, Te Ata gained reluctant support from her father to attend the Oklahoma College for Women (OCW) in Chickasha. Francis Dinsmore Davis, a drama and expression teacher at OCW recognized Te Atas talent and encouraged her to strive for a career in the theater. After earning her degree in drama, Te Ata continued her training at the prestigious Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Te Ata later moved to New York, where she appeared in several Broadway productions. Upon first arriving in New York, Te Ata stayed at the Three Arts Club, a boarding house for aspiring actresses. It was there she first met Eleanor Roosevelt, who was one of the wealthy housemothers who engaged the actresses for private performances at their homes. Many of Te Atas performances in the early 1930s were in summer camps for inner-city children. In 1932, Mrs. Roosevelt, then First Lady of New York, named Lake Te Ata in honor of the performer who had given her time to educate and enlighten the children of New York. Te Ata continued performing across the U.S. for decades. Inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1957 and the Chickasaw Nation Hall of Fame in 1990, Te Ata was awarded the Oklahoma Governors Arts Award in 1975 and declared Oklahomas first State Treasure in 1987. Chickasaw Nation Productions produced a feature film called Te Ata and documentary called Bearer of the Morning about her life. For more information about these films, visit ChickasawFilms.com. The recent reconstruction of the Silaire Wood boardwalk along the River Barrow, and the rehabilitation works of the existing woodland trails have been a tremendous success since this wonderful amenity reopened to the public in November, according to Local Councillor Peter Chap Cleere. Funding was secured by Kilkenny County Council under the Outdoor Recreational Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) last year to undertake enhancement works to the existing boardwalk in Silaire Wood along the River Barrow in Graignamanagh, said Cllr Cleere. The cost of this element of the project is circa 250,000, which includes 25% match funding from Kilkenny County Council. It is fantastic that the 400 metre boardwalk is made from 100% recycled plastic, demonstrating the local authorities commitment to sustainability and the re-use / re-purposing of materials, he added. This is a peaceful sanctuary for many, and an absolutely wonderful amenity for the town. The feedback has been incredibly positive from all who have used it since it was reopened. Last month, Pol O Conghaile, Travel writer with the Irish Independent included Silaire Wood in the Top 20 New Walks in Ireland and around the World to look forward to after lockdown. Hopefully when Level 5 restrictions are eased, even more people will be able to enjoy this fantastic amenity. 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 Tuesday, the Advance/SILive.com visited Montalbanos Pork & Italian Specialty Store at 1 Gunton Place, which is open for pickup and delivery from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. It is closed on Monday. For more information, visit montalbanosofrosebank.com. 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. YES, THEYRE OPEN: Montalbanos Pork & Italian Specialty Store is open for pickup and delivery at 1 Gunton Place. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; closed on Monday's. For more information, visit montalbanosofrosebank.com/ Posted by Staten Island Advance on Tuesday, March 2, 2021 WANT MORE YES, THEYRE OPEN? Check out the listings below or check out all of our previous coverage here. Shawafel House, 1419 Forest Ave. Grand Sahara Mediterranean Grill, 1828 Hylan Blvd. Palermo Pizzeria & Restaurant, 95 Page Ave. Williamson, WV (25661) Today A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. High near 80F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Cloudy skies with a few showers after midnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%. VANCOUVER, BC, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Zoomd Technologies Ltd. (TSXV: ZOMD) (OTC: ZMDTF) and its wholly-owned subsidiary Zoomd Ltd. (collectively, "Zoomd" or the "Company"), the marketing tech (MarTech) user-acquisition and engagement platform, announces it has signed an agreement with Philippine Star Media Group, the Philippines' largest print and online media organization, for the use of Zoomd's on-site search engine within the Star Media websites. The agreement aims to drive an increase in page views, a decrease bounce rate, and extend the average session length for site visitors while providing advanced analytics of user-intent for assisting in higher user-acquisition and user conversion rates for advertisers. The Company's advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology aims to provide new advantages to publishers by optimizing site traffic via on-site search, and guiding advertisers in managing their user acquisition (UA) across hundreds of media channels. "We keep expanding our global outreach," said Amit Bohensky, Chairman and Co-Founder of Zoomd, adding "our Zoomd on-site search engines provide us with invaluable big-data that is essential for superior monetization on advertising campaigns. Each country and publisher we add to our growing network increases our competitive advantage and drives further market expansion." About Zoomd Zoomd (TSXV: ZOMD) (OTC: ZMDTF), founded in 2012 and began trading on the TSX Venture Exchange in September 2019, offers a site search engine to publishers, and a mobile app user-acquisition platform, integrated with a majority of global digital media, to advertisers. The platform unifies more than 600 media sources into one unified dashboard. Offering advertisers, a user acquisition control center for managing all new customer acquisition campaigns using a single platform. By unifying all these media sources onto a single platform, Zoomd saves advertisers significant resources that would otherwise be spent consolidating data sources, thereby maximizing data collection and data insights while minimizing the resources spent on the exercise. Further, Zoomd is a performance-based platform that allows advertisers to advertise to the relevant target audiences using a key performance indicator-algorithm that is focused on achieving the advertisers' goals and targets. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Disclaimer IN REGARD TO Forward-looking statements This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect Star Media Group's expected page views, Zoomd's benefiting from the relationship and Zoomd's ability to further grow and expand its regional partnerships and obtain new clients as a result. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon several estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, technological, legal, privacy matters, political and social uncertainties (including the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic), the extent and duration of which are uncertain at this time on Zoomd's business and general economic and business conditions and markets. There can be no assurance that any of the forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. The reader should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. All forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. For further information please contact: Amit Bohensky Chairman Zoomd [email protected] Investor Relations Lytham Partners, LLC Ben Shamsian New York | Phoenix [email protected] SOURCE Zoomd Technologies Ltd. Press Release March 3, 2021 One News Now interview with Rizza Diaz on face-to-face classes Q: Sir, how will the pilot testing be done and should we base it on the current quarantine statuses? SEN. WIN: Actually, apparently it's based on the quarantine categories. But, earlier in the hearing, we recommended to DepEd to expand it to include other epidemiological measurements such as transmission rates, such as other measures that doctors use. So aside from the quarantine categories, it has to be scientific based. It has to be, they have to consult the doctors also and experts to come up with a much more accurate risk-based category. Q: Senator has the DepEd presented a plan on identifying the schools that will be part of the said pilot? SEN WIN: They presented a framework earlier and the framework is quite simple. The framework actually includes only two categories or two criteria. Number one is the warranty levels. And then number two, if the barangay experienced zero COVID for the last 30 days then you're qualified to be a pilot school or pilot area. But we told them that takes more sophisticated measurements to determine that. So we recommended to employ experts, such as epidemiologists and at the same time, other experts that can calculate the risk of that area. And this was confirmed by other doctors who are invited in the hearing. Doctors who are part of the Philippine Pediatric Society. So in other words, in short, we recommended to DepEd to come up with a risk-based analysis using other accepted measurements, such as the transmission rates, such as other measurements, and to determine the actual risk of that area. Q: So far, how many nominated pilot schools do we have? Would there be schools from NCR? SEN WIN: The target is about 1,065 schools. That's the target and those 1,065 schools will start from a recommendation from the superintendent and a concurrence from the local government unit. So, in other words, there is a shared responsibility between the superintendent, the school, and also the local government unit and no, NCR will not be part of that or any GCQ areas will not be part of that. Q: Senator, finally what are your suggestions regarding safety protocols, you know, how can we ensure the safety of the students and teachers? SEN WIN: There's no compromise to safety. Government needs to invest in health protocols in the schools. So, for example hand washing facilities, alcohol dispensers, PPEs. They should be supplied by the schools. But on top of that, the local schools, or DepEd in the regions should also make sure that there is the framework or the framework for response is also there. So for example, if something happens in the school, for example one teacher gets contaminated or one school official gets contaminated, they know how to respond, they know who to call. There is ample support to give in terms of treatment and hospitalization if needed. Q: Since you mentioned that, what's your reaction to the proposal to include teachers in vaccine priority list? SEN WIN: They should be. Teachers should be included in the priority list. They should be considered as frontliners, although in education. A lot of countries have been doing this or more than a dozen countries has categorized features as frontliners and included them in the priority list. So, education, in many countries is viewed as an essential service from the government. In fact, in the whole world, there are only 14 countries that have not opened schools. The Philippines is included in that. But here in the region in Southeast Asia and the Pacific it's only the Philippines that has not opened school yet. So, we're one of the few countries that have not opened school yet. So, in order to open school safely, you have to make sure that our teachers are protected and the best way to do that is to administer the vaccine to them. US Vice President spoke over phone with Australian Prime Minister and discussed opportunities for further bilateral cooperation on global and regional challenges, including those posed by climate change, China and Myanmar. This was Harris's first phone call with a leader from the Asia Pacific region. Harris and Morrison also agreed on the importance of working together, alongside other allies and partners, on promoting economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and advancing democratic values globally, the White House said in a readout of the call on Tuesday. They pledged to further US-Australia cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and beyond, it said. During the call, she reaffirmed the strength of the US-Australia alliance. The vice president and the prime minister discussed opportunities for further cooperation on global and regional challenges, including those posed by climate change, China, Burma, and other regional issues, the White House said. The Biden administration is facing an assertive China, which is flexing its muscles in the strategic Indo-Pacific and posing a threat to the countries in the region. The Biden administration has been urging the community to ramp up pressure on Myanmar's military to restore democracy. The February 1 coup reversed years of slow progress toward democracy in Myanmar after five decades of military rule. It came the day a newly-elected Parliament was supposed to take office. Ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party would have been installed for a second five-year term, but instead she was detained along with President Win Myint and other senior officials. After becoming the vice president, Harris has so far spoken over phone with five global leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo. (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.) UK fibre broadband network provider CityFibre is continuing its rollout across the country at a rate of knots with the announcement that work has begun on digital transformation of the historic city of Chester. This follows the news earlier this week that CityFibre started work to connect the North Tyneside area. Chester, famous for its Roman walls, will have a city-wide full fibre network rollout as part of a 23m private investment from CityFibre. Construction work has begun in Upton, with the rest of the city set to follow. Telent is delivering the construction programme on CityFibres behalf, working closely with CityFibre, Cheshire West and Cheshire Council and local communities to manage disruption and ensure a fast and successful roll-out. Meanwhile, residents are being kept informed by mailings ahead of works in their streets. Julie Derbyshire, CityFibres city manager for Chester, said: This past year has really demonstrated the remarkable versatility of the internet and how much we depend upon all things digital for work, education and social connectivity with our family and friends. At CityFibre we want to ensure that as many homes as possible in Chester are linked to full fibre the fastest and most resilient digital infrastructure available to make our digital experience as seamless and effective as possible. We look forward to working with Chester West and Chester Council, residents, businesses and the wider community to harness the power of full fibre. Chester is a city of amazing history, culture and heritage and next generation full fibre will help ensure the city continues to have a resilient and dynamic economy for the future. In addition, it will provide growth opportunities and a platform to support businesses to take their products or services to a national and international audience. Cheshire West and Chester Councils Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration and Growth, Cllr Richard Beacham, added: CityFibres new investment in Chester is testament to the citys role as a driving force in our boroughs economy. It comes at a time when the council is particularly focused on economic recovery and connectivity has never been more important, both for businesses and residents. Alongside our own regeneration schemes, such as the Heritage Action Zone on The Rows and the new Northgate Development, as well as our ambitious plans for the area around Chester train station, this investment from CityFibre shows confidence in our city. It will help secure Chesters position as a place that is resilient and looking to the future. Across the UK, CityFibre is already working with launch partner Vodafone to deliver next generation broadband services, with TalkTalk and other providers expected to join the network soon. Commanding General District of Columbia National Guard Major General William J. Walker testifies during a Senate hearing at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on March 3, 2021. (Shawn Thew/Pool via AP) DC National Guard Chief: Pentagon Delayed Deployment on Jan. 6 The D.C. National Guards top official on Wednesday said deployment of guardsmen was delayed after the U.S. Capitol was breached on Jan. 6 because of an unusual memorandum that was issued a day prior. William Walker, commanding general of the D.C. Guard, told lawmakers during a Capitol Hill hearing that then-Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy on Jan. 5 issued a memo barring the use of the Guards Quick Reaction Force without approval. If that limitation wasnt in place, Walker alleged, he would have immediately sent troops to the Capitol following the breach, especially after getting an emotional call from former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund at 1:49 p.m. We already had Guardsmen on buses ready to move to the Capitol, he said in his opening statement before two Senate Committees in Washington. Instead, it took over three hours to get the green light to deploy after Walker told Pentagon officials of Sunds request. By then, protestors had been roving around inside the Capitol for hours, getting close to members of Congress, entering the Senate chamber, and stealing items from offices. Protesters storm the Capitol Building in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. (Ahmed Gaber/Reuters) After getting approval, Guardsmen rushed to the capitol and helped to re-establish the security perimeter at the east side of the Capitol to facilitate the resumption of the Joint Session of Congress, Walker said. The Quick Reaction Force is a tool commanders typically use to help a civilian agency or help National Guardsmen who are already deployed and need assistance. McCarthys memo required approval to send Guardsmen from one traffic control point to another, according to Walker. He had never seen such a limitation in his 19 years in his position. Walker said officials told him the force could be used, but only as a last resort in response to a request from an appropriate civil authority. Army officials thought it would be bad optics to deploy troops to the Capitol and were concerned about triggering further unrest, Walker claimed, recounting a call with officials at 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 6. McCarthy wasnt on the call, he said, but Lt. Gen Charles Flynn, brother of retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, was. Michael Flynn was former President Donald Trumps national security adviser and has alleged the 2020 election was rife with fraud. Sund told lawmakers last week that he approached former House Sergeant-at-Arms Paul Irving and former Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Michael Stenger on Jan. 4 to request the assistance of the National Guard, as he didnt have the proper authority to request the assistance himself. Irving stated that he was concerned about the optics of having National Guard present and didnt feel that the intelligence supported it, Sund said in prepared testimony, while Stenger suggested I ask them how quickly we could get support if needed and to lean forward in case we had to request assistance on January 6. Irving has denied that characterization of the discussion, saying he didnt worry about the optics but didnt feel intelligence supported requesting Guard support. Members of the National Guard and the Washington D.C. police keep demonstrators away from the U.S. Capitol after protesters breached the building in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Sund said he called Walker, who advised him that he could be prepared to dispatch nearby Guardsmen in the event they were needed. Sund, Irving, and Stenger were on a call with federal officials, including Walker, at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 6, during which Sund said he asked for immediate National Guard support. According to Sund, Lt. General Walter Piatt, the director of Army staff, responded that he didnt like the visual of the National Guard standing a line with the Capitol in the background. I would much rather relieve USCP officers from other posts so they can handle the protestors, Piatt allegedly said. Piatt ultimately agreed to send the request for help up the chain of command. The first 150 Guardsmen were sworn in on Capitol grounds at 5:40 p.m., officials say. Irving and Stenger told senators last week they thought the security plan was adequate to handle the planned rallies on Jan. 6. This was a violent, coordinated attack where the loss of life could have been much worse, Stenger said. Robert Salesses, who currently performs the duties of assistant secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Global Security, challenged Walkers testimony on Capitol Hill later on Wednesday. Robert Salesses, senior Pentagon official performing the duties of the assistant secretary for Homeland Defense and Global Security, speaks to lawmakers on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 3, 2021. (Greg Nash/Pool via AP) Salesses said in his opening statement that then-acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller authorized activation of the D.C. National Guard at 3:04 p.m., after conferring with top officials. Guardsmen were told to travel to the Capitol about 30 minutes later. When they reached the grounds, they were deputized by and began supporting the Capitol Police. By 6:14 p.m., they established a perimeter on the west side of the Capitol. Salesses also said Miller authorized McCarthy to employ the 40-person Quick Reaction Force to provide support if requested. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the nations top military official, told reporters on Monday that Pentagon officials approved a request for help from law enforcement in about 60 minutes. It did take several hours for the D.C. Guard to mobilize and go to the Capitol, he added. If the forces . . . were ready to go as part of the preparatory stuff, then Id say, okay, thats a fair assessment. But this is the D.C. National Guard that went from a cold start, and they had troops there in two and a half, three hours, Milley told reporters traveling with him during a trip to Colorado. They reacted faster than our most elite forces from a cold start. The approval in approximately an hour was super fast for the Pentagon, he said, adding, Thats like sprint speed. Trump has said he requested 10,000 National Guard personnel on Jan. 6, but was rebuffed. He said he heard the request was rejected because congressional leaders, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), didnt want so many troops at the Capitol. That was a big mistake, Trump told Fox News over the weekend. Pelosi hasnt responded to requests for comment. Miller told Vanity Fair that Trump told him at the White House on Jan. 5 that the military needed to deploy 10,000 troops. Im not talking [expletive]. He said that. And were like maybe, but you know, someones going to have to ask for it,' Miller added. MustGrow has isolated and concentrated a new mustard-derived extract, thiocyanate . Thiocyanate is soil active and translocated in the plant as a systemic, non-selective bioherbicide (natural weed-killer). Greenhouse weed treatment studies have commenced with this new bioherbicide extract. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2021) -MustGrow Biologics Corp. (CSE: MGRO) (OTCQX: MGROF) (FSE: 0C0) (the "Company", "MustGrow") is pleased to announce that it has isolated and concentrated an additional molecule, thiocyanate, from mustard seed. Thiocyanate, which is responsible for the systemic activity behind the mustard plant's natural herbicidal (weed-killer) properties, is the third molecule from mustard seed that MustGrow has isolated, extracted, and concentrated. MustGrow had previously reported herbicidal proof-of-concept success without isolating thiocyanate and now expects to build on those studies with this additional herbicidal mode-of-action now identified. Thiocyanate extract has the potential to be a natural organic non-selective bioherbicide that is soil active with systemic translocated properties. Systemic activity, or the ability of the active ingredient to move from soil, to roots, and then to stem and leaves, is particularly significant given that the leading synthetic herbicide glyphosate is not soil active, and only acts on the above ground parts of the weed it contacts. MustGrow believes a tremendous opportunity exists to potentially replace or compliment glyphosate in certain systems, by providing a natural organic solution. Globally, glyphosate is being phased out, including recent announcements by Germany and Mexico by 2024. France recently announced glyphosate restrictions but stopped short of a full ban because of a lack of non-chemical alternatives. Greenhouse testing of MustGrow's new thiocyanate bioherbicide extract has commenced, and also in combination with MustGrow's mustard-based biopesticide TerraMG (active ingredient Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC)). MustGrow now has two distinct mustard-based natural organic approaches with individual applications, or potentially in combination: Biopesticide : TerraMG, a natural form of AITC, to control diseases and pests. : TerraMG, a natural form of AITC, to control diseases and pests. Non-Selective Bioherbicide : Thiocyanate extract to kill weeds. MustGrow had previously reported successful proof-of concept studies with trial observations demonstrating 100% kill of small seeded weeds and weed seeds. The length of control (ie - time where the soil remains weed-free) was also recorded, which potentially evidenced control of the weed seeds themselves. Patents have been filed for method-of-use and composition-of-matter claims. MustGrow's intellectual property suite is a platform for several crop protection categories, aiming to disrupt global agriculture markets that have traditionally been dominated by synthetic-based products. MustGrow now expects to build on these previous weed treatment studies with its new bioherbicidal mode-of-action now identified. Global Herbicide Market According to industry intelligence groups IHS Markit and Phillips McDougall, the global herbicides market remained the dominant crop protection category in 2019, accounting for US$26.2 billion - 43.8% of crop protection sales. Glyphosate, the most commonly-used herbicide, is forecasted to reach a global market size of US$13.3 billion by 2027, according to a report by Reports and Data. Soil Health The dangers associated with synthetic chemical overuse is pushing farmers, consumers and regulators to seek naturally-sourced biological products, which are known for safe, environmentally-sustainable and consumer-friendly profile characteristics. For instance, MustGrow recently announced the active ingredient in its mustard-based biopesticide technology (AITC) has a positive ecological impact on soil health: Application of AITC as a biopesticide returns organic plant material to the soil. AITC dissipates from the soil quickly, avoiding long-term toxicity to beneficial micro-organisms. AITC creates a healthy microbial ecological environment for soil, increasing beneficial bacteria. About MustGrow MustGrow is a publicly traded (CSE: MGRO) (OTCQX: MGROF) (FSE: 0C0) agriculture biotech company focused on providing natural science-based biological solutions for high value crops, including fruits & vegetables and other industries. MustGrow has designed and owns a U.S. EPA-approved natural solution that uses the mustard seed's natural defence mechanism to protect plants from pests and diseases. Over 110 independent tests have been completed, validating MustGrow's safe and effective signature products. The product, in granule format, is EPA-approved across all key U.S. states and by Health Canada's PMRA (Pest Management Regulatory Agency) as a biopesticide for high value crops such as in fruit & vegetables. MustGrow has now concentrated a mustard extract biopesticide in liquid format, TerraMG, and with regulatory approval, could be applied through standard drip or spray equipment, improving functionality and performance features. In addition, the Company's mustard-derived extract technologies could have other applications in several different industries from pre-plant soil treatment, to weed control, to post harvest disease control and food preservation. The Company has approximately 42.0 million basic common shares issued and outstanding and 50.6 million shares fully diluted. For further details please visit www.mustgrow.ca. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Corey Giasson" Director & CEO Phone: +1-306-668-2652 info@mustgrow.ca Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements included in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may affect the results, performance or achievements of MustGrow. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of MustGrow to differ materially from those discussed in such forward-looking statements, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, MustGrow. These risks are described in more detail in MustGrow's Prospectus and other continuous disclosure documents filed by MustGrow with the applicable securities regulatory authorities and available at www.sedar.com. Readers are referred to such documents for more detailed information about MustGrow, which is subject to the qualifications, assumptions and notes set forth therein. This release does not constitute an offer for sale of, nor a solicitation for offers to buy, any securities in the United States. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. 2021 MustGrow Biologics Corp. All rights reserved. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/75856 San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg shared a grim outlook for the state with CNN's Don Lemon Tuesday evening in response to Gov. Greg Abbott's controversial ruling to fully reopen Texas and end the mask mandate. Nirenberg has been a frequent guest on network news channels, throughout the coronavirus pandemic and the recent winter crisis. He discussed Abbott's decision, which many believe was premature, on the national show. Abbott's ruling comes as the demand for vaccines remains high and the state recovers from February's winter storm, which caused households to be cooped up together to stay warm and temporarily shut down COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites. "It is a tragic and reckless decision to not only bring everything back to full capacity next week, but in doing so, also lift the mask, which is one of the primary ways we've been able to slow the spread amidst all the mixed messaging from the federal and state government," Nirenberg said. "It is a bad call that will unfortunately cost lives in our communities." RELATED: Spurs will continue strategy of limiting capacity, requiring masks at AT&T Center The mayor said he fears another COVID-19 surge, just as the city was gaining control of the virus. This week, San Antonio's positivity rate dropped to 5.6 percent and deaths and hospitalizations declined, but Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff cautioned case numbers may be skewed due to the winter storm. Nirenberg's Houston counterpart, Mayor Sylvester Turner, echoed the sentiment on Twitter. "Every time we start moving in the right direction the Governor steps in and sets us back and makes all of our jobs harder," the Houston mayor said. "He minimizes the sacrifices of people and businesses. I just dont get it." Nirenberg said disadvantaged communities and people of color will suffer the "worst" of the effects of the ruling. Metro Health surveillance data shows zip codes in the South and West sides continue to be the hardest hit by the virus. Hispanics, who account for 60 percent of the population, make up 75 percent of local COVID-19 cases, according to Metro Health data. RELATED: H-E-B responds to Gov. Greg Abbott's plan to reopen Texas The city's latest epidemiological report, which used data pulled on Feb. 7, shows more residents have been vaccinated in the northern and western areas of Bexar. The report also shows the majority of residents, 43.2 percent, who have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccines are white. Black residents account for only 3.8 percent of the people who have been vaccinated. "We're going right back into the teeth of this pandemic with nothing but our hopes for more vaccines and our community exercising good common sense, which thankfully most people have done and most people will continue to do," Nirenberg said. "But again, they're taking away our first layer of defense." Madalyn Mendoza covers news and puro pop culture for MySA.com | mmendoza@mysa.com | @maddyskye Natural gas will play an increasingly important role in powering economies as the world transitions to a low-carbon future, oil executives said Tuesday at CERAWeek by IHS Markit, a major Houston energy conference held virtually this week. Chief executives from U.S. oil majors Chevron and Exxon Mobil, large independents ConocoPhillips, Occidental Petroleum and Pioneer Natural Resources, and Middle Eastern oil giants Saudi Aramco and Qatar Petroleum said they expect demand for natural gas to continue to rise even as the world shifts from fossil fuels to renewable energy amid concerns about climate change. Were bullish on natural gas. Clearly, liquified natural gas has a very important role in the lower carbon economy that were all working toward, Chevron CEO Mike Wirth told virtual CERAWeek attendees. The energy conference is produced by Cambridge Energy Research Associates, an IHS Markit company, and held in Houston every year. Last years conference was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, which this year limited the gathering to online sessions. Oil companies around the world are investing heavily in natural gas, which they argue can provide backup power to renewables when the sun doesnt shine or wind doesnt blow. Natural gas also is considered a cleaner source of energy than coal for power generation, leaders said. Replacing coal power plants with natural gas plants could eliminate 125 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions, the equivalent of taking 25 million cars off the road. On HoustonChronicle.com: Kerry promotes clean energy investment, calling it 'unprecedented' (Natural gas) brings the advantage of less carbon than coal, Exxon CEO Darren Woods said. So it actually has the opportunity of backing out emissions as you bring gas into power generation. Oil companies are spending billions of dollars to develop natural gas projects in anticipation of growing demand, particularly from Asia and Africa. Chevron said it acquired Houston-based Noble Energy last year for $4 billion in large part because of Nobles vast natural gas assets off the coast of Israel. Qatar Petroleum last month said it committed nearly $28.8 billion to develop the worlds largest liquified natural gas project in Qatar, which will be able to produce 32 million tonnes per year of LNG. Liquefaction is the process by which natural gas is supercooled into a liquid for transport. Saudi Aramco said it expects to have 50 percent of Saudi Arabia powered by natural gas and 50 percent by renewable energy by 2030. However, executives acknowledged the industry must do more to reduce natural gas leaks and flaring to rein in harmful greenhouse gas emissions such as methane, which is 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide in warming the planet. Not that long ago, natural gas was seen as a bridge fuel for the renewable future, but now sentiment has somehow turned due to concern about fugitive methane emissions. Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser said. Our view is that gas still has better credentials over other fuels and it will grow significantly ... especially for power generation and for industrial and commercial use. There is so much natural gas produced as a byproduct of crude oil production in the U.S. that some of the gas is being flared, or burned off, in regions such as the Permian Basin. Executives said they are working to reduce and eliminate routine flaring to lower carbon emissions. Fuel Fix: Get energy news sent directly to your inbox Oil companies are implementing more monitoring technologies such as drones to identify natural gas leaks, and are installing gathering lines and other processing facilities before starting oil production to cut back on natural gas flaring. U.S. oil executives also said they expect more regulations under the Biden administration to curb methane emissions. You cant fix what you cant measure, said Sherida al-Kaabi Saad, Qatars Energy Minister and CEO of Qatar Petroleum. You need to measure accurately what you have and have a proper baseline to understand where you are and what you can technically achieve. Oil leaders said they are also working to ensure natural gas is a reliable source of power, particularly as the world increasingly relies on intermittent energy sources such as wind and solar power. During the winter storm in Texas last month, natural gas producers in the state failed to produce enough natural gas for power plants after they lost power and struggled to deal with freezing temperatures and ice. It was unconscionable that we would have lost power with all the natural resources, solar, wind, gas, nuclear and coal that we have here, ConocoPhillips CEO Ryan Lance said. Our facilities actually got shut in (power outages), then the gases that flow into the power generation, whichaused caused them to go down. Theres cascading effects, but theres a lot to learn from it. paul.takahashi@chron.com twitter.com/paultakahashi The latest sanctions by the United States and the European Union against Russian individuals and organizations are intervention in Russias internal affairs, Russian presidential spokesman, Dmitry Peskov told the media on Wednesday, adding that such restrictions were unacceptable, TASS reports. "We regard any such restrictions as absolutely unacceptable," Peskov said. "They cause considerable harm to relations, which are already in a deplorable condition." The spokesman explained that he was referring to Russias relations with the United States and the European Union. "They [sanctions] are nothing but interference in Russias internal affairs," he stressed. He added though that the new sanctions introduced against several Russian citizens essentially duplicate the restrictions placed on them under the Russian legislation. "If one talks about specific people against whom the so-called sanctions, or rather restrictions, were introduced, then it is practically a duplication of those restrictions that are placed on these people under the Russian laws," the Kremlin representative said. He explained that "as it is, these people do not go abroad, do not have the right to open accounts at foreign banks and do not have the right to own property abroad." "This cannot be said for some legal entities [against] whom [the sanctions] were also announced," the spokesman added. Asked if the Kremlin could offer an explanation as to why the United States and the European Union had selected a strategy of targeted restrictions, Peskov replied: "It is not our concern to explain motivations." He added that in general such decisions - be they targeted or not - were regarded by the Kremlin as "absurd and groundless." "Moreover, they are unable to yield any effect and devoid of any sense," Peskov said. "In this connection we can merely express regret and surprise." This article first appeared on the Boston Business Journals website. Massachusetts is allowing elective surgeries to once again resume at hospitals, saying coronavirus case numbers are no longer threatening resources or straining on the workforce. In memos issued March 1, the states Department of Public Health announced that it would rescind two previously issued orders one that halted all non-essential inpatient elective procedures, and another that allowed hospitals to sidestep mandated nurse staffing ratios in intensive care units (ICUs). According to the memos, the seven-day average of hospitalizations due to Covid went from 2,343 on Jan. 8 to 926 on Feb. 24. ICU census also declined from 455 on Jan. 7 to 219 on Feb. 24. (These) provisions are no longer necessary to protect patients and the healthcare workforce, or to conserve resources, Monica Bharel, commissioner of the Department of Public Health, wrote in both memos. The states hospital lobbying group said health systems were ready and prepared to ramp back up with the recent notice. This announcement is a testament to the tireless efforts of our healthcare workers in protecting our communities against this virus, and to the vigilance of Massachusetts residents in following public health guidance, said Steve Walsh, president and CEO of the Mass Health & Hospital Association. We thank the Baker administration for making this important adjustment, which is backed by the latest public health trends. Patients themselves were eager to reschedule appointments that had been sidelined by the announcement. Linda Zorzonello said her daughter had a surgery scheduled for mid-December, but it was canceled soon after Gov. Charlie Bakers announcement halting elective inpatient procedures. We are relieved to hear they are opening surgeries but wont be fully relieved until (we get) an actual surgery date and not have it canceled again, Zorzonello said in an email. Facing a financial cliff Early in the pandemic, all inpatient and outpatient elective procedures had been halted at hospitals, as health systems worked to make available beds and personal protective equipment for the onslaught of coronavirus patients. The result was a financial cliff for many institutions, which were forced to suddenly stop the lucrative procedures. According to state reports, hospitals would have faced dire financial circumstances were it not for $2.7 billion in federal payments to providers. Hospitals were allowed to resume more normal operations in May if they filled out an attestation that they had the space and supplies necessary to resume elective procedures. Yet progress was reversed again by December, after Thanksgiving celebrations prompted coronavirus cases to rise. Hospitals started to respond one by one, postponing already scheduled procedures or slowing how many they were scheduling in the weeks ahead. But the haphazard approach left some hospitals overwhelmed while others could continue to see patients, and the state issued an order in December halting all inpatient elective procedures. At the time, hospital executives feared what the economic consequences of the second procedure restriction would be. Executives now say the result has been millions in lost revenue yet again. At UMass Memorial Health Care, the health system said they lost between $30 million to $40 million in revenue from December through February due to volume drops. Nurse staffing ratios Mondays guidance also rescinds an order issued in May that allowed hospitals to sidestep the states nurse staffing ratio law, which requires no more than two patients for every nurse for the sickest patients in the hospital. Hospitals had to request a waiver to staff over the limit, which also restricted hospitals from doing any elective procedures. The Massachusetts Nurses Association said they had been opposed to the order since it was enacted, fearing that hospitals around the state would begin adding more labor-intensive patients to nurses care. Yet no hospital in the state ever followed through the process, and Katie Murphy, president of the MNA and a nurse at Brigham and Womens Hospital, applauded the state for bringing the requirement back. We feel this is much safer for patients, nurses and our communities to be back on ICU limits, Murphy said. EIR LEAD EDITORIAL FOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 2021 War, Genocide and the Sheer Madness Will Not End Until the Bankrupt British Empire Is Replaced March 2 , 2021 (EIRNS)The worst famine the world has seen in decades is the way UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres decried what is happening in Yemen. His remarks came at a March 1 international donors conference, which failed to raise even half of the $3.85 billion in pledges for which it had aimed. One of the more disgusting ironies was that the single largest pledge to help ($430 million) came from Saudi Arabia, which is principally responsible for carrying out the British imperial policy of war and economic blockade to wipe out the Yemeni nation. According to the latest UN data, more than 16 million Yemenisabout half the 29 million populationwill face hunger this year, and nearly 50,000 are already starving to death in famine-like conditions. The UN warned that 400,000 Yemeni children under the age of five could die from severe acute malnutrition. Former U.S. congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has rightly charged that [imposition of] sanctions similar to what the Saudi-U.S. alliance employed in Yemen is causing death and suffering for millions of innocent Syrians. Helga Zepp-LaRouche today emphasized that these are intentional policies, just as the Green New Deal is designed to intentionally deindustrialize and depopulate the planet. There is no fundamental difference between what the bankrupt City of London and Wall Street interests are instigating today, and what those same forces did in creating Hitler and his concentration camps. It is time to take the gloves off on this matter of historical fact, Zepp-LaRouche stated. Nor will aid alone solve these problems. A massive development program linked to Chinas Belt and Road Initiative is the only way to save Yemen, Syria, and the broader regions of Africa and Southwest Asiaas the Schiller Institute has long insisted. Similarly, the United States must join that Belt and Road Initiative and work with China to develop the so-called Third World, both to pull itself out of its current economic depression and to create a new global security architecture in which peace becomes possible through development. That was always the central strategic outlook of Lyndon LaRouche, as he again stated in a Nov. 19, 2002 interview with the leading Mexican daily Excelsior in response to the question: Were you elected President of the United States, what would your priorities be? To which LaRouche answered: Exactly what they are at this moment, and have been since my Spring 1946 days as a U.S. soldier returned from northern Burma, in Calcutta, India: A just new world economic order among sovereign nation-states, an order consistent with objectives of what Alexander Hamilton named the American System of political-economy. This required approach to reversing the systemic breakdown crisis of the entire trans-Atlantic region will be one of the central issues addressed at the upcoming March 20 international conference sponsored by the Schiller Institute. And then there is the madnessthe sheer policy madnessissuing from the dying system. Recall that the Chatham House/Royal Institute of International Affairs argued in a Feb. 3, 2021 report that the growth of world food production was the single greatest cause of the loss of bio-diversity, and that a deliberate reduction of agriculture was the best way to save the planet. Now, the British Empires flagship publication, The Economist, has asked in a major Feb. 28 policy piece, Is It Time for Ecocide To Become an International Crime? only to answer with scarcely concealed enthusiasm: A growing m3vement wants destruction of the environment to be treated like genocide and crimes against humanity. This supposedly most heinous of crimes, ecocide, would then be added to 1) the atrocities committed by the Nazis, the deliberate destruction of a group of people; 2) crimes against humanity; 3) war crimes; 4) and the crime of aggression, as the only crimes that can be tried by the International Criminal Court in The Hague. A study promoting this idea is being prepared by Philippe Sands, a law professor at University College London, and Dior Fall Sow, a Senegalese jurist and former UN international prosecutor, which will be presented to the ICC in June. It could also mark a turning-point in how the relationship between humans and the natural world is understood, The Economist pronounced. Ecocide can be defined as the extensive destruction, damage to or loss of ecosystems of a given territory, the magazine reported. Some still believe the measure of damage should be the harm it produces to people. But others, the article reports, view this as far too anthropocentric a view. Mr. Sands, for example, thinks that ecocide should be defined by the need to protect the environment as an end in itself. This would require it to have its own free-standing basis as a new crime, rather than being slotted under existing ones. Sands explained: My sense is that there is a broad recognition that the old anthropocentric assumptions may well have to be cast to one side if justice is truly to be done, and the environment given a fair degree of protection. One would be tempted to view all of this little more than a sick joke, if it werent for the fact that YouTube, the Leviathan of the social media world, has decreed that any talk of election fraud in 2020 is a censorable lie; that the German Marshall Fund is demanding that anyone raising the role of windmills in the Texas energy catastrophe must be similarly silenced; and moreover that the trans-Atlantic financial system is in a breakdown crisis requiring the imposition of such lunatic policies in order to survive. So either join the battle to stop the deadly lunacy, or prepare to eat your last supper, and make it a good one. Because the British Empire intends to make eating itself a crime against humanity under the Nuremberg code. It is the one royal group that no one wants to join. Referred to only half-jokingly as the 'Sussex Survivors' Club', its membership is sadly rising. But its select band of members have one thing in common: all have worked for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and lived to tell the tale. Joking aside, some even believe they may have a form of post-traumatic stress, defined by doctors as an anxiety disorder caused by distressing or frightening events. Such experiences, of course, are now widely acknowledged not to be limited to soldiers who have undergone traumatic experiences on the battlefield, but also to people at work. Even if that work is in a palace. And today, many former palace staff look back on the moment that Prince Harry introduced to the world his beautiful, intelligent and passionate bride-to-be as the beginning of one of the most traumatic periods in their lives. Let us be clear: Harry is a complex man but one with a strong sense of natural justice and charity, given to acts of compassion and kindness. 'He wears his heart on his sleeve and genuinely wants to do good in the world,' one admirer tells me. But he is also equally capable, say those who know him well and like him, of behaving 'like an absolute brat'. Aides at the centre of palace intrigue Melissa Touabti (right) is pictured with Robbie Williams' wife Ayda for whom she previously worked PA WHO QUIT AFTER WEDDING: Melissa Touabti, the duchess's former personal assistant, had previously worked for Robbie Williams and Madonna. She played a key role in preparations for Meghan and Harry's wedding in May 2018, but quit after just six months. The Frenchwoman, 41, took a job with the billionaire Livingstone family owners of the stately home Cliveden. THE AMERICAN SPIN DOCTOR: Jason Knauf joined the royals in 2014, having acted as a 'crisis management expert' at the Royal Bank of Scotland. The 36- year-old American, who completed his master's at the London School of Economics, served as communications secretary to the 'Fab Four' of William, Kate, Harry and Meghan before the Cambridges and Sussexes created separate offices in March 2019. Mr Knauf now heads William and Kate's charitable foundation. THE AMERICAN SPIN DOCTOR: Jason Knauf (left) walks behind the couple at the Invictus Games in Toronto Simon Case in Dundee in 2019 THE WHIZ-KID WHO RUNS WHITEHALL: Simon Case became the youngest head of the civil service for over a century when he took the post at the tender age of 41. The Cambridge history graduate a noted fan of tweed suits and Barbour jackets had previously been the principal private secretary to successive Tory prime ministers, David Cameron and Theresa May. He also worked at spying centre GCHQ as a director of strategy. His most recent role before becoming Cabinet Secretary last year was serving as private secretary to Prince William. THE TOUGH TALKING AUSTRALIAN: Formerly the Queens assistant private secretary, Samantha Cohen had planned to quit Buckingham Palace in 2018. Instead, she agreed to stay on and help the duchess through her first months in the Royal Family. The well-liked but tough-talking Australian became the Sussexes private secretary, but left in 2019 to work for the environmental charity Cool Earth. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Queen Elizabeth II (accompanied by Samantha Cohen) attend a ceremony to open the new Mersey Gateway Bridge on June 14, 2018 in Widnes, England THE PRINCES' HR HEAD HONCHO: Experienced human resources director Samantha Carruthers worked for De Beers and investment bank Lazard before joining the royals. Head of HR for Prince Charles and Prince William until 2019, she is now deputy chairman of the board of trustees for child bereavement charity Winstons Wish. Samantha Carruthers worked for De Beers and investment bank Lazard before joining the royal Advertisement It had been clear for years to anyone he came into contact with that he wasn't happy working with the palace machinery or, particularly, the British media (sometimes understandably so). He was, they say, always capable of self-destructively 'pressing the nuclear button' on his royal life. Meghan, they stress, was simply the catalyst. But the result was more toxic, more personally harmful, than anyone could ever have imagined. To begin with, however, the atmosphere at Kensington Palace was heady and exciting. Here was a glamorous couple, clearly deeply in love. Meghan was the missing piece of the jigsaw that poor, motherless Harry had been searching for all those years. Famously she once paid for an ice cream stand for her new staff at Kensington Palace, with the event later surprise! being breathlessly revealed in People, a 'pro-Sussex' American magazine, as the 'best day of work, ever'. More than that, they were a couple determined to do good on a world stage at the same time sprinkling a little stardust on Britain's 'fusty' old Royal Family. And their small team of loyal staff believed in them until, that is, the scales fell from their eyes. Notoriously, within a few weeks of Meghan's arrival in England and the announcement of the couple's engagement in November 2017, word was leaking out about the couple's 'autocratic' and 'difficult' behaviour. Occasionally it slipped into print: that Meghan (a claim robustly sourced by the Mail) had refused to wear a hat on her first official engagement with the Queen in Chester, despite being strongly advised it would be appropriate and respectful to do so. Then came the famous row over which tiara she wanted to wear to the couple's wedding, resulting in Harry publicly admonishing one of the Queen's most senior members of staff, Angela Kelly: 'What Meghan wants, Meghan gets.' There were also claims that the Duchess of Cambridge had told Meghan she shouldn't speak to her staff so dismissively and that there was so much friction at a pre-wedding bridesmaid fitting that Kate was left in tears. The Times has reported that the 'febrile' atmosphere within Kensington Palace saw staff, on occasion, weeping. Two say they were bullied by the duchess, a third that they had been 'humiliated' by her. The paper quotes one aide, who was anticipating a confrontation with Meghan, as saying: 'I can't stop shaking.' At first, my sources tell me, Harry tried to keep the peace, gently placating his wife and quietly apologising to staff. On one occasion described to me by several sources, he even gently admonished Meghan about the way she behaved with palace staff many of whom work long hours for relatively little money out of pride for the institution after a particularly explosive encounter. The details are subject to conjecture (and have become something of a palace legend) but resulted in Harry speaking to one of his close protection officers, who confirmed his fiancee's behaviour. But as the weeks went on, the prince became increasingly hostile to his once-loyal aides. Rebecca English with Prince Harry to learn about the work of his new charity Sentebale in Lesotho in 2006 The Times has claimed Harry knew of a complaint made by the couple's former communications secretary, Jason Knauf, that Meghan had driven two personal assistants out of the household and was undermining the confidence of a third staff member. Harry is said to have had a meeting with Mr Knauf in which he begged him not to pursue it. The Sussexes deny this. They also describe the allegations as 'old', 'distorted' and aimed at 'undermining' Meghan. It has been suggested by others that staff may have 'misunderstood' Meghan's more direct, American style. But I have personally witnessed more than one member of staff driven to tears by the treatment they were subjected to by the duke and duchess before the couple acrimoniously quit as working royals. One person sobbed down the phone to me after a particularly harrowing day. They clearly felt emotionally broken and could no longer cope with the pressure they were being subjected to. Revealed: Meghan's 500,000 diamond earrings were NOT 'borrowed' but a 'wedding gift from Saudi Crown Prince' Meghan Markle wore a pair of striking diamond earrings that were a wedding gift from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, who approved the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, it was claimed today. Kensington Palace had said at the time of the formal dinner in Fiji in October 2018 - which took place three weeks after the killing at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul - that the jewelery was 'borrowed', without stating from whom. The Duchess of Sussex was again seen wearing the earrings one month later on November 14, 2018 as she was photographed leaving Kensington Palace to attend Prince Charles's 70th birthday party at Buckingham Palace Lawyers for the Duchess of Sussex have now told The Times that she may have stated they were borrowed, but did not say they were borrowed from a jeweler - and denied that she had misled anyone about their provenance. The newspaper was also told by Meghan's team that every relevant member of royal staff knew who the earrings were from, and the duchess was unaware of rumors at the time that bin Salman was involved in the killing. Bin Salman is not thought to have met Meghan or given her the earrings in person. The jewelery is considered Crown property because it was a gift from a foreign head of state, and she would not be allowed to sell them. The earrings Meghan wore for the black tie reception at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, which was hosted by Fiji's president Jioji Konrote, were later revealed as being made by celebrity designer Butani. Advertisement Others have indicated to me they were being asked to behave in a manner they did not feel professionally comfortable with, particularly in their dealings with the media. Several aides have also told me that Meghan in particular was very good at 'drawing' staff into her confidence, flattering them as if they were the only person in the world she could trust and asking them to help her with various duties. Often these were things that were far beyond the scope of their normal work in one case being instructed to make plans for her father Thomas to be flown from his home in Mexico before the wedding and taken to a fully-stocked 'safe house' in LA for a few days in order to fool any waiting media. And then, when things didn't go to plan, the sun would no longer shine on them. It was made 'horribly clear' they were out of favour. Toxic, hostile, distrustful, poisonous: all words I have heard regularly used over the past few years to describe people's experiences working in the Sussexes' household. The Times reports matters became so bad that Mr Knauf, an experienced PR operator who cut his teeth defending the bank RBS at the height of its financial scandal, decided to put his strongly held concerns in writing. He made clear in October 2018, little more than six months after the couple married, that he believed the duchess had already driven two members of staff out and another was being targeted. 'I am very concerned that the duchess was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year. The treatment of [redacted] was totally unacceptable,' he wrote. 'The duchess seems intent on always having someone in her sights. She is bullying 'Y' and seeking to undermine her confidence. We have had report after report from people who have witnessed unacceptable behaviour towards Y.' The Times has chosen not to match incidents to individual names, but the members of staff leaving the Sussexes' employment were all women and all seasoned professionals. A well-placed source said: '[One woman's] job was highly pressurised and in the end it became too much. She put up with quite a lot. Meghan put a lot of demands on her and it ended up with her in tears.' One member of staff, a seasoned professional, was initially said to have left on good terms. But I have since been told that this popular aide was deeply unhappy about her experience working for the duchess and had been 'desperate' to get out as long as she could professionally put a brave face on it. Likewise a third member of staff. Mr Knauf makes clear in his email, as reported by The Times, that he was also concerned about the couple's hugely experienced deputy private secretary, Samantha Cohen. She had worked for the Queen for more than 20 years and was personally persuaded by the monarch to stay on and help the couple navigate their first few years of royal life. He indicated that she was experiencing extreme stress and said: 'I questioned if the Household policy on bullying and harassment applies to principals [the term used to refer to a member of the royal family].' One source tells me wryly, with an eye to Meghan's much-hyped championing of female empowerment: 'Note that everyone concerned was a woman.' Another adds: 'Sam always made clear that it was like working for a couple of teenagers. They were impossible and pushed her to the limit. She was miserable.' The Times also makes reference to an incident during the couple's tour to Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga in 2018, which was a particularly difficult one for all concerned, Meghan included. She was, of course, pregnant at the time. The newspaper reports how Meghan cut short a visit to a market in Fiji because she was concerned about the presence of a UN organisation promoting women, with which she had worked before and made clear she no longer wished to have anything to do with. At the time officials had suggested that it was because it was humid and the crowd was oppressive in the market. I was there at the time and witnessed Meghan turn and 'hiss' at a member of her entourage, clearly incandescent with rage about something, and demand to leave. I later saw that same female highly distressed member of staff sitting in an official car, with tears running down her face. Our eyes met and she lowered hers, humiliation etched on her features. Meghan and Harry's war of words with his family and the royal household has stepped up a gear after Ms Markle said that they were 'perpetuating falsehoods' about them in a clip released hours after the Queen launched an inquiry into claims she bullied staff out of their jobs At the time I was unable to document anything as I couldn't conclusively link the two incidents together, despite my suspicions. I have subsequently found out from other sources that my instincts were right. It should be stressed that lawyers for the duchess said she met other leaders from UN Women later on the tour and denied she left for the reason alleged. So why has this all come out now, you might ask? The Times makes clear that these aides have 'hit back' before Meghan's bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey this Sunday. The newspaper says it was approached by sources because they felt 'only a partial version had emerged of Meghan's two years as a working member of the royal family and they wished to tell their side'. They were also concerned at how such matters were handled by the palace. One source put it more succinctly to me yesterday. 'Those concerned are fed up with the sheer hypocrisy of it all. The suggestion that they [the Sussexes] were being bullied and forced out when others were experiencing that very treatment at their hands!' exclaimed the source. Another insider told me they believed some staff had even sought psychological therapy over their experiences something that Harry, who moved the nation when he revealed how he had himself sought professional help to cope with the emotional fall-out over his mother's death and has long campaigned on mental health issues, should know all about. 'People have been broken by this, genuinely so. Absolutely traumatised,' I am told. Lawyers for the duchess say she wished to fit in and be accepted and had left her life in North America to commit to her new role. What a sad, sorry mess. The irony, another source says, is that no one wanted a battle. But the Sussexes have waged this war and enough is enough. Those aides who have broken the royal omerta say they refuse to sit by and watch Harry and Meghan's 'duplicitous' behaviour, especially when 'good people and brilliant professionals' are having their reputations unfairly traduced. One source warns: 'The royals cannot fight back. 'Never complain, never explain.' But they can.' A spokesman for the Sussexes has told The Times that they are the victims of a 'calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful information'. They have said the duchess is 'saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma.' Meghan makes jaw-dropping claim the Royal Family has 'perpetuated falsehoods' about her and Harry in Oprah interview teaser released just hours after Palace launched sensational probe into allegations she bullied staff By Harriet Alexander for Dailymail.com, Jemma Carr and Martin Robinson for MailOnline Meghan Markle has accused the Royal Family of 'perpetuating falsehoods' about them in her interview with Oprah Winfrey in a new teaser clip released just hours after Buckingham Palace launched a prope into her alleged bullying of staff. The Duchess of Sussex calls her husband's family 'The Firm' in the 30-second trailer released by CBS today and blames the royals for speaking out in a show set to be watched by millions around the globe. Winfrey asks Markle: 'How do you feel about the Palace hearing you speak your truth today?' And an emotional Meghan replies: 'I don't know how they could expect that after all of this time we would still just be silent if there is an active role that The Firm is playing in perpetuating falsehoods about us'. The Duchess adds: 'And, if that comes with risk of losing things, there is a lot that has been lost already.' It is not known what 'falsehoods' Meghan is talking about because the clip was recorded before her she was accused of 'driving out' two PAs and shattering the confidence of another member of Kensington Palace staff - with one former aide branding Prince Harry and his wife 'outrageous bullies' in The Times on Wednesday. And last night the Queen launched an unprecedented inquiry last night into allegations that the couple bullied their staff and devastating claims that the Duchess of Sussex inflicted emotional cruelty on aides who accuse her of playing the victim. Meghan's ramping up of the war of words with the palace came as: Buckingham Palace says it is 'very concerned' about claims Meghan mistreated staff and allegations some were forced out and others left 'shaking' and sobbing because of her alleged 'emotional cruelty and manipulation' New claims that Meghan 'hissed' at staff and reduced one aide to tears on a royal tour emerge; Prince Philip spends another night in hospital as he heads towards three weeks as a patient needing heart treatment; Meghan Markle spoke to Oprah Winfrey for the interview, which will air on Sunday, and is asked whether she had contemplated what the reaction would be from Buckingham Palace to the interview Meghan suggests she has no fears about losing her royal privileges by speaking out, claiming: 'If that comes with risk of losing things, there is a lot that has been lost already' The new clip came as Buckingham Palace announced they will launch an investigation into allegations that Markle bullied royal aides. The Duchess of Sussex is accused of 'driving out' two PAs and shattering the confidence of another member of Kensington Palace staff - with one former aide branding Prince Harry and his wife 'outrageous bullies' in The Times on Wednesday. It also claimed the monarchy's 'men in gray suits' were aware of the purported actions of the duchess - but did 'absolutely nothing to protect people'. Meghan has denied the allegations and accused the newspaper of being 'used by Buckingham Palace to peddle a wholly false narrative' about her. Royal officials initially refused to comment, with sources telling MailOnline that aides and senior family members are focused on Prince Philip's health problems in hospital. But on Wednesday night, the Palace confirmed that its HR team will 'look into' the allegations, saying it 'does not and will not tolerate bullying or harassment in the workplace'. A spokesperson said: 'We are clearly very concerned about allegations in The Times following claims made by former staff of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. 'Accordingly our HR team will look into the circumstances outlined in the article. 'Members of staff involved at the time, including those who have left the Household, will be invited to participate to see if lessons can be learned. 'The Royal Household has had a Dignity at Work policy in place for a number of years and does not and will not tolerate bullying or harassment in the workplace.' A bullying complaint was lodged against the Duchess of Sussex by a senior member of Kensington Palace staff before she and Prince Harry quit as working royals, it was dramatically claimed on Tuesday On Wednesday night, the Palace confirmed that its HR team will 'look into' the allegations, saying it 'does not and will not tolerate bullying or harassment in the workplace' It is understood the palace hopes to start the investigation soon. Any changes in policies or procedures will be shared in the Sovereign Grant report which is published annually and documents royal accounts for the year. Meghan said The Times is being 'used by Buckingham Palace to peddle a wholly false narrative based on misleading and harmful misinformation' about her treatment of staff after former aides accused her of 'emotional cruelty and manipulation', reducing them to tears and leaving them 'shaking' with fear. Her lawyers said the former actress was 'saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma'. Jason Knauf - the Sussexes' then communications secretary who now heads the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's charitable foundation - made a bullying complaint in October 2018 in an apparent attempt to force Buckingham Palace to protect staff. A source told the newspaper Harry begged his senior aide not to take the matter further, but it also reported lawyers for the duke and duchess deny the meeting took place and that Harry would not have interfered with staff matters. Knauf reportedly sent an email outlining the duchess's alleged actions to Simon Case - the Duke of Cambridge's then private secretary and now the cabinet secretary - after conversations with Samantha Carruthers, the head of human resources. Case then forwarded it to Carruthers, who was based at Clarence House. The Times reported Knauf wrote in his email: 'I am very concerned that the duchess was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year. The treatment of X was totally unacceptable. 'The duchess seems intent on always having someone in her sights. 'She is bullying Y and seeking to undermine her confidence. 'We have had report after report from people who have witnessed unacceptable behavior towards Y.' Toko Shinoda, a Japanese avant-garde artist internationally renowned for her unique style of abstract sumi ink paintings, has died of natural causes. She was 107. Shinoda, whose real first name was Masuko, died in the early hours of Monday at a Tokyo hospital, her family said. Born in Dalian, Manchuria, in what is now northeastern China, Shinoda began her study of traditional calligraphy at an early age, shifting to abstract sumi paintings following World War II. In 1956, she traveled to New York, where she was exposed to abstract expressionism and drew attention for her distinctive style that blended the traditional and the modern. After holding solo exhibitions throughout the United States and Europe, she returned to Japan in 1958. Her paintings are now predominantly found in the public collections, including The British Museum and The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York. - Kyodo Health officials in South Korea investigate two citizens' deaths in nursing home care who both died within days after receiving AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine. AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine under investigation South Korean health authorities are looking into two patients in long-term care facilities who died just days after receiving AstraZeneca's COVID19- vaccine. That was a week after the country started its vaccination campaign. One of the victims was a 63-year-old nursing home resident with the cerebrovascular disorder who died after showing symptoms of blood poisoning and pneumonia, according to Yonhap, a South Korean news agency. In his 50s and had a cardiac condition and diabetes, the other patient died after experiencing signs of heart failure and trouble breathing. According to the study, local health authorities have yet to assess if AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine caused any side effects in the patient or whether the vaccines played any part in the deaths. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported to Reuters that it was investigating the cause of the deaths. Still, it refused to comment on the specifics of the Yonhap report. Read also: REPORT: CDC Claims Americans Who Get COVID-19 Vaccine Can Gather Indoors Without Masks According to the KDCA, 85,904 people in South Korea have received their first doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine as of Tuesday midnight. Another 1,524 individuals were given Pfizer vaccines. With comprehensive monitoring, tracing, and quarantine services in progress at the onset of the pandemic, South Korea was able to keep the total number of COVID-19-related deaths below 2,000. The country started vaccines last week. The KDCA announced that more than 2.1 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine would be distributed to South Korea by May under the World Health Organization-backed Covax initiative. Read also: Pfizer's COVID-19 Vaccine May Not Work Well on Obese People, Study Claims South Korea monitors the COVID-19 vaccine's possible side effects The KDCA has closely monitored the vaccination process, documenting a total of 209 cases of vaccine side effects, the majority of which were mild symptoms, including a fever, Forbes reported. Three reports of anaphylactoid reaction close to an extreme allergic reaction following vaccination were suspected. However, health experts are yet to discover a direct connection between vaccination and such serious side effects. Anaphylaxis after a vaccine is rare and can be treated easily and efficiently if it happens, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Since receiving AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, the first man developed high fever symptoms, according to the agency's director, Jeong Eun-kyeong. Jeong said that KDCA is conducting epidemiological surveys with the local authorities to confirm any correlation with inoculation. Read also: You May Have Had COVID-19 Without Realizing It If You Experience These Signs According to Daily Mail, a spokeswoman for AstraZeneca in Seoul said the firm had no comment. There have been no deaths related to the COVID-19 vaccines produced by AstraZeneca or Pfizer/BioNTech, as per Jeong. People were told to have a shot only if they were in good health. Last week, South Korea started immunizing its people. KDCA said in a statement that by Tuesday midnight, 85,904 people had received the first doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, and 1,524 had received Pfizer vaccines. Read also: Michigan Transplant Patient Dies from COVID-19 2 Months After Receiving Lungs That Carried the Virus @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. [March 02, 2021] SchoolBasix's Digital Solution Helps Small Retailers Take Their Schooling Inventory Online - Their digital solution is fast becoming the go-to solution for school retailers who want to expand their presence online COIMBATORE, India, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- When COVID-19 struck the world, its brunt was felt across all sectors. For the first time, shops and businesses downed their shutters, and people shivered with fear at the thought of walking into a store and touching its merchandise before buying. While adults had a tough time dealing with the many chores around the house, and work-from-home became the new reality, children found it very hard to deal with the ennui. Schools closed their gates, and a new arena opened up in the form of online classes. The sheer joy of going to school in a new uniform and running their hands over new stationery and books now evaded them. Retailers also had it difficult. With most people avoiding shops and digital becoming a new normal, it was now the only way to sell. When many were looking for a partner to take their business online, a solution came in the form of SchoolBasix. Founded by Swathy Rohit, SchoolBasix is based in Coimbatore, India. A mechanical engineer by profession with two decades of experience in the healthcare and education sector. SchoolBasix is a platform that helps school retailers do business online. There are 1.3 billion children globally, but the company currently focuses on 3,00,000 retailers who serve about 100 million children in India's private schools. With its fast-growing youth population, India has a thriving market for schooling products, which grows from 10% to 12% year-on-year. Indian education is organized, with 93% of the back-to-school market lying in the hands of mom & pop retailers. A great example of SchoolBasix's success is Venkat, one of the company's first retailers. With a storefront in a crowded marketplace, visibility was always a problem, and he would end up making about Rs 12,000 per month through selling uniforms, books, shoes, and stationery out of his physical store. This brings usto a pertinent question. Why does a retailer like Venkat, who already has his store, need something like SchoolBasix? When one walks into his store, within a few minutes, one will be able to point out the huge amount of inefficiencies. When SchoolBasix looks at it from the customer's point of view, he is walking into a shop that is about 100 square feet or less, very cramped with inventory, and cannot accommodate more than three people, including the store manager. Stocking is usually done ad hoc, from memory, and there is a lot of deadstock, which results in loss of capital. This is not an ideal situation. When COVID-19 hit, this small retailer had no means to run his business. He did not have a website nor a dedicated home delivery system. This means he can't upsell or cross-sell any of his wares or services to increase income. This is where https://www.schoolbasix.com comes in. SchoolBasix Online Platform for School Retailers SchoolBasix's free online platform helps a retailer take care of customers and provide doorstep delivery. He gets access to SchoolBasix's extensive catalog and software for inventory management, which helps him keep a tab on his stock, customer data, and the means to sell his services in a more organized way. After Venkat joined the platform, which took him only five minutes, he was able to sell via all social media platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, or Instagram. The perks do not end here. SchoolBasix also helps retailers get working capital loans through third-party NFBCs. "Our mission at SchoolBasix is to build India's largest online products' platform. We aim to transform 3,00,000 unorganized retailers into superstores. We have also managed to double the retailer's revenue in our first year of partnership with them," said Anmol Vij, Co-founder of School Basix. There are several players in single-product categories like Mafatlals for uniforms, Wildcraft for bags, and Amazon for generic categories. But SchoolBasix happens to be the only one who has the expertise to cater to school retailers specifically. It is also the only platform with a comprehensive solution for school retailers digitally. The company is growing at 2.5x year-on-year, with 162 active retail partners on the platform. "We are bootstrapped, cash-positive, and are growing aggressively. We are acquiring more retailers post the pandemic and also increasing our share in the wallet of the back-to-school supplies with brand partnerships. We also plan to introduce more categories in ed-tech, like school counseling and online school clinics," said Swathy. SchoolBasix has been giving retailers like Venkat a firm footing and churning out a very positive belief system. It is helping small businesses survive by expanding across state borders with a virtual push. It has lovely stories of vendors who could double their income and communicate with their customers. SchoolBasix is also sustainable. As most of the schooling products end up in landfills, the company has teamed up with Goonj, an NGO that collects used-uniforms and donates them to underprivileged kids. Thus, this is the new-age solution for small school-product retailers who want to make it big. About SchoolBasix: SchoolBasix is India's leading School Commerce Platform operated by SoCo Products Private Limited. They are transforming the way school commerce happens in India with technology, design-thinking, and data science. SoCo has disrupted the market with all-inclusive back-to-school products and services, making it the only 1 stop solution for your children. SoCo has partnered with over 300+ schools. Visit https://www.schoolbasix.com/ for more details. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Posh ski wear brand Moncler has been ridiculed online for its 1,770 puffer coat that critics have likened to 'a duvet stuffed into a bin bag'. Social media users suggested the black winter jacket looked like it should be wrapped around a hot water cylinder in an airing cupboard, while others joked it would make the wearer stand out for all the wrong reasons. The winter coat is a collaboration between the Italian brand and American designer Rick Owens. The Hikoville down-filled jacket, suitable for men and women, is described as having a 'sophisticated attitude that interprets the rules of contemporary streetwear in a conceptual way'. Posh ski wear brand Moncler has been ridiculed online for its 1,770 puffer coat that critics have likened to 'a duvet stuffed into a bin bag' It's crafted from nylon leger, and features an oversized 'cosy collar' with ribbon and snap closures to add 'a graphic touch to any look', as well as extra long sleeves and wool rib-knit cuffs. Due to its 'oversized silhouette', the brand recommends women buy a size smaller than they'd normally buy. But some suggested the supposedly cutting edge design failed to hit the mark - and is undeserving of its eye-watering price tag. Posting the creation to Facebook, one said: '1,770 for a coat that looks like a two-year-old zipped it up.' The Hikoville down-filled jacket, suitable for men and women, is described as having a 'sophisticated attitude that interprets the rules of contemporary streetwear in a conceptual way' Miles Fisher joked in response: 'When your parents say "you'll grow into it in no time".' And Joanne Miles remarked: 'How to stand out on the playground at home time,' while Cathy Rawlingson commented: 'Looks like an oversized duvet stuffed into a bin bag.' Another suggested the coat looks like it has been 'stripped off the hot water cylinder in the airing cupboard'. Moncler was founded in 1952 and takes its name from Monestier-de-Clermont, an Alpine town near Grenoble, France. Many social media users suggested the supposedly cutting edge design failed to hit the mark - and is undeserving of its 1,770 price tag Rick Owens is a fashion designer from Porterville, California and launched his first line in 1994 out of a store in Hollywood Boulevard. It's not the first time Moncler has been called out for it's unusual designs; in October a gown from its evening wear range featuring a seemingly inflated pleated skirt was likened to a sleeping bag. Taking to a Facebook group to mock the creation, one social media user joked: 'For those nights when you're going to get so drunk you might not make it home, just go out in your sleeping bag dress. Only 17,000.' [March 03, 2021] Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network (PSAYDN) Announces 2021 Pennsylvania STEM Ambassadors HARRISBURG, Pa., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network (PSAYDN) today announced the fourth cohort of the Pennsylvania STEM Ambassadors Program, which aims to shape the future of STEM education in the commonwealth by targeting vital policy conversations to legislative leadership in the areas of STEM Learning ecosystems, computer science, apprenticeships, state and federal policy for formal and informal education, and workforce needs. The cohort gathers on the heels of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf's February proposal of a $1.35 billion budget increase for schools across the state aimed at addressing inequities that have historically impacted poorer districts. In 2020, Governor Wolf stressed the critical role that STEM programming plays in the future success of Pennsylvania youth, and the commonwealth as a whole. "To keep pace with a changing economy," Wolf said, "we must continue to grow our supply of skilled workers by expanding STEM and computer science education, increasing apprenticeships and improving collaboration with job training." "Afterschool programs, during the school year and the summer, offer young people meaningful and creative opportunities to engage in science, technology, engineering and math. PSAYDN is proud to support and partner with the STEM Ambassadors who will champion and advocate for STEM education policies at the state and federal level," said PSAYDN Associate Director Steven Williams. The 36 members of the cohort participating in the 10-month program include representatives from K-12, business and industry, early and adult education, and afterschool and out-of-school time programming. Ambassadors will serve as role models and mentors, empowering youth to look toward a bright future in STEM while working to build a coalition of local and regional support for STEM education initiatives and advance policy goals through outreach, education and targeted relationships with policymakers. "With bipartisan support for a wide array of STEM initiatives, workforce development measures, and economic recovery and development the Pennsylvania STEM Ambassadors, have already, and will continue to play a major role in shaping STEM educatin policy," Williams said. Program training is made possible through a partnership with the Education Policy and Leadership Center (EPLC) and the national STEM Education Coalition. Ron Cowell, president of EPLC, with expertise from 25 years of serving in the Pennsylvania General Assembly, lauded the program. "Policymakers in state government and on school boards are making decisions that shape the availability and quality of STEM education, and the PA STEM Ambassadors Program and its participants are significant advocacy partners building relationships with policymakers to improve STEM education for Pennsylvania's students." Throughout the program, Pennsylvania STEM Ambassadors will be briefed on state and federal policy initiatives and take a leadership role in advancing STEM Education policy priorities through various advocacy streams. "The STEM Ambassadors program has been instrumental in elevating the conversation about the importance of science, technology, engineering and math in Pennsylvania," said James Brown, executive director of the STEM Education Coalition. It brings together leaders from business, education and the STEM professions, provides them with training to engage policymakers effectively, and keeps them up to date on the latest developments in education statewide and nationally. This has been a winning formula for shaping policy in Pennsylvania for the better." Serving as a facilitator, Chris Neitzey, director of STEM Policy at the Afterschool Alliance, added, "It's been a pleasure to work with PSAYDN and the Pennsylvania STEM Ambassadors over the years and I'm looking forward to continuing our support with the 2021 cohort. The role afterschool and summer programs play in providing hands-on STEM learning is critical to inspiring our next generation of problem solvers. We need more voices across the education ecosystem championing the need for more STEM learning for youth and the STEM Ambassadors have been a model program for empowering those voices." The training event at the Pennsylvania School Board Association is hosted by Center for Schools and Communities staff, a statewide training and consulting organization that offers a continuum of efforts around social and emotional learning, positive youth development, school safety and youth violence prevention, cultural competence, equity, education leadership, family support and community service integration, and early childhood care and development. To this date, more than 90 statewide STEM leaders have gone through the program. To meet the 2021 PA STEM Ambassadors, go to www.psaydn.org. About PSAYDN Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network (PSAYDN) promotes sustainable, high-quality out-of-school time youth development programs through advocacy and capacity building to enhance the welfare of Pennsylvania's children, youth and families. PSAYDN believes all children and youth deserve access to programs that encourage positive youth development and support the successful transition to adulthood. PSAYDN is managed by the Center for Schools and Communities. More information is available at www.PSAYDN.org. Media contact: Aylissa Kiely at akiely.tyndale@csc.csiu.org or 717-903-0219 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pennsylvania-statewide-afterschoolyouth-development-network-psaydn-announces-2021-pennsylvania-stem-ambassadors-301239882.html SOURCE Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network (PSAYDN) [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] This weekend, March 6 and 7, Delta College will be the site of a regional mass COVID-19 vaccination clinic supported by the Michigan National Guard, by appointment only from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The clinic is for residents of Bay, Midland and Saginaw counties who are 65 years of age or older. Registration lists from all three county health departments are being used to schedule appointments for 1,000 residents from each county. Residents should wait to be contacted and should not call their local health department to schedule an appointment. Staff from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services will be scheduling all appointments, and Solv Health will be used to send self-scheduling links to those with e-mails/texting capability. Those without e-mail/texting capability will be called directly. The clinic will offer both drive-thru and indoor vaccination stations using Michigan National Guard medics and Delta College nursing students to administer the vaccines. The National Guard will be providing 30 COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Teams to the event, who will also be providing administrative, logistics and traffic control support. The multi-agency partnership seeks to support the three counties (Bay, Midland and Saginaw) as they join with Delta College to vaccinate 3,000 Michiganders in one weekend. A similar second-dose clinic is tentatively scheduled for April 10 and 11. Those with appointments should enter the campus via the Delta Road entrance. Do not go to the clinic without an appointment. Residents without appointments will be turned away. Logan, WV (25601) Today Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. High 79F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional showers overnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. A struggling Melbourne business owner is offering a $5,000 reward for someone to take a job in his cafe, as he claims people would rather receive benefits on the dole than go to work. Match & Co Cafe owner Adrian Rigotto said business has been a 'big flop' following Melbourne's 112-day coronavirus lockdown last year and the five-day shutdown last month. 'It's been disastrous. Not only here in the village, around the suburbs, but also in the city and it's just heartbreaking,' Mr Rigotto told Today on Wednesday morning. 'We're trying to pump as much love and effort into everything, but it's just nothing.' Match & Co Cafe owner Adrian Rigotto said business has been a 'big flop' following Melbourne's 112-day coronavirus lockdown last year and the five-day shutdown last month Mr Rigotto said he has struggled to find employees willing to work in his Dingley Village cafe - and he blames the government's financial incentives for the lack of staff. 'You can't get staff in hospitality,' Mr Rigotto said. 'I've got ads up that say, ''Hey, my incentive to anyone who wants a job, I'll give you five grand for a job''. 'You know what they say to me on the first line, ''Hey, we don't want your job. We're doing this for Centrelink purposes only''.' Mr Rigotto said he could email Premier Daniel Andrews and Prime Minister Scott Morrison the contact details of at least 50 applicants who are just after Centrelink payments. 'I have got names, numbers, addresses of these people. They don't want a job, they don't want to work,' he said. Match & Co Cafe advertised for workers on Facebook as recently as Saturday Unemployed workers will be given an extra $50 a fortnight from April once coronavirus supplements are scrapped. The federal government is boosting the permanent base of the dole to $620.80 a fortnight. The increase works out to be an extra $3.57 a day. Match & Co Cafe advertised for workers on Facebook as recently as Saturday. 'We're looking for experienced wait staff, baristas and cafe all-rounders,' the Facebook post read. 'Does this sound like you or someone you know? You could win $5,000 cash if you're successful or forward a successful referral.' Mr Rigotto said he has struggled to find employees willing to work in his Dingley Village cafe - and he blames the government's financial incentives for the lack of staff 'We can't keep paying people to play Xbox': Senator slams 'dole bludgers' as Scott Morrison refuses to increase 'take it or leave it' $25 a week JobSeeker boost By Charlie Moore A senator has accused unemployed people of 'playing Xbox on the couch' instead of wanting to work for a living. Matt Canavan praised the government's new rules for JobSeekers to make sure they accept a job if they are offered one. 'There are people out there who are bludging on the dole. I don't mind saying frankly. There are lots of people,' the Nationals politician told ABC News. 'We have seen them in the last year that people taking JobKeeper and JobSeeker and not taking work. Now, we can't just keep doing that. We can't keep paying people to sit on the couch and play the Xbox.' Matt Canavan (pictured) has slammed 'dole bludgers' for playing Xbox instead of working for a living Scott Morrison last Tuesday announced unemployed Australians will receive an extra $50 a fortnight when the coronavirus boost expires next month. However, they will have to attend face-to-face appointments with officials, make 20 job searches a month and take a short training course or do work experience after six months on welfare. Welfare groups and the Greens wanted a much greater increase to the dole - but the Prime Minister has ruled out a higher amount. A source told the Sydney Morning Herald the $50 increase was a 'take it or leave it' offer. Labor has said they will not stand in the way of the increase. Senator Canavan said he supported the increase, which will cost $9billion over four years, but resisted any higher payment to avoid the government getting into more debt. As part of the welfare reforms, the government will also set up a hotline for employers to dob in someone who rejects a job they are qualified for. 'Every person we get back into a job means a lower cost to the taxpayer. That's why the mutual obligation is so important,' Mr Morrison said. The new rate, which will kick in when the $150 JobSeeker supplement runs out at the end of March, will provide an extra $3.57 a day. The increase lifts JobSeeker to 41.2 per cent of the national minimum wage and will cost $9billion over four years. Pictured: People are seen in Centrelink queues in Gold Coast back in April 2020 Advertisement Mr Rigotto choked back tears as he appeared on the Today show back in October. He said he had not served a customer for nine months and the state's crippling lockdown had been incredibly 'tough'. 'And not only here in Melbourne but all over Victoria. You know, we don't feel there is any confidence in the government, his contact tracing, everything is breaking down,' he said at the time. Mr Rigotto said he had been waiting nine months to reopen his cafe and has 25 full time and casual staff on his payroll. 'You don't understand, I'm only a small little fish,' he said. Mr Rigotto choked back tears as he appeared on Today back in October (pictured) License to Nobel prize winning CRISPR technology supports internal research and development ERS Genomics Limited, which was formed to provide broad access to foundational CRISPR/Cas9 intellectual property today announced the signing of a license agreement with Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. (Otsuka). The license grants Otsuka access to CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology for its internal research and development initiatives to address areas of unmet medical need. ERS Genomics holds an exclusive worldwide license from co-founder and recent Nobel prize winner Dr. Emmannuelle Charpentier to the foundational intellectual property covering CRISPR/Cas9 for use as a research platform. Eric Rhodes, CEO of ERS Genomics, said: "We are extremely pleased to be able to provide Otsuka with access to the CRISPR/Cas9 license. We hope this brings significant value to Otsuka as it applies the technology to its internal programs." Financial details of the agreement are not disclosed. Summit Pharmaceuticals International Corporation, a subsidiary of Sumitomo Corporation, serves as the exclusive agent for ERS Genomics in Japan. ENDS For high resolution images please contact Zyme Communications View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210302006126/en/ Contacts: Katie Odgaard Zyme Communications Tel: +44(0)7787 502 947 Email: katie.odgaard@zymecommunications.com JV Focused on Commercialization of IP for Commercial Scale Tissue Culture for Cannabis, Hemp and Traditional Crops JV Also Provides Access to other Commercial Ready, Breakthrough Innovations in Pest Control, Pathogen Testing and Genetic Fingerprinting LAS VEGAS, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Australis Capital Inc. (CSE: AUSA) (OTC: AUSAF) ("AUSA" or the "Company") today announced that the Company has entered into a binding terms sheet concerning a joint venture (JV) partnership with 3 Rivers Biotech Inc. ("3 Rivers"), a leading agricultural technology company specialised in commercial scale micropropagation, or plant tissue culture (PTC), for cannabis, hemp and traditional crops. The JV Under the terms of the agreement, AUSA and 3 Rivers will own 15% and 85% of the JV, respectively. The intent of the JV is to jointly market the 3 Rivers' offerings to growers. Through the JV, 3 Rivers will provide access to its IP and innovative services, products and solutions to AUSA sourced clients. These innovations include all current 3 Rivers offerings as well as access to future products such as PTC-based auto-flowering genetics, which provides a clonal hemp or cannabis plant that will flower independent of day length. This is a potential game changer for outdoor growers. AUSA will contribute sales and marketing capabilities and, through its deep industry network, the ability to generate new opportunities. The Opportunity With over 1,000 cannabis companies, close to 600,000 acres planted with hemp in North America and Europe alone (representing approximately 1.1 billion plants)1, as well as 1.3 million acres2 (~56.6 billion square feet) of global greenhouse vegetable area, the opportunity for 3 Rivers is very substantial (these numbers leave out greenhouse production of fruit). Through its innovative offerings and in particular its nearly peerless capabilities in cannabis and hemp, the company is exceptionally well positioned to deliver significant growth. The joint venture with AUSA will generate mutual benefits through increased access to marketing channels addressing the various markets both AUSA and 3 Rivers operate in. 1https://hempindustrydaily.com/2020-outlook-licensed-u-s-hemp-acreage-falls-9-from-2019-but-grower-numbers-increase-27. Total plant number arrived at by estimating one acre on average will have 2,000 plants. 2 https://www.producegrower.com/article/cuesta-roble-2019-global-greenhouse-statistics Advantages of PTC PTC entails growing a plant from a small number of cells, rather than from seeds or clones, under strictly controlled sterile conditions in a nutrient medium. PTC has numerous benefits with a significant positive impact on growers' economic returns: Increased facility ROI through true Generation Zero plantlets: PTC delivers disease-free starting material, increasing vigor (faster and healthier growth), and improved metabolite (cannabinoid or terpene) expression (greater product quality), increasing the economic return of a facility PTC delivers disease-free starting material, increasing vigor (faster and healthier growth), and improved metabolite (cannabinoid or terpene) expression (greater product quality), increasing the economic return of a facility Increased facility efficiencies: when adopting PTC, a cultivator no longer requires a mother room, thereby freeing up licensed space for flowering of commercially valuable crop, increasing a facility's yield when adopting PTC, a cultivator no longer requires a mother room, thereby freeing up licensed space for flowering of commercially valuable crop, increasing a facility's yield Risk Mitigation Reduced risk of crop failure due to pathogen infestation due to pathogen infestation 100% feminized stock avoids risk of rogue male plants, which can destroy an entire harvest avoids risk of rogue male plants, which can destroy an entire harvest 100% traceability of inputs, genetics, and biomass reduces compliance risks of inputs, genetics, and biomass reduces compliance risks Reduced chance of failing strict pesticide testing with clean, laboratory-produced plants with clean, laboratory-produced plants Ability to remove pathogens from existing cultivars: producing 'clean' plantlets, enhancing yield and quality of a new crop producing 'clean' plantlets, enhancing yield and quality of a new crop Preservation of Rare or Endangered Species Accelerated Propagation Once a Plant is in Tissue Culture Improved Logistics Shortened Breeding Cycle: accelerated amelioration & genetic variability accelerated amelioration & genetic variability Improved Harvest Timing: reducing labor requirements The 3 Rivers Offering 3 Rivers Biotech is a plant biotechnology company specializing in commercial scale plant tissue culture for cannabis, hemp and traditional crops to provide premium pathogen-free, pesticide-free, vigorous plants to cultivators and late-stage nurseries across the United States and Internationally. The 3 Rivers products and services include: Supply of micropropagation derived genetics, disease free Generation Zero plantlets for cannabis, hemp and other traditional crops (fruits, flowers, ornamentals, vegetables, etc.) Ongoing PTC facility management and medium supply services Clean-up of existing genetics: delivering a new generation of disease-free plantlets to growers Storage of rare and valuable cultivars: genetics are the core property based on which growers generate revenues and establish brands. Genetics are therefore exceptionally valuable and safeguarding these is of great importance. PTC enables the indefinite preservation of these genetics. Genetic fingerprinting: ensuring traceability and IP protection Pathogen testing: screening for all predatory viruses, fungi, and oomycetes Technology Transfer: 3 Rivers has developed a production ready, prefabricated PTC lab, capable of producing up to 500,000 plantlets per year, the so-called InstaLab. These InstaLabs, which can be shipped anywhere in the world, greatly accelerate a company's ability to implement PTC at commercial scale 3 Rivers also designs and develops PTC production as part of a retrofit of existing facilities, or integrated into the design of new facilities Further innovations around Integrated Pest Management and the delivery of PTC-stable autoflowering varieties, on which the company has a provisional patent, are under development. Management Commentary Dr. Duke Fu, Interim CEO of AUSA, stated, "We believe this new partnership will set the standard for science-based micropropagation, and be accretive to AUSA's results. Being able to offer the propagation of cannabis through tissue culture at commercially viable scale is something that many companies and scientists have attempted, but that very few, if any, have managed to accomplish. This makes the 3 Rivers capabilities unique. The JV provides AUSA with access to an expanded portfolio of extremely valuable IP. We also believe this will strengthen our ability to execute on our capital-light strategy. For instance, being able to offer cultivation partners with PTC reduces the need for our cultivars to take up space in their facilities' mother rooms, increasing the yield of any given facility. This JV further cements AUSA's position as an authentic differentiator by offering a unique value add service that is exceptionally difficult to replicate." Robert Allen, CEO of 3 Rivers, added: "This partnership is transformative to 3 Rivers. By teaming up with AUSA, we believe we will be able to access new sales and marketing channels and rapidly expand our global footprint for PTC of cannabis, hemp and traditional crops. The JV accelerates our ability to bring our commercially focused innovations to market by gaining access to a deep industry network of industry leaders and operators, and help establish 3 Rivers as the leading company in this exciting and economically rewarding field." About 3 Rivers 3 Rivers is operational in Canada and Washington State, and is expanding into California and other jurisdictions. Its Washington cannabis operations, serving the local market, are at capacity and the company is in the process of expanding its in-state capacity. Its California operations anticipate internal, partner driven demand to grow to approximately 4-5 million plantlets in the coming years, with further growth coming through external sales. Through its partnership with JRT Nurseries and its large-scale Mount Vernon tissue culture facility, 3 Rivers has the ability to scale and ship plants globally. This facility is one of the largest and most reputable plant tissue culture nurseries in North America, capable of producing over 12+ million plants annually. The Mount Vernon facility will be leveraged to service global markets for micro-propagated traditional crops, such as soft fruits and vegetables. 3 Rivers eliminates the risks and variables of commercial cultivation by providing its customers with stable genetics and vigorous, disease-free clones. The deeply experienced 3 Rivers team, with over 50 million plants supplied and counting, has been focused on perfecting plant propagation for decades. The unique combination of commercial scale PTC for cannabis, science-based R&D on applications with a rapid time to market and broad service offering have resulted in 3 Rivers rapidly expanding into becoming a world leader in its field. About AUSA AUSA is implementing a growth strategy towards establishing a highly competitive and profitable MSO in the U.S. and global cannabis markets. AUSA's business and assets include investments in Cocoon, Body and Mind Inc., Quality Green, Folium Biosciences, and land assets in Washington and Michigan. AUSA is currently working towards the closing of a transaction whereby it will acquire 51% of ALPS, the world's premier design, construction management, commissioning and post commissioning consultancy for horticultural crops, such as cannabis, fruits, vegetables, mushrooms and algae. If completed, the Company will also hold an option for the acquisition of the remaining 49% of ALPS. AUSA is also working towards completing the acquisition of Green Therapeutics LLC, an award-winning MSO with operations in Nevada, Missouri and Oklahoma. Through GT and ALPS, the Company believes it will be able to secure low-cost access to cannabis biomass to fuel the scale up of its award-winning brands across the U.S. and global cannabis markets. The Company's common shares trade on the CSE under the symbol "AUSA" and on the OTCQB under the symbol "AUSAF". For further information about AUSA, please contact: Marc Lakmaaker [email protected] T: +1.647.289.6640 For further information on 3 Rivers, please contact: Kevin Mehr 3 Rivers Biotech Ltd. [email protected] Forward-Looking Statement This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein is forward-looking information. Generally, forward-looking information may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "proposed", "is expected", "budgets", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases, or by the use of words or phrases which state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, or might occur or be achieved. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking information in relation to: the the joint venture between AUSA and 3 Rivers closing and the ability to operate and execute; the timing and ability to close the proposed transactions with GT and ALPS; the anticipated development of the GT and ALPS businesses; the ability of the Company to execute on its strategy to establish a low capex model MSO; the impact of the changes to U.S. federal and state developments with respect to the cannabis industry and the opportunities this may present for the Company. This forward-looking information reflects the Company's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to the Company and on assumptions the Company believes are reasonable. These assumptions include, but are not limited to: the ability of the Company to successfully satisfy the conditions to closing the ALPS and GT transactions; the ability of management of ALPS, GT and the Company to successfully execute on their respective business plans; legal changes relating to the cannabis industry proceeding as anticipated; and the Company's continued response and ability to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic being consistent with, or better than, its ability and response to date. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; general capital market conditions and market prices for securities; the actual results of the Company's future operations; competition; changes in legislation affecting the Company; the timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; lack of qualified, skilled labour or loss of key individuals; risks related to the COVID-19 pandemic. A description of additional risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in the Company's disclosure documents on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking information contained in this press release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this press release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. However, the Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities law. The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE Australis Capital Inc. Related Links www.ausa-corp.com Familiy members mourn a schooltecher, who died of a suspected heart attack after Myanmar police broke up an anti-junta protest with stun grenades, at her funeral in Yangon, Mar. 2, 2021. A teenager was shot dead after taunting soldiers and at least six anti-junta protesters were injured Tuesday when security forces used tear gas, stun grenades, and gunfire to break up demonstrations across Myanmar. More than a month after a military coup deposed the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, defiant anti-coup protesters marched through the streets of cities across Myanmar, despite the use of lethal force by police and soldiers that killed at least 20 people on Sunday. In the central region of Magway, 16-year-old Thiha Zaw was shot dead by a soldier on a passing convoy of three military trucks after boys he was with shouted anti-junta slogans and flashed a three-finger salute of defiance at the troops, a witness told RFA. The soldiers then loaded Thiha Zaws body onto their truck and left the scene, and the army later informed villagers to retrieve it. RFA has confirmed 24 deaths across Myanmar since the military takeover on Feb. 1. In Yangon, police and soldiers fired shots into the air to scare off protesters in the morning, but resorted to using excess force to break up rallies in the afternoon. Violent crackdowns occurred at the citys Hledan and Myae Ni Gone junctions, popular protest sites where two demonstrators were arrested. Police and soldiers used rubber bullets, smoke bombs, and slingshots to disperse protesters on Kamayut Station Road on the outskirts of the city. In Kalemyo, in northwestern Myanmars Sagaing region, four people were injured in a crackdown, with two of them in critical condition, witnesses said, adding that police used live rounds to quell protests. They first threw stun grenades at us, and this was followed by three or four rounds of tear gas, said a protester, adding that residents and students told police they would take down their street barriers to open the road they had blocked. But they ignored our requests and tried to grab our makeshift shields away, he said. Some people were recording them as they tried to break us up. When we resisted and fought back, they began shooting. In Dawei, capital of Tanintharyi region in southern Myanmar, protesters marched through the streets to the house of Lwin Oo, a demonstrator who died of gunshot wounds on Feb. 28, and were set upon by security forces. We were paying our respects to the man who died the other day during the protest, and the police followed us to the house and sprayed tear gas to disperse us, said Dawei resident Min Lwin Oo. In the Irrawaddy River town of Magway, authorities on Monday released 19 of the 57 protesters arrested on Feb. 28 and charged the others with incitement, a violation that carries a maximum two-year sentence, a fine, or both. In Hpa-an, capital of eastern Kayin state, locals said they postponed their protest plans for a day because of the huge presence of soldiers and police in the city. Police set up a checkpoint on a bridge at the citys main entrance and searched photo studios and shops that make vinyl protest posters used by demonstrators. The police came to look for evidence to see whether we were producing vinyl posters or the plastic shields that the protesters were using, said one shopkeeper. I heard they searched all the shops in town. A woman offers prayers and alms to Buddhist monks in the name of anti-junta protesters shot dead by police at Hledan Junction in Myanmar's largest city, Yangon, March 2, 2021. Credit: RFA Reporters locked up Similar protests continued in other towns across Myanmar, including Pathein and Myitkyina and in the Chin state towns of Mindat, Matupi, Htantalan and Hakha. Authorities charged three protesters arrested in the town of Falam on Feb. 28 with incitement. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a watchdog group, said that as of Tuesday, 1,294 people had been arrested, charged, or sentenced in relation to the military coup, with 988 still being held and about 300 released. The number of arrestees includes 29 reporters picked up across the country since Feb. 1. Some of them have been released, though others face defamation charges. An RFA tally indicates that three reporters have been charged with criminal defamation for covering the anti-coup protests, while about 10 others are in detention, some of whom are in Yangons infamous Insein Prison on the citys outskirts. The whereabouts of some are unknown. Paris-based Reporters Without Borders said Tuesday that there are at least 11 reporters currently being detained on charges under Section 505(a) of Myanmars Penal Code for allegedly spreading false information. If found guilty, they could face up to two years in prison. On Monday, the Committee to Protect Journalists called on the junta to immediately release all journalists detained for their work and to allow reporters to cover protests without fear of reprisal. Police and soldiers in seven military vehicles arrested DVB news reporter Aung Kyaw at his home Monday night in Myeik, Tanintharyi region, without giving a reason, his wife said. We do not know where he has been taken. When they found him, some of the soldiers said he was the guy who was doing a live broadcast in the afternoon, she said. I believe they want to put the countrys media under the military administration. Earlier that day, Aung Kyaw did a live interview with protesters who were injured during a crackdown by police and soldiers in one of the city's wards. A soldier aims his rifle at anti-junta protesters in Sanchaung township, Yangon region, March 2, 2021. Credit: RFA A lawless state Five other reporters Kay Zun Nway of Myanmar Now, Aung Ye of 7Day News daily newspaper, Thein Zaw of the Associated Press, Ye Myo Khant of the Myanmar Pressphoto Agency, and Hein Pyae Zaw of Zeegwet Journal remain in detention after their arrests on Feb. 27 while covering protests. Nila Khine, a high court lawyer who has taken up their cases, said that Kay Zun Nway is being held at the Sangchaung township police station on defamation charges. We already have a remand for her, the attorney said. I dont think she will be brought to court. The case will be heard by video conference. The Foreign Correspondents Club of Myanmar said Thein Zaw also faces defamation charges, while J Paing of the Myanmar Pressphoto Agency said photographer Ye Myo Khant faces defamation charges. On Feb. 24, reporters Tin Mar Swe of MCN-TV news and Khin May San of The Voice went to a police station in the town of Monywa, Sagaing region, for information about a video shot two days earlier in which local residents questioned a suspicious person in their ward at night. But instead, the two reporters were arrested on defamation charges. On Feb. 28, authorities arrested freelance reporter Shin Moe Myint, Kyaw Ne Min of the Choon Journal, Ye Yint Tun of Pathein-based Than Daw Sint News, and Lin Tun of Ramanya news agency. Shin Moe Myint was freed Tuesday morning, according to police. Police Colonel Tun Shwe of the Ayeyarwady region police headquarters told RFA that Ye Yint Tun, currently held in Pathein Prison, had been charged with defamation, but declined to say why he had been charged or who had opened the case against him. We want him to be released, said Ye Yint Tuns sister. Hes a journalist, and hes doing his job. I dont think he is in the wrong, so he should be released immediately. Police arrested Salai David of the Chinland Post in Hakha on Monday but released him Tuesday afternoon. We must realize that the current situation is a lawless state, and we cannot have protection from the law, said Zayar Hlaing, a veteran journalist and former member of the Myanmar Press Council. So, reporters must be on alert at all times and think of their safety first. Since we do not have protection under the law, we have to run if necessary. A Myanmar citizen touches a makeshift memorial for an anti-junta protester shot dead by police at Hledan Junction in Yangon, March 2, 2021. Credit: RFA Civil servants suspended The junta meanwhile suspended 12 tax and revenue workers under the Ministry of Planning, Finance and Industry for joining the civil disobedience movement on Feb. 26, a suspended deputy customs official told RFA on Tuesday. The 12 affected civil servants are customs inspectors, deputy custom inspectors, accountants, and clerks, said the official who declined to be named for safety reasons. An internal memo issued on Feb. 26 said the 12 were found to have failed to perform their duties without good reason in violation of regulations, he said. It was signed by Aung Khine, the department director, on behalf of the director general of the Customs Department. I believe this move is to make an example of us so to show other employees that those who join the movement will face this kind of punishment, he said. Its like a deterrent for others to stop them from joining the civil disobedience movement. During my 14 years of service with the department I have seen many such oppressive actions from these ex-military officials, added the customs official. Government employees across the country who have stopped working to protest against the military regime increasingly are being fired and their families evicted from government housing. Some have been charged with violating government regulations. The Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, a national legislative body led by National League for Democracy legislators elected in the 2020 elections, has said that striking civil servants will be able to return to their jobs when the elected civilian government returns to power. Several police officers have joined forces with striking civil servants and protesters to denounce the military regime. Tin Min Tun, acting police major at the news and information unit of the Yangon Region Police Force, joined the anti-coup movement on Sunday, live-streaming on social media interviews he conducted with fellow officers. He asked the officers how they could expect young people to want to join the police force after police had committed crimes ordered by the leaders of the coup, and how they could face their children and grandchildren after violently attacking protesters. Tin Min Tun said he joined the civil disobedience movement because he could no longer tolerate what was happening. He also said that the image of the police force had become tarnished because officers have been sacrificed by the military to commit violent crimes on its behalf. Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Send businesses requiring face masks to mysa@mysa.com San Antonio Humane Society on 4804 Fredericksburg Road: "San Antonio Humane Society's Mask policy remains in place." Animal Defense League of Texas on 11300 Nacogdoches Road: "While on property, all visitors are required to wear a face mask, practice safe social distancing and undergo a temperature check upon arrival." BARS Black Laboratory Brewing on 1602 E Houston St Suite 109: "As it has been since day 1, the safety of our team and guests is our number 1 priority. So well continue to enforce the wearing of masks, social distancing, and well keep the guidelines in place to make your visit to Black Laboratory as safe and enjoyable as possible for our family and friends. Well also continue doing curbside pickup for those that arent comfortable coming into the taproom." El Luchador on 622 Roosevelt: "Since we opened weve been about the mask. And we aint changing anytime soon. Our staff and our extended family are so important to us. Stay safe." High Street Wine Co. on 302 Pearl Pkwy UNIT 104: "For the safety of our staff and of our guests, we will still require masks and continue to practice social distancing. Until our entire staff can receive a vaccine, this policy will remain in effect." Kunstler Brewing on 302 E Lachapelle: "We, the Kunstler Family, talked this through. For now we will continue to enact our COVID precautions. As a team this is what we are comfortable with, and this is how were comfortable serving our larger community. We appreciate your support now & always. Our main goal is not to put rules or restrictions upon you, but to keep everyone who walks into our space healthy and happy. With the lifted order, its up to each individual business to decide what they will and will not enforce. We hope you respect our decision, just as we hope you respect those of other businesses." Little Death on 2327 N St Mary's Street: "No Mask no wine!" Manny's Corner Pocket on 2110 Frio City Road: "Face mask is still required. The safety of our staff and guests is our number one priority. So we'll continue to enforce the wearing of masks, social distancing, and we'll keep guidelines in place to make your visit at Mannys Corner pocket safe and enjoyable for our family and friends." Rumble on 2410 N St Mary's Street #3736: "We will continue to require (and encourage) masks bc we actually give af about you. #rumblelovesyou." The Friendly Spot on 943 S Alamo Street: "Friends, Thank you for your understanding. Masks required for friends 2 years & older. While entering & walking in the yard, #maskup. Once seated at your table, masks can be removed to enjoy your #friendlyeats and drinks." Tony's Siesta on Brooklyn Ave.: "No Mask No Service" the bar shared "We love yall SA and want yall to stay safe." MUSEUMS Briscoe Western Art Museum on 210 W Market Street: "For the safety of our staff, members and guests, the Briscoe Western Art Museum will continue to operate under our current health and safety policies and procedures, including requiring masks for all staff and visitors as well as monitoring attendance and limiting admission as necessary," according to a statement from Briscoe Western Art Museum. McNay Art Museum on 6000 N New Braunfels Avenue: "For the safety of our staff and visitors, the McNay will continue requiring the use of face masks for all staff and visitors upon entry into the Museum. Visitors are encouraged, but not required, to wear a mask when enjoying the outdoor grounds. We have worked hard to maintain a clean, comfortable, and safe environment for our staff and guests and will continue to do so. Thank you for supporting the McNay during these unprecedented times." San Antonio Museum of Art on 200 W Jones Avenue: "SAMA safety measures will remain in place, masks are required." The DoSeum on 2800 Broadway: "We will continue to honor our commitment to our Guests and Staff to maintain the safest conditions possible at The DoSeum. Our current policies regarding capacity and masks will remain in place." RESTAURANTS Bakery Lorraine (multiple locations): "With the Governors decision to lift the mask mandate, we want to announce that ALL #BAKERYLORRAINE LOCATIONS WILL STILL BE REQUIRING MASKS! We will continue following CDC recommendations for social distancing, provide hand sanitizer at every table, space tables 6 ft. apart, limit to 50% capacity, and enforce masks and gloves for all employees. The safety of our guests and staff is always on our mind." Barbaro on McCullough: "For the safety of our staff and guests, we will continue to require everyone to wear a mask. Thanks." Barrio Barista on 3735 Culebra Road: "No mask no service no exceptions." Best Quality Daughter on 602 Avenue A: "Until service industry and hospitality workers have easy access to vaccines, Best Quality Daughters mask requirement to dine with us will remain the same. Stay safe, our friends." Bohanan's Prime Steaks and Seafood on 219 E. Houston St. #275: "MASKS are REQUIRED in our restaurant when not seated at a table. We appreciate your help in wearing face-covering when you arrive and when you move between tables," according to their website. RELATED: Spurs will continue strategy of limiting capacity, requiring masks at AT&T Center Cappy's Restaurant on 5011 Broadway: "Thank you for supporting the Lawton Family of Restaurants! For your safety and ours: WE REQUIRE MASKS at all times, unless seated at a table. We choose to follow the guidance of medical and science experts. If you choose not to wear a mask, we are happy to provide curbside service." Carnitas Lonja on 1107 Roosevelt: "A little heads-up amigos, Wear a mask, Take care of each other. We got this." Cherrity Bar on 302 Montana Street: "Hi guys, we heard the news but not much will change around here." Chris Madrid's on 1900 Blanco Rd: "This may be cheezy, but we really do care about you! Therefore, to ensure your safety and that of our incredible team, for now well continue to ask our staff and guests to wear face masks unless seated at a table." Con Huevos Tacos on 1629 E. Houston Street: "No Mask, No Tacos, No Exceptions. Our policy still stands, San Antonio! Please help us continue to keep our staff and guests safe. We have the right to refuse service, and we will do just that. Gracias!" Clementine on 2195 NW Military Hwy: "Masks (still) required when not seated." Cullum's Attagirl on E. Mistletoe: "We are one of the businesses that will choose to wear masks and serve those that are masked. its been a long haul and we are ready to see Ellie check a #Karen." Curry Boys BBQ on 2334 N St Mary's Street: "Wear a mask. Secure the bag." Camp Outpost Co. on 1811 S Alamo Street: "Hey Campers, just a friendly reminder to keep those masks up when you come to Camp." Eleanor 1909 Authentic Philly Cheesesteaks on 10808 Bandera Road: "Hey There Folks! We want all of you to stay safe out there. As a remission patient (Leukemia) myself, my team and I, try to take every precaution to move safely on the truck to prevent any one of us from becoming sick. We will continue to utilize masks on board the trailer and provide sanitizer for our customers. We appreciate you all and will see you soon! - Brie." Estate Coffee Co. on E. Houston: "Over the course of the pandemic weve implemented many safety protocols that have ensured that none of our staff have contracted covid and that our customers are staying as safe as possible. Masks play a big role in that and we arent going to change that quite yet. We really want to, but until the medical professionals say its a good idea were gonna keep the masks on, and we are going to require you to as well. We understand you have choices and we hope you decide to keep coming to Estate where we are still doing our best to keep everyone healthy." Extra Fine SA on 138 E. Mistletoe Street: "At Extra Fine, we will continue to require a mask. In addition to safely distanced indoor dining, our patio seating is ready to be enjoyed in these prime spring temps, and dont forget our drive-up option! Thank you for cooperating while we do what we can to protect you, our team, and our city. Were all in this together." RELATED: H-E-B responds to Gov. Greg Abbott's plan to reopen Texas Golden Wat Noodle House: "Our Golden Rule Wear A Mask!! The safety of our guest' and staff are our top priority! Until the service industry + hospitality workers have easy access to vaccines, Golden Wat's mask requirement will remain in effect." Harmon's BBQ on 102 S. Main Street: "Masks are required at Harmons to ensure that everyone in our community feels safe to come and get barbecue. Please wear your mask until you get to your table. Our tables will remain 6 feet apart, our employees will stay masked, and we will continue to do our part. We understand that some may not want to wear masks anymore and we understand and respect your choice. We offer curbside pickup to anyone who chooses to not wear a mask." Hash Vegan Eats on 5007 S Flores Street: Here at @hash.veganeats.sa we trust science, not politicians. HASH will continue to require a mask when inside our establishment. Masks may be taken off ONLY while sitting, eating or drinking. Thanks to the free market we get to make the rules for a private establishment & we choose to still require masks. Don't like it? That's your right. For those who feel otherwise, feel free to order your food curbside & we will gladly run your food out to you. THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING & CONTINUED SUPPORT. Peace & Love SA. Hayden on 4025 Broadway: "Along with the quality of our pastrami and matzah balls, the health and safety of our staff and guests is our top priority. While like everyone else we want to rip these damn masks off and frolic in the fields, now just isnt the time (well, in the fields yes, inside restaurants, no). We will continue to require everyone inside our building to wear masks when not at a table or bar seat eating or drinking." Hot Joy on 1014 South Alamo Street: "No worries yall, masks are still a thing and so is our WING WEDNESDAY." II Forno on 122 Nogalitos Street: "We will continue to require masks and limit seating capacity in our restaurant to provide the safest dining experience for our staff and guests. Thank you!" Kain Na on 2367 Austin Highway: "This will take effect next Wednesday. But we just want to inform everyone that we will keep opening at 75% Capacity and still Enforce wearing masks with all our staff and customers. We feel its for the best interests of everyone to keep it that way for now. Thank You for understanding. Again, We will not be serving anyone without masks at the restaurant and at any of our food truck locations." Luna Rosa on S.E. Military: "In order to keep our guests and staff safe we will continue practicing covid-19 preventive measures. We ask that you continue to wear your mask when entering the restaurant and when not seated at your table. We will continue to practice social distancing and sanitizing measures. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in keeping our Luna Rosa family and city safe!" Meadow Neighborhood Eatery + Bar on 555 W Bitters Road #110: "We are aware that starting Wednesday March 10 the mask mandate and occupancy restrictions will be lifted. However, we will continue to distance our tables and require masks when entering or leaving the building or anytime you are not seated at your table." Mina & Dimi's Greek House on 7159 W US Hwy 90: "At this time our priority is the health & safety of our staff, our bellydancers & our customers, therefore, Mina & Dimiss Greekhouse will be exercising our right as a privately owned business to continue requiring that face masks be worn to enter & in our establishment (regardless of vaccination status). We will also continue to keep our dining room open to 75% currently." Noodle Tree on 7114 UTSA Boulevard #101: "My stance has always been the safety of our community over profits. With respect to my current Heath situation, my staff, and the community we will require anyone who enter our building to wear a mask." Paloma Blanca Mexican Cuisine on 5800 Broadway: The upscale Mexican restaurant will continue to require masks for staff and customers. PRESS Coffee on 4035 Broadway Street: "No mask=no service. We will continue to implement the safety protocols to ensure the safety of our team & customers." Ro-Ho Pork & Bread-Tortas Ahogadas on 8617 N New Braunfels Avenue: "We care about you, and we know you care about us. Please continue wearing your mask while you visit us. Thank you!" Southerleigh Fine Food and Brewery: "The safety of our employees, our families and our guests is our ultimate priority, so we have decided to keep the policies that we put into place a year ago. We are absolutely supportive of reopening businesses and restaurants, but we need to do it in a smart way." Tandem on 310 Riverside Drive: "For the safety of our staff and the community, Tandem will continue to follow CDC guidelines and enforce a mask policy. Lets work in Tandem and stay safe. #love #staysafe #tandem." Tenko Ramen on 312 Pearl Parkway Bldg 6: "No mask no noods." The Dogfather on 6211 San Pedro Avenue: "Masks will be required when entering the building and indoor spaces." Theory Coffee on 2347 Nacogdoches Road: "Same song and dance over at The Flavor Corner. Show us how much you love us by masking up at the window if youre placing an order in person. We cant wait to see yalls beautiful smiles.... just not yet!" The Purple Pig BBQ on 533 Main Street: "For the safety of our family as well as yours, all of us here at The Purple Pig BBQ will continue to wear our masks while serving our customers. Please respect our decision and be considerate of others." Thyme for lunch on 9390 Huebner Road Suite 104: "This is not political this is about our business. Small businesses have taken a hit this last year. We ALL want to open at full capacity. We asked our employees to come to work this last year and they did. They are essential to our business. They have come during snow and all... we owe it to them to wait to remove our masks. No one on my staff has been offered the vaccine and in order to keep them safe I must ask everyone who comes here to continue to wear a mask." Tokyo Mart on 825 W Hildebrand Avenue: "Tokyo Mart will continue to require masks! Until we all have access to be vaccinated. Thank you for understanding." Wingstop (multiple locations): All Wingstops in Texas are requiring face masks at this time, according to statement. RETAIL Blue Star Arts Complex 1414 S Alamo Street: "Even though the mask mandate is being lifted soon - we still want all of our visitors to the complex to be safe and therefore we encourage everyone to continue to mask up and social distance while inside the complex." Helga's Pet Grooming on 7870 Culebra Road #14: "For the safety of our clients and our entire staff, Helga's pet grooming will be continuing the requirement to wear face masks in our lobby and when social distancing can not be maintained. Helga's will continue encouraging staff and clients to wash hands and the use of hand sanitizers provided in lobby as well as require employee temperature checks before the start of shifts. We are dedicated to providing a safe and healthy work environment for our customers and for our employees." Hello Tallulah on Fredericksburg: "Important masks will still be required at Hello Tallulah until the vaccine is readily available and easily accessible." Karolina's Antiques LLC on 1709 Blanco Road: "#facemask will still be required here yall! Stay safe wear your mask, keep yourself and others safe. Its so easy to care." Mac TLC on 11614 West Ave #101: "Your safety and the safety of our employees is a top priority, therefore we will continue all COVID-19 protocols, including the requirement of face masks for all our customers and employees. We will continue with no changes to keep everyone safe and healthy!" Rainbow Gardens (multiple locations): "Despite Governor Abbott lifting the mandatory statewide mask order, Rainbow Gardens will continue to require visitors to wear a mask while shopping in our gardens. We strongly believe in the use of masks for the safety and consideration of our employees and customers." Soular Therapy on 1201 E Elmira Street: Face masks are still required, according to a statement. Texas Quality Vintage on 951 E. Bitters Suite 523: "For your safety and ours, masks will still be required to shop with us. Thank you." SALONS Bloom Salon + Studio on 224 E Olmos Drive: "We will continue to do our part in slowing the spread of COVID-19. Masks are still required for all future appointments in salon until further notice. Any refusal to wear a mask will result in a rescheduled or cancelled appointment. For any questions regarding this continued policy or to cancel your appointment please email bloomsalonstudiosa@gmail.com. We appreciate your understanding -The Bloom Team." Heeling Sole Barefoot Massage on 12915 Jones Maltsberger Road: "Heeling Sole Barefoot Massage (near McCallister Park) will still be requiring masks and will still operate by appointment only (no walk-ins) so that we can limit capacity and reduce possibilities of our clients gathering too close in our waiting areas." Great Clips (multiple locations): Masks will continue to be required, according to their website. SERVICES Black Goose Studios on 1518 Blanco Road, Suite 204: "We will still require masks upon entering our studio. We care about the safety of our clients and hope to be accessible to all without any health concerns." The Rock Box, Vibes Event Center, Vibes Underground on 1223 E Houston Street: "The Safety of Our Team and Guests is Our #1 Priority! The Rock Box, Vibes Event Center, & Vibes Underground will Continue to Enforce Social Distancing and Masks Required!" THEATERS Alamo Drafthouse (multiple locations): Alamo Draftouse's mandatory mask policy remains in place, as well as our 6' social distancing protocols, and all of the other safety measures we had in place across the country since last year. We are only following the guidelines of the CDC and medical experts, not politicians. Right now, at what we hop is the beginning of the end of COVID, the health of our teams and our guests remains this company's top priority. We will be updating the list throughout the day READ MORE: San Antonio restaurant owners dish on Gov. Abbott's ruling to fully reopen Texas New Delhi, March 3 : The Supreme Court on Thursday will hear the plea of Amazon Prime Video's India head Aparna Purohit against the Allahabad High Court order declining to entertain her anticipatory bail in connection with the FIRs lodged against her over web series 'Tandav'. A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and R. Subhash Reddy, was scheduled to hear Purohit's petition on Wednesday, but it got up at lunch. Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Purohit, submitted it as a very important matter and the court should consider it as early as possible. The bench replied it will take up the matter tomorrow. In January, the top court refused to grant interim protection to Tandav crew from any coercive action and had asked them to move the concerned courts to seek bail in the matter. Purohit has been accused of inappropriate depiction of Hindu deities, Uttar Pradesh police personnel and an adverse portrayal of a character in the role of prime minister in the web series. On February 25, the Allahabad High Court declined to grant her anticipatory bail in the matter. The High court had observed, "Western filmmakers have refrained from ridiculing Lord Jesus or the Prophet but Hindi filmmakers have done this repeatedly and are still doing this most unabashedly with Hindu gods and goddesses." The High Court noted the tendency on the part of the Hindi film industry is growing and if not curbed in time, it may have disastrous consequences for the Indian social, religious and communal order. One Balbir Azad lodged an FIR on January 19 at Rabupura police station of Greater Noida. Azad had alleged that the web series had deliberately denigrated Hindu gods and goddesses and depicted Uttar Pradesh and its police in a poor light. Several other FIRs have also been lodged in states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Bihar and Delhi against the web series. Tandav', a nine-episode political thriller starring Bollywood A-listers Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia and Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, started streaming recently on Amazon. A woman was gang-raped by four North African migrants on Gran Canaria after stopping to ask them about their plight, it is alleged. Four suspects who had recently arrived on the Spanish holiday island from the Maghreb region have been arrested over the alleged attack on the 36-year-old. According to El Periodico, the woman is believed to have started a conversation with the men while walking through the Agua La Perra park in the town of Mogan. After the alleged gang-rape, she first went to a doctor before Spain's Civil Guard took up the investigation and later arrested the four men. The alleged crime scene on the island of Gran Canaria where four men are suspected of having gang-raped a 36-year-old woman The suspects, aged between 18 and 35, were arrested by the Civil Guard on Monday three days after the gang-rape allegedly took place. The alleged victim is believed to have lived on the Canary Islands, whereas the suspects are thought to have arrived only recently on a boat. Media reports described the alleged victim as either an Irish expat or coming from a Nordic country. Local media said they were given initially government-provided accommodations managed by the Red Cross but later kicked out for breaking the rules. They are then thought to have set up camp in the park where the woman was allegedly attacked after enquiring about their situation. The woman had asked if she could help them with anything, but within 'a matter of seconds' this had led to her being assaulted, according to Okdiario. The alleged attackers are thought to have set up camp in a park (pictured) after being kicked out of Red Cross-managed accommodation for newcomers Afterwards, the alleged victim was examined by a doctor who compiled a report detailing her injuries, local media says. The medical report was then handed to police who were also tipped off about where the alleged rapists were staying. The four men were expected to appear before a judge on Wednesday. They are each expected to be charged with one count of rape and three of helping the other members of the group allegedly rape their victim. A company has defended its decision to fly in three workers from Brazil to Scotland, despite fears about a new Covid variant. They all tested positive for coronavirus after arriving in Aberdeen but Bureau Veritas said it needed their expertise for 'critical' work. The testing and inspection firm, based in France, has been accused of putting money before workers' health. Paul Shrieve, the president of Bureau Veritas Solutions for marine and offshore, said: 'The employees - all highly qualified experts in marine and naval technology - were required to carry out critical work on an offshore facility to ensure it could continue to operate safely. 'As a global leader in health and safety that has been working with organisations throughout the pandemic to implement Covid-secure measures, we lead by example in protecting our employees.' At the start of last month, three Bureau Veritas employees tested positive for the new strain after flying into Aberdeen, with two later requiring hospital treatment. They had travelled from Brazil - via London and Paris - where the variant, which is believed to be much more contagious, was first detected in January. Paul Shrieve, the president of Bureau Veritas Solutions for marine and offshore has said the three workers who were flown from Brazil to Aberdeen were experts required for 'critical work' But Bureau Veritas defended itself, saying the work was 'critical' and required the trio of experts to be flown out. The issue was also raised at Holyrood as Jeane Freeman explained the latest steps being taken to prevent the spread of the virus. She also confirmed a school, believed to be in the city, has a 'connection' to the cases. Mr Shrieve said the three employees tested positive for the Brazilian Covid variant on February 5. The group had been working in Brazil between December 23 and January 29, and are now Covid-free. He added: 'In this case, at every stage of the journey, the party acted in accordance with national and international guidelines, as well as Bureau Veritas company guidelines, and completed mandatory isolation and testing prior to boarding the plane. 'All three employees are now Covid-free and we are very pleased they are recovering and back with their families.' Ms Freeman said 'targeted testing' is focusing on workers' close contacts and, in turn, all of that group's close contacts. Scottish Health Secretary Jeane Freeman (pictured right) confirmed a school believed to be in Aberdeen, has a 'connection' to the cases and that testing has taken place for those involved 'All those staff who were in contact with those individuals have been tested, in addition to the regular testing that our NHS staff undergo,' she said. 'There is a connection with a local school - again, testing for those involved there.' She also confirmed work is continuing to identify all passengers on the BA flight 1312 from Heathrow to Aberdeen on January 29, as some had provided incorrect contact details. Anyone who did not provide up-to-date information when flying is being asked to contact the NHS National Contact Tracing Centre on 0800 030 8012. A spokeswoman for NHS Grampian said: 'Tracing contacts of contacts is not usual practice but is taking place for these cases as an additional precaution. 'We would again stress that the overwhelming majority of people living and working in Grampian will be unaffected by these particular cases. More than 1,000 people are dying every day from the new strain first found in Manaus, Brazil. Pictured: Workers bury Covid-19 victim at the Nossa Senhora Aparecida Cemetery, in Manaus 'However Covid-19, regardless of variant, spreads in the same way. 'Sticking to the current restrictions and following Facts will help limit the spread.' Last night Brazilian health officials called for nationwide lockdowns and a curfew, as hospitals are running short of intensive care beds. More than 1,000 people are dying every day from the new strain first found in Manaus. Since the start of the pandemic, more than 257,000 people have died in Brazil from coronavirus with 10,647,845 cases in total. Wilkes University Offers Bonner Leaders Program Wilkes is the only university in northeastern Pennsylvania and one of eight in the state to offer the service-leadership program to students. Students with a passion for public service can now enroll in the Wilkes University Bonner Leaders Program. The unique work-study program blends community service and leadership education to inspire students to become service leaders at Wilkes and in the greater community. Wilkes is the only university in northeastern Pennsylvania and one of just eight in the state to offer the service-leadership program to students. Wilkes alumnus and attorney William Bush has served on the board of the Bonner Foundation since its inception. A long-time advocate for students who are the first in their families to attend college, Bush helped connect the Bonner Foundation to the University. "Mr. Bush's encouragement, support and guidance was instrumental in our decision to move forward with the Bonner Leaders Program," said University President Greg Cant. "It is a program that perfectly aligns with the Wilkes commitment to hands-on learning, individualized attention and community engagement." The Bonner Leaders Program is a progressive four-year experience that blends direct service in the community with enrichment and training activities designed to promote leadership, self-awareness, professionalism and public service. In year one, Bonner Leaders will spend six to eight hours a week working at a community agency equaling about 270 hours per academic year. As they progress through their studies, Bonner Leaders continue to work at, participate in and eventually lead service activities on and off campus that may include alternative spring break trips, blood drives and community clean-up events. Students also engage in an internship at an external nonprofit organization and "exchange programs" where they provide services outside of their immediate region. In addition to their work off campus, Bonner Leaders participate in a number of professional development opportunities on campus each week. The four-year program culminates in a senior capstone project where students conceive, build and lead their own service project and inspire campus participation. Students are compensated through work-study funding, providing financial support for their education. "The mission and goals of the Bonner Program dovetail seamlessly with the University's core values of community, diversity and mentorship. Through their commitment to service and social justice, our future Bonner Leaders will not only enrich their own experiences and leadership skills, but will also make an indelible impact on the lives of numerous individuals throughout the Wilkes-Barre community," Philip Ruthkosky, Wilkes associate dean of student development. Bonner Leaders is a national, service-based initiative from the Corella and Bertram F. Bonner Foundation. Founded in 1990, the Bonner Leaders Program has grown to a multi-faceted civic engagement and leadership program hosted by a network of more than 70 colleges and universities. In Pennsylvania, Wilkes joins schools like Widener University and Ursinus College to offer the program to incoming students. Wilkes interfaith coordinator, Kristin Osipower, will coordinate the program during its inaugural year. "The Bonner Program's philosophy has the capacity to redefine the student's experience in the community. We are not just sending students out to do service work. We are dedicated to helping these students become thoughtful and intentional leaders who are unafraid to invest their time and talents for the good of others," said Osipower. "By becoming co-educators with our community partners, our Bonner students will learn skills and expertise that will be valuable in almost any working environment. Bonner will not only directly impact our students, but it will be transformative for our campus and the surrounding community." High school students who have been accepted to Wilkes for the fall 2021 semester are welcome to apply. The application process is competitive with eight to 10 students selected each year. The deadline to apply is March 31. More information can be found at www.wilkes.edu/bonner. About Wilkes University Wilkes University is a private, independent, non-sectarian institution of higher education dedicated to academic and intellectual excellence through mentoring in the liberal arts, sciences and professional programs. Founded in 1933, Wilkes is on a mission to create one of the nation's finest doctoral universities, offering all of the programs, activities and opportunities of a large university in the intimate, caring and mentoring environment of a small college, open to all who show promise. The Brookings Institution ranked Wilkes 14th in the nation for middle-class mobility. In addition to 45 majors, Wilkes offers 24 master's degree programs and five doctoral/terminal degree programs, including the doctor of philosophy in nursing, doctor of nursing practice, doctor of education, doctor of pharmacy, and master of fine arts in creative writing. New Delhi, March 4 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday observed that there is weight in the claim made by the Bar Council of Delhi for declaring all persons associated with the judicial functioning, which includes the Judges, the Court Staff and the lawyers as frontline workers. A Division Bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli initiated on its own a public interest litigation on the basis of a communication received from the Bar Council of Delhi. The bench issued notice to the Health Ministry, Delhi Government, Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech. The matter is now listed for March 4 for further hearing. The court, however, said that it would be necessary to ascertain the availability of the two vaccines in use in India, namely COVISHIELD and COVAXIN manufactured by Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech, respectively. "...it appears to us that there is weight in the claim made by the Bar Council of Delhi for declaring all persons associated with the judicial functioning, which includes the Judges, the Court Staff and the lawyers as frontline workers, so that they could receive vaccination on priority, and without limitations of their age or physical condition," the court said. It observed that the co-morbidities enlisted by the Government to accommodate persons falling in the age group of 45 to 60 years, taken note of hereinabove, are serious conditions from which the Judges, the Court staff and Advocates may, or may not, be suffering. "There is a clear pattern emerging that the number of COVID-19 positive cases increases with greater intermingling. With increased footfall, there is likelihood of the rate of infection amongst those who attend the Courts spiking, once the full-fledged physical functioning of Courts in Delhi resumes." The Delhi High Court will commence physical hearing of the matters on the daily basis from March 15, exactly one year after hearing the cases virtually in view of the coronavirus pandemic. The court may, in exceptional cases, permit any of the parties and or their Counsel to join the proceedings through video conferencing, subject to availability of requisite infrastructure. The court had stopped hearing the matter physically in March 23, 2020. Cleaning house. Angelina Jolie sold a rare Winston Churchill painting that she got from her ex-husband Brad Pitt, CNN reports. Read article Tower of Koutoubia Mosque became the most expensive work of art by the late British prime minister to sell at an auction, fetching $11.5 million after fees on Monday, March 1, despite its much lower estimated worth of $3.5 million. Churchills record was previously held by The Goldfish Pool at Chartwell, which sold for $2.75 million in 2014. Frank Augstein/AP/Shutterstock The conservative politician, who died at age 90 in 1965, painted Tower of the Koutoubia Mosque in 1943. After attending the Casablanca Conference in Marrakech, Morocco, with Franklin D. Roosevelt to strategize against Nazi Germany during World War II, Churchill gave it to the U.S. president. Read article Roosevelt died only two years later at age 63, and one of his sons sold the Impressionist-style sunset painting to a filmmaker in the 1960s. It eventually ended up in the hands of antiques dealer Bill Rau before Pitt bought it in 2011 and gifted it to his then-girlfriend, Jolie. Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/MEGA The London-based auction house Christies told CNN that the Maleficent actress, 45, listed the artwork as property of the Jolie Family Collection. The Fight Club actor, 57, proposed to Jolie one year after giving her the expensive painting. They married at their Chateau Miraval estate in Correns, France, in 2014 and separated two years later. Read article While a judge declared the Mr. & Mrs. Smith costars legally single in 2019, they have yet to finalize their divorce and continue to battle over custody of their children Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 14, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 12. The former couple are also the parents of Maddox, who is considered an adult at 19. Multiple sources previously told Us Weekly that the Yonsei University student does not have a relationship with Pitt. Brad wants 50/50 joint physical and legal custody of the kids, a source exclusively told Us in 2020. Angelina has been unagreeable to those terms. Jolie called the past few years pretty hard in this months issue of British Vogue, telling the magazine, Ive been focusing on healing our family. Its slowly coming back, like the ice melting and the blood returning to my body. But Im not there. Im not there yet. But I hope to be. Im planning on it. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley has posed topless for the April 2021 ELLE UK and talked about how her body is changing as she gets older. The supermodel and mother-of-one, 33, told the publication that she can see 'fine lines' and 'things don't sit where they did pre-baby' but she's OK with it. She said: 'As someone who's built a lot, if not all, of their business on looking a certain way, there may come a time when my answer to this is truthfully quite different. 'Things don't sit where they did pre-baby': Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, 33, posed topless in cut-out lycra for ELLE as she says her body is changing but she's 'OK with it' 'But I'm still 33 - so I'm starting to see fine lines and perhaps things don't sit where they did pre-baby but I'm okay with it, I can make it work. 'Certainly, I know myself and as I get older, I will be pushing back on any kind of ideas that I should be or look a certain way. Rosie is engaged to Jason Statham, 53, and the pair are parents to son, Jack. The family moved to the UK because she wants to raise her child here. Brief encounter: Looking incredible in a sheer top and pants, she said: 'I know myself and as I get older, I will be pushing back on any kind of ideas that I should be or look a certain way She said: 'I've always wanted to raise my children in the UK, for them to be educated here.' The beauty also addressed dealing with some of the trickier days of living amid a pandemic over the last year. She said: You have to just go lock yourself in the bathroom or pour yourself a very large glass of wine at the end of the night. 'And it's just the way it is. That's real and that is life and I'm not going to sugar coat it. She criticised A-listers who make out their pandemic experience is the same as other people's. Stripped back: The mother-of-one graces the cover of the April 2021 issue Rosie said: 'There are a lot of public figures out there talking about how were all in this together. 'We might be experiencing the same circumstances, but you're in your Beverly Hills mansion with a swimming pool and private tutors and you expect someone who's in a council flat, who's dealing with an untold amount of misfortune, that We're all in this together?!!.' Rosie has no doubt been using this past year to continue working on her skincare launch. Beloved: Rosie is mother to son Jack, three, with her long-term love Jason Statham She said: 'Im sure it will come as no surprise, even though I havent talked about it publicly yet, that were launching skincare and cosmetics probably end of August or September. I love the transformative nature of beauty and skincare. As someone that's had acne-prone skin my whole adult life, skincare products are very meaningful to me 'There's always something thats deemed frivolous and superficial about beauty and makeup. And I'm okay with that, but when you really look at it, those small [transformations] in somebody's day actually can really build up to make a big difference. The April issue of ELLE UK is on sale from 04 March 2021. Lucknow, March 3 : The Yogi Adityanath government will celebrate International Women's Day with a special focus on women farmers. The department of agriculture will be organising about 250 seminars with a special focus on women farmers and groups and more than 30,000 women farmers and entrepreneurs will be imparted training. For promoting women farmers, the department of agriculture will also be holding interactive sessions with scientists and officers who will be sharing new techniques of progressive farming. To be conducted virtually, the programme will be held on March 8 for three hours. For imparting technical knowledge and solution to the agricultural problems, special interactive programmes will be held with women scientists and experts of universities and Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Lucknow. Under the first module of Rabi Session 2020-21, a three-day Kisan Pathshala with a total of 5 lakh participants will be organised in 8000 gram panchayats. In addition, five tehsildars will be awarded by the revenue department on March 8 for the disposal of grievances of women. Along with this, tehsildars and revenue inspectors who have made maximum registries of women account holders under the Varaasat campaign will also be awarded. The chief minister, meanwhile, has directed all government departments to organize programmes related to women empowerment on the occasion of international women's day on March 8. These programmes will be held under the ongoing Mission Shakti and will continue till April. DALLAS, March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Governor Greg Abbott's decision to lift the state's mask mandate and reopen businesses is premature and puts Texas citizens in unnecessary peril. Abbott released a March 2 statement saying it's time to "open Texas 100%." The Governor issued an executive order announcing an end to the statewide mask mandate that has been in effect since June 2, 2020. The order also ends patron capacity limits in Texas businesses. "Mask mandates have been an essential piece of the fight against COVID-19," said Medcillary CEO Jon Boski. "The end of the battle is hopefully near. Now is not the time to let down our guard." Boski notes that just yesterday the Texas city of Houston was identified as the only city in the United States where all global variants of the COVID-19 virus are present. "It's a dubious distinction, particularly now, in light of the Governor's ill-timed announcement," Boski said. "We need to be doubling our efforts - creating a swift one-two punch that knocks out COVID for good." Many of these new variants are believed to be more contagious. We know little about them. Lifting masks mandates, filling bars and restaurants is a recipe for a return to disaster, according to Boski. Medcillary is a champion in the fight against Coronavirus, donating masks to schools and helping businesses across the spectrum understand healthcare tools and tactics that were suddenly thrust into the mainstream. About Medcillary Medcillary is a healthcare consultancy and distributorship helping prepare people for tomorrow, today. They're identifying innovative products and services that are making medicine better. The company was founded in 2015 and operates in forty-nine states from headquarters in Dallas, Texas. Medcillary can be found on the web at www.medcillary.com. SOURCE Medcillary Related Links http://www.medcillary.com Forest scincid lizard on Christmas Island and 12 animals on the list, including the desert bettong, large cheeked jumping mouse, and arena barred wallaby. The government of Australia has formally acknowledged that 13 of the endemic species went into extinction and this includes 12 mammals and the earliest reptile known to have vanished since the colonization by the Europeans. The increase of the dozen species of mammal species shows the inevitable position of Australia as the capital for the world mammal extinction, raising the entire number of species known to have gone into extinction to 34. No one out of the 13 seems like a surprise. Almost all of the species extinctions are memorable, with most of them vanishing between the 1850s and 1950s. But the record also comprises two species that got lost, the pair from Christmas Island in the ocean of Indian over the last decade. Read More: 'Detailed' Tasmanian Tiger Sighting in Cape York Prompts Hunt for Extinct Creature Previous Species of Bat Passed Away According to Guardian Australia, the previous species of bat on Christmas Island passed away in 2009. The only remaining forest skink on Christmas Island also followed in 2014, becoming the number one reptile in Australia reptile known to have gone into extinction. Previously, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has recorded the two extinction. The current list means that over 10% of the 320 land species believed to have existed in 1788 in Australia are no more. Suzanne Milthorpe of the Wilderness Society revealed that there was no other country, poor or rich that has something like this list in the extinction of mammals. According to her, Haiti was the next for mammal extinction on the list of IUCN with a total of nine. A conservation biologist, Prof John Woinarski from Charles Darwin University who assisted in recording the plight of most of the recently listed species that went in extinct into two books. He said the recordings were saddening and humbling. He stated that it is a remembrance that extinction was likely to happen after a mammal was listed as endangered except enough was done to save the species. Accepting the Losses Woinarski said It is very important to accept that the losses have happened and it's a recall that if we don't take care of our endangered species, then the end result of it is extinction. The verified extinction of mammals in history mammal are the desert bettong, the Capricorn rabbit rat, the Nullarbor dwarf bettong, the large cheeked jumping mouse, the Liverpool Plains striped wallaby, the south-eastern striped wallaby, the Nullarbor barred wallaby, the long-eared mouse and blue-grey mouse, the flying fox of Percy Island and the marl. Nearly 100 endemic species of Australia have been recorded by the government or the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as extinct but Prof Woinarski disclosed that the genuine number was 10 times more than the counted invertebrates. Over 50 of this invertebrate mammals on Christmas Island were likely to be extinct for more than a century. Related Article: The Merits of Using DNA to Revive Extinct Animals and Plants For more news, upate about extinct species of animals and similar topics don't forget to follow Nature World 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. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has opened a human smuggling investigation into a Tuesday horror crash involving an SUV packed with 25 people and a tractor trailer that left 13 dead in Southern California. The collision occurred on State Route 115 in the area of El Centro, 10 miles north of the US-Mexico border, at around 6:15am local time yesterday morning. The SUV, a Ford Expedition, was T-boned on the driver's side by the big rig, with the impact of the crash ejecting several passengers from the vehicle and leaving bodies scattered across the roadway. Twelve people were found dead at the scene, and an additional victim died shortly after arriving at an area hospital. Several others were hurt, with injuries ranging from fractures to life-threatening head traumas. Three remain in intensive care. The Mexican Consulate in Calexico has confirmed that at least 10 of those killed were Mexican nationals. The remaining three victims are yet to be identified. It wasnt immediately clear if the SUV was transporting the migrants across the border. In a statement, an ICE spokesperson confirmed to DailyMail.com that 'Special agents from Homeland Security Investigations San Diego responded [to the scene]... and have initiated a human smuggling investigation.' The collision occurred on State Route 115 in the area of El Centro, 10 miles north of the US-Mexico border, at around 6:15am local time yesterday morning An ICE spokesperson confirmed to DailyMail.com that 'Special agents from Homeland Security Investigations San Diego responded ... and have initiated a human smuggling investigation' The impact of the crash ejecting several passengers from the vehicle and leaving bodies scattered across the roadway ICE declined to comment further at to what led the agency to believe human trafficking was suspected, adding that additional details aren't being released at this time. As of early Wednesday, the immigration status of all the passengers was unknown, authorities said. It was initially rumored that the SUV may have illegally crossed the border and was being pursued by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in the moments leading up to the crash. However, Macario Mora, a spokesman for Customs and Border Protection, denied CBP had any prior involvement. 'It was an unusual number of people in an SUV, but we dont know who they were,' Mora said. 'They might have just been farmworkers' - not necessarily undocumented. When police arrived at the scene of the crash some of the passengers were trying to crawl out of the crumpled 1997 Ford Expedition while others were wandering around in surrounding fields. Some were laying lifeless in the roadway. While an Expedition typically seats a maximum of eight, officials said the SUV's back seats had been removed to create more space for passengers. 'It was a pretty chaotic scene,' California Highway Patrol Chief Omar Watson said. 'Obviously, that vehicle's not meant for that many people ... there's not enough safety constraints to safely keep those people in that vehicle.' ICE declined to comment further at to what led the agency to believe human trafficking was suspected, adding that further details aren't being released at this time As of early Wednesday, the immigration status of all the passengers was unknown 'It was a pretty chaotic scene,' California Highway Patrol Chief Omar Watson said The people in the vehicle ranged in age from 15 to 53 and were a mix of males and females, officials said. The 28-year-old driver was from Mexicali, Mexico, just across the border, and was among those killed. The 68-year-old driver of the big rig, who is from nearby El Centro, meanwhile, was hospitalized with moderate injuries. The passengers injuries ranged from minor to severe and included fractures and head trauma. They were being cared for at several hospitals. One person was treated at a hospital and released. The crash occurred around 6:15am at an intersection just outside Holtville. Authorities said the tractor-trailer and its two empty containers were northbound on State Highway 115 when the SUV pulled in front of it from Norrish Road. A California Highway Patrol report said the SUV entered an intersection directly in front of the big-rig, which hit the left side of the SUV. Both vehicles came to a halt on a dirt shoulder. Its not clear if the SUV ran a stop sign or had stopped before entering the highway. Its also not yet known how fast the tractor-trailer was traveling. The speed limit for tractor-trailers on the highway is 55 mph; the other road is also 55 mph for vehicles. Twelve people were found dead at the scene, Judy Cruz, the managing director of the emergency department at the El Centro Regional Medical Center said at a news conference The site of the crash is in southeastern California, about 10 miles east of El Centro and about 11 miles north of the Mexican border A spokesperson for Customs and Border Protection told DC Examiner journalist Anna Giaritelli that CBP personnel were not involved in the collision Hugo Chavez, an activist with the Coalition for Human Immigration Rights, places crosses at the scene where the SUV carrying 25 people collided with the semi-truck A 1997 Ford Expedition can carry a maximum payload of 2,000 pounds. If it had 25 people inside, that would easily exceed the payload limit, which taxes the brakes and makes it tougher to steer, said Frank Borris, former head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations Office of Defects Investigation. 'Youre going to have extended stopping distances, delayed reactions to steering inputs and potential over-reaction to any type of high-speed lane change,' said Borris. SUVs of that age tended to be top-heavy even without carrying a lot of weight, he said. 'With all of that payload above the vehicles center of gravity, its going to make it even more unstable,' Boris added. The crash occurred amid verdant farms that grow a wide variety of vegetables and alfalfa used for cattle feed. Thousands of people cross into the US each day to work in the fields. The harvest of lettuce and other winter vegetable crops runs from November until March, and buses and SUVs carrying farmworkers often travel down the rural roads in the early morning hours. The area has also seen smugglers carrying migrants in trucks and vehicles. Hundreds of migrants who died after crossing the border are buried in unmarked graves in Holtvilles cemetery on the edge of town. Yessie Yosetya,...Digital Officer (CIDO) for XL Axiata, said, We knew that the requirements we have for Helios Data are very challenging. Our customers have great trust in us to maintain their data privacy. Secure Data Sharing has been easy to deploy and operate." Helios Data, Inc. Helps Axiata Group Company Share and Monetize Personal Data via Digital Advertising Compliant data sharing innovator launches its Secure Data Sharing product, part of its Personal Data Privacy Posture Management Platform solution for Enterprises. Global privacy mandates like GDPR, CCPA and others have had a chilling effect on personal data sharing for data-rich companies with the desire to drive insights and commercial value from their data with third-party analytics partners. Helios Data, the leader in compliant data sharing software solutions for data-rich companies, today announced the launch of its Secure Data Sharing software product line and its production deployment with the market leading telecommunications provider, XL Axiata, part of the Axiata Group. Axiata Group, based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is the leading telecommunications provider in the region where it operates in eleven ASEAN and South Asian countries, with over 150M subscribers, and more than US$ 6 billion in revenues. Based in Jakarta, Indonesia, XL Axiata is the largest operating unit of Axiata Group, with over 57M subscribers. In the first half of 2020, impending changes to Indonesian Personal Privacy Rules presented a big issue for XL Axiata which had always taken a forward-looking approach to protecting the data privacy of its subscribers. For some time, they had processed personal subscriber data with a trusted third-party analytics partner to analyze the data in preparation for marketing campaigns and other digital transformation activities. The changes to Indonesian Governance Regulations are expected to strictly control on how Business Entities disclosing subscriber data with new privacy precautions being taken. The companys objective was to continue to utilize the data in a secure fashion to drive data-centric digital transformation, while maintaining rigorous compliance to expected legal and regulatory data privacy requirements. XL Axiata sought a privacy solution that delivered total data security and meeting multiple requirements. Fei Zou, CEO of Helios Data said, Secure Data Sharing, part of our Personal Data Privacy Posture Management Platform, is built around our patented Constrained Protection Domain (CPD), based on network security and confidential computing technologies that enable XL Axiata to securely share their subscriber data with their third-party analytics partner. The partner could do no more than what was agreed to with the data and they also needed to be able to protect the partners IP in their marketing algorithm. And without exception, they needed to prevent any leakage, replication and repurposing of subscriber data. Secure Data Sharing, based on the CPD, delivered on all of these requirements for XL Axiata. Yessie Yosetya, Director & Chief Information Digital Officer (CIDO) for XL Axiata , said, We knew that the requirements we have for Helios Data are very challenging. Our customers have great trust in us to maintain their data privacy. We had evaluated other options but no one was able to provide us with the total privacy solution that we needed to also allow us to continue to share and process our subscriber data to help us add, enhance, and market new services for customer satisfaction and growth. Secure Data Sharing has been easy to deploy and operate, and Helios Data provides excellent services during the implementation. We have also recommended it within the larger set of Axiata Group operating companies. Helios Data has assembled a team of seasoned technology leaders, advisors, and influencers from a wide range of industries and disciplines, with a vision and commitment to delivering innovative, scalable and easy-to-use solutions that enable the secure, ethical use of personal data for collaboration, innovation, and in driving new commercial opportunities. Contact: Steve Troyer, Head of Marketing Helios Data, Inc. Phone: +1-408-316-3134 Email: stephentroyer@heliosdata.com Web: http://www.heliosdata.com The ringleader of a notorious paedophile gang who convinced nursery worker Vanessa George to abuse dozens of children could be back on the streets by this summer. Colin Blanchard, 51, from Rochdale, has been referred to the Parole Board to be considered for release with a hearing taking place as soon as May. He was handed an indeterminate sentence in 2011 for sex abuse charges and told he would serve a minimum of nine years. Colin Blanchard, 51, has been referred to the Parole Board to be considered for release with a hearing taking place as soon as May The paedophile had convinced nursery worker Vanessa George to abuse 64 babies and toddlers in her care at Little Ted's nursery in Efford, Plymouth. She shared videos of her attacks with Blanchard and jailed for seven years and released in September 2019. Families of the many young victims will be allowed to air their views on Blanchard's potential release in impact statements to experts. A Parole Board spokesman told The Mirror: 'We can confirm the parole review of Colin Blanchard has been referred to us and is following standard processes. 'Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community. 'The panel will carefully examine a whole range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as understand the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims.' The paedophile had convinced nursery worker Vanessa George (pictured) to abuse 64 babies and toddlers in her care Blanchard's case had been referred to the Parole Board two years ago by the Ministry of Justice but experts said he was not ready to be released without a hearing. He was made to carry out another course in jail designed to stop reoffending. His case was reviewed by a psychologist before a date could be set to weigh up his future. During sentencing, Blanchard was described as a 'Svengali' figure at the centre of one of the 'most sickening paedophile rings this country has ever seen'. The IT worker persuaded a string of middle-aged women he met on Facebook to abuse children for his sexual pleasure. Angela Allen and Tracey Lyons, who were both jailed for their roles in the ring, have already been released from prison. Police uncovered their activities only when Blanchard forgot to log out of his personal email account and his business partner spotted images of child abuse. How Bandon's Face Rock Was Created A Wild S. Oregon Coast Geologic Tale Published 03/02/21 at 5:50 AM PDT By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Bandon, Oregon) At Bandon, on the southern Oregon coast, one face is a familiar one to just about everyone thats been there. The rock structure known as Face Rock offshore is burned into peoples brains upon first sight, with its wrinkled, mummy-like appearance and stark, face-like features. To borrow a modern phrase, you cant unsee that. (Photo courtesy Manuela Durson - see Manuela Durson Fine Arts for more) Its native peoples origin story is a wild one and striking as well, telling of an Indian girl who was lured out to sea farther and farther until she was turned to stone, along with a pack of kittens nearby. Face Rocks scientific origin is much older and much more complex. She called Ewauna by original Coquille tribes - actually clocks in at somewhere between 56 million to 201 million years old. This is not just because scientists cant entirely pin down when it formed but because its formation took numerous stages that are in different periods over that time. It has bits and pieces of many different time periods inside it. Oregon Coast Beach Connection talked at length with Coos Bay geologist Ron Metzger (Southwestern Oregon Community College) and geologist / author Marli Miller (UofO). One thing is clear, this trip back through time is .well, trippy. (See her books like Roadside Geology of Oregon) The age of Face Rock would be one thing; the age of the rocks in Face Rock would be another, starts off Metzger, with no small degree of crypticness. Yet when you realize what that means it utterly fills you with awe. (Photos above courtesy Donna Belt and Bandon Visitors Center) Basically, according to Metzger, Face Rock is part of something called the Sixes River Terrane, a deep bedrock formation that runs through much of this part of the southern Oregon coast. Its creation is all over the place in that long period of 201 to 56 million years ago. This chunk was under the ocean most of the time and eventually uplifted, sank back down, did this a few more times (probably) and eventually wound up near the surface. Somewhere in that period, these sea stacks that form Face Rock, the Kittens and Komax (her dog) were carved out of some larger structure by erosion some mass of rock that was maybe a higher structure or simply something that jutted out from where greater Bandon is now. Its even possible the 1700 quake and tsunami had something to do with carving out some of its shape. Then again, Metzger said, the face shape we see couldve been there for thousands of years. Hence the idea that the age of the face shape is different than the rocks inside it. But oh the fiery, freaky tale those rocks tell as well as the other rock formations around Bandon. What Face Rock is made of is called a melange a mixture of various rocks. Some of it is bluechist (a really hard rock), some is lava, lots of sedimentary rock (stuff that floated down to the bottom of the ocean), and more. In this case likely mudstone and fine sandstone matrix with jumbled blocks (metamorphic), Metzger said. So generally, yes to ocean floor sediments, tectonics leading to subducted sea stacks - resulting in metamorphics like the famous Bandon Blueschist. Metamorphics? No, its not an evil comic book character. For this we have to go back farther in time. Heres another weird bit: the Sixes River Terrane originally came from somewhere else, starting maybe 200 million years ago. It formed through another subduction zone (like our big, nasty Cascadia Subduction Zone), at some other location offshore. Miller said scientists arent positive where it came from, but they know it slowly, over millions and millions of years, got pushed over here. It could be from as far away as California. A terrane is a massive rock formation created via a subduction zone (where two continental plates meet) that then moves along and is welded to some other continental shelf. Continental plates move at something like the rate of a finger nail growing, so yes thats a lot of movement in 200 million years or so. When this terrane formed in those sizzling zones between plates, a lot of rocks fell into it but didnt always have a chance to heat up. These rocks are metamorphics, like bluechist. These sediments came in and got mixed, Miller said. They were carried to great depths really quickly, so there was not a lot of time for them to heat up. It was an assemblage of minerals under high pressure but low temperature conditions. This is whats inside Face Rock. Miller said geologists have inspected it either up close or through high resolution photos so they know its composition. The technical term for the age of Face Rock and the Sixes River Terrane is Mesozoic in age (undifferentiated Cretaceous-Jurassic), Metzger said. In turn, the Sixes Terrane is part of a larger terrane called the Franciscan Terrane, which contains numerous chunks of lands beneath the south coast region. The Franciscan typifies the rather insane complexity of geology on the southern coast. Its not like the northern half, where many of the things we see have the same origin. Photo Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department Of south Oregon coast geology Miller emphatically says: It IS a dozen different things. The Franciscan especially is just a mess,Miller said. The idea that all these terranes came together and got mixed up together in this subduction zone nicely explains why its so hard to explain. Bandon Beach itself is a kind of metaphor for this areas diverse geology. Theres so much going on here that you dont know about. Just walk about the sea stacks at Bandon - a lot of them are sandstone, Miller said. But a lot of them are highly fractured and faulted. Go down the beach and another block is different altogether. Its really wild to see all these different rock types kind of thrown together. More photos below Oregon Coast Hotels for this event - South Coast Hotels - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW Courtesy Donna Belt and Bandon Visitors Center More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted New Jersey residents will be permitted to attend sleepaway camps this summer as the state continues to battle the second wave of the coronavirus, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Wednesday. Murphy said he made the announcement today because of the extensive planning involved with preparing those summer camps. He also announced indoor wedding receptions can proceed at 35% of a venues indoor capacity up to 150 persons with a same cap on outdoor receptions. As we expect to be in a much better place this summer, we can announce that another New Jersey tradition sleepaway camps will be able to safely resume their operations, after they were suspended last year, the governor said at his latest COVID-19 briefing in Trenton. CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage New Jersey on Wednesday reported another 2,957 confirmed cases and 63 additional confirmed deaths, one day before the one-year anniversary of the states first reported COVID-19 case. More than 2.1 million people have received at least their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine in the state, while about 732,000 have been fully vaccinated with two doses. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. By Omar Mohammed and Clement Uwiringiyimana NAIROBI/KIGALI (Reuters) - Kenya received over a million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday, while Rwanda said it was the first in Africa to secure shots from Pfizer, as efforts to inoculate the world's poorest nations accelerated. With fewer resources and tougher logistics than other regions, African nations are racing to secure the doses needed to protect their roughly 1.3 billion people and allow the safe reopening of economies. Africa has been relatively lightly hit by the coronavirus compared with other regions, recording 104,000 deaths, according to a Reuters tally, That is lower than national tolls in the United States, India, Brazil, Russia and Britain. Kenya's batch, which arrived on a Qatar Airways passenger flight, is the first of an initial allocation of 3.56 million doses by the global COVAX facility. "We have received ... machine guns, bazookas, and tanks to fight this war against COVID-19," Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe exulted as the doses arrived at Nairobi's main airport. COVAX, which is led by the GAVI vaccines alliance along with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners, aims to deliver over 1.3 billion doses to 92 lower- and middle-income countries, covering up to 20% of their populations. Backers of the initiative hope to level a playing field that has seen wealthier nations quickly vaccinate millions, ahead of poorer regions. Only a few African nations have started inoculating citizens with vaccines acquired outside of COVAX. First shots under COVAX are arriving at several African nations this week, including Nigeria, Senegal and Uganda. Senegal, which received 200,000 doses developed by China's Sinopharm last month, got an additional 324,000 shots of the AstraZeneca vaccine on Wednesday, via COVAX. COLD STORAGE In Kigali, officials said Rwanda will get the first doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 shots to be dispatched to Africa under the vaccine-sharing scheme. The Pfizer vaccine presents an extra logistical challenge because it requires ultra-cold storage. Story continues The batch of 102,960 doses were due in Kigali on Wednesday, hours after a flight landed carrying 240,000 AstraZeneca doses from the Serum Institute of India, the health ministry said. The government has installed special infrastructure to keep the vaccine at -70 degrees. "Rwanda is one of the first countries among the low income countries to have ultra-cold chain," said Fode Ndiaye, the United Nations' resident coordinator. Rwanda plans to start its vaccination drive on Friday, prioritising frontline health workers and others at high risk. It hopes to vaccinate 30% of its roughly 12 million people before the end of this year. Despite Africa's comparatively low fatalities, fragile economies across the continent are reeling from lockdowns. Kenya, which has so far recorded 106,470 infections and 1,863 deaths, has taken a major economic hit from the virus, which cut the flow of tourists, a crucial source of foreign exchange and jobs. Nairobi plans to prioritise 400,000 health workers nationwide in a vaccination campaign starting on Friday, the health ministry said. It will join Ivory Coast, Ghana and South Africa among the nations in sub-Saharan Africa to start vaccination drives. (Writing by Duncan Miriri; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) Uranium Energy Corp Chairman and Former United States Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham Speaking Virtually at the BMO Global Metals and Mining Conference Posted by Publisher Internet Uranium Energy Corp (NYSE American: UEC; ?UEC? or the ?Company? https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/uranium-energy-corp/) is pleased to announce that Spencer Abraham, UEC?s Chairman and former United States Secretary of Energy, will be speaking tomorrow, March 3rd, 2021, in a virtual fireside chat format at the BMO Global Metals and Mining Conference.? Interested investors can access Spencer Abraham?s live fireside chat at 5:45 PM EST through the following registration link: bmo.qumucloud.com/view/2021-gmm-uraniumenergycorporation A replay of the session will be made available on the BMO conference web app after the conference, accessible to registered attendees. About Uranium Energy Corp Uranium Energy Corp is a U.S.-based uranium mining and exploration company. In South Texas, the Company?s hub-and-spoke operations are anchored by the fully-licensed Hobson Processing Facility which is central to the Palangana, Burke Hollow and Goliad ISR projects. In Wyoming, UEC controls the Reno Creek project, which is the largest permitted, pre-construction ISR uranium project in the U.S. Additionally, the Company controls a pipeline of uranium projects in Arizona, New Mexico and Paraguay, a uranium/vanadium project in Colorado and a large, high-grade ferro-titanium project in Paraguay. The Company?s operations are managed by professionals with a recognized profile for excellence in their industry, a profile based on many decades of hands-on experience in the key facets of uranium exploration, development and mining. Safe Harbor Statement Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, the information presented in this news release constitutes ?forward-looking statements? as such term is used in applicable United States and Canadian laws. These statements relate to analyses and other information that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management. Any other statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as ?expects? or ?does not expect?, ?is expected?, ?anticipates? or ?does not anticipate?, ?plans, ?estimates? or ?intends?, or stating that certain actions, events or results ?may?, ?could?, ?would?, ?might? or ?will? be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and should be viewed as ?forward-looking statements?. Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others, the actual results of exploration activities, variations in the underlying assumptions associated with the estimation or realization of mineral resources, the availability of capital to fund programs and the resulting dilution caused by the raising of capital through the sale of shares, accidents, labor disputes and other risks of the mining industry including, without limitation, those associated with the environment, delays in obtaining governmental approvals, permits or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities, title disputes or claims limitations on insurance coverage. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results 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 contained in this news release and in any document referred to in this news release. Lithium-ion battery fire hazards are extensive worldwide and such failure can have a severe implication for both smartphones and electric cars, says the head of the group and Professor in the Department of Electrochemistry at St Petersburg University Oleg Levin. 'From 2012 to 2018, 25,000 cases of catching fire by a wide range of devices in the USA only were reported. Earlier, from 1999 to 2012, only 1,013 cases were reported. The number of fire incidents is increasing as is the number of the batteries being used,' he said. Among the main reasons why lithium ion batteries catch fire or explode are overcharging, short circuit, and others. As a result, the battery is overheated and the battery cell goes into thermal runaway. Increasing the temperature up to 70 or 90C can lead to hazardous chemical reactions that may result in further increasing temperature and consequently fire or explosion. To keep batteries from catching fire we can use an adjacent device, i.e. an electronic microcircuit. It tracks all parameters of the battery and can switch the battery off in case of emergency. Yet most of the fire incidents were due to failures of the electronic microcircuits caused by manufacturing defects. 'This is why it was particularly important to develop a safety strategy of the battery based on the chemical reactions to block the flow of electric current inside the battery pack. To this end, we propose to use a special polymer. Its electrical conductivity can adjust to the voltage fluctuations in the battery. If the battery works normally, the polymer does not prevent the electric current from flowing. If the battery is overcharged, there is a short circuit, or battery voltage drops below normal operating levels, the polymer goes into a so called isolator, circuit breaker, mode,' said Professor Levin. There are polymers that can change resistance when heated, says Professor Levin. The problem we faced when using this technology, including in the companies in St Petersburg, was if the polymer starts working as an isolator, it means that the battery has been already undergoing overheating which has resulted in hazardous processes that cannot be stopped by merely breaking electric circuit. This makes this technology far from being effective. Yet such advances generated interests in searching new technologies, including the polymer that will be able to adjust voltage before the battery starts to overheat. 'I collaborated with Evegenii Beletskii, my postgraduate student at the Department of Electrochemistry, who had worked in industry. He has an extensive experience in developing battery safety systems. This helped us a lot in carrying out the experimental part of the project that focused on how the polymer worked. Anna Fedorova, a postgraduate student at the Department of Electrochemistry, also worked in industry. In the project, she was mainly concerned with calculating physical and chemical properties of the material,' said Oleg Levin. The project lasted two years. During the six years before the start of the project to develop the technology, the scientists had carried out fundamental research to study the physical and chemical properties of a wide range of polymers. They discovered a class of polymers that change resistance with voltage. This was what the scientists got focused on. 'The most difficult part in developing the "chemical fuse" was to find an active polymer. We knew a great variety of polymers of this class. Yet choosing the one that would be suitable to create a prototype was a hard nut to crack,' said Oleg Levin. 'Moreover, we had to advance the technology by developing an industrial version to show that we had come up with an idea of effective battery safety strategy. Thus, we had to purchase a lot of new equipment for prototyping and adjusting techniques to work with lithium-ion batteries.' What makes this safety technology different is high scalability. For example, how big the traditional adjusting guard circuit depends on how powerful the battery is. Therefore, the scheme of the motive power batteries of electric cars will be both big and costly. Scaling the 'chemical fuse' is simple as it is applied all over the surface of the inner current collector. 'Lithium-ion batteries use different type of cathodes, i.e. positively charged electrode by which electrons enter an electrical device. They have different working voltage. Thus, a safety polymer should react accordingly. We have managed to find a polymer that would be suitable for only one type of battery, that is a lithium iron phosphate battery. Changing the structure of the polymer might result in changing its conductivity to make it suitable for other types of cathodes that are on the market today. We have some thoughts as to how to make this safety strategy more universal by adding a safety component into the polymer to adjust to changes in temperature levels in the battery. This is expected to eliminate all fire risks associated with the batteries,' said Oleg Levin. Before publishing the article, St Petersburg University received a patent for this technology. The scientists are currently preparing a real-size model of protected batteries to demonstrate them to potential investors. ### The world's oldest-known wild bird, a 70-year-old Laysan albatross called 'Wisdom', has hatched another chick making this at least the 40th youngster she has reared. The septuagenarian seabird hatched and egg again last month on the breeding habitat of Midway Atoll, a tiny island in the Pacific, some 1,300 miles from Hawaii. Wisdom was first given an identification band back in 1956 at which time she was estimated to be around five, the age at which albatross become sexually mature. She has been raising chicks with her current mate a male called 'Akeakamai' since 2010, experts from the US Fish and Wildlife Service have said. Laysan albatrosses named for one of the main islands on which they breed are relatively small gull-like albatrosses that can be found in the north Pacific. They spend nine-tenths of their life out at sea, meaning that researchers can only study them when they return to their breeding grounds around the Hawaiian islands. Scroll down for video The world's oldest-known wild bird, a 70-year-old Laysan albatross called ' Wisdom ', has hatched another chick making this at least the 40th youngster she has reared. Pictured: Wisdom seen here in 2014 with a previous chick. Laysan albatross only lay one egg per year The septuagenarian seabird hatched an egg again last month on the breeding habitat of Midway Atoll (pictured), a tiny island in the north Pacific, some 1,300 miles from Hawaii Wisdom has been raising chicks with her current mate a male called 'Akeakamai' since 2010, experts from the US Fish and Wildlife Service said. Pictured: the pair as seen in 2015 'Her return not only inspires bird lovers everywhere, but helps us better understand how we can protect these graceful seabirds and the habitat they need to survive into the future,' a US Fish and Wildlife Service spokesperson told the Independent. First scientifically described in 1893 by the British zoologist and banker Lionel Walter Rothschild, Laysan albatrosses are the second-most common seabird in the Hawaiian Islands, with an estimated population of some 2.5 million birds. Until the 21st century, it was thought that the seabirds typically lived for around 40 years, until Wisdom proved this assumption false. Wisdom's longevity was first noted in 2002, when the US Fish and Wildlife Service's Chandler Robbins spotted that the bird's identification ring had become damaged and was in need of replacement. On closer inspection of the tag, however, the biologist realised that the tag had been placed on the albatross 46 years previously, and, moreover, by his younger self. The fact that Wisdom has reached such an age is impressive, experts have said, given the threats Laysan albatrosses presently face, including fearsome weather conditions, predation from sharks, invasive mice and increasing plastic pollution. The seabirds typically only lay one egg each year, making the successful rearing of each chick essential to the continuation of the species. 'Her return not only inspires bird lovers everywhere, but helps us better understand how we can protect these graceful seabirds and the habitat they need to survive into the future,' a US Fish and Wildlife Service spokesperson told the Independent. Pictured: Wisdom and chick, seen on Midway Atoll back in 2018 Laysan albatrosses named for one of the main islands on which they breed are relatively small gull-like albatrosses that can be found in the north Pacific. Pictured: Wisdom brooding an egg on Midway Atoll back in 2018 The fact that Wisdom has reached such an age is impressive, experts have said, given the threats Laysan albatrosses presently face including fearsome weather conditions, predation from sharks and increasing plastic pollution. Pictured: Wisdom brooding an egg in 2018 (left) and looking after a chick in 2017 (right) 'Wisdom has a long term mate named Akeakamai. They have been together since at least 2010, and potentially much longer. However it is likely that Wisdom has had more than one partner during her life,' the US Fish and Wildlife Service said. 'Albatross pair bonds are incredibly important for raising young. The relationship takes years to form, and can last for decades. 'To find a mate, juvenile albatrosses do what humans have been doing for thousands of years, they have dance parties.' Each winter, they explained, groups of young albatross gather on Midway to practice courtship dances, and, after a couple of years learning their elaborate moves, eventually find a mate. 'They are looking for just that special bird to dip, bow, and preen with, and once a pair bond forms they stay bonded for life. It will take a pair bond another three or four years before they can successfully hatch their first chick,' they added. 'The incredible about of time and work necessary for albatrosses to survive to adulthood, find a mate, and become a successful parent means that each adult pair bond is incredibly important to the overall survival of the colony.' 'Wisdom's has a long term mate named Akeakamai. They have been together since at least 2010, and potentially much longer. However it is likely that Wisdom has had more than one partner during her life,' the US Fish and Wildlife Service said. Pictured: the pair in 2015 The septuagenarian seabird hatched an egg again last month on the breeding habitat of Midway Atoll, a tiny island in the north Pacific, some 1,300 miles from Hawaii Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High around 65F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 46F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. International passengers arriving in Britain have had to wait nine days to receive a Covid test they were supposed to have taken on day two of their 10-day quarantine. Travellers arriving from countries that do not appear on the UK's red list are required to purchase a 210 testing kit, which they use on day two and day eight of their isolation period. Now several passengers have come forward to say that despite ordering the tests from Corporate Travel Management (CTM), they never arrived. Numerous customers have complained that they have struggled to reach the provider as they try and chase their missing tests - as they risk a 2,000 fine. Tony Cherian tweeted the company to say: 'I havent got my COVID test kits yet. Its my 12th day in UK.' Another arrival said: 'Its day 10 of my quarantine and I never received my tests. Despite calling and emailing since day 2 Ive never gotten an answer.' Since February 15, all passenger quarantining on arrival in the UK must take a Covid-19 test on the second and eighth day of their isolation The Government's website states: 'When you arrive in England, you must travel directly to the place you are staying and not leave until 10 days have passed since you left or transited through any country outside the Common Travel Area.' Since February 15, all international arrivals in quarantine must take a test on or before day two of their isolation period and again on or after day eight. Yury Babin travelled to the UK from Moscow for work, but has waited four days for a test to arrive. He told the BBC: 'Of course I'm concerned that I might get a fine, but if I do I will challenge it. Why are the government making policies that they can't administer?' Passengers have to pay 210 for a testing kit, or risk a 2,000 fine, but many say they never received their kit from provider Corporate Travel Management Lorenzo Calonghi, who arrived in the UK after studying in France last month, added: 'On day three (of home quarantine), I called the company multiple times and was unable to reach them. 'I continued to call every day but still never received a call back - nor was my call ever picked up.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'There are no specific issues with fulfilment or deliveries of test kits, provided the correct details are given at the point the booking is made.' Despite numerous complaints online, the Department for Health and Social Care say there are 'no specific issues,' with delivery of test kits, instead suggesting that delays may be down to people providing the wrong address or having their payment declined 33 'high-risk' nations from which arriving travellers will have to quarantine in hotels Angola Argentina Bolivia Botswana Brazil Burundi Cape Verde Chile Colombia Democratic Republic of the Congo Ecuador Eswatini French Guiana Guyana Lesotho Malawi Mauritius Mozambique Namibia Panama Paraguay Peru Portugal (including Madeira and the Azores) Rwanda Seychelles South Africa Suriname Tanzania United Arab Emirates (UAE) Uruguay Venezuela Zambia Zimbabwe Advertisement The Government and CTM claim there are only delays where people have supplied the wrong address, had a payment declined, or where travellers are expecting to receive their before they set off on their journey. Passengers who fail to properly quarantine face a fine of 10,000. Yesterday it was revealed a man and woman were fined for failing to quarantine at a hotel after arriving from Dubai. Merseyside Police said fixed penalty notices for failing to comply with travel regulations were issued to two people from the Wirral after they avoided a direct flight back from the country, which is currently on the foreign travel red list, to one of the specified ports of entry required for quarantine. A force spokesman said they received a report last Tuesday that a man and woman had failed to quarantine after returning from Dubai. Following an investigation, both were issued on with a 10,000 fine on Friday and transported to a designated quarantine hotel. The measures are in place to prevent mutant Covid-19 strains arriving in Britain - as officials search for a passenger who brought the Brazilian variant into the country. The search has been narrowed down to 379 homes in the South East. While travel restrictions remain in place, there are still hopes for a summer holiday, as WHO warmed to the idea of vaccine passports. The UN health agency advised against using them in January but Dr Michael Ryan, director of the WHOs emergencies programme, said the agency was now looking at different options around vaccine passports so that governments can at some point verify the vaccination status of individuals as they potentially move around the world. But he stressed there were still serious human rights and ethical concerns about potentially restricting freedom of movement for people who dont have access to vaccines or who choose not to be inoculated. If for any reason tests are delayed, people should call 119. BEIJING, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- RLX Technology Inc. ("RLX Technology" or the "Company") (NYSE: RLX), a leading branded e-vapor company in China, today announced the appointment of Mr. Chao Lu, as the Company's chief financial officer. The Company expects Mr. Lu to commence his tenure in and around March 2021. Ms. Ying (Kate) Wang, Co-founder, Chairperson of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of RLX Technology, said, "Chao brings over a decade of investment banking experience and deep knowledge of China's healthcare industry. We are pleased to welcome him to our management team and believe he will be an invaluable addition to RLX Technology. With his track record of success, we look forward to working with Chao to elevate the Company to the next level, introducing best-in-class vaping technology to the healthcare industry in China." "I feel extraordinarily lucky to be joining RLX Technology," said Mr. Lu. "I have been at Citi for nearly 8 years. As a result of the support of my colleagues and the platform, I have had the opportunity to work with many of the most innovative companies in the healthcare, education, and consumer industries, bringing about positive changes to the world we live in. RLX Technology is amongst the most outstanding ones. I am excited to be joining an extraordinary management team with a proven track record of success and innovation. I look forward to applying RLX Technology's strengths and technologies to the healthcare industry and well-being of the public," Mr. Lu added. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Lu served as Managing Director and Head of Asia Healthcare Investment Banking at Citigroup. During his tenure at Citigroup, Mr. Lu was responsible for healthcare client coverage at Citigroup across the Asia Pacific region and led many landmark healthcare and biopharma transactions. In addition, he was also responsible for education and other selective consumer client coverage. Prior to Citigroup, Mr. Lu worked at Morgan Stanley Investment Banking Team, CICC Investment Banking Team and the private equity investment industry. Mr. Lu earned a Bachelor's degree in Operations Research and Financial Engineering from the Princeton University. About RLX Technology RLX Technology (NYSE: RLX) is a leading branded e-vapor company in China. RLX Technology leverages its strong in-house technology and product development capabilities and in-depth insights into adult smokers' needs to develop superior e-vapor products. RLX Technology sells its products through an integrated offline distribution and "branded store plus" retail model tailored to China's e-vapor market. Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "is/are likely to," "potential," "continue" and similar statements. Among other things, business outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as the Company's strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including but not limited to statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Further information regarding these risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is current as of the date of the press release, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update such information, except as required under applicable law. For more information, please contact: In China: RLX Technology Inc. Head of Investor Relations Sam Tsang Email: [email protected] The Piacente Group, Inc. Jenny Cai Tel: +86-10-6508-0677 Email: [email protected] In the United States: The Piacente Group, Inc. Brandi Piacente Tel: +1-212-481-2050 Email: [email protected] SOURCE RLX Technology Inc. Advertisement A Thai navy sailor braved choppy waters to launch a dramatic rescue effort to save four cats stranded on a sinking ship that had caught fire. It was only when the navy was sent to check the vessel, near the island of Koh Adang, for an oil spill after rescuing all eight of the crew yesterday, that they discovered the cats had been forgotten. First-Class Petty Officer Wichit Pukdeelon of the navy's air and coastal defence division said: 'I used my camera to zoom in to the boat, and I saw one or two cats popping their heads out.' Thai navy sailors braved choppy waters to launch a dramatic rescue effort to save four cats stranded on a sinking ship that had caught fire The vessel had caught fire near the island of Koh Adang off the coast of Thailand. All eight crew members had already been rescued, it was only when the Thai navy began searching the site for an oil spill that the cats were discovered Saving the day: Thatsaphon Saii, 23, from the Royal Thai Navy's Air and Coastal Defence Command Operation Unit 491, in a life vest swam 50ft out to the capsized boat to rescue the four cats Thatsaphon Saii, 23, from the Royal Thai Navy's Air and Coastal Defence Command Operation Unit 491, in a life vest, swam 50ft out to the capsized boat, on which four ginger cats were huddled together clinging to a crane structure as the flames engulfed the boat. The rescuer brought the cats to his boat on his shoulder above the water level, with his team pulling him in by rope. Speaking about the rescue, Thatsaphon said: 'When we arrived it was to secure the wreckage and check for oil spills. But we noticed the cats onboard. 'I immediately took off my shirt and put on a life jacket so I could jump into the sea. The flames were at the back of the boat but it was starting to sink, so I knew I had to be quick. Thatsaphon loaded the four cats onto his back, using his life jacket to remain bouyant, and was then pulled back to his navy vessel by other members of the Thai navy Thatsaphon said that although the flames were roaring at the back of the boat, he needed to act quickly in order to save the four cats Catman: 23-year-old Thatsaphon Saii (left) sits with the four cats that he rescued from the burning vessel. All four animals are now being cared for by their rescuers at the Thai navy's command post on Koh Lipe 'I'm so relieved that we were able to save the kittens. They would have drowned or died of thirst if they went into the sea.' The cats are now being cared for by their rescuers at their command post on the island of Koh Lipe. Satun Governor Ekarat Lishen said: 'The oil tank in the sunken ship is vulnerable to leaking, which will cause damage to coral reefs or collect on the sea surface. 'We're now working with related agencies to contact and coordinate with the ship owners to find a way to salvage the wreckage.' The four cats were left behind on the sinking vessel. When the Thai navy crewmen first spotted the distressed animals, they had huddled together on a large wooden plank away from the flames Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. CLEVELAND, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyland , a leading content services provider with more than 17 years of experience in delivering secure cloud solutions, has expanded the footprint of its Hyland Cloud offering two new geographic locations. Hyland will leverage Amazon Web Services (AWS) for Hyland Cloud solutions in the AWS US West (Oregon) Region, and added a new Frankfurt-based secondary location to support its growing EMEA customer base. Hyland's location in AWS US West (Oregon) Region offers customers a strategic West Coast location to support their cloud content services solutions. Hyland's relationship with AWS provides greater agility and expanded geographic options to serve customers quicker than ever. Two enterprise customers have already selected the AWS US West (Oregon) Region location as their primary content services option. The Frankfurt-based data center provides Hyland's EMEA customers with an updated secondary location to securely replicate data. Hyland's cloud content services offering delivers security, agility and access to support an organization's information management needs. With an accelerated shift to remote work, cloud-delivered solutions are a priority to best support widely distributed workforces and grant secure and scalable access to critical information, when and where people need it. "Throughout our history we've remained focused on providing highly secure, configurable applications that can be optimized to a customer's specific needs and requirements using a multi-cloud structure that provides flexibility and agility to leverage the power of the cloud, in the ways that work best for them," said Marc Cianciolo, director of Global Cloud Sales Operations at Hyland. "Our new strategic data center locations will support our growing cloud customers, who increasingly rely on cloud-delivered solutions for their evolving business needs." Today, more than 1175 global organizations in 29 countries leverage SaaS offerings in the Hyland Cloud. The privately managed cloud is configured and maintained to provide maximum security, demonstrated by ongoing audits and adherence to strict ISO-based policies. To learn more about the Hyland Cloud, visit Hyland.com/Cloud . About Hyland Hyland is a leading content services provider that enables thousands of organizations to deliver better experiences to the people they serve. Find us at Hyland.com. Media contact: Megan Larsen +1 440.788.4988 [email protected] SOURCE Hyland Related Links www.hyland.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! The government on Wednesday claimed that there was no loss of life in the Similipal National Park fire, which has been raging for around a week and spreading to newer areas. However, it was not clear from a statement issued by the Chief Ministers Office what the authorities meant "no loss of life" of humans or animals. PTI tried to contact Additional Chief Secretary of Forest and Environment Department, Mona Sharma, for a clarification on this, but calls to him remained unanswered and he did not reply to messages. According to the statement, Sharma informed Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik during a review meeting that there has been no loss of life, large trees remained unaffected, and the fire has been brought under control. Patnaik reviewed the fire situation at Similipal National Park a day after Union Environment, forest and Climate Change Minister Prakash Javadekar sought a report on the devastating fire at the Park, one of the major biospheres in the country. Sharma also informed the chief minister that the Forest and Environment Department has issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) to deal with the fire in the Park which spreads across an area of 2,750 square kilometres in Mayurbhanj district. Local people said that large animals such as tigers, elephants, deer and bears could escape the blaze by shifting to unaffected areas, but reptiles died and many valuable trees including medicinal plants are destroyed in the fire. Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) Sashi Pal is present at the spot and monitoring the situation. "The intensity of the fire inside the National Park is high because of the hot climate in Mayurbhanj district. Extra precautions are being taken to regulate it," Pal told reporters at Baripada, the district headquarters. As many as 1,000 people including forest officials, locals and volunteers are engaged in disconnecting the fire line in order to stop the spread of fire to newer areas, an official said adding that 40 vehicles and 240 blowers are being used for the purpose. The core area of the tiger reserve remains unaffected, said Dr J D Pati, Deputy Director of the Similipal Tiger Reserve. While the government is yet to ascertain the cause of the blaze, local people said that forest fire is an annual phenomenon in Similipal but the intensity is high this year. "The fire is man-made. It is lit by people using dry leaves for collecting forest produces like Sal seeds, Mahua flowers and firewood, besides smuggling timbers and poaching," a local volunteer claimed. All fire points in Similipal are communicated by Forest Survey of India, Dehradun through satellite pictures, Pati said. He said that 21 squads have been formed for each range of North and South Similipal and village level meetings are being conducted to create awareness among local tribal people to refrain from setting fire in Similipal, Pati said. Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan, had earlier tweeted: "Distressed to learn about the forest fire raging in Similipal Tiger Reserve from social media platform. Request the urgent attention of Shri @PrakashJavadekar and CM Shri@Naveen _Odisha on this alarming situation at one of the most important biosphere reserves of the country." Responding to his tweet, Union minister Javadekar posted: "I have ordered officers to take immediate action and report to me." Mayurbhanj royal family scion Akshita M Bhanja Deo has also expressed concern over the situation. Union MSME Minister Pratap Sarangi tweeted: "Similipal is burning and it's not a good sign for Asia. Mayurbhanj needs national and international's media attention as its cause is genuine. Sad, not any leading national media is covering the story of Similipal since fire broke a week ago. (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.) Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2021) - Chakana Copper Corp. (TSXV: PERU) (OTCQB: CHKKF) (FSE: 1ZX) (the "Company" or "Chakana"), is pleased to release results for two additional drill holes from the Huancarama Breccia Complex, within the Soledad Project in Ancash, Peru (Fig. 1). One hole (SDH20-165) was designed to test beneath the exposed H4 breccia, and a second hole (SDH20-166) was designed to explore a deeper extent of the Huancarama East breccia discovery (see figure 2, and news releases dated January 12, 25, and February 9, 2021). Since initiating drilling at Huancarama in late October 2020, thirty HQ diamond core holes have been completed. Mineralized intervals from two additional holes at Huancarama include: DDH # From - To (m) Core Length (m) Au g/t Ag g/t Cu % Cu-eq %* Au-eq g/t* SDH20-165 79.00 85.50 6.50 0.27 305.0 1.63 4.41 6.75 SDH20-166 29.00 36.50 7.50 0.50 92.0 0.24 1.35 2.07 and 132.00 307.60 175.60 0.42 35.9 0.48 1.06 1.62 including 132.00 161.00 29.00 1.21 95.6 1.35 2.96 4.53 and 400.00 419.00 19.00 0.11 6.9 0.60 0.73 1.12 * Cu_eq and Au_eq values were calculated using copper, gold, and silver. Metal prices utilized for the calculations are Cu - US$2.90/lb, Au - US$1,300/oz, and Ag - US$17/oz. No adjustments were made for recovery as the project is an early-stage exploration project and metallurgical data to allow for estimation of recoveries are not yet available. The formulas utilized to calculate equivalent values are Cu-eq (%) = Cu% + (Au g/t * 0.6556) + (Ag g/t * 0.00857) and Au-eq (g/t) = Au g/t + (Cu% * 1.5296) + (Ag g/t * 0.01307). Both drill holes intercepted high-grade intervals (Figs. 2 and 3). Hole SDH20-165 was set up southeast of the H4 surface breccia and drilled to the northwest encountering a high-grade breccia interval of 0.27 g/t Au, 1.63% Cu, and 305.0 g/t Ag (4.41% Cu-eq) over 6.5m starting at 79m depth. This intercept is believed to be related to the H4 breccia exposed at surface and is interpreted to be a breccia dike, related to a larger, adjacent breccia body. Breccia dikes adjacent to larger breccia pipes are a common feature of the breccia pipes at Soledad. Hole SDH20-166 was set up on the east side of the main Huancarama East breccia pipe and drilled steeply across the pipe in a west-northwest direction. This hole entered the main breccia body at 107.2m down hole (102m below surface) and exited the breccia pipe on the northwest side at 308.2m depth (290m below surface). A continuous mineralized interval of 175.6m with 0.42 g/t Au, 0.48% Cu, and 35.9 g/t Ag (1.06% Cu-eq) was encountered starting at 132.0m. Within this interval, a high-grade zone of 1.21 g/t Au, 1.35% Cu, and 95.6 g/t Ag (2.96% Cu-eq) over 29.0m starting at 132.0m depth was also encountered. Two additional breccia intercepts, also interpreted as breccia dikes related to the Huancarama East breccia pipe, were encountered at 402.7m and 483.4m depth, with the breccia pipe open at depth. Examples of mineralized drill core from these holes are shown in Figure 4. David Kelley, President and CEO, commented, "Hole SDH20-166 was successful in increasing the Huancarama East breccia pipe to a depth of 290m below surface with mineralization open at depth. We had previously established mineralization starting at surface and continuing to a depth of approximately 225m depth. As we have seen in the other breccia pipe discoveries, these pipes are vertically extensive, and all are still open at depth. The high-grade intercept of 29.0m with 1.21 g/t Au, 1.35% Cu, and 95.6 g/t Ag is particularly noteworthy as it provides additional confirmation of the high-grade potential of this new discovery and is consistent with intercepts recently reported. It is also encouraging to encounter high-grade mineralization in the first hole drilled around H4 on the western side of the complex. As we have seen in drilling other breccia pipes at Soledad, these high-grade intercepts are normally related to adjacent larger mineralized breccia bodies. More drilling is warranted on the western side of Huancarama. and drilling is ongoing at both Huancarama and Paloma with two drill rigs; we look forward to reporting additional results soon." Huancarama Target Area and the Current Drill Program The Huancarama Breccia Complex is located 300m south of and 400m above the deepest breccia intercept at Paloma. Within the complex there are five principal breccia bodies exposed at surface over approximately 200m horizontally (Fig. 5). There is a distinctive feature believed to be a collapse zone with dimensions of 50m by 30m. Unverified reports suggest that this may be due to small-scale mining. Two historic adits are in the complex, one trending north-northeast for 170m along the western side of H1 (Fig. 2), and a second shorter adit of 21m at H2. Surface sampling from the breccia bodies and channel sampling of the adits yielded strongly anomalous gold results (see news release dated November 19, 2019). In addition to several targets within the complex, numerous additional targets exist in the Huancarama and Paloma area. Results reported here are part of the recently expanded 2021 drill program of 26,000m that is fully funded from the Company's current treasury of $9.3M. Combined with the drilling in 2020 that started last August, a total of approximately 32,000m is anticipated through 2021. Of this, 6,634m have been reported in 34 drill holes. For the 26,000m of drilling planned in 2021, the Company will complete 16,000m of resource definition drilling, and 10,000m of exploration drilling testing new targets. This drill program and additional targets will be integral to the publication of a maiden resource in 2021. Corporate Update The Company announces that its second tranche of financing announced February 10, 2021 has been extended in order to facilitate the receipt of funds already committed over the next few days. About Chakana Copper Chakana Copper Corp is a Canadian-based minerals exploration company that is currently advancing the high-grade gold-copper-silver Soledad Project located in the Ancash region of Peru, a highly favorable mining jurisdiction with supportive communities. The Soledad Project consists of high-grade gold-copper-silver mineralization hosted in tourmaline breccia pipes. A total of 39,098 metres of drilling has been completed to-date, testing ten (10) of twenty-three (23) confirmed breccia pipes. The exploration team has identified 110 targets in total on the project, confirming that Soledad is well endowed and has strong exploration potential. Chakana's investors are uniquely positioned as the Soledad Project provides exposure to several metals including copper, gold, and silver. For more information on the Soledad project, please visit the website at www.chakanacopper.com. Sampling and Analytical Procedures Chakana follows rigorous sampling and analytical protocols that meet or exceed industry standards. Core samples are stored in a secured area until transport in batches to the ALS facility in Callao, Lima, Peru. Sample batches include certified reference materials, blank, and duplicate samples that are then processed under the control of ALS. All samples are analyzed using the ME-MS41 (ICP technique that provides a comprehensive multi-element overview of the rock geochemistry), while gold is analyzed by AA24 and GRA22 when values exceed 10 g/t by AA24. Over limit silver, copper, lead and zinc are analyzed using the OG-46 procedure. Soil samples are analyzed by 4-acid (ME-MS61) and for gold by Fire Assay on a 30g sample (Au-ICP21). Results of previous drilling and additional information concerning the Project, including a technical report prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, are made available on Chakana's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Qualified Person David Kelley, an officer and a director of Chakana, and a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD (signed) "David Kelley" David Kelley President and CEO For further information contact: Joanne Jobin, Investor Relations Officer Phone: 647 964 0292 Email: jjobin@chakanacopper.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking Statement Advisory: This release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Chakana to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements or information relates to, among other things, the interpretation of the nature of the mineralization at the Soledad copper-gold-silver project (the "Project"), the potential to expand the mineralization, and to develop and grow a resource within the Project, the planning for further exploration work, the ability to de-risk the potential exploration targets, and our belief in the potential for mineralization within unexplored parts of the Project. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs but given the uncertainties, assumptions and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements or information. The Company disclaims any obligation to update, or to publicly announce, any such statements, events or developments except as required by law. Figure 1 - View looking north showing breccia pipes and occurrences within the northern Soledad cluster. Pipes that have been drilled in previous campaigns are shown in red. Outcropping breccia pipes shown in green are the focus of the current drill campaign. Other pipes and occurrences remain to be tested by drilling. Additional breccia pipes occur on the south half of the property and are not shown here. To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2172/75899_9f8d1e11848e492d_001full.jpg Figure 2 - Map of the Huancarama Breccia Complex and drill hole lithology in holes completed to date. Red shape projected to surface represents tourmaline breccia pipe based on all holes drilled to date and lithology mapped in the underground tunnel. Black dotted outlines show surface expression of mapped breccias (H1-H5); white dashed line shows collapse zone. Location of section line for Figure 3 indicated. To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2172/75899_9f8d1e11848e492d_002full.jpg Figure 3 - Section looking north-northeast highlighting the drill holes at Huancarama reported in this release. Light red 3D shape shows preliminary shape of breccia based on all drill holes to date and lithology mapped in the underground tunnel. To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2172/75899_9f8d1e11848e492d_003full.jpg Figure 4 - Core photos from Huancarama: SDH20-165 (83.0m) tourmaline breccia with semi-massive chalcopyrite replacement; SDH20-166 (128.43m to 136.25m) contact between feldspar porphyry (earlier) and tourmaline breccia with sections of massive sulfide replacement by chalcopyrite and pyrite. Core diameter is 6.35cm (HQ) in all instances. To view an enhanced version of Figure 4, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2172/75899_9f8d1e11848e492d_004full.jpg Figure 5 - Drone image looking northeast at the Huancarama Breccia Complex showing the five principal tourmaline breccia bodies exposed at surface (H1-H5), historic adit portal, and drill platforms. Note drill rig in center of image. To view an enhanced version of Figure 5, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2172/75899_9f8d1e11848e492d_006full.jpg To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/75899 Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-04 02:34:42|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LUSAKA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- A Zambian road development agency official in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, on Wednesday commended a Chinese contractor for speedy and quality road work in Mkushi district, a town in the Central province of Zambia. Masuzyo Ndhlovu, the director of Communications and Corporate Affairs with Road Development Agency (RDA), described the work by Sinohydro as commendable in an interview, saying he was impressed by the steady progress made by the Chinese firm on the World Bank funded rural road improvement project, known as Improved Rural Connectivity Project (IRCP), which was launched by President Edgar Lungu in July 2019. The project is aimed at improving rural road accessibility for communities in selected areas in Zambia. On completion, the road improvement project will help ease the transportation of goods, services and travel of humans in those areas. According to Ndhlovu, bridges are being constructed together with economic support structures such as agricultural shades, water dams, and a market for agricultural produce. Ndhlovu said the project had progressed in line with the government's aspirations, hoping that the Chinese contractor can continue to record success during the implementation period. Mkushi District Commissioner Emmanuel Sinkonde also praised the Chinese contractor for allocating 20 percent of the project's tasks to the local contractors. He said that Sinohydro had so far employed more than 100 local contractors to work on Musofu-Mkushi road. Sinkonde said he was happy that Sinohydro had adhered to the government policy aimed at empowering the local contractors with skills acquisition apart from the economic gains. Enditem MAPLEWOOD (dpa-AFX) - AstraZeneca Plc. (AZN.L, AZN) said Wednesday that the US District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia has decided in favour of the company in litigation against Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Kindeva Drug Delivery L.P., determining that asserted claims in three of AstraZeneca's patents protecting Symbicort in the US are not invalid. AstraZeneca initiated litigation in October 2018 against Mylan and subsequently against 3M Company asserting infringement of various US patents covering Symbicort. In July 2020, Kindeva was added as a defendant in the action. 3M was voluntarily dismissed from the case. In September 2020, Mylan and Kindeva stipulated to patent infringement to the extent that the asserted patent claims were found to be valid and enforceable, but reserved the right to seek a vacatur of the stipulation if the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reverses or modifies the District Court's claim construction. At trial, Mylan and Kindeva contended that each asserted patent claim is invalid under the US patent laws. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. "The response to our Go! Go! Cory Carson line has been tremendous," said Andy Keimach, President, VTech Electronics North America. "Parents and kids love watching the show together, and then bringing the adventures of Cory and friends to life through our toys. We're so excited that the show is now available to even more children on the Netflix Jr. YouTube channel." Kids are in for a sweet treat with Two Scoops Eileen Ice Cream Truck! Introduced in a popular Go! Go! Cory Carson episode, Eileen lights up, talks and plays sound effects and songs from the show. Eileen comes with special-edition mini Cory and Chrissy PlayZone characters, serving up sweet pretend play. Kids will also love exploring the Carson's backyard with The Carson Playhouse. From the jump ramp and tire swing to the seesaw, Mama Carson encourages exploration and imaginative play along with special-edition mini Cory and Chrissy. And Fire Rescue Cory will save the day as he talks about firefighting training with fun phrases, sounds and songs. The new toys are available now at major retailers nationwide. For more information, visit www.vtechkids.com/corycarson. Highlights of the line include: Go! Go! Cory Carson Two Scoops Eileen Ice Cream Truck: Can you hear the ice cream truck? Pick your favorite ice cream treat with Two Scoops Eileen Ice Cream Truck just like in the original series Go! Go! Cory Carson! Hear Eileen talk by pressing her light-up windshield button, and watch her cone light up as she plays sound effects and songs from the show. With so many kinds of ice cream, how will Cory and Chrissy choose? Drive the included special-edition mini Cory and mini Chrissy PlayZone characters up to the window and press Eileen's serving counter for more role-play interactions. Eileen's face lights up with the sounds. Roll Eileen around to see her cone light up and hear her play music. Who wants ice cream? ($19.99/2+ Years) Go! Go! Cory Carson The Carson Playhouse: Launch into an exciting play date with the Carsons at the Go! Go! Cory Carson The Carson Playhouse playset just like in the original series Go! Go! Cory Carson! Hear Mama Carson encourage exploration of all the exciting activities the playhouse has to offer with special-edition mini PlayZone characters Cory and Chrissy. Press the mailbox to flip open the garage door and launch the characters into the tire swing. Play on the seesaw or with the tire swing for even more role-play fun, then activate the PlayZone location in front of the garage front door to hear each character say unique phrases. Are you ready for fun? ($14.99/2+ Years) Go! Go! Cory Carson Fire Rescue Cory: Captain Cory is here to save the day! I'm Fire Rescue Cory, and you're going to love going on adventures with me in Bumperton Hills just like in the original series Go! Go! Cory Carson! We'll have so much fun together. For even more role-play fun, place the fire hose on my back to hear me talk about firefighter training! Hear more phrases by pressing my light-up windshield button. I'll also play sound effects and music while my face lights up. Roll me around to trigger role-play sound effects. Who's ready for some fun!? (Not for use on Go! Go! Cory Carson playsets.) ($9.99/2+ Years) About VTech VTech is a world leader in age-appropriate and developmental stage-based electronic learning products for children. As a pioneer in the learning toy category, VTech develops high-quality, innovative educational products that enrich children's development and make learning fun. With a rich 40 year history, VTech has not only established itself as a learning authority but also consistently remains at the forefront of innovation with multiple award-winning products, including prestigious Toy of the Year (TOTY) Award winners. The company also has a broad range of award-winning infant, toddler and preschool products available in 28 different languages worldwide, with more than 100 new products introduced every year. In order to further strengthen VTech's position as a learning authority, new products are developed with critical insights from a dedicated team of in-house learning experts. VTech Electronics North America, L.L.C. is based in Arlington Heights, Illinois. VTech Electronics Limited is headquartered in Hong Kong with distribution globally. For more information about VTech's electronic learning products, visit www.VTechKids.com, www.facebook.com/VTechtoys on Facebook or follow @VTechToys on Twitter. Media Contact: Nicole Francisco Coyne Public Relations 973-588-2000 [email protected] SOURCE VTech Related Links http://www.vtech.com BEIJING, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Autohome Inc. (NYSE: ATHM) (the "Company"), the leading online destination for automobile consumers in China, today announced the launch of its Hong Kong public offering (the "Hong Kong Public Offering"), which forms part of the global offering (the "Offering") of 30,291,200 shares (the "Offer Shares") and listing of its shares on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the "Hong Kong Stock Exchange") under the stock code "2518". The Company's American Depositary Shares (the "ADSs"), each representing four shares of the Company, will continue to be listed and traded on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"). Investors in the Offering will only be able to purchase shares and will not be able to take delivery of ADSs. Upon listing, the Hong Kong-listed shares will be fully fungible with the ADSs listed on the NYSE. The Offering initially comprises 3,029,200 Offer Shares under the Hong Kong Public Offering and 27,262,000 Offer Shares (including 10,096,800 Sale Shares) for the international offering (the "International Offering"), representing approximately 10% and 90% of the total number of Offer Shares in the Offering, respectively, subject to adjustment and over-allotment option. Subject to the level of oversubscription in the Hong Kong Public Offering and pursuant to the claw back mechanism as described in the prospectus issued by the Company in Hong Kong dated 4 March 2021, the total number of shares available under the Hong Kong Public Offering could be adjusted to up to a maximum of 15,146,000 Offer Shares, representing approximately 50% of the Offer Shares initially available under the Offering. In addition, the Company expects to grant the international underwriters an over-allotment option to require the Company to issue up to an additional 4,544,000 shares in the International Offering, representing approximately 15% of the total number of Offer Shares initially available under the Offering. The offer price for the Hong Kong Public Offering (the "Hong Kong Offer Price") will be no more than HK$251.8 per share (the "Maximum Offer Price"). The offer price for the International Offering tranche of the Offering (the "International Offer Price") may be set higher than the Maximum Offer Price. The Company will set the International Offer Price on or about 9 March 2021 Hong Kong time by taking into consideration, among other factors, the closing price of the ADSs on the NYSE on the last trading day on or before 8 March 2021 and investor demand during the marketing process. The final Hong Kong Offer Price will be set at the lower of the final International Offer Price and the Maximum Offer Price of HK$251.8 per share. The shares will be traded in board lots of 100 shares. The Company plans to use the net proceeds from the Offering for the following purposes: invest in the Company's technology and product development; incubate new businesses; enhance the Company's domestic and overseas presence and develop an automotive ecosystem and general corporate purposes. Fully Electronic Application Process for the Hong Kong Public Offering The Company has decided to adopt a fully electronic application process for the Hong Kong Public Offering, with no printed copies of prospectuses or application forms. A fully electronic application process is consistent with the way in which the Company's users and stakeholders engage and interact with each other and the Company. The Company believes such method will also help mitigate the environmental impact of printing and minimize the exploitation of natural resources, among others. The prospectus is available at the website of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange at www.hkexnews.hk and the Company's website at http://ir.autohome.com.cn/. The Company encourages applicants for the Hong Kong Public Offering to view its prospectus and apply online through the White Form eIPO service at www.eipo.com.hk, or through the CCASS EIPO service (directly or through their brokers or custodians). The Hong Kong Public Offering will commence at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, 4 March 2021 Hong Kong time and will close at 12:00 noon on Tuesday, 9 March 2021 Hong Kong time. Potential applicants may call the enquiry hotline of Computershare Hong Kong Investor Services Limited if they have any questions about making applications in the Hong Kong Public Offering. The hotline number is +852 2862 8600 and will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, 4 March 2021, Friday, 5 March 2021 and Monday, 8 March 2021, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, 6 March 2021, and Sunday 7 March 2021, and from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon on Tuesday, 9 March 2021 Hong Kong time. China International Capital Corporation Hong Kong Securities Limited, Goldman Sachs (Asia) L.L.C. (in alphabetical order with no ranking assigned) and Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Limited are the Joint Sponsors, Joint Representatives, Joint Global Coordinators, Joint Bookrunners and Joint Lead Managers for the proposed Offering. The International Offering is being made only by means of a preliminary prospectus supplement dated 2 March 2021 and the accompanying prospectus included in an automatic shelf registration statement on Form F-3 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on 2 March 2021, which automatically became effective upon filing. The registration statement on Form F-3 and the preliminary prospectus supplement are available at the SEC website at: http://www.sec.gov. The proposed Offering is subject to market and other conditions, and there can be no assurance as to whether or when the Offering may be completed, or as to the actual size or terms of the Offering. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer or an invitation to buy any securities of the Company, nor shall there be any offer or sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction. This press release does not constitute a prospectus (including as defined under the laws of Hong Kong) and potential investors should read the prospectus of the Company for detailed information about the Company and the proposed offering, before deciding whether or not to invest in the Company. This press release has not been reviewed or approved by The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited or the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong. The price of the Offer Shares of the Company may be stabilized in accordance with the Securities and Futures (Price Stabilization) Rules. The details of the intended stabilization and how it will be regulated under the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Chapter 571 of the laws of Hong Kong) will be contained in the prospectus of the Company dated 4 March 2021. About Autohome Inc. Autohome Inc. (NYSE: ATHM) is a leading online destination for automobile consumers in China. Its mission is to enhance the car-buying and ownership experience for auto consumers in China. Autohome provides original generated content, professionally generated content, user-generated content, and AI-generated content, a comprehensive automobile library, and extensive automobile listing information to automobile consumers, covering the entire car purchase and ownership cycle. The ability to reach a large and engaged user base of automobile consumers has made Autohome a preferred platform for automakers and dealers to conduct their advertising campaigns. Further, the Company's dealer subscription and advertising services allow dealers to market their inventory and services through Autohome's platform, extending the reach of their physical showrooms to potentially millions of internet users in China and generating sales leads for them. The Company offers sales leads, data analysis, and marketing services to assist automakers and dealers with improving their efficiency and facilitating transactions. Autohome operates its "Autohome Mall," a full-service online transaction platform, to facilitate transactions for automakers and dealers. Further, through its websites and mobile applications, it also provides other value-added services, including auto financing, auto insurance, used car transactions, and aftermarket services. For further information, please visit www.autohome.com.cn. Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains statements that may constitute "forward-looking" statements pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S.Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, Autohome's description of the proposed offering in this announcement contain forward-looking statements. Autohome may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Autohome's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: Autohome's goals and strategies; Autohome's future business development, results of operations and financial condition; the expected growth of the online automobile advertising market in China; Autohome's ability to attract and retain users and advertisers and further enhance its brand recognition; Autohome's expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of its products and services; competition in the online automobile advertising industry; fluctuations in general economic and business conditions in China and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Autohome's filings with the SEC and the prospectus registered in Hong Kong. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and Autohome does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. Contacts: Investor Relations Anita Chen Tel: (86) 10 5985 7483 Email: [email protected] Media Relations For further information, please contact: Wonderful Sky Financial Group Limited Gray Guo Tel: (852) 3970 2195 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Autohome Inc. Related Links http://www.autohome.com.cn/ Hundreds of Nigerian girls who were kidnapped last week from a school in the countrys northwestern Zamfara state have been released. The leader of Zamfara state announced the girls release on Tuesday. There has been a series of such kidnappings in the West African nation in recent years. The girls, aged 10 and up, gathered in Zamfara states Government House conference room. They appeared calm, talking to one another while reporters took pictures of them. They will receive a medical examination before they are returned to their parents. Zamfara Governor Bello Matawalle said that 279 girls had been freed after being taken from the Government Girls Junior Secondary School in Jangebe town on Friday. The government last week said 317 had been kidnapped. It was not clear if the higher number was a mistake or if some girls were still missing. Alhamdulillah! (God be praised!) It gladdens my heart to announce the release of the abducted students, Matawalle said in a Twitter message early Tuesday. Officials said bandits were behind the abduction. The officials were describing the groups of armed men who operate in Zamfara state. The men kidnap people for money or to demand the release of jailed group members. One of the freed girls described the night of the abduction to the Associated Press. We were sleeping at night when suddenly we started hearing gunshots," she said. "They were shooting endlessly. We got out of our beds and people said we should run, that they are thieves. The attackers soon found her and some classmates and held guns to their heads, she said. I was really afraid of being shot. Officials ended the interview before the girl could give her name to AP reporters. Nigeria has had several such attacks and kidnappings in recent years. In 2014, Boko Haram members abducted 276 girls from a secondary school in Borno state. More than 100 of those girls are still missing. Boko Haram is opposed to western education and its fighters often target schools. But most of the attacks that happen in the northwest are carried out by armed criminal groups. Officials did not say if money had been paid for the release of the girls. We have been in discussion since Friday with the abductors and reached agreement on Monday, the governor said. He also said that he would put in place additional security at all schools in the state. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari expressed overwhelming joy over the release of the girls. The president also called for a stronger effort to prevent bandits from carrying out such attacks. He warned that paying ransom money for the release of victims would only result in more attacks. Ernest Ereke is with the University of Abuja in Nigeria. He agreed that ransom payments let criminal groups buy more weapons and expand their power. He added that the Nigerian government increasingly looks too weak to act. It should be the other way around, that is, the criminals should be scared of the state, he said. But, in this case, it is the state that is scared of criminals. Im Ashley Thompson. The Associated Press reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story located v. to be in a particular place gladden v. to make someone glad or happy abduct v. to take someone away from a place by force bandit n. a criminal who attacks and steals from travelers interview n. a meeting between a news reporter and another person or people to gain information ransom n. money that is paid to free someone who has been captured or kidnapped If Ms. Young was the biggest drug kingpin, we still should have treated her with dignity and respect, said Brown, who was not Chicagos top cop during the February 2019 raid at her home. That should be clear to everyone that her dignity and respect had nothing to do with whether or not she was actually the focus of this or this was a mistake and it was the wrong house. She still deserves a measure of respect. As South Carolina prepares to more than triple the number of people in the state eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, at least two Upstate health systems said they have been struggling to meet the current demand. Gov. Henry McMaster announced March 2 that essential employees working in person, those 55 and older and people with certain underlying health conditions qualify to receive the vaccine, adding about 2.7 million people to the 1.3 million who were already eligible as a part of group 1A. But a spokeswoman for Prisma Health, which operates medical centers throughout the Upstate and Midlands, said in an email that the health system is already struggling to meet the need for those who already qualify and does not have the inventory to accommodate a surge. Prisma has only been receiving Pfizer vaccine, which requires two doses to offer full protection, and is set to receive 18,720 doses next week. But most of them are reserved for booster shots. First dose appointments are "very limited," the email said. "We have the capacity to administer many more doses per day across our system we just need the vaccine supply," the email said. Spartanburg Regional Medical Center said in an email that its federal allocations have also not yet been sufficient to keep up with the needs of group 1A patients. Spartanburg Regional, which operates in a county of 320,000 people and serves two other counties, has so far received about 24,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, and 1,500 doses of the Moderna vaccine, according to the state Department of Health and Environmental Control. The Moderna vaccine also entails a second dose, but DHEC does not indicate the health system has received any of the booster shots. 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! Those shipments are not meeting the demand among the eligible population in our community, the system said in an email. The health system regularly reviews the possibility of opening new vaccination sites but has been limited by the availability of vaccines, according to the email. Bon Secours Saint Francis said requests for vaccinations from group 1A have not slowed. A spokeswoman for AnMed Health said the hospital system will continue to operate its vaccination clinic at the Anderson Civic Center as long as supplies remain. South Carolina as a whole is set to receive 41,000 doses of the newly approved Johnson and Johnson vaccine, which requires just one shot, a significant boost to the current weekly federal allotment of about 98,000 first doses of other vaccines. Prisma is currently seeking approval from DHEC to begin administering the new vaccine as well as the Moderna vaccine. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 3) The Australian government will invest hundreds of million pesos through a new initiative that will boost disaster and climate resilience of Philippine local governments vulnerable to calamities. In a statement on Tuesday, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Philippines said it inked a deal with Australian authorities on an initiative called SHIELD, which will involve an investment of 18 million Australian dollars (about 630 million) executed over the next six years. SHIELD, which means Strengthening Institutions and Empowering Localities against Disasters and Climate Change, shall work with local government units in building their institutional and community resilience capacities against natural hazards and climate change. "The cost of disasters to the country is significantly high, with local governments and communities bearing the brunt," noted the UNDP. The program shall cover Metro Manila and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, read the statement. It will also be implemented in 10 of the countrys most vulnerable provinces to the impacts of disaster and climate change. Through SHIELD, our ultimate aim is for our target communities to be safer and more resilient to the impacts of natural hazards and climate change, taking also into account the lessons brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, said Dr. Selva Ramachandran, resident representative of UNDP Philippines. Meanwhile, Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Steven Robinson AO noted they will be working with governments, private sector, civil society and academic institutions to strengthen and sustain community resilience. He said this investment affirms Australias continued commitment to the Philippines as a dependable partner in building its institutions and peoples long-term disaster and climate resilience. Aside from the coronavirus pandemic, natural disasters pummeled the Philippines in 2020 including the eruption of Taal Volcano in January and back-to-back typhoons in October and November. This Longing Vessel: Studio Museum Artists in Residence 2019-20 Through March 14. MoMA PS1, 22-25 Jackson Avenue at 46th Avenue, Queens; (718) 392-6447, moma.org. Over many decades, the Studio Museum in Harlems annual artist in residence exhibitions have been events of unfailing interest, with most in recent years showcasing three up-and-coming young artists, among them some of the very best we have. This years edition sustains the winning streak, even in an unusual location: While the museums new David Adjaye-designed building is under construction in Harlem, the current show is (as it was last year) at MoMA PS1 in Long Island City, Queens. According to an exhibition essay, the longing vessel of the title is, basically, the Black body. And while this years three artists might be seen as at least tangentially connected to a current, heavily marketed trend in Black portraiture, they expand on and complicate the figurative tradition in refreshing ways. In large-scale paintings done in lush, citrusy colors, Naudline Pierre sets her own image in a mystical realm of winged female beings angels, ancestors caught up in scenes of conflict and mutual protection. In the culturally syncretic rainbow-hued universe she creates, the poet of liberation William Blake, the mythmaking Black painter Bob Thompson, and religious artists of many places and persuasions would feel equally at home. While praising vaccine efforts and business growth in Texas, Governor Greg Abbott rescinded the state's mask mandate Tuesday, marking the first time since July that Texans won't be required to wear a mask. RELATED: H-E-B responds to Gov. Greg Abbott's plan to reopen Texas Although only a small portion of residents are currently vaccinated, things could look very different in the daily lives of Texans, like going to bars, restaurants, grocery stores and gyms. Scroll below to read how local gyms are responding to the governor rescinding the order. Drivers can find more information about this new disinfect by visiting the Gale Toyota website Gale Toyota is happy to announce that they are now offering drivers a new transform disinfect that can be used on their vehicle. All drivers have to do is schedule an appointment, and the process can be done in just a matter of 30 minutes. Throughout these thirty minutes, a dedicated team member from Gale Toyota will use the new disinfectant to thoroughly clean out the vehicle that is brought into the dealership. This new disinfectant kills 99.9% of bacteria within just seconds of interaction and has been registered by the EPA as a solution that kills off the coronavirus. With a complete sanitization of the vehicle brought in, the vehicle will leave Gale Toyota completely clean and coronavirus-free. For qualified personnel, such as nurses, doctors, CNAs, police, fire, and EMT, this service will be done free of charge. This is Gale Toyotas way of saying thank you to our front-line workers, and their best effort to give back to them, as they have helped all of us throughout these unprecedented times. Drivers who would like to schedule an appointment to have their car cleaned with this new disinfectant can visit the Gale Toyota website https://www.galetoyota.com/?utm_source=prweb&utm_medium=press_release&utm_campaign=2021mar3 and schedule an appointment now. This solution is only available at the local Gale Toyota dealership, which serves Enfield and the greater Hartford, CT region. For the qualified personnel that can take advantage of this offer free of charge, all that is needed at the time of cleaning is a valid ID stating the front-line worker status. Gandhinagar, March 3 : Three neighbouring states of Gujarat -- Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan -- owe Rs 6,934 crore to the state government for the implementation of the Sardar Sarovar Project, the Gujarat government informed the Assembly during the ongoing Budget session on Wednesday. The Sardar Sarovar Dam is a concrete gravity dam built on the Narmada river in Kevadiya near Navagam, Gujarat. The Sardar Sarovar Project is one of the largest water resources project of India covering four major states - Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan. Responding to a querry during the Question Hour, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said that the states of Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh collectively owe Rs 6,934.19 crore towards the project as per the project's status till December 31, 2020. While Rs 4,764.35 crore is due from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra owes Rs 1627.66 crore and Rajasthan Rs 542.18 crore. Replying to a sub-question regarding interest on the due amount and how much of the amount was agreed upon and how much was disputed, the minister informed that Rs 5, 042 crore was the total amount that was agreed by all the states which included Rs 1,351.33 crore for rehabilitation and Rs 3,690.70 crore as interest. The disputed amount is Rs 1,892.16 crore, where Madhya Pradesh owed Rs 1,704.39 crore, Maharashtra Rs 178.19 crore and Rajasthan Rs. 9.58 crore. Replying to a sub-question on what were the steps being taken by the state government to recover the pending dues, Patel replied that monthly letters were sent to the respective governments in the last two years. BANDON man Michael OSullivan has a nickname among the local kids, as he drives around in his van, delivering his free range fresh farm eggs door-to-door. Local kids know Michael as the egg man! says his wife, Carmen. Michael took a years leave from his job in Cork County Council to concentrate on the eggs and locally produced food delivery service, called Farmsy.ie. When we got busier, it was hard to juggle both jobs, says Carmen. Egg production flourished among the happy hens at the couples country cottage, which is two miles from Timoleague, as they enjoyed the freedom of the lush, green fields of the farm. It had become much more than a hobby for Michael since selling his own eggs part-time last year, adds Carmen. People became really interested in home delivery of fresh farm eggs. Michael gets great satisfaction selling his farm produce door-to-door. He really enjoys delivering our eggs and other locally sourced fresh goods to peoples homes, especially those that cant go out shopping or who are in a bind, being at home all day with children, says Carmen. Michael, bearing home-produced gifts, always gets a welcome on the mat. Everybody enjoys inter-acting with him and having the chat when hes doing home deliveries, says Carmen. They are all friends now! Michael is very social and he loves that side of it. So, instead of looking out for the musical ice-cream van, the kids are looking out for Michael the egg man driving around to his customers, selling fresh farm produce? Thats right, says Carmen, who helps Michael rear their productive fowl at the family cottage. Having cracked the egg delivery market, the couple set up Farmsy.ie, a delivery service which goes door-to-door in Cork city and county with some of the best fresh food produced in the county. During the first lockdown in March, our customers began to ask about other products, explains Carmen. So we began to seek out other local and chemical-free produce to supply and deliver alongside our eggs. At the start of the year, we wouldnt have foreseen ourselves setting up Farmsy.ie, but when our customers kept asking about other products, we listened and thought about it. Then Farmsy.ie was hatched. Michael and Carmen had three employees on the production line at the start. We began selling eggs from an honesty box in 2018, recalls Carmen. We had just three hens and a cockerel. Henrietta, Mrs Brown, Mags, and Willy, stress-free, happy and content, roaming the farm, laid richly yoked eggs with firm clear whites every day. We are in a popular walking ring where we live and passers-by used to bring a bag with them and buy a dozen eggs. News of the great-tasting eggs travelled quickly around the local area and soon the couple were being inundated with requests. They added to their brood. We added a few more hens and ducks to the clutch and then Michael started the egg run, says Carmen. FREE RANGE: The farm owned by Michael OSullivan and his wife, Carmel, who run Farmsy.ie, a few miles outside Timoleague Michaels nickname was born... What else does he deliver in his van? We have the free range eggs, meat, bread, vegetable boxes, fresh salads and coffee, says Carmen. We are supplied and supported by other Cork food producers like Food for Humans, Horizon Farm Kinsale, West Cork Coffee and Twomey Farms Ballinhassig. The OSullivans offer a mixed bag of goods for sale. It is a real pick n mix! says Carmen, who previously worked as a website consultant in London. We offer custom boxes of goods to people that they need and put them on our website so that they can order them for delivery. Fresh baked bread, organic meat, cream, herbs, vegetables and coffee are all sought-after goods, especially during lockdown. Our chemical-free vegetable boxes are very popular. Carmen knows that fresh vegetables are always a welcome addition to any table. I used to order vegetable boxes for delivery when I lived in London, she says. I always got a lovely surprise opening up the box! Michael and Carmen run the home delivery business between them. I look after the website and the business administration, as well as preparing the custom food boxes, and Michael does the delivering in Bandon, Kinsale, Carrigaline, Crosshaven, Cork city and Blarney. The couple are enjoying the mix of producing fresh farm eggs and fresh farm produce, delivered from the fields to the van to the front door of customers, and on to the table. Carmens parents were in the home delivery services too. My dad was a milkman and my mother delivered bread, she says. They grew fruit and vegetables too. We lived across the road from Garettstown house and we supplied the goods to sell to the tourists that visited the house. Michael and Carmen are thrilled with the support they are getting from their loyal customers and from other Cork food producers. It works both ways. So many artisan food producers were badly hit this year, says Carmen. We see our service as supporting them, something we are really passionate about. A typical week begins on Monday when the OSullivans suppliers let them know what fresh produce is available for the coming week. Farmsy.ie website is updated to take orders from 6pm on a Monday evening. Orders can be placed up until 8am on a Wednesday morning, when Michael and Carmen get busy harvesting, preparing and organising the orders to be delivered to the door that week. Farmsy.ie is gathering legs. Henrietta, Mrs Brown, Mags and Willy lived their lives out, says Carmen. The hard-working fowl are spreading their wings in the sky. They are! says Carmen. We now have 50 to 60 hens and ducks, silky hens as well. It has never been easier for us to find amazing, locally produced food and now we can have it delivered right to our front door. Just look out for the egg man! See farmsy.ie. Minimum value order is 25. 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. Flash The Chinese embassy in India on Tuesday said it firmly opposed Indian media's allegation of cyberattacks from Chinese hackers on Indian facilities. "The relevant allegations are pure rumors and slanders," said a spokesperson of the Chinese embassy in response to a query on some Indian media's quoting Western media as saying that Chinese hackers may have launched cyberattacks on India's power system, ports and two vaccine companies. "Cyberattacks are highly complicated and sensitive, and their origin is difficult to trace. Speculation and fabrication have no role to play on the issue of cyberattacks. It is highly irresponsible to accuse a particular party when there is no evidence," the spokesperson said. "China is firmly opposed to such irresponsible and ill-intentioned practice." Noting that for some time there had been certain speculation about China's so-called theft of other countries' vaccines through hacker attacks, the spokesperson said China takes the lead in vaccine research and development, and does not need to and will not rely on "stealing" to obtain vaccines. "Both China and India are contributors to international cooperation on vaccines, and both have fallen victim to disinformation," said the spokesperson. "This is not in the common interests of the international community." "We are firmly opposed to politicizing and stigmatizing cybersecurity issues, which is not conducive to resolving hacking issues and will only weaken mutual trust among countries," said the spokesperson, urging relevant media to deny such groundless disinformation platforms and channels for dissemination. China, as a staunch defender of cybersecurity and also a major victim of hacking and cyberattacks, firmly opposes and combats all forms of cyberattacks and crimes, the spokesperson said. "Cyberattacks are a challenge faced by all countries," said the spokesperson. "China calls on all countries to advance dialogue and cooperation and handle this challenge together on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit." "China is ready to work with other parties to jointly address cybersecurity threats, safeguard peace and stability in cyberspace and build a community with a shared future in cyberspace," the spokesperson said. Haryana Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya yesterday approved a bill that outlines 75% reservation for locals in private sector jobs. The bill, named The Haryana State Employment of Local Candidates Bill, 2020, had been passed by the Haryana Assembly late last year and allows for local candidates domiciled in the state to enjoy 75% reservation in private sector jobs that pay a salary of under Rs 50,000 per month. Have a look at the bill here: The decision to reserve 75% of private sector jobs was a key poll promise made by BJPs coalition partner in Haryana, Jannayak Janta Party. The government will notify it [the bill] soon, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said at a press conference. Of course, soon after news of the governor's assent broke came the reactions of the public. And the general consensus seems to be that this is going to be bad news for the corporates and MNCs that have made Gurgaon their hub. Gurgaon now Gurgaon after giving 75% Haryana quota in private sector pic.twitter.com/P5PMRyoYNf Kisslay Jha (@TrollerBabua) March 2, 2021 Gurgaon will have 75% reservation for local in private jobs. MNC and IT industry in Gurugram: pic.twitter.com/lnsvtx6nXn Here for jokes (@hereforjoke) March 2, 2021 And of course, its not a good look for the job prospects of those living outside the state either. So should I stop applying for jobs in Gurgaon? https://t.co/UiK09px79v Vipra Shrivastava (@Vipra_s) March 2, 2021 Most seem to think that its time for Noida to shine. Investors watching these developments would be eyeing up Noida/Greater Noida instead. Gurgaon's entire growth story has been on the back of MNCs setting up shop, incentivizing people from across N India to shift to Gurgaon in search of greener pastures.https://t.co/YwUSqIZWQP Rohan Sachdeva (@iRohanSachdeva) March 2, 2021 That's one way to make sure every single Gurgaon IT companies move to Noida and Delhi. Veritaserum (@verita_serum_) March 2, 2021 *People thinking how badly this decision of Governor will affect development of Gurgaon and Haryana* Meanwhile Noida Bois appreciating this decision after realising their land prices are going to rise rapidly: pic.twitter.com/rxKtT1VskI Aryan Pundir (@AryanPundir20) March 2, 2021 What a fail . This is the murder of Gurgaons MNC legacy . Noida buckle up for a wave of MNCs storming the city . https://t.co/pD1TXo7Xqx Sumit (@sumitsaurabh) March 2, 2021 What are your thoughts on the bill? Scholars should look at the complexity of slaves' relationships and the meaning they created through artistic expression, rather than just their acts of political resistance. CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- When scholars study slavery and its aftereffects, they do so in terms of freedom and whether it is achieved or obstructed. Christopher Freeburg, an English professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, suggests a new way to look at slavery and Black lives, rather than through the lens of freedom, agency and domination. Freeburg examined written and artistic representations of slavery in his book Counterlife: Slavery After Resistance and Social Death. He maintained that scholars are too focused on asking whether the actions of slaves were acts of political resistance that would lead them to freedom or whether they would benefit their masters. Instead, he considered how their social lives, artistic creativity and religious practices created meaning separate from the question of freedom. The book's title signifies the undoing of expected conventions. "Can we analyze the depictions of enslaved Africans - which contain physical violence, psychic terror, spiritual deliverance and artistic genius - without the critical perspectives that emphasize slaves' success or failure to disrupt their masters' control over them?" Freeburg wrote in the book's introduction. His aim was to examine how slaves lived, believed, acted and thought, and the complexity of their relationships, whether or not they led to a pathway toward freedom. "Most of the things they did didn't lead to freedom," Freeburg said. "The natural inclination is to think about freedom. It's very hard to get outside of those things, very challenging, especially when it's true that part of what our understanding of what it means to be free in America is defined by what it means to be a slave," he said. "Those oppositions are baked into the way we think and the way we argue, and even the way we come up with research questions. They can be very powerful, interesting and complex without having to narrate them as something going toward freedom or overtly political." Scholarship and politics tend to present questions concerning slavery and Black lives in oppositional terms, but literature and art are much better at portraying complexity and ambiguity, Freeburg said. He pointed to the Pulitzer Prize-winning novels "The Known World" by Edward P. Jones and "Beloved" by Toni Morrison that find humanity "in a deeply dehumanizing and destructive environment." "It's especially challenging because slavery is such a horrific subject and we want conclusions - who's bad, who's morally wrong and who's responsible," he said. In his book, Freeburg used the example of slaves coming together to sing spirituals such as "Steal Away." Scholars debate whether the lyrics refer to patiently waiting on the Lord rather than resisting slavery and therefore reinforcing the interests of white masters, or whether they are references to escape. The songs include a large amount of improvisation, which was shaped by each person's story of conversion. The meaning slaves gave the songs didn't become more or less significant depending on what it indicated about their resistance to slavery, Freeburg said. He discussed how contemporary artist Radcliffe Bailey depicts slavery. Bailey's painting "Western Currents" is the cover art for "Counterlife." "It's powerful and mind-blowing as a visual piece. It was a dark time but there's light. With the skeletons in the water, he's thinking about the Middle Passage and death. The figures on the boat are like religious symbols. The border between life and death is being blurred," Freeburg said. "It indicates slavery's weight, its significance on the modern world. There's great beauty, even in tragedy. "Even if you think every story is about slavery or freedom, the effect of that story is going to communicate something beyond those oppositions. It's why Toni Morrison called it unspeakable. It's unspeakable in how challenging it is to communicate those atrocities and tragedies," Freeburg said. "I try to wrestle with that in a way that doesn't pin it down to one particular scheme toward political ends or freedoms." ### Editor's note: To contact Christopher Freeburg, email ccf@illinois.edu. DUBLIN, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "CRISPR & Cas Genes Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report, By Product & Service; By Application; By End Use; and By Region; Segment Forecasts, 2020-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global CRISPR & Cas Genes market size is expected to reach USD 4.75 billion by 2027, according to the study. CRISPR refers to a gene editing tool through which the biological researchers and scientists can modify the genomes of various living creatures. The CRISPR technique relies on the antiviral defense mechanism of the bacteria-based CRISPR-Cas9 system. The synthetically created guide RNA is being complexed with Cas9 nuclease and delivered into the cell. Through this technique, the genome of cells can be sliced at any desired location while enabling the removal of available genes or/and adding novel genes in vivo. The Cas9 nuclease acts as a genetic scissor and used to open both the strands of specific DNA sequence for introducing the desired modification through the deployment of any one of the two techniques. These techniques include knock-in mutations which is enabled through the Homology Directed Repair (HDR) and via Non-Homologous End Joining (NHEJ). The prominent factors favoring the CRISPR & CRISPR-Associated (Cas) genes market growth include technological advancement in gene editing platform and launch of various anti-CRISPR proteins that are expected to improve the overall accuracy of CRISPR technique. SpCas9-HF and eSpCas9 are two novel versions of Cas9 protein that have been designed in laboratory for minimizing the editing activity which is off the target without any use of sgRNAs. According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) February 2020 release, the researchers have integrated two techniques viz. T cell therapy, which exploits the sentry of the body's immune system for destroying tumors and CRISPR, which is used for editing of DNA. The researchers have found the advanced CRISPR gene editing tool to be very safe when used on three patients suffering from cancer. According to the Stat News February 2019 publication, China's Science Ministry along with two other government institutions in the country are expected to have funded a study referred to as "CRISPR babies". This study has resulted in the birth of two genetically altered twin girls in November 2018 in China. Therefore, the biological researchers have successfully achieved a key technique to start pregnancy among humans through the deployment of CRISPR Cas9 gene editing tool on human embryos. Companies such as Addgene, AstraZeneca, Caribou Biosciences, Inc., Cellectis, Cibus, CRISPR Therapeutics, Danaher Corporation, Editas Medicine, Inc., Egenesis, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Genscrip, Horizon Discovery Group Plc, Lonza, Mammoth Biosciences, Merck KGaA, New England BioLabs, Synthego, and Takara Bio, Inc. are some of the key players operating in the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) & CRISPR-associated (Cas) genes market. Players in the market are focusing on adopting CRISPR & Cas gene editing technology for engineering the blood stem cells and immune cells as a key tool being deployed for enabling drug discovery while creating highly targeted anticancer drugs. Additionally, in May 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the CRISPR-based diagnostic kit for testing of the SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 coronavirus in laboratory. According to the Nature Journal May 2020 publication, the U.S. has already increased the COVID-19 testing while averaging about 250,000 COVID-19 test per day. The rapid FDA approval to the test kits is expected to boost testing, reducing backlogs. Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction 2. Executive Summary 3. Research Methodology 4. CRISPR and Cas Genes Market Insights 4.1. CRISPR and Cas Genes - Industry snapshot 4.2. CRISPR and Cas Genes Market Dynamics 4.2.1. Drivers and Opportunities 4.2.1.1. Innovations in CRISPR technologies 4.2.1.2. Applicability in varied areas 4.2.2. Restraints and Challenges 4.2.2.1. Low operational efficiency 4.3. Porter's Five Forces Analysis 4.4. PESTLE Analysis 4.5. CRISPR and Cas Genes Market Industry trends 5. CRISPR and Cas Genes Market Assessment by Product & Service 5.1. Key Findings 5.2. Introduction 5.2.1. Global CRISPR and Cas Genes Market, By Product & Service, 2016-2027 (USD Million) 5.3. Product 5.3.1. Global CRISPR and Cas Genes Market, by Product, by Region, 2016-2027 (USD Million) 5.3.2. Kits & Enzymes 5.3.2.1. Kits & Enzymes, by Region, 2016-2027 (USD Million) 5.3.2.1.1. Vector-based Cas 5.3.2.1.2. DNA-free Cas 5.3.3. Libraries 5.3.4. Design Tool 5.3.5. Antibodies 5.4. Service 5.4.1. Global CRISPR and Cas Genes Market, by Service, by Region, 2016-2027 (USD Million) 5.4.2. Cell Line Engineering 5.4.3. gRNA Design 5.4.4. Microbial Gene Editing 5.4.5. DNA Synthesis 6. Global CRISPR and Cas Genes Market, by Application 6.1. Key Findings 6.2. Introduction 6.3. Biomedical 6.4. Agricultural 7. CRISPR and Cas Genes Market Assessment by End-Use 7.1. Key Findings 7.2. Introduction 7.3. Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical Companies 7.4. Academics & Government Research Institutes 7.5. Contract Research Organizations (CROs) 8. CRISPR and Cas Genes Market Assessment by Geography 8.1. Key findings 8.2. Introduction 9. Competitive Landscape 9.1. Expansion and Acquisition Analysis 9.1.1. Expansions 9.1.2. Acquisitions 9.2. Product Launch 9.3. Partnerships/Collaborations/Agreements/Exhibitions 10. Company Profiles Addgene AstraZeneca Caribou Biosciences Inc. Cellectis Cibus CRISPR Therapeutics Danaher Corporation Editas Medicine Inc. Egenesis F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. Genscrip Horizon Discovery Group Plc Lonza Mammoth Biosciences Merck KGaA New England BioLabs Synthego Takara Bio Inc For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/9w6fxx Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com Personal injury protection can help drivers that got injured in a car accident to receive the treatment they need and obtain help to do the house chores if they got a serious injury., said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. Personal Injury Protection insurance (PIP) is one of the least understood types of insurance. Many policyholders dont know that much about this coverage. This insurance will cover bodily injury after a car accident. This coverage was created because it took to long to decide who caused the accident and had to pay all the medical bills. PIP insurance will cover the policyholder and the immediate family members while occupying a car, or if they are struck by a vehicle while walking on the sidewalk. Also, PIP will cover any person inside the policyholders vehicle. PIP insurance can cover the following expenses: Medical bills. PIP offers coverage for all sort of medical expenses. However, this insurance has some caps on coverage depending on the states minimum requirements and by the coverage plan. Drivers that need more protection can choose higher coverage limits. Lost wages. Several types of PIP insurance can provide coverage for lost income. The amount the policyholder can claim will be limited and the insurance will be more expensive. Drivers that have insurance that covers lost wages should think twice before buying PIP insurance. Funeral expenses. This optional feature will cover the cost of a funeral in case someone dies in a car accident. Policyholders should carefully analyze this option and see if the covered amount is enough to pay for all the expenses of a funeral. Also, this option can be useless for policyholders that have life insurance. Death benefit. In case of a death in a no-fault accident, some PIP plans will offer a death benefit. In most cases, the surviving family members will get the unused premium. Important services. PIP coverage will help policyholders that have major medical issues that stop them from fulfilling their daily and weekly house chores. Cooking, mowing the lawn, doing the laundry, and other chores can be nearly impossible to accomplish by someone that has serious injuries. This insurance will reimburse the costs of hiring people that will help the policyholder do everyday chores. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit http://compare-autoinsurance.org. Compare-autoinsurance.org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. (Newser) In 1697, a man wrote to a merchant in the Netherlands to request a copy of an official death certificate for his cousin. The tightly folded letter has never been opened, but researchers have managed to read its contents without breaking the seal by using a high-resolution X-ray scanner designed for dental research, the Wall Street Journal reports. The letter was among around 600 sealed and unclaimed letters left in a trunk by Simon de Brienne and Marie Germain, early postmasters in The Hague. They are intricately folded in a practice called "letterlocking," common before envelopes were widely used, which made reading the contents a major challenge. Researchers say they were able to read the letter by scanning for traces of metal in the ink and using an algorithm to "virtually unfold it," reports CNN. story continues below The researchers say unfolding the letter could have destroyed valuable evidence for historians. "We could simply have cut these letters open, but instead we took the time to study them for their hidden, secret, and inaccessible qualities," the researchers wrote in a study in the journal Nature Communications. "Weve learned that letters can be a lot more revealing when they are left unopened." Letters in The Brienne collection, which also contains around 2,000 opened letters, were sent to The Hague from all over Europe between 1689 and 1706. Researchers say the technology will be used to read more unopened letters from the collection and it could also be used to unlock many more historical secrets, including the hundreds of unopened letters in the Prize Papers, a collection of documents seized from enemy ships by the British between the 17th and 19th centuries, NPR reports (Read more discoveries stories.) The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. California, March 3 : Sushant Singh Rajput's sister Shweta Singh Kirti on Wednesday tweeted about the patience with which the late actor's family is waiting for the mystery behind his death to be solved. The 34-year-old actor was found dead in his Bandra apartment nine months ago in June last year. "Literal meaning of Patience -- the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset. And PATIENT we have been! #TruthAboutSushant," Shweta wrote on Twitter. California-based designer Shweta penned a poem, too, to express her pain while searching for answers to her late brother's demise. The poem reads: "Outpouring of my heart...#TruthAboutSushant There is so much that needs to be said, But no words to express! There is a mountain to be climbed, But no set path is defined! The warrior in me is all grief-stricken and withered, But the unwavering faith inside is not ready to flicker! My heart clamors 'I am falling into an abyss I need to heal', My mind says I haven't found closure...The answers to deal! There is no end in sight... But have questions that will never ever subside!!" The Central Bureau of Investigation was assigned the task of probing the Bollywood actor's death a couple of months after he passed away but they have not revealed much till date. Latest updates on Sushant Singh Rajput Death Mystery At CPAC, Donald Trump swung a mighty cudgel against the corruption and subterfuge of the Democratic party. While discounting rumors of starting his own political party and teasing the mainstream media with whispers of his own candidacy in 2024, he laid out a template to repudiate the America Last doctrine of the Biden administration. Given the present state of Republican malaise, such a turnabout in thinking would require an overhaul of the Grand Old Party. Did the party listen? A review of recent history suggests entrenched political infirmities and a difficult road ahead. The sails of the Republican party started to luff early on in the Trump administration when former speaker Paul Ryan, acting more like a beard for his opponents across the aisle, surrendered the gavel after squandering a Republican majority in the House. In the footsteps of his predecessor, John Boehner, who has since traded crocodile tears and menthols to pitch ganja, Ryan sidestepped opportunities to solve the issues of healthcare, immigration, and energy independence seemingly out of distaste for a president unvarnished by Beltway politics. Hamstrung by his own party, President Trump was left to tackle these issues through impermanent executive authority and a shell game of budget reallocations. In 2018, Republicans were crippled by the loss of the lower chamber and found themselves beaten down by the revolutionary politics of a new generation of young and radicalized House Democrats. For their part, heavyweight Republicans like Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy exhibited lightweight defiance in the House well, preferring to save their bluster for five-minute monologues on conservative talk shows. On the Senate side, prominent committee chairs like Lindsay Graham pledged government reforms and groveled during re-election bids and campaign fundraising drives. Their anger over the Trump-Russia hoax rang hollow when they convened closed and public hearings that featured a coterie of arrogant Obama-era witnesses and engaged in internecine spats that got to the bottom of virtually nothing. After snatching defeat from the hands of victory in 2020, the Republican party is once again anchored to anemic solutions that promise reversals of political fortune in 2022 or 2024. Other than cutting Trump loose of the party, there is no interim GOP strategy as Democrats push legislation to game national, state, local elections in their favor. The Dems are also moving aggressively on issues central to the Republican voters -- healthcare, immigration, and energy -- although not in a direction that is in Americas best interests. The Senates new minority leader, Mitch McConnell, recently thanked Trump for ensuring his Kentucky reelection and giving his wife a cabinet post by upbraiding the former president after his second impeachment acquittal. Before relinquishing power to Chuck Schumer, he sat on the sidelines as an upper house full of RINOs, neocons, and #NeverTrumpers slit their own partys throat in time for the 2020 presidential election by letting Democrats get away with two years of special counsel investigations and a relentless defamation campaign against Trump and his voters. They allowed two impeachment hearings and seemed tone deaf as American cities were laid to waste by mostly peaceful protests. Lets face it: for the Republicans, its not about power, its about a biennial political cycle to settle for second place behind their lockstep rivals, then dress up as the conservative cavalry, paste a target on the horrible Democrats, and beg for more donations and corporate sponsors. For four years they let the Dems provoke attacks against them, enduring restaurant, airport, and residential confrontations with young progressives who were allowed to harass with impunity and without consequence. Truth be told, Republican headliners are some of the finest legal minds in Congress, but they lack militancy for their causes and consistently break ranks, causing precious little of consequence to get done. Only a handful of Republicans with household names have shown the moxie to pick up a gauntlet in defense of Trump or to stand in opposition to the string of presidential directives and proposed laws that have made a mockery of our constitutional freedoms. Democrats suffered dismal defeats in 2020 state contests and hold onto a slim nine-seat majority in the House and a 50-50 tie in the Senate broken only by a highly partisan vice president. Nonetheless, Democrats have taken a true measure of Republican token resistance, and now rule like tyrants over their political peers and the American people. Heres whats coming down the pike. Chuck Schumer will continue to threaten court packing to bring the Supreme Court to heel and will dash Republican opposition by eliminating the filibuster. Nancy Pelosi will continue to push onerous legislation through the lower chamber to stiffen Democrat authoritarianism. Social media and corporate censorship has been heartened because the banning of Donald Trump and his voters from social media platforms has brought more outrage from global leaders than from the Republican political establishment. Publishers and online distributors are engaging in latter-day book-burning, banning conservative tomes and videos from politicians, Supreme Court justices, and the like. On October 28, 2020, the Republican Senate held a teleconference hearing with the pecks bad boys of Facebook, Google, and Twitter. CEO Mark Zuckerberg used compassionate words like moderation to define the work of 35,000 Facebook employees expected to make judgements on hate speech. All used misinformation as the thick veil used to squash online conservative viewpoints, thereby putting their thumbs on the scales of a presidential election. While Democrats in attendance prodded the CEOs to double down on right-wing extremism and misinformation, Republicans huffed and puffed before closing the books on any action by the 116th Senate to amend Section 230 of the deceptively-named, Communications Decency Act. Thirteen bills and resolutions to reign in the social media liability protections and prevent censorship proffered by House and Senate Republicans have been deemed sine die, or dead on arrival to the 117th Democrat-controlled Congress. The Democrat agenda cannot survive in a compromise environment. They fully know that implementing an America Last platform will eventually bring grief to all but their most radical wing. Baby boomer Democrats will become increasingly disenchanted with the destructive policies their offspring will inherit. To survive, the Democrat bloodline must pass to the hearts and minds of a campus-indoctrinated Millennial and digital iGen cohort slowly marinated in Critical Race Theory and a whole lexicon of -isms. Donald Trump still has a political game, and the first inning starts with a primary challenge to every Republican recalcitrant who stomped in kind while the Democrats put the coals to him. Trump never wavered from campaign promises to repair the economy, curb illegal immigration, collect on international debts, discard one-way treaties and trade practices, and follow a platform of values under the doctrine of America First. Unfortunately, a rigged election has put the fox back in the henhouse. One would expect inaction on election integrity from House Democrats; after all, it has been said that Jesse James never investigated train robberies. On December 15, 2020, five weeks after the dirty deed, Senate Homeland Committee Chair Ron Johnson opened the only Republican hearing on election integrity with a disclaimer that he had no hard evidence of fraud that would overturn the election results. This renunciation was followed by several hours of spitting venom at witnesses and each other, after which the 116th Republican Senate seemed eager to close its books on the issue and to relegate the words election fraud to the do-not-resuscitate list. The Republican party will not be saved simply by a bit of housekeeping. Its foundational values are compromised and further imperiled by fractious cliques. The future of the GOP is in Trumps hands and he knows better than anybody the political up-and-comers who will carry the flag. Image: Bernard DuPont When President Biden picked Neera Tanden to be budget director at the prodding of his top adviser, Ron Klain, the White House girded for that one big battle comforted by the likelihood that many other cabinet confirmations would be comparative pillow fights. That is the way it has turned out. Mr. Bidens cabinet picks are being confirmed at a steady pace after an initial stall for impeachment, setting aside Ms. Tanden, who has served as something of a lightning rod, allowing other nominees to move along without too much of a fuss, according to two administration officials. Mr. Bidens nominee for commerce secretary, Gov. Gina M. Raimondo of Rhode Island, sailed toward approval Tuesday, with the Senate confirming her by a vote of 85 to 15. The Senate on Monday also easily confirmed Miguel A. Cardona, a career educator who rose through Connecticuts education system to become a leader in the effort to reopen pandemic-shuttered schools, as the next education secretary. A new hacking method is used by exploiters and dark entities on the web and it would make use of SEO or search engine optimization on a company's website before injecting deeply embedded malware to attack its systems. The malware is now identified as "Gootloader" and while it may seem that the group is optimizing the webpage, they are doing the opposite of it. SEO is one of the best ways to rank up a website for more searches and gathering an audience under Google's search engine and features particularly with news and recent events. This is one of the most effective ways to make a website or business known, and doing so could help boost statistics and guarantee visits to one's site that features its products. However, now, instead of optimizing the website and its pages, hackers have found a way to "deoptimize" it and insert malware on excellently constructed webpages to fully embed the virus inside the company's systems. The tactic would not only open the website from potential hacks and viruses but also a mix-up with Google as it tries to trick the search engine. Read Also: Elon Musk 'City of Starbase': SpaceX to Create Massive Spacecraft Facility in Texas? SEO Hackers Inserts New Malware According to Sophos News, the process of the fake SEO procedures that are being done on the victim's website is called "deoptimization" and has been apparent in recent times. People have been more into SEO lately, especially as they try to rank up in Google's search suggestions and initial results that have evolved during this pandemic season. In addition to this, the hackers who initially made the REvil ransomware for several companies that attacked its system and integrity have debuted a new malware called "Gootloader" specifically designed for SEO. The malware uses "dirty tactics" from the SEO practice and uses it as a front for its malicious acts that embed into the systems. Initially, people would be fooled that this is indeed an SEO practice and may look like an excellent optimization and upgrade to the website, however, in reality, it is not. Moreover, the deoptimization procedure hides other malicious malware apart from the Gootloader, and may add the threat actors' other trojans including the "Kronos trojan" and the "Cobalt Strike." How do Hackers Insert Malware in SEO? According to ZD Net and Sophos, the threat actors are accessing CMS platforms of different companies and prey on weak to average securities of the website and forces access in the stolen accounts. After doing so, the hackers would have almost full control of the website and this is where it would begin its operations to deliver the payload. Moreover, the Bootloader and Goot Kit operation is a massive one, and it uses 400 servers or more at a time for the operation to succeed and maintain a hack in a system. The company aims to change the view on the website and targets specific visitors which it could victimize with its fake SEO tactics that were used to be noticed by Google. Related Article: LastPass Password Manager Has Seven Trackers, Says Security Experts; Recommends Against It This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Isaiah Alonzo 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Filming for the second series of the Netflix hit Toy Boy has started on Spain's Costa del Sol. The historic Posito de Velez-Malaga building was transformed this Tuesday (3 March) into a National Police station before filming moved on to other locations including Rincon de la Victoria, Malaga city and Marbella. The mayor of Velez-Malaga, Antonio Moreno Ferrer, together with the head of the Axarquia Film Office, visited the film set where they witnessed the filming and met with the director, Javier Quintas, and the executive producer, Emilio A. Pina. The mayor remarked that "the successful series, once again, sets its eyes on various locations in Velez-Malaga and highlighted the opportunities that the town provides for all kinds of filming. "We are delighted to have the recording of one of the most-watched Netflix series - which has become number one in countries such as the United States, Brazil, Argentina, India and Mexico - in Velez-Malaga once again," added Moreno Ferrer. Police have launched a murder probe after a man was stabbed to death in broad daylight on a street in London. Officers were called by London Ambulance Service to reports of a man, thought to be aged 19, with stab wounds at around 12.15pm today on Alpha Road in Croydon. The teenager was pronounced dead at the scene and no arrests have yet been made. Police officers were called to reports of a man, thought to be aged 19, with stab wounds at around 12.15pm today on Alpha Road in Croydon (police cordon pictured above) Police pictured at the scene this evening. The force said that homicide detectives from the Met's Specialist Crime South command are leading the murder investigation The man's next of kin have been informed and a post-mortem is due to take place, a spokesperson for the Met Police said. In a statement, the force said: 'Police were called by London Ambulance Service at 12:12hrs on Wednesday, 3 March to Alpha Road to a report of a man found with stab wounds. Officers attended. 'The man, believed to be aged 19, was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after. His next of kin have been informed. 'A post-mortem examination will take place in due course. A crime scene remains in place. 'Homicide detectives from the Mets Specialist Crime South command lead the investigation. 'At this early stage, there have been no arrests and enquiries into the circumstances continue.' The teenager was pronounced dead at the scene and no arrests have yet been made (street pictured). In a statement, the force said that a crime scene 'remains in place' It follows a spate of stabbings in Croydon last month, with multiple attacks taking place in the area on February 5. One man was killed and ten people were injured. 10 stabbings took place in the space of two hours. A murder investigation is still underway. There is currently no link between these stabbings and today's incident. Police urged anyone with information to call 101 with the reference CAD2875/3MAR or leave information anonymously by calling Crimestoppers. The stake sale of Numaligarh Refinery (NRL) to a consortium headed by Oil India (OIL) will pave the way for the disinvestment of Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL). But it will not affect the valuation the Centre is hoping to achieve with the privatisation of the Maharatna public sector undertaking. The decision of the Government of India was that BPCL will be sold without NRL. I do not think that the valuation of NRL is going to impact the valuation of BPCL in any way, Vijayagopal N, director (finance) at BPCL, told Business Standard. Given the way we have done ... Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Thorbjoern Jagland (L) sits by Nobel Peace Prize laureate, U.S. President Barack Obama during the Nobel Peace prize award ceremony at the City Hall in Oslo on Dec. 10, 2009. (Olivier Morin/AFP/Getty Images) Awarding Our Friends Commentary Its gratifying to see prestigious awards bestowed on those who share our political or aesthetic sensibilities. Such awards confirm our predilections, assuring us that were on the side of the angels. Unfortunately, political partisanship often clouds the judgment of those responsible for the award. The predictable result is a long list of unmerited prizes. For example, in 2009, when Barack Obama had barely been sworn into office, the Swedish Academy awarded him the Nobel Peace Prize. Obama was flummoxed and knew the award was excessive. He decided that the least bad option was to accept it graciously. In 2016, the Nobel Committee again continued its streak of surprise announcements when it awarded Bob Dylan the prize for literature, a turn of events that astonished everyone, no one more so than Dylan himself. Again, after some initial hesitation, Dylan put on a brave face and accepted the award, candidly admitting in his acceptance speech that he had long stopped reading novelsa decidedly odd trait for the recipient of the worlds pre-eminent literary award. Then it was Andrew Cuomos turn in the sun. The Democratic governor of New York State was awarded an Emmy in 2020 for his masterful handling of the COVID-19 news conferencesan embarrassingly awful decision in light of what we now know about the governor. I should confess that Im no great fan of Cuomo. In the self-regard sweepstakes of American politicians, New Yorks governor is in a league of his own. As befits a man of such hubris, his governing style is best characterized as neo-monarchical. But watching his news conferences, I had to admit that he was impressive. His bearing and demeanor conveyed a gravitas appropriate to the occasion, and his words were carefully chosen. It appeared that he was the adult in charge. One might have been forgiven for thinking that here was a real leader during a national time of crisis. He certainly fooled the folks who awarded him an Emmy. But even as Cuomo was being acclaimed in the messianic tones the media reserves for heroes of the left, he allegedly sent New York seniors to their deaths in care homes. On March 25, his office ordered nursing homes to accept COVID-19 patients discharged from hospitals. This order was bizarre. By this time in the pandemic, it was well known that the elderly are most vulnerable to the virus. His order violated common sense as well as possibly federal law, as many at the time pointed out. But he then compounded his inexplicable decision by trying to cover it up, altering the numbers, and allegedly threatening anyone who dared to blow the whistle. In January, New York attorney general Letitia James reported that the actual deaths may have been underreported by 50 percent. The magnitude of what Cuomo had wrought was shocking; within days, the number of nursing home deaths swelled from 8,700 to more than 13,000. Public figures, including Democratic politicians, are now demanding Cuomos resignation. Ron Kim, a Democratic Assemblyman from Queens, called Cuomos actions a coverup and potentially a crime and is now leading the charge for impeachment. Adopting the New York Tough attitude for which he is well known, Cuomo has allegedly threatened to destroy Kim. Compounding Cuomos troubles, two women have come forward with credible allegations of sexual harassment. One of the women reported that the governor asked her to his office, where he proudly displayed a cigar box that was a gift from Bill Clinton. She took it as a reference to the Monica Lewinsky scandal. The ancient Greeks knew that theres never a happy ending to stories involving protagonists possessed of overweening pride. Hubris is always followed by nemesis, as the morality tale of Gov. Cuomo once again proves. One hopes that the good folks responsible for awarding the Emmys are paying attention. Patrick Keeney, Ph.D., is an academic, columnist, and associate editor of C2C Journal. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. A retired Connecticut State Police bomb squad member was killed on Sunday after a random attacker threw a punch that knocked him backward, causing the back of his head to hit the pavement on the Las Vegas Strip. His ex-girlfriend who was still close to him told DailyMail.com that Las Vegas authorities told her the ex-cop was targeted at random. Prior to Sunday's incident, Brandon Leath, the 33-year-old who has been charged with homicide in the death of Thomas Driscoll, 57, was reported to authorities several times by two people who say he was a ticking time bomb, according to local media. Driscoll, 57, drove to Las Vegas as part of a months-long hiking trip that he planned to take in the Western part of the United States. Just before 4:30am, Driscoll was walking with a woman, Nava Fuehrer, across the pedestrian bridge between The Cromwell and Ballys casino in Las Vegas when they passed by a group of men, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. Thomas Driscoll (left), 57, a retired Connecticut State Police bomb squad member, was killed on Sunday after a random attacker threw a punch that knocked him backwards, causing the back of his head to hit the pavement on the Las Vegas Strip. The alleged attacker, Brandon Leath (right), 33, has been arrested and charged with homicide The attack took place at around 4:30am on Sunday at the bottom of the escalator leading to the pedestrian bridge that connects Bally's and The Cromwell on the Las Vegas Strip. The image above of the escalator and stairwell was taken in March 2020 Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department released the arrest report seen above According to police, one of the men, Leath, made a remark as Driscoll and Fuehrer walked by. Moments later, Leath began running toward Driscoll and Fuehrer. Police allege that Leath ran down a flight of stairs as Driscoll and Fuehrer took a nearby escalator down from the bridge and onto Flamingo Road. Leath allegedly waited at the bottom of the escalator for Driscoll and Fuehrer. Leath set down his backpack and took a fighting stance, according to the police report. Driscoll was a member of the Connecticut State Police bomb squad Connecticut State Police released a statement expressing sorrow over Driscoll's death As Driscoll walked toward Leath, Leath landed a punch, knocking Driscoll backward toward the pavement, according to police. Driscoll lay on the ground motionless. He was rushed to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead on Sunday. Annie Chong, Driscoll's ex-girlfriend, told DailyMail.com on Wednesday that she was told by police that Leath randomly attacked her ex. Chong, a Windsor, Connecticut-based real estate agent who has known Driscoll for 20 years, said that there was no way Driscoll could have provoked his attacker. 'He doesnt argue, so when I heard all about this I was shocked,' she said. His former girlfriend, Annie Chong, told DailyMail.com that she was informed by Las Vegas police that Driscoll fell victim to a random attacker 'Hes not an argumentative person. Hes very laid back. He always calmed the situation. 'He was never a violent person. He doesnt raise his voice. Hes so calm,' she said. After 22 years on the force, Driscoll retired from the Connecticut State Police in 2009. During his service, Driscoll patrolled the Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut alongside his black Labrador, Owen. The agency released a statement which read: 'It saddens us to hear that he died after being assaulted. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.' As for Driscoll's alleged attacker, Leath was identified by police based on a description from surveillance footage. Leath was eventually detained near The Mirage. After he was taken in for questioning by police, he acknowledged being in the vicinity of the attack but denied throwing a punch. Leath was arrested and charged with homicide. He was booked into Clark County Detention Center. As of Tuesday, he was held there without bail. A court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday. Chong said Driscoll's ashes will be scattered in a pond in Maine together with those of his beloved black Labrador, Owen, who served alongside him in the Connecticut State Police Driscoll's ID card kept by his ex-girlfriend that identified him as part of the Connecticut State Police force, where he served for 22 years and from where he retired Leath is alleged to have a violent history. Two men told KVVU-TV that they reported him several times within the last two months to the authorities in hopes of having him arrested. One man who remained anonymous told the news station that Leath knocked him unconscious inside a convenience store. The attack left him with blurred vision and headaches. I was in there doing a little shopping and he happened to see me, and he confronted me about wanting his stuff, the victim recalled. He knocked me out, so now I have to see a doctor about my possible concussion. In another instance, Leath is seen on cell phone video entering a nearby apartment complex, where staffers say he repeatedly trespassed into one of their units, claiming he had lived there. One employee of the apartment complex showed KVVU-TV an entire file on Leath that is said to document at least eight encounters in the last two months. Another employee said that on several occasions police did not show up even after they were called to the scene. One one occasion, Leath is alleged to have threatened an employee with a screwdriver. The employee told KVVU-TV that Leath drove out one of the tenants after he tried to sexually assault her in a dark parking lot. As for Chong, Driscoll's ex-girlfriend, she said he was simply the unlucky one who walked by - Leath's latest victim. Chong, a real estate agent based in Windsor, Connecticut, said her family was devastated by Driscoll's loss. Even though they had not been dating for 10 years, she said Driscoll was like a father to her two young boys, Brian and Evan Hsia Chong provided this handout photo showing Driscoll with her family at a restaurant 'He was one unlucky one who walked by and we lost him.' Chong said she last spoke to Driscoll on Thursday. 'He was telling us that hes getting ready to get back on the [hiking] trail, he got his license registered and hes ready to go,' she said. 'Even though we separated we have dinners together over the holidays, Thanksgiving, Christmas...he was always there,' Chong said of Driscoll (seen above with Chong's two sons Brian and Evan Hsia) When asked if she knew how he died, she responded: 'One punch. I talked to the detective, and the autopsy report shows its one punch that knocked him down on the concrete floor. 'That impact killed him.' Chong said she and her family are devastated at the loss. Even though she and Driscoll had not been dating for 10 years or so, he remained a constant part of the lives of her and her two sons. 'Even though we separated we have dinners together over the holidays, Thanksgiving, Christmas...he was always there,' she said. Chong said that Driscoll was 'very genuine.' 'Everybody who knows him will tell you that he is a great friend,' she said. 'If you ask him to do something he will always be there.' Chong said that Driscoll's body will eventually be cremated. His ashes will then be scattered in his favorite spot - a pond in Gray, Maine. His ashes will be scattered together with those of his beloved Owen. 'It was just hard to believe that [the attacker] did that and I hope theres justice and a maximum penalty for this Brendan Leath is what this family would like to see,' Chong said. The Zelle Regional High Court sentenced the Iraqi Ahmad Abdulaziz Abdullah A., known as Abu Walaa, to 10-and-a-half years in prison for being a member of a foreign terrorist organisation, an accomplice to the preparation of a seditious crime and the financing of terrorism. The court deemed it proven that the preacher of the now prohibited German-speaking Islamic Circle of Hildesheim was a leading member of the IS terrorist group in Germany, radicalised young people, encouraged them to carry out terrorist attacks and helped them to reach IS-controlled territory in Syria and Iraq. Three co-accused were convicted of supporting a terrorist organisation and were sentenced to eight, six-and-a-half, and four years imprisonment, respectively, because they recruited men for IS from Hildesheim and the Ruhr Region. Terrorist attack at Breitscheidplatz (Image: quapan/flickr/CC BY 2.0) With its ruling, which can be appealed, the court came close to meeting the state prosecutors request that Abu Walaa be sentenced to 11-and-a-half years in prison. By contrast, the defence appealed for a much milder sentence or acquittal. They justified this by calling into question the credibility of the key witness upon which the charges were based. Although the trial lasted three years and included 246 days of proceedings, it raised more questions than it answered. The main witness, the intelligence agency informant code-named Murat Cem, whose alias was VP01, infiltrated the group around Abu Walaa over a period of years to spy on it on behalf of the state bureau of criminal police (LKA) in North Rhine-Westphalia. However, he did not receive authorisation from the state government to testify. Although the presiding judge Frank Rosenow repeatedly sought to compel this in writing, neither the court nor the defence were able to question him. Instead, the witness bench was occupied by police officers who reported his testimony. The fact that the informant was not permitted to testify to the court is significant above all because he was in close personal contact with Anis Amri, who crashed a truck into a Christmas market in Berlin on December 19, 2016, killing 12 people. Cem probably knew Amri better than any of the Islamists ideological co-thinkers, noted Der Spiegel. The pair often spent days together. Cem made the acquaintance of Amri while he was spying on Abu Walaas group. Amri was active in the group and personally knew all four men who have now been sentenced. He participated in Abu Walaas seminars and lived for a time in Dortmund with Boban S., who has now been sentenced to eight years in prison. The informant Cem became one of Amris closest confidants. They discussed planned attacks and the purchasing of weapons. According to his own statements, Cem warned his superior in the LKA North Rhine-Westphalia repeatedly about the threat posed by Amri. He also chauffeured Amri to Berlin in February 2016, 10 months before he carried out his attack. The background to the Breitscheidplatz terrorist attack remains murky to this day. It is known that the LKA from North Rhine-Westphalia, as well as other police and intelligence agencies, had Amri on their radar. They knew about his plans for a terrorist attack and allowed him to go ahead with them. The Abu Walaa trial could have provided answers about the background to the attack. However, it was conducted in the same way as the major trials against right-wing extremist terroriststhe NSU trial in Munich, the Lubcke trial in Frankfurt, or, 40 years ago, the investigations into the Octoberfest attack in Munich. As soon as the role of the intelligence agencies and security forces came into focus, inquiries were shut down. The executive branch, the interior ministers, and the intelligence agencies determine what the judiciary can and cannot know. A mockery of the principle of the balance of power and the independence of the judiciary! The prohibition of the main witness from testifying is all the more peculiar because he was not afraid of speaking in public. In March 2019, without the polices knowledge, he contacted Der Spiegel to tell his story. A team from the news magazine repeatedly met with Cem, spoke to him for hundreds of hours, travelled with him to operation locations, evaluated tens of thousands of pages from files about his case, and spoke with investigators, colleagues, and relatives. The result of this research was a lengthy front-page story in Der Spiegel and the 320-page book Undercover: An informant tells all, which detailed Cems 20-year career, including his relationship with Amri and Abu Walaa. Cem portrayed his own role and motives to Der Spiegel in the rosiest colours, but the fluidity of the transition from informant to agent provocateur is well known. Early on, the suspicion arose that Cem strengthened Amris belief in his terrorist plans. During the trial, one of the defendants accused him of being a provocateur and inciter of the most serious crimes. Cems history certainly does not speak in his favour. He was hired by the police after having accumulated a criminal record of 12 offences, and he faced a lengthy prison sentence due to drug trafficking. Cem testified to the parliamentary investigative committee in Germanys federal parliament in December during a hearing on the Breitscheidplatz attack. He did not appear in person, but spoke behind the cover of an altered face and voice via video link. This would also have been possible in the Abu Walaa trial. The fact that North Rhine-Westphalias Interior Ministry refused to grant the authorisation for the now inactive informant is a clear indication that there is a desire to conceal something. The second key witness upon which the court based its verdict was anything but credible. The former Islamist Anil O. appeared in court under the disguise of sunglasses and a blond wig and testified during 20 days of proceedings. But the defence considers the now 25-year-old to be a notorious liar. Anil O. moved with his wife and child to a Syrian war zone in the summer of 2015, but turned against IS six months later and fled to Turkey. While there, he spoke with German reporters. He then offered himself to the German security authorities as a key witness against Abu Walaa, who he described as IS number one in Germany. They repaid him with a mild punishment of a two-year suspended sentence and his acceptance into a witness protection programme. The court justified its belief in Anil O.s credibility by stating that he detailed the complex proceedings almost without contradiction and that there were striking overlaps in his testimony and that of Cem. However, according to statements from the defence lawyer Thomas Koll, who represented Abu Walaa, O. prior to making his statements, received comprehensive information about the files, including of course the statements of VP01. He was therefore able to compare his testimony with the statements of Cem, who could not be questioned by the court. Koll takes the view that the key witness merely supplied the information expected of him by the investigative authorities. Anil O.s ability to do this is beyond doubt. Even the court described the ex-Islamist, who obtained top marks in his high school diploma and began a course in medicine before he was radicalised, as having an above-average intelligence and being eloquent. The fact that Abu Walaa had ties to IS was confirmed by other witnesses during the trial. But it is questionable whether he was such a dominant figure as he is now being portrayed. There is much to suggest that his role is being exaggerated to divert attention from the role of state agencies in the Breitscheidplatz terrorist attack. Already three years ago, the WSWS posed the question, Was the terrorist attack on the Berlin Christmas market an intelligence agency operation with deadly collateral damage? At the time, we based ourselves on reports from Die Welt and the Green Party politician Hans-Christian Strobele, suggesting the involvement also of international intelligence agencies, including explicit reference to the US. They likely saw Amri as a decoy who would lead them to those backing him, IS plotters of terrorist attacks in Libya, wrote Die Welt. There were also domestic political considerations that supported allowing the attack to take place. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Germanys national domestic spy agency, followed Amris activities at the highest levels. Even at this stage, the suspicion was raised that Cem encouraged Amris plans for the attack. A potential accomplice of Amris, the Tunisian Bilel Ben Ammar, was rapidly deported shortly after the attack. In an article on the deportation of Ben Ammar, we commented, it is impossible to reject out of hand the suspicion that the state authorities allowed the Breitscheidplatz attack to take place in order to produce the necessary political climate for their militarist policy, the build-up of a police state and the intensification of deportations, and to create the conditions that made possible the rise of the AfD [Alternative for Germany]. The prohibition on Cem testifying in the Abu Walaa trial has further strengthened this suspicion. [March 03, 2021] Monroe Capital Announces Strategic Minority Investment by Bonaccord Capital Partners / Aberdeen Standard Investments Monroe Capital LLC ("Monroe" or the "Firm"), a leading middle market private credit investment manager with approximately $10 billion in assets under management, today announced that it has sold a passive minority equity stake to Bonaccord Capital Partners ("Bonaccord"), a division of Aberdeen (News - Alert) Standard Investments ("ASI"). Terms of the investment were not disclosed. Bonaccord's investment will provide Monroe with additional resources to pursue strategic initiatives, as it continues its important alignment with clients. The investment will have no impact on the day-to-day management or operations of Monroe. The investment is non-voting, and the Firm's investment and decision-making processes will remain unchanged. "We are delighted to have Bonaccord and ASI as a long-term strategic investment partner. ASI is one of the very largest and most sophisticated European asset management firms. Bonaccord's experience and track record of supporting leading alternative asset managers will be helpful to us as we continue to strategically build and scale our platform to better serve our limited partners and other investors," said Ted Koenig, President & CEO of Monroe Capital LLC. "Monroe is a world-class investment firm that possesses remarkable depth and breadth of expertise across the private credit markets," said Ajay Chitkara, Head of Bonaccord Capital Partners. "The firm has distinguished itself through its exceptional management and investment team. With a very strong investment track record, we believe they are strategically positioned to further capitalize on a broad array of unique investment opportunities across the private credit spectrum. We look forward to supporting Ted and the entire Monroe team in the years to come." Mark Redman, Global Head of Private Markets at ASI added, "Monroe has been at the forefront of generating consistent and attractive risk adjusted returns for its investors for almost twenty years. We believe their private credit investment products will have broad applicability across our platform. We are excited about gaining access to their products and look forward to working with the Monroe investment team." Monroe has experienced significant growth since its founding in 2004. Its middle-market private credit platform has risen to become one of the most prominent in the industry. As one of the largest dedicated senior secured private credit investors in the U.S., Monroe has invested over $20 billion in morethan 1,400 companies to date. The Firm's direct lending business has won numerous awards for its consistent performance over the last 17 years. Monroe's private credit platform includes sector-focused strategies designed to seek opportunities and generate quality "alpha" returns for its investors across all market credit cycles, including healthcare, business services, technology, software and real estate. In addition, Monroe has continued to broaden its presence across the public credit markets, with investment opportunities spanning collateralized loan obligations, leveraged loans, and other non-investment grade corporate credit securities. Evercore acted as financial advisor and Fried Frank acted as legal counsel to Monroe. About Monroe Capital Monroe Capital LLC ("Monroe") is a premier boutique asset management firm specializing in private credit markets across various strategies, including direct lending, asset-based lending, specialty finance, opportunistic and structured credit, and equity. Since 2004, the firm has been successfully providing capital solutions to clients in the U.S. and Canada. Monroe prides itself on being a value-added and user-friendly partner to business owners, management, and both private equity and independent sponsors. Monroe's platform offers a wide variety of investment products for both institutional and high net worth investors with a focus on generating high quality "alpha" returns irrespective of business or economic cycles. The firm is headquartered in Chicago and maintains offices in Atlanta, Boston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. Monroe has been recognized by both its peers and investors with various awards including Private Debt Investor as the 2020 Lower Mid-Market Lender of the Year, 2020 Lender of the Year, and 2020 CLO Manager of the Year, Americas; Creditflux as the 2020 Best U.S. Direct Lending Fund; Pension Bridge as the 2020 Private Credit Strategy of the Year; and Global M&A Network as the 2020 Small Middle Markets Lender of the Year. For more information, please visit www.monroecap.com. About Bonaccord Capital Partners ("Bonaccord") Bonaccord Capital Partners ("Bonaccord") focuses on making strategic minority investments in leading mid-sized alternative asset managers across private equity, private credit, real estate and real assets globally. Bonaccord is part of the private markets division of Aberdeen Standard Investments ("ASI'). Bonaccord's minority investments support the creation of long-term strategic value for these leading managers enhanced by leveraging ASI's substantial global capabilities and network across alternative asset management. About Aberdeen Standard Investments ("ASI") ASI is a leading global asset manager with $562.90 billion in assets under management and 50 offices worldwide. Additionally, ASI has a differentiated and comprehensive perspective on the alternative investment landscape through its platform, managing approximately $34 billion in allocations to third party alternative asset managers across private equity, real assets, real estate and hedge fund strategies. ASI is a brand of the investment businesses of Aberdeen Asset Management and Standard Life Investments. In the United States, Aberdeen Standard Investments is the marketing name for the following affiliated, registered investment advisers: Aberdeen Standard Investments Inc., Aberdeen Asset Managers Ltd., Aberdeen Standard Investments Australia Ltd., Aberdeen Standard Investments (Asia) Ltd., Aberdeen Capital Management LLC, Aberdeen Standard Investments ETFs Advisors LLC and Standard Life Investments (Corporate Funds) Ltd. Bonaccord Capital Partners is a division of ASI. ASI Contact: Guy Nicholls, Head of Communications Americas +1 215 687 8049 For more information, please visit our website at www.aberdeenstandard.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005308/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Bengaluru, March 3 : Karnataka water resources minister Ramesh Jarakiholi on Wednesday resigned on 'moral grounds' and also to 'avoid his party facing any embarrassment' after the release of a CD in which he is allegedly seen in a compromising position with a woman. This decision came after the BJP high command sent him instructions to resign or be prepared to be sacked from the cabinet. The BJP high command was not willing to take the risk of dragging on this issue as the party has taken the high moral stand in Maharashtra where the Forest Minister and Shiv Sena leader was forced to resign when his alleged love affair came to light after a TikTok star committed suicide. Besides this, the BJP is gearing up for elections in five states, while in Karnataka too the BJP will have to battle it out in three assembly by-polls and also for a Lok Sabha seat. Also, the month long Budget session will start on March 4. Owing to these issues, the BJP high command met on Wednesday morning in New Delhi and gave strict instructions to its state unit leaders to ensure that Jarakiholi resigns. His resignation letter has been accepted by Karnataka Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa and forwarded to Governor Vajubhai Vala for his approval, even as the minister is repeatedly claiming innocence. "There should be an investigation into this 'fake CD case'. Even though I am innocent, I am taking moral responsibility and resigning from my post in the cabinet," Jarakiholi said in his resignation letter in Kannada. Karnataka home minister Basavaraj Bommai said that an inquiry will be conducted as per the law adding that the Bharatiya Janata Party will take a decision on action against Ramesh Jarkiholi. Ramesh Jarkiholi has been accused of sexually exploiting a woman who first approached the minister with a proposal to make documentaries on dams across Karnataka using drone cameras and special cameras. But, after a couple of meetings with her, the minister allegedly lured her with the offer of a government job at the Karnataka Power Corporation Limited. The allegations have been made by a social activist Dinesh Kalahalli, who released a video, screenshots and a telephonic conversation, as well as audio clips allegedly between the minister and the woman. Kallahalli has filed a complaint against the minister in the Cubbon Park police station. He also made it clear that he was not related to the victim, but was approached by her family as there was an environment of fear. The centrally-run cities are major cities being in charge of driving the development of the whole country. The Government has decided to upgrade three provinces into cities affiliated to the government, also known as centrally-run cities, by 2025. Vietnam is expected to upgrade three provincial level cities into national level municipalities. Photo: Kinhtedothi.vn These provinces are the northern province of Bac Ninh, the central province of Thua Thien-Hue and the southern province of Khanh Hoa, which will be added to the list of major cities including Hanoi, Danang, Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho. The centrally-run cities are major cities having a developed economy with a political, cultural, economic and social hub. These cities have developed infrastructure and science and technology, many higher education institutions and convenient transportation. They will be in charge of driving the development of the whole country. Bac Ninh province, 30 kilometers from Hanoi, is seen as the center of industrial and export processing zones including industrial parks of HANAKA, Yen Phong, Thuan Thanh, Gia Binh, Que Vo. In 2020, despite having to cope with difficulties and challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, Bac Ninh still managed to make great socio-economic gains. Bac Ninh's economy achieved a growth rate of 1% in the context of a world economic recession, its gross regional domestic product (GRDP) has continued to be expanded to an estimated VND205 trillion (US$8.8 billion), ranking the 7th nationwide, its per capita GRDP is estimated at VND144 million (US$6,222), 2.1 times higher than the national average. Thua Thien-Hue, some 10 kilometers from the beach city of Danang, has set the goal to become a centrally-run municipality by 2025 on the basis of preserving and promoting values of ancient capitals heritage and Hue cultural identities. The province achieved last year an annual gross regional domestic product growth of 7.5-8.5% and a GRDP per capital of US$ 3,500-4,000. The province includes the expansion of current Hue city, the towns of Huong Thuy, Huong Tra, Phong Dien and five surrounding districts. Khanh Hoa, about 400 kilometers far from Ho Chi Minh City, is known for a long beach and more than 200 islands. The province possesses an abundant labor force and is one of the ten provinces with a large number of intellectuals in the country. Khanh Hoa currently has 40 science and technology research centers, more than 20,500 well-qualified staff with and over 200 of them possessing postgraduate qualifications. The percentage of workers with vocational training in the province accounts for over 25%. Besides, five rural districts of Hanoi have set the target to become urban districts which are Hoai Duc, Gia Lam, Dong Anh, Thanh Tri and Dan Phuong. Prime Minister Phuc has assigned the Ministry of Construction to check the urban planning, guide localities to formulate urban classification schemes, and assess to accredit urban types in accordance with current law provisions. He also chairpersons of the people's committees of the provinces and municipalities to urgently review and classify municipalities to meet the provisions of the law governing urban classification and the plan of national urban classification in the period of 2021-30. The plan of urban classification in the period of 2021-30 in provinces should be studied and integrated into the provincial planning and the urban development program of any province. Hanoitimes WASHINGTON, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- https://cpsc.gov/Recalls/2021/Haro-Bicycles-Recalls-Masi-Evoluzione-and-Gran-Corsa-Bicycles-Due-to-Fall-Hazard-and-Risk-of-Injury Recall Summary Name of Product: Model Year 2017-2020 Masi Evoluzione and Gran Corsa bicycles Hazard: The bicycle's fork steerer tube can break, causing the rider to lose control, fall and suffer injuries. Remedy: Repair, Replace Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled bicycles and contact their local Haro Bicycles dealer for a free inspection, and repair or replacement of the fork and compression plug. Consumer Contact: Haro Bicycles at 800-289-4276 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, email at [email protected] or online at www.harobikes.com and click Helpful Links then Recall for more information. Recall Details Units: About 510 Description: This recall involves the following bicycles: 2017 Masi Evoluzione Dura Ace (gloss UD carbon/blue/red) 2017 Masi Evoluzione Ultegra (gloss white/blue/red) 2017 Masi Evoluzione Ultegra Di2 (gloss black/charcoal/white) 2017 Masi Evoluzione 105 (gloss black/blue) 2017 Masi Gran Corsa (gloss black/blue/red) 2018 Masi Evoluzione Dura Ace (gloss TeXtreme carbon/solar chrome) 2018 Masi Evoluzione Ultegra (gloss grey/red-orange (Roarange)) 2018 Masi Evoluzione Ultegra Di2 (gloss TeXtreme carbon/cyan) 2018 Masi Evoluzione 105 (gloss Limpet blue/black) 2018 Masi Gran Corsa (brushed alloy/black) 2019 Masi Evoluzione Dura Ace Disc (chrome/black) 2019 Masi Evoluzione Ultegra Disc (teal/fluorescent fade/carbon) 2019 Masi Evoluzione 105 Disc (satin black/gloss red) 2019 Masi Gran Corsa SL (brushed alloy/black) 2020 Masi Evoluzione Ultegra Disc (Antracite/copper) 2020 Masi Evoluzione 105 Disc (matte TeXtreme/gloss black) 2020 Masi Gran Corsa SL (brushed alloy/black) The bicycles have carbon frames with carbon fiber forks and carbon steer tubes. The Masi logo is on the frame and forks. The model name is printed on the frame, on the front portion of the top tube. Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received five reports of the bicycle forks breaking, including three reports of minor injuries including bumps, bruises and scrapes. Sold At: Bicycle specialty stores including Sun and Ski and Erik's Bikes and Fitness stores nationwide from December 2016 through February 2021 for between $1,400 and $6,200. Importer: Haro Bicycles, of Vista, Calif. Manufactured in: China Footer This recall was conducted voluntarily by the company under CPSC's Fast Track Recall process. Fast Track recalls are initiated by firms who commit to work with CPSC to quickly announce the recall and remedy to protect consumers. About the U.S. CPSC The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products has contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 40 years. Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the Commission. For lifesaving information: - Visit CPSC.gov. - Sign up to receive our e-mail alerts. - Follow us on Facebook, Instagram @USCPSC and Twitter @USCPSC. - Report a dangerous product or a product-related injury on www.SaferProducts.gov. - Call CPSC's Hotline at 800-638-2772 (TTY 301-595-7054). - Contact a media specialist. Release Number: 21-090 SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Related Links http://www.cpsc.gov In recent weeks, another issue has emerged: Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo is under intense scrutiny after three women accused him of sexual harassment. While some candidates have called for an investigation into the womens claims, others have pushed for the governor to resign. The candidates running to succeed Mayor Bill de Blasio had been talking about how they would have a better relationship with Mr. Cuomo, but the tone drastically changed in recent days, my colleague Emma Fitzsimmons wrote. [Mr. Cuomos troubles may alter the dynamic for the next mayor.] Heres how some of the Democratic candidates have reacted: Maya Wiley Ms. Wiley, former counsel to Mr. de Blasio, has made multiple statements calling for a truly independent investigation free of the governors influence. Ms. Wiley, who criticized Mr. Cuomo for avoiding public appearances during a public health crisis, also said that no one should throw around words like impeachment or resignation lightly. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres takes part in the high-level pledging conference for Yemen at the UN headquarters in New York, March 1, 2021. (Evan Schneider/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua) UNITED NATIONS, March 2 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday asked countries and companies to give up coal for energy and move toward renewable sources. In a video message to a summit of the Powering Past Coal Alliance, Guterres called on all governments, private companies and local authorities to take three steps: cancel coal projects in the pipeline, end international financing of coal plants, and jump-start a global effort to finally organize a just transition. He urged all countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to commit to phasing out coal by 2030, and for non-OECD countries to do so by 2040. Main emitters and coal users should announce their phase-out plans well before the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, in November 2021. The Group of Seven industrialized countries should take the lead and commit to this phase-out at their summit in June 2021 at the latest, he said. Guterres asked the leaders of main emitting economies to announce the end of their international financial support to coal at the earliest opportunity this year. "I look forward to seeing much more support to the developing countries that are embracing the transition to renewable energy to deliver universal energy access to their citizens. I also ask all multilateral and public banks -- as well as investors in commercial banks or pension funds -- to shift their investments now in the new economy of renewable energy." He called for the initiation of a global effort to organize a just transition, going coal plant by coal plant if necessary. Most studies estimate that despite inevitable job losses, the transition from coal to renewable energy will result in the net creation of millions of jobs by 2030. But the impact on regional and local levels will be varied, he said. "We have a collective and urgent responsibility to address the serious challenges that come with the speed and scale of the transition. The needs of coal communities must be recognized, and concrete solutions must be provided at a very local level. That requires engagement -- from governments to power companies, from labor unions to investors, both private and public." He called on all countries to embrace the International Labor Organization's guidelines for a just transition and adopt them as a minimum standard to ensure progress on decent work for all. The United Nations will fully support this just transition and efforts to ensure that thriving and prosperous renewable energy communities emerge from this transformation, he said. "We can have renewable energy and blue skies. We can have decent, healthy, and reliable jobs. We can have dependable, renewable power systems that ensure everyone has access to energy. We can power past coal and have economies that thrive on innovative businesses aligned to what the world is demanding -- sustainable development and prosperity for people and planet. We can make all of this happen, together," he said. The Powering Past Coal Alliance is a coalition of national and sub-national governments, businesses and organizations working to advance the transition from coal power generation to clean energy. The virtual summit was co-hosted by Britain and Canada. Two chefs have been praised for their hilarious response to an influencer who asked for five free meals during lockdown. Four Legs, a chef duo who serve at The Compton Arms in Islington, London, received a direct message on Instagram from an influencer who wanted free food. Blogger Christopher Jesse Okon, who boasts 50,000 followers, said he was hoping to get free food for himself and four people in his 'bubble' in exchange for featuring Four Legs on social media. But the plan quickly backfired after Four Legs, consisting of chefs Ed McIlroy and Jamie Allan, lured him in by asking him to pick up food from the restaurant, but gave him directions to a nearby police station instead for 'crimes against the hospitality industry'. Four Legs, chef duo Ed McIlroy and Jamie Allan (pictured), have been praised for their hilarious response to a 'cheeky' influencer who asked for five free meals during lockdown Christopher Jesse Okon, who boasts 50,000 followers, said he was hoping to get free food for himself and four people in his 'bubble' in exchange for featuring Four Legs on his social media Sharing the exchange of messages to Instagram, Four Legs wrote: 'Been reading a lot about the peasant's revolt recently. Inspiring stuff.' Christopher's first message read: 'I am reaching out to ask if it would be possible to have a takeaway and in exchange for this I'll be happy to advertise you via my Instagram stories alongside a swipe up link if you have a website to direct my followers to your website in the hope of it leading to an order? Let me know if keen?' Appearing to agree to the request, the chefs asked the blogger if he would be able to 'pick up' the order from Tolpuddle Street in Islington, to which Christopher said he could and asked if he could have five free meals. Four Legs responded: 'That's quite a lot of food, if you could do a couple of posts then we can do it - you've got a lot of followers.' Christopher (pictured) said he would share 'many stories' about Four Legs's pop-up restaurant and also share a post on his main Instagram feed once the pop-up reopened after lockdown But his plan quickly backfired after Four Legs instead directed Christopher to a police station for 'crimes against the hospitality industry' The influencer insisted that he would share 'many stories' about Four Legs's pop-up restaurant and also post Four Legs' website on his main Instagram feed after lockdown. He continued: 'I'll for sure do many stories absolutely and also happy to take a screenshot of your website showcasing the menus and also including this to, and happy to also do a feed post when you open up to make up for this but we can cross that bridge as and when we come to it.' Four Legs then told Christopher to let them know when he had arrived at the agreed pick-up point, saying his request was 'really appreciated'. While giving the influencer directions, the chefs asked him to send them a message once he had seen the 'police station'. After Christopher had confirmed that he had reached the police station, the two chefs hysterically responded: 'Magic - go in there and report yourself for crimes against the hospitality industry' The amusing message exchange quickly racked up floods of comments and almost 30,000 likes from people who lauded the chefs' response as 'golden' Christopher declined to comment when approached by MailOnline. The hilarious message exchange, which was shared by Four Legs, quickly racked up floods of comments and almost 30,000 likes from people who lauded the chefs' response as 'golden'. Food critic Marina O'Loughlin praised the chefs, writing: 'Absolutely KILLER.' And chef Adam Handling penned: 'I love this!' While one person commented: 'Ironically, telling this egg where to go has actually got you guys more exposure than feeding a whole gang of lame influencers for free could ever get you!' Another said: 'This is golden. Good for you guys. Wtf is wrong with people (I think he even runs how own PR company?! Madness) ' And a fifth person wrote: 'This is genius' WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden said the U.S. expects to take delivery of enough coronavirus vaccine for all adults by the end of May two months earlier than anticipated and he pushed states to get at least one shot into the arms of teachers by the end of March to hasten school reopenings. Biden also announced Tuesday that drugmaker Merck will help produce rival Johnson & Johnsons newly approved one-shot vaccine, likening the partnership between the two drug companies to the spirit of national cooperation during World War II. Were now on track to have enough vaccine supply for every adult in America by the end of May, Biden said. Despite the stepped-up pace of vaccine production, the work of inoculating Americans could extend well into the summer, officials said, depending both on the governments capacity to deliver doses and Americans willingness to roll up their sleeves. TEXAS REOPENING: Gov. Greg Abbott lifts statewide mask order, opens Texas '100 percent' Bidens announcements quickly raised expectations for when the nation could safely emerge from the pandemic with the promise of speedier vaccinations, but even as he expressed optimism, Biden quickly tempered the outlook for a return to life as it was before the virus hit. Ive been cautioned not to give an answer to that because we dont know for sure, Biden said, before saying his hope for a return to normal was sometime before this time next year. As Biden spoke, states across the country were moving to relax virus-related restrictions. This despite the objections of the White House and the nation's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, who have warned against any relaxation of virus protocols until more Americans are vaccinated. In Texas, GOP Gov. Greg Abbott moved to lift his states mask-wearing mandate and a host of other limitations. Michigans Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer eased capacity limits on restaurants and both public and residential gatherings. Now Playing: Video: Associated Press Fauci has previously said the nation must achieve a vaccination rate of about 80% to reach herd immunity." Only about 8% of the population has been fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, though the pace of vaccination has been increasing. The U.S. set a new daily record for injections last Thursday and Friday. In hopes of increasing vaccinations even further. the Biden administration told governors to make preparations to administer even more doses in the coming weeks. More shots are also headed toward the federally backed program to administer doses in retail pharmacies, which federal officials believe can double or triple their pace of vaccination. More than 800,000 doses of the J&J vaccine will also be distributed this week to pharmacies, on top of the 2.4 million they are now getting from Pfizer and Moderna. Those pharmacies will be key in getting the vaccines into the arms of teachers particularly in the roughly 20 states where they have not been prioritized for shots. The aim is to help reopen schools to better educate students who have been at risk of falling behind during the pandemic and reduce the burden on parents who have had to choose between childcare and a job. "Lets treat in-person learning as the essential service that it is," Biden said. Teachers will be able to sign up directly through participating retail pharmacies, the administration said. EXPERTS REACT: Abbott's COVID rollbacks were 'like PTSD' for Houston doctors, health experts White House press secretary Jen Psaki also announced Tuesday that the federal government was increasing supply of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines to states next week to 15.2 million doses per week, up from 14.5 million previously. States will also receive 2.8 million doses of the J&J shot this week. On a call with governors Tuesday, White House coronavirus coordinator Jeff Zients said states should prepare to administer 16 million to 17 million total weekly doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines by the end of March, climbing to 17 million to 18 million weekly by early April. The supply of J&J doses to states, expected to dip after the initial shipment this week, will climb to 4 million to 6 million weekly doses by the end of March and 5 million to 6 million doses weekly through the end of April. Officials have said J&J faced unexpected production issues with its vaccine and produced only 3.9 million doses before being cleared for emergency use authorization on Saturday. The company has promised to deliver 100 million doses by the end of June. Before the approval of the J&J shot, Biden had suggested that it would take until the end of July to have enough vaccine for every adult in the U.S. Facing questions about the company's slipping delivery schedule, J&J Vice President Richard Nettles told lawmakers on Capitol Hill last week that the company had faced significant challenges because of its highly complex manufacturing process. Psaki said that an "across-the-administration effort was required to get the two historic rivals to work together on the vaccines, even though conversations between J&J and Merck have been going on for months. Now Playing: Video: Associated Press Theres a difference between conversations and it moving forward, she said. The White House said Merck would devote two plants to the production process. One would make the vaccine and the other would handle inserting the vaccine into vials and ensuring strict quality controls. Psaki said the Biden administration was using its powers under the Defense Production Act to help Merck retool to work on the production. Still it was not immediately clear when the effect of Mercks assistance would be reflected in supply. Federal officials have cautioned that setting up the highly specialized manufacturing lines to produce vaccines would take months. Compared to the two-dose versions produced by Moderna and Pfizer, the J&J vaccine is less resource-intensive to distribute and administer, making it critical for U.S. plans to spread vaccinations around the world but only once Americans are inoculated. The J&J vaccine can be stored for months at refrigerated temperatures, rather than frozen, and doesnt require patients to return for a second dose three or four weeks later. EDITORIAL: Ending COVID restrictions, Abbott plays politics with Texans' lives J&J has set up a global production network that includes brewing bulk vaccine at its Janssen facility in the Netherlands, and with a company in the U.S., Emergent BioSolutions, and another in India, Biological E. Ltd. Other contract manufacturers are lined up to help with later steps, including putting the vaccine into vials, in the U.S., Italy, Spain and South Africa. In the scramble to create COVID-19 vaccines, the three Western drug makers whove dominated the vaccine industry for decades Merck & Co., Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline surprisingly all fell short. Merck halted its own plans to develop a coronavirus vaccine earlier this year, finding that their candidates were generating an inferior immune system response compared with other vaccines. It said it would instead focus its work on developing treatments for COVID-19. Now, amid the global clamor for more vaccine doses, those heavyweights are helping manufacture doses for less-experienced rivals whose vaccines won the first emergency authorizations from regulators. Merck has since said it was in talks to help other drug companies with vaccine production, but wouldnt say Tuesday whether other deals are imminent. Merck remains steadfast in our commitment to contribute to the global response to the pandemic and to preparing to address future pandemics, the Kenilworth, New Jersey-based company said in a statement. Johnson reported from Fairless Hills, Pa. Lemire reported from New York. Lauran Neergaard in Washington and Rachel La Corte in Olympia, Washington, contributed to this report. Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Libya and Head of his Support Mission (UNSMIL), Jan Kubis, has continued his efforts in recent days to mobilise regional and international support for the Libyan-led dialogue process in its three tracks -- security and military, political, financial and economic -- seeking to accelerate the implementation of the roadmap of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum and the ceasefire agreement Attorney-General Christian Porters public denial of allegations of rape has not stopped calls for an independent investigation into the accusation. Mr Porter rejected the accusation he raped a 16-year-old woman in Sydney in January 1988 and said he intended to remain in cabinet and in his portfolio. He is taking leave to assess and improve his mental health. Attorney-General Christian Porter holds a press conference where he strongly denied rape allegations. Credit:Trevor Collens But a womens legal organisation and crossbench MPs say there are still questions for him to answer and there must be an independent investigation of the matter. NSW Police said it did not have enough admissible evidence to proceed with an investigation it began in February last year but suspended in June when the woman took her own life. 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. [March 03, 2021] Software-Defined Data Center Market Size to Reach USD 78520 Million by 2026 at CAGR 13.4% | Valuates Reports BANGALORE, India, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Software-Defined Data Center (SDDC) Market is Segmented by Type (Mid-Sized Data Centers, Enterprise Data Centers, Large Data Centers), by Application (BFSI, IT and Telecom, Government and Defense, Healthcare, Education, Retail, Manufacturing, Others), Application (Professional, Amateur): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2026. This report is published on Valuates Reports in the Data Management Category. The global Software-Defined Data Center market size is projected to reach USD 78520 Million by 2026, from USD 36960 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 13.4% during 2021-2026. The major factor driving the growth of Software-Defined Data Center market size are: Growing multi-cloud strategy across various enterprises The growing need to enhancing infrastructure resiliency and service uptime Cost benefits associated with network automation and reduced energy usage , able to scale up or scale down based on demand. Reduced dependency on legacy costly hardware. Request a Sample Copy of the Report For COVID-19 Impact Analysis on SDDC Market: https://reports.valuates.com/request/sample/QYRE-Auto-16L1795/Global_Software_Defined_Data_Center_SDDC TREND INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF SOFTWARE-DEFINED DATA CENTER MARKET SIZE Cost benefits associated with network automation and reduced energy usage are expected to drive the growth of the Software-Defined Data Center market size. Organizations are switching from the complicated method of hardware procurement and management to the reliable model of Operational Expenditure (OPEX). Expenditure on IT infrastructure forms a large part of the overall expenditure of any company. SDDC solutions can help them reduce expenditure and go a long way towards ensuring overall IT performance. The increasing need to improve IT agility & minimize IT infrastructure complexity is fueling the growth of software-defined data center market size. Software-Defined Data Center will help to standardize management tools across infrastructure layers, allowing policy-driven provisions and a combination of infrastructure resources to respond more quickly to new IT resource requests. SDDC also enables IT administrators to reduce operating costs in end-user businesses, create a roadmap for the modernization of end-use, and maintain control over provisioning. Exponential big data growth & increasing need for data storage are expected to increase software-defined data center market size. Presently, different devices and technologies produce a large number of data every second. The sum of digital data is anticipated to rise from 3.2 zettabytes to 40 zettabytes by 2020. The traditional storage options are expensive and less reliable to store this vast volume of data than SDDCs that are more efficient and cost-effective. View Details Before Purchasing: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-16L1795/global-software-defined-data-center-sddc SDDC MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS Based on the application, the BFSI vertical is expected to hold the largest software-defined data center market share during the forecast period. Since BFSI organizations are expected to deal with key issues related to data storage, retrieval, and cybersecurity, together with the managemnt of vast quantities of data that need to be repetitively processed, stored, and replicated, different cloud strategies are being implemented. This continuous transfer of both data protection and scalability to the hybrid cloud world drives the need for SDDCs to simplify and manage IT services through heterogeneous clouds. Based on the region, the North America region is expected to hold the largest market share during the forecast period. The North American SDDC market for SDDC systems is now mature, and a large number of new SDDC installations and enhancements to existing data center infrastructure systems have occurred to date. The United States (US) currently holds the largest share in the software-defined data center industry as it is home to major telecommunications giants, well-established vendors, and end-user industries that are continually adapting to new technology to boost business competitiveness and work efficiency. By Region North America United States Canada Europe Germany France UK Italy Russia Nordic Rest of Europe Asia-Pacific China Japan South Korea Southeast Asia India Australia Rest of Asia-Pacific Latin America Mexico Brazil Middle East & Africa & Turkey Saudi Arabia UAE Rest of Middle East & Africa Inquire for Regional Data: https://reports.valuates.com/request/regional/QYRE-Auto-16L1795/Global_Software_Defined_Data_Center_SDDC SOFTWARE-DEFINED DATA CENTER MARKET SEGMENTS Software-Defined Data Center Breakdown Data by Type Mid-Sized Data Centers Enterprise Data Centers Large Data Centers. Software-Defined Data Center Breakdown Data by Application BFSI IT and Telecom Government and Defense Healthcare Education Retail Manufacturing Others. Buy Now for Single User: https://reports.valuates.com/api/directpaytoken?rcode=QYRE-Auto-16L1795&lic=single-user Buy Now for Enterprise User: https://reports.valuates.com/api/directpaytoken?rcode=QYRE-Auto-16L1795&lic=enterprise-user SUBSCRIPTION We have introduced a tailor-made subscription for our customers. Please leave a note in the Comment Section to know about our subscription plans. SIMILAR REPORTS : - Virtual Data Center Market is Segmented by Type Advisory & Implementation Services, Optimization Services, Managed Services, Technical Support Services, by Application IT & Telecommunication, BFSI, Education, Healthcare, Government, Others and by various regions. - Computer Virtual Machine Software Market is Segmented by Type System Virtual Machine Software, Process Virtual Machine Software, by Application Small Scale Enterprises, Medium Scale Enterprises, Large Scale Enterprises and by various regions. - Software Defined Networking Market size was valued at USD 9,995 Million in 2019, and is projected to reach at USD 72,630 Million by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 28.2% from 2020 to 2027. - Software-Defined Storage(SDS) Market is Segmented by Type Software Defined Storage Platforms/Solutions, Software Defined Storage Services, by Application Telecom & IT, BFSI, Education, Consumer Goods & Retail, Healthcare, Government & Defense, Others and by various regions. - Software Defined Radio Market size is projected to reach USD 19600 Million by 2026, from USD 18620 Million in 2020 by 2026. - Software Defined Anything (SDx) Market is Segmented by Type Cloud, On Premise, by Application Telecom & IT, BFSI, Education, Consumer Goods & Retail, Healthcare, Government & Defense, Others and by various regions. - Software Defined Perimeter (SDP) Market is Segmented by Type Private, Public, Cloud, Hybrid, On Premise, by Application BFSI, IT & Telecom, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Government, Education, Others and by various regions. Click Here To See Related Reports On Software-Defined Data Center Market ABOUT US: Valuates offers in-depth market insights into various industries. Our extensive report repository is constantly updated to meet your changing industry analysis needs. Our team of market analysts can help you select the best report covering your industry. We understand your niche region-specific requirements and that's why we offer customization of reports. With our customization in place, you can request for any particular information from a report that meets your market analysis needs. To achieve a consistent view of the market, data is gathered from various primary and secondary sources, at each step, data triangulation methodologies are applied to reduce deviance and find a consistent view of the market. Each sample we share contains detail research methodology employed to generate the report, Please also reach to our sales team to get the complete list of our data sources CONTACT US: Valuates Reports sales@valuates.com For U.S. Toll-Free Call +1-(315)-215-3225 For IST Call +91-8040957137 WhatsApp : +91 9945648335 Website: https://reports.valuates.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/valuatesreports Linkedin - https://in.linkedin.com/company/valuatesreports Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/valuatesreports Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1082232/Valuates_Reports_Logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The San Francisco school board met to discuss progress on reopening, including plans for all grades, including middle and high schools as well as Gov. Gavin Newsoms deal to provide $6.6 billion to school districts to help with reopening. Chronicle education reporter Jill Tucker listened in and covered the meeting live. 6:05 p.m. In-person graduations a possibility: District officials say they are working on how high schools could conduct live graduation ceremonies this spring, modeling after the success of the President Biden inauguration, where participants and attendees were socially distanced and masked, among other mitigation efforts. Stadiums or other venues could be used, they said. 5:50 p.m. What's the timeline for reopening? Superintendent Vince Matthews said there is still no specific target date for reopening or timeline because it all depends on other factors that dictate that, including vaccine availability. The district also continues to negotiate with the teachers union on what the school day looks like when elementary students, special needs students and vulnerable secondary students return. Once that agreement is set, the district can start plugging in dates for a return. 5:40 p.m. Where would the vulnerable students attend school once they reopen for them? Students who are the most vulnerable would return to either their own middle or high school or one of a few available campuses full-time for support while doing virtual instruction. Each school would have a limited number of classrooms open and meeting health and safety standards for those students rather than the entire school site. 5:10 p.m. Middle and high school students this spring: The district is planning to bring back two sets of middle and high school students, including those with special needs and the most vulnerable, district staff told the school board. Students with special needs would return full-time, five days a week, with an option to remain in distance learning. Vulnerable students, including, homeless and foster youth, newcomer students, those in public housing and students who have been minimally engaged in distance learning, would have the option to return in person to classrooms full-time, though they would continue their classes online, but at school with support. 5:00 p.m. What's taking so long? Board Vice President Alison Collins expressed frustration at the lack of appropriate ventilation in all classrooms, including classrooms that don't have windows that open. "I have been asking about this since December." District staff say providing box fans or air purifiers require assessment to determine whether they are appropriate for classrooms, easily maintained and user friendly, a process that takes time. There are also questions of electrical capacity to run them and to purchase enough for classrooms that don't have operational windows. This is the type of issue that arguably could have been addressed by a reopening consultant, although the school board declined to hire a contractor in June despite $93,000 of grant funding available for the position because the candidate had worked for charter school organizations in the past. 4:45 p.m. What about after-school opportunities? The board vice president questioned whether middle and high school students could be brought back for after-school or weekend activities even if they don't open for in-person learning. "I would love to see middle schools and high schools open this spring even if only for after-school activities ... some type of activity managed out of them even if it's not in person learning." What it would take to do that is unclear, but its a possible option depending on the use of the facilities for vulnerable students. 4:30 p.m. What about learning outdoors? Several parents have questioned whether outdoor space could be used to increase capacity to return students to school. "I see no reason why we can't use other areas to increase capacity," said parent Supryia Ray, who has a second grader and a sixth grader in the district. "I don't want my son to never see the inside of his middle school." 4:00 p.m. Public comment providing feedback: Parent Amy Karle, who has a kindergartner in the district, urged the board members to provide clarity on not only what will happen in terms of reopening this spring, but also in the fall. "If we don't know we're going to be able to go back to school full time then we have to leave," she said. "What is really needed is to make sure we could return full five days (in the fall)." 3:45 p.m. Windows are mostly working: The district has inspected 15,000 windows in 1,600 classrooms and found 139 windows with at least one non-working window. "I was happy with that. This seems manageable," Kamalanathan said. In cases where these cannot be fixed, the district could use box fans or other ventilation sources to circulate air, per public health requirements. 3:35 p.m. Getting elementary schools ready for reopening: The district will be moving "extremely fast" in the month of March to get all 64 elementary schools ready for reopening by the end of the month, said facilities director Dawn Kamalanathan. That includes 54 school "moves," which include removing excess furniture and other materials, before putting up signage an other resources and requesting inspections by the Department of Public Health. The original deadline was Apr. 19, but district officials have accelerated that. COVID Resources Coronavirus Map Tracking COVID-19 cases across the Bay Area and California. 3:15 p.m. Facilities and state funding up for discussion: Board members are set to take up a review of the status of all facilities for reopening across all grades, while also reviewing the governor's $6.6 billion funding deal to help districts reopen, including $2 billion to reopen within the next month. Vice President Alison Collins have urged board members to be brief with comments and questions given the amount of information to get through. Additional conversations on the state funding could also happen at Wednesday's Budget Committee meeting. Read more on San Franciscos school reopening: Last week, the board voted unanimously to approve an agreement with labor unions over health and safety requirements for a return to in-person learning, the first step of several in getting students back into schools. A parent speaking during last weeks meeting informed the board that his family is leaving the district due to frustration over reopening. The district has lost about 1,000 students this year, although its unclear how many will return when schools reopen. Dad Jonathan Alloy said his children wouldnt be back. We have to do whats best for our kids, he said. Goodbye. Read up on what happened at the S.F. school boards meeting last week here. State officials announced a $6.6 billion reopening plan Monday for California schools that would require schools to reopen as soon as April 1 with funding for staffing, ventilation, supplies and more. In the Bay Area, the plan arrived to mixed reaction and complications over whether districts could miss out on some of the funding. Meanwhile, what learning will look like in August or September is still unclear: variation within the Bay Area is likely. What the school day might look like in San Francisco where the health department is demanding 6 feet of distance between desks might be different than in Marin, where thats not a requirement. A video of the Berkeley teachers union president taking his daughter to in-person preschool erupted as a flashpoint in the districts reopening battle. JERSEY CITY, N.J., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Mack-Cali Realty Corporation (NYSE: CLI), a leading owner, manager, and developer of class A office and luxury multifamily real estate throughout New Jersey, today announced that its Board of Directors (the "Board") has named Mahbod Nia Chief Executive Officer, effective March 8, 2021. Mr. Nia, who has served as a director of Mack-Cali since June 2020, will succeed Interim CEO MaryAnne Gilmartin, who will serve as Special Advisor to ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities. With the selection of a permanent CEO, and to allow for the election of an independent Board Chair in accordance with the applicable NYSE independence guidelines, Ms. Gilmartin has stepped down as Board Chair, and will not run for re-election to the Board at the Company's 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. She will remain a director through the Annual Meeting and return to her full-time role as CEO of MAG Partners. The Board has appointed Lead Independent Director, Tammy K. Jones, Board Chair, effective as of March 2, 2021. Mr. Nia's appointment follows a comprehensive search for a permanent CEO that was conducted by a leading executive search firm, Ferguson Partners LP, in consultation with the Board's Search Committee. He brings to Mack-Cali more than 20 years of real estate industry experience, most recently having served as Chief Executive Officer of NorthStar Realty Europe Corp. ("NRE"), a NYSE-listed REIT, where he was a member of the investment committee and board of directors. During his tenure at NRE, Mr. Nia oversaw a strategic transformation that drove per share net asset value growth of over 40% through a series of value enhancing property level and corporate initiatives. These initiatives included a major simplification of the business, a reduction in leverage from 58% to 40% loan to value, realization of significant G&A expense savings and substantial leasing activity across the portfolio, which culminated in the successful sale of NRE to AXA Investment Managers and realizing a 16% IRR. "The powerful combination of Mahbod's experience as a successful CEO of a public REIT and deep familiarity with Mack-Cali having served on the Board, will enable him to hit the ground running," said Ms. Jones. "His proven management expertise and track record of creating shareholder value most recently as CEO of NRE, through repositioning, leasing, and transacting in the sector make him the ideal executive to lead Mack-Cali forward. On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank MaryAnne for her steady leadership, navigating Mack-Cali through one of the most uncertain times in history. I am honored that the Board has entrusted me to follow in her footsteps and will ensure Mack-Cali continues to make thoughtful, strategic decisions grounded in strong corporate governance and designed to prioritize the needs of its shareholders." Mr. Nia added, "I am thrilled to lead Mack-Cali through this next chapter. Having worked with the company in my capacity as a Board member, it is clear to me that there are numerous parallels between the situation at Mack-Cali and the one we encountered at NRE. I believe there is substantial value embedded within Mack-Cali, and, together with the Board, we are well positioned to navigate the path to unlocking that value for shareholders over time." Ms. Gilmartin added, "I joined Mack-Cali to drive change in an organization with great potential, and we have done that, meaningfully improving leadership and governance to enhance shareholder value. The achievements of the past year are among the highlights of my career, empowering the company's talented team to execute the Board's strategy in a safe and productive manner during an unprecedented pandemic. I am pleased to pass the baton to Mahbod and Tammy, and I am confident they will build on this foundation to maximize value for all Mack-Cali stakeholders. I look forward to helping ensure a smooth transition and then returning my full focus to MAG Partners." Akiva Katz, a director on the Board and Managing Partner of Bow Street LLC, concluded, "In her capacity as director, Chair, and when called upon Interim CEO, MaryAnne has been a tireless advocate for Mack-Cali shareholders. She has created value through strategic dispositions, restructured and redesigned Mack-Cali's leasing strategy, and remained steadfast in her commitment to the company and its stakeholders over the past two years. Shareholders have been fortunate to have MaryAnne in their corner and could not ask for individuals better suited than Mahbod and Tammy to chart Mack-Cali's path forward." In connection with his appointment as Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Nia will be granted 950,000 stock options within five days after his start date that will have an exercise price equal to the closing price of the company's common stock on the date of grant. The stock options will vest in one-third increments on each of the first three anniversaries of the date of grant, subject to earlier vesting on certain termination events. The award is an employment "inducement award" that is intended to comply with New York Stock Exchange Rule 303A.08. Prior to NRE, Mr. Nia served as Managing Director, Head of European Investments at NorthStar Asset Management Group, where he established and rapidly grew the company's European investment platform to $2.6 billion in assets under management across nine countries and five asset classes. He subsequently oversaw the platform's spin-off to create NRE in 2015 as well as the sale of the company. Previously, Mr. Nia held roles at Colony Capital Inc., Goldman Sachs and Citigroup Inc / Salomon Brothers. He holds a First-Class honors degree in Economics for Business from the University of Westminster and a master's degree in Economics and Finance from Warwick Business School. Ms. Jones has served as the Lead Independent Director of Mack-Cali since June 2020. She is the Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Basis Investment Group, a multi-strategy commercial real estate investment manager that deploys capital on behalf of some of the largest public pension plans, sovereigns and family offices in the country. She has over 25 years of real estate experience investing and lending across the capital stack and all property types with a focus on multifamily and office. Ms. Jones is currently an Independent Director of Crown Castle International Corp. Ms. Jones formerly served as an Independent Director for Monogram Residential Trust, Inc., which was acquired by an affiliate of Greystar Growth, an income fund, yielding a premium of 22% over the share price. Ms. Jones is an Independent Director of KKR Real Estate Select Trust Inc. and also Chairs the Real Estate Executive Council, a trade organization dedicated to creating a pipeline of diversity in commercial real estate. About Mack-Cali Realty Corporation One of the country's leading real estate investment trusts (REITs), Mack-Cali Realty Corporation is an owner, manager and developer of premier office and multifamily properties in select waterfront and transit-oriented markets throughout New Jersey. Mack-Cali is headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey, and is the visionary behind the city's flourishing waterfront, where the company is leading development, improvement and place-making initiatives for Harborside, a master-planned destination comprised of class A office, luxury apartments, diverse retail and restaurants, and public spaces. A fully integrated and self-managed company, Mack-Cali has provided world-class management, leasing, and development services throughout New Jersey and the surrounding region for over two decades. By regularly investing in its properties and innovative lifestyle amenity packages, Mack-Cali creates environments that empower tenants and residents to reimagine the way they work and live. For more information on Mack-Cali Realty Corporation and its properties, visit www.mack-cali.com. Forward-Looking Statements Statements made in this communication may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may," "will," "plan," "potential," "projected," "should," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "target," "continue," or comparable terminology. Such forward-looking statements are inherently subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties, many of which the Company cannot predict with accuracy and some of which the Company might not even anticipate and involve factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or suggested. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements and are advised to consider the factors listed above together with the additional factors under the heading "Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is incorporated herein by reference. The Company assumes no obligation to update or supplement forward-looking statements that become untrue because of subsequent events, new information or otherwise, except as required under applicable law. Important Additional Information and Where to Find It This press release may be deemed to contain solicitation material in respect to the solicitation of proxies from the Company's stockholders in connection with the 2021 Annual Meeting. The Company plans to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and mail to its stockholders a definitive proxy statement and accompanying proxy card in connection with the 2021 Annual Meeting. The definitive proxy statement will contain important information about the Company, the 2021 Annual Meeting and related matters. Stockholders may obtain a free copy of the definitive proxy statement and other documents that the Company files with the SEC (when they become available) on the SEC's website, at www.sec.gov. INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT, THE ACCOMPANYING PROXY CARD AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT SOLICITATION MATERIALS (WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE) BECAUSE THESE DOCUMENTS WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Media Contact: Jeremy Soffin [email protected] (646) 200-5318 SOURCE Mack-Cali Realty Corporation Related Links https://www.mack-cali.com/ WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Resorts developer and operator Las Vegas Sands Corp. (LVS) announced Wednesday that it has entered into definitive agreements to sell its Las Vegas real property and operations, including The Venetian Resort Las Vegas and the Sands Expo and Convention Center for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $6.25 billion. Under the terms of the agreement, an affiliate of funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, Inc. will acquire subsidiaries that hold the operating assets and liabilities of the Las Vegas business for approximately $1.05 billion in cash, subject to certain post-closing adjustments, and $1.2 billion in seller financing in the form of a term loan credit and security agreement. Further, VICI Properties Inc. (VICI) will acquire subsidiaries that hold the real estate and real estate-related assets for approximately $4.0 billion in cash. The Company intends to fund the transaction through a combination of cash on hand, equity and long-term debt financing. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, and is expected to be completed by year end 2021. Simultaneous with the closing of the transaction, VICI Properties will enter into a triple-net lease agreement for the resorts real estate assets with an affiliate of the Apollo Funds. The lease will have an initial total annual rent of $250.0 million and an initial term of 30 years, with two ten-year tenant renewal options. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX LAS VEGAS SANDS-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de Foreign companies are currently in need of more highly-skilled and educated workers. Photo: Shutterstock Dahashi National Labour Co., Ltd., headquartered in Hanois Hai Boi commune, is benefiting from the production shift from foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs). Focusing on providing seasonal, temporary, and outsourced labour, in 2020 alone, Dahashi recruited around 40,000 employees to the industrial zones in the north, an increase of 45 per cent compared to last year. Nguyen Quoc Doan, director of Dahashi, said that the current labour demand is very huge, the problem is that the suppliers need to ensure the quantity and quality of the labour force in order to create confidence for foreign investors. Foreign companies, especially high-tech ones, have very strict labour recruitment requirements. In addition to certain qualifications, they often require other standards such as weight, height, vision, and behaviours in the working environment. Therefore, Dahashi must retrain employees with basic knowledge before bringing them into companies, Doan explained. Vietnamese workers are very hard-working, but their education, IT skills, and foreign language proficiency levels are quite limited. This makes it difficult to work with smart machines and technology at the production lines. High risk of unemployment According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), Vietnam can expect to lure more foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2021 as foreign investors shift their investments towards the country. For the last 30 years, Vietnam has proven to be an attractive destination for foreign investors, creating a significant impact on market development, productivity, and workers income. The number of employees working in FIEs has increased from 330,000 in 1995 to roughly 6.1 million in 2019. This represents an average growth rate of 7.72 per cent during the 2005-2017 period, far higher than the labour growth rate seen in other economic sectors. In the early period of FDI attraction in Vietnam, labourers were often concentrated in manufacturing industries such as garments and textiles, and also footwear. However, the proportion in those industries applying high technology has also been increasing rapidly, with the number of workers involved in electronics increasing from 8.03 per cent in 2012 to 15.7 per cent in 2017, leading to a more positive change in labour productivity. Data from the Foreign Investment Agency under the MPI shows that labour productivity of FIEs in 2017 reached a total of VND330.8 million ($14,400) per worker, 3.5 times higher than the national average, and higher than the entire business sector in general, especially in terms of non-state enterprises. FDI shifts also bring about fundamental changes in labour structure and organisation. Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung said that the employment structure will tend to alter from labour-intensive fields to technology-applied industries. Consequently, jobs in sectors that employ un- and low-skilled workers will gradually decrease as the demand for jobs that require more qualified and highly-skilled workers increases. However, due to these changes, Vietnamese workers could be at high risk of losing their jobs. In 2019, the total number of employed workers with technical and professional qualifications only accounted for 23.1 per cent. Older, untrained, and unskilled workers will certainly face an array of challenges to retrain in order to adapt themselves to new industries. According to forecasts of the International Labour Organization from 2019, Vietnam will face labour substitution when applying digital technology in the next 10 years, leaving up to 70 per cent of the jobs at high risk. Chances for young workers Despite challenges for the traditional labour market, the rise of FIEs also offers many opportunities to increase income for young workers, especially those who have been trained at universities and vocational training institutions. Tran Quang Huy, a young engineer who has worked for six years at Samsung Electronics in the northern province of Thai Nguyen, said that he could easily find a job with a higher income level at a Japanese company based in Hanois Thang Long Industrial Park.. In addition to qualified workers, many foreign companies are now willing to recruit and train unskilled workers. Even though I have an engineering degree and experience, the new company still requires skills and foreign language training for eight months, Huy said. As Vietnam did not have many large technology corporations, many students often chose to go abroad, gather experience, and reach a higher income level. The movement of FIEs to Vietnam could thus contribute to reducing the brain drain, helping local students access good jobs and a modern working environment and improve their skills to compete with foreign workers, especially in the high-tech industry. To adapt to the latest trends of foreign investment and to develop a sustainable economy, the Ministry of Labout, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) announced it would continue to survey the labour market in key localities to prepare labour supply plans for new projects. In addition, the MoLISA will also actively coordinate with the Ministry of Education and Training, as well as related ministries and agencies, to make appropriate adjustments to the domestic education and training system to properly and adequately meet the needs of new occupations. Ta Van Thao, director of Hanoi Centre for Employment Services which has three labour supply facilities for the northern provinces, said to welcome the new investors and companies, the Hanoi Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs asked the centre to prepare and identify opportunities to connect labour supply and employment options In addition to the increase of FIEs, many corporations in Vietnam such as Vingroup, SunGroup, and FLC Group also have the need to recruit many highly skilled and educated workers to replenish resources in areas they continue to expand such as tourism and aviation. To be proactive in human resources for long-term development in the aviation sector, in recent years, FLC has invested hundreds of billions of VND in training including long-term training projects such as FLC University that provides international-standard education with the first university town model in the northern province of Quang Ninh. In 2020, FLC recruited 2,300 additional employees, with the aviation sector accounting for more than 700 employees. Next year we will recruit about 3,000 new employees, 30 per cent of whom will be in aviation due to the huge demand for pilots, engineers, and crew. We are researching to invest and promote more than 300 projects in nearly 60 cities and provinces, said Vo Thuy Duong, deputy general director of FLC Group. The Torrington EMT accused of setting fires at emergency medical services facilities and at a home over the weekend remains in custody in Pennsylvania. Old Saybrook Police Chief Michael Spera said Wednesday morning Connecticut authorities are working on obtaining permission to bring Richard White, 37, and his car back from Pennsylvania. The Old Saybrook Police Department is the only agency to announce it has obtained an arrest warrant for arson and burglary charges in connection with the weekend incidents, which police said occurred after White was put on leave as an EMT with Hunters Ambulance during a disciplinary hearing Saturday morning at the companys Meriden headquarters. Hunters Ambulance officials have not responded to requests for comment and have not said why White was disciplined. Pennsylvania State Police arrested White around 10 p.m. Saturday when they spotted his 2004 Ford Taurus heading westbound on Interstate 80 in Milton in the states Susquehanna River Valley region more than 200 miles from Connecticut. It remains unknown if White has ties to Pennsylvania or where he was headed. Bruce Kovach, warden of the Northumberland County Jail in Pennsylvania, said Wednesday White has been in their custody since around 1:30 a.m. Sunday. Pennsylvania State Police at the Milton barracks said they were contacted by Connecticut State Police around 8 p.m. Saturday as investigators searched for White who was wanted for allegedly setting off Molotov cocktails at four locations before fleeing the state. Pennsylvania State Police pulled White over and he was taken into custody without incident on a fugitive from justice charge as he awaits extradition to Connecticut, Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Mark Reasner said. In Connecticut, police said Whites crimes began late Saturday afternoon after he was suspended earlier in the day. After the disciplinary hearing, police said White got into a physical altercation with a fellow employee at the Meriden facility before fleeing in his car around 10 a.m. About six hours later, police were dispatched to the Hunters Ambulance facility in Old Saybrook where they said White lit a Molotov cocktail in the employee room around 4:30 p.m. By 5 p.m., police said Whites car was spotted at the Meriden facility and the driver was seen tossing a Molotov cocktail at the building before speeding away. One hour later, Roxbury first responders were called to a fire at the EMS and fire headquarters, and to another blaze at the nearby residence. State police said over the weekend that both fires were set intentionally, and named White as a suspect. Fire Marshal Janet Morgan said Wednesday the fire involved a detached garage at the residence that was used to store vehicles. She said the homeowner put out the blaze, which was intially reported as a brush fire, while firefighters were putting out a fire at the Roxbury fire house nearby on North Street. The building was not destroyed in the fire, according to Morgan. White previously lived at the West Chalybes Road address, according to Morgan. Morgan said some evidence has been collected from the fire at the garage and will be compared with evidence collected from other sites under investigation. Connecticut State Police Sgt. Paul Makuc said White, a suspect in both incidents, has ties to the Roxbury facility and the home. Roxbury Ambulance Association Chief Sarah Lauriat declined to say over the weekend whether White was associated with the squad. Authorities didnt say what was used to ignite these blazes, but said similar evidence was found at all four scenes. There were no injuries reported from any of the incidents, police said. Connecticut authorities said more charges are expected to be filed as the investigation continues. Staff writer Peter Yankowski contributed to this story. New Delhi: Bharat Biotech on Wednesday announced the phase 3 results of its coronavirus vaccine Covaxin claiming the shots have demonstrated an interim clinical efficacy of nearly 81 per cent. In a press release, the Hyderabad-based company said, Today is an important milestone in vaccine discovery, for science and our fight against coronavirus. With todays results from our Phase 3 clinical trials, we have now reported data on our Covid-19 vaccine from Phase 1, 2, and 3 trials involving around 27,000 participants. COVAXIN demonstrates high clinical efficacy trend against coronavirus but also significant immunogenicity against the rapidly emerging variants. Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Biotech Dr Krishna Ella said, "Covaxin demonstrated 81% interim efficacy in preventing Covid-19 in those without prior infection after the second dose." 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 statement read. An additional interim analysis is planned for 87 cases, and the final analysis is planned for 130 cases, the company said. All data from the second interim and final analyses will be shared via pre-publication servers as well as submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication, the statement said. Bharat Biotech said more than 40 countries globally have expressed their interest in Covaxin. Meanwhile, on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was administered COVAXIN on the very first day of expansion of the inoculation drive to cover people aged 60 and above and those between 45-59 having co-morbidities. While pressuring Washington to drop sanctions and renew the JCPOA, Beijing has expanded trade and military relations with Tehran and its neighbors, Al-Monitor writes. In the puzzle that is known as the Iran nuclear deal the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) the United States holds the key, Chinas Foreign Ministry said Feb. 24. Beijing insisted that Washingtons return to the deal and lifting of sanctions against Tehran would transform the critical gridlock that Irans nuclear program is facing from a challenge into an international opportunity. But we are in a different geopolitical environment today than when the deal was first signed in 2015. Iran has emerged as arguably Chinas most strategic ally in the region. Concurrently, US relations with both Iran and China have deteriorated since February 2006, when the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors referred the Iranian nuclear case to the United Nations Security Council, prompting the formation of the nuclear deal. After Washington unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018, a maximum pressure campaign targeted Irans economic sector. Despite a flurry of these sanctions aimed at crippling Tehrans purchasing power, China has acted as Irans lifeline. Oil imports from Iran to Beijing steadily rose to millions of barrels per day. And the sides are reportedly close to finalizing a 25-year trade and military agreement that will see China invest about $400 billion in Irans banking, telecommunication, transport and infrastructure sectors in exchange for a discounted supply of Iranian oil. The Iranians have trumpeted the strategic agreement as a sign they are not isolated. China, however, has been more quiet about the deal. Beijing is trying to pull off a balancing act in the Middle East, according to Michael Singh, managing director at The Washington Institute and a former senior director for Middle East affairs at the National Security Council. "China has a close relationship with Iran, but it wants to ensure that it can also maintain friendly relations with Irans rivals like Israel and the Gulf Arab states and also it doesnt want to really pick a fight with the United States in the Middle East, Singh told Al-Monitor. In a phone conversation March 1, at the request of US Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley, Chinas Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu confirmed Beijings commitment to bring the nuclear deal back to light. The two sides expressed readiness to step up discussions. But Iran and the United States remain in a gridlock and unsure what comes next. Iran has expressed that all US sanctions must first be lifted before Tehran will return to its commitment under the 2015 deal. US President Joe Biden has said Washington will not lift sanctions first. This week, Iran reportedly rejected a US and European Union offer to hold direct nuclear talks, two senior Western diplomats told The Wall Street Journal. An early test for Iran and the international community will be navigating an Additional Protocol agreement. The maneuver grants the IAEA short notice access to Irans nuclear facilities and suspected nuclear sites. A February deadline was set by Iranian lawmakers to limit cooperation with the IAEA if sanctions werent lifted. Once that deadline passed, Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that Iran is obliged by law to halt the Additional Protocol, but reassured the international community in a tweet all remedial measures [are] reversible. A deal reached with the IAEAs Director General Rafael Grossi over the weekend prompted a technical understanding by Iran that will continue to allow the UN agency its regular verification and monitoring activities for a period of up to three months. Witnesses in the ongoing trial of Gibril Massaquoi for war crimes fleshed out the charge of rape in Tuesdays hearings. Two witnesses told the Finnish court that Angel Gabriel, as they said he called himself, took women as hostages in a room in the Waterside area of Monrovia and referred to them as his women. Women who were not selected for rape were killed with a message to God Tell Him, I, Angel Gabriel, sent you, a witness told the four-judge panel on Tuesday. Mr Massaquoi, a former top commander of the Sierra Leonean ex-rebel group the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), is on trial in the European country of Finland where he had been granted asylum, for war crimes and crimes against humanity that he allegedly committed in Liberia. In an unusual step, the presiding judge decided the court of 12 people would travel to Liberia and Sierra Leone to hear from more than 80 witnesses rather than making the witnesses travel to Finland. Mr Massaquoi, who had played a leading role in the rebellion in Sierra Leone, joined the Liberian civil war because of the RUFs connection to former Liberian President Charles Taylor whose close ally was Foday Sankor, the founder and leader of the RUF. Mr Massaquoi served as a special aide to Mr Sankor and was present at almost all high-level meetings involving the RUF. This week marks the second week since the Finnish Court moved to Liberia to hear the testimonies of eyewitnesses and victims of Mr Massquois alleged war atrocities. Three witnesses appeared on Tuesday one a rape victim. Journalists were not allowed to hear her testimony. She was designated a protected witness because of the stigma attached to rape. In response to questions from New Narratives, the chief investigator in the case, Thomas Elfgren, would not confirm whether she accused Mr Massaquoi of rape or ordering the rape but pointed to the indictment which charges him with both of having committed rapes as well as allowing his subordinates to commit rapes. The court ruled that witnesses identities are to be protected because of credible fears of intimidation or retaliation. The location of the trial has been kept secret for the same reason. Tuesdays first witness bears a scar on her right leg that she said gives her a vivid memory of the incident at Waterside under the command of Angel Gabriel. The witness told the court it was in early 2001 when she had gone to the commercial area of Waterside, downtown Monrovia, to buy goods from people looting a store. Previous witnesses have testified about this same event. While a group of people stood before the store to buy goods, shooting began causing everyone to run helter-skelter, but the soldiers who were wearing Liberian army camouflage with Sierra Leonean accents ran after them. Plenty people died. People died in front of the store, she said. Several of the people were caught, she said. Their arms were tied tightly at their backs and they were dragged to the Waterside bridge the old bridge as it used to be called. There they were asked to look into the sun and that was when Angel Gabriel arrived. The soldiers told Angel Gabriel they were enemies. According to the witness, Angel Gabriel called her an enemy and ordered her execution she along with a brother. They were being killed in groups of six, she said. The witness told the court that just before it was their turn to be killed, a pickup truck of soldiers led by a Liberian general arrived at the scene and questioned Angel Gabriel as to why he was slaughtering innocent people. In that pickup was her guardian angel a female soldier that knew her aunty and took them from among those who had been sentenced to death. ADVERTISEMENT The second witness, a man now in middle age, said he was tied along with the first witness and both were destined for execution. He also testified that he was a trader and had gone to Waterside in search of goods to buy after hearing that a store had been raided and looting was ongoing that morning in March 2001. People were bringing goods out and people were buying goods to sell, he recalled. Later, people started shooting and people began to run. That was when he met Tuesdays first witness who also helped her aunty sell in the Waterside market. I heard someone calling on me to wait, when I turned, I saw a girl. We sell together at Waterside. She cried on me to wait so we could run together, he said. He explained that they were caught by six armed men who tied them and took them to their checkpoint and began to beat them. When we went there, we met some people already there. Some ladies were in a room. They were saying these ladies are Angel Gabriels women. While we were there, Angel Gabriel arrived. He said he and the other captives were confused because the soldiers wore Liberian army camouflage but had the accent of Sierra Leoneans. He gave the order to kill. They killed some people in rope and beat some people, he recalled. Angel decided to pick six women; he said, these are my women. He gave the instruction to kill the other people and said, When you go, tell God I, Angel Gabriel, sent you. The trial continues on Thursday. This story is a collaboration with New Narratives as part of the West Africa Justice Reporting Project. NFU Cymru is exploring a legal challenge to the Welsh governments decision to introduce controversial agricultural pollution regulations. Legal panel firm JCP Solicitors have written to Welsh government to question the lawfulness of the decision to introduce the new water quality rules. A nitrate vulnerable zone (NVZ) designation is set to rolled out gradually across the whole of Wales, starting from 1 April 2021. NVZs are areas within Wales that contain surface water or groundwater susceptible to nitrate pollution from agricultural activities. Agricultural pollution incidents 'remain very high', according to the Welsh government, averaging over three per week in the last three years. It said some of these had led to the contamination of drinking water sources and the destruction of plant and aquatic life in parts of waterways. But farming industry groups fear the new regulations pose a significant threat to the economic viability of Welsh farming. The Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW) recently warned that tenants, young farmers and small family farms were at particular risk of the plans. According to NFU Cymru, the Welsh government had 'failed' to take into account relevant information and feedback from stakeholders. The union said concerns particularly focused on the 'inadequacy' of the Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) published alongside the regulations, and the 'complete omission' of the grassland derogation outlined in earlier draft regulations. Farming groups have flagged other worries about the new regulations, particularly in relation to the timing of their introduction against the backdrop of the pandemic. The proposed package to support farmers to adapt the changes has also been criticised as 'woefully inadequate'. NFU Cymru President John Davies said an all-Wales NVZ was 'indiscriminate and punitive' as it would 'affect every sector and every farmer'. "[Farmers] will be subject to draconian record keeping, complex restrictions on the day-to-day running of their businesses and, for many, exorbitant costs," he said. "The strength of feeling over this regulation from not only farmers, but also from those thousands of businesses who rely on a productive farming sector, has been overwhelming and NFU Cymru is acting for each and every one of them." It comes as the Shadow Rural Affairs Minister, Llyr Gruffydd is set to propose an annulment of the regulations during a Senedd debate today (3 March). Ahead of the debate, NFU Cymru has lobbied with Members of Senedd from all political parties. Mr Davies said: "Members have already received more than 10,000 emails from concerned farmers, all of whom share very real fears as to the harmful impact of these regulations. "Those concerns cannot and should not be ignored." However, the Welsh government said in January that the industry has had the past four years to address the issue of pollution. The Minister for Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths said agricultural pollution had affected water bodies across Wales for 'far too long'. "I am determined to act to protect the Welsh countryside, while supporting our farmers that want to do the right thing," she said. "We continue to face a rate of more than three agricultural pollution incidents per week, and against such a backdrop, we are bound to do all we can protect the public and the environment. "This also provides an opportunity for farmers to uphold exceptional standards that in turn will bolster the image of Wales agricultural industry." Initial 'good practice requirements' for the NVZ roll-out will be introduced from 1 April 2021. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 2) Instead of passing an Anti-Terrorism law that critics argue is unconstitutional, the State should have focused on improving deficient police and intelligence performance, a counsel for petitioners against the measure said on Tuesday. On Day 4 of the Supreme Courts oral arguments on the assailed measure, petitioners lawyer and former Solicitor General Jose Anselmo Cadiz said the Human Security Act of 2007 which was repealed by the new law was enough to deter terrorism. If I may clarify, what is really lacking is good police work and good intelligence work, he told Associate Justice Rodil Zalameda during an interpellation. I think these are solely lacking in our jurisdiction. Cadiz also contended that the repealed 2007 law is a better one, as it enumerates predicate crimes. The Anti-Terrorism Act did away with predicate crimes and instead states a person is deemed a terrorist if he engages in acts that intend to cause death or serious physical harm to a person, to endanger a persons life, or to create a serious risk to public safety. This ambiguous wording in Section 4, critics said, is a ground for the law's abolition. They claimed this vague provision could result in a chilling effect, as citizens who are unsure what exactly constitutes terrorism may simply restrain themselves from expressing their views in order to avoid being charged of the crime. RELATED: Diokno tells SC: Only the Anti-Terrorism Act punishes based on persons state of mind While the same section of the law states that terrorism shall not include advocacy, protest, dissent and other similar exercises of civil and political rights, the line also still carries the phrase which are not intended to. This supposed safeguard, Cadiz said, ultimately is not enough against potential abuse and is only a very minor exception. In a separate interpellation, Former Bayan Muna representative Neri Colmenares, another counsel for petitioners, agreed that enhanced operations by law and intelligence operatives could be a better solution than the passage of the Anti-Terrorism Act. But even if the State believes a new law is needed, Colmenares said the main issue is that the Court should not allow any measure to be of unbridled discretion, vague, and overbroad. READ: Here are the major issues raised against the Anti-Terrorism Act Another lawmaker, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman who is one of the petitioners, explained to the Supreme Court that the peition against the ATL is not a political issue but rather a constitutional one. The anti-terrorism law, he said, violates the 1987 Constitution, particularly the rights provided for under the Bill of Rights. Lagman added he was appearing as a petitioner despite having voted against the ATL when it was still a bill being discussed in the House. He said that although the majority in Congress led the approval of the bill into law, it does not mean that the ATL was constitutional. Day 4 marked the end of the SC justices interpellation of petitioners. It was initially scheduled last Feb. 23 but was delayed by a week after some magistrates went on self-quarantine as a precaution against COVID-19. Solicitor General Jose Calida and the governments lawyers are expected to defend the measure when the oral arguments resume on March 9. Weave Workforce Logo We have seen incredible results with our product in the automotive industry, says Weave Workforce CEO John Larsen. I am thrilled to partner with Fixed Ops Pros to widen our reach. Weave Workforce and Fixed Ops Pros have signed a partnership agreement to bring workforce optimization software to automotive dealerships throughout the United States and Canada. The Weave Workforce solution helps dealerships increase profit and productivity by applying AI-based workload forecasting and automated technician scheduling. Through its proprietary platform, Weave Workforce is able to accurately predict and match staffing to the peaks and valleys of demand inherent to any service business. Fixed Ops Pros brings its single point marketing platform and extensive relationships with automotive dealers to the partnership, allowing for fast deployment of the innovative Weave Workforce software solution. Its network of agent-dealer relationships and a stand-alone online presence uniquely qualifies Fixed Ops Pros to reach a wide audience throughout the industry. We have seen incredible results with our product in the automotive industry, says Weave Workforce CEO John Larsen. I am thrilled to partner with Fixed Ops Pros to widen our reach. Joseph Perez, CEO of Fixed Ops Pros adds, The Weave Workforce product is an incredible asset for this industry. We are excited to be joining forces and adding this powerful tool to our productivity software portfolio. Implementing Weave Workforce can fundamentally improve the throughput and revenue of dealership service departments, delivering a tangible business impact and optimizing time for customers, technicians, and dealership management. Taking into consideration each dealerships unique business parameters, Weave Workforce software maximizes proficiency by increasing productivity and efficiency on the shop floor. About Weave Workforce Weave Workforce is a technology company applying artificial intelligence to harmonize employee schedules to the fluctuating demand of service businesses. Weave Workforce achieves this with an intelligent forecasting, staffing, and scheduling engine that combines a companys internal data with external signals and human intuition to provide simultaneous improvements in productivity and customer satisfaction. https://weaveworkforce.com/ About Fixed Ops Pros Fixed Ops Pros, based in Santa Rosa, CA, is a single point marketer and national reseller of innovative products and services to automotive related businesses. With many decades of diversified industry experience, Fixed Ops Pros knows what it takes to deliver bottom line results, with programs targeted at automotive sales and service operations, finance and insurance products, service bay chemicals and consumables, and enterprise productivity software. Combining in-person agent relationships with an online marketplace, Fixed Ops Pros is making it simpler and more cost-effective for dealers to access a broad portfolio of solutions needed to compete in an increasingly complex business environment. https://fixedopspros.com/ Contact: John Larsen, CEO Weave Workforce, LLC Email: info@weaveworkforce.com Phone: (734) 492-0286 Joseph Perez, CEO Fixed Ops Pros, Inc Email: joseph@fixedopspros.com Phone: (707) 396-0782 Fran Ruchalski, The Enterprise / The Enterprise H-E-B, one of the largest grocery chains in Texas and the distributor of thousands of vaccines so far, will not require customers to wear facial masks in its stores once Gov. Greg Abbotts latest COVID-19 mandates go into effect next week. But a spokeswoman said H-E-B will continue to require all employees and vendors to mask up, adding that, We urge all customers to please wear a mask when in our stores. Seizures of cocaine in Europe have continued to break records over the last two years, according to updates from the EU drugs agency. The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction said this was true for both the volume of cocaine seized and the number of seizures, with Covid-19 restrictions appearing not to have any impact. The trend was revealed by the centre at the launch of a new report on cocaine trafficking into Europe, which sees no immediate end in continuing high levels of production and supply from South America. It comes soon after the biggest ever seizure of cocaine in Europe, with 16 tonnes in Hamburg, Germany. It was linked to a 7-tonne seizure in Antwerp, Belgium, all from a 23-tonne shipment from Paraguay. And it follows the largest seizure of cocaine in Ireland in many years, when 172kgs of the drug was found in Cork Port, inside a container shipped from Costa Rica. Speaking at the launch of The Cocaine Pipeline to Europe, co-author Jeremy McDermott warned of a very big party once Covid-19 vaccinations take effect. The executive director of InSight Crime said this would involve a large rise in cocaine consumption in Europe, which, he said, might be temporary, but could last longer. Laurent Laniel, principal scientific analyst at the centre, said figures showed a doubling in seizures of cocaine in Europe since 2013, with record hauls in 2017 and again in 2018. He said the centre and Europol valued the cocaine market at 9.1bn in 2017, almost twice the value in 2013. Providing updates on cocaine seizures, he said: I can tell you that in 2019 we broke the 2018 record and I can even tell you that in 2020 we also broke the 2019 record. Thats true for the quantities seized and the numbers of seizures. He said there had been a dramatic increase in the purity of cocaine on the streets in the last ten years. He said Covid-19 had very little impact on supply and may have even helped. Mr Laniel said figures from Antwerp port which, along with Rotterdam, is the biggest single recipient for cocaine in Europe show a significant change in originating countries. Seizures coming from Ecuador dramatically increased in January to March 2020, compared to same period in 2019 from 1.8 tonnes to over 7 tonnes. Costa Rica also showed a significant increase as the country of origin, from zero to over one tonne, with most of it hidden inside legitimate cargo. The seizure in Cork last month came from the port of Limon in Costa Rica, and contained in a consignment of bananas. Limon was also the port that 133kgs of cocaine, which was bound for Cork, was seized in August 2018. The InSight report said that while Italian mafia, particularly the Ndrangheta, and Balkan organised crime groups are dominant in the trafficking, that Irish, British, French, Dutch, Turkish, and Belgian actors also play a key role in the supply chain both in Europe and in South America. The report was published with the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime. Mr McDermott sees a spike in usage post-Covid: Once vaccinations take effect across Europe and things open up across Europe we expect a very big party and a very big jump, perhaps temporary and perhaps not, in cocaine consumption. He said the increased security in Antwerp and Rotterdam suggested a shift around Europe in ports being used by traffickers. This will bring challenges to European nations as organised crime focus on what they identify are more vulnerable points, he said. He said a possible explanation for the increase in volume being seized in Europe was traffickers may have been putting bigger quantities into what were less sailings and fewer containers because of the lockdown restrictions. It isnt surprising that some Texas Republicans are pressuring Gov. Greg Abbott to lift the statewide order for mask-wearing in public places. They were skeptical of that requirement when the coronavirus was raging and killing more Texans each week. Now that the light at the end of the tunnel is visible, they want him to declare victory and go back to the good ol days. He should resist that pressure. The mask order in Texas, or any state, should remain in effect as long as it is needed. All decisions by mayors, governors or the president regarding this pandemic should be guided by science, not politics. Some legislators also want to forbid the governor from issuing a mask mandate in the future without legislative support, a hindrance that limits his ability to act quickly during an emergency. The House and Senate should not tie this or any future governors hands in that regard, especially because the Texas Legislature meets in regular session only once every two years, and then for just from January to May. Abbott said last week that he would have an announcement on the mask order in the near future. Were working right now on evaluating when were gonna be able to remove all statewide orders, and we will be making announcements about that pretty soon, he said. Abbott issued the mask order in July for the very sound reason that the virus was rapidly spreading throughout the state. In addition, he said business capacities would have to be reduced in a region if its COVID-19 patients exceed 15 percent of hospital capacity for seven days. Again, that was the right call. Only recently did he allow bars to reopen and businesses like restaurants to expand their capacity to 75% from 50%. But these requirements and others, along with the new vaccines, are the very reason that COVID numbers are finally starting to decline. While the picture is much better than it was just a few months ago, this battle is not yet over in Texas or the nation. If we prematurely slack off on mask-wearing or social distancing, hospitalization rates could creep up again. Scientists are also worried about new variants that spread more easily than the first versions of this virus did. They could cause an upsurge as well. Masks, distancing and hand-washing to combat this scourge arent fussy annoyances dreamed up by bureaucrats with too much time on their hands. They actually work, as proved by the virtual disappearance of the flu this year. America is seeing the lowest level of flu infection in decades, and its clearly because all of the precautions and travel restrictions caused by COVID-19. In Maine, the head of the emergency department in the states largest hospital said has seen zero documented flu cases this winter. Thats virtually unheard of. The COVID vaccines are clearly helping reduce this pandemic, but only 5% of Texans have been vaccinated so far. Experts say Texas is a long way from the so-called herd immunity through the vaccines. Reaching that desired 70% to 80% level would require vaccinating some 22 million people, or nearly all of the adults in the state. Texas, and the nation, clearly have a long way to go. Were closer to the end of this nightmare than the beginning, but we cant ease up yet. Abbott should tell Texans that their masks can come off when its safe, and not a day sooner. William Burns Washington [US], March 4 (ANI): President Joe Biden's nominee for Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director William Burns on Wednesday suggested to the Republicans that the Confucius Institutes should be barred from the US public schools and universities. "I think what the Confucius Institutes do, and I'm no expert on them, is to promote a narrative of Xi Jinping's China, which is designed to build sympathy for what is, in my view, a quite aggressive leadership, which is engaged in conduct and conducted an adversarial approach to relations with the United States," said Burns, former State Department diplomat to Russia and Biden's CIA nominee. Confucius Institutes are public educational partnerships between colleges and universities in China and colleges and universities in other countries. China provides the start-up funds, the salaries, the teaching materials, and sometimes even the buildings for Confucius Institutes. The former US envoy to Russia said that these institutes pose a risk to the institutions in the US. "So in that sense, that particular dimension of foreign influence operations constitutes a genuine risk...And so my advice for any institutions in the United States, including academic institutions, is to be extraordinarily careful of what the motives are for a variety of institutions like that and to be very careful in engaging them," he added. According to a report by Fox News, prior to the committee's meeting, Burns said, "Beijing tries to advance its soft power and pro-China propaganda through cultural and educational programs at US academic institutions". "Programs such as Confucius Institutes fund Chinese-language learning and provide the CCP direct access to university officials. Beijing uses this access to spread positive portrayals of China, and steer conversations from topics sensitive to the CCP," he added. Last month, Biden underscored the crackdown in Hong Kong, human rights abuses in Xinjiang during his first conversation with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. The US President also underlined Beijing's coercive and unfair economic practices and military aggression actions in the region, including toward Taiwan. The ties between the two countries had deteriorated under the Trump administration, over human rights abuses in Xinjiang, Hong Kong protests, unfair trade practices by Beijing, lack of transparency concerning the pandemic, and China's military aggression in various parts of the world, including Taiwan. (ANI) New Jersey has again extended its moratorium on companies shutting off residents utilities through June 30, as the state continues to cope with the coronavirus pandemic one year after the first reported case, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Wednesday. Murphys executive order means if customers cant pay their bills, the states major utility companies will not shut off their gas, water, or electric, as well as the internet in households with children using the internet for educational purposes. The moratorium was set to expire March 15. It applies only to residents, not commercial businesses. We will continue to work on easing the burden for residents with arrearages especially as Congress works on a new round of COVID relief, the governor said during his latest coronavirus briefing in Trenton. New Jerseys major utility companies voluntarily agreed to the moratorium in March 2020, when the pandemic began. It was later extended to mid-October, then until mid-March, and now until at least the end of June, Murphy said. The moratorium has helped hundreds of thousands residential customers and tens of thousands commercial customers who are over 90 days past due on their electric and gas bills, according to data from the state Board of Public Utilities. CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage With more than 2 million workers who have applied for unemployment benefits and tens of thousands residents facing eviction, the number of residents relying on the moratorium is likely much higher, advocates have said. Tom Churchelow, president of the New Jersey Utilities Association, said his group disagrees with the extension but will continue to work with the Murphy administration throughout this process. That said, at some point the moratorium will end and it is clear that we need a plan to resolve past due utility bills so that we can increase focus on customers who are truly in need, Churchelow added. New Jersey on Wednesday reported another 2,957 confirmed cases and 63 additional confirmed deaths, one day before the one-year anniversary of the states first reported COVID-19 case. More than 2.1 million people have received at least their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine in the state, while about 732,000 have been fully vaccinated with two doses. NJ Advance Media staff writer Sophie Nieto-Munoz contributed to this report. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Bharat Biotech has announced the Phase 3 clinical trial results for its coronavirus vaccine candidate Covaxin. The company said that Covaxin demonstrated efficacy of 81 per cent in the trials. "Covaxin demonstrated 81 per cent interim efficacy in preventing COVID-19 in those without prior infection after the second dose," said the company. The vaccine candidate is also effective against the UK variant, stated Bharat Biotech. Covaxin is currently being administered, along with Serum Institute's Covishield in the COVID-19 vaccination drive. Data from 25,800 participants who received a vaccine or placebo in 1:1 ratio showed that the vaccine was well-tolerated, the firm said. It said that the trial, conducted with the Indian Council of Medical Research, was the largest in India. Dr. Krishna Ella, Bharat Biotech Chairman and Managing Director said, "Today is an important milestone in vaccine discovery, for science and our fight against coronavirus. With today's results from our Phase 3 clinical trials, we have now reported data on our COVID-19 vaccine from Phase 1, 2, and 3 trials involving around 27,000 participants. Covaxin demonstrates high clinical efficacy trend against COVID-19 but also significant immunogenicity against the rapidly emerging variants." The vaccine is stable at 2-8 degree Celsius and is shipped in a ready-to-use formulation, it said. "BBV152 has a 28-day open vial policy as a unique product characteristic, thus reducing vaccine wastage by approximately 10-30 per cent," stated the company. Joint Managing Director Suchitra Ella said, "I want to thank every one of the participants, who volunteered to participate in this vital clinical trial, our partners, principal investigators across 25 study sites, and our team at Bharat Biotech who dedicated their time to this vaccine discovery." The Phase 3 study enrolled 25,800 participants from 18 to 98 years of age. As many as 2,433 were over 60 years and 4,500 were with comorbidities. "Analysis from the National Institute of Virology indicates that vaccine-induced antibodies can neutralise the UK variant strains and other heterologous strains, which has been published in bioRxiv," stated the company. "Bharat Biotech expects to share further details of the trial results as additional data become available. An additional interim analysis is planned for 87 cases, and the final analysis is planned for 130 cases. All data from the second interim and final analyses will be shared via pre-publication servers as well as submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication," said the company. It added that more than 40 countries have expressed their interest in Covaxin. Also read: Covaxin vs Covishield: Price, availability, cost of vaccine in private hospitals; all you need to know Also read: 'Let us make India Covid free': PM Modi gets first dose of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin In what she describes as a first step toward filing a lawsuit, a white former Smith College employee has filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination over claims of a racially hostile climate that the school has described as baseless. Jodi Shaw, who resigned last month from her job as a student support coordinator at the elite womens college in Northampton, said on her website that she filed the complaint Feb. 24. The complaint is signed by Connecticut attorney Michael T. Allen, whose firm specializes in higher education law. The complaint accuses the college of fostering a hostile environment based on race that began in earnest after a student alleged an incident of racial profiling in July 2018. An investigation found no evidence of racial bias, but the college pledged a number of changes that included enhanced trainings around race and implicit bias. Equity and inclusion are, in reality, Smiths euphemism for a race-based program to force white staff to accept responsibility for patently false accusations of racism, the complaint reads. Shaw also alleges that she and other residence life staff received a letter of demands from students in 2019 that included threatening language, which went ignored by the college. She claims employees were required to enforce segregation policies in the form of dorms set aside for students of certain races and other identities. A Smith spokesperson said Tuesday that the college stands behind President Kathleen McCartneys Feb. 22 letter to the community, adding, Beyond that, we will not comment on potential or pending litigation. As a college, we remain committed to continuous learning in support of the humanity, worth, and dignity of every member of our community, the statement continued. The 19-page document details Shaws perspective on the social environment at Smith, as well as what she describes as issues in on-campus housing rooted in the schools race-based policies. Shaw alleges the school placed some white first-year students in temporary housing even though there were permanent rooms available in affinity housing dorms that were going unused. The complaint describes the affinity houses as dormitories reserved for students on the basis of race or other preferred identities. It says beds were available due to insufficient demand at the houses, adding, self-segregation among Smiths student body is not actually popular. The schools website lists affinity housing for students of color and Black students, as well as affinity options for food cooperatives and substance-free housing. The dorms are open to sophomores, junior and seniors. Applications neither request nor are judged by a students racial or ethnic identity, the website says. In accordance with federal and state law, housing at Smith College does not discriminate based on race, color or national origin. Shaws complaint also chronicles staff retreats and trainings focused on racial issues, claiming she was shamed and humiliated for declining to discuss her race in a group setting. Requiring white employees to confess that their skin color justifies the presumption that they are racist and responsible for systemic racism singles out these staff members on the basis of race regardless of the content of their character, the complaint reads. McCartneys Feb. 22 letter said the aim of our equity and inclusion training is never to shame or ostracize. Rather, the goal is to facilitate authentic conversations that help to overcome the barriers between us, and the college welcomes constructive criticism of our workshops and trainings. The complaint also details the final year and weeks of Shaws employment. Shaw claims that when she met with the colleges equal opportunity and compliance director in February 2020 to discuss filing an internal complaint, she was asked: Do you believe in white privilege? The complaint says Shaw was placed on paid administrative leave prior to her resignation, and that she was formally reprimanded on Jan. 31 for forwarding herself emails from her work account. The messages included demands that she be denounced or fired over a YouTube video she created criticizing the college, and that she forwarded them to preserve evidence of pressure placed on the college, Smiths acquiescence to this pressure and the schools retaliation against Shaw. An administrator told Shaw she was placed on leave for forwarding an email that included confidential student administration, the complaint says. Meanwhile, the complaint alleges, Smiths discriminatory practices intensified, after Shaw filed her internal complaint in March 2020. No one at Smith took any action to remedy or correct the racially hostile environment, it reads. The matter has seen national media coverage since Bari Weiss, a former opinion write and editor at The New York Times, published Shaws resignation letter on Feb. 19. Shaw has parlayed the controversy into a lucrative online fundraising campaign, receiving $283,861 through the website GoFundMe. Shaw has said she will use $150,000 for her own legal matters and living expenses, with the rest set aside to help others exercise their right to be free from a hostile work environment. Related content: The India-Mauritius trade agreement signed in February this year lay buried in the commerce ministry files for the past ten years. That it was dusted up and put on the tables of New Delhi and Port Louis for signatures has surprised observers, given New Delhis perceived aversion to signing such deals. The last time India entered a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement was with Malaysia in 2010. The details of the latest agreement are not yet up in public since the Mauritius cabinet is yet to ratify the document. The Indian government has already approved it. This too is ... Over the past day, Russian mercenaries in Donbas opened fire on Ukrainian positions once, without casualties reported, the press center of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) headquarters said. "Over the past day, on March 2, in the area of the Joint Forces Operation, the armed formations of the Russian Federation once violated the ceasefire regime... There are no casualties or wounded among the defenders," the JFO staff said in its morning report on Facebook on Wednesday. In particular, in the area of responsibility of the Skhid (East) operational-tactical group, not far from Vodiane in the Pryazovia area, the enemy opened aimed fire from automatic easel and anti-tank grenade launchers. The headquarters stressed that the main goal of the enemy's actions remains to provoke the Armed Forces of Ukraine to open return fire, followed by accusations of violating the ceasefire regime. Bay of Plenty If you love working out doors and in a small team then we have the role for you. We are needing someone who has either maintenance... View or Apply on GoodWork.co.nz Gardner and her partner finally got their vaccine doses by calling Lifespan of Greater Rochester Inc., a large nonprofit that provides information and services for older adults and caregivers. Lifespan has received a flood of calls 75 to 100 new calls a day from clients seeking appointments. The clients who call don't have computers, or they didn't have the skills to troll the sites all the time, says Lifespan spokesperson Mary Rose McBride. Most states have now approved vaccinations for adults age 65 and older, prompting a scramble for appointments. But that typically has to be done online, and many older adults are not connected. According to a 2019 study by the Pew Research Center, 27 percent of adults age 65 and older do not use the internet. In Colorado, older adults face the same challenges. "We're seeing that big time, says Eileen Doherty, executive director of the Colorado Gerontological Society, a Denver-based nonprofit that offers assistance and advocacy. And it's all technology-driven." So those older adults without computer access are struggling to make vaccine appointments by telephone, instructed to call one phone number, then another, Doherty says. One of her clients, Ralph Gean, a well-known musician who lives in the Denver suburb of Broomfield, doesn't own a computer or a car. Out of the blue, Gean, 78, got a phone call from a hospital in Boulder, inviting him to come get his shot there. He was uncertain about the safety of the vaccine but decided he would go ahead and get it. Still, the hospital is a 25-minute drive from Gean's home. A Colorado Gerontological Society staff member arranged a ride, and Gean received his first shot, with the second scheduled soon. 'Go Out to Where People Are' Fresh ideas are needed to connect older adults to vaccines, says Lisa A. Cooper, M.D., an internist and director of the Center for Health Equity at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. Go out to where people are, Cooper says. You can have the fanciest site, where it's all set up, and they're not coming. Cooper is encouraged by the use of mobile clinics to distribute vaccines. And she suggests that churches can also help. For example, congregants who drop off items at churchgoers homes can ask, Say, have you had a vaccine shot yet? and help with signup. Libraries, too, are playing a role. Patt Saich, 81, of Diamond Springs, California, was startled to get a call from a local librarian, asking if she and her husband, Gary Saich, 85, wanted vaccines. They do not own a computer. "Boy, did we jump on that, says Patt Saich. The call came from Kelly Jordan, a librarian with the Eldorado County Public Library System. It had received the phone numbers of people who had called a county hotline earlier, seeking the vaccine, Jordan says. When appointments opened up, librarians began making calls. "I said, Bless your heart, says Patt Saich, happy to report that she and her husband have now received both shots. In some areas, Meals on Wheels is connecting homebound clients with agencies to arrange at-home vaccinations. Racial Divide The digital divide can be especially challenging for people of color. Only 57 percent of Latinos and 58 percent of Blacks have computers, compared to 82 percent of whites, according to another 2019 Pew study. "If you don't have that savviness in using technology, you're going to have to figure out a different way to sign up, says Cooper, who studies health disparities at Johns Hopkins. At the nonprofit Kedren Community Health Center in South Los Angeles, more than half the vaccines are going to seniors who walk in, largely Black and Latino residents. They don't need to bring a phone or identification, says vaccination director Jerry P. Abraham. We look them right in the eye. We make the clinical judgment that they're over 65." 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. UPDATE: Charlee Hertzog was located safely, the New Jersey State Police announced Friday night. A 14-year-old girl drove off in a pickup truck from her familys home in Burlington County on Wednesday and is missing, State Police said. Charlee Hertzog, of Tabernacle, departed Wednesday morning in a 2018 Toyota Tacoma, with New Jersey license plates E19NJT, according to State Police. The teen is 5 feet, 10 inches tall, weighs 150 pounds and has blonde hair, brown eyes and pink braces. Police believe she might be headed to New York City. State Police couldnt immediately be reached for more information. Anyone with information is asked to contact the New Jersey State Polices Red Lion station at 609-859-2282. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Police arrested a criminal suspect at a rented apartment in East China's Anhui Province on Sunday after he confessed to taking advantage of his job at a courier service to steal an iPhone and replace it with a box of apple-flavored yogurt. A woman first reported the case on Friday after she opened a package she received which was supposed to be the iPhone she had bought, but found the dairy product instead. In a video circulating online, the woman said she had spent 10,099 yuan ($1,563) to buy an iPhone 12 on Apple's official website, only to receive a package with a box of apple-flavored yogurt two days later. Local police said on Thursday that the case appeared to be one of theft. Earlier, both Apple and Express Mail Service - the courier company that delivered the package - told the woman that they are launching an investigation. Local police finally located the suspect, a 31-year-old male surnamed Long, who worked as a delivery worker and used his work position to carry out the crime. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 The Brazilian solar market has not been significantly impacted due to the COVID-19 crisis as the increasing electricity demand, the low-interest rate and favorable tariff policies pave the way for sustainable development. The distributed generation (DG) in Brazil is very promising, upon which Sungrow's newly launched 75 kW inverter solution focuses. Equipped with 9 MPPTs, the 75 kW inverter is installable in diversified commercial PV plants. It guarantees optimal power generation even performing in the shade. It is compatible with bifacial modules of over 600Wp and designed with a high DC/AC ratio of up to 2 -- ensuring a lower initial investment and a minimum LCOE. Given complex installation environments like coastal areas, the built-in PID recovery function is essential, preventing any power loss by using reverse potential at night to cancel polarization and restore the degraded modules. Its competitive protection level of IP66 and an anti-corrosion grade of C5, allows for stunning efficiency with improved resilience. Designed with smart-forced air-cooling technology, the inverter operates without derating when the temperature reaches 50 degrees Celsius. "Sungrow's four year presence in the Brazil market helps align with customers and their unique needs. The 75 kW inverter is another flagship solution we added to the Brazilian distributed generation portfolio, matching the niche demands with an unexpected experience. It'll be available in most of our distribution channels and will contribute more to the net-zero carbon planet," said Rafael Ribeiro, Country Manager of Sungrow Brazil. With its Brazilian branch operating in Sao Paulo, Sungrow has a strong local team offering comprehensive sales, technical support, and after-sale service. The Company has been leading the local market share since 2019 and has more than 60,000 units of inverters deployed in Brazil. "We have a large capacity for continued growth," added Rafael. In the landscape of the other LATAM solar hubs including Argentina and Chile, Sungrow makes huge strides forward in 2020 as well, such as surpassing 1 GW in shipment in Chile. About Sungrow Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd ("Sungrow") is the world's most bankable inverter brand with over 154 GW installed worldwide as of December 2020. Founded in 1997 by University Professor Cao Renxian, Sungrow is a leader in the research and development of solar inverters, with the largest dedicated R&D team in the industry and a broad product portfolio offering PV inverter solutions and energy storage systems for utility-scale, commercial, and residential applications, as well as internationally recognized floating PV plant solutions. With a strong 24-year track record in the PV space, Sungrow products power installations in over 150 countries. Learn more about Sungrow by visiting www.sungrowpower.com. SOURCE Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd Related Links www.sungrowpower.com Chandigarh, March 3 : Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) legislator Bikram Singh Majithia on Wednesday asked the Congress government in Punjab to explain why it was keeping 'underworld don' Mukhtiar Ansari as a 'state guest' in a Ropar jail on a trumped-up charge for two years. Briefing the media about the issue that he raised during Zero Hour in the assembly, Majithia said crores were being spent to defend Ansari in the Supreme Court even though the government did not have funds for social welfare schemes and government employees. Asking the government to explain the purpose of keeping Ansari in jail, Majithia said the government was hand in glove with the dreaded criminal to ensure he was not transferred to Uttar Pradesh. He said Ansari was arrested and brought to Punjab on the basis of a vague complaint against "one Ansari" which was registered at the Mataur police station in Mohali on January 7, 2019. He said following this the state police registered a case against him on January 8 and presented him in a court on January 22. He said afterwards when Ansari was sent to judicial custody the government got into reverse gear. "A challan was not presented in the case for 60 days which could have resulted in automatic bail for Ansari but the latter did not apply for it proving both the state and the criminal were moving in conjunction with each other. "Subsequently, the government is assisting the underworld don to manufacture one excuse after another to ensure he is not moved out of Punjab even for court dates in Uttar Pradesh. All that is left is to give Ansari a cabinet rank to rehabilitate him completely." Stating that there was a time when criminals used to run away from Punjab to Uttar Pradesh after committing a crime, Majithia said the opposite was true now. "Punjab is becoming a hub for criminal activities and gangsters are being allowed a free run in jail as was witnessed in the case of Jaggu Bhagwanpuria also earlier. Gangsters are running extortion rackets and ordering killings from jails even as the jail administration refuses to install jammers. "The situation has become such that recently even a Congress leader of Faridkot was gunned down by gangsters," he added. Parler may have voluntarily withdrawn its federal lawsuit against Amazon, but the company isnt ready to give up its legal battle just yet. On the same day it dropped that previous suit, the company filed a new one against Amazon in a Washington state court, according to The Verge. At the center of Parlers complaint is the claim that Amazon broke its contract with the company when it didnt honor a provision that allows clients 30 days to address an issue before service is terminated. Parler says it wouldnt have signed up with Amazon if that provision hadnt been in place. Immediate termination going dark is unbelievably damaging, it says in the complaint. Getting 30 days either to cure or find another host is absolutely essentially [sic] to avoid millions of dollars in damages and potentially irreparable harm. It also alleges Amazon tried to justify the repudiation based on allegations against Parler that it knew were false. Suit claims before AWS soured on Parler, Amazon knew Trump was considering joining Parler and that AWS was interesting in financing Parler as part of a "program for startups with high potential." Bobby Allyn (@BobbyAllyn) March 3, 2021 An Amazon Web Services spokesperson dismissed the lawsuit as meritless. as shown by the evidence in Parlers federal lawsuit, it was clear that there was significant content on Parler that encouraged and incited violence against others, which is a violation of our terms of service, the spokesperson told Engadget. Further, Parler was unable or unwilling to promptly identify and remove this content, which coupled with an increase in this type of dangerous violent content, led to our suspension of their services. Weve asked Parler for comment. Amazon cut Parler off from AWS on January 9th. And while it was eventually able to make its way back online, its still not possible to download its mobile app from the App Store and Google Play. Its also dealt with internal drama after the dismissal of former CEO John Matze. 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. (@ChaudhryMAli88) The Kremlin said Wednesday Western sanctions on Russia were "absolutely unacceptable" and dismissed as "outrageous" claims that the country's security agency was behind the poisoning of opposition figure Alexei Navalny Moscow (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Mar, 2021 ) :The Kremlin said Wednesday Western sanctions on Russia were "absolutely unacceptable" and dismissed as "outrageous" claims that the country's security agency was behind the poisoning of opposition figure Alexei Navalny. "We believe such measures are absolutely unacceptable because they significantly damage already bad relations," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists after the United States and the European Union slapped fresh sanctions on Moscow. He added that it was "outrageous" to claim that a "poisoning took place and the Federal Security Service (FSB) was behind" it. The COVID-19 pandemic has taken its toll on the physical well-being of those of us who make our homes in St. Louis. It has also dealt a blow to our financial health. People have had to cut back on contributions to retirement accounts and emergency savings. They are worried about local businesses that might close and concerned about the direction of the national economy. Those sentiments came through loud and clear, according to an Edward Jones survey of St. Louis area residents conducted by Morning Consult in November of 2020. But the same survey also picked up hints of the resilience of people in this community, an underlying confidence that they will pull through the hard times as they have in the past. I see that attitude among my own clients and in the way people here have pitched in to help their fellow citizens who are in need. The survey asked people about the state of and attitudes about their finances. Both took a hit from COVID-19. The results showed that more than one-third of respondents put less money into retirement accounts and emergency savings and more than half cut back on payments to insurance plans. People are anxious about what is happening nationally and locally. When asked to name their top concerns, St. Louis residents mentioned the health of the national economy, the direction of the country and the strength of the local economy. Not surprisingly, many also expressed fears about loved ones who might be vulnerable to the pandemic. This pandemic has not hit everyone in the same way. When we asked St. Louis residents about their own personal finances, 27% said they felt better off than they were a year ago while 28% said they were worse off. This squares with national data about the uneven impact of this downturn. The stock market and the housing market have done well, even as the unemployment rate has climbed. People are coping now, but they are concerned about the long-term. Three out of four respondents said they were confident in their ability to meet short-term goals such as bills and housing costs yet less than half, 40%, had the same confidence about achieving long-term goals such as retirement. As financial advisors, we often encounter this disconnect. Short-term pain can disrupt the finances of many people. Residents of St. Louis have experienced real hardships over the past year and in many cases that has disrupted their retirement plans. In times like this we are here to reassure people that those long-term goals are often still attainable and that we can provide the moral support and financial strategy needed to help them stay on track. In some respects, the financial decline triggered by the pandemic is unique. It was caused by a health crisis, not any fundamental problem with the economy, and it happened almost overnight as the lockdowns hit in March. But in other ways, it reminds us of other difficult periods-like the financial crisis of the past decades. In that era people suffered, personally and financially, but ultimately the country bounced back thanks to its optimism about the future and its resilience in dealing with crises. While we arent yet post-pandemic, we have already seen signs of economic rebound and expect this to continue over the course of the year. We are encouraged by the way businesses and consumers were able to use technology to keep working during the pandemic. We are further encouraged by the swift development of the vaccines, a tribute to America ingenuity and cooperation. We see the same reasons for optimism here St. Louis where we make our national headquarters. Conditions are starting to show signs of improvement as we move through 2021. It wont happen overnight, but the economy can recover and with it, so will peoples confidence in their financial future. Tom Egan is a financial advisor at Edwards Jones, serving the St. Louis area. [March 03, 2021] DKT International Spotlights International Women's Day Activations and Celebrates Female Employees Making an Impact on Global Family Planning Access DKT International, one of the largest providers of family planning products and services in the developing world, is dedicated to enhancing the lives of women around the world by empowering them with the ability to decide whether or when to become parents. In alliance with International Women's Day (IWD), on March 8, DKT seeks to celebrate women and raise awareness about inequities they may face, including wide-scale protection of sexual & reproductive health rights. This IWD, DKT International will be conducting both in person and digital activations around the world with a focus on inspiring and educating women on sexual and reproductive health products. Chris Purdy, CEO of DKT International, says, "DKT celebrates International Women's Day by providing the necessary education and products to help women plan their families and future, especially in these hard times. Throughout the year, DKT actively collaborates with key stakeholders related to gender, human security, and human rights to ensure the availability, accessibility and affordability of safe abortion and contraceptive products." DKT is spotlighting the International Women's Day efforts in four countries: In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), DKT is conducting a digital and social media campaign that not only celebrates IWD, but designates the entire month of March to observe "Women's Month." DKT DRC will have educational quiz games on its social media as well as vouchers to receive a contraceptive for free in one of its partner clinics. In addition, the organization hopes to inspire Congolese women by showcasing the incredible work of DKT's female staff members whose efforts and voices have directly empowered other women in the country. Under the social media tags: #DKTFemmesActives #MoisdelaFemme #LeadershipFeminin, portraits of female staff members will highlight their work, passion, consstency, and dedication - such as Clarisse Tete and Mamie Kasay. Clarisse Tete is an accounting assistant, who as one of the first staff members of the organization, helped to start the DKT DRC office. Mamie Kasay is the Head of Training and has worked with DKT DRC since 2012 to build health providers' capacity to provide quality contraceptive services and information to women and girls. In Ghana, DKT is hosting a door-to-door counseling and sampling activation with the Lydia Daphne, a daily oral contraception that also treats androgen dependent acne, for female students at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). Midwives from local clinics and DKT staff will provide students with samples of Lydia Daphne, facemasks, and hand sanitizer to encourage young women to take control of their health, both reproductive and otherwise. In addition, around campus, team members will hold placards with empowering messages as well as host a social media photo contest using the IWD's theme, #choosetochallenge, to reward five female followers. In the Philippines, DKT is spotlighting the efforts of the Business Development field representatives, also known as the "Trailblazer Team," which is composed of six women: Abegail Marquez, Fe Laygo, Asiah Zingapan, Marie Christine Quillo, Aicy Mae Salas and Margie Aquino. As Business Development representatives they are responsible for ensuring remote, underserved provincial areas have access to DKT products as well as building relationships with doctors' and midwives' clinics and drugstores. Often these women traverse rugged or muddy unpaved roads and steep mountains alone in four-wheel-drive vehicles to access locations where unmet need for family planning is highest. DKT Philippines is recognizing these challenges together, along with the Trailblazer Team's other responsibilities as mothers, wives, sisters and daughters, in the hopes of motivating people to join their mission to ensure more families have access to quality family planning choices. In Liberia, DKT is connecting with local partners to reach women in rural and vulnerable areas, such as the West Point Women for Health and Development Organization in Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, and Rural Women Rights Structure in Bong, a remote rural population whose livelihood has been severely impacted by the pandemic. Both organizations focus on empowering women in these developing regions by enabling them to participate fully in their decision-making processes at all levels via education on their rights and promoting business solutions that aid in financial self-sufficiency. Throughout 2020, DKT Liberia trained fifty volunteers to promote sexual and reproductive health education as well as providing access to contraception and safe abortion products. On IWD, DKT will continue its support by supplying subsidized products to these communities. Additionally, DKT Liberia is honoring their female staff members, recognizing the value of having a diverse and inclusive workforce as a vital step toward gender equality. At DKT Liberia, five out of seven sales team executives are women. Playing pivotal roles, Saran Kromah and Felecia Kargbo are the 2020 sales champions for condoms and IUDs, respectively, while Florence Laway, Vera Bestman, and Queenie Walloh have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to ensure family planning products are in stock in 150 pharmacies and 300 medicine stores despite quarantine measures. "Throughout the pandemic, despite supply chain challenges and immense pressure on healthcare providers, DKT has continued to empower and protect women by providing safe and affordable options for family planning. Recently reported data displays the breadth and depth of DKT's impact: preventing over 11.3 million unwanted pregnancies, 49,000 maternal deaths and 12.8 million unsafe abortions in 2020," adds Purdy. "This work couldn't have been done without the essential assistance of the thousands of DKT employees and partners around the world. These individuals, including the aforementioned incredible women, strive each day to improve the health and well-being of women, and it is our honor to highlight and celebrate them on International Women's Day." Since 1989, DKT International's core mission has been to provide safe and affordable options for family planning and HIV prevention through social marketing in underserved countries throughout Latin America, Africa, and Asia. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005771/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Yet another Walgreens will shut its doors permanently this month. The store at the corner of Bush and Larkin streets posted signs in its windows last week announcing the closure, which will happen March 17. But community members are so concerned about the closure, theyve started an online petition hoping to stop it. The Change.org petition had 179 signatures as of publication and emphasizes the importance of the location to senior residents. The location where prescription records will be transferred, 1524 Polk St., is not accessible to people with disabilities, the petition says, and is up a hill. This is at least the 10th store in the city to be closed by the drugstore chain since the beginning of 2019. The Walgreens at the corner of Van Ness and Eddy in the Tenderloin closed in November 2020. Walgreens locations in San Francisco have often been a target of rampant shoplifting, with a recent incident even caught on camera during an "Inside Edition" segment. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that one Walgreens location lost on average about $1,000 a day in merchandise because of shoplifting. (SFGATE and the San Francisco Chronicle are both owned by Hearst but operate independently of one another.) Theft of less than $950 in goods is treated as a nonviolent misdemeanor under California law. SFGATE reached out to Walgreens multiple times and did not receive comment as of publication. SFGATE Editor Amy Graff contributed to this story. The just-concluded spectrum auctions have received higher-than-expected participation from telecom operators, primarily Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel. Jio purchased 488.35 MHz (megahertz) of airwaves across three bands (800 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2300 MHz) for Rs 57,122.65 crore. This was highest among all telco who collectively bought 855.7 megahertz (MHz) of airwaves for Rs 77,814 crore over two days. Jio has about 163 MHz of (800 MHz band) spectrum expiring this year (as per Nomura Group), and it was expected to acquire spectrum in that range. However, the telco decided to acquire a lot more spectrum. Why? The reasons are three-fold: mismatch between Jio's spectrum holding and its growing subscriber base, desire to target more smartphone and feature phone users, and preparation for 5G rollout in 2021. Despite acquiring huge spectrum in the recent auctions, Jio continues to have the lowest spectrum holding among all three telcos. For instance, Jio's spectrum holding (post recent purchases) stands at 1,717 MHz as compared to Airtel's 2,107 MHz and Vodafone Idea's 1,768 MHz. This is in stark contrast to its subs base which stood at 408.77 million in December 2020, the highest among all telcos. ALSO READ: Jio, Airtel aggressive bids stun industry "Overall, we believe that Jio has bid aggressively to bridge the gap between spectrum market share and subscriber market share as it was facing network constraints with strong subscriber growth over last three years," said a Credit Suisse report. "Jio's footprint now will allow it to rebuild capacity advantage which due to higher utilisation may have been a constraint resulting in deterioration of user experience in recent times as suggested by industry reports such as OpenSignal," said Kotak Institutional Equities, in a report. Meanwhile, Jio has strategy for both smartphone and feature phone segments. On the feature phone side, the telco has just announced two plans at Rs 1,499 and Rs 1,999 for one year and two years validity, respectively. These plans, offering JioPhone handset, unlimited calling and 2 gigabytes (GBs) of data per month, are being launched to take on Airtel which has taken a lead in subscriber additions over the past six months. On the smartphones side, Jio is currently working on developing affordable 4G and 5G smartphones with Google that will fulfill its promise of making India '2G-mukt'. "Jio's bid at $7.7 billion versus our estimate of $2.5 billion is much higher in view of increasing data demand and possibly due to the upcoming device strategy where it plans to target 300-350 million feature phone users in India," said a Morgan Stanley report. ALSO READ: Jio buys spectrum worth Rs 57,123 crore in all 22 circles The government is currently ironing out issues with Department of Space and Defence Ministry to free up 5G spectrum. Though the DoT (Department of Telecommunications) has not indicated any timeline for 5G auctions, the same is likely to take place this year. The fact that Jio has spent hugely on acquiring spectrum highlights that the telco is no longer interested in investing on 4G equipment. It would rather focus on garnering more spectrum that can be used to deliver next-gen 5G. "The additional spectrum could also be used for selective 5G rollouts until spectrum bands of 3.3-3.6 GHz are made available by the government," said the Morgan Stanley report quoted above. "We believe that Jio's higher spectrum investments are targeted at improving network quality which would in turn help it gain smartphone subscribers. It also indicates that Jio prefers to invest in spectrum, rather the network, which can get obsolete if there is accelerated 5G adoption," said an Edelweiss Securities report. Last year, at the annual India Mobile Congress, Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani had indicated the telco's plans to commercially launch 5G services in the second half of 2021. ALSO READ: Spectrum auction: Reliance Jio biggest buyer, airwaves worth over Rs 77,000 cr sold 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. During his time working as the top White House physician, U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Amarillo, berated employees, made sexual comments about a female subordinate, and violated the policy for drinking alcohol on a presidential trip, according to a report from the Department of Defense inspector general obtained by CNN. 'A NATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT': Texas leaders respond to Abbott lifting mask mandate The report also found that the freshman Texas congressman took prescription-strength sleeping medication that raised concerns from Jacksons colleagues about his ability to provide proper care. The findings in the report stem from a yearslong investigation into Jackson, who was nominated in 2018 by former President Donald Trump to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. But Jackson withdrew from consideration during allegations of professional misconduct, including drinking on the job and overprescribing medication. At the time, Jackson called the accusations completely false and fabricated. On Tuesday night, Jackson again defended his actions in a statement to The Texas Tribune. "Three years ago I was the subject of a political hit job because I stood with President Trump, Jackson said in a written statement. Today, a Department of Defense Inspector General report has resurrected those same false allegations from my years with the Obama Administration because I have refused to turn my back on President Trump. Jackson also said he was proud of the work environment I fostered under three different Presidents of both parties; I take my professional responsibility with respect to prescription drug practices seriously; and I flat out reject any allegation that I consumed alcohol while on duty. ET TU, H-E-B?: H-E-B joins Abbott in lifting mask mandate at stores The Defense Department review was based on interviews with 78 witnesses and White House documents, CNN reported. In November 2020, Jackson was elected to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry. Jackson represents the congressional district that includes most of the Panhandle and parts of northern Texas such as Wichita Falls, where Gov. Greg Abbott was born. This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2021/03/02/ronny-jackson-white-house-physician-defense-investigation/. The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org. The Canadian Press The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 9:00 p.m. ET on Monday May 31, 2021. There are 1,381,582 confirmed cases in Canada. Canada: 1,381,582 confirmed cases (33,753 active, 1,322,282 resolved, 25,547 deaths).*The total case count includes 13 confirmed cases among repatriated travellers. There were 2,118 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 88.81 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 18,572 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 2,653. There were 35 new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 274 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 39. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.1 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 67.22 per 100,000 people. There have been 34,790,069 tests completed. Newfoundland and Labrador: 1,311 confirmed cases (105 active, 1,200 resolved, six deaths). There were two new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 20.11 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 53 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is eight. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 1.15 per 100,000 people. There have been 272,036 tests completed. Prince Edward Island: 204 confirmed cases (10 active, 194 resolved, zero deaths). There were two new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 6.26 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of four new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people. There have been 162,673 tests completed. Nova Scotia: 5,567 confirmed cases (448 active, 5,034 resolved, 85 deaths). There were 17 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 45.74 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 232 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 33. There were zero new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of six new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is one. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.09 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 8.68 per 100,000 people. There have been 816,858 tests completed. New Brunswick: 2,212 confirmed cases (147 active, 2,022 resolved, 43 deaths). There were 12 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 18.81 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 68 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 10. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 5.5 per 100,000 people. There have been 343,885 tests completed. Quebec: 370,319 confirmed cases (3,925 active, 355,266 resolved, 11,128 deaths). There were 276 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 45.77 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 2,510 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 359. There was one new reported death Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 33 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is five. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.05 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 129.78 per 100,000 people. There have been 9,215,701 tests completed. Ontario: 531,459 confirmed cases (12,567 active, 510,135 resolved, 8,757 deaths). There were 916 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 85.29 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 7,548 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,078. There were 13 new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 135 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 19. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.13 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 59.43 per 100,000 people. There have been 15,053,293 tests completed. Manitoba: 51,090 confirmed cases (4,504 active, 45,533 resolved, 1,053 deaths). There were 303 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 326.55 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 2,303 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 329. There was one new reported death Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 20 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is three. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.21 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 76.35 per 100,000 people. There have been 798,782 tests completed. Saskatchewan: 46,748 confirmed cases (1,368 active, 44,841 resolved, 539 deaths). There were 113 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 116.06 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,039 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 148. There was one new reported death Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 12 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is two. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.15 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 45.73 per 100,000 people. There have been 856,362 tests completed. Alberta: 227,509 confirmed cases (7,646 active, 217,636 resolved, 2,227 deaths). There were 263 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 172.91 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 2,862 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 409. There were eight new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 44 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is six. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.14 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 50.36 per 100,000 people. There have been 4,497,687 tests completed. British Columbia: 144,289 confirmed cases (3,024 active, 139,562 resolved, 1,703 deaths). There were 212 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 58.74 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,942 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 277. There were 11 new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 24 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is three. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.07 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 33.08 per 100,000 people. There have been 2,724,568 tests completed. Yukon: 84 confirmed cases (zero active, 82 resolved, two deaths). There were zero new cases Monday. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of zero new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 4.76 per 100,000 people. There have been 9,129 tests completed. Northwest Territories: 129 confirmed cases (zero active, 129 resolved, zero deaths). There were two new cases Monday. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of two new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people. There have been 23,336 tests completed. Nunavut: 648 confirmed cases (nine active, 635 resolved, four deaths). There were zero new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 22.87 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of nine new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 10.16 per 100,000 people. There have been 15,683 tests completed. This report was automatically generated by The Canadian Press Digital Data Desk and was first published May 31, 2021. The Canadian Press S&P Global Ratings provides GCC National Scale Ratings (NSR) for entities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), offering entities a greater differentiation among local credits within the Kingdom than is available on the global scale. The scale helps GCC issuers and investors to compare the relative credit risk of issuers and issuances across the region, and is expected to contribute to better informed, more liquid, and more efficient capital markets across the GCC. The GCC NSR serves issuers, counterparties, intermediaries, investors, and insurers involved in GCC's financial markets by providing independent opinions of relative creditworthiness for GCC-related issuers and issuances. The GCC regional rating scale is designed for issuers based in the GCC region and for capital markets debt, bank loans, and shariah-compliant obligations issued in GCC currencies by entities within and beyond the GCC. GCC regional ratings may be useful to issuers, counterparties, intermediaries, investors, and insurers seeking credit ratings on GCC issuers and issuances relative to other issuers and issuances within the region. GCC regional ratings might be used for traditional capital markets debt and bank loans as well as for shariah-compliant obligations. GCC regional ratings are designed to serve as an independent benchmark and information tool for investors. They, and the GCC scale, may provide a complementary tool for rating local or regional currency issuance alongside the global ratings used for rating non-GCC currency denominated issuers and issuances. GCC regional ratings and the GCC scale are designed to meet the needs of investors participating in national or regional GCC capital markets by providing finer distinctions of credit quality. Investors may use GCC regional ratings and the GCC scale to compare and contrast the relative creditworthiness of issuers and issuances in the GCC. Given the focus on credit quality within the GCC, they are not comparable to other regional or national scales. The regional scale ratings could be assigned to any GCC-domiciled issuer including corporates, banks, insurance companies and sovereigns at their request and would be identifiable by the prefix "gc" (for example, gcAA+) and feature both long and short-term ratings. TradeArabia News Service Generation rent don't want 95 per cent mortgages - they want house prices to come crashing down to an attainable level. Or some light stagnation, at the very least. So first-time buyers are increasingly frustrated that the schemes claiming to help them are in fact just pushing property prices further out of reach. Yet the notion of doing anything to derail a booming housing market when the economy is already on thin ice is unthinkable. It's why Chancellor Rishi Sunak is believed to have caved to pleas for an extension to the stamp duty holiday. Generation rent don't want 95% mortgages - they want house prices to come crashing down Without it, thousands of sales hit by delays could fall through - which may cost the Treasury valuable VAT from all the spending that comes with moving house. But the perk hasn't much helped those at the bottom of the ladder, many of whom are already exempt from paying stamp duty. And soaring demand has increased prices, negating any saving. The Chancellor is also poised to announce a mortgage guarantee initiative in his budget today, to help buyers with small deposits. Lenders were quick to pull 95 per cent mortgages at the start of the pandemic, preferring to focus on the rise in demand from wealthier borrowers. But the scheme is expected to be open to everyone. And with larger loans come higher rates, plus stricter income requirements. With young adults among those worst hit by the crisis, comfortable second-steppers may well seem like a safer bet to lenders. The Government should also bear in mind that many of the properties usually snapped up by first-time buyers have now been rendered unsellable due to the cladding scandal. Existing plans to help these homebuyers - many of whom purchased the flats with the help of government schemes - do not go nearly far enough. And this could have devastating consequences for the property market, with experts warning this week that unaffordable repair bills could trigger a banking crisis if borrowers default on mortgages. So as ministers flaunt the home-buying dream to the next generation, they should spare a thought for the hundreds of thousands who bought into this aspiration only to be trapped in unsafe properties, staring down the barrel of bankruptcy. The Chancellor is poised to announce a mortgage guarantee initiative in the 3 March budget Cash fix Consumer groups are fast reaching the end of their tether with the lack of progress in talks to resolve Britain's cash crisis. Insiders say a virtual update hosted by the banking industry last week involved a lot of waffle but still no meaningful action. With bank branches and ATMs closing every day, we can't just wait for the Government to legislate. We need solutions now to prevent the millions of people who rely on cash being left with empty wallets. Data disaster When companies are leaking valuable data left, right and centre, you can understand the banks' frustration at having to foot the full fraud refund bill. Just last week, hackers swiped a treasure trove of data from Npower - including customers' sort codes and the last four digits of their bank account numbers. The more information fraudsters hold, the more legitimate they appear, and the easier it is to trick victims into handing over their savings. Banks should be responsible for paying refunds. But fines for data breaches must help cover the cost. Thoughtful firms Last week, I praised flower delivery firm Bloom & Wild for offering customers the chance to opt out of marketing emails about Mothers' Day. It seems other retailers are being just as considerate. Money Mail reader Denise says: 'I would like to add Superdrug to your list of thoughtful companies. I lost my mum in 2013 and this day is a sad reminder that she is not with us.' Sue adds: 'My husband wrote to Waitrose pointing out that the wording of its advertisements could be quite insensitive. 'So I was heartened to receive emails from Waitrose and Boots giving me the choice to opt out of Mothers' Day emails without jeopardising receipt of other offers. Maybe more firms are now getting the message.' v.bischoff@dailymail.co.uk [March 03, 2021] Arbor Biotechnologies Names Mark D. Angelino to its Board of Directors CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Arbor Biotechnologies announced today the appointment of Mark D. Angelino, co-founder and former Chief Operating Officer of Generation Bio, to its Board of Directors. Mark brings significant company building and product development experience to the Arbor Board, given his expertise over the past 20 years working with numerous leading pharmaceutical companies. I am thrilled to work with the Arbor team and their promising technology. I look forward to helping build Arbor towards novel therapeutic opportunities utilizing the differentiated functional properties of Arbors nucleases, said Mark D. Angelino. Mark D. Angelino, PhD, was a co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Generation Bio from 2016 until 2021. Previously, Mark served as senior vice president of pharmaceutical sciences and rare disease franchise head at bluebird bio Inc. from 2012 until 2016. He also served as senior director of research and development and site head in Cambridge, Massachusetts for Baxter Healthcare Corporation from 2010 to 2012. His experience spans from early company formation through commercialization- including the BLA for gene therapy product, Zynteglo, the first commercial launch for a bioequivalent (generic Lovenox), ANDA for Glatopa, the sNDA for Integrilin, as well as numerous INDs across small-molecules, biologics, peptides, complex mixture, and gene therapy products. We are excited to have Mark join Arbors Board of Directors. Mark has a tremendous breadth of experiences and perspectives on bringing high impact therapeutic products to market, said Paul Meister, Chairman of the Board of Arbor. Since the initiation of its CRISPR gene editing technology development efforts, Arbor has discovered and engineered innovative technologies, including but not limited to CRISPR Cas13d, Cas12h, and Cas12i nucleases. By harnessing the differentiated capabilities of Arbors suite of proprietary gene editing platforms, Arbor is unlocking therapeutic products and tools to address previously unmet needs. Arbors research team, along with its partners and collaborators, are on the cutting edge in exploring the uses of Arbor gene editing technologies for diverse applications across cell and gene therapy and bio-manufacturing that existing tools are unable to achieve. Following its partnership with Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Arbor recently announced an agreement with Lonza, further validating the breadth of applications of its DNA gene editing platform. About Arbor Biotechnologies Arbor Biotechnologies is an early-stage company unlocking natures genetic diversity to meet the next generation of challenges in the gene editing field. Arbor's proprietary discovery platform has uncovered unique CRISPR enzymes that can power applications across a wide range of industries, including therapeutics and manufacturing. Media Contact Arbor Biotechnologies Kelly Friendly press@arbor.bio [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 03, 2021] Trust the Leader in Online School: Idaho Technical Career Academy Now Accepting Enrollments for 2021-2022 School Year After an academic year like no other, Idaho Technical Career Academy (ITCA), a full-time online public-school academy serving students in grades 9-12 throughout the state, is welcoming students to enroll for the 2021-2022 school year. ITCA is the state leader in providing safe, alternative education options, while giving your student a personalized experience and providing them with what they need to succeed. ITCA is tuition-free to all students who reside in Idaho, staffed by state-licensed teachers, and is an authorized online public-school program of the Idaho Public Schools. They offer a personalized approach to learning, delivering rich, engaging curriculum designed to assist students who seek alternative pathways to education. While working towards their high school diplomas, ITCA students can participate in the Stride Career Prep program and discover exciting options for their future in a variety of career fields, including: Agriculture,Food, and Natural Resources, Business, Health and Human Services, and IT. They can also earn college credits through partnerships with local colleges and universities and prepare to take industry-recognized certification exams upon graduation. "Students of all ages need consistency and an opportunity to shine; ITCA can provide them with both," said Monti Pittman, Head of School. "There's no doubt this past school year was unlike any other, but our technology and student-focused curriculum will give your children the advantage they need to succeed at the next level." Students choose online school for a variety of reasons including advanced learning, a bullying-free environment, and the ability to support extracurricular pursuits or medical needs. ITCA's online platform gives students the opportunity to pursue their academic goals in a supportive environment and at an appropriate pace for their learning style. "The students and the teachers have been so helpful to me that I am really enjoying this school year so far," said a current ITCA student. "I am able to understand better and the teachers really help me when I am stuck. And I am able to stay in school and now my future will be boosted because I decided to stay in school. I am so happy to call myself an Idaho Technical Career Academy student.?" ITCA is now accepting enrollments for the 2021-2022 school year. Families are encouraged to attend an online information session hosted by the school. More information, how to enroll, and a schedule of upcoming events can be found at http://itca.k12.com. About Idaho Technical Career Academy Idaho Technical Career Academy (ITCA) is a Cognia-accredited, full-time online public charter school that serves students statewide in grades 9-12. As part of the Idaho public school system, ITCA is tuition-free and provides families the choice to access the curriculum and tools provided by K12, a Stride Company (NYSE: LRN). Stride offers learners of all ages a more effective way to learn and build skills for their future. For more information about ITCA, visit http://itca.k12.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005003/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] TORONTO The man who used his rental van as a weapon on a busy Toronto sidewalk in 2018, killing 10 people and badly injuring 16 in the citys worst mass killing, was found guilty of murder and attempted murder by an Ontario judge on Wednesday. Rejecting the novel argument that his autism spectrum disorder rendered him not criminally responsible, Justice Anne Molloy of the Ontario Superior Court ruled that the defendant, Alek Minassian, understood clearly what he was doing, despite the conclusion of some experts that he was incapable of feeling empathy because of his neurodevelopmental disorder. This was the exercise of free will by a rational brain, capable of choosing between right and wrong, said Justice Molloy, who throughout her verdict refused to identify the defendant by name, instead calling him John Doe, as she did not want indulge the fame he desired. It does not matter that he does not have remorse, nor empathize with the victims, the judge said. The ruling comes with an automatic 10 life sentences. What will be decided at a future sentencing date is when Mr. Minassian can seek parole, said his lawyer, Boris Bytensky. The National Education Unions March 1 online meeting was dominated by broad hostility and anger among teachers and other educators to the NEU colluding with the criminal reopening of schools. The event was organised to talk through our new advice on wider reopening of schools, beginning March 8. A measure of the discrediting of the NEU was the 17,000 attendance, compared with the last Zoom meeting held on January 3, dubbed the largest ever on-line trade union meeting, with 400,000 participating. The perspective advanced by the NEU offered no alternative to that of Boris Johnsons Conservative government. It places the NEU in the same trench as Sir Keir Starmers Labour Party and rest of the trade union bureaucracy in backing the reopening of schools and the economy at the expense of health and lives of educators, students and parents. All the education unions have pleaded with the government for a phased return over a few weeks as opposed to a big bang full reopening of schools. Johnson ignored their advice and announced on February 22 that all schools and colleges will open fully from March 8, with just one weeks phased return for secondary schools to implement lateral flow testing of pupils. The response by the teaching unions to Johnsons announcement that this will the last lockdown, despite resulting in more infections, more hospitalisations and more deaths is to enforce it! Before the meeting began, many on the chat were demanding that the union protect lives; we dont want a chat we want measures and actions; what are you going to do?, explain what is so different now than January? The overwhelming majority of several hundred comments were hostile to the unions response, challenged the lies it peddled, and linked to articles contradicting its arguments. Many announced they were leaving the meeting and some the union in disgust. NEU President Robin Bevan began by claiming that throughout the pandemic, The NEU has pitched its advice based on science and evidence absolutely correctly. We were right at every point of the lockdown. This claim received the response, Great. You were right, but what I care about is protecting us and you havent done this. Not one retreat the government was forced to implement was in response to a challenge by the unions, but rather the broad opposition from teachers and parents. The closure of schools in March 2020 followed a mass petitions of over half a million parents and 250,000 teachers demanding closure, while the unions did nothing. Last June, when the government announced they would reopen schools, the unions only called for a two-week delay so schools could get ready. But millions of parents refused to send their children to school, forcing another retreat. The reopening of schools last September was carried out with the complicity of the education unions, which ditched all their safety measures. Schools became the key vector of the virus with children aged 2-17 the group with the highest level of infections. This allowed the virus to spiral throughout the community with more deaths caused in the period September to December than throughout the beginning of the pandemic. It was only when it was clear that the opposition that was growing amongst educators and parents to the horrifying COVID-19 death rateswhich have taken the lives of at least 570 education workersthat the NEU asked its members to refuse to return to work in January by citing Section 44 of the workplace Health and Safety Act. The NEU and other education unions refused to organise strike action or walkouts called for at some schools. When the government tried to reopen primary schools on January 4, teachers stayed away forcing the Tories, who were also concerned that the action of educators could be the spearhead of a broader movement of opposition, to announce the third national lockdown the very same day. Johnson was forced to admit in his speech that children are a key vector for the virus! Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU, also claimed that the union always follow the science, but then stated there were differences of opinions in the scientific community. She quoted the Chief Medical Officer, Chris Whitty and Professor Neil Ferguson, who developed the modelling formula for the first lockdown that reopening schools is the right thing to do. Mary Bousted (top left) speaking at the NEU Zoom meeting Following repeated demands to know what the union was proposing to protect members, Bousted and fellow joint general secretary, Kevin Courtney, said they will monitor the infection rates in schools after the Easter break, and if the rates are high again they will call for a rota system to reduce numbers, a circuit breaker, if need be or some sort of phased return. This provoked comments such as, This is a disaster waiting to happen, This is a weak response, nothing has changed, why are you asking us to go into work?, So, wait until more deaths? You have given up, I joined NEU in January because I thought you were going to fight. Its clear I have to fight my own corner. Participants demanded a call for strike action. For several pages on the chat, the only word visible was ballot [for a strike], which the unions ignored, continuing their advice to speak to your head teacher and have a conversation with your head and union rep. Someone commented, Dont pretend you cant follow the chat, its one word. Bousted finally responded, saying, I have looked at the chat line and people are saying ballot and getting frustrated The national executive discussed this and came to the conclusion that a national ballot is not the right way to go ahead. What is the right way to go ahead is to ensure school by school, that the return is as safe as possible. Given that infection rates are falling, hospitalisation rates are falling and given that the vaccine rollout is taking place, the executive agreed this is not the way forward. She chastised the audience, You cant simply say ballot and expect it to take place So it is an easy thing to say ballot, but that is not going to stop the school return on March 8 and nor is it something we think will be achievable, and nor do we think it is the appropriate action under these new circumstances. Screenshots of some of the many comments from NEU members demanding a ballot for strike action The NEU then insisted that teachers do not use Section 44 without their approval. In January, educators were told by the NEU that the legislation provides a legal right to refuse to work if safety and wellbeing is compromised. No longer. With staff being forced to return to schools, the demand for workplace safety must now be policed by the trade union bureaucracy. We used Section 44, in January and it led to change of policy, said Bousted. We cant say it is always the right decision in all circumstances. It is not sensible to use Section 44 without advice from your unions regional office. That is because the requirements that Section 44 has about having an imminent serious danger. You need talk to the union before you use that provision. The trade unions act as appendages of the state and corporate management for the imposition of the ruling classs agenda of profit over lives. New instruments of struggle must be built in which workers organise independently to protect themselves. The Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee was established by the Socialist Equality Party to advance this perspective. We call on you to join and build a committee in your school and workplace. Attend our online forum on Saturday, March 6 at 2pm to find out more about the policies we advance for the closure of schools and, where they are forced to be open, the measures that must be adopted to protect lives. Lucknow: The son of BJP MP Kaushal Kishore was shot in his chest by some unidentified persons in the wee hours of Wednesday. According to the initial reports, Ayush, the son of BJP MP was on a morning walk during which he was shot at by the attackers. The assailants, who were riding a bike, shot at Aayush, 30, in the Madiyava area of the district and fled from the spot. Uttar Pradesh Police admitted him to the Trauma Centre for treatment where he has been declared out of danger. Ayush received a gunshot injury and was brought to the hospital for treatment, the police said. Lucknow: Son of MP Kaushal Kishore was shot in his chest "Ayush, son of MP has received a gun shot injury and was brought to the hospital for treatment. His condition is stable now. Case will be registered. Investigation underway," says police pic.twitter.com/jQQEP4V1ho ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 3, 2021 His condition is stable as of now. A case has been registered in this connection and the police have begun their investigation into the matter. Speaking to Zee News, the BJP MP said that his son was living separately with his wife and brother-in-law, who informed him about the incident. Kaushal Kishore said that he had no clue as to who could have attacked his son and why. He, however, said that the local police was cooperating with them and investigating the matter. He also heaved a sigh of relief that his son was out of danger and expressed hope that the culprits will be nabbed soon. Initially, it was unclear who attacked the BJP MP's son, but it emerged later that he was attacked by his own brother-in-law. During his interrogation, Ayush's brother-in-law told the police that the attack on Ayush was part of a conspiracy hatched by the BJP MP's son to implicate his rivals. Live TV [March 03, 2021] Newmine to Deliver Innovative Solutions to Retail Industry using Microsoft Azure and Dynamics 365 BOSTON, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Newmine, pioneer of the retail industry's first and only AI-powered SaaS merchandise returns reduction platform Chief Returns Officer, announced they will utilize Microsoft technologies to deliver secure, scalable, and innovative merchandise returns reduction solutions to the retail industry. Chief Returns Officer is built on Microsoft Azure and supports integration with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Commerce. Newmine's collaboration with Microsoft to deliver returns reduction is timely as retailers are coping with an unprecedented post-holiday returns season, exacerbated by e-commerce growth due to COVID-19. Newmine's Chief Returns Officer helps retailers diminish the growing problem of product returns with cutting edge AI-based technologies, such as deep data analytics, natural language processing, and prescriptive actions. Newmine founder and CEO, Navjit Bhasin says "by taking a proactive, returns reduction-focused approach, we can help retailers enhance profitability while identifying opportunities across the entire value chain. Microsoft has been an excellent go-to-market partner to reach retailers looking to be innovative and transform their business. Microsoft's announcement of the Azure for Retail further re-enforces its commitment to the transformation in retail industry." "The acceleration of digital transformation in retail has resulted in a data explosion. Asa result, it is imperative that retailers are able to unlock the value of their data," says Robbee Minicola, senior director, Retail & Consumer Goods Global Partner Strategy of Microsoft. "Newmine's AI-driven approach at the core of Chief Returns Officer platform empowers retailers to tackle an industry-old problem. We're pleased to have Newmine as part of the Microsoft Partner Network and that Newmine chose Microsoft Azure as the technology platform for Chief Returns Officer." Retailers can find Chief Returns Officer on Microsoft AppSource. Receive up-to-date product, customer, and partner news directly from Newmine on LinkedIn. About Newmine Comprised of former retail and supply chain executives with deep experience in retail strategy, operations, and technology, Newmine's vision is to ensure retailers thrive in a transforming world. In addition to their operations and technology consulting practice, Newmine seeks to disrupt the returns management market with AI-driven returns reduction solutions. Newmine's Chief Returns Officer is an AI-powered platform that gives retailers a holistic view of integrated returns-related data from across the enterprise, prescribes corrective actions, and enables collaboration. For more information, visit www.newmine.com. Newmine Contact: Jenny Gorlin Phone: 508-271-7694 Email: jgorlin@newmine.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/newmine-to-deliver-innovative-solutions-to-retail-industry-using-microsoft-azure-and-dynamics-365-301236513.html SOURCE Newmine [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 The Mount Greylock Regional School Committee violated the open meeting law last year, the Attorney Generals Office has determined. New Delhi, March 3 : Theaterisation of armed forces, self-reliance in defence sector and evolving threats in the region will be the focus areas during the three-day Combined Commanders' Conference, in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to give strategic guidance to the military. The Combined Commanders' Conference 2021 will be held in Kevadia in Gujarat from March 4 to March 6. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will address the top commanders of the Indian Army, the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy on March 5, while Prime Minister Modi will address them on March 6. "During the conference, the setting up a new air defence command and maritime command will be discussed at length. Implementation of the air defence command timeline will be deliberated upon," said a source in the government. The formation of theatre commands will synergise the capabilities and combat potential of the three forces during war and peace. Air defence command and maritime command are part of the restricting plan of the Indian armed forces as was announced by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat last year. The newly created Department of Military Affairs is working towards the creation of joint military commands along with theatre command for the last one year. The secretaries in the Defence Ministry would give presentations about their respective wings. "Self-reliance in the defence sector would also be the focus of the conference," the sources said. Modi would be discussing the evolving security scenario in the region affecting national and internal security. The Prime Minister will also give strategic guidance to the armed forces. India and China are engaged in a 10-month long standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The confrontations began on the north bank of Pangong Lake in eastern Ladakh, both in the waters and on the banks after Chinese incursions increased in early May last year. On the western front, Pakistan has been continuously making attempts to push terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir to create unrest in the Valley. With the disputed borders with China and Pakistan active at the same point of time, the Indian armed forces are stretched to the maximum. "These issues will be discussed during the conference," added the source. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 Bandar Seri Begawan, March 3 : The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) has said that it is ready to assist Myanmar, where the military has seized state control, in a positive, peaceful and constructive manner. According to the chair's statement released here on Tuesday on the Informal ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, the organisation has been closely following the current developments in the region and concurred that the political stability in any and all member states is essential to achieving a collective peaceful, stable and prosperous Community, reports Xinhua news agency. "We expressed our concern on the situation in Myanmar and called on all parties to refrain from instigating further violence, and for all sides to exercise utmost restraint as well as flexibility. "We also called on all parties concerned to seek a peaceful solution, through constructive dialogue and practical reconciliation in the interests of the people and their livelihood," the statement said. ASEAN Ministers reiterated that the political stability in member states is essential to achieving a peaceful, stable and prosperous community. "We underscored the need to maintain our unity, centrality, and relevance in the region and to collectively address common challenges." The Myanmar military staged the coup on February 1 and declared a year-long state of emergency. It handed all state power over to Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services General Min Aung Hlaing. In response to the coup, Myanmar has witnessed continued protests demanding the release of former de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior officials of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party and also the restoration of the democratically elected government. On Sunday, 18 protesters lost their lives, making the deadliest day of the demonstrations. Protests were staged on Monday, despite the military and police raming up its response against the agitating crowds, the BBC reported. The military seized power after it had demanded the postponement of new parliamentary sessions, citing massive voting fraud in the November 8, 2020 general elections, which saw the NLD win a majority of seats in both houses of parliament. Myanmar's Union Election Commission dismissed the allegation. Mastercard has announced that sustainability and happiness emerged as the two major factors in shaping future smart cities in its recent survey, conducted in collaboration with Smart Dubai and Expo 2020 to better understand the pulse of UAE citizens. More than half (53%) of UAE residents highlighted living in a sustainable city as the most exciting innovation for smart cities, stated Mastercard in its survey, 'Building the Cities of the Future.' The report explores how residents aspirations are driving the development of smart cities using new technologies, and outlines the trends and innovations paving the way for a brighter, more connected future for global cities. Mastercard said along with its partners, it is playing a leading role in bringing together the private and public sector to co-develop, deliver and scale solutions that make cities smarter. The virtual launch of the report was addressed by Younus Al Nasser, Assistant Director General, Smart Dubai & CEO, Dubai Data Establishment, and featured a panel discussion with industry experts from Mastercard, Smart Dubai and Expo 2020 Dubai. The whitepaper has identified cross-sector collaboration as a key factor in the future success of smart cities, along with the development of seamless, customer-centric experiences and solutions that advance growth and drive sustainability efforts, it stated. "This study clearly highlights the importance and power of partnerships when it comes to developing smart cities and driving sustainable and inclusive growth. Consumers are clear about their expectations, and it is the responsibility of the private and public sectors to come together to build inclusive, dynamic cities," remarked Elias Aad, VP, Head of Strategic Growth Business, Mena, Mastercard. The survey found that four out of five (79%) residents in the UAE believe theyd be happy living in a smart city, aligning closely to Smart Dubais aspiration of making Dubai the happiest city on earth through smart technology and innovation. Smart Dubai is a member of Mastercard City Possible, a model for urban innovation in which a global network of cities, businesses, academics and communities work together to make cities more inclusive and sustainable. "At Mastercard, we are helping to drive this progress by embedding ourselves with private and public sector partners, supporting them in the development of digital payments economy blueprints and executing on it leveraging our advanced technologies, global payments network and expertise, advisory team and data driven insights," noted Aad. "Throughout the pandemic, we have supported our partners and united communities, ensuring governments, large and small businesses, merchants and consumers stay safe, informed and connected," he added. The top three resident expectations of a smart city were environmentally friendly business practices, paperless government services, and fast, affordable, city-wide internet connectivity. The majority (67%) of respondents shared that they expect their smartphones to be the primary channel to access city services. Respondents cited ultra-fast mobile connections, driverless taxis, and virtual medical diagnoses from AI doctors as the most exciting innovations in the cities of the future. Sustainability emerged as a key aspiration for smart cities across all age groups. The study found that an overwhelming segment (53%) of UAE respondents consider living in a sustainable city as the most exciting innovation in future smart cities, and this increases with respondents age, the report added. Iman Alomrani, Deputy Chief Technology Officer, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: World Expos have influenced the development of cities for 170 years through iconic structures and advances in technology and engineering. Expo 2020 will break new boundaries, working with innovative partners such as Mastercard to play an instrumental role in structuring future smart cities through numerous initiatives and activations environmental, technological and economical that will live on well after the event. Sustainability is integrated throughout Expo 2020 Dubai, creating meaningful impact and inspiring the global community to take action towards a cleaner, safer, healthier future. It is extremely encouraging that people consider sustainable practices as vital to their cities of the future, she added.-TradeArabia News Service The Tanzania drugs authority is investigating a company that has reportedly been collecting urine from pregnant women to make human medicine, local newspaper The Citizen reports. The Tanzania Medicines and Drugs Authority (TMDA) is quoted as saying it does not recognise and has never registered Polai (Tz) Co Ltd - the company said to be behind the business. The Citizen newspaper reported that its investigation showed the collection of the urine was being done secretly. It quoted an employee of the company admitting to getting the urine from pregnant women for production of drugs to treat conditions associated with infertility. There is no scientific evidence to show that urine has any medical benefits. The TMDA said it would take necessary action once it completes investigations. 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 Thiruvananthapuram, March 3 : A day after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) asked the chief of Kerala's flagship programme KIIFB and his deputy to appear before it, state Finance Minister Thomas Issac on Wednesday went hammer and tongs after Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. "She is leading from the front and using her officials for political needs. What's happening is a clear violation of the election norms. We are not going to be cowed down by such intimidatory tactics. The conspiracy of the ED against the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) has been going on for a while. Does anyone know that the head of the ED in Kerala -- Manish -- is the son of a top BJP leader from Rajasthan," Issac asked. "I wish to make it very clear that strong resistance will be put up against the present arm twisting tactics of the ED. Please do not see people here as an extension of the Congress party in Rajasthan. We will deal with ED with the help of the people. ED is out to play spoilsport to the development plans of Kerala and we will strongly resist any move to put our officials under duress," added Issac. KIIFB is a government-owned financial institution formed to mobilise funds for infrastructure development from outside the state revenue, and numerous projects are assigned funds from the KIIFB. KIIFB had gone ahead by floating masala bonds following which the ED has registered a case against it under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), a move that has irked Issac . Incidentally, while taking part in a rally of state BJP President K. Surendran in Kochi last week, Sitharaman had slammed Issac for the role of KIIFB in his state budget and even pointed out the remarks the CAG had made. With the crucial Assembly polls scheduled to be held on April 6 and the CPI-M led Left government making every effort to ensure it retains power, the coming days will tell to what extent the war of words between the BJP and the CPI-M top brass will go. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Kerala later this week. All seven Liberians who filed the war crimes lawsuit against Alieu Kosiah in Switzerland are asking for 8,000 Swiss Francs or roughly LD1.5 million each in compensation. In Switzerland, they would have been entitled to 100,000 Swiss francs for moral injury, said Alain Werner, one of the lawyers, in his final argument before the Swiss Federal. As the cost of living in Liberia is 12 times lower, we are claiming 8,000 Swiss Francs in compensation for each of our constituents. Six of the seven plaintiffs were flown in from Liberia and testified before the courts three-judge panel for two weeks, beginning February 15. They have since been flown back to Liberia. The lone female testified via videoconference from an undisclosed location. New Narratives has reached an agreement with the court not to name any of the plaintiffs and any other witnesses in this trial over concerns of their safety. They are least likely to get the money as the request is only symbolic and meant to follow Swiss legal procedure. Also, Mr Kosiah does not have such an amount. The plaintiffs accuse Mr Kosiah, a former commander of the United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy (ULIMO), of murder, cannibalism, rape, sexual enslavement, forced transportation, looting and inscription of child-soldier between 1993 and 1995. He denies all the charges against him, saying he was not in Lofa when the alleged offences were committed. Mr Kosiah was arrested in 2014, indicted in 2019 and his trial started in Bellinzona last December. Prosecution, plaintiffs and defence lawyers will argument throughout this week, and a date of the verdict will be announced at the end of Friday. He faces a maximum 20-year imprisonment term. The most ruthless The lawyers said he is the most ruthless ULIMO fighter in their final argument on Tuesday in the closing stages of a trial that has produced an array of former ULIMO rebels and tales of unspeakable horror. Their pleadings followed that of prosecution lawyer Andreas Muller on Monday, who asked presiding Judge Jean-Luc Bacher give Mr Kosiah the maximum sentence and expel him from Swiss soil for 15. He (Kosiah) deserves to be named the most ruthless of ULIMO commanders, Werner said. The plaintiffs cited events of sheer terror which are not in this case: the story of human meat being distributed to the population in wheelbarrows. Everywhere Alieu Kosiah went, he did not played by the rules and took advantage of every situation, said Hatkim Maleh the lawyer of another plaintiff. Even in an anarchic war like the one in Liberia, even within the ULIMO, and he was present in all the excesses. The lawyers recounted the testimonies of their clients and some of Mr Kosiahs own witnesses telling the court he was in Lofa and he is guilty of all of the crimes he is accused of. They further told the court Mr Kosiah killed and ordered murders, ate the heart of a schoolteacher, masterminded looting in towns and villages, forced civilians to transport looted items to Guinea, raped a 16-year-old woman, the recruited a 12-year-old child-soldier. Civilians were the good, like material goods, of ULIMO soldiers, said Romain Wavre who works with Werner at Civitas Maxima. The group works with the Global Justice and Research Project based in Monrovia. They needed manpower so they took the men. They had sexual needs to meet so they took women. They needed soldiers who blindly obeyed so they took children. Mr Werner asked the judges to put themselves in the plaintiffs shoes. ADVERTISEMENT Imagine, we show up at your place, we kill one or the other member of your family, we take all your belongings in big suitcases and we put them on your head to sell them in Italy, Mr Werner told the judges hearing the case. And all the while, whats left of your family is worries, and if you come back you dont know when its going to start again. The lawyers also told the court to convict Mr Kosiah for recruiting the 12-year-old child-soldier though he did not file a complaint against his former boss. Children are part of the ULIMO terror machine, Mr Wavre said. Raphael Jakob, the lawyer of another plaintiff, attacked Mr Kosiahs assertion that he was not in Lofa at the time of the alleged offence, the defendant strongest defence. Mr Jakob said the plaintiffs testimonies corroborated a number of Liberian newspaper articles, the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and international reports. He said Mr Kosiah was present in Lofa at the time. If we take a few events that punctuate this time, we see that as soon as there is a power vacuum or a ceasefire, he is there to set the country on fire and blood, he has always been there to loot, massacre, profit from looting, to frustrate any attempt to restore peace in Liberia, Mr Jakob said. The trial continues on Wednesday with Mr Jakob and the other plaintiffs lawyers. This report was produced in collaboration with New Narratives as part of the West Africa Justice Reporting Project. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 MOSCOW (dpa-AFX) - The United States has imposed a tough set of sanctions on Russia over the attempted assassination and subsequent imprisonment of Russian opposition leader Aleksey Navalny. Announcing the sanctions at a press briefing, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the U.S. intelligence community assesses with 'high confidence' that officers of Russia's Federal Security Service used a nerve agent to poison Navalny on August 20. Psaki said the measures were taken also to hold Russia accountable for jailing the opposition leader in January 2021. The State Department expanded existing sanctions under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Department will amend the International Traffic in Arms Regulations to include Russia in the list of countries subject to export restrictions on items that could be used for biological agent and chemical production. He called on the Russian government to immediately and unconditionally release Alexei Navalny. The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on seven top Russian government officials, including the country's intelligence agency chief Aleksandr Bortnikov and the chief of the Kremlin's domestic policy directorate, Andrei Yarin. Five of them were previously designated by the European Union and UK for their role in Navalny's poisoning. 'The Kremlin's use of chemical weapons to silence a political opponent and intimidate others demonstrates its flagrant disregard for international norms,' said Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. The Department of Commerce added 14 Russian entities to the blacklist based on their proliferation activities in support of Russia's weapons of mass destruction programs and chemical weapons activities. On August 24, 2020, German doctors announced that Navalny had been poisoned with a substance that international laboratories identified as a Novichok nerve agent. Russia is the only known country to have used this chemical weapon. Russia had used a Novichok nerve agent in the March 2018 attempted assassination of its former military intelligence officer Sergei Skripal in United Kingdom. The United States believes that Russia's Federal Security Service used a nerve agent to poison Navalny, who fell gravely ill on August 20, 2020 while traveling after campaigning against pro-Kremlin candidates in regional elections. A vehement critic of President Vladimir Putin, Navalny has for many years been the target of FSB surveillance. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices. A hotel has brought a High Court challenge seeking to overturn a finding by the WRC that it discriminated against a member of the Traveller community and should pay her 15,000 in compensation. The Bunratty Castle Hotel, which is located close to the Limerick border in Co. Clare claims the finding is flawed and should be set aside. Bunratty Castle Hotel Ltd claims the WRC heard the complaint without the hotel's representatives being present. The hotel claims it did not attend as correspondence from the WRC about the hearing of the complaint was sent to the wrong email address. The complaint to the WRC was made under the Equal Status Act by Ms Nora Ward who approached the hotel with a view to booking the venue for her wedding. The hotel in its judicial review proceedings against the WRC, and the deciding officer in the case Mr Ray Flaherty, added that the hotel seeks an order quashing the WRC's decision against it. It also wants the court to make an order that the complaint be determined in accordance with law. Represented by Lorcan Connolly Bl the hotel says that the hotel had the original hearing of the complaint, last August, adjourned to a new date. It expected to be informed by the WRC of the new date, but did not receive any response. In January it learned from a media report that a finding of discrimination has been made against a hotel, where the facts outlined were similar to the allegations made against it. Following an investigation into the matter the hotel discovered that the unknown to it the adjourned hearing had taken place last September and a decision was published in January. It also claims that correspondence, including the complainants submissions or the outcome, from the WRC had been sent to the wrong email address. It should have been sent to weddings@bunrattycastlehotel.com but was in fact sent to weddings@bunrattycastle.com, which is not an address it uses, the hotel claims. As a result of what has occurred the hotel claims it was denied a hearing at first instance, and has been exposed to greater sanctions in the event of an appeal and to publicity. In its decision, the WRC said the hotel have been dismissive in its contacts with the woman after she provided information that would have identified her as a Traveller, as well as to the failure of the hotel to appropriately engage with the WRC. In her complaint Ms Ward said she contacted the hotel in July 2019 by email about holding her wedding, with 100 to 120 guests. She claimed she received an email response that was positive from the hotel, inviting her to a wedding showcase event. On the day of the event Ms Ward supplied both her surname and that of her fiance to the Hotel. The woman told the WRC that when she turned up at the hotel, she claimed the staff member she had been in contact with was aloof and rushed. She claimed the staff member did not bring her on a tour of the venue, even though another couple there told her they had been brought on a tour. Mrs Ward submitted that she and her family members, who attended the wedding showcase with her were readily identifiable as, "members of the Traveller community. The staff member told her she would be in contact about available dates. Two days later, the complainant contacted the staff member inquiring about dates, but received no response. Ms Ward said her treatment left her feeling devastated, humiliated and like a second-class citizen. The deciding officer found against the hotel and awarded her 15,000, which is the maximum award possible. The judicial review proceedings came before Mr Justice Charles Meenan, who on an ex-parte basis granted the hotel permission to bring its challenge. The matter will return before the court in May. The Telegraph A convicted murderer who illegally entered the UK with 68 other Albanian migrants is claiming asylum because he fears he will be killed by the victims family in a blood feud if he is deported. The Albanian killer, who shot dead a mother in front of her eight-year-old daughter, is also claiming he is a victim of trafficking after being brought into the UK on a fishing boat for which smugglers were charging up to 3,000 per head, according to court papers seen by The Telegraph. He has been held in detention since November as he fights deportation at a cost of thousands of pounds to the taxpayer. It has included at least three court hearings where his lawyers have unsuccessfully sought to secure his release despite fears that he will abscond and is a threat to public safety. The court documents reveal that even while in detention in April, he was caught in possession of a class A drug which was tested and found to be cocaine. Official inquiries have revealed that as well as the 15-year sentence for murder, he has been jailed for two years for theft in Albania, and 16 months for another unknown offence. The murderer, who has been granted anonymity by the court, was among 69 Albanians who have been able to remain in the UK after a legal bungle let them off criminal immigration charges. Their fishing boat was intercepted off the coast of East Anglia on Nov 18 on its way from Belgium in an operation that involved 250 National Crime Agency, police and Border Force officers. But plans to prosecute them for illegal entry to the UK were abandoned because when arrested they had not yet set foot on British soil a key criteria under the law. Within two days of arriving in the UK, the Albanian killer lodged an asylum claim and, according to the court documents, was also emailing the authority that investigates modern slavery in pursuit of a trafficking claim. It was, however, nearly a full month before his allegations of trafficking were revealed to the UK authorities, at the end of December. The 42-year-old claimed he had been trafficked to Greece as a teenager, and beaten and forced to work there. The Albanian also alleged he had been a victim of torture, saying he had been bullied and beaten by police officers while in prison. He served 12 of the 15 years to which he was sentenced for shooting dead the woman in front of her eight-year-old daughter at her home in a central Albanian village. He arrived in Britain after travelling through Germany, Sweden and then Belgium before taking the fishing boat to the UK. The case comes as the Government is preparing to overhaul asylum laws and crackdown on illegal migrants by making it easier and quicker to deport them. A government source said: Our new plan for immigration means that criminals like this will never make it into the country in the first place and speed up the removal of those who should not be here. As the Albanian, known only as AM, was held before the end of the transition period, the more lenient EU laws on deportation require the UK to show that he is a genuine, present and serious threat. New post-Brexit immigration laws which took effect from Dec 31 bar any EU citizen sentenced to at least a year in prison from the UK. Under the new rules, asylum seekers will also be required to present all their claims in one go, rather than mounting multiple successive appeals. Wichit street shooting was over blocking traffic, reveal police PHUKET: Wichit Police have revealed that the street shooting in front of Soi Hua Hom, off Sakdidet Rd, last month was the result of an argument over the victims parking in the middle of the narrow street, preventing any other motorists from passing through. violencecrimepolice By The Phuket News Wednesday 3 March 2021, 12:18PM Officers at the scene of the shooting on Feb 19. Photo: Phuket Provincial Police / file Wichit Police Deputy Superintendent Lt Col Thammasan Bunsong told The Phuket News yesterday (Mar 2) that the suspect wanted for the shooting had already been arrested. Lt Col Thammasan said he was unable to provide the name of the suspect as he did not have that information available at the time The Phuket News called, but said the man was about 20 years old and was a local resident in the area where the shooting took place.. The father of the suspect brought him to Wichit Police Station on Feb 20, just one day after he conducted the shooting, Lt Col Thammasan said. The suspect confessed that the motive of the shooting was that the victims had parked their vehicle in the street, preventing other vehicles from passing, he said. An argument ensued and the 20-year-old pulled out a gun and started shooting at them, then fled, leaving fellow residents Thammaboot Prachumphan, 46, with a gunshot wound to his head and his son, 28-year-old Anusit, with gunshot wounds to his leg and stomach. Of the victims of the shooting, Lt Col Thammasan yesterday said, The father, who suffered a gunshot graze wound to his head, has already been discharged from hospital, but as for his son, I do not have any information. Lt Col Thammasan yesterday confirmed that the 20-year-old man has now been charged with attempted murder. Ali Imsirovic Crowned MILLIONS Online High Roller Turbo Champion March 03 2021 Matthew Pitt Ali Imsirovic triumphed in yet another high buy-in poker tournament on March 3 when he emerged victoriously from the partypoker MILLONS Online #21 High Roller Turbo event. This latest victory saw Imsirovic reel in a $92,516 prize. MILLIONS Online #21: High Roller Turbo Final Table Results Place Player Country Prize 1 Ali Imsirovic Mexico $97,516 2 Wiktor Malinowski Russia $60,815 3 Daniel Dvoress Canada $39,526 4 Andras Nemeth Hungary $28,279 5 Dario Sammartino Austria $21,327 6 Christoph Vogelsang United Kingdom $16,823 7 Ivan Zufic Croatia $14,073 The $2,100 buy-in High Roller Turbo was done and dusted in less than six hours, ensuring the 11 players who cashed in the event boosted their usual hourly rate. Team partypoker was well represented among the 65 entrants but none of those sporting orange diamonds managed to make it into the top 11 finishing positions where the $325,000 prize pool was divvied up. Patrick Leonard busted twice, as did Kristen Bicknell, while Isaac Haxton and Mikita Badziakouski both took one shot and missed. 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 Although those on the Team partypoker roster were disappointed not to cash, at least they did not finish in 12 place and burst the money bubble. Pascal Lefrancois had that dubious honor. The Canadians exit secured an $11,016 payout for the surviving players. David Coleman and Sam Greenwood were the players who walked away with this prize after falling in 11th and 10th place respectively. Yuri Dzivielevski and Christopher Brewer were the next to bust; they both secured $12,301 payouts. Brewers exit left only seven players on a single table, each of whom were now guaranteed $14,073 and being only six eliminations away from a near $100,000 score. Ivan Zufic fell by the wayside in seventh before Christoph Vogelsang saw his tournament end abruptly in sixth, a finish good for $16,823. The came the exit of the 2019 World Series of Poker Main Event runner-up Dario Sammartino. The Austria-based Italian claimed $21,327 in prize money. Follow the MILLIONS Online Main Event live updates here The final four players still read like a whos who of the poker world despite all those stellar names biting the dust. The waters became a little less shark-infested when Andras Nemeth bowed out, followed by Daniel Dvoress who finds himself second in chips at the final table of the MILLIONS Online Main Event. Wiktor Malinowski and Imsirovic fought it out one-on-one for the title in a heads-up cash where the difference in prize money was more than $37,000. This did not deter either player and no deal was discussed. This meant Malinowski collected $60,815 when Imsirovic defeated him, leaving Imsirovic to scoop a $97,516 prize. Astedt Among the Other Winners on March 2 Niklas Astedt is known for his No-Limit Holdem prowess but it appears his Pot-Limit Omaha game is on point too. Astedt came out on top of an 89-strong crowd in the $2,100 MILLIONS Online #19 Omaha Knockout event to add a combined $54,817 to his already ridiculous lifetime winnings. The uber-talented Swede defeated Ami Barer heads-up to secure the title, which is no mean feat itself. Kristoffer Jakobsson There was a $530 Mini High Roller Turbo event, also. It saw 111 players buy in and Luigi Shehadeh walk away with the lions share of the prize pool, namely $13,863. Join the Love Party! Valentine's Day took place already more than two weeks ago but the love continues for another two days 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. PCA releases winter US regional cement consumption forecasts 03 March 2021 The PCA Market Intelligence Group has released its cement consumption and construction spending forecasts in the USA. Northeast The Northeast has been hit hard by COVID-19, leading to cement consumption declining by a projected 0.6 per cent in 2020 and PCA Market Intelligence projects further decline in 2021 by nearly one per cent. The Middle Atlantic was down nearly four per cent in 2020. However, the East North Central and New England were up 0.7 and 2.8 per cent, respectively. In the Middle Atlantic, public cement consumption is projected to decline 0.4 per cent in 2021 on top of a 1.9 per cent decline in 2020. The Northeast is generally expected to lag behind national trends in public cement consumption given state fiscal conditions and the characteristics of the region. Southeast Cement consumption in the South Atlantic census division has been positive thanks to positive in-migration fuelling housing constructions. The PCA Market Intelligence expects cement consumption to grow by three per cent in 2021. Demand in the East South Central census division is led by strong migration into Alabama and Tennessee as well as robust new home construction, resulting in a forecast 3.7 per cent increase in consumption in 2021. Demand from the logistics and distribution sector in Tennessee will also drive cement consumption. West After a flat market in the Pacific region in 2020, PCA Market Intelligence expects cement consumption will grow 0.9 per cent in 2021. California finished the year with growth, while Washington despite strong gains in the second half of the year saw a decline in cement consumption in 2020. Oregon had recorded double-digit gains in cement consumption in four of the five years going into 2020 but saw a steep decline as cement intensities normalised. The Mountain region led the US in growth (around 10 per cent) in 2020. However, Nevada has high exposure to leisure and hospitality while New Mexico and Wyoming are overly reliant on oil. PCA Market Intelligence expects the region to decline 1.3 per cent in 2021 as the commercial and public sectors are forecast to turn negative, while the robust housing market continues to grow. Central After a slight 2020 decline in the West South Central census division, PCA Market Intelligence expects cement consumption to grow 2.9 per cent in 2021. Excluding oil well cement, construction-related cement consumption grew 3.1 per cent in 2020. Near-term growth is expected to be driven primarily by residential construction as well as slow, but steady recovery in oil-well cement demand along with continued support from the public sector. The West North Central census division cement demand is expected to be flat for 2021 following an expansion of 7.2 per cent in the previous year. Despite the lack of growth, the region is expected to maintain levels of cement demand not seen since 2006. Published under Queensland has blamed international border closures for the impending loss of tens of thousands of jobs at the end of this month. Queensland Treasury modelling has revealed another 50,000 Queenslanders will lose their jobs at the end of March when the federal governments JobKeeper wage subsidy wraps up. Job hunters queue up outside a Centrelink office. Deputy Premier Steven Miles said it was up to the Commonwealth to prop up businesses reliant on international tourism after the international border ban was extended until June. The ongoing economic impacts we are feeling here in Queensland, particularly places like Cairns, are a result of those ongoing international border closures, he said. BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - The Switzerland stock market ended weak on Wednesday as investors chose to take some profits, cashing in recent gains. Uncertainty about near term outlook for the market amid a rebound in Treasury yields weighed as well on stocks. The benchmark SMI, which stayed positive till around noon, gradually edged lower as the session progressed to eventually settle at 10,771.81, netting a loss of 45.27 points or 0.42%. The SMI ended 1.05% up on Tuesday, after scoring a gain of about 1.75% a day earlier. Lonza Group shed about 2.2%, Givaudan ended 2.1% down and Alcon closed lower by about 1.5%. Swiss Life Holding and Roche Holding ended nearly 1% down, while Nestle slid 0.85%. Swisscom ended 0.58% down. Credit Suisse and UBS Group edged down marginally. Novartis shed 0.2%. Among the gainers in the SMI, Partners Group advanced 1.1%, Richemont ended nearly 1% up and Swatch Group moved up 0.9%, while Zurich Insurance Group moved up 0.67%. In the Mid Price Index, Logitech, Sonova, Vifor Pharma, Straumann Holding, Galenica Sante and Ems hemie Holdings lost 2 to 4%. Kuehne & Nagel rallied more than 7%. The logistic firm said that it looks forward to the year 2021 with confidence. After closing the year 2020 with a record operating result, the company said it looks forward to the year 2021 with confidence. Georg Fischer climbed 6.2%, Adecco firmed up 2.6%, Julius Baer gained 2.2%, Helvetia, OC Oerlikon Corp, SIG Combibloc and Flughafen Zurich moved up 1.6 to 2%. In economic news, data from the Federal Statistical Office showed Switzerland's consumer prices continued to decline in February, decreasing 0.5% year-on-year, same as seen in January. Economists had expected a 0.3% fall. On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 0.2% in February, following a 0.1% increase in the previous month. Economists had forecast a rise of 0.4%. The core CPI rose 0.1% yearly in February and declined 0.3% from the previous month. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. ADVERTISEMENT The Osun State House of Assembly on Wednesday reversed another controversial policy of former governor Rauf Aregbesola, by passing the Osun State Local Government Administration Amendment 2021 into law. According to the bill, the administration at local government level has been reversed from the parliamentary system initiated by Mr Aregbesola to a presidential system. The bill which was sponsored by the Speaker of the assembly, Timothy Owoeye, for a law to amend the Local Government Administration No. 6 law of 2016 and other connected purposes has now given the governor of the state the power to fill vacant positions in the local governments. Speaking at the plenary on Wednesday, Mr Owoeye said section 2 (a) of the State of Osun Local Government Administration amendment No. 6 Bill 2016 is amended forthwith as Where a Local Government Council, Local Council Development Areas or Area Council is dissolved and no election has been conducted to reconstitute the council or it has become impracticable to immediately conduct election to fill the vacancies thereby created, the Governor shall appoint a Caretaker Management Committee to run the affairs of the council for a period not exceeding six months. The Local Government Caretaker Management Committee shall comprise the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Scribe to the Local Government and a member from each of the wards in the local Government Area or Local Council Development Area. In case of an Area Council, an Administrator shall be appointed. The appointments shall be subjected to the confirmation of the House of Assembly. During his administration, Mr Aregbesola said the parliamentary system at the local level was to deepen democracy and offer greater political representation and governance effectiveness than any other system. The decision to adopt parliamentary system of government was also in fulfilment of Section 7 (1) of the Nigerian constitution that requires that the system of local government by democratically elected local government councils is under this Constitution guaranteed; and accordingly, the Government of every State shall, subject to section 8 of this Constitution, ensure their existence under a Law which provides for the establishment, structure, composition, finance and functions of such councils, the former governor had said. He had claimed the action of the state in adopting the system was not against the constitution or contrary to the tenets of democracy but rather helps to galvanise good governance and effective representation. Our decision is not against the constitution, as quoted earlier. Nowhere did it mention executive or parliamentary only that it must be democratic and the parliamentary system is as democratic as you can ever get. Help India! TCN News Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) has demanded that the government immediately withdraw new Information Technology rules and initiate broad-based consultations and deliberations before redrafting them. We further urge civil society to constantly engage in dialogue on the subject of digital privacy and freedom of expression, SIO said in a statement. Support TwoCircles The recently notified Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, which cover social media intermediaries as well as the digital news and OTT Platforms, have raised several red flags. Under these rules, the social media platforms are required to preserve data for 180 days double the time period prescribed earlier ostensibly for investigative purposes. The data has to be preserved even after a user has deleted their accounts, requiring the rules. They also provide for the government and courts to force the platforms to identify the originator of specific information, even though it is still unclear how this kind of identification will be verified. SIO said that, it is important to note that, in the absence of a data protection law and any kind of oversight on how surveillance operates in India, these requirements have a vast potential for abuse at the hands of intrusive state machinery. Used together with Information Technology Decryption Rules, the rules will allow the government to break any type of end-to-end encryption to gain knowledge of who sent what messages and also get to know its contents. The requirements will also break existing protocols for the deployment of end-to-end encryption that has been built through rigorous cybersecurity testing over the years, they added. The rules have come at a time when several litigations are challenging the government over its stance on surveillance and privacy. Excessive governmental control over digital news, OTT content and other such areas require much more deliberations and wide-scale consultation with the experts and different stakeholders, SIO said. President Donald Trump arrives with Vice President Mike Pence for a Make America Great Again rally at Cherry Capital Airport in Traverse City, Michigan on Nov. 2, 2020. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images) Mike Pence Breaks Silence, Says Democrats Election Bills Are Unconstitutional Power Grab Former Vice President Mike Pence wrote his first op-ed after leaving office, saying Democrats push for election laws is an unconstitutional power grab. I share the concerns of millions of Americans about the integrity of the 2020 election. Thats why when I was serving as presiding officer at the joint session of Congress certifying the Electoral College results, I pledged to ensure that all objections properly raised under the Electoral Count Act would be given a full hearing before Congress and the American people, Pence wrote. Pence railed against Democrats H.R. 1, which would require states to use an automatic voter registration system for federal elections, allow same-day voter registration, and other measures. Some Republicans have said the bill would ensure that GOP candidates would never get elected again during presidential races. While legislators in many states have begun work on election reform to restore public confidence in state elections, unfortunately, congressional Democrats have chosen to sweep those valid concerns and reforms aside and to push forward a brazen attempt to nationalize elections in blatant disregard of the U.S. Constitution, he wrote in the opinion article for The Daily Signal, which is associated with the Heritage Foundation. He added that H.R. 1 would trample the First Amendment as well as erode Americans confidence in their elections. Pence received criticism from former President Donald Trump on Jan. 6 during the Joint Session of Congress. Trump tweeted that Pence didnt have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts before the post was deleted and Trumps account was permanently suspended by Twitter. Pence and his wife Karen Pence were seen attending President Joe Bidens inauguration on Jan. 20. The former vice president also declined to attend the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) last week in Florida, according to CPACs Matt Schlapp. A number of Trump surrogates and Trump himself spoke at the conference. But last month, Pence praised Trump during a meeting he held with congressional Republicans, said one who attended. Vice President Pence made it very clear that hes proud of the Trump administrations accomplishments and he spoke favorably of President Trump and their relationship, Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement, referring to Pences meeting with lawmakers. As a former chairman of the Republican Study Committee himself, VP Pence gave a lot of great advice about my position. It was an honor to work with him to develop the RSCs forward-facing conservative agenda to unite the Republican Party, he added. Banks predicted that Pence will have a more public presence in the coming months. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. "Oregon Humane Society's mission of creating a more humane society is especially meaningful now," said Rob Stuart, President and Chief Executive Officer, OnPoint Community Credit Union. "Through all the challenges of the pandemic and devastating wildfires, OHS has served animals and pet owners in extraordinary ways. OnPoint is proud to continue working alongside OHS to create a society where all animals are treated with compassion, kindness and respect." As the largest animal welfare organization in the Northwest, more animals are adopted from OHS than from any other single-facility shelter on the West Coast. OHS puts no time limits on how long animals can remain at the shelter. A pet stays available for adoption as long as needed to find a loving home. If a pet in the care of OHS needs medical attention, the OHS veterinary hospital provides the pet with the same level of care an owner would. OHS also has training and behavior experts who work with animals who have suffered emotional trauma and need specialized care. OHS has had a busy year as it transformed its operations at the onset of the pandemic to safely meet the needs of shelter animals and the public. Its new virtual adoption process allows staff to work one-on-one with potential adopters to ensure the right fit while keeping everyone safe. Although the new approach is more time and labor-intensive, it's also been very successful, with more than 7,000 pets finding loving homes in 2020. Click here to learn more about OHS's experience through the pandemic. "With many people working from home and practicing physical distancing, interest in adoptions has been very high," said Sarah Yusavitz, Corporate Relations Officer, Oregon Humane Society. "Pets have provided a sense of comfort and calm as we've dealt with the stress of the pandemic." OHS has also responded to the needs of the community in a variety of ways during the past year. During the wildfires in September, OHS deployed responders to deliver supplies and set up kennels at evacuation sites. OHS also provided emergency boarding to evacuees and took in stray cats from the fire zone in Clackamas County. In response to the economic hardship brought on by COVID-19, OHS has hosted free pet-food banks and delivered supplies to animal shelters and food pantries around the state. OHS's Second Chance program continued to be a lifeline for shelters around the country that face overcrowding. In addition, pets have been transferred to OHS from local animal services agencies and shelters as far away as Texas and Hawaii. "The support of OnPoint and its members will help us save more lives by making us more agile and able to say 'yes' to more shelter animals across the nation when natural disasters and other crises occur," said Yusavitz. "We can't thank the OnPoint community enough, and we look forward to seeing the results of Refer a Friend this Spring." For OnPoint members who are interested in supporting OHS through the Refer a Friend campaign, click here. To learn more about OHS's lifesaving mission and the many other ways you can be more humane, visit https://www.oregonhumane.org/. ABOUT ONPOINT COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION Founded in 1932, OnPoint Community Credit Union is the largest credit union in Oregon, serving more than 420,000 members and with assets of $7.9 billion. OnPoint membership is available to anyone who lives or works in one of 28 Oregon counties (Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Crook, Curry, Deschutes, Douglas, Gilliam, Hood River, Jackson, Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Morrow, Multnomah, Polk, Sherman, Tillamook, Wasco, Washington, Wheeler and Yamhill) and two Washington counties (Skamania and Clark) and their immediate family members. More information is available at http://www.onpointcu.com or 800-527-3932. ABOUT OREGON HUMANE SOCIETY Oregon Humane Society is the Northwest's oldest and largest animal welfare organization, with one of the highest adoption rates in the nation. OHS receives no government funds for its adoption, education and animal cruelty investigation programs. Visit oregonhumane.org for more information. SOURCE OnPoint Community Credit Union Related Links http://www.onpointcu.com Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 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. PIPESTONE One of Manitobas oldest cattle markets went up in flames Monday night. PIPESTONE One of Manitobas oldest cattle markets went up in flames Monday night. Chad Parks, whose family has run Pipestone Livestock Sales since 1985, said he first noticed black smoke coming out of the structure around 6:20 p.m. "I tried to enter the building, but the kitchen area and office area was totally full of smoke and I couldnt get in far enough," he said Tuesday morning. "I tried to get in again and get the lights on, but (the fire) had burned the electrical already." He called the fire department and let all cattle out of their pens. "I think I called 911 at 6:24, and they were there within minutes," Parks said. "They did an excellent job. They did everything they could." However, Pipestone Livestock Sales was a complete loss. A representative from the Office of the Fire Commissioner said the fire was caused by an electrical panel malfunction near the sale ring area, and caused some $500,000 in damage. The facility originally opened in 1958 as the Southwest Cattle Feeders Association, becoming Manitobas first livestock market outside of Winnipeg. Parks father, Gene, and partner Jim Martin purchased the market in 1985, renaming it Pipestone Livestock Sales. The market, located some 95 kilometres southwest of Brandon, was closed from 2010 to 2017, before being relaunched after partnering with Brock and Kelly Taylor from nearby Reston. Parks said the auction house was a community staple in the southwest portion of the province, providing a welcoming space for people looking to do business and stay connected with neighbours. "That markets touched their life one way or another," he said. "Whether they were a customer, a past co-worker, employee, some young kids in 4-H or people we do business with from Quebec all the way out to B.C." Parks said its too early to tell if Pipestone Livestock Sales will be rebuilt. "We have lots of hoops to jump through right now," he said. "We have a fire investigation going on, then you have to deal with insurance and stuff so I guess we have to see how that all sorts out." Brandon Sun Thousands of incidences of sexual abuse involving private school students have been detailed on a new website after an online petition went viral. Chanel Contos, 22, has collected the testimonies of more than 4,000 students in recent weeks who claim they were abused at the hands of boyfriends or older boys. The chilling stories emerged after she launched a petition demanding improved sex education in private schools. She was overwhelmed by harrowing accounts from across Australia - forcing her to launch teachusconsent.com to make them public for the first time. The parents of some private school students have since spoken out about a culture of entitlement and privilege. Some revealed they had moved their children to the public system in response. Former Kambala High School student Chanel Contos has collected testimonials from thousands of private school students who say they were raped and assaulted by their male peers One 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'. Another father of a Year 9 student at Kings School in Parramatta said elite schools cultivated a culture of entitlement and privilege - which makes them less sensitive to others. Among the first of the 1,500 testimonies to be uploaded to the website include claims by a former student at Carey Grammar School in Melbourne who said she was raped when she passed out at a party. 'I thought Id be safe as the host went to my school. Instead he came in and got into bed with me,' the account read. She said the boy digitally penetrated her despite her telling him to stop, before his friend joined in - with both later spreading rumours about her at school. 'When I told my ex-boyfriend a few years later he told me I asked for it and shouldnt have laid down,' she wrote. A website was launched by Ms Contos overnight detailing the stories of sexual abuse from more than 1,500 students and former students Ms Contos plans to upload thousands more stories to the website in a bid to 'expose the rape culture in our society' 'Theres so much wrong to this story.' Ms Contos said she planned to upload the rest of the stories sent to her in the near future, saying it 'will expose the rape culture in our society' and 'help the cause'. A student at another Melbourne private school - Firbank Grammar School - said on the website she passed out after a night of drinking at a 'party of about 500 people'. Ms Contos said many school-aged boys often didn't even realise what they'd done constituted sexual assault 'I dont remember anything but the next day I found an Instagram picture of me passed out next to my vomit with a guy I dont know with his hands up my dress,' she said. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Firbank Grammar School and Carey Grammar School for comment. The fresh testimonies come as government figures revealed school students were paid nearly $40million in compensation after being sexually assaulted over the past two decades. More than $30.6million has been paid to 131 survivors who were assaulted before 1989 Pictured: Ms Contos, who said she was forced to perform oral sex on a boy The data follows more than 2,000 young women sharing harrowing stories of sexual abuse at the hands of their first boyfriends or older schoolboys after a petition calling for better sex education in schools went viral. New South Wales Department of Education figures showed the state government paid $9.4million to 40 survivors in 2019 after time limits on reporting sexual assaults were lifted three years earlier. President of The Blue Knot Foundation Dr Cathy Kezelman said compensation helps 'acknowledge' crimes of childhood sexual abuse - while not making up for it The total given to victims in 2019 is more than double the $4.4million paid in compensation in 2016 before the law was changed. Three-quarters of the compensation paid in the last 20 years was given to 131 survivors who were assaulted before 1989. Childhood trauma charity The Blue Knot Foundation welcomed the payouts for recognising the trauma of students who had been sexually assaulted at school. 'Compensation does not make up for a childhood betrayed but it can be an acknowledgment of the crime committed,' the charity's president Dr Cathy Kezelman told The Daily Telegraph. The latest data conducted by La Trobe University in 2018 suggests 23 per cent of students in grades 10 to 12 (ages about 16 to 18) have had some form of unwanted sexual contact. Ms Contos said Kambala High School (pictured) gave her a 'great consent education but they gave it too late' Jacqueline Hendriks, who runs Curtin University's sexology curriculum, said young people need to be taught how to have 'really positive, enjoyable sexual relationships' in school. 'At the moment, schools can get away with doing the bare minimum,' Dr Hendriks said. 'We need to keep up with the times... Ideally, we want to teach young people to have really positive, enjoyable sexual relationships.' Ms Contos' petition went viral and has thousands of signatories - most of whom detailed their own shocking experiences of abuse Ms Contos believes earlier education in schools and at home would be beneficial for both boys and girls How to introduce the concept of 'consent' at a developmental age Dr Hendriks says sex education is important at any age - as long as it is age appropriate. Children start learning about the human body during primary school, and by grades five and six, they should be entering early discussions about puberty, to align with changes happening to their own bodies. The next step, starting from early high school, is to begin discussing sex. But Dr Hendriks says it is never too early to learn the meaning of consent. KINDERGARTEN TO YEAR FOUR While students in this age group mightn't necessarily be using the word 'consent', they should be learning about the necessities of giving and gaining permission. A kindergartener might be taught that they must ask to use a toy if another student is already playing with it, or ask to borrow colouring in pencils. Similarly, students are taught they have the right to say no to these requests. If a child is enjoying playing with a certain toy, they do not have to grant permission to another child to use it simply because they asked nicely. As students get older in this age bracket, they are taught that it is okay to not want to hug or kiss a family member, that they can say no to certain requests among peers on the playground and that they have the autonomy to make their own choices. YEAR FIVE AND YEAR SIX The final stages of primary school are when students are generally given lessons on puberty, how our bodies change and a more thorough look at the differences in male and female anatomy. Students are more likely to ask questions about the human body and discussions around consent and choices become more practical. HIGH SCHOOL Dr Hendriks says high school students should be taught via a 'sex positive' education program which reminds them (at an age appropriate level) of all the benefits and 'positive' outcomes of sex. She said current curriculums tend to focus heavily on the negatives like sexually transmitted infections and early pregnancy, while not touching on why so many people have sex in the first place. Students 'want to learn more about relationships, falling in and out of love and moving on' instead of focusing wholly on the repercussions of the activity itself. Schools must also ensure they are being inclusive in their sex education, which is something that 'can be improved across the board' she says. In particular, classroom discussions still tend to be heteronormative, which mightn't be as beneficial for every person in the classroom. Advertisement Ms Contos has said she believes earlier education in schools and at home would be beneficial for both boys and girls. Consent itself should actually taught in an implicit way in classrooms from kindergarten right through to senior years, Dr Hendriks said. Children mightn't be taught the word itself, but they're told to ask permission to use another person's belongings, and taught that it is okay to say no to somebody - whether it be a family member or friend - if they'd like a hug or a kiss. As students get older and health lessons skew more to the 'birds and the bees', Dr Hendriks explained it's important to make these conversations more explicit. Chantel Contos' petition now has signatures from former and current school students across Australia 'Students need to be taught it's not simply a case of ''yes'' or ''no''. People must be actively and enthusiastically engaging for consent to be given,' she said. RAPE AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN AUSTRALIA - There were 374 juvenile sexual assault cases reported in NSW in 2020. - Chanel Contos gathered thousands of rape and sexual assault testimonies from private schoolgirls. - About 38 per cent of women aged 18 to 24 have experienced sexual harassment. - 66 per cent of 14-year-old boys have been exposed to sexual material within the last 12 months. - 72 per cent of children between 14 and 17 have been exposed to porn in the past six months. - About one in five Australian women have experienced sexual violence. - Only 28 per cent, or 14,994 cases, of alleged rape victims come forward in NSW. - Only three per cent of rapes reported to NSW Police in 2018/19 ended in a conviction. - About 346 cases were withdrawn. Source: ABS and NSW Police Advertisement 'It's not just stumbling forward and into something and hoping the person doesn't say no.' Among the 2,000 first hand experiences detailed by young women in the petition, many had startling similarities. They detailed how boys their age - or a few years older - would pressure them into sex or force themselves on young girls who were blackout drunk at parties. 'I woke up in an ex-Cranbrook boy's bed with him on top of me and his friend lying next to me as they both took turns having sex with me. I was drunk and have no recollection of how I got there,' one young woman revealed. 'One night after a party we were hooking up, I made it really clear I didn't want to have sex yet (never had before) and woke up to him a few hours later on top of me. I bled for a few days after that. When ever I'd see him at parties after that he'd have a big smile on his face, come up and say hi like nothing happened,' another said. Dr Hendriks said while there are no excuses for sexual assault, she does agree some of the young boys discussed in the petition mightn't have realised they had commit a crime. 'I understand how some young males could get confused. If they're not seeing active consent on their television screens, or being taught it at home or at school, they might just assume their partner is into it because she hasn't verbalised anything,' she said. 'But now, all people need to understand that societies expectation is active consent, and they must check in to ensure consent.' Dr Hendriks worried increased exposure to pornography could also be impacting behaviours and expectations. 'Pornography is a big issue. If they're not getting adequate information at school or at home, they're getting it from somewhere, and a lot of the time that's online. 'Studies show 80 to 90 per cent of pornography is really violent, aggressive, there is minimal communication let alone explicit consent. The safe sex practices like condoms aren't really prevalent and anal sex is quite popular. 'If that's what they're digesting online and that's what they think sex is, then they're more likely to try to be more aggressive or perform violent acts.' The flip side to that, Dr Hendriks said, are the young men who actively avoid 'asking the question' because they think they're entitled to sex or see it as a 'conquest'. Several schools prominently featured among the confessions - including $38-a-year Cranbrook School and The Scots College, have vowed to do better to teach their male students. 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 Audit firm PLT will pay Malaysia's government $80 million to resolve all claims related to its auditing of accounts of scandal-linked state fund and its unit SRC from 2011 to 2014, the finance ministry said on Wednesday. has been under scrutiny for its role in auditing the financial statements of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a state fund at the centre of a globe-spanning corruption scandal. Malaysian and U.S. authorities say at least $4.5 billion was stolen from between 2009 and 2014 by high-level officials of the fund and their associates. "The successful out-of-court settlement with will expedite the payment of monies to fulfill and SRC's outstanding obligations, which would otherwise be delayed by potentially protracted and costly court battles," the ministry said in a statement. Deloitte did not immediately respond to a request for comment and made no mention of the settlement on its website or social media accounts. The government said in November that 1MDB was still $7.8 billion in debt following the scandal. The agreement with Deloitte is the largest 1MDB-related settlement involving an audit firm in Southeast Asia, and is the latest after similar deals reached with U.S. investment firm Goldman Sachs and Malaysian banking group AmBank. Last week, AmBank said it would pay $700 million to settle claims related to 1MDB probes, a hefty sum that the group said would have a material impact on its earnings. The ministry said the deals would not affect or compromise Malaysia's claims against fugitive financier Jho Low or other parties wanted in connection with the 1MDB scandal. Low has consistently denied wrongdoing. In 2019, Malaysia's securities regulator fined Deloitte 2.2 million ringgit for failing to report irregularities in relation to an Islamic bond issued by a 1MDB-linked company. After the U.S. Justice Department filed civil lawsuits in 2016 over 1MDB, Deloitte said the 1MDB finance statements it had audited should no longer be relied upon. ($1 = 4.0490 ringgit) (Reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Editing by Martin Petty) An amputee who suffered horrific injuries and lost his leg after being hit by a car has forgiven the driver - because 's**t happens'. Peter Wetteland, 35, was convicted of negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm on Tuesday at the Queanbeyan Local Court. The victim was hospitalised for months after Wetteland pulled in front of the motorbike rider on the Barton Highway, Wallaroo in May 2019. An amputee who sustained horrific injuries and lost his leg after being hit by handyman Peter Wetteland on Barton Highway in the ACT (pictured) has forgiven the driver The rider stunningly forgave the driver in his victim impact statement, which defence barrister Jason Moffett said was a testament to his character. 'We are both victims of horrible circumstances,' the man wrote. 'I do not ask Wetteland for an apology and he should not ask for forgiveness. He said the driver was a good person who showed remorse for the crash which he called a 'tragedy', and partly blamed it on a blind spot. 'Shit happens every day and no one deserves to be crucified for a simple mistake anyone can make, no matter the outcome.' The rider was travelling at around 100km/h on his bike when he was thrown off it by a Toyota Corolla, and left screaming on the side of the road. The victim spent months in Canberra Hospital (pictured) after the crash, in which Wetteland plead guilty to negligent driving Handyman Wetteland stopped to aid the man, waited for emergency services and although he tested over the legal alcohol limit initially, a reading at the Yass Police Station returned below the limit at 0.046. The victim had his leg amputated at Canberra Hospital and was kept there for months to be rehabilitated. While Wetteland was initially charged with dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, the charge that was negotiated to a lesser plea. He was placed on community corrections order, fined $660, and banned from driving for 12 months. Ruling party hit for trying to weaken prosecution Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl has strongly opposed the ruling party's move to create a new law enforcement agency to investigate serious crimes by taking investigative power away from the prosecution. "It is tantamount to a retrogression of democracy and denial of constitutional values," Yoon said in an interview with the local Kookmin Ilbo daily's March 2 edition. "Depriving the prosecution of its investigative authority is aimed at providing an influential sector of society with undeterred power beyond the law. It is makeshift legislation that will destroy the 70-year-old criminal justice system as well as the prosecution. I will stake my job even 100 times if I can prevent such an attempt," Yoon said. It is rare for the incumbent chief prosecutor to reveal his opinion through the mass media on such a controversial issue. This will likely escalate into a conflict between the prosecution and the Ministry of Justice assisted by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). It will also likely turn into severe political wrangling between the DPK and the main opposition People Power Party (PPP). Cheong Wa Dae expressed displeasure over Yoon's opposition to the DPK's move to separate the investigative power from the prosecution which would be only left with the right to indict. The move appears to be one to weaken the power of the prosecution. The presidential office called on the prosecution to respect the National Assembly and express its opinion in accordance with due procedures. PPP floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young supported Yoon by saying that such a move could undermine the principle of checks and balances by setting up a puppet agency that will pander to a dictatorial regime. Joo's statement indicates that the DPK's bid to press for the new agency will face a bumpy road ahead in the Assembly. We urge the DPK to be cautious in tackling the issue by listening to the opposing voices of the top prosecutor and the opposition party. The prosecution has been the target of criticism for having wielded too much power by both conducting investigations and making indictments. In the past it had frequently violated human rights and failed to abide by political neutrality. The Moon Jae-in administration has been taking diverse steps to weaken the prosecution's power in the name of prosecutorial reform by delegating much of its investigative rights to the police. The Moon government has also established the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) for probes into high-profile corruption cases. Against this backdrop, it is too much to take investigative power away from the prosecution. It would be better to wait and see if the CIO carries out its role properly and effectively. Later on, legislators can decide on whether to separate the prosecution's investigation and indictment powers. The DPK should refrain from railroading the controversial bill. It also must stop trying to kick Yoon out of the prosecution only for waging a war on corrupt officials and politicians of the ruling camp. Yoon's statement largely reflects concerns that the bill might shake the very foundations of the criminal justice system and undermine the rule of law. Any hasty and reckless legislation will trigger strong resistance not only from the prosecution, but also the public. Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High around 65F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 46F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Joseph D. Duffey, a coal miners son and ordained minister whose antiwar campaign for the United States Senate from Connecticut in 1970 galvanized a generation of campus liberals, and who later served as a cultural arbiter in the Carter and Clinton administrations and presided over two major universities, died on Feb. 25 at his home in Washington. He was 88. His death was confirmed by his son, Michael. A self-described hillbilly and a Baptist from West Virginia, Dr. Duffey had organized Freedom Rides for civil rights in the South and protests against the Vietnam War before seeking the Senate seat from Connecticut. He lost, but his insurgent candidacy jolted the Democratic Party organization and catapulted him into appointive jobs, thanks to two other hillbilly Baptists who happened to become presidents of the United States. Jimmy Carter named him assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs in early 1977, and later that year Dr. Duffey was named chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, a post he held until 1982, into the Reagan years. In 1993, Mr. Clinton recruited him to be director of the United States Information Agency, which promotes American policy abroad. He was its last director as an independent agency; it was absorbed into the State Department in 1999. SAN FRANCISCO, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sitecore, the global leader in digital experience management software, today announced that it has entered into definitive agreements to acquire Boxever Ltd., a SaaS-based Customer Data Platform (CDP) providing decisioning and experimentation and Four51, Inc., a company delivering modern B2B and B2C experiences for enterprise brands. These acquisitions arrive following Sitecore's unveiling of a $1.2 billion investment plan to fund aggressive growth plans and product innovation earlier this year. The pandemic has highlighted the need for a flexible and modern Digital Experience Platform (DXP) to provide organizations with the agility and intelligence to keep pace with changing demands. Integrating Boxever's and Four51's innovative technologies with Sitecore's digital marketing solutions will disrupt the industry by offering the first modern, integrated content-to-commerce, SaaS-based DXP. This solution will enable businesses to deliver real-time, personalized digital experiences across every aspect of the buying cycle, increasing customer value and loyalty. Boxever's CDP provides a 360-degree view of customers, advanced segmentation, real-time decisioning and experimentation that acts as the brain within an organization's marketing stack to make every customer interaction more relevant and engaging. The new capabilities expand and enhance Sitecore's customer intelligence and AI-driven personalization tools making it easy to capture, unify and activate customer data and deliver personalized experiences at scale. With Four51's API-first, headless e-commerce solution, enterprises can quickly and easily deliver engaging shopping experiences helping improve customer satisfaction, loyalty and advocacy. The platform complements Sitecore's existing B2C commerce capabilities and will enable Sitecore to define the digital experience market moving forward. Organizations of all sizes across industries will benefit from the expanded capabilities, need for less upfront investment, continuous innovation and a dramatically shorter time to value. The acquisitions are expected to close before the end of March, 2021 and financial terms are not being disclosed. On completion, CEOs from both companies will take on leadership roles and Sitecore expects to invest and grow both Boxever's Dublin and Four51's Minneapolis headquarters. QUOTES "Our mission is to disrupt the digital experience market and these acquisitions will extend our leadership position. Sitecore's innovative digital experience platform spanning content-to-commerce provides companies with the flexibility and agility necessary to keep pace with changing demands ensuring they seize the digital opportunity to strengthen consumer connections. We're thrilled to welcome the Boxever and Four51 teams to Sitecore and together, we'll shape the future of digital engagement." Steve Tzikakis, CEO, Sitecore "Joining forces with Sitecore creates a disruptive proposition that will redefine what's possible for the industry, enabling organizations of all sizes to create seamless, data driven experiences in any channel. We're proud of what we've accomplished at Boxever through the contribution of our employees and partners, and we're looking forward to this next chapter." David O'Flanagan, CEO, Boxever Ltd. "We share a vision with Sitecore to help our customers succeed in a digital-first world. Our employees and partners have worked tirelessly to provide organizations with a seamless, future-proof way to deliver innovative e-commerce experiences that help brands seize the digital opportunity and this next stage is a testament to our focus on excellence." Mark Johnson, CEO, Four51, Inc. About Sitecore Sitecore delivers a digital experience platform that empowers the world's smartest brands to build lifelong relationships with their customers. A highly decorated industry leader, Sitecore is the only company bringing together content, commerce, and data into one connected platform that delivers millions of digital experiences every day. Leading companies, including American Express, ASOS, Kimberly-Clark, L'Oreal, and Volvo Cars, rely on Sitecore to provide more engaging, personalized experiences for their customers. Learn more at Sitecore.com. About Boxever Founded in 2011 in Dublin, Boxever is a digital optimization platform that uses data and AI to help the world's biggest brands make every customer interaction smarter and deliver game-changing customer experience. Recognized by analysts as a leading player in personalization and ranked by Forbes alongside Google, Apple and Amazon as one of the most powerful examples of AI in use today. The Boxever platform provides market leading CDP, decisioning, and experimentation capabilities at unrivaled scale and works with brands including Emirates, Ryanair, Vodafone and Allied Irish Bank (AIB) to revolutionize how they engage customers. About Four51 Founded in 1999 in Minneapolis, Four51 remains dedicated to eliminating the limitations of e-commerce. The Four51 OrderCloud platform is a fully composable, API-first, headless e-commerce platform. It powers e-commerce, order management, and B2B marketplace solutions for businesses with the most complex operational realities. Four51 helps manufacturers, distributors, and retailers like Aveda, D&W Diesel, Papa John's, Starbucks, and Diversified Foodservice Supply increase speed and agility, live flexibility, and innovate constantly with an e-commerce platform of the future. Sitecore is a registered trademark of Sitecore Corporation A/S in the USA and other countries. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Contact Ryan Levitt Vice President of Communications [email protected] Shannon Lyman Senior Director, Communications [email protected] SOURCE Sitecore Related Links http://www.sitecore.net You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close A 15-year-old boy is the 25th person to be arrested by gardai in relation to Saturdays violent demonstration in the capitals city centre. Independent.ie can reveal that the Dublin teenager was questioned about allegedly lighting a firework that was then thrown at gardai. It has emerged that the boy is known to the 30-year-old man who is facing charges in relation to the incident. This youngster was not previously known to gardai and has no convictions or any negative interaction with gardai before, a senior source said. He is suspected of assisting another individual to carry out a serious criminal act. However it may have been a complete accident that he was at the scene in the first place, the source said. The teenager was detained at a south Dublin garda station under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939, and was later released pending a referral to the Juvenile Diversion Programme. A total of 14 people have now appeared before Dublin District Court and been charged with various offences in relation to last weekends anti-lockdown demonstration. Senior gardai remain extremely concerned about plans for a further protest on St Patricks Day in Dublin and are preparing a special policing plan for the proposed event. Senior sources say there are also plans to step-up surveillance on up to half a dozen people who are considered ring leaders of right-wing movements who have been agitating for violence at anti-lockdown protests, including at the weekend. From a policing point of view it is a very tricky balancing act between acknowledging that people have a right to protest but trying to make sure that these events dont descend into violence, a senior source said. This is why ring leaders who often stay in the background when things kick off badly on the streets need to be watched closely, the source added. The Garda Representative Association (GRA) and the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) met with Garda Commissioner Drew Harris this morning. The GRA has welcomed a commitment by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to revisit the resourcing of public order units and the priority vaccination of gardai following the riots in Dublin last Saturday. GRA president Frank Thornton and general secretary Philip McAnenly met with Commissioner Harris today where they voiced concerns about the policing of future demonstrations. Our members were spat at, had urine thrown at them and were forced into numerous close physical engagements during Saturdays violence in Dublin. These close contacts were with people who are opposed to public health measures to prevent Covid infection which increased the risk of infection for our members. The Commissioner accepted our contention that gardai are critical frontline workers and said he would argue for higher prioritisation of gardai for vaccination at government level. Several members sustained injuries on Saturday including one who underwent surgery this week for a serious ankle injury, Gda Thornton said. After Saturdays events, the GRA reiterated its call for better resourcing of public order units and better equipment such as body cameras. Our number one priority is member safety and we got a firm commitment from the Commissioner to look again at how public order events are policed, including the planning and resourcing of operations. There are efforts to organise demonstrations in Cork and Dublin over the next couple of weeks so urgent action is critical, Gda Thornton said. You are here: China Speakers: Xiao Yaqing, minister of industry and information technology Tian Yulong, member of the Leading Party Members' Group of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and MIIT chief engineer and spokesperson Chairperson: Shou Xiaoli, deputy head of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and SCIO spokesperson Date: March 1, 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. Samsung Electronics Co. revealed additional details about its plans to build a cutting-edge semiconductor facility in the U.S. in a filing with the Texas government, making the disclosure as the Biden administration vows to make the security of the U.S. chip supply a national priority. The South Korean company plans to invest about $17 billion in its Project Silicon Silver and create about 1,800 jobs over the first ten years, according to an economic impact study prepared by a local consultant. Some $5.1 billion would go into buildings and property improvements, while $9.9 billion would be spent on machinery and equipment. The filing with the Texas comptroller warned the chips project is highly competitive." Samsung is evaluating alternatives sites in Arizona and New York, as well as in Korea. Because of its strong ties to the local community and the successful past 25 years of manufacturing in Texas, Samsung Austin Semiconductor would like to continue to invest in the city and the state," the study said. Biden Putting Tech, Not Troops, at Core of U.S.-China Policy (1) In their first weeks in office, Joe Bidens administration has emphasized the importance of advanced technologies, including semiconductors, artificial intelligence and next-generation networks. The president has ordered a global supply chain review for microchips as well as large-capacity batteries, pharmaceuticals and critical minerals and strategic materials such as rare earths. Bloomberg News first reported in January that Samsung was considering building an advanced chipmaking plant in the U.S., in hopes of winning more American clients and narrowing the gap with industry leader Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. The company was in discussions to locate a facility in Austin, Texas, capable of fabricating chips as advanced as 3 nanometers, people familiar with the matter said at the time. Details of Samsungs discussions with local governments have since leaked out in filings and other revelations. The economic impact study was prepared by Impact DataSource LLC, an Austin, Texas-based economic consulting, research and analysis firm. The report shows Samsungs Project Silicon Silver would add approximately 7 million square feet of new space to the Austin campus, where the company has had operations for decades. It estimates that 542 new workers would move to the city, contributing to an addition of 1,626 new residents. Property tax abatements would total about $1.5 billion over 20 years at the city and county levels, while direct and indirect economic output would be about $8.6 billion and salaries would total $7.3 billion. A January filing detailed the likely timeline for the project. If Samsung chooses Austin, it would break ground in the second quarter of 2021 with the expectation that production would be up and running by the fourth quarter of 2023, it said. Separately, Samsungs current foundry plant in Austin hasnt resumed operations since Feb. 16 after it was ordered to halt operations by Austin Energy due to blackouts in the region. Power and water are back but it will take more time to fully restart operations, officials said. 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. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Burma Another Bloody Day in Myanmar: At Least 28 Protesters Slain by Military A woman mourns for a dead family member killed during a crackdown in Mandalay on March 3. / The Irrawaddy YANGONMyanmars protest-related death toll reached its highest point on Wednesday as soldiers and riot police loyal to the countrys military regime killed at least 28 unarmed civilians amid their crackdown on anti-junta protesters in at least four cities. Anti-regime mass rallies have erupted daily in Myanmar following a military takeover early last month. While denouncing the military dictatorship, protesters have also demanded the release of their democratically elected leaders, the President U Win Myint, the State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and others detained by the regime. As recently as Sunday, the country saw at least 15 fatalities in a single day. Since the onset of a deadly crackdown against protesters in late February, at least 49 people have been killed by security forces. That number is very likely to increase because there are many who have been seriously injured. Following the bloody Sunday attacks on the protesters, the regime announced that security forces had been ordered not to use live bullets during crowd control. That did not hold true. On Wednesday, Yangons North Okkalapa Township suffered at least 15 deaths as soldiers and police fired live rounds into crowds of protesters. At least six people were killed in Monywa in Sagaing Region. The town had also faced a violent crackdown as recently as Saturday. Mandalay in central Myanmar saw yet another bloody day as a downtown sit-in was crushed by the excessive use of force. At least three protesters were shot dead in their heads and chests. Protesters in Myin Chan in Mandalay Region, Magwe and Mawlamyine also faced deadly crackdowns. The areas reported one, two, and one deaths respectively. On Wednesday, many were believed to be wounded, including some rescue workers. Videos show them being seriously beaten and kicked by police after being pulled out of an ambulance. Several hundred protesters were reportedly arrested. In Yangons Tamwe Township alone, live streaming videos show at least 200 civilians being detained and taken away in army trucks in the afternoon. Since the coup, the military regime in Myanmar has been condemned internationally. The violence on Wednesday came a day after an ASEAN meeting where foreign ministers from Southeast Asian neighbors urged the generals to use restraint. Myanmar is a bloc member. However, due to its non-interference policy, the bloc is largely regarded as toothless. On Wednesday, ASEAN could not reach an agreement to call for the releases of the country leaders the President U Win Myint and the State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and restoration of democracy. You may also like these stories: 115 Information Ministry Staff Refuse to Work for Myanmar Junta Myanmar Regimes Appointed Envoy to UN Resigns Despite Promotion At Least Nine Protesters Shot Dead in Three Cities in Myanmar The Guardian The potential consequences of the origins of the virus are shattering if they can be proved My own complacency on the matter was dynamited by the lab-leak essay that ran in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists earlier this month. Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters There was a time when the Covid pandemic seemed to confirm so many of our assumptions. It cast down the people we regarded as villains. It raised up those we thought were heroes. It prospered people who could shift easily to working from home even as it problematized the lives of those Trump voters living in the old economy. Like all plagues, Covid often felt like the hand of God on earth, scourging the people for their sins against higher learning and visibly sorting the righteous from the unmasked wicked. Respect science, admonished our yard signs. And lo!, Covid came and forced us to do so, elevating our scientists to the highest seats of social authority, from where they banned assembly, commerce, and all the rest. We cast blame so innocently in those days. We scolded at will. We knew who was right and we shook our heads to behold those in the wrong playing in their swimming pools and on the beach. It made perfect sense to us that Donald Trump, a politician we despised, could not grasp the situation, that he suggested people inject bleach, and that he was personally responsible for more than one super-spreading event. Reality itself punished leaders like him who refused to bow to expertise. The prestige news media even figured out a way to blame the worst death tolls on a system of organized ignorance they called populism. In reaction to the fool Trump, liberalism made a cult out of the hierarchy of credentialed achievement in general But these days the consensus doesnt consense quite as well as it used to. Now the media is filled with disturbing stories suggesting that Covid might have come not from populism at all, but from a laboratory screw-up in Wuhan, China. You can feel the moral convulsions beginning as the question sets in: What if science itself is in some way culpable for all this? * I am no expert on epidemics. Like everyone else I know, I spent the pandemic doing as I was told. A few months ago I even tried to talk a Fox News viewer out of believing in the lab-leak theory of Covids origins. The reason I did that is because the newspapers I read and the TV shows I watched had assured me on many occasions that the lab-leak theory wasnt true, that it was a racist conspiracy theory, that only deluded Trumpists believed it, that it got infinite pants-on-fire ratings from the fact-checkers, and because (despite all my cynicism) I am the sort who has always trusted the mainstream news media. My own complacency on the matter was dynamited by the lab-leak essay that ran in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists earlier this month; a few weeks later everyone from Doctor Fauci to President Biden is acknowledging that the lab-accident hypothesis might have some merit. We dont know the real answer yet, and we probably will never know, but this is the moment to anticipate what such a finding might ultimately mean. What if this crazy story turns out to be true? The answer is that this is the kind of thing that could obliterate the faith of millions. The last global disaster, the financial crisis of 2008, smashed peoples trust in the institutions of capitalism, in the myths of free trade and the New Economy, and eventually in the elites who ran both American political parties. In the years since (and for complicated reasons), liberal leaders have labored to remake themselves into defenders of professional rectitude and established legitimacy in nearly every field. In reaction to the fool Trump, liberalism made a sort of cult out of science, expertise, the university system, executive-branch norms, the intelligence community, the State Department, NGOs, the legacy news media, and the hierarchy of credentialed achievement in general. Now here we are in the waning days of Disastrous Global Crisis #2. Covid is of course worse by many orders of magnitude than the mortgage meltdown it has killed millions and ruined lives and disrupted the world economy far more extensively. Should it turn out that scientists and experts and NGOs, etc. are villains rather than heroes of this story, we may very well see the expert-worshiping values of modern liberalism go up in a fireball of public anger. Consider the details of the story as we have learned them in the last few weeks: Lab leaks happen. They arent the result of conspiracies: a lab accident is an accident, as Nathan Robinson points out; they happen all the time, in this country and in others, and people die from them. There is evidence that the lab in question, which studies bat coronaviruses, may have been conducting what is called gain of function research, a dangerous innovation in which diseases are deliberately made more virulent. By the way, right-wingers didnt dream up gain of function: all the cool virologists have been doing it (in this country and in others) even as the squares have been warning against it for years. There are strong hints that some of the bat-virus research at the Wuhan lab was funded in part by the American national-medical establishment which is to say, the lab-leak hypothesis doesnt implicate China alone. There seem to have been astonishing conflicts of interest among the people assigned to get to the bottom of it all, and (as we know from Enron and the housing bubble) conflicts of interest are always what trip up the well-credentialed professionals whom liberals insist we must all heed, honor, and obey. The news media, in its zealous policing of the boundaries of the permissible, insisted that Russiagate was ever so true but that the lab-leak hypothesis was false false false, and woe unto anyone who dared disagree. Reporters gulped down whatever line was most flattering to the experts they were quoting and then insisted that it was 100% right and absolutely incontrovertible that anything else was only unhinged Trumpist folly, that democracy dies when unbelievers get to speak, and so on. The social media monopolies actually censored posts about the lab-leak hypothesis. Of course they did! Because were at war with misinformation, you know, and people need to be brought back to the true and correct faith as agreed upon by experts. * Let us pray, now, for science, intoned a New York Times columnist back at the beginning of the Covid pandemic. The title of his article laid down the foundational faith of Trump-era liberalism: Coronavirus is What You Get When You Ignore Science. Ten months later, at the end of a scary article about the history of gain of function research and its possible role in the still ongoing Covid pandemic, Nicholson Baker wrote as follows: This may be the great scientific meta-experiment of the 21st century. Could a world full of scientists do all kinds of reckless recombinant things with viral diseases for many years and successfully avoid a serious outbreak? The hypothesis was that, yes, it was doable. The risk was worth taking. There would be no pandemic. Except there was. If it does indeed turn out that the lab-leak hypothesis is the right explanation for how it began that the common people of the world have been forced into a real-life lab experiment, at tremendous cost there is a moral earthquake on the way. Because if the hypothesis is right, it will soon start to dawn on people that our mistake was not insufficient reverence for scientists, or inadequate respect for expertise, or not enough censorship on Facebook. It was a failure to think critically about all of the above, to understand that there is no such thing as absolute expertise. Think of all the disasters of recent years: economic neoliberalism, destructive trade policies, the Iraq War, the housing bubble, banks that are too big to fail, mortgage-backed securities, the Hillary Clinton campaign of 2016 all of these disasters brought to you by the total, self-assured unanimity of the highly educated people who are supposed to know what theyre doing, plus the total complacency of the highly educated people who are supposed to be supervising them. Then again, maybe I am wrong to roll out all this speculation. Maybe the lab-leak hypothesis will be convincingly disproven. I certainly hope it is. But even if it inches closer to being confirmed, we can guess what the next turn of the narrative will be. It was a perfect storm, the experts will say. Who coulda known? And besides (they will say), the origins of the pandemic dont matter any more. Go back to sleep. Thomas Frank is a Guardian US columnist. He is the author, most recently, of The People, No: A Brief History of Anti-Populism Spunky dancer-turned-recording artiste Lilie is thoroughly enjoying her time in Jamaica. A Russian-Georgian with a German passport, she came to Jamaica to study Dancehall music two years ago and through a series of extraordinary events is now releasing her debut single, Brand Me a Rebel. She is known for one of her intriguing tattoos. The song is basically saying I dont care, go ahead judge me, this is my life and Ill live it how I want it. Everyone is the creator of their own happiness, and that is something I wanted to convey with this song, the artiste whose real name is Lilie Gorchkov, said. She said the song is a smack in the face of anyone who has ever made a preconceived judgment of a woman solely based on her appearance. Yea, the song is a criticism of the way people often judging others, especially women for what they wear how they act and especially when women are on the way up on their careerthey experience a lot of judgement. And most people dont see you as a person or care to understand what you went through, so this song is for them, the effervescent 23-year-old said. Visuals for the single on the After 13 Music label were released today. Lilie grew up in Hannover, Germany where she attended Hochschule fur Musik Theater und Medien (College for Musical Studies, Theater and Media) in Hannover. She developed an early love for dancing and by the time, she was an adult, she became a professional dancer. Ive been dancing since I could walk, I started with ballet but since then I have danced my way through a lot of dance styles : hip hop , pole dancing, cheerleading, contemporary, heels dance, and of course, dancehall. When I was 16, I got into fitness and made a living off dancing and fitness, doing shows for artistes, video shoots and teaching. I also learned guitar and bass, and drums and started music in Germany, she explained. Lilie came to Jamaica in 2018 to immerse herself in Dancehall culture and take a couple of dancehall classes, and voila!, she fell in love with the island. I fell in love with the island the food, vibes, the weather, a lot of different things and I looked for a way to move here(to Jamaica). I established myself here by doing video shoots for artistes and teaching hip hop and heel dance classes, and I met a lot of great people and got back into music and here I am, she said. The transition from the cosmopolitan German music scene with a smorgasbord of genres like rock, pop, dance, hip hop, and German Schlager dominate the airwaves to the flair, raw improvisation and organised chaos of the all is dancehall space was not easy at first. When I first got into the dancehall scene. I felt all eyes were on me, I felt like I was a stranger, but I realized that as long as you approach them nicely, they are very open, and interested and open minded, then I realized how versatile Jamaica is and how many different sides it has, she said. She is gung ho about the opportunity to work with local beatmakers and artistes to blend her Eurocentric pop stylings to dancehall and world music, and craft an authentic new sound. In Germany, in music school, I had recorded songs but I never got to record my own songs. But here in Jamaica, I met the right people, showed them my songs and they were like just do it, lets go!. I love Caribbean music and dancehall, the music I am doing is pop-oriented because of my influence frm Europe. But I am very excited and curious about what the future brings, she said. Lilie is managed by Marlon Hutchinson of After 13 Music. She is working on a number of other pop-oriented singles which will be released later this year. More African countries received the long-awaited first deliveries of COVID-19 vaccines on Wednesday, with Kenya and Rwanda benefiting from the global COVAX initiative that aims to ensure doses for the worlds low-and middle-income nations. African and other health officials have been frustrated with the sight of a handful of rich countries rolling out vaccines after snapping up large amounts for themselves. We will be known as the continent of COVID if Africa doesnt quickly reach its target of vaccinating 60% of its population of 1.3 billion people, the director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, John Nkengasong, said last week. The continent last month surpassed 100,000 confirmed deaths. So far Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Angola and Congo also have received their first vaccine doses via COVAX, with several other countries including Mali, Senegal, Malawi and Uganda set to receive them this week. Rwanda is becoming the first African nation to receive the Pfizer vaccine via COVAX. The vaccine needs storage at ultra-cold temperatures, making rollout complex in hot countries and rural areas, for example. COVAX has faced delays related to the severely limited global supply of vaccine doses as well as logistical issues. And COVAX alone will not supply Africas 54 countries with the doses needed to reach the 60% population coverage for achieving so-called herd immunity, when enough people are protected through infection or vaccination to make it difficult for a virus to continue to spread. Thats why some countries such as South Africa, the hardest-hit African nation, are also pursuing COVID-19 vaccines via bilateral deals or via the African Unions bulk-purchasing program. Despite the various challenges, some health officials expressed jubilation as the first vaccine doses via COVAX arrived. We have been fighting the pandemic with rubber bullets but what we have acquired today is equivalent, metaphorically speaking, to bazookas and machine guns, Kenyan Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe said. Kenya received 1.02 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India. The minister said the vaccines will be administered to some 400,000 medical workers and the rest will go to other front-line workers such as teachers and police officers. This first shipment of 1 million vaccines is part of an order of 3.5 million to Kenya, UNICEF spokesman Andrew Brown told The Associated Press. Short link: New Delhi, March 3 : Commuters waiting for the signal-free ride from Delhi's East to South will have to wait for another one-and-a-half year as the under-construction Barapullah Phase-3 elevated corridor project, connecting Mayur Vihar-1 to Sarai Kale Khan, is still facing the land acquisition hurdle. The Public Works Department (PWD), which is carrying out the construction work through an agency, missed its three deadlines in 2017, 2018 and 2020. Delay in acquiring the land portion along the Yamuna floodplain forced the PWD-hired private construction firm to stop the work midway. Now, the hired agency, though has started the project work at Sarai Kale Khan, estimated that the work will be completed in the next one-and-a-half year if the land acquisition obstacle is resolved. However, the PWD is yet to set any deadline for the project. Speaking to the IANS, the office of PWD Minister of Delhi government said, "The government has succeeded in acquiring lands from the individual landowners at Yamuna floodplain in some parts and the process for the acquisition of the remaining part of land is underway." As per the sources, the PWD needed to acquire two plots measuring 500m and 250m to erect pillars for the fully elevated corridor, of which 180m has been acquired and the remaining around 670m is yet to be acquired. The process of land question was initially started by the Delhi government in 2015 after the phase 3 of Barahpullah flyover was started. Sources said that landowners were ready to sell their land, but the legalities under the Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013 had put a spanner in the works. Sources in PWD said, as per the rules, before acquiring private land, a Social Impact Assessment (SIA) of the land has to be done. Sources also confirmed though, the process was started two years back, however, both the parties (Delhi government and individual landowners) are yet to reach any final agreement. The phase 3 of Barapullah project which is fully elevated corridor from Mayur Vihar 1 to Sarai Kale Khan comprises of around 270 pillars along the way. An official authorised for monitoring the project told IANS that the hired agency has started reconstruction the well located in the middle of the Yamuna River. "The well which was dug for setting pillars was collapsed due to heavy rain fall last year. The agency had then demanded for Rs 2 crore from PWD for it, however, parties (PWD and hired agency) could not finalised the matter and as result the agency had stopped construction work. Now, both parties have reached an agreement; the agency has started redeveloping the well. But, hindrance is not over as the land is yet getting acquired," the official said on the condition of anonymity. When asked as to when the bridge between Sarai Kale Khan and Mayur Vihar 1 will be connected, he said. "Delay has not occurred from the agency side but from the government side. Around 180m part of land was acquired in Mayur Vihar 1 side and pillars have been constructed," he added. It is expected that phase 3 of the Barapullah corridor will give a signal-free stretch to commuters moving from East to South Delhi, who will be able to make the journey in just 20 minutes. The Barapullah elevated corridor was planned in three phases. The first phase was constructed in 2010 during the Commonwealth Games, connecting Sarai Kale Khan and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The second phase, which is also under construction, connects the stadium to INA market, while Phase 3 will connect Mayur Vihar Phase I to Sarai Kale Khan. According to the PWD sources, the project, which was initially supposed to be completed by October, 2017 missed its several deadlines. The repeated delay in project has risen to its estimated cost of 1,288.93 crore against its earlier estimated cost of Rs 1,000 crore. The only respite for the project had been in early 2019 when an 800-metre flyover, another crucial component of the project providing signal-free passage from near the vicinity of Mayur Vihar extension to the Akshardham metro station was thrown open and has reduced travel time between both points to between 15 to 20 minutes. (Natural News) Remember the media outrage when Customs and Border Patrol under the Trump administration held unaccompanied minor illegal alien children in holding facilities? (Article by Pat Droney republished from LawEnforcementToday.com) Of course, when Trump was president, they were referred to as cages. Now, the exact same facilities are referred to as holding or overflow facilities and the media has been largely silent. In fact, according to the CBP union, the Biden administration is illegally holding the children longer than legally allowed, according to the head of that union. Yet the media says nothing, because its their guy whos doing it. Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council told Breitbart Texas that as of last Monday, CBP held over 800 Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) in custody. Legally, they are only permitted to be held for 72 hours, then must be released to other federal agencies. Judd said that over 212 were held in custody longer than what is legally permitted. Today, [White House Press Secretary] Jen Psaki said the Administration could not hold the children in other locations due to the Covid protocols including social distancing, Judd told Breitbart. But what she didnt tell the media was that the children in [Border Patrols} custody were being held in conditions that have nearly no way to social distance. Psakis remarks came after she was pressed by Fox News White House Correspondent Peter Doocy, who questioned the difference between the Trump era cages and the facilities in which the migrant children were now being held. Forbes tweeted a video of the exchange: MOMENTS AGO: Jen Psaki clashes with Fox Newss Peter Doocy over Biden administration immigration policies. pic.twitter.com/6SBa8gt8SZ Forbes (@Forbes) February 23, 2021 Judd made it clear that the Biden administration is keeping unaccompanied minors in Border Patrol custody for a longer period than law permits in conditions where it is not possible to maintain social distancing in order to maintain that ability in other federal facilities. The hypocrisy from the left and the mainstream media shows they care nothing for the children they were using as pawns to attack President Trump, Judd said. Today Jen Psaki said, Customs and Border Control [not Customs and Border Protection] continue to transfer unaccompanied children to HHS Office of Refugee and Resettlement (ORR), the Border Patrol union leader explained. She went to great lengths that due to the pandemic and social distancing, ORR only has capacity for a certain number of children. What she didnt explain is that the children that ORR doesnt have the capacity to take are left in facilities far worse than those of HHS, Judd continued. In fact, they are being held in the same locations they accused the Trump Administration of inhuman acts when they said he was holding kids in cages.' Last night, nearly 200 illegal aliens were apprehended in frigid temperatures in Mission, TX, to include 44 unaccompanied children. Even with the spread of the #COVID19 human smugglers continue brazen attempts with zero regard for the lives they endanger. pic.twitter.com/ZXO31Qcph2 Chief Patrol Agent Brian Hastings (@USBPChiefRGV) February 18, 2021 One person who wasnt happy when the Trump administration put children in detention facilities who was no less unhappy with the decision by the Biden administration is Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Ocasio-Cortez slammed the decision by the Biden administration, saying: This is not okay, never has been okay, never will be okayno matter the administration or party. This is not okay, never has been okay, never will be okay no matter the administration or party. https://t.co/AEV7s7QQnB Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 23, 2021 The increase in apprehension of unaccompanied minors is causing problems for the Biden administration, clearly of its own doing. Biden signaled prior to Novembers election that it would be doors wide open for anyone wishing to enter the United States were he elected president. Once that happened, the floodgates started to open. The number of Unaccompanied Alien Children illegally crossing the southern border is increasing every month, according to reports from CBP officials. For example, in January 2021, Border Patrol officers apprehended 5,871 unaccompanied minors, an increase from the 4,995 apprehended in December 2020, while less than 3,100 were apprehended in January 2020. Breitbart Texas said they reached out to CBP and the Border Patrol for confirmation of the number of migrants currently being held, and how long they are being held for. No official reply was received by Breitbart as of their publication date. Criticism of the Biden administration came from all quarters. The Washington Examiner reported that Linda Brandmiller, a Texas immigration lawyer slammed the administrations action. Its unnecessary, its costly, and it goes absolutely against everything [President] Biden promised he was going to do, Brandmiller said. Its a step backward, is what it is, its a huge step backward. The outlet reported that dozens of migrant teenagers were interred at the facility on Monday because permanent holding facilities are dealing with lower capacity limits during the coronavirus pandemic, while a slew of unaccompanied children are attempting to cross the border. However with limited exceptions, the selective outrage that blew up in 2019 when the Carrizo Springs temporary detention facility opened under the Trump administration, is nowhere to be found this time. This is especially true on mainstream media outlets such as CNN, MSNBC, NBC, ABC, CBS and of course the late-night talking morons, Kimmel, Colbert, Fallon and Noah. The silence is deafening. At that time for example, the senior policy director for the Childrens Defense Fund of Texas, Cheasty Anderson said, This is a travesty and a crime against humanity. We must raise our voices and cry out with one voice today, tomorrow and everyday until this is over. In fact, that facility generated so much partisan selective outrage that employees of Wayfair, the online furniture retailer actually walked out of work in protest after it was revealed Wayfair had sold $200,000 in beds and other furniture to the facility. Were walking out in protest of our leaderships decision to sell to reprehensible concentration camps, said one employee at the time. We had hoped that raising awareness would be enough for them to do the right thing, but it wasnt. We want to make it clear that this is not a political issueits a humanitarian issue, and we will not back down. Unless its a Democrat thats making the decisions. Then its no longer a humanitarian issue, just a partisan political one apparently. However despite the criticism leveled at the facilities under the Trump administration, current Department of Health and Human Services spokesman Mark Weber noted that children placed in the facility receive good care, which has not changed with the change in administrations. If we could find another way, thatd be great, Weber said. On the flip side, these kids just come in, and theyre turned loose on the streetthey end up being homeless kids. Still, there are some who were opposed to the facilities in 2019 and are still opposed today. One such person is community activist Rosey Abuabara from San Antonio. She wonders if the reopening of the facility means that not much has changed with the approach between Trump and Biden. When I read they were opening again, I cried, she said. I consoled myself with the fact that it was considered the Cadillac of [migrant child] centers, but I dont have any hope that Biden is going to make it better. Read more at: LawEnforcementToday.com and JoeBiden.news Post your Comments Comments should be on the topic and should not be abusive. The editorial team reserves the right to review and moderate the comments posted on the site. Holtville: Thirteen people were killed on Tuesday when an SUV carrying 25 people and a semi-trailer collided on a Southern California highway near the US-Mexico border, authorities said. Twelve people were found dead when first responders reached the highway, which winds through fields in the agricultural southeastern corner of California. Another person died at a hospital, California Highway Patrol Chief Omar Watson said. Authorities do not yet know if the driver of the 1997 Ford Expedition, who died in the crash, had stopped at a stop sign before crossing into the path of the big rig around 6.15am, Watson said. The gravel-hauling semi-trailer hit the left side of the SUV, which appeared to have been pushed off the road thats about 160 kilometres east of San Diego. Law enforcement officers work at the scene of a deadly crash in California. Credit:AP Watson described a grisly scene outside Holtville, a rural town about 18 kilometres north of the border with farms that grow vegetables and alfalfa for cattle feed. Officers arrived to find that some people had been ejected from the SUV onto the ground. Some of the passengers had pulled themselves from the wreckage, and others who were injured were wandering around. The Appointments Committee of Parliament has failed to approve the appointments of ministers-designate for Food and Agriculture, Information and Fisheries Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, and Hawa Koomson respectively. According to pro-government network Asaase Radio, the 26-member committee could not arrive at a unanimous decision for the three which means their approval must go to the plenary. The report stated that the minority side of the committee was not happy with Oppong Nkrumah, accusing him of instigating the Supreme Court judges to cite Dr. Dominic Ayine for contempt in the ongoing Election 2020 petition hearing. In the case of the Minister for Food and Agriculture-designate, Kwaku Owusu Afriyie Akoto, members of the Minority side of the Appointments Committee accused him of being arrogant when he appeared before the committee and on that basis, they will not approve of his nomination. On Koomson, the Minority side of the Appointments Committee, are of the opinion that she is not fit for the job, Asaase Radio reported. Meanwhile, 22 other ministerial nominees of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo have been unanimously approved by the Appointments Committee of Parliament. However, the Committee is seeking clarification on five others. They are Roads and Highways portfolio Kwesi Amoako-Atta, Minister-designate for Communications and Digitization, Ursula Owusu Ekuful, Health Minister-designate, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, Attorney General-designate, Godfred Yeboah Dame and John Peter Amewu, Minister-designate for Railways Development. Source: Asaase Radio 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. [March 03, 2021] Simpson Thacher Adds Recognised Private Funds Lawyer in London Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP announced today that James Board will join as a Partner in the Firm's London office. "We are delighted to welcome James to the Firm," said Bill Dougherty, Chairman of Simpson Thacher's Executive Committee. "We have a market-leading global Private Funds Practice and James' skills and depth of experience will benefit our private fund sponsor clients in the United Kingdom, throughout Europe and around the world." James advises primarily on the establishment and operation of credit funds, including special situations, distressed, direct lending, liquid, structured and real estate credit funds. He also has substantial experience guiding sponsors in establishing single investor funds and managed accounts involving institutional investors. In addition, James advises on the structure and terms of incentive arrangements, including co-investment, executive carried interest and similar agreements. Named a rising star by Private Debt Investor and Euromoney LMG, he joins the Firm from Kirkland & Ellis LLP. "James has established himself as a go-to advisor on complex fundraises, especially in the credit funds space, and he will be an excellent addition to our stellar London team," said Jason Glover, ManagingPartner of the London office and Head of the Firm's London Funds Practice. "The addition of James marks the latest step in the continued growth of our private funds platform in Europe and follows the recent announcement concerning Owen Lysak joining the Firm to lead our European regulatory practice." "Recognised as a rising star in the private funds industry, James will further bolster the strength of our market-leading practice and enhance our ability to provide strategic advice across the spectrum of private funds asset classes and strategies," said Michael Wolitzer, Head of Simpson Thacher's Private Funds Practice. Established in 2011, Simpson Thacher's London Funds Practice advises many of Europe's preeminent private fund sponsors on significant capital raisings and ongoing fund-related matters. The practice covers the full spectrum of private funds, including buyout, growth, venture capital, core private equity, credit, infrastructure, energy and real estate. In addition to providing U.S. and English law capability on fund formation matters, the global Private Funds Practice offers clients forward-thinking, innovative and practical solutions to complex regulatory, compliance and enforcement issues. ABOUT SIMPSON THACHER Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP (www.simpsonthacher.com) is one of the world's leading international law firms. The Firm was established in 1884 and has more than 1,000 lawyers. Headquartered in New York with offices in Beijing, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Palo Alto (News - Alert) , Sao Paulo, Tokyo and Washington, D.C., the Firm provides coordinated legal advice and transactional capability to clients around the globe. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210302006203/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] (@ChaudhryMAli88) LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Mar, 2021 ) :An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Wednesday indicted accused, Abid Malhi and Shafqat Ali, in motorway gang-rape case. The accused pleaded not guilty and contended to contest the charges, said Deputy Prosecutor General Hafiz Asghar. Hafiz told APP that the court recorded statements of 10 prosecution witnesses, including car mechanic, Dolphin squad member, doctor, after the accused denied the charges. Subsequently, the court adjourned further proceedings till March 4 and summoned more prosecution witnesses on the next date of hearing, he added. ATC Judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta conducted the case hearing at the Camp Jail, wherein jail authorities produced Abid Malhi and Shafqat Ali, prime accused and co-accused. The Gujjarpura police had filed a challan against the accused, wherein they were declared guilty. The police had requested the court for awarding strict punishment to the accused as sufficient evidence was available against them. The police had also submitted a list of 53 witnesses. On September 9, the accused- Abid Malhi and Shafqat Ali, allegedly raped a woman at gunpoint in Gujjarpura area while she was waiting for help on the motorway after hercar ran out of fuel. An FIR of the incident was lodged with the Gujjarpura police under varioussections of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). NEW BRITAIN, Conn., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In the wake of the recent winter storm in Texas, Stanley Black & Decker (NYSE: SWK) announced a donation of $500,000 to the American Red Cross Disaster Giving Program. Funds will be used to support immediate needs in Texas, along with future disasters throughout the country. The company will also be donating to the North Texas Food Bank and Genesis Women's Shelter to assist residents in Texas who are struggling to meet basic needs. "Recent storms have been devastating to the residents of Texas, claiming nearly 80 lives and eliminating power to millions," said CEO of Stanley Black & Decker Jim Loree. "Unfortunately, the timing of the storms exacerbated existing pandemic related challenges. And while temperatures have risen in Texas, the aftermath of the storm remains with many individuals still without heat, power and water. By giving to the American Red Cross, we will help support the immediate needs in Texas and future crisis relief efforts in the United States." Members of the American Red Cross Disaster Giving Program pledge essential contributions in advance of disasters, powering the nonprofit with strong infrastructure, trained volunteers, innovative technology and critical resources necessary to provide immediate relief and support to those in crisis. The program is structured to steer support to the highest priority needs based on the impacted community. The rapid response, efficiency and objective criteria that characterize the program enable member companies to respond efficiently, urgently and effectively in the face of disasters, as relief is directed where and how it is most needed as assessed by experts. "Millions of people with the majority in Texas have been left without power, heat and in some cases, water due to winter storms bringing extreme cold, heavy snow and ice to a broad swath of the country," said Don Herring, chief development officer at the American Red Cross. "Thanks to the commitment of partners like Stanley Black & Decker, the Red Cross is able to work around the clock with partners on the ground to make sure people have a safe and warm place to stay, ready-to-eat meals and comfort." Stanley Black & Decker's Local Support In Texas Stanley Black & Decker currently has DEWALT, Proto and STANLEY Oil & Gas facilities throughout Texas, and a CRAFTSMAN facility opening later this year in Fort Worth. With nearly 1,000 current Stanley Black & Decker employees based in the state, the company is supporting nonprofits who are helping residents meet basic needs. A $25,000 donation is being provided to the North Texas Food Bank to ensure 75,000 neighbors who were affected by the storm receive the assistance they need. For years, Stanley Black & Decker employees in Texas have partnered with the Genesis Women's Shelter, a nonprofit providing safety, shelter and support for women who have experienced domestic violence. Employees have spent time volunteering with the organization, cooking and serving meals for neighbors in need. When pipes recently burst in the facility due to the storm, causing them to temporarily close their transitional housing services, Stanley Black & Decker pledged an additional donation to support the Genesis Women's Shelter to get them back up and running. Additionally, to support the rebuilding efforts in Texas, Stanley Black & Decker is working with the Mechanical Contractors Association of America through its DEWALT partnership to distribute funds to the Houston area in support of members in the pipe trades. Their skills are in critical need in Texas after pipes burst and water caused extreme damage and undrinkable conditions around the state. For more on Stanley Black & Decker's philanthropic efforts, click here. About Stanley Black & Decker Stanley Black & Decker is a purpose-driven, $14.5 billion revenue industrial organization. Stanley Black & Decker has 53,000 employees in more than 60 countries and operates the world's largest tools and storage business, the world's second-largest commercial electronic security services company, a leading engineered fastening business as well as Oil & Gas and Infrastructure businesses. The company's iconic brands include BLACK+DECKER, Bostitch, CRAFTSMAN, DEWALT, FACOM, IRWIN, LENOX, Porter Cable and STANLEY. Stanley Black & Decker is a company for the makers and innovators, the craftsmen and the caregivers, and those doing the hard work to make the world a better place. Learn more at www.stanleyblackanddecker.com. SOURCE Stanley Black & Decker Related Links www.stanleyblackanddecker.com The Milton Hershey School has announced a location for the central administrative office for its new early learning schools. The Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learnings main office will be located at a building at 1840 Fishburn Road in Derry Township that from 1966 to 1999 served students at the Milton Hershey School as a student home known as Ridgeway. When it first opened it was home to 16 high school senior boys. It was most recently a real estate office. The school is renovating the building. Derry Township is the obvious choice for the location of our CHS Central Office and were pleased that the location has a strong tie to Milton Hershey School history, Peter G. Gurt president, Milton Hershey School and Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning said in a press release. The new office is expected to open in the spring. The Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning is a $350 million initiative to fund and develop up to six cost-free Early Childhood Resource Centers in Pennsylvania for children from birth to age 5 from economically disadvantaged and at-risk backgrounds. The Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning is named in honor of Catherine Kitty Hershey, co-founder of the Milton Hershey School and wife of Milton Hershey. The organization said it will provide a core early learning program with a curriculum designed to enhance students educational, social, emotional and cognitive development. The schools will also provide students with nutritious meals, transportation, and other needed supplies, and will offer integrated support services to families of enrolled children. The first early learning center is scheduled to open in 2023 on the Milton Hersey Schools campus in Derry Township on the southwest corner of Governor Road and Homestead Road. The school is expected to include 41,325 square feet and will have a 9,500 square-foot second floor. There will also be an outdoor learning area. The center is expected to have 80 employees and volunteers and is tentatively scheduled to be open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays. The second school is planned for the Harrisburg area in a yet to be named location that is expected to open in in 2024. The organization has not decided yet where the remaining facilities in Pennsylvania will be located. The plans for the early learning centers were first announced in September with support from State Attorney General Josh Shapiro, whose office oversees Pennsylvania charities. Dauphin County Judge John J. McNally ruled in October that the school for the first time will be allowed to extend its educational reach beyond its Derry Township campus. McNallys approval of the childcare center plan was required because the deed of trust issued by Milton and Catherine Hershey in 1909 restricted the spending of trust income solely to the existing private residential school in Derry Township. The Hershey Trust Company and the Milton Hershey School filed a conditional use application with Derry Township for the new childcare facility on the campus of the Milton Hershey School, which was later approved by the Derry Township Board of Supervisors paving the way for the first center on the Milton Hershey Schools campus. The new office will eventually employ up to 20 people. The office is currently looking to hire for several positions including an executive director and said it will announce additional opportunities in the coming months on its website at www.chslearn.org. You can follow Daniel Urie on twitter @DanielUrie2018 and you can like him on Facebook. A judge has told a jilted lover he should have 'been a better Muslim' after he sent naked pictures of his lover to her mother and demanded money from her. Khalid Mohamed, 25, of Tottenham, north London, had his Muslim faith questioned by a judge after he lied about having coronavirus when his ex-girlfriend broke up with him. When she asked him to delete the naked pictures of her he demanded money from her and threatened to send them to her mother. He then sent them to her mother alongside a text saying her daughter 'don't want marriage but want something sexual' and in her next relationship she could 'do it more Islamically'. Khalid Mohamed (pictured), 25, of Tottenham, north London, had his Muslim faith questioned by a judge after he lied about having coronavirus when his ex-girlfriend broke up with him Somali Mohamed was told by District Judge Susan Williams: 'I can think of nothing more embarrassing than having a photograph like this sent to your mother. 'He's applied pressure and he's manipulated and he has lashed out. Maybe if he had been a better Muslim he would have deleted them. 'It is not only malicious but pernicious. He knew there was likely to be fallout for her socially and be cripplingly embarrassing for her. 'It is a form of domestic abuse, it is manipulation.' She said the Mohamed 'played on her vulnerabilities to put pressure on this lady'. The woman said in a statement given to Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court: 'We broke up last March and I didn't speak to him for a few days. 'Then he said he wanted to be friends. On April 9 he said he was checking into hospital for coronavirus and gave me his mum's number so we could stay in touch. When she asked him to delete the naked pictures of her he demanded money from her and threatened to send them to her mother. Pictured: Highbury Magistrates' Court 'On Sunday April 19 he said he was going to be put on a machine. 'I asked him to send me a photo of the ventilator and he said he would do it later. We FaceTimed that evening at around seven but he looked like he was outside. 'I thought that was suspicious so I texted his mum's old number and she said he was fine and working from home. 'I said he told me he was in hospital. She was surprised but hung up shortly afterward. 'I called back later and she told me he was in hospital. He then messaged me and said his mum was talking about his brother. 'His mother messaged me and my family calling us liars. 'He emailed me apologising for his mum. He then FaceTimed and sent pictures of a hospital ward which I knew were fake because I found a link where the photos came from. He then sent them to her mother alongside a text saying her daughter 'don't want marriage but want something sexual' and in her next relationship she could 'do it more Islamically'. Pictured: Highbury Magistrates' Court 'I asked him to delete my private pictures five times. He told me to pay him money before he deleted them. 'I asked him to delete my pictures because I don't owe him anything. He threatened to send them to my mum and said I should respect myself more. 'He sent the naked pictures of me to my mum.' The court heard the text message to her mother began: 'Hello mum, it's Khalid. I still fully respect you.' He went on to tell his victim's mother that her daughter 'got very angry for no reason thinking I'm not ill because her friend confused her' and had been 'swearing and cursing' at him. The text finished: 'Next time she should not do things like this with a man like she has done with lots of men before me, which you should only do in marriage, like sex stuff. 'In her next relationship she can do it more Islamically. It is not good when she don't want marriage but want something sexual.' The court heard how the 'betrayal' had impacted his victim. 'It has affected my physically and mentally. If I think about it my heart will race. I feel anxious,' she said. 'I feel guilty because of my religion. I question myself, whether I've done things wrong, should I have trusted him? I feel about ignoring him - did that push him to do it? 'I don't want to go to sleep. I'm not sure if I will be fine. 'Throughout the relationship he lied to me. When I last tried to break up with him a year ago he said he had an accident so I got back with him because I felt bad about that accident but I think he was lying about it. 'I am Muslim and I know I shouldn't have sent those photographs because in my religion sexual contact before marriage is frowned upon. 'In some communities parents disown their children because of this. My mum and dad have been supporting me but he didn't know that. 'I feel guilty for even sending those pictures to him because I have left myself and my religion down. I am scared to bump into him. 'I don't know if he is angry with me. I feel guilty. I question whether I've done something wrong by telling the police. I don't want to be the cause of ruining his life, but I don't know if I'm still being manipulated.' Judge Williams said she had ordered the destruction of the picture and will sentence Mohamed herself because she is 'very keen to limit people looking at the image that is embarrassing to her and I hope it is of some comfort that only one female judge has to see it'. Mohamed admitted disclosed a private sexual photograph or film without consent and making use of public communication network to cause annoyance As he was given bail the magistrate told him to 'sort it out now' and think about how he would have felt 'if this lady sent photos like those to your mother'. He will be sentenced at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court on 8 April. This year, Dayglow has continued his winning momentum he just announced the upcoming release of sophomore album, Harmony House, which will be available on May 21st and can be pre-ordered here. He also unveiled new singles "Something" and "Close to You," which have both received positive acclaim, and he was recently featured as the musical guest on Stephen Colbert's The Late Show. Sony Music Publishing SVP, Creative Jennifer Knoepfle said, "Sloan is someone who from the jump, impressed me with his creative vision and dedication to songwriting and producing. He puts so much thought into everything he does for Dayglow and it all starts and ends with him. We are so excited and honored to be partnering with him." Dayglow said, "I'm so stoked to be working with the Sony Music Publishing family. As an artist making all of my music on my own, it's awesome to have the full team backing me up. Working with good people is vital for me, and everyone in SMP is so kind, creative and understanding of me and my work." Dayglow began his music career during college with the release of his 2018 debut album Fuzzybrain, featuring "Can I Call You Tonight?" along with other fan favorites such as "Hot Rod" and "Listerine." In 2020, Fuzzybrain became a viral sensation, propelling his music to the spotlight. Dayglow has garnered praise from numerous top outlets including Billboard, MTV, and UPROXX, and both NPR and NME named him one of their 2020 artists to watch. SOURCE Sony Music Publishing ADVERTISEMENT The People Democratic Party (PDP) in Jigawa State has expelled its governorship candidate in the 2015 and 2019 elections, Aminu Ibrahim, for alleged anti-party activities. The development is the fallout of a dispute between Mr Ibrahim and former governor Sule Lamido, whom he served as chief of staff when Mr Lamido was governor. On Wednesday, the PDP chairman in the state, Ibrahim Babandi, said the state executive committee of the party has expelled Mr Ibrahim. The decision was reached after investigation indicted the official of sabotaging the party from local government to state levels, Mr Babandi said. He said Mr Ibrahim refused to appear before a seven-member committee the party instituted to hear the allegation against him. However, Mr Ibrahim has said his expulsion is null and void. He said the state executive committee of the PDP in Jigawa is illegitimate and has no power to summon him before any committee. Mr Ibrahim identified Mr Lamido as the problem of the PDP in Jigawa. He said the former governor sabotaged chances of the party in the state by allegedly withholding campaign funds in the 2015 and 2019 general elections. Mr Ibrahim said he had earlier petitioned the national headquarters of the party to accuse Mr Lamido of sabotage, despotism and preferential treatment of members. He said in the petition, he specifically accused Mr Lamido of being responsible for the partys failure to win any election because he allegedly withheld funds meant for logistics. In 2015, funds were not made available until the last hour, which was a recipe for failure. History repeated itself in the 2019 elections when the financial committee, charged with sourcing funds for campaigns, was hamstrung in discharging its assignment, he said. Mr Lamido had earlier debunked the allegations. But the former governor said crisis is inevitable in a political party, saying no institution run by humans is free from crises. He said those accusing him of wrongdoing are the greatest beneficiaries of his leadership of the PDP in the state. They said I am a despotic ruler, but when they were the beneficiaries of my despotic rule they did not complain, Mr Lamido said. Mr Ibrahim is a long time political ally of Mr Lamido. They fell apart shortly after the 2019 general elections in which the PDP lost all the polls to the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state. Mr Ibrahim has taken the state executive committee of the party to court. The committee is loyal to Mr Lamido. March 03 : With cinema halls shut for almost seven-eight months in 2020 due to coronavirus pandemic, the OTT platforms have reaped the advantage. Many films had to skip theatrical releases and queue for an OTT release in 2020 during the lockdown. But now with the cinema halls running with full capacity, the digital space still looks impressive with many new series and films taking a direct OTT release route. Today, Netflix India announced an array of new titles that are in the pipeline for the entire year 2021. The streaming giant announced 41 titles across different genres and languages with unique content. Among the impressive list, many series are included which are coming up with their second, third or fourth seasons. The impressive list of series includes Richie Mehtas Delhi Crime Season 2, Jamtara 2, Kota Factory 2, Mismatched Season 2. Ye Kaali Kaali Aankhein, Little Things Season 4 and many others. The viewers can expect to see soon the acclaimed festival winner Bombay Rose, Kapil Sharmas much-awaited comedy special, and Sanya Malhotras quirky film Pagglait that is about a young widow. The new shows also included Madhuri Dixit starrer Finding Anamika, which will be presented by Anushka Sharmas Clean Slate Filmz, and Manoj Bajpayees much-awaited web series Ray. Decoupled starring Madhavan and Surveen Chawla, and Amol Parashars Feels like Ishq are also included in the impressive list announce by Netflix today. Speaking at the event today, filmmaker Karan Johar, who is the producer of Fatima Sana Shaikh starrer Ajeeb Daastan, said that the impact Netflix had with his series Love Stories helped him to look at the platform with the vision of a filmmaker. Besides the films and web series, the streaming giant also has a list of reality shows and documentaries on its list that include Bollywood Wives, Kapil Sharma's comedy special and a special show by India's top stand up comedians like Sumukhi Suresh, Akash Gupta, Kaneez Surkha, and many others. Heres the list of the new series and film on Netflix: Web Series Ray Finding Anamika Feels Like Ishq Bombay Begum Decoupled Aranyak Mai Ye Kaali Kaali Aankhein Masaba Masaba Season 2 Mismatched Season 2 Little Things Season 4 Delhi Crime Season 2 She Season 2 Jamtara Season 2 Films The parents of a 10-year-old girl killed after she was thrown from an amusement ride in Cumberland County have sued the manufacturers and operators of the ride alleging they knew for many years that the ride could be deadly. Hailey Lynn McMullen died Oct. 12, 2019, about an hour after she was thrown from the Xtreme Super Sizzler at the Harvest Festival in Deerfield Township in Cumberland County, authorities said. The girls parents, Christopher and Amanda McMullen, say in the suit that the rides original product literature stated the ride was not recommended for small children, according to the lawsuit, filed last month in Superior Court of Middlesex County. In 2006, after a series of ejections on the Xtreme Super Sizzler, California officials issued a seatbelt mandate for all Sizzler rides, according to the suit. The suit names Colorado-based manufacturer Wisdom Rides of America and Skellys Amusements of Gloucester County, which has operated the same ride at the Middlesex County Fair since 1998, as well as business associates of both companies. The product as designed, manufactured, tested, inspected, distributed and/or sold was defective (because) it failed to prevent occupants from being ejected from their seats, the lawsuit states. Dennis Marconi of Trenton, an attorney for Skellys, said Wednesday that seatbelts are not required on the ride in question and added that the ride had passed state inspections. Marconi said there are different types of Sizzler rides and that litigation will show California mandated seatbelts on a different type of ride. Wisdom Rides did not immediately return calls on Wednesday seeking comment. The McMullens are asking the New Jersey State Police and the states Department of Community Affairs to release voluminous documents of their investigations into the tragedy. The lawsuit was preceded by a product liability lawsuit filed in January by the mother, Amanda, and Carol McMullen, who is Hailey Lynn McMullens grandmother. Amanda McMullen states in the earlier lawsuit that her children and their grandmother witnessed the tragedy and have suffered extreme emotional distress as a result. The products liability lawsuit alleges negligence and liability on the part of the manufacturer and operator and seeks compensatory and punitive monetary damages. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. New Delhi: Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang, who was the "special guest" at Pakistan's Independence Day celebration on Monday said that China-Pakistan friendship is stronger than steel and sweeter than honey. Addressing the Independence Day ceremony in Islamabad, he said the two countries have always stood by each other and China stands with Pakistan in its efforts to achieve progress and development. China and Pakistan have always stood by each other in difficult times and their friendship will stand the test of time and grow with coming generations, he said, with Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi by his side. Our friendship is stronger than steel [and] sweeter than honey, he said. Wang is on a two-day state visit to Pakistan and he is expected to sign some important bilateral agreements with Islamabad. Also Read | Doklam standoff: India-China heading towards trade war reports Chinese state media He will also inaugurate projects related to the USD 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor - a part of the One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative which passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Wang said Pakistan is an important partner in the OBOR initiative and China wants to strengthen its multi-dimensional strategic cooperation with Islamabad. He said China would support Pakistans efforts to pursue the fight against terrorism as per its national interest. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Lau Siu-kai, the vice-president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, is interviewed by the Global Times. Editor's Note: The related departments of China's central government held a symposium from Sunday to Monday in the city of Shenzhen to hear opinions on improving systems related to "patriots governing Hong Kong." Xia Baolong, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and head of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, attended the symposium, which heard the opinions of representatives from various sectors of Hong Kong society. Reiterating the central government's unswerving determination to implement the "one country, two systems" principle, Xia said the comprehensive implementation of "patriots governing Hong Kong" is the key to achieving the steady and sustained development of "one country, two systems" principle. On February 22, in a speech delivered at an online panel held by the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, Xia sent a strong signal, saying that being patriotic is not an abstract theory and it means loving the People's Republic of China (PRC). The Communist Party of China (CPC) led the Chinese people to establish the PRC. In China, which practices socialist democracy, there is room for different political opinion, but there is a red line, that is to say, activity that undermines the fundamental system of the country, the socialist system under the leadership of the CPC, will never be allowed in China. The speech sparked a lot of discussion in Hong Kong. Does "patriots governing Hong Kong" mean "those who love the CPC govern Hong Kong"? What are the differences and boundaries between "Hong Kong secessionists" and "ordinary residents with political opinion?" What does "firm patriots" mean? To answer these questions, the Global Times (GT) conducted an exclusive interview with Lau Siu-kai (Lau), vice-president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies and former chief adviser of the HKSAR government's central policy unit. Lau fully explained the relationship between "patriotism," "loving Hong Kong" and "upholding the leadership of the CPC," and interpreted Xia's speech as sending a signal to three different groups in Hong Kong with certain different meanings. GT: There were many voices in Hong Kong after Xia made the "patriots governing Hong Kong" remark on February 22. Some said it means "loving the CPC before loving the country". Some said it is not "patriots governing Hong Kong," it is "Party supporters governing Hong Kong." What's your opinion on those voices? Lau: Those are deliberate misinterpretations of Xia's remarks. There was no such requirement to love the Party in Xia's speech. What he emphasized was respecting the constitutional order of Hong Kong since its return to the motherland, given the socialist system is the fundamental political system of China and the leadership of the CPC is the most essential characteristic of socialism with Chinese characteristics. No organization and no one is allowed to harm socialist system. We can understand his remarks from a perspective similar to that of a "Negative List', which means you don't have to love the Party or believe in communism or socialism, but you can't take actions that try to change the fact that China is led by the CPC. You cannot go against the rules of the Constitution, or the Basic Law. From another perspective, Xia's speech also corrects the long-standing misinterpretation of "patriotism" embedded in some Hong Kong residents' minds, which is to love an abstract "cultural China," "historical China," and "national China," and oppose the PRC in reality. Using such an excuse, those people engage in activities attempting to sabotage and overturn the PRC led by the CPC. Xia's speech aims to draw a clear "red line" for those people and their behavior. GT: How do you think Hong Kong people should understand the relationship between "loving the country" "loving Hong Kong" and "upholding the leadership of the CPC"? What were the misunderstandings on these questions before? Lau: For a long time, many people in Hong Kong did not have a correct understanding of the relationship between the three factors, as they see Hong Kong as an independent political entity and never seriously thought about Hong Kong people's responsibility and obligation to the country. Some opposition forces in Hong Kong used this mentality and tried to pit Hong Kong's interests against the mainland's and the central government's interests. They claimed that there should be no "interference" from the central government in order to "protect" Hong Kong's interests, otherwise, it would bring no good to Hong Kong SAR. They also used these as slogans to incite people to engage in protests and made these a basis for them to push for "political democracy." These thoughts had a market in Hong Kong and many people in the city still hold a hostile attitude toward the central government and the CPC. But they neglect one fact - the "one country, two systems" principle is based on the common interests of the country and Hong Kong SAR. It benefits the country's development, maintaining of Hong Kong's systems and lifestyles, and the long-term prosperity of Hong Kong. The CPC is the creator of this principle. As Xia said that if someone claims to uphold the "one country, two systems", but opposes the creator and leader of this principle, isn't it self-contradictory? So "love the country" "love Hong Kong" and uphold the CPC" are consistent in the direction and interest. I can't deny that there could be contradictions in the interests of the mainland and that of Hong Kong, but overall, Hong Kong and the country is a community with shared destiny. When the West suppresses China, it also suppresses Hong Kong at the same time. No matter Hong Kong people admit it or not, Western countries regard Hong Kong as an inseparable part of China. Some opposition forces exploited the fact that the People's Republic of China is founded by the CPC, twisting some laws and regulations related to safeguarding national sovereignty and security as CPC's efforts to maintain its leadership. They engaged in activities that are anti-China and harm the national security under the disguise of loving "cultural China," "historical China," and "national China." For these people, what Xia said is very clear - the central government will definitely not tolerate these people to flag themselves as "patriotic" and they will have no political future. The leadership of the CPC is unshakable and the central government would spare no effort to safeguard China's sovereignty, national security and development interests. This is also a stern warning to the opposition forces. Carrie Lam, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), speaks at a press conference in south China's Hong Kong, Feb. 9, 2021. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai) GT: Xia also said that the principle of "only patriots governing Hong Kong" doesn't mean the central government won't allow different opinion. In Hong Kong, some residents still lack understanding, and even have bias and prejudice on the motherland and the mainland. The central government understands and tolerates such kind of attitude and also firmly believes that they will stay away from the anti-China troublemaking activists, and will actively participate in the governance of Hong Kong. Lau: On this matter, what's the difference between the Hong Kong residents with bias and prejudice that could be tolerated, and the anti-China troublemaking activists? What signal the central government is trying to send to Hong Kong society? When the central government drafted the "one country, two systems" principle in the last century, it admitted the fact that Hong Kong has quite a number of the people who have bias and prejudice toward the Communist Party of China (CPC), the People's Republic of China and socialism, therefore it has decided not to implement the mainland system in Hong Kong and respect the uniqueness of Hong Kong. The "one country, two systems" is made for this fact. But allowing Hong Kong residents to have their own different opinions on the mainland doesn't mean they are allowed to take actions to overthrow the People's Republic of China and end the ruling status of the CPC, or change the socialist political system in the mainland. I believe Xia is sending messages to three groups of people: Firstly, to the radical opposition camp. The message is if they continue their way and cross the redline, they will face miserable consequences. Secondly, to ordinary residents. The message is the fundamental principle of the "one country, two systems" will remain unchanged. As long as no activity that endangers national security, normal criticism and scolding would be tolerated as expected, and in a better social political environment, the future development of democracy would also get better. Thirdly, to those who want to enter the political system. The message is the central government has stricter demands on them, which is they have to be the firm patriots and they are not allowed to engage in activity that could harm the national security, and they should actively safeguard the national security and interests, and much be loyal to the central government and accept the leadership of the CPC. GT: In the speech, Xia said that "patriots" include some "firm patriots," who should assume important positions, hold vital powers and shoulder the responsibility to govern the special administrative region. How do you understand the definition of "firm patriots"? What high requirements will the central government have for them than those for normal "patriots"? Lau: In the future, the Hong Kong SAR will face growingly more complex, tougher and stronger political struggles. Under this circumstance, it is inevitable that the central government will have high requirements for "patriots," who could no longer only focus on Hong Kong's regional administrative management, but have to have international perspective, understand the international situation, have national consciousness and have awareness of the problems and challenges facing the country. The most important is, the "firm patriots" who govern Hong Kong have to pay attention to opposite forces. These forces would not give up easily and certainly will seek chances to realize their objectives. "Firm patriots" have to possess strong fighting capacity and solidarity to deal with these struggles. Specifically, "firm patriots" not only have to strictly implement the national security law for Hong Kong, but actively promote the establishment of systems and regulations related to safeguarding national security. And the reform is not only on administration, but involves various fields, including education, media and judicial system. The national security law for Hong Kong is just a beginning. There is abundant specific work for "firm patriots" to continue, including the reform on Hong Kong's regional electoral system. Press Release March 3, 2021 Tolentino: COVID-19 Vaccination not a requisite for employment To spare Filipinos from additional burden, Senator Francis "Tol" N. Tolentino ensured that COVID-19 vaccine cards, a key part of the National Vaccination Program, will not be considered a mandatory requirement in educational, employment, and similar government transaction purposes. Section 12 of R.A. No. 11525, recently signed by President Duterte, provides that COVID-19 vaccine cards "shall not be considered as an additional mandatory requirement for education, employment, and other similar government transaction purposes." Introduced by Senator Tolentino, this amendment proscribes discriminatory acts that may be directed against non-inoculated persons and which could lead to possible violations of basic human rights. Tolentino introduced the anti-discriminatory amendment during the Senate deliberations on R.A. No. 11525. The Tolentino amendment safeguards students, regular employees, OFWs, and others from discrimination resulting from non-inoculation. In guarding against possible prejudicial acts, the Tolentino amendment mandates that the COVID-19 vaccination should not be made a precondition for entitlement to necessary services or a basis for preferential acts. Hence, inoculation should not be a determinant whether a person is fit or unfit for work. Neither should it be made a prerequisite for acceptance in any educational institutions nor in the availment of government services. Further, the Tolentino amendment allays the fear of organized labor groups, which appropriately oppose the adoption of a "no vaccine, no work" policy. Tolentino reiterates that R.A. No. 11525 does not consider COVID-19 inoculation as a prerequisite for either employment or to remain in one's employ. He stresses that the recently enacted law does not authorize compelling employees to avail of company-sponsored vaccines without their free and informed consent. Considering that inoculation is not legislated as mandatory in the country, the Tolentino amendment is a fair and just inclusion to the COVID-19 National Vaccination Program. MINNEAPOLIS, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Braun Intertec, an engineering, consulting, and testing firm with more than 35 offices in seven states, is pleased to announce Trent Whitley, PE has joined the Braun Intertec team in our Sulphur, La. office. Whitley will lead the geotechnical engineering team in the company's Sulphur, La. and Beaumont, Texas locations. "We are pleased to welcome Trent to our team of employee-owners at Braun Intertec," said Jon Carlson, Braun Intertec CEO. "He is a skilled engineer who excels at building client relationships and will be an asset to our team as we continue to expand in the Gulf Coast area." As a project engineer at Braun Intertec, Whitley will consult on industrial, infrastructure and construction materials testing (CMT) projects in southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana. Whitley is a skilled client manager and mentor experienced in training engineers in field and engineering operations. Braun Intertec provides geotechnical engineering, construction materials testing, environmental consulting, building sciences, nondestructive examination and drilling/cone penetration testing (CPT) services. With offices across the upper Midwest and Southern United States, the company also provides specialty services including: deep foundation design and testing; pavement consulting; structures evaluations and forensic investigations; geospatial and unmanned aerial vehicle services. About Braun Intertec Based in Minneapolis, employee-owned Braun Intertec (www.braunintertec.com) is a premier engineering, environmental consulting and testing firm with more than 1,000 employees located in Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, North Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin. Braun Intertec also owns Agile Frameworks, LLC, a subsidiary of Braun Intertec based in Minneapolis. SOURCE Braun Intertec Related Links http://www.braunintertec.com Netflix, who completed five years in India, has now announced its new and original titles for 2021 across different genres and languages. According to reports, the platform is all set to release 41 new titles including Richie Mehta's Delhi Crime Season 2, Jamtara 2, Kota Factory 2, Ye Kaali Kaali Aankhein, Mismatched season 2, Little Things season 3 and many more in the year. The streaming giant will also be releasing big titles like Kapil Sharma's much-awaited web show and Sanya Malhotra's quirky movie Pagglait soon. Karan Johar too has announced several titles with Netflix including Fatima Sana Shaikh-starrer Ajeeb Daastans. Titles in different regional languages will also be coming, including The Disciple, actor Siddharth's Navarasa and Dhanush's film titled Jagame Thandhiram. The official Twitter account of Netflix India shared a special tweet while sharing the news and captioned it as, "Did someone order new films, series, documentaries, reality shows, comedy specials and more?? Because THEY ARE ON THE WAY! Here's what we have on our menu for this year! Hot new arrivals, steaming streaming in 2021!" Take a look at the tweet, Did someone order new films, series, documentaries, reality shows, comedy specials and more?? Because THEY ARE ON THE WAY! Heres what we have on our menu for this year! Hot new arrivals, steaming streaming in 2021!#AbMenuMeinSabNew pic.twitter.com/KFbSgiRKyo Netflix India (@NetflixIndia) March 3, 2021 The two-minute clip featuring scenes from the upcoming releases promises love, fear, tears, comedy, action, dhamaaka, feels and more. The 2021 teaser also featured clips from Taapsee Pannu starrer Haseen Dillruba, Madhuri Dixit-starrer Finding Anamika, Manoj Bajpayee's web series Ray, Raveena Tandon's Aranyak, She 2, Meenakshi Sundareshwar, Sardar Ka Grandson and many more. Netflix has also shared a glimpse of docu-reality shows like the second season of Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives and the yet-to-be-titled Sumukhi Suresh's show. ALSO READ: International Women's Day 2021: 5 Animated Releases With Strong Women Stories To Watch Out For ALSO READ: Juhi Chawla, Kritika Kamra, Soha Ali Khan, Ayesha Jhulka To Star In Amazon Prime Video Original Series By Patricia Engel Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster. 208 pp. $25 - - - Patricia Engel's novels don't begin so much as they crack open. Consider the first line of the Miami writer's 2010 debut, "Vida": "It was the year my uncle got arrested for killing his wife, and our family was the subject of all the town gossip." The start of 2016's "The Veins of the Ocean" presents a man, maddened by his wife's infidelity, who takes their toddler son to a bridge, lifts the boy "as high in the sky as he'd go" and throws him into Biscayne Bay. The child survives. The father is dead by the third page. "Infinite Country," Engel's latest novel, leads with another surprising act of violence. At a reformatory in the Colombian mountains, a group of girls, "some of whom were murderers on the verge," lures a nun into their room with cries of "Fire!," subdues her and escapes. The mastermind of this plot is 15-year-old Talia, an American born to Colombian immigrants and sentenced to the prison school after she burned a man in Bogota with hot oil as revenge for a murdered cat. As shocking as all this can be, Engel is no literary Tarantino, delighting in graphic violence that points to itself and little else. A gifted storyteller whose writing shines even in the darkest corners, Engel understands that the threat of violence is a constant in people's lives and that emotional acts of abuse can be as harmful as physical ones. In "Infinite Country," she focuses on the psychological injury that results when families are "split as if by an ax" for political or economic reasons. Talia is the youngest daughter of Elena and Mauro, who at the beginning of this century leave Colombia for the United States. Exhausted by the violence that has ravaged their country and eager to provide safety and financial security for their baby, Karina, the couple acquire six-month tourist visas and head to Texas for "a long vacation of sorts." They plan to find work, save as much money as they can and return home better off than before. "People did this kind of thing all the time," they reason. The feeling that they will forever be viewed as foreigners in this land soon becomes overwhelming, and Elena and Mauro decide to return to Bogota. But when Elena becomes pregnant, they make the difficult choice to stay in the United States, where they will live in fear of deportation but will also cling to the hope of permanent residency and the belief that their American-born son, Nando, will have "double the possibilities for his future." The family pursues opportunity along the East Coast, in Delaware (where Talia is born), South Carolina and eventually New Jersey, where Mauro is arrested after an altercation in a bar and deported. When the father will be reunited with his family is unclear, but the trauma of the separation is permanent. Engel, whose parents are Colombian, is sensitive to what Mauro describes as the "particular pain" that awaits anyone who leaves one country for the dream of another. "Emigration was a peeling away of the skin. An undoing," Mauro thinks. "You wake each morning and forget where you are, who you are, and when the world outside shows you your reflection, it's ugly and distorted; you've become a scorned, unwanted creature." At its best, Engel's novel interrogates the idea of American exceptionalism, though the term never appears in the book. Elena discovers that senseless killings are as endemic in the United States as they are in Colombia. "What was it about this country that kept everyone hostage to its fantasy?" she wonders. "The previous month, on its own soil, an American man went to his job at a plant and gunned down fourteen coworkers, and last spring alone there were four different school shootings. A nation at war with itself, yet people still spoke of it as some kind of paradise." Reflecting on recent massacres in Colombia, Elena decides, "No country was safer than any other." "Infinite Country" falters only when, late in the book, Engel hands over the narration to Karina and Nando in a well-intentioned if discordant gesture to bring these previously unexamined characters into the foreground. The siblings - one an American citizen, the other undocumented - have important things to say about what Karina calls "the United States of Diasporica," but the shift in perspective and a surprise twist deflate what had been airtight storytelling. It's not a fatal error. Engel brings the story of Elena and Mauro, and that of Talia's quest for freedom, to a satisfying close. And in literature, as in life, the question of citizenship, of what it means to belong to a country and to have a country belong to you, remains unresolved. "I haven't yet figured out if by the place of my birth I was betrayed or I am the betrayer," Karina says, "or why this particular nation and not some other should be our family pendulum." - - - Jake Cline is a writer and editor in Miami. NEW YORK and RISHON LETZION, Israel, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cymulate, the only SaaS-based Continuous Security Validation platform to operationalize the MITRE ATT&CK framework end-to-end, announced today a summary of its platform usage in 2020, illustrating the dramatic influence of the global pandemic on the security landscape. Highlights include: A significant uplift in awareness of phishing attacks across all industries as employees improved their high-risk score from 66.3 in 2019 to a new low of 18.1 in 2020 (on a scale of 0-100). Overall unique threats in the wild increased two folds from 389 in 2019 to 600 unique threats in 2020. The healthcare industry remains most at risk, particularly through web gateways, and phishing is still a high-risk vector in this sector. The financial sector is the most proactive and concerned with cyber threats, running 39% of the total assessments performed, and the technology sector is the second most security conscious. Top threats that companies were most at risk from include a CSP Bypass Vulnerability in Google Chrome, AnarchyGrabber Discord malware, Jigsaw ransomware dropped by Lokibot, malware authors tricking Apple into trusting malicious Shlayer apps and Doki infecting Docker servers in the cloud. "Cybercrime is an established industry driven by innovation to find vulnerabilities that can be monetized. The high-risk threats from the report are those that had the highest impact which is one of the metrics used in calculating risk. Looking forward, we see that state-sponsored cybercrime is leading the way with immense resources and talent. In 2021 we expect more attacks to leverage supply chain techniques that make use of the tools and tactics discovered in the SolarWinds breach," said Avihai Ben-Yossef, co-founder and CTO at Cymulate. The full report can be accessed here. "The threat landscape does not stand still, and regular weekly or daily assessments play a critical role in addressing practically daily threat evolutions and a company's resilience to new immediate threats," said Eyal Wachsman, CEO and co-founder of Cymulate. "In 2020 we saw more concern for, and lack of security for MAC threats compared to the previous year alongside COVID-themed threats. We anticipate 2021 to see an even greater increase in both these areas as people remain working from home." Additional key findings: Web application attack vectors are the riskiest at 39.6, followed by web browsing (web gateway) at 33.9 (on a scale of 0-100). Web attack vector utilization and validation grew YoY by 37% and email vector assessments by 23%. Most favored simulations run by our customers: - Sunburst Backdoor (Solarwinds supply chain attack) - Shirbit BlackShadow ransomware attack - Suspect Chinese APT group using DLL side-loads - Invisimole - Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine documents accessed in EMA cyberattack - Fake COVID-19 survey hidden ransomware in the Canadian university attack The research report is conducted across hundreds of Cymulate's customers across all verticals including healthcare, finance, critical infrastructure, manufacturing and more. The Cymulate risk score provides a quantifiable metric that enables customers to prioritize their mitigation activity, track performance and benchmark themselves over time. The score is calculated based on risk determination factors taken from NIST, CVSSv3 and DREAD in addition to the MITRE ATT&CK framework. The risk score ranges between zero to a hundred where a low score equates to low risk. About Cymulate Cymulate's Continuous Security Validation enables companies to challenge, assess and optimize their cyber-security posture against the evolving threat landscape, simply and continuously. The platform provides out-of-the-box, expert and threat intelligence led risk assessments that are simple to use for all skill levels, and constantly updated. It also provides an open framework for ethical hackers to create and automate red and purple team exercises and security assurance programs tailored to their unique environment and security policies. Cymulate helps security professionals to know and control their dynamic environment. For more information, visit www.cymulate.com and register for a Free Trial. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1336659/Cymulate_Logo.jpg Media Relations: Gina Shaffer [email protected] US: +1 (707) 533-1504 IL: +(972) 54-649-3485 SOURCE Cymulate Related Links https://cymulate.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. The COVID-19 pandemic is still nowhere close to its end, especially with the UK B.1.1.7 variant wreaking havoc on the lives of the people, and now, this variant comprises 10 percent of new cases in the US, compared to 1-4 percent just a few weeks ago. Reuters This is after considerable weeks of decline in COVID-19 cases throughout the US and several regions around the world (including India). Officials in the US are worried and trying their best to avoid this fourth wave of COVID-19 cases in the nation. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a press conference, that even though cases arent as high as they were once upon a time, they are still considerable, similar to the average seen during the month of October 2020 right before the holiday surge. She said, We at CDC consider this a very concerning shift in the trajectory. Things are tenuous. Now is not the time to relax restrictions. Reports in the past have indicated that the B.1.1.7 variant which first surfaced in the UK and has caused quite a casualty in the nation is around 40 to 50 percent more infectious than other variants of SARS CoV-2. Walensky added, We may now be seeing the beginning effects of these variants in the most recent data. Latest data in the US shows that cases in the US have spiked to 70,000 in a week according to the most recent data from Saturday. Infectious disease expert, Anthony Fauci added, If we plateau at 70,000, 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. You know, we don't want to be people always looking at the dark side of things, but you want to be realistic. India has new COVID-19 variant: N440K In the past few weeks, cases in India too have started to skyrocket, especially in the state of Maharashtra where (according to a report by Forbes) 16,577 cases have been reported as of February 25, 2021. However, from this nearly 7,000 cases are from the Indian variant of the novel coronavirus, N440K. Whats scarier is that a recent study, researchers from Kurnool Medical College revealed that the aforementioned coronavirus variant can cause reinfection. They claim that this variant can escape the immune system and can cause reinfection in patients who have recovered from SARS CoV-2. A 44-year-old public service employee was diagnosed positive for Covid-19 on July 25, 2020. He then tested negative on August 2, 2020. But on September 10, 2020, he tested positive again during a routine checkup. Reuters Researchers explain, A close comparison of the genetic variants with a compendium of immune escape variants revealed a Spike N440K variant in the genomes isolated from both episodes of infection. A similar case of reinfection was found in North India. Recent studies that are looking at the novel coronaviruss genetic variations escaping immune response shows possible mechanisms of the pathogen to evade antibody response and immune reactions. The N440K variant has been reported to be resistant, according to the researchers. Advertisement Firefighters in Illinois had to rescue two men who ended up being stranded on a sheet of ice in the middle of a river in the town of Rockford, west of Chicago. The men had been fishing out on the ice when a portion suddenly broke free. The pair ended up floating away and started drifting downstream along the Rock River on Monday afternoon. Two men were sitting on a mattress on the ice fishing on the Rock River in Rockford, Illinois when the sheet of ice they were on broke free Suddenly the ice sheet they were on broke free and the pair found themselves floating along with the current Emergency services were called after eyewitnesses spotted the men floating by They were spotted by witnesses at around 2pm who called the emergency services. Officials from Rockford fire arrived on the scene within minutes. Divers from the fire department launched a boat to reach the men, and they were quickly brought to shore. The duo did not suffer from any injuries and were looked over by paramedics as a precaution. The rescue, which only took a total of four minutes, was caught on camera by drone footage which saw firefighters on the shore running along the river banks as the ice floe continued to float along with the current. Officials on scene said the current was moving so slow, it was easy for rescue crew divers to rescue the men using a 'rapid deployable craft'. The Department also said that had the plan failed, their 'plan B' was to use drop-down ladders for the men to climb on as they passed under the bridge. The men were spotted floating near the Jefferson Street bridge. Emergency crews caught up with them moments later The men can be seen in the far distance close to the bridge in the center of the picture The fire department quickly launched a boat from the banks in order to rescue the pair The bright yellow dingy was connected to the shore via a long rope Divers with the fire department helped the men into the inflatable boat The rescue was all caught on drone camera from above as it hovered above the group The footage shows just how far away from the shore the men were as they floated down river Richwood, TX (77531) Today Thunderstorms likely. Rainfall will be locally heavy at times. High near 85F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. First English translation of secret novel about hidden sexuality by one of Spains most-loved authors A secret autobiographical novel by one of Spains most-loved authors inspired by her hidden sexuality has been translated into English for the first time. Elena Fortun wrote the iconic series of childrens books Celia and her world between the 1920s and the 1950s. She also wrote, typed and bound the lesbian autobiographical novel Hidden Path, which she was too afraid to have published. Decades later, Oculto sendero (Hidden Path) became a bestseller after it was rediscovered by Professor Nuria Capdevila-Arguelles, from the University of Exeter, and published in Spain. Now it is finally available in English, translated by Swan Isle Press. In the book, Fortun, who was married, writes about her gradual understanding of her homosexuality which, in tune with the times, she saw as an inversion. Her friends didnt carry out her instructions to burn the book after her death. Oculto sendero is similar in style to the famous gay novel The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall and is set in Madrid before the Spanish Civil War. Elena Fortun was the penname of Encarnacion Aragoneses, who lived from 1886 to 1952, and she used a different alias, Rosa Maria Castanos, for this Sapphic autobiographical novel. She was married to a writer who is considered to be less talented, and he envied her literary success. Elena went to exile with him to Argentina in 1939. Despite being away from her beloved Spain and despite Francoism, she continued publishing the Celia series and the couple managed to make a living abroad. She never left her husband but when she returned to Spain in 1948 to see if it was possible for them both to come back, he committed suicide, leaving her and their only son, exiled in New York, shocked and estranged from each other At the time of her death, one manuscript of Hidden Path was in Orange, New Jersey. Another one was in Buenos Aires. Both were brought back to Spain in the late 1980s by Marisol Dorao, a lecturer from Cadiz University who felt unable to approach Fortuns lesbianism. The novel was found again by Professor Capdevila-Arguelles, and published in Spain in 2016. Oculto sendero was El Pais book of the year, reinstating Fortun in Spanish cultural life. It was probably finished between 1940 and 1945 and started in the mid-1930s. It describes ideas about sexual inversion, gender unorthodoxy, androgyny and more generally not wanting to be and not being a woman in the most traditional sense of the word. The work of feminist writers and artists including Elena Fortun was erased from public memory by the Spanish Civil War and the decades of dictatorship that followed. Professor Capdevila-Arguelles has been working to resurrect this lost feminist cultural heritage both in Spain and internationally. This has included documentary and feature films, multimedia projects and plays, plaques on buildings and feminist walks. Some of the materials are now part of the Spanish school curriculum. Elena Fortun continued publishing the Celia books while in exile in Argentina after the Civil War. Professor Capdevila-Arguelles became a fan of the books when she was nine, when Spain was transitioning to democracy. Her generation didnt study the civil war at school, or the Second Republic, and the Celia books were the only source of information for many children about a long-lost world not familiar to them. Professor Capdevila-Arguelles has been responsible for the publication of new critical editions of Celia books written by Elena while she was in Argentina and a volume of her unpublished works and letters. Professor Capdevila-Arguelles has also edited and published two volumes of Elena Fortuns letters, covering the last four years of her life when she returned to Spain after the death of her husband and couldnt be with Ines Field, the love of her life. Professor Capdevila-Arguelles said: Elena wrote this book but didnt dare publish it, or even take it to an editor because of the content. Reading it shows us how she was discovering more about herself. She said born ahead of her time and she didnt know how true that was. The style is a very fresh, it has agile dialogue and entertaining humour. It is uplifting and powerful, intense and honest. It is a novel of growing up and learning about sexuality, of someone reflecting on gender and how you present yourself to the world. The translation, published on March 18, is sponsored by Spanish Ministry of Education. Africa must protect itself against future pandemics and other shocks through higher investment in primary healthcare and increased local manufacturing of key medical products, panelists at the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development urged on Monday. Egypt hosted the virtual, second edition of the meeting, titled Shaping Africas New Normal: Recovering Stronger, Rebuilding Better. A significant part of the discussion centered on providing access to COVID-19 vaccinations and to healthcare more generally. This is not the first pandemic and it is not going to be the last, said Egypts Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Hala El-Said, who appealed for vaccine equity and the establishment of research and diagnostic centres that focus on pandemics in Africa. She also invited the private sector to play a greater role in investing in the healthcare of Africans. Investments in healthcare must be a priority, said World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. A healthy population is a secure, resilient and prosperous population, the WHO chief said. As we work together to respond, recover, and rebuild, we must see health as an investment to be nurtured- an investment that delivers for each and everyone. African Development Bank President Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina called for the establishment of an African Financial Stability Mechanism to help the continent withstand future economic shocks such as the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. As we go into the African Continental Free Trade Area, we cannot afford this kind of shocks that could pull our economies down, because that is an economy of $3.8 trillion, Dr. Adesina said. It is time for us to develop and put in place an African Financial Stability Mechanism that will ensure that Africa does not reel from side to side when situations like this happen, Adesina added. The African Development Bank President cited as a model the European Financial Stabilization Mechanism created by the European Commission to provide financial assistance to EU countries experiencing or threatened by serious financial difficulties. We were looking for $154 billion for Africa last year. We couldnt even get it, he said. Speakers agreed that in the near term, securing vaccine equityaccess to an adequate and affordable supply of vaccines against COVID-19would be critical. The Director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), John Nkengasong, urged Africans to use vaccine supplies effectively. Unless, and until we vaccinate at least 60% of our population, we remain a continent of COVID-19 going forward, with serious economic and health implications. We must do everything to meet our vaccination targets, he said. It was agreed that another lesson of the pandemic is that African countries need to promote the domestic manufacture of diagnostic equipment, vaccines and other medicines. We need to build back better, bolder and bigger, and embrace a new public health order for our continent, Nkengasong said. The Aswan Forum, an annual event that receives support from the African Development Bank and other international and regional organizations, promotes an agenda to address the peace, security and development challenges that Africa faces. The forum runs from the 1st to 5th of March. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn The Guardian The potential consequences of the origins of the virus are shattering if they can be proved My own complacency on the matter was dynamited by the lab-leak essay that ran in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists earlier this month. Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters There was a time when the Covid pandemic seemed to confirm so many of our assumptions. It cast down the people we regarded as villains. It raised up those we thought were heroes. It prospered people who could shift easily to working from home even as it problematized the lives of those Trump voters living in the old economy. Like all plagues, Covid often felt like the hand of God on earth, scourging the people for their sins against higher learning and visibly sorting the righteous from the unmasked wicked. Respect science, admonished our yard signs. And lo!, Covid came and forced us to do so, elevating our scientists to the highest seats of social authority, from where they banned assembly, commerce, and all the rest. We cast blame so innocently in those days. We scolded at will. We knew who was right and we shook our heads to behold those in the wrong playing in their swimming pools and on the beach. It made perfect sense to us that Donald Trump, a politician we despised, could not grasp the situation, that he suggested people inject bleach, and that he was personally responsible for more than one super-spreading event. Reality itself punished leaders like him who refused to bow to expertise. The prestige news media even figured out a way to blame the worst death tolls on a system of organized ignorance they called populism. In reaction to the fool Trump, liberalism made a cult out of the hierarchy of credentialed achievement in general But these days the consensus doesnt consense quite as well as it used to. Now the media is filled with disturbing stories suggesting that Covid might have come not from populism at all, but from a laboratory screw-up in Wuhan, China. You can feel the moral convulsions beginning as the question sets in: What if science itself is in some way culpable for all this? * I am no expert on epidemics. Like everyone else I know, I spent the pandemic doing as I was told. A few months ago I even tried to talk a Fox News viewer out of believing in the lab-leak theory of Covids origins. The reason I did that is because the newspapers I read and the TV shows I watched had assured me on many occasions that the lab-leak theory wasnt true, that it was a racist conspiracy theory, that only deluded Trumpists believed it, that it got infinite pants-on-fire ratings from the fact-checkers, and because (despite all my cynicism) I am the sort who has always trusted the mainstream news media. My own complacency on the matter was dynamited by the lab-leak essay that ran in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists earlier this month; a few weeks later everyone from Doctor Fauci to President Biden is acknowledging that the lab-accident hypothesis might have some merit. We dont know the real answer yet, and we probably will never know, but this is the moment to anticipate what such a finding might ultimately mean. What if this crazy story turns out to be true? The answer is that this is the kind of thing that could obliterate the faith of millions. The last global disaster, the financial crisis of 2008, smashed peoples trust in the institutions of capitalism, in the myths of free trade and the New Economy, and eventually in the elites who ran both American political parties. In the years since (and for complicated reasons), liberal leaders have labored to remake themselves into defenders of professional rectitude and established legitimacy in nearly every field. In reaction to the fool Trump, liberalism made a sort of cult out of science, expertise, the university system, executive-branch norms, the intelligence community, the State Department, NGOs, the legacy news media, and the hierarchy of credentialed achievement in general. Now here we are in the waning days of Disastrous Global Crisis #2. Covid is of course worse by many orders of magnitude than the mortgage meltdown it has killed millions and ruined lives and disrupted the world economy far more extensively. Should it turn out that scientists and experts and NGOs, etc. are villains rather than heroes of this story, we may very well see the expert-worshiping values of modern liberalism go up in a fireball of public anger. Consider the details of the story as we have learned them in the last few weeks: Lab leaks happen. They arent the result of conspiracies: a lab accident is an accident, as Nathan Robinson points out; they happen all the time, in this country and in others, and people die from them. There is evidence that the lab in question, which studies bat coronaviruses, may have been conducting what is called gain of function research, a dangerous innovation in which diseases are deliberately made more virulent. By the way, right-wingers didnt dream up gain of function: all the cool virologists have been doing it (in this country and in others) even as the squares have been warning against it for years. There are strong hints that some of the bat-virus research at the Wuhan lab was funded in part by the American national-medical establishment which is to say, the lab-leak hypothesis doesnt implicate China alone. There seem to have been astonishing conflicts of interest among the people assigned to get to the bottom of it all, and (as we know from Enron and the housing bubble) conflicts of interest are always what trip up the well-credentialed professionals whom liberals insist we must all heed, honor, and obey. The news media, in its zealous policing of the boundaries of the permissible, insisted that Russiagate was ever so true but that the lab-leak hypothesis was false false false, and woe unto anyone who dared disagree. Reporters gulped down whatever line was most flattering to the experts they were quoting and then insisted that it was 100% right and absolutely incontrovertible that anything else was only unhinged Trumpist folly, that democracy dies when unbelievers get to speak, and so on. The social media monopolies actually censored posts about the lab-leak hypothesis. Of course they did! Because were at war with misinformation, you know, and people need to be brought back to the true and correct faith as agreed upon by experts. * Let us pray, now, for science, intoned a New York Times columnist back at the beginning of the Covid pandemic. The title of his article laid down the foundational faith of Trump-era liberalism: Coronavirus is What You Get When You Ignore Science. Ten months later, at the end of a scary article about the history of gain of function research and its possible role in the still ongoing Covid pandemic, Nicholson Baker wrote as follows: This may be the great scientific meta-experiment of the 21st century. Could a world full of scientists do all kinds of reckless recombinant things with viral diseases for many years and successfully avoid a serious outbreak? The hypothesis was that, yes, it was doable. The risk was worth taking. There would be no pandemic. Except there was. If it does indeed turn out that the lab-leak hypothesis is the right explanation for how it began that the common people of the world have been forced into a real-life lab experiment, at tremendous cost there is a moral earthquake on the way. Because if the hypothesis is right, it will soon start to dawn on people that our mistake was not insufficient reverence for scientists, or inadequate respect for expertise, or not enough censorship on Facebook. It was a failure to think critically about all of the above, to understand that there is no such thing as absolute expertise. Think of all the disasters of recent years: economic neoliberalism, destructive trade policies, the Iraq War, the housing bubble, banks that are too big to fail, mortgage-backed securities, the Hillary Clinton campaign of 2016 all of these disasters brought to you by the total, self-assured unanimity of the highly educated people who are supposed to know what theyre doing, plus the total complacency of the highly educated people who are supposed to be supervising them. Then again, maybe I am wrong to roll out all this speculation. Maybe the lab-leak hypothesis will be convincingly disproven. I certainly hope it is. But even if it inches closer to being confirmed, we can guess what the next turn of the narrative will be. It was a perfect storm, the experts will say. Who coulda known? And besides (they will say), the origins of the pandemic dont matter any more. Go back to sleep. Thomas Frank is a Guardian US columnist. He is the author, most recently, of The People, No: A Brief History of Anti-Populism Industry Update Appointment 3 March 2021 Lara Weiss Appointed Director of Sales & Revenue Management At Sensei in Santa Monica - CA, USA Lara Weiss was recently appointed Director of Sales & Revenue Management at Sensei where she will lead the team in meeting sales objectives and goals. Weiss comes to Sensei with a strong background in hospitality having worked at a variety of West Coast companies and properties including The Beverly Hilton, The Hollywood Roosevelt, Thompson Hotels, Kor Hotel Group and more. Weiss also provided marketing and revenue management services for two wellness brands, Civana and Two Bunch Palms, and founded of her own company, AUTONOMOUS Hospitality and Hotel Collection, which offers sales, MICE representation, marketing management and more to independent hotels. Sensei Sensei applies data-driven health knowledge and utilizes technology in its programs and services to promote preventative care and healthy lifestyle practices. It was founded by Larry Ellison, technology pioneer and co-founder of Oracle, and Dr. more information Recent Appointments at Sensei Bere Olmedo - Director of Sensei Lanai Retreat 3 March 2021 Bere Olmedo was named Director of Sensei Lana'i Retreat in August 2020 and currently oversees day-to-day operations for Sensei's unmatched wellness programming and execution of the luxury guest experience. read more Jacqueline Pucci - Head of People Operations. 3 March 2021 Sensei also welcomes Jacqueline Pucci as its corporate Head of People Operations. In this role, Pucci will build the brand's portfolio through people leadership, employer branding, opening critical path support and talent acquisition of top technology, wellness and hospitality professionals. read more Turkeys energy import bill has been a major drag on its economy for decades. In 2019, the country imported $41 billion worth of energy among which 45 billion cubic meters of natural gas. Besides LNG imports, the most important exporters are Russia, Azerbaijan, and Iran. Turkey's high import dependency explains the enthusiasm with which the discovery of the gas field was announced. There is widespread skepticism about whether the publication was too premature. However, it can be better understood if geopolitical factors and the near expiration of several long-term gas import contracts are taken into account. The reservoir is branded Sakarya and is located some 150 kilometers from Turkeys Black Sea coast. The gas field was discovered in ultra-deep waters which makes it difficult to exploit. Furthermore, the field is near Romanias shore (100 kilometers) and the previous largest gas field in the Black Sea, Neptun Deep block (84 bcm), which was discovered eight years ago. Initial estimates have suggested that Sakarya could hold 320 bcm. Turkish President Erdogan, however, announced in October that the reserve had been upgraded to 405 bcm. This happened after not more than one exploratory well, raising eye-brows with industry experts. The extractable reserve value of the field is highly uncertain which means there is a cloud of uncertainty concerning profitability. Start Trading On OPC Markets Today According to energy analyst Necdet Pamir, it is not scientific to declare the size of a field and then simply convert it into dollar terms. Let us neither underestimate nor exaggerate it. The discovery of gas has an economic value. However, drilling one [test] well and then declaring a reserve is not correct. Further tests should be done. Wells should be opened. The reserve cannot be understood from the very first day. The declared estimates are speculative. Furthermore, the physical proximity to Romanias offshore gas industry indicates that major geological challenges are ahead. The Black Sea has a unique morphology. The shallow shorelines quickly turn into ultra-deep waters. According to Wood Mackenzie researcher Thomas Purdie, the basin center is deep, cold, and highly anoxic. These harsh, challenging conditions require specialist experience, not currently at TPAOs disposal. The Sakarya development will almost be at the deepest limits of the Black Sea. This is an ultra-harsh environment. Gas should be flowing to customers by 2023 which, not so coincidentally, is the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Turkish Republic. Also, parliamentary and presidential elections will be held that year. However, according to Mehmet Ogutcu, head of the Bosphorus Energy Club and a former diplomat, the 2023 goal seems to be too optimistic. The average period from discovery to market is around 7-8 years in the gas industry. Although much skepticism remains, the discovery couldn't have had better timing. Turkey is embroiled in conflicts with most of its neighbors over a variety of issues among which energy and territorial disputes in the Eastern Mediterranean. The find emboldens Ankara during a period when the country doesnt have many friends. Also, several large long-term contracts with exporter Russia will expire in the next few years. Turkey has been paying 20 percent more for its gas than European customers. But the development of Sakarya could strengthen Ankaras hand during negotiations. Researchers at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies expect Turkey to be able to lower prices from $225-$235/thousand m3 to $130/thousand m3. However, to develop the gas field, Turkey needs to attract foreign expertise to drill in the extremely harsh environment of the ultra-deep waters of the Black Sea. This means that Ankara should offer incentives for these companies to invest. Also, a stable business environment is required as it will take years before any return on investment is realized. The confrontational style and bellicose language of the current leadership in Ankara make it difficult for Western firms to close an agreement. Furthermore, the current gas market is oversupplied with both piped and shipped natural gas. This means that the return of investment could be relatively low for investors. In an oversupplied and decarbonizing world, specialized oil and gas companies could prefer projects with the highest level of profitability. Therefore, it remains uncertain whether there is much enthusiasm with foreign companies to sign up for a highly complex and politically contentious project. Turkey, however, will enter talks with Gazprom more confidently when discussing new long-term supply contracts. The Russians will likely offer lower prices and more favorable conditions. After more is known of the extractable reserve value of Sakarya, it could be concluded that the discovery is less of a game-changer than anticipated. By Vanand Meliksetian for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Cybeats is a leading edge IoT (Internet of Things) and connected device security company The Cybeats platform defends IoT devices from cyber-attacks in critical facilities like airports, hospitals, power plants, factories, water treatment facilities, as well as automobiles and consumer devices The global market for IoT security is projected to grow at 31.2% CAGR to over $73 Billion USD by 2026 1 and IDC predicts that by 2025 there will be over 55 billion connected devices worldwide 2 and IDC predicts that by 2025 there will be over 55 billion connected devices worldwide Relay has now commenced integrating Cybeats operations to scale its sales and business development activities, and to strengthen ongoing and prospective deployments of the Fionet COVID-19 pandemic testing platform TORONTO, March 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Relay Medical Corp. ("Relay" or the "Company") (CSE: RELA, OTC: RYMDF, Frankfurt: EIY2), is pleased to announce that it has entered into a binding Share Exchange Agreement ("SEA") to acquire innovative cybersecurity company, Cybeats Technologies Inc. ("Cybeats"), based out of the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) in Ontario, Canada. Founded in 2016 by Dmitry Raidman, Vladislav Kharbash and Peter Pinsker, Cybeats Technologies has developed an integrated security platform designed to secure and protect high-value connected IoT devices. Cybeats' unique approach eliminates device downtime due to cyber-attacks and allows device manufacturers to develop and maintain secure and protected devices in a timely and cost-efficient manner. "Cybersecurity has never been more important for connected devices. We look forward to immediately leveraging Cybeats technology to enhance the value proposition of our portfolio, starting with our Fionet devices. Cybersecurity is paramount to the future of IoT and with Relay's infrastructure, resources and specialization, we are uniquely positioned to fully realize the potential value of the Cybeats platform across industries," said Yoav Raiter, CEO, Relay Medical Corp. This acquisition fulfills a fundamental requirement and is indispensable to the Company's mandate to provide the global marketplace with reliable data-driven technologies including point-of-care medical devices, consumer IoT diagnostic solutions and COVID-19 testing devices. "While consumers, patients, manufacturers, companies and the world at large rapidly adopt and recognize the benefits of connected solutions, the potential consequences of data breaches and cybersecurity failures become increasingly more catastrophic," said W. Clark Kent, President, Relay Medical Corp. "The value in bridging this gap is well illustrated by the flurry of activity in the global cybersecurity industry and we have experienced the power of the Cybeats solution firsthand. This is a very exciting development for the Company and we look forward to capitalizing on this opportunity and recognizing further synergies as the transaction progresses." On close of the transaction Relay will acquire Cybeats' technologies, intellectual property and trade secrets, and Cybeats will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Relay. In conjunction with the transaction, Cybeats co-founder and CEO, Dmitry Raidman, will be appointed CTO of Cybeats. "We are at a major inflection point of the IoT security market both with respect to the attention it is receiving following the recent events in 2020 and with respect to regulations and standards that have been proposed in North America and Europe. Device OEM companies are motivated to follow and comply with these standards and this requires a different scale and approach. Integrating Cybeats unique award-winning device security technology will help OEMs to support the required scale and achieve their goals. It is imperative for Cybeats to grow fast and increase the business footprint in the OEM device security market around the globe, and this acquisition will accelerate that process," said Dmitry Raidman, CEO, Cybeats Technologies Inc. The Cybeats platform helps companies build their devices with visibility into their security gaps and software supply chain. The platform then continuously monitors the devices for new emerging threats. When devices are operational in the hands of end-users, Cybeats provides controls to detect and eliminate cyber-attack threats in real-time with advanced incident response technology and integrates with modern SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) solutions. Cybeats uniquely provides built-in security as compared to today's market standard of bolt-on security. The Cybeats technology has been developed with the future of IoT and the security of connected smart devices in mind. Future regulations and standards for devices are expected to require the active solutions such as those Cybeats provides. The Cybeats team are thought leaders with extensive experience in the cybersecurity industry, and with more than 15 years of pioneering work in both cloud systems and embedded software. Transaction Highlights In accordance with the terms of the Share Exchange Agreement, Relay will acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Cybeats for an aggregate purchase price of $7,180,000. At the time of closing, the Company shall pay an amount of $500,000 in cash, and the issuance of 9,311,475 common shares of the Company at a deemed price of $0.61 per share. On the date that is 120 days after closing, Relay shall have the option to satisfy $1,000,000 of the remaining purchase price either by way of issuance of 1,639,344 common shares of the Company at a deemed price of $0.61 (together with the shares issued on closing, the "Consideration Shares") or by way of cash, or a combination of both. In addition to the purchase price described above, the Company shall also issue to Cybeats shareholders a number of additional common shares for a maximum aggregate value of up to $6,720,000 (the "Milestone Shares") on the 18, 30 and 42 month anniversaries of the closing date provided that Cybeats meets certain gross revenue milestones in accordance with the terms of the SEA. The Milestone Shares will be issued at a deemed price per share based on the 15-day volume weighted average trading price of the common shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange ending the day prior to the day the applicable milestone was achieved. Each Cybeats shareholder (other than the three founders of Cybeats) receiving Consideration Shares will deposit the shares into escrow for a period of 24 months, with a portion of the shares being released every 3 months. The three founders of Cybeats will deposit the Consideration Shares into escrow for a period of 39 months, with a portion of the shares being released every 3 months. Each Cybeats shareholder receiving Milestone Shares, if any, will deposit the shares into escrow for a period of 15 months, with a portion of the shares being released every 3 months. The parties expect to close the transaction within 30 days from the signing of the SEA. All the shareholders will be subject to a voting trust agreement providing Relay with voting rights on the Consideration Shares and Milestone Shares while in escrow. Relay has issued 588,524 units to certain consultants for services rendered relating to the transaction at a price of $0.61 per unit. Each unit consists of one common share and one half of one share purchase warrant. Each whole warrant is exercisable at $0.90 per share for a period of two years. The common shares and warrants are subject to a hold period of four months plus a day. SUBSCRIBE: For more information on Relay or to subscribe to the Company's mail list visit: https://www.relaymedical.com/news References 1 https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/03/12/1999586/0/en/IoT-Security-Market-Size-Soaring-at-31-20-CAGR-to-Register-73-918-82-million-by-2026.html 2 https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prAP46737220#:~:text=IDC%20predicts%20that%20by%202025,from%2018.3%20ZB%20in%202019 About Cybeats Technologies Inc. Cybeats delivers an integrated security platform designed to secure and protect high-valued connected devices. Cybeats unique approach eliminates device downtime due to cyber-attacks and allows device manufacturers to develop and maintain secure and protected devices in a timely and cost-efficient manner. Cybeats is a wholly owned subsidiary of Relay Medical Corp. Website: www.cybeats.com About Relay Medical Corp. Relay Medical is a technology developer and innovator headquartered in Toronto, Canada focused on the development of novel technologies in the diagnostics and AI data science sectors. Website: www.relaymedical.com Contact: W. Clark Kent President Relay Medical Corp. Office. 647-872-9982 ext. 2 TF. 1-844-247-6633 ext. 2 investor.relations@relaymedical.com Bernhard Langer EU Investor Relations Office. +49 Forward-looking Information Cautionary Statement The US imposed sanctions on the director of Russias FSB security agency last night after concluding it carried out the poisoning attack on Vladimir Putins leading critic Alexei Navalny. Alexander Bortnikov, who has led the KGBs successor since 2008, was one of seven senior Russian officials targeted. Others included Russias prisons administrator Alexander Kalashnikov, domestic policy chief Andrei Yarin, and deputy defence ministers Alexei Krivoruchko and Pavel Popov. Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, said: The US government has exercised its authorities to send a clear signal that Russias use of chemical weapons, and abuse of human rights, have severe consequences. Those sanctioned will have any US assets frozen, US transactions with them subject to prosecution, and they will not be able to travel to the US. The largely symbolic action was the first taken against Russia by Joe Biden, five weeks into his presidency. US officials said it was intended to signal a tougher line against the Kremlin than was pursued by Donald Trump. The US also announced sanctions against 13 Russian businesses, and a government research institute. Officials said they were targeting companies involved in producing materials that could be used in biological and chemical agents. They also renewed demands Mr Navalny, the opposition leader, be released from jail. US intelligence agents had determined with high confidence that the FSB used the nerve agent Novichok against Mr Navalny in August, a senior official in Washington said. Mr Navalny fell violently ill during a domestic flight and was rushed for treatment in Germany, where doctors diagnosed Novichok poisoning. He returned to Moscow in January and was arrested. There were no US sanctions specifically aimed at Vladimir Putin or oligarchs loyal to him. A US official said the sanctions were drawn up in close contact with the EU and the UK. Hours later, the EU sanctioned four Russians for their role in the jailing of Mr Navalny and the crackdown on demonstrations against his imprisonment. The bloc used its new Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime to punish the Russian officials with travel bans and asset freezes. Those targeted included Alexander Bastrykin, whose Investigative Committee handles inquiries into major crimes and reports directly to Mr Putin. Dominic Raab, the British Foreign Secretary, welcomed the sanctions. He said : We will continue to work closely with international partners to hold Russia to account for failing to uphold their chemical weapons and human rights obligations. Denouncing the sanctions, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: Such a policy does not achieve its goals. Read More Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] Irish expats in Israel who have received the Covid-19 vaccine will this weekend flash a green pass and be able to sit inside a restaurant for the first time in months. Israels fastest-in-the-world vaccine programme has led to a drop in infections, while research by Israeli scientists shows the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is even more effective at preventing serious illness than previously hoped. After a year of strict lockdowns, curfews and mandatory mask-wearing, snippets of normal life are starting to resume for the nine million people living there. I know this is really Irish but I cant wait to have my first pint, said Meath woman Paula Fay (41), who received her second jab. Expand Close Paula Fay receiving vaccine / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Paula Fay receiving vaccine More than half the population has so far been inoculated with the first dose. Ms Fay moved to Tel Aviv with her husband and two sons, Odhran and Oisin, in September 2019. Plans to return home last summer were scuppered by the pandemic and for the first time in a long time she now feels confident she will get back to see her family, but not until the situation improves in Ireland. The whole health system here is digitised, so they can do everything a lot quicker, she told Independent.ie. Read More I feel very lucky to be 41 years of age and already have the vaccine, but its disappointing my family in Ireland might not have it until much later in the year. They treated it so seriously from the start here and everything was very military-like. Theyre doing the vaccines seven-days-a-week from 8am in the morning until 8pm in the evening and Covid testing is available all over the city 24/7 and you get your results back in 24 hours. If they had vaccines left over, they were going out onto the street and bringing people into the vaccine centres to get it. Ms Fay, who is a make-up artist, has been out of work for long periods due to lockdowns. Being confined to their apartment with two small kids wasnt easy and at one point, they werent allowed to go more than 200 metres from their own home. However, shes feeling positive about the future. Authorities in Israel will reopen restaurants, cafes and event halls this coming Sunday. Gyms and hotels are already operating again, but only for those who are vaccinated. People who have received the second dose are eligible to get the green pass, a QR code which can be scanned via a smartphone app thats linked to a persons health organisation. Restaurants and shops will scan the code to check the vaccine status of customers. Those who have received the second jab will be permitted to sit inside. If someone doesnt have a smartphone, they will receive the code in the post. I would love to go see a band and listen to live music, Ms Fay said. The thing is with here, everything is outdoorsy due to the good weather so hopefully Ill be able to do that soon. We havent seen half the country yet either so Im looking forward to travelling around. Expand Close Daniel Rosehill in Jerusalem / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Daniel Rosehill in Jerusalem Travel is something which Israel also clamped down on. All passenger flights in and out of the country were banned in January to prevent new variants from getting a foothold. Daniel Rosehill (32), from Co Cork but now living in Jerusalem, has also been vaccinated. Even being able to go out once a week for pizza or a beer will be a massive relief as I've been more or less at home for a year, he said. There is still some uncertainty around when hell be able to get back to Ireland to visit his mother, who he keeps in touch with over the phone every couple of days. The government has only just started easing the closure of the airport and is currently limiting exits and entries to a few destinations and only for those who have been vaccinated, he said. There arent any direct flights between Ireland and Israel so getting back to Ireland isnt simple at the best of times. El Al (Israels national airline) was supposed to be starting a route but that was right before the pandemic hit, so it seems to be on hold. Mr Rosehill is asthmatic so is extremely relieved to be vaccinated. I think the vaccine roll-out in Israel has been excellent. Israel is called the start-up nation. But in many respects, the country is itself a start-up. "In a start-up, things need to move quickly. There isn't always time for quality assurance. The end product can be a little buggy. On a per capita basis, Israel's vaccination program leads the world. But there are kinks in the system. People have been reporting difficulties accessing the green passport app. The messages from authorities have been a bit confusing at times. But for the most part, it works. Israel excels in logistics and has widespread use of electronic medical records. It also isn't an EU member state and was willing to do rather unusual things like send its intelligence agency out looking for supplies. Mr Rosehill, who grew up Jewish in Cork, moved to Jerusalem five years ago and now lives there with his wife. It's an extremely small Irish community but if there are any Irish people here, they'd be more likely to be living and working in Tel Aviv than Jerusalem. Tel Aviv and Jerusalem has a bit of a Dublin Cork dynamic. Tel Aviv is where the jobs are. Jerusalem is larger but less prosperous. While the vaccine roll-out in Israel has been a huge success, it hasnt been without its blips or criticisms. The Israeli government has been condemned for not providing more vaccines to Palestinian territories. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had ordered tens of thousands of vaccines to be sent to Europe, Latin America and Africa, but this plan was aborted after it drew widespread criticism as many Palestinians are still waiting to be vaccinated. Health officials are now also seeing a drop in people presenting for the vaccine. The Times of Israel reported that one vaccine centre had to throw out 1,000 vials which had expired. The Pfizer vaccine being used in Israel expires quickly after being removed from deep freeze. There has also been an issue with groups defying Covid-19 regulations. Over the course of the pandemic, police have clashed with ultra-Orthodox protesters who have been resisting coronavirus rules. There has been a bit of tension here, Ms Fay said. Some groups havent been adhering to the rules and have been reopening schools when they were ordered to close, having large weddings and funerals when they werent allowed to. This is what led to numbers initially going so high. You get fined 200 for not wearing a mask outside and some people were refusing to. The Israeli government is now using celebrity faces and unique ideas to try and encourage compliance and vaccine uptake. Israeli businesses have also been thinking outside the box. One Israeli bar doubled as a Covid-19 vaccination clinic and is providing free drinks to those who get the shot. While bars are currently closed in Israel, Tel Avivs Jenia gastropub launched a free drink with your vaccine initiative. Expand Close Shane Walsh / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Shane Walsh Shane Walsh, from Newbridge, Co Kildare, lives in Tel Aviv and received his dose of the Covid-19 vaccine yesterday. I had a mild enough version of Covid, I didnt have a temperature but I had headaches and no taste or smell. That came back after a couple of weeks thankfully as it was the weirdest thing ever not being able to taste food, he said. Its crazy as I got my shot yesterday and my grandparents in Ireland, who are over-85, only got theirs yesterday too. The over-85s were done here back in January. Mr Walsh moved to Tel Aviva 11 years ago and is looking forward to life returning to normal. I cant wait to sit in a bar or restaurant with my husband and really get back to normal life. I am looking forward to being able to mix more now that Im vaccinated and being able to go to a friends wedding. Im tired of cooking all the time and getting delivery. It really has been all hands on deck here. You can literally walk in off the street and get a vaccine. If you want a test theres loads of places around the city. On the weekends, they have mobile vaccination units around the city. Theyre giving pizza, coffee and soup when you get your shot. Its amazing. Visit our Covid-19 vaccine dashboard for updates on the roll out of the vaccination program and the rate of Coronavirus cases Ireland SBC leader who helped champion conservative resurgence dies from COVID, pneumonia Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Southern Baptist Convention pastor who helped advance the denomination's conservative resurgence has died at age 65 after battling COVID-19 and pneumonia. Jimmy Pritchard, former president of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention and pastor of First Baptist Church of Forney, Texas, died last week following a brief battle with the illnesses. FBC Forney announced the death of Pritchard in a statement posted to their Facebook page on Feb. 24, noting that they brought the news with great sadness. We ask that you please be in prayer for Jeannette; his children, James, John and Julie and their families; his brothers and their families; his church staff; your fellow church members and all those who knew and loved Bro. Jim, the church stated. We will share information from the family as it becomes available in the coming days; but for now, your prayers are coveted. SBTC Executive Director Jim Richards said in a statement that Pritchard was known for his prayer gatherings and revival meetings throughout Texas. Brother Jimmy knew that every spiritual awakening has been preceded by prayer and obedience. He could see the goal line of making disciples of all nations, Richards stated. And now, in glory, I think he has an even clearer vision of the countless number of souls redeemed because of his obedience to that cause that he championed. The Southern Baptist Texan credited Pritchard as being involved in the Conservative Resurgence, a multiyear struggle in which theological conservatives took control of the SBC. According to the SB Texan, a public visitation will be held Friday in the First Baptist Forney Chapel and a funeral will take place on Saturday, which will be livestreamed. In addition to being a pastor of FBC Forney since 1994 and former head of the SBTC, Pritchard held several other leadership positions within the SBC. These included pastor of Congress Avenue Baptist in Austin, member of the SBTC Executive Board, a trustee at the SBC International Mission Board, a trustee at Criswell College, and the Southwestern Seminary alumni association president. In 2014, while serving as SBTC president, Pritchard signed a letter to Houston Mayor Annise Parker denouncing her for subpoenaing the sermons of five pastors who had been critical of a proposed local LGBT ordinance. We ask you, and the city of Houston, to acknowledge that the issuing of these subpoenas is improper and unwarranted, in order to ensure that such will not happen again, read the letter, in part. Whatever a church or synagogue or mosque or any other religious body believes about marriage or sexuality, the preaching and teaching of those bodies should be outside the scope of government intimidation or oversight. Katherine Tai, nominee for U.S. Trade Representative, greets Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, and Sen. Michael Crapo, R-Idaho, after the Senate Finance Committee hearing, Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021 on Capitol Hill Washington. (Tasos Katopodis/Pool via AP) WASHINGTON - The Senate Finance Committee easily approved President Joe Biden's pick to be America's top trade negotiator. The panel on Wednesday confirmed Katherine Tai to be U.S. trade representative on a voice vote. Her nomination, which has received strong bipartisan support, will now go to the full Senate for approval. Tai has promised to make sure that U.S. trade policy benefits America's workers, not just corporations, and to work more closely with U.S. allies to counter an increasingly assertive China. Fluent in Mandarin, Tai spent several years as the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative's head of China enforcement. She last worked as the top trade staffer on the House Ways and Means Committee, where she handled negotiations with the Trump administration over a revamped North American trade deal. Under pressure from congressional Democrats, Trumps trade team agreed to strengthen the pact to make it easier for Mexican workers to form independent unions and demand better pay and benefits decreasing the incentives for U.S. firms to move south of the border to take advantage of cheap and compliant labour. She and Biden have said little about how they will handle specific trade issues such as whether to keep President Donald Trump's import taxes on foreign steel and aluminum and on $360 billion worth of Chinese products. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Hyderabad, March 3 : Government of Odisha is collaborating with the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) to strengthen management of natural resources for the benefit of the state's Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups that are dependent on agriculture. Accordingly, ICRISAT will undertake capacity building initiatives, water harvesting, recording of hydrological parameters and crop productivity in addition to monitoring land-use as well as land-cover through remote sensing and GIS in 12 districts of Odisha, the institute announced on Wednesday. "The main objective of this collaboration is promoting sustainable integrated natural resource management through capacity building and monitoring. The period of agreement is for three years and the area of intervention is spread over 12 districts," said P K Jena, Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Odisha, during signing of the partnership agreement in Bhubaneshwar on Tuesday. The collaboration is a part of Odisha's Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups Empowerment and Livelihoods Improvement Program (OPELIP), which is funded by the UN's International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). OPELIP aims to develop integrated approaches for improved access to natural resources, agriculture technologies and other services in the state's 12 districts where populations of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) reside. These districts are Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj, Debagarh, Kendujhar, Angul, Nuapada, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Raygada, Gajpati, Ganjam and Malkangiri. "Our partnership with the Government of Odisha has steadily enhanced the living conditions for particularly vulnerable tribal groups. Together, we have helped improve agricultural practices and productivity as well as food and nutrition security. I am confident that this partnership with ICRISAT will help ensure that the lands and forests these communities rely on are managed sustainably, securing their livelihoods for generations to come," said Ulac Demirag, Country Director, IFAD India. The new collaboration will also see ICRISAT develop rainwater harvesting structures and setting up gauging stations to record rainfall, run-off and other hydrological parameters in four districts where Jhum or shifting cultivation is practiced. "ICRISAT will use its expertise in hydrology and its strong capabilities in remote sensing and GIS techniques. In all of ICRISAT's past and current partnerships, capacity development has been a vital component- across the farming community, government functionaries and NGO partners- as it is crucial for delivery of required outputs," said Jacqueline Hughes, Director General, ICRISAT. "Assessment and monitoring are also critical to ensure achievement of objectives. ICRISAT will support the Government of Odisha's efforts to ensure outputs and outcomes are delivered in a timely manner." Government of Odisha and ICRISAT have been partnering for a decade for the benefit of the state's smallholder farmers and agriculture. The partnership is a holistic approach to enhance crop productivity, improve incomes and better nutritional outcomes by making agriculture climate resilient and sustainable. Some of the collaborative efforts underway include development and promotion of improved varieties of pigeonpea, groundnut and chickpea; monitoring and improvement of soil health under the Bhoochetna Project that has already demonstrated yield increases in the range of 20-60 per cent across the state; and supporting the Odisha Livelihood Mission in a multifaceted manner. [March 02, 2021] Online Psychic Readings: 10 Best Psychics to Get an Accurate Reading by Phone, Chat, Email, or Video CHARLOTTE, S.C., March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In the chaotic modern world, many people are seeking guidance and a deeper form of wisdom that can help them move into the future with confidence. Whether you're looking for answers in relation to your love life, career, or any other decision you may face, the skillful insights of an experienced psychic may make the difference between sinking and swimming. Click Here to Ask 1 Free Psychic Question Online psychic platforms have become an important source of advice and support for millions of people around the world since the dawn of the internet. But are all online services legitimate? and should you put your faith in a "virtual psychic" for an accurate reading? The team at PsychicInsights.org spent over 30 hours researching, comparing, and testing 17 psychic networks, apps, and websites to find the best services overall. The 10 Best Psychic Reading Services on the Internet: Everything You Need To Know Psychic websites have been moving with the times and are now offering free minutes for new members and a whole range of discounts to help customers find their feet and get the readings they need to move forward with confidence. Luckily, this article has reviewed and ranked the top psychic websites available, giving you a headstart on your journey to connect with the perfect psychic for you. 1. Kasamba - Best Online Psychic Readers Overall With its superb record on astrological readings, Kasamba offers new clients an incredible 70% discount and three free minutes with any new psychic users work with. For more than 20 years, Kasamba has been delivering the readings and psychic insights that have helped change more than 3 million customers' lives. The site is easy to access, and with its mobile phone-friendly design, users can engage with the psychics no matter where they are! Each psychic has their own tailor-made profile with a reliable customer-generated 5 Star rating system so users can see how they have performed in the past. Before selecting a psychic to work with, users should always analyze their profile and take advantage of the free 3-minute readings available. Kasamba specializes in astrology, numerology, tarot readings, fortune telling, and dream analytics which means that whatever you're looking for, you're bound to find it here. 2. Psychic Source - Readings for $1 Per Minute With their offer of 100% satisfaction guaranteed, users can rely on Psychic Source's high-quality rating system and expert practitioners. Users can create an anonymous account and connect with the highly trained, professional, and experienced psychics on the platform and take advantage of the free 3-minute reading to get started. With over 30 years of experience, Psychic Source provides real-time phone, video, and messenger chat readings so that users will get the best guidance and insights into the problems that they're facing. There are hundreds of expert psychic readers on the site that users can browse through and work with using the specially made free searching tools. This will allow users to sift through the many highly trained and intuitive psychic readers to find the one they can work with to address the topics they require assistance or support with. Psychics on the site work with tarot, intuitive reading, love, and relationships. The money-back 100% guaranteed satisfaction makes this site a safe bet for those looking to dip their toes into the psychic realms. And if the reviews are anything to go by, you're going to get the help and support you've been looking for. 2. Keen - Leaders in the Chat and Email Readings With over 20 categories to choose from, users can easily make use of the on-site search tool to find the right medium for them. Users can connect to a psychic using their phone, email, or with the chat feature. Users get 3 minutes of free readings when they sign up so they can get to know a psychic before committing to the service. This gives users the assurance they need to take the leap and work with a psychic to resolve the problems in their daily struggle. Having been featured in mainstream publications such as Cosmopolitan and Bustle, Keen has not only been hitting the headlines, but with their team of nearly 2000 psychics on board, they have been showing their many customers how to grow in their lives and become their very best selves. 4. Oranum - Superb Live Sessions That You Can Get Involved With With a great selection of live video readings, users can have a tarot, dream, or intuitive dream analysis session with one of the skilled mediums on Oranum. One of the unique features of this website is that every psychic hosts a 100% free weekly public session, so you can get to know them and find the personality that meshes with you! This gives users a great opportunity to see each psychic in action and to trust their inner wisdom to ensure they have a deep connection with their preferred psychic. When users sign up with Oranum, they get $9.99 in free credit to get them off the ground. 5. Asknow - The World's Psychic Phone Chatline Call asknow at 1-888-815-1999 With multilingual readings available in both English and Spanish, AskNow is raising the bar in a whole range of divination arts. The site offers competitive discounts for new members to the site. And with excellent reviews dating back nearly 20 years, users can be sure that their future is in safe hands! AskNow specializes in advice surrounding all areas of relationships, love, and career guidance, so if you've hit the rocks, they have the expertise to help. Each psychic has their own profile where users can learn more about their skill set. And with a free 5-minute reading available, you can quickly discover if you've got a good fit. Searching the website and booking a reading is easy and intuitive, so once users arrive, they can instantly start to get the feedback and support that will help to revolutionize their life. Runner ups Here are the sites that were reviewed but didn't make the top 5: Psychic Oz California Psychics Mystic Sense LifeReader Psychic Contact PathForwardPsychics Hollywood Psychics The Circle Psychic Light Purple Ocean Bitwine Psychic Center Moon Predictions Meet Your Psychic Psychic Encounters Psychic World Psychic Power PsychicStars PsychicTXT Psychic Prime TruPsychics Click Here to Get a Free Psychic Reading How the Psychic Reading Services Were Evaluated Ranking the best psychic platforms on the market involves looking closely at a number of important factors. Listed below are just a few of the criteria this article based its ranking on. The Psychics When setting out to analyze and dissect a psychic website, one of the most important elements of all is to assess the skills, competence, and knowledge base of the psychics themselves! Can they carry out virtual readings, and do they deliver the results that support their clients to build better lives? People need to be discerning when they judge the services of a psychic. However, if you follow your instincts and trust in your own intuitions, you'll be able to find the right match for your needs. The Services Second to the psychics themselves, the readings that they offer are a central feature of the services that these websites provide for people who are looking for some one-on-one spiritual guidance. Top-level psychics can operate in a whole range of areas including neurology, astrology, tarot readings, astral work, and tarot readings. It's this depth of knowledge and experience that means the psychic is able to consciously adapt to the needs of their clients. Free Readings and Introductory Offers Before committing to a service, it's always good to be able to try a free reading so users can personally evaluate the benefits and insightfulness of the psychic. This gives users the chance to engage with a psychic and decide for themselves whether they are a good karmic fit for them. The best psychic websites offer free trials and free minutes or credits when you sign up to ensure full transparency. Always look for this when choosing the right provider for you. Search Capabilities and Filters The leading psychic websites utilize search filters and other helpful tools so that users can intuitively navigate the platform with ease. Each psychic should have their own profile so people can inspect their skillset and make a selection that is in tune with their inner self. 7 Ways That Connecting With a Virtual Psychic Can Benefit You Connecting with a psychic can change your outlook for the better, and whether customers do so via phone, text, or video call, the results are impressive. Moreover, top psychic sites claim to have already helped people from all walks of life to manifest their best selves. Here are seven ways that a virtual psychic can help: Boost a person's confidence Find clarity in making crucial decisions Clean and revitalize a person's aura Supercharge a person's intuition with expert guidance Unlock the secrets of a person's past lives through regression therapy Communicate with a person's spirit guides Increase a person's natural levels of empathy and understanding How Psychic Websites Help People Everyday There are many ways that the best psychic websites are assisting people every day giving the counsel that can guide people through many situations in life. Listed below are just a few ways psychic websites can help within everyday life. Great to prepare for big events Improve a person's personal clarity Help people see alternative approaches to problems they may face Provides support and restores healthy emotional balance A unique aid in the process of grieving for a loved one or lost relationship Unblocks karmic barriers in a person's energy field Can help people contact and communicate with dead friends, family, and partners Supercharge your sense of purpose and find ways to grow as an individual Personalized guidance and assistance Free Psychic Readings It's always a good idea to get a free reading before you open your heart, invest any money or get personally involved with a psychic. Just like any relationship in life, you need to find out if your preferred psychic is a good fit. So taking advantage of free readings is a way that a potential client can assess the situation and decide, using their own inner intuition, whether or not to establish a relationship. Click Here to Get a 3 Minute Free Reading Depending on the website, here are some of the free psychic readings on offer. Tarot: Using a deck of 78 cards steeped in ancient wisdom, a psychic can unlock patterns of behavior, decode the problems you have been experiencing, and reveal solutions that encompass every aspect of the hero's journey. Specific questions can be answered as well as more general, overall concerns which the client may not even be aware of. Horoscopes: Also known as astrology, horoscopes are the key to understanding the place of mankind in the universe. Finding out the underlying roots of compatibility, relationship advice, career guidance, and personal well-being is central to the important work that a psychic does. Personalized readings are an invaluable insight into the past, present, and future. Numerology: There are bound to be numbers that seem to make more of an appearance in your life or carry a greater significance than others. A skilled numerological psychic can translate their meanings and help people navigate the interdimensional aspects of reality. Dreams: Everybody dreams, but very few people are able to decipher the meanings, hidden messages, and advice that your inner self is trying to give you. A psychic can rapidly unravel the mysteries of your own dreams while assisting you to learn the language of the subconscious mind. Relationships and Love: One of the most divine features of our human experience is the ability to love and be connected with other souls. However, when we get it wrong, it can quickly turn sour. A psychic can give people the gift of understanding so that they can create deep and meaningful relationships that stand the test of time. Careers and Jobs: Earning a living is essential in the 21st Century, and with the help of psychic guidance, anyone can supercharge their possibilities and use the skills that they were bestowed with to master any hierarchy. Financial success and stability are waiting around the corner for anyone who takes on the services of an expert psychic. Fortune Telling and Future Predictions: When it comes to understanding the past, anyone can have a guess. But when it comes to seeing the future, the skills of an expert are essential. Fortune telling can be the difference between success and karmic failure, unlocking the keys to divinity and future happiness. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): Psychic Websites. There's a lot of questions that may be going through your mind if you're preparing to dive into the world of online psychic readings. This is a natural part of the process and should be embraced with an open heart and an inner willingness to make changes in your life. Q: How Does a Free Psychic Chat Work? A: Most of the best psychic websites offer free chats, usually around 3 to 5 minutes, to new members. This gives a new member the opportunity to get to know the psychic in a one-on-one session while starting to get to the root of some of the problems they are seeking to address. After the freely allotted time is complete, then the new member will have to start paying for the services. Rates for the different services vary considerably. However, in all cases, they are extremely reasonable, usually starting at around 50 cents per minute. Q: Can You Use Chat or the Phone? A: Modern psychic websites are extremely well integrated into the possibilities of communications technology, and so the user can decide whether they would prefer to engage using their phone, the chat functions, or a live video link. This gives any potential user the ability to communicate in the way that they feel most comfortable. Q: Is It Possible for a Psychic To Connect With You via the Phone or the Internet? A: Despite the doubts that some people may have, a properly trained and experienced psychic is easily capable of connecting with you via a phone line or through online internet chat, just as easy as local psychics near you . Within the astral field, the limitations that are taken for granted in the physical world are meaningless, and the psychic can interact with your auric essence and establish a firm link no matter what method you are interacting with. Best Online Psychics: The Takeaway Psychics have to undergo rigorous tests, both etheric and physical, to achieve the wisdom that they offer to their clients. And with a little bit of courage and determination, anyone can create a valuable partnership that will birth a future of loving wisdom and success. Regardless of who you are, what position in life you find yourself in, or what problem you're facing, turning to a psychic for advice and support can be a powerful decision that allows people to address their worries and concerns. When you take on the advice of highly trained psychics, your world can change overnight to help you to manifest the very best future for you and your loved ones. Click Here to Get a 3 Minute Free Reading View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/online-psychic-readings-10-best-psychics-to-get-an-accurate-reading-by-phone-chat-email-or-video-301239095.html SOURCE psychicinsights.org [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. The Union Ministry of Earth Science on March 3 said that India and Norway have agreed to jointly work in the area of marine spatial planning in the oceanic space for the next five years. According to a press release by the ministry, the first project steering committee meeting with representatives from both nations was successfully conducted. The ministry added that the two countries have chartered out a plan to ensure that human activities at sea take place in an efficient, safe and sustainable manner in areas such as energy, transportation, fisheries, aquaculture and tourism. The recent agreement between the two nations is a part of the Indo-Norway Integrated Ocean Initiative under the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two countries in 2019. The Indian ministry informed that Lakshadweep and Puducherry have been identified as pilot sites for the project. Further, the officials also added that the two countries have decided to extend support for sustainable ocean resources utilisation to advance economic and social development in coastal areas. According to the press note, the initiative known as Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) will be implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) through National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) for India. READ: World Wildlife Day 2021: PM Modi And Others Urge People To Protect India's Flora & Fauna READ: 'Rahul Gandhi Must Join Political Playschool Or RSS School To Understand India': Naqvi India to invest Rs 8-10 crores per annum The ministry said, In its primary phase, NCCR will develop a marine spatial planning framework for Puducherry and Lakshadweep. These sites have been chosen for the pilot project in view of their setups with unique opportunities for multiple sectors (such as industries, fisheries, and tourism) to flourish. The Government of India's initial investments for undertaking the studies and planning are estimated to be around Rs 8-10 crores per annum. The officials added, In the future, marine spatial planning framework of these two environmentally critical areas can be replicated to other coastal regions of the country. Notably, the World Bank and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have expressed interest in supporting MoES in conducting MSP, a societal-beneficial initiative for India's coastal regions. It is worth noting that previously, the NCCR had developed coastal management plans for Chennai, Goa and Gulf of Kachchh, which proved successful. Now, the MSP initiative will aid the development of multiple economic sectors and stakeholders in a greater number of coastal areas of the country. The Indian Governments vision of New India by 2030 highlights the blue economy as one of the 10 crore dimensions of growth. (With inputs from ANI) READ: India Adds 40 Of 2020's 412 New Billionaires; Elon Musk's Wealth Rockets Into Stratosphere READ: India Stands Ready To Work With UN To Ensure Supply Of COVID-19 Vaccines In Syria Yves here. Jomo Kwame Sundaram has been writing regularly on how wealthy countries are costing lives in poor nations via vaccine hoarding and refusing to give breaks on licensing. Nicholas Corbishey gave a long-form treatment yesterday on how that is playing out in Latin America, giving Russia and China the chance to play vaccine diplomacy. John Helmer had to rouse himself to debunk the notion that its Russia thats engaging in price gouging to other countries. Instead, the UK, the Gates Foundation, the US and others are trying to square the circle by letting Western Big Pharma preserve its egregious prices but subsidizing third world buys. Even so, the amounts dont appear to be enough to meet, let alone beat, the Russian price across Africa. By John Helmer, the longest continuously serving foreign correspondent in Russia, and the only western journalist to direct his own bureau independent of single national or commercial ties. Helmer has also been a professor of political science, and an advisor to government heads in Greece, the United States, and Asia. He is the first and only member of a US presidential administration (Jimmy Carter) to establish himself in Russia. Originally published at Dances with Bears When the organ claiming to be the worlds leading financial newspaper conceals the large price subsidy for the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines manufactured by the NATO allies, in order to accuse Russia of price gouging the poor, you can be sure you are watching an information warfare attack. And when the concealment of the vaccine subsidy operation run by GAVI and COVAX hides the fact that the UK, US, and the Bill Gates (lead image, right) and Melinda Gates Foundation are paying 92% of the $10 billion scheme, then you realise that Covid-19 vaccines are a weapon of war. A war, not only against Russia, but also against China. GAVI stands for the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation. Originally established with $750 million from the Gates Foundation in 1999, it is based in Geneva and Washngton, DC, and directed by an epidemiologist, Seth Berkley (lead image, centre). Hes an American doctor whose previous jobs were also funded by Gates and several NATO governments, and before that by the Rockefeller Foundation. COVAX is an acronym, created by GAVI, to stand for a multinational scheme of financing Covid-19 vaccine development in Europe and the US; then funding sale and distribution of these vaccines to low-income countries around the world. GAVI claims the scheme is the only global initiative that is working with governments and manufacturers to ensure COVID-19 vaccines are available worldwide to both higher-income and lower-income countries. Read more of GAVIs version here. Think of COVAX as a bank created by GAVI from money deposited by the NATO governments and either granted or loaned to client government which meet the banks eligibility criteria. GAVIs website publishes a weekly update on what it calls the Covid-19 vaccine race. The best known of the 11 vaccines on the GAVI list and marked as medically approved are Moderna, Novavax, and Johnson & Johnson (US); AstraZeneca (UK); Pfizer (Germany); Sinovac (China); and Gamaleyas Sputnik V (Russia). The American and British vaccines are being promoted and funded by the GAVI-COVAX scheme; the Chinese and Russian vaccines are not. Source: https://www.gavi.org/ Last Thursday, on February 25, the Financial Times, a Japanese-owned, London-based, and Lebanese-edited publication, claimed the cost price of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine to the poorest of African Union (AU) country members was three times more than the price of the Oxford/AstraZeneca and Novavax vaccines, according to people familiar with the procurement process. The anonymous familiarity formula is a standard practice for anti-Russian fabrications by FT reporters; Bloomberg and Reuters too. Left: the FT report Right: Henry Foy was posted by the FT to Moscow in 2017 after being exposed in the Czech Republic for running a Polish propaganda operation; for details, click. In Moscow Foy propagandizes for Anglo-Russian financial interests and for the plans of the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office's section known as the Cunter Disinformation & Media Development (CDMD); for more, read this. The newspaper report claimed: The $9.75 price per dose for 300m shots of the Russian vaccine, developed by the state-run Gamaleya Institute, undermines Moscows argument that it is offering affordable jabs to countries priced out of deals with western pharmaceutical groups. The deals struck by the AU [African Union], which is emerging as one of the worlds biggest vaccine buyers, provide a rare insight into how jab prices compare, a subject manufacturers have sought to keep out of the spotlight. Africa is a key market for Sputnik V, said the Russian Direct Investment Fund, a Kremlin-run wealth fund overseeing Sputnik Vs foreign sales. Our international price of just under $10 per dose is the same for all markets. Sputnik V recipients require two doses, meaning the cost per individual is just under $20. The FT report added: the price of the Russian vaccine, which will not start arriving in Africa until May, compares with the $3 a dose the AU has agreed for the Oxford/AstraZeneca and Novavax jabs made by the Serum Institute of India, according to the people familiar with AU procurement. The AU will pay $ 6.75 a dose for the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine and $10 for Johnson & Johnsons, a single-dose product. It is not purchasing any of Modernas two-shot inoculation, priced at $32 to $37 per dose. There is no mention of the GAVI-COVAX vaccine subsidy scheme by the FT reporters. Four of Berkleys spokesmen in Geneva were asked to clarify whether the vaccine prices quoted by the newspaper were subsidised by loan or grant money from GAVI. These questions were put by email to the press agents working for Berkley in Geneva: How do you set target acquisition/resale prices for vaccines in countries with low-income populations? What is the pricing scheme your institution and the GAVI/COVAX/AMC system use at what price do you procure from the vaccine originator or its producer? At what price do you then sell the vaccine to target low-income countries? How is the difference between procurement price and wholesale/retail distribution price calculated and financed? The GAVI officials had just issued a detailed tabulation of the countries undertaking to receive the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines over the next several months. The biggest consumers of AstraZeneca on this list so far are Pakistan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Congo (DRC), and Mexico. For Pfizer, the dose numbers remain small; the recipients are led by Ukraine, South Africa, Colombia, Philippines, and Peru. These are the four GAVI spokesmen in Geneva: They refuse to say how much money is being paid by GAVIs contributors to subsidise the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccine sales to African governments. They are also reluctant to answer the question emailed to them: What funds are contributed to the COVAX Facility/AMC for Covid-19 vaccine distribution by these sources? AMC in GAVI jargon stands for COVID-19 Vaccines Advance Market Commitment (COVAX AMC). [It is] the first building block of the COVAX Facility. The Gavi COVAX AMC is the innovative financing instrument that will support the participation of 92 low- and middle-income economies in the COVAX Facility enabling access to donor-funded doses of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines. The AMC, combined with additional support for country readiness and delivery, will make sure the most vulnerable in all countries can be protected in the short term, regardless of income level. What exactly is this financial instrument? According to Berkleys explanation, doses for lower-income economies will also be procured through the COVAX Facility but will be paid for via the separate financial mechanism of the COVAX AMC, which will be largely funded through Official Development Assistance (ODA), as well as contributions from the private sector and philanthropy. Even so, it is likely that the 92 ODA-eligible countries accessing vaccines through the COVAX AMC may also be required to share some of the costs of COVID-19 vaccines and delivery. Through this cost-sharing approach, countries will have an opportunity to complement and build on the essential foundation built by these early, donor funded doses if they wish to achieve a higher population coverage. Berkley and his spokesmen dont say exactly whence the money comes which they term Official Development Assistance (ODA), as well as contributions from the private sector and philanthropy. Instead, the GAVI website presents this picture-book outline of how the cash flows. Source: https://www.gavi.org/our-alliance/about However, in the small print of GAVIs tabulation of its funding sources, it is clear that for pledges and contributions through September 30, 2020, the UK leads with 23%; the Gates Foundation comes next with 17%; and the US follows at 15%. The total shown at the bottom of the table is $10.2 billion. WHERE GAVIS MONEY COMES FROM Source: https://www.gavi.org/ A separate tabulation of cash received by September 30, 2020, shows a similar picture except that the money donated by the Gates Foundation exceeds the British Governments contribution and is almost double the US funding. These figures are for the period 2015-2020; for the Covid-19 financing called COVAX AMC the published numbers are very small, and were led by Japan and Kuwait. It is only by examining GAVIs country donor profiles is it possible to identify the sources of the cash which has so far gone into the COVAX AMC bank for subsidising Covid-19 vaccine distribution around the world. According to this search, the UK leads with $706 million; in other words, the British state budget is subsidising African purchasing of the British vaccine AstraZeneca; GAVI is its intermediary. Next in cash contribution to this banking operation is Canada with $190 million, followed by the Gates Foundation at $156 million; Saudi Arabia, $153 million; Japan, $130 million; the European Commission, $117 million; Germany, $88 million, and Australia, $58 million. On German direction, EC financing for the Pfizer vaccine includes a loan guarantee through the European Investment Bank of $468 million. Adding up the numbers the AstraZeneca subsidy of $706 million is just ahead of the Pfizer subsidy of $673 million. Subtract that money, and the price of AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines in Africa would be significantly greater so much greater, in fact, that it would erase the apparent price advantage reported by the FT. The comparative advantage swings over to Sputnik V, however, when the number of doses financed by GAVI-COVAX is compared to the total doses the African states require to safeguard their people. According to expert estimates, the NATO subsidy through COVAX is covering less than half the African need; possibly as little as 20%. To supply the remainder, Pfizer is on record as demanding a price that is much higher than that of Sputnik V, or the Chinse vaccine alternatives. On Pfizers negotiating tactics in Latin America to cut its financial risk and cost exposure in case of liability claims for vaccine casualties, read this. For more, click. The GAVI numbers show clearly how the NATO governments are subsidising the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines. Neither Russia nor China, which have been donors to GAVI programs in the past, are providing money for the NATO operation this time. On September 17 last year, the Russian Government announced it would not participate in the GAVI-COVAX scheme. Its nothing but another NATO-type Marshall Plan, this time in the medical sphere, commented one of the sources. On Monday, the British Ambassador to the UN, Dame Barbara Woodward, pretended that the GAVI-COVAX scheme was politically and commercially neutral. She announced it is important for Russia to cooperate with COVAX in the context of the overall work with the coronavirus pandemic. She also implied that if Russia paid into the scheme, the UK regulatory authorities would be more inclined to approve Sputnik V for introduction into the UK. In fact, according to Russian sources interviewed in Moscow this week, it is clear that the GAVI-COVAX operation is aimed at boosting the AstraZenca and Pfizer vaccines over Sputnik V for political and commercial gain. The Russians are therefore negotiating their vaccine sales bilaterally; if there is price discounting or other concessions, the terms remain secret; the reporters of the Financial Times dont know them. Asked this week to clarify the terms their governments have been negotiating with Moscow to obtain the Sputnik V vaccine, Moscow embassy officials for South Africa, Nigeria, Mozambique and Algeria, refuse to say. The official website for Sputnik V, written by the vaccine developer Gamaleya and the state investor in the project, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) has employed a London public relations company to issue press releases. It has announced that RDIF continues expanding existing agreements with international manufacturing partners to produce the vaccine for more than 500 million people in 2021 The cost of one dose of the Sputnik V vaccine for international markets will be less than $10. Sputnik V is a two dose vaccine. Therefore, Sputnik V will be two or more times cheaper than mRNA vaccines with similar efficacy levels. Vaccination with Sputnik V will be free of charge for Russian citizens. The mRNA (messenger ribonucleuc acid ) vaccines operate with genetic modification technology which is controversial because its long-term effects are unknown and untested. The leading mRNA vaccines competing against Sputnik V are Pfizer and Moderna. COVID-19 VACCINE TECHNOLOGIES Source: https://mvec.mcri.edu.au/ Because the source is Australian, it is hostile to both the Russian and Chinese vaccines, and omits to mention them. Sputnik V is of the viral vector type; the Chinese Sinovac vaccine is of the dead virus type. For a discussion of the genomic engineering technologies in development in Russia, read this. A RDIF spokesman refused to discuss price discounting and would not comment on the London newspaper claims. He also declined to comment on the GAVI-COVAX subsidy scheme. R-Pharm, one of Russias leading pharmaceutical producers, acknowledged that it is involved in the distribution of Sputnik V domestically and also for export. A company source said the export price for Sputnik V is about $10, not more. He added the COVAX operation is outside our sphere. Last week, in an official announcement from the federal Health Ministry and Ministry of Industry and Trade, for those in Russia who arent eligible to be vaccinated free of charge, the maximum commercial price for the two-dose Sputnik V inside the country will be Rb866.81 ($11.71). This was a sharp reduction from Rb1,942 announced by the Health Ministry in early December. KYOTO, Japan, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- OMRON Corporation based in Kyoto, Japan, announced the release in March of its new FH-SMD Series 3D Vision Sensor. The FH-SMD Series can be mounted on a robot to recognize randomly placed (bulk) automotive parts in three dimensions, enabling space-saving assembly, inspection, and pick & place, which are difficult with conventional robots, and improving productivity. OMRON continues to contribute to bringing innovation to manufacturing sites through total solutions combining robots and automation devices. Image1: The FH-SMD Series mounted on OMRON's collaborative robot recognizes bulk parts in three dimensions https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M102197/202102251517/_prw_PI1fl_172Ee97O.jpg Production workers are hard to come by these days, and labor costs have risen sharply. Manufacturers are now facing intense pressure to automate processes that rely on the senses of experienced human workers. Moreover, production workers now need to work harmoniously with machines to raise productivity amid the COVID-19 crisis. In particular, the automotive industry requires vision sensors as the eyes of robots that are indispensable for automation because it is difficult for machines to recognize positions and postures of various complex-shaped parts. However, conventional large 3D vision sensors take a long time to detect the status of targets as well as needing large spaces and large mounting equipment. These are barriers to installation into preexisting spaces and automation that provides human-level performance. The new FH-SMD Series 3D Vision Sensor is small and light enough to be mounted on a robot arm, eliminating the need for special mounting equipment and thus saving space. This sensor can be moved to change viewpoints and easily recognize parts, reducing blind spots and providing reliable detection. In addition, the newly developed 3D measurement technology enables part detection in approximately 0.4 seconds (*1) regardless of the shape and location. Bulk parts assembly can be automated smoothly. OMRON set forth a strategic concept called "innovative-Automation" consisting of three innovations or "i's" -- "integrated" (control evolution), "intelligent" (development of intelligence by ICT), and "interactive" (new harmonization between people and machines). By providing productive automation solutions combining the FH-SMD Series and robots, OMRON accelerates the creation of "interactive" manufacturing sites -- key to the materialization of "innovative-Automation" -- together with its client companies. Note: (*1) Total time for 3D measurement and 3D recognition under OMRON's specified conditions. Features 1. Fits in preexisting compact spaces The new small and light 3D vision sensor for robot arms saves installation space. There is no need for big mounting equipment and a major layout change which are required for other 3D vision sensors. Image2: Features https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M102197/202102251517/_prw_PI2fl_NSJYPL0X.jpg Examples of using FH-SMD with robot Flexible part picking from multiple locations, easily transportable to where needed Image3: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M102197/202102251517/_prw_PI3lg_ncgP8R6j.jpg Image4: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M102197/202102251517/_prw_PI4lg_vW6G0S0B.jpg 2. Faster cycle time thanks to human-like speed and flexibility High-speed detection in approximately 0.4 seconds (*1) makes picking smooth. High-speed detection is accomplished by 3D measurement technology to create 3D shape images and 3D recognition technology to identify the position and posture of targets. (*1) Please refer to the previous note. Image5: High-speed detection https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M102197/202102251517/_prw_PI5fl_Z25mMez1.jpg The camera changes the viewpoint to detect parts at high speeds, reducing blind spots. Image6: Examples of using FH-SMD with robot https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M102197/202102251517/_prw_PI6fl_87t22OzI.jpg 3. Easy setup without manuals The wizards guide operators step-by-step by setting up a picking application, from camera setup to calibration. Image7: Easy setup without manuals https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M102197/202102251517/_prw_PI7fl_QP95ti35.jpg 4. System configuration Image8: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M102197/202102251517/_prw_PI8fl_fnx8yXyn.jpg 5. Specifications https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/attach/202102251517-O1-BF2dBqt9.pdf About "innovative-Automation" Recently, OMRON has developed a manufacturing innovation concept, called "innovative-Automation." With this concept, OMRON is currently committed to bringing innovation to manufacturing sites through three key innovations, or three "i's." Through these innovations in the area of automation, OMRON aims to enable significant productivity improvements in manufacturing sites in order to achieve high-value-added manufacturing. With the first "i," "integrated" (control evolution), OMRON will seek to advance automated control technology so that virtually any operator, even inexperienced operators, can effortlessly perform work that previously required the expert skills of experienced workers. With the second "i," "intelligent" (development of intelligence by ICT), OMRON seeks to create constantly evolving equipment and production lines. By adopting a wide range of control devices and artificial intelligence (AI), machines can learn through experience and maintain themselves in optimal condition. For the third "i," "interactive" (new harmonization between people and machines), OMRON pursues the development of a new harmonious relationship between human operators and machines; as they work together in the same workspace, machines will be able to assist human operators by recognizing human thoughts and behavior in a way that only OMRON, a specialist control equipment manufacturer who knows production floors inside and out, can realize. About OMRON Corporation OMRON Corporation is a global leader in the field of automation based on its core technology of "Sensing & Control + Think." OMRON's business fields cover a broad spectrum, ranging from industrial automation and electronic components to social systems, healthcare, and environmental solutions. Established in 1933, OMRON has about 30,000 employees worldwide, working to provide products and services in around 120 countries and regions. In the field of industrial automation, OMRON supports manufacturing innovation by providing advanced automation technology and products, as well as through extensive customer support, in order to help create a better society. For more information, visit OMRON's website: http://www.omron.com/ SOURCE OMRON Corporation Related Links http://www.omron.com Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 RTHK: ICC opens Israeli-Palestinians war crimes probe The International Criminal Court opened a war crimes probe on Wednesday into the situation in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories, a move that risks further inflaming one of the world's most bitter conflicts. The controversial investigation launched by the Hague-based court's chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda is to cover alleged crimes by both sides, mainly during the 2014 Gaza war. Israel, which is not an ICC member, swiftly denounced the decision as an "act of moral and legal bankruptcy". The Palestinians, who have been a state party to the court since 2015, hailed the start of the "urgent and necessary" probe. "Today, I confirm the initiation by the office of the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court of an investigation respecting the situation in Palestine," Bensouda said in a statement. She said the formal investigation followed a "painstaking" five-year preliminary probe, and vowed it would be conducted "independently, impartially and objectively, without fear or favour. "In the end, our central concern must be for the victims of crimes, both Palestinian and Israeli, arising from the long cycle of violence and insecurity that has caused deep suffering and despair on all sides," the prosecutor said. In the summer of 2014, Israel launched Operation Protective Edge with the stated aim of stopping rocket fire into the country by militants of Islamist movement Hamas. Around 2,250 Palestinians were killed in the 2014 fighting, mostly civilians, and 74 Israelis, mostly soldiers. ICC judges paved the way for a war crimes investigation when they ruled a month ago that the court has jurisdiction over the situation due to the Palestinian's membership. Israel on Wednesday called the investigation's launch a "political decision." "Israel will take every step necessary to protect its civilians and soldiers from legal persecution," Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said in a statement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month condemned the judges' decision paving the way for a probe as "pure anti-Semitism". The US State Department said at the time it had "serious concerns" about the ICC ruling, adding that Israel should not be bound by the court as it was not a member. The Palestinian Authority hailed Wednesday's decision meanwhile. "The crimes committed by the leaders of the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people - which are ongoing, systematic and widespread - make this investigation necessary and urgent," Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki said in a statement. In 2019, Bensouda said in her initial application for the probe that there is a "reasonable basis" to believe crimes were committed by members of the Israeli Defence Forces, Israeli authorities, Hamas and Palestinian armed groups. These include the IDF allegedly "intentionally launching disproportionate attacks" during the 2014 conflict and "wilful killing and wilfully causing serious injury", she said. Hamas and Palestinian armed groups were accused of "intentionally directing attacks against civilians" and "using protected persons as shields" during the Gaza conflict. The ICC prosecutor also said there is scope to investigate the deaths of Palestinian demonstrators from 2018 onwards. Israel occupied the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in the Six-Day War of 1967, and later annexed mostly Arab east Jerusalem. Today they are home to at least five million Palestinians defined by the United Nations as living under Israeli occupation. The Gaza Strip is blockaded by Israel and ruled by the Islamist Hamas group. The Israel-Palestinians probe will prove the first major test for incoming ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, the British lawyer who was elected in February to replace Bensouda when her mandate ends in June. Bensouda is under US sanctions for her decision to investigate alleged US war crimes in Afghanistan, but Washington has also strongly criticised the Palestinian probe. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2021-03-03. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. If anything sums up this governments commitment to a green recovery and jobs for the future, its building a coal mine that we cant even use. That was opposition leader Keir Starmers stark verdict on the green measures outlined by chancellor Rishi Sunak in his Budget announcement on Wednesday afternoon. This Budget should have included a major green stimulus, bringing forward billions of pounds of investment to create new jobs and new green infrastructure, he added. His words were echoed by environmental campaigners and analysts, who described the measures announced in the Budget as a drop in the ocean compared to what is needed to address the climate crisis. For all the talk of a green recovery, this Budget suggests the chancellor has failed to clock the urgency of the climate emergency, said Rebecca Newsom, head of politics for Greenpeace UK. Dr Mirabelle Muuls, an assistant professor in economics at Imperial College London, said the Budget announcement was a missed opportunity to put forward world-leading green measures ahead of Cop26, a crucial round of UN climate talks that will be hosted by the UK later this year. Despite the climate emergency, there seems to be a missed opportunity to ensure that climate change criteria are included in all parts of the Budget, she said. This Budget is definitely not the net-zero recovery plan so many had hoped for in the year of Cop26. Green homes grant controversy The Budget makes no mention of the green homes grant, a flagship scheme launched last year aimed at encouraging people to make energy efficiency improvements to their houses. The scheme has been plagued by controversy after ministers admitted that just a fraction of the vouchers on offer had been successfully claimed, and that around 1bn of unspent money was to be withdrawn. This is despite the fact that the UKs homes currently account for around 14 per cent of its total emissions and that the countrys climate advisers have said that Britain will need to rapidly retrofit its housing stock if it is to meet its net-zero goal. Fatima Ibrahim, co-executive director of Green New Deal UK, a non-profit organisation, said: The failure to reform and extend the green homes grant shows that this government is not at all serious about tackling climate change or fuel poverty. We have some of the leakiest homes in Europe and every year tens of thousands are left to die in freezing cold homes. We need an army of retrofitters to insulate every home in Britain and create hundreds of thousands of good jobs. Considering the scale of the challenge facing UK housing, this omission is an outright failure. Sam Alvis, head of green renewal at the think tank Green Alliance, said the omission of the green homes grant from the Budget was an elephant in the room. The grant was the governments flagship green job programme, but its absence from the Budget gives little confidence that it isnt going to be scrapped. Pulling moderate spending packages like this is not a good sign. The Independent understands that the Green Homes Grant scheme is currently under review. Fuel duty freeze In his Budget speech, Mr Sunak confirmed that fuel duty will be frozen for the 11th year in a row. The decision means tax paid on petrol and diesel will remain at 57.95p a litre, the same price as in 2011. Analysis by the climate website Carbon Brief previously found that the freeze in fuel duty since 2010 has caused the UKs CO2 emissions to be as much as 5 per cent higher than they would have been. Its astonishing that a government pledging to confront the climate emergency has frozen fuel duty yet again, said Mike Childs, head of policy at Friends of the Earth. No wonder passenger cars contribution to the climate crisis has barely fallen in the past decade. Sunak confirmed that fuel duty will be frozen for the 11th year in a row (AFP/Getty) Jonathan Bartley, co-leader of the Green Party, also criticised the decision to continue the fuel duty freeze. The freezing of fuel duty is another disappointment, but we would have gone much further than just returning to the annual escalator by imposing a high and rising carbon tax on all fossil fuels, he said. A carbon tax is the fastest and most efficient way to make the biggest polluting companies pay for the carbon they emit, signalling to markets that we are serious about rapid progress towards net zero. Positive steps The chancellor announced some measures that were welcomed by green groups. This included the confirmation of a new UK Infrastructure Bank to finance projects aimed at helping the country reach its net-zero goal. Located in Leeds, the bank will invest across the UK in public and private projects to finance the green industrial revolution, Mr Sunak said. Beginning this spring, it will have an initial capitalisation of 12bn and we expect it to support at least 40bn of total investment in infrastructure. The chancellor also confirmed earlier reports that the UK is launching a green bonds scheme to give investors the opportunity to buy into projects aimed at helping the country get to net zero. Campaigners welcomed the schemes, but said there was still not enough detail about how they would operate in practice. An Infrastructure Bank and green bonds could be steps forward, but without a guarantee they will provide sustained investment to decarbonise buildings, transport and industry, they are unlikely to do much to advance climate action, said Ms Newsom. Mr Sunak also confirmed reports that the Bank of Englands mandate is to be updated to include a greater focus on measures to tackle the climate crisis. Analysts described this as a promising move, but again said the fine details of the Banks change in remit were not yet clear. Unanswered questions An overarching issue with the green measures included in the Budget is that they are thin on detail, Dr Jonathan Marshall, head of analysis at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), a non-profit based in London, told The Independent. The Budget has always been a little green tinge around the edges rather than being green all the way through, he said. Its a quite worrying indication for how the department is thinking [on climate change]. New Delhi, March 3 : Microsoft has warned its customers against a new sophisticated nation-state cyber attack that has its origin in China and is primarily targeting on-premises 'Exchange Server' software of the tech giant. Called "Hafnium," it operates from China and is attacking infectious disease researchers, law firms, higher education institutions, defence contractors, policy think tanks and NGOs in the US for the purpose of exfiltrating information. "While Hafnium is based in China, it conducts its operations primarily from leased virtual private servers (VPS) in the US," said Tom Burt, Corporate Vice President, Customer Security and Trust at Microsoft. The Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC) found that "Hafnium" would first gain access to an Exchange Server either with stolen passwords or by using the previously undiscovered vulnerabilities to disguise itself as someone who should have access. "Second, it would create what's called a web shell to control the compromised server remotely. Third, it would use that remote access -- run from the US-based private servers -- to steal data from an organisation's network," Burt said in a statement late on Tuesday. The company has released security updates to protect customers running Exchange Server, and encourages all Exchange Server customers to apply these updates immediately. "Exchange Server is primarily used by business customers, and we have no evidence that Hafnium's activities targeted individual consumers or that these exploits impact other Microsoft products," Burt informed. This is the eighth time in the past 12 months that Microsoft has publicly disclosed nation-state groups targeting institutions critical to civil society. "Other activity we disclosed has targeted healthcare organisations fighting Covid-19, political campaigns and others involved in the 2020 elections, and high-profile attendees of major policymaking conferences," Burt said. In January, Microsoft admitted that alleged Russian hackers behind the massive SolarWinds attack that affected several top-notch enterprises and government agencies, attempted activities beyond just the presence of malicious SolarWinds code in its environment. Microsoft discovered that its systems were infiltrated "beyond just the presence of malicious SolarWinds code." According to Burt, the new China-based exploits are "in no way connected to the separate SolarWinds-related attacks". "We continue to see no evidence that the actor behind SolarWinds discovered or exploited any vulnerability in Microsoft products and services," he mentioned. Nine federal agencies and about 100 private sector companies were compromised as a result of the SolarWinds hack, the White House had said. In a wide-spread cyber-attack on US federal agencies and enterprises, hackers also broke into the networks of NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), The Washington Post reported, saying the Biden administration was preparing sanctions against Russia as the cybercriminals are "likely Russian in origin". As World Day is being observed, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister on Wednesday appealed to ensure protection of animals and preserve forest and safe habitats for them. In a tweet, the Vice President said: "On this World Day, let us all put in dedicated efforts to save and preserve the and create greater awareness on the need to maintain a healthy ecological balance on our planet." Prime Minister Modi saluted those working towards wildlife protection on the World Wildlife Day and teeeted: "Be it lions, tigers and leopards, India is seeing a steady rise in the population of various animals. We should do everything possible to ensure protection of our forests and safe habitats for animals." World Wildlife Day is observed annually on March 3 to celebrate and raise awareness of the world's flora and fauna. The day is about raising awareness about wildlife and educating the people about the diversity and importance of flora and fauna across the world. --IANS rak/pgh (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.) Half Yearly Report and Accounts Perth, Mar 2, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Exploration activities continued during the period across Horizon Minerals Limited's ( ASX:HRZ ) 100% owned tenure in the Goldfields of Western Australia. The Company focussed mainly on reserve conversion drilling at Binduli (Crake), Teal (Jacques, Peyes, Teal East) and Rose Hill at Coolgardie. A total of 189 RC holes for 14719m and 12 Diamond Drillholes for 1138.2m were completed. The drilling was mainly infill in nature, with some improvements in the block model grade and definition being observed in areas of low density drilling. Resource updates are due in 2021.Two advanced stage exploration projects were also drilled to help build the resource towards a mineral estimated resource in 2021. These were at Binduli (Coote) and Baden Powell where a total of 46 RC holes for 3622 meters were completed. The results to date were positive with consistent gold mineralisation being observed. Greenfields style exploration was also completed at Binduli (Honeyeater, Darter), Teal (Wills Find and Yolande) for a total of 39 RC holes for 3287m.The results were mixed, with both Yolande and Darter failing to return economic mineralisation. At Windanya, a small air core (interrupted) program of 18 holes for 751m was completed. The program resumed in January 2021. Additional exploration work completed included 2 gravity surveys at Yarmany and Kanowna South. A co-operative effort between the GSWA and UWA also completed 6 additional magneto-telluric (MT), part of a district scale MT survey, at the Nimbus area, east of Kalgoorlie. The survey covers Binduli-Teal, Black Flag and Balagundi-Kanowna South.Project reviews for Golden Ridge and Gunga West were completed by independent consultants who indicated that both deposits had marginal economics with a pit cutback or extension scenario. Further work was recommended.Target generation studies were completed for all the prospect areas and POW's lodged.For details on the drilling programs, we refer you to the announcements released on the ASX and on the Company's website (www.horizonminerals.com.au). Mine Development Mining at the Boorara Gold Mine, 10km east of Kalgoorlie-Boulder in the Western Australian goldfields, commenced in April 2020, with stage 1 mining completed during the half in August 2020, six weeks ahead of schedule. Three trial pits were completed at each of the Regal East, Regal West and Crown Jewel deposits with total volume mined of 513,000 BCM. Ore mined, including both high grade and low grade, totalled 267,000t at a mine claimed grade of 1.23g/t Au, 25% above the global resource grade of 0.97g/t Au.150,000t has been hauled to the Lakewood toll milling facility with 120,000t treated to date.Milling campaigns 2 and 3 occurred during the half. The second milling campaign commenced on 31 August 2020 with two ore parcels totalling 46,700t processed back-to-back from Regal West and Regal East pits.Milling performance was excellent with throughput averaging 90tph, high gravity recovery and an overall calculated gold recovery of 95.1%. Gold produced from the campaign totalled 1,845 fine ounces with all gold sold at an average price of A$2,654 per ounce.The third milling campaign commenced on 5 November 2020 comprising ore from the Crown Jewel, Regal west and Regal east trial pits. Milling performance has been excellent with throughput averaging 87tph, high gravity recovery and an overall calculated gold recovery of 95.0%.Mill reconciliation totalled 50,274 dry tonnes processed at a reconciled mill grade increasing with mine depth to 1.62g/t Au. Overall gold recoveries exceeded expectations with a calculated recovery of 95.0%, above the modelled recoveries of 91.0%. Gold produced from the campaign totalled 2,491 fine ounces with all gold sold at an average price of A$2,466 per ounce. The final milling campaign with be completed early in the next half comprising the remainder of Regal East and trial milling some low-grade ore, following which an overall mine to mill reconciliation can be conducted and financial outcomes of stage 1 mining reported. The remaining low grade stockpiles will remain at site for treatment at the proposed Boorara Mill in the future. All mine rehabilitation and removal of contractor infrastructure has been completed.The feasibility study progressed, including an update to the high grade Rose Hill Resource which now stands at:- 286kt grading 2.0g/t Au for 18,300ozat a 0.5g/t Au cut-off grade(open pit), and- 507kt grading 4.6g/t Au for 75,000oz at a 2g/t Au cut-off grade (underground)In addition, work progressed on geotechnical, metallurgical, infrastructure, approval and evaluations on Teal, Binduli, Rose Hill and Kalpini in relation to the feasibility due in calendar year 2021.Nanadie Well Copper - Gold Project Joint Venture As announced to the ASX on 15 September 2020, Horizon divested 100% of its interest in this project to Cyprium Metals Limited ( ASX:CYM ) for a total consideration of $1.5Min cash and shares.Richmond Vanadium Project In December 2016,the Company executed a binding Heads of Agreement ("HoA") with Richmond Vanadium Technology Pty Ltd ("RVT") to form a strategic joint venture ("AXF JV") covering the Company's Richmond Vanadium project in Queensland (refer ASX announcement dated 13 December 2016). During the period, a positive Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS") was released focussed on the development of the Lilyvale vanadium deposit. The PFS was based on an initial 20 year life at Lilyvale demonstrating a financially viable project with the following key metrics: ?? Shallow open pit mining producing 81.2Mt at a fully diluted grade of 0.49% V2O5 for 15.8Mt of 1.82% V2O5 concentrate with concentrate production on site.- Refining overall recovery at 86.1% produces 254,000 tonnes of 98% V2O5 commercial grade flake with average annual production of 12,700t V2O5.- Modest up-front capital costs of US$157.4Mand operating cash costs of US$5.53/lb of 98% V2O5 flake.- At current spot price of US$7.10/lb V2O5, project generates NPV8% of US$150M.The immediate next steps are to finalise the optionality within the PFS to the next level of study where required in areas such as determining the optimal power supply for the project along with progressing environmental studies and preparing the documents for government permitting and approvals.In parallel, discussions shall continue with potential offtake partners in conjunction with assessing the way forward in relation to the project, including financing or assessing other options for maximising shareholder benefit from the project.To view the half year report, please visit:About Horizon Minerals Limited Horizon Minerals Limited (ASX:HRZ) is a gold exploration and mining company focussed on the Kalgoorlie and Menzies areas of Western Australia which are host to some of Australia's richest gold deposits. The Company is developing a mining pipeline of projects to generate cash and self-fund aggressive exploration, mine developments and further acquisitions. The Teal gold mine has been recently completed. Horizon is aiming to significantly grow its JORC-Compliant Mineral Resources, complete definitive feasibility studies on core high grade open cut and underground projects and build a sustainable development pipeline. Horizon has a number of joint ventures in place across multiple commodities and regions of Australia providing exposure to Vanadium, Copper, PGE's, Gold and Nickel/Cobalt. Our quality joint venture partners are earning in to our project areas by spending over $20 million over 5 years enabling focus on the gold business while maintaining upside leverage. "Forests and livelihoods: sustaining people and planet", was the theme of this year's global competition hosted by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). According to Danielle Kessler, Acting US Country Director for IFAW, "The range of global participants and the depth of skill and expression in this year's contest was extraordinary. Ka Yi's piece really resonated with the judges for its beautiful juxtaposition of both urban and rural elements that are so often closely intertwined in our everyday life. So many youth artists embrace their role as stewards of the natural world and we are delighted to provide them with a platform for that expression." Ka Yi received official recognition as part of today's first-ever virtual celebration of World Wildlife Day. CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero said "We congratulate Ka Yi for her inspirational illustration of the deep connection between people, particularly Indigenous and local communities, forest wildlife and forest ecosystems. We are truly grateful to all participants in this record-breaking contest for their submissions. The sheer number of entries this year emphatically shows the genuine passion of children and youth from around the world for forest communities and forest wildlife, and their wish for all stakeholders to improve our relationship with nature. We hope this year's entries will continue to inspire both future artists and the next generation of champions of conservation everywhere." From vivid forest landscapes to radiant depictions of endangered wildlife, 13 semi-finalists from 11 countries were selected. The panel of judges included representatives from IFAW, CITES, and UNDP, as well as guest judges Australian Tiarn Garland, winner of the 2020 art contest, Kirsty Coventry, Zimbabwe's Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts, and Recreation, celebrated syndicated cartoonist Jim Toomey, and founders of Our Daily Planet, Monica Medina and Miroslava Korenha. Per Midori Paxton, Head of Ecosystems and Biodiversity for UNDP, "Increasing investments in sustainable forest ecosystems and livelihoods represents one of the core components of UNDP's broader strategy to safeguard Nature and the wellbeing of our future generations. The winning artwork of this year's World Wildlife Day Youth Art Competition brilliantly captures this important link between forests and people, as well the inspiration and critical contributions that youth bring as stewards of our shared Planet." The winning artwork as well as all the finalist's entries are currently viewable on the IFAW website. For more information and to arrange interviews, please contact: IFAW: Rodger Correa at +1 202 834 6637 or [email protected] CITES: Francisco Perez at +41 22 917 1447 or [email protected] UNDP: Sangita Khadka at +1 212 906 5043 or [email protected] About CITES The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was signed in on 3 March 1973 and entered into force on 1 July 1975. With 183 Parties (182 countries + the European Union) it remains one of the world's most powerful tools for wildlife conservation through the regulation of international trade in over 36,000 species of wild animals and plants. CITES-listed species are used by people around the world in their daily lives for food health care, furniture, housing, tourist souvenirs, cosmetics or fashion. CITES seeks to ensure that international trade in such species is sustainable, legal and traceable and contributes to both the livelihoods of the communities that live closest to them and to national economies for a healthy planet and the prosperity of the people, in support to UN Sustainable Development Goals. About UNDP UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in nearly 170 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations. About IFAW The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is a global non-profit helping animals and people thrive together. We are experts and everyday people, working across seas, oceans, and in more than 40 countries around the world. We rescue, rehabilitate, and release animals, and we restore and protect their natural habitats. The problems we're up against are urgent and complicated. To solve them, we match fresh thinking with bold action. We partner with local communities, governments, non-governmental organizations, and businesses. Together, we pioneer new and innovative ways to help all species flourish. See how at ifaw.org. About the United Nations' World Wildlife Day On 20 December 2013, the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 3 March as World Wildlife Day to celebrate and raise awareness of the world's wild fauna and flora. The date is the day of the signature of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1973. World Wildlife Day has quickly become the most prominent global annual event dedicated to wildlife. It is an opportunity to celebrate the many beautiful and varied forms of wild fauna and flora and to raise awareness of the various challenges faced by these species. The day also reminds us of the urgent need to step up the fight against wildlife crime, which has wide-ranging economic, environmental and social impacts. SOURCE International Fund for Animal Welfare Related Links http://www.ifaw.org Patna, March 4 : Armed robbers looted over Rs 21 lakh in three separate incidents in Bihar's Champaran, Samastipur and Begusarai districts, within a span of 48 hours. Around four masked men looted over Rs 10 lakh at gunpoint from a microfinancing firm in Motihari town of East Champaran district on Wednesday. N.C. Jha, SP of East Champaran, said: "The robbers executed the crime at gunpoint and took away Rs 10,95,975 from the counter of the finance company after it was opened at 8:30 am." "We are examining the CCTV footage of the company to gather evidence about the identity of the accused. We have also raided multiple possible hideouts," Jha said. In another incident in Samastipur district, three unidentified men struck at the Jitwapur's SBI branch and decamped with Rs 5 lakh cash. On Tuesday, four assailants looted Rs 6 lakh from UCO bank branch in Begusarai district. Montour Preserve, a 640-acre nature preserve near Danville and its 165-acre lake, will be donated to a nonprofit organization or local government as part of a settlement agreement between the owners of Montour Power Plant and a clean water organization. According to the Environmental Integrity Project, which represented the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association in the case, Talen Energy also agreed to close a coal ash waste disposal site and donate $1.2 million to conservation efforts. The case was brought to address reported pollution from the ash dump, which is adjacent to the companys 49-year-old coal-fired plant. This agreement will lead to improved water quality in our region, said John Zaktansky, the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper. It will also preserve an incredibly valuable environmental, educational and recreational community asset Lake Chillisquaque and the surrounding land, called the Montour Preserve and protect it for future generations. Talen, based in Texas and Allentown, previously announced that it would switch from coal to a cleaner-burning fuel, likely natural gas, at the 1,500-megawatt power plant and partner with another company to build a 1,000-acre solar farm nearby. The company will stop dumping coal ash and wastewater into the ash disposal basin by December 31, 2025; close, drain and cap the basin by October 17, 2028; install an extra monitoring well; and continue sampling groundwater near the ash basin for at least 30 years to ensure that heavy metals and other contaminants do not leak into nearby streams, groundwater and drinking water. Talen also will contribute a million dollars to the future owners of the Montour Preserve to ensure the proper maintenance of the preserve, and $200,000 to the riverkeeper association to sample streams near the coal ash waste sites and downstream drinking water well, to help protect the community from contamination. In addition, Talen will provide drinking water treatment for the nearby Trinity Church in Danville for as long as the church is occupied. Montour Preserve includes Lake Chillisquaque, which was built 1.5 miles north of the power plant in 1972 to supply water to the plants cooling towers. The 165-acre lake is popular among fishermen and boaters and the lands surrounding the lake include hiking trails, a boat launch, pavilions, play areas, a parking lot, fossil pit, nature center and other recreation buildings. Both the lake and surrounding land will be protected for generations to come for the benefit, use and enjoyment of nearby communities and will not be developed for commercial purpose. About 200 bird species have been observed on or near Lake Chillisquaque, which has been described as a mecca for migrating birds, including ducks, geese, swans and other species. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission stocks several species of fish in the lake, including bullhead catfish, largemouth bass, yellow perch, northern pike and several other species. The Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association is a nonprofit organization working to protect and promote the water-based resources within an 11,000-square-mile, 25-county watershed that feeds into the North and West branches of the Susquehanna River in central, northcentral and northeast Pennsylvania. The Environmental Integrity Project is a 19-year-old nonprofit organization, based in Washington D.C., dedicated to enforcing environmental laws and strengthening policies to protect public health and the environment. My husband and I recently purchased our first rental property. Over the past few months, weve repaired and renovated the 1930s-era home, and are starting to look for tenants. And it turns out, our timing couldn't be better: The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act made several changes for rental property owners that portend a more profitable enterprise than it used to be. For rental property owners, [the act] will generally benefit you, says Thomas Castelli, a New York Citybased certified public accountant and tax strategist with the Real Estate CPA, a firm focusing on real estate tax. How exactly the federal tax changes apply to individual property owners can vary, so Castelli recommends seeking out a tax professional well-versed in real estate to help sort things out. But heres a general overview of some of the new tax rules that will most likely affect rental real estate ownersincluding me. The rental house we purchased before the remodel Erica Sweeney The newly renovated rental, with a new roof, fresh paint, and an opened-up front porch Erica Sweeney Landlords can deduct a big 'bonus' the first year Blame it on wear and tear or just the passage of time, but in the eyes of the IRS, rental property depreciates over time. For landlords, that's a tax breaktypically one that's spread out over several years. The good news? During the first year of owning a rental property, landlords can take a "bonus" depreciation deduction. In the past, that deduction maxed out at 50% of the property's value. But under the new tax act, that deduction doubled, to a max of 100%, which could amount to the entire sum you paid for the place. In other words, it's a huge chunk of change! This bonus deduction would be netted against revenue, which, in many cases, would make rental income show a loss, Castelli says. So you won't be paying tax on your rental income," he says. I'd say that's probably the biggest and most important change or most beneficial change to rental real estate investors. Keep in mind, though, that your property has to qualify. One, it must be placed in service (meaning available for rent) after Sep. 27, 2017, and before Jan. 1, 2023. Two, all or part of the property must have a "class life" of less than 20 years. Since most properties typically have a class life of 27.5 years, it would need to be reclassified as a five-, seven-, and 15-year property in order to take advantage of the bonus depreciation. (A CPA can help with this.) Let's say you have a property worth $100,000, and you can get 20% of that reclassified as a five-, seven- and 15-year property," Castelli says. "That's a $20,000 deduction. Watch: 5 Pet-Related Tax Deductions We Bet You Didn't Know Of Up to 20% of rental revenue can be tax-free While rental income is taxed, the tax act could offer landlords a nice tax shelter of sorts where up to 20% of that rental income is tax-free. What that means is for every $100 of taxable rental income, it's possible that you only pay tax on $80 worth of it, says Amanda Han, a certified public accountant and assistant managing director at Keystone CPA, in Fullerton, CA. How it works: Section 199A of the IRS code provides some taxpayers with a deduction for qualified business income. In the past, there was much confusion about whether this applied to landlords, but the IRS issued a clarification, providing a safe harbor for a rental real estate enterprise to be treated as a business. That is helpful for a lot of landlords, and is available as long as its rental income, Han says. Landlords can deduct more home improvements immediately In the past, landlords could deduct repairs to a rental property immediately, but home improvements were depreciated over time. This has often caused confusion for landlords. What is a repair versus what's an improvement? Han asks. There were always questions about that, because repairs we deduct immediately; improvements we have to depreciate." Yet the tax act simplified those rules. Under section 179, the IRS increased the immediate deduction threshold for home improvements to $2,500 per item. In other words, money spent on improvements under $2,500 can be deducted immediately, rather than going through the complicated depreciation process. One negative: Some landlord losses are now capped One new aspect that could sting rental owners relates to losses on the property. A loss occurs when a property's expenses total more than rental income. Previously, owners of rental real estate could take unlimited losses from their rental real estate. The tax act now limits those losses to $250,000 for a single person and $500,000 for married couples, Castelli says. The upside: Since these limits are quite high, Castelli says this change will not affect most individual rental-property owners. How to make the tax act work for you The tax act has been better than expected for rental property owners, Han says. It's a great opportunity for real estate investors. Good record-keeping is essential for rental owners, and Han recommends property owners keep sales closing disclosures, purchase closing disclosures, refinancing documents, and receipts for anything to do with the home for at least three years. The post Own a Rental Property? Why Filing Your Taxes This Year Rules appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. This year our dine and drink business locations throughout the Gorge have suffered with closures. You can help support your favorites by purchasing take out and gift cards. Many of these business will offer curb-side delivery and some will deliver to your home. Lets keep the Gorge going strong! Workers fill Vietnamese fishing boats with water to sink them after they were seized due to illegal fishing in Indonesia's waters, at Datuk island in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, May 4, 2019 Southeast Asian governments are unable to effectively detect and track ships operating in their waters, which allows illegal fishing, piracy, and other dangerous activities to flourish, according to a new report published by the U.S. Naval War College. In the latest edition of the Naval War College Review, maritime expert Gregory Poling details a worrying lack of maritime domain awareness capabilities in Southeast Asia, suggesting that these governments should turn to commercially available remote sensing tools, like commercial satellite imagery, as a solution for monitoring their surrounding waters. Poling directs the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. He writes that even though few regions are as reliant on the marine environment for food security, economic growth, and national security as maritime Southeast Asia, governments in the region are still sea blind. This lack of maritime domain awareness which mainly comprises detecting, identifying, and tracking vessels at sea is particularly worrying because the marine environment of the South China Sea is teetering on the brink of environmental catastrophe, the report says. According to the report, fish stocks in the South China Sea have been depleted by between 70 and 95 percent, depending on species, and the story is much the same throughout the region. This forces fishermen to venture further and further from their home shores in search of fish. As a result, illegal fishing fleets can increasingly be found operating in other countries exclusive economic zones (EEZs), driving up tensions in the already-turbulent South China Sea. The South China Sea is home to a series of overlapping maritime and territorial disputes between China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei. Poling writes that most violent incidents in the South China Sea emerge from fishing competition, not oil and gas or military activities, and that this trend will increase as the marine environment deteriorates and stocks continue to shrink. As such, this competition over fish resources coupled with a rise in piracy, human trafficking, and other illicit activity at sea poses a major threat to the security of Southeast Asian countries, especially since governments in the region lack the ability to effectively track this activity. And even though the United States and other partners like Japan and Australia have provided security assistance to Southeast Asia in the form of training and expensive platforms like patrol ships and aircraft, the regions maritime domain awareness gap persists, the report says. Luckily, the last decade has seen the rapid development of cheaper, commercially available remote-sensing technologies that hold the promise of revolutionizing MDA [maritime domain awareness] for developing coastal states, Poling writes. According to the report, commercially available tools like coastal radar, automatic identification system (AIS), vessel monitoring systems (VMS), electro-optical imagery, synthetic aperture radar, low-light imaging, radio-frequency detection, and data processing are all increasingly attractive options. For instance, radio-frequency detection tools can triangulate the location of radio broadcasts from vessels at sea. Low-light imaging can detect fishing boats based on the bright lights that they use to attract fish at night. And synthetic aperture radar is useful for detecting metal vessels, Polings report notes. Many of these technologies are being pioneered and made available by private companies and nonprofit organizations. Space-based tools and analytic platforms that previously were the sole domain of governments are being replicated by nonprofits and commercial technology firms, while entirely new technologies are emerging from the private sector, the report says. It cites an example of a company that has developed an AIS platform and accompanying algorithms to automate the detection of attempts to spoof or disable the AIS system which transmits the position of a ship, which could help regional navies or coastguards quickly identify and react to suspicious activity. However, the report says that governments in the region are not reacting quickly enough to these developments in the commercial remote sensing market. And even when these governments do possess certain capabilities, bureaucratic hurdles often impede efficient use of collected information. For example, Poling told RFA that many of the partner nation agencies were shocked when I showed them what we were able to do with commercial technology during workshops with U.S. and Southeast Asian partner nation coastguards, navies, and civilian agencies. Many werent sure what they already had access to, or what other parts of their own bureaucracy were using, Poling said to RFA. And these disconnects exist on the U.S. side too. Poling told RFA that the U.S. didnt seem to have a complete survey of what its partners in the region were already using or their level of familiarity with different remote sensing technologies. For this reason, the report calls on Washington, Canberra, Tokyo, and other governments to shift more of their efforts toward introducing partners to the booming market in remote sensing and advise partners on regulatory and bureaucratic best practices to use those data effectively in naval and law-enforcement operations. Saving dwindling fish stocks, dismantling trafficking networks, preventing the spread of Islamic State-linked terror cells, countering Chinese aggression in the South China Sea meeting these and many other challenges is impossible without much better ability to detect, identify, and track vessels at sea, the report warns. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. A 40-year-old Clinton man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after being convicted last year of conspiring to cultivate more than 100 marijuana plants, using a family business as a front, authorities said. Thomas Laverty, a former employee of the Chuck Laverty & Son Inc. plumbing business in Millbury, was sentenced by Tuesday by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Hillman to the 12 years in prison and 8 years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $3,100 in restitution, according to the office of Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell. Last year, Laverty was convicted after a five-day trial of conspiring to cultivate the plants, conspiracy to launder money, cultivating marijuana and possessing marijuana with intent to distribute, and later pleaded guilty to an additional charge of theft of government funds. Laverty and some co-conspirators used Chuck Laverty & Son Inc. as a front for the marijuana cultivation, officials said. In 2017, authorities discovered $6 million in marijuana inside a Clinton warehouse. With others, Laverty used Laverty & Son vehicles, bank accounts and locations to facilitate marijuana manufacturing, storage and distribution. Each week, several workers harvested 20 plants from the commercial warehouse with a goal of producing 8 to 10 pounds of dried marijuana. That dried marijuana was sold in large quantities for about $2,400 per pound, federal officials said. In connection with his work at Laverty & Son, Laverty received up to $5,000 a week in cash. During that timeframe, he also received federally-funded Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program benefits, which is need-based and generally limited to households whose incomes do not exceed the federal poverty line, officials said. Laverty misrepresented his income on pertinent paperwork provided to the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (which administers SNAP benefits in Massachusetts), and also concealed the fact that he was living with his wife, who herself was receiving SNAP benefits but was using a different address than that of her actual residence, Mendells office said in a statement. Lavertys parents were also charged in the scheme. His father, Charles Laverty, was convicted, but had the conviction and charges dismissed after he died of cancer at age 63 last year. It is sad that Chuck had to spend the last month of his life on trial defending this case, being put into custody for two weeks and then, after a getting released by a compassionate judge, dying within a week, the elder Lavertys attorney, Peter Ettenberg, said at the time. He was a good man who did a lot to help many people. His mother, Andrea Laverty, 63, of Millbury, previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to cultivate marijuana and conspiring to launder money. She is scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday. Related Content: WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court on Tuesday seemed inclined to make it more difficult to challenge widely used voting laws that in practice might be more of a burden to minority voters. The justices spent two hours in a teleconference hearing reviewing the protections provided by the Voting Rights Act, first passed in 1965 to forbid laws that result in discrimination based on race. The cases involve two voting regulations in Arizona that are in common use across the country. One throws out the ballots of those who vote in the wrong precinct. The other restricts who may collect ballots cast early for delivery to polling places, a practice then-President Donald Trump denounced as "ballot harvesting." It would not be a surprise to see the high court disagree with a lower-court ruling and leave the restrictions in place. In an unusual letter, the Biden administration reluctantly agreed that Arizona's laws do not violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which is the section at issue. But the greater impact will be the test that the increasingly conservative court develops for proving violations, as new laws are proposed and state legislatures begin redrawing congressional and legislative districts after the 2020 Census. The court's conservatives in 2013 struck the most important section of the law, and justices on both sides of the ideological divide Tuesday appeared to be trying to find middle ground. A growing list compiled by the liberal Brennan Center for Justice shows that lawmakers in 43 states have crafted more than 253 bills with provisions that seek to restrict voting access. "More voting restrictions have been enacted over the last decade than at any point since the end of Jim Crow," Bruce Spiva, a lawyer representing the Democratic National Committee told the court. "The last three months have seen an even greater uptick in proposed voting restrictions, many aimed squarely at the minority groups whose participation Congress intended to protect." It seemed from the questioning Tuesday that the key justices in formulating a test could be Chief Justice John Roberts, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, who asked tough questions of both sides. In general, the conservative justices seemed inclined to support Arizona's laws, while the court's three liberal justices indicated that courts should conduct a deeper investigation into the way seemingly neutral laws work against minority voters. Washington lawyer Michael Carvin, representing the Republican Party of Arizona and defending the laws, said states generally have a free hand in deciding the time, place and manner of holding elections. Race-neutral regulations generally are not open to challenge under Section 2, he said. Conservative and liberal justices indicated that Carvin's arguments went too far. Carvin said states trying to prevent election fraud should not have every measure judged by whether there was some adverse effect on minorities. Roberts asked why states would want to use restrictions that burden minority voters disproportionately "if you can avoid them?" Barrett asked Carvin why the Republican Party had an interest in defending Arizona's laws, such as throwing out all ballots cast out of precinct. Carvin replied: "Because it puts us at a competitive disadvantage relative to Democrats. Politics is a zero sum game, and every extra vote they get through unlawful interpretations of Section 2 hurts us." Under questioning from Justice Elena Kagan, Carvin acknowledged that some restrictions - reducing voting places in densely populated counties, for instance, or at country clubs - could be unlawful because they disproportionately affected minorities. But it is fine, he said, for a state to get rid of early voting on Sundays, even if proportionately it is used more by Black voters. Several states have done just that in recent years, and Georgia is attempting such a change now. Some justices suggested that restrictions may be judged differently if they change the status quo and cut back on a practice relied upon by minority voters. When lawyers for the other side were up, conservative justices said states have an interest in moving preemptively to stop potential fraud, and to convince the public that election results can be trusted. Others pointed out that a commission headed by former president Jimmy Carter and former secretary of state James Baker had advocated the kind of restrictions on ballot gathering that Arizona had imposed, fearing the potential for fraud. And Arizona has discarded ballots cast by voters in the wrong precinct for years. Jessica Amunson, representing Arizona's Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, acknowledged in questions from Justice Clarence Thomas that a tiny percentage of minority voters had their ballots discarded because they were cast in the wrong precinct. Both sides acknowledged that the Voting Rights Act requires a look at the "totality" of circumstances. For the Democrats, that meant scrutinizing what they said is Arizona's habit of frequently changing the location of polling places and how the state's geography makes ballot collecting more important for Native Americans and Latinos. State Attorney General Mark Brnovich, a Republican, said the court had to look at the "plethora" of ways Arizona makes it easy to cast a vote, beginning 27 days before the election. "Section 2 prohibits state voting practices only when they result in minorities having less opportunity to vote and to elect representatives of their choice," Brnovich said. Barrett said she was not sure that the state offering many ways to vote was the end of it. "If it takes one opportunity away, I guess I still don't understand why that isn't reducing the ability of those voters to vote, relative to other White voters that don't share that same burden," she said. In 2013, the Supreme Court made it harder for civil rights groups to challenge such changes before they go into effect. It effectively eliminated the requirement that states proven to have discriminated against minorities in the past - Arizona was one - receive advance approval from a panel of federal judges or the Justice Department before changing their laws. Civil rights groups openly worry that the 2013 decision in Shelby County v. Holder, which was written by Roberts, portends a further weakening of the federal law; the court's conservative majority has been bolstered since then. Section 2, which was amended in 1982 to prohibit any voting practice that "results in a denial or abridgment of the right of any citizen of the United States to vote on account of race or color," has become the main tool for civil rights groups to challenge voting restrictions. Lower courts are working through how to apply the law in these new challenges, and that's why the court's decision in this case will be so important. After Democrats challenged the Arizona provisions, a district judge held a trial and upheld them. A panel of the 9th Circuit agreed in a 2-to-1 vote. But a larger panel of the 9th Circuit reviewed those decisions and said the way the provisions were applied in Arizona disproportionately affected Black and Hispanic voters. Those judges said that the state changed locations of voting places more often in minority communities, leading to voter confusion, and that the rates of discarded "out of precinct" votes were far higher in Arizona than in other states. Arizona throws out the entire ballot, even if some races - governor, for instance - are not affected by the voter's precinct location. The judges said the ban on collecting ballots was intentionally passed to harm minority voters, who they said were more likely to be homebound or disabled and also lacking reliable means to vote in person. Native Americans had in the past been served by community or political leaders who collected early vote ballots, the court said. "There is no evidence of any fraud in the long history of third-party ballot collection in Arizona," Judge William Fletcher wrote. The court's 6-to-5 ruling that the discrimination was intentional is a rarity in federal court reviews of state actions. Dissenting judges agreed with Arizona that it did not need to wait for evidence of a problem before acting. "Arizona was free to enact prophylactic measures even though no evidence of actual voter fraud was before the legislature," Judge Diarmuid O'Scannlain wrote. The cases are Brnovich v. DNC and Arizona Republican Party v. DNC. Advertisement Black and Latino people make up nearly half of California's population - 45 percent, taken together - but have been the recipients of only 20 percent of doses administered, state health department data reveal. Governor Gavin Newsom has repeatedly called equity his 'North Star' for vaccinating a diverse state of nearly 40 million. But residents paint a very picture of California's rollout. Teresa Parada is exactly the kind of person equity-minded California officials say they want to vaccinate: She's a retired factory worker who speaks little English and lives in a hard-hit part of Los Angeles County. But Parada, 70, has waited weeks while others her age flock to Dodger Stadium or get the coronavirus shot through large hospital networks. The place where she normally gets medical care, AltaMed, is just now receiving enough supply to vaccinate her later this month. Parada said TV reports show people lining up to get shots, but 'I see only vaccines going to Anglos.' 'It's rare that I see a Latino there for the vaccine. When will it be our turn?' she said. Latinos make up about 39 percent of the population of California, yet account for just 17 percent of people who have gotten one or more vaccine doses in the state. It's a pattern playing out across the nation too. Latinos make up 18 percent of the population, but 8.5 percent of people who have had a dose of COVID-19 vaccine, CDC data shows. So far, 15.6 percent of Americans have had one or more dose of COVID-19 vaccine. White House officials are launching a new initiative to help get vaccinations to 'seniors who live in areas of high social vulnerability,' said Andy Slavitt, acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) during a Wednesday press briefing. Latinos make up 39% of California's population and 55% of its COVID-19 cases - but have only accounted for 17% of vaccine recipients. Black Californians make up 6% of the state's population but have gotten just 2.9% of vaccines Los Angeles County has administered more doses than any other in California (dark blue), but residents and health care providers say most doses have gone to wealthier, white residents Through the program, these over-65s will receive cold calls informing of them how to get a vaccine, coordinating scheduling and transportation for their vaccination appointments and calling back again to remind them to get their second dose, if they receive Moderna's or Pfizer's vaccines. 'The goal is to get two million of our most vulnerable senior citizens vaccinated as soon as possible,' Slavitt said. As Americans grow desperate for hard to come by but quick to spoil doses, pharmacists are seeing what they have dubbed, 'vaccine lurkers,' they told the New York Times. Across the country, Americans have reported trouble getting appointments, so many people - including both those who are eligible now and those who wouldn't' be otherwise - are turning to spare doses. Because social media networks have become hotbeds for finding out where and when spare doses might be available, this too favors people who are at lower risk for COVID-19 because people with the tech savvy to find spare doses are more likely to be wealthy, and because minority communities have higher rates of computer illiteracy. States, including California, have their own plans to improve access for high risk people, but they may be overlooking some of the resources that seniors, low-income Americans and people of color look to first. Governor Newsom partnered with the federal government to set up mass vaccination sites in working-class neighborhoods in Oakland and Los Angeles. And it's a big part of why he tasked insurer Blue Shield with centralizing California's patchwork vaccine system, asking the hospital chain Kaiser Permanente to assist. Yet officials at community health centers that are considered the backbone of the safety net for the poor in the US, focused on health equity, say they are not receiving enough doses for their patients - the very at-risk residents the state needs to vaccinate. In California, nearly 1,400 such centers offer free or low-cost services to about 7 million people, many in communities with a higher concentration of low-income families and few providers who take Medicaid, which is known in California as Medi-Cal. Many of their clients speak a language other than English, work long hours, lack transportation and want to go to the medical care professionals they trust. Dr Efrain Talamantes, chief operating officer for AltaMed Health Services, said it was disheartening to watch initial doses go elsewhere while his patients continued to test positive for the virus. 'There is a clear disparity every single time there's a resource that's limited,' he said. Most states are grasping for ways to distribute limited vaccine supply, resulting in a hodgepodge of methods in the absence of a federal plan. Tennessee is among the states dispensing doses based on county populations, while California allocates them by eligible groups including teachers and farmworkers. The free-for-all has allowed people with the most resources to score scarce vaccinations. Community health centers like Families Together of Orange Countysay they've watched as initial shipments of the coronavirus vaccine went to larger hospitals, leaving the centers and their high-risk patients to wait (pictured; file) Dr Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco, said it seems obvious that the best strategy to get vaccines to hard-hit communities is to turn to the places where residents already get care. But big-box administrators tend to think of community health centers as less efficient because of their smaller size, she said. 'We're not very imaginative in the way we deliver vaccine efficiently. Our only creative solutions are to build mass vaccination sites, and maybe give people preferential access to those sites,' she said. As California has ramped up vaccination efforts through mobile and pop-up clinics at churches, work sites and schools, state data show how relatively few shots have gone to Latinos and blacks compared to their populations. African Americans have received three percent of vaccine doses, but they make up 6% of the state. Latinos, who make up 39 percent of the state, have received 17 percent of doses. Latinos have also been hard-hit by COVID-19, accounting for more than half of all cases in California, and 46 percent of all deaths. Black Californians account for four percent of the state's case and six percent of deaths. Blue Shield officials say they plan to keep open health centers that are already administering vaccines, but the clinics worry they won't get enough doses. State vaccine spokesman Darrel Ng said the governor's plan for equitable vaccination includes setting aside vaccines for 'disproportionately impacted communities and ensuring that providers who serve these communities are part of the network.' He said in a statement that it includes sending mobile clinics to places like black churches. Dan Tran gives a thumbs-up after receiving his second dose of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine at Families Together of Orange County Community Health Center, Friday, Feb. 26. Community health centers are often the go-to resource in black and Latino neighborhoods, but many have been seen as too small to be a force in vaccination campaigns in California A patient receives a shot of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine at Families Together of Orange County Community Health Center. The health centers could be a boon to vaccinating elderly people of color, as residents say most people getting access through mass vaccination sites are white and wealthier (file) Andie Martinez Patterson, vice president of government affairs at the California Primary Care Association, said while large-scale health systems can vaccinate people quickly, they likely won't reach the targeted residents. Community health centers have worked hard to persuade their patients to take the shot, said Alexander Rossel, chief executive of Families Together of Orange County, adding his center has inoculated 95 percent of its patients age 65 and over. Health centers watched in dismay as vaccine for health care workers initially went to larger hospitals in December. Then they watched as more affluent, internet-savvy English speakers with time to navigate web portals and drive long distances for appointments flocked to inoculation arenas. When Orange County started opening large-scale vaccination sites in mid-January, community health centers asked for doses too, said Isabel Becerra, chief executive of the Coalition of Orange County Community Health Centers. 'We dont have transportation. We dont speak English. We dont understand the technology youre asking us to use to register and get in line. So, can we vaccinate the 65 and older population in the comfort of their own facilities?' she said. Jodie Wingo, interim president of the community health association for Riverside and San Bernardino counties, said member clinics were scaling up to inoculate more of their 500,000 patients. But now theyre receiving only a few dozen doses at a time. 'Everybody is working toward equity, yet it doesn't look equitable. At all,' she said. AltaMed, in Los Angeles and Orange counties, recently started receiving 3,000 doses a week from the two counties. The supply should allow clients like Parada, who is originally from Mexico, to receive her vaccine this month. AltaMed will send a vehicle to take her to a clinic for the shot that will protect her when she heads out, double-masked, to shop for the family. 'I'm the one who has to go out. I have to protect myself,' she said. The Saraswat Co-operative Bank Ltd., a Scheduled Bank, has invited online applications from eligible and interested candidates for filling One-Fifty (150) vacancies to the post of Junior Officers in Saraswat Bank through direct recruitment to be posted in states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Goa in India on a fulltime basis. The online registration-cum-application process towards the same starts on March 05, 2021 and closes on March 19, 2021. Download Saraswat Bank Notification PDF here or from the Saraswat Bank Careers sections. CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Junior Officers posts in Saraswat Bank Organisation Saraswat Co-operative Bank Ltd Educational Qualification Bachelor of Commerce/Master of Commerce in concerned disciplines; Bachelor of Science/BMS/Master of Science/MBA in Information Technology/Computer Science and other disciplines Experience Freshers can apply Job Responsibilities null Skills Required null Job Location Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Goa Salary Scale Rs. 21,620 to Rs. 23,300 per month Industry Scheduled Bank Application Start Date March 5, 2021 Application End Date March 19, 2021 Saraswat Bank Recruitment 2021: Age And Fees Candidates interested in applying for Saraswat Bank Jobs 2021 through Saraswat Bank Recruitment 2021 must have completed 21 years of age and not be more than 27 years as on February 1, 2021 with relaxation (upper age limit) for reserved categories as specified in Saraswat Bank Notification 2021. Candidates must pay a prescribed amount of Rs. 750 as application fee for Saraswat Bank Junior Officer Jobs 2021 under Saraswat Bank Recruitment 2021 through Debit/Credit card/UPI/Net Banking or any other online mode only as mentioned in the official Saraswat Bank Notification 2021 given at the end of the write-up. Also Read: BHEL Recruitment 2021 Notification For 281 Trade Apprentices, Apply Before March 7 On BHEL.Com In BHEL Careers Saraswat Bank Recruitment 2021: Saraswat Bank JO Vacancy 2021 State/Region No. Of Vacancies Maharashtra 136 Gujarat 06 Karnataka 04 Gujarat 04 Total 150 Saraswat Bank Recruitment 2021: Education And Eligibility Desirous candidates applying for Saraswat Bank Junior Officer Jobs 2021 through Saraswat Bank Recruitment 2021 must possess a Bachelor of Commerce/Master of Commerce in concerned disciplines; Bachelor of Science/BMS/Master of Science/MBA in Information Technology/Computer Science and other disciplines from a recognised University/Institution as detailed in Saraswat Bank Notification 2021 Saraswat Bank Recruitment 2021: Selection And Pay Scale The selection of candidates for Saraswat Bank JO Jobs 2021 through Saraswat Bank Recruitment 2021 will be done through an Online Test on April 3, 2021 as notified in the Saraswat Bank Notification 2021. Candidates shortlisted for Saraswat Bank Junior Officer Jobs 2021 through Saraswat Bank Recruitment 2021 will be paid emolument in the pay scale of Rs. 21,620 to Rs. 23,300 per month. Also Read: HPCL Recruitment 2021 For 200 Mechanical And Civil Engineers, Apply Online Before April 15 On Jobs.HPCL.Co.In Saraswat Bank Recruitment 2021: How To Apply Candidates applying for Saraswat Bank Engineer Jobs 2021 through Saraswat Bank Recruitment 2021 must register online on the official Saraswat Bank website in Saraswat Bank Careers sections from March 05, 2021 onwards and submit their applications on or before March 19, 2021 as mentioned in the Saraswat Bank Notification 2021. Download Saraswat Bank Notification 2021 PDF for Junior Officer posts Businessman Robert Unanue from the New York Unanue family is in hot water after his remarks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) event held over the weekend in Orlando, Florida. In his speech, the Goya Foods CEO said that his "biggest honor" was to be on the same stage as "the real, the legitimate and the still actual president of the United States, Donald J Trump." According to The Blaze, the Goya Foods CEO reasserted his alliance with former president Trump and his stance on the stolen elections that the Democrats allegedly achieved through massive voter fraud. When introduced and called to the stage, Unanue shared that it was his first time to attend CPAC and that the experience was "so uplifting and encouraging" to be among "so many incredible Patriots and faith-filled people." The Goya CEO, who sees former President Trump as "the real, the legitimate and the still actual president of the United States," immediately took a jab at Twitter, saying, "Sorry, Twitter. I've already been canceled. You can't do it again." Back in January, the Goya Foods CEO was barred from speaking to the media without permission from the company's board, Business Insider reported. The board, which consisted of nine members, voted to silence Unanue from speaking to the media and implemented a ban that "covers discussion about both politics and the company itself," the report said. Majority of Goya Foods even wanted to have Unanue removed following his statements that the 2020 Election was "unverified." It's worth noting that until now, the Trump campaign still has lawsuits against the massive voter fraud during the recent election - and that the Trump campaign has won many of the cases that were heard in court. The Unanue family has owned Goya Foods since its inception in 1936. In 2014, Forbes named the Unanues the 170th richest family, with a net worth of $1.1 billion. Following the Goya Foods CEO's statements at CPAC, several leaders of national Latino organizations condemned Unanue in a statement, NBC News reported. The statement read that while Unanue has the right to support whichever presidential candidate he chooses, "What he most clearly should not be entitled to is the platform his role at Goya Foods provides to attack our democracy - the belief and faith in free and fair elections, which has been the bedrock of our union and national success." Among the organizations that signed the statement are the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, the Hispanic Federation, and the Hispanic Heritage Foundation. During his CPAC speech, Unanue called out the Democrats who "seek to boycott, close, and destroy Goya Foods and its 4,000 plus direct employees. Seek to close down and shutter the U.S. economy, seek to close all churches, seek to close all schools, seek to weaponize a worldwide pandemic in an election year." Despite frequent backlash on his controversial statements, Rev reported that the CEO went on to praise former President Trump, saying that America was "blessed" to have "a president who wanted the country to stay open, and keep working, as Goya did. A president who had already revitalized our economy, a president who was bringing jobs and prosperity back to America, and a president who defended life and liberty." Indeed, President Donald Trump's track record showed he put America first. 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. (HealthDay)The first U.S. case of a Brazilian COVID-19 variant that doctors fear can re-infect the previously sick surfaced in Minnesota in early January 2021, and the more infectious variant has since been found in four other states, a new government report says. Known as the P.1 variant, it first appeared in a Minnesotan who'd recently traveled to southeastern Brazil, according to Melanie Firestone of the the Minnesota Department of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and colleagues. That patient was hospitalized for nine days with COVID-19, and another person in the household who traveled with the person also developed symptoms and was diagnosed with the P.1 variant, the CDC report said. But contact tracing among fellow flight passengers and health professionals who cared for the Minnesota patient found no further infections. The findings were published online March 3 in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. As of Wednesday, the CDC has reported 10 cases of the Brazil variant in the United States across five states: five in Florida; two in Minnesota; and one case each in Alaska, Maryland and Oklahoma. Compared to two other more contagious variants first spotted in the United Kingdom and South Africa, research on P.1 has been slower to come since its discovery in late December, so scientists don't really know how much to worry about it, The New York Times reported. "I've been holding my breath," Bronwyn MacInnis, an epidemiologist at the Broad Institute in Cambridge, Mass., told the newspaper. But a series of unpublished studies reported this week that the P.1 variant has infected some people who developed natural immunity from previous bouts of COVID-19, the Times reported. Lab experiments also suggest the variant could weaken the protection provided by a Chinese vaccine now being distributed in Brazil. P.1 was first discovered in late December in the Brazilian city of Manaus, in the Amazon jungle. The variant is currently spreading across Brazil and has been found in 24 other countries, according to the Times. "The P.1 variant is particularly notable because of its ability to evade both vaccine-induced and natural immunity," said Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, in Baltimore. "However, it is important to remember that when it comes to this variant, vaccineswhile they may not be able to stop symptomatic infectionhalt what is important: serious disease, hospitalization and death," Adalja said. If vaccinated people start having breakthrough COVID-19 infections, that's when we should start worrying and looking to tweak vaccines to enhance their protective capabilities, Adalja explained. "That has not occurred yet to my knowledge, and may not occur," Adalja said. "Nevertheless, it is important to study alternative vaccine strategies for this variant." Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak More information: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about Journal information: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about COVID-19 variants Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved. US private employers hired fewer workers than expected in February, suggesting the labor market was struggling to regain speed despite the an nation's improving public health picture. Private payrolls increased by 117,000 jobs last month, the ADP National Employment Report showed on Wednesday. Data for January was revised up to show 195,000 jobs added instead of the initially reported 174,000. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast private payrolls would increase by 177,000 jobs in February. The ADP report is jointly developed with Moody's Analytics. It has a very poor track record predicting the private payrolls count in the government's more comprehensive, and closely watched, employment report because of methodology differences. The ADP report's initial 174,000 private payrolls tally for January way overshot the Labor Department's total of only 6,000. "It remains difficult to use the ADP data as a signal for forecasting the Labor Department employment figures," said Daniel Silver, an economist at JPMorgan in New York. ALSO READ: UK's Sunak extends Covid rescue plan but firms to pay more tax from 2023 Nevertheless, the report is still followed for clues on the labor market's health. The labor market has been slow to regain traction as some restrictions on services businesses have been rolled back amid a decline in new Covid-19 infections and hospitalizations. The number of Americans filing initial claims for weekly state benefits remains way above its 665,000 peak during the 2007-09 Great Recession. At least 19 million people are collecting checks. The lack of significant improvement in the labor market is also despite nearly $900 billion an additional pandemic relief provided by the government in late December, which boosted consumer spending and positioned the economic for faster growth in the first quarter. That has led to concerns of labor market scarring that could take years to heal. According to a Reuters poll of economists, the government will likely report on Friday that nonfarm payrolls increased by 180,000 jobs in February after rising only 49,000 in January. Hopes for a pick-up in hiring were supported by a survey last week showing consumers' perceptions of the labor market improved in February after deteriorating in January and December. In addition, a measure of manufacturing employment increased to a two-year high in February. The has recovered 12.3 million of the 22.2 million jobs lost during the pandemic. Employment is not expected not return to its pre-pandemic level before 2024. All types of troops are under the command of the Armed Forces during martial law, meaning all law-enforcement authorities submit to the commands of Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces Onik Gasparyan, and for this reason, nobody has the right to detain him through those troops. This is what former Head of the General Department for Oversight of the Investigative Committee of Armenia, Major General of Justice Tatul Petrosyan told reporters today. I heard that the Prime Minister has assigned the National Security Service to detain Onik Gasparyan, but every officer understands what it means to be chief of the General Staff and knows who Onik Gasparyan is, he stated. Petrosyan explained that, according to the Constitution, the chief of the General Staff shall be granted a special status, and Article 155 states the ground for appointment or dismissal of the chief. The President promised to be objective, but he was repressed. According to Petrosyan, the February 25 statement by the General Staff states that the government and the Prime Minister are incapable of performing their duties. Petrosyan also noted that there is no country in the world where not only people and organizations, but also Catholicoses and representatives of educational and academic institutions demand the resignation of the government. Touching upon Nikol Pashinyans statement that only 10% was fired from the Iskander weapon, the Major General stated that the statement caused a lot of uproar since the weapon is the pride of Russia. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Thiruvananathapuram, March 4 : Hours after State Finance Minister Thomas Issac on Wednesday went hammer and tongs against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan shot off a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) that the model code of conduct which is in force is being torpedoed at the instance of some Union Ministers. "The Enforcement Directorate has recently been repeatedly calling officials of the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) which includes ladies. It is pertinent to note that this has come close on the heels of the speech made by the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at Kochi on February 28 attacking the functioning of the KIIFB and also the budget of the state government," said Vijayan. "Yesterday the electronic media had carried a news that the chief executive officer of KIIFB and another official has been asked to appear before the ED, but no such summons was received by these officials. The aim is to create a smear campaign against the officials and the state Government. The rules laid down for conduct of free and fair elections are being contravened and this warrants intervention by the Election Commission of India so that agencies like ED follow the statute in letter and spirit and act in a politically neutral manner," said Vijayan. Earlier in the day Issac told the media that she (Sitharaman) is leading from the front and using her officials for political needs. What's happening is a clear violation of the election norms. "We are not going to be cowed down by such intimidatory tactics. The conspiracy of the ED against the KIIFB has been going on for a while. Does anyone know that the head of the ED in Kerala is the son of a top BJP leader from Rajasthan," Issac said. "I want to make it very clear that strong resistance will be put up against the present arm twisting tactics of the ED. Please do not see people here as an extension of the Congress party in Rajasthan. We will deal with the ED with the help of the people. The ED is out to play spoilsport to the development plans of Kerala and we will strongly resist any move to put our officials under duress," Issac added. The KIIFB is a government-owned financial institution formed to mobilise funds for infrastructure development from outside the state revenue, and numerous projects are assigned funds from it. The KIIFB had gone ahead by floating masala bonds following which the ED has registered a case against it under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), a move that has irked Issac . Incidentally, while taking part in a rally of state BJP President K. Surendran in Kochi last week, Sitharaman had slammed Issac for the role of KIIFB in his state budget and even pointed out the remarks the CAG had made. With the crucial Assembly polls scheduled to be held on April 6 and the CPI-M led Left government making every effort to ensure it retains power, the coming days will tell to what extent the war of words between the BJP and the CPI-M top brass will go. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Kerala later this week. Both Patrick and Meridian have a deep understanding of the unique training needs of federal agencies. We are pleased to welcome him to our Advisory Board. Dr. Jolly T. Holden, Executive Director, FGDLA. Learning industry veteran Patrick Devlin, Chief Business Development Officer for Meridian Knowledge Solutions, has joined the Board of Advisors of the Federal Government Distance Learning Association (FGDLA). For more than two decades, FGDLA has served as a leading advocate in support of distance learning across the Federal Government through the sharing of best practices and fostering of research on distance learning theory & practice. FGDLAs Board of Advisors is a distinguished body of distance learning and industry leaders who advise the Board of Directors on matters relating to the advancement of the goals of the Association. Members represent the major constituencies served by the Association: Federal Government, private or public corporations and institutions of higher learning. FGDLA works with government and industry leaders to foster relationships that address the changing training needs of the Federal Government distance learning community, said Dr. Jolly T. Holden, Executive Director, FGDLA. Both Patrick and Meridian have a deep understanding of the unique training needs of federal agencies. We are pleased to welcome him to our Advisory Board. Meridian helps Federal organizations and their extended network of contractors and vendors address mission critical training issues, said Patrick Devlin, Chief Business Development Officer at Meridian. I look forward to supporting the association and helping its members maximize the impact of their learning investments on their mission. Complimentary FGDLA membership is available to all Federal Government civil service employees and members of the military, including National Guard and Reserves. About FGDLA The Federal Government Distance Learning Association is a nonprofit, professional association formed to promote the development and application of distance learning in the federal government. The association actively fosters collaboration and understanding among those involved in leveraging technology and instructional media in supporting the education and training needs across the federal government. Learn more at http://www.fgdla.us/index.html. About Meridian Knowledge Solutions Meridian's award-winning learning management system allows organizations, where training is critical to operations to share knowledge, increase revenue streams and manage compliance requirements for their employees, members, customers, partners and resellers. Meridian has been chosen by leading organizations including U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Johnson Controls, NASWA, The Society of Actuaries and Kodak Alaris. Meridian is headquartered in the Washington DC metro area. For more information, visit https://www.meridianks.com or follow @MeridianKS on Twitter. BOLOGNA, MAR 3 - Italian prosecutors have dropped charges regarding a Gustav Klimt painting stolen from a Piacenza gallery in 1997 and found behind an external wall of the same gallery in December 219, judicial sources said Wednesday. The 'Portrait of a Lady' was stolen from the Ricci Oddi modern art gallery in 1997. Charges have now been dropped against three persons suspected of theft and receiving stolen goods. A preliminary investigations judge (GIP) will now rule on the prosecutors' request to shelve the case against them. Prosecutors said the case would remain a cold case. Austrian master Klimt's famed portrait was once listed among the greatest stolen art works in the world. In January 2020 two Piacenza burglars reportedly confessed to stealing and then returning the Klimt portrait which was declared to be authentic after being found in the bowels of the museum in the northern town it was stolen from. During work to clean up ivy covering the gallery's exterior wall on December 14 2019, an interspace closed by a door was discovered, behind which there was a bag containing the picture. It went back on permanent display in the Piacenza gallery last November. (ANSA). This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices. Homegrown, vernacular microblogging platform Koo, which has emerged as a favourite among a section of users who want to quit Twitter, has found itself in the midst of several controversies including a data leak row and Chinese investment. Image Source: IANS News Lucknow, March 3 : After the debate between the Government of India and Twitter, union Minister for Railways, Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal had opened his account on the indigenous microblogging platform Koo. Now, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also opened his account on the indigenous social media platform and made his presence felt. The CM created his account on February 27 and has given out the message of vocal for local and digital India to his followers. The Chief Minister appealed to the people that they can now contact him directly on his Koo account. Within a few days, about 51,000 users have begun to follow him, indicating his popularity. Union Ministers Smriti Irani and Prakash Javadekar, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, boxer Mary Kom, Asian Games gold medallist Hima Das, film director Subhash Ghai, actor Arun Govil, musician Adnan Sami and Gorakhpur MP and actor Ravi Kishan have also joined the platform recently. Lucknow, March 3 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will inaugurate a 'jaggery festival' in Lucknow on March 6, to be prganised by the AYUSH department to discuss the prospects of its co-products. Jaggery finds a special place in the kitchens of every family, especially in north India, because of its medicinal values. Made of sugarcane juice, it gradually shifted from the rural households to the daily use of health-conscious families in the cities. According to the government spokesman, experts will hold discussions on packaging, marketing, e-marketing and export potential of jaggery and will also share their experience of making fine quality jaggery products. Experts from the sugarcane department will be discussing co-harvest farming, improved species and making sugarcane farming more beneficial. Besides this, entrepreneurs associated with the production and trade of jaggery will also have opportunities to know about various aspects related to new technologies, product variety, storage, marketing and export avenues. Apart from entrepreneurs, consumers and farmers associated with the jaggery industry will find informative data in the festival, which will also be beneficial for the jaggery manufacturing industry. Consumers will also get a chance to see various quality products of jaggery that are often not available in the market. The event will further boost the ODOP (one district, one product) scheme of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Jaggery, popularly known as 'gur', is the ODOP product of Muzaffarnagar and Ayodhya districts. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! A Brief Walk through the Books of the Old Testament: a wise and wonderfully readable expository of the Old Testaments most timeless, pertinent, and oft-overlooked teachings. A Brief Walk through the Books of the Old Testament is the creation of published author, Tony Smith. Smith writes: The Old Testament is a formidable book, a historic journey moving from creation, through the time of Noah and the flood to Abraham and his descendants, Moses and the children of Israel, high priests, judges, kings, and the spoken words of God through the prophets. In my studies of the books of the Old Testament, I find that Gods purpose and revelations are obscured with pages and pages of detail that makes for cumbersome reading and a somewhat distant grasp of its inspirations. I wrote this book to summarize the main points, from Genesis to Malachi, and to provide the historical elements such as dates to tie the story to historical settings and events. I have also pointed out along the way the presence of Christ and the Holy Spirit in these Old Testament writings. Most of the books of the Old Testament are prophetic. There were approximately eight hundred prophesies in the Old Testament; and a large portion, approximately six hundred, have been fulfilled. There is not a single biblical prophecy that pertains to a time that has now passed that is not fulfilled. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Tony Smiths new book is an intelligent and accessible resume of the Old Testaments most important teachings and prophecies. Within this book, Smith reveals and examines the often arcane and confusing messages of the Old Testament in laymans terms to make them more accessible to readers, while also highlighting and explaining critical passages often obscured by the vast quantity of detail and context on either side of them. For biblical scholars and curious believers alike, Smiths book is a true eye-opener thats sure to throw up many a novel insight or understanding of biblical passages, subtexts, and revelations hitherto unknown to both the well-informed and the average reader alike. View a synopsis of A Brief Walk through the Books of the Old Testament on YouTube. Consumers can purchase A Brief Walk through the Books of the Old Testament at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about A Brief Walk through the Books of the Old Testament, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. High notes Beth and Chris Kelly will serve as Sustaining Fund co-chairs for this years campaign at the Waverly Community House. The Kellys have been part of the Comm family their entire lives. We believe that the Comm and other places where we gather will prove to be incredibly important to our collective well-being as the world reopens and we transition from this long period of isolation, the couple said. Chris and Beth plan to engage the long-term supporters of the Waverly Community House and remind them of the important function this campaign has in the Comms day-to-day operations, according to the organization. They also hope to gain support from members of our community who have not financially supported the Comm in the past but utilize or derive benefit from its programs, classes, events and facilities in general. It is our hope that through the engagement of these stakeholders in the Comms success, we can raise sufficient financial support to ensure the proper operation of this heart of our community, the Kellys said. Chris is the Comms immediate past president and was a nine-year member of its board of trustees; he currently serves as a member of the Comms Endowment Committee and was a keynote speaker at the Waverly Community Houses Centennial Celebration in July 2019. He has been a financial adviser for more than 20 years and has had the privilege to work with individuals, families, businesses and nonprofit organizations in the community and throughout much of the United States to aid them in achieving their financial goals. Beth has been a family and consumer science teacher for 20 years. She loves working with her 10th grade students at Abington Heights High School. Chris and Beth have three boys: Seamus, Graham and Mitchell. For more details about the Waverly Community House or to support the Comm with a donation to the Sustaining Fund, visit waverlycomm.org. Nonprofit supported Dunmores Keystone Chapter UNICO National recently presented its fifth COVID-19 Relief Initiative donation this year to Friends of the Poor. Keystone Chapter UNICO board members Toni DiVizio, Michele McDade, Frank Coviello, chairman; Mark McDade, Mary Ann Coviello, chapter president; and Louise Ligi, were on hand to donate $1,000 to assist Friends of the Poor in their efforts. To support the organization, send a tax-free donation payable to Friends of the Poor at 2300 Adams Ave., Scranton, PA 18509. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Byun hee-soo, a 23-year-old transgender former soldier forced to discharge from the Army last year, was found dead at her home, police said Wednesday. The Army made the discharge decision in January last year after judging that Byun's loss of male genitals belongs to the Level 3 physical disability under the military laws. In July, the Army rejected Byun's petition for reinstatement. She filed an administrative suit against the Army's decision the following month, arguing it was unconstitutional. In December, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) said the Army's decision not to allow Byun, then a staff sergeant, to continue to serve in the military as a female soldier had no legal grounds. The NHRCK's opinion came after the Center for Military Human Rights Korea, a civic group, had filed a petition alleging Byun's forced military discharge was discrimination against transgender people. Byun's case drew extensive attention because she was the first South Korean active-duty soldier to have sex reassignment surgery while in service. (Yonhap) WILLIAMSPORT A second man who admitted participating in a 2017 State College area convenience store robbery in which shots were fired has been sentenced to 18 years in prison. The sentence imposed Wednesday on Jimmy Carter, 57, formerly of Erie, is twice what a co-defendant Ted Johnson Jr. received last year from U.S. Middle District Judge Matthew W. Brann. Carter, who is designated as a career offender, was called a danger to the community by the judge. He has led a life of crime, Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur said, noting it began with an armed robbery when he was 20 and includes multiple parole violations. Carter, who has 18 children ranging in age from 4 to 39, told the judge, I messed up. Carter and Johnson, 39, of Erie, admitted robbing the Uni-Mart on Aaron Drive in Ferguson Twp. outside State College on Jan. 16, 2017. A third man was involved in the robbery but has not been arrested, MacArthur said. Surveillance video showed Carter and the other man discharging weapons after the owner attempted to knock a gun out of a robbers hand, he said. The State College area robbery was one of four the three are accused of committing between Dec. 15, 2016, and Jan. 29, 2017. Two of the others were in Erie and the third was in Benton Harbor, Michigan. In each case Johnson scoped out the stores and drove the getaway vehicle but was not inside when the robberies occurred. Carter and Johnson each pleaded guilty to a charge of the use of a firearm during the commission of a crime. The indictment lists all four robberies but the evidence presented at their guilty pleas was limited to the one in Centre County. Carter, who will be on supervised release for five years when he gets out of jail, must share with Johnson restitution of $1,864 to the owner of the Uni-Mart. Bill Shorten has been spotted on a walk through Sydney's Kings Cross on the day Christian Porter denied raping a 16-year-old girl in 1988. The former Labor leader had an eerily similar experience in August 2014 when he also tearfully denied sexual assault allegations. Mr Shorten was strolling with an advisor through the same streets where Mr Porter and the woman he is accused of raping hung out three decades earlier. He is in Sydney for Labor's shadow cabinet meeting. Bill Shorten has been spotted on a walk through Sydney's Kings Cross on the day Christian Porter denied raping a 16-year-old girl in 1988 Mr Porter, like Mr Shorten, refused to step down as attorney-general as police had closed the investigation after the woman took her own life last year. But earlier in the day, columnist Jessica Irvine claimed on the Today Show that Mr Shorten should not stay in federal parliament because of the 2014 allegations. 'We need to change the standard of behaviour [of politicians],' she said. 'We do not want people who have been accused of such things [being allowed to stay in parliament].' As Shorten had been forced to do, Porter denied the truth of claims he had raped a teenage girl while attending a debating contest at Sydney University 33 years ago. Mr Porter today said he 'now knew how the former opposition leader felt' in dealing the sexual allegations that were levelled against him. Mr Shorten was accused of rape by a woman who claimed the former Labor leader assaulted her in 1986 during a Young Labor conference in Portarlington, near Geelong, Victoria. No charges were ever laid against him and on August 21, 2014, he released a brief statement confirming police had dropped their investigation into the claims. 'I will not go into the details, except to say that the allegation was untrue and abhorrent,' Mr Shorten said at a press conference. Mr Shorten was strolling with a minder through the same streets where Mr Porter and the woman he is accused of raping hung out three decades earlier Approached by Daily Mail Australia, Mr Shorten declined to comment on the remarks of both Irvine and Mr Porter. Government supporters say Mr Shorten did not step down and so Mr Porter should not either. But Labor shadow home affairs minister Kristina Keneally said that is not a fair analogy because Mr Shorten's case was thoroughly investigated for 10 months. 'What we have here is a police investigation that can't proceed, because the alleged victim has died,' she told Sky News. 'And the police have determined they cannot gather enough admissible evidence. But there has not been a full investigation into these allegations. 'They have not been examined, as they need to be thoroughly and closely. And I think there are still very important questions.' The woman who accused Mr Porter never made a formal statement to police who were due to travel to her home in Adelaide in March 2020 but postponed due to Covid-19. In June the woman withdrew her allegation and died by suicide the next day, causing the investigation to be suspended before it was officially closed this week. Mr Porter, 50, a former public prosecutor, confirmed he attended a debating competition at Sydney University with his accuser when he was 17 and she was 16. The former Labor leader had an eerily similar experience in August 2014 when he also tearfully denied sexual assault allegations Christian Porter faces the press pack in Perth as he denies the sexual assault allegations However, he categorically denied ever sleeping with the woman who has since taken her own life. 'The things that have been claimed to happen did not happen,' he said through tears in the emotional conference on Wednesday afternoon. 'I did not sleep with the [alleged] victim. We didn't have anything of that nature happen between us,' he added. By unveiling himself, Mr Porter ended six days of speculation over the accused's identity after the woman's allegation was published in the media without naming the cabinet minister. Mr Porter admitted that he can't remember every single detail of the night in question but insisted that he would not have forgotten having sex with someone. 'The things I have read did not happen. And to suggest that they could be forgotten is ridiculous, they just never happened,' he said. Asked if he had ever spent time alone with the woman, he said: 'It's not impossible, I have never been in the person's room.' New Delhi: A Supreme Court bench, headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, on Wednesday (March 3) refused to entertain a PIL against former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, observing that the expression of views that are different from the opinion of the government cannot be termed as seditious. The apex court dismissed a PIL against Farooq Abdullah for making statements against the scrapping of Article 370. The bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Hemant Gupta said the dissent cannot be termed seditious. The top court's observation came on a plea filed by Rajat Sharma and others through advocate Shiv Sagar Tiwari. The SC also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the petitioners for filing the plea against Abdullah. The plea cited alleged remarks made by Abdullah that he sought the help of China and Pakistan against India on Article 370. Earlier, the National Conference (NC) had rubbished reports that Farooq Abdullah, during a television interview, said that Article 370 of the Constitution will be restored in the Kashmir Valley with China`s help. The plea said, "The act of Abdullah is very serious against the interest of the nation therefore he deserves to be removed from the Parliament." Live TV The plea had contended that Abdullah`s statement is anti-national and seditious and the government should be directed to take appropriate action declaring him as undeserving candidate to be a member of Parliament. The plead added, "For that, if the action of Farooq Abdullah is allowed and he is allowed to continue as member of Parliament, it would amount to approval of all anti-national activities by anyone in India". (With Agency Inputs) SAN DIEGO, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- VOXOX, a 5G-enabled, AI communications platform for businesses, today announced their new released features over the last year that further enhances ease of communication and convenience for business owners wanting to better connect with their customers. VOXOX continues to add new improvements that strengthen entrepreneurs' abilities to build a loyal customer base with high engagement rates. In the last year, VOXOX has added new capabilities for their virtual receptionist and texting solutions, implemented a new policy where welcome messages and compliance texts are now free, and extended promotions to global partners. VOXOX continues to add new improvements that strengthen entrepreneurs' abilities to build a loyal customer base with high engagement rates. "At VOXOX, we are committed to relentless improvement that not only strengthens communication between a business and its customer base, but also makes their lives more convenient, all at a price that fits their budget," states Cleve Adams, CEO of VOXOX. VOXOX's Virtual Receptionist solution simplifies and improves customer service professionalism for phone communication by allowing businesses to automatically answer, route and manage calls. Now with support in over 30 languages, users around the world can set their greeting to any of these languages with options for different accents and male and female voice talents. There is also a Voice Studio where greetings can be recorded by a live voice professional. Virtual Receptionist has received a user experience update to enable a cleaner web and mobile experience, giving users the ease of making changes on the go from a phone or the web. VOXOX has also added a feature where users can set up automations so callers can opt-in to receive automated text messages with relevant information such as business hours and promotional links. Users can now edit the number menu options so callers can "Press 1" to join a text list. Using a desk phone is normal for many organizations that prefer convenience and speakerphone quality. VoIP Desk Phones are now available for power users and are also available in WiFi models. VOXOX's text marketing feature has also seen updates such as the Auto-Response tool that automatically triggers a reply text based off a set list of words. Additionally, blast text messages can now be sent with a local number and will soon be able to be sent instantly together instead of sending one message every five seconds. VOXOX is also working on creating automated keywords that will reply with a text message when sent to your VoxDirect or CloudPhone service. Text marketing drip campaigns can now be utilized by sending a series of automated text messages when a new contact joins a subscriber list. Adding and managing subscriber lists has become much easier with the option to send a welcome text message that is automatically delivered when a contact is added to your list. Users can also choose to customize the welcome message that is sent to the new contacts. VOXOX is committed to providing best in class voice and text tools that do not hide hidden costs. Messages that are required, such as compliance or welcome texts, are now free of charge. Text messages support 470 characters per message regardless of content or the number of emojis used. Users can be confident knowing exactly what they are purchasing without confusing credits or segments: 1,000 texts per month means 1,000 texts can be sent. Supporting global customers in Malaysia, Costa Rica, and Nigeria, last year VOXOX released promotions for global partners to support Covid-19 relief efforts. VOXOX worked with each of their partners to provide new promotions including a plan to support Small Business, which was partially subsidized by the government of Malaysia. VOXOX also announced their integration with Zapier, which has allowed the ability for businesses to integrate their platform with apps such as Slack, Zendesk, WordPress, Trello and 3000+ others to automate workflows. For more information about VOXOX, please visit https://www.voxox.com/ . About VOXOX VOXOX is an innovator in 5G/AI cloud-based communication solutions for businesses. The foundation of the company's offerings is its award-winning Platform as a Service, which enables the company and its customers to build powerful, scalable white-labeled applications and services. For end-users, VOXOX provides an extensive suite of carrier-grade business phone solutions, including VoxDirect, SIP Trunking, and a wide array of wholesale services, such as high-volume SMS. For service provider partners, VOXOX delivers cutting-edge voice and text messaging apps and services, including white-label versions of VoxDirect, a small business solution for global mobile operators. VOXOX is headquartered in San Diego. For more information, please visit http://www.VOXOX.com Media Contact: Nicole Boyd [email protected] 1-800-350-6187 SOURCE VOXOX Related Links https://www.voxox.com 13,000 more troops cleared for Nepal, Bhutan borders, tri-junction area India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Mar 03: The government has sanctioned a dozen fresh battalions of the Sashastra Seema Bal or SSB, comprising over 13,000 personnel for the force that guards the Nepal and Bhutan borders, to "fortify" defences along these fronts including the tri-junction area in Sikkim that adjoins Bhutan and Tibet, news agency PTI reported quoting officials said. Though the Union Home Ministry has denied the creation of a new field frontier for the border force, it has allowed the SSB to create one out of three new sector - responsible for the operations of about 5-6 battalions - and it is expected to come up in the Delhi-NCR region. The Sashastra Seema Bal, with an estimated strength of about 90,000 personnel, is the designated force to guard the 1,751-km open Indian front with Nepal and the 699 km one with Bhutan. SSB Director General Kumar Rajesh Chandra told PTI that the 12 new battalions will be raised in phases, three units each over the next four years. A battalion has a strength of over 1,000 personnel. "It is very supportive of the government to have given the sanction to raise new battalions and establishments for the SSB. The new manpower will ensure that border security is strengthened," Director General Chandra said. As per an official proposal of the border force approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the new battalions will be used to reduce inter-border outpost distance, strengthen trade and transit routes along the Nepal and Bhutan and fortifying SSB's strength in the tri-junction area in Sikkim. The tri-junction area is the plateau between India, Bhutan and Tibet and the SSB is deployed just below it on the southern side as part of its mandate to guard the front with Bhutan. The militaries of India and China had witnessed an over 70-day standoff in the Doklam at the tri-junction in 2017. The new manpower will also help the SSB, as per the proposal, in upgrading the existing border posts at "strategically important" locations along the two fronts and providing armed security to the eight integrated check posts along these fronts. Officials said the blueprint for sanction of new battalions and establishments for the force was drawn after Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the operations of the SSB in October 2019 and directed it conduct a "vulnerability assessment and gap analysis" of the two borders it secures. The SSB, after completing this task, informed the MHA that it would require 12 new battalions, a frontier headquarter and at least three sector headquarters that would be used to enhance logistical and administrative support to its border units and some of those deployed for internal security duties in the hinterland. However, the home ministry approved only a sector formation and 12 battalions to be raised in phases given financial constraints, officials said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 3, 2021, 18:27 [IST] We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Photo: (Photo : Max Kleinen / Unsplash) A family from Denver calls for action as they charge teens for the murder of their relative. Last Monday, District Attorney Beth McCann announced that a 14-year-old male and 18-year-old Neshan Johnson were charged with the murder of Pamela Cabriales. The woman was on her way home from dinner last February 20 when she was shot inside her car. ALSO READ: Detroit Mom Accidentally Shoots Daughter After an Argument with Neighbor over Food Delivery Teen shoots woman inside her car According to reports from the police, Cabriales was on her way home from a girls' night out at Ocean Prime. Authorities disclosed that the Denver woman was shot while sitting in her car at Colfax Avenue. Investigation disclosed that the suspects fled the scene. But police searched for the suspects, as they closed the southbound I-25. ALSO READ: Texas Baby Killed, Brother Wounded in the Shooting of a Teenager Denver family calls for action Pamela's brother, Alex Cabriales, told Fox 31 that they find the cause of his sister's death inhumane. He said, "It was terrible. I mean, I don't want to be graphic, but I was at the hospital with her. The whole top of her head was blown off; her brain was exposed." Because of this, the Denver family believes that the community needs to know what the teen suspects did. This incident is not the first time that the Denver family suffered a loss due to a shooting incident. In 1994, Alex's 14-year-old brother also died due to a shooting incident. The killer of their brother only served a few years in prison. That is why Alex emphasized that they are calling the public for action. He said, "It's not even for us. It's for the community, for other families. We don't want other families to go through what we're going through." Pamela left behind a six-year-old child. The family put up a GoFundMe campaign for her son. ALSO READ: New York Hero Dad Shields Three Children from Gunman, Gets Shot in the Thigh Gun Safety Tips for Parents and Kids According to Nemours KidsHealth, a nonprofit children's health system, the best way to keep your family safe is not to keep guns at home. However, if parents choose to own one, there should be proper storage for it. The organization emphasizes that it is essential to have proper storage because kids are naturally curious and cannot fully understand the dangers guns bring. Teens, specifically, can act without thinking. So, to avoid unwanted incidents brought by guns, parents should be cautious when owning a firearm. Kidshealth also said that for children to practice gun safety, they should learn a few things. That includes: When someone has a gun, kids need to get away from that person quickly and quietly. Call someone for help. If there is no adult present, call 911. However, the nonprofit organization insists that it still best if there is no gun at home and to stay away from guns everywhere. ALSO READ: Horrible Killing: Dad Killed His Two Children Before Committing Suicide [Mom Committed Suicide Too] New Delhi: Reddit CEO Steve Huffman is in no mood to ban porn and adult content on his website. Huffman shared his reasons to continue featuring porn but also clarified that this doesn't mean that it supports involuntary pornography or exploitative content. In an interview with Axios, which featured on Sunday (February 28), Huffman said, "Sex is universal, and like many topics on Reddit sex is one of those topics that's often not well-served online or offline." Huffman further arguing his point, added, "But I think there's another aspect that's empowering, and these are people sharing stories of themselves, pictures of themselves, and we are perfectly supportive of that." However, when it comes to involuntary pornography, exploitative sexual content, or pornography of minors, that is not accepted on Reddit. "We want people to be safe, we have rules on Reddit - no involuntary sexualization. And if anybody makes those sorts of reports to us we take those very seriously," said the CEO. Elaborating on what involuntary pornography includes, Huffman stated, " "depicting any person in a state of nudity or engaged in any act of sexual conduct apparently created or posted without their permission, including depictions that have been faked." Intel Corp. was told to pay VLSI Technology LLC $2.18 billion by a federal jury in Texas after losing a patent-infringement trial over technology related to chip-making, one of the largest patent-damages award in U.S. history. Intel pledged to appeal. Intel infringed two patents owned by closely held VLSI, the jury in Waco, Texas, said Tuesday. The jury found $1.5 billion for infringement of one patent and $675 million for infringement of the second. The jury rejected Intels denial of infringing either of the patents and its argument that one patent was invalid because it claimed to cover work done by Intel engineers. The patents had been owned by Dutch chipmaker NXP Semiconductors Inc., which would get a cut of any damage award, Intel lawyer William Lee of WilmerHale told jurors in closing arguments Monday. VLSI, founded four years ago, has no products and its only potential revenue is this lawsuit, he said. VLSI took two patents off the shelf that hadnt been used for 10 years and said, Wed like $2 billion, Lee told the jury. The outrageous demand by VLSI would tax the true innovators. He had argued that VLSI was entitled to no more than $2.2 million. Intel strongly disagrees with todays jury verdict, the company said in a statement. We intend to appeal and are confident that we will prevail. Intel fell 2.6% to $61.24 in New York trading. The stock is up 23% since the beginning of the year. One of the patents was originally issued in 2012 to Freescale Semiconductor Inc. and the other in 2010 to SigmaTel Inc. Freescale bought SigmaTel and was in turn bought by NXP in 2015. The two patents in this case were transferred to VLSI in 2019, according to data compiled by Bloomberg Law. VLSI lawyer Morgan Chu of Irell & Manella said the patents cover inventions that increase the power and speed of processors, a key issue for competition. Willful Blindness Federal law doesnt require someone to know of a patent to be found to have infringed it, and Intel purposely didnt look to see if it was using someone elses inventions, he said. He accused the Santa Clara, California-based company of willful blindness. The jury said there was no willful infringement. A finding otherwise would have enabled District Court Judge Alan Albright to increase the award even further, to up to three times the amount set by the jury. We are very pleased that the jury recognized the value of the innovations as reflected in the patents and are extremely happy with the jury verdict, Michael Stolarski, chief executive of VLSI, said in an e-mailed statement. Officials with NXP couldnt immediately be reached for comment. The damage request isnt so high when the billions of chips sold by Intel are taken into account, Chu said. Intel paid MicroUnity Systems Engineering Corp. $300 million 2005 and in 2011 paid Nvidia Corp. $1.5 billion even though a settlement in that case involved a cross license of technology, he said. Operating companies are going to be disturbed by not only the size of the award but also the damages theory, said Michael Tomasulo, a Winston Strawn lawyer who attended the trial. They more or less seemed to have bought the entire VLSI case. By submitting my information, I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service and to receive offers and promotions from Bloomberg. The damage award is about half of Intels fourth-quarter profit. The company has dominated the $400 billion chip industry for most of the past 30 years, though its struggling to maintain that position. The verdict is smaller than the $2.5 billion verdict won by Merck & Co. over a hepatitis C treatment. It was later thrown out. Last year, Cisco Systems Inc. was told by a federal judge in Virginia to pay $1.9 billion to a small cybersecurity companies that accused it of copying a feature to steal away government contracts. Cisco has asked the judge for a new trial. The case is among the few in-person patent trials in recent months, with many courts pressing pause amid the coronavirus pandemic. It was delayed a week because of the winter storm that wreaked havoc across much of Texas. Intel had sought to postpone the case because of the pandemic, but was rejected by Albright, a former patent litigator and magistrate who was sworn in as a federal judge in 2018 and has quickly turned his courtroom into one of the most popular for patent owners to file suit. The case is VLSI Technology LLC v. Intel Corp., 21-57, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas (Waco). -- Bloomberg News 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 James Bond franchise is known for spectacular action scenes and breathtaking locations. The franchise has even helped the travel industry in more ways than one can imagine with every chosen location seeing thousands of tourists every year. A unique backdrop can become an important ingredient while making a movie and it certainly is in the case of Spectre. Let's explore all the Spectre filming locations. Also Read - Chris Evans' Villainous Role In Netflix's 'The Gray Man' Teased By Russo Brothers Also Read - Daniel Craig Birthday Special - 10 Lesser Known Facts About The James Bond Actor Where was Spectre filmed? Spectre was shot in four countries collectively. According to Hunting Bond, Mexico, Italy, Austria and Morocco were the countries that made it to the cut. Mexico Mexico was the first in line for Bond to explore and he reached on time during the Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead) festival. The festival had been staged especially for the movie that was shot in April while the celebrations usually take place towards the end of October. The Museo Nacional de Arte and Plaza de la Constitucion were the prime locations used to shoot the festival scene. The airport f Palenque also appeared in the movie where the edgy aerial stunts equipped scenes were made. The popular Gran Hotel de la Ciudad de Mexico made it to the movie too. Italy The Bond franchise has made use of several scenic locations in Italy through the years, the only exception being the capital itself. This time, the crew flocked to Rome to set up possibly the best car chasing scene in Hollywood history. Arco di Costantino, Via di S. Gregorio, Basilica di San Pietro, and Ponte Sisto bridge were some of the many locations to have the opportunity to shine when Bond and Hinx had their car chasing sequence. Austria According to Romantik Hotels, Solden, situated in the Austrian Alps, Obettilliach in East Tyrol and Altaussee were the locations explored in Austria. The crew had a hard time shooting in Altaussee as it was close to the restricted zone. However, it made up with some beautiful shots of the chilly winter lake. A plane crash scene was also shot in Austria but the wooden house that turned into ruins was just a set for the movie, which has now been converted into a tourist spot where the initials "007 elements" are engraved. Morocco After escaping Austria, Bond flies to Morocco directly to the coastal town of Tanger. Bab al-Assa, restaurant Dar Lidam, hotel Palais Akaaboune in Rue Ibn Abou were a part of the market scene. The iconic Gara Medouar is a familiar location that made it to Spectre and was also home to films like The Mummy and Prince of Persia. (Images' Source - Stills from the trailer of Spectre) Also Read - James Bond Film 'No Time To Die' Could Be Releasing In UK Earlier Than Planned Also Read - Daniel Craig's Birthday: From Layer Cake To Knives Out, Check Out His Non-James Bond Films 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. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo at a news conference at a Covid-19 vaccination site in Brooklyn on February 22. Photo: Seth Wenig/ AP Photo Andrew Cuomo, New Yorks governor, has been accused by a third woman of sexual harassment, adding to an escalating crisis facing the former Democratic star. The third-term state leader was facing growing calls within his own party to resign as the states attorney general opened an investigation and allegations of sexual harassment mounted. While the first two women are previous employees of the 63-year-old, a third woman Anna Ruch came forward on Monday to accuse him of impropriety in an incident at a wedding that was captured in a photograph. Ms Ruch (33) told the New York Times that Mr Cuomo approached her during a crowded wedding reception in 2019, alleging that he put his hand on her bare lower back, which was exposed in an open-back dress. When Ms Ruch removed his hand, the governor allegedly told her she seemed aggressive as he put his hands on her face and asked to kiss her. Ms Ruch, who worked as a White House photographer during Barack Obamas presidency, told the Times: I was so confused and shocked and embarrassed. I turned my head away and didnt have words in that moment, A photograph of the moment the first time the pair had met appears to show Ms Ruch looking uncomfortable. Read More The first accuser, Lindsey Boylan, a former aide, alleged last week that Mr Cuomo kissed her on the lips following a one-on-one briefing in his New York City office in 2018, and detailed a toxic workplace environment for women. Days later, Charlotte Bennett, a 25-year-old former executive assistant and health policy adviser to Mr Cuomo, accused the governor of inappropriate and aggressive behaviour in his dealings with her. Debra Katz, a lawyer for Ms Bennett, said Mr Cuomo was not acting as a mentor, and his remarks were not misunderstood by Ms Bennett. He was abusing his power over her for sex. This is textbook sexual harassment. Mr Cuomo has insisted that his playful behaviour and tendency to joke and tease has sometimes been misinterpreted as unwanted flirtation and to the extent anyone felt that way, I am truly sorry about that. Letitia James, the New York State attorney general, launched an investigation into the allegations on Monday. It comes as the governor is the subject of another inquiry into whether he sought to cover up the death toll in nursing homes during the pandemic. The dual crises could threaten any run for president in 2024. Mr Cuomo had widely been tipped as the favourite for the Democratic nomination after demonstrating strong leadership during the coronavirus outbreak. A growing number of Democrats were calling for his resignation. Mayor of New York Bill de Blasio, who has a fraught relationship with the governor, said yesterday: If these allegations are true, he cannot govern. In response to the latest New York Times report, Kathleen Rice, Representative for New Yorks 4th congressional district, tweeted: The time has come. The Governor must resign. And on Monday, President Joe Biden, a long-time Cuomo ally, declined to stand behind the embattled governor. Read More Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] WILMINGTON, Del., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Shareholder Commons announced today that Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM, the "Company") has agreed to provide comprehensive reporting on the systemic effects of the use of antibiotics in its supply chain by the end of 2021. Paul Rissman, a long-time shareholder of the Company, worked with The Shareholder Commons, a non-profit organization that seeks to shift the paradigm of investor thinking towards a systems-first approach, to submit a shareholder proposal earlier in the year. Rissman and The Shareholder Commons have now withdrawn their proposal on the same matter in recognition of the agreement. The agreement with The Shareholder Commons requires the Company to: incorporate a study of the system-wide costs of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) into its public sustainability reporting. disclose its findings regarding how antibiotic use in animal husbandry threatens global health and well-being, as well as the global economy and diversified shareholder interests. discuss an optimal, global scenario for the food industry to eliminate or internalize AMR costs and address competitive concerns that would make progress more difficult without such an approach. describe how its policies and proceduresincluding those covering lobbying, political expenditures, and other forms of political influenceaffect the realization of the global scenario. "Antimicrobial resistance is a complex challenge which requires action by governments, NGOs, and corporations," said Professor Dame Sally Davies, Master of Trinity College, Cambridge University. "We are all happy to see Yum! take this important step and hope to see more companies begin to align their AMR strategies explicitly with the needs of the global health system and planet." "While U.S. securities laws require companies to disclose matters that are material to their own financial performance, there is no requirement that companies report their impacts on the economy or shareholders who hold diversified portfolios that depend on broad economic performance," said Frederick Alexander, CEO of The Shareholder Commons. "We are excited to see Yum! become the first public company to agree to disclose its impact on the broad economy and diversified shareholders." AMR threatens global health by reducing antimicrobial drugs' effectiveness. If the current trend continues, humanity will experience a reversal of the public-health gains of the past century and the economic growth, development, and poverty reduction these gains enabled. According to studies by the World Bank and the UK government, AMR could cause up to 10 million deaths per year by 2050. In addition to this staggering loss of life, AMR may decrease global GDP 3% by 2030, and almost 4% by 2050, amounting to economic losses by 2050 of $54 trillion in today's dollars. "Yum! looks forward to further collaboration on this important issue," said Jon Hixson, Yum! Chief Sustainability Officer and Vice President of Government Affairs. "We remain committed to playing a positive role when it comes to the responsible and judicious use of antimicrobials and decreasing antimicrobial resistance." "I am a long-time investor in Yum!, but I also have diversified holdings, and so do my children. More importantly, we all live on the same planet. I'm thrilled to see that Yum! recognizes that its practices affect everyone, and not just its shareholders," said the proponent, Paul Rissman, co-founder of Rights CoLab. The Shareholder Commons is supporting multiple proponents in filing shareholder resolutions with a beta-activist lens, which involves looking for opportunities for shareholder activism that can influence corporate behavior with respect to social and environmental systems that affect the economy as a whole. The full list of current shareholder resolutions and votes is available at https://theshareholdercommons.com/beta-activism/. About the Shareholder Commons The Shareholder Commons is a non-profit organization that seeks to shift the paradigm of investor thinking away from a narrow and harmful focus on individual company value towards a systems-first approach to investing that better serves beneficiaries. Learn more at https://theshareholdercommons.com/. Media Contact: Dmitriy Ioselevich 17 Communications [email protected] SOURCE The Shareholder Commons After the buzz following Bekaaboo 2s pre-teaser launch, ALTBalaji finally decided that they had been teasing the audience enough and released an eye-catching ensemble poster revealing the cast in the skin of their characters. ADVERTISEMENT The Ebonyi State Government has warned school authorities in the state against the collection of unapproved fees for examinations conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO). Onyebuchi Chima, the commissioner for education, gave the warning on Wednesday in Abakaliki at a meeting with school proprietors and principals. The meeting was attended by members and executives of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) and leaders of schools owned by religious organisations. Mr Chima warned that any school caught collecting unapproved fees would be de-registered by the state government. The stipulated fees for WAEC Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) was N16,600 and N12,500 for NECO SSCE, he said. The commissioner decried the situation where some private schools charged each student as much as N106,000 for WAEC SSCE. Mr Chima also warned the schools against aiding their students to engage in examination malpractice. Any school caught involved in such would be de-recognised by the state government, he said. Onyeoma Agbo, the president of NAPPS, South-east zone, commended the state government for ensuring quality education, but appealed for government assistance to enable students in the crisis-ridden Ezza-Effium area to register for WAEC and NECO examinations. Some public and private schools in Ezza and Effium communities in Ohaukwu Local Government Area were said to have been damaged during a recent inter-communal crisis in the area. Kingsley Igboke, the chairman of the Ebonyi State chapter of NAPPS, said his members were ready to obey and abide by the rules guiding the operation of schools in the state. He urged members of the association to desist from sharp practices. (NAN) Harrowing footage has been released showing the brother of crime boss Bassam Hamzy sprinting away from gunmen seconds after he was shot. Mejid Hamzy, 44, was gunned down in the driveway of his western Sydney home in Condell Park last October by two balaclava-clad men. He is the younger brother of notorious jailed gangster Bassam, who is serving a 40 year jail sentence for a spree of killings and other crimes. The murder remains unsolved and police on Wednesday released footage of Hamzy running down his suburban street after the two gunmen opened fire on him. CCTV captured him looking around behind him while sprinting away from his house along Simmat Avenue. Hamzy, who lived with his wife and young children, staggered 200m around a corner into Curtin Place where he died outside a friend's home. The murder remains unsolved and police on Wednesday released footage of Hamzy (pictured) running down his suburban street after the two gunmen opened fire on him Police also released footage of two masked men inside jumping out of a grey Toyota RAV4, which was parked on the same street on the morning of the murder The pair ran across the road just before the shooting, and were seen sprinting back to the car moments later and driving away Police also released footage of two masked men inside jumping out of a grey Toyota RAV4, which was parked on the same street on the morning of the murder. The pair ran across the road just before the shooting, and were seen sprinting back to the car moments later and driving away. About 20 minutes after the shooting a black Mercedes, with the partial registration EHV, was caught on CCTV being driven by a man suspected to have been involved with the shooting. The Mercedes was seen near Simmat Avenue on the morning of the murder and later driving through the Moorebank area, including along Craig, Metcalfe and Selway Avenues. Police want to speak to the masked man driving the car. Mejid Hamzy (pictured) was gunned down outside his home at Condell Park about 7.30am on Monday morning, with police now hunting two gunmen over the attack Detectives asked residents of Selway Ave on Wednesday if they recalled seeing the black Mercedes before or after the shooting. The murder last year sparked fears of a gangland war between the Alameddine and Hamzy families in Sydney's southwest. A spate of subsequent public shootings prompted police to turn Strike Force Raptor into its own squad. A neighbour who witnessed the crime said at least eight shots were fired by two gunman. 'I went out to see if there were any dead people up the street no one was injured so we knew he had to be dead,' the neighbour told The Daily Telegraph. A car believed to belong to the gunmen was found burnt out at nearby Yagoona just minutes after the shooting. Pools of blood and ripped clothing lie on the ground outside the house of a friend where Mejid Hamzy stumbled to after being shot in the front yard of his own home Mejid Hamzy, 44, was gunned down in the driveway of his western Sydney home in Condell Park last October by two balaclava-clad men Police are investigating if his murder is linked to a shooting a week later in Auburn on the same street where his aunt Maha Hamze lives. Bullet casings were found in the street but by the time police arrived the scene was empty. 'At this stage no one knows if Mejid Hamzy was in the street visiting his relatives or if (the Auburn shooting) was totally unrelated,' the police officer said. Hamzy lived in a grey duplex with his wife and young children and also cared for the four adult orphans of an uncle and aunt who had died some years earlier. Hamzy owned the property and kept a low profile, sometimes training at a park near his home. The other half of his duplex was being rented by underworld figure Safwan Charbaji when he was shot dead in a gunfight outside a Condell Park smash repair business in April 2016. Charbaji was killed by crime boss Walid 'Wally' Ahmad who in turn was shot dead at Bankstown Central shopping centre three weeks later. Ahmad, who ran the smash repair business where Charbaji was killed, lived in Townsend Street, near where Hamzy was shot dead. Hamzy's brother Bassam, 41, is serving 40 years in Goulburn's Supermax jail - Australia's most secure prison - for a string of offences including murder. An underworld source told Daily Mail Australia that despite the attention given to his younger brother Bassam, Mejid was better connected in the criminal world. 'Whoever pulled this stunt is a madman for sure,' the source said. 'He is one of the biggest names in Sydney. Blood stained shirts and other ripped clothing was taken away in evidence bags by NSW Police 'Mejid is the one who made that family who they are today. Bassam is big but Mejid is a different breed. 'This guy was well connected and loved by heaps of heavies. His crew won't take this lightly.' Detective Chief Superintendent Darren Bennett said: 'Retaliation is a significant concern'. 'We'll be doing everything we can in terms of mitigating against further attacks.' Assistant police commissioner Peter Thurtell said Mejid had 'obviously' been targeted be a criminal group. 'They are organised criminal groups targeting each other,' Mr Thurtell said. 'The rationale behind targeting each other is obviously drug related. 'We will be targeting associates and known offenders. They can expect us to be in their face. They know we will come knocking on their door.' Gauahar Khan, who was seen in Bigg Boss 14 as a toofani senior, is quite active on social media. The actress often shares updates from her personal and professional lives on social media to keep her fans updated. Recently, she shared a selfie from a hospital room and informed fans that her father, Zafar Khan, is admitted in a hospital. The cause of his illness has not been revealed. The actress, who has been juggling between work and her visits to the hospital, requested everyone to pray for her father. Gauahar also shared a picture of herself holding her father's hand on her Instagram story and wrote, "My Lifeline, My Pappa." She shared another picture of herself in which she looked tired and wrote, "Please pray for my dad. Back in hospital." Gauahar also shared a picture with her husband Zaid Darbar from the elevator and called the duo "good children." Gauahar had also posted a picture in which her in-laws Ismail Darbar and Farzana Shaikh were seen standing outside the hospital, as they were not allowed inside due to the sudden surge of COVID-19 in Maharashtra. Praising her in-laws, the actress wrote, "Family!. Since they weren't allowed inside the hospital as visitors, they were taking the rounds of the hospital just to see if I'm ok.. Best in-laws ever." Apparently, Gauahar shares a close bond with her father and is often seen sharing posts saying she is extremely proud to be his daughter. For the uninitiated, the Bigg Boss 7 winner married Zaid Darbar on December 25, 2020, in a lavish ceremony in Mumbai. The duo have been sharing their throwback and latest pictures and videos on their Instagram accounts. Also Read: Rakhi Sawant Calls The Fraud Case A Publicity Stunt; Rakesh Says His Sister Has Nothing To Do With It Also Read: Naagin 5 Spin-Off Kuch Toh Hai: Naagin Ek Naye Rang Mein Under Scanner; Might Go Off-Air If TRPs Do Not Go Up! In this new role, Dr. Bhalla will help align physician leadership, clinical outcomes and advanced technology through collaborating with administration and participating in strategic planning. In addition, he will ensure the Spine Center's commitment to providing a full range of spine surgical procedures, from minimally invasive to complex treatments, for each patient's unique spine condition. "Dr. Bhalla is a generational talent who is well known in our community for providing compassionate and comprehensive spine care to patients," says Ike Mmeje, chief operating officer, Long Beach Medical Center. "We are honored to have Dr. Bhalla take on this new leadership role. Dr. Bhalla's mission-based leadership, clinical excellence, passion for patient-centered care, and interest in advanced technology will energize the Spine Center." Dr. Bhalla is an expert in degenerative conditions of the cervical, thoracic, lumbar spine, adult deformity and traumatic injuries. He also considers it a privilege to care for patients with primary and metastatic tumors involving the spinal column. When applicable, Dr. Bhalla incorporates the use of minimally invasive and advanced technologies, such as ExcelsiusGPS and the O-Arm, which ensure accuracy and precision during surgery. This same approach to advanced technology is upheld by the Spine Center. In fact, Long Beach Medical Center is the only hospital in LA County to have ExcelsiusGPS a revolutionary robotic-navigation technology that creates a surgical plan based on the patient's unique anatomy, guiding the robotic arm to a specific region of the spine, similar to a planned pathway on GPS. O-Arm, technology allows surgeons to perform complex spine surgery with unparalleled accuracy, since it gives the surgeon a 3D real-time visualization of spinal structures, increasing precision. With the availability of advanced technology options, coupled with extensive pre-operative education, patients can feel confident about their upcoming spine surgery. "At the Spine Center, we're deeply committed to compassionate, evidence-based care," says Dr. Bhalla. "I am grateful for this opportunity to work alongside such a distinguished group of physicians, nurses, and care team members." Dr. Bhalla completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania. He received his medical degree at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and completed his residency in orthopaedic surgery at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. Dr. Bhalla completed the Harvard Combined Spine Fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital. Dr. Bhalla practices in Long Beach with the Memorial Orthopaedic Surgical Group. He is on the teaching faculty at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, and with the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He serves as director of Spine Trauma with the department of orthopaedic surgery at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, in addition to his role at Long Beach Medical Center. He enjoys educating patients about their spinal conditions, and exploring non-operative treatment options whenever appropriate. He is an active member of the North American Spine Society and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Recently, he was recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal as a recipient of the 2021 Top Doctor's honor award. About the MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center: MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center has been providing the community with compassionate, quality health care for more than 100 years. While leading in specialized care, research and education, Long Beach Medical Center uses the most advanced health care technologies it is the only hospital in L.A. County with the innovative ExactechGPS and ExcelsiusGPS surgical systems. Long Beach Medical Center is ranked no. 7 in the Los Angeles Metro Area by U.S. News & World Report and has earned Magnet recognition for nursing excellence. With leading centers for cancer, heart, rehabilitation, orthopedics, neurology and trauma, physicians and surrounding hospitals continually refer to its accredited programs. For more information, visit memorialcare.org/LongBeach. SOURCE MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center I was a cub reporter when the state celebrated its sesquicentennial on March 2, 1986, the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence and the birth of the Republic of Texas. Coming just a decade after the wildly successful U.S. bicentennial commemorations, the Lone Star event generated months of activity. I wrote enough about the related events that I didnt even have to look up the spelling of sesquicentennial just now. I covered the re-enactors cattle drive that ambled through Navasota, and I was at Washington-on-the-Brazos when Gov. Mark White flew in on a helicopter to address the crowd. I remember that flag-shaped logo stamped on everything from license plates to T-shirts to jars of made-in-Texas jellies. In a Google search Tuesday morning, by contrast, I could find only scattered references to Texas Independence Day. Granted, the 185th anniversary of anything will not get the attention of even a septaquintaquinquecentennial (OK, I had to look that one up). And we certainly have other things to deal with right now. Other factors also are at work, however. The recent meltdown of the electrical grid has challenged any assumption of Texas exceptionalism, and as has the emergence of one of our prominent political leaders as a reliable punch line for late-night television. But we also live in a more diverse state than we did 35 years ago, and we are more open to the nuances of our history. Protests sparked by the death of George Floyd have us, like the entire nation, grappling with our past in profound ways. Weve become increasingly likely to take down Confederate monuments, rename our schools and address other longstanding issues. Top hits: Get Beaumont Enterprise stories sent directly to your inbox People many of them, anyway genuinely want to be more respectful of one another. So it seems appropriate that we reconsider our founding story: In 1836, we broke away from non-slaveholding Mexico; in 1845, we joined the United States, a nation where this evil practice was legal; and in 1863, we broke ranks with the U.S. to join the slave states of the Confederacy. A healthy reckoning is in order. Former Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson addressed this in an op-ed published last week under the headline, Should we continue to celebrate Texas Independence Day? The piece starts out challenging the ever-growing list of woke Texans who claim it is time to change how Texans view the events of 1836. In their mind, he wrote, it was all about slavery and oppression. Patterson disagrees over the primacy of slavery in the revolution, and he sets forth his case forcefully. But he also acknowledges that we havent been completely honest in telling the Texas story. For too long we have ignored or hidden the dark chapters of Texas history, and we have failed to recognize the contributions of other ethnicities that didnt conveniently fit our comfortable narrative, he wrote. Regardless of how you feel about Pattersons arguments about slaverys role in the events of 185 years ago, they represent a necessary debate. He allows as much in his summation: Today, we can be honest about our history, the good the bad and the ugly. We can also celebrate Texas Independence Day. Those two endeavors are not mutually exclusive. ronnie.crocker@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/rcrocker Carlisle Traffic Stop Nets Two Drug Arrests By West Kentucky Star Staff CARLISLE COUNTY - A traffic stop in Bardwell Tuesday afternoon led to two people's arrest on drug and other charges.Deputies with the Carlisle County Sheriff's Office stopped a vehicle driven by 27-year-old Tyler Ogden for alleged equipment violations.Deputies said Ogden was also a person of interest in a drug investigation.K9 Officer Kimber allegedly alerted to narcotics in the vehicle. Deputies said they found a small bag of methamphetamine, a meth pipe, and digital scales with meth residue.While interviewing Ogden, deputies learned that he had allegedly thrown a firearm from the vehicle. The gun was located Wednesday morning.Ogden was charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance second offense, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, possession of a defaced firearm, equipment violation, possession of drug paraphernalia, and no insurance.A passenger in the vehicle, 35-year-old Bobbie Bishop of Union City, TN, was charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and public intoxication.They were both lodged in the McCracken County Jail. 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 Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High around 65F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 46F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. REGGIO CALABRIA, MAR 3 - Italian police on Wednesday arrested five people in connection with alleged ballot rigging at the local elections in September 2020 in Reggio Calabria. The five were placed under house arrest, while another person was suspended from public duties in the probe. The six have been placed under investigation variously for vote rigging, fraud in public duties and abuse of office. City councillor Antonino Castorina, a former member of the national directorate of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), was arrested along with members of his entourage and a local official. Nationalist League party leader Matteo Salvini said the elections should be re-held due to the case. Independent former council candidate and journalist Klaus Davi also said the elections should be staged again because ballots were allegedly stuffed dn favour of Castorina. (ANSA). MERIDEN First lady Jill Biden squatted down to speak to a masked Meriden kindergartner painting a picture in her classroom on a visit to Benjamin Franklin Elementary School Wednesday with U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. During coronavirus, there are few visitors to most Connecticut schools, never mind a first lady and education secretary, but Cardona and Biden arranged the visit to highlight how schools can safely teach in-person during the pandemic as Cardona launches an ambitious fight to put students back in the classroom nationwide. Biden, a community college teacher, complimented the girl in a T-shirt and teal gown, while Cardona Connecticuts former education commissioner and a Meriden native fist-bumped students who sat at tables separated by plexiglass dividers. They spoke to teachers about the challenges of teaching amid the coronavirus, both in-person and virtually. The trip was Cardonas first as secretary of education, coming on his first full day in the role. It was Jill Bidens first visit to Connecticut since the inauguration of President Joe Biden and one of her earliest domestic trips. Its important to safely reopen schools, Cardona told a small crowd at Benjamin Franklin Elementary. Its critical that we do it as safely as possible and as quickly as possible. The yearlong pandemic has led to fewer learning opportunities and more kids going hungry. Later in the day, Cardona, and Biden visited a middle school in Pennsylvania as they examine strategies to mitigate the coronavirus in schools and safely open classrooms for in-person learning full-time. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, joined Biden and Cardona for the tour of Benjamin Franklin Elementary and Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, planned to meet them at the Pennsylvania school. The presence of the two most powerful teachers union leaders sends a strong signal that the Biden administration intends to collaborate with unions on a plan to get teachers and students back in the classroom, not order them back over teachers objections. Weingarten and Pringle arguably have more influence over returning teachers to classrooms than Cardona or anyone else. The visits kick off Cardona and President Joe Bidens full court press to get students learning in-person in the majority of schools by April 30, Bidens 100th day in office a key goal Biden vowed to deliver on in December. President Biden Tuesday called on states to prioritize teachers for vaccinations and get every grade-school employee and child care provider at least one shot by the end of March. Connecticut started vaccinating its 99,000 teachers and school workers this week, the only essential workers to get priority for COVID-19 immunizations other than health care workers, now after the state pivoted to a mainly age-based model. We must continue to reopen Americas schools for in person learning as quickly and as safely as possible. The president recognizes this which is why he took bold action yesterday to get teachers and school staff vaccinated quickly, Cardona said in Meriden Wednesday. As secretary of education that is my top priority. The Biden administration has also pressed Congress to pass Bidens $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package as soon as possible, a bill that includes $130 billion in additional education money. The legislation is expected to clear the Senate later this week. Cardona announced in an op-ed Tuesday night he will host a national summit on safe school reopening this month, publish a new volume of an Education Department handbook on operating schools during the pandemic and collect data on how schools are functioning during the pandemic through a national survey. That survey is expected to reveal an uneven picture across the country with many schools offering only distance learning or a hybrid model and fewer hosting children in the classroom every day. Schools are constrained in how they can operate by factors like funding, geography, virus prevalence and their teachers union. About half of Connecticuts school districts dont currently offer full-time, in-person learning. Benjamin Franklin Elementary School and other K-8 schools in Meriden have offered full-time, in-person learning since before Labor Day, said Superintendent Mark Benigni. About 70 percent of Benjamin Franklin Elementary students are taking classes in person now. The district worked with its teachers union to develop a reopening plan, Benigni said, and require mask wearing, social distancing, increased cleaning and other changes to protect students and staff. Three percent of students and 10 percent of staff in Meriden Public Schools have tested positive for the coronavirus this school year, according to data published by the district. Less than a third of students and a quarter of staff members have quarantined. For Cardona, the trip was a return to his hometown and the school district he used to work at as a teacher, principal and then assistant superintendent. He never taught at Benjamin Franklin Elementary, where he and Biden visited Wednesday. Benigni and Benjamin Franklin Elementary Principal Joanne Conte gave Biden and Cardona a tour to show them how they operate the 323-student school amid a pandemic thats killed over 500,000 people. Welcome messages hung in classrooms and hallways in the school. In one kindergarten class, students wore blue T-shirts with 2037, their expected college graduation year, on the back. When Biden and Cardona walked into one classroom a little before noon the students screamed Welcome to kindergarten! Hi, Im Jill, the first lady said. Biden and Cardona walked through the classroom, stopping to ask the students what they were working on. The children wore masks and sat at individual desks or at tables divided by plexiglass. Next, the pair visited a sensory room filled with play mats, yoga balls, monkey bars and a large chart with a set of color-coded moods to help students with social and emotional learning and special needs. The school has three such classrooms. Being at home and being on the computer doesnt access this, Cardona said. For students that have disabilities having in-person opportunities that are safe, is important ... Thats what this room provides. Biden, a community college educator with a doctorate in education, asked if student anxiety increased during the pandemic. A teacher told Biden the answer: yes. In another classroom, Biden, Cardona and Weingarten spoke with a teacher who recently transitioned from teaching via computer to teaching in person. Weingarten said it was important to have flexibility to do both forms of teaching. Cardona, Biden and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont spoke to teachers and media at the school at the close of the visit. Teachers want to be back, Biden said. We want to be back. Last week I said to my students, hey guys how you doing? And they said Dr. B, Were doing OK, but we cant wait to be back to the classroom. She noted the hometown pride Meriden showed for Cardona and the support he had from teachers there. Educators favorite three words are not I Love You. Its going to be Education Secretary Cardona, Biden joked. Cardona took the podium and said it was good to be home. He said that in-person learning has resumed at least partially at local schools since mid-August of last year an effort he oversaw as Connecticuts education commissioner. The yearlong pandemic has led to fewer learning opportunities and more kids going hungry, Cardona said. Across the country, future Lin-Manuel Mirandas are sitting at home instead of going to drama club. Lamont, who also spoke to the small crowd, told Biden Its great having a teacher in the White House. He teased Cardona about whether he was ready to take on Bidens 100-day reopening goal. You hear that Miguel? Lamont asked. Cardona laughed and said he had about 72 days left. Outside across West Main Street from the school driveway where police kept supporters and protesters alike about 140 people lined up in a generally friendly atmosphere, in the late-winter sunshine. About a dozen supporters of former President Donald Trump waved flags and occasionally shouted out debunked conspiracy theories about the election. One man wore a white hazmat suit and held a sign in a shape of a mask that said We are being lied to. Most people were there to support Cardona, a local man with solid roots in the community who left the Meriden school district to first become Connecticuts education commissioner in February 2020. Raynia Martinez, 18, a UConn freshman, took off a few hours from her online classes to pay homage to her former third-grade principal. Inside Benjamin Franklin School, her younger brother got an up-close look at the first lady and Cardona. From behind a white face mask, Martinez remembered Cardona as a caring and kind principal in her early school days, after she arrived with no English skills, at age 6, from the Dominican Republic. He always talked to people and helped people, she recalled of her time at Hanover School. He goes to our church. His mom used to be my teacher there at St. Rose of Lima. They do a lot of fundraisers for the community, said Ilsa Nieves, 55, whos known the Cardona family for years. Their children sing for the Puerto Rican festival. They go to the library for Three Kings Day. Yes, the whole family sings there. Nieves wore an American flag baseball cap and was waving a Puerto Rico flag during the hour before Bidens motorcade arrived, during her hour-long visit inside the school and finally, during the swift drive-by, as Biden waved at the crowd from an open window when the motorcade left for the airport to head to another school visit in Pennsylvania. Claudia and Thomas Malone drove in to Meriden from nearby Plainville to mark the occasion standing a few feet away from a bearded man waving a Trump flag. Its education versus ignorance, Thomas Malone said, pointing a thumb over his left shoulder. This was a blatantly stolen election, said the Trump supporter, who declined to give his name as he stood on the corner of West Main Street and state Route 71 waving a frayed Trump flag. The fraud is off the charts. Its being covered up by seditious government, turncoats in every aspect of our legislature. All three branches of government are compromised. And were here to say that President Trump won in the biggest landslide in history and were not accepting the results. After Bidens motorcade left, participants in the event, including local officials, drifted out of the school and across West Broad Street. Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, state Sen. Mary Daugherty Abrams, state Reps. Michael Quinn and Hilda Santiago attended the official visit Wednesday. State Rep. Catherine Abercrombie, D-Meriden, emerged from the school praising the first ladys interest in getting more kids back into schools around the country. But she also wants to make sure that the support system they need for schools to get funding for mental health, said Abercrombie, who is co-chairman of the legislative Human Services Committee. We need to do a lot of screening because this is going to be a long-term effect for these students, so they were talking about the next round of dollars and how it can help impact these kids, she said. And food insecurity. People forget that with kids being out of school, food insecurity, right? We here in Meriden serve two meals a day. All our kids get breakfast and all of them get lunch. Conte said she hoped Cardona would reflect on the positive things that came out of the pandemic, and what things we've learned from it that we can use. We've taught children how to use Google Classroom and how to manage both in-person learning and distance learning, and being able to even teach their parents, Conte said. Meriden Mayor Kevin Scarpati added, As Dr. Cardona said in his statement, the Silver City certainly did shine today. emilie.munson@hearstdc.com; Twitter: @emiliemunson Aligarh, March 3 : The semi-naked body of a 17-year-old Dalit girl in a village in Aligarh, with signs of sexual assault and her skin peeled away from being dragged through the fields, has been found. The Aligarh police, which had formed five teams to crack the case, has detained 12 suspects for questioning on Tuesday. The girl's body was found from a field in Aligarh's Akrabad area on Sunday night. Aligarh's senior superintendent of police (SSP) Muniraj G told reporters, "The post-mortem report has revealed the cause of death to be strangulation and smothering. External injury marks were found on the victim's body. Her skin had peeled away. There were nail marks on her body. But a preliminary examination by a team of doctors who conducted the post-mortem did not find any internal injury. A forensic report will clear the picture." The vaginal and rectal swabs of the girl have been sent for forensic examination and the report is awaited. The police have registered an FIR under IPC sections 376 (rape), 302 (murder) and also under the POCSO Act against an unidentified person. The girl, who was living with her grandmother, used to accompany the old woman to the fields, but on that fateful day, the girl had gone out alone. According to the complaint, the girl left at around 11am to collect fodder for the goats at home. "When she did not return after sunset, her family started looking for her. Later, a local spotted her body in a wheat field. Her clothes were scattered all around and it appeared that she had been sexually assaulted," the complaint said. The incident is strongly reminiscent of the Hathras incident in which a Dalit girl was found unconscious in a field in September last year with serious internal injuries. She died a fortnight later in a Delhi hospital. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Partly cloudy this morning, then becoming cloudy during the afternoon. High 76F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mainly clear. Low 47F. Winds light and variable. Some actors will never completely escape the part that changed their lives, even if it doesnt define or typecast them. Nobody could ever accuse Anthony Hopkins, for instance, of struggling to cast off Hannibal Lecter. And yet, somewhere in the corner of our minds, hell always be the cultured, cannibalistic serial killer who ate a census takers liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti slurp, slurp, slurp. To be fair to Hopkins, he seems entirely comfortable with this. The same goes for Bryan Cranston and his most famous character, Breaking Bads Walter White, the dispirited high-school chemistry teacher who becomes a crystal meth kingpin and discovers dark, thrilling depths of depravity inside himself that he never knew existed. Cranston had already created one memorable television character, the hilariously immature husband and father, Hal, in Malcolm in the Middle, but Walter White marked a career handbrake turn that catapulted him to international stardom. Read More Post-Breaking Bad, hes flourished, playing a wide variety of characters without ever looking like hes trying too hard to put Walter White far behind him. He won a Tony Award for playing Lyndon B Johnson in All the Way and repeated his performance in the HBO film of the same name. He won a second Tony for playing Howard Beale, the anchorman who becomes a mad prophet, in an adaptation of the 1976 movie Network, and received an Oscar nomination for his performance as blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo in Trumbo. Clearly, Cranston doesnt have to fight for roles that will allow him to prove his dramatic range. This makes it all the more odd to see him starring in something that feels as familiar as Your Honor, a miniseries from British writer-producer Peter Moffat, who wrote the BBCs Criminal Justice, which was adapted in the US into HBO series The Night Of, a rare instance of a remake that was better than the original. Cranston is a player now, a producer-star with the power to pick and choose his projects. You really have to wonder why he picked this, which once again casts him as an apparently upstanding man who, when compelled to protect his family, slides ever deeper into deceit and corruption. He plays New Orleans judge Michael Desiato, whos widowed and shares a house, as well as a touchingly close bond, with his asthmatic teenage son Adam (Hunter Doohan). Desiatos unimpeachable decency and commitment to justice is displayed early on, when we see him stepping outside the remit of his job to find his own proof that a lying cop is trying to pin a bogus drugs charge on a poor, Black single mother. On the same sunny morning this is happening, Adam loses his bearings while trying drive his old Volvo out of a dangerous neighbourhood and suffers an asthma attack. While straining to reach his inhaler after it falls onto the floor of the car, he takes his eyes off the road for a second and ploughs head-on into a young motorcyclist. Its a horribly powerful scene, but also needlessly grotesque. Before panicking and fleeing the scene, Adam, whos struggling to breathe, literally sucks the last breath from the dying boys mouth. Then a dog ambles over and starts lapping at the blood thats pooled around the dead boys head. When Adam gets home and explains to his father whats happened, Desiato tells him hell have to do the decent thing but of course and confess all to the police. The good judge quickly has a sudden change of mind, however, when he learns that the boy Adam killed is none other than the son of one Jimmy Baxter (Michael Stuhlbarg), the boss of the citys most vicious criminal gang, wholl do anything to find whoever is responsible for his boys death. Inevitably, we can expect Judge Desiato to do anything to prevent that happening. There are 10 episodes of Your Honor, all available on demand. After this frequently clunky opener, its difficult to see any surprises down the line. Think of it as Breaking Bad, only not half as good. Stocktrek Our governor and legislators fight for us and against us, depending on the issue. Now, however, is the most important fight of our time: climate change. The hard-fought 2019 battle to pass the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act made us a national and international leader in saving our planet. How, though, do we fund these green goals? We must get our legislators to pass the Climate and Community Investment Act. This will build a just, equitable, renewable economy for all in New York where everyone, regardless of race or income, is protected from climate change while accessing green jobs. The goal is to transform our economy by investing in the communities hit hardest by this crisis. The Climate and Community Investment Act will take money from the corporate polluters and raise an estimated $15 billion a year with a third of the money funding local programs in frontline communities, a third of the money invested in creating large-scale renewable infrastructure and the final third of the money going to energy rebates for low- and moderate-income. RIPON, Wis., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In a national survey conducted by the Women's Choice Award, female consumers rated Speed Queen as the most recommended in its category of luxury washers and dryers. The Women's Choice Award has recognized Speed Queen for their exceptional customer recommendation rating, earning the brand the coveted 2021 Women's Choice Award. This is the eighth-straight year Speed Queen has received the honor. The exclusive set of products and services that earn the award have the honor of touting the Women's Choice Award designation, honoring their achievement as being the most recommended in its category for which female customers would recommend them to their family and friends. As recommendation ratings are the pinnacle for determining true brand loyalty and love - the Women's Choice Award is a powerful indicator of a brand's commitment to their customers. The Women's Choice Award seal also represents Speed Queen's commitment to empowering women to make the best consumer choices for themselves and their families. "We are proud to accept this award on behalf of the thousands of employees in Wisconsin, who display an unwavering commitment to American quality building our Speed Queen washers and dryers," said Cody Masluk, vice president and general manager of Speed Queen consumer. Delia Passi, founder and CEO of the Women's Choice Award says, "Today's marketplace is more cluttered than ever, yet women have less time than ever to sift through the saturated online options and store shelves. And with women on a constant hunt to identify the best brands for herself and her family, the Women's Choice Award serves as a trusted endorsement and visual beacon of empowerment, simplifying her choices. When consumers see that other women recommend a brand, through the Women's Choice Award seal, it provides an unparalleled level of trust and validation, putting her mind at ease- and that's priceless." For more information about commercial quality Speed Queen products, visit speedqueen.com. About Speed Queen: Speed Queen's proven laundry performance outshines the competition. Speed Queen was established 1908 in Ripon, Wisconsin, USA. Still in Ripon, that original company grew into Alliance Laundry Systems. Alliance is the world leader in commercial laundry in terms of sales, range, reach and R&D investment. Speed Queen today offers powerful commercial laundry solutions that are available for the home, too. Over the decades, Speed Queen has developed extraordinary loyalty among laundry professionals. People responsible for laundry love Speed Queen's measurably superior performance in results, reliability, support and overall value. For those who need large volumes of perfectly clean laundry, Speed Queen is the laundry star. SOURCE Speed Queen The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. WASHINGTON - Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, a former White House physician to two presidents, bullied his staff, made inappropriate sexual comments about a female subordinate and exhibited an array of other concerning behavior, according to a Defense Department inspector general report released Wednesday. Most of Jackson's former colleagues disapproved of his conduct and leadership within the White House Medical Unit, including incidents in which he screamed, belittled staff and erupted into fits of rage that demoralized nurses and doctors, the report found. Only 13 of 60 people interviewed about Jackson's command climate had positive experiences to share, investigators said in the report, which was first reported by CNN. Jackson, 53, who retired in 2019 as Navy rear admiral, "established a workplace where fear and intimidation were kind of the hallmarks of him, his command and control of his subordinates," one witness told investigators. The report recommended the Navy secretary take "appropriate action." The Navy is reviewing the report, said Cmdr. Courtney Hillson, a Navy spokesperson. The Navy will determine if a separate investigation is necessary, according to a Navy official who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue. If one is initiated, Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Harker would decide if Jackson's conduct warrants a reduction in retirement rank, which would lower his monthly pension. Jackson denied misconduct Wednesday in a statement that described the report and the allegations as partisan attacks. The allegations publicly surfaced in April 2018 after President Donald Trump nominated Jackson as secretary of Veterans Affairs. "Three years ago I was the subject of a political hit job because I stood with President Trump. Today, a Department of Defense Inspector General report has resurrected those same false allegations from my years with the Obama Administration because I have refused to turn my back on President Trump," he said in the statement. Jackson began work as a White House physician in the mid-2000s and was named the top presidential physician in 2013, serving as President Barack Obama's doctor and then Trump's. He was elected in November to represent a Texas congressional district. Witnesses recounted bizarre and sexually charged incidents during a presidential trip to the Philippines in April 2014, when Jackson served as Obama's physician. A female subordinate told investigators that Jackson pounded on her door after midnight and that his eyes appeared bloodshot when she opened it. "You could smell the alcohol on his breath, and he leaned into my room and he said, 'I need you.' I felt really uncomfortable," the witness said. "When a drunk man comes to your room and they say, 'I need you,' your mind goes to the worst." The woman snapped into action, changed her clothes and grabbed her medical bag, she said, because she was unsure if there was a medical concern. She entered Jackson's room, where he was yelling about eating fertilized eggs cooked in the shell - a delicacy in the Philippines. A Secret Service agent told her there was a concern Jackson's noise would wake Obama, she said. Other witnesses described Jackson making sexual remarks about the woman's body. Witnesses also voiced concerns about Jackson's conduct on a 2016 trip to Argentina. Some described him taking control of the medical bag after drinking, the report said. Control of the bag indicates duty to provide immediate medical care to the president and other officials, the report said. "Was he drunk? I don't know," a witness said. "I'm not a breathalyzer nor can I do a blood alcohol level by smelling. But did he smell of alcohol? Yes, he did." In his statement, Jackson denied misusing alcohol on duty. Jackson was known to use Ambien on long official visits as the president's physician, witnesses told investigators. The sleep aid can impair mental awareness. White House guidelines require officials to notify supervisors if they ingest medication that can impair them, but it was unclear if Jackson did, the report said. There were no medical emergencies on trips recounted by witnesses, the report said. "However, witnesses expressed concerns about RDML Jackson's ability to provide or supervise medical care while using Ambien if an emergency required it," the report concluded. Investigators interviewed dozens of colleagues after tips poured into the Pentagon inspector general's hotline following Trump's nomination, the report said. Jackson withdrew his consideration after some details of the allegations were made public. The inspector general withheld release of the report for months, saying in a Feb. 3 denial of a Freedom of Information Act request by the The Washington Post that documents requested "could reasonably be expected to interfere with [law] enforcement proceeding." The memo did not clarify whether there was an open criminal case investigating Jackson. The Post appealed that denial on Feb. 17 and received a memo from inspector general's office on Wednesday afternoon that it was closing the case because it had just released the documents to the public. - - - The Washington Post's Dan Lamothe 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. VASTERAS, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The turnkey upgrade for the Storfinnforsen 400/130 kV electrical substation has now been fully commissioned. This extension of the existing substation will help the customer - E.ON Energy Networks - and the grid owner - Svenska kraftnat - to better connect several surrounding wind power generating parks to the electricity transmission grid. The site is co-located with the Storfinnforsen power station in northern Sweden. The site works, which largely took place over the wintertime, were carefully planned to ensure the customer's wish to limit planned outages and minimise disturbances for their end consumers was met. These challenges were handled expertly through great collaboration between Linxon,E.ON and Svenska kraftnat. Linxon's scope of supply consists of the installation of one new double breaker 400 kV transformer feeder, three new double breaker 130 kV feeders for the power transformer, a line bay and a capacitor bank to stabilize the grid. The project also includes provision of control and protection systems as well as civil and installation work. "This was the first contract we won in Sweden since becoming Linxon. We are proud to have demonstrated, in terms of real results, how our unique company combines the technological know-how of Hitachi ABB Power Grids and the project delivery skills of SNC-Lavalin. This is how we generate enhanced value to our clients", said Frederic Trefois, CEO of Linxon. "Storfinnforsen is also the first station Linxon commissions in Sweden. I am very glad to see how effective our team has been and to have delivered this project ahead of time whilst meeting all expectations", said Ingela Halling, General Manager of Linxon Sweden. Linxon commenced operations in September 2018, undertaking turnkey electrical alternating current substation projects related to renewable and conventional power generation, power transmission and transportation solutions. Substations enable the efficient and reliable transmission and distribution of electricity. Within the substation, switchgear controls and protects the network from power outages and facilitates reliable electricity supply. About Linxon We combine Hitachi ABB Power Grids deep technological knowledge and SNC-Lavalin's project management expertise to create a company dedicated to substations. As one of the leading engineering companies, we help our customers with turnkey solutions in the field of substations for power transmission, renewable energy and transportation. As a single point of contact we combine the accumulated knowhow of key-suppliers and contractors so that customers benefit from efficient solutions, increased industrial productivity and a lower environmental impact. We work to shape energy solutions to empower sustainable connectivity. linxon.com CONTACT: Kristina Holmstrom Matses Head of Communications kristina.holmstrom-matses@linxon.com +46 70 608 30 17 This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/linxon/r/linxon-has-successfully-commissioned-the-400-kv-storfinnforsen-substation-in-sweden,c3299264 The following files are available for download: https://news.cision.com/linxon/i/storfinnforsen-2,c2884047 Storfinnforsen 2 https://news.cision.com/linxon/i/storfinnforsen-1,c2884045 Storfinnforsen 1 https://news.cision.com/linxon/i/ftrefois,c2884046 fTrefois https://news.cision.com/linxon/i/ingela-halling,c2884044 Ingela Halling SOURCE Linxon Fourteen months into a first term marked by an unprecedented public health crisis, Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti will speak about Scrantons challenges and opportunities this afternoon during her first State of the City Address. Cognetti came into office last year with a goal of restoring public trust in a city government rocked by disgraced former Mayor Bill Courtrights criminal corruption. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic. Against that backdrop, the mayor said her administration took quick action to stave off the worst potential public health and financial outcomes. Shell talk this afternoon about how the community came together to combat COVID-19 and the work that remains to ensure a successful, sustained economic recovery. Scranton is slated to exit state Act 47 oversight in January, shedding the financially distressed label its carried since 1992. But Council President Bill Gaughan, Councilman Tom Schuster and other members raised concerns about projected budget deficits in the coming years and other financial issues that could be exacerbated by the pandemic. Council and Cognetti sparred late last year over the citys 2021 budget, which council amended significantly in an effort to shrink spending. Beyond 2021, Gerald Cross, senior research fellow with the Pennsylvania Economy League, Scrantons state-appointed financial recovery coordinator, also warned last year that the city must watch for the beginnings of a creeping structural deficit caused by annual expenses growing at a faster pace than annual revenues. The long-term financials are tough, Cognetti said. We know that that is still a big hill to climb, but I am confident we can put the tools in place (and) processes in place to get to a sustainable solution. Among other efforts, the mayor established a tax-policy working group last year to examine the citys entire tax structure for possible reforms, including a possible conversion of the punitive business privilege and mercantile taxes to a broader-based, fairer payroll tax. Council remains an advocate of the payroll tax swap. The tax-policy working group includes more than 20 members, including Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce President Bob Durkin. Amid a deluge of pandemic-prompted challenges facing the citys business community, Durkin said hes enjoyed a better level of communication and cooperation with City Hall, Lackawanna County commissioners and other elected officials than ever before. That cooperation and communication helped all involved respond more effectively to COVID-19 and support pandemic-impacted businesses, he said. Relationships are critical, Durkin said. Those relationships, and that relationship that we have with City Hall, just made everything that was done there and here that much more impactful. Cognetti contends communication, transparency and accountability have been hallmarks of her first 14 months in office. Through the Scranton Together Neighborhood Initiative, her administration brought the services of City Hall into neighborhoods during a series of outreach events held last year. The mayor also regularly holds virtual town halls on social media and often participates in virtual council meetings. Those and similar efforts are aimed at restoring the public trust that Courtright eroded, she said. Before I came into office, Scranton was in the headlines because the former mayor was going to prison, Cognetti said. So it has been just of paramount importance to me that we have Scranton in the headlines for positive reasons, and weve worked very hard to make sure that were doing that and to keep building the brand. The State of the City Address will begin at 4:30 p.m. Viewers can watch live via Zoom, on ECTVs YouTube channel and on Comcast channel 19. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki arrives for the daily press briefing at the White House on March 3, 2021. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) White House Says No Announcement on Neera Tanden Replacement This Week There will be no announcement this week on who the future nominee to head the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) might be, according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki. Given Neera Tanden withdrew her nomination just last night you should not expect any announcements on a future nominee this week, Psaki told reporters during a March 3 briefing. Psaki said the withdrawal was a decision made by Tanden herself, not the White House. Tanden is the first nominee who has failed to be confirmed for Bidens Cabinet. She certainly saw that the path to her own confirmation was narrowed and did not look like there was a path forward, Psaki said. Im not going to get into the details of who was or wasnt against her it was a recognition that Neera Tanden made. According to The Associated Press, the apparent frontrunner on Capitol Hill to replace Tanden is Shalanda Young, a former staff director for the House Appropriations Committee. Young appears to have bipartisan support, and House Democratic leaders on March 3 announced their support for her. In a March 2 statement, President Joe Biden said he accepted Tandens request to withdraw her name, noting that he still wanted her to give her a position in his administration. Biden didnt indicate what that future position for Tanden would be. I have accepted Neera Tandens request to withdraw her name from nomination for Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Biden said. I have the utmost respect for her record of accomplishment, her experience and her counsel, and I look forward to having her serve in a role in my Administration. She will bring valuable perspective and insight to our work. The OMB manages a $4 trillion federal budget. Last week, two Senate committees delayed confirmation votes for Tanden, signaling that party leaders believe there wasnt enough support for the nominee. Committee votes are required to advance a nominee to the Senate floor to face approval by all 100 senators. With the Senate split 50-50, Vice President Kamala Harris could have cast a tie-breaking vote in Tandens favor. But that wasnt an option after moderate Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said he wouldnt vote to approve Tanden. Manchins defection had sent the White House and Tanden scrambling to find one Republican backer. But they ultimately came up empty-handed, even after a last-minute meeting with Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) on March 1. Some Republicans have said they wont back Tanden, noting her numerous incendiary statements that had insulted conservatives, including sitting lawmakers. She has called Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) a fraud and alleged that Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was beholden to Russia. In addition, she wrote in an essay that opposition to abortion became successful as a political cudgel, helping isolate extreme anti-choice advocates from the mainstream. That one seems to have crossed a different line for me, Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) told Tanden during her recent confirmation hearing. Tanden apologized for her past statements and defended deleting hundreds of tweets. I think the last several years have been very polarizing, and I apologize for my language that has contributed to that. Tanden is the leader of the center-left think tank the Center for American Progress. Zachary Stieber and Reuters contributed to this report. Arab foreign ministers agreed on Wednesday on renewing Arab League (AL) Secretary-General Ahmed Abul-Gheit's five-year term. Egypt's state-owned news agency MENA quoted on Wednesday an Arab diplomatic source who confirmed that Arab foreign ministers unanimously agreed to Cairo's request to renew Abul-Gheit's mandate. This came during the consultative meeting that precedes the opening session of the 155th regular session of the AL Summit at the ministerial level, which begins later on Wednesday. On 30 January, Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi sent messages to Arab leaders expressing Cairos intention to re-nominate Abul-Gheit, looking forward to the Arab leaders support for the nomination in accordance with the provisions of the ALs Charter. Abul-Gheit, 78, will end his current five-year tenure in June 2021. He succeeded former Egyptian AL secretary-general Nabil El-Arabi. Abul-Gheit, a career diplomat, served as foreign minister for Egypt from July 2004 to March 2011. Since the establishment of the AL in 1945, the position of secretary-general has been held by Egypt, except for the period from 1979 to 1990. Short link: Researchers have captured the first detailed images of newborn babies' lungs as they take their first breaths. The research, led by the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) and published the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, provides a breakthrough in understanding the events around a baby's first breath, why healthy babies cry at birth and provides clues to improving preterm babies' survival chances and long term health outcomes. About 10 per cent of newborns, and almost all preterm infants, need resuscitation because their lungs do not properly fill with air at birth (a process called lung aeration). Despite this, MCRI Associate Professor David Tingay said that birth was one of the most poorly understood respiratory events in medicine due to the difficulties of imaging a newborn's lungs. The research involved studying full-term infants born at The Royal Women's Hospital. Researchers used cutting edge-technology, electrical impedance tomography (EIT), where a small silk belt is placed around the infants chest to take highly detailed images deep into the lungs without interfering with parental contact or clinical care. This process allowed the team to generate high resolution images of how air was moving through the lungs for each breath. Associate Professor Tingay said the technology helped babies in a way that was not possible before. "Respiratory problems are the most common reason we need to treat babies in intensive care," he said. "This new technology not only allows us to see deep into the lungs but is also the only method we have of continuously imaging the lungs without using radiation or interrupting life-saving care. This study has shown that babies' lungs are far more complicated than traditional monitoring methods had previously suggested." Associate Professor Tingay said he was currently researching whether using the technology on very preterm babies may help to predict which children would go onto develop lung problems. Joanna Bezette's daughter, Camilla 'Milly', 14 months, has chronic lung disease after being born at 25 weeks. "Milly had to be intubated at just eight minutes old," she said. "She spent the next five months in the neonatal intensive care unit relying on various types of respiratory ventilation and having what felt like an endless amount of X-rays. There were times when she had two or three X-rays a day. You just shudder to think of a tiny baby having to go through that. "It took doctors about a month to get a full picture of just how little and underdeveloped Milly's lungs were. Even today Milly still requires supplementary oxygen when sleeping." Ms Bezette said it was remarkable to think about the potential of the new lung imaging technology for premmie babies. "So many families could be spared in future from what we went through in those first few weeks of Milly's life," she said. "To have imaging technology that can detect quickly whether there is problem with a newborn's lungs and that's also not invasive will be of such great comfort." Associate Professor Tingay said this recent study provided the first detailed description of exactly how lungs fill with air during the first moments after birth. "Healthy term babies use remarkably complex methods of adapting to air-breathing at birth," he said. "There is a reason why parents, midwives and obstetricians are pleased to hear those first life-affirming cries when a baby is born. Crying is a process that quickly aerates the lung, which is why 80 per cent of all breaths immediately after birth are cries. "We were amazed to see that expiration is also critically important during those first cries. Just after birth the lung is still at risk of collapsing and the air-spaces can refill with fluid when a baby is breathing out. Babies are remarkably clever, as they breath out after a cry they move gas from well aerated regions to those areas of the lungs that are still filled with fluid preventing collapse. Babies will keep doing this until their lungs are safely filled with air and then they can start breathing normally." Associate Professor Tingay said doctors lacked strong evidence-based interventions to support breathing after birth, influencing infant deaths, the rate of disease and resource allocation across all health care settings. "Improving interventions in the delivery room first requires understanding the processes that define success and failure of breathing at birth," he said. "This study has significantly reduced that knowledge gap. We hope that being able to see these unique breathing patterns in the delivery room will tell clinicians when a baby needs resuscitation and also guide how effective that resuscitation is." ### Researchers from the University of Melbourne, The Royal Children's Hospital, The Royal Women's Hospital, Rostock University Medical Center in Germany, Carleton University in Canada and the University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein in Germany also contributed to the findings. Publication: David G Tingay, Olivia Farrell, Jessica Thomson, Elizabeth J Perkins, Prue M Pereira-Fantini, Andreas D Waldmann, Christoph Ruegger, Andy Adler, Peter G Davis, Inez Frerichs. 'The respiratory complexities during transition to air-breathing at birth,' American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202007-2997OC Funding: The study was supported by the Victorian Government Operational Infrastructure Support Program and the National Health and Medical Research Council Centre of Research Excellence (Grant ID 1057514). DGT is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council Clinical Career Development Fellowship (Grant ID 1053889). PGD is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council Program Grant (Grant ID 606789). PGD is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council Practitioner Fellowship (Grant ID 556600). *The content of this communication is the sole responsibility of MCRI and does not reflect the views of the NHMRC. Available for interview: Associate Professor David Tingay, MCRI Group Leader Neonatal Research Joanna Bezette, whose daughter, Camilla 'Milly', 14 months, has chronic lung disease Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations. (Recasts with plans for carbon market hub) By Susanna Twidale LONDON, March 3 (Reuters) - Britain is taking steps to establish London as a global hub for the trade of voluntary carbon offsets, finance minister Rishi Sunak said on Wednesday. The market for carbon offsets is expected to soar over the next few years as companies seek to buy carbon credits to help meet their climate targets and compensate for emissions they are unable to cut themselves. A new group will be established, led by former London Stock Exchange Group chief executive Clara Furse, "with the aim of positioning the UK and the City of London as the leader of the global voluntary carbon markets," Sunak said when unveiling the country's budget. Britain's carbon tax will continue to be frozen at 18 pounds ($25.12) per tonne until April 2023, budget documents showed on Wednesday. Britain introduced the tax on emissions from power plants in April 2013 as a part of efforts to reduce emissions and meet its climate targets, by making polluting fossil fuel power production more expensive. Britain also launched a domestic emissions trading system (ETS) this year as part of the country's plan to reach a net zero carbon emissions target by 2050. The scheme, which charges emitters such as power plants and industrial factories for each tonne of carbon dioxide, replaces Britain's participation in the European Unions ETS, which it left at the end of 2020. "The government is committed to carbon pricing as a tool to drive decarbonisation and intends to set out additional proposals for expanding the UK Emissions Trading Scheme over the course of 2021," budget documents said. ($1 = 0.7165 pounds) (Reporting by Susanna Twidale, editing by Louise Heavens, Kirsten Donovan) [March 03, 2021] L-SPARK MedTech Accelerator Startup Dispension Industries Enables Health Canada to Scale Up MySafe Project With Its Automated Distribution Technology Dispension Industries is transforming the distribution of restricted products with an integrated platform that combines industry-leading software, biometrics and hardware to create a secure, frictionless experience for the consumer OTTAWA, ON, March 3, 2021 /CNW/ -- L-SPARK, Canada's leading accelerator for the Connected MedTech industry, announces that disruptive healthcare technology from Dispension Industries, one of the startups currently participating in L-SPARK's first MedTech Accelerator cohort, wins validation as Health Canada funds MySafe Society's harm reduction initiative. Health Canada has announced $3.49 million in funding through the Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP) to the MySafe Society for a harm reduction initiative enabled by Dispension Industries' integrated platform that combines industry-leading software, biometrics, and hardware to facilitate the secure, frictionless distribution of restricted products. MySafe, which launched in 2019 in Downtown Vancouver, prevents drug overdoses by providing controlled, safe quantities of pharmaceutical-grade opioids to eligible participants. Core to the solution is Dispension's secure kiosks which enable participants to securely access individually prescribed medications, as well as create opportunities for consistent monitoring, educatin, and assistance to manage drug use, and reduce drug overdoses. "In addition to directly addressing the toxic drug supply, MySafe greatly reduces the need to acquire money and drugs through the informal economy, which is life-changing for people caught up in the desperate pursuit of procuring drugs. Early results of the MySafe Project evaluation indicate that all participants were able to decrease their use of street opioids and most reduced their engagement in the street economy," said Dr. Mark Tyndall, Executive Director of the MySafe Society. Dispension's Verified Identity Dispenser (VID) system is equipped with biometric palm vein technology that enables accurate verification of a registered user's identity before allowing them to access the restricted products stored safely inside. It is timely that Dispension is one of eight startups currently participating in L-SPARK's first MedTech accelerator cohort which began in late 2020. Dispension's involvement in this program has given the company pre-commercial access to a technology platform designed by corporate partners TELUS, BlackBerry, Solace, and the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) to accelerate the creation, integration, and commercialization of connected IoT medical devices. "Through access to this technology, Dispension is well-positioned to scale to address needs related to safely and securely dispensing a range of restricted products, including reaching underserved and remote communities," says Leo Lax, Executive Managing Director at L-SPARK. "We look forward to watching as Dispension scales its reach nationwide and internationally." Corey Yantha, CEO of Dispension, says, "We're excited by the opportunity to validate our technology in the marketplace, particularly as the driving force behind this very important life-saving initiative. Canada continues to struggle with historic rates of fatal overdoses and MySafe is the most scalable way of addressing the overdose crisis head-on." About L-SPARK L-SPARK is Canada's leading accelerator for the Connected MedTech industry as well as Software as a Service (SaaS) companies. The accelerator offers programs focused on future innovative B2B and B2B/B2C companies, as well as targeted programs that partner with leading corporations in Connected Cars (AV), IoT and CyberSecurity. Since the launch of its first cohort in January 2015, L-SPARK has accelerated 61 companies across Canada. With over 10,000 investors, corporate partners and startups now in its network, L-SPARK has curated a dynamic Canadian tech community for participating companies to join. About Dispension Industries Dispension Industries is a Dartmouth, Nova Scotia-based technology company pioneering secure IoT kiosks equipped with advanced biometrics and virtual care capabilities for restricted product distribution and direct-from-consumer data collection. Dispension's mission is to use automated distribution technology to solve real public health and safety challenges. CONTACT Name: Jacob Crompton-Schreiber Email: jacob@publicize.co Related Images l-spark-logo.png L-SPARK logo L-SPARK logo Related Links Press Kit SOURCE L-SPARK [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Appearances can suggest we care less about things than we really do Twitter users last night accused Chancellor Rishi Sunak of turning the daily 5pm coronavirus press briefing into a party political broadcast in order to sell his radical Budget to the British public. The Chancellor yesterday announced that income tax thresholds are being frozen until 2026 and corporation tax is being hiked from 2023 as he revealed the Government's 'unimaginable' 407billion spending during the pandemic. In a crucial Budget that will set the country's course for years, Mr Sunak said he knew the revenue-raising measures - which will take the burden to the highest since the 1960s - would be 'unpopular'. But the Chancellor was accused by journalists and members of the public of turning the Downing Street coronavirus press conference tonight into a party political broadcast 'on behalf of the Rishi Sunak Party'. Social media users slammed Mr Sunak's apparent attempt to continue 'selling' his Budget on Twitter, while others said his performance was 'more like a leadership bid' and a 'tilt at the leadership of' the Tories. HuffPost editor Paul Waugh tweeted: The problem with this @RishiSunak TV briefing is it feels like a party political broadcast, not a public service coronavirus update. Why not just allow questions after a very short intro?' Paul Johnson, former deputy editor of the Guardian, said: 'Thank you for watching a Party Political Broadcast on behalf of the Rishi Sunak Party'. Journalist and author Robert Hutton also tweeted: 'This is a bit Party Political Broadcast On Behalf Of The Rishi Sunak Party.' One Twitter user said: 'This Coronavirus briefing sounds awfully like a Party Political Broadcast', while another tweeted sarcastically: 'Thank goodness the daily briefing has turned into a free party political broadcast.' Chancellor Rishi Sunak was accused of turning the Downing Street coronavirus press conference tonight into a party political broadcast 'on behalf of the Rishi Sunak Party' Budget 2021 at a glance Here are the main points of Rishi Sunak's Budget: Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) predicts economy will return to pre-Covid levels by the middle of 2022, six months earlier than previously though. OBR forecast economy will grow this year by 4 per cent, by 7.3 per cent in 2022, then 1.7 per cent, 1.6 per cent and 1.7 per cent up to 2025 Unemployment now expected to peak at 6.5 per cent, down from 11.9 per cent expected in July 2020 forecast, meaning 1.8million fewer people out of work. Furlough scheme extended to the end of September under current 80 per cent of salary rate. Employers asked to pay 10 per cent in July, then 20 per cent in August and September. Support for self-employed also goes on until September. 20 Universal Credit uplift remains in place for another six months. Apprentice grants for employers doubled to 3,000. 5billion fund for Restart Grants for businesses. Retailers will get up to 6,000 per site from April. Hospitality and leisure open later and will be able to claim up to 18,000. New recovery loan scheme for businesses of 25,000 to 10million, 80 per cent guaranteed by the Government. Business rate holiday in place until June and discounted for the remaining nine months of 2021-22 financial year. 5 per cent VAT rate for hospitality extended to September, then at 12.5 per cent until April 2022 before returning to 20 per cent regular rate. Stamp Duty holiday extended until June for homes worth up to 500,000, then phased back in. Mortgage guarantee scheme for those with 5% deposit to boost home sales. UK's total public spending bill estimated at 407billion. The UK has borrowed 355billion - 17 per cent of GDP - the highest since the Second World War. No income tax, VAT or national insurance rises. Tax free income threshold will rise to 12,570 next year and then frozen until 2026. Higher rate threshold rises to 50,270 next year and then frozen until 2026. Corporation Tax increased to 25 per cent in 2023. Small Profit Rate of 19 per cent set up for small businesses. Inheritance tax thresholds, pensions lifetime allowance, and annual exempt amount in capital gains tax maintained at current levels until April 2026. Alcohol duty frozen. Fuel duty frozen. Advertisement 'Here is a party political broadcast on behalf of @RishiSunak gaslighting the public', one person tweeted, while another said: 'More like a leadership bid'. One social media user complained: 'So #RishiSunak is now turning today's #DowningStreet #CoronaVirus #PandemicBriefing into a #Conservative Party Political Broadcast. The 'briefing' IS SUPPOSED TO BE about medical, scientific, & #Pandemic matters, NOT about a #Tory Chancellor selling his Budget to the public!!' The Chancellor, dubbed 'Dishy Rishi' by his female fans, unveiled his Budget at lunchtime after one of the most disastrous years for the economy in history. Mr Sunak recently marked a year in the role of Chancellor, which has seen his profile soar from a relatively unknown minister to one of the nation's most recognisable politicians, with the help of a well-oiled PR operation. Stylist Rochelle White told Femail that Mr Sunak has a desire to appear smart, but relatable, with his dressed-down looks, explaining: 'I think he wants to relate to the general public and show that he is not necessarily uptight and formal all the time.' Model-style snaps, released by the Treasury over the past year, have given Mr Sunak's fans an insight into the politician's work uniform. The images are from Simon Walker at the Treasury, a photographer who Mr Sunak pinched from the Times newspaper who is thought to be on 60,000-a-year. Mr Sunak is known for cultivating his brand under the guidance of his adviser, the former TV presenter Allegra Stratton, including by marking Treasury media releases with his personal signature. Allegra has since joined the Prime Minister's team. The 'Brand Rishi' push in the past year - including his own logo - has fuelled speculation that the Chancellor could one day launch a bid for the Tory leadership. On formal occasions, the politician has opted for a more traditional wardrobe, including navy suits, smart black loafers and crisp white shirts. However, the Chancellor has shirts hand-crafted by Italian shirting brand The Travelling Artisan, which help to keep his 5'6 frame in proportion. Rochelle explained the choice to go bespoke indicates the MP has an approach to fashion which might not normally be associated with politicians. She said: 'He has a classic stylish look and feel to him when he is suited and booted. His style is definitely refined and elegant. He knows that a well tailored suit and well fitting outfits creates a good look and care in appearance.' Rochelle went on to praise the politician for 'dressing well for his age' and suggested he 'styles himself very well' and 'takes pride in his appearance.' Meanwhile she suggested the bolder style choices, such as his handcrafted shirts or non sombre ties, could have been inspired by his time working in business. She said: 'I think that coming from a business background and possibly working in the City, he was around well tailored men and women and picked up the importance of style. 'He has got a good eye for tailoring and he knows what suits and works for him.' In his latest batch of behind-the-scenes photos released at the weekend, the Chancellor could be seen hamming up his finance savvy in a Stanford University sweatshirt - where he mastered his trade after obtaining an MBA from their graduate business school in 2006. He paired the dressed-down look with 125 sweatpants by Canadian brand Reigning Champ for the shoot. And it's far from the first time the politician has been photographed in a more casual outfit, having previously posed for snaps in hoodies. Rochelle suggested the choices were intentional, with the MP hoping to appear relatable to the British public. Celebrity stylist Rochelle White told FEMAIL Rishi Sunak has ditched the stuffy politician's wardrobe for a more 'elegant and refined style' (pictured) Over the weekend, photographs were released of Rishi posing in his collegiate Stanford University sweatshirt Calling the father-of-two's style 'classic' and 'refined', Rochelle said Rishi's sense of fashion may have been inspired by his days working in the City Rishi and his wife Akshata live with their daughters Krishna and Anoushka at home in Downing Street Pictured: Sunak with his wife, Akshata, and their children Krishna and Anoushka Fears of fresh lockdown as furlough is extended Rishi Sunak sparked fears of a future return to lockdown after he extended the furlough scheme to the end of September and announced grants for the self-employed will also continue. The Chancellor used the Budget to confirm that furloughed workers will continue to receive 80 per cent of their wages for the next seven months. However, businesses will be asked to contribute more to the scheme, starting with a 10 per cent contribution from July and a 20 per cent contribution from August. Meanwhile, the Treasury will run two further rounds of its grants for the self-employed scheme, with the fourth round covering February to April and a fifth and final round covering from May onwards. The fourth grant will provide three months of support at 80 per cent of average trading profits while the fifth grant will be more targeted, with the worst affected still getting 80 per cent while others will get 30 per cent. Mr Sunak has opted to extend the handouts long beyond Boris Johnson's target date for a return to something close to normal life in England of June 21. The moves will therefore inevitably prompt concerns that the PM's coronavirus roadmap for reopening could be delayed or that there could be another national shutdown in the future. Advertisement She said: 'His casual look I feel is to show that he is just everyone else and has a relaxed/ trendy look. I think there could be an element of everyone working from home and not being as dressed up in workwear every day.' Mr Sunak is the son of a GP father and pharmacist mother who emigrated to Southampton from East Africa in the 1960s, and he studied at Oxford University before winning a Fulbright scholarship to Stanford where the future husband and wife met. He is married to Akshata Murthy, the daughter of Indian IT mogul Narayana Murthy. They live with their daughters Krishna and Anoushka at home in Downing Street. Akshata has shares in her family's tech firm that are worth 430million, making her one of Britain's wealthiest women with 80million more cash than the Queen. Her father is worth an estimated 2.3billion ($3.1bn). She is the daughter of one of the richest men in India - billionaire N. R. Narayana Murthy - who has been described as the father of the Indian IT sector and 'one of the 12 greatest businessmen of all time'. Sunak and Akshata married in 2009 in her home city of Bangalore in a two-day ceremony attended by 1,000 guests. Before entering politics, Mr Sunak, who is now a multi-millionaire in his own right, studied at the 42,000-per-year Winchester College and later at Oxford University. During his time in business, he worked in California, India and Britain for various investment firms including Goldman Sachs. He later set up his own business, Theleme Partners, in 2010 with an initial fund of 536million. While building the hedge fund he spent a couple of days doing voluntary work for the Conservatives, which was when he decided to go into politics full-time. At his Budget, the Chancellor announced that as well as allowing income tax thresholds to be eroded by inflation from April 2022, inheritance tax, VAT registration thresholds, pensions relief and the capital gains allowance are all being put on hold. By 2026 a million more workers will be in the higher rate of tax, and 1.3million more will be paying the basic rate who are currently outside of the system. But Mr Sunak insisted the alternative of 'doing nothing' was not right, pointing out the bulk of the measures will not be implemented until the recovery is well established. Defending his proposals this evening at a Downing Street press conference, Mr Sunak said the UK could not 'ignore' its growing mountain of debt as he said: 'I know the British people don't like tax rises, nor do I. 'But I also know they dislike dishonesty even more, that is why I have been honest with you about the problem we have and our plan to fix it.' Rishi Sunak, pictured with his wife Akshata Murthy, was better known in India than Britain before he became Chancellor Sunak is locally he is dubbed the 'Maharaja of the Dales' (pictured, their magnificent Georgian manor in North Yorkshire) Meanwhile she said the choice to wear hoodies and sweatshirts could be an effort to appear more relatable to the British public Rochelle went on to praise the politician for 'dressing well for his age' and suggested he 'styles himself very well' with colourful ties in playful patterns (left and right) Mr Sunak had earlier hailed the impact of the vaccine rollout saying the government's watchdog now expects the economy to get back to its pre-pandemic level by mid-2022 - six months earlier than previously thought. Growth this year will be a bumper 4 per cent after the fast vaccine rollout, and unemployment should now peak at 6.5 per cent instead of 11.9 per cent. That means 1.8million fewer people will lose their jobs, according to Mr Sunak. However, the economy will still be 3 per cent smaller than it should have been in five years' time, with Mr Sunak pointing to a looming bill for taxpayers. 'When the next crisis comes we need to be able to act again,' he insisted in his hour-long speech, saying a one percentage point increase in interest rates on the UK's 2.1trillion debt mountain would cost the UK 25billion. In a barrage of big spending commitments worth a total of 65billion, Mr Sunak said he is extending the furlough scheme for an extra five months, as well as keeping self-employed and business bailouts. The 20-a-week boost to Universal Credit will stay for another six months, alongside VAT and business rates breaks for hospitality, leisure and tourism. In spite of a swathe of revenue-raising measures being brought in by the government, national debt is set hit an eye-watering 2.747trillion in 2023-4, equivalent to a peak of 109.7 per cent of GDP Borrowing was at a peacetime record due to the coronavirus fallout, as the government scrambles to keep business afloat The OBR said that the tax burden is set to be at the highest level since the 1960s as Mr Sunak tries to heal the finances The OBR said its central forecast for GDP taking into account inflation was largely unchanged since November There were efforts to get people shopping, including raising the contactless payment limit from 45 to 100, as well as freezing alcohol duties and dropping the idea of raising fuel duty. But Mr Sunak warned that the largesse - on top of the 280billion already shelled out by the Treasury - must come to an end. Including the spend announced at the Budget last year it will total 407billion by the end of next year. Corporation tax will be increased from 19 per cent to 25 per cent in 2023, although there will be breaks for smaller businesses - potentially bringing in 20billion a year. The basic and higher income tax rates will be frozen from next year, dragging thousands more people into higher rates. The Budget Red Book shows that while the Budget decisions mean the government spends an extra 58billion in 2021-22, by 2025-6 it is bringing in nearly 30billion more than previously expected - with Treasury officials claiming that 'goes a long way' towards balancing the books. The OBR estimates that by the end of its forecast period the government's deficit will be almost eradicated, at 900million. But national debt will hit an eye-watering 2.747trillion in 2023-4, equivalent to 109.7 per cent of GDP. The costs of the government's response to coronavirus have racked up dramatically since Rishi Sunak delivered his first Budget last March Government borrowing is expected to be more than 355billion this financial year and is expected to stay high for years to come Mr Sunak set out a three-part plan for the recovery and repairing the devastated public finances - as well as turning the UK into a 'science superpower'. One major measure to fuel growth is a tax 'super-deduction' for companies that invest in the UK - meaning that they will be able to claim relief of 130 per cent of the value of their investment. The scale of the tax break is so significant that the Red Book shows it is expected to cost nearly 13billion in reduced revenue. The stamp duty cut has been kept on until the end of June, and eight new 'freeports' will also be created across England to step up economic growth. Mr Sunak vowed to keep using the state's full 'fiscal firepower' to protect jobs and livelihoods. 'I said I would do whatever it takes. I have done and I will do so,' he said. 'We will continue doing whatever it takes to support the British people and businesses through this moment of crisis... 'Once we are on the way to recovery we will need to begin fixing the public finances.' Mr Sunak said there were already 700,00 more people out of work due to the pandemic and the whole world will take a long time to recover. We are still mainly held up in Colombo city and its suburbs and do not have to carry over the mess we see around us to other districts and provinces. by Kusal Perera On Saturday (20 February) before the previous, the DM Online carried a news item headlined Ad hoc vaccinations to stop; health officials to get tough that confirmed for nearly a month, health authorities were not aware how COVID-19 vaccination was done. Two days later on Monday 22 February, Deputy Director General of Health Services (DDGHS) Dr. Hemantha Herath told DM that the affluent class is influencing them to get vaccinated out of turn and making it difficult for health officials to attend to their duties. Yet another two days later on 24 February, minister in-charge of COVID-19 disease control Dr. Ms. Sudharshani Fernandopulle told media, .guidelines and instructions have been taken for granted when the vaccination drive is being manipulated in the country. She was referring to Health Ministry officials and had told media Some decisions were changed and communicated over the phone at midnight. Certain crucial decisions were not properly conveyed. Vaccination drive cant be done in that manner. Health officials who complain over undue interferences disturbing their duties were slammed by their own Minister as responsible for the chaos around us. All because the People were never educated on COVISHIELD vaccine and how the vaccination programme would be carried out. It was health ministry officials who opened up the vaccination programme to the Western Province. President of the College of Community Physicians Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe on a popular TV discussion, blamed health ministry officials on 24 February for doing away with the priority list from Feb 16, without consultations. Meanwhile no trilingual public announcements were made to inform the public of changes. In Colombo the vaccination programme began as mere word of mouth news making rounds. No Ratepayer was officially informed by the municipal authorities. That no doubt invites affluent and influential intruders into the scene. COVID-19 vaccine campaign demands important information in public domain before it is actually launched. People need to know the efficacy of AstraZeneca COVISHIELD vaccine, side effects and allergies if any, when the second dose should be administered, who the priority recipients are and how long it would take to serve the rest as planned. These are all information that must be disseminated to all households through community health workers like the PHIs, the Family Health Officers (FHOs) and the area GS officers, but were totally ignored. Health Ministry official website too does not have information on COVISHIELD vaccination programme nor is there any link to a webpage that has one. But there is a 24 page Guidelines for COVISHIELD COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign January to February 2021 in the Epidemiology Unit website. It bears reference number EPID/400/2019/nCoV and had been sent to all relevant authorities under the signature of Director General Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Asela Gunawardne. These Guidelines on COVISHIELD immunisation say the first round of the vaccination campaign will be conducted from the last week of January to 1st week of February 2021. This campaign period of just 02 weeks according to guidelines is for the first dose of the vaccine to the Target group decided as All healthcare staff in the country (government and private), Non-health support staff considered as frontline workers directly in contact with Covid-19 patients in Covid-19 control and prevention activities (Defence Services, Police/STF, Civil defence etc.) and Selected staff at Ports of entry who directly in contact with possible Covid-19 import cases. This target group seems the Priority list of the health ministry. Meanwhile despite what health officials told media about getting tough, their decision to open up vaccination in Western Province had no planned system and no priority list with different vulnerable groups being spoken of. Details of chaos in and around Colombo flooding social media platforms with angry posts by Tuesday (23 Feb) afternoon proved nothing was planned. There was no uniformity in selection criteria though the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH), Colombo praised himself saying everything was well planned. His planning apart, furious social media posts accused Colombo Mayoress of having her own special lists for vaccination. Some posts said there were no proper Consent Forms, no set form for personal details, no proper criteria in who gets priority with the 60 years and above elderly group also dropped out in some areas. Even in healthcare service there is no one who knows the finally finalised final COVID-19 vaccination programme at present. Within this mess what is also missing is information on side effects COVISHIELD vaccine could have on recipients and how to respond in managing them. Peoples right to know details about side effects listed in the Guidelines for COVISHIELD COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign completely ignored, led to the Consent Form being filled out only as a permit to get vaccinated. People therefore do not know whom to contact or where to go in case they develop side effects. Worst is, in this country People are not aware of allergies. In fact, the larger majority including the middleclass is ignorant about their own allergies, if any. Often eating something that leads to an allergy is passed off as an indigestion and is given a quick fix that ends there. None of such allergies matter much. What matters is allergy to any excipient of the COVISHIELD vaccine. AstraZeneca has listed over 08 excipients and there may be individuals allergic to any one-off them but would not know. There are also other conditions like an unidentified trigger for multiple classes of drugs that would need consulting an allergy specialist, says AstraZeneca. Allergies therefore have to be given importance in educating the public in any vaccination campaign. Looking at the total picture of COVISHIELD vaccine campaign there are many flaws, all due to negligence, incompetence, inefficiency and irresponsibility bundled together with political bankruptcy. All that covered up with the elite psyche, people can be herded for vaccination. This mentality prevailed in prevention work from day one. The necessity to win confidence and trust of People for prevention work was replaced by orders and commands accompanied by punishments. Society was often told by authorities in-charge of COVID-19 disease control they know how to control and they would do the controlling, and people should co-operate. Thus, a social psyche was created that lapses in adhering to announcements on COVID-19 prevention meant a punishable social crime. That being how of COVID-19 disease control was attempted, guidelines were not compatible with the vaccine campaign on the ground. A vaccine campaign is a People based campaign and it should begin with people made aware of all developments including priorities and logistics relevant to their resident area. This fundamental part that provides vaccination programme its credibility and its green light was completely absent. A regimented command oriented programme does not see any necessity in briefing healthcare staff in the country either on COVID-19 vaccines. Healthcare staff was thus not updated regularly and provided necessary information about COVISHIELD COVID-19 Vaccination. Sadly, the larger majority of healthcare staff remained ignorant not only about AstraZeneca but also about other details like the priority list, side effects and allergies attributed to AstraZeneca, when vaccination would begin in their area and availability of the second dose. There is a frightening gap between top health officials and those in provinces regarding information about the vaccination programme. All that leaves the actual workplan for immunisation covering the second dose as well, fundamentally unplanned. Therefore, there is no system established for proper immunisation with human and material resources necessary for both the first and the second dose. What is necessary goes beyond distributing the vaccine, having staff to provide the vaccine jab and people queued up to have it. It should have waiting rooms for the elderly and for the immunised, a competent medical officer with staff in waiting for any emergency, an information desk to provide post vaccination details, a digitised data unit of all vaccine recipients among other necessities. It is about PHIs, FHOs and other support staff attached to local MOH offices given good briefing on AstraZeneca vaccine and then responsibilities in organising, monitoring and regulating the area vaccination programme with necessary facilities including networking with special units established in all hospitals for emergency care. Where all decisions are taken by a few in Colombo, where programmes are run on orders and directives issued from Colombo, where local healthcare staff are not given a thorough brief about the vaccine, a clear responsibility with a mandate to carry through a workplan for immunisation with well calculated targets, what we are left with is passing of the buck from decision makers and health authorities to politicos and to the people. That, we do not have to. We have a very well trained and organised community healthcare service that should be immediately briefed on COVID-19 virus and used with strengthened and equipped MOH offices as the main focal point in local immunisation campaigns. We are still mainly held up in Colombo city and its suburbs and do not have to carry over the mess we see around us to other districts and provinces. The only fundamental change that needs to be made right now is to shift from the present command and order approach accompanied by threats and punishments to a community-based programme with peoples participation. We have enough time for a peoples change with required vaccines coming in short supply too giving us added time. Sadly, even community healthcare experts dont demand this positive change. Tokyo, March 2: Japan has received its third batch of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine, with the shipment containing up to 526,500 doses developed by US pharmaceutical giant and its German partner BioNTech. So far, Japan has received half of the 2.66 million doses it expects to receive in March as its vaccination campaign has expanded to include more healthcare workers, reports Xinhua news agency. The government has planned to begin inoculating 4.7 million healthcare workers from this week onwards, followed by 36 million people aged 65 and older who are next in line to be vaccinated from April 12. Pfizer Withdraws Application for COVID-19 Vaccine Emergency Use Approval in India. Those with pre-existing health conditions and workers at elderly care facilities will be vaccinated before the inoculation drive for the general population begins, the government has said. According to Minister in charge of the vaccine rollout Taro Kono, the government is planning to have the requisite number of doses delivered to inoculate all health care workers and elderly citizens by the end of June. Japan will be allowed to transport and store the vaccine at regular freezer temperatures for up to two weeks, according to Pfizer, so as to distribute the jab more widely among medical facilities. Japan has procured enough doses of vaccines for its population of 126 million people, with the government inking deals with Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna. On Monday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said that a clinical study has also started in Japan for US company Johnson & Johnson's single-dose vaccine. While the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines both require recipients to receive two doses, Johnson & Johnson's jab is the first approved in the US that requires a single dose. On February 17, Japan launched the first phase of its vaccination program for 40,000 medical workers at 100 hospitals nationwide. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 02, 2021 11:30 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Press Release 3 March 2021 Jenny Radick was 25-years-old and living in her father's basement. During the day, she would look after her 2-year-old. At night, she would put her toddler to bed and head to the local restaurant in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania where she would bartend until the early morning hours while her dad babysat. For three years, Jenny lived under her dad's roof, going from paycheck to paycheck, struggling to make ends meet when she knew something had to give. Advertisements Jenny Radick Photo: Airbnb, Inc. "I had to figure out the best way to get out of this hole," Jenny shared by phone. That's when she borrowed $20,000 from her mom, left to the family in her grandmother's will, and used it to buy a foreclosed 685-square-foot "shack" near Saylors Lake. She gutted it, renovated and then transformed the shack into a charming Airbnb called The Cozy Cabin. The Cozy Cabin Photo: Airbnb, Inc. "Back then we were doing whatever we could to save every penny. Within one year of listing on Airbnb everything was paid for - maxed-out credit cards were paid off and the $20,000 loan from my mom was paid-in-full," Jenny said about her experience in 2016. From there, she channeled her entrepreneurial spirit and spent the next five years building a business as a full-time Host on Airbnb. She now has four listings across northeastern Pennsylvania and teaches others in her community how to host, too. Jenny's story rings true for many women on Airbnb who list their properties to earn extra income to provide for their families, and in some cases, turn hosting into a career. The Airbnb community is, and always has been, powered by women. We estimate that 55 percent of our 4 million Hosts globally, or more than 2 million Hosts, are women. This makes me proud and motivated to help more women. The pandemic has been incredibly difficult for all of us, but especially hard for women. We have seen a record-setting departure of women from the workforce. And yet, at the same time, we have seen many women turn to hosting on Airbnb. We estimate that new women Hosts who have started hosting just one listing on Airbnb since the start of the pandemic have collectively earned more than $600 million since last March. This trend has provided a much-needed financial lifeline for women and their families at a time when the economic burdens and sacrifices have fallen disproportionately on their shoulders. And this lifeline isn't limited to Hosts who are sharing their homes. Since we built and launched Online Experiences at the beginning of the pandemic an idea proposed by our Host community - 51 percent of Online Experience hosts are now women. In a recent Airbnb survey, 35 percent of these women shared that they started their Online Experience to replace lost income from a full-time or part-time job, and 23 percent said it's their primary source of income. Photo: Airbnb, Inc. Airbnb data shows that 84 percent of Hosts start hosting during a time of transition and for many of them it presents financial freedom. Half of all Hosts worldwide tell us they use their Airbnb earnings to stay in their homes. And according to another recent survey, three in 10 US Hosts have used their hosting income to pay their rent or mortgage, one quarter have used it to pay down debts, and 10 percent have used it to pay for healthcare. But beyond these essential bills, the income Hosts gain through Airbnb can provide the foundation for future dreams. Like Jenny, many Hosts have turned a single listing into a full-time career with multiple homes. Some Hosts use the income to fund their own travel, creative hobbies, philanthropic work, or education. As the world begins to open up, our Hosts are looking forward to welcoming new travelers from around the world. Jenny shared her enthusiasm while sitting in her newly purchased Airbnb listing, on a 5-acre farm with chickens around her, and the sparkling lights of New York City off in the distance. She's busy encouraging her friends to start hosting, too. "I see the tidal wave of tourism coming and I'm just standing here trying to ring my bell and alert everyone of the new, fresh possibilities that are coming our way." To all the women out there in need of change, if you're interested in becoming a Host or learning more about hosting, start here: airbnb.com/host. Jenny and I, and the rest of our Host community, would be delighted to welcome you. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said his first priority is to ensure people's safety amid the pandemic and he did not mind if he became a "villain" in someone's eyes for that. Speaking in the Assembly, he also warned that those behaving in irresponsible way and endangering others' lives would be put in jail. "The Me Jababdar" (I will be responsible) campaign (of the state government) is for those who are calling for opening this and that (easing restrictions). And for ourselves. "My family will be safe if I remain safe," Thackeray said. "Don't wear masks if you don't want to. But I cannot say that because I care for the people of my state. Therefore I said I will take care of the lives of people even if someone wants to brand me as a villain," he said. The chief minister's comments came after opposition leaders picked holes in the government's initiatives such as the Me Jababdar campaign which are aimed at curbing the spread of the disease. BJP leaders contributed money to the PM Cares Fund when the government was seeking donations (to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund) for dealing with the pandemic, he said. "I feel a bit ashamed that your money did not go to but went to Delhi," Thackeray said. "But who will give the account of PM Cares Fund...You won't. And they are not bound to answer," Thackeray said, adding nobody has the courage to ask such questions in the first place. "If you ask questions, then....," he said as some MLAs of the ruling coalition shouted "you will be labeled deshdrohi (anti-national)". The chief minister urged people to maintain physical distance, wear masks and wash hands regularly so that a fresh lockdown does not become necessary. The state government had requested the Centre to increase the number of vaccination centres in Mumbai and allow big hospitals to run vaccination centres, he said. "I think 29 hospitals in Mumbai have been allowed now (to vaccinate people). We are trying to complete vaccination at the earliest," the chief minister added. Thackeray, meanwhile, also urged all the parties in the state to unite and put pressure on the Centre for the grant of classical language status for Marathi and also on the issue of Maharashtra-Karnataka boundary dispute. He also said the contentious Kanjurmarg site was well- suited for a Mumbai metro car depot considering the needs for the next 50 years, and all the parties should work together to resolve it. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) ROME, MAR 3 - An envelope containing two rounds of ammunition was sent to ex-premier and centrist Italia Viva (IV) leader Matteo Renzi at the Senate on Wednesday, sources said. Senate Speaker Elisabetta Casellati phoned the former centre-left Democratic Party (PD) leader to express her solidarity with the Senator. (ANSA). Attorney-General Christian Porter has gone public to deny allegations of rape after days of conjecture about his identity and a NSW Police decision to close its investigation into the case. Mr Porter denied the accusation he raped a woman in January 1988 and said he intended to remain in cabinet and in his portfolio. Attorney-General Christian Porter speaking at a press conference on Wednesday. Credit:Nine News The Attorney-General made his statement after the NSW Police said it did not have enough admissible evidence to proceed with an investigation it began in February last year but suspended in June when the woman took her own life. Nothing in the allegations that have been printed ever happened, he said. A man was arrested in connection with a shooting that sent two people to the hospital early Wednesday morning. The shooting occurred just before 2 a.m. at a Southwest Side home in the 2600 block of Quintana Road. When San Antonio police arrived, they found a 46-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the face and a 41-year-old with a gunshot wound to the upper torso while the 37-year-old suspected shooter was asleep in a bedroom. According to witnesses, the two victims were sitting on a couch across the room from the suspect when "he went crazy" and began shooting, SAPD said. Three other individuals in the home at the time came out of a bedroom and the bathroom after they heard the shots. Police said the suspect then attempted to shoot at one woman, but the gun misfired. The three individuals ran from the home and called the police. The suspect followed them, shooting twice in the air after he exited the house, police said. The man then returned to the home and fell asleep. Police said they are unsure if the man was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time. Both victims were taken to the hospital in critical condition. The suspect was also taken to the hospital for "toxic ingestion" but is in stable condition, police said. The suspect has not been magistrated as of Wednesday morning and police did not say what charges he may face. taylor.pettaway@express-news.net .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... PHOENIX Two Republican politicians in Arizona have sued Democratic state Rep. Charlene Fernandez, alleging defamation after she signed a letter with other lawmakers urging the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate their possible connections to the riot at the U.S. Capitol. Rep. Mark Finchem and former Rep. Anthony Kern have said they were outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, when rioters disrupted the certification of the presidential election. Both politicians have denied any wrongdoing. Fernandez, who lives in Yuma, and the rest of the state House and Senate Democratic caucuses signed the letter and sent it Feb. 12 to FBI Director Christopher Wray and acting Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen asking for help determining the possible roles of Finchem, Kern and other Republicans in the riot. Finchem and Kern claimed in the lawsuit filed Friday in Yuma County Superior Court that the letter was a smear and that Fernandez baselessly accused them of the highest possible crimes against the Government of the United States. The purpose of the First Amendment is to facilitate and encourage robust debate. Its purpose is not to encourage or facilitate baseless charges of criminal acts by ones political adversaries, for base political purposes, attorney Alexander Kolodin said in the legal claim that included other allegations about the election. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Fernandez was just one of 43 Democratic legislators to sign the letter. It is unclear if Finchem and Kern are expected to file lawsuits against other lawmakers. Lawyers for Finchem and Kern did not respond to requests for comment. The lawsuit alleges Fernandez co-authored and published the letter, and was motivated by animus, contending she made disparaging comments about Kern, such as accusing him of vindictively holding Democratic bills in a committee he chaired. Robbie Sherwood, a spokesperson for House Democrats, said Fernandez had not yet been served with a lawsuit. Im sure she will have a response if and when that happens, he said. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 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 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. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Bern, 03.03.2021 - The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) has signed contracts with 27 partner organisations for programme contributions totalling around CHF 270 million for the 202122 period. The international programmes of Swiss NGOs contribute to the implementation of the objectives of Switzerland's new International Cooperation Strategy 202124. Fighting global poverty, alleviating suffering and promoting prosperity Switzerland's international cooperation objectives are wide-ranging. Switzerland has also committed itself to the 2030 Agenda and its ambitious Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which can only be achieved if all actors the private sector, civil society, the academic community and government work together. Swiss NGOs are important partners in Switzerland's international cooperation. Thanks to their long-standing engagement, specific expertise and close ties to the population, Swiss NGOs enjoy a high level of trust both at home and abroad. At the same time, there is a growing demand for greater transparency from the public and politicians. CHF 270 million for 27 NGO partners As part of the new SDC Guidance for Engagement with Swiss NGOs, the SDC has redesigned its system for allocating programme contributions. The new eligibility requirements, application and approval process for programme contributions ensure that the allocation system is accessible, transparent and comprehensible. At the end of February 2021, contracts amounting to CHF 270 million were signed with 27 Swiss NGO partners and two competence centers for the 202122 period. The 27 Swiss NGO partners comprise 10 large relief organisations, seven alliances with a total of 17 NGOs, three umbrella organisations with 21 member organisations and 7 cantonal federations. Clear focus on Switzerland's international cooperation objectives Together with their local partners and with the support of the SDC, Swiss NGOs create decent jobs, advocate for the sustainable use of natural resources and provide Swiss expertise and innovative approaches to local actors, in particular in the fields of climate change, food, water and education. Swiss NGOs are also important partners of the Swiss humanitarian aid. They support civilian population in reconstruction and disaster prevention, make an important contribution to Swiss peacebuilding efforts and strengthen the rule of law and gender equality on the ground. SDC programme contributions not to be used for information campaigns in Switzerland Swiss NGOs may finance a maximum of 30 percent and alliances, umbrella organisations and federations a maximum of 40 percent of their international cooperation budgets through programme contributions. In order to provide greater clarity and transparency regarding SDC funding, the new contracts explicitly exclude the use of SDC programme contributions for information and awareness-raising activities in Switzerland. Swiss NGOs may continue to carry out information campaigns but may not finance them with SDC programme contributions, which are exclusively intended for international cooperationin the partner countries. The total amount of the SDC programme contribution to each NGO remains unchanged and the independence of NGOs can be preserved also in financial terms. Address for enquiries FDFA Communication Federal Palace West Wing CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland Tel. Communication service: +41 58 462 31 53 Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55 E-mail: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch Twitter: @SwissMFA Publisher Federal Department of Foreign Affairs https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 3) An expert in infectious diseases said the discovery of COVID-19 variants in the country is a cause of concern, but not necessarily the cause of the rise in the number of cases. "Sa ngayon po ang nakikita natin na porsiyento ng variant doon sa mga three sequence po natin ay napakaliit pa, less than three, less than 2%," Dr. Edsel Salvana said at the Laging Handa briefing on Wednesday. "So, malamang po puwede siyang maging factor, pero hindi po siya talaga iyong tinatawag na main driver noong ating pag-increase." [Translation: Right now. we see the percentage of the variant in the three sequence is still small, less than three, less than 2%. So, it could be a factor, but it is not what we call the main diver of the increase.] Salavana said it was more likely that the public was getting lax in following health and safety protocols, thus driving up numbers. "Tumataas po talaga ito more likely dahil nagiging careless tayo ng kaunti and it's more likely the old virus," he said. "Kasi iyong old virus ganoon din naman nakakapaghawa, nakakapag-surge lalung-lalo na po kung hindi tayo mag-stick to our minimum health standards." [Translation: Most likely, it is rising because we have become a little careless and it's more likely the old virus because it still infects the same way, especially when we don't stick to our minimum health standards.] READ: PH eyes 'fast containment' of South Africa variant amid data of lower vaccine efficacy Meanwhile, Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, a molecular biologist and OCTA Research fellow, said the millions of doses of AstraZeneca vaccines purchased for the country can be rendered ineffective if the variant first detected in South Africa continues to spread. On Tuesday, six cases of the variant detected in South Africa were found in the country, while more cases of the UK variant and mutations were discovered as well. South African researchers believe this new variant is around 50% more contagious than the regular COVID-19 strain. It has a different pattern of mutation that causes more physical alterations in the structure of the spike protein compared to the variant first found in the UK. PORTLAND, Ore., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Last week The Pathfinder Network (TPN) and Jackson County Community Justice opened doors at the Resilience & Recovery Project (R&R Project), a new peer support program for justice involved individuals in Jackson County. The Resilience & Recovery Project aims to build individual, social and community resources that promote long term resilience and recovery, successful completion of supervision and successful reintegration into the community. The Resilience & Recovery Project will work with hundreds of individuals per year on supervision with Jackson County Community Justice and at the Jackson County Transition Center, offering comprehensive services whether participants need one-time drop-in, short-term transition or ongoing service navigation and peer support. TPN Resilience & Recovery Project Peer Support Specialists complete training in Jackson County. "Jackson County Community Justice is excited at the expertise and person-centered approach that The Pathfinder Network brings to our community," said Eric Guyer, director at Jackson County Community Justice. "Our role within the criminal justice system is to engage individuals in programs and supports that we know reduce recidivism, and TPN is on the cutting edge of the approaches that work. The incredibly talented team they have assembled is poised to do great things in Jackson County." The Resilience & Recovery Project operates from an evidence based, gender responsive, trauma informed, recovery oriented, person centered, and relationship focused foundation. Anchored by their lived experience and expertise, peer support specialists will engage participants in a goal oriented collaborative relationship and provide personalized support through holistic and responsive individual and group support services. Peer support specialists are trained on Creating Regulation and Resilience (CR/2), a trauma and resilience informed communication model that will enhance their one to one and in the moment interactions with participants to greater facilitate growth and change. "We have assembled an amazing team of peer supports who come from many walks of life and bring their strengths of lived experience with addiction, recovery and navigating the criminal justice system," said Dustin Fortado, program manager for the Resilience & Recovery Project. "On top of being trained in some of the best curriculum and communication models, their lived experience allows them to deliver it and connect with participants on a deep level, and enhance participant success." Through the Resilience & Recovery Project, participants will have access to a variety of TPN's signature gender specific supportive classes and groups at Community Justice and the Transition Center, including: Free Your Mind in Transition, Women in Recovery, Building Resilience for men, Healing Trauma for women, a Resilience and Recovery Action Planning group, gender-specific support groups, special topic workshops and quarterly peer support community events. Peer support specialists will also work with participants to provide navigation support, along with resources and referrals and support successful engagement with community supervision and other legal obligations. Resilience & Recovery Project staff will work with Resource and Transition Center staff, Parole and Probation Officers and other partners in the participants' lives to support their success. "We are so proud of this exciting partnership with Jackson County Community Justice to launch this innovative and intentional peer support program that will undoubtedly make an important impact with the justice involved individuals it will serve and the community," said Leticia Longoria-Navarro, TPN's interim executive director. "The R&R project is our mission in action and a reflection of what is ahead for the Pathfinder Network." With the launch of the Recovery & Resilience Project in Jackson County, the Pathfinder Network expands its community corrections-based support services to meet the needs of systems-impacted individuals in three counties around Oregon. In addition to Jackson County, TPN provides programs and services at the Marion County Transition Center, as well as in Multnomah County at the organization's Center for Family Success. For more information, please visit https://www.thepathfindernetwork.org. The Pathfinder Network is a 501 (c) (3) social service agency founded in 1993 with a mission to provide justice system-impacted individuals and families the tools and support they need to be safe and thrive in their communities. The Pathfinder Network provides cognitive-behavioral programs, parenting programs and support services for adults in the Oregon Department of Corrections system and to children and families in the community. Media Contact: Rachel Namson 818-903-0432 [email protected] SOURCE The Pathfinder Network Related Links https://www.thepathfindernetwork.org (CNN) Reporters Without Borders has filed a criminal complaint in Germany accusing Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other Saudi officials of committing crimes against humanity in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi and the detention of 34 other journalists. The Paris-based media advocacy group said in a statement that it had filed the complaint with a federal court in Karlsruhe, Germany, on Monday and was requesting that prosecutors open a formal investigation. The court confirmed to CNN Business that it had received the complaint. According to Reporters Without Borders, the complaint accuses the crown prince and four other Saudi officials of having "organizational or executive responsibility" for the killing of Khashoggi, as well as involvement in "developing a state policy to attack and silence journalists." Saudi officials did not immediately respond to CNN's requests for comment on the Reporters Without Borders complaint. Khashoggi, a US resident and columnist for the Washington Post, was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018. Last week, the United States released an intelligence report concluding that bin Salman approved the operation to capture or kill the Saudi journalist. Saudi Arabia rejected the allegations. The Saudi Foreign Ministry released a statement following the report's publication saying the country "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 crown prince has denied that he ordered Khashoggi's murder but has said that he bears responsibility. "This was a heinous crime," he said in an interview with CBS in 2019. "But I take full responsibility as a leader in Saudi Arabia, especially since it was committed by individuals working for the Saudi government." The murder of Khashoggi and the detentions "reveal a system that threatens the life and liberty of any journalist in Saudi Arabia in particular those who speak out publicly against the Saudi government," Reporters Without Borders said in a statement. Saudi Arabia is ranked 170 out of 180 countries in the group's World Press Freedom Index. "Those responsible for the persecution of journalists in Saudi Arabia, including the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, must be held accountable for their crimes," Reporters Without Borders secretary general Christophe Deloire said in the statement. "While these serious crimes against journalists continue unabated, we call on the German prosecutor to take a stand and open an investigation into the crimes we have revealed." Reporters Without Borders said that Germany's judiciary is the "best suited system" to receive its complaint because its courts have standing to investigate some international crimes and has "already shown readiness and willingness to prosecute international criminals." In June 2019, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions, Agnes Callamard, found that it was "inconceivable" the Saudi royal heir wasn't aware of the operation. In September 2020, a Saudi court sentenced eight suspects to prison, a sentence Callamard called a "parody of justice." Last week, Callamard called on the United States to fully declassify its findings on Khashoggi's "brutal extrajudicial execution," and said that since his remains have yet to be located, the international crime of enforced disappearance continues. "His loved ones continue to be subjected to further suffering until Saudi Arabia discloses what was done with his remains," she said. Will Godley, Sarah El Sirgany and Nic Robertson contributed reporting. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Reporters Without Borders files criminal complaint against Saudi crown prince." Living under its Leaf Home Enhancements subsidiary, this is Leaf Home Solutions' fourth acquisition within the past year. The company previously announced three additions in February: Thiel's Home Solutions, Storm Tight Windows out of Florida, and Miracle Windows & Showers. All companies maintain current operations, continuing to offer high-quality products and customer-focused service. Storm Tight Windows of Texas is the #1 impact window and door company in Texas, thanks to its durable products and exceptional services. Since 2004, the company has been dedicated to making local homes more beautiful, valuable, and energy-efficient as a leading provider in the greater Houston area. To date, Storm Tight Windows of Texas has sold and installed over one million windows, none of which have failed during a tropical storm or hurricane. "We're thrilled to have this new addition to our Leaf Home Solutions team, especially a company that has already accomplished so much within Texas," said Jeff Beck, CEO and President of Leaf Home Solutions. "Storm Tight Windows of Texas has earned the trust and respect of thousands of customers, and we're looking forward to helping them continue their exceptional service and growth." Through this acquisition, Leaf Home Solutions continues the goal of expanding its footprint in the home solutions industry and its overall growth trajectory. In 2020, the company earned $1.1 billion in revenue. About Leaf Home Solutions Leaf Home Solutions is North America's leading tech-enabled direct-to-consumer provider of branded home solutions. Our innovative products enhance the safety, enjoyment, and comfort of homeowners and their families and protect the condition and enhance the appearance and value of their homes. Customers value our quality products and the exceptional service we deliver through our end-to-end DTC sales and service model. Our proprietary data-driven platforms for marketing, customer service, field services, and talent management driven by our "Today-Not-Tomorrow" culture underpin our competitive advantage and high, sustained growth. Learn more about Leaf Home Solutions at www.leafhomesolutions.com. Contact: [email protected] SOURCE Leaf Home Solutions Related Links https://www.leafhomesolutions.com The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Biden Says Country On Track to Have Enough Vaccines for All Adult Americans by End of May President Joe Biden said that the United States is now looking to have enough vaccine supply for every adult by the end of May, a milestone he said is achievable after two large pharmaceutical companies made a move to collaborate on the latest COVID-19 vaccine. COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Johnson & Johnson recently became the third COVID-19 vaccine in the United States that was granted emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Biden announced late Tuesday that Johnson & Johnson and Merck will be collaborating to expand the production of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. He praised the move as a major step forward. This is the type of collaboration between companies we saw in World War Two, he said, later thanking the two companies for stepping up and being good corporate citizens during this national crisis. Biden said this administration has also invoked the Defense Production Act (DPA) to help equip two facilities under Merck to make the J&J vaccine. Meanwhile, with the urging and assistance of the administration, Johnson & Johnson is acting to accelerate its vaccine production and its facilities will begin to operate 24/7 to make the vaccines, Biden added. In addition, well continue to use the Defense Production Act to expedite critical materials in vaccine production, such as equipment, machinery, and supplies, he said. Ive also asked the Department of Defense to provide daily logistical support to strengthen Johnson & Johnsons efforts. Heres what all this means: Were now on track to have enough vaccine supply for every adult in America by the end of May, Biden saidan improvement from three weeks ago when the administration projected that it could be achieved by the end of July. Thats progressimportant progress, the president said. But its not enough to have the vaccine supply. We need vaccinatorspeople to put the shots in peoples arms, millions of Americans arms. A pharmacist prepares to give an experimental COVID-19 vaccine in a file photo. (Johnson & Johnson via AP) More than 1,500 federal medical personnel have been deployed to assist in the effort to vaccinate the nation, Biden noted in his remarks, adding that millions of vaccines have been sent to more than 7,000 pharmacies nationwide. The federal government is working with states to set up hundreds of mass vaccination centers to enable thousands of people to get vaccinated on the daily, he added. Biden expressed that every educator, school staff member, childcare worker [will] receive at least one shot by the end of the month of March. To help meet this goal, the administration will be using its federal pharmacy program to prioritize vaccines for all educators and staff, and childcare workers. I want to be very clear: Not every educator will be able to get their appointment in the first week, but our goal is to do everything we can to help every educator receive a shot this month, the month of March. When asked about when things will get back to normal, Biden said, Ive been cautioned not to give an answer to that because we dont know for sure. But my hope is, by this time next year, were going to be back to normal. The presidents announcement comes as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday ended his states mask mandate while allowing all businesses there to fully reopen. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves announced similar lifts on restrictions hours later. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Henderson, Nevada--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2021) - Fresh Promise Foods, Inc. (OTC Pink: FPFI), (hereinafter "FPFI") a publicly traded company under the ticker symbol (OTC Pink: FPFI), announced today that its' wholly owned subsidiary Human Brands International, Inc (hereinafter, "HBI") has executed an agreement to acquire a controlling interest in Comercializadora Agave Weber SA de CV , (hereinafter, "The Company"). Comercializadora is a Tequila, Jalisco Mexico based company involved in the cultivation and sale of Blue Weber Agave plants that are used for the production of Tequila. The Company currently owns and manages 265,135 (Two-Hundred Sixty-Five Thousand One-Hundred and Thirty-Five) Blue Weber Agave plants and other related assets located near historic Tequila Town in the State of Jalisco, the heart of the Tequila industry in Mexico. Comercializadora has secured and is currently preparing additional land in the region that will be used for the plantation and cultivation of another 100K plants for this year's upcoming plantation season which will commence this month. The Company intends to plant a minimum of 100K plants per year over the next 5 years. The Company plans to begin harvesting and selling its most mature plants from existing inventory in Q4- 2021, which will be sold to various Tequila producers, including HBI's exclusive distillery partner, Hacienda Capellania, for the production of HBI brands, such as Armero Tequila as well as HBI's rapidly expanding bulk tequila production business. Human Brands International To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7169/75926_84eb0b3f048d09b4_001full.jpg According to the latest data from the Tequila Regulatory Council (CRT), 2019 was considered the best year for the tequila industry with the highest consumption of Tequila in history with a notable increase in the price per value per kilo of Agave increasing from 18 to 30 pesos on average. In the first half 9 months of 202) the outlook continued to be positive and the priced remained higher than ever. In fact, in the months through October 2020: *1,030.8 tons of agave were consumed, an increase of 6.2 thousand tons of agave from the previous year *Agave Consumption comparison Data January-September 2019-20 from Tequila Regulatory Council Report 10-22-20 As mentioned in the Company's previous news release, the rapid growth in Tequila sales over the past several years has caused increased demand on the supply of Agave, which has caused a shortage of supply, keeping the value of the plant per kilo at a high level over an extended period of time. According to industry experts this is a trend that is not forecasted to change over the coming years based on the growing demand for Tequila globally. HBI is uniquely positioned to benefit from this demand. The announcement of this latest acquisition solidifies the consolidation of the Company's core asset which is an integral part in securing the long- term foundation for the Company's future growth strategy. FPFI CEO stated, "You can't make tequila without agave. With sales of tequila increasing 46% in 2020 alone, the need for agave continues to rise. By continuing to acquire more agave assets we are positioning our Company to take advantage of the increased demand, which will drive revenue and hopefully increase shareholder value for years to come." Please continue to follow FPFI for the latest Company news and updates. About Fresh Promise Foods: Fresh Promise Foods, Inc. is a holding company that focuses on acquisition opportunities in the multi-trillion-dollar spirit/adult beverage sector and related industries. FPFI primarily targets companies, and/or exclusive production and supply agreements in the Tequila industry. FPFI will also seek opportunities involving uniquely positioned, specialized retail/hospitality locations and brands that will be supported by our underlying business activities. About Human Brands International: Human Brands International, Inc. (www.humanbrandsinc.com) is a diversified holding company in the spirit and hospitality sectors with a primary focus on the tequila industry. The Company was established in late 2014 to capitalize on the growing alcohol beverage market and changing consumer habits in the industry. The Company currently has several wholly owned subsidiaries that focus on five key areas of business: Agave, Bulk Tequila Production, Brand Development, Import/Export and Hospitality. Human Brands diversified operating divisions currently own and manage over 250k agave plants, several premium spirit brands such as Armero Tequila , Three hospitality concepts,( Santo Coyote, .Santa Cantina, Museo by Santo ) and holds exclusive import/export rights for a variety of spirit brands (CapCity Beverage) . The Company's core foundation is built upon its bulk tequila production operations. The Company currently has supply contracts with well-known tequila brands, as well as celebrities and athletes. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are subject to the safe harbor created by those rules. All statements, other than statements of fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential future plans and objectives of the company, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Technical complications, which may arise, could prevent the prompt implementation of any strategically significant plan(s) outlined above. Contact: Joe Poe email: Joepoe1@yahoo.com Social: IG/Twitter/FB @humanbrandsinc To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/75926 Utility Smart Meters electric, gas, and water are expensive, unnecessary, and plagued with problems, including measurement errors (see 1, 2, 3), which has sometimes led to the re-hiring of meter readers. A 2017 Dutch study found that Smart Meter readings can be inaccurate between 30% and 582% (see 1, 2). Research has determined that they DO NOT SAVE meaningful amounts of energy either. Utilities companies usually wont admit any of this though. Instead, theyll insist that Smart Meters are more accurate than traditional analog meters and customers had been underpaying for years. Traditional meters actually lasted on average 40 years, whereas customer rates are often increased for Smart Meter installation AND their frequent replacement (see 1, 2, 3, 4). Research has also determined that low-income Americans may pay more for Smart Meters. Now Louisiana customers are complaining about their skyrocketing bills. From WBRZ: Oversight board wants independent investigation into Entergys new meters, surging power bills BATON ROUGE Louisianas Public Service Commission is asking for a third-party investigation into Entergys new smart meters after customers reported pricey spikes in their electricity bills. The commissions call for an independent investigator comes as Entergy is still conducting its own investigation into the meters. Last month, the oversight board asked for Entergy to look into the devices after some customers reported their bills doubled. We have asked Entergy to give us a report, and then were going to scrutinize that report, Commissioner Dr. Craig Greene said in January. We just want to do the math and see if theres any problems. Or does it make sense? About a month ago, 2 On Your Side spoke to Entergy customers in multiple parishes who said their bills spiked after having the new smart meters installed. Entergy has said the advanced meters would offer improved customer service thanks to better insight into each households energy usage, better detection of outages, and faster connection and disconnection of service. The company previously said it couldnt offer explanations for changes in each customers bill without looking at the different factors for each household. The company also suggested that some older meters may have become less accurate over time and were potentially reading under the actual usage. American utility companies received BILLIONS in federal stimulus to install Smart Grids and Meters. Approximately 57% of Americans already have them and utilities plan to install more because these meters are extremely profitable. Smart Meters are 2-way wireless transmitting which allows utilities to collect minute-by-minute customer usage data which they can analyze in order to market more products and services to customers as well as sell to 3rd parties (see 1, 2). Utilities may also remotely turn off services and ration customer usage. Other problems associated with Smart Meters include fires, explosions, malfunctioning and broken appliances, catastrophic cybersecurity risks (see 1, 2), AND MORE. The 2-way wireless transmitting feature creates high levels of harmful electromagnetic radiation (see 1, 2, 3, 4). This has led to numerous reports over many years about health issues in people and animals after Smart Meters have been installed (see 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10). Before Trump left office, additional federal legislation was passed to address cybersecurity vulnerability. Many legislators have taken action against Smart Meters for various reasons (see 1, 2, 3 ). Some utilities now allow customers to opt out because of the complaints and lawsuits. More awful details about Smart Grids and Meters are exposed in free online documentary, Take Back Your Power. Opposition to these meters is worldwide. Activist Post reports regularly about Smart Meters and other unsafe technology. For more information, visit our archives and the following websites: Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. (Newser) Adam Oakes had, at last, been asked to join a fraternity at Virginia Commonwealth University. On Friday night, Oakes, 19, went to an off-campus party for the first step in his Delta Chi initiation, CNN reports. "He had already tried to get into other fraternities and had been turned down, but he saw the camaraderie," said his father, Eric. "He'd see the brotherhood and just loved the actual acceptance." Adam texted his father at 9 that night from outside the Richmond house, a relative said, saying: "I'm going in. Love you." Police called to the house Saturday morning found the student unresponsive. Officials said the cause of death is not yet known. "He wasn't just a good kid or good person to us," a cousin said. "He was to everybody." VCU's president tweeted that the school will cooperate with the investigation, saying, "We are heartbroken at the tragic loss of one of our own." story continues below The university and the national Delta Chi organization have suspended the fraternity's campus chapter. There was no word on whether the house where the party was held is connected to the fraternity house, which is about a mile away. Police also haven't said whether the party involved hazing, which the Delta Chi prohibits, but the Oakes family suspects it did. "We deserve answers," Eric Oakes said Tuesday on Today. "Adam deserves answers." Other pledges told the family that as part of the initiation, Adam drank a large bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey in an hour, then passed out. They said he appeared to be all right at midnight when they checked on him, but not in the morning. "These things are very preventable if people just step and do the right thing," said the father of a student who died during a Penn State hazing in 2017. "I want to make sure this never happens again to any kid, any family," Eric Oakes said. (A Louisiana hazing resulted in criminal charges.) General Assignment Reporter Chris Mays is a general assignment reporter for the Brattleboro Reformer. He has been with New England Newspapers Inc. since 2012. Tupelo Partly Cloudy 75 Hi: 86 Lo: 62 Feels Like: 75 More Weather Columbus Clear 73 Hi: 87 Lo: 63 Feels Like: 73 More Weather Oxford Mostly Cloudy 68 Hi: 82 Lo: 61 Feels Like: 68 More Weather Starkville Partly Cloudy 73 Hi: 87 Lo: 62 Feels Like: 73 More Weather We continue to warm up into Tuesday as humidity gradually increases across the area. We expect partly sunny skies during the day with a few hit-or-miss showers. Then into late-afternoon and evening, rain chances increase a bit more. Expect more rain into mid and late-week. Its time for high school artists to shine. Times-Shamrock Communications, along with Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit and Powell Law, will present the 14th annual Art for All Seasons Student Artist of the Month exhibit starting Friday, March 5, at noon. Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, however, the artwork will be showcased at a virtual opening for the first time in the competitions history. The exhibit will appear on thetimes-tribune.com and facebook.com/thetimestribune, where it will stay up for the remainder of the year. Were trying something new this year because we knew we didnt want to cancel the event, especially something the teachers, students and their families look forward to, said Kevin ONeill, Times-Tribune staff artist and coordinator of the exhibit. The newspaper honors our student athletes and scholars, and we want to make sure were also honoring our student artists. Each year, students in grades nine through 12 are encouraged to submit a piece of artwork that captures the spirit of either winter, spring, summer or fall. Each art teacher can submit one student piece per season, and a team of judges then selects the 12 best pieces to feature on the monthly calendar page in The Sunday Times Life&Times section on the last week of each month. Typically, ONeill said, the live event coincides with Marchs First Friday Art Walk in downtown Scranton each year as part of Arts in Education month. The students work fills the lobby of the Scranton Times Building, 149 Penn Ave., students and their families attend. By adapting the contest to a virtual format, the newspaper and NEIU continue their tradition of recognizing young regional artists work, ONeill said. Weather permitting, the exhibit also will be on display outside in the newspapers Newseum, which is adjacent to the Scranton Times Building. This will allow for a safe, socially distant way to view the artwork, said Lifestyles editor Faith Golay. This year, students from 12 area schools across Lackawanna, Susquehanna, Wayne, Luzerne and Wyoming counties submitted work. The program provides students experience with a juried contest, a portfolio piece for those aspiring for careers as professional artists and a public acknowledgement of their talent. This is one of the premiere programs in the region for students who are talented visual artists, said Dr. Catherine Richmond-Cullen, director of Arts in Education Northeast PA at NEIU. The opportunity for them to have their artwork published in the prestigious (Sunday Times) is amazing. I have wonderful colleagues at the newspaper who continue to offer the community outstanding programming. This years exhibit also will feature a video of short clips in which the student artists will introduce themselves and talk about their respective pieces. Another part of the video presentation will include remarks from ONeill, Golay, Assistant Director of Arts in Education in Northeast PA Liz Faist and Attorney Chris Powell of Powell Law, this years sponsor. Adapting the event did not come without its challenges and ONeill explained that, unlike in past years, only the artwork of the 12 monthly winners will be showcased in the exhibit. He hopes that the newspaper can resume its normal in-person event next year. Until then, ONeill said he received great feedback from several teachers about the competition. It provided a sense of normalcy for the students after losing so many of their high school milestones. Thats the most important part, ONeill said. Im grateful for the newspaper, the NEIU, Powell Law and, most importantly, the teachers and their students for all the work they do to participate in this event, he added. Without them, this wouldnt happen. Its nice to be able to continue this tradition. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 3, 2021 / Group Ten Metals Inc. (TSX.V: PGE; US OTC: PGEZF; FSE: 5D32) (the "Company" or "Group Ten") is pleased to announce results from the 2020 drill campaign at the Chrome Mountain target area of the Company's flagship Stillwater West Platinum Group Element ("PGE")-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project in Montana, USA. Intervals from 120 to 530 meters of continuous nickel and copper sulphide mineralization, enriched in palladium, platinum, rhodium, gold, and cobalt, were intercepted in the five drill holes starting at or near surface, with each hole also encountering higher-grade intervals over widths of 50 to 150 meters in addition to more selective high-grade intervals. These results further demonstrate the potential for multiple, large-scale, bulk tonnage "Platreef-style" horizons of battery metals and PGEs within the lower Stillwater complex, based on known parallels with South Africa's Bushveld complex. Work in 2020 included a five-hole, 1,822-meter (5,979 foot) drill campaign which focused on the Chrome Mountain target area, in follow-up to the previous campaigns which focused on the HGR and Camp target areas. The Company's drilling to date has had the primary objectives of driving the conversion of drill-defined mineralized zones towards formal mineral resources while also expanding areas of known mineralization at priority target areas. 2020 Chrome Mountain drill results are now being incorporated into 3D block models to progress the generation of formal mineral resources in parallel to the work underway at the HGR and Camp target areas, with an expected release of maiden resources for all three target areas by mid-2021. 2020 Drill Highlights: - CM2020-04 returned strong mineralization across its entire length with 455 meters of 1.13 g/t Total Platinum Equivalent ("TotPtEq"), or 0.25% Total Nickel Equivalent ("TotNiEq"), starting at surface with multiple well-mineralized intervals that include two horizons of previously unidentified nickel sulphide mineralization of 8.5 meters of 8.20 g/t TotPtEq (or 1.79% TotNiEq) within a broader intercept of 54 meters of 2.58 g/t TotPtEq (0.57% TotNiEq) and, separately, 60 meters of 2.22 g/t TotPtEq (0.48% TotNiEq). - CM2020-05 returned strong nickel and PGE mineralization in multiple intercepts within 149 meters of 1.19 g/t TotPtEq (0.26% TotNiEq), including 11.6 meters of 2.80 g/t TotPtEq. - CM2020-02 returned 126 meters of 1.33 g/t TotPtEq (0.29% TotNiEq) with multiple PGE-rich intervals including 24 meters of 2.76 g/t TotPtEq (0.60% TotNiEq), 6.1 meters of 4.50 g/t TotPtEq (0.98% TotNiEq), and 15 meters of 2.61 g/t TotPtEq (0.57% TotNiEq). - CM2020-03 returned 122 meters of 1.27 g/t TotPtEq (0.28% TotNiEq) including 6.1 meters of 3.51 g/t TotPtEq (0.77% TotNiEq). - CM2020-01 returned 533 meters of 0.76 g/t TotPtEq (0.17% TotNiEq) for a total of 405 gram-meter TotPtEq grade-thickness, starting at surface and including 130 meters of 0.96 g/t TotPtEq (0.21% TotNiEq). - Preliminary metallurgical assessments returned strong nickel tenor in sulphides in drill holes from the 2020 campaign. Historic initial bench-scale metallurgical results completed by AMAX in the 1970s at the Camp target area demonstrate the potential for effective nickel and copper sulphide flotation and PGE metal recovery. Sample collection for more detailed metallurgical testing is on-going. - Rhodium was reported in all five drill holes at potential co-product levels with grades that are comparable to mines in South Africa. There is very little mine supply of rhodium outside of South Africa and Russia, and persistent multi-year supply deficits have priced rhodium at more than 20x the value of platinum. CEO Comment Michael Rowley, President and CEO, commented, "Our 2020 drill campaign exceeded our expectations, not only expanding drill-defined mineralization and driving the resource modeling effort at the priority Chrome Mountain target area, but also identifying multiple new well-mineralized horizons that feature wide intervals of battery metals, PGEs, and gold in previously untested areas. The high-grade nickel sulphide intercepts in hole CM2020-04 are particularly exciting as they represent very high nickel tenor horizons in a new discovery that is open for expansion. This was our first test of a fraction of the targets identified in our 77 line-kilometer 2020 IP geophysical survey, and the success of this program is a strong demonstration of its effectiveness in targeting new discoveries with both grade and scale. The results also speak to the extraordinary size and potential of the lower Stillwater complex, with impressive "Platreef-style" battery metal and PGE mineralization in each hole featuring intercepts that are hundreds of meters in width. The strategic importance of a U.S.-based large-scale battery metal asset like Stillwater West to contribute towards the growing needs of manufacturers like Tesla while also supplying PGEs to emerging fuel cell manufacturers in North America leverages the value of this critical resource. We look forward to further announcements including our plans for 2021, which we anticipate will include our largest exploration program to date, and the delivery of maiden resource estimates, currently targeted for summer 2021." TABLE 1 - Highlight Drill Intercepts from the 2020 Drill Campaign at Chrome Mountain Highlight intercepts with grade-thickness values over 25 gram-meter TotPtEq are presented above. Total Platinum Equivalent (TotPtEq g/t) and Total Nickel Equivalent (TotNiEq %) calculations reflect total gross metal content using metals prices as follows (all USD): $6.00/lb nickel (Ni), $3.00/lb copper (Cu), $20.00/lb cobalt (Co), $900/oz platinum (Pt), $1,650/oz palladium (Pd), $1,500/oz gold (Au), and $7,000/oz rhodium (Rh). Values have not been adjusted to reflect metallurgical recoveries. Total metal equivalent values include both base and precious metals. Total platinum equivalent grade-thickness was determined by multiplying the thickness (in meters) by the Total Platinum Equivalent grade (in grams/tonne) to provide gram-meter values (gram-meter) as shown. Total nickel equivalent grade-thickness was determined by multiplying the thickness (in meters) by the Total Nickel Equivalent grade (in percent) to provide percent-meter values as shown. Grade-thickness values have been determined across continuously mineralized intervals. Nickel equivalent values may be converted to copper equivalent values by multiplying the NiEq value by the price ratio of the two (ie times two per the above prices), such that 0.5% NiEq equates to 1.0% CuEq. Platinum equivalent has been used based on the historic values of platinum and palladium. Platinum equivalent values may be converted to palladium equivalent values by multiplying the PtEq value by the price ratio of the two (ie times 0.55 per the above prices), such that 1 g/t PtEq equates to 0.55 g/t PdEq. Intervals are reported as drilled widths and are believed to be representative of true widths. Upcoming Events Company Webinar - Group Ten Metals is hosting a webinar on Thursday March 4th at 8am PST (11am EST) to discuss results from the 2020 drill campaign and emerging plans for 2021. For more information including registration, please click here. PDAC 2021 - The Company will be presenting at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada International Convention on March 10, 2021 in a technical session focused on the global supply of battery and platinum group metals. More information is available here: https://www.pdac.ca/convention/programming/technical-program/sessions/technical-program/global-supply-of-battery-and-platinum-group-metals Discussion Group Ten is targeting world-class deposits of PGEs, battery metals, and gold in the famously metal-rich and productive Stillwater mining district, where the Company is focused on the lower Stillwater complex based on known parallels with South Africa's Platreef district. The mines of the Platreef, on the north limb of the Bushveld complex, are among the largest and most profitable in the world. Led by the development of Anglo American's Mogalakwena mines in the 1990s, the district has grown to include Ivanhoe's Platreef mine and Platinum Group Metals' Waterberg project, and now hosts over 400 million ounces of PGEs and gold, and tens of billions of pounds of nickel and copper. The massive deposits of the Platreef are attractive because their scale and grade allow the application of mechanized bulk mining methods with resulting economies of scale and low operating costs. These deposits contain significant quantities of both battery grade nickel and platinum group metals in a combination that is globally very rare, and very attractive at current commodity prices. Group Ten's location adjacent to and stratigraphically below Sibanye-Stillwater's J-M Reef deposit - the highest-grade PGE deposit in the world, and the largest outside of Africa and Russia - directly parallels the setting of mines on the Platreef, which are similarly located below the productive Merensky and UG2 Reefs in the layered stratigraphy of the Bushveld complex. As shown in Figure 1, the Company's 61-square-kilometer land position, 100% owned by Group Ten, includes eight multi-kilometer-scale "Platreef-style" target areas in the lower Stillwater complex, and six target areas with more conventional "Reef-type" targets. Resource modeling of Platreef-style mineralization is now in progress at the Chrome Mountain, Camp, and HGR target areas, driven by results from Group Ten's 2020 and 2019 drill campaigns and more than 31,000 meters of total drill data across the project. As shown in Figure 1, drill data in these areas delineates thick intervals of continuous mineralization, starting at or near surface in most areas, and running from 1 to 1.5 kilometers in strike length at each of the target areas, and occurs within broader geophysical and geochemical (metal-in-soil) anomalies. Mineralization is open to expansion at all three targets with geophysical anomalies from ground-based IP and airborne EM indicating significant extension potential along trend and to depth. The Company is also advancing two other target areas with drill-defined mineralization, the Pine and Crescent target areas. The Pine target includes drill-defined high-grade gold and PGEs within a largely untested conductive high that reaches two kilometers to the west and is coincident with high-level metal-in-soil anomalies. Group Ten's 2020 drill campaign focused on the Discovery, Dunite Ridge, and Bald Hills targets in the Chrome Mountain area, in follow-up to the previous campaign which focused on the HGR and Camp target areas. Table 1 presents a summary of continuous mineralized intervals from 2020 drill results including their corresponding grade thickness values which are some of the highest intercepted to date in the Stillwater Complex. Grade-thickness values are used for comparing the strength of mineralization across different mineralized widths. A grade-thickness value of 25 gram-meter (equivalent to 1 g/t Pt over 25 meters, or 25 g/t Pt over 1 meter) or more is considered economically significant, with the adjacent J-M Reef mines averaging approximately 34 gram-meter Pd and Pt1,2. Values over 100 gram-meter are exceptional, highlighting the strength of the mineralized system. Results expanded known mineralization at the advanced Discovery target area and identified multiple new mineralized horizons to the south and southeast of Discovery that are open for expansion in subsequent campaigns. Hole CM2020-01 expanded Hybrid Unit mineralization in the developing resource model at the Discovery target while also targeting also deeper geophysical anomalies identified in the 2020 IP survey. Mineralization at the Hybrid Unit is now defined by eleven drill holes at the Discovery target that delineate a mineralized zone of a type not identified previously in the Stillwater Complex, but known at the Platreef (see December 17, 2018 and February 21, 2019 news releases). Mineralized over its entire 533-meter length, CM2020-01 returned an impressive 404.6 gram-meter TotPtEq total grade-thickness. High-grade platinum values are demonstrated over shorter intervals, with wide intervals such as 9.8 meters at 0.51 g/t Pt demonstrating size. The Pt:Pd ratio is platinum-rich in hole CM2020-01, which is unusual for the normally palladium-rich Stillwater complex. CM2020-01 also returned high-grade gold with 2.44 meters at 2.49 g/t Au starting at 6.1 meters. Holes CM2020-02 and 03 targeted high-grade PGE mineralization seen in surface samples and supported by other work, while also targeting deeper geophysical anomalies identified in the 2020 IP survey. Both holes returned higher-grade mineralization across more than 120 meters starting near surface, while also returning PGE-rich intervals within previously unidentified nickel and copper sulphide horizons. Robust battery metal grades were also noted in shorter intervals in CM2020-02, including 4.1 meters of 0.81% NiEq (as 0.58% Ni, 0.17% Cu, and 0.042% Co), plus PGEs totaling 1.12 g/t PtEq, starting at 60.8 meters. Multiple intervals demonstrated attractive nickel tenor with >3.4% Ni in sulphides reported in preliminary work. CM2020-04 was completed mid-way between Discovery and Dunite Ridge to test an undrilled portion of a large and continuous IP anomaly identified in the 2020 IP survey, as corroborated by coincident anomalies in earlier work. The hole is an offset of historic hole 355-49, drilled by AMAX in 1973, which was a 227-meter vertical hole that returned increasing nickel and copper results downhole with limited assay data. CM2020-04 returned impressive precious and base metal mineralization across its entire length, starting at surface and including two very compelling intervals of nickel-rich sulphides with important potential co-product grades of palladium, platinum, gold, rhodium, copper, and cobalt. High-grade gold, palladium, nickel, and cobalt were also reported over shorter intervals in CM2020-04. With an impressive 515.4 gram-meter TotPtEq grade-thickness, CM2020-04 ranks as one of the best mineralized intercepts ever drilled in the Stillwater district, second to 517.7 gram-meter TotPtEq in hole IM2019-03, which was drilled over 7km to the west at the HGR target at Iron Mountain in Group Ten's 2019 drill campaign. CM2020-05, completed in the Bald Hills target area, targeted mineralization that was identified in the 2020 IP survey and corroborated with coincident anomalies in earlier work. The hole returned strong nickel and PGE mineralization in multiple intercepts that include the identification of a new PGE-rich horizon with rhodium values of 0.083 g/t over 11.6 meters that are comparable to mine grades in South Africa's Platreef district and equivalent to >1.6 g/t Pt at current spot prices. This interval also returned a near-balanced Pt:Pd ratio with 0.41 g/t Pt and 0.54 g/t Pd, which is a departure from the normally palladium-rich values seen at Stillwater. High-grade battery metals were also noted in CM2020-05, and several intervals returned good nickel tenor of the sulphides, with values over 3% Ni in preliminary analysis. About Stillwater West and East The Stillwater West and East PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au projects position Group Ten as the second-largest landholder in the Stillwater Complex, adjoining and adjacent to Sibanye-Stillwater's Stillwater, East Boulder, and Blitz PGE mines in south-central Montana, USA1. The Stillwater Complex is recognized as one of the top regions in the world for PGE-Ni-Cu-Co mineralization, alongside the Bushveld Complex and Great Dyke in southern Africa, which are similar layered intrusions. The J-M Reef, and other PGE-enriched sulphide horizons in the Stillwater Complex, share many similarities with the highly prolific Merensky and UG2 Reefs in the Bushveld Complex. At the same time, the lower part of the Stillwater Complex also shows the potential for much larger scale disseminated and high-sulphide PGE-Ni-Cu-Co deposits, similar to the Platreef in the Bushveld Complex3. Group Ten's Stillwater projects cover the lower part of the Stillwater Complex along with the Picket Pin PGE Reef-type deposit in the upper portion and includes extensive historic data, including soil and rock geochemistry, geophysical surveys, geologic mapping, and historic drilling. About Group Ten Metals Inc. Group Ten Metals Inc. is a TSX-V-listed Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the development of high-quality platinum, palladium, nickel, copper, cobalt, and gold exploration assets in top North American mining jurisdictions. The Company's core asset is the Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project adjacent to Sibanye-Stillwater's high-grade PGE mines in Montana, USA. Group Ten also holds the high-grade Black Lake-Drayton Gold project adjacent to Treasury Metals' development-stage Goliath Gold Complex in northwest Ontario, and the Kluane PGE-Ni-Cu-Co project on trend with Nickel Creek Platinum's Wellgreen deposit in Canada's Yukon Territory. About the Metallic Group of Companies The Metallic Group is a collaboration of leading precious and base metals exploration companies, with a portfolio of large, brownfield assets in established mining districts adjacent to some of the industry's highest-grade producers of silver and gold, platinum and palladium, and copper. Member companies include Metallic Minerals in the Yukon's high-grade Keno Hill silver district and La Plata silver-gold-copper district of Colorado, Group Ten Metals in the Stillwater PGM-nickel-copper district of Montana, and Granite Creek Copper in the Yukon's Minto copper district. The founders and team members of the Metallic Group include highly successful explorationists formerly with some of the industry's leading explorers/developers and major producers. With this expertise, the companies are undertaking a systematic approach to exploration using new models and technologies to facilitate discoveries in these proven, but under-explored, mining districts. The Metallic Group is headquartered in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and its member companies are listed on the Toronto Venture, US OTC, and Frankfurt stock exchanges. Note 1: References to adjoining properties are for illustrative purposes only and are not necessarily indicative of the exploration potential, extent, or nature of mineralization or potential future results of the Company's projects. Note 2: Based on Sibanye-Stillwater's 2018 Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves Report. Note 3: Magmatic Ore Deposits in Layered Intrusions-Descriptive Model for Reef-Type PGE and Contact-Type Cu-Ni-PGE Deposits, Michael Zientek, USGS Open-File Report 2012-1010. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Michael Rowley, President, CEO & Director Email: info@grouptenmetals.com Phone: (604) 357 4790 Web: http://grouptenmetals.com Toll Free: (888) 432 0075 Quality Control and Quality Assurance 2020 drill core samples were analyzed by ACT Labs in Vancouver, B.C. Sample preparation: crush (< 7 kg) up to 80% passing 2 mm, riffle split (250 g) and pulverize (mild steel) to 95% passing 105 m included cleaner sand. Gold, platinum, and palladium were analyzed by fire assay (1C-OES) with ICP finish. Rhodium was analyzed by fire assay (1C Rhodium). Selected major and trace elements were analyzed by peroxide fusion with 8-Peroxide ICP-OES finish to insure complete dissolution of resistate minerals. Mr. Mike Ostenson, P.Geo., is the qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101, and he has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release. Forward-Looking Statements Forward Looking Statements: This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization, historic production, estimation of mineral resources, the realization of mineral resource estimates, interpretation of prior exploration and potential exploration results, the timing and success of exploration activities generally, the timing of the timing and results of future resource estimates, permitting time lines, metal prices and currency exchange rates, availability of capital, government regulation of exploration operations, environmental risks, reclamation, titlefuture driling actiivities and the locations of such drilling, and future plans and objectives of the company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Group Ten believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include failure to obtain necessary approvals, unsuccessful exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, risks associated with regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, uninsured risks, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the companies with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration and development of mines is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Group Ten and the risks and challenges of their businesses, investors should review their annual filings that are available at www.sedar.com. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Group Ten Metals Inc. NEWSLETTER REGISTRIERUNG: Aktuelle Pressemeldungen dieses Unternehmens direkt in Ihr Postfach:http://www.irw-press.com/alert_subscription.php?lang=en&isin=CA3994522009Mitteilung ubermittelt durch IRW-Press.com. Fur den Inhalt ist der Aussender verantwortlich.Kostenloser Abdruck mit Quellenangabe erlaubt.CA3994522009 Van Buren, N.Y. A man caught on camera robbing a Baldwinsville-area bank has been arrested, troopers said. Travis J. Heppard, 31, of Baldwinsville, has been charged with robbing the Fulton Savings Bank at 7471 State Fair Blvd. in Van Buren. He was arrested Monday by the New York State Police after a six-day investigation. Heppard walked into the bank around 12:30 p.m. Feb. 23 and passed a teller a note demanding money and threatening to use a gun, troopers said. A teller handed over money, troopers said, and Heppard fled from the store. Evidence left at the scene led investigators to Heppard, who was arrested Monday in Binghamton, troopers said. Some of the stolen money was recovered. Troopers did not specify how much money was taken during the robbery. Heppard has been charged with first-degree robbery, a felony. He remained in the Onondaga County Justice Center on Tuesday afternoon in lieu of $5,000 cash or a $20,000 bail bond, custody logs show. State police were assisted by the Onondaga County Sheriffs Office. Staff writer Samantha House covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? Reach her at shouse@syracuse.com. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. A new report released by the United Nations childrens fund draws attention to the catastrophic education emergency worldwide that the Covid-19 lockdowns have created. By Robin Gomes Education for more than 168 million children worldwide has come to a standstill with schools closing for almost a year because of the Covid-19 lockdowns. Furthermore, around 214 million children globally or 1 in 7 have missed more than three-quarters of their in-person learning. These are some of the findings of a new report released by the United Nations childrens fund, UNICEF, on Wednesday. The report, entitled Covid-19 and School Closures, says that 14 countries worldwide have remained largely closed since March 2020 to February 2021. Two-thirds of those countries are in Latin America and the Caribbean, affecting nearly 98 million schoolchildren. Of the 14 countries, Panama has kept schools closed for the most days, followed by El Salvador, Bangladesh, and Bolivia. A catastrophic education emergency As we approach the one-year mark of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are again reminded of the catastrophic education emergency worldwide lockdowns have created, said Henrietta Fore UNICEF Executive Director. With every day that goes by, she noted, children unable to access in-person schooling fall further and further behind, with the most marginalized paying the heaviest price. We cannot afford to move into year two of limited or even no in-school learning for these children, she said and urged that no effort be spared to keep schools open, or prioritize them in reopening plans. Deprived of other school benefits According to UNICEF, school closures deprive the majority of schoolchildren worldwide the scope to interact with their peers, seek support, access health and immunization services and a nutritious meal. The longer schools remain closed, the longer children are cut off from these critical elements of childhood. The UN agency points out that school closures have devastating consequences for childrens learning and wellbeing. The most vulnerable children and those unable to access remote learning are at an increased risk of never returning to the classroom, and even being forced into child marriage or child labour. According to the latest data by UNESCO, more than 888 million children worldwide continue to face disruptions to their education due to full and partial school closures. UNICEF's Pandemic Classroom To draw attention to the stark reality of a year of education disruption and raise awareness about the need for governments to keep schools open, or prioritize them in reopening plans, UNICEF on Wednesday also unveiled a symbolic Pandemic Classroom at the UN headquarters in New York. It is a model open-air classroom made up of 168 empty desks, with empty UNICEF backpacks behind each chair. Each desk represents a million children living in countries where schools have been almost entirely closed. The cover of the UNICEFs report also has a photo of the Pandemic Classroom, on the blackboard of which is written in large: CLASS ATTENDANCE - absent: 168 million children. Fore said that the Pandemic Classroom is a message to governments that we must prioritize reopening schools, and we must prioritize reopening them better than they were before. UNICEFs Framework for Reopening Schools, issued jointly with UNESCO, UNHCR, WFP and the World Bank, offers practical advice for national and local authorities. (Source: UNICEF) THE Minister for Justice has said the events which unfolded in Limerick city last night are not acceptable and should not be happening. Helen McEntee is one of a number of senior politicians who have criticised the behaviour of a large number of young people - many of them students - who attended a street party in the Castletroy area. Three people were arrested by gardai and 30 fixed charge penalty notices were issued after the gathering was broken up. "I understand this is very difficult but we cannot see scenes like that happening again. It's very disappointing when people who live in that area but also for everybody else who has been trying so hard over the past year," she told Pat Kenny on Newstalk radio. "We had quite a number of fixed charged penalty notices that were issued and you had a number of people arrested so the gardai are not taking this lightly - it's just not acceptable and it cannot happen," she added. Minister McEntee added that incidents like the one which occurred last night could have an impact on the re-opening of the country from April 5 - at present the Limerick City East LEA has one of the highest incidence rates of Covid-19 in Ireland. "There are meetings (of younger people) happening, it appears that a lot of smaller groups came together very quickly last night. It was broken up very quickly by the gardai but it simply cannot happen and I am very clear in saying that - it is not acceptable," she said adding that she has some sympathy for younger people. Significant number of Gardai attended a public order incident in Castletroy this evening. Three arrests and over 30 FPNs for breach of Covid Regulations. Investigations ongoing to establish organisers of street party. pic.twitter.com/xNE0AzBpDI Garda Info (@gardainfo) March 2, 2021 "We have all been young once and I understand how extremely difficult this is for younger people - we are asking students to go to college and to stay in their room or asking them to go to college but not to socialise and not to engage with each other but we are in the midst still of a global pandemic. There are public health guidelines, there are regulations in place and they are there for a reason," she said. The minister says she has had regular engagement with the Garda Commissioner about gatherings of young people and says a specific communications campaign, targeting young people, will be rolled out shortly. "The message needs to be sent loud an clear. While it (Covid) might not impact younger people in the same way, you are helping to spread this you are bringing it back into communities and it absolutely detrimental," she 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. Profit growing from ESG investment By Lee Kyung-min Korean investors factoring in environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) criteria is increasingly becoming the "new normal," as indicated by the global standard rapidly translating into investment portfolio restructuring. The new global initiative advanced by governments, large pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and financial services firms around the world is contributing to creating a social consensus whereby profit and environmental sustainability are two crucial values that can no longer be treated as mutually exclusive. The heightened awareness is spreading rapidly among individual retail investors, something market watchers say bodes well for the overall improvement of financial investments long associated with selfish greed at the expense of, or at least an understandable disregard, for healthy growth values. Also providing cause for large institutional investors seeking a greater say in green, responsible asset management is the stewardship code, principles to be followed by entities that manage other people's money via active engagement in corporate governance in the interests of their beneficiaries, or the shareholders. First implemented in December 2016, the code is embraced by 149 organizations in Korea including three pension funds, 49 private equity funds (PEF), 49 non-PEF asset managers, five insurers, four brokerages and two investment consultancies, according to the Korea Corporate Governance Service (KCGS). Institutional investors National Pension Service Chairman Kim Yong-jin / Korea Times file The National Assembly Strategy and Finance Committee passed a revision bill Feb. 19 that will require the Korea Investment Corp. (KIC) to consider ESG concerns before making an investment, in a successful push to have the sovereign fund lead the sustainability drive. The KIC is a sovereign wealth fund operated with money from foreign exchange reserves managed by the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, and the Bank of Korea. Its investments, including overseas stocks, bonds and real estate, amounted to assets under management of around $183.1 billion, or about 200 trillion won, as of 2020. The bill put forward by Rep. Kim Kyung-hyup of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) in July 2020 states that the fund should factor in ESG criteria, a requirement with a pre-condition whereby the increase of entrusted assets should be maximized only to the extent that the amount total is not put at risk. The bill that drew cross-partisan support was initially opposed by the finance ministry, which argued that setting up the legal basis would be essentially meaningless given the fund's limited influence in the global market and a lack of similar precedents established by its larger global peers. Yet committee members pushed for the revision, a measure they say would prevent what could later become a major liability issue concerning investments with firms involved in ethics and compliance lapses or corruption scandals. Examples cited were the KIC's investment in Reckitt Benckiser, the British manufacturer of a deadly disinfectant sterilizer, and Volkswagen, a German carmaker embroiled in an emissions cheating scandal. Korea Investment Corp. CEO Choi Hee-nam / Korea Times file The leader of a Melbourne neo-Nazi group has been charged after allegedly assaulting a Channel Nine security guard prior to the broadcast of a story about his organisation on A Current Affair. Detectives from Victoria Polices counter-terrorism command on Tuesday night charged Thomas Sewell, 27, with affray, recklessly causing injury and unlawful assault after he and another man arrived at Nines offices and demanded to see A Current Affair staff on March 1. The pair were escorted out by a security guard, who was then allegedly attacked and punched multiple times by Mr Sewell. His accomplice, a 21-year-old Rowville man who was filming the incident, was also arrested but released by police pending further inquiries. Former Australian Defence Force member Mr Sewell, who is one of the leaders of the far-right National Socialist Network, escaped with the man on Monday evening before police tracked him down on Tuesday night. Watertown, NY (13601) Today Rain showers early, then sunny by the afternoon. High 72F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight A few passing clouds. Low 53F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. After waiting more than a year since their last public performance, Calvary Baptist Academy senior Madeline Chrysler and her fellow orchestra musicians are thrilled to finally have another in-person concert coming up this spring. "Yes, (we're excited). We've been playing all year and we haven't been able to perform any songs (because of the pandemic)," said Chrysler, who is a violinist in CBA's senior high orchestra. The spring concert will be in the Calvary Baptist Church auditorium. Chrysler (pronounced CHRIS-LER) is one of six violinists in the CBA orchestra and has been playing the instrument since fifth grade, when she was inspired by her sister, Jessica Chrysler, and her cousin, Alyssa Keoshian. "My sister and my cousin played (the violin), so I thought it was really cool," Chrysler said. She eventually auditioned and was accepted into the Saginaw Bay Youth Orchestra while she was in middle school. The ensemble performed concerts at the Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy auditorium. CBA strings teacher Cheri Cross said Chrysler has been an exceptional member of the orchestra. "Madeline has been in my string orchestra ever since I took the position as strings director four years ago, so it has been a joy to see her grow and use her talents in orchestra. She is phenomenal with rhythm, and has helped a good number of students with difficult rhythm sections in orchestra," Cross said. Last year, Chrysler added the ukulele to her musical repertoire. She said it's very different from the violin musically. "It has different strings than the violin does. I had to get used to it," she said. "It's more like a guitar, but has less strings than the guitar." Learning the ukulele was something Chrysler did during the extra time spent at home due to the pandemic. "A lot of my friends started picking it up, and it's a pretty easy instrument to learn. It was something I enjoyed learning during quarantine," she explained. "I don't know it well enough to perform yet. So I just do it for enjoyment." In terms of playing the violin, one thing has never changed for Chrysler. "It's just really fun to come together with a bunch of other musicians. It's really stress-relieving after a long day of school work," she said of having orchestra class at the end of the school day. That feeling is what will stay with her after graduation. "I'll just remember all the fun times we had together (in orchestra), just laughing and growing and learning music," she added. After graduating from CBA, Chrysler says she will likely attend Cedarville University in Ohio and is considering early childhood education as a field of study. And music, of course, is also in her future plans. "I'd like to be able to get involved in a community orchestra and also play in the church," Chrysler said. A medical staffer draws AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine from a vial into a syringe at a nursing home in Seoul, Feb. 26. Yonhap By Lee Hyo-jin Two Gyeonggi Province nursing home residents with pre-existing conditions died Wednesday after receiving COVID-19 vaccinations, leading the health authorities to investigate whether there was any correlation between their deaths and the vaccine. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said that the two residents of long-term care facilities one man in Goyang and the other in Pyeongtaek died some time after receiving their first shots of the AstraZeneca vaccine The man at the Goyang nursing home, in his 50s, showed signs of cardiac arrest and associated breathing difficulties 11 hours after being vaccinated Tuesday morning. He received first aid on site, but died the next day due to heart failure. He had multiple pre-existing conditions including a cardiac disorder and diabetes, and had previously suffered from a stroke. The man in Pyongtaek was a 63-year-old patient suffering from cerebrovascular disease who died four days following inoculation. After receiving his first injection Saturday afternoon, he began to show adverse reactions including a high fever and body aches the next day. He was prescribed painkillers and a fever reducer, but was transferred to a general hospital Tuesday afternoon as his condition worsened. He died around 10 a.m., Wednesday after developing additional symptoms of sepsis and pneumonia. "Along with the epidemiological investigation currently underway, we will thoroughly review their medical records to look into any connection between the deaths and the vaccine," KDCA Commissioner Jeong Eun-kyeong said at a briefing the same day. She noted hundreds of deaths after vaccination have been reported in other countries but no correlations between the vaccines and the deaths have been found. A medical worker at a nursing home receives a coronavirus vaccine from AstraZeneca at a public health center in Inje, Gangwon Province, Wednesday. Yonhap Ashley Graham compared herself to a Bond villain as she showed off new hair growth on Tuesday. The 33-year-old model, who welcomed her first child last year, revealed that her hairline is growing back rather well after suffering postpartum hair-loss. Graham poked fun at herself as she realized her hairline now looks like Quantum of Solace villain Elvis with his super short, severely-cut bangs. Postpartum growth: Ashley Graham poked fun at herself looking like a Bond villain with her new baby hairs coming through 'i may not be a bond girl but i can be a bond villain (postpartum baby hairs come through!!!)' Ashley wrote on Instagram. She shared a selfie of herself with her hair tied back so her hairline could be seen clearly. The second photo was of actor Anatole Taubman as Elvis in the 2008 James Bond movie Quantum of Solace. And the third image Ashley cropped a photo of her hairline and put it side-by-side Elvis' hairline for maximum comparison. Ashley compared herself to Bond Villain Elvis from Quantum of Solace - played by Anatole Taubman in the 2008 movie Likeness: Ashley cropped a photo of her hairline and put it side-by-side Elvis' hairline for maximum comparison The model beauty previously admitted her postpartum hair loss was a 'shock to the system'. Speaking to ELLE magazine, she said: 'My whole hairline fell out four months postpartum, so that was a shock to my system. Then I got back acne, and I was like, what is happening? 'So, I reached out to all my mommy friends. They're like, oh yeah, it's so typical. I just started adding a little bit of retinol here and there. So, my skin has changed, and I'm working on reducing the redness.' The Nebraska-born beauty welcomed son Isaac with husband Justin Ervin in January 2020. 'My whole hairline fell out four months postpartum, so that was a shock to my system' Ashley recently opened up about her severe hair-loss after having a baby Since becoming a mom the star says she's now a pro at multitasking. 'When youre a mom, you have to do everything faster eat, sleep. Im the ultimate multi-tasker nowadays.' Although Ashley appreciated she got to have a lengthy maternity leave because of the shutdowns sparked by the coronavirus pandemic, she is ready for the world to go back to 'normal' now. The model said she reached out to her mommy friends and they told her hair loss was normal after pregnancy The brunette beauty - who has been married to Justin since 2010 - told HELLO! magazine: 'I was in Nebraska for six months of it. 'We were pretty good at not living in fear but we took precautions. I created new routines and had the maternity leave I never thought I would have. 'I spent time with family and, as there was so much heartache, there was so much more meaning too. 'You question, "Do I have to do it or do I want to do it?" I just hope we can go back to some kind of normal soon. It won't ever go back to what it was, but it will hopefully be even better.' As teachers, parents, and officials continue to debate how and when to reopen schools a full year into the pandemic, some districts have been able to find common ground. There's pressure from the top to reopen: During a CNN town hall in February, President Joe Biden said he wanted the majority of K-8 schools reopened five days a week within his first 100 days in office. But reopening isnt a simple process. Many teachers and their unions stress the need for their safety and well-being. According to Education Week, at least 833 active and retired K-12 educators and personnel have died of COVID-19 so far; 227 were active teachers. 'I'm glad to get it' After months of teaching remotely, Quentin Washington, a Chicago Public School teacher, returned to in-person teaching in February after the city decided to expedite vaccinations of teachers and other school workers. I dont like needles, so I just kind of had to keep my eyes forward and take a nice deep breath as they gave me the shot, he told Yahoo Finance. But Im glad to get it. It gives me a certain sense of security. And I think that every teacher deserves to have that before theyre forced back into a building. But not all teachers across America have been to receive the vaccine. As of March 1, teachers in 16 states were still not eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. One of those states is Texas. The vaccine rollout has been picking up a little bit of steam here over the last couple of weeks,... [but] at this particular point in time, educators are not in the group to be vaccinated, Jimmy Lee, president of the Association of Texas Professional Educators, told Yahoo Finance. We have been asking the state to move them up to a point where they can get that vaccine, and have that comfort level of being able to go into the classroom. A door-to-door outreach program to the Black community to increase vaccine trial participation in Rochester, New York, U.S., October 17, 2020. (REUTERS/Lindsay DeDario) Pandora's box The school reopening debate has exposed systemic problems within school systems, as in Rochester City, New York. Story continues For the district's middle-school math teacher Tom Rossiter, the lack of financial resources has been frustrating. The urban district, which has a majority of Black and Latino students from low-income families, doesn't have the resources to provide laptops to students. We havent had the finances to be able to buy things. Weve had to get donations from organizations to be able to open, said Rossiter. I remember being in a training where one of the heads of maintenance for all of the district said, 'Oh, were gonna have Lysol wipes in your classrooms. We just got a pallet of them donated.' At that moment he thought, We shouldnt be waiting on donations of cleaning materials for a school district to be able to reopen that should not be a limiting factor in education, he said. Our technology issues are so significant for all of our students, Rossiter added, including, not having access to the internet at home, and having to do MiFis and personal hotspots that have data limits, so the kids cant share videos and cant be as actively participating in lessons just because my students families dont have the financial resources ... that other students may have outside. Considered to be a chronically underfunded school district, the threat of more cuts to the system is also imminent, which is likely to complicate teaching and learning further amid the pandemic, said Rossiter. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images) It's 'just insane' to juggle parenting and school The lack of in-person classes has also been a major pain point for parents, who feel overwhelmed with balancing work and childcare responsibilities. Eden Mosoff, a parent and STEM teacher in Illinois, sees the COVID-induced stressors from both sides. When I went back to work, and even when I was teaching at home in the spring, having an 18-month old running around while youre trying to teach classes is just insane. Its not the most conducive way to teach class, she told Yahoo Finance. But all sides are aware of the risks to educators if schools were to reopen, said Becky Pringle of the National Education Association, said, and that theres broader support for unions than publicized widely. Based on two surveys done by her union, What we found is that they trust their teachers [and] all of the other adults that work in the system that parents and the larger community believe in what our teachers have done over this pandemic and actually support our unions, said Pringle. You get the salacious headlines that are blown up, but thats not whats happening in our communities. Aarthi is a senior reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter at @AarthiSwami. Reggie Wade is a writer for Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter at @ReggieWade. Read more: Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, SmartNews, LinkedIn, YouTube, and reddit. [March 03, 2021] LoRa Alliance and GS1 in Europe Enter Liaison Agreement to Explore Combining GS1 Supply Chain Standards with LoRaWAN FREMONT, Calif., March 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The LoRa Alliance , the global association of companies backing the open LoRaWAN standard for Internet of Things (IoT) low-power wide-area networks (LPWANs), and GS1 in Europe, a not-for-profit organization that develops and maintains global standards for business communication to improve efficiency, safety and visibility of the supply chain in a variety of sectors, today announced a formal liaison agreement to explore adding LoRaWAN networks as an available carrier technology to the GS1 standards. The organizations goals are to provide greater efficiency and interoperability for supply chain and maintenance operations, strengthen inventory management, and simplify data exchanges between different systems and stakeholders. The initial collaboration addresses the requirements of the railway industry, with other sectors to follow. A pilot project is in progress in France for national railway companies to implement a more cost-effective identification system for infrastructure and rollingstock. This initial collaboration is proving the feasibility and value of carrying GS1 identifiers from EPC/RFID tags over LoRaWAN networks. Additionally, an enriched data format is being specified, which can be applied to the railway industry to improve geolocation use cases by networks, as well as access to additional sensing data for predictive maintenance and asset management. End users will have access to easy digitization of existing systems, as well as reduced integration and operational costs resulting from larger adoption of GS1 standards with LoRaWAN. The deployment of LoRaWAN has greatly accelerated over the past 12 months and has positioned 2021 to be the year of massive scaling of applications across multiple industries, said Donna Moore, CEO and Chairwoman of the LoRa Alliance. One clear trend that has emerged is the need for multi-RAN strategies to address specific use cases. The combination of short-range RFID and long-range LoRaWAN networks represents a huge market opportunity, where cost-effective wireless communication can be achieved, amplifying the user benefits of both technologies. This liaison is another step in the LoRa Alliancesstrategic initiative to simplify the IoT by making LoRaWAN more accessible and interoperable with open standards. Francois Deprey, vice-chair of GS1 in Europe and CEO of GS1 France, explains: What makes a lot of sense in this agreement between GS1 in Europe and the LoRa Alliance is a common belief in the benefits of interoperability. For the last 50 years, GS1 has been working with a lot of different industries to make supply chains more efficient, and data more portable and sharable. Nowadays, to fully benefit from the fast-growing development of IoT, better collaboration across sectors and data standardization are essential. In France, the pilot program of SNCF where GS1 France and the LoRa Alliance collaborate is a perfect use case to demonstrate the benefits for maintenance and operations in this sector. It also proves the necessity to deploy a technology-agnostic common language to maximize the advantages of digital transformation. In the initial pilot program, the focus is on inventory and condition monitoring of railway industry assets. The project objective is to demonstrate that combining RFID and LoRaWAN deliverables cost-effective visibility of railway assets, resulting in improved uptime, maintenance, and operations. The ambition is to launch other pilots and projects within this cooperation to cover additional sectors and expand to other countries. About the LoRa Alliance The LoRa Alliance is an open, nonprofit association that has become one of the largest and fastest-growing alliances in the technology sector since its inception in 2015. Its members collaborate closely and share expertise to develop and promote the LoRaWAN standard, the de facto global standard for secure, carrier-grade IoT LPWAN connectivity. LoRaWAN has the technical flexibility to address a broad range of IoT applications, both static and mobile, and a robust LoRaWAN Certification program to guarantee that devices perform as specified. Deployed by 150 major mobile network operators globally, LoRaWAN connectivity is available in more than 160 countries, with continual expansion. To learn more about LoRaWAN, the LoRa Alliance, the benefits of membership, and to keep up with the alliances latest developments, please follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook or visit our website. LoRa Alliance and LoRaWAN are registered trademarks, used with permission. About GS1 in Europe GS1 is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the implementation of global standards to improve the efficiency, visibility and sustainability of products all around the world, and represents more than 2.5 million companies in the world. GS1 in Europe is the European collaboration platform of GS1 regrouping 49 countries in Europe and beyond, representing more than 500.000 companies in Europe. GS1 in Europe role is to bring these companies around the table and foster collaboration in order to establish common rules and common standards. If you are interested to know more about how we can support businesses through all our European projects and activities please visit our website www.gs1.eu or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. GS1 is a registered trademark of GS1 AISBL A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/46d2bdfc-8653-49d3-8a2f-b67c5bc485ac MEDIA CONTACTS Eric Lawson for LoRa Alliance elawson@kiterocket.com Diogo Almeida, GS1 in Europe Events and communication coordinator diogo.almeida@gs1eu.org [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] "If you could imagine a 10-year-old boy holding on to rabbit ear antennas of a black and white vacuum-tube technology TV watching the Apollo 17 mission, that was me." So says Jose Hernandez, the Mexican American NASA astronaut whose life story will be featured in the new Netflix film "A Million Miles Away," highlighting the inspiring journey that led him to space. BLACK NASA PIONEERS: Meet the Black Americans who shaped the U.S. space program. Hernandez told Chron he still remembers listening to Walter Cronkite talking about Gene Cernan walking on the surface of the moon in 1972. It was Cernan's historic walk on the moon that would inspire a young boy, working alongside his family as a migrant farmworker, to dream of becoming an astronaut. Hernandez's story inspired writer-director Alejandra Marquez Abella to put the tale out to the public via Netflix. "It's a very different story for a Mexican American," Abella said. "I think that's very important to portray Mexican stories in a different way." Jose Hernandez "A Million Miles Away" will chronicle the life of Hernandez as he persevered through rejection to become a part of the Space Shuttle mission STS-128 in 2009. "I was very attracted to Jose's story," Abella said. "It's an amazing dream achieved, in a very unlikely situation so I was drawn to try to tell this story right." The youngest of four children, Hernandez said he spent his childhood traveling with his family from Mexico to southern California, picking strawberries and cucumbers at farms along a route he calls "the California circuit." Another poignant moment for Hernandez came when he heard Costa Rican-born Franklin Chang-Diaz had been chosen to go to space. A Hispanic-American himself, Hernandez listened to the news on his transistor radio working in a field in Stockton, California. Jose Hernandez In 2004, Hernandez was selected as part of the 19th class of NASA astronauts. "This is after 11 tries," Hernandez said. "I was rejected 11 times before being selected on the 12th time." "I always took the approach of looking at the glass half-full, not half-empty," Hernandez said. "I would always pick myself back up after being rejected by NASA. I would ask myself what's the worst thing that could happen if you never get selected as an astronaut?' The rejections, Hernandez said, motivated him to gain many other skills by becoming an engineer, obtaining his graduate degree, becoming a pilot, learning a third language (Russian) and getting certified in scuba diving. "It motivated me to get a great job at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory," Hernandez said. "The consolation prize is not too bad, so I was okay with not being selected." Jose Hernandez I asked Hernandez if he could describe what being in space felt like after years of dreaming about it. "Describing being in space does not do it any justice, you have to be there to fully appreciate the beauty that you're seeing." Hernandez is also recognized for several pieces of groundbreaking research work, including co-developing the "first full-field digital mammography imaging system" that he says he is most proud of. "The toughest decision I ever made was to leave NASA," Hernandez said. He retired shortly after his only spaceflight to spend more time with his wife Adela Hernandez and their five children. Hernandez said his oldest son Julio is following in his footsteps and wants to be an astronaut after he finishes his doctorate in aerospace engineering. "My only advice to him was get ready for at least 11 rejections, oh, and read my book," Hernandez said. Today, Hernandez travels across the world as a motivational speaker and has authored several books, including an autobiography titled "Reaching for the Stars." Abella Hernandez Hernandez is also the President and CEO of Tierra Luna Engineering, LLC, in Stockton, California, and founder of the Reaching for the Stars Foundation, which encourages students in science, technology, engineering and math fields. According to Hernandez, the Netflix project should begin filming sometime later this year with an estimated release date in 2022. Bettina Gilois, the woman who wrote "McFarland, USA," developed the script for "A Million Miles Away" based on interactions she had with the former astronaut and his family, according to Hernandez "Unfortunately, Gilois passed away a few months ago," Hernandez said. "The movie is going to be dedicated to her." Abella, known for her 2018 feature "The Good Girls," said this is her first English-language film. Abella couldn't elaborate on any casting details. "My calling now is to tell people it's okay to dream big and then tell them my story in an effort to give them the tools to convert their own dreams to reality," Hernandez said. Posted Tuesday, March 2, 2021 5:59 pm Gov. Jay Inslee on Tuesday afternoon said teachers and licensed childcare workers could seek doses of COVID-19 vaccines immediately, assenting to new directions from the federal government. "... Educators and licensed childcare workers can schedule with providers right away," Inslee said in a statement. President Joe Biden on Tuesday had directed governors to open access to educators and childcare workers. He also announced that federal supply of vaccines would expand, with doses available to all adult Americans by the end of May. The presidential announcement promises to accelerate the pace of Washington state's vaccine rollout which of late, has been constrained primarily laggard federal supply of doses. It will also help open schools. But the decision also shifts state vaccination priorities and leaves some workers among the most at risk watching as educators jump ahead in line. "We will continue the current state plans and goals to focus on those most at risk, including older adults and those facing the greatest equity gaps," Inslee said. "To that end, I will soon be announcing when our state vaccine prioritization will be moving to include critical workers in certain congregate settings including those who work in grocery stores, farmworkers, food processors, bus drivers, corrections workers and others." Biden's announcement answers months of calls from teachers unions here and across the country who are advocating for educators to be vaccinated before teaching in-person. Unlike states such as Minnesota, New York and West Virginia, a majority of Washington's teachers have yet to receive a dose. School districts in Washington state have been among the slowest in the country to reopen to a broader set of students as they remain locked in labor negotiations. Vaccines aren't the only issue at the bargaining table for these districts, but education officials seemed hopeful at the news. "This should bring a huge sense of relief for educators who have been working in-person for weeks or months," said Larry Delaney, president of the Washington Education Association, the statewide teachers union. "For those districts still working with their districts to ensure the safest possible return to classrooms, this important layer of protection when offered in concert with CDC, the state Department of Health and Labor and Industries safety requirements, should help build trust and confidence for a return to in-person learning." Just last week, a group of state lawmakers from Seattle tried to lobby state and city officials to speed up the process for educators as Seattle Public Schools and its teachers union remained at an impasse over reopening. "Ah man, that's fabulous," said state representative Gerry Pollet, D-Seattle, when informed of Biden's directive. "This is optimistic news." Inslee and other state officials have acknowledged the need to vaccinate educators, but hadn't heeded advocates' calls to bump teachers up in the priority queue. About 153,000 adults work in Washington schools, including about 68,000 teachers. Access to more vaccines could speed students' return to school buildings, said officials in the state's education department. Only 30% of the state's schoolchildren are currently learning in-person. In January, the state announced a partnership with Kaiser Permanente that would help educators avoid long waits for a vaccine appointment by creating additional vaccine sites near or on school campuses. It's unclear how the state's plan would interact with the federal government's plan to offer educators doses through a retail pharmacy program. "We're meeting with health and the governor's office tomorrow morning to see how it impacts our state, but we don't know anything in addition to what was shared" by President Biden on Tuesday, said Katy Payne, spokesperson for the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. The directive causes concerns that other groups of frontline workers in Washington will get bumped down the priority list. Seafood industry workers have been buffeted by COVID-19 outbreaks that have cropped up in offshore factory ships and shoreside processing plants. Farmworkers and food processing workers who harvest and process the state's crops also have been at risk. Employers of both groups have fought to get Washington state to put a greater focus on getting these workers vaccinated. Erik Nicholson, an eastern Washington consultant involved with farmworker labor issues, said he had been hopeful that all farmworkers and food processing workers could start to get vaccinated within a few weeks' time. "We tried mightily to get the farmworkers elevated, and we prevailed," Nicholson said. "Now, the question is how far back down the list do they go." Some farms and orchards already are bringing guest workers from Mexico and other countries for pruning and winter work under the H-2A temporary visa program. Currently, these workers all are being tested for the virus before they are lodged in labor camps and start their employment. But they have yet to get vaccinations, according to Dan Fazio, executive director of the Washington Farm Labor Association (WAFLA), which assists in bringing in these workers. "They are living in congregant housing. That is why it is so vital we get them vaccinated," Fazio said. "The guys have friends and relatives here, and if they visit them, they could bring back the virus." Grocery employees, who interact frequently with members of the public, will also move further back in line. "We got bumped. It is unfortunate. I know this group has anxiously been waiting to get their vaccination," said Tammie Hetrick, president of the Washington Food Industry Association. "I also understand getting kids back to school." The Seattle City Council passed legislation in January requiring large grocery stores to pay $4 an hour to employees for hazard pay. Hetrick bristled at the idea that grocers would be required by government to pay extra as they now wait for employees pushed backward in the vaccine waiting line. "If you're going to claim we're a hazardous industry and claim hazard pay, then do something about it," Hetrick said, who added that "stores are pretty safe." Last month, the grocery industry sued Seattle over the legislation. Promises of new federal supply and access to vaccines will add new pressure to the state's newly built mass vaccination infrastructure. State officials in January set a statewide goal to perform 45,000 vaccinations a day, hoping to protect about 70% of Washington's adult population by summer's end. Biden has now promised all adults a shot by the end of May. By the end of February, vaccine providers were inoculating 37,481 people each day, according to a seven-day average reported on the state's COVID-19 data dashboard. Seattle Times reporter Joseph O'Sullivan contributed to this report. ___ (c)2021 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Ryan Thomas has revealed he quit acting after a slew of failed auditions and being trolled for his Neighbours stint. The former Coronation Street star, 36, admitted he 'lost the bug' for performing after struggling to land roles, just days after revealing he'd been working as a delivery driver for his brother Adam's restaurant. Ryan added that he found it 'really hard' being criticised for his performances and has no intention to act again, instead focusing on other TV projects with his brothers Scott and Adam. He's done! Ryan Thomas, 36, has revealed he quit acting after a slew of failed auditions and being trolled for his Neighbours stint Speaking on the siblings' Mancs On The Mic podcast, Ryan said: 'It's so hard for me. I started off acting, I started off in that game and I really lost the bug for it. 'I feel the reason for losing the bug is rejection and going to auditions and not getting them.' Ryan added that he struggled with the criticism from Australian viewers when he appeared on Neighbours in 2018 as Rafael Humphreys. Divisive: The former Coronation Street star admitted he 'lost the bug' for performing after struggling to land roles and being criticised online for his stint on the Aussie soap (pictured) Throwback: Ryan starred on Coronation Street as Jason Grimshaw for 16 years, but quit the soap in 2016 to explore other acting roles (pictured in 2007) He said: 'I went over to do Neighbours and I just saw on social media that there were just quite negative comments towards me and my acting. 'I've never had that before because social media wasn't around. I never got it in Corrie because I never had social media when I was in Corrie. 'If I did, it was at the end but I was so established there that people saw me as fixtures and fittings, so I never really got that sort of negative criticism. 'It happens in all aspects but I just found it really really hard to deal with at first. Changes: In recent months Ryan has focused on other TV projects including his travel series Mancs in Mumbai, where he appeared alongside his brothers Scott and Adam 'I always think, 'Oh, it'll [the desire to act] come back at some point and maybe it will and it's still something that I have in my locker if I want to explore it again. Right now I'm really happy with the direction I'm going.' Ryan starred on Coronation Street as Jason Grimshaw for 16 years, but quit the soap in 2016 to explore other acting roles. In recent months he starred alongside his brothers in the documentary Absolutely India: Mancs in Mumbai, which has been picked up for a second series. 'Came in for a burger, now I'm doing deliveries': On Monday Ryan revealed he'd been helping out his brother Adam by working as a delivery driver for his restaurant The Spinn On Monday Ryan revealed he'd been helping out his brother Adam by working as a delivery driver for his restaurant The Spinn. He took to Instagram to tell fans he was bringing food to customers of the burger joint, and suggested they should put in their orders for a chance for him to be their delivery driver. Ryan originally came to the restaurant to enjoy his own burger, which he ate in his car as he 'couldn't wait to get home plus no TV in the new house.' Helping hand: It seemed not long after his meal Ryan was asked to chip in and help the busy staff, as he joked: 'Came in for a burger now I'm doing deliveries' Doing his part: Ryan then hopped into his car and said he was 'en route' to fans, before filming himself delivering the order to 'another happy customer' But it seemed not long after his meal that Ryan was asked to chip in and help the busy staff, as he then joked: 'Came in for a burger now I'm doing deliveries.' He posed with his back to the camera to show off his hoodie from the restaurant while carrying a number of packaged orders that were ready to go. Ryan then hopped into his car and said he was 'en route' to fans, before filming himself delivering the order to 'another happy customer.' Back in his car, Ryan said in a short video: 'I'm just waiting outside The Spinn to pick up my next delivery. Make the call, you know you want to. I might be coming to a home near you.' The star's brother Adam, who starred on Emmerdale from 2009 to 2018, launched his own restaurant in 2019 after delving into a career as an estate agent for Kamani Property. The star worked for his friend Adam Kamani, who owns fashion labels Boohoo and PrettyLittleThing. [March 03, 2021] PocketPills Raises $30M in Series B Funding to Fuel Same Day Delivery Nationwide PocketPills, Canada's largest and fastest-growing online pharmacy, announced today the close of $30M in Series B funding, led by Canada's most active corporate venture capital fund, TELUS (News - Alert) Ventures. The investment will be used to broaden PocketPills' product offering and further accelerate its national expansion, with facilities opening in Quebec and Alberta that will help achieve its goal of nationwide same-day delivery. "We are committed to delivering a seamless digital experience to Canadians across all of Canada," said Raj Gulia, Co-Founder and CEO, PocketPills. "We are the fastest growing online pharmacy with national reach and are dedicated to making pharmacy accessible, easy and affordable for all." The round was led by TELUS Ventures with follow-on participation from WaterBridge Ventures. As the market leader in Canada's digital health landscape, the TELUS Health team will deliver valuable expertise to the PocketPills team as they scale and develop new product offerings. "TELUS Ventures is committed to making investments to accelerate the adoption and use of technology within the healthcare ecosystem in Canada," said Rich Osborn, Managing Partner, TELUS Ventures. "Our investment in digital pharmacy aligns with our mission to digitally transform Canada's healthcare ecosystem through the power of technology and connect the virtual continuum of care to improve access, experiences, and outcomes for all Canadians. We're excited to support the innovative leaders at PocketPills as they drive further advancements in this space where there is a clear market need." Pocketills has established itself as Canada's leading online pharmacy, with five times growth in 2020. The company has scaled operations across Canada, with pharmacy warehouses in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, and Nova Scotia. With its Series B funding, PocketPills will invest further in technology and pharmacy automation and open facilities in Alberta and Quebec. PocketPills is a technology-first online pharmacy, and its research and development team of 30 software engineers allows for continuous product optimization and a pipeline of innovative product launches. Strong relationships with insurers, larger brokerages, and third-party administrators help to control the costs of prescription medication and provide convenience to members. Over 300,000 Canadians already have access to the platform, with numbers growing daily. Additionally, PocketPills is providing pharmacy APIs for anyone who wants to integrate. "WaterBridge has proudly backed PocketPills since its inception in 2018 and has witnessed the company's efficient approach to scale and product-led growth," said Manish Kheterpal, Managing Partner, WaterBridge Ventures. "The PocketPills team has the expertise and vision to own the online pharmacy category in Canada, optimizing its offering, launching new products, and making same-day delivery a reality nationwide." About TELUS Ventures As the strategic investment arm of TELUS Corporation (TSX: T, NYSE: TU), TELUS Ventures was founded in 2001 and is one of Canada's most active corporate venture capital funds. TELUS Ventures has invested in over 90 companies since its inception with a focus on innovative technologies such as Digital Health, IoT, AI, and Security. TELUS Ventures is an active investment partner and supports its portfolio companies through mentoring; exposure to TELUS' extensive network of business and co-investment partners; access to TELUS' technologies and broadband networks; and by actively driving new solutions across the TELUS ecosystem. About WaterBridge Ventures WaterBridge Ventures (WBV) is the 1st institutional investor in disruptive companies. WBV's founders' first approach, deep engagement model, and network strength have led to many robust partnerships between the firm and its entrepreneur partners. Besides PocketPills, some of its leading investments include Atlan, Bijnis, Chalo, CityMall, Doubtnut, MagicPin, Unacademy and ZipLoan. About PocketPills By combining technology and personalized service, PocketPills is improving the way prescriptions are filled, delivered, and managed. Established by two pharmacists and an engineer in 2018, PocketPills was formed with the vision of making medication management simple. No more sorting pills, waiting in line, or chasing refills. PocketPills' solution is an end-to-end system built from the ground up, with members at its core. Through an easy-to-use online platform, members can access the pharmacy whenever they want, wherever they are. For more information on PocketPills, visit: www.pocketpills.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005134/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The University of North Georgia (UNG) has been named a Military Friendly School for 2021-22. It is one of 70 schools to earn silver award status and one of some 750 total schools honored. The Military Friendly Schools list will be published in the May issue of G.I. Jobs magazine. Nighthawk Engagement and Student Transitions (NEST) leads UNG's efforts to engage veteran and military-connected students. With recent changes to the structure of NEST, the university now has 10 staff members cross-trained to help these students. "We are able to offer more assistance to our veteran students and their dependents," said Christy Orr, assistant director of NEST. Scott Paquette, a senior from Dahlonega, Georgia, pursuing a degree in psychology, is a student worker in NEST. He is also the president of Student Veterans of America (SVA) on UNG's Dahlonega Campus. Paquette said he and his fellow veterans appreciate the Veteran Resource Center in the 319 suite of the Hoag Student Center. Veterans on the Gainesville Campus have a similar space in the Military Resource Center in room 119 of the Dunlap-Mathis Building. "It's a place they can sit and be in the company of like-minded people," Paquette said. On both campuses, the room features a study space, computer stations, free printing and a kitchenette. Cheyenne Paterson, a sophomore from Roswell, New Mexico, pursuing a degree in elementary and special education, commutes from Jasper and takes advantage of the Veteran Resource Center her two days per week on campus. "I am in the room every single Tuesday and Thursday," Paterson said. "Being able to have a certain room I can sit in and take care of my schoolwork is fantastic." In addition to the dedicated space and staff to assist them, students with a military background receive specialized correspondence upon acceptance to alert them of the types of assistance they can obtain at UNG. "It relieves some of the stress because they know off the bat there's someone on campus to help them," Orr said. Plus, UNG regularly offers Green Zone trainings for faculty and staff to help them understand the unique challenges veterans and military-connected students face, such as PTSD, military education benefits, and college credit for military courses and occupations. "The Military Friendly designation acknowledges that we as an institution value and put forth effort to serve our veteran and military-connected student populations," said Darcy Hayes, NEST director. "Christy has been the champion for these student populations and continues to work hard to provide education for faculty and staff and to enhance resources and supports for these students." Paquette said UNG is intentional in assisting the SVA chapters on its Dahlonega and Gainesville campuses. Any veteran or military-connected student may call 706-864-1010 or email nest@ung.edu for assistance. Institutions earning the Military Friendly School designation were evaluated using public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey from Viqtory, which is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs and Military Friendly brands. Detectives investigating the death of a NSW man found in a Brisbane sewage tank almost two years ago say the case is one of their most challenging because of a lack of CCTV footage in the hours before and after his death. Jason Guise, 45, was reported missing on May 2, 2019. Six days later, maintenance workers discovered his body in a sewage tank in Granada Street, Wynnum, during a routine inspection. According to his Facebook profile, Mr Guise had a son and at least two daughters. Credit:Facebook The father, who was living in Wynnum, was last seen on April 21, 2019, after he rode a bicycle past the Waterloo Bay Hotel on Berrima Street about 7.20pm. In a fresh bid for information, police offered a $250,000 reward and indemnity from prosecution to anyone who was involved either before or after the death. Marvel J. Olson, age 94 of Alexandria, formerly Lowry, died Thursday, May 27, 2021 at Bethany on the Lake in Alexandria. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 2nd at St Paul's Lutheran Church in Lowry with Rev. Bryan Taffe officiating. Visitation will be one hour pri FAU Study: CPA Discipline Motivated by Political Regime The severity of state sanctions handed out to certified public accountants (CPAs) is influenced by political regime, a practice with potentially dire consequences for companies and their shareholders, according to a study by a research team that includes professors at Florida Atlantic University. The study, published in the Journal of Business Ethics, revealed that state Boards of Accountability (BOA) respond less aggressively to federal disciplinary actions from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) when Republicans control a state rather than Democrats. Researchers Julia Higgs, Ph.D., and Abdullah Al-Moshaigeh, Ph.D., of FAU, and Denise Dickins, Ph.D., of East Carolina University, point out that CPAs who are punished less severely than they should be can negatively affect companies, whose investors may end up losing more money. But overly aggressive punishment may hurt economic growth. Higgs, Al-Moshaigeh and Dickins said they believe this is one of the first studies addressing the impact of political regime on the regulation of professionals in any field. They say the studys conclusions could be generally applied to other areas. For example, consumer insurance losses may be greater in Republican-led states due to less-severe enforcement of insurance companies, or businesses may avoid investment in Democrat-run states if enforcement is seen as comparatively more onerous. We felt that this was an important study because with uneven enforcement, the quality of professional services differs from state to state, degrading the publics trust in the profession, said Higgs, an accounting professor in FAUs College of Business. Ideally, disciplinary actions occur without bias by the disciplining authority. Higgs noted that accountants already have been punished once by the PCAOB so some might see further sanctions by the BOA as too harsh. State boards take this into consideration and, except in the most serious cases, dont want to preclude someone from earning a living, Higgs said. The researchers compared public data about CPAs sanctioned by the PCAOB from May 2005 to May 2018 to the subsequent actions of the BOA. During the comparison period, 16 states were controlled by Republican governors, 12 were led by both Republican and Democrat governors, and seven were headed by Democrat governors. Fifteen states had no BOA actions during the 13-year period. The study also noted that most states allow CPAs to practice in another state without having to be licensed in that state, making licensing and registration easier but muddling enforcement. Higgs said she believes the issue of uneven enforcement is becoming more important with more Americans working from home during the pandemic and other professions considering recognizing the licenses of another state, known as reciprocity of licensing. The problem, Higgs said, is likely to become more prominent as technology enables work to be done remotely. For example, a CPA in Florida can easily complete a tax return of a California resident or a radiologist in Dallas can read the images taken of a patient who had an X-ray in South Dakota. Additionally, emergencies create situations where licensing may be expanded across state lines, Higgs noted. As a result of COVID-19, some states, including New York, allowed medical professionals to practice there even if they were licensed in another state. There are important societal reasons that professionals may need to work in a state where they are not licensed, but states may hesitate to grant reciprocity if there is uneven enforcement, she said. -FAU- .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... BAGHDAD In Iraqs holiest city, a pontiff will meet a revered ayatollah and make history with a message of coexistence in a place plagued by bitter divisions. One is the chief pastor of the world-wide Catholic Church, the other a pre-eminent figure in Shiite Islam whose opinion holds powerful sway on the Iraqi street and beyond. Their encounter will resonate across Iraq, even crossing borders into neighboring, mainly Shiite Iran. Pope Francis and Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani are to meet on Saturday for at most 40 minutes, part of the time alone except for interpreters, in the Shiite clerics modest home in the city of Najaf. Every detail was scrutinized ahead of time in painstaking, behind-the-scenes preparations that touched on everything from shoes to seating arrangements. The geopolitical undertones weigh heavy on the meeting, along with twin threats from a viral pandemic and ongoing tensions with rocket-firing Iranian-backed rogue groups. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ For Iraqs dwindling Christian minority, a show of solidarity from al-Sistani could help secure their place in Iraq after years of displacement and, they hope, ease intimidation from Shiite militiamen against their community. Iraqi officials in government, too, see the meetings symbolic power as does Tehran. The 90-year-old al-Sistani has been a consistent counterweight to Irans influence. With the meeting, Francis is implicitly recognizing him as the chief interlocutor of Shiite Islam over his rival, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. News of the meeting heightened long-standing rivalries between the Shiite seminaries of Najaf and Irans city of Qom over which stands at the center of the Shiite world. It will be a private visit without precedent in history, and it will not have an equal to any previous visits, said a religious official in Najaf, involved in the planning. For the Vatican, it was a meeting decades in the making, one that eluded Francis predecessors. Najaf did not make it easy, said one Christian religious official close to the planning from the Vatican side, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the visits delicacy. In December, Louis Sako, the patriarch of Iraqs Chaldean Catholic Church told The Associated Press the church was trying to schedule a meeting between Francis and the ayatollah. It was included in the first draft of the program, but when the (Vatican) delegation visited Najaf, there were problems, he said, without elaborating. The church kept insisting. We know the importance and impact of Najaf in the Iraqi situation, Sako said. What value would the popes message of coexistence in Iraq have, they determined, if he did not seek the support of its most powerful and respected religious figure? Sako finally confirmed the meeting in January, weeks after the pontiffs itinerary had been assembled. Rarely does al-Sistani weigh in on governance matters. When he has, it has shifted the course of Iraqs modern history. An edict from him provided many Iraqis reason to participate in the January 2005 elections, the first after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. His 2014 fatwa calling on able-bodied men to fight the Islamic State group massively swelled the ranks of Shiite militias. In 2019, as anti-government demonstrations gripped the country, his sermon lead to the resignation of then-prime minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi. Al-Sistani is also notoriously reclusive and has not left his Najaf home in years. He does not make public appearances and his sermons are delivered by representatives. He rarely receives foreign dignitaries. The Vaticans hope was that Francis would sign a document with al-Sistani pledging human fraternity, just as he did with Sunni Islams influential grand imam of al-Azhar, Ahmed el-Tayeb, based in Egypt. The signature was among many elements the two sides negotiated over extensively. In the end, Shiite religious officials in Najaf told the AP a signing was not on the agenda, and al-Sistani will issue a verbal statement instead. Each minute of Saturdays meeting will likely unfold as meticulously as a scripted stage play. The 84-year-old pontiffs convoy will pull up along Najafs busy column-lined Rasool Street, which culminates at the Imam Ali Shrine, one of the most revered sites in the world for Shiites. To the side is an alleyway too narrow for cars. Here, Francis will walk the 30 meters (yards) to al-Sistanis modest home, which the cleric has rented for decades. Waiting to greet him at the entrance will be al-Sistanis influential son, Mohammed Ridha. Inside, and some steps to the right, the pontiff will come face to face with the ayatollah. Each will make a simple gesture of mutual respect. Francis will remove his shoes before entering al-Sistanis room. Al-Sistani, who normally remains seated for visitors, will stand to greet Francis at the door and walk him to an L-shaped blue sofa, inviting him to take a seat. This has not taken place by his Eminence with any guest before, said a Najaf religious official. He will stand despite his fragile health, said the religious officials. Since fracturing his thigh last year, the cleric has been firmly ensconced indoors. Francis suffers from sciatica. The Pope will be offered tea. His Eminence will provide His Holiness a message of peace and love for all humanity, said the official. Gifts will be exchanged. It is not clear what Najaf will bestow, but Francis will almost certainly present al-Sistani with bound copies of his most important writings, top among them his latest encyclical Brothers All, about the need for greater fraternity among all peoples to bring about a more peaceful, ecologically sustainable and just world. Until now, papal plans to visit Iraq have ended in failure. The late Pope John Paul II was unable to go in 2000, when negotiations broke down with the government of then-Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. One setback after another nearly scuttled this one too. Iraq fell to a second wave of the coronavirus last month spurred by the new, more infectious strain that first broke out in the U.K. At the same time, a spate of rocket attacks resumed targeting the American presence in the country. The U.S. has blamed Iran-aligned militias. Those same groups, strengthened after al-Sistanis fatwa, are accused of terrorizing Christians and preventing them from returning home. Iraqi government and religious officials are concerned these militias could carry out rocket attacks in Baghdad or elsewhere to show their displeasure over al-Sistanis meeting with Francis. As pope, Francis sits atop an official hierarchy ruling the Catholic Church. Al-Sistanis position is more informal, based on tradition and reputation. He is considered one of the most prestigious Shiite religious scholars in the world, the leading light at the Najaf seminaries, earning him worldwide reverence. Irans Khamenei and the Qom seminaries compete for that prestige. Al-Sistanis school of thought opposes direct rule by clerics, the system in place in Iran, where Khamenei has the final word in all matters. The visit could potentially upset some people and they might try to delay or cancel the visit, I hold this concern, said a second official in Najaf. Who could be upset? Qoms Hawza, he said, using the Arabic term referring the seminaries. Ebrahim Raisi, Irans chief justice, considered a potential presidential candidate or even successor to Khamenei, was unsuccessful in his attempts to meet al-Sistani on a recent trip. This increased tension with the Iranians, as His Eminence did not see Raisi but will see His Holiness the Pope, said the official. Politics and rivalries aside, almost everyone across Iraqs multi-confessional fabric will have something to gain from the short encounter. I see the popes visit to Najaf as the culmination of a global movement in the Islamic-Christian tradition to promote security and peace in our country, Iraqs Culture Minister Hassan Nadhem told the press recently. As we are still tinged with tendencies toward violence and intolerance. ___ Associated Press writer Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed to this report. Absa Bank Ghana has donated 50 brand-new laptops to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). The donation is in support of the universitys new initiative dubbed SONSOL Project to provide every needy student with a laptop. The laptops were presented to the beneficiary students at a short presentation ceremony held at the universitys Great Hall. Speaking at the event, Priscilla Yeboah, Head of Citizenship at Absa Bank Ghana stated that the donation was in line with the banks Force for Good agenda in supporting young people through education and skills development to help bring their possibilities to life. At Absa, our goal is to be a real Force for Good by playing a shaping role in society. One of the ways we achieve this is through Education and Skills Development of the youth for economic growth. We have pursued this agenda over the years through various programmes such as the Absa Tertiary Scholarship Scheme which awarded over 500 tertiary students in 13 Universities across the country, KNUST inclusive, with full bursaries to cover their undergraduate programmes, Mrs. Yeboah said. According to Mrs. Yeboah, there is a growing awareness of soft skills which are critical to young peoples success in the workplace and their development in all aspect of their life. That is why Absa is committed to help improve and support the youth to overcome this skills gap through the Absa ReadytoWork Programme which is designed to provide young people the needed skills that will help them transition from the academic world into the world of work. She commended the leadership of KNUST for the SONSOL Project which aims to support students with free laptops to boost their academic and research work. In her remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, Prof. Rita Akosua Dickson thanked Absa Bank for supporting the students despite the economic challenges that COVID-19 has brought. Prof. Akosua Dickson said the problem of students with financial challenges is real and appealed for more corporate support. Corporate bodies should help mentor these needy students, and imbibe soft skills needed to make them employable in the competitive market. The Vice Chancellor assured the bank and other corporate bodies that the university is fully committed to ensuring a win-win partnership as they together leverage off their collective efforts. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Guardian The potential consequences of the origins of the virus are shattering if they can be proved My own complacency on the matter was dynamited by the lab-leak essay that ran in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists earlier this month. Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters There was a time when the Covid pandemic seemed to confirm so many of our assumptions. It cast down the people we regarded as villains. It raised up those we thought were heroes. It prospered people who could shift easily to working from home even as it problematized the lives of those Trump voters living in the old economy. Like all plagues, Covid often felt like the hand of God on earth, scourging the people for their sins against higher learning and visibly sorting the righteous from the unmasked wicked. Respect science, admonished our yard signs. And lo!, Covid came and forced us to do so, elevating our scientists to the highest seats of social authority, from where they banned assembly, commerce, and all the rest. We cast blame so innocently in those days. We scolded at will. We knew who was right and we shook our heads to behold those in the wrong playing in their swimming pools and on the beach. It made perfect sense to us that Donald Trump, a politician we despised, could not grasp the situation, that he suggested people inject bleach, and that he was personally responsible for more than one super-spreading event. Reality itself punished leaders like him who refused to bow to expertise. The prestige news media even figured out a way to blame the worst death tolls on a system of organized ignorance they called populism. In reaction to the fool Trump, liberalism made a cult out of the hierarchy of credentialed achievement in general But these days the consensus doesnt consense quite as well as it used to. Now the media is filled with disturbing stories suggesting that Covid might have come not from populism at all, but from a laboratory screw-up in Wuhan, China. You can feel the moral convulsions beginning as the question sets in: What if science itself is in some way culpable for all this? * I am no expert on epidemics. Like everyone else I know, I spent the pandemic doing as I was told. A few months ago I even tried to talk a Fox News viewer out of believing in the lab-leak theory of Covids origins. The reason I did that is because the newspapers I read and the TV shows I watched had assured me on many occasions that the lab-leak theory wasnt true, that it was a racist conspiracy theory, that only deluded Trumpists believed it, that it got infinite pants-on-fire ratings from the fact-checkers, and because (despite all my cynicism) I am the sort who has always trusted the mainstream news media. My own complacency on the matter was dynamited by the lab-leak essay that ran in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists earlier this month; a few weeks later everyone from Doctor Fauci to President Biden is acknowledging that the lab-accident hypothesis might have some merit. We dont know the real answer yet, and we probably will never know, but this is the moment to anticipate what such a finding might ultimately mean. What if this crazy story turns out to be true? The answer is that this is the kind of thing that could obliterate the faith of millions. The last global disaster, the financial crisis of 2008, smashed peoples trust in the institutions of capitalism, in the myths of free trade and the New Economy, and eventually in the elites who ran both American political parties. In the years since (and for complicated reasons), liberal leaders have labored to remake themselves into defenders of professional rectitude and established legitimacy in nearly every field. In reaction to the fool Trump, liberalism made a sort of cult out of science, expertise, the university system, executive-branch norms, the intelligence community, the State Department, NGOs, the legacy news media, and the hierarchy of credentialed achievement in general. Now here we are in the waning days of Disastrous Global Crisis #2. Covid is of course worse by many orders of magnitude than the mortgage meltdown it has killed millions and ruined lives and disrupted the world economy far more extensively. Should it turn out that scientists and experts and NGOs, etc. are villains rather than heroes of this story, we may very well see the expert-worshiping values of modern liberalism go up in a fireball of public anger. Consider the details of the story as we have learned them in the last few weeks: Lab leaks happen. They arent the result of conspiracies: a lab accident is an accident, as Nathan Robinson points out; they happen all the time, in this country and in others, and people die from them. There is evidence that the lab in question, which studies bat coronaviruses, may have been conducting what is called gain of function research, a dangerous innovation in which diseases are deliberately made more virulent. By the way, right-wingers didnt dream up gain of function: all the cool virologists have been doing it (in this country and in others) even as the squares have been warning against it for years. There are strong hints that some of the bat-virus research at the Wuhan lab was funded in part by the American national-medical establishment which is to say, the lab-leak hypothesis doesnt implicate China alone. There seem to have been astonishing conflicts of interest among the people assigned to get to the bottom of it all, and (as we know from Enron and the housing bubble) conflicts of interest are always what trip up the well-credentialed professionals whom liberals insist we must all heed, honor, and obey. The news media, in its zealous policing of the boundaries of the permissible, insisted that Russiagate was ever so true but that the lab-leak hypothesis was false false false, and woe unto anyone who dared disagree. Reporters gulped down whatever line was most flattering to the experts they were quoting and then insisted that it was 100% right and absolutely incontrovertible that anything else was only unhinged Trumpist folly, that democracy dies when unbelievers get to speak, and so on. The social media monopolies actually censored posts about the lab-leak hypothesis. Of course they did! Because were at war with misinformation, you know, and people need to be brought back to the true and correct faith as agreed upon by experts. * Let us pray, now, for science, intoned a New York Times columnist back at the beginning of the Covid pandemic. The title of his article laid down the foundational faith of Trump-era liberalism: Coronavirus is What You Get When You Ignore Science. Ten months later, at the end of a scary article about the history of gain of function research and its possible role in the still ongoing Covid pandemic, Nicholson Baker wrote as follows: This may be the great scientific meta-experiment of the 21st century. Could a world full of scientists do all kinds of reckless recombinant things with viral diseases for many years and successfully avoid a serious outbreak? The hypothesis was that, yes, it was doable. The risk was worth taking. There would be no pandemic. Except there was. If it does indeed turn out that the lab-leak hypothesis is the right explanation for how it began that the common people of the world have been forced into a real-life lab experiment, at tremendous cost there is a moral earthquake on the way. Because if the hypothesis is right, it will soon start to dawn on people that our mistake was not insufficient reverence for scientists, or inadequate respect for expertise, or not enough censorship on Facebook. It was a failure to think critically about all of the above, to understand that there is no such thing as absolute expertise. Think of all the disasters of recent years: economic neoliberalism, destructive trade policies, the Iraq War, the housing bubble, banks that are too big to fail, mortgage-backed securities, the Hillary Clinton campaign of 2016 all of these disasters brought to you by the total, self-assured unanimity of the highly educated people who are supposed to know what theyre doing, plus the total complacency of the highly educated people who are supposed to be supervising them. Then again, maybe I am wrong to roll out all this speculation. Maybe the lab-leak hypothesis will be convincingly disproven. I certainly hope it is. But even if it inches closer to being confirmed, we can guess what the next turn of the narrative will be. It was a perfect storm, the experts will say. Who coulda known? And besides (they will say), the origins of the pandemic dont matter any more. Go back to sleep. Thomas Frank is a Guardian US columnist. He is the author, most recently, of The People, No: A Brief History of Anti-Populism TOKYO - The U.S. Army veteran arrested on suspicion of aiding the escape of former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn is suspected of lying to an official at Kansai Airport, claiming that he and a companion were violinists scheduled to perform in Osaka, according to court documents. Former Green Beret Michael Taylor, 60, was arrested on Tuesday by the special investigation squad of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office. He is also said to have asked the airport official about what kind of security check would be done at departure and of trying to hand over a large bundle of 10,000 yen notes as a "tip" when he was in Japan in December 2019. This sequence of events is described in a statement by the Kansai Airport official. The statement was included in a document, prepared by the investigation squad and the Metropolitan Police Department, that was submitted as evidence in a U.S. trial over the extradition of Taylor and his son Peter Taylor, 28. Peter Taylor was also arrested on suspicion of hiding Ghosn. The investigation squad believes that the suspects conducted thorough preparations to help Ghosn escape, such as checking scheduled events around the airport. According to the statement by the airport official, Michael Taylor arrived from Dubai on a private jet at 10 a.m. on Dec. 29, 2019, with George-Antoine Zayek, another American suspected of helping Ghosn. They were taken to the airport's Tamayura private jet facility. The two men were scheduled to leave Japan on the evening of the same day, prompting the official to remark that they would have "an extremely short stay." In response, Taylor said they planned to perform in Osaka but had to go home as soon as possible because of a scheduled meeting the next day. Another airport staffer was told that they were going to perform in a concert by a famous Japanese violinist. Such a concert was actually held in Osaka City on the afternoon of Dec. 29. However, an official in charge of the concert told The Yomiuri Shimbun, "There were no Americans among the performers, and no such appearance was even planned." Taylor visited Tamayura again around 9 p.m. the same day, this time by himself. He asked the official if there would be a security check on departure. Taylor also wanted to talk to the captain of the private jet and had the official make a phone call. He reportedly asked the captain to arrange for everything to go smoothly. Taylor then tried to hand 10,000 yen notes bound up with a hairband to the official, saying, "It's a tip for you." Judging from the thickness of the bundle, the amount is believed to have been about 1 million yen. The official reportedly said she could not take the tip. Taylor kept trying to give it to her, according to the statement, but she refused. Taylor and Zayek left Japan from Kansai Airport after 11 p.m. on a private jet. At that time, private jet users' baggage was not subject to mandatory X-ray or other security checks, and the box in which Ghosn was hiding was not examined. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 Protesters cover with makeshift shields during an anti-coup protest in Yangon, Myanmar, Wednesday. Reuters-Yonhap Myanmar security forces opened fire on protests against military rule on Wednesday killing nine people, witnesses and media reported, a day after neighboring countries called for restraint and offered to help Myanmar resolve the crisis. The security forces resorted to live fire with little warning in several towns and cities, witnesses said, as the junta appeared more determined than ever to stamp out protests against a Feb. 1 coup that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. "They marched towards us and fired tear gas, marched again and used stun grenades," Si Thu Maung, a protest leader in the central town of Myingyan, told Reuters. "Then they didn't spray us with water cannon, no warning to disperse, they just fired their guns." A spokesman for the ruling military council did not answer telephone calls seeking comment. One teenaged boy was killed in Myingyan but the heaviest toll was in another central town, Monywa, where five people four men and one woman were killed, said Ko Thit Sar, editor of the Monywa Gazette. "We've confirmed with family members and doctors, five people have been killed," he told Reuters. "At least 30 people are wounded, some still unconscious." Two people were killed in the country's second-biggest city Mandalay, a witness and media reports said, and one person was killed when police opened fire in the main city of Yangon, a witness there said. At least 31 people have been killed since the coup. "The country is like the Tiananmen Square in most of its major cities," the Archbishop of Yangon, Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, said on Twitter, alluding to the suppression of student-led protests in Beijing in 1989. The violence came a day after foreign ministers from Southeast Asian neighbours urged restraint but failed to unite behind a call for the release Suu Kyi and the restoration of democracy. Security forces also detained about 300 protesters as they broke up protests in Yangon, the Myanmar Now news agency reported. Video posted on social media showed lines of young men, hands on heads, filing into army trucks as police and soldiers stood guard. Reuters was unable to verify the footage. (Reuters) EBID, the regional development bank for the ECOWAS sub-region (Economic Community of West African States), and ODDO BHF AG, the Franco-German financial services group with a longstanding track record and expertise in ECA financing, signed a framework agreement. Dr. George Donkor, President of EBID, and Florian Witt, Head of International & Corporate Banking at ODDO BHF, sealed this new partnership between ODDO BHF and EBID via video conference. The framework agreement consists of an uncommitted credit line of 40 million provided by ODDO BHF AG to EBID under which individual loan agreements can be concluded. Its scope is flexible as it is designed for project-related transactions throughout the ECOWAS region, which include supplies from Europe officially supported by export credit agencies (ECAs) like Atradius of the Netherlands, Bpifrance Assurance Export of France or Euler Hermes of Germany. This cooperation between EBID and ODDO BHF AG is an important contribution to promoting the development of various industrial sectors in the ECOWAS region. It aims to further strengthen the prospects for small and medium scale enterprises and industries to enable them to contribute to the growing economy and generate employment. Both financing partners are already in advanced discussions on various projects in areas such as renewable energy, agribusiness and pharmaceutical production. During the official signing ceremony, Dr. George Donkor, President of EBID, stated, "The credit facility illustrates the commitment of the two institutions to the region's transformation agenda through sustainable support to the vital sector of agribusiness." Florian Witt, Head of International & Corporate Banking at ODDO BHF, reiterated: "ODDO BHF AG, with its International Banking Division and its strong focus on Africa, has been supporting the West African region for many years and is very much looking forward to working with the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development." 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 Advertisement When Jason Knauf left the Treasury to go and work for RBS the bank that had been bailed out with 45 billion of taxpayers' money following the 2008 financial crisis he was dubbed 'gamekeeper turned poacher'. But his silky skills in crisis management were never tested there as they were in his next big job working for Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex. Yesterday, the quietly spoken American was revealed to have been the author of a sensational bullying complaint against former actress Meghan, which threatens a new royal crisis every bit as divisive as the War of the Waleses. That, of course, was the bitter and acrimonious battle for public sympathy waged between Princess Diana and Prince Charles throughout the 1990s. A sensational bullying complaint against former actress Meghan threatens a new royal crisis every bit as divisive as the War of the Waleses The crisis has echoes of the dramas that followed the Abdication of Edward VIII in 1936 after he chose to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson (pictured) Mr Knauf's email, alleging that the Duchess's intimidating behaviour had driven two personal assistants out of the household, reopens a rift far more critical and damaging for the future of the monarchy: the split between Harry and his brother, Prince William. But last night the email had an even more shocking immediate effect. Stung by Meghan's astonishing statement in response to allegations of bullying that she was the victim of a 'smear' and that the newspaper that published the email was 'being used by Buckingham Palace to peddle a wholly false narrative' the Queen hit back. Announcing an inquiry into the claims about the two employees who left their jobs and a third whose confidence was said to have been undermined is an astonishing development. Never before has the Palace held a member of the Royal Family to account, and its move represents a serious blow to the Duchess's carefully curated status of victimhood. It also shows that the Queen's deep reserve of patience for her grandson, Harry, has reached a tipping point. The move was not just a result of the incendiary remarks of the Sussexes' American public relations team, but also because of the implications that the Palace could face legal action over nothing being done when the complaints were first raised. In other words, a cover-up. I also understand that individuals who fear their reputations will be damaged in the Sussexes' upcoming Oprah Winfrey TV interview have demanded the protection of the Palace. 'The Palace is taking the gravity of the situation extremely seriously,' I am told. Even to the most neutral and fair-minded of observers, the bombshell revelations coming just four days before the Oprah interview is broadcast, represent a moment of potential danger for the Royal Family. It has echoes, too, of the dramas that followed the Abdication of Edward VIII in 1936, when the Queen's father reluctantly took the throne as George VI, triggering years of hostility between the brothers and, crucially, their wives. The Queen Mother blamed, and never forgave, the Duchess of Windsor the former Wallis Simpson for the premature death of her husband. The Queen's father (pictured) reluctantly took the throne as George VI, triggering years of hostility between the brothers and, crucially, their wives Just who leaked Mr Knauf's 2018 email to The Times scarcely matters. Its very existence suggests an escalation in the fraught relationship between William and Harry. The reason? Mr Knauf's current job as the Duke of Cambridge's right-hand man. For more than two years he has worked exclusively for Prince William, and is now chief executive of the Cambridges' Royal Foundation. His email was one of a series of claims about Meghan's treatment of staff after former aides accused her of 'emotional cruelty and manipulation', which had reduced them to tears and left them 'shaking' with fear. The fact aides had managed to keep a lid on these troubling claims for so long demonstrates the unease over what might be unleashed when the Oprah interview is broadcast in the U.S. on Sunday night. It is also a sign that the Palace will not sit back and allow the Sussexes' partial and highly selective account of their brief life as working royals to go unchallenged. Yesterday, royal officials were insisting that the complaints about Meghan, which began to surface within weeks of her and Harry's starry Windsor wedding, were not being orchestrated by Buckingham Palace or by members of the Queen's family. Their focus, they said, was on 99-year-old Prince Philip, who remains a patient at Barts Hospital in London. Complaints about Meghan began to surface within weeks of her and Harry's starry Windsor wedding. Pictured: Harry and Meghan at Ascot in July 2018 All the same, some courtiers are privately describing developments as 'the Crown getting its revenge in first'. Whatever the case, you don't have to be much of a conspiracy theorist to see a pattern in the revelations. For on any reading of the claims, what appears to emerge is a streak of wilfulness in Meghan and a pusillanimous Harry torn between his family and his wife. As someone who has reported on the royals for 35 years, I have heard of complaints about the failings of the royals' internal human resources departments on a number of occasions and they were a key factor in the war of words between Charles and Diana. This probably accounts for Mr Knauf's pointed observation in a 2018 email leaked to The Times this week. It said that while the household's head of human resources, Samantha Carruthers, had 'agreed with me on all counts that the situation was serious . . . I remain concerned that nothing will be done'. The intervention of the Queen last night indicates that was almost certainly true. Sources quoted by The Times claim HR attitudes were 'How can we make this go away?', rather that addressing it. The Queen Mother blamed, and never forgave, the Duchess of Windsor the former Wallis Simpson (pictured) for the premature death of her husband According to insiders, senior figures in all the major royal households knew of the reports that young women were being bullied to the point of tears. 'The institution just protected Meghan,' it was claimed. How ironic that it should be 'the men in grey suits' the very people whom the Duchess of Sussex has complained had been so hostile to her who protected her from these sulphurous claims. By now stories of Meghan's behaviour were circulating openly. One story that reached my ears was of a very junior assistant who had gone from being Meghan's favourite to being told that she had become 'over familiar'. Another was how morning staff meetings over coffee, which Harry himself made, had stopped when Meghan apparently engaged a butler, ending the informality at a stroke. Harmless enough, you may think, but there were other accounts, too. One figure, working in a different part of the royal estate, was alleged to have been reprimanded for giving Harry a present to mark his engagement. And there have been claims that behind the glowing headlines of the couple's first big overseas tour, in October 2018, all was not well at Admiralty House, Australia's governor general's residence which hosted Harry and Meghan. The bombshell revelations coming just four days before the Oprah interview (pictured) is broadcast represent a moment of potential danger for the Royal Family How conflicting this must all have been for Harry, who had been brought up by both his mother and father to respect the staff who work for the Royal Family. But it was Mr Knauf's devastating conclusion about bullying by 'principals' that was to have the greatest impact. Prince William was appalled by the reports that reached his ears, and many now wonder whether it was this that ultimately led to the split between the brothers. Initially, I understand, Harry acknowledged that something was not right, but he swiftly backed his wife. At the time William and Harry shared their staff, but the issue of their treatment became so acute that William and his aides accelerated the process of splitting the household in two. 'What was a long-term plan became an immediate plan,' said a source. Suddenly the 'Fab Four', as the two couples had been dubbed, were no longer quite so fabulous. Harry and Meghan moved out of Kensington Palace and went to live at their new home, Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, taking their own staff with them. Mr Knauf, meanwhile, took up a job as an adviser to the Duke of Cambridge. To the public, the unravelling of the special relationship of two brothers who had been so close because of adversity as well as their unique circumstance was as perplexing as it was heartbreaking. The picture of the princes and their wives barely acknowledging one another at last year's Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey could not have contrasted more than with that joyful Christmas Day at Sandringham in 2017, when all four had been wreathed in smiles. William has looked on with mounting dismay as his brother and sister-in-law have used their new Californian pulpit to wage war on the Press and, more recently, on their own family and the institution that serves it. His hope that Harry, who more than anyone else knows the burdens William faces as the future king, would be at his side has vanished to be replaced by a fear that his disgruntled brother and sister-in-law are morphing ever more into a modern-day version of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. That may also indicate William's hand in last night's Palace intervention. Bullying and remedies to prevent it, are, after all, at the heart of his mental health charity, Heads Together. Even when such damaging allegations are made on the Palace's own doorstep, doing nothing is not an option. Palace probes claims Meghan bullied staff: Sensation as Queen orders investigation as aide alleges that duchess drove staff out By Rebecca English and Sam Greenhill for the Daily Mail The Queen launched an unprecedented inquiry last night into allegations that Meghan and Harry bullied their staff. Devastating claims that the Duchess of Sussex inflicted 'emotional cruelty' on aides and 'drove them out' were 'very' concerning, Buckingham Palace said. Harry and his wife were both also labelled 'outrageous bullies', according to sensational claims reported yesterday. 'Broken' royal aides told of feeling humiliated, 'sick', 'terrified', left 'shaking' with fear, and being reduced to tears by the duchess. In an extraordinary statement, Buckingham Palace announced a formal probe into the allegations surrounding the Queen's grandson and his wife. Members of staff will be invited to contribute in confidence. The Palace said: 'We are clearly very concerned about allegations in The Times following claims made by former staff of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. 'Accordingly our HR team will look into the circumstances outlined in the article. Members of staff involved at the time, including those who have left the Royal Household, will be invited to participate to see if lessons can be learned. The Queen (pictured with the couple in 2018) launched an unprecedented inquiry last night into allegations that Meghan and Harry bullied their staff Devastating claims that the Duchess of Sussex (pictured during her Oprah interview airing next week) inflicted 'emotional cruelty' on aides and 'drove them out' were 'very' concerning, Buckingham Palace said In an extraordinary statement (pictured), Buckingham Palace announced a formal probe into the allegations surrounding the Queen's grandson and his wife. Members of staff will be invited to contribute in confidence 'The household has had a dignity at work policy in place for a number of years and does not and will not tolerate bullying or harassment in the workplace.' Daily Mail scoop that signalled a scandal The first sign there was a problem within the Sussexes household came in a Daily Mail story from November 2018. This newspapers Eden Confidential diary column reported that Meghans personal assistant had quit suddenly just six months after the duchess married into the Royal Family. The aide was later named as Melissa Touabti. Advertisement It does not appear that the duke and duchess will be consulted at this stage. However, Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, have strenuously denied any bullying. In response to the reports, they accused the Queen's staff of orchestrating a 'calculated smear campaign' ahead of their explosive two-hour 'tell-all' interview with Oprah Winfrey being broadcast this weekend. But Palace sources last night slapped down the smear claim as utterly 'disingenuous'. The allegations and resulting probe as well as accusations by the duchess that Buckingham Palace, and therefore the Queen, are deliberately moving against her sees a new low in relations between the two parties. When the couple acrimoniously quit last year as working royals, the elderly monarch made clear her regret and made a point of saying they were still much loved members of her family. Aides said the hope was that they could still return for family events such as Trooping the Colour, the official celebration of the Queen's birthday when royals gather on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, and other important occasions. Last night a royal insider commented: 'I can't ever see those two back on the balcony.' There is no timetable to the investigation but it is understood that any changes in policies and procedures will be shared publicly in an annual review expected later in the year. Palace officials will be asked why the initial claims of bullying that were made in October 2018 were not acted on at the time. The Times revealed allegations that the duchess (pictured in a trailer for her Oprah interview with Harry) bullied two assistants and shattered the confidence of another member of staff, and 'drove them out' of Kensington Palace. It published a litany of alleged bullying and 'emotional cruelty' In October 2018, an official complaint was lodged by Jason Knauf, (pictured on Meghan and Harry's wedding day) himself one the couple's most senior advisers A royal source told the Daily Mail last night that the emergence of the bullying claims yesterday had 'shaken' many staff, both past and present, and brought up 'many unhappy memories' about a particularly 'toxic period'. The Times revealed allegations that the duchess bullied two assistants and shattered the confidence of another member of staff, and 'drove them out' of Kensington Palace. It published a litany of alleged bullying and 'emotional cruelty'. A Palace source told the paper: 'There were a lot of broken people. Young women were broken by their behaviour.' The source described one member of staff as 'completely destroyed'. A former aide branded both Harry and his wife 'outrageous bullies'. Another source claimed that Samantha Cohen, the couple's private secretary, had also been picked on. In October 2018, an official complaint was lodged by Jason Knauf, himself one the couple's most senior advisers. Mr Knauf, who worked as communications secretary to Harry and Meghan and now heads the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's charitable foundation, sent his 2018 email of complaint to Simon Case (left), then William's private secretary and now the Cabinet Secretary at Downing Street He wrote: 'I am very concerned that the duchess was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year. The treatment of [X] was totally unacceptable. 'The duchess seems intent on always having someone in her sights. She is bullying Y and seeking to undermine her confidence. 'We have had report after report from people who have witnessed unacceptable behaviour towards [Y].' Harry and Meghan, whose 'no holds barred' CBS interview with Miss Winfrey will be broadcast on Sunday in America and in the UK on Monday at 9pm on ITV which reportedly paid 1million hit back at the allegations in The Times. A spokesman claimed the newspaper was being 'used by Buckingham Palace to peddle a wholly false narrative' before the interview. Yesterday a senior Palace source told the Mail: 'This is absolutely untrue. We haven't been 'peddling' anything. It's disingenuous [to suggest that]. There are far more important things going on in the world [a reference to the pandemic and Prince Philip's hospitalisation] that have been focusing our attention, rather than the circus around a media interview.' Another source added: 'The Palace has 100 per cent refused to discuss in any way, shape or form the interview. 'Every journalist that has been asking them about it for the last week or so knows that. 'The view from the start is that nothing good is to be gained from doing that. Their view has not changed. The suggestion that this is a Palace-orchestrated smear campaign is deeply offensive and patently false.' Mr Knauf, who worked as communications secretary to Harry and Meghan and now heads the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's charitable foundation, sent his 2018 email of complaint to Simon Case, then William's private secretary and now the Cabinet Secretary at Downing Street. Mr Case, who is said to have had no managerial responsibility for Harry's staff but took a keen interest in what was happening, passed it to human resources director Samantha Carruthers. Harry had 'pleaded' with Mr Knauf (pictured left with the duke) not to pursue the allegations, The Times claimed. Lawyers for the couple deny this happened According to the report in The Times, Mr Knauf, who had already consulted Miss Carruthers, said in his email that she 'agreed with me on all counts that the situation was very serious'. Harry had 'pleaded' with Mr Knauf not to pursue the allegations, The Times claimed. Lawyers for the couple deny this happened. The newspaper said it had been approached by former staff to tell their story before the couple's interview with Miss Winfrey. They claimed that when Meghan was urged to support Palace staff she replied: 'It's not my job to coddle people.' Meghan's lawyers have vehemently denied she was a bully and claimed that one of the staff had left the job because of misconduct.They said the former actress was 'saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma'. They added: 'Let's just call this what it is a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation.' Revenge of the Sussex survivors' club: The extraordinary inside story of how a fairytale turned into a nightmare of 'traumatised' staff - by Royal Editor REBECCA ENGLISH, who saw so much of it herself It is the one royal group that no one wants to join. Referred to only half-jokingly as the 'Sussex Survivors' Club', its membership is sadly rising. But its select band of members have one thing in common: all have worked for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and lived to tell the tale. Joking aside, some even believe they may have a form of post-traumatic stress, defined by doctors as an anxiety disorder caused by distressing or frightening events. Such experiences, of course, are now widely acknowledged not to be limited to soldiers who have undergone traumatic experiences on the battlefield, but also to people at work. Even if that work is in a palace. And today, many former palace staff look back on the moment that Prince Harry introduced to the world his beautiful, intelligent and passionate bride-to-be as the beginning of one of the most traumatic periods in their lives. Let us be clear: Harry is a complex man but one with a strong sense of natural justice and charity, given to acts of compassion and kindness. 'He wears his heart on his sleeve and genuinely wants to do good in the world,' one admirer tells me. But he is also equally capable, say those who know him well and like him, of behaving 'like an absolute brat'. Aides at the centre of palace intrigue Melissa Touabti (right) is pictured with Robbie Williams' wife Ayda for whom she previously worked PA WHO QUIT AFTER WEDDING: Melissa Touabti, the duchess's former personal assistant, had previously worked for Robbie Williams and Madonna. She played a key role in preparations for Meghan and Harry's wedding in May 2018, but quit after just six months. The Frenchwoman, 41, took a job with the billionaire Livingstone family owners of the stately home Cliveden. THE AMERICAN SPIN DOCTOR: Jason Knauf joined the royals in 2014, having acted as a 'crisis management expert' at the Royal Bank of Scotland. The 36- year-old American, who completed his master's at the London School of Economics, served as communications secretary to the 'Fab Four' of William, Kate, Harry and Meghan before the Cambridges and Sussexes created separate offices in March 2019. Mr Knauf now heads William and Kate's charitable foundation. THE AMERICAN SPIN DOCTOR: Jason Knauf (left) walks behind the couple at the Invictus Games in Toronto Simon Case in Dundee in 2019 THE WHIZ-KID WHO RUNS WHITEHALL: Simon Case became the youngest head of the civil service for over a century when he took the post at the tender age of 41. The Cambridge history graduate a noted fan of tweed suits and Barbour jackets had previously been the principal private secretary to successive Tory prime ministers, David Cameron and Theresa May. He also worked at spying centre GCHQ as a director of strategy. His most recent role before becoming Cabinet Secretary last year was serving as private secretary to Prince William. THE TOUGH TALKING AUSTRALIAN: Formerly the Queens assistant private secretary, Samantha Cohen had planned to quit Buckingham Palace in 2018. Instead, she agreed to stay on and help the duchess through her first months in the Royal Family. The well-liked but tough-talking Australian became the Sussexes private secretary, but left in 2019 to work for the environmental charity Cool Earth. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Queen Elizabeth II (accompanied by Samantha Cohen) attend a ceremony to open the new Mersey Gateway Bridge on June 14, 2018 in Widnes, England THE PRINCES' HR HEAD HONCHO: Experienced human resources director Samantha Carruthers worked for De Beers and investment bank Lazard before joining the royals. Head of HR for Prince Charles and Prince William until 2019, she is now deputy chairman of the board of trustees for child bereavement charity Winstons Wish. Samantha Carruthers worked for De Beers and investment bank Lazard before joining the royal Advertisement It had been clear for years to anyone he came into contact with that he wasn't happy working with the palace machinery or, particularly, the British media (sometimes understandably so). He was, they say, always capable of self-destructively 'pressing the nuclear button' on his royal life. Meghan, they stress, was simply the catalyst. But the result was more toxic, more personally harmful, than anyone could ever have imagined. To begin with, however, the atmosphere at Kensington Palace was heady and exciting. Here was a glamorous couple, clearly deeply in love. Meghan was the missing piece of the jigsaw that poor, motherless Harry had been searching for all those years. Famously she once paid for an ice cream stand for her new staff at Kensington Palace, with the event later surprise! being breathlessly revealed in People, a 'pro-Sussex' American magazine, as the 'best day of work, ever'. More than that, they were a couple determined to do good on a world stage at the same time sprinkling a little stardust on Britain's 'fusty' old Royal Family. And their small team of loyal staff believed in them until, that is, the scales fell from their eyes. Notoriously, within a few weeks of Meghan's arrival in England and the announcement of the couple's engagement in November 2017, word was leaking out about the couple's 'autocratic' and 'difficult' behaviour. Occasionally it slipped into print: that Meghan (a claim robustly sourced by the Mail) had refused to wear a hat on her first official engagement with the Queen in Chester, despite being strongly advised it would be appropriate and respectful to do so. Then came the famous row over which tiara she wanted to wear to the couple's wedding, resulting in Harry publicly admonishing one of the Queen's most senior members of staff, Angela Kelly: 'What Meghan wants, Meghan gets.' There were also claims that the Duchess of Cambridge had told Meghan she shouldn't speak to her staff so dismissively and that there was so much friction at a pre-wedding bridesmaid fitting that Kate was left in tears. The Times has reported that the 'febrile' atmosphere within Kensington Palace saw staff, on occasion, weeping. Two say they were bullied by the duchess, a third that they had been 'humiliated' by her. The paper quotes one aide, who was anticipating a confrontation with Meghan, as saying: 'I can't stop shaking.' At first, my sources tell me, Harry tried to keep the peace, gently placating his wife and quietly apologising to staff. On one occasion described to me by several sources, he even gently admonished Meghan about the way she behaved with palace staff many of whom work long hours for relatively little money out of pride for the institution after a particularly explosive encounter. The details are subject to conjecture (and have become something of a palace legend) but resulted in Harry speaking to one of his close protection officers, who confirmed his fiancee's behaviour. But as the weeks went on, the prince became increasingly hostile to his once-loyal aides. The Times has claimed Harry knew of a complaint made by the couple's former communications secretary, Jason Knauf, that Meghan had driven two personal assistants out of the household and was undermining the confidence of a third staff member. Harry is said to have had a meeting with Mr Knauf in which he begged him not to pursue it. The Sussexes deny this. They also describe the allegations as 'old', 'distorted' and aimed at 'undermining' Meghan. It has been suggested by others that staff may have 'misunderstood' Meghan's more direct, American style. But I have personally witnessed more than one member of staff driven to tears by the treatment they were subjected to by the duke and duchess before the couple acrimoniously quit as working royals. One person sobbed down the phone to me after a particularly harrowing day. They clearly felt emotionally broken and could no longer cope with the pressure they were being subjected to. Others have indicated to me they were being asked to behave in a manner they did not feel professionally comfortable with, particularly in their dealings with the media. Several aides have also told me that Meghan in particular was very good at 'drawing' staff into her confidence, flattering them as if they were the only person in the world she could trust and asking them to help her with various duties. Often these were things that were far beyond the scope of their normal work in one case being instructed to make plans for her father Thomas to be flown from his home in Mexico before the wedding and taken to a fully-stocked 'safe house' in LA for a few days in order to fool any waiting media. And then, when things didn't go to plan, the sun would no longer shine on them. It was made 'horribly clear' they were out of favour. Toxic, hostile, distrustful, poisonous: all words I have heard regularly used over the past few years to describe people's experiences working in the Sussexes' household. The Times reports matters became so bad that Mr Knauf, an experienced PR operator who cut his teeth defending the bank RBS at the height of its financial scandal, decided to put his strongly held concerns in writing. He made clear in October 2018, little more than six months after the couple married, that he believed the duchess had already driven two members of staff out and another was being targeted. 'I am very concerned that the duchess was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year. The treatment of [redacted] was totally unacceptable,' he wrote. 'The duchess seems intent on always having someone in her sights. She is bullying 'Y' and seeking to undermine her confidence. We have had report after report from people who have witnessed unacceptable behaviour towards Y.' The Times has chosen not to match incidents to individual names, but the members of staff leaving the Sussexes' employment were all women and all seasoned professionals. A well-placed source said: '[One woman's] job was highly pressurised and in the end it became too much. She put up with quite a lot. Meghan put a lot of demands on her and it ended up with her in tears.' One member of staff, a seasoned professional, was initially said to have left on good terms. But I have since been told that this popular aide was deeply unhappy about her experience working for the duchess and had been 'desperate' to get out as long as she could professionally put a brave face on it. Likewise a third member of staff. Mr Knauf makes clear in his email, as reported by The Times, that he was also concerned about the couple's hugely experienced deputy private secretary, Samantha Cohen. She had worked for the Queen for more than 20 years and was personally persuaded by the monarch to stay on and help the couple navigate their first few years of royal life. He indicated that she was experiencing extreme stress and said: 'I questioned if the Household policy on bullying and harassment applies to principals [the term used to refer to a member of the royal family].' Rebecca English with Prince Harry to learn about the work of his new charity Sentebale in Lesotho in 2006 One source tells me wryly, with an eye to Meghan's much-hyped championing of female empowerment: 'Note that everyone concerned was a woman.' Another adds: 'Sam always made clear that it was like working for a couple of teenagers. They were impossible and pushed her to the limit. She was miserable.' Wedding gems from 'murderous' ruler Meghan Markle was criticised last night for preaching about human rights in Saudi Arabia yet wearing priceless earrings from its rulers. She was photographed wearing the earrings, a wedding gift from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, three weeks after the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, whose death the prince has accepted responsibility for. Meghan was claimed to have been unaware of the global outrage at the time about reports the prince had ordered the murder. She wore them at a dinner in a visit to Fiji in October 2018. Meghan Markle wears the earrings at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, Fiji, on October 23, 2018, three weeks after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul Her staff told journalists the jewellery was borrowed, without stating from whom. Meghan has campaigned for women in Saudi Arabia to be allowed to drive, appearing with Loujain al-Hathloul, an activist who has since been jailed. Lawyers for the duchess denied to The Times that she had misled anyone about the provenance of the earrings. The Duchess of Sussex was again seen wearing the earrings one month later on November 14, 2018 as she was photographed leaving Kensington Palace to attend Prince Charles's 70th birthday party at Buckingham Palace Advertisement The Times also makes reference to an incident during the couple's tour to Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga in 2018, which was a particularly difficult one for all concerned, Meghan included. She was, of course, pregnant at the time. The newspaper reports how Meghan cut short a visit to a market in Fiji because she was concerned about the presence of a UN organisation promoting women, with which she had worked before and made clear she no longer wished to have anything to do with. At the time officials had suggested that it was because it was humid and the crowd was oppressive in the market. I was there at the time and witnessed Meghan turn and 'hiss' at a member of her entourage, clearly incandescent with rage about something, and demand to leave. I later saw that same female highly distressed member of staff sitting in an official car, with tears running down her face. Our eyes met and she lowered hers, humiliation etched on her features. At the time I was unable to document anything as I couldn't conclusively link the two incidents together, despite my suspicions. I have subsequently found out from other sources that my instincts were right. It should be stressed that lawyers for the duchess said she met other leaders from UN Women later on the tour and denied she left for the reason alleged. So why has this all come out now, you might ask? The Times makes clear that these aides have 'hit back' before Meghan's bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey this Sunday. The newspaper says it was approached by sources because they felt 'only a partial version had emerged of Meghan's two years as a working member of the royal family and they wished to tell their side'. They were also concerned at how such matters were handled by the palace. One source put it more succinctly to me yesterday. 'Those concerned are fed up with the sheer hypocrisy of it all. The suggestion that they [the Sussexes] were being bullied and forced out when others were experiencing that very treatment at their hands!' exclaimed the source. Another insider told me they believed some staff had even sought psychological therapy over their experiences something that Harry, who moved the nation when he revealed how he had himself sought professional help to cope with the emotional fall-out over his mother's death and has long campaigned on mental health issues, should know all about. 'People have been broken by this, genuinely so. Absolutely traumatised,' I am told. Lawyers for the duchess say she wished to fit in and be accepted and had left her life in North America to commit to her new role. What a sad, sorry mess. The irony, another source says, is that no one wanted a battle. But the Sussexes have waged this war and enough is enough. Those aides who have broken the royal omerta say they refuse to sit by and watch Harry and Meghan's 'duplicitous' behaviour, especially when 'good people and brilliant professionals' are having their reputations unfairly traduced. One source warns: 'The royals cannot fight back. 'Never complain, never explain.' But they can.' A spokesman for the Sussexes has told The Times that they are the victims of a 'calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful information'. They have said the duchess is 'saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma.' Just a few days before the release of Prince Harry and Meghan Markles sit-down interview with Oprah Winfrey which is expected to be sensational, The Times has reported that the Duchess of Sussex was accused of bullying the staff during her stay at the Kensington Palace. Reportedly, Meghan is also accused of wearing the earrings gifted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a royal visit to Fiji. According to the media outlet, Two senior members of staff have claimed that they were bullied by the duchess while a third told the Times that it felt 'more like emotional cruelty and manipulation, which I guess could also be called bullying.' Meanwhile, a source was quoted by The Sun describing Kensington Palace as having a tense atmosphere with staff occasionally reduced to tears. The report has also stated that the duchess wore earrings to a formal dinner in Fiji in 2018 which were gifted by the Saudi Crown Prince for her wedding with Prince Harry. Mohammed bin Salman, according to the United States intelligence report approved the gruesome murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018. The couples communications assistant at the time, Jason Knauf, had reported the behavior in October 2018, apparently, to protect the staffers, the report stated. The Human relations (HR) complaint cited by the outlet read, "I am very concerned that the Duchess was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year. The treatment of X* was totally unacceptable." Read - Meghan Markle 'saddened' Over Bullying Allegations Made By Palace Staffers Read - Meghan Markle Wears Late Princess Dianas Bracelet During Oprah Winfrey Interview Meghan Markles spokesperson responds to claims In a statement to Town & Country, spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex categorically denied the allegations and said that Meghan is saddened by the latest attack on her character. The spokesperson termed the Duchess particularly someone who has been the target of bullying herself. Further, media reports have also stated that when Meghan wore the earrings to a state dinner in Fiji, she was not aware of the news regarding Saudi Princes involvement in the Khashoggi killing. The event reportedly took place several weeks after the Saudi journalists death. The spokesperson told the media outlet, The Duchess is saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma. She is determined to continue her work building compassion around the world and will keep striving to set an example for doing what is right and doing what is good. Read - Publisher To Appeal Ruling That It Invaded Meghan's Privacy Read - Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Compared To Dictators Like Kim Jong-Un By Piers Morgan Egyptian, Jordanian, and Palestinian foreign ministers have agreed to press on with efforts to create the opportune environment to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, calling for effective engagement by the international parties in the peace process. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry held with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi and his Palestinian counterpart Riyad Al-Malki a consultative tripartite meeting in the Egyptian capital of Cairo earlier on Wednesday, where they tackled the Palestinian cause and ways to resume negotiations to establish an independent Palestinian state. The three officials also agreed to coordinate to reach a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace that guarantees the establishment of an independent and viable Palestinian state on the borders of June 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Egypt and Jordan have been in talks with several Western parties to push forward the peace process. Cairo and Amman have been coordinating at the quartet level with Germany and France, and at the tripartite level with Palestine. During todays meeting, the ministers stressed the necessity to build on the momentum achieved over the last period to make headway in the peace process, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmed Hafez said in a statement. In February 2020, Egypt, along with Jordan, France, and Germany, formed the quartet committee, with the aim of reviving the halted negotiations. The quartet committee has so far held four meetings, the latest of which was hosted by Cairo last month, where the foreign ministers of the four countries forged 11 provisions detailed in a joint statement outlining the endeavours to revive the peace process. An anticipated meeting is expected in Paris this year. Hafez added that the FMs praised the outcomes of Februarys emergency meeting, held by the Arab League (AL) in Cairo, where the Arab foreign ministers reaffirmed that the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state will remain the Arab worlds central and fair cause. AL Secretary-General Ahmed Abu El-Gheit said the AL meeting restored a full consensus over the Palestinian cause with the blessing of Palestine. The statement added Shoukry, Safadi, and Al-Malki called, during the meeting, for ceasing all Israeli settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories. The settlement activities undermine the chances of reaching a two-state solution; moreover, they represent a violation of international legitimacy and international law resolutions, the ministers stressed. Shoukry also voiced Cairos support for all exerted efforts by the Palestinian leadership to render the Palestinian dialogue successful. He also hoped that the upcoming elections would contribute to end intra-Palestinian division. According to an announcement by the office of the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, in early February, legislative elections would be held on 22 May, followed by presidential elections on 31 July. Egypt hosted two-day talks dubbed the National Palestinian Dialogue in February, which brought together various Palestinian factions with the aim of ending inter-Palestinian differences and guarantee the success of the long-awaited elections scheduled for this year. Egypt is set to host another meeting of the National Palestinian Dialogue in March to further discuss the upcoming steps regarding the election of the national council in Palestine. Short link: (Photo : Could Logmore's Dry Ice Transit Solution Be the Answer to Covid Vaccine Delivery?) The formulation of a safe, effective COVID-19 vaccine is one thing, but its distribution to potentially billions of recipients is quite another. Make no mistake, transportation at sucha scale will entail a complex logistical operation, a consequence of the ultra-low storage temperatures required to preserve each and every dose. As the life-saving vaccine journeys by land, sea and air from laboratories to distribution centres - and then onward to clinics, pharmacies and hospitals - the deep-freeze delivery chain, also known as the "ultra cold chain" will shoulder the burden of optimizing conditions. The stakes couldn't be higher - the prevention of millions of deaths and the reopening of society ultimately depends on their success. These cold, hard facts make the release of a new product by supply chain analytics startup Logmore a cause for celebration. Low Temperature, High Risk While the Moderna vaccine requires storage at -20C, the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, of which 50 million doses were planned to be produced in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion in 2021, cannot be removed from a temperature of -70C, or -94F. To put this in perspective, this is far lower than the Antarctic winter, let alone the level that can be reached by a typical home freezer. "Vaccines lose effectiveness and their potency if they're exposed to temperatures outside of the range that they're supposed to be kept in," admits Michelle Seidel, UNICEF's immunization supply chain specialist. UNICEF is currently mapping out a network of specialized cold-storage units running on solar power for use in the developing world, and there are countless initiatives tackling challenges from all angles. Finnish startup Logmore is one company to design a solution that facilitates safer shipping. The firm's latest high-tech product, Logmore Dry Ice, is built to withstand temperatures as low as -100C and uses calibrated sensors to monitor cargo with complete accuracy. Carriers can connect the solution to their company systems and use it to track temperature, humidity, light, shocks, and location. Thanks to a novel QR code data-logger that syncs with the cloud using any smartphone camera, information can be tracked in real-time, with alerts notifying users if temperatures get too high. Needless to say, quality assurance is critical if the public's fears about a vaccine developed at warp speed are to be assuaged. The percentage of Americans who say they would get vaccinated for the coronavirus has sharply declined since earlier this year. Often, it's the "last mile" of the supply chain where so many snafus can take place. At one local clinic in Finland, a nurse received an alert from Logmore's system that a batch of vaccines had crossed the critical temperature threshold before arrival in mid-January, and her team was able to ensure that enough people came to receive injections before any spoilage took place. Without Logmore's solution having been in place, the clinic may have simply put the batch into their own deep freezers, none the wiser. "In general things are going really well, but from my perspective, looking at the industry, the challenges relate to end-to-end visibility and transparency," Logmore COO Niko Polvinen recently told the Techday Network. "Supply chains are often really complicated, as there are multiple operators - a plane takes the shipment from A to B, but from there, you need to take a truck, then you may need some warehousing and all that. Often there are different companies managing these different stages in the supply chain, and combining the information of all of these phases is really challenging. "Often, companies use different temperature monitoring systems, and the data isn't combined into any holistic view." The Most Complex Logistics Operation in History The rollout of Logmore Dry Ice couldn't come at a better time, as several temperature-sensitive vaccines have received emergency regulatory approval in order to initiate distribution. In the meantime, Logmore has been working hard towards securing partnerships with global shipping concerns and recently announced an alliance with French cold chain packaging firm Sofrigam. Logmore's novel logger tag product works with existing infrastructure, enabling vaccine manufacturers to verify product status and collect measurements in the blink of an eye. Fast, reliable deployment is certain to be a critical issue in the months ahead. "The world has never ever seen anything like this - in this much volume, especially this dry ice, extreme cold shipments. It's hundreds and hundreds of times larger than anything done before," Polvinen said. Products of this nature are essential for preserving such a sensitive vaccine as it makes its way around the globe. And the challenges don't stop at temperature control; substandard transport infrastructure in certain parts of the world is likely to pose more problems, so too adverse weather conditions and disrupted flight paths. One organization under no illusions about the challenges ahead is the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which conceded that we are facing "the largest and most complex global logistics operation ever undertaken." Little wonder Pfizer is spending $2 billion to create its own direct distribution network. In its guidance published on November 16, the IATA makes a cogent point regarding the need to "define the roles and responsibilities of parties involved in the distribution of vaccines, particularly government authorities and NGOs, to assist safe, fast and equitable distribution as broadly as possible." We are not a One World State: these roles and responsibilities will need to be judiciously determined, and vast resources allocated to ensure that hiccups do not occur along the way. Hiccups that could include delivery bottlenecks and delays due to sluggish clearance at customs. Although most prior vaccines have not required such excessively low temperatures to remain viable, the amount of wastage due to problems such as heat exposure, breakage and poor stock management is deeply concerning. In a paper published last year, the World Health Organization claimed wastage rates depend on vial presentation, with 5% waste for single dose and up to 50% for 20-dose shipments. The wastage rate for two doses - which is required by the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines - is 10%. Hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of vaccine could well go to waste, making the implementation of solutions like Logmore Dry Ice a no-brainer. The supply chain is under momentous pressure to convey vaccines from origin to destination, and collaboration and cooperation on an unprecedented scale will be required to ensure the drug reaches all regions of the world. Advanced technological solutions must be put to good use, and combined with intelligent and rigorous processes to ensure success. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Guardian The potential consequences of the origins of the virus are shattering if they can be proved My own complacency on the matter was dynamited by the lab-leak essay that ran in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists earlier this month. Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters There was a time when the Covid pandemic seemed to confirm so many of our assumptions. It cast down the people we regarded as villains. It raised up those we thought were heroes. It prospered people who could shift easily to working from home even as it problematized the lives of those Trump voters living in the old economy. Like all plagues, Covid often felt like the hand of God on earth, scourging the people for their sins against higher learning and visibly sorting the righteous from the unmasked wicked. Respect science, admonished our yard signs. And lo!, Covid came and forced us to do so, elevating our scientists to the highest seats of social authority, from where they banned assembly, commerce, and all the rest. We cast blame so innocently in those days. We scolded at will. We knew who was right and we shook our heads to behold those in the wrong playing in their swimming pools and on the beach. It made perfect sense to us that Donald Trump, a politician we despised, could not grasp the situation, that he suggested people inject bleach, and that he was personally responsible for more than one super-spreading event. Reality itself punished leaders like him who refused to bow to expertise. The prestige news media even figured out a way to blame the worst death tolls on a system of organized ignorance they called populism. In reaction to the fool Trump, liberalism made a cult out of the hierarchy of credentialed achievement in general But these days the consensus doesnt consense quite as well as it used to. Now the media is filled with disturbing stories suggesting that Covid might have come not from populism at all, but from a laboratory screw-up in Wuhan, China. You can feel the moral convulsions beginning as the question sets in: What if science itself is in some way culpable for all this? * I am no expert on epidemics. Like everyone else I know, I spent the pandemic doing as I was told. A few months ago I even tried to talk a Fox News viewer out of believing in the lab-leak theory of Covids origins. The reason I did that is because the newspapers I read and the TV shows I watched had assured me on many occasions that the lab-leak theory wasnt true, that it was a racist conspiracy theory, that only deluded Trumpists believed it, that it got infinite pants-on-fire ratings from the fact-checkers, and because (despite all my cynicism) I am the sort who has always trusted the mainstream news media. My own complacency on the matter was dynamited by the lab-leak essay that ran in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists earlier this month; a few weeks later everyone from Doctor Fauci to President Biden is acknowledging that the lab-accident hypothesis might have some merit. We dont know the real answer yet, and we probably will never know, but this is the moment to anticipate what such a finding might ultimately mean. What if this crazy story turns out to be true? The answer is that this is the kind of thing that could obliterate the faith of millions. The last global disaster, the financial crisis of 2008, smashed peoples trust in the institutions of capitalism, in the myths of free trade and the New Economy, and eventually in the elites who ran both American political parties. In the years since (and for complicated reasons), liberal leaders have labored to remake themselves into defenders of professional rectitude and established legitimacy in nearly every field. In reaction to the fool Trump, liberalism made a sort of cult out of science, expertise, the university system, executive-branch norms, the intelligence community, the State Department, NGOs, the legacy news media, and the hierarchy of credentialed achievement in general. Now here we are in the waning days of Disastrous Global Crisis #2. Covid is of course worse by many orders of magnitude than the mortgage meltdown it has killed millions and ruined lives and disrupted the world economy far more extensively. Should it turn out that scientists and experts and NGOs, etc. are villains rather than heroes of this story, we may very well see the expert-worshiping values of modern liberalism go up in a fireball of public anger. Consider the details of the story as we have learned them in the last few weeks: Lab leaks happen. They arent the result of conspiracies: a lab accident is an accident, as Nathan Robinson points out; they happen all the time, in this country and in others, and people die from them. There is evidence that the lab in question, which studies bat coronaviruses, may have been conducting what is called gain of function research, a dangerous innovation in which diseases are deliberately made more virulent. By the way, right-wingers didnt dream up gain of function: all the cool virologists have been doing it (in this country and in others) even as the squares have been warning against it for years. There are strong hints that some of the bat-virus research at the Wuhan lab was funded in part by the American national-medical establishment which is to say, the lab-leak hypothesis doesnt implicate China alone. There seem to have been astonishing conflicts of interest among the people assigned to get to the bottom of it all, and (as we know from Enron and the housing bubble) conflicts of interest are always what trip up the well-credentialed professionals whom liberals insist we must all heed, honor, and obey. The news media, in its zealous policing of the boundaries of the permissible, insisted that Russiagate was ever so true but that the lab-leak hypothesis was false false false, and woe unto anyone who dared disagree. Reporters gulped down whatever line was most flattering to the experts they were quoting and then insisted that it was 100% right and absolutely incontrovertible that anything else was only unhinged Trumpist folly, that democracy dies when unbelievers get to speak, and so on. The social media monopolies actually censored posts about the lab-leak hypothesis. Of course they did! Because were at war with misinformation, you know, and people need to be brought back to the true and correct faith as agreed upon by experts. * Let us pray, now, for science, intoned a New York Times columnist back at the beginning of the Covid pandemic. The title of his article laid down the foundational faith of Trump-era liberalism: Coronavirus is What You Get When You Ignore Science. Ten months later, at the end of a scary article about the history of gain of function research and its possible role in the still ongoing Covid pandemic, Nicholson Baker wrote as follows: This may be the great scientific meta-experiment of the 21st century. Could a world full of scientists do all kinds of reckless recombinant things with viral diseases for many years and successfully avoid a serious outbreak? The hypothesis was that, yes, it was doable. The risk was worth taking. There would be no pandemic. Except there was. If it does indeed turn out that the lab-leak hypothesis is the right explanation for how it began that the common people of the world have been forced into a real-life lab experiment, at tremendous cost there is a moral earthquake on the way. Because if the hypothesis is right, it will soon start to dawn on people that our mistake was not insufficient reverence for scientists, or inadequate respect for expertise, or not enough censorship on Facebook. It was a failure to think critically about all of the above, to understand that there is no such thing as absolute expertise. Think of all the disasters of recent years: economic neoliberalism, destructive trade policies, the Iraq War, the housing bubble, banks that are too big to fail, mortgage-backed securities, the Hillary Clinton campaign of 2016 all of these disasters brought to you by the total, self-assured unanimity of the highly educated people who are supposed to know what theyre doing, plus the total complacency of the highly educated people who are supposed to be supervising them. Then again, maybe I am wrong to roll out all this speculation. Maybe the lab-leak hypothesis will be convincingly disproven. I certainly hope it is. But even if it inches closer to being confirmed, we can guess what the next turn of the narrative will be. It was a perfect storm, the experts will say. Who coulda known? And besides (they will say), the origins of the pandemic dont matter any more. Go back to sleep. Thomas Frank is a Guardian US columnist. He is the author, most recently, of The People, No: A Brief History of Anti-Populism Five high school graduates have revealed how they ditched traditional Schoolies celebrations to go fruit picking to help a struggling farmer. The boys from The Gap State High School, just 20 minutes from Brisbane's CBD, spent summer on a watermelon farm in Chinchilla in Queensland's west. The students answered a call from farmer Murray Sturgess who urgently required fruit pickers to get his watermelon crop to market. The youngsters chose to get their hands dirty in Queensland's Western Downs Region instead of working on their beach tans on the Gold Coast. The five graduates from The Gap State High School swapped city life for farm life in December and January Farmer Murray Sturgess (pictured with wife Wendy Sturgess) was impressed by the work ethic of the teenager 'If you can survive the first three days, you're sweet,' fresh faced school-leaver Rhys Burke told the ABC when reflecting on his farm stint. 'I had no idea what to expect... but it ended up being great. I'd definitely do it again and recommend it to anyone else.' Mr Sturgess had previously leaned on an influx of backpackers to work as fruit pickers on his rural Queensland property. Covid-19 restrictions scuppered that option in 2020, and after advertising online and on social media, the veteran farmer had limited takers. Mr Sturgess, who also taught the youngsters cattle husbandry, was pleasantly surprised by the work ethic of the teenagers. 'We started each morning at 5am, and worked through until about 1.30pm,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'After they had a lunch break, they then worked a further 90 minutes in the afternoon, it was hard work. 'The aim was to make them feel part of the show and give them a sense of responsibility... to feel a part of the organisation.' The fruit pickers, all described as 'well mannered', started work in early December, before winding up just before Christmas Day. After the festive break, the youngsters returned to life on the farm before formally completing their commitments in mid to late January, over a total course of two and a half months. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Delhi Chief Minister will receive his first dose of Thursday morning at the city's LNJP hospital, a government statement said. TheChief Minister will receive the shot around 9.30 AM, the Delhi government statement said. Kejriwal, 52 years, has been receiving treatment for diabetes, officials said. In the ongoing vaccination drive, people aged 60 years and above and those in age group 45-59 years having comorbidities are being administered the vaccines at 192 hospitals across Delhi. (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.) Tributes have been pouring in to 'a giant of the industry' after a leading newspaper editor, 73, died following a battle with pneumonia and Covid-19. Bob Satchwell, founder of the Society of Editors (SoE), had spent the last few weeks in hospital but did not respond to treatment. He was in a hospice for the last week of his life, his family said on Wednesday. He has been described by his colleagues as 'one of the media's greatest champions'. Tributes have been paid to 'a giant of the publishing industry' after journalist Bob Satchwell, 73, died after developing pneumonia and Covid-19 Mr Satchwell - who stepped down from the SoE after suffering a debilitating stroke in 2017 - began his career as a reporter on the Lancashire Evening Post in 1970. Mr Satchwell, founding executive director of the Society of Editors (SoE), has been described by his colleagues as 'one of the media's greatest champions' after he passed away this week He went on to become assistant editor for the News of the World and edited the Cambridge Evening News from 1984 to 1998. Mr Satchwell was 'always there in the fight' to ensure the British press could report on matters openly and honestly, his admirers said. Ian Murray, who took over from him as executive director of the SoE, said Mr Satchwell was someone who had always fought for a free press. He said: 'I know I speak for the board and membership of the society when I say we have lost one of the media's greatest champions. 'The principles of a free press ran through his veins. 'Bob was one of life's great communicators and this gift made him superbly able to fight his many battles on behalf of the press. 'From Leveson to the creation of IPSO (Independent Press Standards Organisation), from threats to Freedom of Information, to the countless other attempts to stifle free speech, Bob was always there in the fight.' Mr Satchwell (left) had spent the last few weeks in hospital but did not respond to treatment Mr Satchwell (right) was in a hospice for the last week of his life, his family said on Wednesday. He is pictured holding a mini-code of conduct that was to be sent out to every journalist in Britain in 1998 His family said they were 'devastated to lose a true character who was a loving father, brother, husband, son, grandfather and friend'. They added: 'Throughout his life Bob has fought and won many battles but is now resting peacefully with his beloved wife Michele.' A memorial service is planned for later in the year, with details to be confirmed. Wednesday: The Matrix (1999) ITV4, 10pam - Keanu Reeves is computer hacker Neo, a man with an impossible mission (or so it seems). He's charged with saving the world and enlightening the human race to the fact that reality, as they know it, isn't all that it appears. It turns out everyone is living in a computer simulation, but Neo is suddenly plucked out of the hi-tech illusion by a team of freedom fighters determined to reveal the truth. At the time of its release, The Matrix made a huge impact, thanks to its groundbreaking special effects and top-notch action. Although a slew of copycat films and some unnecessarily convoluted sequels have dulled the impact a little, it remains an eye-popping, mind-bending movie. Thursday Taken (2008) Film4, 9pm At the time, Liam Neeson seemed an unlikely choice for leading man in this fast-paced jaunt through the French capital, but he proved himself to be a charismatic and convincing action hero and launched a new phase in his career. He stars as a merciless avenger who will stop at nothing to rescue his daughter from the clutches of sex traffickers. The boulevards of Paris are littered with dead bodies by the time the end credits roll as the invincible hero relentlessly pursues his quarry, snapping arms as if they were dry twigs. The action set-pieces are well choreographed, including a breakneck car chase and some bone-crunching fist fights that recall Matt Damon's Jason Bourne forays for ferocity and slick editing. Friday You Were Never Really Here (2017) Film4, 11.20pm Based on Jonathan Ames' novella of the same title, You Were Never Really Here is a brutal and unflinching revenge thriller from writer-director Lynne Ramsay. Traumatised war veteran Joe (Joaquin Phoenix in a fearless and at times heart-breaking performance) cares for his ailing mother (Judith Roberts) in his childhood home. By day, he wrestles with an addiction to painkillers and, by night, he accepts hitman assignments from associate John McCleary (John Doman). Joe accepts a meeting with Senator Albert Votto (Alex Manette), whose teenage daughter Nina (Ekaterina Samsonov) is missing. The politician has received a tip-off by text that his beautiful girl is a sex slave in a brothel located in the Kips Bay neighbourhood of Manhattan. Saturday The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) Channel 4, 6.45pm The jury may still be out on whether JRR Tolkien's sprightly novel really benefited from being stretched out over a trilogy of movies, but there is still much to enjoy in director Peter Jackson's opening instalment, including a near perfect cast. In the first deviation from the text, Jackson begins his picture at Bag End with the elderly Bilbo (Ian Holm) penning a book to his cousin Frodo (Elijah Wood). We rewind 60 years to meet Bilbo (Martin Freeman) in the Shire as he encounters Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and a 13-strong company of dwarves, who intend to reclaim their lost gold from the dragon Smaug in his mountain lair. After a sleepless night, Bilbo agrees to accompany dwarf leader Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) and his troops on their perilous journey. Sunday Jurassic Park (1993) ITV2, 6.25pm Steven Spielberg's monster blockbuster sees a group of scientists (including Sam Neill and Laura Dern) being given a sneak preview of a safari park set up on a remote island by an eccentric tycoon (Richard Attenborough). The creatures on display are genetically engineered dinosaurs and it isn't long before something goes wrong and the prehistoric beasts escape their cages. Now that the dinosaurs are free to roam the island, the visitors become prey for a multitude of carnivorous critters. The plot may be a rehash of author Michael Crichton's earlier hit Westworld, but at the time this was one of the greatest shows on earth. In 2021, it still packs a punch, not least because of great effects, sound design, action scenes and Jeff Goldblum's wonderful performance as a swaggering 'chaotician'. Monday Hidden Figures (2016) Film4, 9pm Katherine Johnson (Taraji P Henson) and fellow mathematicians Mary Jackson (Janelle Monae) and Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) work in the segregated West Computing Group in Hampton, Virginia. They are part of Nasa's concerted effort to put a man into space before the Soviets. Al Harrison (Kevin Costner), director of the Space Task Group, desperately needs a mathematician in his team to check computations. Supervisor Vivian Mitchell (Kirsten Dunst) selects Katherine, who is the first African-American to work with Al's crack squad. Based on an inspirational true story, Hidden Figures is a crowd-pleasing drama, emboldened by sparkling performances from Henson, Monae and Spencer. Sterling support from Costner and Dunst, and a dramatic role for Big Bang Theory star Jim Parsons, add to the golden lustre. Tuesday Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa (2013) BBC2, 11.30pm Much excitement surrounded the announcement of Steve Coogan's return as the hapless Norwich-based DJ, and for once, the resulting movie more than lived up to the hype. The plot sees radio station North Norfolk Digital being taken over by new owners - and one of their first actions is to sack Alan's fellow DJ Pat Farrell (Colm Meaney). Unfortunately, Pat responds to the news by storming into the studio with a shotgun and taking hostages. When the police enlist Alan as a negotiator, he sees a chance to turn the situation to his own advantage by using the resulting publicity to boost his career. I'm Alan Partridge regulars Felicity Montagu and Simon Greenall (aka long-suffering Lynn and Michael) are among the supporting cast. LONDON, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Last week, the Federation of St Kitts and Nevis began rolling out its mass vaccine programme after receiving 20,000 vaccinations from India. Despite its international borders opening on October 31st, St Kitts and Nevis continues to be one of the least impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, reporting only 33 cases, no current community spread and zero deaths overall. Prime Minister Timothy Harris has called for all citizens of the dual-island nation to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity. Additionally, Prime Minister Harris addressed the importance of vaccine sharing globally, asking wealthier nations to assist developing countries. He addressed the need for greater access to the vaccine and for it to be distributed in an efficient means. "I call on the G7 countries of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US, as well as the EU to make vaccines available to those nations in need in a timely manner," PM Harris said. "We are grateful for the generous amounts being contributed by these nations to the COVAX vaccine fund but urge them to go further and faster, as the indicative quantities do not meet the threshold of herd immunity," he added. The Prime Minister also thanked India for its generosity. The two nations have enjoyed a close relationship due to their standing in the Commonwealth and shared history as British colonies. Additionally, St Kitts and Nevis is home to a sizeable Indian population, from businessmen to students, which only continues to grow thanks to the nation's Citizenship by Investment Programme. Les Khan, CEO of the Citizenship by Investment Unit, highlighted this in a recent webinar with The Economic Times: "Here, in St Kitts and Nevis, is the Windsor University that deals with hundreds of Indians who come to pursue medical studies. It is headed by persons of Indian descent. In all aspects of our economic areas, we have Indians who have found a welcoming place and are contributing in a constructive way to nation-building. We are open, and we will be most comfortable in having them come and be part of our economic landscape." Since 1984, St Kitts and Nevis has been operating the world's first and longest-standing CBI Programme, which welcomes foreign investors to become citizens of the nation once contributing to a government fund. Due to its vast experience and longevity, the programme is considered the 'Platinum Standard' within the investment migration realm. Revenue generated under it has contributed to national development projects in tourism, healthcare, education and more. Meanwhile, investors who gain access to St Kitts and Nevis citizenship unlock benefits ranging from increased travel mobility, financial freedom and the ability to pass citizenship down for generations to come, establishing a future legacy for your family. They also gain the right to live, work and study in an idyllic setting where the rule of law is widely respected. Contact: +447867942505, pr@csglobalpartners.com, www.csglobalpartners.com Serbia's President Vucic donates COVID-19 vaccines to Bosnia's members of tripartite presidency Dodik, Dzaferovic and Komsic, in Sarajevo SARAJEVO (Reuters) - Former wartime enemy Serbia donated 5,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to the Bosniak-Croat region of neighbouring Bosnia on Tuesday, allowing it to launched its inoculation campaign. The Bosniak-Croat Federation, one of Bosnia's two autonomous entities alongside the Serb Republic, has ordered 1.2 million doses under the global COVAX vaccine-sharing scheme, and nearly 900,000 from the European Union, but has not received any yet. At Sarajevo airport, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic handed the vaccines to members of Bosnia's tripartite presidency, Sefik Dzaferovic, Zeljko Komsic and Milorad Dodik, and vowed to send another 5,000 doses in the coming days. "I am happy that we can save ... lives with vaccines, it is important and great thing," Vucic told reporters. "Serbia is acting as a friend and a neighbour." In 1992-95, Serbia under then-strongman President Slobodan Milosevic backed nationalist Bosnian Serbs in a devastating war to purge Bosnia of its Muslims and Croats and carve out a Greater Serb homeland. Around 100,000 people were killed. The 1995 Dayton peace accord created a federal Bosnia divided into two autonomous entities along largely ethnic lines. Serbia is now at peace with former 1990s foes, including fellow former Yugoslav republic and European Union member state Croatia, and is a candidate to join the EU. Bosnia is the third ex-Yugoslav republic to receive vaccines from Serbia, after North Macedonia and Montenegro. "When global multilateral mechanisms ... have failed, President Vucic sent (us) an offer (for vaccines) and we have accepted it," Dzaferovic said. Bosnia's Serb republic, which maintains close ties with Serbia, last month started inoculations with Russia's Sputnik V vaccine. Belgrade also allocated 5,000 vaccine doses to administer to Serb Republic medical staff. Around 1 million people in Serbia have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. In the Western Balkans, inoculations on a much smaller scale are under way in Montenegro, North Macedonia and Albania, while Kosovo and the Bosniak-Croat region have yet to launch their campaigns. So far, Bosnia has recorded 130,979 cases of the new coronavirus and 5,071 deaths. (Reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic; Editing by Mark Heinrich) Guest speakers have been part of past Young Writers Night events. For 2021, 24 teachers in the district volunteered to help out and have been working as mentors for participating students, who had a first draft due Feb. 15 and a final draft due March 15 about anything they wanted to share about their thoughts, impressions or experiences in 2020. Mar. 3This article was produced in partnership with ProPublica as part of the ProPublica Local Reporting Network. A week ago, one of Alaska's most powerful executives abruptly resigned from his job leading the largest tribal health organization in the state. Neither the outgoing president nor the group said why. Earlier that day, his former assistant had delivered a scathing three-page letter to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium that described a pattern of abusive behavior, harassment and coerced sexual encounters by president Andy Teuber, according to the document, obtained by the Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica. The woman, Savanah Evans, who is 27, delivered her own resignation letter on Feb. 23, describing workplace abuse, harassment and intimidation at the hands of Teuber, who is 52. "Andy unrelentingly coerced, forced, and required sex of me," Evans wrote in her letter. In a phone interview Monday, she told the Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica that much of the abuse took place in ANTHC offices, and that it derailed her personal and professional life. Evans gave her permission to be named in this article, saying she wants to end a cycle of abuse. "If I don't speak up," she wrote in her resignation letter, "I will be no less guilty than those who have done nothing but swept it under the rug." Teuber's departure follows the recent resignations of two consecutive Alaska attorneys general, Kevin Clarkson and Ed Sniffen, and of Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz, all following allegations of inappropriate interactions with women. Clarkson apologized for sending hundreds of text messages to a junior state employee, including some inviting her to his home. Sniffen has not responded to requests for comment about allegations that three decades ago he had sex with an underage high school student when he was her mock trial coach. Berkowitz acknowledged "unacceptable personal conduct" after a TV news reporter disclosed that he had sent her nude selfies. Story continues In an email Monday, Teuber denied the allegations, saying he had a "completely consensual personal relationship." In a separate email, Teuber said that Evans often initiated the sexual encounters between them. Evans, in turn, says that Teuber is the one who insisted their sexual relationship continue even after she wanted it to stop. Teuber wrote that he couldn't respond to some specific allegations about ANTHC, its employees or its practices because of strict confidentiality provisions he agreed to as part of his former position. "I have never, and would never, engage in a non-consensual or 'quid pro quo' personal relationship with anyone," he wrote. "The allegations of wrongdoing that I have been made aware of are false, and these allegations and their timing appear designed to portray me unjustly and falsely; to damage my personal and family relationships; but especially to sabotage my recent engagement and new marriage; and to undermine my professional prospects." Evans and her attorney, Jana Weltzin, said they were not aware that Teuber was engaged or had gotten married. ANTHC spokesperson Shirley Young said the tribal health organization is conducting an "independent outside" investigation, but that the organization could not comment on specific allegations, citing personnel confidentiality rules. Alaska law does not prohibit sexual relationships between supervisors and subordinates, and ANTHC's policies do not explicitly prohibit them either. The organization's policy on personal relationships in the workplace requires supervisors to disclose any sexual relationship with "an individual within their chain of command or area of influence" to the human resources department. It also requires employees who are in a relationship to behave professionally "during work hours and within the working environment." Teuber was not Evans' direct supervisor even though she was his direct assistant, Weltzin said. Young said she could not comment on whether Teuber disclosed any kind of relationship with Evans, as would be required by the rule, citing personnel confidentiality rules. Rebecca G. Pontikes, a Boston attorney who specializes in representing workers in gender-based employment discrimination and sexual harassment cases, said some companies go further and ban sexual relationships between supervisors and subordinates. Such relationships, if they aren't consensual, would amount to sexual harassment, which is illegal in the workplace under federal employment law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex, she said. Teuber wrote that he would participate in the investigation and planned to offer "evidence refuting the allegations of wrongdoing made against me." Evans said she possesses a "massive" number of text messages and one or more recordings that substantiate her claims. Teuber said he would forward video files and a "volume of exchanges" to the news organizations, but he had not done so as of Tuesday afternoon. Evans and her attorney declined to provide a copy of an audio recording that had been provided to board members, and did not respond to requests to see the text messages. For more than a decade, Teuber was the president of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and one of the most powerful executives in Alaska. ANTHC is "the largest, most comprehensive Tribal health organization in the United States," according to its website, and it has a far-reaching impact in Alaska: The organization co-owns and manages the Alaska Native Medical Center, a major trauma hospital in Anchorage, as well as providing health services to more than 170,000 Alaska Native people and communities across the state. The organization has more than 3,000 employees, making it one of the largest health employers in Alaska. Teuber was paid a salary of more than $1 million per year to oversee ANTHC, at the same time serving as chief executive of the Kodiak Area Native Association, a regional tribal health provider. He served on other powerful boards, including the Alaska Federation of Natives, and he was a member of the University of Alaska Board of Regents. He resigned both of those roles last week as well. Alaska has the highest rate of sexual assault in the United States, particularly among Alaska Native women. A sexual relationship Soon after she started work as Teuber's special assistant in October 2019, Evans said she received a request for an "inappropriate photo" while on a work trip to Kodiak with Teuber, which she refused to provide. Their sexual relationship began the same month, according to the resignation letter. Within a month or two, Evans said she told Teuber she did not want to continue having sex with him, she said in an interview. Teuber denied the allegation. "After she made her interest plainly known, we did engage in intimate relations, which were always willing, voluntary and consensual, and often initiated by Ms. Evans," Teuber wrote in an email. The two continued to have sex. Evans said she was required to bring paperwork to Teuber's home office. "(On) my first trip to deliver papers for his signature, he pushed me into the downstairs front bedroom for sex and told me that, 'You always listen better after I fuck you,'" she wrote to the board members. "You may wonder if this relationship was consensual," she wrote. "It is not, if the person controls your employment." In one instance, Evans wrote that "(Teuber) wouldn't get off of me to let me leave." "Later he texted me, simply saying 'I'm sorry; that wasn't cool.'" Teuber denied that any sexual encounter between the two was not consensual. Another time, Teuber and the woman had a sexual encounter inside the ANTHC boardroom executive suite, she wrote. Teuber denies this happened. "This is another degrading, dehumanizing example of the requirement to keep my job," she wrote. "Any time I tried to ignore his calls or texts during my personal non-work private time, he would swear at me, demand responses, and threaten me by referring to my job and stating that I have it because of him." Teuber responded: "I did at times express myself strongly to Ms. Evans, but all such expressions were job performance related." Teuber said in an email that he resigned "a few minutes" after he learned of the allegations against him. He did not answer questions about why he resigned. "I am a single mother of a 4-year-old daughter. I am an Athabascan from the Koyukon Region," Evans wrote to the 15-member ANTHC board. She said she appreciated the opportunity to work for the organization and acknowledged that her complaint about Teuber's behavior would normally be sent to a human resources department, not the board of directors. In her resignation letter, Evans said that ANTHC has tolerated and enabled similar abuse in the past. Teuber wrote that he was not aware of any prior allegations against him. ANTHC did not respond to questions about any past reports of abuse. In a written statement Monday, incoming chairperson Bernice Kaigelak said the organization "will not tolerate harassment of any kind." "As the new chair, I am committed to a harassment-free workplace," Kaigelak said. "This is particularly important given the rate of sexual harassment or abuse of Alaska Native women. All complaints of harassment will be investigated, and prompt action will be taken when issues are identified, regardless about whom they are directed." STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. An interim UK study suggests one shot of certain two-dose vaccines are effective in reducing hospitalizations for people in their 80s with underlying conditions. The ongoing surveillance project known as AvonCAP is funded by Pfizer, according to a Reuters report. The study reportedly found that one shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was 71.4% effective after 14 days in preventing symptomatic illness that otherwise couldve resulted in hospitalization of patients in that age group. *** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK *** The same study found the AstraZeneca vaccine was 80.4% effective among people averaging 88 years old. A recent study in Israel found a single shot of the Pfizer two-shot vaccine was 57% effective in defending against symptomatic infections after two weeks. A successful conspiracy should be limited in the number of people involved. They must be highly intelligent and free from the need to feed their egos by revealing how important they are. The events surrounding the Jan. 6 "insurrection" met none of these criteria. Hundreds of organizations were involved, and responsible officials contradicted each other. The approved narrative: Because Donald Trump falsely claimed that the election was stolen, he incited his white supremacist followers to invade the Capitol in an attempt to overthrow the government. Sen. Gary Peters described it as a "direct attack on our democracy." This provided proof that white supremacists were a real threat. It also eclipsed the BLM and Antifa riot bad press. The FBI reported that there was no indication that individuals associated with Antifa disguised themselves among pro-Trump supporters in order to provoke the mob at the U.S. Capitol. Reason magazine admitted there was a single one, but "the existence of one person vaguely connected to antifa does not establish that antifa was ultimately culpable for what transpired." The disturbance at the Capitol on Jan. 6 is routinely described as a "deadly insurrection." The riots that took place during the summer and caused between 1 and 2 billion dollars in damage and at least 17 deaths are described as "peaceful." The only death that can be attributed directly to the violence on Jan. 6 was the death of a woman shot by police in violation of any law enforcement's rules of engagement. It is clear that the government and the Deep State media are not giving an accurate picture of what took place. You did not need a crystal ball to know that violent groups would use the gathering to promote violence. Past experience with mass gatherings, such as Trump's inauguration in 2017, should have required increased security. Yet, according to the Washington Post, "Capitol Police did not take the kind of extra precautions, such as frozen zones and hardened barriers, that are typically used for major events near the Capitol." Former House sergeant at arms Paul Irving said, "We all believed that the plan met the threat and that we were prepared." Some of their confidence was based on previous Trump rallies. Trump-supporters had held dozens of mass meetings in the recent past. Police were assaulted in none of them. Former Capitol Police chief Steven Sund claimed, "The intelligence that we based our planning on indicated that the Jan. 6 protests were expected to be similar to the previous [peaceful] MAGA rallies in 2020, which drew tens of thousands of participants." However, Sund remarked, "I witnessed insurgents beating police officers with fists, pipes, sticks, bats, metal barricades and flag poles." This version of the account does not match with other claims. Metro Police chief Robert Contee testified that Sund "pleaded" with military officials to send in the National Guard. He warned Congress six times about the high risk of violence before Jan. 6. John Falcicchio, chief of staff for D.C. mayor Muriel E. Bowser, claimed, "Literally, this guy is on the phone, I mean, crying out for help. It's burned in my memories." There is evidence that the FBI withheld intelligence from the responsible parties prior to Jan. 6. Steven Sund told lawmakers he did not receive a copy of an FBI report warning of violence that was issued the day before the attack on the Capitol." It had been sent to the police but was not forwarded to Sund. Sund testified that on "January 5th, during a meeting I hosted with my executive team, the Capitol Police board and a dozen of the top law enforcement and military officials from D.C., no entity, including the FBI, provided any new intelligence regarding Jan. 6." According to the Washington Post, the warning that extremists were preparing to commit violence and "war" contradicted senior officials' declaration that the bureau had no intelligence indicating that anyone planned on violence. There was a plethora of evidence that Antifa and other extremist groups planned on hijacking the Trump rally. Millie Weaver provides an extensive record of extremist plans to disrupt the event. Is it possible that a 29-year-old is a more capable investigator than a multi-billion-dollar intelligence complex? The FBI said there was no indication that individuals associated with Antifa disguised themselves among pro-Trump supporters in order to provoke the mob at the U.S. Capitol. The head of the FBI's Washington Field Office, Steven D'Antuono, told reporters that the agency did not have intelligence suggesting that the pro-Trump rally would be anything more than a lawful demonstration. During his congressional testimony, FBI director Chris Wray was asked whether Antifa members participated in the Jan. 6 riot. Wray said the FBI "has seen no evidence" of Antifa participating. Sen. Ron Johnson had a totally different take on the affair. According to The Hill, "Sen. Johnson read from an unverified eyewitness account raising unproven claims about 'provocateurs' and people pretending to be supporters of former President Trump participating in the riot." The Hill stressed "unverified" and "unproven." For this he was ridiculed. Sen. Amy Klobuchar remarked, "Ron Johnson has again engaged in a conspiracy theory that's what he does." Johnson was basing his remarks on the work of J. Michael Waller, senior analyst for strategy at the Center for Security Policy, and war correspondent Michael Yon. Yon claimed, "What we've seen so far .. Antifa clearly led the attack." Would the leaders of Antifa forgo an opportunity to disrupt a Trump event? It was reported that "[t]here was a conspicuous absence of the usual left-wing suspects that are typically drawn to large right-wing gatherings, such as Antifa and Black Lives Matters leaders." Had Antifa decided to go on vacation? Thanks to Project Veritas, we have information about the methods used to disrupt events. In 2016, two top Democratic strategists were recorded talking about planting agitators at Trump events: Robert Creamer, founder of Democracy Advocates, and Scott Foval of Americans United for Change. Foval talked about how "we have to have a central kind of agitator training." He bragged, "We've been busing people in to deal with you f------ a------- for 50 years, and we're not going to stop now," and he claimed that his paid agitators fueled a Chicago protest that forced the Trump campaign to cancel its event. Creamer said: "Wherever Trump and Pence are going to be, we have events. And we have a whole team across the country that does that." Foval said he has training centers in New York, Washington, Las Vegas, Colorado, and Minneapolis. Nancy Pelosi is demanding that we get to the bottom of this. She has formed a commission to investigate, headed by Lt. General Russel Honore. While this investigation is in progress, all questions will have to wait. The FBI will naturally conduct its own investigations. Following the August attack on Sen. Rand Paul, the senator requested an investigation on who was financing people from out of state to fly to D.C. and stay at first-class hotels. Nothing came of this, and nothing will come of the investigation into the Jan. 6 events. The events of Jan. 6 must be covered up. It is quite possible that the riot was conducted with the full knowledge of the FBI and the congressional leadership. Were Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell curious about what might happen on Jan. 6? Did they not have access to the FBI's intelligence? The FBI has infiltrated many of these groups. The Proud Boys, labeled a dangerous "white supremacist" group by U.S. agencies, is led by Enrique Tarrio, an Afro-Cuban FBI informant. The entire scheme is revealed by a Time magazine article. It is referred to as "the inside story of the conspiracy to save the 2020 election." The authors do not shy away from the term "conspiracy." The article reveals how Mike Podhorzer, a senior adviser to the president of the AFL-CIO, organized efforts to influence the 2020 election. Podhorzer formed a coalition of more than 150 liberal groups. These included "racial-justice activists and others." Podhorzer directed the activist groups to "stand down." They followed his instructions. We know from the Time magazine article that there was a vast coalition working on this conspiracy. Were the FBI and congressional leadership included? John Dietrich is a freelance writer and the author of The Morgenthau Plan: Soviet Influence on American Postwar Policy (Algora Publishing). He has a Master of Arts degree in international relations from St. Mary's University. He is retired from the Defense Intelligence Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. He is featured on the BBC's program "Things We Forgot to Remember:" Morgenthau Plan and Post-War Germany. Image: Pixabay, Pixabay License. The Pennsylvania Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee is holding a meeting at 7:30p.m. EST Thursday night, March 4, to discuss the developments in Philadelphia and mobilize opposition to the deadly reopening of schools. Register now and share this link with your coworkers to build the committee! All teachers, support staff and supporters should join the network of Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committees. As local Democrats move forward with reopening the School District of Philadelphia, opposition continues to build among teachers and parents. On Monday, city officials announced they were moving forward with reopening more than 50 elementary schools throughout the city, after a decision was handed down by a third-party mediator appointed by the school district and the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers union. Under the terms of the Memorandum of Agreement worked out by the PFT with the district, the mediators decision is being forced through without even the semblance of a vote by teachers, who will begin returning to classrooms as early as today in preparation for classes next week. Both in the city and in the surrounding area, reopening plans have met with widespread opposition. In the Philly suburb of Downingtown, parents and teachers have organized a walkout today to protest the reopening of the Downington Area School District, which covers 12,000 students. The group, officially called the DASD Community for Metrics, Safety and Stable Learning Environment, is protesting the districts flouting of even the minimal recommendations from CDC guidelines, which were politically motivated to conform to Bidens demands that schools reopen by April. Lionville Middle School, one of the schools in the Downingtown Area School District [Source: Downingtown Area School District website / DASD.org] In particular, teachers and parents are incensed by the district and county health departments claim that schools can be safely reopened with teachers and children as close together as three feet apart. On their social media page, they group said, The school district and county officials are playing with our lives and that of our children. The World Socialist Web Site spoke with Tara, one of the main organizers of the walkout. Tara has two school-age children, both of whom are currently in hybrid classes. Originally starting with three mothers, Tara organized protests and demands on Facebook, attracting more parents and teachers concerned about the safety of their lives. She said the initial mission, beginning in December, was to close over the Holidays because the numbers were very high and safety protocols werent adequate. She continued, Chester County is in the northwest suburbs. We have a lot of resources. Schools are great. Taxes are high [in Pennsylvania schools are funded through property taxes]. We dont understand why the school district hasnt put more money into virtual learning. The people who want us open are COVID deniers. They want five days a week. Now the county department of health has said it is okay to go to three feet. We are still at a very high substantial risk for COVID. It is irresponsible to reopen schools five days a week. When they do open five days a week, a lot of families will be negatively impacted. The school board asked for a commitment: please commit your children to five days a week. Thanks to the Trump administrations repeated denials of the grave threat posed by COVID, The people who want five days a week have been hyper-focused, laser-focused since the summer. We were not open until October even for hybrid. We opened for hybrid. And they were upset and amplified themselves badgering school board, county, and department of health for five days. The parents who sent their children into schools for hybrid learning during the fall believed that CDC guidelines would be strictly followed and enforced. The parents sending kids in were under the impression that the school district was following guidelines, Tara said. When is the goal post going to be moved again! People have been waiting eagerly for numbers to go down. Now they are talking about not following six feet. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Chester County had been in the worst, substantial level of community transmission as defined by the state in the week ending February 26, and for most of the previous weeks as well. In order to let the district know how many are upset, we are not going to send our kids to school this Wednesday. Some are virtual but we are not going to have them log in! We have an attendance record so we can see. The protest group will also have kids take pictures of themselves and demand six feet social distancing. As with schools throughout the country, Tara said that the district hasnt been open about cases, informing parents privately when infections occur. They wont tell us which classrooms they are in. We absolutely had cases in the school, but they say they did not find evidence, so now this is why they think it is safe to be open. The school is also not testing for asymptomatic cases, which accounts for the vast majority of cases in children, meaning the real extent of the virus in schools is likely far higher than what has been publicly admitted. She added, The school has had dozens of shutdowns, but they say [the outbreaks arent] school-related. We asked our school if we can get classroom notifications. They were saying it was a HIPAA violation. It is not. In fact, the HIPAA Act, which governs the confidentiality of medical records in the United States, contains an explicit exception allowing information to be disclosed when it is necessary to prevent the spread of disease. Other school districts are doing it. We asked the county to say, you can notify classrooms, but I dont know the status of this, since the county has not answered. The county health department, similar to the new CDC guidelines released, has said there is [scientific] support for it being moved to three feet. Absence of evidence to the contrary is not the same thing as being okay, Tara remarked. The kids will bring it home to their parents and grandparents. Our grandparents are helping us watching kids when they are out of school. We have a very high Indian population and some dont have health care. There are larger consequences [for flouting science]. Tara also spoke about the impact it will have on children, teachers and bus drivers: With this forecast coming up [of the new variants], why would you make any large changes to a learning model if you dont know you can continue it? It is subjecting kids to more change and the last four months they have changed models many times. The vaccine has been a slow roll out. With teachers being vaccinated in the next four months, why would you rush into this? Downingtown school district is huge and there are the issues of busing. Geographically we are a giant area and some of these kids are on the bus for 45 minutes to an hour. If you are a working parent you cant sit in a drop lane for an hour, so they send them on bus. They will be closer than three feet, raising the chances of kids passing it to one another, to the bus driver, and to their parents. A survey the group sent to teachers in the district asked to rate, on a five-point scale with 5 five being the safest, how safe they feel at six-feet social distancing and then at three-feet social distancing. The response was 3.4 and 1.8, respectively. One teacher commented on the survey: I feel like I am constantly choosing between my familys health and safety or coming into the building. It feels like the teachers have had no say in what happens, and yet the overarching opinion is that we dont want to do our jobwhen we are trying everything possible to make the best of a bad situation and support our students. Im not sure the district is ready to safely handle an influx of students in person. The Pennsylvania Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee, which was formed by teachers throughout the state last year to oppose the unsafe reopening of schools coordinated between the Democrats and the teachers unions, endorsed the courageous action taken in Downingtown, in comments made to the World Socialist Web Site. I support the teachers of Downingtown SD and Philadelphia SD in their effort to fight back against the absurd and reckless reopening plans occurring throughout the Southeastern PA region, a member of the committee said. Chester County Health Department has abdicated its responsibility to the residents and employees of both Chester and Delaware County school districts by reducing the social distancing guidance for school districts at a time when vaccine supply is seriously strained and new, more transmissible, and potentially more dangerous variants are emerging throughout the US due to the lack of response by the US Federal Government to stem the spread of COVID-19. School districts reopening for more in-person days at this point in the school year have abandoned the physical and mental health of their teachers and staff while not doing enough to ensure their employees are adequately protected. The Philadelphia [School District] is absurdly requiring teachers to enter unsafe buildings that have been long left to deteriorate prior to the pandemic. Even with vaccination, entry into poorly maintained spaces with no appropriate ventilation is a dangerous prospect. School districts have not been as transparent as they should be with case reporting, nor have they provided teachers and staff with adequate contact tracing, testing and the necessary flexibility to adapt to an ever-changing situation. The cruelty with which teachers have been subjected for decades has been amplified during this pandemic to inhuman heights. No school should be making instructional changes at this point in the school year, further disrupting teachers, students, and families as a whole. I stand with the Downingtown and Philadelphia SD teachers and staff. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- China forced banks to hold more foreign currencies in reserve for the first time in more than a decade, its most substantial move yet to rein the surging yuan.The nations financial institutions will need to hold 7% of their foreign exchange in reserve from June 15, according to a central bank statement Monday. Thats an increase of 2 percentage points, and the first such hike since 2007. The move, which the Peoples Bank of China said will help liquidity management, effectively reduces the supply of dollars and other currencies onshore -- putting pressure on the yuan to weaken.Although analysts said the direct impact may be small, the move is the clearest signal by the PBOC that its unhappy about the yuans surge to a three-year high against the greenback. Authorities had until now limited their response to rhetoric: a former central bank official and a state-media commentary talked down the currency over the weekend.The PBOC wants to show the market -- if the rally keeps going, it has many measures to slow it down and the market will fail if it wants to make speculative bets, said Zhou Hao, an economist at Commerzbank AG in Singapore. Its more of a symbolic move, as no matter how the PBOC boosts funding costs on foreign exchange, the rate on the yuan will almost always be higher.The PBOC set its daily reference rate at 6.3572 on Tuesday, only marginally weaker than the average forecast in a Bloomberg survey of analysts and traders. The currency gained 0.2% to 6.3634 per dollar as of 9:52 a.m. in Hong Kong, while the onshore rate strengthened 0.1%.Betting on the yuan has been a successful strategy in the past year. The currency has surged 13% against the dollar since last May, when it was near its lowest level since 2008 amid the effects of the pandemic and the trade war with the U.S. Brokerages including Citic Securities Co., Scotiabank and Westpac Banking Corp. expect the currency to climb to 6.2 against the dollar. That would be the strongest since a 2015 devaluation.The yuan is supported by Chinas economic recovery and its higher-yielding markets are attractive to global investors. A backdrop of imported inflation is bolstering the argument for a stronger yuan. Against a basket of trading partners, the Chinese currency is the strongest since 2016.The foreign-exchange reserve ratio hike will likely freeze about $20 billion of liquidity, according to Guan Tao, a former official at the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. The increase demonstrates the Chinese central banks strong determination to curb rapid appreciation in the yuan, and PBOC has more tools if speculation emerges in the currency market, he said.Recent history shows traders should be wary. In the wake of the devaluation, the yuan fell about 11% by the end of 2016, surged 11% through its 2018 peak, before reversing again to sink 13% by September 2019. When momentum in the yuan became too extreme, authorities often took steps to arrest the moves. In early 2018, for instance, the yuan fell the most in two months as authorities gave banks the green light to submit quotes for weaker fixings.Still, analysts remain unconvinced of the potency of the latest measure. Fundamental factors supporting the yuan -- such as its interest-rate premium and high inflation -- remain intact, Citigroup Inc. economists led by Liu Li-gang wrote in a note.While this policy will lock in a certain amount of capital inflow and make foreign exchange funding costs higher, its effectiveness remains in doubt, Liu wrote.Any tightening in dollar funding onshore wont be sustained because global investors can easily obtain cheap foreign-exchange overseas and invest in yuan bonds, according to Ju Wang, a senior currency strategist at HSBC Bank Plc.Beijing seems to be sticking to its goal of liberalizing markets as part of President Xi Jinpings plans to reduce moral hazard. Its not just the yuan where direct intervention is now an unusual sight. The national team of state-backed funds is rarely seen in the $12 trillion stock market anymore, unless moves risk turning into panic or mania. Even in the commodities market, where officials are struggling to cool prices, efforts have largely been verbal rather than direct.If the central bank takes additional assertive actions, such as setting dramatically weaker fixings, that could reinforce the belief that only heavy-handed intervention is worth paying attention to. Yet the Communist Party has made it clear it will act to reduce speculation and guard against risks to financial stability, especially in the run-up to the centenary of the Partys founding this July.We dont see this as an one-off change, but likely the start of a trend, Becky Liu, head of China macro strategy at Standard Chartered, said of Mondays move by the PBOC. It could be seen as a new mechanism to manage the yuan in the medium term, together with other counter-cyclical measures.(Adds 5th paragraph to show PBOCs fixing on Tuesday and latest pricing of yuan.)More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.2021 Bloomberg L.P. Gov. Phil Murphy will hold another coronavirus press conference Wednesday as the state is expected to receive its first shipment of the newly-approved one-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. The briefing at the Trenton War Memorials George Washington Ballroom starts at 1 p.m. and will be streamed live on the governors YouTube.com channel. Murphy will be joined by state Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli, coronavirus advisor Dr. Eddy Bresnitz and State Police Superintendent Colonel Pat Callahan. On Tuesday, Merck said it will help rival and fellow New Jersey drugmaker Johnson & Johnson produce its new vaccine. The new vaccine will supercharge the states vaccination efforts, the governor said. The state on Wednesday was expecting about 73,600 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which only requires standard refrigeration. The other coronavirus vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna are two-dose shots administered weeks apart that must be stored at extremely cold temperatures in special freezers. Rite and CVS locations in New Jersey are also expected to receive 22,500 Johnson & Johnson doses as part of the federal pharmacy program. Officials said 2,166,452 have been administered a vaccine dose in New Jersey as of 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. At least 732,926 have received both doses and are considered fully vaccinated. Murphy on Tuesday disclosed another 2,820 COVID-19 cases and 48 additional deaths. At 7 p.m. he will appear on Ask Governor Murphy, which will be simulcast on three radio stations WBGO in Newark (88.3 FM), WNYC (93.9 FM) in New York City, and WHYY (90.9 FM) in Philadelphia. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JGoldmanNJ. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. [March 02, 2021] VEXXHOST Collaborates With Ciena as Part of Canada's ENCQOR 5G Partnership POINTE-CLAIRE, QC, March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- VEXXHOST is excited to announce its collaboration with Ciena under the auspices of the ENCQOR 5G partnership in Canada. ENCQOR 5G is a transformational public-private partnership focused on the research and innovation of 5G technologies. As certified specialists in hosting and management of OpenStack, VEXXHOST's contributions to ENCQOR 5G will be to provide a fully managed service of the existing OpenStack cloud environment. By being the cloud computing partner of this initiative, VEXXHOST will be handling the internal cloud environment for the ENCQOR Compute network supported by Ciena and ensure that it is set up with best practices in place. The responsibility of VEXXHOST is to keep the IT resources of ENCQOR 5G up to date in its 5 innovation centers located in Quebec (Montreal and Quebec City) and Ontario (Ottawa, Toronto, and Waterloo) updated on the latest releases and secure the smooth functioning and efficiency of cloud resources. ENCQOR has built a 5G network to enable companies of all sizes, IT professionals, researchers from the public and private sectors, and post-graduate students to get early access to a state-of-the-art 5G development and test platform for prototyping new products and services. ENCQOR 5G now has five innovation hubs in Quebec and Ontario, located in Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, and Waterloo. "We are thrilled to be working in collaboration with the Ciena-ENCQOR 5G team in support of this innovative initiative," said Mohammed Naser, CEO of VEXXHOST. "This is a milestone project that helps set up smartercommunities across Canada harnessing the possibilities of 5G and we are glad to provide our cloud services to enable it," he added. About VEXXHOST Founded in 2006, VEXXHOST Inc. is a Canadian cloud computing provider offering OpenStack powered public cloud, private cloud and consulting services to its customers. From small businesses to governments in over 150 different countries, VEXXHOST delivers high-level expertise to help clients optimize their cloud infrastructure. The company has two public cloud regions in North America (Montreal and Santa Clara) and one in Europe (Amsterdam), all running on the latest OpenStack releases and featuring the latest enterprise-grade hardware. For more information, visit https://vexxhost.com or follow @vexxhost on Twitter. About ENCQOR 5G The ENCQOR 5G initiative is funded by the governments of Canada, Quebec, and Ontario, as well as key industry players: Ericsson, Ciena, Thales, CGI and IBM. ENCQOR 5G is coordinated by ENCQOR Innovation. It is issued in Ontario by OCE and in Quebec by Innovation ENCQOR, Prompt and ADRIQ. The program's mandate is to bring together SMEs and the academic community to contribute to the advancement of research, innovation and application demonstration through a 5G pre-commercial testbed. Sources: VEXXHOST ENCQOR 5G CIENA For more information: Frederic Tremblay ENCQOR 5G Tel: (514) 874-1909 Related Links VEXXHOST Newsroom View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vexxhost-collaborates-with-ciena-as-part-of-canadas-encqor-5g-partnership-301239002.html SOURCE VEXXHOST [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] 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. * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! Tribes, fishermen slam halt to Alaska-Canada water analysis March 03,2021 | Source: AP Alaska officials and authorities in the Canadian Province of British Columbia have announced they have completed and will not continue data collection on three transboundary watersheds, despite concerns from fishing and tribal interests that the effort does not go far enough. The work stemmed from concerns about possible impacts mining activity in Canada could have on waters that cross into Alaska. A 22-page final report released Thursday culminated two years of data collected from water, sediment and fish tissue from three bodies of water. The report said two years of data showed that the waters studied met quality standards on Alaskas side of the border. There were times when heavy metals were over the limit in the sediment, but the report said there are a lot of naturally occurring minerals in the region, CoastAlaska reported. Now Alaska and British Columbia have said their work is done. Given the existence of other sampling programs planned by state, federal or provincial agencies throughout the transboundary region, there is no need to continue the joint program, the state and province said in a joint statement. British Columbia officials like Greg Tamblyn, who works in the regional water quality section at British Columbia's Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, said the program has become redundant. Congress had appropriated more than $3 million for renewed stream monitoring, CoastAlaska reported. With all the resources, didnt feel like it was necessary for multiple agencies to be collecting the same thing, said Terri Lomax, a program manager with the state Department of Environmental Conservation. Critics such as some local tribes, fishermen and scientists have argued that the governments have not done enough to ensure water quality is adequate. United Fishermen of Alaska, a group representing commercial fishing interests, said the state is not taking its responsibility seriously enough. The Taku and Stikine are significant salmon producing rivers that have struggled in recent years, CoastAlaska reported. The fisheries provide an important food source for southeast Alaska residents, the outlet reported. We have made every attempt possible to engage the State of Alaska on this issue, and the fact that they arrived at these premature conclusions is a disservice to Alaskans and the fishing communities of Southeast Alaska, United Fishermen Executive Director Frances Leach said in a statement. We need our federal delegation to elevate this issue to the highest levels. Some scientists who study the watersheds have said that several years of water studies is not enough to properly measure health. You cant measure a given site once or twice a year for two years and claim that you know the baseline watershed health of that area, said Chris Sergeant, a freshwater ecologist at the University of Montanas Flathead Lake Biological Station. Tlingit & Haida Tribal Vice President Will Micklin argued that the state and provinces data set is not comprehensive enough. It is one step forward, it is not the end of the journey, Micklin said. 2021 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC Theme(s): Communities and Organisations. A police officer stops traffic as people opposed to public health measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 march on Granville Street after the B.C. Grand Freedom Rally, in Vancouver, on Saturday, February 20, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck Legal Challenges to Pandemic Measures on the Rise as Civil Liberties Groups Cry Foul The constitutional rights and freedoms of Canadians are front and centre in a flurry of legal challenges to pandemic measures, as civil liberties groups take on multiple cases they say represent unconstitutional measures implemented by authorities. The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) has court actions underway or pending, as of Feb. 25, against five provinces around lockdown measures it says violate Charter rights. And its suing the federal government for imposing mandatory hotel quarantine on travellers, among other travel restrictions. JCCF is also representing dozens of individuals across the country for violation tickets theyve received related to pandemic measures, says litigation director Jay Cameron. We have at least 50 ticket cases where we are challenging the constitutionality of everything, from tickets for peacefully assembling to people who were [ticketed for] sitting on a park bench, he told The Epoch Times. The list is growing. Cameron cites a laundry list of Charter rightsfrom fundamental rights such as freedom of religion or peaceful assembly, to specific mobility and legal rightsthat have been violated by ongoing lockdowns and other pandemic measures. He says the unprecedented powers transferred to health officials during the pandemic has meant that many measures are mandated without the benefit of the parliamentary scrutiny and public consultation that are vital to a functional democracy. In many cases, officials are not providing the public with the evidence or guidance used to justify the measures, he says, which sets a dangerous precedent for government accountability. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms allows certain legal restrictionsso long as they are demonstrably justified. There has to be a requirement for public consultation in a legislative context, and a requirement for [health officials] to consider public feedback and the directions of the legislature, Cameron says. Otherwise, the whole thing is just completely undemocratic. Its a dictatorship, and that is not too strong a word. The issue of policy transparency takes on more urgency in light of health measures that appear contradictory or that ignore prevailing evidence, he says. Examples include small businesses shuttered for months while big box stores remain open, churches ruled as non-essential while cannabis and liquor stores are deemed essential, and schools forced to close despite COVID-19s minuscule risk to young people. People shop at the Toronto Premium Outlets mall on Black Friday in Milton, Ont., on Nov. 27, 2020. (The Canadian Press/Nathan Denette) Bruce Pardy, a law professor at Queens University, says the pandemic has sparked the most widespread violations of civil liberties in Canadian history, and he worries that citizens have reached a psychological threshold where people become accustomed to having their basic rights bypassed. Whether we can recover our free society remains to be seen, he said. Legal Challenges Many pandemic health measures, such as travel rules, fall under the Quarantine Actlegislation that broadly extends the federal governments powers during times of public health crises. But the act, rewritten after the 2003 SARS pandemic, was only ever intended to guide policy temporarily. Though health officials proposed two weeks of lockdown measures during the initial outbreak a year ago to flatten the curve, many measures have continued for nearly a year, and in some cases increased. As the pandemic drags on, the legality and reasoning behind some measures appear to be attracting more scrutiny. In B.C., a dispute between the province and religious leaders was heard in the B.C. Supreme Court on March 1 as three Fraser Valley churches challenged the constitutionality of public health orders, under which all in-person religious services have been banned since November. Quebec, which has seen some of the strictest pandemic measures in North America, has also been a target of legal challenges of late. In December, a coalition of Quebec business leaders, Les Entrepreneurs en Action du Quebec, filed a lawsuit against Premier Francois Legaults government, saying that the provinces state of health emergency order and widespread lockdown measures, which have been continually extended, is unconstitutional. And last month, the Foundation for the Defense of Peoples Rights and Freedoms filed a constitutional challenge to Quebecs enforced curfew mandate, arguing that it violates peoples rights to liberty and to not be subjected to arbitrary detention under the Charter. Quebec is the only jurisdiction in Canada, aside from some northern communities such as in Nunavut and Manitoba, to adopt a curfew as a means to fight the pandemic. Cara Zwibel, director of the Fundamental Freedoms Program at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, said in a previous interview that the Quebec government should be required to communicate, using reliable data and evidence from other jurisdictions, why its necessary to impose curfews. Quebecs public health director, Dr. Horacio Arruda, has admitted that theres no study that proves curfews stop transmission, but said the measure was meant to discourage people from gathering. Zwibel also expressed concern that fines and ticketing, the primary methods of enforcing the curfew, appear to have had little impact on slowing transmission. She noted that the polices main role in the pandemic should instead be to educate the public, while charges and arrests should be a last resort. A police officer checks the identification of a man in a park in Montreal on May 2, 2020, as police patrol the park to make sure people are observing physical distancing protocols amid the pandemic. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press) In Ontario, meanwhile, the Toronto-based Constitutional Rights Centre (CRC) announced in January that it has taken on cases from several police officers in the province who are concerned that the public health enforcement measures they are tasked with violate the very Charter rights they swore an oath to protect. A press release from the CRC said the officers have retained legal representation to clarify the constitutionality of the COVID measures they are being asked/directed to enforce and on the scope of their authority, duty, and discretion in their enforcement. Travel Rules Spark Rights, Safety Concerns New travel rules are of particular concern to JCCF, which in February sued the federal government over what it calls a blatant violation of the charter. Cameron says the forced quarantine of returning Canadians violates five sections of the charter, as travellers are forced into quarantine even when they test negative for COVID-19 before boarding. You have more rights as somebody accused of homicide than you do as a citizen returning to your own country with a negative PCR test right now, he said. Its a gross violation of fundamental rights and freedoms. The new rules, which came into effect on Feb. 22, require incoming travellers to quarantine in a government-authorized hotel at their own expense while awaiting results of a second COVID-19 test. After the rule was imposed, disturbing reports emerged of a sexual assault at one of the hotels in Montreal on Feb. 17. Another incident on Feb. 18 involved a quarantine screening officer who was accused of sexually assaulting a woman he was sent to check on at her home in Oakville, Ont. Travellers have also reported abysmal conditions at some of the hotels, including a lack of access to proper meals and bottled water, poor service, and minimal security. Travellers arrive at the Toronto Pearson International Airport in Toronto on Feb. 1, 2021. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press) Despite being pressed by the Official Opposition, federal health officials have so far failed to provide answers on what data was used to inform the decision to have travellers quarantine in hotels instead of at home. On March 1, the parliamentary public safety committee voted unanimously to study Ottawas quarantine enforcement measures in light of the sexual assault reports, and will call on federal ministers and health officials to testify. Cameron says that where JCCF and others have brought legal challenges against measures, the government has shown a disinclination to litigate. The cases that do make it to the courts have a good chance of success, he adds. As the challenges wind their way through the courts, I do believe that some of these measures will be struck down. Swedens most revered architect Sigurd Lewerentz, regarded as a giant of 20th century architecture, is the subject of a major exhibition, Sigurd Lewerentz: Architect of Death and Life with exhibition design by Caruso St John Architects, opening at ArkDes, Swedens national centre for architecture and design in Stockholm, on 1st October 2021 (postponed from 30th April 2021). This will be a significant moment of assessment, the first major monograph exhibition of the work of Lewerentz since the 1980s including the publication of the most comprehensive to date biography, published in May 2021. St Mark's Church, Bjorkhagen. Photo: Johan Dehlin Lewerentz, who was born in Bjartra, Angermanland in northern Sweden in 1885 and died in Lund 1975, is an enigmatic figure in the modern history of architecture. He rarely spoke publicly or published, but his influence is acknowledged by a generation of the worlds leading architects. St Mark's Church, Bjorkhagen. Photo: Johan Dehlin Kieran Long, Director of ArkDes and curator of the exhibition, said: There is no Swedish architect with more influence on contemporary architecture today, or with more passionate advocates across the globe, than Sigurd Lewerentz. Devotees travel from everywhere in the world to see his buildings. There are very few architects in history with Lewerentzs ability to make buildings that truly ask the biggest questions about what it means to be a modern person. His work powerfully evokes our deepest and most archaic cultural memories. But he was also fascinated by cosmetic and fleeting pleasures: Shopping, dancing, drinking and having dinner. The life of the city fascinated him and his work made a stage for our playful selves as well as our spiritual ones. Colin St. John Wilson, paraphrasing E.M. Forsters impression of the Greek poet Constantine Cavafy, said it was as if he stood at a slight angle to the world. The Woodland Cemetery, Stockholm. Photo: Johan Dehlin In the words of Adam Caruso, designer of the exhibition: Lewerentzs late projects represent an unprecedented integration of making and thought. Like Matisse, who advised young painters to cut off their tongues and communicate with brush, paint and canvas, Lewerentz was famously laconic. He did not teach and few of his own project descriptions survive. He built. The exhibition and the book are the result of four years of research. The majority of the objects in the exhibition are drawn from ArkDes own formidable collection, which will be shown alongside hitherto unknown or never previously exhibited objects that have been discovered in travels by the research team across the country. Ostra kyrkogarden Photo: Johan Dehlin The exhibition will cover the full range of Lewerentzs works. Among these are three iconic projects: The Woodland Cemetery in south Stockholm, designed with Gunnar Asplund (1915-61), now a UNESCO World Heritage Site where many notable Swedish writers, musicians and actors are buried, including Greta Garbo, and his two late masterpieces, St Marks Church, in Bjorkhagen, completed in 1960; and St Peters Church, in Klippan, a town 60 kilometres north of Malmo, completed in 1966. The show will include a range of drawings of these famous buildings but also objects that show how Lewerentzs collaborations with artists and theologians made buildings that were deeply literate and inventive about Christian traditions. Malmstrom's grave/Malmstroms grav. Photo: Johan Dehlin ArkDes will produce a landmark new book in connection with the exhibition, by far the largest and most comprehensive ever written about Lewerentz. Designed by award-winning graphic designer Malmsten Hellberg and images by the architect and architectural photographer Johan Dehlin, it will contain over 700 pages of drawings, photographs and models, plus excerpts from Lewerentz personal archive and library. Sigurd Lewerentz: Architect of Death and Life is edited by Kieran Long, Johan Orn and Mikael Andersson, and is published by Park Books in collaboration with ArkDes. * Cover photos - Sigurd Lewerentz outside St Mark's Church, Bjorkhagen. Photo: Pal-Nils Nilsson. Private collection / St Mark's Church, Bjorkhagen. Photo: Johan Dehlin / The Woodland Cemetery, Stockholm. Photo: Johan Dehlin / Malmstrom's grave/Malmstroms grav. Photo: Johan Dehlin * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! Christian Porter denies alleged historical rape Were sorry, this service is currently unavailable. Please try again later. Dismiss Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Denton, TX (76205) Today Mostly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 75F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 59F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. A woman has been left astonished after discovering her fake Rolex is still worth 2,700 because it's made of real gold. Make-up artist Andrea, from Yorkshire, appeared on ITV's second episode of Million Pound Pawn tonight - a three-part series that explores the lucrative industry of pawnbroking - as she aimed to sell three watches. The mother-of-two visited Dan Hatfield, owner of Sheffield's London Road Jewellers & Pawnbrokers, to see how much he would offer for a 'Rolex Daytona', a golden 'Rolex' and a pocket watch, with the latter two items gifts from her late godfather. Andrea hoped to get 600 to start her own makeup studio after struggling to continue her home-based work during the pandemic, but Dan pointed out that both watches claiming to be a Rolex were in fact fakes. However, the pawnbroker, 37, said he could still make an offer on the golden piece since it was made of real gold, and revealed that he would also buy the pocket watch, giving Andrea 5,500 for both items. Andrea visited Dan hoping to release funds from her three watches after her income was hit hard because of the pandemic. 'So when the coronavirus came along, as a makeup artist, we couldn't work. It was a nightmare really because without no money, it was all very stressful,' the mother-of-two said. She explained that she purchased the Daytona fake from a car boot sale for 25 and was unsure whether it was real or not. She then showcased two watches from her 'uncle Joe', adding: 'We were really close. He was my godfather. He gave it to me before he died. Make-up artist Andrea, from Yorkshire, appeared on ITV's second episode of Million Pound Pawn tonight - a three-part series that explores the lucrative industry of pawnbroking - as she aimed to sell three watches 'I even remember seeing him flipping [the pocket watch] out of his top pocket and I thought "I'm going to keep this forever", but now I think it's the right time to do something with it.' She added: 'I need something that's going to give me more stability. My dream would be to have my own makeup studio and hopefully, that would give me some sort of stability. 'Because I've not got any idea about this, I only have costume jewellery from Primark and River Island, but if I got 600 for the whole lot that would be good, something to just start me off, even if it's just to buy a bit of equipment. 'I will feel emotional when I'm giving them over, because obviously I've had them a long time but I have to keep in my mind that this is for a bigger picture.' The mother-of-two visited Dan Hatfield, owner of Sheffield's London Road Jewellers & Pawnbrokers, to see how much he would offer for a 'Rolex Daytona', a golden 'Rolex' and a pocket watch, with the latter two items gifts from her late godfather Dan eventually revealed to Andrea that the Daytona was a fake, because the wording on the design wasn't crisp enough and it also doesn't weigh as much as it should, so no offer was made. However, the pawnbroker revealed he could purchase the other fake Rolex since it was made of real gold. 'Although it's a fake Rolex, it is real gold,' he said. It's got a softness, you see and it conducts temperature in a nice way as well, you can feel that it's gold straight away. 'The Daytona is worthless as a watch, it's not worth anything, but this gold watch is worth the weight of the gold. So I've got to destroy this watch to get the gold to work out how much it's worth.' But after hearing it would be destroyed, a shocked Andrea replied: 'What? You're going to smash my godfather's watch up? I don't know. 'If this helps you to come to your decision, I'm thinking a couple of grand,' Dan was quick to respond. Dan eventually revealed to Andrea that the Daytona was a fake, because the wording on the design wasn't crisp enough and it also doesn't weigh as much as it should, so no offer was made. However, the pawnbroker revealed he could purchase the other fake Rolex since it was made of real gold. 'A couple of grand. Well, then. Obviously if you're saying that's a couple of grand I'm going to have to put sentiment behind me,' admitted Andrea. 'Because I do need that money for my future, I can just about live with it.' Dan then proceeded to smash the watch in front of Andrea, who hid her face behind her handbag, while he broke the pieces of gold from the watch to weigh how much was available. After discovering how much the pieces were worth, Dan offered 2,700 to a shocked Andrea before saying the pocket watch 'is a good one', and rounding his offer up to 5,500 for both items. 'That's definitely going to help. I actually can't believe it. I never get anything,' said Andrea. 'I am stuck for words for once in my life. Amazing. I'm so happy. I'm definitely sad to see them go because they've been with me a long time but I know he'll be looking down and smiling on me today.' Million Pound Pawn airs Tuesday at 8pm on ITV, you can catch up on the series via ITV Hub. BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Switzerland's consumer prices continued to decline in February, data from the Federal Statistical Office showed on Wednesday. The consumer price index decreased 0.5 percent year-on-year in February, same as seen in January. Economists had expected a 0.3 percent fall. On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 0.2 percent in February, following a 0.1 percent increase in the previous month. Economists had forecast a rise of 0.4 percent. Prices for clothing and footwear grew in February due to the end of season sales. Prices for housing rentals and fuels increased. Meanwhile, prices for berries and medical products declined. The core CPI rose 0.1 percent yearly in February and declined 0.3 percent from the previous month. The EU measure of harmonized index for consumer prices, or HICP remained unchanged monthly in February and decreased 0.6 percent from a year ago. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. London: Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, have accused royal aides of a calculated smear campaign after it was revealed a bullying complaint was lodged against the Duchess of Sussex by one of her most senior advisers. In an extraordinary outbreak of hostilities triggered by an upcoming tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, former Kensington Palace aides have approached The Times newspaper with a series of allegations about the months after the couple married in May 2018. The Times reported that Jason Knauf, Harry and Meghans well-regarded communication chief in that period, sent an email in October 2018 to Simon Case, the then-private secretary to Prince William, outlining a range of very serious concerns about how staff were being treated inside the London home shared by both couples. Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, are interviewed by Oprah Winfrey for a special to be aired on Sunday (Monday AEDT). Credit:Harpo Productions/AP The newspaper said Knauf sent the complaint after discussing the issues with human resources chief Samantha Carruthers. (Newser) Mike Pence was rushed to safety on Jan. 6 as rioters, some of them chanting "Hang Mike Pence," invaded the Capitol. Now he's speaking out about the events of that day as part of a criticism of voting reform efforts. In his monthly column at the Daily Signal, the former vice president slams the HR1 "For the People Act" as a "power grab" designed to give "leftists a permanent, unfair, and unconstitutional advantage in our political system." Pence also repeats what Axios calls "dubious" claims that there were "significant voting irregularities" in the 2020 election. He accuses congressional Democrats of ignoring state-level reform efforts to "push forward a brazen attempt to nationalize elections." story continues below The "tragic events of Jan. 6the most significant being the loss of life and violence at our nation's Capitolalso deprived the American people of a substantive discussion in Congress about election integrity in America," writes Pence, who presided over the interrupted session of Congress that certified President Biden's victory. The HR1 bill, which the House is set to vote on next week, includes ethics and campaign finance reforms as well as automatic registrations and provisions to expand early and mail-in voting. CNN notes that Pence never publicly challenged Donald Trump's discredited claims the election was "stolen" and has kept a low profile since leaving office. In a CPAC straw poll on potential 2024 contenders Sunday, Pence received 1% of the vote. (Read more Mike Pence stories.) The Venezuelan National Assembly will consider reforms to the countrys oil law that will open the door to new business models, President Nicolas Maduro said this week, as quoted by Reuters. Maduro did not offer any details on the reforms and what these new business models would entail. The statement appears to be the latest attempt by the Venezuelan government to reverse a seemingly irreversible downturn in the countrys oil industry, resulting from years of underinvestment, mismanagement, and U.S. sanctions. The current law states that PDVSA must hold majority stakes in any oil venture with foreign and local private companies, and is the only entity allowed to market Venezuelan oil. PDVSA has joint ventures with Russian and Chinese companies, and it operated a joint venture with Chevron until President Trump ordered the major to leave Venezuela last year. Reports said that even though PDVSA was the majority partner in these joint ventures, the day-to-day operations were largely left to be managed by the foreign partner. Venezuelas oil production has been on a steady and severe decline over the past few years, ever since the 2014 oil price crisis began, plunging the country into an economic crisis. Then after Donald Trump became president of the United States, sanctions targeting Venezuelas oil industry added to the governments woes with underinvestment and mismanagement. Exports of crude have also been stifled by U.S. sanctions, but Venezuela, like its sanction buddy Iran, has been finding ways to get its oil to buyers abroad. Tactics have included masking the oils origin by adding chemicals to it, ship-to-ship transfers at sea, and selling the oil through companies with no track record in oil trading. As a result, the latest tanker tracking data revealed that February exports rose to over 500,000 bpd, from less than 500,000 bpd in January. According to a Reuters report, the February export average, including both crude and fuels, was the highest in 10 months. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: -- Southwest China's Wumeng Mountains span over 100,000 square km in the provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan. Most residents were marred by poverty, with their per capita income only a quarter of those living in the eastern coastal areas. -- The days of destitution are now over. Thanks to China's poverty alleviation efforts, the locals have bidden farewell to penury with their hometowns undergoing dramatic transformations. KUNMING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The hinterland in southwest China's Wumeng Mountains had long been pauperized by a hostile environment, with more than 30 million people inhabiting the region reeling under treacherous terrain and water scarcity. The mountain ranges span over 100,000 square km in the provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan. Most residents were marred by poverty, with their per capita income only a quarter of those living in the eastern coastal areas. However, the days of destitution are now over. Thanks to China's poverty alleviation efforts, the locals have bidden farewell to penury with their hometowns undergoing dramatic transformations. A woman standing in front of her new residence shows photos of her houses before and after the relocation at the relocation site for poverty-stricken people in Huawu Village in Qianxi County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 20, 2021. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) NEW ROADS, NEW HOMES Mou'se Labo's hometown in Atulieer Village of Sichuan Province is dubbed "cliff village" by locals due to its location on a cliff over 1,000 meters above sea level. In the past, villagers could only access the outside world through a narrow ladder made of vines and wood laid on the rugged, steep mountains. People had to use both their feet and hands to climb up and down while bearing the risk of slipping off the cliff. Recalling his ordeal, Labo said once his sister-in-law had suffered from dystocia and massive hemorrhage and had to be immediately rushed to a hospital outside the village. However, the journey was too long and she died on someone's back while being carried down the mountain. In August 2016, reconstruction work on the ladder kicked off as part of a poverty alleviation campaign. And eight months later, a firm, steel ladder with 2,556 steps took shape, built with some 6,000 steel pipes. Other facilities including communication base stations, power grids and optical cables were gradually installed. Refrigerators and washing machines were carried into villager's homes through the new ladder. Mou'se Labo steps down the steel ladder to pick up a tourist in Atulieer Village, Zhaojue County, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Nov. 24, 2019. (Xinhua/Jiang Hongjing) Meanwhile, Labo realized he is gifted with a unique talent of sliding down from the top of the ladder to the bottom in just 15 minutes, owing to his agility. He soon began showcasing this talent through livestream using his mobile phone. His videos also helped popularize the scenic views of the village among people outside. "Cliff village" soon went viral and boosted local tourism, prompting the local government to establish a tourism company and build a campsite. Labo was employed as a tour guide and keeper at the site, earning nearly 4,000 yuan (about 620 U.S. dollars) a month. Coming from a registered poverty-stricken household, Labo was determined to earn a better livelihood for his family. So, he joined a training program in hotel management in Dali, a famed tourist city in Yunnan Province, learning to be a professional in the hospitality industry. He said he is now eagerly awaiting the opening of a new highway scheduled to start operation in June. Leading directly to the campsite, the highway will encourage more people to visit his village. In Yunnan Province, the Wumeng Mountains have long been impeding the development of Zhaotong, a city with 97 percent of its landmass in mountainous regions. The city had the largest share of poverty-stricken residents across the country. Zhaotong launched a massive relocation project in 2018, building more than 370 relocation sites, in a bid to help some 360,000 people in the mountains move to more hospitable areas. Most new homes are equipped with televisions, refrigerators and other household appliances -- utilities that were perhaps only fragments of imaginations for many farmers in the past. Shao Guangqian from Yanjin County under Zhaotong said he is finally able to take a shower every day. Before moving to the relocation site, there was no tap water at home, and Shao could only shower once a week by fetching water from a stream. NEW INDUSTRIES FOSTER BETTER LIVES Dong Bao from Jing'an District, a large-scale resettlement area in Zhaotong, was seen busy distributing packages before the Spring Festival. Dong Bao (R) works at the package delivery store in Jing'an District in Zhaotong, southwest China's Yunnan province, Feb. 3, 2021. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao) In 2020, he had moved from a nearby village to the district and opened a package delivery store there. Today, hundreds of packages arrive and are dispatched from the store every day. The 26-year-old used to be a migrant worker in central China's Henan Province, but the relocation project has paved the way for him to live a better life near home. Zhaotong has also come up with ways to capitalize arable lands, woodlands and house sites in new relocation sites. Meanwhile, poverty-eradication workshops and industrial bases and parks have been established, providing nearly 50,000 jobs to locals. Aerial photo taken on Feb. 3, 2021 shows the view of Jing'an District, a large-scale resettlement area in Zhaotong, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao) In the Guizhou section of the Wumeng Mountains, local governments have taken advantage of the unique ethnic cultures to attract more tourists. Huawu Village in Qianxi County had a poverty headcount ratio as high as 63.6 percent. However, it boasts splendid mountains views and vast water bodies, in addition to a unique ethnic Miao culture. Based on the resources, the village established a scenic area on the theme of "miles-long gallery" as a targeted measure to shake off poverty. "Many of our traditional Miao customs, such as singing folk songs in the mountains, appeal to visitors," said Yang Yan, a local villager. Besides, tourists are welcomed to join villagers at their homes to make Ciba, a round-shaped glutinous rice cake. Sales of traditional embroidery products are also on the rise. By the end of 2019, all households in Huawu Village had been removed from the poverty list. Women of Miao ethnic group make traditional costumes at a poverty-alleviation workshop in Huawu Village in Qianxi County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 20, 2021. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) The village that once had no roads, tap water or electricity supply and was isolated from the outside world is now bustling with tourists. During this year's Spring Festival holiday, the village received nearly 200,000 tourists, with all the homestays and hotels fully booked, bringing in nearly 100 million yuan in revenue. The Manitoba legislature resumes Wednesday with a deeply divided house facing a stack of new bills 19 of which the public knows nothing about and a global pandemic that has sparked the biggest health and economic crisis the province has ever faced. The Manitoba legislature resumes Wednesday with a deeply divided house facing a stack of new bills 19 of which the public knows nothing about and a global pandemic that has sparked the biggest health and economic crisis the province has ever faced. The partisan rift between leaders of the three parties in the legislature is so huge that six prominent Manitobans from across the political spectrum published an open letter Tuesday calling for them to find a way to work together this session. The letter said parties battling each other using loopholes in the rules of the legislature hurts the Manitobans who elected them with the opposition stalling the work of the house and the government hiding the content of bills introduced. It called for the government to share the content of all 19 bills by Thursday and for the three party leaders to lay down their tactical weapons. Based on reaction from the premier and the opposition leaders Tuesday, that's not likely to happen. "We've always said we'd be ready to sit down with the opposition parties and make the rules work better for people," Premier Brian Pallister said Tuesday when asked if he was taking the letter's message to heart. If the NDP didn't blockade the legislature last spring the government wouldn't have had to introduce so many bills in the fall, says Premier Brian Pallister. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) "We continue to take that position. They haven't taken us up on the offer," he said at a news conference announcing new COVID-19 public-health orders. The problem lies with the opposition, the premier said. "The NDP opposition blockaded the legislature during a global pandemic last spring," he said. That required the government to introduce the many bills in its agenda later in the fall. His government wanted to release the text of bills it introduced over the winter "so that everyone could have a read, including all Manitobans. That was refused by the opposition as well," the premier said. Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont said the government asked for an "extension on its homework." "Bills that are introduced at first reading have to be readable and there has to be text," he said, adding the Tories wanted to drop the bills whenever they wanted. NDP leader Wab Kinew wouldn't say if the official opposition will use any delay tactics when the session resumes. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) "We said, 'If they're ready, drop them right now.'" Pallister said his majority government is doing its best "to catch up" and to be transparent, "in terms of getting the text of the bills out to people." "I'm calling back the legislature to begin (Wednesday) which is five weeks earlier than the NDP when they were in government (and) called the legislature back because we are a hard-working government," he said. "We are going to have more time to deal with these bills. That is, after all, what elected members of our legislature are paid to do." NDP Leader Wab Kinew wouldn't say if the official Opposition will use any delay tactics when the session resumes, and maintains his party isn't to blame for the deep divisions in the house. "I'm not going to tell Mr. Pallister what our game plan is," Kinew told reporters Tuesday. "This has been a partisan environment for well over 100 years and this is the first time a government has ever withheld the text of their legislative agenda. The pandemic has exposed how dysfunctional the legislature is, says Liberal party leader Dougald Lamont. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) "It's really Mr. Pallister and the PCs standing in the way of transparency." And, as the official Opposition looking out for Manitobans, playing nice with this government is not an option, Kinew said. "I'm not going to stand by and (stand) down any tool that we have at our disposal so as long as Mr. Pallister is trying to privatize (Manitoba) Hydro, so long as he's cutting health care and so long as he's doing a terrible job managing our pandemic response," he said. When did MLAs last sit? The third session of the 42nd legislature has been in recess since Dec. 3. It is scheduled to sit until June 1 except for the week of spring break (March 29-April 2) and the first week of May. Will all MLAs be allowed in the chamber? No. As was the case last fall, no more than 17 of the 57 members will be permitted in the house at one time, with the remainder able to join in virtually. The 17 will include 10 government MLAs, five NDP members, one Liberal and the speaker. click to read more When did MLAs last sit? The third session of the 42nd legislature has been in recess since Dec. 3. It is scheduled to sit until June 1 except for the week of spring break (March 29-April 2) and the first week of May. Will all MLAs be allowed in the chamber? No. As was the case last fall, no more than 17 of the 57 members will be permitted in the house at one time, with the remainder able to join in virtually. The 17 will include 10 government MLAs, five NDP members, one Liberal and the speaker. When will the budget be unveiled? The government hasnt set a date but theres speculation that it could be introduced by early April. How many bills are carried over from the fall session? The government introduced 68 bills last fall, including 19 whose contents we have yet to see. Ten of the 68 bills have passed third reading and received royal assent. The remainder are before the legislature. More bills are anticipated to be introduced in the coming months. What are some of the mystery bills that have been introduced without being distributed to MLAs or the public? We know little about them except their titles. But they include proposed legislation to modernize the K-12 school system, overhaul portions of the Police Services Act, restrict protest blockades of highways and railways and create an Early Learning and Child Care Act. Was the Progressive Conservative government breaking any written rules when it introduced 19 bills in the legislature last fall without revealing their contents? No, but it was ignoring precedent. Section 137 (2) of the rules of the Manitoba legislative assembly states: A Bill must be printed and distributed in the House at least one day before Second Reading. The rule has been in place for decades, if not a century or more, according to one local expert contacted by the Free Press. While there have been brief delays, from time to time, in distributing a bill introduced in the legislature, failing to release the contents of multiple bills for months on end is unheard of in Manitoba and other Canadian jurisdictions. Larry Kusch Close COVID-19 has shown Manitobans that their legislative body is in poor health, Lamont said. "Like so many crises in the pandemic, it has really exposed all of our dysfunctional systems, and one of them is in this legislature," he said. "The (PCs and NDP) are focused more on punishing each other and scoring political points than they are in getting things done." Sharing content of the bills that have been introduced then listening to feedback and making improvements is how the system should work, he said. "That's what people are hoping for. That's not what we're getting right now," he said. "We don't have debate. It is a huge problem. There is a colossal lack of trust. We've burned through it and it's very hard to rebuild." carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca Hollywood icon Catherine Zeta-Jones shared how it has been going for her under lockdown with her family. The 51-year-old Zorro actress said she has had her 76-year-old husband Michael Douglas by her side as well as their children Dylan, 20, and Carys, 17. And the Oscar-winning Chicago star also told Extra on Wednesday that she is enjoying getting to know the new baby boy Ryder of Michael's son Cameron while sharing she adopted her 'third child,' a puppy, this year. Going strong: Hollywood icon Catherine Zeta-Jones shared how it has been going for her under lockdown with her family. The 51-year-old Zorro actress said she has had her 76-year-old husband Michael Douglas by her side. Seen on Sunday The little baby: Michael Douglas is grandfather to Cameron Douglas' son Ryder Happy at last! Cameron seen with his wife Viviane and their two kids - daughter Lua and son Ryder - at home Extra's Cheslie Kryst asked the beauty about being at home with her family. 'It gave me solace to have my babes, my man, my team in here, safe,' said the Vogue cover girl. She continued, 'They wanted to protect us as parents, Michael as well, who is a little older than me We played lots of games.' She then talked her stepson Cameron's baby boy. Cameron is Michael's son with ex wife Diandra Luker; they were wed from 1977 until 2000. Their two kids together: Catherine and Michael with children Dylan, 20, and Carys, 17 In the early days of marriage: Catherine and Michael with their kids as well as his son Cameron 'His name is Ryder Douglas. He came out kicking. When the news isn't necessarily uplifting in any sense, to have a newborn baby was just a joy, a real joy,' she said. Cameron and his wife Viviane also have daughter Lua. 'And I got a puppy, which was just as equally joyous for me,' she added. The star then joked, 'My third child was born. It's the TLC of life: puppies and babies.' Puppy joy: 'And I got a puppy, which was just as equally joyous for me,' she added, joking, 'My third child was born' And she has a new show: she plays Dr Vivian Capshaw, the resident M.D. at a psychiatric institute in Prodigal Son. Catherine said, 'It is great to get back to work. There's a past with these two doctors in the bowels of the Claremont Psychiatric Facility. Things start to unravel. It's fun.' Prodigal Son airs Tuesday nights on FOX. On Instagram on Tuesday she shared three photos from the show: 'Dr. Vivian Capshaw has officially arrived at Claremont. Tune in to @prodigalsonfox tonight at 9/8c on FOX! #ProdigalSon.' She is here: And she has a new show: she plays Dr Vivian Capshaw, the resident M.D. at a psychiatric institute in Prodigal Son Doctor Zeta: Catherine said, 'It is great to get back to work. There's a past with these two doctors in the bowels of the Claremont Psychiatric Facility. Things start to unravel. It's fun' TV time: Prodigal Son airs Tuesday nights on FOX. On Instagram on Tuesday she shared three photos from the show: 'Dr. Vivian Capshaw has officially arrived at Claremont. Tune in to @prodigalsonfox tonight at 9/8c on FOX! #ProdigalSon' The native of Wales is designing clothes too: she has ready-to-wear Spring collection from her Casa Zeta-Jones clothing line. 'It was such a passion project,' she said, explaining it was created 'thinking of the woman that needs great pieces to go with her favorites she has at home great mix-and-match pieces that can take you from day to night.' Her inspiration was her own vintage collection of clothes at home. 'I made clothing. I'm a seamstress I'm the daughter of a seamstress so my inspiration is what real women wear, what real women can afford,' she said Representatives of China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC) and the Kuwaiti side inspect the construction site of a CGGC project in a desert of Jahra Governorate, Kuwait, March 2, 2021. China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC), affiliated to China Energy Engineering Group Co., Ltd., handed over on Tuesday the second batch of its housing infrastructure project to the Kuwaiti side, marking the handover of the main works of the project. (Photo by Liu Lianghaoyue/Xinhua) KUWAIT CITY, March 2 (Xinhua) -- China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC), affiliated to China Energy Engineering Group Co., Ltd., handed over on Tuesday the second batch of its housing infrastructure project to the Kuwaiti side, marking the handover of the main works of the project. During the past four years, thousands of Chinese and foreign employees of the company have overcome difficulties such as harsh construction conditions, successfully completing the project with high quality, He Baisen, general manager of CGGC's infrastructure networks at the AL Mutlaa Residential Project, said at the handover ceremony. Li Minggang, Chinese ambassador to Kuwait, congratulated the handover and praised the Chinese company for fulfilling the contract despite the coronavirus pandemic. It was a gift to the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Kuwait this year, Li said, highlighting the broad prospect for China-Kuwait cooperation. "I hope CGGC could continue to help the Kuwaiti people in pursuit of a happy life, and contribute to the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative," Li said. Ali Sadeq, a representative of the Kuwaiti side, praised the handover of the project. "CGGC is a professional and responsible company. They help us complete the project whatever the obstacle they face," he said. "We have a mutual interest between the two countries. Kuwait can benefit from the expertise and technology from China, Kuwait can cooperate with China to import those expertise and technology," he added. CGGC's infrastructure network is part of the Kuwaiti Al Mutlaa Residential City Project. The construction site of CGGC covers nearly 30 square km and the construction was started in April 2017. As a welfare project of Kuwait, the Al Mutlaa Residential City Project is also an important cooperation project under the Belt and Road Initiative. The total construction area of the Al Mutlaa City is about 120 square km, which will accommodate 400,000 people after completion. CGGC has handed over in October 2020 the first batch of its housing infrastructure project to Kuwait. Enditem 4 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] LUXEMBOURG, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Globant S.A. (NYSE: GLOB), a digitally native technology services company (the "Company"), announces that its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (the "General Meeting") is to be held on April 2, 2021. The General Meeting will be held at the registered office of the Company at 37A, Avenue J.F. Kennedy, L-1 855, Luxembourg. In view of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the related limitations on travel and large gatherings, the Company is taking precautionary measures in line with the guidance from public health authorities and therefore encourages you to opt for voting by ballot paper or submitting your votes through a broker, as detailed in the Convening Notice.The Convening Notice including the agenda for the General Meeting, the form of proxy card and the relevant materials for the General Meeting are availablein the investors section on the Company's website, www.globant.com. About Globant We are a digitally native company that helps organizations reinvent themselves to create a way forward and unleash their potential. We are the place where innovation, design and engineering meet scale. We have more than 16,250 employees and we are present in 16 countries working for companies like Google, Rockwell Automation, Electronic Arts and Santander, among others. We were named a Worldwide Leader in CX Improvement Services by IDC MarketScape report. We were also featured as a business case study at Harvard , MIT , and Stanford. , , and Stanford. We are a member of the Cybersecurity Tech Accord. For more information, visit www.globant.com Investor Relations Contact: Paula Conde & Amit Singh, Globant [email protected] (877) 215-5230 Media Contact: Wanda Weigert, Globant [email protected] (877) 215-5230 SOURCE Globant Related Links http://www.globant.com Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Regulatory News: Europcar Mobility Group (Paris:EUCAR) is proud to announce the extension of its strategic alliances with ECO Rent a Car in India and Shouqi Car Rental in China for its Europcar brand. Europcar Mobility Group is present in more than 140 countries, with wholly owned subsidiaries, franchisees and a strong network of alliance partners. The aim is to cover the entire world, serving as many customers as possible with the same high standards of quality of service. Europcar Mobility Group partners with ECO since 2018 and with Shouqi Car Rental since 2017. ECO Rent a Car is India's leading professional car rental since 1974, based in New Delhi. It offers a 5,000+ vehicles fleet across all categories and its services are spread across another 45 cities in India. Shouqi Car Rental is one of the leading mobility players in China with a fleet of more than 70,000 vehicles with its network of 79 stations across China. With COVID-19 vaccination campaigns being currently rolled out, international travels will soon resume. The Group is therefore preparing for the market rebound, renewing these two solid partnerships which will allow the Europcar brand to benefit from the strong inflow of Indian and Chinese tourists throughout the world in the years to come. As a reminder, China has been the largest source market over the past 10 years, characterized by a rapid and steady double-digit growth. As an illustration, in 2018, there were around 150 M outbound trips* from China and Chinese tourists. At the same period, India represented approximately 25 M of tourists* travelling abroad each year, with an equivalent pattern of rapid growth compared to China. India and China are expected to recover pre-COVID levels of travels before end of 2021. Rajesh Loomba, ECO Rent a Car's Managing Director says: "We are delighted to extend and strengthen our strategic partnership with Europcar. Our combined strength and expertise have been a perfect fit with our strategic agenda to bring global standards to India. We are glad to continue travelling together to serve our customers with the finest high-quality mobility solutions Yang Jun Wei, Shouqi Car Rental CEO comments: "We are very pleased to start the fifth year of close cooperation with Europcar. Since 2017, the two parties have been providing high quality transportation services with a highly compatible service tenet, allowing more Chinese customers to experience professional global car rental services from Europcar, and at the same time providing a truly "global car rental service, available on one site". In the future, Shouqi car rental will continue to work with Europcar to provide professional and convenient global car rental services to more corporate and direct customers Fabrizio Ruggiero, Europcar Mobility Group Deputy CEO adds: "Europcar Mobility Group is delighted to have renewed our strategic alliances with our partners Shouqi in China ECO in India. Both these partners have our mutual customers at the heart of their operations to ensure best in class service excellence within their countries and also know that their customers will receive a consistent high service experience throughout our worldwide network. We look forward to continuing and growing our successful relationships as we emerge from the global pandemic." About Europcar Mobility Group Europcar Mobility Group is a major player in mobility markets and listed on Euronext Paris. The mission of Europcar Mobility Group is to be the preferred "Mobility Service Company" by offering attractive alternatives to vehicle ownership, with a wide range of mobility-related services and solutions: car rental and light commercial vehicle rental, car-sharing and van-sharing. Customers' satisfaction is at the heart of the Group's mission and all of its employees and this commitment fuels the continuous development of new services. Europcar Mobility Group operates through a diversified portfolio of brands meeting every customer specific needs and use cases, be it for 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week or longer; its 4 major brands being: Europcar the European leader of car rental and light commercial vehicle rental, Goldcar the low-cost car-rental Leader in Europe, InterRent 'mid-tier' car rental and Ubeeqo one of the European leaders of round-trip car sharing (BtoB, BtoC). Europcar Mobility Group delivers its mobility solutions worldwide solutions through an extensive network in over 140 countries (including wholly owned subsidiaries 18 in Europe, 1 in the USA, 2 in Australia and New Zealand completed by franchises and partners). Further details on our website: www.europcar-mobility-group.com *Source: UNWTO (UN World Tourism Organisation) View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005966/en/ Contacts: Press relations Valerie Sauteret valerie.sauteret@europcar.com Vincent Vevaud vincent.vevaud@europcar.com Publicis Consultants Judith Grandcoing judith.grandcoing@publicisconsultants.com Realme has announced that it will launch its first 108MP camera phone in 2021. Not only that, but the top-end sensor in question is Samsung's latest CMOS of this resolution: the ISOCELL HM2. It has features such as 3x lossless zoom, nonapixel binning. The OEM has developed "Starry", tilt-shift and Neon Portrait modes for it in the 8 Pro. 4 Reviews , News , CPU , GPU , Articles , Columns , Other "or" search relation. 5G , Accessory , Alder Lake , AMD , Android , Apple , ARM , Audio , Business , Camera , Cannon Lake , Cezanne (Zen 3) , Charts , Chinese Tech , Chromebook , Coffee Lake , Comet Lake , Console , Convertible / 2-in-1 , Cryptocurrency , Cyberlaw , Deal , Desktop , Exclusive , Fail , Foldable , Gadget , Galaxy Note , Galaxy S , Gamecheck , Gaming , Geforce , Google Pixel , GPU , How To , Ice Lake , Intel Evo / Project Athena , Internet of Things (IoT) , iOS , iPad Pro , iPhone , Jasper Lake , Lakefield , Laptop , Launch , Linux / Unix , Lucienne (Zen 2) , MacBook , Mini PC , Monitor , MSI , OnePlus , Opinion , Phablet , Radeon , Renoir , Review Snippet , Rocket Lake , Rumor , Ryzen (Zen) , Science , Security , Smart Home , Smartphone , Smartwatch , Software , Storage , Tablet , ThinkPad , Thunderbolt , Tiger Lake , Touchscreen , Ultrabook , Virtual Reality (VR) / Augmented Reality (AR) , Wearable , Windows , Workstation , XPS , Zen 3 (Vermeer) Ticker Realme's annual Camera Innovation Event (March 2, 2021) focused on its "leap to 108MP" in 2021. It has confirmed that, not only can it now offer this top-end spec, it comes in the form of the latest, third-gen ISOCELL HM2. This advanced 0.7 micron-pixel, 1/1.52-inch sensor might already be somewhat familiar to fans of flagship Samsung mobile CMOS; however, Realme asserts that it has also put its own spin on it. The HM2 will still have the Smart ISO, lossless zoom and Galaxy S21 Ultra-esque nonapixel binning some consumers might be waiting for when it shows up in Realme hardware. However, the OEM has also developed an algorithm that, as it claims, brings the sensor's clarity up to the level of 3x optical telephoto lenses. Realme has also apparently developed a new "time-lapse Starry Mode", which involves a second "exclusive" algorithm time-lapse video. It is rated to generate a 1-second night-sky time-lapse using just 30 individual shots taken over 480 seconds. The OEM will also debut a tilt-shift photography mode in its first 108MP camera phone, although this one is purely software-based (and, thus, requires yet another new algorithm). Nevertheless, Realme is confident that it can even support video, while also zooming in or out. Finally, Realme's Camera Innovations are rounded out with new Neon, Dynamic Bokeh and AI Color Portrait Modes. The phone to feature all of these new attributes on launch is now officially the 8 Pro, a name Realme dropped casually all the way through its presentation. Accordingly, all of its "number-series" successors will also focus on camera performance, thus forming the second half of Realme's new "Dual-platform Dual-flagship" product-cycle model going forward. The 8 Pro was also teased as a quad-camera device that outdoes even some Redmi phones in adopting a 'stove-top' look for this module. Therefore, this upcoming 108MP phone should compete effectively with that rival brand's Note 9 Pro 5G, which also has the ISOCELL HM2 sensor. Then again, Realme neve did get around to mentioning a launch date for its new camera flagship during its event. Buy a Redmi Note 9 Pro on Amazon The City of St. Helena issued a statement Monday addressing complaints about the taste, color and odor of city tap water and assuring customers that the water is safe to drink. The musty or earthy taste, discoloration and odor reported by some customers are naturally occurring and caused by algae, organic material and seasonal lake turnover, according to the St. Helena Public Works Department. St. Helenas water system is drawing more water from the City of Napa in efforts to conserve water in St. Helenas Bell Canyon Reservoir, which is down to 40% of capacity. Therefore, customers are likely experiencing the change in different source waters provided by Napa. The City of Napa uses Lake Hennessy surface water as well as water treated at the Barwick Jamieson Treatment Plant, according to the citys statement. City water is tested daily and meets state requirements for drinking. If there had been a health hazard, customers would have been notified immediately via Nixle and other communication mediums. For more information, call the Public Works Department at 968-2658. WATCH NOW: ARE YOU DRINKING TOO MUCH WATER? HERE ARE SOME SIGNS TO LOOK OUT FOR Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 today unveiled the eight sites for the first freeports to be created in England. The Chancellor used the Budget to confirm the locations of the 'special economic zones' that were first announced in the Tories' 2019 election manifesto. East Midlands Airport, the Suffolk ports of Felixstowe and Harwich, the Humber region in Yorkshire, the Liverpool City Region, Plymouth in Devon, the Solent in Hampshire, the Thames near London and Teesside in the North East have all been chosen. The freeport model works by allowing companies to import goods tariff-free and only paying once it is sold into the domestic market, or exporting the final goods without paying UK tariffs. Supporters say they can stimulate growth, but critics say their impact is minimal and they can act as tax-avoidance sites for the super-rich. In 2016, Mr Sunak - before he was given a ministerial role - authored a paper for the pro-free market think tank Centre for Policy Studies calling for freeports to be set up once the UK had left the European Union. Addressing the Commons, Mr Sunak said such ports were 'well-established internationally. 'Our Freeports will have simpler planning to allow businesses to build, infrastructure funding to improve transport links, cheaper customs with favourable tariffs, VAT or duties and lower taxes with tax breaks to encourage construction, private investment and job creation,' he said. The Chancellor used the Budget to confirm the 'special economic zones' that were first announced in the Tories' 2019 election manifesto. Teesside in the North East was also unveiled as the home of one of eight freeports announced in England, along with Liverpool (above) What is a freeport? Freeports are international import/export hubs that operate outside the tax regime of the nation they are located in. The model works by allowing companies to import goods tariff-free and only paying once it is sold into the domestic market, or exporting the final goods without paying UK import tariffs. Tax breaks will be available in free port areas, including discounts on land purchases and waiving national insurance contributions for employees earning up to 25,000, in a bid to encourage the private sector to drive regeneration. The UK has seven of them between 1984 and 2012, when they were scrapped. They included Liverpool, Southampton and the Port of Tilbury, which are all located in areas that were announced as freeport bases today. More than 30 areas bid to be on the list. Although the Government wants to use them as magnets to regenerate struggling areas, they are controversial. There had been fears raised that free ports could be turned into high-end security compounds to allow owners to import and store luxury goods without facing customs charges. Le FreePort in Luxembourg is said to act as a maximum security centre for the super-rich to store art, fine wine, vintage cars and other treasures. Research by consultancy and construction firm Mace in 2018 said creating seven freeports in the north of England could add 9billion a year to Britain's GDP and create 150,000 jobs. But critics questioned this figure, saying much of it would just be redistributing economic activity from elsewhere in the country. Advertisement 'An unprecedented economic boost across the United Kingdom. Freeports will be a truly UK-wide policy and we'll work constructively with the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish administrations.' The announcement, designed to boost investment and jobs, comes only weeks before the local and mayoral elections, with the Tories looking to hang on to the Tees Valley mayoral seat, currently held by Ben Houchen, in May. Further announcements are still expected on freeports within the devolved administration, with the manifesto committing to creating 10 in total in the UK. Chief Secretary to the Treasury Stephen Barclay, quizzed about freeports by MPs last month, said he had expected the locations to be announced in 'the spring', with the first freeports 'ideally ... operational by the end of the year'. Tudor Evans, Labour leader of Plymouth City Council, tweeted that freeport status could bring thousands of jobs to the city and more than '100 million in investment'. George Kieffer, the chairman of the Freeport East Project Board, said: 'Freeport East offers a unique opportunity to build a truly global trade hub at the same time as accelerating opportunities in green energy and helping level-up the economy. 'We look forward to working with Government to further develop our business plan and to realising the potential that this opportunity represents.' Henri Murison, director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said: 'Liverpool, Humberside and Teesside are all strategically well-placed as freeports to deliver vital economic regeneration for local communities. 'We now need better transport infrastructure and improved rail connectivity to unlock the maximum economic impact from this investment, which we hope to see in the Integrated Rail Plan later this spring.' Tim Morris, chief executive of the UK Major Ports Group, added that 'ambitious and exciting bids' had been recognised. He added: 'However, freeports alone are not a silver bullet for addressing deprivation in coastal communities. 'The Government should look at extending some of the low-cost, pro-investment measures in the freeports ''tool box'' to port areas more widely.' East Midlands Airport in Leicestershire will be the site of an air freeport, possibly as early as this year Plymouth in Devon, which is already home to a major UK naval base, is one of the areas that has been chosen. In other Budget details impacting the regions, Mr Sunak announced city and growth deals in Ayrshire, Argyll and Bute and Falkirk, adding there will be three more in North Wales, Mid Wales, and Swansea Bay. He added there will be funding for the Holyhead hydrogen hub, the Global Centre of Rail Excellence in Neath Port Talbot, the Aberdeen Energy Transition Zone, and the Global Underwater Hub and the North Sea transition deal. More than 1 billion will also be given for 45 new so-called bespoke 'town deals', which support areas that do not qualify for city deal-style funding. Meanwhile the UK Infrastructure Bank will be located in Leeds, while the Treasury is to establish a new economic campus in Darlington, the Chancellor said. Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), criticised the 'politically driven' decision to base the Treasury campus in Darlington, calling it 'not the right economic choice'. He tweeted: 'You need a hub for high quality civil service jobs building on strengths of the likes of Leeds or Newcastle. It doesn't work to dot a few jobs around in a whole set of different places.' But Rain Newton-Smith, the CBI chief economist, said: 'Awarding freeport status to eight sites across the country, as well as a new Treasury hub in Darlington and infrastructure bank in Leeds, should bring benefits to local businesses and help boost wider regional economies in addition to bolstering the UK's global trading position.' LONDON, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- AMO Pharma Limited ("AMO Pharma"), a privately held biopharmaceutical company focusing on rare, childhood onset neurogenetic disorders with limited or no treatment options, today announced that the company will participate in the "Meet the DM Drug Developers" webinar series sponsored by the Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation (MDF) on Friday, March 5, 2021 beginning at 3 PM EST/noon PST. The company will present an update on the pivotal REACH-CDM clinical study currently underway to assess the efficacy and safety of the investigational therapy AMO-02 in the treatment of congenital myotonic dystrophy (CDM1). The update will cover timelines and answer questions from the DM community on this program. "AMO is very pleased to be participating in this webinar series sponsored by the MDF to bring important information about advances in research to patients, caregivers, clinicians and others who are interested in progress in the effort to develop new treatments for congenital myotonic dystrophy," said Dr. Joseph Horrigan, AMO Pharma chief medical officer. "We look forward to updating on our progress in the REACH-CDM trial, which has commenced screening of patients at trial sites in Arkansas and California, and which is positioned to build new levels of momentum in the weeks ahead as more sites are up and running and enrolling patients." In August 2020, AMO Pharma published the results of a Phase 2 study of AMO-02 (tideglusib) in the treatment of childhood onset DM1, with data presented in the peer-reviewed journal Pediatric Neurology. In January 2021, the company announced the initiation of the REACH-CDM clinical study to assess the efficacy and safety of AMO-02, a dual action investigational mRNA modulating/GSK3 kinase inhibitor, in the treatment of CDM1. For information about the REACH-CDM trial click here. "We are especially pleased to be participating in this program with the MDF just after Rare Disease Day 2021, which works to build broader awareness of rare diseases such as DM1," Dr. Horrigan added. "We look forward to sharing our update with members of the DM1 community and to answering questions about this important research effort." Through the MDF Meet the DM Drug Developers program, leading biotechnology, pharmaceutical and academic researchers working to develop treatments or cures for myotonic dystrophy are invited to share updates about their progress and answer questions for members of the myotonic dystrophy community. To register for the AMO Pharma update on March 5, 2021, visit https://www.myotonic.org/meet-dm-drug-developers-amo-pharma. About AMO-02 AMO-02 (tideglusib) is in development for the treatment of congenital myotonic dystrophy and has potential for use in additional CNS, neuromuscular and other orphan indications. AM0-02 is a clinical stage investigational medicine for the treatment of the severe form of congenital myotonic dystrophy known as DM1 or Steinert disease. In cellular and animal models of DM1 as well as in muscle biopsies from patients, activity of glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3) has been shown to increase. AMO-02 is an inhibitor that has been shown to normalise levels of GSK3 in transgenic models and in ex vivo tissue samples in patients with DM1 and to reduce levels of the mRNA that is pathogenic for DM1. About AMO Pharma AMO Pharma is a biopharmaceutical company working to identify and advance promising therapies for the treatment of serious and debilitating diseases in patient populations with significant areas of unmet need, including rare and severe childhood onset neurogenetic disorders with limited or no treatment options. In addition to developing AMO-02 for congenital myotonic dystrophy, the company is also progressing AMO-01 as a clinical stage treatment for Phelan-McDermid syndrome and AMO-04 as a clinic-ready potential medicine for Rett syndrome and related disorders. AMO-02, AMO-01 and AMO-04 are investigational medicines that have not yet been approved for the treatment of patients anywhere in the world. For more information, please visit the AMO Pharma website at http://www.amo-pharma.com/ . Contacts Media: Jenna Urban Berry & Company Public Relations [email protected] 212 253 8881 SOURCE AMO Pharma Related Links http://www.amo-pharma.com SAN FRANCISCO Facebook said on Wednesday that it planned to lift its ban on political advertising across its network, resuming a form of digital promotion that has been criticized for spreading misinformation and falsehoods and inflaming voters. The social network said it would allow advertisers to buy new ads about social issues, elections or politics beginning on Thursday, according to a copy of an email sent to political advertisers and viewed by The New York Times. Those advertisers must complete a series of identity checks before being authorized to place the ads, the company said. We put this temporary ban in place after the November 2020 election to avoid confusion or abuse following Election Day, Facebook said in a blog post. Weve heard a lot of feedback about this and learned more about political and electoral ads during this election cycle. As a result, we plan to use the coming months to take a closer look at how these ads work on our service to see where further changes may be merited. Political advertising on Facebook has long faced questions. Mark Zuckerberg, Facebooks chief executive, has said he wished to maintain a largely hands-off stance toward speech on the site including political ads unless it posed an immediate harm to the public or individuals, saying that he does not want to be the arbiter of truth. Red may be the new purple in San Francisco, but not everyone is ready to rush back inside to eat, drink and be as close to merry as you can be during a pandemic. San Francisco was among the California counties planning to shift away from the most restrictive pandemic level this week. Santa Clara and Napa counties are also moving into the red tier, joining Marin and San Mateo counties. Starting Wednesday morning, bars and restaurants can reopen for indoor service with reduced capacity. Stores, malls, movie theaters, gyms and zoos can reopen too, also with capacity limits. But many San Franciscans said Tuesday they would wait and see. Life is full of risks that are worth taking, and Im not sure I need to be taking this one, said Tamsin Smith, pulling weeds in front of her house in Noe Valley. Bars and restaurants need to make a living, I understand that. But I dont need to eat at an indoor restaurant. If I want to eat indoors, I can eat at home. But not every establishment will do it, and not every customer will venture inside the ones that do. At the Starbucks coffee bar on 24th Street in Noe Valley, manager Megan Walker said the store employees had voted not to reinstall the chairs for indoor seating, not just yet. We decided to tread lightly, she said. The company is not pressuring us. We can do what works for us and our comfort level. We decided were not ready to have people gather yet. Coffee customer Sean Filips said he was looking forward to taking an indoor seat at his favorite restaurants once again, but that his wife, Faviana, didnt share his eagerness. Shes more paranoid, Filips said. Shes not ready. We have a favorite Spanish restaurant. I might be able to get her to go there with me. I dont know. Filips said he has worked throughout the pandemic as an internet service installer, visiting scores of homes without incident. I havent had any issues, he said. I think this whole thing is exaggerated. But my wife doesnt. Inside the Rabat shoe store across the street, manager Saniya Talhouk said she planned to avoid restaurants, for now. Im not going to an indoor restaurant until I get my shots, she said. I have elderly parents. Its not worth it. With the restrictions lifting, a friend made a reservation and asked her out to a steak dinner. Talhouk turned it down. Theres too much pressure to reopen, she said. Its a circus. Its ridiculous. Were making progress, but it doesnt make any sense to rush toward the light at the end of the tunnel and trip in a puddle. Across the street at the Just for Fun stationery shop, clerk Tomas Aragon Jr., said the store had no plans to change what weve always done. Anyway, I dont want to do anything to go against what my father says, said Aragon, whose dad, Dr. Tomas Aragon, happens to be the head of the California Department of Public Health and San Franciscos former health officer. Increasing the number of customers allowed inside probably wont mean much because the store rarely has more than three or four customers at any one time, except during the holidays. The competition from online sales has hurt every bit as much as the pandemic. Aragon will keep an eye on the number but said that people who visit a store such as Just for Fun, with its toys and rainbow wooden spoons and German fountain pens and designer kites, are not coming in for the product but for the experience. At Pier 39, where Mayor London Breed was announcing the coming restaurant changes and trying to whet appetites for them, the noon crowd strolled the shops and eateries. Many outdoor restaurants, such as Pier Market, appeared to be full to overflowing. Will Snyder, a Las Vegas resident visiting San Francisco for a friends birthday, said he was excited that more things were open than he had originally anticipated. I just did the tour around the bay, and now Im going to check out the crooked street, he said, referring to Lombard Street. If I can get into museums, then I will. Others, though, said they would continue following stricter guidelines. Brandon Miller and Khristy Valech, a Sacramento couple strolling the pier to celebrate their first anniversary, said they werent quite comfortable eating indoors just yet. Id rather be safe, Miller said. Celeste Carrillo, visiting from Merced, said she was excited to see a movie in a real theater, the kind with reclining seats and coming attractions, even though she had no idea which movie she wanted to see. Buying junk food at the concession stand shes excited about that, too. Its been tiring being locked up and cooped up at home, Carrillo said. Steve Rubenstein and Michael Williams are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: srubenstein@sfchronicle.com michael.williams@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SteveRubeSF @michaeldamianw 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-You Tube, 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 the 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 relationships -- all 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 a core principles in America not only because of the Constitutions First, Fifth, Sixth, and Fourteenth 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. So why is cancel culture, which is so demonstrably limiting, harmful, and antisocial -- exacerbating intolerance and hatred, 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 U.S., 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 foot soldiers used to foment internal fear, division, and to destroy societys connection with its past, and even precipitate civil war -- all of which facilitates the end game of subordinating the U.S. to the global elites new world order. Much of the cancel culture may not realize that in 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 past -- from its founding figures and ideals, drafting of a unique constitution based on those ideals, and its redemptive course culminating in the racial equality achieved through the courage and perseverance of the civil rights movement -- America can fall like ripe fruit into the hands of its enemies. Cancelling and destroying American heritage is necessary to accomplish this end. Cancel culture is regressive, not progressive -- and 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 Orwell's depiction of a dystopian future 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. C ancel culture has its roots in intolerance dating back to the French Revolution (1789-1794), when Robespierres Reign of Terror resulted in some 30,000 deaths -- a period accompanied by a concerted effort to erase and destroy Christianity and its traditions and institutions. The culmination of that phase of 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 tsarist statues and symbols of Russian history -- emblems, coats of arms, double-headed eagles -- all destroyed in the name of the revolution and creation of the 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 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 of the Soviet rule of Lenin and Stalin, by the 1960s scholarship and inside testimonies established that Bolshevik and Soviet totalitarian rule had resulted in death tolls of at least some 20 million people. Like Lenin and Stalins communist rule in Russia, Mao Zedongs communist revolution in China was based on historical determinism -- a fundamental tenet of Marxism which 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 at least 40 million deaths, both those for which Mao was directly responsible and those that resulted from disastrous policies he refused to change. 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, cancelled 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 prison -- 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 world wars and 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. The CCP is not only our greatest military threat externally, but also internally -- through its ongoing multi-billion-dollar industrial, academic, and political espionage and subversion programs operating in the U.S. -- China 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, the first rule is do no harm. When we recognize clear patterns of practices that have been an integral part of the most destructive political systems in human history, Americans cant afford to be fooled. Cancel culture and censorship have no place in the United States. Scott Powell is senior fellow at the Discovery Institute in Seattle. Reach him at scottp@discovery.org Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon gestures as she gives evidence to a Scottish Parliament committee examining the handling of harassment allegations against former First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond, in Edinburgh, Scotland, Britain, on March 3, 2021. (Jeff J Mitchell/Pool via Reuters) Scottish Leader Fights Back in Row With Ex-mentor That Threatens Independence Drive LONDONScottish leader Nicola Sturgeon on Wednesday defended her handling of sexual harassment complaints against her predecessor Alex Salmond in high-stakes testimony on an issue that threatens to scupper her dream of leading Scotland to independence. Describing the feud with Salmond as one of the most invidious political and personal situations she had ever faced, Sturgeon denied Salmonds accusations that she had plotted against him and misled the Scottish parliament. Former First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond leaves after his court appearance in Edinburgh on Jan. 24, 2019. (Russell Cheyne/Reuters) The feud between the pair, once close friends and powerful allies in the cause of Scottish independence, has reached fever pitch in recent weeks, threatening the electoral prospects of the Scottish National Party (SNP) at a crucial time. With Scottish elections coming up in May, Sturgeon believes a strong showing for her party would give her a mandate to demand a second referendum on independence, after one in 2014 in which Scots voted by 55 percent to 45 percent to stay in the United Kingdom. With Britains exit from the European Union boosting pro-independence sentiment in Scotland, where a majority voted against Brexit, a series of opinion polls have suggested the SNP could well win a second independence referendum. Scotlands First Minister Nicola Sturgeon attends a COVID-19 briefing at the Scottish Parliament in Holyrood, Edinburgh, Scotland, on March 2, 2021. (Jane Barlow/PA Wire/Pool via Reuters) But a relentless torrent of negative and sometimes lurid headlines about the Sturgeon-Salmond row could deprive her of the emphatic win she needs to overcome resistance by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who opposes a referendum. In highly anticipated testimony to an inquiry into how she and her government handled the sexual harassment claims against Salmond, which he denies, Sturgeon denied any improper behaviour, saying she had searched her soul many times. In one of the most invidious political and personal situations I have ever faced, I believe I acted properly and appropriately, and overall, I made the best judgments I could, she told lawmakers. For anyone, at least anyone willing to listen with an open mind, that is what I will seek to demonstrate today, she said, before beginning a detailed defence of her individual decisions, expected to last most of the day. In his own explosive testimony on Friday, Salmond accused Sturgeon in taking part in a malicious plot to drive him out of public life, and of breaking the ministerial code, a set of rules on how ministers should behave, in the process. Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross has also accused Sturgeon of lying and has called for a vote of no confidence against her. Denying that she had broken the code, a transgression that would normally lead to a resignation, Sturgeon hit back hard, rejecting Salmonds talk of a plot as absurd and linking the saga to the broader context of the me too movement. As first minister, I refused to follow the age-old pattern of allowing a powerful man to use his status and connections to get what he wants, she said, accusing Salmond of having asked her to intervene in his favour after women complained about him. She said he had failed to recognise how difficult the situation was first and foremost for women who believed his behaviour towards them was inappropriate, but also for those of us who have campaigned with him, worked with him, cared for him, and considered him a friend, and who now stand unfairly accused of plotting against him. Salmond stood trial on charges of sexual assault and was acquitted last year. By Elizabeth Piper and Estelle Shirbon Rishi Sunak faces a delicate balancing act when he delivers his second budget as Chancellor today. He risks a backlash if he hikes taxes too quickly, but is also under pressure to indicate how he plans to plug the vast hole in the nations finances. It is expected that many Covid support measures, such as furlough, will be extended. But he is also thought to be set on raising an extra 43 billion through tweaks to tax allowances and duties. Budget balance: Chancellor Rishi Sunak risks a backlash if he hikes taxes too quickly, but is also under pressure to indicate how he plans to plug the vast hole in the nations finances Further detail is expected on March 23 when the Treasury publishes a host of consultations on tax policy. Here Money Mail talks you through what to watch out for - and the bookies odds of policy changes going ahead. INCOME TAX The Chancellor is bound by a manifesto pledge not to raise the headline rate of income tax. Instead, Mr Sunak is expected to freeze tax thresholds for three years. The move will raise 6 billion and drag 1.6 million people into higher tax bands. Former party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith has said this would be a mistake that would punish ordinary families. Freezing income tax thresholds: 4/6 aka a 60% chance CAPITAL GAINS TAX The Treasury has played down rumours this could be brought in line with income tax rates. It would see rates rise from 20 per cent on assets and 28 per cent on property to 40 per cent for higher-rate taxpayers. The tax is levied on business owners who sell parts of their firm, second homeowners and those who sell valuable possessions. Currently, around 300,000 people a year pay CGT which yields 9.5 billion. Bringing CGT rates in line with income tax: 6/4 aka a 40% chance Retirement: The threshold at which pension pots are taxed is expected to be frozen at around 1m CORPORATION TAX Rishi SUNAK is likely to raise the tax on business from 19 per cent to 20 per cent, and set out a pathway to raising it to 23 per cent by the end of this parliament. This could prove controversial at a time when many businesses are struggling. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said his party will oppose a rise in corporation tax, despite having campaigned for it at the last election. An exemption for entrepreneurs is possible. Raising corporation tax: EVENS aka a 50% chance PENSIONS TAX RELIEF The threshold at which pension pots are taxed is expected to be frozen at around 1 million. It is projected to affect 1.2 million people who will exceed the threshold when they start drawing income and may raise 250 million a year. Those who breach the threshold face a 25 per cent levy on any additional income from their pension pot. The charge rises to 55 per cent if they choose to draw down a lump sum. Freezing pensions tax relief threshold: 1/3 aka a 75% chance Boris Johnson on Monday confirmed reports in The Daily Mail that a ten-year freeze on fuel duty would continue FUEL DUTY FREEZE CONTINUES Boris Johnson on Monday confirmed reports in the Daily Mail that a ten-year freeze on fuel duty would continue. It was rumoured that the Chancellor had planned a 5p hike or to signal his intent to end the freeze which has seen the duty remain at 57.95p per litre for petrol and diesel since 2011. Sir Robert Chote, former chairman of the Office for Budget Responsibility, has said most economists think the Chancellor should finally bite the bullet. Raising fuel duty: 10/1 aka a 9% chance ALCOHOL DUTY LIFELINE The Treasury could cut alcohol duty in pubs and restaurants and increase it in supermarkets to encourage people to go out once coronavirus lockdown measures are eased. The Prime Minister confirmed the proposal is being examined after backbench MPs urged ministers to act to prevent hospitality firms being undercut by cheap supermarket booze. But the move may not be ready in time for the Budget. Cutting alcohol duty for pubs and restaurants: 5/2 aka a 29% chance The Treasury could cut alcohol duty in pubs and restaurants and increase it in supermarkets to encourage people to go out once lockdown measures are eased. HELP FOR HOMEBUYERS The Chancellor is set to extend the stamp duty holiday until the end of June. The tax break on property purchases worth up to 500,000 is due come to an end on March 31. The policy does little to help first-time buyers, who dont pay the tax on properties worth up to 300,000 anyway. In a bid to appease them, the Prime Minister has planned the introduction of 95 per cent mortgages backed by the state. Mr Johnson says that this could help first-time buyers who are struggling to raise a large deposit or get a loan. Critics say it will simply push prices further out of reach. Extending stamp duty holiday and 95 per cent mortgages: 1/7 aka a 87.5% chance A NEW GREEN SAVINGS BOND The UK is expected to become the first country to offer green savings bonds to small investors as it attempts to fuel a sustainable recovery. It is thought Mr Sunak will today confirm plans to launch the bonds, which will fund renewable energy projects. They will be offered through NS&I, but their size and structure is as yet unknown. Green savings bond: 1/50 aka a 98% chance Should the stamp duty holiday become a permanent vacation? Rumours are swirling ahead of the Budget that Rishi Sunak will extend the stamp duty holiday by three months? The idea is that this would help stop the collapse of chain after chain as buyers pull out, renegotiate or have to find more money if they miss the deadline. But wouldn't a three-month delay just kick the can down the road by another 12 weeks and lead to another cohort of buyers potentially affected? Would it be better to just make the stamp duty holiday a permanent vacation from a bad tax? On this podcast, Georgie Frost, Grace Gausden and Simon Lambert discuss the stamp duty break, whether it was a good idea and whether it should be extended or the tax cut altogether. Press play above or listen (and please subscribe if you like the podcast) at Apple Podcasts, Acast, Spotify and Audioboom or visit our This is Money Podcast page All odds have been supplied by Paddy Power. m.dilworth@dailymail.co.uk Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 4) Senator Leila de Lima and her lawyer Boni Tacardon have asked a Muntinlupa court to dismiss the contempt case filed against them by government lawyers over their statements on the testimonies of witnesses in one of her drug cases. In separate comments filed on March 1, De Lima and Tacardon asked the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 205 to "outrightly dismiss" the case as their statements did not present any threat to the drug charge. "In the words of the Prosecution themselves, what they only fear is that the said 'statements' will 'persuade, influence, intimidate, incite perception and sentiments of their colleagues and other government officials, including the trial court judges'," Tacardon said. "Truth be told, the petition does not in any way point to the actual effect of 'statements' to the Honorable Court. There has been no proof presented that Honorable Judge [Liezel] Aquiatan has been influenced, particularly in favor of respondent in her criminal case owing to the alleged 'statements'," he added. Meanwhile, the detained senator said the Omnibus Order issued by Judge Liezel Aquiatan last February showed her comments did not endanger the administration of justice in the drug case. "A plain reading of both Omnibus Orders issued by the trial court in Crim. Case Nos. 17-165 and 17-166 [c]learly shows that the trial court labored under no undue pressure arising from any purported tendency of Respondent's statements to influence, intimidate, impede, embarrass, or obstruct the trial court's administration of justice," she said. Government lawyers asked the court last December to cite De Lima and Tacardon in contempt, saying Tacardon's previous statements before the media are an "affront to the lawful proceedings" of the court. De Lima's camp argued the statements merely showed how a financial investigator from the Anti-Money Laundering Council and a digital forensic examiner from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency have reaffirmed under oath that the senator was not involved in any suspicious transaction in relation to the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison. "At any rate, contrary to Petitioner's claim that Respondent intentionally and maliciously misinformed the public, the transcript of stenographic notes show that 'statements' attributed to the latter were factual and are consistent with what transpired during the hearings," Tacardon said. De Lima also noted that her lawyers' out-of-court statements are an essential exercise of her constitutional right to a public trial considering the severe restrictions on public access to her hearings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. De Lima has been detained since 2017 on allegations she used drug money to fund her senatorial campaign in 2016. The former justice secretary was recently acquitted in one of her three drug cases. Prime Minister Florin Citu, commenting today on the Bucharest Tribunal's decision to close the case of the clashes at the August 10, 2018 anti-government rally, said that justice is a public service and those who make the decisions must be held accountable to the citizens, according to AGERPRES. Speaking at private broadcaster B1 TV, the head of the government stressed that the Executive cannot intervene in a court decision but that he, personally, is "disappointed" by the respective verdict. "First of all, in a democratic country, the executive power does not intervene in the act of justice. Let this be very clear, I don't back down from this principle. At the same time, the act of justice is a public service and confidence in the judiciary is gauged according to the decisions. As a person, I am disappointed, because I was there and I know what happened but, I repeat, the decision-makers are the ones who have to answer to the society, to the Romanians in this particular case, as well as in all the cases in general," Citu said. The Prime Minister said that the judiciary is the one to be held accountable for this. "It's not the government the one that handed down the decision, the government was not involved in any way. I expressed my opinion before being a member of this Cabinet, but, I repeat, we must keep in mind that justice is also a public service and is done for the citizens in Romania and if the citizens are dissatisfied with the act of justice, they should say this and those who should be held accountable to the citizens are the ones who decide in the act of justice," Florin Citu said. *** The Bucharest Tribunal rejected on Tuesday the request of the Directorate for the Investigation of Organised Crimes and Terrorism to reopen the criminal investigation against the former chiefs of the Gendarmerie in the "August 10, 2018" case. The court decision, which is final, was handed down by judge Daniela Isabela Mihet. The decision closes the case for good and the former Gendarmerie chiefs will not face prosecution for their heavy-handed intervention against the participants in the August 2018 anti-government rally in Victoriei Square. Philips Disney Ambient Experience Ariel and Nemo Philips Disney Ambient Experience Mickey Mouse Philips Disney Ambient Experience Yoda Philips MR Ambient Experience with child March 3, 2021 Philips partners with European Hospitals to conduct first of its kind clinical research pilot program that aims to help reduce fear and anxiety to improve childrens patient experience during MRI exams Study will explore the effects and use of animated stories and characters, including Disney favorites, as part of Philips Ambient Experience solution Amsterdam, the Netherlands Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, and The Walt Disney Company EMEA today announced they are teaming up to test the effects of custom-made animation , including specially-made Disney stories, within Philips Ambient Experience, a solution that integrates architecture, design and enabling technologies, such as dynamic lighting, video projections and sound, to allow patients and staff to personalize their environment to create a relaxing atmosphere. Philips clinical research project will commence this summer in six hospitals across Europe and the results of the pilot project will be completed later this year. It is the first time Disney has collaborated as part of a clinical research project of this kind. Philips will investigate how Philips Ambient Experience using a series of animated stories, including some of Disneys most beloved characters, can improve the patient and clinician experience during pediatric MRI procedures. Philips Ambient Experience will render six pieces of original, stylised Disney animation created specially by Disney animators for use in hospitals with clinical guidance from Philips intended to reduce fear and anxiety often felt by a child in the MRI process. The Disney animation features characters like Mickey Mouse, Ariel, Marvels Avengers, Star Wars Yoda and others, coming together in a diagnostic setting for the first time. The goal of the research pilot is to help alleviate children's anxiety, create bonds and improve the staffs ability to carry out their tasks in MRI scanning rooms across six leading European hospitals. Story continues Philips clinical expertise meets Disney story-telling Medical exams like MRI scans can be challenging for many patients, especially children, who are anxious or claustrophobic. Philips Ambient Experience with 2,000 installations worldwide helps manage these challenges by creating an engaging, multi-sensorial imaging environment that is welcoming and relaxing. Patients can personalize the rooms lighting, video, and sound by selecting a theme of their choice. This gives them a feeling of empowerment and control over the procedure and provides a positive focus on the ambient theme. Ambient Experience Patient In-bore Connect helps them relax, follow directions, and minimize motion once they are in the scanner using video content aligned with the MRI procedure to provide information and guidance to the patient during scanning as well as information about scan duration. This becomes increasingly important for younger pediatric patients undergoing MR scans who need to remain still to help reduce the need for repeat scans. Philips Ambient Experience is proven to help improve efficiency with higher patient throughput and predictability, significantly reducing the need for retakes and rescans. The collaboration brings together Philips vast clinical knowledge and expertise combined with a deep understanding of patient needs with Disneys masterful storytelling. It will allow children to select Disney content featuring their favourite character to help provide them with a sense of familiarity, control and comfort. From joining Aladdin and Jasmine on a magical carpet ride to gently swinging through city skyscrapers with Spiderman, each story is specially designed to calm and support the child through their experience. A visit to the hospital can be quite intimidating for people, and especially children, where a more patient-friendly, patient-centric environment could help improve the patient experience and help drive first-time-right imaging for improved outcomes, said Kees Wesdorp , Chief Business Leader of Precision Diagnosis at Philips. With this pilot study, we will investigate the impact of Philips Ambient Experience including Disneys specially developed themes to empower children with a positive experience to help them throughout the medical procedure. Philips has always taken a human-centric approach to healthcare. Together, we can make a real difference for thousands of young patients going through medical procedures each day. I have seen first-hand that MRI scans can be intimidating for children, and I like how focused Philips is on the patient experience, said Jan Koeppen, President, the Walt Disney Company, EMEA. At Disney, we look forward to complementing Philips MRI experience with our stories and characters. We are excited to see the results of the clinical research and to quantify the impact our characters can have in this environment. In a recent study carried out by the New Economics Foundation, it was identified that in addition to creating a positive experience, the well-known Disney characters help build trust for children in anxious circumstances. The research, also identifies that, through the power of Disneys storytelling and characters, it can inspire and create positive feelings, experiences and memories helping children and young people to cope where and when they need it most. Disney has a long history of bringing magic and storytelling to childrens hospitals and places of care across the world. In 2018, Disney announced a further commitment of $100 million to help reimagine the patient journey for children in hospitals around the world as part of their global Social Purpose program. Philips Ambient Experience solution at ECR 2021 For more information, watch the video on Philips and Disney's collaboration to improve the healthcare experience of children, or download it here. Philips will be showcasing its Ambient Experience solution at the European Congress of Radiology virtual event, March 3-7. For more information on Philips new portfolio of diagnostic and interventional solutions and AI-enabled applications to enhance radiology workflows at ECR 2021, visit the Philips ECR site , and follow @PhilipsLiveFrom for updates throughout the event. For further information, please contact: Kathy OReilly Philips Global Press Office Tel. : + 1 978-221-8919 E-mail : kathy.oreilly@philips.com Twitter: @kathyoreilly Mark Groves Philips Global Press Office Tel.: +31 631 639 916 E-mail: mark.groves@philips.com James Matheson Walt Disney Company, EMEA Tel: +44 7891 763002 E-Mail: james.matheson@disney.com About Royal Philips Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and well-being, and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips generated 2020 sales of EUR 19.5 billion and employs approximately 82,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter . About Disneys Social Purpose As well as being a responsible business, Disney is dedicated to providing comfort and inspiration to those in need and creating inspiration and opportunity for those who want to improve their world. Disneys collaboration with Philips is an example of how, through working with others, we help build emotional resilience. Together we bring the power of our brand, stories and characters to inspire and create Moments that Matter for children and those closest to them when they need it the most. In 2019, we created over 26,000 life-changing moments for children across Europe. For more information on our programmes and our long-standing charitable partners please visit www.thewaltdisneycompany.eu . Attachments STOCKHOLM - A man armed with an axe attacked and injured eight people in a southern Swedish town Wednesday before being shot and arrested, police said. Police are seen in the area after several people were attacked in Vetlanda, Sweden, Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Swedish police say a man has assaulted at least eight people in a southern Sweden town, and that the case was being investigated as a suspected terrorist crime. Police said a man in his 20s attacked people in the small town of Vetlanda, about 190 kilometers (118 miles) southeast of Goteborg, Swedens second largest city. (Mikael Fritzon/TT News Agency via AP) STOCKHOLM - A man armed with an axe attacked and injured eight people in a southern Swedish town Wednesday before being shot and arrested, police said. Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said a possible terrorist motive was being investigated. In the light of what has emerged so far in the police investigation, prosecutors have initiated a preliminary investigation into terrorist crimes, he said but didn't elaborate. Shortly after his statement, investigators at a police press conference said they had started a preliminary investigation into attempted murder, with details that make us investigate any terrorist motives. "But at the moment I cannot go into details, regional police chief Malena Grann said. Police are seen in the area after several people were attacked in Vetlanda, Sweden, Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Swedish police say a man has assaulted at least eight people in a southern Sweden town, and that the case was being investigated as a suspected terrorist crime. Police said a man in his 20s attacked people in the small town of Vetlanda, about 190 kilometers (118 miles) southeast of Goteborg, Swedens second largest city. (Mikael Fritzon/TT News Agency via AP) Police said the man in his 20s attacked people in the small town of Vetlanda, about 190 kilometres (118 miles) southeast of Goteborg, Swedens second largest city. His motive was not immediately known. The man was shot by police, who said the condition of those attacked and of the perpetrator was not immediately known. Officials did not provide the identity of the suspect, who was taken to hospital. Local police chief Jonas Lindell said it seems that the injuries are not life-threatening but could not give further details. The events took place in downtown Vetlanda with police saying they got calls just after 1400 GMT about a man assaulting people with an axe. Police also said that there are five crime scenes in this town of roughly 13,000. Lofven condemned this terrible act," and added that Swedens domestic security agency SAPO was also working on the case. They continuously assess whether there are reasons to take security-enhancing measures and are prepared to do so if necessary, he said in a statement. WASHINGTON - Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, a former White House physician to two presidents, bullied his staff, made inappropriate sexual comments about a female subordinate and exhibited an array of other concerning behavior, according to a Defense Department inspector general report released Wednesday. Most of Jackson's former colleagues disapproved of his conduct and leadership within the White House Medical Unit, including incidents in which he screamed, belittled staff and erupted into fits of rage that demoralized nurses and doctors, the report found. Only 13 of 60 people interviewed about Jackson's command climate had positive experiences to share, investigators said in the report, which was first reported by CNN. Jackson, 53, who retired in 2019 as Navy rear admiral, "established a workplace where fear and intimidation were kind of the hallmarks of him, his command and control of his subordinates," one witness told investigators. The report recommended the Navy secretary take "appropriate action." The Navy is reviewing the report, said Cmdr. Courtney Hillson, a Navy spokesperson. The Navy will determine if a separate investigation is necessary, according to a Navy official who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue. If one is initiated, Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Harker would decide if Jackson's conduct warrants a reduction in retirement rank, which would lower his monthly pension. Jackson denied misconduct Wednesday in a statement that described the report and the allegations as partisan attacks. The allegations publicly surfaced in April 2018 after President Donald Trump nominated Jackson as secretary of Veterans Affairs. "Three years ago I was the subject of a political hit job because I stood with President Trump. Today, a Department of Defense Inspector General report has resurrected those same false allegations from my years with the Obama Administration because I have refused to turn my back on President Trump," he said in the statement. Jackson began work as a White House physician in the mid-2000s and was named the top presidential physician in 2013, serving as President Barack Obama's doctor and then Trump's. He was elected in November to represent a Texas congressional district. Witnesses recounted bizarre and sexually charged incidents during a presidential trip to the Philippines in April 2014, when Jackson served as Obama's physician. A female subordinate told investigators that Jackson pounded on her door after midnight and that his eyes appeared bloodshot when she opened it. "You could smell the alcohol on his breath, and he leaned into my room and he said, 'I need you.' I felt really uncomfortable," the witness said. "When a drunk man comes to your room and they say, 'I need you,' your mind goes to the worst." The woman snapped into action, changed her clothes and grabbed her medical bag, she said, because she was unsure if there was a medical concern. She entered Jackson's room, where he was yelling about eating fertilized eggs cooked in the shell - a delicacy in the Philippines. A Secret Service agent told her there was a concern Jackson's noise would wake Obama, she said. Other witnesses described Jackson making sexual remarks about the woman's body. Witnesses also voiced concerns about Jackson's conduct on a 2016 trip to Argentina. Some described him taking control of the medical bag after drinking, the report said. Control of the bag indicates duty to provide immediate medical care to the president and other officials, the report said. "Was he drunk? I don't know," a witness said. "I'm not a breathalyzer nor can I do a blood alcohol level by smelling. But did he smell of alcohol? Yes, he did." In his statement, Jackson denied misusing alcohol on duty. Jackson was known to use Ambien on long official visits as the president's physician, witnesses told investigators. The sleep aid can impair mental awareness. White House guidelines require officials to notify supervisors if they ingest medication that can impair them, but it was unclear if Jackson did, the report said. There were no medical emergencies on trips recounted by witnesses, the report said. "However, witnesses expressed concerns about RDML Jackson's ability to provide or supervise medical care while using Ambien if an emergency required it," the report concluded. Investigators interviewed dozens of colleagues after tips poured into the Pentagon inspector general's hotline following Trump's nomination, the report said. Jackson withdrew his consideration after some details of the allegations were made public. The inspector general withheld release of the report for months, saying in a Feb. 3 denial of a Freedom of Information Act request by the The Washington Post that documents requested "could reasonably be expected to interfere with [law] enforcement proceeding." The memo did not clarify whether there was an open criminal case investigating Jackson. The Post appealed that denial on Feb. 17 and received a memo from inspector general's office on Wednesday afternoon that it was closing the case because it had just released the documents to the public. - - - The Washington Post's Dan Lamothe contributed to this report. Nacogdoches, TX (75965) Today Thunderstorms likely this morning. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms this afternoon. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High near 80F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Cloudy. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Beijing, March 3 : Environmentally friendly fireworks emit 15-65 per cent less particulate matter (PM) as compared to traditional fireworks, however, they still significantly deteriorate air quality, say researchers. Fireworks are used in celebrations around the world, including Independence Day in the US, the Lantern Festival in China and the Diwali Festival in India. However, the popular pyrotechnic displays emit large amounts of pollutants into the atmosphere, sometimes causing severe air pollution. Fireworks displays can cause health problems, such as respiratory ailments, because they release high levels of air pollutants, including particulate matter (PM), sulfur dioxide, heavy metals and perchlorates, said the researchers, including Ying Li from Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen. As a result, some cities have banned their use. But because the displays are an important aspect of many traditional celebrations, researchers and manufacturers have tried to develop more environmentally friendly pyrotechnics, including those with smokeless charges and sulfur-free propellants. Although research suggests that these fireworks emit less pollutants, their impact on air quality has not been evaluated. For the study, published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, the team used data from a large fireworks display held in Shenzhen on Chinese National Day on October 1, 2019, to assess how "green" these fireworks really are. The researchers estimated emissions of PM2.5, which is PM with a diameter of 2.5 Am and smaller, from the 160,000 environmentally friendly fireworks set off during the display, as well as emissions from traditional fireworks. They used information on the wind direction, wind speed, temperature and chemical composition of the fireworks to simulate the size, trajectory and peak PM2.5 values for the smoke plume resulting from the event. Then they compared their simulated values with actual data on PM2.5 concentrations measured at 75 monitoring stations throughout the city following the fireworks display. In agreement with the team's predictions, the data showed that the fireworks smoke plume began as a narrow band that travelled northward before being fully dispersed, with peak PM2.5 levels similar to the predictions. The researchers used their validated simulation to estimate that the use of environmentally friendly fireworks produces a much smaller, shorter-lasting plume, with 15-65 per cent of the PM2.5 emissions of a display using traditional fireworks. However, the peak concentration of PM2.5 still greatly exceeds World Health Organization guidelines. THE HAGUE - The International Criminal Court (ICC) has opened a formal investigation into alleged crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories, a decision strongly opposed by Israel. Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda confirmed the opening of an investigation into the situation in Palestine. The prosecutor said there were "reasonable grounds" to believe crimes were committed by Israeli forces, by Tel Aviv's authorities, by Hamas and by armed Palestinian factions during the conflict in Gaza in 2014. The investigation will cover the entire phase from June 13 that year. Israel is not a member of the ICC. PNA, step long awaited in search for justice TEL AVIV - The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) has welcomed the decision by prosecutor Fatou Bensouda of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to open a formal investigation into alleged war crimes in the Palestinian Territories. "It is a long-awaited step - said the PNA's foreign minister in a statement quoted by local media - which is functional to the incessant Palestinian search for justice and responsibility, indispensable pillars of peace that the Palestinian people search and deserve". The PNA said it has offered full cooperation in the investigation. Netanyahu says Israel under attack, ICC anti-Semitic TEL AVIV - Israeli Premier Benyamin Netanyahu on Wednesday said that "starting tonight Israel is under attack", commenting the decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague to open a formal investigation into alleged war crimes in the Palestinian territories during the 2014 war with Gaza. "The biased court of The Hague has adopted a decision that is the essence of anti-Semitism and hypocrisy", the premier said. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 A Boston man accused of carjacking multiple ride-share drivers at gunpoint since January was apprehended by police Tuesday afternoon, authorities said. Massachusetts State Police detectives first responded to reports of an armed carjacking at a Massachusetts Port Authority property on Summer Street in South Boston on Jan. 13, leading 18-year-old Avonte Taylor and a 17-year-old girl to be identified as suspects, according to officials. The Hyde Park girls mother later surrendered her to Boston police due to the press coverage surrounding the carjacking and photographs of the suspects that made it onto the nightly news, state police said in a statement. She awaits trial at the juvenile division of Boston Municipal Court. Taylor, a Dorchester man, remained at large until this week. Authorities said evidence suggests he was responsible for three more carjackings in February. In all the encounters, Taylor is accused of getting an unknowing third party to order a ride-share vehicle on his behalf and having the driver take him to the parking lot of the Massport property where the initial carjacking took place, according to state police. At that location, officials said, the 18-year-old man stole the victims vehicles at gunpoint. Boston police and state police Troop F detectives worked to get evidence and canvass witnesses. One of the carjacked vehicles was analyzed, and a fingerprint was found that allegedly identified Taylor. According to law enforcement, surveillance cameras in the area also captured the incidents, and photo arrays received by the State Police Fusion Center led troopers to Taylor. The Boston Regional Intelligence Center and the Commonwealth Fusion Center sent out officer safety bulletins identifying Taylor during this time, state police said. On Feb. 26, Trooper Christopher Fraser applied for and received an arrest warrant through the South Boston division of Boston Municipal Court charging Taylor with the carjackings. He was contacted directly and through family members but refused to surrender to detectives, according to state police. As a result of statements Taylor made to police and family members and due to the ever increasing threat of violence he is accused of displaying toward his victims, Boston and state police met to devise a plan to apprehend Taylor, authorities said. Members of the Boston and state police violent arrest squads found the suspect walking on East Broadway Street in South Boston around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. He was taken into custody without incident and taken to the Troop F barracks for booking, according to officials. A bail commissioner was contacted and ordered Taylor to be held without bail. He is expected to be arraigned Wednesday in the South Boston division of Boston Municipal Court. By Brendan J. Lyons | Times Union, Albany Albany, N.Y. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo could face criminal exposure for a former aides allegation that he kissed her without her consent at his midtown office in July 2018. That allegation, from former aide Lindsey Boylan, was arguably buttressed on Monday evening when the New York Times reported that another woman, 33-year-old Anna Ruch, recounted the governor holding her face after they were introduced at a 2019 wedding and asking if he could kiss her. Ruch told the newspaper the unsettling encounter took place after Cuomo had made her feel uncomfortable when he put his hand on her bare lower back. Cuomo has denied kissing Boylan. In a statement Sunday, he characterized his workplace behavior as playful and an attempt to make jokes that I think are funny. He stressed that he never inappropriately touched anybody and I never propositioned anybody and I never intended to make anyone feel uncomfortable, but these are allegations that New Yorkers deserve answers to. But the referral that the governors office made Monday, empowering state Attorney General Letitia James to commence an investigation of allegations that the governor had sexually harassed at least two female staff members, including Boylan, does not authorize the attorney general to conduct a criminal investigation or to subpoena witnesses before a grand jury. That authority would have needed to be given to James under a separate provision in Executive Law. Still, the exposure for Cuomo to the possibility of a misdemeanor sexual abuse charge or a non-criminal harassment violation remains. Yes, it could constitute a misdemeanor or possibly a violation under the penal law, said Onondaga County District Attorney William J. Fitzpatrick, a past president of the state district attorneys association. Fitzpatrick said many members of the public may believe that James has the authority to appoint a special prosecutor to handle the investigation, but thats not the case. In a statement Monday, James office characterized the investigation as a review that will culminate with the issuance of a public report. At some point theres a reckoning at the end of (the governors referral) where it either gets referred to a (district attorney) or Letitia seeks to be designated as a prosecutorial agency, Fitzpatrick said. The referral letter that was sent to James on Monday by Beth Garvey, Cuomos chief counsel, does not give the attorney general the authority to usurp the jurisdiction of a local district attorney. Boylans accusation that Cuomo kissed her on the lips without consent in July 2018 at his New York City office would likely only be pursued as a criminal case if Boylan is cooperative and willing to file a formal complaint, according to several law enforcement officials consulted for this story. The governor and Boylan also had other one-on-one encounters at the state Capitol that year, so jurisdiction could toggle between the district attorneys offices in Albany County and Manhattan. Its unclear whether Cuomo, if found to have sexually harassed women, could also face exposure for any charges under state Public Officers Law, including official misconduct. If Cuomo is found guilty of a felony crime that involves violating his oath of office, he could be removed from office. The two-year statute of limitations for any alleged misdemeanor offense tied to Boylans accusation would have normally expired last summer on July 18. But Cuomo has issued several executive orders in the past year tolling statutes of limitations as court and grand jury proceedings were halted by the coronavirus pandemic. Those orders could now expose him to a potential criminal charge. Dennis C. Vacco, a former U.S. attorney who served as state attorney general from 1995 to 1998, said the attorney generals office has specific and limited prosecutorial authority under state statutes. But he noted that district attorneys have the authority under Section 63-2 of state Executive Law as does the governor to bestow those prosecutorial powers to the attorney general for specific cases or investigations. Under the referral from Cuomos office, James has only the authority to compel testimony and the production of documents, but not pursuant to criminal procedure law. Still, Vacco said the section of Executive Law that Cuomos office used in its referral 63-8 of Executive Law seems appropriate at this stage. He also said its unlikely that when the statute was written that there was any consideration about a circumstance in which the governor would make a referral under that section of law for an investigation of himself. On balance, I think (Executive Law) 63-8 fits the circumstances; it doesnt grant the attorney general carte blanche and criminal investigatory authority, but nor does it supplant the authority of any district attorney, he said. CHICAGO, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- TrustPlace Technologies, Inc. today announced a partnership with Monnit a leading IoT solution company. TrustPlace will offer seamless integration of award-winning Monnit IoT Remote Monitoring Solutions with its powerful digital frontline operations platform. TrustPlace & Monnit Intelligent Remote Monitoring Monnit The combination offers TrustPlace customers a turnkey IoT solution with over 80 different sensors to automatically monitor key physical world conditions, including temperature, power, motion, and air quality. TrustPlace integrates the data from these sensor readings and recommends the action required to correct problems. "Monnit has the most comprehensive, affordable, and easy-to-implement set of IoT monitoring solutions for frontline operations in the industries we serve. We look forward to working together to improve operational outcomes for joint customers," said Brian Carpizo, CEO of TrustPlace. "We're excited to work with TrustPlace due to their digital platform's ability to help us empower frontline workers in many industries with actionable data from Monnit Sensors," said Brad Walters, CEO of Monnit. TrustPlace & Monnit for Food Safety & Quality The first area of collaboration for TrustPlace and Monnit is an integrated solution for food safety. TrustPlace offers restaurants and food service companies software to manage and track food safety protocols. The addition of Monnit Sensors to TrustPlace helps these companies automatically keep track of walk-in cooler status and prepared food temperatures. This improves food safety and quality, reduces spoilage, and keeps operators compliant with Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) food safety management. About TrustPlace Technologies, Inc. TrustPlace is a digital platform to support and automate frontline operations. With TrustPlace, organizations can harness enterprise knowledge to operate better, boosting productivity and governance across their locations - all within a flexible, secure, enterprise-grade environment. TrustPlace serves industries with significant frontline operations over multiple locations, including Manufacturing & Industrial, Health & Senior Care, Restaurants & Hospitality, and Education & Government. For more information, please visit https://trustplace.app/ . About Monnit Corporation Monnit offers Remote Monitoring Solutions for use in virtually any industry application or use case. BusinessEnterprise to SMBcustomers use Monnit's 80+ IoT Sensors to remotely monitor many variables like temperature, humidity, water, light, vibration, and more. You can analyze data on your smartphone or computer using our cloud-based softwareiMonnit. Plus, you can receive alerts via email, text, or call when your preset condition parameters change. Learn more at monnit.com. Media Contact: Michael Perconte 800-980-9510 [email protected] SOURCE TrustPlace Technologies Related Links https://trustplace.app Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. She enjoyed the exoticism of Thailand, India and Nepal as jet-setting Marie-Andree Leclerc in The Serpent. But actress Jenna Coleman had to make do with a rather empty London street as she ventured out for a stroll on Wednesday. With Britain still in the midst of its third national lockdown, the 34-year old star was alone while grabbing coffee from a local cafe in the English capital. Here she comes: The Serpent star Jenna Coleman ventured out alone in London on Wednesday As always she looked typically stylish, opting for a smart three-quarter length frock coat in grey houndstooth over distinctively cropped black trousers. The actress added to her look with a frill embellished cream top, while heavy duty square-toe boots rounded things off. Giving the look a touch of elegance she opted for a sophisticated Chanel 19 White Tweed handbag with a heavy gold chain and fastener. Looking good: The actress opted for a smart three-quarter length frock coat in grey houndstooth over distinctively cropped black trousers Finishing touches: The actress added to her look with a frill embellished cream top , while heavy duty square-toe boots rounded things off Upbeat: The actress appeared to be engaged in an animated phone conversation during her latest outing Jenna's appearance comes after hit show The Serpent become BBC iPlayer's most watched show since Normal People. More 31 million viewers have tuned into the intense crime drama, which stars Jenna and Tahar Rahim, since it first began airing on New Year's Day. The eight-part drama concluded its BBC One run in February, but has been available to stream in full on iPlayer since the beginning of the year. The Serpent's first episode is the streaming service's most watched episode across all genres, with over 5.5 million checking it out online, as of writing. Including linear viewing, the first episode received a consolidated 9 million viewers across all screens in its first 30 days, and 7.4 million tuned into the second episode. Nice: Jenna accessorised tastefully with a monochrome check handbag Success: Jenna's appearance comes after hit show The Serpent become BBC iPlayer's most watched show since Normal People Big bit: The eight-part drama concluded its BBC One run in February, but has been available to stream in full on iPlayer since the beginning of the year. The Serpent follows the pursuit of real-life conman and killer Charles Sobhraj, who preyed on and murdered Western tourists throughout Southeast Asia during the 1970s, and his girlfriend Marie-Andree Leclerc. Sobhraj was branded the Bikini Killer after two of his victims were found wearing just a bikini, while he was also known as The Serpent for his ability to slither away from facing justice for his crimes for years. Currently seeing out a life sentence for his crimes in Nepal, he has been linked to 20 murders during his killing spree. True to life: The Serpent follows the pursuit of real-life conman and killer Charles Sobhraj, who preyed on and murdered Western tourists throughout Southeast Asia during the 1970s, and his girlfriend Marie-Andree Leclerc New Delhi: Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has released the Term End Examination Result which was held in June 2017. The result is now available on the official website of ignou and it can be accessed through the Student's Zone tab on the home page. Students can view their result either by logging into their individual student's profile or through the results link on the website. IGNOU conducts this examination in June for students who are enrolled in the July session of a course. Results can be checked through following steps: Step 1: Visit the official website of the university: ignou.ac.in Step 2: Click on End Result of June 2017 Declared New Step 3: Click on June 2017 Examination Result The Indira Gandhi National Open University conducts exams every year twice in June and December. Exams are held for students pursuing graduation and post-graduation courses across India via modes of distance learning and open education. YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan plans to meet head of ''Bright Armenia'' Party Edmon Marukyan and head of ''Prosperous Armenia'' Party Gagik Tsarukyan in the nearest days to discuss the issue of extraordinary elections, ARMENPRESS reports Pashinyan said during parliament-Cabinet Q&A session. If our parliamentary opposition partner accept the proposal (signing a memorandum on holding extraordinary elections edit.), we will hold extraordinary parliamentary elections. I have already sent the invitation first of all to the heads of the parliamentary opposition and I plan to meet with them in the nearest days and I hope an agreement will be reached, Pashinyan said. The PM said that the elections should be held based on consensus. We see elections as a tool for recovering public solidarity, its a tool for solving that issue and giving the people an opportunity to express their will, Pashinyan said, adding that the Government and the political forces must ensure the free, fair and legal elections. Sorry, no valid subscriptions were found for this Publication. Please select from an option below to start a subscription. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 24 Hour Access Russias caustic Foreign Ministry spokeswoman had this to say: "We urge our colleagues not to play with fire. Allies of Aleksei Navalny -- the poisoned and now imprisoned Russian opposition activist -- lamented that the measures stopped short of what one called the most painful sanctions sanctions against the oligarchs. [The sanctions were] not meant to be a silver bullet or an end date to what has been a difficult relationship with Russia." A day after President Joe Bidens White House made its first major punitive action against Moscow, experts, observers, and Russian officials scrambled to respond -- and to figure out whats new for U.S.-Russian relations, and what isnt, at an already turbulent time. The U.S. action targeted seven top Russian government officials, including the head of the Federal Security Service, which is Russias main intelligence agency. Known as the FSB, the service was for the first time explicitly linked by the Biden administration to the August poisoning of Navalny, who nearly died after being exposed to a powerful nerve-agent chemical while traveling in Siberia. It was not meant to be a silver bullet or an end date to what has been a difficult relationship with Russia, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said on March 2. We expect the relationship to continue to be a challenge. We're prepared for that. And we're neither seeking to reset our relations with Russia, nor are we seeking to escalate. The U.S. actions, which dovetailed with similar ones by the European Union, also targeted nine scientific laboratories and research facilities in Russia that have been linked to potential research of chemical weapons, including one overseen by the Defense Ministry. Five others are located in Germany and Switzerland. The U.S. sanctions did not, however, target individuals who are among President Vladimir Putins most important constituencies: the so-called oligarchs, wealthy businessmen who control major Russian industries and are not part of the government but who are seen as largely beholden to Kremlin directives. That disappointed some Navalny allies and opposition figures. Days after Biden took office, a top lawyer for Navalnys Anti-Corruption Foundation circulated a seven-page letter containing the names of 35 Russians that it suggested should be sanctioned. The list included at least seven oligarchs. None of the seven was targeted by the Biden administration, though several government officials were, including FSB Director Aleksandr Bortnikov; Investigative Committee head Aleksandr Bastrykin; prison service chief Aleksandr Kalashnikov; and Sergei Kiriyenko, the Kremlin's first deputy chief of staff. The most painful sanctions, which, unfortunately, neither Europe nor the United States have yet reached, would be sanctions against the oligarchs, Maria Pevchikh, a leading corruption investigator with Navalnys foundation, said in a post on Twitter. Economic sanctions, visa bans, asset seizures, and similar measures have been the weapon of choice for the United States and its Western allies for years. That includes the 2012 Magnitsky Act, which targets Russians deemed to have committed human rights abuses, and the 2017 Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. Russias 2014 seizure of Ukraines Crimean Peninsula, meanwhile, spurred a separate category of sanctions, which helped drive Russias economy into a ditch that year and the following one. Once again, we must admit that the sanctions are not very effective. The Navalny sanctions levied on March 2 included those under a 1991 law known unofficially as the Chemical and Biological Warfare Act. The sanctions announced by the European Union, hours before the White House, targeted four senior Russian officials under its version of the Magnitsky Act, which was put into place just three months earlier. To date, however, the Kremlin has not fundamentally changed its policies in response to the Western sanctions, leading some officials in Washington and elsewhere to question their utility. And despite the conclusions of German, French, and Swedish laboratories, as well as the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons -- that a powerful chemical known to be produced in Russia was the cause of Navalnys near-death illness -- the Kremlin has repeatedly denied involvement. "We will continue to systematically and resolutely defend our national interests and rebuff aggression," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said hours after the White House announcement. The new U.S. sanctions followed, according to the White House, the U.S. intelligence agencies conclusion "with high confidence" that FSB officers were behind Navalnys poisoning. The White House signaled that more measures -- sanctions or otherwise -- were in the pipeline. Essentially ignoring that assessment, as well as voluminous evidence presented by the British-based investigative outfit Bellingcat and Navalny himself, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the U.S. accusations of FSB involvement outrageous. He did not elaborate. Leonid Slutsky, a Russian lawmaker seen as a proxy voice for the Kremlin, dismissed the U.S. assertions that the sanctions were spurred by concerns about human rights and freedoms and by the treatment of Navalny and the thousands of Russians who were detained at recent protests against his jailing. He echoed past Russian claims that the goal of Western sanctions is to stunt Russias development and eliminate competition. "Human rights protection has nothing to do with this. The aim is to curb the development of Russian science and the defense industry," Slutsky said in a YouTube video. "Apparently, among other things, this is also a worthy assessment of Russias success in the battle against the coronavirus and the measures taken to enhance the countrys defense capability. The White House signaled that more measures -- sanctions or otherwise -- were in the pipeline. One senior official said on March 2 that the administration is expected to announce its response to the SolarWinds cyberattack in the coming weeks. That hack, which the United States has blamed on Russian intelligence, penetrated at least nine U.S. agencies and dozens of major companies. Navalny was arrested at a Moscow airport on January 17 after he returned to Russia following treatment and recuperation in Germany for the nerve-agent poisoning. On February 2, a court ordered him to serve more than 2 1/2 years in prison after finding that he had violated parole on a previous conviction. Navalny and his supporters say both the previous conviction and the parole violation claim are absurd and politically motivated. Vladislav Inozemtsev, a Russian economist and director of the Moscow-based Center for Research on Post-Industrial Societies, suggested the measures were largely symbolic: the laboratories targeted have little to no commercial ties with Western companies, and the individuals named are not believed to hold assets or bank accounts in the West. Once again, we must admit that the sanctions are not very effective, Inozemtsev said in an interview with Current Time, the Russian-language network led by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA. Firstly, they are not very effective. And secondly, in recent years, Russia itself has been following an economic course that makes the only potential serious blow against itthe actual export of its energy resources. An embargocould seriously undermine the position of the Russian authorities, he said. But no one will agree to this, because we perfectly understand how Europe depends on these supplies. Leonid Volkov, a political organizer with Navalnys organization who is now based in Lithuania, said the EU and U.S. sanctions were a "good step forward" but "not enough." "What would really create leverage against Putin would be sanctioning the close circle of his oligarchs, he told AFP. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 10:12:05|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland reported no new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, the National Health Commission said Wednesday. Ten new imported COVID-19 cases were reported on Tuesday, said the commission in its daily report. Two new suspected cases arriving from outside the mainland were reported in Shanghai, but no new deaths related to the disease were reported, it added. On Tuesday, 24 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals following their recovery. By the end of Tuesday, a total of 5,030 imported cases had been reported on the mainland. Among them, 4,864 had been discharged from hospitals following recovery, and 166 remained hospitalized. No deaths had been reported among the imported cases. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the mainland reached 89,933 by Tuesday, including 186 patients still receiving treatment, none of whom was in severe condition. A total of 85,111 patients had been discharged following recovery on the mainland, and 4,636 had died of the disease. There were two suspected COVID-19 cases on the mainland by the end of Tuesday, and 4,929 close contacts remained under medical observation. Tuesday also saw 16 asymptomatic cases newly reported, all arriving from outside the mainland. A total of 249 asymptomatic cases were under medical observation, of whom 246 arrived from outside the mainland. By the end of Tuesday, 11,032 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 200 deaths, had been reported in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), 48 cases had been reported in the Macao SAR, and 955 cases, including nine deaths, had been reported in Taiwan. A total of 10,563 COVID-19 patients in the Hong Kong SAR had been discharged from hospitals after recovery, 47 had been discharged in the Macao SAR, and 919 had been discharged in Taiwan. Enditem KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) Nepal has had a successful start of its COVID-19 vaccination campaign, but authorities are worried about future supplies as the country competes with dozens of other nations for much-sought vaccines produced by a handful of manufacturers. The government is negotiating with Indias Serum Institute to obtain 5 million doses for the second stage of the campaign, in which 3.7 million elderly people are to be inoculated starting this weekend, Health Minister Hridayesh Tripathi said in an interview with The Associated Press on Monday. Nepal received a gift from the Indian government in January of 1 million doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford University vaccine manufactured under license by India's Serum Institute. Nepal also purchased another 2 million doses from the company at a subsidized rate with the help of the Indian government. There is huge worldwide demand for vaccines from a handful of companies and we could be at the very end of the list, Tripathi said. So far, we have been able to get vaccines with both political and administrative help from India. However, I am very worried now. He said he is hopeful that Indian authorities will again help their small northern neighbor. We will not be able to get the vaccine through simple commercial deals with the company because we are competing with dozens of other countries, so we need the influence of the (Indian) government, he said. Nepal is also receiving a gift of 500,000 doses of a Chinese vaccine this month. Tripathi, however, said Nepal has not decided whether to purchase more of it. The AstraZenneca vaccine is the one preferred by the world and also approved and recommended by the World Health Organization, he said. Russia has also offered to provide 25 million doses of its Sputnik vaccine, but Nepal has asked for additional documents before it can start reviewing it, he said. Nepal has also been promised 2.25 million vaccine doses under COVAX, the ambitious WHO program to buy and deliver coronavirus vaccines for the worlds poorest people, of which 300,000 doses are likely to arrive later this month. Story continues Tripathi said the government is targeting the inoculation of the countrys entire adult population by September. Nepal has reported 274,216 COVID-19 cases, including 2,777 deaths. Health officials are worried that there could be a new wave of infections because of a series of political rallies by tens of thousand of demonstrators over Parliament's dissolution by President Khadga Prasad Oli last December and its restatement by the Supreme Court last month. You may be wondering how were doing on gun control. Joe Biden promised to tackle it on my first day in office, which he didnt. Give the man a break hes got to get his COVID relief bill through Congress, and you can appreciate that hes rather distracted. But absolutely no reason we shouldnt start to nag. Weve been hearing a lot about the gun debate in Washington lately, but its mostly on the weirdo side. Who can forget the virtual House committee meeting during which Republican Lauren Boebert sat with a pile of large firearms behind her? This was in a session on a proposal to stop members from bringing their guns to committee meetings, so youd have to admit she was on topic. We will pause while you ask: When did our lawmakers start bringing guns to the office? Isnt that sort of 19th century? Well, yeah, but it still goes on. Members of Congress can keep guns in their offices and carry them unloaded pretty much anywhere on the Capitol grounds, except the House or Senate floor. Last month Rep. Andy Harris, a Republican, reportedly approached the House chamber while packing heat. When he was stopped, Harris tried to palm the gun off on a colleague, who sensibly declined the gift. Optimistic citizens might have taken heart when Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, one of the craziest gun control opponents, attempted to boost her credibility by announcing she now believes mass school shootings and the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center did happen. Progress! Meanwhile, in her spare time, Greene has introduced a bill to make it illegal for the federal government to spend money on gun control enforcement. If there was ever a time to pick up the gun safety battle it would be now. The pandemic, which has made just about everything worse except soap sales, has turned a whole lot of Americans into tortured souls. No matter how you look at it, gun violence is an epidemic within this pandemic, said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. The folks at Everytown estimated that 22 million guns were sold in 2020, up 64% from 2019. And given the fact that there are more than 390 million guns in private hands, you will not be startled to learn that a lot have been going off. Domestic violence, little kids accidentally shooting themselves with the gun Dad keeps in the bedroom. (Unintentional shooting deaths by children rose more than 30% in March-May 2020 compared with the years before.) There are so many ungodly cases you really have to do something unique to get attention. Recently in Pennsylvania, three people fatally were shot in a fight over snow shoveling. Two FBI agents trying to execute a search warrant in a child pornography investigation were killed by the suspect, who happened to have an assault rifle on hand. Perhaps you remember assault rifles. Theyre the rapid-fire, military-style guns extremely efficient for a mass shooting that Congress refuses to ban. Or now, anyhow. Back in 1994, it prohibited the manufacture of semiautomatic assault weapons, under the leadership of Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Joe Biden. The ban, alas, included a 10-year expiration date, a compromise to placate the ever-popular Tiny Group Of Swing Votes In The Senate. Nothing could get our nations leaders to bring it back, even a mass shooting of six educators and 20 children at Sandy Hook Elementary. Theres not much doubt Biden is eager to get some serious reform underway. His heart is on his sleeve when it comes to this, said Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut. Sadly, there often seems to be a gap between the issues Biden really, really cares about and the ones hes actually going to do something about. But even if he charges ahead, theres only so much he can do by executive order, and whatever it is wont have the staying power of real legislation. If were lucky, sometime this year a gun bill will make it to the Senate. In between paeans to the Second Amendment, opponents will tell the nation that their constituents want to have weapons on hand to defend themselves and their families from evildoers. You do wonder how the Founding Fathers would have felt about the right to bear arms if they knew their nastiest neighbor had just installed a printer that manufactures guns in his basement. The stories about how a Gun Saved The Day arent generally all that convincing. The Heritage Foundation ran a list of 11 incidents in which a gun stopped matters from getting worse. One case involved a robber who threatened employees at a pizza restaurant in Georgia. The workers won the day by grabbing another gun and catching him off-guard. It was good news. But the fact that the workers were able to get the gun because the holdup man decided to use the bathroom before leaving with the money was kind of a help. One problem with our gun debate is that it has the wrong starting point. Lets raise the bar. Demand that nobody be able to purchase a gun without passing a test demonstrating she knows how to aim it. Youd be astonished at how many enthusiastic owners that would eliminate from contention. GAIL COLLINS is a columnist for The New York Times. Saudi-based Twitter accounts using fake profile pictures, repetitive wording and spammy tactics sought to undermine the conclusion by U.S. intelligence officials, made public Friday, that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman "approved" the operation that led to the killing of Washington Post contributing columnist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. One element of the online influence campaign apparently targeted an American audience by directly responding to tweets by several U.S.-based news organizations, including The Post, both before and after the Biden administration declassified the intelligence report detailing U.S. conclusions about Khashoggi's killing. The Saudi accounts sought to deflect blame from the crown prince, often referred to as MBS, who is heir to the throne and effectively rules the kingdom. "The case of Khashoggi is already closed with the criminals in jail for what they did," said a Twitter comment repeatedly posted on Saturday, replying separately to tweets by The Post, Bloomberg News and NBC News. Other similar, repetitive comments appeared on tweets by CNN, CBS News and The Los Angeles Times. Such tweets were part of broad effort by Saudi accounts, working in both English and Arabic, to shape the public narrative around the role of the crown prince in Khashoggi's killing, according to researchers. The source of the influence campaigns could not be definitively determined, said both independent researchers and Twitter, which said it had recently closed thousands of Saudi accounts for platform manipulation and other violations. But the operation targeting tweets by American news organizations, using dozens of inauthentic accounts that previously had posted non-political content in Arabic, "aligns with operations the Saudis have conducted on social media in the past," according to an analysis by Advance Democracy, headed by former FBI analyst and Senate investigator Daniel Jones, who led the review of the CIA's torture program. "The coordinated activity of the accounts posting about the recently released report on Jamal Khashoggi is easy to identify," Jones said. "In addition to the timing of the posts and the similarity of the content posted, the accounts almost exclusively post non-political content in Arabic to stay active, but then switch to making English language political posts in an attempt to rebut criticism appearing in English-language media." The Saudi government did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. Separately, Qatar-based disinformation researcher Marc Owen Jones found that more than 600 Twitter accounts - many of them apparently fake - used a hashtag in Arabic translated as "#thepeopleofthekingdomsupportthecrownprince" on the day before the intelligence report was released. The day of the U.S. report's publication on Friday, thousands of accounts used two different misspellings of Khashoggi's name to push pro-Saudi messages critical of the United States, getting the misspellings to trend on Twitter within the kingdom, according to Jones. He said the misspellings likely were an attempt to evade attempts by Twitter to block disinformation on the subject. The Saudi government long has sought to use mass media and technology to shape public narratives about major events and politically important themes, and government officials have found that manipulating Twitter allows them to take advantage of its power without imposing bans or other restrictions that might be seen as excessively oppressive, said Jones, an assistant professor at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar. "With the rise of Mohammed bin Salman, who is young, he understands that social media is the next big thing in terms of communication," Marc Owen Jones said. (The crown prince is 35.) Twitter said it has investigated and suspended about 3,500 accounts after they commented on the U.S. intelligence report, but the company was unable to say who or what is behind the influence campaign. "Our internal teams have investigated and suspended any accounts engaged in platform manipulation and spammy activity in relation to this report, and we will continue to monitor this activity," said Sarah Harte, a Twitter spokesperson. The messaging in the online influence campaigns echoed arguments made publicly by Saudi officials. Saudi courts have sentenced eight people to prison terms of up to 20 years for their roles in the killing. But two top aides to the crown prince whom Saudi prosecutors said played a central role in the plot were exonerated. The crown prince has denied knowing about the operation against Khashoggi. The two-page U.S. intelligence report released Friday found differently, citing the absolute control the crown prince exerts over the kingdom and his "support for using violent measures to silence dissidents abroad, including Khashoggi." The Saudi government said it "completely rejects the negative, false and unacceptable assessment pertaining to the Kingdom's leadership." Some of the same accounts also pushed pro-Saudi claims about women's rights, tourism in the nation and its role in neighboring Yemen's brutal civil war, while also praising the crown prince for his leadership. For nearly a decade, the kingdom has boasted its high number of Saudi Twitter users: according to statistics database Statista, Saudi Arabia hosts more than 12 million users, the eighth leading country in terms of users as of January. Alongside Snapchat, Twitter is the most popular social media platform in the country. Trending topics and hashtags are an important tool in framing debates and news inside the country - a tool that has been employed by Saud al-Qahtani, a powerful aide of the crown prince. Qahtani is known by detractors as "The Lord of the Flies," a reference to an army of automated Twitter accounts - which he called "electronic flies" - that attack critics and respond to tweets questioning the rule of the crown prince, as well as his policies and any official government stance. The Advance Democracy report said the influence campaign targeting U.S. news organizations "particularly aligns with the work of Saud al-Qahtani, who is notorious for running an army of fake accounts." Qahtani's own Twitter account was suspended in 2019, a year after the killing of Khashoggi, a Saudi insider who became a critic of the government. Qahtani was dismissed from his post after the assassination, but he was not one of those charged with a crime and reports suggest he remains close to the crown prince. The Trump administration imposed sanctions on him in 2018 for his part in the "planning and execution of the operation that led to the killing of Mr. Khashoggi." Qahtani did not respond to emails seeking comment on Tuesday. An effort to counter his army of automated accounts was launched by Omar Abdulaziz, a Saudi dissident residing in Canada. Abdulaziz runs the "bees" - an opposition network of volunteers that works to strengthen hashtags that the "flies" try to smother. These include hashtags on topics such as human and women's rights, criticisms of the crown prince and the Khashoggi killing. Abdulaziz said fake accounts often swarm around tweets of activists and journalists who report on, criticize or denounce the Saudi establishment - especially the revered royal family, a red line when it comes to criticism inside the kingdom. "They go after Bloomberg. They come after The Washington Post, of course, first, and on the New York Times, CNN, broadcasters, politicians, journalists," Abdulaziz said. "And they do a kind of directing." Abdulaziz said from his experience, certain accounts would retweet the target using a quote from the original post - "as if they're giving direction to others that this is it: attack." What usually follows is a barrage of insult after insult, targeting the honor of the Twitter user and sending threats, particularly if the posters are Saudi. - - - Dadouch reported from Beirut. 'Captured alive on May 8, killed on May 17 in alleged clash with Sabah police' FIVE ABU Sayyaf terrorists were killed following an 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. New York, March 3 : After weeks of cliffhanger politics, US President Joe Biden's choice to head the Office of Management and Budget, Neera Tanden, pulled her nomination marking the first big defeat for a Biden - Harris Cabinet nominee. "Unfortunately, it now seems clear that there is no path forward to gain confirmation, and I do not want continued consideration of my nomination to be a distraction from your other priorities," Tanden wrote in a letter to Biden, which was released by the White House. By now, 11 out of 23 nominees have been confirmed. Tanden's nomination slid into dangerous territory moments after her name was announced, weeks ago. Tanden's Twitter rants from the past effectively sunk her chances as lawmakers who were attacked by Tanden for years on social media hit back hard. Although Vice President Kamala Harris holds the tie breaking vote, multiple kingmakers are now flexing muscle and settling old scores in a 50-50 Senate. When it came down to the wire, it wasn't about Kamala Harris. It was about a senator from Alaska. Until Tuesday morning, the White House was pinning its hopes on Lisa Murkowski before Tanden put an end to the weeks-long drama, which erupted from the Democratic side. The first shock came when Democratic West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin came out against Tanden last month, citing her tweets attacking members of both parties prior to her nomination. "I believe her overtly partisan statements will have a toxic and detrimental impact on the important working relationship between members of Congress and the next director of the Office of Management and Budget," Manchin said and set off a mad scramble in the White House. "Neera Tanden has neither the experience nor the temperament to lead this critical agency," said Republican senator Susan Collins of Maine, becoming the second senator ready to sink Tanden's chances. Tanden had once tweeted that Collins is "the worst". Talk on Capitol Hill is that Shalanda Young, a former staff director for the House Appropriations Committee, is a frontrunner for the OMB top job. YEREVAN. Ruben Vardazaryan, Chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) of Armenia, refusesfrom the National Assembly (NA) tribuneto respond to the political questions of the ruling My Step bloc. He said this in response to My Step MP Artur Hovhannisyans question: "What else should have happened so that we would not believe that your statement made on November 15 was political?" "Yesterday I once again studied the Judicial Code, the NA Rules of Procedure, and I inform you that the SJC, the chairman of the SJC, and the judicial power [of Armenia] are not accountable to the NA. Therefore, I have no obligation to answer questions of a political nature," the SJC head emphasized. But Hovhannisyans insisted that the SJC chairman is accountable to the NA because they represent the people. On November 15 of last year, SJC chairman Ruben Vardazaryan made a statement, in which he also said: "Today, perhaps, the answer to the notorious question, which has shaken the whole society for about two years and is shameful for us judges, will be given substantively and once and for all. Are we judges whining under the walls? Or honest professionals dedicated to the homeland? In May 2019, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had noted of "whining judges." STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Legislators in the New York Assembly and Senate announced an agreement Tuesday that will repeal executive powers they granted the governor last year in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The joint announcement from Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-the Bronx) and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Westchester) comes as the governor continues to deal with a number of scandals related to his time in office. I think everyone understands where we were back in March and where we are now. We certainly see the need for a quick response but also want to move toward a system of increased oversight, and review, Stewart-Cousins, who also serves as the Senates temporary president, said. The public deserves to have checks and balances. At the beginning of the pandemic last year, the Legislature passed authorizations that allowed the governor a swath of emergency powers that ensured a nimble response to the virus. Assemblymember Carrie Woerner (D-Saratoga/Washington) wrote on Twitter that she expects a vote on the repeal to come as early as Friday. My understanding is that as early as this Friday we will pass legislation that will: repeal the extraordinary powers granted to the Governor last year provide for an orderly transition through the end of the disaster period https://t.co/Rq8nP6zCK8 Carrie Woerner (@AMCarrieWoerner) March 2, 2021 The temporary powers were set to expire April 30, but the legislation announced Tuesday will move to repeal them immediately. Heastie said the progress the state has made in the pandemic means its time to return to regular order. A year into the pandemic, and as New Yorkers receive the vaccine, the temporary emergency powers have served their purpose it is time for them to be repealed, he said. These temporary emergency powers were granted as New York was devastated by a virus we knew nothing about. While the governors additional executive powers will be repealed, mandates meant to manage the spread of the virus, facilitate the vaccination process, or require use of face coverings will remain in effect for an additional 30 days, according to the Legislatures release. The governor will still be able to extend those orders further, but he will be required to notify relevant Senate and Assembly committee chairs, along with Stewart-Cousins and Heastie, about the need for the extension or modification, the threat to public health and safety, and will need to provide an opportunity to comment. Some of those executive orders, particularly those impacting the operation and capacity of small business, have been decried by Staten Island residents and elected officials. In addition to the Legislature reasserting its own authority, their new legislation will require the governors office to notify and provide an opportunity for comment to local governments exclusively impacted by an ongoing executive action. Woerner suggested in her Twitter thread on the subject that the legislation would go as far as allowing local and municipal governments to again issue their own executive orders without consulting with the state. When asked about Cuomos lack of recent public appearances on Tuesday, Mayor Bill de Blasio called for a return to local control as the best way to move the state forward. It should not be all in the hands of one person and were getting a real object lesson for that right now, he said. If you put too much power in one persons hands, bad things happen. We need local control back all over the state. Cuomos office did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication, but the governor has maintained throughout the pandemic that the Legislature reserved the right to repeal any of his orders. The governors opposition in the Republican Party has long called for his powers to be reined in, but a bi-partisan push against the governor has been building as scandals continue to build. Two local Republicans elected to the Legislature, Sen. Andrew Lanza (R-South Shore) and Assemblyman Mike Reilly (R-South Shore) have called on the governors power to be reined in for months. They, along with newly-elected Assemblyman Michael Tannousis (R-East Shore/South Brooklyn), have supported the creation of a commission to investigate the governors handling of nursing homes. Staten Island Democrats Sen. Diane Savino (D-North Shore/Brooklyn), Assemblyman Michael Cusick (D-Mid-Island), and Assemblyman Charles Fall (D-North Shore) issued a joint statement on Sunday calling for an independent investigation into claims of impropriety against Cuomo. Three women, including two former staffers, have come out against the governor alleging inappropriate behavior and sexual harassment. Local Republicans have also called for these allegations to be investigated, and New York Attorney General Letitia James announced Monday that she had received a referral letter from the governors office to investigate the allegations. In a statement released Sunday, the governor said he had never inappropriately touched or propositioned anybody, and never intended to make anyone feel uncomfortable with his actions. He did concede that his behavior may have been insensitive or too personal, but said that he intended for it to be funny. At work sometimes I think I am being playful and make jokes that I think are funny. I do, on occasion, tease people in what I think is a good natured way. I do it in public and in private. You have seen me do it at briefings hundreds of times, he wrote in a statement to the media. I have teased people about their personal lives, their relationships, about getting married or not getting married. I mean no offense and only attempt to add some levity and banter to what is a very serious business, he continued. I now understand that my interactions may have been insensitive or too personal and that some of my comments, given my position, made others feel in ways I never intended. New Delhi: A 20-year-old girl was allegedly thrown off by a 22-year-old man from the fourth floor of an under construction building after she resisted a rape attempt. The incident took place in Delhis Begumpur area on Sunday. The accused Deepak was later arrested by the Delhi police under attempt to murder charges. The victim was admitted to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Hospital and currently battling with her life. The doctors stated that she is in coma. On being asked about the accused, the girls father said that it was not only Deepak who attempted rape but there were many more people. A senior police officer said Deepak took the girl on his bike and told her that after getting his car from his house he would drop her at her house. Since the hotel and Deepaks house are in the same area, the accused, who was drunk, took the girl to an under construction building where he attempted to rape her. As she resisted, the accused tossed her from the 4th floor of the building. ALSO READ | Mumbai: 16-year-old boy raped for 1 year by 15 men, one of them was his friend ALSO READ: A law student in Kerala bites off tongue of a man as he tried to molest her [March 03, 2021] EmployBridge CEO Michael Miles featured in SIA's 2021 Staffing 100 North America List ATLANTA, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- EmployBridge is pleased to announce that CEO Michael Miles has been named to Staffing Industry Analysts' Staffing 100 North America List for 2021, a designation that celebrates experts shaping the world of work. The list, now in its tenth year, honors 100 notable individuals who are elevating the industry and advancing the workforce solutions ecosystem through their accomplishments. "It's an honor to once again be named to SIA's Staffing 100 list," said Miles. "Of course, it takes a team, and I'm privileged to work with an outstanding team who are as passionate as I am about providing new and innovative solutions to our clients, candidates, associates, and colleagues." Miles has been named to Staffing Industry Analysts' Staffing 100 list several times and in 2013, he received SIA's Peter Yessne Staffing Innovator Award. He has more than 30 years of experience building, growing and operating recruiting businesses. Miles is known for building exceptional teams and tackling industry issues and challenges by creating new solutions. In January 2020, Miles took the helm of EmployBridge as CEO, leading the company to achieve best-in-class operating results and launched EmployBridge's innovation lab. In addiion to EmployBridge, Miles is passionate about exposing, investing, and mentoring young entrepreneurs. In 2012, he confounded Uncharted Learning a not-for-profit educational program that teaches high school students how to start and run their own business. Those named to the lists are being honored during SIA's Executive Forum North America: New Strategies for a New World in March. The list is also featured in the January/February 2021 issue of Staffing Industry Review magazine. About EmployBridge As workforce specialists, EmployBridge provides value-added workforce solutions and job opportunities through focused specialty divisions including ResourceMFG, ProLogistix, ProDrivers, Select, RemX, Remedy Intelligent Staffing, Westaff and Decca, Resdin and Vaughan. Combining the advantages of national scale, in-depth local market knowledge, supply-chain expertise, and powerful recruiting and retention tools, EmployBridge is recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as America's largest industrial staffing firm. The company puts more than 400,000 temporary associates to work annually across a network of over 400 offices in 48 states. In 2019, EmployBridge provided more than 151 million work hours to 13,000 customers, generating more than $3.1 billion in revenue. EmployBridge is also helping close the skills gap in America's supply chain by providing free, career-focused skills development courses to its temporary associates as well as personal training courses through the firm's Better WorkLife Academy and Life Skills Studio; more than 38,000 temporary associates are currently enrolled. For more information, please visit the company's website at www.employbridge.com. CONTACT: Quiana Pickney, 678-343-3036, Quiana.Pinckney@EmployBridge.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/employbridge-ceo-michael-miles-featured-in-sias-2021-staffing-100-north-america-list-301239802.html SOURCE EmployBridge [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] (Natural News) A student enrolled at the State University of New York (SUNY) Geneseo was suspended for refusing to convert to the religion of transgenderism. Rather than bow down and worship the idol of LGBTQ, the individual took a brave stand by declaring the scientific fact that a man is a man, (and) a woman is a woman, prompting the ire of the sex change cult. A man is not a woman and a woman is not a man, Owen Stevens announced in an Instagram video posted last November that was brought to the administrations attention. If Im a man and I think Im a woman, Im still a man, Stevens added. If Im a woman who thinks Im a man, Im still a woman. Regardless of what you feel on the inside, its irrelevant to your biological status. Stevens went on to talk about how biology does not change simply because some mentally ill LGBTQs says so. The biology is very clear, he stated. Its very, very, very clear. And its binary and easy. This is science, after all, which leftists claim as their god. Because it defies what the Cult of LGBTQ wants to pretend is real, though, it is no longer tolerated at many institutions of higher learning. Unless Stevens agrees to be reeducated, he will not be allowed to participate in studies at SUNY Geneseo In an email to Stevens, SUNY Geneseo indicated that he would be removed from his education majors field study because his views call into question whether he is fit to maintain a classroom environment protecting the mental and emotional well-being of all [his] students. Not only that, but Stevens is now barred from all opportunities in the education department unless he agrees to participate in a remediation plan, which includes taking down the offensive video and backing away from all social media use. Stevens would also be expected to participate in a reeducation program that will brainwash him into the unscientific doctrines of the LGBTQ religion. In other words, Stevens will have to forcibly convert to a new belief system or else remain perpetually punished. The dean of the School of Education at SUNY Geneseo admonished Stevens in a separate email, claiming that Stevens does 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 deans email went on to state. This public position is in conflict with the Dignity for All Students Act requiring teachers to maintain a classroom environment protecting the mental and emotional well-being of all students. The emails did not stop there. The president of the entire school also sent out a mass email to all students and staff informing them about the situation and encouraging more harassment against and punishment for Stevens. Yesterday, I was made aware of a current students Instagram posts pertaining to transgender people, the president wrote. I want to take this opportunity to publicly restate my deep personal commitment to promoting social justice. The president went on to claim that there are clear legal limitations to what a public university can do in response to objectionable speech, but that everything possible was being done to punish Stevens using the few tools at our disposal to reduce the pain that such speech may cause. Since that email was sent out, Stevens says he has received threats and endured horrible incidents from angry students who feel as though they are making the world a better place by being the woke thought police. Overall, I want justice and the right thing to be done, Stevens says. More related news about the deranged Cult of LGBTQ can be found at Gender.news. Sources for this article include: WesternJournal.com NaturalNews.com Pope Francis has insisted that his historic trip to Iraq which is due to take place this week will go ahead despite an attack on US forces in the country today. The 84-year-old pontiff said he cannot disappoint people 'who have suffered so much' by calling off the visit, the first ever by a pope to Iraq, at the last minute. Instead, he asked people to pray for him and the journey 'so that it may take place in the best possible way and bear the hoped-for fruits'. Pope Francis has insisted that his visit to Iraq, which is due to take place at the end of the week, will go ahead as planned despite a rocket attack on US forces in the country today Pope Francis is due to land in Iraq on Friday for a three-day visit designed to encourage the country's Christian faithful after years of often violent repression by Islamic extremists including ISIS. During the trip, Francis will visit the Our Lady of Salvation Church in Baghdad which was the site of a massacre of Christians in 2010, a church in Qaraqosh that was left charred by ISIS attacks, and pray for the victims of war in Mosul. The trip is also designed to broaden the Vatican's outreach to Islam, and on Saturday will feature a meeting between Francis and Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. Francis has said the journey will complete the dream of Pope John Paul II who had planned to visit in 1999, but never made the trip over fears for his security and concerns that then-ruler Saddam Hussein would use it as propaganda. 'The day after tomorrow, God willing, I will go to Iraq for a three-day pilgrimage. For a long time I have wanted to meet these people who have suffered so much,' Francis said in his weekly Wednesday address. He added: 'The Iraqi people are waiting for us, they were waiting for Saint John Paul II, who was forbidden to go. 'One cannot disappoint a people for the second time. Let us pray that this journey will be successful.' Francis will land in Baghdad on Friday for a three-day visit designed to encourage Iraq's Christian faithful after years of often violent persecution at the hands of extremists Francis also intendeds the visit to increase the Vatican's outreach to Islam, and on Saturday will meet with Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani in Baghdad At least 10 rockets slammed into a military base in western Iraq hosting US-led coalition troops earlier on Wednesday, security sources said, leaving one civilian contractor dead. The attack on the sprawling Ain al-Assad base in Iraq's western desert comes after several weeks of escalating US-Iran tensions on Iraqi soil. On Tuesday, a spokesman for Francis said the pope would be travelling by armoured vehicle and that he would not be meeting crowds. 'This is a particular situation, that's why the transports will all be in a closed vehicle, meaning it will be complicated to see the pope on the streets,' spokesman Matteo Brunei said. 'There will be a number of meetings but none will be more than a few hundred people,' he said. A civilian contractor has died during a rocket strike against a US airbase in Iraq just days after President Joe Biden's first airstrike against Iranian-backed militants reportedly killed 22 people. At least 10 rockets hit the Ain al-Asad air base, in Iraq's western Anbar province, at around 7.20am local time from a launcher located five miles from the base, Iraqi and Western military sources said. It is not yet clear who carried out the strikes but it comes days after US President Joe Biden approved his first airstrike - an attack on two Iranian-backed Shia militia groups in Syria that left 22 dead. Cardinal Louis Sako, the head of Iraq's Chaldean Catholic Church, speaks to the press ahead of Francis's arrival in the country Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have been escalating in recent years, particularly during former president Donald Trump's four years in the White House, exacerbated by the assassination of General Qasem Soleimani last year, on Trump's orders. Iraqi and Western security sources said that the contractor died of a heart attack. No other casualties have been reported. The attack on the sprawling base is the fourth time in less than three weeks that rockets hit a Western installation in the country. Dozens of rocket attacks and roadside bombs targeted Western security, military and diplomatic sites in Iraq in 2020, with Iraqi and Western military sources blaming hardline pro-Iran factions. They came to a near-complete halt in October following a truce with the hardliners, but they have resumed at a quickening pace over the past three weeks. In mid-February, rockets targeted US-led coalition troops in the Kurdish regional capital Arbil, a US military contracting company working north of the capital and the US embassy in Baghdad. The US responded on February 26 with an air strike on Kataeb Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed Iraqi paramilitary force stationed along the Iraqi-Syrian border. Twenty-two people were killed when seven 500lbs bombs were dropped on a compound used by two Iranian-backed Shia militia groups in the first Biden-authorized airstrike on the Shia militia compound in Syria. Military sources said the airstrike was intended to 'draw a line' after a series of attacks on US positions. STAMFORD OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma announced this week the appointment of former Montana Gov. Steve Bullock as its new independent monitor, succeeding Tom Vilsack who was confirmed last month for a second stint as U.S. agriculture secretary. Vilsack, a former Iowa governor, had served since February 2020 as the first monitor of the Stamford-based company a role focused on ensuring that the firm does not engage in any future misconduct. Last November, Purdue pleaded guilty to three criminal charges related to defrauding the government and kickback violations, as part of an approximately $8 billion settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice. Purdue officials assert that the company has undergone significant reforms in the past few years. In February 2018, it announced that it would stop marketing OxyContin and other opioids and then reaffirmed that decision under a voluntary injunction that was approved in late 2019 by Robert Drain, the federal bankruptcy judge overseeing its case. In a related move, Drain recommended that the company hire a monitor to confirm its compliance. As monitor, Vilsack filed four reports that each determined that the company was making good faith efforts to comply with the voluntary injunction, according to Purdue officials. Bullock would have unfettered access to employees, books, records and facilities, the company said. We will provide our full cooperation to Gov. Bullock, Purdue CEO Craig Landau said in a statement. In the last few years, we have made significant changes to our leadership, operations, governance, and oversight. As part of this commitment, we agreed to be bound by and comply fully with an unprecedented voluntary injunction that further restricts the companys promotion of its opioid medications. Bullock, a Democrat, served two terms as Montana governor, from 2013 to 2021. From 2009 to 2013, he served as the states attorney general. During that time, he played a leading role in initiatives such as the 24/7 Sobriety Program, which tackles drinking-and-driving, and the Montana Children's Justice Center, whose work includes helping children endangered by drug abuse in their homes. Last year, Bullock ran for a U.S. Senate seat, but he lost to Republican incumbent Steve Daines. Bullock previously ran for president, but he dropped out of the race in December 2019, several weeks before the 2020 Iowa caucuses. He lives in the Montana state capital of Helena with his wife and three children. Bullock could not be immediately reached for comment on Tuesday. The company did not disclose how much it would pay Bullock for his services as monitor. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong declined to comment on the appointment of Bullock. Through its Chapter 11 bankruptcy case, which started in September 2019, Purdue is trying to resolve several thousand lawsuits that accuse the company of fueling the national opioid crisis with deceptive OxyContin marketing. Purdue has denied those allegations, but it is still offering a comprehensive settlement that it values at more than $10 billion. We will file a plan of reorganization on or before March 15 as we continue to pursue our ultimate goal to achieve a global settlement that would deliver more than $10 billion in value, including 100 percent of Purdues assets, to address the opioid crisis, the company said in a statement Tuesday provided to Hearst Connecticut Media. Our proposed settlement structure would provide needed funds, as well as millions of doses of lifesaving opioid addiction treatment and overdose reversal medicines, to states, local communities and tribes to help abate the opioid crisis. While about half of the states have accepted the companys settlement offer, 24 non-consenting states including Connecticut have rejected its proposal. In addition to their unhappiness with the financial terms of Purdues proposed settlement, the non-consenting states also oppose the firms plan to convert itself into a public-benefit company, which would focus on using its resources to help respond to the opioid epidemic. While Purdue has proposed such an arrangement since it filed for bankruptcy, the Justice Department mandated such a change as part of its settlement with the company. pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; twitter: @paulschott Amaravati, March 3 : Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dharmana Krishna Das on Wednesday advised the protesting Amaravati farmers to meet Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, and assured them that justice will definitely be done. The deputy CM made these remarks in reaction to the continuing indefinite protests being carried out by farmers from the Amaravati region against the trifurcation of the capital city across Amaravati, Visakhapatnam, and Kurnool. Das alleged that these farmers have been tricked into giving lands by Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supremo Nara Chandrababu Naidu, promising that a grand capital will be built which will propel their land prices. "He (Naidu) tricked them in the beginning saying that a grand capital will be built here, so give your fields to the government and the adjacent fields' prices will also inflate highly," alleged Das. He alleged that Naidu hurriedly influenced those farmers deploying his leaders and claimed that the ruling Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) never harms farmers. The YSRCP leader alleged that Naidu further stiffened their resolve which resulted in them not meeting with the government. "Something big will happen. Our (TDP) government only will come in the future and I will build Amaravati here," he alleged about Naidu influencing Amaravati land donors. According to Das these farmers are already suffering a lot believing Naidu's promises and continuing with their protests because they have taken that stand and do not want to go back now. "Even they (farmers) do not have interest in that movement. Even now I am telling our farmer friends that a ryot is of utmost importance to our government," he claimed and urged them to meet the CM. Reddy has decided to trifurcate Amaravati capital city into three: executive capital in Visakhapatnam, legislative capital in Amaravati and judicial capital in Kurnool. The CM said the trifurcation is aimed at decentralization for the fruits of development to be distributed all over the state. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Tesla announced last 2018 that it is planning to debut a drive-in restaurant at a massive location in Santa Monica, California where servers would roller skate around the place and a retro theme would be observed. However, fast forward to three years later, there are still no signs that it would be continued until permits reveal a new Supercharger V3 station instead. It seems that Elon Musk's plans of relieving the good ol' 1950s where servers roller skate to a parked vehicle waiting for orders cannot come through for the modern times, but instead, a new massive station debuts. Electric vehicle charging stations already have several locations in California and the country now, but Tesla Superchargers are a rarity in public. The Tesla Supercharger V3 is one of the best fast-charging stations for electric vehicles, as it can fully charge the vehicle in under an hour or less, along with a 15 minute-charge of almost 100 miles of range for a Model 3. The station can also accommodate other electric vehicles to charge, and would also pair with its fast charging capabilities of almost 1,000 miles per hour. Read Also: Lordstown Motors Debuts 'Race-Ready' Endurance Electric Truck-Soon Competing in San Felipe 250 Race! Tesla Drive-In Restaurant Debuts as Supercharger V3 Station According to Electrek, a massive location in Santa Monica is changing plans, particularly with Elon Musk's initial statement and claims that it would focus on a drive-in restaurant. Supposedly, it would debut roller skates, rock and roll music, and fast food where electric cars could also fill up its batteries with the available stations. Gonna put an old school drive-in, roller skates & rock restaurant at one of the new Tesla Supercharger locations in LA Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 7, 2018 However, there were no reasons specified as to why Tesla has changed its mind, discontinuing the project despite the massive reactions it initially received when Musk first tweeted about the venture in 2018. Moreover, the station will be located in Los Angeles, which is one of the major cities and hubs of the state where EVs are popular and used. It seems that the world would not be able to experience and see that anymore, at least for the time being, as Tesla's Santa Monica location now has permits to build a Supercharger V3 station instead. The initial plans were a combination of a drive-in restaurant and a Supercharger station which would complement each other as customers would not have to wait without purpose. Tesla Santa Monica Supercharger V3 Station Is a Good Location Apart from being near Los Angeles, the Santa Monica station is strategically located along Route 10 and the highway that leads to LA, meaning that it could be a good spot for people to either rest, charge or eat. The duality of the supposed drive-in restaurant could have also been a potential hit of this pandemic as people get to stay in cars and wait for orders. Related Article: 2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro Color: Leaks Reveal New Look for Tundra, Sequioa Coming Soon Too! Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High around 65F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 46F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A court officer who has been living on Staten Island fatally shot himself in an apparent suicide Monday inside Manhattan Family Court, said officials. The incident occurred between 3 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. inside a courthouse restroom at 60 Lafayette St., said a spokesman for the state Office of Court Administration. The officer, whose name was not released, was 54 years old and had been on the job for about 18 years, said Dennis Quirk, head of the New York State Court Officers Association. He was a great officer. Great family. Loved by everybody, said Quirk. He would give you the shirt off his back. Quirk said the officer had been living on Staten Island for the past year. He has family in the borough and other relatives are court officers, he said. Quirk said grief counselors were dispatched Tuesday to every courthouse in the city. The Police Department has also provided grief counseling for court officers, he said. Im stressing to people to go talk to these counselors, said Quirk. Brussels, March 3 : The European Union (EU) has imposed restrictive measures on four Russian individuals responsible for serious human rights violations in Moscow. The four listed were Alexander Bastrykin, head of Russia's Investigative Committee; Igor Krasnov, the Prosecutor-General; Viktor Zolotov, head of the National Guard; and Alexander Kalashnikov, head of the Federal Prison Service, Xinhua news agency reported. The four individuals were sanctioned for their "roles in the arbitrary arrest, prosecution and sentencing of Alexei Navalny, as well as the repression of peaceful protests in connection with his unlawful treatment", the European Council said in a statement on Tuesday. The restrictive measures that entered into force on Tuesday consist of a travel ban and asset freeze. In addition, persons and entities in the EU are forbidden from making funds available to those listed, either directly or indirectly, said the statement. The decision was made after Josep Borrell, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, proposed the use of the bloc's new human rights sanctions system at a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the member states last week. This is the first time the EU has imposed sanctions in the framework of the new EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime since it was launched in December last year. The US also announced on Tuesday sanctions and restrictions against Russian individuals and entities over the alleged poisoning of Navalny. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Twitter that his country stands with the EU and UK "to counter Russia's actions and in calling for Navalny's release". Navalny, a harsh Kremlin critic, fell into a coma on a flight from the Russian city of Tomsk to Moscow in August 2020. He was then transferred to a hospital in Berlin with suspected poisoning symptoms. In early September, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Navalny was poisoned with the Soviet-style Novichok nerve agent. Russian authorities denied the accusations and demanded substantial evidence from Germany. Navalny was detained this January upon his arrival in Moscow from Germany and was later sentenced to over two years behind bars, while his defence plans to appeal the ruling at a higher court. Russia said the case with Navalny is a purely domestic affair and foreign intervention is not allowed. "This is an exclusively internal matter. We will not allow anyone to interfere nor intend to listen to such statements," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in January. IN NUMBERS: Nearly 15,000 fresh cases reported India reported 14,989 fresh infections on Wednesday, taking the cumulative caseload to 11,139,516, according to a report in the Scroll. The country saw 98 deaths due to the pandemic, taking the toll to 157,346, according to central health ministry data. The active caseload is at 170,126, while the total recoveries have surged to 10,812,044. As many as 15,620,749 people have been inoculated since the nationwide inoculation programme kicked off on January 16. Of these, 768,730 received their shots on Tuesday. Read more here Maharashtra now accounts for half the cases but is a laggard in testing Maharashtra is now contributing more than half of fresh infections in India, fanning fears of a second wave in the state, a report in ThePrint said. It is worth noting that the state has always accounted for the bulk of cases in the country. Maharashtra, however, continues to trail the national average in terms of Covid testing. Experts say inadequate testing could be a major reason behind the surge in cases. The nationwide average is 162,697 tests for every million people. For Maharashtra, this figure stands at 133,313. Read more here Autos, bike taxis stage a faster recovery than cabs amid Covid Data available on transportation in the time of Covid shows that people prefer bike taxis and autos over cabs on ride-hailing apps, a reversal of preferences that existed pre-Covid, a report in The Indian Express said. The data also shows that while the use of public transport continues to recover to pre-Covid levels, bike taxis and autos have bounced back faster than cabs. The perception that bike taxis and autos run a lower risk of infection than cabs is a key factor, stakeholders say. Read more here Opposition to Modi's photo on Covid-19 vaccine certificate The use of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photo on Covid-19 vaccination certificates has courted controversy, a report in ThePrint said. Several Opposition parties are upset that the digital certificates, issued after an individual receives a shot of Covid vaccine, carry an image of Modi at the bottom. The certificate is issued on Co-Win, the government's digital platform to manage and track the vaccination programme. The photo is accompanied by a quote by Modi which says, Together, India will defeat COVID-19, and a line in Hindi which says, Dawai bhi, aur kadai bhi, which translates to vaccination, as well as caution. Read more here Mumbai colleges return to online classes amid rise in cases Just weeks after colleges started to take small steps towards reopening campuses, the recent surge in Covid-19 cases has compelled the institutes to put off such plans, a report in the Hindustan Times said. While there were no clear instructions from the government, some institutes had opted to restart physical practical sessions for students in their final year. Some had also scheduled a mix of online and offline preliminary examination for their final year students. Such plans have now been put on hold and only online lectures are being held. Read more here New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2021) - Sun Kissed Industries Inc. (OTC Pink: SKDI), d/b/a SFLMaven ("SFLMaven" or the "Company"), a leading provider of high-end luxury goods, is excited to announce another strong result in its latest "Famous Thursday Night Auction" event. SFLMaven If you cannot view the image above, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6700/75884_c2dc5b75941a8b4d_001full.jpg SFLMaven's "Famous Thursday Night Auction" events take place every Thursday evening. SFLMaven has been closing all its auctions on Thursday nights for the past 18 years. For the week ended Thursday, February 25, the Company booked a total of $197,905 in gross sales, which was primarily the result of its Thursday Night Auction event. Thursday's auction was highlighted by the sale of the Gia Certified Platinum 7.30ct no-heat Ceylon Sapphire and Diamond Cocktail Ring, which sold for more than $4,700. SFLMAVEN ANTIQUES JEWELRY FINE ART To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6700/75884_c2dc5b75941a8b4d_002full.jpg SFLMAVEN ANTIQUES JEWELRY FINE ART 1 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6700/75884_c2dc5b75941a8b4d_003full.jpg "Thursday's auction was another very strong result concluding another strong week of sales for SFLMaven," commented Joseph Ladin, CEO of SFLMaven. "We will keep interested shareholders in the loop on a weekly basis going forward, so make sure to pay close attention to our social media feed. 2021 is off to a great start and we look forward to another successful 'Famous Thursday Night Auction' event later this week." Follow SFLMaven on Twitter: @sunkissinc. About Sun Kissed Industries, Inc. Sun Kissed Industries Inc. (OTC Pink: SKDI) is a provider of high-end luxury goods to discerning clientele around the globe. The company has recently pivoted away from emerging markets and is now focused on revenue generating acquisitions. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including information about management's view of Sun Kissed Industries Inc.'s future expectations, plans and prospects. In particular, when used in the preceding discussion, the words "believes," "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," or "may," and similar conditional expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Any statements made in this news release other than those of historical fact, about an action, event or development, are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the results of Sun Kissed, its subsidiaries and concepts to be materially different than those expressed or implied in such statements. Unknown or unpredictable factors also could have material adverse effects on Sun Kissed's future results. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date hereof. Sun Kissed cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Finally, Sun Kissed undertakes no obligation to update these statements after the date of this release, except as required by law, and also takes no obligation to update or correct information prepared by third parties that are not paid for by Sun Kissed. SOURCE: Sun Kissed Industries Inc. Corporate Contact info@sflmaven.com Public Relations EDM Media, LLC https://edm.media (800) 301-7883 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/75884 The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Kohima, March 3 : The National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) on Wednesday said that the Naga political talk teams are back on the table and the discussion is in progress, even as the outfit has criticised Nagaland Governor and R.N. Ravi, Centre's interlocutor for the talks, for "creating unnecessary confusion". The NSCN (IM), in a statement issued by its Ministry of Information and Publicity, said that the historic "Framework Agreement (FA)" signed on the August 3, 2015 is being brought back to live in order to remove any misinterpretation and thereby hasten the signing of Naga solution agreement. It alleged that recently, unnecessary confusion was thrown into the air because of the reckless statement made by R.N Ravi that the political talks had concluded. "It is needless to say that in many points of his statements and conclusions reflected his role as Nagaland Governor and not as Interlocutor. It is a matter of regret that his role as interlocutor is nothing less than disparaging and dismal. The status of the Naga political talks that came up in the last Parliamentary Session was confirmed by the Union Government that it is in advance stage. No doubt, this is the ground reality of the Indo-Naga political talk and NSCN talk team is leaving no stone unturned to safeguard the political identity of the Naga people," the statement said. The NSCN-IM alleged that it is very unfortunate that Ravi has made such a misleading statement before the whole nation by blatantly contradicting the government of India and the Indian Parliament besides the 136 crore Indians and the world community in the matter of such sensitive political negotiations going on for more than two decades. The statement said that the political talk is being handled by both the parties to take the Naga people and the central government to the point that is honourable and acceptable. "This is the official understanding and the only way to conclude the talk. NSCN, therefore, under no circumstances will fail the Naga people and will never sign any agreement that is short of the mutual standard as agreed upon," it said. Ravi recently said in Kohima that the Centre's several political initiatives to resolve the Naga issue could not be fructified in the last 24 years due to the unrealistic intransigence of some people who are unwilling to forsake the politics by gun. The dominant group of the Naga outfit - Isak-Muivah faction or NSCN-IM - had entered into a ceasefire agreement with the central government in August 1997 and since then engaged in peace talks. The outfit has held around 80 rounds of negotiations with the central government in Delhi and even outside India after signing a ceasefire pact 23 years ago. The Centre headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had signed a "framework agreement" with the NSCN-IM in 2015. The NSCN-IM and the intelligence sources said that while many of the 31 demands of the Nagas have been almost resolved during the talks with the Centre, differences remain over a separate flag and a separate constitution. Nagalim, a long-pending demand of the NSCN-IM for a separate Naga state, encompasses the Naga-inhabited areas of Myanmar as well as parts of the northeastern states bordering Nagaland. Nagaland Governor and the central government's interlocutor for the Naga peace talks R.N. Ravi has recently rejected the demand for a separate flag and constitution for the state as demanded by the NSCN (IM). 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 (Bloomberg) -- China forced banks to hold more foreign currencies in reserve for the first time in more than a decade, its most substantial move yet to rein the surging yuan.The nations financial institutions will need to hold 7% of their foreign exchange in reserve from June 15, according to a central bank statement Monday. Thats an increase of 2 percentage points, and the first such hike since 2007. The move, which the Peoples Bank of China said will help liquidity management, effectively reduces the supply of dollars and other currencies onshore -- putting pressure on the yuan to weaken.Although analysts said the direct impact may be small, the move is the clearest signal by the PBOC that its unhappy about the yuans surge to a three-year high against the greenback. Authorities had until now limited their response to rhetoric: a former central bank official and a state-media commentary talked down the currency over the weekend.The PBOC wants to show the market -- if the rally keeps going, it has many measures to slow it down and the market will fail if it wants to make speculative bets, said Zhou Hao, an economist at Commerzbank AG in Singapore. Its more of a symbolic move, as no matter how the PBOC boosts funding costs on foreign exchange, the rate on the yuan will almost always be higher.The PBOC set its daily reference rate at 6.3572 on Tuesday, only marginally weaker than the average forecast in a Bloomberg survey of analysts and traders. The currency gained 0.2% to 6.3634 per dollar as of 9:52 a.m. in Hong Kong, while the onshore rate strengthened 0.1%.Betting on the yuan has been a successful strategy in the past year. The currency has surged 13% against the dollar since last May, when it was near its lowest level since 2008 amid the effects of the pandemic and the trade war with the U.S. Brokerages including Citic Securities Co., Scotiabank and Westpac Banking Corp. expect the currency to climb to 6.2 against the dollar. That would be the strongest since a 2015 devaluation.The yuan is supported by Chinas economic recovery and its higher-yielding markets are attractive to global investors. A backdrop of imported inflation is bolstering the argument for a stronger yuan. Against a basket of trading partners, the Chinese currency is the strongest since 2016.The foreign-exchange reserve ratio hike will likely freeze about $20 billion of liquidity, according to Guan Tao, a former official at the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. The increase demonstrates the Chinese central banks strong determination to curb rapid appreciation in the yuan, and PBOC has more tools if speculation emerges in the currency market, he said.Recent history shows traders should be wary. In the wake of the devaluation, the yuan fell about 11% by the end of 2016, surged 11% through its 2018 peak, before reversing again to sink 13% by September 2019. When momentum in the yuan became too extreme, authorities often took steps to arrest the moves. In early 2018, for instance, the yuan fell the most in two months as authorities gave banks the green light to submit quotes for weaker fixings.Still, analysts remain unconvinced of the potency of the latest measure. Fundamental factors supporting the yuan -- such as its interest-rate premium and high inflation -- remain intact, Citigroup Inc. economists led by Liu Li-gang wrote in a note.While this policy will lock in a certain amount of capital inflow and make foreign exchange funding costs higher, its effectiveness remains in doubt, Liu wrote.Any tightening in dollar funding onshore wont be sustained because global investors can easily obtain cheap foreign-exchange overseas and invest in yuan bonds, according to Ju Wang, a senior currency strategist at HSBC Bank Plc.Beijing seems to be sticking to its goal of liberalizing markets as part of President Xi Jinpings plans to reduce moral hazard. Its not just the yuan where direct intervention is now an unusual sight. The national team of state-backed funds is rarely seen in the $12 trillion stock market anymore, unless moves risk turning into panic or mania. Even in the commodities market, where officials are struggling to cool prices, efforts have largely been verbal rather than direct.If the central bank takes additional assertive actions, such as setting dramatically weaker fixings, that could reinforce the belief that only heavy-handed intervention is worth paying attention to. Yet the Communist Party has made it clear it will act to reduce speculation and guard against risks to financial stability, especially in the run-up to the centenary of the Partys founding this July.We dont see this as an one-off change, but likely the start of a trend, Becky Liu, head of China macro strategy at Standard Chartered, said of Mondays move by the PBOC. It could be seen as a new mechanism to manage the yuan in the medium term, together with other counter-cyclical measures.(Adds 5th paragraph to show PBOCs fixing on Tuesday and latest pricing of yuan.)More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.2021 Bloomberg L.P. ROME, MAR 3 - Italy on Wednesday moved to defend its iconic balsamic vinegar after Slovenia said any vinegar mixture wit concentrated must could be called balsamic vinegar. The farm ministry wrote to the European Commission contesting Slovenia's move. Agriculture Minister Stefano Patuanelli said last month that the government will take action to defend Balsamic vinegar of Modena from attempts by the Slovenia authorities to get around the system that protects its authenticity. The consortium of producers of Balsamic vinegar of Modena has sounded that alarm after the Slovenian government notified the European Commission of a national law which aims to transform the denomination "balsamic vinegar" into a product standard. This consortium says this conflicts with EU law and undermines the PDO and PGI labelling system protecting the authenticity of foods produced in a specific geographical area. "The protection of Italian wine and gastronomy is one of the government's priorities," said Patuanelli. "So, we will do everything possible to defend Balsamic vinegar of Modena from these illicit attacks". (ANSA). A Qantas flight takes off at Tullamarine Airport on July 7, 2020 in Melbourne, Australia. (Daniel Pockett/Getty Images) Australian Border Closure Extended a Further Three Months International borders remain closed for another three months as Australias emergency travel ban has been extended until June 17. Health Minister Greg Hunt announced the extension yesterday, citing the overseas situation as the main reason. The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) has advised the Australian Government the COVID-19 situation overseas continues to pose an unacceptable public health risk to Australia, including the emergence of more highly transmissible variants, Hunt said. The extension of the emergency period for a further three months is about mitigating that risk for everyones health and safety. This announcement takes Australia to 15 months of hard lockdown measures if the ban does not lift in June. Hunt notes that the restrictions can be amended or repealed if no longer needed before the current set date. The news comes to the disappointment of airlines and cruise lines, which have taken massive financial hits due to the strong border restrictions. However, while the ban on international cruise ships in Australia will continue, the current domestic cruise business shows signs of rebounding. Meanwhile, Qantas had previously announced they plan to resume international flights in Oct. 2021, after posting a half-year revenue loss of $1.03 billion. They do not expect international flight capacity to fully recover until 2024. A general view of the Qantas arrivals area at Sydney domestic airport on July 08, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images) James Goodwin, CEO of Australia Airport Association, said that over the last 12 months, airlines were losing an estimated $320 million a month and had lost 25 percent of their workforce. What we really want to see is a phased reopening of those borders to rebuild confidence to travel. And we want to get people filling those aircraft and filling our airports, Goodwin told the Today Show. He said the vaccine rollout was the latest confidence boost the sector needed to get back up and running. Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said that vaccinations would be mandatory for international flights with the airline once international flights resume. We have a duty of care to our people and our passengers, and once a safe and effective vaccine becomes readily available, it will be a requirement for travel on our international services, Joyce said. There will be some exceptions for people who cant, for medical reasons, take vaccines. And our flights to New Zealand will probably be exempt given their success at controlling COVID-19 as well, just as domestic flights will be exempt. The federal government has also considered making vaccinations a requirement for international travel according to the latest vaccination policy document in which they state they are considering introducing border entry or re-entry requirements that are conditional on proof of vaccination. This would be a change of government stance after Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that the current domestic vaccine rollout is not mandatory and individuals may choose not to vaccinate. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) listens during a hearing of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on Capitol Hill, in Washington on Sept. 16, 2020. (Anna Moneymaker-Pool/Getty Images) Cuomo Deserves Due Process Amid Sexual Harassment Allegations: Sen. Graham Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) defended New York Gov. Andrew Cuomos right to due process, saying he believes all sexual assault allegations should be treated the same, whether toward Democrats or Republicans. Graham cited the treatment of conservative Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh by Senate Democrats during his confirmation hearing. Well, heres what I would tell my Democratic colleagues to do: follow the Republican model. We had a Republican nominee for the Supreme Court to be accused of something, the day before we voted, the moment before we voted. We could have gone ahead saying this was too late, you sat on it, you didnt tell us, this is not fair. [Instead] we stopped the entire damn process, Graham told Sean Hannity of Fox News. We had days and weeks of hearings, we had another FBI investigation, we took it seriously. And what should you do as Democrats regarding Cuomo? Do exactly what Republicans did, call for an independent investigation, take it seriously, Graham added. Graham was referring to the sexual assault accusation brought against Kavanaugh days before his confirmation hearing in 2018, in which Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of a drunken attack at a 1982 party. Kavanaugh was nominated by President Donald Trump and, after being cleared of the charge of assault, was confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court in October 2018 with a 50-48 vote. At the time, Senate Democrats spoke out consistently against Kavanaugh and the Republicans supporting his nomination. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said at the time: I think the allegations by Professor Ford are extremely credible She didnt do it on a whim. I dont think she did it for political reasons. Sen. Feinstein did the right thing because when a woman is abused it is her prerogative as to how, where, why, when, and if at all it should come out, Schumer said. Graham said by House and Senate leaders remaining relatively quiet about the allegations against Cuomo, they are displaying a double standard. Youre now giving Cuomo a complete pass. Schumer went on the floor of the Senate day in and day out accusing all of us Republicans of supporting the sexual assault. Have you heard him say one word about this? So the double standard is pretty obvious, said Graham. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) speaks to reporters in Washington on Feb. 2, 2021. (Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images) While Schumer has said very little about the accusations against Cuomo, Allison Biasotti, Schumers spokesperson, said in a recent statement that Cuomo should be investigated. Sen. Schumer has said many times that sexual harassment is never acceptable and must not be tolerated and that any credible allegation should be thoroughly investigated, Biasotti said. Since the first allegation against Cuomo two weeks ago, a third woman came forward this week with harassment allegations against him. The 63-year-old governor is facing increasing calls to resign following the sexual harassment allegations, which come at a time when hes facing intense scrutiny over how his state handled the COVID-19 pandemic. The pattern of sexual harassment and predatory behavior by Governor Cuomo is unacceptable, and I believe the women coming forward, New York City Councilman Antonio Reynoso said on Twitter. New York state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi, a Democrat, called for Cuomos resignation in a Twitter post on Feb. 27. As a New Yorker, a legislator, Chair of the Senate Ethics and Internal Governance Committee, and a survivor of sexual abuse, I am calling for Governor Cuomo to resign, Biaggi wrote. Isabel Van Brugen contributed to this report. Zee Telugu a channel known to spread love and laughter, has planned to celebrate International Womens Day in a rather unique manner this year. The channel plans to telecast a show Maguva, Lokaniki Telusa Nee Viluva - an idea to celebrate the spirit of womanhood and ones existence every day instead of waiting for someone else or a special day to get appreciated. The event is about women from different walks of lives coming together and expressing themselves. These women include some of the most commendable names like Miss India 2020 Manasa Varanasi, Kanakavva - a Telangana folk artist, SI Sirisha from Srikakulam, Veena Sravani, Siva Jyothi, Jogini Syamala, Sandhya Raju, Udaya Bhanu, Actress Siva Parvati and Jeevitha Rajasekhar among another notable woman. The channel is all set to telecast the event on 7th March, a day before International Womens day at 5 PM only on Zee Telugu and Zee Telugu HD channels. Tastefully shot, with intimate conversations, supplemented with rare archival footage of the special guests, Maguva Lokaniki Telusa Nee Viluva is a tribute to the exceptional women it features. The line-up shifts focus on Zee Telugu artists such as Meghna Lokesh, Sridevi, Sunanda Malasetti, Ritu Chowdhary, Madhumita among others where they showcased the hurdles women face from all walks of life. SRGMP 13th female contestants will be lending their voices for the honorable event and Drama Juniors will captivate the viewers with their splendid acts. The show will be hosted by the ace anchor Pradeep Machiraju while Miss India 2020 Manasa Varanasi along with her family will grace the event and versatile actresses of the Industry Jeevitha Rajasekhar and Siva Parvathy will be felicitated along with Anchor Uday Bhanu and some other notable women. The brand has executed a 360-degree marketing campaign via Brand Partnership, Outdoor Innovation, Radio, Print, B2B Trade, and Social Media activities. Intending to stay ahead of other brands, Republic Media Network, Indias most viewed news channel in both English & Hindi news genre, is all set to break the records of regional news genre has conceptualized and executes a host of marketing initiatives communicated via Brand partnership, Outdoor innovation, On-Air Radio Campaign, Print Ads, B2B trade marketing exercise, and Social media campaigns. Laying impetus on constantly innovating and evolving themselves to resonate with todays well-informed audiences, the channel has not only grabbed the audiences attention by offering them content that is authentic and comes with industry perspective but has once again cemented their position as one of the most reliable names in the business. One of the ground-breaking activities can be seen in a brand partnership with the hospitality chain Wow Momo & Wow China restaurants, where the channel has ingeniously positioned Republic Bangla as the headquarter for Regional News in the Bengali language. The retail chain has over 100 outlets across the city of joy Kolkata, and the average monthly reach of these outlets are over 6 lacs 7.5 lacs dining and taking away, all the most over 4 lacs individuals are receiving the brand communication in every single delivery from Wow Momo & Wow China via partner app delivery system. The brand has put its best foot forward in its outdoor advertising campaigns as its OOH hoardings exemplify the brands ethos of always having something creative to offer. The innovative campaign has over 150 billboards, two transit media AC Metro Train & branded van roaming across the city. The brand is widely visible in 13 cities of West Bengal & North East and covering over 50 million population of West Bengal with well-planned locations. The Digital OOH at the metro station's ticket window is capturing the attention of every single commuter with eye-level placement of the screens. Republic Bangla is running the campaign at 24 metro stations with the availability of 233 screens in total. The brand Republic Bangla is easily visible over 35 times per hour and as per the records of Metro authority of Kolkata daily 2.5 lacs transactions are happening from the date campaign has launched. In an attempt to connect with the millennial audience, the social media campaign was simple and direct to the point. With a creative message that defines the brand identity and the fearless style of journalism. Republic Bangla will be available on all the leading DTH & MSOs under FTA. RTHK: UN envoy says 38 dead in Myanmar crackdown Myanmar security forces fired on protesters on Wednesday, as a United Nations envoy said 38 died in the Southeast Asian country's "bloodiest" day since the military coup last month. Myanmar has been in uproar since February 1 when the military ousted and detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, ending the nation's decade-long experiment with democracy and sparking daily mass protests. International pressure is mounting: Western powers have repeatedly hit the generals with sanctions, and Britain has called for a United Nations Security Council meeting on Friday. But the junta has ignored the global condemnation, responding to the uprising with escalating strength. "Only today, 38 people died," UN envoy to Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener told reporters on Wednesday, adding that more than 50 people had died in total since the military takeover, with many more wounded. "Today was the bloodiest day since the coup happened," she noted, without providing any further details, including a breakdown of the deaths. She called for the UN to take "very strong measures" against the generals, adding that in her conversations with them they had dismissed the threat of sanctions. "What we can confirm is seven people have died," said an emergency doctor, who declined to provide his name. Multiple medics also said they saw two other individuals being dragged away by security forces, though they could not get close enough to confirm if they had died. In the outskirts of commercial hub Yangon at least six demonstrators died, according to a rescue worker and local journalist. Parts of the city were transformed, with protesters using makeshift tyres and barbed wire barricades to block major roads. Near the famed Sule pagoda intersection, protesters pasted print-outs of junta leader Min Aung Hlaing's face on the ground - a tactic aimed at slowing down security forces, who will avoid standing on the portraits. In Mandalay, Myanmar's second largest city, two demonstrators were killed, a doctor confirmed, adding that one of the victims was 19 years old and was shot in the head. Another 19-year-old protester, engineering student Aung Myint Myat, died after being shot in Salin. "It was my friend who was shot in his forehead and died in the hospital," said Min Pyae Phyo, through tears. "They shouldn't have used such lethal force against the peaceful protesters. I won't forget and forgive them the rest of my life," he said. And a demonstration in Myingyan turned deadly when security forces deployed tear gas, rubber bullets and live rounds against protesters carrying red home-made shields emblazoned with the three-finger salute - a symbol of resistance for the anti-coup movement. Several medics confirmed a young man was gunned down. Local media in northern Kachin state also reported similar scenes of violence, publishing images of police bearing down on protesters in Hpakant. "Some were hit with rubber bullets and some were suffocating because of tear gas," said a doctor, saying his private hospital treated 10 injured. Sunday officially remains the bloodiest day since the military takeover, with the UN saying at least 18 protesters were killed across the country. In Dawei Wednesday, one of four gunshot victims from Sunday was cremated. Mourners held floral wreaths and portraits of Lwin Lwin Oo, 33, as coffin bearers were flanked by hundreds chanting: "We are united, yes we are... Democracy is our cause." Wednesday's violence came on the heels of news that six Myanmar journalists would be charged under a law prohibiting "causing fear, spreading false news, or agitating directly or indirectly a government employee", according to their lawyer Tin Zar Oo. Among them is photographer Thein Zaw, who was arrested on Saturday as he covered an anti-coup demonstration in Yangon. Video emerged on Wednesday of him being held in a chokehold by police as he was handcuffed. The other five are from Myanmar Now, Myanmar Photo Agency, 7Day News, Zee Kwet Online news and a freelancer. The maximum sentence for the offence has been increased from two years to three, following amendments made by the junta last month after it took power. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) monitoring group, more than 1,200 people have been arrested since the coup, with about 900 still behind bars or facing charges. But the real number is likely far higher - state-run media reported more than 1,300 people were arrested on Sunday alone. On Tuesday, media reported that about 500 have been freed in Yangon. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2021-03-03. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Watertown, NY (13601) Today Rain showers early, then sunny by the afternoon. High 72F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight A few passing clouds. Low 53F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Advertisement British Pound Outlook: After a strong run higher, the British Pound may be due for a period of pullback, if not consolidation, before further gains. But longer-term technical studies suggest more strength for Sterling. Reaction to the UK Spring Budget was muted among the major GBP-crosses, not a surprise given that the contents of the budget are known ahead of the official parliamentary unveiling. The latest shifts in r etail trader positioning suggest different biases among the major GBP-crosses. UK Spring Budget a Reason to Pause The red briefcase has made its first bi-annual appearance of 2021, with UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak delivering the UK Spring Budget. You can read my colleague Justin McQueens notes on the UK Spring Budget here. Overall, the reaction to the UK Spring Budget was muted among the major GBP-crosses, not a surprise given that the contents of the budget are known ahead of the official parliamentary unveiling. Now, as global bond yields tick higher, forcing investors to reassess their asset allocation decisions, the trading conditions that help prop up the British Pound have changed. But after a strong run higher, the British Pound may be due for a period of pullback, if not consolidation, before further gains. Longer-term technical studies suggest more strength for Sterling, even if various GBP-crosses trade sideways or lower in the near-term. GBP/JPY RATE TECHNICAL ANALYSIS: DAILY CHART (November 2019 to March 2021) (CHART 1) In the prior British Pound forecast update, it was noted that the charts continue to suggest that a multi-year bottoming effort in GBP/JPY rates has commencedthe path of least resistance remains higher for GBP/JPY rates, even if there is a short-term setback." When the last update was published, GBP/JPY was trading at 143.75; it has now cleared out the 2019 high at 148.87, trading at 149.23 at the time this report was written. GBP/JPY rates are still above their daily 5-, 8-, 13-, and 21-EMA envelope, which is in bullish sequential order. But daily MACD is trending lower while above its signal line, and daily Slow Stochastics have recently dropped out of overbought territory (though are turning higher again). It also seems that GBP/JPY rates are starting to carve out a potential sideways channel against the yearly high, which in context of the preceding price action would suggest a bull flag is forming. This may portend to a period of directionless churn for the next several sessions, if not into the middle of the month. IG Client Sentiment Index: GBP/JPY Rate Forecast (March 3, 2021) (Chart 2) GBP/JPY: Retail trader data shows 43.81% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders short to long at 1.28 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 59.31% higher than yesterday and 68.04% higher from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 6.53% lower than yesterday and 3.06% higher from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-short suggests GBP/JPY prices may continue to rise. Yet traders are less net-short than yesterday and compared with last week. Recent changes in sentiment warn that the current GBP/JPY price trend may soon reverse lower despite the fact traders remain net-short. GBP/USD RATE TECHNICAL ANALYSIS: DAILY CHART (FEBRUARY 2020 TO MARCH 2021) (CHART 3) GBP/USD rates hit fresh yearly highs at the end of February, but quickly came back to its moving averages when the US Treasury yield spike gave the greenback some legs. Nevertheless, our condition for a longer-term bottom has been met, with the pair breaching 1.3539 and sustaining a breakout move higher would indicate a long-term bottom has formed in GBP/USD rates. Momentum has faded in GBP/USD rates quickly. Daily MACD is trending lower at an accelerating rate, while daily Slow Stochastics have dropped below their median line. GBP/USDs daily EMA envelope remains in bullish sequential order, but the spot rate is below the daily 5-EMA. Like GBP/JPY, however, GBP/USD rates may be carving out a sideways channel against the yearly high, and like GBP/JPY, the preceding price action would suggest a bull flag is forming. This flag has support at 1.3859 and resistance at 1.4241. IG Client Sentiment Index: GBP/USD Rate Forecast (March 3, 2021) (Chart 4) GBP/USD: Retail trader data shows 54.74% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders long to short at 1.21 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 16.52% higher than yesterday and 57.47% higher from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 6.10% lower than yesterday and 26.57% lower from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-long suggests GBP/USD prices may continue to fall. Traders are further net-long than yesterday and last week, and the combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives us a stronger GBP/USD-bearish contrarian trading bias. EUR/GBP RATE TECHNICAL ANALYSIS: DAILY CHART (February 2020 to March 2021) (CHART 5) In the last update it was noted that EUR/GBP rates have not recovered despite the indicators working off their stretched bearish readings, suggesting that there is still an inherent downward bias among traders. Indeed, even as EUR/GBP has carved out a sideways channel against the yearly low, prices have not recovered meaningfully even if the indicators have lost their extreme readings. EUR/GBP rates below the daily 5-, 8-, 13-, and 21-EMA envelope, which remains in bearish sequential order. Daily MACD continues to rise out of the depths of bearish territory, while daily Slow Stochastics have already jumped above their median line. In context of the symmetrical triangle bearish breakout, any consolidation see in EUR/GBP rates would be seen as a bear flag with support at 0.8539 and resistance at 0.8731. IG Client Sentiment Index: EUR/GBP Rate Forecast (March 3, 2021) (Chart 6) EUR/GBP: Retail trader data shows 59.97% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders long to short at 1.50 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 8.08% higher than yesterday and 7.79% lower from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 0.42% higher than yesterday and 1.69% higher from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-long suggests EUR/GBP prices may continue to fall. Positioning is more net-long than yesterday but less net-long from last week. The combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives us a further mixed EUR/GBP trading bias. --- Written by Christopher Vecchio, CFA, Senior Currency Strategist A company that transports plastic pellets agreed to pay $1 million to settle a pollution lawsuit, almost two years after clusters of the tiny rice-sized nuggets were spotted on Charleston-area beaches. The suit was filed after drifts of the tiny white "nurdles" washed up on Sullivan's Island in the summer of 2019. Plaintiffs Charleston Waterkeeper and the Coastal Conservation League argued pellet-mover Frontier Logistics was at fault for the spill. The Texas-based firm denied culpability. Waterkeeper and CCL were represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center, which filed the proposed settlement Wednesday morning. The settlement money, paid over four years, will be put into a fund to invest in water-quality efforts in Charleston Harbor. "It's a big win for clean water," said Andrew Wunderley, of Waterkeeper. "We're glad Frontier stepped up to the plate and is investing this money." It's one of the largest payouts ever to settle a water-pollution case in South Carolina, though a separate suit over an Upstate gas pipeline spill settled for $1.5 million last year. Frontier will also pay the plaintiffs' legal fees of $225,000. Paul Heard, a vice president and general counsel at Frontier, declined to comment because he had not yet received a certified copy of the settlement back from the court. It was filed in federal court late Wednesday afternoon. District Judge David C. Norton will have to approve the settlement, which is expected. Frontier was the likely culprit in the plastics spill, the plaintiffs said, because of the Union Pier facility it used to pack the plastic pellets stretched over the waters of Charleston Harbor. Frontier argued that the recovered nurdles couldn't be traced back to them, and has since moved its operations to an inland North Charleston depot. The company did not admit fault in the settlement. Frontier also agreed to let an independent auditor inspect that site and take suggestions on how to make sure plastics don't escape. "I think this settlement is the opportunity for Frontier's facility to be the gold standard for similar companies," said Laura Cantral, executive director of the Coastal Conservation League. The end of the lawsuit would also remove some potential legal jeopardy for the S.C. State Ports Authority. SPA operates the Port of Charleston and helped Frontier pay for an initial cleanup on Sullivan's Island. It has said that plastics exports are a potential area of growth for the port, as refineries look for shipping options outside of the Gulf of Mexico. SPA was not a defendant in the suit, but plaintiffs had tried to get documents related to the spill from the agency via discovery. SPA refused, and tried to argue in court it wasn't subject to that fact-finding process because it was a state agency. Before the settlement was reached, SPA could have been held in contempt by Norton for not providing the documents. A conference on whether the ports group should be censured was held in December, but the judge had not yet ruled. Nurdles are raw plastics that are molded into a bevy of consumer products and packaging. It's just one form of litter that ends up in Charleston Harbor the estuary has an estimated 7 tons of plastic trash floating in it. The debris ranges from plastic grocery sacks to particles that wear off of rubber tires. "Plastic pollution is a huge problem, and (pellets) are a component of that," Cantral said. Nearly four years ago, Jerome Ronie Roberts risked his life to rescue a toddler from a burning house in New Orleans East, earning praise from the city's fire chief and a feature story on a local newscast. On Monday, police found him shot to death in the street, leaving his family shocked at how a man who was capable of so much good could meet such an undeserving end. They took a big piece of our family away from us, Roberts cousin, Tyiesha Broadway, said Tuesday. They took a very compassionate person who valued life. Roberts, a 34-year-old offshore worker, was faced with a potentially tragic emergency the night of June 22, 2017. He was standing outside his home in the 7600 block of Shorewood Boulevard when he saw smoke, heard children screaming and realized a house two doors down had caught fire. Roberts ran toward the blaze. After learning a 3-year-old boy was trapped in a back bedroom, he charged into the home with a neighbor. They braved thick smoke and beat back flames with a fire extinguisher in a desperate search for the child. The pair didnt find the boy on the first attempt. But they went back in, and soon they discovered the boy hiding under a blanket quiet, but alive. They pulled him out to safety. WWL-TV ran a story on the rescue the following day, describing Roberts and his neighbor as heroic. Once I heard there was a kid in there I wasnt worried about the fire, Roberts told the station. If somebodys life needs to be saved, Ill jump in and help if I could. The New Orleans Fire Departments chief at the time, Tim McConnell, said his agency doesnt encourage people to do what Roberts and the other neighbor did. But he made it a point to say: They did a commendable job. 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 Broadway said Roberts didnt leap into action for the plaudits. He just thought it was the right thing to do, she said. But a happy ending for Roberts, a Sarah T. Reed High School graduate and former offshore worker, was not in the cards. His brother, 33-year-old Benny Roberts, was shot to death Aug. 5, just three blocks from the site of the 2017 fire. Authorities have since filed a murder charge against a man who was dating the mother of Benny Roberts child. Then about 5:35 a.m. Monday, police found Jerome Roberts face down in the middle of the street at the corner of South Interstate 10 Service Road and Mayo Boulevard. He had been shot dead, too, police said. Investigators haven't publicly named any suspects or detailed a possible motive. Broadway said the killing stole Roberts from his parents, his fiancee, his three sons including an infant and his sister. Relatives said Roberts had gone to a daiquiri shop to unwind shortly before he was killed, but theyre trying to piece together anything else that may have happened that morning, Broadway said. Theyre also planning to hold Roberts' funeral on March 13, the day before he would have turned 35. Our family, Broadway said, will never be the same. Anyone with information that might be helpful to detectives investigating Roberts slaying can call Crimestoppers at (504) 822-1111. Tipsters do not have to identify themselves and they may be eligible for a cash reward. The Boston Red Sox bullpen will feature at least one former New York Yankees pitcher this year, thanks to the Adam Ottavino trade. But hes not the only one swapping blue pinstripes for red socks. The Red Sox selected Yankees right-hander Garrett Whitlock in Decembers Rule 5 draft. That means Whitlock must be included on the Red Soxs major-league roster for the 2021 season. Otherwise, Boston has to offer Whitlock back to New York. But Boston seems quite happy with Whitlock, who pitched two innings in the Red Soxs 9-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday. The 24-year-old Whitlock didnt give up a run and struck out two batters, making a good impression on manager Alex Cora. Per the Boston Globe: He was really good; you can see his stuff. We just want him to stay healthy and keep progressing. On the mound he looks like a big-league pitcher. Introducing Yankees Insider: Get exclusive news, behind-the-scenes observations and the ability to text message directly with beat writers Whitlock had Tommy John surgery in July of 2019, when he was a Double-A prospect with the Yankees. Tuesdays appearance was his first ever in a major-league spring training game, and Whitlock knows whats at stake. It was a lot of fun to go out there and compete. Being in that situation was exciting for me. ... Its a huge opportunity. I cant thank the Red Sox enough for picking me up. I just want to go out there and compete my butt off and just enjoy the process. Get Yankees text messages: Cut through the clutter of social media and text during games with beat writers and columnists. Plus, exclusive news and analysis every day. Sign up now. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny has sent his first message from custody after being transferred from a detention center in Moscow to the Vladimir region, northeast of the Russian capital, in late February. In the message placed on Instagram on March 3, Navalny said that he is in the Detention Center No. 3 in the town of Kolchugino and is getting along with his cellmates. "Everything is okay with me and there is even a chin-up bar in the yard for daily walks here," Navalny said in the post, adding that he and his cellmates have to dry bread as he is not allowed to buy food from the detention center's shop. Media reports have said Navalny will be imprisoned in a penal colony in the Vladimir region's city of Pokrov, 100 kilometers east of Moscow. The colony has been known as one of the toughest in the European part of the Russian Federation. The Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) on February 26 confirmed Navalny was moved from a Moscow detention center where he had been held since mid-January. But it did not specify where the anti-corruption crusader was being taken to begin serving the 2 1/2 years he has left of his sentence. Russian authorities typically do not provide information about the transfer of prisoners until after they reach their destination. It is likely that he will be moved again from Detention Center No. 3 to a full prison. Navalny was detained at a Moscow airport in January immediately upon returning from Berlin, where he was recovering from what several Western labs determined was a poisoning attempt using a Novichok-type nerve agent that saw him fall ill on a flight in Siberia in August 2020. Russia has denied involvement but Navalny has said the assassination attempt was ordered by President Vladimir Putin. A Moscow court in February ruled that while in Germany, Navalny had violated the terms of parole from an older embezzlement case that is widely considered politically motivated. His suspended 3 1/2 year sentence was converted into jail time, though the court reduced that amount to 2 1/2 years for time already served in detention. Navalnys detention set off a wave of national protests and a crackdown against his supporters. The European Union and the United States, on March 2, imposed fresh sanctions against Russia over the Navalny case. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. SHI YU/CHINA DAILY Nation is self-sustaining but lags others in production of superior varieties China will further protect seed resources, make scientific breakthroughs in seed cultivation and regulate the seed market to boost the industry and consolidate food security, a senior agricultural official said recently while introducing the No 1 central document for this year. "We have no problem supplying enough seeds to survive, but we are really lagging behind regarding the quality of some varieties," said Tang Renjian, minister of agriculture and rural affairs. China has achieved self-efficiency in grain seeds as more than 95 percent of planting areas in the country are using domestically cultivated crop varieties, providing stable supply for grain and agricultural products. Zhang Taolin, vice-minister of agriculture and rural affairs, said China still needs to solve the shortfalls in the seed industry to reach world-class levels. The yields of soybean and corn in China are less than 60 percent of the scale in the United States, and foreign crop varieties account for 13 percent of the total area of vegetable planting. More than 50 percent of special varieties such as tomatoes and bell peppers and most of the ancestral breeders of white-feather broiler chickens are imported. "The development of these varieties directly affects the quality, speed and benefits of China's agricultural development," Zhang said. China still lags behind in terms of breeding theory and core technology, and seed industry companies need to increase their competitiveness to realize innovation, he said. "We need to accurately identify seed resources, improve seed banks and build up a protection system," he added. Liu Chunming, dean of the School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences under Peking University, said evaluation and utilization of germ plasm resources are also key to innovation in the seed industry. "China has preserved more than 520,000 pieces of germ plasm resources in seed banks, but only if we find out which one of them carries the head blight (a disease affecting wheat and barley) resistance genes can we transfer the genetic trait to a modern variety," Liu said. The seed industry needs superior varieties that have high yields and quality, optimal nutrition, high resistance to disease and can be flourish in different places. Accurate seed identification from germ plasm resources in seed banks is helpful in the cultivation of new genetic resources of seeds to make superior varieties, and a project to boost such evaluation has been included in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), Liu said. However, the process of making a superior variety requires at least 10 years, and it takes two to three years to evaluate one genetic trait. "So related ministries and academic institutions are expected to support long-term efforts to create new genetic resources," Liu said. The No 1 central document for this year, released last month by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, stated that the country will conduct its third germ plasm resource survey on crops, poultry and marine organisms and continue establishing seed banks. "Long-term and stable support will be given to basic research and major projects related to breeding," it said. Wan Jianmin, vice-president of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said enterprises should play a dominant role in technical innovation by building commercialized R&D platforms and cooperating with institutions. But some enterprises have refused to invest in innovation because they worry that their continued achievements might be stolen, Liu said. "The country should create genetic resources patents and set up strict laws for new varieties to protect the innovation enthusiasm of researchers and companies, in order to have an edge on the world seed industry," Liu said. The No 1 document said the country will do research on policies regarding subsidies for R&D and promotions of major and superior varieties. "Strengthening the protection of intellectual property is vital to regulating the seed market and ensuring innovation in the industry," said Zhang, the vice-minister. As the document showed, the country will advance the development of the national seed breeding base in the coastal city of Sanya, Hainan province. The facility, called the Nanfan Scientific and Research Breeding Base, is also China's global transfer base for the introduction of animal and plant germ plasm resources. The first batch of imported plant seeds were introduced for research in May. Less than a quarter of the crops that China is growing are domestic, so it has fewer crop germ plasm resources than those that came from abroad, Liu said. "Apart from protecting and utilizing germ plasm resources in our seed banks, it's also necessary to share excellent seed resources with other countries," he said. The world is embracing the technological revolution of modern biological breeding, which features gene editing, synthetic biology and artificial intelligence. Since genetically modified agricultural organisms were granted for commercial planting in 1996, the genetically modified crops area worldwide have covered 2.7 billion hectares in 29 countries while more than 40 countries and regions have imported genetically modified organism products, Zhang said. China will keep promoting the industrial application of GMOs under stringent regulations and safety standards to improve people's lives via modern bio-breeding technology, he added. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Why the Democrats Are No Longer Protecting Andrew Cuomo Commentary Now that five women have stepped forward to accuse New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment, the man once thought to be presidential material is fighting for his political life. The sexual harassment allegations follow the New York State Attorney Generals report showing that the governors office underreported COVID-19 deaths at New York nursing homes where infected COVID patients were sent under Cuomos directions. With Democratic officials joining the growing chorus demanding that Cuomo leave the governors mansion, every day seems to bring more bad news. How did the 63-year-old politicians star fade so fast? His briefings on his states handling of the coronavirus earned him an Emmy Award, and his book, American Leadership, about his epic management of the COVID crisis, hit The New York Times bestsellers list. It was just a few months ago that luxury retailers were advertising womens underwear stamped with the name Cuomo. Liberal women swooned to hear the governors gravelly, cocksure voice, and his CNN appearances with his playfully obsequious younger brother Chris endeared them to left-wing audiences of all ages. And now the governors fans want his blood. Thats because the media is doing its job, say media experts. The objective and bipartisan press, they say, is holding the rich and powerful accountable without fear or favor, just as they do with Republicans. Nonsensethats not why the left has Cuomo in its crosshairs. Cuomos deadly policies on nursing homes have been well-known among conservatives for a long time, said Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.). However, before the election, the legacy media ignored that story, instead perversely hailing Cuomos exemplary leadership in fighting COVID and praising his self-congratulatory book. Its unclear why Cuomos team even bothered with a cover-up, since the media was already doing it for them. Despite the avoidable COVID deaths in his state, the media extolled Cuomo because he played a central part in the signal project that consumed the efforts of the Democratic Party and its press partners from November 2016 to November 2020pushing Donald Trump out of the White House. The ugly truth is that the high COVID death count in Cuomos state was useful to the Democrats because they exploited it to make Trump look bad. But turning on Cuomo hardly means that Joe Bidens party or its media mouthpieces have found their moral center. Rather, it just means Cuomo is no longer of use to the party. In fact, its because he represents a threat to other ambitious Democrats that the party has lifted its protective screen and green-lighted the medias campaign. Its open season on Andrew Cuomo. Whats changed is that Kamala Harris is now vice president, the de facto president, and the chosen standard-bearer for the Democratic Party, said Nunes. So the partys power brokers are zeroing in on Cuomo as well as California Governor Gavin Newsom, who are her most likely rivals. Meanwhile, the legacy media is helping the party go after her competitors, while Big Tech is obediently lifting the filter from Cuomo and allowing the attacks to score. With the relentless and continuing attacks on Nunes after he uncovered evidence in 2017 that the Obama administration had spied on the Trump campaign, the nine-term congressman has become an expert on how the media and its Democratic Party masters partner to deceive the public and advance their destructive causes. In his recently published book, Countdown to Socialism, Nunes discusses the effects of the online media filter and other aspects of what he calls the Disinformation Funnel. The purpose of the Funnel, he writes, is to filter, refine, direct, and amplify propaganda ultimately disseminated through laptops, tablets, and smartphones. From there, it goes directly into your brain. Sometimes the purpose is to push propaganda in, and other times its to keep real information out. Some joint media-Democratic Party operations, like the very fine people hoax, accomplish both. Deceptive editing of Trumps remarks regarding the 2017 riots in Charlottesville, Virginia, was used to feed the claim he had praised right-wing extremists as very fine people. In fact, Trump said that the neo-Nazis and white supremacists participating in the riots should be condemned totally. Biden has said that he decided to enter the 2020 race because he was so outraged by these remarks from Trump. If thats true, it means Biden was inspired by a lie, which the media still repeats. The Disinformation Funnel is so effective that one of the lawyers who represented Trump during the second impeachment didnt realize that the very fine people episode was fraudulent until he began preparing his defense of the former president. The Funnel is regularly employed to protect Democratic Party favorites. Evidence of Hunter Bidens ties to allegedly corrupt foreign officialsin, among other countries, Ukraine, Russia, and Chinawere ignored prior to the 2020 election, even by prestige media organizations such as The New York Times, which had previously reported allegations of his involvement. Of course, those stories were filed before his father became the partys presidential candidate. But with a chance to get rid of Trump, social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook blocked reports of Hunter Bidens alleged corruption, claiming, without irony, the reports were part of a foreign propaganda effort. Cuomo, once thought of as potential commander-in-chief material, is now more likely to spend his days fending off federal prosecutors and sexual harassment suits. The lesson, which is sure to be lost on other Democratic officials who constitute what is effectively a U.S. politburo, islive by the Funnel and die by the Funnel, too. Lee Smith is the author of the recently published book The Permanent Coup: How Enemies Foreign and Domestic Targeted the American President. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Today, librarians, teachers, and parents will take an extra moment to encourage their children to read for Read Across America Day. Its a holiday often associated with Dr. Seuss, on his birthday, and many children will hear his classic childrens books read aloud, dress up in silly hats, and well call it another good day for kids lit. But as a champion of diverse childrens books, I join many colleagues in saying that its time to put aside Seuss. This is a moment to pause and reflect on what we consider classic childrens books, and how those books have contributed to a lack of diversity within childrens publishing that is very hard to dig our way out of. In recent years, critics such as Stephen Sawchuk and Philip Nel have pointed out the problematic nature of Seuss booksmost notably Katie Ishizuka (The Conscious Kid Library) and Ramon Stephens (University of California, San Diego) in their article The Cat Is Out of the Bag: Orientalism, Anti-Blackness and White Supremacy in Dr. Seusss Childrens Books. Now, more than ever, at a time where anti-Asian sentiment and acts of hate are at an all-time high, it seems imperative to take a critical look at how Asiansand any BIPOC charactersare represented in literature. It seems like a simple task to look towards new classicsand yet, we continue to hang onto Seuss. Why? Frequently, I hear from parents that Dr. Seuss is a core part of their childhood and nostalgia is part of the reason they keep him around. That ideology is problematic, as nostalgia never is, nor should be, a reason to keep books that overtly degrade the BIPOC community. If our vision for the next generation is to raise one that is anti-racist and conscious, then we cannot be neutral or make excuses. And as far as the books messageswell, there are plenty of fantastic, well-written childrens books, both modern and classic, that accomplish the same tasks without centering on racist caricatures. But our continued return to Dr. Seuss on Read Across America Day year after year is reflective of a deeper problem: the challenge that the publishing industry as a whole faces with diversity and the whiteness that continues to perpetuate. As an independent publisher of diverse childrens books at Mango & Marigold Press, I too frequently hear that we keep things the same because weve always done it that way, or it works, and my question is always, works for whom? There are two reasons why representation matters in childrens literature. The first is that all children deserve to see themselves in the pages of their books. I know from experience, from the smile on a childs face as they grasp a book with characters who look just like them, have names like theirs, or have cultural experiences that they recognize, that representation is priceless to these kids. But honestly, that is just the beginning. These books, these stories need to and should be on all bookshelves. Books are, as Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop says, mirrors, windows, and sliding doors. We must give children, all children, the opportunity to see the world through the lens of those who live it from an early age. Watering down stories so they can align with a dominant lens only serves to uplift those in power. Kids are not born with the belief that theres only one kind of beauty, or just one way to do things. By providing them with diverse books, we open up the world to these readers and encourage their wonder and awe. Beyond that, we show kids that diversity is the nature of humanity, not an initiative. Certainly, we are more conscious about diversity in our literature today than we ever have been before. But parents and educators drive to provide new voices and experiences to children through books will be futile if the publishing industry doesnt provide the content they need. I have had a firsthand view of how difficult it is to make inroads into publishing if you are a member of the BIPOC community with a mission to increase representation in kids lit. In fact, I founded Mango & Marigold Press six years and 20 books ago because I was worried about my own daughter. I was a first-time mother, excited to fill her shelves with books, and I couldnt find a single one that reflected her Indian American heritage accurately and appropriately. I learned quickly that I was not alone. According to the Cooperative Childrens Book Center, only 30% of all childrens books published in 2019 were by or about BIPOC individuals. There is much chatter about diversity in kids literaturefrom blockbuster, celebrity-authored books to lauded diverse imprints at major publishers. But many of these initiatives, while well-intentioned, ring hollow. I have received many drafts from authors that have undergone rounds of notes from editors at traditional publishers, and are nearly unrecognizable by the time they make their way to me. These stories deserve to have space and place that allows them to be told through the lens of the BIPOC experience, and not filter through the lens of a dominant white narrative. I often tell my authors that it takes audacity and tenacity to write their truths, and I do my utmost to honor their stories as they are told. Like all things important and worth doing, changing the face of kids lit is difficult and complex. Read Across America Day is only one day in a long year of reading, but for parents, its the right time to pause and take stock of the stories we are sharing with our children. And for the publishing industry, its an opportunity to consider how it might actively become a part of the charge to support BIPOC authors, communities, and independent presses. So, today and every day, lets focus on looking forwardin the books we as parents choose to share, and the ones we as publishers choose to release. Instead of looking behind us at the nostalgic classics, lets become excited about the potential of bringing our children into a world where they understand the rich complexities of different people and culturesone in which they feel included, no matter their culture, race, or gender, because they understand that everyone is truly different. Lets forge new classic childrens literaturetogether. Sailaja Joshi is the founder of Mango & Marigold Press, an independent publishing house that shares stories of the South Asian experience. Correction: This article has been updated. An earlier version incorrectly cited Kathy Ishizuka of School Library Journal, and not Katie Ishizuka, as the author of the Dr. Seuss study The Cat Is Out of the Bag. We regret this error. 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. ROME, MAR 3 - The prosecutors department in the Sicilian city of Trapani has notified three NGOs involved in rescuing migrants at sea and 21 individuals that it has concluded an investigation into alleged aiding of illegal immigration. This move usually comes before prosecutors request indictments. The NGOs are Save the Children, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and German organization Jugend Rettet. The Iuventa ship, which was running migrant-rescue operations for Jugend Rettet, was put under sequester in 2017 in relation to the probe. MSF said the notification came a day after a Catania judge had sent it to trial for alleged felonies related to trash during its rescue operations. "The decisions made by the judiciary within hours of each other come on top of numerous attempts to criminalize sea rescues," MSF said. "Up to now none of the accusations have been confirmed but the capacity to rescue has been dangerously weakened". (ANSA). Fourteen line-kilometres of Deep Ground Penetrating Radar ("DGPR") was completed across three gold targets. DPGR surveying is a preferred geophysical tool for mapping of quartz reefs and structure and in the Central Victorian Goldfields as it does not respond to carboniferous shales which are problematic in other geophysical survey types. A total of 1,197 soil samples have been collected to date and analysed utilizing a Portable X-ray Fluorescence spectroscopy ("pXRF") device. Prior studies indicate arsenic (As) works as a suitable pathfinder element for gold in the Central Victorian Goldfields, and as an exploration tool, the pXRF technique provides acceptable accuracy, precision and repeatability. From the 1,197 samples collected to date, pXRF As ranges from below detection (3 ppm) to 697 ppm with an average of 11 ppm and median of 8 ppm. Nubian has implemented QA/QC procedures which include regular use of standard samples, and 10% of samples sent to Gekko Systems in Ballarat for ICP cross-check assay. Based on ICP data the pXRF analyses of homogenised soil are considered qualitatively reliable for arsenic, but should not be relied upon as there are inherent uncertainties in the technique. Laboratory assay results provide a more accurate and reliable grade estimate of the samples. In addition to soil sampling, samples of sulphide-bearing quartz vein material previously extracted from the historic Golconda mine area are being analysed for gold and pathfinder elements, and these results will be used as a guide for future drilling and geophysical programs. Data from the DGPR geophysical survey, along with ground mapping and soil sampling has identified numerous drill targets (see attached vertical cross sections and surface plan maps). A program of 10 core drill holes is planned to test the highest priority gold targets generated from the geophysical and geochemical (soils) results, centered around historically mined quartz reef and vein structures. Martin Walter, President & CEO of Nubian, commented, "The DGPR survey points to a number of strong drill targets, and this result combined with mapping and soil geochemistry, provides us with confidence in our planned drilling program. Additional work to be undertaken during March will provide the Company with important geological and geophysical data to further define drill targets at Yandoit and facilitate an expanded drilling program planned for early in the second quarter of 2021." The second phase of exploration work is now in progress at Yandoit and includes additional DGPR surveying and soil sampling to cover the historical gold mines at Golconda and Goldsmith, and the Captains and Gravedigger reefs on the eastern portion of the Project. In addition, the Criterion and Froggatts reefs which lie immediately along strike from the active SPA gold mine (owned and operated by a third party) will be surveyed and sampled. The Yandoit Project covers numerous gold-bearing quartz reefs that define linear north-south geological structures, each with evidence of sustained mining (e.g., Nuggetty Sardinia, German Criterion Smiths Gully, Spread Eagle Hamburg - Glamorgan, Malcolm Canadian Garibaldi Steeles Pioneer). The quartz reefs are developed on steep west-dipping faults within which high-grade gold ore-shoots often formed where a west dipping quartz reef cross-cuts the east limb of an anticline. High-grade gold ore-shoots can also develop on flatspurs (tension-gash veins) typically in the hanging-wall of a quartz reef, or within laminated quartz veins bordering earlier massive quartz bodies (dilation zones). Coarse gold has been found in association with narrow, steep-dipping, laminated quartz veins where intersected by flat structures or flat quartz veins. QUALIFIED PERSON The technical information contained in this news release relating to the Yandoit Gold Project has been approved by Mark Saxon, an advisor to Nubian, who is a "qualified person" within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mark Saxon is an Honours BSc graduate in Geology from the University of Melbourne, a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, and a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists. ABOUT NUBIAN Nubian Resources Ltd. is a publicly traded precious and base metals exploration company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company is managed by a team of experienced mining and geological professionals. Nubian's projects are focused in key mining jurisdictions in central Victoria and Tasmania, Australia and Peru. 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. CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on Nubian's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. Although such statements are based on reasonable assumptions of Nubian's management, there can be no assurance that any conclusions or forecasts will prove to be accurate. Forward looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include risks inherent in the exploration and development of mineral deposits, including risks relating to changes in parameters of the Projects as plans continue to be redefined, risks relating to variations in grade or recovery rates, risks relating to changes in mineral prices and the worldwide demand for and supply of minerals, risks related to the COVID-19 pandemic and current global financial conditions, increased competition, access and supply risks, reliance on key personnel, operational risks, regulatory risks, including risks relating to licenses and permits, financing, capitalization and liquidity risks and title and environmental risks. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof, and Nubian is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. SOURCE Nubian Resources Ltd. For further information: please contact Martin Walter, Chief Executive Officer, Nubian Resources Ltd., at +1-416-389-5692 or [email protected] Related Links www.nubianr.com NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. -- Watching her husband whisked away in an ambulance last week after having a seizure was unimaginable for Sylvia Gentile, of New Hartford. "It's the first time I haven't able to be with him. He's been in 21 times in four years and he doesn't remember what to ask the doctor so I keep calling the nurses and he's alone and afraid," says Gentile. Her husband came home Tuesday, after a five-day hospital stay. But with his history, Gentile knows he can end up back in the hospital at any moment. She believes it's time MVHS follows the lead of other local hospitals and health systems and allows families to be reunited with their loved ones in hospitals. "Well, I've had my shots, a lot of people have had their shots, I would gladly go and prove a negative COVID test to be a visitor and the numbers are so low right now and the state is saying it's OK. Rome is letting people in, nursing homes are letting people in. I don't understand why our MVHS hospital's not letting visitors go be with their loved ones" says Gentile. "We are reviewing visitor restrictions but we still have 40 COVID positive patients in the hospital plus the nation is experiencing a 2% uptick in cases. We don't want to open and have to close again so we are being very thoughtful in the process," says Patty Charvat, SVP Marketing and Strategy, for MVHS. Isolation and separation aside, Gentile says having family in the hospitals would offer much-needed relief to overworked, overwhelmed, understaffed nurses. "When my husband's in the hospital, they have to do very little for him. I change the bed, I help him wash up, I help him eat, I help him do everything that can be done that the nurse doesn't have to do. She has to do meds and IDs, but, they're pretty happy to have me there. They need an extra pair of hands," says Gentile. Rome Health and the Bassett Healthcare Network resumed limited visitation last month. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 NEW MILFORD A Bright and Early Child Care Center is opening in the coming weeks with hopes of assisting families navigating child care during the pandemic. Director Liz Schwalbe said there is a big need for child care in the area and Bright and Early will provide an additional option. I was previously a director at another center in town and we were full and we had no more space for the children to come, so I think having this place here will be a great benefit, she said. The New Milford location is Bright and Earlys sixth center in the state and Bright and Early Owner April Lukasik plans on opening a seventh in Branford during the fall. If the pandemic has shown us anything, its how vital child care is and how people are not able to work unless they have reliable and excellent child care for their children, so I think thats what has been the driving factor for the ability to open more centers during this time, Schwalbe said. Lukasik said about a dozen families have reached out expressing their interest, although the center has not opened its enrollment yet. New Milford Mayor Pete Bass said there might be more of a need for these centers as the vaccine changes the child care landscape. With school now going back to five days, theres going to be more of a need for those parents who may need... those services as well now that theyre going to go back into the workforce, Bass said. I think theres going to be a need now and then all the way through when we get toward the end with more vaccinations and more people feeling safer, he added. Bass said one child care center did close during the pandemic, leaving the town with at least five others still operating. The Bright and Early center will open on March 15 at 204 Danbury Road, the former location of a Kinder Care center. The facility operating on weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. expects to enroll a maximum of 116 children. Full-time tuition at the center costs $295 weekly for an infant and $265 for a pre-schooler, although there are also part-time options. Lukasik implemented several safety precautions for when the center opens to reduce COVID-19 risks including air purifier installations in each classroom and office space. Additionally, families will drop off children outside of the building to mitigate spread within the building. The center is also working with the towns health department to make sure its teachers and staff are vaccinated as doses become available. Despite the modified environment, Schwalbe and Lukasik are looking forward to the opening and benefiting the community. I hope that we benefit the community that we offer something different, unique and a wonderful place for children to learn, grow and have fun and be able to do that with other small learners, friends in the community, Lukasik said. Greater New Milford Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Denise Del Mastro said its very pleased that Bright & Early chose New Milford as the location for their expansion into the western part of Connecticut. Bright & Early provides high quality child care and early education solutions in a nurturing and scholastic environment. We thank Bright & Early for their investment in our town and look forward to their upcoming opening in March, said. Armed police who were hunting a 'rent-a-gun' gang who would rent guns to be used in revenge attacks have executed dawn raids on 11 addresses in London, Essex and Kent. The warrants were carried out in the early hours of this morning by more than 350 police officers and four firearm recovery dogs. Operation Wordwell was launched in September after a number of shootings and stabbings in Barking, East London, the Met said. Pictured: More than 350 police officers were involved in 11 dawn raids executed across London, Essex and Kent this morning as part of operation targeting a criminal weapons gang As part of the operation, investigators discovered one criminal gang was planning violent revenge attacks on targeted individuals. The raids took place at Middleton Grove, Barking, Sutton Road, Barking, Upney Lane, Barking, Wheelers Cross, Barking, Wivenhoe Road, Barking, King Edwards Road, Barking, Dovehouse Mead, Barking, The Shaftsburys, Barking, Bastable Avenue, Barking, William Groom Ave, Dovercourt, Harwich, Essex and Rhodaus Town, Canterbury, Kent Detective Superintendent Paul Trevers, who led the operation for the Met, said: 'Following a number of violent incidents in east London, officers from the East Area Gangs Unit have meticulously pulled this operation together, which has taken months of hard work and dedication. 'By linking the offences, officers realised that one criminal gang were planning violent attacks on other individuals and by making these pre-planned arrests today, we have been able to thwart a criminal gang involved in the use of lethal firearms.' Under Operation Wordwell, officers used proactive and reactive policing tactics to secure evidence of the gang agreeing to split the cost of obtaining a firearm, and were looking for potential victims. A total of 10 people, aged between 16 and 20 years old have been arrested for offences including conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life and conspiracy to commit GBH with intent. The 11 addresses in London, Essex and Kent where dawn raids were carried out this morning Specially-trained firearms officers and dogs were deployed to execute search at 11 properties Police officers arrested a total of 10 people aged between 16 and 20 who all remain in custody They have been taken into custody at an east London police station while searches of the venues continue for any weapons. Specialist firearms officers from the Metropolitan Police, as well as Essex and Kent Police were used to carry out the warrants safely. They were supported by officers from the Met's Taskforce, Specialist Crime syndicates and East Area BCU. Members of the local Independent Advisory Groups (IAGs) were also present at a specialist operations room to view the searches taking place and to see what officers are doing to tackle violent crime in their neighbourhoods. Det Supt Trevers adds: 'Communities rightfully hold their local Police to account. 'They understandably want to know, understand and see what we are doing to tackle shootings, stabbings and other types of crime in the areas that they live and work. Both the Met Police and Essex Police, who were involved in the dawn raids, say the raids this morning are part of a continued effort to tackle violent crime in their respective communities 'By inviting community representatives to see the operation unfold, it allowed me to show our professional commitment to supress violence, whilst assuring communities of our accountability and transparency in what we do. 'This is another in the line of ongoing operations targeting violent offenders and I hope it goes some way in reassuring everyone that East Area BCU, with the support of MPS specialist officers as well as colleagues from other forces, continue to work tirelessly to stop the supply of guns, and associated criminality across London and into County Forces.' Chief Inspector Darren Deex, Operational Policing Command, Essex Police, said: 'In working with the Metropolitan Police today, not only have we supported colleagues to make an arrest, we have helped make Essex that little bit safer. 'Our residents know that we will always take action to remove firearms and weapons off our streets and bring those who carry or use them to justice, and we take pride in knowing the community supports us in that aim. There is no place for such violence in our county.' Anyone with information should call police on 101 or Tweet @MetCC. To remain 100 per cent anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Any young people who have information about violence, firearms or knife crime, can visit Fearless where they can pass on information anonymously your I.P address will not be traced. Fearless is part of the Crimestoppers charity, and is also independent of the police. Meanwhile in Tower Hamlets and Hackney, 16 people have been arrested for drug-supply offences as part of the Met's Operation Continuum. The new arrests bring the combined total to 145 arrests for similar offences since March 2020. This morning, search warrants were executed simultaneously at addresses across the boroughs and in wider east London. Officers seized around 13,000 in cash from one venue, along with multiple wraps of suspected Class A drugs from four of the addresses. The police activity resulted in 16 people, aged between 18 and 53, being arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. All of those arrested were taken into custody across east London, where they remain at this time. Over the past year, the 'highly successful operation' has continued to drive down drug-related criminality in the east London area, the Met says, despite policing challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. The drugs market is strongly connected to violent crime and tackling this is the Met's top priority the force has said. Pictured: Met police officers carried out searches in Tower Hamlets and Hackney as part of a separate operation this morning and 16 people were arrested for various drug supply offences Overall, the operation has seen 12 people sentenced to a combined total of more than 22 years' imprisonment with many still awaiting sentencing due to Covid-19 court delays. The ongoing operation was originally established in Tower Hamlets in 2019 to crack down on drug-supply, make neighbourhoods cleaner and safer, and to reduce fear of violence. It is a partnership operation with the Met, local authority and housing associations, and is the Central East Basic Command Unit's response to tackling drug-related violence across Hackney and Tower Hamlets. All Operation Continuum warrants this year have been supported by officers from the local Central East Basic Command Unit, Taskforce Command and local Gangs Taskforce, as well as officers from the Met's Dog Unit. Det Supt Mike Hamer, the Gold Commander for the operation, said: 'Continuum is here to stay. 'We have seen the disruptive effect that our joint activity can have on the drug dealers and the positive feedback we have received from our local residents. Officers seized around 13,000 from one venue, along with multiple wraps of suspected drugs 'The successes of Continuum have been in the considerable results the arrests, convictions, drug and cash seizures but also the galvanising effect that this has had across the partnership. 'We have found that through better sharing of intelligence, joint planning and precise execution, this operation continues to yield exceptional results in suppressing drug-related criminality across our local communities. 'The results, quite literally, speak for themselves and are testament to the excellent partnership working of all parties involved. 'Drugs are inextricably linked to a high proportion of violent criminality - a key operational priority for the Met - and we will therefore continue to target perpetrators; seeking to bring them to justice.' John Biggs, Mayor of Tower Hamlets, said: 'Tackling drug dealing and making our neighbourhoods safer continue to be top priorities for the council. 'Our Operation Continuum partnership work with local police has seen some fantastic results over the last year and these latest raids once again demonstrate the progress we're making towards getting drug dealers off our streets. 'We will not stand for criminal activity in our borough and will continue to work with police partners to disrupt local drug markets and target those intent on breaking the law.' Maharashtra Chief Minister on Wednesday slammed the BJP over issues ranging from the commitment to to the ongoing farmers' agitation on Delhi borders. Asking why the Union government has not conferred Bharat Ratna on Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, the ideologue, Thackeray said in the Assembly that the BJP should not teach to its former ally, the Shiv Sena. "Letters were sent (to the Centre) twice, seeking Bharat Ratna for Who confers Bharat Ratna? It is the right of the prime minister and a committee," Thackeray said. The BJP has been targeting the Shiv Sena chief for "giving up" his Hindutva ideology for sharing power with the NCP and Congress. Among other things, it has questioned the 'delay' in renaming Aurangabad in central Maharashtra, named for the Mughal emperor, as Sambhajinagar. "You don't give Bharat Ratna to and you preach us about renaming?" the chief minister said, adding that Aurangabad will definitely be renamed. He asked the opposition party who created roadblocks in Maharashtra's proposal to rename the Aurangabad airport after Sambhaji Maharaj, the son of warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Iron spikes were fixed in the path of farmers protesting near Delhi borders against the new farm laws, and their electricity and water supplies were cut, he said. "Barbed wire fencing, which should have been erected along the border, was erected between farmers and Delhi... China would not have intruded had such arrangement been made there (along the border)," the chief minister said. Asking if the protesting farmers were terrorists, he said the country was not the BJP's "private property". The Shiv Sena was not part of the freedom struggle and neither was the "parent organization" of the BJP, he said, apparently referring to the Rashtriya Swaymsevak Sangh. "Therefore, only chanting 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' does not prove your love for the country. You don't have the right to chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai if you are not going to give justice to people and if you are forcing farmers to protest on the streets," Thackeray said. Farmers are waiting for their income to double as promised but it has not happened, he said, adding that "instead, fuel prices have doubled." He also asked the BJP to "give up its thought" of separating Vidarbha from Maharashtra. "We will not let Vidarbha separate from Maharashtra," he said. Despite being in power for six years at the Centre, the BJP did not bring a law to construct Ram temple at Ayodhya and it became possible only due to the Supreme Court verdict, Thackeray further said. "You formed government with separatists in Kashmir...you shared power with them. Didn't your Hindutva get corrupted then?" he asked. "How many displaced Kashmiri Pandits got homes? Don't teach us about Hindutva, you are not qualified to do that," Thackeray told the former ally with which he parted ways after the 2019 Assembly elections. The BJP did not keep its promise of sharing the chief minister's post though it had been discussed by him and then BJP chief Amit Shah in the room (in the Thackeray residence) where late Sena patriarch Bal Thackeray once lived, he said. "Is this your love for Balasaheb? We don't consider that room as a room, but it is a temple," he said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Imagine a robot. Perhaps you've just conjured a machine with a rigid, metallic exterior. While robots armored with hard exoskeletons are common, they're not always ideal. Soft-bodied robots, inspired by fish or other squishy creatures, might better adapt to changing environments and work more safely with people. Roboticists generally have to decide whether to design a hard- or soft-bodied robot for a particular task. But that tradeoff may no longer be necessary. Working with computer simulations, MIT researchers have developed a concept for a soft-bodied robot that can turn rigid on demand. The approach could enable a new generation of robots that combine the strength and precision of rigid robots with the fluidity and safety of soft ones. "This is the first step in trying to see if we can get the best of both worlds," says James Bern, the paper's lead author and a postdoc in MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL). Bern will present the research at the IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics next month. Bern's advisor, Daniela Rus, who is the CSAIL director and the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, is the paper's other author. Roboticists have experimented with myriad mechanisms to operate soft robots, including inflating balloon-like chambers in a robot's arm or grabbing objects with vacuum-sealed coffee grounds. However, a key unsolved challenge for soft robotics is control -- how to drive the robot's actuators in order to achieve a given goal. Until recently, most soft robots were controlled manually, but in 2017 Bern and his colleagues proposed that an algorithm could take the reigns. Using a simulation to help control a cable-driven soft robot, they picked a target position for the robot and had a computer figure out how much to pull on each of the cables in order to get there. A similar sequence happens in our bodies each time we reach for something: A target position for our hand is translated into contractions of the muscles in our arm. Now, Bern and his colleagues are using similar techniques to ask a question that goes beyond the robot's movement: "If I pull the cables in just the right way, can I get the robot to act stiff?" Bern says he can -- at least in a computer simulation -- thanks to inspiration from the human arm. While contracting the biceps alone can bend your elbow to a certain degree, contracting the biceps and triceps simultaneously can lock your arm rigidly in that position. Put simply, "you can get stiffness by pulling on both sides of something," says Bern. So, he applied the same principle to his robots. The researchers' paper lays out a way to simultaneously control the position and stiffness of a cable-driven soft robot. The method takes advantage of the robots' multiple cables -- using some to twist and turn the body, while using others to counterbalance each other to tweak the robot's rigidity. Bern emphasizes that the advance isn't a revolution in mechanical engineering, but rather a new twist on controlling cable-driven soft robots. "This is an intuitive way of expanding how you can control a soft robot," he says. "It's just encoding that idea [of on-demand rigidity] into something a computer can work with." Bern hopes his roadmap will one day allow users to control a robot's rigidity as easily as its motion. On the computer, Bern used his roadmap to simulate movement and rigidity adjustment in robots of various shapes. He tested how well the robots, when stiffened, could resist displacement when pushed. Generally, the robots remained rigid as intended, though they were not equally resistant from all angles. Bern is building a prototype robot to test out his rigidity-on-demand control system. But he hopes to one day take the technology out of the lab. "Interacting with humans is definitely a vision for soft robotics," he says. Bern points to potential applications in caring for human patients, where a robot's softness could enhance safety, while its ability to become rigid could allow for lifting when necessary. "The core message is to make it easy to control robots' stiffness," says Bern. "Let's start making soft robots that are safe but can also act rigid on demand, and expand the spectrum of tasks robots can perform." ### Written by Daniel Ackerman, MIT News Office Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 23:24:39|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- A mainland spokesperson Wednesday cautioned relevant political parties and personnel in Taiwan against the populist trap of irrational and confrontational thinking. Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks in response to the Kuomintang chairman Chiang Chi-chen's statement on cross-Strait relations. "Taiwan independence" forces have been deliberately producing opposition and confrontation across the Taiwan Strait, undermining peace and stability across the Strait, she said. Reiterating firm opposition to "Taiwan independence," Zhu urged relevant political parties and personnel in Taiwan to distinguish between right and wrong. They should uphold constructive policies toward the mainland and contribute to the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, not the contrary, Zhu said. Enditem Jones attorney, Patrick Boyle, had asked for a term of time served, which as of February was just under four years behind bars. In a lengthy court filing this week, Boyle described how Jones family life had deteriorated with his fathers drug addiction, leading him into his own problems with substance abuse and petty crime. KYODO NEWS - Mar 3, 2021 - 23:20 | Arts, All, Japan Toko Shinoda, a Japanese avant-garde artist internationally renowned for her unique style of abstract sumi ink paintings, has died of natural causes. She was 107. Shinoda, whose real first name was Masuko, died in the early hours of Monday at a Tokyo hospital, her family said. Born in Dalian, Manchuria, in what is now northeastern China, Shinoda began her study of traditional calligraphy at an early age, shifting to abstract sumi paintings following World War II. In 1956, she traveled to New York, where she was exposed to abstract expressionism and drew attention for her distinctive style that blended the traditional and the modern. After holding solo exhibitions throughout the United States and Europe, she returned to Japan in 1958. Her paintings are now predominantly found in the public collections, including The British Museum and The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York. Shinoda was also passionate about architecture, designing murals for temples and public facilities including Tokyo's Yoyogi National Gymnasium. She continued to work and hold solo exhibitions even after becoming a centenarian. While Shinoda refused to accept any prizes for her paintings or calligraphy, she was awarded the Japan Essayists' Club Award in 1979 for the first collection of her works "Sumi iro" (The Colors of Sumi). Her 2015 autobiography "103-sai ni natte wakatta koto" (Things I Learnt After Turning 103) also became a best seller. Shinoda was the cousin of Japanese film director Masahiro Shinoda. Romania's Chief of Defence Staff (CoD) Daniel Petrescu is paying an official visit to the Netherlands March 3-4. According to a press statement the National Defence Ministry (MApN) sent to AGERPRES, Petrescu is scheduled to meet Dutch Chief of Defence Rob Bauer to discuss bilateral co-operation inside NATO and the EU. Petrescu will also tour the Allied Joint Force Command (JFC) Brunssum to meet Jorg Vollmer, commander of this NATO body. Their talks will focus on NATO's defence and deterrence posture on its eastern flank, NATO exercises that will take place this year and contributions to the war zones. Buckingham Palace is to investigate allegations of bullying made against the Duchess of Sussex by former royal staff. The Times newspaper has reported allegations that during her time as a working royal, Ms Markle drove out two personal assistants and staff were "humiliated" on several occasions. Underlying the Duchess actions, the paper claims, was the view of a number of sources that she wanted to be a "victim" so her "unbearable experience" would convince Harry they had to leave the UK - something her lawyers have denied. The monarchy's "men in grey suits" have been accused of being aware of the alleged actions of the duchess and of doing "absolutely nothing to protect people". Buckingham Palace said in a statement: "We are clearly very concerned about allegations in The Times following claims made by former staff of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Read More "Accordingly our HR team will look into the circumstances outlined in the article. Members of staff involved at the time, including those who have left the Household, will be invited to participate to see if lessons can be learned. "The Royal Household has had a Dignity at Work policy in place for a number of years and does not and will not tolerate bullying or harassment in the workplace." A spokesperson for the Duchess said she is saddened by the report she faced a bullying complaint during her time at Kensington Palace. The spokesperson said: The Duchess is saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma. "She is determined to continue her work building compassion around the world and will keep striving to set an example for doing what is right and doing what is good. Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday announced his plan to lift most COVID-19 restrictions as well as the statewide mask mandate as of next Wednesday, an extremely politically polarizing move that had lawmakers on both sides of the aisle speaking out. Heres what they had to say: Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont The unparalleled efforts of government and the pharmaceutical industry to defeat the novel coronavirus prove what weve always known: vaccines work. With greater access to vaccinations, better treatment options, and decreasing hospitalization rates, the Texas approach empowers citizens to exercise personal responsibility about their health in the fight against COVID-19. Todays action marks an important step in the reopening of Texas, improving the mental health of our students, increasing the reporting of domestic violence and child abuse, and revitalizing our business climate. I also appreciate that there are safeguards in place to prevent spread from increasing as the state reopens. The past year has been difficult for all Texas families, and there is now hope that we will defeat and eradicate COVID-19, he said in a statement. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick: The Texas economy is coming back stronger than ever and Governor Greg Abbotts announcement today will help us restore the livelihoods of millions of Texas even faster. Texas has proved what I have said throughout this long year of the pandemic we can do two things at once maintain our economy and fight COVID-19. Today, Texas is one step closer to a return to normalcy, he said in a statement. CRITICS SAY: Harris County judge accuses Abbott of lifting mask mandate, biz restrictions to distract from power outages State Rep. Diego Bernal, D-San Antonio No mask mandate. No vaccines for teachers. No expansion of Medicaid. Politically pro life with let die policies, he tweeted. Rep. John Bucy III, D-Austin No more masks or restrictions, but Texas has the worst uninsured rate in the country, a growing physician shortage, and leads the nation in rural hospital closures, he tweeted. State Rep. Jeff Cason, R-Bedford The Texas shutdown has cost our state jobs and impeded the liberty of all Texans. I am very pleased that Governor Abbott will be lifting those state mandates next Wednesday and I look forward to seeing Texas prosper once more. I will also work to ensure that shutdowns can never happen again without legislative approval, he tweeted. Rep. Art Fierro, D-El Paso By lifting the mask order, the governor is trying to distract from his failures during the catastrophic blackouts last month. I stand with our city of El Paso, the state of Texas, and promise to hold the governor and everyone else involved responsible, he tweeted. Sen. Bob Hall, R-Edgewood Very pleased that the long overdue reopening of Texas is happening. I hope the lessons learned from the COVID shutdown will serve as a reminder that this should never be allowed to happen again. I am committed to working with my Legislative colleagues to pass legislation that makes sure no shutdown ever occurs without the approval of the legislature, he wrote on Facebook. Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Carrollton The surprise? The #maskmandate is lifted, businesses can reopen at full capacity next week, & county judges cannot protect their people unless hospital rates rise above 15% for SEVEN consecutive days, Johnson wrote on Twitter. The depth to which Abbott will stoop in order to avoid losing an election... Rep. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth This is a good start! he tweeted. Rep. Geanie Morrison, R-Victoria It is on ALL of us to do our part and keep our communities safe even as these rules are lifted, Morrison tweeted. Rep. Angela Paxton, R-McKinney She wrote on Twitter: Today is a day to celebrate! #reopentexas. Rep. Ron Reynolds, D-Missouri City By lifting the mask order, the governor is trying to distract from his failures during the catastrophic blackouts last month. I stand with the people of Texas, and promise to hold the governor and everyone else involved responsible. We cannot let the grid fail again, he tweeted. Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, D-Austin Texas is 49th in the nation in vaccine distribution. @GovAbbotts new order to open all businesses & end statewide mask mandate is reckless and dangerous, just after Texans died by a manmade energy crisis overseen by our State leaders. This is outrageous, he tweeted. Rep. Matt Schaefer, R-Tyler A statewide mask-mandate violates the separation of powers enshrined in the Texas Constitution. A local mask-mandate is equally offensive to our legal framework, he tweeted. Rep. James Talarico, D-Round Rock Texas is now encouraging people to wear masks like we encouraged power plants to winterize, he tweeted. Rep. Gene Wu, D-Houston Let's distract from one failure that's killed people with a bigger failure that will kill more people, he tweeted. Rep. Erin Zwiener, D-Driftwood My office, upon hearing about the mask mandate being lifted. Please note the masks still on our faces, Zwiener wrote. Masks are one of our best tools to slow the spread of COVID-19, and ours arent going anywhere. taylor.goldenstein@chron.com Brittany Higgins (pictured) went public with allegations that a colleague raped her in Senator Reynolds' Parliament House office after a night out in March, 2019 Defence Minister Linda Reynolds allegedly called Brittany Higgins a 'lying cow' on the day the young staffer claimed she was raped inside the minister's office. Ms Reynolds made the comment within earshot of several staff members and public servants on February 15, according to The Australian, but has since insisted the remark was not in reference to the alleged sexual assault. It was the same day Ms Higgins went public with allegations a senior colleague raped her in Senator Reynolds' Parliament House office after a night out in March, 2019. Ms Reynolds issued a statement on Wednesday night saying she never questioned Ms Higgins' allegations. She said she was at the time upset with news reports about the circumstances of the alleged rape and the response to it which she thought were inaccurate. When several staff members told their superiors Ms Reynolds' comments were inappropriate, the minister reportedly called a staff meeting and apologised. She told her employees the remark was made during 'a stressful time' for everyone in the office. Scott Morrison said Senator Reynolds was under 'significant stress' and regretted the comments which he branded 'offensive'. 'She has deeply regretted them. She made them in a private office. She immediately apologised,' he said. 'I'm sure that all of you have found yourself, at a time of frustration, perhaps saying things you regret,' he added when asked if Senator Reynolds should step down. Senator Jacqui Lambie said Ms Reynolds' career was over. 'She's gone this morning, she needs to resign immediately. You know, there's just no need for this,' she told Sky News. 'What is she sitting in denial is she? Seriously. 'Yeah, I think Reynolds has gone... she's not coming out and denying that, now she's trying to smooth it over and throw it somewhere else. 'Then I think she's finished, her career is done.' Defence Minister Linda Reynolds (pictured) says she never doubted Brittany Higgins' claims Ms Reynolds, who is on medical leave until next week, said in a statement on Wednesday that she did not doubt Ms Higgins' rape claims. 'A report in The Australian attributed some remarks to me regarding the very serious allegations made by my former staff member, Ms Brittany Higgins,' she said. 'I have never questioned Ms Higgins account of her alleged sexual assault and have always sought to respect her agency in this matter. Brittany Higgins, then 24, alleged she was raped by a colleague inside Parliament House in March 2019 Ms Higgins, who has said she was not supported well enough after her alleged rape, wished Senator Reynolds a speedy recovery 'I did however comment on news reports regarding surrounding circumstances that I felt had been misrepresented. 'I have consistently respected Ms Higgins's agency and privacy and said this is her story to tell and no one else's. 'Ms Higgins's allegations are very serious and that is how they must be treated to ensure her legal rights are protected. I welcome her decision to progress this matter with the Australian Federal Police.' Ms Reynolds has faced sustained pressure over her handling of Ms Higgins' initial rape allegations and her alleged failure to tell Prime Minister Scott Morrison about them for two years. She said she learned about the allegations 'incrementally, over a period of days' and that her then-chief of staff Fiona Brown gave Ms Higgins access to police if she wanted to make a complaint. BRITTANY HIGGINS TIMELINE 2019 March 22: Anonymous male staffer of Defence Minister Linda Reynolds and media adviser Brittany Higgins arrive at Parliament House intoxicated. A security officer signs in the pair and then takes them to the ministerial wing before leaving. Ms Higgins is then allegedly raped and left alone by staffer. March 23: Security officers find Ms Higgins half-naked in the office early in the morning. The Department of Finance (which is in charge of Parliament House offices) request room to be cleaned before work on Monday (March 25) March 26: Senator Reynolds' chief of staff holds a meeting with Ms Higgins over a 'security breach'. The male staffer is also brought in for a separate meeting and is sacked. His Parliament House pass is cancelled the next day. April 1: Ms Higgins meets with her boss - Senator Reynolds - and the minister's chief of staff Fiona Brown to talk about the alleged rape. The meeting takes place in the same room as the alleged rape. April 4: Senator Reynolds and Ms Brown meet with AFP assistant commissioner to discuss 'allegations of sexual assault'. April 8: Ms Higgins goes to Belconnen police station. There is dispute over whether officers have trouble accessing the CCTV footage from Parliament House. April 13: Ms Higgins tells police she won't proceed with complaint. She later told reporters she felt pressure not to be a distraction during the federal election - which was called two days earlier on April 11. June: Ms Higgins begins to work for minister Michaelia Cash after the election 2020 November 9: ABC's Four Corners' airs a story exposing the 'sex and booze' culture in Canberra, including an affair between married minister Alan Tudge and his staffer Rachelle Miller. 2021 February 5: Ms Higgins resigns from her new job, working for Senator Michaelia Cash, due to the ongoing trauma from the alleged rape. February 11: Peter Dutton is briefed by Australian Federal Police over Ms Higgins' allegations. He advises the Prime Minister's Office the following day but does not tell Scott Morrison February 15: news.com.au break Ms Higgins' story on Monday morning. Mr Morrison claims it is the first time he was made aware of the allegations. Journalist Samantha Maiden questions why the PM was not made aware of the allegations by his staffers, saying she approached the government for comment at 2.30pm on Friday February 12 regarding the allegations. The Project interview Ms Higgins later the same night. February 16: Mr Morrison and Ms Reynolds both offer apologies in parliament. Advertisement Senator Reynolds (pictured with Ms Higgins) has known about the alleged rape for more than two years but did not inform the prime minister to respect Ms Higgins' privacy and welfare 'I have full confidence that my then chief of staff and I at all times acted in what we believed were the best interests of Brittany,' the Senator said last month. Mr Morrison is adamant he first learned about the alleged rape on February 15 when the story was published on news.com.au. When asked whether it was acceptable that the defence minister didn't tell him or his office about the alleged crime, Mr Morrison said: 'It's not, and it shouldn't happen again.' Ms Reynolds was released from hospital in late February after being admitted days for an existing condition on the advice of her cardiologist. 'As a precautionary measure, Minister Reynolds has this morning been admitted to a Canberra Hospital,' a statement said earlier last week. Foreign Minister Marise Payne has taken over Defence duties while Ms Reynolds is on leave. Pictured: Prime Minister Scott Morrison alongside Defence Minister Linda Reynolds and Water Resources Minister David Littleproud at Parliament House on January 5 Ms Higgins (pictured) said she felt pressured to stay silent in order to keep her dream job Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton previously admitted he was told about the alleged rape but chose not to tell the prime minister about it to avoid compromising a potential police investigation. Mr Dutton confirmed Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw informed him about the alleged assault on February 11, four days before Mr Morrison says he was told. Ms Higgins spoke to police on February 5, with the AFP then informing Mr Dutton. Since Ms Higgins made her allegation public, three other women have come forward to accuse the same man of sexual assault or harassment. Since Ms Higgins made her allegation public last week, three other women have come forward to accuse the same man of sexual assault or harassment The man was sacked after the alleged rape for breaching security rules by entering Ms Reynolds' office at night. The allegations have prompted another former intern to share details about her experiences with the man on a couch in the office of a Nationals senator at Parliament House in 2014. While she says their encounters were consensual, she claims she felt 'pressured' to have sex with him on other occasions. 'Nothing 'rapey' happened. But that makes me feel really ill. I feel like he wanted to [take me there] because he wanted to show off his power. He was obviously much more important than I was,' the woman told news.com.au. 'There was one time I kept saying, 'No, I am really tired, I don't want to do anything' and he kept being like, 'Oh, come on. Come on'.' She also shared Facebook messages which refer to the couch in the senator's office, which the man insists is 'comfortable' as he invited her there. 'The lounge in his office is really comfy, good for doing readings. Haha,' he wrote. The woman replied: 'Mmm, depends, do you tend to talk a lot whilst studying?' The man added he's usually 'a good boy' and has an essay to write. Ms Higgins pictured with Senator Micahela Cash (left) former Liberal Party deputy leader Julie Bishop (right) She claimed the encounter occurred five years before the staffer allegedly raped Ms Higgins. The woman was a university student at the time and interning for a Labor MP. The man, whom she described as 'ambitious' with dreams of becoming Prime Minister, was also an intern at the time for a Nationals MP. She first met him at drinks where she got 'very drunk' and went back to his house. 'We kissed that night. I was very drunk and he was totally sober,' the woman recalled. 'I never felt weird about that but there were other instances where he definitely pressured me. We never had proper sex.' The woman says she will come forward to police to make a statement if it helps with their inquiries. Scott Morrison said he is confident Linda Reynolds will keep her job despite copping criticism over her handling of Brittany Higgins' rape allegations. Pictured with alleged rape survivor Brittany Higgins Ms Higgins previously said she did not immediately report the alleged rape to police out of fear that she would lose her 'dream job', but resigned earlier this month before making the allegations last Monday. Her alleged rapist has checked himself into a private rehabilitation clinic after losing his job at a large corporation. Two more women accused the former government worker of rape after Ms Higgins went public last week, and now a fourth alleged victim has taken her story to Canberra police on Sunday. Alleged rape survivor Brittany Higgins The fourth woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, told the ABC the 'really sleazy' alleged rapist stroked her thigh on a night out in 2017. Ms Higgins' claim, which was formally stated to police on Wednesday, opened the floodgates for others to share their stories. The latest woman to come forward was with colleagues at Canberra's Public Bar in 2017 when the alleged rapist touched her thigh uninvited. She said it was not the first or last time she received unwanted advances from male colleagues. 'By that time, I was just so used to sexual harassment I just brushed it off,' she said. After speaking to officers from the local police station on Sunday afternoon, the woman said she received a call from the Australian Federal Police's Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Team. The third woman said she was assaulted while working as a coalition volunteer during the 2016 election campaign. She was barely out of school at the time of the attack, which allegedly occurred after a night out drinking with the then-political staffer. During the night out, she claims he bought her several rounds of 'double strength' vodkas and three tequila shots. The boozy night prompted the young volunteer, who had never been drunk before, to vomit in the nightclub bathroom. Mr Dutton confirmed Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw informed him about the alleged assault on February 11, four days before Mr Morrison says he was told When everybody else had left, the woman said she told him she was going to catch an Uber home, and he suggested they go back to his hotel room 'around the corner' instead, and he would 'look after her', she told The Australian. After they arrived, she passed out while laying on his bed and allegedly woke up with her clothes undone and the staffer allegedly lying on top of her. The woman, who was a virgin, said she was uncertain as to whether he was conscious or sleeping, but she bolted from the room into the hotel lobby toilet, where she discovered she was 'bleeding'. Feeling embarrassed and ashamed, the woman made her way home and did not tell police, her family or friends. 'I believe his actions on the night of June 29 and the morning of June 30 constitute sexual assault, because he performed or tried to perform sexual acts on me whilst I was severely intoxicated and unable to provide valid and informed consent,' she said. Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds is seen during Question Time in the Senate chamber at Parliament House in Canberra in February, after Ms Higgins' allegations were made public 'I later realised I was so drunk, I was not able to give any consent' 'Hearing Brittany Higgins' story, it was so eerily similar, it made me think this person has a pattern of behaviour.' The second alleged victim claimed she met the ministerial advisor in 2016 when he was working for Ms Reynolds during the election campaign. 'We went back to my place and we were kissing we were going to have sex and I said he had to wear a condom,' she said. 'He refused and we argued and I told him five or six times that we couldn't have sex unless he wore a condom. I was drunk and he just got on top of me, I said no, and then he was inside of me and I kept saying no.' A national panel of vaccine experts recommended Wednesday that provinces extend the interval between the two doses of a COVID-19 shot to quickly inoculate more people, as the prime minister expressed optimism that vaccination timelines could be sped up. A vial of Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is pictured at a family doctor office, Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021 in Paris. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP -Christophe Ena A national panel of vaccine experts recommended Wednesday that provinces extend the interval between the two doses of a COVID-19 shot to quickly inoculate more people, as the prime minister expressed optimism that vaccination timelines could be sped up. In laying out its new guidelines, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization said extending the dose interval to four months would create opportunities to protect the entire adult population against the virus within a short time frame. As many as 80 per cent of Canadians over 16 could receive a single dose by the end of June simply with the expected supply of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, the panel said. Second doses would begin to be administered in July as more shipments arrive, the panel said, noting that 55 million doses are expected to be delivered in the third quarter of the year. In comparison, the federal government previously said 38 per cent of people would receive two doses by the end of June. The addition of the newly approved Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to the country's supply could mean almost all Canadians would get their first shot in that time frame, but Ottawa has not yet said how many doses of that vaccine will be delivered in the spring and how many in the summer. "The vaccine effectiveness of the first dose will be monitored closely and the decision to delay the second dose will be continuously assessed based on surveillance and effectiveness data and post-implementation study designs," the panel wrote. "Effectiveness against variants of concern will also be monitored closely, and recommendations may need to be revised," it said, adding there is currently no evidence that a longer interval will affect the emergence of the variants. The updated guidance applies to all COVID-19 vaccines currently approved for use in Canada. The committee's recommendation came hours after Newfoundland and Labrador said it will extend the interval between the first and second doses to four months, and days after health officials in British Columbia announced they were doing so. Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec also said Wednesday they will delay second doses. Earlier Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said any change in public health guidance regarding the timing of the two doses could affect the speed of Canada's vaccine rollout, as could the approval of more shots. The federal government's plan to have doses administered to all Canadians who want one by the end of September didn't factor in the arrival of new vaccines such as the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot, Trudeau said. And despite delays in the delivery of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine last month, Canada is now "fully back on track and even ahead of schedule" when it comes to its supply of the various shots, he said, noting the country should receive more than the six million doses of COVID-19 vaccines it initially expected to get by the end of March. "The projections we've had for many, many months certainly hold, but we're also very optimistic that they're going to be able to be moved forward if, indeed, all the vaccines that we've contracted for are able to be manufactured and shipped in the right ways," the prime minister said. The first 500,000 doses of the recently approved Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine arrived in Canada on Wednesday, though confusion persists over who should get them. The vaccine, manufactured at the Serum Institute of India, is the third COVID-19 shot approved for use in Canada. Health Canada last week authorized its use for all adult Canadians but the National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommended Tuesday that it not be administered to people 65 years of age or older. The committee said there is limited data from clinical trials about how effective the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is for seniors and recommends that they be given priority for the two other vaccines Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna already greenlighted for use in Canada. Both Health Canada and the committee stress no safety concerns have arisen in the clinical studies or among the millions of seniors who have received the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in other countries. Some provinces, including Alberta, British Columbia and Prince Edward Island, plan to follow the advisory committee's advice and target the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine at younger people working in front-line essential services or in high-risk settings like prisons. On Wednesday, the Ontario government said it will give the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot to residents aged 60 to 64. The drug will not be doled out through mass immunization clinics but rather through a "different pathway," Solicitor General Sylvia Jones said. Details of the program were not released. Manitoba said it plans to target those between the ages of 50 and 64 who have high-risk underlying conditions. The province said it expects to receive its first shipment of the AstraZeneca shot by mid-month. Other provinces, including Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, are still mulling over the issue. Meanwhile, Quebec said it would move more regions into the less restrictive orange level of its pandemic system starting next Monday. But while residents in Quebec City, Chaudiere-Appalaches, Mauricie, Estrie and Centre-du-Quebec will see measures loosen, those in the Montreal area will remain under the more stringent rules of the province's red level. New guidelines for shipping and storing the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine were also released Wednesday, with Health Canada saying the drug can be transported and kept at standard freezer temperatures for up to two weeks. The previous storage instructions required that the vaccine be kept in ultralow temperatures and thawed just before use, which restricted its distribution to areas equipped with the necessary specialty freezers. The change should allow for wider distribution of the vaccines. Ottawa also confirmed Wednesday it is extending three federal support programs meant to lessen the economic impact of COVID-19 on residents and business owners until June. The federal wage subsidy, rent support and lockdown programs will carry on with the same level of aid, the government said. In addition to Wednesday's shipment of Oxford-AstraZeneca doses, Canada is also scheduled to receive 444,600 doses of the Pfizer vaccine this week. With Oxford-AstraZeneca added to Canada's vaccine arsenal, the country is on track to receive a total of 6.5 million vaccine doses by the end of this month half a million more than originally expected. -- With files from Mia Rabson in Ottawa This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 3, 2021. Hundreds of thousands of home buyers have breathed a sigh of relief after the Chancellor extended the stamp duty holiday. As many as 300,000 additional home purchases are expected to now benefit by the end of June deadline following Rishi Sunak's announcement. He said in the Budget that the stamp duty holiday will continue to apply to the first 500,000 of a home's purchase price until June 30, 2021 It will then taper off, applying to the first 250,000 until the end of September, before returning to 125,000 at the beginning of October. The purchase of this home in central Cambridge (by Rhiannon Davies and her partner Harry Lewis, pictured below) should now be tax-free following the stamp duty holiday extension We could save 13,750 in tax Pictured: Rhiannon Davies and Harry Lewis are relieved at the stamp duty holiday extension Rhiannon Davies, 25, a first-time buyer, is buying a house with her partner Harry Lewis. She is hugely relieved at hearing about the stamp duty extension as it will save them 13,750. The couple are in the process of buying a house (pictured above) in central Cambridge through Cheffins estate agents for 425,000. Miss Davies said: 'The extension of the stamp duty holiday is hugely reducing the stress of our property purchase. 'We are currently in rented accommodation and one of our main issues has been the potential overlap between the two properties, meaning we would have to pay both rent and our mortgage which would have been a nightmare financially. 'The announcement of this reduction in the tax though means that we don't have to panic quite so much when it comes to timings. 'We were hugely stressed about being able to complete on our sale by the end of March, particularly if a hiccup had happened along the way, which would have meant we would have missed the March 31 cut-off date. It really is a relief for us. 'Also, the financial benefit of the stamp duty extension means that we will now have the budget to make the house our own. We can get a new sofa, change the carpets and buy some new furniture which I am now really looking forward to.' Advertisement The Chancellor had been widely tipped to extend the stamp duty holiday, which was due to expire at the end of this month. It followed concerns about the property transaction pipeline being jammed amid pent up demand in the property market. The property market was briefly closed last spring in the first lockdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic, with people told not to move house unless it was absolutely essential. The stamp duty holiday was then introduced in July, generating added momentum to move home due to its time limited nature. It was feared that there would be a cliff edge where thousands of house sales would collapse due to buyers being unable to afford to go ahead with the additional stamp duty costs once the tax holiday ended in March. The gradual lowering of the stamp duty threshold by the Chancellor in July and October aims to address these fears. Property website Rightmove said the stamp duty extension would see an extra 300,000 home purchases get through with a tax break before June. And it suggested that 45 per cent of all properties bought from July to September would be exempt from stamp duty. Rightmove's Tim Bannister said: 'This three-month extension will come as a huge relief for those people who have been going through the sales process since last year and were always expecting to make use of the stamp duty savings. 'Our recent data shows one in five sales that were agreed in the same month the stamp duty holiday was first announced in July last year still haven't completed, so this additional time will make a big difference to help those stuck in the logjam complete their purchase in time before the new end of June deadline.' Nick Leeming, of estate agents Jackson-Stops, said: 'It is excellent news that the Chancellor is extending the stamp duty holiday in this way, thereby saving thousands of transactions that are currently at risk due to the logjam in the market and reducing the potential of another cliff edge later this year. 'The announcement of a phased approach to the holiday's end until September is particularly welcome at this point in the year as we enter a traditionally active period in the market. This will provide certainty to buyers over coming months and will safeguard against transactions falling through in a few months' time, giving the market the best chance of thriving in the long term. 'The stamp duty holiday has been incredibly effective in supporting the market through these challenging times.' The firearm used to kill Gold Coast man Omega Ruston is linked to Sydney outlaw motorcycle gangs and organised crime syndicates, police believe. Queensland detectives, with the help of the NSW police, searched the Parramatta River on Thursday to find the firearm as part of their investigation into the drive-by shooting of Mr Ruston in 2009. A number of items were found in the search of the Parramatta River, but police would not specify what they were. Credit:New South Wales Police Force The detectives travelled to Sydney with new information days after a fresh appeal to the public from Mr Rustons family. Detective Inspector Chris Ahearn confirmed the link between the firearm and a second drive-by shooting in Sydney a year before Mr Rustons death. India's Covid case count surged for 16th straight day, with 15,002 fresh cases recorded on Tuesday. BCCL The seven-day rolling average of daily cases in the country has risen uninterruptedly since February 14, when the average stood at 11,430, to 15,686 on March 2. Covax Vaccine Programme To Deliver 237 Million Doses To 142 Nations By End-May The Covax vaccine-sharing programme said on Tuesday it will deliver 237 million doses of AstraZeneca's Covid-19 shot to 142 countries by the end of May as it steps up the global roll-out of its vaccine supplies. AFP The timeline for the delivery of doses, made by AstraZeneca and by India's Serum Institute, will be split into separate two-month schedules, Covax said in a statement, with the first in February-March and the second in April-May. Brazil Reports Record 1,641 COVID-19 Deaths In 24 Hours, The Highest So Far Brazil on Tuesday registered a record 1,641 deaths in 24 hours from Covid-19, health authorities announced, as the country endures a further worsening of the pandemic. AFP The country of 212 million inhabitants has recorded a total of 257,361 Covid-19 deaths, according to the health ministry, and has the second-highest national death count after the United States. Biden Withdraws Indian-American Budget Chief Pick After Senate Pushback Joe Biden on Tuesday abandoned his plan for Neera Tanden to be White House budget director after pushback from key senators, marking the first cabinet defeat for the US president. AFP The nomination collapsed when centrists on both sides of the political aisle made clear they were not going to vote for Tanden thanks to several of her previous tweets in which she disparaged lawmakers, including some who would have been charged with voting on her confirmation. Rahul Gandhi Says Emergency in 1975 Was 'Absolute Mistake' The Emergency was a mistake, said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday as a he spoke to Professor Kaushik Basu of the Cornell University. BCCL Gandhi said, I think that was a mistake. Absolutely, that was a mistake. And my grandmother said as much. Over 150 Monks Test Positive For COVID-19 At Gyuto Buddhist Monastery In Himachal Over 150 monks have tested positive for coronavirus at Gyuto Buddhist monastery near here and the area has been declared a containment zone, officials said on Tuesday. File Image The COVID-19 cluster came to light last week when 20 cases were detected. A peaceful rally involving nearly 350 cars was organised in the Brampton town of Greater Toronto Area on Sunday to mark the strengthening ties between New Delhi and Ottawa over the supply of Made-in-India Covid-19 vaccines to Canada. The three-hour-long car rally featuring flags from both countries witnessed the participation of 22 Indo-Canadian organisations. The first consignment of Coronavirus vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII) is scheduled to arrive in Toronto on March 3. The shipment will contain 500,000 doses. A total of two million shots will be sent to Canada by mid-May. READ | Justin Trudeau Thanks India Over Fighting COVID, Securing Vaccine Doses For Canadians One of the organisers of the car rally, Naresh Chavda, a legal professional from Toronto, said the rally was organised to celebrate Indo-Canadian unity. "Canada is in need of vaccines right now. We are celebrating the way India is helping many countries including Canada to fight the COVID-19 pandemic through its vaccine support. The two countries already share very good relations and are moving in a positive direction, that is why we celebrated the moment with the rally," Chavda told Republic TV. 'With its slogan 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', India has taken the initiative to help nations with COVID-19 vaccines, sending a positive wave across the world. Leaders and citizens of various countries have expressed their gratitude towards India," he added. READ | WHO's Scientist Soumya Swaminathan Says India Has Shown It Could Be Global Manufacturer Trudeau thanks India Chavda recalled that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also tweeted a couple of times about expecting Made-In-India vaccines this week and expressed confidence that it would boost the economy of our country. "We are thankful to Prime Minister Modi, the Government of India, and Canada for taking the step to strengthen bilateral ties," he said. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on February 27 appreciated the support and partnership provided by India in fighting COVID-19 and helping secure coronavirus vaccine doses for the people of Canada. 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 | Nigeria Receives Consignment Of 'Made In India' Covid-19 Vaccines Under 'Vaccine Maitri' India has also become a global leader in providing vaccines to other countries. Two of its vaccines- Covaxin, developed indigenously by Biotech, and Covishield which is developed by Oxford-AstraZeneca and being manufactured at Serum Institute of India has been shipped to over 25 nations. Additionally, the country also started its second phase of inoculations using the aforementioned vaccine shots. READ | 'Civilisational Commitment' Says Jaishankar As Cambodia Receives India's Vaccine Shipment Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The "Construction in Germany Key Trends and Opportunities to 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The German construction industry fared relatively well compared to its peers in Western Europe. Although the industry's value-add in real terms contracted by 2.6% year on year (YoY) in Q3 2020, it was preceded by a Y-o-Y growth of 2.7% in Q2 and 7% in Q1 2020; this helped the industry to register a cumulative growth of 2% YoY during the first nine months of 2020. Construction activities held up relatively well in the first three quarters of 2020, as the construction sector was exempted from lockdown restrictions imposed in 2020. Although the residential sector registered growth during this period, the commercial sector witnessed lower levels of activity. In 2021, the construction industry's output growth is expected to pick up, driven by the government's focus on the development of the country's transport and energy infrastructure. German construction industry to grow by 2.8% this year and grow at a rate of 2.3% between 2022 and 2025. Growth in the industry will be supported by the government's focus on improving regional connectivity through the development of the country's rail and road transport infrastructure, coupled with efforts to boost energy production. The construction of the Fehmarn belt underwater tunnel between Germany and Denmark, which is worth EUR7 billion (US$7.8 billion), will underpin activity in the transport infrastructure sector over the medium term. Growth will also be supported by the 10-year plan to invest EUR86 billion (US$94.7 billion) on the maintenance and modernization of the country's rail network between 2020 and 2030. This report provides detailed market analysis, information, and insights into the German construction industry, including: The German construction industry's growth prospects by market, project type and construction activity Critical insight into the impact of industry trends and issues, as well as an analysis of key risks and opportunities in the German construction industry Analysis of the mega-project pipeline, focusing on development stages and participants, in addition to listings of major projects in the pipeline. Scope Historical (2016-2020) and forecast (2021-2025) valuations of the construction industry in Germany, featuring details of key growth drivers. Segmentation by sector (commercial, industrial, infrastructure, energy and utilities, institutional and residential) and by sub-sector Analysis of the mega-project pipeline, including breakdowns by development stage across all sectors, and projected spending on projects in the existing pipeline. Listings of major projects, in addition to details of leading contractors and consultants Reasons to Buy Identify and evaluate market opportunities using the publisher's standardized valuation and forecasting methodologies. Assess market growth potential at a micro-level with over 600 time-series data forecasts. Understand the latest industry and market trends. Formulate and validate strategy using the publisher's critical and actionable insight. Assess business risks, including cost, regulatory and competitive pressures. Evaluate competitive risk and success factors. Key Topics Covered: 1 Executive Summary 2 Construction Industry: At-a-Glance 3 Context 3.1 Economic Performance 3.2 Political Environment and Policy 3.3 Demographics 3.4 COVID-19 Status 4 Construction Outlook 4.1 All Construction 4.2 Commercial Construction 4.3 Industrial Construction 4.4 Infrastructure Construction 4.5 Energy and Utilities Construction 4.6 Institutional Construction 4.7 Residential Construction 5 Key Industry Participants 5.1 Contractors 5.2 Consultants 6 Construction Market Data 7 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/o56mq9 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005758/en/ Contacts: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 The founder of Hour of Mercy Prayer Mountain Worldwide, Prophet Moses Muyideen Kasali, has warned against politicising the present insecurit... The founder of Hour of Mercy Prayer Mountain Worldwide, Prophet Moses Muyideen Kasali, has warned against politicising the present insecurity in the country. He said safety of more Nigerians could be threatened if the situation is made to assume such dimension. The cleric who spoke while rounding off a one-month annual prayer and fasting programme of the ministry urged all Nigerians to continue praying for the country to get over the challenge. At the programme usually held in February of every year, prophet Kasali said the prayer was necessary ahead of the 2023 general election. He said, The insecurity should not be politicised. If they do that, those who think they are safe and secured may find themselves in trouble and caught in the web. People in the position of authority should put their heads together and find a lasting solution to it. We must also pray against insecurity in our country. We need to pray so that it will not affect the 2023 polls. The man of God who decried greediness and compromised justice in the system said God is angry because of the killings, kidnapping and the rate at which evil is being perpetrated in the country. Greediness has become part and parcel of our system. God has given us everything but we lack contentment. Justice system is being compromised and where this happens, insecurity will be on the rise. Our leaders should act fast and bring the perpetrators to book, Present at the event were His Eminence, Samuel Olusegun Ajayi, the Baba Aladura AgbotiJesu Worldwide, Baba Aladura Iwa Mimimo, Joseph Aderibigbe of the Cherubim and Seraphim, One Iwa Mimi among other dignitaries. A Phnom Penh court has sentenced nine senior leaders of the dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party to 20-plus years in prison for allegedly plotting a coup in 2019. The sentence, delivered Monday, means they are effectively banned from ever returning home. The Phnom Penh Municipal Court delivered its verdict in the so-called attack case in a hearing that was not attended by defense lawyers. Y Rin, a court spokesperson, said government lawyers were present when Judge Duch Soksarin delivered the verdict. Those sentenced are former party president Sam Rainsy, his deputies Mu Sochua and Eng Chhai Eang, and senior party members Tioulong Saumura, Nut Romduol, Ho Vann, Ou Chanrith, Long Ry and Men Sothavarin. Sam Rainsy was sentenced to 25 years in prison and the eight others received sentences of 20 to 22 years, according to Y Rin. The court added additional penalties that bar them from voting, running for election or holding any public positions. "This verdict was delivered before lawyers representing the Royal Government and it was considered to be in [the presence] of the nine accused, Y Rin wrote in a Telegram message. Sam Rainsy, who lives in exile in France, said of the verdict that I dont care at all because Cambodias courts are a joke. We call it the puppet court serving Mr. Hun Sen. Prime Minister Hun Sen, with his ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP), has held power in Cambodia in various coalitions since 1985. Reaction to the sentencing was swift. A prison sentence from a court which is controlled by the government cannot be taken seriously, Rainsy said in a statement posted on his social media page. Human Rights Watch said the verdict was an outrageously harsh prison sentence and intended to block the nine CNRP leaders from ever returning to Cambodia. But even with the cases being heard by a kangaroo court, PM Hun Sen didnt dare allow even a minimally fair proceeding, barring Mu Sochua and the other defendants from returning to the country to have their day in court, said Phil Robertson, the groups deputy Asia director. Once again, Cambodias politically controlled judiciary make a mockery of justice rather than defending it, Robertson said, adding that the case against Sam Rainsy was based on bogus, politically motivated allegations manufactured by a dictatorial, single-party state. Ministry of Justice spokesperson Chin Malin defended the Phnom Penh Municipal Court's decision, adding that the CNRP leaders could appeal the lower courts verdict. The courts in a sovereign state make decisions based on the facts and the law," he said. "And if perpetrators or their fellow [defendants] are not satisfied, then they can use their legal rights to appeal. The case relates to Sam Rainsys attempt to return to Cambodia in November 2019. The former CNRP president had remained overseas after an arrest warrant was issued for him in 2015 in a defamation case. Other senior leaders fled the country after then-party president Kem Sokha was arrested in 2017 and the party dissolved months later. Dissolving the party, which had been gaining popularity in local elections, guaranteed that Hun Sens CPP would sweep the 2018 general election. It won all the seats in Parliament, in what international groups that spent billions of dollars funding pro-democracy civil society efforts condemned as the most unfair and unfree since the United Nations organized the first post-genocide election in 1993. Sam Rainsy was prevented from entering Cambodia in 2019 after the government issued travel bans and warned neighboring countries and airlines from allowing him to board Phnom Penh-bound flights. During the trial, which started in November 2020, the government characterized Sam Rainsys efforts to return to Cambodia as an attempted coup, pointing to plans to gather party supporters and organize other repatriations. Over 130 other CNRP members and supporters are currently before the Phnom Penh court for allegedly supporting the return plan. The nine leaders are co-defendants in two of these cases. Mu Sochua, one of the nine leaders, said the ruling was a blow to Cambodian democracy and was in line with Hun Sens political needs. This conviction meets the desires of Mr. Hun Sen, she said on Monday. Its not a typical court in a country where there is an impartial and independent judiciary. Sochua said the court proceeded to try the nine leaders in absentia, despite their willingness to return to Cambodia for the trial and robbing them of their fair trial rights. Red carpet events may be in the minority during the pandemic, but Crown Princess Victoria didn't let that stop her donning full glamour to receive an award for her support of the LGBTQ community. The mother-of-two was chosen by readers of QX magazine to be honoured at the publication's annual 'Gay Gala'. Posting on Instagram, the Swedish royal, 43, shared a glamorous photo holding her award explaining that she's 'proud and happy' to have been chosen by the readers of the popular LGBTQ magazine. Looking red carpet ready, Victoria donned a frothy green floor length gown and wore her hair swept back in a glamorous updo. She received the honour as a result of the speech she gave at Stockholm Pride Event last year, urging people to speak up for those who don't have a voice. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, 43, (pictured) has received an award from the readers of QX magazine for her support of the LGBTQ community Swedish royal penned a letter to readers of the popular magazine, revealing that she's 'proud and happy' to be awarded Crown Princess Victoria posed in a tiered khaki dress with complimenting floral hair accessories for the beautiful photographs taken at her Haga Palace home to celebrate the win. Beaming in two photos, she shared quotes from a letter to readers of the publication translated from Swedish, saying: 'I was really proud and happy for the fine award from QX's readers. It means a lot to me. Thanks! 'The past year has been a challenge in various ways. In many parts of the world, human rights work has been hampered or hindered by the pandemic. 'Therefore, it is now particularly important that we continue to work everyday for a world where LGBTQ people are given the opportunity to live in freedom and without oppression. A world where you can be just who you are, and be proud of it.' The Swedish Royal urged those in attendance at Stockholm Pride last year to not only celebrate the work that has been done, but to also remember what else remains to be done. 'This is a responsibility that we all share. You and I. We must not stay silent. We must speak up for those who do not dare to speak, those who are not allowed to, and those who cannot,' She said, as reported by Royal Central. Crown Princess Victoria urged listeners at Stockholm Pride to remember the work that remains to be done. Pictured: Swedish Royal with her husband Prince Daniel and their children Crown Princess Victoria who is next in line to the Swedish throne, married Prince Daniel in 2010 at Stockholm Cathedral. The coupe are parents to Princess Estelle, eight, and Prince Oscar, four. Many of the royal's followers have taken to social media to congratulate Crown Princess Victoria on her award, while also gushing about her 'beautiful' appearance in QX magazine. 'So beautiful and important,' one person wrote. Another said: 'I'm proud of you being my crown princess! You are so heavenly good' A third added: 'Wow what a beautiful spring crown princess! And congratulations on the prize!' While the world grapples with the Covid-19 pandemic many new lessons are being learned every day by nations all over the globe. For example, Brazil and the US have learned that having a leader who does not believe that the virus is a serious threat to life certainly doesnt augur well for the population. Sixty nuns and 25 priests have died in Tanzania in the last two months after showing symptoms of coronavirus, the Catholic Church in the East African nation says. The church, which has been outspoken about coronavirus before in one of the few countries in the world not to publish its virus data, warned Tanzanians to take Covid-19 precautions more seriously. President John Magufuli has previously played down the virus - and last month the health minister said that Tanzania had no plans to vaccinate. But Father Charles Kitima, secretary of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) - an official assembly of Catholic bishops, said the Covid-19 threat was alive in Tanzania. It is upon every one of us to make sure that we take all the required precautions and protect ourselves and others, especially the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions, he told a press conference in Dar es Salaam. Fr Kitima said the church could not say whether the deaths of the clergy had been caused by coronavirus as they had not been tested, though they had all shown signs of Covid-19, including respiratory challenges. People are not tested. Thats a big challenge. The church has about 500 health centres across the country but we are not allowed to test and we dont have the equipment to do so, he said. Fr Kitima said the church had noted a recent change in tone from the government as far as Covid precautions were concerned, but said that a number of people were still not observing the restrictions as no punitive measures were being taken against them. This is the second time this year that the church has spoken out about the threat of the pandemic in the country, saying in January it had noticed a spike in deaths in its parishes. Tanzania has not issued any statistics on Covid-19 since May last year. The World Health Organization (WHO) has pleaded for the country to do so and review its position on the vaccines currently being rolled out through the Covax distribution scheme. 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 Joe Biden is directing all states to prioritise the vaccination of teachers, childcare workers, and school staff against Covid-19 by the end of March in order to expedite the reopening of schools. The president announced that he wants every educator to receive their first dose by the end of the month. Lets treat in-person learning like the essential service that it is, Mr Biden said in remarks at the White House. He also announced that with the rollout of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, and its 24-hour production in collaboration with Merck, the US will have enough doses for every adult by the end of May two months ahead of schedule. More than 30 states have already prioritised the vaccination of educators. The president has now instructed the remaining states to follow suit. Vaccination of teachers from pre-K through grade 12 will happen through the federal pharmacy vaccination programme and begin next week. After his prepared remarks, the president responded to a couple of shouted questions from the press corps, including when he thought the country might be back to normal. Mr Biden said he had been reluctant to say when he thought this might happen and urged people to stick to public health guidelines. Ive been cautioned not to give an answer to that because we dont know for sure, the president said. But my hope is, by this time next year were going to be back to normal, and before that. My hope. He added that it depended on people being smart. Mr Biden spoke just hours after the governors of both Texas and Mississippi announced they were lifting all restrictions on businesses opening, and at what capacity, and rescinding mask mandates. On Monday, Dr Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said she was deeply concerned after the decline Covid-19 cases and deaths stalled amid new variants spreading through the US. Former speaker of the House John Boehner has described Texas senator Ted Cruz as a reckless a**hole and claimed that he repeatedly told former President Donald Trump to shut up when he called him for advice. The comments featured on the back cover of Mr Boehners upcoming book, On The House: A Washington Memoir, which was revealed on Tuesday evening after being obtained by Punchbowl News. The cover includes short excerpts of Mr Bohener, 71, a former Republican Ohio representative, describing the politicians he came across during his time in the House from 1991 to 2015 and in the years since he retired. In the short excerpt about Mr Cruz included on the back cover, Mr Boehner writes that there is nothing more dangerous than a reckless a**hole who thinks he is smarter than everyone else. This is the second insult Mr Boehner has aimed at Mr Cruz in recent weeks, as two sources told Axios last month that while recording the audiobook version of his memoir he stopped reading the book to exclaim: Oh, and Ted Cruz, go f*** yourself. The context of the comment is unclear, but Mr Boehner has previously criticised the Texas senator, referring to him as Lucifer in the flesh shortly after resigning from public office in 2015. Mr Boehner made the comments during an address at Stanford University, adding in reference to Mr Cruz: I have Democrat friends and Republican friends. I get along with almost everyone, but I have never worked with a more miserable son of a bitch in my life. During his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida, last week, Mr Cruz responded to Mr Boehners comments. You know yesterday, John Boehner made some news. He suggested that I do something that was anatomically impossible, Mr Cruz said. To which my response was, whos John Boehner? he added. The back cover of Mr Boehners memoir also teased details surrounding his relationship with Mr Trump during the first couple of years of his presidency. Donald Trump: He would call me fairly often when he first took office for advice or conversation, Mr Boehner wrote. But the calls came in less and less as his tenure went on. Thats probably because he got more comfortable in the job. But I also suspect he just got tired of me advising him to shut up, he added. The Hill reported that Mr Boehner was friendly with Mr Trump before he ran for president, but the former House speaker has criticised him in recent years. There is no Republican Party. Theres a Trump party. The Republican Party is kinda taking a nap somewhere, Mr Boehner said in 2018. He also congratulated President Joe Biden on his election victory late last year, saying: I know youre sincere in your desire to be a president for all Americans, and I know youve got the tools and the heart to get it done. Mr Boehners memoir, which also features his thoughts on former President Barack Obama and Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, is scheduled to be released on 13 April. A blurb for the book states that Mr Boehner will share colourful tales from the halls of power, the smoke-filled rooms around the halls of power and his fabled tour bus. The Independent has contacted Mr Cruz, Mr Boehner and the Trump Organisation for comment. GRANGEVILLE - On Tuesday, March 2, 2021 at approximately 5:30pm, the Grangeville Police Department served a search warrant at 510 N. Florence in the city of Grangeville. The search warrant was the result of an extensive month long investigation by the Grangeville Police Department into the theft of several vehicles and burglaries which had occurred within the city limits during the month of February. According to a release from the GPD, police located and recovered several stolen items at the residence. The suspect, 24-year-old Nathan Phillip Knutson, of Minot, North Dakota, was also located at the residence. Knutson was interviewed and arrested at the residence and was booked into the Idaho County Jail on several counts of burglary. The Grangeville Police Department would like to express their thanks and appreciation to the Idaho County Sheriff's Office for their assistance. (@FahadShabbir) The United States has imposed sanctions on two commanders of Yemen's Houthi rebel group, the Treasury Department said on Tuesday WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd March, 2021) The United States has imposed sanctions on two commanders of Yemen 's Houthi rebel group, the Treasury Department said on Tuesday. "Today, the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned two key militants of the Iranian-backed Ansarallah, sometimes referred to as the Houthis," the release said. "Mansur Al-Sa'adi and Ahmad 'Ali Ahsan al-Hamzi are responsible for orchestrating attacks by Houthi forces impacting Yemeni civilians, bordering nations, and commercial vessels in international waters." Hamzi heads the Houthi-aligned Air Force and Air Defense Forces, while Saadi serves as the chief of Houthi Naval Forces, according to the release. Close Cuttlefish, chunky squid-like animals with eight limbs, are said to be able to prolong gratification and exercise self-control for a better reward, experts say. This fascinating research is the first to demonstrate a connection between self-control and intelligence in a species other than humans and chimps. Experts published the study in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B this week, Eurekalert said. Such results could help scientists better explain the evolution of intelligence, which is still a work in progress. Cuttlefish's Delayed Gratification: What's New? This marine mollusk, also known as Sepia officinalis, may not be the cutest cephalopod in town. But it's one of the most interesting species. The cuttlefish is best known for its tendency to blend in with its surroundings in the water, resisting predatory attention. Cuttlefish may also exhibit self-control by delaying reward in order to capture higher-quality prey, according to researchers. Lead author Alexandra Schnell, a researcher at the University of Cambridge, found this surprising discovery. "Finding evidence for self-control in a cuttlefish, an invertebrate that diverged from the vertebrate lineage over 550 million years ago, is surprising," Schnell told Inverse. ALSO READ: Scientists Used 3D Glasses in Cuttlefish to Understand Its Eyesight How Researchers Did The Stanford Marshmallow Test Researchers used a modified version of the Stanford marshmallow test on six cuttlefish in an aquarium setting. They have the option of eating an immediate reward (one marshmallow) or waiting for a slower but better reward (two marshmallows). According to Schnell, they adapted the said test that it was "more cuttlefish friendly." Experts gave invertebrates chambers that were labeled with numerous visual clues in the form of shapes. For example, one cue meant that the door would open when food was placed in that chamber, while another suggested that there would be a wait until the door opened when food was placed in that chamber. Even though researchers had dropped the food in the chamber and then opened the door, an additional plastic layer stopped the cuttlefish from consuming the reward. The cuttlefish immediately hopped in as soon as they saw the food in the chambers when scientists allowed the species to adapt to the environment. They finally learned that each section had its own set of rules. The mollusks finally started entering the "unobtainable" chamber because they knew they would never gain access to the food. After the introduction, researchers placed the cuttlefish to the test in two chambers: in the "immediate" section, they were given their second-preference food, and in the "wait" chamber, they were given their first-preference food. These requirements were repeated in the control setting, except that the delay chamber was the unobtainable chamber. Overall, the cuttlefish delayed gratification as it contributed to a higher-quality prey item. Researchers said per ArsTechnica that the fish could sustain delays for up to 50 seconds to 130 seconds. What Did Researchers Conclude? Schnell said previous studies indicated that certain primates and birds displayed this high degree of self-control because they were social animals with many interactions and resources. She found out that these animals could not forage or kill at a given time in order to create tools or wait until their companion had fed. "However, cuttlefish are not social and do not use tools," says the author. Instead, she hypothesized, self-control may have developed in cuttlefish to improve production. Cuttlefishes are considered "a juicy meal," according to Schnell. As a result, these animals spend extended periods camouflaged and nearly motionless on preventing being spotted by predators. When cuttlefish forage, this motionless activity is disturbed. RELATED ARTICLE: Rare White Moose Found Dead in Canada Outrages Many People Check out more news and information on Animals on Science Times. Details still pending on third agreement between Emmet and Bay Bluffs Researchers will test whether a gout drug can help coronavirus-infected adults fight off the illness at home. Oxford University experts have begun trials on colchicine to discover whether it can speed up recovery time and stop people needing hospital care. The anti-inflammatory drug which costs just 30p per pill has been doled out to gout patients for decades. It is used to treat and prevent systemic inflammation, a feature of gout and the worst cases of coronavirus. Canadian experts found the drug showed promise in reducing hospital admissions in Covid patients. And Brazilian academics last month claimed it may prevent severely-ill patients from needing oxygen. But little is known about colchicine's effectiveness in reducing overall recovery time, or whether it can fight most symptoms. It will be added to the Oxford-run PRINCIPLE drug trial, which has recruited 4,400 volunteers to test different medications on Covid patients who have been infected recently. Oxford scientists will test whether gout drug colchicine will help stop adults with symptoms of Covid fight off the illness Colchicine is derived from the toxic autumn crocus flower in the UK and Europe, and has been used as a traditional joint-swelling remedy since 1500 BC. The drug, branded as Colcrys, stops white blood cells from overreacting to infection, which can lead to organ failure and death. Studies have showed colchicine is safe but its side effects include diarrhea, stomach pain, constipation, nausea and vomiting. Volunteers on the PRINCIPLE trial are randomly assigned to take medications such as budesonide, an inhaled corticosteroid, or get regular treatment in hospital. The trial has already found antibiotics azithromycin and doxycycline not to be effective treatments during the early stages of Covid. Trial co-lead, Professor Chris Butler, a general practitioner and Professor of Primary Care at the University Oxfords Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, said investigating treatments for Covid are vital alongside the nation's vaccination drive Participants given colchicine will receive a two-week course of 0.5mg tablets once a day. What is colchicine? The 30p drug used to tackle gout Colchicine is used to treat and prevent systemic inflammation, a feature of gout and the worst cases of coronavirus Colchicine is a medicine for treating inflammation and pain. The pills are typically prescribed to treat flare-ups or attacks of gout It is also used to prevent increased flare-ups of gout when a patient first starts on a medicine like allopurinol taken to manage the condition in the long term. Colchicine is also prescribed to prevent flare-ups of symptoms of familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) an inherited inflammatory condition. The usual dose for gout is one 0.5mg tablet, taken two to four times a day. Patients are advised to avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice while taking colchicine. Some patients find it is gentler on their stomach if they take the tablets with or after food. It is not usually recommended in pregnancy or when breastfeeding. Advertisement Doctors will track their condition for a month, comparing their symptoms and illness with volunteers given other drugs or no treatment. Professor Chris Butler, one of the Oxford scientists behind the trial, said investigating treatments for Covid are vital. He said: We are asking for eligible volunteers aged over 18 from all across the country to join the PRINCIPLE trial when they first experience Covid symptoms, and help in the search for potential treatments. 'With Covid still circulating in the community, and little known about the effect of new viral variants on younger adults, it is vital we seize this window of opportunity to generate high-quality evidence to determine which treatments work, and which dont. Even with successful vaccines and other preventable measures in place, the availability of treatments with a solid evidence-base has a critical role to play in ending this pandemic, yet there are still very few options for treating Covid before it becomes a severe illness. Participants taking colchicine must be aged 18-64 and have suffered shortness of breath during the first two weeks of their illness. Or they must have certain underlying health conditions that put them at risk of severe illness or be aged over 65. The trial has so far determined that the antibiotics azithromycin and doxycycline are not effective treatments during the early stages of Covid. It is still investigating the effects of budesonide, an inhaled corticosteroid, in people aged over 50. Junior Health Minister Lord Bethell said: The UK continues to be a leading force in finding and rolling out safe and effective treatments for Covid-19, with life-saving treatments dexamethasone and tocilizumab identified by our research. 'The Government-funded PRINCIPLE trial presents an exciting opportunity to find treatments outside of hospital, stopping peoples symptoms from worsening at an earlier stage of the disease. The expansion of the trial, with a new treatment arm that is open to a wider patient cohort, is a promising development I encourage as many eligible people as possible over the age of 18 to sign up to the trial and play a vital role in finding more treatments for this terrible virus. Saint Petersburg special event Look for special event callsign R125PR from to be active between March 1-31st. Activity is to honor the world's first radiogram ever sent. The special callsign was requested by the "Association of Radio Amateurs of St. Petersburg" to commemorate the 125th anniversary of wireless signal transmission demo. On March 24, 1896, Alexander Popov completed first ever radio transmission at the Russian Physical and Chemical Society of Saint-Petersburg Imperial University. The radiogram consisting of two words "Henrich Herz" transcended a distance of 250 meters. Alexander Popov was present when indescribable exhilaration seized the audience after the words were received, decoded and chalked out on the blackboard. This was the world's first transmission of an intelligible text by wireless telegraphy. QSL via R1AU. OPDX Prince Philip's health status continues to worry the royal family and watchers. However, the Duke of Edinburgh reportedly would not want to entertain more visitors unless his condition worsens. According to royal editor Rebecca English, Prince Philip will probably not be visited by any royal family members because of this. In her interview with Palace Confidential on MailPlus, English recalled how Prince Charles' visit sparked more worries. The Prince of Wales became the first royal to pay his father a visit. He also traveled a 200-mile round trip from Gloucestershire just to see Prince Philip. The Duke of Edinburgh also stayed at King Edward VII's Hospital longer than expected. This caused royal watchers to theorize that the duke's health might be deteriorating. "He actually came out looking like he had tears in his eyes," she added, talking about Prince Charles. While visiting Prince Philip may no longer be allowed, the royal editor explained that visiting a royal in a hospital is not a practice. "Members of the Royal Family don't tend to visit each other in hospital. That's not because they don't care but because they know a royal visit to hospital actually comes with quite a great deal of disruption," she added. She added that this set-up could be applied as long as he continues to respond well to the treatment. Why Prince Charles Got "Teary-Eyed" A teary-eyed Prince Charles caused the public to feel worried about Prince Philip's health. But Queen Elizabeth II's former press secretary explained that the father-and-son actually talked about the future of the monarchy. Per Dickie Arbiter, the Prince of Wales only came at the request of Prince Philip. "To lay the ground. Look the man is 99, he is in with an infection. My guess is that he will come out, he will walk out and he will go back to Windsor," he told Royal Beat on True Royalty TV. Arbiter added that the Duke of Edinburgh only told his son that he is going to die one day. When it finally happens, the heir to the throne has to step up again and become the leading man of the family. See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles India: Launches real-time fishing vessel tracking and seafarers help system March 03,2021 | Source: The Hindu Business Line India launched a real-time vessel tracking system that can help seafarers and fishermen in the times of need. Apart from tracking Indian vessels globally, it can also track foreign vessels within 1,000-km of Indias coastline. To be operated by DG Shipping, the system is termed Sagar-Manthan: Mercantile Marine Domain Awareness Centre (MMDAC) and can organise help in case of emergency. India is sharing this system with Sri Lanka and the Maldives, said Anil Devli, CEO, Indian National Shipowners Association. The MMDAC facility also has elements of security, for which DG Shipping collaborates with the Indian Navy, said Amitabh Kumar, DG-Shipping. This was launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the inauguration of Maritime India Summit. Mega ports with world-class infrastructure are being developed at Vadhavan, Paradip and Deendayal Port in Kandla. Domestic waterways are found to be a cost effective and environment friendly way of transporting freight. We aim to operationalise 23 waterways by 2030, said Modi. The Eastern Waterways Connectivity Transport Grid for regional connectivity with Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar will be strengthened for effective regional trade and cooperation, said Prime Minister Modi. Addressing another session, Shipping Minister Mansukhlal Mandaviya said that India is looking to develop water-based based connectivity with Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar, on the lines of what it has done with Bangladesh. RO-RO projects To boost ease of living, Ro-Ro (Roll-on/Roll-o), and passenger ferry projects and 16 water-dromes to enable sea-plane operations are being developed. Steps are also being taken to introduce urban water transport systems in key States and cities such as Kochi, Mumbai, Gujarat and Goa. To ensure that work relating to the maritime sector does not happen in silos, PM said that the Ministry of Shippings ambit was widened and it will strive for excellence in maritime shipping and navigation, education and training for the mercantile marine, ship-building and ship-repair industry, ship-breaking, fishing vessels industry and floating craft industry. The Ministry of Port Shipping and Waterways has created a list of 400 investable projects, said the PM adding that these projects have an investment potential of Rs.2.25-lakh crore. Anne H Stevensen, DG and CEO, Danish Shipping, a trade body of Denmark, wondered how seafarers could be prioritised for Covid-19 vaccination so that they are safe. The biggest challenge as Covid-19 hit was not falling cargo volumes or low trade but the inability to take care of key assets sea-farers, she added. 2021, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. 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 book tells the story of nearly three years of detention in China Gulbahar Haitiwaji knew that China would not be happy about her book describing nearly three years of imprisonment, brainwashing and harassment at the hands of the authorities simply because she is Uighur. But the ferocity with which Beijing has lashed out at the 54-year-old author exceeded her worst expectations. Branded "a terrorist," "a separatist" and "a liar" after publishing her book "Survivor of the Chinese Gulag" in France, Haitiwaji told AFP she was surprised that nothing seemed off-limits -- even her personal life, which Chinese officials called "chaotic". The book, co-written with French journalist Rozenn Morgat and currently being translated into English, tells the story of her detention in her home region of Xinjiang, in northwestern China. Haitiwaji had been living in France for a decade when her former employer, a Chinese oil company, asked her in November 2016 to return home to deal with some formalities it said were linked to her pension rights. Her husband had come to France first, as a political refugee to escape ethnic discrimination. Haitiwaji joined him four years later. She kept her Chinese passport to at times return home for holidays, and didn't feel like a political refugee because she had "no interest in political work". - 'Only the truth' - She was suspicious of the call from the oil company but still decided to go, planning to stay for two weeks. She did not return for nearly three years. Quickly deprived of her passport on arrival, she went through a series of traumatising experiences, including prison, a re-education camp, interrogations, indoctrinations lasting 11 hours per day, and punishment from unforgiving guards for any "mistake" made. Chained by the ankles, she suffered from hunger and fear, and was forced to sit through a mock trial at which she was sentenced to seven years of "re-education". She was also forced to sign fake confessions which she says Beijing is now using as proof that she is lying about the whole experience. Story continues "I've been telling only the truth," she said. "I expected China to deny everything, which is why I gave the context of the confessions in the book -- how they made me repeat the same things day in and day out. "I just wanted to get out of there and anybody else would have done the same." After initially denying the existence of the Xinjiang camps, China later defended them as vocational training centres aimed at reducing the appeal of Islamic extremism. Beijing insisted last week that its treatment of ethnic minorities there and in Tibet "stood out as shining examples of China's human rights progress". But why, said Haitiwaji, would China need to "train" a university graduate living in France? - 'China made an error' - While Haitiwaji was held in China, her oldest daughter, Gulihumar, took her case public in Paris, talking to the press and to officials in the French foreign ministry. Abruptly, her mother was released from the camp and moved to an apartment, still under surveillance. Then, equally suddenly, she was freed. "I think China made an error by coming after me and Uighurs living abroad," she said. "They did us a favour, they made Uighurs famous. "I was never into politics, and I'm still not. I never did anything to harm China, and yet they locked me up and tortured me. "All I want is for those camps to close and to help make sure that happens. With help from the West we'll get there," she said. The Chinese embassy in France said there was no truth to any of Haitiwaji's claims. "She was never prosecuted, and the so-called 're-education' doesn't exist," it said. jg/jh/js/jj Rebel Wilson turned 41 in style this week. The Sydney-born star dressed to the nines as she headed into an upscale Beverly Hills hotel on Tuesday. Once inside, she was greeted by a gaggle of girlfriends, before the women all donned matching monogrammed bath robes for a day of pampering. No expense spared: Rebel Wilson turned 41 in style this week, booking a suite for a day of pampering with her gal pals Rebel's pal, TV presenter Carly Steel, shared videos to Instagram of the Pain & Gain actress striking a variety of sultry poses while reclined on a balloon-covered bed. In another post, Rebel and her gal pals posed beneath a series of balloons spelling out the comedienne's name. Later, the women could be seen being served drinks by a private waiter from a cart. Pretty in pink: Rebel's pal, TV presenter Carly Steel, shared videos to Instagram of the Pain & Gain actress striking a variety of sultry poses while reclined on a balloon-covered bed Girls gone wild: Once inside, she was greeted by her friends, before the women all donned matching, monogrammed bath robes for a day of pampering Another post gave a glimpse at the getaway's - dubbed Rebel's Relaxation Retreat- personalised menu. Items on the menu included rigatoni bolognese, steak tartare and charcoal grilled prawns with aioli. Earlier, Rebel entered the suite dressed smartly in leather pants and a mustard-coloured blazer over a black V-neck blouse. It's 5pm somewhere! Later, the women could be seen being served drinks by a private waiter from a cart Smart casual: Earlier, Rebel entered the suite dressed smartly in leather pants and a mustard-coloured blazer over a black V-neck blouse The fitted ensemble served to highlight Wilson's recent dramatic weight loss. She donned a face mask, wisely given the still extremely high COVID infection rate in the United States. The Isn't It Romantic star also donned a pair of tan leather boots and shielded her gaze behind a pair of dark, cat eye shades. Fine dining: Another post gave a glimpse at the getaway's -dubbed Rebel's Relaxation Retreat- personalised menu Masked up: Rebel donned a face mask, wisely given the still extremely high COVID infection rate in the United States Future's so bright: The Isn't It Romantic star also donned a pair of tan leather boots and shielded her gaze behind a pair of dark, cat eye shades Rebel wore her wavy blonde tresses loose for the grand entry into her birthday celebrations. Rebel recently revealed she was celebrating her birthday over two days because of the time difference between America and Australia. The Pitch Perfect star explained she was celebrating her 'Australian birthday' first, before doing it all over again once it's Tuesday in the U.S. Double the fun! Rebel celebrated her 41st birthday on Tuesday. The Sydney-born actress revealed she was celebrating the occasion over two days because of the time difference between America and Australia 'Australian Birthday today. American Birthday tomorrow,' she wrote on Instagram. Rebel went on to say she was 'grateful' for her 'exciting life', then revealed how much she'd had to 'overcome' in her working life. 'I'm so grateful and lucky to have lived such an exciting life so far. Thank you to everyone who's been a part of it and taught me so many valuable lessons,' she wrote. Time difference: The Pitch Perfect star explained she was celebrating her 'Australian birthday' first, before doing it all over again once it's Tuesday in the U.S. 'If you guys knew the shy unremarkable me from Sydney's western suburbs, you'd know how much I had to overcome in my life to get to this point... 'And then against all odds, and with the visionary help of a malaria-induced hallucination became a successful international actress/writer/producer!' In the accompanying photo, Rebel posed in brightly coloured activewear. Journey: Rebel went on to say she was 'grateful' for her 'exciting life', then revealed how much she'd had to 'overcome' in her working life Last month, Rebel revealed she was excited about the future as she prepares to start filming and producing the comedy movie Senior Year. The comedian shared a photo to Instagram of herself posing next to a car, and wrote: 'Looking forward to all that's ahead!' According to Deadline, Senior Year is about a cheerleader who wakes up from a 20-year-long coma and returns to high school to claim the prom queen crown. TOKYO, Mar 3, 2021 - (JCN Newswire) - Hitachi, Ltd. has announced that it has developed the Hitachi Electronic Signature Service, which implements secure electronic contracts based on blockchain (distributed ledger) technology. The Service digitizes the signatures and seals of paper documents such as contracts exchanged between companies, and promotes to eliminate personal seals. The use of blockchain guarantees the authenticity of signature information and improves resistance to data tampering. The Service provides stable system operation by using the Hitachi Blockchain Service for Hyperledger Fabric for its blockchain platform. The Hitachi Blockchain Service for Hyperledger Fabric is suitable for transactions between multiple corporations and has also been used for traceability systems in inter-company supply chains. The Service will contribute to the establishment of a new sustainable way of working in the age of the New Normal with supporting remote working, operational efficiency and cost reduction.Hitachi started to operate the Service at the Procurement Department at its head office as of March 2021. After reflecting the feedback in the Service, we will launch sales to corporations in Japan after July 2021. In the future, we plan to roll out to global corporations with a focus on North America. Further, the whole Hitachi Group systematizes and sells a wide range of radical know-how and technology as a service to support new workstyle in the New Normal. We also plan to include the Service in this lineup.At present, the introduction of remote working, including working from home, is expanding rapidly as a measure to control the spread of COVID-19 infections. Many corporations are in the process of setting up the infrastructure environment for flexible working regardless of location. However, at Japanese corporations, in particular, the procedures for affixing signatures and personal seals to paperwork, including contracts exchanged between corporations, have proven to be a major obstacle to remote working. Additionally, binding and mailing original documents, buying and affixing revenue stamps, and storing documents require a lot of time and money. In this situation, there is rising interest in electronic signatures that use digital technologies as an alternative method, but there are issues around security to prevent data tampering by third parties.At this time, Hitachi has used its IT expertise to develop the Service, which digitizes the procedures for affixing signatures and personal seals. It is a solution that makes it possible to carry out these procedures anytime and anywhere, thus it realizes remote working, operational efficiency, and cost reduction. At the same time, the Service maintains a high level of security thanks to the blockchain technology. Hitachi offers the Service as SaaS (Software as a Service) with integrated functions and operational administration.The features of the Service are outlined below.1. High authenticity by recording information trails in the blockchainWhen users sign a document in the Service, hash information(1) and time stamp information(2) for the digital data are recorded in the blockchain. Data stored in the blockchain is highly resistant to tampering, and compared to the use of conventional relational databases(3), the authenticity of the data is improved. In addition, the blockchain infrastructure uses Hitachi Blockchain Service for Hyperledger Fabric, the managed cloud service from Hitachi, and provides stable system operation by the experienced Hitachi team. Further, we strive to expedite the development of the Service by using Hitachi's unique Blockchain System Development Support Service, which has a group of functions including operational templates and development frameworks.2. Facilitates unified management of documents by linking to other electronic contract servicesGenerally, when corporations use electronic signatures and contracts, it may be necessary to use several different systems dependent on the services used by the business partner. This Service offers a function for centralized document management that imports signed documents into the Service by connecting to other electronic contract services via an API(4) that facilitates information exchange between different companies. The connected services will be expanded in the future.3. The ease of use reflects feedback from usersThe Service features operations and functions that match commercial practices based on regional characteristics such as sending documents back in case the signature or seal of the other party does not conform to certification, delegate signatures, and customize the approval flow.4. Prevent identity fraud by linking to Hitachi's unique biometric identification technology which identifies individuals by their biological information (option)Hitachi is in the process of developing an optional function to strengthen security by combining blockchain technology with Public Biometric Infrastructure (PBI)(5) that creates private keys using data encryption based on finger veins and other biometric information made available to Hitachi. The technology is expected to apply to areas where strict authentication is necessary such as medical / healthcare /financial fields and public institutions.Hitachi started to operate the Service at the Procurement Department at its head office as of March 2021. After reflecting the feedback in the Service, we will launch sales to corporations after July 2021. In addition we plan to link the Service with Hitachi's TWX-21(6) cloud service for transactions between corporations to increase added value, and to provide the Service as a Lumada(7) solution.(1) Hash information: A value obtained by processing data through a hash function.(2) Time stamp information: A digital certificate that ascertains the existence of digital data at a certain time.(3) Relational database: One of the most widely used databases, the relational database is a model that links sets of tabular data with each other.(4) Application Programming Interface (API): Specifications for accessing software functions and managed data from external programs.(5) Public Biometric Infrastructure (PBI): A proprietary Hitachi technology that identifies individuals safely and securely by encrypting, registering and matching biological information such as finger veins, faces, or irises.(6) TWX-21:A cloud service that provides an online platform for inter-company transactions to approximately 71,000 corporate customers as of October 2020. Provides detailed application services related to corporate activity by business, by role, and by user.(7) Lumada:General name of solution service technology using Hitachi's advanced digital technology to generate value from customer data and accelerate digital innovationAbout Hitachi, Ltd.Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is focused on its Social Innovation Business that combines information technology (IT), operational technology (OT) and products. The company's consolidated revenues for fiscal year 2019 (ended March 31, 2020) totaled 8,767.2 billion yen ($80.4 billion), and it employed approximately 301,000 people worldwide. Hitachi drives digital innovation across five sectors - Mobility, Smart Life, Industry, Energy and IT - through Lumada, Hitachi's advanced digital solutions, services, and technologies for turning data into insights to drive digital innovation. Its purpose is to deliver solutions that increase social, environmental and economic value for its customers. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at https://www.hitachi.com.Source: Hitachi, Ltd.Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. Wray Declines to Confirm FBIs Use of Geolocation Data to Track Capitol Rioters But Says It Would Not Surprise Me FBI Director Christopher Wray told a Senate hearing Tuesday that while he could not confirm that the agency was using geolocation data to track Capitol rioters, he said the nature of the investigation is such that it would not surprise me. Wray made the remarks at a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, in response to a line of inquiry by Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), who pressed the FBI director about the methods federal law enforcement officials have been using to track people who took part in the Jan. 6 Capitol breach. Im anxious to see those who committed unlawful violent acts on January 6th brought to justice, Lee said. I also believe that with this circumstance, like every other circumstance, we have to make sure that the civil liberties of the American people are protected, that we watch over them. Lee said he has heard a number of accounts of people who were present in Washington, but never got anywhere near the Capitol or any violence on January 6th, who have inexplicably been contacted by the FBI, by agents who apparently were aware of their presence in Washington, DC, that day with no other explanation, perhaps other than the use of geolocation data. Were you geolocating people through the FBI based on where they were on January 6th? Lee asked. Wray replied by saying that there may be some instances in which geolocation has been an investigative tool, but I cant speak to any specific situation. Lee pressed Wray on the legal basis for the FBI to use geolocation data, specifying whether (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) FISA courts were involved, which the FBI director denied. All of our investigative work in response to the capital has been under the legal authorities that we have in consultation with the department and the prosecutors at that point, Wray said. The Utah senator continued to press Wray on the issue, asking if there were instances in which youre interviewing people based solely on information derived from a telecommunications provider, providing geolocation information, indicating that they were on or near the national monument mall on January 6th? Citing a massive nationwide investigation involving thousands and thousands of interviews, Wray declined to confirm whether any of the probes were predicated on geolocation data. Lee appeared reluctant to accept Wrays reply and expressed concern about the FBIs investigative methods. Literally over the last 10 years, the entire 10 years Ive served as a member of this committee and as a member of the United States Senate, Ive been told fairly consistent answers under different FBI directors and different presidential administrations run by different parties. But the most consistent theme in those answers has been, Just trust us. Dont worry. Weve got good people, smart people, law abiding people who were running this, and weve got procedural safeguards in place to prevent the type of abuse that youre concerned about,' Lee said. The Utah senator then referred to a report by Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz (pdf) in the wake of a probe into the origins of the FBIs investigation into allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election, in which the watchdog criticized the FBI for a number of significant oversights and missteps. Wray responded by saying that, in response to Horowitz report, he ordered over 40 corrective actions to go above and beyond the recommendations of the report, and that those have been implemented. Those include everything from strengthening our procedures to ensure accuracy and completeness, to make sure the court gets all the information its supposed to, changes in our protocols for CHS, confidential human sources, training changes. I created a new office of internal audit that specifically focused on FISA auditing, he said. Lee acknowledged that the reforms have been helpful, but that further statutory measures were needed as the FBI could choose to depart from their internal guidance at any moment. He recommended increasing the standard for warrants under Section 215 to require a probable cause and requiring a probable cause warrant to obtain internet search history, internet browsing, history, and geolocation information and asked whether Wray would support such reforms. Well, Senator Id be happy to work with you to provide operational assessment of the impact of different legislative ideas. Certainly, we view our responsibility as not just to protect the American people, but also to uphold the Constitution, and we say that every day in the FBI, Wray said. Later in the hearing, Hawley pressed Wray on what he knows about the FBIs use of geolocation data in its probes of the Capitol breach. Are you saying you dont know whether the bureau has scooped up geolocation data, metadata cellphone records from cellphone towers? Hawley asked. Do you not know, or are you saying maybe it has or maybe it hasnt? Tell me what you know about this. Wray said he does not know for a fact that we were using geolocation data under any situation in connection with investigation into the 6th, but added that he would not be surprised to learn that the FBI has been resorting to such methods. Again, we do use geolocation data under specific authorities and specific instances, Wray said. Because this is such a sprawling investigation, that would not surprise me. Wray added that, given the sprawl and size of the investigation he would not provide any specifics regarding the use of the data, adding, and certainly not in a congressional hearing. The FBI and the Justice Department have been investigating the Capitol breach, and hundreds of people have been arrested for their role in the incident. Dundalk TD Ruairi O Murchu has compared parliamentary party meetings to making sausages during a debate in the Dail last week over leaks to the media from TDs and Senators from government parties. Deputy O Murchu said: "The live-streaming of parliamentary party meetings is not a pretty sight. "A person said to me earlier that parliamentary party meetings are like the making of sausages - far from pretty and nobody should know what happens inside them. "It really is not helping people that they are getting multiple lines from multiple sources and they are not entirely sure which to believe. "People will only have confidence when they are given a plan, see that plan enacted and have absolute clarity from on top. "We need that to happen. "A significant number of people have made great sacrifices. "Those people expect the Parliament, the Government and the State to do their part. "This is about regaining the dressing room. "The only way the Government will do so is by showing people that is has their backs. "Sinn Fein accepts that this is not New Zealand and that there is a significant number of essential workers who are necessary for the supply chain, but we need to fireproof as much as we can." A Mississippi judge has ordered the state to pay $500,000 to Curtis Flowers, a black man who was wrongfully convicted - and jailed on death row for more than 20 years until the Supreme Court overturned his conviction in 2019 and rebuked his prosecutor for racial bias. Mississippi Circuit Judge George Mitchell ordered Flowers, 50, be compensated $50,000 for each year he was in jail under a state law created in 2009 that awards compensation to victims of wrongful conviction and imprisonment. But since the law is not retroactive, Flowers will be compensated only for the 10 years he was imprisoned since the law was passed. His attorneys will be paid $50,000 in legal fees. In 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Flowers' 2010 murder conviction in a 7-2 ruling that saw Justice Brett Kavanaugh write the court's 78-page opinion. The opinion noted racial bias in striking black jurors from a potential juror pool. It didn't rule on whether he was guilty of the crimes. Flowers has said he is innocent. Mississippi Circuit Judge George Mitchell ordered Curtis Flowers, 50, be compensated $50,000 for each year he was in jail, under state law. But since the 2009 law is not retroactive, Flowers will only be compensated for 10 years. Flowers pictured in December after he was released from jail in 2019 Flowers had been convicted in his first three trials, but they were all reversed because of prosecutor misconduct. The last two before his sixth ended in hung juries. In the opinion, Justice Kavanaugh condemned prosecutor Doug Evans, who is white, for blocking dozens of black jurors at all of Flowers' trials. In 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Flowers' 2010 murder conviction in a 7-2 ruling that saw Justice Brett Kavanaugh write the court's 78-page opinion At the time of the overturning, the court did not rule on whether or not he was guilty of murdering Tardy Furniture store owner Bertha Tardy, 59, and three employees, Carmen Rigby, 45, Robert Golden, 42, and Derrick Stewart, 16, in 1996 and instead concentrated on the fact that it was racially prejudiced and against the constitution. Flowers was found guilty in his first three trials - the first one with an all-white jury and the next two with just one black juror - but those convictions were thrown out by Mississippis top court. Several black jurors participated in the fourth and fifth trials, which ended without a verdict because the jury both times failed to produce a unanimous decision. Prosecutors have said Flowers was upset with the store owner for firing him and withholding his paycheck to cover the cost of batteries he had damaged. All of the employees except Golden were white. Flowers was appealing his 2010 conviction, in his sixth trial, where there were 11 white jurors and one black juror. Doug Evans, the prosecutor, was accused of racial bias. He is shown at the trial with a witness who is showing where she saw Flowers on the morning of the killings in 1996 Prosecutors and defense lawyers can dismiss - or 'strike' - a certain number of prospective jurors during the jury selection process without stating a reason. Some prosecutors, including in Southern states like Mississippi, have been accused over the decades of trying to ensure predominately white juries for trials of black defendants to help win convictions. The Supreme Court ruled in 1986 that people cannot be excluded from a jury because of their race, based on the right to a fair trial under the Constitution's Sixth Amendment and the 14th Amendment promise of equal protection under the law. In his opinion, Justice Kavanaugh slammed the clear bias that appeared over the jury selection. 'The numbers speak loudly,' Kavanaugh wrote in his opinion. 'Over the course of the first four trials, there were 36 black prospective jurors against whom the State could have exercised a peremptory strike. The State tried to strike all 36.' Flowers is shown in his 2004 trial. Prosecutors have said Flowers was upset with the store owner for firing him and withholding his paycheck to cover the cost of batteries he had damaged Derrick Bobo Stewart (left) and Robert Golden (right) were two store workers who were killed Store owner Beth Tardy (left) and employee Carmen Rigby (right) were also shot dead In his decision, Kavanaugh said: 'The numbers speak loudly. Over the course of the first four trials, there were 36 black prospective jurors against whom the State could have exercised a peremptory strike. The State tried to strike all 36'. Kavanaugh is seen in a file photo from September 2018 above Curtis is shown being taken to the courtroom in 2004 He continued: 'All of the relevant facts and circumstances taken together establish that the trial court at Flowers' sixth trial committed clear error in concluding that the State's peremptory strike of black prospective juror Carolyn Wright was not motivated in substantial part by discriminatory intent.' Among the only two judges who disagreed with the decision was the only black justice on the Supreme Court: Clarence Thomas. One of the only judges who disagreed with the decision was the only black justice on the Supreme Court: Clarence Thomas who said he was clearly guilty and said the prosecutor had good reasons for barring the jurors he did The conservative judge said that Flowers was clearly guilty and that the jurors who were stricken were not blocked because they were black but because they could not be impartial for other reasons. Some of the people were blocked because they knew Flowers' family and others had personal disputes with the furniture store where the murders took place, including with the owner he was killed. 'Today's decision distorts the record of this case, eviscerates our standard of review, and vacates four murder convictions because the State struck a juror who would have been stricken by any competent attorney. I dissent,' he added at the time. Neil Gorsuch agreed with him. The decision does not stop the state from putting Flowers on trial for a seventh time which Thomas said was its 'only redeeming quality'. Flowers had been in custody since 1996. After pleading guilty to multiple poaching charges around the state, a hunter from Colorado Springs has been indefinitely barred from hunting in 48 states, including Colorado. Hearing investigator Steven Cooley of Colorado Parks and Wildlife voted last week to indefinitely revoke hunting rights for Iniki Vike Kapu, 28, after he pleaded guilty. Since Colorado is a member of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, the lifelong hunting ban applies to all other 47 member states except Hawaii and Massachusetts. Related Articles: Satellite Imaging: Tracking Endangered Wildlife From Space! Criminal Poaching Case He is accused of slaughtering 12 deers, two turkeys, and a bighorn sheep ram in three Colorado counties. In May of this year, Kapu pled guilty to unlawful wildlife possession and was fined $900 in Chaffee County. He later pled guilty in Teller County in December 2019 and Fremont County in February 2020. He has confessed to keeping three or four huge game animals in his custody unlawfully. As part of a plea deal, he was fined $4,600 and sentenced to six months in prison and three years of supervised probation in Fremont County, according to prosecutors. He also turned over the arms he used in the poaching mission. "Mr. Kapu's crimes against animals epitomize what a poacher is all about: capturing wildlife without consideration for the rules that protect it," Cooley said. "Iniki Kapu is known as a significant threat to Colorado's biodiversity, and his abuses are among the most egregious. In this situation, the magnitude and level of indifference to wildlife are unparalleled, and it cannot be tolerated." Appeal He did not attend the hearing on his hunting rights, but Parks and Wildlife said he would appeal his suspension. He has 35 days to file an appeal. It's uncertain if Kapu has hired legal counsel. He was prosecuted by a lawyer from the state public defender's office in his most recent court prosecution, which would not authorize prosecutors to comment on prosecutions. This should act as a warning to those contemplating poaching in Colorado, according to Frank McGee, an agency wildlife manager in Colorado Springs. Seriousness of the Consequences "Colorado Parks and Wildlife pursues someone who unlawfully takes wildlife violently. When you poach, you are cheating from all Colorado residents," he explained. "And your words are an embarrassment to all hunters who obey the rules, pay the license fees that help wildlife conservation, observe hunting seasons, and stick to fair chase principles." Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact When law enforcement officials were searching for a way to deal with criminals who violated habitat and resource laws outside of their home state in the 1980s, they came up with the notion of an interstate violator treaty. The first compact papers were drafted separately by Colorado and Nevada. They combined the draft documents and, in 1989, Colorado, Nevada, and Oregon adopted laws to create the official Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact. Currently, almost all the US states, except for Hawaii and Massachusetts, are now part of the compact. ALSO READ: Dogs' Secret Tool to Save Wildlife For more wildlife news, don't forget to follow Nature World News! By Kim Bo-eun SK hynix' logo / Korea Times file Police are appealing for more information after livestock rustlers stole 32 sheep from a farm in the Scottish Borders. Police say 32 Scottish Mule and Texel sheep were taken from a farm in Blackburnrig, near Grantshouse in Berwickshire. The incident happened between 8am on Friday 26 February and 1pm on Monday 1 March. Figures reveal that livestock worth an estimated 2.3m were stolen from UK farms in 2020, making it one of the most costliest crimes for farmers. Last month, a Cheshire farmer was left 'absolutely devastated' after thieves stole 63 pregnant ewes from her farm. A Scottish Borders Police spokesperson said: Enquiries are ongoing in the area and any information could prove vital to the investigation. If anybody has seen any suspicious activity please contact us on 101 quoting incident number 1574 of the 1st of March 2021. Alternatively if anyone has any information and wish to remain anonymous, information can be passed via Crimestoppers on 0800-555-111." Fluid Truck has built an app-based platform that aims to take away the pain and cost of owning or leasing commercial vehicles, all while grabbing market share from established companies like Penske, Ryder and U-Haul. Now, it has the capital to help it get there. The Denver-based company said Tuesday it raised $63 million in a Series A funding round to expand its truck-sharing platform, which helps mid-mile and last-mile delivery companies remotely manage an on-demand rental fleet via web or mobile app. Private equity firm Bison Capital led the round, with participation from Ingka Investments (part of Ingka Group, the main Ikea retailer), Sumitomo Corporation of Americas and Fluid Vehicle Owners. The investment, its first external round, comes after rapid growth at the four-year-old company. Founder and CEO James Eberhard told TechCrunch that revenue increased 100x in the last two years. That type of growth sounds promising, but the company did not provide a baseline, so its hard to judge scale. With e-commerce expected to continue to rise at a global 9.5% compound annual growth rate from 2020 to 2025, the demand for accessible trucks for hire might see correlative growth. It's no surprise that e-commerce is one of the industries Fluid Truck has targeted. SoftBank, Volvo back Flock Freight with $113.5M to help shippers share the load Fluid Truck, which operates in 25 U.S. markets, operates like the car-sharing company Zipcar, with a commercial bent. Businesses such as moving and e-commerce delivery companies can use the platform to rent trucks. Fluid Truck's pitch to businesses extends beyond the "you don't need to buy or lease" argument. The platform also allows delivery companies to dispense with having a manager on staff who would manage, maintain and eventually sell the fleet. Businesses eager to outsource the purchasing and managing of their trucks can find fleets for hire in industrial parks and retail areas within Fluids service network. Story continues You can hop on our platform, rent a truck and be in it in a matter of minutes, which really allows businesses to scale up and scale down, said Eberhard. Were watching our user behavior go from a place where they used to own every vehicle they needed at a time to a place where theyre now grabbing spare capacity off Fluid. Eberhard hopes to see that type of supplementary use morph into an end state where companies dont own a single truck and run solely on Fluid Trucks platform. Fluid Truck argues that its tech stack, which is designed to smooth out the booking and renting process, gives it a competitive edge in a market dominated by the likes of U-Haul, Ryder and or other small depots. Eberhard said the process of going to a depot and waiting in line is slow and sloppy, whereas Fluid Trucks app makes renting a van as easy as calling an Uber. We take all those complexities away and allow people to have a virtual fleet, Eberhard told TechCrunch. Fluid Trucks fleet is made up of thousands and soon to be tens of thousands of cargo vans, pickup trucks, large box trucks and various other vehicles. The company also claims to have the largest medium-duty EV rental fleet in the United States, which it continues to expand as it works with OEMs to increase fleet capacity. Electric vehicles still make up less than 1% of its total portfolio due to the slower adoption of EVs on the commercial side. Eberhard wants Fluid to be a dominant force in the trucking industry. But Fluid Truck is not the only truck sharing app on the streets. Competitors GoShare and Bungii have similar offerings. Smart scooter company Gogoro launches GoShare, an end-to-end vehicle-sharing platform This sizable round could provide an advantage as it tries to become the household name in digital truck sharing. Perhaps, as importantly, the company has the attention and investment of Ikea. This is another step in enabling Ikea retail to provide last mile delivery services to our customers, continue to improve on our customer promise, while also reducing our environmental footprint," Krister Mattsson, managing director of Ingka Investments said in a statement, a comment that suggests a future partnership with Fluid Truck. With this latest capital round, Fluids goal is to (you guessed it) scale outwards, with a focus on expanding the team, adding dozens more markets in the U.S. and preparing to take Fluid into the EU and Canada. Fluid Truck will also be investing back into its own tech stack, which includes an internal proprietary telematics platform to predict and automate servicing and maintenance of the companys fleet. Early Stage is the premier how-to event for startup entrepreneurs and investors. Youll hear first-hand how some of the most successful founders and VCs build their businesses, raise money and manage their portfolios. Well cover every aspect of company-building: Fundraising, recruiting, sales, product market fit, PR, marketing and brand building. Each session also has audience participation built-in theres ample time included for audience questions and discussion. Australia will aim to build a sophisticated manufacturing industry from its vast critical minerals resources in a move towards maintaining national sovereignty and securing vital technological supply chains. The federal government will move to leverage Australias world-leading critical mineral and resources sector to create more jobs and economic opportunities for manufacturing businesses with the release of a new 10-year plan in the NSW Hunter Valley on Thursday. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the government was focused on continuing to rebuild the economy and that manufacturing would play a key role. Credit:AAP Australias abundant reserves of critical minerals give it the potential to be an international powerhouse for the supply of minerals such as antimony, manganese and rare earths, which are crucial to communications, renewable energy and defence industries. The road map to prioritise processing will open a new front against China in a widening technology and trade war by securing Australian reserves of the rare earths and other materials that are essential for products ranging from iPhones to batteries and hybrid cars. 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. Welcome to Morningstar.co.uk! You have been redirected here from Hemscott.com as we are merging our websites to provide you with a one-stop shop for all your investment research needs.To search for a security, type the name or ticker in the search box at the top of the page and select from the dropdown results.Registered Hemscott users can log in to Morningstar using the same login details. Similarly, if you are a Hemscott Premium user, you now have a Morningstar Premium account which you can access using the same login details. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. What we dont want is what weve seen from other locations across the country, for example, in California, where a single school board race was a million-dollar race. That excluded lots of voices, and it will exclude if thats the kind of model and dynamic that is set up here, Lightfoot said. So weve got to be very thoughtful and careful about what form of governance that we push forward. And weve got, as I said, and Ive been very clear on this, parents have to have a genuine pathway to sit on that school board. The BJP's national leadership came to defeat the MIM and started talking about a surgical strike, but they failed in Telangana, Owaisi said. PTI file photo Hyderabad: MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said on Tuesday that every downtrodden person in the country wants that his voice should be heard and his problems attended to, but he feels suffocated from the form of majoritarian democracy. If a majoritarian form of democracy continued we would not be able to fulfill the dreams held by our freedom fighters. We have to revive and strengthen participative democracy, Owaisi said while addressing AIMIM's 63rd revival day celebrations at the party headquarters Darussalam. Owaisi said the MIM emboldens the oppressed communities and raises a voice against injustice by expanding its base from state to state. The party will decide when and where to contest as per its poll strategy. Here, the BJP's national leadership came to defeat the MIM and started talking about a surgical strike, but they failed. Now our party reached Gujarat to counter this surgical strike. Within a matter of a few days, our party succeeded in gaining public trust. We will contest in UP, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and other states, he said. Owaisi expressed support to the farmers' agitation and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to listen to farmers demands and repeal the laws as these were not scriptures. MIM stands with the farmers; it stands with the families of 200 farmers who died during the agitation. I salute them. PM Modi is not ready to withdraw these laws due to his arrogance. The MIM chief said, "I am going to Malerkotla, stop me if you can. I will meet the Sikh brothers. The Muslims, Dalits, Sikh, Christians and Adivasis and even many sections among the Hindus are looking for an alternate. BJP is losing its ground." Owaisi said peace prevailed in Telangana for the last many years. This should be continued. For this, we will give credit to the KCR government, the administration and the police machinery. Referring to a communal incident that happened in Maula Ali, he said if the Sangh Parivar thought we are not keeping a watch on them, they are wrong. You don't need to think about what mistakes the Bihar and West Bengal governments made. The same incidents will happen here. We are asking the KCR government to analyse the reports from the states where such incidents have happened and prepare a strategy to avert such situations. Owaisi said, Our rivals alleged that we were the B Team in Bihar. But we won five seats in the assembly. AIMIM was the party that first raised the issues of the backwardness and the injustices done on the Seemanchal region. We will ensure developmental activities in that region. We will fight for justice and even do 'Chakka Jam' in Bihar and close National Highways if justice is not done to Seemanchal. (Natural News) A father of four from County Durham in North East England died after receiving the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE. Chris Moore was in lockdown for months before returning to his job as an administrator at the National Health Service (NHS) late last year. He received the first dose of the vaccine on Jan. 2 at the University Hospital of North Durham. Moore began to show symptoms two days later and tested positive for the coronavirus. He was rushed to the hospital due to breathing difficulties. He was placed in intensive care but was later moved to a regular ward after showing signs of improvement. He relapsed shortly after and died four weeks later on Feb. 10. He is survived by his wife, Helen, and their four children, Rebecca, Daniel, James and Thomas. His wife is not sure how he contracted COVID-19 and believes the vaccine has nothing to do with it. But studies indicate that none of the vaccines approved for use so far is 100 percent effective in preventing COVID-19, even after both doses have been administered. Research shows that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is about 52 percent effective after just one dose. That efficacy level can go up to 95 percent after the second dose. This means that some people who have received the first jab could still be infected with COVID-19 before they come in to receive the second dose of the vaccine. Scientists also cautioned that the first dose could take at least two to three weeks to become effective in fighting off the virus. This may explain why Moore showed symptoms shortly after he received his first dose. A tragic death Tributes for the NHS worker have since flooded in. David Coxon, a close family friend, said Moore was a family person. Coxon also said Moore was a loving husband, who his wife often described as her soulmate. I think he was a very caring and very loving person. He always seemed to be a smiling and happy person, said Coxon. Moore would have celebrated his birthday on Feb. 26 as well, the same day his son, Daniel, turns 18 years old. Of Moores experience at the hospital, Coxon said Moore was put on a ventilator as his family was called to visit him. Moore recovered a little after seeing his wife and children but needed kidney dialysis. He never fully recovered since and passed shortly after. Coxon believes Moore might have contracted the disease as he was going to the hospital to get vaccinated. The sad truth is that [his family is] never going to know, said Coxon. Coxon, who said he was speaking on behalf of Helen and the children, added that he wants people to know that the virus still exists as Prime Minister Boris Johnson prepares to ease restrictions beginning March. Coxon has set up a JustGiving page to help the family after they had to return Moores car courtesy to the NHS. The NHS supports the families of staff that lost a loved one to COVID-19. Because Moore is no longer considered staff, his family is not eligible for any financial assistance from the NHS at all. They say that you dont move on from grief, you move forward with it, said Coxon. [But] with four children to support, that journey is considerably easier if you havent also lost the family car. More die after receiving vaccine jabs Unfortunately, Moore is just one of many casualties, so to speak, of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. A 60-year-old man from Orange County, California died after receiving the second dose of the said vaccine. Tim Zook experienced breathing difficulties and intestinal problems just hours after he received the second jab of the vaccine on Jan. 5. He was rushed to the emergency room of the hospital where he worked. He became comatose after two days. Zook died four days after getting the second jab. His son, Kyle Zook, said he wanted to live and asked to be put on a ventilator. Kyle added that his father had high blood pressure but was otherwise healthy. Investigators have since been trying to determine if the vaccination played any role in Tim Zooks death (Related: First DEATH reported in AstraZeneca covid-19 vaccine trial, but human experimentation will continue anyway.) Meanwhile, Portuguese healthcare worker Sonia Acevedo was found dead two days after she received a shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Her employers confirmed she received the vaccine on Dec. 30 but that they had not been notified of any adverse effect. Acevedos daughter said her mother only complained about discomfort in the area where she was injected with the vaccine but was otherwise fine. On the other hand, Acevedos father said she did not have any underlying health problems. I dont know what happened. I just want answers. Follow Immunization.news to learn more about health risks linked to the new coronavirus vaccines. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk LosAngeles.CBSLocal.com BusinessToday.in Some yet to be identified gunmen have kidnapped a Chinese contractor at Igbemo Ekiti, in Irepodun Ifelodun LGA, Ekiti State. The incident, according to police sources, occurred on Tuesday evening and his whereabouts has not been ascertained by security operatives. The Chinese is one of the experts supervising the construction of the Ilupeju-Ire-Igbemo-Ijan road. It was gathered that the expatriate was intercepted by the gunmen while driving in a Hilux Van and forcefully taken away to an unknown destination. This is coming three months after a similar incident occurred in Ekiti, where two expatriates were taken hostage by bandits along Ado-Iyin Road. Confirming the incident, on Wednesday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, Sunday Abutu, said the operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) had launched a manhunt for the kidnappers. Our RRS men swung into action immediately the news was broken, he said. They are combing all the surrounding bushes and we are sure that the abductee will be released soon. Merchant Navy officers arrested Meanwhile, four persons, who posed as operatives of the proscribed Nigerian Merchant Naval Corps have been arrested in the state. The suspects were picked up when they visited the office of the Chairman of Irepodun/ Ifelodun Local Government, Shina Ogunleye, The suspects, who were armed and wearing naval uniforms, were rounded up at the headquarters of the council at Igede Ekiti. Mr Ogunleye, who confirmed this to journalists via a telephone call, said the four men were nabbed by the combined forces of Police and men of the State Security Services, who acted on a tip-off from the council boss. He described the action as a kidnap attempt, which was averted due to the quick intervention of the security operatives. Before they came to my office, they had earlier called and with the way they spoke, I suspected a foul play and I had to inform some higher security officials in the state who tutored me on what to do, he said. When they called me the second time, I gave them an appointment for 9 a.m. on Tuesday. When I was informed by my secretary that they had arrived, I immediately contacted the State Director of DSS and the Police Area Commander in charge of Ido/Osi and Irepodun Ifelodun local governments. I arrived the office around 10 a.m. and as I was entering my office, they wanted to follow me but they were prevented from gaining entry until the DSS and police operatives numbering 20 arrived the scene. The security asked them some pertinent questions, but they could not answer appropriately. It was then we realised that they were fake officers and that they came for a sinister mission. They had been arrested and taken to the police headquarters for further questioning. ADVERTISEMENT But the police spokesman, Mr Abutu, said preliminary investigation revealed that the arrested men were impersonators. Mr Abutu said the suspects said they were in Ekiti to set up a base of their security outfit in Igede Ekiti, which he described as a breach of the law, saying the body they claimed to represent had been disbanded by the federal government. They are being detained and they will be charged to court soon, he said. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 16:58:24|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KABUL, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan's government forces freed 34 people from a Taliban prison and killed six militants in a special operation overnight in the western province Herat, the military confirmed on Wednesday. "The special operation was launched in Korucha locality, Adraskan district of Herat. A clash took place after arrival of security forces and six armed militants were killed," Afghan National Army Special Operations Corps said in a statement. The freed people were 11 army soldiers, eight policemen, three Afghan Air Force personnel, five local workers and seven government employees. The Taliban outfit hasn't commented on the report so far. Enditem Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 3) Efforts to confirm the identites of four Filipino oil workers in Libya executed by Islamic State militants are in motion to bring their remains home as soon as possible. Philippine Embassy in Tripoli Charge d'Affaires Elmer Cato on Wednesday said Libyan authorities requested the Philippines to send forensic experts to ascertain the identity of the four Filipinos abducted and executed in 2015. Their remains were located almost six years later. The official said they have sought for the help of the National Bureau of Investigation in the Philippines to conduct DNA testing on the remains. "Of course we need to be certain. That's the reason why even authorities are requesting the Philippine government to send forensic experts to be 100% sure that the remains belong to our missing kababayan," he told CNN Philippines. Cato was informed by the NBI that it would take them one week to exhume and identify the bodies before they can be sent home. He added the employers of the late OFWs will shoulder the cost of repatriation. The gravesites of Donato Santiago, Gregorio Titan, Roldan Blaza, and Wilson Eligu were found on Monday in the Dahr Ahmar Islamic Cemetery in the city of Derna with the help of Libyan authorities. The four Filipinos, who were with their two European co-workers, were kidnapped by ISIS fighters who attacked the Ghani Oil Field on March 6, 2015. Cato said since the oil workers abduction, not much had been heard from them until 2017. This was when a video footage of their execution was supposedly found in a laptop seized from slain ISIS fighters in Derna. They were presumed dead, although their bodies were not recovered. In 2018, Cato said they were informed that the remains of the four could be among those recovered and later buried by the Libyan Red Crescent in various parts of Derna. The Embassy explained that due to the unstable security situation, it was only able to send a search team to the city in October last year. You are also aware that this distasteful character assassination of our client has been republished widely, causing her immense hurt and distress. Your comments are particularly malicious in view of the assault on our client that took place in your office, which is now the subject of a police investigation. Former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins has alleged she was raped by a colleague in Linda Reynolds office in Parliament House. Earlier, Ms Higgins said the comments made by Senator Reynolds were incredibly hurtful and evidence of the toxic workplace culture in Parliament House. Senator Reynolds said the comments were not in reference to Ms Higgins claims about being sexually assaulted but separate news reports about her own response to the incident. A report in The Australian attributed some remarks to me regarding the very serious allegations made by my former staff member, Ms Brittany Higgins, Senator Reynolds said in a statement. I have never questioned Ms Higgins account of her alleged sexual assault and have always sought to respect her agency in this matter. I did however comment on news reports regarding surrounding circumstances that I felt had been misrepresented. I have consistently respected Ms Higgins agency and privacy and said this is her story to tell and no one elses. Ms Higgins allegations are very serious and that is how they must be treated to ensure her legal rights are protected. I welcome her decision to progress this matter with the Australian Federal Police. Senator Reynolds was admitted to hospital the week after Ms Higgins made her allegation publicly, and has been on medical leave. Mr Morrison spoke with Senator Reynolds about the comments on Thursday morning and said the Defence Minister apologised to her staff shortly after making the comments. Loading She knows those comments to have been inappropriate and wrong, he said. The second point, though, is they were made in her private office in a stressful week. And they werent made in a public place, and nor were they intended for that. That doesnt excuse it, not for a second. And she made the appropriate apologies to her staff and rectified that. Mr Morrison said it was important to point out that Senator Reynolds was not making the comments in relation to the allegation of sexual assault. Her comments, she said to me, related to the further commentary about levels of support provided, and her frustrations about how she felt that they were doing everything they believed in their power to provide support, he said. Clearly, over a period of time there was a very different view about that. And weve acknowledged that, and thats why were addressing the issues the way that we are. Ms Higgins told Senator Reynolds, the then-defence industry minister, about being raped by another Liberal staffer in the Senators office in Parliament House in March 2019. Loading Senator Reynolds told the Senate she had not informed Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Ms Higgins allegations of rape. Pressed further on whether she ever told the Prime Ministers staff or any other minister about the allegations, she said Labors questions were assuming the nature of a private conversation, private conversations that I had with Ms Higgins and that it is not my story to tell. It is hers. Ms Higgins case has rocked Canberra and sparked a national debate about workplace culture in Canberra including the treatment of women. One of California's most notorious serial killers was strangled in his prison cell early on Sunday morning, local authorities revealed Wednesday. The Amador County Sheriff's said that the Sacramento County Coroner's Office had performed an autopsy on 81-year-old Roger Reece Kibbe on Tuesday. 'The cause of death was manual strangulation and the manner of death is homicide,' deputies said in Wednesday morning's news release, the Sacramento Bee reports. Kibbe was discovered unresponsive on the floor of his cell at Mule Creek State Prison at around 12.45am on Sunday. Kibbe's cellmate, convicted murderer Jason Budrow sporting a '666' tattoo on his forehead, was found standing next to the mortally injured man. California's I-5 Strangler Roger Reece Kibbe, 81 (left), died in prison after being found in his cell next to fellow inmate Jason Budrow, 40 (right) Kibbe's death at Mule Creek State Prison was a homicide, officials said Kibbe was taken to the prison's medical facility, where he was pronounced dead at 1.30am, Fox 40 reported. Budrow, 40, who is serving a life sentence on a 2011 second-degree murder conviction, has been moved to an administrative segregation unit. As of Monday afternoon, he has not been charged in connection with Kibbe's death. Kibbe was already serving multiple life sentences without the possibility of parole for raping and killing at least seven women and girls over the span of 30 years. Kibbe, a married furniture maker whose brother was a police detective, was initially convicted in 1991 and sentenced to life in prison for strangling to death 17-year-old Darcie Frackenpoh. The runaway from Seattle was killed after she disappeared from a West Sacramento street frequented by prostitutes, and her naked body was found in the mountains south of Lake Tahoe in 1987. Kibbe (left), a former furniture maker, was serving multiple life sentences for raping and killing at least seven women, including Lou Ellen Burleigh, 21 (right), in 1977 Darcie Frackenpohl- a 17-year-old killed by Roger Kibbe Kibbe took a plea deal in 2008 to avoid the death penalty and was sentenced to multiple life sentences DNA evidence from six other murders linked Kibbe to the crimes that were committed between 1977 and 1987. In 2008, he pleaded guilty to murder counts with special enhancements of rape and kidnapping stemming from the killings of Lou Ellen Burleigh, Lora Heedrick, Barbara Ann Scott, Stephanie Brown, Charmaine Sabrah and Katherine Kelly Quinones. Budrow is serving a life sentence on a second-degree murder conviction from 2011 Burleigh, 21, had left her Walnut Creek home in 1977 for a job interview but never returned. She was kidnapped to Lake Berryessa, tied up, raped and murdered. Her skeletal remains were recovered in a creekbed in 2011, some 34 years after her death. Brown, 19, of Sacramento, was sexually assaulted, strangled, and her body dumped in a ditch. A crumpled map was found near her car parked along I-5. Sabrah, 26, a mother of three from Sacramento, disappeared after her car broke down along I-5 and she drove off with a strange man who offered to help. Her strangled body was found three months later. Heedrick, 21, of Modesto, was last seen getting into a car. Her body was found along I-5 five months later. Scott, 29, was kidnapped in Pittsburg. Her body was dumped at Lone Tree Gold Course in Contra Costa County, reported CBS San Francisco. Prosecutors said in 2009 that Kibbe, who was an avid skydiver, used parachute cords to restrain his victims. He cut the women's clothing into irregular shapes with scissors that belonged to his mother, and kept the pieces of fabric, as well as locks of his victims' hair, as souvenirs, reported The Mercury News. Dermot O'Leary has revealed his family history was deemed too uninteresting for Who Do You Think You Are? Producers for the popular series spent months researching the TV presenter's family, who come from Co Wexford, Ireland with the hopes he could take part in an episode but weren't impressed with what they found. Speaking on the Snot, Sweat & Tears motherhood podcast, Dermot said: 'They actually researched my family for about three months. They came back and said, "There's just not enough interesting stuff about your family". Honest: Dermot O'Leary has revealed his family history was deemed too uninteresting for Who Do You Think You Are? 'Wexford is a port town, and my family are all seafaring folk. I have it on good authority that two of them went to America. 'One of them was a police officer and the other was a judge and they both got killed by the Mafia in the 30s. 'They couldn't find any record of this. I was like, 'What are you on about?' We've been everywhere, we're a family of sailors.' 'I just don't think they were trying hard enough. It's awful isn't it? Absolutely awful.' Show: Producers for the popular series spent months researching the TV presenter's family but weren't impressed with what they found (pictured with wife Dee Koppang O'Leary) Dermot, who is married to Dee Koppang O'Leary, told how the coronavirus pandemic taught him to be more appreciative of 'the smaller stuff'. He said: 'It makes you think, 'Do I need that water that comes from Fiji or can I just filter some tap water?' 'It's appreciating the smaller stuff, whether it's a cup of coffee or a walk in the park. It's just turning off the phone and making time for yourself. 'Please God, we don't go back to working the way we used to. People don't want to work like that. They weren't happy, it makes you die young.' Dermot said: 'They actually researched my family for about three months. They came back and said, "There's just not enough interesting stuff about your family"' Dermot and Dee tied the knot in 2012 after ten years together at St Mary's Church in Chiddingstone, Kent. The couple had first met in 2002 when they worked for the same TV production company and got engaged in New York in December 2011. They welcomed their son Kasper in June, confirming the birth with a sweet snap shared to Instagram of a babygrow and toy rabbit that had been brought for the tot. Dermot wrote: 'Welcome to the world baby Koppang O'Leary We're delighted to announce that we've had a baby! 'A little boy born on Tuesday 23rd June 2020 (Sankthansaften / Midsummer for you Norwegians) at 8.19am, weighing in at 6lb 13oz. 'Enjoying the cuddles in the newborn bubble cats yet to be 100% convinced. Lots of love, Dermot & Dee x.' BATTLE CREEK, Mich., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Kellogg announced today that the company will achieve over 50% renewable energy to address the electricity needs of its owned manufacturing globally by the end of 2022. The company signed a long-term wind energy virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) in North America with Enel Green Power for approximately 360 gigawatt hours (GWh) of wind electricity annually, which is equal to 50% of the volume of electricity used across Kellogg's North American manufacturing facilities. Kellogg Company to Achieve Over 50% Renewable Electricity Globally by the End of 2022 Kellogg's VPPA portion of the renewable energy generated by the wind farm is equivalent to the amount of electricity it takes to power more than 43,000 homes each year.1 This VPPA progresses Kellogg towards its global Better Days commitments to reduce Scope 1 & 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 65% and to achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2050. Kellogg announced the milestone to investors at the Consumer Analyst Group of New York (CAGNY) conference, underpinning the company's commitment to address corporate responsibility. Kellogg measures greenhouse gas emissions and renewable electricity in accordance with the GHG Protocol. "Kellogg has been working to reduce its carbon footprint across our value chain for more than a decade," said Amy Senter, Chief Sustainability Officer, Kellogg Company. "Our latest VPPA further demonstrates to investors, stakeholders and our consumers that we are taking action to address climate change." Kellogg has several renewable energy projects already in place around the world. Kellogg's facilities across Western Europe have achieved 100% renewable electricity to address its operations through the purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). have achieved 100% renewable electricity to address its operations through the purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). Kellogg Australia operations also achieved 100% renewable electricity through a long-term Power Purchase Agreement. operations also achieved 100% renewable electricity through a long-term Power Purchase Agreement. Kellogg's LEED certified Pringles plant in Enstek, Malaysia and its cereal plant in Taloja, India utilize renewable electricity directly from on-site solar panels. and its cereal plant in Taloja, utilize renewable electricity directly from on-site solar panels. In North America , Kellogg has purchased Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) for multiple facilities and offices in several states. , Kellogg has purchased Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) for multiple facilities and offices in several states. The company's Kashi office in Solana Beach, California utilizes on-site solar panels for portions of its electricity use. With the support of Kellogg's VPPA, Enel has started construction of Azure Sky wind in north central Texas, its first wind + storage project globally, that combines a 350 MW wind facility paired with approximately 120 MW of battery storage one of the largest battery storage facilities in the world. The Azure Sky wind farm will add clean energy resources to the community's local grid and is expected to be operational in 2022. Kellogg's portion of renewable electricity generated by the wind farm is estimated to avoid 250,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions each year, equivalent to the carbon reduction of removing approximately 55,000 passenger vehicles off of the road annually.2 Kellogg was advised on the VPPA agreement by Schneider Electric Energy & Sustainability Services, who assisted the company in its project selection and negotiations. "As our first project to pair wind and storage, and our largest hybrid plant globally, Azure demonstrates Enel's continued commitment to leading the energy transition towards a 100% renewable powered electric grid," said Salvatore Bernabei, CEO of Enel Green Power. "This transition is supported and accelerated by customers, like Kellogg Company, who are placing sustainability at the core of their business." As the demand for sustainable investing continues to grow, investors more than ever want to know that companies are actively addressing (ESG) issues. S&P Global recently ranked Kellogg's sustainability performance within the top 15% of the food industry, making Kellogg among the highest performing sustainable companies in the world. To learn more about Kellogg's sustainability efforts, visit KelloggCompany.com. About Kellogg Company At Kellogg Company (NYSE: K), our vision is a good and just world where people are not just fed but fulfilled. We are creating better days and a place at the table for everyone through our trusted food brands. Our beloved brands include Pringles, Cheez-It, Special K, Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, Pop-Tarts, Kellogg's Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies, Eggo, Mini-Wheats, Kashi, RXBAR, MorningStar Farms and more. Net sales in 2020 were approximately $13.8 billion, comprised principally of snacks and convenience foods like cereal, frozen foods, and noodles. As part of our Kellogg's Better Days purpose platform, we're helping to end hunger and are committed to creating Better Days for 3 billion people by the end of 2030. Visit www.KelloggCompany.com or www.OpenforBreakfast.com. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" about sustainability performance and projects. These statements are made on the basis of the Company's views and assumptions at this time and the Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements unless required by law. This statement is not a guarantee of future performance; and actual events or results may differ materially from this statement. Investors should consult the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including the information set forth under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 28, 2019 and the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 26, 2020) for information about certain factors that could cause such differences. Copies of these filings may be obtained upon request from the Company's Investor Relations department or on the Company's web site at http://www.kelloggcompany.com. 1 Source: Emissions equivalencies calculated by using The U.S. EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator, based on national averages. https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator 2 Source: Emissions equivalencies calculated by using The U.S. EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator, based on national averages. https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator SOURCE Kellogg Company Related Links http://www.kelloggcompany.com Two-Month Programming Event Includes Premieres of Ken Watanabe A Compassionate View, Anime Supernova Work, and Sequel to Five Years, Five Stories Documentary TOKYO, March 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NHK WORLD-JAPAN, the English-language international service of Japans sole public broadcaster, NHK, today announced it will present a collection of premiere and encore programming to mark the 10-year anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11, 2011, which spurred a tsunami, a meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, and mass destruction along Japans east coast. The programming event airs throughout March and April. This exceptional compendium of programs serves as a compelling reminderand cautionary talearound the unprecedented mega-disaster, and captures the magnitude and emotions surrounding its occurrence and aftermath. The programs depict the ways in which the tragedy has affected the people of Japan, exploring their first-hand experiences, as well as their resilience and resolution to rebuild their country in ways that make it even stronger. Descriptions of all programs in 3.11 10 Years On are available on this special web page. Among the international broadcast premieres in 3.11 10 Years On is Ken Watanabe - A Compassionate View: The Decade Since the Great East Japan Earthquake. One of Japans most respected and well-known actors, Watanabe used his notoriety to bring international attention to the disaster, and during the past decade has listened to the stories of more than 20,000 people. The documentary follows Watanabe as he visits four communities most affected by the disasterKatsurao (Fukushima), Kesennuma (Miyagi), Rikuzentakata (Iwate), and Kamaishi (Iwate)and gets to know its victims. The program airs Friday, March 5 and Saturday, March 6. Another international broadcast premiere, Generation March 11: Their 10 Years Journey, is a sequel to Five Years, Five Stories, a documentary that aired on NHK WORLD-JAPAN in 2016. It continues telling the stories and tracking the progress of the lives of children born in the disaster area around the time it occurred. This documentary portrays the ways in which these children have been affected by the tragedy, showing a number of them working to ensure it is never forgotten, and helping their hometowns flourish once again. Generation March 11: Their 10 Years Journey airs Friday, March 26, Saturday, March 27, and Friday, April 2. Even anime is featured in 3.11 10 Years On, as the programming collection includes a new documentary on one of Japan's most prolific and award-winning stop-motion animation artists, Murata Tomoyasu, and his passion for commemorating the victims of the disaster. This special edition of Anime Supernova features A Branch of a Pine Is Tied Up, the third entry in his series of earthquake-themed works. The story follows twin sisters affected by the tsunamione who survives and the other who loses her life. The ghost of the deceased twin wanders different locations of their shared childhood, searching for memories of her sister. The film airs Friday, March 12 and Saturday, March 13. Among the encore programs marking the 10-year anniversary of the disaster is 3/11-The Tsunami, a two-part documentary that made its international broadcast premiere in January 2021. The series combines footage from NHK camera crews with mobile phone and other video captured by citizens who were on scene during and after the earthquake and tsunami, and the countrys recovery efforts of the following year. NHK WORLD-JAPAN is presented in 13 major US markets through its partnerships with public television broadcasters in each market, and across the country via DIRECTV (channels 322 and 2049). The service is also available on Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV, as well as via a free downloadable app and streaming on the website: nhk.jp/world. About NHK WORLD-JAPAN NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) is Japans sole public broadcaster, operating the nations largest domestic and international television network. In Japan, NHK broadcasts six TV channels including 4K and 8K along with three radio stations. NHK also transmits two international television channels, NHK WORLD-JAPAN (English, HD, 24/7) and NHK WORLD PREMIUM (Japanese, HD, 24/7), as well as international radio services in eighteen languages. NHK WORLD-JAPAN reaches over 380 million households in 160 countries and regions via local satellite and cable TV providers. Online live streaming and VOD (video-on-demand) services through the free mobile app and the website, give viewers access to NHK WORLD-JAPAN anywhere and anytime. You can also connect through Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV. Presenting an extensive range of Asia-centered programming, NHK WORLD-JAPAN is your window to Japan, Asia, and the rest of the world. For more details, visit nhk.jp/world. About Japan International Broadcasting, Inc. Japan International Broadcasting Inc. (JIB), a subsidiary of NHK, is responsible for the worldwide distribution of the HD English language news/lifestyle channel NHK WORLD-JAPAN, as well as the HD Japanese language channel NHK WORLD PREMIUM. Currently, the two channels are broadcast around the world on three international plus domestic satellites in their respective markets and reach households, hotels, and others via DTH, cable, IPTV, and terrestrial broadcast. CONTACT: Krista Van Lewen, krista@boylepublicaffairs.com, 415-608-0263 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ecb1b513-4f88-440e-a7e8-ff62cbe5363f SOUTH HADLEY Mount Holyoke College President Sonya Stephens announced Tuesday night that she would reverse her administrations decision to close Gorse Childrens Center in June. The announced closure drew outrage from protesters and petitioners who demanded the child care facility be kept open. This interim solution means that children will continue to be cared for at the Gorse Childrens Center beyond July 1. Anyone seeking to enroll a child there should contact the Center directly at (413) 265-2024, Stephens said in an email message to the Mount Holyoke community. Mount Holyoke has now secured a one-year extension of the current contract with Bright Horizons, she said. Bright Horizons has operated the center on the colleges behalf for the past decade. The president was inundated with resistance to her decision last week. Stephens was sent a petition on Friday with more than a thousand signatures from parents whose children use the facility and former parents, who are not college employees. Signers included faculty and staff and Mount Holyoke students. A separate petition with about 200 signers went to Stephens from faculty and staff. These actions followed the initial decision on Feb. 23, to close the center -- a decision Stephens now says was ill-advised. There was also a protest Thursday at the main gate of campus attended by nearly 100. First, let me say how deeply sorry I am. The College leadership team and I continue to examine the errors and lessons we have all learned from this experience, and we commit to establishing more collaborative processes for decision-making on issues of such consequence. As president, I take full responsibility for these errors, for the decision and for the enormous stress and turmoil it has caused, Stephens said in Tuesday nights email. She added, First among these mistakes was our decision to suspend early childhood education at Gorse without a clear plan for continuity of care. Over the last few days, we have made it our priority to address this and to ensure that continuity for both Mount Holyoke and community families. Related content: Newly self-employed people will be breathing a sigh of relief today as the Chancellor confirmed that those who traded between and have completed a tax return for 2019 to 2020 are eligible for help. The group, which includes more than 600,000 people who went self-employed last year, was unable to access the first three instalments as they had not yet filed a full tax return. But they can apply for the fourth Self-Employment Income Support Scheme grant. But the self-employed who have made a profit of more than 50,000 in recent years still remain excluded from claiming anything under SEISS whatsoever, despite their being no similar earnings cap for the furlough scheme. This is the case even for sole traders who paid income tax and national insurance in full on those previous profits - and can now prove that their earnings have crashed over the past year due to lockdown and restrictions hitting their business. Chancellor Rishi Sunak listed a number of schemes to help SMEs and the self-employed today SEISS applicants must also be able to prove that they plan to continue trading, or providing a service, beyond the end of the support, which is expected to extend until September 2021 with a fifth and final round of SEISS. However, those now eligible for SEISS may not receive significant support given that it hinges on trading profits. Rachel Flowers, of campaign group #ExcludedUK, said: 'The early years of a business may see low to no profit due to high setup costs and overheads, yet may still be completely viable, and most importantly it won't take account of the last year and the long-term damage caused to people's personal finances and business debt.' Furthermore, Rishi Sunak made no mention of support for the millions of self-employed, contract workers and freelancers that remain excluded from any Government help such as limited company directors, employees denied furlough, zero-hour contract workers and more. Derek Cribb, chief executive of the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed, said: 'We thank the Chancellor for listening to our calls for more support for new self-employed people and extending SEISS in-line with employee support. 'Overall, this Budget presents a hopeful vision for many freelancers in the midst of dark times. However, we urge the Chancellor not to forget still excluded groups such as limited company directors and look at new ways to support all parts of the self-employed sector.' The fourth SEISS grant will remain at the 80 percent worth of trading profits basis while the fifth will depend on the amount of lost turnover. With another five weeks of lockdown ahead of us before many of our non-essential services can finally open up again, this extension will be a lifeline to many self-employed individuals. One of the biggest fears for the small business community ahead of today's Budget was an increase in corporation tax, which would mean SMEs would be unfairly burdened with tax increases to cover the cost of Government support to date. Higher taxes would have a detrimental impact on those already struggling to make ends meet. Still no support for events firms Alex Head said her events catering company, Social Pantry, has been severely impacted by Covid, with trade down by 89 per cent on last year and having to make 30 redundancies. Social Pantry's Alex Head said the business is down 89 per cent Despite being in the hospitality industry, her business was not eligible for the VAT cut as she falls under an events company. She was hoping to see cash grants, specifically focused on the events and the wedding industry announced in today's Budget. She said: 'It has been extremely challenging. We have used furlough and CBILs but there has been no rent relief, a grant or rates relief for my catering unit. 'High street hospitality looks to benefit from grants, rates relief and VAT but there is nothing for event companies. We are ineligible for the VAT cut or the business rates holiday. 'The extension of furlough is helpful but the cost of national insurance and holiday is unaffordable when not trading.' However, the Chancellor confirmed the increase would only impact larger companies and only from April 2023. For businesses with profits of 50,000 or less, a Small Profits Rate will be introduced, which will remain at 19 per cent. Sunak said this would mean around 70 per cent of the UK's companies will be completely unaffected by the hike. Mike Cherry, of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: 'The Chancellor's commitment to ruling out tax rises until the recovery is underway is the right one. 'Hikes on those who can bear it the least, with modest profits and large amounts of debt, are self-defeating. The reintroduction of a small business corporation tax rate with a taper is good to see. 'The taper must be at a reasonable level, especially as directors of small companies have not received a penny in income support.' Business rates holiday extended - but only for certain sectors Meanwhile, Sunak confirmed the extension of the business rates holiday for all businesses in retail, hospitality and leisure through to the end of June. For the following nine months, this will still be discounted by two-thirds, with a lower cap for those that have been able to stay open. Furthermore the VAT reduction to 5 per cent for hospitality has also been extended for six months until the end of September, and will also not go straight back to the 20 per cent rate thereafter, but will be charged at 12.5 per cent for a further six months. But while the continuation of business rates and VAT discounts is critical, it's important that those in supply chains benefit from them, and not just those that neatly fit the definitions of frontline retail, leisure and hospitality. It was also confirmed that the arts and creative sector will receive additional funding with the extension of the Culture Recovery Fund but this doesn't cover live events, one of the sector badly hit but so far ignored. The group #WeMakeEvents, which represents the live events sector launched a campaign last week highlighting the potential death of the sector if urgent help is not given. Duncan Bell, of #WeMakeEvents, said: 'The additional funding allocated to the Cultural Recovery Fund is also potentially helpful but DCMS and Arts Council England must ensure that the live event supply chain receives a fair proportion of the additional money allocated, which has not been the case in the past. 'Critical barriers to recovery still remain and must be overcome. Most importantly, vast numbers of businesses and individuals in the live event supply chain remain excluded from support schemes and we urge local authorities to address this through the discretionary funds they have been allocated.' Supply chain ignored again Ed Mason, managing director of independent brewery The Five Points Brewing Company, said the past 12 months have 'absolutely decimated trade'. Ed Mason is managing director of Hackney's Five Points Brewing Company Sales in January 2021 were just 20 per cent of what they had been a year before and although brewing is an integral part of the hospitality supply chain, the firm has received none of the support that has been offered to the hospitality sector. 'Pubs, shops and leisure have had a 12 months business rates holiday and grants distributed by the local authority - which has been really positive and which of course we support - however brewing has had no targeted support,' he said. 'We have focussed on developing our webstore and e-commerce to sell beer direct to the public online, and have had to negotiate with our landlords and suppliers to try and agree rent holidays and deferments. 'We have placed the vast majority of our employees on the furlough scheme which has at least protected their jobs and avoided mass redundancy so we are pleased to see that extended.' 'But sadly, there was no targeted support for firms like ours. The freeze in alcohol duties will be welcomed by our drinking customers, but do not help breweries while the VAT rate of 5 per cent only applies to food and soft drinks sales.' Ed said the team will have to find a way through, to continue to be innovative, to drive online sales and mail order business, while also asking landlords and suppliers to be patient and understanding. He added: 'We will continue to feel the impact of pubs and restaurants being shut, without being able to access the support that they are able to receive. Sadly, this is far from over.' Furlough extension and Help to Grow As expected, the furlough scheme was also extended to September, well beyond the end of the projected date for the reopening of society which is in June, according to the 'Roadmap to Recovery'. This will avoid the inevitable redundancy time-bomb that would have been created had it ended later this month, according to Paul Struthers of Sage. He said the focus should now be on how to create confidence for growth so that jobs can return, and businesses can thrive, which Sunak touched on with the announcement of the new Help to Growth scheme. The scheme is designed to help small businesses scale up digital adoption, which should help towards economic growth and job creation. Struthers added: 'The Help to Grow scheme is the innovative approach we've been calling for. Two-thirds of businesses want to invest in technology but until now 60 per cent have not been able to do so. 'Providing support to SMEs to invest in their futures will stimulate growth and job creation for the long term.' Meanwhile, the Chancellor also announced plans to boost the UK's position as a leading global hub for international business. For fintech specifically, this includes a new fast track visa to help fill the skills gap and encourage world class talent to continue to work in the UK. Adam Dunnett, of ZEDRA, said: This will be a turning point for the sector, and is intended to reduce bureaucracy when hiring. 'In theory, it will allow the sector access to a diverse pool of talent so the UK fintech scene can hire the best people and continue to be a leader for innovation and entrepreneurialism.' Viktor Prokopenya, a tech entrepreneur and fintech venture capitalist based in London, said Covid has created opportunities to 'build back better' in this sector, and the new policies announced today should help to maximise its potential. 'Sequel' to CBIL schemes and Super Deduction Another lifeline announced for businesses is the introduction of the Recovery Loan scheme. This replaces the current Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan scheme and will allow businesses to borrow between 25,000 to 10million with an 80 per cent government guarantee. It is more tailored for the current situation millions of business find themselves a year on from the start of the Covid-19 pandemic but greater detail is needed on around who can borrow, the scheme criteria, and rates, plus security from borrowers. Anil Stocker, of fintech business lender MarketFinance, said: 'These will enable businesses to plan for the future, rebuild their working capital and strengthen balance sheets. They can now look beyond stop-start lockdowns and plan for the future.' Sunak also announced the introduction of the new 25billion Super Deduction which some commentators say is the biggest positive news coming out of the budget. Fidelity's Tom Stevenson said this could encourage a two-year investment boom and is a clever innovation. 'Deducting 130 per cent of an investment from taxable income is the equivalent of a 25 per cent marginal tax cut. 'Cynics will call it a distraction from the main measure, but it incentivises job creation and productivity improvements, both of which will be essential if we are to grow ourselves out of this 400billion pandemic black hole.' 'The devil will be in the detail' Dominic Cools-Lartigue, founder of eatery and social space, The Tramshed Project, said the business has only been able to trade for six weeks since signing the lease to its site in Shoreditch in August 2020. 'The week before we opened the 10pm curfew was announced which severely impacted our revenue considering we had a 1am license,' he said. 'This cost us about 5,000 per week in revenue alone. When the lockdown was announced in early December we had to cancel 50,000 of booked revenue for the week ahead. Dom Cools-Lartigue is founder of The Tramshed Project in London The Tramshed Project has been selling meal kits to make ends meet, which has brought in some revenue but is not enough to cover losses. Dom said it is encouraging that VAT on food, business grants, furlough, and business rates holidays have all been extended as not doing so would have been disastrous for hospitality businesses across the country and in turn would have led to further trouble for the wider economy. He added: 'These measures will simply prop the business up in the short term and give us a fighting chance. We still need the vaccine roll out to continue at pace, for there to be no set back to the roadmap, and for strong consumer confidence when things finally open, so we can trade at the levels we need to make up for the losses of the past year. 'The announcement of the Super Deduction looks encouraging for capital expenditure for a new site we're considering opening. Obviously the devil is in the detail, however this looks like a promising measure which could stimulate growth.' Other excluded sectors Meanwhile, start-ups and scaling up businesses were also missed out in today's Budget. Emma Jones, of small business support network Enterprise Nation, said: 'For enterprise to flourish, start-ups should be encouraged, and small firms given the confidence to grow. 'Today's Budget offered critical support to the self-employed and smallest of firms until September, but we would have liked to see more of an emphasis on ways in which smaller firms can trade their way back to health through making sales at home and abroad. 'Hopefully this will be delivered through a consumer comeback from the great British public.' A new report from the Defense Department's inspector general blasts Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, for his conduct while serving as White House physician during the Obama and Trump administrations. The IG concluded that Jackson, who was a one-star Navy rear admiral at the time, made "sexual and denigrating" comments about a female medical subordinate. The IG also talked to 56 witnesses who worked with Jackson between 2012 and 2018 who experienced, saw or heard about him yelling, cursing or belittling subordinates. He also drank alcohol, in violation of regulations prohibiting him from doing so while he was providing medical care for the president, during two trips accompanying Obama: an April 2014 trip to Manila in the Philippines, and a March 2016 trip to Bariloche, Argentina. Read Next: Air Force's Reconfigured F-15E Strike Eagle Fighter Proves It Can Carry Extra Bombs CNN first reported the OIG's findings. At least six witnesses who served as medical personnel told investigators that Jackson took the prescription sleep aid Ambien on long flights, while he was on duty. This alarmed the witnesses, because Ambien can impair users' mental alertness and frequently leaves people drowsy. However, there is no specific restriction against using Ambien on long flights, the IG said. The IG did not substantiate an allegation that Jackson got drunk and wrecked a government vehicle, or another that he expected liquor to be stocked in his lodging room while on official travel. The allegations of drinking on duty and other misconduct sank President Donald Trump's bid to make Jackson secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs and held up his promotion to receive a second star. In a statement, Jackson said the allegations in the report are false, and that he was the "subject of a political hit job because I stood with President Trump." "I'm proud of the work environment I fostered under three different presidents of both parties," he said. "I have not and will not ever conduct myself in a way that undermines the sincerity with which I take my oath to my country or my constituents." Jackson denied consuming alcohol while on duty and said he takes his professional responsibilities regarding prescription drugs seriously. He also denied acting sexually inappropriate in any way, inside or outside of work, with anyone, including members of his staff. "That is not me, and what is alleged did not happen," Jackson said. The IG concluded in the report posted online Wednesday that Jackson "disparaged, belittled, bullied and humiliated" his subordinates; "failed to conduct himself in an exemplary manner" in the way he treated subordinates; and "fostered a negative work environment" by failing to treat them with dignity and respect. Witnesses described an April 2014 trip to Manila supporting former President Obama, during which Jackson drank in the hotel lobby one evening and then hit the town. A witness said that subordinates met up with Jackson at a restaurant that evening. He appeared to have a "buzz" but was still functional and able to communicate, the witness said. According to the statement, the witness could smell alcohol on him; Jackson's face was flushed, and it was clear he had already been drinking. Jackson then drank four to six more alcoholic beverages, on top of what he had consumed before arriving, the report states. A female subordinate told investigators that Jackson pounded on her hotel door in the middle of the night. When she opened it, she told investigators, he was leaning against her doorway with bloodshot eyes and seemed "visibly intoxicated." "You could smell the alcohol on his breath, and he leaned into my room and he said, 'I need you,'" the witness said. She said she was very uncomfortable and wasn't sure what he meant. She stepped back and asked what he needed her for, wondering whether there was a medical problem she needed to help with. "And he told me, he 'needed me' again and, 'I need you to come to my room,'" the witness said. Another witness grabbed Jackson by his shoulder, asked what he was doing, and said he would take Jackson back to his room. "RDML Jackson kept pointing to the female subordinate and said, 'No, no. We need her. We need her. Get her. We need her,'" the witness stated. The female subordinate looked at the other witness with concern, according to the report, but felt reassured that the other witness would not leave her alone with Jackson. She dressed, and all three returned to Jackson's room, where he loudly announced his intention to eat a local egg dish called balut. The female subordinate told investigators that Jackson said, "Take my phone. Take my phone. We need to take pictures. I want to film this. I want to film myself eating these eggs." "And he's screaming," the report quoted the subordinate saying. "I kind of describe this as like frat boy-type behavior." Jackson started to eat the balut, the female subordinate told investigators, and screamed, "It f---ing stinks. I can feel its f---ing feathers." The female subordinate thought to herself, "I'm done," grabbed her medical bag and started to return to her room, she reported. As she was leaving Jackson's room, a Secret Service agent told her he thought Jackson was going to wake Obama up, she added. The next day, the other witness told the female subordinate that Jackson had made crude comments about her body and said he wanted to see more of her tattoos, according to the report. During the 2016 Argentina trip, Jackson gave his medical bag to another member of the team. A witness said Jackson then drank a beer in the early afternoon. Though he was not on duty for at least three hours after drinking the beer, another witness said that Jackson "smelled of alcohol" when he took control of the medical bag again. Witnesses said that Jackson's "yelling, screeching, rage, tantrums and meltdowns" when dealing with subordinates were commonplace. He had quick bursts of anger, frequently cursed, and would call subordinates names, the report states. Only four other witnesses interviewed had never experienced, seen or heard of this behavior, it adds. Morale plummeted in the medical unit. Nurses were stressed and doctors felt demoralized, the IG said. One witness said Jackson's behavior had subordinates "walk[ing] on eggshells quite a bit," and that they didn't feel like they could tell him no or push back on anything because it would anger him. Witnesses used terms such as "toxic leader" and "tyrant" to describe Jackson in interviews. "I never saw [Jackson] reward anyone," one unidentified witness said. "I only saw him break people down." The investigation was launched in May 2018, after the Senate Armed Services Committee asked the IG to look into allegations against Jackson. The DoD hotline also received 12 complaints about Jackson's behavior between late April and early June 2018. But the IG said investigators' efforts were hampered by Trump administration resistance to allowing Jackson and other medical employees to be interviewed. The IG had several conversations with the Office of the White House Counsel, which would not allow Jackson to be interviewed without the presence of attorneys from that office. The IG ultimately agreed to conduct the interview with Jackson's personal attorneys and White House attorneys present. But during that October 2018 interview, the IG said, White House attorneys told Jackson not to answer any questions about events following his July 2013 appointment as the official physician to the president. Because most of the allegations involved conduct that followed that appointment, the IG said, "Our interview of RDML Jackson was limited in scope and unproductive." The White House counsel's office also insisted its attorneys be present during all interviews of current White House Medical Unit employees who interacted with Jackson. The IG felt that could have had a "chilling effect" on the interviews, preventing investigators from receiving accurate testimony. So the IG chose not to pursue testimony from current employees and relied on former employees and documents. The IG suspended field work on the investigation in October 2018 to talk with the White House counsel about their concerns, and whether Trump would invoke executive privilege, which he ultimately did not do. Ten months later, in August 2019, the IG told the White House it planned to continue investigating Jackson. Investigators also interviewed 78 witnesses and reviewed documents from the White House Military Office and the White House Medical Unit. -- Stephen Losey can be reached at stephen.losey@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StephenLosey. Related: Former White House Doctor, Navy Admiral Ronny Jackson Wins House Seat in Texas MIAMI, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading health law firm McDermott Will & Emery is hosting its annual HPE Miami Conference on March 9-12, 2021, with four days of virtual sessions where private equity investors and industry experts will delve into the insights and strategies shaping the future of healthcare investing. "This is a game-changing time for healthcare private equity and we're incredibly excited to see the deals that are already taking shape this year," said Ira Coleman, Chairman of McDermott Will & Emery. "HPE Miami has always brought focused, leading-edge insights from among the industry's biggest hitters. As leaders plan their next strategic moves, these perspectives have never been more important." Conference speakers include some of the most important healthcare organizations and leaders across industry subsectors. Among several, we are pleased to welcome Miriam Tawil, Managing Director of Centerbridge Partners; Dr. Richard Park, Founding CEO of CityMD; Megan Preiner, Managing Director of Thomas H. Lee Partners; and Slava Girzhel, US Head of Health Care Investment Banking, Senior Managing Director, Ernst & Young Capital Advisors. Sessions include: MISSION CRITICAL: ACTION PLANS FOR OPTIMIZING YOUR HEALTHCARE March 9, 11:001:00 EST Strategies for investments, including considerations for contingent purchase pricing; benefits and limits of Representation & Warranty insurance for healthcare risks; critical tactics for combining two platforms in one sector; and regulatory and government enforcement trends. SUBSECTOR INSIGHTS: WHAT'S AROUND THE CORNER? March 10, 11:00 2:00 EST Top-tier investment professionals, executives and bankers consider some of the hottest health industry subsectors today, including behavioral health, dermatology, dental, GI, hospice/ home care, ophthalmology, orthopedics, pharma services, pharmacy, urgent care, urology and women's care. STAYING AHEAD OF THE CURVE: HPE'S MOST IMPORTANT TRENDS March 11, 11:00 1:00 EST Examines the proliferation of risk-based/value-based businesses; selling healthcare portfolio companies to SPACs; alliances between private equity/ hospitals and health systems; and best practices to properly and profitably integrate telehealth into portfolio companies. THE BIG PICTURE: TODAY'S TRENDS AND FUTURE OUTLOOK March 12, 11:00 1:30 EST Managing directors, investment bankers, and finance and lending executives provide valuable insights on distressed health investing, the current market and where the industry is heading. Media are invited to attend the event. To register as media, contact Kerri Chace at [email protected]. Visit the conference webpage for more information. McDermott Will & Emery is the nation's leading health law firm. The Health Industry Advisory group is the only health practice to receive top national rankings from U.S. News Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms," Chambers USA, The Legal 500 US, and Law360. PitchBook recently recognized McDermott as the most active firm in healthcare private equity for the fourth consecutive year, handling 41 more healthcare private equity transactions in 2020 than its nearest competitor. ABOUT MCDERMOTT McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. Our team works seamlessly across practices and industries to deliver highly effectiveand often unexpectedsolutions that propel success. More than 1,200 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve. SOURCE McDermott Will & Emery Related Links http://www.mwe.com RTE has offered staff contracts to 81 people after the Revenue Commissioners raised concerns over their trading relationship with the station. Scores of freelancers or self-employed contractors were offered staff positions instead and 78 have accepted, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is to hear. They were given a month to accept or reject their individual offers, which follow a Revenue analysis of 157 RTE self-employment contracts, and a consultancy report to station bosses. Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy has questioned how some RTE stars on huge salaries could continue to be on protracted self-employment contracts for many years, without being taken on as staff. RTE has offered 81 contracts of employment in recent months, of which 78 were formally accepted, the PAC is told in correspondence to be formally opened on Thursday. Reacting, Ms Murphy told the Irish Independent that some people had been strung along by the station, while it may also have been the fact that the taxman was taking an interest which might have helped to concentrate minds. There was a potential issue of bogus self-employment, she added, meaning this was very good news and thus a good piece of work by the Public Accounts Committee. She added: The high level of take-up speaks for itself." In a letter to the PAC, Mark Griffin, Secretary General of the Department of Communications, says: RTE has maintained close co-operation with both the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. The broadcaster has also worked closely with auditors and accountants KPMG regarding the tax position for all its contractor groups, he adds. The update follows Sinn Fein TD Imelda Munster pointing out at a recent PAC hearing that seven in 10 of the top earners in a recent year were contractors, rather than staff employees. Mr Griffins letter updates PAC of RTEs implementation of a report it commissioned in 2018 from Eversheds Sutherland on a list of 433 freelancers or contractors providing services across the organisation. The consultants recommended that RTE should review and update its policy on the engagement of freelancers, and develop clear guidelines as to when and how to engage a contractor or employee. The national broadcaster was also advised to carry out a detailed review of its contractor population as a priority. This was a reference to the 157 contractors highlighted as having high or medium risk attributes akin to employment, meaning they should be on staff. RTE has completed the examination of all freelance or contractual employment arrangements, the letter says. The consultants carried out face to face meetings with line managers in RTE to gather further information of the facts and circumstances of each contract and personality involved. Following the review, RTE engaged with each individual contractor as to their own unique circumstances. On the basis of the respective offers, each individual was given a month to decide to accept, or reject, the offer of employment as appropriate. The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, who have responsibility for RTE since September 2020, have advised that RTE offered 81 contracts of employment of which 78 were formally accepted. An appeals process has also established, in consultation with the unions with RTE, but it is not clear if anyone has availed of this mechanism. RTE has updated the relevant policies and implemented training and awareness on the issue for all managers within the organisation, Mr Griffin adds. Independent TD Mattie McGrath accused RTE of being sly in publishing the details of pay to the top 10 earners over four years on the day of the inauguration of President Biden, which took place on January 20 last. Ms Murphy said at the PAC meeting which reviewed the issue that RTE stars were enjoying fairly substantial salaries, and yet weve had RTE highlighting that they're strapped for cash. Ms Murphy added: Obviously there is a concern that there appears to be substantial money laid out in terms of some of their employees although they're not (PAYE) employees. I think most of them are are are self-employed. ENDS For decades, the same ritual took place after Republican electoral defeats. Moderate, establishment-aligned party officials would argue that candidates had veered too far right on issues like immigration and would counsel a return to the political center. And conservatives would contend that Republicans had abandoned the true faith and must return to first principles to distinguish themselves from Democrats and claim victory. In the aftermath of 2020, that debate is scarcely taking place. Republicans have entered a sort of post-policy moment in which the most animating forces in the party are emotions, not issues. Last weekend, at the Conservative Political Action Conference, there was vanishingly little discussion of why Republicans lost the presidency, the House and the Senate over the last four years, nor much debate about what agenda they should pursue to rebuild the party. The absence of soul-searching owes in part to the denialism of many activists that they lost the White House at all, a false claim perpetuated with trollish gusto by former President Donald J. Trump himself on Sunday. The latest survey conducted by the Foreign Correspondents Club of China (FCCC) shows a rapid decline in media freedom in 2020, with foreign correspondents and their Chinese colleagues facing increasing difficulties against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic and tit-for-tat exchanges between Washington and Beijing. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) calls on Chinese authorities to stop targeting journalists and respect freedom of the press. Police attempt to stop journalists from recording footage outside the Shanghai Pudong New District People's Court, where Chinese citizen journalist Zhang Zhan is set for trial on December 28, 2020. Credit: Leo RAMIREZ/ AFP The FCCC issued its annual report on March 1 based on a survey that attracted responses from 150 of its 220 members. For the third year in a row, no journalist said working conditions had improved in China. The FCCC is very disappointed that media freedoms deteriorated significantly in 2020, and strongly condemns the use of journalists in diplomatic conflicts, the FCCC said. At least 18 foreign correspondents from U.S.-headquartered news organisations, including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post, were expelled in 2020, after Chinese authorities cancelled their press credentials. It is widely seen as a retaliatory move by Beijing after Washington capped the number of Chinese journalists deployed in America, leading to the departures of dozens of employees of Chinese state media. Since September, foreign correspondents working with the American press have been denied press credentials, regardless of their nationality. The Chinese authorities instead issued letters that would allow them to work in China for less than one year. At least 13 journalists received press credentials valid for six months or less, the survey found. Nathan VanderKlippe of Canadas Globe and Mail said he received seven consecutive one-month visas before being handed a three-month visa. The report said: All arms of state power including surveillance systems introduced to curb coronavirus were used to harass and intimidate journalists, their Chinese colleagues, and those whom the foreign press sought to interview. China has ramped up its efforts to frustrate and obstruct foreign correspondents who tried to cover Covid-19, often citing public health concerns as excuses. Journalists were faced with similar harassment, interrogations, and even cyberattacks for various reasons, such as trying to report on Xinjiang and Hong Kong. Their Chinese colleagues were also endangered. Notably, journalist Haze Fan, who had worked with the Bloomberg China bureau since 2017, was detained in December on suspicion of jeopardising national security. The IFJ said: Chinese officials have repeatedly claimed to be open and transparent during the Covid-19 pandemic, but journalists accounts have proven otherwise. The Chinese authorities have paid no regard to media freedom while continuously undermining journalists rights and safety. The IFJ joins forces with the FCCC to urge China to stop targeting foreign journalists and their Chinese colleagues, and calls for the international communitys awareness of the deteriorating media freedom in China. 6 Shares Share I have been distracting myself since the second wave. Our hospital has quietened down as far as COVID-19 cases go, and we started doing limited planned surgeries. After my last post, which detailed the overwhelming and horrific difficulties we faced during the second wave, a friend of mine suggested my next post should be about some good news. So I thought of telling you about a touching visit by a medical student to her grandfather. He had been admitted with COVID pneumonia and is now recovering at home. I also thought I would write about how we have resumed planned surgeries, and how it feels different to when we resumed after the first wave. In the background, I have been working on a document detailing how COVID-19 has affected me as an orthopedic surgeon. I think the latter post would not be good news. But there is good news for this post: I received my Johnson & Johnson vaccine on Friday. It was injected into my left arm by a community clinic nurse at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital, a provincial general hospital in the south of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. There is so much to say about the vaccinations for COVID-19. The scientific endeavor and ultimate production and licensing is nothing short of miraculous. The first time use of mRNA vaccines in the Pfizer and Moderna vials is science exploring the envelope. The Pfizer story is worth reading. It details a humble event. Albert Bourla is a Jew born in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, who steered Pfizer as CEO to be the first to release and use a vaccine for COVID-19. The story of who was the first person to be vaccinated in Greece is where much respect goes to Mr. Bourla. Mrs. Despina, 95 years old and also of Thessaloniki, is a Jewish-Greek holocaust survivor. She received her vaccine in early January 2021. The Astra-Zeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines both use the older technology of inactive adenovirus with the DNA of the coronavirus incorporated. Unfortunately, the Astra-Zeneca vaccine gave less protection for the new variants of the coronavirus, including the variant which caused South Africa to explode in the recent second wave. The adenovirus DNA vaccines are more robust than the modern mRNA vaccines, whose cold chain storage at -70 degrees Celsius is difficult in a developing country. South Africa had already taken delivery of one million doses of the Astra-Zeneca vaccine as the studies unfolded about it not being as protective as we had hoped for. It was a disheartening blow to the nations health care workers who were relying on a vaccine to give them real protection. Before the dust had settled on the unused Astra-Zeneca vials (which were sold to other African countries), South Africa took delivery of 80,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. This is a single dose vaccine instead of the others that rely on two doses, given at an interval of a few weeks to a few months. Over the last week, the Department of Health coordinated the Johnson & Johnson vaccine distribution under the umbrella of a trial for health care workers called Sisonke. Sisonke in Zulu means together. It is a Phase 3b clinical trial which is pragmatic and set in the real world. Perhaps a little more real in Africa. The Department of Health distributed the 80,000 doses between 14 state hospitals and used these initial doses to protect frontline health care workers. Their EVDS (Electronic Vaccination Data System) website allowed me to register as a health care worker. My hospital then stratified staff into risk levels, and then I was able to register on the Sisonke website to be part of the trial. Besides entering personal details, this also involved digitally signing informed consent. After this, I received a voucher number and a booking to get my vaccine at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital. It was not all as simple as it sounds. The logistics of the vaccine delivery process have been difficult globally. South Africa has discovered the limitations of the public-private health care system. Some provinces allocated appointment times. When I received my invitation, it was open-ended: from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. My heart sank as I thought of my visit two years ago to the Department of Home Affairs to apply for the renewal of my passport. For that, I arrived at 5 a.m. to be close to the front of the queue. It could not be that bad, so I arrived at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital, 10 km away from Netcare Kingsway Hospital, just after 7 a.m. I was relieved and reassured to see our nursing manager at the entrance welcoming and directing me. I was number 184 in the queue. Two hours later, I received my injection. Then I had to wait the obligatory 15 minutes to ensure I did not suffer an adverse reaction. I walked out feeling empowered. I had survived a mild dose of COVID-19 at the end of last year, and now with the vaccine, I was protected. As data comes in, I will, in turn protect others. But until a significant proportion of our population is vaccinated, I will continue applying the appropriate precautions. We should all continue to wear masks, wash hands and maintain social distance. The minimum requirement in the hospital and my office remains a mask, visor, plastic apron, and gloves. We still have a long way to go with this pandemic, but the vaccine is the most significant step in our battle to gain control of this novel coronavirus. I am grateful to the scientists who developed the vaccine and the South African government for choosing to protect us. Special thanks to the manager of Netcare Kingsway Hospital, Mrs. Demetriou for her efforts to get her staff vaccinated. Health care workers have seen a different reality from the rest of the population. Basil Stathoulis is an orthopaedic surgeon, Netcare Kingsway Hospital, Durban, South Africa. He can be reached at basilBLOGinc and on Instagram @basilartinc. Image credit: Shutterstock.com 400 companies, so far, have joined Egypts e-invoice system in its two stages, and a total of 250 documents have been processed by the system since its launch in November 2020, Egypts Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait announced on Wednesday. Egypt launched the first stage of the e-invoice system on 15 November 2020, while the second was launched on 15 February 2021 and is scheduled to close on 15 May. Maait said that Egypt has been taking serious steps in implementing the national project to rejuvenate the Egyptian tax system under Egypts Vision 2030, which aims to ease procedures for taxpayers, as well as enhance spending on improving peoples living standards and improve the level of services. It is also aiming to achieve tax justice, curb tax evasion, and merge informal economy activities into the formal one, according to Maait. Maait urged all companies that are registered at the centre of major taxpayers, one of Egypts Tax Authoritys (ETA) bodies, to join the system before the deadline, affirming that its a mandatory action. Reda Abdel-Kader, head of ETA said that joining the e-invoice system enhances the companies tax positions by classifying them in the low-tax risk group. Additionally, the system facilitates VAT settlements among companies, upgrades invoice exchange between them, reduces transactions cost, allows the remote tax examination for companies, and eases the process of preparing and submitting tax returns, according to Abdel-Kader. He added that subscribing to the e-invoice system is mandatory to deal with ministries, economic authorities, public sector companies, the public business sector, and all state bodies, as decreed by the prime minister. Egypts public e-invoice revenues jumped to EGP 4 billion per month in 2020, up from EGP 1 billion, growing by 250 percent owing to the coronavirus, Maait said in December. The hike is the result of a number of new government services that have become available online to encourage the public to use e-payment. Short link: BEIJING, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- RLX Technology Inc. ("RLX Technology" or the "Company") (NYSE: RLX), a leading branded e-vapor company in China, today announced the appointment of a new independent director to its board of directors (the "Board"), Professor Youmin Xi, effective immediately. Professor Xi will serve as a member of the audit committee, compensation committee and nominating and corporate governance committee of the Board. Ms. Ying (Kate) Wang, Co-founder, Chairperson of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of RLX Technology, said, "We are pleased to welcome Professor Youmin Xi to RLX Technology and with his extensive background and experience in strategic management and organizational behavior, we believe that he will bring great value to the Company. We look forward to working closely with him and benefiting from his valuable insights and extensive experience." Professor Youmin Xi is Executive President and Board Member of Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of University of Liverpool and a Professor at the School of Management of Xi'an Jiaotong University. In 1987, Professor Xi established HeXie theory and later extended it with his research team into the HeXie (Harmony) Management Theory, one widely recognized in academic circles. Professor Xi gained his undergraduate degree in physics from Xi'an Science and Technology University and his masters in system engineering from Xi'an Jiaotong University. In 1987, he was the first person in mainland China to be awarded a doctoral degree in the field of management engineering from Xi'an Jiaotong University, while in 1993 became the youngest supervisor of PhD candidates in management engineering in China. Going forward, the Board will consist of five members, two of whom are independent directors. In particular, the audit committee will consist of Ying (Kate) Wang, Zhejing Zhu and Youmin Xi, with Zhejing Zhu as the chairperson; the compensation committee will consist of Ying (Kate) Wang, Zhejing Zhu and Youmin Xi, with Ying (Kate) Wang as the chairperson; and the nominating and corporate governance committee will consist of Ying (Kate) Wang, Zhejing Zhu and Youmin Xi, with Ying (Kate) Wang as the chairperson. About RLX Technology RLX Technology (NYSE: RLX) is a leading branded e-vapor company in China. RLX Technology leverages its strong in-house technology and product development capabilities and in-depth insights into adult smokers' needs to develop superior e-vapor products. RLX Technology sells its products through an integrated offline distribution and "branded store plus" retail model tailored to China's e-vapor market. Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "is/are likely to," "potential," "continue" and similar statements. Among other things, business outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as the Company's strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including but not limited to statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Further information regarding these risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is current as of the date of the press release, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update such information, except as required under applicable law. For more information, please contact: In China: RLX Technology Inc. Head of Investor Relations Sam Tsang Email: [email protected] The Piacente Group, Inc. Jenny Cai Tel: +86-10-6508-0677 Email: [email protected] In the United States: The Piacente Group, Inc. Brandi Piacente Tel: +1-212-481-2050 Email: [email protected] SOURCE RLX Technology Inc. Related Links www.relxtech.com/# Gong Communications has been engaged by the Royal Academy of Engineering (the UK's national academy of engineering) to support its sub-Saharan Africa grants programs: Higher Education Partnerships in sub-Saharan Africa and Global Challenges Research Fund Africa Catalyst. Gong will work to increase visibility and awareness of the programs as well amplifying the Academys role in helping to build sustainable societies and inclusive economies. Gong will deliver the work from its offices in London and Nairobi, working with its partners in other countries in Africa where required. It was important to us that the team we engaged with had strong local expertise and knowledge, said Meredith Ettridge, head of sustainable development at the Royal Academy of Engineering. We were also impressed by Gongs experience in diversity and inclusion, a key pillar of our 2020-2025 strategy, and its commitment to diversity in its own team. Mower is named public relations and marketing agency of record for data science and media company 84.51. The agency will handle PR, marketing and advertising for the company. Founded in 1995 as the consumer insights and media activation arm of the Kroger supermarket chain, 84.51 is an industry leader in data science and predictive analytics, helping brands in emerging disciplines connect with customers. We were impressed by the agencys collaborative approach and demonstrated experience in our need areas. We look forward to taking full advantage of the range of strategic communications services their team has to offer 84.51, said company chief marketing director Daniela Patterson. PAN Communications will be PR agency of record for Definitive Healthcare, a source for data insights and analytics in the healthcare provider and influencer market. PAN will work to elevate Definitive Healthcares brand visibility and awareness in the healthcare data and intelligence market, with a focus on the biopharma and medical device verticals. It will also utilize Definitive Healthcares data and insights to build a thought leadership and awareness program. PANs healthcare practice lead, Dan Martin, will oversee strategy for the partnership. With a strong reputation across the industry, a team that understands how to leverage media connections and has a creative approach to content, PAN was the perfect selection for us, said Definitive Healthcare vice president of corporate marketing Jan Carlisle. The former president of the Romanian Senate, former Prime minister (2005-2008) Calin Popescu-Tariceanu was prosecuted by the National Anti-corruption Directorate (DNA) prosecutors in the criminal file where he is charged with bribe taking worth USD 800,000, the DNA said on Wednesday, in a release. Adm. Art McDonald addresses the audience at the Royal Canadian Navy Change of Command ceremony in Halifax on June 12, 2019. (Andrew Vaughan/The Canadian Press) Sad Story All Around: Sexual Misconduct in Canadas Military Both the current and former chiefs of the defence staff of the Canadian Armed Forces are being investigated for allegations of inappropriate behaviour, prompting a much deeper look into sexual misconduct in the military than efforts that had begun nearly six years earlier. Its very serious and unsettling to see the former chief, and now our newly selected chief, to see these allegations and investigations into their behaviours, retired Lt.-Gen. Guy Thibault said in an interview, referring to Gen. Jonathan Vance and Adm. Art McDonald respectively. Thibault, a former vice chief of the defence staff himself, was Vances boss when some of the misconduct allegedly took place. Beyond what the media has reported on, I dont have any additional information, he said. Its a story that a lot of folks are quite interested in and a bit of a sad story all around. On Feb. 2, Global News reported allegations of sexual misconduct by Vance against two female subordinates. One of those women, Maj. Kellie Brennan, has since gone on record to say shed had a sexual relationship with Vance while she was directly under his command. The second woman, a corporal, alleged that Vance in an email in 2012 had suggested going with her to a clothing-optional vacation spot. Vance says he has no recollection of that incident and also denied any inappropriate activity with Brennan. McDonald, who replaced Vance as defence chief on Jan. 14, promised an investigation. However, he himself was replaced on Feb. 24 after voluntarily stepping aside when he also came under investigation. CBC reported that the allegations against him date back to 2010 and involve a female junior officer at a party aboard HMCS Montreal, at which alcohol was consumed, while the ship was in the Arctic. Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan has appointed army commander Lt.-Gen. Wayne Eyre as acting defence chief. However, Sajjan also faces questions, since retired military ombudsman Gary Walbourne reportedly raised concerns about Vance with him in 2018. Thibault said the military has stepped up efforts to address sexual misconduct since reports on the issue appeared in 2013. Retired Supreme Court of Canada justice Marie Deschamps conducted an investigation and made recommendations in 2015, resulting in an initiative called Operation Honour, which was launched by Vance. The last six years, the effort has been placed on confronting the challenges to hold people to account from a disciplinary side, the administrative action taken against perpetrators, providing victim support, Thibault said. Its hard to overstate how much work has been done, but the truth is that there are still incidents unfortunately still happening. The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service is looking into the allegations. The House of Commons defence committee has also launched a study into the matter. Charlotte Duval-Lantoine of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, who has studied the topic of leadership, culture change, and gender integration in the Canadian Forces during the 1990s and who won a prize for an essay on this theme in 2018, believes an independent investigation is required. I think that the actual independence part is necessary, Duval-Lantoine told The Epoch Times. We need to have a new commission of inquiry or board of inquiry, similar to what we had on the deployment in Croatia, or the deployment in Somalia in the 1990s. She says, however, that the investigation alone wont be able to solve the problem, as it must be addressed by the leadership to change the culture that leads to misconduct. It starts at the top, she said. Operation Honour confirmed 84 cases of sexual assault and 172 incidents of sexual misconduct other than sexual assault in the 201819 reporting year, out of 302 investigations recorded that year, according to the latest tracking report. Over 85 percent of the complainants were females and 62 percent were junior non-commissioned members, who hold ranks from private to corporal and master corporal. The investigations resulted in four people being permanently removed from command and 14 permanently removed from supervisory positions, among other actions taken. The United States says it is "deeply concerned" over the release from pretrial detention of a Kyrgyz organized-crime figure for whom Washington has offered a $1 million reward. In a statement on March 3, the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek described Kamchy Kolbaev as a transnational organized-crime boss and a convicted murderer whose criminal network engages in drug trafficking, human trafficking, arms trafficking, and other dangerous criminal activity. Kolbaevs drug trafficking network poisons children across Central Asia, Russia, and Europe," it quoted Ambassador Donald Lu as saying. Kolbaev was detained in October 2020 on suspicion of organizing a criminal group and participating in the activities of an organized criminal group. A spokeswoman at the Bishkek City Court told RFE/RL that the decision to change Kolbaevs pretrial restrictions was made on March 2. She did not say why the decision was made. The next day, the State National Security Committee (UKMK) said Kolbaev would be unable to leave the city of Cholpon-Ata. The committee also announced a new criminal case had been opened against him on money-laundering charges. Kolbaevs relatives transferred around 20 percent of the total amount of money allegedly laundered -- more than 250 million soms ($2,950,000)-- to the state, it said, adding that the rest should be paid by the end of April, which marks the end of the investigation period. In 2014, the U.S. State Department offered a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to the disruption of the financial mechanisms of Kolbaev's criminal network. In a recent meeting with the leadership of the State Committee for National Security, Ambassador Lu repeated the U.S. commitment to support the efforts of Kyrgyz law enforcement to investigate and prosecute Kolbaev, the U.S. Embassy said in its statement. The U.S. envoy also conveyed Washingtons intention to increase the award offered for the disruption of Kolbaevs criminal network, and to create an improved mechanism to allow Kyrgyz citizens to collect this reward in order to assist the Kyrgyz government to rid the country of the threat posed by Kolbaevs crime syndicate. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. New Delhi: The Supreme Court Wednesday dismissed a plea filed by the Uttar Pradesh government against the Allahabad High Court's interim order granting protection from arrest to two sons of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari in an alleged forgery case. A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and R S Reddy said it is not inclined to entertain the petition filed by the state against the October 21, 2020 order of the high court. "This special leave petition is filed against the interim order dated October 21, 2020, passed by the high court, by which the high court directed that till the next date of listing, the petitioners shall not be arrested in connection with the First Information Report dated August 27, 2020," the bench said in its order. "We have also been informed that the writ petition in which the impugned interim order has been passed is listed tomorrow before the high court. In view of the above fact, we are not inclined to entertain the special leave petition. The special leave petition is, accordingly, dismissed. We make it clear that we have not expressed any opinion on the merits of the case," the bench said. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Uttar Pradesh, referred to a subsequent order of February 17 this year passed by the high court which had dismissed a separate petition filed by Mukhtar Ansari. The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court had passed the interim order in October last year and directed that petitioners before it, Abbas Ansari and Umar Ansari, shall not be arrested in the case lodged in Lucknow for the alleged offences under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including cheating, using as genuine a forged document and under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984. It had made clear that investigation in the case shall go on and the petitioners before it would fully cooperate with the investigating agency. Mukhtar Ansari, an MLA from Mau constituency in Uttar Pradesh, is presently lodged in Rupnagar district jail in Punjab in connection with an alleged extortion case. Several cases are pending against him in Uttar Pradesh. CAMARILLO, Calif., March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Alert Communications, a leading provider of virtual receptionist and intake services for the legal industry, welcomes Maz Ghorban as its first executive vice president. Ghorban brings nearly 25 years of experience in the professional services, call center and software industries to this role. "I am delighted that Maz has joined our company," said Parker Davis, CEO of Nexa Holdings, parent company of Alert Communications. "His significant leadership experience within the legal services markets, as well as his passion for client growth and success, made the partnership an obvious one from the very first time that we spoke." "Since the beginning of 2020, our enterprise-wide revenues have increased almost three-fold. Given this increased scale of our organization, it became mission-critical to appoint an experienced leader dedicated to the Alert brand." As executive vice president, Ghorban leads day-to-day operations at Alert Communications, providing executive leadership for its call center operations and service delivery, customer service and technology initiatives. Working in collaboration with senior executives from Alert Communications' sister brand, Nexa Receptionists, he guides development of client brand services and a rewarding employee culture. "I am committed to driving Alert Communications' strategic innovation," said Ghorban. "We are the leader in legal intake services and my mission is to expand our high-quality service offering into new markets, while building upon the company's longstanding culture of supporting our employees in their career goals." Before joining Alert Communications, Ghorban served as the vice president of global services for AbacusNext, a legal case management and document automation software company with offices in San Diego, Toronto and Edinburgh. As Alert Communications' executive vice president, Ghorban is focused on three areas of opportunity: Technological advancements that drive higher value for clients, expansion of services into new areas of the legal practice and technical solutions that promote an economy of scale. About Alert Communications A Nexa Holdings brand, Alert Communications is the leading provider of virtual receptionist and intake services for the legal industry. Founded in 1965, the company has served thousands of attorneys and hundreds of legal marketing agencies from its 55,000-square-foot, 400+ legal-only call center located in Camarillo, Calif. (www.alertcommunications.com) SOURCE Alert Communications Related Links http://www.alertcommunications.com Ah, the voice of reason its almost always a welcome intrusion, but in these increasingly polarized political times, it tends to be heard infrequently amid the seemingly ceaseless rancorous din. Ah, the voice of reason its almost always a welcome intrusion, but in these increasingly polarized political times, it tends to be heard infrequently amid the seemingly ceaseless rancorous din. But that voice was heard and seen, in the form of a full-page open letter to Manitobas current crop of politicians this week, imploring the provinces legislators to set aside partisan wrangling and excessive procedural posturing and get back to the work that is expected of them. Political heavyweights say it's time to put aside partisan bickering Click to Expand Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister, right, and Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew pose for a selfie after the reading of the throne speech at the Manitoba Legislature in 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES/John Woods Posted: 3:00 AM Mar. 2, 2021 Six prominent Manitobans from across the political spectrum have urged the provinces three party leaders to stop their partisan wrangling and respect the right of Manitobans to be informed about government legislation. Read Full Story "We are writing today to express our serious concerns regarding significant departures from legislative norms and best practices related to the parliamentary and the wider democratic process," begins the missive, which is addressed to Premier Brian Pallister and opposition leaders Wab Kinew and Dougald Lamont, and signed by former MPs Lloyd Axworthy (Liberal), Bill Blaikie (NDP), Shelly Glover (Conservative) and Judy Wasylicia-Leis (NDP), as well as retired Court of Appeal justice and former provincial Liberal leader Charles Huband and professor emeritus of political studies Paul Thomas. At issue is the unprecedented manner in which the current Progressive Conservative government used procedural tactics in response to obstructive measures employed by the opposition to introduce, and pass through first reading in the legislature, 19 bills presented with titles alone and no accompanying text that would allow opposition members, stakeholders and the general public to review and react to them in a constructive manner. Noting that such a situation is unprecedented in Manitoba history and the legislative history of all other Canadian jurisdictions, as well as every international jurisdiction that responded to questions from the Manitoba legislative library, the letters writers flatly stated, "This is unacceptable," and called on the Pallister government and both opposition parties to take immediate steps to restore transparency, public accountability and more normal legislative function. Among the steps requested are ensuring public access to the full text of all 19 bills by no later than this Thursday; a commitment not to proceed with second reading for at least 14 days after the bills are made public; and an undertaking by all three parties to amend the rules of the legislature before the next session "to better reflect and respect due process." In making their "respectful" demands, the letter-writers reminded the legislatures intractable trio that democracy as evidenced by recent events south of the Canada-U.S. border is fragile, and its "time for the leaders and the elected members of all parties in Manitoba to step back from partisan wrangling, to remember who they serve and to respect the right of all Manitobans to be informed of and to participate in the legislative process." MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister It all sounds so ... reasonable. Procedural infighting will always be part of the messy business of parliamentary democracy, but the agreement from this across-party-lines collection of experts is that Manitobas current legislature has taken petty politicking too far. The reaction from the elected-official side of the fence was, of course, predictable. During Tuesdays COVID-19 briefing, Mr. Pallister was asked directly about the letter and offered a lengthy response that placed blame on the other parties for the current democratic debacle and referred to "factual errors in the assertions" while insisting that his is "a hard-working government" that is "ready to play nice." As has been the case too often in recent provincial politics, Mr. Pallister and his opposition counterparts remain steadfast in their determination to show the others whos the boss around here. Each might do well to heed the letter-writers reminder that they all are employed by the people who cast the votes and pay the taxes. Gail Poole, who at age seventy-seven, continues to express herself through her writing, has completed her new book The Ghost of O'Reillys' Mansion": a riveting tale the details how Calie was skeptical about her Aunt Julies Mansion being haunted, but never ruled it out because she had always been intrigued by the unknown and especially the spiritual life after death. According to Poole, We all have our ghosts. Do we not all speak to our loved ones who have passed on? Do they hear us? It remains an unexplained phenomenon. Published by Page Publishing, Gail Pooles gripping work delves into how Calies aunt had become obsessed with the mysterious secrets that surrounded the strange death of Manson and Francine OReilly and later their son, Jacob. The writers instinct in her was awakened. There was a story there that needed to be told, and she was convinced many secrets to be unraveled. Aunt Julie had convinced Calie to give up her reporters job at the New-York Tribune and coauthor a book about the OReillys. Her aunt had always told her she was meant to be an author. It is your forte, my dear, dont waste it. Being a renowned author in her own right, in addition to owning her own publishing company, she had helped launch Calies career. Calie was saddened by her aunts sudden death and was summoned by her lawyer to come and handle Aunt Julies affairs. Little did she know how drastically her life was about to change. Readers who wish to experience this thrilling book can purchase The Ghost of O'Reillys' Mansion" at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708. About Page Publishing: Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com. Author, activist and human rights worker Jason Scott Jones calls for believers to stop patronizing products from China on account of the plight of slave workers in China's concentration camps. In his article on The Stream, he said that there were reports from China exposing numerous ill treatments of workers including "torture, rape, forced abortions and sterilizations, organ harvesting, and summary execution." Amelia Pang, an investigative journalist, did an undercover report on China's labor camps. In her January interview about Contemporary China, Pang revealed that Chinese companies would often stage false audits on factories to give the outside world an impression that they're slave-free. But a drone captured video of shackled workers belied China's claims. The video was released by The Guardian. These prisoners' mass-produced products in China are widely sold in Western countries including the U.S. China's Communist Government Tightens their Control To secure their reign, the communist government carried out acts of terror against Christians and Muslims. Since 1948, Christians experienced church bans and other forms of oppression. The Vatican's recent alliance with the CPP, by virtue of being instrumental to Pope Francis' social reform doctrine, added insult to injury. Cardinal Joseph Zen said that it was "an incredible betrayal" because "a church enslaved by the government is no real Catholic Church." In the latter years, indigenous Uyghurs and those of Turkish descent were held in concentration camps in Xinjiang. Reports say that they were "subjected to forced labor, mandated to produce goods that are exported worldwide, including to the United States." They also "face rape, sexual and physical violence, torture, organ harvesting and summary execution." Organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience is also a lucrative business for China's communist party. The Daily Mail covered the documentary released by human rights lawyer David Matas and former Canadian member of parliament David Kilgour on China's organ trafficking. It's for these reasons that Jones pleads for believers to "wake up." He said that "many 'Woke' multinational corporations have integrated forced Uyghur labor into their supply chains, specifically because it's cheap." Jones also shared his horrific discovery when he rounded bookstores. He said that many of the articles and religious products he saw were made from China. "As a Christian, I am appalled that so many articles I find in church-run bookstores are made in China," he wrote. He further stated that Christians should not help in lining up the pockets of oppressors. He claims that Catholic and Protestant owned bookstores don't ask questions and just "blithely sell" these slave-made products. "If you run, or work in, or shop in a religious articles/church bookstore, I'm begging you to do one simple thing. Look into where the goods come from. If they come from China, you cannot be sure they weren't made by slaves. What a mockery of God, to use the sweat of believers - Christian or otherwise - forced to work by an atheist tyranny. Why should churches whose own believers are persecuted by the Chinese government help fill its coffers with blood money?" Jones added. Don't panic if you get confusing mammogram results right after receiving your first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. "Chances are it's the COVID-19 vaccine you just had on the same side as your lymph node in the axilla in the underarm," M.D. Anderson's Dr. Jessica Leung told Chron. COVID-19 VARIANTS: Expert weighs in on 3 new COVID-19 variants now emerging in Houston M.D. Anderson doctors are now seeing a rise in mammograms identifying false positives for breast cancer. Right after patients receive their vaccination, some may experience swollen lymph nodes, which is a rare sign of breast cancer. Although swelling is a normal immune response to the vaccinations, M.D. Anderson experts say the emergence of post-vaccine swelling is higher than other inoculations. "For the most part, what we're experiencing identification of large nodes on mammograms being performed," Leung said. "There are some women who are feeling swollen lymph nodes." The swelling of lymph nodes has also led to false positives for leukemia and lymphoma patients, MD Anderson explained. The Centers for Disease Control explained that approximately 11 percent of people who receive Pfizer or Modern vaccine will experience swollen lymph nodes after their first dose. This goes up t0 16 percent after the second dose. It's critical to inform the breast imaging technician who performs your mammogram that you've received a COVID-19 vaccine, Leung stated. "It's a matter of communication with the healthcare facility to inform them, 'Yes, I had this vaccine on this date and also the type of vaccine,'" Leung stressed. Women should not delay their annual mammogram screenings, but plan around their first and second doses of the vaccine. "If at all possible, get your mammogram before any vaccination," Leung said. "If you've already had dose one, then wait until you get dose two. And then get your exam 4-6 weeks after the second dose. We don't want women to wait too long." Leung reiterated that both the vaccine and breast cancer screenings are essential for women, and it's essential not to delay them. "It is very important to get the message out both are importantboth the vaccine and breast cancer screenings," Leung added. MILFORD Forty-five years ago, as the United States prepared to celebrate the 1976 bicentennial, a Milford church commemorated the lives of six men whose service helped win American independence. Job Caesar, Pomp Cyrus, Juba Freeman, Peter Gibbs, William Sower, and Congo Zado were Black Revolutionary War soldiers from Milford honored for their service by the congregation of First Baptist Church with a memorial marker, which was dedicated on May 8, 1976. Milford native Jennyfer Holmes was baptized into the North Street church that same year, and has spent years researching the six men commemorated on the churchs monument and in the churchs collection of historical documents. When I saw that record, I completely got goose-bumps, said Holmes, the First Baptist Church historian and a second-generation member of the congregation. To think of that day and time and based on the church recordit was such a jewel to find. The six Black soldiers are buried alongside 46 other Revolutionary War soldiers in Milford Cemetery, across from the church. The monument in the cemetery, erected by an act of the Connecticut General Assembly in 1852, is dedicated to American Revolutionary War prisoners whom the townspeople attempted to save when the British abandoned them on a Milford beach and who died from smallpox in 1777. Richard Platt, Milford's official city historian whose family settled in the city in 1639, credited the Rev. Charles Walker of First Baptist Church with getting the six soldiers recognized. I was chair of the Bicentennial Observance Commission in 1976 and members of the First Baptist Church formed their own committee to commemorate Milfords Black soldiers in the Revolutionary War, he said. This was largely under the influence of Reverend Walker. Walker had initiated a successful state-wide effort in 1976 to commemorate Connecticut's Black participants in the Revolutionary War. In photos supplied by Platt, groups from New Haven and as far away as Rhode Island joined the large parade through downtown to the Milford Green to honor the men. Holmes said research into the background of the six soldiers has been challenging. The men appear to be among about 300 slaves and free Black men from Connecticut who enlisted, and they possibly served together in the all-Black Second Company of the Fourth Connecticut Regiment, under the command of David Humphreys, according to a 2020 post by the University of Oregons Special Collection. It was difficult because documents are written in Olde English style for one. Plus, the only view has been through Revolutionary War rolls and service records, Holmes said. My understanding is that they were all privates. I believe Pomp Cyrus enlisted earliest in 1776. I cant tell by the writing if he was born in 1740 or 1750. Records indicate the majority enlisted in May 1777. Other historical records offer tantalizing glimpses into their lives. Cyrus was named in a 1779 probate case in New Haven. Freeman married his wife Betty in 1778 at St. Johns Episcopal Church in Stamford. Gibbs may have spent part of his post-war life at sea after his 1783 discharge. In September of 1802 there is a Peter Gibbs listed as a seaman aboard the ship Orion that departed from Corunna, Spain for Philadelphia, she said. Could it be that he went overseas and came back? Id like to think so. Other challenges include names that either changed, or varied in spelling in different records. For William Sower there are places in the records that his last name is spelled Sower, which is how it is spelled on the marker, but there were a couple of places where it was spelled Soward, Holmes said. Juba Freeman may have changed his name during his life, possibly to indicate his emancipation, she said. I was piecing it together and I do wonder if Freeman had a new last name. Historically there were a lot of Black folks at the time, who in gaining their freedom may have changed their last names to Freeman, she said. I cant be sure if that was the case with Juba or not. Holmes said she has been able to determine that Juba and Betty Freeman married on Sept. 20, 1778 and by 1810 were living in New Haven. As she continues her background search on Job Caesar and Congo Zado, Holmes said she is also hopeful there is more to find out about Betty Freeman, who lived in the Stamford area where she and Juba were married. At the time Betty was listed as a servant to a Mrs. Hayes, Holmes said. On my list of things to do is to find who would have been that Mrs. Hayes at that time in Stamford. Holmes believes her quest toward the betterment of life is built into her DNA. I probably came out of the womb civic-minded like my mom Lillian and dad Aldin, said Holmes, who works for the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, which is dedicated to making Greater Hartford an inclusive, positive place to work and raise a family. My folks had me involved in Sunday School, Girl Scouts, from a young age. Reverend Walker was my first pastor at the church, and was a gentleman of his time, she said. Personally, and professionally I do like to help others. Its in my blood. william.bloxsom@hearstmediact.com Twitter: @blox354 People with respiratory problems on the Costa del Sol should avoid exposing themselves as much as possible to the dust cloud that has rolled onto the south coast of Spain. This Wednesday (3 March) the haze, which has been present since the Andalucia Day holiday weekend, will reach its maximum concentration of suspended dust. At noon, the level is expected to reach about 200 microgrammes per cubic metre, much higher than usual, according to the director of the Aemet Meteorological Centre, Jose Maria Sanchez-Laulhe. The weather phenomenon has been serious and prolonged, although the meteorologist said that the province has experienced worse situations. "Considering how close the Sahara is, it's not lasting many days here; it tends to reach the Canary Islands, eastern Andalucia, Murcia and especially Italy." The scenario will remain at least until Friday, due to the south-southeast wind, which carries the material in suspension from Algeria, adds Jose Luis Escudero, author of the SUR blog Storms and Lightning. "If it rains it will do so in the form of mud, but that is not likely in Malaga." Jose Daniel Alcazar, at the Hospital Quironsalud Malaga, explains that the dust cloud can produce symptoms similar to allergies, with an itchy nose and eyes, sneezing and, in people with chronic respiratory problems, it can lead to a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease crisis. "Airborne dust is very irritating, especially in people with chronically inflamed airways," said the doctor who explained that they have not dealt with that many cases this year. "The Covid measures that are being observed, especially mask-wearing, and some people being afraid to leave home, have meant that there are hardly any cases in the emergency department." Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer A little more than a month after Mayor Andrew Friedberg noted that Bellaire had zero COVID-19 deaths during his State of the City address on Feb. 1, Bellaire has reported three deaths related to the coronavirus. The city almost went a year without recording any COVID-19 deaths, alongside its neighboring city West University Place, but both have seen a small uptick in deaths in only a few months with West U recording two deaths, as of Feb. 22. National Alliance of Journalists (Regd.) Delhi Union of Journalists (Regd.) Flat No.29, Central Market, Connaught Place, New Delhi-1 Phone: 23413459, Email: duj.delhi[at]gmail.com March 3, 2021 Press Release Scrap the Digital Media Rules Demand NAJ & DUJ The National Alliance of Journalists (NAJ) and Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ)has termed as ominous, the Union governments hastily framing of rules to monitor digital media specially taking into account manifold attacks on articles critical of the government and increasing attacks on freedom of the press and journalistic rights. Within days of the Union Government framing rules to monitor digital media, the police went to the home of a Manipuri journalist who had hosted a discussion on the rules on his Facebook page. They served him a notice from the local government, demanding that he show documents of compliance with the rules. The move reflects the dangers of the new rules, observes the National Alliance of journalists and the Delhi Union of Journalists through a statement by the President S.K.Pande and DUJ General Secretary Sujata Madhok and NAJ Secretary General N. Kondaiah. The Information & Broadcasting Ministry has subsequently clarified that the central government alone has the powers to enforce the Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. The overzealous District Magistrate of Imphal West has withdrawn the notice to journalist Paojel Chaoba. However, the Rules are clearly a move to control the digital news media (such as The Wire, Scroll, Newslaundry) besides OTT platforms (like Amazon Prime, Netflix) and social media companies (Facebook, Twitter) and others. The discomfort among a section of people with some content on the streaming platforms (e.g. showing nudity or advocating political positions) is a pretext for clamping down on the entire digital spectrum. Earlier, governments at both the centre and the states have used criminal laws, including sedition and defamation laws, to reign in journalists whose reportage and opinions they disagree with. The Rules are one more step in this direction. The recent government tussle with Twitter on its demand that Twitter take down many accounts has perhaps precipitated the rule that social media platforms appoint compliance officers, nodal contact persons and resident grievance officers who must be posted in India and thereby accountable to the Indian government. The Rules require three types of compliance: self regulation by the publishers, regulation by an industry body headed by a retired judge and regulation by an inter-ministerial committee. Publishers can be required to take down content on the orders of the committees, raising concerns about censorship. Privacy is another huge concern, as the Rules mandate that social media platforms must divulge to government agencies the originator of any post, irrespective of encryption by companies like Signal or WhatsApp. Data will have to be retained by the platforms for six months, even if the user has deleted the account. Private chats and photos will no longer be private, Big Brother will monitor them all. Journalists will no longer be able to protect their sources. This poses a grave danger as it will directly affect the medias access to information. We note that the Rules have been arbitrarily drafted without adequate consultation with stakeholders and without any Parliamentary oversight. They infringe on our Constitutional freedoms, both as citizens and as media persons. We demand that they be immediately withdrawn. Sd/-, S.K.Pande, President-NAJ,DUJ Sd/-, Sujata Madhok, General Secretary-DUJ Sd/-, N. Kondaiah, Secretary General -NAJ Models present Samsung Electronics' Neo QLED 8K TV model. Courtesy of Samsung Electronics By Kim Bo-eun Samsung Electronics on Wednesday showcased this year's lineup of new TVs, including the Neo QLED, MICRO LED and lifestyle TV models. "These days, the home has become the main hub of our activities where various aspects of daily life interact and are layered within a multifunctioning space," Samsung Electronics Virtual Display Business President Han Jong-hee said in a virtual presentation aired Wednesday. "In these homes, TVs play a more important role than ever before." In a separate media event the same day, Samsung showcased the Neo QLED, which has a New Quantum Processor and new Quantum Mini LEDs. The New Quantum Processor uses artificial intelligence technology that optimizes picture quality. Quantum Mini LEDs, which are 1/40 the size of conventional LEDs, enable ultra-fine light control. This image technology delivers both brighter white tones and darker pitch black tones unseen on other models for astounding contrast. A guide points to a Neo QLED screen showing a person exercising in front of the monitor using Samsung Health's Smart Trainer program, at Samsung Delight's showroom in southern Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Kim Bo-eun Advertisement Buckingham Palace today denied claims by Meghan Markle that it is orchestrating a 'calculated smear campaign' against her ahead of the Sussexes' Oprah interview after it was alleged she bullied and 'drove out' two PAs and eroded the confidence of a third royal aide. The Duchess of Sussex claims The Times is being 'used by Buckingham Palace to peddle a wholly false narrative based on misleading and harmful misinformation' about her treatment of staff just days before her CBS interview with Ms Winfrey is broadcast on Sunday. Her lawyers said the former actress was 'saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma'. Buckingham Palace has refused to comment today but senior royal sources told MailOnline that complaints being made by ex-staff members were not in any way being orchestrated by the palace or members of the Royal Family, who are focussed on Prince Philip's health problems in hospital. It came as ITV1 confirmed the ViacomCBS show, called Oprah With Meghan and Harry, will be broadcast in the UK between 9pm and 11pm on Monday night, almost 24 hours after it is shown in the United States. The finger was pointed at Meghan when a bullying complaint was lodged against the Duchess of Sussex by a senior member of Kensington Palace staff before she and Prince Harry quit as working royals, it was dramatically claimed last night. The Times reported it was made in October 2018 by Jason Knauf, who worked as communications secretary to Harry and Meghan. He is said to have raised the complaint following an allegation that the duchess 'drove two personal assistants out of the household and was undermining the confidence of a third staff member'. A bullying complaint was lodged against the Duchess of Sussex by a senior member of Kensington Palace staff before she and Prince Harry quit as working royals, it was dramatically claimed last night Meghan Markle wore a pair of striking diamond earrings that were allegedly a wedding gift from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia. She is pictured wearing them at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, Fiji, on October 23, 2018 A spokesman for the Sussexes said in a statement to The Times: 'Let's just call this what it is - a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation' Revealed: Meghan's 500,000 diamond earrings were NOT 'borrowed' but a 'wedding gift from Saudi Crown Prince' - and worn by Duchess three weeks after assassination of Jamal Khashoggi in consulate The Duchess of Sussex was again seen wearing the earrings one month later on November 14, 2018 as she was photographed leaving Kensington Palace to attend Prince Charles's 70th birthday party at Buckingham Palace Meghan Markle wore a pair of striking diamond earrings that were a wedding gift from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, who approved the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, it was claimed today. Kensington Palace had said at the time of the formal dinner in Fiji in October 2018 - which took place three weeks after the killing at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul - that the jewellery was 'borrowed', without stating from whom. Lawyers for the Duchess of Sussex have now told The Times that she may have stated they were borrowed, but did not say they were borrowed from a jeweller - and denied that she had misled anyone about their provenance. The newspaper was also told by Meghan's team that every relevant member of royal staff knew who the earrings were from, and the Duchess was unaware of rumours at the time that bin Salman was involved in the killing. Bin Salman is not thought to have met Meghan or given her the earrings in person. The jewellery is considered Crown property because it was a gift from a foreign head of state, and she would not be allowed to sell them. The earrings Meghan wore for the black tie reception at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, which was hosted by Fiji's president Jioji Konrote, were later revealed as being made by celebrity designer Butani. Advertisement The newspaper says Mr Knauf, who now heads the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's charitable foundation, seemingly acted to make Buckingham Palace aware of the need to protect staff who claimed they were coming under unbearable pressure from Meghan. It further claims Harry 'pleaded' with him not to pursue the allegations. Sensationally, the couple's lawyers told the newspaper it was 'being used by Buckingham Palace to peddle a wholly false narrative' before this weekend's interview with Oprah Winfrey. The Mail also approached a spokesman for the Sussexes for comment. The Times said it was contacted by sources who felt a 'partial version' had emerged of Meghan's two years as a working royal. It makes clear they wished to tell their side in advance of Sunday's 'tell all' television interview, which is likely to make uncomfortable viewing for Buckingham Palace. The newspaper says Mr Knauf sent his email to Simon Case, then the Duke of Cambridge's private secretary and now the cabinet secretary, after conversations with Samantha Carruthers, the head of HR. Mr Case then forwarded it to Miss Carruthers, who was based at Clarence House. In his email Mr Knauf also made clear he was concerned nothing had been done, or would be done in future, to protect palace staff. The Times quotes from his email, which is alleged to say: 'I am very concerned the duchess was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year. The treatment of X was totally unacceptable.' He added: 'The duchess seems intent on always having someone in her sights. She is bullying Y and seeking to undermine her confidence. We have had report after report from people who have witnessed unacceptable behaviour towards Y.' After Harry was told about the complaint a source insists he had a meeting with Mr Knauf in which he begged him not to pursue it, The Times says. Lawyers for the duke and duchess deny that any meeting took place. The newspaper also claimed Meghan wore a pair of diamond earrings to a dinner in Fiji in 2018 that were a wedding gift from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, said by the US to have approved the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. The dinner took place three weeks after the killing. At the time it was reported the earrings were borrowed. The Times says Meghan does not deny this was what she said, despite being aware of their provenance. Lawyers for the duchess denied she had misled anyone about their provenance. The couple's lawyers told The Times it was 'being used by Buckingham Palace to peddle a wholly false narrative' before the interview. Buckingham Palace declined to comment when contacted by the Mail. The duchess denies bullying and her lawyers stated that one individual left after findings of misconduct. The spokesman for the Sussexes said in a statement to The Times: 'Let's just call this what it is a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation. We are disappointed to see this defamatory portrayal of the Duchess of Sussex given credibility by a media outlet. 'It's no coincidence that distorted several-year-old accusations aimed at undermining the duchess are being briefed to the British media shortly before she and the duke are due to speak openly and honestly about their experience of recent years.' The Times reported it was made in October 2018 by Jason Knauf (pictured), who worked as communications secretary to Harry and Meghan 'Revelations about race' in Oprah interview... and nothing is off-limits Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will discuss race is Britain in the 21st century with Oprah Winfrey and open up about her experience as a mixed race woman, it has been claimed Meghan Markle will talk about her experience of race issues in Britain during her interview with Oprah Winfrey, it has been revealed. There is a growing expectation that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's talk with the US chat show queen will live up to its billing of having no subject 'off-limits'. It was claimed yesterday that the programme will be a 'horror show' for the Royal Family. The journalist who broke the story that the Sussexes were doing the TV interview claimed Meghan's comments about 'the issue of race in Britain' would be 'what we will all be talking about' the day after it is aired. Chris Ship, the royal editor for ITV News, told Good Morning Britain yesterday: 'I know that she's going to mention things like mental health and the impact that being in the UK had on her mental health. I know that she's going to mention about the press intrusion... but also she's going to raise the issue of race in Britain.' Mr Ship suggested this would be the main thing viewers discuss after watching the interview, to be broadcast in the US on Sunday night. Meghan's mother Doria is African-American and her father Thomas is white. ITV was facing growing criticism over plans to broadcast the interview with Miss Winfrey in Britain while the Duke of Edinburgh remains in hospital. There is increasing unease about the 'horrendous' timing. There were warnings last night that the broadcast could be a 'reputational mess' for everyone, which could 'herald terrible consequences' for the royal pair. There were calls for ITV to 'await events' before screening the programme in the UK. One critic branded the broadcaster's decision to buy up the interview rights as 'deplorable'. Advertisement Revealed: Meghan's 500,000 diamond earrings were NOT 'borrowed' but a 'wedding gift from Saudi Crown Prince' - and worn by Duchess three weeks after assassination of Jamal Khashoggi in consulate Meghan Markle wore a pair of striking diamond earrings that were a wedding gift from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, who approved the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, it was claimed today. Kensington Palace had said at the time of the formal dinner in Fiji in October 2018 - which took place three weeks after the killing at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul - that the jewellery was 'borrowed', without stating from whom. Lawyers for the Duchess of Sussex have now told The Times that she may have stated they were borrowed, but did not say they were borrowed from a jeweller - and denied that she had misled anyone about their provenance. The newspaper was also told by Meghan's team that every relevant member of royal staff knew who the earrings were from, and the Duchess was unaware of rumours at the time that bin Salman was involved in the killing. Bin Salman is not thought to have met Meghan or given her the earrings in person. The jewellery is considered Crown property because it was a gift from a foreign head of state, and she would not be allowed to sell them. Meghan is pictured arriving for the state dinner in Suva with Prince Harry on October 23, 2018 during their royal tour of Fiji Timeline of Jamal Khashoggi's murder and Meghan's earrings (2018) May 19: Meghan Markle marries Prince Harry at Windsor Castle and is allegedly given a wedding gift of a 500,000 pair of diamond earrings from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia October 2 : Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi is killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul : Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi is killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul October 20 : Saudi government reveals a preliminary investigation finds Mr Khashoggi died during a 'fight' after resisting efforts to return him to Saudi Arabia : Saudi government reveals a preliminary investigation finds Mr Khashoggi died during a 'fight' after resisting efforts to return him to Saudi Arabia October 23 : Meghan wears the earrings at a formal dinner at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, Fiji : Meghan wears the earrings at a formal dinner at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, Fiji November 14 : Meghan wears the earrings again for Prince Charles's birthday party at Buckingham Palace : Meghan wears the earrings again for Prince Charles's birthday party at Buckingham Palace November 16 : Central Intelligence Agency concludes bin Salman had ordered Mr Khashoggi's assassination. Advertisement The earrings Meghan wore for the black tie reception at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, which was hosted by Fiji's president Jioji Konrote, were later revealed as being made by celebrity designer Butani. The Duchess was again seen wearing the earrings one month later on November 14, 2018 as she was photographed leaving Kensington Palace to attend Prince Charles's 70th birthday party at Buckingham Palace. Washington Post columnist Mr Khashoggi died on October 2. The event in Fiji on October 23 came less than a fortnight after the first reports on October 10 from US intelligence intercepts that suggested Bin Salman had ordered an operation to lure Mr Khashoggi back to Saudi from his home in Virginia and detain him. Then on October 20, the Saudi government revealed a preliminary investigation by prosecutors had found Mr Khashoggi died during a 'fight' after resisting efforts to return him to Saudi Arabia. By November 16, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the US had concluded that bin Salman had ordered Mr Khashoggi's assassination. The bloggers behind Meghans Mirror eventually identified the earrings brand in January 2019, and an expert then revealed to MailOnline that the generously sized multi-tier earrings could be worth up to 500,000. An array of celebrities including Jennifer Lopez, Kate Beckinsale, Rihanna, Christina Hendricks and even Michelle Obama have also been spotted wearing the Hong Kong-based brand. It is not clear if Meghan still has the earrings. Members of the Royal Family attending official engagements are not usually seen wearing jewellery borrowed from designers. Meghan also wore a 1,095 dress by designer SAFiYAA at the dinner. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia (left) approved the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi (right) in 2018 Speaking about the opulent earrings, Deborah Papas, gemologist at Prestige Pawnbrokers of Channel 4's Posh Pawn, said in 2019: 'The Duchess of Sussex never ceases to amaze us with the beautiful jewellery she wears. 'In Fiji she chose to wear an absolutely stand-out pair of chandelier style diamond drop earrings in three strands set with white and yellow coloured diamonds. Most are round but some are pear shaped to give the stepped drop effect and all set in white gold. 'These drops appear very heavy, almost pulling down the lobe, but sparkle beautifully even with the slightest turn of the head and are truly stunning. They could easily be worth 500,000 or more.' Explaining the etiquette on royals wearing jewellery, William Hanson told MailOnline at the time: 'For grand events like state banquets and formal dinners, royalty usually wear more lavish, priceless jewellery. For less showy daytime events the 'bling' is often toned down to something more subtle and discrete, with the exception of any engagement or wedding rings.' He added: 'Royal women do have it very difficult - we all want them to look like royalty but if they wear anything too over the top or expensive they are criticised for being out of touch. They can't win.' Butani was founded in 1977 by brothers Manoj and Mukesh Butani from Hong Kong. The brand is popular on the A-list circuit, with an array of celebrities seen wearing their jewellery on the red carpet. Rihanna wore a pair of their earrings in her Love On The Brain video in 2016, which famously saw her soaking in a tub wearing nothing but jagged diamond earrings and black lipstick. Elsewhere Ariana Grande was pictured wearing a pair of large solitaire studs to the Met Gala in 2018, while Kate Beckinsale wore a pair of diamond string earrings to the premiere of The Only Living Boy in New York in 2017. That same year, Jennifer Lopez sported a pair of her trademark hoops embellished with diamonds by the designer for the World of Dance premiere. The Times made further claims relating to Meghan's same official tour of Fiji when the Duchess was seen being ushered out of an official engagement to a local market, which was initially said to be due to security concerns. In 2017 Jennifer Lopez sported a pair of her trademark hoops embellished with diamonds by the same designer, Butani Ariana Grande (left) wore a pair of large solitaire studs by the designer to the Met Gala in 2018 (left), while Christina Hendricks (right) attended the 19th Annual Post-Golden Globes Party in the same year wearing a pair of Butani earrings The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been interviewed by Oprah Winfrey in a programme due to be aired by CBS this Sunday In fact, the newspaper says, Meghan had cut short the visit because she had 'reservations' about the organisation UN Women, which had an involvement in the event. The Duchess denies these claims about the event. ADVERTISEMENT The profound statement of South Africa-born poet Gift Gugu Mona holds true that women are the backbone of many structures. When you build women, you have built those structures. When you break them, you have broken those structures. So, it has not come as a surprise that Nigerian women are already embracing the HerVenture app, developed by the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women and delivered in partnership with 9mobile. Over 24,000 women entrepreneurs have been supported through HerVenture in Nigeria so far, of whom 99% found the training delivered on the app to be very useful and 88% increased their customer numbers. This is because the HerVenture app unlocks latent entrepreneurial potentials in women. Apart from the fact that the app empowers women, it also offers practical learnings to launch a business, manage finances, access markets, and innovative business ideas on the go. In todays world, it is believed that a woman who has financial independence can make choices that will change the lives of those around them and ultimately shape society for the better. Indeed, the HerVenture app is upturning the business landscape in favor of women and actively reducing spouses dependency rate. The preceding has established that when you empower a woman, you give financial liberation to a home. One Nigerian woman entrepreneur who used the app commented, I have been able to learn a lot about every aspect of business that you need to know to be able to succeed and run a well-structured business that will last for generations. Speaking on the benefits of the HerVenture app to women-prenuers, the CEO of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, Helen McEachern, stated that by working with the Foundation, 9mobile is helping to level the playing field for women entrepreneurs with the essential skills they need to make their businesses resilient and grow when they could very easily go backwards. She said that We are delighted that this is just the start of an exciting new journey; they are thrilled to be working with 9mobile to help bring HerVenture to even more women in Nigeria. Mobile companies have a powerful role in steering women to the support, products, and services they need to grow their businesses and support economic recovery. According to the CEO of 9mobile, Alan Sinfield, 9mobile recognizes the importance of leveraging its technology to support significant segments of society like women, to build and grow resilient businesses through this pandemic and beyond. Were delighted to be working with the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women to support their efforts to advance womens entrepreneurship potentials in Nigeria. The HerVenture app is designed to arm business owners with the requisite know-how to grow their earnings and build their customer base. It is free of charge, easy to use and learn through, highly interactive, and is available on iOS and Android, women are simply asked to register their interest via 9mobiles website, https://9mobile.com.ng/herventure/ in order to access it. The introduction of HerVenture is even timelier as Nigerian businesswomen continue to grapple with issues of lack of access to capital, inaccessibility to market and inadequate management capacity, amongst others. This year our dine and drink business locations throughout the Gorge have suffered with closures. You can help support your favorites by purchasing take out and gift cards. Many of these business will offer curb-side delivery and some will deliver to your home. Lets keep the Gorge going strong! Your employees are complaining of poor performance when using Microsoft applications and services. The weakest link isnt on the IT team; its your WAN! As frequent users of business applications such as Microsoft 365 (Office, Teams, SharePoint, and Exchange), we often fail to notice what peak performance feels like, but we certainly know what poor performance feels like! Our frustration builds as we wait on a frozen screen, watch a spinning wheel, or listen intently as we attempt to decipher garbled voice: Can you repeat that? Youre breaking up. These experiences tend to occur at the worst time: while delivering a webinar, leading a Microsoft Teams call with an important client, or while trying to access and update a file for your boss while under a tight deadline. Poor app performance is not only frustrating to users and IT network pros alike, but it also hits the companys bottom line in terms of lost productivity. Lets take a look at some of the causes of poor app performance and how Aruba can help you resolve these issues. A new weak link when apps are no longer close by While app performance issues have been dogging IT network pros for years, accelerated cloud transformation and increased usage of broadband circuits have created additional challenges as business suites such as Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) have moved from residing close to the users on-premises or being hosted in corporate data centers to now existing as distributed cloud services across the country, region, and globe. While the benefits of cloud and SaaS are well understood, the shift to SaaS has put pressure on IT network pros as they attempt to meet SLAs for the business while running corporate networks that werent architected for cloud-hosted apps and services. The wide area network becomes the bottleneckor the weakest linkin delivering the highest quality of experience to app users. Aruba understands these pain points. This is why we built industry leading networking and security solutions that transform the WAN from edge-to-cloud and provide fully automated connectivity to SaaS thats specifically optimized for Microsoft 365. An Aruba network adapts to changing network conditions to deliver the best possible employee experience when using Microsoft apps and services. Here is how Arubas SD-WAN solutions empower IT pros to deliver the highest quality of experience for Microsoft 365 users. Certified Microsoft 365 app performance Aruba SD-Branch was recently recognized by Microsoft as a preferred networking partner that delivers optimal performance for Microsoft 365 applications in accordance with Microsoft 365 network connectivity principles. The Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN edge platform, acquired with Silver Peak, was already a member of the Microsoft program. Aruba SD-WAN customers can count on the highest levels of performance delivered to their users when using Microsoft 365 from Aruba SD-WAN-enabled network locations. Automation and integration are critical Aruba SD-WAN solutions leverage the Microsoft 365 REST API in accordance with the Microsoft 365 connectivity principles to continuously learn, identify, classify, and prioritize traffic to Microsoft 365 applications and services (such as Skype, Teams, and SharePoint). The best possible user experience is achieved from branch locations to Microsoft 365 services, automatically and continuously by: Monitoring of the availability of Microsoft 365 front doors (which are the global entry points to reach Microsoft 365 applications) based upon the published fully qualified domain name (FQDN) across the WAN to steer traffic from branch locations to the nearest Microsoft 365 entry point Path performance monitoring over direct Internet breakout from multiple ISP providers and across hybrid WAN links (The best path may not always be direct) Differentiating traffic based upon Microsoft 365 categories: Optimize, Allow, and Default, across the entire Microsoft 365 productivity suite. This is important because many apps and services have unique performance needs. Simplified deployment and management In a few clicks network IT pros can enable Aruba SD-WAN solutions to provide optimal routing for all Microsoft 365 applications. No manual configuration or specialized knowledge of Microsoft 365 is required to deliver the highest quality of experience to users at campus or branch locations connecting to Microsoft services. Aruba Central and Aruba Orchestrator track SaaS performance in terms of quality of experience, loss, latency, and jitter with drill-downs to troubleshoot application performance by group, site, and gateway context. A more efficient way to deliver better SaaS experiences With Aruba SD-WAN, your workforce has a better experience using Microsoft 365 and other SaaS apps. Theres nothing workers need to do to gain the optimized performance, and theyll just know that their SaaS apps are responsive. Ultimately, more engaged and productive employees translate to more value for the business. Aruba SD-WAN also simplifies network operations for IT pros. Already running lean, IT teams are doubly challenged to do more with less during the COVID-19 pandemic. Solutions that truly just work are vital for IT productivity. Aruba SD-WAN is fully automated, adapting in real time to changing network conditions, to deliver a continuously optimized experience to users. At the same time, IT teams have the visibility and control they need. Aruba dashboards provide complete visibility into metrics such as quality of experience, loss, latency, and jitter. Its more than just a pretty picture: IT can drill down into the details for troubleshooting and accelerate problem resolution. Choose the Aruba SD-WAN solution that is best for you Your organization can meet its most challenging SD-WAN requirementsfrom campus and branch to cloud and SaaS with the flexibility and choice of Aruba SD-WAN solutions. SD-Branch and the Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN edge platform are each recognized and independently validated to deliver optimal performance for employees using Microsoft 365. Address your weakest link today. Your users will possibly thank you. At least they wont complain as much! Learn more at: Aruba SD-WAN solutions Aruba SD-Branch and Network Security solutions Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN solution Silver Peak, now part of Aruba, has been named a leader for a third consecutive year in Gartners 2020 Magic Quadrant for WAN Edge Infrastructure. Get the full report. Senate President Karen Spilka joined calls for teachers to be put at the front of the line for COVID-19 vaccine doses as the state calls for K-12 schools to fully reopen. The Ashland Democrat issued a statement Tuesday afternoon calling on the Baker administration to reserve doses for teachers. State education officials announced plans to have elementary schools open five days a week for in-person learning as early as April. We need a vaccine program for teachers and staff that is aggressive, and we need it this month, Spilka said. As more vaccine doses become available to the state, I am calling on the governor to designate a percentage of those doses to be administered to teachers and staff in their communities. Twenty-one legislators sent a letter last week asking the Baker administration to reserve Johnson & Johnsons single-dose vaccine for teachers should the company receive emergency use authorization from the federal government. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the vaccine late last week. Gov. Charlie Baker said earlier this week Massachusetts could start getting shipments as early as next week with shipments likely ramping up later in March. But Massachusetts remains at the early part of Phase 2 in its vaccine rollout. Teachers are in Phase 2 but have not yet gotten the green light from the state to sign up for vaccine appointments. The Baker administration wants elementary schools to fully reopen for in-person learning in April with middle and high schools reopening soon after. Jeff Riley, commissioner of elementary and secondary education, said parents would have the option to opt out of in-person learning and have their children attend class remotely through the end of the school year. The governors office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Related Content: Britain's population could shrink by two per cent after the coronavirus pandemic if 'missing' migrant workers do not return to the UK or are not replaced, a watchdog has warned. Up to 1.3million have left the UK in the past year due to Covid-19 and the shortage poses a 'risk to potential output in the longer term', the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has warned. According to its latest report, analysis of labour market data suggests the population may be 'substantially smaller' than indicated in official statistics. Britain's population could shrink by two per cent after the coronavirus pandemic if 'missing' migrant workers do not return to the UK The document states there have been 'significant numbers of foreign-born nationals returning home during the pandemic and lower levels of immigration than pre-pandemic projections assumed'. The report added: 'Unless most of these "missing workers" do indeed return or are replaced by other migrants after the pandemic, the scarring impact from net outward migration may be rather larger than we previously assumed. 'Indeed, on a worst-case basis the population could be as much as two per cent smaller.' While some EU migrants may return, post-Brexit changes to immigration rules are likely to make it 'harder for new migrants to move to the UK', the report warned, adding that some may no longer meet the Government's criteria and others may be 'discouraged by tighter immigration rules'. EU nationals wishing to continue living and working in the UK must now confirm their immigration status under the EU Settlement Scheme. EU nationals wishing to continue living and working in the UK must now confirm their immigration status under the EU Settlement Scheme At the same time, migrants wishing to come to the UK to live and work will need to obtain 70 points to be eligible for a visa under a new points-based immigration system. Key requirements will include being able to speak English to a certain level, having a job offer from an approved employer and meeting a minimum salary threshold. The report said: 'Although the extent of net emigration is still highly uncertain, the risk to the size of the population appears to be firmly to the downside. 'Such an outcome could reduce the potential output of the economy via a lower labour supply, leading to greater post-pandemic scarring than the three per cent included in our central forecast. 'This is a risk to the outlook for the public finances as a smaller economy would reduce tax receipts, amplified by the fact that migrants are more likely to be of working age and net contributors to the public finances. It would, however, reduce demands on public services.' The report comes as Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced visa reforms aimed at 'high-skilled' migrants in Wednesday's Budget The 'true extent of the impact of the pandemic on the population may unfortunately not be revealed until well after the 2021 census', the OBR added. The report comes as Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced visa reforms aimed at 'high-skilled' migrants in Wednesday's Budget. He told MPs there would be a 'new, unsponsored points-based visa to attract the best and most promising international talent in science, research and tech; new, improved visa processes for scale-ups and entrepreneurs, and radically simplified bureaucracy for high-skilled visa applications'. The Treasury's Budget document said modernising the immigration system will help 'drive innovation, and support UK jobs and growth' as it set out changes to make the process easier and quicker for qualifying applicants. More detail is due to be published in the summer, the document said. Meanwhile, some campaigners hit out at the Chancellor for the lack of financial support offered to migrants and families who are not eligible for Government funding under no recourse to public funds conditions. Satbir Singh, chief executive of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, said the Budget announcement did not include 'any protections for thousands of people who are excluded from the public safety net that's kept so many people from falling into hardship'. Burma Myanmar Diplomat in US Refuses to Work for Military Regime The anti-regime protesters in Yangon. / The Irrawaddy YANGON In the latest move pushing back against Myanmars military regime by civil servants, a senior diplomat in Los Angeles has joined the civil disobedience movement (CDM) by refusing to work for the junta. A chancellor at Myanmars Los Angeles consulate, Daw Mya Mya Kyi, posted on Facebook that she has decided to strike after the military regime recalled her back to Naypyitaw. After Myanmars ambassador to the United Nations, U Kyaw Moe Tun, condemned the coup, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recalled at least 100 staff from around 19 countries, including the US, UK, Norway, China and Japan. Daw Mya Mya Kyi said she would not follow the ministerial order as it came from the illegitimate military regime, adding that she had been working in Los Angeles for more than three years for the democratically elected government. She said she would only accept a transfer order from the elected government. While she will not resign, Daw Mya Mya Kyi said she is participating in the CDM and will not work for a dictator. Thousands of civil servants across Myanmar are defying the dictatorship through the CDM, despite threats of lawsuits. Expats from Myanmar gathered at the consulate in New York to support U Kyaw Moe Tun after the regime dismissed him. They urged the US authorities not to issue visas to replacement staff appointed by the regime. The Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), a committee representing elected members of the Union Parliament from the National League for Democracy, said U Kyaw Moe Tun is still the legitimate envoy to the UN as member states had not recognized the military regime as the legitimate government of Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Military Regime Rewrites Laws to Stifle Dissent, Justify Power Grab Where Is Spokesman U Zaw Htay? Four Years On, No Answers Over Murder of Critic of Myanmars Military Board & Management Changes Sydney, Mar 2, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - New Energy Minerals Limited ( ASX:NXE ) ( FRA:GGY ) ( OTCMKTS:MTTGF ) announces that, after discussions in recent weeks, Mr Christiaan Jordaan has, with his consent, been retrenched as Managing Director, effective today.He continues to serve as a Non-Executive Director of the Company until the earlier of the re-admission of the Company to ASX or 30 April 2021. However, Mr Jordaan has agreed with the Company to resign, if so requested by the Company, as Non-Executor Director at any time after 31 March 2021.New Energy has tightened costs as much as possible pending completion of a new project acquisition which has been conditionally agreed by the Company and pending re-admission of the Company to ASX. Directors consider that the Company can no longer justify the cost of a full-time managing director under his executive service agreement in its current circumstances.New Energy Chairman Ian Daymond has agreed to serve as Interim Executive Chairman until a new managing director is appointed. He will be supported by the Company Secretary and CFO, Mr Robert Marusco and will also have the support of Dr Bernard Olivier and Mr Evan Kirby as Non-Executive Directors in the day-to-day management of the Company.To view full details, please visit:About New Energy Minerals Ltd New Energy Minerals Ltd (ASX:NXE) (FRA:GGY) is an ASX listed junior mining company, that recently announced the divestment of the Company's Caula vanadium - graphite project and the Montepuez Ruby project in Mozambique. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-04 05:52:38|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations has deployed a small advance team to Libya to help with UN planning, said a spokesman on Wednesday. The team arrived in Libya overnight, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The team will help advance UN planning, in close consultation with the 5+5 Joint Military Commission, and provide the foundation for scalable UN support to the Libyan-led and Libyan-owned Cease-fire Monitoring Mechanism. The team will also prepare inputs for the report that was requested of the secretary-general by the Security Council, he told a daily press briefing. "They will go where they need to go given the security and COVID constraints. I think right now, they've just landed. They will do whatever they need to do to present a strong and clear assessment to the (UN Libya) Mission leadership and then on to the secretary-general," the spokesman said. Meanwhile, the UN Special Envoy for Libya, Jan Kubis, has continued his efforts to mobilize regional and international support to the Libyan-owned, Libyan-led dialogue process. Kubis paid visits to Italy and Turkey and met with the foreign ministers of those two countries, said Dujarric. Enditem Kayleigh McEnany, the former Trump secretary, joined the Fox News network. She will be an on-the-air commentator in one of her appearances, and more to follow. Last Tuesday, Fox News announced that the ex-Trump press secretary would be part of their programming. McEnany, during her time in the White House, clarified the position of the Trump administration. According to Fox News host Harris Faulkner, Fox has equivocated her role in the network, reported NBC News. Faulkner welcomed McEnany to the Fox family and its network, adding that it was a distinct pleasure. He mentioned that they would be seeing more of her. One spokesperson for the News networks said nothing more about Faulkner's statements. She was a former CNN contributor and spokesperson during the 2020 reelection campaign. She took on the job as press secretary for Trump in the spring of last year. When signing on as Trump press secretary, she said she wouldn't lie to the reporters. However, what she said came back, and she was heavily criticized for it. Part of her job was defending and promoting Trump policies, but biased media routinely accused the Trump administration of misleading releases. McEnany defended Trump during the elections and upheld his claims. Fox News was in one of these conferences and nearly left. Kayleigh McEnany is one of the other personalities from the Trump Administration who went to the Fox network. Before her, Sarah Sanders, a former press secretary, joined the network. Sanders stayed awhile until she ran for Arkansas governor. Also read: Donald Trump Endorses Senator Tim Scott for Reelection in the 2022 Midterms Larry Kudlow, the former Trump economic director, also joined Fox Business Network with his own show. Another Hope Hicks, one of Trump's longtime communications directors, is part of Fox Corp. She became the executive vice president and chief communications officer but later returned to the White House. Fox has been associated with pro-Trump stances when he was the president. During the election, some differences emerged that started with declaring Joe Biden the winner before the final count. Despite the controversy over the count, Fox called Biden, the winner in Arizona. Some Fox personalities took up Trump's crusade that resulted in a lawsuit to silence the Fox network. But, the network fired back and against the lawsuit. Even after Trump has spurned them, the network is trying to get support from the Pro-Trump base. Fox is now buffeting from competition like Newsmax and One America News Network. Both Newsmax and OANN have gotten Trump's approval and his MAGA supporters and America First, even beating CNN and other biased outlets. Many of the smaller and conservative outlets that are outright pro-Trump have made headway and are gaining fast. Many of the programs are pounding the Democrats and leftists, even skewering the democrats' alleged anomalies. The biased media accuses Fox of spreading false news and conspiracy. It can be the same biased outlets that operated on a double standard. With the addition of Kayleigh McEnany, Fox will scorch the Democrats like before Related article: Sanders Mulls about Defying Parliamentarianism, Force Vote to get $15 Minimum Wage @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. DALLAS, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Consilium Staffing, a premier locum tenens healthcare staffing firm bringing doctors and advanced practitioners to facilities nationwide, announced that it has revamped its brand presence, including its website and all marketing collateral. The brand transformation, which marks the firm's 10-year anniversary, is intended to better reflect the way facilities and providers gain access to locum opportunities and engage with social media and custom content relevant to the healthcare staffing industry. Visitors to the website will see an entirely new brand look and feel. The site's design and navigation was created with a focus on user interaction/user experience to ensure a positive experience. As such, the website rebrand includes navigational changes, custom content organized by specific audiences, and interactive modules to provide a more immersive experience. And as Consilium continues to expand its offerings into new locum tenens specialties, providers can also search for jobs within these areas. ConsiliumStaffing.com has also been created with a mobile-first design to provide streamlined access and experiences to visitors using a smartphone or tablet device. The site was also designed with scalability to accommodate future enhancements. For example, Consilium has recently partnered with ClearlyRated to gain visibility into what providers and facilities think about the customer experience with Consilium. The feedback could then be used to inform future website developments. "The new look and functionality of our online presence marks the next chapter for our brand," explained Matthew Baade, Executive Vice President of Consilium. "As the demand for locum tenens providers continues to grow, Consilium is poised to transform as well, evolving in ways that empower us to bring the best providers to communities around the nation." ABOUT CONSILIUM STAFFING Consilium Staffing is a locum tenens company offering temporary healthcare providers to medical facilities nationwide. For more information, please visit Consilium Staffing and follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook. Media Contact: Eric Sasser Sr. Director of Marketing & Communicatioins 469-713-5267 [email protected] SOURCE Consilium Staffing Related Links www.consiliumstaffing.com US-based Intercontinental Brands, maker of Oreo has moved the Delhi High Court against Parle Products, alleging that the design of one of its biscuit brands is similar to that of its popular offering. Intercontinental has said that the design of Parle's Fabio biscuits is 'deceptively similar' to that of Oreo. The court has fixed April 12 as the date for next hearing in the trademark infringement case. On February 9, the court declined to reschedule the hearing to an earlier date, as mentioned in a report in The Economic Times. So far both Intercontinental and Parle have not issued a statement on the case. Intercontinental Great Brands LLC is a unit of Mondelez International Inc. Mondelez had launched Oreo in India about a decade ago. It had gradually launched more variants of the original Oreo cookie, including choco creme and strawberry. Parle, on the other hand, had launched Fabio in January 2020. This is the latest case of alleged infringement in the highly competitive biscuit market in India. There have been multiple cases of trademark infringement among various companies. Last year Britannia Industries had filed an infringement case against Kishore Biyani-led Future Consumer, alleging that it had copied the packaging of several of its biscuit brands. Britannia said that Future had used 'Good Time' on one of its products, similar to Britannia's Good Day brand. In December, it filed a case against ITC for alleged infringement of its product packaging trademark. Also read: Rural consumption surges 14.2%, life returns to metro markets: Nielsen Also read: How Frontier Markets all-woman salesforce enables last mile delivery in rural India Welcome to Morningstar.co.uk! You have been redirected here from Hemscott.com as we are merging our websites to provide you with a one-stop shop for all your investment research needs.To search for a security, type the name or ticker in the search box at the top of the page and select from the dropdown results.Registered Hemscott users can log in to Morningstar using the same login details. Similarly, if you are a Hemscott Premium user, you now have a Morningstar Premium account which you can access using the same login details. The Alabama House of Representatives has passed a bill that deletes from state law a requirement that sexual education courses in public schools include a condemnation of homosexuality. The bill by Rep. Laura Hall, D-Huntsville, amends the state law that sets minimum requirements for sexual education courses. Lawmakers have proposed similar bills before but none have won final passage. Related: Alabama lawmakers look to erase anti-gay language in state sex ed law Halls bill had bipartisan support but also opposition from some Republicans. It passed 69-30. It was just trying to make the language appropriate and scientifically correct, Hall said. Thats why we also changed some definitions or words, Hall said. Hall, a former high school science teacher, said sexual education is not required. But the law has a list of concepts that schools must include in courses if they are offered. Halls bill would strike the one that says: An emphasis, in a factual manner and from a public health perspective, that homosexuality is not a lifestyle acceptable to the general public and that homosexual conduct is a criminal offense under the laws of the state. Hall said she hopes no schools are teaching that language. I hope not, but I couldnt tell you that its not, Hall said. The anti-gay language was not mentioned as lawmakers discussed the bill today. We didnt let it become a controversial part, Hall said. It was more emphasis on bringing it in line with terms that are being used today. The legislation retains a requirement that courses must teach that abstinence is the only completely effective way to prevent unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. Related: These people are making sex education better in the South The bill moves to the Senate. Alabama and national politics. You can listen to the latest episode of Today in Pa at this link, or on any of your favorite app including Alexa, Apple, Google, Spotify and Stitcher. Episodes are available every weekday on PennLive. Feel free to subscribe, follow or rate Today in Pa. as you see fit! Today in Pa. Daily Podcast | March 3, 2021 Governor Tom Wolf announced Tuesday that teachers in Pennsylvania will be eligible for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as soon as its available. The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission is stocking trout ahead of opening day on April 3. One couple in Hershey is looking to support an organization that aids retired military and police dogs. Plus, there are a few early signs of spring popping up that you can keep a lookout for. Those are the stories we cover in the latest episode of Today in Pa, a daily weekday podcast from PennLive.com and hosted by Claudia Dimuro. Today in Pa is dedicated to sharing the most important and interesting stories pertaining to Pennsylvania that lets you know, indeed, whats happening today in Pa. Todays episode refers to the following articles: If you enjoy Today in Pa, consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or on Amazon. Reviews help others find the show and, besides, wed like to know what you think about the program, too. A grieving husband wants to honour a wish he and his deceased wife had to have a child and is claiming the costs of surrogacy in a High Court action following her death from cervical cancer. The case against the HSE, three laboratories and a hospital centres on the alleged misinterpretation of the womans cervical smear sample in 2011 taken under the CervicalCheck national screening programme. Padraig Creavens wife Aoife was around 20 weeks pregnant through IVF in 2014 when she found out she had terminal cervical cancer and her life expectancy was limited. Today, the High Court heard how she had to travel to London and have the much-wanted pregnancy terminated as chemotherapy was the only option. She and her husband, Mr Creavens counsel Jeremy Maher SC said, had the most extraordinary and difficult dilemma and the necessary course of action was to terminate the pregnancy. Aoife Mitchell Creaven when she died over a year later on April 20, 2015, was 40 years of age and only five stone in weight. Her husband, counsel said, was left alone with no child and a widower at 44 years of age and her death had a devastating effect on him. Mr Maher SC, with Ciara McGoldrick BL and instructed by solicitor Cian OCarroll, told the court that the cost of surrogacy is part of Mr Creavens claim. Aoife Mitchell Creaven from Menlo, Galway, found out in November 2013 she and her husband were to become parents after years of IVF treatment and they were deliriously happy. But counsel in an opening statement to the court said their joy with the pregnancy after several unsuccessful IVF attempts was short-lived and Ms Mitchell Creaven found out she had terminal cervical cancer after discovering a lump on her neck in January 2014. Counsel said: They were deliriously happy looking forward to the arrival of their child. At the end of 2013 there was a great joy in their household which was short-lived. The couple, counsel said, had to tell Aoifes parents Gabriel and Marcella Mitchell of her pregnancy and also that she was dying. Counsel said her father collapsed on the floor on hearing the news. Surgery was not an option and Ms Mitchell Creaven required chemotherapy and counsel said there was a great concern about delay in treatment and in relation to the pregnancy. He said the couple, when Aoife was dying, had to attend a medical conference in Cork where medics discussed her case and a decision was made that the termination under the legislation at the time could not take place in Ireland. The couple decided they would have to look outside of Ireland. Ms Mitchell Creaven along with her mother went to London in mid-March 2014 and the termination took place, After that counsel said the couple tried to find anything to prolong Aoifes life but she died in 2015. Now, counsel said, Mr Creaven is determined to honour his wife's wish and proceed to have a child through surrogacy. The couples frozen embryos are in a fertility clinic in the Czech Republic and Mr Creaven wants to go to the US for surrogacy. It is the only way he can fulfill the wish they both had, counsel added. He told Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy there was no reason surrogacy costs should not be included in the claim. Padraig Creaven's case The case, counsel said, also includes a claim for aggravated or punitive damages in relation to an alleged comment by a consultant to a member of Aoifes family during a disclosure meeting in 2018 in relation to the result of a CervicalCheck audit of the 2011 slide. The consultants alleged comment "well, nuns dont get cervical cancer", counsel said, was grossly insensitive. Aoifes husband Padraig Creaven has sued on behalf of himself and Aoifes family. Mr Padraig Creaven of Menlo, Co. Galway, has sued the HSE and three laboratories, Sonic Healthcare (Ireland ) Ltd with offices at Sandyford Business Park, Dublin; MedLab Pathology Ltd also of Sandyford Business Park and US laboratory Clinical Pathology Laboratories Incorporated (CPL) of Austin, Texas. The case is also against Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin. Ms Mitchell Creaven had a cervical smear test under the CervicalCheck national screening program on August 8, 2011. She was advised on August 31, 2011, that no abnormalities were detected. On February 26, 2014, Ms Mitchell Creaven was diagnosed as having Stage Four cervical cancer at the time she was around 20 weeks pregnant following her fifth cycle of IVF fertility treatment. It is claimed that a review of the 2011 cervical smear slide was carried out in 2014 but the Creaven Mitchell families were not told until 2018 by a hospital consultant that the smear slide was reported incorrectly. It is claimed against the HSE and the three laboratories that there was an alleged failure to report that the smear slide of 2011 was abnormal and Ms Mitchell Creaven was allegedly deprived the opportunity of timely and effective investigation and management of her condition. It is claimed against the hospital that it allegedly concealed or failed to advise the Mitchell Creavens in a timely manner the result of a review of her 2011 smear slide. All the claims are denied. The case continues. Life Upended. The coronavirus outbreak has had a devastating impact on our nation, and it has touched Staten Islanders in countless ways. In this series, reporter Tracey Porpora will share the stories of those who have been thrust into situations that were unimaginable just a few months ago -- those who have seen their life completely upended. This is the thirty-sixth story of Life Upended. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Christiane Torello, 38, owner of the Eltingville-based Couture By Christiane, said the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has greatly devastated her business, which specializes in high-end formal wear for kids -- from First Communion dresses and suits, to flower-girl and ring-bearer attire. So much so, she went back to school and said she hopes to become an attorney. When the pandemic hit last year, the biggest chunk of my business, which is Communion season [usually in May], just stopped, said the mother of two children, ages 10 and 12. Everything was up in the air. All of our customers had to wait to get their rescheduled Communion dates for the fall. And it was a struggle. The Bay Terrace resident opened the two-level 2,000-square-foot storefront, initially called Kiddie Kart Boutique in January 2018 with a partner. Since then, she became the sole owner of the business and changed its name to Couture By Christiane. Torello said when she shuttered the shop on March 17, 2020, due to the pandemic, she tried to get customers to come in and pick up their orders, because at the time, she had no idea how long she would have to stay closed. But unfortunately it just didnt happen the way I thought it would, and I got stuck with a lot of peoples orders until they got their Communion dates from their churches. And a lot of people didnt have their Communions, and just never picked up their dresses. So I got stuck with about two dozen custom suit and dress orders, said Torello, noting she was closed for about six months. She explained that she also worked with her customers to swap out sizes for kids who had grown by the time the Communion dates were rescheduled. I tried to do what I could to get people what they needed, she said. But with many weddings, baptisms and parties postponed due to the pandemic, business revenue plummeted, said Torello. In addition, there was -- and still is -- a delay in deliveries from overseas amid the coronavirus pandemic. I had dresses that were stuck at London Heathrow Airport for four weeks. Some items were sent back. My suits are from Italy, and the middle point is London Heathrow to get things into JFK Airport, said Torello. With all these events not happening, unfortunately, Im extremely slow. People will come and window shop and browse, but theyll say they dont even know if they are having a Communion at their church, she added. A SECOND JOB While she received a $3,500 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), that only helped her with business expenses for about six weeks, she said. To pay the rent and other bills associated with her business, Torello has been working a second full-time job with her dad, who is an HVAC engineer. I had to pay the rent all those months the store was closed, so my second job is the only way I have to finance the business right now. ...Im trying to keep my head above water, she said. Due to COVID, my dads company is so busy because so many businesses have to change their HVAC filters [to comply with coronavirus regulations], and we do UV lamps. BACK IN SCHOOL And the pandemic has led to her going back to school. Shes pursuing a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice and said she plans is to go to law school. I figure that once my store lease is up I can move forward and pursue my goal of becoming a criminal attorney or an immigration lawyer, she said. And finding time for two jobs and school isnt easy. I do my work for school on my lunch break at my other job. I work in Brooklyn from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m., and then I come into my store from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., she said. WHEN AFFAIRS ARE ALLOWED Since the state will allow weddings and catered affairs of up to 150 people or half the capacity of a catering hall room come March 15, Torello said she is hopeful some of her business will be recouped. But I cant imagine my store picking up to where it was for another year or two. I dont think until more people are vaccinated that people will feel comfortable going to large affairs, she said. WHEN HER LEASE IS UP But she said shes not hopeful her business will bring in pre-COVID revenue. I really dont want to give the store up. But once my five-year lease is up in January 2023, Im going to have to let the store go, said Torello. And she explained shes just hoping she can keep the business open until then. If I knew the store would prosper and be great, Id plan to keep it. But if my lease is up and things arent the way they should be going, Im going to leave, she said. *** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK *** OTHER LIFE UPENDED STORIES: Life Upended: Small family business owner refuses to give up Life Upended: Non-profit forced to lay off more than 60% of disabled workers Life Upended: Spray tan shop owner sees 90% drop in business Life Upended: 5050 Skatepark is on the brink of closing Life Upended: Im going through hell, says restaurant owner Life Upended: DJ with no income refers to a life in limbo during pandemic Life Upended: Devastating impact of coronavirus on Bin 5 owner and his wife Life Upended: As workers stay remote, Leos Deli owner faces loss of revenue Life Upended: Im broke...I just want to hold onto my restaurant, says Portobello Cafe owner Life Upended: Physical therapist trying to tough it out to stay open Life Upended: With Broadway shuttered, Staten Island performer turns to teaching Life Upended: $125K in debt, rock climbing gym owner fears closure Life Upended: New pizzeria owner, 22, struggling to hold on Life Upended: With no cases, lawyer starts cooking business amid pandemic Life Upended: Owner of tour guide business left with no income Life Upended: Dancing school owner forced to close after 35 years Life Upended: Personal stylist adapts as clothing no longer a priority Life Upended: Trainer trying to win $20K in fitness contest to stay afloat Life Upended: No opening date in sight for devastated owner of adult day care center Life Upended: In fight to survive, gym owner launches auto business Life Upended: With live concerts banned, musician struggles for survival Life Upended: With gyms still unable to open, dojo owner on brink of ruin Life Upended: Jewelry store owner trying not to give up Life Upended: 58-year-old forced to shutter new business, then mom gets coronavirus Life Upended: Comic shop owner is driven by memory of her late partner Life Upended: Left destitute, single mom focuses on helping others Life Upended: Despite ovarian cancer diagnosis amid coronavirus crisis, nail salon owner to open Monday Life Upended: A fight to keep beloved gift shop afloat Life Upended: With clients gone, single mom takes job shopping for senior citizens Life Upended: Laid off for the first time at age 62 Life Upended: I have 3,000 dresses and no buyers Life Upended: With her business closed, single mom fears losing everything Life Upended: I might have to retire with no money, says business owner, 77 FOLLOW TRACEY PORPORA ON FACEBOOK and TWITTER Denton, TX (76205) Today Mostly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 75F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 59F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. A man who has been combing the bush for years to uncover evidence of Tasmanian tigers believes he will soon have 'irrefutable proof' the mammal is not extinct. Tassie tiger hunter Neil Waters from the Thylacine Awareness Group of Australia released a video of coloured pictures he claims are of the elusive animals. He claims to have compiled comprehensive evidence to rebut experts who say the photos are likely to be of a padmelon, not juvenile tigers. A man who has been combing the bush for years to uncover evidence of Tasmanian tigers believes he has 'irrefutable proof' the mammal is not extinct. Pictured: An animal Neil Waters said is a baby tassie tiger He has now claimed to have compiled comprehensive evidence to rebut experts who say the photos are likely to be of a padmelon, a Macropod, not juvenile tigers. Pictured: A foot print Neil Waters said belongs to a thylacine Mr Waters told news.com.au vets confirmed the animals in the photos are not feral cats either. He also said they have four legs - which means they cannot be macropods, marsupials whose front legs are much smaller than their hind legs, such as a pademelon. Mr Waters said the images prove the creatures are breeding and wants them to be reclassified as endangered and not extinct. '[If] we can verify the two photos are clear of a thylacine baby then that is enough in the scientific world to prove it still exists, is still breeding and drastically needs to be protected more than what it is,' he said. Tassie tiger hunter Neil Waters (pictured) from the Thylacine Awareness Group of Australia released a video of coloured pictures of the elusive animals on Monday The former horticulturalist also said scientists are 'lazy' because they want DNA proof of thylacines still being alive, and that the Tasmanian Government doesnt care about the creatures. Were trying to prove this animal exists and we get zero help from the government, he said Because we havent produced a dead animal for science to cut up they don't want to believe it. We have this idiotic government that wants to pretend its extinct. There are about a hundred other activists like him who are searching for proof that thylacines still exist in Australia. Mr Waters said video of the furry creature walking through the bush was solid proof the Tasmanian tiger was still alive. 'It gets really interesting when the camera gets into focus,' Mr Waters said in the video. Neil Waters, a known Tasmanian Tiger hunter from the Thylacine Awareness Group of Australia, released a video made up of coloured pictures of the elusive animals. He said the above image was solid proof the Tasmanian Tiger was still alive In the footage, Mr Waters revealed three images that were captured three weeks ago alongside comments from experts. The third image showed a small animal with a straight tail and what appeared to be a series of stripes along its backside - two features that mark a Tasmanian tiger. 'It's the image I'm hanging everything on because I know what I'm looking at here,' he said. 'And what's that we have here... several stripes on the tail, several stripes on the rump. Like a band going all the way around its back.' Mr Waters was so confident that he sent the photos to the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery for assessment. He said the picture right showed an animal with several stripes on the tail, which resembled a Tasmanian Tiger Tasmanian devil expert and curator at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery Nick Mooney concluded the animal was unlikely to be a Tasmanian tiger. 'Nick Mooney has concluded that based on the physical characteristics shown in the photos provided by Mr Waters, the animals are very unlikely to be thylacines,' the museum said in a statement. Mr Mooney said they were most likely pademelons which is a type of small wallaby. 'With all due respect I disagree with Nick Mooney's opinion and that's fine - that's perfectly OK - and he encourages me in his report to get as many opinions as I can because his is only one opinion,' Mr Waters said in the video. The museum said there had not been any confirmed sightings documented since 1936 and the tiger has been declared extinct since the 1980s. INDIANAPOLIS (dpa-AFX) - Eli Lilly and Co. (LLY) and Incyte (INCY) announced positive results from BRAVE-AA2, a phase 3 study evaluating the efficacy and safety of once-daily baricitinib 2-mg and 4-mg in adults with severe alopecia areata. baricitinib is the first JAK-Inhibitor to demonstrate hair regrowth in phase 3 alopecia areata trial, the companies said in a statement. According to the companies, both doses of baricitinib met the primary efficacy endpoint at Week 36, demonstrating a statistically significant improvement in scalp hair regrowth compared to those randomized to placebo. Data from an additional Phase 3 study of baricitinib in AA will be available in the first half of this year. alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that causes patchy hair loss on the scalp, face and sometimes on other areas of the body that can progress. Baricitinib has received Breakthrough Therapy designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of alopecia areata. Baricitinib is an oral JAK inhibitor discovered by Incyte and licensed to Lilly. It is approved and commercially available as OLUMIANT in the U.S. and more than 70 countries as a treatment for adults with moderate to severe active RA and in the European Union and Japan for the treatment of adult patients with moderate to severe AD who are candidates for systemic therapy. Baricitinib is also being investigated in systematic lupus erythematosus, juvenile idiopathic arthritis and COVID-19. OLUMIANT or baricitinib 2-mg is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis who have had an inadequate response to one or more tumor necrosis factor antagonist therapies. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX ELI LILLY-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de Appearances can suggest we care less about things than we really do YEREVAN. I do not intend to resign. I consider the [parliament majority] My Step factions demeanor towards me aggressive, at the very least. Ruben Vardazaryan, Chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) of Armenia, on Wednesday told this to reporters in the National Assembly (NA), referring to the "attack" organized against him by My Step, yesterday and today, at the NA Sessions Hall. Vardazaryan said he does not consider that he has left Armenias judicial system in a state of abandonment, and that is why the ruling My Step bloc demands an account. Also, the reporters asked the SJC chairman to commentas a lawyeron the recent events surrounding the General Staff of the Armed Forces, PM Nikol Pashinyan, and President Armen Sarkissian. Ruben Vardazaryan, however, did not comment, arguing that he could not answer political questions. "[But] as a citizen of the Republic of Armenia, I can only say clearly that any crisis can be resolved by sitting around a roundtable and negotiating," he added. Seventeen women have filed a civil lawsuit against an Illinois restaurant owner Michael Papandrea, 59, who is accused of secretly filming up their skirts with a camera placed on his shoe Seventeen women have filed a civil lawsuit against an Illinois restaurant owner accused of secretly filming 'up-skirt' videos with cameras placed on his shoes. The women were all employed by Michael Papandrea, 59, who owns two popular eateries in suburban Chicago - Parmesans Station in Tinley Park and Parmesan's Wood Stone Pizza in Frankfort. Papandrea was initially arrested and charged with unauthorized video recording in March 2020 after state police received a tip-off about his alleged use of covert cameras. Investigators seized several of Papandrea's electronic devices and discovered multiple videos of female employees. He is now facing 17 charges pertaining to that investigation, and his first court appearance is set for April 22. Meantime, last month, eight female employees filed a separate civil suit against Papandrea, claiming that a forensic expert had examined one of the hard drives seized by police during the criminal investigation and retrieved more than 24,000 deleted up-skirt photographs and videos. According to the former employees' attorneys, the videos were taken over the span of almost a decade, and most of the servers who were inappropriately filmed were teenagers. One of them was reported to be just 14 years old at the time. On Tuesday, nine more former employees joined the civil suit, taking the total number to 17. Papandrea, 59, who owns two popular eateries in suburban Chicago - including Parmesan's Wood Stone Pizza in Frankfort (pictured) 'They came forward as they learned more about what was going on and the extent of the video footage,' attorney Lindsay Proskey told FOX 32. 'These girls are in a state of shock right now. Disbelief.' The civil complaint states that Papandrea 'required employees to wear dresses and skirts while working as hostesses and servers' at this establishments. Proskey alleges that her clients were inappropriately touched by Papandrea as he attempted to film up their skirts. 'He would approach the employee, rub their backs, get close to them, hug them and while he was doing so, we allege that at the same time he was covertly recording up their skirts and dresses,' she stated. 'What these girls didn't know and what they couldn't complain of, is that their privacy was being stolen from them'. More former employees may soon be joining the suit, and Proskey is urging any other former employees of Papandrea to contact her with their concerns. Some of the alleged offences took place here at Parmesans Station in Tinley Park - an eatery owned by Papandrea 'We need help at this time gathering dates - when the former employees were there. We're asking everyone to search their computers or cell phones for work schedules,' she stated. Meanwhile, Proskey previously told Patch that the forensic expert who examined the Papandrea's hard drive estimates that there could be up to 500 victims. Some of those may not have even been employed by Papandrea, as his alleged penchant for covert recording continued outside of the workplace. 'The photos and videos include many sickening images including more "up-skirt shots" and appear to be shot at various locations including shopping malls, other restaurants, inside bathrooms, offices, backyard parties, and even some that appear to be shot on vacation,' Proskey stated. Papandrea has refused to comment on the civil case. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 12:59:27|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close People wave Chinese national flags after a grand national flag-raising ceremony was held at the Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 1, 2021. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong) Daunting development tasks lie ahead, and time is short. The country needs to work quickly to formulate development guidelines and decide how to implement them effectively. BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- China's "two sessions" are slated to convene this week, returning to the regular March schedule after last year's postponement to May due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The arrangement reconfirms that China's political, economic and social life is returning to normal, injecting confidence into the world amid the fight against the virus. China decided the opening dates of the two sessions -- the fourth sessions of the 13th National People's Congress and the 13th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, on Dec. 26, 2020. The decisive move of setting the time comes against the backdrop of Chinese society remaining on high alert over the pandemic, taking every precaution to ensure public health. Meanwhile, it shows China's determination to pool wisdom to sustain sound economic and social development and exercise governance in response to the people's expectations. The arrangement has stood the test of time and practice. This week, thousands of national lawmakers and political advisors will gather in Beijing for the important political meeting that covers every aspect of China's development and the people's well-being. Robots operate on a production line at an automotive glass workshop of the Fuyao Glass Industry Group Co., Ltd. in Fuqing City of Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Jan. 12, 2021. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Daunting development tasks lie ahead, and time is short. The country needs to work quickly to formulate development guidelines and decide how to implement them effectively. China's all legislative decisions are made after going through procedures and democratic deliberations to make sure the decision-making is sound and democratic. Its efforts to develop a socialist democracy with Chinese characteristics are a people-centered approach with a resolution to transform the people's aspirations into concrete plans and actions. For the outside world, the two sessions are an important window to understand China. It will be an inspiration to see how China ensures the smooth operation of the meetings with precise epidemic control and prevention measures. It will help the world better seize the opportunities in the post-epidemic era by learning the latest trends of the second-largest economy and the background of its policies. Vaccines donated by China are seen at a Philippine Air Force base in Manila, the Philippines on Feb. 28, 2021. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali) For China, sending signals to the world through the two sessions about how it will cooperate with the international community on key issues such as reducing carbon emissions is not only an effective way to stabilize expectations on China, but also a powerful response to certain fallacies and rumors created by some Western politicians with the intention to stop China's progress. While COVID-19 vaccines have lit the light at the end of the tunnel, growing worldwide cases of variants coupled with uneven distribution of vaccines have complicated the situation. On a broader level, global cooperation in many aspects is facing severe stress tests as the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, which are being accelerated by the pandemic. Whether it is the fight against the pandemic or domains beyond that, the world should join hands to turn the challenges into opportunities. China's two sessions will provide a strong spiritual force for the world to face hardships head-on and move forward. The acquisition complements and expands Agilents capabilities in NGS-based cancer diagnostics Agilent Technologies Inc has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Resolution Bioscience Inc, a leader in the development and commercialisation of next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based precision oncology solutions. The acquisition complements and expands Agilents capabilities in NGS-based cancer diagnostics and provides the company with innovative technology to further serve the needs of the fast-growing precision medicine market. Under the terms of the agreement, Agilent will pay $550 million in cash at closing and up to an additional $145 million based on achieving future performance milestones. Resolution Biosciences noninvasive liquid biopsy assay platform supports both the biopharma services market and the clinical oncology diagnostic testing market and is enabled by its Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified lab. We are extremely pleased to add Resolution Biosciences outstanding team and powerful technology to Agilents growing business in precision oncology solutions, said Mike McMullen, President and CEO, Agilent. By adding Resolution Biosciences liquid biopsy-based diagnostic technologies to our portfolio, we are strengthening Agilents offering to our biopharma customers and boosting the growth of our diagnostics and genomics business. Mark Li, President and CEO, Resolution Bioscience said, We are excited to further expand the use of NGS in precision oncology for clinical diagnostics as part of the Agilent team. Resolution Bioscience is based in Kirkland, Washington. The company had revenues of approximately $35 million in calendar year 2020 and is expected to generate $50 million to $55 million in revenue this year. The acquisition is expected to be slightly dilutive to Agilents non-GAAP earnings per share in fiscal 2021 and 2022, and improving in the following years. The transaction is expected to close in April, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. It's not just you. Spam calls are out of control. iStock; Insider Spam robocalls are on the rise, and the reason is they're incredibly profitable. Court decisions have paved the way for telemarketers to get away with spam calls scot-free. You can stop scam robocalls, but you need to take it into your own hands. Visit the Business section of Insider for more stories. Nearly every day for the past year, I have been breathlessly informed that the warranty on my vehicle is out of date. The situation is dire: it's the middle of a pandemic, and if the warranty on my vehicle gives out, I could be out a serious chunk of money. The problem is that I do not have a warranty on my automobile. I do not own an automobile. I have never owned an automobile. I last drove one my parents owned in high school. But unrelentingly, a woman calls me in the midafternoon to offer me a way out of my warranty problem. Why? Because spam calls are out of control. Billions of robocalls hit American cell phones every month. A February 2021 Insider survey conducted on SurveyMonkey Audience found that 46% of Americans reported receiving spam phone calls on their cell phone every day, with another 24% receiving them multiple times per week. Spam calls impact everyone evenly. Eighty percent of Democrats got spam robocalls at least weekly, as did 79% of Republicans. They impact men (76%) and women (78%), old (85%) and young (66%), rich (72%) and poor (71%). Nobody is safe, nobody can escape them, and for many it seems nothing can stop them. How we got here is the result of an erosion of protections on three fronts. First is the technological, as advances have magnified fundamental flaws in the American phone system enabling unrelenting robocalls from untraceable origins. The second is financial: because of that, it's incredibly profitable to use spam calls to drive business whether the caller is a scammer trying to bilk money out of marks or an actual business using telemarketing to increase sales. Lastly is the legal situation, with a series of enormous court decisions - with one more on the way - so far paving the way for telemarketers to get away with blowing up your phone scot-free, with next to no legal recourse and under-funded enforcement just trying to keep the lid on. Story continues Further, special interests who prefer an unregulated robocall environment are enormously powerful compared to the pro-consumer groups; an Insider analysis found that the federal lobbyists employed by pro-robocall businesses outnumbered the anti-robocall consumer groups' lobbyists by a factor of 100 to 1. This doesn't mean there aren't solutions, just that the approach to spam calls needs to change. The prevailing message is that this is not a problem that can be legislated away or turned off with a switch. Rather, consumers must treat the American telecom system like an infected computer network, taking matters into their own hands with software protections for their phones. Why do I keep getting spam calls? Experts credit the ascendance of spam phone calls to fundamental problems with caller ID, a phone system where anyone can operate as a carrier, the inability to detect bad callers, and a number of bad actors exploiting those flaws to drive billions of calls to American phones. Plus, spam calls make their perpetrators a killing. The standard operating procedure is more sledgehammer than scalpel. There are different kinds of robocall scams: some are clearly illegal, such as calls the pretend to be the IRS or law enforcement, while others sell some kind of product like an auto warranty or an insurance policy but illegally telemarket the products. All basically use some iteration of the same business model. Skye Gould/Insider First you have a company that wants to find buyers. They could be selling actual products like insurance policies or alarm systems, or they could be a scam operation looking for marks they can coerce into buying gift cards. The product doesn't really matter, what matters is they're willing to pay someone $6 or $7 per lead to send them people who may be interested in buying. The company they contract to find those leads is the robocaller; typically overseas, what they do is call millions of phone numbers with a prerecorded message. Most hang up, but occasionally some listen, and those people are plugged through a phone tree until they're determined to be a qualified lead, which is then sold to the original company. The robocaller is able to place their calls through a gateway carrier, which is a telecommunications company willing to place those calls to American phones. The gateway carrier may not always know they're laundering scam calls into the US telecom system, but they're often targets of FTC enforcement. Once the call is on US soil, it passes through the patchwork of carriers to your phone. "They work," said Aaron Foss, founder of Nomorobo, a company that blocks spam calls. "The response rates are abysmal, a tenth of a percent response rate. But the risk of getting caught is so, so low, and the rewards are so high." The economics of phone spam are incredibly favorable. For perspective, 125,000 minutes of robocalls from Message Communications Inc - which sustained a $25,000 penalty in 2015 for what the FTC described as "willful, repeated" violations - has sold for a mere $875. Assuming a consumer listens to the call for an average of three seconds, that $875 would translate into 2.5 million calls, with one cent getting a buyer 28 spam calls. Even if just one out of every 10,000 calls turns into a qualified lead, at a going rate of $7 per lead, an hour of robocalls will pull in $1,750 in revenue, neatly doubling their investment. It's an engine that turns phone calls into money with a byproduct of distributed annoyance. Every person who buys from a telemarketer can facilitate hundreds of thousands of calls, according to an FTC spokesperson. While many calls may eventually sell an actual product, plenty are simply scams targeting the elderly or infirm, spam calls that are functionally elaborate elder abuse operations attempting to bilk seniors out of money. The top scams of any given time are a reflection of anxieties; auto warranty scams are big today, and were last highly popular during the heights of the Great Recession, when economic anxiety roiled the country. As Americans take on debt to ride out the pandemic, calls preying on those anxieties remain popular. The calls often originate overseas, where the FTC lacks jurisdiction. The Do Not Call list doesn't work for robocalls on your cell phone, it just prevents live telemarketers from calling you. Even if it did work, the robocallers are already flaunting the law, and there's little reason they'd respect the registry. They're able to thrive on the US phone system because of a fundamental flaw in the structure of the grid. "Caller ID was never verified," Foss said. In the 1980s when caller ID was first implemented, there was only one phone company - AT&T - and as they were able to verify customers, caller ID was implemented the same way that a return address on an envelope was, where a person could put anything. Then AT&T was broken up, and deregulation meant anyone could become a carrier, and the FCC laws that effectively protect the privacy of you as a phone user are equally capable of protecting bad actors, as well. As a result, caller ID is meaningless yet still relied on, which makes it easy for scammers to exploit. So, why don't the carriers just stop them? "Carriers don't shut it down unless it's absolutely positively proven to be illegal," said Alex Quilici, the CEO of YouMail, another spam blocker app. Carriers want to move calls around, not actively regulate the calls. The reasoning is clear: if a debt collector robocalls someone, while the recipient may consider that a nuisance, it's absolutely legal. They want to stay out of it. There is a liability component, Quilici said. A pharmacy may contact a patient about their COVID-19 vaccine appointment with an automated call, and if a carrier blocked that there would be hell to pay. Carriers avoid interfering in grey areas, and will only block a gateway carrier or caller when given ample grounding to do so, often by federal action against a bad actor. Why have they gotten worse? If I'm getting overwhelmed by spam calls that are violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), why can't I just sue them into oblivion? "Federal courts have used a decision called Spokeo to curtail TCPA lawsuits," said attorney Scott Owens, a litigator who specializes in these kinds of cases. "Spokeo held you can't go into federal court for just a violation of federal law." The 2016 6-2 Supreme Court decision in Spokeo Inc. v. Robins has had broad implications in the rise of spam robocalling. Spokeo came to mean that being annoyed isn't enough to sue an illegal telemarketer in federal court. A plaintiff needs to be injured, which makes it much harder to build a case against telemarketing operations doing flagrantly illegal things that rarely injure people. If the federal courts are out of the picture, why not state courts? That's also a no go, Owens said, as many states follow the same Article III injury standard as the federal courts, and plenty of other states, including New York, have a bar on bringing purely statutory violations to class actions. As a result, even if a dogged, furious person trying to sue a telemarketer took the full measure of legal remedies available to them, best they could probably win is $1,500. With judgments that low, the risk has become negligible. And even if caught, there's nothing stopping spam callers from closing down one operation and winding up another. "Calls are cheap," Owens said. "It's easy to set up one of these operations if you have a little bit of money." In February 2018, YouMail estimated there were 2.75 billion spam calls. That same month, the Supreme Court declined to review the Spokeo case. The legal risk for telemarketers would remain nil. By March, the number of monthly robocalls was up to 3.16 billion, then 4.06 billion by May, 4.41 billion by September, and rising to 5.11 billion by October. The gloves were off. "Our best guess is the scammers realized they could scale," Quilici said. Over the course of 2018, more gateway carriers launched. Some callers who had been placing a million calls per month upped to 20 million. Volumes exploded. Why can't the government stop them? The easy cliche is that taking out robocallers is like whack-a-mole. The pros reject this analogy. "Whack-a-mole is fun," Foss said. "Fighting robocallers isn't." Foss knows a lot about the government's war on robocallers. In 2013, with their backs to the wall after a grueling, losing fight against surging robocalls, the FTC threw out the gauntlet, offering a $50,000 prize for the best overall solution to blocking illegal robocalls. One of the pair of winners, beating out nearly 800 other ideas, was Foss. The FTC has been waging a war on robocallers for nearly two decades. They began by going after the robocallers themselves, though this presented significant difficulties because they were often offshore and tended to be small operations with low overhead. A single person can be responsible for 100 million robocalls, and it's impractical to go after all of them. So next, the FTC began going after the companies that hire them. They went after alarm companies fueling spam calls in 2014, and secured a $1.1 billion judgment from Caribbean Cruises in 2017. After that they began to go after the gateway carriers that bring the calls onshore, and the individuals who make the software that enables illegal robocalling. This is where they have had considerable success lately. Take the gateway carriers later involved when the agencies cracked down on illegal coronavirus-related telemarketing in April and May of last year. According to the FTC and FCC, the calls were promoting bogus free test kits and HVAC cleaning services, targeting desperate Americans amid the initial uncertainty of the pandemic. Those robocalls were originated, according to the agencies, by two companies called VoIPMax in The Philippines and Oberlo Peer BPO in Pakistan. Their action targeted three gateway providers - SIP Join of Virginia, Connexum of California, and VoIP Terminator of Florida - who the feds said got those calls into the US and into the phone system. Again, these are not companies you've probably ever heard of, but the fact that anyone, anywhere can pretty much get a telephone call into the system without a great deal of difficulty or cost means that it takes just one bad apple to spoil the entire telecommunications barrel. Taking down just one entity can have a drastic impact, as seen in the 2018 FTC complaint against Jamie Christiano and the company TelWeb, which the agency said was responsible for creating and hawking "a computer-based telephone dialing platform" behind billions of illegal robocalls. The FTC is fiercely proud of its work, and has room to boast. They do a lot with a little: In 2015, the FTC budget was $300 million. They returned $9 billion to consumers in refunds. They can hit bad actors with civil penalties, but the criminal prosecutions are up to the Department of Justice. Lately they have begun to step up. Just last week the DOJ announced 11 guilty pleas in a $300 million telemarketing scam. Last year, the DOJ launched cases against three individuals and five companies - Ecommerce National, SIPRetail, Global Voicecom, Global Telecommunication Services, and KAT Telecom - who they allege were gateway carriers bringing in hundreds of millions of fraudulent robocalls. Again, just by removing bad actors from the mix, a considerable dent can be made in the volume of calls, with the DOJ claiming that two of those companies carried 720 million calls in just 23 days, with 425 million of them lasting less than one second. An earlier FTC bust of SBN Peripherals in 2012 found that one company carried out 2.6 billion outbound calls over a 20-month period, a volume of annoyance that led to 12.8 million people - about one half of one percent of the overall call volume - being connected to a sales agent. Still, all it takes is one server and a little bit of money. 'If they win, what we will have is a tsunami of unwanted texts.' This year will be enormous in deciding the fate of robocalls for three reasons - one technical, one financial, and one legal. First, on the technical side, this year will see the full rollout of STIR/SHAKEN, a new system designed to hit robocallers who spoof numbers illegally. This is being rolled out across carriers to mixed efficacy. National carriers developed the program and have the tech to seamlessly roll it out, smaller or regional carriers may have a less elegant implementation, and the fragmented state of the phone system makes any nationwide technical rollout difficult to nail down. Still, the expectation is that STIR/SHAKEN - which digitally validates the handoff of phone calls and ensures that the caller ID is signed as legit - will have an impact come this summer on reducing the volume of calls that make it to your cell phone. Second, the unfortunate reality is that as the COVID-19 pandemic abates, spam calls are poised to increase because call centers shut down due to social distancing will re-open. "When India and Pakistan shut down, you saw an instant decline in robocalls," Quilici said. "When the pandemic recedes, you're going to see more robocalls in general." Call centers that were shuttered will re-open, and a volume of calls that had been at around 75% of peak over the course of the pandemic will get back up to full capacity. Lastly, on the legal front, a case before the Supreme Court could also make spam texts and calls far more pervasive. Last November, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case with enormous implications for the sanctity of your phone. Several years ago, someone linked their telephone number to their Facebook account. They eventually gave up that telephone number, and in 2014 it was assigned to Noah Duguid, a person who does not even have a Facebook account. When Facebook began texting that number repeatedly about suspicious activity on the account of the previous number's owner, Dugiud asked them to stop texting him. When they didn't, he sued. The case wound its way through the legal system and, after Duguid won at the Ninth Circuit court of appeals, Facebook took the case to the Supreme Court. At issue now is whether Facebook used what under the TCPA is an automated telephone dialing system, but as tends to be the case with legal matters escalated to the Supreme Court, it's about more than that. "Facebook and Yahoo have an interest in not being sued when they fail to stop texts," said Margot Freeman Saunders, the senior counsel at the National Consumer Law Center. Facebook, backed by dozens of business groups, and Duguid, who has the support of several consumer advocates and Congressional representatives, are each arguing for a different interpretation of what an Automated Telephone Dialing System is. Facebook's legal team argues that an ATDS, under the law, only calls numbers randomly or sequentially, and as a result their use of a machine to automatically contact phone numbers through a dialing system does not technically count as an ATDS because they're calling from a list. Duguid's argument is the law specifically stipulates consent, which necessitates a list, and as a result the system is still an ATDS. Naturally, the Supreme Court oral arguments came down to an intense discussion of grammar. "Courts are buying some of these excuses, and the FCC under Trump did not come down hard on these ridiculous excuses," Saunders said. "Instead they didn't do anything." Facebook did not respond to a request for comment. Legal wrangling aside, the Supreme Court's ruling will have a direct impact on your cell phone. If Facebook wins, it's a massive boost not only for businesses trying to robocall you, but also for the people who abuse the system. It will grant legal cover to spam calls and spam texts that hasn't existed in decades, consumer advocates say. "If they win," Saunders said, "what we will have is a tsunami of unwanted texts, because there will be no limit on uninvited texts." Either way, when the case is decided a legislative fight will kick off. Despite polls showing vast public annoyance with robocalls, the political might of the pro-robocall lobby vastly exceeds that of the anti-robocall crowd. In addition to Facebook, 35 unique companies and associations wrote or signed on to friends-of-the-court briefs to bolster their case. These organizations all have their reasons for supporting Facebook's cause, most of which comes down to less liability for texting and calling people. Those companies and groups also exert an enormous amount of influence in Washington outside of the legal realm. An Insider analysis of Center for Responsive Politics data found that as a whole, the pro-Facebook forces spent a collective $184.7 million on federal lobbying across all issues in 2020, employing a collective 689 unique lobbyists. By comparison, the various consumer groups that signed on to support Duguid's case employed a collective six federal lobbyists in 2020, and spent a grand total of $250,000 across all issues. Congress has relented in pursuing aggressive anti-robocall policies. The reality is that the factions that prefer the status quo are vastly better capitalized and connected than the consumer advocates. What can I do to stop them? While it'd be ideal if there were a simple technical solution to spam calls, there isn't for the very same reason there isn't a simple technical solution to computer viruses, or a simple immune solution to the common cold. Anyone, anywhere on earth can set up a script to spam robocalls for fractions of a penny. No government agency can find and dismantle those servers, or the gateway carriers that slip them into the system; no carrier can find them in the billion-call flow of the telecom system, and even if they could they'd be skittish about killing a call without an external push to do so. Essentially, the chance to solve the technical problem in the phone system ended in the 1980s, and unless you are a Supreme Court justice, there is little to be done about the legality of spam calls. The solution, according to the people who do not operate mobile applications designed to fight call spam, is to install a mobile application designed to fight call spam. These systems are fairly clever in maintaining a more active block list than the carriers. In addition to the FTC-maintained blacklist that can nuke a bad number across the board, apps like Nomorobo and YouMail can be effective in weeding out robocalls. Nomorobo has stopped 2 billion robocalls since Foss first launched it in the FTC bake-off, analyzing 150 million calls a month to find patterns. When there are billions of calls per day, and spammers pick up and drop numbers to evade detection, it's a constant war of attrition. YouMail works by using your own voicemail as a trap, finding new robocallers by listening in and comparing incoming calls against a database of scams, a "Shazam for Spam." It's also important to never fall for a scam call, and to advise loved ones on how to avoid them; the FTC maintains a list of common scams to prepare against. Lastly, make sure to read the fine print when signing up for things; many companies "obtain consent" to robocall you by burying it in terms and conditions many skip. Beyond that, it's up to the courts to decide how much power consumers have over their own phones. "I take the view that if they adopted a more broad and expansive view of what is an automatic telephone dialing system, there would be an uptick in lawsuits but a decrease in robocalls,'' Owens said. "I think people dislike robocalls more than they dislike plaintiff's attorneys." Read the original article on Business Insider Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/Getty On Sunday, Donald Trumps fundraising machine charged back to life after its January lull, blitzing fans with emails and texts on the heels of the ex-presidents CPAC keynote address, urging them to donate to SAVE AMERICA! It worked, netting Trump and his team more than $3 million off of that speech, according to an adviser, bringing the committees on-hand total north of $80 million. That cash was divvied up between three political committees tied to the former commander-in-chief, two of them formed just days before he riled up the CPAC crowd packed into a ballroom at the Hyatt Regency Orlando. The new setup indicates that Trump is bent on raking in cash like someone who is mounting a runor who wants to pressure anyone who thinks they can take him on. Over the weekend, Trumps team converted his old campaign into a PAC and added a new joint fundraising committee to the mix, an overhaul designed to crush the revolt he faces from a small faction of elected Republicans tired of lugging the baggage that accompanies an alliance with the broadly unpopular former president. Trump ditched his official candidate committee in favor of a nonconnected committeea fundraising vehicle not tied to a candidate, party, or corporate interestcalled MAGA PAC. Its a move that will enable him to accept more money from individual contributors over a longer period of time. He can also carry on his tradition of self-enrichment, tapping the new PAC as a personal slush fund, including for hanging legal debts incurred as an officeholder and candidate. Additionally, unlike a super PAC setup, this allows Trump to directly fund candidates of his choosinga key part of his post-presidency ploy to retain the loyalty of politicians who might be tempted to move on from the MAGA era. The moves also signal an opportunity to wall off dissenters from influential megadonors, specifically with the introduction of the new joint fundraising committee, Save America (also the name of his leadership PAC), which can accept high-dollar checks. Two people familiar with the new political and fundraising operation say that Trump himself views it as yet another way to maintain his hold on the GOP, and to keep candidates and potential endorsees or primary challengers subordinated to the MAGA ethos. Story continues Those sources added that Trump plans to continue his fundraising partnership with the Republican National Committee, but has at the front of his mind the fact that he will likely clash with other Republican leaders and political influencers over certain candidates and races in the future. That potential dissonance means it is vital for Trump, allies say, to continue to build his own massive war chest as leverage, as Trump has described it. In recent conversations in Florida, Trump has scoffed at the limited efforts to challenge his authority in the party, specifically mocking a new anti-Trump super PAC, named Americans Keeping Country First. The new entity was announced on the eve of his CPAC speech by allies of outspoken Trump critic Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) to back Republicans who were willing to impeach or convict Trump. The super PAC can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money, and will also draw support from a new dark-money nonprofit. Kinzingers allies are entering a crowded space. The anti-Trump GOP landscape, dominated in the 2020 election cycle by the Lincoln Project and Republican Voters Against Trump super PACs, also includes groups headed up by the likes of former Trump White House spokesperson Anthony Scaramucci, former Illinois Rep. Joe Walsh, and veterans of the George W. Bush administration, as well as a number of smaller special-interest organizations. In a recent discussion, Trump compared the Kinzinger-aligned super PAC to a bad business opportunity for RINOs, one person familiar with the matter said. Campaign finance specialist Brett Kappel told The Daily Beast that the new fundraising configuration gives Trump flexibility. The two new PACs presumably have different purposes, and the joint fundraising committee allows them to raise money from their major donors for both purposes simultaneously, Kappel said. Marjorie Taylor Greene Replaces Trump as Fundraisers New Outrage Fuel Because Trump decides who the joint fundraising committee funds, he can intimidate challengers with what will in all likelihood become a fundraising juggernaut, and dangle the money as an incentive to stand by his side. MAGA PAC, which cannot accept large lump sums from individuals, may be less effective in this regard. The fine print on Trump's latest fundraising appeals reflects this, stating that 90 percent of the joint committees receipts will go to his leadership PAC, leaving MAGA PAC with a 10 percent cut. Brendan Fischer, director of reform at the Campaign Legal Center, a campaign finance watchdog group, says that when it comes to funding, the former president still holds the upper hand. Trump has stockpiled tens of millions of dollars for his leadership PAC that he can use to maintain his political influence, Fischer said. It is notable that Trump's recent public statements threatening to throw his weight behind primary challengers were released on Save America letterhead: Trump has the resources to back up those threats with millions of dollars. Republicans looking ahead to competitive primaries, especially from candidates who tow the Trump line, will almost certainly feel the pressure: Trumps official 2020 campaign committee pulled in more than $1 billion across four years, and the full campaign apparatus, including affiliated committees, raised around half a billion dollars in the six weeks between Oct. 15 and Nov. 23 alone. As for who reaps the rewards, however, the former president appears to be biding his time. The joint vehicle is currently only linked with Trumps own committees, but he can still raise money with the RNC through their partnership committees, Trump Victory and Trump Make America Great Again, which the national party can then distribute to any of its affiliated candidates. Additionally, MAGA PAC has fundraising agreements with just four state-level Trump affiliates, in Colorado, Georgia, South Carolina, and New Jersey. Two of those state-level committees have already filed to terminate, but the other two, in Georgia and South Carolina, allow Trump to exert sway over the Senate midterms those states will hold in 2022. Trump has also been reportedly preparing to launch his own super PAC headed up by former 2016 campaign chief Corey Lewandowski, but has not yet filed with the FEC. On Monday, Axios reported that former 2020 campaign manager Brad Parscale had created yet another super PAC, called American Greatness. The group currently shows no direct links to Trump's operation, Axios reported, but Parscale, who recently rejoined the former president's inner circle after stepping away in October amid a domestic incident, can use the entity to support candidates aligned with Trump's political brand. Kappel said that all told, Trump has carved out a seat of power to influence the direction of the party from the outside. There are a number of strategic advantages for the new committees, he observed. For example, individuals can contribute up to $5,000 per year, and the PAC does not have to file FEC reports as frequently as a campaign committee does in non-election years. Kappel also pointed out that regulations only require MAGA PAC to publicly disclose its donors every six months in a non-election year, not quarterly, offering contributors an extra degree of anonymity. The new PACs could solve a major fundraising problem that appeared to take the campaign by surprise last year. By the summer of 2020, thousands of Trumps small-dollar individual donors had already hit the federal limit, and since the campaign was spending far more than it took in, officials scrambled for cash to carry them over the finish line. Still, Fischer noted that the new committees are somewhat restrained by federal regulations. MAGA PAC and the leadership PAC both acknowledge on their FEC filings that they are affiliated committees, so they share that $5,000 contribution limit, Fischer told The Daily Beast. So if a donor gives $2,500 to MAGA PAC and $2,500 to Save America, that person has still reached the maximum amount. Fischer said that he can see no obvious financial benefit to Trump fundraising for two committees that share a single limit, but the new joint committee can accept big money from high rollers, and Trump decides who else gets in on that action in the months ahead. 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. Syracuse, N.Y. -- Some students in the Syracuse school district may be able to return to school four or five days a week soon. The district that serves more than 20,000 students is asking families to complete a survey for each child in the district that asks if theyd like their kids to go back to school more days, or to be fully remote. As we look forward to the spring with infection rates declining and the health department considering the relaxation of social distancing restrictions, we may be able to offer more days of in-person instruction, the survey reads. For kids in grades Pk-8, parents are being asked to choose between four or five days in the classroom or fully remote (The district isnt certain whether it would be 4 or 5). Currently, the option is either two days in the classroom and three remote, or all remote. High school students get an option of two days in the classroom instead of one, or fully remote. The current hybrid structure is not a choice on the form. All of the options depend on the decision by Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon, who is weighing whether to reduce the social distancing requirements from 6 feet to 3 feet. An announcement is expected this week. The regions leading coronavirus experts, who are also parents, said Monday that it is safe to bring more kids back to the classroom. The Syracuse school district told parents that, in addition to decreasing the distancing in classrooms, the county would have to allow students to sit two to a seat on school buses. Right now, students are spaced 6 feet apart on buses. Parents are being asked to complete the survey by Friday. Other districts have begun surveying parents, as well, but Syracuse is the first to give parents an idea of the specific choices on the table. Liverpool and North Syracuse, the largest suburban districts, have also sent out surveys asking parents if theyd like kids to get more time in the classroom. They are waiting for the countys decision before asking about specific plans. In some school districts, students are on waiting lists for in-person learning. In Jordan-Elbridge, which offers five days a week, students who want to make changes cant right now. There are about a dozen on the waiting list now, said Superintendent James Froio. Marnie Eisenstadt writes about people, public affairs and the Syracuse City School District. Contact her anytime email | Twitter| cell 315-470-2246. President Joe Biden's pick to head the Office of Management and Budget, Neera Tanden, has withdrawn her nomination after she faced opposition from key Democratic and Republican senators for her controversial tweets. Her withdrawal marks the first high-profile defeat of one of Biden's nominees. Eleven of the 23 Cabinet nominees requiring Senate approval have been confirmed, most with strong bipartisan support. "Unfortunately, it now seems clear that there is no path forward to gain confirmation, and I do not want continued consideration of my nomination to be a distraction from your other priorities," Tanden wrote in a letter to Biden. The president, in a statement, said he has "utmost respect for her record of accomplishment, her experience and her counsel" and pledged to find her another role in his administration. Tanden's viability was in doubt after Democratic West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin and a number of moderate Republicans came out against her last month, all citing her tweets attacking members of both parties prior to her nomination. Manchin, a key moderate swing vote in the Senate, said last month in a statement announcing his opposition that "her overtly partisan statements will have a toxic and detrimental impact on the important working relationship between members of Congress and the next director of the Office of Management and Budget." Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins, meanwhile, cited Biden's own standard of conduct in opposing Tanden, declaring in a statement that "her past actions have demonstrated exactly the kind of animosity that President Biden has pledged to transcend." Tanden needed just 51 votes in an evenly-divided Senate, with Vice President Kamala Harris acting as a tiebreaker. But without Manchin's support, the White House was left scrambling to find a Republican to support her. One potential Republican vote, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, told reporters earlier Tuesday on Capitol Hill she still had not yet made up her mind on Tanden's nomination. The White House stuck with her even after a number of centrist Republicans made their opposition known, insisting her experience growing up on welfare and background working on progressive policies as the president and CEO of the liberal-leaning Center for American Progress made her the right candidate for the moment. White House chief of staff Ron Klain initially insisted the administration was "fighting our guts out" for her. Tanden faced pointed questions over her past comments about members from both parties during her confirmation hearing. Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent and prominent progressive lawmaker, accused her of issuing "vicious attacks" against progressives, and hadn't said whether he'd support her nomination. Tanden apologized during that hearing to "people on either the left or right who are hurt by what I've said." Just prior to the hearing, she deleted hundreds of tweets, many of which were critical of Republicans. Collins cited those deleted tweets in her statement, saying that the move "raises concerns about her commitment to transparency." She said Congress "has to be able to trust the OMB director to make countless decisions in an impartial manner, carrying out the letter of the law and congressional intent." As recently as Monday, the White House indicated it was sticking by Tanden's nomination, with press secretary Jen Psaki noting Tanden's "decades of experience" in defending their pick. "We will continue of course to fight for the confirmation of every nominee that the president puts forward," Psaki insisted, but she added, "We'll see if we have 50 votes." The head of the Office of Management and Budget is tasked with putting together the administration's budget, as well as overseeing a wide range of logistical and regulatory issues across the federal government. Tanden's withdrawal leaves the Biden administration without a clear replacement. The apparent front-runner on Capitol Hill to replace Tanden was Shalanda Young, a former staff director for the House Appropriations Committee who has been actively pushed by members of the Congressional Black Caucus. Other names mentioned include Ann O'Leary, a former chief of staff for California Governor Gavin Newsom, and Gene Sperling, who served as a top economic adviser to both Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. (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.) TUCSON, Ariz., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- When unusual Arctic weather hit Texas in early February, millions were without power, and the system came close to collapse, states Physicians for Civil Defense. Some resorted to burning furniture to keep from freezing. While other sources of generation also experienced difficulty, owing partly to lack of preparedness for such cold weather, wind turbines were producing very little. Most Texans who had power were getting it from natural gas. Dozens of new lobbyists are descending on Washington, D.C., to promote policies that benefit wind and solar energy production. The experience of Texas, which boasts of being a leader in wind power, shows the need for caution. "Over-reliance on weather-dependent sources may mean the cleanest of 'clean energy'no energywhen most needed in freezing weather," states Physicians for Civil Defense president Jane Orient, M.D. Wind or solar generation needs 100 percent backup. Baseload is reliably provided by coal and nuclear, she said. Coal plants can have a several months' supply of fuel on site, and nuclear only needs refueling every 12 to 18 months. Texas relies mostly on natural gas, which requires just-in-time fueling. If politicians block pipelines, delivery depends on tanker truckswhich depend on open roads. "Having reliable, affordable electricity is not just a matter of convenience, but of life and death," Dr. Orient said. "Appealing words like 'renewable' must not be allowed to substitute for robust, dependable, steady supply, regardless of the weather." Physicians for Civil Defense provides information to help save lives in the event of natural or man-made disasters. Contact: Jane M. Orient, M.D., (520) 323-3110, [email protected] SOURCE Physicians for Civil Defense Related Links http://www.physiciansforcivildefense.org Although he was 85 years old when Hurston began interviewing him, Kossola was able to describe, in vivid detail, his memories of his community and culture in West Africa during his youth. Kossola recollected his experiences thereafter the scenes of his village being invaded, the forced trek on foot to the coast, and the building fear inside the barracoons the slave sheds as he and others awaited their fate. The year was 1859. Meanwhile, across the ocean, on the docks of the Alabama River, legend has it that a bet was placed. Although the foreign importation of slaves into the U.S. had been banned in 1808, slavery itself was still legal. Three brothers by the name of Meaher along with Captain William Foster wagered with one another about voyaging to Africa, securing a cargo of slaves, and sailing back to U.S. waters undetected. No one can know for certain how the trip originated, only that it was ultimately undertaken. Hurston wrote, The Clotilda slipped away from Mobile as secretly as possible so as not to arouse the curiosity of the government. Logan, WV (25601) Today Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. High 79F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional showers overnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto (RTNTF, RIO, RIO.L, RTPPF) announced Tuesday that its Chairman Simon Thompson will step down from the role at the 2022 annual general meetings of Rio Tinto plc and Rio Tinto Limited. Thompson has informed the Board that he will not seek re-election as a nonexecutive director at the AGMs. Sam Laidlaw, senior independent director of Rio Tinto plc, and Simon McKeon, senior independent director of Rio Tinto Limited, will now jointly lead the search for Thompson's successor as Chair. In addition, Michael L'Estrange, a non-executive director, will retire from the Board at the conclusion of the 2021 AGMs. Thompson said, 'I am proud of Rio Tinto's achievements in 2020, including our outstanding response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a second successive fatality-free year, significant progress with our climate change strategy, and strong shareholder returns. However, these successes were overshadowed by the destruction of the Juukan Gorge rock shelters at the Brockman 4 operations in Australia and, as Chairman, I am ultimately accountable for the failings that led to this tragic event.' In Australia, Rio Tinto Ltd. shares were trading at A$129.84, up 2.09 percent. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. GARDAI have given out nearly 10,000 Covid fine notices since the penalties came in, it was revealed today. A total of more than 9,800 fixed-penalty notices have been handed out under all categories for breaches of anti-virus regulations, an official at the Department of the Taoiseach said. Liz Canavan, an assistant secretary at Government Buildings, also appealed for young people who may now realise the risks they took in the scenes in Limerick overnight, to now come forward for testing if they are worried. Dozens of people gathered in College Court in the Castletroy area of Limerick city to party and set off fireworks yesterday evening. Read More I want to say that the majority of young people are doing great. And they have missed out on a lot. If you have slipped up and you were a part of last nights events, the best thing you can do now is come forward for testing if you have any concerns, Ms Canavan said. But the Government is concerned that more people are out and about. There has been a 14pc increase in the number of people at work in recent times, she said. Meanwhile, footfall in towns and cities is up by 17pc, and there were more than half a million people 547,000 who were moving around last week. Road traffic has grown by 8pc in a similar timeframe, she added. But the Government is still asking people not to go to work, to stay at home, and to keep within their 5km limit when out for exercise. Ireland was making steady progress and things are definitely improving, Ms Canavan said, with 2.8pc of the population now fully vaccinated. Some 8.6 doses have been given out for every 100 people in the population, and almost 5pc of us, or one in twenty, have had the first jab. West Springfield and its regional partners refreshed Wednesday an application to the state for a regional COVID-19 vaccination site at The Big E grounds on Memorial Avenue. The regional consortium of West Springfield, Westfield, Agawam and Southwick has added two more towns: Granville and Tolland. Hampden County Sheriff Nicholas Cocchi and his department are also part of the effort. Westfield Mayor Donald Humason said Wednesday that Baystate Health has also pledged to participate. So our consortium is growing, he said. The state turned down the west-of-the-river communities last week citing a lack of vaccine supply. But the Executive Office of Health and Human Services told the consortium that it wasnt a hard no and that The Big E would be considered if the supply of vaccines increased The mayors reapplied knowing that the supply of vaccine is set to grow. President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that there will be enough vaccine doses for every adult American by the end of May, two months earlier than previous predictions. Biden also called on states to prioritize educators. On Wednesday, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker said teachers can start signing up next week. We think we have to keep the pressure on, said West Springfield Mayor William C. Reichelt. Thats what the folks out here need. Agawam Mayor William Sapelli said the cooperating communities together represent more than 200,000 people. We think it makes sense in terms of geography, he said. Of course everybody wants one. The only mass vaccination site in Western Massachusetts is at the Eastfield Mall in Springfield, a spot thats hard to get to for many residents. West Springfields vaccine clinic at its senior center will close after this week because the state is redirecting doses to higher-volume sites. To qualify as a regional site, the towns and cities must be prepared to dose 750 people a day five days a week. Reichelt said the planning is in place to do that. We could open in a week if we are told that we are getting the doses, he said. The towns and cities are funding the effort from federal CARES COVID-relief money. The facility would be staffed with town employees, the Sheriffs office, firefighters and paramedics who are trained to give shots. Humason said Westfield didnt get any doses. All city and town halls are getting complaints from frustrated people stymied by the reservation process or lack of access to a vaccination site. We are just ready to go and we want this to hap[pen for the benefit of our people in the 413, he said. The plan is to administer vaccines in the Transportation Building, a huge visitors center inside Gate 1 and to the rear of the Avenue of the States. Earlier in the pandemic, the state ran a COVID-19 testing site there Reichelt and his colleagues continue to make the case that the Eastern States Eastern States Exposition is an ideal location, conveniently located with quick access to Interstates 90 and 91. The site is used to dealing with a large volume of visitors; more than 1.5 million people visit the fair every year and crowds can top 170,000 a day on weekends. Reichelt said the towns and cities wont pay rent to The Big E. Eugene J. Cassidy, president and CEO of the Eastern States Exposition also said there is no rental fee involved. Eastern States Exposition has a 105-year history of being an outstanding citizen and wants to help its community as it did when serving as a COVID-19 testing facility in 2020, Cassidy said. We are here, ready and available for when the administration desires to place a regional vaccination site on our property. We will support whatever our hometown and neighboring mayors are able to facilitate. Humason said the Big E has been involved in the planning and logistics including how to safely handle expected crowds. I was just very impressed, Humason said. They know how to handle the cars, they know how to handle the people. Related content: When Gov. Greg Abbott decided to dial back the COVID-19 mask order mandate Tuesday, his actions were met with frustration and concern from local leaders such as Mayor Sylvester Turner and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. "Every time we start moving in the right direction, the Governor steps in and sets us back and makes all of our jobs harder. He minimizes the sacrifices of people and businesses. I just don't get it," Mayor Turner tweeted. When it comes down to the brass tacks of science, should the mask mandate be lifted? Internationally renowned infectious disease expert and dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Peter Hotez, warned before the mask mandate was lifted that it should stay in place. Were finally starting to accelerate the vaccinations," Hotez told Chron. "I would recommend holding off on the restrictions until we really gear up and vaccinate a higher percentage of the population." TEXAS LEADERS SOUND OFF: 'This is a reckless decision': Texas leaders react to Gov. Greg Abbott's announcement The primary reason why COVID-19 restrictions should be maintained is the emergence of three new virus variants in the Houston area, Hotez explained. Right now, Houston is facing five different variants that have emerged to compete for dominance, including the U.K., Brazil, South Africa, California and New York variants. "Once you relax it and the variants really pop up, then we get an acceleration," Hotez said. "It will be hard to dial it back. So I would recommend holding off. Lets wait another two weeks. Well know by the middle of March where this is heading and well plan accordingly. Change: Arlene Foster needs to return to her pragmatic approach to the NI Protocol Have the DUP lost the plot? This is not a derogatory putdown, but a fair question to pose, whenever the DUP is flailing about with support for an ill-judged court challenge against the NI Protocol and a highly questionable meeting with senior loyalist paramilitaries, under the aegis of the Loyalist Community Council. But the latest antic is Gordon Lyons, the DUP minister for Agriculture, ordering his officials to stop work on new permanent border control posts. This in itself does not stop food products coming from Britain being checked by border control staff at Larne, or elsewhere. He also has asked officials to stop recruiting border control staff. His excuse was that he was responding to practical difficulties caused by the Protocol. He added: "It's a real nightmare for us and it's going to be causing us an awful lot of problems." So instead of mitigating those problems, the minister is intent on potentially causing even greater problems by obstructing the building of better facilities and recruiting much needed additional staff. It is extremely doubtful that any of these actions are within his legal remit as a minister within a devolved Executive. His actions are in defiance of the Westminster government and in contempt of a binding international treaty negotiated by the UK and the European Union. Ironically, much of the treaty's content was enthusiastically supported by the minister's own party. This moot point may well have to be decided in the courts. But this is all a bit of political theatre to pretend to the electorate that the DUP is getting tough on the Protocol and will stop it in its tracks. However, the electorate are not that credulous and have shown in recent opinion polling that they will not be fooled any more by DUP political theatrics. And there's the rub, because it was the recent LucidTalk opinion poll in the Belfast Telegraph that shook a complacent DUP hierarchy to the core. The party shown to be trailing at 19% sent shockwaves through the party's ranks. The last time they were around 19% was in 1998. The DUP's hitherto impregnable vote is being steadily cannibalised by Jim Allister's TUV and paradoxically also by the Alliance party. Allister, by his masterly political performances in the Assembly and specially on the Nolan Show, has forensically dissected the DUP's critical mistakes over Brexit, and made a fool of them to the more hard-line traditional unionist voters. Their dalliance with the Tories and the treacherous Boris Johnson is now a matter of public ridicule. Parallel with the traditional unionist voters deserting to the TUV, more open-minded DUP voters have opted for the Alliance party, as they see them as a more competent, modern looking "unionist" party. With typical misjudgement, the Ulster Unionists lost out on an opportunity to attract those disillusioned voters. Those voters see Alliance as a party that foresaw the perils of Brexit and tried to prevent its damaging effects on the local economy. They didn't trust the DUP tie-up with the Tories and foresaw its inevitable disaster. Up until Brexit went sour for unionism, the DUP could be confident of a compliant unionist electorate, so long as they kept Sinn Fein at bay. Shockingly, for the DUP the old voting certainties are gone and they are in a tail-spin, trying desperately to regain old ground. It is this that has pushed the DUP into over-drive over the past month. First, we had the DUP five-point plan which has had little impact, save a lacklustre debate at Westminster in which the government reasserted its commitment to the Protocol. The plan itself was pinched from Jim Allister's various philippics in the Assembly. There was a public hardening of her position by Arlene Foster, who previously had wisely advocated a pragmatic acceptance of the Protocol and the exploitation of all the opportunities that Brexit now offered to the regional economy. Under serious internal pressure, Foster has declared that it was not enough to mitigate the problems associated with the Protocol, but the Protocol itself must go. This is reminiscent of Paisley's infamous declaration in Belfast city centre in 1985 that the Anglo-Irish Agreement had to go. And of course, despite all of Paisley's bluff and bluster, the Anglo-Irish Agreement didn't go, but stayed in place until it was superseded by the Good Friday Agreement, which was in Paisley's terms much worse. Arlene Foster should take note and realise that she and her party in attempting to get rid of the Protocol are going nowhere. With united resistance from the EU and Boris Johnson having a solid 80 seat majority, and being up to his eyes fighting the pandemic, the plight of the DUP is not of any consequence. One more illegal rally participant to remain in Moscow detention RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 14:42 03/03/2021 MOSCOW, March 3 (RAPSI) The Moscow City Court on Thursday dismissed an appeal filed by the Murmansk Regions resident Alexander Glushkov against his detention in a case over assault on a police officer at an unauthorized rally in Moscow, the courts press service told RAPSI. He will remain in detention until April 3. According to investigators, on January 23, the accused participating in the illegal rally in central Moscow beat a police officer several times. During interrogation he pleaded guilty. Unauthorized rallies in support of Navalny were held in Moscow and other Russian cities in late January and early February. But she seemed to redeem herself Wednesday with a thorough, hands-on approach on how search warrants will be sought, approved and carried out. This is her wheelhouse, after all, as a former federal prosecutor, former president of the Chicago Police Board and chairman of a police accountability task force that examined what went wrong in the shooting death of Laquan McDonald. She knows police reform. She knows officer discipline. And she has been on both sides. As a private practice attorney, she defended a police officer accused of excessive force. President Joe Biden will limit some eligibility for a third round of stimulus checks under his $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief bill, according to multiple reports. A Democratic source told CNBC that the bill will still offer $1,400 stimulus checks to single adults with up to $75,000 in income, $112,500 for heads of households, and $150,000 for joint filers. However, the amounts above those incomes will phase out more quickly with a cap of $80,000 for single filers, $120,000 for heads of households and $160,000 for married couples filing jointly. Thats a change from the bill passed by the House last week that would phase out payments for individuals making between up to $100,000, and couples making up to $200,000. The Washington Post reports Biden agreed to the more targeted spending under pressure from moderate Senate Democrats as senators near a vote on the package, known as the American Rescue Plan. With the Senate split 50-50, Biden cant afford to lose any Democratic votes and Republicans have united against the ARP, calling it too expensive and bloated with extras unrelated to the coronavirus pandemic, such as $1.5 million for a bridge in Upstate New York. The bill is also expected to remove a proposed increase in the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025 (up from $7.25 an hour) after the chambers nonpartisan parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, said Thursday that Senate rules require the wage hike to be dropped from the legislation. So how much will I get now? The full $1,400 payments will go to individuals with incomes of up to $75,000 (now phasing out until $80,000) and $2,800 for married couples earning up to $150,000 (now phasing out until $160,000), similar to the first two rounds of stimulus checks. Roughly 85% of U.S. adults would be eligible for the full amount, based on your income from your most recent tax return, but the Biden-backed change to income limits means fewer would qualify for a partial payment. Combined with the $600 stimulus checks approved by President Donald Trump in December, the package would mean $2,000 in direct payments to most Americans. Parents would also receive $1,400 per dependent, instead of $600 in the first two rounds, and this third round of checks will include eligible adult dependents for the first time. The previous two rounds were limited to children under age 17, so parents with college-age students can expect even more money. That means that a family of four could receive $5,600 in addition to the new Child Tax Credit. Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee Richard Neal (D-Mass.) proposed a child tax credit of $3,000 per child ages 6 to 17 and $3,600 for children under age 6. The credit, based on the taxpayers 2020 income, would normally be a lump sum on an individual or familys income tax return but will instead be delivered as a monthly payment from the IRS for $250 or $300, depending on the childs or childrens age, for a full year to help families affected by the pandemic. The current child tax credit, from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, provides $2,000 per child under 17 for single filers with incomes of $200,000 or less and couples filing jointly with $400,000 of adjusted gross income or less. When will I get my stimulus check? Late March, most likely. After the second round was approved and signed by Trump, payments started going out within days. The first round of checks took weeks to begin arriving, even via direct deposit, but millions will receive the third round quickly if they have already verified their information on the IRS Get My Payment site. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., set a March 14 deadline for sending the bill to Bidens desk, before the current round of unemployment assistance and other Covid-19 aid expires. That means those with direct deposit could get their stimulus checks in late March and those who receive paper checks or debit cards would likely get their payments later in the spring. What else is in the new coronavirus relief bill? President Biden first proposed the $1.9 trillion relief package last month, including $400 in weekly unemployment benefits; $70 billion towards vaccination centers and Covid-19 testing; $130 billion to help schools reopen safely; $15 billion in small business grants; $350 billion in emergency funding for state, local and territorial governments; reinstating paid sick leave; and $15 billion to help states subsidize child care for low-income families along with a $25 billion fund to help child care centers in danger of closing. The first round of stimulus checks, which gave qualifying American adults a one-time direct payment of $1,200 plus $500 for each child under the age of 17, was part of Congress $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed in March 2020. A second round of stimulus checks worth $1,200 was approved in the HEROES Act in May, but legislation stalled for months and the December package cuts those direct payments in half. Minimum wage hike all but dead in big Covid-19 relief bill If you time your income tax filing just right, you could get a bigger stimulus check Stuck in prison? Heres how to claim your coronavirus stimulus check Two Philadelphia men who were driving over 100 mph were charged with causing a deadly five-car crash last year on Tacony-Palmyra Bridge, authorities announced Tuesday. Jonathan Ramos, 28, was charged with vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of a fatal accident, causing death while driving with a suspended license and endangering an injured victim by leaving the scene without rendering aid, according to a joint statement from the Burlington County Prosecutors Office and the Burlington County Bridge Commission. He surrendered with his attorney Monday at the prosecutors office, authorities said. He remained lodged in in the Burlington County Jail and had a detention hearing scheduled for Friday. Brandon Moore, 23, was charged with vehicular homicide and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, the office said. Moore was arrested on Jan. 22 and released following his first appearance in Burlington County Superior Court. The investigation began on Dec. 28 just before 7 p.m. when the Burlington County Bridge Commission Police Department responded to the bridge for a report of a crash involving several cars, police said. When they arrived, they found a heavily damaged Honda Civic and they discovered that the driver, Gerardo Francisco Perez Martinez, 35, of Camden, had died, authorities said. Ramos and Moore were headed back to Philadelphia from New Jersey and after going through the toll both, they began speeding across the bridge without regard for the safety of other motorists, according to the statement. According to police, Moore reached a top speed of 112 mph, and Ramos at one point was traveling at 106 mph; far above the posted speed on the bridge of 45 mph. Bridge surveillance video and witness statements concluded that Moore, who was driving a 2018 Dodge Charger, struck the passenger side of Ramos 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which led to the fatal collision with Martinez, the office said. Following the crash, Ramos got out of his car and walked away from the crash scene, but first asked another motorist to call his cell phone because he was unable to locate it in the wreckage, authorities said. Police later found Ramos phone inside his car, they said. Multiple people were taken to Cooper University Medical Center in Camden for treatment, authorities said. 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. New Delhi: Attempts to take over Jet Airways, which has been shut due to losses, have intensified. The winning bid was made by Jalan-Kalrock consortium, owned by Murari Lal Jalan, an Indian-origin businessman based in Dubai. The Jalan Group is primarily involved in the construction business. Jalan-Kalrock consortium prepared a resolution plan to take over Jet Airways and in October 2020 and submitted it to Jet Airways Committee of Creditors (CoC). The CoC has given approval to the plan. Are the infamous Gupta brothers of South Africa secretly buying Jet Airways? According to information received by Zee News, the resolution plan given by the Jalan-Kalrock consortium to the CoC of Jet Airways could be misleading. It appears that the infamous Gupta brothers of South Africa could be behind the purchase. Murari Lal Jalan has a family as well as a business relationship with the brothers Ajay, Atul and Rajesh Gupta. Murari Lal Jalan's niece Shivangi Jalan was married to Atul Gupta's son Shashank Singhal in 2019. Shivangi Jalan's father Vishal Jalan is the brother of Murari Lal Jalan. The Gupta brothers are facing serious allegations of corruption in South Africa. They have been accused of obtaining government contracts through shady means, bribery and corruption in South Africa. Even the United States has prohibited individuals and companies to enter into any kind of business deal or agreement with the brothers. In 2018, an agreement was signed between the Jalan family and the Gupta family to buy and sell stakes in a company. Another agreement regarding loan transactions was made between Akash Garg, a relative of the Gupta brothers, and the Murari Lal Jalan Group. Zee News has accessed documents that confirm this. Now that the link between Jalan-Kalrock consortium's Murari Lal Jalan and the Gupta brothers, who are facing serious charges, has come to light, will any bank or aircraft leasing company agree to work with them? How can a company worth Rs 1,000 crore bag a Rs 17,000 crore deal? Whether the economic condition of Murari Lal Jalan is worth running an airline or not is a big question. As per information obtained, the total assets of Murali Lal Jalan is about Rs 1000 crores. Whereas when Jet Airways was shut down the cost of running the airline was so high that it ran a debt of about Rs 17,000 crore. Moreover, the Jalan Group, which has been associated with the paper industry and construction business, has no experience in the aviation business. How, then, can they run Jet Airways? The airline business has been tough to manage even for some of the aviation business giants. It is even more so at a time when the entire industry is going through a hard time due to the COVID-19 crisis. The resolution plan given by Jalan-Kalrock consortium to takeover Jet Airways is currently with the National Company Law Tribunal. Jet Airways will be assigned to Jalan Consortium only after Tribunal's approval. But the question is whether the approval from NCLT will be enough to run Jet Airways. It also begs the question that whether there will be a background check of those involved in the new management. After knowing that those accused of corruption and bribery are involved, will the deal be allowed to happen? According to government regulations, security clearance of people who occupy important positions in the new management of Jet Airways will be required, which will be approved by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Ministry of Home Affairs. Only then will the new company get an airline operator permit and other necessary approval from the government. The question is whether the ministry will give security clearance after knowing the truth. Zee News sought comments from Murari Lal Jalan on the matter. We asked Jalan if the Gupta family is behind Jalan-Kalrock consortium. We also asked what the relationship is between Jalan and the Gupta family. Here's Murari Lal Jalan's company's response: The Jalan family has no business relationship with the Gupta brothers of South Africa. In such a situation, it is wrong to associate Jalan and his business with the Gupta family." The company said, "It would be wrong to say that Murali Lal Jalan would act as someone else's front, so such allegations should not be made." The company further said, "Murari Lal Jalan's brother has a relationship with the Gupta family and not Murari Lal Jalan. Their personal relationship is not related to business activities. Murari Lal Jalan has no idea what business the Gupta brothers have in India or elsewhere. In such a case, it would be wrong to link Jalan with the Gupta brothers. We want to emphasize that the Gupta brothers have nothing to do with buying Jet Airways directly or indirectly . The documents accessed by Zee News raises questions on the Jet Airways deal and the investigation in the matter will continue. Live TV Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has said he does not drink alcohol. Permit me to say that I dont drink at all and I dont begrudge those who drink, Mr Ikpeazu said on Monday in Abuja during the launch of the autobiography of Eyinnaya Abaribe, a PDP senator representing Abia State. The governor was apparently responding to a controversial remark by a Kogi senator, Smart Adeyemi, who said on the floor of the Senate that Abia State was being governed by drunkards. In other places or countries that have lesser problems, their leaders discuss issues of security, big issues of economic development, infrastructure development, they dont talk about what people do and what they did not do, the governor said at the book launch where he was a special guest. Mr Ikpeazu urged political leaders to serve as mentors to the younger generation. For us leaders, it is a calling. If you are called to lead, you are also called to be a mentor to the young ones and what you say, how you carry yourself and the things you say and the times you say them, speak a lot about how serious you are as a person. I share in the joy of this event because I understand the importance of history of a people and a nation. I am happy that we are trying in Nigeria now to return history into the curriculum of our secondary school system. The title of Mr Abaribes autobiography is Made in Aba. Governor Ikpeazu said, If Abaribe fails to tell his story, by the time others tell the story, he will not be able to recognise himself anymore. The caption points to something and that is the tenacity and never dying spirit that Aba exhumes, represents and reflects and that encapsulates the personality of distinguished Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe. A former president of the Nigerian Senate, Anyim Anyim, described Senator Abaribe as a colossus. The controversy in the life of Abaribe started as deputy governor of Abia. I think I have to say that a public figure without controversy is not complete. There must be a time you will challenge the status quo. There must be time you must take a stand that everybody will not be comfortable with. There must be a time you will stand out, whether people like it or not and I think that would have dotted the history of Abaribe. It is a history that is dotted with firm convictions or issues, whether the crowd goes the same way with him or against him, he will stand his ground, he will make his point, he will push his point and he will defend his point, Mr Anyim said. Mr Abaribe, in his remark, said he desired a country where everyone would be committed to the Nigerian Project. ADVERTISEMENT (NAN) One of the three men arrested following a street party in Castletroy, Co Limerick last night has been charged with public order offences and is due in court on March 22. Another man, also in his 20s, has been released without charge and issued with a fixed charge notice. Another man arrested under the misuse of drugs legislation is still being detained at Henry Street Garda Station. So far more than 50 fines have been dished out to students in relation to breaches of the Health Act after hundreds gathered for a street party last night. Gardai are still making enquiries as to how the event was organised. Videos online showed flares and fireworks being set off amongst large groups of people who gathered to drink in the College Court estate predominantly occupied by University of Limerick students. Read More Other videos also show large groups running from Garda cars who attended the scene to break up the crowds and people singing and chanting with music being played on speakers in the background. Limerick currently has the fourth-highest incidence of Covid-19 in the country and Public Health MidWest have recently issued concerns about the spread of coronavirus in housing estates in the city. In a statement to Independent.ie, UL said representatives met with gardai this morning and students may be facing suspension and possibly expulsion. "UL President Professor Kerstin Mey met with senior An Garda Siochana representatives this morning. We have appealed to our students time and again to recognise their personal responsibility in following public health restrictions. However, it is clear that there is a small minority among our 16,500 students who live in off campus estates who are consistently ignoring government and institutional guidelines. Professor Mey said: Students found to have broken the UL Code of Conduct will face the full rigour of our disciplinary process including temporary suspension and possible expulsion. We are fully supportive of An Garda Siochana and remain grateful for a close cooperative partnership with them, added Professor Mey. There are currently around 1,500 students living in the on-campus accommodation at UL, but it is gatherings at off-campus accommodation which have proved problematic in recent weeks. UL has sanctioned a number of students since January who have been officially reported, investigated and found to have broken the UL Code of Conduct relating to the current Covid-19 environment. Professor Mey took to Twitter to condemn last nights scenes. UL will take action with strong disciplinary measures against any student who has been found to have breached public health guidelines. Students at UL are subject to a code of conduct, she said. Last week, she warned: To the small minority of students who still believe there is no harm in continuing to gather - you are endangering yourselves, your friends, your families, your community and your university. Higher Education Minister Simon Harris told Independent.ie that the scenes were completely unacceptable and a slap in the face to everyone sacrificing so much. It does a real disservice to all students who abide by the rules day in and out, he said. Mr Harris added that he expects separate investigations to be carried out by An Garda Siochana and UL. ADVERTISEMENT Unidentified gunmen in the early hours of Wednesday killed two police officers in Cross River State, Nigerias South-south, bringing to six the number of officers killed in the last six days in the state. Four police officers were killed recently, on February 25, in Calabar, by some gunmen. The police spokesperson, Irene Ugbo, who confirmed the latest killing to PREMIUM TIMES, said the attack occurred in Obubra, in the central part of Cross River State. We lost two of our policemen, one is being hospitalised, said Ms Ugbo, a deputy superintendent of police. Early this morning, the CP has deployed men, so our tactical team is there, we are waiting for the outcome of the operation. The information we got was that during the operation (attack by the gunmen), the bad boys would shout one particular thing IPOB and all that. PREMIUM TIMES asked the police spokesperson if she thought these were coordinated attacks on the police in Cross River State. We wouldnt know what these people want because some days ago some of our men were killed in Calabar, and now this one is happening. I think its a planned thing, they are up to something which we need to tackle quickly. READ ALSO: Assistant Commissioner of Police killed in Cross River But if we dont get information, how are we going to tackle it, this thing could continue to reoccur, she responded. There have been strings of attacks lately on police officers and police facilities in some states within Nigerias South-east and South-south regions. If the deadly attacks on the Nigerian police continues, some security experts believe, it could complicate the already deteriorating security situation in the country. Nigeria is already grappling with Boko Haram insurgency in the North-east, banditry in some parts of the north, kidnapping and the perennial clashes between herders and farmers in several other parts of the country. A court in the southern Tay Ninh Province sentenced a Nigerian man to death Tuesday for trafficking nearly four kilograms of methamphetamine from Cambodia. Ekwegbalu James Nzube, 45, said he got acquainted with another Nigerian, Jone, in China in 2014, and the latter had hired him to transport drugs from Cambodia to Vietnam. In March he came to Ho Chi Minh City before going to Cambodia to fetch the drugs for which he was paid $2,000. But while illegally crossing the border into Vietnam last July he was caught by border guards in Tay Ninh Province. In his rucksack they found four plastic bags with nearly four kg of meth. Vietnam has some of the worlds toughest drug laws. Those convicted of possessing or smuggling more than 600 g of heroin or over 2.5 kg of methamphetamine face death. The Government is launching a 20million programme to support the building of floating offshore wind technology, Rishi Sunak announced in todays Budget. The Chancellor is hoping the new development, plus other proposals, will help the UK reach its current target of net zero emissions by 2050. As part of its plans to expand offshore wind technology, the Government will make an offer of support to the Able Marine Energy Park on Humberside to upgrade ports infrastructure for the next generation of offshore wind. A 20m programme will launch, supporting the building of floating offshore wind technology It will also sign a memorandum of understanding with Teesworks Offshore Manufacturing Centre on Teesside, to support the development of another offshore wind port hub. It is hoped that upgraded ports infrastructure in Humberside will attract investment in offshore wind manufacturing and support up to 3,000 green jobs. Sunak also announced that the UK would provide 4.8million of funding to support the development of a hydrogen hub in Holyhead, Wales. This will pilot the creation of hydrogen from renewable energy, which will be used as a zero-emission fuel in HGVs. Sunak said the project would create up to 500 jobs in Anglesey, Wales. It is not the Government's first investment in hydrogen. It also funded two semi-detached show homes in Gateshead - the first to be built with appliances fuelled entirely by the gas. Hydrogen is a 'clean fuel' because when burned, it produces only water. In the Budget, Sunak also announced a UK-wide competition to implement several first-of-a-kind energy storage prototypes or technology demonstrators. The government will provide 68million of funding for this. It is hoped this will reduce the cost of net zero by storing excess low-carbon energy over longer periods than is currently possible. A 4million UK-wide competition will also be launched for the first phase of a biomass feedstocks programme. This will identify ways to increase the production of green energy crops and forest products that can be used for energy. Rishi Sunak delivered the Budget today, promising millions more spent on 'green' projects The Government will also provide 27million for the Aberdeen Energy Transition Zone, helping to support North East Scotland to play a leading role in meeting the UKs net zero ambitions. It claimed this would transform the region into a globally-competitive hub for cleaner energies such as offshore wind and hydrogen. It is also going to provide a further 5million for the Global Underwater Hub, an underwater engineering facility in Aberdeen, on top of the 1.3million committed last year. Up to 2million will be spent on further developing industry proposals as part of the Governments support for the North Sea Transition Deal. Taken together, these proposals aim to support areas like Aberdeen, which traditionally relied on the oil industry, in their transition to a low-carbon future. The Government said it would also pay up to 30million, for the Global Centre for Rail Excellence in South Wales. This is intended to support innovation in the UKs rail industry, including the testing of 'cutting-edge, green' technology. The Budget also addressed the issue of carbon offsetting, which is likely to come to the fore once Britons start to jet off around the world again. Such schemes allow individuals and firms to invest in environmental projects around the world in order to balance out their own carbon footprint. To help this, it has been revealed Dame Clara Furse, the former London Stock Exchange Group chief executive, will establish a new group with the aim of positioning the UK and the City of London as the leading global market for high quality voluntary carbon offsets. The working group will draw on the UKs financial expertise and entrepreneurship and build on the work of crossing-cutting initiatives such as the Taskforce for Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets. The carbon offset market is expected to rise in the coming years as firms look to buy carbon credits to help meet their climate targets Today Clouds and some sun this morning with more clouds for this afternoon. High 78F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph. Tonight Considerable clouds this evening. Some decrease in clouds late. Low 48F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow Sunshine along with some cloudy intervals. High around 85F. Winds light and variable. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. CEO Vincent Browne said solar is now one of the most cost-effective of all renewables, with the lowest cost of energy over the lifetime of a generating plant with the possible exception of onshore wind Green energy is finally going mainstream, providing predictable long-term returns, with wind and solar power part of the investment megatrend and in this Alternus Energy Group PLC (NOTC:ALT) is particularly strong in Europe. Alternus has grown in four years from being a small Romania-based operator of two solar parks with 6 MWp to becoming a pan-European independent power producer with 25 solar photovoltaic (PV) parks and a total installed capacity of 30.5 MWp in four countries. Proactive sat down with Alternus Energy CEO Vincent Browne to discover how the energy company is set to quadruple its capacity with the acquisition of a 109 MWp portfolio of operational solar PV parks. Alternus plans to close deals on the majority of these parks by the end of the second quarter, and continue to contract additional projects in 2021. Browne has a strong track record as the CEO and CFO of several public companies. He was the founder and CEO of telecommunications industry focused Prime Carrier, and former CEO of Axiologix Inc and the Flint Telecom Group. Strongly entrepreneurial, Browne has a background steeped in finance and operations, mergers and acquisitions, project finance and capital market transactions. Proactive: Id put my money on the sun and solar energy, Thomas Edison told his friend Henry Ford in 1931. It has taken many years, but is that finally starting to look like better investment advice? Vincent Browne: Without question the world is undergoing a critical and irreversible transition from fossil-based fuels to green energy production. The interest in solar energy has soared over the past decade but we are still very much at the beginning of the solar rush as I see it, equivalent to when the oil rush commenced in the mid to late 1800s. The global demand for electricity continues to rise particularly when you consider the move to EVs, and therefore, the more power produced from renewables the better. This shift to renewables is not only necessary for our planet; it also presents unique opportunities to create successful business models to lock in value during the green energy transition. It is clear to me, and increasingly becoming accepted within the renewables industry, that those who own the generation capability will ultimately own the value. Alternus is already well-positioned to take advantage of this dynamic as a long-term independent power producer (IPP) and owner of solar PV power stations that have decades of useful life and income streams. Unlike oil, however, the sun is a limitless and clean energy source, which we will and must utilize for the sake of future generations. We have made it our mission to make this energy more widely available. As a driver in the global green energy transition, why is Alternus Energy currently laser-focused on Europe? Europe is our home first of all. We began operations in the Romanian solar market, so it was a natural progression to move into the proven Italian and German solar markets, and then into the Netherlands. More importantly, Europe is the leader in driving the adoption of renewable energy. The EU has provided strong regulatory and environmental support across all countries with legislation such as the European Renewable Energy Directive and the recent European Green Deal committing to achieving climate neutrality by 2050 and becoming the worlds first climate-neutral bloc, with a 1 trillion-euro commitment to drive this. This provides an historic opportunity in light of the pandemic to revitalize economies, drive job creation and growth in the renewables and solar industry and position the fight against climate change at the centre of it all. Solar is now the most cost-effective of all renewables, with the lowest cost of energy over the lifetime for a generating plant, with the possible exception of onshore wind. Solar PV can be constructed and operated at costs below current wholesale energy markets. This has now made solar PV commercially viable without incentive programs. We are at the beginning of this transition from a financial led focus to an operational focus where Alternus has already proven itself. Notwithstanding the certainty of long-term income streams that each solar PV project provides; the strong European economies; the ongoing regulatory support and rapidly growing corporate demand for green power supply, we still look to minimize all risks in our portfolio through diversification. This mitigates our exposure to any one single park and to any one country. Our established distributed project origination activities, whereby we work closely with in-country partners who develop and construct these parks, allows us to efficiently operate in multiple European jurisdictions in a very cost-effective way. What are some of the other large solar energy markets in the world and do you see Alternus having a footprint in any of them? The EU solar PV market is rather large in itself with approximately 137 GWp of installed capacity at the end of 2020, up 15% from 2019. This year we are planning to expand our European footprint into Poland, Ireland, Iberia and Greece, among others so we have plenty of room to grow and expand within Europe as it stands. With that said, given the recent change in administration in the US, this would be a natural large solar market (over 90 GWp 2020), that we would target in due course. The US solar market is a well-established market, making funding more readily available for projects there as and when we decide to expand there. Our CFO, Joe Duey, who is based in the US and has worked many years in the US solar industry, is following this with particular interest. Having started in 2016 with two parks and 6 MWp capacity, Alternus is now on a growth tear, so can you give us a snapshot of your portfolio? In only four years we have grown from being a small operator of two solar parks with 6 MWp to becoming a pan-European independent power producer with 25 solar parks totaling 30 MWp in four countries. We are currently set to quadruple this portfolio with the acquisition of 109 MWp portfolio of operational solar PV parks and plan to close the majority of these parks by the end of Q2, and we continue to contract additional projects in 2021. With the 109 MWp portfolio we will increase our presence in Italy and Romania. We are also excited to be entering a new jurisdiction in the Polish solar market, which only really started to take shape in 2016 and reached approximately 3.6 GWp of installed solar capacity by end of 2020. There is a significant government and commercial support for renewables in Poland as the country looks to decarbonize its energy supply. In addition to the above mentioned 109 MWp portfolio we have an additional 400 MWs of parks under contract currently and we have continued to grow our network with leading development partners across Europe. Right now, our acquisition pipeline stands at over 1,200 MWp. Alternus recently listed on the Euronext NOTC market, completed a private placement of EUR 27 million in conjunction with a successful placement of EUR 110 million of registered Green Bonds. How do these developments set the company up for growth? We are delighted to be listing on the Euronext NOTC market and also with the successful completion of the recent equity and bond placements. These activities represent a significant event for our company that the dedicated and passionate team at Alternus has been working towards for the past few years. The private equity and Green Bond placement will allow us to grow from 30 MWp portfolio to over 140 MWp in just under 6 months - essentially increasing the business MWp installed capacity by over four times and annual contracted long-term revenues from 4 million to over 20 million. The quality of institutional investors we now have as shareholders coupled with the public listing in Norway provides a solid financial platform for us to continue to further the opportunity we have created and capture our share of the fast-growing solar market. We now have the capital structure and quality investor base to show the market that we are a strong and reliable partner which will further add to our ongoing acquisition activities. Has demand for power and projects been relatively resilient during the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis? We know that project development and construction of new projects has been affected by the pandemic. As would be expected, supply chains have slowed down and restrictions on movement and work have had an impact. However, demand for solar power and projects has not decreased and the demand is greater than ever before due in part, to the race against climate change and the challenge set by the EU to reach climate neutrality by 2050. Operationally, we have had minimal impact across our business in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic, as our revenues grew 75% year on year even during this period. We experienced some marginal negative impact on the spot market energy prices in Italy which has since shown signs of recovery. Are you confident about achieving your current corporate goal of 2 GWs by 2025? I am very confident that we will achieve this goal the dedicated team at Alternus, never cease to impress me with how they consistently deliver so much with so few. We have worked hard to build dynamic partnerships that now continue to feed our pipeline of new projects across Europe. I am proud of our achievements during 2020 even with the challenges that the world has faced in this period and look forward to continuing our current growth trajectory delivering strong shareholder value in the process. Contact the author Uttara Choudhury at uttara@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter: @UttaraProactive The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Even with less than two-thirds of area teachers and school support staffers indicating a desire to get the COVID-19 vaccine, demand has still far outstripped supply in the areas three largest school districts, officials said Tuesday. It has been just over a week since school system employees became eligible to receive the vaccine. In that time, more than 2,000 teachers in Jefferson and Orleans parishes have either gotten the vaccine or scheduled it, according to data provided by the districts. But school leaders face a challenge: encouraging employees to get the jab and trying to make it easier for them to do so, while at the same time facing limited vaccine supplies. I am a strong believer in the vaccines efficacy and strongly recommend all employees receive the COVID-19 vaccine, Jefferson Parish public schools Superintendent James Gray said Tuesday, echoing the calls of school leaders across the region. This vaccine is a major milestone in the path to stopping the spread of COVID-19. In Jefferson, just over half of the districts approximately 6,400 employees have indicated to school officials their desire to get the vaccine. Slightly less than half have said the same in St. Tammany. In New Orleans, its about 63%, a NOLA Public Schools spokesperson said. Noting the limited supplies, school leaders have focused on getting shots in the arms to those who want them, rather than trying to persuade those who dont at this point. Those efforts have included setting up special vaccine events, getting mobile clinics out to specific schools and working with health care partners to create opportunities for educators, officials said. In Jefferson, system officials planned to hold an employee-only vaccination event at the Alario Center on Saturday, school system spokesperson Vicki Bristol said. At the event, 500 vaccines, procured from Jefferson Parish government, will be administered to employees. In addition to the vaccine event at Alario Center, the system has secured another 1,700 vaccines for employees, Bristol said. Vaccine news in your inbox Once a week we'll update you on the progress of COVID-19 vaccinations. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up On the north shore, just under half of the systems 5,600 employees have said they want to get the vaccine through the school system, according to spokesperson Meredeth Mendez. System officials are working on scheduling a mass vaccination event for employees, but won't be able to set up a firm date until they know that there is sufficient vaccine, she said. Ochsner Health has provided 800 slots for St. Tammany school system employees, and included after-hours appointments late Friday and on Saturday to accommodate their schedules, Mendez said. In New Orleans, more than 1,500 teachers, school employees and other contract workers with NOLA Public Schools had gotten at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as of Tuesday, officials said. Taslin Alfonzo, a school district spokesperson, said that by the end of this week, about 2,750 people are expected to have been vaccinated in coordination with the district, or roughly two-thirds of all school staff who have indicated their willingness to receive the vaccine. The district conducted a survey last week asking employees who wanted the vaccine, and about 5,050 teachers and staff -- roughly 63% -- said they did. In all, the district is coordinating vaccines for about 47 school organizations, including charter schools authorized by NOLA Public Schools and those authorized by the state, officials said. Schools are being vaccinated in coordination with multiple health care providers such as New Orleans East Hospital, which is providing mobile units, and Childrens Hospital, via appointment and mobile units, Alfonzo said. Other health care providers include Depaul, Oschner, and local health clinics. Kesler Camese-Jones, head of the Jefferson Federation of Teachers, said the growing number of vaccinations was welcomed news, especially for teachers who have been in classrooms all year. The quicker we can get folks feeling more comfortable, the better, she said. I think everybody has that feeling that we want to get back to some normalcy. Editor's note: This story has been changed to accurately reflect the source of the vaccines for the Jefferson Parish School Board's vaccination event on Saturday. Delhi riots: Cant make a horse from 100 rabbits and 100 suspicions do not make a proof says court India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Mar 03: You cannot make a horse from a 100 rabbits and a 100 suspicions do not make a proof. Additional sessions judge Amitabh Rawat discharged two men from the charge of attempt to murder in a north-east Delhi violence case, while quoting the above lines from Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel, 'Crime and Punishment.' Both the accused persons are discharged of the offences under Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code and Arms Act. Delhi riots: Police tells High Court plea for giving videos of protests against CAA not maintainable The prosecution had wanted framing of charges against Babu and Imran for being members of an unlawful assembly which was armed with weapons during the riots on February 25 2020 near Maujpur. The prosecution argued that despite being warned to leave the place, they refused to by flouting prohibitory orders. When the court enquired if the offences were the reason why the accused were before it, the prosecution denied it and said that they had committed their act with the intention or knowledge to cause of a gunshot victim. The gunshot injury is. stated to be caused to Rahul, but where is he. His statement is not on record, the court said. The police had after carrying out investigation, concluded that Rahul had given a wrong address and wrong mobile number. "So, by the time, the police arrived at the hospital, the alleged victim, Rahul, had vanished. It is not as if Rahul gave any initial statement and then vanished. The state is categorical in saying that the police never saw Rahul. That being the case, who is going to say who shot whom and by whom and where? The alleged victim has never been seen by the police," judge Rawat observed. "How is the gunshot injury established? There is no murmur of that," the court said. The court then transferred the case back to the magistrate court as the two men were charged for other offences triable by the magistrate's court. GARNER, Iowa - It's no big revelation that states are handling this pandemic differently, with some having more restrictions than others. Last month, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announced that she would lift mask requirements, gathering limits and restrictions on businesses. In Minnesota, a mask mandate and business restrictions are still in effect. Now, a new WalletHub study is revealing how states stack up against each other in terms of COVID rules. The study from the personal finance website lists all states with the fewest COVID-19 restrictions, with Iowa ranking 1st on that list, while Minnesota ranked 34th. The study looked at key metrics like requirements to wear a face mask in public, workplace temperature screenings, travel restrictions, large gatherings restrictions, reopening of restaurants and bars, and others. Throughout the last year, Garner Mayor Ken Mick says that his community reflected the Governor's orders, as well as public health guidelines. "In the rec center, we had a number of things - we restricted the number of people and how close. It limited our operation there substantially, but as time as has gone on, we broadened that, as has the Governor." On the local level, the City didn't implement stricter measures for businesses on top of what the state already issued. "We allowed them to operate with the same safety protections and requirements and suggestions that came from the state level." Now that the state government has lifted restrictions, he trusts businesses and the public to do the right thing, and follow guidelines when possible. "I think that we have to accept some responsibility for ourselves...I think our businesses have worked at trying to do the guidelines that are out there. I felt that the public has to make some decisions on what they're comfortable with and not comfortable with." By Stephanie Kelly NEW YORK (Reuters) - rose more than 2% on Wednesday, boosted by a huge drop in U.S. fuel inventories and expectations that OPEC+ producers might decide against increasing output when they meet this week. U.S. gasoline stocks fell last week by the most on record and refining output fell to a record low in the wake of a deep freeze in Texas that shut production. Gasoline inventories fell to 243.5 million barrels, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said, while distillate stockpiles fell by the most since 2003 to 143 million barrels. "This drop is 100% based upon the storm in Texas," said John Kilduff, partner at Again Capital in New York. "It froze up the entire Texas supply chain and caused a drawdown on available refined product stores." Crude inventories rose by 21.6 million barrels, the most on record, to 484.6 million barrels, EIA said. Refining capacity use fell to just 56% of overall capacity, the lowest on record, as the U.S. Gulf Coast's refining capacity use plunged to 40.9%, the lowest ever. Brent crude rose $1.30, or 2.1%, to $64.00 a barrel, a 2.1 percent gain by 11:11 a.m. EST (1611 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose $1.55, or 2.6%, to $61.30 a barrel. earlier jumped after Reuters, citing three sources, reported that the OPEC+ group comprising the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia is considering rolling over production cuts from March into April rather than raising output. The group had previously been widely expected to ease the production cuts when it meets on Thursday. Kuwaiti Oil Minister Mohammad al-Fares said the market was being supported by optimism over vaccinations. Also positive for prices, U.S. President Joe Biden said the United States would have enough COVID-19 vaccines for every American adult by the end of May after Merck & Co agreed to make rival Johnson & Johnson's inoculation. Biden said he hoped that the United States would be "back to normal" at this time next year and potentially sooner. (Reporting by Stephanie Kelly in New York; additional reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in London and Shu Zhang and Sonali Paul in Singapore; Editing by Edmund Blair and David Goodman) (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.) White Declares for Spot on Williamstown Select Board WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. A local business owner has declared his intent to seek a spot on the Select Board in May's town election. Nicholls White on Tuesday said he plans to run to serve the last year of the term being vacated by Jeffrey Thomas. White is the owner of Purple Dragon Games on Spring Street and a longtime resident of the town. "I'm someone who enjoys jury duty," White said in a news release. "I love civic society and I love Williamstown, and I care a lot about how leadership can create spaces that work for everyone. "In gaming, I've spent years building inclusive spaces. My experience there could be of service to the town. The environment is also a passion of mine, and I'm eager to explore ways we could make the town greener." White lived Williamstown most of his youth, attending Williamstown Elementary School and Mount Greylock Regional School before finishing his secondary education abroad. He returned to town and earned a degree in philosophy from Williams College in 2004. White lived in the Boston area until 2017, when he returned to Williamstown to open his store. "Serving on the Select Board really appeals to me because it means I can bring my passion and experience in specific areas and use that to work with other folks who have their own skills and convictions that they bring to the table," White said. "That, to me, is a great strength of democracy, and of a small town like Williamstown. I admire the work lots of people are already doing to make sure everyone gets to enjoy that, and I'm eager to do my part to help make our town even better." Thomas' unexpired term is one of two positions on the Select Board on the May 11 annual town election ballot. Also up for grabs will be the seat currently held by Anne O'Connor, who has announced she will not be running for re-election. Nomination papers are currently available for those two races and several other positions in town government, including a seat on the Planning Board. The deadline to return papers with signatures is March 23. The Partnership is excited to work with the Community Foundation to show our restaurants and frontline workers how much their hard work over the last year is appreciated...", said Kara Norman, Executive Director for Downtown Frederick Partnership. To support Fredericks frontline workers and downtown restaurants during the pandemic, The Feeding Fredericks Frontline Fund has been established with The Community Foundation of Frederick County and becomes one of its more than 740 component funds. Founded by Downtown Frederick Partnership, the funds purpose is to supply free meals for Fredericks frontline workers while also supporting Downtown Fredericks restaurant community. Grants from the fund will purchase meals from local restaurants for health care workers, emergency workers, shelter providers, and other government or nonprofit workers who are working with COVID patients or persons at high risk of COVID. Downtown Frederick Partnership worked with the Community Foundation to establish the fund to provide vital support to the community as the pandemic continues to have lasting health and economic impacts in Frederick County. Washington Gas also provided support to help launch the initiative. The Partnership is excited to work with the Community Foundation to show our restaurants and frontline workers how much their hard work over the last year is appreciated. We are looking forward to giving the community another way to pay it forward and support each other as this pandemic continues, said Kara Norman, Executive Director for Downtown Frederick Partnership. Those wishing to donate to the fund may do so through a secure site at http://www.FrederickCountyGives.org/Frontline, or by mailing a check to The Community Foundation of Frederick County, 312 East Church Street, Frederick, MD 21701, with Feeding Fredericks Frontline Fund noted in the memo line. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Since 1986, generous citizens have turned to the credibility and expertise of the Community Foundation to establish funds that provide scholarships to deserving students and grants to worthy nonprofit organizations, contributing more than $71 million throughout Frederick County. For additional information about the Community Foundation, visit http://www.FrederickCountyGives.org. 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. States consider bills to ban abortion based on Down syndrome: 'Dignity they deserve' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Lawmakers in Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Arizona are considering bills to ban all abortions based solely on prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis, similar to legislation passed in other states. Introduced earlier this year, Pennsylvanias Senate Bill 21, which would ban abortions based on Down syndrome diagnoses and sex of the child, was introduced and co-sponsored by 16 Republicans. In Arizona, lawmakers are advancing Senate Bill 1457, which would ban medical providers from providing abortions when a fetus has a genetic abnormality such as Down syndrome. Meanwhile, South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem introduced a similar bill in the Mount Rushmore State. The Declaration of Independence summarizes what we all know in our hearts to be true: God created each of us and endowed all of us with the right to life, Noem said in a statement. This is true for everyone, including those with an extra chromosome. In recent years, multiple statehouses have passed legislation to ban abortion based on a Down syndrome diagnosis. Ingrid Duran, National Right to Life Committee director of state legislation, told The Christian Post in an email that these pieces of legislation protect Down syndrome babies from being discriminated against. Eugenics in abortion is real and must be prevented, Duran wrote. These laws are so important to protect unborn children from this type of discrimination in the womb. Last month, South Dakota legislators heard testimony from supporters of the bill, including pro-life and Down syndrome advocates. And in Arizona, a Republican-majority Senate panel approved SB 1457 in early February. According to NBC News, advocates on both sides believe the measure will go before the Senate floor and is expected to pass. In Pennsylvania, legislators passed a similar bill in 2019. However, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed the pro-life legislation, according to the Associated Press. Tennessee passed a bill last July allowing the state to enforce abortion reason bans based on a Down syndrome diagnosis or the race and sex of the child. The law was upheld by the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a ruling last November. Mississippi also enacted legislation last year banning abortion for the reasons of race, sex or a genetic abnormality such as Down syndrome. In 2017, Ohio passed legislation making it illegal for doctors to perform abortion solely because of a Down syndrome diagnosis. The legislation was later blocked by a divided Sixth Circuit panel. Passing these laws demonstrates the compassion our society should have towards the vulnerable and that the humanity of these preborn babies or anyone with any disability or potential disability is worthy of protection, Duran wrote. Abortion-rights proponents have spoken out against such bills over the years, claiming they violate women's ability to make decisions about abortion with their doctors. In 2014, Pennsylvania passed the Down Syndrome Prenatal Education Act, or Chloes Law, which requires healthcare providers to provide information to women who receive a prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis,according to The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Named for Chloe Kondrich, a girl with Down syndrome, the bills efforts were spearheaded by her father to give families hope and make them aware of resources to steer them away from abortion. In 2017, 18% of all pregnancies in the U.S., excluding miscarriages, led to abortion, according to Guttmacher Institute. The rate is higher for pregnancies with a prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis, though the percentage is not certain. In countries like Great Britain, Germany and Denmark, studies show over 90% of babies born with Down syndrome are aborted, according to the Life Institute, an Ireland-based pro-life organization. In Iceland, it was reported that virtually all babies with Down syndrome are aborted. Dr. James Dobson, Christian psychologist and founder of Focus on the Family, commented in 2017 on a CBS report regarding Icelands Down syndrome abortion rates and said, a child born with a chromosome defect is a child made in God's image, fully capable of living a happy, productive and healthy life. "I have rarely seen a story that so closely resembles Nazi-era eugenics as a recent report about Iceland 'eradicating' nearly 100 percent of Down syndrome births through abortion," Dobson said. "This is a trend closely followed by other Western nations including Denmark, France and even the United States. We should all be deeply sorrowful and outraged." Down syndrome is the most prevalent chromosomal condition and occurs when an individual has an extra copy of chromosome 21. It affects about one in every 700 babies born in the United States, and around 6,000 babies with Down syndrome are born in the U.S. every year, according to the National Down Syndrome Society. We [as a society] are slowly starting to treat people with disabilities with the respect and dignity that they deserve, Duran wrote. We are starting to see more representation in the media of persons with Down syndrome and autism even in mainstream media like Atypical on Netflix, Parenthood, and Life Goes On. Having adequate representation shows that these individuals with love and support can and do lead full, productive, and enriching lives. They bring joy to their loved ones. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 00:41:45|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Tuesday announced sanctions and restrictions against Russian individuals and entities over the alleged poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. U.S. actions against Russia include export and visa restrictions, a senior administration official told reporters in a briefing call. The U.S. intelligence community assessed that officers of Russia's Federal Security Service used a nerve agent known as Novichok to poison Navalny on Aug. 20, 2020, the official said. Russia has repeatedly denied such accusations, saying the case with Navalny is a purely domestic affair and foreign intervention is not allowed. "This is an exclusively internal matter. We will not allow anyone to interfere nor intend to listen to such statements," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in January. The U.S. Treasury was designating seven senior members of the Russian government, according to the briefing call. In addition, the U.S. Commerce Department added 14 parties to its entity list for their involvement in various aspects of biological agent production and chemical production. "Today is the first such response, and there will be more to come," said the senior official, adding that the United States would work closely with its European allies "in calling out and confronting Russia." Meanwhile, he noted that "the United States is neither seeking to reset our relations with Russia nor are we seeking to escalate." This move came as the EU placed sanctions on four Russian officials in connection to the imprisonment of Navalny on Monday. Relations between Washington and Moscow have been adversarial for recent years. The two were bitterly divided over Ukraine, Syria, and cybersecurity issues, and they mutually accused the other of domestic political interference. Navalny, a harsh Kremlin critic, fell into a coma on a flight from the Russian city of Tomsk to Moscow in August 2020. He was then transferred to a hospital in Berlin with suspected poisoning symptoms. In early September, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Navalny was poisoned with the Soviet-style Novichok nerve agent. Russian authorities denied the accusations and demanded substantial evidence from Germany. Navalny was detained this January upon his arrival in Moscow from Germany and was later sentenced to over two years behind bars, while his defense plans to appeal the ruling at a higher court. Enditem The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Freddie Sherry (right), whose case against calculated grades has been dismissed, with his father, Brian. Photo: Collins Courts A fee-paying school, which is at the centre of a High Court case over last years Leaving Cert calculated grades, awarded up to three times as many H1s as its pupils usually achieve in the exam. Mr Justice Charles Meenan said estimated marks provided to students at Belvedere College, Dublin were well ahead of what was achieved in the previous three years. Overestimation by teachers in schools was anticipated but probably not on this scale, he said. Documentation provided to the court gave a number of examples from Belvedere, including Latin, where it awarded 38pc of students a H1, compared with an average 11pc who achieved that between 2017 and 19. In maths, it awarded 19pc of students a H1 (7pc, 2017-19) and in Irish, 21pc (9pc, 2017-19) Mr Justice Meenan dismissed a case taken by former Belvedere pupil Freddie Sherry, some of whose teachers estimated marks were reduced in the calculated grades process. The judge said it was not at all surprising Mr Sherrys marks were downgraded from the significantly inflated estimated marks. Inflated school estimates were common amongst other schools, particularly at the higher levels, he added. Mr Justice Meenan said he was not being critical of teachers or the school as awarding estimated marks placed teachers in a difficult position. The 2020 June exams were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Calculated grades were based on estimated marks awarded by teachers, which went through a national standardisation process leading to the final grades. The core issue in the case was whether the Education Ministers August 2020 direction to remove school historical data (SHD) based on the schools Leaving Cert performance across three prior years from the standardisation process was unlawful. Mr Justice Meenan ruled the Minister and State (the respondents) were fully entitled to make changes to the standardisation model they considered to be in public interest. The decision not to apply SHD, and not to apply a mapping tool to national historical data (NHD), was not arbitrary, unfair, unreasonable, irrational or unlawful and did not breach Mr Sherrys legitimate expectation, he ruled. The decision was an exercise of executive power under Article 42 of the Constitution concerning an area of policy which the court had neither the competence, nor jurisdiction, to review, he said. The court did not have the competence to make a finding as to which was the appropriate course for the respondents to take when faced, in August 2020, with public controversy over use of SHD, he held. Mr Sherry had not shown he, or Belvedere, were subject of an unfairness arising from the final model adopted and had certainly not established an unfairness that would lead the court to conclude the system was unlawful. Mr Sherry, of Newtown, Celbridge, Co Kildare, claimed the removal of SHD resulted in him being unfairly downgraded by 55 points. His teachers estimated CAO points total of 542 for him was reduced to 487. The judge said the task facing the Minister in 2020, in devising a system to get a student a grade they would have obtained had the exam been sat in the normal way, cannot be underestimated. The rejection of the case has implications for more than 60 other challenges to the calculated grades process. Liability for the substantial costs of the five-week case will be decided later. AFTER a year of upheaval caused by the pandemic, Winnipegs two smallest school boards anticipate a return to normal this fall and their budgets reflect that optimism. AFTER a year of upheaval caused by the pandemic, Winnipegs two smallest school boards anticipate a return to normal this fall and their budgets reflect that optimism. Seven Oaks superintendent Brian OLeary said the division expects 2021-22 to be a "bounce-back year" during his virtual budget presentation Monday night. "We are looking at status quo for class size, status quo for program and status quo for staffing, so the budget very much is stand pat. (Were) hoping that next year is the year that wed hoped this year would be," OLeary said. Seven Oaks proposed budget, which amounts to nearly $157.2 million, takes into account a 1.2 per cent increase in provincial operating funding. The province has directed divisions to freeze property education taxes and has offered them the equivalent of a two per cent increase as a one-time grant, so there will be a slight decrease on the average homeowners property tax bill in both Seven Oaks and St. James-Assiniboia school divisions. In St. James-Assiniboia, which has a student population of nearly 8,500 3,300 fewer students than Seven Oaks the board has tabled a $112.3-million draft budget. Operating funding will decrease by 0.1 per cent for 2021-22, but the chairman of the boards finance committee said the division is not proposing any cuts, calling the reductions "a continuation of ongoing savings" to make up for the shortfall. "Our hard (planning) work over the last three years has really paid off, when times get tough," said trustee Craig Glennie. Approximately $770,000 in teacher and support staff reductions through attrition are outlined in the draft budget. The division is also proposing less money be set aside for new equipment because there was minimal wear and tear this year, less release time be allocated for staff since many professional development opportunities have switched to online, and air conditioning costs be covered through a capital reserve. Meantime, St. James-Assiniboia plans to launch a bike safety program and add three community and equity-related administrative positions next year. Since more students have been out biking amid the pandemic, Glennie said the board has partnered with Manitoba Public Insurance to offer a bike education program for early and middle years pupils in west Winnipeg. If Seven Oaks budget is approved as is, little will change for families in the northwest corner of the city. OLeary said the division plans to offer fairly robust summer programming this year to ensure students who might have fallen behind throughout the pandemic get additional learning opportunities. Seven Oaks ramped up summer offerings last year in response to the sudden spring closures. That expense, combined with additional teacher hires, plexiglass and masks purchases, substitute coverage increases, and cleaning and technology supplies, has cost the division approximately $7.5 million. Neither Seven Oaks nor St. James Assiniboia has budgeted for COVID-19 expenses this autumn. During their respective budget meetings over the last week, presenters at both divisions spoke about the importance of local decision-making. With the education review still under wraps, it remains unclear what divisions can expect in the coming months; however, both OLeary and Glennie expressed a desire for a "status quo" fall. maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @macintoshmaggie English Lithuanian Lithuanian electricity transmission operator LITGRID AB (business ID 302564383, registered office address Virsuliskiu skg. 99B 13, Vilnius, Lithuania) informs that on 2 March 2021 entered into a mutual lending and borrowing agreement with the parent company UAB EPSO-G. The agreement sets the maximum lending limit for LITGRID AB using the Group's cash pooling account - up to EUR 60,000,000. The Audit Committee of UAB EPSO-G on 25 January 2021 stated that the lending transaction is in line with market conditions, is fair and reasonable to LITGRID shareholders who are not the parties to the lending transaction. The individual authorized by LITGRID AB to provide additional information on the material event: Jurga Eivaite Communications Manager mob. ph.: +370 613 19977, e-mail: jurga.eivaite@litgrid.eu When the company that manages Dr Seusss estate announced it was pulling six of his books from publication over hurtful and wrong imagery, I knew we were in for an exhausting news cycle. Dont we all know the drill by now? A beloved cultural figure or institution gets re-examined under a contemporary lens. Unpalatable things are uncovered. Decisions are made. Conservative commentators are loudly displeased. Rinse and repeat ad nauseam, ad infinitum, ad vitam aeternam, or until I run out of Latin phrases to dredge up from the distant memories of my teenage years. On Tuesday, Dr Seuss Enterprises said it had decided last year to stop publishing six books published by Theodor Seuss Geisel, aka Dr Seuss: And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street; If I Ran the Zoo; McElligots Pool; On Beyond Zebra!; Scrambled Eggs Super!; and The Cats Quizzer. These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong, the company said in a statement, in apparent reference to offensive depictions of Asian and Black people present in some of Dr Seusss work. Ceasing sales of these books is only part of our commitment and our broader plan to ensure Dr Seuss Enterprises catalogue represents and supports all communities and families. Suddenly, every conservative commentator was obsessed not just with Dr Seuss, but with those six books specifically. Ben Shapiro, who can usually be relied on in circumstances such as these, pledged to buy all the Dr Seuss volumes for the kids before the woke book-burners can get to them all. Republican congressman Greg Steube predictably brought up new conservative martyr figure Mr Potato Head, tweeting: Mr Potato Head is gender-neutral, Dr Seuss is cancelled, and Amazon is banning books. This is what a Democrat majority looks like. Yes, everyone: under a Democratic majority, no one is storming the Capitol, no one is trading nuclear-war jabs with North Korea, but TERRIBLE THINGS ARE HAPPENING to Mr Potato Head. Hope you all think this was worth it, guys. Enjoy your liberal wasteland. (Mr Potato Head, by the way, can still be a Mister if you want him to be a Mister anyone who has read the Hasbro press release in full instead of twisting themselves into bad faith arguments knows all the potato accessories are still available for sale. Kids are just free to assemble them into whatever combinations they want, which must have already been the case in households equipped both with a Mr Potato Head and a Mrs Potato Head. This has been the most inane fact-check of my career, but it had to be said.) The case of the Dr Seuss books is interesting mainly for two reasons: for one, the decision came from a private company which, of its own accord, reviewed the catalogue its in charge of managing and made what it figured was the best decision. There was no government action, and obviously no actual censorship. It was, in other words, a consequence of the free market. Secondly, Dr Seuss Enterprises said it made the decision last year. In other words, that scary new world were supposedly barreling toward due to progressive hubris? Weve been living in it for months (since Donald Trump was still president, in fact). And were fine, at least as far as our Dr Seuss output is concerned. Perhaps the most striking thing is most people would have been hard-pressed to name any of these six books prior to Dr Seuss Entreprises announcement on Tuesday. The only one I had heard of was And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, because its the first childrens book Geisel published under the name Dr Seuss. Its not just me: as Lithub editor-in-chief Jonny Diamond put it: I was once a child and am now a parent and I havent heard of any of these. Do you know how many childrens books Dr Seuss has to his name? More than 40. How many were pulled from publication again? Thats right, six. Listen. Books fall out of publication all the time. Most books do, actually. Authors like Dr Seuss are the exception to the rule, because we actively preserve their work as part of what we have deemed to be our corpus of classics. Getting rid of six books out of more than 40 isnt a cancellation. Its basic maintenance. But of course, Dr Seuss Enterprises decided that racist imagery had no place in its catalogue, and now some people find themselves newly and deeply emotionally invested in those six books. I was tempted to roll my eyes at this new wave of conservative absurdity, until finally it hit me. This is a unique opportunity to get some policy decisions passed. Heres what weve learned over the past few months, and what weve seen with blinding clarity over the past few days: you can get conservatives to care about anything and I mean anything if you tell them progressives are trying to take it away from them. Lets make use of this! Abortion? Maybe we tell them were the ones who want to take it away. A unionised workforce? Seems problematic, lets cast it aside! The minimum wage increase? Repeat after me: from now on, the minimum wage increase is CANCELLED. Done. The liberal mob decided it didnt like it, and now its trying to get rid of it. At this rate, were going to reverse-psychologise our way to universal healthcare faster than you can say screw your deductible. Sharpen your cancellation shears and hop aboard the Cancel Express, people! We have work to do. Note: The Troops to Teachers program ended on Oct. 1, 2020. This information is for historical purposes only. FORT RUCKER, Ala. In the coming months, an influx of Soldiers will begin the year-long process of transitioning out of the military, and one program can help Soldiers utilize Army abilities by engaging students as teachers. Troops to Teachers is a U.S. Department of Defense program that helps eligible military personnel begin a new career as teachers in public schools where their skills, knowledge and experience are most needed, said Sol Greear, Troops to Teachers southeast representative and consultant. Related: Search for teaching and education jobs. "This seminar can help Soldiers transition into a field where there is a desperate need," he said. "Teachers get a sense of accomplishment through their work the feelings you get from that are priceless." The next seminar will be held April 10, from 9-10:30 a.m. in Rm. 112, Bldg. 4502, in the Army Education and Transition Center. Through the Troops to Teachers Program, according to the program's website, eligible military veterans may receive a stipend of up to $5,000 to help them pay for state teacher certification and a one-time bonus of up to $10,000 for agreeing to teach in a high-needs school. The seminar is held once a month at the education center, and Greear tells attendees what it is like to be a teacher, methods of certification, common misconceptions and eligibility. "Soldiers will learn that they need to ask themselves questions. 'Do I really want to be a teacher? Why do I want to be a teacher? What do I need to need to decide to prepare myself to be a teacher? How do I go about becoming a teacher?'" said Greear. "Some have a notion that once they learn what they need to teach, that's all that they have to do, but it's not so simple because education changes all the time," he continued. "The way they have to teach changes all the time, the field changes all the time. They get a license to learn just like the students they are teaching." Related: Does your resume pass the 6-second test? Get a FREE assessment. Troops to Teachers helps the Army, said the consultant, because it puts people into the classrooms that are going to be preparing future Soldiers for service. They are going to be the ones making an impact on the future generations. "Soldiers who make good teachers are those who are very patient, good listeners and are more concerned about others' accomplishments than their own," he said. "Today, discipline in the classroom comes into question, and that's where their military training comes into play. "Army values really help create people that would be wonderful teachers. And Soldiers can instill the Army values into their students and can be great role models along with appropriate disciplinarians," he added. Because certain previous careers work out great in the classroom, most states, said Greear, have a system to get certified by alternative routes. Troops to Teachers helps Soldiers find those routes and helps them understand what it takes to get an undergraduate degree. It also helps them figure out what they need to do to get certified as teachers by using the school and experience they have already obtained. "Soldiers can use the education benefits currently available to them to go to school to become teachers or anything else they want to," said Henry Eagle III, Fort Rucker education services officer. "Soldiers make excellent teachers because they have had experience dealing with all sorts of people from all over the world. They are usually very culturally aware and have a better worldview than (others). "Hopefully, that will rub off on the children," he added. But that is not the only thing that troops can help their students with, said Greear. "(Veterans) can show the children that (have problems at home) how they can be successful in spite of the terrible burdens that many of them have to bear," he said. "That they can overcome any obstacle and can have a career as long as they work hard for it." For the latest veteran jobs postings around the country, including jobs related to education, visit the Military.com Job Search section. The Next Step: Find the Right Veteran Job Whether you want to polish up your resume, find veteran job fairs in your area, or connect with employers looking to hire veterans, Military.com can help. Sign up for a free Military.com membership to have job postings, guides and advice, and more delivered directly to your inbox. 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. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends a virtual ceremony with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to formally commence the celebrations of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries in Beijing, China, March 2, 2021. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) ISLAMABAD, March 2 (Xinhua) -- No matter how the regional and international landscapes may evolve, and what challenges and risks may arise, China will continue to work with Pakistan to cement their ironclad friendship, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a signed article published on a Pakistani newspaper Tuesday. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. Wang said that in a world of drastic changes unseen in a century, deepening China-Pakistan strategic cooperation is the natural option, and China will continue to work with Pakistan to build an even closer community with a shared future in the new era, according to the article titled "An Ironclad Friendship Growing Stronger in the New Era." In the article published on The Express Tribune, Wang said that "the two countries have stood together, rain or shine, and built an exceptional, ironclad friendship" in the seven decades since the diplomatic relations were established in 1951, which has become a strategic asset, most dearly cherished by both sides. Wang noted that the China-Pakistan friendship has a time-honored history, enjoys a solid foundation and has deep roots among the two peoples. "In times of hardship, one always extends a helping hand to the other as early as possible. Such mutual support and assistance have no strings attached, and are pure acts of goodwill and friendship," he said. Wang said the high-level exchanges between the two countries are frequent while the practical cooperation is fruitful. Under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, "70 early-harvest projects have been identified, among which 46 have been launched or completed. A total of $25.4 billion has been invested, creating 70,000 jobs for Pakistan," he said. Wang said the people-to-people exchanges between the two countries are booming, the cooperation on multilateral occasions is close and the friendship has withstood the test of the sudden onslaught of COVID-19, and has emerged even stronger. "During this year, China and Pakistan will inaugurate grand and warm celebrations to honor the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations, including high-level visits, business exchanges and cultural activities," Wang added. On Tuesday, a virtual ceremony was simultaneously held in China and Pakistan to formally commence the celebrations of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations. "Both countries will be organizing a series of events throughout the year to commemorate this historic milestone in a befitting manner," the Foreign Ministry of Pakistan said on Monday. [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] MIDDLETOWN, Ohio A woman accused of killing her 6-year-old son first tried to abandon him at a park, then dragged him with her vehicle and ran him over as he tried to get back in, according to reports. Authorities are continuing to look for the body of James Hutchinson, 6, which police say Brittany Gosney and her boyfriend dumped in the Ohio River near Lawrenceburg, Indiana, WCPO Channel 9 reports. Gosney initially reported her son missing on Sunday morning, but police say she later admitted to killing Hutchinson on Friday, then dumping the body on Saturday. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, law-enforcement officials say Gosney is not showing much remorse about the death of her son. Gosney, 29, is being held in the Hamilton County Jail on a $1 million bond. She is charged with murder, gross abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence. Her boyfriend, James Hamilton, 42, is charged with abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence. He is in jail on a $100,000 bond, Fox 19 reports. Police tell the Enquirer that Hamilton was not present when Hutchinson was killed. Brittany Gosney, 29, is facing a murder charge in connection with the death of her 6-year-old son, James Hutchinson. (Middletown Police Department) According to Fox 19, court documents show Gosney told police she went to Rush Run Park in Preble County, which is northwest of Middletown, with the intent of abandoning her son there. She drove off as her son tried to get back into the car, dragging him. When she returned to the park about 30 to 40 minutes later, she found the boy dead in the parking lot with a head injury, Fox 19 reports. Gosneys two other children were in the vehicle the entire time, reports say, but its unclear if she intended to harm them. Both have been removed from their home by social services. Gosney took her sons body back to her home in Middletown before she and Hamilton dumped it in the Ohio River the next day, authorities say. This has really touched my soul and my heart, Middletown Police Chief David Birk said, according to Fox 19. My kids are older, but my youngest is 16, but Im just sitting there, you know, the poor 6-year-old has no idea whats going on and whats happening, and for the other kids to go through this, too. Its just heartbreaking. A vigil was held Monday night for Hutchinson. The boys father, Lewis Hutchinson, tells WCPO his son was a kind and loving child. He always loved to give hugs to people and everything. He was a great kid, Lewis Hutchinson tells WCPO. He just brought joy to everybody, But Hutchinson also is left with questions about his sons death. No kid ever deserves to be treated like that, he tells Fox 19. I dont know how somebody could be a monster and do that to a 6-year-old. Russia on Wednesday threatened to retaliate against the sanctions imposed on it by the US and the EU for allegedly poisoning an opposition leader. In a statement issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry, spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the US administration, teaming up with the EU, has made a hostile move towards Russia by announcing new sanctions "to punish Moscow". The US and EU on Tuesday had imposed sanctions on Russia over the alleged poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny with Novichok nerve agent and his subsequent arrest and detention. Reacting sharply to the anti-Russian sanctions, Kremlin said that the move indicated that the White House is again trying to cultivate the image of an external enemy while it is badly enmeshed in its own domestic problems at home. Describing the US policy as devoid of "logic and common sense", Zakharova said that it is increasingly aggravating bilateral relations that Washington has already brought to a complete halt. In a stern comment, she said that absurdity triumphs when the reason behind the sanctions is based on Alexey Navalny's alleged "poisoning" with some toxic "chemical warfare" agent. This is just a pretext for the continuing undisguised interference in our domestic affairs, and we will not accept this, she said. "Based on the principle of reciprocity, we will respond but not necessarily with symmetrical measures," the Foreign Ministry threatened. Russia, the spokesperson said, can only assume that the US administration does not realise that times have changed and that in the current geopolitical realities, attempts to dictate one's will to others are counterproductive for those who are unable to quit this approach. "Instead of instigating a new round of confrontation, the US should concentrate on the honest implementation of its commitments, for example, on the destruction of its chemical weapons, weapons Russia hasn't possessed since 2017," the ministry said. The Russian spokesperson said that the US finds it difficult to understand and accept the idea that their claims to exclusivity are baseless. Any hopes to impose something on Russia by way of sanctions or other pressure have failed in the past and will fail now, the ministry warned. "If the US is not ready for an equitable and reasonable dialogue, it is their choice," the spokesperson said, adding that Russia will continue to consistently and resolutely uphold its national interests and rebuff any aggression, regardless of the US enthusiasm for sanctions. "We urge our colleagues not to play with fire," she said, adding that as a serial violator of international treaties and agreements on arms control and non-proliferation of weapons, Washington is, by definition, deprived of the moral right to "lecture" others. Neera Tanden, Indian American nominee to lead the White House Office of Management and Budget, appears before a Senate Committee on the Budget hearing on Capitol Hill on Feb.10 in Washington, D.C. Tanden withdrew her nomination March 2. (Andrew Harnik-Pool/Getty Images) The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), the pan-African organisation of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in collaboration with the Norwegian Union of Journalists (NJ) held a Webinar on The COVID 19 Crisis: The Role of Journalists Trade Unions in Protecting Journalists and Journalism on Monday, 1 March 2021. The Webinar brought together leaders and representatives of journalists unions and associations across the continent as well as representatives from the African Union Commission (AUC), the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Unions Confederation (ITUC- Africa). In delivering the official opening address, IFJ President, Younes Mjahed, said that the COVID-19 pandemic had revealed that what the people need is professional journalism. Society, he said, particularly needs good journalists and quality journalism that will help the citizenry to get the information that they want and to engage themselves in meaningful debates. As journalists and trade unionists, we have to work hard to protect working journalists, defend media freedoms and professionalism as well as defending and promoting democracy. The Senior Political Officer at the Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security at the African Union Commission (AUC), John Ikubaje, said that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted negatively on press freedom and the conditions of work of journalists in the world and particularly in Africa. The African Union, he emphasised, has prioritised the promotion and protection of journalists since December 2004, through the establishment of the office of the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information. The AUC has been following very closely the situation of human rights on the continent particularly the rights of journalists and the sharing of best practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a similar vein, the Africa Officer of the Bureau for Workers Activities at the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Dr. Mohammed Mwamadzingo, said that the working conditions of most workers are very precarious. Journalists like other workers during the pandemic have been exposed to very long hours of work, while some of them have lost their jobs and others suffered salary reductions. Journalists unions must work together to protect their members from such abuses. The right to freedom of association and collective bargaining are fundamental rights and journalists unions must do everything possible to engage employers to protect media workers. The General Secretary of ITUC- Africa, Kwasi Adu-Amankwah, salutes the work of journalists during the COVID-19 pandemic noting that journalists and other media workers have to work under very strenuous circumstances in order to get the news to the people. The violations of the rights of journalists are a phenomenon that assail other workers. These violations can only be mitigated by the roles played by trade unions through their negotiations, and this can only be possible by organising. IFJ Deputy General Secretary, Jeremy Dear, highlighted that the COVID-19 pandemic has shown the vital role that journalists play. It has also demonstrated the precarious state in which many journalists and independent media exist. The private media have seen a catastrophic collapse in advertising revenue meaning titles and stations have closed, online media have collapsed, pagination has been cut and staffing has been drastically reduced. The impact is less scrutiny, less investigative journalism. Despite these huge challenges slammed on the media by COVID-19, many governments have used the crisis to bring in new laws claiming to tackle fake news but in reality, being used to silence critical and investigative journalism. As a result, journalists have been "jailed, arrested, prevented from accessing information and citizens are denied their rights to information". FAJ President Sadiq Ibrahim Ahmed said Despite the difficulties and vulnerabilities being experienced by journalists during the pandemic in almost every country in Africa, journalists are hoping for a brighter future and fighting the battle of quality and safe journalism through their unions. FAJ pledges to amplify their voice and stand together with their struggles. COVID-19 is a natural disaster, but how African governments are responding is a product of their politics. The IFJ is committed to work strategically with other global union federations like the ITUC to support journalist unions efforts to build unity and solidarity and resist the attacks on journalists rights together at the national, regional and continental levels said Anthony Bellanger, IFJ General Secretary. High-quality interventions were made by journalist union leaders who highlighted that the journalist unions across the continent fought tooth and nail to defend media rights since the pandemic started, and voiced the need for stronger union actions in protecting working conditions, and safe and healthy workplaces for journalists and workers. They have emphasized the importance of journalist solidarity to protect employment conditions and rights at this time. In concluding, Bellanger acknowledged the rich discussion in this webinar has brought many inspiring examples of our unions campaigning and negotiating to confront the virus together to protect journalists and journalism. We move forward more ready to progress our concerted efforts despite the restrictions. The Webinar, while revisiting the FAJ Survey on The Impact of COVID 19 and the Unions: What Future for Journalism also deliberated on numerous crucial themes that currently posed huge challenges to the media, namely, COVID19 and Media Freedom: A new Frontier for violating journalists and Trade Union Rights, and Uncovering Misinformation and Fighting Disinformation: What Role for Journalists and their Unions? and Enhancing Media Sustainability in the face of COVID-19. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 3) The Philippine ambassador to Brazil, who was dismissed this week from government service for allegedly abusing her Filipina household helper, said she will appeal her firing. In an interview on an online talk show, former Ambassador Marichu Mauro admitted she "lost control" when she hit her helper. However, she stressed that was the only time it happened, and that she regretted it. "I had mental and emotional anxiety and stress, kasi nakalockdown kayo [because we were on lockdown] and you are faced with many challenges we had not done before," she said. The former diplomat also claims that the Department of Foreign Affairs "railroaded" the investigation of her case. Mauro said in a statement, the DFA "totally disregarded" the evidence her lawyers presented. "My case was even mishandled," said the ex-envoy. "The case was railroaded to the point that important pieces of evidence were deliberately not given due attention." Although she regretted the incident, Mauro maintained the video of her hitting her 51-year-old helper's head and pinching her ear was "taken out of context." She argued she and her helper are "family", having known each other for more than 30 years, but added that she may have crossed boundaries due to "heavy family dynamics." "I wish the DFA [had] considered my kasambahays own statements putting context on our relationship and how we regard each other," she said. "It was as if the intention was to make an example of me." DFA Secretary Teddy Boy Locsin Jr., meanwhile, also mentioned that Mauro will appeal her case. He also lamented the incident. "These things happen in traditional Filipino families...Sadly it was videotaped. But the law is cut & dried. If wrong, full penalty," he said in a tweet. He then added, "She is appealing it in court. That is her right." Speaking to CNN Philippines, however, the household worker disclosed that there were instances when Mauro would get angry at her over petty matters. "Minsan po konting ano lang konting bagay lang na ginagawa ko mabilis siya magalit," the helper related. "Lalo na 'yung labahin sinampay ko na, ang iba di pa natuyo naiwan ko kaya nagagalit siya." [Translation: Sometimes, even with the small things that I do, she would easily get irked. Especially with the laundry, she would get mad when I would leave some of her clothes out to dry.] The helper, who had since returned to the Philippines, said she had forgiven Mauro last year and has since moved on from the incident. "Humingi po siya ng tawad, patawarin ko raw po siya hindi naman daw niya sinasadya magalit," she said. "Napatawad ko na po siya. Bago pa nag new year noon naka communicate din po siya sa akin." [Translation: She asked for forgiveness and said she did not intend to get angry. I have forgiven her before New Year's Day when she communicated with me.] Mauro was recalled to the Philippines after a Brazilian news outfit released the CCTV footage showing her hitting her worker. Two days ago, the President announced he had dismissed Mauro from her post, withdrew her retirement benefits, and barred her from taking up public office again. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddy Boy Locsin also said DFA officers will now have to apply to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration if they want to bring their household staff with them abroad. CNN Philippines Correspondent Tristan Nodalo contributed to this report. This year our dine and drink business locations throughout the Gorge have suffered with closures. You can help support your favorites by purchasing take out and gift cards. Many of these business will offer curb-side delivery and some will deliver to your home. Lets keep the Gorge going strong! The U.S.-Mexico border wall is seen in El Paso, Texas, on Feb. 10, 2019. Joe Raedle/Getty Images 108 Illegal Immigrants Released by Border Patrol in Texas Tested Positive for COVID-19: Officials More than 100 illegal immigrants released into Texas since late January by U.S. Border Patrol agents have tested positive for the CCP virus, which causes COVID-19, officials said. Felipe Romero, a spokesperson for Brownsville, Texas, told Fox News that 108 migrants tested positive for the CCP virus since Jan. 25when rapid testing began. That represents about 6.3 percent of the total undocumented migrants who were rapid-tested at Brownsvilles bus station, the official said. Officials at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the agency that oversees the Border Patrol, didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment. Romero told Fox that the city doesnt have the authority to halt migrants who test positive for the virus from traveling anywhere else in the United States, although officials have advised them to quarantine and follow federal health guidelines. The City of Brownsville continues to follow all guidelines provided by the CDC and [Department of State Health Services] for COVID-19. The migrants who test positive at the B-Metro facility are advised of quarantine procedures and are asked to socially distance, Romero also told Noticias Telemundo Investiga. There are several NGOs providing resources to a positive case, he said to the outlet. For example, organizations help with quarantine either in a shelter or at a hotel. Since the City started testing the migrants on January 25, there has been 6.3 percent of positive cases. The Cameron County positivity rate is 13.8 percent. Several illegal immigrants told Noticias Telemundo Investiga that they tested positive for the CCP virus after taking a rapid test in Brownsville, which is located near the U.S.-Mexico border. We were tested for COVID and they separated about eight of us because we were positive, Miriam Izaguirre, of Honduras, told Noticias Telemundo Investiga on March 2. We are waiting right now. She was waiting to catch a bus to Houston. Some illegal immigrants who told the network they had tested positive said they are planning to go to New Jersey, Maryland, and North Carolina. Eva Orellana, 29, told the outlet that shes planning to go to North Carolina. On the way, we were wearing a mask all the time, gel, washing our hands, she said. Really, I dont feel anything. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), whose congressional district lies partially on the border, told Fox News this week that the surge of migrants along the border may turn into a full-fledged crisis. It is not a crisis yet, but it will become a crisis, Cuellar warned. The numbers have been increasing, and as your report just said a few minutes ago, the numbers are just increasing every day. The number of unaccompanied kids, the number of families who are coming in are just increasing every day. In my district, just a couple of days ago: 166 people. And it goes on, and just different numbers are going up. So, its not a crisis yet, but its going to get there very soon. The Democrat noted that his concern isnt just about the increase in migrantsbut also the virus. You add COVID-19 on top of that. You add a lot of the border communities are not getting the vaccines fast enough. The fact they arent letting Mexican legal visa holders come across, but theyre letting undocumented people in, that does cause a concern to me and a lot of my border community leaders down there, he said. The UK will receive 10 million AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine doses made by the Serum Institute of India (SII), the UK government said in a statement on Tuesday. SII, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer by volume, is mass producing the AstraZeneca vaccine, developed with Oxford University, for dozens of poor and middle-income countries. "The UK has ordered 100 million doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, of which 10 million doses will come from the Serum Institute of India," a UK government spokesperson told Reuters. Reuters reported in February that Britain's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) was auditing the manufacturing processes at SII to pave the way for the AstraZeneca vaccine to be shipped from there to the UK. The move is likely to stir concerns that wealthy Western countries are procuring vaccine doses at the expense of poor countries. A slew of low-and middle-income countries ranging from Bangladesh to Brazil are dependent on SII's AstraZeneca vaccine, branded COVISHIELD, but demand has been growing from Western countries. It is also providing doses to the COVAX programme backed by the World Health Organization and GAVI vaccine alliance. The UK government said the agreement follows assurances from the SII that providing doses to the UK would not impact its commitment to provide vaccines to poorer countries. Britain has been ahead at inoculating people, with nearly 20.5 million residents receiving the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine so far, according to official data. Separately, the European Union's drug regulator is auditing the manufacturing site of SII, Reuters reported on Monday. AstraZeneca has committed to delivering 180 million doses in the second quarter to the EU. Also read: Pfizer, Oxford-AstraZeneca jabs reduce severe COVID-19 in people above 70 years: PHE study Also read: Hurun Global Rich List 2021: Kiran Mazumdar Shaw richest Indian woman entrepreneur Williamson, WV (25661) Today A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. High near 80F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Cloudy skies with a few showers after midnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%. 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. The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to rescue Pastor Bulus Yikura, who has been in the custody of Boko Haram for... The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to rescue Pastor Bulus Yikura, who has been in the custody of Boko Haram for over two months and is billed for execution by the insurgents on Thursday. The call by the House followed the unanimous adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved at the plenary on Tuesday by the lawmaker representing Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza Federal Constituency in Borno State, Mr Ahmad Jaha. Adopting the motion, the House resolved to intimate the Federal Government to do everything possible to secure the release of the victim before the deadline. It also urged the government to come to the aid of families who lost their members and those whose houses were burnt and food items carted away, to alleviate their suffering. Moving the motion, Jaha said, The House is worried by the continuous closing of the one-week period given by the insurgents, which expires on Thursday, March 4, 2021. The House is concerned that at the expiration of the deadline, anything can happen to Pastor Bullus Yikura. The Abubakar Shekau-led faction of Boko Haram had on February 24, 2021, issued a one-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to secure the release of Yikura, who was abducted in December 2020. The insurgents raided Pemi community, about 20 kilometres from Chibok, in Borno State on December 24, 2020, during which the cleric was taken away. The pastor, in the two videos of him released by the sect in December 2020 and January 2021 pleaded with the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.); the Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum; and church leaders to rescue him. In the third video said to have been released on February 24, 2021, the insurgents gave a one-week ultimatum to the government or have him killed. Yikura, who spoke in Hausa and identified himself as a worshipper at the EYN LCC in Hausa, said the countdown to his execution started on February 24 and ends on March 4. Boko Haram in January 2020 killed the District Chairman of the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria, Michika, Adamawa State, Revd Lawan Andimi. In another development, the House, also on Tuesday adopted a motion of urgent public importance on bandits attacks on Amarawa village in the Illela/Gwadabawa Federal Constituency in Sokoto State. The House appealed to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development and the National Emergency Management Agency to provide relief materials to the affected victims in the village to ease their difficult condition of living. The motion was jointly sponsored by Messrs Abdullahi Salame, Saidu Bargaja, Shehu Kakale and Abubakar Ahmad. NEW YORK, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against QuantumScape Corporation f/k/a Kensington Capital Acquisition Corp. ("Kensington") ("QuantumScape" or the "Company") (NYSE: QS) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, and docketed under 21-cv-00150, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities other than Defendants that purchased or otherwise, acquired QuantumScape securities between November 27, 2020 and December 31, 2020, inclusive (the "Class Period"). Plaintiff pursues claims against the Defendants under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"). If you are a shareholder who purchased QuantumScape securities during the Class Period, you have until March 8, 2021 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. [Click here for information about joining the class action] QuantumScape develops battery technology for electric vehicles and other applications. QuantumScape went public via business combination with Kensington, which closed on November 25, 2020 (the "Merger"), with QuantumScape as the surviving public entity.Kensington was a special purpose acquisition company that was formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination. Though Kensington was not limited to a particular industry or sector, it focused its search for a target business in the automotive and automotive-related sector. The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements, and failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operational, and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and failed to disclose to investors that: (1) that the Company's purported success related to its solid-state battery power, battery life, and energy density were significantly overstated; (2) that the Company is unlikely to be able to scale its technology to the multi-layer cell necessary to power electric vehicles; and (3) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. On January 4, 2021, an article was published on Seeking Alpha pointing to several risks with QuantumScape's solid-state batteries that make it "completely unacceptable for real world field electric vehicles." Specifically, it stated that the battery's power means it "will only last for 260 cycles or about 75,000 miles of aggressive driving." As solid-state batteries are temperature sensitive, "the power and cycle tests at 30 and 45 degrees above would have been significantly worse if run even a few degrees lower." On this news, the Company's stock price fell $34.49, or approximately 40.84%, to close at $49.96 per share on January 4, 2021, on unusually heavy trading volume. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com. CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP rswilloughby@pomlaw.com 888-476-6529 ext. 7980 UP: Body of minor girl found in a pit, days after she went missing India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Lucknow, Mar 03: The body of a 13 year old girl was recovered from a pit in Bulandshahr, six days after she had gone missing. The family of the girl said that she was kidnapped raped and then killed. The police said that the girl had gone to work on a field with her mother and sister on February 25. While working she felt thirsty and went to a house nearby to ask for water. When she did not return, her family began looking for her. They even went to the house where the girl had gone to drink water, but only found a drunken man there. Teenage girl raped in UP A missing person complaint was filed at the Anupshahar police station on February 28. On Tuesday, a local informed that someone had buried a body in a plot around 100 metres away from the field from where she went missing. The pit was dug up and the body of the missing girl was recovered. The body has now been sent for post-mortem. Anurag Kashyap, Tapsee Pannu face tax raids by income tax officials| Oneindia News Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York chastised one of his colleagues for mentioning God and the Bible during the House debate over the Equality Act Thursday, saying: "God's will is no concern of this Congress." Rep. Greg Stuebe, R-Fla., said in his remarks on the House floor that the Equality Act is in opposition to Scripture. The gender confusion that exists in our culture today is a clear rejection of Gods good design. Whenever a nations laws no longer reflect the standards of God, that nation is in rebellion against Him and will inevitably bear the consequences, Stuebe said. And I think we are seeing the consequences of rejecting God in our country today. And this bill speaks directly against what is laid out in Scripture, he declared. Source:The Christian Post Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Almost 1million in cheques from generous readers has now been banked by the Mail Force charity with every penny helping get schoolchildren online. An incredible 15,800 cheques have been received, many of which come with heartwarming letters of support for the campaign which aims to bridge the 'digital divide'. Hundreds of thousands of pupils have fallen behind because they did not have access to a laptop or tablet during lockdown. The Mail's Computers for Kids campaign is handing over tens of thousands of laptops and 150,000 free Vodafone data cards to help disadvantaged youngsters catch up, which could take them months. Almost 1million in cheques from generous readers has now been banked by the Mail Force charity. The envelopes enclosing cheques are raising money for Bone Cancer Research Trust to conduct life-saving research. Pictured: Bone Cancer research trust volunteer Terri Bush (left) with the Mail's Claire Duffin with sackfuls of donation envelopes from readers Among those sending money to the cause was retired GP Peta Croucher, 59, (pictured) who wrote a cheque for 250 As well as 950,000 in cheques, our readers have sent in 880,000 in donations online and via phone and text messages. Along with philanthropists and companies, the total raised is now 10.8million. Among those sending money to the cause was retired GP Peta Croucher, 59, who wrote a cheque for 250. With a father who qualified as a solicitor in his late fifties and a mother who earned a degree in her seventies after coming from a modest background, the importance of education was passed on to Dr Croucher. She said: 'It breaks my heart what's happening. There's a generation of kids who, if we're not careful, won't achieve their potential. I want this to inspire someone else having a tough time, to know that they can still do it.' Dr Peta Croucher's father David Croucher (pictured) qua Dr Croucher's father, David, won a scholarship at Ealing Grammar School before going to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he gained a law degree. But with a wife and young family, he needed a steady income and took an administrative job. A job then came up at a building society in Zambia and he planned to continue studying to qualify as a lawyer while there. But he discovered he could not take the exams abroad and ended up working as a planning officer for a local authority near Bristol when the family returned to the UK. But he never lost his desire to complete his education and spent the next 14 years sitting his law exams in his own time until he passed them in his late 50s. His wife Elizabeth trained as a nurse and worked at hospitals, as well as providing support for Aids victims through her work with a charitable trust. In her 70s, she still had a thirst for knowledge so she completed an Open University degree in history of art. Mr Croucher died from Covid in April last year aged 86. His wife, now 86 and suffering with severe dementia, lives in a care home in Bottisham, Cambridgeshire. Dr Croucher, who lives nearby in Swaffham Prior, said: 'If daddy was here, he would say the most important thing in life is education and not to give up. Mum would say the same and they've proved it.' HOW TO DONATE TO COMPUTERS FOR KIDS CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO YOU, THE READER: How to send us donations The Daily Mail has launched a brand new campaign, Computers For Kids, to raise money for Mail Force a charity which aims to provide much needed school equipment and resources for pupils across the UK learning from home. With schools closed, we are left with the dilemma of hundreds of thousands of pupils in the UK having no access to a computer in their home. As part of this campaign, companies are donating their old laptops which, for around 15, can be wiped, professionally refurbished and made safe and fit for home schooling. They can then be delivered to a child or young person who needs one. In addition, the campaign is looking to support children's needs in other ways such as funding brand new laptops and tablets, and assisting with data access and connectivity for online learning. Any surplus funds will be used to support of the work of UK schools via other means. TO MAKE A DONATION ONLINE Visit mailforcecharity.co.uk/donate and follow the steps to complete your donation. Please don't send us your old device. TO MAKE A DONATION VIA YOUR PHONE To donate 10 - text KIDS10 to 70115 To donate 20 - text KIDS20 to 70115 TO COMPANIES: Could you give your old laptops? Upgrading office computers is something all companies do from time to time and there has never been a better time to donate old laptops. If you are a company with 50 laptops or more that you could give, please visit www.computacenter.com/daily-mail to check they are suitable and register your donation. We will arrange for collection by our specialist partners Computacenter. Please note: we cannot accept donated laptops from individuals. COMPANIES SHOULD GO TO: computacenter.com/daily-mail TO SCHOOLS: Where to apply for the computers Schools must apply to the Department for Education, which is managing the demand and prioritising the schools most in need. The Mail Force initiative means more laptops will become available more quickly. SCHOOLS CAN APPLY HERE: https://get-help-with-tech.education.gov.uk Advertisement Your stamps help save lives, too By Claire Duffin Even envelopes enclosing our readers' cheques are not going to waste they are raising money for life-saving research. They helped the Bone Cancer Research Trust raise more than 10,000 last year when Mail Force was set up to buy personal protective equipment for frontline health workers. And now thanks to the campaign to provide children with computers during lockdown your stamps are again supporting the charity. Its volunteers carefully cut the stamps from the envelopes, which are then sorted into categories and sold in bulk by weight. Its volunteers carefully cut the stamps from the envelopes, which are then sorted into categories and sold in bulk by weight. Pictured: Volunteer Terri Bush Its volunteers carefully cut the stamps from the envelopes, which are then sorted into categories and sold in bulk by weight. Pictured: Terri Bush (left) with the Mail's Claire Duffin The trust receives around 10 a kilogram working with an auction firm that sells to collectors and dealers in the UK and around the world. The majority of the stamps are sold to private individuals to fill gaps in their collections, but some are purchased by artists who use them to create collages on canvas. Volunteer coordinator Terri Bush, who took delivery of 20 bags of envelopes from Mail Force last summer, said: 'I cannot tell you how much this means. Our volunteers have been sat twiddling their thumbs, desperate for something to do. This means the world thank you.' Here's how schools can apply for free SIM cards Schools can apply for free SIM cards at www.vodafone.co.uk/mailforce. Head teachers can request a maximum of 80 for a secondary and 50 for a primary. Cards are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis but priority is given to areas with higher numbers of free school meal pupils. Schools with lower numbers of such pupils will be capped at 20 to 50 SIMs. They are dispatched by courier to schools in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Head teachers allocate the SIMs to pupils. Inserted into a mobile phone, each SIM gives 30GB of free data, enough for approximately nine weeks of online learning. Advertisement Jammu, March 3 : Recent speeches by senior Congress leader, Ghulam Nabi Azad in receptions organised by loyalists after his retirement from the Rajya Sabha have thrown party rank and file into a tailspin in Jammu and Kashmir. For more than 45 years, Azad and the Congress party have been the two faces of the same coin in J&K. A Congress worker or supporter could not claim to support the Congress if he opposed Azad. Azad's stature in the Congress owed itself largely to his proximity to the Gandhi-Nehru parivar. Rather than his popularity in the native Chenab Valley region, it was his reach, first to Sanjay Gandhi and later to the whole family, that catapulted him into politics. Azad came to be widely known to the people of J&K when he won the Lok Sabha elections as a Congress candidate for the 7th Lok Sabha from Washim constituency of Maharashtra in 1980. He was a middle rung Congress leader in J&K till then, but his victory with the highest margin in 7th Lok Sabha election para-dropped him into national politics. After he was made the deputy minister for law, justice and company affairs in 1982, there was no looking back for this village lad, who was born in the remote Bhaderwah area of Jammu region in 1949. His political career has been the envy of both his colleagues and critics. And yet, towards the sunset of his long innings in politics, Azad has stirred the Hornet's nest in the party especially in his native J&K. As a prominent leader of the G-23 group of dissidents, Azad has started questioning the wisdom of the topmost leadership of his party. It was in this backdrop that during one of his receptions in Jammu recently, another senior Congress leader, Anand Sharma said the party was becoming weaker by the day as its senior leaders were getting older. There is no doubt in the minds of both his supporters and opponents that Azad is questioning the handling of the party affairs by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and also the free hand Sonia Gandhi has allegedly given to them. Whatever the implications of his dissent at the national level, there is no denying the fact that the J&K unit of the party is set for a vertical split. It was because of this panic that G.A. Mir, president of J&K Congress rushed to Delhi two days back to discuss the development with the top bosses of the party. If reports are to be believed, Azad would not desert the Congress, but form a dissident group of the party supporters that would fight the Assembly elections in J&K after seeking a new election symbol from the Election Commission of India. This would be something like the repeat of 1978 development for the Congress when Congress-S was formed by Sharad Govindrao Pawar. Azad supporters expect to win Assembly seats in the Chenab Valley districts of Doda, Kisthwar, Ramban and Reasi. Azad can also exercise influence over victory and defeat in many other Assembly seats with Muslim votes especially in the Jammu region. "That is the way, Azad Sahib would hold the key to political power in J&K once democracy is restored in the union territory," said one of his supporters without agreeing to be named. No marks for guessing which side would the Azad led 'Congress' support in future government formation in J&K. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Satisfies Escrow Release Conditions of Brokered Financing of $7,400,000 and Completes Non-Brokered Financing of $1,859,200 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2021) - SILVERTON METALS CORP. (TSXV: SVTN) (formerly, Plymouth Realty Capital Corp.) ("Silverton") and SILVER ONE RESOURCES INC. ("Silver One") are pleased to announce that Silverton has completed its previously announced "Qualifying Transaction" with the acquisition of three silver-focused Mexican mineral properties, being Penasco Quemado, Sonora; La Frazada, Nayarit; and Pluton, Durango (the "Silver Properties"), from Silver One by acquiring all of the issued and outstanding shares of KCP Minerals Inc. (the "Transaction"). As a result of the Transaction, Silverton is now a Tier 2 Mining issuer under the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"). Trading in the common shares of Silverton is expected to begin on the Exchange under the Company's new name "Silverton Metals Corp." and new stock symbol "SVTN" on March 5, 2021. Qualifying Transaction Under the terms of a share purchase agreement dated November 16, 2020, as amended January 4, 2021 and February 1, 2021, Silverton acquired from Silver One all of the issued and outstanding shares of KCP Minerals Inc., which holds a 100% interest in the Silver Properties, and, in consideration of which, Silverton agreed to pay to Silver One $6,000,000 in cash and shares as follows: (a) pay $1,250,000 in cash on closing, (b) issue 4,375,000 common shares of Silverton (the "Consideration Shares"), (c) pay $750,000 in cash eighteen months after closing, and (d) pay $500,000 in cash twenty four months after closing. Silverton also granted a 1.5% net smelter return royalty (the "Royalty") on each of the Silver Properties. At the option of Silverton, Silverton may repurchase two-thirds (2/3) of the Royalty (being a 1% net smelter return royalty) with a payment equal to US $500,000 for each of the Silver Properties. The Consideration Shares issued to Silver One are subject to the Tier 2 value escrow requirements under the rules of the Exchange. As a result of closing of the Transaction, the Brokered Private Placement and the Non-Brokered Private Placement, Silverton has 27,336,500 common shares issued and outstanding. Brokered and Non-Brokered Private Placement On January 8, 2021, Silverton, through Silverton Finco Inc. ("Finco"), completed its private placement offering through the issuance of 9,250,000 subscription receipts (each, a "Subscription Receipt") at a price of $0.80 per Subscription Receipt for aggregate gross proceeds of $7,400,000 (the "Brokered Private Placement") with a lead order from Palisades Goldcorp Ltd. The Brokered Private Placement was completed by a syndicate of underwriters led by Canaccord Genuity Corp. ("Canaccord Genuity") and including Sprott Capital Partners (together with Canaccord Genuity, the "Agents"). As a result of closing of the Transaction, each Subscription Receipt automatically converted into one common share of Silverton and one Silverton common share purchase warrant (each a "Silverton Warrant"). Each Silverton Warrant is exercisable for one Silverton Share at an exercise price of $1.15 per share until March 2, 2024. In connection with the closing of the Brokered Private Placement, the Agents received a cash commission equal to 6% of the gross proceeds from the Brokered Private Placement. In addition, the Agents received non-transferable common share purchase warrants equal to 6% of the number of Subscription Receipts issued under the Brokered Private Placement (each a "Broker Warrant"). Upon completion of the Transaction, each Broker Warrant will be exercisable into one Silverton Share at an exercise price of $0.80 for a period of 24 months from the escrow release date. On March 2, 2021, Silverton, through Finco, completed a non-brokered private placement for 2,324,000 units (each a "Unit") at a price of $0.80 per Unit for total proceeds of $1,859,200 (the "Non-Brokered Private Placement"). As a result of closing of the Transaction, each holder of the Units received one Silverton Share and one Silverton Warrant. Each Silverton Warrant is exercisable for one Silverton Share at an exercise price of $1.15 until March 2, 2024. The proceeds of the Brokered and Non-Brokered Private Placement will be used for exploration activities on the Penasco Quemado and La Frazada Properties and for general working capital purposes. About the Silver Properties The Silver Properties consist of Penasco Quemado, Sonora; La Frazada, Nayarit; and Pluton, Durango located in Mexico. Penasco Quemado, Sonora, Mexico Penasco Quemado, is located in northern Sonora, 60 km south of the town of Sasabe on the US-Mexican border and comprises 3,746 hectares in seven concessions. A 2006 drilling program outlined a historical measured and indicated resource of 2.57 million tonnes at a grade of 117 g/t Ag for a silver resource of 9.63 million ounces. The silver mineralization is associated with manganese oxides in a near surface shallow westerly dipping zone of polymictic conglomerate in the northern part of the deposit and in stockwork quartz and manganese oxides in a rhyolite dome in the southern part of the deposit. The mineralization has been traced along a 2 km strike length and drilling to date has been relatively shallow, less than 100m deep, mainly focused on the silver-bearing conglomerate. Historical Mineral Estimate Resource Category (Underground) Mineral Type Tonnes (Mt) Ag (g/t) Ag (Moz) Measured Oxides 0.12 152 0.60 Indicated Oxides 2.44 115 9.03 Total M + I Oxides 2.57 117 9.63 Inferred Oxides 0.10 41 0.13 ** Silvermex Resources Limited reported in a technical report titled "Updated NI 43-101 Technical Report and Resource Estimate for the Penasco Quemado Silver Property" dated March 9, 2007 (filed on SEDAR on March 16, 2007), prepared by William J. Lewis and James A. McCrea, the above historical mineral estimate. The historical mineral estimate used "measured mineral resource", "indicated mineral resource" and "inferred mineral resource". Although these categories are set forth in NI 43-101 and CIM, CIM has revised its definitions for mineral resources since the completion of the technical report that supports this resource estimate. Accordingly, Silverton considers these historical estimates reliable as well as relevant as it represents a target for exploration work by Silverton. The data base for the historical resource estimate consisted of 24 reverse circulation holes from a 1981/82 program, 17 reverse circulation holes from a 2006 program and 8 diamond drill holes from a 2006 drill program. Assay data was available for all 49 of the drill holes and 12 trenches. The mineral resource estimate used a kriging estimation method to establish mineralized zones with a cut-off grade of 30 g/t Ag and assay's capped at 700 g/t Ag. Resource blocks were estimated by ordinary kriging with samples within a search radius of 25 meters classified as a measured mineral resource, within 47 meters classified as an indicated mineral resource and within 70 meters classified as an inferred mineral resource. As required by NI 43-101, CIM definitions (August, 2004) were used to classify mineral resources with the classification of each kriged mineralized block dependent upon the number of penetrating holes. An in-situ block density of 2.50 t/cu meter was assigned the mineralized blocks. The qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as a current mineral resource therefore Silverton is treating these historical estimates as relevant but not current mineral resources. La Frazada, Nayarit, Mexico La Frazada is located approximately 300 km northwest of Guadalajara and hosts silver rich epithermal veins with base metals. The 299-hectare exploration concession lies within the western foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidental. Access is good, being only a few kilometers from the main coastal highway with average elevations less than 200m above sea level. La Frazada was mined in the late 1890's by an English company, with the Mexican revolution effectively stopping all activity by 1910. A small ornate smelter stack is all that remains of that early historical production. Two parallel quartz veins with galena and sphalerite have been traced for over 1800m along strike and host mineralization in three known mineralized shoots. La Frazada has a historical measured and indicated resource totaling 583,000 tonnes at 250 g/t Ag, 0.87% Pb, and 2.44% Zn; historical inferred resources are an additional 534,000 tonnes at 225 g/t Ag, 0.92% Pb, and 2.62% Zn. These resources are near surface and within the existing mine workings. A drilling program targeting deeper levels of the projected mineralized shoots has never been undertaken, but could appreciably add to the resource. Historical Mineral Estimate Resource Category (Underground) Mineral Type Tonnes (Mt) Ag (g/t) Au (g/t) Pb (%) Zn (%) Ag (Moz) Au (oz) Pb (Mlb) Zn (Mlb) Cu (Mlb) Measured Sulphides 0.30 260 0.20 0.88 2.36 2.54 1,900 5.86 15.78 0.63 Indicated Sulphides 0.28 241 0.14 0.86 2.52 2.16 1,300 5.30 15.50 0.55 Total M+ I Sulphides 0.58 251 0.17 0.87 2.44 4.70 3,200 11.16 31.28 1.18 Inferred Sulphides 0.53 225 0.17 0.92 2.62 3.86 3,100 10.86 30.77 1.05 * Silvermex Resources Limited reported in a technical report titled "Technical Report and Preliminary Resource Estimate for the La Frazada Silver Property, El Zopilote Mining District, Nayarit, Mexico) dated November 24, 2008 (amended January 19, 2009) (filed on SEDAR on February 18, 2009), prepared by William J. Lewis, the above historical mineral estimate. The historical mineral estimate used "measured mineral resource", "indicated mineral resource" and "inferred mineral resource". Although these categories are set forth in NI 43-101 and CIM, CIM has revised its definitions for mineral resources since the completion of the technical report that supports this resource estimate. Accordingly, Silverton considers these historical estimates reliable as well as relevant as it represents a target for exploration work by Silverton. The data base for the historical resource estimate consisted of 729 samples; 233 belonging to the La Jabalina West vein, 384 to the La Frazada vein and 112 samples corresponding to the La Jabalina East-Tiro Real vein. The mineral resource estimate used a block model method with a cut-off grade of 80 g/t Ag, 0.75% Pb and 1% Zn. The qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as a current mineral resource therefore Plymouth is treating these historical estimates as relevant but not current mineral resources. Pluton, Durango, Mexico Pluton is a 6,534-hectare property comprised of 3 contiguous exploration concessions. It is strategically located within the historic "Ojuela-Mapimi Mining District" and lies along the eastern front of the Sierra Madre Oriental in northern Durango. Exploration targets at Pluton are silver-lead-zinc carbonate replacement deposits, which may lie beneath the shallow alluvial cover. The property lies adjacent to and just north of the famous Mapimi Mining District, and west of Excellon's Platosa mine, an active silver producer with grades greater than 1000 g/t AgEq. Aeromagnetometry and ZTEM surveys show that Pluton, Platosa and the Mapimi districts all lie on the edge of a 25km-long and 15km-wide buried intrusion, which does not outcrop. These geophysical surveys, along with geochemistry and IP, resulted in a 3900 m diamond drill program in 2011 aimed at testing for high-grade carbonate replacement mineralization in the favourable limestone horizon marginal to the intrusives. All holes encountered silver-lead-zinc mineralization in veins in a shale hornfels overlying the carbonate horizon, but none of the holes passed into the host carbonate rocks. This vein mineralization is interpreted as leakage into the nonreactive hornfels from the intrusion and/or carbonates below. The high-grade target of silver-rich massive sulfides could lie at the contact of the limestone and the downward projection of the mineralized fractures seen in the hornfels. An ancillary advantage to the district is that the Penoles Torreon smelter is only 50km away, and transport and power infrastructure is excellent. Directors and Officers of the Company Following the Transaction, the leadership team of the Silverton: John Theobald - President, Chief Executive Officer and Director Killian Ruby - Chief Financial Officer & Corporate Secretary Gunther Roehlig - Director W. Barry Girling - Director Early Warning Immediately prior to the Transaction, Silver One did not hold any common shares or other securities convertible into common shares of Silverton. As a result of the Transaction, Silver One has beneficial ownership of, or control or direction over, an aggregate of 4,375,000 Silverton Shares representing approximately 16.0% of the issued and outstanding Silverton Shares on a non-diluted basis, and 4,375,000 Silverton Shares and other securities convertible into Silverton Shares within 60 days, representing approximately 16.0%of the issued and outstanding Silverton Shares on a partially diluted basis. The Silverton Shares were acquired for investment purposes and Silver One has no current intention to acquire control or direction over additional securities of Silverton as of the date of this news release, either alone or together with any joint actors. A copy of the early warning report providing further details of Silverton's holdings will be available on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. A copy of those reports can be obtained by contacting Corporate Secretary, at (604) 617-5421. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. Qualified Person Mr. Born, P.Geo, a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release. For further information please contact: Silverton Metals Corp. Gunther Roehlig (604) 683-0911 www.silvertonmetals.ca About Silver One Silver One is focused on the exploration and development of quality silver projects. The Company holds an option to acquire a 100%-interest in its flagship project, the past-producing Candelaria Silver Mine, Nevada. Potential reprocessing of silver from the historic leach pads at Candelaria is being investigated. Additional opportunities lie in previously identified high-grade silver intercepts down-dip and the possibility of increasing the substantive silver mineralization along-strike from the two past-producing open pits. The Company has staked 636 lode claims and entered into a Lease/Purchase Agreement to acquire five patented claims on its Cherokee project located in Lincoln County, Nevada, host to multiple silver-copper-gold vein systems traced to date for over 12 km along-strike. The property also has potential for limestone related polymetallic plus silver and gold and/or other intrusive related systems at depth. Silver One holds an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Silver Phoenix Project. The Silver Phoenix Project is a very high-grade native silver prospect that lies within the "Arizona Silver Belt", immediately adjacent to the prolific copper producing area of Globe, Arizona. In addition, the Company also holds a 100% interest in three significant silver assets located in Mexico - Penasco Quemado, Sonora; La Frazada, Nayarit; and Pluton, Durango, acquired from First Mining Gold. For more information, please contact: Silver One Resources Inc. Gary Lindsey Phone: (720) 273-6224 Email: gary@strata-star.com Forward-Looking Statements Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. Silverton cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond Silverton's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to Silverton's limited operating history and the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Silverton undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information. 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. Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/75909 "I have no tolerance for sexual harassment in the workplace or anywhere and I support all victims," Mannion, D-Geddes, said. "Our system is built on due process and I have full confidence in the attorney general. I believe that the fair and independent investigation must move forward and deliver the public report as quickly as possible." State Sen. Peter Oberacker believes the allegations against Cuomo are "serious and disturbing." He does think the governor should resign if the allegations are "found to be true." He also said that Cuomo should face additional consequences for his actions. Oberacker, R-Schenevus, supports the attorney general's investigation. But he also thinks the state Legislature needs to act and end the emergency powers that have been given to Cuomo to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. "Between the nursing home crisis, chaos surrounding the vaccine distribution and now sexual harassment charges, not to mention a looming state budget deadline, it is clear the governor should not wield sole authority to suspend laws and impose unwarranted mandates on our state," he said. Dianne M. Stewart, a scholar of African-heritage religious cultures in the Caribbean and the Americas, has been awarded the Chronos Faculty Fellowship in Emory College of Arts and Sciences for 2021. The parallel religious and cultural traditions that flow back and forth between Africa and the diaspora have been on Dianne M. Stewarts radar for at least 15 years. Stewart, a scholar of African-heritage religious cultures in the Caribbean and the Americas, specifically wants to untangle the complex ties between the Central African Kingdom of Kongo now part of Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo and the mostly Protestant diaspora in the coastal U.S. and the Anglophone Caribbean. As the second recipient of the Chronos Faculty Fellowship in Emory College of Arts and Sciences, Stewart will have a leave of absence for the coming academic year to unearth those stories for a book project, tentatively titled Local and Transnational Legacies of African Christianity in West-Central Africa and the Black Atlantic World. This is a dream come true, says Stewart, who gathered missionary reports, slave trade records, plantation records, letters between plantation owners and even rare Portuguese books to capture the intricacies of overlapping spiritual traditions. Im going to buy the paint to turn my home office wall into a whiteboard, so I can map it all out, says Stewart, who was recently promoted to full professor of religion and African American studies (effective Sept. 1, 2021) in Emory College. The Chronos Fellowship launched last year in Emory College to support such ambitious scholarship by tenured faculty in the humanities and social sciences. It aims to support work in the post-tenure period, when time for immersive research, deep thinking and writing can be difficult to secure. Funded by a grant from the Abraham J. & Phyllis Katz Foundation, the program includes a year of leave and $10,000 in research/travel funds, to allow for a fully immersive research experience and opportunities to develop new scholarship. Emory sociologist Bin Xu is the inaugural recipient of the fellowship, awarded in 2020. So far, he has spent the year focused on his scholarship to document the collective memory of the 17 million Chinese youth forced to migrate to the countrys villages and frontiers in the 1960s and 1970s. His second book, Chairman Maos Children: Generation and the Politics of Memory in China, due in October from Cambridge University Press, will highlight this work. I am very grateful for the Katz Foundations generous support, which gives me much extra time to think deeply and read widely about some of these issues, he says. This fellowship, as its name Chronos implies, provides me with the most important resource a scholar can have time to achieve my goals. Xu also begins work soon on The Culture of Democracy: A Sociological Approach to Civil Society, an introductory cultural sociology book he plans to complete this year that will be published by Polity Press in 2022. The Katz Foundation loves this fellowship. The recipients are among the most creative and intellectually curious members of Emorys faculty. The topics they are exploring are not only their personal passions, but important and relevant issues of our time, says David Woolf, executive director of the Katz Foundation. We look forward to hearing the successful stories that Xu, Stewart and others have to tell about their fellowship experience. Pursuing new knowledge of religious traditions Stewart expects to use most of her fellowship time as Xu did: reading, thinking and writing. She began gathering the materials for the project during a 17-month stint in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as a Fulbright Scholar in 2006. She continued her research for years, most recently as a senior fellow with the Bill and Carol Fox Center for Humanistic Inquiry in 2017. In that time, Stewart continued to teach and conduct research on other projects. Last year, she published Black Women, Black Love, a critically honored examination of Americas forced disruption of Black families for centuries. Her latest book, Obeah, Orisa and Religious Identity in Trinidad: Between and Beyond Colonial Imaginations, Volume II: Orisa, is due early next year. A joint venture with Tracey Hucks of Colgate University, who wrote Volume I: Obeah, it provides a historical, comparative account of African religions in Trinidad. Stewarts focus next year as a Chronos Fellow will be to expand beyond Trinidads faith practices to another understudied aspect of African descendants lives in the diaspora, specifically the Christian expressions of the Gullah, Jamaican Revival Zionists and Trinidadian Spiritual Baptist that depart from orthodox Protestant Christianity. I see correspondences among these traditions and those of the Catholic Kongo, Stewart says. I want to tell the story of these parallel traditions, that are interwoven to multiple flows of African people and the diaspora. Im very excited to dig in. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. LONDON, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- QS Quacquarelli Symonds international higher education think-tank have today released the eleventh edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subject: an extensive independent comparative analysis on the performance of 13,883 individual university programs, taken by students at 1440 universities in 85 locations across the world, across 51 academic disciplines. They are part of the annual QS World University Rankings portfolio, which was consulted over 147 million times in 2020, and covered 98,000 times by media and institutions. Global Highlights Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology are the strongest-performing institutions across the exercise, ranking number-one in twelve subjects. and are the strongest-performing institutions across the exercise, ranking number-one in twelve subjects. The United Kingdom's higher education sector remains resilient. 13 of the 51 subject tables are topped by a British university, with the University of Oxford leading five of those 13. higher education sector remains resilient. 13 of the 51 subject tables are topped by a British university, with the leading five of those 13. Chinese higher education continues to reach new heights, with the sector attaining a record number of programs now achieving a top-50 rank. No university has a larger number of top-50 departments than Canada's University of Toronto (46). (46). Switzerland's ETH Zurich is continental Europe's top university, achieving number-one spots for Geology , Geophysics , and Earth & Marine Sciences . Based on its share of top-10 ranks, Switzerland is the world's third-best higher education sector. ETH Zurich is continental top university, achieving number-one spots for , , and . Based on its share of top-10 ranks, is the world's third-best higher education sector. Australia now possesses its lowest number of programs ranking among the top 10 in the world in the last three years. Its total of 13 top-10 departments is fewer than in 2020 (17), and 2019 (18). Two-thirds of Australian National University's programs have fallen year-on-year. now possesses its lowest number of programs ranking among the top 10 in the world in the last three years. Its total of 13 top-10 departments is fewer than in 2020 (17), and 2019 (18). Two-thirds of programs have fallen year-on-year. Backed by strong endowments, two Singaporean universities hold number-one positions: Nanyang Technological University is #1 for Materials Science, while the National University of Singapore Asia's best-performing university is #1 for Petroleum Engineering . is #1 for while the best-performing university is #1 for . Conversely, Japanese higher education is in relative decline after decades of underfunding for research and PhD students. India's Institutes of Eminence program is struggling to yield results, with no increase in top-100 representation for India's public Institutes of Eminence. Institutes of Eminence program is struggling to yield results, with no increase in top-100 representation for public Institutes of Eminence. Russian higher education continues to move from strength to strength, with a record number of departments achieving top-20 places. Driven by world-class performances in Dentistry , Petroleum Engineering , and Mining Engineering, Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP) has retained its status as Latin America's best-performing university in this exercise. , , and Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP) has retained its status as best-performing university in this exercise. The University of Cape Town remains Africa's most competitive institution, with 24 of its programs placing among the top-200. Jack Moran, QS Spokesperson, said: "Observing performance trends across nearly 14,000 university departments enables us to draw some conclusions about the commonalities between nations that are improving and nations that are not. Three factors stand out. First, an international outlook both in terms of faculty body and research relationships correlates strongly with improved performance. Second, rising universities have received strong targeted investment from governments over a decade or more particularly in China, Russia, and Singapore. Third, improving relationships with industry is correlated with better employment, research, and innovation outcomes." Methodology: https://www.TopUniversities.com/subject-rankings/methodology. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1099097/QS_Quacquarelli_Symonds_Logo.jpg SOURCE QS Quacquarelli Symonds Related Links http://www.qs.com/ Theres a phrase that finds its origin in the Bible and is commonly used for better and for worse, in conversations about suffering. Found in the Book of Romans, the Apostle Paul says something profound that still resonates within the Christian community today. We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28) This bold statement suggests that everything that happens in life is ultimately used for good. This specifically occurs for those that love God. We know through Jesus that to love God is not just to believe, but to abide by His commandments just as Jesus did (John 14:15). When Paul says all things, he is encompassing all positive and negative experiences in life. The thought that even negative experiences can be used for good is counterintuitive without further knowledge of Scripture. Paul goes on to mention a second qualifier in this verse with those who are called according to his purpose. When we follow Gods commandments, we can be used for His purpose. Again, Jesus serves as the example as He performed works on behalf of the Father (John 14:12). If Paul is to suggest that God uses all things for good, then how exactly does God make a negative experience good? Having faith in God is easy when life feels both comfortable and blissful. In these seasons we often feel as though God is near. Naturally, we interpret these good experiences as good. However, the times where life feels uncomfortable and problems abound, we feel disconnected from God. These are not moments that feel good, and often create a desire within us to escape the problems. To better understand this verse and how God makes all experiences good, we have to take a deeper look at the chapter of Romans 8. What Does 'All Things Work Together for Good' Mean? Chapter 8 of the Book of Romans begins with Paul laying down a contrast between people who live according to the Spirit and according to the flesh. His audience is the Christian church in Rome. One benefit of living according to the Spirit is that Jesus sacrifice acted as a sin offering for believers (Romans 8:3). Therefore, as he opens, believers will not face condemnation from God because of their faith (Romans 8:1). In a contrast, he mentions that living according to the flesh means living against God (Romans 8:8). Not only is God displeased with this sort of behavior but, death follows when we live according to the flesh (Romans 8:13). Though Paul highlights these issues, his focus is on the benefits of following the Spirit. The main point here is the offering of salvation for believers. That is the primary benefit while believers also get to experience that he mentions in verse 28. Since all things work together for good, Paul has concluded that suffering doesnt matter in the end because we are being prepared for a future heavenly home (Romans 8:18). This references our access to heaven through salvation. Our sufferings are temporary, but the kingdom of Heaven is eternal. While Paul does a great job highlighting the benefits of following Christ and even detailing Gods love at the end of the passage, we have to look elsewhere in the Bible for how God uses all things for good. And we have Paul to thank for that explanation too which appears earlier in Romans 5. How Does God Work All Things Together for Good? And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. (Romans 5:3-4) In this verse, Paul mentions the benefits Christians receive from suffering. We grow in our endurance, character, and ability to hope. He adds that the hope produced in us is hope we have in God, and that hope never disappoints (Romans 5:5). Whats most compelling in Pauls writing here is that he suggests we boast in our afflictions. To boast is to brag about something, typically something someone feels prideful about. Afflictions are difficult problems, but Paul suggests boasting, not complaining. He is able to say this because of the benefits that accompany suffering. These benefits are the reasons he can say that all things work together for good. God uses both positive and negative experiences to improve upon our character. With each improvement, we are conformed further into the image of Christ. Thus, every circumstance in life works for our good, the believer. And the more we are formed into the image of Christ, the more we can act like Jesus and do the Fathers work (John 14:12). What If I Can't See a Purpose in Something? Though we may understand that God uses all things for our good, there are certain problems in life that seem to fall outside of this truth. These situations may include problems that are long-lasting or issues that simply have no logical meaning. When a natural disaster tears a third-world country apart, is God able to use that for good? Or when someone suffers from addiction, attempted murder, rape, is God able to take these situations too and use them for good? Trauma has a way of surfacing in our lives following an unfortunate circumstance. Additionally, time does not always erase the impact of that trauma. Pauls words may seem to exaggerate Gods ability, but his words are true. We can find evidence of this by looking at Pauls life. He once persecuted the church (Galatians 1:13). This included killing Christians (Acts 26:10-11). Despite this sad truth about Paul, he ended up being used by God as one of the Bibles primary authors. His testimony has stood the test of time and continues to inform us today. Pauls conversion to Christianity reveals Gods redemptive ability. God can take a person who committed atrocities against Him and use those bad actions for good (Acts 26:17-18). This applies to us today, whether we are the ones committing the terrible acts or are the victim of such. Therefore, if we ever find ourselves doubting this knowledge of Romans 8:28, we can remind ourselves of Pauls past and future identity. There are other characters in the Bible too who also found themselves redeemed after sinful acts, or vindicated after being victims. Is There a Right or Wrong Time for Christians to Comfort Others with This Verse? Though this extraordinary and profound verse from the Book of Romans carries much meaning, sometimes Christians find themselves using it callously. True, God uses both our moments of intense blessing and intense suffering to mold us into better people. However true Pauls words are, this verse in no way minimizes the impact that suffering has on the lives of believers. The Bible in itself is replete with stories and psalms that indicate the intense nature of suffering. Psalm 13 is a plea for deliverance where David asks God, Will you forget me forever? (Psalm 13:1). And Lamentations 3 likens God to a lion waiting to attack (Lamentations 3:10). These passages inform us that followers of Christ will experience suffering intense enough to make them cry out to God for deliverance. Sometimes they may think God is against them. When we encounter such people in our lives, we do not need to silence their cries by simply telling them all things are being used by God. That knowledge doesnt erase the hurt. Passages like the two previously mentioned speak to both suffering and trusting God. This reveals we can trust God while still suffering emotionally. The pain of hardship is very real. Quoting Paul without any sympathy for someones suffering is bound to add to their hardship. Instead, before we remind people that all things work together for good, we should identify whether or not the person knows that. If someone upright says that their suffering is for a purpose, but they hurt, then we know they dont need a reminder. If someone asks why they are suffering, then we can take that as a sign to gently remind them. Whatever we do to comfort people, let us do so with a keen focus on love and treating others the way we would want them to treat us in that circumstance (Matthew 7:12). Sources: Further Reading "All Things Work Together for Good" - 3 Important Truths in Romans 8:28 What Does it Mean That 'All Things Work Together for Good'? Photo credit: Getty Images/naruedom Aaron Brown is a freelance writer, dance teacher, and visual artist. He currently contributes articles to GodUpdates, GodTube, iBelieve, and Crosswalk. Aaron also supports clients through the freelance platform Upwork. This article is part of our larger resource library of popular Bible verse phrases and quotes. We want to provide easy to read articles that answer your questions about the meaning, origin, and history of specific verses within Scripture's context. It is our hope that these will help you better understand the meaning and purpose of God's Word in relation to your life today. Listen to our Daily Bible Verse Podcast Now! OMAHA, Neb. (AP) Police in Omaha say a man has died after the motorcycle he was driving crashed as he tried to exit Interstate 80 at 60th Street.Police say the crash happened around 3:30 p.m. Sunday on an interstate offramp, killing 37-year-old Travis McQueen, of Omaha.Investigators say Mc Advertisement Advertise With Us Elder Mabel Clark, who lives at Birdtail Sioux Dakota Nation, wants her front door fixed. She said there are more elders on the reserve who have similar complaints. Mabel Clarkes door at Birdtail Sioux Dakota Nation needs repairing. The door doesnt close properly and isnt flush with the doorjamb or the bottom frame. (Submitted) Clark had a list of issues she said are not being dealt with: duplexes that do not have back doors, and therefore no emergency exit in case of fire, and elders are not receiving their home visits from nurses. "The chief and the nurses dont look at us. I gathered all the elders to have a meeting. I told the chief, and he pushed us away about four times," said Clark. "And the nurses never come to see the elders. They phone the health office and theres never anybody there. Im not the only one saying that. Theres a few other ladies that were saying that." On the list of repairs needed, Clark includes doors needing repairs and some houses need ramps. "We have to hang blankets on our doors," she said. The Brandon Sun spoke to Chief Ken Chalmers on Tuesday. He addressed each concern, while noting 14 major renovations are currently occupying all available contractors. In five years, he has spent $5 million on homes on the reserve. Every penny and house number is recorded with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) or with Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), who provide funding for houses and house repairs. On the matter of meeting with the elders, he cited COVID-19 concerns. A meeting would have meant almost 30 people gathered indoors, which would have contravened pandemic-related provincial public health orders and created a super-spreading event As for Clarks house, Chalmers said thats a far more complicated matter. Her home was fully renovated three and a half years ago to the tune of almost $50,000, but Clarks grandson went on a rampage, kicking in the doors and breaking the windows. Chalmers said thats a regular occurrence. One year, Clarks grandson not only kicked in the doors and broke windows, but also destroyed a wall, "electrical wires hanging down and everything." One year, Clarks grandson also burned down the reserve church and went to jail for it. Each time, Chalmers said, repairs have been done to Clark's home. He said he has all the records, and he figures he has spent $100,000 to $120,000 repairing the house that, in 2018, was in excellent condition. "Every time, we fix it all up," said Chalmers. Chief and council passed a resolution to banish the grandson from the reserve, but he cant actually be removed unless Clark presses charges. Chalmers said other family members have tried to get her to press charges. "Shes a nice, nice lady, but she has to press charges on this guy. She refuses," said Chalmers. "She lets him back in. Unconditional love." Chalmers describes a man who drinks, is addicted to methamphetamine, is violent and causes a lot of trouble. "And shes taking the brunt of it," he said. Chalmers also said others on the reserve are getting tired of it, because some also need home repairs. Nevertheless, he said her home would be repaired. He has to find the money for it, but he wont get it from CMHC or Indigenous Services. "Theyll just outright refuse," he said. Chalmers did say that once the 14 major projects are completed, his crew would turn to other smaller repairs. As for the duplexes they have windows meant to serve as fire exits. Chalmers said all building blueprints have to be approved before a build begins, and the buildings are fully inspected by an outside inspector. There is an entire process for that, which is tied to the funding. When it comes to ramps, there is also a process. To begin with, a band member must qualify for a ramp for health reasons. The band has put in temporary emergency ramps until funding can be acquired from Health Canada to build a permanent one. "Weve been building those like crazy. Were only allowed one or two ramps a year, but we usually build them ourselves. We built many this year already," said Chalmers. "People call us we need a ramp here, we need a ramp there. But they need a doctors note. Theres special funding for that. I just gotta know where you need a ramp and Ill put it up." Finally, home visits by nurses Chalmers did not know what was going on with that. He leaves the health department to do its thing. He said it was the first he had heard of issues. Chalmers, who was in Brandon for a meeting, suggested the Sun call the health centre and speak with the health director to find out what might be going on with home visits. He suggested it might be related to the pandemic. The Sun did call, but there was no answer. 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. The Temple of Justice, where the Washington State Supreme Court meets, in Olympia, Wash., on Aug. 13, 2006. (Cacophony via Wikipedia/CC BY-SA 3.0) Washingtons Supreme Court Decriminalizes Drug Possession Washingtons Supreme Court struck down a strict liability drug law in the state that had made possession of a controlled substance a felony even if the person didnt know they had the drug in their possession. This unexpected judicially ordered decriminalization of drugs in Washington has state lawmakers in Olympia scrambling to put together some kind of legislative fix, which could take the form of a recriminalization or a legislatively ordered formal decriminalization of drug possession. Those accused of drug possession under the state law are being released from jails across the state and arrest warrants are being rescinded. The Feb. 25 decision in State of Washington v. Blake by the Supreme Court of the State of Washington is also forcing local authorities to drop charges pending against drug defendants across the state. The 54 ruling stems from charges against Shannon Blake of Spokane, who challenged the law after being convicted in 2016 of possession of a controlled substance, a felony that could lead to a sentence of prison time and a $10,000 fine. A small bag of methamphetamine was reportedly found in the coin pocket of Blakes jeans. She claimed a friend had bought the jeans secondhand and that she was unaware of the presence of the drugs. A trial court determined Blake had not met her burden to prove that her possession was unwitting, and convicted her. Blake filed an appeal, but the Court of Appeals held that the law didnt require the state to prove intent on the part of the defendant. Washingtons strict liability drug possession statute makes possession of a controlled substance a felony punishable by up to five years in prison, plus a hefty fine; leads to deprivation of numerous other rights and opportunities; and does all this without proof that the defendant even knew they possessed the substance, Justice Sheryl Gordon McCloud wrote for the majority. This case presents an issue of first impression for this court: Does this strict liability drug possession statute with these substantial penalties for such innocent, passive conduct exceed the legislatures police power? McCloud wrote. Washington was the only U.S. state that didnt require prosecutors to prove intent under its felony drug possession law, which runs afoul of both the state and federal constitutions, she wrote. The due process clauses of the state and federal constitutions, along with controlling decisions of this court and the United States Supreme Court, compel us to conclude that the answer is yesthis exceeds the States police power. The absence of mens rea, or criminal intent, in the statute isnt necessarily a problem, the justice wrote, because the legislature can still create strict liability crimes in certain circumstances to protect the public from the harms that have come with modern life by putting the burden of care on those in the best position to avoid those harms, but the government cannot criminalize essentially innocent conduct. This rule against criminalizing essentially innocent conduct, does not have such exceptions, and it applies with special force to passive conductor nonconductthat is unaccompanied by intent, knowledge, or mens rea. Not convinced by the majoritys reasoning, Justice Charles Johnson wrote a dissenting opinion that three other members of the court joined. The legislative power to enact strict liability crimes remains consistent and undiminished, he wrote. Our continued recognition of this legislative power applies with special force in this case given the length of time that the crime of possession of a controlled substance has been upheld as a strict liability crime. The constitutional analysis in the majoritys decision is not convincing enough to outweigh those considerations. King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg told local media that hes looking into whether the decision could be retroactively applied, and called upon the state legislature to fix the statute. Conservative officeholders in the state expressed alarm at the court ruling. Hundreds and hundreds, if not thousands and thousands, of violent offendersmurderers, rapists, child molesterswill now be released onto our streets earlier, King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn, formerly a federal prosecutor, said in a statement. In my review of the case as a former prosecutor, this ruling is retroactive because the law is described by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional, Dunn said. This ruling will impact cases involving violent offenders, who will need to be re-sentenced because felony drug convictions now cannot count toward their offender score. Therefore, they will very likely receive a lower sentence. Rose Bryne's new Apple TV+ dramedy Physical isn't due out until late 2021. But fans were given a sneak peek of the 80s-based series on Tuesday, when the Australian actress was spotted filming scenes in Los Angeles' Santa Monica. Rose, 41, looked remarkably different and retro chic in a form-fitting denim jumpsuit on the beachside set. Rose Byrne looks retro chic in a curly wig and flared jumpsuit while filming a beach scene for her new Apple TV+ show Physical with co-star Lou Taylor Pucci in Santa Monica The Bridesmaids star look is in line with the set - a Southern California beach community in the 1980s. The brunette beauty also sported a thick dark curly hair wig worn down around her shoulders and accessorised with big hoop earrings for the scenes. Rose was seen standing in front of a vintage green station wagon with other bikini-clad women and male surfers surrounding her. Her co-star Lou Taylor Pucci, 35, also later joined the filming. Vintage: Rose's incredible transformation is in line with the show being set in a Southern California beach community in the 1980s Lights, camera, action! A makeup artist was seen doing the final touch ups on Rose before the crew resumed filming Rose was rugged up between takes in a fluffy white robe and black puffer jacket. She also wore a face mask while walking from her trailer to set to help avoid the spread of the coronavirus. A makeup artist was seen doing the final touch ups on Rose before the crew called 'action'. Braving the cold: As it is winter in California at the moment, Rose was seen rugged up between takes in a fluffy white robe or black puffer jacket The 10-episode series is set in 1980s San Diego, and follows Sheila Rubin, played by Rose, who is described as a 'quietly tortured, seemingly dutiful housewife supporting her smart but controversial husband's bid for state assembly'. Sheila also will battle her own set of personal demons relating to her self-image and become empowered through the world of aerobics into becoming a pioneering female lifestyle guru. Physical is due to premiere later this year on Apple TV+ and also will feature Rory Scovel, Dierdre Friel, Della Saba, Paul Sparks and Ashley Liao. Stunner! The Australian actress, 41, looked remarkably youthful and retro chic in a form-fitting denim jumpsuit on the beachside set Safety fiist: Rose also wore a face mask while walking from her trailer to set, to help avoid the spread of the coronavirus Coming soon: Physical is due to premiere later this year on Apple TV+ and also will feature Rory Scovel, Dierdre Friel, Della Saba, Paul Sparks and Ashley Liao While many big name Australian stars have relocated Down Under amid the coronavirus pandemic, Rose has primarily remained in the U.S. with her family. She and partner Bobby Cannavale, 50, recently made a brief return to Australia to film Nicole Kidman's Nine perfect Strangers in New South Wales' Byron Bay in 2020. The New York-based couple share sons Rocco, five, and Rafa, three. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) holds a press conference following the Senate GOP policy luncheon in the Rayburn Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 2, 2021. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images) McConnell Open to Minimum Wage Increase, but Against Quick Raise to $15 an Hour The top Republican in Congress on Tuesday signaled a willingness to increase the federal minimum wage. It is true that it hasnt been raised for quite a while, and I think its worth discussing, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington. But we know the result of a $15 federal minimum wage increase all at once1.4 million lost jobs. Thats not what we need in the middle of a pandemic, he added. Democrats inserted a minimum wage increase in their COVID-19 relief package that the House of Representatives passed last week with no Republican support. The proposal would gradually raise the wage over four years. The Congressional Budget Office estimated increasing the wage floor to $15 an hour nationwide would lead to the loss of 1.3 million jobs. The Senate was poised to keep the provision in the bill, if Democrat leaders were able to corral all of their senators, including several who expressed dismay with the large increase, behind the bill. But the provision will likely not survive the upper chamber because its chief rules expert ruled it couldnt be part of the package because Democrats are using a budget process to ram it through to avoid needing 60 votes. Instead, they can pass the bill with just 50 votes and Vice President Kamala Harriss tiebreaking power. McConnells comments came around the same time House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) told reporters in Washington that the lower chamber will take up legislation to raise the minimum wage. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) speaks to reporters in the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Dec. 16, 2020. (Erin Scott/Reuters) The minimum wage as it now stands is immoral, he said. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have recently introduced standalone bills that would up the minimum wage, which stands at $7.25 and hasnt been increased since 2009. Democrats in January introduced the Raise the Wage Act of 2021. Similar to the provision in the COVID-19 package, the bill would raise the wage to $15 an hour by 2025. Then, the wage would be indexed to median wage growth. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the $7.25 federal minimum wage was economically and morally indefensible. Now, the pandemic is highlighting the gross imbalance between the productivity of our nations workers and the wages they are paid. Many of the essential workers who have braved a public health crisis to keep food on the table and care for our loved ones are still not being paid enough to provide for themselves or their families. Today, a full-time worker cannot afford a modest, two-bedroom apartment in any county in the U.S. Rep. Robert Scott (D-Va.), chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor, said in a statement introducing the bill. Republicans have since introduced competing bills, including one that would raise the wage floor to $10 an hour by 2025. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Sovereign Resilience will only be possible when we address the lack of transparency in the current supply chain, and allow a light to be shone into every corner of a products design and manufacture." SoftIron Ltd., the leader in purpose-built and performance-optimized data center solutions, today announced that its leading APAC Solutions Architect, Joff Pearce, will be presenting in-person at the Australian Cyber Conference, 2021 in Canberra, Australia, on March 16-18, 2021 on the subjects of sovereign resilience and supply chain security. Pearces talk, titled, Sovereign Resilience: Is It Time We Finally Looked At Whats Actually In The Box? will examine the state of the global technology supply chain and its inextricable links to foreign (primarily Chinese) design and manufacture. Speaking for SoftIron, Pearce will challenge todays reliance on trust for device security, and will discuss the associated risks involved in this entrenched arrangement to critical national infrastructure. Referencing recent supply chain cybersecurity breaches examples, such as those recently highlighted in the Bloomberg article, The Long Hack: How China Exploited a U.S. Tech Supplier, Pearce will offer a framework and strategy (one which SoftIron has developed and already begun implementing) that all IT hardware manufacturers could undertake to expose and mitigate supply chain security risk dramatically, as well as bolster sovereign resilience in APAC. Many countries are currently evaluating their reliance on opaque, predominantly foreign-made, IT hardware for their national critical infrastructure, said Joff Pearce, Solutions Architect with SoftIron in the APAC region. Sovereign Resilience will only be possible when we address the lack of transparency in the current supply chain, and allow a light to be shone into every corner of a products design and manufacture. Some of this will be about the growth of Australias capability in various disciplines, but it will also be as much about a fresh approach to how and where we choose to build and audit product and process along the way, replacing trust with auditable verification. Pearce, formerly a solutions architect with Commonwealth Banks Cyber Security Centre program in Sydney, Australia, will explore the possible options available in product design and manufacture that could limit exposure, and suggest steps that can be taken to expose, measure, and mitigate cyber risk in hardware. Joffs talk is on Day 3 of the event, Thursday 18th March at 2pm. About SoftIron SoftIron is the world-leader in task-specific appliances for scale-out data center solutions. Their superior, purpose-built hardware is designed, developed, and assembled in California, and they are the only manufacturer to offer auditable provenance. SoftIrons HyperDrive software-defined, enterprise storage portfolio runs at wire-speed and is custom-designed to optimize Ceph. HyperSwitch is their line of next-generation, top-of-rack switches built to maximize the performance and flexibility of SONiC. HyperCast is their high-density, concurrent 4K transcoding solution, for multi-screen, multi-format delivery. SoftIron unlocks greater business value for enterprises by delivering best-in-class products, free from software and hardware lock-in. For more information visit http://www.SoftIron.com. About The Australian Cyber Conference The Australian Cyber Conference 2021 Canberra will provide business leaders with insights and best practices taught by the industrys top experts through keynotes, panel sessions and live demonstrations both in person and virtually. For more information visit https://cyberconference.com.au/canberra/. Media Inquiries: Isaac Lopez OmniScale Media 360-576-5475 isaac@omniscalemedia.com Park Bo-gum in a scene from "Seobok" / Courtesy of CJ ENM By Kwak Yeon-soo The sci-fi action film "Seobok," featuring Gong Yoo and Park Bo-gum, will simultaneously hit theaters and a local streaming service next month, its distributor CJ ENM said Wednesday. It will be the first big budget Korean film to take the "two-track" approach amid the COVID-19 pandemic, while a few have skipped theaters and gone directly to streaming platforms. "Time to Hunt" (2020) was the first Korean film to go to Netflix without a theatrical release, followed by the time-slip thriller "Call" in November and space opera "Space Sweepers" in February. "Seobok" is one of the most eagerly awaited films of 2021 because two heartthrob actors are starring together in a film for the first time. It was originally slated for a theatrical release in December, but this was thwarted by COVID-19. "Responding to the rapid changes in consumer's perspectives and needs for content, we decided to release Seobok in theaters and on streaming service Tving," CJ ENM said in a statement. "We believe playing in theaters will better serve enthusiastic moviegoers by providing more options. Also, we hope to boost local theaters that are struggling from the lack of new releases." Tving is Korea's No. 3 online streaming platform with 2.41 million monthly active users, following Netflix and Wavve. The company said it will invest 400 billion won ($356 million) over the next three years to secure quality content across genres for the platform. In an effort to release films and still make a profit, production companies started experimenting with having dual streaming and theatrical releases. A poster for "Seobok" / Courtesy of CJ ENM [March 03, 2021] Volocopter Raises 200 Million in Series D Funding Round - 200 million (USD 240 million) raised in an oversubscribed Series D funding - New investors include funds managed by BlackRock, Avala Capital, Atlantia S.p.A., Continental AG, NTT, and Tokyo Century amongst others, with all existing investors also joining the round - Funding will be used to solidify Volocopter's market leadership BRUCHSAL, Germany, March 3, 2021 /CNW/ -- Volocopter, the pioneer of urban air mobility (UAM), announced the signing of their Series D funding round today, raising 200 million in additional capital. Cumulatively, Volocopter has raised 322 million. The funding will be used to solidify Volocopter's leading position in the UAM market by bringing the VoloCity, the battery-powered air taxi for cities, to certification and by accelerating the launch of its first commercial routes. Volocopter is in the final stages of providing new, sustainable mobility options for cities around the world. Their future services range from electric autonomous air taxis flying passengers directly and safely to their destinations to transporting goods with the company's VoloDrone. Having ten years of development experience, Volocopter is a leader in the urban air mobility space. As the first and only electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) company to receive Design Organisation Approval (DOA) by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Volocopter expects its first commercial air taxi routes to be opened within the next two years. "Volocopter is ahead of the curve in the UAM industry, and we have the achievements to prove it," says <>Florian Reuter, CEO of Volocopter. "No other electric air taxi company has publicly performed as many flights in cities around the world, with full regulatory approval, as Volocopter has. Our VoloCity is the fifth generation of Volocopter aircraft and has a strong path to being the first certified electric air taxi for cities. Volocopter already has the extensive partnerships necessary to set up the UAM ecosystem for launching both our company and the industry into commercial operations. We are called the pioneers of UAM for a reason, and we plan to keep that title." Volocopter offers a holistic approach to the UAM market by developing a full ecosystem to connect all the vital parts to get the industry off the ground. This includes multipurpose aircraft (VoloCity and VoloDrone), physical and digital infrastructure (VoloPort and VoloIQ), as well as partnerships with global leaders in their respective fields. "We are thrilled to welcome investors who share our belief that innovative technology like our Volocopter is one of the key enablers for a sustainable future," says Rene Griemens, CFO of Volocopter. "Our shareholder structure remains well balanced with a healthy mix of strategic and financial partners spread as globally as our business ambitions." New investors in Volocopter include funds managed by BlackRock, global infrastructure company Atlantia S.p.A., Avala Capital, mobility technology giant Continental AG, global technology focused investment fund Jericho Capital, global technology and business solutions provider NTT via its venture capital arm, Tokyo Century, a leading Japanese leasing company, leading family offices, and others. All existing investors, including Geely, Daimler, DB Schenker, Intel Capital, btov Partners, Team Europe, and Klocke Holding amongst others also joined the round. Volocopter has performed several milestone flights in Helsinki, Stuttgart, Dubai, and over Singapore's Marina Bay in recent years. While the first routes are yet to be announced, the company has committed to establishing air taxi services in Singapore and Paris with plans to expand many more routes in the US, Asia, and Europe. About Volocopter Volocopter is building the world's first sustainable and scalable urban air mobility business to bring affordable air taxi services to megacities worldwide. With the VoloCity, the company is developing the first fully electric "eVTOL" aircraft in certification to transport passengers safely and quietly within cities. Volocopter leads and cooperates with partners in infrastructure, operations, and air traffic management to build the ecosystem necessary to 'Bring Urban Air Mobility to Life'.: www.volocopter.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/volocopter-raises-200-million-in-series-d-funding-round-301239127.html SOURCE Volocopter GmbH [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Two snowmobilers died last week in separate accidents in the Adirondacks region one on the ice on Lake George; the other, on a snowmobile trail in Franklin County. A firefighter from the Bronx died Thursday afternoon (Feb. 25) after he crashed his snowmobile into a dock on Lake George, was ejected and ended up in the water underneath an ice shelf, reported the Adirondack Daily Enterprise. Carmine J. Barresi, 35, was a member of the New York City Fire Department, according to his social media profile, the newspaper reported. According to the state Department of Environmental Conservation, a state Forest Ranger responded the accident scene at around 4 p.m. near the Halls Boat Marina near the lakes southern basin. The water was around 10 to15 feet deep where the accident took place, according to northcountrypublicradio.com. The Ranger and two others climbed into an airboat. One Ranger donned a cold water rescue suit, went in the water, but couldnt locate Barresi, DEC said. A diver with the North Queensbury Fire Department was able to find the man. Once he was out of the water, a Forest Ranger and Sheriffs deputy attempted life-saving measures. Barresi was turned over to the local EMS and transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, DEC said. The cause of the crash is being investigated by the Warren County Sheriffs Office. Barresi was vacationing in the area as part of a group from New York City who came to the area to enjoy some ice fishing and snowmobiling, Warren County Sheriff Jim LaFarr told the Adirondack Daily Enterprise. Prior to the crash, Barresi was with the group in the center of the lake, LaFarr told the newspaper. It was not clear why he left. As to whether alcohol played a role in the crash, the sheriff said that wont be known until autopsy and a toxicology report comes back. The following morning (Feb. 26), State Police responded to a crash involving three snowmobiles on Wolf Pond Road in the town of Bellmont in Franklin County. According to State Police, a snowmobile operated by Richard D. Button, 57, of Gansevoort, NY, was traveling north along a maintained trail shortly before 11 a.m. when he struck another snowmobile traveling south operated by 56-year-old David G. Warner, 56, of Malone. Button was thrown from his sled. As he was ejected, he struck another snowmobile, operated by 48-year-old Jason K. Steenberg of Massena. Steenberg was also ejected, however, sustained only minor injuries, State Police said. Button was pronounced deceased at the scene by Franklin County Coroner Brian Langdon. The case remains under investigation, State Police said. More Upstate NY outdoors: Upstate NY ice fishing bonanza: Anglers share photos of their catches Upstate New York coyote hunter talks about his passion: This is the best time of year to be doing it Get outdoors: Bear Swamp State Forest in Cayuga County is a magical place DEC announces Holiday Deer Hunt for bow, muzzleloaders during Christmas break in Southern Zone Need to take a NYS boating safety course? What you need to know. Ice fishing 101 in Upstate NY: The basics for having a safe, fun outing and catching fish What you need to know to go camping at a public or private campground in Upstate NY this year UPGRADE YOUR OUTDOOR GEAR Fishing Gear | Camo Face Masks | Hunting Gear | Camping Supplies Greenville County Council selected three incumbent members to serve another term on the county planning commission for the next three years, taking roles in the board that guides rezoning requests and provides oversight to housing development plans. It is an increasingly important group, with the countys population growth and the traffic, housing, environmental and development issues it brings expected to continue into the foreseeable future. In so doing, the council maintained the current balance of the commission, which has become more divided in recent months into two camps one pro-development and the other concerned about traffic and environmental issues that come with new development, particularly in the rural northern and southern thirds of the county. The council received 15 applications for three spots. All three incumbents whose terms were ending re-applied to serve again and each was selected in the secret-ballot process following interviews with nearly all candidates March 2. The council chose retired judge Metz Looper, attorney Jay Rogers and realtor Milton Shockley to serve once again. The balance of the nine-member board tends to lean toward developers and private property rights of landowners to sell and do with their land what they will. But the split can become more even when communities bring wholesale opposition to a development plan, as happened with proposals in the Pebble Creek and Piedmont areas in February. In that meeting, in which Rogers was absent, the commission deadlocked 4-4 repeatedly. It eventually held one application for a month and only approved another when the developer agreed to add a third entrance to a 522-home subdivision on Bessie Road in Piedmont, which swayed Chairman Steve Bichel to change his vote. Those contested developments also marked another recent trend within the community: residents ability and desire to quickly form organized opposition to projects they see as threatening to their quality of life. After a developer proposed building 147 houses and townhomes on 42 acres within the Pebble Creek community between State Highway 253 and Stallings Road, area residents started a Facebook page, organized community meetings and signed a petition that garnered support from more than 530 residents all within a months time. The commission debated the development for more than 90 minutes, deadlocked twice on votes to approve and ended up holding the development application for a month. Along Bessie Road, residents followed the same pattern. Facebook pages showed pictures of potholes and patched two-lane roads, posted information about how to contact commission and council members and featured residents voicing concern over 522 houses being approved on small lots in a single commission vote. Still, the commission voted 5-3 for approval. Disappointed residents who wanted the balance of power to change on the planning commission pointed to comments made by Michael Dey, vice president of government affairs with the Homebuilders Association of Greenville, to homebuilders last year. Weve been working over the past couple of years to change the makeup of the planning commission, he said in a video posted to YouTube in which he also updated members on the COVID-19 pandemic. As of June 1 (2020), we will have five members of either the homebuilders association or the (Greenville) Realtors Association on the planning commission so were seeing an improved consideration of the facts and a little less NIMBY reaction. 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! NIMBY stands for not in my backyard. After the council vote Tuesday, Dey said the homebuilders had advocated for its members to apply to serve on the commission in 2017 and 2019 when the commission balance had swung against development. He said the balance on the commission is good now and that he had informally spoken in favor of the three incumbents this year because he thought they were doing a good job. He said the homebuilders hadnt asked builders to apply. Julie Turner, a northern Greenville County resident who for several years has fought a subdivision plan across Tigerville Road from her home and considers herself an advocate for limiting rural growth, said the homebuilders like the makeup of the commission because they get nearly every subdivision approved. In 2020, citing Greenville County project information, Turner said the planning commission approved 84 percent of all applications. So far this year, the commission has approved all applications other than those being held for further consideration. This whining that the development community is doing in front of the public in these public meetings has no basis, Turner said. She said state law says commissioners should represent a broad diversity of interest within the county. But what if the majority of commissioners are homebuilders or involved in real estate? How well does Greenville County comply with South Carolina code of law? Thats just a question I want answered, she said. Citizens are challenging these matters now and I dont see anything progressive or reformative happening in the way the county is doing business. County Councils Committee of the Whole heard from applicants with expertise in GIS mapping, urban and resource planning, engineering and real estate development as well as applicants who have advocated for zoning and more protection for rural areas of the county. Jim Moore, who has led Citizens for Quality Rural Living, lives in southern Greenville County, and successfully led a group of landowners to zone more than 7,000 acres, applied and spoke March 2 for the opportunity to contribute better planning for the countys future growth. Councilman Lynn Ballard said he has known Moore for several years and worked with him to get the acreage zoned. Ballard also spoke for Steve Hudson, a former EMT and volunteer firefighter, who applied from Ballards district. Councilwoman Liz Seman said she supported Tripp Muldrow, an accomplished urban planner who previously served on the city of Greenvilles planning commission. Councilman Butch Kirven spoke in approval of Martha Wright, a retired financial planner from his district and one of four women who applied to be on the commission. Currently Cindy Clark is the only woman among the nine commission members. Several council members called it an outstanding group of applicants and encouraged them to keep trying to find places to serve. Were just elated that so many citizens of the county are willing to serve the county, Ballard said before the vote. But Johnson & Johnson and its partners fell behind in their manufacturing. The company was supposed to deliver its first 37 million doses by the end of March, but it has said it would be able to deliver only 20 million doses by that date, which made Biden aides nervous. In late January, Jeffrey D. Zients, Mr. Bidens coronavirus response coordinator, and Dr. David Kessler, who is managing vaccine distribution for the White House, reached out to top officials at the company, including Alex Gorsky, its chief executive, with a blunt message: This is unacceptable. That led to a series of negotiations in February in which administration officials repeatedly pressured Johnson & Johnson to accept that they needed help, while urging Merck to be part of the solution, according to two administration officials who participated in the discussions. In a statement on Tuesday, Merck said the federal government would pay it up to $269 million to adapt and make available its existing facilities to produce coronavirus vaccines. Michael T. Nally, the executive vice president of human health at Merck, said in an interview that the company had been in talks with multiple companies and governments, including officials in the former Trump administration. I think we all recognize that every day counts, he said. Mr. Nally declined to provide an estimate for how many doses of vaccine the company could ultimately produce, saying only that it would be substantial. The expanded supply from Merck, though, is not likely to become available for months. One federal official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said other steps the administration took would move up Johnson & Johnsons manufacturing timeline. Those steps, said Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, included providing a team of experts to monitor manufacturing and logistical support from the Defense Department. In addition, the president will invoke the Defense Production Act, a Korean War-era law, to give Johnson & Johnson access to supplies necessary to make and package vaccines. STAMFORD OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma announced this week the appointment of former Montana Gov. Steve Bullock as its new independent monitor, succeeding Tom Vilsack who was confirmed last month for a second stint as U.S. agriculture secretary. Vilsack, a former Iowa governor, had served since February 2020 as the first monitor of the Stamford-based company a role focused on ensuring that the firm does not engage in any future misconduct. Last November, Purdue pleaded guilty to three criminal charges related to defrauding the government and kickback violations, as part of an approximately $8 billion settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice. Purdue officials assert that the company has undergone significant reforms in the past few years. In February 2018, it announced that it would stop marketing OxyContin and other opioids and then reaffirmed that decision under a voluntary injunction that was approved in late 2019 by Robert Drain, the federal bankruptcy judge overseeing its case. In a related move, Drain recommended that the company hire a monitor to confirm its compliance. As monitor, Vilsack filed four reports that each determined that the company was making good faith efforts to comply with the voluntary injunction, according to Purdue officials. Bullock would have unfettered access to employees, books, records and facilities, the company said. We will provide our full cooperation to Gov. Bullock, Purdue CEO Craig Landau said in a statement. In the last few years, we have made significant changes to our leadership, operations, governance, and oversight. As part of this commitment, we agreed to be bound by and comply fully with an unprecedented voluntary injunction that further restricts the companys promotion of its opioid medications. Bullock, a Democrat, served two terms as Montana governor, from 2013 to 2021. From 2009 to 2013, he served as the states attorney general. During that time, he played a leading role in initiatives such as the 24/7 Sobriety Program, which tackles drinking-and-driving, and the Montana Children's Justice Center, whose work includes helping children endangered by drug abuse in their homes. Last year, Bullock ran for a U.S. Senate seat, but he lost to Republican incumbent Steve Daines. Bullock previously ran for president, but he dropped out of the race in December 2019, several weeks before the 2020 Iowa caucuses. He lives in the Montana state capital of Helena with his wife and three children. Bullock could not be immediately reached for comment on Tuesday. The company did not disclose how much it would pay Bullock for his services as monitor. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong declined to comment on the appointment of Bullock. Through its Chapter 11 bankruptcy case, which started in September 2019, Purdue is trying to resolve several thousand lawsuits that accuse the company of fueling the national opioid crisis with deceptive OxyContin marketing. Purdue has denied those allegations, but it is still offering a comprehensive settlement that it values at more than $10 billion. We will file a plan of reorganization on or before March 15 as we continue to pursue our ultimate goal to achieve a global settlement that would deliver more than $10 billion in value, including 100 percent of Purdues assets, to address the opioid crisis, the company said in a statement Tuesday provided to Hearst Connecticut Media. Our proposed settlement structure would provide needed funds, as well as millions of doses of lifesaving opioid addiction treatment and overdose reversal medicines, to states, local communities and tribes to help abate the opioid crisis. While about half of the states have accepted the companys settlement offer, 24 non-consenting states including Connecticut have rejected its proposal. In addition to their unhappiness with the financial terms of Purdues proposed settlement, the non-consenting states also oppose the firms plan to convert itself into a public-benefit company, which would focus on using its resources to help respond to the opioid epidemic. While Purdue has proposed such an arrangement since it filed for bankruptcy, the Justice Department mandated such a change as part of its settlement with the company. pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; twitter: @paulschott China sees stronger momentum for scientific and technological innovation over past five years China has improved its innovation system and environment and greatly enhanced its innovation ability during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), with sci-tech innovation playing an increasingly prominent role in supporting and guiding the country's efforts to foster a new development pattern and promote high-quality development. A Mars probe is launched on a Long March-5 rocket from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, July 23, 2020. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng) Over the past five years, the contribution made by technological advances to economic growth increased from 55.3 percent to 59.5 percent in the country. China has given higher priority to basic research and its applications and made technological breakthroughs in key and core areas. Its research and development spending reached 2.21 trillion yuan ($341.5 billion) in 2019, a significant increase from 1.42 trillion yuan in 2015. Of the total R&D budget last year, 133.6 billion yuan was used for basic research, double the figure of 2015. A number of achievements that have impressed the world have emerged in fields such as iron-based superconductivity, quantum communication, stem cell technology, and synthetic biology. Last year, Chinese scientists established a quantum computer prototype named "Jiuzhang," which can perform a calculation in 200 seconds with Gaussian boson sampling (GBS), a classical simulation algorithm. A similar calculation would take 600 million years on the worlds current classical supercomputers. The breakthrough shows that China has realized "quantum supremacy", making the country the second in the world to achieve the feat. After travelling about 475 million km in space, Chinas first Mars exploration mission Tianwen-1 entered the orbit of the Red Planet on Feb. 10, 2021, and will carry out orbiting, landing and roving in one mission as planned. The Chang'e-4 probe touched down on the far side of the moon on Jan. 3, 2019, while the return capsule of the Chang'e-5 lunar probe landed in Siziwang Banner, north China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, on Dec. 17, 2020, bringing back the country's first samples collected from the moon. China also launched the last BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) satellite, marking the completion of a global navigation constellation. It also launched the Dark Matter Particle Explorer Wukong and quantum science satellite Mozi. The countrys C919 passenger aircraft also made its maiden flight. Photo taken on Jan. 11, 2020 shows China's Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) under maintenance in southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Liu Xu) Chinas Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST), the world's largest and most sensitive radio telescope, has discovered 279 pulsars since it started operation in September 2016. Chinas deep-sea manned submersible Fendouzhe, or Striver, set a national record by diving to a depth of 10,909 meters in the Mariana Trench on Nov. 10, 2020. Over the past five years, China has deepened the integration of science and technology with overall economic and social development and made fresh progress in supporting and leading high-quality development. The country has made breakthroughs in the field of information and communication technologies, including 5G, optoelectronics, and integrated circuits, enhancing its independent innovation capacity. China has put 5G into commercial use, setting up 718,000 5G base stations, which make up about 70 percent of the global total. During this period, Chinese enterprises have continued to play a dominant role in the development of technological innovation. In 2019, enterprises expenditure on R&D hit 1.69 trillion yuan, accounting for 76.4 percent of the total. Last year, 246,000 Chinese companies held valid invention patents, while high-tech enterprises held 922,000 valid invention patents. Photo taken on Sept. 5, 2020 shows a view of the 5G communication services exhibition area of the 2020 China International Fair for Trade in Services in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin) Over the past five years, China has further reformed the management system for science and technology to tap into potential for innovation among researchers. Significant progress has been made in reform in key areas, while a complete implementation system integrating laws, policies, measures and action has been established, said Wang Zhigang, minister of science and technology. Wang added that the potential of science and technology as the primary forces of production has been further unleashed, and so has that of innovation as the primary driving force, and talent as the primary resource. During this period, China has enhanced its capability in the transfer and commercialization of scientific and technological achievements. In 2019, the total value of contracted technology transactions in more than 1,000 technology trading markets in China exceeded 2 trillion yuan for the first time, 3.5 times that of 2012. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference being held in the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Fla., on Feb. 26, 2021. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Senator Calls on Biden to Ensure WHOs COVID-19 Probe Is Free From Conflicts of Interest Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) is urging President Joe Biden to make sure that the World Health Organization (WHO) chooses investigators who are free from conflicts of interest when studying the origins of the CCP virus. I respectfully request you use your leadership to ensure the ongoing investigation of the COVID-19 pandemic origin be free from conflict of interest, Blackburn stated in a letter (pdf) dated March 1. Concerns have been raised regarding the manner in which World Health Organization investigators were chosen to study the outbreak. WHO should not include researchers with conflicts of interest or with a lack of experience in forensic investigation. The WHO teamwhich consisted of 17 Chinese experts and 17 foreign experts from 10 countriesrecently conducted a fact-finding mission in central Chinas Wuhan city, to investigate the origins of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. The team conducted fieldwork for two weeks in Wuhan before presenting their preliminary findings at a virtual press conference on Feb. 9. Their initial findings have been questioned given that some members of the team, including Peter Daszak and Marion Koopmans, have ties to the Chinese regime. Daszak is a U.S.UK dual national who heads EcoHealth Alliance, a New York-based nonprofit that works in pandemic prevention, while Koopmans is a Dutch virologist. For example, Daszak said in a conference sponsored by Chinas state-run media CGTN in 2018 that his organization received federal funding from China. We owe this to the over 500,000 Americans who have died from this disease, to their families, and to future Americans who face possible pandemics, Blackburn said. Blackburn isnt the first to raise concerns about conflict of interest issues. Michael Weinstein, president of the Los Angeles-based nonprofit AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), stated that Daszak has a clear-cut conflict of interest and that he shouldnt be on the WHO team, according to a statement issued on Feb. 10. AHF Chief of Global Advocacy and Policy Terri Ford called for a truly independent body to look into the origins of the CCP virus, saying that both the WHO and China have a vested interest in an outcome to the investigation that casts them in a favorable light, according to the statement. It is profoundly sad and disappointing that this investigation has turned into a media performance shaped by the Chinese authorities toward political endsnamely to escape any blame and embarrassment related to the COVID-19 outbreak while still offering a veneer of cooperation and transparency, Ford said. At one point during the investigation in Wuhan, WHO experts visited an exhibition filled with content that praised the CCPs leadership in controlling the spread of the virus. On Feb. 11, Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.) took to Twitter to criticize the WHO investigation. What did this investigation produce? Chinese propaganda, he wrote. Why is the WHO still carrying water for Beijing?! The WHO hasnt released its final report on its findings in Wuhan. On Feb. 12, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said all hypotheses remain open and require further study with regard to the origin of the virus. Jennifer Garner kept her eyes fixated on her phone on the Vancouver set of The Adam Project on Tuesday. The 48-year-old actress was accompanied by two assistants who watched where she was going while working with her mobile device. Since November of last year, the performer has been working on the upcoming science-fiction project when principal photography initially commenced. Priorities: Jennifer Garner kept her eyes fixated on her phone while walking through the Vancouver set of the upcoming science-fiction film The Adam Project on Tuesday Garner was costumed in a flowing green dress that reached the middle of her shins, as well as a single silver necklace. She also wore a large black overcoat to keep herself nice and warm in the chilly winter temperatures; her only deviation from the costume was a pair of Ugg-style boots. The actress's gorgeous brunette hair fell freely onto her shoulders and backside during her time on the set. Garner wore a large black facial covering to keep herself protected against COVID-19 while working on the upcoming film. Great costume: The actress was dressed in a flowing green dress and a long black overcoat to keep her warm on the chilly set Development on The Adam Project first began in 2012 when screenwriter TS Nowlin's spec script, originally titled Our Name Is Adam, attracted interest from Paramount Pictures. Tom Cruise was supposed to star as the lead character in the feature. The Adam Project was revived in July of last year when it was picked up by Netflix, with Night At The Museum director Shawn Levy set to helm the project. Taking a while: The Adam Project entered development in 2012 when a spec script attracted the attention of Paramount Pictures Bringing it back: After the project entered development hell, Shawn Levy eventually took charge of the film; the director is pictured at New York Comic Con in 2019 Ryan Reynolds has been attached to the film since its revival, and Garner was added to the cast in November of 2020. In addition to starring in the project, the Deadpool star serves as a producer on the upcoming feature. Other cast members include Zoe Saldana, Mark Ruffalo and Catherine Keener. The Adam Project is centered around an individual who goes back in time to get help from his younger self while confronting his father. Double role: In addition to starring in the upcoming picture, Ryan Reynolds serves as a producer on The Adam Project; he is seen at the 2019 premiere of 6 Underground Garner can next be seen in the family comedy film Yes Day. The feature is centered around two parents who allow their three children to take complete control of their lives for a 24-hour period. Also starring in the Miguel Arteta-directed film are Edgar Ramirez, Jenna Ortega and June Diane Raphael, among others. Yes Day will be released on the Netflix streaming service on March 12th. Meanwhile, her ex Ben Affleck is reportedly feeling like his old self again. The 48-year-old Argo director has gotten his groove back as he works on a new project with his longtime friend George Clooney, according to a Wednesday report from People. Happy with his pal: Ben Affleck is back to his old self again. The 48-year-old Argo director has found his groove as he works on a new project with his longtime friend George Clooney, according to a Wednesday report from People. Seen in 2013 Ben has been working on the film The Tender Bar which is shooting in New England; the star grew up in Massachusetts. 'Ben is excited to be in Boston,' a source told People. 'He and George are happy to be reunited and working together again.' A production source also said that 'Affleck comes prepared and ready to film. He and George are great to work with.' It was added that the Batman star, who was once engaged to Jennifer Lopez, 'is in a good place.' The director of the movie is Clooney, who has been behind the camera for the hit projects The Midnight Sky, Catch-22, The Monuments Men, The Ides Of March, Leatherheads, Good Night, And Good Luck as well as Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind. A struggle to be him: The Hollywood icon talked about his brave battle to get and stay sober with The Hollywood Reporter last week And George was a producer on Ben's hit film Argo, which Ben directed and starred in. The Tender Bar is based on the 2005 memoir from J.R. Moehringer. Affleck plays a bar owner who looks after his nephew. The star has three kids daughters Violet, 15, and Seraphina, 12, and son Samuel, eight, with ex-wife Garner. Last week he touched on how his divorce from Jennifer helped him gain experience which he uses to be a better actor. 'Having seen enough ups and downs, having had children and divorce I'm at a point now in my life where I have sufficient life experience to bring to a role to make it really interesting for me,' he told The Hollywood Reporter. By Omar Mohammed and Clement Uwiringiyimana NAIROBI/KIGALI, March 3 (Reuters) - Kenya received over a million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday, while Rwanda said it was the first in Africa to secure shots from Pfizer, as efforts to inoculate the world's poorest nations accelerated. With fewer resources and tougher logistics than other regions, African nations are racing to secure the doses needed to protect their roughly 1.3 billion people and allow the safe reopening of economies. Africa has been relatively lightly hit by the coronavirus compared with other regions, recording 104,000 deaths, according to a Reuters tally, That is lower than national tolls in the United States, India, Brazil, Russia and Britain. Kenya's batch, which arrived on a Qatar Airways passenger flight, is the first of an initial allocation of 3.56 million doses by the global COVAX facility. "We have received ... machine guns, bazookas, and tanks to fight this war against COVID-19," Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe exulted as the doses arrived at Nairobi's main airport. COVAX, which is led by the GAVI vaccines alliance along with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners, aims to deliver over 1.3 billion doses to 92 lower- and middle-income countries, covering up to 20% of their populations. Backers of the initiative hope to level a playing field that has seen wealthier nations quickly vaccinate millions, ahead of poorer regions. Only a few African nations have started inoculating citizens with vaccines acquired outside of COVAX. First shots under COVAX are arriving at several African nations this week, including Nigeria, Senegal and Uganda. Senegal, which received 200,000 doses developed by China's Sinopharm last month, got an additional 324,000 shots of the AstraZeneca vaccine on Wednesday, via COVAX. COLD STORAGE In Kigali, officials said Rwanda will get the first doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 shots to be dispatched to Africa under the vaccine-sharing scheme. The Pfizer vaccine presents an extra logistical challenge because it requires ultra-cold storage. The batch of 102,960 doses were due in Kigali on Wednesday, hours after a flight landed carrying 240,000 AstraZeneca doses from the Serum Institute of India, the health ministry said. The government has installed special infrastructure to keep the vaccine at -70 degrees. "Rwanda is one of the first countries among the low income countries to have ultra-cold chain," said Fode Ndiaye, the United Nations' resident coordinator. Rwanda plans to start its vaccination drive on Friday, prioritising frontline health workers and others at high risk. It hopes to vaccinate 30% of its roughly 12 million people before the end of this year. Despite Africa's comparatively low fatalities, fragile economies across the continent are reeling from lockdowns. Kenya, which has so far recorded 106,470 infections and 1,863 deaths, has taken a major economic hit from the virus, which cut the flow of tourists, a crucial source of foreign exchange and jobs. Nairobi plans to prioritise 400,000 health workers nationwide in a vaccination campaign starting on Friday, the health ministry said. It will join Ivory Coast, Ghana and South Africa among the nations in sub-Saharan Africa to start vaccination drives. (Writing by Duncan Miriri; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) Vietnam recently introduced a draft decree which will impact foreign and local businesses involved with e-commerce platforms. The regulations are meant to regulate the fast-growing e-commerce sector in Vietnam while improving the governments ability to impose tax obligations on e-commerce service providers. Vietnam Briefing gives an insight on the new draft and how this might affect foreign investors involved in e-commerce activities in Vietnam. Vietnams government introduced a draft decree amending Decree No. 52/2013/ND-CP (Decree 52) regulating e-commerce platforms and activities. This will cover local as well as foreign businesses that conduct e-commerce activities in Vietnam. While still in the draft stage, Dezan Shira & Associates Business Advisory Services Manager Tam Nguyen notes that the main purpose of making an amendment to the current regulations on e-commerce is for the management of tax collection. Thus, the draft regulations will impact foreign investors directly that are involved in e-commerce activities as well as foreign traders who are e-commerce suppliers and service providers. E-commerce activities defined As per the draft decree, an e-commerce service is defined as any e-commerce activity where the trader, individual or organization provides e-commerce services and sets up an e-commerce website that offers a place for other traders, organizations, and individuals to carry out trade, sales of goods or the supply of service activities. The definition is more specific and does not includes businesses that are only involved in website and application design and therefore do not directly participate in the business operations of such websites, which is a welcome change. As per the draft, a website is deemed providing e-commerce services if it provides the following conditions: It allows members to open sales booths for displaying and/or promoting goods and services; Members can open accounts that provide interaction or transactions with customers; and Have services related to the delivery of goods and services with customers. Social networking websites fall under regulations Thus, social networks would be liable for regulation as e-commerce platforms if they meet the aforementioned conditions but also make their subscribers directly or indirectly pay a fee to carry out these activities. An example would be the Facebook marketplace. While foreign businesses are required to comply with Vietnamese laws, Vietnamese e-commerce providers are required to verify the identities of foreign businesses selling goods on their e-commerce platforms. They are also required to do the following: Ask foreign businesses to comply with export and import laws for those businesses that have no presence in Vietnam; Ask foreign businesses to determine commercials agents in Vietnam; and Organize the implementation of import activities regarding goods traded by foreign businesses. The draft is not clear if these are mandatory requirements and its unclear what would happen if the foreign trader does not meet the above requirements. Thang Vu, Associate Manager, Tax at Dezan Shira & Associates Ho Chi Minh City office notes that the new regulations will have an effect on several international e-commerce merchants like Amazon, eBay, Facebook, and Netflix. The purpose of the new law is to impose tax obligations on merchants, whether local or foreign, on Vietnam-sourced income from local individual customers. The previous withholding tax system could only hold local companies liable for such obligations and the new regulation aims to rectify such billion-dollar-shortfall of tax collection. Impact on foreign investors Foreign businesses including those involved with cross-border e-commerce and B2C e-commerce businesses must comply with local laws. As per the draft decree foreign traders engaged in e-commerce activities is defined as: Those who set up e-commerce websites under Vietnam domain names (for example .vn); Those that set up e-commerce websites that are in the Vietnamese language; and Those that set up e-commerce platforms that have more than 100,000 transactions originating from Vietnam in a year. For such, the foreign business will be required to set up a representative office in Vietnam. In addition, foreign businesses are required to appoint a legal representative or set up a representative office in Vietnam if they carry out the following e-commerce activities: Those that set up an e-commerce website using Vietnam domain names; Those that set up a website that is in the Vietnamese language; and Those that set up e-commerce platforms where the number of transactions or visits or purchase orders by Vietnamese organizations or individuals exceeds a particular threshold. Under the last bullet point, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Communications, Ministry of Finance and so on, will regulate the threshold for the number of transactions or purchases. Any imported or exported goods are subject to customs procedures and e-commerce providers are required to cooperate with the relevant authorities to prevent the illegal transaction of goods and services. E-commerce providers must file a report on their business operations and submit to the MoIT by January 15 of every year. Market access conditions The draft decree comes under the ambit of the new Law on Investment (LOI), which came into effect in January 2021. Foreign investors are therefore required to carry out investment in e-commerce activities in compliance of the LOI. Additionally, foreign investors that invest in e-commerce businesses must be listed under the internationally reputable technology companies as announced by the MoIT. While how this list is generated is still unclear, exceptions can be given to investors contributing to small and medium-sized startups. If this stipulation is finalized it may have significant implications for Vietnamese e-commerce companies that raise funds from foreign investors as they would have to meet the new requirements. The draft, however, does not mention that the proposed regulations are retroactive, therefore the new regulations should not affect foreign investment that has already been approved. Logistic companies The draft also adds companies providing logistics services and other supportive services that will come under the ambit of the decree. Logistic companies will share liability to provide documentation regarding the origin of goods during delivery. Guaranteed payment system The draft also mandates a guaranteed payment system where e-commerce websites are required to allow customers to make payments using this system. This means that payments must be kept in an intermediary account for a certain amount of time to settle any claims between customers and sellers. The draft doesnt specify the amount of time before the payment can be released to the e-commerce provider but this proposal may hurt small e-commerce companies that depend on revenue and cash flow. Takeaways E-commerce activities in Vietnam are on a high growth trajectory thanks to the pandemic and shifting consumer patterns. The proposal is part of the governments plan to aid this growth while regulating e-commerce activities in Vietnam. The government has set out a target of reaching 55 percent of the population involved in online shopping by 2025. While the draft decree offers more protection for Vietnamese consumers, it tightens conditions for foreign investment in e-commerce companies in Vietnam. It is, however, important to note that the decree is still in the draft stage and not finalized. The MoIT is expected to submit the decree to the government sometime in the first half of 2021. We will continue to monitor and issue insights regarding any developments related to regulations on e-commerce activities. In an amazing show of self-control, cuttlefish can resist the impulse to eat a morsel of food if it means getting to eat two morsels later on, a new study shows. In experiments, the marine molluscs passed a variation of the 'marshmallow test' originally used in the 1970s to measure a child's ability to delay gratification. In the original Stanford experiment, pre-school kids were given one marshmallow and told they could eat it straight away, or, if they waited 20 minutes, have two marshmallows instead. For this new study, scientists performed a 'fishy version' of the legendary experiment using shrimp instead of marshmallows. They found the creatures could wait over two minutes to get their preferred type of shrimp and that the cuttlefish that could delay gratification the longest were the most intelligent, as determined by a another learning task. Researchers also noted that the cuttlefish turned their bodies away from the immediately-available food, as if to distract themselves from eating it. This results provide the first evidence of a link between self-control and intelligence in a non-primate species. Scroll down for video The common cuttlefish (Sepia officianalis) in the Marine Resources Center at the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 'We used an adapted version of the Stanford marshmallow test,' said lead author Alexandra Schnell of University of Cambridge. 'It was quite astonishing that the cuttlefish could wait for over two minutes for a better snack why would a fast-growing animal with an average life-span of less than two years be a picky eater?' The research was conducted at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), Woods Hole, Massachusetts, while Schnell was in residence there, using six common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis), a species known for its intelligence. The University of Cambridge noted that 'two additional cuttlefish were recruited to the study but refused to take part'. While in their water tanks, the six cuttlefish were presented with two foods they commonly eat, each in a separate Perspex chamber. In one chamber was a piece of king prawn, which they could eat immediately. In the other was a live grass shrimp, their preferred food, but they could only have the shrimp if they waited and didnt eat the prawn. A range of delays were tested, starting at 10 seconds and increasing by 10 seconds each time, in an attempt to teach the cuttlefish to wait longer and longer for the shrimp. Study author Alexandra Schnell at the Marine Biological Laboratory. The experiments show cuttlefish can tolerate delays to obtain food of higher quality comparable to that of some large-brained vertebrates All six cuttlefish in the experiment showed self-control, waiting for the grass shrimp and ignoring the king prawn, the experts found. Those with the most self-control could wait 130 seconds for the grass shrimp to be released an ability comparable with large-brained animals like chimpanzees. The learning ability of each cuttlefish was then tested in a different task. A dark grey marker and a white marker were placed in random positions in the tank. After learning to associate one colour with a reward, the reward was switched to be associated with the other colour. The cuttlefish that were both quicker to learn the association and quicker to realise the switch were the same ones showing more self-control in the first task. 'We found that cuttlefish with better learning performance an indicator of intelligence also showed better self-control,' said Schnell. 'This link exists in humans and chimpanzees, but this is the first time it has been shown in a non-primate species.' Researchers aren't sure why cuttlefish have evolved this extraordinary capacity for self-control. Delayed gratification in humans is thought to strengthen social bonds between individuals such as waiting to eat so a partner can first which benefits the species as a whole. The common cuttlefish has been recorded along the south coast and west coast of England and Wales and around the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man It may also be a function of tool-building animals, who need to wait to hunt while constructing the tool. But cuttlefish are not social species, and they don't build tools. Self-control in cuttlefish is therefore likely the by-product of another behaviour staying camouflaged on the sea bed for long periods of time to avoid predators. These periods are punctuated by brief foraging bouts in the open. Self-control may help the cuttlefish optimise their foraging by only striking prey of better quality 'The ability to exert self-control is an important element of the ability to plan for the future, which is quite a sophisticated behaviour,' said senior author Professor Nicola Clayton, also at Cambridge. 'Self-control requires an understanding that less is sometimes more that avoiding temptation now might lead to a better future outcome. 'This is a critically important building block for the evolution of complex decision-making.' Self-control the ability to resist temptation in favour of a better but delayed reward is a vital skill that, according to the original marshmallow test, indicates success later in life. Researchers say it underpins effective decision-making, goal-directed behaviour and future planning. Finding this link between self-control and learning performance in a species outside of the primate lineage is an extreme example of convergent evolution, where completely different evolutionary histories have led to the same cognitive feature. The study is published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Survivors of chemical attacks have filed a lawsuit in France over the use of chemical weapons in Douma and Eastern Ghouta, according to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed. A group of Syrian chemical attack survivors and Syrian rights groups said Tuesday they have filed a criminal complaint in France over two August 2013 attacks outside Damascus, pointing to the alleged responsibility of the Syrian government in what would constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. We have compiled extensive evidence establishing exactly who is responsible for these attacks whose horrific effects continue to impact survivors, said Hadi al-Khatib, founder and director of Syrian Archive, which is supporting the survivors initiative and the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression. The suit concerns 2013 attacks in Douma and the Damascus suburb of eastern Ghouta. It is the second such effort in Europe in recent months seeking accountability in chemical attacks. In October, human rights groups filed a criminal complaint in Germany asking prosecutors to act over the 2013 sarin attack in eastern Ghouta and a 2017 attack in the town of Khan Shaykhun. They stand out as among the worst in the Syrian conflict. Both France and Germany have the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows their courts to investigate and prosecute crimes against humanity even if they were committed by foreign nationals on foreign territory. We urge the French judges to jointly investigate the attacks on eastern Ghouta with the German prosecutor. By pooling resources and efforts, countries can more easily compile strong evidence against the Syrian officials most responsible, Steve Kostas, a lawyer at the Open Society Justice Initiative, said in the statement announcing Tuesdays move. This would allow judicial authorities in different countries to have criminal cases ready to prosecute these Syrian officials (once they) can be arrested. The New York-based Open Society Justice Initiative has joined with the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM) and Syrian Archive to file their suits in both France and Germany. The complaint, which contains testimony from survivors, includes hundreds of photos and videos, and an analysis of the Syrian military chain of command, said the statement. The Syrian government still has not come clean about its chemical weapons production, use, and storage, which means it still poses a threat to its civilians, as well as to international peace and security, said Khatib, adding that it must be held accountable. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Authorities have released the name of a woman killed in a fire Saturday night on Birminghams Southside. The Jefferson County Coroners Office on Wednesday identified the fatality victim as Ruth Louise Speake. She was 70. The blaze broke out about 10:45 p.m. at 33rd Street South and Highland Avenue. Authorities said three people had to be rescued from the fire but were uninjured. A Birmingham firefighter was treated for minor injuries. Speake was pronounced dead on the scene at 10:49 p.m. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Nearly 300 abducted Nigerian schoolgirls released, reunited with families: 'We thank God' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Nearly 300 abducted Nigerian schoolgirls were safely returned Tuesday after they were kidnapped Friday morning by armed militants. State authorities said 279 girls were released, which is different from the original reports claiming 317 girls were kidnapped. After 1 a.m. on Friday, gunmen kidnapped nearly 300 girls from a boarding school in northwest Nigeria following a wave of mass abductions. The kidnapped girls from Government Girls Science School in Jangebe are between 11 and 17 years old. This abduction is the third mass kidnapping experienced in recent months in northwest Nigeria, according to The Wall Street Journal. The Associated Press and Reuters released a video that showed the hundreds of the freed and barefoot schoolgirls in light blue hijabs waiting at a Zamfara state government building to be released. After health examinations, the girls were reunited with their families. I am elated. We thank God. We thank God, Habib Abdullahi, whose three daughters were kidnapped, was quoted as saying. In the video, a reporter asked Yakubu Sani, the father of a released girl, how he felt. The smiling father said, Like just I was born just now, I feel very fine. Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari joined in celebrating the girls release. I join the affected families and the people of Zamfara State in welcoming and celebrating the release of the abducted students of GGSS Jangebe, he tweeted. This news [brings] overwhelming joy. I am pleased that their ordeal has come to a happy end without any incident. Buhari also the government is working to bring an end to these grim and heartbreaking incidents of kidnapping. The president stated that the military and police would continue to go after kidnappers and will need the help of communities for intelligence to quell criminal plans. Zamfara Gov. Bello Matawalle also tweeted upon the girls return. He posted photos of the girls returning in vans. Alhamdulillah! [God be praised!], he shared. It gladdens my heart to announce the release of the abducted students of GGSS Jangebe from captivity. This follows the scaling of several hurdles laid against our efforts. I enjoin all well-meaning Nigerians to rejoice with us as our daughters are now safe. Activists worldwide have called on the Nigerian government to intervene to end the fatal trend of abductions and terror activity. No group has claimed responsibility for the abduction, which is the countrys largest-ever kidnapping of schoolgirls, according to the AP/Reuters video. The kidnapping is under investigation. Though kidnapping for ransom has become a profitable industry for terrorist groups in Nigeria, authorities claim ransom was not paid for the girls release. However, The Wall Street Journal notes that one of the girls reported that a ransom had been paid, and the kidnappers even fired shots in the middle of the night to celebrate the payments arrival. Umma Abubakar, another one of the kidnapped girls, shared with reporters details of the abduction, according to CNN. "Most of us got injured on our feet and we could not continue trekking, so they [the captors] said they will shoot anybody who did not continue to walk," Abubakar recalled. "We walked across a river and they hid us and let us sleep under shrubs in a forest." Yusuf Idris, a spokesman Gov. Matawalle, shared with CNN that the girls said the kidnappers treated them fairly and gave them food. But they said it was the worst experience in their life. [The girls] spent four days in captivity with a bandit group walking through the Rugu Forest in a choreography that now, unfortunately, has become all too familiar in northern Nigeria, Wall Street Journal Africa Bureau Chief Joe Parkinson said. The Rugu Forest has become known as a hideout for Bandits that have terrorized northwest Nigeria. Boko Haram, one of the deadliest terror groups in the world, kidnapped as many as 500 schoolboys in an attack on Kankara Government Science Secondary School in Katsina state on Dec. 11. The terror group eventually freed 344 boys after security forces negotiated their release. Many of the boys, however, remain missing. The recent wave of school kidnappings follows the abduction of the 276 Nigerian schoolgirls from a school in Chibok 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 country third most affected by terrorism globally, behind Iraq and Afghanistan. The index 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, according to Open Doors USA. Jacob Busch has shared a touching tribute to his ex-girlfriend Rebel Wilson as she celebrated her 41st birthday on Tuesday. The multimillionaire brewery heir, 29, posted a sweet photo of the pair smiling and posing for the camera to Instagram. 'Happy Birthday Rebel Wilson,' he captioned the post. Still friends? Jacob Busch has shared a touching tribute to his ex-girlfriend Rebel Wilson as she celebrated her 41st birthday on Tuesday - just one month after announcing their split It comes one month after it was revealed that Rebel had split from her boyfriend of less than a year. Rebel first revealed she was dating the 29-year-old millionaire in September, posting a series of loved-up photos with her new beau on Instagram. According to People, they were introduced by a mutual friend in 2019, but didn't start dating until Rebel returned to the USA after spending time in Australia last year. Tribute: The multimillionaire brewery heir posted a sweet photo of the pair smiling and posing for the camera to Instagram and wrote: 'Happy Birthday Rebel Wilson' 'They are officially boyfriend and girlfriend. He's a gentleman, has very old school manners and treats her well,' a source said at the time. Rebel and Jacob enjoyed a series of romantic holidays during their whirlwind relationship, travelling to far-flung places such as Mexico and Monaco. She hinted at their break-up on Instagram on January 16, writing: 'Been a rough week for so many reasons... but I'm so grateful to have such loving friends and family.' Over: It comes one month after it was revealed that Rebel had split from her boyfriend of less than a year They were last pictured together on December 24 when they embarked on a pre-Christmas ski trip with friends in Colorado. A source told Page Six in February that the relationship had 'just run its course'. In an interview with People in November, Rebel said she was determined to find love, and 'deliberately went out and dated a lot of different people' before Jacob. 'I wasn't very experienced in love and relationships... and so I went out and just gave it my all, tried really hard to find love and stuff,' she added. KYOTO, Japan, Mar 4, 2021 - (JCN Newswire) - Kyoto's Chiseikan Dojo (Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto City, Director: Yoshie Sugai) will hold a special "Grand Opening Seminar" on Saturday, April 3, 2021, to help teach children & adults the art of self-defense.Event DetailsOn April 3, 2021 as part of the grand opening of Nenshinryu Budo's Chiseikan Dojo in Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto, the CEO of one of Japan's top security firms (specializing in security and the protection or important individuals) will hold one special seminar for elementary school students and one more for junior high, high school students and adults entitled "The art of self-defense techniques that anyone can use." The maximum number of attendees for these two classes is limited to 12 participants each.Almost every day there are news reports of sex-related crimes, random murders, street crime, and incidents targeting children and the elderly. Because of this, there is no telling when danger will strike. In this seminar, participants will be able to learn from one of Japan's top security professionals what they need to do to escape when they are suddenly grabbed or attacked, the best way to escape from an attacker if they are targeted, and how to use a bag or backpack and its contents to defend themselves.Seminar InformationThis event will be held on April 3, 2021 and includes two separate classes. The first class will be held for students enrolled in elementary schools in Kyoto from 13:30-14:30. The second class will be held for students enrolled in junior high & high schools in Kyoto as well as adults living in Kyoto from 15:30-16:30. Reservations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis and will be closed as soon as the number of participants reaches the maximum. The participation fee is 2,500 yen for 1 person. Reservations are accepted only through the Chiseikan website. In order to strictly protect the privacy of the lecturer, assistants and related parties, all photographs and recordings without permission or approval of the Director of Chiseikan Dojo are prohibited.April 3rd Program Details13:00: Doors Open13:30-14:30: Self Defense for Elementary School Children SeminarCapacity: 12 people (students enrolled in a Kyoto City elementary school)*15:30-16:30: Self Defense for older children and adultsGeneral (Kyoto City residents of Junior high school age and older) capacity: 12 people**Applications will be closed as soon as the quota is reached.InstructorThis event will be taught by the CEO of a Kanto-based company involved in overall crisis management and security (Specializing in the protection of important individuals).Outline of the EventEvent Name: Chiseikan Dojo Grand Opening SeminarDate: Saturday, April 3, 2021Venue: Chiseikan DojoAccess: JUSTIN Ohnmae Building 3F, Mibu Higashi Takada-cho 43-6, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto City10 minute walk from the JR Sagano Line "Tambaguchi Station" on the east side of Kyoto City Hospital.How to apply: From HP (https://en.aikidoinkyoto.com)Fee: 2,500 yenAbout ChiseikanChiseikan Dojo was founded with the spirit to help all students to "Learn together. Help each other. Grow together." Using Aikido as its foundation, the classes at Chiseikan integrate a variety of martial arts techniques including karate, judo, jujutsu, and iaido and also offer insights how to apply the lessons from the Japanese martial arts to living life more comfortably and smoothly. Additionally, Chiseikan Dojo holds Japanese business etiquette courses for international residents.Corporate ProfileCompany Name: ChiseikanLocation: JUSTIN Ohmae Building 3F, Mibu Higashi Takada-cho 43-6, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto CityPresident & CEO: Yoshie SugaiFOUNDED: January 11, 2021URL: https://en.aikidoinkyoto.comCustomer Contact InformationFrom HP: https://en.aikidoinkyoto.comTEL: 075-286-7036 (9:00-18:00)For press information about this release, please contact:Chiseikan, Director: Yoshie SugaiTel: 075-286-7036E-mail: yoshie@aikidoinkyoto.comSource: ChiseikanCopyright 2021 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. We all cope with trauma differently. Some of us drink, some of us doomscroll, and some of us imprison the residents of an entire New Jersey suburb in a hexagonal force field and make them enact decades of sitcom history against their will. OK, maybe that last ones a special case. WandaVision is replete with magical goings-on, but, stripped down to its core, the show is about a woman trying, and failing, to cope with the aftermath of an unthinkable loss. Even though Wanda can do extraordinary things, she still struggles with the nebulous and thorny concepts of grief and sorrow. And in the COVID era, in which living with constant trauma has become a painful reality for almost everyone on Earth, Wandaa costumed superhero, married to an android, with the possibly unlimited power to shape reality to her willhas quickly become one of the most relatable characters on television. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sign up for the Slate Culture newsletter The best of movies, TV, books, music, and more, delivered to your inbox three times a week. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. While Wanda is certainly touching viewers hearts at a necessary time, stories about trauma on the small screen have been changing for some time now. Where antiheroes who used their emotional baggage as an excuse to engage in bad behavior defined the Golden Age of TV (see: Don Draper, Walter White), the dawn of a new era is just beginning. As female and nonbinary creatives finally (!) receive more opportunities to tell stories on the small screen, many narratives have begun to approach trauma from a more compassionate and creative angle. Wandas psyche is a Jenga tower of unprocessed trauma, left to wobble precariously with the addition of each subsequent layer. Along with WandaVision, recent female-led series like I May Destroy You and The Flight Attendant have centered on characters reckoning with devastating traumas. Each series accurately depicts the process as heartbreakingly complex. In The Flight Attendant, Kaley Cuoco portrays Cassie Bowden, a haunted woman with an alcohol problem who wakes up one morning next to her murdered lover. In I May Destroy You, Michaela Coel is Arabella Essiedu, a young, hip twentysomething Londoner who is drugged and raped in a bar one night. On WandaVision, Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) is a supercharged hero mourning the loss of her soulmate. These traumas are wildly disparate, but the thread that connects them marks the gnarled and nonlinear road toward healing. Advertisement Advertisement These new types of trauma narratives mark a refreshing shift away from treating trauma as a liability. Instead, they recognize that its something we all struggle with, in ways both large and small. A hallmark of trauma is feeling a loss of control, so taking back control, even when the behavior is unhealthy, is often how people cope. The idea of delaying healing by using maladaptive coping mechanisms is prevalent in each of these series. Cassie drinks herself into oblivion to avoid thinking about her difficult childhood. Arabella dives headfirst into social media activism, and once she disentangles herself from that addiction, she is able to confront early memories about feeling abandoned by her father. Wanda, wellWanda has essentially taken binge-watching to the next level, causing untold amounts of pain for the citizens of Westview whom shes imprisoned. Yet, for the time being, she feels as if shes in control. Spoiler: Shes far from in control. Advertisement It feels counterintuitive that a being as powerful as Wanda would feel so inherently powerless to confront the darkness within. By exploring how the process of admitting weakness can become an inherent strength, Wandas story marks a refreshing, if temporary, departure from the usual comic book formula. With only one episode to go, theres no overt Big Bad, no imminent catastrophe, and no cabal of superheroes gearing up to save the day. Instead of focusing on showy external battles, the series has chosen to focus on the intimate internal battles that we humans fight every day. Advertisement Advertisement What sets these new types of trauma narratives apart is the emphatic insistence that there is no single way to recover from trauma, and that healing often requires an individual to experience more pain before they can feel relief. Often, difficulty in recovering from a more recent trauma occurs when an individual hasnt dealt effectively with lingering issues that stem from childhood. The popular trauma-focused therapy technique EMDR, or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, encourages individuals to tackle their first and worst memories as soon as possible so that they may process them effectively and move on to future traumas with a more stable foundation for healing. Advertisement In WandaVisions penultimate episode, Previously On, Wandas past traumas all finally come to light. Motivated by wanting to learn more about Wandas immense powers, super witch Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) heads straight for the first and worst as she guides Wanda through a clip show of her past traumas like some sort of deranged therapist. She takes Wanda to task by rattling off confrontational one-liners such as You would rather fall apart than face your truth. It becomes clear that Wandas psyche is a Jenga tower of unprocessed trauma, built upon a compromised foundation in early childhood, and then left to wobble precariously with the addition of each subsequent layer. Advertisement So when we finally see how Wanda created the hex that enveloped Westview, its a moment defined by layers of cataclysmic pain. Wandas Jenga tower finally falls, and with it goes her sense of reality. As she hits the apex of her experienced grief, she gives in to her powers as they cloak her in a familiar bubble of safety and security, complete with her own version of her beloved Vision. Is Wanda in control here? Its unclear. Will Wanda have learned anything from her trip down memory lane with Agatha? Tune in next week. Advertisement Advertisement What is clear is that Wanda is going to have to fully feel and experience her pain before she can make any sort of meaningful change. Back in an earlier episode, Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) noted that if Wanda is the problem, she also has to be the solution. Monica understands grief, as she recently learned of her mothers death. However, Monica hasnt really processed her loss either. The disclaimer from the Nexus commercial in Episode 7 hints that there will be great pain for many people in the future. As the ad copy states, one of the side effects of confronting the truth is, indeed, possibly more depression. Yet delaying healing can also cause serious issues. In Wandas case, her repression has ended up hurting others, and may even be endangering the fabric of reality. Man, SWORD really should have therapists on staff to help these uber-powerful superheroes navigate all the intense traumas they face every day, huh? Advertisement While Wandas story is not yet overand, given its place as a table-setter for the forthcoming sequel to Doctor Strange, is unlikely to come to a definitive endingwe can revisit both The Flight Attendant and I May Destroy You as examples of effective depictions of moving forward after a traumatic experience. Much like WandaVision, both series play with the idea of alternate realities or imagined fantasies in which various possibilities can be explored. In The Flight Attendant, Cassie frequently escapes into her own psyche in order to chat with her murdered lover about what shes experiencing. In doing so, she begins to unearth repressed memories of her childhood and is finally able to see them in a different light. And the stunning conclusion of I May Destroy You sees Arabella confronting various imagined versions of her rapist in order to make some sort of peace with her attack. Both of these narratives create human proxies that are piloted by their heroines so that they may cautiously and safely approach their painful memories while simultaneously exercising control over the situation. Advertisement Advertisement Even though Wanda may not have been ready to face her past, she does seem to have been humbled by the experience of finally bearing witness to her pain. She created a version of her beloved Vision in order to experience Happy Days with him, but its possible that he will serve a more crucial purpose in the end. Perhaps he will provide a safe space for her to work out her grief. Perhaps Monica will play that role. Or perhaps her unresolved trauma will end the world as we know it. (OK, that last one is a bit unlikely.) Much like other recent trauma narratives, WandaVision takes time to infuse its story with hope. In one of the only uplifting segments of Wandas This Is Your Life tour, Agatha brings Wanda back to the time when she and Vision first bonded. When Wanda shares about her chasm of emptiness following her brother Pietros death, Vision counters with a lovely thought: But what is grief, if not love persevering? Advertisement Of course, this idea isnt revolutionary. Anyone whos attended a grief counseling session will tell you that. However, the fact that a Marvel seriesor any TV series took an earnest pause to convey this sentiment is pretty fantastic. Providing catharsis and hope, however small, is the key to guiding us all through the shared trauma were continuing to experience in the COVID era. Advertisement Representation for complex mental health issues certainly matters. When viewers watch characters grapple with trauma in a very real way on the small screen, it creates space for people to see and feel seen. These recent trauma narratives are not the kind of stories where everything can be solved in 30 minutes or less. People get hurt, they struggle, and they suffer, but they can also formulate creative solutions to their problems by finding ways to transcend the emptiness and make themselves whole again. There is no way to avoid pain in the healing process, but there is a way to make the journey feel less lonely. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds at a news conference at the State Emergency Operations Center in Johnston, Iowa, on April 23, 2020. (Charlie Neibergall/Pool/AP Photo) 22 Governors Oppose CCP Virus Stimulus Bill Over Allocation of Funds Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and 21 other state governors are speaking out in opposition to President Joe Bidens new criteria for allocating CCP virus relief funds. Their main objection is that the bill directs funds to be distributed according to unemployment numbers, instead of the population of the states. A joint statement released on Feb. 27 reads: Unlike all previous federal funding packages, the new stimulus proposal allocates aid based on a states unemployed population rather than its actual population, which punishes states that took a measured approach to the pandemic and entered the crisis with healthy state budgets and strong economies. A states ability to keep businesses open and people employed should not be a penalizing factor when distributing funds. If Congress is going to provide aid to states, it should be on an equitable population basis. In addition, Reynolds protested on Twitter about how the larger portions of money would be directed to states who chose aggressive shutdowns and mismanaged their state budgets. The Democrats COVID relief package will provide bigger checks to states who chose aggressive shutdowns and mismanaged their state budgets if that doesnt sound right to you click here: https://t.co/qT9LWoxjKa Kim Reynolds (@KimReynoldsIA) March 1, 2021 The bill, which was approved by the House on Feb. 27 in a 219212 vote, included a potential increase in the minimum wage, which has been widely criticized by Republicans. However, the Senate parliamentarian, who oversees the chambers processes, ruled that Democrats cant include the $15 per hour minimum wage proposal in the COVID-19 economic relief package. Some Senate Democrats suggested moving forward on the relief bill without the increase. Democrats in the House and Senate have sought to fast-track Bidens $1.9 trillion stimulus package without Republican support by approving a resolution to start a process that would allow the bill to be approved in the Senate with a simple majority vote instead of the 60 votes needed to advance most legislation in the chamber. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the No. 2 Senate Democrat, believes that the $15 minimum wage proposal wont be included in the Senate version. If it takes 60 votes or a supermajority of some kind, its very difficult, obviously, Durbin told reporters on March 1. Durbin also said its very unlikely that the parliamentarian can be overruled. I would recommend that we look for another thing. I support increasing the minimum wage, he said. All Democratic senators would have to vote in favor of the bill in order for it to pass. However, Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) have expressed objections to including a boost to the federal minimum wage in the bill. The Congressional Budget Office released a report projecting that an estimated million people would be lifted out of poverty with an increase in the minimum wage, but the report also found that the change could result in the loss of 1.4 million jobs. Coming out of a violent insurrection, an impeachment, and a Senate trial that saw only seven Republican senators vote to convict former President Donald Trump, it is clear that too many Americans are losing faith in our democracy. The jarring events of the last few months have shown we must take bold steps to bolster the trust of every American in our political system. We now have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to pass a new law, based on countless democracy reforms passed and successfully implemented in states across the country, the For the People Act. The bill, which will go to a vote of the full House this week, includes provisions that will end secret, unaccountable money in politics, help ensure every voter, regardless of their race, ethnicity, age, or ZIP code, has equal access to the ballot box, end partisan gerrymandering, and strengthen conflict of interest and ethics laws for public officials. The For the People Act, designated as HR1 and S1 in Congress, is the most comprehensive pro-democracy bill introduced in Congress since the Watergate era. It is the bold action that the American people want and deserve. We have a clear choice about the future of our country. It is not a choice based on whether you are a Democrat, Republican or independent, but rather if you believe in building an inclusive democracy where every person has a voice. We saw the result of the choice that anti-democracy rioters made on Jan. 6 when a violent mob attacked our country. For me, though, I believe in democracy. Now, more than ever, we must empower people and break down barriers that exist to exclude far too many people, often people of color and young people, from participating in our democracy. Now is the time for bold action to defend, strengthen, and expand our democracy. One key provision of the For the People Act is based on a law that I helped pass when I led Common Cause Connecticut. The Connecticut Citizens Election Program, which amplifies the voices of small-dollar donors by providing a matching grant to qualified candidates who raise a threshold of small donations and skip big donations, has proven to shift power away from corporate lobbyists and wealthy special interests and instead empowers everyday Connecticut residents. After passing our small-dollar donor law, the Connecticut legislature was soon able to pass a bottle bill that had long been blocked by anti-environmental special interest lobbyists, which saw savings for taxpayers of about $240 million over ten years. Additionally, the legislature was also able to pass a minimum wage increase and the nations first paid sick leave policy for service workers. The result of changing our campaign finance system so candidates and elected officials are not constantly trying to raise money from big corporations or wealthy donors is that there is less of an incentive for lawmakers to give handouts or tax breaks to big corporations, but instead invest in our communities, schools, hospitals, and public institutions that serve us all. Like citizen-funded elections, many of these solutions in the For the People Act on voting, ethics, and campaign finance have been tried and tested in states across the country. These reforms often have strong bipartisan support among voters and have already been successfully implemented in many jurisdictions. Until we strengthen our democracy and break wealthy special interests stranglehold on the status quo, we likely wont be able to fully address critical issues that directly affect the lives of millions of Americans. Addressing climate change, gun violence, and guaranteed healthcare, for example, will be that much more difficult to achieve without first passing the For the People Act. The For the People Act could be the last best chance to fix our broken democracy. If we cant get the For the People Act passed soon, we are putting our democracy at risk for a generation or more. Our congressional leaders must move quickly to pass this bold, comprehensive democracy reform package to build a country where all Americans can thrive and have a voice. Karen Hobert Flynn is the president of Common Cause, which since 1970, has been holding power accountable through lobbying, litigation and grassroots organizing. She wrote this for InsideSources.com. A man pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to defrauding at least $150,000 from high school students who were expecting spring break getaways and a senior trip to Disneyland. George Alberto Barragan, 46 of Cibolo, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Chestney, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Texas. Between May 2015 and June 2018, Barragan owned and operated several travel agencies, including EB Worldwide, Exhibit Tours and Senior Grad Trips, officials said. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio woman accused of election fraud gave voter gift bag, arrest warrants allege Investigators said he was the only person in charge of the businesses. They said he negotiated and contracted with customers as well as booked and arranged travel accommodations for large groups. Groups of students from six different high schools, none of whom were from San Antonio, had paid Barragan by check or through an online payment portal to book the trips for them, officials said. Once he had the money, authorities said, Barragan made the reservations and provided confirmations and itineraries. He then canceled reservations ahead of a trip and had the refunds deposited into his bank account, investigators said. Barragan never notified the students of the cancellations. Instead, he continued communicating with the students, informing them that their plans were still on, officials said. On ExpressNews.com: S.A. police union urges voters to keep collective bargaining, calls ballot measure 'a form of defunding' The students were from high schools in Arizona, California, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia. In at least two instances, large groups of students arrived at the designated time and location to begin their trip, only to find that it had been canceled, authorities said. In one case, the class of 2015 senior trip from Foothills High School in Pleasanton, Calif., had planned a trip to Disneyland, according to a previous report. Instead of the luxury buses that were promised, they ended up with buses that were hours late, had no air conditioning and could not make it up mountain roads, according to the report. As a result, the students spent only an hour at the theme park. Barragan remains out on bond. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison for mail fraud, officials said. Sentencing is scheduled for May 19, 2021, before U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez in San Antonio. Conservative UMC faction announces creation of 'Global Methodist Church' once schism is finalized Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A group of theologically conservative United Methodists has announced the creation of a new denomination once the United Methodist Church officially separates due to its long-standing debate over homosexuality. The Wesleyan Covenant Association and the 17-member Transitional Leadership Council released a statement on Monday morning announcing the creation of the Global Methodist Church. According to the statement, the theologically conservative denomination will not be officially launched until the UMC General Conference, scheduled for 2022, passes a separation measure known as the Protocol for Reconciliation and Grace through Separation. The Protocol, which will be up for debate at the General Conference, involves allowing conservative churches to leave the UMC to form their own denomination. Transitional Leadership Council Chairman Rev. Keith Boyette said in a statement that the GMC would make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly. Over the past year, the council members, and hundreds of people who have informed their work, have faithfully and thoughtfully arrived at this point, stated Boyette. They are happy to share with others a wealth of information about a church they believe will be steeped in the life giving confessions of the Christian faith. As part of this preliminary launch, the GMC created a website explaining that the new denomination will allow for female ordination and is committed to racial equality. Alternatively, if it becomes apparent that the leading bishops, centrists, and progressives who covenanted to support the Protocol no longer do so, then the council will consider bringing the new church into existence without delay, explained a frequently-asked-questions section of the site. For approximately one year, the Global Methodist Church will be a church in transition as it prepares for its convening General Conference. Last December, a group of theologically progressive United Methodists announced a plan to create its own denomination as part of the likely separation plan for the UMC. Known as the Liberation Methodist Connexion, its website describes the new church as a grassroots denomination of former, current, and non-Methodist faith leaders working on the unfolding of the kin-dom of God. The LMX went on to say that they welcome all gender expressions and sexual identity, religious or non-religious backgrounds, races and ethnicities, size, and monogamous and non-monogamous. We trust Gods presence and our collaborative labors will guide us toward a new, more liberative way of answering our calling and being in connexion together, stated the LMX, which went on to state that their theology is not written in stone. The UMC General Conference, where the potential separation plan will be debated and possibly approved, is scheduled for Aug. 29 through Sept. 6, 2022, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Originally, the General Conference was supposed to be held last year but was postponed to 2021 due to coronavirus pandemic concerns. The General Conference was again postponed this year. Health workers in Central University hospital in Oviedo, Asturias on February 25. Jose Luis Cereijido / EFE The improving coronavirus data in Spain is now being reflected by a fall in the number of Covid-19 deaths, according to the latest report on the pandemic from the Health Ministry, which was released on Tuesday evening. For the first time so far this year, the daily number of coronavirus victims has fallen below 200, to 192 in yesterdays figures. While the number is still high, there were fewer Covid deaths than there were due to cancer in the last seven days in Spain (1,722 compared to 2,100). In total, since the pandemic began, Spain has recorded 69,801 deaths after a positive Covid infection was detected. The fall in the 14-day cumulative number of coronavirus cases per 100,000 inhabitants is ongoing, according to Tuesdays report, coming in at 168.44. This is 28.58% down on the week before, which confirms what Fernando Simon, the director of the Health Ministrys Coordination Center for Health Alerts (CCAES), pointed out on Monday: the descent is slowing down. For example, the incidence was dropping at a rate of more than 40% just two weeks ago. The national incidence rate fell 28% upon last weeks figures, but rose in Asturias, the Canary Islands, and the North African cities of Ceuta and Melilla This trend is adding to the debate that will hang over the coronavirus data during the month of March: if the figures continue to improve, should restrictions be lifted? The scientific response so far is that the answer isnt clear. The Inter-Territorial Council of the National Health System (CISNS), which brings together the countrys regional health chiefs and the Health Ministry, will soon be meeting to debate this issue. The ministry and the main scientific associations in the country are in favor of maintaining the measures, as are the majority of the regions. Others, such as Madrid, which has often been at loggerheads with the central government over Covid restrictions during the pandemic, are already suggesting lifting restrictions for Easter week. While no specialist is willing to predict the forecast of a process that depends on a multitude of factors new variants of the coronavirus, the speed of the vaccination campaign, the specifics of new vaccines due to come online there are mathematical models that provide a clue. These rely on projecting where the curve of new cases will head based on the most recent data. This is something that is done often with exact sciences, but that in medicine is applied less because there are so many unpredictable factors. EL PAIS has turned to statisticians from a group called Nomorepandemics, and their prediction just adds fuel to the fire. If everything continues the way it is going now, they say, something that is already a risky proposition, the incidence would be driven down to around 50 in about three weeks time just before Easter week begins. Thats a date that a scriptwriter would pick if they were looking to add suspense to the decision-making process. Region by region By territory, there are four areas in Spain where the incidence rose according to Tuesdays report: Asturias (201.51), the Canary Islands (105.51), and the North African cities of Ceuta (311.41) and Melilla (380.4). With a 14-day cumulative number of coronavirus cases per 100,000 inhabitants of 273.39, Madrid continues to be above the 250-mark considered to be extreme risk by the central government. Extremadura, Murcia, the Balearic Islands and La Rioja are still between 50 and 100, but no region has so far managed to fall below the half-century mark considered to be a target in terms of getting life back to normal. Tuesdays report included an adjustment of the data from Catalonia, which has purged duplicated cases from its figures. That means that the total number of coronavirus infections detected in Spain since the pandemic began fell from 3,204,531 on Monday to 3,130,184 on Tuesday (74,347 fewer). If the figures from this region are excluded, just 4,517 new infections were added to the total on Tuesday, which also reflects a fall. The last-single day figure, on Friday, came in at 5,589 if Catalonia is also excluded. Hospitalizations and intensive care unit (ICU) occupation is also falling. Regular hospital beds registered an occupation rate by Covid patients of 9% in Tuesdays report, compared to 11% a week ago. Not since December 24 has this indicator come in so low. As for ICU beds, the occupation rate is 27%. A week ago the figure was 32%, and not since January 12 has the percentage been this low. English version by Simon Hunter. A Peruvian court on Thursday ordered the government to respect the wishes of a polio-stricken woman to be allowed to die, a rare allowance for euthanasia in largely Catholic Latin America. In the first such ruling for Peru, constitutional court judges ruled that the health ministry and social health insurance must "respect the decision" of 44-year-old Ana Estrada Ugarte "to end her life through the technical procedure of euthanasia." Estrada, a psychologist, has suffered from incurable and progressive polio since the age of 12, according to Peruvian media. Largely paralyzed, she mainly spends her days in bed, requiring assistance even to go to the toilet. "I am speechless, very excited, for me it is a pleasure, a huge joy that I am feeling," Estrada told Peru's RPP radio network after the ruling. "What I have always been clear about is that when this moment arrives, which has now arrived, I will be free. This is what I've been fighting for all this time," she added. The ruling is likely to stir controversy among people like the Archbishop of Lima Carlos Castillo in a country where the majority of people are Catholic, a religion that rejects euthanasia as morally wrong / AFP/File The ruling, published by the court via Twitter, describes euthanasia as "the action of a doctor to administer directly (orally or intravenously) a drug intended to end life." The ruling, which can still be appealed, is likely to stir controversy in Peru, a country where the majority of people are Catholic, a religion that rejects euthanasia as morally wrong. The judges declared invalid an article of Peru's penal code that prohibits assisted dying. They were ruling in a case brought by Peru's ombudsman on Estrada's behalf. The court said denying her wish would violate her right to "dignity, autonomy, free choice" and protections against "cruel and inhuman treatment." Recently, Estrada told the Peru 21 newspaper that she needed help. "My body keeps deteriorating. I'm losing more strength every day. I depend more and more on the ventilator, it exhausts me to swallow," she said. "I need a guarantee from the state so that I can choose when and under which conditions to die." - 'Historic' - Among South and Central American countries, Colombia is the only one where euthanasia has been decriminalized, since 1997. The constitutional court ruling, published on their Twitter account, describes euthanasia as "the action of a doctor to administer directly (orally or intravenously) a drug intended to end life" / AFP/File In Mexico, a patient or family member can ask for life not be prolonged by artificial means, while Uruguay's Congress is discussing a euthanasia bill. Percy Castillo, Peru's associate ombudsman for human rights and people with disabilities, told AFP Thursday's ruling was "historic because it recognizes a right, and that does not happen every day." Added ombudsman Walter Gutierrez, talking to Canal N, added: "Every human has the right to end their life because it is the last corner of freedom." High-resolution imaging and 3D computer modeling show that the dendrites of neurons weave through space in a way that balances their need to connect to other neurons with the costs of doing so. The discovery, reported in Nature Scientific Reports Jan. 27, emerged as researchers sought to understand the fractal nature of neurons as part of a University of Oregon project to design fractal-shaped electrodes to connect with retinal neurons to address vision loss due to retinal diseases. The challenge in our research has been understanding how the neurons we want to target in the retina will connect to our electrodes. Essentially, we have to fool the neurons into thinking that the electrode is another neuron by making the two have the same fractal character." Richard Taylor, Professor and Head, Physics Department, University of Oregon Working with collaborators at the University of Auckland and University of Canterbury in New Zealand, confocal microscopy of neurons in the hippocampal region of a rat's brain revealed an intricate interplay of branches weaving through space at multiple size scales before connecting to other neurons. That, Taylor said, raised the question, why adopt such a complicated pattern? With the help of UO post-doctoral researcher Saba Moslehi, doctoral students Julian H. Smith and Conor Rowland turned to 3D modeling to explore what happens when they manipulated the dendrites of more than 1,600 neurons into unnatural forms, straightening them or curling them up. "By distorting their branches and looking at what happens, we were able to show that the fractal weaving of the natural branches is balancing the ability of neurons to connect with their neighbors to form natural electric circuits while balancing the construction and operating costs of the circuits," Rowland said. Using a fractal analysis known as the box-counting technique, the researchers were able to assign fractal dimensions, or D values, that quantify the relative contributions of the coarse- and fine-scaled dendrites to a neuron's fractal pattern. These D values, Taylor said, will be important in optimizing his team's tiny electrodes for implanting at the back of eyes to stimulate retinal neurons. "Our implants will have to accommodate the neurons' weaving branches through careful selection of their D values," said Taylor, a member of the UO's Materials Science Institute. "Unlike building a straight runway so a pilot can land efficiently, our electrodes will need to act like a weaving runway so that the neurons can connect without changing their behavior." Nature's fractals benefit from how they grow at multiple scales, said Taylor, who has long turned to fractals as bioinspiration. While trees have the most-recognized form of fractal branching, this work, he said, highlights how neurons are different from trees. "Whereas the fractal character of trees originates predominantly from the distribution of branch sizes, the neurons also use the way their branches weave through space to generate their fractal character," Taylor said. Taylor, a Cottrell Scholar of the Research Council for Science Advancement, was granted a sweeping U.S. patent in 2015 for not only his development of artificial fractal-based implants related to vision but also to all such implants that link signaling activity with nerves for any purpose in animal and human biology. Taylor and co-authors closed their paper by raising the possibility that the D values of neuronal networking may benefit research on numerous brain-related diseases. For Alzheimer's disease, Taylor said, D values could be a measure for understanding declines in connectivity between neurons. "A lot of diseases result in losing connectivity, and neuron D values may be dropping as they move into a pathological state," 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. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has moved to temper expectations of a free-spending Manchester United this summer, given the economic impact of Covid. United are set to announce their latest quarterly financial results on Wednesday after recording a 23.2million loss last year as a consequence of the pandemic. Solskjaer wants to strengthen his squad but said United must be realistic. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has warned fans that Manchester United won't be spending big 'There are going to be less and less transfers happening with all these changes,' the United boss said. 'The lack of income, the finances has affected everyone. We have to be realistic and responsible in the way we do business on and off the pitch. 'There are improvements on the training ground, the stadium we have to look at the whole picture. Where can we spend money? And how much is there? It's just the real world now.' Solskjaer wants to strengthen his squad so that they can compete with Man City for the title Solskjaer suggested he may look to the club's youngsters instead, after handing 17-year-old Shola Shoretire his debut last month. 'You can look at it in different ways with a rebuild,' he added. 'We have academy players we can give opportunities to. All clubs in the world are going through the same situation so it's no different for us.' United travel to Crystal Palace on Wednesday night without Paul Pogba, who has yet to rejoin training following a thigh problem. At least 108 migrants from Mexico tested positive for coronavirus before they were released into Texas by the US Border Patrol over the past five weeks, a new report claims. A spokesperson for Brownsville, the border city where the tests were administered, disclosed the alarming figure to Fox News on Wednesday. The spokesman, Felipe Romero, said the 108 individuals who tested positive account for 6.3 percent of the more than 1,700 migrants who have received rapid tests at a Brownsville bus station before being released into the state since January 25. Romero said the positive individuals were advised to quarantine, but officials don't have the authority to force them to do so or to stop them from traveling elsewhere in the US. The news followed a Noticias Telemundo Investiga (NTI) report which featured interviews with several migrants who said they tested positive for the virus and planned to proceed with their travels to other cities and states regardless. At least 108 migrants from Mexico tested positive for coronavirus before they were released into Texas by the US Border Patrol over the past five weeks, a new report claims. Pictured: Asylum seekers register for rapid COVID-19 tests in an isolation area at a bus station in Brownsville, Texas, on February 26 Among the migrants who spoke to the outlet was Eva Orellana, a 29-year-old from Honduras who traveled to the US with her three-year-old daughter. Orellana said she had already purchased bus tickets to get to North Carolina. 'On the way, we were wearing a mask all the time, gel, washing our hands,' she said. 'Really, I don't feel anything.' Orellana and others who spoke to NTI about their plans to travel to states as far as Maryland and New Jersey said they weren't given documentation stating that they had tested positive. They said those who tested positive were merely separated from negative individuals while they waited to be released. 'Right now we were tested for Covid and they separated about eight of us because we were positive,' said Miriam Izaguirre, a 35-year-old from Honduras who planned to travel by bus to Houston with her son. A worker at a bus company that operates out of the station where the tests are being performed told NTI that they are not allowed to ask passengers for proof of results before boarding. Noticias Telemundo Investiga spoke to several migrants who said they tested positive for the virus and planned to proceed with their travels to other cities and states regardless. Pictured: Asylum seekers embrace at the Brownsville bus station on February 26 The migrants who spoke to NTI about their plans to travel to states as far as Maryland and New Jersey said they weren't given documentation stating that they had tested positive The release of thousands of asylum seekers along the US-Mexico border is part of President Joe Biden's effort to roll back stringent immigration restrictions set by his predecessor Donald Trump. Biden's administration has faced criticism over the policy after officials in border towns reported not having enough coronavirus tests for everyone coming through. White House sources on Wednesday told Fox News they are aware that some migrants who test positive may be ignoring advice to quarantine. The sources said it was up to state and local governments conducting tests with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to oversee the process and ensure that migrants are informed of federal quarantine guidance. Romero, the Brownsville spokesperson, said the city advises migrants who test positive to seek assistance from NGOs and non-profits in the area to find shelter where they can isolate. 'The City of Brownsville continues to follow all guidelines provided by the CDC and [Department of State Health Services] for Covid-19,' Romero said. 'The migrants who test positive at the B-Metro facility are advised of quarantine procedures and are asked to socially distance.' South Carolina last month became the latest state to pass a so-called heartbeat ban, criminalizing abortion after fetal cardiac activity or a heartbeat is detected, typically between six and eight weeks into a pregnancy. A federal court promptly blocked the law from taking effect, underscoring the concerns of some abortion opponents that the approach was too extreme and would be counterproductive. Until several years ago, these early abortion bans struck many, even some red state lawmakers, the same way. But in 2019, state legislatures passed a wave of fetal heartbeat bills. About a dozen states, including South Carolina, have sought to put such a law on their books but have been blocked by the courts. At the moment, the Supreme Courts case law rules out any ban before viability, the point at which survival is possible outside the womb. That 2019 push by abortion absolutists, two years into the Trump presidency, was also a push against a more incremental approach that had dominated the anti-abortion effort. The National Right to Life Committee, a giant in the movement, had warned the heartbeat campaign would backfire at the Supreme Court. Many conservatives thought it went too far. Not anymore. Because the South Carolina law made exceptions for pregnancies resulting from rape and incest, Republican lawmakers who are relatively moderate voted for the ban. The National Right to Life Committee seems to be turning full circle and now provides information about heartbeat bills. An increase in extreme weather events such as floods, droughts and cyclones risk souring debt worth more than Rs 6.19 trillion ($84 billion) at Indias biggest financial institutions. Thats according to leading nonprofit environmental disclosure platform CDP. State Bank of India, the countrys largest lender, HDFC Bank, IndusInd Bank Ltd. and Axis Bank Ltd. are among the institutions that reported climate risks to CDP in 2020, it said in its annual report released Wednesday. The flagged exposure to environmentally sensitive businesses including cement, coal, oil and power. They also listed the effects of cyclones and floods on loan repayments in farming and related sectors. Lenders accounted for 87% of the total risk, valued at about $97 billion, across 67 top Indian companies that responded to CDP. Climate is the biggest risk to businesses in the long run. Financial institutions are beginning to understand it, said Damandeep Singh, New Delhi-based director of CDP India. As investors look at funding companies based on environmental, social and governance disclosures, weve seen many more companies report risk. The potential harm to agriculture echoes concerns raised by Indias central bank about the impact of on farming, a sector that employs more than half of its citizens. At the same time, the worlds third-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases is relying on coal to help drive its post-Covid recovery. The dirtiest fossil fuel could remain its dominant energy source in the coming decades. CDP, which gathered the data on behalf of 515 investors with $106 trillion in assets, said it received responses from 220 small and large Indian companies. State Bank of India, which is facing concerns from shareholders and investors over its proposal to help fund the controversial Carmichael coal mine in northern Australia, valued its total climate risk at Rs 3.83 trillion. The bank said it may indirectly face reputational risks, should it be involved in lending to environmentally sensitive projects which may have significant public opposition. SBI didnt respond to a request seeking comment. The second-highest risk was flagged by HDFC Bank, which estimated it had Rs 1.79 trillion of assets in danger -- a 24% increase from 2019. It said its calculations took into account compensation it would have to pay to employees in case of flooding and its exposure to farming, cement, coal, oil and power. Smaller private IndusInd, Axis and Yes reported lowered risk compared to last year at Rs 466 billion, Rs 75 billion and Rs 20 billion respectively, citing more diversified portfolios. India was second in the Asia Pacific and sixth globally among CDPs ranking of countries whose companies committed to science-based targets for net-zero carbon emissions, the report showed. More than 50 Indian companies said they are preparing for future policy and regulatory changes by voluntarily committing to cutting their carbon footprint. Increased investor pressure and stronger disclosure norms are compelling Indian companies to address climate concerns, the CDP report said. Almost all of companies reported board-level oversight of climate-related issues, while some 84% said climate-related risks and opportunities led them to alter plans for products and services. 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. [March 03, 2021] Canola/Rapeseed Pan-Genome Consortium Results Reveal Broad Genetic Diversity of the Crop A consortium of leading academic and commercial companies from the USA, Canada, Europe and Israel, together with NRGene (TASE:NRGN), has announced the successful completion and results of the canola/rapeseed pan-genome. The International Canola Pan-genome Consortium was established in 2019 to advance the rapeseed agricultural industry by capturing this crop's broad genetic diversity. The global consortium was led jointly by Dr. Isobel Parkin from the Government of Canada's Agriculture & Agri-food Canada (AAFC), Dr. Andrew Sharpe from the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, and NRGene, a leading genomic Artificial Intelligence (AI) company based in Israel. The consortium included key players in the canola industry, among them Bayer, Corteva Agriscience, Nutrien Ag Solutions and Nuseed. Each contributed their own canola lines to the research and received the full pangenome comparison results. "We are thrilled to be part of this consortium, leading the charge to expand canola productivity," Corteva Agriscience Canola Breeding Leader, Steve King, said. "The pan-genome will allow us to create higher-performing canola seed products, boosting productivity and enabling farmers and their communities to thrive." Rapeseed is a major oil seed crop considered to be a high-quality vegetable oil and commonly used in food production and various industrial applications, including biofuel. According to the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization, rapeseed is farmed on approximately 35 million acres globally and produced 85 million tons in 2019. Canola is the brand name for Canadian rapeseed varieties. Extensive breeding is done globally, focusing on developing higher yielding and more nutritional rapeseed varieties that can naturally resist plant diseases. The use of DNA markers already enhanced canola breeding over the past three decades. Yet, due to canola's genome complexity, diversity, and instability, the need for a whole genome understanding became a bottleneck in canola breeding. Building a pan-genome database to unravel the boad genomic diversity in canola is the key to expanding the crop's productivity. "Working with industry to build a pan-genome database, and understanding the whole genome is a key advancement in our ability to unlock the full potential of canola for improved agronomics, healthier oil profiles, and developing entirely new canola plant-based solutions," said Dr. Leon Streit, Nuseed Global R&D Leader. The consortium generated a full genome sequence of 12 rapeseed varieties that were assembled using NRGene's DeNovoMAGIC software. Each genome was built from about 1 billion DNA chemical elements and on average differ from other genomes in 40% of the DNA elements. These differences in the genetic content are responsible for the unique field performance of each variety. In order to identify all of the unique DNA elements in each variety, NRGene performed an all-to-all comparison on the dozen chromosome-level genome sequences and built the pan-genome database. "The completion of the sequencing of all the genomes and the delivery of the comparative pan-genome analysis has revealed the scope of genetic diversity that exists within the crop and is truly the final satisfying step of this rewarding initiative," said Dr. Andrew Sharpe. "This is the first time that a project puts 12 Brassica genome sequences together allowing canola breeders the opportunity to examine and compare variations among multiple varieties at the genomic level. Advancements like this match with our innovation strategy and our Purpose at Nutrien. To grow the world from the ground up," said Bruce Harrison, Senior Director, Seed Breeding & Innovation, Nutrien Ag Solutions. The pan-genome will be used by the consortium members, and following scientific publication, will be available to the entire canola breeding and research community to accelerate the genetic understanding of this important crop. Elite lines harboring key commercial traits will be developed rapidly and bring better quality products to the market. "The pan-genome is already revealing previously hidden novel structural variation that will prove invaluable in characterizing economically important traits," said Dr. Isobel Parkin. "We are pleased that NRGene's genomic AI tools were chosen by the leading canola research teams to build an accurate pan-genome," said Dr. Gil Ronen, NRGene's CEO. "With the great help of our consortium partners, we successfully created a valuable asset that will be used for the coming decades towards overcoming canola's key breeding challenges." To learn more about the Canola Pan-genome project, join our next webinar: Register here About NRGene NRGene develops and commercializes cutting-edge AI based genomic tools that are reshaping agriculture and livestock worldwide. Our cloud-based software solutions are designed to analyze big data generated by next generation sequencing technologies in an affordable, scalable and precise manner. By applying our vast proprietary databases and AI-based technologies, we provide leading international agriculture, seed and food companies, with computational tools to optimize and accelerate their breeding programs, significantly increasing crop yield and saving time and money. Among our customers are companies from different verticals, such as agriculture, food, beverages, oil, paper, rubber, cannabis, and others. About GIFS: The Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) works with partners to discover, develop and deliver innovative solutions for the production of globally sustainable food. A catalyst for agricultural innovation, GIFS offers a solution-oriented approach to research and development. About AAFC: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) supports the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector through initiatives that promote innovation and competitiveness. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005701/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. A Sinn Fein MP has said use of an "undesirable guests" list by a UK holiday park company to exclude Travellers harks back to a time of anti-Irish discrimination. Michelle Gildernew called on Pontins' owner Britannia to take urgent action. Britannia Jinky Jersey Limited is now working with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to prevent racial discrimination after a Pontins employee said the company was operating a discriminatory bookings policy. EHRC verified the claims and said practices included a list of Irish surnames published on its intranet page, with staff required to block potential customers with those names from booking. It said staff monitored calls and refused or cancelled bookings made by people with an Irish accent or surname, and Pontins' commercial vehicle policy excluded Travellers from its holiday parks. Ms Gildernew said: "It is deeply concerning, and quite frankly infuriating, that in 2021 anti-Irish and anti-Traveller racism continues in Britain. "This blacklist harks back to a time when posters barring Irish people were displayed in bars, hotels and other public establishments across Britain." She said Pontins' owners "must immediately ensure that those responsible for composing this blacklist are held fully accountable and that all forms of discrimination are eradicated from its business practices". By declining to provide its services to guests of a certain race or ethnic group, Pontins was "directly discriminating on the basis of race" and breached the 2010 Equality Act, EHRC said. Britannia Jinky Jersey Limited said it was working to enhance its staff training and procedures to further promote equality throughout the business. Downing Street condemned the blacklist as "completely unacceptable", with the Prime Minister's official spokesman saying: "No one in the UK should be discriminated against because of their race or ethnicity. "It's right that the EHRC and Pontins investigate and address this." EHRC's Alastair Pringle said: "It is hard not to draw comparisons with an undesirable guests list and the signs displayed in hotel windows 50 years ago explicitly barring Irish people and black people. "Banning people from services based on their race is discrimination and is unlawful. To say that such policies are outdated is an understatement. "It is right to challenge such practices and any business that believes this is acceptable should think again before they find themselves facing legal action." The firm said: "Britannia Jinky Jersey Limited has agreed to work together with EHRC to further enhance its staff training and procedures in order to further promote equality throughout its business." As part of the agreement Pontins must investigate the "undesirable guests" list, take appropriate action and ensure lessons are learned. It must commission a review into its booking and commercial vehicle policy and consider any recommendations, and provide equality and diversity training for staff each year. If it does not adhere to these terms, EHRC can launch a full investigation. [March 03, 2021] Infosys Announces Major Investment With 500 jobs for Calgary TECH GIANT ADDS CALGARY JOBS AS IT DOUBLES ITS WORKFORCE IN CANADA OVER THREE YEARS CALGARY, AB, March 3, 2021 /CNW/ - Infosys, a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, announced today it will bring 500 jobs to Calgary as part of its commitment to double its Canadian workforce to 4,000 employees by 2023. Calgary committed to embracing digital transformation, and to expand and diversify its economy as laid out in the community's vision, Calgary in the New Economy. The expansion of Infosys' current operations in Calgary aligns with the vision to solve global challenges. The expansion was announced at a news conference by Ravi Kumar, President, Infosys, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi, along with Mary Moran, President and Chief Executive Officer, Calgary Economic Development, and David Knight Legg, CEO, Invest Alberta Corporation. "We are thrilled to expand our presence in Canada and advance our commitment to hiring top tech talent across major hubs. Calgary is a natural next step as part of our Canadian expansion and represents a significant and promising market for Infosys. The city is home to a thriving pool of talent that the economic downturn of COVID-19 has impacted. We will tap into this talent and offer critical skills and opportunities that will build on the city's economic strengths," said Ravi Kumar, President, Infosys. Since 2017, Infosys expanded across North America, hiring 13,000 workers across its six Technology and Innovation Centres in the U.S. In the last two years Infosys has created 2,000 jobs in Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver, with plans for further expansion across the country. Infosys currently has fewer than 10 employees in Calgary. The Calgary expansion enables Infosys to scale work with clients in Canada, the Central U.S. and Pacific Northwest, across natural resources, energy, media, retail and communications. "When I first met Infosys with Mayor Nenshi in 2017, I was certain that Infosys, as a global cmpany that is committed to building local ecosystems and community, would be a game-changer to propel Calgary's growing tech ecosystem to new levels," said Mary Moran, President and Chief Executive Officer, Calgary Economic Development. "We are embracing digital transformation in Calgary and Infosys can support companies on their digital journey as they address global challenges like cleaner energy, safe and secure food supplies, safer and more efficient transportation and logistics and better health solutions. " "Our government is focused on attracting entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors to Alberta. We've seen a lot of momentum in tech and this announcement by Infosys is another move in the right direction for our province. We are focused on developing top talent for employers and creating the most competitive business environment in Canada. Put simply, Alberta is where you want to do business," said Doug Schweitzer, Alberta Minister of Jobs, Economy and Innovation. "Invest Alberta Corporation is eager to welcome Infosys into Alberta. The expansion of their workforce here will not only create jobs but further the global success of our growing technology sector. We know they'll benefit from Alberta's lowest corporate payroll taxes, most liveable cities, highest educated talent, as well as all our province has to offer," said David Knight Legg, CEO, Invest Alberta. "WestJet is a digital company with an airline behind it and we are proud to contribute to the innovation ecosystem in Calgary," said Ed Sims, President and CEO, WestJet Airlines. "We are excited at the prospect of a global industry leader like Infosys creating more ideas and opportunities to drive change." Infosys will hire tech talent from 14 educational institutions in Canada, including University of Calgary, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) and University of Alberta to build a strong pipeline to expand the skills needed to accelerate digital transformation. Through its ReSkill and ReStart program, Infosys provides reskilling pathways to address workforce development needs. "Digital transformation and preparing the workforce of tomorrow is a primary focus for SAIT. It is important to have leading companies like Infosys that have a strong commitment to developing talent locally and offer career paths for graduates," said Dr. David Ross, President and CEO, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. ABOUT CALGARY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Calgary Economic Development is an opportunity-maker, helping to spark and fuel Calgary's growth. Our job is to connect people with resources that can help them grow their careers or businesses, thrive in new locations or markets, and feel at home in our community. We offer a wealth of information to help everyone succeed and we tirelessly promote Calgary, in Canada and around the world. We're exhilarated about our role in shaping and sharing Calgary's story and we're proud to be part of the energy. For more information, please visit our website and follow us on Twitter. For more information contact: Yasmin Jaswal Coordinator, Corporate & Social Communications Cell: 403 880 7040 Email: media@calgaryeconomicdevelopment.com ABOUT INVEST ALBERTA CORPORATION: The Invest Alberta Corporation is dedicated to investment attraction, with a mandate to engage the world and provide high-end tailored support to investors, entrepreneurs, and major new projects. Alberta, Canada has the country's lowest corporate; the youngest, highly educated workforce in Canada, and North America's most livable cities. Invest Alberta is dedicated to investment attraction, working closely with the Government of Alberta and partners across the province to break down barriers and cut red tape so investors and businesses can start up, scale up, and succeed without limits. For more information contact: Alex Hryciw Director, Executive Office 1-780-271-4641 alexandra.hryciw@investalberta.ca ABOUT INFOSYS LTD.: Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. We enable clients in 46 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With over three decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer our clients through their digital journey. We do it by enabling the enterprise with an AI-powered core that helps prioritize the execution of change. We also empower the business with agile digital at scale to deliver unprecedented levels of performance and customer delight. Our always-on learning agenda drives their continuous improvement through building and transferring digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem. Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next. For further information, please contact: PR_Global@infosys.com SOURCE Calgary Economic Development Ltd. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Kolkata, March 3 : On the day the West Bengal witnesses the first of its eight-phase state assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi may be heading for an unusual shrine in Bangladesh -- Orakandi . Orakandi is not far from Tungipara in Gopalgunj, the ancestral home of 'Bangabandhu' Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and daughter Sheikh Hasina, the now Prime Minister of Bangladesh. It is the most sacred shrine of the 'Matua' community, a Hindu sect whose numbers are considerable both in West Bengal and Bangladesh. Modi will reach Bangladesh on March 26, the day observed in Bangladesh as Independence Day, when in 1971, Pakistan's brutal army unleashed 'Operation Searchlight', the genocide of Bengalis in tens of thousands that sparked the country's struggle for freedom. Modi has already expressed his desire to visit Tungipara, where the 'Bangabandhu' lies buried and the visit has been scheduled for March 27 after necessary security clearance arrangements by both Indian and Bangladesh security agencies. March 27 is when West Bengal goes to its first phase of polls. But Bangladesh security officials say they now have a fresh request, Modi wants a visit to Orakandi to pay respects to the Harichand Thakur, the founder of the Matua sect, who was born there on March 11, 1812. "We are examining the security aspects of the proposed visit of Indian PM to Orakandi and once we are satisfied, we will clear the trip," said a top Bangladesh security official. But he was unwilling to be named because he was not authorised to speak to media. Other Bangladesh officials say that the clearance is a mere formality because Bangladeshis usually don't deny visiting Indian dignitaries if they want to visit any part of the country for personal reasons. For instance, late Indian President Pranab Mukherjee would always visit the ancestral home of his wife in Narail. Harichand Thakur formed the Matua Mahasangha and pitched it as a religious reformation movement around 1860 AD after attaining 'atmadarshan' in Orakandi in what is now Gopalgunj district (part of greater Faridpur) in today's Bangladesh. Thakur's teachings establish education as pre-eminently important for the adherent and the upliftment of the population the adherent's duty, while also providing a formula for ending social conflict. Matua-Mahasangha believe in 'Swayam-Dikshiti' (Self-Realisation). So anyone who has faith in the Darshan or Philosophy of God Harichand belongs to the Matua Mahasanga. Santanu Thakur, the present leader of the Matua Mahasangha, is the BJP MP from Bongaon, his father Manjul Krishna Thakur was a former Minister in the state. The 'Matua' vote is believed to be a decisive factor in the North 24-Parganas and Nadia district and the BJP is involved in a huge tussle with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) to win over the community whose numbers in Bangladesh, West Bengal and elsewhere is said to be close to 3 crores. The Matuas have strongly pushed for the Citizenship Amendment Act to ensure Indian citizenship for a large chunk of the community who moved into West Bengal from Bangladesh after the Partition and specially after the 2001-02 anti-Hindu pogroms during the Khaleda Zia government in Bangladesh. Despite no clear estimate, experts feel the Matua numbers are evenly divided in Bangladesh and West Bengal with a sprinkling elsewhere in India and outside. Mamata Banerjee is close to 'Boro Ma' Mamatabala Thakur, the mother figure of the community, while Santanu is the first non-TMC MP from the community. "If Modi manages to visit the Orakandi shrine and pray there , he would be the first Indian PM to have done so. That may touch a chord with the Matuas and swing their support towards BJP in the West Bengal polls," says Bangladesh watcher Sukhoranjan Dasgupta. "It is a smart move.' Dasgupta is author of "Midnight Massacre", a detailed account of the 1975 coup that killed Sheikh Mujibur Rahman with much of his family. Analyst Ashis Biswas says the proposed Modi visit to Tungipara and Orakandi is a classic "two birds with one stone" move. "The visit to Tungipara will doubtlessly go down well with Prime Minister Hasina and all pro-liberation forces in Bangladesh and revive memories of India's role in Bangladesh's liberation. The visit to Orakandi may help the BJP's cause with the Matuas," said Biswas. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text NEW HAVEN A former nurse at a Yale fertility clinic pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday in connection with her having taken fentanyl meant for patients and replacing it with saline. At a Zoom hearing presided over by Judge Janet Hall, Donna Monticone pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with a consumer product. She faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to a release. Monticone began stealing fentanyl for her own use in June, using a syringe to withdraw the narcotics from the vials, then injecting saline into the vial so that it would appear as if none of the narcotics were missing, according to a plea agreement by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller. Miller said at Tuesdays hearing that Monticone previously was in charge of inventory at the Yale Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility clinic in Orange. Approximately 75% of all the fentanyl given to patients at Yale REI from June 2020 to October 2020 was adulterated with saline. Some of these bottles contained diluted fentanyl, while others contained no drug at all and contained just saline, Miller said in the plea agreement. The defendant knew that the adulterated vials of fentanyl she replaced at Yale REI would be used in surgical procedures and that the absence of an anesthetic during an outpatient procedure may cause serious bodily injury to the patient. Monticone, who previously gave up her license and no longer works as a nurse, acknowledged at Tuesdays hearing that she knew the drugs were meant to be used to alleviate the pain of patients. She was released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing, which was scheduled for May 25. Attorney Josh Koskoff, representing four of the families victimized in the case, said his clients wanted to understand how such an action could be prevented at a systemic level in the future. The families want to understand how this was allowed to happen. This is a preeminent hospital that is supposed to be responsible for the oversight of medication so we hope Yale will provide the answers these women deserve about not just how it happened but what Yale is going to do to make sure it doesnt happen to other women, Koskoff said in a statement. Karen Peart, director of university media relations at Yale, noted in a statement Tuesday that the clinic had informed law enforcement of the theft and notified patients about the issue previously. Yale has informed patients that there is no reason to believe that the nurses action harmed their health or the outcome of their treatment. The Fertility Center routinely uses a combination of pain medications during procedures and modifies the medications if there are signs of discomfort, Peart said. Changes are underway in procedures, recordkeeping, and physical storage that will prevent this type of activity from happening again. william.lambert@hearstmediact.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. Padraig Creaven (right), of Menlo, Galway, widower of Aoife Mitchell Creaven, leaving the High Court with Aoifes parents, Gabriel (left) and Marcella Mitchell. Photo A MAN wants to honour a wish he and his deceased wife had, which was to have a child, and he is claiming the costs of surrogacy in a High Court action following her death from cervical cancer. Padraig Creavens case is against the HSE, three laboratories and a hospital centre on the alleged misinterpretation of the womans cervical smear sample in 2011, taken under the CervicalCheck national screening programme. Mr Creavens wife, Aoife, was around 20 weeks pregnant through IVF in 2014 when she found out she had terminal cervical cancer and her life expectancy was limited. The court heard how she had to travel to London and have the much-wanted pregnancy terminated as chemotherapy was the only option. Jeremy Maher SC, for Mr Creaven, said the couple had the most extraordinary and difficult dilemma and the necessary course of action was to terminate the pregnancy. Aoife Mitchell Creaven was 40 years of age when she died on April 20, 2015. She was only five stone in weight at this point. Her husband, counsel said, was left alone with no child. A widower at 44, his wife's death had a devastating impact on him. Maher SC with Ciara McGoldrick BL, and instructed by solicitor Cian OCarroll, told the court that the cost of surrogacy is part of Mr Creavens claim. Ms Mitchell Creaven from Menlo, Galway, found out in November 2013 she and her husband were to become parents after years of IVF treatment and they were deliriously happy. The couple, counsel said, had to tell Aoifes parents, Gabriel and Marcella Mitchell, of her pregnancy and also that she was dying. Counsel said her father collapsed on the floor on hearing the news. He said the couple, when Aoife was dying, had to attend a medical conference in Cork where medics discussed her case. A decision was made that the termination, under the legislation at the time, could not take place in Ireland. The couple decided they would have to look outside of Ireland. Ms Mitchell Creaven, along with her mother, went to London in mid-March 2014 and the termination took place. After that, counsel said, the couple tried to find anything to prolong Aoifes life but she died in 2015. Now, counsel says Mr Creaven is determined to honour his wife's wish and proceed to have a child through surrogacy. The couples frozen embryos are in a fertility clinic in the Czech Republic and Mr Creaven wants to go to the US for surrogacy. He told Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy there was no reason surrogacy costs should not be included in the claim. The case also includes a claim for aggravated or punitive damages in relation to an alleged comment by a consultant to a member of the deceased's family during a disclosure meeting in 2018, in relation to the result of a CervicalCheck audit of the 2011 slide. The consultants alleged comment well, nuns dont get cervical cancer counsel said, was grossly insensitive. Mr Creaven, on behalf of himself and his deceased wife's family, has sued the HSE and three laboratories. They are Sonic Healthcare (Ireland) Ltd with offices at Sandyford Business Park, Dublin; MedLab Pathology Ltd also of Sandyford Business Park and US laboratory Clinical Pathology Laboratories Incorporated (CPL) of Austin, Texas. The case is also against Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin. Ms Mitchell Creaven had a cervical smear test under the CervicalCheck national screening programme on August 8, 2011. She was advised on August 31, 2011 that no abnormalities were detected . On February 26, 2014 Ms Mitchell Creaven was diagnosed as having Stage Four cervical cancer. At the time, she was around 20 weeks pregnant following her fifth cycle of IVF fertility treatment. It is claimed that a review of the 2011 cervical smear slide was carried out in 2014, but the Creaven and Mitchell families were not told until 2018, by a hospital consultant, that the smear slide was reported incorrectly. It is claimed against the HSE and the three laboratories that there was a failure to report that the smear slide of 2011 was abnormal and that Ms Mitchell Creaven was allegedly deprived of the opportunity of timely and effective investigation and management of her condition. It is claimed against the hospital that it concealed or failed to advise the Mitchell Creavens in a timely manner the result of a review of her 2011 smear slide. All the claims are denied. The case continues. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor WINSTED Renters rebate application packets will be accepted at the Winsted Senior Center starting April 1. If you paid rent in Winsted in 2020 and are age 65 or older and receive Social Security benefits or are under the age 65 and receive Social Security Disability benefits, you may be eligible, according to a statement. If you answered yes to either scenario and your income for 2020 was $37,600 or less for a single person or $45,800 or less for a married couple, you may be eligible for a Renters Rebate from the State of Connecticut, according to the statement. While the Senior Center is not open because of COVID-19, staff are accepting documents for the program by mail or by dropping in their lockbox at the center building at the Chestnut Street entrance, starting April 1. Residents must provide all the proper documents and provide a name and phone number on the outside of the envelope. Be sure the social security number and birthdate is on the benefit statement. The center provided the following guidelines: All documents must be in an envelope, or the Senior Center will not process your application. The renter must have resided in Connecticut for any one year prior to filing application. The renter, or spouse if living together, must have been 65 years of age by December 1, 2020; or be 50 years of age or older and the surviving spouse of a renter, who at the time of his death qualified and was entitled to tax relief. Renters 18 and older who are receiving Social Security Disability or Disability benefits are also eligible. Documents needed: Rent payment for entire year; ask your landlord for a letter stating your name, address, and payment record for 2020. Electric/gas/water/fuel payment record for entire year. Call Eversource at 800-286-2000 and ask for letter stating payment record for 2020. Call your heating supplier and ask for payment record for 2020. Social Security benefit statement for 2020 (Form SSA 1099). Write your phone number and birthdate on the social security statement. Also required: Bank interest statement and dividends for 2020 (Form 1099S). Pension statement for 2020 (1099S). Copy of 2020 Federal Income Tax Return (1040), if filed. Note: Renters must apply for a rebate in the town you now live in, if you rented in 2020 in another Connecticut town. If you rented for less than 1 year, the rebate is prorated for the time that you rented. Call 860-379-4252 ext. 1 with any questions. Permanent TSB has dampened hopes of a quick conclusion to its talks with NatWest over acquiring Ulster Banks personal and SME banking businesses. CEO Eamonn Crowley said today that the negotiation process is unlikely to conclude before the end of the year and there could be a lot of pitfalls along the way. PTSB has had only high level discussions with the Department of Finance over a possible deal, as the bank has nothing to present to them at this moment, he said. Mr Crowley said PTSB was embarking on a multi-year engagement over Ulster Bank and that he did not yet have a business case or a proposition that he could put to the board or the Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe, who controls a 75pc stake in the bank. "Its too early to answer the Ulster Bank question. We dont have a proposition yet. We are exploring options and have to make sense of it. Read More Nonetheless Mr Crowley made it clear he has ambitions to acquire significant assets from Ulster Bank to leverage PTSBs existing infrastructure and grow its franchise. "Were already in that business [retail and SME banking]. The infrastructure is in place. It's about how we scale and manage that so it doesnt add complexity or additional challenges. He said he believed the current poor business environment for banking would improve in the next few years, allowing PTSB to benefit from adding Ulster Banks underperforming business lines to its own offering. Permanent TSB reported a loss before tax of 166m for 2020, mainly due to the negative impact of the pandemic on its loan book. The bank has set aside 155m of an impairment charge to deal with potential losses from related to Covid-19. PTSB said its non-performing loans (NPL) of 1.1bn increased by about 80m year on year, with the NPL ratio increasing by about 120 basis points to 7.6pc. The increase in the NPL ratio is primarily as a result of the reduction in gross loans due to the performing loan sale transaction Glenbeigh II. Total new lending of around 1.4bn was 15pc lower last year compared to 2019, according to annual results from the group. A strong lending performance, particularly in the second half of the year, led to a 43pc increase in new mortgage drawdowns compared to the first half of 2020. Mortgage applications also increased significantly in the second half of 2020, it added. The bank said its market share of new mortgage lending was 15.3pc. Net interest income a key measure of banks performance was 4pc lower when compared to the same period in the prior year. Operating costs of 329m at the bank, including 5m of Covid-19 costs, are 1m lower year-on-year. Despite the challenges that 2020 brought, I am confident that the bank is in a strong position to make the most of the opportunities that will arise in the post-pandemic recovery phase" said Mr Crowley. While 2020 was a loss making year for the bank, the second half of the year saw the bank increase its new lending volumes and transactional activity as the economy began to reopen. Our active mortgage offer pipeline is at a strong level and positions us well to continue our strong performance into 2021. Las year PTSB incurred 31m in restricting costs, which it said were associated with its Enterprise Transformation programme. This programme will focus on organisational structure, digital ways of working, and a review of its property footprint. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky expects that the European Council at its strategic meeting in late March will send a strong signal condemning Russia's hybrid aggression against Ukraine. The Head of State made a corresponding statement at a joint meeting with European Council President Charles Michel in Kyiv, an Ukrinform correspondent informs. Zelensky reminded that yesterday they made a trip to the Ukrainian Donbas together, where Michel was able to see the terrible consequences of Russia's ongoing aggression against Ukraine. "The presence of the high-ranking EU official on the contact line is an important powerful signal of the EUs solidarity with Ukraine... I hope that the European Council will send a strong signal condemning Russia's hybrid aggression against Ukraine in late March. I do not believe in returning to business as usual in relations between the European Union and the Russian Federation without restoring the territorial integrity of our country," Zelensky said. As reported, a strategic discussion on EU-Russia relations will be held within the framework of the European Council at the end of March. ol Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain The Czech Republic launched mass coronavirus testing at business premises on Wednesday, in a bid to stem the world's highest infection rate. The government also enabled regions to call up private doctors and other medical staff to work in public COVID hospitals, many of which have reached capacity. "The situation in our hospitals is really critical. We have to employ all reserves to save lives," Health Minister Jan Blatny told reporters. The Czech Republic, which has a population of 10.7 million, has registered 1.27 million COVID-19 cases and almost 21,000 deaths since the pandemic began. The case rate is at 1,424 per 100,000 inhabitants over the last 14 days and the death rate is the second highest in the world after neighbouring Slovakia. The government is in talks to receive assistance from other European countries including Germany, Poland and Switzerland, which have all offered hospital beds. Mass testing kicked off on Wednesday at companies with more than 250 members of staff. They must test their employees by March 12, with defaulters facing hefty fines or even closures. Mobile army testing teams have been deployed in the worst-hit regions. Billionaire populist Prime Minister Andrej Babis said Wednesday that vaccine supplies for the month ahead looked promising. A spokesman for President Milos Zeman said the head of state had asked his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for a supply of the Sinopharm vaccine and that China had agreed. Zeman had already asked Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier to provide his country with the Sputnik V vaccine. Last week, Babis's government banned people from leaving their districts and ordered them to wear face masks in busy workplaces and outdoors in inhabited areas. A curfew, a limit on gatherings, and restaurant closures have been in place since last year. But the government decided not to impose the kind of full lockdown which helped it steer through the first COVID wave last spring with relative ease. Sociologist Daniel Prokop has blamed the uncontrolled spread on the high proportion of people still going into work, along with the government's lukewarm response, and some Czechs' reluctance to play by the rules. "The countries that have handled the new strains well, such as Britain and Portugal, have reduced the presence of people in workplaces," Prokop told AFP. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 AFP SVB Leerink announced that Robert Minear will join the firm's Healthcare Services and Technology Franchise team Tweet this Mr. Minear joins the firm as a Senior Managing Director focused on leading the firm's financial sponsor origination efforts to further enhance the firm's growing leveraged finance business. "The firm warmly welcomes Rob to help drive our healthcare services and technology franchise," said Jim Boylan, Global Co-Head of Investment Banking. "Through his many deep relationships with private equity firms, we intend on building a market leading franchise to serve these firms with strategic ideas, M&A execution, and acquisition financing capabilities." Mr. Minear joins SVB Leerink from Guggenheim Securities where he was a Senior Managing Director in Healthcare investment banking, with a focus on advising companies in the healthcare services sector. Prior to his work at Guggenheim Securities, Mr. Minear was a Managing Director and Head of Healthcare Services Mergers and Acquisitions in Jefferies Group's Healthcare investment banking practice and a member of the M&A groups at UBS, both in New York and London, and Deutsche Bank. "I am excited to join SVB Leerink as Senior Managing Director within the Investment Banking group," Mr. Minear shared. "Partnering with Barry, Jim, and the broader leadership team, I look forward to working with companies to find ways to finance innovations, provide strategic advice and ultimately effect transactions." SVB Leerink will continue expanding its investment banking group with continued hiring efforts aimed at building a team dedicated to supporting Mr. Minear's private equity origination business. About SVB Leerink As the leading investment bank to the healthcare and life science industries, we help our clients move healthcare forward. With differentiated sector knowledge, unrivaled expertise, and a complete suite of capital market and advisory solutions, we are the industry's partner of choice. SVB Leerink is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SVB Financial Group and is a member of FINRA/SIPC. For more information, please visit: www.svbleerink.com. SVB Leerink Contact: Diane Vieira (617) 918-4097 Weber Shandwick Contact: Kaitlyn Rawlett (212) 445-8082 SOURCE SVB Leerink Related Links https://www.svbleerink.com/ [March 03, 2021] Chloe Wine Collection Announces Two Initiatives in Celebration of Women's History Month Chloe Wine Collection is proud to announce two initiatives in celebration of Women's History Month and International Women's Day. Chloe Wine returns as a second-year sponsor of Dress for Success' annual Your Hour, Her Power fundraising campaign, which aims to help women enter, return to, and thrive in the workplace. Additionally, Chloe Wine kicks off a scholarship program in collaboration with Napa Valley Wine Academy to recognize and reward women in wine. These programs are part of Chloe Wine Collection's ongoing commitment to raising women up and celebrating their triumphs - the foundation of their 360-degree marketing campaign, 'Celebrate Her Story,' which launched in 2020. "As a brand led by a woman winemaker, we are thrilled to celebrate Women's History Month by joining forces with two likeminded organizations and raise a glass to hardworking women everywhere," said Melanie Amezaga, Senior Director of Marketing for Chloe Wine Collection. "We look forward to building on last year's momentum and paying it forward to the women whose stories inspire us." Supporting Dress for Success & #YourHourHerPower: Dress for Success' annual Women's History Month and International Women's Day campaign, #YourHourHerPower, is inspired by the belief that when a woman has access to opportunities that can change her life for the better, she becomes powerful beyond measure. COVID-19 has impacted working women at disproportionate rates with 75% of Dress for Success affiliates reporting clients are facing an uncertain future. This campaign, which invites supporters to donate an equivalent of one hour's pay, funds critical programs that help women find and maintain jobs, become financially independent and learn leadership skills - tools that are needed now more than evr. In addition to donating to this important cause, Chloe Wine Collection has teamed up with Entrepreneur and TV Personality Whitney Port for the second year in a row to raise awareness for the services Dress for Success provides to help women look and feel their best professionally. Together with Chloe Wine, Whitney will be sharing some of her fashion and career-building tips with Dress for Success clients to inspire hope and resilience. To learn more about the campaign, visit www.yourhourherpower.org.The fundraiser runs through March 31. Launching Scholarships to Support Women in Wine with Napa Valley Wine Academy: Known as America's Premier Wine School, Napa Valley Wine Academy is an approved program provider of the internationally recognized WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) wine and spirit and Sommelier courses across the US. In an industry that faces gender inequality, where just 14% of California winemakers are women, Chloe Wine Collection is honored to work with the Napa Valley Wine Academy to award five $1,000 scholarships to women in wine. Scholarship applications will go live on March 15. As part of the application process, entrants will be asked to write an essay on a female mentor that helped shape their career. Scholarships will be awarded in June. For more information about the application, visit https://napavalleywineacademy.com. About Chloe Wine Collection Chloe wines are beautifully crafted to inspire timeless stories and meaningful moments. From friends and mentors to sisters and teachers, Chloe celebrates the legacies that empower us to follow our heart. Developed by acclaimed Winemaker Georgetta Dane, the iconic wines of the Chloe Wine Collection offer the structure and depth of exceptional fruit from some of the world's preeminent wine growing regions. The portfolio includes Valdadige D.O.C. Pinot Grigio, Prosecco D.O.C., Prosecco Rose D.O.C., Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County Chardonnay, Central Coast Rose, Monterey County Pinot Noir, San Lucas Cabernet Sauvignon, San Lucas Merlot and CA (News - Alert) blend Red No. 249. Visit www.chloewinecollection.com for more information. 2021 Chloe Wine Collection, Livermore, CA View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005741/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Palace insiders have advised Prince Harry to fly home for Prince Philip amid the elder royal's hospitalization. Royals are reportedly so concerned with the Duke of Edinburgh's health that Prince Harry has been told to return to the U.K. to say goodbye to his grandfather, according to a source. "There are lots of discussions about what to do with the problem of Meghan [Markle] and Harry, where to seat them and how to protect them from the British public who could boo them," the source said in a Style Caster report. U.K. royal commentators are hoping that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry would cancel their Oprah interview before it airs on CBS while the Duke of Edinburgh is still in the hospital. Reports said Prince Harry has already organized a private jet to fly to U.K., and he would likely be tested for COVID-19 before leaving the U.S. and upon his arrival in Britain. Read next: Why Did Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Quit Through Email? Prince Harry Wants to Delay Oprah Interview Prince Philip, 99, has been hospitalized on Feb. 16 after he felt unwell." Buckingham Palace said that he was moved on Monday to a specialist heart hospital to continue treatment for an undisclosed infection. "Anything could hijack this interview. Philip is ill. He is 99 and could die at any time," Penny Junor, one royal expert, said in a report. On the other hand, the royal biographer, Robert Jobson, isn't so sure if it would be appropriate to postpone the said interview. Jobson said even if they wanted to, Prince Harry and Meghan could not dictate terms to Oprah Winfrey and the network as too much has already been invested. Richard Fitzwilliams, a royal commentator and former editor of "Who's Who," said it would be right to postpone the interview. He noted that Oprah is their friend and neighbor and would no doubt comply if they asked, according to The Daily Beast report. A TV industry insider said that CBS has already sold millions of dollars' worth of advertising around the interview, adding that the bosses are aware of the state of health of Prince Philip. However, the insider added that they have no loyalty to the royal family, although they might feel that they do to Harry and Meghan. Will Meghan Markle Come? Prince Harry is planning to make the trip from his home in Santa Barbara, California. However, Meghan Markle and their young son will stay behind. Supporters of the Duchess and insider are coming to her defense, saying that her decision to stay in the U.S. is not a snub against the royal family. Many said that it was a decision to stay safe due to the current pandemic, Travel and Leisure reported. Co-author of the Sussexes biography "Finding Freedom, Omid Scobie, said that neither Meghan Markle nor Prince Harry had been vaccinated, and travel plans are still very much up in the air. Scobie added that it seems easier for Prince Harry to do the trip solo. Another source noted that Meghan's choice to stay home might also be an effort to avoid intense media criticism for the entire royal family. The source said that if Meghan Markle comes back, it would feel like it would overshadow the trip's purpose. Read also: Meghan and Harry Borrowed Money from the Queen after Megxit: Will They Pay It Back? [March 03, 2021] Nokia announces new training and certifications to bring 5G to life Press Release Nokia announces new training and certifications to bring 5G to life Certifications highlight the potential of 5G to revolutionize industries from manufacturing to transportation, to healthcare 22,000 registrations for first two courses since launch in 2020 3 March 2021 Espoo, Finland Nokia today announced the introduction of two new professional level 5G certifications. Industrial Automation Networks and Distributed Cloud Networks are part of Nokias program to train and certify industry professionals on 5G technology, from network access to application management. Since their launch last year, registrations for the first two courses in Nokias 5G learning program totaled more than 22,000 globally across many industries. Building on this successful foundation, the new certifications highlight the potential of 5G to revolutionize industries from manufacturing to transportation, to healthcare and more. The Nokia 5G Readiness Report found that by 2030, 5G will deliver $8trn in value globally to businesses, economies and societies.Together, the Distributed Cloud Networks and Industrial Automation Networks trainings reveal how 5G can greatly improve industry performance. Its enhanced speed and ultra reliable low latency produces tangible increases in safety, productivity and efficiency. As with the rest of the courses in its 5G Certification Program, Nokia uses compelling, real-life examples of how 5G enables Industrial Automation, such as Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) in a manufacturing environment. uilding on this example, the Distributed Cloud Networks course demonstrates the power of cloud computing at the edge, essential for managing the real-time pinpoint movement of AMRs through a confined manufacturing space . Sergio Fasce, Vice President of People Services, the learning and development branch of Nokia, said: Over the next five years, 71% of companies will invest in 5G technology with the potential to add $8 trillion in value to businesses, economies and societies globally by 2030. The 5G Certification program gives business leaders and technology professionals a competitive advantage, helping them to plan and adapt their business processes to take advantage of Industry 4.0 and turn much-discussed concepts of smart cities, autonomous vehicles, virtual learning and remote healthcare into impactful realities As a leader in the creation of critical networks and technologies, Nokia helps individuals and businesses fully understand the potential of 5G. The Nokia Bell Labs 5G Certification Program, accessible from the Nokia website, focuses on the knowledge and skills professionals need to make the most of 5Gs capabilities today and in the future. Gaining a certification by passing the associated exam will establish industry-recognized professional credentials. Two additional professional level certifications in Network Slicing and Secure Networks will be released later in 2021. Each course has approximately a 6-hour run time which can be completed at the learners own pace. Nokias momentum in 5G is underpinned by the companys continued leadership in cellular technology R&D and standardization. In November 2020, Nokia announced it had declared more than 3,500 5G patent families as essential for 5G. Driven by world-class innovations from across the organization, including the renowned Nokia Bell Labs, it has played a leading role in contributing technologies to 5G, working with 3GPP to establish 5G standards and enabling the rollout of 5G networks. Resources: Website: Nokia Bell Labs 5G Certification Program website About Nokia We create the critical networks and technologies to bring together the worlds intelligence, across businesses, cities, supply chains and societies. With our commitment to innovation and technology leadership, driven by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs, we deliver networks at the limits of science across mobile, infrastructure, cloud, and enabling technologies. Adhering to the highest standards of integrity and security, we help build the capabilities we need for a more productive, sustainable and inclusive world. For our latest updates, please visit us online www.nokia.com and follow us on Twitter @nokia. Media Inquiries: Nokia Communications Phone: +358 10 448 4900 Email: press.services@nokia.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] New Delhi: Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan lauded actor Mohit Chadda for his upcoming movie Flight. Taking to Twitter, Big B wrote: T 3831 - An independent first effort .. Mohit Chaddha .. \film FLIGHT .. all my good wishes ..https://t.co/gEXdn0OXLl Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) March 3, 2021 A day back, Bachchan senior had also dropped an appreciation tweet for Mohit: T 3830 - An independent first effort .. Mohit Chadda .. film 'FLIGHT' ..Best wishes. Password." He also shared the link of the trailer of Flight. T 3830 - An independent first effort .. Mohit Chadda .. film 'FLIGHT' .. Best wishes Password: CBE103 Link to promo - https://t.co/2S5YSQbGxu Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) March 3, 2021 Chadda reacted to Bachchans tweet and thanked the megastar for his gesture. He wrote, Sir my hands tremble as I write this message...God has tweeted himself. For the unversed, Chadda is a huge fan of Bachchan. As per reports, Chaddas wife Ishita Sharma texted Big B telling him about how big a fan Chadda is and informed him about her husbands upcoming film. She also told the Don actor that his best wishes will mean the world to her husband. Showing his magnanimity, Bachchan extended his best wishes to Chadda and shared the trailer of the movie. Take a look at the trailer: Flight revolves around the journey of a man named Ranveer Malhotra, who battles several hardships on a plane for his survival. The star cast also includes Pavan Malhotra, Zakir Hussain, Viveck Vaswani and Shibani Bedi It has been helmed by debutant director Suraj Joshi. It is presented by K Chadda and co-produced by Rohit Chadda. The movie will hit the theatres on March 19, 2021. British lawmakers will debate the issue of press freedom and safety of protesters in India next Monday in response to an e-petition which had crossed the 100,000-signature threshold required for such a debate, the House of Commons Petitions Committee confirmed on Wednesday. The 90-minute debate will be held at Westminster Hall in the Houses of Parliament complex in London and will be opened by Scottish National Party (SNP) MP and member of the Petitions Committee Martyn Day, and a minister will be deputed to respond on behalf of the UK government. The debate relates to the petition entitled Urge the Indian Government to ensure safety of protesters & press freedom', which called on the British government to make a public statement on the #kissanprotests & press freedoms. Next week, the issue will come up for debate and is expected to involve backbench MPs who have been vocal on the issue of farmers' protests in India, including Opposition Labour MP Tan Dhesi. India has emphasised that the protests by farmers must be seen in the context of India's democratic ethos and polity and the Ministry of External Affairs said that some vested interest groups have tried to mobilise support against the country. "Before rushing to comment on such matters, we would urge that the facts be ascertained, and a proper understanding of the issues at hand be undertaken, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement last month. Thousands of farmers have been camping at several Delhi border points since November last year, demanding the government to repeal three farm laws and provide them legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for their crops. Multiple rounds of talks between the government and farmer unions have not been able to resolve the deadlock. "Media freedom and the right to protest are essential to robust democracies such as the UK and India. Governments have the power to enforce law and order if a protest crosses the line into illegality," the UK government had said in its written response to the petition last month. The response, necessitated after any e-petition on the Parliament website crosses the 10,000-signature mark, noted that the British government is conscious of the level of concern regarding the farmers' protests in India and appreciates that there are strong feelings in Britain towards the issue as many British citizens have family ties to farming communities in India. "We understand that the Government of India has held several rounds of talks with farmers' unions, and that in January the Supreme Court put three farming laws on hold and designated an expert committee to scrutinise the laws," according to UK government statement. "The UK government will continue to follow the farmers' protests closely. We respect that agricultural reforms are a matter for India, and will continue to champion human rights globally," it adds. Last month, the Indian High Commission in London had issued an open letter to another Labour MP, Claudia Webbe, after her several interventions over the issue on social media. The letter, accompanied by a detailed fact sheet, read: It is emphasised that the reforms, intended to protect and empower farmers in India are based on inputs from experts and recommendations by Committees that have analysed the specific challenges of the agricultural sector in India over the last 20 years. "The efforts continue but Government of India is more than aware of efforts by vested interests abroad to fuel the protests through misinformation and incendiary assertions that are not helpful in progressing the dialogue between the protesters and government or addressing the issues through the democratic processes that our people have traditionally relied on." The Indian government last week said it has shown utmost respect for protests by farmers and has remained engaged in dialogue with them to address their concerns. (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 Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. 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. [March 03, 2021] Censia Awarded ISO 27001 Certification, Launches Developer Resources Site SAN FRANCISCO, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Censia, a leading SaaS provider of Talent Intelligence, announced it has been awarded the ISO 27001:13 certification for its Information Security Management System (ISMS). The company also launched a new resources site for developers , providing its comprehensive and actionable insights via a robust API to seamlessly power a variety of HR and BI applications. Censia, a leading SaaS provider of Talent Intelligence, announced it has been awarded the SO 27001:13 certification. Ensuring that Censia's data is sufficiently protected, the ISO 27001:13 is an information security standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the world's largest developer of voluntary international standards, and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). "As an API-first platform, data privacy and security are of the utmost importance to us and our enterprise clients," said Burges Karkaria, CTO at Censia. "Becoming an ISO 27001:2013-certified enterprise technology provider is further proof of that commitment, and developers can have full confidence in our ability to provide a secure experience when leveraging our Talent Intelligence Platform." The company's newly launched resources site for developers expands the ways in which users can access the platform beyond its integration ecosystem and robust front end, setting a new standard for human capital management by delivering its data-driven talent insights as a completely headless solution. To learn more about Censia's Development Resources and data security, visit censia.com. About Censia Censia Talent Intelligence is a comprehensive data platform that leverages advanced system intelligence powering and machine learning to provide continuous, extensive and actionable insights across the entire talent management lifecycle. Leading enterprises like the American Heart Association, Tapestry, Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP, Gerdau and many more have chosen Censia to help them find, develop and retain a high quality, diverse workforce and forecast future talent needs to scale quickly, enable innovation and improve operational excellence for a fraction of the time and cost it takes today. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/censia-awarded-iso-27001-certification-launches-developer-resources-site-301239037.html SOURCE Censia New Delhi: When two personalities of the very high calibre meet, it naturally garners a lot of headline and attention. These personalities are the ones who are driven by their aim to do better for the country, which has given them the respect and recognition they deserve in their career. The way the different states of our country are working towards their development, major credit must go to the people working behind the same. Take, for example, the road transport and highway sector, a ministry that has been helmed by Nitin Gadkari, is a ministry that has seen so many developments so far. Also, Nitin Gadkari is the minister of micro, small and medium enterprises and has always worked out plans that could do the better in this industry and provide the maximum benefits to business owners, having the business mindset himself as an ace businessman. Recently, he met Shrayam Bhargava, a young gentleman himself who has been doing exceedingly well in the world of business and politics both. Shrayam Bhargava has always considered himself more than just a business personality. He believed in working for the people since the beginning and this took him into politics. This very attitude of his is also what has attracted Nitin Gadkari himself and when they met the latter was all praises for the young mind. When they met Nitin Gadkari blessed this young gentleman from Prayagraj, UP, working as the 'Kshetriya Mantri' in BJP. He encouraged him to keep working like this and appreciated his work so far in the field. Since Nitin Gadkari is the Minister for Road Transport and Highways, both of them also discussed many highways in UP and how the development work can be undertaken. Hyderabad, March 3 : Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Wednesday called for an intensified campaign to motivate all the eligible people to get vaccinated for Covid-19. She directed the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS), Telangana branch, to coordinate with all the district units to launch a massive campaign to create awareness among the people and facilitate the Covid vaccination drive. "The country is presently witnessing the world's largest vaccination drive. Our country has emerged self-reliant in vaccine development, production, supply and vaccination. It is a great opportunity for all the eligible people to get vaccinated," Tamilisai said. The Governor was reviewing the developments in the state with the officials of the Raj Bhavan here, and from the Raj Nivas in Puducherry, where she is holding additional charge as the Lieutenant Governor. During the video conference, she also interacted with the participants of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat self-employment training programme for women of the Raj Bhavan Pariwar and took a look at their embroidery and other products. She expressed happiness at the creativity of the participants in coming out with innovative and quality designer masks, scarves and other products. The Governor also directed the officials and the Raj Bhavan dispensary to coordinate with the paediatric surgeon of Niloufer Hospital for ensuring an early surgery to treat the ailing daughter of a home guard working at the Raj Bhavan here. She also appreciated the eligible Raj Bhavan officials and staff members on getting vaccinated. "We (Raj Bhavan staff) must be the role models to others and ensure that all the eligible staff members are vaccinated," she said. As part of her initiative to be available for the visitors, the Governor virtually interacted with a delegation. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. This morning hottie Abby and her persuasive panty promo for an embattled but enduring brand inspires our somewhat upbeat peek at pop culture, community news and top headlines. Check-it . . . Kansas City COVID Stabbing Season Underway How A Massive Volunteer Army Is Helping Vaccinate Kansas City Against COVID-19 Sharon White-Lewis says she's always been the type of person to "run into the fire." In March of 2020, that meant calling the state board of nursing to ask how she could help. The board directed her to the Medical Reserve Corps of Greater Kansas City. Golden Ghetto Sounds Off Johnson County testing tornado sirens again after failed attempt OLATHE, Kan. - Johnson County residents should expect to hear tornado sirens today after a state-wide test yesterday failed to activate 200 alarms. An emergency alert test across Kansas and Missouri on March 2 ended up as a major bust. Text alerts were sent to residents, telling them to take shelter immediately due to an imminent tornado threat. Reboot Plagues Courthouse Jackson County Courts begin wading through pandemic-induced case backlog KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Jackson County resumed jury trials this week after putting them on hold for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But one judge said the county likely will be playing catch up for the foreseeable future. Exposed Panties Coming Soon 'The Rise And Fall Of Victoria's Secret' Docuseries From Peter Berg & Matt Tyrnauer Ordered At Hulu The Rise and Fall of Victoria's Secret, a new docuseries from Peter Berg and Matt Tyrnauer, has landed at Hulu. First revealed by Deadline back in March 2020, The Rise and Fall of Victoria's Secret will shed light on the inner workings of a once-powerful sector of the world of fashion, adding context to both the positive and negative aspects of a rapidly transforming industry. HOUSE DIVIDED: AMERICANS OPEN TO SPLITTING UP USA!!! Stimulus checks have Americans in agreement, but country bitterly split on everything else - Study Finds ROCHESTER, N.Y. - In a year filled with civil unrest and the deepest political divisions in recent history, America is coming together on one issue - COVID-19 relief in the form of continued stimulus checks. A new survey finds generous financial recovery plans win bipartisan support from voters across the United States. Iran From Rockets Iraq military base used by U.S. hit by rockets year after similar attack brought U.S. and Iran close to war Baghdad - At least 10 rockets targeted a military base in western Iraq that hosts about 2,000 U.S. troops on Wednesday, American and Iraqi military officials said. A U.S. defense official told CBS News national security correspondent David Martin there were no reported casualties among U.S. Internets Fake News Touts Prez Trump Takeover Tomorrow Police bolster security at US Capitol as QAnon theory claims Trump will become president March 4 Capitol Police will beef up security this week at the Capitol building as a precaution against any potential extremist activity amid a far-right conspiracy theory that President Donald Trump will rise to power on March 4, the original inauguration day for presidents prior to 1933. PERMANENT PANDEMIC: WHO SEYZ COVID NEVER ENDS?!? WHO: 'Premature' and 'unrealistic' to expect pandemic to end soon A senior World Health Organization official said Monday it was "premature" and "unrealistic" to think the pandemic might be stopped by the end of the year, but that the recent arrival of effective vaccines could at least help dramatically reduce hospitalizations and death. Royal Pain Revealed Meghan Markle 'Saddened' by 'Attack on Her Character' amid Bullying Allegations from Palace Staffers A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex says Meghan "will keep striving to set an example for doing what is right and doing what is good" On Tuesday, in the U.K. claimed that the Duchess of Sussex faced a bullying complaint made by one of her close advisers during her time as a working royal at Kensington Palace - something her office has strongly refuted. Local RBG Tribute Restored Artists repair vandalized Ruth Bader Ginsburg mural KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Artists who created a mural for late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will repair vandalism to the creation Wednesday morning. The mural at West 43rd Street and Belleview Avenue in Westport was painted in the fall of 2020 after Ginsburg died. MO/KAN Vaxx Offered How to get the COVID-19 vaccine in Kansas, Missouri ANYTHING SO MUCH A PRESIDENT BRIAN BIDEN BREAKS ENCOURAGING NEWS IN THE CORONAVIRUS FIGHT MOVING UP THE TIMELINE TO GET EVERY ADULT IN AMERICA A VACCINE. MEANWHILE A COUPLE OF STATES ARE GOING AGAINST RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DOCTORS ROLLING BACK HEALTH AND SAFETY RULES A B C'S IKEY JOSHI IS ALL FROM WASHINGTON. EPIC Kansas City Springtime Sneak Peek Today Your Storm Track 5 Daily Forecast Another beauty today KC for your Wednesday! We will start the day with clear skies and end with mostly sunny skies through this afternoon. High temperatures will be above normal again into the middle 60s. Chances for rainfall look very slim to none for the next 5-6 days. Cannons - Fire for You is the song of the day and this is the OPEN THREAD for right now. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 [March 03, 2021] Minu, the Largest Pay On Demand Player in Latin America, Raises $14 Million to Cement Financial Wellness in the Mexican Workforce Minu, an employee financial wellness company, today announced that it has raised $14 million in Series A funding. The round was led by FinTech Collective, with participation from VEF, XYZ Ventures, and FJ Labs, as well as DocuSign founder Tom Gonser and Gusto CFO Mike Dinsdale. Existing investors QED Investors, Next Billion Ventures, and Village Global also participated. The round includes $2.5 million of debt from Banco Sabadell Mexico. To date, Minu has raised a total of $20 million. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005618/en/ Minu, an employee financial wellness company, is the market leader in pay on demand in Mexico. (Graphic: Business Wire) Founded in 2019 by Nima Pourshasb, Rafa Niell, and Paolo Rizzi, Minu created the pay on demand category in Mexico and has become the market leader with 100+ large enterprise clients, including TotalPlay, Telefonica (News - Alert) , Scotiabank, OfficeMax, Rappi, Adecco, Manpower, Cap Gemini, and public sector clients such as the Electoral Institute of the State of Mexico. Minu solves for the employee liquidity gap between paychecks in order to reduce financial stress and avoid expensive loans. The company offers 24x7 instant access to employees' earned wages for a $2 fixed withdrawal fee. The liquidity gap is profound in Mexican society. Seventy-five percent of workers live from paycheck to paycheck with average wages of $550/month, 33% take loans out to cover their recurring basic expenses, and only 12% have a savings account. The country has 5,000 lenders and 10,000 pawn shops. Unsecured loans have APRs of 400+. "For todays consumer who lives in an on-demand economy, not having access to the motor of their financial health - earned wages that legally belong to them - is surprisingly outdated," said CEO Nima Pourshasb. "It generates high anxiety and forces absurdly sub-optimal financial decisions in a country with no usury laws. The pandemic has jumpstarted the momentum and urgency for this correction, and Minu is leading the charge towards a financially empowered and resilient workforce." Carlos Alonso Torras, who leads Latin America investing for FinTech Collective commented, "Minu leverages a strong combination of an exceptional founding team and auspicious macro trends. Pay on demand is a powerful wedge on which to build a platform, offering the financial products needed by this demographic. The company has built a promising B2B enterprise sales machinery in a short amount of time, and we are thrilled that Minu is our fifth investment in Mexico." "Both employers and employees pull our solution and love its impact: 92% NPS" added Pourshasb. "It is the right beachhead from which to build financial wellness. It solves a top-of-mind and recurring problem; it anchors us into the employers payroll, we control the flow of funds, and we own a crucial real estate in the employer - employee relationship, with our users logging into our app 11 times per month." Matt Burton, partner at QED Investors, added: "Minu's exponential growth - an 18-times increase in the number of transactions last year - speaks to not only the societal demand for access to earned wages, but also to the incredible team that Nima has created. In partnering with the country's top employers, Minu has consolidated its position in Mexico and gives an ever-growing number of workers a vital opportunity to improve their long-term financial health." Minu will use the new funds to continue winning enterprise deals in Mexico by scaling the sales team and by expanding its value proposition to include financial education, savings, smart spend and insurance products, and to start its regional expansion. "We are empowering and equipping workers across their 2x2 financial needs matrix -- short-term and long-term, expected and unexpected - in our mission to cement the financial wellbeing for millions of Latin American workers," Pourshasb concluded. About FinTech Collective FinTech Collective is a global venture capital firm investing in entrepreneurs who are rewiring how money moves through the world. Founded in 2012, the firm invests early across the digitalization of financial services, the rise of the middle class in emerging markets, and digital assets. Backed by institutional capital and with a deep operating history as entrepreneurs, FinTech Collective is investing out of its third fund, a $150m+ early-stage fund. The portfolio of 44 companies includes notable investments in Latin America, including Minu, Contabilizei, Fondeadora, Migo, Minka, Oyster, Rebel, Runa and OXIO. Outside of the region, notable investments include Anyfin (Stockholm), Axoni (NYC), Flutterwave (Africa), MoneyLion (NYC, IPO through FUSE), NYDIG (NYC), Ocrolus (NYC), Quovo (NYC, acquired by Plaid) and Vestwell (NYC). The fund publishes a weekly newsletter to 12,500 subscribers available at fintech.io/newsletter. About Minu Minu, an employee financial wellness company, is the market leader in pay on demand in Mexico. Its solution offers employees 24x7 instant access to their earned wages for a $2 fixed fee. For employers, it has no cost, no changes to their payroll process, and no admin work as payroll deductions are automated. Minu works with 100+ large enterprises in both the private and public sector, including TotalPlay, Telefonica, Scotiabank, OfficeMax, Rappi, Adecco, Manpower and Cap Gemini. Founded in 2019, the companys investors include QED, FinTech Collective, VEF, XYZ Ventures, Next Billion Ventures, FJ Labs, Mountain Nazca, and Village Global, a social impact venture fund backed by Bill Gates (News - Alert) and Jeff Bezos, among others. www.minu.mx View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005618/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Franck Petitgas to Speak at the 17th Annual Morgan Stanley European Financials Conference Franck Petitgas, Head of Morgan Stanley International, will speak at the 17th Annual Morgan Stanley European Financials Conference which will be held in a virtual format on Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. GMT (7:00 a.m. ET). Both live and on-demand versions of the webcast will be available on www.organstanley.com in the Investor Relations section. Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is a leading global financial services firm providing investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services. With offices in more than 41 countries, the Firm's employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions and individuals. For more information about Morgan Stanley, please visit www.morganstanley.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005844/en/ An explosion struck a Dutch coronavirus test centre in a "cowardly act of destruction" on Wednesday, shattering windows but causing no injuries, police and government officials said Bovenkarspel (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Mar, 2021 ) :An explosion struck a Dutch coronavirus test centre in a "cowardly act of destruction" on Wednesday, shattering windows but causing no injuries, police and government officials said. The early morning blast in the town of Bovenkarspel, 60 kilometres (40 miles) north of the capital Amsterdam, was caused by a metal cylinder left outside the building, police said. The incident comes weeks after another testing centre was burned down during violent riots across the Netherlands against a coronavirus curfew. "Police were called at 6.55 am by a security guard from the corona test centre to say that an explosion had taken place. He had heard a loud bang and then saw that several windows of the building had broken," a police statement said. "Outside the building was a metal cylinder that had exploded. No one was injured in the incident." North Holland police spokesman Menno Hartenberg said the explosion appeared to be deliberate. "It's not possible that this was by accident, the object was placed there and exploded near the front of the test centre," Hartenberg told AFP by telephone. "We are not ruling anything out and can't say anything about a motive, an investigation is underway." Hartenberg added: "It was a metal object somewhere between a tube and a canister." Police forensics officers in white overalls were conducting a fingertip search of the area, which was cordoned off, an AFP journalist at the scene said. Dutch Health Minister Hugo de Jonge condemned the attack, saying public health authorities were "terribly shocked". "For over a year now, we have relied heavily on the people on the front lines. And then this. Insane," de Jonge said on Twitter. The Dutch GGD public health department said it was "horrified" by the "aggressive and intimidating" incident. "Our people must be able to do this crucial work safely. This cowardly act of destruction affects us all," GGD national president Andre Rouvoet said on Twitter. A bomb squad was sent to determine whether any explosive material remained at the scene, public television network NOS reported. - Virus outbreak - The part of the Netherlands in which Bovenkarspel is located is currently suffering one of the country's most serious outbreaks, with 81 infections per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to a national average of 27.2, NOS said. The Netherlands has recorded more than one million coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic and over 15,000 deaths. Some 1.3 million people have received at least one dose of vaccine. In January a Covid testing centre was set on fire in the conservative protestant fishing village of Urk as protests broke out over the start of an overnight curfew in the Netherlands. The Netherlands suffered several nights of rioting, the most violent the country has seen in decades. The blast in Bovenkarspel came as the Dutch government on Wednesday began easing its toughest anti-virus measures since the pandemic began, ahead of elections in two weeks. Hairdressers and other non-contact professions were allowed to reopen after several months of closure. Anger over the Covid measures has been growing in the Netherlands, as well as support for conspiracy theories about the virus. A Dutch court last month backed a case by a Covid-sceptic group saying that the curfew was illegal and must be lifted, although an appeals court later dismissed the ruling. Wednesday's explosion was also not the first case of suspected violence linked to the pandemic around the world. In January, a man was arrested in Wales after a suspect package was sent to a Covid-19 vaccination production site, forcing a partial evacuation. According to a report published Tuesday by a health NGO, health workers battling the coronavirus were subjected to more than 400 acts of violence related to Covid-19 worldwide in 2020. One of China's Foreign Ministry spokespeople has continued the department's onslaught on Australia, calling for Canberra to admit the nation has a racism problem. Just two days after Wang Wenbin lambasted the federal government's "excuses" he claims has led to a downturn in Chinese investment, he called Australia out on an issue Prime Minister Scott Morrison has previously vehemently denied. On Wednesday, a survey from the Lowy Institute revealed one in five Chinese-Australians say they have been physically threatened or attacked in the past year because of the Covid-19 pandemic and tensions in Australias relationship with China. Wang Wenbin says Australia needs to acknowledge its racism problem. Source: FMPRC One in three people felt they had been treated poorly. In response to the survey, Mr Wang said it was time for Australia to "own up" to its racism problem. "We hope that the Australian side will own up to the problem, make their people better citizens, solve the problems of racism and discrimination at home and safeguard the safety and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens in Australia," he said. In June, China's tourism and education ministries warned students and other Chinese nationals to avoid travelling to Australia due to a rise in racist discrimination and attacks. Mr Morrison dismissed the warnings as "rubbish", while then education minister Dan Tehan said Australia was "one of the safest places in the world" for international students. China 'deeply concerned' Yet nine months on, Mr Wang reiterated Beijing's stance, saying the Communist Party of China was still disturbed by the discrimination Chinese nationals faced in Australia. "For quite some time, there has been continuous discrimination in Australia against people of Asian origins, including overseas Chinese, which poses serious threats to the safety and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens in Australia," he said. China continues to warn its nationals they are at an increased risk of racist attacks. Source: AAP "We are deeply concerned about this." Story continues Dr Haiqing Yu, an expert on China's digital media at RMIT University, told the ABC's The World it was evident Chinese-Australians were at risk. "There are increasing cases of racism against Chinese and Asians in Australia, during the Covid-19 outbreak but also before that," she said. On Monday, the Chinese embassy in Canberra released a speech made by Wang Xining, China's Deputy Head of Mission in Australia, where he said the government and the media had made it difficult for Australians to befriend China. "It seems that being friendly to China, to be a friend of China becomes a sin and mistake in Australia," he said. "While, to take a stern face against Chinese would be the legislate stance by a patriotic Australian. Only in that way could the Australian politician win the heart of Australian population." 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. New Delhi, March 3 : India's Rohan Bopanna and Pakistan's Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi, whose doubles team was often given the title of the "Indo-Pak Express" will team up for the first time in seven years at the Mexican Open in Acapulco, Mexico. The ATP 500 tournament starts on March 15. The duo had a successful run more than a decade ago when they won five titles together. They also reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon and runners-up at the US Open in 2010. They even broke into the top 10 in the ATP doubles rankings after winning the Paris Masters in 2011. The pair last played together in September 2014 in Shenzhen, where they fell in the quarter-finals. Bopanna is currently 40th on the doubles rankings while Qureshi is 49th. Analysis Who Are Myanmars Friends? Myanmar Ambassador to the UN U Kyaw Moe Tun denounces the militarys seizure of power at a UN General Assembly meeting on Feb. 26. The Feb. 26 special meeting of the UN General Assembly in New York is an indicator of the significant international support for the civil resistance to the Myanmar militarys seizure of power. At that meeting, representatives of 35 governments and three regional organizations stated their view of the military coup, and what type of action should be taken in response to it. After comments by the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General to Myanmar, Christine Schraner Burgener, Myanmars Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, gave a powerful intervention in which he denounced the militarys seizure of power, confirmed that the countrys legitimate authority is represented by the elected parliamentarians who constitute the Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, and called on UN member states to use any means necessary to take action against the Myanmar military. Unusually for the UN General Assembly, his speech received applause from many of the government delegates in the room, subsequent to which 18 government representatives , including the representatives speaking on behalf of the European Union, the Nordic States, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, amended their prepared statements to acknowledge the inspiring and courageous remarks by Myanmars Permanent Representative. Public denunciation of the coup Fifteen government or regional delegations publicly and unambiguously condemned the coup; however not a single neighboring state, and no delegate from ASEAN publicly denounced the coup. China and Russia, in particular, continued to insist that events in Myanmar were an internal matter from which the international community should refrain from involving itself. Fifteen governmental representatives called for an immediate halt in the use of violence by the military and police on civilian demonstrations in Myanmar. Once again, however, this did not include any direct neighbor of Myanmar, and only Singapore from the ASEAN bloc. Calls for respect of fundamental human freedoms Fifteen government representatives called for respect of fundamental freedoms of assembly and expression. This issue was the only one which most ASEAN delegates, including neighboring Thailand, called for, as it was reflected in the ASEAN Chairs statement on the situation in Myanmar made on the same day as the military coup in which he emphasized the need for Myanmar, as a member of ASEAN, to adhere to the principles of democracy, the rule of law and good governance, respect for and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Seventeen government delegations called for the immediate and unconditional release of all politicians, journalists and members of the public arrested since the start of the coup. This was the only issue raised by the neighboring state of India, and also supported by ASEAN member Singapore. Governmental delegations also noted their solidarity with the civilian resistance by expressing their sorrow for all the families of people killed and injured, called for accountability for crimes against human rights and international humanitarian law, announced sanctions, called for the reinstatement of the elected government, unhindered access to all conflict-affected communities for humanitarian aid, and cooperation by Myanmar with human rights and other mechanisms, specifying the obligations imposed by the International Court of Justice, the investigations by the International Criminal Court, the Independent Fact Finding Mission and implementation of the recommendations of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State. Liechtenstein and Costa Rica, both states which noted in their statement that they do not maintain any military forces in their own country, called for an end to any arms transfers to Myanmar. Direct quotations The representative from Liechtenstein made clear that, The protests in Myanmar represent the values the UN was built on and we have a collective responsibility to stand up for them. The new representative of the United States of America, making her very first statement at any UN meeting, said, We urge every UN member state to use any channel available to tell the military of Myanmar that violence against the people will not be tolerated. Perhaps surprising for many people in Myanmar, were the strong and encouraging remarks by the representative of Gambia who was unambiguous in their call for the immediate unconditional release of State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint, stating, There is absolutely no justification to usurp power in total disregard for the will of the people. The elections were legitimately won and the results must be respected. A strong message must be sent that their actions are unacceptable We had our own experience of a losing regime which negated the will of the people, and support from the international community made all the difference We are deeply disturbed by the use of brutal force against peaceful citizens. The junta must be held accountable for violations of the human rights of the people The international community must uphold and defend the will of the people of Myanmar who are currently in a very tough place. The entire 3 hour session of the UN General Assembly meeting of 26 February can be found here. Dr. Yeshua Moser-Puangsuwan is an independent scholar and researcher. Albania, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, Ukraine, United States of America, EU, Nordic States, OIC. Albania, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Gambia, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States of America, EU, Nordic States. Albania, Australia, Czech Republic, Gambia, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, United Kingdom, United States of America, EU and OIC. Argentina, Brunei, Czech Republic, Gambia, Indonesia, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Ukraine and Nordic States. Albania, Argentina, Australia, Gambia, India, Israel, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, Ukraine, United States of America, Nordic States. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Military Regime Rewrites Laws to Stifle Dissent, Justify Power Grab Where Is Spokesman U Zaw Htay? Four Years On, No Answers Over Murder of Critic of Myanmars Military You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Joe Exotic of Tiger King fame has found new attorneys who say they plan to file a motion for a new trial in a matter of months. The 57-year-old zookeeper, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, was sentenced in January 2020 to 22 years in federal prison for violating federal wildlife laws and for his role in a failed murder-for-hire plot targeting his chief rival, Carole Baskin. Baskin, who runs a rescue sanctuary for big cats in Florida, was not harmed. Going at it again: Joe Exotic's new attorneys have announced that they plan to file a motion for a new trial to exonerate the imprisoned zookeeper; Exotic is seen at his zoo in 2013 Maldonado-Passage's new attorneys, John Phillips and Amy Hanna, plan to file a motion for a new trial in federal court in Oklahoma once the appeals process wraps up in a month or two, Phillips said in a Tuesday phone interview with the Associated Press Phillips, who is based in Jacksonville, has previously represented former White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman in a public brawl with President Donald Trump. 'This isn't our first rodeo, so to speak,' Phillips said. Maldonado-Passage had previously been represented by federal public defenders in the Oklahoma case. Lawyering up: Exotic's new attorneys Joe Phillips and Amy Hanna are waiting until the end of the appeals process to file their new motion; the former is seen during a news conference in August of 2020 Moving on up: The zookeeper was previously represented by federal public defenders during his case, which resulted in him being sentenced to 22 years in prison Phillips wouldn't say what arguments he plans to make in a motion for a new trial, but it will rely on footage, both aired and unaired, from the Netflix series Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness. Statements from the TV series that could have helped Maldonado-Passage weren't presented to jurors during his trial, Phillips said. 'For sure, I know there is material in there that will help him out,' the lawyer said. Phillips said he became involved with the case after providing advice to the family of Don Lewis, Baskin's former husband who disappeared in 1997. Target: Exotic was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison, partially for his role in a failed murder-for-hire plot targeting animal rights activist Carole Baskin; she is seen alongside her husband Howard in an episode of the 2020 docuseries Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness Lewis' case remains open, and last year, a Florida sheriff assigned a detective supervisor to handle new leads. The TV series extensively covered Maldonado-Passage's repeated accusations that Baskin killed her husband and possibly fed him to her tigers. The 59-year-old animal rights activist has never been charged with any crime and released a statement at the time of the show's premiere refuting the accusations made in the series. Maldonado-Passage got in touch with the law firm, and Phillips flew out to the Texas prison where the zookeeper is serving his sentence recently, the attorney said. 'I became familiar with all things Tiger King,' the attorney said. Making moves: Maldonado-Passage recently contacted Phillips and his firm, who eventually agreed to provide legal assistance for his new trial motion On Tuesday, Phillips posted a video to his Instagram account where he publicly announced that he had taken on the imprisoned zookeeper's case. During the video, he remarked that he had already exchanged over 100 emails with Maldonado-Passage regarding his legal options. The lawyer also wrote a short message in the post's caption where he announced that he and his firm had already begun working on submitting a new trial motion. The message partially read, 'This isn't about tigers, television or tomfoolery, it's about justice and evidence.' The North Carolina Senate passed the Religious Assembly Security and Protection Act of 2021 on Monday, which would allow churches that also house schools to bear arms. Senate Bill 43 passed with a 31-18 vote and has been sent to the House of Representatives for further consideration. The one-page bill would allow an exemption for churches or religious assemblies connected to schools to allow armed security teams during services. Churches on the same property as schools are not allowed under state law to have concealed carry or armed security teams, while other churches can already exercise that right. Last year, North Carolinas Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed a broader bill containing the provision the Second Amendment Preservation Act. The bill passed both chambers with bipartisan majorities, according to the National Rifle Associations Institute for Legislative Action. Source:The Christian Post In this image made from a video conference and released by Brookings Institution and Tsinghua University, Zhong Nanshan, the head of an expert group attached to the National Health Commission, takes part in a seminar Monday, March 1, 2021, hosted by the Brookings Institution in Washington and Tsinghua University in Beijing between top U.S and Chinese medical experts. Zhong said the country has delivered 52.52 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines as of Feb. 28. (Brookings Institution and Tsinghua University via AP) All employees with the Aiken County Public School District will have six opportunities to receive a COVID-19 vaccine during the month of March. The district has partnered with Rural Health Services to offer all district employees who wish to receive the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine the opportunity to do so at various locations throughout the district, with registration opening next week. Online registration opens Mondaythe same day South Carolina will move to phase 1b of vaccine distribution, which includes teachers. Phase 1b includes all residents ages 55 or older, residents ages 16-64 with underlying health conditions and frontline workers with increased occupational risk including, but not limited to, school staff and daycare workers, manufacturing workers, grocery store workers and law enforcement officers. Individuals who work in settings where people are living and working in close contact, including workers and residents in homeless shelters, state and local correctional facility staff with direct inmate contact and residents and workers in group homes are also included, as well as health care workers who didn't get the vaccine in phase 1a. The school district's clinics will be held at the following schools on the following dates and times: Friday, March 12: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Midland Valley High School, 227 Mustang Drive, Graniteville Tuesday, March 16: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Silver Bluff High School, 64 Desoto Drive Friday, March 19: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Aiken High School, 449 Rutland Drive Wednesday, March 24: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at North Augusta High School, 2000 Knobcone Ave., North Augusta Friday, March 26: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Wagener-Salley High School, 272 Main St., Wagener Tuesday, March 30: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Ridge Spring-Monetta High School, 1071 Trojan Road, Monetta The health, safety, and security of our employees and students is our top priority; and we are thrilled to be able to offer all ACPSD employees an opportunity to receive a first dose of the Moderna vaccine during the month of March through a partnership with Rural Health Services, Aiken County Public Schools Superintendent King Laurence said in a statement. We appreciate Rural Healths generous commitment of resources and staff to ensure that every Aiken County Public Schools employee who wishes to take the vaccine will have the ability to receive it. The Moderna vaccine is a two-dose vaccine. Thus, the vaccination plan for March will be repeated in April, beginning approximately 30 days after the initial vaccination date . Rural Health Services is excited to team up with Aiken County Public Schools to vaccinate their faculty and staff, Rural Health Services CEO Carolyn Emanuel-McClain said in a statement. Beginning Monday, the school district will activate and post a survey link on the district's website which will include each vaccination location, dates and time slots. Employees will be asked to select an hour time slot to receive the first vaccine dose. Employees will also receive the survey link via email. We encourage all employees to take advantage of this tremendous opportunity during the month of March to receive the initial dose of the Moderna vaccine, Laurence said. District-wide vaccination of our teachers and staff members will also help to ensure we are able to remain in five-day instruction for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year, which is critical to the academic success of our students. New Delhi, March 3 : The BJP leadership in West Bengal, which is fighting a high octane Assembly polls to topple the Mamata Banerjee-led government in the eastern state, reached the national capital on Wednesday evening to finalise the party candidates for the ensuing elections. BJP national General Secretary and West Bengal in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya, national Vice President Mukul Roy, state unit chief Dilip Ghosh and other members of the core committee for West Bengal reached Delhi to discuss the names they have shortlisted with BJP chief J.P. Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah before the list is placed before the Central Election Committee (CEC) for selection of party nominees. The BJP CEC meet is scheduled on Thursday to finalise party candidates for 60 Assembly seats where polling will be held in the first two phases on March 27 and April 1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the CEC meeting. The BJP is working continuously to upstage the Trinamool government in West Bengal, especially after its impressive performance in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in which the party won 18 out of the 42 seats. One of the high profile constituencies which will go to the polls in the second phase is Nandigram from where Chief Minister Banerjee is likely to contest. The BJP is likely to field one of Banerjee's former close aides and ex-Bengal minister Suvendu Adikari from there. Earlier in the day, top leaders from West Bengal, including Vijayvargiya, co-incharges Arvind Menon and Amit Malviya, met to shortlist the names forwarded by the party's district units. Sources in the party said that in the meeting, the Bengal leadership shortlisted an average of four to five names for each seat where polling will be held in the first two phases. "The West Bengal leadership will brainstorm the shortlisted names with the central leadership, including Nadda and Shah, to narrow down the list of potential candidates before it is placed before the CEC meeting," a source said. A senior party leader said that the opinion of Shah, who is actively involved with West Bengal polls, will be taken at every stage of decision making along with Nadda. The BJP is planning to field young faces and professionals, including several eminent personalities from the Bengali film industry who recently joined the party. The party is also considering to field 19 Trinamool MLAs, including former minister Rajib Banerjee, who had joined the party in recent times. "In recent times, the party has expanded its base across the state, especially after the 2014 general elections. We are confident of dislodging the 10-year rule of Trinamool in West Bengal," said a BJP leader. Meanwhile, the BJP's Assam leadership also reached Delhi on Wednesday to discuss the finalisation of names of party for the Assembly polls in the state. Shah met Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, his deputy Himanta Biswa Sarma, BJP in-charge for the state Jay Panda and other leaders at Nadda'a residence on Wednesday. With educator vaccinations finally in sight during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Massachusetts Teachers Association is pushing to work with the state on the rollout of inoculations. Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday morning announced that starting March 11, K-12 employees, early childcare workers and school staff will be eligible to sign up to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The announcement followed a directive from President Joe Biden on Tuesday for states to prioritize the vaccinations of teachers. When educators feel safe, it has a direct impact on students feeling safe, MTA President Merrie Najimy said during a news conference that was live-streamed. While the announcement was welcomed by Massachusetts teachers and educators unions, there will be some challenges with getting appointments. There are still eligible groups of people, including those 65 and older and people with at least two co-morbidities, who have not yet been able to secure an appointment for the vaccine. The states COVID-19 Command Center plans to designate specific days at Massachusetts seven mass vaccination sites for educators to get their shots, officials said. Meanwhile, some students and school staff could be asked to return to traditional learning in just a few weeks. Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley plans to discuss with the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education on Friday the approval to start looking at learning plans and to possibly take hybrid and remote learning off the table. Riley has said he hopes to have elementary school students learning in-person five days a week in April if COVID-related health metrics continue to improve. Thats why Najimy wants state health officials to work with the MTA on whats called the Last Mile Program, which she said will solve registration issues and will help achieve herd immunity faster. What we do know for sure is that there is a commitment from the federal government to make sure that we can get educators vaccinated beginning now. Thats what we have to focus on in this very moment, Najimy said. It is important to work toward April and we can do it if the governor works with us to adopt our program that we created, the Last Mile Vaccine program, weve created with firefighters and nurses. That proposal was made by teachers unions with the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts. It calls for officials to bring the vaccine directly into the community, administered by EMTs and firefighters, who would provide medical care if needed. The plan has been presented to Massachusetts Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders, Najimy said, and more discussion is needed. In the end, when you work with the constituents who are most impacted, we can create programs that are most effective, efficient and equitable, Najimy said. There has been a push to designate the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine for educators, though that may not be possible. Baker said Wednesday that the state has received 58,000 doses of that vaccine and it will likely be weeks before Massachusetts receives more. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two shots. Najimy said that after meeting with thousands of MTA members on Tuesday night, a poll indicated a percentage in the high 90s said they would be comfortable going back into the classroom. We are in a moment where it was the collective effort, the collective union and community effort that finally got Baker on board, and it is just a joyful day, one for the entire school community to celebrate today, Najimy said. Roughly 80% of schools in Massachusetts have some form of in-person learning, officials said Wednesday. There are about 400,000 K-12 educators, child care workers and K-12 school staff in Massachusetts, officials said. The state estimates it will take a month for all eligible individuals to secure a first appointment based on the current vaccine supply. Related Content: International group works through the pandemic to synthesize, evaluate a promising therapeutic Simple synthesis: William & Mary chemist Dana Lashley worked with two undergraduate students and a group of German collaborators to synthesize and evaluate a molecule that displays promise as an anti-cancer therapeutic. Photo by Stephen Salpukas Photo - of - Hide Caption Pyrola media is a woodland plant, native to Europe. It produces 2-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone, a molecule that shows promise as a therapeutic, but it doesnt produce very much of it. Dana Lashley says its a common phenomenon. Often, the most interesting of these naturally occurring molecules called natural products are only produced as secondary metabolites, which means a plant could generate a really interesting-looking organic structure, but it only makes a small amount of it, she explained. So we really don't have enough to be able to do all the biological testing and see if the molecule could be therapeutically useful as a treatment for one disease or another. Lashley, a William & Mary chemist, is a member of an international team that found a way to easily synthesize 2-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone and a series of derivatives in the lab, and subsequently conducted a series of biological tests on the molecules. The team included two William & Mary undergraduates, Yihan Qin 21 and Zhenyu Han 19. Han, now a Ph.D. student at Northwestern University, is the lead author on an article Concise Synthesis of 1,4-Benzoquinone-Based Natural Products as Mitochondrial Complex 1 Substrates and Substrate-Based Inhibitors published in ChemMedChem, a European peer-reviewed journal. Lashley received support through a faculty fellowship from the Reves Center for International Studies at William & Mary to work with some researchers in Germany. The idea was that we synthesize the molecules here at William & Mary, and then the students and I would take them to Germany, she said. So, both the students and I could learn to do the biological testing there. The COVID-19 pandemic ended plans for Lashley and the two undergraduates to travel to Germany. They had a Plan B, though: Continue the synthesis work in the William & Mary labs, then ship what theyve produced to their German collaborators for testing. The goal, she said, is not just to figure out how to synthesize the molecule, but to figure out a way synthesize that molecule efficiently, in just a couple of steps: These molecules have to be produced at scale to be useful. After a few months of work, Lashley, Qin and Han were able to send more to the German labs than plain, old, readily synthesized 2-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone. We were able to synthesize a bunch of compounds, Lashley said. First there was the natural product, then we started making some modifications on the side chain. She said that the group is pursuing a biochemical strategy known as substrate-based inhibitor design. The target is a protein known as mitochondrial complex I which plays a major role in cellular respiration and production of ATP, the cells energy currency. When complex I is inhibited a cell will have no access to energy and cant grow. This is especially detrimental for cancer cells which are constantly dividing and growing. Focusing on the side chains of 2-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone replacing a methyl group with two benzene rings, for instance they came up with a set of promising variants. The goal of the side-chain engineering was to produce versions of the original natural product that had better IC 50 values. Lashley explained that the IC 50 value is a measurement of a molecules value as an inhibitor, in this case, an inhibitor of mitochondrial complex I, and therefore, a likely inhibitor of cancer-cell growth. The lower the IC 50 value, the better the inhibitor, she added. The William & Mary researchers sent their squad of modified molecules across the Atlantic for their German collaborators to test in vitro against a variety of solid-tumor cell lines. Those cell lines included cervix carcinoma and cancers of the liver, breast and prostate. The new synthetics were tested against two well-understood compounds including doxorubicin, an FDA-approved anti-cancer drug in wide clinical use. The best performer from William & Mary was a variant that the team had labeled 1i. In a test of growth of breast cancer cells, doxorubicin logged an IC 50 value of 1.6 micromolar, while the William & Mary product 1i recorded 2.9 micromolar. Remember: the lower the IC 50 number, the better. That's pretty comparable to be honest with you, Lashley said. Now, if we could move into the nanomolar range Hey, that would be fantastic! But, we were pretty proud of ourselves that it got this close to the doxorubicin. Research and synthesis will continue on the promising set of compounds. New undergrads have joined the lab. And Lashley hasnt written Germany off her Reves fellowship was extended for a year. So I can still use that money this coming year. And if the pandemic situation looks better, then I'll take some of my students from this time around with me to do the follow-up project, she said. Malaysia's bid to join human rights council marred by regressing freedoms Malaysia's attempt to join the United Nations Human Rights Council cant be taken seriously if the Perikatan Nasional government continued to be repressive towards fundamental freedoms, said South Africa-based human rights group Civicus. The PN government has attempted to silence peaceful protesters and impede the formation of political parties to keep itself in power. Its attempt to join the Human Rights Council cannot be taken seriously unless it takes immediate steps to remove undue restrictions on assembly and association, said Civicus researcher Josef Benedict. The PN government has, thus far, blocked Parti Pejuang Tanahair and Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) from being registered as political parties. Both entities are led by leaders who were sacked from Bersatu, the main ruling party in the federal government. Civicus observation was made following a report it jointly produced with UK-based human rights group Article 19, which looked at the state of fundamental freedoms under the first year of PNs governance. The report, titled Rights in reverse: One year under the PN government in Malaysia, found the new government had aggressively applied repressive laws such as the Sedition Act 1948 and Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (CMA). In December last year, Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said Malaysia is bidding for a spot on the UN Human Rights Council for the 2022-2024 term. In a joint-statement, Article 19 and Civicus said the PN government has undermined and obstructed the exercise of fundamental freedom during its 12 months in power. The government has not only failed to reform or repeal laws that restrict the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association but has initiated baseless criminal proceedings against government critics, human rights defenders, journalists, and individuals expressing critical opinions, they said. Article 19s Malaysia Programme Officer E Nalini said there would not be a healthy environment for public discourse until the government respects dissenting and unpopular opinions. Story continues The PN government has been extremely secretive about its legislative agenda but has been crystal clear about its intention to continue using repressive laws to target critics and dissenters, she said. The report detailed 66 uses of the Sedition Act 1948 and the CMA 1998 in just a year. The CMA has also been used to investigate more than 250 individuals alleged to have spread fake news about Covid-19. Although the government is justified in its concerns about misinformation concerning the virus, the criminal penalties associated with offences under the CMA are disproportionate to the alleged threat and have a chilling effect on freedom of expression, the report said. It also noted a regression of press freedom, noting actions against news outlets such as Al Jazeera and Malaysiakini. The report also detailed issues with the freedom of assembly, including the arrest of the National Union of Workers in Hospital Support and Allied Services members for picketing. Article 19 and Civicus urged the PN government to undertake a comprehensive and inclusive process of legislative and institutional reforms. Malaysias reform process must be informed by relevant international human rights standards. The PN government should take concrete steps towards the ratification of core human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, he said. Nestled into a bend of a river and surrounded by rolling countryside, the city of Bern in neutral Switzerland was about as far from the front lines of World War Two as it was possible for a European to get in 1941. But it was from here that a Polish diplomat was fighting a secret battle to save thousands of Jews from Hitler's forces, which had just captured most of mainland Europe and were gearing up to enact the Final Solution. Alexsander Lados, who led the unofficial legation in Bern, along with his three-man team and two Jewish collaborators, were covertly issuing passports and identity documents from South American countries to those at risk of being exterminated. Over the course of three years it is thought the group issued 5,000 documents to 10,000 people - mostly Polish Jews facing death in Auschwitz or trapped in the Warsaw ghetto - in one of the largest rescue operations of the Second World War. Single documents were often issued to whole families, and sometimes without their knowledge. Researchers now believe those documents helped save the lives of around 3,000 people by marking them out as foreigners who could be exchanged for captured Nazi troops, instead of being sent to the death camps. The operation echoes that of German factory owner Oskar Schindler, who saved the lives of 1,200 Jews by employing them at his factories in occupied Poland. Alexsander Lados, a Polish diplomat who led the country's unofficial legation in Switzerland after his country was occupied by the Nazis, spent three years issuing identity documents to 10,000 people - mostly Jews - in an attempt to save them from extermination Researchers have been working for years to uncover the incredible work that Lados and his team did, as they fought to save as many lives as possible. And now for the first time, they have gathered the names and identities of those who received so-called Lados passports on the 'Lados list'. Names on the list include Mirjam Finkelstein, mother of British politician and newspaper editor Lord Daniel Finkelstein, who was captured by the Nazis and sent to Bergen Belsen, but survived the war. Speaking as the English-language version of the list was published, Lord Finkelstein revealed his mother was freed from Bergen Belsen during a 'rare' prisoner exchange. She travelled from the camp via train to Switzerland where she arrived in January 1945, while carrying a Paraguayan passport. He said: 'There is no question about it, these passports absolutely saved the life of my mother. 'My mother's aunt - who didn't have one of these passports - her husband, my mother's cousin, were deported to the east and never seen again. I think they died in Sobibor, maybe in Auschwitz. 'My mother and her sisters, and my grandmother, went to Bergen Belsen as a prospective exchange because of these passports, and they took part in one of these very rare exchanges.' Born in Lviv in what is now Ukraine in 1891, Lados fought for Poland during the First World War before going to work as a diplomat after the conflict ended. Amid the shifting political landscape in Poland between the wars, Lados found himself falling out of favour with Poland's rulers, so was forced to leave diplomacy and became a journalist instead. Following the German invasion of Poland in 1939 he headed to Romania, where he joined the government-in-exile before being sent to Switzerland to act as unofficial envoy to the politically-neutral country - a post he took up 1940. Initially, he and his team worked to negotiate settled status for thousands of Polish Jews who had fled across the border into Switzerland but ended up in internment camps after the Nazis invalidated their citizenship and left them stateless. But in spring 1941, Lados turned his attention to helping Jews who were still in Poland and facing growing oppression - first imprisonment in newly-established ghettos such as in Warsaw and later extermination in death camps such as Auschwitz. Lados used his diplomatic connections to get hold of blank identity documents for South American countries including Paraguay and issued them to people at risk of death in camps The documents marked the bearer out as a foreigner in the hopes they would be marked out for prisoner transfer instead of being sent to death camps In total, Lados and his team issued some 5,000 documents covering 10,000 people - 3,000 of whom survived the war (pictured, recipients of some of the documents) Via his contact with Rudolf Hugli, the Paraguayan consul to Switzerland, Lados and his team began to acquire large numbers of blank passports and identity documents and issue them to people at risk of being sent to the camps. Among Lados's team was Stefan Ryniewicz, deputy head of the legation, who helped to acquire passports and contacted Jewish organisations to convince them to join the scheme, all while keeping Swiss authorities off their back. Konstanty Rokicki, a veteran diplomat who joined the legation in 1939, played one of the most prominent roles - handwriting several thousand identity documents between 1941 and 1943. Juliusz Kuhl was a Polish-born, Swiss-raised Orthodox Jew who began working with the Bern legation while still a student, and helped acquire and write some identity documents, including from countries such as Honduras, Haiti and Peru. Working alongside Chaim Eiss, also an Orthodox Jew who led the Swiss branch of Aguda Yisrael, he helped to establish a network to smuggle the passports into the Polish ghettos. One other notable collaborator was Abraham Silberschein, founder of the Relief Committee for the War-Stricken Jewish Population, who helped identify people in need of passports and finance the operation. Under the cover of diplomatic protection given to them by Lados, the group worked to issue the documents - originals of which they would keep, and copies of which would be smuggled to people, sometimes without their knowledge. While the majority of recipients were Polish, particularly in the early stages of the operation, it later expanded to include significant numbers of Dutch and Germans. Small numbers of passport were also issued to citizens of Austria, Czechoslovakia, France, Belgium, Italy and Switzerland. While the team initially kept their activities a secret, by May 1943 the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs was aware of the operation and encouraged it. Few official records of the operation exist, but using serial numbers on the passports, researchers from the Pilecki Institute in Poland have been able to estimate that between 3,800 and 5,200 documents were issued. Since many were issued to families, investigators believe these documents covered between 8,300 and 11,400 people. Konstanty Rokicki (left), a member of Lados's team, signed a majority of the documents while fellow diplomat Juliusz Kuhl (right) helped smuggle the documents into Poland The aim of the passports was to provide protection, marking the holders and their families out as foreigners who could be exchanged in prisoner swaps rather than being exterminated. But the passports were not foolproof - some were simply ignored by Nazi officers, while many prisoners were not immediately exchanged, but were instead sent to the Bergen Belsen camp. The site was technically a 'transfer camp' and POW camp, where prisoners were taken before being exchanged, but ended up becoming an effective death camp as waves of disease killed some 70,000 people there. Based on research, the Pilecki Institute believes that - of the 8,300 to 11,200 people issued with Lados passports - between 2,000 and 3,000 survived the war. That estimate is based on the 2,992 passport holders whose identities they have established, and the existence of another 261 family members who were covered by the documents but whose identities are not known. Of those who have been identified, 834 survived the war, while 962 did not. The fate of another 1,457 is unknown. That means roughly 25 per cent of identified passport holders survived. Assuming that 25 per cent of all passport holders survived, that gives a figure of 3,000 people. Chaim Eiss, a Jew living in Switzerland, helped establish a network to have the documents smuggled to Poland's ghettos While it is impossible to say whether the passports themselves saved those people, survival rates were significantly better for those who held the documents than those who did not. Jakub Kumoch, Poland's current ambassador in Switzerland who was involved in the research project, revealed that a majority of Dutch and German people issued with the passports survived the war. While the main aim of the scheme was to save Polish citizens, in fact most Poles issued with the documents either died or their eventual fate is unknown. Despite that 'we may argue that 15 per cent survival among Polish Jews is much higher than among those who did not have these passports,' Kumoch said. Lados's operation continued until, in the autumn of 1943, the Swiss police began asking questions about the validity of the documents. Lados owned up to the scheme, threatening Swiss authorities in an effort to keep it quiet, while also pleading that it was designed to save lives. However, the Nazis soon caught wind of the investigation and began questioning the validity of the documents themselves. Lados and his team tried desperately to have the South American countries whose passports he had been using recognise them as official documents, but to no avail. Several of his consuls had their diplomatic status revoked, and the operation was effectively shut down. Asked about the operation by the Polish Foreign Ministry in 1944, Lados wrote: 'Under these conditions, the obtaining of more passports [] has become totally impossible. 'Right now, it is all about saving those people who, thanks to previously obtained documents, found themselves in internment camps and are currently being threatened with deportation.' Despite their operation being discovered by the Nazis, all of Lados's group survived the war except Eiss who died of causes that were not related to the scheme. After the war, Lados resigned as envoy of the Polish coalition government after it was taken over by Communists, staying in Switzerland to act as envoy of the PSL party whose leader had been head of the government-in-exile in London during the war. As the Soviet Communists drove PSL out of power, Lados moved to Paris where he remained until 1960. Only after the Stalinist government in Poland had been deposed did he return to Warsaw, by which time he was seriously ill. The legation in Bern, Switzerland, where Lados and his team carried out their work between 1941 and 1943 Lados died in Warsaw in December 1963, leaving behind three tomes of unfinished memoirs and taking most of the knowledge of the passport scheme with him. Like Lados, Rokicki also refused to serve the new communist government in Poland and chose to remain in Switzerland. He died there - largely forgotten - in 1958. In recent years the Polish government has made efforts to recognise him and in 2018 he was given a second, official, funeral that was attended by the president. Israeli institute Yad Vashem also named him 'Righteous Among the Nations', a title given to non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Second World War. Stefan Ryniewicz also refused to serve the Polish communist government and, after a period of working for PSL, he moved to Argentina where he settled in Buenos Aires. In 1972 he was awarded the Order of Polonia Restituta for his work on the passport scheme. He died in 1988. Juliusz Kuhl was interrogated twice by the Swiss police who refused to recognise his diplomatic immunity, but escaped without punishment. He remained in Switzerland for several years after the war before moving to Canada in 1949 where he founded a construction business. In 1980 he moved to Miami, where he died in 1985. He rarely spoke in public about the passports, except to give credit to Lados whom he called 'the real saviour'. Abraham Silberschein remained in Geneva after the war, where he married secretary Fanny Hirsch - who had been aware of the passport scheme, though whether she actively participated is unclear. He died in the Swiss city in 1951. By the time victory in Europe had been declared, the Holocaust had seen the extermination of some 6million Jews and 11million others, including Soviet civilians and prisoners, ethnic Poles, Roma, Serbians, criminals and gay men. Of those, around 1.1million are thought to have died in the death camp at Auschwitz, including 1million Jews. Another 56,000 died during the liquidation of the Warsaw ghetto - either at the hands of Nazi troops or after being deported to death camps. During a working visit to France, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba met with representatives of large and medium-sized French businesses and invited them to participate in Ukraines Great Construction and Great Privatization projects. This was reported by the press service of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry. "In subsequent years, huge opportunities open up in Ukraine, in particular, in the areas of construction, infrastructure and energy. Ukraines president and 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," the minister said. Kuleba clarified that this primarily concerns the issues of construction and concession of roads and bridges, concession and privatization of ports, modernization of border infrastructure, projects for the electrification of public transport, development of water supply systems, waste processing and the like. "This cooperation is not only beneficial, but also has an important political significance for strengthening ties between Ukraine and France," Kuleba stressed. During the meeting, considerable attention was paid to energy. Kuleba drew attention to the potential for green hydrogen production in Ukraine and the synchronization of our state with the European Green Deal course, which opens up new opportunities in the field of renewable energy. The minister also spoke about Ukraine's achievements in deregulating and simplifying the conditions for doing business, adoption and successful implementation of a new law on concessions, and harmonization of Ukrainian legislation with EU norms. In conclusion, he recalled that the Council of Exporters and Investors is constantly operating under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which helps investors find new opportunities and promotes the entry of Ukrainian companies into new markets. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba was on a working visit to France on February 26. Photo credit: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine ish Armenias Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case against the oppositions leader Vazgen Manukyan for public calls for forcible seizure of power, the ICs press-service said, TASS reports. "During rallies in Freedom Square on February 12 and 20, 2021 Vazgen Manukyan made public calls for the seizure of power and forcible change of the constitutional system. In this connection, a decision was made to indict Manukyan under article 301 of Armenias Criminal Code," the press-service said. Manukyan is obliged to report to the office Investigative Committee on Thursday. He will be notified of the decision to indict him on criminal charges and questioned. He may face a prison term of up to three years. The spokesman for the party Dashnaktsutyun, Gegam Manukyan, told a rally earlier on Wednesday criminal proceedings had been launched against Vazgen Manukyan. A decline in output at the BHP-majority-owned Escondida copper mine - the worlds largest is likely to be the main reason for the small decline, with production there falling 11.6% to 84,700 tonnes in the first month of 2021, down from 100,900 tonnes in the corresponding period of 2020, according to Cochilco data.The worlds biggest copper producer, meanwhile - the government-owned Codelco - reported output of 142,000 tonnes in January, a 19.4% year-on-year increase from 118,900 tonnes in January 2020.Codelcos division comprising Chuquicamata, Radomiro Tomic and Ministro Hales produced 69,400 tonnes of copper during January, up by 39.1% from 49,900 tonnes in the same month in 2020, while output at its El Teniente mine was 39,100 tonnes, up by 17.1% from 33,400 tonnes a year before.Supplies from those two major producers in Chile and from mines in Peru have been volatile since the Covid-19 pandemic hit South America, driving down treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs).Chile's copper output fell by 1% year-on-year overall in 2020 , while Peruvian production dropped 12.5% Fastmarkets copper concentrates TC index, cif Asia Pacific reached an all-time low of $35.80 per tonne on February 26, after starting 2021 at $44.70 per tonne on January 4.According to Cochilco, production at Collahuasi was 57,000 tonnes in January, a 6.5% year-on-year increase from 53,500 tonnes in the first month of 2020. Glencore, Anglo American and a Japanese consortium are Collahuasis shareholders.Meanwhile, Antofagastas Los Pelambres mine produced 28,800 tonnes of copper in January, down by 3.4% from 29,800 tonnes a year earlier.And Anglo American Surs output from its Los Bronces and El Soldado operations totaled 28,300 tonnes, up by 14.1% from 24,800 tonnes in the same comparison.Cochilco added that Chilean molybdenum production reached 4,919 tonnes in January, up by 6% from 4,643 tonnes in the same month in 2020. Google Chrome has always supported multiple profiles making it easier for people who share devices to keep their profiles and browser information separate. Older updates for this have included making the process of signing in easier and also improved theme customisations. Now, the latest update brings in some customisation options that can make the profiles more distinguishable from each other. The new system on Chrome lets you create and switch separate visual themes that are colour-coded and also include their own backgrounds. All of these new looks can be obtained from the Chrome web store. These personal customisations should make it easier to identify each profile when you return to the browser. Keep work and play separate. (Google ) So how is this new update different from the existing system of profiles that are already added on Chrome? It is in a few ways. Now, when you are creating a new profile, you will be prompted to customise the look of the browser and also pick your preferred colour scheme from a selection. These themes are visual cues that will help you understand that you are in the right account, Google explained in its blog. Also, Google told Endgadget that if you have multiple profiles set up, you will see a profile picker each time you restart Chrome. Pick and customise your profiles. (Google ) The focus is on avoiding mixing up between multiple Chrome users on a single device and some users might also prefer to make additional profiles to keep their work activity separate from personal browsing. This new update is rolling out over the coming weeks and also brings with it a reading list that lets you save articles you might want to read later. Another day of demonstrations against Myanmars military junta Wednesday ended with more fatalities among protesters. Reuters says at least two people were killed in Myanmars second-largest city of Mandalay, with at least one person killed in the main city of Yangon. Agence France-Presse also says two people were killed in Mandalay, while four people were shot dead in the Sagaing region. Security forces used rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowds, with witnesses saying live ammunition was also used against the protesters. Several people have also reportedly been injured. Myanmar has been mired in chaos and violence since the militarys February 1 overthrow of the civilian government and the detentions of de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other high-ranking officials. More than 20 people across the country have been killed in the unrest, including 18 people last Sunday, according to the United Nations human rights office. The escalating violence has drawn the scorn of Myanmar's regional neighbors and the international community at large. Members of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, held an informal meeting via videoconference Tuesday to discuss the situation with their Myanmar counterpart. ASEANs chairman issued a statement after the meeting calling on all parties concerned to seek a peaceful solution, through constructive dialogue, and practical reconciliation in the interests of the people and their livelihood. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi was far more direct, calling on the regime to restore the democratically-elected government. "Restoring democracy back on track must be pursued," Marsudi said. The United States and other Western nations have also demanded Suu Kyis release, as well as that of her lieutenants, and called on the junta to restore power to the civilian government. The United Nations Security Council is expected to hold a closed door meeting on the situation in Myanmar on Friday. The military has claimed widespread fraud in last Novembers election, won in a landslide by Suu Kyis National League for Democracy Party, as justification for last months coup. Myanmars electoral commission denied the militarys claims of election fraud. Suu Kyi appeared via videoconference at a court in the capital, Naypyitaw, her first public appearance since she was removed from office and detained by the military. She was charged with two additional crimes during the session attempting to incite public unrest and violating a section of the telecommunications law regarding operating equipment without a license. The 75-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate was already charged with illegally importing and using six unregistered walkie-talkie radios found during a search of her home, and for breaking the countrys natural disaster law by holding public gatherings in violation of COVID-19 protocols. Her next court appearance has been scheduled for March 15. Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing said Monday during an address on state television that protest leaders and "instigators would be punished. He said the army is also investigating financial abuse by the civilian government. The junta has declared a one-year state of emergency. Min Aung Hlaing has pledged that new elections will be held to bring about a "true and disciplined democracy but did not specify when they would take place. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-02 23:42:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Photo taken on Jan. 20, 2021 shows the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The United States should face up to its deep-seated domestic problems including racial discrimination and violent law enforcement, and take concrete measures to improve its human rights situation, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday. Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a press briefing in response to a query that U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recently joined so-called "Uygur rights defenders" for an update on human rights issues in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Xinjiang now enjoys social stability and a sound development momentum, and the local people are living a safe and happy life. All residents in Xinjiang fully enjoy their rights, including the right to subsistence and development. Languages, traditional cultures and customs of all ethnic minorities in Xinjiang have been well protected and inherited, Wang noted. Over the past 60 years or so, Xinjiang's economy grew by more than 200 times, its per capita GDP increased by nearly 40 times, and residents' life expectancy rose from 30 to 72 years, he added. The so-called "Uygur rights defenders" are in essence East Turkestan anti-China separatists, the spokesperson said. "We are firmly opposed to the U.S. attack on China's Xinjiang policy and interference in China's internal affairs under the pretext of human rights issues, and in disregard of the Chinese side's tremendous efforts to protect human rights and promote employment of residents in Xinjiang," he said. BUDAPEST -- Hungary's ruling Fidesz party has quit the European People's Party (EPP) in the European Parliament after the conservative grouping approved new internal rules. Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced the move in a letter to EPP parliamentary group leader Manfred Weber on March 3 that was posted on Twitter by one of his ministers. The decision comes after the EPP changed its internal rules earlier in the day to allow entire parties to be thrown out, rather than just individual members -- a change that was billed as a way to expel Fidesz from the largest faction in the EU legislature. "The amendments to the rules of the EPP Group are clearly a hostile move against Fidesz and our voters...This is anti-democratic, unjust, and unacceptable," Orban wrote in his letter. The EPP group, which includes German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives, has been squabbling with Fidesz for years. It remains unclear if Fidesz will also quit the EPP party family, led by former Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, in addition to pulling its lawmakers from the EPPs parliamentary group. The right-wing party, which has held a two-thirds majority in Hungary's parliament almost uninterrupted since 2010, has been suspended from the EPP since 2018, but it still had 12 lawmakers in the parliamentary faction. The EU has long accused Orban of undermining democratic freedoms, media, nongovernmental organizations, and the rule of law. Angela Merkel's health minister today called on German regulators to approve the AstraZeneca vaccine for over-65s as a poll showed EU citizens giving a damning verdict on the bloc's stuttering jab programme. German officials have so far limited the Oxford jab to under-65s, and even they have been reluctant to take it after top officials raised doubts about its efficacy - further slowing down a German vaccine roll-out already hampered by EU supply chaos. Health minister Jens Spahn has now urged regulators to act on the real-world findings from the UK which prove that the jab is highly effective in older people. 'We now have very good data from England and Scotland showing that AstraZeneca works very, very well in over-65s,' Spahn told ARD television today. Separate research published today by researchers at the University of Bristol showed one shot of AstraZeneca reducing severe cases by 80.4 per cent, adding to the weight of scientific evidence that the jab is effective. Spahn has also called for Germany to delay second doses as far as regulators will allow - six weeks for the Pfizer jab and 12 weeks for AstraZeneca - in another move to emulate Britain's success in handing out millions of first doses. It came as a survey by Kekst CNC found 77 per cent of Britons saying their country has handled the vaccine roll-out well - compared to 23 per cent in Germany, 19 per cent in Sweden and 18 per cent in France. All three countries are languishing far behind the UK in the vaccine race after supply chaos across Europe was made worse by top EU figures including Emmanuel Macron raising unfounded doubts about the efficacy of the AstraZeneca jab. According to the poll, only 17 per cent in Germany and 24 per cent in France say the EU has done a good job of trying to immunise its 447million population. German health minister Jens Spahn, pictured, has called for regulators to let over-65s take the AstraZeneca jab after real-world data from England and Scotland proved that it works In Britain, 77 per cent of people praise their country's efforts in the vaccine roll-out (in green), but the figures are much lower in Germany (23 per cent), Sweden (19 per cent) and France (18 per cent) which are all lagging far behind the UK The poll also found Britons (far left) the most likely to take a vaccine, with 89 per cent saying they would take a jab or have already done so. The figure is only 59 per cent in France The findings are unsurprising given the much faster pace of the roll-out in Britain, where more than 30 per cent of the entire population has had at least one dose. The poll of 1,000 adults in each nation also found that Britons were the most likely to take the jab, with 89 per cent saying they would get one or had already done so. That compared to 76 per cent in Sweden, 73 per cent in Germany and only 59 per cent in France where vaccine scepticism has long been a concern. More than half of those surveyed in the three EU nations said vaccination progress was too slow in their country, a view shared by only 14 per cent of Britons. The UK is moving at one of the fastest rates in the world after approving both the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines before any other country. By contrast, the EU did not get started at all until late December and did not approve the Oxford jab until the end of January after feuding with AstraZeneca over supplies. Germany, France and Sweden were among the countries to limit the AstraZeneca jab to under-65s because of the small sample size in clinical trial data. Macron poured fuel on the fire by claiming the vaccine was 'quasi-ineffective' in older people following sensational but widely-debunked claims about its efficacy. The UK is far outpacing Germany, France, Sweden and every other EU country in the vaccine race, allowing Boris Johnson to lay out plans to end lockdown entirely by midsummer Real-world studies in England and Scotland have proved that the jab is effective, and some EU countries are now poised to U-turn by making it available to all ages. The separate Bristol study published today found one shot of the AstraZeneca jab reducing severe cases of Covid-19 by 80.4 per cent. The findings, which have yet to be peer-reviewed, also showed a single dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech product cutting severe illness by 71.4 per cent. In Germany - where Angela Merkel is under fire for letting Brussels take the lead in the vaccine drive - the poll found 51 per cent saying the EU had handled it badly. Another 26 per cent said Brussels had done neither well or badly, leaving only 17 per cent willing to give the EU good marks for its work so far. Asked about their own domestic efforts, 23 per cent of Germans said their country had done a good job with vaccines while 46 per cent said it had done badly. Merkel has been left pleading with people to take the AstraZeneca jab with many Germans preferring the Pfizer/BioNTech product co-developed in Germany. The chancellor says she cannot set an example by taking the AstraZeneca jab herself because she is 66 years old and not currently eligible. It comes with Merkel also facing pressure to ease a months-long lockdown even as infection rates start to climb again after weeks of decline. France's vaccine efforts were praised by 18 per cent and criticised by 39 per cent, after scientists said the roll-out was too slow to prevent a third wave of severe cases. The slow progress has left France teetering on the bring of a third national lockdown which Emmanuel Macron has tried to prevent with a nationwide 6pm curfew. EU countries have struggled to persuade their citizens to take the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine after they raised doubts about its efficacy And in Sweden, 51 per cent said their country had handled the roll-out badly, compared to 19 per cent who said it had done well. The findings are a blow to the Nordic country which has long cited the 'high level of trust in government agencies' as justification for its no-lockdown policies. The survey shows a slump in approval ratings for Swedish PM Stefan Lofven, who is now 17 points underwater in the public's assessment of his virus response. Macron is at minus 15 per cent, while Merkel is still up by 23 per cent but her ratings have dropped significantly since Germany's relative success in the first wave. By contrast, Boris Johnson has enjoyed something of a revival after long being criticised for his handling of the crisis, although his rating is still minus 13 per cent. The PM last week laid out detailed plans for lifting the lockdown which could see all limits on gatherings scrapped by June 21 in England. All adults are expected to be given a first dose of the vaccine by July 31, while the EU has a more modest aim of vaccinating 70 per cent of adults by September. There are various types of scholarships offered by the government of India to encourage young and talented students. One such Scholarship scheme launched by the government is 'Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana.' Under this scheme, scholarships are offered by the government to Science students of Classes 11 and 12, and Graduate students. The Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru runs the scheme and conducts an annual national-level aptitude test for the students studying Basic Sciences and who are interested in research careers. Students Will Get Monthly Scholarship Of Rs 5-7 Thousand The Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) fellowship has been helping the students to pursue a career in science for the last two decades. Under this scheme, the students are given two different scholarships of Rs. 5000 and Rs. 7000 per month. The students must apply for the scholarship program to take advantage of this scheme. Scholarship Selection Process The scheme was started by the Department of Science and Technology in the year 1999. The main objective of this scheme is to bring out the hidden talent in the field of science across the country so that the future of the country, as well as the future of the students, can be improved. A high-level entrance examination is conducted under this scheme for the selection of students at the national level. The exam is conducted in two steps. The first phase consists of an online aptitude test and the second phase consists of an interview. Also Read: British Council Launches Scholarships For Women In STEM Eligibility For Scholarship For participating in KVPY fellowship examinations, the students are required to pass Class 10th with at least 75% marks in Science and Mathematics. Besides, 10 percent relaxation is given to students belonging to scheduled castes, tribes, and other backward classes. At the same time, first-year undergraduate students are required to get 60% marks in class 12th. For students of SC, ST, and OBC categories it is necessary to bring 50% marks with a relaxation of 10 percent. The students are eligible for a fellowship and admissions into institutes such as IISc and IISER on the basis of additional criteria once they get qualified in the KVPY Exam. The students can visit the scheme website kvpy.iisc.ernet.in for more information. Also Read: Top 5 Unconventional Careers To Explore After Class 12 Some of the students who were abducted by gunmen from the Government Girls Secondary School last week wait for a medical checkup after their release in Gusau, northern Nigeria. Photo: AP/Sunday Alamba Gunmen have freed all 279 girls kidnapped last week from a boarding school in northwest Nigeria, officials said yesterday. Victims told of how their abductors had beaten and threatened to shoot them during a march into captivity. Dozens of girls in Muslim veils sat in a hall in a state government building before being taken for medical checks. A few parents arrived, and one father wept with joy. Farida Lawali, 15, told how she and the other girls had been taken to a forest by the kidnappers. They carried the sick ones that cannot move. We were walking in the stones and thorns, she said. They started hitting us with guns so that we could move, she added. They said they will shoot anybody who did not continue to walk, another of the girls, Umma Abubakar, told Reuters, saying many had injuries that had made walking difficult. Relief at their return was tempered by concern over the circumstances of their release. A series of school abductions in recent months has led many Nigerians to worry that regional authorities are making the situation worse by letting kidnappers go unpunished or paying them off. Zailani Bappa, a media adviser to the state governor, denied that a ransom had been paid, but said the captors had been offered amnesty, as well as assistance to resettle at a site with newly built schools, a hospital and other facilities. The process means amnesty for those who repent and [they] will be assisted to resettle. Hence, no monetary inducement or ransom was involved in the rescue. It was a willing surrender of the girls, he said. Those who surrender their arms will be assisted to start a new life. President Muhammadu Buhari called for the captors to be brought to justice and said that if any ransoms were being paid, this would only make future attacks more likely. The pupils from Jangebe, a town in Zamfara state, were seized just after midnight on Friday. All had now been freed, Zamfara Governor Bello Matawalle said. Boarding schools in northern Nigeria have become targets for mass kidnappings for ransom by armed gangs. The trend was started by the jihadist group Boko Haram, which kidnapped 270 schoolgirls in 2014, around 100 of whom have never been found. But recent months have seen a sudden escalation of similar attacks, including the abduction of 344 boys in December. Fridays raid on the Government Girls Science Secondary School was the second school abduction in little over a week in the northwest. Officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that the authorities have made payoffs in the past in exchange for child hostages, creating an incentive for abductions. Read More WE are now reading that the Minister of Sport has come out with a statement regarding our participation in the Tokyo Olympics. As with the usual run-of-the-mill political type, the statement vacillates, kicks the can down the road and seeks to avoid the issue. Let us be clear on what the situation is regarding these Olympics. Compugen selects Dotmatics cloud-based LIMS and ELN solution to drive efficient drug discovery Agreement marks the first implementation of Dotmatics SaaS technology in Israel, further extending global access Dotmatics Ltd, a scientific informatics software and services company that is driving the automation of laboratory data workflows for scientific discovery and innovation research, today announced it has entered a licensing agreement with Compugen, a clinical-stage drug discovery and development company focused on immuno-oncology. The multi-year agreement will provide Compugen scientists based at the Companys R&D facility in Israel with a single information management platform. The agreement will give Compugen access to Dotmatics industry leading SaaS technology, including Bioregister, Inventory, Studies Notebook and Platform applications. The tools enable gathering, analyzing and visualizing project data and will facilitate project teams to become more efficient and make better informed decisions faster. The technology will replace Compugens current Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) and Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN), and may contribute to Compugens unique, predictive, cloud-based computational approach to identifying novel immuno-oncology drug targets and biomarkers. Dotmatics single platform will serve across different disciplines, consolidating research data to improve efficiency and productivity. We are delighted to have been selected by Compugen to provide a software solution that meets the companys needs and aims to improve productivity. It is an exciting advancement to have our first implementation in the antibody research industry in Israel, and we look forward to further global growth. Erran Twigg, VP EMEA, Dotmatics We chose to work with Dotmatics due to its position as a leading, single platform for high quality scientific software. We believe that Dotmatics technology of integrated, configurable software is well suited to meet our specific and unique data management requirements, and will enable improved usage, accessibility and sharing of our proprietary generated information with the various teams within Compugen. Eran Ophir, Ph.D. Vice President, Research and Drug Discovery, Compugen Ana de Armas debuted in her very first Estee Lauder commercial for the fragrance Beautiful Magnolia after being named the new 'global ambassador' of the beauty brand. The 32-year-old siren, who broke up with Ben Affleck in December, was seen kissing and hugging a very handsome male model as they frolicked on a beach and at a mansion. The Knives Out actress was also filmed in a revealing sheer gold gown making her look every inch the Bond girl that she is; Ana is starring in the new 007 adventure No Time To Die which will be released later this year. Dreamy shoot: Ana de Armas debuted in her very first Estee Lauder commercial for the fragrance Beautiful Magnolia after being named the new 'global ambassador' of the beauty brand. Here she is seen kissing her costar Romance is in the air: The 32-year-old siren, who broke up with Ben Affleck in December, was seen with a very handsome male model as they frolicked on a beach They can't get enough of each other: The theme of the commercial was young love The commercial opens with the Cuban-born beauty kissing and hugging a beau while in a stunning mansion that overlooks a canyon. She jumps into his arms and then jumps into a swimming pool with the looker as music plays in the background. They then kiss at sunset while soaking wet in the pool for what makes a very romantic moment. Siren! The Knives Out actress was also filmed in a revealing sheer gold gown making her look every inch the Bond girl that she is; Ana is starring in the new 007 adventure No Time To Die which will be released later this year Next Ana smolders in a plunging gold crystal encrusted gown that makes the most of her figure. She stares at her man as if she is deeply in love. Then the duo are seen in their home as she models a black silk negligee and rolls around in a bed. That changes to a beach scene where she has on a silver gown that is skintight and he has on a suit. They run on the shore and then kiss again in what is a very flirty commercial. A wonder! The actress has been doing very well in Hollywood and the Estee Lauder contract is just another feather in her cap It ends with the beauty in a pink gown with her dark hair worn down as she looks at magnolia trees. 'Were delighted to announce Ana de Armas as the face of our newest floral fragrance, #BeautifulMagnolia!' the company said on Instagram. 'Weve bottled up everything we love most about #flowers to bring you a modern #floralfragrance thats fresh, youthful, and unapologetically feminine.' That look of longing: The commercial has the Cuban-born beauty kissing and hugging a beau while in a stunning mansion that overlooks a canyon They are a great match: The two have chemistry and are both very photogenic Playful: Ana wears a black silk dress with strappy heels as she runs into his arms A little horse play in the home: The two goof around with a white shirt and scarf That look that says I am into you: They are also seen in a narrow hallway as they share looks The day before she revealed some of her beauty secrets in a behind-the-scenes video from her Estee Lauder photo shoot posted on the beauty brand's Instagram account. Ana was unveiled as the new face of Estee Lauder last week, a company that Kendall Jenner and Elizabeth Hurley have been linked to in the past. 'Behind The Scenes with Estee Lauder Global Brand Ambassador Ana de Armas Lights, camera, action! We chatted with our newest Global Brand Ambassador, @ana_d_armas, to get to know her a bit better. Watch now and hear more about her journey as an actress, her beauty favorites, and her thoughts on joining the Estee Lauder brand,' the company captioned the informative clip. Like an episode of The Bachelor: They then kiss at sunset while soaking wet in the pool for what makes a very romantic moment The LA resident sported a stunning gold silk dress for the shoot, keeping her glowing skin on display with her hair slicked back off her face. 'I am thrilled to be joining the Estee Lauder family. I'm on set now shooting my new campaign and I can't tell you much more than that right now, but stay tuned,' she started the video. Ana revealed her reaction to being named as the latest Global Brand Ambassador for the beauty company: 'A little bit of a freak out. I was very excited and happy and proud. It's such an iconic brand.' Like a princess: It ends with the beauty in a pink gown with her dark hair worn down Spring has sprung for this looker: The movie star parts her lips as she holds a pink flower As for her go-to beauty look, the star says: 'If I really want to do something special, I would probably go red lip.' She added that mascara is the one beauty product she can't live without. The brunette bombshell explained that she knew she wanted to be an actress 'a long time ago,' adding: 'It was pretty clear for me very soon that that's what I wanted to do.' 'The first time I went to Cannes Film Festival. That was a huge pinch me moment,' she identified the first moment in her career that made her jaw drop. She said Thailand is her favorite place to visit that she can't wait to go back to: 'I have been twice - both times for over a month.' Her famous ex: The siren with Ben, whom she split from in December. They will appear in the film Deep Water, about a well-to-do husband who allows his wife to have affairs in order to avoid a divorce becomes a prime suspect in the disappearance of her lovers Ben has three kids: The star with ex-wife Jennifer Garner, as well as their kids Seraphina, Violet and Samuel, in 2019 Ana also admitted tamales are the one dish from she misses the most, and that skydiving is on her bucket list. 'But I don't think I'll ever do it,' she said with a laugh. The Bond girl relaxes by 'doing something with my girlfriends' and ended the video by sharing her advice for her younger self. 'That's tricky. I would have told myself years ago to relax and take it easy and be patient. Relax,' she said. The announcement came just weeks after she ended her romance with boyfriend Affleck, whom she met on the set of Deep Water and began dating in March 2020. The split was reported to be 'as amicable as can be', with sources insisting the pair still have 'a lot of love' for one another. An insider previously said: 'There is a lot of love still between the two of them. The split is as amicable as can be.' BTS: Armas revealed some of her beauty secrets in a behind-the-scenes video from her Estee Lauder photoshoot posted on the beauty brand's Instagram account on Tuesday Ana has been taking the breakup in stride, looking undaunted in the candid moments she frequently shares on her Instagram stories. The star posted a glistening selfie on Tuesday sitting by the window as the sun glistened off her gorgeous face. She still looked like a movie star clad in a white t-shirt and sweats as she tried to be productive despite the interruptions of her dog. 'Trying to work,' she captioned the photo to her 3.9 million followers. Moore Township police are asking for the publics help in identifying a person who burglarized a gas station market early Monday on Mountain View Drive, according to a Facebook post by police. Security footage from about 2:15 a.m. shows the burglar inside and outside of the Blue Star gas station as well as a car used to transport the person. Moore Township police are seeking information about a burglary March 1, 2021, at the Blue Star gas station.Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com Police not say what was taken. If anyone has information on the crime, they are asked to call Northampton Countys nonemergency number 610-759-2200 or township Detective Jason Gianatiempo at 610-759-5077. All callers can remain anonymous, police said. Moore Township police are seeking information about a burglary March 1, 2021, at the Blue Star gas station.Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting lehighvalleylive.com with a subscription. Tony Rhodin can be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. [March 03, 2021] Tech Startup Jove Launches Creative-Centric Reporting Software that Enables Marketers to Know What Works and Why Jove, a recently-launched startup with a mission to bridge the communication divide between data-focused and creative-focused marketers today announced the release of Creative Insights, a visually-rich insights platform that equips marketers with a new way of looking at data to help team members across all marketing functions use a common language and develop shared understanding of the outcomes of their creative work. In an increasingly complex digital marketing landscape, Jove delivers practical tools that make it easy to collect and view ads from all media channels; organize them based on channel-specific, cross-channel, and custom metrics; and uncover patterns in outcomes using automated and user-curated tags. These flexible capabilities enable a myriad of daily use cases for ad buyers, media planners, creative leaders, analysts, and brand managers. Creative Insights by Jove supports both agency and in-house marketing teams across industries and verticals. "Jove was founded on the understanding that the best marketing has always relied on standout creative to connect with consumers," said Jove Founder and CEO David Atchison. "To succeed in a privacy-first era, marketers need tools that help them embrace that philosophy-not by giving up on data as a source of insight but by looking at it differently. Essentially, the industry will need new ways to understand how and why creative concepts resonate, because behavioral data will be less available. Broad, thematic creative insights will provide the creative compass to connect with an audience. Insights from the performance of creative ideas will take the place of tracking consumers." Creative Insights by Jove launches as Apple (News - Alert) prepares its upcoming privacy change in a much-anticipated iOS 14 update, re-prioritizing customer privacy and requiring users to opt-in rather than the typical opt-out of data sharing. With this continuing increase of constraints on data-driven advertising tactics following in the wake of the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in the EU and new rules governing data privacy in California, along with browser-based limits on use of third-party cookies, marketers can no longer rely on persona consumer data for targeting and personalization. Creative Insights provides marketers-from creatives to data analysts-a thematic view of ad creative that yields valuable insights while reducing reliance on personalized messaging and hypertargeting. Innovations within the Creative Insights by Jove platform include: A holistic, cross-channel view of all ad media in one visually-rich platform, enabling marketers to see all their creative in one place. Simple, rules-based and automated tagging, enabling holistic comparisons of ads, media, metrics, and creative approaches across channels and over time. Analysis of best and worst performing groups of ads and their common creative characteristics, allowing marketers and creatives to agree on the winning attributes that should be replicated or expanded to yield results in future ads and campaigns. Leaderboards ranking ads that share any attribute or set of attributes, across any metric, over time. The ability to sort best and worst performing ads by any metric across media channels, when other tools provide limited, channel-specific metrics. See how audiences and ads in marketing channels relate to one another and can be used to support the customer journey. Scatterplot graphs enable you to compare clusters of ads across any dimension. Time-dimensioned leaderboards make it easy to see what percentage of your audience saw which message at which time. "Creative Insights by Jove is the tool that bridges the gap between the data people and the creatives, between facts and inspiration," said Jove CMO Ryan Turner. "Data-focused marketers sometimes get frustrated with creatives because they're not responsive to reports. Creatives get frustrated because spreadsheets and charts don't tell them what they need to know to generate new ideas. But the solution isn't to go back to the old, data-free way of advertising...it's to think about data with a broad, thematic understanding rooted in real results. We bring the two camps together into the same tool to get actionable insights-that everyone can understand-about which creative approaches yield the best results." A founding premise for Creative Insights by Jove is that creative talent and digital marketers driven by data have long needed a shared tool and a shared language for better communication. About Jove: Creative Insights by Jove uses data to spark actionable insights that inspire creative concepts and optimization across all marketing activities from creative development, brand management and media buying. Jove's platform is the first of its kind to use data to pinpoint not only which creative concepts and media approaches work but also why. By using visuals to present creative and metrics from every channel in one place, the platform provides a big picture view of all marketing activities that has not been available previously. About David Atchison, Jove Founder & CEO: After receiving his Operations Research degree from Princeton, Atchison quickly realized he could use it to test, scale, and optimize digital marketing programs. And it's worked. He has seen the macro and micro trends that adjust both small and large companies, and strongly believes that with the world only getting more fragmented and complicated, ad testing is critical when it comes to building successful global brands. Before Jove, Atchison started New Engen, a digital marketing company serving SMB and enterprise businesses, and has served as CMO (and employee #3) at Zulily, an e-commerce company that went from $0 to $1.5B in just six years. About Ryan Turner, Jove CMO: With a 25-year career in marketing and communications, Turner started as a writer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He worked with digital agencies WPP and Publicis for 10 years. Then he joined Starbucks, where he built from scratch a world class social media operation before taking on broader scope as vice president of digital marketing. Most recently, Ryan worked at Amazon, where he led a team of creatives, media planners, and data scientists running experimentation programs in digital media. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005830/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Cross-border policing co-operation is continuing after Brexit in a timely manner, the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) said. Minister Robin Walker said dealings between the PSNI and Garda in tracking criminals were happening speedily and generally faster than the minimum standard between EU states. The worst predictions about the impact on law enforcement of the end of the transition period have so far failed to materialise. Mr Walker said: Exchanging information continues to work very effectively and in a timely manner. From my perspective that is not something which has changed. He recognised previously aired fears around delays in exchanging information between the forces. iWe are questioning Robin Walker MP (@WalkerWorcester), Minister of State @NIOgov, as part of our 'Cross-border co-operation on policing, security and criminal justice after Brexit' inquiry. Watch live: https://t.co/Z9f9bEwrE9#CrossBorderSecurityNI | #CommonsNIAC pic.twitter.com/RJfjKhO7px Northern Ireland Affairs Committee (@CommonsNIAC) March 3, 2021 That has not materialised to date. He added: It is important to recognise that there have always been pressures and always been a degree of criminality which will seek to adapt to the circumstances. He said the authorities needed to be able to respond quickly. Part of the intelligence-sharing that we have on a cross-border basis is about having those conversations. He doubted whether the extra paperwork requirements of the Northern Ireland Protocol would prevent seasoned criminals from sending their wares across the Irish Sea. It is unlikely to be the case that someone committing a crime and smuggling is going to be deterred by having to fill out a form, they may say they are shipping something else. He said any burdensome bureaucracy around parcels would not help the fight against crime. Exchanging information continues to work very effectively and in a timely manner Robin Walker They are going to seek alternative routes. Mr Walker gave evidence to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee of MPs. The minister said the EU standard for sharing law enforcement information between member states was six days. He added the exchange of criminal records between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland was happening on a much faster basis. There should not be barriers to that kind of information being shared. East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell said the number of cases of cross-border fuel launderers being prosecuted each year was very low. He added that annual total could be counted on the fingers of one hand. Crime gangs are very agile, it is important that police on both sides of the border and agencies such as HMRC are able to move quickly to get ahead of them Mark Larmour, political director, NIO Mark Larmour, political director at the NIO, said there had been recent successes tackling launderers. He added: Crime gangs are very agile, it is important that police on both sides of the border and agencies such as HMRC are able to move quickly to get ahead of them. Last May, three men were arrested in Co Armagh after tobacco worth 3 million in lost revenue was seized. A joint Garda and PSNI operation saw eight million cigarettes confiscated. Gardai also carried out seven searches of business premises and homes in the Carlingford, Co Louth, area. Items seized included 100,000 euro (88,200) in cash, tobacco and equipment used in the manufacture of tobacco products. One articulated lorry, one rigid lorry, two trailers and one van were seized Mobile fuel-laundering machinery concealed in the articulated lorry was also confiscated. Palmdale, CA (93550) Today Mostly sunny. Becoming windy this afternoon. High around 100F. WSW winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 20 to 30 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy. Windy this evening. Low near 70F. Winds SW at 20 to 30 mph. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Immunity produced by white blood cells is 'not substantially affected' by mutated coronavirus variants, scientists have found. Experts were concerned the current jabs might not work as well against the South African and Brazilian variants because they changed its shape. Studies found disease-fighting proteins called antibodies were less effective in the face of the new strains, raising fears they would partially evade vaccine-triggered immunity and cause reinfections. But they are only one type of immunity. New experiments have found white blood cells called T cells appear to work just as well against Covid variants as they do the original virus. And they work just as well when produced by either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, which were both tested in the study. Scientists at the University of California, San Diego said: 'The data presented here suggests that T cell responses are largely unaffected by the variants.' They said the T cells, which tag onto the coronavirus and help to destroy it, might not completely stop infection but should prevent people getting seriously ill. This would mean that anyone who has already had Covid or a vaccine would get less sick the next time they were infected with the virus. Experts said the effectiveness of T cells, a type of white blood cell that can be produced by a vaccine, appears to be 'unaffected' by the Kent, South Africa, Brazil or California variants of the coronavirus (Pictured: NHS staff prepare to administer a vaccine in Derbyshire) The researchers tested what happened when they mixed the coronavirus with the blood of people who had been vaccinated with the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Specifically they measured two types of T cell in the blood, called CD4 and CD8. CD4 are 'helper' cells which identify a viral infection and spark the rest of the immune system into action, and CD8 are 'cytotoxic' and they can destroy infected cells in the body. These work alongside antibodies, which target the virus itself and wreck it directly. They found that the T cells worked just as well when they were exposed to the old Wuhan variant of the virus, the Kent variant, the Brazilian variant or the South African one. STUDY FINDS BRAZIL VARIANT MAY REINFECT 2/3 PEOPLE WITH IMMUNITY A study led by Imperial College London and published online today has found that the Brazil variant of coronavirus may cause reinfection among 61 per cent of people who have already had Covid caused by a different strain. Research on the P1 variant among people living in the Brazilian city of Manaus found potentially high levels of reinfection, and that the variant was more transmissible than the original pandemic strain. British experts have cautioned that the study cannot be used to predict what may happen in the UK. According to the new study, blood testing suggests more than 67 per cent of people in Manaus may have had Covid by October 2020. There was surprise then when the city suffered another huge wave of coronavirus at the start of this year, so experts sought to find out why. They found that the proportion of Covid cases that were the P1 variant grew from zero to 87 per cent in about eight weeks. P1 was found to be 1.4 to 2.2 times more transmissible than other variants in Manaus, and was found to evade 25 per cent to 61 per cent of protective immunity from previous infection. Dr Nuno Faria, reader in viral evolution at Imperial, told a briefing: 'If 100 people were infected in Manaus last year, somewhere between 25 and 61 of them are susceptible to reinfection with P1.' The study could not say how severe illness was in people who were reinfected. It found a slightly higher death rate connected to P1 cases in Manaus but said this coincided with 'substantial healthcare failure' and hospitals running out of oxygen, so it couldn't be pinned on the new variant. Coronavirus genetics expert at COG-UK, Professor Sharon Peacock, said the study could not be used to speculate on the effectiveness of vaccines or how things 'will pan out in other countries including the UK'. Advertisement Previous studies found antibodies worked less well against the mutated strains, worrying scientists, but this gives reassurance that vaccines will still work in other ways. Dr Alex Sette, the La Jolla researcher who led the study, and colleagues wrote that the vast majority of T cells 'are not affected by the mutations found in the variants analyzed'. They added: 'We focused on T cell responses elicited by either natural infection or vaccination with the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. 'We found negligible effects on both CD4+ or CD8+ T cell responses to all four variants investigated, to include the B.1.1.7, B.1.351, P.1 and CAL.20C variants found in the UK, South Africa, Brazil and California, respectively.' They explained that the reason T cells did not seem to get weaker against the variants, when antibodies did, is that they are less specific. While antibodies must target very specific parts of the virus, and often the same parts in everyone, T cells are much more general and can stick to various bits. This wider approach means the virus must mutate far more significantly for the T cells not to recognise any of it something that has not yet happened. And people make slightly different T cells, meaning that a virus that could dodge them in one person might not be able to in someone else. Dr Sette told The Times: 'If you have a good T cell response you may not be able to prevent infection, but you should be able to soften the blow... 'That is important. The opposite scenario would have been really concerning, if the new variants had been able to evade both the antibody response and the T-cell response.' The study comes after Professor Andrew Pollard, the lead investigator of trials of Oxford University's Covid jab, said he was optimistic that vaccines would tackle variant forms of Covid. The university and its pharmaceutical partner, AstraZeneca, are already working on a booster jab to be ready by the autumn. Professor Pollard said a single booster could be enough to tackle both the South African and Brazilian variants because they are so similar. He said on BBC Radio 4 yesterday: 'It is difficult because were very focused on what were seeing today and of course the nature of this virus is that it will continue to throw out new mutations in time. 'And so, to some extent, weve got to start moving away from an obsession with each variant as it appears [and] try to rely on the excellent sequencing that is being run nationally to pick up variants so that new designs of vaccines can be made as and when they are needed. 'Certainly at the moment there are some similarities between the P.1 Brazil variant and the B.1351 South African variant. 'So the work at the moment is partly to understand whether a vaccine for one of them might actually protect against both. 'Theres a lot more that we dont know yet about this, but all the developers are working on new vaccines to make sure we are ready if we need to be.' Dr Sette's study was published online on bioRxiv without review from independent scientists, not in a journal. The Texas Department of State Health Services announced exciting news for teachers Wednesday. Educators and child-care workers are now eligible to receive their COVID-19 vaccination starting immediately, according to a news release from the state's health department. Vaccine providers have been notified, the release added. DSHS announced the news after receiving a letter from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services directing states to expand eligibility to include people who work in school and child care operations. RELATED: Here's how San Antonio school districts and colleges are handling mask mandate changes According to the release, the people eligible are those who work in pre-primary, primary, and secondary schools, as well as Head Start and Early Head Start programs (including teachers, staff, and bus drivers), and those who work as or for licensed child care providers, including center-based and family care providers. This action does not change the other groups prioritized for vaccination in Texas. Providers are encouraged to continue their efforts to vaccinate older adults since the burden of COVID-19 falls most severely on people age 65 and older, per DSHS. The news comes after Gov. Greg Abbott said he will lift his face mask order starting next Wednesday. The Texas Education Agency is allowing school boards to make their decisions when it comes to their face mask policy. Priscilla Aguirre is a general assignment reporter for MySA.com | priscilla.aguirre@express-news.net | @CillaAguirre (Natural News) Do you worship celebrities so much that you would be willing to eat them, if given the opportunity? Well now you can, as a company known as BiteLabs claims to have figured out a way to produce cannibalized meat made from their tissue samples. According to the BiteLabs website, the company produces fine artisanal salami from meat that has been lab-grown from celebrity tissue samples as predicted by Winston Churchill back in 1931. Churchill spoke about a future in which all of the worlds meat would be grown in labs, providing inspiration for BiteLabs to develop just that except with a twist. Rather than just spawn chicken wings or breasts, BiteLabs decided to bring Hollywood to your dinner plate. Today, in-vitro meat production is close to becoming a reality, offering highly controllable meat production without the animal cruelty, waste, and environmental impacts of industrial farming, the company says. But this process can offer so much more than replicas of beef and pork. It all starts with human myosatellite cells, which BiteLabs obtains via biopsy from the bodies of celebrities. These cells are a type of stem cell found it adult muscle tissue that repair and regrow damaged muscle. Isolating a sample of these cells provides a base that can grow into as much meat as required, it says. Celebrity tissue is mixed with artificial blood to produce salami In order to produce celebrity meat in volume, the myosatellite cells have to multiply in a growth medium. This medium functions as a sort of artificial blood,' the company explains, providing the cells with nutrients and growth factors. These cells must not only multiply but also turn into actual muscle tissue, which requires that they be attached over a sugar support. This not only provides a structure for muscle to grow over, but also creates channels for growth medium to flow through, much like veins, the company explains. At this point the growth process has moved into the bioreactors, where directional stimulation of the muscles makes them mature and become stronger. Once the concoction is fully grown, the muscle pieces are extracted, combined, and ground to the desired consistency. It is then transformed into salami along with spices, fats, and oils added to taste. The ground meat is now stuffed into casing and given a final seasoning, BiteLabs says proudly. We then dry, age, and cure our salamis in a traditional low temperature environment before packaging them for distribution. Who wants a log of Ellen Degeneres or Kanye West? Some of the celebrities being targeted by BiteLabs for inclusion into its salami lineup include James Franco, Jennifer Lawrence, Kanye West and Ellen Degeneres. Who else do you want to eat? the company asks. Tweet at them with #EatCelebrityMeat. While billionaire eugenicist Bill Gates is not mentioned, we know that he is already working on artificial meat products via other avenues. Environmentally speaking, celebrity salami is more green than real meat, BiteLabs says, because it requires less than 1% of the amount of land needed for traditional farming. With roughly 70 percent of the worlds farmland currently being used to raise animals for meat, this could be drastically reduced by extracting the life force out of Tom Hanks or Lady Gaga and converting it into a nice summer sausage. This is considered normal to BiteLabs, anyway. Meat production today is simply unsustainable, the company insists, adding that, unless a radical change is made, the price of meat will eventually rise out of control. Lab grown meats are the future. BiteLabs would also like you to know that making meat out of celebrity tissue does not involve the use of pesticides or other chemicals. More related news can be found at Twisted.news. Sources for this article include: BiteLabs.org NaturalNews.com MUSKEGON, MI Muskegon is among the most impacted by scams, according to the Better Business Bureau. The findings come from a research collaboration between BBB and researchers at the University of Minnesota and the University of Southern California. The study analyzed scam reports from before and after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Muskegon (zip code 49440) is ranked No. 13 on the list of the 20 U.S. zip codes most affected by scams. Cities ranked ahead of Muskegon include Adak (Alaska), Deepwater (New Jersey), Miami Beach (Florida), Bettsville (Ohio), Gray Summit (Missouri), Albion (Rhode Island), Lakeville (New York), Nome (Texas), San Jose (California), Lee (Massachusetts), Richeyville (Pennsylvania) and Land O Lakes (Wisconsin). The new analysis of consumer scam reports submitted to the BBB also shows citizens reporting from zip codes with a larger portion of Black, Hispanic, Asian, and other racial minorities are more likely to lose money when targeted by scammers. RELATED: Online puppy scams rising sharply in 2020 due to pandemic, BBB warns The report also found that those reporting from zip codes with a population less likely to have GED or high school equivalent education, are more likely to lose money when targeted by scammers. The results of this study shows that scam education is key in helping our community combat these cons, said Phil Catlett, President of the Better Business Bureau Serving Western Michigan. By understanding which communities are most impacted by scams, we can better work to educate and support those who are the most likely to lose money. Finally, the report determined scams involving online purchases have skyrocketed since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Scam reports involving masks and other PPE increased significantly in March, April and May 2020. While the number of reports have decreased since then, the number of online purchase scam reports remain high, according to the BBB. They include pet scams and items purchased from websites found on social media. Non-delivery of purchased items is the most common complaint received. BBB has also seen a large increase in phishing and employment scams during the pandemic. You can see the complete report here. SPRINGFIELD Companies have scheduled community meetings for three proposed cannabis businesses in Springfield this month, including a cultivation and retail operation at the Eastfield Mall. Diem Cannabis has a public meeting Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Boston Road malls food court to provide specific plans for the former Macys store. The meeting is open to the public in person and online via Zoom. Other community meetings scheduled this month include: Page Cultivate, LLC, has an online meeting scheduled for March 17, at 6 p.m., regarding its proposed cultivation business at 299 Page Blvd. in East Springfield. Hoop City Ventures, LLC, has an online meeting scheduled for March 11, at 6 p.m. regarding its proposed business at the former Lime Light Pub at 357 Cottage St. The meetings are a required step for the companies plans to win local and state approvals, officials said. In January, the city announced it was opening a second round of applications for up to four new retail shops and at least one cultivation business. Formal proposals are due by March 22. John DiNovella, vice-president of operations for Diem, said Tuesday the company is grateful to work with the city and mall to help develop the area and contribute to the economic development project that theyre working on. Diem is seeking approval to open as responsible operators in the community and (to) provide equitable opportunities for people locally, he said. In the first round, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno selected four retail cannabis shops from 27 applicants in 2019. Sarno and the City Council granted host community agreements to the four businesses, and the council approved special permits. Liberty Springfield opened in November on Boston Road. The three other openings are pending. Chris Mitchem, the chief executive of Oregon-based Diem Cannabis detailed plans for the Eastfield Mall site in October. The 2,500-square-foot retail business is planned on the first floor, with a 40,000-square-foot cultivation business on the second floor, Mitchem said. There is additional space for offices and security. Page Cultivates proposed site on Page Boulevard is partially rented to the city for use as a police shooting range. The companys manager, David Goodman, was not immediately available for comment. He and other family members own Springfield-based Northstar Pulp and Paper. Details on the Hoop City Ventures proposal for Cottage Street are available at dazedcannabis.com. The companys manager, Richard Rainone of Parkland, Fla., is also preparing to open a cannabis business at 56 Jackson St. in Holyoke. San Francisco has hired a new chief for its sprawling network of substance use and mental health care programs a critical position that has been held by acting directors for the last two years amid a deadly drug epidemic and an often crowded psychiatric emergency room. Dr. Hillary Kunins, who will join the Department of Public Health later this month, will take charge at a particularly distressing time in San Francisco. About 700 people died of an overdose in 2020, a nearly 60% jump over the year prior, mostly due to fentanyl. Meanwhile, 2021 is already off to a tragically deadly start: 61 people died of an overdose in January, compared with 38 during the same month last year. Drug use, mental illness and homelessness often cannot be addressed separately, but San Francisco is woefully short of services for all three. As the new Behavioral Health Services director, Kunins will help improve the citys disjointed system of mental health and drug treatment programs, which serves some 30,000 vulnerable people a year. She will also lead Mental Health SF, a massive $100 million-a-year initiative intended to overhaul the citys entire system of care. Kunins will come from New York City, where she recently left her job as executive deputy commissioner at the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. She will take over from Marlo Simmons, who has been San Franciscos acting director of Behavioral Health Services since February 2020. San Francisco is a great, progressive visionary place, Kunins said in a brief interview with The Chronicle last month. This job was an exciting opportunity to work on some difficult issues that I care about very deeply. When she moves to San Francisco, Kunins will step into a department that critics say has inadequately responded to the dramatic rise of fentanyl in the citys drug supply. Even though the opioid has proliferated throughout San Francisco for years, city leaders do not have a clear, urgent and cohesive plan for how to stem the tide of death. More than 70% of last years overdose victims had fentanyl, an opioid that can kill someone with just 2 milligrams of powder, in their system. Those whove seen the devastation up close have lost faith that the citys current leaders are equipped to handle the epidemic. We had three overdoses in my community last night, Jeris Woodson, a case manager for Westside Community Services, a clinic that offers mental health and substance use programs, said last month. Its really easy to be a drug addict in San Francisco. Nick Otto / Special to The Chronicle Whats harder, she said, is getting appropriate help when someones ready for it. Theres a shortage of options on the citys southeast side, she said, where the drug, mental health and homelessness crises have disproportionately hurt African Americans. A fourth of the people who died last year from an overdose were Black, despite the fact that Black people make up less than 6% of San Franciscos population. A 2019 report found nearly 4,000 people 35% of whom are Black are suffering from mental illness, homelessness and addiction. Experts say that number has likely swelled amid the pandemic. Kunins will come to San Francisco with valuable experience: Fentanyl hit the East Coast drug supply long before many in the West began choosing it over heroin. In New York, she helped implement and scale Mayor Bill de Blasios 2017 HealingNYC initiative, a $60 million program that focused on substance abuse prevention and treatment. Kunins said she focused on offering treatment in the most flexible ways, which included medication-assisted treatment. Similar to leaders in San Francisco, Kunins also embraces the idea of harm reduction, an approach that gives drug users the tools they need like clean needles and Narcan to use as safely as possible Drug overdose deaths in New York City have largely plateaued since 2016, but at a very high number. According to city data, 1,463 people died of an overdose in 2019. Nearly 70% of those deaths involved fentanyl. Consistent with nationwide trends, New York City also experienced an uptick in overdose deaths during the first few months of 2020. Kunins said she wants to make San Franciscos system easier to navigate for those struggling with drug use and mental illness. Its an idea that city leaders have promised for years, but have struggled to achieve. We have failed to keep up, said Supervisor Catherine Stefani, who held a hearing on the citys treatment options last month. People cannot get sober when there is someone selling fentanyl next to you. Rico Hamilton, a recovering drug addict and a community activist in neighborhoods like the Western Addition, said along with harm reduction, the city also needs more access to different kinds of treatment tailored to certain communities. At a hearing last week, Hamilton and a group of recovering addicts in a working group convened by a division of the Adult Probation Department, called on the city to expand a number of initiatives such as funding a Black-led, abstinence-based treatment program in the Bayview and expanding drug and alcohol treatment stays beyond 90 days. We have friends and family members who have relapsed on fentanyl, and their addiction is costing them their life, he said. And then there is no response to that. And thats our frustration. Supervisor Matt Haney plans to propose a package of reforms this month specifically targeted toward controlling the fentanyl epidemic. The proposal will likely cost $6 million to $7 million a year. Along with the citys substance use services, Kunins will also oversee the implementation of Mental Health SF, a system overhaul that is already partly under way. New initiatives over the past year include two new Crisis Response Teams. But for people like Hamilton, those changes have yet to make any noticeable difference on San Franciscos streets. Hamilton, who has been sober for about 20 years, said hes grieved friends and family lost to fentanyl, and the citys response to the epidemic has been technical and robotic. Kunins knows that local and cultural contexts are important to addressing the crisis, and she said she will make sure that community voices are heard. And even though she has yet to move from New York to San Francisco, Kunins already has many people who want to talk to her. Theres not (only) a single solution in New York City, she said. And I expect that that will be similar in San Francisco. Trisha Thadani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadani Wednesday, March 3, 2021 History Overview The Cold War changed everything, as an America, reluctant to get involved in foreign entanglements since President Washington, became an empire society post 1945 dominated domestically by high levels of military spending, a Permanent War Economy as stated by the great Seymour Melman in 1970. Barry Goldwater, the 1964 Republican presidential candidate, launched the modern conservative movement as future president Ronald Reagan nominated him in the Republican Convention of that year. America operated much like pre-World War II America until Reagan's election in 1980 entrenched the modern empire state. George Orwell's book 1984, written in 1948, does a brilliant job of describing Reagan's re-election year 1984 as I re-read it that year, with rhetoric like short range Peacekeeper missiles were installed in Europe (Orwell's war is peace) and the opposition Nuclear Freeze won on ballots in 1982 in Wisconsin and elsewhere. The Goldwater campaign began the process of turning the solid South from Democratic to Republican, an historic reversal of the Lincoln Civil War election of 1860. The modern Republican party has become the party of Jefferson Davis, president of the 1861 Confederacy, no longer the party of Lincoln, as the Confederate flag of 1861 flew for the first time ever in the US Capitol building during the January 6th, 2021 Trump insurrection. (160 years is only 2 years off a 54x3=162 years perfect long cycle) Evolution of the Republicants Lincoln, the first Republican president, started the transcontinental railroad during the Civil War. Republican President Teddy Roosevelt championed the trust-busting progressive movement after 1900. My middle namesake grandfather William Markham secured funding in 1927 for the dam creating the third largest wildlife refuge in North America, the Horicon Marsh, after his election to the Wisconsin State Senate in 1926. Republican president Eisenhower started the Interstate highway system in America in the 1950s. These are examples of the old Republican Party before the modern reversal. Even Senator Barry Goldwater accepted the 1973 Roe v Wade decision legalizing abortion and told President Richard Nixon he needed to resign in 1974. Richard Nixon followed his Southern Strategy into office in 1968 and turned the tide in economics from Keynesianism to Monetarism through his funding, two staples of the modern Republicans. Newt Gingrich stopped forty years of Democratic rule of the House of Representatives in 1994. But Senator Mitch McConnell of former slave state Kentucky began the party of "no" Republicans of today, hence the term Republicants, adding the "t" to the name, the extreme "can't do" philosophy of obstructionism Republicans of today. This reflects the twisting of the name by Republicans to calling the Democratic Party the Democrat Party to emphasize the "rat" at the end of the name as the modern Republicans have waged war against and demonized their opponents. Under Obama and Biden this party has deviated from the American tradition of the loyal opposition and violated the two principles essential to democracy of "tolerance" of the opposition party and "forbearance" of doing all you can do against your opposition. Instead, the modern Republicants falsely ascribe all manor of evil about "liberals" and attempt to reverse all opposition policies, especially health care. Much of this dates to the 1987 Reagan reversal of the "equal time" doctrine of mass media, starting with Rush Limbaugh in 1988 and FOX news in 1997. Our national discourse has become increasing argumentative leading up to the one-sided cult of Trumpism. No longer do they think "there but for the grace of God go I" or give their opponents a honeymoon period after presidential elections, as in the past. Policy Reversals Small government conservative and Mathew 25 Christian Joe Scarborough of the Morning Joe show on MSNBC has become an independent in the face of McConnell and Trump Republicanism. Once the party of local and state government under the theory of that government closest to the people is the best government, now the Mitch McConnell Republicans decry state and local government funding as a "blue state bailout" as if red state governors and mayors don't need funding in the pandemic to keep from "defunding the police" and healthcare workers and educators. They oppose masks and want businesses and schools to open prematurely in the pandemic, as if that and Trump rallies are not super-spreader events that lead to mass sickness and death. They defend gun sellers over the rights of people to avoid gun sales to criminals and the mentally ill. They make voting hard for elderly young and low-income people trying to maintain white supremacy and the oligarchy of the rich. In hard economic times, they accept Democratic support for stimulus under Republican presidents but not for Democratic presidents. Instead of putting country first, they put partisanship first, seeking to hurt us all to hurt Democrats at the polls in the next election. They deny reality to gaslight and use big lies to control the political order. They support calling investigations into their law breaking and pandemic mistakes hoaxes. Trump calls his law breaking and his cabinets law breaking support for law and order. Trump supporters think his 30,000 lies are candor and honesty. Honest news is stereotyped as fake news, Trump big lies are called alternate reality. Small cuts in other programs and big military buildups have make the so-called small government conservatives just another big lie as Republicans increase government spending more than Democrats decade after decade. Balance the budget is replaced by unfunded tax decreases in decade after decade. Biggest sinner ever is supported by fundamentalist Christians who want a conservative court. The myth that Republicans are good for the economy and small business are denied by the historical record that shows Democrats usually have a much better economic growth rate and Republicans favor big business over small business in policy after policy. History of the Presidents Economics 1910-2009: https://www.academia.edu/4044532/HISTORY_Presidents_Military_Economy_1910_2009_3p_2013 Please cite this work as follows: Reuschlein, Robert. (2021, March 3), "Not Grandpa's Republicans" Madison, WI, Real Economy Institute. Retrieved from: https://www.expertclick.com/NewsRelease/Not-Grandpas-Republicans,2021253088.aspx Dr. Peace, Professor Robert Reuschlein, Real Economy Institute, Nobel Peace Prize nominee 2016-2021 with accelerating interest from the deciding Norwegians. A consistently growing pattern shows intense interest in my work on my expertclick.com website; daily "hard looks" per year have gone from 2 to 3 to 48 to 128 to 200 to double last year's pace (118/62) so far, this 144 days. Contact: bobreuschlein@gmail.com Info: www.realeconomy.com Parler has dropped its antitrust lawsuit against Amazon for cutting off its web-hosting services but files a new case accusing the tech giant of defamation and breach of contract. The company, which is favored among right-wing Americans, filed the initial suit against Amazon after it was removed from its platform and forced offline just days after the January 6 riot at the US Capitol. At the time, Amazon said Parler had failed to adequately moderate content related to the attack, including calls to assassinate prominent Democratic politicians. Parler disputed the claims and filed the antitrust suit in response. However, nearly two-months on, Parler filed a motion in a Washington federal court late Tuesday to dismiss the case, without giving a reason. Tuesday was Parler's deadline to file an amended complaint in the case, after getting a two-week extension from the court, The Verge reported. The same day, Parler filed another suit against Amazon, accusing the Jeff Bezos-owned company of breach of contract and defamation, according to Fox Business. News of that suit came as it was claimed that former Parler CEO John Matze was stripped of his entire stake in the controversial social media platform, following his unceremonious firing last month. Parler has dropped its antitrust lawsuit against Amazon for cutting off its web-hosting services in January, which forced the controversial social media app offline News of that suit came on the same day as it was revealed that former Parler CEO, John Matze (left), was stripped of his entire stake in the controversial social media platform, following his unceremonious firing last month. Mark Meckler (right) is now serving as Interim CEO In the new suit, Parler calls Amazon a 'bully', claiming the company had removed Parler from its cloud services only when former President Donald Trump had been banned from Twitter and Facebook and Parler was poised to become competition if he brought his millions of followers to the site. 'The true reason why AWS decided to suspend and/or terminate its contract with Parler was not because of any alleged breach of the contract, but because AWS did not want Parler to be able to provide a new platform to conservative voices, including Donald Trump, or to compete effectively with other microblogging platforms such as Twitter,' the suit reads. The company added that Amazon's claims it was removed because it failed to delete violent rhetoric from its site were false, adding it had removed any 'arguably inappropriate content'. Parler also said Amazon never raised any concern over its content in the two years before it was ousted from its web-hosting services. The lawsuit notes that Parler had been worth $1 billion before it was removed by Amazon's 'unlawful' actions, alleging it has since lost millions of dollars and suffered significant harm to its reputation. Parler further alleges that Amazon said it was 'okay' regarding any 'problematic' content on its site just two days before Amazon announced the companys removal. Amazon Web Services had known Parler used a 'reactive system to deal with problematic content and not once had AWS said that such a system was insufficient or in violation of the parties contract,' it said. In summation, Parler claimed it was a victim of Amazon's 'efforts to destroy an up-and-coming technology company through deceptive, defamatory, anticompetitive, and bad faith conduct.' Parler filed another suit against Amazon on Tuesday, accusing the company of breach of contract and defamation An AWS spokesperson told DailyMail.com: 'There is no merit to these claims. AWS provides technology and services to customers across the political spectrum, and we respect Parlers right to determine for itself what content it will allow. 'However, as shown by the evidence in Parlers federal lawsuit, it was clear that there was significant content on Parler that encouraged and incited violence against others, which is a violation of our terms of service. 'Further, Parler was unable or unwilling to promptly identify and remove this content, which coupled with an increase in this type of dangerous violent content, led to our suspension of their services.' The app went dark in January as many service providers pulled back support, accusing it of failing to police violent content related to the attack on the US Capitol by followers of then President Donald Trump. Google also removed the application from its Play Store and Apple from App Store. In late January, a judge ruled against Parlers request to force Amazon to restore the company to its web hosting services. A month later, Parler re-launched its services online and said the new platform was built on 'sustainable, independent technology.' It remains unclear who is hosting Parler's relaunched site. On January 19 Parler reappeared with the help of a Russian-owned web security service. Parler's domain name is now registered with Epik Inc., a website services company based in Sammamish, Washington, according to public records made available by internet regulator Icann. Epik is also the domain registrar for Gab, another less restrictive social networking site popular with the far-right. New community guidelines on Parler state that the platform is 'viewpoint neutral' and will not allow for promotion of crime or unlawful acts. The app went dark in January as many service providers pulled back support, accusing it of failing to police violent content related to the attack on the US Capitol by followers of then President Donald Trump Since the attacks, numerous Parler users have been charged in connection to the Capitol riots, and in some cases the Department of Justice has referred to the threats suspects made on the app in charging documents. Parler's board of directors, which is headed by conservative mega-donor Rebekah Mercer, fired CEO John Matze last month. Mark Meckler, an attorney, political activist, and founder of the Tea Party Patriots, is now serving as interim CEO. Matze, 27, has repeatedly condemned his firing in recent weeks, accusing Mercer of betraying him. Speaking to Axios on HBO last month, Matze claimed that he was ousted after trying to ban QAnon conspiracy theories and crackdown on white supremacists using the app. 'I feel like it was a stab in the back by somebody that I thought I knew. And so for me, you know, I would never do business with her again,' Matze said of Mercer. 'I thought I knew her. She invited my family on trips with them and everything. I thought that she was, generally speaking, I thought she was being real. And then she just abruptly has her people fire me and doesn't even talk to me about it.' It was then reported by NPR on Tuesday that the power struggle that led to Matze's abrupt firing became so acrimonious that when he was eventually ousted, he was also involuntarily stripped off all his shares in the company. Matze told Axios on HBO that he was 'betrayed' and stabbed in the back by heiress investor Rebekah Mercer after he was ousted by Parler's board last week Republican mega-donor Rebekah Mercer is one of Parler's key financial backers who owns a majority stake. She is pictured at Trump Tower in New York back in December 2016 Parler officials have disputed Matze's characterization of his firing, calling his sequence of events 'inaccurate and misleading.' While disputes over an executives severance are far from rare, attorney Michael Stebbins a CEO losing all equity is incredibly unusual. 'This is not typical,' he told NPR. 'He probably has something to fight about. 'This could have been done under the imprimatur of legitimacy but they may have breached their fiduciary duty.' Neither Matze nor Parler have commented publicly on the report. But since his firing, Mercer is said to have assumed a greater role in shaping the next chapter of the alternative social network. 'She clearly likes influence and power, and this is a place for her to expand her influence and power,' one Parler official told the Washington Post. ALBANY A federal judge sentenced a reputed Albany gang member Wednesday to more than four years in prison for possessing a loaded 9 mm semiautomatic pistol in his Menands apartment. Jahmeek Croley, 33, known as Meeker, an alleged member of the Yard Boys street gang based in the Ida Yarbrough Apartments, received a 51-month sentence during a virtual appearance before Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas McAvoy. Court papers show Croley who was convicted at trial of a 2013 murder-for-hire in Albany before an appeals court reversed it possessed the weapon in a locked safe in his apartment in the Village One Apartments. Croley, who survived a Nov. 28, 2011, shooting in the Ida Yarbrough Apartments, told investigators he kept the 9 mm weapon for protection. The gun, which contained 17 rounds of hollow-point ammunition, had been stolen from a home in Vermont in 2015, according to Croley's plea agreement in October. Croley, who was convicted in 2006 of felony gun possession and 2015 of attempted drug possession, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Acting U.S. Attorney Antoinette Bacon's office said the arrest was part of an operation targeting the Yard Boys gang conducted by the Capital District Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which includes federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The case, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O'Hanlon, involved the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Albany police. On Nov. 14, 2019, the same day he possessed the gun, Albany police arrested Croley in a car on Frost Place and charged him with possessing approximately two kilos of powder cocaine. Croley faces an ongoing case in Albany County Court, where in January 2020 he was identified as a leader in a drug ring that transported cocaine on airplanes from Las Vegas to the Capital Region. He was charged with 16 drug felonies, including conspiracy and operating as a major trafficker. On Wednesday, the judge decided that Croley's gun sentence will run concurrently to any state time. Croley's attorney, Trevor Hannigan, told the judge in a pre-sentencing memo that his client, who got married in 2015, has a 7-year-old daughter. In 2014, Croley was convicted at trial of second-degree murder in Albany County for his alleged participation in the Oct. 19, 2013, murder of Edward Maxim, known as E.J., outside Willie's bar on Washington Avenue. Prosecutors said Croley was the lookout and getaway driver for triggerman Jovell White-Span. A jury took just over two hours to convict the men. In 2018, appellate justices in Albany reversed Croley's conviction, finding that Albany County prosecutors did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Croley knew White-Span planned to kill Maxim. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 president of a Christian liberal arts university where California Pastor John MacArthur serves as chancellor has offered his resignation. The Masters University announced on Monday that President Sam Horn had sent a letter of resignation to the board of directors last Friday, after serving as president since 2020. This past year has been one of the most challenging years in higher education and we are grateful for our entire leadership team during this unprecedented time, stated the university. In the coming days, the Board of Directors will appoint an interim president and begin the process of looking for the next president. Pray for us as we seek what is best for the future of both TMU and [The Masters Seminary]. Source:The Christian Post Iranian President Hassan Rouhani urged the United States to lift sanctions to save the nuclear deal, which is also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), official IRNA news agency reported. "JCPOA is by no means renegotiable, and the only way to protect and revive it is to remove sanctions by the United States," Rouhani made the remarks in a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron. Iran's gradual retreat from its nuclear obligations is due to the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA as well as the "inability" of Britain, France and Germany to fulfill their nuclear commitments, Rouhani said, stressing that Iran will re-embrace its obligations immediately if other parties of the deal adhere to their undertakings. Iran's recent suspension of the voluntary implementation of the additional protocol of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is within the framework of the law passed by the Iranian parliament, he said. In the meantime, "our cooperation with the IAEA continues and we have never left the JCPOA," Xinhua cited Rouhani as saying. On Feb. 23, Iran stopped implementation of the voluntary measures including the IAEA additional protocol, as envisaged in the JCPOA, which are beyond safeguard agreement. The Guardian The potential consequences of the origins of the virus are shattering if they can be proved My own complacency on the matter was dynamited by the lab-leak essay that ran in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists earlier this month. Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters There was a time when the Covid pandemic seemed to confirm so many of our assumptions. It cast down the people we regarded as villains. It raised up those we thought were heroes. It prospered people who could shift easily to working from home even as it problematized the lives of those Trump voters living in the old economy. Like all plagues, Covid often felt like the hand of God on earth, scourging the people for their sins against higher learning and visibly sorting the righteous from the unmasked wicked. Respect science, admonished our yard signs. And lo!, Covid came and forced us to do so, elevating our scientists to the highest seats of social authority, from where they banned assembly, commerce, and all the rest. We cast blame so innocently in those days. We scolded at will. We knew who was right and we shook our heads to behold those in the wrong playing in their swimming pools and on the beach. It made perfect sense to us that Donald Trump, a politician we despised, could not grasp the situation, that he suggested people inject bleach, and that he was personally responsible for more than one super-spreading event. Reality itself punished leaders like him who refused to bow to expertise. The prestige news media even figured out a way to blame the worst death tolls on a system of organized ignorance they called populism. In reaction to the fool Trump, liberalism made a cult out of the hierarchy of credentialed achievement in general But these days the consensus doesnt consense quite as well as it used to. Now the media is filled with disturbing stories suggesting that Covid might have come not from populism at all, but from a laboratory screw-up in Wuhan, China. You can feel the moral convulsions beginning as the question sets in: What if science itself is in some way culpable for all this? * I am no expert on epidemics. Like everyone else I know, I spent the pandemic doing as I was told. A few months ago I even tried to talk a Fox News viewer out of believing in the lab-leak theory of Covids origins. The reason I did that is because the newspapers I read and the TV shows I watched had assured me on many occasions that the lab-leak theory wasnt true, that it was a racist conspiracy theory, that only deluded Trumpists believed it, that it got infinite pants-on-fire ratings from the fact-checkers, and because (despite all my cynicism) I am the sort who has always trusted the mainstream news media. My own complacency on the matter was dynamited by the lab-leak essay that ran in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists earlier this month; a few weeks later everyone from Doctor Fauci to President Biden is acknowledging that the lab-accident hypothesis might have some merit. We dont know the real answer yet, and we probably will never know, but this is the moment to anticipate what such a finding might ultimately mean. What if this crazy story turns out to be true? The answer is that this is the kind of thing that could obliterate the faith of millions. The last global disaster, the financial crisis of 2008, smashed peoples trust in the institutions of capitalism, in the myths of free trade and the New Economy, and eventually in the elites who ran both American political parties. In the years since (and for complicated reasons), liberal leaders have labored to remake themselves into defenders of professional rectitude and established legitimacy in nearly every field. In reaction to the fool Trump, liberalism made a sort of cult out of science, expertise, the university system, executive-branch norms, the intelligence community, the State Department, NGOs, the legacy news media, and the hierarchy of credentialed achievement in general. Now here we are in the waning days of Disastrous Global Crisis #2. Covid is of course worse by many orders of magnitude than the mortgage meltdown it has killed millions and ruined lives and disrupted the world economy far more extensively. Should it turn out that scientists and experts and NGOs, etc. are villains rather than heroes of this story, we may very well see the expert-worshiping values of modern liberalism go up in a fireball of public anger. Consider the details of the story as we have learned them in the last few weeks: Lab leaks happen. They arent the result of conspiracies: a lab accident is an accident, as Nathan Robinson points out; they happen all the time, in this country and in others, and people die from them. There is evidence that the lab in question, which studies bat coronaviruses, may have been conducting what is called gain of function research, a dangerous innovation in which diseases are deliberately made more virulent. By the way, right-wingers didnt dream up gain of function: all the cool virologists have been doing it (in this country and in others) even as the squares have been warning against it for years. There are strong hints that some of the bat-virus research at the Wuhan lab was funded in part by the American national-medical establishment which is to say, the lab-leak hypothesis doesnt implicate China alone. There seem to have been astonishing conflicts of interest among the people assigned to get to the bottom of it all, and (as we know from Enron and the housing bubble) conflicts of interest are always what trip up the well-credentialed professionals whom liberals insist we must all heed, honor, and obey. The news media, in its zealous policing of the boundaries of the permissible, insisted that Russiagate was ever so true but that the lab-leak hypothesis was false false false, and woe unto anyone who dared disagree. Reporters gulped down whatever line was most flattering to the experts they were quoting and then insisted that it was 100% right and absolutely incontrovertible that anything else was only unhinged Trumpist folly, that democracy dies when unbelievers get to speak, and so on. The social media monopolies actually censored posts about the lab-leak hypothesis. Of course they did! Because were at war with misinformation, you know, and people need to be brought back to the true and correct faith as agreed upon by experts. * Let us pray, now, for science, intoned a New York Times columnist back at the beginning of the Covid pandemic. The title of his article laid down the foundational faith of Trump-era liberalism: Coronavirus is What You Get When You Ignore Science. Ten months later, at the end of a scary article about the history of gain of function research and its possible role in the still ongoing Covid pandemic, Nicholson Baker wrote as follows: This may be the great scientific meta-experiment of the 21st century. Could a world full of scientists do all kinds of reckless recombinant things with viral diseases for many years and successfully avoid a serious outbreak? The hypothesis was that, yes, it was doable. The risk was worth taking. There would be no pandemic. Except there was. If it does indeed turn out that the lab-leak hypothesis is the right explanation for how it began that the common people of the world have been forced into a real-life lab experiment, at tremendous cost there is a moral earthquake on the way. Because if the hypothesis is right, it will soon start to dawn on people that our mistake was not insufficient reverence for scientists, or inadequate respect for expertise, or not enough censorship on Facebook. It was a failure to think critically about all of the above, to understand that there is no such thing as absolute expertise. Think of all the disasters of recent years: economic neoliberalism, destructive trade policies, the Iraq War, the housing bubble, banks that are too big to fail, mortgage-backed securities, the Hillary Clinton campaign of 2016 all of these disasters brought to you by the total, self-assured unanimity of the highly educated people who are supposed to know what theyre doing, plus the total complacency of the highly educated people who are supposed to be supervising them. Then again, maybe I am wrong to roll out all this speculation. Maybe the lab-leak hypothesis will be convincingly disproven. I certainly hope it is. But even if it inches closer to being confirmed, we can guess what the next turn of the narrative will be. It was a perfect storm, the experts will say. Who coulda known? And besides (they will say), the origins of the pandemic dont matter any more. Go back to sleep. Thomas Frank is a Guardian US columnist. He is the author, most recently, of The People, No: A Brief History of Anti-Populism STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. After more than a week without holding a press briefing, Gov. Andrew Cuomo took time Wednesday to address a slew of allegations against him. The governor said he felt embarrassed, but that he never touched anyone inappropriately in reference to the allegations against him by three different women. I never knew at the time that I was making anyone feel uncomfortable, and I certainly never ever meant to offend anyone or hurt anyone or cause anyone any pain, he said. That is the last thing I would ever want to do. Cuomo made clear that he wouldnt be resigning from his position, and called on New Yorkers to wait for the results of an investigation led by the office of Attorney General Letitia James. Initially, Cuomo tried to avoid having Jamess office lead an investigation into the allegations that started with former state staffer Lindsey Boylan, who is now a candidate for Manhattan Borough President. On Saturday, he requested a review into a second set of allegations, which were brought by another state staffer, to be led by a former federal judge who used to work at a law firm with a longtime adviser of Cuomos. That second accuser, Charlotte Bennett, first told her account to the New York Times Saturday alleging the governor made comments and asked questions about her sex life that made her feel like he wanted to sleep with her. James issued a statement Sunday calling for the investigation to be referred solely to her office, but Beth Garvey, special counsel and senior advisor to the governor, later issued a statement saying the office would leave all decisions concerning the investigation to be made in the discretion of the independent counsel selected by the Attorney General and Chief Judge. Cuomos office eventually capitulated in a follow-up from Garvey after James issued a second statement Sunday clarifying her position. The latest allegations against the governor, which the New York Times first reported Monday, include details and a photo of the governor grabbing a womans face at a wedding in September 2019. After which, the woman alleging impropriety, Anna Ruch, said the governor asked if he could kiss her. Cuomo suggested Wednesday that he often offers a level of intimacy in his greetings in an effort to make people more comfortable, and that it was something he borrowed from his father, former Gov. Mario Cuomo. You can go find hundreds of pictures of me kissing people men, women it is my usual and customary way of greeting, he said. By the way, it was my fathers way of greeting people. Youre the governor of the state. You want people to feel comfortable. You want to reach out to them. In an apparent reference to Bennetts allegations, the governor said Wednesday that he was apologizing to the young woman who worked here, who said that I made her feel uncomfortable. On Wednesday, Cuomo did not address allegations brought by Boylan, who self-published her account on Medium and said the governor went as far as kissing her without invitation. Cuomo has previously denied allegations brought by Boylan, and his office issued a statement after the Medium piece published challenging some of Boylans account. Then-FBI director nominee Christopher Wray prepares to testify during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington on July 12, 2017. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) Which Is Worsethe FBI or the KGB? Commentary Asking which is worse, the FBI or the KGB, is rather like asking which is worse, the New York Times or Pravda? I would argue the New York Times, because it is trusted almost to a religious extent by a large portion of the public, even though it often lies blatantly for political/ideological purposes (most recently about the death of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick). From my visits to the Soviet Union, it was clear to me almost no one believed Pravda about which they would make dark Russian jokes. (A few good ones are here.) With the FBI and the KGB (now known as the FSB or Federal Security Service) it is much the same except, in all fairness to the FBI, they havent, to my knowledge, executed any of our fellow citizens or sent anyone to Siberia, although what they attempted to do, and almost succeeded in doing, to General Michael Flynn is pretty much the equivalent. Apparently the FBI, again much like the KGB, exploits honey traps, or generates false rumors thereof, as Rep. Devin Nunes revealed Sunday via an FBI memo turned over so late it calls to mind the Venona Papers that finally, after decades, implicated FDRs state department crony Alger Hiss as a Soviet spy. As reported by the perspicacious Chuck Ross at The Daily Caller, this particular memo describes an FBI Interview conducted in August 2016 with Stefan Halper, in which the now infamous former Cambridge professor and FBI confidential human source alleges he saw Flynn depart a Cambridge event on a London train in the company of a graduate student named Svetlana Lokhova. (Where are you, Mr. Bond?) Only it never happened. Various people have declared it a lie, from the FBI special agent in charge of the Flynn case (who declared it as implausible and not accurate in FBI speak), not to mention Ms. Lokhova herself and her husband. Or, as Nunes put it on Mario Bartiromos show, This is evidence that should have been brought nearly four years ago. They framed General Flynn! Indeed they did. Long live Devin Nunes. Where would we be without him? Its a scary thought actually because it was he, and only he, that first pried open the door that led to the revelations about the malfeasances in our Department of Justiceall the Russia collusion, FISA prevarications, not to mention the most extreme political bias in supposedly independent government agenciesthat seem never to end. And to a certain degree he appears to be alone because, before and after the inauguration of the new administration, a curtaincould we call it iron?has been drawn over what were almost certainly some of the most egregious crimes ever committed by our government against its peopleyes, even those on the left, although they are too heavily indoctrinated to see or admit it. (Their time will come. Just ask Thomas Carlyle.) No one knows whom to trustcertainly not current FBI director Chris Wray who has been about as forthcoming as a dead river rat and just stonewalled Senator Grassley on the aforementioned death of Officer Sicknick. The once-revered former Attorney General William Barr decamped before the changing of the guard leaving his man Durham to sort things out as a special counsel (although a counsel forbidden to investigate too highly, but still) Then suddenly Durham has resigned his Connecticut post and been called back to Washington under the watchful eye of new Attorney General Merritt Garland, the putative moderate who refused to say Antifa attacks on the Portland court house were terrorism because they took place at night when it was closed. (Would attacks on Jerusalems Holocaust Museum be terrorism if they took place on shabbat?) The Deep State protects its own, much like a living organism with many arms and legs continuously battling for its own survival. A Portuguese Man of War might be a good analogy. Come close and you will be stung, possibly fatally. Is this intentional? Are our principal law enforcement and intelligence agencies meant to be feared by the public, much as in the Soviet Union and todays Communist China? Its beginning to seem that way. Unless theres some other explanation, we are moving into an era of the people versus the government. The cancel culture is just one part of this, an enabling system designed to smash down those who raise objections. Who, besides Devin Nunes, will stand with us against this? Well, Donald Trump for one. He made that clear once again during his speech at CPAC. If that were all he did, as we say in the Jewish tradition, dayenu (that would be enough). Roger L. Simon is an award-winning novelist, Oscar-nominated screenwriter, co-founder of PJMedia, and now, editor-at-large for The Epoch Times. His most recent books are The GOAT (fiction) and I Know Best: How Moral Narcissism Is Destroying Our Republic, If It Hasnt Already (nonfiction). He can be found on Parler as @rogerlsimon. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Mumbai: Continuing their winning run for the third session in a row, the BSE Sensex surged nearly 1,148 points to breach the 51,000-level and the NSE Nifty recaptured the 15,200-mark on Wednesday (March 3), propped up by intense buying in financial and energy stocks. At the closing bell, the 30-share Sensex was up 1,147.76 points or 2.28 per cent at 51,444.65- the biggest single-day rise since February 2. Intra-day, the index swung 1,243 points. Likewise, the NSE Nifty climbed 326.50 points or 2.19 per cent to end at 15,245.60. The Sensex rally was driven by Bajaj FinServ, Reliance Industries, Bajaj Finance, ICICI Bank, HDFC and Axis Bank. Of the 30 Sensex constituents, 27 closed in the green. Foreign investors had bought equities worth Rs 2,223.16 crore on a net basis in Indian capital markets on Tuesday, exchange data showed. Elsewhere in Asia, stock markets extended gains on Wednesday despite an overnight retreat on Wall Street. Meanwhile, Brent Futures rose by 1.84 per cent to trade at USD 63.77 per barrel. On the forex market front, the rupee rose by 65 paise to end at 72.72 against the US dollar. Live TV Warren Pickett Blast Public Relations appoints Warren Pickett vice president, brand strategy. Pickett joins Blast from Access Intelligence, where he was content director of the firms e-tail and performance marketing group. In his new role, Pickett will contribute to the agencys overall expansion, helping Blast advance client relations, identify growth opportunities, secure new customers, expand content offerings and provide leading research. Warren has a wealth of experience in digital marketing and ad delivery as well as insights into the content needs of todays technology, SaaS and service organizations, said Blast managing partner Don Knox. Mike Reddy Marketing for Change hires Mike Reddy as directory of advocacy, part of the agencys expansion of its advocacy practice. Reddy most recently served as regional voter activation director with the Biden for President/Democratic Party of Wisconsin coordinated campaign. He was previously head of outreach at Ballast Research, a division of Atlantic Media's National Journal Group. "Mike's background in behavioral economics and his expertise in building collaborative and productive policymaker relationships makes him the ideal fit for leading our advocacy practice," said Marketing for Change CEO Christene Jennings. Jane Chero Steinreich Communications Group names Jane Chero senior vice president and leader of its home furnishings practice. Chero comes to Steinreich from Home Furnishings Business magazine, where she served as vice president production and director of marketing as well as content editor of the magazines Designer Weekly e-newsletter. She was previously vice president of production at NAPCO Media in Philadelphia. In addition to leading Steinreichs home furnishings team, Chero will work for clients in all aspects of the industry. With her deep experience and connections in the home furnishings industry, we know she will be an asset to our clients and a great partner in helping them grow their businesses, said agency president and CEO Stan Steinreich. Aryanna Harrell Crowe PR brings on Aryanna Harrell as senior social media manager, a new leadership role at the agency. Prior to joining Crowe, Harrell held several digital marketing, branding, social media and influencer marketing roles in Los Angeles, working with such clients as The CW, Ralphs, La Crema and West Elm. She will be based in Columbia, SC. Aryanna brings a powerful combination of great experience and energy to the agency, said Crowe founder and CEO Anna Crowe. 'Today's Special At Home,' is a timely program that reflects the ways restaurants have evolved over the last year. Tweet this S.Pellegrino and Phaidon will host two virtual events featuring leading culinary voices. Hugh Acheson, world-renowned chef, food writer, and restaurateur, will be in-conversation with two chefs he nominated in Today's Special, Mei Lin (Nightshade, Los Angeles), and Flynn McGarry (Gem, New York). The event will be moderated by Fine Dining Lovers Editor-in-Chief, Ryan King. The second event will pair Manoella "Manu" Buffara (Manu, Curitiba, Brazil) and Diana Davila (Mi Tocaya Antojeria, Chicago) with a special soon to-be-announced guest. Both events will be free and open to the public, details at Phaidon.com. S.Pellegrino and Phaidon are also proud to present 'Today's Special At Home,' a timely program that reflects the ways restaurants have reimagined, evolved, and inspired over the last year. Four restaurants across the country will offer limited edition 'Today's Special At Home' boxes featuring dishes from and inspired by the book. Customers will enjoy an elevated dine-at-home experience accompanied by a copy of Today's Special and a S.Pellegrino Limited Edition Diamond Bottle. Participating chefs include: At Spoon and Stable in Minneapolis, Chef Gavin Kaysen will celebrate his mentor and nominator, Daniel Boulud with a menu that marries the beauty of French cuisine with the bounty of Midwest products. At Staplehouse in Atlanta, Chef Ryan Smith will offer a selection from his award-winning multicourse tasting menu, as featured in Today's Special. At Archipelago in Seattle, Chef Aaron Verzosa's 'Today's Special At Home Balikbayan Box' will allow customers to unpack food, stories, and the Pacific Northwest Filipino American Experience. At Grand Cafe in Minneapolis, Chef Jamie Malone will capture her restaurant's blend of Belle Epoque romance with her own brand of upper Midwestern pluck. For more information on the 'Today's Special At Home' boxes, visit FineDiningLovers.com SOURCE Phaidon Related Links https://www.phaidon.com President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky hopes that the European Council, following a meeting at the end of this month, will make a decision condemning the hybrid aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. "I hope that following the meeting of the European Council at the end of March, a powerful signal will be given to condemn the Russian hybrid aggression against Ukraine. I do not believe in the return of 'business as usual' in relations between the European Union and the Russian Federation without restoring the territorial integrity of our state," Zelensky said at a joint briefing with President of the European Council Charles Michel in Kyiv on Wednesday. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. by Sumon Corraya Forest Department officials tore down a Seventh-day Adventist church in Bandarban district for lack of construction permit. Extremists attacked another Protestant church in northern Bangladesh because of the presence of new Christians. For the Bangladesh Christian Association, everyone should be guaranteed the right to practise their own religion and justice should be done. Bandarban (AsiaNews) A recent attack against two churches, one of which was demolished, is causing concern among Bangladeshi Christians. On 25 February, 10 Forest Department employees tore down the Sathirampara Seventh-day Adventist church in Ali Kadam, Bandarban district. The building was under construction. The congregation was replacing the old bamboo hut used as a church with a brick building. The Forest Department said that the community was not authorised to build on land under its jurisdiction. Yet, the area already has four mosques, three Buddhist temples, four large markets as well as public and private schools. No problems were reported in connection with any of these structures. Sathiram Tripura, one of the leaders of Sathirampara Church, told AsiaNews that people from two villages in the hills have been coming to his makeshift house of prayer for many years. Members of the community set aside the money for 15 years to build the brick church, he explained. Not being able to finish the construction is very sad. The demolition took place while the men of the community were working in the forest. The community includes more than a hundred people who now find themselves praying in the open air, Tripura noted. Without a church the situation will become very difficult when the rainy season begins. However, for Forest Department official S M Kawsar, his agency did not destroy any church, it simply cleared government land. Construction takes a permit and Christians did not have it, he explained. In this village, there are only three or four Christian families. There is no need for a church. Another incident occurred a few days earlier in Aditmari, Lalmonirhat district (northern Bangladesh). A group of local Muslims attacked Emmanuel Church on 10 February, which is located in a predominantly Muslim village. The Protestant house of prayer has existed since 2003. Local pastor Rev Lovlu S. Levy said that four people destroyed the church sign, cut trees, forced the entrance, and stole 30 chairs and two carpets worth 14,000 taka (US$ 165). Residents in this area are fundamentalists, he explained. When I first went to the police they did not want to file the report of what happened; they also told me not to inform journalists of the attack. Violence against the church appears to be the result of anti-Christian propaganda at a local Islamic meeting place (waz mahfil) where Muslim religious leaders engage in hate speech. Rev Lovlu S. Levy also reports that anger against Christians is linked to the fact that new members have joined the community. Muslims are angry because we have received Christ, which is why they attack us. Now we live in fear, ten new believers have fled the village for their safety. Bangladesh Christian Association President Nirmol Rozario condemned these two episodes of violence. With respect to the Sathirampara Church in Bandarban district he noted that everyone has the right to practise their religion. I call on the local authorities to ensure that Christians can soon build their own church. As for the attack in Aditmari, radical Muslims tried to frighten Christians. We condemn the attack and demand justice. [March 03, 2021] Seward & Kissel to Host Inaugural 2021 Maritime Outlook Symposium Virtually on March 30 Seward & Kissel's Maritime & Transportation Group will host its first-ever Maritime Outlook Symposium on Tuesday, March 30. The virtual event will feature timely and thought-provoking insights from leading maritime and shipping participants on current issues affecting the global maritime industry, including offshore wind and renewable energy, ESG considerations, and the current lending environment. "Given the travel restrictions caused by the global pandemic, we felt this was an important time to communicate with our clients and industry partners on key topics that are affecting the global maritime and shipping industry," said Mike Timpone, partner and head of the Maritime & Transportation Group at Seward & Kissel. "The symposium will provide a great opportunity for industry leaders to gain valuable market insight that we hope will help them navigate the remainder of 2021 and beyond." The symposium agenda and speakers are listed below. To register for the event, please visit: REGISTRATION. Symposium Agenda: Tuesday, March 30 9 a.m. EST ESG - How is the Maritime Industry Adapting? Moderated by Ted Horton, Partner, Seward & Kissel Hugo De Stoop, Chief Executive Officer, Euronav Paul Taylor, Global Head of Shipping & Offshore, Societe Generale 9:30 a.m. EST Renewable Energy, Offshore Wind - Jones Act Moderated by Keith Billotti, Partner, Seward & Kissel Jeff Andreini, Vice President, New Energy Services, Crowley Marine Services Nick Zenkin, Research & Development Manager, Lautec U.S. 10 a.m. EST Corporate Finance - What is the Current Environment for Lending? Moderated by Evan Uhlick, SVP & Head of Ocean Industries, DNB Bank ASA Robert Burke, Chief Executive Officer, Ridgebury Tankers 10:30 a.m. EST Keynote "Fireside Chat" Martin Stopford, Non-Executive President, Clarkson Research Services Ltd. Moderated by Mike Timpone, Partner, Seward & Kissel About Seward & Kissel LLP Seward & Kissel LLP, founded in 1890, is a leading U.S. law firm with offices in New York City and Washington, D.C., with particular expertise in the financial services, investment management, banking, and shipping industries. The Firm is well known for its representation of investment advisers and related investment funds, broker-dealers, major commercial banks, institutional investors, and transportation companies (particularly in the shipping area). Its practices primarily focus on corporate, M&A, securities, litigation (including white collar), restructuring/bankruptcy, real estate, regulatory, tax, employment, and ERISA for clients seeking legal expertise in these areas. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005813/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Vietnam confirmed three new imported cases of COVID-19 on March 3 morning, raising the national tally of imported cases to 914, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control. Among the three fresh cases, one is a Chinese expert who entered Binh Duong and the other two are Vietnamese who returned Kien Giang from abroad. They were quarantined immediately upon entry to receive treatment at local hospitals. Of the total figure, 1,561 are local infections, including 868 found when the virus recurred in the northern provinces of Hai Duong and Quang Ninh in late January. The total recoveries has gone up to 1,898 after an additional six COVID-19 patients were declared free from the disease one day earlier. Among the patients undergoing treatment in the nation, 216 have tested negative for the SARS-CoV-2 virus at least one, with most of them recording negative results. Regarding the COVID-19 vaccination, Deputy Minister of Health Truong Quoc Cuong told a recent cabinet meeting that COVID-19 vaccination will commence immediately after the Ministry of Health receives an accreditation certificate from the Republic of Korea (RoK), slated for late this week or early next week. The vaccination is in line with the Governments Resolution No. 21 on the purchase and use of COVID-19 vaccines, which detail nine priority groups for free injection. Furthermore, inoculation priority will be given to pandemic-hit localities and the current biggest coronavirus hotspot of Hai Duong. As scheduled, another batch of AstraZeneca vaccine along with COVAX Facility vaccine are set to arrive in the nation in late April, the minister said. Hai Duong remains the nations biggest coronavirus hotbed with a total of 684 community cases recorded so far. It officially ended social distancing measures throughout the province and lifted lockdowns on Chi Linh city and Cam Giang district as of zero hours on March 3. The province is poised to shift to a new status with a key task of continuing to combat the pandemic and ensuring socio-economic development. VOV IT Officer, Business Solutions I, Washington, United States Organization: The World Bank Country: United States City: Washington, United States Office: World Bank in Washington, United States Closing date: Wednesday, 10 March 2021 IT Officer, Business Solutions I Job #: req10998 Organization: World Bank Sector: Information Technology Grade: GF Term Duration: 4 years 0 months Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment Location: Washington, DC,United States Required Language(s): English Preferred Language(s): Closing Date: 3/10/2021 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC Description About the World Bank Group: Established in 1944, the World Bank Group (WBG) is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, the WBG works with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges. ITS Vice Presidency Context: Information and Technology Solutions (ITS) enables the WBG to achieve its mission of ending extreme poverty and promote shared prosperity in a sustainable way by delivering transformative information and technologies to its staff working in over 150 locations. Our vision is to transform how the Bank Group accomplishes its mission through information and technology. In this fast-paced, ever-changing world, the formulation and implementation of the ITS strategy is an ongoing, iterative process of learning and adaptation developed through extensive consultations with business partners throughout the World Bank Group. ITS shapes its strategy in response to changing business priorities and leverages new technologies to achieve three high-level business outcomes: business enablement, by providing Bank Group units with innovative digital tools and technologies to transform how they deliver value for their clients; empowerment & effectiveness, by ensuring that all Bank Group staff are connected, able to find information, and productive to accelerate the delivery of development solutions globally; and resilience, by equipping the Bank Group to provide risk-based cybersecurity and robust data protection for a global network and a growing cloud platform. Implementation of the strategy is guided by three core principles. The first is to deliver solutions for business partners that are customer-centric, innovative, and transformative. The second is to provide the Bank Group with value for money with selective and standard technologies. The third principle is to excel at the basics by providing a high performing, robust, and resilient IT environment for the organization. ITSTR Context The Finance Complex Financial Technology unit supporting Treasury Systems (ITSTR) provides highly specialized technology services to all business lines within Treasury. The World Bank Treasury (Treasury) provides asset management, banking and debt management, and capital markets services to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and International Finance Corporation (IFC), its affiliates and member countries, and to other official-sector institutions. Treasury also carries out extensive collaborations with finance officials of member countries and their agencies with the objective of building members capacity in public wealth and debt management. The scale of these activities is substantial: Treasury currently manages an annual funding program of US$60 to 70 billion through debt issuances of IBRD and IDA. Treasury leads a global team of capital markets professionals in the prudent management of US$200 billion debt portfolio; US$ 200 billion asset portfolio being managed for the World Bank Group and over 70+ clients. The group comprises approximately 60 staff and consultants, located at World Bank headquarters and in Chennai, India. ITSTR supports financial applications and technology infrastructure in areas including investment, liquidity, funding, and asset-liability management. Using existing staff as benchmark, it has been observed that the level of maturity required for this type of work (IT Officer) is more frequently found in candidates having a minimum 15 years of relevant experience. However, the quality of the candidates work experience carries considerable weight in the selection process. Roles and Responsibilities: Assume role of Technical Lead contributing to the implementation, maintenance, and operation of business-critical financial applications supporting the World Banks Treasury and Investment Management lines of business. This includes applications that perform trade capture, settlement, accounting, valuation, quantitative analysis, SWIFT messaging, collateral management, reporting, etc.Apply technical and business knowledge to develop and contribute to the implementation of solutions.Effectively document and communicate technical analyses, designs, and specifications.Assist with the development of test plans and support of the applications.Coordinate with vendors and consultants, overseeing their deliverables to ensure that they satisfy requirements and meet World Bank standards.Coordinate with project team members (BAs, PMs, Tech Leads, Developers, etc.) to complete the deliverables in the agreed timelinesMentor production support staff.Work with Enterprise Architects to ensure compliance with standards.Work with the Information Security Team to satisfy its requirements/recommendations and support related security testing.Work with Infrastructure/Cloud Teams, Data Engineers, Network Admins, et al to oversee deployment, configuration, testing, operation, renewal, etc. of supporting IT infrastructure. Business Domain Knowledge Treasury & Capital Markets (Fixed-Income)Trade Lifecycle oTrade Capture oSettlement & Settlement Messaging oAccounting Market DataReporting & Downstream DataMartFront & Back Office Business Processes Application-Specific Knowledge Finastra Summit Selection Criteria Masters degree with 5 years experience in relevant disciple such as Computer Science/Information Systems/Finance or Bachelors degree with 7 years relevant experience.Proven work experience in portfolio management system Finastra Summit is a must have.Deep understanding of the Summit API and significant experience in the development of enhancements particularly in the back-office support functions like trade settlement, SWIFT messaging, accounting, trade matching etc.Good understanding of trade workflows, as applies to trade life cycle for different financial products in the fixed income and derivative market. Experience in troubleshooting issues and supporting a large client base on different functional requirements.Good communication and collaboration skills.Ability to independently manage large, complex deliverables in an environment of shifting priorities, and willingness to challenge assumptions and rigorously debate ideas.Demonstrated experience in converting business requirements into technical deliverables.Experience in supporting user acceptance testing, and documenting test results per audit requirements, Proven conceptual and analytical skills. Sound engineering judgment about the differing tradeoffs of competing approaches to technical problems. Self-starter able to provide creative, effective ways of overcoming project management and execution challenges.Proven ability to contribute to projects with some guidance; capacity to work both independently and in a team; and a willingness to seek advice and assistance.Knowledge of standards and best practices for portfolio management systems. Knowledge of software models used in business applications, trade management systems, development tools, and middleware, each of which has a lifecycle to be managed.Demonstrated interest in and understanding of the Bank Groups work and objectives. External candidates must at a minimum be familiar with the mission and objectives of the World Bank Group. Poverty has no borders, neither does excellence. We succeed because of our differences and we continuously search for qualified individuals with diverse backgrounds from around the globe. Opinion Basic Income, in Canada, has come to mean an income-tested benefit a guaranteed income close to the poverty line for those with no other income, and a reduced benefit for low-income workers. Basic income does not replace public services such as health care and supports for people with disabilities. It streamlines and enhances cash transfers. The benefits of basic income have been documented in multiple studies. Mental and physical health improves. People invest in education. There is no evidence that overall work effort declines when a basic income is offered, and some evidence that basic income helps people move from precarious work to long-term employment. Studies remind us that when low-income people have money, they spend it in local communities and create jobs for their neighbours and families, which jump-starts recovery from pandemic-induced job losses. Basic income allows people to stand up for their rights as workers and tenants without fear of retribution. Ironically, the strongest arguments in support of basic income appear in a recent report of the B.C. Basic Income Panel that recommends targeted basic incomes for people with disabilities, survivors of domestic violence and kids aging out of foster care but stops short of recommending a basic income for everyone now living in poverty. There are no fewer than 194 unco-ordinated programs offered by federal, provincial and municipal authorities that offer support, in cash and in kind, to low-income people in British Columbia alone, and B.C. is not unique. Programs have different entry points, eligibility requirements and regulations designed by "experts" who believe they know best, requiring desperate people to navigate complex bureaucracies. Consequently, many people do not receive the benefits to which they are entitled. This system is so ineffective that tent cities and food banks proliferate, and we treat the consequences of poverty in our emergency departments and jails. The promise of ever more "wrap-around care," coupled with administrative tweaks, must send shivers up the spines of people who know that public services rarely meet their needs Indigenous mothers with kids in care , Black youths encountering racism at school , women incarcerated for poverty-related crimes , and t rans and r acialized people deprived of culturally appropriate medical care. The more distant someone is from mainstream culture, the more they need money to address their unique needs in their own way, and the more problematic the advice of "experts" becomes. Indigenous people have been victimized by coercive and ineffective bureaucracies for generations, and consequently, the Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women recommends a basic income for all Canadians. Basic income was the first call of the Black Lives Matter movement. Critics point to the implementation challenges of basic income, but the recent CERB delivered a responsive benefit quickly, respectfully and efficiently by relying on individual income reports and verifying afterwards. The glitches in roll-out occurred because applicants required $5,000 of (poorly defined) income in the previous 12 months. A basic income would not be conditional on past earnings, and defining income is surely within the capacity of policymakers. Up-to-date tax returns are not required, and people without internet access can reach administrators directly. Critics exaggerate the costs of a basic income by breathlessly telling us how much it would cost to send a cheque to everyone, rich or poor, each month an approach virtually no one advocates but costing exercises on well-designed programs show much lower costs. Taxpayers are already paying for the hundreds of failing programs that currently exist; is it too much to ask that their contributions be spent effectively? Basic income requires federal leadership , but Canada has a long tradition of allowing provinces to opt out, with compensation, to establish their own programs as long as they meet federal standards. A half century ago, ordinary Canadians of diverse backgrounds came together to challenge entrenched interests and the status quo; they demanded universal health care, which transformed our society forever. As Tommy Douglas reminded us, "Its not too late to build a better world." Evelyn L. Forget is an economist and professor at the University of Manitoba and author of Basic Income for Canadians: from the COVID-19 emergency to financial security for all. Amyris, Inc. has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Costa Brazil, a clean luxury beauty and wellness brand. With the acquisition, Amyris will appoint co-founder Francisco Costa as chief creative officer of the company. Related: Amyris Launches Terasana Amyris plans to leverage Costa Brazil's science platform and fermentation technology to develop and scale Costa Brazil products. All of the brand's products are made from pure, potent, enriching ingredients, sustainably sourced from the Amazon. By sourcing Costa Brazil ingredients from the Amazon in a sustainable way and applying the science of biotechnology, Amyris will continue to support the local communities where these ingredients are found. A definitive agreement is expected to be signed by the end of March 2021; the transaction is expected to close at that same time. Amyris is accelerating its growth in clean beauty with the addition of Costa Brazil to its family of consumer brands, which includes Biossance, Pipette baby and mother care, Rose Inc. clean cosmetics brand, JVN, and Terasana. Co-founder of Costa Brazil, Francisco Costa, said, "My vision for Costa Brazil has always been to create a brand where beauty is inseparable from the health of the earth. Amyris will be able to help execute this vision through its innovative science and research. There is no other company that has the same level of commitment to clean formulation, social responsibility, ethical sourcing and performance. Amyris puts the needs of customers and of the planet at the forefront, and I'm excited to be part of the transformation they are bringing to the beauty industry." John Melo, president and chief executive officer of Amyris said "We are very excited to be adding to our portfolio a truly differentiated offering. We welcome Francisco, whose successful track record at Calvin Klein, launch of Costa Brazil, together with his own creative talents, will help us accelerate the transition of the beauty industry to a science-backed business that delivers sustainability without compromise to performance. The Costa Brazil brand is loved by its consumers, and the addition of Mr. Costa to our company will deepen that authentic connection between Amyris brands and our consumers. We are experiencing a consumer 'Supercycle' in beauty driven by consumer demand for healthy skin and a focus on clean, sustainably sourced ingredients that deliver the best performance for consumers and our planet. Amyris's clean beauty consumer business continues its recent trajectory of more than doubling revenue versus the same period last year." US President Joe Biden held his first full meeting with his Mexican counterpart Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) via videoconference on Monday. Brief televised greetings were followed by closed-door discussions and the issuing of a joint declaration. Beyond formal statements of mutual respect and equal treatment by Biden, the meeting marks a continuation of the subservience of the AMLO administration to the interests of US imperialism that was cemented under Trump. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in Mexico City, Friday, April 3, 2020. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) The Mexican president, who has been tirelessly promoted as left and progressive by pseudo-left outlets like Jacobin Magazine, set the tone for his relationship with Biden by correctingfrom the righta phrase attributed to the brutal ruler overthrown by the Mexican Revolution, Porfirio Diaz, an authoritarian puppet of US and European imperialism and the landed oligarchy. Poor Mexico, so far from God and so close to the United States, Diaz supposedly said. AMLO proclaimed: But we can now say, Blessed Mexico, so close to God and not so far from the United States. I believe our proximity will allow us to develop better in these times. Biden responded with big smile and giggles. This happened even though AMLOs main proposal for the meeting, a request that the United States share its COVID-19 vaccines with Mexico, had already been rejected outright by Bidens press secretary Jen Psaki hours before the virtual encounter. No, Psaki said, The president has made clear that he is focused on ensuring that vaccines are available to every American. That is our focus. A vague mention of cooperation in the joint statement was used to cover over the rejection of Mexicos request. Such vaccine nationalism is unscientific and can only undermine the efforts to contain a global pandemic as new variants, which could eventually deter the effectiveness of the vaccines, sprout in whatever corner of the planet surrendered to the virus. Instead, both presidents made clear that, as opposed to the life-saving vaccines, their sole priority is expediting the production and flow of the lucrative goods, services and money that comprise the heart in North America of US imperialisms economic platform. Under the section on the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the statement declares: Both leaders agreed to strengthen supply chain resilience and security. The leaders also agreed to re-start the High Level Economic Dialogue to further these aims. Brief national lockdowns were implemented in May and June last year only after workers across factories in the United States and northern Mexicofollowing similar steps by European workerscarried out wildcat strikes demanding the shutdown of nonessential production. Aided by the trade unions, the Trump and AMLO administrations soon reopened all manufacturing. Public schools remain closed in Mexico, but pressures are growing for their reopening, which is well underway in the United States and represents a core policy for the Biden administration. In Mexico, orders to close restaurants and indoor businesses were issued in certain states when infections and hospitalizations crossed a threshold. However, the lack of economic assistance has forced small businesses and informal workers to choose between continuing operations or total deprivation. These criminal reopenings and social austerity at the behest of the American financial and corporate oligarchy and their Mexican junior partners have resulted in the first and third highest confirmed COVID-19 death tolls in the world: over 525,000 in the United States and 185,000 in Mexico. In Mexico, however, between March 2020 and the end of the year the government reported 335,525 excess deaths compared to a 20152019 average baseline. According to the Financial Times, Mexicos excess mortality per million was 52 percent greater than in the US and almost twice as high as in Brazil. These figures dont include record deaths in January and February 2021, when hospitals in Mexico City were overwhelmed and oxygen tanks became scarce. Mondays meeting follows an earlier call in January between both presidents that was focused on renewing their commitment to crack down on migrants escaping Central American countries ravaged by neocolonial exploitation, state and gang violence and devastating hurricanes. This policy was presented in the new joint statement under euphemisms about developing legal pathways for migration. The Mexican media reported that some controversy emerged regarding an Electric Reform making its way through the Mexican Congress, controlled by the ruling party, Morena. The bill would give the state-owned Federal Electricity Company (CFE) priority status in the energy market. The US Chamber of Commerce and business groups in Mexico and Europe have opposed the legislation as a disincentive for private investments, while cynically claiming that they are concerned over its effects on greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. The Biden-AMLO statement indirectly confirms that Biden lobbied against the bill by citing concerns over climate change and the need to promote energy efficiency. The bill, however, does not challenge the privatized market in which the state agency is still forced to operate competitively by cutting infrastructure and personnel costs. Nor does it stop private contractors leeching off the CFE. AMLO has been grasping at straws to varnish his pretensions of standing up for national sovereignty and development, as opposed to the submissiveness of his predecessors to imperialism. During his term, such a stance has been limited to winning the release of retired Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos from US custody after he was indicted for working with drug cartels. AMLO also proposed a new refinery for the state-owned oil company PEMEX, while not challenging the privatization drive that began under the Enrique Pena Nieto administration. The AMLO administrations focus has been on imposing devastating social austerity to meet interest payments to the financial vultures on Wall Street and the Mexican oligarchs, at the expense of urgent social needs and infrastructure. Public investment has fallen from 2.9 percent to 2.5 percent of GDP since he came into office. Between January and October 2020, the Economy Ministry reported that it spent 611 billion pesos ($29.6 billion) on servicing the public debt and bailing out banks, corporations and other financial costs. This is compared to 540 billion pesos ($26 billion) on public infrastructure, which is itself used to enrich the local bourgeoisie. Only 14.5 billion pesos ($702 million) went to health care infrastructure. AMLOs nationalist demagogy reflects fears over growing social opposition in the working class against his administrations right-wing and pro-imperialist policies. On the other side of the coin, AMLO has cultivated support within the military through increased spending, infrastructure concessions and promises of legal immunity as part of a shift toward dictatorship, demonstrated above all by AMLOs backing of Trumps coup attempt. The Mexican president joined the fascistic Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro in refusing to recognize the clear electoral victory of Biden until the Electoral College ratified it on December 14, well after every other Latin American government. Echoing Trumps co-conspirators in the Republican Party, Lopez Obrador legitimized Trumps completely unfounded claims of electoral fraud, which were used as a cover for Trump to rally fascist militias in Washington and incite them to invade the Capitol in a coup attempt on January 6. AMLO refused to condemn Trumps attempt to establish a presidential dictatorship based on anti-immigrant fascist agitation and America First imperialist bullying, which included economic sanctions and threats to send US troops to Mexico. Instead, his response was to condemn the blocking of Trumps social media accounts, which were being used in the fascist conspiracy. Trump acknowledged the gesture and thanked AMLO in his first public appearance after January 6, calling him a great gentlemen, a friend of mine, president Obrador. Our Lady of the Lake, the largest hospital network in the Baton Rouge area and part of a Catholic health system, will provide the single-dose Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine once the hospital group receives it, according to a spokesperson. The third coronavirus vaccine approved by federal officials for use in the United States has been a source of controversy among local Catholic leaders this week. The Most Rev. Michael Duca, bishop of the Baton Rouge Diocese, told his parishioners the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a valid choice, while the New Orleans Archdiocese said the vaccine is "morally compromised." John Bel Edwards responds to Catholic church's concern with Johnson & Johnson vaccine After some local Catholic church leadership called the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine "morally compromised" due to its ties to abor The three authorized vaccines and other COVID-19 vaccines still in development use cell lines from the tissue of aborted fetuses in the 1970s or 1980s at some point in their development, production or both, according to published scientific journal accounts. But the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has relied more heavily on the cell lines, raising more serious ethical concerns for church leaders. "Because of the common good associated with vaccine use and the serious health danger of COVID-19, the Catholic Church has permitted the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine while advocating for an end to this method of vaccine development and manufacturing," said Grace Weber, the health system spokeswoman. Louisiana was expected to receive almost 38,000 doses of the one-shot J&J vaccine this week for distribution through hospitals, clinics and pharmacies. 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 Why the latest coronavirus vaccine poses issue for some Louisiana Catholics Louisiana Catholics may grapple not with the issue of taking a COVID-19 vaccination, but with which vaccination to take. OLOL is part of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, a nonprofit Catholic health system. Franciscan Missionaries is already distributing the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, Weber said. Duca's support for the J&J vaccine, even limited, helps, she said. "He understands the challenges to the acquisition and equitable distribution of all three vaccines and supports our administration as circumstances require in order to protect the common good," Weber said. On Tuesday, Gov. John Bel Edwards, who is Catholic and spoke to New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond on Sunday, explained that he saw the combined statements of Duca and Aymond as not prohibiting Catholics from receiving the J&J vaccine. You do have to weigh this with the common good of ending a pandemic, Edwards said. The fastest way to do this is deploy all the vaccines and have the uptake of the vaccines be as great as possible. State health officials have warned against warned against trying to pick one vaccine over another, instead urging everyone to receive a shot as soon as they are eligible. Researchers have captured the first detailed images of newborn babies' lungs as they take their first breaths. The research, led by the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) and published the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, provides a breakthrough in understanding the events around a baby's first breath, why healthy babies cry at birth and provides clues to improving preterm babies' survival chances and long term health outcomes. About 10 per cent of newborns, and almost all preterm infants, need resuscitation because their lungs do not properly fill with air at birth (a process called lung aeration). Despite this, MCRI Associate Professor David Tingay said that birth was one of the most poorly understood respiratory events in medicine due to the difficulties of imaging a newborn's lungs. The research involved studying full-term infants born at The Royal Women's Hospital. Researchers used cutting edge-technology, electrical impedance tomography (EIT), where a small silk belt is placed around the infants chest to take highly detailed images deep into the lungs without interfering with parental contact or clinical care. This process allowed the team to generate high resolution images of how air was moving through the lungs for each breath. Associate Professor Tingay said the technology helped babies in a way that was not possible before. Respiratory problems are the most common reason we need to treat babies in intensive care. This new technology not only allows us to see deep into the lungs but is also the only method we have of continuously imaging the lungs without using radiation or interrupting life-saving care. This study has shown that babies' lungs are far more complicated than traditional monitoring methods had previously suggested." David Tingay, MCRI Associate Professor Associate Professor Tingay said he was currently researching whether using the technology on very preterm babies may help to predict which children would go onto develop lung problems. Joanna Bezette's daughter, Camilla 'Milly', 14 months, has chronic lung disease after being born at 25 weeks. "Milly had to be intubated at just eight minutes old," she said. "She spent the next five months in the neonatal intensive care unit relying on various types of respiratory ventilation and having what felt like an endless amount of X-rays. There were times when she had two or three X-rays a day. You just shudder to think of a tiny baby having to go through that. "It took doctors about a month to get a full picture of just how little and underdeveloped Milly's lungs were. Even today Milly still requires supplementary oxygen when sleeping." Ms Bezette said it was remarkable to think about the potential of the new lung imaging technology for premmie babies. "So many families could be spared in future from what we went through in those first few weeks of Milly's life," she said. "To have imaging technology that can detect quickly whether there is problem with a newborn's lungs and that's also not invasive will be of such great comfort." Associate Professor Tingay said this recent study provided the first detailed description of exactly how lungs fill with air during the first moments after birth. "Healthy term babies use remarkably complex methods of adapting to air-breathing at birth," he said. "There is a reason why parents, midwives and obstetricians are pleased to hear those first life-affirming cries when a baby is born. Crying is a process that quickly aerates the lung, which is why 80 per cent of all breaths immediately after birth are cries. "We were amazed to see that expiration is also critically important during those first cries. Just after birth the lung is still at risk of collapsing and the air-spaces can refill with fluid when a baby is breathing out. Babies are remarkably clever, as they breath out after a cry they move gas from well aerated regions to those areas of the lungs that are still filled with fluid preventing collapse. Babies will keep doing this until their lungs are safely filled with air and then they can start breathing normally." Associate Professor Tingay said doctors lacked strong evidence-based interventions to support breathing after birth, influencing infant deaths, the rate of disease and resource allocation across all health care settings. "Improving interventions in the delivery room first requires understanding the processes that define success and failure of breathing at birth," he said. "This study has significantly reduced that knowledge gap. We hope that being able to see these unique breathing patterns in the delivery room will tell clinicians when a baby needs resuscitation and also guide how effective that resuscitation is." Researchers from the University of Melbourne, The Royal Children's Hospital, The Royal Women's Hospital, Rostock University Medical Center in Germany, Carleton University in Canada and the University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein in Germany also contributed to the findings. A harmless 1.5 metre lace monitor found spray-painted in pink and chained to the gate of a car dealership has sparked an RSPCA investigation. The native reptile was a regular feature around the Trinity Auto Group in Cairns, employee Jenni Vogel told ABC News. One of her colleagues discovered the lizard early last Monday morning bound in rope, spray-painted and padlocked to the gate of the dealership. Employees of the Cairns car dealership used bolt cutters and scissors to free the creature 'It was horrendous,' said Ms Vogel. 'We had to get bolt cutters and a grinder to be able to get him free.' Ms Vogel said the monitor had been spotted around the property for 'a long time'. 'Everybody has come across him at some point,' she said. 'He sticks to himself out the little back area. He will often be just poking around through the grass.' Lace monitors can reach two metres in length and weigh up to 14 kilograms. They can be aggressive, particularly during breeding season, where male monitors are known to fight each other as they attempt to mate with a female. After being discovered the reptile was taken into care by Wildlife Carers FNQ. Chris Beston from the group said that the monitor had swelling around its stomach but was compliant as he wrapped it in a blanket to transport it to a vet. 'It just disappoints me that people would treat wildlife like that,' he said. Michael Beatty of RSPCA Queensland said the monitor was still in the care of a vet but is expected to make a full recovery and be re-released into the wild within a week. An animal cruelty offence in Queensland can draw a fine of $266,900 and up to three years in prison. More serious animal cruelty can attract a a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment in Queensland. Travellers who were on a flight to Brisbane a fortnight ago will have to undergo an extended quarantine period after at least two passengers tested positive to a Russian variant of coronavirus. Queensland Health said their monitoring of Covid cases identified a 'potential link' between infections detected with the B1.1.317 variant in a Qatar Airways service. Flight QR898 touched down in the Queensland capital from Doha on February 17, with 74 passengers on board. The returned travellers will now be required to stay in mandatory hotel quarantine for an additional five days. Returned travellers who landed in Brisbane last month have had their two-week hotel quarantine stay extended after two passengers tested positive to a Russian variant of coronavirus (stock image) 'As more variants emerge, we are taking a cautious approach,' a Queensland Health spokesperson said. 'This new variant has meant we've had to extend the mandatory 14-day quarantine period for another five days and organise additional testing for 74 travellers who may have been exposed to this new variant. 'We want to apologise for any inconvenience caused by the extended quarantine period, but these measures are necessary to protect Queenslanders.' The Russian variant has been detected in two passengers but genomic testing was underway on a third person who has tested positive to Covid and who is linked to flight QR898. The flight continued to New Zealand after leaving Brisbane and Queensland authorities are speaking with NZ officials about a fourth traveller who later tested positive for Covid-19 in that country. The flight, QR898, touched down in the Queensland capital from Doha on February 17, with 74 passengers on board (stock image) Queensland Health said the outbreak is contained in quarantine and the Russian virus strain is not particularly dangerous. 'The Russian variant is not considered a variant of concern, but as the variant is very new, we are remaining cautious while we learn more about its incubation period and transmissibility,' it said. There was an outbreak of the UK strain of the virus at Brisbane's hotel Grand Chancellor in January. The cases included four guests and a hotel cleaner, who was later in the community resulting in Brisbane being ordered into a snap three-day lockdown. That outbreak led to the Queensland government considering moving quarantine out of hotels in major population centres and into regional quarantine camps. U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm urged the Texas Legislature Wednesday to tighten up regulations on the state's power grid to prevent a repeat of the blackouts earlier this month that left millions without power for days on end. She pointed to a 2011 report by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission recommending that Texas power plants and transmission companies better weatherize their equipment against cold weather, following a rolling blackout the previous winter. "Everybody knows that now and it's out there," she said, speaking at the IHS Markit CERAWeek conference. " I hope the legislature in Texas provides the ability to be prepared and sustain (the power grid) for the kinds of storms we saw because it will not be a one off." Governor Greg Abbott has already called on the Legislature to focus on power grid reform this session, with Republicans and Democrats alike looking at possible changes to force power companies to be better prepared for inclement weather - something climate scientists warn is likely to be a bigger problem in decades ahead. "The Texas House will do its part to ensure this disaster never happens again," Enrique Marquez, spokesman for House Speaker Dade Phelan, a Republican, said in an email. Granholm urged power regulators across the country to take steps to improve the resiliency of their power grids, "even in warm places." And she also said Texas should think about expanding interconnections with neighboring power grids, to not only help them in a crisis but also to be able to send electricity to Oklahoma or Louisiana should their grids fall into trouble. "I understand the go it alone ethos but theres also an ethos of helping your neighbor," Granholm said. "Texas is generating a lot of clean energy and theres a market out there eager to accept it." Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 17:33:07|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BANJUL, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The Gambia has received its first shipment of 36,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX facility at the Banjul International Airport on Tuesday night, the Gambian Ministry of Health and UNICEF announced in a statement on Wednesday. The Gambian Health Minister Ahmadou Lamin Samateh described the development as historic and momentous. "Now that both the syringes and vaccines are here, we are expediting our plans to ensure that vaccination of health care workers, those with underlying medical conditions, and elderly people of 65 years and above, will kick off soon," Samateh said in the statement. "I must reiterate that the government of The Gambia only accepts vaccines that are safe and effective and these vaccines have passed the test," he stressed. The UNICEF representative in The Gambia, Gordon Jonathan Lewis, has reaffirmed commitment to vaccine equity to ensure that no one is left behind. "By delivering these vaccines, we have taken a giant leap towards recovery for the hundreds of thousands of children and their families affected by the pandemic in this country. We look forward to working with the Ministry of Health, WHO, and other key partners to support the fast roll-out of a landmark immunization campaign," he said. The COVAX facility is a global initiative co-led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, and the World Health Organization (WHO), alongside key implementing partner UNICEF, working to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for all countries. The Gambia reported its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on March 16, 2020. The country has so far recorded 4,735 positive cases, including 151 deaths and 4,111 recoveries. Enditem Attorney-General Christian Porter, accused of a historical rape, fronted the media visibly anguished and vehemently firm. He did not do the things of which he was accused in the summer of 1988. Attorney-General Christian Porter speaking at a press conference in Perth on Wednesday. Credit:Trevor Collens He began by addressing the family of his accuser, a 49-year-old Adelaide woman who died by suicide last year. You have suffered a terrible loss, and you did not deserve the frenzied politicisation of the circumstances of your daughters death, he said. I hope that ... you will understand ... that the things that are being claimed to have happened did not happen, that I did not mean to impose anything more upon your grief. The Armenian leadership, surrounded from all sides, is trying to choose the best option for overcoming political isolation. Nikol Pashinyan's government faces a difficult task: to reduce the degree of popular censure by knocking out from the hands of the so-called opposition its main tool for squeezing the prime minister out of politics - public anger. The pseudo-patriotic bloc of the Armenian opposition has chosen a strategy of attrition, according to which Pashinyan must waver and resign from the post of head of government. However, Pashinyan is in no hurry to leave, because he cannot guarantee himself a secure future in Armenia and beyond, taking into account the kind of rhetoric that comes from the lips of his political opponents. No one dares to storm the government, let alone take responsibility for a military or constitutional coup. The illegitimate government is extremely vulnerable, and among the existing political blocs of post-war Armenia there is no force capable of rallying around itself simultaneously the army, society, law enforcement agencies, and numerous bureaucratic apparatus. Therefore, the so-called patriots rushing to power, reacting to any crisis moments in relations between Pashinyan and various departments, can only heat up emotional tension in society in the hope that Pashinyan's party will eventually lose its nerves. The prime minister's positions are unstable, and speculation around his imminent political suicide should have dispelled early elections. But taking into account the fact that the elections for Pashinyan are now a rather dangerous event, the prime minister will try to divert public attention from the topic of a possible rotation of power. This was the reason for the leitmotif of the March 1 rally held by the prime minister's supporters in the center of Yerevan. During Pashinyan's speech, everyone drew attention to his words about the need for a referendum to restore a semi-presidential form of government in Armenia. Opponents recalled to the head of the Cabinet of Ministers how in January 2020 he criticized this form of government. Pashinyan is an experienced political strategist who knows how to manipulate public opinion. It would seem that the proposal to hold a referendum on changing the form of government, unexpected for post-war Armenia, seems inappropriate, but Pashinyan is not accidentally announcing this process for October. Spring and summer are ahead, a time favorable for street demonstrations, which Pashinyan's opponents could take advantage of by finally blocking the work of the government. Whether or not the announced referendum will be held for Pashinyan does not matter now, since this next high-profile political campaign is akin to the constitutional reforms that he tried to implement literally last year, before the war. The current campaign is designed to remove people from the streets, creating the illusion of political reform in society. During this time, Pashinyan will certainly try to convince the public that his hasty departure from politics has no practical benefit for the country. The current situation is pushing Pashinyan and President Armen Sarkissian into the political embrace. Sargsyan's policy is still limited to attempts to prevent associations of his name with one or another political bloc. He took a neutral position in the conflict between the prime minister and the generals. At the same time, Sargsyan keeps aloof, but in the event of Pashinyan's dismissal, he may turn out to be an unnecessary figure in the political field of Armenia. One way or another, during the spring and summer, Pashinyan will have to make every effort to prevent the popularization of the idea of restoring separatist power, so that the name of the second president, Robert Kocharian, does not become relevant for post-war Armenia. Kocharian is Pashinyan's most dangerous opponent, who is ready to coolly wait for the next or early presidential elections to be held. It is not known whether Kocharyan will be able to get rid of criminal prosecution by that time, and it is also unknown whether he will nominate his candidacy in the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. FLINT, MI -- A 34-year-old man was shot in the legs while riding in a car in Flint, police said. Officers responded to a local hospital at 1:47 p.m. Tuesday, March 3, for a report of a shooting. The victim, a 34-year-old male, reported he was a passenger in a vehicle when he was shot in the legs on East Boulevard Drive near East Pierson Road, according to a Michigan State Police news release. The victim, whose name has not been released, was shot by someone outside of the vehicle, Michigan State Police Lt. Liz Rich said. The people in the vehicle saw two subjects standing on the side of the street, but there are no suspects at this time. The shooting investigation is ongoing. Anyone within information on the case may contact Crime Stoppers at crimestoppersofflint.com, on the P3 Tips mobile app, or by calling 1-800-422-JAIL (5245). Read more on MLive: Restart of Genesee County Circuit Court jury trials delayed after county sees coronavirus spike Flint father arrested for stabbing son, police say Police investigate suspicious death in Flint Man hit by car in Flint dies of injuries Woman, 77, identified as victim in fatal Flint Township fire Woman shoots intruder in neck while home alone with child, police say Ohio man arraigned after threatening to burn down a Michigan elementary school, police say 15-year-old shot in Flint in critical condition A pensioner was nearly killed when her neighbour brutally stabbed her in the neck over a dispute about a communal washing machine. Annick Henenberg, 65, still bears the scars from the unprovoked attack by her neighbour Brett Vaisey, 56, at their public housing block in Melbourne's bayside suburbs on Australia Day last year. Chilling footage captured the moment Vaisey, armed with a kitchen knife, ran at Ms Henenberg and the haunting screams and cries for help that followed. The pensioner suffered a huge slash to her stomach as well as a 10cm deep cut to her neck - but miraculously survived. Ms Henenberg recorded the horrific moment on her phone with disturbing audio hearing Vaisey utter the words 'die, die'. Annick Henenberg, 65, was nearly killed when she was attacked by her neighbour Brett Vaisey, 56, at their public housing block in Melbourne's bayside suburbs on Australia Day last year 'I saw him coming with the knife and I thought he's not going to do it,' Ms Henenberg told A Current Affair. She claimed the altercation began because her neighbour was so bothered by the sound of her laundry in the washing machine that he turned it off several times. When the 65-year-old confronted him, she decided to start recording on her phone in fear she would be attacked. After speaking to Vaisey, Ms Henenberg started walking back to her unit. Alarming footage then shows her neighbour quickly run up behind her while holding a knife. Instead, Vaisey turns and leaves but moments later he returns and begins to violently slash the helpless pensioner. Her desperate cries for help are heard while Vaisey mutters the words 'piece of s**t die'. The pensioner suffered a huge slash to her stomach as well as a 10cm deep cut to her neck - but miraculously survived 'If I'm going to jail it's worth it. Just die will ya, hurry up. C'mon, bleed out. Bleed out,' he is heard saying to the woman. Vaisey allegedly threw punches at Ms Henenberg's face while a horrified neighbour, John Seymour, ran outside to help. 'I said Brett what have you done? And he said ''I've killed her'',' Mr Seymour told the program. Police and paramedics arrived at the scene within minutes and as Vaisey was being taken away in handcuffs, Mr Seymour said he told him 'see you in eight years'. Several plastic surgeries later, Ms Henenberg is forever reminded of the horrific attack by the scars covering her stomach and throat. She still can't feel one side of her face. 'He definitely tried to kill me. He thought he had killed me,' she said. The 65-year-old said she'd made eight complaints to the public housing office and believes the near fatal attack should never have happened. Daily Mail Australia can confirm Vaisey has pleaded guilty to attempted murder and will be sentenced at a later date. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Hungary's ruling right-wing Fidesz party on Wednesday quit the conservative European People's Party (EPP) grouping in the European Parliament, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Budapest, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Mar, 2021 ) :Hungary's ruling right-wing Fidesz party on Wednesday quit the conservative European People's Party (EPP) grouping in the European Parliament, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said. "I hereby inform you that Fidesz MEPs resign their membership in the EPP group," Orban said in a letter to EPP group leader Manfred Weber, posted on Twitter by one of Orban's ministers. The decision to quit came immediately after the EPP voted for a change in its rules that was billed as a way to expel Orban's hardline nationalist party from their ranks. The conservative bloc had backed by 148 members to 28 a measure that would allow them in future to vote to suspend or dismiss an entire national party delegation. Orban accused the EPP of "trying to mute and disable our democratically elected MEPs" and called the vote "a hostile move against Fidesz and our voters", as well as "anti-democratic, unjust and unacceptable". The EPP, which brings together Europe's main centre-right parties, is the biggest single voting bloc in the European Parliament and the party of both Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel. The departure of the Fidesz group ends years of rancour between EPP parties over whether to kick out Orban's party or keep its MEPs on board in the centre-right grouping to avoid them siding with eurosceptic populists. Oppo is working on a new smartphone under its Reno 5 series. Called Reno 5 Z, the smartphone has made an appearance on the US FCC website. The phone had recently appeared on the Bluetooth certification website. According to the FCC listing, Oppos Reno 5 Z will run on Android 11-based ColorOS 11.1. The smartphone will have a 4,310mAh battery. It is also said to ship with a 30W charger. The listing also features a schematic of the phone. The image shows the phone has a triple-rear camera setup. The volume rocker is located on the left edge. The power button is placed on the right edge. According to the listing, the phone will be 7.8mm slim. It would weigh around 175 grams. That said, Oppo has already launched Reno 5 Pro 5G in India. The handset comes with a 6.4-inch full HD+ OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. A MediaTek Dimensity 1000+ chipset powers the phone. It also has 12GB of RAM. The phone comes with 256GB of built-in storage. A 4,350mAh battery with support for 65W fast charging powers the phone. Oppo Reno 5 Pro 5G also packs a quad-camera setup featuring a 64-megapixel primary sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens, a 2-megapixel macro sensor, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. The smartphone has a 32-megapixel front camera for selfies. Oppo Reno 5 Pro 5G is available in India for 35,990. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. The Miss Panama organisation has announced that from this year, the pageant would include transgender women in its competitions who have completed all their legal and medical procedures. As per the CNN Indonesia report, the organisers disclosed the update in the rules on Monday, "after plenty of conversations". The Senorita Panama's beauty contest is responsible for choosing the countrys representative for the Miss Universe pageant and it said that the decision on including Transgender women was reportedly made after plenty of conversations and in line with the rules of the Miss Universe organization." As per the report, the requirements must be met by transgender women before registering for the competition that they have completed the legal process regarding their gender as well as the essential medical procedures. The organisation said in a statement reported by several media outlets, Following the basis of the agreement with Miss Universe, we announce that by 2021, women who are legally recognized will be legally allowed, and doors are open to transgender women. Read - Plea Requesting 'Transgender Welfare Board' Initiation To Check Cases Of Abuse Filed In SC Read - Transgender Pooja Wins Commuters' Hearts On Local Train; Gets Message From Ankita Lokhande Miss Universe allowed transgender female contestants in 2012 The announcement by Senorita Panama's beauty contest came after the Miss Universe beauty contest itself has allowed the transgender female contestants. Even though the rules were implemented in 2012, in 2018 Angela Ponce became the first transgender woman to become a Miss Universe contestant representing Spain. Panama has joined other nationals beauty pageants such as Spain, Canada, Nepal to accept transgender contestants. The Miss Universe competition is reportedly aired in 190 countries to at least half a billion viewers. In 2018, the first indigenous winner of Senorita Panama, Rosa Montezuma, competed in Miss Universe but did not bag a place. Nepal is also among the fewer than a dozen countries in the world that accept transgender contestants which is only the third in Asia after Myanmar and Mongolia, according to LGBTQ+ activists. Angel Lama in December 2020 made history by becoming the first trans women to enter the final of Miss Universe Nepal, which is also one of the most glamorous national events. Read - Set Up Separate Toilet Facilities For Transgender People In Offices: Delhi Govt To Depts, MCDs Read - Mississippi Senate: Ban Transgender Athletes On Female Teams The highly anticipated animated film -- Raya And The Last Dragon -- is premiering in theaters on the same day it will be available on the Disney+ streaming service for a for a fee of $30. But as of now, Cinemark won't be one of movie theater chains showing the movie due to a dispute over the licensing terms. Cinemark, which is the third largest exhibitor in the world, operates under several brands, including its flagship Cinemark, Century Theatres Tinseltown, CineArts and Rave Cinemas. The highly anticipated animated film -- Raya And The Last Dragon -- won't be shown by Cinemark when it debuts in theaters and on Disney + Premiere Access 'In the current operating environment, we are making near-term booking decisions on a discrete, film-by-film basis, focusing on the long-term benefit of exhibitors, studios and moviegoers,' Cinemark explained in a statement about the decision. 'While we are having conversations with The Walt Disney Company, we have not yet reached agreeable licensing terms for Raya and the Last Dragon. ' The company continued, 'As we continue to work with our studio partners, we remain optimistic that we will reach mutually beneficial terms that will provide moviegoers the opportunity to see the exciting film lineup in our theatres.' Licensing dispute: In a statement, Cinemark said it had not yet reached agreeable licensing terms with The Walt Disney Company for Raya and the Last Dragon Premise: The story takes place in the fantasy Asian world of Kumandra, where humans and dragons lived together in harmony a long time ago Harkins and Cineplex in Canada will also pass on the showing of Raya in its theaters, according to Deadline. Disney is expected to have wit playing in more than 2,000 theaters when it debuts this Friday, March 5. Like it did with the release of Mulan late year, It's assumed Raya And The Last Dragon will also be available for free on Disney+ after a couple of months. With her voiced role as Raya Kelly Marie Tran makes history as the first Southeast Asian actress to lead an animated Disney movie. Awkwafina plays Sisu, the last dragon. History-making: By voicing the role of Raya, Kelly Marie Tran makes history as the first Southeast Asian actress to lead an animated Disney movie Directed by Don Hall and Carlos Lopez Estrada, the story takes place in the fantasy world of Kumandra, where humans and dragons lived together in harmony a long time ago. But when an evil force threatens the land, the dragons end up sacrificing themselves to save humanity. Now, 500 years later, that same evil has returned and it's up to the lone warrior, Raya, to track down the legendary last dragon and restore the fractured land and its divided people. But along the journey, Raya learns that it will take more than a dragon to save the world, including trust and teamwork. Raya had been scheduled for release in November of 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic the date was pushed back with the hopes that the delay would allow for it to be seen in theaters. The marijuana dispensaries are something that was voted on in November and something the city wants as there is now zoning for it and will be a new source of revenue, Dave said. [March 03, 2021] Shiftsmart, The Revolutionary Workforce Marketplace, Enhances Leadership Team with Promotions and New Appointments as the Company Positions for Further Expansion DALLAS, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Shiftsmart announces two appointments, one addition, and several promotions to its executive leadership team. An online marketplace, Shiftsmart leverages its innovative technology platform with powerful workforce management capabilities to connect today's dynamic workforce with companies facing increasingly complex staffing requirements. By empowering workers with flexible hours, better pay, and greater opportunity, Shiftsmart creates a revolutionary labor ecosystem for individuals and organizations alike. Leadership team changes include: Richard Zicchino is appointed Chief Financial Officer. An experienced executive with over 20 years experience in the Software and Technology industry, Zicchino joined Shiftsmart in 2018 as Chief Operating Officer. His experience includes key executive positions in strategic finance, operations, and mergers and acquisitions. During his career, he has managed nearly 20 acquisitions and their subsequent integrations. Prior to Shiftsmart, he served as Vice President of Finance at Synacor after managing the merger from its acquisition of Zimbra. At Zimbra he served as Senior Vice President of Operations, after leading its divestiture from VMware. Notably before that, he led the integration of Skywire Software when it was acquired by Oracle Corporation. Lauren Blake, formerly Head of Product, is promoted to Vice President of Product, where she leads the planning and execution of Shiftsmart's product lifecycle. Blake's primary role is overseeing the smooth convergence of the worker, the employer and the Shiftsmart platform so that all participants align with the vision to empower the modern workforce. Blake joined Shiftsmart in 2018 following her roles at Facebook, Thumbtack, and Goldman Sachs. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Chicago and an MBA and a Masters in Computer Science from Stanford University. Rob Hoy has joined Shiftsmart as Vice President of Partner Experience, where he is responsible for the recruitment, onboarding and engagement of workers, known as partners, on the Shiftsmart platform. Hoy joined Shiftsmart in 2020 following roles at SiteMinder, Airbnb, and Google. His wide range of experience will help further Shiftsmart's mission of empowering the global workforce. Hoy graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from Queen's University. Sahil Mehta, formerly Vice President of Retail & Hospitality, is appointed to Vice President of Sales, where he is responsible for global expansion, top-line growth, and customer success. Since joining Shiftsmart in 2017, Mehta has held key leadership positions in the areas of business development, client engagement, and delivery. Prior to joining Shiftsmart, he held roles at both Google and Mercer. Mehta holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences from Northwestern University. Kyle Smialek, formerly General Manager of Shiftsmart's Flex Contact Center, is promoted to Vice President of Operations, where he is responsible for global operations and execution of Shiftsmart's distributed workforce businesses inclusive of remote call centers, audits, inspections, and event staffing. Smialek joined Shiftsmart in 2019 following roles at PwC Strategy and Booz & Company. Smialek holds an MBA from Goizueta Business School (Emory) and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Elon University. Founded In 2015, Shiftsmart revolutionized the flexible labor market with its digital platform powered by cutting-edge technology. It intelligently matches the right worker to the right job so that employers can increase fulfillment, reduce churn and improve worker quality. "These recent promotions and appointments put our leadership team in position to lead the next phase of Shiftsmart's growth and expansion. The company is well positioned for continued success with such a breadth of talent at the helm," said Aakash Kumar, Shiftsmart's Founder and CEO. With Shiftsmart, companies can fulfill large-scale, complex, time sensitive staffing requirements with proven workers, exceptional performance, and measurable benefits to the bottom line. In 2020 alone, Shiftsmart grew its base of workers from 90,000 to more than 400,000 Partners worldwide. Their global community provides millions of skilled shifts in more than 50 countries. Covid-19 massively disrupted the global labor market and Shiftsmart's platform was well positioned to provide alternative solutions such as work from home call centers, safety audits, and staffing for vaccination and testing stations. The development and mobilization of flexible call centers emerged as a rapid growth category over the past year. In less than 36 hours, Shiftsmart provided the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) with a virtual tier-1 call center with access to more than 10,000 daily agent hours, thereby reducing SBA call wait times from more than one hour to zero. In 2020, Shiftsmart was also instrumental in masterminding and launching the Get Shift Done initiative in response to the economic impact of COVID-19. Shiftsmart President, Patrick Brandt, co-founded this ambitious enterprise as he saw the company's hospitality and service workers losing shifts due to capacity limitations imposed on restaurants and hotels. Simultaneously, nonprofit hunger relief organizations were losing volunteers due to COVID-19 health safety concerns just as the demand for food distribution to their underserved communities was increasing. Launched in four days, Shiftsmart contributed both their platform, funds and countless hours of employee resources to this inspired program to match and provide available service workers to fill open shifts previously held by volunteers. Since March 2020, the initiative has been rolled out to 12 cities, 110 nonprofits, has completed close to one million hours of shifts, over 60 million meals have been served and paid nearly $15M to displaced hospitality workers. About Shiftsmart: Shiftsmart is an online marketplace built on pioneering technology that connects today's dynamic workforce with companies facing increasingly complex staffing requirements. By empowering workers with more hours, better pay, and greater opportunity, Shiftsmart creates a mutually beneficial labor ecosystem for individuals and organizations alike. Visit www.shiftsmart.com for more information. Contact: Jeanne Culver Email: jeanne@culverpr.com Phone: 214.352.5980 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shiftsmart-the-revolutionary-workforce-marketplace-enhances-leadership-team-with-promotions-and-new-appointments-as-the-company-positions-for-further-expansion-301240066.html SOURCE Shiftsmart [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] As COVID-19 lockdowns and quarantines are lifted, businesses are now faced with the challenge of how to keep their employees who are returning to work motivated and engaged. A study led by a University of Illinois Chicago researcher shows that both employees and managers have an important part to play in promoting employee engagement during the pandemic. The research, published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, suggests employee engagement and performance are the highest when employees are mentally prepared for their return to work and their managers are strongly committed to employees' health and safety at work. "Given the turmoil and distress during lockdowns and quarantines, employees may have trouble reconnecting with their work. We wanted to find out what factors could help employees effectively stay engaged at work upon return. This is an important topic because highly engaged employees tend to intrinsically enjoy their work and outperform others," says lead author Zhenyu Yuan, assistant professor of managerial studies in the UIC College of Business Administration. In the study, Yuan and his co-authors surveyed more than 350 employees from the original epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic -- Wuhan, China -- where many employees were returning to work after the strict city-wide lockdown was lifted. According to the research, employees first need to mentally reconnect with their work. "As employees are physically returning to work, they also need to be mentally prepared to reconnect," Yuan explained. "For example, employees are encouraged to spend some time reviewing work progress and set work priorities for upcoming tasks before coming back to work. This is similar to the warm-up before a workout. With some mental 'warm-up,' employees will find it easier to reconnect and re-engage at work." Further, managers also have a critical role to play, Yuan added. With the continuous health threat of the coronavirus, employees can get easily overwhelmed and distracted in the workplace. Therefore, managers need to take concrete measures to promote workplace health and safety so that employees feel safe at work. "Managers' commitment to safety can't be merely lip service," he said. "They should set a good example themselves by clearly communicating, enforcing, and promoting workplace health and safety protocols." Importantly, the researchers found these two factors work synergistically. "Engagement and performance were highest only when both conditions are met," Yuan said. "This reinforces the idea that managers can't simply expect their employees to be devoted to work without providing effective support for their health and safety." Given that their study was based on data collected from Wuhan, China, Yuan cautioned about the applicability of their findings across different countries and regions. "Depending on how the virus has spread and been managed in different places, other factors are also important to consider," he said. "But we think our key finding holds regardless of locations. That is, managers and employees are in this together -- they need to work together to promote engagement, workplace productivity, and safety. This will be critical as businesses and employees try to rebound from the economic toll of the current pandemic." ### Study co-authors include Zhuxin Ye, assistant professor at Huazhong University of Science and Technology; and Meng Zhong, a doctoral candidate in the UIC Department of Managerial Studies. By Shereef Elnahal and Michelle McMurry-Heath President Biden has floated an ambitious goal vaccinate 150 million Americans by May. Getting through the last mile on that goal may not be easy. Tens of millions of Americans, especially in minority communities, question whether COVID-19 vaccines are safe. Until officials address this hesitancy systematically, it will obstruct vaccination efforts long after vaccine supply and delivery concerns are resolved. Since many people of color distrust politicians and public health officials, even the most renowned experts could struggle to bring people to accept the vaccines. But heres who can sway them: pastors, family doctors, and other trusted local influencers even hairstylists. With help from community pillars, we can convince a critical mass to get vaccinated. As two people who have devoted our lives to public health, we find the pervasive vaccine skepticism dispiriting, but not surprising. The Trump administrations disorganized pandemic response and, in some cases, overt attempts to politicize science, sowed distrust and confusion. And for many people of color, misgivings about the healthcare establishment long predate COVID-19. One of us now leads University Hospital in Newark, which was a site of racial discrimination well into the 1960s. It was only after a wave of civil unrest that the hospital rededicated itself to providing high-quality care to people of color. These historical abuses underscore the importance of working closely with trusted local leaders. Barbershops present a fertile opportunity for engagement since barbers and hairstylists are often trusted figures in the Black community. In a recent JAMA study, researchers found that around a third of Black men approached at a barbershop were willing to get tested for diabetes. As the study notes, some customers (who initially declined testing) agreed after encouragement from their barber. Houses of worship offer additional opportunities for partnerships. Already, many churches have started to offer COVID-19 tests. Their goal isnt just to control the viruss spread. Pastors, deacons, imams and other faith leaders can build trust in the healthcare system more broadly. Officials could build on these efforts by asking local clergy to host vaccine clinics at houses of worship. Nearly one-third of Americans say theyd be more likely to get vaccinated if their faith leader encouraged it. Prominent national leaders of color, presidents of historically Black colleges and universities, and Black and brown celebrities also have a role to play. Imploring these individuals to get their vaccine publicly and amplifying educational messaging would encourage more people to accept the vaccine. One survey found that a greater share of Americans would be more likely to get the vaccine if Vice President Kamala Harris recommended it than if their employer or neighbors did. Among Black Americans, Michelle Obama was nearly as influential as survey respondents own family members. Black and brown healthcare providers are among the most trusted messengers for folks with established care, so personal interactions with ones doctor or pharmacist also matters. At University Hospital, thats why we prioritized vaccine adoption within our own diverse workforce first. These individuals serve as ambassadors to the community. Naturally, community engagement efforts will only reach a certain number of engaged individuals. The goal for these events isnt just to educate but to provide the tools for attendees to successfully encourage their own networks. Persuading just a few people to get vaccinated -- and encouraging their family members to follow suit also has ripple effects. More than half of Americans would be more likely to vaccinate if a family member asked them to. Weve also heard from those who have overcome skepticism, and many wonder: if politicians can find the will and funding to address COVID-19, where is the will to address public health issues that have plagued communities of color for decades? Overcoming a legacy of abuse will require the healthcare sector to make sustained investments in communities of color and to keep those promises. After the pandemic is under control, officials should dedicate ample resources toward improving the treatment of Type 2 diabetes, breast and colon cancer screening and other issues. The battle against COVID-19 has made it clear that the health of people of color has a direct bearing on the well-being of all. By working with trusted community members, our public health institutions can alleviate patients vaccine skepticism and bring the pandemic to an end. Shereef Elnahal, M.D., is president and CEO of University Hospital in Newark, and former commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health. Michelle McMurry-Heath, M.D., Ph.D. is president and CEO of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Heres how to submit an op-ed or Letter to the Editor. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Pennsylvanias plan to allocate its allotment of the new, single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine to educators means that the states roughly 200,000 educators and staff could be vaccinated and safely back in the classroom by the end of March, Gov. Tom Wolf said. The newly approved COVID-19 vaccine only requires one dose and doesnt have any special storage requirements, posing a unique opportunity for Pennsylvania to quickly protect PreK-12 educators and support staff, Wolf said. They should be able to go back to work before the end of this month, he said. Wolf announced the states plan to get the newest COVID-19 vaccine into educators arms quickly in a virtual media briefing alongside his bi-partisan COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force. The Pennsylvania National Guard will oversee the logistics and get shots into arms in the campaign, which will initially prioritize those who teach younger children, special education and English learners and associated support staff, Wolf said. Thats because younger children are more susceptible to learning losses and many families are struggling with childcare with schools closed or hybrid. Twenty-seven of the states intermediate unit regions will have at least one vaccination location with shots starting to go into arms between March 10 and March 13. (Philadelphia receives it own federal vaccine allotment and is not included in this plan.) Eligible school staff will receive information about vaccine locations and registration instructions. The Lehigh Valley falls under two different education services agencies: Carbon-Lehigh and Colonial. We want to get you back to teaching and we are going to make this available to you, Wolf said. Pennsylvania estimates there are about 200,000 educators and support staff in the state, outside of Philadelphia, but it is unclear how many of them have already been vaccinated as part of the Phase 1A rollout with the two-dose Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, Wolf said. The vaccine is voluntary, so it is also unknown how many will decline the shot. What were saying is if youve been offered the vaccine, you really ought to come back to school and and be willing to work in the classroom, Wolf said. Pennsylvania expects to receive 94,600 doses of Johnson & Johnsons vaccine this week and another 30,000 will ship to pharmacies via the federal partnership, Wolf said. Over 100,000 educators should be ready before the end of March to be back in the classroom, he said. ... This is the virtue of using the Johnson & Johnson vaccine because time is of the essence. The faster we get to this point where injections are made and the immune system is functioning fully, the sooner we can get our classrooms open and our kids back to school. The Wolf administration is also working through the retail pharmacy partnership to ensure all early childhood education workers have access to the vaccine. About 4 to 5 million people are eligible in Phase 1A, which prioritizes people 65 and older and younger people with high-risk medical conditions. Many in this first tier still have not gotten their first shot and the states faced criticism for its rollout being confusing and tough to navigate. Teachers were part of the states Phase 1B, which includes essential workers and those in congregate settings not covered in the first phase, like corrections officers. About 900,000 people are fully vaccinated and another 1.1 million have received their first dose, according to state and Philadelphia health department data. State officials emphasized the teacher vaccination plan is separate from the Phase 1A rollout. We are actively trying to improve the rollout of the vaccine , Philadelphia Democratic Sen. Art Haywood, who sits on the task force, said. Of course we need vaccine that can be rolled out. State Rep. Bridget Kosierowsk, D-Lackawanna and a nurse, addressed the idea that teachers are being offered a lesser vaccine since Johnson & Johnson reported a lower efficacy rate than the two-dose shots in trials. The vaccines main goal is to keep you from getting ill from COVID-19 and to keep you out of our hospitals, out of our ICUs and off ventilators, she said. Whether you receive either three that are offered to you, they are all effective. The vaccines should give educators the confidence that it is safe go back into the classroom. and easier to comply with state guidelines on school reopening, Wolf said. The head of the states largest teachers union commended the plan in a statement Wednesday saying the Pennsylvania State Education Association has been advocating for this approach for the last six weeks. This is an incredibly important step toward returning Pennsylvanias schools and communities to in-person instruction and ensuring that students, school staff members, their families, and their communities are better protected from COVID-19,President Rich Askey said. This is good for everyone, and we thank Gov. Wolf and lawmakers for their leadership and their commitment to getting this done. As of late February, 39% of public schools in Pennsylvania were still fully remote, with just 20% operating fully in-person, with the rest in a hybrid format, according to PennLive.com. The Pennsylvania Department of Education currently recommends full in-person learning in counties with low coronavirus transmission spread and hybrid learning for moderate counties. In substantial counties, hybrid learning is recommended for elementary grades while middle and high schools should be fully remote. Schools still must enforce masking, social distancing and good hand hygiene. Northampton and Lehigh counties remain in substantial transmission with 24 other counties. Only four counties are in low while 37 are in moderate Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com. Element Al Jaddaf, part of Marriott International, has partnered with ZeeArts, a global art incubator based in Dubai, to offer guests and the general public an opportunity to experience their Women Art Therapy on March 8. From 4pm to 6:30pm, ZeeArts founder, artist, and activist, Zaahirah Muthy will host the Women Art Therapy at the hotel with an aim to help foster healing and mental well-being. ZeeArts believes art is a?catalyst?for social change. The organisation actively empowers artists and helps increase awareness of their art with the message it conveys across the world. ZeeArts is well known for promoting inclusivity for the betterment of society, where women are empowered and given a platform or space to express themselves. Richard Bleakley, Multi-property General Manager, Element Al Jaddaf said: Wellness is something that is at the heart of the Element Al Jaddaf, and art, of course, is recognized across the world as a brilliant method of telling stories and sharing emotions that are otherwise hard to express. We are excited to partner with ZeeArts to offer our in-house guests and the public an enjoyable and effective experience with the Women Art Therapy that allows women to express themselves in a beautiful and liberating way. Keeping in mind this years campaign theme, Choose to Challenge, the Women Art Therapy is designed to embolden women to challenge themselves by embracing their flaws and hardships along with the strength, beauty, and resilience. Taking place at the pool terrace, overlooking the most stunning views of the Dubai skyline and Al Jaddaf waterfront, the art therapy session will incorporate the colour purple as the official colour of 2021 International Womens Day. All participating guests are encouraged to use the colour in its various hues on a canvas to express their inner most thoughts, emotions, struggles, and happiness. Participants need not worry about bringing anything at all, as all materials will be provided at the hotel. Zaahirah Muthy, artists, activist, and founder of ZeeArts said: The Women Art Therapy aims to accomplish three crucial points: release pain, process hidden emotions, and find clarity and meaning in oneself. This session is a process that connects us to our true selves so to create and celebrate ourselves, which in turn generates a sense of healing and gratification. I believe that celebrating women should be an everyday occurrence. We, at ZeeArts, recognise and commend womens challenges, accomplishments, and journeys through art, and I am personally thrilled to collaborate with Element Al Jaddaf and share this experience with even more women. After the session, guests can enjoy delicious canape style food and healthy juices and drinks from Element Al Jaddafs very own Cafe 29. Additionally, in celebration of the International Womens Day, all female guests at the hotel can dine at Cafe 29 with a 50 percent discount on their total bill, only on March 8. TradeArabia News 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. Tokyo, March 2 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Mar, 2021 ) :Japan said Tuesday an investigation would be launched after more than 1,000 coronavirus vaccine doses had to be thrown out when a freezer storing them malfunctioned. A medical institution reported that 172 vials of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, which must be kept between -80 and -60 degrees centigrade, were rendered useless after the freezer breakdown over the weekend, Japan's health ministry said, wasting up to 1,032 doses. Japan began its inoculation programme on February 17 -- just over five months before the Tokyo Olympics -- and has so far only approved the Pfizer/BioNTech drug. Japanese government spokesman Katsunobu Kato said Tuesday that the cause of the malfunction was not yet clear, but the firm that installed the freezer would investigate and report back. Kato said Japan had installed around 100 vaccine freezers nationwide by the end of February. "We would like to respond quickly to whatever is necessary, based on what the results of the investigation carried out by the company that installed it," Kato said. Japan began vaccinating healthcare workers in mid-February, with the minister in charge of the process admitting he had "no idea" how much of the population would receive the jab before the Olympics, which start on July 23. As of March 1, it had administered first doses to nearly 32,000 doctors and nurses, according to vaccine minister Taro Kono. The country has reached deals with three major drug firms to buy enough doses for its population of 126 million. But it was also scrambling to secure enough special syringes needed to extract six full doses from each vial of the Pfizer vaccine. Japan is running a cautious rollout programme and is planning to initially vaccinate 40,000 healthcare workers across the country, before administering jabs to around 3.7 million more in March. Vaccines for around 36 million people aged 65 or older are set to start from April. What is the Narada sting case and why has it come back to bite the TMC TMC says PM free to visit poll bound Bengal 20 times or more India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Kolkata, Mar 03: The Trinamool Congress on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is free to visit the state for BJP's election campaign "20 times or more" to see for himself the spree of development under the TMC dispensation and compare it to that of states ruled by the saffron party. West Bengal minister and party spokesman Bratya Basu told reporters that Modi is welcome to attend as many meetings, say 20 or more, he wishes to and come to the state as many times he wants to see for himself how Bengal has left behind states like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh on development parameters. Basu was replying to a query whether eight-phase assembly polls in the state, beginning on March 27, would enable BJP heavyweights to address multiple meetings in different parts of the state. West Bengal: 104 out of 282 sitting MLAs have pending criminal cases "We don't bother. May be they (Narendra Modi and Amit Shah) want to see for themselves how much Bengal has progressed after TMC came to power in 2011... how roads look like, how power cut has become a rarity, how people in rural areas are getting better amenities and how states like UP and MP are lagging behind," Basu said. BJP sources said Modi is slated to address multiple rallies during the eight-phase polls in the state stretching a little over a month. Leaders like Shah and J P Nadda will also address several meetings as well as other BJP heavyweights like Yogi Adityanath. Asked about two-time TMC MLA from Pandabeswar and former Asansol mayor Jitendra Tiwari joining the BJP on March 2, Basu said, "It is the culture of the saffron party to admit people having tarnished reputation with open arms". "Previously the local MP had protested publicly, but perhaps after being reprimanded by his higher-ups he will be mum this time despite having bitter memories," Basu said referring to Union minister Babul Supriyo voicing reservations about plans of inducting Tiwari into the BJP from the TMC in December last. Asked about the claims by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath that there are curbs in Durga Puja celebrations in West Bengal, Basu said "People in Bengal know that nothing could be further from the truth. While Durga puja was celebrated with great fervour across West Bengal even last October, in Uttar pradesh the BJP government stopped its celebrations while allowing some other religious festivals. "A fake sadhu is making laughable comments. He is criticising Bengal's law and order but forgets the fact that the father of a rape victim is shot dead in his own state and there are daily reports of attacks on women in Uttar Pradesh." A 50-year-old man was allegedly shot dead in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras district by an accused out on bail in a case of molestation lodged in 2018 against the victim's daughter. In Basu's presence, TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee announced the joining of popular Bengali actor Sayantika Bandyopadhyay in the party. The actor had delivered hits like 'Paapi', 'Awara', 'Bindaas', 'Herogiri', 'Uma', 'Byomkesh Pwarbo' in her career spanning over a decade. "Today I am officially joining the TMC but I had been with 'Didi' (Mamata Banerjee) for past 10 years. At this crucial hour, people of Bengal should not be silent but come out in open support of 'Banglar meye Didi'," she said. As polls near in Bengal, agencies shift focus to Indias fake currency hub, Malda Earlier actors Saayoni Ghosh, Kanchan Mallick, director-actor Sudeshna Roy, director Raj Chakraborty had joined the party which also boasts of names like hero Soham Chakraborty and veteran Dipankar Dey. Principal of City College of Commerce Sandip Paul also joined the ruling party. "Our leader Mamata Banerjee wants people from different walks of life to join the TMC to work for the people," Chatterjee said. Anurag Kashyap, Tapsee Pannu face tax raids by income tax officials| Oneindia News Elections to the 294-member state assembly will be held from March 27 to April 29. The different types of contracts that are now available can help mitigate Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) price volatility. This can be an approach for assuring consumers that runaway prices, as were seen in January 2021, do not hamper prospects for wider adoption of natural gas. Speaking to Business Standard, Ajay Shah, vice president - Shell Energy Asia said, These days you have spot, short-term, long-term, and optional contracts. There are contracts that last for one cargo and also those that last for hundreds of cargos. Not only that, we have indexations which are emerging all the time. This is an evolution from earlier times when there were simpler contracts for gas supplies from point A to B, with fixed volumes and prices linked to crude oil. Shah was responding to a query on how consumers can avoid getting spooked by surges in prices. JKM (Japan Korea Marker) is the spot marker of Asia, but also we have WIM (West India Marker) now. There is also willingness of buyers and sellers to talk about different indexations. So, for me, depending on what a buyer wants, there is almost certainly a contractual way of getting there, he said. Shah heads Shell Energy Asia and is responsible for shaping and executing the strategic direction of Shells in-country gas and power market development across Asia. Spot price surge Spot prices had climbed to record high levels in January 2021. Natural gas price in the spot market (headed for North East Asian countries) is broadly represented by JKM. Prices for deliveries due in February had zoomed to over $ 32 per million British thermal units (mmBtu). According to Shells LNG Outlook 2021, as LNG demand grows, a supply-demand gap is expected to open in the middle of the current decade with less new production coming on-stream than previously projected. Just 3 million tonnes in new LNG production capacity were announced in 2020, down from an expected 60 million tonnes, the outlook said. This may result in higher LNG prices. Every other commodity in the world also trades in a very volatile fashion! There often you dont have the variety of contracting types that are there with LNG, Shah added. Shell Energy Asia Vice-President Ajay Shah says there is an uptick in efforts to bring more LNG into India Domestic LNG demand growth potential Commenting on Indian gas demand and the growth potential, Shah said, I am optimistic on a number of fronts. We launched an LNG truck loading unit in Hazira in December 2020 and have already loaded our 50th LNG truck. We are able to serve different types of consumers including those who are not necessarily linked to the pipeline network, or are linked to the pipeline network, but do not feel their gas supply is reliable. He said the intermittency and play between natural gas and renewables is also a growth opportunity in India with rising clean energy deployment. There is a significant uptick in efforts to bring more LNG into the country by setting up of new import terminals. Domestically, Reliance and BP have put together the next tranche of supply from the KG Basin. In fact, Shell Energy India participated in the recent auction and is also a buyer of domestic gas, Shah said. He said that there is an opportunity to promote the adoption of LNG trucks in India for long distance routes. We are at the absolute beginning of that in India. Think of the number of trucks and converting them to LNG really has some scope in India, Shah said. Using more IGX platform He also said that is a registered member of the Indian Gas Exchange (IGX). It is another market place above and beyond being able to transact bilaterally. We will be using that more in the years to come, he said. Responding to a query if Shell too, would want to buy a stake in IGX, following the likes of other gas majors like GAIL, Adani Gas and Torrent Gas, Shah said, For me it is much more important that we are able to participate freely in the exchange. A 45-year old man died after he took the second dose of coronavirus vaccine at a hospital in Bhiwandi in Thane district in Maharashtra. The 45-year old Sukhdeo Kirdit took the vaccine shot at around 11:00 am on Tuesday. His family members said that he was fine when he left home in the morning to take the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Kirdit, who works as the driver of a local driver, complained of giddiness after some time when he was seated in the waiting hall of the government-run vaccination centre. "He was rushed to IGM hospital nearby where doctors declared him dead on arrival," an official told news agency PTI. Bhiwandi Nizampura Municipal Corporation Health Officer Dr. KR Kharat said that Kirdit's medical history was being checked and the cause of death can only be ascertained after the post mortem report comes out. Thane has reported 607 new cases and 4 more deaths due to COVID-19 in the last 24 hours. The COVID-19 tally in the district has gone up to 2,66,092 and the death toll peaked to 6,280 in the district. Thane currently has 6,240 active COVID-19 cases. People above 60 years of age and those in the 45-59 age bracket with comorbidities are being immunized in the second phase of nationwide vaccinations. 33,044 people were vaccinated in Maharashtra on Tuesday. With PTI inputs Also read: COVID-19 vaccination: How to register on Co-WIN portal, Aarogya Setu App [March 03, 2021] Sesame, a Direct-to-Patient Platform, Expands Video Doctor Visits to Colorado Sesame, a direct-to-patient healthcare company, today announces its expansion of affordable video appointments in Colorado. Patients are able to book appointments with a wide range of trusted healthcare providers in their area, including urgent care doctors, dentists and dermatologists, as well as those who specialize in mental & behavioral health, pain management and general wellness & prevention. For Colorado residents, the average price of video appointments on Sesame range from $29 - $68. Regardless of whether a patient is uninsured or has health insurance, Sesame's mission is to ensure that quality health care is accessible and affordable to all Americans who need it. Each vetted doctor on Sesame's marketplace lists their own prices, which cuts out the middlemen that drive up costs of traditional healthcare. Sesame passes those lower prices directly to patients - saving them 60% on average. By offering costs upfront, Sesame also removes the hidden fees, unexplained charges, and surprise bills from thrd parties that make seeking care intimidating and unaffordable. "At a time when millions of Americans have lost their employer-provided insurance and are looking for affordable healthcare options, we are excited to expand our telemedicine offerings to Colorado -- a state that is pioneering health care in response to nonviolent crisis calls," said David Goldhill, Co-Founder and CEO of Sesame. "With Sesame, patients have another straightforward way to gain access to video care for any health needs, from a prescription refill, a video COVID-19 screening or mental health consultation, at more affordable prices than they can find anywhere else." With rising COVID-19 cases, a complicated vaccine rollout, and the high demand for mental health services, affordable telehealth is crucial in providing patients with the specialized or routine care they need. Through Sesame, Colorado residents can easily search for specialized providers in their area, book and pay for that service, and have their video appointment safely and conveniently from their own home. Since Sesame's video appointment technology is HIPAA-compliant, it is able to provide the tools needed to integrate with existing healthcare systems. ABOUT SESAME Sesame is a direct-to-patient healthcare company making quality care more accessible, affordable, and transparent. By offering a platform that connects providers and patients directly, separate from health insurance, Sesame removes the middlemen that drive up costs of the healthcare system. Sesame passes those savings onto patients saving up to 60% on average. Sesame is now available with in-person services in select cities and video appointments nationwide in states like Colorado to increase access to quality health care for millions of Americans. For more info, visit https://sesamecare.com/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005200/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Posted Tuesday, March 2, 2021 5:40 pm People would continue to be able to get a mixed drink with their takeout food until 2023 under a bill now moving to the state Senate for consideration. Delivery, curbside and takeout service for alcoholic beverages and spirits has been in force during the COVID-19 pandemic, but now HB 1480, which passed out of the House with an 86-12 vote, would extend these privileges until July 1, 2023. The hospitality and leisure sectors were among the hardest hit during the pandemic, with a 32% decline in revenue as of January this year, according to the Department of Commerce. Most venues that already have a liquor or beer and wine license are eligible to start selling, but they must also have food of some sort on the menu. This includes distilleries, wineries, and caterers. In addition to the extended duration, the bill also requires an independent study of the economic, social and health impacts of the temporary allowances. This report is due by Dec. 1, 2022. Rep. Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake, said he worries about the bills impact. They can pre-mix the cocktail when you pick up your food and you can take it home with you in your car, Dent said. It looks to me like were setting people up for impaired driving, and I have an issue with that. Seth Dawson, of the Washington Association for Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention, said he is sympathetic to the challenges facing restaurants, but said his organization is concerned about the ID verification. Concern for the length of the allowances was also a major issue for opponents. Since the bills public hearing and Dawsons testimony, legislators amended the bill to require a signature and ID check, but the timeline for the privileges still extends to the original 2023 date. The bills next stop is the Senate. More information about the bill and eligible venues can be found on the leg.wa.gov website. Since 2005, the government has steered young travelers to farms by offering extensions of working holiday visas from one year to two for those who have completed three months of work in agriculture. Backpackers can earn extensions by working in other industries like construction or mining, but 90 percent do so through farm work. In a normal year, more than 200,000 backpackers would come to Australia, making up 80 percent of the countrys harvest work force, according to industry groups. Now, there are just 45,000 in the country, according to government data. Attempts to fill the labor shortage with unemployed Australians have been largely unsuccessful. Only 350 applicants signed up for a federal government program that offers subsidies of 6,000 Australian dollars, or about $4,600, to work in rural areas. A last-ditch proposal by one state government to use prison labor was shelved after an uproar by farmers. So the federal government has flown in workers from nearby Pacific islands, which have largely avoided the pandemic. Its part of an existing program that is one of Australias main sources of aid to the Pacific. With border restrictions in place, the arrangements have sometimes been convoluted. In January, after months of urging from the federal government and industry groups, Victoria agreed to take 1,500 Pacific island workers. They must first quarantine for two weeks on the island of Tasmania before being flown to Victoria. In exchange, 330 Tasmanians stranded overseas will be able to return through Victorias quarantine hotels. Australia's Attorney-General identifies himself as cabinet minister accused of historical Were sorry, this service is currently unavailable. Please try again later. Dismiss ITV today confirmed it will show Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah Winfrey next Monday evening after paying 1million for the rights. The broadcaster will air the bombshell two-hour special next Monday from 9pm to 11pm, which will be 20 hours after it debuts on US network CBS at 1am UK time. ITV managing director Kevin Lygo said: 'This interview is already a national talking point and ITV is pleased to be able to offer UK audiences the opportunity to see it.' ITV said the show will be called 'Oprah With Meghan and Harry' and will feature an 'intimate conversation' begining with be a 'wide-ranging interview' with Meghan. It will cover 'everything from stepping into life as a Royal, marriage, motherhood, philanthropic work to how she is handling life under intense public pressure'. Meghan will then be joined by Prince Harry as they 'speak about their move to the United States and their future hopes and dreams for their expanding family'. It comes amid claims that ITV bid less than its rivals Sky and Channel 4 to show the programme, but US producers Viacom CBS wanted to maximise the audience. A source close to the talks told the Daily Mirror: 'A key aim is for it to do well in the UK and ITV gives it a fair chance of getting the highest ratings of the year so far.' The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's interview with Oprah Winfrey will be shown on ITV and CBS Negotiations were said to have been completed on Monday, and Harry, Meghan and their charitable foundation are not thought to have received payment for the show. But ITV has been facing growing criticism over plans to broadcast the interview while Harry's grandfather the Duke of Edinburgh remains in hospital in London. There have been calls for ITV which confirmed at 12pm today that it would be showing the interview - to 'await events' before screening the programme in the UK. Philip, 99, was transferred to St Bartholomew's Hospital on Monday for tests on a pre-existing heart condition and treatment for an infection. This comes after he spent nearly two weeks in the private King Edward VII's Hospital, and public relations consultant Mark Borkowski said the timing is 'just horrendous' ITV announced it would show the Oprah interview in a press release issued at 12pm today Harry and Meghan are not being paid for the interview with chat show queen Oprah Winfrey Meghan will talk about her experience of race issues in Britain during the interview with Oprah He added: 'Anybody who looks at this through the optics of a caring family, even a family who are estranged from one another, it's very uncomfortable as you edge towards Sunday.' Covid stops the Queen seeing Philip in hospital The Queen is unlikely to be able to see Prince Philip until he leaves hospital due to Covid regulations. The monarch, who is being kept regularly updated about her husband's condition, will not be permitted to visit him at St Bart's in London, where he was transferred on Monday. Visitors are currently excluded apart from a handful of 'exceptional' circumstances, including end of life. The Queen did not visit him at King Edward VII's Hospital as she is reluctant to cause disruption to any hospital's vital work and knows her presence would place unnecessary pressure on staff. It means the Queen will have been parted from her husband of 73 years, pictured, for at least three weeks. St Bart's said: 'Our first duty is to the patients we serve, and to maintain their safety at all times we need to control visiting.' Advertisement The PR and crisis management expert said that if Philip's health declined, Harry and Meghan's fate would be 'in the lap of the gods'. He added: 'If you were strategically giving advice about mitigating reputational damage, you would show huge empathy by postponing.' Any worsening of Philip's health will raise issues for ITV. Experts say this could lead to major problems for advertisers airing commercials during the show. One senior TV executive said: 'The issue is whether ITV will take a big bath if advertisers don't want to be in it and also there is the wider collateral damage. Also, ITV airs a lot of royal documentaries will the palace stop co-operating?' In dramatic promotional clips released on Monday, Oprah is seen asking Meghan if she was 'silent or silenced', with the Duchess's answer not revealed. In response to a comment by the Duchess, the presenter says: 'Almost unsurvivable. Sounds like there was a breaking point?' At one point in the trailer, Oprah tells viewers: 'Just to make it clear to everybody, there is no subject that is off-limits,' as Meghan nods in agreement. Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams, who was editor of International Who's Who for 25 years, said that ITV's decision to buy the rights to the 'highly sensational' interview was 'deplorable'. A 30-second advertising slot for the American broadcast is reportedly costing $200,000 (about 144,000). It has also been revealed that Meghan will talk about her experience of race issues in Britain during the interview. Police outside St Bartholomew's Hospital in London where Prince Philip is being treated The Queen, Meghan and Prince Harry on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on July 10, 2018 There is a growing expectation that the Duke and Duchess's talk with the US chat show queen will live up to its billing of having no subject 'off-limits'. The journalist who broke the story that the Sussexes were doing the TV interview claimed Meghan's comments about 'the issue of race in Britain' would be 'what we will all be talking about' the day after it is aired. Chris Ship, the royal editor for ITV News, told Good Morning Britain yesterday: 'I know that she's going to mention things like mental health and the impact that being in the UK had on her mental health. 'I know that she's going to mention about the press intrusion... but also she's going to raise the issue of race in Britain.' Mr Ship suggested this would be the main thing viewers discuss after watching the interview, to be broadcast in the US on Sunday night. Meghan's mother Doria is African-American and her father Thomas is white. The interview replaces episode three of the drama Unforgotten, which was due to air next Monday at 9pm, but will now be on at the same time the following day. The remaining episodes, four to six, will then revert to Mondays at 9pm from March 15. 'Oprah With Meghan' and Harry will be shown on ITV next Monday from 9pm YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Healthcare Minister of Armenia Anahit Avanesyan urges the citizens to return to the strict regime of wearing masks amid the rise of COVID-19 cases in the last two weeks, ARMENPRESS reports Avanesyan said during parliament-Cabinet Q&A session. The low number of cases caused some relaxation among the population and many today dont wear the masks. But in the last 2 weeks we can witness rise of the virus. Today 14% of the tests were positive and I ask and urge to return to the strict regime of wearing masks and try to prevent the spread of the virus, the Minister said, adding that wearing masks has a very important role on the prevention of the spread of the virus. The United States announced sanctions and restrictions against Russian individuals and entities over the alleged poisoning of Kremlin critic US actions against include export and visa restrictions, a senior administration official told reporters in a briefing call on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported. The US intelligence community assessed that officers of Russia's Federal Security Service used a nerve agent known as Novichok to poison Navalny on August 20, 2020, the official said. has repeatedly denied such accusations, saying the case with Navalny is a purely domestic affair and foreign intervention is not allowed. "This is an exclusively internal matter. We will not allow anyone to interfere nor intend to listen to such statements," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in January. The US Treasury was designating seven senior members of the Russian government, according to the briefing call. In addition, the US Commerce Department added 14 parties to its entity list for their involvement in various aspects of biological agent production and chemical production. "Today is the first such response, and there will be more to come," said the senior official, adding that the United States would work closely with its European allies "in calling out and confronting " Meanwhile, he noted that "the United States is neither seeking to reset our relations with Russia nor are we seeking to escalate." This move came as the EU placed sanctions on four Russian officials in connection to the imprisonment of Navalny on Monday. Relations between Washington and Moscow have been adversarial for recent years. The two were bitterly divided over Ukraine, Syria, and cybersecurity issues, and they mutually accused the other of domestic political interference. Navalny, a harsh Kremlin critic, fell into a coma on a flight from the Russian city of Tomsk to Moscow in August 2020. He was then transferred to a hospital in Berlin with suspected poisoning symptoms. In early September, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Navalny was poisoned with the Soviet-style Novichok nerve agent. Russian authorities denied the accusations and demanded substantial evidence from Germany. Navalny was detained this January upon his arrival in Moscow from Germany and was later sentenced to over two years behind bars, while his defence plans to appeal the ruling at a higher court. --IANS int/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A cloudy day will give way to some sunny spells later on although showers will affect the southern parts of the country, Met Eireann has predicted. There will be similar conditions over Thursday and Friday before it becomes more unsettled as we get into the weekend. And forecasters have warned rain and showers will return next week after a largely dry spell. Highest temperatures today will range between five and eight degrees over the northern half of the country but ranging seven to 11 degrees further south. It will be a dry and cloudy night with patches of mist and a slight frost will develop where skies are clear. The mercury will drop to as low as freezing point to four degrees in light north-easterly or variable breezes. It will be cooler tomorrow and cloudy too with just a few sunny spells breaking through. Most areas will stay dry, although there may be some light showers. Expand Close Newborn lambs in a field at A J Thompson and Sons farm on the Romney Marsh near Lydd in Kent (Gareth Fuller/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Newborn lambs in a field at A J Thompson and Sons farm on the Romney Marsh near Lydd in Kent (Gareth Fuller/PA) Read More It will stay dry overnight apart from some continued light showers, mainly in the north and east while temperatures of -1 to four degrees will see some frost and mist patches forming in light easterly breezes. It will be dry for most of Friday, with a mix of cloud and sunny spells, the best of which will be in the eastern half of the country. Some showers will affect coastal fringes of Munster and Connacht before rain and drizzle move into Connacht and Munster. It will remain dry elsewhere with some clear spells and lowest temperatures wil drop as low as freezing point in the north and east, with some frost developing, to six degrees in the southwest. Saturday will be a dull and cloudy day as rain and drizzle gradually extends eastwards. Highest temperatures will be between five and nine degrees with moderate to fresh southerly winds easing during the day. There will be some outbreaks of rain and drizzle overnight but a band of showery rain will approach from the west towards morning, affecting Atlantic counties. Showery rain will slowly edge eastwards over Sunday followed by more scattered showers. Highest temperatures of eight to 11 degrees in moderate, occasionally fresh, southerly winds. Me Eireann says an unsettled regime is set to be established for early next week with rain and showers, and breezy at times too. Paxton, IL (60957) Today Partly to mostly cloudy. High 72F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy early with increasing clouds overnight. Slight chance of a shower late. Low 56F. Winds light and variable. Australian of the Year Grace Tame says allegations of rapes involving political figures are not surprising to her, as she called on Australians to end the widespread culture that allows sexual assaults. Speaking at the National Press Club on Wednesday, Ms Tame responded to questions about how two prominent rape allegations had been made against political figures just weeks after she was named Australian of the Year for campaigning for victims of sexual assault. Australian of the Year Grace Tame during her address to the National Press Club. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Its not surprising to me at all. Coverup culture, the abuse of power, is not unique to Parliament, she said. Its not necessarily individual cases, its the issue itself that is going to keep inspiring me to do this work. I was doing this work before it dominated the national stage. It is heightened right now because its happening in the centre of our country in Parliament but like I said, its not unique to Parliament. It happens everywhere. PV Real Estate PVRPV Celebrates 16 Years of Serving Puerto Vallarta If you are in the Old Town area stop by the PVRPV offices, located on the North East corner of Lazaro Cardenas and Pino Suarez in Colonia Emiliano Zapata on the south side of Puerto Vallarta, and congratulate them. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - PVRPV, one of Puerto Vallarta's premier vacation rental and real estate agencies, is celebrating its 16th anniversary this month. When Tim LongprA, who is originally from Toronto, first opened a small office on PV's south side on March 1, 2005 he and his staff of 3 represented 50 Puerto Vallarta vacation rental properties. PVRPV soon increased their inventory of vacation rentals in the Amapas, Conchas Chinas, Downtown, Los Muertos Beach, Marina Vallarta, Mismaloya, Old Town and South Beach areas of Puerto Vallarta, and added professional rental property management and administration as well as vacation concierge services. By 2008, PVRPV.com had grown out of its tiny space, so Tim moved his business to its second location, at Pino Suarez #210, where he and his staff of 24 continued their rise to the top of Puerto Vallarta's vacation rental industry. In this location laundry was added to PVRPV's growing list of services. Over the years, the company just kept on growing and improving, and on November 1, 2016, they moved across the street to a new state-of-the-art industrial office space in "The Park," located on the corner of Pino Suarez at Lazaro CArdenas #205. In June of 2019, utilizing the knowledge and experience gained by managing and promoting PVRPV's more than 500 local properties, Tim and his partner, Agustin Rocha Jaramillo, a real estate broker, launched a natural extension of their thriving vacation rental business - PVRPV Real Estate. As the largest vacation rental agency in Puerto Vallarta, PVRPV.com is in a unique position to help you find an investment property that will help pay for itself by generating rental income, and their new website, PVRPVrealestate.com, makes it easy to find properties available for purchase here in beautiful Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. With an extensive search engine, vacation home inventory and a strategic marketing campaign, PVRPV has quickly become one of the top Mexican vacation property websites on the internet today. In addition to providing visitors with affordable vacation rentals, PVRPV has a longstanding commitment to giving back to this wonderful community we call home. Over the years, Tim, Agustin, and the PVRPV team have supported causes that are important to Puerto Vallarta, like the Firefighter's Calendar, Carnaval PV, HIV campaigns, Vallarta Pride, charity auctions and many other charitable causes. Through their honest and knowledgeable customer service, superb online reservation system, and their commitment to our community, PVRPV will surely continue to thrive for years to come. Congratulations, PVRPV, and here's wishing you many more successful years to come! If you are planning a dream vacation in beautiful Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, look no further than PVRPV.com. PVRPV is your experienced and reliable choice for Puerto Vallarta Vacation Rentals, Property Management, and now, Real Estate Services in the greater Banderas Bay area. To learn more about PVRPV's services click HERE, or contact the experts today! If you are in the Old Town area, stop by the PVRPV offices located on the North East corner of Lazaro Cardenas and Pino Suarez, in Colonia Emiliano Zapata on the south side of Puerto Vallarta. - PVRPV, one of Puerto Vallarta's premier vacation rental and real estate agencies, is celebrating its 16th anniversary this month. When Tim LongprA, who is originally from Toronto, first opened a small office on PV's south side on March 1, 2005 he and his staff of 3 represented 50 Puerto Vallarta vacation rental properties.PVRPV soon increased their inventory of vacation rentals in the Amapas, Conchas Chinas, Downtown, Los Muertos Beach, Marina Vallarta, Mismaloya, Old Town and South Beach areas of Puerto Vallarta, and added professional rental property management and administration as well as vacation concierge services.By 2008, PVRPV.com had grown out of its tiny space, so Tim moved his business to its second location, at Pino Suarez #210, where he and his staff of 24 continued their rise to the top of Puerto Vallarta's vacation rental industry. In this location laundry was added to PVRPV's growing list of services.Over the years, the company just kept on growing and improving, and on November 1, 2016, they moved across the street to a new state-of-the-art industrial office space in "The Park," located on the corner of Pino Suarez at Lazaro CArdenas #205.In June of 2019, utilizing the knowledge and experience gained by managing and promoting PVRPV's more than 500 local properties, Tim and his partner, Agustin Rocha Jaramillo, a real estate broker, launched a natural extension of their thriving vacation rental business - PVRPV Real Estate.As the largest vacation rental agency in Puerto Vallarta, PVRPV.com is in a unique position to help you find an investment property that will help pay for itself by generating rental income, and their new website, PVRPVrealestate.com, makes it easy to find properties available for purchase here in beautiful Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.With an extensive search engine, vacation home inventory and a strategic marketing campaign, PVRPV has quickly become one of the top Mexican vacation property websites on the internet today.In addition to providing visitors with affordable vacation rentals, PVRPV has a longstanding commitment to giving back to this wonderful community we call home. Over the years, Tim, Agustin, and the PVRPV team have supported causes that are important to Puerto Vallarta, like the Firefighter's Calendar, Carnaval PV, HIV campaigns, Vallarta Pride, charity auctions and many other charitable causes.Through their honest and knowledgeable customer service, superb online reservation system, and their commitment to our community, PVRPV will surely continue to thrive for years to come.Congratulations, PVRPV, and here's wishing you many more successful years to come! Site Map Print this Page Email Us Top Brown Fashion Week 2021 Kicks Off with Unparalleled Lineup of Fashion and Lifestyle Royalty We wanted to make Brown Fashion Week bigger than ever to spread some much-needed inspiration to students given the extreme isolation everyone has been experiencing -- and the fashion industry responded in overwhelming numbers. Brown Fashion Week 2021 will take place from March 4 to March 26 and features some of the biggest names in the fashion and lifestyle industries. Re-imagined by student organization Fashion@Brown (F@B) as a virtual celebration this year, the impressive 22-day program of events is free and open to students and fashionistas around the globe and not limited to the Brown University community. We were astonished and humbled by the positive response we received to our invitations to speak at Brown Fashion Week this year, states Sasha Pinto, president of the student organization, Fashion@Brown. We wanted to make Brown Fashion Week bigger than ever to spread some much-needed inspiration to students given the extreme isolation everyone has been experiencing -- and the fashion industry responded in overwhelming numbers. It is a tribute not only to the kindness and generosity of the individual speakers but to the industry in general. Joining Fashion@Brown will be such renowned leaders as Gwyneth Paltrow, Sarah Jessica Parker, Stella McCartney, Kenneth Cole, Steve Madden, Emma Chamberlain, and Olivier Rousteing, among others. A complete list of all speakers and events follows. Events are free and registration details can be found at https://fashionatbrown.com/events Brown Fashion Week 2021 - Complete Speaker Lineup Brown Fashion Week Distinguished Speaker Series kicks off on Thursday, March 4 at 7:30 p.m. ET with Sarah Jessica Parker: Actress, Entrepreneur, Civic Activist: SJP Does it All... and in High Heels on Thursday, March 4 at 7:30 p.m. ET - Join F@B in conversation with the powerhouse whose latest bona fides include CEO of the SJP Collection, her booming shoe business; member of the Partnership for New York City, an economic council of NYCs top CEOs; and vice chairman of the New York City Ballet in addition to being a Golden Globe, Emmy, and Screen Actors Guild award-winning actress of the stage, silver screen, and television. Hear about SJPs unique approach to retail, her myriad entrepreneurial initiatives, and her passionate dedication to the post-pandemic revival of New York City. Next in the series is Kenneth Cole: The Fashion Empire Visionary Shining a Light on Social Issues with Passion and Purpose, on Monday, March 8 at 8:00 p.m. ET, featuring Kenneth Cole, who built a billion-dollar retail business while keeping in mind that its great to be known for your shoes, but its better to be recognized for your soul. Instead of being the companys model, Kenneth Cole decided to be the companys role model by lending his name to social issues like AIDS, homelessness, gun control, mental health and abortion. Cole will be interviewed by his daughter Amanda Cole, Brown class of 2012. On Monday, March 8 at 12:30 p.m. ET zoom in to A Conversation with the Worlds Foremost Fashion CEOs. Isabelle Guichot, CEO of the chic Parisian fashion house Maje and former CEO of the renowned luxury maisons Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Balenciaga, joins Patrice Louvet, CEO of Ralph Lauren, for a dynamic industry leader fireside chat. As CEO of Ralph Lauren, which recently dressed Joseph R. Biden Jr. for the presidential inauguration, Mr. Louvet leads this hugely successful multi-billion-dollar company. The series continues with Steve Maddens Wild Ride and Crazy Come Back on Monday, March 9 at 8:00 p.m. ET. F@B is excited to host the Maddman himself who turned a fledgling startup launched in 1990 with $1,100 into a global, multibillion-dollar brand. But Steve Maddens mistakes from his battle with addiction to the financial shortcuts that landed him in prison are as important to his narrative as his iconic shoes. Steve will share his uplifting story, the lessons hes learned along the way, and how he hopes to use his hard-won platform to create positive change. On March 10 at 2:00 p.m. ET: Francesca Bellettini: The Powerhouse Behind the Billion-Dollar Brand features the woman who has propelled the Yves Saint Laurent brand into the exclusive billion-Euro club, and in the process made herself one of the most powerful women in fashion where there are only a handful of female chief executives. Launching her career at Goldman Sachs before moving to prestigious fashion houses such as Prada, Gucci, Helmut Lang, and Bottega Veneta, Bellettini has shaped every form of luxury from the bags we carry to the clothes and shoes we wear. On March 12 at 4:00 p.m. ET, F@B hosts internet phenomenon Emma Chamberlain: The Most Interesting Girl on YouTube according to the New York Times. Chamberlain, at just 19 years old, has created her own wildly successful brand as a Youtuber, social media influencer, Tik Tok star, podcaster, and owner of Chamberlain Coffee with a combined social media following of more than 30 million. Emma has also pivoted into the fashion industry, making her own merchandise and partnering with legendary Louis Vuitton. She has even recently entered the beauty world by becoming the global brand ambassador and creative director for Bad Habit Beauty Skincare. Emma has also had a huge impact on mental health, sharing her own struggles with anxiety and depression across all of her platforms. The series continues on Sunday March 14 at 2 p.m. ET with Olivier Rousteing: Transforming a Classic: Fashions Storyteller for a New Age. Balmains wunderkind, Olivier Rousteing, will share what he envisions as fashion in the 21st century: a fresh, inclusive world of glamour and revolution. Bringing an innovative spirit of adventure and understanding of a digital generation, Olivier Rousteings creative vision has been integral to Balmains rapid growth as a brand and as a cultural staple on social media through his Balmain Army. The next session, Olivia Palermo: Style Authority, Tastemaker, and Instagram Case Study on Thursday, March 18 at 7:30 p.m. ET is not to be missed. Palermo is a major force in the fashion industry; renowned designers invite her to collaborate, Valentino invites her to his yacht, Instagram uses her as a case study, and The New York Times published a feature story about her success. Olivias journey from an internship in the offices of Diane von Furstenberg in 2006 to an acclaimed international style authority and industry tastemaker today is a story that everyone with entrepreneurial ambitions will want to hear. On Friday, March 19 at 12:30 p.m. ET, F@B presents Stella McCartney: The Mindful Eco-Warrior of High Fashion. Stella McCartney is one of the fashion industrys most vocal champions of environmental issues and her company is a highly successful example of the commercial potential of sustainable, ethically minded businesses. Renowned not only for her successful designs, which included Meghan Markles wedding reception dress, Stella was also the first fashion designer ever to appear on the cover of American Vogue magazine in January 2020. A lifelong vegetarian, Stella has never used leather, feathers, skin or fur in any of her designs. March 22, 7:30 p.m. ET, F@B presents Gwyneth Paltrow: The Oscar-winning Lightning-Rod, Trailblazing Lifestyle& Wellness CEO. Join F@B for a chat with the actress-turned-powerhouse CEO who has taken the lifestyle and wellness market by storm. Providing a freshand at times controversialperspective, Goop is one of the wellness industrys most recognizable brands earning Paltrow millions of passionately loyal admirers (and, yes, a few trolls) through the simple premise that wellness is the new wealth. With Goops blend of aesthetic lifestyle digital media that touches on everything from beauty and wellness to fashion, food, home, and travelalong with its thriving e-commerce business, retail stores, events, and health summits, Goop is a worldwide phenomenon and Gwyneth Paltrow is just getting started. Panel Discussions In addition to the speaker series, Brown Fashion Weeks fascinating and thought-provoking panel discussions are not to be missed: Changemaker Fashion Designers as Translators of Culture & Ethics March 6 at 2:00 p.m. ET Join this F@B conversation with Rome-based designer Stella Jean, Brooklyn-based Fe Noel, and Detroit-based Tracy Reese who are transforming the fashion landscape each in their own way, from using fashion as a bridge and translator of culture to using it as a way to uplift exploited communities. Hear about their journeys, efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in the industry, as well as efforts to expand sustainable design initiatives and ethical production. Award-Winning Costume Designers Shaping Fashion in Film March 13, 2:00 p.m. ET Well hear from Oscar-winner Ruth Carter, six-time Emmy-winner Michele Clapton, and Emmy-nominated Heidi Bivens on their experiences within the fashion and film industries, as well as their processes, inspirations, and ambitions. Their work spans across all different genres, be it Claptons Game of Thrones and The Crown, Carters Black Panther and Malcolm X, or Heidi Bivens Mid 90s and Euphoria. The Future of Fashion Journalism from Americas Foremost Editors March 16, 7:30 p.m. ET Join F@B for a live-streamed conversation with three of fashion journalisms most celebrated editors and influential voices in fashion: Vanessa Friedman, fashion director and chief fashion critic at The New York Times; Chioma Nnadi, editor of Vogue.com; and Samantha Barry, editor-in-chief of Glamour. Editorial is how we discover the latest trends, unearth new icons, and define style as we know it. The future of fashion journalism today is in flux, however, between the dilemma of reporting on fashion during a pandemic, the rise of influencer-generated content, the shift to digital platforms, and disappearance of print magazines. Friedman, Nnadi, and Barry will join us to discuss and dissect the future of fashion journalism. Disrupting Beauty: Supermodels on Representation & Empowerment March 17, 3:00 p.m. ET This fascinating conversation will explore how modeling can influence greater societal change, how media representation can center marginalized identities in the public consciousness and how their careers have inspired them to help empower others; while their faces dominate our magazines and feeds, few are aware of their social and philanthropic work. We will hear from Jasmine Tookes, Cindy Bruna, Jasmine Sanders and Tami Williams about their inspirational journeys. Screening & Discussion of The Remix: Hip Hop x Fashion March 21, 6:00 p.m. ET Join F@B and the Brown Arts Initiative for a discussion with Lisa Cortes, the Academy Award-Nominated director, writer, and producer of the film, in conversation with award-winning filmmaker Yoruba Richen, Brown Professor of the Practice. The Remix is a story of hip hops influence on the fashion industry, which has led to the stratospheric and global rise of street wear. It is a story of African American creativity and limitless possibilities of this shift in culture, focusing on the journeys of fashion architect Misa Hylton, streetwear designer April Walker, as well as Dapper Dan and Kerby Jean-Raymond. And finally, Brown Fashion Week 2021 culminates with their 11th Annual Runway Show The 11th Annual Runway Show on Friday, March 26 at 7:00 p.m. ET, presented virtually for the first time, will showcase the collections of the F@B team of twenty-six student designers from both Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design. The collections will be released in a high-fashion campaign film, accompanied by a virtual and print Lookbook. To register for any and all of the aforementioned complimentary events, please click http://www.fashionatbrown.com/events for more information and registration. The Philippines ambassador to Brazil who was removed after she was caught on a surveillance camera attacking a domestic worker at her official residence is now blaming the series of incidents on the 'anxiety and stress' that she was dealing with because of the COVID-19 epidemic. President Rodrigo Duterte announced his decision during a press conference Monday to fire Marichu Mauro as part of his campaign to root out official abuses and corruption in his last full year in power. Mauro was recalled to Manila in November 2020 after Brazil's GloboNews channel obtained footage that had been filmed since March showing her repeatedly assaulting a 51-year-old woman who was part of her staff at her official residence in Brasilia. 'There are rules to be followed. If you disobey, you take the risk. If something goes wrong, it's gonna hit you,' Duterte said. Marichu Mauro was removed as the Philippines' ambassador to Brazil by President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday. The decision comes four months after Mauro was recalled after the surveillance camera system at her official residence in Brasilia caught her abusing a 51-year-old woman domestic worker Security camera system at the official residence of former Filipino ambassador Marichu Mauro (front) captures the moment she pulls a 51-year-old maid (back) by her ear Duterte's decision means that Mauro has now been dismissed from the foreign service. She will also lose her pension and is barred from running for public office. The former envoy appeared in an interview Wednesday with Filipino television station ABS-CBN News and said she was sorry and that she could not 'find a justification' for her actions. However, Mauro went on to blame the incident on the daily pressures that stemmed from the COVID-19 pandemic. 'During those times I was under tremendous stress because of the COVID lockdown,' she said. 'Maybe I was a victim of the anxiety and stress brought by the lockdown, but I regretted my behavior.' The Philippines former ambassador to Brazil, Marichu Mauro (left), is seen on video threatening a 51-year-old domestic worker (right) at the former envoy's official residence in Brasilia. She was removed from her role at the Philippines' top diplomat in Brazil and banned from running from public office and receiving her retirement pension Security camera registers one of the several instances in which Marichu Mauro abused her 51-year-old domestic worker at the former Philippines ambassador's official residence in Brasilia, Brazil Surveillance footage shows the 51-year-old Filipino domestic worker kneeling out of fear from being attack by the Philippines' former ambassador to Brazil, Marichu Mauro According to GloboNews, the worker was employed at the ambassador's official residence, a large gated compound in Brazil's capital. Footage of the abuse -- dated between March and October 2020 -- was used as evidence in a complaint lodged with the Philippine government against Mauro, it said. She can be seen on video throwing a towel at the woman's face and on two occasions pulled her ears while admonishing her. Mauro said her punishment was too harsh and that her team of lawyers would seek to challenge Duterte's decision. Mauro was posted to Brazil in 2018, from where she oversaw the missions to Colombia, Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela. Millions of Filipinos escape low wages, unemployment and limited opportunities at home by going overseas, including as to become domestic workers. Their remittances are vital to the local economy. But many of these workers face difficult or dangerous conditions, and reports of physical or psychological abuse are not uncommon, though most instances involve foreign employers. Jalalabad: Three female media workers have been shot dead in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, government officials said, amid a wave of killings that is spreading fear among professional workers in urban centres. Zalmai Latifi, head of local broadcaster Enikas TV, said the three women were recent high school graduates aged between 18 and 20 who worked in the stations dubbing department. Government sources said the women were killed on their way home from work and witnesses said gunmen shot the women in the head before fleeing. A fourth woman was injured and a hospital spokesman said she had been admitted to hospital and was fighting for life. Afghans carry the body of a woman, one of three media workers killed by gunmen in Jalalabad, east of Kabul, Afghanistan. Credit:AP Provincial police chief Juma Gul Hemat said the suspected lead attacker had been arrested and he was connected to the Taliban. A Taliban spokesman denied the group had any involvement in the attack. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Targeted, efficient and with few side effects: A new method for combating periodontitis could render the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics superfluous. It was developed and tested for the first time by a team from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI and Periotrap Pharmaceuticals GmbH. The aim is to neutralize only bacteria that cause periodontitis while sparing harmless bacteria. The study appeared in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Periodontitis is a common bacterial inflammation of the gums. According to the World Health Organization WHO Oral Health Study, almost 10 percent of the global population is affected with a severe form of the disease, which can lead to tooth loss as well as increasing the risk of other diseases, such as Alzheimer's and cardiovascular disease. Until now, treatment has mainly involved the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics that attack all bacteria in the mouth. However, this has some disadvantages: "One side effect of the treatment is that it also destroys all the harmless or beneficial bacteria in the oral cavity. In addition, the bacteria can ultimately develop resistance to the antibiotics," explains Dr. Mirko Buchholz from Periotrap Pharmaceuticals, who led the new study alongside Professor Milton T. Stubbs, a biotechnologist at MLU. The researchers therefore looked for a way to eradicate only the harmful bacteria in the mouth. A team from Fraunhofer IZI's Department of Drug Design and Target Validation in Halle developed a test substance that attacks glutaminyl cyclase, a specific enzyme in the bacteria that plays a special role in metabolism. Inactivation of this enzyme harms the bacteria and, ideally, no periodontitis can develop. To test its effectiveness, the researchers joined forces with the Clinics for Dental Medicine at the University of Bern, Jagiellonian University in Krakow and the University of Louisville in Kentucky (USA). They found that the new substance successfully suppresses the growth of pathogenic bacteria. The new test substance has a special feature: It only works on the harmful bacteria. "Our target, glutaminyl cyclase, comes in two different variants. Normally, plants and bacteria have one variant of the enzyme and mammals another. The two variants work in a similar fashion, but they differ significantly in their structure. It's a bit like flat-tip versus Phillips screwdrivers," explains Stubbs. Surprisingly, the bacteria that trigger periodontitis have the mammalian variant of the enzyme. "This is crucial for our approach because it gives us a possible target so we only kill the pathogenic bacteria and leave the harmless ones intact," says Mirko Buchholz. To minimize possible side effects in advance, the team compared the bacterial enzyme with the human variant. "There are small but significant differences between the enzymes," says Stubbs. These differences are probably sufficient for the new substance to not affect the human enzymes. Therefore, only minor side effects are to be expected. The researchers' study provides initial evidence that the approach essentially works. It must now be fine-tuned in further studies and tested in subsequent clinical trials. It may therefore take some years before the research from Halle becomes a marketable drug. Explore further Antibiotics: New substances break bacterial resistance More information: Nadine Taudte et al, Mammalian-like type II glutaminyl cyclases in Porphyromonas gingivalis and other oral pathogenic bacteria as targets for treatment of periodontitis, Journal of Biological Chemistry (2021). Journal information: Journal of Biological Chemistry Nadine Taudte et al, Mammalian-like type II glutaminyl cyclases in Porphyromonas gingivalis and other oral pathogenic bacteria as targets for treatment of periodontitis,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100263 Provided by Martin-Luther-Universitat Halle-Wittenberg New Delhi: Union minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Sunday asserted that "Lord Ram is neither of Hindus nor of Muslims, he is soul of India." "Maulana Kalbe Sadiq has won our hearts. Lord Ram is neither of Hindus nor of Muslims. He is soul of India," he said. While addressing an interfaith dialogue conclave on peace and harmony organised by Ahimsa Vishwa Bharti, the minister lauded Shia cleric Kalbe Sadiq as the latter urged Muslim community to hand over the land to Hindus if the verdict goes in favour of Muslims. Maulana Sb (Kalbe Sadiq) has won our hearts. Lord Ram is neither of Hindus nor of Muslims. He is soul of India: Dr. Harsh Vardhan Union Min pic.twitter.com/aCBxPJdQ19 ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017 On the occasion, Maulana Kalbe Sadiq said if the verdict in Ayodhya dispute goes in favour of Hindus then Muslim community should peacefully accept it. If Babri Masjid verdict is not in favor of Muslims, then they should peacefully accept it: Maulana Kalbe Sadiq, Shia cleric pic.twitter.com/mLbBoc23Ch ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017 "If Babri Masjid verdict is not in favour of Muslims, then they should peacefully accept it, Sadiq said while addressing the gathering. While speaking on the occasion, Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev took on China, saying that the neighbour does not believe in peace. Had they done that Dalai Lama wouldn't have been in India, he said. China doesn't believe in peace. Had they done that Dalai Lama wouldn't have been here: Baba Ramdev pic.twitter.com/eGPAxccQEO ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017 Ramdev said that India should follow tit-for-tat. He said India talks in the language of yoga but the one who doesn't get it must be answered in the language of war. Spiritual guru Dalai Lama also shared his views on the occasion. He said fear creates irritation, irritation creates anger and anger creates violence. Fear creates irritation, irritation creates anger, anger creates violence: Dalai Lama pic.twitter.com/bU1eGbCCkd ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017 The spiritual guru shared a light moment with Baba Ramdev. Also Read | Babri Masjid case | Shia board tells SC: Mosque can be built in Muslim-dominated area at a reasonable distance For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Sofia Vergara won another legal battle against her ex-fiance Nick Loeb in a years-long custody battle over frozen embryos. A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge granted a permanent injunction stating that Loeb could not use the embryos without her consent, a blow to his case where he tried to establish rights by going as far as even naming the embryos. Loeb even attempted to establish trusts for the embryos, according to TMZ, as he fought 'tooth and nail for permission to bring the embryos to term.' Winner winner: Sofia Vergara won another legal battle against her ex-fiance Nick Loeb in a years-long custody battle over frozen embryos; seen in 2014 Just last month, Loeb lost yet another legal battle in his fight to obtain legal custody over their frozen embryos after a Louisiana appeals court ruled in favor of the Modern Family star. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal in Louisiana upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit Loeb had filed in an attempt to claim custody of two embryos they froze seven years ago. In the ruling dated January 27, the appeals court ruled that Loeb's lawsuit, which it declared as 'abhorrent', should be thrown out because it made a 'mockery' of Louisiana's legal system. The appeals court also ruled that all documents related to the case should be unsealed. Long battle: Sofia Vergara's ex-fiance, Nick Loeb, lost another legal battle over custody rights to pre-embryos; seen in 2013 The legal saga dates back to 2015 when Loeb, 45, first filed a lawsuit against Vergara, 48, in a bid to bring to term two female embryos that they had created and planned to use with a surrogate. The pair had signed a contract at the ART Reproductive Center in Beverly Hills when they created the embryos in 2013 that stated neither could use them without each other's consent. Legal proceedings initially began in California but were later dismissed. Loeb later moved the case to Louisiana because officials there consider embryos to be human beings. In California, which is where the embryos were frozen, they are referred to as products. As part of the Louisiana lawsuit, Vergara was sued by her two frozen embryos. In the unusual lawsuit, the embryos were given the names Emma and Isabella and listed as plaintiffs. 'Emma and Isabella seek that they be entrusted to their natural father Loeb, who is willing and desirous that they be born,' the lawsuit said. In the past: Nick and Sofia called off their engagement in 2014 after dating for four years; seen in 2010 In throwing out the case last week, the appeals court ruled that Loeb did not in fact live in Louisiana and accused him and his legal team of making a 'mockery' of the state's legal system. The court found that Loeb 'is not domiciled in, does not maintain a residence in, and does not have the intent to be domiciled or a resident of any parish in the State of Louisiana.' The ruling also accused Loeb's legal team of 'blatantly engaging in forum shopping' to find a court they hoped would be sympathetic to their case. Golden girl: Sofia recently reminisced on better days at the Golden Globe awards 'Their behavior brings disrepute to and makes a mockery of the Louisiana legal system and the bar and is abhorrent,' the ruling stated. The couple called off their engagement in 2014 after dating for four years. Vergara, who has an adult son, Manolo, from a previous relationship, has been married to Joe Manganiello since in November 2015. Loeb's legal team say they are now planning to appeal to Louisiana's Supreme Court. Daniel Schreiber and Francisco Webber, co-founders of Cortical.io While there is widespread excitement about the promise of AI as a technology, our focus is on applying our innovative technology to deliver packaged solutions that solve the problems enterprises are facing today. The European Investment Bank (EIB) is providing $9.1 million to Cortical.io AG, an Austrian software company with offices in San Francisco, developing innovative artificial intelligence technology based on a Natural Language Understanding (NLU) approach that can interpret and process human language text. The software is capable of performing search and analysis based on meanings of words or sentences. Its current applications include smart search and classification of information in contracts and emails. Cortical.ios technology can search, extract, annotate and analyze key information from unstructured text even with specialized vocabulary across multiple languages and business sectors, and the company has already started developing standardized products to speed up deployment of the technology. The EIB financing will cover research and development (R&D) as well as operational investments supporting Cortical.ios growth. The EU bank loan is being provided under the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) as part of the Investment Plan for Europe. EFSI is the central pillar of the Investment Plan under which the EIB and the European Commission are working together closely as strategic partners in order to boost investment and to create jobs and growth by making smarter use of existing and new financial resources. The EIB loan, supported by EFSI, will have a significant impact as it provides Cortical.io with financial support and flexibility, enabling it to maintain its early-mover advantage in the field, scale up its business and continue its geographic expansion. EIB Vice-President Thomas Ostros said: One of the immediate economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic is the sudden lack of liquidity affecting mainly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). To tackle the economic impact of the pandemic, the EIB is focusing its activities on meeting the financing needs of SMEs and providing immediate help. I therefore very much welcome our cooperation with Cortical.io, which is a young innovative company. High growth start-ups are recognized as key sources of employment, productivity growth and innovation, and for the EIB, with the backing of the Investment Plan for Europe, supporting investment that is geared towards greater competitiveness is a top priority, in particular in these difficult economic times due to COVID-19. Executive Vice-President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis said: This agreement between the EIB and artificial intelligence software innovator Cortical.io AG is a clear sign of the European Unions support for companies contributing to the digital transition, which is a significant driver for our economy. The new financing, backed by the Investment Plan for Europe, will enable Cortical.io AG to continue growing its operations and further advance its innovative business solutions in the field of language and artificial intelligence. Cortical.io COO Thomas Reinemer said: While there is widespread excitement about the promise of AI as a technology, our focus is on applying our innovative technology to deliver packaged solutions that solve the problems enterprises are facing today. With proven solutions such as Contract Intelligence and Message Intelligence, this funding will enable us to grow the company and expand our R&D efforts to deliver Intelligent Document Processing solutions. Background information About Cortical.io Cortical.io delivers AI-based business solutions which are quicker and easier to implement and more capable than current approaches. The companys patented method of Natural Language Understanding enables enterprises to more effectively search, extract and analyse information from unstructured text. The companys solutions, including Contract Intelligence and Message Intelligence, cover a wide spectrum of use cases with proven implementations in Fortune 500 companies. Cortical.io is working to enable Semantic Supercomputing, the ability to process streams of natural language content at massive scale in real time through the use of hardware acceleration. Cortical.io has offices in Europe (Vienna) and in the US (New York and San Francisco). For more information, go to https://www.cortical.io. Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter @Cortical_io. About the European Investment Bank The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. It makes long-term finance available for sound investment in order to contribute towards EU policy goals. About the Investment Plan for Europe The Investment Plan for Europe is an EU initiative to boost investment and to create jobs and growth. Through guarantees from the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), the EIB and the EIF are able to take on a higher share of project risk, encouraging private finance providers to participate in the projects. The projects and agreements approved for financing under EFSI so far are expected to mobilize 546.5 billion in investments and support more than 1.4 million start-ups and SMEs across all EU Member States. As Facebook confronts outrage among its employees and the public for mishandling multiple decisions about its role in shaping public discourse, it is becoming clear that it cannot solve its conundrums without a major change in its business model. And a new model is readily available: for-benefit status. For decades, a misguided ideology has warped companies, economies and societies: that the sole purpose of corporations is to maximize short-term returns to one set of stakeholders -- those who have bought shares. Neither law nor history requires this to be true. But shareholder value-maximization ideology has become cemented in far too much corporate practice at the expense of societal well-being. This is manifested in many ways: a slavish adherence to the judgment of the "market," even when other social signals are more powerful; executives enriched by stock options; companies fearful of activist investors who attack whenever stock prices fail to meet quarterly expectations and often-frivolous shareholder lawsuits pushing for stock gains at all costs. The pandemic, however, has accelerated an already-spreading recognition that shareholder value maximization is often a harmful choice -- not by any means a moral imperative or even a fiduciary responsibility. Major institutions of capitalism are converging on a new vision for it. The 2019 Business Roundtable CEO statement said that corporate strategy should benefit all stakeholders including shareholders, yes, but equally customers, employees, suppliers, and the communities in which companies operate. BlackRock CEO Larry Finks recent annual letters assert new views of how that investment company, the worlds largest, should invest the trillions it oversees. Finks 2019 letter spelled out a new vision for corporate purpose; the subsequent 2020 and 2021 letters focused on business responsibility around climate change, particularly in light of the pandemic. The B Corporation and conscious capitalism movements are growing. The World Economic Forum is championing a Fourth Sector, combining purpose with profit. Business schools, facing student rebellions against a purely profit-maximizing curriculum, are rapidly changing what they teach. Story continues And with society under siege, many more businesses, including social media, are scrambling to seem like good corporate citizens. They have no choice. Facebook, for example, has doubled down on philanthropy and new efforts to combat misinformation, even as usage and share price soar. Platforms like WhatsApp (owned by Facebook) have become essential services to connect people whose physical ties have been abruptly severed during the global pandemic. Shelter-in-place has become, in many ways, shelter-in-Facebook-properties. But Facebook and its brethren remain fragile. Since the 2016 presidential election in the U.S., Facebook has faced governmental hearings and regulation, public uproar (#deleteFacebook), and huge fines for invading privacy and undermining democracy. These calls were amplified in the weeks following the January 6 Capitol riot. Separately, it faces allegations of bias, largely (though not entirely) from the political right. These have led to calls for the revocation or reform of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which grants it immunity from the actions of its users. A giant company that is simultaneously essential and pilloried is vulnerable. Just ask the ghosts of John D. Rockefeller and his fellow robber barons, whose huge monopolies industrialized America more than 100 years ago. Journalistic muckrakers and public outrage targeted them for their abusive practices until the government finally broke up their companies via antitrust legislation. Because Mark Zuckerberg maintains complete majority control of Facebook, he could unilaterally quell public opprobrium and fend off heavy-handed regulation singlehandedly by transforming Facebook into a new kind of business: a for-benefit corporation. Under the Public Benefit Corporation legal model, firms bind themselves to a public benefit mission statement and carry out required ongoing reporting on both the standard financials and on how the company is living up to its mission. That status protects the company against profit-demanding shareholder lawsuits, and also attracts employees and investors who want to combine profit with purpose. data.world is one of the thousands of certified B Corporations that have seen good returns on financial metrics. Allbirds, for example, launched in a few sustainable materials using a pro-sustainability process to manufacture comfortable shoes, quickly reaching revenues of $100 million and valuation of $1.7 billion in an industry fraught with sustainability and human rights concerns. Other household names that are B Corps include The Body Shop, Coursera, Danone, the Jamie Oliver Group, King Arthur Flour, Numi Tea and Patagonia. Many companies that have not undergone formal B Certification from B Labs have nonetheless done well while transforming their business practices, such as the carpet and flooring company Interface. Some firms incorporate ESG principles into their management systems the $24 billion (market cap) Dutch life sciences company DSM has for years had meaningful sustainability targets for its senior management that account for fully 50 percent of their annual bonuses. Both Interface and DSM attribute much of their commercial success to their attention to non-financial considerations. A for-benefit Facebook could similarly relate to the world differently, avoiding many of the reputational shocks and regulatory responses that have led to huge stock dips and enormous fines. Its operations would align with Zuckerbergs proclaimed purpose to enable the potential abundance that results from connecting everyone in the world. Imagine a Facebook town hall as a true public square, not just another way to gather and sell peoples data without their explicit consent. Imagine a Facebook that put its users first and its advertisers second; that revealed where ads came from; that earned your attention in a way that you controlled rather than through machine-driven algorithms maximizing your attention for good or ill. Such a for-benefit Facebook could create true buy-in and transparency with its massive community around the world. Of course, such steps as Facebooks new Oversight Board, which may provide some meaningful review, dont require a legal change. But if shareholders and employees continue to be rewarded primarily by the success of the problematic ad revenue model, a continuing conflict between private gain and public benefit makes it impossible to have confidence about what is happening behind the scenes. A shift to for-benefit incorporation and appropriate certification brings with it different performance metrics and accountability systems with public scores. In changing Facebook into a for-benefit corporation, Zuckerberg could insulate himself against presidential rage while rehabilitating his reputation and his company's. It would likely create vast ripples both in Silicon Valley and beyond and it might help transform capitalism itself. An eyewitness has told the Special Criminal Court how a gunman "smirked" and walked away after firing shots into the shop where Dublin man David Douglas was murdered. The non-jury court also heard that the man accused of the murder was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage after he was found travelling at speed in a stolen vehicle which had repeatedly crashed into another car in south Dublin three days after the shooting. Lee Canavan had 1,065 in cash and his clothing smelled of petrol when gardai stopped him and Nathan Foley in Crumlin, in one of the four cars allegedly used in the killing of Mr Douglas. Mr Canavan (31), with an address at Edenbrook, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, has pleaded not (NOT) guilty to murdering shoe shop manager Mr Douglas (55), who was shot six times with injuries to his chest, neck, back, torso, elbow and jaw at Shoestown, Bridgefoot Street, Dublin 1, on July 1, 2016. The accused also denies a second charge of criminal damage to a Suzuki Swift vehicle at Strand Road, Sandymount, on July 4, 2016, the property of Teresa Devoy. It is the prosecution's case that this was a "meticulously and carefully planned assassination" and Mr Canavan was "the person who literally pulled the trigger" after entering Mr Douglas' shop shortly after 4pm on the day of the shooting. Giving evidence today, Shane Egan told prosecuting counsel Sean Gillane SC that he was sitting in traffic in his van on Bridgefoot Street around 4pm on July 1, when he saw a man walking up the hill from Oliver Bond Street in Dublin's Liberties. "There was something strange about him which caught my attention," he said. The witness said the man walked past 'Busy Bees', an after school service on Bridgefoot Street and went into the entrance of Shoestown. "He stopped at the entrance and then I heard bangs, I thought they were fireworks at first," he continued, adding that he had heard five or six bangs in total. Mr Egan testified that he saw the man jump backwards out of the shop and walk back down the street. "He wasn't running, just walking. He smirked at that stage and went around the corner in the direction of Oliver Bond Street," he said. The witness said he heard a female scream inside the shoe shop so he ran over to the entrance of Shoestown. "I saw a man on the ground, he had been shot and blood was coming out of his chest," he said. Describing the alleged shooter, Mr Egan said he was about 5ft 8 or 5ft 10 in height but less than 6ft, in his late 20's or early 30's with stubble on his face and was wearing a hoodie. In cross-examination, defence counsel Michael Bowman SC put it to the witness that he had told gardai in his statement that he was confident he would recognise the shooter if he saw him again as he had turned and looked at him. The barrister further put it to Mr Egan that he had also told gardai that the shooter had dark hair, which was cut short. "Yes, that's what I said," replied Mr Egan, adding that he was not asked to attend an identity parade. In re-examination, Mr Gillane asked the witness what he wanted to clarify when he returned to the garda station to make a second statement on July 11. "I wanted to clarify that it wasn't the colour of his hair, in fact I couldn't see his hair as he had his hoodie up," he replied. Professor Patrick Plunkett, a specialist in emergency medicine, said that Mr Douglas was under his care at St James's Hospital on the night of July 1. The victim had penetrating wounds to the right side of his chest, back of his neck and beneath his jaw, he said. The witness said Mr Douglas could not be resuscitated and he was pronounced dead at 4.55pm. Detective Garda Alan Curry said he had recovered a loaded semi-automatic pistol with its serial number removed next to the victim's head. The detective said he made the firearm safe at the scene by removing the magazine, which contained five rounds of ammunition. Three cartridge cases found on the floor outside the shop indicated that the shots were discharged from the roadway, he said, adding that the hammer of the weapon was still cocked and it had the capacity to hold 15 rounds of ammunition. Iveta Sutkote said she was sitting in her vehicle with her ex-boyfriend facing the sea in a car park on Sandymount beach on the night of July 4, when she saw a Mitsubishi car hit an unoccupied silver car that was parked behind them. There were three men in the Mitsubishi and one of them jumped out and tried to pour petrol on the silver car from a red canister, she said. Ms Sutkote said the Mitsubishi had a 99 TS registration and she called gardai with the full registration number when it drove off. Garda Brian Hunt said he attended Strand Road at 11.40pm on July 4 and met two individuals who informed him that they had seen three males interfering with a Suzuki Swift car and crashing into it. There were scorch marks on the bonnet of the car and smouldering petrol could be seen on the ground, he said. Sergeant Darren Reid said he was driving a patrol car on Parnell Road on the night of July 4 when he saw the four wheels of a Mitsubishi leaving the surface of the ground due to the speed it was being driven at. The witness said he did a U-turn, pursued the Mitsubishi and spoke to its driver, a Nathan Foley. At the same time, Sgt Reid said he heard a broadcast over the radio from Garda Brian Hunt indicating that he had spoken to two witnesses at Strand Road who had observed a Mitsubishi "ram into" a silver Suzuki Swift car and a person had attempted to set the vehicle on fire. Garda Robert Fitzharris said that he was a passenger in the patrol car and the Mitsubishi had caught their attention so they pursued it. He said he got a strong smell of petrol coming from the accused man's clothing. Gda Fitzharris said he asked Mr Canavan if he had anything on him that he should not have and the accused pulled out 1,065. The garda said that a call then came in over the radio indicating that a male had been seen getting out of a car at Strand Road and tried to set fire to a Suzuki Swift. Gda Fitzharris said the registration belonging to the Mitsubishi car was then relayed to them over the radio. The witness said he arrested Mr Canavan on suspicion of criminal damage and conveyed him to Kevin Street Garda Station, where a number of items were seized including 1,065 and two mobile phones. Both the Suzuki and the Mitsubishi were recovered for analysis. In 2019, Nathan Foley (22) of Maryland, Dublin 8, was jailed for six years after he pleaded guilty to assisting a criminal organisation by driving one of four cars and buying mobile phones used in the offence. Garda Cathal Feeney testified that he later retrieved a parking ticket, a smouldered fuel canister and a cap belonging to a fuel canister from the Suzuki Swift car. Opening the trial, prosecution counsel Mr Gillane said the murder was a "carefully and meticulously planned one, to ensure that David Douglas met his death". The barrister said that the court would hear of the movements of four vehicles on the day and that evidence would be produced linking Mr Canavan, through a fingerprint and a DNA sample, to two cars involved. "Four vehicles were used in concert in planning and executing the murder," he said, adding that the movements of these vehicles were key to understanding the killing. Mr Canavan is the fourth person to appear before the courts charged in connection to the murder. In 2018, Frederick 'Fat Freddie' Thompson (41) was jailed for life by the Special Criminal Court for the murder of Mr Douglas. Gareth Brophy (26) was jailed in February 2020 for ten years by the Special Criminal Court for his role as getaway driver. The case continues tomorrow at the non-jury court before Mr Justice Michael MacGrath, presiding, sitting with Ms Justice Sinead Ni Chulachain and Mr Justice Dermot Dempsey. Incredible footage has emerged of a massive crocodile being casually shooed off an outback road. The video taken at Sweets Lagoon in the Northern Territory, shows the huge crocodile lying across the road before Outback Wrangler star Matt Wright directs it back towards the water. Just like he would to a household pet, Mr Wright encourages the croc to get off the road, saying 'good boy' when the 16-foot reptile slides back into the water. The crocodile is over 4.5metres long but Mr Wright simply sums the situation up saying: 'he's not moving.' As he begins to get the massive crocodile out of the way he coaxes it on saying: 'go on mate!' 'Get out, go on, come on!' After what most would categorise as a fairly tense situation he simply says: 'alright, let's go.' The crocodile known as 'Otis' is the resident alpha male at Sweets Lagoon and was 'sunning itself during the wet season'. 'Good boy' Matt Wright called as the crocodile slid into the water and out of the way Matt Wright was as relaxed as ever during his encounter with this massive crocodile Matt Wright with his wife Kaia share a lot of their wild encounters on social media Mr Wright has been working with crocodiles for over 25 years, and has his own National Geographic show, Outback Wrangler. 'I know these creatures so well and have the experience and training to work with dangerous reptiles,' he said. 'I work with these crocodiles on a daily basis but even Otis at 16 feet long scares me.' His warned people 'Be crocwise. When visiting the NT, look at all signs carefully. Don't put yourself in situations where crocs may be.' Countering former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's remarks comparing radical Pakistani madrasas and RSS schools, Vidyabharti on Wednesday put out a statement highlighting the contributions of its schools across India towards the benefit of children. The Vidya Bharati Akhil Bharatiya Shikha Sansthan, which runs Vidyabharati schools across the country, said that its institutions have been praised by renowned academics on several occasions and it aims to build a 'capable generation of patriots and dedication towards society by rising above the caste, creed, creed, community.' The statement further added that around 80,000 Muslim and Christian students study in Vidyabharati schools, suggesting the inclusiveness of the institution, unlike radical madrasas. "Vidyabharati is committed to the all-round development of boys and girls along with high-quality education at a minimum fee. There is a special focus in our schools on social harmony, omnipotence, equality and respect and respect of all ideas," the statement read. READ | Rahul Gandhi Demonises RSS-run Schools With Pak Comparison; 'Education System Captured' Gandhi faces BJP, VHP wrath The Wayanad MP on Tuesday reiterated his attack at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and alleged that it is doing something "fundamentally different" and filling up the institutions of the country with its people. In a conversation with Kaushik Basu, a professor at Cornell University in the US and India's former Chief Economic Advisor, Rahul also alleged that the RSS is attacking the higher education institutions in the country through their schools and likened them to "madrasas used by radical Islamists in Pakistan." READ | Rahul Gandhi Demonising RSS Schools Legitimises Pak Terror; He Must Visit Shakas: BJP, VHP Gandhi drew severe ire from several BJP and VHP leader who stated that the former Congress chief was just trying to create controversy 'to stay in news'. Calling the Gandhi scion 'foolish', BJP MP Rakesh Sinha told Republic TV, "I am convinced that he is foolish. He is insulting the Indian people and legitimizing Pakistan jihad with his statement. He just creates controversy to stay in news. There is a serious crisis in their party as 23 Congress leaders (referring to the G23) are criticizing Congress. To divert from such a thing he is doing this." READ | Prakash Javadekar Hits Out At Rahul Gandhi, Says 'RSS Biggest School Of Nationalism' VHP's Alok Kumar furiously criticized Rahul's comment and stated, "Rahul Gandhi has compared the Sarasvati Shishu Mandirs with the terrorist-producing Madrassas in Pakistan. The statement is dishonest and false. Sarasvati Shishu Mandirs provide quality education to millions of Indian children all over the country. They provide an education that instils in them respect for the country, a good human value system, makes them responsible citizens, and equips them with the knowledge that they can use for a good life. It is for this reason that they are preferred over the govt or costly public schools. " READ | BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi Slams Rahul Over RSS Remarks, Asks Him To Worship Goddess Saraswati The Audit Service Board has written to Auditor-General Daniel Yaw Domelevo challenging his Ghanaian nationality and age. The Board says his own Social Security and National Insurance Trust records show he is a Togolese and not a Ghanaian and also due for retirement. The Board, in a series of correspondence with Mr Domelevo, said he was born in 1960 per his own records and, thus, should have gone on retirement mid-2020. In a letter dated, 26th February 2021, the Audit Service Board said: Records at the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) completed and signed by you indicate your date of birth as 1st June 1960 when you joined the scheme on 1st October 1978. The records show that you stated your tribe as Togolese and a non-Ghanaian. That your home town is Agbatofe. On 25th October 1992, you completed and signed a SSNIT Change of Beneficiary Nomination form, stating your nationality as a Ghanaian and your home town as Ada in the Greater Accra Region. The date of birth on your Ghanaian passport number A45800, issued on 28th February 1996 is 1st June 1961. That place of birth is stated as Kumasi, Ashanti Region, the letter said. In his reply, Mr Domelevo explained that his grandfather, Augustine Domelevo, was a native of Ada in the Greater Accra Region but migrated to Togo and stayed at Agbatofe. Either my father wrongly mentioned Agbatofe in Togo as his home town to me, or I misconstrued it at the time, Mr Domelevo explained, adding: My mother is also a Ghanaian. Concerning his date of birth, Mr Domelevo said he noticed that the 1960 date of birth was a mistake when I checked my information in the baptismal register of the Catholic Church in Adeemmra. The register has Yaw as part of my name and also provides my date of birth as 1st June 1961 this corresponds with Thursday or Yaw the day of the week on which I was born. The Audit Service Board, however, said: Observation of your responses and explanations contained in your above reference letter make your date of birth and Ghanaian nationality even more doubtful and clearly establishes that you have made false statements contrary to law. Records made available to the Board indicate that your date of retirement was 1st June 2020 and as far as the Audit Service is concerned you are deemed to have retired, it noted. By a copy of this letter, the Board is informing the President, who is your appointing authority, to take necessary action. Additionally, the Board is making available to the President all the relevant documents at our disposal. Mr Domelevos 167-day forced leave ended today, Tuesday, 2 March 2021 and was, therefore, expected to resume work tomorrow, Wednesday, 3 March 2021. There were unconfirmed rumours in early 2021 that Mr Domelevo was set to resume work in January. However, in a social media post, the Auditor-General indicated that his 167-day leave would end on 2 March 2021. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo directed Mr Domelevo to take his accumulated annual leave of 123 working days effective Wednesday, 1 July 2020 but later increased it to 167 following a protest letter from the A-G. A statement released by the office of the President and signed by the Director of Communications, Mr Eugene Arhin, on Monday, 29 June 2020, said: The Presidents decision to direct Mr Domelevo to take his accumulated annual leave is based on Sections 20(1) and Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651), which apply to all workers including public office holders such as the Auditor-General. Mr Domelevo was said to have taken only nine days of his annual leave. But reacting to the directive from the president in a letter addressed to Nana Asante Bediatuo, the Secretary to the President, Mr Domelevo said: My knowledge of recent labour and practice in the country is that no worker is deemed to have accumulated any leave on account of their having failed, omitted, neglected or even refused to enjoy their rights to annual leave, which the law guarantees for their benefit, not the employer. He stated that to the best of his knowledge, therefore, wherein any given year a worker fails, omits, neglects or even refuses to take their annual leave such leave is deemed forfeited with no corresponding obligation on the part of the employer to enforce the workers right to take their leave by assuming, deeming or declaring the forfeited leave accumulated. I am also informed that by law, every person is entitled in some in very limited circumstances, to wave what the law has ordained for their benefit, in this case, a workers leave. Be that as it may, the directive that I proceed on leave and hand over all matters relating to the office to Mr Johnson Akuamoah with all due respect has serious implications for the institutional independence of the office of the auditor general, the letter said. A petition presented to the office of the President, signed by some 1,000 Ghanaians living abroad and led by Lolan Sagoe-Moses and Korieh Duodu, with regard to Mr Domelevos leave directive, asked that the directive be reversed, noting that it would make him incapable of acting as Auditor-General. The petition stated: We question how the public is expected to consider such a decision as made in good faith, in circumstances where the Auditor-General is essentially being asked to make himself well-rested and refreshed for the commencement of his retirement. Mr Domelevos absence, during this 167-day period, would mean he will not be able to actively execute his Constitutionally-prescribed role as protector of the public purse during the crucial 6 month period before the general election, a period. However, responding to the petition from the Ghanaians abroad, Secretary to the President, Nana Asante Bediatuo indicated that President Akufo-Addos stance on the leave directive had not changed. Source: classfmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Ryanair boss Michael OLeary said Government support for airlines during the coronavirus pandemic has been lamentable. He claimed there is much more to be done to help the industry during the Covid-19 crisis. Giving evidence to the Transport Select Committee, Mr OLeary said the furlough scheme is welcome, but the Government has been lamentable in providing other support. He went on: We had to refund over 1.5 billion euro (1.3 billion) to customers in the last 12 months because our flights were cancelled by government order. There has been no support for that. We have received no support. He criticised Chancellor Rishi Sunak for failing to reduce Air Passenger Duty (APD), which he described as a ridiculous tax that hits the poorest people hardest. He said: No effort has been made by the Government to roll that back, reduce it temporarily, or in fact what we would call for abandon it altogether, at least until traffic at UK airports recovers to pre-pandemic levels. He added: Theres much more to be done on Government support. The furlough scheme falls short of what needs to be done and it will be a very challenging and difficult return to normal operation or pre-Covid operation levels and profitability. After the hearing, a Department for Transport (DfT) spokeswoman said: We recognise the challenging times facing the aviation sector as a result of Covid-19, which is why we will do everything we can to help this critical industry. Protecting jobs is an absolute priority we are providing around 7 billion of sector specific support, which, as well as the extension of the furlough scheme and wider support through action on airport slots, loans and tax deferrals, will help businesses safeguard jobs. Mr OLeary said Ryanair has been essentially wiped out, with just 27 million passengers expected in the 12 months to the end of March, compared with 150 million during the previous year. The group expects to make an annual loss of more than 850 million euros (735 million), he added. He told the committee that the Civil Aviation Authority is taking criminal proceedings against Ryanair and other airlines because they carried passengers with pre-departure coronavirus test results written in Italian and German. Government regulations state that test results must be in either English, French or Spanish. We, the airline, are facing criminal proceedings for bringing people into the UK, with Italian and German PCR tests validly done because theyre not in the Spanish, French or English language. Its this kind of bonkers, non-joined-up regulation which is designed to make bureaucrats at the Department of Health look like theyve done something. Whereas in reality its completely nonsensical, he said. He does not believe the Governments new Global Travel Taskforce set up to develop plans for the resumption of foreign travel is likely to achieve much. He added: Vaccines are the way out of this, not bizarre, unimplementable regulations. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so. Karen Dee, chief executive of industry body the Airport Operators Association, told the same hearing that business rates relief for English airports will cover losses for less than a fortnight. She said: Our estimate is that the total amount that will be offered, just in this financial year to airports to support business rates, will cover losses for about 13 days. Its a relatively small proportion. She added: Its a significant cost. But when you build in those other operational costs air traffic control, maintaining safety and security, looking after the runways they are big costs that, when you have no revenue and virtually no passengers, you simply cannot cover those costs, and that is not a sustainable position for any business. Aviation minister Robert Courts said he would absolutely reject any suggestion that the Global Travel Taskforce is a way of pushing foreign holidays into the long grass. He told the committee: This is very much about bringing the right people together in the right way, following the Prime Ministers road map, and making a difference to ease restrictions on the sector as quickly as we can. Yes safely, but in a sustainable and robust way. Pressed on when overseas leisure trips can resume, Mr Courts replied: We do need to work through the really quite complicated factors that we have to look at as we get this Global Travel Taskforce report together. So weve said that there wont be any travel before May 17, and we will look as soon as we can after that, but it really isnt something I can give more detail on at the moment. The DfT later clarified that the Government is working towards reopening international travel for people in England no earlier than 17 May. CHICAGO, March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, communications agency August Jackson announces the addition of Jermaine Johnson as Senior Vice President, Director of development for higher education and philanthropy. In this role, Johnson will work with development professionals at premier colleges, universities, hospitals and other non-profits to develop effective donor engagement strategies and capital campaigns. Johnson's career in communications spans 19 years, with the last 15 focused specifically on development and communications roles within higher education. Prior to joining August Jackson, Johnson held positions at Dartmouth College, William & Mary, and most recently served as the vice president for marketing and communications at the Air Force Academy Foundation. "We were fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Jermaine as a client and are thrilled to bring someone of his character and caliber onto our team," said Laura Shuler, CEO of August Jackson. "Jermaine will help us further differentiate the quality of our work and our relationships by bringing first-hand client experience and point-of-view to the forefront of everything we do." August Jackson is a leading provider of comprehensive capital campaign support to top-tier institutions through case development, branding, messaging, content and media creation, and direct donor engagement via virtual and face-to-face events and experiences. "Inspiring individuals to give back to the organizations they care most about takes a powerful combination of rational and emotional connection," Johnson said. "August Jackson's strategic mindset, coupled with its enormous creative capacity, made them a partner like no other in furthering my efforts to engage communities of donors. I'm thrilled to join this team." To learn more about Jermaine, click here or reach out to him at [email protected]. ABOUT AUGUST JACKSON For organizations that require highly engaged people to realize their mission, August Jackson is the brand engagement agency that puts purpose into practice. Our work for corporate brands, hospitals, nonprofit organizations and higher education institutions includes branding, campaign development and multi-channel activation, with an emphasis on live events and technology-enabled engagement. Recognized as a top agency by Chief Marketer and Event Marketer and a Crain's Chicago Best Places to Work award winner, August Jackson works with clients throughout the US and has a presence in Chicago, New York City, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. https://www.augustjackson.com Media Contact: Regina Farrington 301.641.3084 [email protected] SOURCE August Jackson Related Links https://www.augustjackson.com Second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine will be given to Manitobans four months after the first, in the wake of new guidance from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization. Second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine will be given to Manitobans four months after the first, in the wake of new guidance from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization. Provincial public health officials are comfortable extending the period between first and second doses based on emerging evidence showing a single shot of either the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is still highly effective, said Dr. Joss Reimer, medical lead for the Manitoba vaccine task force. "Manitoba will be delaying the second dose, and this is true no matter which vaccine we are talking about," Reimer said Wednesday afternoon. "This approach will allow us to immunize more eligible Manitobans sooner, and this helps protect us all," she said. "These vaccines are providing a significant level of protection even after one dose. This means that theres more of a clear advantage to getting vaccine to more people, sooner." On Wednesday, the national independent advisory committee updated its guidance and recommended, as long as COVID-19 vaccine supply is limited, jurisdictions should maximize the number of people benefiting from the first dose of vaccine by delaying the required second dose by four months. "Certainly, the whole goal of this is to speed up the ability to reach all Manitobans with the first dose. So we do anticipate that all Manitobans will be reached much quicker than the original plan of ensuring that the second dose occurred at the three- or four-week window," Reimer said. The team is still crunching the numbers to see how the extended period between doses will advance the province's roll-out schedule, said Johanu Botha, co-lead for the vaccine task force. Previously, the province's plans said all eligible Manitobans would have a chance to be vaccinated by the end of August, with a high supply of vaccines. According to the national advisory committee, an estimated 80 per cent of the population 16 years of age and over could be offered a dose of messenger RNA vaccine by the end of June if a four-month dosing schedule is implemented in March. "The very nature of pivoting to this dose-one strategy and temporarily delaying the second one is that we will get to the population faster. I think the math is clear," Botha said. "We will see a shrinking of those timelines; we want to go through our analysis and provide the most accurate picture to Manitobans as possible." Individuals who have already booked an appointment for a second shot will still be able to receive the dose as scheduled, Botha said. Emerging evidence shows a single shot of either the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is still effective. (Virginia Mayo / The Associated Press files) As of Wednesday, the total daily capacity for immunizations was 12,499. The province has planned to ramp up capacity to 20,000 daily doses by April 1, in anticipation of increased vaccine supply deliveries. "Weve got about a month, just less than a month, to get us to 20,000-doses-a-day capacity, but certainly, at the moment, no red flags in terms of the rate in which were creeping up," Botha said. The search for suitable sites for large-scale vaccination clinics continues, he said, but has been challenging due to strict infrastructure requirements for infection prevention and control. With the province opting to delay second doses, Botha said the existing immunization infrastructure can "completely handle" the switch and still keep up with confirmed vaccine supply. "I think our system is capable of handling it. It's just a matter of... how much faster do we get through them." The province has yet to receive confirmed shipments for Pfizer and Moderna into April, Botha said. The task force is also planning for multiple delivery scenarios, where the province may receive a steady flow of vaccines or bulk deliveries at the beginning or end of the second quarter. Throughout March, the province is expecting to receive about 15,000 doses per week. Data on the performance of messenger RNA vaccines in real-world applications has shown a single dose can be highly effective against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, said Reimer. "Across the board, we're seeing very similar results showing that the first dose is protective in the real world 70 to 80-plus per cent. Which is excellent," Reimer said. "Some of the data goes as far as two months." However, she acknowledged data specific to COVID-19 vaccines does not yet exist to indicate continued efficacy of a single dose for up to four months. As such, the province will be monitoring how the first dose of the vaccine performs over time. "If there's any signs after that two-month point that immunity starts to decrease, we can pivot again," Reimer said. "We need to be ready to adapt to new information as it comes in. "Based on the information available to us, this is the best plan. We have seen protection in other jurisdictions that have gone this route, and we want to be able to give that same protection to all Manitobans as quickly as possible," Reimer said. "And then move on to dose two, once we've given that first layer of protection to everybody." danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca Lawrence Otis Graham possessed all the qualifications for full-fledged membership in the American elite. He was a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School. At 30, he was a published author and earned $105,000 a year as a corporate lawyer with an office on the 30th floor of a Manhattan office tower. He dressed in a manner befitting his exclusive environs and displayed all the social graces expected from a man of his station. And yet, he would later observe, he gained admission to Greenwich Country Club in Connecticut "the only way that a black man like me could - as a $7-an-hour busboy." Graham, who died Feb. 19 at 59, had scrapped his resume and sought employment at the leafy club in a social experiment of sorts - "to find out," he wrote in a 1992 cover story for New York magazine, "what things were really like at a club where I saw no black members." One maitre d', after genially offering him an interview over the phone, refused to accept Graham's application when he showed up to submit it. Numerous managers who had indicated their interest in hiring him as a waiter decided upon meeting him that he was better suited for busing tables. On one occasion, a diner imperiously demanded a coffee refill and, impressed by Graham's polished response, remarked to her companion: "My goodness. Did you hear that? That busboy has diction like an educated white person." After the New York magazine article, Graham wrote several books that established him as one of the foremost commentators of the 1990s on race and class in American society. He died at his home in Chappaqua, N.Y., according to his wife, Pamela Thomas-Graham, who said the cause has not yet been determined. Graham's account of the country club grew into an essay collection, "Member of the Club: Reflections on Life in a Racially Polarized World" (1995), replete with vivid reflections on the racism, both subtle and overt, that persisted in the United States decades after the civil rights movement. In one chapter, Graham offered what he ironically described as "A Black Man's Undercover Guide to Dining With Dignity at Ten Top New York Restaurants." At five of the 10 establishments, Mr. Graham wrote, someone handed him a garment to be stowed in the coat check. In seven of them, he was seated near the kitchen or bathroom. He wrote about his preference not to date White women in an explanation of why some African Americans opposed interracial marriage and candidly discussed his decision at age 24 to alter his nose through plastic surgery. When he asked for the operation in high school, his parents had denied his request, regarding it as a form of self-loathing. Graham rejected such interpretations. "No nose in the world is going to make me look White," he told The Washington Post in 1995. "When White people perm their hair, tan their skin or thicken their lips, nobody accuses them of trying to look Black," he continued. "I'm tired of Black people having to live with this double standard." Graham examined the particular experience of affluent African Americans in the volume "Our Kind of People: Inside America's Black Upper Class," published in 1999. His intention, he told the Boston Globe, "was to broaden the definition of what it means to be Black in America today." The world of the Black upper class was one of constant tension, Graham wrote, where few could enjoy unadulterated pleasure in their prosperity. "You are living in a White world but you have to hold on to Black culture," he told The Post of his own upper-middle-class upbringing. "You have to please two groups. One group says you have sold out and the other never quite accepts you." Some readers found the book gossipy - Graham reported that the Black upper class had accepted Bryant Gumbel and Lena Horne but not Bill Cosby or Whitney Houston, that Andrew Young had been admitted but not Clarence Thomas - but many found it deeply revealing. A reviewer for the New York Times, Andrea Lee, wrote that Graham had "made a major contribution both to African-American studies and to the larger American picture." That picture where, for all his success, Graham said he felt obliged to carry a bag from Tiffany & Co. or Saks Fifth Avenue when he went shopping so that he would not be mistaken for a shoplifter. Lawrence Otis Graham was born in New York on Dec. 25, 1961. His grandparents owned a trucking company in Memphis, and his father worked in real estate. His mother was a social worker. When Graham's family moved to White Plains, N.Y., his parents were forced to pay a $5,000 premium for the privilege of buying a home in a White neighborhood. Once, a police officer detained Graham and his brother after spotting them playing with what the officer assumed to be a stolen Radio Flyer wagon. Their mother rushed to her sons' aid, explaining to the officer that the bright red wagon was theirs. On another occasion, the brothers were invited by friends to a country club and were bewildered when White parents pulled their children from the swimming pool when they leaped in. "It wasn't until we were poolside that we discovered that we were the threat," Graham wrote years later in Westchester Magazine. "This was probably my earliest and most memorable experience in feeling like an outsider." Graham majored in English at Princeton, where he graduated in 1983, and received a law degree from Harvard in 1988. During his studies and afterward, he wrote books on navigating university and professional life. In addition to his legal career, he ran a management consulting firm that sought to help companies increase diversity in the workforce. Graham unsuccessfully sought a New York-based seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2000. He was the author of "The Senator and the Socialite: The True Story of America's First Black Dynasty" (2006), about the life and descendants of a formerly enslaved person, Blanche Kelso Bruce, who in 1875 became the second African American to serve in the U.S. Senate. Film director Lee Daniels is reportedly at work on a TV series based on "Our Kind of People." Graham had been married since 1992 to the former Pamela Thomas, the first African American woman to become a partner at the consulting firm McKinsey & Co. Besides his wife, who is also a mystery writer and a member of corporate boards, survivors include three children, Gordon Graham, Harrison Graham and Lindsey Graham, all of Chappaqua; and a brother. In a commentary published in The Post in 2014, Graham wrote that he and his wife had "believed that if we worked hard and maintained great jobs, we could insulate our children from the blatant manifestations of bigotry that we experienced as children in the 1960s and '70s. "We divided our lives between a house in a liberal New York suburb and an apartment on Park Avenue, sent our three kids to a diverse New York City private school, and outfitted them with the accoutrements of success: preppy clothes, perfect diction and that air of quiet graciousness," he wrote. None of it, he wrote, was enough to spare his then 15-year-old son the experience of being assaulted with the n-word on the campus of a New England boarding school where he was attending a summer camp. "I knew the day would come," Graham wrote, "but I didn't know how it would happen, where I would be, or how I would respond. It is the moment that every black parent fears." A novel computer algorithm that could create a broadly reactive influenza vaccine for swine flu also offers a path toward a pan-influenza vaccine and possibly a pan-coronavirus vaccine as well, according to a new paper published in Nature Communications. This work takes us a step closer to a pan-swine flu virus vaccine. The hope is to eventually be prepared with an effective and rapid response if another swine flu epidemic begins to spread in humans, but this swine flu vaccine could also be useful in a veterinary setting." Bette Korber, Computational Biologist at Los Alamos National Laboratory and Co-Author The immune responses to the vaccine showed very promising breadth against diverse viral variants. "The same basic principles may be applicable to developing a pan-coronavirus vaccine to enable a rapid vaccine response to future coronavirus cross-species jumps," said Korber. The algorithm, Epigraph, has already been used to predict therapeutic HIV vaccine candidates, and it has also shown promising potential as a pan-filovirus vaccine against highly diverse Ebola and Marburg viruses, protecting against disease when tested in an animal model. Vaccination with the Epigraph-designed product led to the development of a strong cross-reactive antibody response in mice, the study showed. In swine, it induced strong cross-reactive antibody and T-cell responses. The research was conducted in close collaboration with researchers from the Nebraska Center for Virology at the University of Nebraska, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and Los Alamos National Laboratory. "We developed the Epigraph strategy for this kind of problem, and it can, in theory, be applied to many diverse pathogens," said Korber, who created it in partnership with her husband, James Theiler, a Los Alamos Fellow. "The tool creates a cocktail of vaccine antigens designed to maximize efficacy across a highly diverse population." Since 2010, more than 460 swine-flu variant infections have been reported in humans in the United States. Pigs are susceptible to swine, avian, and human influenza viruses, making them the perfect "mixing vessel" for novel reassorted influenza viruses, the authors note. These novel reassorted viruses have significant pandemic potential if zoonosis (transfer from pigs to humans) occurs, as seen with 2009 H1N1 swine flu pandemic. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Lagos, March 3 : The Unicef has said that it will provide psychosocial support to the 279 released schoolgirls who were kidnapped from a boarding school in Nigeria's Zamfara state last week. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Unicef Nigeria Representative Peter Hawkins said that the fund would work with the Ministry of Eucation to ensure the safe return of all children to school, Xinhua news agency reported. "While we rejoice at the release of the schoolgirls and look forward to their safe return to their families, we reiterate that attacks on students and schools are not only reprehensible but a violation of the right of children to education," he said. "Unicef calls on the government of Nigeria to take all measures to protect schools in the country so that children will not be fearful of going to school, and parents afraid of sending their children to school. "Schools must be safe places to study and develop, and learning should not become a risky endeavour," he added. In an announcement on Tuesday, Zamfara state Governor Bello Matawalle said that the girls, who were abducted from the Government Girls Science Secondary School in the Jangebe town on February 26, were released after a series of negotiations early Tuesday. The Governor insisted no ransom was paid for the release of the schoolgirls, adding it was a positive result of the peace accord he initiated. Officials said "bandits" were behind the abduction, referring to the groups of armed men who operate in Zamfara state and kidnap for money or to push for the release of their members from jail. Also on Tuesday, Hafsatu Anka, one of the abducted victims, told reporters that they were laid in trenches littered with human feces. "We saw other people, including women and children, and the father of one of our schoolmates, who had been in the kidnappers' den for three months," Anka narrated. "They walked us on foot where some of us got dislocated on their foot. They would pray as Muslims but never allowed us to pray. They fed us with rice, in which they put sand after cooking," the girl added. The Zamfara abductions were the second in the country in recent weeks. Last month, at least 27 students were kidnapped from a boarding school in Kagara, Niger state. They were released on February 17. In 2014, 276 schoolgirls were kidnapped by the Islamist Boko Haram terrorists in Chibok town, which drew global attention and condemnation. More than 110 of those girls are still unaccounted for, while the remaining either escaped, freed by the military or died. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 20:30:47|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- China's annual "two sessions," a major political event that brings together some 5,000 national lawmakers and political advisors in Beijing, will convene this week. The fourth sessions of the 13th National People's Congress and the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, which will open on Friday and Thursday respectively, will offer a glimpse of how China protects and promotes human rights. President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, has spoken of human rights on multiple occasions. The following are some highlights: -- The ultimate human right is that people can lead a happy life. Since the first day of its founding in 1921, the CPC has fully committed itself to the wellbeing of the Chinese people and human development. -- China regards development as the key to solving all problems and the primary task for the CPC in governing and rejuvenating the country. -- China insists on a combination of the principle of human rights' universality and the nation's actual conditions, and insists that the rights to subsistence and development are primary basic human rights. -- For years China has put the people first during its development, increasing their benefits, ensuring the people are their own masters and supporting development in an all-round way. These are both the starting points and the goals of development. China has effectively safeguarded the people's right to development and carved out a human rights development path with Chinese characteristics. -- The Chinese people would like to work in concert with people in other developing countries and beyond to advance development through cooperation, promote human rights through development, and build a community with a shared future for humanity. -- There is no universal path to human rights development in the world. In terms of human rights protection, there is no best way, only the better one. -- Chinese people will not accept "an instructor" on human rights and oppose "double standards." Enditem A Turkish father allegedly killed his daughter by ramming her car off the road before shooting her 20 times in the head and body when she refused to tell him where his ex-wife was. Mustafa Ali Yilmaz, 69, crashed into his daughter's car in Balikesir, Turkey, dragged her out of the vehicle and demanded to know where her mother was, it is claimed. General practitioner Gulnur Yilmaz, 28, refused to answer her father who then allegedly fatally shot her. Mustafa Ali Yilmaz, 69, crashed into his daughter's car in Balikesir, Turkey, dragged her out of the vehicle and demanded to know where her mother was, it is claimed General practitioner Gulnur Yilmaz, 28, refused to answer her father who then allegedly fatally shot her Gulnur had been travelling from Balikesir to Antalya to prepare for an exam with two friends on 27 June 2019. Her father followed her in his car after attaching a GPS device to her car and reportedly crashed into her vehicle, sending it careering off the road. Yilmaz then dragged his daughter from the car to his vehicle and demanded to know where her mother was. But when Gulnar refused to tell him, he shot her with 20 bullets, 11 of them in her head, according to local media. Gulnar had refused to tell her father where her mother Gulden (pictured centre right) was When Gulnar refused to tell him, he shot her with 20 bullets, 11 of them in her head, according to local media The father fled the scene on foot but was soon caught by local police teams with the gun in his possession. He now faces life imprisonment if convicted of murder. Meanwhile, the victim's mother Gulden Yilmaz divorced from Yilmaz in January 2020. During a hearing at Balikesir Burhaniye High Criminal Court, Yilmaz reportedly claimed that he was mentally unstable. Gulnur had been travelling from Balikesir to Antalya to prepare for an exam with two friends on 27 June 2019 The court has adjourned to wait for a psychological evaluation of the defendant. In 2018, a Turkish husband allegedly threw his heavily pregnant wife off a cliff in Mugla, Turkey, so he could claim life insurance money. Moments before, Hakan Aysal, 40, had posed for a romantic photo on top of the cliff with his wife Semra Aysal, 32. AREA 2071, Dubai Future Foundations (DFF) innovation ecosystem, and Emirates have announced the winner of the Aviation X Lab Accelerate Traveler Wellbeing Challenge - Nanoksi from Finland. The winning company impressed the judges of the virtual competition with its active self-disinfecting coating solution that leverages photocatalysis to eradicate 98 percent of microbes within two hours, said a Wam news agency report. The solution, based on titanium dioxide (TiO2), can be used across a wide spectrum of sectors from travel to healthcare and needs to be reapplied only once a year. Aviation X Lab is a bold and ambitious initiative by five global aviation giants Emirates, Thales, Collins Aerospace, GE Aviation, and Airbus that seeks to disrupt the aviation sector. The latest Aviation X Lab Accelerate virtual competition, hosted in partnership with AREA 2071, invited companies of all sizes from across the globe to submit impactful and ready-for-market COVID-19-related products and solutions aimed at ensuring travelers' wellbeing throughout their journey. Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of DFF, said: "The Aviation X Lab Accelerate Traveler Wellbeing Challenge aligns with the mission of AREA 2071 to bring together the brightest minds from around the world to create positive global impact. Furthermore, it addresses the need to accelerate the development of innovative services, products, and solutions that strengthen the resilience of key sectors, highlighted by the COVID-19 outbreak." He added: "The competition recorded a high uptake, testifying to its deeply relevant theme and a strong interest among the worlds innovators in tackling the pressing challenges faced by the travel sector due to the pandemic. We look forward to witnessing great success as a result of this collaboration between Nanoksi, Emirates and AREA 2071, and hope to further strengthen the aviation industry in Dubai and the UAE." Adel Al Redha, Emirates Chief Operating Officer and member of Dubai Future Foundations board of trustees, said: "Emirates has always championed innovation and that is why we have actively engaged with the Aviation X Lab and Dubai Future Foundation from the start. We are pleased to see the quality of submissions and interest in the Aviation X-Lab grow over the years, and we are proud to support innovation in the UAE, particularly the utilization of evolving technology to benefit the aviation industry." The Aviation X Lab Accelerate Traveler Wellbeing Challenge received 107 submissions from 30 countries. Based on the likelihood of implementation of the proposed solutions, and their potential to improve health and safety standards in consumer travel, a jury comprising industry and innovation experts selected six finalists that proceeded to the virtual pitch stage. In addition to Nanoksi, the shortlist featured Sanitizexperts, HealthCheck, EOD Sanitizer, TeraSights, and Waire. VIENNA, Va., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Investigative watchdog blog Checks and Balances Project (C&BP) has filed an ethics complaint with the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission of Virginia against Norfolk Circuit Court Chief Judge Mary Jane Hall. In a 2019 case, Hall sided with Sentara Healthcare, Hall's former client, as the regional healthcare giant blocked local competitor Chesapeake Regional Medical Center from expanding. The case is now before the Virginia Supreme Court. C&BP's reporting has revealed that as an attorney with the law firm McCandlish Kaine & Grant, Hall represented Sentara in a long-running case to get a liver-transplant facility. Since becoming a judge in 2009, she has never recused herself from any cases involving her former client and did not disclose that she once represented Sentara. Hall also failed to disclose that Sentara's counsel in the Chesapeake case before her was Jamie B. Martin, who had been Hall's co-counsel representing Sentara in the liver-transplant facility case. Martin failed to disclose this potential conflict to the court and opposing counsel. C&BP has also filed a complaint on Martin's actions with the Virginia State Bar Association. The Virginia Canons of Judicial Conduct states: "A judge shall disqualify himself or herself in a proceeding in which the judge's impartiality might reasonably be questioned." Hall has declined requests for comment about why she did not report these potential conflicts of interest herself. Sentara has aggressively sought to dominate the health care market in Hampton Roads, Virginia, amassing a $6 billion cash reserve. Its lobbying reach has enmeshed its interests in state and regional bureaucracies that govern its business. "This pro-Sentara ruling by its old attorney is another example of how Sentara's influence continues to shape health care options in the region," said C&BP Executive Director Scott Peterson. "Sentara is emerging as one of the untold powerhouses in Virginia." Today, the company continues seeking to throttle competition as it seeks an $11.5 billion dollar merger with North Carolina's Cone Health. About Checks and Balances Project Checks and Balances Project is an investigative watchdog blog holding government officials, lobbyists, and corporate management accountable to the public. Funding for C&BP is provided by Renew American Prosperity and individual donors. SOURCE The Checks and Balances Project Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2021) -Raindrop Ventures Inc. (CSE: RAYN) (FSE: RV0) ("Raindrop" or the "Company") has closed the acquisition of an exploration portfolio consisting of three 100%-owned properties (Anchor, Stateline and Sandy) and three 49%-owned properties (Brik, Easter and Viper) (together, the "Properties") from Liberty Gold Corp. ("Liberty Gold"). In consideration for the Properties, the Company paid and issued to Liberty Gold US$50,000 in cash and 4,013,406 common shares of Raindrop, representing 9.9% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares on a post-closing basis. Liberty Gold also retained a 1.5% net smelter return royalty on certain of the Properties. "Raindrop is pleased to close this property acquisition transaction which expands our access to Great Basin gold exploration projects particularly in Nevada," said Alexander Kunz, Raindrop's Chief Executive Officer. "Planning is underway to advance the Anchor project based on technical information we compiled including our own historic files. We expect to continue exploration activities on our Clover Mountain gold project in Idaho with expanded trenching in the coming months," he continued. The six new properties are located within the Great Basin in Nevada and Utah: Anchor - Carlin type gold property, with undrilled gold targets; - Carlin type gold property, with undrilled gold targets; Stateline - low sulphidation gold /silver property with highlight gold values from 1.46 to 4.55 grams per tonne ("g/t") gold from 1.5 metres ("m") drill intersections along a 305 m long vein (true widths unknown); - low sulphidation gold /silver property with highlight gold values from 1.46 to 4.55 grams per tonne ("g/t") gold from 1.5 metres ("m") drill intersections along a 305 m long vein (true widths unknown); Sandy - sediment hosted gold property with a 2,740 by 735 m jasperoid zone; - sediment hosted gold property with a 2,740 by 735 m jasperoid zone; Brik - low sulphidation gold property with highlight drill intersections of 2.41 g/t gold over 16.7 m, including 14.95 g/t gold over 1.5 m, and 0.99 g/t gold over 18.3 m, from surface in hole PB-24; - low sulphidation gold property with highlight drill intersections of 2.41 g/t gold over 16.7 m, including 14.95 g/t gold over 1.5 m, and 0.99 g/t gold over 18.3 m, from surface in hole PB-24; Easter - low sulphidation epithermal vein-breccia-stockwork gold-silver deposit with a 2010 historic resource; and - low sulphidation epithermal vein-breccia-stockwork gold-silver deposit with a 2010 historic resource; and Viper - low sulphidation epithermal gold property with highlight drill intersections of 1.09 g/t gold over 33.5 m (true width unknown). For more information on the six new properties see our November 18, 2020 news release. The common shares issued to Liberty Gold are subject to a four month and one day hold period expiring July 3, 2021. Liberty Gold has also agreed not to dispose of the common shares for a period of 12 months. G. Peter Parsley, P.Geo., is a "Qualified Person" under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and has reviewed and approved the technical content of this news release. About Clover Mtn Clover Mtn is located on BLM land 60 miles southeast of Boise, Idaho and consists of 43 unpatented claims totaling 350 hectares. The Company believes Clover Mtn lies within the "Jarbidge Trend" which includes projects such as Integra Resources' Delamar, Florida Mountain and War Eagle gold-silver properties in Idaho and the Jerritt Canyon Gold, LLC's gold mine in Nevada, where over 8 million ounces of gold were produced since 1981. Clover Mtn has previously returned highlight rock chip samples of 1.99 g/t gold, 19.95 g/t silver, 1.25% copper and 1.54% zinc and soils gold values ranging from 0.02 g/t to 0.78 g/t and silver values ranging from 0.02 g/t to 1.19 g/t. About Anchor Anchor is a Carlin-type, sedimentary rock-hosted gold target associated with the Devil's Gate - Chainman/Diamond Peak formation contact at intersection points with west-northwest striking fault zones. The property consists of 54 unpatented federal lode claims at the southern end of the Battle Mountain - Eureka gold trend, 11 kilometres northwest of the 4-million-ounce Ruby Hill gold deposit and is centered on a 600 by 500 m gold-arsenic-antimony rock and soil geochemical anomaly in in Upper Plate Ordovician Vinini Formation siliclastic sedimentary rocks. Historic exploration returned highlight gold grab samples of 1.83 g/t along with 11,000 ppm arsenic and 1,030 ppm antimony. Historic drilling generally averaged less than 0.01 gpt with several narrow zones with values from 0.5 to nearly 1.0 gpt. About Raindrop Ventures Inc. Raindrop is a newly formed company that began trading on the CSE on February 3, 2020 and is led by a noted leader in mining and mineral exploration with the express purpose of acquiring and exploring mineral properties in the new resource commodity cycle. Raindrop acquired and is exploring the Clover Mountain Property and recently acquired a package of 6 properties from Liberty Gold that will allow a focus on the Anchor project. Raindrop has a well-planned capital structure with 40,539,438 shares issued and outstanding and a significant team and insider ownership. For more information, please visit www.raindropventures.ca. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Alexander Kunz President and Chief Executive Officer FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Alexander Kunz President, Chief Executive Officer and Director Raindrop Ventures Inc. 1507 - 1030 West Georgia Street Vancouver, BC, V6E 2Y3 Telephone: (604) 428-6128 Facsimile: (604) 428-6430 email: alex@dkunzassoc.com Saf Dhillon Corporate Secretary and Director Raindrop Ventures Inc. email: safdhillon@gmail.com Telephone: 604-484-3031 Cell phone: 604-834-1365 Forward Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on the assumptions, expectations, estimates and projections as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements contained herein. 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. Raindrop disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/75883 Dr Mike Ryan said we are experiencing an epidemic and an infodemic. Photo: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images It is premature and unrealistic to the think the pandemic will be over by the end of the year, World Health Organisation (WHO) official Dr Mike Ryan has warned. Irish man Dr Ryan, who is Executive Director of the WHO Emergencies Programme, said that vaccinating the most vulnerable people, including healthcare workers, would help alleviate tragedy and fear as well as relieve the pressure on hospitals from treating so many Covid-19 patients. However, he stressed that the virus is very much in control. It will be very premature, and I think unrealistic, to think that were going to finish with this virus by the end of the year. Dr Ryan, who was speaking in Geneva, said: If the vaccines begin to impact not only on death and not only on hospitalisation but have a significant impact on transmission dynamics and transmission risk, then I believe we will accelerate towards controlling the pandemic. Dr Ryan was this week awarded the Sir Charles A Cameron Award for Population Health by the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin. Speaking at the event, he warned about the level of misinformation spreading about the virus. He also said the impact of the pandemic will resonate for decades. Read More Dr Ryan spoke of the sadness of people dying from coronavirus without their family and only a health worker in goggles by their bedside. He paid tribute to health workers who lived in terror of bringing the virus home to their family. We have an epidemic and infodemic, he said. This spread of misinformation was around before social media and was similar to the kind of untruth disseminated during the HIV era, he suggested. The community is the first line of defence. If they dont have the right information, and have a menu of disinformation, no amount of science can push a community to do the necessary actions. Dr Ryan has previously called on better-off countries to share vaccines with the Third World. The first Covid-19 vaccination campaigns in Africa using Covax a global initiative aimed at equitable access to vaccines began this week in Ghana and Ivory Coast. The aim is to provide donor-funded vaccines to lower-income countries. The campaigns in Ghana and Ivory Coast follow deliveries to both countries last week with Ghana getting 600,000 doses on February 24 and Ivory Coast getting 504,000 doses two days later. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director General said: This is only the beginning of what Covax was set up to achieve. A highly transmissible COVID-19 variant that emerged in Brazil and has now been found in at least 20 countries can re-infect people who previously recovered from the disease, scientists said on Tuesday. A second soon-to-be published study suggests that the variant may weaken the effectiveness of vaccines, too, just as virologists feared. Brazil's P1 variant accounts for at least 10 cases of COVID-19 in at least five US states, according to the CDC. Houston Methodist scientists have also identified at least two cases of the Brazilian variant in Texas, but these are not yet confirmed by the CDC. Meanwhile, another worrisome variant, homegrown in New York City has spread to 14 other states and infected at least 14 other states. Until recently, it was barely a blip on the viral genome sequencing radar. But now Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) experts are tracking it closely, Dr Gregory Armstrong, director of the agency's Advanced Molecular Detection Program, told Bloomberg. He said the variant was mostly spreading in New York and New Jersey, but had also been detected in Texas - which became the first state to report all five variants of concern - Maryland and Wyoming. Dr Armstrong did not disclose the names of the other 10 states where the variant has been detected. At least 2,581 Americans are infected with one of the 10 variants spreading in the US. New research provides mounting evidence that the Brazilian variant - detected in at least five states - is indeed more infectious, can cause reinfection and may evade vaccines. The NYC variant is in at least 14 other states, including Wyoming, Texas, New Jersey and Maryland The CDC has dramatically stepped up its search for variants by sequencing the genomes of about 7,000 samples of coronavirus a week. But it's widely assumed that the 2,500 cases of five variants detected in the U.S. are an undercount. The CDC's variant site does not even track the homegrown variants from California and New York City - the latter of which Dr Anthony Fauci said the Biden administration is taking 'very seriously.' That variant - known as B1526 - now accounts for 27 percent of all samples submitted to the international GISAID database, according to recent Caltech research. It carries the E484K mutation that's seen in the South African variant B1351 and both variants seen in Brazil, the P1 (which accounts for most Brazil variant cases in the US) and P2 variants. E484K mutations are particularly concerning because they appear to help variants escape antibodies triggered by vaccines or prior infections by 'hiding' from the immune proteins. In a study of Brazilian mutant virus's emergence and its spread in the Amazon jungle city of Manaus, the scientists said the variant - known as P.1 - has a 'unique constellation of mutations' and had very rapidly become the dominant variant circulating there. Out of 100 people in Manaus who had previously recovered from infection with the coronavirus, 'somewhere between 25 and 61 of them are susceptible to re-infection with P.1,' said Nuno Faria, a virus expert at Imperial College London, who co-led the research which has not yet been peer reviewed. The scientists estimated that P.1 was 1.4 to 2.2 times more transmissible than the initial form of the virus. Speaking about the findings in a media briefing, Nuno said it was too early to say whether the variant's ability to evade immunity from previous infections meant that vaccines also would offer reduced protection against it. 'There's no concluding evidence really to suggest at this point that the current vaccines won't work against P.1,' Faria said. 'I think (the vaccines) will at least protect us against disease, and possibly also against infection.' Scientists around the world are on guard against new mutated forms of the coronavirus that could spread more easily, or be harder to fend off with existing vaccines. The research, conducted with scientists at Brazil's Sao Paulo and Britain's Oxford universities, suggested that the P.1 variant had probably emerged in Manaus in early November 2020. The first infection with it was identified on December 6, Faria said. 'We then looked at how rapidly P.1 overtook other lineages, and we found that the proportion of P.1 grew from zero to 87 percent in about eight weeks.' New Delhi, March 3 : Cyber security researchers have found a new malware that is tricking Google into treating hacked websites as trustworthy sources and presenting innocent users with apparently "perfect matches" to their search queries on the platform. The hackers are using the malware dubbed as "Gootloader to lure "well-meaning users" into installing the malware on their devices, putting them at ransomeware risk, according to the report by Naked Security, which is global cyber security firm Sophos's threat intelligence unit. The Gootkit malware family has been around more than half a decade -- a mature Trojan with functionality centered around banking credential theft. However, in recent years, almost as much effort has gone into improvement of its delivery method as has gone into the malware itself. This is how the modus operandi works. The hackers break into hundreds of web servers and implant artificially generated content containing phrases that search engines are likely to associate with expertise in a specific field, like real estate, employment law, import/export regulations, company partnerships and more. "From time to time, the crooks get lucky and one or their hacked sites turns up as a top hit on Google, thanks to a specific search term entered by an innocent user," the report said. There's a good chance that the user will click the Google link that shows up, because the search hit looks like a natural result, given that it's not a paid ad or a sponsored link. If the user clicks through to the hacked server, the crooks recognise that the click came via a Google search by using the Referer in the web request. The server deliberately sends out a fraudulent web page that looks like a message board on which someone else recently asked the same thing. "To make the page look even more convincing, there's a further reply, apparently from the original questioner, thanking the administrator for their prompt and helpful answer," the report mentioned. Google was yet to react to the Sophos report. SophosLabs encountered Gootloader's fake message board pages in a variety of different languages, including English, German, French and Korean, with different campaigns targeted at different regions. "This search poisoning trick works because the website you visit seems to fit your search perfectly, which feels like too much of a coincidence for a crook to have anticipated it in advance," said the researchers. Nothing prepared Yakir Lance an ultra-Orthodox fellow who lives in the heart of Tel Aviv for his encounter with a secular cab driver at the end of January. Lance ordered a cab through a taxi app, as he usually does, and waited outside his home. When a taxi drove past him without stopping, Lance assumed that it was some kind of mistake. Then he called the driver, who told him directly, You are an ultra-Orthodox disease spreader; I cant take you, and sped away. This event took place shortly after the Jan. 24 disturbances that erupted in Bnei Brak, Israels largest ultra-Orthodox city; in the course of the riots a bus was set on fire and the driver was rescued at the last minute. The violent events erupted against the background of confrontations between policemen and ultra-Orthodox young people, as authorities tried to enforce the third lockdown in ultra-Orthodox cities. It was the low point of a violent week in the centers of ultra-Orthodox cities and localities, and the media was filled with reports on the sparring between police and the ultra-Orthodox. The political responses were not long in coming. The chairman of the Yisrael Beitenu party, Avigdor Liberman, responded with sarcasm. Who said the ultra-Orthodox dont know how to fight? asked Liberman, who has long sought end exemptions that allow the ultra-Orthodox to avoid performing the country's mandatory military service. The things we have been seeing over recent days remind us mainly of Wild West movies or the Civil War in the States. Stop telling stories that were looking at fringe groups; were facing the most central currents of the ultra-Orthodox sector. The time has come to stop giving in to violence, and adopt real enforcement steps. So long as we dont stop funding law-breaking educational institutions, or shutting them down, well never end this chaos. For Liberman and for hundreds of thousands of secular Jews, COVID-19 exemplifies the grim reality of their lives: the ultra-Orthodox dont serve in the army, they enjoy the fruits of inflated budgets, dont take a significant role in the labor market and, last but not least, dont even allow Israeli society to fight the COVID-19 plague. In general, the last days of January were dreary and bleak. The month wound up being called Black January due to the record-breaking number of coronavirus deaths. The media emphasized that while secular children were locked in their homes and could not attend educational institutions, the ultra-Orthodox conducted themselves as an autonomous unit and opened their educational institutions despite the lockdown. Simultaneously, the Health Ministry reported a dramatic rise in the number of those infected with COVID-19 within the ultra-Orthodox sector. Back to Yakir Lance, who sensed firsthand the charged atmosphere between the ultra-Orthodox and the secular. After he came to his senses, he decided to take his story to the media. In an interview with Ynet, he said: We have been living on Shenkin [Street] for 18 years, and never before have I encountered any kind of racism. You just cant believe that its happening to you. As a result, the cab company rushed to apologize, made it clear that it dealt with the incident and said it advocates values of equality and tolerance. It turns out, however, that this was not an isolated story, only that most of these other incidents never reached the media. For example, a wealthy secular businessman from Tel Aviv told Al-Monitor this week, on condition of anonymity, I was waiting for the elevator to my office, and an ultra-Orthodox person waited with me. When I saw that he intended to join me in the elevator, I told him, 'Decide: its either me or you.' He remained outside. This businessman, who had voted for Blue and White three times, has decided to vote for Liberman this time. Another example is that of a member of the Likud party central committee. This person, who spoke with Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, said he is angry at the way Benjamin Netanyahu is conducting himself vis-a-vis the ultra-Orthodox and claimed that ultra-Orthodox politicians are politically blackmailing the prime minister. The Likud member said he is even considering changing his allegiance to opposition leader Yair Lapid. Netanyahus behavior infuriates me. The ultra-Orthodox are now paying the price for their COVID-19 behavior. I find myself admonishing ultra-Orthodox people on the street to wear masks. Im also sick and tired of this, the man said. On the other hand, there are hundreds of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews who follow the rules; they dont send their children to school and they pray at home. And they, too, find themselves targets of verbal hate attacks. In the eyes of many secular Jews, all ultra-Orthodox people look alike, making it easy to generalize. On Feb. 26, Channel 12 published an investigative report on this issue. The report examined who is entering Israel now that Israeli skies are closed. It should be explained that only the Exceptions Committee can authorize arrivals to or departures from Israel, and only in exceptional humanitarian cases. This report, which caused a storm, claimed that the skies are closed to secular Jews but open to the ultra-Orthodox. In the report, we see ultra-Orthodox Jews descend from a flight that landed last week from New York (it is easy to count them because of their distinctive clothing). Some of them were interviewed, and claimed they received special treatment from the Exceptions Committee due to their political contacts. Later on, information was released showing there had not been an ultra-Orthodox majority on the flight under discussion. The opposite is true: The flights from Europe to Israel primarily carry secular Jews. But in such a tense atmosphere, who cares about facts? Shortly after the expose became public, Purim was celebrated in Jerusalem on Feb. 28. Under governmental directive, police closed all entrances into the city to public transportation. The rationale was to prevent the ultra-Orthodox population from holding their traditional celebrations in massive event halls. But the ultra-Orthodox did not give in: Some rented private vehicles, while others moved on foot, pushing baby carriages to Jerusalem. All this caused massive gridlock and anti-ultra-Orthodox sentiment returned. There is no doubt that ultra-Orthodox behavior in COVID-19 will be a factor in the elections, and there is even less doubt that Liberman will be the main person to profit from it. Ultra-Orthodox opinion leaders claim that all this is wild incitement against an entire public. Right-wing Orthodox journalist Shimon Riklin tweeted Feb. 28, In the old days in Europe, when a political party was losing ground, the method was: Blame the Jews, and save yourself. Now in Israel, the Jewish state, when political parties lose ground the method is: Blame the ultra-Orthodox, and save yourselves. That is more than a little anti-Semitic, and very disgusting. Will Netanyahu lose the government because of the ultra-Orthodox? It is hard to tell, at this stage. Obviously, Netanyahu cant turn his back on 16 ultra-Orthodox, sure-fire Knesset seats. On the other hand, a large part of anti-ultra-Orthodox sentiment comes from the anti-Netanyahu bloc. Therefore, for the moment, the polls dont show any dramatic changes. TAIPEI, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Vinfast, Vietnam's first national car brand bared its ambition to dominate Vietnam's electrical vehicle market by embracing ProLogium's epoch-making solid state automotive battery solution. A subsidiary of Vingroup, Vietnam's largest private company, Vinfast has signed a MOU with the world's leading solid-state battery manufacturer ProLogium to accelerate commercialization of solid-state battery EV in Vietnam. According to the MOU, the two parties will set up a joint venture to produce automotive solid-state battery(SSB) pack for Vinfast's EVs. The JV will have priority to purchase PLG's SSB product and will be licensed to use PLG's patented SSB pack assembly technology, MAB (Multi-Axis Bipolar+), to produce CIM/CIP SSB pack (cell is module/ cell is pack) locally in Vietnam. PLG will produce SSB inlays (semi-finished battery cell composed of cathode, solid state electrolyte and anode layer) for the JV at one of its Asian manufacturing centers (expected to reach 1-2 GWh capacity in 2022), which will support mass production schedule of Vinfast EVs in 2023-2024. Debuted 4 years ago, Vinfast is now ranked number 5 in Vietnam's automobile market share and has created a wide-spectrum product portfolio. In the beginning of 2021, Vinfast announced 3 smart electric SUV models and demonstrated its resolve to become a global leading EV corporation. Through its JV partnership with PLG, Vinfast will be enabled to build EVs that boast ultimate safety, substantially longer range, efficient charging time comparable to fuel vehicles, and superiority in both intelligence and performance. Founded in 2006, ProLogium is the world's first and only Solid State Battery maker that has achieved mass production, and has sold various products to global clients in industries such as 3C electronics, industrial, medical, and IoT. Currently, more world leading companies have entered into cooperation agreements and started product testing, design and ordering with PLG, covering industries such as automobile, energy storage, ship building, aviation and space, rail transportation, AGV, etc. To learn more about ProLogium, visit: http://www.prologium.com/ SOURCE ProLogium Related Links http://www.prologium.com/ Egyptian, Jordanian, and Palestinian foreign ministers have agreed to press on with efforts to create the opportune environment to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, calling for effective engagement by the international parties in the peace process. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry held with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi and his Palestinian counterpart Riyad Al-Malki a consultative tripartite meeting in the Egyptian capital of Cairo earlier on Wednesday, where they tackled the Palestinian cause and ways to resume negotiations to establish an independent Palestinian state. The three officials also agreed to coordinate to reach a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace that guarantees the establishment of an independent and viable Palestinian state on the borders of June 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Egypt and Jordan have been in talks with several Western parties to push forward the peace process. Cairo and Amman have been coordinating at the quartet level with Germany and France, and at the tripartite level with Palestine. During todays meeting, the ministers stressed the necessity to build on the momentum achieved over the last period to make headway in the peace process, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmed Hafez said in a statement. In February 2020, Egypt, along with Jordan, France, and Germany, formed the quartet committee, with the aim of reviving the halted negotiations. The quartet committee has so far held four meetings, the latest of which was hosted by Cairo last month, where the foreign ministers of the four countries forged 11 provisions detailed in a joint statement outlining the endeavours to revive the peace process. An anticipated meeting is expected in Paris this year. Hafez added that the FMs praised the outcomes of Februarys emergency meeting, held by the Arab League (AL) in Cairo, where the Arab foreign ministers reaffirmed that the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state will remain the Arab worlds central and fair cause. AL Secretary-General Ahmed Abu El-Gheit said the AL meeting restored a full consensus over the Palestinian cause with the blessing of Palestine. The statement added Shoukry, Safadi, and Al-Malki called, during the meeting, for ceasing all Israeli settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories. The settlement activities undermine the chances of reaching a two-state solution; moreover, they represent a violation of international legitimacy and international law resolutions, the ministers stressed. Shoukry also voiced Cairos support for all exerted efforts by the Palestinian leadership to render the Palestinian dialogue successful. He also hoped that the upcoming elections would contribute to end intra-Palestinian division. According to an announcement by the office of the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, in early February, legislative elections would be held on 22 May, followed by presidential elections on 31 July. Egypt hosted two-day talks dubbed the National Palestinian Dialogue in February, which brought together various Palestinian factions with the aim of ending inter-Palestinian differences and guarantee the success of the long-awaited elections scheduled for this year. Egypt is set to host another meeting of the National Palestinian Dialogue in March to further discuss the upcoming steps regarding the election of the national council in Palestine. Short link: The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. [March 03, 2021] Travelers Institute to Share Inside Look at IIHS Vehicle Safety Ratings The Travelers Institute, the public policy division of The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV), today will host a webinar, in partnership with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), titled "Crash and Learn: An Inside Look at IIHS." The event will offer a behind-the-scenes perspective on how IIHS - an independent scientific and educational organization dedicated to reducing auto-related deaths, injuries and property damage - conducts research to assess and rank the safety of various vehicle makes and models. "IIHS' scientific approach to researching automobile crashes has made our roadways safer - saving lives and reducing property damage," said Joan Woodward, President of the Travelers Institute and Executive Vice President of Public Policy at Travelers. "As we take a deeper dive into how IIHS conducts its assessments, we hope to help our audience better understand the factors that separate an IIHS 'Top Safety Pick' from the rest of the pack." Today's webinar will take place at 1 p.m. ET. It will explore several topics, including the IIHS research method and how insurers support that process by sharing data and risk management expertise. Attendees will also receive a preview of IIHS crashworthiness tests for 2023 models and expert tips on which safety features are important to consider when purchasing a vehicle. Woodward will moderate the discussion, which will feature Dr. David Harkey, President of IIHS and the Highway Loss Data Institute, and Dr. Drew Woods, Vice President of Research and Development for Personal Insurance at Travelers and former Chairman of the Board of Directors for IIHS' Highway Loss Data Institute. The event is free and open to the public, and anyone interested in registering can sign up here. "One of the most critical parts of our work at IIHS is to educate our stakeholders about new vehicle features and their effect on auto safety," said Harkey. "I look forward to discussing the ways IIHS and the insurance industry are helping increase consumer understanding of the newest automotive technologies that can make a difference and protect them while they drive." The webinar is part of the Travelers Institute's "Wednesdays with Woodward" series, which began in 2020 as a way to continue the organization's public policy forums that were held in person around the country before the pandemic. To learn more about the Travelers Institute or to register for an event, please visit Travelers.com/Travelers-Institute. For more information about IIHS and to see the latest crash test ratings, please visit IIHS.org. About the Travelers Institute The Travelers Institute, the public policy division of The Travelers Companies, Inc., engages in discussion and analysis of public policy topics of importance to the insurance marketplace and to the financial services industry more broadly. The Travelers Institute draws upon the industry expertise of Travelers' senior management as well as the technical expertise of many of Travelers' underwriters, risk managers and other experts to provide information, analysis and solutions to public policymakers and regulators. Travelers is a leading provider of property casualty insurance for auto, home and business. For more information, visit Travelers.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005565/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] 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. (Natural News) Mike Lindell, the CEO of MyPillow, was muted during a Right Side Broadcasting Network (RSBN) interview on Sunday after he started warning Americans not to take the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine. A friend of RSBN who has donated to the network and its efforts, Lindell was attending the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando when he sat down with RSBNs Liz Willis to talk about pertinent issues like the Chinese virus. Lindell explained that Israel has some of the worst restrictions right now concerning the vaccines, which are required for Israelis to buy, sell and travel. And this all happened under the direction and leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who appeared to be a friend of President Donald Trump. He congratulated Biden, but after that, we got a little suspect, Lindell told Willis concerning Netanyahu. Right now with the vaccine over there, they are making the whole country take it so you cant go in shopping malls, you wouldnt be able to get a job, and if this happens, its the worst thing that could happen to this world. Lindell then started talking about how the vaccine is mark of the beast stuff, both in terms of what it contains and how it is being implemented. He also started to go off on the stupidity of double masking, which is right around the time the MyPillow head was silenced by Willis and RSBN, supposedly to avoid the YouTube censors. I hate to do it, Willis told Lindell after censoring him. You know I love you, but due to YouTubes guidelines, we will get our whole platform shut down if you talk about vaccines. Well, this is over in Israel, Lindell rebutted. I know. We love you; we love you, was all Willis could say in response. If you support Lindells efforts, purchase a MyPillow William Turton, a reporter at Bloomberg News, was quick to tweet about Lindells statements, accusing him of spreading conspiracy theories about the coronavirus. Others did the same for damage control. Lindell also spoke to Mediaites Aidan McLaughlin about the stolen 2020 election, corruption at Fox News, and other relevant topics. The mainstream media mocked him for it while highlighting the fact that Dominion Voting Systems is suing Lindell for $1.3 billion. Twitter also banned Lindell not long after the Capitol insurrection because of his support for Trump, which is now considered to be domestic terrorism. From all sides, including RSBN, Lindell is under attack, as are all other American patriots who believe in free and fair elections. RSBN is sadly beholden to the rules of YouTube by choice, mind you which are ever-changing and selectively applied. RSBN is apparently trying to appease its oppressor by censoring guests like Lindell, but this strategy will never work. In the end, YouTube will censor RSBN for whatever reason it feels like, and if the network is unprepared and has no plans to migrate elsewhere, it could be taken completely off guard. I understand that it is all about money and their platform is on YouTube, wrote one 100percentfedup.com commenter about RSBN. But they clearly didnt learn anything from Parler. They need to make efforts NOW to change their format to move to a different setup. Allowing YouTube to censor the truth just because you dont want to lose your cash cow is akin to pretending you are a good citizen because you donate to charity even though you know that charity is engaged in something horrific like child abuse or human trafficking. More related news about mainstream and independent media censorship can be found at Censorship.news. Sources for this article include: 100percentfedup.com NaturalNews.com MSN.com NaturalNews.com HOUSTON, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Distractions, including widespread smartphone use and hectic schedules, are part of the spate of human behaviors largely responsible for gruesome escalator accidents. These accidents, no longer just limited to children and elderly, present a huge liability to venues and escalator operators. Despite that, countermeasures addressing the root cause of accidents have not changed in decades. According to an article published in the January 2021 issue of Elevator World magazine, a better alternative to the stale safety signage seen on every escalator exists: colorful graphics affixed to the moving, visible parts of the escalator, including the handrails, steps, and risers. "Safely Dressed" escalator in New York Using color cues to successfully modify escalator rider behaviors at the point of ridership Copyright SBB Author Atif Bhanjee, Managing Partner at RailEyes Safety Graphics Systems, compiling the results of scientific studies conducted in Europe and Asia, concludes that attractive graphics, bringing attention to the moving escalator parts, effectively, albeit indirectly, modify human behavior towards safer escalator ridership. He shares that "I wrote the article because art, in vibrant colors and combined with motion, has captured my attention for as long as I can remember. Safety regulators must consider that scientific proof of beautiful graphics working for greater good and saving lives is a game-changer." Unlike elevator accidents where the common cause is mechanical failure, up to 95% of escalator accidents and fatalities are the result of passenger behavior. Following Nobel Prize-winning insights on Behavioral Science's Heuristics, made accessible by Nudge Theory, Bhanjee argues that it is the indirect, rather than direct, cues to modify rider behavior that leads to significantly fewer accidents. The article identifies several Nudge Theory principles based on scientific evidence that can be easily implemented for immediate reduction in escalator passenger accidents. Key among them is a 2016 study by the safety committee of the London Underground subway system. This study directly compared traditional direct instruction safety signage against Nudge techniques. The results were astounding; of the total of 12 mixed initiatives tested, only 7 passed the qualitative and quantitative criteria for success. The top three were Nudge graphics on the steps (-27% reduced accidents, +21% improved behavior), risers (+13% desired behavior), and handrails (-24% reduced accidents, +17.4% improved behavior). Despite the study only using simple, single-color graphic "nudges" one at a time, it tallied at least 51.4% improved behaviors from these three changes. In another study referenced by the article, Swiss researchers applied heuristic's "stimulus response compatibility" that identified human associations of the colors green to mean "GO!" and red to mean "STOP!". In their escalator behavior experiment, they applied the red color imprinted with "Stand Here" to the right handrail, and a green "Walk Here" imprinted on the left. The researchers found that not only did the graphics cause an immediate change in behavior, but that the prescribed behavior continued even in the months after the removal of the cues. Considering the status quo, the article finds that riders dismiss existing safety signage on escalators because they are dated, unenforceable, and inconveniently located. It posits that effective reading of these signs requires that a person stop and take the time to engage in "reflective thinking" before embarking on the escalator journey. However, Nudge Theory finds that most people engage in "automatic thinking" instead. Rider education efforts, also status-quo, is challenged in reach and proof. Given the heavily regulated nature of the escalator industry, change is difficult. Prior to the article publishing in the trade magazine, author Atif Bhanjee expressed, "I was frustrated that the knee-jerk reaction to attractive graphics on escalators was that it is a distraction. While that sentiment is understandable, primary research findings show otherwise, counter-intuitive though it may seem." Based on his meetings with industry leaders, Bhanjee shares that "I find that much of the negative perception of escalator graphics result from a bad experience over a decade ago; early implementors' handrail vinyls were inferior, expensive, and aggressively focused only on selling ads." Today, new entrants offer robust graphics products including long-term antimicrobial solutions for not only handrails, but also steps and risers. The combination of graphics on all moving parts creates the maximum "nudge" effect for safety, while the appearance can be calibrated for beauty, messaging, and even social distancing. Escalator operators, venues, regulators, artists, and even advertisers have a huge opportunity to inexpensively test new visuals that work in more ways than one. For more information or to implement escalator graphics in your venue, contact Atif Bhanjee at [email protected] or (832)931-1111. The article, published in the January 2021 issue of ELEVATOR WORLD magazine, is available HERE in PDF format. SOURCE RailEyes Safety Graphics Systems Related Links https://www.raileyes.com/ Nitin Gadkari takes on Congress for its guarantee to nullify CAA in Assam if voted to power Instead of just 1, more firms should be allowed to make vaccines: Gadkari After saying more firms should be allowed to make vaccination, Gadkari clarifies Jan Sangh founded by Bengal's son, still Mamata calls BJP 'outsider party': Nitin Gadkari India oi-Deepika S Joypur (WB), Mar 03: Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee considers the BJP as an 'outsider party' despite the founder of its precursor, Jan Sangh, being the state's son Syama Prasad Mookerjee. Addressing a rally during the party's Parivartan Yatra in Purulia district, the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways said the country's essence is unity in diversity. 'We want to weave the country together and not divide it. The development and advancement of India is the BJP's goal. 'Mamata calls the BJP an outsider party but the Jan Sangh, based on the ideals of which the saffron party was formed, was founded by Bengal's son Syama Prasad Mookerjee,' he said. The Union minister claimed that youths don't get jobs in West Bengal, farmers don't get fair prices for their produce, the state does not have good roads and rural people are deprived of good healthcare facilities. 'You have given many years to the Congress, the CPI (M)-led Left Front and 10 years to Mamata Banerjee, but West Bengal could not recover,' he said. He said that road development work in the state has been hampered due to the TMC government's failure to acquire land for the purpose. The minister said that the development of the 84-km road from Bankura to Purulia at an expense of Rs 341 crore has been completed by the NHAI, providing better connectivity to the backward areas in the region with Asansol, Durgapur and neighbouring Jharkhand. 'A 74-km road project connecting Purulia with Jharkhand's Chandil at a cost of Rs 709 crore has been sanctioned and it will be completed by June 2022,' he said. This road will connect Dhanbad, Bokaro, Purulia and Chandil, he said. The minister said that a 10-km long four-lane Purulia bypass road has also been sanctioned by his ministry that will entail a cost of Rs 217 crore and the work order for it will be awarded by April. He said that a project for a bypass road at Islampur in Uttar Dinajpur district has also been sanctioned by the Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry. Gadkari, also the Union Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Minister, said the MSME Ministry also has several projects that can provide income opportunities to people. 'There has been no development of West Bengal and people of the state are living in fear and hunger amid corruption,' he said, claiming that the BJP wants to change the situation prevailing in the state. 'Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, our government has achieved in five years what could not be done in 50 years,' he said. Gadkari said that Jan Dhan accounts of 35 crore people have been opened during the BJP regime whereas there were only three crore bank accounts during the previous Congress government's rule. He said that nine crore poor families in the country have been provided with free gas connections by the Modi government. Calling on the people of West Bengal to choose a 'double engine government' (BJP's rule both at Centre and state), Gadkari said, 'What did not happen in 50 years will take place during five years of BJP rule in the state.' 'On May 2 (the day of counting of votes), the government will change with the BJP getting a majority. The leader of the party will be decided the next day and a BJP chief minister will take oath on May 4,' he said. He claimed that men and women will get employment under the BJP rule and West Bengal will again be a happy and prosperous state. Elections to the 294-member state assembly will be held in eight phases from March 27 to April 29. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 3, 2021, 19:46 [IST] Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced further measures to support rural and farming businesses as the UK looks toward its post-Covid economic recovery plan. In what is only his second budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer unveiled on Wednesday (3 March) his plan to protect the jobs and livelihoods of the British people. He said that in the last year, the UK economy had shrunk by 10% with national borrowing at the highest level since the Second World War. The total fiscal support in response to Covid-19 will total more than 400bn overall, with more than 350bn having been borrowed over the last year and a further 200bn to be borrowed. Despite that, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is predicting a quicker recovery, with the expectation that the economy will recover to pre-Covid levels by the middle of next year, 6 months earlier than anticipated. The Budget included numerous measures that have been welcomed by farming and rural groups, including a freeze on Capital Gains Tax and Inheritance Tax at their current levels until 2026. Personal allowances and income tax bands together with national insurance contributions will be increased from April but will then be frozen until 2026. The struggling hospitality and tourism sector, which includes many rural based businesses, has welcomed news that the current reduced 5% rate of VAT will continue through to the end of September. There will then be an interim rate of 12.5% for a further 6 months, before the standard rate will be reinstated from April 2022. The Chancellor's big hike in Corporation Tax to 25% from 2023 will, however, hit large farms with profits over 250,000 a year trading as limited companies. Farming businesses will likely be wary of this rise, particularly during the transition period away from the EUs Basic Payment Scheme (BPS). Responding to the budget, Rebecca Davidson, rural affairs specialist at NFU Mutual, said there was a big incentive for farmers to invest in their business. "Companies investing in qualifying plant and machinery between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2023 will get a 130% first year capital allowance," she said. "This will allow companies to cut their tax bill by up to 25 for every 100 spent and will make it much more attractive for farm businesses to invest." She said government-guaranteed mortgages may also help younger generations who struggled to find affordable housing to remain in rural areas. As always, the details of the new measures rather than the headlines will determine if the big announcements on support can deliver for rural areas, she added. Tim Jones, head of rural at Carter Jonas, said farming businesses would welcome the Chancellors decision to freeze Capital Gains Tax and Inheritance Tax. Agriculture is going through a period of transition into a new era of policy and regulation," Mr Jones noted. "Major decisions including whether to sell or pass on assets such as land and property have been delayed by those waiting for clarity from the government on the tax implications of such a move. Businesses will now have more confidence to make those decisions, and it will be a catalyst for some to set plans in motion." The extension of the 5% VAT rate has been described by the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) as a 'lifeline' for many small rural tourism businesses. CLA president Mark Bridgeman said: "It will allow tens of thousands of businesses breathing space to begin their recovery in 2021, further boosted by hopes of a bumper summer season as lockdown restrictions are eased further. However, he added that the extension was a short-term crisis response: "Government should now begin thinking of how the UKs tourism sector can thrive in the long term. "If we are to compete with other major tourism destinations in Europe all of whom have VAT rates far below 20% - the UKs VAT rate should remain at 5% permanently." To the outside world, Wall Street banks looked like great places to be last year because they printed profits during the pandemic slump. To those inside, they now look like great places to leave, too. Technology upstarts and investment firms are offering some unusually attractive opportunities to seasoned Wall Street professionals, including shots at multiplying their pay - an allure all the greater after banks showed restraint in doling out rewards for 2020. Exits are now proliferating as bonus season wraps up. JPMorgan chief Jamie Dimon identified Walmart as a rival when it comes to recruiting executive talent. . Credit:Bloomberg A pair of Goldman Sachs partners, including an architect of its consumer business, became the latest examples over the weekend by giving up coveted spots for an unconventional alternative: Walmarts nascent financial-technology venture. A day later, news broke that another top Goldman executive left to join Tiger Global Management. While Walmart certainly is not Wall Street, recruiters and industry veterans say the allure of such an opportunity is obvious: a shot at building something from scratch with enough resources to challenge incumbent players. Thats not to mention the potential riches if the new business succeeds. The U.S. Air Force just reconfigured the F-15E Strike Eagle to carry more Joint Direct Attack Munitions under its wings, proving the fighter can be used to transport a heavier payload and eliminating the need for a cargo plane. The 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, said Tuesday that the loadout was tested last month during a "proof of concept" trial, demonstrating the jet could carry 15 JDAMs, a large increase from its standard load of nine, officials said in a release. "[The] Strike Eagle can now carry enough JDAMs for an active combat mission, land at a remote location, and reload itself and or another aircraft -- such as an [F-35 Joint Strike Fighter] or [F-22 Raptor] -- for additional combat sorties," Lt. Col. Jacob Lindaman, commander of the squadron, said in the release. Read Next: CNN: IG Blasts Former White House Doctor Ronny Jackson for Sexual Comments, Drinking, Taking Sleep Meds on Duty The F-15E can carry nuclear or conventional munitions, including the 500-pound, 1,000-pound and 2,000-pound class smart bomb JDAMs. Like the F-15C and F-22, the F-15E can also fire AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-120 air-to-air missiles. In a photo accompanying the release, six 500-pound class JDAMs are fastened under one wing, with the three extra bombs carried on the top row once used to hold unguided munitions, according to 1st Lt Savanah Bray, spokeswoman for Eglin's 53rd Wing. That means a maximum of 12 JDAMs can be carried under the wings. Another three munitions of a different weight class -- either 500-pound or 2,000-pound -- can be carried with one on the centerline underneath the jet, and one on each wing station, Bray said. The service noted that not all 15 JDAMs can be used during a single mission. Some can be discharged, while the others remain on the jet until they're transferred over for another operation. Increasing the F-15E's load capacity will lower requirements for supplemental manpower and transport aircraft to bring bombs to their desired location -- saving time, crew and resources needed to execute the weapon transfer, officials said. "The additional carriage on the F-15E allows fully assembled JDAMs to be transported, reducing the requirement to just one [C-130 Hercules] and saving eliminating onsite bomb building," the release states. The concept is in line with the service's Agile Combat Employment concept, an initiative to test quick-reaction forces operating from austere locations around the globe. The service tested a similar practice with its MQ-9 Reaper drone last fall. With a software upgrade, the service in September was able to prove the hunter-killer drone could carry eight AGM-114 Hellfire missiles -- double its usual capacity. Hellfire pylons that previously were reserved for 500-pound bombs, such as the GBU-38 JDAM, or for fuel tanks, can now carry the additional missiles courtesy of the upgrade, officials said at the time. -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. Related: MQ-9 Reaper Drone Flies with Double Hellfire Missiles in New Test A hospital worker has been arrested on suspicion of murder, rape and sexual assault following an investigation into the mistreatment of patients on a stroke ward. The worker - who has not been named - is accused of sexually assaulting two patients and one healthcare professional working in the unit at the Blackpool Victoria Hospital. His arrest follows a murder probe into the death of 75-year-old stroke patient Valerie Kneale, who died from a haemorrhage caused by a non-medical related internal injury. The suspect was arrested on suspicion of murder, two offences of rape and one offence of sexual assault. He has been suspended by Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and is currently in custody. A hospital worker has been arrested on suspicion of murder, rape and sexual assault following an investigation into the mistreatment of patients on a stroke ward. His arrest follows a murder probe into the death of 75-year-old stroke patient Valerie Kneale (pictured), who died from a haemorrhage caused by a non-medical related internal injury The worker - who has not been named - is accused of sexually assaulting two patients and one healthcare professional working in the unit at the Blackpool Victoria Hospital (file image) The post-mortem examination on Ms Kneale was one of several carried out after police were made aware of allegations of mistreatment and neglect in November 2018. It lead to police beginning a murder investigation into Ms Kneale's death. Officers subsequently received information about alleged serious sexual assaults against two patients and a healthcare professional working on the stroke unit. Lancashire Police Detective Chief Inspector Jill Johnston said: 'We have today arrested a man in connection with a number of serious offences. 'We understand this will cause some significant concern in the community but please be reassured we have a dedicated team of officers conducting a number of enquiries. The worker - who has not been named - is accused of sexually assaulting two patients and one healthcare professional working in the unit (file image) 'These are complicated and sensitive allegations which we are committed to investigating thoroughly. 'We are offering support to those involved and they are being updated throughout the process by trained officers. 'Our priority and the priority of Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is to ensure the safety of patients. We are working closely with the Trust as well as HM Coroner for Blackpool and Fylde as part of the investigation. 'If you have any information or have worked on the stroke unit and can assist with our enquiries, please come forward and speak to police immediately.' DALLAS, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Risk Theory, LLC, is pleased to announce the rebranding of their auto dealer programs as Risk Point. The programs will continue to operate under the leadership of industry veteran and longtime CEO Gary Marshall but will market under the Risk Point brand which the company used in the early years of the physical damage program. "Returning to Risk Point as the prominent brand for our programs clarifies its strong reputation in the auto dealer insurance sector and clarifies Risk Point's position within the Risk Theory companies," commented Marshall. As the largest nationwide automotive dealership insurance program in the country that is available to independent agents; Risk Point provides custom coverage solutions for Dealer Open Lot and Garage Package for franchised Auto, Motorcycle, RV, Heavy Truck, and Power Sports dealerships. The Risk Point brand is supported by the most experienced leadership team in the industry and continues to provide world class insurance solutions to dealerships. About Risk Theory Risk Theory is a family investment office that partners with industry specialists focused on solving niche problems within the commercial insurance marketplace. These specialists are experts in distribution, underwriting or claims and are looking for ways to improve their clients risk transfer. The executive teams at Risk Theory bring over 200 years of operational experience within the insurance industry to assist the specialist in building structure around the idea and pursue a profitable long-term venture. "The Simple Solution to Specialty Insurance" https://risktheory.com/ Media Contact: Brian Atkinson (469) 310-9142 [email protected] SOURCE Risk Theory, LLC Related Links https://risktheory.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 We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. ADVERTISEMENT Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has sacked some political appointees including personal assistants, special assistants, and senior special assistants with immediate effect. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Akeredolu was sworn-in on February 24 for his second term of office. Olabode Richards, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, in a press statement made available to journalists on Wednesday in Akure, said Mr Akeredolu thanked them for their selfless services and dedication to duty during his first tenure. According to him, the governor, subsequently, approved the appointment of Bola Alabi as the new Chief of Protocol (COP). Mr Alabi, a legal practitioner, served as the Deputy Chief of Protocol (DCOP) in the first term of the governor. Olufunke Bisi Aruna was appointed as the new DCOP. The statement also stated that the governor had approved that Kunle Adebayo and his two other committee members should continue to superintend the OSRC media group as chairman and members of the committee. Also, Bayo Olafusi had equally been nominated as a member of the Ondo State Judicial Service Commission. The statement stated that his (Olafusi) name would be forwarded to the Ondo State House of Assembly for confirmation. The governor urges them to discharge their duties effectively, with utmost responsibility deserving of their offices, Mr Richards said in the statement. He also said 37 other appointments had been approved by the governor. (NAN) The head of the State Ports Authority said definitively on Wednesday that the maritime agency will win its federal labor dispute with the International Longshoremen's Association over who will operate the towering cranes at the Leatherman Terminal scheduled to open this month. Jim Newsome, the SPA president and chief executive officer, made the remarks during a state Senate Transportation Committee hearing on a plan to borrow $550 million in bonds to pay for improvements at the Port of Charleston. When asked whether the National Labor Relations Board might rule in favor of the union, delaying the terminal's opening, he responded: "That ruling is not going to come down that way." "We are going to be able to maintain our historical operating model," Newsome told the committee, referring to a hybrid operation where state employees operate the ship-to-shore cranes and heavy-lift machines while union workers move cargo around the terminals. The NLRB has not publicly ruled on a complaint the SPA filed against the union in January. Kenny Riley, president of the local ILA, did not respond to a request for comment. The SPA alleged in its complaint that the union is trying to block the opening of the new terminal on the former Navy base in North Charleston. A contract between the ILA and a consortium of global shipping lines called the United States Maritime Alliance requires that union members perform all jobs, including crane operations, at any new terminal built on the East or Gulf coasts. Those shipping lines have told Newsome they won't use the Leatherman Terminal until the dispute is resolved, even though the SPA is not a party to the contract. In its complaint, the ports authority called the action a secondary boycott that's barred under federal law. The maritime agency also says the Leatherman Terminal is not a new development because it was mandated by state legislators in 2001 and began obtaining construction permits in 2003. Construction was then delayed due to the Great Recession of 2008-09 and because the port was losing cargo. Sign up for our new business newsletter We're starting a weekly newsletter about the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina. Get ahead with us - it's free. Email Sign Up! Newsome did not elaborate about the federal labor board's deliberations. But if the panel were to rule the SPA's complaint has merit, a formal hearing would be held before a judge. Either party could decide to settle or withdraw the case before it gets to that point. If the case goes to a hearing, it could delay the Leatherman Terminal's opening unless the NLRB issues an injunction allowing it to operate pending the final outcome. Either party could also appeal the judge's decision to the NLRB's board in Washington, D.C. Riley of the ILA has made the Leatherman Terminal crane issue a battle cry of his term as president of Local 1422. He said the issue "will be one of the last fights I ever fight" in a book about Charleston's waterfront union by Ted Reed. "The port can build whatever terminals it wants, and it can put in the most expensive cranes and infrastructure it wants at any terminal it wants, but if no ships call on that terminal, then it just got a brand new terminal with nothing there," Riley said in the book Kenny Riley and Black Union Labor Power in the Port of Charleston. Wednesday's Senate hearing was a chance for legislators to ask questions about the $550 million bond proposal, which is working its way through the General Assembly. The proceeds would fund a $400 million rail yard near the Leatherman Terminal where cargo containers can be moved to and from trains. Another $150 million would pay for a barge system to transport containers by water from the Wando Welch Terminal in Mount Pleasant to the new rail yard, eliminating some traffic on local interstates. Newsome said the projects are necessary for Charleston to remain ranked among the nation's top 10 ports and to stay competitive with the neighboring Port of Savannah. The bonds would be repaid by taxpayers at $43 million a year over the next 15 years. A Senate proposal would have the SPA repay $150 million in future years from a $1 fee charged on each container that moves through the port's terminals. Note: This story has been corrected to reflect that Wednesday's hearing was before the Senate Transportation Committee. Denton, TX (76205) Today Mostly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 75F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 59F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. ELKTON, Ore. -- An Elkton woman is speaking out about her experience with the man who was arrested last week for allegedly using a fake nonprofit to defraud people in several states. Tyrone Powell, 40, was arrested when Douglas County Sheriffs deputies served search warrants in Elkton and Cottage Grove on Feb. 26 following a five-month investigation. RELATED: MAN CLAIMING TO BUILD TINY HOMES FOR VETERANS ACCUSED OF FRAUD The woman, who wanted to remain anonymous, told KEZI 9 News that she first met Powell in 2019 through a friend. He was reportedly using the name John Hope, and he claimed that he ran a nonprofit called the Impossible Road Foundation out of Bellingham, Washington. She said he told her the goal of the nonprofit was the build tiny homes for veterans in need and the homeless. He presented himself like a legitimate gentleman, she said. He was really convincing. She said he told her he wanted to bring the operation to Douglas County and hoped to use her property to build. Out of the 50 acres she owned, she reportedly donated three acres. However, he allegedly took over 30 acres and her shop with the intent of living in it. He took 30 acres and I got really angry, she said. I told him, I never told you you could have 30 acres. Powell is accused of trying to file a restraining order on her using his alias, claiming that it was his property. However, this eventually led investigators to find his real name and his background. She said they found five other fake nonprofits he ran throughout the country. From Alaska he went to Bellingham, Washington, then he came here to try to scam me, she said. Powell was taken to the Douglas County Jail on charges of first-degree aggravated theft by deception, first-degree identity theft and forgery, two counts of perjury, two counts of false swearing, first-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, unlawful possession of a fictitious identification, and fraudulently obtaining a signature. Who knows what kind of scam hell come up with if he gets out of jail, said the woman. However, she said she has always dedicated herself to helping those in need. Despite being scammed, she said she will continue doing what she loves doing. Thats my heart, she said. I just wanted to help people get back on their feet. She said shes trying to be more careful next time, and shes hopeful others will too. Im paying $10,000 in legal fees, she said. And I dont think its over yet. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Press Release March 3, 2021 Hontiveros to Facebook, Twitter: Crack down on criminal activities in platforms, cooperate in OSAEC inquiry Senator Risa Hontiveros has called on major social media giants Facebook and Twitter to crack down on criminal activities in their platforms, especially the online sexual exploitation of women and children. "Hindi lang fake news ang madaling kumakalat sa social media, pati mga pang-aabuso din sa ating kabataan at kababaihan. Social media platforms that still are not able to address this growing problem should be made accountable," Hontiveros said. During the hearing of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, Atty. Lawrence Aritao of the International Justice Mission said that in 2020, they received over 1.2 million reports of online sexual exploitation. That's almost three times the reports from 2019, which registered about 400,000 reports. "This is a dramatic rise in a span of only a year. Mas pinalala talaga ito ng pandemya, lalo na at marami ang nakababad sa social media. Social networks should prioritize ending the proliferation of these crimes before even thinking of expanding their products," Hontiveros said. "I hope that social media companies, especially Facebook, can attend our next hearing. Filipinos use Facebook the most among other platforms, so their insights will be very crucial in finally ending exploitative activities under their roof," Hontiveros said, adding that the committee will call another hearing specific to concerns surrounding social media networks. Last year, Hontiveros had called on the National Bureau of Investigation to take down pages that are sexually exploiting children. She had called on the agency to arrest the users running pages and groups that propagate child sexual abuse materials. In time for Women's Month, the senator also recently filed Senate Bill 2068 or the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) Law that imposes duties for social media platforms. The bill states that any social media network or similar entity that is found guilty of failing to comply to the requirements of the bill shall suffer a penalty of P10,000,000. "Social networks should start taking this issue seriously. Ang buhay at hinaharap ng ating kababaihan at kabataan ang nakasalalay dito. We always welcome innovation, but not if it comes at the expense of the Filipino people," Hontiveros concluded. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has declared Christian Porter is looking forward to returning from medical leave and rejected renewed calls for an independent investigation into the rape allegation denied by the Attorney-General on Wednesday. Mr Morrison said calls for an independent investigation from friends of the woman who accused Mr Porter, independent MPs and the Greens after NSW Police closed its investigation this week risked Australias rule of law and the presumption of innocence. That would say that our rule of law and our police are not competent to deal with these issues, Mr Morrison said. And they are competent to deal with these issues. They have reviewed the materials and theyve formed their assessment. Im pleased that [Mr Porter] is taking some time to get support to deal with what has obviously been a very traumatic series of events. BALLSTON After several years of controversies involving a Goode Street water line, the town is once again facing questions about what it is - or isn't - charging people to hook up to it. This time, dozens of homeowners who paid $9,100 from 2004 to 2015 to hook into town water are angry to learn that four homes on Stewart and Vienna courts were allowed to connect for free between July 2018 and September 2020. Fred Como, one of the residents who spent $9,100 to tap into the line in 2014, said he is furious over the issue. The same water line that I paid $9,100 to hook up to, these four residents paid no fees whatsoever, Como said. After hearing about this, my ire was up. The decision for free hook-up, said town attorney Debra Kaelin, "was an administrative one" made by the water department headed by Joseph Whalen. "The administrative determination was made because they paid water taxes to be in the district all these years," said Kaelin of the line that was installed in 2004. Whelan, an elected official who is up for re-election in November, did not respond to a Times Union request for comment on the matter. The water line, built to accommodate the new town hall, was paid for with a $575,000 bond. At the time, then-Supervisor Raymond Callanan said the homes along the Goode Street line were invited to connect into it for a fixed fee of $9,100. He also promised the fee would never go up or down. But when the water districts were consolidated in 2016, the hook-up fee dropped to $2,000. Technically, all home owners are now expected to pay $2,000. Kaelin said while the residents did not pay a fee, the hook-up is not free because the homeowner still had to hire a plumber to attach a line from the street. The homeowners also had to buy the meter. Still she said, "we need to work on a clarification and consistency in our water rules and regulations." Como said the situation is also muddied by the fact that these homes two on Stewart Court and two on Vienna Court -- are in cul-de-sacs built by the husband of town board member Kelly Stewart. Stewart, who lives on Vienna Court and is not hooked up to the town water, said her husband had nothing to do with the free hook-up in those developments. "Neither the company (Stewart Construction) nor Todd Stewart had anything to do with the water connections," Kelly Stewart said on Tuesday. "The homeowners were residents of the district so no board action was needed to connect and neither I nor my husband would have had any reason to even be aware that hook-ups were made." Previously: Reduction in Ballston water connection fee upsets residents Ag & Markets wins appeal to halt controversial Ballston water line Critics of Ballston controversial zoning code say it puts developers first One of the residents on Stewart Court, who wanted to remain anonymous after an angry neighbor came to her door over about the water hook-up fee, said she lived in her home, with well water, for 20 years. She was never going to hook up to the town water because the cost was too high. Then she heard that it was no longer $9,100 and called the town to inquire about the fee. "They were very evasive about the fee but said it was not $10,000," she said. "I was told I would have to come down and file a request and buy a meter. I went down and bought the meter. That was about $325." That was in 2019. At the time, she said she only spoke to a woman in the water department, not Whalen. She also said when she bought her home from the Stewarts in 2001, there was no discussion of any town water running down the street. Nor were there any promises that if a water line was installed she could hook in for free. This is not the first time Como has been upset about what he paid to be connected to the water line. In 2019, Como and a dozen residents railed against the unfairness of the hook-up fee being reduced to $2,000. They wanted a refund of $7,100. The town board told Como and 37 others that it hired Attorney William Ryan of Tabner, Ryan and Keniry to look into the matter to see if a refund was possible. Ryan filed a report, Kaelin said, indicating that the town could not legally reimburse residents for the hook-up fee. I dropped the matter, Como said. I figured we lost." Then he learned about the Stewart and Vienna court hook-ups after his neighbor submitted a Freedom of Information Request to the town. "Im angry all over again," Como said. Ballston Supervisor Eric Connolly said he can sympathize with Comos frustration and that the town will look into it. I do understand the issue and empathize with our residents who paid $9,100 to hook up, Connolly wrote in an email. Our water committee is scheduled to take a close look at the four homes in question. Two of these homes hooked up in 2018, one in 2019 and one in 2020. Our policy moving forward will require all residents hooking up to a water district to pay the same $2,000 connection fee. That doesnt appease Como. He is now requesting a copy of the Ryan of Tabner, Ryan and Keniry report. I want to see what is exactly in that memorandum, Como said. I dont want to take the towns word for it now. We are not done with this. In 2016, the water line became the subject of a legal wrangle between the town and the state Department of Agriculture and Markets after the town board approved an extension of the line into the agriculture district. After the town initially won the suit in April 2018, a state Appellate Court overturned the decision, thus stopping an extension that was intended to serve a dozen large homes in a new development. STUART, Fla., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Florida based Main Street Residential, a southeast U.S. regional multifamily investment group, announces the purchase of Belle Rive Club Apartments in Jacksonville. CBRE represented KRI Properties to transact the sale to Main Street Residential. Belle Rive Club Jacksonville Belle Rive Club is a 104-unit apartment complex in the heart of Jacksonville's most desirable multifamily submarket and located in the Southside Blvd./Butler Corridor submarket, one of the largest, and perhaps the most resilient, in Jacksonville with over 17 million square feet of Class-A office space and employing over 58,000 area residents. Jacksonville is the largest city by land area in the contiguous United States, the most populous in Florida and one of the most military-friendly in the country. Main Street Residential Managing Partner, Todd C. Marshall, states that, "We are pleased to add Belle Rive Club to our investment portfolio. The previous owner focused capital expenditures on the exterior and common areas. With this acquisition, Main Street Residential's value-add Signature Renovation Program will upgrade all unit interiors and enhance exterior amenities to compete with recently renovated rental properties in the submarket. The property is in a very desirable location evidenced by the ease of commute and proximity to major employers and Jacksonville's main retail corridor." Mr. Marshall went on to say, "To our knowledge, all developable sites along the Butler Corridor from I-95 to the 295 Beltway are spoken for, making this an extremely valuable investment property in one of the nation's Top 10 rent growth markets." Media Contact: Sherry McGuigan [email protected] SOURCE Main Street Residential If 2020 was the year of the governor, 2021 is shaping up as the year of governors in trouble.In the last 12 months, governors across the country leapt to the foreground. But New Yorks Andrew Cuomo and Californias Gavin Newsom, who led the pandemic fight from their capitals, are now under fierce assault Cuomo as the focus of an investigation for producing misleading data on COVID-19s impact , and Newsom as the object of a recall in the face of voter anger over pandemic shutdowns and restrictions. And in Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott is facing harsh criticism for the states bumbling management of a winter storms assault on the power grid.There is rich irony here. The number of new coronavirus infections is down sharply. Millions of Americans are getting vaccinated. For most Texans, the lights are back on and families are no longer huddling around fireplaces and boiling drinking water. So at a time when a return to something like normalcy seems in sight, why have governors found themselves on a razors edge?Party leaders arent missing a chance to take a shot at their opponents. Republicans, who control both houses of the Legislature in Kentucky, have taken on Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear. Republican Sen. Matt Castlen proposed legislation to rein in the governors powers, telling a local newspaper , I believe the governor has abused his executive powers and I believe a bill like this will ensure that this doesnt happen again.In Idaho, Gov. Brad Little is facing legal challenges from his fellow Republicans. The assistant House majority leader, Rep. Jason Monks, told a reporter, Our government was set up with checks and balances, and for some reason, we think that during an emergency, checks and balances need to be sent out the window.The National Conference of State Legislatures reported that governors in at least 40 states are facing legislation aimed at limiting their emergency powers. And the American Legislative Exchange Council has taken advantage of the political turmoil to advance its ongoing effort to limit governments powers.Governors have been in the spotlight, seemingly as never before, over the past year because the federal government has bucked so much responsibility to the states. In fighting back against the virus, developing the plan for vaccinations and dealing with other emergencies, states would have been in big trouble without strong actions by their governors. Those executive actions, however, have made legislators of all political stripes very nervous about big shifts in the balance of power, and thats leading now to a flurry of legislative proposals to pull governors power back.Theres nothing surprising about this, of course. Well never fully resolve the balance-of-power questions that the founders hardwired into American democracy. Todays governors, however, are facing new kinds of challenges that the founders never anticipated: Big surprises that seem to come from nowhere, with little notice but with grave implications and which require a quick and strong response.In most of these cases, theres at least some advance warning and rudimentary planning even though, too often, those exercises fail to produce action to head off crises. The Obama administration left behind a document laying out the risks of a pandemic and a playbook for dealing with it . The latest struggles in Texas over power and water followed another episode back in 1989, after which analysts produced an extensive report with a game plan for protecting the states power grid from freezing weather.That puts governors in a tough spot, between why arent you responding faster? and youre seizing too much power. For state executives, theres no comfortable place in that political vise. Moreover, they face an enormously complex threat matrix, encompassing everything from public health and natural disaster emergencies to racial unrest, pandemic-shattered economies and even domestic terrorism . Governors run for office promising to transform their states, but increasingly their biggest challenge is dealing with these out-of-nowhere threats that might have been anticipated but which sit in the background among many others that dont materialize. When these threats do surge to the surface, they menace not only citizens but also governors political futures.In the last year, the states have risen to a level of political and operational importance that we havent seen in a very long time. What seemed destined to be an era of federal dominance in the 1960s has become an arena of state action in the 2020s. The importance of governors has risen to unprecedented levels and with that rise has come unparalleled threats and a struggle with capacity to tackle them. Thats a nasty brew, and its not one that governors can hope to survive simply by hoping that the next crisis happens in someone elses term.Its not a good bet either that the free market will provide an autopilot solution to these tough problems. Texas bet big on a free-standing electric grid with competitive market prices . In the face of a statewide storm, the grid collapsed, many consumers faced electric bills that jumped by thousands of dollars, and everyone turned to the state government for help on a mega-problem where the market failed. Elected officials discovered that there was no way to escape the searing spotlight.The overarching lesson of these crises is that governors need to develop a far more effective deep-scan radar. They need a team about them, but out of the spotlight, that can identify the biggest issues with the biggest potential for the most harm, and they need to frame a coalition for action that can help them lead their states through the crises theyre increasingly likely to face.What makes these issues unprecedented is the scale of potential harm and the complexity of the needed game plan. Texas was less than five minutes away from a complete collapse of its power grid, which would have taken weeks or months to repair. Every state has faced a public health disaster that threatened to destroy its economy and damage the lives of its citizens. These crises spill across lots of boundaries, geographic and functional. The solutions the governors need require concerted action across levels of government and sectors of society, from pharmacies to nuclear power plant operators.When we werent paying much attention, the job of governors dramatically changed. Now theyre struggling to catch up, at a time when even state legislators of their own party arent so sure they like the idea. The states might be laboratories of democracy, but if theyre going to deal with the emerging problems of the 21st century, the labs are going to need a new breed of scientists.GoverningGoverning The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Type address separated by commas Your Email: STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. There was continued bad news for embattled Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday, even as the COVID-19 numbers continued to improve around the state and in New York City. Mark Stein and I took on those issues as part of our daily Hot Zone show on Facebook Live. The coronavirus pandemic has turned our world upside-down, and we need information like we never have before. How many new cases were there on Staten Island today? How many deaths? How many people have been released from the hospital? What are President Joe Bidens plans to end the pandemic? What are Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio doing to keep New Yorkers safe? What other news is top of mind? More importantly, when are we going to get back to normal, whatever normal is? Its almost too much to keep up with. So every day around 4 p.m., Mark and I take to Facebook Live to give you all the information you need. You can then look for this written wrap-up on SILive.com at the end of the day. Well give you the numbers and all the latest news. Well answer your questions. Well follow up on your news tips. Well share the good news too, the way that the Staten Island community is coming together in this time of crisis. Or well just share this strange and unique pandemic moment with you, as fellow Staten Islanders. On Tuesday, Mark and I talked about how another woman had accused Cuomo of sexual harassment, making for three women who have come forward so far. It has been days since Cuomo has been seen in public, and state lawmakers voted to strip the governor of his emergency pandemic powers. Meanwhile, top pandemic advisors to de Blasio said that virus variants, including the so-called New York strain, do not require any different behavior from city residents. Dr. Jay Varma said that New Yorkers need to continue to wear masks, socially distance, wash their hands, get tested and get vaccinated. Varma said theres nothing different that we need people to do. The city infection rate had fallen from 3.98 on Saturday to 3.90 on Monday, the state reported. Were all in this together. Well all get through this together. Chairman Emeritus of Tata Group, Ratan Tata, who has been heading the conglomerate for decades has shared an old picture with Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata, whom he calls his friend and mentor. Ratan Tata took to sharing the old picture, where the duo can be seen standing in front of a statue of Jamsetji Tata, founder of the Tata Group. The picture appears to be taken in front of Jamsetji Tata's statue in Jamshedpur. Tata shared the picture to mark the birth anniversary of Jamsetji Tata. "My best wishes to all the Tata group companies, the employees & their families on the birth anniversary of our founder, Mr. Jamsetji Tata, who has inspired us with his kindness over the years. This founder's day has special emotions for me, reminding me of my mentor Mr. JRD Tata," he said sharing the old picture. My best wishes to all the Tata group companies, the employees & their families on the birth anniversary of our founder, Mr. Jamsetji Tata, who has inspired us with his kindness over the years. This founders day has special emotions for me, reminding me of my mentor Mr. JRD Tata pic.twitter.com/GUZCqj9ESk Ratan N. Tata (@RNTata2000) March 3, 2021 JRD Tata and Ratan Tata come from different branches of the Tata family. On the other hand, Ratan Tata is the great-grandson of Jamsetji Tata. JRD Tata had helmed the Tata Group for over half a century before passing on the baton to Ratan Tata. In a candid interview with Humans of Bombay, Ratan Tata had said that when he was appointed as the head, there was criticism against the decision. There were other aspirants and contenders too who were vocal about their ambition to head the Tata Group. He said that he refused to take JRD Tata's office. "I was lucky to have him there. He was my greatest mentor... He was like a father and a brother to me -- and not enough has been said about that," he said. Meanwhile, Jamsetji Tata, who was born on March 3, founded the Tata Group. He started out as a merchant dealing in cotton and pig iron but he is known for his notable contribution of establishing the Tata Iron and Steel Works company in Jamshedpur. He is also fondly remembered as the 'Father of Indian Industry'. Jamsetji Tata died on May 19,1904 at the age of 65 years. Also read: Tata motors share price jumps 6%; should you subscribe? Also read: Transforming Tata Call it "community investment" or "pay for play" but the strategy works nonetheless. Here's just a bit more proof that this town has always been about the bottom line: Subscriber content preview PORTLAND (AP) Federal energy regulators have given Oregon State University initial approval for a groundbreaking wave energy testing facility off the coast. The PacWave South project is designed to facilitate and accelerate the development of wave energy technology, which harnesses the motion of the ocean to generate electricity, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported. . . . Watertown, NY (13601) Today Rain showers early, then sunny by the afternoon. High 72F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight A few passing clouds. Low 53F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. ALBANY Sen. James Skoufis, a Hudson Valley Democrat who chairs the chamber's investigations committee, on Wednesday issued a statement calling for Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to step down in the wake of the sexual harassment allegations leveled against him. Skoufis is the latest in a growing number of New York Democrats particularly younger, more progressive officials asking for the ouster of the governor. Others include state sens. Alessandra Biaggi, Gustavo Rivera, Julia Salazar, Jabari Brisport and Jessica Ramos, as well as U.S. Rep. Kathleen Rice, a Long Island Democrat. "I cannot in good conscience wait for a months-long inquiry by the attorney general to run its course," Skoufis said. "I have seen sufficient evidence to conclude that, beyond a reasonable doubt, the Governor's behavior represents a pattern of abuse that deems him unfit for office. Gov. Cuomo must resign." Assemblyman Tom Abinanti, a Westchester County Democrat, also called on Cuomo to resign Wednesday, saying the governor "no longer commands the respect necessary to lead New York." The main party line has still been to await the results of an investigation that will be conducted by a law firm of state Attorney General Letitia James' choosing. Assembly and Senate leaders and a majority of rank-and-file Democrats in the chambers are still in that camp, as well as state Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs. It is both premature and unfair for anyone to opine on the outcome until that investigation is completed and the results reported," Jacobs said. Skoufis said in his statement that his impression of Cuomo's wrongdoing has been bolstered by the governor's low profile for the last week in the midst of the fervor. The governor has not appeared in public or held a coronavirus briefing for a week, after holding those several times a week for the past year. "At a time when our state is demanding answers and accountability, we are instead met with attempts to unduly influence an investigation and, otherwise, silence. Distressingly, the silence speaks volumes," Skoufis said. "A dark cloud hangs over our Capitol, the likes of which makes it extraordinarily difficult for the Legislature to move forward with the essential work at hand. Of equal importance, the women of this state both current and future demand a governor who respects them and leaders who hold him accountable when he does not." Neighbours of an elderly woman who may have lay dead for years before she was found inside the home she shared with her husband today said they never knew she existed. The body of Christina Malley was discovered inside a property in Cove, Aberdeen last Thursday after she failed to show up for her Covid-19 vaccination. It is understood that her husband claimed his wife was abroad when asked where she was. It is unclear whether he has been questioned in relation to the death. Police have launched an investigation into the 'unexplained' death, and reports claim Mrs Malley's body may have been in the house for 'several years' before she was found. Those who live nearby today explained they did not even know the woman's husband had a partner. One neighbour, who has lived in the area for 22 years, said: 'I've never known him to have a wife or partner. You only ever see him. It's all very sad.' Police launched an investigation into an 'unexplained' death after a woman's body was discovered in Cove, Aberdeen last Thursday. Pictured: Police at the scene on February 25 The woman is believed to have died several years ago, and it is understood her body was found after she failed to show up for her coronavirus vaccination appointment Another told the Daily Record: 'I've lived across from them for years and didn't even know she lived there at all.' Others said they know the elderly man who lives at the address, adding: 'This is absolutely heart breaking. I know of the old man and I said hi when I seen him he is a really lovely man, so sad.' Police Scotland said the death is being treated as 'unexplained', adding a post-mortem will now take place to establish how the woman died. A spokesperson said: 'Officers were called to an address in Allison Close, Aberdeen, on Thursday, February 25, after the body of a woman was found within. 'The death is being treated as unexplained and inquiries are ongoing. A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.' Following the discovery of the body on February 25, forensic officers were seen entering the property the woman had shared with her husband. Alex Nicoll, of Aberdeen City Council, today shared his sympathies with the family involved, while charity Age Scotland urged Britons to check in with their elderly neighbours. Mr Nicoll said: 'This is very, very sad, not only for the person involved but also for the family and friends who will be affected. Pictured: Police Scotland outside the home in Cove, Aberdeen after the body was found Police said the death is being treated as 'unexplained', adding a post-mortem will now take place to establish how the woman died 'My thoughts and sympathies go out to all of them at what is an especially difficult time. It is terribly, terribly sad news.' Brian Sloan, chief executive of Age Scotland, explained isolation is becoming a growing issue among the elderly - with thousands going weeks without a call or visit. He said: 'Before the pandemic, we estimated there was one chronically lonely older person on every street in Scotland. 'We now believe this is much worse, with more older people feeling isolated and cut off than ever before. This is having a devastating impact on both mental and physical health. 'It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the scale of the problem, especially with Covid-19 restrictions in place. But we can all help to look out for older people in our communities. 'Simply taking the time to get to know your neighbours, or having a friendly call or blether on the doorstep, could make a huge difference to someone who is isolated. 'If you're concerned or haven't seen someone for a while, then we would encourage you to check they are doing okay and ask if they need any help.' [March 03, 2021] Anomali Provides Organizations with Greater Access to Strategic Threat Intelligence, Elevating Them Beyond the Limitations of Tactical Threat Data REDWOOD CITY, Calif., March 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Anomali , the leader in intelligence-driven cybersecurity solutions, today announced general availability of its quarterly product portfolio update. This release further elevates customers beyond the limitations of tactical threat data by delivering greater access to high-fidelity, strategic threat intelligence. New capabilities empower customers to create more actionable investigations, increase detection accuracy, and improve response performance. Developed in tight collaboration with our global customer base, weve added several key features to Anomali ThreatStream, our industry-leading threat intelligence platform (TIP): Streamlined Collaboration Full-featured, privacy-controlled chat allows users to communicate seamlessly with internal teams and among industry peers across easily defined trusted circles directly from their ThreatStream workspace. ThreatStream Chat gives analysts the ability to quickly engage and seamlessly support investigations, determine how threats are impacting their organizations, and decide what steps they should take to mitigate them. MITRE ATT&CK Framework Integration As a follow-up to the recent release of support for MITRE ATT&CK framework techniques, weve added the ability to import content from the MITRE ATT&CK Navigator tool to store framework capabilities inside ThreatStream. Analysts can use the MITRE capability in the ThreatStream Investigations feature to help prioritize investigative activities and decision making, helping them to be more efficient and responsive. Advanced Threat Model Capabilities Threat model content in ThreatStream now benefits from robust search, giving users the ability to create advanced search queries with conditions and operators, and some additional capabilities specific to Anomalis threat model content. This allows them to find relevant intelligence quickly and to save complex searches for future se, with just a click. Custom Themed Intelligence Dashboard Cloning Extending custom themed dashboard capabilities developed by Anomali Threat Research, customers now have the ability to not only add dashboards for specific events (E.g., COVID, Sunburst etc.) to their default administrative console view, but also to clone them and then tailor the underlying query and widgets to their specific needs and preferences. The answers needed to address the most serious threats organizations face are hidden within the overwhelming amounts of security data they contend with and locked inside the collective knowledge and experience of their security teams and industry peers, said Mark Alba, Anomali Chief Product Officer. We are unlocking the full potential of information, tools, and security professionals who face a common threat landscape. This update will continue helping customers to quickly reach verdicts about the hazards they face and to further reduce risk levels. To learn more about our latest release, read the blog Anomali February Product Release: Moving Beyond Tactical Intelligence . Anomali Threat Research is now providing a curated selection of summarized cybersecurity and threat intelligence events, with associated indicators of compromise (IOCs) and MITRE ATT&CK techniques. To receive weekly updates, subscribe to Anomali Cyber Watch. Twitter: https://twitter.com/Anomali LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/anomali/ Blog: https://www.anomali.com/blog About Anomali Anomali is the leader in intelligence-driven cybersecurity. More than 1,500 public and private sector organizations rely on Anomali to see and detect threats more quickly, reduce the risk of security breaches, and improve security operations productivity. Anomali solutions serve customers around the world in nearly every major industry vertical, including many of the Global 2000. As an early threat intelligence innovator, Anomali was founded in 2013 and is backed by leading venture firms including GV, Paladin Capital Group, In-Q-Tel, Institutional Venture Partners, and General Catalyst. Learn more at www.anomali.com . News Contact Joe Franscella news@anomali.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. With hard seltzer enjoying a cultural moment as well as being one of the fastest growing beverage segments in the US, Stewart's Spiked pays homage to classic Americana by bringing nostalgia to a modern market. It is the all new American hard seltzer, rooted in good times and inspired by the iconic flavors that were first crafted almost a century ago. ICONIC JUST GOT SPIKED. Stewart's Spiked brings classic flavors to the modern market in the form of alcoholic seltzers. Founded in 1924 in Mansfield, Ohio, and a childhood favorite of many, Stewart's has deep roots as a classic American brand. Frank Rubba, President of SEI said, "With nearly 100 years of heritage, Stewart's is a premium brand you know you can trust; with Stewart's Spiked Seltzer we are dedicated to the highest quality product and aligned with the brand's strong history. We are aiming to quickly become America's chosen hard seltzer!" Commenting on Stewart's Spiked Seltzers' business expansion, bringing classic American flavors to a new generation, Peter Strahm, SEI's CEO said, "At the heart of Stewart's is the American dream freedom, family, fun and opportunity. Our goal with Stewart's Spiked Seltzer is to bring back the 'good life' with a classic taste of Americana, made modern as a hard seltzer." Each 12 oz slim can of Stewart's Spiked is 100 calories and contains 1g sugar and 1g carbs and 5% ABV. The line is gluten free, vegan and made with natural flavors. Stewart's Spiked Seltzer's Introductory Flavor Profiles: Root Beer Inspired by one of the first and only licorice-based root beer recipes in the United States, this is the range's flagship product. Stewart's Spiked Seltzer's Root Beer flavor profile incorporates a nostalgic recipe that is reminiscent of "old fashioned" fountain sodas. Orange Cream A modern take on a classic, Stewart's Spiked Seltzer's Orange Cream flavor profile incorporates a rich, creamy blend of orange and ice cream flavors, reminiscent of an Italian ice creamsicle. Black Cherry Black Cherry is one of the best-selling hard seltzer flavors on the market, as well as being a classic Stewart's flavor. Stewart's Spiked Seltzer's Black Cherry incorporates a handcrafted recipe combining sweet cherries with a smooth and creamy taste. Raspberry Lime A modern take on a popular New England favorite, Stewart's Spiked Seltzer's Raspberry Lime flavor profile incorporates the fizz of fruit with a signature twist of lime. -- Stewart's Spiked Seltzers will be available on shelves February 2021. Confirmed preliminary distributors cover New York, New Jersey for February; and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania for March. For more information visit StewartSpiked.com | @StewartSpiked About Stewart's Enterprises, Inc. Stewarts Enterprises Inc. (SEI) is the exclusive licensee of the original Stewart's Root Beer brand, its trademarks, and intellectual property for all Stewart's retail products other than non-alcoholic sodas. Upon successful completion of the transaction, SEI will own all equity, worldwide trademarks and intellectual property of the Stewart's brand for all products other than non-alcoholic sodas, including Stewart's Spiked Seltzer, launched February 2021. SEI has also licensed the rights to manufacture and distribute a Hard Rock branded hard seltzer, Hard Rock Hard Seltzer with flavors inspired by the brand's iconic cocktails, and to distribute UK based post social drink Bounce Back in the US. Both of these will launch in Q2 of 2021. SOURCE Stewarts Enterprises Inc. Related Links https://www.stewartspiked.com The U.S.-led coalition in Iraq says at least 10 rockets have been fired at a military base that hosts American and other coalition troops. The missiles struck the Ain Al-Asad Air Base in the western province of Anbar at 7:20 a.m. local time on March 3, spokesman Colonel Wayne Marotto said. The Iraqi military said the attack did not cause significant losses and that security forces had found the launch pad used in the incident. AFP quoted Western security sources as saying the rockets were Iranian-made Arash models. "One civilian contractor died of a heart attack during the attack," a high-level security source told the news agency, adding that he could not confirm the contractor's nationality. The Ain Al-Assad base hosts Iraqi forces, as well as troops from the U.S.-led coalition helping Iraq fight the Islamic State extremist group. The attack comes after a February 16 rocket salvo on a military base in Iraq's northern Kurdistan region killed one civilian contractor and wounded a U.S. service member and other coalition troops. It also comes two days before Pope Francis is due to travel to Iraq despite the deteriorating security situation in some parts of the country. The leader of the Roman Catholic Church said on March 3 that he would make the three-day trip -- the first-ever papal visit to Iraq -- because "the Iraqi people are waiting for us." One cannot disappoint a people for the second time, Francis said, referring to Pope John Paul IIs aborted plans to visit the country in 2000. Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP Alternative for Germany, the biggest opposition group in the country's parliament, was placed on the domestic intelligence service's list of organizations suspected of right-wing extremism, Der Spiegel reported. Prompted by a confidential 1,000-page report about alleged violations of constitutional rules protecting human dignity and democracy, the move allows the agency to conduct nationwide surveillance of the AfD, the magazine said, without identifying the source of its information. Alice Weidel, co-leader of the party's caucus in the German parliament, said the intelligence service's actions were politically motivated. "This is particularly noteworthy in view of the state and federal elections this year," she said on Twitter. "We will of course take legal action against the unjustified classification of the AfD." Spokespeople for the Interior Ministry, which oversees the domestic intelligence service, were not immediately available for comment. A spokeswoman for the agency, known as the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, declined to comment to Spiegel. While groups within the party are already the subject of scrutiny, placing the entire party on an extremist watch list could be a major setback ahead of a series of key state elections and a national vote that will decide Chancellor Angela Merkel's successor in September. "The AfD has often shown that it wants to undermine our democracy," Katja Mast, a lawmaker for the ruling Social Democrats, said in a tweet responding to the Spiegel article and expressing support for the decision. "It pursues this strategy on many levels." The party was founded in 2013 to protest Merkel's backing for bailing out Greece, and its support surged due to the 2015 refugee crisis. In the most recent federal election in 2017, the AfD became the largest opposition group with just under 13% of the vote. Since then it has slipped to fourth place behind the Greens and the Social Democrats but still polls at about 10%. Merkel's CDU/CSU bloc has support of around 33% and is expected to lead the next government after the Sept. 26 vote, possibly in alliance with the Greens. With a strong power base in the former communist East, the AfD has become a serious threat by appealing to Germans disaffected by Merkel's globalist approach and unsettled by advances in technology. Under an agreement in a case at a Cologne court brought by the party, the intelligence service agreed to not disclose to the public if the AfD was put on the watch list while the litigation is pending. "The right-wing extremists set the tone in the AfD," Markus Blume, general secretary of the CSU party in Merkel's bloc, said in a tweet. "We will continue to fight the AfD politically. It doesn't belong in parliaments." The Taoiseach said the shortfall of Covid-19 vaccines last week will be made up in the coming days. The HSE missed its target of administering 100,000 doses of coronavirus. Figures published on Monday shows that 81,843 doses were administered last week, falling short of its 100,000 target. The HSE said it was told by AstraZeneca late last week that its deliveries were being deferred. Substantial gap between number of vaccines being delivered and number being administered. @RoisinShortall asks Taoiseach for explanation as to why this is the case and if he will commit to publishing daily figures for vaccination data. pic.twitter.com/luUHVqyjbf Social Democrats (@SocDems) March 3, 2021 Micheal Martin told the Dail that the company believes the shortfall will be made up in the next week and further doses of the vaccine will be delivered. He said there has been bumps along the way in the delivery of vaccines. The key is the ongoing issue of supply from AstraZeneca, Pfizer BioNTech and Moderna, he added. There have, without question, been bumps along the way, most recently a shortfall of supply last week from AstraZeneca, as the chair of the (vaccine) taskforce said last Saturday. The vast majority of the over-85s will have received their coronavirus vaccine by the end of the week, the Department of Health said. Co-leader of the Social Democrats Roisin Shortall raised concerns over the number of vaccines forecast to be delivered. She told the Dail there is a very substantial gap between the numbers of vaccines to be delivered and the number that is being administered. Ms Shortall said that vaccines provide great hope for people, and that the vast majority of people are really looking forward to getting them. She said that people are keen to know when theyre likely to receive the vaccine. Many of us have been looking into the Minister for Health (Stephen Donnelly) to provide the figures in relation to the performance of the vaccine programme, she added. I know you and the minister has said that were delivering the vaccines, were getting them out and administering them as quickly as they arrive, but theres no way of gauging that. While were getting the daily figures for the administration of the vaccine, the other side of that equation is in relation to the number of vaccines that have arrived in this country is not available. The only data that is available in relation to vaccine deliveries here comes from the Path Ahead document, and theres a table set out there, so theyre the only official figures we have for the forecasted deliveries. Those figures would indicate that theres a very substantial gap between the numbers of vaccines forecasted to be delivered here, and the number that are actually being administered a very, very substantial gap. She said that more than two thirds of AstraZeneca vaccines have not to have been administered, while four fifth of Moderna has not yet been administered yet. In the Irish context, we are administering that which we are getting in. Micheal Martin Ms Shortall called on the Government to publish the daily figures of the numbers of doses received by the State. I think its really important to have all of that data on a daily basis, she added. Mr Martin said the issues around supply were discussed at the European Council meeting. He said there was a dedicated meeting last Thursday about European-wide vaccination. China, America and Europe are the major production centres for vaccines and supply is the issue across the board, he added. Europe has appointed a Commissioner to deal with removing bottlenecks affecting supply. In the Irish context, we are administering that which we are getting in. Funding for a Silicon Valley BART extension in a federal coronavirus stimulus bill that drew the scorn of Republican lawmakers has been removed from the package, a spokesperson for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday. The Senate parliamentarian, the official adviser to the legislative body, ruled that the extension doesnt meet rule requirements for being included in the bill because its part of a pilot project, spokesperson Drew Hammill said in a statement. The $1.9 trillion coronavirus package that the House passed last week contained $30 billion for public transit systems whose budgets have been decimated by the pandemic. That included $1.4 billion for dozens of capital projects for transit systems nationwide, of which $140 million would have gone to the envisioned BART extension into downtown San Jose and Santa Clara. The $6.9 billion Silicon Valley line would stretch BART 6 miles from its current terminus in San Joses Berryessa neighborhood, with construction starting next year. Of course its disappointing, said Bernice Alaniz, director of external affairs for the BART Silicon Valley program for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, which is building the project. She said the expansion is part of an expedited project delivery pilot program that receives 25% of its funds from the federal government and 75% from local sources. Of course COVID has put a strain on the local funds, and this was supposed to alleviate that, Alaniz said. She added the project has significant economic benefits, including 75,000 direct and indirect jobs. The project became a punching bag for Republicans opposing the stimulus bill, arguing that the funding allocation favored Democrats. Republican lawmakers dubbed the BART extension Nancy Pelosis Silicon Valley subway, even though the project is 50 miles south of her San Francisco district. This project is not receiving special funding, it is simply being funded like all the other major transit capital improvement projects in the country, Hammill said. Now that it has been removed, he said, it is unclear how Republicans will justify their opposition to the American Rescue Plan, which has strong bipartisan support among the public. The House version of the stimulus bill also included money to expand the Transbay Tubes capacity for BART trains, the conversion of Caltrain to electric power and Munis delayed Central Subway to Chinatown. BART spokeswoman Alicia Trost said Tuesday the Transbay Tube project was still scheduled to get funding. Republicans had latched on to the money for the Silicon Valley extension as evidence that the stimulus was filled with pork unrelated to the pandemic. House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield used a procedural maneuver when the House passed the overall stimulus bill to propose redirecting BART extension funds to childrens mental health programs. Democrats rejected the change, which also would have delayed consideration of the final bill. In a tweet Tuesday, McCarthy issued a challenge to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York to do the right thing and take Pelosis Silicon Valley Subway out of your $1.9 Trillion Dollar bill. Dont fail us, he said in the accompanying video message. McCarthys office said he couldnt immediately respond to a request for comment after Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled the BART Silicon Valley funding couldnt be included. Democrats are using a procedural maneuver called reconciliation to enable them to approve the stimulus bill with only a simple majority in the 100-member Senate, unlike the usual 60-vote threshold to advance legislation. But that tactic requires that everything in the bill fit specific criteria for how it will affect the federal budget, and MacDonough said the BART money didn't meet those rules. The parliamentarian earlier doomed a key provision of the bill for progressives when she said a proposal to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour likewise violated the reconciliation rules. Mallory Moench and Tal Kopan are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: mallory.moench@sfchronicle.com tal.kopan@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @mallorymoench @talkopan Pennsylvanias initial doses of Johnson & Johnsons COVID-19 vaccine will go into the arms of school employees and child care workers. The state is expecting to receive an initial batch of 94,000 doses of this new vaccine this week. It will be reserved to launch an educator vaccination initiative intended to get schools and child care centers back open for in-person instruction. Gov. Tom Wolf, along with members of the COVID-19 Vaccine Joint Task Force, plan to hold an 11 a.m. news conference on Wednesday to share further details about this effort. Wolf indicated at a Tuesday news conference that the task force sees this as an unique opportunity to use the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to specifically target this group of front-line workers. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is administered in one shot, as opposed to the two-dose vaccines produced by Moderna and Pfizer. Eventually, Wolf said others, including police and fire personnel and grocery store clerks, will be prioritized. Given the race between vaccinations and the COVID-19 variants that are emerging, the governor said, We want to do this as quickly as possible. Sen. Ryan Aument, R-Lancaster County, who serves on the seven-member task force, said child care workers and elementary school teachers, as well as school support staff are prioritized for this initial allocation of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The task forces expectation, he said, is to remove this barrier that has prevented some schools from reopening. Its an important priority for Pennsylvania families. Its important for our students and the broader community getting folks back to work, particularly parents of elementary-age children and honestly getting students back in school so they can learn and so they can socialize with their fellow students, Aument said. The task force estimates there are nearly 200,000 school employees and child care workers outside of Philadelphia who are eligible to receive the vaccine. Philadelphia receives its own direct allocation of the vaccine from the federal government. Excluding those school employees who are already eligible under Phase 1A of the states vaccination program and those dont want the vaccine, Aument said he hopes that by the end of March or early April, all school employees who want the vaccine will have had the opportunity to receive a shot, so schools can reopen. In terms of what will be the specific trigger as to when those school buildings reopen, it certainly is going to be based on the number of teachers vaccinated and the number of teachers who were offered the vaccine and declined, Aument said. He expects information about that to be released by the Department of Education. As of late February, 39% of public schools in Pennsylvania were still fully remote, with just 20% operating fully in-person, with the rest in a hybrid format. Aument said the task force regards this initiative as separate from the states phased vaccination rollout, which has been a point of criticism from those who see the state as putting educators ahead of vulnerable and older citizens. This special initiative to get our kids back in school and to vaccinate teachers does not move teachers ahead of our seniors in [Phase] 1A, Aument said. Its clearer to think about this as a special category, not 1A. Aument said seniors and others who are eligible to receive the vaccine under Phase 1A will continue to be prioritized for the states Moderna and Pfizer vaccine allocations. Those allocations are increasing and projected to continue doing so over the next several weeks, Aument said. Educators and teachers will not be eligible for Moderna or Pfizer unless they are 1A [eligible], he said. This is a special allocation based on the initial Johnson & Johnson distribution to the commonwealth that will be distributed apart from the current network of providers at a separate location. Pennsylvania State Education Association President Rich Askey and lawmakers have been urging the Wolf Administration to speed up access to a vaccine for school employees. In a statement issued on Monday, Askey said, Such a plan would be extraordinarily good news for the health and safety of everyone in our schools. The men and women who teach and serve our students have gone above and beyond for their students in a time of unprecedented challenge. Our schools are essential, and vaccinating the dedicated people who make them work is critical to keeping everyone in them safe and healthy. U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean, a Montgomery County Democrat, welcomed the news. She and other Democratic House members wrote a joint letter to Wolf on Monday urging the governor to speed up the vaccine rollout, particularly for teachers. Our teachers and our schools help keep families on track, Dean said on Twitter. The sooner they are vaccinated, the sooner our students can return to school. Aument said once vaccines have been administered to all the educators who want it, then the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be in the mix along with Moderna and Pfizer so we can continue to close out all the folks in 1A and begin to talk about 1B. According to the state Department of Health website, Phase 1B includes people in congregate settings not otherwise specified as long-term care facilities; those receiving home and community-based services; first responders; correctional officers and other workers serving people in congregate care settings not included in Phase 1A; food and agricultural workers; U.S. Postal Service workers; manufacturing workers; grocery store workers; education workers; clergy and other essential support for houses of worship; public transit workers; and individuals caring for children or adults in early childhood and adult day programs. Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy. Lawrence: Ryan, Johnson are Republicans willing to speak the truth columns Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission When Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday he would lift all COVID-19 restrictions opening Texas 100 percent and ending mask mandates he was excited, almost gleeful. But there is nothing to celebrate when COVID-19 has killed more than 43,000 Texans, including more than 2,600 Bexar County residents. COVID sure as hell aint over, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said of Abbotts announcement. He stripped everything. Its going to spread. People are going to die. Never have we so wished that Wolff is proved wrong, but this is too much, too fast, too soon. Vaccine distribution is lagging, new variants are spreading, and Spring Break and Easter are on the horizon. Abbott often fails to lead. If hospitals fill up in April, he owns this. Here is a reality check: San Antonio and Bexar County are still begging for more vaccines. Texas deaths from COVID-19, disproportionately affecting people of color, are averaging 200 per day. On ExpressNews: San Antonio COVID-19 vaccine tracker We will continue to grieve for all who have suffered through this pandemic, and we will always mourn the loss of all lives, Abbott said. Will we, governor? How can we have time to grieve when the COVID-19 funerals havent yet ended? How can we truly grieve if its not safe to attend those funerals? Were with San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, who reflected: You dont cut off your parachute just as youve slowed your descent. We knew this decision was imminent. Abbott had teased it on Twitter and in public comments. Local officials had sent Abbott a letter urging him to maintain mask mandates in advance of this announcement. But the timing is interesting, if not cynical. We are no longer talking about widespread power outages in Texas. Each time cities and counties have made progress in the fight against COVID-19, Abbott has prematurely weakened and overruled local mandates. But Abbott hasnt opened Texas this much; hes never been so reckless. Perhaps he would argue he is being optimistic. Abbott, who has been vaccinated, said that by next Wednesday the day Texas opens 7 million vaccines will have been administered. He said hospitalizations for COVID-19 and Tuesdays 9 percent positivity rate are the lowest in four months. Of course, there was no real testing during the arctic blast when Texans were shivering without power. Texans are struggling to schedule vaccines. Out of 29 million Texans, only 13 percent have received at least one shot, according to Bloombergs vaccine tracker. This is no time to remove our masks to crowd into businesses, restaurants and bars without protection. Just below a link to Abbotts executive order on the Department of State Health Services website was a link to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for the latest developments on COVID-19. The CDC guidance hasnt changed: Protect yourself and others against COVID-19 by wearing a mask, staying at least six feet apart, avoiding crowds, washing your hands, and getting vaccinated when its available to you. Now, that messaging is muddled. There is a certain argument, one Abbott invoked, that doing away with mandates strengthens freedom, but masks dont inhibit freedom. They just reduce risk for everyone, therefore expanding freedom. This announcement comes on the heels of the embarrassing humanitarian crisis that froze Texas, cutting off power and water, and claiming lives. U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, called Abbotts decision reckless and dangerous and a desperate distraction from the Governors dereliction of duty during the power outages, adding, hes putting politics above the people of Texas. Abbott said he knew that some local officials are concerned that opening up the state 100 percent could lead to a worsening of COVID in their communities. And he said his order left room for limited local COVID mitigation strategies if hospitalizations due to the virus in any hospital region climbs above 15 percent of capacity for seven straight days. But this is reactive and toothless. There are no penalties for people or businesses who defy these restrictions. Abbott made his announcement on Texas Independence Day at Montelongos Mexican Restaurant in Lubbock far away from major media. How distasteful. The people who are making the enchiladas and bussing tables are at greater risk. Hospitals, get ready. There is nothing to celebrate. China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page Summer House star Hannah Berner is engaged to her boyfriend of eight months Des Bishop. The 29-year-old podcast host and Bravo star officially said 'yes' to the 45-year-old Irish born comedian on Valentine's Day, revealing more details of the proposal during a conversation with People. Though the pair only began dating in July, both shared that they knew 'fairly quickly' they had found their person, Hannah confidently saying, 'When you know you know.' Put a ring on it: Summer House star Hannah Berner, 29, is engaged to her boyfriend of eight months Des Bishop, 45, revealing that he proposed on Valentine's Day, telling People in conversation,'When you know you know' Berner whose past relationship woes continue to play out on the hit Bravo show acknowledged that though it 'happened so fast,' the pair were 'very excited.' She said that humor has been a big part of their relationship both being in the comedic space which has carried their relationship and even was the foundation of the proposal. Bishop who met Hannah through Instagram decided to distract her with a funny video while he got into position. 'When we first started dating, Des would send me this really funny video, singing videos, that would make me laugh. On Valentine's Day, I woke up and I had a video of him singing, which I hadn't gotten since the summer. And then it ends with him being like, "I have a surprise for you",' she shared. Unexpected: 'I'm in bed with my Invisalign on, and my breath is terrible. And he's just kneeling on the side, and then he just pulls out the ring. I think I just made weird crying noises,' she shared of the proposal She continued to provide more details of the proposal, revealing that she was in a less than flattering state when he decided to get down on one knee. 'I'm in bed with my Invisalign on, and my breath is terrible. And he's just kneeling on the side, and then he just pulls out the ring. I think I just made weird crying noises,' she said. Both reflected on the whirlwind relationship and how they knew it was meant to be. Bishop said that he was 'fairly certain fairly quickly that Hannah was for the one for [him].' 'When I met her the first time, my immediate thought was not only is she beautiful, but I just want to spend all the time with her because she's so much fun,' he said. Older and wiser: She had previously told Alexandra Cooper on the Call Her Daddy podcast in late July that he was the oldest person she had ever dated; pictured September Humor: Both in the comedic space, humor has been a large part of their relationship as she shared 'I make him laugh, and he makes me laugh'; December 2020 Berner said 'He lets me be me, and we laugh together. I make him laugh, and he makes me laugh...I really just fell in love with how his mind works. And I really listen to his advice, and I really just respect him.' She had previously told Alexandra Cooper on the Call Her Daddy podcast in late July that he was the oldest person she had ever dated. 'We were on the beach and we kissed and the oldest guy guy I've ever kissed was 36...so I was afraid - I was attracted to him - but what if I feel like I'm kissing my creepy older uncle,' she joked. Despite the initial hesitation, the relationship quickly got serious but they were forced apart when she had to go film Summer House for six weeks in The Hamptons. Time apart: Meeting in July, the pair got serious, but they took time apart when she began filming Summer House in The Hamptons for six weeks and they could not see each other due to strict quarantine protocol; pictured October 2020 Due to the global pandemic, the cast was not allowed to venture out or have guests over to the house (as they had in previous seasons), but the pair gassed up the relationship when they reunited in September and began virtually living together. Now with a ring on her finger, Berner spoke on behalf of the couple saying that they 'want to get married sooner rather than later,' adding 'why wait,' if they're best friends. Hannah also gushed about his choice in ring: 'It's just perfect because I can wear it with my sweats. I can wear it more dressed up,' adding 'I feel like it's, as my friends would say, very me.' Rishi Sunak has confirmed that fuel duty will be frozen for a tenth consecutive year. The decision in today's Budget means the tax paid on petrol and diesel will remain at 57.95p-a-litre, as has been the case since 2011. As a result, the tax currently accounts for around 47 per cent of what drivers pay for petrol at the pumps. But even without an increase in fuel duty, the RAC is warning today that there is 'great uncertainty over the future of forecourt prices, with fears of further rises looming large' as oil spikes. Fuel duty freeze extended to a decade: Tax paid on petrol and diesel will remain at 57.95p-a-litre, as has been the case since 2011. As a result, the tax currently accounts for around 47% of what drivers pay for petrol at the pumps The decision has been welcomed by industry insiders and drivers alike as the hold on fuel duty comes as escalating oil prices in recent weeks have pushed forecourt prices higher by around 5 since November. Confirming the extension to the fuel duty freeze this afternoon, Mr Sunak said: 'Right now, to keep the cost of living low, I'm not prepared to increase the cost of a tank of fuel. 'So the planned increase in fuel duty is also cancelled.' The Government claims this will 'cumulatively save the average car driver 1,600 compared to the pre-2010 escalator'. The Chancellor said today he is 'not prepared to increase the cost of a tank of fuel' The ongoing freeze was widely expected following Boris Johnson's signalling on Tuesday that the Chancellor would avoid raising the levy on petrol and diesel as he insisted the economic recovery will be 'powered by White Van Man'. Responding to today's Budget announcement, Brian Madderson, chairman of the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA), said: 'As the PRA has campaigned heavily against any rises in fuel duty, we naturally welcome the Chancellors decision today. 'Fuel duty is a regressive tax on business and livelihoods, so any attempt to increase it would have been entirely counter-productive as the economy gets back on track. 'It is by no means an over-exaggeration to say our members have kept this country moving during the pandemic and it is right that the Government has recognised that undeniable fact.' Nicholas Lyes, RAC's head of policy, adds: 'Drivers will breathe a sigh of relieve that the Chancellor has decided not to 'rock the fuel duty boat'. 'We feared this would only pile further misery on drivers at a time when pump prices are on the rise and many household incomes are being squeezed as a result of the pandemic. 'Many drivers see their cars as a safe way to carry out essential journeys and believe having access to a vehicle is even more important as a result of the pandemic. If the Chancellor had raised fuel duty, he could have risked choking any economic recovery as it would have led to increased costs for consumers and businesses.' Not everyone was happy with the decision, though. Friends of the Earth's head of policy Mike Childs described the fuel duty freeze as 'astonishing'. He said: 'No wonder passenger cars' contribution to the climate crisis has barely fallen in the past decade. 'The sale of gas-guzzling SUVs are a particular concern, as they have helped drive a rise in average emissions from new cars in the last five years. 'Rishi Sunak should be doing more to discourage the purchase of these polluting vehicles - such as slapping a significant increase in road tax on them.' The RAC says a freeze on fuel duty won't prevent the cost of petrol and diesel increasing in the coming months Fuel duty freeze won't stop pump prices spiralling in the coming months, experts warn The Chancellor's announcement today will be welcomed by drivers who have in recent months seen fuel prices gather pace - a trend that could reach record highs by next year, industry commentators have warned. Increasing oil prices has pushed up costs for motorists at the pump for four consecutive months, including a 3p-a-litre rise in February alone, according to RAC Fuel Watch. Right now, to keep the cost of living low, I'm not prepared to increase the cost of a tank of fuel Rishi Sunak, Chancellor This means filling up today is at least 1.70 more expensive than it was at the beginning of the month - and 5 dearer than it was in late 2020. By the end of February, motorists were paying an average of 123.38p for petrol up from 120.22p at the start of the month. Diesel is up to an average of 126.47p, rising from 123.35p on 1 February. It means fuel duty currently makes up 47 per cent of each litre of petrol and 46 per cent for diesel. A full 55-litre fuel tank of unleaded now sets drivers back 67.86 4.87 more than it would have cost on 1 November 2020 when petrol was around 9p per litre less expensive. A sharp increase in the price of a barrel of oil has driven the rise at forecourts. In February alone, oil rocketed by $10 a barrel to $65.83, a price not seen since mid-January 2020. A barrel of oil is now $29 more than it was at the beginning of November. Commenting on the rise, RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said February was 'another rough month for drivers at the pumps' and added that there is 'great uncertainty over the future of forecourt prices, with fears of further rises looming large'. Williams adds: 'Those using their cars more frequently will have found themselves having to fork out far more in February than they have at any other time during the pandemic. 'Oil shot up by $10, a barrel price last seen in January 2020, which led to a 3p-a-litre hike on the cost of both petrol and diesel. 'The worry now is whether analysts talk of oil reaching $80 by the end of the year will prove accurate. If it does, we could see a litre of unleaded top 130p and diesel 134p.' The price of a barrel of oil shot up by $10 in February and could rise to $80 by the end of 2021, experts warn If oil rises to $100 a barrel a price that JPMorgan has said is a possibility next year petrol and diesel could hit records high of 143p and 148p respectively in 2022. The previous average fuel price highs were seen in April 2012, with unleaded at 142.48p-a-litre and diesel 147.93p. Williams adds: 'Much hinges on what oil producer group OPEC and its allies decide to do at their meeting tomorrow (4 March). 'As the build-up of crude from the pandemic is starting to diminish, they are expected to increase output, but the important question is by how much. 'There's a big concern that they won't release enough supply to soak up the increased global demand as life begins to return to something more like normal, which could cause the price to go up further. If this proves to be the case, drivers will inevitably be hit badly at the pumps.' Fuel is 5p cheaper in Northern Ireland than UK average Supermarkets remain the cheapest locations to top up your fuel tank. The average price of fuel at the big four supermarkets is 4p-a-litre cheaper at 119.32p for unleaded and 122.24p for diesel after an increase of 2.8p on both fuels during February. Asda had the lowest priced petrol and diesel in February at 118.41p and 121.51p, narrowly ahead of Sainsbury's which was only 0.5p more expensive. Looking around the UK regions and nations however, RAC Fuel Watch can reveal a significant retailing anomaly, with prices in Northern Ireland around 5p-a-litre cheaper than the UK average at 118.38p for petrol and 121.92 for diesel. The RAC understands this is as a result of fuel being imported from the Republic of Ireland where taxes are lower per litre, coupled with the benefit of sterling being considerably stronger against the Euro than it was two months ago. A man aged in his 30s arrested in connection with an alleged firework attack on gardai at a violent protest in Dublin at the weekend will appear in court this morning. Gardai said the suspect was arrested yesterday and detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act at Irishtown Garda Station. Under the legislation, he could be questioned for up to three days. A Garda statement said this morning: "The man in his 30s arrested on Tuesday 02 March 2021 as part of this investigation is expected to appear before a sitting of Dublin District Court this morning, Wednesday 03 March 2021 charged in connection with the case. "The investigation is ongoing." Gardai arrested 23 people and around half of those have already appeared before the courts charged with various offences relating to the disturbances on Saturday. A number of gardai were also injured during the event, including two who sustained broken ankles. Mountain Valley MD told investors that it believes the 505(b)(2) pathway will result in a much less expensive and much faster route to approval Camargo has taken part in more than 1,100 agency meetings and over 200 FDA approvals ( ) (OTCQB:MVMDF) said Wednesday that it is progressing with its US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 505(b)(2) Pathway Application for novel its Ivectosol rapid dissolve oral format. The company said it has contracted Camargo Pharmaceutical Services LLC to provide regulatory consulting services to assist with FDA approval of Ivectosol, the companys injectable solubilized Ivermectin technology. Mountain Valley MD called Carmago one of the most experienced global organizations who specialize in drug and combination device product development and approval. It noted that Carmago has taken part in more than 1,100 agency meetings and over 200 FDA New Drug Application and ANDA (Abbreviated New Drug Applications) approvals. "After successful pre-clinical studies of our novel solubilized Ivectosol sublingual in our pre-clinical trials, this is a critical next step in the approval process to support our human application objectives," said Mike Farber, director of life sciences at Mountain Valley MD in a statement. "Camargo will be a great partner to accelerate our efforts for the initial pre-IND presentation to the FDA outlining Ivermectin's prior usage history and extensive safety record for the FDA's assessment and approval pathway." Mountain Valley MD told investors that it believes the 505(b)(2) pathway will result in a much less expensive and much faster route to approval, compared with a traditional development pathway. It could also create a new, differentiated Ivermectin product with tremendous commercial value, according to the company. Upcoming trials Mountain Valley also said it has successfully formulated Ivectosol and provided trial quantities to its Bio Safety Level 4 laboratory partner. The trials are designed to prove the superiority of solubilized Ivermectin technology versus commercially available oral form in speed and efficacy of coronavirus COVID-19 viral clearance, and will also include the more virulent B.1.351 South African COVID-19 variant. Trials are expected to start immediately as scheduled, according to the company. "The US FDA approval would prove the efficacy and safety of MVMD's Ivectosol wafer at one of the highest standards in the world and would assist in facilitating greater access to key global markets in an accelerated capacity," CEO Dennis Hancock said in a statement. "The human approval pathway timed with our aggressive pursuit of husbandry applications is core to making our Ivectosol products the number one commercial form of Ivermectin in the world." The company also added that it completed dose sparing adjuvant formulation work for the inactivated polio vaccine. Tulane University School of Medicine will start trials next week. Contact Angela at angela@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter @AHarmantas HELSINKI, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to OECD and other government initiatives around digital transfer pricing, Aibidia has launched its "Live in Five Challenge," designed to help organizations realize the full potential of cloud-based transfer pricing in just five days. Underpinned by Aibidia's powerful digital transfer pricing software, customers will gain centralized and structured data, automation that creates tax-authority-ready documentation in just one click, and advanced analytics to enable unprecedented visibility to global transaction flows and value chain positions. Aibidia Launches Live in Five Digital Transfer Pricing Challenge "Migrating to new software platforms has often meant lengthy, complicated, and expensive projects that were a burden on the entire organization. We engineered the Aibidia platform to enable an 'IT-free' onboarding, so tax teams quickly realize the true benefits of digital transfer pricing a shift in focus to value creation and insight," said Hannu-Tapani Leppanen, CEO and Founder of Aibidia. "Our new Transfer Pricing 'Live in Five Challenge' combines our deep expertise with the incredible power of our software platform. A taxonomy-based highly effective data extraction and load process, combined with deep analytics and substance knowledge, allow our expert teams to complete all of the steps to setup a secure Digital Transfer Pricing Cloud for customers in just five days." Customers can sign-up by connecting directly with Aibidia or by registering at AibidiaLiveinFive.com. After the 5-day setup process, capabilities immediately available include: - Creation of global transfer pricing data warehouse - Automation of OECD compliant transfer pricing documentation - Visualization of the value chain, including real-time scenario modeling - Predictive analytics to prompt for inaccuracies, incorrect formats, missing documentation, or other potential trouble areas - Country-by-Country level analysis in accordance with the latest OECD tax risk analytics guidelines Founded and headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, Aibidia's team of veteran tax, legal, and technology experts closely collaborates with customers across the globe. One of the fastest growing tax technology companies in Europe, Aibidia is funded by some of the world's most influential VC firms, including Global Founders Capital and Icebreaker.vc. For more information: Greg Saint James VP of Global Marketing [email protected] +14156199017 All product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners SOURCE Aibidia Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 30 giorni fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. The global Benzene Market is anticipated to reach USD 111.1 billion by 2026 according to a new study published by Polaris Market Research. Benzene is an aromatic hydrocarbon and a commodity petrochemical product. It is produced as by-product in stream crackers and refineries, thus its supply and demand is driven by other products derived from it. Benzene is a basic chemical and a building block for many other chemical synthesis of the global chemical and petrochemical value chain. Benzene is used in a broad range of economic sectors such as electrical & electronics, construction, consumer products, transportation, and medical. This petrochemical product has many derivatives such as ethyl benzene, nitrobenzene, cumene, cyclohexane, alkyl benzene, chlorobenzene, aniline, and phenol. The rapidly growing industries such as packaging, construction, bulk chemicals & materials, automotive, textiles and building & construction have substantially driven the applications for the benzene derivatives globally influencing the benzene market growth. Rising population in tandem with the increase in disposable incomes has led to growth of many consumer products and bulk materials. Low cost of the feedstock and economical commodity product prices have also contributed to the higher consumption of benzene derivatives. Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/benzene-market/request-for-sample Benzene is a petrochemical derivative and thus is subjected to price volatility. The fluctuations in the prices of crude oil directly affect the prices of the by-products derived from its hydrocarbon stream in refineries. The benzene industry is highly regulated in terms of policy frameworks as benzene is a toxic chemical where its highlevel exposure can lead to serious environmental implications. Asia Pacific is the largest regional market for the benzene market due to high consumption in China. Despite a gradually slowing economy, China has witnessed all the additional benzene requirements in the past five years (2012-2017). The consumption has shifted from North America and Western Europe towards Asia and Middle East over the past decade. The diverse needs of a growing middle class in China, significant expansion in refinery capacities, large-scale p-xylene plants to feed the downstream petrochemical sector has majorly driven the benzene demand in the country. However, the performance of the Chinas economy in the near future is expected to be a vital driver for benzene consumption. Albeit a slower pace, additional benzene capacities are expected to be on-stream by 2021, but just for the production of ethylene. Complete Summary with TOC Available @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/benzene-market The global benzene market comprises of large number of international and domestic producers. Global benzene industry has witnessed a shift in competitive landscape towards closer proximity of the refineries. Some of the major benzene market players include Sinopec, BASF, China National Petroleum Corporation, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation, Dow DuPont, ExxonMobil Corporation, and Royal Dutch Shell plc. Benzene Market Size and Forecast by Derivative, 2018-2026 Ethyl Benzene Cumene Cyclohexane Nitro Benzene Others Benzene Market Size and Forecast by Regions, 2018-2026 North America US. Canada Europe Germany UK France Asia Pacific China India Japan Latin America Brazil Mexico Middle East & Africa Avail discount on this report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/benzene-market/request-for-discount-pricing About Polaris Market Research Polaris Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. We provide unmatched quality of offerings to our clients present globally. The company specializes in providing exceptional market intelligence and in-depth business research services for our clientele spread across different enterprises. We at Polaris are obliged to serve our diverse customer base present across the industries of healthcare, technology, semi-conductors and chemicals among various other industries present around the world. We strive to provide our customers with updated information on innovative technologies, high growth markets, emerging business environments and latest business-centric applications, thereby helping them always to make informed decisions and leverage new opportunities. Contact us- Polaris Market Research Phone: 1-646-568-9980 Email: sales@polarismarketresearch.com Web: www.polarismarketresearch.com By Bhargav Acharya (Reuters) - The UK will receive 10 million AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine doses made by the Serum Institute of India (SII), the UK government said in a statement on Tuesday. SII, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer by volume, is mass producing the AstraZeneca vaccine, developed with Oxford University, for dozens of poor and middle-income countries. "The UK has ordered 100 million doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, of which 10 million doses will come from the Serum Institute of India," a UK government spokesperson told ... Foreign ministers of the ten ASEAN member states convened an informal meeting via videoconference on March 2 to discuss the political crisis in Myanmar. In Mandalay, Myanmar. (Photo: VNA) Foreign ministers of the ten ASEAN member states convened an informal meeting via videoconference on March 2 to discuss the political crisis in Myanmar. The Japanese news agency Kyodo quoted a senior official from an ASEAN member country as saying that all 10 foreign ministers are attending, including Myanmars military-appointed Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin. Brunei, which holds the rotating chairmanship of ASEAN this year, organised the meeting under the auspices of Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and Malaysian Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein. Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said on March 1 that despite ASEANs core principle of consensus and non-interference, ASEAN can still play a constructive role in hopefully facilitating a return to normalcy and stability in Myanmar. During an informal meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on February 26, Vietnams Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, called on parties in Myanmar to exercise self-restraint, avoid escalating tensions, and conduct dialogue towards reaching a satisfactory solution in line with the Constitution and law as well as public aspirations. In his opinion, the international community needs to create favourable conditions for the transition to democracy in Myanmar and respect the principles of independence, national sovereignty, and non-interference in countries internal affairs while ensuring safe and humanitarian access to key services for Myanmars people, especially vulnerable groups. He stressed that Vietnam wants Myanmar to return to stability soon, for the sake of its development as well as for peace, stability, and cooperation in the region and for ASEAN Community building. VNA Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. SAN FRANCISCO, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), which builds sustainable ecosystems for cloud native software, today announced the schedule for KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe 2021 - Virtual from May 4 7. Experts from organizations including Adobe, Apple, CERN, NVIDIA, and OVHcloud will deliver 100+ sessions, keynotes, lightning talks, and breakout sessions. There will also be more than 60 sessions hosted by project maintainers spanning beginner-level introductions, end user case studies, and technical deep dives. A program committee of 90 experts and 28 track chairs led by conference co-chairs, Constance Caramanolis of Splunk and Stephen Augustus of VMware, reviewed 627 submissions to curate a lively, diverse, and educational conference program. Attendees will join organizations and project maintainers to discuss a slew of cloud native topics including CNCF's hosted projects containerd, CoreDNS, Envoy, etcd, Fluentd, Harbor, Helm, Jaeger, Kubernetes, Open Policy Agent, Prometheus, Rook, TiKV, TUF, Vitess, Argo, Buildpacks, CloudEvents, CNI, Contour, Cortex, CRI-O, Dragonfly, Falco, gRPC, KubeEdge, Linkerd, NATS, Notary, OpenTracing, Operator Framework, SPIFFE, SPIRE, and Thanos. "As we move into our second year of virtual KubeCon + CloudNativeCon conferences, we are humbled by the resilience we have seen throughout our diverse community of doers," said Priyanka Sharma, general manager of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation. "With the benefit of being able to attend no matter where you are located, we look forward to inspiring thoughtful and innovative discussions across continents when we meet again this May." "Being at the receiving end of hundreds of innovative speaking submissions continues to be extremely inspiring," said Stephen Augustus, KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Program Chair and senior open source engineer at VMware. "As we get more settled into the virtual groove, I feel confident that attendees will walk away from KubeCon + CloudNativeCon again this year with greater knowledge of the cloud native ecosystem and some new friends!" "The number of amazing submissions just continues to grow and it was a difficult task to narrow them down to the exciting line-up we have this year for KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe," said Constance Caramanolis, principal software engineer at Splunk. "I am honored to have been part of this process and am looking forward to the conversations and enthusiasm that will come out of this event." The community-curated schedule will feature sessions from leading open source technologists, including: "CERN's 1500 Drupal Websites on Kubernetes: Sailing With Operators" - Konstantinos Samaras-Tsakiris & Rajula Vineet Reddy , CERN , CERN "Hacking into Kubernetes Security for Beginners" Ellen Korbes, Tilt & Tabitha Sable , Datadog , Datadog "TechDocs: Unlocking the Potential of Engineers' Collective Knowledge" Emma Indal , Spotify , Spotify "Kubernetes on Windows - A Journey" Jerry Lozano , RX-M LLC , RX-M LLC "Live Experiments with K8s Applications: Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them" Fabio Oliveira , IBM & Mert Toslali, Boston University , IBM & Mert Toslali, "How DoD Uses K8s and Flux to Achieve Compliance and Deployment Consistency" Anwar Chirakkattil, AR3Systems Inc & Michael Medellin , Department of Defense , Department of Defense "Your Path To Non-code Contribution In The Kubernetes Community" Kaslin Fields, Google; Kat Cosgrove, JFrog; Matt Broberg , Red Hat; Kohei Ota , HPE , Red Hat; , HPE "Building a Community: How Cortex Went from a Vendor Project to a Community" - Goutham Veeramachaneni , Grafana Labs , Grafana Labs "K8s Labels Everywhere! Decluttering With Node Profile Discovery" Conor Nolan , Intel & Dave Cremins , Intel , Intel & , Intel "Compliance Beyond Security: a Cloud Native GDPR Implementation Experience" - Johan Tordsson, Elastisys AB CNCF and other organizations are also hosting the following co-located events as part of KubeCon + CloudNativeCon, occurring on Monday, May 3 or Tuesday, May 4 if interested, these events can be added when registering for KubeCon + CloudNativeCon: The CFP for Crossplane Community Day Europe and PromCon Online 2021 hosted by CNCF closes Friday, March 5 at 11:59 PM PST. Diversity + Need-Based Scholarship applications for both KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe Virtual and CNCF-hosted co-located events are due April 19. For the full KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe 2021 - Virtual program, please visit the schedule . Registration Register for the All Access pass at $75 or the complimentary Keynote + Solutions Showcase Only pass. Thank You Sponsors KubeCon + CloudNativeCon is made possible with support from our Diamond Sponsors: Cisco , IBM Cloud , Kasten by Veeam , Rancher , Red Hat , VMware ; Platinum Sponsors: CircleCI , Hewlett Packard Enterprise , Huawei , Microsoft Azure , and Palo Alto Networks ; and many more Gold, Silver, Start-Up, and End User Sponsors. Additional Resources About Cloud Native Computing Foundation Cloud native computing empowers organizations to build and run scalable applications with an open source software stack in public, private, and hybrid clouds. The Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) hosts critical components of the global technology infrastructure, including Kubernetes, Prometheus, and Envoy. CNCF brings together the industry's top developers, end users, and vendors, and runs the largest open source developer conferences in the world. Supported by more than 500 members, including the world's largest cloud computing and software companies, as well as over 200 innovative startups, CNCF is part of the nonprofit Linux Foundation. For more information, please visit www.cncf.io. The Linux Foundation has registered trademarks and uses trademarks. For a list of trademarks of The Linux Foundation, please see our trademark usage page. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. Media Contact Jessie Adams-Shore The Linux Foundation [email protected] SOURCE Cloud Native Computing Foundation Related Links https://www.cncf.io Published on 2021/03/02 | Source "Dark Hole" revealed the script reading scene of Kim Ok-vin and Lee Joon-hyuk who have come together for the survival of variant humans. OCN dramatic cinema "Dark Hole" is an action thriller about the desperate survival of the survivors among mutants who drink the mysterious black smoke from sinkholes. It is helmed by Kim Bong-joo and written by Jeong I-do-I. In the recent script reading were director Kim Bong-joo, writer Jeong I-do-I, Kim Ok-vin, Lee Joon-hyuk, Im Won-hee, Kim Byung-ki, Kim Han-jong, Oh Yu-jin, Kim Do-hoon-I, Lee Ha-eun-I, Song Sang-eun, Park Keun-rok and other casts. Kim Ok-vin takes on the role of Lee Hwa-seon, a detective. Based on her strong mentality as a detective, she will show a character who fights against mutants. Lee Joon-hyuk is a wreck car driver named Yoo Tae-han. He looks like a delinquent who is not at all serious and enjoys jokes but he has a stronger sense of justice than anyone else. Oh Yoo-jin plays Han Dong-rim, a student at Mooji High School. She is a girl who tries her best not to collapse in the midst of people who want to use her powerless self. Kim Do-hoon-I plays Lee Jin-seok, a local bully to torments Dong-rim, Tae-han's friend Nam Yeong-sik is played by Kim Han-jong and Lee Ha-eun-I plays Yoon Saet-byeol, a nurse at a general hospital in Mooji City. Im Won-hee will add fun to the drama as Park Soon-il, a sergeant. Park Keun-rok plays Choi Seung-tae, a teacher at Mooji High, Kim Byung-ki plays chairman Choi Kyeong-soo who has no hint of humanity in him and Song Sang-eun is Kim Seon-nyeo, a shawoman. Meanwhile, "Dark Hole" will premiere in the first half of the year. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 03:48:42|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close RIYADH, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The Saudi-led coalition involved in a war in Yemen intercepted on Tuesday a bomb-laden-drone launched by Houthis towards Saudi southern region. The coalition spokesperson Turki Al-Malki accused the Houthi militia of committing "war crimes," the Saudi Press Agency reported. He said the coalition will continue all necessary operational procedures in accordance with the international law. The coalition intercepted last Saturday a missile launched toward the capital Riyadh. 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. 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. Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription. Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service. Neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease are in the firing line after researchers identified an attractive therapeutic drug target. An international collaboration, co-led by University of Queensland researchers, has isolated and analysed the structure and function of a protein found in the brain's nerve fibres called SARM1. Dr Jeff Nanson said the protein was activated when nerve fibres were damaged by injury, disease, or as a side effect of certain drugs. "After a damaging incident occurs, this protein often induces a form of nerve fibre degeneration - known as axon degeneration - a 'self-destruct' mechanism of sorts," Dr Nanson said. "This is a key pathological feature of many terrible neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, and also amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), traumatic brain injury, and glaucoma. "There are currently no treatments to prevent this nerve fibre degeneration, but now we know that SARM1 is triggering a cascade of degeneration we can develop future drugs to precisely target this protein. "This work will hopefully help design new inhibiting drugs that could stop this process in its tracks." Professor Bostjan Kobe said the researchers analysed the structure of the protein and defined its three-dimensional shape using X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy. "With X-ray crystallography, we make proteins grow into crystals, and then shoot X-rays at the crystals to get diffraction," Professor Kobe said. "And with cryo-electron microscopy, we freeze small layers of solution and then visualise protein particles by a beam of electrons. "The resulting 3D images of SARM1's ring-like structure were simply beautiful, and truly allowed us to investigate its purpose and function. "This visualisation was a highly collaborative effort, working closely with our partners at Griffith University and our industry partners." The researchers hope that the discovery is the start of a revolution in treatments for neurodegenerative disorders. "It's time we had effective treatments for these devastating disorders," Dr Nanson said. "We know that these types of diseases are strongly related to age, so in the context of an ageing population here in Australia and globally, these diseases are likely to increase. "It's incredibly important that we understand how they work and develop effective treatments." ### The research is published in Neuron (DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.02.009). The study was led by researchers at UQ, Griffith University, Washington University (St Louis), and industry partner Disarm Therapeutics. The White House has withdrawn President Joe Biden's pick to head the Office of Management and Budget after Neera Tanden faced opposition from key Democratic and Republican senators for her controversial tweets. She called Mitch McConnell, the Senate Minority Leader, 'Voldemort', and said that Senator Susan Collins of Maine should be 'haunted' for the rest of her days for her questioning of Brett Kavanaugh's accuser, Christine Blasey Ford. She described Alabama senate candidate Roy Moore as 'a child molester', Ted Cruz as 'a vampire' and Tom Cotton 'a fraud'. In the days after the election, Tanden also deleted more than 1,000 tweets from her personal account. Neera Tanden, seen at the Senate Committee on the Budget on February 10, has withdrawn 'Unfortunately, it now seems clear that there is no path forward to gain confirmation, and I do not want continued consideration of my nomination to be a distraction from your other priorities,' Tanden wrote in a letter to Biden. Tanden apologized during her confirmation hearing to 'people on either the left or right who are hurt by what I've said.' Just prior to the hearing, she deleted hundreds more tweets, many of which were critical of Republicans. Biden is pictured with Vice President Kamala Harris. He accepted her letter of withdrawal Her withdrawal marks the first high-profile defeat of one of Biden's nominees. Eleven of the 23 Cabinet nominees requiring Senate approval have been confirmed, most with strong bipartisan support. The president, in a statement, said he has 'utmost respect for her record of accomplishment, her experience and her counsel' and pledged to find her another role in his administration. Tanden is expected to get a White House position that does not require Senate confirmation. Tanden's viability was in doubt after Joe Manchin, a Democratic senator for West Virginia, and a number of moderate Republicans came out against her last month, all citing her tweets attacking members of both parties prior to her nomination. Manchin, a key moderate swing vote in the Senate, said last month in a statement announcing his opposition that 'her overtly partisan statements will have a toxic and detrimental impact on the important working relationship between members of Congress and the next director of the Office of Management and Budget.' Tabnden is seen at an 'Impeach and Remove' rally in Washington in December 2019 Joe Manchin (left) and Susan Collins have both spoken of their concerns about Tanden Neera Tanden's tweets 'Vampires have more heart than Ted Cruz'. 'If Susan Collins and Jeff Flake actually believed the House would go along with DACA and Alexander Murray, they have no business being legislators because they are criminally ignorant.' Mitch McConnell was referred to as 'Moscow Mitch' and 'Voldemort'. 'Trump just called a black woman a dog and about 80% of the GOP don't think he's racist. Whole party needs to be defeated.' Advertisement Maine Republican Susan Collins, meanwhile, cited Biden's own standard of conduct in opposing Tanden, declaring in a statement that 'her past actions have demonstrated exactly the kind of animosity that President Biden has pledged to transcend.' Tanden needed just 51 votes in an evenly-divided Senate, with Vice President Kamala Harris acting as a tiebreaker. But without Manchin's support, the White House was left scrambling to find a Republican to support her. One potential Republican vote, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, told reporters earlier Tuesday on Capitol Hill she still had not yet made up her mind on Tanden's nomination. The White House stuck with her even after a number of centrist Republicans made their opposition known, insisting her experience growing up on welfare and background working on progressive policies as the president and CEO of the liberal-leaning Center for American Progress made her the right candidate for the moment. White House chief of staff Ron Klain initially insisted the administration was 'fighting our guts out' for her. Tanden faced pointed questions over her past comments about members from both parties during her confirmation hearing. Shalanda Young, a former staff director for House Appropriations Committee, may replace her Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent senator and prominent progressive lawmaker, accused her of issuing 'vicious attacks' against progressives, and hadn't said whether he'd support her nomination. Collins cited the deleted tweets in her statement, saying that the move 'raises concerns about her commitment to transparency.' She said Congress 'has to be able to trust the OMB director to make countless decisions in an impartial manner, carrying out the letter of the law and congressional intent.' As recently as Monday, the White House indicated it was sticking by Tanden's nomination, with press secretary Jen Psaki noting Tanden's 'decades of experience' in defending their pick. 'We will continue of course to fight for the confirmation of every nominee that the president puts forward,' Psaki insisted, but she added, 'We'll see if we have 50 votes.' The head of the Office of Management and Budget is tasked with putting together the administration's budget, as well as overseeing a wide range of logistical and regulatory issues across the federal government. Tanden's withdrawal leaves the Biden administration without a clear replacement. The apparent front-runner on Capitol Hill to replace Tanden was Shalanda Young, a former staff director for the House Appropriations Committee who has been actively pushed by members of the Congressional Black Caucus. Other names mentioned include Ann OLeary, a former chief of staff for California Governor Gavin Newsom, and Gene Sperling, who served as a top economic adviser to both Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. The newest overall winner of Science's annual Dance your Ph.D. contest, now sponsored by the artificial intelligence company Primer, is a Finnish researcher studying atmospheric molecular clusters. With the help of several friends, Jakub Kubecka brought his studies to life with trash-talking rap lyrics ("I'm the first author, you're just et al.") endearingly crude dance moves, computer animation and drone video footage. "To prepare for recording the lyrics, I was running with headphones playing the music at least 30 times per day for the whole month to get it into my blood. I think that I even dreamed about it." Kubecka recalls. "Throughout the whole process, we always stayed close to our main goal of showing non-scientific muggles that science can be fun, silly and exciting." (Additional remarks from the winner can be found below.) Beyond conveying research via dance, Kubecka and the other contestants had to negotiate the pandemic, finding ways to produce their videos while honoring local COVID-19 restrictions. In spite of those challenges, 40 dances were submitted this year, involving hundreds of scientists and friends and family. As usual, this year's contest covered four broad categories: biology, chemistry, physics, and social science. But there was an additional prize offered for the best dance on COVID-19 research; those dances did not have to be the subject of the applicant's own Ph.D. research. Heather Masson-Forsythe won the COVID-19 category, depicting molecules of the pandemic coronavirus using multiple kinds of dance. The video has a poignant endnote pointing out that its length reflects the number of Americans who had died of COVID-19 at the time of its creation (1 second representing 1000 deaths). Each category winner gets $750 and Kuecka pockets an extra $2000. The best COVID-19 dance has a $500 award. The judging was arranged by John Bohannon, a former contributing correspondent for Science who founded and still runs the contest on the magazine's behalf. He is now director of science at Primer. This is the 13th straight year of the contest. Winner of the Physics prize, overall winner of the contest Jakub Kubecka PhD student, University of Helsinki / Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research contact: jakub.kubecka@helsinki.fi Formation, structure, and stability of atmospheric molecular clusters Ph.D. dance: https:/ / youtu. be/ Kdrh82RVl3M Winner of the Biology prize Fanon Julienne Postdoctoral researcher for Ariane Group in ENSAM (Paris - France), University of Le Mans (France) contact: julienne.fanon@gmail.com Fragmentation of plastics: effect of the environment and the nature of the polymer on the size and the shape of generated fragments Ph.D. dance: https:/ / www. youtube. com/ watch?v= GWT934bZXow Winner of the Chemistry prize Mikael Minier PhD completed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; currently a software engineer at WaveXR (Los Angeles) contact: mik.minier@gmail.com Biomimetic Carboxylate-Bridged Diiron Complexes: From Solution Behavior to Modeling the Secondary Coordination Sphere Ph.D. dance: https:/ / www. youtube. com/ watch?v= 6B7wjTrMaEY Winner of the Social Sciences prize Magdalena Dorner-Pau Postdoc, University of Graz (Austria) contact: magdalena.dorner-pau@uni-graz.at Playflul (De)Scribers. Examination of performative methods for the promotion of descriptive skills of children in linguistically diverse elementary school classes using the example of image description. Ph.D. dance: https:/ / youtu. be/ OSX8ECBbyWg Winner of COVID-19 research prize Heather Masson-Forsythe Ph.D. student, Oregon State University contact: heather.forsythe1@gmail.com Biochemical & Biophysical Studies of the COVID-19 Nucleocapsid Protein with RNA Ph.D. dance: https:/ / youtu. be/ CmhdQxaXd6k Judges of this year's contest: Renee Jaworski Matt Kent Emily Kent Katrien Kolenberg Andrea Grill Alexa Meade Carl Flink Weidong Yang Daiane Lopes da Silva The Semantic Scholar team at the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence Judges are available for comment upon request through john@johnbohannon.org Winner's remarks A description from this year's winner, Jacub Kubecka, of his journey to creating a dance version of his Ph.D. research: For the music Vitus just showed Ivo and me a demo which basically already contained the chorus as is. Together, we started to collect ideas for the lyrics. And here came the first problem; Vitus wanted Ivo and me to sing part of the music ourselves. I never did that, which I think you can also hear in the video. To prepare for recording the lyrics, I was running with headphones playing the music at least 30 times per day for the whole month to get it into my blood. I think that I even dreamed about it. Finally, with Vitus's expertise, we were able to record our lyrics, and even without having to resort to auto-tune. As we got closer to the filming days, the COVID situation in Finland got worse. More and more restrictions were being put into place, and it seemed that we might not get to film it. But in the end, we got the permission to film under strict rules. We adapted the video so we never had to be with more than two people, an actor and camera man, in a room indoors. A large part of the film also took place outside. In our infinite wisdom, we had decided that we would only wear short sleeve shirts throughout the video, which the Finnish winter weather made us suffer for. Each outdoor shot started with us throwing away our jackets just off screen, performing the choreography, and then running to get our jackets again. We also had problems with the radars of the Finnish meteorological institute messing with our drone signal. So, sometimes it would just fly away to the Baltic Sea. Still, we somehow managed to put it all together. We also really relied on the help of our friends, like Faustine, Angelica and Stephany. So, that's basically the story. Throughout the whole process, we always stayed close to our main goal of showing non-scientific muggles that science can be fun, silly, and exciting. And of course, we also didn't want to miss our opportunity of spitting some scientific roasts." ### In one of Italy's biggest Mafia trials to date, Santo Rumbo was the only one to be acquitted at first instance. According to the newspaper Luxemburger Wort, Santo Rumbo, a suspected mafioso who was arrested in Luxembourg in 2019 and subsequently extradited to Italy, has been acquitted on Wednesday. In one of Italy's biggest trials against the Mafia, the verdicts were handed down on Wednesday with Rumbo being the only one to be acquitted. In its article, the Luxemburger Wort explains that this does not come as a surprise, as Rumbo's name had never actually come up in the police's wiretap operation. The public prosecutor's office had nevertheless demanded a 12-year prison sentence. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau listens as U.S. President Joe Biden delivers a statement following a virtual meeting between the two leaders, in Ottawa on Feb. 23, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld) Biden Continues America First, Shuts Out Canada Despite warmth and goodwill between the Trudeau government and the Biden administration, experts say improved diplomacy is unlikely to mean more economic opportunity for Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Joe Biden issued a Roadmap for a Renewed U.S.-Canada Partnership following their videoconference meeting on Feb. 23. They announced their shared priority to end the COVID-19 pandemic, accelerate the economic recovery of small and medium-sized businesses, and strengthen supply chain security between the two countries. However, so far the Biden administration has been less than accommodating. On his first day in office, Biden revoked the permit for the 1,947-kilometre Keystone XL pipeline, which would have carried 830,000 barrels of crude oil daily between Hardisty, Alberta, and Steele City, Nebraska. Later in January he announced new Buy American provisions for federal procurement. And on March 1, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the United States is focused on ensuring that every American is vaccinated and would not discuss sharing vaccines with Canada or any other country until that goal is achieved. Ian Lee, associate professor at Carleton Universitys Sprott School of Business, said niceties between the leaders will not change the nature of American politics. They can be lovey dovey, and were all friends, we like each other, I like you, you like me etc. etc. But its not going to change the underlying structure, the underlying reality of American politics, and that is that Buy American is very popular, Lee said in an interview. According to Bidens executive order, some of the federal Buy American requirements have not been substantially updated since 1954, during the Eisenhower administration. Bidens executive order increases domestic content requirements, which means Canada will be further shut out of U.S. federal spending, where contracting alone accounts for nearly US$600 billion annually. Lee says many Democrats in Congress have been strongly protectionist for decades, and Biden will remain such as president. He is going to be every bit as protectionist as was Trump, and possibly more so because his base in the Democratic Party is pushing very hard for this. Full access wont be possible, Lee says, until Canada gives up its own protectionismsomething Canadian provinces dont even do between each other. We talk about those big bad Americans with their buy American. Were doing the exact same thing, only were doing it worse. Were not saying buy Canadian, were saying buy Ontario in Ontario if you want a government contract from Ontario. And if youre in Quebec, it says buy Quebec. Sui Sui, associate professor at Ryerson Universitys global management studies department, agrees that the America-first policy will outlast Trump. For perspective, look at the vaccination. Basically the U.S. says, do not export any vaccines to Canada or anywhere else unless our population has been vaccinated, she said. Sui believes while Trudeau is concerned about jobs in Canada, he did not push back strongly on the Keystone XL pipeline because of his own feelings on climate change, and Biden would never concede anyway. Its consistent with Trudeau and the Trudeau governments ideology about climate change, she said. Bidens very firm on climate change. Thats his presidential campaign pledge, so theres just no way to push back. Four days after the Biden-Trudeau meeting, Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. A readout from the meeting said the two reaffirmed the need to reject protectionism and preserve their countries shared prosperity by protecting the integrity of cross-border supply chains. A Macdonald-Laurier Institute commentary, however, says Bidens order could jeopardize the interests of Canadian suppliers of goods and services to the U.S. market. Suppliers and governments alike hope that any restrictions on Canadian suppliers are minimized, but that will depend on how discussions unfold between the two governments, writes Lawrence Herman. While the current atmosphere of political goodwill under a new Democrat administration could help Canada achieve the result it needs, even with a mature and respectful bilateral relationship theres bound to be some tough bargaining to get to that point. Students will be returning to the campuses of Rowan College of South Jersey next semester, school officials said Wednesday. The two-year community college, affiliated with Rowan University, closed its campuses in Deptford and Vineland last March and began internet-based instruction as a result of state executive orders to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The campuses remain closed to students through the summer but its Gloucester County campus is currently the location of a mega COVID-19 vaccine center. I am excited at the prospect of bringing students back on campus this fall, said Frederick Keating, the college president. Looking to the future with expectation and optimism provides us all with a much-needed boost, particularly as we look to return to normal, daily life. When classes resume in September, students will have the choice of on-campus, hybrid, live online and traditional online instruction. The dedication of state, county, college and medical personnel over the past three months, as they tirelessly vaccinate thousands of New Jersey residents, makes it possible for us to bring our students back on campus in September, Keating said. The combines enrollment for both campuses is just under 10,000. The main campus in Gloucester County is located at 1400 Tanyard Road in Deptford. The Cumberland County campus is located at 3322 College Drive in Vineland. On-campus instruction at Rowan University in Glassboro resumed last September. There were 4,100 students on campus, which is 60% of the population before the coronavirus pandemic shutdowns. It was not immediately reported if the mega vaccination site at the Deptford campus will continue to operate when students return to campus. The site is alone in using the New Jersey Vaccine Scheduling System, where its counterparts have been using separate hospital-run portals. That has led to a string of mishaps at the site, including complaints from recipients that the state system did not allow them to schedule a second dose, and a glitch that canceled appointments and allowed new patients to book them. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. The live dim sum corner at On The Plate buffet restaurant of Paradise Hotel Busan offers guests a chance to enjoy a variety of dim sum prepared by a chef onsite. Courtesy of Paradise Hotel Busan By Jun Ji-hye A premium breakfast is one of services guests look forward to when visiting luxury hotels, as it gives them a chance to enjoy a variety of gourmet menu items prepared by professional chefs. According to a survey of 2,000 adults in Korea, released last month by online hotel reservation site HotelsCombined, an overwhelming 60.6 percent of respondents chose the complimentary breakfast as their most preferred hotel service, followed by the free access to swimming pools at 30.3 percent. At a time when an increasing number of people have opted to spend their vacation at local hotels amid overseas travel restrictions caused by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, hotels here have been enhancing their efforts to distinguish their breakfast menu and services to attract more guests. The Paradise Hotel Busan has recently launched diverse breakfast menu items at its premium buffet restaurant, On The Plate, aimed at the so-called MZ generation those born between the 1980s and the early 2000s as a combination of millennials and Generation Z. Diverse breakfast menu items at On The Plate of Paradise Hotel Busan / Courtesy of Paradise Hotel Busan President Biden faces pressure from the progressive wing of his party on issues ranging from the $15 minimum wage to the $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill to climate change legislation. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told the Washington Post in mid-January that Bidens stimulus proposal doesnt go far enough and some have claimed that not moving further left will have dire electoral ramifications. Bernie Sanders recently echoed AOCs concerns, tweeting In 1994, Democrats in power lost big because they were not bold. In 2010, it happened again. If we do not take aggressive action NOW to protect working families, it will happen in 2022. Sanders tweet and subsequent comments engage in obvious revisionist history. In both the Clinton and Obamas administrations, midterm congressional losses came not from being too conservative but from moving too far left on a variety issues, especially health care. The price was paid by Democratic members of Congress from moderate to conservative districts in 1994 and 2010, particularly the ones who voted for those progressive policies. Take, for example, Bill Clintons 1992 victory over George H.W. Bush. Clintons victory led to liberal policies ranging from gun control to jobs legislation containing a provision for voter registration at welfare and unemployment offices. Most memorably, it included health care reform packaged by a task force headed by first lady Hillary Clinton (which the president promised to veto if the bill brought to him did not include 100% coverage). The jobs legislation failed, as did voter registration at welfare and unemployment sites. However, Democratic lawmakers from marginal districts were forced to take tough votes on various aspects of Clintons agenda, leading to the 1994 election that cost House Democrats more than 50 seats. For the first time in four decades, Republicans took control of both chambers of Congress. The results are clear. In districts where Clinton got less than 40% of the actual vote in 1992 (which we dub "conservative" districts), more progressive voting records led to greater chances of defeat. In the most marginally Democratic districts, no incumbents with a low progressive vote score were defeated, but a full 63% of those who had been highly supportive of the Clinton program lost. In districts where Clinton got 40%-50% of the 1992 vote (moderate districts), the percentage of incumbents losing was lower than in the conservative districts; but, again, the more pro-progressive the voting record, the higher the probability of the incumbent losing. Where Clinton did well in 1992 -- winning a clear majority of the vote in the three-way 1992 race -- the only Democrat who was defeated had been indicted on corruption charges. The next Democratic president, Barack Obama, suffered a similar defeat in the 2010 midterms (though unlike Clinton, he got his health care policy enacted into law). After Obama won the presidency in 2008, he pushed through a large stimulus bill and the Affordable Care Act; he also tried to pass a landmark cap-and-trade bill. Again, Democrats from competitive districts were punished by their constituents for these policies. In the 2010 elections, Democrats lost control of the House and over 60 seats to the Republicans in what Obama later termed a shellacking. Table 2 shows how various Democratic members who voted for the ACA fared in 2010, based on Obamas 2008 share of the vote in that district. The more liberal the district, the higher the chance a Democrat had of voting yes on the ACA and retaining the seat. Ninety-five percent of Democratic representatives from districts where Obama received 45% of the vote or less lost after voting yes on the ACA. In districts where Obama split about evenly with John McCain, 73% who voted yes lost. In the more liberal districts, where Obama won 55% and 60% percent of the vote, 66% and 92%, respectively, of those who voted for the ACA won. In short, putting forward policies that are perceived as too liberal costs members of Congress from competitive districts. The 1.9 trillion COVID relief package is Bidens first test on the issue of pushing policies that could be perceived as overly liberal. The progressives in his party are already signaling to him that he should keep the bill at $1.9 trillion or higher (AOC has said that the $1,400 payments should be $2,000, while the Republicans that the president met with are proposing a $618 billion relief package). As the bill moves through the Congress, those with the most at stake are the 30 or so House members who come from districts where Biden won between 45% and 50% of the vote (and whose own margin of victory was less than five percentage points). Republicans have already targeted these incumbents, along with another 17, in the 2022 midterms. The relief bill is probably not the equivalent to the health care bills of Clinton and Obama -- a recent poll showed over two-thirds of Americans want the legislation, with majorities of Republicans favoring aspects of the bill -- but it is nevertheless the first test in which Biden has to choose between the progressive wing of his party and his goal of unifying the country. Moreover, this first test will be minor compared to coming legislation on climate control and other policies favored by progressives. Time will tell what reaction to these policy moves will be; for the moment, watch how moderate Democrats such as Abigail Spanberger of Virginia react to the progressive Democrats proposals to push policy to the left. Given the Democrats thin majority in the House (222-212), they need to balance the conflicting goals of protecting members like Spanberger from tough votes and enacting the laws they want. David Brady is a professor of political science at Stanford University and the Davies Family Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi stressed on Wednesday the importance of intensifying international cooperation to eradicate the coronavirus pandemic and its implications in Africa through efforts including fair vaccine distribution among countries. Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly delivered El-Sisi's statement in a speech via video conference in an African Union (AU) meeting. French President Emmanuel Macron, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, who is the current chair of the AU, and African leaders participated in the meeting. In the speech, El-Sisi urged continuing coordination between the African Union and international partners to support the health systems in Africa. He also affirmed the importance of cooperation to enable the African continent to produce coronavirus vaccine doses amid challenges related to the production capacities and fair distribution of medicines and vaccines. In this regard, El-Sisi expressed appreciation for his French counterparts efforts to continuously coordinate with AU member states in order to support the health and medical systems in Africa against the pandemic and enable African countries to have fair access to vaccine doses in the appropriate time and with acceptable prices. The president also hailed Macrons representation of the African voice at the latest Group of Seven Summit, saying that this representation contributed positively to the G7 Leaders statement released after the summit. According to the 19 February statement, the G7 Leaders committed over $4 billion to the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator ACT-A and the Gavi-led global initiative aimed at equitable access to coronavirus vaccines, known as COVAX. This raised the collective G7 support to $7.5 billion. In an interview with the Financial Times in February, Macron proposed that rich Western countries give 3 to 5 percent of their current coronavirus vaccine stock to Africa. I would like to emphasise that our African peoples deserve a lot from us in order to advance our health system, El-Sisis statement said. He added that advancing the African health system requires continuing our relentless efforts to develop our continental work and international solidarity in order to overcome the negative challenges the coronavirus pandemic has posed. Let us always bear in mind the aspirations and hopes of our African peoples, who rely on us in securing the vaccine. This invites us to speak with one voice in all regional and international forums, to ensure the advancement of the African health system, the president added. Short link: Texas Governor Greg Abbott has announced the reopening of businesses for 100% occupancy and the lifting of the mask mandate statewide beginning next Wednesday, March 10. The Blaze reported that the governor announced the lifting of the pandemic restrictions during a news conference held last Tuesday when he also revealed that COVID-19 vaccinations are at 216,000 Texans per day or more than 1 million vaccine doses weekly. "With the medical advancements of vaccines and antibody therapeutic drugs, Texas now has the tools to protect Texans from the virus. We must now do more to restore livelihoods and normalcy for Texans by opening Texas 100 percent," Abbott stated in his address to the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce held at the Montelongo's Mexican Restaurant on March 2 as per the Office of the Texas Governor's website. "Make no mistake, COVID-19 has not disappeared, but it is clear from the recoveries, vaccinations, reduced hospitalizations, and safe practices that Texans are using that state mandates are no longer needed," he explained. "Today's announcement does not abandon safe practices that Texans have mastered over the past year. Instead, it is a reminder that each person has a role to play in their own personal safety and the safety of others," he elaborated. "With this executive order, we are ensuring that all businesses and families in Texas have the freedom to determine their own destiny." In addition, Abbott also announced the matter in his Twitter account, "NEW: Issuing an executive order to lift the mask mandate and open Texas to 100 percent." The post contained a screencap of the write-up found at Abbott's website. NEW: Issuing an executive order to lift the mask mandate and open Texas to 100 percent. pic.twitter.com/P4UywmWeuN Gov. Greg Abbott (@GovAbbott) March 2, 2021 Abbott's 4-page Executive Order GA34, entitled "Relating To The Opening Of Texas In Response To The COVID-19 Disaster, details the coverage of his announcement and lays the guidelines for its implementation "in accordance with guidance from medical advisors." For "counties not in an area with high hospitalization," meaning "any Trauma Service Area that has had seven consecutive days in which the number of COVID-19 hospitalized patients as a percentage total of hospital capacity exceeds 15%, until such time as the Trauma Service Area has seven consecutive days in which the number of COVID-19 hospitalized patients as a percentage of total hospital capacity is 15% or less," the Executive Order mandates "no COVID-19-related operating limits for any business or other establishment." However, it "strongly encourages" individuals to "wear face coverings over the nose and mouth wherever it is not feasible to maintain six feet of social distancing from another person not in the same household, but no person may be required by any jurisdiction to wear or to mandate the wearing of face covering." Meanwhile for counties located in areas with high hospitalization, the Executive Order does not impose any operating limits to businesses and other establishments, as well as, not requiring the use of face masks. The Executive Order, in such instance, provides the county judge the authority to the decide the use of COVID-19 "mitigation strategies" but not to the extent that businesses and religious services would be required to operate at less than 50% of total occupancy. No penalties shall be imposed to anyone violating COVID-19 rulings, including confinement in jail. This means those not wearing a face mask will not be penalized, as well. Townhall reported that California Governor Gavin Newsom, in reaction to Abbott's anouncement, tweeted it as "absolutely reckless" and ended up being bashed online. Townhall said Newsom's reaction to Texas' reopening "is a sight to behold" because it boomeranged due to the criticisms he received from Netizens. As GrabienMedia Founder and Editor Tom Elliott puts it, "The governor of the state w/ the most Covid deaths in America has some thoughts on 'reckless' policy." HSE 18,157 doses short of the 100,000 it had committed to delivering last week The States national vaccination plan has come under attack from Government TDs after it emerged key are targets are being missed. Senior Fine Gael and Fianna Fail TDs criticised the vaccine roll-out at their parliamentary party meetings. The criticisms came after the HSE revealed they were 18,157 doses short of the 100,000 it had committed to delivering last week. Former Fianna Fail minister Dara Calleary told his party it is hard to have confidence in the HSE to deliver the vaccination programme given the progress to date. Read More Mr Calleary said he has serious concerns about the programme and the HSEs ability to manage the system saying progress so far had not been good enough. He was supported by Longford-Westmeath TD Joe Flaherty who raised the case of a 90-year-old in his constituency who has yet to be vaccinated. Taoiseach Micheal Martin praised GPs for their work so far but acknowledged there are issues with the programme and said he discussed the situation with HSE chief executive Paul Reid with a view to resolving the problems. Mr Martin said he hoped a phoneline will be established for TD queries on the vaccine roll-out. He said supply has been the only issue to date. Ministers of State Anne Rabbitte and Mary Butler defended the HSE. At a Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting, a number of TDs and Senators also criticised the vaccination programme. Former minister John Paul Phelan said it was not a great start and the HSE had missed its target of administering 100,000 vaccines last week. Senator Regina Doherty said there were two GPs in her town who had not received vaccines and that the over-85s were getting anxious, including her own father. She questioned why so many vaccines were held back last week. Senator Sean Kyne said there were situations where people who had been hospitalised were not able to get vaccinated because they are in hospital even though they are in their 80s. Louth TD Fergus ODowd said he had two GPs in Drogheda who had not received vaccine supplies but he had managed to sort the issue through his contacts in the HSE. Mr Varadkar said the cohort of people over 85 should nearly all be vaccinated by Sunday. In a statement after the meeting, Fine Gael chairman Richard Bruton reported that Mr Varadkar said he still expects more than 80pc of people will be offered their first dose by the end of June and thinks the target of vaccinating most of the population by September can be met. The meeting heard, if approved by the European Medicines Agency on March 11, the single dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine will be in deployed in the country in April, Mr Bruton said. Regarding recent vaccine targets not being met, the Fine Gael leader said this was outside of the Governments control as it was down to an AstraZeneca order not being met. He said this will happen from time to time but targets will be exceeded in other weeks, he added. Separately, sources at the Fine Gael meeting said there was strong criticism of Bank of Irelands announcement this week that it was closing 103 branches. Mr Varadkar said he was taken aback by the number of closures, but suggested the government response should be to take some of the buildings owned by the bank into the hands of state agencies for digital hubs and office space, noting they were typically landmark buildings in a town. At the Fianna Fail meeting, Minister of State Niall Collins said students are losing out on university places because they cannot get passports due to the services being reduced due to Covid-19. Dublin South West TD John Lahart claimed up to 20pc of An Bord Pleanala decisions are going to judicial review. He said planning decisions are being made by judges which means only the rich can access the system. Housing Minister Darragh OBrien responded by acknowledging there are problems with the planning system. Wexford based senator Malcolm Byrne called for the voting age in local and European elections to be reduced to 16 as part of a plan to tackle extremism. He said young people will become more political aware if they are given the vote. Mr Martin welcomed the proposal and said there should be more supports for young people after the pandemic. He said young people have been among the hardest hit by the Covid crisis and said a range of supports are being considered by the Government. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban pulled his ruling party out of the parliamentary caucus of the European Union's largest political group as the bloc piles pressure on him over the erosion of democratic norms. Orban triggered the exit of his 12 European Parliament lawmakers on Wednesday after a vote by the European People's Party caucus cleared the way to suspend them. That leaves the EPP with 175 members in the 705-seat legislature, still the largest group. The EPP, which includes German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union, is stepping up pressure on Orban over a decade of eroding the rule of law in Hungary and his public embrace of populists and nationalists. The European Commission is also poised to implement a new mechanism that may cut billions of euros in funding for projects deemed flouting the bloc's norms and undermining its financial interests. The center-right group is trying to regain its credibility over democracy-related issues after largely shielding and legitimizing Orban for the first half of a more than decade-old power consolidation. Since then, Orban's ideology spread to other eastern EU nations, including Poland and Slovenia, and inspired opposition parties in western members from Italy to France. "The EPP, to put it bluntly, has acted as Orban's enabler by stymieing EU efforts to check the autocratic transformation of Hungary," Daniel Hegedus, a fellow at the Berlin-based German Marshall Fund, said by phone. "In this regard, today's events were important and clearly negative for Orban." Orban's overhaul included extending his influence over the courts and the media and reducing the autonomy of independent institutions. The EU is currently probing Hungary's suspected rule-of-law violations under its Article 7 procedure, which can lead to the suspension of a member state's voting right. The vote by the EPP caucus opened the door to expand the party's 2019 suspension of Fidesz to the Hungarian ruling party's members holding seats in European Parliament. A proposal to the effect was expected to be filed within days and was all but certain to be approved, as a simply majority of votes will be enough to pass it, according to the amended rules that garnered broad support on Wednesday. Orban didn't wait to suffer another political humiliation. It's not clear whether he also plans to withdraw Fidesz from the larger EPP party, which acts as the umbrella for the center-right formation, or only its parliamentary group. "The amendments to the rules of the EPP group are clearly a hostile move against Fidesz and our voters," Orban wrote in a letter to EPP group Chairman Manfred Weber on Wednesday. "This is antidemocratic, unjust and unacceptable." Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala BJP on Wednesday constituted a 16-member state election committee for the April 6 assembly polls, with 'Metroman' E Sreedharan, who joined the party recently, being one of them. BJP state president K Surendran said in a statement that the committee was constituted with the permission of the party's national president J P Nadda. Besides Surendran and Sreedharan, union minister V Muraleedharan, BJP national vice president A P Abdullakutty, former state presidents Kummanam Rajasekharan, O Rajagopal MLA, C K Padmanabhan and P K Krishnadas are the prominent members of the committee. While senior leader and state vice president Shobha Surendran's name was missing from the list, Mahila Morcha state president Nivedita Subrahmanian has found a place in the committee. The panel also has some special invitees, including the party's in-charge C P Radhakrishnan and his deputy Sunil Kumar. Sreedharan, the architect of the Delhi Metro, had formally joined the BJP on February 25 in the presence of Union Minister R K Singh at a function at Changaramkulam in Malappuram district when the 'Vijay Yatra' led by Surendran reached there. Earlier, he said that the people of Kerala are fed up with the corruption, scandals, and nepotism and claimed that BJP can rid the state of these things. Live TV The recent court verdict is a legal recognition of gendered power imbalance. Sneha Visakha writes: The trial court verdict in the criminal defamation case filed against Priya Ramani by M J Akbar has been discussed widely for its line of reasoning and relevance, especially in the context of the #MeToo movement. The case pertained to Sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code, under which Ramani was accused of criminal defamation, the basis of which was a Vogue article she wrote titled To the Harvey Weinsteins of the World, and a subsequent tweet identifying Akbar in the initial sections of the article. Image depicting the ability of Nitrogen Removing Biofilters to reduce wastewater effluent levels to less than 10 mg N per liter. Credit: NYS Center for Clean Water Technology The New York State Center for Clean Water Technology (CCWT) at Stony Brook University has made a series of critical discoveries regarding a new approach to protecting Long Island's drinking water, groundwater, and surface waters. Some of the discoveries involve the likely human carcinogen, 1,4-dioxane, which has been found at higher levels in Long Island drinking water than anywhere else in the U.S. The CCWT is advancing its novel technology for removing this chemical and other contaminants such as nitrogen before it enters groundwater. In addition, scientists affiliated with the Center have recently published research affirming household products as a likely source of 1,4-dioxane in wastewater. According to Chris Gobler, Ph.D., Director of the CCWT, and Endowed Chair of Coastal Ecology and Conservation in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, 1,4-dioxane has been found at the highest levels ever measured in drinking water across the U.S. due to a large industrial plume. More recently, there has been the suggestion that beyond industrial contamination, 1,4-dioxane is also present at very high levels in common household products such as detergents, deodorants, and shampoos but evidence of this has been lacking. Excessive nitrogen has shown to cause harmful algal blooms, the loss of important aquatic habitats like seagrass meadows, and the collapse of shellfisheries like clams and scallops; high nitrate in drinking water is also a public health concern. The Center has developed a series of innovative Nitrogen Removing Biofilters (NRBs) that is comprised of layers of natural products commonly found across Long Island, sand and woodchips. In a new paper published in Ecological Engineering, scientists from the Center demonstrate that their NRBs installed in Massachusetts and New York remove up to 80 to 90 percent of nitrogen from wastewater before it is discharged to the ground. "In 2015, we set a goal to develop a septic system that reduces nitrogen from wastewater to less than 10 milligrams of nitrogen per liter," says Dr. Gobler. "With this publication, we are showing the word we have met that goal and can achieve nitrogen levels lower than any commercially available system." The Center is also focused on the ability of NRBs to remove other contaminants of concern, including 1,4 dioxane. Scientists are collecting samples from homes outfitted with NRB septic systems, specifically tap water, influent wastewater, which represents sewage from existing homes and entering NRBs, and effluent (treated wastewater) existing from NRBs before it enters the groundwater and Long Island's drinking supply. In another paper published in Science of the Total Environment, the Center demonstrated that while tap water samples have levels of 1,4-dioxane less than one part per billion (ppb), the drinking water standard for NYS levels of 1,4-dioxane in the wastewater leaving homes consistently contained levels higher than tap water levels, peaking as high as eight ppb and increasing more then 10-fold on average. Importantly, the results also show that the treated wastewater exiting the NRBs were, on average, 56 percent lower levels than the wastewater leaving the homes and was usually less than one ppb. "The efficient removal of 1,4-dioxane from wastewater by the NRBs is a breakthrough finding, as the chemical 1,4-dioxane is extremely difficult to remove from contaminated water supplies with advanced oxidation processes being one of the only reliable approaches," summarizes Dr. Gobler. "The results are surprising and at the same time encouraging as 1,4-dioxane is expected to resist natural degradation processes and are not removed efficiently by filtration," says Arjun VenKatesan, Ph.D., Associate Director for Drinking Water Initiatives at the Center. "Our team is performing controlled experiments to understand the mechanism by which 1,4-dioxane is removed by NRBs." According to Drs. Gobler and Venkatesan, the results could also have broad implications for Long Island. The Center has collected more than 12 months of data as it completed the experimental testing phase of NRBs in septic systems in Suffolk County and have entered into a pilot testing phase of the systems across the county. Explore further The persistent problem of 1,4-dioxane in water New Delhi, March 3 : The Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave its approval for a five-year pact between India and Fiji for cooperation in the field of agriculture and allied sectors. As per the approval given by the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will take place between India's Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare and the Ministry of Agriculture of Fiji. The pact provides for cooperation in areas like exchange of research personnel, scientific experts, specialists, and technical trainees; enhancement and transfer of technology; development of infrastructure for agriculture development; development of human resources through training of officers and farmers by conducting seminars and workshops; and promotion of joint ventures between private sectors of both countries. Besides, there will be cooperation between the two countries on promotion of investment in marketing and value addition or downstream processing of agricultural commodities; promote capacity development in all areas of agriculture; promotion of direct trade of agriculture products through market access; and joint planning and development of research proposals and execution of research projects and programmes. As per the pact, there is plan for the establishment of India-Fiji Working Group for dealing phytosanitary issues, and any other form of cooperation which will be mutually agreed by the parties. Under the MoU, a Joint Working Group (JWG) will be constituted to set down procedures and plan and recommend programs of cooperation towards achieving its aims through the Executing agencies of the two countries. The JWG will hold its meeting alternately in India and Fiji once in every two year. This MoU will come into effect on the date of its signing and will remain in force for a period of five years. Rankings reflect sales for the week ending Saturday, Feb. 20, which were reported on a confidential basis by vendors offering a wide range of general interest titles. Every week, thousands of diverse selling locations report their actual sales on hundreds of thousands of individual titles. The panel of reporting retailers is comprehensive and reflects sales in stores of all sizes and demographics across the United States. Fiction 1. A Court of Silver Flames, by Sarah J. Maas. (Bloomsbury) The fifth book in A Court of Thorns and Roses series. Nesta Archeron is forced into close quarters with a warrior named Cassian. 2. The Four Winds, by Kristin Hannah. (St. Martins) As dust storms roll during the Great Depression, Elsa must choose between saving the family and farm or heading West. 3. Firefly Lane, by Kristin Hannah. (St. Martins Griffin) A friendship between two women in the Pacific Northwest endures for more than three decades. 4. Relentless, by Mark Greaney. (Berkley) The 10th book in the Gray Man series. Assassins go after Court Gentry as he attempts to bring back an American agent who went missing. 5. The Duke and I, by Julia Quinn. (Avon) The first book in the Bridgerton series. Daphne Bridgertons reputation soars when she colludes with the Duke of Hastings. The basis of the Netflix series Bridgerton. 6. Missing and Endangered, by J.A. Jance. (Morrow) The 19th book in the Joanna Brady Mysteries series. The Cochise County sheriffs daughter becomes involved in a missing persons case. 7. The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig. (Viking) Nora Seed finds a library beyond the edge of the universe that contains books with multiple possibilities of the lives one could have lived. 8. The Vanishing Half, by Brit Bennett. (Riverhead) The lives of twin sisters who run away from a Southern Black community at age 16 diverge as one returns and the other takes on a different racial identity but their fates intertwine. 9. The Sanatorium, by Sarah Pearse. (Pamela Dorman) Elin Warner must find her estranged brothers fiancee, who goes missing as a storm approaches a hotel that was once a sanatorium in the Swiss Alps. 10. Faithless in Death, by J.D. Robb. (St. Martins) The 52nd book of the In Death series. Eve Dallas investigates the murder of a young sculptor in the West Village. Nonfiction 1. How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, by Bill Gates. (Knopf) A prescription for what business, governments and individuals can do to work toward zero emissions. 2. Just as I Am, by Cicely Tyson with Michelle Burford. (HarperCollins) The late iconic actress describes how she worked to change perceptions of Black women through her career choices. 3. The Sum of Us, by Heather McGhee. (One World) The chair of the board of the racial justice organization Color of Change analyzes the impact of racism on the economy. 4. Walk in My Combat Boots, by James Patterson and Matt Eversmann with Chris Mooney. (Little, Brown) A collection of interviews with troops who fought overseas. 5. Caste, by Isabel Wilkerson. (Random House) The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist examines aspects of caste systems across civilizations and reveals a rigid hierarchy in America today. 6. A Promised Land, by Barack Obama. (Crown) In the first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama offers personal reflections on his formative years and pivotal moments through his first term. 7. Between Two Kingdoms, by Suleika Jaouad. (Random House) The writer of The New York Times column Life, Interrupted chronicles her fight with cancer and an impactful road trip. 8. Greenlights, by Matthew McConaughey. (Crown) The Academy Award-winning actor shares snippets from the diaries he kept over the last 35 years. 9. Untamed, by Glennon Doyle. (Dial) The activist and public speaker describes her journey of listening to her inner voice. 10. Think Again, by Adam Grant. (Viking) An examination of the cognitive skills of rethinking and unlearning that could be used to adapt to a rapidly changing world. new york times news service Lori Loughlin was spotted for the first time on Tuesday, March 2, after completing her two-month prison sentence for her role in the college scandal. Read article In photos obtained by Page Six, the 56-year-old actress was seen volunteering with Project Angel Food, the same organization where she completed her court-ordered community service last month. While Loughlin kept it causal as she handed out meals in jeans and a sweatshirt, she accessorized with a hat and mask with the charitys logo and completed her look with a pearl necklace and sunglasses. Matt Baron/Shutterstock The former Fuller House star and husband Mossimo Giannulli were accused of paying $500,000 in bribes to facilitate their daughters admissions into the University of Southern California. After pleading guilty to fraud charges against them, the couple, who share Bella, 22, and Olivia Jade, 21, were sentenced in August 2020. Read article Loughlin completed her prison sentence in December 2020. The 57-year-old fashion designer, meanwhile, is currently serving his five-month sentence at Federal Correctional Institution, Lompoc and is expected to be released in April. Us Weekly broke the news last month that Loughlin completed her 100 hours of community service, while Giannulli must complete his 250 hours upon release. Shes been working with children who have learning disabilities and has found it very fulfilling, a source told Us last month. A second source added that the Loughlin is going above and beyond the hours that she is required to do. Us also confirmed in November 2020 that the pair paid their court-ordered fees in full. While the actress has yet to speak out following her release, she got visibly emotional as she addressed the judge at her virtual hearing. Read article I made an awful decision. I went along will the plan to give my daughters an unfair advantage in the college admissions process, Loughlin said on August 21, 2020. In doing so, ignored my intuition and allowed myself to be swayed from my moral compass. I thought I was acting out of love for my children, but in reality, I had only undermined and diminished my daughters abilities and accomplishments. While I wish I could go back and do things differently, I can only take responsibility and move forward. Us confirmed on February 12 that a Massachusetts judge signed paperwork allowing Loughlin to retrieve her passport days after she filed a motion requesting it back. 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: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday (March 3, 2021) spoke on Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) victory in the municipal polls and said that the people now want good in MCD too. Following AAP's win in four out of five municipal wards, Arvind Kejriwal said, "People were so upset with BJP's 15-year work in MCD that they gave them 0 (seats). MCD has only spread trash in Delhi, so corrupt that people call it "Most Corrupt Department". By voting AAP, people now want good work in MCD too." Delhi CM also said that AAP's victory shows that people are happy with their work. He stated, "In 2015, we won 67/70 seats, in 2020, we won 62/70 seats and now in MCD by-polls, by giving us 4/5 seats, people want us to continue." "While BJP's 0 seats show they're upset with them," he added. He also said that the public did not like it when BJP demanded Rs 13,000 crores from him. "Whatever money was to be given, the Delhi government gave, but they kept asking for more and the public didn't like it. The government which couldn't give salary to its sanitation workers does not deserve to stay in power," Delhi CM said. Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia also attacked BJP and said, "The people of Delhi have expressed their confidence in us. They are fed up with BJP and this election is an indication of that. In the 2022 Delhi municipal polls, BJP will be wiped out." The MCD by-polls, which took place on Sunday, were held in five wards namely Ward No 32N, (Rohini-C), Ward No 62N, (Shalimar Bagh North) in North Delhi and Ward No 02-E (Trilokpuri), Ward No 08-E (Kalyanpuri) and Ward No 41-E (Chauhan Bangar) in East Delhi. It registered a 50.86 per cent voter turnout. Twenty-six candidates from BJP, Congress, AAP and other parties were in the fray. AAP candidates Dhirender Kumar won Ward 08-E (Kalyanpuri) by 7,043 votes, Sunita Mishra from Ward No 62N (Shalimar Bagh North) by 2,705 votes, Ram Chandra from Ward No 32N (Rohini-C) by 2,985 votes and Vijay Kumar from Ward No 02-E (Trilokpuri) by 4,986 votes. Congress leader Zubair Ahmad Chaudhary was declared the winner by 10,642 votes from Ward 41-E Chauhan Banger. Elections for 272 wards in three municipal corporations are scheduled to be held in 2022. Live TV The targets are at the Marmot, Marmot East, MGrid, Gifford's Edge, Lala and Silver Pond zones at the huge property in British Columbia At Marmot, Benchmark wants to expand the gold-silver mineralization already seen over a 2 kilometre (km) by 3 km surface expression Benchmark Metals Inc ( ) ( ) said it has identified six high-priority targets at its Lawyers gold-silver project in British Columbia, which will be drill tested this year. These are at the Marmot, Marmot East, MGrid, Gifford's Edge, Lala and Silver Pond zones at the huge property in the-called Golden Horseshoe area of Canada. The areas have already displayed significant gold-in-soil anomalies and high-grade samples over large areas, underlining the potential to discover more mineralization, the company noted. "Over 60% of the 140km2 package remains unexplored and/or under-explored providing potential for additional discoveries across the +20 kilometre long, mineralized gold-silver system," Benchmark's CEO John Williamson told investors in a statement on Wednesday. "Testament to this are the new gold-silver targets that have provided high-grade results at surface and very encouraging drill holes at the Marmot Zone," he added. At Marmot, Benchmark wants to expand the gold-silver mineralization already seen over a 2 kilometre (km) by 3 km surface expression. One hole there has already hit an intercept of 101.00 metres (m) at a grade of 0.82 grams per ton (g/t) gold-equivalent (AuEq). Williamson also highlighted that the six high-priority targets exhibit the same types of alteration and mineralization observed at another key area at the project, Cliff Creek, which lies 3km to the northwest. At Cliff Creek, the company has already defined a bulk-tonnage target in the range of 1.68 to 1.92 million ounces (Moz) of gold equivalent at an average grade ranging from 1.71-1.73 g/t gold equivalent. As well as the six drill targets, Benchmark said it has also established 14 plus gold-silver targets that will require additional geological work to advance them to drill-ready stage, with an aim to drill them this year. Multiple new gold and silver soil anomalies have been identified to the north of the Cliff Creek, Dukes Ridge-Phoenix, and AGB resource zones, extending mineralized trends to the northwest for over 2 km and remaining open, the firm said . Benchmark is focused on developing the substantial resource potential of its huge Lawyers asset, which sits in the prolific Golden Horseshoe of northern British Columbia. Contact the author at giles@proactiveinvestors.com Chronicle file A trio of Lamar High School students found themselves on the wrong side of the law after they were arrested following a probe into an auto accessory theft ring. The teens were apparently selling the hubcaps to a UT student. "Hey, would you mind sending a follow-up email?" You're already barely keeping up with your workload when you get the dreaded, last-minute email request. With everything else on your plate, you now need to pause to get that second email out the door, and then play catch-up with everything else on your plate... Sound familiar? We know you're constantly being asked to send more emails with less resources. And sometimes, it's unavoidable. When your business' and subscribers' needs change, you must be able to adapt quickly to stay relevant or risk your email marketing program suffering. But that doesn't mean it has to be so difficult. Enter agile email marketing. Here, let's break down what agile email marketing means, why it matters, and how you can use it to scale and send more effective emails faster without breaking a sweat. What is agile email marketing, anyway? Agile email marketing is a way to be flexible and adapt to change by focusing on data and your subscribers' needs while using a modular process so you can send effective emails faster. Before diving deeper into agile email marketing, we first have to mention the agile methodology. Image Source The agile methodology is a project management process that started in software development, giving teams the flexibility to adapt and respond to changes quickly. This way, teams could constantly improve and innovate, staying on top of their users' needs and beating their competition to market. There are many ways this agility is possible, but the three things we carry over into agile email marketing are: Focusing on customer needs Making data-driven decisions Collaborating across teams So while agile email marketing doesn't require using the agile methodology, it takes its essence to create a more efficient way to send emails. In other words, agile email marketing helps you prioritize your emails, gets all stakeholders on the same page, and maximizes your teams and resources to streamline your production process. With teamwork and a clear understanding of goals, you won't bat an eye at last-minute email sends or changing priorities. Sound too good to be true? Agile email marketing does require a shift in mindset instead of planning the big campaigns you're used to, you'll need to plan for iterative change in a test-and-learn environment. For example, instead of mapping out and creating all the emails in your entire welcome or onboarding journey, start small with only the first email. Do some A/B testing to figure out what your audience is most receptive to, optimize, and use what you learn to continue building out the rest of your nurture journey one email at a time. Your goal is progress, not perfection. But don't worry, this shift isn't all or nothing. Even the smallest steps toward changing how you think about emails and the workflow to become agile can have huge payoffs, as I'll explain next. Why Being Agile is Critical to Success Sure, email professionals may seem like magicians, but emails aren't done with the wave of a wand. There's a lot that goes on under the hood. 52% of marketers spend two weeks or more to complete a single email from conception to hitting the send button. Source: Litmus' 2020 State of Email Workflows Not to mention, 55% of marketers are juggling at least six emails at a time. So it's never "just" one more email. The traditional email marketing process uses linear and interdependent steps. You can't move forward without completing the step before. For example, you need to write copy before creating imagery, or have design done before coding the email. Image Source Look at that process! It's no wonder it can take a long time to create and send an email. But this pace can hurt your email marketing program or worse, your brand reputation. Things can change in an instant Think natural disasters, a health crisis, the socio-political climate, rules and regulations, etc. If you can't adapt, your email campaign may fall flat or even offend and turn away your subscribers. Image Source Empathy is crucial, and being agile keeps you attuned to your subscribers' needs so you can pivot at a moment's notice and keep your customers for the long-haul. This also gives your work purpose. You know you're always delivering the highest value work instead of falling into the trap of the sunk cost fallacy: continuing work that's not relevant or worth it anymore simply because of what you've already invested in it. Your work is no longer about you, it's about your subscribers! Even if you're in no rush, if your competitor is just one day ahead of you, that can put you at a significant disadvantage. An agile email marketing workflow gives you greater speed to market which can be just the edge you need for campaign success. How to Make Your Email Workflow Agile So how do you go from a linear email workflow to an agile one? You'll first need to start with your audience and put them at the center of your campaigns, make data-driven decisions, and collaborate across roles and teams. With these tenets in mind, you can begin building a new workflow that allows many parts of your email marketing process to be either automated or done in tandem, as shown in this agile email workflow chart: Image Source Ready? Let's dive into how you can go agile. 1. Get your team and tools in place. Crucial to the success of agile email marketing is your people and your tools. Without this strong foundation, you'll more likely face challenges with adoption. Make an assessment of the skills and tools needed so you know who to tap to join you and how you can get emails done together. Cross-Team Collaboration One of the cornerstones of agile email marketing is cross-team collaboration, which means taking advantage of a wide variety of existing roles and skills already within your company to create and send emails. That's right: You don't have to hire new people or have a large, dedicated email team. Instead, by leveraging other people's strengths and, if needed, running through email marketing best practices to hone their craft specifically for email, you can work efficiently as a team. Make sure you communicate your needs and get everyone on board, first! The skills you need will depend on your email marketing program, but the main ones to consider are: Strategy Copywriting Design Development Operations Analysis In one scenario, for instance, you might want to pull people from your content and website teams to help with copywriting, design, and development. Tools and Technology The second part of an agile email marketing foundation is the tools. Make an assessment of your current technology and review the rest of the agile email workflow steps below to see where your gaps are. Do you have what you need to send emails, simplify and automate steps in your process, and collaborate effectively across teams? At the very least, you need an email marketing tool and a collaboration tool. 2. Align on email strategy. With your team and tools in place, you need to make sure everyone including reviewers and approvers is on the same page, setting your team up for success as you all work toward a common goal. A solid strategy ensures copy, design, and development are aligned. Without alignment, there can be miscommunication and confusion. And this can slow you down or throw your email off track, resulting in even more work and time wasted. Not agile at all. If putting together an email marketing brief stresses you out, know that it doesn't have to be complicated or extensive. As long as you have these basics, you're golden: Define your email's purpose, goal, and audience. Define your content strategy for getting opens and clicks. Define the hierarchy of your email's copy and images. Remember the key to being agile is your subscribers. When their needs intersect with your business' needs, you get magic. Image Source If you find that your email doesn't meet your subscribers' needs, consider changing your email or not sending it at all. Continuous improvement is essential to being agile, and you can re-center your email around your subscribers by learning from the past and present to inform your future strategy. You can extract insights from industry news or your email marketing tools to identify design improvement opportunities or improve segmentation, targeting, and personalization. Now that everyone's expectations are set and in sync, email production can begin. 3. Write, design, and build at the same time. The time it takes to write, design, and build an email adds up in a linear process. When they're each done in tandem, it's like cutting production time by over 50%. The secret? Standardized email design and a visual email editor. Creating every email from scratch is a huge waste of time. And if you want to ensure brand consistency and reduce errors, standardized emails are the way to go. There are a few ways of doing this, in order of complexity: Snippets : reusable lines of code for commonly used elements like HTML buttons or hyperlinks so you don't have to code the same thing over and over again. : reusable lines of code for commonly used elements like HTML buttons or hyperlinks so you don't have to code the same thing over and over again. Partials : reusable lines of code for globally-used content blocks like your header and footer so any updates made to them are automatically applied across every email. : reusable lines of code for globally-used content blocks like your header and footer so any updates made to them are automatically applied across every email. Templates : reusable coded emails with a set layout on which to simply add or replace copy, images, and links. : reusable coded emails with a set layout on which to simply add or replace copy, images, and links. Design systems: a collection of reusable email components with a guide on how they can be mixed and matched to create more flexible yet still standardized email designs. This doesn't mean you have to settle for boring, ho-hum designs. You can still be creative in your imagery and in how different reusable components come together to create an email. Standardized email design and development not only frees up your time for innovation, but also sets the stage for being able to write, design, and build at the same time within a visual email editor. Once a template has been defined for your email, then you already have the specifications for the copy that needs to be written and the images that need to be created. Then, it's a matter of plugging them into your email template. Loaded with your email snippets, partials, and/or template, a visual email editor tool can then empower everyone to work on their part of the production process at the same time and collaborate along the way. Images can be created based on the content outline in your email marketing brief from step two, while the copy is being written. Copy can even be written within your visual email editor to help ensure it'll fit inside the design, making copy edits a breeze. Even if you don't have a visual email editor, development can begin with placeholder images and text. With everyone on the same page on strategy, there's no need to wait for design and copy first. 4. Collect feedback in one place. With email strategy alignment across all stakeholders, the review process should be less painful. Still, juggling feedback can be difficult coming from different people across different tools. What if there are contradicting comments? Or you miss an important piece of feedback altogether? This time-saving tip is simple: Consolidate everyone's feedback in one place. Stop sending individual screenshots or test emails. Share one email test with stakeholders in a single location so everyone's collaborating together. First, you'll need to grab the URL in the "view in browser" or "view online" link of your email. You can also create a web-based version of your email to share. The important thing is that you have an email where people can test links and interactive elements. Then, pick a single spot not an email thread to share your email for feedback. This could be as part of a group message in your communication tool or as a single task in your project management tool. You could collect feedback in those same places. Or you might find it faster and easier to create a separate spreadsheet to track feedback, conversations on specific comments, as well as progress on implementing feedback. The key thing is that all reviewers and approvers are together and can see each other's feedback. There are also tools made specifically for collaboration where you can not only share a live version of your email, but also leave feedback directly on it, check off when changes are made, and track approvals. 5. Analyze & share insights. Image Source After your email is sent, see how it's performing so you can evolve to meet your subscribers' needs. In the agile methodology world, you might consider this the end of a sprint, working in small increments to improve the success of your emails. The email marketing metrics you should look at depends on your goal. Your email marketing tools will provide at least the basics opens, clicks, and unsubscribes and may even provide deeper engagement-level metrics like how long someone spent reading your email (read rate) or how many people shared your email (forward rate). If you're tempted to skip this step, don't. Email analysis tends to be what people skip if they're short on time. Onto the next email, right? In the long run, though, this hurts your email marketing program. It might be hard to believe, but analyzing your emails will actually save you time. It's what makes agile email marketing work in the first place. If you remember, I mentioned that being agile relies on data, whether that's internal (e.g. email performance) or external (e.g. the news). Data is how you can keep a pulse on your subscribers' preferences, and how those preferences might change over time. It gives you the power to say no to the emails that don't matter. Otherwise, you're shooting in the dark and wasting time on emails your subscribers don't care about. And this affects your company's brand reputation, and bottom line. Final Thoughts on Going Agile Remember, even achieving some agility in your email workflow has its rewards, like giving your team some time back or being able to quickly flex to your subscribers. While there's nothing wrong with the linear email marketing process completing one step at a time you won't be able to move as fast in today's ever-changing environment. To rise above your competition and ensure you always meet your subscribers where they are, you need speed and efficiency. That's where agile email marketing comes in. Make sure you have the right team and tools in place with everyone on the same page on strategy. Then you can be off and running to create great emails in no time. So the next time someone asks if you can send just one more email, you can confidently say 'No' (because it's not the right fit for your subscribers), or embrace it with open arms (because it is the right fit for your subscribers). Either way, it won't be your workflow holding you back. The book Leitrim the Irish Revolution 1912-1923 by Mohill native Dr Patrick (Padraig) McGarty has received a very favourable review in the Spring 2021 issue of the New York-based Irish Literary Supplement. The influential Supplement is published twice a year. It has links to the Center for Irish Programmes at Boston College, Massachusetts, and its editorial board includes experts from six North American universities, among others. Padraigs McGartys book launched by former President Professor Mary McAleese last September is part of a series of Four Courts Press county-by-county studies about Ireland during the revolutionary period. The review praises the series for giving a more varied story of localities including Leitrim in the period in question than would be found in most all-Ireland studies. The review praises McGartys ability to write relatively short chapters, all of which are tightly focused, and this, along with interesting insights into everyday life, enhances the readers experience. The reviewer gives examples Dr McGartys ability to explain local realities and how they differed from happenings in other counties. An example was the authors explanation of the lack of land agitation in Leitrim at that time by pointing out that the land there was poor in many places, and it had previously been portioned into many small holdings. There were very few large scale grazing farms and relatively few farm labourers, two factors that militated against agitation. Another important point of note was that although Leitrim was viewed as a relatively insignificant county in terms of military activities by republican activists, the British forces inflicted considerable violence on the local population. Dr McGarty successfully explains this apparent contradiction by demonstrating that the local people were running highly effective strategies of civil disobedience, thereby provoking a strong response from the state. The Irish Literary Supplement ends its review by stating in general terms that as Irish people remember the events of their history, they need to avoid a soft-focused relativism, while making room for multiple voices and stories. It concludes that, the starting point for such an openness should not be a determination to avoid offending people. Instead, it should be the construction of a complex historical narrative, something that Dr McGarty has contributed to with his this very significant publication. New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today Thunderstorms likely this morning. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms this afternoon. High 83F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Variable clouds with scattered thunderstorms. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Pictured: Dayne Brajkovich - whose Perth home was hit with a spray of bullets on Tuesday evening. He attacked Rebels bikie Nick Martin at a bar two weeks before he was murdered Shots have been fired at the home of a Hells Angels bikie who attacked Rebels bikie kingpin Nick Martin two weeks before he was gunned down at a drag racing event. Martin, 51, died at the scene after being shot in the back in front of his wife and step-daughter at the Perth Motorplex in Kwinana Beach at December 12. The shooting followed Martin being punched in the head repeatedly at a bar in the beachside suburb of Scarborough by Dayne Brajkovich on November 24. Tactical response officers and detectives were called to Brajkovich's home in Ascot on Tuesday night after it was hit with a spray of bullets about 7.15pm. Neighbours reported hearing 'a loud bang' before seeing armed police ordering Brajkovich out of his home. Martin (pictured) died on December 12 at the Perth Motorplex in the arms of his wife Amanda as she tried to give him CPR. His last words were: 'babe, I've been shot' 'You could see the green lasers floating around, obviously the scope of the rifles,' one witness told The West Australian. Police said the shooting appeared to be targeted but would not say if there were any injuries. 'There is currently a crime scene in place and empty shell casings have been located at the scene,' a Western Australia Police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia. One neighbour said Brajkovich - whose home is monitored by a heavy CCTV presence - had a large dog guarding his property and always had his shutters closed. The Hells Angels bikie's face is covered in tattoos - one of which mentions his postcode and year of birth, while others are of a knuckle duster and a spider's web. He was charged with fighting in public in circumstances likely to cause fear and fined $800 following the November brawl with Martin. Security footage showed the pair meeting for a handshake before sending tables and chairs flying as they fought in front of stunned diners. Brajkovich has also been more recently charged with violating an order on December 30 and January 2 banning him from entering pubs and clubs. Brajkovic was charged over a brawl in November - two weeks before Martin's death - in which the pair fought in a busy bar in the Perth beachside suburb of Scarborough WA Police meanwhile have not revealed any new leads since Martin's public execution despite several arrests and raids immediately following the shooting. Police have posted a $1 million reward for information but have not yet said if they have identified any suspects in the gangland killing. A photograph taken on the opposite side of the racing lanes from where Martin was sitting with his family, on the edge of a grandstand, shows a clear line of sight a sniper could have used to kill his target. Another man, convicted drug dealer Ricky Chapman, was injured in the shooting at the Kwinana raceway, south of Perth. The chaos at the racetrack on December 12 in Perth after Martin was executed is pictured One of the possible shooter locations previously identified at the Perth Motorplex. A long shot would indicate a sniper, experts say Police said the same bullet that killed Martin had passed through to hurt Chapman - and a bullet fragment was recovered from his arm. Queensland University of Technology associate professor of criminology Mark Lauchs, an expert on outlaw motorcycle gangs said if the shot was taken from a distance then it was likely by a professional sniper as bikies don't typically have great marksmanship skills. 'If it's from a long way away, I would assume it's not bikie related as that's not how bikies do things,' he told Daily Mail Australia. Police are so far tight-lipped about whether they have identified any suspects in the public execution of Nick Martin (pictured) 'It may be associated with things other than a bikie war.' Professor Lauchs said a deliberate execution of this type would be more likely to do with organised crime than an inter-club bikie war or an internal club dispute. WA Police are reportedly trying to work out whether the sniper shot the bikie from an area close to bushland on the edge of the motor complex. It is thought that surveillance cameras at the complex might yield some clues to the public killing that shocked the nation, with a toilet block 20 metres from where Martin was sitting thought to be the most valuable. Rebels bikie Nick Martin was taken to Pinnaroo Cemetery in a coffin covered in pictures of $100 bills during an extravagant bikie funeral Rebels bikies embrace at the funeral of Nick Martin in Perth on December 23 A $1 million reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest of the shooter who killed Nick Martin, 51, (pictured with wife Amanda) More than 200 bikies from the Rebels and other clubs attended Martin's funeral Hundreds of mourners gathered on December 23 to farewell the former Rebels president at his Pinnaroo Valley Memorial Park funeral - the majority turning up in patched Rebels colours. Martin's coffin was covered in pictures of $100 bills and Bob Dylan's All Along the Watchtower played as bikies took turns to walk up and touch it as it was brought in under a marquee for the service. The public execution sparked fears of an bikie war, and WA Police launched Taskforce Ravello to find the killer. Bikie compounds and properties were raided across Perth in December but no leads have been made public. MELBOURNE, March 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- After successfully launching its inaugural class last year, Second Century Ventures, the strategic investment arm of the National Association of Realtors, today announced the members of its 2021 REACH Australia class. REACH Australia is a growth technology accelerator program helping launch companies into the real estate, financial services, banking, home services and insurance industries throughout Australia and Southeast Asia. Im proud that weve been able to take the REACH program to new levels over the past two years, leveraging the ingenuity that is driving our industry to ensure Realtors remain at the forefront of innovation and the center of the real estate transaction, said SCV President and NAR CEO Bob Goldberg. Competition anywhere benefits consumers everywhere, and the companies being welcomed today will provide critical support to Realtors and their clients in the years ahead. We congratulate each member of the 2021 REACH Australia class, and were excited to welcome them into the global REACH community. REACH Australia demonstrated immense value for the real estate ecosystem across Australia and Southeast Asia with its inaugural class. Graduates of the Class of 2020 have been invited to deploy their technology to green field projects, have worked directly with city planners to help build new cities, and continue to work closely with major real estate groups like AMP Capital and Charter Hall to establish transformative pilot programs. We look forward to continuing our growth of this award-winning accelerator and supporting the recovery of the real estate sector across APAC, said Shelli Trung, Managing Partner for REACH Australia. REACH is more important than ever given the exponential increases in technological demands with a workforce that is now simultaneously working from home and returning to the office. The six companies chosen for the 2021 class are: REACH Australia will offer its 2021 class a robust curriculum including education, mentorship, exclusive networking opportunities and significant exposure to the global real estate marketplace. To learn more about REACH Australia and how you can get involved, visit www.narreach.com/australia. ### About REACH REACH is a unique real estate technology growth program created by Second Century Ventures, a strategic technology investment fund backed by the National Association of Realtors, which leverages the associations more than 1.4 million members and an unparalleled network of executives within real estate and adjacent industries. The REACH program helps technology companies launch into the real estate vertical and its adjacent markets. The program provides education, mentorship and market exposure to one of the worlds largest industries. For more on REACH, visit www.narreach.com. About the National Association of REALTORS The National Association of Realtors is Americas largest trade association, representing more than 1.4 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. The Fight Against Fungi Chemical & Engineering News Systemic fungal infections are much rarer than other illnesses, but they are potentially deadly, with limited options for treatment. In fact, fungi are becoming increasingly resistant to the few drugs that are available, and infections are growing more common. A cover story in Chemical & Engineering News, the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, details how scientists are working to improve our antifungal arsenal. At present, there are only four types of antifungal drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and some infections are resistant to those drugs, making surgery the only option for treatment, writes Senior Correspondent Bethany Halford. Fungi can be found almost everywhere, but only a few hundred species are able to infect humans, and most peoples immune systems can fight them off. However, people with compromised immune systems (for instance, cancer patients being treated with certain chemotherapies) are at a higher risk for developing fungal infections. The FDA has not approved a drug from a new antifungal class in 20 years, and the ones available all have downsides, including drug resistance and kidney toxicity. This dearth of treatments has doctors concerned that the problem will only get worse as time goes on. Creating a new antifungal drug is challenging because of the biological similarities between humans and fungi. Many molecules that are harmful to fungi are also harmful to people. Experts say that exploiting the differences between humans and fungi is key to developing new treatments; for example, fungal cells have walls, but human cells do not. In addition to developing new treatments, pharmaceutical researchers are working to improve established antifungal drugs to make them more potent and have fewer side effects. Although scientists and doctors are hopeful that new antifungals will be approved, establishing clinical trials has proven challenging because most of the people who get fungal infections are already very sick. However, the COVID-19 pandemic could change how pharmaceutical companies think about therapies for infectious diseases, prioritizing them in the future. Police handed out 11,000 in fines after a number of parties were held in Belfast's Holyland on Monday night. Officers visited seven addresses in the student area, with large numbers of young people gathering in the streets, some playing loud music and drinking. A total of 55 Covid 4 fines, starting at 200, were issued, alongside 19 Covid 2 notices for holding a gathering. Three people aged under 18 received community resolution notices and one 16-year-old was brought home to their parents. Police have begun preparing files to be forwarded to the Public Prosecution Service over 14 people previously fined for breaking the regulations. Residents campaigner Brid Ruddy said she was not surprised at the fines because there were "parties everywhere". "It was really bad. It has been from last year, but last night was particularly bad. It was a Monday night. It's ridiculous," she added. "We're talking an average of 10 to 15 parties a night in the middle of a pandemic. It's outrageous." Mrs Ruddy, who has lived in the area for decades, said residents "have not got high expectations" ahead of St Patrick's Day. She criticised inter-agency responses to the problem as falling short of what was needed. "Quite frankly, nobody is listening. What are they doing to stop this? The other issue is the parents. What do they think young people are doing when there's no lectures?" she asked. Mrs Ruddy told this newspaper residents had written to the First and Deputy First Minister but had not received a response. "We thought Covid would break this pattern. If a pandemic can't stop it, what will?" she said. Residents "dread to think what will happen when the pandemic ends and the new term starts," the campaigner stressed. The Alliance Party's Paula Bradshaw said the police were to be applauded for their proactive response to the latest parties. She said residents had been "tortured", with the situation deteriorating when students returned after Christmas. "It does seem like costly fines are the ones that really focus their minds in terms of straightening out their behaviour," the South Belfast MLA said. "Nobody is above the law. It's unfortunate, but these young people are well-educated and have the capacity to understand they can't breach regulations. "It's lamentable it has got to the stage where they could be facing criminal records, but we have to protect the wider public." PSNI Chief Inspector Gavin Kirkpatrick said police were increasing resources in the area ahead of St Patrick's Day. "It is disappointing and difficult to understand how some people think the current health regulations and restrictions do not apply to them" he explained. "It is apparent that some parents and guardians need to take more of an interest in what their young people are doing. This is a residential area. Understandably, local people are fed up having to live with this type of behaviour." Belfast City Council said it was working with its partners in the area to prevent problems ahead of St Patrick's Day. The news came as the PSNI confirmed that since the start of the pandemic, it had handed out 2,101 Covid 1 and 3,441 Covid 4 penalty notices for breaching lockdown regulations. More than 140 penalty notices were issued this week alone. Nicola Sturgeon will make her long-awaited appearance before the Holyrood inquiry into her governments unlawful investigation of Alex Salmond on Wednesday, amid calls for her to resign. The First Minister has insisted there is not a shred of evidence to support her former mentors claim there was a malicious and concerted attempt to see him removed from public life and she has consistently denied breaching the ministerial code. Ms Sturgeon is facing calls from the Scottish Conservatives to step down after two witnesses backed up Alex Salmonds claim that she misled parliament about a meeting with her predecessor. Written evidence from both Duncan Hamilton a former SNP MSP and lawyer for Mr Salmond and the SNPs former communications director Kevin Pringle, contradict Ms Sturgeons statements to parliament and her submission to a Holyrood inquiry. The Scottish Government launched an investigation into the former first minister after a number of women came forward with allegations of sexual harassment. But a successful judicial review by Mr Salmond resulted in the investigation being ruled unlawful and tainted by apparent bias, with a 512,250 payout for legal fees. Mr Salmond was later acquitted of 13 charges following a criminal trial at Edinburghs High Court. At the evidence session on Wednesday morning, Ms Sturgeon is likely to face questions about when she first knew about the allegations against her predecessor. She originally told parliament she became aware of the investigation when Mr Salmond told her at her Glasgow home on April 2 2018, but subsequently had to admit to having forgotten a meeting four days earlier with his former chief of staff, Geoff Aberdein, in which the investigation was reportedly discussed. Ms Sturgeon also claims she believed the April 2 meeting was about party business rather than government business and therefore would not have to have been recorded by a civil servant but Mr Salmond asserts that there was no doubt it was about the Governments investigation of him. Opponents have accused her of breaching the ministerial code for misleading parliament about the meetings with Mr Salmond and Mr Aberdein, and a failure to record them in line with the requirements for ministers. Ms Sturgeon has denied the claims, which are being investigated by a separate inquiry led by James Hamilton QC, and refused to say whether she would resign if found to have broken the ministerial code. Asked about the meetings and the investigation during his appearance on Friday, Mr Salmond said: Whether she had any prior knowledge of it I cannot say, but I know that she knew on March 29. The meeting on March 29 was not impromptu, was not accidental, was not popping your head around the door. It was a meeting arranged for that purpose and the meeting on April 2 was not popping into Nicola and Peter [Murrell]s home, it was a meeting arranged for that purpose. On Tuesday evening the Scottish Government published legal advice related to the botched investigation into allegations of sexual harassment by Mr Salmond. It showed that lawyers advised ministers in September 2018 that there is a real risk that the court may be persuaded by the petitioners case in respect of the ground of challenge based on procedural unfairness. Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross called on Ms Sturgeon to resign and said the party would be submitting a vote of no confidence in her. Ahead of her appearance before the Holyrood committee, Ms Sturgeon had said she was looking forward to challenging the claims made about her head on. Former first minister Alex Salmond gave evidence under oath last week (Andy Buchanan/PA) Speaking at First Ministers Questions, Ms Sturgeon said: Ive had accusations levelled at me for two years. Ive not been able to answer those fully because of ongoing criminal proceedings and latterly out of respect to the process of this committee. Its not me thats refusing to sit in front of the committee Im relishing the prospect of doing that. Then people can hear my account and they can make up their own minds. At a Scottish Government coronavirus briefing last week, she added: I want to get in front of this committee to answer every and all questions that people have of me, to address all the issues that people have and to rebut, frankly, head on and very directly, some of the wild, untrue, false and baseless claims. [March 03, 2021] Capgemini Strengthens Its Strategic Partnership With Microsoft in North America Capgemini has further strengthened its strategic initiative with Microsoft (News - Alert) in North America to help clients accelerate their digital transformations and embrace new cloud-based ways of working. Under this initiative, Capgemini (News - Alert) and Microsoft will collaborate to help organizations in North America drive their digital agendas forward by connecting business and IT strategy. The two partners will also develop employee talent jointly through broader technical training and certification. This expansion combines the power and innovation of Microsoft's industry-leading technology and Capgemini's global expertise in multiple industries such as manufacturing, retail and financial services. Capgemini also brings to the North America-focused collaboration a comprehensive portfolio of services in applications, cloud technologies and cloud managed services to enable productivity gains, immediate cost savings, digital transformation and business agility for customers. "HSB-Hartford partnered with Capgemini to launch our Enterprise Information Management (News - Alert) Program, a transformative initiative that leverages Microsoft Azure Data Stack, to enable fact-based decision-making. During this journey, Capgemini leveraged its extensive Microsoft expertise to help us navigate the various technical and process features critical for moving to production. Capgemini's deep knowledge of Microsoft, as well as its strong relationship with the Microsoft team, ensured effective and efficient collaboration as well as a successful launch," said Louis DiModugno, Chief Data Officer at HSB-Hartford. Capgemini will enhance its Microsoft business in North America by leveraging the transformative potential of its end-to-end portfolio offerings, such as Enterprise Portfolio Modernization including Digital Core with SAP (News - Alert) S/4HANA, Datacenter Modernization, Cyber Defense Center, Data Estate Modernization and AI, Intelligent Industry, Connected Employee Experience and Customer Data Hub built on top of the whole Microsoft suite spanning across Azure, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365 and Power Apps. Capgemini has over 10,000 Microsoft Certified Professionals (MCPs) and Microsoft Azure certified architects. "This strategic initiative is another step towards our joint vision with Microsoft, which is to help our clients accelerate their adoption of cloud technologies and enable critical transformation,'' said Geoffroy Pajot, Global Microsoft Partner Executive at Capgemini. "This extension of our partnership with Microsoft in North America demonstrates our strong mutual commitment to help clients meet their business goals and accelerate their digital transformation." "When you combine Capgemini's strong industry experience and portfolio of services with Microsoft's industry leading technology it is game changing for our customers. We are excited to build upon the global success we have already seen with Capgemini to help our customers become more resilient and reimagine their future," said Kelly Rogan, Corporate Vice President of Strategy, Microsoft Worldwide Commercial Business. This initiative with Microsoft builds upon the two organizations' close relationship for more than two decades. Capgemini is designated as a Microsoft Azure Expert Managed Services Provider and a Gold Member in Microsoft's Partner Network. In addition, Capgemini was recognized as the 2019 Microsoft SAP on Azure Partner of the Year for successfully migrating Coke One North America's (CONA) SAP landscape to Microsoft Azure, one of the largest implementations of its kind. About Capgemini Capgemini is a global leader in partnering with companies to transform and manage their business by harnessing the power of technology. The Group is guided everyday by its purpose of unleashing human energy through technology for an inclusive and sustainable future. It is a responsible and diverse organization of 270,000 team members in nearly 50 countries. With its strong 50 year heritage and deep industry expertise, Capgemini is trusted by its clients to address the entire breadth of their business needs, from strategy and design to operations, fueled by the fast evolving and innovative world of cloud, data, AI, connectivity, software, digital engineering and platforms. The Group reported in 2020 global revenues of 16 billion. Get the Future You Want | www.capgemini.com SAP and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE in Germany and other countries. Please see https://www.sap.com/copyright for additional trademark information and notices. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005800/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday announced that a seven-day institutional quarantine will be mandatory for those arriving from even if they have obtained a COVID-19 negative report prior to the journey. In a fresh circular, the civic body included in the list of countries under quarantine rules, citing the latest guidelines of the Union Ministry of Health about international arrivals. The BMC said this rule will also be applicable to travelers from Maharashtra arriving at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in the city. Institutional quarantine for seven days and another seven days of home quarantine is already mandatory for persons arriving from the UK, Europe, South Africa and the Middle- East. "Passengers from states other than Maharashtra, who wish to take connecting flights after their arrival, will be allowed to travel further if their RT-PCR test reports are negative at the airport," the circular stated. Information about such travelers will be sent to their respective states, it said. Travelers from the UK will be shifted to Seven Hills Hospital if they test positive for the infection, or if they are symptomatic on arrival or on day seven of their quarantine period, the civic body said. Travelers from the Middle East, Europe, South Africa and will be shifted to GT Hospital or four designated private hospitals as per their choice. If travelers test negative on the seventh day, they will be discharged. Their hands will be stamped and they will need to give an undertaking to abide by home quarantine rules. According to the civic authorities, contacts of travelers who contract the infection during home quarantine or on arrival will be monitored and isolated. Alma E. Hernandez, For the San Antonio Express News / Alma E. Hernandez / For the San Antonio Express News Simply being the first female mayor of a major American city wouldn't suffice for Lila Cockrell. Cockrell lead the city as San Antonio mayor from 1976 to 1981, leading by example and championing women in more ways than one. RELATED: The Lone Star ladies we'd be proud to see on U.S. currency Wednesday marks the anniversary of Cockrell calling for the first Mayors Commission on the Status of Women, a group founded to advise the city on employment issues, education, social and political participation by women. After 51 years, the group is still active in the city and remains dedicated to a number of awareness issues and events. They host the San Antonio international women's summit, Latina Equal Pay Day, and preventive women's health events, like the mobile mammogram bus stops. By working with the San Antonio city council, the 11-member group also gives out thousands of dollars in college scholarship San Antonio women. Next time you see any of the above mentioned initiatives promoted in the Alamo City, you'll know who to thank for founding the group that makes them all possible. Karly Williams is a digital producer for MySA. Follow her @karlyjwilliams Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment For many years now, Ive said that Im not as much concerned with the presence of darkness in America as I am with the absence of light. Darkness will always be present, but light can drive it out. Thats why our greatest need is to get our light shining brightly again. Otherwise, darkness will prevail. As Jesus said in a different context, If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! (Matthew 6:23b) We all know the saying that you cant put the horse before the cart. But before you can hitch the cart to the horse, the horse needs to be healthy. Without that, no one is going anywhere. And thats where we stand today in America: the greatest need is a healthy Church. Then, with a healthy Church, the cart of cultural and moral and political change will follow as a natural consequence. But its not a matter of either-or, as if we must focus either on spiritual life or on cultural life. Instead, it is a matter of priorities, a matter of putting first things first. When we do that, everything else falls into place. When we are right with God, we will be right with people, and we will make things right for others. Put another way, if politics is upstream from culture, then culture is upstream from spiritual life. So, voting is important, but living moral lives on a daily basis is far more important. But the key to living consistent moral lives is a vibrant relationship with the one true God. Thats where everything starts. Jesus said to His followers, You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. (Matthew 5:13) This is similar to one of Dr. Kings famous remarks. He said, The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. As salt, which was used as a preservative in the ancient world and which was also used for flavoring, the Church is called to be the conscience of the state. But we can only do that by maintaining a good conscience ourselves. We cannot show the way if we are not living the way, and we cannot call others into something that we are not living ourselves. Not only so, but if we lose our saltiness meaning, our spiritual and moral distinctives we not only become useless. We become irrelevant. Worse still, we become the object of mockery and scorn, not because of our godly living but because of our empty words and hypocrisy. As King also said, If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority. Of course, it is easy for us Christian conservatives to become righteously indignant over the godless agenda of the radical left. It is another thing to point to our lives, to our families, to our communities, and to say, We can show you a better way! In one of His strongest rebukes, Jesus said, Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. (Matthew 23:25-26) This is the way real change will come, not with our religious posturing and our self-righteous pronouncements but with clean hearts and godly lives. Cleaning up the inside is the key to cleaning up the outside, and if we focus on changing hearts first, changing laws will naturally follow. And with our own lights shining bright, all things are possible with God. As Charles Spurgeon said, A healthy church kills error, and tears in pieces evil. Not so very long ago our nation tolerated slavery in our colonies. Philanthropists endeavored to destroy slavery; but when was it utterly abolished? It was when Wilberforce roused the church of God, and when the church of God addressed herself to the conflict, then she tore the evil thing to pieces. I have been amused with what Wilberforce said the day after they passed the Act of Emancipation. He merrily said to a friend when it was all done: Is there not something else we can abolish? That was said playfully, but it shows the spirit of the church of God. She lives in conflict and victory; her mission is to destroy everything that is bad in the land. But it all starts with those three simple words: a healthy Church. And that starts with you and with me. Unfortunately, we cannot erase the scandals of recent months or the other, public failings of the Church. But we can seek spiritual renewal in our own lives, and we can love our neighbors. In the end, our present-tense witness of love will speak more loudly than our failings of the past, and as our light shines, people will see our good works and praise our Father in heaven (see Matthew 5:16). So let your light shine! The restaurant opened in the late 1970s, when Bob and Juanita Johnson quit their jobs in the Chanute Air Force Base mess hall to open their own restaurant in the Woodlawn neighborhood. Eventually, the restaurant moved to a much larger space in Washington Park, but it has been closed for the last two years. Now, its owners are preparing to reopen at last. CFSB Center Vaccination Site Open Wednesday By West Kentucky Star Staff MURRAY - The Calloway County Health Department will open up its Regional Vaccination Site on Wednesday at Murray State University.Vaccinations will take place from 10 am to 4 pm at the CFSB Center. Appointments will be scheduled directly from the health department's sign-up list.Those receiving vaccinations will include individuals in the over 70 community, others in phase 1b, and some in phase 1c. You must have a previously scheduled appointment to be vaccinated at the Regional Vaccination Site.Anyone interested in receiving the vaccine can sign up at the link below.On the Net: Charleston, WV (25301) Today A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High around 80F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers after midnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. State health officials confirmed another 980 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, which is based on 56,007 new molecular tests, according to the Department of Public Health. Officials also announced another 37 COVID-related fatalities, bringing the death toll from the pandemic to 551,667. As of Tuesday, there are roughly 28,867 active infections statewide. Since the pandemic began, officials have confirmed 551,667 total COVID-19 cases across the state. The number of active cases rose for the first time yesterday since early January before falling again today. There are now 775 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in Massachusetts, including 187 in intensive care. Another 116 are currently intubated. The seven-day average of positive tests is currently 1.82%. 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 last 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 latest numbers come the day some Massachusetts hospitals got their first shipments of the newly approved Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Tufts Medical Center and Boston Medical Center confirmed they each received 2,000 doses of the J&J shot and will begin administering them to patients later on in the week. On Monday, the state moved into the second step of Phase 3 of its economic reopening plan, permitting restaurants to open at full capacity and easing other health measures impacting a host of industries. Baker announced the changes last Thursday, citing positive trends in the public health metrics. Officials are doing away with the 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. 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. Total COVID cases by county: Barnstable County: 10,133 Berkshire County: 4,870 Bristol County: 55,828 Dukes County: 864 Essex County: 83,903 Franklin County: 1,981 Hampden County: 41,941 Hampshire County: 7,407 Middlesex County: 112,050 Nantucket County: 1,160 Norfolk County: 45,641 Plymouth County: 40,415 Suffolk County: 78,468 Worcester County: 65,522 Related Content: If you had to guess one state that, against medical advice, would ditch all the coronavirus safety measures just as the tide is starting to turnit would be Texas. On Tuesday, right on cue, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott did just that, announcing the states grand reopening starting next week. I just announced Texas is OPEN 100% Abbott tweeted Tuesday. EVERYTHING. Masksno longer required. Barsfill er up. People and businesses dont need the state telling them how to operate, Abbott reminded reporters knowingly. Ahh, yes, the highly effective free market approach to public safety that cost 500,000 American lives over the last year. Advertisement The move to let er rip in the second most populous state in the country comes just as many Americans have caught a glimpse of the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel. The light, however, is still very much on the horizon, even in Texas, a state where more than 7,500 new daily cases last week contributed to more than 225 deaths a day. Yes, vaccines are making a big difference, but only 7 percent of Texas has been fully vaccinated! Just under 13 percent of the states 29 million residents have gotten their first dose. That vaccination rate ranks Texas 48th in the nation! We stand to completely lose the hard-earned ground we have gained, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, warned Monday during a White House virus briefing. I know people are tired, they want to get back to life, to normal, but were not there yet. Subscribe to the Slatest newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. Texas is. Of course, Texas rush to reopen would be all the more outrageous if most states across the Republican belt from the Southeast through the Midwest to the top of the Mountain Weststates snaking from Florida to Georgia, Tennessee, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Montanawerent already maskless and their businesses open. For an added note of seriousness befitting the deadly pandemic, Abbott announced his reopening plan on the anniversary of Texas declaration of independence from Mexicoat a Mexican restaurant. Oklahoma City Police Department/FacebookBy JON HAWORTH, ABC News (OKLAHOMA CITY) -- A man who stole more than $40,000 worth of lottery tickets has been arrested after being found hiding in the back of a pickup truck following a foot chase by police. The theft of the lottery tickets happened in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in January 2021 and police put out a public notice on Crime Stoppers with an image of the suspect asking the public to help identify the man, later named as 21-year-old Dylan Barrett, according to the Oklahoma City Police Department (OKCPD). You may or may not recognize this man, as weve posted his photos before. This time, we have much clearer photos of him...specifically his identifiable tattoos, the Oklahoma City Police Department said in a post on social media on Jan. 15. Last time we posted, he had stolen several lottery tickets. Now, hes graduated to stealing entire towers of lottery tickets. As of today, hes hit seven times, totaling over $40K in tickets. Police confirmed later that same day on social media that they were able to confirm Barretts identity but could not release his name at that time because charges had not been filed against him. On March 2, the Oklahoma City Police Department confirmed in a statement posted on social media that they had finally apprehended Barrett in a pursuit-turned-foot-chase. Today, our Violent Crimes Apprehension Team (VCAT) had the pleasure of making Mr. Barretts acquaintance during a pursuit-turned-foot-chase, said the OKCPD on social media. "Officers found him in the back of a pickup and took him into custody. Authorities say that Barrett now faces multiple charges related to the pursuit as well as charges related to the $40,000 worth of stolen lottery tickets in January though specific charges were not disclosed. Copyright 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. William Billy Peters, his fiancee, mother, brother and friends had gone out to the Acropolis bar Saturday night in Southeast Portland after celebrating his 4-year-old daughters birthday earlier that day. Others in the group had already left when Peters and a friend, Adam David-Lawrence Arrambide, were fatally shot in the strip clubs parking lot as they were trying to leave. They went out for a quick drink and never came home, said Brandon Krupp, a friend of Peters. Portland police confirmed Tuesday that Peters, 40, was shot and killed outside the Acropolis in the 8300 block of Southeast McLoughlin Boulevard. Police were called at 11:30 p.m. to the club on a report of two people shot. Peters died at the scene, police said. Arrambide, a 36-year-old La Pine resident, died Sunday at a hospital. The two men were friends, having both grown up in Lincoln City, other friends said. Adam David-Lawrence Arrambide No arrests have been made in the double homicide. Its not clear what led up to the shooting. As of Monday, there have been 18 homicides in Portland so far this year, 14 of them resulting from shootings, Portland police Lt. Greg Pashley said. Another approximately 49 people have been wounded in a total of 181 shootings in the city this year as police struggle to respond, sometimes having to call in cold case detectives to go out to crime scenes. Peters owned and managed a print shop called 503print and had just opened a new warehouse in the last couple of months in the Milwaukie area, friends said. They described him as a dedicated father who worked hard to establish and build his business and noted his passion for sand dune riding. He was just everybodys friend, said friend Tiara Champ. He put his blood, sweat and tears into his business. Were going to make sure it lives on for him. Krupp knew Peters from the sand dune community. Krupp had started a Facebook group for dune riders called Sand Adiks five years ago. He said Peters printed clothing, stickers, hats, hoodies and jackets for the dune riding community. Some rode four-wheelers or dirt bikes and others, like Peters, drove off-road cars called side-by-sides, Krupp said. He was very outgoing, and every time he showed up to ride, he gave free gear to everyone. Hed bring merchandise out there and hand it out to promote his shop, Krupp recalled. Hed go out there with a smile, and say, Heres a 503print shirt for you all, and hand them out for free. Nick Proto met Peters while camping by the dunes at Sand Lake Recreation Area a couple of years ago. Peters needed a part for his off-road sand buggy and Proto helped him out, and they remained friends since. Peters often hosted barbecues at his home - always steak, shrimp and salad, Proto said. That man did nothing but smile and try to make sure everyone was as happy as he was, Proto said. Its unbelievable how hed touch people. Youd know him for two days and think thats my best friend. He said Peters started his print business out of his garage, and kept going at it and kept going at it, and is now fairly well-known in the city. He had sold a speedboat to buy his first printing press, his fiancee said. His business sold screen prints, vehicle graphics, banners, stickers and clothing prints. He had the words self made, tattooed on his knuckles. All he ever did was work and barbecue and ride. He was really active. Real gung-ho. He never slowed down, Proto said. It breaks my heart. Arrambides family members did not immediately return requests for comment. But Amanda Killian, a friend of both Arrambide and Peters since they were in school, said she remembered Arrambide as a kindhearted man with a great sense of humor. She said he was well known in their coastal community, Depoe Bay. She said Arrambide had a young son and was talented at his trade, carpentry and flooring. She remembered one example of his generosity from when they were younger and had to go rescue a friend who was in trouble. Adam called me up and said we needed to go get our friend from the other side of town, she said. He gave me money to fill up my gas tank, even though he didnt have much himself. Peters fiancee, Melissa Moore, and friends went Monday to the scene of the shooting to grieve. This hurts so bad, Moore wrote on Facebook. She said she saw a pool of Peters blood in the clubs parking lot. I had to put his blood on my shirt and take it home with me, she wrote. Moore also wrote that shes struggling with anger. People are being gun downed like a game by all those running wild because they have nothing to fear, we dont have the police force or funding to fight this violence, she wrote on Facebook. On Tuesday night, Moore and Mark Griffith, another friend, got tattoos in Peters memory. Moore had been with Peters at the Acropolis Saturday night, and then had hung out with him and other friends for some time in the parking lot of the club before she went home. She said it was the first time she had met Peters friend Arrambide. Theyd been drinking, she said, but she described everyone has having a good time. There were no problems when she left, she said. At some point, Peters, his brother and Arrambide and Arrambides brother got into a Toyota truck in the lot to leave when a car pulled up behind them. Peters and others in the truck got out, wondering why they were blocked in, according to some friends. There may have been some drunken words exchanged before gunshots were fired, friends said. Peters died at the scene. Peters friends have planned a memorial dune ride in his memory at Sand Lake Recreation Area at noon on Saturday. Investigators have asked anyone with information to contact Detective Scott Broughton at Scott.Broughton@portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-3774, or Detective Eric McDaniel at Eric.McDaniel@portlandoregon.gov 503-823-0833. -- Maxine Bernstein Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212 Jayati Ramakrishnan of The Oregonian/OregonLive contributed to this story. Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian The most powerful New Jerseyan in Congress is spearheading a sweeping plan to fight climate change and lay a foundation for a cleaner economy in America. U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, D-6th Dist., on Tuesday introduced the Climate Leadership and Environmental Action for our Nations (CLEAN) Future Act an expansive, nearly 1,000 page bill that would set national greenhouse gas reduction targets and establish a framework for reshaping the nations economy while pushing initiatives to boost public health and environmental justice. Its a plan thats expected to cost $565 billion over a ten year period. For the sake of the American people, our economy and our public health we have to act boldly and thats what we intend to do, Pallone said on a call with reporters, emphasizing that China and other countries are already pushing forward regardless of what the United States does. Pallone is a critical figure in American environmental policy thanks to his role as the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The CLEAN Future Act sets a national target of achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, with an interim goal of cutting emissions 50% from 2005 levels by 2030. Those targets are in line with recommendations from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Such emissions slashing is seen as critical to slow the effects of climate change, which has been fueled by the burning of fossil fuels. To reach those targets, the CLEAN Future Act incorporates a variety of strategies targeting power production, energy efficiency, the transportation sector, industry pollution and waste reduction. That includes: Establishing a national Clean Energy Standard to bring the nation to 100% clean energy generation by 2035. Sending grants to local communities for energy efficiency programs, including $8 billion for home retrofits and $500 million for workforce training. Expanding Americas electric vehicle infrastructure, including spending $2.5 billion annually to replace diesel school buses with zero-emission models. Creating a Buy Clean Program to reduce emissions from materials used in federal construction projects. Using new regulations to slash methane pollution from oil and gas production. Writing new regulations on plastic manufacturers, and pausing permits for new plastics facilities until such regulations are in place. The bill also includes policies to support workers and communities that will need to transition from long-standing but declining industries like coal mining. Were not leaving anyone behind here. Were offering a vision for Americas future, said U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, D-New York, another bill sponsor. The CLEAN Future Act also has measures dedicated to environmental justice, including allocating 40% of the bills spending toward communities that have long been overburdened with unfair shares of pollution. Through policies that will create millions of new, good paying jobs and reduce pollution in historically overburdened communities, this legislation drives our country further down the path toward a much-needed clean energy transition and does so with equity and social justice at its center, said U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Illinois, the bills third sponsor. Tucked into the environmental justice section is a plan to replace every lead service line in the country, at no cost to the homeowner, something Newark and Essex County may serve as national models for. Theres also a call to prioritize the cleanup of polluted Superfund sites threatened by flooding or wildfires. New Jersey has the nations highest number of Superfund sites. Democrats are able to move legislation through the House without Republican support, but major packages like the CLEAN Future Act can require 60 votes to pass in the Senate thanks to existing filibuster rules. That makes turning this bill into reality tricky, given the chambers 50-50 split between Democrats and Republicans. Democrats can use a process called budget reconciliation to pass legislation with a simple majority or with Vice President Kamala Harris serving as the tiebreaker. The current COVID-19 relief proposal, which is before the Senate, is an example of this. Pallone said he intends to move the CLEAN Future Act forward through the normal legislative process, saying he hopes the Republicans will participate so we dont have to go through reconciliation. But he declined to rule out pursuing reconciliation. The Clean Future Act was praised by leaders of environmental groups who said it is package urgently needed. It harnesses our ingenuity, resources and determination at the scale needed to curb the growing climate crisis. It will invest in good-paying jobs for workers transitioning away from fossil fuels to clean transportation and energy. It will strive to shield communities from health and economic harm wrought by climate change, John Bowman, managing director for government affairs for Natural Resources Defense Council said in a statement. And it will send an unmistakable signal to our children and future generations we wont doom them to ever-worsening droughts, floods, wildfires, extreme heat and punishing storms. A trio of House Republicans Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Washington, Fred Upton, R-Michigan, and David McKinley, R-West Virigina slammed the bill as a rush to force one-size-fits all regulations on the country. We can pursue practical policies to innovate a cleaner energy future if we work together, the Republicans said in a statement. Rather than threaten millions of jobs and hold back Americas economic recovery, we urge the Majority to join us in a bipartisan way to unleash innovation, strengthen our supply chains, and capture all the advantages of our abundant resources, which include coal, hydropower, nuclear technologies, and clean natural gas. Rush told reporters the bills sponsors welcome input and ideas from across the aisle, but stressed the end goal of slashing emissions to zero by 2050 cannot be changed. That remains the greatest gulf, the greatest obstacle. Theyve got to come closer, Rush said of Republican lawmakers. Theyve got to come to where we are. This story was updated on March 4 to correct the name of John Bowman. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Michael Sol Warren may be reached at mwarren@njadvancemedia.com. PRESS RELEASE A new series of displays highlighting womens achievements in their civilian and military careers with an emphasis on the U.S. Air Force and its predecessors will be officially opened during a live-streamed virtual event on March 5 at 6:30 p.m. (Tune-in beginning at 6:20 p.m. for a pre-event video at www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Upcoming/Women-in-Air-Force/). The exhibit, titled Women in the Air Force: From Yesterday into Tomorrow, covers historical issues, changes in laws and attitudes, and womens contributions to the Air Force mission. These displays, which are located throughout the museum, contain one of a kind artifacts used by women in the Air Force from many different eras. In the Early Years Gallery, visitors can learn how British female pilots led the way beginning with Mary Wilkins-Ellis, who joined the Britains Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA), and transported aircraft from factories to active service squadrons during World War II. The story of Jacqueline Cochran, who was ranked among the top female pilots of her era by setting an incredible number of records, and breaking mens distance, altitude, and speed achievements can be seen in the Early Years and World War II Galleries, as well as throughout the museum. Cochran would go on to become the founder and director of the Womens Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) program, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal the highest non-combat award for her work in 1945. New displays in the second building include one on the Womens Armed Services Integration Act, which was signed into law by President Truman in 1948, and authorized women to serve permanently in all military branches. Among the stories featured in this building include that of SSgt. Esther Blake, who became the first woman in the Air Force by enlisting on the first minute, of the first hour, of the first day that Air Force authorized womens participation; and the heroic actions of Lt. Regina Aune and Lt. Harriet Goffinett, who carried many children to safety during Operation Babylift. The drive to break down barriers is further illustrated by the Significant Women Silhouette a uniquely designed display that introduce visitors to those who created new opportunities for women. The exhibit covers a diverse range of achievements such as the first American woman to fly solo in an airplane (Blanche Stuart Scott); the first woman to fly non-stop across the Atlantic Ocean (Amelia Earhart); the Air Forces first female physician (Capt. Dorothy Elias); and the Bouncing Bettys award-winning munitions team. Among the many female firsts on display in the third building are the first 10 graduates of the U.S. Air Force Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) program; the first female fighter pilot (Jeannie Flynn Leavitt); the first female aerial gunner (Airman Vanessa Dobos); the first female to fly a fighter aircraft in combat (Capt. Martha McSally); and the first female F-35 pilot (Lt. Col. Christine Mau). The story of pilot Nichole Malachowski, who took her first solo flight at age 16 (earning her pilots license before her drivers license), and later became the first female pilot on any U.S. military high performance jet team as a member of the Thunderbirds in 2005, is also featured in this building. Amazing stories of courage are highlighted including Air National Guard pilot Lt. Heather Penney of the 121st Fighter Squadron. On Sept. 11, 2001, Penney along with another pilot received one-way orders to stop hijacked United Airlines Flight 93 as it headed towards Washington, D.C. Armed with shoot to kill orders, but no weapons, they were on a suicide mission with the full intention of ramming the Boeing 757 in order to protect national security. After sweeping the D.C. airspace for over an hour, the pilots learned the passengers had forced the aircraft down in a Pennsylvania field. Another ground-breaking display titled Moving Towards Equality highlights milestones in legislation that brought policy changes on issues such as automatic discharge for pregnancy or having custody of minor children; the expansion of womens rights allowing women to have the ability to serve in any military occupation, and further opportunities for advancement. In addition, female leaders who have overcome roadblocks, defeated biases and led the way in recent years are featured in a display titled Women Leading the Way. Finally, in the fourth building visitors can learn about the first American female astronaut to go into space (Sally Ride); the first U.S. military woman in space who was also the first woman to work aboard the International Space Station (Maj. Susan Helms); the first female space shuttle pilot (Maj. Eileen Collins); the first women to serve as commanders in orbit at the same time (Col. Pamela Melroy and Peggy Whitson); and some of the most important discoveries and inventions that female Air Force scientists, engineers, mathematicians, medical professionals, and artists have developed over the years. According to National Museum of the U.S. Air Force Curator Christina Douglass, telling the story of what women have overcome over many decades was an amazing experience and something she hopes future generations will come to appreciate. The Women in the Air Force exhibit is packed with moving stories that exemplify the passion and dedication that women have had to have in order to overcome certain stereotypes just to be able to serve our nation, said Douglass. My hope is that those who come to visit this exhibit will gain a better understanding about the sacrifices that were made by women in the past; never take what we have for granted; and are inspired to continue to advocate for equality. For additional information or to watch the live stream event, visit www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Upcoming/Women-in-Air-Force/. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close LONE TREE, Colo., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cochlear has joined people with hearing loss, hearing care experts and advocates in welcoming the World Health Organization's (WHO) landmark World Report on Hearing, which calls upon governments and societies to prioritize hearing health. To access the report, click here. The WHO's landmark World Report on Hearing affirms the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of cochlear implants. Tweet this Professor Graeme Clark, inventor of the multi-channel cochlear implant, welcomes the WHO's first World Report on Hearing. The report reinforces the benefits of early diagnosis and treatment including hearing implants to help people living with hearing loss. The report, titled "Hearing care for all screen, rehabilitate, communicate," also calls upon member states of the WHO to integrate ear and hearing care into primary health care programs. The report affirms the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of cochlear implants. Launched on World Hearing Day (March 3), the WHO's first ever World Report on Hearing contains a roadmap for governments to adopt hearing screening, treatment and rehabilitation into primary health care systems to help curtail a worldwide rise in hearing loss. It comes as new WHO figures reveal that globally, 1.5 billion people live with some degree of hearing loss. This includes around 60 million people who live with severe to complete hearing loss.1 In response to the rapidly rising prevalence of hearing loss, the report sets out hearing care actions for all societies and age groups, including babies, children and adults. It follows a 2017 World Health Assembly resolution (WHA70.132), which reinforced that hearing loss is a significant public health issue, requiring all governments to make it a higher priority and develop national action plans. The world's youngest Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and advocate for education and girls' equality, Malala Yousafzai, who has experienced hearing loss, opened the WHO report by expressing her hopes for world leaders to work together to implement its recommendations. "With access to health care, rehabilitation and technology, people with disabling hearing loss can participate equally in education, employment and their communities," Yousafzai said. Dig Howitt, CEO and President of Cochlear said, "The numbers of people living with disabling hearing loss is continuing to rise year-on-year. This landmark report shows how hearing care leaders and policy makers can step up now to tackle this significant global public health challenge. "This report should place hearing loss on the agenda of policy makers so that government and communities can improve hearing care over the coming years through government and societal action." "It is significant that the WHO has affirmed evidence supporting the clinical and cost effectiveness of cochlear implants. This important step reinforces the need to make access to cochlear and other implants more accessible to adult and children with disabling hearing loss," Howitt said. Cochlear is an active supporter and member of the WHO's World Hearing Forum, a global network promoting ear and hearing care worldwide. Members of this advocacy network are committed to facilitating implementation of the World Health Assembly resolution WHA70.13 on "Prevention of deafness and hearing loss" and support Member States in this regard. "For years, research has shown hearing loss is a sizable public health issue including in the United States and Canada, and over the last year, the pandemic has only amplified that impact," said Patricia Trautwein, MA, AuD, Vice President, Market Access & Reimbursement, Cochlear Americas. "More peopleaging adults, parents, caretakers of loved onesneed to be educated about and have access to the full continuum of hearing solutions, which includes hearing implants. We applaud the WHO's commitment to hearing health, and Cochlear will continue our work on the prioritization of hearing health, including hearing loss prevention, screening and monitoring for all ages, ensuring those who need a referral for hearing implant technology are getting them as soon as they qualify and securing access to proper ongoing rehabilitation and care." About Cochlear Limited (ASX: COH) Cochlear is the global leader in implantable hearing solutions. The company has a global workforce of more than 4,000 people and invests more than AUD$180 million each year in research and development. Products include cochlear implants, bone conduction implants and acoustic implants, which healthcare professionals use to treat a range of moderate to profound types of hearing loss. Since 1981, Cochlear has provided more than 600,000 implantable devices, helping people of all ages, in more than 180 countries, to hear. www.cochlear.com/us References 1. World Report on Hearing, World Health Organization. WHO: 1 in 4 people projected to have hearing problems by 2050 2. World Health Assembly, 70. (2017). Prevention of deafness and hearing loss. World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/275682 Please seek advice from your health professional about treatments for hearing loss. Outcomes may vary, and our health professional will advise you about the factors which could affect your outcome. Always read the instructions for use. Not all products are available in all countries. Please contact your local Cochlear representative for product information. Cochlear Limited 2021. All rights reserved. SOURCE Cochlear Limited Related Links https://www.cochlear.com/ Advertisement Buckingham Palace will launch an investigation into allegations that Meghan Markle bullied royal aides. The Duchess of Sussex is accused of 'driving out' two PAs and shattering the confidence of another member of Kensington Palace staff - with one former aide branding Harry and his wife 'outrageous bullies' in The Times today. It also claimed the monarchy's 'men in grey suits' were aware of the purported actions of the duchess - but did 'absolutely nothing to protect people'. Meghan has denied the allegations and accused the newspaper of being 'used by Buckingham Palace to peddle a wholly false narrative' about her. Royal officials initially refused to comment, with sources telling MailOnline that aides and senior family members are focused on Prince Philip's health problems in hospital. But tonight, the Palace confirmed that its HR team will 'look into' the allegations, saying it 'does not and will not tolerate bullying or harassment in the workplace'. A spokesperson said: 'We are clearly very concerned about allegations in The Times following claims made by former staff of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. 'Accordingly our HR team will look into the circumstances outlined in the article. 'Members of staff involved at the time, including those who have left the Household, will be invited to participate to see if lessons can be learned. 'The Royal Household has had a Dignity at Work policy in place for a number of years and does not and will not tolerate bullying or harassment in the workplace.' A bullying complaint was lodged against the Duchess of Sussex by a senior member of Kensington Palace staff before she and Prince Harry quit as working royals, it was dramatically claimed last night The Duchess of Sussex (pictured with the royal family) is accused of 'driving out' two PAs and shattering the confidence of another member of Kensington Palace staff - with one former aide branding Harry and his wife 'outrageous bullies' in The Times today Jason Knauf (pictured on Meghan and Harry's wedding day) - the Sussexes' then communications secretary who now heads the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's charitable foundation - made a bullying complaint in October 2018 in an apparent attempt to force Buckingham Palace to protect staff Tonight, the Palace confirmed that its HR team will 'look into' the allegations, saying it 'does not and will not tolerate bullying or harassment in the workplace' It is understood the palace hopes to start the investigation soon. Any changes in policies or procedures will be shared in the Sovereign Grant report which is published annually and documents royal accounts for the year. Meghan said The Times is being 'used by Buckingham Palace to peddle a wholly false narrative based on misleading and harmful misinformation' about her treatment of staff after former aides accused her of 'emotional cruelty and manipulation', reducing them to tears and leaving them 'shaking' with fear. Revealed: Meghan's 500,000 diamond earrings were NOT 'borrowed' but a 'wedding gift from Saudi Crown Prince' - and worn by duchess three weeks after assassination of Jamal Khashoggi in consulate The Duchess of Sussex was again seen wearing the earrings one month later on November 14, 2018 as she was photographed leaving Kensington Palace to attend Prince Charles's 70th birthday party at Buckingham Palace Meghan Markle wore a pair of striking diamond earrings that were a wedding gift from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, who approved the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, it was claimed today. Kensington Palace had said at the time of the formal dinner in Fiji in October 2018 - which took place three weeks after the killing at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul - that the jewellery was 'borrowed', without stating from whom. Lawyers for the Duchess of Sussex have now told The Times that she may have stated they were borrowed, but did not say they were borrowed from a jeweller - and denied that she had misled anyone about their provenance. The newspaper was also told by Meghan's team that every relevant member of royal staff knew who the earrings were from, and the duchess was unaware of rumours at the time that bin Salman was involved in the killing. Bin Salman is not thought to have met Meghan or given her the earrings in person. The jewellery is considered Crown property because it was a gift from a foreign head of state, and she would not be allowed to sell them. The earrings Meghan wore for the black tie reception at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, which was hosted by Fiji's president Jioji Konrote, were later revealed as being made by celebrity designer Butani. Advertisement Her lawyers said the former actress was 'saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma'. Jason Knauf - the Sussexes' then communications secretary who now heads the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's charitable foundation - made a bullying complaint in October 2018 in an apparent attempt to force Buckingham Palace to protect staff. A source told the newspaper Harry begged his senior aide not to take the matter further, but it also reported lawyers for the duke and duchess deny the meeting took place and that Harry would not have interfered with staff matters. Mr Knauf reportedly sent an email outlining the duchess's alleged actions to Simon Case - the Duke of Cambridge's then private secretary and now the cabinet secretary - after conversations with Samantha Carruthers, the head of human resources. Mr Case then forwarded it to Miss Carruthers, who was based at Clarence House. The Times reported Mr Knauf wrote in his email: 'I am very concerned that the duchess was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year. The treatment of X was totally unacceptable. 'The duchess seems intent on always having someone in her sights. 'She is bullying Y and seeking to undermine her confidence. 'We have had report after report from people who have witnessed unacceptable behaviour towards Y.' Mr Knauf also made clear he was concerned nothing had been done, or would be done in future, to protect palace staff. He said Miss Carruthers 'agreed with me on all counts that the situation was very serious', but added: 'I remain concerned that nothing will be done'. Melissa Touabti, the second of Meghan's personal assistants to leave, departed six months after the royal wedding after she ended up in tears, according to reports. Lawyers for the duke and duchess said the Sussexes believed staff to be comfortable and happy. The article came as ITV1 confirmed the ViacomCBS show, called Oprah With Meghan and Harry, will be broadcast in the UK between 9pm and 11pm on Monday night, almost 24 hours after it is shown in the United States. Staff told The Times they have spoken out to give their story before the couple's tell-all interview, claiming that when Meghan was urged to support palace staff she replied: 'It's not my job to coddle people.' It is also claimed that the couple's treatment of aides worried Harry's brother William so much, because some staff were shared, that he and his most senior advisor Mr Case hastened the split between the Sussex and the Cambridge households and the destruction of their joint foundation. Other extraordinary revelations in The Times include claims Meghan wore a pair of 500,000 diamond earrings to a dinner in Fiji in 2018 that were a wedding gift from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, three weeks after the US claims he approved the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. And in a further twist Ms Markle, a campaigner for women's rights, told aides they were borrowed from a jeweller, rather than a present from a regime known for human rights abuses and the oppression of women. Lawyers for the Duchess of Sussex have told The Times that she may have stated they were borrowed, but did not say they were borrowed from a jeweller - and denied that she had misled anyone about their provenance. The newspaper claims that on the same official tour the duchess was seen being ushered out of an official engagement to a local market due to apparent security concerns. In fact, it says, Meghan had cut short the visit because she had 'reservations' about the organisation UN Women, which had an involvement in the event. Describing life working for Meghan and Harry, aides have claimed they 'bent over backwards' to help her when she arrived after the couple became engaged in 2017. A source told The Times: 'Everyone knew that the institution would be judged by her happiness'. According to the Times their sources say two 'senior' members of royal staff were bullied by the duchess. An ex-employee alleged they had been 'humiliated'. Another aide described the experience of working for the Sussexes as 'more like emotional cruelty and manipulation, which I guess could also be called bullying'. It came as ITV1 confirmed the ViacomCBS show, called Oprah With Meghan and Harry (the show's trailer, pictured), will be broadcast in the UK between 9pm and 11pm on Monday night, almost 24 hours after it is shown in the United States Meghan Markle wore a pair of striking diamond earrings that were allegedly a wedding gift from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia. She is pictured wearing them at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, Fiji, on October 23, 2018, three weeks after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul A spokesman for the Sussexes said in a statement to The Times: 'Let's just call this what it is - a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation' Staff claimed they had occasion been reduced to tears after dealings with Meghan and one aide told a colleague 'I can't stop shaking' as they anticipated a row with the duchess. Meghan's lawyers vehemently deny she is a bully and said that one person had left the job because of misconduct. The Times said it could not corroborate that claim before publication last night. Meghan Markle's aide Melissa Touabti (right) quit just six months after the Royal wedding at Windsor Castle in May 2018. She had also worked for Robbie Williams and his wife Ayda (pictured left) The Mail also approached a spokesman for the Sussexes for comment. The Times said it was contacted by sources who felt a 'partial version' had emerged of Meghan's two years as a working royal. It makes clear they wished to tell their side in advance of Sunday's 'tell all' television interview, which is likely to make uncomfortable viewing for Buckingham Palace. A spokesman for the Sussexes said in a statement to The Times: 'Let's just call this what it is - a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation'. Insiders told The Times that despite Mr Knauf's intervention nothing was done to investigate the situation or to protect staff from bullying from senior royals in the future. One source told The Times: 'I think the problem is, not much happened with it. It was, "How can we make this go away?", rather than addressing it'. The email also described his worries about the stress the Sussexes' private secretary Samantha Cohen was placed under. Mr Knauf wrote: 'I questioned if the Household policy on bullying and harassment applies to principals'. The Sussexes' lawyers told The Times the couple remained close to Samantha today, and are very grateful for all her work them, denying she was ever bullied. The Times claims that after the email was sent, Prince Harry had a meeting with Mr Knauf and asked him not to pursue the claims against his wife. Lawyers for the couple deny the claim, or that the meeting took place at all. Aides say that they did more to welcome Meghan than has been publicly acknowledged and wanted to give their side of the story before her interview with Oprah is broadcast in the US on Sunday and in the UK on Monday. Mr Knauf's email also described his worries about the stress the Sussexes' private secretary Samantha Cohen was placed under (pictured behind Meghan and the Queen). The Sussexes' lawyers have said they remain close to Samantha and deny she was bullied One source claimed: 'Senior people in the household, Buckingham Palace and Clarence House, knew that they had a situation where members of staff, particularly young women, were being bullied to the point of tears. 'The institution just protected Meghan constantly. All the men in grey suits who she hates have a lot to answer for, because they did absolutely nothing to protect people'. Times sources described a 'febrile' atmosphere at Kensington Palace, where the Sussexes lived alongside Harry's brother William and his family. After the 2018 royal wedding there was a split between the royal households, which was made public in 2019. The newspaper claims that concerns over the treatment of staff, shared by both William and Harry, became so urgent that William and his aide Mr Case sped-up the split of the two households. The source said: 'What was a long-term plan became an immediate plan'. Kensington Palace has not responded to the claims. The Times says Mr Knauf sent his email to Simon Case, then the Duke of Cambridge's private secretary and now the cabinet secretary, after conversations with Samantha Carruthers (pictured), the head of HR When Meghan arrived in London she claimed to have been a good boss. People magazine in the US claimed she once paid for an ice cream stand at Kensington Palace to treat staff in February 2019. A friend of the duchess said that workers 'were remarking how it was the 'best day of work ever'. Meghan's personal assistant Melissa Touabti quit just six months after the Royal wedding at Windsor Castle in May in 2018. The 41-year-old from France had previously worked for X Factor judges Robbie Williams and his wife Ayda Field, who she loved working for, according to friends. 'Robbie Williams is a lively character, but she worked for him longer than she worked for Meghan,' a friend of Melissa's told the Daily Mail at the time. Royal biographer Robert Jobson claimed in his book Charles At Seventy, that Meghan's wedding preparations were so stressful that Harry became 'petulant and short-tempered' with members of staff. He wrote: 'Raising his voice on occasion, Harry would insist: "What Meghan wants, she gets".' Both PAs who left signed non-disclosure agreements. Lawyers for the Sussexes said they had no idea about the NDAs. The Times claims that after Harry and Meghan became engaged in late 2017 a senior member of palace staff warned them about the problems they may have if staff were treated badly. Meghan allegedly replied: 'It's not my job to coddle people.' Friends of the couple have since explained that Meghan was not being rude, but she came from a different culture. Defending the duchess' management of people, Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand's Finding Freedom book says: 'Americans can be much more direct, and that often doesn't sit well in the much more refined institution of the monarchy.' But staff who spoke to The Times allege that it was worse than that. One said: 'I had unpleasant experiences with her. I would definitely say humiliated.' Another said they were 'shaking' and 'terrified' after a row about whether Meghan was told the media was attending one of her events. Months after the wedding the couple embarked on their first royal tour, visiting Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga. When staff complained of stress it is said that a senior adviser tried to reassure them by saying: 'You are dealing with a very difficult lady'. Meghan's lawyers have said that their client had been distressed by negative press stories about her while living in the UK and her friends became 'rightly concerned for her welfare, specifically as she was pregnant, unprotected by the institution and prohibited from defending herself'. But aides trying to defend themselves before Sunday's Oprah interview, have described bending over backwards for her as soon as she arrived. They also revealed that she was asked if she wanted to continue acting or working in the film industry, such was the clamour in the Royal Household to keep Harry's new wife on side. But Meghan politely declined. An insider with knowledge of the conversation told The Times: 'The entire place, because of everything about her, and because of what Harry's previous girlfriends had been through, was bending over backwards to make sure that every option was open'. Another source told the newspaper: 'Everyone knew that the institution would be judged by her happiness'. Meghan's lawyers say she had left her life behind in the US to support her husband and work with him on charitable work and joint passion projects. The Finding Freedom book the couple deny collaborating with, says: 'Nothing could convince Harry that some of the old guard at the palace simply didn't like Meghan and would stop at nothing to make her life difficult'. Responding to this allegation, a source told The Times: 'The way I see it, their view of not getting institutional support was that they were not getting permission to blow up the institution's relationships with the media'. The Sussexes' lawyers denies these claims. Another insider claimed that staff were panicked when there were rows with the Sussexes, because it was considered so unusual in the royal palaces. 'When someone decides not to be civil, they have no idea what to do. They were run over by her, and then run over by Harry. They had no idea what to do', the source said. A spokesman for the Sussexes said in a statement to The Times: 'Let's just call this what it is a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation. 'We are disappointed to see this defamatory portrayal of The Duchess of Sussex given credibility by a media outlet. 'It's no coincidence that distorted several-year-old accusations aimed at undermining the duchess are being briefed to the British media shortly before she and the duke are due to speak openly and honestly about their experience of recent years. 'In a detailed legal letter of rebuttal to The Times, we have addressed these defamatory claims in full, including spurious allegations regarding the use of gifts loaned to the duchess by The Crown. 'The duchess is saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma. She is determined to continue her work building compassion around the world and will keep striving to set an example for doing what is right and doing what is good.' Buckingham Palace declined to comment when contacted by the Mail yesterday. The duchess denies bullying and her lawyers stated that one individual left after findings of misconduct. "This hat doesn't just have a saying; it reflects the true unity of a movement- a change in this country- and the real power that a voter has. People use to say, "my vote doesn't matter," and we learned how far from the truth that is from this past election," finished Dukes. VOAO, pronounced vow, is a unisex line of colorful athleisure pieces with a mission to inform fashionably. One of the youthful fashion line's signature products is the VOAO trucker hat, an acronym for "vote our a** off". The label chose the VOAO Hat as the launch piece as an empowered rejection of the faded MAGA hats and its perceived symbol of racism and discriminatory ideologies. VOAO was inspired by a voter participation promotion, educating new voters, assisting, registering, and attracting first-time voters' attention. The clothing line speaks to a youth market, 29 years and younger, and carries an inspiring message with each clothing and accessory article. Our growing followers and brand ambassadors state the movement correctly; "If Voting wasn't important, then why are people trying so hard to stop you from doing it?" said one of the VOAO brand ambassadors, Alex. "I am voting because I want to help and give power to the unheard around me actively. I encourage us all to vote and aid in the process of transforming America for the better. We cannot rest until everyone is truly equal. Keep fighting for the right things and silence hatred," said Denver, a first-time voter. VOAO is unique as a mom has launched it to give her kids a powerful, wearable platform for getting attention to today's important societal and environmental issues. The VOAO hat line has more color choices, underscoring individuality and the creativity of youth," said Donnamarie Dukes, Founder. "Young voters played a critical role in delivering the 2020 VOTE. "When I first started to create the line, I embraced the notion that America needed a change that is more inclusive for my children as well as all future generations. We, as a country, needed to vote out the Trump administration- and I needed to contribute somehow to that. I knew that an unprecedented effort would be necessary to register and turn out actual votes for the Democratic candidates to achieve victory." VOAO is a clothing line that truly reflects its name. Participation can change, and every vote does matter. People used to say, 'my vote doesn't matter,' and we learned how far from the truth that is from this past election," finished Dukes. We must Vote Our A** Off - at all times and in every election cycle. Regardless of background, people typically have the exact core needs and want to see the same treatment and respect for themselves and one another. To embrace a particular set of Liberal values is daring and bold, much like the garments explicitly designed for this line. Moving forward, one of the missions of the VOAO company is 'responsible retailing' and part of the proceeds from sales support issues and nonprofits important to our customers. Besides making creative clothing that expresses views sustainably, we are participants in important national and global issues. "Our mission this past presidential election was to promote voter participation, educate new voters, assist, register, and deliver a victorious result- which we have. But our mission doesn't stop here." VOAO is an affordable fashion brand, especially given today's distressed market. The VOAO hats start at forty dollars, and sweatshirts start at sixty-five dollars. The line will expand in its offerings, and VOAO always utilizes natural and sustainable fibers. Vote Our A** Off hats and spring sweatshirts are custom embroidered. The clothing doesn't just have a saying; it reflects the true unity of a movement a change in this country and the real power that a voter has. VOAO has launched as strictly an e-commerce based business. Updates for its expansion plans and garment pieces will be available both on its website and in a live document press packet, which will follow. For now, Donnamarie is available for interviews and direct quotes. Her story also reflects the ambitious nature of an ever-evolving business marketplace in today's COVID-19 culture, perfect for feature pieces. Donnamarie Dukes contact@voao.shop There are already cases where the S.H.D.A. could step in and meet the needs of communities. The city of Santa Fe, N.M., owns a 64-acre property from a defunct college next to a gentrifying neighborhood. After a developer backed out in January, citing economic uncertainty, the city may be considering selling off the property to investors because of its mounting debt. Community organizations like Chainbreaker Collective are pushing to turn the property into a land trust with much-needed affordable housing. Its leaders cite insufficient funding as the main obstacle. The S.H.D.A. could step in to provide funds and technical assistance to get the project started. Except for corporate speculators, the S.H.D.A. would be a win for all. Landlords would dodge torturous legal proceedings, tenants would avoid uncertainty, and communities would benefit from quality, permanently affordable housing. While its principal focus would be on distressed residential property, the agency could also acquire empty office buildings and convert them into housing. The S.H.D.A. would be funded, in line with the BUILD Act of 2018, by establishing an account at the Treasury, which would be drawn from and replenished through the agencys activities. New programs take time and resources to get off the ground. Policymakers are more comfortable creating incentives for the private sector rather than trying to build new public institutions. But a years worth of distress wont evaporate overnight. Federal action on this scale is not a far-fetched idea. The United States government has a history, including after the 2008 crisis, of entering the market in times of need albeit imperfectly, but with important successes. Now is the time for the federal government again to take bold action in the housing sector, and this time with an eye to empowering communities. An effort like the S.H.D.A. meets needs that predate the pandemic and will only grow in years to come. Direct rent payments are necessary and expedient, but they are only a half measure. Even if they cover every last cent of tenant debt, it will only return us to pre-pandemic days, when one in four renters were already paying half their income to rent and most low-income families had unaffordable housing costs. Crises are moments of upheaval, but they are also opportunities to look at the ways weve done things and ask whether we could do them differently in the future. It is time to make transformative change in a housing system that even before the pandemic was failing too many. Congress and the White House have a chance to create policies that not only help us bounce back from this crisis, but also help prevent the next one. Gianpaolo Baiocchi is a professor and director of the Urban Democracy Lab at New York University. H. Jacob Carlson is a postdoctoral research associate at Brown Universitys Population Studies and Training Center, and Spatial Structures in the Social Sciences (S4). The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. Wed like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram. What we are trying to do is manage the spread of the disease, so it doesnt overwhelm our health system as youve seen in New York and Italy. Ultimately, Western Australia cannot become an island in a global community which has COVID-19. That was WA Health Minister Roger Cook on March 31 last year as the first wave of WA coronavirus cases, which had been running early in the month at daily 20s and 30s, slowed to a trickle of single digits. Premier Mark McGowan is expected to be re-elected on March 13. Credit:Stephen Kiprillis Three days later, Mark McGowan announced the WA border would be closed to the rest of the country. It wont be forever, its a temporary closure to make sure we limit the spread of the virus in WA, the Premier said. While we are in this state of emergency, we need you to stay where you are. The quicker we can get through this, the quicker we can get back to normal. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 A patch of fabric that weaves in electrodes for monitoring human heart signals. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Anderson lab On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin stepped out a lunar lander onto the surface of the moon. The landscape in front of him, which was made up of stark blacks and grays, resembled what he later called "magnificent desolation." When it comes to desolation, however, the moon may have nothing on Mars. The red planet circles the sun at an average distance of about 140 million miles from Earth. When people eventually visit this worldwhether that's in 20 years or 50they may face a journey lasting 1,000 days or longer. The entire Apollo 11 mission, in contrast, lasted just a little over eight days. If future Mars astronauts get lonely, or if something more serious goes wrong, help is a long way away. For researchers who study how human bodies and minds respond to the rigors of space travel, the scenario poses a lot of unknowns. "We have never put someone in space for that long," said Allie Anderson, an assistant professor in the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences. "There will be a lot of challenges we can't predict because the human body doesn't always behave as we predict when living in space." Those challenges are in the spotlight again after NASA successfully landed its most recent non-human astronaut, a rover named Perseverance, on the surface of Mars Feb. 18. They're also the bread and butter of researchers studying bioastronautics, or the study and support of life in space, at CU Boulder. Anderson, for example, explores high-tech clothing that can monitor the health of astronauts as they live and work on Mars. Her research, she added, has evolved a lot as people across the globe are feeling increasingly isolated in their own lives. A second team led by engineer David Klaus studies how space habitats that employ "smart systems," such as intelligent robots, might one day help humans to survive on the surface of an alien world. It's a research focus that comes with zero room for error, said Klaus, a professor of aerospace engineering sciences at CU Boulder. "Today, if something breaks on the International Space Station, astronauts can always get into a capsule and come home," he said. "When you start getting out toward Mars, you're very far away. You can't rely on ground control." Credit: University of Colorado at Boulder The stillness of space Anderson noted that space can be a dangerous environment but also one that brings a sense of tranquility. It's something she got to experience herself, if only for a few seconds in 2015. The engineer, who was then a postdoctoral researcher studying how low gravity environments can affect human eyesight, had the opportunity to ride on one of NASA's famous parabolic flightslarge airplanes that fly high into the air then plummet quickly to make passengers feel like they're weightless. In a recent video, Anderson described a moment she had to herself at the end of that flight: "I gently push off, and in that 20 second window, I get to just float and experience the calmness and stillness of space." For the engineer, who refers to herself as a "little bit of a Martian" because of her passion for that planet, the feeling was short-lived. For Mars astronauts, that stillness will be an everyday reality. Even communicating with friends and family back home will be an ordeal. If you speak into a microphone on Mars, it can take anywhere from about five to 20 minutes for someone on Earth to hear your call. Mental health interventions like psychotherapy will be nearly impossible. "Astronauts aren't going to be able to take a vacation from that environment," Anderson said. So she and her colleagues, among other research projects, are trying to work within that uncertainty. They're designing tools and strategies that may one day allow health professionals on Earth to monitor and even treat Mars explorers when they're feeling stressed out. Katya Arquilla, a graduate student working with Anderson, sees a lot of parallels to the challenges of providing mental health resources on Earth. "A big issue is to get over the stigma of mental health," she said. "That's a problem we see here on Earth all the timegetting people to realize that they may have a mental illness and to seek help." In one project, Arquilla and Anderson have devised new ways of collecting electrocardiogram (ECG) data on human patients. These heart signals, which are often used to diagnose heart attacks and similar health problems, can give medical personnel a window into how people are handling stress. Normally, doctors rely on obtrusive and uncomfortable adhesive electrodes to take ECG data. Arquilla, in contrast, developed and tested new kinds of woven electrodes that can be incorporated into the fabric of a normal, tight-fitting T-shirt. Arquilla said that her thinking about the project has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, millions of Americansnot just highly-trained astronautsare undergoing the kind of loneliness and isolation that may await future Mars explorers. She hopes her research can make their lives better, too. "I think the conversation on mental health here in the United States is finally shifting in a healthy direction," she said. "Hopefully, these types of technologies can be integrated into care on Earth, as well." Allie Anderson (middle, in helmet) participates in a class held in southern Utah and led by the CU Anschutz Medical Campus simulating the challenges of providing medical care on Mars. Credit: University of Colorado at Boulder Habitats as ecosystems When people from Earth finally make it to Mars, they'll need someplace to sleepand those future living spaces will have to be much more than just homes, said Patrick Pischulti, a graduate student working on Klaus' team. "For astronauts, the space habitat is their ecosystem," he said. "It provides oxygen. It provides water. It protects them from the dangers of the space environment." Klaus, Pischulti and their colleagues are focusing on how NASA and other space agencies can keep these delicate ecosystems "alive" even when humans aren't onboard. In other words, how can a space habitat continue to function when there are no astronauts around to perform routine maintenance? The research is part of a NASA-funded initiative called the Habitats Optimized for Missions of Exploration (HOME) Space Technology Research Institute, which is led by the University of California, Davis. That's important for Mars exploration in which habitats may sit empty for months in between crewed missions, Klaus said. "With the exception of a few short durations in between Skylab missions in the 1970s and during the early International Space Stations construction phase, there's never been an opportunity or a need in NASA's missions to have a human spacecraft with no humans onboard," he said. The key to developing these kinds of self-sufficient homes may lie in "smart systems." That's a catchall term for intelligent machines, from vacuuming robots to floating networks of fire detectors, that can work in tandem with human users. NASA, for example, has already sent three robots collectively known as Astrobee to the International Space Station. The space agency is testing whether these flying, cube-shaped machines will be able to help astronauts complete their daily chores, such as shuttling objects around the station. On Earth, there are no shortage to these kinds of tools, said Annika Rollock, a graduate student working on the HOME project. She and her colleagues, however, are seeking to better understand which ones may be critical for keeping astronauts healthy and safeand which ones might only get in the way or, even worse, put human lives at risk. "We have to say, "This AC unit or fire detector works great in an apartment building, but it won't work in space, or it's not going to be worth sending it into space," Rollock said. For now, working in the field of bioastronautics can take a lot of patienceit may be decades, if not longer, before we see an Earthling set foot on Mars. But Anderson is hopeful, at least, that she'll see her hard work make it to the red planet one day. "I am hoping to see somebody stand on the surface of Mars before I die," she said. "Even though I think I'll be an old woman when that happens." Explore further Books outline what it takes to put astronauts in space The mass vaccination site at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center will begin administering shots on Wednesday, adding another avenue for area residents to receive coronavirus vaccines as officials prepare for increased supplies. About 700 people will receive the shots at the facility on Wednesday, according to officials from LCMC Health, which will operate the federally funded facility along with the New Orleans Health Department and the state. Hundreds more doses will be offered at the site on Thursday and Friday, when LCMC is expected, like other health care providers throughout Louisiana, to receive the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. "We will start tomorrow and move into Thursday and the weekend," Dr. Jeffrey Elder of University Medical Center, LCMC Health's director of emergency preparedness operations, told a New Orleans City Council committee on Tuesday. "We expect that we will be able to vaccinate next week as well." The vaccines will be offered to eligible residents who have requested them through LCMC or the city's health department. Appointments are required in order to avoid creating long, first-come, first-serve lines that have plagued similar mass drive-up sites elsewhere in the country. On Wednesday, vaccinations will be given to people who have already been selected off of waiting lists. People looking to sign up for later dates can make appointments starting at 7 a.m. Wednesday. The opening comes a week after LCMC officials first announced they would use the Convention Center building to inoculate large numbers of residents. The plan, they said, was to start with hundreds of daily doses and then ramp up to thousands as more supplies arrive. Since the U.S. vaccine rollout began in December, most of the people eligible to receive the shots in Louisiana have gotten them through a constellation of pharmacies, clinics and hospitals. But in recent weeks, hospitals operators and local officials have been accelerating plans for larger facilities that will eventually serve thousands of people per day. Ochsner Health said it would host a drive-thru vaccination event at the Shrine on Airline Thursday, where it plans administer 2,000 shots of the Pfizer vaccine. Half of the doses will go to patients who received their first dose at a drive-thru event a month ago, while the remainder will go to eligible residents who can get an appointment through Ochsner. Jefferson Parish said it would also host a drive-thru event Thursday at the Alario Center, which is also by appointment. More than 657,000 Louisiana residents have gotten at least one vaccine dose, while nearly 370,000 have received both doses, according to data from the Louisiana Department of Health. Since December, LCMC has distributed over 60,000 vaccines under the Pfizer or the Moderna brands, Elder said, shots that require cold storage or shipment and that must be taken in two doses several weeks apart. But it is set, like other hospitals around the state, to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine this week. That vaccine requires normal refrigeration temperatures and can be taken in single dose. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was 72% effective in preventing moderate to severe coronavirus cases in U.S. clinical trials, but 100% effective in preventing death. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, meanwhile, are over 94% effective at preventing symptoms of COVID-19. Residents will be offered whichever vaccine LCMC has available, health leaders have said. Elder praised the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine on Tuesday as an efficient way to keep people from dying of the virus and eventually reaching herd immunity. Vaccine news in your inbox Once a week we'll update you on the progress of COVID-19 vaccinations. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up "It keeps them out of the hospitals, and it keeps them from dying," he said. "We cannot underestimate how important it is to get people into the clinics to get them vaccinated." For its launch at the Convention Center this week, LCMC is using a waiting list of eligible recipients compiled by the city health department and by its own hospitals. Only people 65 or over, people with certain health conditions, K-12 or daycare teachers, pregnant people and select other groups are eligible for the vaccines. The hospital operator is also working with the Regional Transit Authority to identify sites where people can be picked up and bused directly to the Convention Center to receive their shots. There will likely be two pickup sites, one in New Orleans East and one in Algiers, LCMC Health Chief Administrative Officer Dr. Ayame Dinkler said. Residents who are able to drive to the center to be vaccinated can park their cars in Parking Lot F, across from Hall J, she said. With a mass vaccination site coming online, a spokesperson for City Hall said Tuesday the city is closing its own COVID-19 testing sites and pivoting its focus to vaccine administration. The test sites that are run by the Louisiana National Guard and by CORE will continue to serve residents, spokesperson Beau Tidwell said. The city is also hunting for volunteers who can help it maintain its citywide vaccination list, help out at the city's 311 call center and work at city-run vaccine sites. Roughly 2,000 people have signed up so far, but the city is hoping to at least double that number. Workers who sign up to help are considered emergency response personnel under state guidelines, though there is no guarantee that enough vaccines will be available to everyone who does sign up, New Orleans Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness public engagement manager Laura Mellem said. Appointment details and contact information: To make an appointment with LCMC Health, eligible residents can call 504-290-5200 or go online at lcmchealth.org/vaccine. To make an appointment with Jefferson Parish, eligible residents can call 504-518-4020 or go online at covidvaccinations.jeffparish.net. To make an appointment with Ochsner Health, eligible residents can call (844) 888-2772 or use the MyOchsner patient portal online. A full schedule of all public test sites in New Orleans can be found at https://ready.nola.gov/incident/coronavirus/calenda Residents looking to help with mass vaccinations can go to ready.nola.gov/volunteer. Staff writers Jeff Adelson and Faimon A. Roberts III contributed to this story. STAMFORD After a complicated eligibility expansion in Stamford Monday, Mayor David Martin focused on the bright sides of vaccine distribution at his weekly COVID-19 update. The mayor on Tuesday evening pointed to early data that showed a drop in COVID incidence in the community. I tell you, this vaccine is making a difference, Martin said. Particularly to the individuals who are 75-plus. And now that were vaccinating the 65-plus, I expect to see the reductions there, as we continue to see the reductions in the 75-plus (community) over time. Martin topped off the news with yet another vaccine announcement: Stamford Hospital would likely receive doses of the newly approved Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine later in the week. Stamford Superintendent of Schools Dr. Tamu Lucero announced during a Board of Education workshop meeting Tuesday night that all Stamford elementary teachers the first batch of educators to get vaccinated would receive the Johnson & Johnson one. Stamford Health will receive 2,000 doses of the new vaccine this week, according to Stamford Health Infectious Disease Chair Dr. Michael Parry. On the heels of news about more vaccines, Parry nodded subtly towards the lack of vaccine appointments at Stamford Hospital following the March 1 expansion. The demand is so great and supply is still limited, he said. But things will improve with time. We will open up new slots in the schedule. We will get new vaccine. As we get into April and May, there will be plenty of vaccine for those that want it, particularly in those high-risk ages and high-risk groups. Hospital officials told The Advocate on Monday that vaccine appointments at Stamford Health are fully booked until the end of March, and that the hospital would open up more vaccine appointments as it received more allocations from the state. Martins data suggests that, since mid-February, COVID-19 positivity in people older than 75 dropped approximately 2 percent, according to the seven-day average. The week that Connecticut expanded vaccine eligibility, Stamford received just over 12,100 doses of the COVID-19 vaccines, according to Director of Health Dr. Jennifer Calder. Stamford Health received the bulk of the citys allocation: 6,600 doses. Community Health Center, which operates a mass testing operation on High Ridge Road, received 5,400 doses. In stark comparison, Optimus Healthcare received 100 doses. Close to 13 percent of residents have received the first dose of their COVID vaccine in Stamford, beating out other large, diverse cities in the state like Norwalk, Bridgeport, and New Haven, Martin said. But Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention data shows that Stamford lags the percentage of people vaccinated statewide by more than 10 percent. Overall, 25.1 percent of adults in the state received at least the first dose of their COVID vaccine. Martin attributed this disconnect to racial health disparities across Connecticut. Were struggling to get our population with the first dose we want more vaccine, all the time, he said. And the cities that have more diverse populations in general have a harder time getting more vaccines into peoples arms, for a variety of reasons we need not get into. Clifford Chance announces lateral hire of two counsel in Australia Leading international law firm Clifford Chance has announced the lateral hires of Julia Dreosti and Tennie Tam as counsel. Based in Sydney, the two senior appointments bolster the firm's leading Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Corporate teams, respectively. Julia is a commercial litigator and arbitration practitioner with over 15 years' experience advising clients on the entire spectrum of contentious matters across a wide range of sectors including energy, defence, infrastructure, construction, government and corporates. She is Australian law qualified and holds a Masters in French Law and European Community Law. Julia serves as an Australian representative to the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR. She re-joins the firm from Lipman Karas where she was a Principal, having previously worked in the Sydney and Singapore offices of Clifford Chance. Tennie is senior corporate lawyer with extensive experience in private equity and financial investor M&A gained in both Australia and New York. She has a breadth of skills advising clients in corporate transactions, including acquisitions and divestments of public and private businesses across a broad range of sectors, co-investment and secondary transactions. Tennie joins the firm from Sidley Austin. Australia Managing Partner Richard Gordon offered, "Our Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice has undergone a period of tremendous growth with our teams across Sydney and Perth assisting clients on some of the highest profile commercial litigation, regulatory investigations and arbitration matters in the market. Julia returns to our firm, having previously worked with us in Sydney and Singapore, and brings a wealth of experience leading high-stakes contentious matters both within Australia and in the broader Asia Pacific region. She will make an excellent addition to our senior bench." "Our Corporate practice is experiencing strong growth, particularly in advising financial investors, and Tennie's strong skillset and experience advising these types of clients across the full gamut of corporate transactions makes her a fantastic addition to our Australian practice. Tennie's vast network and experience will mean she will be readily able to assist and provide senior support across our network of offices in the Asia Pacific." In addition to the appointment of Tennie and Julia, the firm recently announced the lateral hire of leveraged finance partner Elizabeth Hundt Russell from King & Wood Mallesons. Former Central Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Allotey Jacobs has stated he is repelled by the activities of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) to the core. On his accord, regardless of God being tolerant and compassionate, He has since time immemorial stood against homosexuality and all its related activities. I read a portion of the new testament where God told Peter he had cleansed pigs and other animals for consumption. Before I read that scripture, I hated pigs but I now rear them. God says he has cleansed all things and made them whole but not homosexuality. He hates it to the core. I hate the idea of the LGBT community to the core. If it is brought to my attention that my child is engaged in such an act, I will disown him. I hate it and it shouldnt be practiced, he said in an interview with Done Kwabena Prah on Happy 98.9 FMs Epa Hoa Daben political talk show. He pointed out that during creation, God never created animal pairs as same sex, because He knew two male goats cannot make a kid. He created Adam and Eve for a purpose and the order of the Lord is for men to marry women and nothing more. Referencing the bible on some drastic measures people of the old took against homosexuality, he said, some male youth wanted to sleep with a Levite in the book of Judges but he offered his female servant to do as they please with, to which they agreed. But after reporting his ordeal to the Levite tribe, they sent a large army to end that tribe of Benjamin. This tells you how much God hates such people. Conversation and anger towards LGBT practices have been renewed in Ghana following a fundraiser which was attended by several diplomats including the Australian High Commissioner who pledged to support the group. The EU office in Ghana has also declared support for the group. But President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has stated that the legalization of same-sex marriage will never happen under his watch. According to the President, I have said this before, and let me, in conclusion, stress again that it will not be under the presidency of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo that same-sex marriage will be legalized in Ghana. It will never happen in my time as President. Source: ghanaweb 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 WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that pharmaceutical giant Merck will help make Johnson & Johnson's single-shot coronavirus vaccine - an unusual pact between fierce rivals that is among several steps intended to boost supply as Biden pushes toward having enough shots for every adult by the end of May. Biden hailed the development as an example of industry coming together for the common good, in keeping with his frequent calls for a stronger emergency footing to combat the pandemic. "Two of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world who are usually competitors are working together on the vaccine," he said in remarks delivered at the White House. "This is the type of collaboration between companies we saw in World War II." Biden's vow to produce enough vaccine for all U.S. adults by the end of May is two months faster than his previous goal of the end of July. But the Merck deal on its own is not expected to ramp up fast enough to impact vaccine supplies significantly in the next three months. Biden officials have successfully pushed Johnson & Johnson in other ways: The company and its contract manufacturers are moving to round-the-clock production, posting full-time technicians in plants to immediately repair any machinery breakdowns, and accepting daily logistical help from the Department of Defense, the administration said. "Among the things I learned when I came into office was that Johnson & Johnson was behind in manufacturing and production,'' Biden said. "We had the potential to have a highly effective vaccine to accompany the two existing vaccines. It simply wasn't coming fast enough." Rather than a vastly accelerated timeline, Biden's revised May target reflects his administration's new confidence in the schedules set forth by all of the vaccine manufacturers. An administration official said Johnson & Johnson's latest goal is to produce 94 million doses of its single-shot vaccine by the end of May - that is about 7 million doses ahead of the schedule in its contract, which calls for delivery of 87 million doses by the end of May and the full 100 million by the end of June. With Pfizer and Moderna already pledging to deliver 200 million doses each of their two-shot vaccines by late May, the total supply would be more than enough for the estimated 260 adults living in the United States currently eligible for a coronavirus vaccine. The Merck deal is geared toward the second half of the year, an administration officials said. That's when the threat of variants could loom larger, requiring the manufacture of booster shots, and also when greater political attention will turn to supplying the developing world with vaccine. The administration will pay $268.8 million to Merck to upgrade multiple plants to the necessary safety standards to produce Johnson & Johnson vaccine, from fermentation in vats to final finish and filling in vials. The Biden administration and the companies did not disclose the number of doses Merck would produce for Johnson & Johnson. Biden's team began scouring the country for additional manufacturing capacity soon after taking office, according to administration officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity before Biden's announcement.They soon sought a deal with Merck, one of the world's largest vaccine makers, which had failed to develop its own coronavirus vaccine. Under the arrangement, Merck will dedicate two facilities in the United States to Johnson & Johnson's shots. One will provide "fill-finish" services, the last stage of the production process during which the vaccine substance is placed in vials and packaged for distribution. The other will make the vaccine, and has the potential to vastly increase supply, perhaps even doubling what Johnson & Johnson could make on its own, the officials said. Merck's participation sets up a race to see how quickly it can make an impact on Johnson & Johnson's rollout. It could easily take two months to get the "fill-finish" plant ready and a few more months to equip the other facility to make the vaccine, according to a person familiar with the process who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the issue. Merck said Tuesday it would use the federal emergency money for vaccine-related upgrades as well as enhancements for production of unnamed drug treatments. After abandoning two vaccine candidates because they didn't work, Merck still has two potential covid 19 treatments in its clinical trial pipeline. "This funding from [the U.S. government] will allow us to accelerate our efforts to scale up our manufacturing capacity to enable timely delivery of much needed medicines and vaccines for the pandemic," said Mike Nally, executive vice president, Human Health at Merck. Johnson & Johnson said Merck's involvement would permit it to go beyond the 100 million doses it has pledged to provide the United States under a $1 billion contract, but it did not provide any specifics. "We think it's going to add considerably to our capabilities, both near and long term," Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky told CNBC on Tuesday. Biden is wielding the powers of the Defense Production Act, a Korean War-era law, to give Merck priority in securing equipment it will need to upgrade its facilities for vaccine production, including the purchase ofmachinery, bags, tubing and filtration systems. In teaming up with Merck, Johnson & Johnson has a partner with a century-long tradition of making vaccines. In the United States, Merck is the sole supplier of the combination childhood vaccine that protects against measles, mumps and rubella. It developed Gardasil, which protects against the human papillomavirus. And it won Food and Drug Administration approval for an Ebola vaccine in 2019. But the company, which makes vaccines in North Carolina, Pennsylvania and elsewhere, encountered setbacks in its quest to develop a coronavirus vaccine. Merck announced Jan. 25 that it was halting work on two experimental shots for the virus. The vaccine did not stimulate enough antibodies in Phase 1 human clinical trials to justify continuing, the company said. Johnson & Johnson has been searching the world for manufacturing sites where it could produce doses of its vaccine on a global scale. It has publicly disclosed more than half a dozen manufacturing sites on four continents that it said were winnowed from more than 100 possibilities. Its vaccine uses an adenovirus vaccine as a vector - a harmless cold virus that does not replicate in the body - to deliver DNA instructions into a healthy human cell. The cell uses the genetic instructions to create a replica of a coronavirus spike protein that triggers an immune response that can recognize - and respond to - the real thing. The U.S. government paid the company $2 billion for development and clinical trials and preorders at a price of $10 per dose just days after it received emergency authorization from federal regulators. After the FDA on Saturday authorized the Johnson & Johnson vaccinefor use in those 18 and older, the company said it would immediately ship nearly 4 million doses in the United States, and a total of 20 million by the end of March, which is 17 million less than expected under its government contract. Its current schedule calls for a recovery from those delays, with the company saying it is on track to deliver 100 million doses by the end of June. A top company executive told Congress last week that it has a goal of manufacturing 1 billion doses worldwide by year's end. Most of Johnson & Johnson's partnersdisclosed to date are contract manufacturing companies, but now it is moving to team with larger drug companies that have seen their own vaccine projects delayed or fizzled. Sanofi - which had to reboot its clinical trials of a vaccine candidate after early stumbles - announced last week that it would help Johnson & Johnson with final production steps and bottling in vials in Europe. Projected capacity from a Sanofi plant in France is 12 million doses per month. BioNTech, Pfizer's German partner on its mRNA vaccine, also announced deals in January for rivals Sanofi and Novartis to fill and finish vaccine vials in Europe. The manufacturing process is time-consuming: Johnson and Johnson ferments large batches of its vaccine in vats at a contract manufacturing facility in Baltimore operated by Emergent, as well as locations in the Netherlands and India. That brewing step takes two months. Emergent received commitments of $628 million from the Trump administration in June to expand capacity at its Baltimore plant for coronavirus vaccine production. It then received contracts worth $615 from Johnson & Johnson in July. But eight months later, the undisclosed number of J&J vaccine doses produced at Emergent are not available for public distribution. Emergent still has not been authorized to produce Johnson & Johnson's vaccine under the FDA emergency use authorization, the New York Times first reported Tuesday. An administration official said Emergent's Baltimore production line is expected to be approved in the next few weeks. After fermenting in vats, the vaccine needs to be put into its final formulation and packaged into vials for shipping, which takes another five to six weeks, including testing for purity. In the United States and Europe, that final "fill-finish" process for vaccines has created bottlenecks across the industry, as manufacturers have flooded the supply chain with demand to finish hundreds of millions of doses. Johnson & Johnson has agreements for fill-finish work to be done by two companies in the United States: Grand River Aseptic, with plants in Michigan, and Catalent, at a plant in Indiana. Catalent also isperforming fill-finish operations for Moderna, which is obligated to deliver 300 million doses of its mRNA vaccine to the government by the end of July. In Italy, Catalent also is helping Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca manufacture their vaccines. Catalent said Tuesday that it had sufficient, dedicated capacity at its Bloomington, Ind., plant to handle the vaccine volume for both companies. "Catalent is on track to deliver on our commitments for Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine deliveries as soon as we are approved to begin shipments by the FDA, which we anticipate in the coming weeks. Catalent is also on schedule to meet our commitment to Moderna to produce 100 million doses by the end of March 2021," company spokesman Chris Halling said in an email. - - - The Washington Post's Isaac Stanley-Becker contributed to this report. Op-ed: For the People ActRebuilding Our Democracy By Leslie McColgin PADUCAH - The U.S. Congress is poised to take up a bill so important they gave it the number 1 to emphasize how important it is to our democracy. The For The People Act, dubbed HR1 in the House, is being taken up for consideration the week of March 1st. New polling (Data For Progress, Feb 19-22, 2021) shows a stunning level of bipartisan support for the reforms in this bill with a 52-point approval margin (68% support vs 16% oppose). This bill is a package of reforms to expand access to voting, limit the influence of money in politics, and require congressional districts to be drawn by a non-partisan commission so that no one party has an advantage.People have become disillusioned about ethics and accountability in Washington, and this bill helps ensure that politicians act in the peoples interest rather than their own self-interest. Included are reforms to the Federal Election Commission so it can respond effectively when people break campaign finance rules. It sets up a small-donor matching system of public financing to make it possible to run for office without having to know people with a lot of money. It addresses preventing foreign interference, limiting money in politics and increasing election security.Voter participation is key to democracy. We need to make sure that all people have access to voting without undue obstacles, while maintaining election security. The bills voting section is based on John Lewis signature legislation, the Voter Empowerment Act. Included are provisions that make it easier for working people to vote, such as 15 days of early voting and same-day voter registration. These are present in many states already and this would make our system more equitable.We need this bill because everyone should have an equal voice in our democracy, no matter what you look like, where you come from, or how much money you have. Reducing the influence of big donors in politics and expanding access to voting are important for everyone regardless of whether you voted for Joe Biden or Donald Trump. We need nonpartisan, independent redistricting commissions to make sure voters get to pick their politicians instead of allowing politicians to pick their voters. This is a bill for all Americans.Our local grassroots citizens group, Four Rivers Indivisible, is proud to endorse this legislation. Our democracy needs us to come together on these issues that unite us. Its time to support the For The People Act as it moves through the U.S. House and to the U.S. Senate. Contact your member of Congress today!-Leslie McColgin, co-leader of Four Rivers Indivisible. FAIRGROVE, MI - The Michigan Bean Festival is hosting two Easter fundraisers to bring some joy to Tuscola County youngsters. The first is a free opportunity to have the kids take a photo with the Easter Bunny on Saturday, March 20. There are a limited number of spaces. Sign up here to reserve a spot. The event will take place outdoors at the Michigan Bean Festival building, located at 1933 Liberty St. in Fairgrove. The second is an Egg My Yard event in which the Beano Bunny can hide candy-filled Easter eggs in your front yard for the kids to wake up to 25 eggs will cost $20, 50 will cost $40, and 75 will cost $55. The hiding will take place the night before Easter, and all orders have to be in by Friday, March 26. Those interested can sign up for one or both events using the form linked here. Read more: Tuesday, March 2, coronavirus data by Michigan county: Genesee, Kalamazoo, Bay see jump in new cases, positivity rates How to vote for Michigans Best Fish Fry in our 11 regional polls Michigan to relax COVID-19 restrictions for restaurants Study indicates the drug is effective in opioid users who also take benzodiazepines for anxiety, other conditions Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, opioid misuse has continued unabated in the United States, with an estimated 2.5 million or more Americans suffering from opioid use disorder. Most people treated for the disorder are given medications, such as buprenorphine, that activate opioid receptors. But there is disagreement about whether it's safe to prescribe buprenorphine for people who also take benzodiazepines, which are potentially addictive medications prescribed for stress, sleep and anxiety. New research involving the medical data of more than 23,000 patients being treated for opioid use disorder supports the use of buprenorphine in patients also taking benzodiazepines. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that the drug can protect opioid users from overdosing, even when such patients also take benzodiazepines, such as Valium, Xanax and Ativan. The study is published online March 3 in The American Journal of Psychiatry. "Buprenorphine has had very good results as a treatment for opioid use disorder, partly because patients can take the drug at home, which is different from other drugs commonly used to treat the disorder such as methadone, which requires visits to clinics," said first author Kevin Xu, MD, a resident physician in the Department of Psychiatry. "It's well known that buprenorphine saves lives in patients with opioid use disorder, but because the drug has central nervous system depressing effects, there have been big questions about safety when patients also take benzodiazepines, which also depress the central nervous system. Our findings, however, indicate that buprenorphine makes overdose less likely, even in people also taking benzodiazepines." The research team dug into the topic partly because many treatment centers do not accept patients who are addicted to opioids and also take prescription benzodiazepines. "Up to a third of people who suffer opioid overdoses also have benzodiazepines in their systems," Xu said. "Many people get turned away from buprenorphine treatment or, even worse, their doctors abruptly taper them off benzodiazepines, which can be very destabilizing. Our goal was to learn more about whether there are dangers associated with taking buprenorphine while also taking benzodiazepines." Although buprenorphine isn't the only medication used to treat opioid use disorder -- others include methadone and naltrexone -- the researchers focused on buprenorphine in this study because patients often can fill prescriptions for the medication at a pharmacy and take the drug at home. Xu and his colleagues -- including Laura J. Bierut, MD, the Alumni Endowed Professor of Psychiatry, and Richard A. Grucza, PhD, a professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at Saint Louis University -- analyzed data compiled by insurance companies that tracked emergency room visits involving 23,036 de-identified patients with buprenorphine prescriptions. "We've all heard about the devastation caused by opioids such as heroin and fentanyl, but use of benzodiazepines also can be addictive and deadly," said Bierut, one of the study's senior investigators. "Many people who are addicted to opioids also have anxiety or depression for which they've been prescribed a benzodiazepine drug. How to handle that combination has confounded psychiatrists and addiction medicine specialists, but we think these findings provide some clarity." Every de-identified patient tracked in the database had experienced at least one overdose event, but none suffered a fatal overdose. Each individual was followed for two years to track what prescriptions they filled and how often each person ended up in the emergency department with a drug-related poisoning. Although the database tracked only nonfatal overdoses, Xu explained those events account for the vast majority of drug-related poisonings, adding that those who suffer nonfatal overdoses are at risk to eventually die of a drug overdose. "These are high-risk patients, and we know that when someone overdoses once, it's likely he or she will be back in an emergency department again for the same reason," Xu said. In trying to learn whether buprenorphine helped prevent overdoses and whether taking that drug along with benzodiazepines might increase overdose risk, the researchers discovered that opioid users who took buprenorphine had a 40% reduction in their risk for an overdose compared with not receiving the treatment. Meanwhile, opioid users with benzodiazepine prescriptions who did not take buprenorphine were almost twice as likely to suffer an overdose that put them in the hospital. "Even for people taking benzodiazepines, buprenorphine had a protective effect," Xu said. "Buprenorphine didn't protect those patients from overdose as much as it protected users not taking benzodiazepines, but it still made overdoses less likely." What that means about drug interactions between buprenorphine, opioids and benzodiazepines still isn't completely clear. But what is clear, Xu said, is that prescribing buprenorphine for opioid users in treatment can protect them from overdose, even if they also are taking a benzodiazepine drug. ### Xu K, Borodovsky J, Presnall N, Mintz C, Hartz S, Bierut LJ, Grucza RA. The association between benzodiazepine and Z drug prescriptions and drug-related poisonings among patients receiving buprenorphine maintenance: a case-crossover analysis. The American Journal of Psychiatry, published online March 3, 2021. This work was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Grant numbers R25 MH112473-01, R21 AA024888-01, UL1 TR002345, R21 DA044744, U10 AA008401, R01 DA036583, K12 DA041449, R21 AA02568901, F32 AA027941, R24 HS19455. Additional support from the Center for Administrative Data Research (CADR) at Washington University. Washington University School of Medicine's 1,500 faculty physicians also are the medical staff of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children's hospitals. The School of Medicine is a leader in medical research, teaching and patient care, ranking among the top 10 medical schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Through its affiliations with Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children's hospitals, the School of Medicine is linked to BJC HealthCare. President Donald Trump speaks to the media before departing the White House to Joint Base Andrews, on March 13, 2018. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) House Committee Reissues Subpoena for Trumps Financial Records The House Oversight and Reform Committee reissued its subpoena seeking to gain access to President Donald Trumps financial records, according to a court filing. The subpoena renews a request to Trumps accounting firm Mazars USA to hand over eight years of financial records involving the former president and his business as part of a probe into allegations about Trumps financial statements. Trump went to the federal court to challenge the original subpoena to block its enforcement shortly after it was issued in April 2019. That subpoena expired in January when new lawmakers took office. Attorneys for each party in the case informed the judge on March 2 that the subpoena had been reissued by the new Oversight panel to Mazars on Feb. 25. They also submitted a schedule on how the parties would proceed with the case while asking the court to set a date for a hearing. While the subpoena shows a return deadline of noon on March 11, the lawyers said the Oversight panel agrees to voluntarily stay the return date of the subpoena pending this Courts resolution of the subpoenas enforceability. Lawyers for Trump and Mazars didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment on the renewed subpoena. Oversight Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) said in a memo on Feb. 23 that the committee during the 117th Congress will continue targeting Trump for its investigation into alleged presidential conflicts of interest, saying that his financial documents are crucial to verify key facts and tailor legislative reforms to be as effective and efficient as possible. Donald Trumps unprecedented actions as Presidentincluding his refusal to divest from his complex and opaque financial holdingshave laid bare several apparent weaknesses and gaps in the laws and regulations governing presidential financial disclosure, conflicts of interest, and emoluments, Maloney wrote. Trump has repeatedly called the investigations seeking his financial records a continuation of a political witch hunt, while his lawyers and former Solicitor General Noel Francisco have raised questions in court about whether there are any legitimate legislative purposes for issuing the subpoenas. Instead, the lawyers said the House sought the records to harass the president, expose personal matters, and conduct law enforcement activities beyond its authority. The case relating to the Oversight committee subpoena went through months of litigation before it arrived at the Supreme Court in 2020. It was combined with a separate case in which Trump was challenging a different subpoena issued by the Financial Services and Intelligence committees seeking financial records from two of his banks. In both cases, the district courts denied his requests to block the subpoenas, and the decisions were upheld on appeal. Trump then asked the Supreme Court to review the cases. The high court in July 2020 sent the pair of cases back to lower courts for another review because those courts hadnt taken into account the special concerns regarding the separation of powers. Chief Justice John Roberts, who wrote the majority opinion, said the lower courts should perform a careful analysis that takes adequate account of the separation of powers principles at stake, including both the significant legislative interests of Congress and the unique position of the President. The analysis should include considering whether the asserted legislative purpose justifies the need for the presidents information, whether the scope of the subpoena is limited enough so that it would still support the legislative objective, and looking at the evidence Congress has provided to establish that a subpoena advances a valid legislative purpose, Roberts said. In a separate case, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. last week obtained Trumps tax returns after the Supreme Court ruled that it wouldnt block the release of the documents to Vances office. Vance had sought the documents as part of a criminal probe. The former principal of one of Melbournes most prestigious schools who built an illustrious teaching career on the back of criminal lies has been hailed as a gifted and exceptional educator who inspired those he taught. Neil Lennie was headmaster of Caulfield Grammar School for five years and taught at three other private schools across 24 years despite never having been registered as a qualified teacher. Lennie has pleaded guilty to four counts of obtaining a financial advantage by deception after he falsely claimed he was a registered teacher and had tertiary qualifications in teaching, science and business, which helped him land positions at Mount Scopus Memorial College, Haileybury, Caulfield Grammar and Overnewton Anglican Community College, in Keilor, between 1976 and 2000. The 72-year-old on Wednesday faced a plea hearing in the County Court, which heard his once enviable reputation was now one of humiliation. NASHVILLE, Tenn., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- New Constructs (NC), the leading provider of reliable fundamental research on private and public businesses, announced revelations from a new paper forthcoming in The Journal of Financial Economics, a top peer-reviewed journal. The paper, "Core Earnings: New Data & Evidence" reveals: Fundamental data suffers from material inaccuracies, omissions and biases. Discovery of a "novel database" that enables investors to overcome those flaws. New, proprietary measures of Core Earnings and Earnings Distortion materially improve stock picking and forecasting of profits. "Most investors had no way of knowing about the problems with their fundamental data before this paper was published," said David Trainer, CEO of New Constructs. "Now, they can see the magnitude of the problem and the importance of fixing it, especially fiduciaries." The authors, professors from Harvard Business School (Charles Wang & Ethan Rouen) and MIT Sloan (Eric So), invested years of research into the paper. After it was rigorously reviewed by experts, The Journal of Financial Economics, a top-three peer-reviewed journal in the world, selected it for publication. "We were thrilled to take a first step in better understanding the nuances of earnings-related disclosures embedded in financial statements using New Constructs' novel granular data," said Charles Wang. The paper also highlights the difficulty in collecting critical data from the footnotes and the MD&A. It underscores the unrivaled efficacy of New Constructs' Robo-Analyst technology for intelligently analyzing complex financial statements and disclosures at unprecedented scale. "The implications of these findings are potentially far-reaching for investors and researchers." - page 35 in the paper. Now, all investors, not just Wall Street insiders, can access research that properly assesses corporate profits after excluding the unusual gains and losses that companies bury in footnotes. Harvard Business School and MIT Sloan are not the only institutions to write papers on the superiority of New Constructs' data and research. Find more papers here. About New Constructs New Constructs provides insights into the fundamentals and valuation of private and public businesses. Combining human expertise with natural language processing (NLP), machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, the firms shines a light in the dark corners (e.g. footnotes) of hundreds of thousands of corporate financial filings to reveal critical details that drive uniquely comprehensive and independent debt and equity investment ratings, valuation models and research tools. New Constructs has been featured in national business news publications including CNBC, Wall Street Journal, Barron's, Forbes, Seeking Alpha, Benzinga and more. Other strategic partnerships with IEX Cloud, Apex Clearing, TD Ameritrade, Wisdom Tree, Refinitiv/Thomson Reuters, Interactive Brokers and EY enable New Constructs to deliver data, models, ratings and research on over 10,000 stocks, bonds, ETFs and mutual funds to millions of investors, financial advisors and corporate executives. Media Contact: Scott Gamm Strategy Voice Associates, LLC [email protected] https://strategyvoiceassociates.com/ Related Images image1.jpg SOURCE New Constructs, LLC YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Freedom House presented its Freedom in the World 2021 Democracy Under Siege report, where Armenia is ranked 55th in 100. Last year, Armenias ranking was 53. The use of military force by authoritarian states, another symptom of the global decay of democratic norms, was on display in Nagorno-Karabakh last year. New fighting erupted in September when the Azerbaijani regime, with decisive support from Turkey, launched an offensive to settle a territorial dispute that years of diplomacy with Armenia had failed to resolve, the report said. The report states that the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh War had a spillover effect for democracy. In addition to strengthening the rule of Azerbaijans authoritarian president, Ilham Aliyev, the conflict threatens to destabilize the government in Armenia. A rare bright spot in a region replete with deeply entrenched authoritarian leaders, Armenia has experienced tentative gains in freedom since mass antigovernment protests erupted in 2018 and citizens voted in a more reform-minded government, it said. Noting the post-armistice disturbances in Yerevan, where the parliament speaker was attacked and the government building was stormed, the report noted that such disorder threatens the countrys hard-won progress. Australia's Defence Force chief has sparked outrage by telling first year cadets not to become 'prey' to rapists by being out late, drunk, alone and attractive. General Angus Campbell made the comments to cadets Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra in a speech to a new cohort. Mr Campbell said they could avoid sexual predators by being aware of the 'Four As' - alcohol, alone, attractive, and being out after midnight, The Canberra Times reported. Chief of the Australian Defence Force, General Angus Campbell, allegedly told cadets they must be aware of the 'Four A's' - alcohol, alone, attractive, and being out after midnight to avoid being the target of sexual predators There has been a furious reaction to General Campbell's warning to ADF trainees One female cadet was reported as saying the comments 'made me feel uncomfortable'. Mr Campbell's comments have since been condemned by politicians and feminist commentators. Opposition frontbencher Kristina Keneally, Labors deputy Senate leader, told the ABC Mr Campbell's language was 'clumsy' and that implied 'women are responsible for not being raped'. Caitlin Roper, spokesperson for feminist activist group Collective Shout said: 'Appealing to women to change their behaviour is a completely backwards and ineffective approach. 'It's not women who are responsible for rape, it's the men who perpetrate it.' '[Change] starts by changing men's attitudes, challenging the notion that women exist for men's use, that men are entitled to sex, as well as attitudes of casual sexism and disrespect for women, and making it clear that the ADF will not tolerate this behaviour.' 'Even if we accepted the premise that individual women could avoid being raped if they don't drink, aren't out late at night, aren't alone or "too attractive" - which is a flawed premise to begin with - all that accomplishes is ensuring that it is not her who is raped, it's another woman.' 'It doesn't actually stop men raping.' Feminist social commentator and author, Jane Caro posted a photo of The Canberra Times article on Twitter with the comment: 'FFS' and 'Yup. Patriarchy. Nothing is there fault, everything is ours.' Others called Mr Campbell's comments 'vile' and 'victim blaming'. The ADF told The Canberra Times in a statement Mr Campbell's comments helped cadets stay safe. 'In his recent address to the new cohort of ADFA trainee officers, the CDF noted matters in the media regarding allegations of sexual harassment and assault,' the statement read. 'In his view, being aware of the four As - young, attractive people, noting the entire class fell into this risk factor; alcohol; after midnight; and alone - enabled the group to recognise and mitigate the threat posed by abusive or predatory individuals. A young woman from the Gold Coast filed a sexual and racial discrimination claim in the Federal Court claiming a soldier placed his genitals on her head in October 2017 The ADF has been subject of numerous high-profile cases of sexual assault and misconduct over the past decade. In February a Gold Coast woman who is a former army captain took the ADF to court after a fellow soldier placed his genitals on her head and made racist jokes about running over Asian people in 2017. In 2016 the The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse heard there was a culture of abuse and secrecy within defence force families. The royal commission heard ADF cadets were told to 'suck it up' after being forced by seniors officers to rape or perform horrific sex acts on one another while others were pushed to suicide. In a statement supplied to Daily Mail Australia, Mr Campbell further clarified his comments and made it clear he believes 'the perpetrator is always to blame'. 'I recently referenced current events in the media regarding allegations of sexual harassment and assault in a speech I gave to Australian Defence Force Academy trainee officers. 'Considering incidents that have affected military personnel in my years of service, my intent was to raise awareness and challenge the group to do what they can to mitigate risk and take action if they witness unacceptable behaviour.' 'I am aware that my comments have been interpreted by some in a way that I did not intend. There is never an excuse for perpetrating sexual assault or sexual harassment and the perpetrator is always to blame.' 'In my speech I reinforced the importance of the trainee cohort coming together to build a community that works in support of everyone, establishes trust in one another, and ultimately for that group to build a strong network of friends and colleagues who look out for each other.' 'I acknowledge the importance and power of language in addressing systemic inequality and continue to be informed by the experiences of Defence personnel as we seek to ensure that the ADF is a workplace where all personnel can thrive.' State Sen. Adam Hinds answers questions from Reid Middle School students as part of the school's civics curriculum. Reid Civics Class Holds Virtual Town Hall With Senator Hinds PITTSFIELD, Mass. Reid Middle School students got a chance to quiz their state senator on Tuesday to kick off a student-led civics project. The eighth-grade class prepared the questions for state Sen. Adam Hinds that were then vetted and chosen by the student civics leaders who represent each civics class. Questions ranged from hate crime legislation, the First Amendment, the vaccination rollout, and getting back to a "new normal." Principal Michael Henault said it was the changes made in 2018 to the state's history and social science curriculum framework that led to the virtual town hall with the senator. The core priority of the curriculum change was emphasizing and expanding civics education and supporting eighth-graders in a student-led civics project. "Here at Reid, we value, and hope to inspire within our learning community, a lifelong commitment to informed and active participation in our democracy," he said in introducing the event. Hinds, who was part of the legislation that passed the civic engagement bill, explained that he was first interested in governmental affairs when he ran for class president in the 8th grade. He worked for the United Nations and spent nearly 10 years focused on issues that are at the heart of the United States' national interest in the Middle East before returning to Pittsfield. The town hall was moderated by teacher and civics Debra Guachione. Hinds told the students in considering the Hate Crimes Reform bill he has proposed, he needed to look at which part of the current legislation needs to be strengthened to send a signal that hate crimes are not acceptable in the community. He also had to consider how to deter people from engaging in a hate crime. "We looked at the hate crimes statute and said, 'well, how are those the consequences articulated' and then we finally reached out to the attorney general and it turned out that they were also looking at this," Hinds said. "So we teamed up and kind of compared notes about what we were hearing and some ideas we had, and sure enough we found out that the ability to prosecute was undermined by a couple of things in the legislation." Without clearly defined bounds for a hate crime, it was difficult to prosecute those who committed one. Because of this, Hinds and his team identified a definition of a hate crime so that judges can have a guide in the courtroom and committers can be sentenced properly. "It's not acceptable and we're going to take a stand right here," Hinds said. On the topic of First Amendment rights, Hinds told the students to be aware of false equivalence when it comes to protests. "Let me define false equivalence: It's saying that because you have a similar activity that one group would have the right to do it or not, or that you can combine groups into a similar group, just because they're groups, without thinking about what's the background, what are the circumstances in which they're acting, how are they acting, why are they acting that way." Without being asked about the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, Hinds said the riot did not strike him as an equivalent to the Black Lives Matter protests that took place over the summer because it was a violent protest that deliberately disturbed democracy based on a false theory of a fraudulent election. "Those are very different things because we have very clear evidence in the Black Lives Matter protests of disparate treatment of people of color by police and injustice in our system, and so, standing up, on the one hand, to fight for justice and equal treatment and equal justice and recognizing that our country has a history of oppression on the one hand, and saying that's the same as 'well I don't like the election outcome and I'm going to go disrupt a democratic process.' Those are not equivalent," Hinds said. The senator said he did not support violence because he's seen how powerful nonviolent protest can be. "I've seen how, when you organize effectively, you can stop a country, you can stop the negative outcomes and bring attention to change and create change," he said. "And so, honestly, we have the examples right here in this state with last summer and the Black Lives Matter protests and immediate police reform in the commonwealth. And those are all nonviolent protests." Students raised concern for the safety of themselves and their families in the vaccination rollout. Hinds was clear on his stance that the rollout was not being as supplied as expected but was excited to announce that the Berkshires are in the top three counties for both the percentage of doses received and administered per capita. "One of the most frustrating parts of the pandemic has been the vaccine rollout quite honestly because it feels like these are literally life and death situations, there are changes that are happening so quickly," he said, adding that he had criticized Gov. Charlie Baker on the process during a radio interview Monday. Hinds confirmed that there is a supply problem from the federal government, as the 7 million residents of Massachusetts only receive 130,00 doses a week and said teachers should be moved forward in the rollout. "It's a lot of frustration confusion and raising questions about the logic of some of the steps so that said the governor is clearly in a very difficult position," he said. Guachione explained that students are "genuinely concerned and eager" to get back to some kind of normalcy within their educational and social lives, asking when people are expected to go back to work full time and how it will play out locally. The state is now focused on areas such as better child care for when folks do return to work, Hinds reported, and he supported remote positions with infrastructure so that companies nationwide can pick from a larger talent pool. "It's also giving us a glimpse at what the future could be in terms of where you can live and still get access to jobs anywhere in the globe," Hinds said. "You can live in Pittsfield, live in the Berkshires, I think we're all here because we love it here, and guess what? You can also work for Microsoft in Seattle, probably because more and more companies are going to have that ability to say look we can draw from the talent pool anywhere in the country or anywhere in the globe. And so I think that's the exciting thing it's that when you all are entering the workforce is going to look very different from when Mrs. Guachione and I did." Curriculum department lead Judy Rush wrote a grant that allowed the school to partner with the Democratic Knowledge Project, a Harvard-based initiative aimed at strengthening civic education. This gave the students access to professional learning through their teachers, specifically around strengthening civics education. Henault credited the school's social studies teachers, Guachione and David Demary for their work in making civics "come alive" by integrating it into the new curriculum along with the social justice work that's been done with the Anti-Defamation League. "We have a history here at Reid of community action we're trying to build off of that, especially as we slowly emerged from the pandemic, and we're ready to take action," he said. Demary told Hinds that his students are asking if they will be able to vote for him as president when they are eligible in eight years and Hinds joked that he claims himself as "President of the local dog catching association" with a nod to his compassion for furry friends. On a serious note, Hinds hopes that in eight years he won't have 100 opponents running for state Senate, which is a bigger concern to him than running for president. He said it was rewarding to be involved in service and civic engagement and being able to address how people are treated or troubles in a neighborhood or community and saying, "what can we do differently?" "We've given a couple of examples of how powerful it is when all of you join forces, or even as an individual and say, 'here's how this is impacting us and here's what we want to see change,'" he concluded. "It gets attention." Vice President Mike Pence and President Donald Trump attend the "Getting America's Children Safely Back to School" event in the State Room of the White House in Washington, on Aug. 12, 2020. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) Trump Adviser Denies Report Claiming Former President Mulling 2024 Run Without Pence An adviser and spokesman for former President Donald Trump shot down a report citing anonymous sources claiming he is currently mulling a 2024 presidential bid without former Vice President Mike Pence. This is fake news. No such conversations are happening, Jason Miller wrote on Twitter, linking to a Bloomberg News report that cited anonymous sources claiming Trump wants to run without Pence and is speaking to advisers about the alleged move. Miller also told Bloomberg that Trump hasnt made any decisions regarding a potential 2024 run. The Bloomberg article stated that Trump privately has discussed alternatives to Pence as he takes stock of who he believes stood with him at the end of his term and who didnt and cited two of the people who requested anonymity because the conversations have been private. Also according to the report, Trump is looking to find a black or female running mate such as Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) or Republican Gov. Kristi Noem, respectively. Trump endorsed Scott for his 2022 reelection bid on Tuesday via his Save America PAC. The former president spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Sunday evening but did not commit to running in 2024, although he did tell the crowd: I might even decide to beat them a third time. With your help, we will take back the house, we will win the Senate and then a Republican president will make a triumphant return to the White House. And I wonder who that will be, he also said at the end of the speech. During the Joint Session of Congress on Jan. 6, Trump criticized Pence on Twitter for taking part in the election certification before the breach of the Capitol and alleged the former vice president did not do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts. Twitter later took down his tweet. Pence and his wife Karen also attended President Joe Bidens inauguration on Jan. 20, while Trump did not, instead opting to give a short speech to a small crowd before he departed for Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida. Trumps tweet, along with Pences decision to partake in the joint session, has fueled speculation and rumors that the two are not on speaking terms. However, Pence is said to have praised Trump in a meeting with GOP members of Congress. Vice President Pence made it very clear that hes proud of the Trump administrations accomplishments and he spoke favorably of President Trump and their relationship, Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement, referring to Pences meeting with lawmakers. [March 03, 2021] Hewlett Packard Enterprise Advances Edge Leadership with HPE SimpliVity Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE: HPE) today announced enhancements to HPE SimpliVity for the enterprise edge, including advancements in data protection with native backup to cloud and centralized backup for compliance. Additionally, HPE is announcing support for containers to run cloud-native applications at the edge, and drive business transformation. New capabilities include: HPE SimpliVity with HPE Cloud Volumes Backup enables simple, efficient, flexible backup directly to the cloud from multiple edge sites enables simple, efficient, flexible backup directly to the cloud from multiple edge sites HPE SimpliVity enhanced integration with HPE StoreOnce protects distributed edge sites with automated, app-aware policies to easily and efficiently replicate apps and data directly to a centralized HPE StoreOnce appliance for compliance and long-term retention protects distributed edge sites with automated, app-aware policies to easily and efficiently replicate apps and data directly to a centralized HPE StoreOnce appliance for compliance and long-term retention Kubernetes CSI (News - Alert) Plugin for HPE SimpliVity provides streamlined management and resilient, all-in-one hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) to run both container and virtual machine (VM) workloads on a unified platform at the edge "If you're a retail company or a business with many stores and locations, I would highly recommend HPE SimpliVity for your branch offices and warehouses," said Aleh Sadaunichy, Infrastructure Solutions Architect, Staples (News - Alert) Solutions. "The simplicity, scalability, reliability, transcendent speed, and the ease of the restores are why we choose this product. The comprehensive data protection capabilities that include native backup to public cloud are very compelling." Organizations are witnessing unprecedented application and data growth at the edge, creating new opportunities to extract value from data by running applications and processing data locally. They are also bringing new, cloud-native applications to the edge, while still supporting existing virtualized applications at edge sites. To harness this opportunity, HPE has delivered the industry's most intelligent and complete edge solution, including HPE Aruba secure wireless and wired networking, and workload-optimized infrastructure, to address the varying performance, resiliency, scale, and data requirements at the edge. The enterprise edge is a critical segment represented by distributed sites including retail, hospitals, financial services, and manufacturing. Organizations need edge computing infrastructure that is radically simple to manage, with built-in resiliency and efficient data protection to ensure apps are always-on and able to rapidly recover data across sites. HPE SimpliVity is a market-leading, intelligent HCI solution optimized for the enterprise edge, with an efficient, all-in one appliance form factor. The solution provides built-in data protection with zero administration enabled by centralized management and automation, along with industry-leading, guaranteed data efficiency for better economics. HPE is now enhancing data protection and its flexibility to run containers alongside VMs at the edge. "Our customers with businesses in edge environments turn to HPE SimpliVity for its ease of use and outstanding economics," said Omer Asad, VP & GM, HCI, Primary Storage and Data Management Services, HPE. "We're continuing to invest in and develop new capabilities for HPE SimpliVity that enable customers to leverage edge and container based data to innovate, accelerate delivery of new applications, and provide differentiated experiences to customers." Comprehensive edge to cloud data protection HPE SimpliVity is architected with resiliency and data prtection capabilities that deliver high availability and instant recovery for workloads at the edge, including databases and general virtualization. Built-in, remote backups across a multi-site HPE SimpliVity federation enable efficient, rapid recovery for applications across distributed sites. With HPE SimpliVity, VM data is rapidly and automatically backed up to another node, so if one node goes down, businesses never experience a disruption. In fact, a 1TB VM can be backed up or restored in <60 seconds1. This is critical in ensuring business continuity in the event of natural disasters or protecting data against security threats such as ransomware. With the introduction of cloud backup and a centralized, backup store, HPE SimpliVity delivers the most comprehensive data protection solution for the edge. Extending data protection to the cloud HPE SimpliVity with HPE Cloud Volumes Backup delivers simple, efficient, flexible backup directly to the cloud. This solution enables multiple edge sites to backup to cloud securely in three simple clicks or via policy automation directly from vCenter without additional backup software or hardware infrastructure required. Backups can be simply restored to multiple, edge sites without any egress charges, unlike other clouds. HPE Cloud Volumes Backup optimizes costs with consumption-based pricing, minimal data transfer for efficient bandwidth usage, and efficient data storage in the cloud. Centralized, cost effective backup for long-term retention and compliance HPE SimpliVity enhanced integration with HPE StoreOnce reduces complexity, cost, and risk by protecting distributed edge sites with automated, app-aware policies to easily and efficiently replicate apps and data directly to a centralized HPE StoreOnce appliance. HPE SimpliVity with HPE StoreOnce is ideal for customers with strict compliance or long-term retention service level agreements (SLAs) on data. Businesses can create or update edge to core backup policies in less than one minute for thousands of VMs across dozens of sites2, easily backup and restore data in three simple clicks, and routinely achieve 20:1 deduplication ratios resulting in high data efficiency3. Application Modernization for the Edge Across industries, organizations are transforming how they develop and deploy applications across hybrid cloud - with IT needing infrastructure to be more agile, more automated, and policy-driven to support evolving virtualization and container-based architectures. For cloud native applications and containers, organizations need persistent storage for stateful applications, requiring software-defined infrastructure that enables self-service automation for developers. Container-based frameworks, such as Kubernetes, are not only built and deployed in the data center, but at the edge as well. HPE SimpliVity now supports the Container Storage Interface (CSI) Driver for Kubernetes to run container-based workloads at the edge. HPE offers a simple and unified experience across HPE SimpliVity to Kubernetes to accelerate the journey to a container-based architecture. Having support for CSI and persistent volumes enables both VMs and container workloads to run on the same HCI platform at edge sites, which eliminates the need for dedicated infrastructure for containers. For edge and remote sites, customers gain a simplified management experience and differentiated data protection with the ability to backup or restore persistent volumes in less than one minute4, enhancing cloud native applications deployed on containers. Customers can now modernize applications at the edge with a unified HCI solution while ensuring apps are always-on and always-protected. Availability The HPE SimpliVity 4.1.0, is now available worldwide at no additional charge for HPE SimpliVity customers with valid support contracts. All new features and capabilities announced are supported with VMware vSphere 7.0. HPE Cloud Volumes Backup support is available in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Additional Sources Learn more about the enhancements with these blogs and at HPE SimpliVity. About Hewlett Packard Enterprise Hewlett Packard Enterprise is the global edge-to-cloud platform as-a-service company that helps organizations accelerate outcomes by unlocking value from all of their data, everywhere. Built on decades of reimagining the future and innovating to advance the way people live and work, HPE delivers unique, open and intelligent technology solutions, with a consistent experience across all clouds and edges, to help customers develop new business models, engage in new ways, and increase operational performance. For more information, visit: www.hpe.com. 1 HPE SimpliVity HyperGuarantee, https://www.hpe.com/us/en/integrated-systems/simplivity-guarantee.html 2 HPE SimpliVity HyperGuarantee: https://www.hpe.com/us/en/integrated-systems/simplivity-guarantee.html 3 From StoreOnce, assuming dedupe ratio of 20:1 as compared to a fully hydrated backup; https://h20195.www2.hpe.com/v2/GetDocument.aspx?docname=c04328820# 4 HPE SimpliVity HyperGuarantee, https://www.hpe.com/us/en/integrated-systems/simplivity-guarantee.html View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005071/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 New Delhi: JD (U) leader Ajay Alok on Sunday said senior leader Sharad Yadav must resign from Rajya Sabha, saying that the latter should keep his pride aside and give preference to partys interest. The JD(U) had already removed Sharad Yadav as party leader in Rajya Sabha and appointed RCP Singh in his place. While talking to news agency ANI, Ajay Alok said he should resign from Rajya Sabha if he has any shame left. He said Yadav should give priority to party instead opposing Nitish Kumar. He said the people of Bihar had given the mandate to the Grand Alliance but not to indulge in corruption. Also Read | JD(U) split: Sharad Yadav faction to present itself as real Janta Dal with support of 14 state units Sharad Yadav had clarified that he wants restoration of Grand Alliance. Also Read: BJP hopeful of Nitish to 'manage' Sharad Yadav's discord For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. She's spent the majority of the year in Spain for work amid the coronavirus pandemic. And Demi Rose ensured she brought some English tradition to Ibiza as she served tea at her stunning villa in an at-home shoot with PrettyLittleThing last week. The glamour model, 25, commanded attention as she posed in a clingy white mini-dress, complete with a plunging neckline. Catching the eye: Demi Rose ensured she brought some English tradition to Ibiza as she served tea at her stunning villa in an at-home shoot with PrettyLittleThing last week Coordinating with her kitchen appliances, the brand ambassador's ensemble was covered in red floral printing throughout. The influencer ensured focus remained on her outfit as she kept accessories to a minimum while sitting on her counter. Lengthy pigtails framed her heart-shaped face, which was complemented with dewy make-up. Beaming: The glamour model, 25, commanded attention as she posed in a clingy white mini-dress, complete with a plunging neckline Radiant: Coordinating with her kitchen appliances, the brand ambassador's ensemble was covered in red floral printing throughout Demi has been sharing a slew of snaps from her sunny travels in recent months including getaways to the Maldives and Tanzania. The brunette recently opened up to MailOnline about how she shot to stardom at the age of 14 after being bullied in school. She recalled: 'I was bullied in school, I wanted to make friends outside of it so I ended up spending a lot of time online. Watch her glow: Lengthy pigtails framed her heart-shaped face, which was complemented with dewy make-up 'I was even interested in virtual reality as a kid, I was always on the computer and then MySpace came around and I found my calling.' The social media star experienced her first taste of fame when pictures of her on the beach as a teenager went viral on Instagram. From the age of 18, the Birmingham native signed with a modelling agency and her career has gone from strength to strength ever since. Operating hours Because of the state's pilot program, three sites including the New York State Fair will have overnight hours to offer the new Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. New York State Fair (Central New York) Appointments begin Friday, March 5. The clinic will be open from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Javits Center (Manhattan) Appointments begin Friday, March 5. The clinic will be open from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Yankee Stadium (Bronx) Appointments begin Thursday, March 4. The clinic, which is for eligible Bronx residents, will be open from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. (Newser) A Canadian man who was found unconscious and tethered to 185 pounds of marijuana in the Detroit River was sentenced Wednesday to about six years in a US prison. The capture of Glen Mousseaunicknamed "Scuba Steve" by authoritieslast June capped a strange few weeks in his dealings with US law enforcement. The case also revealed extraordinary steps that his smuggling operation took to move drugs and cash between the two countries, even using Seabobs, a watercraft that can propel people underwater, the AP reports. "The international nature of the smuggling here is noteworthy and in many ways more alarming than the run-of-the-mill drug distribution conspiracy," US District Judge Robert Cleland said. Mousseau was first stopped in May while driving a rental truck in St. Clair County, Michigan, and possessing roughly $100,000. The government said he confessed to being a smuggler who served various criminal groups. story continues below Investigators said Mousseau quickly agreed to help agents in a methamphetamine bust. But he fled a hotel and somehow dashed back to Canada. He turned up two weeks later in the overnight darkness of the Detroit River as border agents pursued a suspicious boat. Carefully wrapped packages weighing 265 pounds were tied to Mousseau, including the marijuana. "He was a mule. Thats all his participation was," defense attorney Victor Mansour said. But the government noted that Mousseau, 49, has a 32-year criminal record in Canada. Mousseau urged the judge to see some good in me." His lawyer asked for a 3 1/2-year sentence, but Cleland chose about six years. "I have done illegal things for money, and I am sorry and ashamed. ... I have taken shortcuts and agreed to do illegal things to support my family financially," Mousseau said. (Read more drug smuggling stories.) 'Naughty Tory' Charlie Elphicke has lost a Court of Appeal challenge against his two-year jail term for sexually assaulting two women a decade apart. The disgraced 49-year-old was jailed in September last year after being found guilty of three counts of sexual assault following a month-long trial at Southwark Crown Court. The former Conservative MP for Dover immediately signalled his intention to appeal against his conviction - but today was only appealing the sentence. The Ministry of Justice will not identify the prison he is being held at for 'privacy reasons'. His wife, Natalie, who took over the constituency from her husband in 2019, ended their 25-year marriage upon his conviction. However, she offered her support for his appeal ahead of the hearing, saying: 'There is no doubt that Charlie behaved badly. However, everyone, Charlie included, has the right to a fair trial, and I don't believe that he has had one.' But Lady Justice Carr today rejected Elphicke's appeal bid and said the Crown Court judge was entitled to impose the sentence she did. It was not made clear during today's hearing whether Elphicke still intends to pursue an appeal against his conviction. The disgraced 49-year-old was jailed for two years in September last year after being found guilty of three counts of sexual assault following a month-long trial at Southwark Crown Court. He is seen with his estranged wife, Natalie, in July. They have since split During his trial last year, Southwark Crown Court heard how he called himself a 'naughty Tory' as he groped his first victim - a woman known as A who was then in her 30s, and chased her around his family home in 2007 after they shared a bottle of wine. In 2016, he groped a second woman - known as B - twice in one month when he was MP for Dover. The court heard how the first sex assault took place after he invited a woman to have a drink with him while his children were asleep and his wife was away on work. The woman said Elphicke asked her about bondage sex he before kissed her, shoved his hand up her skirt to grope her, and then chased her around the house. The second victim accused him of kissing her and groping her when the pair met for a drink in Westminster in 2016. But he continued to pester her before molesting her again during a car journey in what was branded a 'campaign of harassment' by a judge. In September, a Southwark Crown Court judge jailed Elphicke and ordered to pay 35,000 in court costs within 12 months. The High Court today heard how he had spent a total of eight weeks in quarantine while being moved between four different prisons. He then contracted Covid himself and was forced to isolate for a further two weeks. Elphicke today attempted to appeal against the sentence at the High Court, but was shut down by a panel of judges. Representing Elphicke, Rachna Gokani pleaded with judges to suspend his sentence. She argued that, while the previous judge had sentenced him on the basis that his offences were a breach of trust, the offences did not constitute such a breach even though there was a 'power imbalance' in the relationships. She also claimed the sentence was having a disproportionate impact on his family life, conditions were worse in the prison than previously thought, and the previous judge did not take enough account of his mitigation. The court had earlier been told that Elphicke has not seen his son in person for six months after he had to be placed in isolation twice. Ms Gokani said he had also suffered 'the loss of his career, his marriage and his good character' and the court should consider the impact on his son of a custodial sentence. Elphicke today attempted to appeal against the sentence at the High Court, but was shut down by a panel of judges She added that his touching of the first victim's naked breast was in doubt and may not have pushed the crime into a more severe sentencing category. Ms Gokani also told the court that Elphicke was 'sexually clumsy' and not a 'sexual predator' as he had been described by the sentencing judge. At the High Court today Lady Justice Sue Carr said: 'We take the view that the grounds advanced in this application failed to reflect the undoubted seriousness of the offending, they invite us impermissibly to interfere with the judge's findings following trial. 'They do not give rise to any arguable basis for impugning the overall sentence of two years' immediate imprisonment imposed. She added: 'The substantive question was whether the judge was justified in concluding the applicant was someone who without compunction as prepared to exploit women for sexual purposes. 'The judge was fully entitled to reach the view that the applicant was such a person. 'He preyed on those in a weaker position than himself using his success and respectability and cover. 'He used his power to create conditions in which he believed he could act on his sexual desires without fear of consequence.' The judge also said Elphicke 'took advantage of his apparently respectable position and the reasonable expectation of (his victims) that he would not seek to make unwanted sexual advances to them'. She said there was 'no basis' to interfere with the Crown Court judge's conclusion that a suspended sentence was not an option. Sentencing him last year, Mrs Justice Whipple said: 'You're a sexual predator who used your success and respectability as a cover. 'You required both women to come to court and give evidence about the assaults you had made on them. 'That was not easy for them and they displayed great courage. 'They told the truth, you told a pack of lies - not just to the jury but, as became clear, to your wife, the whips and the police as well.' She said 'the gross breach of your position of power' meant a sentence of immediate custody was required. He was also ordered to pay 35,000 in costs, although his lawyer said he had 'a fair bit of debt' and that his estranged wife Natalie Elphicke loaned him 100,000 to pay for legal bills. It emerged his 20-year-old daughter Charlotte had become estranged from him while his wife, his successor as Dover MP, ended their 25-year marriage upon his conviction. In a statement, Elphicke said he would appeal against the conviction, adding he was 'innocent of any criminal wrongdoing'. The former Conservative MP for Dover - seen in September - immediately signalled his intention to appeal against his conviction. Today he was appealing his sentence Jurors at his trial heard the first offence took place when Elphicke invited a woman in her early 30s to share a drink with him while his children were asleep and his wife was away with work in the summer of 2007 - the first time she had been absent since the birth of their son. The woman said Elphicke asked her about bondage and sex, then kissed her and groped her breast before chasing her around his home. The second complainant said Elphicke also tried to kiss her and then groped her when they met for a drink in Westminster in April 2016. He then told her: 'I'm so naughty sometimes.' She said she spurned Elphicke's sexual advances, telling jurors she was physically repulsed by him and that he told her he had 'not been happy for years' in his marriage. She said he assaulted her again the following month when he ran his hand up her thigh towards her groin. Elphicke said he kissed the first victim because he initially felt it was something they both wanted. He told jurors he was 'besotted' with the second complainant, but denied assaulting either of them. The court heard Elphicke initially denied any knowledge of the allegations when he was summoned before Tory party whips in January 2017. He became a government whip under David Cameron's premiership in 2015, but returned to the back benches when Theresa May came to power the following year. Elphicke had the party whip suspended in 2017 when allegations of sexual assault first emerged, but it was controversially reinstated a year later for a crucial confidence vote in then-prime minister Mrs May. The whip was withdrawn again the following summer when the Crown Prosecution Service announced its decision to charge Elphicke. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama has announced 100% coverage for the administration of COVID-19 vaccines, and says it encourages all eligible people to get vaccinated. According to information released Tuesday, the insurer will provide 100% coverage during the governments phased-in vaccine distribution. The announcement said that Blue Cross members on individual, Medicare and almost all employer health plans will be able to receive a FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine without having to pay any out-of-pocket expenses. The FDA-authorized vaccines for COVID-19 show we are headed in the right direction in defeating the virus, said Dr. Dow Briggs, executive vice president of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama. To ensure our members and Alabamians get the most appropriate care, we encourage them to consult their doctor or pharmacy if they have any questions about the vaccines. We want to make sure our members have access to the COVID-19 vaccines without cost being an obstacle, said Tim Vines, president and CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama. People seeking information on eligibility and vaccine safety, or who want to schedule a vaccination appointment, should visit ALCovidVaccine.gov, according to the announcement. For appointments, patients also can call 855-566-5333. The executive director of the Georgia Cyber Center at a Wednesday get-together in Aiken discussed the vital role cyber plays in the two-state region and advocated for related investments across the U.S. This was part of Georgias answer to the problem, Eric Toler said of cybersecurity concerns and other contemporary threats. An unprecedented investment was made: $106 million in taxpayer dollars, to establish the Georgia Cyber Center. The benefit to South Carolina is you get our services, too, he said, addressing an Aiken assembly of the Military Officers Association of America. The Georgia Cyber Center, in nearby Augusta, represents a collaboration between academia, state and federal governments, law enforcement, the Army, and private businesses. Its vision, among other priorities, is to spearhead a cybersecurity revolution. Several years ago, it was hard to get Congress, or even the rest of the military, to understand why we needed cyber capabilities in the military, Toler said. Thats no longer the case. The cyber field was whipped into the spotlight recently by the SolarWinds breach, a sweeping hack of U.S. government and business networks. Officials have attributed the compromise to Russia, also blamed for 2016 election interference. You know, it really is about those shadowy entities out there, like China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, who are trying to do us harm, Toler said. And they do that every day. At an Aiken Chamber of Commerce forum in 2019, Toler named the same four countries as primary adversaries. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 23:37:54|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. - - - - UNITED NATIONS -- Schools for more than 168 million children worldwide have been completely closed for almost a full year because of the coronavirus pandemic, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday. Meanwhile, about 214 million children around the world, or one in seven, have missed more than three quarters of their in-person learning, according to new data released by UNICEF. - - - - YANGON -- Myanmar reported 19 more COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, bringing the tally in the country to 141,984, according to a release from the Ministry of Health and Sports. No new death was reported on Wednesday and the death toll stood at 3,199 in the country, the release said. - - - - BUCHAREST -- Romania had administered one million COVID-19 vaccine doses by Wednesday, health authorities said. An 86-year-old woman became the millionth person to have received the jab administered by the coordinator of the national vaccination campaign, Valeriu Gheorghita, at the Bucharest Emergency University Hospital. - - - - TOKYO -- Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Wednesday that extending the COVID-19 state of emergency for the greater Tokyo area by about two weeks would be necessary as infection numbers have not fallen enough for the emergency period to be lifted as scheduled on Sunday. Following a meeting with health minister Norihisa Tamura, Yasutoshi Nishimura, the minister in charge of Japan's coronavirus response and other Cabinet members, Suga said the COVID-19 situation in the metropolitan region is at a "crucial turning point." - - - - NEW YORK -- New studies have suggested that COVID-19 evolved naturally and is far more widespread than previously believed, a U.S. newspaper has reported. "At least four recent studies have identified coronaviruses closely related to the pandemic strain in bats and pangolins in Southeast Asia and Japan, a sign that these pathogens are more widespread than previously known and that there was ample opportunity for the virus to evolve," The Wall Street Journal said Monday. - - - - MINSK -- Belarus reported 1,311 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, taking its total to 290,447, according to the country's health ministry. There have been 1,316 recoveries in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 280,766, the ministry added. - - - - BEIJING -- China has approved the sale of three traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) drugs through a special approval procedure, offering more options for COVID-19 treatment, according to the National Medical Products Administration. The three medicines, namely Lung Cleansing and Detoxifying granules, Dampness Resolving and Detoxifying granules and Lung Diffusing and Detoxifying granules, all originate from ancient classic TCM prescriptions. Enditem John Deere, the $35.5 billion maker of farm equipment, is planting the seeds of company-owned 5G cellular networking in some of its manufacturing plants after investing half-a-million dollars in wireless licenses at an FCC auction last year. The company says that having a piece of wireless spectrum more or less to itself is key to updating certain of its production facilities. Deere bought citizens broadband radio service (CBRS) licenses in five Iowa and Illinois counties at that give it virtually unfettered use of the local CBRS bandwidth for private 5G. More flexible than wired networks Using campus-wide private 5G networks free of contention from other users, the company wants to dramatically reduce the number of wired connections needed to network its heavy production machinery. This gives the company more flexibility to make network changes vs wired networks, according to Dan Liebfried, director of automation and autonomy for the companys intelligent-solutions group. It also can enable completely new use cases, he says. The main idea is to let the company adapt its factory production lines more quickly and easily in response to changes in the products it makes than it could with wired networks. Over the course of a given year, Deere may have to do this multiple times, according to Liebfried, who said that 5G wireless networking could dramatically simplify reconfiguration by getting around a lot of manual work that would be required with one that is hardwired. New applications More than that, however, the company is looking toward new uses of CBRS even if they may be months away, Liebfried said. One of them is wirelessly connecting a smart vision system to support worker safety. It entails using cameras to track where workers are in relation to unsafe areas, which could lead to reconfiguring workstations so employees dont have to assume unsafe work postures. That is mostly notional at this point, and Deere offered few details beyond that its exploring these possibilities and hopes to operationalize them over the coming months, according to Liebfried. While its difficult to measure a precise ROI from potential 5G projects, he did say that the company has no doubts that private 5G a major step forward. Our ability to flexibly reconfigure and change elements of our operation at a minutes notice rather than having to run different ethernet or Wi-Fi dropsthats sort of a tangible no-regrets move, he said. This a great opportunity to innovate inside our own manufacturing facilities. CBRS auctions What Deere and the other bidders in the CBRS auction actually purchased is a new type of licensed spectrum. Each license covers 10MHz of spectrum in a single county, but, unlike most other licensed spectrum, the so-called priority-access license (PAL) merely gives the holder priority over unlicensed traffic in the area, not exclusive rights. So other users in the area can still use the spectrum without holding a license, but theyll get bumped if the holder of a PAL needs it. So other users in the counties where Deere holds a PAL can use the same spectrum, but only if they dont interfere with Deeres traffic. The idea behind the scheme is to get the most value out of limited mid-band spectrum. Craig Sutton, manager of technology innovation strategy at Deere, said that the availability of PALs was a critical consideration in the manufacturers plant-upgrade plans. The [PAL] allowed us to have a greater level of control and ultimately priority access to the spectrum, he said. As we continue to see increased utilization of wireless-data connectivity, which will be vital infrastructure, we need to have robust control of the network. Investment accelerates 5G availability The company spent a total of $546,000 on the licenses for the five licenses in five counties where its manufacturing facilities are locatedprimarily around the Quad Cities (Rock Island, Davenport, Bettendorf, and Moline), in Iowa and Illinoisgiving it priority access to a 10MHz CBRS channel in those areas. Operating in partially rural areas may have helped keep the price for PALs low, but it also created the need for the company to buy them in the first place, said Liebfried. We didnt want to wait until 5G naturally propagated to rural areas, he said. We figure were accelerating three, five or seven years of progress by participating in the auction rather than waiting for it to get out to us. The golden statue of former President Donald Trump that was rolled into last weekend's Conservative Political Action Conference was made in China - not Mexico. Politico's Playbook reported Wednesday that the $100,000 statue's artist Tommy Zegan left out that the hulking gold giant was manufactured at the Shijiazhuang D & Z Sculpture Co. factory in China. Zegan is based in Mexico and originally told Politico that he hand-crafted the painted fiberglass statue in Rosarito, Mexico, where he lives as an American expat. The 200 pound golden Donald Trump statue was actually manufactured in China, not crafted in Mexico as the artist originally said Artist Tommy Zegan (right) was called out by his business partner Jose Mauricio Mendoza, who said the Donald Trump statue (left) was manufactured in China, despite Zegan being based in Mexico CPAC attendees take photos around the 200 pound Donald Trump gold statue that the artist originally said was sculpted in Mexico The Donald Trump statue made headlines at the Conservative Political Action Conference in advance of the real former President Donald Trump's speech in Orlando Sunday CPAC attendees pose with the giant Donald Trump statue outside the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Florida, where the conference was held this year One of Zegan's business partners, Jose Mauricio Mendoza, contacted the publication Tuesday to call Zegan out. 'Everything was made in China,' Mendoza said. 'I want to be straight, because if I'm going to sell these statues, they have to be true.' Mendoza also claimed that the 200 pound statue was his brainchild. 'I was the architect of this,' he told Playbook. Mendoza said Zegan's name was used because 'no one is going to buy "Jose" stuff, at least not a Donald Trump statue.' Zegan later admitted Mendoza's claims about the statue's Chinese origins were true. The actual Trump was known for rhetoric against both countries, blasting Mexico in his presidential announcement speech for sending 'rapists' over the border and labeling the coronavirus the 'China virus' during his last year in the White House. The statue's appearance at CPAC was one of the headlines leading up to the ex-president's post-White House debut. Trump spoke Sunday at the conference for 90 minutes. The New York Post also spoke with Zegan, who explained why his Trump was dressed casually downstairs and business-like on top. 'He's wearing a business suit because he's a business man. The red tie represents the Republican party, the red white and blue shorts represent the fact that hes a patriot,' Zegan said. Trump's red sandals represent that he could be 'on the beach' if he wanted to, Zegan added. The golden Trump is holding up a magic wand, which former President Barack Obama once said would be needed to bring back manufacturing jobs, an idea Trump ridiculed while in office. A number of people online saw parallels between the golden Trump statue and the Biblical story of the golden calf, which teaches Christians not to worship idols. 'Idol worship isnt conservative,' tweeted Rep. Adam Kinzinger, linking to an article about the Trump statue. Kinzinger is among the 10 House Republicans who voted in favor of Trump's second impeachment for inciting the January 6 insurrection. A new software tool allows researchers to quickly query datasets generated from single-cell sequencing. Users can identify which cell types any combination of genes are active in. Published in Nature Methods on 1st March, the open-access 'scfind' software enables swift analysis of multiple datasets containing millions of cells by a wide range of users, on a standard computer. Processing times for such datasets are just a few seconds, saving time and computing costs. The tool, developed by researchers at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, can be used much like a search engine, as users can input free text as well as gene names. Techniques to sequence the genetic material from an individual cell have advanced rapidly over the last 10 years. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq), used to assess which genes are active in individual cells, can be used on millions of cells at once and generates vast amounts of data (2.2 GB for the Human Kidney Atlas). Projects including the Human Cell Atlas and the Malaria Cell Atlas are using such techniques to uncover and characterise all of the cell types present in an organism or population. Data must be easy to access and query, by a wide range of researchers, to get the most value from them. To allow for fast and efficient access, a new software tool called scfind uses a two-step strategy to compress data ~100-fold. Efficient decompression makes it possible to quickly query the data. Developed by researchers at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, scfind can perform large scale analysis of datasets involving millions of cells on a standard computer without special hardware. Queries that used to take days to return a result, now take seconds. The new tool can also be used for analyses of multi-omics data, for example by combining single-cell ATAC-seq data, which measures epigenetic activity, with scRNAseq data. Dr Jimmy Lee, Postdoctoral Fellow at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, and lead author of the research, said: "The advances of multiomics methods have opened up an unprecedented opportunity to appreciate the landscape and dynamics of gene regulatory networks. Scfind will help us identify the genomic regions that regulate gene activity - even if those regions are distant from their targets." Scfind can also be used to identify new genetic markers that are associated with, or define, a cell type. The researchers show that scfind is a more accurate and precise method to do this, compared with manually curated databases or other computational methods available. To make scfind more user friendly, it incorporates techniques from natural language processing to allow for arbitrary queries. Dr Martin Hemberg, former Group Leader at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, now at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, said: "Analysis of single-cell datasets usually requires basic programming skills and expertise in genetics and genomics. To ensure that large single-cell datasets can be accessed by a wide range of users, we developed a tool that can function like a search engine - allowing users to input any query and find relevant cell types." Dr Jonah Cool, Science Program Officer at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, said: "New, faster analysis methods are crucial for finding promising insights in single-cell data, including in the Human Cell Atlas. User-friendly tools like scfind are accelerating the pace of science and the ability of researchers to build off of each other's work, and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is proud to support the team that developed this technology." ### Contact details: Emily Mobley Press Office Wellcome Sanger Institute Cambridge, CB10 1SA Phone: 01223 494856 Email: press.office@sanger.ac.uk Notes to Editors: Publication: Jimmy Lee et al. (2021) Fast searches of large collections of single cell data using scfind. Nature Methods. DOI: https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 1038/ s41592-021-01076-9 Funding: This research was supported by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and Wellcome. Selected websites: The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative was founded in 2015 to help solve some of society's toughest challenges -- from eradicating disease and improving education, to addressing the needs of our local communities. Our mission is to build a more inclusive, just, and healthy future for everyone. For more information, please visit http://www. chanzuckerberg. com . The Wellcome Sanger Institute The Wellcome Sanger Institute is a world leading genomics research centre. We undertake large-scale research that forms the foundations of knowledge in biology and medicine. We are open and collaborative; our data, results, tools and technologies are shared across the globe to advance science. Our ambition is vast - we take on projects that are not possible anywhere else. We use the power of genome sequencing to understand and harness the information in DNA. Funded by Wellcome, we have the freedom and support to push the boundaries of genomics. Our findings are used to improve health and to understand life on Earth. Find out more at http://www. sanger. ac. uk or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and on our Blog. Rachel Griffiths returned home to work in Australia in 2012 because she never felt completely comfortable telling American stories. Speaking at the Australian International Documentary Conference this week she said, As successful as I was, and as well paying as my career was, I had the privilege of working with extraordinary fellow actors and directors and writers like Alan Ball. But I never felt quite comfortable telling other peoples stories. So I returned to Australia to make sense of our countrys history, our country scars. I guess what motivates me is to kind of unpick and understand things. I never felt I had the license to interrogate the American story as vigorously and be as openly critical. The Total Control star added, I was not American, I had not taken citizenship My own faithful shores beckoned, to bring me home to tell our stories. Griffiths will soon present Finding the Archibald for ABC, reflecting on Australian history against a backdrop of 100 years of the Archibald portraiture prize. Having studied politics at university, then later drama and media, she always expected to work in Documentary. Its taken me 30 years but here I am going for that popular cultural route, but still trying to find these tender, curly human questions that a critical essay may never quite have, she continued. I think thats how you bring people along on a story, on our nations story, is by having those conversations that are not didactic. They are actually about our human vulnerability and listening. Finding the Archibald is coming to ABC later this year. Related You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo was having one of the worst weeks of his administration, and he tried to divert attention to the New York City mayors race. In one of his famed slide show presentations, Mr. Cuomo listed the many challenges facing the city a rising murder rate, a homelessness crisis, people deciding to move away and questioned if the candidates were up to the task. What have you managed before? What have you accomplished before? Mr. Cuomo said in late February. This is not about rhetoric. This is not about slogans. Mr. Cuomo failed to mention another top challenge for the next mayor: Figuring out how to get along with him. Global Prayer Event Calls Christians to 'Learn to Love' Muslims Focusing on North America's 4.5 million Muslims, '30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World' launches April 13 to coincide with Ramadan Christians are being urged to shun "suspicion and fear" of Muslims -- and "learn to love" their Muslim neighbors during the Islamic religious festival of Ramadan, April 13 - May 12. The challenge comes as mission leaders launch the 30th edition of 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World ( www.30DaysPrayer.com ). NEWS PROVIDED BY WorldChristian.com March 3, 2021 COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., March 3, 2021 /Christian Newswire/ -- Christians across the U.S. and Canada are being urged to shun "suspicion and fear" of North America's 4.5 million Muslims -- and "learn to love" their Muslim neighbors during the Islamic religious festival of Ramadan, April 13 - May 12. The challenge comes as mission leaders launch the 30th edition of 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World (www.30DaysPrayer.com) -- aimed at helping Christians in North America learn about Muslims and pray for them. "While some people demonize Muslims in the name of Christ, 30 Days of Prayer is designed to help Christians understand and love their Muslim neighbors, and dispel suspicion, fear and hatred that's rife in America today," said Paul Filidis, coordinator of the event with his wife, Mary. Each year during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan -- a time of prayer and fasting for Muslims -- hundreds of thousands of Christians in churches around the world join the 30 Days prayer movement, using an illustrated Muslim World Prayer Guide booklet to learn about and pray for specific Muslim populations. Muslims in North America This year's prayer guide content -- provided by pioneer missionaries David Garrison and Don McCurry -- focuses on Muslim refugee and immigrant communities in North America. It spotlights a different North American city each day, including: Muslim immigrants living in Houston, Texas, who served as translators for the U.S. military in Afghanistan Iranian Muslims living in Toronto, Canada, who listen to Christian broadcasts in their native Farsi language Job-seeking Muslim families who've flocked to North Carolina's Triangle region, where hundreds of Christians at 45 local churches pray for them The fast-growing Bangladeshi Muslim community in New York's Jackson Heights area -- previously a haven for Irish immigrants "In the U.S., many Muslims are as American as apple pie," Filidis said. "They serve in the American forces, provide vital services and also pursue the American dream." The 30 Days event also includes a children's version of the prayer guide. "Used together, the adult and Just for Kids versions can help make prayer time a family time," said Filidis. "With such divisiveness in our world right now, Christians have an opportunity to reject hatred, pray with compassion, and show North America's Muslims that Jesus loves them," he said. The 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World (www.30DaysPrayer.com) is an international movement begun in 1993 that calls followers of Christ to make intentional and respectful efforts to learn about, pray for, and reach out to their Muslim neighbors. For interviews about the 2021 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World, contact: David Garrison, executive director of Global Gates. Tel: 719.322.1737, dgarrison@globalgates.info SOURCE WorldChristian.com CONTACT: David Garrison, executive director, 719-322-1737, dgarrison@globalgates.info ADVERTISEMENT The Independent Investigative Panel probing cases of human rights violations and other forms of police brutality in Abuja on Wednesday threatened to order the arrest of two police officers attached to the notorious Awkuzu SARS in Anambra State. The Awkuzu facility run by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) is notorious for extra-judicial killings and inhumane conduct of its operatives. Suleiman Galadima, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court who heads the panel set up by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in the wake of last years #EndSARS protests, noted at Wednesdays proceedings that two officers attached to the Awkuzu police station had continued to snub the panels invitations. The officers whose names were given as Mr Obiazo and Uzo Emeana, featured in the case of alleged arbitrary arrest and detention of John Emeka Alozie. The chairman who reiterated the commitment of the panel to its terms of reference, noted that the two police operatives were necessary parties to the case. A statement by the NHRCs Deputy Director of Public Affairs, Fatimah Mohammed, shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday, stated that police authorities had on three different occasions flouted the orders of the panel to produce the police officers. Arrest threat Expressing the panels frustration about the officers failure to honour invitations, Mr Galadima said the panel would be left with no choice but to order the arrest of Mr. Obiazo and Mr Uzo Emeana both of SARS Awkuzu, Anambra State. Mr Galadima then directed police authorities to take necessary actions to ensure the appearance of the two respondents before the panel without further delay. He specifically directed the Inspector-General of Police and the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State command, to quickly give effect to the production order to enable the panel to arrive at an informed and just decision on the allegations raised in the case. He also directed the panels secretariat to ensure that an enrolled order of the production order of the panel was served on the respondents, comprising the various police authorities and the two police officers. Hearing Earlier on Wednesday, the 11-man panel had listened to the submissions of the parties to the matter including the Nigerian Police Force represented by its lawyer, Godwin Ijeoma, and counsel for the complainant. The petitioner is Nnenna John Alozie, who complained about alleged arbitrary arrest of John Emeka Alozie. The panels legal team comprising Chino Obiagwu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Pwadumdi Okoh, and Afolabi Olawale were also said to have attended the chambers hearing. Mr Ijeoma was said to have informed the panel in chambers that he had traveled to Anambra State to ensure that the affected police officers were duly informed about summons issued on them. He said although, he could not find the police officers during his visit to the state, their superior officers at the police station promised to assist in identifying them through the laid down police procedures. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 young Christian in Pakistan who was imprisoned for blasphemy charges has been released on bail with his sentence suspended until the court makes a ruling on his appeal. Nabeel Masih has achieved "partial legal victory" after the Lahore High Court released him on bail for allegedly violating Pakistan's blasphemy laws. According to Christian Headlines, the 20-year old is the youngest person to be charged with blasphemy when he was arrested in 2016 at the age of 16. Masih's Muslim friend accused him of blasphemy, claiming that the then 16 year-old was "sharing" and "liking" a "blasphemous photo" of Kaaba, the holiest site of Islam in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. In 2018, he was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison. Now released on bail, the young Christian in Pakistan is free to wait for a ruling on his appeal, as his sentence is suspended. Masih has to wait to find out if the Lahore High Court will uphold the trial court's verdict, which will force him to go back to prison to complete the 10-year sentence. Masih's attorney, Naseeb Anjum revealed that the conviction against his young client was made by the Kasur District's trial court despite having no witnesses against him. According to Anjum, the case was registered a full two days after the alleged blasphemous photo appeared, a fact that the Kasur District's trial court ignored. The attorney revealed that there was a delay in registration of the case, proving that the young Christian in Pakistan was "accused only after deliberation and consultation." In addition, the Pakistan police also removed the image from Facebook after the First Information Report for the case was registered, thereby complicating the process of determining Masih's guilt or innocence. Calling it a "partial legal victory," Anjum said that the Lahore High Court finally admitted arguments for the post-conviction bail of the Christian in Pakistan jailed for blasphemy. The attorney vowed to "continue this legal fight for his acquittal." British Asian Christian Association trustee Juliet Chowdhry expressed her joy that the young Christian in Pakistan jailed for blasphemy is now free. An Aljazeera report stated that Chowdry hopes Masih would be "compensated for his false conviction to help him restore his life, and that the organisation would pursue this for him." The report also revealed how blasphemy has "long been a contentious issue in Pakistan" and how it has been "used to intimidate religious minorities and to settle personal scores." In February, Amnesty International called for the release of a Christian couple in Pakistan who were accused of sending "blasphemous text messages." Unlike the young Christian in Pakistan jailed for blasphemy, however, Shagufta Kausar and Shafqat Emmanuel have been on death row since their conviction in April 2014 in Toba Tek Singh. The Christian couple's appeal was launched in 2015, but kept facing delays, most recently due to the coronavirus pandemic. Amnesty International's Deputy Regional Director for South Asia Samira Hamidi condemned Pakistan's controversial blasphemy laws that have often victimized Christians in the country and called on the government to "urgently repeal its blasphemy laws that have been flagrantly abused and caused an immeasurable amount of harm." Press Release 3 March 2021 At the EU Tourism Ministers Meeting, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) called on leadership from the EU to save the Travel & Tourism sector which has been left in ruin by the COVID-19 pandemic. Advertisements During the critical meeting, Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said: "On behalf of WTTC and our 200 members, I would like to thank the Portuguese Presidency of the EU, Commissioner Breton and all European ministers for their alignment to do everything they can to prepare for the summer season. According to our recent data, 174 million jobs have been impacted globally due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In Europe alone, the most important region in the world, a staggering 23 million jobs have been impacted. "A major issue our sector faces is that different countries have different protocols that are not integrated with one another, and the lack of international coordination. We believe that the key to recovery is to restore international mobility - and we must work together to do so. It is critical that we have a clear roadmap to resume economic activity in a safe and secure way includingrapid and cost-effective testing supported by technology through interoperable health digital passes or certificates." "WTTC believes that while the vaccination rollouts are providing relief to the sector, vaccines should not be a requirement for travel.. Instead, we should focus on testing, mandatory mask wearing and enhanced health and hygiene measures to bring certainty and confidence. The sector also desperately needs further support from governments around the world. Without it, more businesses will collapse and many more will lose their jobs." "We have one single request: we need to see the restoration of international mobility. We need clear rules for mobility. Europe must define protocols, so it's clear how mobility can be safely resumed within the EU, to the EU and from the EU." "We must replace ineffective quarantines and move from a country-based assessment to individual based assessment. Not entire populations are infected, and we must not treat them as such." RTHK: Eight hurt in 'suspected terrorist' attack in Sweden A man attacked eight people on Wednesday with a "sharp weapon," seriously injuring two in the Swedish city of Vetlanda, police said, adding they were investigating a potential "terror motive". The assailant was taken to hospital after being shot in the leg by police as he was taken into custody following the mid-afternoon attack in the southern city of 13,000 inhabitants. Police said the man, in his twenties, had used a "sharp weapon," while local media reported that he had brandished a knife. Police initially treated the incident as "attempted murder" but later changed it in a statement to include a "suspected terrorist crime," without giving further details. Local resident Olivia Strandberg told broadcaster SVT she didn't see the actual attack but witnessed the man being taken away, from her window just as she returned hom from work. "I had just gotten to my apartment when my best friend wrote me and said: Don't go out!," Strandberg said, with the broadcaster showing footage of the suspect being taken away in an ambulance on a quiet street. Speaking at a press conference, regional police chief Malena Grann later clarified that a preliminary investigation was still under the designation "attempted murder," but details had emerged that meant they were also looking into "potential terror motives." "There are details in the investigation that have led us to investigate whether there was a terror motive," Grann said, without giving details. Grann added the police was working closely with the Swedish intelligence service Sapo. Karl Melin, press chief at Sapo, declined to comment however, telling SVT: "The event in Vetlanda is currently a police issue." Local police chief Jonas Lindell told media they had identified five different crime scenes, a few hundred metres apart, in the small city. Lindell said the suspect was a resident of the area and previously known to police, but in the past had only been suspected of "petty crimes." He declined to say if the man was a Swedish citizen. The extent of his injuries were also unknown but police said they believed they would be able question him. Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven condemned the "horrific violence" in a statement published to his Facebook page. "We face these despicable actions with the combined force of the community," Lofven said. "We are reminded of how frail our safe existence is," Lofven added, encouraging people to have the victims in their thoughts, as well as health workers and police tending to wounded and working to restore peace. Swedish intelligence services consider the terrorist threat to be high. The Scandinavian country has been targeted twice by attacks in recent years. In December 2010, a man carried out a suicide bomb attack in the centre of Stockholm. He was killed after only slightly injuring passers-by. In April 2017, a rejected and radicalised Uzbek asylum seeker mowed down pedestrians in Stockholm with a stolen truck, killing five people. He was sentenced to life in prison. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2021-03-03. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. People are more at risk of catching the coronavirus if they have type A blood, a study has found. Lab-based analysis investigated previous reports that blood group impacts on an individual's susceptibility to infection with SARS-CoV-2. It revealed that irrespective of blood group the coronavirus is unable to directly infect red blood cells. However, the virus does have a higher affinity for other cells such as those found in the respiratory tract which express a type A-specific molecule called an antigen. This means throat and nose cells of type A people are more susceptible to infection with SARS-CoV-2 than others. In the UK, 30 per cent of people are A positive and eight per cent are A negative. Scroll down for video People are more at risk of catching the coronavirus if they have type A blood, a study has found. Lab-based analysis investigated previous reports that blood group impacts on an individual's susceptibility to infection with SARS-CoV-2 The study is one of the first to suggest a reason behind the disproportionate infection rate seen between blood groups. Scientists from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston replicated the spike protein of the coronavirus which sticks out from the virus body and is what hijacks cells. Specifically, the team focused on the receptor binding domain (RBD), the part of the spike which physically connects to human cell receptors. This region is critical to allowing the virus to infect cells and understanding how it interacts with cell receptors allows researchers to understand more about infection. It is known the spike of SARS-CoV-2 can latch onto and 'unlock' the ACE2 receptor on human cells, but the team of academics say 'it remains possible that the SARS-CoV-2 RBD may interact with other host molecules, including blood group antigens, which in turn may contribute to disease susceptibility'. The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has a higher affinity for other cells such as those found in the respiratory tract which express a type A-specific molecule called an antigen But when red blood cells of all varieties (A, B, AB and O) were mixed with the replicas of the virus, there was no difference in binding. But blood group has a wider impact on the body's make-up than just the red blood cells. Breakdown of British people by blood type O positive: 35% O negative: 13% A positive: 30% A negative: 8% B positive: 8% B negative: 2% AB positive: 2% AB negative: 1% Source: 900,000 blood donors on the NHS blood and transplant register Advertisement For example, blood group antigens also stick out from cells elsewhere in the body, including in the cells which line the respiratory system, such as the nose and throat. These come in two guises type I and type II. 'No significant binding was observed toward the type II structures of A, B or O individuals,' the researchers write in their study, published today in Blood Advances. 'In contrast, the SARS-CoV-2 RBD exhibited high preference for the same type of blood group A (type I) expressed on respiratory epithelial cells.' The researchers also tested the findings on SARS, the related coronavirus which caused a smaller pandemic, with 8,098 reported cases of SARS and 774 deaths in the UK. Since 2004, there have not been any known cases of SARS reported anywhere in the world. They found the same higher affinity for the cells of people with type A blood, indicating an evolutionary preference which SARS-CoV-2 inherited from one of its viral ancestors. 'It is interesting that the viral RBD only really prefers the type of blood group A antigens that are on respiratory cells, which are presumably how the virus is entering most patients and infecting them,' said study author Dr Sean Stowell. 'Blood type is a challenge because it is inherited and not something we can change. 'But if we can better understand how the virus interacts with blood groups in people, we may be able to find new medicines or methods of prevention.' CHICAGO, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- GSV Ventures, the woman-owned multi-stage venture capital firm focused on the global education technology sector, announced the final close of its second fund, GSV Ventures Fund II, with equity commitments totaling $180 million. GSV raised its first venture fund in 2016 with limited partner commitments of $97 million, investing in a number of leading EdTech companies including Coursera, Coursehero, ClassDojo, Degreed, Masterclass and Nearpod. "The story of global education technology has been about acceleration and momentum and the pandemic has turbo-charged that acceleration. Education is at the dawn of a new age. The speed of innovation has never been this fast before, and will likely never be this slow again," said Deborah Quazzo, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of GSV Ventures. "The performance of our existing portfolio validates our strategic execution and the immediate market opportunity. We are grateful for the confidence investors and entrepreneurs have placed in us and will work vigorously to seize the opportunity to build EdTech businesses on a mission to give all people equal access to the future. GSV backs extraordinary entrepreneurs who are creating engines of mobility for all people." "The Coronavirus has instantly forced 1.6B students and teachers online. We have a B.C. (Before Coronavirus) world transitioning to A.D. (After Disease)," said Michael Moe, Co-Founder and Senior Advisor to GSV Ventures. "When Covid-19 forced 1.6B students and teachers online almost overnight, we passed the point of no return for educators, education technology and investors. GSV is well positioned to not only provide investors advantaged access to the global EdTech market, but to bend the arc of education towards access and equity." GSV Fund II is seeking investment opportunities and has already begun funding innovative companies including investments in Class Technologies, Inc., Guild Education, Outlier, Photomath and Valenture Institute. GSV portfolio companies collectively serve more than 400 million learners. Recent investments back founders in India, Indonesia, South Africa and Jordan. GSV Fund II will be invested by a team of 10 investment professionals based in San Francisco, Chicago, New York and Paris. The investment team includes: Deborah Quazzo, Managing Partner; Michael Cohn, Partner; Julia Stiglitz, Operating Partner; Luben Pampoulov, Partner; and Michael Moe, Senior Advisor and Investment Committee member. The fund is focused in high impact EdTech businesses and will invest in Seed, Series A and later stage growth opportunities. The firm expects its next fund, Fund III, to have its first close later this year. About GSV Ventures GSV Ventures is a female-led, multi-stage venture capital firm focused on the $7+ trillion education sector. The fund is currently investing out of GSV Ventures Fund II and is anticipating a first close in 2021 for GSV Ventures Fund III. GSV Ventures backs innovative entrepreneurs across the "Pre-K to Gray" Arc of Learning. GSV manages over $400 million in global EdTech investments through its GSV Funds I and II and its GSV Special Purpose Vehicles. Portfolio holdings include Andela, Class Technologies, ClassDojo, Coursera, Coursehero, Degreed, Guild, MasterClass, Outlier, Remind and Photomath among others. Learn more at gsv.ventures . Media Contact Steed Johnson Multiply for GSV Ventures [email protected] SOURCE GSV Ventures Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. UofG establishes interdisciplinary network to further links with Malawi The University of Glasgow is furthering its long-term commitment to working with organisations in Malawi with the establishment of an interdisciplinary collaboration network, bringing together colleges from across the University. The overall aim of the network is to make lasting impacts on Malawian health and wellbeing by forming long-term partnerships that enrich both Malawian and Scottish academic cultures. The Malawi Glasgow Network for Interdisciplinary Collaboration (MaGNetIC) will bring together colleagues involved in all UofGs longstanding collaborations in Malawi to ensure consistency of engagement and establish a coherent framework aimed at enhancing all interactions for both Malawian and Scottish partners. Malawi has a number of health challenges that are specific to its region including parasitological diseases like malaria, trypanosomiasis and schistosomiasis, and also many health related problems that are related to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that are similar to those prevalent in Scotland. UofG has longstanding expertise in both infectious and in non-communicable diseases research. The network aims to further develop strong cross-College/interdisciplinary programmes across the University to maximise capacity and potential to address these complex problems in a way that is transparent and develops equal and mutually respectful academic and administrative partnerships with Malawian members. In addition, the network will support an ongoing programme of work, addressing locally-identified elements of vital importance to the health and wellbeing of Malawians and other communities in the region. The University is currently involved in the Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU), as well as collaborations with Malawian organisations including the College of Medicine and affiliates including the Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme (MLW) and the Blantyre Malaria Project (BMP). Researchers at the University are also working closely with the Malawi Ministry of Health and Public Health Institute of Malawi (PHIM) and involved with other organisations that include, Chancellor College, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) and Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST). The network will support researchers both in Glasgow and Malawi to develop their partnerships; provide logistical support for Malawi-focused research in which UofG is a partner; and work alongside other partner organisations. Its also hoped that the network will help determine those thematic areas in which Glasgows strengths can optimally contribute in Malawi, in particular using the externally funded centres of excellence in UofG. Prof Iain McInnes, Vice Principal and Head of the College of MVLS, said: The University has longstanding links with Malawi, so I am delighted to see the formalisation of this network as we continue to build relationships with our colleagues in Malawi, forge greater collaborations and further develop our academic research partnerships in the future Prof Paul Garside, Dean of Global Engagement (Middle East and Africa), added: With the increasing number of collaborations and interactions with institutions and colleagues in Malawi, it is great news to see all of this being brought together via one forum where everyone can provide information and support to enhance our partnerships. Enquiries: ali.howard@glasgow.ac.uk or elizabeth.mcmeekin@glasgow.ac.uk / 0141 330 6557 or 0141 330 4831 Egyptian violinist Ashraf Heikal passed away in the early hours of Wednesday after a sudden health crisis, the Musicians Syndicate revealed. Heikal graduated from the Cairo Conservatory's string department in the early 1990s and continued with his postgraduate studies at the Arabic Music Institute, where he obtained his masters and doctorate degrees. Both institutions are part of Cairo's Academy of Arts. It was at the Arabic Music Institute that he later taught and performed alongside numerous prominent Arabic music ensembles on renowned stages, including the Cairo Opera House. Among his many commitments, he worked with the Oriental Takht ensemble and with the renowned musician Omar Khairat. Until recently, he has also served as dean of the Arab Music Institute. Egypt's cultural scene expressed its condolences to Heikal's family and all artists working at the Academy of Arts. Culture minister Ines Abdel Dayem underscored Heikal's achievements as a professor who, with his high professionalism and unique kindness, directed hundreds of students in the field of music. For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture Short link: Teetering financial services house Greensill is headed back to court to stop its insurers from cancelling the groups policies warning it could cost 7000 Australian jobs as it works to complete a fire sale of the bulk of its business. Lawyers for the Anglo-Australian finance group told the Supreme Court of NSW on Monday that as many as 50,000 jobs globally and 7000 in Australia could be impacted if the Anglo-Australian group was not able to retain its insurance. Greensill Capital founder Lex Greensill and his team expect to complete a sale of large parts of the business this week. Credit:The Sydney Morning Herald Greensill was initially unsuccessful in its bid for an emergency injunction against its insurers but will be back in court on Friday to again argue its case over the cancellation of the policies The company was sent hurtling towards insolvency after two key financial backers Credit Suisse and GAM froze the flow of funds to the supply chain finance group following concerns Greensill was overexposed to a single client, believed to be entities associated with steel tycoon Sanjeev Gupta. Two veteran lifeguards in Cape May have filed lawsuits against each other and the city, alleging racism, sexism and other unprofessional behavior took place as they worked on the local beach patrol. Terry L. Randolph, 57, filed the first lawsuit on Feb. 17, alleging officials retaliated against him when he reported his supervisor, Geoffrey Rife, for several violations that included allegedly making racist comments about the Black Lives Matter movement. Rife, 55, filed his own suit on Tuesday, claiming he was wrongfully terminated from his job as chief. Rife claims he was retaliated against when he reported Randolph for alleged sexual harassment of women lifeguards and other alleged violations. The dueling complaints, filed in Superior Court of Cape May County, both claim the city violated the mens rights under New Jerseys civil rights laws and deprived them of career opportunities and money. Randolph accuses Rife of raising his fist in a Nazi salute in front of a Black lifeguard and yelling White Power twice during a June 2020 discussion about a rally in support of the George Floyd movement. Randolph claims in his lawsuit that Rife was terminated over the alleged incident, but Rife claims he was never given a reason as to why he was let go. In his lawsuit, Rife says Randolph falsely and maliciously accused him of throwing the salute and yelling White Power, asserting he had never been accused of racism or racist misconduct in his decades with the city. Rife, who had worked for the city since 1985, says in his suit he was never given a legitimate, non-retaliatory rationale for his termination. The lawsuit alleges that a city managers investigation into the alleged racist incident was a sham and that Rife was terminated without cause on Aug. 28, 2020. Rifes lawsuit accuses Randolph of abandoning an individual in distress in the middle of an emergency response and of taking a beach patrol skiff to spend three hours alone with a female lifeguard. He also claims Randolph sexually harassed women lifeguards, who confided that they were uncomfortable around him, the suit states. Thereafter, (because of Rifes complaints) Randolph held a deep personal anger and a retaliatory animus toward (Rife), the lawsuit states. Randolph, who has worked as a lifeguard for the city since 1981 and is currently a lieutenant, claims his troubles began when he filed a grievance in 2017 when Rife was promoted to chief. The grievance alleged that, in promoting Rife, the city violated its own policies, along with merit-based promotional procedures outlined in the New Jersey Civil Service Act. (Randolphs suit also alleges a conflict of interest, stating that Rife had been a paying tenant of the supervisor who promoted him). As a result of his complaints, Randolph alleges he was told to retire, left out of important meetings, locked out of the office, given demeaning assignments and ultimately suspended from his job. He also claims in the 2018 and 2019 seasons he was brought back a week later than other lifeguards, which resulted in reduced pay. Both Randolph and Rife are seeking compensatory and punitive damages. Randolph is seeking compensation for lost pay and lost career opportunities. Rife claims in addition to monetary losses, he now suffers from anxiety, depression and emotional distress. Cape May City Manager Michael Voll referred questions about lawsuits to the citys attorney, Christopher Gillin-Schwartz. Gillin-Schwartz said Wednesday the city had been served Randolphs complaint and was aware of Rifes lawsuit through New Jerseys online court system. Were going to respond pursuant to court rules. Were taking a look at (the lawsuits) but not prepared to comment at the moment, he said. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. A man who allowed 10,000 to be transferred to his bank account in an invoice redirect scheme has been ordered to carry out work in the community instead of serving a prison sentence. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that it is accepted that Adetola Jimoh (53) was accepting responsibility on the basis of recklessness and he believed that he was accepting the cash to buy a car for another man. Jimoh of Glenview Park, Tallaght pleaded guilty to one charge of money laundering on August 25, 2015. He has no previous convictions. Detective Garda Michael Kilfeather told the court that gardai were alerted to the fact that a payment of 362,810 made by Maynooth University following receipt of an invoice was never received. In the summer of 2015 the university had engaged the construction firm Rhatigans to carry out development work on campus. Someone claiming to be from Rhatigans subsequently contacted the university accounts department by email and telephone and said the company's account details had changed. Staff then changed the payment details on their system for the supplier and paid money owed to the contractor into this new account. When Rhatigans sought payment for their work, it emerged that the university had been given a fraudulent account number into which it had transferred a total of 362,810. Grainne ONeill BL, prosecuting, told the court that the university had been the victim of an invoice redirect fraud. She said the exact origin of the communication to the college could not be established other than it came through a server located in America. Det Gda Kilfeather accepted that Jimoh was not involved in this original redirect fraud but it was established that 10,000 of the stolen funds had been transferred from another bank account to his bank account on August 28, 2015. The court heard that the 10,000 was taken out of Jimoh's account over a number of withdrawals via various ATMs and point of sale transactions. Jimoh was arrested and interviewed in April 2017, following a search of his home. He told gardai that he had been earning 700 every fortnight. He accepted that the 10,000 had been lodged to his bank account. He claimed that a friend had asked him to buy a car for him and had lodged the money for that purpose. He said his friend came from England to Ireland two days later and asked for the money to be returned to him. Jimoh said the man gave him 380 and told him sorry for your trouble. He was not able to give gardai any information about this man. Judge Melanie Greally accepted that Jimohs pleas of guilty were entered on the basis of recklessness and acknowledged the garda evidence that he believed he was accepting the cash into his account to purchase a car for a friend. She accepted that his culpability was for the 10,000 lodged to his account and that he was paid 380 for his role. Judge Greally noted from a report from the Probation Service report previously ordered that Jimoh was suitable for community service before she ordered that he carry out 240 hours community service within 18 months in lieu of an 18-month prison service. Asterix and Obelix will be coming to Netflix with a new animated series being developed in France. The new 3D animated series is set to premiere in 2023 with an episode based on the 1966 comic Asterix and The Big Fight, the streaming service has announced. Alain Chabat, a lifelong Asterix fan who directed the live-action 2002 film Mission Cleopatra, will take charge of the project. Celeste Surugue, managing director of Editions Albert Rene which owns the Asterix franchise, said the series will 'reach a new generation of viewers' while allowing old fans to 'rediscover' the cartoons. Asterix and Obelix are being adapted into a new 3D animated series for Netflix which is due to launch in 2023 with an episode based on 1966 comic The Big Fight (file image) No further details about the series have been released, such as who will voice the Gallic heroes. The Big Fight - or Le Combat des Chefs (The Battle of the Chieftains) in the original French - tells the story of a fight between Vitalstatistix, the chief of Asterix's village, and rival Cassius Ceramix, with the winner set to assume control of the loser's territory. The Romans, in an attempt to bring Asterix's irreducible tribe under their control, plan to fix the fight in favour of Cassius Ceramix who is loyal to them. On the eve of battle, druid Getafix forgets the recipe for a magic potion to help Vitalstatistix after being struck on the head by a menhir stone inadvertently dropped on his head by Obelix. Dominique Bazay, Netflix's director of original animation, told The Telegraph: 'I'm not giving anything away when I tell you it doesn't go as planned.' It is unclear how faithful Netflix will be to the original comics, having come under fire in recent months for censoring older shows with content deemed 'inappropriate' for modern audiences. Episodes from popular shows including the likes of Community and The Mighty Boosh have been removed from the streaming service due to use of 'blackface' or because of racist attitudes ascribed to the characters. Publishers of the Asterix series said the new animation will 'reach a new generation of viewers' while allowing old fans to 'rediscover' the cartoons Speaking to Le Parisien as the announcement was made, Mr Chabat said: 'Writing and directing an animated series has always been a dream. 'I am delighted to be able to do it with Asterix, of which I have been a fan for years! It looks like an extraordinary adventure.' Asterix and Obelix began as a comic written by Rene Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo, and was first printed in comics magazine Pilote in October 1959. It went on to become one of the most successful French-Belgian cartoons ever, selling millions of books which have been translated into 111 languages. Following Goscinny's death in 1977, the comics were written and illustrated by Uderzo alone. He sold the franchise to Hachette in 2009, and retired two years later. In 2013 a new team was brought in to produce the comics, with Jean-Yves Ferri penning the script and Didier Conrad doing the illustrations. Uderzo died in March last year at the age of 92, at his home near Paris. Rumours surfaced a week ago that Jake Edwards from Married At First Sight was secretly dating Bachelor alum Jessica Brody. But the 33-year-old charity CEO, who is paired with business manager Beck Zemek on Nine's social experiment, has now set the record straight. Jake told Hit Hobart's Jimmy & Nath he was not dating the tattooed brunette, 32, and insisted they were just friends. Just friends: Married At First Sight's Jake Edwards (left) has strongly denied rumours he is secretly dating Bachelor alum Jessica Brody (right) 'Jess and I are just mates... I think she's seeing someone else,' he said. The rumours had started when a photo surfaced on social media of Jess, from Matt Agnew's season of The Bachelor, having drinks with Jake at a Melbourne hotspot. The picture showed two glasses of wine - one red and one white. Pals: Jake told Hit Hobart's Jimmy & Nath he was not dating the tattooed brunette, 32, and insisted they were just friends Alongside the alcoholic beverages, eagle-eyed fans spotted Jess' distinctive fake fingernails and Jake's hand tattoo, which reads 'order'. Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia on Sunday, Jessica confirmed the pair had indeed caught up for a drink. But she clarified they were friends and nothing more. Spotted: The rumours had started a week ago when this photo surfaced on Instagram of Jess, from Matt Agnew's season of The Bachelor, having drinks with Jake at a Melbourne hotspot Clues: Alongside the alcoholic beverages, eagle-eyed fans spotted Jess' distinctive fake fingernails and Jake's hand tattoo, which reads 'order' (pictured) 'I'm in a relationship with someone else,' she said. During his radio chat, Jake was asked if he would ever consider dating Jess, but he was certain they'd never cross that line. 'No I wouldn't have though so, no,' he said. Her side: Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia on Sunday, Jessica confirmed the pair had indeed caught up for a drink, but she clarified they were friends and nothing more When asked if he expected such a reaction to the dating rumours, Jake said he was surprised by 'how big a cult following reality TV has'. Meanwhile, Jake has his own relationship with highly strung Beck Zemek to deal with on Married At First Sight, and things don't seem to be going well. Beck has rebuffed her husband's advances, and even accused him of looking at her in a lewd manner on their wedding day. Married At First Sight continues Wednesday at 7:30pm on Channel Nine There is no place for Sasikala, Dhinakaran in party: AIADMK India oi-Deepika S Chennai,Mar 03: The BJP on Wednesday said the AIADMK would decide on accommodating V K Sasikala, confidante of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, in the ruling party- led alliance for the April 6 Assembly polls. The AIADMK, in a quick reaction, ruled out accommodating her or her nephew TTV Dhinakaran led Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam neither in the party or in the alliance led by it for the elections. Saffron party's Tamil Nadu incharge and national general secretary, C T Ravi, when asked if his party wanted Sasikala to be in the AIADMK-led alliance and on Union Home Minister Amit Shah reportedly speaking to Chief Minister K Palanisamy about the mater, said,''only you are speculating.'' His party was part of the AIADMK-led alliance and whether to accommodate or not Sasikala and Dhinakaran would be decided by Tamil Nadu's ruling party, he said. Both Chief Minister K Palanisamy and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam knew the strengths and weaknesses of Sasikala and Dhinakaran and they would take a decision, he told reporters here. DMK-Congress yet to finalise on allocation of seats ahead of Tamil Nadu elections Asked if there was any conflict with AIADMK over any matter connected to seat-sharing, Ravi said there was 'no conflict' adding discussion was on. ''We are strengthening the party in all 234 seats.'' AIADMK senior leader and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, when asked if the BJP recommended bringing Sasikala to the alliance led by his party and if there was any pressure on his party over it, he said, ''no one can force us.'' The BJP has never interfered in the AIADMK's internal affairs and a big rumour was doing the rounds as if the saffron party was pressuring his party on the matter, he said. There is no scope '100 per cent' for Sasikala or AMMK joining the AIADMK or the alliance and this is the stand of the party, he asserted. Party's ideology and electoral alliances were two different things and the AIADMK's stand is to keep Sasikala and AMMK at bay, he said. On Dhinakarn stating that anti-DMK parties accepting AMMK's leadership were welcome for electoral alliance, he said it was a 'mockery.' Asked about Amit Shah reportedly broaching the subject of bringing Sasikala into the AIADMK-led front during his visit here days ago, Jayakumar said it was a 'myth.' West Bengal election 2021: Mamata Banerjee may announce first list of TMC candidates on Friday India oi-Deepika S Kolkata, Mar 03: Trinamool Congress is likely to release its full list of candidates for the coming assembly poll on Friday and its election manifesto early next week, party sources said. TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee will release the candidate list like in the previous elections, the sources said. "Though we had prepared the draft list even before the poll dates were announced on February 27, we had initially decided to release the list in phases. But now most likely the entire list of 294 candidates will be declared on March 5 by the party supremo," a senior TMC leader said. The party is likely to release its manifesto on March 9, he said. TMC says PM free to visit poll bound Bengal 20 times or more According to TMC sources, the party has decided to omit from the candidates list the names of several sitting MLAs who are 80 years old or are more. The party plans to nominate more youths, women, and leaders with clean image and acceptability in their respective areas, they said. Nearly 30 per cent of the 294 constituencies, including those held by 19 MLAs who have switched over to BJP, are likely to have new candidates, the sources said. "Reports by Prashant Kishor''s I-PAC on every MLA and their constituencies are likely to play a key role in the candidate selection," another TMC leader, who was present at the meeting, said. In 2016 the TMC had won 211 seats in the 294-member House. The Left-Congress alliance had bagged 77 seats and the BJP three. The election this time, which will see a stiff contest between the TMC and the BJP, will be held in eight phases beginning with polling for 30 seats on March 27. Votes will be counted on May 2. After having a marginal presence in the politically polarised state for decades, the BJP has emerged as the ruling Trinamool Congress''s main rival in the last couple of years. It had managed to win 18 out of 42 seats in the Lok Sabha polls of 2019 and followed it with inducting popular TMC MP, MLAs and ministers into the party. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 3, 2021, 23:16 [IST] March 3, 2021 Philips partners with European Hospitals to conduct first of its kind clinical research pilot program that aims to help reduce fear and anxiety to improve children's patient experience during MRI exams Study will explore the effects and use of animated stories and characters, including Disney favorites, as part of Philips Ambient Experience solution Amsterdam, the Netherlands - Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, and The Walt Disney Company EMEA today announced they are teaming up to test the effects of custom-made animation , including specially-made Disney stories, within Philips Ambient Experience, a solution that integrates architecture, design and enabling technologies, such as dynamic lighting, video projections and sound, to allow patients and staff to personalize their environment to create a relaxing atmosphere. Philips' clinical research project will commence this summer in six hospitals across Europe and the results of the pilot project will be completed later this year. It is the first time Disney has collaborated as part of a clinical research project of this kind. Philips will investigate how Philips Ambient Experience - using a series of animated stories, including some of Disney's most beloved characters, - can improve the patient and clinician experience during pediatric MRI procedures. Philips Ambient Experience will render six pieces of original, stylised Disney animation - created specially by Disney animators for use in hospitals with clinical guidance from Philips - intended to reduce fear and anxiety often felt by a child in the MRI process. The Disney animation features characters like Mickey Mouse, Ariel, Marvel's Avengers, Star Wars' Yoda and others, coming together in a diagnostic setting for the first time. The goal of the research pilot is to help alleviate children's anxiety, create bonds and improve the staff's ability to carry out their tasks in MRI scanning rooms across six leading European hospitals. Philips clinical expertise meets Disney story-telling Medical exams like MRI scans can be challenging for many patients, especially children, who are anxious or claustrophobic. Philips Ambient Experience - with 2,000 installations worldwide - helps manage these challenges by creating an engaging, multi-sensorial imaging environment that is welcoming and relaxing. Patients can personalize the room's lighting, video, and sound by selecting a theme of their choice. This gives them a feeling of empowerment and control over the procedure and provides a positive focus on the ambient theme. Ambient Experience Patient In-bore Connect helps them relax, follow directions, and minimize motion once they are in the scanner using video content aligned with the MRI procedure to provide information and guidance to the patient during scanning as well as information about scan duration. This becomes increasingly important for younger pediatric patients undergoing MR scans who need to remain still to help reduce the need for repeat scans. Philips Ambient Experience is proven to help improve efficiency with higher patient throughput and predictability, significantly reducing the need for retakes and rescans. The collaboration brings together Philips' vast clinical knowledge and expertise combined with a deep understanding of patient needs with Disney's masterful storytelling. It will allow children to select Disney content featuring their favourite character to help provide them with a sense of familiarity, control and comfort. From joining Aladdin and Jasmine on a magical carpet ride to gently swinging through city skyscrapers with Spiderman, each story is specially designed to calm and support the child through their experience. "A visit to the hospital can be quite intimidating for people, and especially children, where a more patient-friendly, patient-centric environment could help improve the patient experience and help drive first-time-right imaging for improved outcomes," said Kees Wesdorp , Chief Business Leader of Precision Diagnosis at Philips. "With this pilot study, we will investigate the impact of Philips Ambient Experience including Disney's specially developed themes to empower children with a positive experience to help them throughout the medical procedure. Philips has always taken a human-centric approach to healthcare. Together, we can make a real difference for thousands of young patients going through medical procedures each day." "I have seen first-hand that MRI scans can be intimidating for children, and I like how focused Philips is on the patient experience," said Jan Koeppen, President, the Walt Disney Company, EMEA. "At Disney, we look forward to complementing Philips' MRI experience with our stories and characters. We are excited to see the results of the clinical research and to quantify the impact our characters can have in this environment." In a recent study carried out by the New Economics Foundation, it was identified that in addition to creating a positive experience, the well-known Disney characters help build trust for children in anxious circumstances. The research, also identifies that, through the power of Disney's storytelling and characters, it can inspire and create positive feelings, experiences and memories helping children and young people to cope where and when they need it most. Disney has a long history of bringing magic and storytelling to children's hospitals and places of care across the world. In 2018, Disney announced a further commitment of $100 million to help reimagine the patient journey for children in hospitals around the world as part of their global Social Purpose program. Philips Ambient Experience solution at ECR 2021 For more information, watch the video on Philips and Disney's collaboration to improve the healthcare experience of children, or download it here. Philips will be showcasing its Ambient Experience solution at the European Congress of Radiology virtual event, March 3-7. For more information on Philips' new portfolio of diagnostic and interventional solutions and AI-enabled applications to enhance radiology workflows at ECR 2021, visit the Philips ECR site , and follow @PhilipsLiveFrom for updates throughout the event. For further information, please contact: Kathy O'Reilly Philips Global Press Office Tel. : + 1 978-221-8919 E-mail : kathy.oreilly@philips.com Twitter: @kathyoreilly Mark Groves Philips Global Press Office Tel.: +31 631 639 916 E-mail: mark.groves@philips.com James Matheson Walt Disney Company, EMEA Tel: +44 7891 763002 E-Mail: james.matheson@disney.com About Royal Philips Royal Philips. About Disney's Social Purpose As well as being a responsible business, Disney is dedicated to providing comfort and inspiration to those in need and creating inspiration and opportunity for those who want to improve their world. Disney's collaboration with Philips is an example of how, through working with others, we help build emotional resilience. Together we bring the power of our brand, stories and characters to inspire and create Moments that Matter for children and those closest to them when they need it the most. In 2019, we created over 26,000 life-changing moments for children across Europe. For more information on our programmes and our long-standing charitable partners please visit www.thewaltdisneycompany.eu . Attachments RoofersCoffeeShop, the award-winning website where the industry meets for technology, information and everyday business announces the 2021 RCS Roofing Influencers. RCS Influencers contribute thoughts and wisdom monthly through interviews, videos and articles on RoofersCoffeeShop concerning pertinent industry and roofing topics. The Influencers represent all facets of the industry including contractors, associations and industry service providers. Their insights are recognized in a special category on the site called RCS Influencers. We have been asking important questions to diverse groups of RCS Influencers for the last four years and have found that they all have expertise in completely different areas of a roofing contractors business. We have been committed to sharing that thought leadership since 2017, states Heidi J. Ellsworth of RoofersCoffeeShop. With our RCS Influencers opinions, tips or advice, our readers get a feeling for all sides of a topic. Our Influencers are true thought leaders in the roofing industry and bring diverse and informative perspectives based on their interactions and relationships. We are proud to announce the following 2021 RCS Influencers: 1. Rae July Chinook Roofing 2. Tammy Hall CFS Roofing Services 3. Pete Harding Go Green Roofing 4. Greta Bajrami Golden Group Roofing 5. Michelle and Christian Kettering LTD Exteriors 6. Danny Kerr Breakthrough Academy 7. Julissa Chavez SRS Distribution, Inc. 8. Rod Petrick Ridgeworth Roofing Co Inc 9. Charles Antis - Antis Roofing & Waterproofing 10. Michelle Boykin and Curtis Sutton - Rackley Roofing 11. Trent Cotney - Cotney Construction Law 12. Thea Dudley Pocket Protectors, LLC 13. Heidi Ellsworth RoofersCoffeeShop 14. Rudy Gutierrez - Shell Roofing Solutions 15. Wendy Marvin - Matrix Roofing and Home Solutions 16. Mandy McIntyre - 1st Choice Roofing 17. Mike Pickel - Texas Traditions Roofing 18. Marty Stout - Go Roof Tune Up 19. Ashley and Seth Pietsch - Integrity Insurance & Bonding Inc For more information on the 2021 RCS Influencers, meet them here. About RoofersCoffeeShop As an award-winning website and online community, RoofersCoffeeShop is committed to being a roofing professional advocate by supplying consistent information, education and communication avenues for all roofing professionals, and especially contractors, while promoting the growth, education and success of the roofing industry overall. Visitors to the site continue to find excellent opportunities for sharing information while participating in important ongoing conversations concerning new technologies, safety and the overall roofing trade. From the rooftop to the board room, RoofersCoffeeShop is Where the Industry Meets! For more information, visit http://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com. (Newser) Fox News announced on the air Tuesday that Kayleigh McEnany, who was press secretary in the Trump White House, has been hired as a commentator. In her first appearance as an employee, McEnany said the former president wasn't responsible for the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol, CNN reports. Fox made no comment about the hiring other than Harris Faulkner's announcement, per NBC. McEnany was often criticized for making false statements as press secretaryafter starting her tenure by promising reporters "I will never lie to you"and some staff members told the Daily Beast they're unhappy about the hiring. In November, Fox cut away from McEnany's briefing when she accused Democrats of election fraud. Her predecessor, Sarah Sanders, also took a job at Fox after leaving the White House; she's since left to run for governor of Arkansas. story continues below "It's truly disgusting they fired hardworking journalists who did care about facts and news reporting only to turn around" and hired someone "whose incessant lies from the White House helped incite an insurrection," one Fox source said. "It's upsetting," a staff member said. "So many good people are out of a job now, and I'm sure she'll get a huge contract." On the other hand, the employee said, "Our audience loves Kayleigh." Still another put the hiring in the context of the credibility of the network's reporting: "It bothers me in that it is basically a slap in the face to the hardworking journalists that value real news and facts." Fox News has been trying to bring back Trump supporters who turned elsewhere after its Election Night call that President Biden carried Arizona. That turned out to be correct, but it angered Trump and many of his supporters. (Read more Kayleigh McEnany stories.) Russian Human Rights Council backs State Duma move to ban capture of marine mammals flickr.com / tiffany terry 13:57 03/03/2021 MOSCOW, March 3 (RAPSI) The Presidential Human Rights Council positively sees an initiative to ban the capture of marine mammals, believes it is answering the hopes and demands of the country's civil society, the body's website informs. The Council reminds that catching and keeping marine mammals in captivity became the focus of interest of civil society and the media in the fall of 2018, when the news about massive catching of killer whales and beluga whales in the Sea of Okhotsk came. It also became known that 11 killer whales and 87 beluga whales caught for sale in China were kept in captivity in Srednyaya Bay in the Primorsky Krai. As to this fact, the Council turned to the Prosecutor General's Office, the Governor of the Primorsky Krai, and the federal Government. The issue was also raised at the meeting of the Council with the President. Thus, as a result of several inspections, criminal cases were initiated over illegal extraction of biological resources and cruelty to animals. The operation to free belugas and killer whales from the "whale prison" was successfully completed in October 2019. Human rights activists note that this could happen again, since there is no legislative ban on the capture of cetaceans and other marine mammals in the country. As to the current draft law, Chairman of the Council's Standing Commission on Environmental Rights Sergey Tsyplenkov believes that it is capable of putting up a real barrier in the way of new "whale prisons." This February, State Duma lawmaker representing United Russia political party Svetlana Bessarab developed a bill banning the fishing of marine mammals for cultural and educational purposes. The document has been submitted to an expert council for consideration, it is being prepared for the first reading in the lower house of the Russian Parliament. Press Release March 3, 2021 SALUDO SA KABABAIHAN! HONTIVEROS HAILS WOMEN AT HOME, AT THE FRONTLINES ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S MONTH In celebration of International Women's Month, Senator Risa Hontiveros lauded all Filipino women who are taking on multiple roles both at home and at the frontlines of a pandemic and an economic recession. "Ang buwan ng Marso ay isang pagbibigay pugay sa mga Pilipina para sa ating buong pusong pagtupad sa napakaraming gawain sa kabila ng mga hamon ng pandemya. Marami sa ating mga kabaro, sinalo nang sabay-sabay ang iba't ibang tungkulin: bilang ina, guro, negosyante, at maging mga essential workers. Iba ang ating tapang. Saludo ako sa atin!" she said. Hontiveros, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Women, pledged that the fight for women's rights, as well as the betterment of their working conditions, will continue especially when the drop in the labor force between 2019 and 2020 was more pronounced among women. According to Hontiveros, most of the women today have been forced to play more domestic roles and cope with new learning modalities. "The pandemic has widened and increased disparities especially among women. Mayroon ding significant financial impact para sa mga kababaihang hindi na makapagtrabaho dahil nadagdagan ang responsibilidad na dapat gampanan. Kaya sa Senado, doble-kayod tayo to keep up with doubled demands. Patuloy tayong magtatrabaho para sa inyo," Hontiveros stated. "We filed Balik-Trabahong Ligtas Bill para masigurado ang kapakanan ng manggagawa, lalo't higit sa mga kababaihang essential workers na araw-araw nagko-commute at nagtatrabaho. We have also been calling for a comprehensive public employment program (PEP) as well as employment guarantees to provide income support and employment opportunities to women," she added. The Senator also said that the Committee on Women is set to hear various women-related agenda to come up with solutions to issues that have long been victimizing women and children, such as the online sexual exploitation of children and human trafficking and prostitution by Chinese Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). "Ngayong may pandemya, doble ang bigat na binubuhat ng mga babae sa lipunan, maging sa tahanan: bilang mama, guro at breadwinner. I hope as we go through this month we not only learn more about women's issues but also put the hard work into helping women navigate through this pandemic. Because it's not enough that only some of us will be able to recover, dapat lahat," Hontiveros concluded. NASHVILLE, Tenn. Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and First Lady Maria Lee celebrated Read Across America Day at Paragon Mills Elementary School in Nashville and highlighted the Administration's efforts to boost literacy in K-12 schools. Click here for photos and b-roll from the Paragon Mills Read Across America celebration. On this Read Across America Day, we celebrate the potential for every student in Tennessee to be a strong reader and succeed in life beyond the classroom, said Gov. Lee. In partnership with members of the General Assembly, superintendents and educators, we have implemented policies that put students first and ensure they are reading on grade-level. "Reading is the foundation for all learning, and focusing on developing strong reading skills in a student's early years is essential for their education and success in life after high school," said Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn. "I am so proud that Tennessee is rightfully prioritizing this critical issue to ensure all of our students can get strong, phonics-based literacy instruction and be prepared for life beyond the classroom." Lee Administration Prioritizes Literacy Raising Literacy Standards and Introducing Phonics-Based Instruction Currently, only 1/3 of third graders in Tennessee are reading on grade level, which leads to nearly three out of four students who struggle to read on grade level when they reach high school. To combat this challenge, Gov. Lee introduced a third-grade reading gate and phonics-based instruction to ensure strong reading skills before the critical third-grade milestone. Launching the Reading 360 Initiative Launched in January 2021, Reading 360 tackles Tennessees literacy crisis by offering optional grants and resources tailored to the needs of individual districts while providing supports for teachers and families to help students develop strong phonics-based reading skills. Offering In-Person Learning in Every School District Data shows that there has been significant learning loss after time away from the classroom. Governor Lee prioritized a plan to get kids back to school safely, and as of March 1st, every school district across the state is offering an in-person learning option. ### BAGHDAD - A U.S. contractor died during rocket attacks on an Iraqi military base Wednesday, the Pentagon said, posing a fresh challenge to the Biden administration days after it launched military action in retaliation for an earlier attack. Iraq's military said that 10 Grad rockets had landed on the Ain al-Asad air base in the western province of Anbar, and that the vehicle they were launched from had also been located. Around half of the rockets were intercepted by a U.S. aerial defense system, American and Iraqi officials said. "A U.S. civilian contractor suffered a cardiac episode while sheltering and sadly passed away shortly after," said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, sharing no further information about the person's identity. "There are no current reports of U.S. service member injuries, and all are accounted for." The attack came during an acutely sensitive period for the President Joe Biden and the Iraqi government. While similar rocket attacks have routinely been claimed by or blamed on Iran-backed militia groups, Washington is trying to blunt the tensions that soared between Washington and Tehran during President Donald Trump's years in office. Biden said Wednesday: "We are following that through right now. Thank God no one was killed by the rocket. One individual, a contractor, died of a heart attack. But we're identifying who's responsible, and we'll make judgments from that point." Western officials point to Biden's response to rocket attacks on U.S. service personnel in Iraq last week as a case in point. Although the strikes resulted in the first unilateral military action of Biden's presidency, the Iran-backed militants it targeted were across the border in Syria, not Iraq, a move that seemed consciously calibrated to avoid further escalation. In Baghdad, meanwhile, officials have all hands on deck for the arrival of Pope Francis on Friday, with the pontif's visit representing an opportunity for the embattled government here to showcase Iraq's relative stability in the wake of the Islamic State's military defeat. "Iraqi security forces are on scene and investigating. We cannot attribute responsibility at this time, and we do not have a complete picture of the extent of the damage," Kirby said in a statement. "We stand by as needed to assist our Iraqi partners as they investigate." Rocket attacks on U.S. diplomatic and military targets have escalated in the year since Trump ordered the killing of Iran's most influential military strategist, Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, and the Iraqi militia leader, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, responsible for maintaining cohesion among the country's disparate network of militia groups. Recent attacks on U.S.-linked bases have been claimed by splinter groups that have announced themselves since the deaths of Soleimani and Muhandis. Although U.S. officials say that those groups are backed by Iran, the extent of Tehran's control over individual attacks remains unclear. As night fell Wednesday, there was no claim of responsibility for the latest rocket attacks. - - - The Washington Post's Felicia Sonmez in Washington contributed to this report. Attorney-General Christian Porter stood before the nation on Wednesday and revealed he was the member of federal cabinet accused falsely, he insisted of an historical sexual assault. It just never happened, he said. The rumours about an unnamed minister had been circulating for some days, but no major news outlet had published his name in connection with the claims out of a concern about defamation law, but also to preserve the right of the minister to procedural fairness. Attorney-General Christian Porter faces a press conference on the rape allegations in Perth on Wednesdy. Credit:Trevor Collens It was Porter himself who ended the speculation and the secrecy, and finally allowed us to talk openly about what is a very serious challenge for the government and to our commitment, as a nation, to individual justice but also to gender justice. For many, including myself, who have known of the allegations for some time, and have been contacted by people concerned about them, this was a welcome relief. Sadly for Porter, his vehement public denial cannot end the matter. Regardless of how sincere the Prime Minister and his cabinet colleagues find Porters impassioned denial, accepting the ministers untested word is not a sufficiently high bar for them to set when the allegation of rape is so serious and the threat to the governments integrity is so great. Mary Lou McDonald said the illegal adoptions were a massive failure by the State (Niall Carson/PA) There have been calls for the Government to establish an investigation into Irelands criminal adoption system, which saw thousands of babies illegally adopted. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said illegal adoptions are another massive failure and abuse by the State in its treatment of women and children. It comes after an investigation by RTE examined how religious orders were behind thousands of illegal adoptions over several decades. The Department of Children confirmed there were at least 151 illegal adoptions at the St Patricks Guild adoption society in Dublin. It's widely considered that thousands of children were illegally adopted, some trafficked to America and to elsewhere Mary Lou McDonald A number of adoptees have been contacted over the last three years and told they were illegally adopted and that birth certificates and paperwork were forged. Many of them did not know they were adopted. Ms McDonald said that successive governments have known of the scandals for decades, but have failed to act. Campaigners have been raising issues with successive governments since at least 2002 and, over the years, the Adoption Rights Alliance has raised specific issues of legal adoption with successive ministers, but it was only in 2018 that we began to see some movement, Ms McDonald told the Dail. This St Patricks audit is only the tip of the iceberg. Its widely considered that thousands of children were illegally adopted, some trafficked to America and to elsewhere and that hundreds of institutions across the State were involved in these practices. Indeed, it has been reported that the government review has found evidence of illegal adoption in multiple organisations. Expand Close A grotto at to remember babies buried in unmarked graves at the site of the Tuam Mother and Baby Home (Niall Carson/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A grotto at to remember babies buried in unmarked graves at the site of the Tuam Mother and Baby Home (Niall Carson/PA) We now need a transparent, inclusive investigation into Irelands adoption system as a whole, because this was yet another massive failure and massive abuse by the State in its treatment of women and children. It was deliberate and it was criminal. Children had their identities erased through the falsifications their birth certificates, their most basic right was stolen, the right to know who you are, to know where you came from. She said that many people have lived for decades unaware of their identities, and without access to their records. Taoiseach Micheal Martin said the illegal adoptions have brought trauma and anguish to those affected. What happened was wrong, plain and simple, and completely unacceptable, and an enormous problem has been placed on people as a result of this illegality, Mr Martin added. The Government said it will introduce information and tracing legislation to allow adoptees to access their own information. There has been pressure on the Government to bring in adopting tracing laws for many years. Mr Martin said it is a priority of the Government to bring in legislation in the coming months. What happened was wrong, plain and simple, and completely unacceptable Micheal Martin The people involved have been approached by Tusla and essentially told youre not who you thought you were, or your parents are not who you thought they were, and you dont know who you are now and you cant have access to the most basic of information that any human being should have access to, Mr Martin added. The priority has to be information and tracing legislation. The Minister for Children [Roderic OGorman] is working on that with the Attorney Generals office to provide comprehensive legislation which would provide access to birth information, including the birth certificate, for such individuals or for anyone who has a question in relation to their identity and, indeed, origins. Ms McDonald said people have a right to know who their birth parents are. People are entitled to to know who they are so the State needs to end the discrimination against all adopted people in accessing their personal records, she added. This means introducing information and tracing legislation as soon as possible, but foremost, it means passing legislation that will give all adopted people a legal right to obtain a copy of their birth certificates. NEW CANAAN First Selectman Kevin Moynihan has been preaching about upgrading the towns cellular capabilities for years. Boosting service in town was among the priorities he outlined in his campaign when he was first elected in 2017. In February, Moynihan announced a deal had been reached to bring a new 110-foot cell tower in the 1800 block of Ponus Ridge Road in the northwest corner of town. Last week, the first selectman said the first cellular carrier signed on to be a part of the project AT&T Wireless. Along with Homeland Towers LLC, which is contracted to build the tower, AT&T was a company that Moynihan had been in contact with for roughly a year. They initially didn't plan to come on (to the project) this early. In January, they said they were still waiting. I didnt expect them to join until next year, Moynihan said, explaining that the wireless company allocates a certain amount of money each year for cell tower projects. At one point, I thought, OK, it is going to go without a carrier. It will be a cell tower for public safety. Moynihan said there has been a significant need for public safety communications in the northwest section of New Canaan for years. Its been such a critical issue that Moynihan added a caveat to the deal. Homeland Towers usually wont sign on for (a cell tower project) until a carrier comes on, he explained. Moynihan said he signed a contract stating the town would agree to pay $3,500 a month for three years for each month there was not a carrier. After securing the deal with AT&T, the town now needs to gain the Connecticut Siting Councils approval, which Moynihan estimates could take up to nine months. Carriers and emergency first responders have long recognized the need for reliable service in this area of New Canaan and Stamford, said Ray Vergati, of Homeland Towers. We look forward to the opportunity to work with AT&T and the town of New Canaan on a project of such importance to the community. Moynihan said the tower will have a discreet appearance. A lot of people still hate the look of cell towers, he said. With a town as big as ours, we need proper cell towers. He said due to the sloping nature of the landscape in the area, the tower will not be easily visible from afar. He also said the type of cell tower that Homeland Towers will build for the town isnt what many may be picturing in their minds. Our residents dont want tall towers and they dont want branching, Moynihan said. These cell towers have the antennas on the inside of the pole, rather than all of the branching you would see. After years of research, Moynihan said hes learned that taller towers with branching usually provide better and stronger frequencies across the town. He said the signal is usually weaker if the antenna is lower on the tower. AT&T will be at the very top of the tower, which is ideal for the carriers users in town. Moynihan said he also hopes to have Verizon, and possibly T-Mobile, involved with the Ponus Ridge cell tower. The owner of the land where the cell tower will be built stepped forward philanthropically, Moynihan said. The house located on the property is being rented, the first selectman said. Moynihans longtime project has been about bringing better cell service and public safety reassurance to all corners of his town. He feels this project is another big step in addressing those concerns. These days, 70 percent of 911 calls are made from cellphones, Moynihan said. We need 21st century cell service. The Isle of Man will enter a new 21-day 'circuit break' lockdown from today after a sharp rise in coronavirus cases. The island had been enjoying relative freedom from restrictions but the new lockdown will require people to stay at home aside from specific exceptional reasons such as for food, exercise or medical appointments. There have been 60 new cases of coronavirus in the last fortnight which have been linked to a ferry worker who tested positive on February 18. The Isle of Man has gone into a 21-day circuit breaker lockdown after sharp rise in Covid cases Government officials believed the outbreak was under control but five unexplained cases have been identified since Friday. The government there tweeted: 'There is transmission in our community that we cannot see and that we do not understand. 'We can now see this is not an isolated couple of cases but more widespread.' Chief Minister Howard Qualye MHK made the official announcement by a formal address given yesterday and said the measures will be reviewed constantly and kept in place only as long as necessary. All leisure and hospitality venues will be closed but takeaway and delivery services will be permitted. All lifestyle business such as hairdressers will close and non-essential retail businesses will also be forced to shut although they will be allowed to operate click and collect and delivery services. Mr Qualye said: 'From Wednesday we will be reactivating the financial support measures including MERA, Salary Support and the Business Support Scheme. The Treasury Minister will provide a statement in the House of Keys later today. 'I know this will be far from easy this time for so many. 'I know there is a great cost in locking down our Island and your lives. But we believe the alternative is now even more costly. 'I know we have asked you so much in the past and are I know asking you so much again. 'And I am truly sorry that this is happening. 'But our collective judgement throughout yesterday and last night, as more information became clearer, was that this, is what we need to do. 'I have always said that we will do what is right for the Island. And this is what we are doing. The right thing.' The lockdown was lifted on January 31 - 19 days after the last coronavirus case was detected before this latest outbreak. Residents on the Isle of Man gathered in their hundreds in November for annual light switch on The island was the only place in the British Isles to be able to celebrate a normal Christmas Schools and businesses reopened and the island's 50 bars and pubs welcomed revellers over Christmas when they were allowed to welcome back customers. Social distancing measures and mask-wearing rules were also scrapped, but strict border controls - banning all but residents and key workers from entering - remained in place. The island, which is a crown dependency and has its own government, was plunged into a similar 25-day circuit breaker lockdown after a Covid outbreak at the turn of the new year. But pubs, bars and restaurants were finally allowed to reopen at the end of January after officials announced the outbreak had been brought under control. A vaccine roll-out on the island has begun with Health Minister David Ashford saying everyone on the island will be offered a coronavirus jab by the end of September. Those aged 50 and over would receive the jabs by the end of May. With its strict border controls, the Isle of Man remained restriction free for almost seven months last year. It closed its borders in March, before allowing residents and essential workers back into the country from July. With the latest lockdown, Mr Quayle says he hopes the virus will be stamped out for good, adding: 'This is tough. I know it will be hard on families and on our businesses. 'It will be hard on our health and wellbeing and it will be hard on our children. 'I do believe though that if we get this right one more time if we stamp out once and for all the transmission that has been sitting under the surface for some time now - and in parallel if we protect our vaccination programme this could hopefully be the last time. 'If all is well, as we progress over the next 21 days, I sincerely hope that we will not have to tighten up further. It has worked before. We know what to do.' Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar said that Cambodia, on March 2, received 1 lakh doses of Made in India vaccine shots under its Vaccine Maitri Programme. India has stepped up its vaccine diplomacy providing lakhs of vaccine doses to over 25 countries, including those in the Caribbean, Africa and Southeast Asia. A civilizational commitment, wrote the lawmaker on Twitter as he shared pictures of the shipment arriving at a Cambodian airport. In a statement later, the embassy said that the decision was a testament to Indias appreciation for Cambodia as an important partner as well as its concern for Cambodian residents. The vaccines were dispatched in response to a request by the Cambodian PM Hun Sen who asked for Indian made vaccine shots. He had also offered his congratulations to Indian researchers on successfully producing COVID-19 vaccines Covaxin and Covishield. A civilizational commitment. Made in India vaccines arrive in Cambodia. #VaccineMaitri pic.twitter.com/3u5EaWo34e Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) March 2, 2021 According to the latest tally by John Hopkins University, the country of about 16 million has reported 844 COVID-19 cases till now. The Southeast Asian nation launched its coronavirus inoculation drive, on February 3, using 600,000 vaccine doses donated by China, with the sons of long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen and government ministers among the first recipients. Read: Nigeria Receives Consignment Of 'Made In India' Covid-19 Vaccines Under 'Vaccine Maitri' Read: St Lucia In The Caribbean Islands Receives 25,000 Doses Of Indian-made Covishield Vaccine India's Vaccine Maitri initiative Meanwhile, India has won global praise for its Vaccine Maitri programme which aims to aid poor countries amidst the global pandemic. 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 senior citizens receiving the jabs in the second phase of the immunization drive. Last week, India sent stocks of Covashield vaccines to Ghana. All the vaccines received by Ghana were free of cost as the country received them under WHOs COVAX programme. Also, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's donation of 2,00,000 Covishield vaccines to Guatemala on February 26 marked the extension of India's 'Vaccine Maitri Initiative' to the next level. Read: St Lucia In The Caribbean Islands Receives 25,000 Doses Of Indian-made Covishield Vaccine Read: Nigeria Receives Consignment Of 'Made In India' Covid-19 Vaccines Under 'Vaccine Maitri' [March 03, 2021] Ehave Inc. Files for KetaDash Trademark and to Uplist its Shares to the OTCQB MIAMI, March 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ehave, Inc. (OTC Pink: EHVVF) (the Company), a provider of digital therapeutics for the psychedelic and mental health sectors, announced today it has filed application #90549575 on February 26, 2021 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a trademark on its KetaDASH brand name. The application has been accepted by the USPTO and will be assigned to an examining attorney. Ehave recently announced plans to launch open testing of its KetaDASH ketamine IV therapy in the second quarter using advanced vein technology. On March 1, 2021 Ehave successfully filed its application to uplist its shares on the OTCQB market. The USPTO is the federal agency for granting U.S. patents and registering trademarks, and it registers trademarks based on the commerce clause of the Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3). The KetaDASH www.ketadash.com platform allows licensed ketamine clinics and patients who have been prescribed ketamine by a physician to administer the treatment at home intravenously. KetaDASH is a personalized mental care platform designed to instantly connect patients with highly skilled nurses to provide ketamine therapy at home under expert supervision. The platform has been strategically designed as a smart and intuitive dashboard from where patients and their associated nurses can get detailed insight on treatments. KetaDASH will soon be available on the App Store and Google Play Store. Ben Kaplan, Chief Executive Officer of Ehave commented, The application for a U. S. Trademark is a key step in protecting our valuable brand and psychedelic medicine assets, most notably KetaDASH. Mr. Kaplan continued, Looking toward the future, we see our KetaDASH brand as a major asset as we continue to seek new collaboration opportunities with partners and investors to develop psychedelic treatments for mental health and make them a commercial reality. Additional Ehave Inc. Information We are truly grateful for the support of EHVVF shareholders! Please join the conversation on our Ehave supporters telegram group at https://t.me/EhaveInc . The company posts important information and updates through weekly videos from the official company YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnyW1mgMd0qmYkEMq3O6FWA . Please follow Ehave on Twitter @Ehaveinc1 About Ehave, Inc. Ehave, Inc. (EHVVF) is a leader of digital therapeutics delivering evidence-based therapeutic interventions to patients. Our primary focus is on improving the standard care in therapeutics to prevent or treat brain disorders or diseases through the use of digital therapeutics, independently or together, with medications, devices, and other therapies to optimize patient care and health outcomes. Our main product is the Ehave Telemetry Portal, which is a mental health informatics platform that allows clinicians to make objective and intelligent decisions through data insights. The Ehave Infinity Portal offers a powerful machine learning and artificial intelligence platform with a growing set of advanced tools and applications developed by Ehave and its leading partners. This empowers patients, healthcare providers, and payers to address a wide range of conditions through high quality, safe, and effective data-driven involvement with intelligent and accessible tools. Additional information on Ehave can be found on the Companys website at: www.ehave.com. Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may be preceded by the words intends, may, will, plans, expects, anticipates, projects, predicts, estimates, aims, believes, hopes, potential or similar words. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control, and cannot be predicted or quantified and consequently, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements: (i) the initiation, timing, progress and results of the Companys research, manufacturing and other development efforts; (ii) the Companys ability to advance its products to successfully complete development and commercialization; (iii) the manufacturing, development, commercialization, and market acceptance of the Companys products; (iv) the lack of sufficient funding to finance the product development and business operations; (v) competitive companies and technologies within the Companys industry and introduction of competing products; (vi) the Companys ability to establish and maintain corporate collaborations; (vii) loss of key management personnel; (viii) the scope of protection the Company is able to establish and maintain for intellectual property rights covering its products and its ability to operate its business without infringing the intellectual property rights of others; (ix) potential failure to comply with applicable health information privacy and security laws and other state and federal privacy and security laws; and (x) the difficulty of predicting actions of the USA FDA and its regulations. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date of this press release. The Company assumes no obligation to update any written or oral forward-looking statement unless required by law. More detailed information about the Company and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward-looking statements is contained under the heading "Risk Factors" in Ehave, Inc.s Registration Statement on Form F-1 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on September 24, 2015, as amended, which is available on the SEC's website, http://www.sec.gov. Contact: Ehave Inc Media Inquiries: Gabe Rodriguez Gabe@Ehave.com Investor Relations: Email: Ir@Ehave.com Phone: (623) 261-9046 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] With 1 in 3 employees reporting that they dont feel safe at work, and 40% suggesting they dont trust that their employers are prepared for a major event, continuous criminal monitoring offers priceless peace of mind. InfoMart, a leading provider of global employee background screening and identity solutions, has launched a continuous criminal monitoring service that advances the industry standard with a compliance-driven algorithm. This monitoring tool notifies employers as soon as a new arrest is entered into police systems across the country and has the ability to provide notice of future court filings. As a result, InfoMart's continuous criminal monitoring program empowers companies to take a proactive approach to safety, cybersecurity, and risk mitigation. With 1 in 3 employees reporting that they don't feel safe at work, and 40% suggesting they don't trust that their employers are prepared for a major event, continuous criminal monitoring offers priceless peace of mind. Cybersecurity Insiders states that 68% of organizations feel they are vulnerable to insider attacks. Since 2016, insider risks continue to rise, and Forrester predicts that insider data breaches will increase by 8% in 2021. Employers can now take an affordable measure to monitor the criminal activity of employees, reducing the threat of insider criminal activity. Backed by trusted, up-to-the-minute data, this in-demand background screening solution offers insight into criminal behavior that occurs after a candidate joins a company. In the process, it benefits both the employee and the employer. Benefits for employees: A safer, more secure work environment Proof an employer takes safety seriously An informed HR department that can potentially provide support after an incident Benefits for employers: Timely insight into criminal activity post-hire for trust, security, and safety issues Opportunity to safely expand job pool to include candidates with prior convictions, supporting second chances Ongoing security of employees, customers, and assets Additional layer of security against insider cybersecurity threats InfoMart's proprietary algorithm enhances the compliance protocols typically found in this type of monitoring product, an industry-first protection for employers and employees. Results are returned via an actionable consumer report, and the process accounts for California's fresh consent requirements and for state and local laws that don't allow use of arrest information. "Every business has uncovered a situation where an employee was arrested after being hired. In an effort to provide truly end-to-end risk mitigation to our clients, we were looking for a solution that went a step further than annual rescreening," explained InfoMart's Chief Product Officer, Erica Clausen-Lee. "Continuous criminal monitoring was the clear choice. It keeps HR, security, and legal professionals aware of potential risk in a simple, automated way." "InfoMart's monitoring solution is truly exceptional, and they've taken great care to ensure ease of use," said Brian Kelly, Vice President of Business Development and Marketing at Appriss Insights, InfoMart's partner in continuous criminal monitoring. "The uses of continuous criminal monitoring are varied--and they all benefit both the employer and the employee. In addition to providing a proactive approach to security, monitoring grants employers the opportunity to adopt fair chance hiring practices and initiate workplace intervention for struggling employees." InfoMart's criminal monitoring tool adds to their existing suite of post-hire monitoring solutions, including driver monitoring, professional license monitoring, social media monitoring, and more. For additional information about their services, contact sales(at)infomart-usa.com. To arrange an interview, please reach out to media(at)infomart-usa.com. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 22:33:03|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close People visit the Chengdu Giant Panda Museum in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, March 3, 2021. A giant panda-themed museum offering visitors an interactive experience opened to the public on Wednesday in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province. Surrounded by huge walls of touch-sensitive screens and meticulously-designed settings, the Chengdu Giant Panda Museum provides an immersive experience while demonstrating various interesting facts about the precious species as well as its history, habits and China's panda preservation efforts. The museum spanning an area of 7,179 square meters with seven exhibit sections, has been built by the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie) Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Partly cloudy this morning, then becoming cloudy during the afternoon. High 76F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mainly clear. Low 47F. Winds light and variable. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 02:26:09|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close GUANGZHOU, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Leading Chinese respiratory disease expert Zhong Nanshan and top U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci have called for global solidarity and cooperation to fight against COVID-19. The epidemiologists exchanged their views in an online conversation hosted by the University of Edinburgh Tuesday night Beijing time. The two believed that global cooperation is essential in the epidemic control. Novel coronavirus is an enemy of all mankind, said Zhong, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a leading expert in China's respiratory disease research. "If the coronavirus still spreads in some individual countries, COVID-19 cannot be said to be fully controlled worldwide. If we want to end this epidemic, we need appropriate science-based, evidence-based decisions by decision-makers in each country. Everyone should do their best. So we need global solidarity," Zhong said. Zhong believed that some unscientific, inhumane means of "natural immunity" should not be used to achieve herd immunity. "With the development and marketing of vaccines, it will take at least two to three years to achieve herd immunity worldwide," said Zhong. The two agreed that balancing economic development and epidemic prevention and control is a global challenge, and undue hasty return to the "normal life" might lead to a backlash of the epidemic. "Last year, two months after the epidemic was basically under control, we reopened our economy and resumed classes," said Zhong. Zhong believed that a year from now there will be a big change. "We have been successful in the past by global cooperation with smallpox, polio and measles. There is no reason in the world why we cannot do the same thing with COVID-19 by a combination of cooperative public health measures and the application of science to get interventions in the form of vaccines and therapies and other types of interventions," Fauci said. Some very good news is what role fundamental, basic and clinical science has led to a potential and real solution to the problem, he said. "And that is in the development of highly efficacious vaccines, not only by the United States, but also by China, Russia, India and other countries. Right now we have in the United States and others, worldwide, vaccines that have a very hard degree of efficacy and a good profile of safety." "I know we're not going to get the world vaccinated in one year, but I would hope that we suppress the dynamics of this outbreak to the point where it may not be eliminated, but it is under extraordinarily good control, so that there can be some steps towards normality," Fauci said. Enditem Two boys from Ponchatoula have been found safe in Florida, authorities said, after an Amber Alert was issued for them Wednesday morning. Chief James Travis of the Tangipahoa Sheriff's Office said the 8-year-old and 4-year-old boys were located around 2:30 p.m. just outside of Milton, Florida. Their biological mother, Shawntel Heck, 38, who is a suspect in their disappearance, fled on foot in a wooded area, Travis said at press conference Wednesday afternoon. On March 9, the sheriff's office said Heck was taken into custody two days prior. She is being held without bond, and faces charges of simple kidnapping and unauthorized use of a vehicle. Heck had ties to Florida, authorities 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 A concerned citizen in Florida contacted authorities and gave a possible location of the woman and children. FBI agents located the children in Santa Rosa County, and their father is on the way to pick them up. The children had been missing since 3 p.m. Tuesday, the Tangipahoa Parish sheriff said. The boys' father told authorities he pulled into the driveway of his Ponchatoula home with his two children in their car seats. He stopped the car, got out and ran into his shed to grab a tool. By the time he returned, the vehicle and his children were gone, according to the sheriff's office. An Amber Alert was issued Wednesday morning for them. Staff writer Carlie Kollath Wells contributed to this story. In October she had a treatment to remove the fat in her chin, after having a variety of anti-wrinkle and lip-plumping injections. But now, Gemma Collins, 40, has revealed that she has had her Botox and facial fillers dissolved after feeling as though she no longer looked like herself. The TOWIE star also insisted that celebs 'all look the same' while urging her fans to avoid non-surgical aesthetics and 'stay natural.' Less is more: Gemma Collins, 40, has revealed that she has had her Botox and facial fillers dissolved after feeling as though she no longer looked like herself Gemma told The Sun: 'I have tried Botox and filler, and I had it all dissolved. I can't stand it. I was looking at myself thinking "I just don't look like me anymore". 'The young girls of today, all these lips, it's just a bit too much. People think it's the norm now, and it's not. We've got to stay natural. People need to stop messing about with their faces!' According to the publication, Gemma also said that celebs 'all look the same.' The GC claims that she now relies solely on collagen supplements and facial peels as well as a good skincare routine. Can't stand it! 'I have tried Botox and filler, and I had it all dissolved. I can't stand it. I was looking at myself thinking "I just don't look like me anymore" said Gemma Then and now: Pictured left in 2011 when she joined TOWIE; Pictured right now after having her fillers dissolved It comes after Gemma splashed the cash on 350 Aqualyx injections to remove fat from her chin at the end of last year, in addition to HIFU jaw-tightening treatment to contour her face. The reality star declared she feels 'brand new', and claims her skin looks like an airbrushed Instagram filter, as she shared a glimpse of her treatment with fans . The Meme Queen also said her face has changed for the better after losing three stone during the pandemic, and she plans to lose another three. She added: 'I've been seeing a lot of people saying "you've got a filter". Honey, this ain't no filter, this is me! My authentic self. It's a bit too much! 'The young girls of today, all these lips, it's just a bit too much. People think it's the norm now, and it's not. We've got to stay natural' insisted Gemma 'I have just been looking after myself a lot recently and loving myself. I'm a queen at the end of the day, this is how I look. There is no filter on here. This is a normal video. 'Yes, my face has changed a bit but for the better. I've lost weight. I'm feeling good, I've got time to look after myself...And I feel brand new.' Gemma previously vowed to 'age reverse herself by 20 years' with the help of non-surgical procedures. However, she recently got into a spot of bother with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) as she promoted controversial SkinnyJab injections, which she credits for aiding her weight loss. Expensive taste: In October, Gemma splashed the cash on 350 Aqualyx injections to remove fat from her chin, in addition to HIFU jaw-tightening treatment to contour her face The Essex diva shared a post on her Instagram page earlier this year hailing the weight loss jabs, but has been criticised for not making clear that the post was an ad. The drug Ozempic in SkinnyJab is used to treat people with type 2 diabetes, and the company was one of three firms criticised by ASA for wrongly promoting prescription-only medicines. The company was also criticised for making weight loss claims that were 'not compatible with good medical and nutritional practice'. In a statement to The Telegraph, a spokesman for SkinnyJab said: 'We are extremely disappointed the ASA failed to consider extra evidence before reaching its verdict in relation to one of the adverts which we dispute should have been marked as an ad. 'That said, we regret any lapses. SkinnyJab takes its responsibilities under the advertising code extremely seriously as we help tackle the UK's obesity crisis.' Veritas Forum cancels discussion on critical race theory after uproar over speaker Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Veritas Forum, a nonprofit group that explores truth and life through various disciplines, including religion and science, apologized Monday and canceled a discussion on critical race theory after critics pointed out that one of their featured speakers was not a leading expert on race and Christianity. Willie James Jennings, an associate professor of systematic theology and Africana studies at Yale Divinity School, and Neil Shenvi, a blogger with a Ph.D. in theoretical chemistry, were set to discuss whether a secular worldview like critical race theory can address racism or if Christianity provides a unique response. While Shenvi has discussed critical race theory on several panels and written a number of articles on the issue, he has no academic training in the subject matter. The event, which was set to take place virtually on March 4, describes both speakers as leading experts on the topic of race and Christianity. How does racism manifest itself today? Can a secular worldview provide a grounds for addressing such evils, or does Christianity yield a unique response? Is Critical Theory an epistemically justified and useful tool in the fight against modern injustices? the promotion for the forum asked. Leading experts on the topic of race and Christianity Dr. Willie Jennings and Dr. Neil Shenvi will engage in a thought-provoking virtual dialogue at this years Veritas Forum. The forum, which was sponsored by the University of Washington chapter of Ratio Christi, an apologetics evangelism organization that "builds thoughtful Christians and shares compelling reasons for following Christ at universities," quickly came under fire from critics, including several academics, for describing Shenvi as a leading expert on the subject matter. That's just flat-out dishonest. @veritasforum, please take that language down. In what world? Samuel Perry, associate professor in the department of sociology at the University of Oklahoma, whose research areas include religion, culture, families and race, asked in a tweet Monday evening. Even if we were to practice the philosophical exercise of hypothesizing what alternate realities could exist; in what possible world would Neil be an expert on Race & Christianity @veritasforum? Whatever possible world in which that reality exists, it isnt in this one, theologian Kyle J. Howard argued in another tweet. Several hours later on Monday night, Veritas Forum announced the cancellation of the event, along with a mea culpa in a statement on Twitter. We have canceled the Veritas Forum on race and reconciliation that was scheduled to take place on Thursday, March 4, the group said. At Veritas, we value rigor and respect around lifes most important questions, inviting those with opposing worldviews to the table, and expertise as well as honesty and truth. We also value critique, learning, and admitting our mistakes, they explained. We failed to live up to our values. We did not pair one scholar with relevant subject-matter expertise with another of equal expertise, and we did not describe their credentials accurately. We also recognize that there are deeper racial dynamics at play, and we lament any pain that we caused. We apologize. Shenvi told The Christian Post in an interview Tuesday that while he agrees it was a mistake for the forum to promote him as a leading expert on race, he believes the discussion could have continued. Im disappointed. I was looking forward to it, I prepared a bunch, but these things happen. Theres not much I can do, he said. The Veritas Forum did list me as a leading expert on race, which I certainly am not, prof[essor] Jennings certainly is, he added, while making it clear that there is nothing wrong with a debate between an expert and a non-expert. As long as both parties agree to the debate, he said he did not see it as a problem. If they agree to do it, its fine. Theres nothing wrong with doing it. The Veritas Forum had other experts of various kinds dialogue with non-experts, he said. If I ended up having bad arguments, I think that would have been exposed in the dialogue. The aim of these dialogues is to get to truth, to hear both sides. Both before and after the event was canceled, people talked to me and expressed disappointment because they wanted to hear that dialogue, he added. Jennings did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CP on Tuesday, but The Veritas Forum received mixed reactions for canceling the discussion between the race scholar and Shenvi. Well done. Have the debates, but dont disrespect a world-class black scholar by pairing him with a Blogger who has already demonstrated ineptitude in understanding both sociology & theology, and in late their credentials. Thanks @veritasforum, wrote Howard on Twitter. Eric Reed, pastor of the Journey Church in Tennessee, called the cancellation weak. This is weak. Theres a reason why Veritas Forum invited Neil to participate in the event, but progressive Twitter got angry. If hes so unqualified, let him get up there and get humiliated by his lack of knowledge ... if thats really the issue. Were becoming such pansies, Reed wrote on Twitter. Critical race theory, as explained by Purdue University, "is a theoretical and interpretive mode that examines the appearance of race and racism across dominant cultural modes of expression." Through this framework, 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." The subject matter has been controversial, especially in evangelical circles in recent years. In summer 2019, the Southern Baptist Convention passed Resolution 9, On Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality, with much dissent. It notes in part that while critical race theory and intersectionality alone are insufficient to diagnose and redress the root causes of the social ills that they identify, which result from sinthese analytical tools can aid in evaluating a variety of human experiences. In recent months in the wake of racial protests, Southern Baptists like Texas Pastor Dwight McKissic Sr. have argued there is a growing movement to rescind it. Christopher Lee Bolt, a pastor-teacher at Elkton Baptist Church in Tennessee and head of theology at Legacy Bible College, said Tuesday that the arguments against Shenvi speaking at the Veritas Forum is evidence of why he believes SBC Resolution 9 should not have been adopted. The arguments against Neil Shenvi speaking at something like the Veritas Forum because he is said to lack the proper expertise in the area of Critical Race Theory is the main reason I now believe Resolution 9 should have never come to the floor at the Southern Baptist Convention, he said. Shenvi told CP on Tuesday that he had been planning to use respected professor of sociology at Baylor University, George Yanceys model of mutual accountability for the discussion. He then quoted the closing line of the opening statement he had planned to deliver at the forum. We need to talk to each other rather than yell at each other. We need to call each other brother and sister rather than call each other racist and Marxist. So lets reject unbiblical approaches to fighting racism and embrace a better one, he said. Restrictions placed on the National Guard by Department of Defense officials contributed to a delayed response as the U.S. Capitol was under attack on Jan. 6, according to testimony presented at a congressional hearing Wednesday. Maj. Gen. William Walker, commanding general of the District of Columbia National Guard, testified that he was denied authority to deploy a quick reaction force and was required to seek approval before moving Guardsmen supporting Capitol police. Walker said he received a frantic call from the chief of Capitol Police at 1:49 p.m. asking for immediate assistance, but Walker was not authorized to deploy troops for another three hours. Walker said it only took 20 minutes to send Guardsmen to the Capitol after he received the order. U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, led a Wednesday hearing focused on discovering how national security officials failed to identify and prepare for the threat posed by right-wing extremists who planned to invade the Capitol. A mob of rioters, including supporters of then-President Donald Trump, broke past police barriers and stormed the building, causing members of Congress to evacuate as they were certifying the presidential election. Peters, who chairs the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said the intelligence community failed to recognize crystal clear warnings that an attack on Jan. 6 was being planned. Security officials testified last week they expected violence would spill out of protests organized by Trump and his allies, but officials were not ready for a coordinated military-style attack on the Capitol. The Michigan senator also questioned why the National Guard did not have the same issues getting approval to respond to Black Lives Matter protests last year. Walker said senior leaders of the U.S. Army conveyed that it would not be their best military advice to have uniformed Guardsmen on the Capitol. Youre saying that optics was raised on that call, Peters said. You said you were able to get immediate authorization in the summer of 2020 during those protests. Was the issue of optics ever brought up by Army leadership when D.C. National Guard was deployed in summer 2020? Walker said no, and he found it unusual that optics were discussed on Jan. 6. Wednesdays hearing is the latest in a series of investigative sessions Congress is taking to review the Jan. 6 incident and adopt reforms. FBI Director Christopher Wray testified one day earlier that unverified intelligence suggesting extremist groups were planning for war in Washington, D.C. was forwarded to Capitol Police, though leaders of the department said they did not receive it. Jill Sanborn, assistant director for the FBIs counterterrorism division, said the FBI had a difficult time sorting through a flood of online communications about the activity being planned on Jan. 6. Sandborn said the FBI tried to separate aspirational discussions from conversations that conveyed an intent to act. Clearly, we have to do a much better job, Peters said. Wray said many of the people identified were thanks to 200,000 digital media tips the FBI has received from the public. Members of the public who have any information related to the siege should continue to provide tips, information, and videos of illegal activity at tips.fbi.gov or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI. Wray reiterated that the FBI has not found evidence to suggest anarchists or anti-fascists were connected to the Jan. 6 attack. Sandborn testified Wednesday that no individuals who have been arrested thus far identified as members of antifa or anarchist groups. Sandborn said new intelligence suggests a possible plot by militia groups to breach the Capitol on Thursday or Saturday, March 6. The hearing follows a week-long impeachment trial examining the role Trump played in the riots. The House voted to impeach Trump on one charge of inciting an insurrection, but a bipartisan group of Senators did not gather enough support to convict the former president. READ MORE ON MLIVE: Fueled by lies over stolen election, a Michigan man breached the U.S. Capitol after Trumps call to action FBI arrests, impeachment trial contradicts riot hoax claim promoted by Michigans top Republican Unchecked national security wont stop Americas long-standing domestic terrorism threat How riots, politics and a pandemic drove record gun sales in Michigan Extremists have gone mainstream. Lawyers, realtors and every-day folks make up their ranks. Michigan man arrested for breaking into Capitol released on bond Photo: Rob Gibson As the COVID-19 global pandemic stretches into its second year in British Columbia, the province stands to collect hundreds of thousands of dollars thanks to pandemic-related fines. The Ministry of Public Safety has released new information on fines that have been issued due to pandemic-related violations. The latest data released by the province suggests B.C. will collect thousands of dollars from pandemic-related fines, but only if the alleged violators pay up. The Province of British Columbia extended the provincial state of emergency on Tuesday, allowing health and emergency management officials to continue to use powers under the Emergency Program Act to support the Province's COVID-19 pandemic response. The extension of the provincial state of emergency is based on recommendations from B.C.'s health and emergency management officials and the original declaration was made on March 18, 2020, the day after Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer, declared a public health emergency. Between Aug. 21, 2020, and Jan. 29, 2021, 806 violation tickets were issued, including: 141 tickets worth $2,300 to owners or organizers contravening the PHO's order on gatherings 28 worth $2,300 violation tickets for contravention of the PHO's Food and Liquor Serving Premises Order 637 tickets worth $230 issued to individuals who refused to comply with direction from law enforcement. Additionally, since the pandemic began, police agencies in British Columbia have issued 90 violation tickets to individuals who were in contravention of the Federal Quarantine Act, totalling $98,929. "It's unbelievable that some people still refuse to put the safety of people and communities above their own selfish needs," said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. "The vast majority of British Columbians are doing the right thing, but there are some who continue to ignore the rules or bend them to suit their own purposes. We're all in this pandemic together, and the only way out of it is together. For those who still don't get that, we will continue to take measures to protect British Columbians from your actions." CTV News Vancouver is reporting that as of January 30, 2020, bylaw officers and other enforcement agencies in B.C. report only 12 per cent of people whove been ticketed have paid the fine and fifty-two per cent have chosen to dispute the ticket in court. 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! Britons can cheat the Covid vaccine queue system by claiming to be a carer to get jabbed early. Officials aren't thoroughly checking the credentials of people when they turn up for their appointments, inoculated people claim. NHS bosses say carers and NHS staff must provide proof of their occupation when they go to get vaccinated, such as letter identifying them as a registered carer. Local authorities are running different identification schemes, including using carer passports and carer emergency cards. But insiders involved in the day-to-day running of the scheme and dozens of Britons who claim to have been jabbed have told how there are 'no checks' and no need to provide any proof of identity. George Hasan wrote on Twitter: 'Had the Covid vaccine. It was straightforward and painless. If you are a carer, get yourself an appointment. You don't even have to be a carer no checks.' Dorthe Nielsen said: 'I got mine today. Didn't need to provide any proof or anything. Not even identity.' And another wrote: 'My Dad didn't have to show anything when he got his just shared his name but didn't have to show anything to prove it.' An NHS spokesperson told MailOnline that queue jumping is 'reprehensible' but did not deny that people have been able to get the vaccine when they should not be. A spokesperson said: 'People are being invited to receive a vaccine in line with guidance set by the JCVI, so that the most vulnerable are protected first. 'While it is reprehensible to try to jump the queue ahead of the priority groups, anyone who books to get the vaccine fraudulently should be turned away.' Bitons have been cheating the Covid vaccine queue and getting jabbed early by claiming to be a carer without having to prove it at centres. Pictured: A member of the military administers the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine at a mass vaccination centre at Holm View Leisure Centre in Barry, Wales, yesterday Ministers have pledged to dish out vaccines to all 32million in the top nine priority groups which include unpaid carers by the end April. Boris Johnson said the remaining adults should be offered their first jab by the end of July. Successful roll-out is crucial to easing lockdown, with the goal of all restrictions being eased on June at the earliest. But the scheme has so far been subject to a postcode lottery, with healthy people in their twenties and thirties having already had jabs in some parts of England. Health service bosses in England say the roll-out is currently only officially open to over-60s, but a worker involved in the coronavirus vaccine programme in London today claimed 'anyone' could get an appointment Screenshots of the online booking system show that a person is able to book an appointment at their local vaccination centre without having proved their carer status They told MailOnline: 'You could try book yourself in just say you are a care worker and see for yourself.' The online booking system on the NHS's website only asks people to tick a box to confirm they are carer, before offering them an appointment. Northern Ireland officials last week had to withdraw online booking for carers because of an 'abuse of the system'. It was reinstalled later that day because the abuse was only coming from a 'minority' of people, officials said. The JCVI defines a carer as someone who is 'in receipt of a carers allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer falls ill'. Patricia Donnelly, head of Northern Ireland's Covid Vaccine Programme, said: 'This represents regular substantial support and not just shopping or errands.' Carers have taken to social media to raise concerns that centres across the UK have not been checking for proof of carer status It comes after it was revealed NHS workers could be forced to take a vaccine under plans being discussed by ministers. The Mail revealed that a review of vaccine passports will consider whether health staff who decline an injection could be legally obliged to have one. The review is also expected to look at whether compulsion should apply to care home staff, most of whom are not employed by the state. Ministers believe the move could cut the virus death toll and limit delays to the easing of lockdown. However there are major legal and moral issues as well as uncertainty as to what could happen to those who still refuse to be inoculated. As many as 200,000 NHS and care employees have refused the offer of a jab so far, despite working in close proximity to the vulnerable. It is extraordinary that so many people in the health sector appear to have turned down the vaccine, a Cabinet source told the Mail. Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- China forced banks to hold more foreign currencies in reserve for the first time in more than a decade, its most substantial move yet to rein the surging yuan.The nations financial institutions will need to hold 7% of their foreign exchange in reserve from June 15, according to a central bank statement Monday. Thats an increase of 2 percentage points, and the first such hike since 2007. The move, which the Peoples Bank of China said will help liquidity management, effectively reduces the supply of dollars and other currencies onshore -- putting pressure on the yuan to weaken.Although analysts said the direct impact may be small, the move is the clearest signal by the PBOC that its unhappy about the yuans surge to a three-year high against the greenback. Authorities had until now limited their response to rhetoric: a former central bank official and a state-media commentary talked down the currency over the weekend.The PBOC wants to show the market -- if the rally keeps going, it has many measures to slow it down and the market will fail if it wants to make speculative bets, said Zhou Hao, an economist at Commerzbank AG in Singapore. Its more of a symbolic move, as no matter how the PBOC boosts funding costs on foreign exchange, the rate on the yuan will almost always be higher.The PBOC set its daily reference rate at 6.3572 on Tuesday, only marginally weaker than the average forecast in a Bloomberg survey of analysts and traders. The currency gained 0.2% to 6.3634 per dollar as of 9:52 a.m. in Hong Kong, while the onshore rate strengthened 0.1%.Betting on the yuan has been a successful strategy in the past year. The currency has surged 13% against the dollar since last May, when it was near its lowest level since 2008 amid the effects of the pandemic and the trade war with the U.S. Brokerages including Citic Securities Co., Scotiabank and Westpac Banking Corp. expect the currency to climb to 6.2 against the dollar. That would be the strongest since a 2015 devaluation.The yuan is supported by Chinas economic recovery and its higher-yielding markets are attractive to global investors. A backdrop of imported inflation is bolstering the argument for a stronger yuan. Against a basket of trading partners, the Chinese currency is the strongest since 2016.The foreign-exchange reserve ratio hike will likely freeze about $20 billion of liquidity, according to Guan Tao, a former official at the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. The increase demonstrates the Chinese central banks strong determination to curb rapid appreciation in the yuan, and PBOC has more tools if speculation emerges in the currency market, he said.Recent history shows traders should be wary. In the wake of the devaluation, the yuan fell about 11% by the end of 2016, surged 11% through its 2018 peak, before reversing again to sink 13% by September 2019. When momentum in the yuan became too extreme, authorities often took steps to arrest the moves. In early 2018, for instance, the yuan fell the most in two months as authorities gave banks the green light to submit quotes for weaker fixings.Still, analysts remain unconvinced of the potency of the latest measure. Fundamental factors supporting the yuan -- such as its interest-rate premium and high inflation -- remain intact, Citigroup Inc. economists led by Liu Li-gang wrote in a note.While this policy will lock in a certain amount of capital inflow and make foreign exchange funding costs higher, its effectiveness remains in doubt, Liu wrote.Any tightening in dollar funding onshore wont be sustained because global investors can easily obtain cheap foreign-exchange overseas and invest in yuan bonds, according to Ju Wang, a senior currency strategist at HSBC Bank Plc.Beijing seems to be sticking to its goal of liberalizing markets as part of President Xi Jinpings plans to reduce moral hazard. Its not just the yuan where direct intervention is now an unusual sight. The national team of state-backed funds is rarely seen in the $12 trillion stock market anymore, unless moves risk turning into panic or mania. Even in the commodities market, where officials are struggling to cool prices, efforts have largely been verbal rather than direct.If the central bank takes additional assertive actions, such as setting dramatically weaker fixings, that could reinforce the belief that only heavy-handed intervention is worth paying attention to. Yet the Communist Party has made it clear it will act to reduce speculation and guard against risks to financial stability, especially in the run-up to the centenary of the Partys founding this July.We dont see this as an one-off change, but likely the start of a trend, Becky Liu, head of China macro strategy at Standard Chartered, said of Mondays move by the PBOC. It could be seen as a new mechanism to manage the yuan in the medium term, together with other counter-cyclical measures.(Adds 5th paragraph to show PBOCs fixing on Tuesday and latest pricing of yuan.)More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.2021 Bloomberg L.P. Taxpayers whove wanted their children back in school for months as the pandemic began to wane, and as vaccines have become available, have been routinely subjected to angry criticism on social media. If they dare speak up, theyre hated on and race-shamed by union leaders and their allies whose wages they subsidize through their tax dollars. In September last year when Rio shareholders successfully blasted three of the miners most senior executives out of their jobs because of the Juukan Gorge destruction, it looked like the fight had finished. Three of the biggest scalps in Australian corporate history were on spikes - chief executive Jean-Sebastien Jacques, iron ore division boss Chris Salisbury and corporate affairs boss Simone Niven. And then there was quiet. But the battle wasnt over. Behind the scenes, a group of mainly Australian shareholders continued guerrilla warfare without the assistance of the public outcry that had turbocharged the campaign to make Rio accountable for the destruction of the 46,000-year-old sacred indigenous sites. Simon Thompson ultimately took accountability. Credit:Bloomberg As described by one large activist shareholder, the executive changes were just phase one of the campaign. [March 03, 2021] BAI Communications appoints widely respected industry leader as new global chief commercial officer SYDNEY, March 3, 2021 /CNW/ -- Leading global communications infrastructure provider BAI Communications (BAI) today announced its appointment of Andrew McGrath to the position of global chief commercial officer (CCO). McGrath will be responsible for leading the delivery of BAI's global commercial strategy, focusing on enhancing the company's go-to-market approach across all its markets. Drawing on his extensive experience in both telecommunications and infrastructure, he will work with the team at both a global and market level to deepen the engagement with industry and partners to define solutions and models that will help accelerate both innovation and sales with BAI's end customers. This role sits at the heart of BAI's ambitious growth strategy as the business looks to aggressively scale its solutions and operations over the next four years, particularly across its existing geographies: Europe, North America, and Australia. Widely respected across the industry, McGrath brings over 30 years of experience and commercial acumen in designing and leading sophisticated engagement programmes that bring industry partners and peers together to jointly invest in mutually beneficial communication infrastructure projects. He joins BAI following eight years at Vodafone where he held the role of senior vice president for Vodafone Carrier Services with responsibilities including global sales and international business development This follows other executive level roles at Virgin Media, Verizon, and Cable Wireless. Commenting on his appointment, McGrath said "BAI is a business unlike any other. Its strong credibility in delivering large scale connected public infrastructure projects stems from its unique combination of deep engineering expertise and unrelenting drive for innovation. He added "BAI is at an important stage in its lifecycle and the opportunity that lays ahead is very exciting. BAI has clearly defined neutral host and private network offerings that are generating extremely strong interest from municipalities and mobile network operators alike. This positions it perfectly to capitalise on the fast-growing commercial opportunity and interest in evolving the way connectivity is delivered at scale across our cities. I am delighted to get the opportunity to join the company and its strong leadership team and play a key role in helping to drive forward its ambitious growth strategy. Discussing McGrath's appointment, Group CEO, Igor Leprince, said: "We very much look forward to welcoming Andrew to the team. Andrew's ability to identify new market opportunities and gain stakeholder support right across our broader industry, demonstrates a unique combination of relationship skills and commercial acumen. This, alongside his skill in advancing innovation, will make him a great asset to the BAI's evolving business and transformative developments in the 5G and neutral host space." Based in London, McGrath will commence his role on 3 May 2021 joining BAI's executive team and reporting to Group CEO, Igor Leprince. About BAI Communications BAI Communications designs, builds, and operates cellular, Wi-Fi, broadcast, radio, and IP networks around the world. We are engineering experts and technology innovators with proven experience in delivering the next wave of connectivity solutions through long-term partnerships with broadcasters, transit operators, governments, and MNOs. As a leading communications infrastructure provider, BAI's neutral host solutions connect people, enrich communities and advance economies. Our global operations span Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Hong Kong and the US, where we have a majority stake in Transit Wireless. For more information contact Head of Marketing & Communications Sarah Roberts P +61 2 8113 4739 | M +61 434 752 233 | E Sarah.Roberts@baicommunications.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bai-communications-appoints-widely-respected-industry-leader-as-new-global-chief-commercial-officer-301239082.html SOURCE BAI Communications [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Mount Pleasant resident Towner Magill has started a petition asking the state Legislature to give the town its own Senate seat, instead of having 20 percent of the district represented by someone from the Grand Strand. Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff and San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg blasted a move by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Tuesday to lift the states coronavirus restrictions, calling it hasty and dangerous. Both implored local residents to keep wearing masks. Abbott announced plans Tuesday afternoon to lift Texas mask mandate and drop the states occupancy limits for restaurants, bars, sporting events, retailers and wherever people gather. The governor cited falling hospitalizations from COVID-19 as well as an increase in the number of people receiving doses of the coronavirus vaccine. Wolff warned that more people would get infected and die as a result of Abbotts action. I just think hes very premature, Wolff said. Were going to have a lot more people die and were going to have a lot more people getting sick. Nirenberg echoed Wolff in a tweet, Opening everything to 100 percent while simultaneously nixing our mask mandate is a huge mistake. You dont cut off your parachute just as youve slowed your descent. On ExpressNews.com: Gov. Greg Abbott lifts statewide mask order, opens Texas '100 percent' The rollback of the mask mandate and business restrictions will begin next Wednesday, March 10. At that time, businesses across the state will be able to open at full capacity. Abbott left some leeway for local officials to enact their own restrictions should the pandemic worsen. County judges can impose some restrictions like mask mandates and occupancy limits if COVID-19 patients make up more than 15 percent of all local hospitalizations. County officials couldnt limit occupancy higher than 50 percent. On top of that, the governor basically left no way for local authorities to enforce those measures so the ability to enact local restrictions is meaningless, Wolff said. Several local school districts said they were not changing their safety protocols until they get guidance from the Texas Education Agency. The TEA said it would provide it this week. The message for parents, students and staff at East Central Independent School District was, mask-up tomorrow, said its spokesman Brandon Oliver. San Antonio-based H-E-B will encourage, but not require, its customers to wear masks, spokeswoman Dya Campos said in a statement Tuesday. But the retailer will continue requiring employees and vendors to wear masks while at work, she said. We urge all customers to please wear a mask when in our stores, Campos said. Lifting the mask requirement hurts the businesses because (currently) the businesses can fall back on, Well, it's a law, we have to enforce it, said Cherise Rohr-Allegrini, an infectious disease epidemiologist who served on the city-county COVID-19 health transition team. Theyre going to have a hard time telling people to wear masks, and they're going to put their staff at risk. She and other public health experts fear the governors move will be a repeat of last April, when he canceled his statewide lockdown within weeks, the coronavirus was spreading uncontrollably across Texas, forcing Abbott to once again shut down bars and scale back restaurant occupancy. Only Texans who are health care workers, 65 or older or have chronic conditions are eligible for the vaccine. If Abbott wants businesses to reopen, he should prioritize additional vaccines for people working at schools, restaurants and grocery stores their risk of exposure to COVID-19 will grow even higher if people dont wear masks, Rohr-Allegrini said. Theres nothing in the governors order that prohibits wearing masks, and people should keep doing it if they stop, then its possible we could see an earlier acceleration of new cases here in San Antonio, said University Health's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Bryan Alsip. The overall pandemic numbers are going down, but for those units in the hospital that have COVID-19 patients - they are still busy, he said. The workload for our providers and staff caring for those patients hasnt changed. After the governor last year refused to allow local authorities to require residents to wear masks outside of their homes, Wolff outflanked Abbott with a June order that businesses require customers and employees to wear masks on their premises. Other major Texas cities soon followed. Abbott said he had intended for cities and counties to do that all along, but eventually made wearing masks part of his own modified statewide order. Wolff said Abbotts new order appears to effectively block local governments from mandating masks. Immunity from COVID-19 takes 10 days to achieve after a first dose of vaccine and isnt optimal until four or five weeks, tweeted Dr. Marty Makary, a professor of health policy at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine who has done consulting for Fiesta San Antonio, H-E-B and the Spurs during the pandemic. I love Texas but Gov. Abbott is jumping the gun. Just because we'll be in a much better place in 2-3 mo. doesn't mean we should be reckless in the interim, Makary wrote. The Jewish Community Center, which has lost hundreds of members and keeps its pool and fitness facilities open by appointment only, wont drop its mask requirement, and well take your temperature and ask you if youre feeling well, just like before, said Saul Levenshus, its president and CEO. Everyone would like to say, Whew, were done with this. But we are not, and we dont feel that we can represent our community responsibly if we cant keep them safe and healthy, he said, adding that if he could speak to Abbott, his message would be, Be careful what you wish for. Staff writers Jeremy Blackman, Laura Garcia, Marina Starleaf Riker, Bruce Selcraig, Danya Perez, Andres Picon and Madison Iszler contributed to this report. JFechter@express-news.net Have we ever really given a thought as to why children love watching cartoons and animated movies? Well, the politically correct answer would be that it helps build their imagination and tingles creativity. But if you really think about it, you will know that the answer is pretty simple. Children love stories!! They tread the path with their favourite characters to learn and derive values from these tales as they grow older. What we see today is a welcome change as gone are the days where the princess, a damsel in distress, waited years for her knight in shining armour. We want young girls to be independent, face difficulties but find the solutions on their own. We wish for them to grow up to be strong and confident about who they are and journey whatever the kind of life they choose. Maybe even save a hero on their way. Here are five must-watch animated films with powerful female leads whose stories will inspire every little girl out there! Mulan Breaking orthodox gender barriers have never been better portrayed than Mulan. Mulan's father is a war veteran who is summoned to fight a war despite being physically challenged and old. Mulan, a brave and confident girl, disguises as a man to take the place of her father and enlists herself in the army. The movie showcases an era where gender equality was laughed at and it was considered a shame if a woman ever crossed the line. The live-action film is now available to stream on Disney+Hotstar. Raya And the Last Dragon Set in the fantasy world of humans and dragons in a place called Kumandra, Raya is the latest addition of powerful female warriors in the Disney Animation family. On a quest to search the last legendary dragon, Raya defies all odds to restore peace and save the world. Voiced by an incredible cast that includes Kelly Marie Tran and Awkwafina, the film is all set to take you on a journey of a lifetime with its magnificent visuals and authentic cinematography that releases only in theatres on March 5 in India. Raya and The Last Dragon is the perfect watch for 2021 if you've missed going to the cinemas with your family in the past year. Frozen Princesses Elsa and Anna are strong female characters with unique flaws of their own. The story narrates the journey of these princesses towards self-discovery in a drama-filled-adventurous way. Most importantly, the story of Frozen brings a whole new aversion to finding true love and sisterhood. With the sequel redefining warrior princesses, Frozen can be streamed on Disney+Hotstar. The Breadwinner A 2017 Oscar nominated film, The Breadwinner is set in Afghanistan where the Taliban rule under the Sharia law. A 11-year-old girl, Parvana is shouldered with a responsibility of feeding her family as her father is arrested by the soldiers of Taliban. Disguising herself as a boy, in the society that saw women and girls as second-class citizens with no rights, a fearless Parvana ventures a dangerous path to find her father and bring him back home. This critically acclaimed film can be streamed on Netflix. Moana Moana is curious girl, daughter of a chief and as her father says 'is destined to take his place and lead the tribe'. But even as a little girl, Moana is drawn to the ocean like a moth to a flame. Aware of an upcoming danger, she ventures alone into the ocean to find Maui-the demigod to save the tribe. No love story, no hero, just a damsel who solves her own distress, thank you! Watch her story on Disney+Hotstar. ALSO READ: Women's Day 2020: 5 Women Characters On Indian OTT Space That We Simply Can't Get Enough Of ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE! Thappad Actress Geetika Vidya On Women's Day: One Day Not Enough To Celebrate Womanhood President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has welcomed the decision of the African Export-Import Bank (Afrexim Bank) to pilot the Pan African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) in West Africa Monetary Zone. He explained that West Africa had been grappling with the single currency for nearly three decades, and apart from studies and different decisions by various authorities of ECOWAS, it had not made the progress it should have, and said the move would help a great deal. President Akufo-Addo stated this when the Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Mr Wamkele Mene, and the President of Afrexim Bank, Prof. Benedict Oramah, led a delegation from the two bodies to call on him at the Jubilee House in Accra yesterday. Payment system PAPSS is the first centralised payment market infrastructure for processing, clearing and settling of intra-African trade and commerce payments. It is an arm of the Afrexim Bank, which is a pan-African multilateral financial institution, established in 1993 for the purpose of financing and promoting intra and extra African trade. President Akufo-Addo noted that the payment and settlement system was a route which could be effective in terms of its ability to facilitate trade and investment in the ECOWAS trade. He stated that ECOWAS had committed itself to the pilot project which was being undertaken by the Afrexim Bank, and said it was good to hear that the pilot project was on course. He said he was inspired by the information and work that the Afrexim Bank had undertaken to advance the course of the development of the continent through trade and industrialisation. President Akufo-Addo stressed that trade and investment among Africa was the surest route to deliver Africa out of poverty because these examples abounded in Asia, America and other areas. He welcomed the efforts of the institution to work strenuously and put in place pragmatic measures to bring about this, saying it was extremely important for Africa, and gave an assurance that Ghana was committed to the realisation of Africas trade and development. He said the role of Afrexim Bank had conferred on itself the enabler of the intra-Africa trade for the development of the continent, adding that, that was exceptional and should be supported by all. Champion Prof. Oramah said the bank took the decision to brief President Akufo-Addo because he was the AU champion for Financial Institutions and intra-free trade. He said with the commencement of AfCTFA, there were a number of institutional developments, including the Pan-African Payments and Settlements System that they were working on. He explained that the system that was being developed with the AfCFTA, the African Union and the various central banks to ensure that payments in inter-regional trade in Africa were done through local currencies. For instance, he said, when a Ghanaian wanted to buy a shirt from Egypt, he would not need dollars to pay for it to be changed to Egyptian pound, but the Ghanaian would just pay for it in Ghana cedis. Prof. Oramah gave an assurance that significant progress had been made in that aspect, and said that would save Africa $5 billion a year in payment transaction cost and also bring back over $40 billion that was diverted from the continent yearly due to currency differences. 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 Denton, TX (76205) Today Mostly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 75F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 59F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. If one thing can be said about the pandemic, it definitely was not a bad thing for cannabis, a business that many states declared to be essential as numerous other business sectors shut down to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Global cannabis sales rose nearly 50% in 2020 to $21.3 billion, a report released on Tuesday shows. Cannabis data and analytics firm BDSA released its 2020 cannabis sales data and forecast future. The 2020 figure was an increase of 48% over 2019 sales of $14.4 billion. BDSA now forecasts global cannabis sales will grow to $55.9 billion in 2026, a compound annual growth rate of more than 17%. Chris Boden, senior vice president of the cannabis division for Flux Insurance Services LLC, has felt the impact in a big way on his business. Its going through the roof right now, said Boden, who works out of the Sacramento, Calif., office. Id say in the last two months alone, Ive written more premium than in the six prior months. Its not so much that the number of policies hes sold has increased, but Boden said that the average premiums per customer have risen as retailers adapted to the pandemic by offering curbside pickups, more deliveries, which necessitated more insurance. Cyber is one of the lines where Boden has recently seen the biggest uptick. Now, theyre processing payments online, posting products online, he said. Of course, more cannabis sales mean increased revenues, and those increased revenues have driven up premiums, he added. Ninety-nine percent of the businesses that we work with were double or triple the revenue that they were doing the year prior, Boden said. Norm Ives, cannabis practice leader of wholesaler Worldwide Facilities LLC, has had a similar experience in terms of rising premiums per customer. Ives said he may have even sold fewer polices in 2020, but his revenue was up and he written premium was up. They were better overall policies, Ives said, attributing the increase in part to the rise in revenues, as well as his years in the business bearing fruit by attracting bigger and better cannabis operators. Ives noted that pre-pandemic there was a great deal of talk in the cannabis industry centered on mergers and acquisitions, which may have been forestalled during the crisis. He expects to see M&A activity pick up in the coming year, consolidating smaller operations, but creating bigger multistate operators to give potential business to brokers like him. An expanding and growing market is good for all areas, including insurance, Ives said. Micah Tapman, CEO of BDSA, said the figures beat earlier industry-wide forecasts, which were cautious because of the pandemic. Our previous forecast was conservative based on the expected economic fallout from the pandemic, but the industry not only survived, it thrived and legal cannabis gained considerable ground, exceeding our expectations in several markets, Tapman said in a statement. Legal cannabis sales in the U.S. passed $17.5 billion in 2020, growing 46% over 2019, while BDSA forecasts U.S. sales to reach $41.3 billion in 2026. Several mature markets in experienced accelerated growth in 2020, the report shows: Colorado grew by 26%, double its 13% rise in 2019 Oregon grew by 39%, versus 21% in 2019. Canada, the largest national market, grew by 61% in 2020 to more than $2.6 billion. Medical and adult-use markets that launched in 2019 and 2020 contributed $1.6 billion in spending in 2020 $422 million was in medical and nearly $1.2 billion was from in adult-use, the BDSA report shows. Five new U.S. markets legalized medical or adult-use cannabis during the 2020 elections: Arizona; Mississippi; New Jersey; Montana; and South Dakota. BDSA expects four new medical and five new adult-use markets to commence sales in 2021. Illinois, which launched adult-use last year, saw the largest dollar gain in 2020, rising by $784 million. The top four market expansions were: California ($586 million); Florida ($473 million); Colorado ($451 million); and Oklahoma ($400 million). 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Talking to mediapersons on Wednesday post budget, Patel said that the state's VAT on fuel was lower than 14 other states and hence, the government had no plans of reducing the same. Patel presented the budget with a size of Rs 2.27 trillion, up by Rs 9,742 crore from 2020-21 while making major provisions for education (Rs 32,719 crore), health and family welfare (Rs 11,323 crore), urban development (Rs 13,493 crore), and energy and petrochemicals (Rs 13,034 crore), among others. For the year 2020-21, overall Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections are estimated to be down by 10 per cent over previous year, with a shortfall of roughly Rs 25000 crore, which expects to be partially compensated by Cess income of about Rs 6,000 crore and Central loan of about Rs 9,200 crore. According to Patel, the shortfall in GST collections for 2020-21 will be on account of COVID-19 lockdown implications. However, while the shortfall remains, the GST collections have turned surplus to touch record high of Rs 3,514 crore in February, 2021, the finance minister informed. GST shortfall was fell from 40 per cent in April-June quarter to 15 per cent in July-September quarter of fiscal 2020-21, followed by surplus of five per cent in third quarter of FY21, indicating economic recovery at pre-Covid levels, Patel added. Gujarat's public debt is set to rise to Rs 3.78 trillion by the end of fiscal 2021-22, up from Rs 2.67 trillion as on March 31, 2020. While revised estimates showed that during the current fiscal 2020-21 had raised Rs 61,008 crore in public debt, the state will raise another Rs 50,501 crore in public debt for the fiscal 2021-22. Other key allocations include Rs 1,000 crore as interest subsidy on loans taken by farmers in the state, Rs 7,370 crore on Narmada project, Rs 3,974 crore for water distribution related infrastructure, Rs 2,385 crore on infrastructure in rural areas, Rs 1,250 crore to build 100,000 houses under PM Awas yojana and Rs 900 crore to build 55,000 houses in urban areas. Patel also allocated Rs 652 crore for Statue of Unity Area Development, Rs 568 crore for metro rail projects in Ahmedabad, Surat and Gandhinagar, along with Rs 50 crore to plan for metro rail projects in the cities of Vadodara, Rajkot, Bhavnagar and Jamnagar. The state, which has 124,000 km of surfaced roads, plans to spend over Rs 9,600 crore on widening of over 5,200 km of roads and Rs 1,453 crore for six-lane between industrial hotspots of Dahej and Hazira-Surat. Meanwhile, Gujarat will be setting up two mega textile parks under the scheme of Government of India. Moreover, a bulk drug industrial park will be set up in Jambusar taluka of Bharuch district, flanked by raw material makers in Ankleshwar and Dahej. Patel also announced a Medical Device Industrial Park to be set up at Rajkot, which is a cluster of engineering tools and equipment manufacturing. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Vernon Jordan came from humble beginnings and grew up in a segregated America, yet he moved through the world in the manner of someone who owned it. He was a Black man who knew what it meant to be called the n-word, not in a burst of anger but with cruel nonchalance. He knew what it meant to be underestimated. In response to these indignities, he used his physical presence - his formidable height, his confident bearing, his politicized skin tone and his pitch-perfect style - to rise above those who would insult his humanity. Jordan - who died at his home Monday at 85 - was a Civil Rights activist, an NAACP supporter and a Washington insider. He worked on voter registration at the grass roots level and he agitated for diversity within corporate America. He was part of the Establishment at a time when that was an accomplishment rather than a character flaw. He was considered a credit to his race back when such an assessment was met with accolades rather than allusions to respectability politics. Jordan was a power broker who sealed his deals with charisma and charm, who held secrets close and held the so-called "race card" even closer not because it was the ace up his sleeve but because it was a badge of honor. So much of what gave Jordan stature and influence with both presidents and everyday folks are among the tools and characteristics that today have become suspect. Certainly, circumstances have changed and some of the scandals and ethical lapses that this former Washington fixer might once have been called in to repair have been deemed not worth the effort or simply beyond mending. Over the years, it was impossible to miss Jordan in a crowd. Often that was because he was the only Black person in it. But he was noticeably well-dressed. His suits were attentively tailored and he had a love for Turnbull & Asser shirts, Charvet ties and fedoras. His style was full of European elan, Adam Clayton Powell flair, Wall Street pinstripes and Sunday morning going-to-church polish. His aesthetic drew upon the collage of influences that make this country exceptional but that connect us on common ground. Years ago, after writing about his style - a story for which he did not return my messages - Jordan called to express his gratitude after it was published. When I moved to New York for a new job, he called to congratulate me and we had breakfast. He talked about the racism he faced as a young man when he tried to find an apartment in the city. He told these stories even as he was regularly interrupted by a stream of the city's powerful men who all stopped at his table to seek his favor. He was patiently gracious to them and he wrote a letter of reference for me when I found my first New York apartment. Jordan was from a generation that knew a kind of psychic pain that would likely crush their children and grandchildren today. He comported himself with intention when he was at the helm of the National Urban League and the United Negro College Fund, and when he walked among the masters of the universe at Akin, Gump and Lazard Freres. To some degree, he performed when he was on these public stages. But his was often a calculated, internal dialogue. He wasn't playing to the crowds. In public, as an eminence gris, Jordan used charm to batter down doors. His style reflected the words of Harlem Renaissance writer Zora Neal Hurston: "Sometimes, I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me angry. It merely astonishes me. How can any deny themselves the pleasure of my company? It's beyond me." That attitude is a kind of armor, underscoring the wonders of one's character, intellect and wit and looking with pity on those who fail to recognize all that they are missing. The victim in the American story of segregation and racism and prejudices is the country itself. How much excellence has been wasted? How much continues to be left to fade away? There was a calm and certainty in the way Jordan moved through his world. So much of today's common vernacular, when talking about personal achievement or personal pain, has undertones of battle, of an exhausting, nonstop, urgent fight. Challenges are slayed. Insensitive and unpleasant conversations are triggering. The gray area has become a place of toxicity and complicity because many Black and brown people are at their wit's end and no longer have the time or patience for nuance and modulation - two things that seemed to be among Jordan's greatest gifts. As a college student, he worked as a chauffeur and his employer regularly used the n-word. This elderly White man, after discovering that Jordan spent down time reading in his library, announced with condescending dismay to his family that "Vernon can read!" The phrase later became the title of Jordan's memoir. "When I have told this story to younger people, they often ask why I was not more angry at Maddox. How could I have continued working for him under those circumstances," Jordan writes. "Each of us has to decide for ourselves how much nonsense we can take in life, and from whom we are willing to take it." In other words, this small, old man didn't matter. He was not someone to slay. Instead of fanning his racism with outrage; Jordan doused it with pity. This man from the South was in the thick of the fight for racial justice, but he knew that some battles were best won by simply ignoring the protagonist. They weren't worth the time. And sometimes the hardest thing to do is simply stand down. In the halls of power, he was an unelected presence - one who was not bound by term limits - but he had an enormous constituency. He was a man of substance who used style as both an introduction and a post script. And, upon occasion, the entirety of the message. In sum, Jordan's enduring legacy was that he made being a Black man in America look effortless - and wondrously enviable. Follow the live report of the Chancellor's statement on plans to support the economy out of the pandemic The long-awaited Budget has finally been unveiled, with the UK spending to rise to a total of 352bn over this year and next. The economy is now seen returning to its 2019 level by mid-2022 rather than the end of 2022, though the OBR lowered its growth forecast for 2021 to 4% from 5.5% this year. Public borrowing is estimated to be significantly less than previously expected, at 355bn or 17% of GDP this fiscal year, dropping to 234bn or 10% of GDP over the next. The winners so far have been banks, housebuilders, retailers and the hospitality sector. However, larger companies will be charged with a 25% corporation tax on profits starting in 2023, raising 16bn and 17bn respectively in the following two years. Firms looking to invest will enjoy a super deduction, which could see them get back 130% on any money spent. 3.35pm: Banks, green stocks stand out as winners Banks stood out as winners following the announcement, with ( ) up 4% at 168.18p; PLC ( ) rising 3% to 39.93p and PLC ( ) adding 1% to 188.35p. A stronger near-term economic outlook than previously expected bodes well for the sector, commented Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell. Aside from the sectors that will benefit from short-term reforms housebuilders, hospitality and leisure companies green stocks got a boost that may bode well for the longer term. The government has confirmed of the first ever UK Infrastructure Bank based in Leeds to drive a Green Industrial Revolution and support public and private projects. It will have an initial capitalisation of 12bn supporting an estimated 40bn of infrastructure projects such as offshore wind. The Treasury also unveiled a new retail savings product to give all UK savers the chance to support green projects, following the launch of the sovereign green bond. The stock market reaction was fairly muted, with Assets ( ) and Greencoat UK Wind ( ) rising 1% to 114.8p and 130.15p respectively. 3pm: Stock markets react coolly as Sunak keeps spending Following the announcement, FTSE 100 pared early morning gains and was up only 20 points to 6,634, while sterling was flat at US$1.3959. Hospitality, housebuilders, retail and airlines got a boost from the reforms announced. ( ) jumped 9% to 113.97p and J D Wetherspoon PLC ( ) advanced 7% to 1,327.5p, while SA ( ) and ( ) were up 6% to 214.95p and 3,599p respectively. Meanwhile, Tony Danker, director general of the CBI, said that hiking the corporation tax to 25% in one leap sends a worrying signal to those planning to invest in the UK. The government must now have a laser-like focus on the UKs competitive position in the round, including fundamental reform of the unfair business rates system, he said. ING Economics said that the measures to protect jobs should help minimise the rise in unemployment to 6-6.5%, though inevitably some workers and firms will slip through the cracks meaning a full economic recovery will take time. The fact that the Treasury has opted against ending the scheme in June when social distancing restrictions are set to end, suggests they are keen to avoid a repeat of last autumn, where firms started making redundancies in advance of the original furlough expiry date, they commented. 1.35pm: Wrapping up Rishi Sunak has concluded his statement and Keir Starmer is now addressing the Commons. The Labour leader said that the UK needed a budget to fix the foundations of the economy but instead it got a budget that papered over the cracks, with little attention for social care. A press conference will follow thereafter. 1.20pm: Focus on green projects The government is establishing its first-ever green bank with initial capitalisation of 12bn supporting an estimated 40bn of infrastructure projects, with a focus on offshore wind. The Treasury also unveiled a new retail savings product to give all UK savers the chance to support green projects, following the launch of the sovereign green bond. Meanwhile, small and medium-sized businesses will be able to get management training through a new set of UK-wide Help to Grow schemes. Small businesses will receive free training for the transition to online operations as well as discounts on software. To support scientific development, Sunak allocated an extra 1.6bn for the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and future preparedness alongside new visa reforms to attract high-skilled migrants. The pension industry will be given more flexibility to invest in growth projects and to encourage more companies to list in London. Sunak also revealed the establishment of freeports, which are special economic zones with rules to make it easier and cheaper to invest. They benefit from measures such as infrastructure funds to improve transport and tax breaks to encourage activity. It will be a UK-wide policy but Sunak has listed eight locations in England on Wednesdays announcement. They are intended to boost the economy and employment of former industrial hubs. 1.15pm: Only 10% of companies expected to get 25% corporation tax hike The Chancellor announced two measures in terms of fiscal decisions to ask for help from those who can afford it. The personal threshold for taxes will be frozen until 2026, while the VAT registration threshold will remain at 85,000 until 2024. The second step will see a 25% increase in corporation tax, which Sunak said will still keep the lowest rate among G7 countries. It will not take effect until 2023, when the economy is expected to have recovered. It will only be charged on profits so companies that are struggling should not be affected. Small businesses making profits of 50,000 or less will be charged at the lowest rate of 19%. Only businesses with profits of 250mln will be taxed at the full rate, so only 10% of companies will pay the highest tax. Tax treatment on losses will also be more generous to help with cash flow. Companies will be able to claim additional refunds of up to 760,000. Firms that invest can reduce the tax bill by 130% with a super reduction which is expected to boost investment by 10% to 20bn per year. The planned increases in duties of spirits like scotch whiskey wine cider will all be cancelled to help the hospitality industry, while all alcohol duties will be frozen. The fuel duty is also cancelled, Sunak announced. 1pm: Sunak announces grants, loans and VAT cuts for businesses Direct cash grants are coming to an end this month, but a restart grant will be introduced in April while individual businesses will be able to apply to new loans. The Treasury has allocated 5bn in new grants for non-essential retailers and the personal care sector, while the arts, culture and sporting sectors will receive 700mln in grants. Business rates holiday will remain in place until the end of June and then it will be discounted by up to two-thirds based on each companys economic situation, for a 6bn tax cut for businesses. In the hospitality sector, the 5% VAT will remain until September 30, rising to 12.5% for another six months and returning to the 20% standard rate from April 2022. Looking at the housing sector, the stamp duty holiday has been extended until June 30, then the cap will remain 250,000 until September, returning to 125,000 from October onwards. Sunak also unveiled a new policy with government-backed 95% mortgages being offered from this month to support first-home buyers. Todays announcement amounts to an extra 75bn measures implemented this year and next, so the total COVID-19 support package is 362bn, for a total of 407bn fiscal help from the government throughout the pandemic. 12.45pm: Businesses to contribute to furlough scheme from July to September Sunak said that recovery has been swifter and more sustained than expected in November. Economy is forecast to return to pre-covid levels by mid-2022, six months earlier than expected. However, it will be 3% smaller than it would have been in five years time. OBR forecast growth of 4% this year and also said that government interventions to protect jobs have worked. Furlough scheme to be extended until the end of September with no change of terms for employees. Businesses will be asked for a 10% contribution in July, rising to 20% in August and September. Self-employed people will receive grants measured on how much their turnover has fallen. Newly self-employed will also qualify. The 20-week support for low-income households will continue for another six months and the minimum wage threshold will also be raised. 12.35pm: Rishi Sunak begins the announcement The Chancellor has begun his announcement in the House of Commons. He said the government will do "whatever it takes" to support the country. 11.50am: Furlough to be extended until September It is understood that Rishi Sunak will extend the furlough scheme until the end of September, way beyond the end of all lockdown measures earmarked for June 21. It is a surprising move as recent media reports suggested June would be the end of the scheme, where the government covers 80% of staff salaries to avoid redundancies. The Chancellor is expected to allocate 10bn for the renewed furlough scheme, as part of measures worth at least 30bn designed to protect jobs. An extra 600,000 newly self-employed workers will also become eligible to receive financial support. Hospitality, travel and leisure names, which have relied heavily on such schemes to keep people into work, were among the FTSE 350 risers on Wednesday late morning. ( ) jumped 8% to 112.42p, while SA ( ), ( ) and J D Wetherspoon PLC ( ) were up 5% to 213p, 3,576p and 1,302p respectively. 10.30am: Rishi Sunak to start speaking at 12.30pm Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to deliver the Budget 2021 nearly a year after Britain entered lockdown. It is one of the most hotly anticipated ever as people across the country need support to make it through the pandemic. Sunak will begin his announcement in the House of Commons after Prime Ministers Questions, at around 12.30pm. The statement will be followed by a Downing Street press conference, while Sunak will be interviewed at The Martin Lewis Money Show Live on Thursday. The Treasury is expected to unveil measures that should be welcomed across the board, including a 15bn support package to extend the furlough scheme and Self-Employment Income Support scheme. There will be sector-specific measures such as VAT cuts and business rates holidays for hospitality players, while housebuilders will be boosted by initiatives to support first-home buyers, such as a more generous Help to Buy scheme. Corporation tax is earmarked to be raised from 19p in the pound to 25p over the course of the parliament while the worlds first sovereign green savings bond will be established. Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High around 65F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 46F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. BETHESDA, Md., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A diverse group of community finance organizations today announced the Southern Opportunity and Resilience (SOAR) Fund, which aims to raise $150 million to provide affordable capital and free business support to small businesses and nonprofits in 15 southern and southeastern states to help them navigate and rebuild from the Covid-19 health and economic crisis. The SOAR Fund was created by community lenders in the South to provide economic recovery loans to small businesses in their communities at a time when they are facing unprecedented health and economic challenges. The loans are designed to reach the smallest of small businesses and those that have been historically underbanked - the type of businesses that this coalition of lenders have been serving for decades. These businesses often struggle to access capital from traditional sources but are critical to providing jobs and supporting economic recovery in communities across the South. "The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated an already uneven recovery from the Great Recession. Southern states had slower economic growth, lower labor force participation, and higher unemployment than the rest of the country, partially driven by the historic lack of corporate and philanthropic investment in the region," said George Ashton, managing director at Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), which manages the Fund. "The SOAR Fund, with support from leading banks, foundations, and corporations, will tackle these issues head-on by addressing structural barriers to economic opportunity by providing capital to Southern small businesses and nonprofits that need it now." The portal for small businesses is scheduled to open in April and will offer flexible, affordable loans of up to $100,000 to small businesses and nonprofits with fewer than 50 full-time employees. The Fund replicates similar models that have succeeded in New York and California by working with and through local Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). All interested small business owners and nonprofits can review program eligibility, product terms, and indicate interest at www.TheSoarFund.org, which will notify business owners once the application portal is live. Once the application portal launches, eligible applicants will be matched with a participating lender that will assist the business owner with the application and provide advisory support. Catalytic initial grants and loans are being provided by Capital One, Microsoft, the F.B. Heron Foundation, Fidelity Charitable with support from CapShift, the Heifer Foundation, Mercy Investment Services, Woodforest National Bank, Ceniarth, and the Jacksonville, Florida-based Chartrand Family. "By investing in the Southern Opportunity and Resilience Fund, we are enabling recovery and economic stability to historically under-served businesses and communities through a robust network of CDFI partners to deliver targeted business support services," said Theresa Bedeau, Community Impact & Investment at Capital One. "Capital One is proud to support SOAR as its entrepreneurs build their businesses and nonprofits, establish financial well-being and secure their futures." "We're pleased to partner and invest in the Southern Opportunity and Resilience (SOAR) Fund with the goal to increase access to capital and support for underserved community businesses and nonprofits," said Tahreem Kampton, Corporate Treasurer at Microsoft. "Microsoft is committed to addressing racial injustice in our society, ecosystems, and communities. Many small businesses across the country and in our southern and southeastern states have struggled economically due to Covid-19. We are glad to support this collaborative effort to help provide opportunities in communities that have been historically underserved." Thirteen CDFIs will originate loans purchased by the Fund, including Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs (ACE), Accion Opportunity Fund, Ascendus, BCL of Texas, Black Business Investment Fund, Communities Unlimited, LiftFund, NCIFund, NDC's Community Investment Loan Fund, Pathway Lending, People Fund, Southern Bancorp Community Partners, and TruFund Financial Services. As a collaborative, these lenders have full reach across the region, have served on the front lines of the economic crisis and have decades of experience providing high-touch lending and advisory services to small businesses and nonprofit organizations. The CDFIs will be supported by leading technical assistance and business support organizations including Winrock International, LISC's local offices and national rural program, and Small Business Majority, which will help with outreach, education, and hands-on business advisory services. Calvert Impact Capital is arranging and LISC Fund Management is managing the Fund. "TruFund is proud to be a member of the SOAR Fund Partnership," said James H. Bason, President and CEO of TruFund Financial Services, a participating CDFI. "We are committed to rebuilding a stronger more resilient small business ecosystem particularly in communities that have suffered from the lack of access to affordable capital and whose vulnerabilities are now exacerbated by COVID-19 and the related economic impact." "Small businesses are not only essential to the fabric of our communities creating jobs, providing valuable services and powering local economies but they are also essential to the entrepreneurs who start them and the people they employ, in this case people who are historically underserved and adversely affected by the pandemic. It is imperative, then, that we help small businesses adapt, reopen safely and rebuild," said Patricia McCall, Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Global Strategy at Winrock International. "SOAR offers potential business partners and donors an opportunity to join in this important mission." "We encourage all small business owners and nonprofits who need support to visit the website, learn about the Fund and sign up so you're pre-registered once we launch the program," said Patrick Davis, Vice President of Strategy at Community Reinvestment Fund, USA (CRF). When the Fund opens, CRF's Connect2Capital platform will allow applicants to sign up online and get matched to a lender in less than five minutes. The SOAR Fund covers: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. For more information, visit www.TheSoarFund.org. About the SOAR Fund The Southern Opportunity and Resilience Fund (SOAR) provides access to flexible, affordable capital and free business support services to small businesses and nonprofits through trusted community-based organizations. These organizations have decades of experience supporting historically under-resourced small businesses, including those in low-income and rural communities and owned by women and people of color. SOAR is a collaborative partnership of local and national community finance organizations created to address the needs of historically disenfranchised communities as they navigate and rebuild from the COVID-19 crisis. SOAR includes leaders from across sectors including local community lenders, national and state-based nonprofit organizations, corporations, philanthropic donors, and investors - all who are passionate about an equitable recovery across the region. For press inquiries Erin Musgrave EMC Communications (530) 864-7014 [email protected] Related Images soar-fund.jpg SOAR Fund Southern Opportunity and Resilience Fund Related Links The SOAR Fund Related Video https://vimeo.com/518755255 SOURCE Calvert Impact Capital Dubai-based Emirates Group has put the spotlight on conservation efforts across the organisation at an online Environment Forum for its global employees and commitment to protecting wildlife and habitats on the occasion of World Wildlife Day. During the forum, experts from the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, Emirates One & Only Wolgan Valley in Australia, and Emirates SkyCargo spoke about the work being done to protect endangered species and habitats in Dubai, restoration efforts following aftermath of the Australian bushfires, and how the airline was doing its part to foil wildlife trafficking across its network. In addition to reducing emissions and consuming responsibly, the preservation of wildlife and habitats is one of the three pillars under The Emirates Group's environmental sustainability strategy. The Group believes that future generations should enjoy seeing wildlife in the wild, and that the world's beauty and biodiversity is an inspiration for travel. Rehabilitation of wildlife and natural habitats Since 2003, The Emirate Group has funded and supported the 225 sq km Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR), a protected inland desert habitat that houses over 560 different species and where 31,000 native trees have been planted. DDCR plays an important role in preserving Dubai's unique desert environment including its indigenous flora and fauna. Amongst its achievements, is DDCR's successful reintroduction programme that started in 1999. Since then, the programme has grown the ungulate population- including the Arabian oryx, Arabian gazelle and sand gazelle, to over 1,300. In fact, the reintroduction programmes have proved so successful that they have triggered the process of relocating some species to other protected areas within the region. Additionally, over 2,800 houbara, or MacQueen's bustard have been reintroduced into the DDCR, while other important bird species such as the pharaoh eagle-owl and the lappet-faced vulture are resident in the reserve, and some birds are monitored via satellite tags. The DDCR is a regional leader in ecological research, actively collaborating with local and international educational and research institutions with over 30 biodiversity projects completed so far. DDCR also promotes sustainable tourism, and provides authentic desert experiences while educating visitors on the delicate nature and the living heritage of Dubai. Prior to the pandemic, the reserve responsibly hosted close to 290,000 tourists a year, making it the most visited protected area in the region. In Australia, Emirates has been supporting the protection of Australia's wilderness and bush for over 12 years through the conservation-based Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley located in the World Heritage-listed Greater Blue Mountains region. Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley demonstrates a strong commitment to its carbon neutral status by scaling up its environmental, heritage and environmental initiatives. After the bushfires in early 2020, which affected a portion of the Blue Mountains, the teams at One&Only Wolgan Valley embarked on a regeneration of the landscape, and habitat restoration work has been stepped up at the resort with several 'Habitat Recovery Areas' identified as a source of environmental data to monitor the gradual renewal of wildlife and ecosystems. The parts of the landscape that were impacted have made a rapid recovery and wildlife biodiversity and ecosystems have been largely preserved. Over the past decade, a seedbank of over one million seeds representing 25 native species has been built up with the assistance of field guides, hotel employees and guests at the property. These seedlings are now playing a vital role in repopulating areas of damage, helping to recreate natural habitat complexity for insects, reptiles and small marsupials who have been impacted by the bushfires. Additionally, the mapping of significant, hollow-bearing trees on the property, some dating over 150 years old, is being done to collect information and provide a snapshot of the impact of the bushfires on different species who sought refuge there. Other projects include habitat restoration with guests, which involves moving and shifting debris to improve habitat complexity. This helps to create shelters and wildlife corridors, which is vital to helping animal and insect populations thrive after the bushfires. A vigilant approach to stop illegal wildlife trafficking Emirates SkyCargo has stepped up as a global leader in the fight against illegal wildlife trafficking and exploitation. In 2016, Emirates signed the Buckingham Palace Declaration, and joined the United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce in the fight against the illegal wildlife trade. It is also a partner of ROUTES (Reducing Opportunities for Unlawful Transport of Endangered Species). Emirates SkyCargo has adopted a zero tolerance policy on illegal wildlife trade which includes big cats, elephants, rhinos and pangolins, among other types of contraband animal cargo, and has implemented a complete ban on hunting trophies for the Big-4, even in cases where the shipment may be considered legal under CITES* rules. Emirates SkyCargo has also invested in awareness campaigns, as well as education and training on issues associated with illegal wildlife trade for its teams. Cargo teams are trained to look out for warning signs of smuggled wildlife products during cargo transportation and screening. This includes document verification, container or cage examination, and confirming the authenticity of CITES* permits. Employees across the business are encouraged to report suspicious activity through designated internal channels for investigation, and the intelligence gathered is shared with relevant authorities as well as used to benefit the worldwide data collection for further wildlife trafficking prevention purposes. Working with Dubai Customs, Dubai Police and other authorities globally, Emirates SkyCargo has helped to intercept several illegal wildlife shipments since 2017. TradeArabia News Service Australia's first Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 jab was administered to 84-year-old Jane Malysiak on Sunday, February 21. And now Bachelor star Sam Royce, 30, has seemingly become one of the country's first reality stars to receive the first dose of an available COVID-19 vaccine. Posting a photo of herself getting the injection to Instagram, Sam wrote: 'Feeling very privileged today.' 'Feeling very privileged today': Bachelor star and federal agent Sam Royce (pictured) became one of Australia's first reality stars to get the COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday Sam, who is based in Darwin, Northern Territory, rose to fame on Matt Agnew's season of The Bachelor in 2019. While she didn't find love on the show, she has since found it with Bachelorette alumni Jarrod Woodgate, 35. Raising her polka dot blouse up over her left bicep, a medical professional was seen injecting the needle into her skin. Sam works as a public servant, more specifically as a federal agent with the Australian Federal Police. Getting it done: Raising her polka dot blouse up over her left bicep, a medical professional was seen injecting the needle into Sam's skin On Tuesday, Scott Morrison called in the Australian Defence Force to help get the nation's coronavirus vaccine rollout back on schedule. Military personnel will be assigned to help vaccinate elderly Australians in aged care facilities in mainly regional and remote areas. ADF doctors and nurses will undergo training this week. Couple: While Sam didn't find love on Matt Agnew's season of The Bachelor in 2019, she has since found it with Bachelorette alumni Jarrod Woodgate, 35 (left) It's unclear if Sam is the first Bachelor franchise alumni to get the first COVID-19 vaccination injection. It's possible other stars, like those who work in the medical sector, could have also had the jab. Brittany Hockley works in a Sydney hospital as a radiographer, while Elly Miles and Irena Srbinovska are both experienced nurses. Have other reality TV stars had it? Bachelor star Brittany Hockley (pictured) works in a Sydney hospital as a radiographer On track: Scott Morrison (pictured) announced a Covid-19 milestone on Sunday, February 28, when 30,000 doses of the AstraZenaca version land in Sydney for batch testing The first 30,000 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine landed in Sydney on Sunday, February 28. Australia's medical regulator will be batch testing the first doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine this week with the aim of rolling it out from March 8. Bio-tech giant CSL will manufacture 50 million doses of this vaccine which most Australians will receive. Australia started its vaccine program last month with the first injections of the Pfizer vaccine. Almost 30,000 Australians had been vaccinated in its first week, including 8110 aged care and disability residents throughout 117 care facilities. Irish publishers are to begin negotiations with Google over payment for news articles, Independent.ie understands. Discussions are expected to begin in the coming weeks, according to executives from Google and Independent News & Media, one of the biggest likely beneficiaries of such a deal. The move comes as Google expands the number of countries for its News Showcase product, which sees the search giant pay news publishers for the display of their work. Independent News & Media's publisher, Peter Vandermeersch, said that the Mediahuis-owned publishing group had "a good meeting" with Google on the matter. "In the weeks to come we will investigate this in more detail," he said. Google and Facebook recently clashed with the Australian government over a threat from Canberra to tax news article links. However, the government backed off when the two tech giants signed payment deals with that countrys biggest publishers. Googles global vice president of news, Richard Gingras, said today that newspaper payment deals range from five figures to seven figures depending on the size of the publisher. However, he said that Google will make no money from its payment deals with news publishers but is instead engaging with them to subsidise a healthy ecosystem. Its not designed to be profitable, he told Independent.ie. We look at it indirectly. The benefit to us is that if theres a healthy ecosystem, there is greater value in what we provide with search. It also means that publishers will continue to be viable and generate revenue for us. But we dont feel that Showcase are direct revenue lines for Google. Mr Gingras also said that news represents far less than 1pc of our direct revenue. Its absolutely tiny. Its not a money-maker. In comparison to how much money we earn, were investing exponentially more [in these payment deals]. He said that negotiations are underway in two dozen more countries for news publisher deals. The payment deals have divided the tech and media industries, with some tech commentators decrying the deals as subsidies. In contrast, media company executives say that Google and Facebook have benefitted unduly from online activity spurred from the work of journalists and content creators without being adequately compensated. Frustrations are mounting in Mississippi's largest city, more than two weeks since winter storms and freezing weather ravaged the city's water system _ knocking out water for drinking and making it impossible for many to even flush their toilets. For more than two weeks now, residents in the city of 160,000 have been warned to boil any water that does come out of kitchen taps before using it. ``I pray it comes back on,'' Jackson resident Nita Smith said. ``I'm not sure how much more of this we can take.'' Smith has not had water at her house for nearly three weeks now, she said. Smith is concerned about her mother who has diabetes, since not having water makes it difficult to take her medicine. Her mother and most of the other elderly people on her street don't drive anymore, so she's been helping them get water to clean themselves and flush their toilets, she said. A key focus of city crews this week is filling the system's water tanks to an optimal level, officials said in an update late Tuesday. Workers are also continuing to fix dozens of water main breaks and leaks throughout the capital city. City officials on Wednesday planned to continue distributing water for flushing toilets at several pick-up points. But they have given no specific timeline for when the crisis will be resolved, nor have they said how many residents remain without water. It is difficult to estimate how many customers remained without water Wednesday, said Michelle Atoa, a spokeswoman for the mayor's office. The crisis has taken a toll on businesses. Jeff Good is co-owner of three Jackson restaurants, and two of them remained closed Wednesday. In an update to his customers posted on Facebook, Good said the businesses have insurance, but he's concerned about his employees. ``We will not be financially ruined,'' Good wrote. ``The spirits of our team members are my biggest concern. ``A true malaise and depression is setting in,`` he added. ``I am staying in touch, keeping them informed of the facts, trying to find the path each day.'' Bonnie Bishop, 68, and her husband, Mike, 63, have been without water at their Jackson home for 14 days as both struggle with health problems. She's recovering after a three-and-half-month hospital stay with the coronavirus and back at home but still in therapy to learn how to walk again and deals with constant neuropathy in her hands and feet. She has not been able to soak her feet in warm water, something that usually helps with the neuropathy, or help her husband with gathering water to boil for cooking for cleaning. Mike Bishop just had surgery on his elbow. The first week of the couple was without water, he still had staples in his arm and was hauling five-gallon containers from his truck, his wife said. Bonnie Bishop said she told her husband not to strain himself, but he wouldn't listen. They need water, and feel like they have no choice. ``It's a lot of wear and tear on the elderly,'' she said. On Monday, the couple drove 25 miles (40 kilometers) to Mike's mother's house to do laundry. ``My greatest concerns are sanitation and hygiene,'' Bonnie Bishop said. ``I am sure that is everyone's concern.'' Jackson's water system has not been able to provide a sustainable flow of water throughout the city since the mid-February storms, city officials have said. Jackson's water system ``has basically crashed like a computer and now we're trying to rebuild it,'' Public Works Director Charles Williams said at a recent briefing. The city's water mains are more than a century old, and needs related to its infrastructure have gone unaddressed for decades, Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba has said. ``We more than likely have more than a $2 billion issue with our infrastructure,'' he said. Melanie Deaver Hanlin, who was without water for 14 days, was flushing her toilets with pool water and showering at friends' homes. She said serious updates need to be made to Jackson's water system. ``The problem needs to be fixed, not patched,'' she said. ``That's the issue now _ poor maintenance for far too long, and Jackson residents are paying the price.'' Short link: CALGARY, AB, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Infosys (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, today announced that it would be bringing 500 jobs to Calgary over the next three years, doubling its Canadian workforce to 4,000 employees by 2023. This expansion was announced by Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi, along with Ravi Kumar, President, Infosys, Mary Moran, President and CEO of Calgary Economic Development and David Knight Legg, CEO Invest Alberta Corporation. "We are thrilled to expand our presence in Canada and advance our commitment to hiring top tech talent across major hubs. Calgary is a natural next step as part of our Canadian expansion and represents a significant and promising market for Infosys. The city is home to a thriving talent pool that the COVID-related economic downturn has impacted. We will tap into this talent and offer skills and opportunities that will build on the city's economic strengths," said Ravi Kumar, President, Infosys. "We are pleased to see Infosys' continued growth in this region and their commitment to bringing 500 skilled jobs along with upskilling opportunities for our local workforce. This announcement is a testament to the talent and opportunity that exists in Alberta as we continue our progress towards economic recovery and growth," stated Alberta Premier Jason Kenney. "We've spent a long time building this relationship with Infosys, working toward this huge expansion of their operations in Calgary. This is the latest proof that the plan to diversify our city's economy is working. We are focused on making sure that Calgary is a great place to make a living and a great place to make a life. That benefit stood out to Infosys, and we are excited to be partners in their Canadian growth plans," said Mayor Nenshi. Within the last two years, Infosys has created 2,000 jobs across Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, and Montreal, with plans for further expansion across the country. The Calgary expansion will enable Infosys to scale work with clients in Western Canada, Pacific North West, and the Central United States across various industries, including natural resources, energy, media, retail, and communications. The company will hire tech talent from fourteen educational institutions across the country, including the University of Calgary, University of Alberta, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, University of British Columbia, University of Toronto, and Waterloo. Infosys plans to build a strong pipeline to expand the skills needed to accelerate digital transformation. Infosys has recently been recognized as a Best Place to Work in Canada - Glassdoor Employees' Choice Award. Additionally, the company has been certified Global Top Employer by the Top Employers Institute the regions covered include all of North America, APAC, and Europe. For more information please visit: https://www.infosys.com/powering-digital-canada.html. About Infosys Ltd Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. We enable clients in 46 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With over three decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer our clients through their digital journey. We do it by enabling the enterprise with an AI-powered core that helps prioritize the execution of change. We also empower the business with agile digital at scale to deliver unprecedented levels of performance and customer delight. Our always-on learning agenda drives their continuous improvement through building and transferring digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem. Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next. Safe Harbor Certain statements mentioned in this presentation concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements regarding our future business expectations intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, industry segment concentration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks or system failures, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which Infosys has made strategic investments, withdrawal or expiration of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability and regional conflicts, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, and unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/633365/Infosys_Logo.jpg SOURCE Infosys Related Links https://www.infosys.com Margaret Mitchell, the co-lead of Google's Ethical AI team, says that the company has fired her following an investigation into her use of corporate email. Why it matters: Google was already under fire for its ouster of Timnit Gebru, the other co-lead of the team. Mitchell has been locked out of the corporate email since last month after what a source says was her effort to search corporate correspondence for evidence to back up Gebru's claim of discrimination and harassment. The move comes the same day that Google announced internally it had completed its investigation of Gebru's exit, as Axios first reported. The company didn't release the findings of that investigation, but announced a series of policy changes, including tying executive pay companywide to diversity and inclusion efforts. Between the lines: Mitchell also posted a tweet critical of Google's handling of Gebru and a subsequent meeting between CEO Sundar Pichai and historically Black college and university leaders. "Say you have a problem with consistently alienating Black women and have caused serious damage in their lives. You could: A) try to undo that damage B) try to find more Black people to like you (the tokenism approach). Good luck....." Margaret Mitchell, in a January Twitter post What they're saying: Mitchell, on Twitter: "I'm fired." on Twitter: "I'm fired." Google, in a statement to Axios: After conducting a review of this managers conduct, we confirmed that there were multiple violations of our code of conduct, as well as of our security policies, which included the exfiltration of confidential business-sensitive documents and private data of other employees. Go deeper: Google tweaks diversity, research policies following inquiry The Queen has launched an unprecedented inquiry into allegations that Meghan and Harry bullied their staff - leaving royal employees 'shaken' by 'unhappy memories' being brought up about a 'toxic period'. Devastating claims that the Duchess of Sussex inflicted 'emotional cruelty' on underlings and 'drove them out' were 'very' concerning, Buckingham Palace said. It came as a royal outsider scotched hopes they could one day return for royal events such as Trooping the Colour, saying: 'I can't ever see those two back on the balcony.' Harry and his wife were both labelled 'outrageous bullies', according to sensational claims reported yesterday. 'Broken' royal aides told of feeling humiliated, 'sick', 'terrified', left 'shaking' with fear, and being reduced to tears by the duchess. In an extraordinary statement, Buckingham Palace announced a formal probe into the allegations surrounding the Queen's grandson and his wife. Members of staff will be invited to contribute in confidence. The Palace said: 'We are clearly very concerned about allegations in The Times following claims made by former staff of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. 'Accordingly our HR team will look into the circumstances outlined in the article. Members of staff involved at the time, including those who have left the Royal Household, will be invited to participate to see if lessons can be learned. The Queen (pictured with the couple in 2018) launched an unprecedented inquiry last night into allegations that Meghan and Harry bullied their staff Devastating claims that the Duchess of Sussex (pictured during her Oprah interview airing next week) inflicted 'emotional cruelty' on aides and 'drove them out' were 'very' concerning, Buckingham Palace said 'The household has had a dignity at work policy in place for a number of years and does not and will not tolerate bullying or harassment in the workplace.' It does not appear that the duke and duchess will be consulted at this stage. However, Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, have strenuously denied any bullying. In response to the reports, they accused the Queen's staff of orchestrating a 'calculated smear campaign' ahead of their explosive two-hour 'tell-all' interview with Oprah Winfrey being broadcast this weekend. In an extraordinary statement (pictured), Buckingham Palace announced a formal probe into the allegations surrounding the Queen's grandson and his wife. Members of staff will be invited to contribute in confidence Daily Mail scoop that signalled a scandal The first sign there was a problem within the Sussexes household came in a Daily Mail story from November 2018. This newspapers Eden Confidential diary column reported that Meghans personal assistant had quit suddenly just six months after the duchess married into the Royal Family. The aide was later named as Melissa Touabti. Advertisement But Palace sources last night slapped down the smear claim as utterly 'disingenuous'. The allegations and resulting probe as well as accusations by the duchess that Buckingham Palace, and therefore the Queen, are deliberately moving against her sees a new low in relations between the two parties. When the couple acrimoniously quit last year as working royals, the elderly monarch made clear her regret and made a point of saying they were still much loved members of her family. Aides said the hope was that they could still return for family events such as Trooping the Colour, the official celebration of the Queen's birthday when royals gather on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, and other important occasions. Last night a royal insider commented: 'I can't ever see those two back on the balcony.' There is no timetable to the investigation but it is understood that any changes in policies and procedures will be shared publicly in an annual review expected later in the year. Palace officials will be asked why the initial claims of bullying that were made in October 2018 were not acted on at the time. The Times revealed allegations that the duchess (pictured in a trailer for her Oprah interview with Harry) bullied two assistants and shattered the confidence of another member of staff, and 'drove them out' of Kensington Palace. It published a litany of alleged bullying and 'emotional cruelty' In October 2018, an official complaint was lodged by Jason Knauf, (pictured on Meghan and Harry's wedding day) himself one the couple's most senior advisers A royal source told the Daily Mail last night that the emergence of the bullying claims yesterday had 'shaken' many staff, both past and present, and brought up 'many unhappy memories' about a particularly 'toxic period'. The Times revealed allegations that the duchess bullied two assistants and shattered the confidence of another member of staff, and 'drove them out' of Kensington Palace. It published a litany of alleged bullying and 'emotional cruelty'. A Palace source told the paper: 'There were a lot of broken people. Young women were broken by their behaviour.' The source described one member of staff as 'completely destroyed'. A former aide branded both Harry and his wife 'outrageous bullies'. Another source claimed that Samantha Cohen, the couple's private secretary, had also been picked on. In October 2018, an official complaint was lodged by Jason Knauf, himself one the couple's most senior advisers. Mr Knauf, who worked as communications secretary to Harry and Meghan and now heads the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's charitable foundation, sent his 2018 email of complaint to Simon Case (left), then William's private secretary and now the Cabinet Secretary at Downing Street He wrote: 'I am very concerned that the duchess was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year. The treatment of [X] was totally unacceptable. 'The duchess seems intent on always having someone in her sights. She is bullying Y and seeking to undermine her confidence. 'We have had report after report from people who have witnessed unacceptable behaviour towards [Y].' Harry and Meghan, whose 'no holds barred' CBS interview with Miss Winfrey will be broadcast on Sunday in America and in the UK on Monday at 9pm on ITV which reportedly paid 1million hit back at the allegations in The Times. A spokesman claimed the newspaper was being 'used by Buckingham Palace to peddle a wholly false narrative' before the interview. Yesterday a senior Palace source told the Mail: 'This is absolutely untrue. We haven't been 'peddling' anything. It's disingenuous [to suggest that]. There are far more important things going on in the world [a reference to the pandemic and Prince Philip's hospitalisation] that have been focusing our attention, rather than the circus around a media interview.' Another source added: 'The Palace has 100 per cent refused to discuss in any way, shape or form the interview. 'Every journalist that has been asking them about it for the last week or so knows that. 'The view from the start is that nothing good is to be gained from doing that. Their view has not changed. The suggestion that this is a Palace-orchestrated smear campaign is deeply offensive and patently false.' Mr Knauf, who worked as communications secretary to Harry and Meghan and now heads the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's charitable foundation, sent his 2018 email of complaint to Simon Case, then William's private secretary and now the Cabinet Secretary at Downing Street. Mr Case, who is said to have had no managerial responsibility for Harry's staff but took a keen interest in what was happening, passed it to human resources director Samantha Carruthers. Harry had 'pleaded' with Mr Knauf (pictured left with the duke) not to pursue the allegations, The Times claimed. Lawyers for the couple deny this happened According to the report in The Times, Mr Knauf, who had already consulted Miss Carruthers, said in his email that she 'agreed with me on all counts that the situation was very serious'. Harry had 'pleaded' with Mr Knauf not to pursue the allegations, The Times claimed. Lawyers for the couple deny this happened. The newspaper said it had been approached by former staff to tell their story before the couple's interview with Miss Winfrey. They claimed that when Meghan was urged to support Palace staff she replied: 'It's not my job to coddle people.' Meghan's lawyers have vehemently denied she was a bully and claimed that one of the staff had left the job because of misconduct. They said the former actress was 'saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma'. They added: 'Let's just call this what it is a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation.' LONDON, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM) signs a multi-year agreement with Dutch health analytics company LOGEX to launch the ICHOM Global Benchmarking Platform. The collaboration will provide the healthcare community the first ever platform to benchmark patient outcomes internationally, enabling faster learning and improvements of healthcare across the globe. ICHOM and LOGEX, a leading healthcare and analytics company, will establish the world's first Global Benchmarking Platform using machine-readable versions of ICHOM's Standard Sets. These simplify implementation and reduce the registration burden in clinical practice, laying the foundation for global benchmarking. The benchmarking platform will enable comparison of outcome measures that matter to patients across providers, regions and nations. "The ICHOM Global Benchmarking Platform is the logical next step in our mission to unlock the potential of value-based healthcare. It will provide healthcare organizations using the ICHOM Standard Sets with the much-needed unbiased and secure assessment of their performance. As a result, the platform is designed to serve as the trusted source for innovation and improvement in the global healthcare provider community," said ICHOM co-founders Dr. Stefan Larsson and Professor Michael Porter. Healthcare providers and clinical researchers will collect, validate and compare their outcomes data efficiently and at scale, using ICHOM's high quality standard sets and LOGEX technology and expertise. In addition, they will be able to evaluate their performance compared to other providers across the globe using interactive dashboards with relevant drill-down functionalities. The platform will be open via APIs, allowing providers and third parties to work together to collect and register outcomes data which is validated via the platform. Providers will also be able to extract data directly from the ICHOM platform for research or additional analytics. The ICHOM platform will help to strengthen the patient voice and align the delivery of care with patient needs and preferences - a goal shared by LOGEX and ICHOM. More specifically, standardized outcomes measurement will play a critical role for the development of precision medicine, provide the data needed for informed patient choice and ultimately, alignment around the goals required for the application of machine learning and artificial intelligence to optimize healthcare delivery. The partnership aspires to enable as many providers as possible to participate and will ensure that joining the platform is affordable for all. A cost-plus model for machine-readable standard sets and benchmarking will be used. ICHOM was founded as an independent not-for-profit in 2012 to develop standard sets by convening working groups of volunteering clinical leaders and patients. They define the key metrics to assess outcomes that matter most to patients, which are then published in peer-reviewed medical journals. These leading experts will play a central role in the analysis and interpretation of the global data generated by the new ICHOM platform. To further strengthen this academic community, surplus proceeds from the platform will be used to fund academic clinical research. Professor Mats Lundstrom, Leader of the Cataract Standard Set working group said: "Our working group's goal with the Cataract set, was to facilitate research that will improve care for patients. With the ICHOM Benchmarking Platform, we will be able to reach that goal." LOGEX is a leading European healthcare analytics company that turns data into actionable insights that deliver a positive impact on quality, efficiency and cost of care. LOGEX will deliver the development and day-to-day operations of the Global Benchmarking Platform through its wholly-owned subsidiary MRDM. As a qualified, specialized and dedicated data processor, MRDM focuses on benchmarking health outcomes. LOGEX CEO Philipp Jan Flach said, "We are thrilled to be ICHOM's trusted supplier on such an important step to advance the improvement of health outcomes that matter to patients. Our proven technical acumen and innovative mindset will enable ICHOM's Standard Sets to scale across the globe and to be the driving force for high-value care for patients across geographies, health systems and providers." Co-founder of ICHOM Professor. Martin Ingvar said, "ICHOM selected LOGEX after evaluating several technology institutions. With their many years of experience in benchmarking healthcare performance data, their credentials in security and privacy, and advanced innovations on data management, LOGEX and its dedicated data processor MRDM proved to be the right technical partner for ICHOM." ICHOM and LOGEX are committed to having a positive, meaningful and measurable impact on health outcomes around the world. As partners, they offer caregivers critical tools to facilitate the implementation and transparency of outcomes that matter to patients globally. Notes to the editor The Global Benchmarking Platform will be launched for the first disease groups in the third quarter of 2021 together with selected founder healthcare delivery institutions. The ICHOM benchmarking platform meets the highest available standards for data integrity and safety. Individual patient data is the property of patients and the providers. The control of the individual patient data will always remain with the healthcare providers. Neither ICHOM, LOGEX or MRDM will own any patient-data. As of 2021, ICHOM Standard Sets have been published for 39 conditions or population groups covering >50% of the disease burden. They have been adopted by hundreds of healthcare organizations across the globe. ICHOM Standard Sets will continue to be available for free online - to facilitate the implementation of value-based healthcare for all. The work on standard sets is continually published in peer-reviewed medical journals, most recently by Frontiers in Digital Health. (https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/606246) About ICHOM (www.ichom.org): ICHOM is an independent not-for-profit founded in 2012 by Professor Michael E. Porter of Harvard Business School, Dr. Stefan Larsson of the Boston Consulting Group, and Professor Martin Ingvar of the Karolinska Institute. ICHOM's mission is to unlock the potential of value-based healthcare by defining global standard sets of outcome measures that matter most to patients and driving adoption and reporting of these measures worldwide to create better value for all stakeholders. About LOGEX (www.logex.com and www.mrdm.com): LOGEX is a healthcare analytics company headquartered in Amsterdam. It was founded in 2008 in the Netherlands, with the aim to use advanced data analytics to help (medical) professionals in improving healthcare. LOGEX has grown to be the European leader in healthcare analytics. LOGEX empowers stakeholders at every healthcare system level by bringing clarity to decisions that result in the best possible healthcare. MRDM, as a trusted third party, is authorized to collect, process and distribute medical data on request of data suppliers within privacy and security regulation boundaries. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1015300/ICHOM_Logo.jpg LOS ANGELES, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Adopt-a-Pet.com's, North America's largest non-profit pet-adoption webservice, today issued a warning for pet owners: increased demand for pets during COVID is creating opportunities for thieves to profit. Americans are desperate for animal companionship during COVID lockdowns, and at the same time, supply has fallen in many parts of the country. Thieves are taking brazen action to steal dogs, not just from backyards but also from people who are out walking their dogs. And those dogs are then being sold, sometimes on street corners, but sometimes on classified sites. The media is reeling from recent reports of pop star Lady Gaga's beloved dogs being the latest celebrity victims of pet thieves, but the non-profit warns this is happening every day to pets from all walks of life. "As reports of violent pet theft rise around the nation, it's important for pet owners to be vigilant," says Adopt-a-Pet.com Chief Operating Officer Abbie Moore. "At the same time, we call on online classified sites to up their screening game when accepting posts of pets for sale. Pet owners need powerful allies in this fight to protect their pets." As far as preventive measures go, Adopt-a-Pet.com suggests pet owners: Never leave pets unattended in yards or tied up outside stores Be careful posting photos of pets on social media. Thieves are on the lookout for dogs and your social media posts may also gives clues to your location and daily habits Be alert when walking. Pay attention to your surroundings. Thieves prey on people who are distracted by their phones. If you can, pair up with other pet owners in your neighborhood for socially distanced walks. Make sure microchips are registered and have up-to-date contact information associated. Consider taking an online self-defense class. Finally, Adopt-a-Pet.com has a message for prospective pet buyers. "If you're buying a pet from a classified ad or from an unknown seller and you suspect this may be a stolen pet, stay in touch with the seller and contact your local law enforcement immediately," says Moore. "You can also check for lost pet ads that match the pet's description. You'll potentially be saving someone a big broken heart." About Adopt-a-Pet.com Adopt-a-Pet.com is North America's largest non-profit pet adoption website, helping over 19,000 animal shelters, humane societies, SPCAs, pet rescue groups, and pet adoption agencies advertise their purebred and mixed breed pets for free to millions of adopters each month. Sponsored by companies including Purina, Chewy, and Elanco Animal Health, Adopt-a-Pet.com helps homeless dogs, cats, and even rabbits and other animals go from alone to adopted. Contacts: Dana Puglisi (323) 696-0082, Abbie Moore (323) 791-4327 SOURCE Adopt-a-Pet.com Related Links http://www.adoptapet.com KKR's investment will support Nordic Bioscience with commercialization and the global expansion of its R&D services, diagnostics platform, leading patent portfolio and drug development pipeline Nordic Bioscience A/S, a Danish company and world leader in biomarker development, announced today the signing of an investment from KKR, a leading global investment firm. KKR will acquire a minority equity stake in Nordic Bioscience from existing shareholders and will support the company in accelerating its global growth. Nordic Bioscience has world-leading knowledge and ownership of biomarkers, measurable indicators of biological change or response used for the development of diagnostic tools and identification of new drug candidates. "I am excited to welcome KKR as a valued investor to the Nordic Bioscience team and to have their support in building on our strategy of bringing innovative novel diagnostic biomarkers and drug candidates to the market for the benefit of patients. Our fast-moving customers have high expectations, and KKR's investment will propel Nordic Bioscience forward so that we can continue to meet these expectations. At the core of Nordic Bioscience is collaboration, among our team, with our partners and customers and now with KKR," said Morten Karsdal, CEO of Nordic Bioscience. Nordic Bioscience has established a position as the world's most experienced company within the extracellular matrix (ECM) through more than 25 years of dedicated research and development. The ECM is the non-cellular component of all tissues and organs and can be analyzed to identify new drug candidates in more than 50 disease areas, diagnose patients and evaluate the effect of existing drugs and drug candidates. Nordic Bioscience owns more than 150 patents and has published over 500 scientific papers in leading scientific journals. The company has entered into partnerships with the world's largest pharma companies to develop new drugs in four major disease areas (fibrosis, oncology, diabetes and cardiovascular) and has collaborations with leading diagnostic companies for the use of Nordic Bioscience's biomarkers for diagnostic purposes. In addition, Nordic Bioscience services a growing international customer base of pharma, biotech and CROs with preclinical and clinical data analysis from its certified laboratory. "On the basis of our exceptional knowledge of the ECM, we are a sought-after partner to the world's leading global health care companies and now have a base to accelerate our international development," said Morten Karsdal KKR is a leading global investment firm deeply committed to responsible investment, with a dedicated focus on health care growth and on partnering with leading companies and management teams to build and grow great businesses. "KKR has a strong track record of supporting health care companies, and I look forward to leveraging KKR's global network and experience across the pharma and wider drug development industry to accelerate the promising opportunities that we have to help improve the lives of patients with chronic diseases," said Dr. Claus Christiansen, Founder Chairman of Nordic Bioscience. Since its foundation in 1976, KKR has supported hundreds of companies with their growth ambitions. With more than 200 portfolio companies currently and 21 offices around the world, KKR has a truly global investment perspective. "We believe strongly in Nordic Bioscience's vision to help patients globally by supporting the development of biomarkers and look forward to helping Nordic Bioscience achieve its ambitious plans for growth and international expansion," said Kugan Sathiyanandarajah, Managing Director at KKR and Head of Europe for KKR's Health Care Strategic Growth investing efforts, and Anuv Ratan, Principal at KKR. KKR will help accelerate Nordic Bioscience's global growth. "We are in a unique position to capitalize on the ECM knowledge and leadership that we have developed over the past 25 years and know more than any other organization about the ECM. I am convinced that we will play an important role in the development of new drugs targeted at 2-3 major disease areas in the coming years. With KKR, we have found the ideal investor to help us commercialize our knowledge," said Dr. Claus Christiansen. "We are very impressed with Nordic Bioscience, its unique scientific heritage and outstanding team. We are looking forward to working together with Claus, Morten and the team to accelerate the development of the company. The investment in Nordic Bioscience is a good example of how KKR combines its local geographic franchises with deep insight from its sector teams," said Anders Borg, Managing Director at KKR. KKR is making the investment through the firm's Health Care Strategic Growth Fund, which is focused on investing in leading high-growth health care companies for which KKR can be a unique partner in helping reach full potential. KKR has invested approximately $14 billion in equity capital across the health care sector since 2004. The Nordic Bioscience investment is a further testament to KKR's commitment to the Nordics, following recent investments across the region in Visma, Valinge, Mehilainen, Sector Alarm and Soderberg Partners. KKR and Nordic Bioscience is a strong match. The corporate finance boutique Nordic M&A advised Nordic Bioscience on the transaction. "Everyone wished to partner with Nordic Bioscience due to its proprietary ECM knowledge, and everyone wishes to partner with KKR due to its unique global commercial competencies and resources. The combination of the two is a very strong match two leaders in their respective fields," said Anders W. Eriknauer, Managing Partner of Nordic M&A. -ends- About Dr. Claus Christiansen Dr. Claus Christiansen, together with his wife Dr. Bente Juel Riis, has during the last three decades founded and been involved with several successful biotechnology companies, including among others Osteometer, CCBR Synarc, Sanos Clinic, and Radius Health in addition to Nordic Bioscience. Dr. Christiansen is also the founder of Danish Research Foundation, which has distributed more than 250 million DKK to life science and natural sciences research projects, arts and culture and other miscellaneous projects. About KKR KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management and capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR's insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of The Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR's investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR's website at www.kkr.com and on Twitter @KKR_Co. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005372/en/ Contacts: Media Contact: Alastair Elwen Alice Neave Finsbury +44 (0)20 7251 3801 kkr@finsbury.com HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) With growing emphasis on getting students back in schools, teachers and school staff will receive the first doses delivered to Pennsylvania of the newly approved one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, under Gov. Tom Wolf's plan being released Wednesday. State officials expect a first shipment of 94,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to arrive this week as school districts face pressure to bring students back to classrooms for in-person instruction. Vaccination at more than two dozen sites around Pennsylvania could begin as early as next Wednesday, the governor's office said. Giving the vaccine to teachers and other school staff will "help protect school communities and get more students back into classrooms," Wolf's office said. The goal is to offer every public and private school employee from teachers to bus drivers, with an initial focus on early childhood and elementary-school educators and staff, Wolf said. Taking the vaccine is supposed to be voluntary. Teachers unions, superintendents, school boards and other education groups have asked Wolf to prioritize school staff for the COVID-19 vaccine, calling it an "absolutely essential" step toward reopening schools and keeping them open. The state is still in Phase 1A of its vaccine plan, offering the two-dose Moderna and Pfizer vaccines to health care workers, people age 65 and over and younger people with high-risk medical conditions a population estimated to number at around 4 million. Many of them have not even received a first shot, with criticism of its rollout as haphazard and confusing. Teachers currently are grouped in Phase 1B, along with child care workers, police, firefighters, grocery store workers and others considered to be essential workers. Wolf's announcement comes less than a day after President Joe Biden said the U.S. should have enough coronavirus vaccine for all adults by the end of May two months earlier than anticipated and that states should make it a priority to vaccinate teachers in March to hasten school reopenings. Statewide, Department of Education data shows about 121,000 public school and charter school teachers, plus another 100,000 full- and part-time support staff, as of last year. In Philadelphia, which gets vaccine shipments directly from the federal government, city officials expect to receive 13,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine this week, with no additional doses for at least three weeks after. The city plans to give the one-shot vaccine to providers that can administer them to people who are hard to reach or have a hard time returning for a second dose, such as people who are homebound or are homeless. As of last month, about 450 of the state's 500 school districts were offering at least some brick-and-mortar instruction, according to state data. About 1.3 million students are in those districts, while 440,000 students are in districts where instruction is strictly virtual. To deploy the vaccine, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and the departments of Education and Health are working through the state's 28 regional intermediate units to set up vaccine sites, the governor's office said. Each intermediate unit region will have at least one vaccination location, with most starting between next Wednesday, March 10, and March 13. ___ Associated Press writers Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia and Michael Rubinkam in northeastern Pennsylvania contributed to this report. Derry Girls and Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan has called out a podcast host who body-shamed her following her appearance at the Golden Globes Awards. The breakout Irish star took to the virtual red carpet in a canary yellow tulle gown by London-based designer Molly Goddard. The 34-year-old actress accessorised her look with a short black cardigan by Ply Knits and De Beers jewellery, completing the ensemble with striking pink eyeshadow. But American podcaster Amanda Richards took to Twitter and branded Nicola the fat girl from Bridgerton, while critiquing her choice of cardigan. After being pulled up publicly on the same platform by Nicola and dozens of disgusted Twitter users, Amanda admitted to a flippant remark about a celebrity and their outfit on a red carpet but refused to apologise for using the word fat. In her original tweet, Amanda wrote: The fat girl from Bridgerton is wearing a black cardigan at the Golden Globes, bc no matter how hot and stylish you are, if youre a fat girl there will always be a black cardigan you think about wearing, then decide against, but ultimately wear bc you feel like you have to. Nicola was unimpressed with the comment and responded: I thought the cardigan looked ace. Molly Goddard used them on her runway with the dresses, thats where the idea came from. She added: Also, I have a name. After the podcast host was called out by other Twitter users too, she wrote: Nicola Coughlan is fine. She will now continue being a successful, interesting human with dope style, regardless of what a writer on Twitter had to say. And yeah, it sucked that I didnt user her name and Im sorry I made that choice. But Im not going to apologise for using the word fat. Ever. Nicola, who was styled for the Golden Globes by Aimee Croysdill, was chosen as one of British Vogues Best Dressed at the awards and Vogue in New York said her gown was fit for Bridgerton royalty. The style bible also said: No longer just everyones favourite headstrong Bridgeton debutante, Nicola is firmly staking her claim as a red carpet star in the making too. Local fashion designer and creator of the Eadach collection, Sara ONeill, designed fellow Derry Girl actress Siobhan McSweeneys red kimono for the 2019 BAFTA Awards. Sara, whose range is inspired by Irish mythology and the rugged coastline, applauded Nicolas Golden Globes look, describing it as incredible. And she said she was disappointed that people were still body-shaming today. I loved everything about the dress; the colour, the shape of it. I thought she looked amazing, she said. Fashion should be fun and creative and Nicolas dress was a work of art. It was incredible. Id really hoped that we were beyond commenting on womens body shapes but there will always be someone who says something like this to gain attention. As much as I love fashion, its not about being in trend. People should wear what they feel good in. If you love a piece, wear it and Nicola obviously styled the dress with the cardigan in the same way Molly Goddard did. Its not the first time Nicola, who plays Clare Devlin in Channel 4s Derry Girls and Penelope Featherington in Netflix period drama Bridgerton, has tackled someone for body shaming her. She also expressed her disappointment on Twitter when a British Theatre Guide critic, who was reviewing her performance in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie at the Donmar Theatre in London, called her overweight. Nicola went on to write an article on body shaming in the Guardian newspaper and the British Theatre Guide apologised for the remark. Following the latest incident, Nicola took to Twitter again to repost her article, writing: Every time Im asked about my body in an interview, it makes me deeply uncomfortable and sad. She continued: My body is the tool I use to tell stories, not what I define myself by. Its 2021. It would be nice if we didnt have to keep having this conversation. The figure is a composite of a scanning electron microscope image (SEM, grey) and fluorescence images. Visible is the 'Candidatus Azoamicus ciliaticola' endosymbiont (visualized by FISH, yellow) and bacterial prey in food vacuoles as well as the large cell nucleus (stained by DAPI, blue). The outer structure of the weakly fluorescent ciliate as well as the cilia are also visible. Credit: Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, S. Ahmerkamp Researchers from Bremen, together with their colleagues from the Max Planck Genome Center in Cologne and the aquatic research institute Eawag from Switzerland, have discovered a unique bacterium that lives inside a unicellular eukaryote and provides it with energy. Unlike mitochondria, this so-called endosymbiont derives energy from the respiration of nitrate, not oxygen. "Such partnership is completely new," says Jana Milucka, the senior author on the Nature. "A symbiosis that is based on respiration and transfer of energy is to this date unprecedented." In general, among eukaryotes, symbioses are rather common. Eukaryotic hosts often co-exist with other organisms, such as bacteria. Some of the bacteria live inside the host cells or tissue, and perform certain services, such defense or nutrition. In return, the host provides shelter and suitable living conditions for the symbiont. An endosymbiosis can even go that far that the bacterium loses its ability to survive on its own outside its host. This was also the case with the symbiosis discovered by the Bremen scientists in Lake Zug in Switzerland. "Our finding opens the possibility that simple unicellular eukaryotes, such as protists, can host energy-providing endosymbionts to complement or even replace the functions of their mitochondria," says Jon Graf, first author of the study. "This protist has managed to survive without oxygen by teaming up with an endosymbiont capable of nitrate respiration." The endosymbiont's name, Candidatus Azoamicus ciliaticola, reflects this; a 'nitrogen friend' that dwells within a ciliate. An intimate partnership becomes ever closer So far, it has been assumed that eukaryotes in oxygen-free environments survive through fermentation, since mitochondria require oxygen in order to generate energy. The fermentation process is well documented and has been observed in many anaerobic ciliates. However, microorganisms cannot draw as much energy from fermentation, and they typically do not grow and divide as quickly as their aerobic counterparts. "Our ciliate has found a solution for this," says Graf. "It has engulfed a bacterium with the ability to breathe nitrate and integrated it into its cell. We estimate that the assimilation took place at least 200 to 300 million years ago." Since then, evolution has further deepened this intimate partnership. Time-shifted evolution The evolution of mitochondria has proceeded in a similar way. "All mitochondria have a common origin," explains Jana Milucka. It is believed that more than 1 billion years ago, when an ancestral archaeon engulfed a bacterium, the two started an important symbiosis: This event marked the origin of the eukaryotic cell. Over time, the bacterium became more and more integrated into the cell, progressively reducing its genome. Properties no longer needed were lost and only the ones that benefitted the host were retained. Eventually, mitochondria evolved into the form known today. They have their own tiny genome as well as a cell membrane, and exist as so-called organelles in eukaryotes. In the human body, for example, they are present in almost every cell and supply themand thus uswith energy. "Our endosymbiont is capable of performing many mitochondrial functions, even though it does not share a common evolutionary origin with mitochondria," says Milucka. "It is tempting to speculate that the symbiont might follow the same path as mitochondria, and eventually become an organelle." A chance encounter It is actually amazing that this symbiosis has remained unknown for so long. Mitochondria work so well with oxygenwhy shouldn't there be an equivalent for nitrate? One possible answer is that no one was aware of this possibility and so no one was looking for it. Studying endosymbioses is challenging, as most symbiotic microorganisms cannot be grown in the laboratory. However, the recent advances in metagenomic analyses have allowed us to gain a better insight into the complex interaction between hosts and symbionts. When analyzing a metagenome, scientists look at all genes in a sample. This approach is often used for environmental samples as the genes in a sample cannot be automatically assigned to the organisms present. This means that scientists usually look for specific gene sequences that are relevant to their research question. Metagenomes often contain millions of different gene sequences and it is quite normal that only a small fraction of them is analyzed in detail. Originally, the Bremen scientists were also looking for something else. The Research Group Greenhouse Gases at the Max-Planck-Institute for Marine Microbiology investigates microorganisms involved in methane metabolism. For this, they have been studying the deep-water layers of Lake Zug. The lake is highly stratified, which means that there is no vertical exchange of water. The deep-water layers of Lake Zug thus have no contact with surface water and are largely isolated. That is why they contain no oxygen but are rich in methane and nitrogen compounds, such as nitrate. While looking for methane-munching bacteria with genes for nitrogen conversion, Graf came across an amazingly small gene sequence that encoded the complete metabolic pathway for nitrate respiration. "We were all stunned by this finding and I started comparing the DNA with similar gene sequences in a database," says Graf. But the only similar DNA belonged to that of symbionts that live in aphids and other insects. "This didn't make sense. How would insects get into these deep waters? And why?" Graf says. The scientists of the research group started guessing games and betting. Not alone in the dark lake In the end, one thought prevailed: The genome must belong to a yet-unknown endosymbiont. To verify this theory, members of the research team undertook several expeditions to Lake Zug in Switzerland. With the help of the local cooperation partner Eawag they collected samples to look specifically for the organism that contains this unique endosymbiont. In the lab, the scientists fished out various eukaryotes out of the water samples with a pipette. At last, using a gene marker, it was possible to visualize the endosymbiont and identify its protist host. A final excursion one year ago was supposed to bring final certainty. It was a difficult undertaking in the middle of winter. Stormy weather, dense fog and time pressure due to first news about Coronavirus as well as a possible lockdown made the search in the big lake even more difficult. Nonetheless, the scientists succeeded in retrieving several samples from the deep water and bringing them to Bremen. These samples brought them final confirmation of their theory. "It is nice knowing that they are down there together," says Jana Milucka. "Normally, these ciliates eat bacteria. But this one let one alive and partnered up with it." Many new questions This finding provokes many exciting new questions. Are there similar symbioses that have existed much longer and where the endosymbiont has already crossed the boundary to an organelle? If such symbiosis exists for nitrate respiration, does it also exist for other compounds? How did this symbiosis, which has existed since 200 to 300 million years, end up in a post-glacial lake in the Alps that only formed 10,000 years ago? Moreover: "Now that we know what we are looking for, we found the endosymbiont's gene sequences all around the world," says Milucka. In France, as well as in Taiwan, or in East African lakes that in part are much older than Lake Zug. Does the origin of this symbiosis lie in one of them? Or did it start in the ocean? These are the questions that the research group wants to investigate next. Explore further Catching genes from chlamydiae allowed complex life to live without oxygen More information: Anaerobic endosymbiont generates energy for ciliate host by denitrification, Nature, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03297-6 , dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03297-6 Journal information: Nature Anaerobic endosymbiont generates energy for ciliate host by denitrification, Online fashion retailer Boohoo faces a possible ban on importing its goods into the US following allegations of slave labour at some its suppliers. Boohoo said it was not aware of any investigations by American customs officials and that it was continuing to fulfil US orders. Analysts warned that the latest controversy could be damaging for Boohoo which generated more than a fifth of its sales in the US last year. Shares in the company fell more than 5pc yesterday. Sky News reported that US authorities had seen enough evidence from campaigners that Boohoo was using forced labour in its supply chain. Duncan Jepson, a lawyer who runs campaigning organisation Liberty Shared, told Sky there was "compelling" evidence of labour abuses at companies selling goods to Boohoo. In a statement, Boohoo said: "The group has not received any correspondence from, nor is it aware of any investigation by, US Customs and Border Protection. Over the past eight months the group has been working closely with UK enforcement bodies. If the group were to discover any suggestion of modern-day slavery it would immediately disclose this to the relevant authorities." Last year an independent review concluded that Boohoo's senior directors knew "for a fact" that there were "serious issues" with the treatment of workers in the company's Leicester factories since at least December 2019. Alison Levitt QC, who was hired by the company to review its practices, found the reports of poor working conditions and low pay at the factories to be "substantially true". She found no evidence that Boohoo or its officers committed any criminal offences. 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 Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. A restaurant server assisting customer with the grilling in a Korean BBQ restaurant (PHOTO: Getty Images) SINGAPORE The government will expand the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) to cover low-wage workers from the food and beverage (F&B) and retail sectors, said Minister of State for Manpower Zaqy Mohamad on Wednesday (3 March). Speaking during the Ministry of Manpowers budget debate in Parliament, Zaqy said the PWM currently benefits 85,000 workers. In the short term, the government will be at least doubling the coverage to up to 218,000 workers, he added. Currently, the PWM covers workers from the cleaning, security and landscape sectors. For instance, a general cleaner who works at an office site or an F&B establishment must be paid a basic month salary of at least $1,236 for the period between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021. The cleaners wage will have to increase to at least $1,274 between 1 July 2021 and 30 June 2022. The F&B and retail sectors are among the sectors with the largest numbers of low wage workers. The revised PWM could cover up to 80,000 local workers, Zaqy said. The tripartite cluster committees for each of these sectors have been convened and they will recommend an implementation timeline. The committees will target to submit their recommendations on the timeline and other implementation details to the government by the end of the year, Zaqy said. While some companies are doing well, others are still in an early recovery stage, Zaqy told the House. So our intentions must therefore be carefully calibrated. It must be meaningful for the workers but it must also be viable for SMEs. So we will pay close attention to the potential impact of PWM on business costs, Zaqy said. The government is starting the expansion of the PWM in sectors with the highest proportions of low wage workers in the workforce, and identifying ways to expand beyond these sectors, he added. The wages of Singapore low-wage workers have not stagnated in the past decade, according to Zaqy. The bottom 20 per cent of wages had increased by 39 per cent while the bottom 10 per cent had risen by 37 per cent in real terms between 2009 and 2019, Zaqy said. Story continues It remains our aspiration to cover all sectors with progressive wages in the longer term, on top of Workfare, as the fundamental layer of support for all our low wage workers, he added. Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore Related stories: Tuas explosion: MOM to inspect almost 500 firms for combustible dust hazards Zaqy Migrant workers able to visit recreation centres up from 1 to 3 times a week: Tan See Leng The first batch of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine has arrived in has signed contracts securing 10 million doses of the vaccine, 5.05 million doses of the Moderna vaccine and 4.76 million doses of vaccines through COVAX. Wednesday's delivery had 117,000 doses, which was transported from the airport with a police escort. Health care workers, especially those who have direct contact with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases, will be the first to get the shots, Taiwan's Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said at a news briefing. The island has yet to announce a mass vaccination campaign for the general public. The island is planning to give the first dose to 117,000 individuals, the minister said, with the first dose providing an efficacy rate of 71 per cent. The second dose is meant to be given eight weeks later, boosting effectiveness to 81 per cent. (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. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. As coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination eligibility widens citywide, officials are concerned that a vulnerable population is being left behind homebound seniors who cannot fend off harsh weather conditions or wait on lengthy lines to receive their immunization. Daniel Lebowitz, director of operations for Primary Care Ambulance, a family-owned private ambulatory company that serves Staten Island, said the company can serve as part of a solution to vaccinate this at-risk population. Primary Care Ambulance has already transported a homebound senior to a Staten Island vaccination site, Lebowitz said, but its staff of EMTs and nurses are also adept at administering intravenous medication and vaccinations enabling them to be a part of an effort to immunize these borough residents in their homes. Were mobile, Lebowitz said in a phone interview with the Advance/SILive.com. Not only can we transport these people, but were EMTs, paramedics, and I have two nurses on staff that either are trained or can be trained to administer a vaccine. Theres literally never been a more perfect solution, he said. With each day that passes, Lebowitz expressed concern for homebound seniors who carry a mortal risk if they are infected with the coronavirus. Its like a lost opportunity. Lebowitz himself waited over an hour out in the cold to receive the first dose of his vaccination. Young and healthy, he said he was able to endure the conditions, but he worried about seniors who would potentially forego a shot because of the protracted process. The Primary Care Ambulance trip to a vaccination site can be covered by insurance, Lebowitz said, and its EMT staff are also qualified to observe a patient following a shot to monitor for any adverse reactions. With the Food and Drug Administration recently granting emergency use authorization to Johnson & Johnsons single-dose vaccine, which is less temperamental and more easily transported than Moderna and Pfizers vaccines, borough officials have expressed hope that it could be a catalyst to begin administering shots at homebound seniors residences. The fact that the J&J vaccine isnt as fragile and is portable hopefully means that some folks who are sitting there, homebound, anxious about an inability to get vaccinated, will now fall within a program that will get them the vaccine, Borough President James Oddo told the Advance/SILive.com. Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a press conference Tuesday that the city is going to devote a lot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to the homebound senior initiative, adding, Were getting to the point well be able to start that very quickly. The first shipment of the new vaccinations are expected to arrive to New York City later this week, said Dr. Dave Chokshi, the commissioner of the citys Health Department. And very soon after that, we will be ready to start deploying the vaccine to actually reach our homebound seniors, he said. However, Chokshi acknowledged that reaching this population will be logistically complicated. Lebowitz echoed that sentiment, but stressed that localities would be most-equipped to handle the task, adding that he has been in contact with Dr. Ginny Mantello, the boroughs director of health and wellness, to discuss his concerns. To make the process of administering vaccines door-by-door as smooth as possible, he said there would have to be coordination between vaccine recipients and their care takers in order to ensure the doses were used efficiently. But, he expressed confidence Primary Care Ambulance would be able to help meet the urgent task. We see the need, said Lebowitz. These are literally the most vulnerable people out there and theyre just not getting what needs to be gotten to them. Lebowitz said Primary Care Ambulance is eager to assist seniors in obtaining an authorization from their insurance company so there is no cost to them, if they choose to be transported to a vaccination site while the city works toward a plan to administer immunizations in a home setting. The companys 24/7 phone line is 718-975-0600. Shane Claiborne urges churches to remove US flag from altars or add flags of other 195 countries Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Progressive Christian activist and author Shane Claiborne has called on churches to remove the United States flag from their altars or consider adding the banners of other nations. In a post on Twitter last Saturday, Claiborne stated that every pastor who has a flag on the altar should please consider removing it or add the flags of the other 195 countries of the world. To be part of the Body of Christ is to transcend nationality, the Red Letter Christians co-founder and leading figure in the New Monasticism movement argued. Thats part of what it means to be born again. As of Tuesday morning, the tweet compiled over 2,400 likes and over 300 retweets. In an interview with The Christian Post Monday, Claiborne explained that he was very concerned about this version of American nationalism that is camouflaging itself as Christianity. Jesus inviting us to be born again means that we think beyond biology, beyond nationality, and have a broader compassion, Claiborne argued. The Bible does say 'God so loved the world,' not 'God so loved America.' "I think its always a good thing to have compassion, not be confined to borders or nations, the co-founder of the Simple Way community in Philadelphia continued. So if that helps someone, then I think that's great." Claibornes tweet also included a link to a statement released last week signed by hundreds of evangelical leaders denouncing Christian nationalism and claiming it played a role in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. We urge all pastors, ministers, and priests to boldly make it clear that a commitment to Jesus Christ is incompatible with calls to violence, support of white Christian nationalism, conspiracy theories, and all religious and racial prejudice, the statement reads. We urge faith leaders to engage pastorally with those who support or sympathize with these groups, and make it clear that our churches are not neutral about these matters: we are on the side of democracy, equality for all people, anti-racism, and the common good of all people. The question of national flags in churches has been a source of debate for some time, with some arguing that it is out of respect for the U.S. that flags be on display in the sanctuary. Mike Holloway, the senior pastor at Ouachita Baptist Church in West Monroe, Louisiana, penned a column in 2019 arguing that American flags should be in sanctuaries out of gratitude. Holloway slammed what he called an unpatriotic movement among many Christian churches today who are removing the American flag because [it] may be offensive to someone. I cant think of another country I would rather live in, or I would move to that country. This is still [the] greatest and freest nation on earth. Therefore, I love it and pray for it and seek to make it a better place, wrote Holloway. as a nation built on Judeo-Christian values that promises freedom not only for our nation but helps others around the world who desire freedom, the flag represents a nation that pushes for freedom. During a webinar on Christian nationalism earlier this year, Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry spoke of a flag display debate on his childhood churches back in the 1960s. Curry explained that many members of his church came from the West Indies, and so some argued over whether the sanctuary should display the American flag or the United Kingdom flag. The compromise was that both the American flag and the Union Jack were both put up on a balcony, he recalled. They werent upfront where the altar was. Andrew Whitehead, an associate professor of sociology at Indiana UniversityPurdue University Indianapolis, also spoke during the webinar and defined Christian nationalism as a cultural framework that idealizes and advocates a fusion of Christianity with American civic life. He shared polling information that indicated that about 80% of white evangelical Protestants were either ambassadors or accommodators of Christian nationalism. At the same time, half of the mainline Protestants surveyed also identified as ambassadors or accommodators of Christian nationalism. John Stonestreet and Timothy D. Padgett of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview argued in a recent column that Christian nationalism is too often being used as a scare label to dismiss any policy or person more conservative than whoever is using the term. were all but guaranteed for the near future that anything vaguely traditional or moral, and any appeal to anything higher than the latest cultural fad, will be smeared with this label, they wrote. Its silly. Even more, its dangerous. Even so, Christians must not abandon the public square just because people say mean things about us. New Delhi: The Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday (March 3, 2021) slammed BJP and asked the party to not teach him about the Hindutva. Uddhav Thackeray responded to Bharatiya Janata Party's comments on Shiv Sena supremo giving up his Hindutva ideology and said, "You formed the government with separatists in Kashmir...You shared power with them. Didn't your Hindutva get corrupted then?" During the third day of the Budget Session in the Maharashtra State Legislative Assembly, Thackeray said, "How many displaced Kashmiri Pandits got homes? Don't teach us about Hindutva, you are not qualified to do that." The Maharashtra CM also told the former ally that they did not keep their promise of sharing the chief minister's post though it had been discussed by him and the then BJP chief Amit Shah in the room (in the Thackeray residence) where late Sena patriarch Bal Thackeray once lived. "Is this your love for Balasaheb? We don't consider that room as a room, but it is a temple," he said. This is to be noted that the Shiv Sena had parted ways from BJP following the 2019 Assembly elections. They had then formed the 'Maha Vikas Aghadi' government in an alliance with Congress and NCP. The Maharashtra Chief Minister also hit out at the Centre over several other issues including the ongoing farmers' protests on the outskirts of Delhi. He said, "Barbed wire fencing, which should have been erected along the border, was erected between farmers and Delhi... China would not have intruded had such an arrangement been made there (along the border)." "Farmers are waiting for their income to double as promised but it has not happened," he said. He added, "Instead, fuel prices have doubled." Thackeray also asked the Union government why they have not conferred Bharat Ratna to Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, the Hindutva ideologue. "Letters were sent (to the Centre) twice, seeking Bharat Ratna for Savarkar. Who confers Bharat Ratna? It is the right of the prime minister and a committee," he said. The BJP has also questioned the 'delay' in renaming Aurangabad in central Maharashtra, named after the Mughal emperor, as Sambhajinagar. To this, Thackeray asked, "You don't give Bharat Ratna to Savarkar and you preach us about renaming?" and added that Aurangabad will be definitely renamed. (With inputs from PTI) HUNT VALLEY, Md., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc. (NYSE: OHI) ("Omega") today announced that it commenced a tender offer (the "Tender Offer") to purchase for cash up to an aggregate principal amount of $250 million (the "Aggregate Maximum Tender Amount") of its 4.375% Senior Notes due 2023 (the "Notes"). Title of Note CUSIP Number Principal Amount Outstanding Aggregate Maximum Tender Amount U.S. Treasury Reference Security Bloomberg Reference Page Fixed Spread Early Tender Premium (1)(2) Applicable Par Call Date 4.375% Senior Notes due 2023 681936BJ8 $700 million $250 million 1.65% UST due 5/31/2023 FIT5 +50 bps $30 June 1, 2023 (1) Per $1,000 principal amount. (2) The Total Consideration for Notes validly tendered prior to or at the Early Tender Time (as defined below) and accepted for purchase is calculated using the Fixed Spread (as defined below) and is inclusive of the Early Tender Premium. The Tender Offer consists of an offer to purchase the Notes for cash, on the terms and conditions set forth in the offer to purchase, dated March 3, 2021 (as the same may be amended or supplemented, the "Offer to Purchase"). Subject to the Aggregate Maximum Tender Amount, proration (if applicable) and the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions to the Tender Offer, including a financing condition, Omega will accept for purchase on the Early Settlement Date, if any, or the Final Settlement Date (each as defined in the Offer to Purchase), as applicable, Notes validly tendered in the Tender Offer. Notes validly tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Time will be accepted for purchase in priority to other Notes validly tendered after the Early Tender Time. Accordingly, if the Aggregate Maximum Tender Amount is reached in respect of tenders of Notes made at or prior to the Early Tender Time, no Notes that are tendered after the Early Tender Time will be accepted for purchase unless the Aggregate Maximum Tender Amount is increased by Omega, in its sole discretion, subject to proration. The Tender Offer will expire at 11:59 p.m., New York City Time, at the end of March 30, 2021, or any other date and time to which Omega extends the Tender Offer (such time and date, as it may be extended, the "Expiration Time"), unless the Tender Offer is earlier terminated. Holders of the Notes must validly tender and not validly withdraw the Notes prior to or at 5:00 pm, New York City Time, on March 16, 2021 (such date and time, as it may be extended, the "Early Tender Time"), to be eligible to receive the Total Consideration, which is inclusive of an amount in cash equal to the amount set forth in the table above under the heading "Early Tender Premium" (the "Early Tender Premium"), plus Accrued Interest (as defined below). Holders of the Notes who validly tender their Notes after the Early Tender Time but prior to or at the Expiration Time will be eligible to receive an amount equal to the Total Consideration minus the Early Tender Premium plus Accrued Interest. Subject to applicable law, Omega may increase or decrease the Aggregate Maximum Tender Amount in its sole discretion. Subject to applicable law, Omega may increase or decrease the Aggregate Maximum Tender Amount without extending the Withdrawal Deadline (as defined below). The Notes may be validly withdrawn at any time prior to, but not after, 5:00 pm, New York City Time, on March 16, 2021 (such date and time, as it may be extended, the "Withdrawal Deadline"). Subject to applicable law, Omega may increase or decrease the Aggregate Maximum Tender Amount without extending the Withdrawal Deadline. The "Total Consideration" for each $1,000 principal amount of Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase pursuant to the Tender Offer will be determined in the manner described in the Offer to Purchase by reference to the fixed spread for the Notes specified in the table above plus the yield based on the bid-side price of the U.S. Treasury Reference Security specified in the table above at 10:00 a.m., New York City Time, on March 17, 2021, unless extended or the Tender Offer is earlier terminated. Except as set forth below, payment for the Notes that are validly tendered prior to or at the Expiration Time will, if not previously paid for on an earlier settlement date, if applicable, be made on a date promptly following the Expiration Time, which is currently anticipated to be March 30, 2021, the second business day after the Expiration Time. Omega reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to make payment for Notes that are validly tendered prior to or at the Early Tender Time on an earlier settlement date, which, if Omega so elects, is currently anticipated to be March 18, 2021, provided that the conditions to the Tender Offer have been satisfied or waived. Holders of the Notes will also receive accrued and unpaid interest on their Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase from the last interest payment date up to, but not including, the applicable settlement date ("Accrued Interest"). The Tender Offer is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions, including a financing condition, as more fully set forth in the Offer to Purchase. The Tender Offer is not subject to minimum tender conditions. Information Relating to the Tender Offer The Offer for Purchase is being distributed to holders beginning today. Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc. is serving as the Lead Dealer Manager for the Tender Offer. Investors with questions regarding the Tender Offer may contact the Lead Dealer Manager by phone at (866) 807-6030 (Toll Free) or (212) 261-7802 (Collect), by email at [email protected], or by mail addressed to Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc. at 1301 Avenue of the Americas, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10019, Attention: Debt Capital Markets/Liability Management. None of Omega or its affiliates, their respective boards of directors, the dealer managers, the tender and information agent or the trustee with respect to the Notes is making any recommendation as to whether holders should tender any Notes in response to the Tender Offer, and neither Omega nor any such other person has authorized any person to make any such recommendation. Holders must make their own decision as to whether to tender any of their Notes, and, if so, the principal amount of Notes to tender. This press release is for informational purposes only and is not an offer to buy, or the solicitation of an offer to sell, any of the Notes and the Tender Offer does not constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell the Notes in any jurisdiction or in any circumstances in which such offer or solicitation are unlawful. The full details of the Tender Offer, including complete instructions on how to tender the Notes, are included in the Offer to Purchase. Holders are strongly encouraged to carefully read the Offer to Purchase, including materials incorporated by reference therein, because they will contain important information. The Offer to Purchase may be downloaded from Global Bondholder Services Corporation's website at www.gbsc-usa.com/omega/ or obtained from Global Bondholder Services Corporation, free of charge, by calling toll free at (866) 470-4300 (bankers and brokers can call collect at (212) 430-3774). About Omega Omega is a real estate investment trust that invests in the long-term healthcare industry, primarily in skilled nursing and assisted living facilities. Its portfolio of assets is operated by a diverse group of healthcare companies, predominantly in a triple-net lease structure. The assets span all regions within the United States, as well as in the United Kingdom. More information on Omega is available at www.omegahealthcare.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements regarding Omega's or its tenants', operators', borrowers' or managers' expected future financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, funds from operations, dividends and dividend plans, financing opportunities and plans, capital markets transactions, business strategy, budgets, projected costs, operating metrics, capital expenditures, competitive positions, acquisitions, investment opportunities, dispositions, facility transitions, growth opportunities, continued qualification as a real estate investment trust, plans and objectives of management for future operations and statements that include words such as "anticipate," "if," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," "should," "will" and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and actual results may differ from Omega's expectations. Omega's actual results may differ materially from those reflected in such forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including, among other things: (i) uncertainties relating to the business operations of the operators of Omega's properties, including those relating to reimbursement by third-party payors, regulatory matters and occupancy levels; (ii) the impact of novel coronavirus ("COVID-19") on our business and the business of our operators, including without limitation, the extent and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, increased costs experienced by operators of skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities in connection therewith, and the extent to which continued government support may be available to operators to offset such costs and the conditions related thereto; (iii) the ability of our operators to comply with the terms and conditions pursuant to which government support may be available; (iv) the risk Omega may not complete this offering in a timely fashion or at all, and (v) those risks and uncertainties associated with Omega's business described in its Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on February 28, 2020 and its subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although Omega believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, Omega can give no assurance that the expectations will be attained or that any deviation will not be material. We caution you that the foregoing list of important factors may not contain all of the material factors that are important to you. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on those statements. All forward-looking statements are based upon information available to us on the date of this release. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law. SOURCE Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc. Senator Urges Biden Administration to Not to Backslide on Confronting China Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) warned that the United States cannot backslide on China under the Biden administration. China has been aggressive and predatory from a military standpoint, from a diplomatic standpoint, and from an economic standpoint for so many years, said Hagerty in a recent interview with The Epoch Times sister company NTD at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Florida. For example, the senator pointed to Beijings recent aggression in Hong Kong and against Taiwan, the latter being a key U.S. ally in the Indo-Pacific region. Beijing has used the void of this movement into the Biden administration as an opportunity to step up their aggression, Hagerty said. He added: China understands a strong America. We cannot be weak at this point. And we certainly cant backslide right now. Since President Joe Biden took office on Jan. 20, China has escalated its war-mongering toward Taiwan, a self-ruled island that Beijing claims as a part of its territory. In late January, a Chinese military official threatened war against the island. Beijing has also sent military planes into Taiwans air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on a nearly daily basis since the start of this year. Most recently, on March 2 a Chinese reconnaissance aircraft entered southwestern Taiwans ADIZ, according to Taiwans Ministry of National Defense. Last week, China threw its economic weight at Taiwan by abruptly banning imports of Taiwanese pineapple, saying there were harmful creatures in the fruit. According to Taiwan government data, Taiwan exported more than 90 percent of its pineapple to China in 2020. On Feb. 28, the Hong Kong government charged 47 opposition figures for subversion under the pro-Beijing national security law. The move has since drawn international outcry. Aside from Hong Kong and Taiwan, Hagerty also warned about Chinas continued militarization of islands in the South China Sea. Theyre building artificial islands along the busiest sea lanes in the world. Theyre putting themselves in a position to control trade to affect trade in a way that could be very nefarious for the region, Hagerty said. Islands, reefs, and rocks in the South China Sea are claimed by a number of countries in the region, including China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan. An aerial view of uninhabited island of Spratlys in the disputed South China Sea, on April 21, 2017. (Erik De Castro/Reuters) The Chinese regime has refused to recognize a United Nations ruling at the Hague in 2016 that concluded Beijings territorial claims in the South China Sea were invalid. In July last year, the United States formally rejected Beijings South China Sea claims, calling them completely unlawful. Hagerty applauded the Trump administration for pushing back against the Chinese Communist Party diplomatically, economically, and militarily. Former U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on billions of Chinese products in an effort to confront Chinas unfair trade practices, including its massive government subsidies to Chinese companies. We significantly increased our [military] presence [in Japan] during my tenure as ambassador in that region, said Hagerty, who was U.S. ambassador to Japan from August 2017 to July 2019. Diplomatically, Hagerty praised Trump for his decision to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO). He saw the influence that China has on the WHO. All they were doing was touting Chinese Communist Party talking points, Hagerty explained. The WHO initially parroted Beijings claim that the virus was not contagious, dismissing an email warning from Taiwan. A scientific paper published last year concluded that Beijing concealed the viruss transmissibility for at least three weeks before publicly acknowledging that the virus was contagious on Jan. 20 last year. On the day of his inauguration, Biden signed several executive orders, one of which halted the U.S. withdrawal from the WHO. I cannot believe that the Biden administration would just go back into the World Health Organization and completely refund them again, without holding that organization accountable, without looking at the Chinese influence there, Hagerty said. Hagerty said he will continue to pressure the Biden administration to retain the U.S. military presence in Asia, and to confront China economically in a way that maintains American strength and really stands up for the American worker. In the light of the enormous number of cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that have been documented so far in the ongoing pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), there is a great need to understand how this infection affects the immune system long-term. A new study by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, discusses the different aspects of long-term immune responses in a wide sample of patients, as well as how they vary in clinical severity and sequelae. The majority of specific cellular immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection comprise CD4 and CD8 T cell responses. The current study aims to explore the magnitude of such changes, the presence of soluble inflammatory markers, and of neutralizing and total antibody titers over time, up to 9 months post-infection. The team has released their findings as a preprint on the medRxiv* server. Study details The study group included 70 individuals in whom the infection had been confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), but had an illness of varying severity. All were from northern California, as part of the Long-term Impact of Infection with Novel Coronavirus (LIINC) cohort. Patients in the study were mostly enrolled within 40 days of symptom onset or had been followed up longitudinally over time. The researchers also examined peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMBCs), plasma and serum samples for soluble inflammatory markers and antibodies. The participants were equally matched for males and females. A quarter of them had been hospitalized, and most of these (except for two) required oxygen supplementation. Intensive care was required by 14%. More males than females were hospitalized, as expected, at ~40% vs 10% overall, and 100% of those who required intensive care. About 60% of hospitalized patients were Latinx in origin. Almost a fifth had a history of lung diseases, such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Almost all the participants had symptoms related to COVID-19 when or soon after they were diagnosed, including cough, shortness of breath, fever, anosmia and ageusia, brain fog, tiredness, neuropathies, headache and loss of concentration. These were reported in over 70% of patients. About 46% had one or more such symptoms at a median of 53 days after symptom onset or first positive PCR test. About 36% still had symptoms at four months. Females tended to be more likely to have lingering symptoms at both time points, though they were less likely to be hospitalized. Stable T cell responses The study shows that, as earlier reported, the magnitude of the initial T cell response depends on the severity of the illness. However, following recovery, the cellular immune response remains stable for up to eight months. The frequency of spike (S)- or nucleocapsid (N)-specific CD4 and CD8 T cells in peripheral blood in patients exposed to the virus, and therefore to the S and N proteins, was found to be elevated in almost all cases. About a quarter of these specific IFN+ CD8 cells and 60% of IFN+ CD4 T cells were found to produce TNF. The T cell frequency remained stable over the study period, except that N-specific IFN+ CD4 T cells showed a slight decline. Long-term durability of SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4 and CD8 cell responses. Gating strategy for identifying SARSCoV-2-specific memory T cell responses in the activation-induced marker (AIM) (A) and intracellular cytokine staining (ICS) (B) assays. Percentage of AIM+ N-specific CD4+ (C) and CD8+ (D) T cell responses over time (S-specific responses were similar and are shown in Supplementary Figure 3). Percentage of IFN+ Nucleocapsid (N)- or Spike (S)-specific CD4 (E-F) and CD8 (G-H) T cell responses over time. Points and connecting lines represent raw data for each individual. Solid line and shaded region represent the median model prediction and 95% prediction interval from linear mixed effects modeling including individual effects. Dashed lines represent assay limits of detection. T mem = T memory cells. Early acute responses in hospitalized patients Again, the early T cell response in patients who required hospitalization because of acute infection was made up of N- and S-specific IFN+CD4 T cells. The frequencies of both were higher in these patients, including those who required intensive care. These higher responses were observed throughout the follow-up period. Patients who were over 50 years had markedly higher S-specific IFN+ CD4+ T cell percentages at the later sampling time point, though not at the initial sampling point. This did not preclude a general decline in the percentage of these cells in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Asian patients showed an initially higher frequency of S-specific IFN+ CD8+ T cells relative to white non-Latinx participants, but this was not observed at subsequent sampling. However, with patients who have a history of chronic lung disease, the long-term S-specific IFN+ CD4+ and IFN+ CD8+ T cell responses were found to be higher throughout. This stable high response was not correlated with the severity of the initial illness or the patients age. If the COVID-19 patient with chronic lung disease was hospitalized, the researchers found lower N-specific IFN+ CD8+ T cells at the last sampling point but higher frequencies in those who were not hospitalized. When adjusted for age, the initially higher N and S-specific IFN+ CD4+ T cell responses in hospitalized patients relative to non-hospitalized, as well as the increased S-specific IFN+ CD4+ T cell response at the last time point, remained significant. Specific antibodies and CD4 T cells The levels of anti-S, anti-N and anti-RBD antibodies stabilized with time, with higher titers in the hospitalized patients, and, at the later sampling time point, higher anti-N antibodies among those aged 50 years or more. The difference in antibody titers could be driven by disease severity, therefore, in the acute phase of the disease. The titers of neutralizing antibodies showed a robust correlation with the specific anti-S and anti-N CD4 T cell responses only. Soluble inflammatory markers The levels of inflammatory molecules such as IL-6, IL-10, IP-10, and D-Dimer remained stable over time, but the first two were somewhat lower in hospitalized patients. However, IL-10 remained a little higher in hospitalized patients across the follow-up period and in those with persistent or long-haul symptoms. 6, IL-10, and IP-10 were strongly positively correlated with each other but not with D-Dimer, sCD14 or sCD163. What are the implications? The study shows that adaptive immunity is somewhat stable over eight months in patients who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 at various ages and with different clinical severities. This does not reflect the strength of protective immunity, but the durable nature is promising. Long-term immune cell responses appeared to be unrelated to sex differences in this study, despite the reported differences in early immune responses and immune activation during acute infection. The absence of discernible waning in specific or adaptive immunity during early recovery with age is an encouraging sign, but older patients had a higher CD4 T cell response at the later sampling. CD8 T cells did not show this difference with age. Longer follow-up may be necessary to unravel other differences in memory T cell responses with age. Equally, it may be that the frequencies of different T cells remain stable, but immune responses become less coordinated. Hospitalization was associated with higher frequencies of memory CD4 T cells earlier in recovery, but not after four months. However, patients who had required intensive care did have higher CD4 T cell responses, mostly against the S, N and RBD. CD8 T cells were persistently higher in COVID-19 patients with pre-existing lung disease, independent of age or hospitalization. However, those in this category who had been hospitalized with COVID-19 had lower CD8 T cell responses. Finally, the study failed to show significant differences in the humoral or specific cellular responses in patients with differing long-term outcomes, vs those who recovered rapidly without such sequelae. As earlier reports indicate, the researchers observed that women were more likely to have persistent symptoms at the first convalescent visit, at almost 50%. However, despite the emergence of clear symptom profiles, the underlying immunologic response did not show much difference between the patients who recovered and those who did not. This type of understanding of the multiple factors underlying long-haul COVID-19 may require larger studies with clearly defined different groups of participants. The strong correlation between neutralizing antibodies and S- and N-specific CD4+ T cells indicates that follicular helper T cell responses, occurring within the lymph nodes in SARS-CoV-2 clearance. Further research is warranted to understand how humoral and cellular responses act in synergy in different population groups to overcome the infection. *Important Notice medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. This site uses cookies to ensure the best experience. By continuing to browse this site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Our cookie policy. New Delhi: Hoisting the largest flag in its history at Attari-Wagah border near Lahore, Pakistan marked the 70th Independence Day on Monday. Kicking off the festivities of the Independence Day across the country, Pakistan Army Chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa hoisted the flag at the border at 12 in the midnight. The flag hoisted by Pakistan is reported to be the highest one in South Asia and 8th highest in the world. Made in Pakistan, the flag is 120-feet by 80-feet in size and 400-feet high. Some 77 years ago, Pakistan resolution was passed in the same city (Lahore). Pakistan came into being on the night of 27th Ramadan - it was a blessed night, Gen. Bajwa said. ALSO READ: 1971 Pakistan prison-break by Indian Air Force officers now made into a film Today, the country is progressing on the path of the law and the constitution. All institutions are working properly. We will make Pakistan the country of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal, he further added. We have rendered many sacrifices - we will never forget our martyrs. We will execute each and every terrorist in Pakistan. I want to tell our enemies, whether they are in the east or in the west, that your bullets will end but not the chests of our jawans [soldiers], Bajwa said. Acknowledging Pakistans internal and external challenges Gen. Bajwa said, I assure you that we will never let you down. Any power that will aim to weaken Pakistan, the Army and all other institutions will foil their attempts. Other speakers also paid rich tributes to those killed during migration to Pakistan. (With PTI inputs) ALSO READ: Nawaz Sharif lashes out at Pak military, judicial structure; says will replace flawed system with new law For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The John Alden Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution has presented a DAR Community Service Award to Teresa Quintana and Emily Ricards for creating the Sanford Strong Facebook group. The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution requires those receiving this award to have contributed to the community in an outstanding manner through voluntary civic, benevolent service or by organizing or participating in community activities. For those who live in Sanford, this group is far more than a Facebook page, in many ways it has become a movement. PALO ALTO, Calif., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SixFifty today announced that it collaborated with the law firm Wilson Sonsini to automate over fifty employment policies to help companies cope with the changing employment landscape. The project took place in two phases. First, Wilson Sonsini employment law attorneys updated every policy and revised them to account for (1) the COVID-19 pandemic, (2) upcoming COVID-19 vaccines, and (3) a workforce that is more remote, mobile, and diverse. Second, SixFifty taught its proprietary document automation engine to customize the policies based on the specific circumstances of a company, just like an attorney would. SixFifty keeps the documents up to date with changes in the law so the policies keep pace with the rapidly changing legal environment. Companies can generate the employment policies as part of a single employee handbook or a-la-carte. Companies can learn more about the solution at www.sixfifty.com/employee-handbook. "For many companies, employment law can be treacherous, and 2020 has only made things more complicated," said Kimball Dean Parker, CEO of SixFifty. "With the legal landscape changing every week, it's become more and more difficult to keep up and stay compliant. Our automated policies should take much of that burden off HR and legal departments." SixFifty's new employment policy offering contains four parts. First, companies can take an automated assessment to determine which policies are required based on the number of employees and where employees are located. Second, companies can generate an employee handbook from scratch that contains any combination of the over 50 policies customized to each state's requirements and the company's specific circumstances. Third, companies can draft any of the over 50 specific policies a-la-carte as the need arises. Fourth, SixFifty tracks the law in each state and updates the policies accordingly. Companies receive periodic updates about those changes so they are aware of when they need to refresh their documents. "It is important for businesses to make sure that their employee handbooks are up-to-date and that they also reflect the current state of the working environment", said Marina Tsatalis, employment law partner and the employment law practice group leader at Wilson Sonsini. "Our work with SixFifty enables businesses of all sizes to implement and maintain a comprehensive employee handbook for today's workplace that complies with the current state of the law in each of the states in which they have employees." SixFifty's new employment policy offering is the latest in a line of legal products that address issues in employment law. In 2020, SixFifty released products that help companies (1) generate COVID-19 workplace policies, (2) improve their diversity, equity, and inclusion, and (3) comply with California's OSHA's COVID-19 requirements. This new employment policy product rounds out the employment offering to create the most complete service to help companies handle the post-COVID employment law landscape. About SixFifty Headquartered in the Silicon Slopes area of Utah, SixFifty is a subsidiary of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and combines the expertise of the world's leading technology law firm with thoughtful technology. Led by a group of lawyers and software engineers that believe the law should be easier to navigate, SixFifty streamlines complex areas of the law by providing actionable, efficient and affordable solutions for individuals and businesses. For more information, please visit www.sixfifty.com. About Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati For nearly 60 years, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati has offered a broad range of services and legal disciplines focused on serving the principal challenges faced by the management and boards of directors of business enterprises. The firm is nationally recognized as a leader in the fields of corporate governance and finance, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, securities litigation, employment law, intellectual property, and antitrust, among many other areas of law. With deep roots in Silicon Valley, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati has offices in Austin; Beijing; Boston; Brussels; Hong Kong; London; Los Angeles; New York; Palo Alto; San Diego; San Francisco; Seattle; Shanghai; Washington, D.C.; and Wilmington, DE. For more information, please visit www.wsgr.com.. SOURCE SixFifty Technologies Related Links https://www.sixfifty.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. Rosies Family: An adoption story author, Lori Rosove (https://www.amazon.com/Lori-Rosove/e/B00BKRZG60%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share), today announced availability of her latest book,23 Voices of Adopted Youth. Based on Rosoves three decades of experience facilitating adoption, and counseling both adoptive parents and adoptees, the book shares unique insights on the pressing challenges facing adoptees. It includes their authentic voices, and combines with professional insights to provide readers with an invaluable perspective of adoption that benefits parents, clinicians, educators and adoptees. Anyone who wants to truly understand adoption, must hear from youth adoptees as they are living it now, said Ms. Rosove. Listen to their raw wisdom, insight, and passion and you will gain an enhanced understanding of the adoptee experience, parenting an adopted child, and parenting in general. Sharon Roszia (http://www.sharonroszia.com/), adoption expert and author of Seven Core Issues in Adoption and Permanency, reported, I love the book. Well done. I have already mentioned it to others. Social worker and adoption specialist, Helen Dawkes-Brown stated, I love this book!!! I appreciate how candid and honest the youth are, particularly regarding their relationships with their birth and adoptive parents. This is a must-read for adoptive parents so I will be giving a copy to all of my clients. Ottawa Life Magazine (https://www.ottawalife.com/article/supporting-adopted-childrens-search-for-their-birth-family) parenting expert, Adele Blair, encouraged parents to read 23 Voices of Adopted Youth, describing it as a powerful book[that] might be helpful for [youth] to look at [their] own feelings about...adoption. Pricing and Availability 23 Voices of Adopted Youth is available in paperback at $14.99 at Amazon and through book retailers with distribution by Ingram; E-book at $6.99 on all major e-reader platforms. About the Author Lori Rosove is a Canadian social worker and educator who has guided hundreds of parents in preparing for adoption and enhancing their relationships with their children. Connect with Lori on: https://www.facebook.com/lori.rosove.75/ twitter - @lorirosove instagram - @lorirosove https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorirosove/ After Paatal Lok and Bulbbul, Anushka Sharma has once again donned the producers hat and has announced her second Netflix series, Mai. She took to Instagram to share the first poster and wrote, Oh, Mai! What happens when a docile, 47-year-old wife-and-mother finds herself accidentally sucked into a rabbit hole of violence and power? WE WILL SOON FIND OUT. Im excited to announce our Netflix original series, Mai, that follows timid Sheel into an entanglement with crime and politics that will forever change her and the world she inhabits. Are you ready? In the poster, we see Sakshi Tanwar who is known for giving solid performances whenever she gets a chance. The series is penned by Atul Mongia along with Tamal Sen, Amita Vyas, with Sudip Sharma as a creative producer. In a statement, Anushka had earlier said, This is my second collaboration with Netflix after Bulbul and we are again looking to disrupt the kind of content audiences are consuming. We at Clean Slate Films have been dedicated to making clutter-breaking, powerful stories since our first production and we are looking forward to pushing the content envelope. The creative freedom to be able to translate these stories to screens that reach a global audience is exciting for us, which is why Netflix is such an important partner. Just like us, people are excited about the show and have already declared it a blockbuster. When it comes to Anushka Sharmas productions, people have immense faith that she will surely come up with something unique and interesting. People also mentioned that she is perhaps the only Bollywood actor who is giving chances to outsiders. Heres what people are saying: Instagram/Anushka Sharma Instagram/Anushka Sharma Instagram/Anushka Sharma Instagram/Anushka Sharma The show reportedly went on floors in March, 2020 in Lucknow but was soon halted due to the sudden nationwide lockdown caused by Coronavirus pandemic. But thankfully, it was completed and we'll soon get to stream it on Netflix. Excited about this one? Let us know in the comments section below. The Moravia Central Central School District is asking the public to advocate with the district against two elements of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposed 2021-22 budget. In a news release on Moravia's website, the district is asking people to reach out to their state representatives about two specific issues with the proposed budget, which was unveiled in January. The first is the proposal to reduce STAR reimbursements. "(The) Governors proposal to eliminate the STAR reimbursements to school districts would equate to a revenue loss of $819,444 for our district leading to major programmatic cuts / reductions in the years ahead," the release said. The school district also said that it is against the proposal to consolidate 11 different categories into the Service Aid category. The release said high needs school districts would be affected the most, adding that "statewide there will be a reduction of $693 million." That alteration would also further decrease stability and predictability in district revenues, the district said. The headline rate of corporation tax will rise from 19 per cent to 25 per cent from 2023, Rishi Sunak has announced. In a move that effectively reverses the policy of his predecessor George Osborne, the Chancellor said the rise was necessary to make public finances sustainable the long-term. It comes as the government also moves to freeze the thresholds for income tax, inheritance tax, pensions allowance, capital gains tax, and VAT registration another way of raising revenue. The change to the tax on company profits still leaves the UK with the lowest rate of Corporation Tax in the G7, below countries like US, Germany, and Canada. Mr Sunak said he wanted to reduce borrowing by raising more tax revenue rather than focus on cutting public spending because the Conservatives were the "party of public services". "The only other alternative would be to increase the rates of tax on working people, but I don't think that would be right either," he said. Corporation tax receipts in 2018-19 were 55.1 billion, and 63.2 billion in 2019-20. It has been at 19 per cent since 2017; in 2010 when the Conservative-led coalition government took office the rate was 28 per cent, slightly above where it is now. Mr Sunak said he would also create a Small Profits Rate of 19 per cent to ensure only businesses with profits of over 250,000 would be hit by the 25 per cent rate. The chancellor also said he would introduce a new super deduction, tweaking tax allowances to encourage capital investment for the new two years. But Paul Johnson, the director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, said: "That's a huge increase in rate of corporation tax. Right at top end of expectations. Extraordinary reversal of longstanding policy. Risky." On tax allowances, he said: Raising income tax by freezing allowances is progressive, but it's the least progressive way of raising income tax. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 3 May 2021 Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie feeds the Gentoo penguins during a visit to Edinburgh Zoo on the campaign trail for the forthcoming Scottish Parliamentary Election on May 6 PA UK news in pictures 2 May 2021 Chelsea players celebrate their fourth goal during the Womens Champions League semi-final second leg against Bayern Munich, at Kingsmeadow Stadium in south west London. The Blues won the game 4-1, (and the tie 5-3 on aggregate) sending them through to their first Champions League final AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 1 May 2020 Demonstrators during a march through London during a 'Kill the Bill' protest Angela Christofilou UK news in pictures 30 April 2021 Shoppers queue outside Primark in Belfast as shops reopen and hospitality is able to open outdoors in Northern Ireland where lockdown restrictions have begun to gradually ease PA UK news in pictures 29 April 2021 Specialist operators at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford, near Telford, Shropshire, clean the Hawker Hunter aircraft displayed within the museum's National Cold War Exhibition, during annual high-level aircraft cleaning and maintenance PA UK news in pictures 28 April 2021 Millions of tulips in flower near Kings Lynn in Norfolk, as Belmont Nurseries, the UK's largest commercial grower of outdoor tulips, offers socially-distanced visits to its tulip fields at Hillington to raise funds for local charity The Norfolk Hospice Tapping House PA UK news in pictures 27 April 2021 Paula Laughton checks one of the newly installed Lego models in the new Lego Mythica land at Legoland Windsor Resort PA UK news in pictures 26 April 2021 A red panda rests on a tree at Manor Wildlife park, which reopened its doors as lockdown restrictions continue to ease, in Tenby, Wales Reuters UK news in pictures 25 April 2021 Sheep climb the hillside as flames from a moor fire are seen on Marsden moor, near Huddersfield AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 24 April 2021 Supporters protest against Manchester United's owners, outside English Premier League club Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium in Manchester AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 23 April 2021 People enjoy the warm weather at City Hall near Tower Bridge in central London PA UK news in pictures 22 April 2021 Uyghurs during a demonstration in Parliament Square, London, which is being held ahead of a House of Commons debate, bought by backbench MP Nus Ghani, on whether Uyghurs in China's Xinjiang province are suffering crimes against humanity and genocide PA UK news in pictures 21 April 2021 People walk at the Taihaku Cherry Orchard in Alnwick REUTERS UK news in pictures 20 April 2021 People stand in front of anti Super League banners outside Anfield as twelve of Europe's top football clubs, including Liverpool, launch a breakaway league Reuters UK news in pictures 19 April 2021 Women enjoy sunny weather in Greenwich, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in London, Britain, Reuters UK news in pictures 18 April 2021 Stephen Maguire (right) of Scotland interacts with Jamie Jones of Wales during day 2 of the Betfred World Snooker Championships 2021 at The Crucible, Sheffield PA UK news in pictures 17 April 2021 Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburghs coffin, covered with His Royal Highnesss Personal Standard arrives by Landrover Defender at St Georges Chapel carried by a bearer party found by the Royal Marines during the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle Getty Images UK news in pictures 16 April 2021 Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, checks the teeth of "Dentosaurus" during a visit to the Thornliebank Dental Care centre in Glasgow, as she campaigns ahead of the 2021 Scottish Parliamentary Election AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 April 2021 Myanmar's former ambassador to the UK, Kyaw Zwar Minn, outside his residence in north west London. The ambassador has been barred from entering the Myanmar embassy in Mayfair after he was removed from office PA UK news in pictures 14 April 2021 People take part in coronavirus surge testing on Clapham Common, south London. Thousands of residents have queued up to take coronavirus tests at additional facilities set up after new cases of the South African variant were found in two south London boroughs. 44 confirmed cases of the variant have been found in Lambeth and Wandsworth, with a further 30 probable cases identified PA UK news in pictures 13 April 2021 The core of the Milky Way becomes visible in the early hours of Tuesday morning as it moves over Bamburgh Lighthouse at stag Rock in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 12 April 2021 Rebecca Richardson (left) and Genevieve Florence, members of the Aquabatix synchronised swimming team, during a practice session in the swimming pool at Clissold Leisure Centre in north London, which has reopened to the public. Many facilities have reopened in the latest easing of lockdown include pubs and restaurants who can serve outside, non-essential shops, indoor gyms and swimming pools, nail salons and hairdressers, outdoor amusements and zoos PA UK news in pictures 11 April 2021 A pub staff pins up a sign announcing the reopening of the Fox on the Hill pub on Denmark Hill in London EPA UK news in pictures 10 April 2021 The Death Gun Salute is fired by the Honourable Artillery Company to mark the passing of Britain's Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at the The Tower of London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 9 April 2021 A man arrives to lay a bunch of flowers outside Buckingham Palace in central London after the announcement of the death of Britain's Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. - Queen Elizabeth II's husband Prince Philip, who recently spent more than a month in hospital and underwent a heart procedure, died on April 9, Buckingham Palace announced. He was 99. AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 8 April 2021 Cousin Pascal ridden by James King clears the chair on their way to winning the 4:05 Pool via REUTERS UK news in pictures 7 April 2021 Deliveroo riders from the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain outside Deliveroo headquarters in London, as they go on strike in a dispute for fair pay, safety protections and basic workers rights PA UK news in pictures 6 April 2021 Waves crash over the walls next to Seaham Lighthouse in Durham PA UK news in pictures 5 April 2021 Lusamba Katalay (third from left), the husband of Belly Mujinga joins activists at a vigil at Victoria station in London to mark the first anniversary of the death of railway worker Belly Mujinga who died with Covid-19 following reports she had been coughed on by a customer at London's Victoria station PA UK news in pictures 4 April 2021 People spend Easter Sunday at Hengistbury Head, Bournemouth Jake McPherson/SWNS UK news in pictures 3 April 2021 A woman looks into the camera as she attends a 'Kill the Bill' protest in London EPA UK news in pictures 2 April 2021 Members of the Bamburgh Croquet club play a game following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in Northumberland, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 1 April 2021 A family walks in St Nicholas' Park in Warwick, the hot weather which baked much of the UK this week is set to give way to a chilly Easter weekend. PA UK news in pictures 31 March 2021 A woman adds a heart to the National Covid Memorial Wall in London EPA UK news in pictures 30 March 2021 Jamie Klingler from Reclaim These Streets speaks to the media in Clapham Common, south London, after a review by the Chief Inspector of Constabulary Sir Thomas Winsor concluded that Metropolitan Police officers did not act inappropriately or in a heavy-handed manner at the vigil PA UK news in pictures 29 March 2021 An aerial photo shows people playing tennis at the Mersey Bowman Lawn Tennis Club in Liverpool northwest England on March 29, 2021, as England's third Covid-19 lockdown restrictions ease, allowing groups of up to six people to meet outside. - People in England rushed outside Monday to enjoy sports, picnics and other previously prohibited activities, as the nation entered the second phase of its coronavirus lockdown easing thanks in large part to a successful vaccination drive AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 28 March 2021 A walrus sleeps on the slipway of Tenby Lifeboat station at Tenby, Wales Reuters UK news in pictures 27 March 2021 Demonstrators attend a protest against a new proposed policing bill in Manchester Reuters UK news in pictures 26 March 2021 Gallery technicians display Andy Warhol screenprints Queen Elizabeth II, from: Reigning Queens screenprint in colours, 1985, left, and Queen Elizabeth II, from: Reigning Queens (Royal Edition) screenprint in colours with diamond dust, 1985, right, at Christies auction rooms in London AP UK news in pictures 25 March 2021 A member of staff, in the pool, cleans the bottom of the pool during pre-opening preparation and cleaning of Charlton Lido, south London, following its closure due to lockdown PA UK news in pictures 24 March 2021 Scottish Green Party co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater on the local election campaign trail in Edinburgh. PA UK news in pictures 23 March 2021 Care home staff at Westbourne House care home in Sheffield hold a minute's silence during the National Reflection day, The first anniversary of the first UK lockdown Tom Maddick / SWNS UK news in pictures 22 March 2021 The sun rises over "The Couple" by artist Sean Henry, which sits off the coast at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 21 March 2021 A man driving with his family in Jersey captured the moment a meteor streaked across the sky on his cars dash cam SWNS UK news in pictures 20 March 2021 Police officers detain a demonstrator during a protest against the lockdown in London Reuters UK news in pictures 19 March 2021 A parakeet eats a cherry blossom in St. James's Park, London, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 18 March 2021 Highland cattle lock horns at the National Trusts Wicken Fen Nature Reserve in Cambridgeshire PA UK news in pictures 17 March 2021 A cleaner uses a fogging machine to clean a train carriage early in the morning PA UK news in pictures 16 March 2021 A giant 60-metre wide sand portrait of 12-year-old Ansha from Ethiopia created by WaterAid on Whitby Beach in Yorkshire. The image of the young girl, who spends hours each day collecting dirty water from a river, was created to illustrate how climate change threatens water access for world's poorest PA UK news in pictures 15 March 2021 Five kayaks, each reflecting the shape of a human bone, form Osteoclast (I do not know how I came to be on board this ship, this navel of my ark) (2021), a sculpture by Teresa Solar, positioned outside Exchange Flags, it's one of the outdoor exhibits in the 11th edition of Liverpool Biennial which opens March 20, 2021, and features a series of outdoor sculpture, sonic and digital commissions by nine different artists. PA Photo. Picture date: Monday March 15, 2021. PA Photo. To align with government guidelines, the second 'inside' chapter will launch the full festival of exhibitions and events hosted by key venues throughout the city in late Spring PA In the run-up to the Budget Labour said it would be economically illiterate to raise corporation taxes during the pandemic. But responding to Mr Sunaks speech, opposition leader Keir Starmer said it was right to delay any rise to 2023. Of course in the long run corporation tax should go up," he said, adding that "no taxes should have been raised in the teeth of this economic crisis". Mel Stride, the Conservative MP who chairs the Treasury select committee described the policy as "quite a hike" but noted that the US was also planning to raise corporation tax rates, making the move "international competitive". "I think on balance it seems to me this is a reasonable move given that none of the possibilities are particularly palatable," he said. Normal People has been a big hit for BBC Three. (BBC) BBC Three set to be rebooted as a TV channel in 2022 after being online-only on BBC iPlayer for six years. The youth-oriented BBC channel was axed by executives in 2016 in a cost cutting move. The return to linear broadcasting sparked mixed reviews online, but was largely met with meme-filled, desperate cries for reboots of their favourite BBC Three shows. Lets take a look at some of BBC Three's most notable offerings. Normal People Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Connell (Paul Mescal) in 'Normal People'. (Credit: BBC) Leading the way as BBC iPlayer' most watched show of 2020 with 62.7 million views, the rollercoaster relationship between the main protagonists Marianne and Connell captured the worlds attention during the start of the first lockdown. Based on the best-selling novel by Sally Rooney, Normal People tells the story of Irish teenagers Marianne, played by Daisy Edgar-Jones and Connell, played by Paul Mescal, navigating the trials and tribulations of young love, friendship and mental health. Read more: Why is BBC Three making a U-turn? It has recently been revealed that Rooneys first book Conversations With Friends is due to be given the Normal People treatment by BBC Three as it too is set to be made into a 12-part series, directed by Lenny Abrahamson. Fleabag Andrew Scott and Phoebe Waller-Bridge in 'Fleabag'. (Credit: BBC) A BBC Three round up would not be complete without including this multi-award winning, Phoebe Waller-Bridge masterpiece. Originally adapted from the award-winning play, this comedy series follows Waller-Bridges character Fleabag, as she tries to cope with life in London whilst trying to come to terms with a recent tragedy. One of the shows USPs is Waller-Bridges decision to break the fourth wall and talk directly to the viewer, unnoticed by fellow cast members including Olivia Coleman, Sian Clifford and of course Andrew Scott as the priest. Still not over it. Although BBC Three has announced the 2022 reboot, sadly Fleabag fans will not be seeing a new series, as Waller-Bridge announced that the second series would be its last. Story continues Torchwood 'Torchwood' was conceived as a more mature, adult-orientated spin-off of 'Doctor Who', featuring John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness. (Credit: BBC) Torchwood fans assembled in their masses on Twitter yesterday, campaigning for a long-awaited fifth series of the Doctor Who spin-off show, following the BBC's announcement. Read more: Russell T Davies believes only gay actors should play gay characters The sci-fi show, created by Russell T Davies, which aired on BBC Three from 2006 until 2011, was one of BBC Three's most watched programmes after the 2012 Olympics and Eastenders Live. Torchwood followed Captain Jack Harness (John Barrowman) and his Cardiff-based team of alien hunters as they protected the Earth from extraterrestrial threats. RuPauls Drag Race RuPaul's Drag Race UK series 2: Picture Shows: Graham Norton, RuPaul, Michelle Visage - (World of Wonder/Guy Levy) No its not just you, UK Hun will probably be stuck in the nation's heads forever too. Following its astronomical success in the U.S., RuPauls Drag Race UK first aired online on BBC iPlayer for BBC Three on 3 October 2019. RuPaul is joined by judges Michelle Visage, Graham Norton and Alan Carr as well as special guest judges each week, including the likes of Jessie Ware, Maya Jama and Dawn French, ten of the most glamorous and charismatic drag queens battle it out to be crowned queen. The show spares no drama, as we see candidates compete in a series of challenges including the Snatch Game, Lip-Sync Battles and of course the infamous Ruruvision. With the third season release date announced for late 2021, it looks likely that BBC iPlayer will still be the destination for our 7pm, Thursday night viewing parties. People Just Do Nothing People Just Do Nothing: Big In Japan (Credit: BBC Films) This mockumentary follows West London pirate radio station Kurupt FM and it's eccentric staff, including Allan Mustafa, Asim Chaudhry, and Hugo Chegwin as they show us what it takes to run an illegal business. The station is led by self-proclaimed garage legend MC Grindah, (Mustafa) and his right-hand man DJ Beats (Chegwin), who is the 'best DJ in the West London area'. Viewers follow the Kurupt crew trying to chase their dreams, which they quickly realise, unfortunately is a full-time job. This Country Kerry (DAISY MAY COOPER), Kurtan (CHARLIE COOPER) - in This Country. (BBC - Photographer: Jack Barnes) Real-life brother and sister duo Daisy May and Charlie Cooper play cousins, Kerry and Kurtan Mucklowe as they narrate their day-to-day lives, in a small village in the Cotswolds. This BAFTA-winning British mockumentary sitcom, written by the Coopers, first aired on BBC Three on 8 February, 2017. Read more: Daisy May Cooper's wedding day tribute to This Country star who died of cancer The third and sadly, final series that aired in March last year, began with a devastating episode, accounting for the real-life death from heart failure at the age of 33 of the Coopers friend Michael Sleggs, who played the Mucklowes friend Slugs. The Mighty Boosh The Mighty Boosh, Comedians Noel Fielding & Julian Barratt photographed in London in 2005 (Photo by Andy Willsher/Redferns/Getty Images) Known for being one of BBC Three's earliest successes, The Mighty Boosh saw writers Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt in the roles of zookeepers Vince Noir and Howard Moon. Alongside pals Naboo the shaman, played by Fielding's younger brother Michael and Bollo the talking ape, played by Dave Brown, the 'Mighty Boosh' travelled the highways and byways in a van in search of surreal adventures. To devoted fans of the show, it felt like a secret club, a show that could bond you with like-minded people who loved this odd-ball comedy comfort blanket. Gavin & Stacey The Gavin and Stacey 2008 special brought Christmas to Billericay. (BBC) And finally, despite gaining a staggering 11.6 million views on BBC One on Christmas Day in 2019 (almost double The Queens Christmas Broadcast) it was on BBC Three that the nations favourite Welsh/Essex family first graced our screens back in 2007. Over the 12 years that this show has spanned, we have watched as Gavin and Smithy, played by Mathew Horne and James Corden's friendship has been challenged, with Gavin moving to Barry Island to be with Stacey, played by Joanna Page, as they adapt to married life together, whilst the tumultuous relationship between Smithy and Nessa, played by Ruth Jones, still leaves us asking now, whether Smithy will accept THAT marriage proposal? And will we ever find out what really happened on Bryn and Jason's fishing trip? With constant speculation around whether we will be getting more from writers Jones and Corden, it is unclear whether BBC Three will be home to another long-awaited episode? One show that will definitely not be featuring as part of the BBC Three reboot, is Little Britain, after it was announced in June 2020, that it was being removed from BBC iPlayer, Netflix and BritBox. This came after objections resurfaced to some of the sketch show's characters where writers, David Walliams and Matt Lucas portrayed characters from different minority ethnic backgrounds. Hugh Sheridan has shared a heartfelt tribute to his long-time best friend Rebel Wilson on her 41st birthday. Posting to Instagram on Wednesday, the Packed To The Rafters actor, 35, praised Rebel for being such a loyal, caring friend over the years. 'A great friend, a best friend is one who only ever asks you to be you, cause exactly you is more than enough,' Hugh cooed. 'A best friend is one who only ever asks you to be you': Hugh Sheridan, 35, (right) shared a heartfelt Instagram tribute to his best friend Rebel Wilson (left) as she celebrated her 41st birthday on Wednesday 'Happy birthday dear Rebel, well celebrate YOU together again soon! Have a great one, with the greatest year yet to follow. X me,' the House Husbands star added. His caption accompanied a series of throwback photos showing the pair spending quality time together. One black-and-white photo showed Hugh placing a kiss on Rebel's cheek, while another image showed the pals visiting Disneyland together in 2018. Close: 'Happy birthday dear Rebel, well celebrate YOU together again soon! Have a great one, with the greatest year yet to follow. X me,' the House Husbands star wrote They go way back! His caption accompanied a series of throwback photos showing the pair spending quality time together. Pictured: Hugh and Rebel visiting Disneyland USA in 2018 Hugh is currently in Sydney preparing for his new stage show Hughman, while Rebel is celebrating her birthday at home in Beverly Hills, California. Earlier on Wednesday, Rebel gave fans a glimpse at her surprise 41st birthday party. Posting to Instagram, the Pitch Perfect star uploaded a photo of herself and a group of female friends posing on a bed wearing matching white bathrobes. Thick as thieves: Hugh and Rebel have best friends for many years. Pictured exercising together in front of Sydney's Opera House in May last year Girls only! Earlier on Wednesday, Rebel gave fans a glimpse at her surprise 41st birthday party. Posting to Instagram, the Pitch Perfect star uploaded a photo of herself and a group of female friends posing on a bed wearing matching white bathrobes The group were surrounded by pink balloons, as well as large balloon letters that spelled 'REBEL'. 'Ummmm what an amazing birthday surprise!' Rebel wrote in the caption, tagging her guests. Last month, Rebel revealed she was excited about the future as she prepared to start filming and producing the comedy movie Senior Year. The comedian shared a photo to Instagram of herself posing next to a car, and wrote: 'Looking forward to all that's ahead!' According to Deadline, Senior Year is about a cheerleader who wakes up from a 20-year-long coma and returns to high school to claim the prom queen crown. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Mexico City, March 3 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Mar, 2021 ) :Mexican lawmakers have approved controversial electricity reforms which environmental campaigners see as a major setback to efforts to switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy. The changes spearheaded by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador have prompted warnings that Mexico is in danger of breaching its international commitments on trade and tackling climate change. The bill was passed in the Senate by 68 votes to 58 late Tuesday, following its approval last week by the lower house of Congress, the Chamber of Deputies. Both are dominated by Lopez Obrador's Morena party and its allies. The left-wing populist says the reforms are needed to strengthen the state-owned Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) and prevent power prices from increasing. Lopez Obrador welcomed the bill's approval, saying it would help Mexico "to face difficult moments, such as what happened in Texas that had an impact on our country." Several Mexican states suffered blackouts due to disruption to gas supplies from the United States after an unusually severe winter storm hit Texas in February. Critics say the reforms unfairly favor fossil fuels like oil and gas over renewable energy from sources such as wind and solar produced by private firms. "The law is a major setback for climate action and renewable energy investments in Mexico that will likely raise trade disputes under Mexico's trade agreements with the US and other nations," said Carolina Herrera of the Natural Resources Defense Council, a US-based environmental group. Lopez Obrador's opponents plan to challenge the bill's constitutionality in the Supreme Court. Morena's leader, Senator Ricardo Monreal, insisted during the debate that the reform "does not threaten free competition. It regulates it. It is not unconstitutional. It promotes clean energy generated by the CFE." - 'Highly damaging' - Environmental group Greenpeace has warned that the reform "perpetuates a highly damaging model for the environment, which does not combat, but rather promotes, climate change that the Mexican state has a constitutional obligation to fight." Until now, the Federal Electricity Commission has been required to buy renewable energy through auctions, but the reforms end that obligation. Business leaders have expressed concern that Mexico is in danger of breaching its trade agreement with the United States and Canada by favoring a state-run company. That potentially risks creating frictions with the administration of US President Joe Biden, who has pledged to make tackling global warming a top priority. The US Chamber of Commerce warned last month that the bill would "open the door for the reinstatement of a monopoly in the electricity sector and, we believe, would directly contravene Mexico's commitments" under the North American trade deal. "Unfortunately, this move is the latest in a pattern of troubling decisions taken by the government of Mexico that have undermined the confidence of foreign investors in the country at the precise moment enhanced foreign direct investment in Mexico is needed more than ever," it 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. [March 03, 2021] Rev Ventures Group Secures $1 Million in Seed Funding Round SAN DIEGO, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Rev Ventures Group, a technology driven performance marketing ecosystem, today announced the completion of a $1 million seed round of funding led by KEY Investment Partners with participation from Phyto Partners. The capital will be used to grow Rev Ventures' management team, expand marketing efforts and develop its portfolio company RevOffers' proprietary Attribution Engine. Rev Ventures helps companies transform their markets through the application of data, technology and analytics. The company's wholly-owned subsidiary and flagship company RevOffers is a performance and affiliate marketing company focused in the Health, Pet and Home verticals that connects brands with publishers looking to generate advertising revenue. After three years of bootstrapped growth under the co-founders Jason Brett (CEO) and Matthew Stein (CRO), the company has become a leader in the CBD affiliate marketing space, generating tens of millions of dollars a year in e-commerce sales for some of the leading brands in the industry. "Marketing CBD and cannabis products direct-to-consumer online is an extremely challenging landscape with a saturation of brands and the inability to market products on most major advertising platforms. Our purpose is to create value through a performance-based advertising model to help companies cost-effectively expand thir online presence and drive more sales," said Jason Brett, Co-founder and CEO of Rev Offers. "With this funding, we can enhance attribution to achieve significantly higher match rates than is seen with other currently available solutions, increasing trust and accuracy for our clients." RevOffers' Attribution Engine enables its advertisers and affiliates to benefit from proper attribution across a multi-channel digital marketing landscape. The industry-leading proprietary tracking technology processes thousands of data points from the entire customer journey to attribute or award credit to a publisher in the RevOffers network. It is powered by an Identity Graph that allows RevOffers to maintain a high degree of accuracy and consistency for their publishers and advertisers and activate additional value for their advertisers as patterns emerge. The next generation of development for the Attribution Engine will focus on building technology for advertisers to manage performance partnerships across the digital landscape. "We are very pleased to have the opportunity to work with Jason Brett, Matthew Stein and their outstanding team at Rev Ventures. The Rev Ventures team brings decades of performance marketing experience to emerging industries and sectors which have historically been challenged from an advertising perspective," commented KEY Founding Partner Tiby Erdely, who joins Rev Ventures Board of Directors. "We see tremendous opportunity to work with Rev Ventures to help drive the expansion of their unique and differentiated offerings that will undoubtedly continue taking industries by storm." "Phyto is excited to add RevOffers to our ecosystem of investments. Cannabis related businesses, along with businesses in other industries, continue to be challenged by marketing and advertising roadblocks, and RevOffers solves this problem. We continue to see an enormous opportunity helping the emerging market leaders grow mindshare and market share. Advertising budgets are set to explode as well funded cannabis companies must spend marketing dollars to build market share or they will not survive," said Larry Schnurmacher, Managing Partner at Phyto Partners. About Rev Ventures Rev Ventures is a portfolio of digital companies that brings together brands and people to solve life's challenges. Our growing portfolio of web technologies, digital properties and partnerships allow us to drive performance for our partners and quality buying experience for consumers. Our wholly-owned subsidiary and flagship company RevOffers is an advertising network that connects brands with publishers who are looking to generate advertising revenue. About KEY Investment Partners KEY Investment Partners is an investment management firm focused on providing growth capital to early-stage cannabis companies. The firm invests opportunistically across all sub-sectors of the cannabis industry, with the intent of identifying high-growth, market-leading companies that are backed by exceptional management teams. KEY is headquartered in Denver, CO - the most established and mature legal cannabis market in the US - positioning the firm at the forefront of the most exciting trends and developments in the space. Contact: Jason Brett, jason@revoffers.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rev-ventures-group-secures-1-million-in-seed-funding-round-301239426.html SOURCE Rev Ventures [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] 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 (Updates with U.S. blocking trade with Myanmar ministries, army conglomerates) * End 'vicious crackdown' on peaceful protests -U.N. rights chief * U.N. Security Council to discuss situation on Friday -diplomats * EU suspends support for Myanmar development projects * U.S. blocks transfer of $1 bln from NY Fed to Myanmar -sources March 4 (Reuters) - Police broke up demonstrations with tear gas and gunfire in several cities across Myanmar on Thursday, as protesters returned to the streets undeterred by the bloodiest day yet in a crackdown on opponents of last month's military coup. The United Nations said 38 people had been killed during Wednesday's demonstrations, far more in a single day than the 23 believed to have been killed up until March 1. U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet demanded the security forces halt what she called their "vicious crackdown on peaceful protesters." Bachelet said more than 1,700 people had been arrested, including 29 journalists. The U.N. human rights investigator on Myanmar, Thomas Andrews, urged the Security Council - which meets to discuss the situation on Friday - to impose a global arms embargo and targeted economic sanctions on the ruling junta. States should impose sanctions on the Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise, now controlled by the military and its largest source of revenue, he said in a report. Sources told Reuters that Myanmar's military rulers attempted to move about $1 billion held at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York days after seizing power on Feb. 1. U.S. officials froze those funds indefinitely, according to three people familiar with the matter, including one U.S. government official. Separately, the U.S. Commerce Department on Thursday designated trading curbs on Myanmar's Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Home Affairs and military conglomerates MEC and MEHL, effective on March 8, according to a federal registry filing. U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price had said that Washington would take further action in response to the rising violence in the aftermath of the coup, which overthrew elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Story continues In Myanmar, activists said they refused to accept military rule and new elections promised by the junta, voicing determination to press for the release of the detained Suu Kyi, 75, and recognition of her Nov. 8 election victory. "We know that we can always get shot and killed with live bullets but there is no meaning to staying alive under the junta," activist Maung Saungkha told Reuters. Police opened fire and used tear gas to break up protests in Yangon and the central town of Monywa, witnesses said. Police also opened fire in the town of Pathein, west of Yangon, and used tear gas in Taunggyi in the east, media reported. Big crowds gathered peacefully for rallies elsewhere, including the second city of Mandalay and in the historic temple town of Bagan, where hundreds marched carrying pictures of Suu Kyi and a banner saying: "Free our leader", witnesses said. A spokesman for the ruling military council did not answer telephone calls seeking comment. 'EVERYTHING WILL BE OK' PROTESTER MOURNED Hundreds of people attended the funeral of a 19-year-old woman shot dead in Mandalay on Wednesday, who was photographed wearing a T-shirt that read "Everything will be OK". After her death, the slogan went viral as a symbol of defiance. . On Wednesday, police and soldiers had opened fire with live rounds with little warning in several cities and towns, witnesses said. "Myanmar's security forces now seem intent on breaking the back of the anti-coup movement through wanton violence and sheer brutality," said Richard Weir, a Human Rights Watch researcher. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party said in a statement that flags would fly at half staff at its offices to commemorate the dead. The NLD won the election in a landslide and while the military made allegations of fraud, the election commission said the vote was fair. The European Union suspended support for development projects to avoid providing financial assistance to the military, officials said on Thursday. The support in past years has involved more than 200 million euros ($241 million) in separate programmes. Myanmar's generals have long shrugged off outside pressure. The U.N. special envoy for Myanmar, Christine Schraner Burgener, said on Wednesday she had warned deputy military chief Soe Win that the army was likely to face strong measures from some countries over the coup. "The answer was: 'We are used to sanctions, and we survived'," she told reporters in New York. "When I also warned they will go (into) isolation, the answer was: 'We have to learn to walk with only few friends'." The United States has told China, which has declined to condemn the coup, that it expects it to play a constructive role. China has said stability is a top priority in its strategic neighbour. At least 19 Myanmar police officers have crossed over into India, fearing persecution for disobeying orders, a senior Indian police official told Reuters. A clash over who represents Myanmar at the United Nations in New York was averted - for now - after the junta's replacement quit and the Myanmar U.N. mission confirmed that Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun remained in the job. (Reporting by Reuters Staff; Writing by Ed Davies, Robert Birsel and Grant McCool; Editing by Stephen Coates, Angus MacSwan and Rosalba O'Brien) It has been a busy two weeks in Irish banking and inevitably the Minister for Finance was at the centre of the action. Yesterdays confirmation that AIB was buying Goodbody the stockbroker it was forced to sell a decade ago at a deeply discounted price was a routine conclusion to a superficially ordinary bit of corporate dealmaking. Bank buys stockbroker to diversify its income streams so far, so normal. What makes this transaction extraordinary, though, is the special dispensation it required from Paschal Donohoe. Goodbodys price tag of 138m requires ministerial sign off, but the real sticking point of this deal was pay specifically the high salaries and bonuses customary to stockbroking, but banned in Irish banking. Mr Donohoe had to say yes to those, too. The minister, along with AIB CEO Colin Hunt and Goodbody managing director Roy Barrett, got to yes on the sale with a neat bit of Jesuitical reasoning. The bonus ban and pay cap would remain for AIB, which is 71pc owned by the State, while Goodbody gets to keep its remuneration policies as an operationally independent company wholly owned by AIB. Or as the Department of Finance press release put it: There have been no changes to the Governments policy in relation to bank remuneration; AIB will continue to adhere to the Governments pay restrictions, with separate ring-fenced remuneration structures in place for Goodbody. To recap: AIB is using public capital to buy a stockbroker that will only agree to a deal if the Minister for Finance bends the rules on bank remuneration. This is not the only uncomfortable contortion Mr Donohoe has been twisted into in his role as the biggest single shareholder in the Irish banking system. The exigencies of a marketplace in need of consolidation but lacking independent consolidators means the State has been forced to double down on the rescue investments it made in the main Irish banks a decade ago. Not two weeks ago, the UK state-owned bank NatWest announced it was winding down Ulster Bank, its Irish subsidiary. What had been Chancellor Rishi Sunaks headache now became Mr Donohoes. Ulster Bank is a 180-year-old institution deeply embedded in the economic life of the country. It has 21bn in loans and a similar amount in customer deposits. With significant market shares in mortgages and business banking, its absence would be felt in towns and cities across Ireland. In short, Mr Donohoe was going to have to chip in. AIB is in talks to take over Ulster Banks 4bn corporate book, while Permanent TSB itself 75pc owned by the State is in negotiations over the banks much larger personal banking business. Those deals, if they happen, could be transformative for those underperforming banks, much as Bank of Irelands aggressive cost cutting and branch closing could bring that institution back into the graces of investors one of which is the State with a 14pc shareholding. But arent they also quasi-bailouts for a UK-owned bank that hit the skids 13 years ago? Obviously Mr Donohoe has his eye on an eventual exit from the States bank shareholdings and that can only come if they make more money and increase their valuations. But the question has to be asked: are we just throwing good money after bad? Michiganders in the 50 to 64-year-old range will soon join the pool of residents eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Residents 50 years and older who have preexisting conditions, disabilities and other medical vulnerabilities will become eligible Monday, March 8, confirmed Bobby Leddy, press secretary for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Two weeks later, beginning March 22, all residents 50 years and older will be eligible to sign up for an appointment. Whitmer reportedly announced the eligibility expansion Wednesday, March 3, during an event in metro Detroit. Leddy said the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services will issue an order reflecting the changes ready very shortly. To date, Michigan has administered 2,303,548 doses of COVID-19 vaccine. That includes 1,468,810 residents who have gotten their first dose, and 834,738 who have gotten their second of two recommended doses. Groups currently eligible to be vaccinated statewide include health care workers, long-term care workers and residents, first responders, corrections workers, childcare and school staff, staff in congregate care facilities, mortuary service workers, workers in food processing and agricultural settings, and residents 65 years and older. Some communities, like the city of Detroit, have further expanded the eligibility to additional groups. Last Thursday, the state set a one-day record with 79,103 doses administered. State health officials say they have the capacity to administer 50,000 shots per day. This week, Leddy said Michigan received its largest shipment of vaccines. The addition of a third vaccine -- developed by Johnson & Johnson -- means health officials expect dose allocations coming to Michigan to increase in the coming weeks. Unlike the first two COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, the Johnson & Johnson shot only requires one dose. The original two vaccines approved in the U.S. recommend a pair of shots spaced three and four weeks apart, respectively. An allocation of 82,700 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was scheduled to arrive in Michigan this week, according to MDHHS. The state is averaging 1,071 new COVID-19 cases and 23 new deaths reported per day over the last week. During the last year, the state health department has reported 590,217 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 15,558 cases that resulted in death. An additional 58,840 cases and 986 deaths have been reported as probable, meaning a physician and/or antigen test ruled the case COVID-19 but there was no confirmatory PCR test done. Read more on MLive: 6 things you need to know about new Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine Wednesday, March 3, coronavirus data by Michigan county: Five counties had no cases in past week Restaurants, casinos, gyms, nursing homes: All the changes Michigan made to COVID-19 restrictions on Tuesday BRIDGEPORT Good news for Bridgeports sledders and snow angels: Regular snow days are here to stay. Kids and their teachers should be able to catch a break when schools close due to inclement weather next school year. Missed instruction days will be made up at the end of the school year or during April vacation, as they were before remote learning became widespread amid the pandemic. The remote day is not going to be our go-to option, said Superintendent Michael Testani. I think its better that we stick to the clear lines that have been set forth for decades. Testani cited several reasons for the decision at a recent Board of Education meeting, including the districts preference for in-person learning. Im not a huge proponent of throwing more remote days at our kids, said Testani. This remote day was created for teaching and learning during the pandemic, not for convenience for folks. Once the pandemic ends, a lack of internet access could render distance learning impossible for some families. Bridgeport currently provides free WiFi through Altice, but the contract will likely expire as more students return to school buildings. Presumably, internet hot spots wont be extended either. The option of remote for all our students may not be on the table, simply because were in circumstances that our families and our children cant control, said Testani. Before school systems distributed devices and WiFi last year for remote learning, an estimated 57,000 households with children in Connecticut lacked reliable internet access. The problem was most acute in the states poorest cities, including Bridgeport. Unless we can resolve all these issues and we can guarantee that 19,000 plus students can access reliable internet connectivity, the 21-22 school year will consist of the old-fashioned snow day, said Testani, and well make the days up as we have for centuries. The superintendent recognized that not everyone will be pleased with this decision, considering other towns plans to learn from home on snow days. I cant worry about what happens in our surrounding districts, Testani said. They are not Bridgeport. They dont have the same issues that we have here, the same challenges our families face. Having employees work on snow days also poses problems for non-certified staff, whose collective bargaining contracts are negotiated with the city (not the school board). These workers, who might belong to the same union as staff in other districts providing days off, could argue theyre not awarded the same privileges as their colleagues. Teachers could use the free time, too. Teachers themselves need a break on a snow day, said Testani. Theyre going to have children at home theyre going to need to tend to. I dont think theyre going to be able to provide 100 percent of their attention to our kids. Plus, Testani said its what the students want. I cant imagine what a 6- and 7-year-old are thinking when they can just go outside and play in the snow, rather than be in front of their iPad or tablet, he said. And its not just the younger students: High school and middle school kids are on Twitter begging me to just say the words we want to hear. Many of our kids just enjoy an old-fashioned snow day, he said. [March 03, 2021] Clearlake and TA Associates to Acquire Data Integrity Software Leader Precisely Precisely ("Precisely" or the "Company"), the global leader in data integrity, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement for Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. (together with its affiliates, "Clearlake") and TA Associates to acquire the Company. Josh Rogers, CEO of Precisely, will continue to lead the Company supported by the existing management team. Upon closing of the transaction, Clearlake and TA Associates will become majority shareholders in Precisely. Centerbridge Partners, the current majority shareholder in Precisely, will retain a minority equity stake. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005486/en/ "With global spending on digital transformation expected to reach $2.3 trillion by 20231, Precisely is well positioned to generate rapid growth. Organizations around the world are increasingly focused on their ability to make confident business decisions from a foundation of trusted data, with maximum accuracy, consistency and context. This creates a unique opportunity for Precisely to be their provider of choice," said Josh Rogers, CEO of Precisely. "Clearlake and TA Associates have experience partnering with software companies like Precisely that solve complex, critical business challenges and driving accelerated growth through operational best practices and M&A strategies to help them maximize their potential. I am excited to begin this next phase in the Company's evolution with our long-time partners at Clearlake and am thrilled to welcome TA and their expertise to the team. I also want to thank Centerbridge Partners for their guidance and support over these past four years, and I am delighted they will continue as a minority investor in Precisely." The history between Clearlake and Precisely dates back to 2015 when Clearlake acquired Syncsort (the predecessor company to Precisely), a specialized provider of data integration products. In 2016, Syncsort acquired Trillium Software to expand its portfolio with leading data quality software, and Clearlake acquired Vision Solutions, a leading provider in data availability software solutions for IBM (News - Alert) Power Systems. In 2017, Clearlake sold Syncsort and Vision Solutions to Centerbridge Partners in a transaction that combined the two companies to increase scale and extend leading data management capabilities, and Clearlake maintained a minority equity stake in the Company. In December 2019, the Company completed its acquisition of the software and data business from Pitney Bowes, adding leading location intelligence and data enrichment capabilities that cemented Precisely as the global leader in Data Integrity. "Precisely has evolved significantly over the last several years by expanding its product offerings and establishing a differentiated sales strategy to provide a data management software suite that directly addresses the complex data quality challenges fcing enterprises today and going forward," said Behdad Eghbali, Founder and Managing Partner, and Prashant Mehrotra, Partner, of Clearlake. "Now with significant scale, Precisely is strategically positioned in the market as a buy-and-build platform and industry consolidator, and we're thrilled to partner again with Josh utilizing our O.P.S. framework to support the leadership team to help Precisely accelerate growth organically and through M&A." "We are thrilled to partner with Josh, Clearlake and Centerbridge, and to invest in Precisely as the Company hits a key inflection point in its growth trajectory," said Harry Taylor, a Managing Director at TA Associates and Michael Libert, a Principal at TA Associates. "We believe Precisely is uniquely positioned to meet enterprise customers' urgent need for secure, trusted, accurate and reliable data both on-premises and in the cloud as they rapidly adopt data integrity software solutions to help support mission-critical business use cases across increasingly disparate data repositories." "During Centerbridge's partnership with Josh and his leadership team over nearly four years, Precisely has expanded its focus from IBM Mainframe and Power Systems to become a leading provider in data integrity across all sources of data with a broader suite of products," said Jared Hendricks, Senior Managing Director at Centerbridge and Chris Litchford, Managing Director at Centerbridge. "With enhanced strategic positioning and through our continued ownership in Precisely, we look forward to the Company's continued success as the team gears up for the next phase of growth." The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2021 pending customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions. UBS acted as lead financial advisor to Precisely. Goldman Sachs and Jefferies also acted as joint financial advisors to the Company. Evercore, BofA Securities, Barclays and JP Morgan (News - Alert) acted as financial advisors to Clearlake and TA Associates. JP Morgan, BofA Securities, Barclays, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, Jefferies and Morgan Stanley are arranging the debt financing for the acquisition. 1. IDC (News - Alert) , "Worldwide Spending on Digital Transformation Will Reach $2.3 Trillion in 2023, More Than Half of All ICT Spending, According to a New IDC Spending Guide," Oct 2019 About Precisely Precisely is the global leader in data integrity, providing accuracy, consistency, and context in data for 12,000 customers in more than 100 countries, including 90 percent of the Fortune 100. Precisely's data integration, data quality, location intelligence, and data enrichment products power better business decisions to create better outcomes. Learn more at www.precisely.com. About Centerbridge Partners Centerbridge Partners, L.P. is a private investment management firm employing a flexible approach across investment disciplines-from private equity to credit and related strategies, and real estate-in an effort to find the most attractive opportunities for our investors and business partners. The Firm was founded in 2005 and as of January 31, 2021 has approximately $28 billion in capital under management with offices in New York and London. Centerbridge is dedicated to partnering with world-class management teams across targeted industry sectors and geographies to help companies achieve their operating and financial objectives. For more information, please visit www.centerbridge.com. About Clearlake Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. is an investment firm founded in 2006 operating integrated businesses across private equity, credit and other related strategies. With a sector-focused approach, the firm seeks to partner with experienced management teams by providing patient, long-term capital to dynamic businesses that can benefit from Clearlake's operational improvement approach, O.P.S. The firm's core target sectors are technology, industrials and consumer. Clearlake currently has approximately $30 billion of assets under management and its senior investment principals have led or co-led over 300 investments. The firm has offices in Santa Monica and Dallas. More information is available at www.clearlake.com and on Twitter (News - Alert) @ClearlakeCap. About TA Associates TA Associates is a leading global growth private equity firm. Focused on targeted sectors within five industries - technology, healthcare, financial services, consumer and business services - TA invests in profitable, growing companies with opportunities for sustained growth, and has invested in more than 500 companies around the world. Investing as either a majority or minority investor, TA employs a long-term approach, utilizing its strategic resources to help management teams build lasting value in high quality growth companies. TA has raised $33.5 billion in capital since its founding in 1968 and is committing to new investments at the pace of over $2 billion per year. The firm's more than 85 investment professionals are based in Boston, Menlo Park, London, Mumbai and Hong Kong. More information about TA Associates can be found at www.ta.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005486/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS/ PARTNER NEWS: There has been a global puzzlement at how India has managed to dramatically lower the spread of Covid-19 cases and fatality rates over the last few months, with some experts calling it a mystery, but American scientist Yaneer Bar-Yam has said credit should go to the government for being able to identify and leverage its strengths to limit the spread of the infection. Bar-Yam, who specialises in quantitative analysis of pandemics, said underlying factors such as previous successful response efforts in pandemics, less urbanisation that limits travel and rates of community transmission, limited travel and localised tourism were all important in mitigating the impact of Covid-19. But he pointed out that swift government action of restricting/regulating movement to increasing public health capacity to meet the increasing demands of the pandemic, were equally essential as India seems to have done enough to emerge successful in limiting the impact of the virus. In September last year, India was confirming nearly 1 lakh cases a day, but that figure has dropped to approximately 12,000 as the country has effectively flattened the curve. The case fatality rate has also dropped sharply. Highlighting steps taken by the government, Bar-Yam said that in particular decisions to impose severe restrictions on travel, stop gatherings, targeted localized lockdowns, school closures, had proven effective in controlling the outbreak. Other major steps like effective public communication, improvements in case identification, rapid ramping of industrial production of masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing capacity, have also contributed, he added. Bar-Yam said that Indias success showed that time and travel are key to controlling pandemics. The message to go out from India therefore is restrict travel in areas wherein cases are there, isolate cases and dont allow them to transmit infection, he wrote. In a paper published on his website endcoronavirus.org, he listed the nine major government actions because of which India had managed to tame the infection as well as it has: He described the zoning of the country into three zones red, orange and green for localised lockdowns as probably the most effective step taken by the government last April. While severe restrictions were imposed in affected districts, there was partial lifting of restrictions in unaffected districts, along with the opening up of some sectors to meet the economic challenge. Restriction on travel was the second most important step, as travel was regulated through issue of e-pass with checks on state borders across the country. The regulation of travel continues into 2021 as travel has not been fully de-regulated, he said. Isolation and contact tracing of individuals who test positive to Covid-19, and quarantining of primary high-risk contacts has been an effective strategy. The government shut down all colleges and schools for an extended period, and the recent reopening has been partial and only in the context of the very low number of cases recently. Bar-Yam said highlighted the contribution of the Indian industry, which he said responded like never before by producing masks and personal protective equipment at great pace not only to meet the countrys requirements, but also to supply to the world. India has gone from a single lab that could perform RT-PCR tests for Covid-19 to over 2300 in a short span of time, and this number has reduced the test result return time and also strengthened isolation and quarantine strategy. From cautionary caller tunes on phones to heavy fines for not wearing masks, spreading public awareness about Covid-19 risks has been a major initiative of the government, and this has meant the population more willingly accepted restriction guidelines. The American scientist also praised the response in high-density urban areas, which posed the greatest challenge, but the refinement of lockdowns, travel restrictions, rapid case identification, and communication found in other locations, has helped limited the spread. He said that the vaccination drive, which is the largest in the world, is also expected to have an increasingly significant impact on the outbreak control in India. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. FORT LEE, N.J., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CareOne , a leader in senior care, is proud to announce that CareOne at Evesham Assisted Living , CareOne at Hamilton , CareOne at Hanover , Harmony Village at Stanwick Road , CareOne at Livingston Assisted Living , CareOne at Somerset Valley Assisted Living , CareOne at Northampton , CareOne at the Cupola , CareOne at Wayne , Harmony Village at Jackson , Harmony Village at Paramus , CareOne at Millbury , and the Rehabilitation and Nursing Center at Greater Pittsburgh are the recipients of the Pinnacle Quality Insight's 2021 Customer Experience Award. Qualifying for the award, the CareOne communities displayed a continued dedication to providing Best in Class care through culinary, safety, communication, cleanliness, and maintenance services. "The Pinnacle Award is a testament to the care and customer service we administer to our patients everyday. This award speaks volumes given that these high marks are directly from our patients and their families. It has always been CareOne's mission to be the leader in healthcare and customer service, and I am proud that our organization has been recognized as one of the best," commented Lizzy Straus, CareOne's Executive Vice President. Throughout its over 20 year history of serving the community, CareOne has placed a strong emphasis on ensuring that the individual needs of every [patient/resident] are met. Over the course of 2020, a sampling of CareOne's customers and their families have participated in monthly telephone interviews that include open-ended questions, as well the opportunity to rate CareOne in specific categories. Every month, CareOne gathered its real-time survey results to gain a better understanding of the patients/residents needs and make improvements when necessary. By qualifying for the Pinnacle Customer Experience Award, CareOne has satisfied the rigorous demand of scoring in the top 15% of the nation across a 12-month average. Clients have the opportunity to achieve this Best in Class distinction on a monthly basis in many categories designed to accurately reflect each patient/resident's experience. About Pinnacle Quality Insight A customer satisfaction measurement firm with 25 years of experience in post-acute healthcare, Pinnacle conducts over 150,000 phone surveys each year and works with more than 2,500 care providers in all 50 US states, Canada and Puerto Rico. About CareOne With services that include post-hospital care, rehabilitation, assisted living, long-term care and a variety of clinical specialty programs, CareOne's affiliates offer compassionate care in gracious, professionally managed centers and communities. CareOne serves thousands of patients every day and admits and discharges more than 20,000 patients every year. With more than 50 centers in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Maryland CareOne's outstanding programs and services are conveniently located throughout the state. Interested parties can engage with CareOne on social media by following @CareOneMgt on Twitter, @careonemgt on Instagram, and CareOne Management on Facebook and LinkedIn. For more information about CareOne, please visit www.care-one.com . SOURCE CareOne Management Related Links care-one.com Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-04 04:15:55|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The peace process in South Sudan remains extremely fragile despite some progress in the past four years, said David Shearer, the outgoing top UN envoy for South Sudan, on Wednesday. Shearer, who will leave his post next month as the special representative of the UN secretary-general and head of the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, said the country has made progress both in terms of security and political stability. "At the end of my four years in South Sudan, I look back with a certain level of comfort about how far the country has come," he told the Security Council in a briefing. There is a cease-fire, a peace deal, and a transitional government. And local leadership is slowly being installed. The majority of people who flocked to point-of-care sites have either left or now live in newly transitioned camps for internally displaced persons -- a result of improved political security, he noted. However, he warned that the peace process remains extremely fragile. Many citizens are wary that the political will may falter. They fear the positive progress may collapse, he said. "It is for those people that we, the international community, must remain united and committed to pushing the peace process forward. We can't sit on the sidelines as spectators. Look back four years. That's what failure looks like and it's in no one's interests to return there." Last week marked the first anniversary of the transitional government in South Sudan. There have been some positive steps forward. But after a year, progress has been slow, he said. The Transitional National Legislature still waits to be reconstituted and there has been minimal progress on constitution-making, transitional justice, and economic reform. Most significantly, unifying forces are yet to occur despite multiple self-imposed government deadlines. Thousands of troops fester in cantonment sites without adequate shelter, health care and food, he noted. Slow implementation comes at a cost. The power vacuum at a local level has opened opportunities for spoilers and national actors who have exploited local tensions and fueled violence. The cost is also humanitarian. It is estimated that most of the country requires food aid, he said. Shearer called for the attention of the Security Council to two broader issues: the lack of a viable financial system for South Sudan and the need for respect for South Sudan's ownership of the peace process. The massive UN presence will inevitably bump up against the nation's hard-won sovereignty. True sovereignty means responsibility for all the nation's 12 million citizens. It also means independence. Yet, South Sudan is perhaps one of the most dependent nations in history, he said. South Sudan's education and health systems, its roads and infrastructure are provided by outsiders, the UN envoy added. "We have too eagerly stepped in and shouldered responsibilities that should be the job of the South Sudanese -- and have added to their dependency -- and, in doing so, undermined their dignity," Shearer said. Shearer became emotional at the end of his statement when he was speaking to the South Sudanese: "My last word is to the people of South Sudan who inspire me with their seemingly endless patience and hope as they fight against huge odds to achieve a much brighter future they deserve. My thoughts and best wishes are with you always." Shearer, a New Zealander, will be replaced by Nicholas Haysom of South Africa. Enditem The confirmed date for scholarship students traveling to Fiji is March 9 next week and to New Caledonia on March 11 , says the NSTB Chairman Natonga This article will be updated throughout the week with coronavirus case counts and other need-to-know information about the pandemic in San Antonio. The state of the COVID-19 pandemic in San Antonio continued to improve Sunday as officials reported lower hospitalization numbers, two new deaths and just 15 new cases. The number of new infections could be artificially low because of logistical problems at testing sites or laboratories. The rolling seven-day average of new cases, considered a more accurate representation of coronavirus transmission than daily case counts, now stands at 206 per day. The coronavirus situation in Bexar County has been improving steadily since January, when the seven-day average was above 2,000 cases a day and hospitals were treating more than 1,500 COVID-19 patients. March 6 The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District reported four new deaths and 137 new coronavirus cases Saturday. But as another vacation break starts added to the governors decision to lift the mask mandate and allow businesses to resume full occupancy officials are worried the progress made to slow the coronvirus pandemic will stop. With spring break here for many, the temptation to let our guard down is real, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said Saturday. But we have to keep our eyes on the prize. March 5 San Antonio and Bexar County officials reported 287 newly diagnosed coronavirus cases and three more deaths Friday, including another death of a man in his 30s who succumbed to the illness at home. It was the second time this week that local officials announced that a Bexar County resident in his 30s died at home. Wolff thanked several businesses that have announced they will continue requiring customers to wear masks at their establishments. The business community might save us by taking that kind of a stand, he said. March 4 Those numbers are moving in the right direction, but as weve reminded you throughout this week, especially with the orders from the state, please do not let your guard down, Nirenberg said Thusday during the coronavirus briefing he and Wolff hold each day. The citys coronavirus risk level is now classified as mild and improving. And its seven-day rolling average of new cases now stands at 329 per day. A month ago, the average was 1,463 per day. The 242 newly diagnosed cases reported Thursday underscore the improvement. March 3 After four consecutive days without new coronavirus deaths, six people were reported Wednesday to have died from the virus. Another 255 deaths reported by the Texas Department of State Health Services are under investigation by the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District. Metro Health also reported 190 new coronavirus cases Wednesday a decrease from 249 cases the day before. March 2 As Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced the imminent lifting of coronavirus restrictions, hospitalizations from COVID-19 continued to decline in the San Antonio region. For the fourth day in a row, officials reported no new deaths from COVID-19. Bexar Countys confirmed death toll from the virus now stands at 2,670. Health officials reported 249 new coronavirus cases Tuesday, compared with 288 on Monday. Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff criticized the move as premature and urged residents to continue to wear masks. March 1 San Antonios coronavirus positivity rate has dropped to 5.6 percent, as community transmission continues to decline in the wake of the winter surge. However, officials have cautioned that the citys coronavirus data has been skewed by last months winter storms and accompanying water and power outages, which shut down many testing sites and prevented people from getting to those that were still open. Officials reported 288 new cases and no new deaths Monday. February 28 The coronavirus situation in San Antonio continued to improve Sunday as officials reported 318 new cases, no new deaths and fewer people hospitalized. Those figures have been declining steadily in Bexar County since peaking in January, but local officials have warned that the deadly virus is still spreading and that San Antonio has not gotten past the pandemic just yet. For the most part, our numbers continue to move in the right direction, but that doesnt mean COVID-19 is behind us, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said in a statement Sunday. The threat remains real and widespread. Charlotte's Web secures Option to purchase Stanley Brothers' cannabis business BOULDER, Colo., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Charlotte's Web Holdings, Inc. ("Charlotte's Web", "CW" or the "Company") (TSX: CWEB) (OTCQX: CWBHF), the market leader in full-spectrum hemp CBD extract products, announces that it has entered into an Option Purchase Agreement (the "Option") with Stanley Brothers USA Holdings, Inc. ("Stanley Brothers USA"), a privately-held Delaware company, and the shareholders of Stanley Brothers USA. Stanley Brothers USA is a cannabis wellness incubator currently operating in three states (Colorado, California, Florida) with expansion plans underway in eight additional states. The Option has a five-year term (extendable for an additional two years) and provides Charlotte's Web the optionality to acquire Stanley Brothers USA on the earlier of three years from the effective date of the Option and federal legalization of cannabis in the United States, or such earlier time as Stanley Brothers USA and Charlotte's Web may agree (the "Triggering Event") potentially including when otherwise permitted by the policies of the stock exchange on which the Company's securities are listed for trading. The common shares of Charlotte's Web continue to trade on the TSX in Canada and OTCQX in the US. "Consumer attitudes, market trends, and laws surrounding cannabis and its role within the wellness category continue to trend positively. This strategic Option provides Charlotte's Web optionality to enter the U.S. cannabis wellness market in partnership with an experienced and trusted team and brand, positioning our business for potential new growth opportunities and shareholder value creation," explained Deanie Elsner, CEO of Charlotte's Web. "The Stanley Brothers are innovating cannabis wellness with the same philosophy and vision that drove their success as founders of the Charlotte's Web brand. With this shared heritage, we could not be more aligned." Stanley Brothers USA is evolving botanical formulations for the Cannabis 2.0 wellness-focused consumer, combining full-spectrum cannabis extracts with functional botanical ingredients. Marketed under the "ReCreate" brand, the wellness formulations are lower in tetrahydrocannabinol ("THC") for more precisely controllable benefits. Products include functional chocolates, gummies and oil tinctures, formulated with the wellness benefits of the entire cannabis plant including CBD and THC to help achieve a desired state of wellbeing. Charlotte's Web is the global leader in the cultivation, production and distribution of hemp-derived CBD wellness products. Until the Option is exercised, both Charlotte's Web and Stanley Brothers USA will continue to operate as standalone entities in the US. Internationally the companies are able to explore opportunities where cannabis is federally permissible. Related-Party Transaction and Board Changes Two founders of Stanley Brothers USA are members of the Charlotte's Web board of directors. To further support the strategic Option, Charlotte's Web co-founders Joel Stanley and Jared Stanley resigned as members of the Charlotte's Web board of directors in order to transition to board positions with Stanley Brothers USA and oversee execution of that business with aligned values, business practices, and vision. Joel Stanley , a Charlotte's Web co-founder and Board Member, is a Stanley Brothers USA co-founder and will assume a seat on the Board of Directors at Stanley Brothers USA . , a Web co-founder and Board Member, is a Stanley Brothers co-founder and will assume a seat on the Board of Directors at Stanley Brothers . Jared Stanley , a Charlotte's Web co-founder, Board Member, and its Chief Cultivation Officer, is a Stanley Brothers USA co-founder and will assume a seat on the Board of Directors at Stanley Brothers USA . A special committee (the "Special Committee") of the board of directors of CW (the "Board"), comprised solely of independent and disinterested directors, and advised by its own independent legal advisors, unanimously recommended that the Board approve the Option. Acting upon the recommendation of the Special Committee, the members of the Board unanimously approved the Option. Additional Terms of the Option The five-year Option (extendable to seven years upon payment of additional consideration) with Stanley Brothers USA shareholders was purchased for total consideration of US$8 million cash. Upon the occurrence of the Triggering Event, the Company may exercise the Option to acquire Stanley Brothers USA for a purchase price to be determined at the time of exercise of the Option. The purchase price determination will involve weighted application of 3.5 times revenue and 13.5 times EBITDA multiples to Stanley Brothers USA's financial statements at the relevant time, or a base amount and earn-out, in certain circumstances. The purchase price will be subject to customary adjustments for working capital, debt and cash at closing, and certain portions of the purchase price may be held back to cover post-closing adjustments and indemnification matters. Subject to compliance with applicable law and stock exchange approval, if required, Charlotte's Web intends to satisfy the purchase price through the issuance of common shares of CW ("CW Shares"), to be issued at a price based on the 20-day volume weighted average trading price of the CW Shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange at the relevant time of issuance. CW is not obligated to exercise the Option. In addition to the Option, Stanley Brothers USA has issued CW a warrant (the "Warrant") exercisable to purchase 10% of the outstanding Stanley Brothers USA shares and convertible securities that are considered in-the-money subject to certain conditions and exclusions. The Warrant is exercisable for a nominal exercise price in the event the Company elects not to exercise the Option. A copy of the Option and the Warrant will be made available on CW's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Advisors The Special Committee was advised by independent legal advisors and an independent national valuation firm. DLA Piper (Canada) LLP and DLA Piper (US) LLP acted as legal counsel to Charlotte's Web. Akabas & Sproule acted as legal counsel to Stanley Brothers USA. About Charlotte's Web Holdings, Inc. Charlotte's Web Holdings, Inc., a Certified B Corporation headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, is the market leader in the production and distribution of innovative hemp-derived cannabidiol ("CBD") wellness products under a family of brands which includes Charlotte's Web, CBD Medic, CBD Clinic, and Harmony Hemp. The Company's premium quality products start with proprietary hemp genetics that are 100-percent American farm grown and manufactured into whole-plant hemp extracts containing a full spectrum of naturally occurring phytocannabinoids including CBD, CBC, CBG, terpenes, flavonoids and other beneficial hemp compounds. Charlotte's Web product categories include CBD oil tinctures (liquid products), CBD gummies (sleep, stress, inflammation recovery), CBD capsules, CBD topical creams and lotions, as well as CBD pet products for dogs. Charlotte's Web is the number one CBD brand in the USA and distributed through more than 22,000 retail locations, select distributors and online through the Company's website at www.CharlottesWeb.com. Charlotte's Web was founded by the Stanley Brothers with a mission to unleash the healing powers of botanicals through compassion and science, benefiting the planet and all who live upon it. Charlotte's Web is a socially and environmentally conscious company and is committed to using business as a force for good and a catalyst for innovation. The Company weighs sound business decisions with consideration for how its efforts affect employees, customers, the environment, and diverse communities. The rate the Company pays for agricultural products reflects a fair and sustainable rate driving higher quality yield, encouraging regenerative farming practices, and supporting U.S. farming communities. Management believes that its socially oriented and environmentally responsible actions have a positive impact on its customers, suppliers, employees and stakeholders. Charlotte's Web donates a portion of its pre-tax earnings to charitable organizations. Subscribe to Charlotte's Web investor news. Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "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 or information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Charlotte's Web to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including assumptions as to CW's business; Stanley Brothers USA's business; the efficacy and results of research; the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to the Company's operations; and such risks contained in Charlotte's Web's annual information form dated March 27, 2020 and filed with Canadian securities regulators available on Charlotte's Web's issuer profiles on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. There can be no assurance that the Triggering Event or the exercise of the Option or Warrant will occur, or that such events will occur on the terms and conditions contemplated in this news release. Charlotte's Web Holdings, Inc. THE WORLD'S MOST TRUSTED HEMP EXTRACT SOURCE Charlotte's Web Holdings, Inc. Related Links https://www.charlottesweb.com/ COVID-19 vaccines are making their way into the arms of U.S. meat and agriculture workers, but companies and union officials say progress needs to be faster after coronavirus outbreaks idled slaughterhouses and sickened thousands of workers. Vaccinating food workers could help prevent further production disruptions that sent meat prices soaring in spring 2020 and forced retailers like Kroger Co. to restrict customers purchases of ground beef and other products. Nationwide, 22,000 meatpacking workers have been infected or exposed to the virus, and 132 have died, according to the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) International union. A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) committee in December recommended frontline food and agriculture workers receive access to vaccines ahead of people aged 65 to 74 and younger Americans with high-risk medical conditions. But many states prioritized older residents, who account for the majority of U.S. COVID-19 fatalities, and other essential workers like teachers. Companies are constrained by limited supplies and regulations in individual states and cannot purchase vaccines directly from drugmakers. Priorities have shifted in the past two months in a range of states, and that has lowered the priority status of our critical and essential employees, said Keira Lombardo, chief administrative officer for Virginia-based Smithfield Foods, the worlds biggest pork processor. South Dakota, where WH Groups Smithfield runs a massive pork plant in Sioux Falls, may not begin vaccinating food and agriculture workers until April, according to state plans. It will first give shots to teachers, funeral home workers and people under 65 with underlying health conditions. More than a third of Smithfields 3,700 employees in Sioux Falls had tested positive for the virus by mid-June 2020, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. BJ Motley, president of the local UFCW union, said workers are asking when they can be vaccinated, but the company has not provided information about scheduling shots. All we can do is keep pushing, he said. Smithfield said it told employees the vaccine will be distributed at the Sioux Falls plant once supplies are available. Kim Malsam-Rysdon, South Dakotas health secretary, said the states vaccine plan was developed in accordance with CDC guidelines. Vaccine allocation from the federal government is the biggest challenge facing states, she said. POTLUCK AT THE STATE LEVEL The U.S. Department of Agriculture told Reuters it is again contacting governors in each state to encourage they prioritize food workers for vaccinations, as public health agencies have recommended. The United States has been shipping millions of doses of vaccines to states each week, but demand so far has outpaced supplies. By the end of March, vaccine producers plan to ship tens of millions more shots. The supply will be further helped by Saturdays U.S authorization of Johnson & Johnsons one-shot vaccine. Tyson Foods, the nations largest meatpacker by sales, said on Monday that many of its 13,000 Iowa employees would start getting the vaccine this week. About 2,000 Tyson employees out of 100,000 hourly workers received vaccines as of Feb. 25. Rival meat processor JBS USA plans to shut a beef plant in Greeley, Colorado, on March 5 and 6 for vaccinations, after almost 400 worker infections there. The local UFCW union that represents plant employees said the union secured on-site access to shots by working with the state and National Guard. JBS and affiliated chicken producer Pilgrims Pride Corp. said about 8,500 employees in eight states, including Colorado, will have access to vaccines this week. Cargill Inc. will work with healthcare providers to vaccinate employees at a beef plant in Kansas and at offsite locations in Nebraska and Michigan, according to the company. At chicken processor Perdue Farms, about 800 employees out of 21,000 had received one shot by Thursday. Julie Anna Potts, president of the trade group North American Meat Institute, said last week she would like the federal government to be more involved with getting vaccines to meatpacking workers. Unfortunately its just been kind of a potluck at the state level, she said. Worker vaccinations are also progressing slowly in the wider food industry, said Mike Gruber, vice president of regulatory affairs at the Consumer Brands Association. The group represents food manufacturers like Kellogg Company and estimates 300 of its 1.7 million essential workers have received a shot. Some state officials are also concerned about fruit and vegetable workers. North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said temporary agricultural workers are beginning to arrive from Mexico and other countries under the H-2A visa program without being eligible for shots. They often live in group housing, which can facilitate the spread of the virus, and move from state to state to harvest seasonal crops. We really wanted to get these workers vaccinated before they were spread out across the state, Troxler said, but it doesnt look like thats going to happen. (Reporting by Tom Polansek in Chicago; Additional reporting by Tina Bellon in New York; Editing by Caroline Stauffer and Bill Berkrot) Topics Meat Processing The most senior Army officer to face a court martial in more than 200 years moaned he couldn't afford his children's school fees even on his 'lofty salary', a court martial heard today. Major General Nick Welch, 57, expressed his concern over losing a taxpayer-funded education allowance when he took on the top job at Ministry of Defence headquarters in Whitehall, central London. The two-star general, while seeking advice from a colleague, said: 'I can't afford private school fees.' A military court has heard Maj Gen Welch 'dishonestly' told the Army his wife Charlotte would be living with him at his new London residence, which meant he could claim taxpayers' money for two of his children to board in Dorset. In fact, 54-year-old Mrs Welch spent most of her time at their 800,000 country home in Blandford Forum near the schools, prosecutors say. Major General Nick Welch (pictured) expressed his concern over losing the taxpayer-funded education allowance when he took on the top job at MoD headquarters Maj Gen Welch, who has an OBE, allegedly swindled 48,388 from taxpayers by illegally claiming Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) for 15 months. He denies one count of fraud. Now, Bulford Military Court, Wilts, has heard Mrs Welch only spent around one in three days at the new residence in Putney, London. Prosecutor Sarah Clarke QC said that of the 15-month period in which Maj Gen Welch claimed his wife was living in Putney, she spent 355 days absent from the home, 278 days including her husband's leave. Before Maj Gen Welch was appointed Assistant Chief of the General Staff of the MoD in London, a role in which he became the highest ranking officer at the HQ, his family were living in Gloucestershire, claiming CEA. But, when he got the 'very good job' which is thought to come with a 120,000 salary, Maj Gen Welch sought CEA advice from a fellow Army officer, admitting he was at a 'sort of cross roads'. In an email, he said: 'It throws my domestic arrangements into disarray. If I'm to retain CEA Charlotte would have to come with me to London... If Charlotte moves to Dorset then we lose CEA. 'Even with a lofty Major General salary I can't afford private school fees for [one of his children] so would need a reduction in that.' Maj Gen Welch was also concerned over relocating his youngest child to London as it would have been their fifth school in 14 months. Maj Gen Welch and his wife ended up sending the child to the 22,500 a year Hanford School in Dorset to give them an opportunity to settle. Their other child went to the 37,000-a-year Clayesmore School in Iwerne Minster, Dorset. Maj Gen Welch (pictured) sought CEA advice from a fellow Army officer It was also heard when Maj Gen Welch first bought the Putney property, his wife said in a message to a friend: 'I'm trying to be brave about moving but not doing brilliantly... You are an angel, I miss you lots.' Ms Clarke QC said investigation into Mrs Welch's whereabouts show her phone records, credit card purchases and Amazon deliveries put her as being at their Blandford home most of the time. The prosecutor also read to the panel a catalogue of messages, texts, emails and diary appointments throughout the 15-month period which she said proves the family home was not Putney. In one message to a potential cleaner for their Dorset home, Mrs Welch said: 'We live in [the Blandford home]. We are not in the house all the time because my husband's in the Army and we have an Army house where he works.' A number of exchanges between Maj Gen Welch and his wife were also read out, with Ms Clarke QC pointing out that he was in London while Mrs Welch was in Dorset. In one message, he said he is sat in a pub 'just wishing I had you opposite me to ogle at'. Another read: 'Morning gorgeous. I guess you are sat up waiting for the workmen, I'm sat at Clapham Junction waiting for a train to Andover. Oh, the high life. Missing you.' Ms Clarke QC said: 'This couple did seem close and fond of each-other. He is clearly in London working for the family and she is in Dorset. 'This was not a couple who prefer it that way. Could it really be that she was somewhere he didn't know? No, it could not be that way.' Ms Clarke QC read to the court details from Mrs Welch's diary which described her attending appointments in London such as trips to watch rugby at Twickenham, physio appointments, business meetings and to attend an event involving defence minister Jonny Mercer at the RAF Club in Mayfair. Ms Clarke said: 'While living in a house in Dorset is a very nice thing to be doing, the house they were meant to be living in was London, but that is demonstrably not the case.' The prosecutor said Mrs Welch wrote reminders in her diary to bring items of clothing with her when visiting London. She said: 'She has to specifically remind herself to pack stuff for London. If she was living in London she would have these items there.' Prosecutor Sarah Clarke QC (pictured) said that of the 15-month period in which Maj Gen Welch claimed his wife was living in Putney, she spent 355 days absent from the home, 278 days including her husband's leave Ms Clarke said Mrs Welch wrote a note in September 2016 saying she had not been at the London house 'for more than a month' and described a 'Goldilocks moment' when she returned to the property. Continuity of Education Allowance is offered to soldiers to help fund 90 per cent of their child's education when they relocate on assignment, as long as their spouses live with them, a practice known as 'serving accompanied'. Ms Clarke QC previously said: 'The whereabouts of Welch's wife are the most important piece of evidence. 'If she is supposed to be living with him in London but spending more time elsewhere than that, the prosecution submits, that means Welch was not serving accompanied. 'Very rarely were they in London, it was not being used as the family home. 'It was in fact a convenient second property - and that's very nice, but that's not what CEA is about and if that was the case then Welch was not entitled to CEA. 'He had a duty to inform of any risk that his family was failing to satisfy the CEA rules. 'The reason it never happened is because he dishonestly wanted to continue to keep the privilege of having his two children in private education but did not want his family to live in the home at London but instead the family home in Blandford, which is clearly where they wanted to be.' Maj Gen Welch, whose move to Putney was his '20th Army move', retired from the military in 2019 and became Chief Operating Officer of Bournemouth Arts University, Dorset. He is the the highest ranking officer to face court martial since Lieutenant General Sir John Murray was convicted of abandoning his siege guns without due cause in the Napoleonic wars in 1815. The trial continues. US removal of Houthi terror designation may heighten Yemeni Christian persecution: Open Doors Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The U.S. government's decision to remove the terror designation from the Iran-backed Yemeni Houthis could lead to heightened Christian persecution, according to the head of a prominent international Christian human rights organization. After the Biden administration removed the Houthi organization, known as Ansar Allah, from the list of foreign terrorist organizations early last month, two Saudi-influenced newspapers reported Yemens Houthi militia is threatening Christians with extended detainment. David Curry, the president of the Christian persecution watchdog organization Open Doors USA, told The Christian Post in a recent interview that removing the terror designation applied by the Trump administration in 2018 is a mistake that will only embolden Houthi militia. What we are seeing now is what would amount to an escalation, Curry, whose organization monitors persecution in over 60 countries, explained. It sets a legitimacy to the Houthis that they have the right to do this. We gravely disagree with that. The State Department released a statement on Feb. 7 condemning the Houthis and called them to immediately cease attacks impacting civilian areas and halt any new military offenses inside Yemen. On Saturday, Saudi Arabia said it intercepted a missile attack over its capital city and bomb-laden drones that it blamed on Houthi rebels. On Sunday, the State Department condemned the reported attacks on population centers in Saudi Arabia and called on Houthis to end these egregious attacks and engage constructively with United Nations Special Envoy Martin Griffiths and U.S. Special Envoy Tim Lenderking to bring peace to the Yemeni people. In making its move to remove the terror designation from Houthis, a State Department official argued in a remark to the Associated Press that the prior administration made a last-minute designation that international bodies and human rights groups argue would accelerate the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. I would say that removing the terrorist designation from the Houthis is a mistake, Curry told CP. It is going to embolden them. It is meant to be a signal to Iran that we [have] shifted our allegiance from the previous administration to balance over to Saudi Arabia down to favoring Iran and their Islamic regime. Curry, who has met with and advised policymakers from both sides of the political aisle in Congress, the White House and the State Department over the years on various international issues, said he believes there will be consequences in the region because of this move. You have the crumbling infrastructure of a five-year Civil War. You have religious extremists. You have the danger of this Houthi political agenda against Christians, Curry warned. They are detaining [Christians]. Theyre torturing pastors and leaders in the country, so its a complicating factor. Mushir Khalidi, a 50-year-old priest in Yemen, has been detained by the Houthis intelligence service for four years, according to Saudi-based English newspaper Arab News. Prisoners released from the Houthi detention centers have revealed Houthis are targeting Yemenis suspected of being Christian. Many Yemeni Christians have already fled the country, and the militia has also oppressed Jews and Bahais for many years, the London-based newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reports. They are using discrimination against Christians to try to gain control, to enforce terror in some of these communities, Curry said. The Church and Christian minorities [are] being caught in the crosshairs of this. You have several thousand Christians there. But you have so many factors of oppression, discrimination, and violence against them that just makes it very, very difficult. Curry believes the removal of the terrorist designation from the Houthis was an attempt for the U.S. to have more peaceful relations with Iran. The Biden administration, I believe, is coupling this with other agreements with Iran, Curry explained. They want to be on friendlier terms and strengthen Irans influence in the region, and this would certainly do that. I dont think thats going to be helpful, but I think thats the strategy. Open Doors USA ranks Yemen as the seventh-worst country globally when it comes to Christian persecution on its annual World Watch List. In addition to persecution from authorities, the organization reports that Islamic militant groups threaten Christians from a Muslim background with death, and tribes may kill or banish anybody converting to Christianity. International Christian Concerns Regional Manager for the Middle East Claire Evans told CP she believes removing the Houthis terrorist designation may be two-fold. Evans explained the first reason could be to allow more humanitarian aid to reach Yemen. Since the Houthi militia is largely located along the coastline, it is hard for aid to arrive if Houthis are designated as a terrorist group. Another reason for the U.S. to make this decision could involve the Iran Deal. It is emboldening to Iran, Evans said. It is emboldening to the Houthis to have this terrorist designation removed. To have terrorists emboldened, things tend to get more violent more aggressive, so we do have to be more concerned about that. Yemen is in the middle of a civil war, a proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The United Nations considers Yemen the worlds worst humanitarian crisis and estimates that almost 250,000 people have died from fighting and war-related problems like hunger. Only several thousand Christians live in Yemen, though the number is uncertain due to the secretive nature of the religion because of the persecution threat. Most of Yemens Christians are Muslim background believers, and the church operates primarily underground. The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, Elon Musk's grades in a computer aptitude test, when he was 17, were so good the examiners could not believe them. Elon's mother Maye Musk shared the three-decade old test results of her son on Twitter. Maye Musk revealed that her multi-billionaire son had to be re-tested because "examiners had never seen such a high score before". .@elonmusk I found your computer aptitude test from when you were 17. If I remember correctly, they had to retest you because they had never seen such a high score. No wonder you are such a brilliant engineer. #ProudMompic.twitter.com/7sGxAvLF4r Maye Musk (@mayemusk) March 3, 2021 The test result is signed by the Director of Information Management at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. Musk briefly attended the University of Pretoria before moving to Canada at the age of 17. The letter, dated 1989, reads: "I have requested ISM (SA) to conduct aptitude tests on Elon Musk regarding computer programming etc. The results were outstanding." Musk scored an A+ in both Operating and Programming. Sharing the letter on Twitter, Elon Musk's mother wrote: "I found your computer aptitude test from when you were 17. If I remember correctly, they had to retest you because they had never seen such a high score. "No wonder you are such a brilliant engineer," the mother added. Musk's results immediately went viral with netizens hailing Musk's brilliance from an early age. Whats an amazing kid @ age 17. You are my role model. Thanks for being an inspiration to us all in the field of science & engineering. We love you @elonmusk@mayemusk . Cyrils Carter (@Cyrilsford02) March 3, 2021 The smartest men, a genius human of the Earth, it's sow amazing to be alive, sow grateful Just knowing that he exist makes me happy! You are amazing and powerful @mayemusk Much care and appreciation Isabela Flutur (@FluturIsabela) March 3, 2021 It's very nice to hear such old memories of this legend. they are lucky who were with musk.. Narayan kumar Bishwokarma (@Narayanradhe) March 3, 2021 New Delhi: A 19-year-old boy died under mysterious circumstances on Sunday in Hauz Khas village of the national capital. The deceased, Siddharth, was son of former Manipur minister M Okendro, fell from the terrace of a restaurant. Siddharth was rushed to the hospital but later, succumbed to his injuries. Siddharths sister has raised suspicion on her brothers death. While talking to media, the restaurant manager said that he has given CCTV footage to police. He said Siddharth did not visit his restaurant. He hadn't come to restaurant. Spot,he fell from,not under our premises.Going to terrace prohibited. Gave CCTV to police: Restaurant Manager pic.twitter.com/61vT5E7DfB ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017 The police officials launched a probe in the matter, saying that they are investigating all possibilities. Delhi: Siddharth, son of ex-Manipur Minister M Okendro died after falling off a restaurant terrace in Hauz Khas pic.twitter.com/8VrQffttKk ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017 For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The Head of Intelligence for the U.S. Indo-Pacific command expressed concern on Tuesday that if North Korea is reprocessing nuclear fuel, as the International Atomic Energy Agency has reported, tensions between the U.S. and North Korea could escalate. Speaking at an online event, Rear Adm. Michael Studeman said the U.S. intends to find out what North Korea's intentions are and whether the regime will launch any provocations this year. Studeman speculated that the reprocessing of nuclear fuel could be a move to get the attention of the new Joe Biden administration. "This may be the start of something that's designed to influence the Biden administration -- it may be the first way of getting the new administration's attention here, where perhaps [North Korea] would use this reprocessing development as a bargaining chip for sanctions relief of some sort," he said. The UN's nuclear watchdog said Monday that nuclear activities continue in North Korea's Yongbyong and Kangson nuclear facilities, with evidence of construction and tests being carried out. New satellite images taken by Maxar Technologies last month seem to show that the North has been making moves around a new nuclear facility in North Pyongan Province, which the U.S. believes is used to store nuclear weapons. CNN reported Tuesday that the Biden administration will announce within a few weeks what its policies are on North Korea. NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / March 3, 2021 / Matt Creator Of The EXTREM MONEY Training born and grew up in Seine Saint-Denis the suburbs of Paris, France, and as many as people grew up in a single-parent home but with a happy childhood. From the age of 14, he became immersed in the Caribbean music and Salsa Hip Hop. He spent most of his childhood and adolescence between Gagny and Aulnay Sous Bois, and during that time, he met all types of personalities within small business and high school and made his first steps in sales with his Cousin on the market. Matt realized very quickly that it was through studies that he would prevail, obtained a master's degree in Computer Engineering and while doing many odd jobs, ended up becoming a Microsoft Engineer. At the age of 30, he decided that it's time to buy his own place and become the owner of a nice 120 m2 duplex in the South of Paris, knowing that he has to do some investment on it, due that the elevator needed to be redone, he didn't mind because the apartment alone represented 39% of the building living space bigger and an increase in payment by 7000 extra charges. During that year, he lived only to pay bills and faced many challenges between Metro/Work/Sleep/Taxes and concluded that THIS LIFE WAS NOT FOR HIM! Despite the adversity, he needed to bill back his life and motivation and started to take interest in real estate and decided to multiply his training and seminars on the subject and the enrichment lever of knowledge of it, but in 2015 the Company he works for went into bankrupt, and an economic laid off came for many people being permanent terminated of work contract, for me it was the turning point of my life, he said. "Despite all the obstacles on my way, one month after being laid off and being down, I said to myself, I DO NOT WANT TO WORK FOR ANYONE MORE!" Matt indicated Knowing that he have the credit of the house to pay and with a strong mindset, he has to find an option and a quickly solution to go back in the business market and focusing in end goal, he multiply research, test, meetings, and set up a small network that opens the doors of the Stock Market, especially of what will later be his favorite playground FOREX. During 8 months, Matt trade forex in demo with success and failures and with a strong mindset, he trade day and night; he trains every day on all currencies in order to find the one that suits him best, but also to develop his own strategies, to refine a technique and aim to have at least 90% of success before he could start trading in real mode and start to earn his life as an entrepreneur. After a long battle, he started to post his trading results on the network, and people started to ask to train them in trading. In the beginning, he was a bit reluctant, because he was only in real mode, but few months passed, and as part of his activities, he started to follow the politic and economic news around the world and especially in France, which allowed him to realize the social and political inequalities and to take into consideration people request for training and decided to share all his learned knowledge with as many people as possible. His major goal became to allow anyone to be able to earn a legal salary of a dealer. He decided to be an informant trainer, because the enthusiasm and involvement of all students' mutual aid from 19 to 68 years old allowed him to create an army of trader and the < > IS BORN. 'The success and the greatest reward of FOREX GANG has become a huge family compose of people whose only ambition is to live with dignity.' Matt said. The Young people who have always been told that they would be the least of all things, former homeless people, father and Mother who can support their family through trading and even retired people who no longer make ends meet send him regular messages to say thank you! Matt Forexgang, indicated that regarding the fact of being a trader and have a private jet rental company, his primary motivation to start his own business was to be financially free, to no longer depend on a third party to earn his money, to tell him when he have the right to go on vacation or to warm when he is sick as if he have to call his parents to inform them. He needed to fulfill himself in order to protect his family and manage his life as he wanted. "I was able to launch my training, because of the people on the network who pushed me to do it and the politics," Matt said. My biggest challenge was to become profitable trader with the capacity to support myself in less than a year. The world of the stock market and particularly the money market has always inspired and interested me. Matt highlighted that mindset is the will that you need to have and the awareness of your goal to be able to achieve them. In life there will always be detractors, people who will tell you that it's not possible that it only happens to other people, but never forget that this is your life and it will be the consequences of your choices. At the beginning it's scary because you don't know where to start but eventually things will become clearer, you will meet the right people and move forward to succeed. Success is to be able to live my life as I want, to be able to protect my family from needand to be able to help others to reach to the same dream as me and my greatest achievements is being a trader and trainer is the my major pride because I made myself, being is a kid's dream. "I play with life-size airplanes now." Matt outlines. We are currently redoing the mon-avion.com application. Moreover my training is only in French, I would like to diversify it to reach other communities around the world. Matt said "The biggest obstacles in my career have been the jealousy and the heaters, but I have learned to take a step back and laugh about it, because I don't care about them!" Matt states. "Financial freedom means doing what I want where I want. I am blessed to be able to work no matter where I am in the world. All I need is an Internet connection and I can work." Mat explained. If I have to define myself in a few words it would be: Mathieu, Hip Hop, Trader, Private Jet and Jerk Chicken Lover! For more information on this serial entrepreneur, click here. CONTACT: Paula Henderson 561-768-4444 phendersonnews@gmail.com About VIP Media Group: VIP Media Group is a hybrid PR agency. Their diverse client base includes top-class entrepreneurs, public figures, influencers, and celebrities. SOURCE: Matt Forexgang View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/633359/Matt-Creator-Of-The-EXTREM-MONEY-Training-Is-The-First-Suburban-Guadeloupean-To-Becoming-Trader-Trainer-Entrepreneur-With-A-Touch-Of-Hip-Hop Allegations of sexual harassment against Gov. Andrew Cuomo are making him fight for his political life, as an investigation overseen by Attorney General Letitia James gets underway. A growing number of Democrats and Republicans are calling for his resignation and his political donors are reportedly getting skittish. Yet, despite the ways that the scandal appears to be endangering his political future, it remains entirely possible that the three-term governor will face no consequences at all from lawmakers, even if a report concludes the allegations are true. It is just really, really hard for lawmakers to hold a New York governor accountable for his personal behavior. Impeaching a chief executive is no easier, or less politically fraught, in Albany than it is in Washington, D.C. The Joint Commission on Public Ethics in theory could do something, though its 10-year track record suggests it is better at protecting political insiders than it is at exposing wrongdoing and imposing punishments. This is especially the case with the governor, who appoints six out of the 14 members of the commission, while three each are chosen by the leaders of the legislative majorities and one each for their counterparts in the minorities. A different system might have been on the way had COVID-19 not disrupted a push last year to replace the much-criticized JCOPE with a 13-member Government Integrity Commission featuring fewer gubernatorial appointments and more checks and balances. So efforts to establish new accountability in Albany were delayed by at least two years. This is why we need a truly independent body to oversee the Legislature and Executive, Assembly Member Robert Carroll of Brooklyn, who proposed the amendment with state Sen. Liz Krueger of Manhattan, both Democrats. We shouldnt have to rely on the attorney general stepping in. Establishing the commission through the normal legislative process would risk a gubernatorial veto, as the proposal would undermine his power, so ethics reformers sought a state constitutional amendment. Amending the state constitution requires that two successive Legislatures pass a proposal, which then requires ratification by a majority of support from voters to go into effect. This could have happened as soon as next year, had the Legislature passed a proposed amendment last year, but they did not at a time when deadly pandemic and historic calls for police reforms were at the top of the political agenda. A key part of the proposed commission is that judges, rather than the governor, would produce most appointments to the proposed commission. This is stronger than other states, Evan Davis, an attorney and one-time counsel to former Gov. Mario Cuomo, told City & State last year when lawmakers were beginning a push to pass the amendment just days before the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the state. You have to do (this) if you're trying to build confidence and working from a place where nobody has any confidence. Judicial appointments make sense, considering the recent history of JCOPE. Long before Cuomo faced scandals about nursing homes and alleged sexual harassment, there was the saga of his one-time top aide Joe Percoco. The details of the bribery scandal and the 2018 conviction that eventually landed Percoco in prison are complicated, but it was still causing Cuomo some big political headaches one year later when the Times Union reported that Cuomo was meddling with a JCOPE investigation of Percoco. The governor had apparently called Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie to complain about how one of the commissioners the speaker appointed had voted on an ethics probe of Percoco. An aide for the speaker then reportedly pestered the commissioner, later identified as Julie Garcia, about the vote, which was supposed to be confidential. Cuomo and Heastie both denied that they meddled in the process and neither of them ever faced any sanctions from the ethics body. The state inspector generals office never interviewed them, though it did release a summary of how it could not substantiate the allegations. The Percoco matter is hardly the only example of when JCOPE has seemingly taken a light hand when people in power are accused of wrongdoing, even while it investigates seemingly unimportant accusations of wrongdoing by others involved with state government matters. It has taken the commission more than three years to even approach the stage of holding a hearing on a sexual assault allegation made by former Senate staffer Erica Vladimir against former state Sen. Jeff Klein, yet it found time to go after an activist who bought a billboard in favor of the Child Victims Act for not registering as a lobbyist. Former leaders in the Legislature who have gone to prison for corruption charges, including former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and former State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, have never been punished by JCOPE. That was not exactly what Cuomo was saying back in 2011 when he and state lawmakers were touting how a new ethics agency would usher in a new era of accountability and transparency in a state Capitol long shadowed by scandal. Cuomo and state lawmakers created JCOPE in 2011 to replace the Commission on Public Integrity, which was also seen as too beholden to the governor. "The Joint Commission on Public Ethics is an independent monitor that will aggressively investigate corruption and help maintain integrity in state government, Cuomo said in a press release at the time. The Commission will be the toughest ethics enforcer in our state's history." His February 2021 appointment of ex-aide Camille Joseph Varlack as chair is hardly instilling confidence that he has made good on that promise a decade later. A Cuomo representative referred City & States inquiry for this story to JCOPE. The fact that the law bars us from commenting on specific cases, may contribute to unwarranted criticism that JCOPE is ineffective, Walter McClure, a spokesperson for JCOPE, said in a statement. He added that it is ultimately up to the state Legislature and governor to decide what system of oversight works best for the state, but JCOPE has nonetheless racked up some victories when it comes to holding elected officials accountable. An engineering firm tied to the son of disgraced former state Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos was fined $10,000 by JCOPE just last month. State lawmakers cannot overhaul JCOPE in the short term, even if they passed a constitutional amendment today. But a new deal on reducing the governors emergency powers suggests they are looking to assert their status as a coequal branch of government. Changing a state law that requires the governor to give a referral to the attorney general before she could investigate wrongdoing appears to be another step that Democratic legislators could take to make it easier to hold governors accountable moving forward. An effective oversight body would be able to handle issues like this, Carroll said of the ongoing allegations sexual harassment against the governor. Its got to be on the table. Correction: An earlier version of this story used an incorrect title for JCOPE Chair Camille Joseph Varlack. The on Wednesday constituted a 16 member state election committee for the April 6 assembly polls, with 'Metroman' E Sreedharan, who joined the party recently, being one of them. state president K Surendran said in a statement that the committee was constituted with the permission of the party's national president J P Nadda. Besides Surendran and Sreedharan, union minister V Muraleedharan, national vice president A P Abdullakutty, former state presidents Kummanam Rajasekharan, O Rajagopal MLA, C K Padmanabhan and P K Krishnadas are the prominent members of the committee. While senior leader and state vice president Shobha Surendran's name was missing from the list, Mahila Morcha state president Nivedita Subrahmanian has found a place in the committee. The panel also has some special invitees, including the party's in-charge C P Radhakrishnan and his deputy Sunil Kumar. Sreedharan, the architect of the Delhi Metro, had formally joined the BJP on February 25 in the presence of Union Minister R K Singh at a function at Changaramkulam in Malappuram district when the 'Vijay Yatra' led by Surendran reached there. (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.) Even as Amazon Inc and Kishore Biyani's Future Retail are at loggerheads over the RIL-FRL deal, there was one time back in early 2020 when Jeff Bezos-led e-comm giant was making all-round effort to rescue the retail company out of financial troubles. Amazon had devised a plan to invest Rs 6,000 crore in Future Retail in equity and debt. In 2019, Amazon bought a 49 per cent stake in Future Coupons, with a right to buy into Future Retail in 3-5 years. But Future group has claimed that Amazon failed to provide any help to the debt-laden company that suffered a massive setback during the COVID-induced lockdown. The US e-commerce major, on the other hand, contends that there were ongoing discussions on multiple options with partners and with the promoters of Future. Also read: Future deal dispute: Amazon should not be a perpetual objector, says NCLT As per the details, Amazon even proposed restructuring the board and top management in Future Retail, LiveMint reported citing sources. To raise money, Amazon had initiated talks with key investors like PremjiInvest, TPG capital, SSG Capital and Verlinvest. All of them would have brought in Rs 750 crore worth of investment, while the rest of the funds were planned to be raised via private equity investors or banks, without selling Future Retail to any rival company. As coronavirus-led curbs forced companies to shut their businesses after March, Future Group's bank dues were increasing, defaults were looming and the company was facing a huge cash crunch to stay afloat. Also read: Amazon demanded $40 million to forego its right of first refusal: Future Group It put a huge financial burden on Kishore Biyani's company, despite Amazon making efforts to revive it. Between March and May, Amazon reportedly made a presentation to Future investors about its rescue plan. Amazon also received a positive response from Future Retail as it sought investment in tranches from May 2020. However, amid the rescue talks, Future was going deep into the liquidity crisis and needed funds urgently. Amazon reportedly proposed a second plan, which involved selling the retail business to cut debt but focus on other key businesses. Also read: 'Dog in a manger': Kishore Biyani's description of Amazon Amazon received a blow in August 2020 when Future Group announced the sale of its retail, logistics, warehousing and wholesale business to Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Retail for Rs 24,713 crore. Amazon later dragged Future Group to arbitration at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre against the deal, saying the Reliance-Future deal violated the Amazon-FRL pact and that it had the right of first refusal. Also read: ED investigating Amazon for FDI violations in Future Retail deal On October 25, SIAC passed an interim award in favour of Amazon, barring FRL from taking any step to dispose of or encumber its assets or issuing any securities to secure any funding from a restricted party. Amazon also approached the Delhi High Court, seeking the enforcement of an interim order of the emergency arbitrator at the SIAC. On February 8, the Delhi High Court stayed the implementation of single-judge order to Future Retail Ltd and various statutory authorities to maintain the status quo regarding the Rs 24,713 crore deal. Amazon on February 12 moved the Supreme Court (SC) in a bid to block the deal. The scheme of arrangement had already received approval from the Competition Commission of India (CCI), with no objection from SEBI and bourses, following which it had approached NCLT Mumbai on January 26, 2021. Also read: Future-Reliance deal: Delhi HC stays single-bench status quo order 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. With the newly approved Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine en route to Massachusetts, the feeling among the Baker administration is increasingly one of hope and optimism, which the Republican governor is using to deflect criticism over his handling of the vaccine rollout. We can only vaccinate based on the vaccines we get from the feds, Gov. Charlie Baker said last week as federal regulators were expected to approve the one-dose vaccine. Thats why the news out of Washington can end up being such a big deal. The arrival of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine now means there are now three separate vaccines that can be distributed to states across the country, giving the rocky Massachusetts rollout and efforts elsewhere a much-needed boost. But the J&J shot, touted for its efficacy in combating severe COVID disease and hospitalization, is much different from the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Because it was developed at a later stage in the pandemic, there is some data on how the shot fares against other COVID variants. The immunization only requires one dose and can be stored for up to three months in regular refrigeration temperatures. But perhaps most importantly, no one who received the new shot had to be hospitalized or died from COVID-19, data shows. Its a great vaccine. It has a huge advantage in that its a one-dose, and its the only vaccine to be tested with the new variants, said Dr. Robert Finberg, an infectious disease expert with UMass Medical School. Whats different about Johnson & Johnsons vaccine? Unlike the Moderna and the Pfizer shots, which deploy viral RNA to induce an immune response, Johnson & Johnsons vaccine is a viral vector vaccine, meaning an actual pathogen containing viral genetic material is injected into the body. The injected virus has been manipulated so that it cant replicate. Trials showed that the vaccine was about 67% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID infection or roughly 72% in the U.S. and 85% against severe disease and hospitalization. Experts think that the J&J shot should be easier to distribute, given that it doesnt need to be stored in freezing temperatures to stay viable, like the Pfizer and Moderna shots. A virus is much hardier, much tougher, basically, than RNA, said Dr. Davidson Hamer, professor of infectious diseases and medicine at the Boston University School of Medicine. I think the (Johnson & Johnson vaccine) is a much more stable product. The RNA shots are far more delicate, Hamer says, and can be easily damaged when exposed to light and heat. Echoing comments made by Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nations top infectious disease expert, Finberg says residents should take whatever vaccine is available, adding that each has provided demonstrable benefits in reducing symptoms, severe disease and hospitalization. All three of these vaccines are safe and efficacious, and have tested on tens of thousands of people, Finberg said. We cant pick among them at the moment. Baker on Monday spoke to reporters about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after it received emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration over the weekend, noting that doses could be coming next week. But he did not elaborate on how the shots will be distributed, only that they will be sent out pretty evenly across the state. It is likely that we will get, for next week, a shipment, and that shipment will probably be distributed pretty evenly across what we think of as the vaccinating community we have here in Massachusetts, Baker said. Its also unclear if residents will be able to choose between the shots when the J&J vaccine becomes more widely available. Baker noted that federal officials said theyd be ramping up production of the new vaccine in the coming days, and likely wont have the distribution volume that Pfizer and Moderna has until later in the month. But some hospitals in Massachusetts are already getting shipments of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Tufts Medical Center confirmed one shipment Tuesday morning, officials there said. We received 2,000 doses of the J&J vaccine this morning, Jeremy Lechan, a spokesperson for Tufts, said in an email. The hospital will begin administering the doses on Thursday, Lechan said. Baker said he thinks the Johnson & Johnson shot will be more widely available in Massachusetts as it doesnt require ultra-cold storage, therefore creating far more capacity within the system. I dont want to speculate on how fast or how much at this point because anything I say on that will be speculation, Baker said. Related Content: Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Will Smith spoke about his experiences with racism in a new podcast interview, revealing that despite being a Hollywood actor he was not immune from targeted aggression. The 52-year-old Men In Black star shared on Pod Save America Monday that he has been called 'the N-word' a handful of times in his life, but had always equated it with levels of intelligence. 'I've been called the N-word to my face probably five or six times. Fortunately for my psyche I've never been called N-word by a smart person,' he shared, before elaborating that he has found that 'less true' as he has gotten older. Racist realizations: Will Smith, 52, spoke about his experience with racism in the past in a podcast interview, sharing that he has been called 'the N-word' a handful of times in his life but never by a 'smart person'; pictured 2019 In conversation about his new Netflix docu-series Amend: The Fight For America, that explores the fourteenth amendment and its effects on America, Smith spoke about being on the receiving end of hate in his life. 'I grew up with the impression that racists and racism were stupid,' he said, adding that he always thought that 'racists' were easy to get around but he 'just had to be smarter.' 'While they were very dangerous, I had never looked into the eyes of a racist and saw anything that I perceived as intellect,' he said, later adding that he as he matured he realized this notion was not entirely accurate. 'As I got older I saw that was less and less true, and as I went into Hollywood I started to see the ideas of systemic racism - but at the core of it I noticed a difference between ignorance and evil. 'They're twins for sure but ignorance can be educated and evil is a much more difficult problem,' he shared. Unpacking ignorance: Speaking to Pod Save America about his new series Amend: The Fight For America, he said he 'had never looked into the eyes of a racist and saw anything that [he] perceived as intellect'; pictured Monday Amend: While his docu-series does explore the country's past which he said was 'established by white men for white men' the actor also shared that he undoubtedly see it as a 'multiracial multiethnic democracy,' now Hopeful: The Fresh Prince of Bel Air star said that on account of the massive Black Lives Matter movement the country is in an 'unprecedented place with many dangers but also new possibilities' Touching on what he perceives as a glimmer of hope in the United States despite a history of racial darkness 'embedded in the fibers' he said: 'Fortunately, ignorance is more prevalent than blatant evil so I've always been encouraged that the process of education and understanding could alleviate some of the more dangerous and difficult aspects of racism.' While his docu-series does explore the country's past which he said was 'established by white men for white men' the actor also shared that he undoubtedly see it as a 'multiracial multiethnic democracy,' now. The Fresh Prince of Bel Air star said that on account of the massive Black Lives Matter movement sparked by the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor (as well as countless others), the country is in an 'unprecedented place with many dangers but also new possibilities.' 'There is a momentum...I'm very hopeful for America as a whole, as an idea, as a country - I'm very hopeful for our future.' Truth seeking: In the conversation, he openly acknowledged that his past views on racism and intelligence were not accurate also touching on systemic racism in Hollywood where he has endured a 30 year career Growing up: As a child growing up in Philadelphia, Smith has said that he had had numerous interactions with law enforcement who had hurled the N-word at him at least 10 times; pictured with siblings Harry and Ellen Will also spoke about entering politics and why he hasn't taken the leap. 'I'm gonna let that office get cleaned up a little bit,' he joked taking a jab at the Trump administration, saying he would 'consider it down the line.' When it comes to his career in Hollywood, Smith has spoken in the past about not letting racism get 'power' over him. Talking about his role in the 2018 film The Pursuit of Happyness a movie based on the life of a Christopher Gardner who went from being homeless to owning his own stock brokerage firm Smith spoke about not letting racism color the story or his life. 'In the film, there's no hint to any racism. That was something specifically that Chris spoke about. He said, "Well, sure, there may have been racism but the belief that if you acknowledge it, you give it power over you."' Smith continued to say, 'You can call it arrogance, you call it naivete. You call it whatever you want, but I truly believe in a situation where you are hoping to create something, it is a much more powerful space to know that you will not be denied. Whatever's out there, you're running over it.' A Russian court has given the leader of an ethnic Circassian civic organization a three-year suspended sentence on narcotics charges, in a case human rights groups consider politically motivated. Martin Kochesoko, the leader of the Khabze nongovernmental organization in the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, was also given one year of probation, the Memorial human rights center said on March 2. Kochesoko was detained in June 2019 while traveling with a friend on a fishing trip in Russias North Caucasus region. Police and hooded soldiers stopped their car and allegedly found 268 grams of marijuana. Kochesoko claims the drugs were planted on him and he was forced to confess under duress. At the trail, he pleaded not guilty. The Memorial human rights center considers the 32-year-old activist politically persecuted and the charges against him fabricated. Kochesoko has criticized Russia's laws on the teaching of native languages and has participated in the Democratic Congress of Peoples of Russia. Civil rights groups say drug offenses have become one of Russian authorities preferred weapons to harass, intimidate, and punish political opponents, civil-society activists, and inconvenient journalists. 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. David M. Shribman is the former executive editor of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. His email is dshribman@post-gazette.com. The pandemic has upended Americas commercial property sector. In cities across the country, skyscrapers are dark, shopping centers are shuttered and restaurants have been relegated to takeout service. Social-distancing measures have redefined workplaces and accelerated the trend of telecommuting. The $16 trillion commercial property sector is being stressed in ways not seen since the Great Recession of 2008. According to Moodys, the credit rating firm, commercial real estate values are projected to decline by 7.2 percent nationally from their pre-pandemic levels, bottoming out by the end of this year. The hardest-hit categories are the office and retail sectors, with values declining by 12.6 percent for offices and 16.5 percent for retailing. American cities are facing red ink for a broad swath of reasons, but the pain is unevenly distributed. In some cases, rising residential real estate values will make up for the commercial property downturn, and some segments, such as warehouses, have been doing well as online shopping lifts demand for distribution centers. States that do not have income taxes, such as Florida and Texas, are more vulnerable to fluctuations in real estate values. The overall picture is problematic, and the National League of Cities, an advocacy organization, estimates that cities could face a $90 billion shortfall this year. Big cities are bearing the brunt of the office exodus. Figures provided by CoStar show that available office space in some of the largest markets swelled from the end of 2019 to the end of 2020. Unused space in San Francisco increased nearly 75 percent last year, while empty office space increased more than 25 percent in Los Angeles, Seattle and New York City. Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York warned in January that property tax revenues were forecast to fall by $2.5 billion next year as the value of hotel, retail and office properties has fallen by 15.8 percent. With real estate making up about half of New Yorks annual tax revenue, the city is planning to cut thousands of jobs this year. 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. Today Nice with sunshine and some clouds. Tonight Partly cloudy. Tomorrow Some sun mixing with thickening clouds with an afternoon shower possible. At the beginning of each year, Chinese diplomats visit Africa as a symbol of the special relationship that exists between our peoples. In February 2021, China and my country, Nigeria, celebrated the 50th anniversary of our bilateral cooperation. Fifty years ago, Africa also played an important role in helping the People's Republic of China attain its rightful place at the United Nations. Nigeria and China are two of the world's most populous nations, with Nigeria projected to become the third most populous country by 2050. With our shared desire for collaboration in development and maintaining peace and security in the world, we have much in common for mutual and global interest. In Africa, we have the youngest population of any region. According to statistics of the United Nations, three quarters of Africa's population is under the age of 35. Given access to education and opportunity, these young people will transform their countries, the continent of Africa, and the rest of the world. As many nations face the challenges rising out of an aging demography, we have the potential for tremendous innovation and economic growth, some of which is already being realized, as evidenced by the report on health, education, and agriculture in Africa, entitled "Making Africa's Population An Asset," released by the Africa Progress Group, which I chair. During my time as president of Nigeria, we recognized that effective transportation was a key driver of economic growth, and we made the modernisation of our railway one of the priorities of our 25-year strategic vision. This vision is also in line with China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), through which countries around the world have received support in their efforts to connect communities and facilitate growth. The flagship BRI project in East Africa, the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway in Kenya, which was completed in 2017, reduces passenger travel time between the two cities from 10 hours to four and a half hours. Nigeria formally joined the BRI in 2018 but worked with China on infrastructure projects during the years prior to that. The completion of the Abuja-Kaduna rail line in 2014 was an example of such success: the 186 kilometer line transports both goods and people quickly and safely, and has employed thousands of Nigerians in its construction and operation. When Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed African leaders at the 2015 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, he committed to helping Africa reach its infrastructure and development goals, stating, "Poverty is the root cause of chaos while peace is the guarantee for development." A recent World Bank report has forecast that the Belt and Road Initiative has the potential of increasing world trade by 6.2 percent and increasing global real income by 2.9 percent. Trade and jobs are central to our vision of making "Africa's population is an asset." In Nigeria, we have witnessed what can happen when young people are uneducated and consequently unemployed: Many people are forced to leave their homes in pursuit of job opportunities elsewhere, and some are preyed on by radical forces. This was the theme of a Youth Migration Summit hosted at my presidential library in Abuja in which we emphasized the importance of building bridges of opportunity within and between countries not walls. One positive example is Africa's Great Green Wall, which combats climate change through large-scale planting and restoring degraded land, while at the same time creates jobs and reduces migration. I proposed this idea in Burkina Faso during a Climate Change Summit when I was still president of Nigeria. The success of this project will have a great impact on flora and fauna throughout Africa. In my keynote speech to the InterAction Council in 2016, I spoke about the importance of China as an economic trading partner with Africa and how that relationship helped insulate Africa from the 2008 financial crisis. That same spirit of partnership is needed to solve Africa's infrastructure deficit on the basis of a mutually beneficial and balanced relationship. A large infrastructure gap continues to hold Africa back from reaching its full potential. Without leapfrog development of infrastructure in Africa, the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), which took effect on January 1, 2021 will not advance fast. McKinsey projects that there needs to be a doubling of annual investment in infrastructure in Africa to US $150 billion by 2025. According to McKinsey, "Nearly 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa lack access to grid electricity accounting for over two-thirds of the global population without power." The way to move forward, of course, is to promote sustainable energy, and here China is a leader with the pledge made by President Xi at the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) last September that China would be carbon neutral by 2060. In that same UNGA address, President Xi called for a "green recovery of the world economy in the post-COVID era" and efforts to achieve sustainable development in all countries. Given the tremendous energy needs in Africa, there is a real opportunity to achieve a "green revolution" through investment in renewable energy. China is the largest single investor in the green finance market, while Africa needs green bonds to finance infrastructure yet another good example of a "win-win" cooperation. I believe that China and Africa can also learn from one another. Indeed, I recently co-authored the book The Asian Aspiration that examines development lessons from East Asia for Africa. An African-Chinese partnership can help the world implement the UN development mission of "a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all." Africa and China should continue to work together for this desirable objective. Olusegun Obasanjo was president of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007. He is co-chair of the InterAction Council and chair of the African Progress Group. If you want to freshen up your kitchen, look no further than Grandmas old casserole dishes. Vintage kitchenware is back in style - pieces from the mid-20th century painted with flowers, bright colors, and specific functions, such as bracketed chip and dip bowls or four-piece refrigerator storage sets. Ive always been an old soul and loved anything old, said Megan Telfer, a collector of vintage dishes, salt and pepper shakers, cookie jars and a little bit of everything. The 26-year-old parole officer from the Dallas area said this hobby started with family. Her grandmother gave her mother a green and white Pyrex Spring Blossom mixing bowl. Thats when my interest was piqued, Telfer said. Three years later, she has more than 300 pieces of vintage Pyrex, displayed on three large bookcases. Her 5-year-old daughter has some vintage Pyrex, too. We dont use 90 percent of it, Telfer said. I display it. Some collectors buy vintage dishware to try to resell it at a profit, while others are in it for nostalgia. It reminds them of their mothers, aunts, grandmothers, said Hope Chudy, owner of Downstairs at Felton Antiques in Waltham, Massachusetts. A year of pandemic lockdowns has led to a surge in home cooking and time spent hanging out in the kitchen. Vintage cookware fits right into that homey, old-fashioned vibe. There are lustrous chili bowls with handles, and casserole dishes set on top of brass candle warmers. These are durable dishes, often smaller than modern serving pieces, that can go from freezer to oven to table. But collectors usually acquire them for enjoyment, not utility. It really sets your kitchen apart from others, said Victoria Aude, an interior designer in Canton, Massachusetts. Its not an item you can just buy off the shelf at Bloomingdales. The old dishes are also nice accents when decorating a room, said Atlanta-based interior designer Beth Halpern Brown. They can add that quick pop of color, she said. You can decorate a wall with them, or put one on display and change the space. Corning first released a Pyrex dish in 1915. By the 1930s, Anchor Hocking Glass Corp. released its competitor brand Fire-King. But its the kitchenware made between 1950 and 1980 that seem to be most popular right now. Jo Adinolfi, a 62-year-old nurse from Shelton, Connecticut, collects Pyrex mixing bowls and stackable refrigerator sets, what collectors affectionately call fridgies. She started collecting and selling about 10 years ago and owns more than 2,000 pieces. The mid-20th-century glass bowls and casserole dishes from brands like Fire-King and Pyrex havent changed, but their prices have. The more people that collect, the higher the demand is, the more people are trying to source the right goods to be able to feed that request, said Stan Savellis, 42, of Sydney, Australia, who has collected vintage kitchenware since his teenage years and runs the online store That Retro Piece. Television and social media have also generated interest. Series like WandaVision, Firefly Lane, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Mad Men all highlight midcentury kitchens and kitchenware. And then theres social media too, said Vicki Matranga, the design programs coordinator for the International Housewares Association and author of the book America at Home: A Celebration of Twentieth-Century Housewares. With everyone at home now, you can look at collections on Facebook or Instagram, she said. In pre-pandemic days, vintage collectors would meet up at swaps. Now, people are buying and selling on eBay, Etsy, Facebook and other websites. The rarest pieces have sold for thousands of dollars, such as the 1959 Lucky in Love covered casserole dish that Goodwill sold for $5,994 in 2017. Still, some enthusiasts simply like the vintage look and sentimentality. It goes with my house, said Ashley Linder, 37, of Lake Jackson, Texas. Linders vintage collection includes can openers from the 1950s, and they still work. Fortunately, I have the space to display most of it, though some are seasonal-use, she said. One of her most treasured finds was a Pyrex Pink Daisy 045 casserole dish on eBay. It was in great condition, still in the box. You dont come across a lot of pink pieces in the box, she said. She paid $300 for it and messaged the seller in hopes of finding out how it was so well preserved. The lady had bought an old farmhouse in Nebraska, and it was left there, she said. Its an investment. and other oil producers, a group known as OPEC+, are considering rolling over production cuts into April instead of raising output as a recovery in oil demand remains fragile due to the coronavirus crisis, three OPEC+ sources told Reuters. OPEC+ ministers hold a full meeting on Thursday. The market has been expecting OPEC+ to ease production cuts by around 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) from April. leader Saudi Arabia has also been expected to end its voluntary production cut of an additional 1 million bpd. But three OPEC+ sources said on Wednesday some key members had suggested keeping OPEC+ output unchanged. It was not immediately clear whether Saudi Arabia would end its voluntary cuts or extend them, they said. Oil prices jumped by about $1 per barrel on the news to trade near $64 per barrel. ALSO READ: UK's Sunak extends Covid rescue plan but firms to pay more tax from 2023 On Tuesday, a document by OPEC+ experts, seen by Reuters, called for "cautious optimism" citing "underlying uncertainties in the physical markets and macro sentiment, including risks from Covid-19 mutations that are still on the rise". It said a recent oil price rally might have been caused more by financial players than improvements in market fundamentals. OPEC expects global oil demand in 2021 to grow by 5.8 million bpd to about 96 million bpd. That would still be lower than demand in 2019 which was about 100 million bpd. Russia has been widely expected to push for more increases. But in February it failed to raise output despite being allowed to do so by OPEC+ as harsh winter weather hit output at mature fields. JP Morgan, which said it spoke to Russia's representative on the OPEC+ technical committee Denis Deryushkin, reported that Russia saw some rationale in raising output as the oil market was in a 500,000 bpd deficit. "Russia believes that if output is maintained at current levels, the market would move into an even more severe deficit," the bank said. "As such, production needs to be restored, but the speed and amount are yet to be decided." ANN ARBOR, MI Approximately 375 University of Michigan students who failed to comply with COVID-19 testing requirements have had their access to non-residential buildings deactivated, officials said. The university made multiple attempts to reach these students, who all received an email from the universitys Compliance and Accountability Team on March 2 notifying them of the deactivation of their MCards, officials said. UM expanded its mandatory COVID-19 testing in February to include all students who live, work or learn on campus, or who access campus buildings and facilities. Students are required to complete weekly COVID-19 testing through the universitys Community Sampling and Tracking Program. University records indicate the students who received this notification have not received a COVID-19 test through a UM testing program in more than three weeks, or they do not have a prior test on file and have used campus facilities this semester, officials said. The notification sent on Tuesday should not come as a surprise to the recipients, said Sarah Daniels, associate dean of students and a member of the Compliance and Accountability Team. Prior to this notification, students were sent reminders via email and ResponsiBLUE that they needed to complete their weekly test because they are in the mandatory testing cohort. Loss of building access is one accountability measure in place to address student non-compliance with COVID-19 policies, along with probation, cancellation of housing contracts and referral of the complaint for formal student conduct processes, officials said. The MCard deactivation does not interfere with access to residence halls. The students impacted must get tested through the Community Sampling and Tracking Program or University Health Services to have their MCards reactivated, officials said. They can also submit a request for exemption if they think they should not be included in the mandatory testing, officials said. Nearly 98% of undergraduate students living in residence halls have complied with mandatory testing requirements, officials said. After a spike in COVID-19 cases earlier this semester, UM officials are reporting that case numbers are significantly decreasing and now represent about 27% of total cases in Washtenaw County. READ MORE: 17 Blocks film from Ann Arbor native, University of Michigan alum brings light to gun violence After 52-year career, former University of Michigan prof sees his success in messages he gets from students Librarians, archivists, curators seek to unionize at University of Michigan Over the last four decades, our public institutions have been drained of funds due to the conscious choices of our elected officials. These cuts to public appropriations and services have led to an impoverishment of too many New Yorkers. While public institutions and services experienced funding cuts, most of the private sector has profited handsomely from public money and subsidies. Meanwhile our local schools, libraries, and social services have been told to do more with much less while corporations looted our public treasury. The welfare of the public has been short changed so a growing oligarchy can line their own pockets. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- China forced banks to hold more foreign currencies in reserve for the first time in more than a decade, its most substantial move yet to rein the surging yuan.The nations financial institutions will need to hold 7% of their foreign exchange in reserve from June 15, according to a central bank statement Monday. Thats an increase of 2 percentage points, and the first such hike since 2007. The move, which the Peoples Bank of China said will help liquidity management, effectively reduces the supply of dollars and other currencies onshore -- putting pressure on the yuan to weaken.Although analysts said the direct impact may be small, the move is the clearest signal by the PBOC that its unhappy about the yuans surge to a three-year high against the greenback. Authorities had until now limited their response to rhetoric: a former central bank official and a state-media commentary talked down the currency over the weekend.The PBOC wants to show the market -- if the rally keeps going, it has many measures to slow it down and the market will fail if it wants to make speculative bets, said Zhou Hao, an economist at Commerzbank AG in Singapore. Its more of a symbolic move, as no matter how the PBOC boosts funding costs on foreign exchange, the rate on the yuan will almost always be higher.The PBOC set its daily reference rate at 6.3572 on Tuesday, only marginally weaker than the average forecast in a Bloomberg survey of analysts and traders. The currency gained 0.2% to 6.3634 per dollar as of 9:52 a.m. in Hong Kong, while the onshore rate strengthened 0.1%.Betting on the yuan has been a successful strategy in the past year. The currency has surged 13% against the dollar since last May, when it was near its lowest level since 2008 amid the effects of the pandemic and the trade war with the U.S. Brokerages including Citic Securities Co., Scotiabank and Westpac Banking Corp. expect the currency to climb to 6.2 against the dollar. That would be the strongest since a 2015 devaluation.The yuan is supported by Chinas economic recovery and its higher-yielding markets are attractive to global investors. A backdrop of imported inflation is bolstering the argument for a stronger yuan. Against a basket of trading partners, the Chinese currency is the strongest since 2016.The foreign-exchange reserve ratio hike will likely freeze about $20 billion of liquidity, according to Guan Tao, a former official at the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. The increase demonstrates the Chinese central banks strong determination to curb rapid appreciation in the yuan, and PBOC has more tools if speculation emerges in the currency market, he said.Recent history shows traders should be wary. In the wake of the devaluation, the yuan fell about 11% by the end of 2016, surged 11% through its 2018 peak, before reversing again to sink 13% by September 2019. When momentum in the yuan became too extreme, authorities often took steps to arrest the moves. In early 2018, for instance, the yuan fell the most in two months as authorities gave banks the green light to submit quotes for weaker fixings.Still, analysts remain unconvinced of the potency of the latest measure. Fundamental factors supporting the yuan -- such as its interest-rate premium and high inflation -- remain intact, Citigroup Inc. economists led by Liu Li-gang wrote in a note.While this policy will lock in a certain amount of capital inflow and make foreign exchange funding costs higher, its effectiveness remains in doubt, Liu wrote.Any tightening in dollar funding onshore wont be sustained because global investors can easily obtain cheap foreign-exchange overseas and invest in yuan bonds, according to Ju Wang, a senior currency strategist at HSBC Bank Plc.Beijing seems to be sticking to its goal of liberalizing markets as part of President Xi Jinpings plans to reduce moral hazard. Its not just the yuan where direct intervention is now an unusual sight. The national team of state-backed funds is rarely seen in the $12 trillion stock market anymore, unless moves risk turning into panic or mania. Even in the commodities market, where officials are struggling to cool prices, efforts have largely been verbal rather than direct.If the central bank takes additional assertive actions, such as setting dramatically weaker fixings, that could reinforce the belief that only heavy-handed intervention is worth paying attention to. Yet the Communist Party has made it clear it will act to reduce speculation and guard against risks to financial stability, especially in the run-up to the centenary of the Partys founding this July.We dont see this as an one-off change, but likely the start of a trend, Becky Liu, head of China macro strategy at Standard Chartered, said of Mondays move by the PBOC. It could be seen as a new mechanism to manage the yuan in the medium term, together with other counter-cyclical measures.(Adds 5th paragraph to show PBOCs fixing on Tuesday and latest pricing of yuan.)More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.2021 Bloomberg L.P. International Criminal Court prosecutor Fatou Bensouda initiated a war crime investigation into Israeli actions in Palestinian territories today. She wrote in a statement, "I confirm the initiation by the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court of an investigation respecting the Situation in Palestine. The investigation will cover crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court that are alleged to have been committed in the Situation since 13 June 2014, the date to which reference is made in the Referral of the Situation to my Office." Bensouda called on Palestinian and Israeli victims and affected communities to be patient, noting, "The ICC is not a panacea, but only seeks to discharge the responsibility that the international community has entrusted to it, which is to promote accountability for Rome Statute crimes, regardless of the perpetrator, in an effort to deter such crimes." In a first reaction, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed the decision as "hypocrisy and anti-Semitism." Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi tweeted, "The decision by the ICC chief prosecutor to open an investigation is an act of moral and legal bankruptcy. It is a political decision that turns the court into a tool in the hands of extremists who back terrorist organizations and antisemitic bodies." Bensoudas decision to open a probe follows the ICC's Feb. 5 ruling extending its jurisdiction to "the territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem." Thus, the court opened the door for Palestinians to submit complaints over war crimes allegedly committed by Israel or by individual Israelis. Of note, Israel is not a signatory to the Rome Statute, the legal basis for the establishment of the ICC. Yesterday, before Bensoudas announcement, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who is also Israel's justice minister, addressed the possibility of the ICC prosecuting Israelis. Interviewed by Reuters, Gantz estimated that hundreds of Israeli citizens might be subject to ICC probes, himself included. Prior to his political career, Gantz served as IDF chief of staff, including during the 2014 Gaza war. I was never afraid to go across enemy lines," he said. "I will continue to stand wherever I have to. The minister called the ruling a negative development, adding, We have our own teams working to try to influence the ICC. He also noted that Israel will provide legal assistance to any implicated Israelis and will give them legal warnings regarding traveling abroad if necessary. Gantz was addressing the possibility of international arrest warrants issued by the court against Israeli citizens. Israelis have faced such difficulties in the past from foreign governments. Former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni was forced to use a legal loophole to avoid possible arrest while visiting London in 2015 in relation to the 2008-2009 war in the Gaza Strip. In 2003, Belgium's high court ruled that then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon could be tried for war crimes under the nation's universal jurisdiction law, but not while he enjoyed the immunity of his office. Shortly after the ICC's Feb. 5 ruling, Ashkenazi launched a diplomatic blitz, calling counterparts in countries considered friendly to Israel such as Germany and Hungary. He asked them to pressure the court to retract its decision and denounce the ruling as political persecution of Israel. Netanyahu accused the court of prejudice, tweeting, "When the ICC investigates Israel for fake war crimes this is pure anti-Semitism. The court established to prevent atrocities like the Nazi Holocaust against the Jewish people is now targeting the one state of the Jewish people." Netanyahu also urged US President Joe Biden not to lift sanctions imposed on ICC officials by the administration of former President Donald Trump. Representatives of China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC) and the Kuwaiti side inspect the construction site of a CGGC project in a desert of Jahra Governorate, Kuwait, March 2, 2021. China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC), affiliated to China Energy Engineering Group Co., Ltd., handed over on Tuesday the second batch of its housing infrastructure project to the Kuwaiti side, marking the handover of the main works of the project. (Photo by Liu Lianghaoyue/Xinhua) KUWAIT CITY, March 2 (Xinhua) -- China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC), affiliated to China Energy Engineering Group Co., Ltd., handed over on Tuesday the second batch of its housing infrastructure project to the Kuwaiti side, marking the handover of the main works of the project. During the past four years, thousands of Chinese and foreign employees of the company have overcome difficulties such as harsh construction conditions, successfully completing the project with high quality, He Baisen, general manager of CGGC's infrastructure networks at the AL Mutlaa Residential Project, said at the handover ceremony. Li Minggang, Chinese ambassador to Kuwait, congratulated the handover and praised the Chinese company for fulfilling the contract despite the coronavirus pandemic. It was a gift to the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Kuwait this year, Li said, highlighting the broad prospect for China-Kuwait cooperation. "I hope CGGC could continue to help the Kuwaiti people in pursuit of a happy life, and contribute to the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative," Li said. Ali Sadeq, a representative of the Kuwaiti side, praised the handover of the project. "CGGC is a professional and responsible company. They help us complete the project whatever the obstacle they face," he said. "We have a mutual interest between the two countries. Kuwait can benefit from the expertise and technology from China, Kuwait can cooperate with China to import those expertise and technology," he added. CGGC's infrastructure network is part of the Kuwaiti Al Mutlaa Residential City Project. The construction site of CGGC covers nearly 30 square km and the construction was started in April 2017. As a welfare project of Kuwait, the Al Mutlaa Residential City Project is also an important cooperation project under the Belt and Road Initiative. The total construction area of the Al Mutlaa City is about 120 square km, which will accommodate 400,000 people after completion. CGGC has handed over in October 2020 the first batch of its housing infrastructure project to Kuwait. Shocking footage has emerged of the moment a senior police officer arrested a transgender woman because she didn't 'say hello' when he entered the pub. The CCTV video shows Anya Bradford being arrested by Senior Constable Mark Follingon in the Golden Fleece Hotel in Liverpool, south-west Sydney, in 2019. Ms Bradford is intercepted by two police officers as she tries to leave the pub, with the senior constable grabbing the woman's arm to prevent her from leaving. CCTV footage reveals the moment police intercepted Ms Bradford as she tried to leave the Golden Fleece Hotel in Sydney's south-west An argument ensued, a Sydney court heard on Tuesday, when the 61-year-old officer asked for Ms Bradford's name and ID and was told to 'f*** off', 7News reported. Ms Bradford tried to run from police and was restrained against an ATM machine, where the constable claims he was kicked in the groin twice before she ran away. Pictured: Anya Bradford leaving court in 2019 Police pursued Ms Bradford into the lobby of another building, where CCTV footage shows the same officers wrenching Ms Bradford from an elevator. Ms Bradford was thrown against a wall, tasered and pepper-sprayed in the face. The woman is seen falling backwards onto the lobby floor and then put her in handcuffs. Mr Follington told the Downing Centre Local Court Ms Bradford's behavior was akin to a person with an outstanding arrest warrant. 'When I was in the room, you could see I was focusing within the room, she had no eye contact with myself,' the officer said. 'People normally come up and say hello, she was keeping her eyes down. 'To me, that starts to send a signal to me that this person is trying to hide from me.' Senior Constable Mark Follington (left) told a Sydney court he likened Ms Bradford's behaviour to a person with an outstanding arrest warrant The officer said he noticed Ms Bradford and her friends were sitting in opposite corners of the room which further fuelled his suspicions. Ms Bradford, who was not subject of a warrant, said she went to kill time in the Liverpool pub before a 2pm meeting. She was later arrested and charged for assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. In a police report that detailed the incident, Mr Follington wrote he had greeted Ms Bradford in the pub, who crudely told him to get lost and shoved him with force. Ms Bradford (pictured) was charged with assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest in 2019 In court on Tuesday, the senior constable admitted what was written in his report was different than the events seen in the CCTV footage. 'At the time of writing this narrative, I did it to the best of my knowledge without having viewed the (CCTV) footage', he said. But after being unable to view it, he took the advice of his sergeant and charged her based on his memory of the events, he said. Prosecutor Claire Robinson said the senior constable had written a false police report to justify his actions, knowing full well the arrest had been unlawful. Ms Bradford (pictured) was tasered and pepper-sprayed during the 2019 arrest Ms Robinson suggested the officer had watched the damning CCTV footage and arrested Ms Bradford before anyone else had the opportunity to view it. The barrister who argued Mr Follington had not seen the footage, said his client had tried to access the CCTV footage, sending a junior officer back to the pub on the same night to get it. 'You knew the arrest was unlawful and you had to make up a story about Ms Bradford in order to justify the unlawful arrest and the force used,' prosecutor Claire Robinson suggested. 'That is incorrect,' Mr Follington replied. Mr Follington has pleaded not guilty to tampering with evidence with intent to mislead a court and four other offences. He also denied using the word 'it' to refer to Ms Bradford when discussing the arrest with other officers. Magistrate Michael Crompton is due to deliver a verdict on Wednesday. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Chancellor Rishi Sunak split nearly 2billion between Scotland and Wales as he bolstered the union in his 2021 budget. The Treasury supremo served up a 1.2billion pot to the Scots before delivering 740million to the Welsh. His generous financial booster will make it difficult for those calling for independence to argue they would be better off without central Government. The Scottish funding also came as First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was mired in an investigation into the botched probe into complaints made against Alex Salmond. Rishi Sunak said: 'Through the Barnett formula, the decisions I'm taking in this Budget also increase the funding for the devolved administrations, by 1.2 billion for the Scottish government, 740 million for the Welsh government and 410 million for the Northern Ireland executive. 'Our future economy depends on being a United Kingdom. businesses in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have contributed to and benefited from our coronavirus response. British Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak speaking in the House of Commons Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford 'Central to that has been a Treasury that acts for the whole United Kingdom. That it not a political point, that is a undeniable truth. The majority of today's Budget measures will apply directly to people in all four nations of the United Kingdom. 'The UK Government has protected millions of jobs and livelihoods across Scotland and the strength and stability of our economic union will ensure we bounce back from this pandemic together.' The Barnett Formula is the name for the way block grants are calculated for the different areas. The 2021 Budget 'paves the way for brighter days ahead' in Wales, Welsh Secretary Simon Hart has said. He described the plan as 'a fantastic Budget for Wales' which would help protect jobs and livelihoods through the pandemic. He said: 'The continuation of furlough, self-employed and business support, the Universal Credit uplift, the hospitality VAT cut and the fuel duty freeze will provide vital certainty of people and businesses in Wales in the months ahead, while the announcements of the Centre for Rail Excellence, hydrogen hub and investment in growth deals will bring thousands of high-skilled jobs, signalling Wales's place as a centre for innovation and the industries of the future. Rishi Sunak did the traditional Chancellor's pose outside 11 Downing Street today as he headed for the House of Commons The costs of the government's response to coronavirus have racked up dramatically since Rishi Sunak delivered his first Budget last March Budget 2021 at a glance Here are the main points of Rishi Sunak's Budget today: Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) predicts economy will return to pre-Covid levels by the middle of 2022, six months earlier than previously though. OBR forecast economy will grow this year by 4 per cent, by 7.3 per cent in 2022, then 1.7 per cent, 1.6 per cent and 1.7 per cent up to 2025 Unemployment now expected to peak at 6.5 per cent, down from 11.9 per cent expected in July 2020 forecast, meaning 1.8million fewer people out of work. Furlough scheme extended to the end of September under current 80 per cent of salary rate. Employers asked to pay 10 per cent in July, then 20 per cent in August and September. Support for self-employed also goes on until September. 20 Universal Credit uplift remains in place for another six months. Apprentice grants for employers doubled to 3,000. 5billion fund for Restart Grants for businesses. Retailers will get up to 6,000 per site from April. Hospitality and leisure open later and will be able to claim up to 18,000. New recovery loan scheme for businesses of 25,000 to 10million, 80 per cent guaranteed by the Government. Business rate holiday in place until June and discounted for the remaining nine months of 2021-22 financial year. 5 per cent VAT rate for hospitality extended to September, then at 12.5 per cent until April 2022 before returning to 20 per cent regular rate. Stamp Duty holiday extended until June for homes worth up to 500,000, then phased back in. Mortgage guarantee scheme for those with 5% deposit to boost home sales. UK's total public spending bill estimated at 407billion. The UK has borrowed 355billion - 17 per cent of GDP - the highest since the Second World War. No income tax, VAT or national insurance rises. Tax free income threshold will rise to 12,570 next year and then frozen until 2026. Higher rate threshold rises to 50,270 next year and then frozen until 2026. Corporation Tax increased to 25 per cent in 2023. Small Profit Rate of 19 per cent set up for small businesses. Inheritance tax thresholds, pensions lifetime allowance, and annual exempt amount in capital gains tax maintained at current levels until April 2026. Alcohol duty frozen. Fuel duty frozen. Advertisement 'As we have seen over the past year, the strength of the United Kingdom has never been more important to Wales and we will continue to provide vaccines, Covid testing and armed forces support which are key to lifting restrictions and reopening the Welsh economy. 'Today's Budget delivers for every part of Wales and paves the way for brighter times ahead.' In a statement, Mr Sunak said: 'Throughout the pandemic, the UK Government has stepped in to support millions of lives and livelihoods across Wales. 'The Budget bolsters that support - ensuring our Plan for Jobs continues through the next stage our recovery. 'We are also investing millions in Welsh towns and cities, key infrastructure and green industries that will be vital to long-lasting economic growth.' The UK Government said it was committing 4.8 million for the Holyhead hydrogen hub, a green demonstration project which will create 30 jobs in Anglesey. It was also committing up to 30 million for the construction of the Global Centre for Rail Excellence in Neath Port Talbot, which will create 120 jobs at the new rail and infrastructure testing facility. It said it would continue to work with the Welsh Government to establish at least one freeport in Wales as part of the aim 'to make Wales a premier destination for trade and investment'. The Welsh Conservative leader in the Senedd, Andrew RT Davies, said he wanted the Welsh Government to use the additional funding to extend business support for Welsh firms and freeze council tax rates. His calls were echoed by the director of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), Ian Price, who said the Budget would protect the economy and kickstart recovery. He said: 'With a significant Barnett consequential delivered, local businesses will be looking to the Welsh Government to use these funds to extend business rate reliefs offered to counterparts in other parts of the UK. 'That additional breathing space will undoubtedly protect jobs and livelihood across the country in the weeks and months ahead.' The Welsh Government's finance minister Rebecca Evans said Mr Sunak had 'done the right thing' in extending the UK-wide support package for businesses, but also said there was 'no sign of real long-term help for the most vulnerable in our society' including funding of social care. Ms Evans said on Twitter: 'The Chancellor had the opportunity to make permanent the additional universal credit uplift, but he didn't. And the longer-term changes to personal tax allowances are a stealth tax which will hit the lowest paid hardest. 'The Chancellor has splashed the cash, but none of it on capital investment by the government. 'The Welsh Government will get precisely nothing in terms of additions to our capital budget.' Ms Evans also said she was 'disappointed' there was no mention of funds to ensure the safety of 2,000 coal tips in Wales following a 60,000-tonne landslide last year at one in Rhondda. Good morning. Security forces in Myanmar reportedly shot and killed at least six people today amid protests against last months coup. There were no immediate reports of injuries after an earthquake struck central Greece today. National security officials are set to testify in a U.S. Senate hearing today about mistakes made in connection with the violent insurrection at the Capitol in January. Adam Treusch, assignment editor MONTREAL, March 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Yorbeau Resources Inc. (TSX: YRB) ("Yorbeau" or the "Company") is pleased to report that its partner IAMGOLD Corporation ("IAMGOLD") released today assay results from its 2020 exploration diamond drilling program completed on the Astoria Target Area at the Rouyn Project. The Rouyn property is located 4 km south of Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, and approximately 45 kilometers southwest of IAMGOLDs Westwood operation. IAMGOLD is reporting assay results from eleven (11) diamond drill holes, totaling 5,950 metres drilled on the Astoria area, located approximately one kilometre east of the Lac Gamble Zone. Two (2) drill holes were abandoned or did not reach the target zone due to excessive deviation. The assay results reported herein are provided in Table 1, below, and include the following highlights (a longitudinal section illustrating the drilling program on the Astoria Area is attached to this news release): Astoria Area Upper Piche Zone: Drill hole AS-20-773A: 2.0 metres grading 13.2 g/t Au Drill hole AS-20-775: 2.8 metres grading 7.5 g/t Au includes: 0.8 metres grading 15.0 g/t Au Drill hole AS-20-775W: 7.6 metres grading 9.7 g/t Au includes: 2.0 metres grading 29.3 g/t Au Astoria Area Lower Piche Zone: Drill hole AS-17-669W: 2.0 metres grading 7.6 g/t Au Drill hole AS-20-772: 11.1 metres grading 3.7 g/t Au includes: 1.0 metres grading 23.5 g/t Au Astoria Area Main Zone: Drill hole AS-20-772: 6.1 metres grading 3.4 g/t Au includes: 3.0 metres grading 6.2 g/t Au Drill hole AS-20-776: 14.0 metres grading 3.4 g/t Au includes: 7.0 metres grading 5.6 g/t Au In a separate press release on the current results, Craig MacDougall, Executive Vice President, Growth for IAMGOLD, stated: "The completion of this program has provided important information to assess the potential of the historic Astoria deposit. The program was conducted in accordance with well-established Company-wide health and safety protocols to manage the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. These results will be used to update our geological models and help guide our exploration program to continue to assess the resource potential for this area. Drilling has now resumed at Lac Gamble and will include the completion of selected infill holes, as well as geotechnical drill holes to assess rock quality of the host rock units." The objective of the Astoria area diamond drilling program was to test selected priority targets proximal to the known mineralization to evaluate for the presence and continuity of mineralized extensions with potential to outline a resource. The program successfully intersected the targeted sheared Cadillac-Piche corridor, which hosts several mineralized zones. At Astoria, mineralized zones are associated with alteration varying from several metres to greater than ten metres in width, hosted in the ultramafic rocks of the Piche Group, exhibiting variable carbonatization, fuchsite, silicification, crosscut by a network of white quartz and brown tourmaline stockwork veins and breccias, which define the Upper and Lower Piche zones. Gold mineralization occurs as small specks of visible free gold associated with minor sulphides in quartz-tourmaline veinlets. A mineralized zone, referred to as the Main zone, is also observed at the contact with the sedimentary sequence bordering the south contact of the Piche Group and is characterized by grey quartz veinlets containing rare visible gold and up to 10% disseminated to narrow massive bands of Arsenopyrite adjacent to the veins. Occasionally similar mineralization is also observed exclusively hosted in sediments and is referred to as the Footwall zone. Next Steps The ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic and local availability of drill rigs continues to impact the pace at which planned exploration activities are advanced. However, exploration drilling has resumed at the Rouyn Project and a 14,000 metre diamond drilling program is planned in 2021 to further delineate the Lac Gamble and Astoria zones. The program will also include the evaluation of the resource potential of other selected targets, including in the Cinderella and Augmitto areas located further west of the Lac Gamble zone. Currently, a geotechnical drilling program has commenced to assess rock quality of the host rock units at Lac Gamble. The assay results from the drilling programs will be integrated with the existing geological, geochemical and structural information to support the development and refinement of preliminary deposit models on the property to support a future potential maiden resource estimate. About the Rouyn Project The Rouyn Property is located about 4 km south of Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec. With a long history of mining, the city of Rouyn-Noranda offers many advantages for mining and exploration, including political and social stability, good access and infrastructure, skilled mining personnel, and one of the most mining-friendly jurisdictions in the world. The property covers a 12-kilometre stretch of the Cadillac-Larder Lake Break and contains four known gold deposits along the 6-km Augmitto-Astoria corridor situated on the western portion of the property. Two of the four deposits, Astoria in the east portion of the 6 km segment and Augmitto in the west portion of the segment, benefit from established underground infrastructure and have been the subject of technical reports that include resource estimates that were previously filed in accordance with Regulation NI 43-101. The Lac Gamble zone is located between the Augmito and the Astoria deposits. The exploration target potential at Lac Gamble is interpreted to be between 400,000 and 600,000 ounces of gold at a grade between 7.0 and 8.5 g/t Au. The potential quantity and grade of the exploration targets referred to are conceptual in nature and insufficient exploration work has been completed to define a mineral resource. The property may require significant future exploration to advance to a resource stage and there can be no certainty that the exploration target will result in a mineral resource being delineated. The exploration targets are consistent with similar deposits in the area, deposit models or derived from initial drilling results. IAMGOLD signed a definitive option agreement in December 2018, whereby IAMGOLD has the option to acquire a 100% interest in the Project by making scheduled cash payments totaling C$4 million and completing exploration expenditures totaling C$9 million over a four year period. By the end of the expenditure period, the Company is required to complete a NI 43-101 compliant resource estimate, after which the Company, at its election, can purchase a 100% interest in the Project, subject to a 2% net smelter return production royalty, by paying Yorbeau the lesser of C$15 per resource ounce or C$30 million. IAMGOLD is currently in the third year of the option agreement. Figure 1: Rouyn Gold Lac Gamble zone longitudinal section and highlighted 2020 assay results: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/79b9f3d0-e580-4157-a5de-95878b7b0af5 Table 1: Rouyn Project Drilling Results 2020 Astoria Drilling program: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8248fa43-1f56-4441-b439-12c2a73de98c Table 1 Notes: 1. True widths of intersections are estimated at at 55 to 80% of the core interval approximately. 2. Drill hole intercepts are calculated with a lower cut of 1.0 g/t Au and may contain lower grade interval of up to 3 metres in length. They are generally reported with a minimum g*m (or Metal factor) of 2. 3. Assays are reported uncut but high grade sub-intervals are highlighted. 4. Drill holes with the suffix W are wedge cuts from previously drilled master holes. Technical Information and Quality Control Notes The drilling results contained in this news release have been prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Work at Yorbeau is carried out under the supervision of Sylvain Lepine, M.Sc, P. Geo. He is a qualified person (as defined by NI 43-101) and has reviewed and approved the content of this release. The design of the drilling program and interpretation of results is under the control of IAMGOLDs and Yorbeaus geological staff, including qualified persons employing strict protocols consistent with NI 43-101 and industry best practices. The sampling of, and assay data from, the drill core is monitored through the implementation of a quality assurance - quality control (QA-QC) program. Drill core (NQ size) is logged and samples are selected by geologists and then sawn in half with a diamond saw at the project site. Half of the core is retained at the site for reference purposes. Sample intervals may vary from half a metre to one and a half metres in length depending on the geological observations. Half-core samples are packaged and transported in sealed bags to AGAT laboratories in Val dOr, Quebec, and Mississauga, Ontario. Samples are coarse crushed to a -10 mesh and then a 1,000 gram split is pulverized to 95% passing -150 mesh. AGAT prepare analytical pulps at their facilities located in Val-dOr and processed the pulps at their Mississauga laboratory which is ISO / IEC 17025:2005 certified by the Standards Council of Canada. Samples are analyzed using a standard fire assay with a 50 gram charge with an Atomic Absorption (AA) finish. For samples that return assay values over 3.0 grams per tonne, another pulp is taken and fire assayed with a gravimetric finish. Core samples showing visible gold or samples which have returned values greater than 10.0 grams per tonne are processed with a protocol involving fine grinding of the entire sample, followed by metallic screen analysis of the entire pulverized material. Insertion of duplicate, blanks and certified reference standards in the sample sequence is done in all drill holes for quality control. About Yorbeau Resources Inc. The Rouyn Property, wholly-owned by the Company, contains four known gold deposits in the 6-km-long Augmitto-Astoria corridor situated on the western portion of the property. The Company signed a definitive agreement in December 2018, whereby IAMGOLD has the option to acquire a 100% interest in the Rouyn property, and a major drilling program is underway. Two of the four deposits, Astoria and Augmitto, benefit from substantial underground infrastructure and have been the subject of technical reports that include resource estimates and that were filed in accordance with Regulation 43-101. In 2015, the Company expanded its exploration property portfolio by acquiring strategic base metal properties in prospective areas of the Abitibi Belt of Quebec that feature infrastructure favourable for mining development. The newly acquired base metal properties include the Scott Project in Chibougamau, which bears important mineral resources (see the press release dated March 30, 2017) and on which a positive Preliminary Economic Assessment was recently completed. For additional information on the Company, consult its website at www.yorbeauresources.com. For further information, please contact: G. Bodnar Jr. Sylvain Lepine, M.Sc, P. Geo President, Chief Financial Officer Vice-President Exploration Yorbeau Resources Inc. Yorbeau Resources Inc. gbodnar@yorbeauresources.com slepine@yorbeauresources.com Tel: 514-384-2202 Tel: 819-277-0577 Toll free in North America: 1-855-384-2202 Forward-looking statements: Except for the statement of historical fact, all statements in this news release, including without limitation, regarding the prospects of the Rouyn project, drilling results, future plans and objectives are forward-looking statements which involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate; actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Yorbeau disclaims any obligation to update such forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable securities laws. Lawyers warned the Scottish Government was heading for defeat in its court battle with Alex Salmond more than three months before it lost the case. In a major development which piles more pressure on Nicola Sturgeon, it emerged yesterday that they warned in September 2018 there was 'a real risk that the court may be persuaded by the petitioner's case in respect of the ground of challenge based on 'procedural unfairness'.' Legal advisers then informed officials on October 31 of a 'very real problem' which eventually led to Mr Salmond winning the case. Lawyers warned the Scottish Government was heading for defeat in its court battle with Alex Salmond more than three months before it lost the case Roddy Dunlop, QC, pictured, said he had contacted the Lord Advocate, James Wolffe, QC, to alert him to his concerns, 'and, frankly, as a sense check' How senior Counsel Roddy Dunlop QC rang the alarm bells 'I have just discussed this with the Lord Advocate, as I am very concerned indeed. 'He has suggested a short note setting out my concerns, and this is now attached. 'I am sorry to be sending this to you at all, let alone late at night on Halloween, but I'm afraid I see no other option. 'As presently advised, I consider that this presents a very real problem indeed... 'If I am correct in the views expressed above, then the procedure was not followed: rather, an express embargo was ignored in a way which may well vitiate the entire proceedings. 'I can well understand the angst that even suggesting (conceding the case) will provoke, but if the proceedings are vitiated then it makes little sense to continue to defend the indefensible.' Advertisement An 'urgent note' issued by senior counsel highlighted prior contact between the official who investigated complainants and a woman making the allegations. Roddy Dunlop, QC, who wrote the note, said he had contacted the Lord Advocate, James Wolffe, QC, to alert him to his concerns, 'and, frankly, as a sense check'. Mr Wolffe shared his concerns about the potential 'repercussions' for the case, he said. The legal advice was finally published last night after Deputy First Minister John Swinney had looked likely to lose a vote of no confidence tabled by the Tories. Taxpayers were landed with a bill of more than 500,000 when the Scottish Government investigation into Mr Salmond was described as 'unlawful' and 'tainted by apparent bias' by the Court of Session in January 2019. An email sent to government officials by Mr Dunlop, now Dean of the Faculty of Advocates, at 10.50pm on October 31, said: 'I have just discussed this with the Lord Advocate, as I am very concerned indeed. He has suggested a short note setting out my concerns, and this is now attached. 'I am sorry to be sending this to you at all, let alone late at night on Halloween, but I'm afraid I see no other option.' In a detailed report headed 'URGENT note by senior counsel', he explains that one of the complainers first made the complaint to Scottish Government HR official Judith Mackinnon, who went on to become the investigating officer in December 2017. He says this is a 'concern' as the complaints procedure sets out there must be 'no prior contact'. In a major development which piles more pressure on Nicola Sturgeon, it emerged yesterday that they warned in September 2018 there was 'a real risk that the court may be persuaded by the petitioner's case in respect of the ground of challenge based on 'procedural unfairness'' Salmond aide's evidence 'stays secret' A former aide to Alex Salmond has been told his evidence to the Holyrood inquiry will not be published for legal reasons. Geoff Aberdein, who was chief of staff to the former First Minister, said clerks for the committee had on Monday reiterated what they told him in January. He said he submitted evidence in October following a request from the inquiry convener and my expectation was that it would be published. However, he said he would not put myself in the position of contravening these legal considerations. Newspaper reports had suggested that Mr Aberdeins evidence may be published. Mr Salmond told MSPs last week that an April 2 meeting with Nicola Sturgeon to discuss claims against him had been arranged by Mr Aberdein when he met Miss Sturgeon in her parliamentary office on March 29, 2018. He said Mr Aberdein had been approached by a Scottish Government official who brought him into the process about the complaints. The First Minister has said that allegations of a sexual nature were discussed on March 29. However, she initially forgot about this conversation as it was opportunistic. Miss Sturgeon is under investigation over whether she broke the ministerial code of conduct by failing to notify civil servants about the meeting with Mr Salmond on April 2. Advertisement He said: 'I consider that this presents a very real problem indeed... If I am correct in the views expressed above, then the procedure was not followed: rather, an express embargo was ignored in a way which may well vitiate the entire proceedings.' Mr Dunlop then goes on to add that 'arguably that infects all that followed thereon'. He said the Lord Advocate 'has also indicated that he shares my firm advice that this issue will have to be disclosed, and my concern as to the potential repercussions for the wider case'. Mr Dunlop also said: 'A swift decision is going to have to be taken on whether to concede (a) the issue is disclosed and any argument based thereon then resisted, or (b) the issue is disclosed and the petition then conceded as a result thereof. 'I can well understand the angst that even suggesting (b) will provoke, but if the proceedings are vitiated then it makes little sense to continue to defend the indefensible.' On December 6, 2018, legal advisers told ministers in their view the 'least worst option' would be to concede the petition. They wrote: 'We cannot let the respondents sail forth into January's hearing without the now very real risks of doing so being crystal clear to all concerned.' Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross said: 'Despite the Scottish parliament backing two Scottish Conservative motions to release the legal advice, the SNP never even bothered to lift a finger to actually try and publish it. 'It's jaw-dropping that they didn't even ask if the Lord Advocate would allow it to be published. Instead, they let the public and press think he was the block on its release, when it was SNP ministers all along. 'John Swinney refused to even consider publishing the legal advice until his job was on the line.' Mr Swinney said: 'These documents are clear. Our legal advice was optimistic about the Government's prospects for success at the start. It became gradually but progressively less optimistic over time. 'It was only in December that the advice concluded that our case was no longer stateable and we should concede. As late as December 11, ministers were advised that we should continue.' He added: 'Significantly, however, this comprehensively disproves claims that we had continued the case in defiance of legal advice.' Scotland's top law officer rejected claims prosecutors were part of bid to 'cover up' key evidence about Salmond harassment complaints By Michael Blackley for the Scottish Daily Mail Scotland's top law officer has denied prosecutors were part of a bid to 'cover up' key evidence about Alex Salmond complaints. Lord Advocate James Wolffe, QC, yesterday told the Holyrood inquiry into the handling of complaints about the former First Minister that there has been no 'improper behaviour' by the Crown Office. But he sparked criticism when he refused to say whether a criminal offence would have been committed if the Scottish Government failed to hand over evidence demanded through a search warrant. It followed Mr Salmond's claim under oath that his legal team has identified around 40 documents never shared by the Government despite a search warrant asking it to hand over all evidence ahead of his court case. Mr Wolffe was grilled on the eve of the long-awaited appearance by Nicola Sturgeon Mr Wolffe told MSPs: 'Any suggestion, from any quarter, that the Crown's decision-making has at any time been influenced by irrelevant considerations or improper motivations would be wholly without foundation.' Tory MSP Murdo Fraser said some people claim the Crown Office is part of a 'cover up' as documents and messages obtained during Mr Salmond's criminal trial cannot be released to the inquiry. He said there was a precedent for release in relation to a case involving Rangers' administrators. Mr Wolffe said: 'I reject absolutely any suggestion, any attack, on the integrity with which the Crown has conducted itself in relation to these matters.' The Lord Advocate repeatedly refused to say whether or not any failure by the Scottish Government to obey a search warrant would be a criminal offence. 'Failure to comply with search warrants is clearly something that would require investigation and it would be a serious matter if it were to have taken place,' Mr Wolffe said. 'But I am not going to make any comment in the abstract on what might or might not be a criminal offence.' Labour MSP Jackie Baillie said: 'Perhaps no greater argument for the separation of the roles of the Lord Advocate can be made than the Lord Advocate refusing to state that failing to comply with a search warrant is tantamount to criminal conduct.' Advertisement EXCLUSIVE: Nicola Sturgeon pledged to take the law chief out of the Scottish Cabinet... while Leader of the Opposition 15 years ago By Mark Howarth for the Scottish Daily Mail Nicola Sturgeon vowed 15 years ago to make the Lord Advocate independent of the Scottish Government. As leader of the opposition in 2006, she demanded that MSPs be handed secret evidence about why ministers had wasted taxpayers money defending a court case where there was little hope of victory. The Scottish parliaments Justice 1 Committee was trying to investigate the scandal around Shirley McKie, a police officer who sued after being falsely accused of leaving her fingerprint at a murder scene. At the time, Miss Sturgeon who was leader of the SNP at Holyrood accused Lord Advocate Colin Boyd, QC, of obstructing the work of MSPs and promised that the SNP would separate the head of the Crown Office from the Cabinet. She added: Its about time the Labour and Lib Dem government came clean on this matter and released these vital reports to the committee so that they can conduct a proper investigation. Tory MSP Murdo Fraser, who sits on the current committee examining the Salmond case, said: Nicola Sturgeon is singing a very different tune these days. The First Minister and her allies have purposely tried to dodge the truth on Alex Salmond. The same principles apply here as in the McKie case and the hypocrisy is stunning. She should look at what she used to stand for and rediscover it. Strathclyde Police detective Miss McKie was part of a team investigating the murder of Marion Ross in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, in 1997. The Scottish Criminal Records Office (SCRO) identified her fingerprint at the scene of the crime, but in court she denied having been there, which led to the collapse of the trial of accused David Asbury as the case against him also relied on fingerprints. Miss McKie was charged with perjury, but was cleared at the High Court in 1999 after expert witnesses testified that the forensics were mistaken. The Crown Office commissioned a confidential review by Tayside Deputy Chief Constable James Mackay, who concluded in 2000 that the SCRO was at fault and that some of its officials had probably acted criminally. However, the Lord Advocate, a former Labour Party election candidate, decided to take no further action. In 2001, Miss McKie sued the Scottish Executive for compensation, but it continued to defend the case until February 2006 when it suddenly agreed to pay her 750,000 without admission of liability as questions were raised about what ministers and officials had known and when. But Mr Boyd insisted that he had never shown them the Mackay report. Mr Boyd, now Lord Boyd of Duncansby, stood down in October 2006.. Miss Sturgeon told the Scottish parliament at the time: It is important to place on record the fact that my party thinks that the Lord Advocate should be completely independent of government. We do not think that one person should be asked simultaneously to be the head of an independent prosecution service and a member of a political cabinet. In certain circumstances, in sensitive cases, even a perception of a conflict of interests can be damaging, and I think that it would have been better to protect the new Lord Advocate from that from the outset. That is why, in government next year, the SNP will separate the two roles. The SNP and Scottish Government were asked for comment. In states like Florida and South Dakota, schools and businesses have been widely open for months, and many local and state officials across the country have been easing limitations since last summer. Still, the pace of reopenings has quickened considerably in the last few days. Were, hopefully, in between what I hope will be the last big wave, and the beginning of the period where I hope Covid will become very uncommon, said Robert Horsburgh, an epidemiologist at the Boston University School of Public Health. But we dont know that. Ive been advocating for us to just hang tight for four to six more weeks. Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said that there are signs that the country may be through the worst of the pandemic. But she is still worried that states are reopening too hastily, repeating the same mistakes made in earlier periods of the pandemic when loosened rules were followed by new spikes in cases. Rather than opening a few lower-risk things and seeing just to make sure it doesnt change the numbers, it just feels like theyre just kind of opening the floodgates, Dr. Nuzzo said. Most schools across the country are open to students, at least partially in person, and evidence suggests they have done so relatively safely. But school reopenings for some districts have been delayed repeatedly by outbreaks in communities where other types of restrictions remain lifted. My son is due at the end of the week to attend hybrid learning for the first time, said Dr. Nuzzo, who lives in Maryland. Meanwhile, the restaurant restrictions have been lifted, the movie theaters are coming back, and it just feels like, let him at least get into the classroom first. In South Carolina, officials this week lifted a rule requiring restaurants to close by 11 p.m., and in North Carolina, bars were allowed to open indoors at limited capacity over the past weekend for the first time since last March. America Talks: Join us and #ListenFirst in a virtual conversation with another American Tinicum, L.P. and affiliated funds managed by Tinicum Incorporated (Tinicum) announced today that they have acquired a controlling interest in Watlow, an industry leader in the design and manufacture of complete thermal systems. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed, although Desloge family shareholders and management will continue to have a minority ownership in the nearly 100-year-old company. Watlows headquarters will remain in St. Louis, Missouri. Watlow is a world class, diversified, industrial technology company providing innovative thermal solutions to many of the worlds preeminent companies in industries such as semiconductor manufacturing, energy and environmental technologies, medical and clinical equipment, foodservice equipment and refrigerated transportation. The transaction with Tinicum will preserve Watlows legacy while accelerating investments to support growth with its global customers, including international expansion, key technology advancements driven by Industry 4.0, the addition of strategic products and capabilities through acquisitions and enhancement of operating capabilities and capacity. Tinicum is also committed to Watlows purpose, values and vision and will support these foundational pillars to continue to guide the company. One important element of Watlows values is people development and ensuring team members have opportunities to grow and develop. As a result, Peter Desloge, Watlows chairman of the board and CEO, announced that he is promoting current COO, Rob Gilmore, to CEO. Desloge will move into the chairman emeritus role. After thorough analysis, we determined that the best way to achieve our full potential is to partner with Tinicum, a committed, long-term investor that is equally dedicated to our strategy and values and will provide us with the capital, operating experience and acquisition expertise required to achieve our vision, said Desloge. They operate with a strong heritage of good stewardship through a long-term investment perspective and I am confident that Rob Gilmore and Tinicum will help Watlow achieve even more of its potential. Gilmore stated, I have been a team member at Watlow for 30 years and have never been more excited about our customer base, growth prospects and the team we have in place to execute on our strategy. I am grateful to Peter for this new opportunity and I look forward to leading the company through this transition and into its next phase of growth. Tinicum partner, Bill Shockley, added, We deeply admire the business that the Desloge family has built over three generations and are honored to partner with them and the Watlow management team. We are eager to help Watlow build on its many strengths and achieve its growth objectives through unparalleled customer focus, continued investment in product innovation and operational excellence, and strategic acquisitions globally. William Blair & Company, L.L.C. served as financial advisor and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP served as legal advisor to Watlow. Vinson & Elkins LLP served as legal advisor to Tinicum. ## About Tinicum Tinicum, founded in 1974 as a family investment office, is a private partnership that manages a diversified group of manufacturing, distribution, and industrial technology companies. It seeks to the be trusted partner of business owners and executives who share its belief that long-term prosperity can be created by teams of capable, honest people working together and investing diligently to fulfill the potential of great businesses. For more information about Tinicum, visit http://www.tinicum.com. About Watlow Watlow is a global technology and manufacturing leader that provides world class engineering expertise and innovative thermal products and systems that enable customers to thrive. Since 1922, Watlow has grown in product capability, market experience and global reach. The company holds more than 1000 patents and employs 2200 employees working in 12 manufacturing facilities and three technology centers in the United States, Mexico, Europe and Asia. Watlow also has sales offices in 50 countries around the world. The company continues to grow, while the commitment remains the same to provide its customers with superior products and services for their individual needs. For more information about Watlow, visit http://www.watlow.com. Petitioning on ice! Scott Stringer was a bundle of energy Tuesday morning, the first day of petitioning for the June primary. And I do mean bundle he pointed to four, or maybe even five layers of clothing he was wearing. But it wasnt just clothing keeping the city comptroller warm on a what felt like a 12 degree day it was the excitement of petitioning, that most granular of political processes, the kind of thing that grabbed Stringers attention 49 years ago, leafleting as a 12-year-old, and hasnt let go of him since. Stringer and a couple staffers walked the plaza around Brooklyn Borough Hall, not acknowledging that they were right outside the sometimes literal home of his opponent, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams. Hello sir, Im Scott Stringer, Im running for mayor, nice to meet you, he said to a man who didnt stop walking, but did take a palm card. He didnt gather many signatures, but Stringer was just happy to be seeing voters. Its opening day! Were not living in a Zoom, he said, then added an existential aside. Maybe we are? The transition from Zoom screens to real, pen-and-ink signatures on green sheets of paper is just one way this petitioning season is unlike any other. Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the state legislature and later a state judge resisted calls by candidates to cancel petitioning altogether during the coronavirus pandemic and instead nodded to the potential public health risk by passing a law requiring candidates to gather just a fraction of the normal number of valid voters signatures. Mayoral candidates need 2,250 instead of the usual 3,750. Council candidates need at least 270 instead of 450. Theyre due in just three weeks, on March 25. But the pandemic didnt feel as present of a problem as the numb hands and tingling toes. The new move to June primaries for city office means that petitioning got moved up three months from the warmth of early summer to the chill of March. The ink is freezing in the pens, said Drisana Hughes, Stringers organizing director, braving the early morning chill on the other side of Borough Hall. Lincoln Restler, an experienced petitioner whos running in City Council District 33, also noticed something different this year. People dont want to stop in the f---ing cold, he said. But for mayoral candidate Shaun Donovan, petitioning wasnt different this year it was entirely new. Hes running for office for the first time, and while he said he had gathered signatures before, he couldnt recall when, or for whom. You look familiar, one 20-something man said as he passed by Donovan outside a subway entrance on Court Street. I was in President Obamas Cabinet for all eight years, Donovan tried. That didnt net him a signature. But Donovan, a natural charmer, tried different lines. Hey, good morning, would you help me get on the ballot for mayor? No dice. Good morning maam, Im running for mayor, would you mind helping me get on the ballot? Got it! One signature down, 2,249 to go. Tuesday afternoon on Manhattans Democrat-rich Upper West Side, three supporters of Diana Florences Manhattan district attorney campaign rested outside Fairway Market while their box truck with a video screen on the side continued to spread the word about the candidate. One of them, Brian Brady, a lead council representative with the District Council of Carpenters, said March petitioning was a different world because people wanted to keep moving rather than stand in the cold. But still, he was proud of their world. 110 signatures already. Half a block up Broadway, a petitioner for Zach Iscols comptroller campaign was still working. But the job wasnt easy he was rebuffed as he approached a man waiting in line outside Citarella Gourmet Market. Its too cold, its too cold, the man said, holding up his hand and shooing the worker away. By the Numbers $881.02 The amount spent per vote by City Council candidate Neeta Jain in the District 24 special election last month. Jain reported spending $199,992 and earned 227 first-ranked votes. That is the worst dollar-to-vote ratio in the past 10 years of special elections, and possibly ever but District 24 opponent Mujib Rahman was nearly tied with Jain, spending $879.30 per vote. Both Jain and Rahman brought in more than $130,000 in public matching funds, so critics like consultant Patrick Jenkins harped on the spending as an example of the excesses of the system. For context, Michael Bloomberg spent $185.03 per vote in his $108 million 2009 election but all of that was private funds. And the winner of the District 24 special election, James Gennaro, spent $47.33 per vote, or $73.85 if you factor in outside spending on his behalf. Jain, Rahman and others will have a chance to run again in the June primary, where Gennaro told City & State he expects a challenge. Moumita Ahmed ($178.85 per vote) has said shes running again, but Assembly Member Daniel Rosenthal confirmed that he will not run. Not my first choice, but ... Unlike neighboring City Council District 11, where Mino Lora and Jessica Haller are teaming up, not a single candidate at the Council District 15 forum hosted by the Bronx Young Democrats and moderated by City & State would say who else they were ranking on their ballots. But one candidate who skipped the forum will be vying for their No. 2s: Ariel Rivera-Diaz, who will be appearing in the March 23 special election on the Second Choice ballot line. Rivera-Diaz told City & State he chose the name because the Bronx is the Second Choice when it comes to legislation. But it seems like there might be more to the name. Rivera-Diaz is a finance clerk at the city Board of Elections, so he knows all about how ranked-choice voting works. Well see if the ballot line gets voters in the heavily Democratic district to rank Rivera-Diaz, a 22-year-old Republican, second. Weprindebted Most city comptroller candidates start with $0 and have to work their way up. (Likely candidate Corey Johnson and his $585,000 on hand, and $4.9 million in expected matching funds, is the obvious exception.) But David Weprin had to start his campaign $319,711 in the hole, since he has been carrying around a debt owed to the New York City Campaign Finance Board for nearly a decade, dating back to his failed 2009 comptroller campaign and its improper mingling of public and private funds. Weprin finally paid off the debt on Dec. 15, 2020, but did so with his state campaign account that hes used for his Assembly campaigns. Weprins team made sure to clear that with the CFB in advance, but that doesnt mean alls well between the two Weprin was denied $1.5 million in matching funds that the campaign expected. Like Maya Wileys team, and comptroller rival Brian Benjamins before that, the Weprin campaign says its just a paperwork error, and they expect the matching funds to come at the next review on March 15. And the campaign says it has not lost its Weprin-mentum. The tribe has spoken Tahanie Aboushis Manhattan district attorney campaign got the Working Families Partys endorsement on Tuesday, and, along with it, announced support from New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Assembly Member Yuh-Line Niou and Citizen Action of New York. Those are all big pick-ups in a race that still lacks a Tiffany Caban-like figure that the progressive left can coalesce around. But the debate continues, even within the WFP, since some Manhattan members were miffed that the party didnt follow the local chapters vote to recommend endorsing Eliza Orlins for the seat instead. For whatever reason in their structure, chapters are not really empowered to do anything, said one Manhattanite. Orlins, a former Survivor contestant, said the WFPs choice was disappointing, but called herself the only grassroots campaign, pointing to the fact she had the most individual contributions in the race. The WFP defended the democratic, multistep endorsement process, and of course, debate over endorsements is nothing new. (Remember Warren over Bernie?) It has happened a couple times recently, with the New York Working Families Party backing Amit Bagga over the members pick, Julie Won, in District 26 and opting for no endorsement in District 25 over the Queens chapters choice of Carolyn Tran. Endorsement Watch The New York Hotel and Motel Trades Council endorsed Eric Adams for mayor Maya Wiley picked up mayoral endorsements from Assembly Members Khaleel Anderson and Latoya Joyner and from former City Council Member James Vacca the Coalition for a District Alternative endorsed Dianne Morales No. 1 and Wiley No. 2 for mayor The Republican Party in the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens each endorsed Fernando Mateo for mayor, Daby Carreras for comptroller and Janelle King for public advocate and for Manhattan district attorney, the Manhattan GOP endorsed Thomas Kenniff, who apparently lives on Long Island the Conservative Party in all five boroughs endorsed Bill Pepitone for mayor, John Tabacco for comptroller and Tony Herbert for public advocate the Bronx Democratic Party endorsed Brian Benjamin for comptroller and while the Brooklyn Dems havent endorsed yet and might not former county leader Frank Seddio backed Benjamin, as did state Sen. Roxanne Persaud and others the Brooklyn Democratic Party did endorse Dweynie Esther Paul for Surrogates Court, despite accusations that she underpaid and mistreated a home care worker Rep. Adriano Espaillat endorsed Mark Levine for Manhattan borough president City Council Member Helen Rosenthal endorsed Jessica Haller in the District 11 special election in the Bronx the Sunrise Movement backed Elisa Crespo in the District 15 special election in the Bronx and Churches United for Fair Housing Action endorsed Brad Lander for comptroller, and another slate of council candidates, including Josue Pierre as their top choice in District 40 in Brooklyn and Rita Joseph as their second choice and City Council Member Carlina Rivera, a likely speaker contender, endorsed a slate of 13 female council candidates, including Sandy Nurse in District 37 in Brooklyn. Staffing Up Nandi OConnor has joined Shaun Donovans mayoral campaign as digital director Tucker Green & Company has joined Maya Wileys mayoral campaign to help with fundraising Green is also with David Weprin for comptroller and Jumaane Williams for public advocate Andre Richardson, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries former political director, is joining Andrew Yangs mayoral campaign as senior adviser for politics and strategy Lauren Liles has joined Dianne Morales mayoral campaign as communications director Aziz Yakub is campaign manager for Justin Krebs City Council campaign in District 39 in Brooklyn Caroline Cutlip is campaign manager for Maria Ordonezs Council District 7 campaign in Manhattan and Despina Costalas, formerly of Rep. Max Roses office, is field director for Doug Schneider in Council District 39. Got tips? Email JColtin@CityandStateNY.com or DM me @JCColtin District Data 022321-districtmap-10.png Alt Text: City Council District 10 Title Text: City Council District 10 Caption: City Council District 10 Description: City Council District 10 Image Credit: Alex Law/City & State City Council District 10 in Upper Manhattan, covering neighborhoods including Washington Heights, Inwood and Marble Hill Current council member: Ydanis Rodriguez since 2010, whos term-limited at the end of this year 2010 census demographics: 81.4% Hispanic, 9.2% white, 6.3% Black, 1.9% Asian Housing: 96.6% renter-occupied, 3.4% owner-occupied 2009 primary election results: Rodriguez: 60.3%, Richard Realmuto: 15%, Manny Velazquez: 9.9%, Ruben Dario Vargas: 5.1%, Francesa Castellanos: 3.7%, Francisco Spies: 2.1%, Luis Facundo: 1.9%, Cleofis Sarete: 1.8% 2017 primary election results: Rodriguez: 61.5%, Josue Perez: 30.8%, Francesa Castellanos: 7.3% Whos running: James Behr, Carmen De La Rosa, Angela Fernandez, Johanna Garcia, Josue Perez, Tirso Pino and Everett Reed. Carmen De La Rosa has represented much of the district in the Assembly since 2017, and was Rodriguezs chief of staff in the council before that. She has the endorsements to prove it, including many of the citys biggest labor unions, Rep. Adriano Espaillat and former contender Manny De Los Santos. But Johanna Garcia was a chief of staff too, to then-Council Member Robert Jackson, and is well-connected to the current state senators network. Both De La Rosa and Garcia have raised more than $220,000, but more of Garcias total came from Upper Manhattan. Right up with them in fundraising is Angela Fernandez, an immigrant rights advocate, making this a rare field where all the top contenders are women. Josue Perez, a high school math teacher who challenged Rodriguez in 2017, is also running. Twitter Posting Rwanda has received its first batch of Covid-19 vaccine doses from the UN-backed Covax distribution initiative which it will use to immunise people identified as priority risk groups. The country received 240,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, and with a further 102,960 doses of Pfizer vaccine expected to arrive later in the day, according to the health ministry. Doses of the two vaccines would be used to immunize a total of 171,480 from Friday, the ministry said. Rwanda expects to receive a total of 1,098,960 doses of both the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines. Our target is to vaccinate 30% of our population by the end of 2021, and 60% by the end of 2022," Health Minister Daniel Ngamije said. Rwanda has reported more than 19,000 cases of Covid-19 and 265 death. Last month, the country started vaccinating high risks groups using the Pfizer vaccine acquired through international partnerships in limited quantities, the health ministry said. 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 Photo: The Canadian Press FILE- In this Nov. 7, 2019 file photo, the International Criminal Court, or ICC, is seen in The Hague, Netherlands. The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said Wednesday, March 3, 2021 that she has launched an investigation into alleged crimes in the Palestinian territories. Fatou Bensouda said in a statement the probe will be conducted independently, impartially and objectively, without fear or favor.(AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File) The International Criminal Courts chief prosecutor on Wednesday launched an investigation into alleged crimes in the Palestinian territories, turning the tribunals focus toward Israeli military actions and settlement construction on lands captured in the 1967 Mideast war. The decision dealt an embarrassing blow to the Israeli government, which had conducted an aggressive public relations and behind-the-scenes diplomatic campaign to block the investigation. It also raised the possibility of arrest warrants being issued against Israeli officials suspected of war crimes, making it potentially risky to travel abroad. The state of Israel is under attack this evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a videotaped statement. The biased international court in the Hague made a decision that is the essence of anti-Semitism and hypocrisy. I promise you we will fight for the truth until we annul this scandalous decision, he said. The decision by Fatou Bensouda, the courts outgoing prosecutor, had been expected since the court determined last month that she had jurisdiction over the case. A preliminary probe by Bensouda in 2019 had found a reasonable basis to open a war crimes case. In a statement, Bensouda said the investigation will look into crimes within the jurisdiction of the court that are alleged to have been committed since June 13, 2014. She said the investigation will be conducted independently, impartially and objectively, without fear or favour. That task will now be handed to Karim Khan, the British lawyer who is set to become the court's chief prosecutor in June. Wednesday's decision turns the courts focus toward two key Israeli policies of recent years: its repeated military operations against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, highlighted by a devastating 2014 war, and its expansion of Jewish settlements in east Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. Experts say that Israel could be especially vulnerable to prosecution for its settlement policies. Although the Palestinians do not have an independent state, they were granted nonmember observer status in the U.N. General Assembly in 2012, allowing them to join international organizations like the ICC. Since joining the court in 2015, they have pushed for a war crimes probe against Israel. Israel, which is not a member of the court, had said it does not have jurisdiction because Palestine is not a sovereign state. The Palestinian Authority, which administers autonomous areas in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, welcomed Wednesdays move. This long-awaited step serves Palestines vigorous effort to achieve justice and accountability as indispensable bases for peace, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said. The Palestinians chose June 2014 as the start of the investigation to coincide with the run-up to Israels devastating Gaza war that summer. In the fighting, over 2,200 Palestinians, including nearly 1,500 civilians, were killed by Israeli fire, according to U.N. estimates. At least 67 soldiers and six civilians were killed on the Israeli side, according to Israeli figures. Israel has argued that it waged a war of self-defence against nonstop rocket fire against its cities. It blames Gazas Islamic militant Hamas rulers for the high civilian death toll because the group launched attacks from residential areas, drawing Israeli retaliation. Bensouda has also said her probe would look into the actions of Hamas, which fired rockets indiscriminately into Israel during the 2014 war. In Gaza, Hamas nonetheless welcomed the initiation of the investigation and called on Bensouda to resist any pressure that could scuttle the process. This is a step forward to implement justice, punish the occupation and do justice to the Palestinian people, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told the Associated Press. He said he was confident that the rocket attacks on Israeli cities was legitimate under international law. The ICC is meant to serve as a court of last resort when countries own judicial systems are unable or unwilling to investigate and prosecute war crimes. Israel does not recognize its authority, saying it has an independent, world-class judicial system. But the Palestinians, and human rights groups, say Israel is incapable of investigating itself and has a history of whitewashing military crimes. After the war, the military opened dozens of investigations into the conduct of troops. Although there were only a handful of convictions on minor charges, that could be enough for the court, which dropped a similar case against British troops in Iraq last year because U.K. authorities had investigated. In a reference to Israels justice system, Bensouda said the investigation will allow for a continuing assessment of actions being taken at the domestic level in accordance with the principle of complementarity. Experts have warned that Israel could have a harder time defending its settlement policies in in east Jerusalem and the West Bank. Settlements are widely viewed as illegal based on the Geneva Convention principle that an occupying power is barred from transferring its population to territories captured in war. Population transfers are listed as a war crime in the ICCs founding treaty, the Rome Statute. Israel annexed east Jerusalem after the 1967 Mideast war, and considers the West Bank disputed territory. But its positions are not internationally recognized, and most of the world considers both areas occupied territories. Today, some 700,000 settlers live in the two areas, which the Palestinians claim, along with Gaza, for a future state. Israel says the fate of these areas should be resolved in negotiations, and that ICC involvement will push the Palestinians away from the negotiating table. Bensouda said that priorities in the investigation will be determined in due time based on constraints including the coronavirus pandemic, limited resources and prosecutors existing heavy workload. While Wednesdays decision does not pose any immediate threat to Israel, the court has the authority to quietly issue arrest warrants for people suspected of crimes. Netanyahu was prime minister during the 2014 Gaza war and has been a strong advocate of the settlements. His defence minister, Benny Gantz, was Israels military commander during the war. Israeli media have said that Israel is in touch with allies who are members of the ICC to receive warnings about potential arrest warrants against its citizens. In his statement, Netanyahu said Israel was being unfairly singled out. He accused the court of turning a blind eye to Iran, Syria and the other dictatorships that are committing real war crimes. International human rights groups praised the decision as a step toward justice for Israeli and Palestinian victims. The courts crowded docket shouldnt deter the prosecutors office from doggedly pursuing cases against anyone credibly implicated in such crimes, said Balkees Jarrah, associate international justice director at Human Rights Watch. ICC member countries should stand ready to fiercely protect the courts work from any political pressure, she said. Ammonia is split into nitrogen and hydrogen in the ammonia cracker. The latter is then burned in the fuel cell to generate electricity. The catalytic converter ensures that no harmful nitrogen oxides are produced. The only end products are water and nitrogen. Shipping company Eidesviks vessel, the Viking Energy, will be the first ship in the world to be equipped with an ammonia-based fuel cell. Every year, hundreds of millions of tons of carbon dioxide are emitted through maritime transport, causing serious harm to the climate. As scientists around the world test new propulsion methods capable of replacing fuel oil in ships, Fraunhofer researchers are working as part of an international consortium to develop ammonia-based fuel cells. When used as fuel for ships with electric engines, ammonia is as eco-friendly as hydrogen, but easier and safer to handle. At present, hydrogen is the primary focus in the area of sustainable energy: there are plans in place to use hydrogen to fuel buses, commercial vehicles, and even cars. However, the Fraunhofer Institute for Microengineering and Microsystems IMM in Mainz is working on another promising possibility. As part of the ShipFC project, the Fraunhofer Institute is collaborating with 13 European consortium partners to develop the worlds first ammonia-based fuel cell for shipping. Fraunhofers researchers are responsible for developing the catalytic converter, which prevents the production of emissions that would harm the climate. Maritime transport is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. According to information provided by the German Environment Agency (UBA), maritime transport on the worlds oceans is currently responsible for approximately 2.6 percent of global CO2 emissions. In 2015, about 932 million tons of CO2 were emitted, and that figure increases every year. Clearly, countermeasures are urgently needed. The ShipFC project is intended to prove that the new emission-free propulsion technology works safely, reliably, and smoothly, even in large ships and on long voyages. The project is being coordinated by NCE Maritime Cleantech from Norway, an organization that aims to develop eco-friendly technologies in the maritime sector. The advantages of ammonia Ammonia is primarily known for its use as a fertilizer in the agricultural sector. However, it can also function as a high-quality energy carrier. Prof. Gunther Kolb, director of the energy division and deputy institute director at the IMM, explains: Ammonia has significant advantages over hydrogen. Hydrogen has to be stored at -253 degrees Celsius as a liquid, or at pressures of around 700 bar as a gas. Liquid ammonia can be stored at a reasonable temperature of -33 degrees Celsius at standard pressure, and +20 degrees Celsius at 9 bar. That makes storing and transporting this energy carrier considerably easier and more straightforward. How the fuel cell and catalytic converter work The process for generating electricity from ammonia functions in a similar way to hydrogen-based power plants. First, ammonia (NH3) is fed into a fission reactor, where it is split into nitrogen (N2) and hydrogen (H2). 75 percent of the gas consists of hydrogen. A small amount of ammonia (NH3, 100 ppm) is not converted and left over in the gas stream. Second, nitrogen and hydrogen are fed into the fuel cell, and air is introduced, allowing the hydrogen to burn and form water. This produces electrical energy. However, the hydrogen isnt fully converted in the fuel cell. Around 12 percent of the hydrogen and some residual ammonia leave the fuel cell uncombusted. This residue is then fed into the catalytic converter developed by Fraunhofer IMM. Here, air is introduced and the residue comes into contact with a corrugated metal foil coated with a powdered layer of catalytic particles that contain platinum. This triggers a chemical reaction. Ultimately, the only end products are water and nitrogen. An optimal reaction process will not even produce environmentally harmful nitrogen oxides. The research team at the IMM are also developing the reactor that contains the catalyst, which functions passively. The reactor controls the temperature and the gas flow. For example, it preheats the catalyst before the engines are even started, as it is less efficient when cold. The temperature of the gases that flow through the catalytic converter should probably be around 500 degrees Celsius for the waste gas purification process to be as efficient as possible, explains Kolb. Fraunhofer IMM researchers have decades of experience in developing reactors including catalysts for a wide variety of applications in the transport and mobility sector. The Mainz-based institute has nine test rigs, but purifying waste gas from ammonia fuel cells with a capacity of 2 megawatts is still a technological challenge. We have to develop our existing ammonia-powered fuel cell technology further, and the catalytic converter for a ship is obviously much bigger than that of a normal car, says Kolb. The status of the project The IMM team is planning to complete an initial, small prototype by the end of 2021, to be followed by an actual-size prototype by the end of 2022. In the second half of 2023, the first ship with an ammonia-powered fuel cell will put out to sea - the Viking Energy, a supply vessel owned by the Norwegian shipping company Eidesvik. After that, other types of vessels, such as cargo ships, will be equipped with ammonia-powered fuel cells. Ammonias potential for the future The ammonia is provided by YARA, a partner in the ShipFC consortium. The chemical company currently produces one third of the ammonia used worldwide. The ShipFC project uses green ammonia, i.e. ammonia produced from renewable energy sources. ShipFC is opening up major opportunities for a previously undervalued energy carrier. IMM researcher Gunther Kolb elaborates: We see ammonia not as a direct competitor to hydrogen, but rather as an additional option in the area of sustainable energy. With its storage advantages, this environmentally friendly technology for power generation certainly has a role to play. Using it in ships is just the beginning. Ammonias potential has also been recognized at a political level, with the European Union providing 10 million euros in financial support for the ShipFC project. Partnering with the Canadian Psychedelic Association (" CPA "), CATALYST Summit 2021 will bring together Canada's burgeoning psychedelic medicine industry and features a globally recognized lineup of speakers, researchers and personalities who will participate in the 3-day event in May 2021, which will be hosted entirely online. Some of the leading players in Canada's psychedelic movement are involved as sponsors, including ATMA Journey Centers , one of the event's presenting sponsors and Mind Cure Health as the Founding Sponsor of the event. Featured prominently during Mental Health Awareness Week in Canada, the event is scheduled to take place Friday, May 7th through until Sunday, May 9th, 2021. It will be facilitated entirely online to provide worldwide access to the innovative and compelling research and science that is impacting every area of mental health. Confirmed CATALYST Summit 2021 speakers to date include: Michael Pollan , author of the #1 New York Times Best-Selling Book on psychedelics, " How To Change Your Mind ". Pollan is internationally recognized as one of the top voices in the current psychedelic renaissance, and his book is largely regarded as one of the most important works to bring psychedelics into the mainstream conversation since its publication in 2018; , author of the #1 New York Times Best-Selling Book on psychedelics, " ". Pollan is internationally recognized as one of the top voices in the current psychedelic renaissance, and his book is largely regarded as one of the most important works to bring psychedelics into the mainstream conversation since its publication in 2018; Paul Stamets , internationally renowned authority on fungi and mushrooms. According to Linda Baker from Salon.com: " Once you've heard 'renaissance mycologist' Paul Stamets talk about mushrooms, you'll never look at the world not to mention your backyard in the same way again ."; , internationally renowned authority on fungi and mushrooms. According to from Salon.com: " ."; Dr. Rick Doblin , Founder and Executive Director of MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies), and widely recognized as a leader of the current movement toward medical acceptance of psychedelics in treating mental health disorders; , Founder and Executive Director of MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies), and widely recognized as a leader of the current movement toward medical acceptance of psychedelics in treating mental health disorders; Dr. Janis Phelps , Founder and Director, CIIS Center for Psychedelic Therapies and Research; , Founder and Director, CIIS Center for Psychedelic Therapies and Research; Dr. Ben Sessa , Author and Chief Medical Officer at Awakn Life Sciences Inc.; , Author and Chief Medical Officer at Awakn Life Sciences Inc.; Dr. Anthony Bossis , Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine; , Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at School of Medicine; Dr. Julie Holland , Psychiatrist specializing in pharmacology with a private practice in New York City ; , Psychiatrist specializing in pharmacology with a private practice in ; Dr. Raquel Bennett , Psychiatrist specializing in Ketamine Therapy and founder of Kriya Institute and Kriya Conference; , Psychiatrist specializing in Ketamine Therapy and founder of Kriya Institute and Kriya Conference; Dr. David E. Nichols , Pharmacologist and Medicinal Chemist; and , Pharmacologist and Medicinal Chemist; and Dr. Erika Dyck , Professor and Canada Research Chair in the History of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan . Over 40 speakers have already been confirmed and a current list of all speakers and details about the event are available at the official event website located at www.CatalystPresents.ca. Trevor Millar, Board Member of the CPA said: "Partnering with CATAYLST helps the CPA in the efforts we are making to unite Canada's psychedelic community of therapists, passionate supporters, businesses, and medical professionals. Our work towards advocacy, policy change, and ensuring diverse voices are heard will be given an amplified platform at CATALYST. We are optimistic that this movement is just beginning and are thrilled to play a role in helping CATALYST reach even more people with the news of these powerful therapeutic modalities." According to Greg Habstritt, Executive Director of CATALYST Presents: "Over three years ago, the vision for CATALYST was born out of a group of Albertans originally led by David Harder and Tarzie McLean with a passion to see psychedelic medicines find respect and widespread legal access for those who could find healing through their intentional use. Our inaugural psychedelics conference was scheduled for May of 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic took grip and resulting in having to take the event online. Even through this adversity, we saw last year's event become a success and lay the foundation for CATALYST Summit to become the national industry voice that it is today." He explained that the overwhelming interest and support the event received in 2020 validated how much need there was for a world-class psychedelic conference in Canada. CATALYST Summit 2021 expands on that vision and will provide information and education on a full range of topics that include psychedelic therapy, spirituality and current research and science. The rise of interest in psychedelics in Canada over the last few years has been significant, due to a growing body of science-based data showing the compelling potential of psychedelics to provide relief to a wide range of mental health and psychological conditions. At a time when mental health conditions are skyrocketing in the shadow of COVID-19, the event will provide a lens through which mental health and wellness can be reimagined. In August 2020, Health Canada began providing exemptions to individual Canadians facing terminal illnesses to legally undergo psychedelic-assisted therapy, largely because of the tireless efforts of Dr. Bruce Tobin of the non-profit TheraPsil, a Victoria, B.C. based psychotherapist who led the call to allow terminally ill patients to undergo psychedelic-assisted therapy on compassionate grounds. Dr. Tobin will also be one of the presenters at CATAYST Summit 2021. This watershed moment of legal exemptions being granted for the first time in more than 40 years by Health Canada brought significant attention and optimism to the future of psychedelic medicine. It also ushered in a massive growth of non-profit, public and private companies working to be in a position when more broad-based legalization of psychedelics comes to pass in Canada. While plans are still in place for an in-person conference in Calgary in the fall of 2021, the impact of COVID-19 has required once again the expansion of the innovative online approach to hosting a national industry conference. The organization says it is prepared to ensure that attendees are afforded a highly interactive and engaging experience, allowing them to gai access to one of the most comprehensive gatherings of psychedelic research and wisdom in the world. Habstritt added: "This event will focus on the numerous studies, protocols and practices from global voices and authorities who are discovering innovative ways of treating those suffering from anxiety, depression, PTSD, addictions and more. We feel there is no better time than now to shine a bright light on psychedelics and psychedelic-assisted therapy to increase awareness and understanding of this promising new direction. CATALYST Summit will be critical in bringing historical methods, government and commerce together to envision how psychedelic medicine will play a pivotal role in Canada's mental health system." Tickets and more information about CATALYST Summit 2021 are available on the official event website at www.CatalystPresents.ca. ABOUT CATALYST PRESENTS FOUNDATION CATALYST Presents Foundation is a not-for-profit event management company based in Calgary, Alberta that organizes premium, curated events designed to move the psychedelic medicine conversation forward in Canada. Proceeds from the company's events go to assist in paying for and subsidizing the cost of legal psychedelic-assisted therapy for palliative patients and military veterans in Canada. For more information, visit www.CatalystPresents.ca. SOURCE CATALYST Presents Foundation For further information: MEDIA CONTACT: Greg Habstritt, Executive Director, CATALYST Presents Foundation, greg {at} catalystpresents.ca, (403) 215-7510; David Harder, Director and Founder, CATALYST Presents Foundation, david {at} catalystpresents.ca 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). On Saturday, the couple received a letter from TV Licensing saying, in red letters, that an official investigation had been opened at their address TV Licensing has said sorry to a Belfast couple who claimed they were "harassed" with repeated "bullying letters" saying they did not have a licence and threatening enforcement action. Jacqui (72) and Jimmy Patton (71), from Dunmurry, have had a licence since 2000 and even sent TV Licensing a photograph of the receipt for it. They said they had contacted the organisation on several occasions, but to no avail. After they spoke out last week, TV Licensing said it had no record of receiving the Pattons' payment, so it contacted them to obtain a record of their receipt for the licence. "I sent a photo of a copy of our receipt - because we couldn't get a photocopier - to TV Licensing, but I have heard nothing since," Jacqui said previously. "In one of my letters, I said to them, 'This is harassment'. I said my husband was 72 and in poor health, that they were harassing us and that it wasn't on." On Saturday, the couple received a letter from TV Licensing saying, in red letters, that an official investigation had been opened at their address. When contacted by the Belfast Telegraph, the company issued an apology to the Pattons and said they would be sent a new licence within 10 days. "We are sorry for the inconvenience and concern Mr and Mrs Patton have experienced. The issue has now been resolved. A new licence is in place and will be sent to the licence holder in the next 10 working days," a spokesperson explained. Welcoming the development, Jacqui said: "I would've liked perhaps a few free months on the licence, but at least this will stop all the letters, which is a relief after all that." It emerged earlier this month that since the first lockdown, the BBC had issued almost one million warning letters to homes across Northern Ireland. It spent around 250,000 sending out these messages. The TaxPayers' Alliance said chasing down licence payments should not be a priority. "These bullying BBC letters represent a ridiculous waste of money," a spokesman added. "People are being chased for an ever more expensive TV tax at a time when hard-pressed households are struggling to make ends meet." From March to December last year, more than 1,000 people were brought before the courts for not having a licence. A licence is required by households watching or recording live broadcast programmes, including streaming services such as Amazon Prime. A licence currently costs 157.50, but this is rising to 159 in April. The BBC contracts TV Licensing inspectors for collection and enforcement. Feeding Families -- CityServe Launches 'Last Mile of Need' Campaign with Uncommon Giving NEWS PROVIDED BY CityServe March 3, 2021 WASHINGTON, March 3, 2021 /Christian Newswire/ -- CityServe announced today it has joined the online giving platform, Uncommon Giving, inviting individual and corporate donors to join its "Last Mile of Need" fundraising campaign to feed hungry families struggling through the pandemic. More families are struggling to provide enough to eat with the ever-increasing challenges of job losses and illness. By utilizing Uncommon Giving's innovative tool that connects charitable people with nonprofits, CityServe strives to close the gap of hunger and get fresh, nutritious foods to households deemed food insecure. "The hunger crisis millions of Americans have experienced due to the pandemic is catastrophic," said Dave Donaldson, CityServe co-founder and chairman. "Donors who want to make a difference in the 'Last Mile of Need' can now engage with Uncommon Giving's multifaceted digital giving wallet. We look forward to seeing more families fed with this creative approach to fundraising." In less than a year, the number of people seeking food assistance has increased by 55% and reports show 4 in 10 people currently utilizing food banks have never done so in the past. CityServe is honored to unify churches and faith-based organizations in a Faith-Based Community for Farmers to Families to bring food to families in the "Last Mile of Need. Since the United States Department of Agriculture Farmers to Families Food Box Program launched in May 2020, the Faith-Based Community for Farmers to Families has distributed over 13 million food boxes to those who need it most. Currently comprised of over 1,400 HUBs, the collaborative network of churches and faith-based organizations continues to expand across the nation to serve the most food-insecure families in round five of the program, occurring now through April 2021. "We are proud CityServe has chosen the Uncommon Giving platform for this important cause," said Ron Baldwin, founder and CEO of Uncommon Giving. "Generosity is at the core of everything we do, and we are passionate about providing solutions to help individuals and companies make an impact in this unprecedented time. The 'Last Mile of Need' campaign is a great example of how donations of any size can help people in need. We want to make it easy for donors to give online, at any level, wherever they are." Starting as low as a $10 gift, donors can feed a family of 4 with 26 meals. To learn more about CityServe's "Last Mile of Need" campaign and how to give please visit: https://uncommongiving.com/np/last-mile-of-need. About CityServe CityServe is a collaborative network of churches and community leaders connected to help those in need live better lives. CityServe empowers the local church to fulfill its purpose to overcome despair and transform lives by resourcing them with tangible goods and capacity building. CityServe brings the church to the table to address community challenges by offering long-lasting relationships that lead to transformation and has been designated a "Community of Faith and Opportunity" by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. For more information about CityServe and its initiatives, please visit https://cityserve.us or on social platforms, @cityservehq. About Uncommon Giving Uncommon Giving is a digital-first financial services company changing the way people give, invest and make an impact on the world. The company offers a broad range of solutions for corporate social responsibility, digital giving by individuals and impact investing, all aligned with a multitude of interests and values. At UncommonGiving.com, people can discover nonprofits, explore causes and donate to 1.2 million charities through a donor-advised fund (DAF), as well as through contributions to curated, cause-based funds. With one unified platform for its capabilities, Uncommon strives to be a first-of-its-kind financial services powerhouse and a one-stop-shop for social impact giving and investing. Uncommon Giving Corporation, The Generosity Company, is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. SOURCE CityServe CONTACT: Crissy Cochran, 661-472-7305, crissy@cityserve.us Workers fill Vietnamese fishing boats with water to sink them after they were seized over alleged illegal fishing in Indonesia's waters at Datuk island in West Kalimantan, May 4, 2019. Southeast Asian governments are unable to effectively detect and track ships operating in their waters, which allows illegal fishing, piracy and other dangerous activities to flourish, according to a new report published by the U.S. Naval War College. In the latest edition of the Naval War College Review, maritime expert Gregory Poling details a worrying lack of maritime domain awareness capabilities in Southeast Asia, suggesting that these governments should turn to commercially available remote sensing tools such as commercial satellite imagery as a solution for monitoring their surrounding waters. Poling directs the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington-based think tank. He writes that even though few regions are as reliant on the marine environment for food security, economic growth and national security as maritime Southeast Asia, governments in the region are still sea blind. This lack of maritime domain awareness which mainly comprises detecting, identifying and tracking ships at sea is particularly worrying because the marine environment of the South China Sea is teetering on the brink of environmental catastrophe, the report says. According to the report, fish stocks in the South China Sea have been depleted by between 70 and 95 percent, depending on species, and the story is much the same throughout the region. This forces fishermen to venture farther from their home shores in search of fish. As a result, illegal fishing fleets can increasingly be found operating in other countries exclusive economic zones (EEZ), driving up tensions in the already-turbulent South China Sea. The South China Sea is home to a series of overlapping maritime and territorial disputes between China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei. In addition, while Indonesia does not regard itself as party to the South China Sea dispute, Beijing claims historic rights to parts of that sea overlapping Indonesias EEZ. Poling writes that most violent incidents in the South China Sea emerge from fishing competition, not oil and gas or military activities, and that this trend will increase as the marine environment deteriorates and stocks continue to shrink. As such, this competition over fish resources coupled with a rise in piracy, human trafficking, and other illicit activity at sea poses a major threat to the security of Southeast Asian countries, especially since governments in the region lack the ability to effectively track this activity. And even though the United States and other partners including Japan and Australia have provided security assistance to Southeast Asia in the form of training and expensive platforms such as patrol ships and aircraft, the regions maritime domain awareness gap persists, the report says. Luckily, the last decade has seen the rapid development of cheaper, commercially available remote-sensing technologies that hold the promise of revolutionizing MDA [maritime domain awareness] for developing coastal states, Poling writes. According to the report, commercially available tools including coastal radar, automatic identification system (AIS), vessel monitoring systems (VMS), electro-optical imagery, synthetic aperture radar, low-light imaging, radio-frequency detection and data processing are increasingly attractive options. For instance, radio-frequency detection tools can triangulate the location of radio broadcasts from vessels at sea. Low-light imaging can detect fishing boats based on the bright lights that they use to attract fish at night. And synthetic aperture radar is useful for detecting metal vessels, Polings report notes. Many of these technologies are being pioneered and made available by private companies and nonprofit organizations. Space-based tools and analytic platforms that previously were the sole domain of governments are being replicated by nonprofits and commercial technology firms, while entirely new technologies are emerging from the private sector, the report says. It cites an example of a company that has developed an AIS platform and accompanying algorithms to automate the detection of attempts to spoof or disable the AIS system which transmits the position of a ship, which could help regional navies or coast guards quickly identify and react to suspicious activity. However, the report says that governments in the region are not reacting quickly enough to these developments in the commercial remote sensing market. And even when these governments do possess certain capabilities, bureaucratic hurdles often impede efficient use of collected information. For example, Poling told BenarNews that many of the partner nation agencies were shocked when I showed them what we were able to do with commercial technology during workshops with U.S. and Southeast Asian partner nation coastguards, navies, and civilian agencies. Many werent sure what they already had access to, or what other parts of their own bureaucracy were using, Poling said. And these disconnects exist on the U.S. side too. Poling said the U.S. didnt seem to have a complete survey of what its partners in the region were already using or their level of familiarity with different remote sensing technologies. For this reason, the report calls on Washington, Canberra, Tokyo and other governments to shift more of their efforts toward introducing partners to the booming market in remote sensing and advise partners on regulatory and bureaucratic best practices to use those data effectively in naval and law-enforcement operations. Saving dwindling fish stocks, dismantling trafficking networks, preventing the spread of Islamic State-linked terror cells, countering Chinese aggression in the South China Sea meeting these and many other challenges is impossible without much better ability to detect, identify, and track vessels at sea, the report warns. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz walks at the federal chancellery in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, March 2, 2021. Austrian pharmaceutical companies and scientists meet Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz for vaccine research and production in Austria. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak) Austrian officials said Wednesday that they plan to offer vaccinations to most residents in a district that has seen significant numbers of infections with the South African coronavirus variant. Tyrol province's Schwaz district, east of the provincial capital of Innsbruck and home to about 84,000 people, has been a source of concern for weeks. Schwaz accounts for 66 of 88 currently active confirmed cases of the more transmissible variant in the province, the Austria Press Agency reported. The plan announced Wednesday calls for a vaccination drive starting next week. Health Minister Rudolf Anschober said the rollout will see vaccinations offered to all aged 16 and over. APA reported that from around March 10, coinciding with the start of the drive and until it is complete, people will be required to get a negative coronavirus test before they could leave the Schwaz district. The plan "is our opportunity to eliminate the variant in the Schwaz district," Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said. He said numbers of active cases have already fallen. The variant first identified in South Africa is a source of particular concern because of doubts over whether all vaccines currently available are fully effective against it. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz speakes at a press conference at the federal chancellery in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, March 2, 2021. Austrian pharmaceutical companies and scientists meet Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz for vaccine research and production in Austria. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak) Austrian officials said they have been able to bring forward the delivery of 100,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for Tyrol in cooperation with the European Union's executive Committee and the manufacturers. The Schwaz vaccination plan is to be part of a research project into vaccinations and the South African variant. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Washington: US President Joe Biden withdrew the nomination of longtime Democratic policy adviser Neera Tanden to serve as his budget director, the administrations first defeat in filling a Cabinet post. I have accepted Neera Tandens request to withdraw her name from nomination for Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Biden said in a statement on Tuesday night (US time). Nomination withdrawn: Neera Tanden. Credit:AP The collapse of Tandens nomination underscored the fragility of the slim Democratic majority in the evenly split Senate, where Vice-President Kamala Harris is the tie-breaker, and the power each senator holds on party-line votes. Tanden was opposed by Republican lawmakers who cited her acrimonious tweets attacking them during the Trump years, when she was serving as the director of a progressive think tank in Washington. To Silence 19-Year-Old Overseas, CCP Detains, Assaults Parents in China Nineteen-year-old Wang Jingyu was summoned back to China from overseas on Feb. 21 after he criticized the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for underreporting Chinese deaths during the June 2020 China-India border clash. Beijing authorities have since detained his parents, who live in southwestern Chinas Chongqing, raided their house, dismissed them from their state-run company positions, and assaulted them, in an attempt to force Wang to stop talking to overseas media and go back to China. On Feb. 27, Wang told The Epoch Times that he couldnt reach his parents by phone and was threatened by police from Chongqing that they would do worse to his parents if he doesnt go back. Wang left China in July 2019 after he posted a video on TikTok in support of Hong Kong protesters and faced potential detainment. Currently, Wang lives in Europe. Wanted His latest ordeal started on the evening of Feb. 21, when Wang commented on Chinese social media site Weibo: Why did you [the CCP] announce the death toll so late? What on earth are you are hiding? Wang was commenting on a bloody clash on the disputed India-China border that occurred on June 15, 2020. For eight months, the Chinese side refused to recognize any deaths, but announced four deaths on Feb. 19. India had pegged Chinas death toll at 45. Wangs posts were removed from Weibo immediately. Chinese state-controlled media soon posted a wanted notice, in which Chongqing police announced that Wangs posts insulted Chinese soldiers, was suspected of the crime of picking quarrels and provoking trouble, and would be put into criminal detention once arrested. Within 15 minutes [after the state-run media published the wanted notice], three police and three plainclothes from local Qinjiagang Police Station in Chongqing entered my parents house. They handcuffed my parents and raided the house, Wang said. They took away many things from the house, such as a piece of rough jade, some foreign currency cash, my desktop, and iPad. The police then detained Wangs parents in two separate rooms in the police station until midnight. They forced my parents to call me. Forced them to ask me to go back to China, force me to keep silent and dont talk to any media. They asked me [via my parents] to post a confession video on Weibo. I rejected all these requests, Wang said. In the early morning of Feb. 22, the police released Wangs parents. However, to Wangs surprise, his parents lost their freedom again shortly after. Aerial photo of Chongqing Metropolis. (China Photos/Getty Images) Lost Contact Wang thought he made clear to the police that he wouldnt acquiesce to their demands no matter what they did. He thought his parents would be free and back to normal life. At 6:00 a.m. on Feb. 22, just a few hours after Wangs parents had returned home from the police station, the police arrested them again. From Feb. 22 to Feb. 24, police detained my parents at the police station from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Wang said. They handcuffed my parents, and didnt give them anything to eat. They just detained them and barely talked to them. After they were released from police station, a large number of officials from different government organizations visited my parents and asked them to force me to go back to China. Wang was angry about the police and officials actions. Thats when he started to talk to overseas Chinese-language media. I talked to one media on Feb. 24. On Feb. 25, the police threatened my parents during the detention. A female police officer even slapped my mothers face. They released my parents at 7:00 p.m., and went to their house together with them and monitored them at home, Wang said. Since then, they had arrested my parents at 6:00 a.m., released them at 7:00 p.m., and then home-detained them until 6:00 a.m. the second day. Then on Feb. 27, Wang couldnt reach his parents again. Police from Chongqing police bureau called me today, he told the Epoch Times, adding, They asked me where I am now and threatened to punish my parents more. I cant reach my parents. I dont know where they are. Wang said his parents were dismissed from their state-run company positions on Feb. 22. My mother used to be a director of the disciplinary inspection department of PetroChina Chongqing Branch, but was moved to be a director of PetroChina gas station [in Chongqing] this year, Wang introduced. My father was sales director of Chongqing Water Pump Factory, a subsidiary of Chongqing Mechanical and Electrical Holdings Company. I really feel the Chinese regime is too low. Its a rogue. It wants to kill my parents just because of my speech. Im an adult and Im the person who takes the responsibility for what Im doing, Wang said. Im very worried about my parents, but Im not afraid of the regime. I didnt do anything wrong. Wang Jingyu. (Provided to The Epoch Times by Wang Jingyu) Courage Wang was born and raised in Mainland China. Unlike the majority of Chinese teenagers, Wang learned how to circumvent the CCPs censorship and surf the free internet when he was in middle school. I like to read the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, Wang said, referring to the editorial series published by The Epoch Times. I kept on thinking about what I could do after I knew the origin of the CCP and how it seized power and ruled China. My fathers experience also awakened me. Wang explained that his father once worked at Shapingba Police Branch Bureau as a police officer in Chongqing. At that time, his father witnessed his officer colleagues collecting protection fees from local businessmen and raping young women, claiming that they were illegal prostitutes. In July 2019, Wang circumvented the censorship again and read the news about Hongkongers protesting against a controversial extradition bill that the regime planned to launch. Touched by Hongkongers spirit of pursuing freedom and democracy, Wang posted a related song on Douyin, Chinese version TikTok. Very quickly. The Chongqing police summoned me, and both my parents passports and travel permits to Hong Kong and Macao were seized by the companies they worked at, Wang recalled. On the evening of July 9 [2019], I bought a ticket and flew to Hong Kong via Shanghai to escape [possible arrest]. Since then, Wang hasnt returned to China and has continued to post freedom-related content on Chinese social media platforms. I feel that I should let more Chinese people know the truth. They should be awakened from the CCPs brainwashing, Wang said. I feel my life is meaningful if I can wake up one Chinese person by posting the truth online. Still a teenager, Wang has many ambitions. He was planning a trip around the globe at the time of his interview with The Epoch Times. I want to protest in front of Chinese embassies in different countries. I will shoot videos and edit them into a documentary to post on YouTube, Wang said. I believe the bottom of peoples hearts is kind. Chinese people are fooled by brainwashing I want to wake them up by telling them the truth no matter how badly they insult me. Correction: A previous version of this article gave an incorrect immigration status for Wang Jingyu. The Epoch Times regrets the error. 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. Attorney-General Christian Porter during Question Time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House on May 13, 2020 in Canberra, Australia. (Sam Mooy/Getty Images) Australian AG Denies Historical Rape Accusation Australian Attorney-General Christian Porter has denied allegations of a historical sexual assault claim that is alleged to have taken place in 1988, after it became public knowledge. Following days of media reports of a rape allegation against an unnamed cabinet minister, Porter fronted the media from his home state of Western Australia on Wednesday, to say he was the minister at the centre of the reports. I can say categorically that what has been put in various forms in allegations simply did not happen, Porter said. Nothing in the allegations that have been printed ever happened. Porter, who was visibly distressed, said he hadnt been in contact with the woman alleging the assault in 33 years. He also said, No-one in law enforcement or the law or politics or the media ever put any substance with any specific allegations to me at all. The allegations, which were detailed in an anonymous letter sent to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and other politicians, accused Porter of raping a woman in Sydney in 1988 during a high school debate camp. The ABC reported on Tuesday that NSW Police released a statement on March 2, stating that their investigation into the allegations, which were made by the woman in 2019 before her death, had been closed due to insufficient admissible evidence. NSW Police said that the woman contacted them in 2019 about the historic accusations but did not detail her allegations in a formal statement at the time. The police, who sought legal counsel after they received a document purportedly made by the woman, also noted that the matter was now closed. Porter said he would not be resigning from his current role but did note that he will take a short leave of absence during which he will seek professional help for his mental health. Calls For An Inquiry Into the Allegation Members of Parliament have called for the allegations to be investigated by an independent inquiry. Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has said the prime minister needs to ensure the matter is appropriately investigated. Now that the existing legal processes have been unable to proceed, certainly in terms of NSW Police, I think people will be looking for further responses beyond any statement that might be made today by the minister, Albanese said. Albanese noted that its crucial to Australias legal system that everyone has the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, but said that Morrisons argument that it was a matter solely for the police was not adequate. This is a disturbing allegation, Albanese said. The accusation that was made by the woman is very detailed and quite harrowing. People are looking for leadership on this issue. Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce also supports the idea for an independent inquiry by former High Court judges but told 2GB Radio that it should be held behind closed doors. Joyce believes this would prevent the allegations from being weaponised by third parties or in the media. There should be a process that takes it away from trial by politicians because some of that has political purposes and nothing much to do with empathy for the victim, Joyce said. Queensland Senator Matt Carnavon told the Nines Today program on Wednesday that Porter has the right to the presumption of innocence. To this date, what we have seen are allegations. Serious allegations, Carnavon said. But if the simple mere allegation or making of an allegation would cause someone to be removed from office, that obviously sets a very dangerous precedent. Porter, who compared his situation to that of former Labor leader and current opposition spokesperson Bill Shorten, said that he would not comment on the possibility of a public inquiry. The Biden administration pulled Neera Tandens nomination for budget director Tuesday, ending a fraught nomination process that highlighted the power moderate Democrats hold in a 50-50 Senate. The decision ends weeks of behind-the-scenes lobbying by the White House and Tanden allies who defended her nomination until the end, despite a lack of support from Republicans and concerns from several moderate Democrats. I appreciate how hard you and your team at the White House has worked to win my confirmation, Tanden wrote in a letter to President Joe Biden. Unfortunately, it now seems clear that there is no path forward to gain confirmation, and I do not want continued consideration of my nomination to be a distraction from your other priorities. The White House has not yet announced who Biden will nominate instead for the role of Office of Management and Budget director, though Democrats and some Republicans in Congress are lining up behind Shalanda Young. The former staff director and clerk for the House Appropriations Committee is currently nominated for the deputy director role. During her confirmation hearing Tuesday before the Senate Budget Committee, Young received the backing of several Republicans including ranking member Lindsey Graham. The South Carolina Republican told Young that he would support her for the role of OMB director, should the White House nominate her for the position. Youll get my support, maybe for both jobs, Graham said. Young also has the backing of Senate Appropriations Committee ranking member Richard C. Shelby. Shes smart, she knows the process inside-out, and shes an honest broker who has demonstrated the ability to work with both sides and get things done, Shelby told reporters on Feb. 24. She would have my support. Other possible picks for OMB director include Ann OLeary, former chief of staff to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, and Gene Sperling, former National Economic Council director for Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. Tandens confirmation to be the Office of Management and Budget director was unlikely from the start. When Biden announced her as his pick in November, no one knew whether Republicans or Democrats would control the Senate, but it was highly likely that Bernie Sanders would lead the Budget Committee for Democrats if he remained on Capitol Hill. Sanders and Tanden had a frosty relationship at best, making him a potential obstacle rather than a supporter. Tanden worked for Hillary Clintons presidential campaign during the tense 2016 Democratic primaries against Sanders, led the Center for American Progress while it received millions in corporate donations and didnt support the Medicare for All health care proposal. That tense relationship was highlighted in 2019 when Sanders sent a letter to CAP accusing Tanden of maligning my staff and supporters and belittling progressive ideas. Graham told reporters soon after Bidens announcement of Tanden as his pick that he didnt know if hed actually hold a confirmation hearing for her if his party maintained control of the chamber. The nomination indicated the Biden team was confident in Tandens ability to garner bipartisan support from a Senate controlled by either party, though her prior social media activity should have been a red flag that wouldnt happen. Tanden repeatedly criticized Republicans on Twitter, including calling Maine Sen. Susan Collins the worst, saying that vampires have more heart than Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and referring to Minority Leader Mitch McConnell as Voldemort and Moscow Mitch. Tanden also asked Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski if she was getting high on her own supply in 2017 after Murkowski tweeted support for the corporate tax provisions in her partys tax overhaul package. You know, we know, and everyone knows this is all garbage. Just stop, Tanden continued. Tandens confirmation hearings before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Budget committees served as an apology tour of sorts where Tanden repeatedly told senators she regretted her past tweets and would take a radically different approach to social media if confirmed. A few days after the hearings, West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin III announced his opposition to Tanden, saying in a statement that her overtly partisan statements will have a toxic and detrimental impact on the important working relationship between members of Congress and the next director of the Office of Management and Budget. Several Republicans who could have offset Manchins no vote including Collins, Utahs Mitt Romney and Ohios Rob Portman all released statements opposing Tanden. The two panels were scheduled to hold separate votes on her nomination on Feb. 24 but postponed the markup just hours before they were set to begin. Homeland Chairman Gary Peters, D- Mich., said members wanted more time to review her nomination, while Sanders told reporters she didnt have the votes to be approved. Murkowski, the only other Republican who could have saved Tandens nomination, spoke with Tanden on Monday night but had not announced whether she would support the nominee as of Tuesday night. I spent a lot of time talking about Alaskas rather unique situation, because shes not familiar with Alaska, Murkowski told reporters Tuesday afternoon It was good, it was a wide-ranging conversation. The White House continued to support Tanden throughout the stalemate, with Biden, Chief of Staff Ron Klain and White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki all saying they had confidence she would gain the support needed for confirmation. Despite withdrawing from the process, Tanden will still become a member of the Biden administration. ___ (c)2021 CQ Roll Call Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has upheld the petition of Bank seeking priority payment for the financial creditors of which will lead to around Rs 3,515 crore recovery for the lenders, according to a source aware of the development. The payment has to be made from a payment of about Rs 4,400 crore realised from sale of assets to a Reliance Industries Ltd ( RIL) subsidiary through NCLT-driven debt resolution process. According to the source, State Bank of India will receive Rs 728 crore, Mahima Mercantile Rs 514 crore, SC Lowy Rs 511 crore, VTB Capital PLC Rs 511 crore, Bank 409 crore, Emirates NBD Rs 322 crore, ICBC Rs 278 crore and Standard Chartered Bank will get Rs 242 crore. " will also get Rs 455 crore towards the equity and Working Capital needs from RIL subsidiary. Rest of the amount will be distributed among operational creditors, employees etc," the source said. NCLT, Mumbai had approved the resolution plan on December 3, 2020 in favour of a RIL subsidiary-- Reliance Projects and Property Management Services Ltd. The tribunal had also noted that the distribution of proceeds to the financial creditors was subject to the disposal of Bank's application. Reliance Infratel had issued certain guarantees in favour of Reliance Communications (RCom) and Reliance Telecom Ltd (RTL)lenders but the lenders of these two invoked guarantees when they defaulted and converted them into debt. Doha Bank's contention was that the direct lenders of Reliance Infratel had a first right over the proceeds from the company's resolution plan, and not the corporate guarantee holders of RCom and RTL. in its order on Tuesday upheld Doha Bank's plea, thus paving the way for 100 per cent recovery for the financial creditors of Reliance Infratel, and the implementation of the Resolution Plan is expected to be complete by March 31, 2021, the source said. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... JERUSALEM The International Criminal Courts chief prosecutor on Wednesday launched an investigation into alleged crimes in the Palestinian territories, turning the tribunals focus toward Israeli military actions and settlement construction on lands captured in the 1967 Mideast war. The decision dealt an embarrassing blow to the Israeli government, which had conducted an aggressive public relations and behind-the-scenes diplomatic campaign to block the investigation. It also raised the possibility of arrest warrants being issued against Israeli officials suspected of war crimes, making it potentially risky to travel abroad. The state of Israel is under attack this evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a videotaped statement. The biased international court in the Hague made a decision that is the essence of anti-Semitism and hypocrisy. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ I promise you we will fight for the truth until we annul this scandalous decision, he said. The decision by Fatou Bensouda, the courts outgoing prosecutor, had been expected since the court determined last month that she had jurisdiction over the case. A preliminary probe by Bensouda in 2019 had found a reasonable basis to open a war crimes case. In a statement, Bensouda said the investigation will look into crimes within the jurisdiction of the court that are alleged to have been committed since June 13, 2014. She said the investigation will be conducted independently, impartially and objectively, without fear or favor. That task will now be handed to Karim Khan, the British lawyer who is set to become the courts chief prosecutor in June. Wednesdays decision turns the courts focus toward two key Israeli policies of recent years: its repeated military operations against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, highlighted by a devastating 2014 war, and its expansion of Jewish settlements in east Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. Experts say that Israel could be especially vulnerable to prosecution for its settlement policies. Although the Palestinians do not have an independent state, they were granted nonmember observer status in the U.N. General Assembly in 2012, allowing them to join international organizations like the ICC. Since joining the court in 2015, they have pushed for a war crimes probe against Israel. Israel, which is not a member of the court, had said it does not have jurisdiction because Palestine is not a sovereign state. The Palestinian Authority, which administers autonomous areas in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, welcomed Wednesdays move. This long-awaited step serves Palestines vigorous effort to achieve justice and accountability as indispensable bases for peace, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said. The Palestinians chose June 2014 as the start of the investigation to coincide with the run-up to Israels devastating Gaza war that summer. In the fighting, over 2,200 Palestinians, including nearly 1,500 civilians, were killed by Israeli fire, according to U.N. estimates. At least 67 soldiers and six civilians were killed on the Israeli side, according to Israeli figures. Israel has argued that it waged a war of self-defense against nonstop rocket fire against its cities. It blames Gazas Islamic militant Hamas rulers for the high civilian death toll because the group launched attacks from residential areas, drawing Israeli retaliation. Bensouda has also said her probe would look into the actions of Hamas, which fired rockets indiscriminately into Israel during the 2014 war. In Gaza, Hamas nonetheless welcomed the initiation of the investigation and called on Bensouda to resist any pressure that could scuttle the process. This is a step forward to implement justice, punish the occupation and do justice to the Palestinian people, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told the Associated Press. He said he was confident that the rocket attacks on Israeli cities was legitimate under international law. The ICC is meant to serve as a court of last resort when countries own judicial systems are unable or unwilling to investigate and prosecute war crimes. Israel does not recognize its authority, saying it has an independent, world-class judicial system. But the Palestinians, and human rights groups, say Israel is incapable of investigating itself and has a history of whitewashing military crimes. After the war, the military opened dozens of investigations into the conduct of troops. Although there were only a handful of convictions on minor charges, that could be enough for the court, which dropped a similar case against British troops in Iraq last year because U.K. authorities had investigated. In a reference to Israels justice system, Bensouda said the investigation will allow for a continuing assessment of actions being taken at the domestic level in accordance with the principle of complementarity. Experts have warned that Israel could have a harder time defending its settlement policies in in east Jerusalem and the West Bank. Settlements are widely viewed as illegal based on the Geneva Convention principle that an occupying power is barred from transferring its population to territories captured in war. Population transfers are listed as a war crime in the ICCs founding treaty, the Rome Statute. Israel annexed east Jerusalem after the 1967 Mideast war, and considers the West Bank disputed territory. But its positions are not internationally recognized, and most of the world considers both areas occupied territories. Today, some 700,000 settlers live in the two areas, which the Palestinians claim, along with Gaza, for a future state. Israel says the fate of these areas should be resolved in negotiations, and that ICC involvement will push the Palestinians away from the negotiating table. Bensouda said that priorities in the investigation will be determined in due time based on constraints including the coronavirus pandemic, limited resources and prosecutors existing heavy workload. While Wednesdays decision does not pose any immediate threat to Israel, the court has the authority to quietly issue arrest warrants for people suspected of crimes. Netanyahu was prime minister during the 2014 Gaza war and has been a strong advocate of the settlements. His defense minister, Benny Gantz, was Israels military commander during the war. Israeli media have said that Israel is in touch with allies who are members of the ICC to receive warnings about potential arrest warrants against its citizens. In his statement, Netanyahu said Israel was being unfairly singled out. He accused the court of turning a blind eye to Iran, Syria and the other dictatorships that are committing real war crimes. U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said we firmly oppose and are disappointed by the ICC prosecutors announcement of an investigation into the Palestinian situation. We will continue to uphold our strong commitment to Israel and its security including by opposing actions that seek to target Israel unfairly, Price told reporters in Washington. International human rights groups praised the decision as a step toward justice for Israeli and Palestinian victims. The courts crowded docket shouldnt deter the prosecutors office from doggedly pursuing cases against anyone credibly implicated in such crimes, said Balkees Jarrah, associate international justice director at Human Rights Watch. ICC member countries should stand ready to fiercely protect the courts work from any political pressure, she said. ____ Corder reported from The Hague, Netherlands. Fares Akram in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, contributed. On Friday evening, Raysuans mother, Rayniecia Morris, said authorities tipped her off about the arrest and said she was relieved at the charges, but would remain vigilant through the court process. We always said we were going to fight for justice for Raysuan and Darnelle, she said in a telephone interview. This is just the beginning. ROME, MAR 3 - Sardinia Governor Christian Solinas said Wednesday that the region will start testing people who arrive on the island for COVID-19 next week. This week Sardinia became Italy's first low-contagion-risk 'white zone,' meaning that it was possible to drop many of the coronavirus restrictions in force in the rest of the country. "As of next Monday we will ask those who arrive to take a few minutes to have a rapid test," Solinas told RAI radio. "If the result is negative, they can enter no problem. "If it is positive, the relative protocols kick in". Solinas said the aim was to "defend public health". (ANSA). MASON CITY, Iowa A deal has been reached with a company planning to bring high-speed internet fiber to Mason City. The City Council on Tuesday night unanimously approved a letter agreement with Metro Fibernet, also known as MetroNet, to install fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) networks covering at least 85 percent of Mason City homes and businesses. MetroNet spokesman Joe Salerno told the Council the company would build the network at no cost to the city. According to the letter agreement, MetroNet service to Mason City would include up to 240 television channels, phone and internet service, wireless home networking, and private branch exchange phone service to businesses. Salerno told the Council they want to make Mason City a gigabit city with failure proof technology that can increase capacity as internet speeds rise. City Administrator Aaron Burnett said bringing high speed internet fiber to Mason City has been a goal since 2018. City Councilman Paul Adams called the agreement with MetroNet a no brainer. MetroNet says it currently provides TV, phone, and internet service to 90 communities in nine states, including Ames, the Quad-Cities, and Rochester, Minnesota. With this agreement, MetroNet is expected to begin building its network in Mason City in 2021. Beware! Oksome.in and Super like Are Ponzi Schemes; Promoters Not Traceable Despite repeated warnings from the regulator as well as from Moneylife, the gullible investor continues to fall prey to get-rich-quick frauds. The latest to join the long-long list of such Ponzi or money circulation schemes is Oksome.in, promoted by one Omnicom group that operates its scheme under the name of 'Super like'. This is the new, modified avatar of an old scam called SpeakAsia, exposed by Moneylife way back in 2010. ( Read: Another MLM scam in the happening, this time under the pretext of an online survey However, what separates Oksome from SpeakAsia is complete anonymity of its promoters. In SpeakAsia, there were at least some people, who came out in the open after our exposure, only to vanish afterwards. In the case of Oksome, there simply is no information available about the people behind it, except some bank accounts operated (to collect money) through the digital mode. These people were also very much active on Telegram with several groups named like Super Like 22, Super Like 66 Or Super Like 22. Some people, who invested in this scheme say Oksome has stopped payments under one or the other pretext. A message shared by one Steve in Super Like 33 Telegram group talks about change in the partner bank and asks all members to 'deposit 50% (of membership fee) to verify the authenticity of the member'! "At the same time, the bank will also establish a protection fund system. If your funds are embezzled by others, the bank will pay compensation," it says. Funnily, this message mentions the name of their bank as National Bank of India, which is non-existent. Oksome collects money from people under the pretext of liking videos and messages posted on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram by 'countless internet celebrities'. It claims, "...they will spend money on the platform to increase their popularity regularly every month, so we dont need to worry about what to do if we dont have a task. The platform implements the membership system for the long-term stability of a group of users to help complete the platform tasks, and the business partners who cooperate with us are also assured of placing advertisements on our platform." Interestingly one handle on Facebook, Namaste London , shares some self-made type certificates to show affiliation of this MLM (multi-level marketing) scheme with YouTube, Facebook and social media. Do check the images below. It asks people to invest Rs10,000 to Rs30,000 to buy VIP passes for conducing tasks (to like videos or messages) and earn Rs2 lakh to Rs6 lakh as income. For example, for VIP 3 pass, the commission paid is 15% (task volume as they call it) per task and the member-investor is assigned 17 tasks every day. So, the member can earn 17x15=Rs255 per day or Rs7,650 in a month or Rs91,800 in a year. Similarly, a VIP 5 member can earn a monthly income of Rs43,200 (20% per task and 72 tasks a day) or Rs5.18 lakh in a year! Oksome seems to understand that this 'bonanza' may not be good enough for some investors to put their hard-earned money into it. For such investors, they offer registration of multiple accounts as well as referral income, which is used in every Ponzi or MLM schemes. Under the referral of inviting friends reward scheme, Oksome assures three-level distribution reward ranging from 15% to 3%. It says, "If you recommend a user to upgrade membership, you can get a 15% recommendation reward for user A. If user A recommends user B to upgrade membership, you can get 5% recommendation for user B. If use B recommends user C to upgrade, you can get 3% recommendation reward for user C." It also promises rewards for levels lower than you completing their tasks. "3% of directly lower level 1 reward tasks, direct lower 2 rewards 2% and direct lower level 3 rewards 1%," it says. The website of Oksome.in is not functioning. However, there are several videos uploaded by many describing schemes offered by the MLM. Further, some of its groups in Telegram are very much active and continue to lure gullible investors. According to comments posted on Trustpilot.com () by someone who was a member of Oksome, "this company dont have any identity also they dont have any help line number which shows company can solve any issue or company running from where. They say company is owned by Omni group but in Omni group you never see they have company call Super Like or Oksome. If any problem comes company say to contact your direct agent and those agents only work on WhatsApp and do not have any working number, which shows who owns that number all numbers are switched off mode so you cannot talk with them (unedited)." This member also claims that Oksome have stopped all payments and is imposing freeze on member accounts under the pretext of violation. He says, "...the reason what they are giving to whole team is 'someone from your team violated rules and made multi accounts so company is freezing whole team'. The solution, which they are giving (to unfreeze account) is to upgrade all multi-account to VIP level to 5 and above or say your team to upgrade there level above the VIP5 (unedited)." In short, stay away from Oksome or Super Like for investing your hard-earned money. In case you have already invested money, then reach your nearest police station and file a complaint against the company and all of your upper lines who got you involved in this. As far as SpeakAsia Online Pte Ltd, the Singapore-based MLM company, is concerned, the investigations and litigations are still on. SpeakAsia used to ask new customers or subscribers to pay $120 (standard) or $220 (premium) for becoming a panellist for one year. However, it says the fee is for its e-bulletin for one year. It was promising Rs500 a week for just filing online surveys. In February 2015, the Mumbai Police had arrested six persons including the country head (sales) of the accused firm, SpeakAsia, in the Rs2,276 crore cheating case. The arrested individuals included Hemant Suryavanshi, Hemant Chavan, Sudhanshu Tripathy, Virendra Singh and Hasmukh Patel. Suryavanshi, Chavan, Tripathy and Singh were SpeakAsia's franchise holders while Patel, arrested from Ahmedabad, ran Patel Communication franchise. It was a Chhattisgarh resident, a Singh, with whom Navneet Khosla, the complainant, had deposited his money as investment. In July 2011, Mr Khosla, a Mumbai resident, had filed a police complaint stating that the firm had promised a return of Rs52,000 on his investment of Rs11,000. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Following recent developments regarding the trade of Bitcoin ETFs in Canada , world-renowned trading and investment firm CoinRise has announced they are enhancing their service plan in the country. According to the statement released by the company, new crypto investment plans are set to be released, in accordance with the new legally tradable Bitcoin ETFs in Canada's stock market. "For over 15 years, we've worked hard to earn our faithful customers' trust - and the growing interest in what we have to offer serves as proof that we are on the right path," said Don Lehman, CoinRise's spokesperson in a statement. "It was clear for us, as a reputable investment brand, that our clients are going to benefit from this decision taken by the government just as much as us. This has been our philosophy since day one here." Supplementing investments the right way With the cryptocurrency market in the state it is in today, the vast majority of Canadian traders are looking for ways to make more out of their funds. That's where CoinRise comes in with a crypto investment supplement plan, carefully constructed and developed by the company's expert crypto analysts. Now that the government has recognized the capability of Bitcoin ETFs as an enhancer for traders, CoinRise is one of the first investment firms to jump on that wagon and expand crypto trading abilities provided to clients. "We don't see it only as a service, but also a mission we've taken upon ourselves - to facilitate this new world of crypto trading to the large public," added Lehman, "considering the vast potential it holds these days. We hope this move by the government is only a sign of what's to come in the future, regarding the world of crypto trade and investment." About CoinRise The company was founded by a group of leading brokers and analysts, just as the cryptocurrency revolution had begun to take form 15 years ago. Today, it boasts over 1.2 billion CAD invested in various funds. CoinRise's clients can choose from a vast array of supplementary investment venues, tailored to different types of budgets, time plans, strategies and audiences. Service is provided on a 24-hour basis and in several languages, through a phone call center or via email, direct messaging, and WhatsApp. SOURCE CoinRise HOLMDEL, N.J., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Clients First Business Solution today announces the launch of their new print-focused business unit, Clients First Print Solutions. As the world continues to move toward increased use of cloud-based business solutions, the print industry is poised to make a significant shift in how they sell, process, and deliver their goods to market. With extensive experience bringing successful business applications to other manufacturing areas, expanding their focus to include printers was a natural move. Clients First Print Solutions will concentrate on bringing PrintVisthe Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central based application focused on helping printers leverage the power of a centralized application to the eastern United States. With unique demands for fast, accurate estimating, scheduling, and delivery, as well as the need to protect historically razor-thin margins, Clients First plans to leverage their experience with improving overall business processes to elevate their print clients to the next level of print production. "We are experts in Microsoft Dynamics, business process optimization, and driving business growth for our clients," said Jeff Warwick, Partner at Clients First Business Solutions. "As the last year unfolded, we met with several print-based businesses looking to future-proof their operations as the world continues to move more and more activity online. The pandemic accelerated the need for print companies to move toward current cloud technologies. We saw that as an opportunity to marry our skills and expertise with the needs of the market. We've hired an excellent Digital Platform Print Specialist to help us align our methodology and process with the operational tactics of print shops and partnered with PrintVis to provide an integrated print MIS and ERP system designed with printers in mind." With end-to-end visibility into the entire print production cycle and anytime-anywhere access to the core business application that runs the operation, Clients First Print Solutions offers print shops the ability to reduce inefficiencies and improve throughput. By allowing staff from the back office to the shop floor the ability to perform their role with less interference, print shops enable their users to innovate on the process and deliver better quality products to their markets. With less time spent putting out the fires caused by disconnected technology and outdated ways of managing estimates and orders, print shops can meet their customers where they are while laying the path toward growth with increased productivity and print margins. Clients First Print Solutions is ready to show any printer in the eastern United States just what being connected by a centralized business solution designed for them can mean to their business trajectory. To learn more about Clients First Print Solutions, PrintVis, and how your print shop can use 2021 to reposition themselves and thrive, visit us at https://www.clientsfirst-us.com/industry/print/ and book a free Discovery Call. About Clients First Business Solutions Clients First provides tailored, financial and ERP systems and services for growing companies so they can achieve enterprise-level results. With expert skills in ERP and data management, Clients First offers a flexible, proven methodology to deliver successful results, that realize our customer's goals, every time. By offering a variety of business applications, Clients First helps organizations properly match solutions to their objectives, within their budget, and without pigeonholing requirements into a mismatched product or service. Clients First promises to always be clear and transparent; we never overpromise, and we never oversell. We don't overcomplicate or compromise projects; we approach each in the simplest way to ensure both success and stability with every solution. Our solutions allow our clients to grow their operations, improve efficiencies, identify market opportunities, and meet industry compliance requirements while running best-in-class software. Visit clientsfirst-us.com to see how your interest is our purpose. SOURCE Clients First Business Solutions Related Links https://www.clientsfirst-us.com Yalonda M. James / The Chronicle 2019 Oaklands Vegan Mob is bringing its meat-free takes on spicy fried chicken, brisket and gumbo to San Francisco and San Jose this month. The hit restaurant north of Lake Merritt, which has been swarmed by crowds ever since it opened in 2019, announced on Instagram that its opening a takeout- and delivery-only ghost kitchen location in San Jose on Tuesday. In San Francisco, Vegan Mob is slated to park a new food truck in the Mission District on March 20. The Telegraph Theres nothing like a British heatwave to bring out a long list of extreme weather advice. With temperatures set to remain high this week, what advice should you be following? We asked the experts... The claim: Keep all your windows and curtains closed The truth: Its natural on a hot day to keep all your windows and doors open, says Dr Alannah Hare, an NHS and Private Sleep Consultant at the Royal Brompton. However, the best thing to do is to keep your windows shut and your curtains drawn all day. Its all due to temperature differentials. When you open your windows in the morning it feels cool and lovely, but as the sun comes up throughout the day it heats the inside of your house. If you keep your windows and curtains closed until dusk, however, your house will feel very cool when you go to bed. As the sun sets, open your curtains and windows and youll feel a lovely breeze coming through your house, which will help you sleep. Verdict: True The claim: Drink hot tea to cool down The truth: It has long been established that staying hydrated is essential during a heatwave. However, whether or not you should be boiling up a brew in the heat has been the subject of intense scientific debate. In 2012, a landmark study by the University of Ottawas Ollie Jay, sought to find an answer once and for all. The team discovered that when thermosensors in the mouth and throat detect heat, the brain activates a sweating response. The sweat then absorbs body heat and evaporates it into the air. As a result, they concluded that drinking hot drinks can cool you down in certain environments. Drinking a hot latte while wearing long sleeves and trousers won't work, because sweat needs to evaporate and the reduction in temperature caused by sweating needs to exceed the increase in temperature caused by drinking a hot drink. But drinking tea in a summer dress or short-sleeved shirt may help you cool down slightly. Verdict: True The claim: Have a hot curry The truth: Gazpacho, ice cream, cold fruit salad and, curry? Several foods can have a cooling effect, and it seems one of them is chilli. It might appear counter-intuitive everyone whos had an extra hot curry will know why but it makes sense, considering many of the worlds spiciest cuisines are found in warm climates. The theory is simple: fight fire with fire. Hot, spicy food, which usually contains chilli, contains a chemical called capsaicin. When eaten it heats up the body and you begin to sweat. The evaporation of this sweat removes heat from the body. Supposedly, cold food will only cool you down for a short spell, while hot, spicy food provides a more long-term cooling. Several other ingredients often found in curries are thought to hold cooling properties, such as turmeric. Its worth noting, however, that in order to sweat you must remain hydrated, so drink plenty of water. Verdict: True (but it might not feel like it) The claim: Stay out of the sun The truth: This week the sun is high enough in the sky, and strong enough, to deliver a really good hit of vitamin D, says dietitian Helen Bond. Its wise to be cautious in the sun, and I certainly wouldnt advise sitting in a beer garden or a park for a couple of hours in the lunchtime sun. But a 15 minute walk exposing your hands, face and arms to the sun will give you a fantastic amount of vitamin D to keep your levels topped up throughout the rest of the year. Verdict: False The claim: Have a cool beer tonight The truth: British people tend to get very excited about a sunny spell, says Bond. However, drinking too much alcohol in a heatwave is just about the worst thing you can do. On a cold day, alcohol is dehydrating, but on a hot day the effects are tenfold and if youre drinking during the day and outside, youre more likely to get burnt because the enjoyment of drinking keeps people rooted to the spot. A couple of beers is fine, but no more than that, and have a glass of water before, in between, and after each beer. People tend to drink more Pimms and beer in a heatwave and then get a double whammy of bad sleep, from the effects of the alcohol and the heat, adds Hare. So drink moderately. Verdict: False The claim: Have a cold shower before bed The truth: This is something people always tell me they do when its hot, but it doesnt work, says Hare. After a long, hot day in an office, its tempting to blast yourself under a cold shower just before bed. But the problem is the body then raises its core temperature to compensate for the cold water, which makes you feel warmer once youre in bed and makes sleep more uncomfortable. Its far better to have a tepid bath or shower, so your body doesnt try to warm itself up. Verdict: False The claim: Put your pillow in the freezer The truth: Weve all heard this one, but does it actually work? Yes it does, but dont put your whole pillow in there, just the pillow case, says Hare. Around an hour before you want to go to bed, put your pillow cases in a plastic bag and put them in the freezer for about 40 minutes. Then pop it on just before bed, and it will feel lovely and cool on your skin. You know that feeling you get on a warm night when you turn your pillow over so you can feel the cool side? It feels like that, but one hundred times better. Verdict: True The claim: Sleep naked The truth: People always ask me about this, says Hare. If youre wearing natural fibres, like cotton, then youll feel cooler in the night than if you were naked because the cotton will wick away sweat from your skin. However, anything man-made or synthetic will keep heat next to your skin. And the same goes for bedding. So if I had the choice between cotton and nakedness, Id choose cotton. But if youre choosing between man-made fibres and nakedness, go naked. Verdict: Inconclusive The claim: Don't exercise The truth: Working out can become a sweaty business though some hardy souls will carry on regardless. Exercising in extreme heat places extra stress on the body and can be dangerous, leading to a range of heat-related illnesses, from heat cramps to heatstroke. That doesnt mean you should avoid it altogether but you should understand how to recognise symptoms and know your limits. Warning signs, according to the Mayo Clinic, are numerous, including cramps, nausea, excessive sweating, dizziness, increased heart rate and visual problems. By taking some basic precautions, your exercise routine doesnt have to be sidelined when the heat is on. Here are some top tips from the Mayo Clinic: Know how fit you are. If new to working out, take added care. Opt for something less intense, and keep hydrated. Hydration is key. Drink regularly, and dont wait until youre thirsty. If sweating heavily, consider an isotonic sports drink, which will replace the minerals and nutrients lost while sweating, like sodium, chloride and potassium. Wear the right gear. Keep it lightweight and loose, and choose a material that promotes evaporation. Dark colours, which absorb heat, are best avoided. Cover up with a hat and wear plenty of sunscreen. A sunburn will hamper your bodys ability to cool down. Exercise early in the morning to avoid the worst of the heat Verdict: False-ish The claim: Read heat wave advice features (like this one) The truth: There are two things British people like to talk about the weather and their sleep, says Hare. During a heatwave people start to panic about their sleep, which is the very thing that will stop them sleeping. So try not to worry about it too much. Maybe your sleep will be a little disturbed, but thats fine. Youll manage to get enough sleep to get by. And just think, in a few months time it will be cold again, and well back to worrying about that instead. Verdict: Inconclusive Telegraph readers share their heatwave sleep advice Here's a selection of the comments you've left on our heatwave stories. Please continue to share with us your advice in the section below this article. Jasmine Maddock: I put an ice pack in the bed a little while to cool the bed down, and find a cup of tea helps as paradoxically the heat cools your body down. Mikel Crawley: We put a duvet on the floor near an open door so air moves through, and sleep on top of the duvet cover. Linden Airey: If you are wearing clothes to bed, lightly dampen the clothes. With this kind of heat, damp can be your friend! If you can't return to sleep after waking in the night, use a wet washcloth to cool your skin. Anonymous reader: Put large bath towel on your bed Have a cool or barely warm shower Lie down on your towel, still wet preferably naked Ideally also have fan blowing towards the bed on low Water will evaporate on your body and lower your temperature Towel will stay mildly damp and cool you as the water in that evaporates also What are your heatwave hacks? Tell us in the comments below BERMUDA, Mar 3, 2021 - (ACN Newswire) - This year's International Women's Day Summit Agenda has been announced that includes more than 200 speakers, representing over 75 countries. Topics for this year's event, which will be held from March 8-10, include: Blockchain, Digital Assets, Fintech, AI, Women in Space, Global Women's Entrepreneurship & Leadership, Podcasts and Healing and Wellness.Global investment into women led companies has reached an all-time low during 2020. We are seeing many innovative ideas come out of developing nations across the globe that deserve more visibility and connectivity with qualified investors and partners who can help them grow and scale. Amplifying Her Voice will serve as a global platform that will bring such stakeholders together from within Bermuda economic development ecosystem to a broader global community of women entrepreneurs, investors, technologies, and industry professionals to accelerate both communication and unprecedented digital connectivity.This Roundtable will be the beginning of a series of conversations where professionals from within Bermuda's innovation ecosystem may listen, learn, and share best practices with the global women's entrepreneurship ecosystem where our global network of women investors and philanthropists will be invited. Your will have the opportunity to share your CALL's to Action from local, regional, and global standpoints that will hopefully be a starting for deeper conversations and partnerships leading to change, investment, impact, and transformation.A worldwide pandemic, uncertainty, and troubles big and small over this past year have brought increasing challenges and anxiety--but they have also brought together women leaders and innovators around the globe: to share their ideas and innovations, to inspire and lift up one another, and to support women and change the world. Join us as we amplify their voices, celebrate their accomplishments, learn from their vision, and work together to invest in women.- Listen to innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, and women on the front-lines who have developed solutions to global issues at scale addressing UN Sustainable Development Goals shaping the global economy, education, food security, climate change, space exploration, and more.- Participate in main stage content and breakout workshops on global women's entrepreneurship, healing and wellness, and the latest in blockchain and cryptocurrency investing.- Bring your curiosity and connect with our global community in our breakout sessions and networking receptions.Register Here: https://hopin.com/events/sheqonomiAbout The State of Women InstituteThe State of Women Institute is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to amplifying the voices of women and girls through programs and initiatives that support the creation of various forms of digital media (including podcasts, video documentary, social media related, print, AR and VR). The State of Women Podcast Network, launching Spring 2021 on Google Play, Android, and KaiOS, encompassing 300 women podcasters from across five continents. The State of Women Institute will be partnering with Women Investing in Women DIGITAL, SHEQONOMI, and a long list of reputable global non-profits and change makers across 50+ countries worldwide in leading "Amplifying Her Voice" Global Virtual Summit on International Women's Day 2021.Source: ANU Bhardwaj. State of Women Institute. Anu@womeninvesting.inSource: The State of Women InstituteCopyright 2021 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 3) Learners will stay in schools for half a day only, either in the morning or the afternoon, once limited face-to-face classes resume, an education official said Wednesday. The class schedules will vary between schools, but a general rule will be the face-to-face classes will be for a maximum of a half day only, Department of Education Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan told a Senate hearing on the proposed face-to-face classes. He said DepEd officials said pupils or students will be asked to take their lunch at home as canteens are off-limits to them, and even their parents. Number of classes Meanwhile, only one class per grade level can be conducted in a small school, a maximum of 3 classes in a medium school, and a maximum of five classes in a large school, the official said. Class size He said 20 learners can be accommodated in classrooms that are 7x9 meters in size while smaller rooms can hold 16 students so physical distancing can still be observed. He also said schools must ensure proper ventilation. Lectures and other school activities can also be conducted in open spaces, Malaluan said. Participating schools The DepEd set at 50 the maximum number of schools per region that may participate in the pilot implementation of in-person classes. Malaluan said 1,579 schools are initially being considered to join the one-month trials pending the concurrence from local governments to hold in-person classes. He added they gave their regional directors until Sunday to seek approval from LGUs. He also said private schools may also participate in the pilot implementation, but they should meet the eligibility criteria set by the department. DepEd has checklists to assess the readiness of schools in conducting in-person classes amid the pandemic. On Dec. 14 last year, the President approved the pilot implementation of face-to-face classes in January for DepEd schools in areas identified as low risk for COVID-19. But he recalled the order after more than a week, citing the threat of the faster-spreading coronavirus variant first discovered in the United Kingdom. Basic education classes resumed in October under blended learning which involves a mix of internet-based sessions, radio and TV broadcasts, and printed self-learning modules. Classes in other levels are also mostly held online. Last year, Duterte banned face-to-face classes until a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available. But he has since allowed limited face-to-face classes in medical and allied health programs in higher education institutions, in-person training and assessments at the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and other technical-vocational institutions, and physical attendance of medical interns at the Philippine General Hospital. Almost 50k has been seized by the courts from a mystery courier motorcyclist stopped by the PSNI in Newry. Robert Kirk (unknown age) with a bail address of Regina Park, Jonesborough was questioned by the PSNI on August 21, 2020. PSNI Constable Martin English told the Newry court that he approached the defendant, who seemed to be waiting on somebody on the Old Dublin Road at approximately 5.45pm. Suspicion was drawn to the accused due to a check for no insurance on his vehicle. The defendant first appeared startled by the PSNI, thinking that he was in the Republic of Ireland and that they were members of An Garda Siochana. The magistrate was told that Kirk had a green coloured backpack on which he did not wish to remove. A search was conducted with a large quantity of mixed euro notes discovered in the bag totalling 49,980. Kirk was arrested for the driving offence and possession of criminal property. During a police interview when questioned about the money, Kirk provided a no comment response as to who owned the cash, but admitted to owning the bag. The money was then seized by the PSNI. Constable English stated that there was virtually nothing known about the defendant, who had since left his bail address, with only an address for his mother in the Republic of Ireland known by the gardai. Prosecution barrister, Stewart Hindley alluded to no explanation given by Kirk as to who owned the cash, where it came from or who it was intended for. This was a large amount of money, if someone legitimately acquired it, it would be expected that they would have come forward by now, said Mr Hindley. The only impression that the court can draw is that this was criminal property to be transferred to others, added the barrister. Deputy district judge Anne Marshall took into account all of the circumstance and granted the forfeiture including any interest accrued. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2021) - Braveheart Resources Inc. (TSXV: BHT) (OTCQB: RIINF) ("Braveheart" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a new option agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the past-producing Alpine Mine Property ("Alpine") near Nelson, British Columbia. Braveheart previously held an option on the property during the period November 2016 until December 2019. The original option agreement was terminated when the Company failed to make a staged progress payment. Gold ("Au") prices have significantly improved in recent months with the six-month trailing average exceeding USD$1,800 per ounce. When Braveheart originally entered an option on the property, the price of gold was USD$1,200 per ounce. Terms of the new option agreement include the following, and are subject to the required approval of the TSX Venture Exchange: Issuance of 1,000,000 shares of Braveheart on signing to the Optionor. A cash payment of $100,000 to the Optionor by April 15, 2022. Property expenditures of approximately $700,000 to complete permitting and construction of an upgraded road to the mine site from Nelson by December 22, 2022. A cash payment of $1,400,000 to the Optionor by December 15, 2023. A cash payment of $1,500,000 to the Optionor by December 15, 2024. Based on historical records, maintained by the BC Ministry of Energy and Mines, Alpine produced approximately 11,460 ounces of Au from 16,800 tonnes of mineralized material between 1938 and 1948 representing a mined grade of 21.2 grams per tonne ("g/t") or 0.68 ounces per tonne of Au. Historic development includes over 1,650 metres of underground drifts, crosscuts and raises, and the mine is dry. To date the Company has invested over $1.0 million into the property primarily in terms of diamond drilling from surface. Additionally, the Company commissioned a NI 43-101 Technical Report ("Report") for Alpine. The Report, which was completed by Giroux Consultants Ltd ("Giroux") of North Vancouver, BC and TerraLogic Exploration Inc. of Cranbrook, BC, was published on March 6, 2018 and is available on Braveheart's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Based on a 5.0 g/t Au cut-off grade, Giroux calculated an Inferred Mineral Resource of 268,000 tonnes of mineralized material at a grade of 16.5 g/t Au containing 142,000 ounces of Au. The key initial recommendations by Giroux for advancing the project are as follows: Rehabilitation of the current access road between the mine and Nelson of approximately 20 km. Rehabilitation of the underground workings to complete detailed underground sampling and mapping and refine the current Inferred Mineral Resource. Application for an initial bulk sample exploration permit of up to 10,000 tonnes of mineralized material. Braveheart previously determined that Alpine mineralized material is amenable to ore sorting using X-ray transmission technology. Results of this testing was published on August 13, 2018 and is available on Braveheart's SEDAR profile. During the tests Run of Mine material was upgraded from 14.8 g/t Au to 20.3 g/t Au with 92.8% Au recovery and 33% waste rejection. A composite sample was upgraded from 25.4 g/t Au to 43.2 g/t Au with 81.3% recovery and 52% waste reduction. The Alpine project is approximately 20 km outside of Nelson and 300 km from the Company's 100% owned Bull River mill facility near Cranbrook, BC. Should the Company move forward with a commercial decision on advancing the Alpine project, a preconcentrated product of mineralized material containing gold could be trucked to Bull River thereby leveraging the use of mining infrastructure that already exists. Ian Berzins, President and CEO, commented: "Braveheart's primary objective is the advancement of our two 100% owned copper mines, Bull River and Thierry. The addition of Alpine gives us increased metal diversification and significantly increases our insitu gold inventories. Although the project is relatively small in scale at this time, it is within economic trucking proximity to our Bull River mill and could provide a supplementary feed to the mill. Approximately 80% of the gold in the mineralized material from Alpine is gravity recoverable and this thesis would support the addition of a gravity circuit at Bull River." Qualified person Braveheart's disclosure of a technical or scientific nature in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Ian Berzins P.Eng., who serves as President, Chief Executive Officer and a director of the Company and is a Qualified Person under the definition of National Instrument 43-101. About Braveheart Resources Inc. Braveheart is a Canadian based junior mining company focused on building shareholder value through exploration and development in favourable Canadian mining jurisdictions at or near past-producing properties. Braveheart's main asset is the 100% owned Bull River Mine project near Cranbrook, British Columbia which has a current Mineral Resource containing copper, gold and silver. Braveheart's newest acquisition is the 100% owned Thierry Mine project near Pickle Lake, Ontario containing copper, nickel, silver, palladium, platinum and gold. Contact Information Braveheart Resources Inc. Ian Berzins President & Chief Executive Officer M: +1-403-512-8202 admin@braveheartresources.com Website: www.braveheartresources.com For more investor information, please contact Braveheart at: Kevin Shum O: +1-647-725-3888 Ext 702 M: +1-604-376-0323 E: kevin@jeminicapital.com E: info@jeminicapital.com Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release includes certain information that may constitute "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements about strategic plans, future work programs and objectives and expected results from such work programs. Forward-looking information necessarily involve known and unknown risks, including, without limitation, risks associated with general economic conditions; inability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favourable terms; and other risks. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information and the risks identified in the Company's continuous disclosure record. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. All forward-looking information contained in this news release is given as of the date hereof and is based upon the opinions and estimates of management and information available to management as at the date hereof. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this new release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/75912 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. PHILIPSBURG:--- The committee of the CCSU received a request in December 2020 from the Minister of General Affairs and Minister of Justice to review draft function books of the Ministry of Justice for advice. In the opinion of the Minister of Justice, the committee could only provide advice on these function books. In reviewing the proposed function books, the unions pointed out a number of decisions that are in conflict with established legislation such as article four of the LIOL, all legislation regulating the range of Justice personnel, all legislation regulating the MOT, legislation regulating the functioning of the National Detectives, legislation regulating the functioning of KPSM and the Minister of Justice are proposing retracting of the function book of the KPSM (and Immigration) which is tied to the rechtspositie KPSM. As such this request is one requiring the consensus of the unions and not merely advice. What was also missing was the legal advice of the Legal Affairs department which is considered critical when proposing amendments that deviate from established legislation. The unions also informed the Minister of Justice that the proposed amendments to reduce previously agreed upon fees are not in accordance with the conditions of the Landspakket of December 2020, the Plan of Approach Strengthening Border Control 2018, and recommendations of the Voortgangscommittee of 2019-2020. The unions also expressed their disappointment with the fact that the concept LBHAM contains information that is not in accordance with the proposed its of the respective formation plans submitted. These differences result in a financial paragraph containing an inaccurate financial analysis. More importantly, the unions expressed their concerns with the intention of the Minister of Justice to centralize the bedrijfsvoeringof Justice, in doing so make 33 Justice employees boven formatief. The unions motivated their concern with legislations of all Justice departments (with the exception of Justitiele Zaken and Stafbureau). These legislations clearly indicate that by law all departments within Justice have their own bedrijfsvoering that handles sensitive information. The unions trust that the Minister of Justice will adhere to the LMA, adhere to the voortgangscommittee of 2019-2020, and ensure that the future handling of these function books is based on article 112h of the LMA. In addition, the Minister takes all the legislative concerns of the unions into account prior to resubmitting her request to the CCSU. The unions are also very disappointed with our Minister of Justice, who is always using the phrase I am sticking to the Law. While it is very clear as mentioned above that active legislation is not being adhered to. WCSU-PSU ABVO-SXM WITU The beginning of every new year causes investment advisors and other financial experts to start releasing their market predictions for the upcoming twelve months. Many investors listen and may even adjust their investments accordingly. However, these expert predictions are frequently and sometimes drastically wrong. So, before you put too much stock into the predictions swirling around about 2021, lets take a look back at what these market analysts had to say about 2020, and how those predictions turned out. Getting It Wrong on 2020 Outlooks According to a Financial Advisor IQ article, Darrell Cronk, the President of Wells Fargos Investment Institute and Chief Investment Officer for the Banks Wealth Management Unit, said Wells Fargo did not believe a recession would happen in 2020.1 He also mentioned in an outlook published by Wells Fargo that his Economics team predicted global economic expansion would continue in 2020, while we actually saw a 4.3% contraction, due to the Coronavirus pandemic.2, 3 The report published by Wells Fargo also called for modest gains for all major equity classes. However, according to NovelInsestor.com, equity returns included 20% for small cap, 18.7% for emerging markets, and 18.4% for large cap. International stocks was the poorest performing sector with a return of 8.3%, which hardly qualifies as a modest gain.4 But Wells Fargo certainly wasnt the only financial institution to swing and miss on their predictions. Nearly every firm on Wall Street puts out predictions every year, and most of them are wrong. For example, Eaton Vance also called for an economic rebound in 2020, but as already mentioned above, we saw a contraction of roughly 4.3%.3 Franklin Templeton published a report stating that a recession was unlikely in 2020. To their credit, they did state optimism for remaining invested in equities in 2020.5 Failure on Post-COVID Market Predictions Aside from sharing the fact that they were incorrect, the predictions mentioned above shared one other major thing in common. None of them mentioned COVID-19. And, if you guessed that the predictions for the remainder of 2020 would improve after having the knowledge of the pandemic, youd be wrong. Barrons On March 25th of 2020, Barrons published an article entitled Why the Stock Market Hasnt Hit Bottom and Could Fall Another 35%. That article did not age well. From March 26th December 31st of 2020, the S&P 500 not only avoided a 35% decline but gained 42.81% (according to Yahoo Finance charts)8. The difference between the prediction cited in the Barrons article and what really happened was an astounding 77.81 percent! Hopefully, investors did not sell because of that article. Sadly, I am sure many did. Jim Cramer Stock guru or media personality? You can decide for yourself. But, in March of 2020, Jim Cramer was asked about his view on the markets and spewed a wide array of financial lingo before calling the strong market performance of March 24th a one-day bull market. He also stated the market surge on March 24th was simply a result of a dysfunctional market and the rally was largely due to machine-trading.10 Since that interview, the S&P 500 has appreciated approximately 57.61% (through March 1, 2021). What is Being Said About 2021 According to CNBCs Market Strategist Survey, 12 of 20 strategists are predicting that U.S. stocks will gain somewhere between 18% and 22% in 2021.12 Four are predicting stocks return between 0% and 4%, and four are predicting stocks will lose between 4% and 20%. One question comes to mind when reading predictions like these. Why? Why do these institutions continue to publish outlooks knowing that they have no clue what to expect in the stock market? In 2020, we saw a perfect example of how unpredictable the market can be. To pretend you know what the future holds for the broad markets is nothing less than a bold-faced lie. Predictions are much different than strategy. While it can be tempting, investors must remind themselves that just because a large Wall Street firm is noted in a headline, it doesnt mean you should listen to what they have to say. What is an Investor to Do? If investors make the prudent decision to ignore the financial headlines and market predictions, how should they make their own investment decisions? I would argue that your investment allocation should be based on your personal situation, including factors like your risk tolerance and proximity to retirement or the withdrawal phase, not what the financial pundits are saying. The thought that you need to avoid all market downturns to be a successful investor is simply a myth. In fact, understanding your time horizon might be the most important part of building your portfolios allocation. Are you investing for the short-term or long-term, or perhaps a bit of both? Stocks are not ideal for short-term time periods because of their volatile and unpredictable short-term nature. Cash is not ideal as a long-term investment because of its low expected rate of return. Creating a strategy that is based on your financial plan offers an alternative that can help remove the guesswork, remove stress, and carry you through market ups and downs. Investing involves the risk of loss and investors should be prepared to bear potential losses. Past performance may not be indicative of future results and may have been impacted by events and economic conditions that will not prevail in the future. Therefore, it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific security, investment product or investment strategy referenced in the article, either directly or indirectly, will be profitable or equal to the corresponding indicated performance level(s). No portion of the article shall be construed as a solicitation to buy or sell any specific security or investment product or to engage in any particular investment strategy. In addition, this article shall not constitute the provision of personalized investment, tax or legal advice, and investors shall not assume this article serves as a substitute for personalized individual advice. Information contained in this article may have been derived from third-party sources that CAWM believes to be reliable; however CAWM does not control such information and does not guarantee the accuracy or timeliness of such information and disclaims all liability for damages resulting from such sources. The 13 sets of historical data hail from shallow holes, to a maximum depth of around 141 metres, at the Dammsjon and Flyttjebasen zones The area lies around 12 kilometres northeast from the former Tomtebo mine where District is scheduled to kick off a 5,000 metre drill program this month District Metals Corp ( ) (OTCMKTS:MKVNF) (FRA:DFPP) said it has identified another prospective target at its Tomtebo property in Sweden after it received historic drill data from the Lovas-Nyberget area in the north east part of the asset. The 13 sets of historical data hail from shallow holes, to a maximum depth of around 141 metres (m), at the Dammsjon and Flyttjebasen zones and were obtained from the Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU). They come from drill campaigns carried out by Boliden Gruvforvaltningen in 1953 and 1972. This area lies around 12 kilometres (km) northeast from the former Tomtebo mine where District is scheduled to kick off a 5,000 metre (m) drill program this month. "The exploration potential of the Tomtebo Property continues to improve with these additional historic drill results," Garrett Ainsworth, the CEO of District told investors in a statement. "There is a relatively high density of historic mines and mineral occurrences across Tomtebo that suggests profuse metal leakage has occurred along controlling structures and geological units. The Lovas-Nyberget area represents another highly prospective target for District in a part of the license area with little to no modern previous systematic exploration." The previous drilling confirms that polymetallic mineralization strikes northwest-west to southeast-east for 1.5 km from the Dammsjon and Flyttjebasen zones, and magnetic high anomalies suggest this mineralized trend continues for more than 2.4 km. The historic drill highlights include 15.9m (from a depth of 47.4m) at 1.3% copper, 0.6% zinc, and 0.3% lead. Also reported was an intercept of 11.1 m at 1.6% zinc, 0.8% lead, 0.1% copper, and 11.2 g/t silver, from a depth of 72.9m. The company also noted that on February 10 this year the Swedish Government approved a proposal to grant a one-year extension of all valid mineral licenses due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This means an extra year for District's Tomtebo and Trollberget properties at no cost. Contact the author at giles@proactiveinvestors.com "We are waiting in the queue for the vaccination at Rajawadi, Ghatkopar. Number of doses allocated are 100 and people standing in the queue are about 400plus. Please make sure we all get vaccines," tweeted Sandesh Avhad, a student, tagging the BMC and Maharashtra tourism minister Aaditya Thackeray. Rahul K, another student, said he was Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 Miss Panama competition has announced it will allow transgender women 'who have completed all their legal and medical procedures' to enter from this year. The contest is responsible for picking Panama's representative at the Miss Universe pageant. The organization responsible for the context said the decision has been made 'after plenty of conversation and in line with the rules of the Miss Universe organization'. The Miss Panama competition has announced it will allow transgender women 'who have completed all their legal and medical procedures' to enter from this year. The contest is responsible for picking Panama's representative at the Miss Universe pageant. Pictured: File image of Catriona Gray of the Philippines is crowned Miss Universe 2018 Miss Universe requires that each national event allow people legally recognized as women to participate in that particular country. And now Miss Panama 'will permit women officially legally recognized in the country,' which will 'open the door to transgender women who have completed all of their legal and medical procedures,' the organization said. Speaking yesterday about the decision, President of Miss Panama, Cesar Anel Rodriguez, said it is in response to Miss Universe's regulation regarding transgender women. He said: 'We investigated the issue of people who are legally recognized for changing their gender.' In 2018, Angela Ponce (pictured) became the first openly transgender woman to compete in the Miss Universe pageant as the representative from Spain Rodriguez added that a 2018 announcement indicated that at least 10 transgender women had been recognized in the civil register. 'Guaranteed to be an inclusive organization, we approved this decision based on strict legal guidelines and according to previous international agreements,' the organization's statement said. For now, there are no transgender women registered for the pageant, according to its officials. In 2018, Angela Ponce became the first openly transgender woman to compete in the Miss Universe pageant as the representative from Spain. The United States on March 2 sanctioned two key Houthi rebel leaders in Yemen over their alleged roles in cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia and shipping vessels in the Red Sea. Additionally, the Biden administration also announced that it would end providing offensive military assistance to Saudi Arabia for its Yemen campaign. This latest non-partisan move marks another attempt by the US to resolve bloodshed in Yemen that has killed over 112,000 till now. al-Saadi and al-Hamzi sanctioned The departments of State and Treasury said Houthi leaders Monsour al-Saadi and Ahmed al-Hamzi were responsible for attacks impacting Yemeni civilians, bordering nations, and commercial vessels in international waters. They said the Iran-backed Houthis, also known as Ansrallah, play a significant role in the conflict in Yemen and exacerbate the dire humanitarian plight of the Yemeni people. While President Biden, last month nixed the Houthis terrorist label, it has only bolstered attacks by Iran backed rebel groups, both in Yemen and in Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, many critics have pointed out that withdrawing support from Saudi could also fuel attacks. However, US state Secretary Antony Blinken rejected the claims adding that the country would still provide the required id to the kingdom defend itself. What is happening in Yemen? War in the Arab worlds poorest country erupted in 2014 when the Houthis seized the capital and much of the countrys north. A Saudi-led coalition, determined to restore President Abed Rabu Mansour Hadis government, launched a military intervention months later. The fighting in Yemen has spawned the worlds worst humanitarian crisis, leaving millions suffering from food and medical shortages. According to AP, the deadly crisis has killed over 112,000 people till now. Read: UN Chief: Appeal For Yemen Raises 'disappointing' $1.7B Read: UN Launching Donor Conference Amid Fears Of Famine In Yemen Intensifying the operation against the Kingdom in retaliation to the air raids conducted by the Saudi-led coalition troops in the north of Yemen, Iran-allied Houthis, last month, launched a ballistic missile and at least three booby-trapped drones, targeting the province of Jizan. One other drone attacked was aimed at the southwestern city as loud explosions resonated in the Saudi capital, followed by interception of a missile by Yemeni armed forces minutes later, according to the state television footage that emerged from the scene. Read: Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis Claim Saudi Strikes; Attack On Israeli Vessel In Gulf Of Oman Read: UN Sanctions Top Houthi Police Official In Yemen's Capital Thousands of opposition supporters have rallied in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian. More than 10,000 demonstrators gathered in front of parliament on March 3 under a heavy security presence, including snipers who were positioned inside and on the roof of the building. 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 sold out. Sign up for the waitlist. A state court has overridden a towns decision to block a medical weed growing facility months after construction had begun at a former orchid greenhouse. The state Superior Court in Gloucester County ruled in favor of High Street Capital Partners, which does business as Acreage Holdings, finding that Mantua Township was wrong to wait months to deny a zoning permit to grow cannabis and wrong to say no simply because it is a marijuana facility. Towns can bar cannabis businesses, but must pass ordinances to do so. Municipalities have six months to decide if they want to block the growing, manufacturing and distribution of weed under the new legalization law signed by Gov. Phil Murphy last week. The ruling will ultimately lead to an increase in how much cannabis is available for medical marijuana patients. And if the facility can ramp up growing operations this year, it could help get New Jersey closer to launching weed sales to those 21 and older. While Murphy signed the bill legalizing weed last week, the Cannabis Regulatory Commission must first establish rules and license new dispensaries. Nobody knows Jersey politics like NJ.com. Add your email now and dont miss a story. Currently licensed medical cannabis companies, like Compassionate Care Foundation, will likely have the first chance to sell cannabis to the public. But they must first certify they have enough for the states patients and to meet new demand. To do so, the alternative treatment centers will have to expand their footprint. Canadian cannabis giant Acreage Holdings acquired Compassionate Care Foundation last year. It operates two dispensaries in Egg Harbor Township and Atlantic City, as well as a cultivation site in Egg Harbor Township. The company applied for a zoning permit to operate a cannabis growing facility in a former orchid warehouse in June of 2019. According to the complaint, Mantua did not issue approval or denial of the permit in 10 days, and the grow facility moved forward on construction with implied approval. But in September 2019, Mantua issued a denial. While the town had approved the greenhouse for cultivation previously, it did not believe cannabis fell under that zoning use, according to court documents. The company planned to use the facility only to grow medical weed, not to process or dispense it. The township did not have an ordinance explicitly banning the cultivation of medical cannabis. The only change that Plaintiff proposed was in the type of flowering plant being cultivated within the existing commercial greenhouse, according to court documents submitted by High Street Capital Partners. A Mantua township board upheld that denial, and High Street Capital Partners sued in January 2020. But on Friday, the court ruled in favor of the company. Mantua Township has agreed to issue a zoning approval for the greenhouse, according to an order for judgement submitted to the court Monday. Once a judge signs the order, the town must issue the permit within five days. But the facility will also need a permit from the state Department of Health to begin growing. A spokesperson for the health department did not respond to a question regarding the permit status of the Mantua site. A spokesperson for Mantua Township declined to comment on the ruling. Acreage could not be reached for comment. 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. An online public meeting to keep Manorhamilton and Drumshanbo branches of Bank of Ireland open is to take place on Thursday, March 11 at 8pm. Local Sinn Fein Councillors Brendan Barry and Martin Fallon along with Deputy Martin Kenny are inviting people to have their say on the impact these closures will bring. On a Facebook post Cllr Barry outlined "For towns and communities to thrive they need their local bank branches to stay open. "In the middle of a pandemic when customers and businesses are under severe pressure, Bank of Ireland, which was bailed out to the tune of 4.7 billion by the Irish people, should not be closing bank branches. "Keeping our local bank branches open is crucial to the economic future of communities as we seek to rebuild after this pandemic. "As a key shareholder in Bank of Ireland, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe must stand up for communities facing the closure of their local bank branches." A petition has also been launched. To find out more go to https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/keep-our-bank-branch-open KABUL -- Unidentified gunmen have shot dead a Kabul University professor and religious scholar in the Afghan capital, a day after three female employees of a television channel were gunned down in the east of the war-torn country. A Kabul police spokesman said the university lecturer, Faiz Mohammad Fayez, was on his way to a mosque for morning prayers when he was shot on March 3. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes two weeks after two lecturers at Kabul University were killed when a bomb attached to the vehicle they were traveling in went off. No one claimed responsibility for that attack, either. On March 2, three female employees of the Afghan television channel Enikass TV were gunned down in the eastern city of Jalalabad in an attack claimed by the Islamic State (IS) extremist group. There has been a rising wave of killings targeting journalists, civil society activists, and officials across Afghanistan in recent months amid ongoing peace talks between the Afghan government and Taliban negotiators in Qatar. Rights groups say the killings are intended to silence and intimidate independent voices and civil society in Afghanistan, which has made inroads on womens rights and free speech since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion that toppled the fundamentalist Taliban regime. Enikass TV said its three media workers killed in Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar Province, were recent high-school graduates aged between 18 and 20. Afghan officials said police arrested their alleged killer, insisting he was a Taliban militant -- a claim denied by Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid. Nangarhar police chief General Juma Gul Hemat said the suspect used a pistol with a silencer in the attacks. We are alarmed by the killing of Mursal Wahidi, Sadia Sadat, and Shahnaz Roafi, and the repeated attacks on Enikass Radio and TV, which must be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted, said Aliya Iftikhar, senior Asia researcher at the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists. Iftikhar said that working for a news outlet or broadcaster in Afghanistan carries immense risk, and impunity will only further the cycle of violence and fear. In December, the IS group claimed responsibility for the killing in Jalalabad of a female TV presenter working for Enikass and her driver. With reporting by AP Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-04 03:21:58|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CAIRO, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani held on Wednesday their first meeting after the two countries signed a reconciliation agreement in January to end a three-year rift. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 155th ordinary session of the Arab League Council at the level of foreign ministers which kicked off Wednesday in the Egyptian capital Cairo, according to a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry. The meeting came days after official delegations from Egypt and Qatar met on Feb. 23 in Kuwait during which the two sides discussed mechanisms needed to enhance future joint work after the signing of the Kuwaiti-sponsored reconciliation deal in Al-Ula city of Saudi Arabia in January. In early January, Qatar and the Arab quartet comprising Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt signed the reconciliation deal during the 41st Gulf Cooperation Council Summit. The four states jointly cut diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar in June 2017, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism and interfering in their internal affairs, which Qatar repeatedly denied. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-04 00:10:44|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HARARE, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday thanked Kembo Mohadi for his service as the Vice President of Zimbabwe. Mohadi resigned on Monday following an alleged sex scandal, after serving in that post for three years. He was previously the Minister of State for National Security in the President's Office from 2015 to 2017 and Minister of Home Affairs from 2002 to 2015. In his first public comment since Mohadi's resignation, Mnangagwa said the resignation was "unexpected but accepted." "We convene today following the resignation of Col (Retired) K.C.D Mohadi from the post of Vice President of Zimbabwe. His resignation from the governance architecture of the Second Republic was unexpected but accepted," Mnangagwa said. He was addressing the 349th session of the ZANU-PF Politburo meeting in the capital Harare. Mohadi will, however, maintain his post as Second Vice President in the ruling ZANU-PF party. Mnangagwa called for unity in the party, thanking Mohadi for the three years he served in government advancing its objectives. Enditem In a nutshell: Intel has been ordered to pay $2.18 billion in damages to VLSI Technology LLC, marking one of the largest awards in patent-infringement trial history. As reported by Bloomberg Law, a jury in Waco, Texas, ruled that Intel must pay $1.5 billion for infringement of one patent and $675 million for the second. Tom's Hardware tracked down the processor-related patents in question, finding that the '759 patent' describes clock speed management, and the '373 patent' is a method to reduce the memory's minimum operating voltage. NXP Semiconductors Inc. had owned the patents before VLSI bought them in 2019. The Dutch chipmaker, which was spun out of Philips, will receive a cut of the award. The patents were initially issued to Freescale Semiconductor Inc. and SigmaTel Inc. before NXP bought the firms. Intel lawyer William Lee told jurors that VLSI, founded four years ago, has no products, and its only potential revenue is this lawsuit, suggesting the firm is a patent troll. VLSI "took two patents off the shelf that hadn't been used for 10 years and said, 'We'd like $2 billion,'" said Lee. He added the "outrageous" demand "would tax the true innovators," and that $2.2 million would be a much fairer figure. Intel said it disagrees with the decision, naturally. "We intend to appeal and are confident that we will prevail," the company stated. While the jury said Intel was unaware it infringed on the patents, federal law states you don't need to know about a patent to infringe it. VLSI lawyer Morgan Chu said Intel purposely didn't check to see if someone else had patented the inventions, accusing the firm of "willful blindness." While $2.2 billion would put many companies out of business, Intel made $77.9 billion in revenue last year. Central image credit: Ascannio Canada and the Canadian nuclear industry express their interest in working alongside Romanian partners for the retrofitting project of Unit 1 and the construction of new nuclear units at CNE Cernavoda, declared, during a specialty conference, Annick Goulet, the Canadian ambassador to Romania, Bulgaria and the Republic of Moldova, according to AGERPRES. Today, Romania and Canada, through the cooperation from the nuclear field, advance on hitting development and decarbonization targets in Romania. Canada and the Canadian nuclear industry express their interest in working alongside Romanian partners on the retrofitting project of Unit 1 and the construction of new nuclear units at CNE Cernavoda. Furthermore, the Canadian nuclear industry aims to expand the partnership with Romanian companies with expertise in the CANDU field, beyond the Romanian market, for nuclear projects from Canada and other countries, Goulet said. In turn, Teodor Chirica, the honorary chairman of ROMATOM, pointed out the fact that, in a larger Euro-Atlantic context, "cooperation with the Canadian nuclear industry is a crucial factor in finishing the two units from CNE Cernavoda". "Putting these into service and expanding the lifespan of Unit 1 will bring a significant contribution in fulfilling the environmental objectives assumed by Romania, but also in consolidating the energy security of supply and well-being at a national and international level. The relation between the two industries from Romania and Canada was successfully tested upon finishing the two functional units at Cernavoda, Unit 1 in 1996 and Unit 2 in 2007," Chirica mentioned. According to the data presented by the ROMATOM chairman, Lucian Rusu, in Romania, currently, nuclear energy ensures 11,000 jobs which could go up to 20,000 jobs, once the new nuclear projects will be kicked off. At the same time, the capacity of the nuclear industry in Romania is evaluated at 1 - 1.6 billion Euro, representing approximately 30% of the engineering works, procuring, construction and putting into service of Units 3 and 4 from CNE Cernavoda. During the period of March 2-3, 2021, the Canadian Nuclear Industry Organization (OCNI), ROMATOM, Energynomics, Nuclearelectrica and the Canadian Embassy have held the online event "Romania-Canada partnership in the field of nuclear technology", dedicated to presenting the long-term cooperation relationship between the nuclear industries from both countries, as well as to discussing the perspectives of new nuclear projects. ROMATOM was founded on January 10, 2001 and currently represents the interests of 40 companies from the nuclear field and neighboring fields in Romania. The purpose of the association is about using nuclear energy peacefully in Romania and promoting a national nuclear program, as well as the international cooperation with the organization where it is affiliated, namely FORATOM (the European Atomic Forum). .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... New Mexicos quest for statehood was slowed for years, in part, because of concerns about different languages and cultures here. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., said he knows about his states history, and its one of the reasons hell be leading the push to make Puerto Rico the countrys 51st state. One of the things that shocked me was how similar the struggle really is, that the arguments havent really changed, Heinrich said at a news conference in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Heinrich said he would introduce a bill on the Senate floor that would start the process for the group of islands that make up Puerto Rico for statehood. Hes working alongside Rep. Darren Soto, D-Florida, and Jennifer Gonzalez-Colon, Puerto Ricos nonvoting member of Congress, on the Puerto Rico Admission Act. It is long past due for the millions of American citizens living in Puerto Rico to get the representation that they deserve, said Heinrich, who sits on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee that holds legislative jurisdiction over U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico. Heinrich cited a November referendum when a majority of Puerto Ricans voted to become a state in the Union. Americans in Puerto Rico reached a clear consensus: their destiny lies with statehood, said Soto, who is of Puerto Rican descent. There was bipartisan support for Puerto Rican statehood at the news conference where Heinrich announced his intended legislation. But Puerto Ricos bid to become a state also has opposition. In a letter to President Joe Biden last month, three former governors of Puerto Rico, Alejandro Garcia Padilla, Anibal Acevedo Vila and Sila Maria Calderon, raised concerns about statehood. Their concerns included how it would affect Puerto Ricos tax structure. They pointed out that Puerto Ricos more than 3 million residents are divided on the issue, saying only about 52% of Puerto Rico voters said yes to statehood during the vote. Liberals must view the issue of Puerto Rico status not as a civil rights issue but as a self-determination issue where all stakeholders are entitled to a fair hearing, the former governors wrote. NEW ORLEANS Dr. Princess Dennar of Tulane University was just a child in Southwest Philadelphia when she decided to become a doctor. Many of the children in the predominantly Black neighborhood often rode their bikes in the street, but there were few stop signs to keep them safe. She still remembers the day one of the kids was hit by a car. It took hours before an ambulance came to help, Dennar said. If she had been a doctor, she could have helped sooner, she remembers thinking. Decades later, Dennar became the first Black woman to head the Tulane University School of Medicine's internal medicine-pediatrics program. "My parents [said] there is no glass ceiling. That was the philosophy that they implanted in me," she told NBC News. Despite breaking well-established barriers through her position at Tulane, Dennar was suspended last month after she filed a federal lawsuit against the medical school in October. The lawsuit accuses Tulane of discrimination and "creating a race and gender-based hostile environment." Dennar alleges in the lawsuit that she experienced discrimination starting in 2008 when she first interviewed for a director position at the program. Dr. Lee Hamm, who is now the dean of Tulane's School of Medicine and was the chair of the internal medicine department at the time, is alleged to have told Dennar that she could become only co-director because "white medical students wouldn't follow or rank favorably a program with a Black program director." The medical school "didn't want to change the face of Tulane" with her at the helm, the lawsuit claims. Image: Dr. Princess Dennar (Courtesy Dr. Princess Dennar) In a statement, Tulane said Hamm "categorically denies the allegations of racist language" outlined in Dennar's lawsuit. The university said it is "committed to fostering an equitable and inclusive community and discrimination, in any form, has no place and is not tolerated." The lawsuit claims that after Dennar filed an internal complaint with Tulane's Office of Institutional Equity in 2018, she was offered a contract renewal with a proposed $30,000 pay cut. Her salary was restored after she complained to Tulane's Office of Institutional Equity. Dennar said she has since filed three federal Equal Employment Opportunity complaints. She won the right to sue in two of the cases. The third complaint was filed this week. Story continues Dennar said her experience as the school's first Black director "came with a lot of weight." "It also came with what I began to see as a pattern of exclusion and a pattern of abuse," she said. The pattern was not specific to Dennar. In her lawsuit, she also claims that Tulane's internal ranking system for students, called ATLAS, rated students who attended historically Black colleges and universities lower than those who did not. Residents who were female or belonged to minority groups at Tulane were given less favorable rotation schedules and deprived of earning enough hours in certain types of training needed to graduate, according to the lawsuit. "They were burdened with not having an equitable educational experience in comparison to their white counterparts," Dennar told NBC News. Tulane declined to comment on pending litigation. It said that Dennar's suspension was based on "serious concerns raised by a special review" from an independent panel and that it is "engaging an outside consultant to facilitate discussion and discovery at the School of Medicine." Hours before Dennar's story aired on NBC's "TODAY" show Tuesday morning, Hamm offered to lift Dennar's suspension and reinstate her as program director. "This offer is predicated on Dr. Dennar's acceptance of several support mechanisms to help ensure issues reviewed by [the Graduate Medical Education Committee] do not reoccur," Hamm said in a statement. "I am dedicated to fostering an environment where every member of our community can work, learn, and thrive. I am committed to our important work to end racial disparities in the health system and believe that Tulane must be part of the solution." Dennar told NBC News that she will consider Hamm's offer and review the terms with her attorney but that her concerns about racism and sexism at Tulane have not been addressed. Image: Dr. Russell Ledet sitting at his scientific bench (Courtesy Dr. Russell Ledet) Backlash erupted on social media shortly after Dennar was suspended. A hashtag, #DNRTulane, was created calling on medical students not to rank Tulane during the process doctors-to-be undergo when they are vying for placement in residency programs. Another hashtag, #JusticeforDrDennar, is also circulating on Twitter. Both hashtags have drawn hundreds of responses from other Black students and doctors eager to share their stories of discrimination in the medical field. "If you don't value someone as powerful as Dr. Dennar, how can we be convinced right now in medical school that at some point you will value us?" third-year Tulane medical student Russell Ledet said. "If you could just cancel Dr. Dennar after all she's accomplished, after all she's done, who are we?" Even before Dennar sued, Ledet had organized a now-viral photo of Black medical students posing outside a Louisiana plantation. In a tweet, Ledet wrote that the students in the picture were their ancestors' "wildest dreams." "In the background, an original slave quarter," he wrote in the tweet, which has more than 20,000 likes. "In the foreground, original descendants of slaves and medical students." This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. More than a year after he shared the photo, Ledet said, "we need more doctors in our city." "We specifically need more Black doctors in our city for our patients," he added. Only 5 percent of all doctors in the U.S. are Black, and only 3.6 percent of those teach in medical schools, according to a report by the American Association of Medical Colleges. Black Americans are more than 13 percent of the U.S. population, according to census data. "We have a lot more work to do in terms of valuing ... diversity and what diverse people bring to leadership positions," said Dr. Quinn Capers, vice chair of diversity at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Dr. Aysha Khoury, a Southern California-based internist and a former founding faculty member at the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine in Pasadena, is among the Black doctors who are speaking publicly about racism at medical institutions. Last summer, after a Black man was killed during a confrontation with Pasadena police, the school's equity and diversity office asked Khoury to weave in the topic of bias in medicine during a class. During the class, which she co-facilitated with another faculty member, Khoury shared her experiences as a Black woman in medicine. She remembers her students' being fully engaged and the classroom's taking on an emotional air, because "it was an emotional topic." That night, Khoury was suspended from teaching. On Sept. 1, the school sent a letter to Khoury saying her suspension was "prompted by a complaint about certain classroom activities that took place on Friday, August 28." It went on the say that the decision was made by "several school leaders." "I remember feeling shocked and numbed, disbelief because they had made that decision without speaking to me," she said. "I was in a lot of pain." The medical school, which is named after the first Black man named as CEO of the integrated managed care consortium Kaiser Permanente, has denied that Khoury was suspended because of the class. Khoury also said she was denied a promotion for which she had been considered only months earlier. Kaiser's medical school declined to discuss personnel matters and did not address in the statement why Khoury was not promoted. "The school has been clear that Dr. Khoury was not placed on leave because she brought content related to anti-racism to the classroom or because she shared her experiences as a Black woman in medicine," the school said in an emailed statement. "In fact, we encourage our faculty to share their personal experiences and observations regarding anti-racism and equity, inclusion, and diversity and weave them into class discussions." Asked why she decided to speak out about her experience, Khoury said she refused to be "complicit" in her trauma. "Once I started talking about it, I realized how hostile the medical profession is for Black women," she said. "For me, being complicit means that my silence allowed them to continue to do what they did to me with impunity. If I saw a faculty member experience this, I would not be able to sit idly. I could not participate in their playbook." Shraddha Kapoor's Loved Up Picture With Rumoured Boyfriend Rohan Shrestha We came across a picture on social media in which Rohan Shrestha has his arms wrapped around his ladylove's waist, who in turn, is quite surprised to see her birthday cake. Birthday Love Shraddha Kapoor is all smiles as she cuts her three tier birthday cake, while Rohan is seen cheering for her. Shraddha's Birthday Celebration Was A Family Affair Earlier, while speaking with Hindustan Times, Shakti Kapoor had revealed, "This year, Shraddha's birthday celebration will be huge as all of us including the extended family will be in the Maldives. Wedding and birthday will be big time, sab saath mein hai, toh maza aayega." Vice President Kamala Harris continued to remain mum on the issue of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's sexual harassment allegations even after some notable individuals from Democrats and Republicans have already expressed their views and opinions. Fox News reported that many members of both parties weigh in on the sexual harassment allegations from multiple women reporting Cuomo's inappropriate conduct. But Harris' voice was still absent in the conversation. According to CBS News, Andrew Cuomo has been out of sight, but top Democrats in Washington D.C. could not avoid the topic about the governor, who is now under the fire. READ ALSO: Lindsey Graham: Kamala Harris Impeachment Might Soon Happen if GOP Continues to Overwhelm House Kamala Harris' Silent on Andrew Cuomo's Sexual Harassment Scandal According to Fox News, Kamala Harris was a vocal opponent of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearing at the Senate in 2018. Kavanaugh came under fire after a series of women, including Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, claimed he had sexually assaulted them. Fox News reported that Kamala Harris even said that she also believed and respected the women who had accused President Joe Biden of inappropriate touching in the past. But now, with the emergence of three women accusing fellow Democrat Cuomo of harassment, Kamala Harris was silent whilst holding the second-highest office in the country. For her part, White House Secretary Jen Psaki said that she believes Kamala Harris continues to feel the same way she felt when it comes to the issue of sexual assault, the New York Post reported. Speaking on behalf of Biden and Harris, Psaki said both officials believe that each woman coming forward should be heard and be treated with dignity and respect. But Psaki stressed that while she speaks for Biden and Harris, both have not personally addressed the sexual harassment scandal. Other prominent female Democrats have already expressed their views on the matter and supported a probe into the sexual harassment claims. In a statement, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who also served as a senator from New York, said the allegations against Andrew Cuomo "brought forth raise serious questions that the women who have come forward and all New Yorkers deserve answers to." Probe Into Sexual Harassment Claims Against Andrew Cuomo The Hill reported that Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer said the sexual harassment allegations against Cuomo were "very troubling." However, he did not call for Cuomo's resignation. Schumer noted that the allegations made by three women "are serious," adding that sexual harassment is unacceptable and must not be tolerated. Senator Kristen Gillibrand of New York echoed Schumer's statement, noting that the alleged behavior is "completely unacceptable." According to CBS News, former deputy secretary for economic development and special adviser to the governor, Lindsey Boylan, accused Andrew Cuomo of giving her an unwanted kiss and stating inappropriate comments. Former health policy adviser to Cuomo, Charlotte Bennett, also said the governor asked her about her sex life and even asked her if she ever had sex with older men. The two women's claims prompted New York Attorney General Letitia James to launch a probe, and findings will be made public once it's completed. After James' announcement, a certain Anna Ruch came forward and accused Cuomo of inappropriately touching her and even asked her if he could kiss her at a 2019 wedding reception. Andrew Cuomo has already denied sexually harassing anyone. However, some members of his own party are still calling for him to step down. READ MORE: Stimulus Check: Kamala Harris Wants to Give $12,000 to Beneficiaries Right Away WATCH: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to be Investigated for Sexual Harassment - From CNBC Television Senior Army aviation officials on Tuesday watched flight demonstrations of a handful of prototype drones built for vertical takeoffs and landings, which the service hopes will lead to a rapid replacement of the 30-year-old RQ-7B Shadow. On a rainy day at Fort Benning, Georgia, soldiers from five brigade combat teams, or BCTs, across the Army participated in the Future Tactical Unmanned Aerial System, or FTUAS, Rodeo. The event wrapped up months of field evaluations involving four UAS -- the Arcturus Jump 20, L3 Harris Unmanned Systems FVR-90, Martin UAV V-Bat, and Textron Systems Aerosonde Hybrid Quad. "This is the culmination of an extremely successful soldier touch point for Future Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems," Maj. Gen. David Francis, commander of the Army Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker, Alabama, told reporters during a roundtable discussion. "Today, we got a demonstration from each of the four vendors in less-than-ideal weather. It was cold, it was raining, and they all were able to launch, demonstrate the capabilities and recover each of their UAS systems successfully." Read Next: Air Force Unveils Design of New PT Uniforms Based on operational needs statements from the XVIII Airborne Corps, I Corps and the 25th infantry Division, the Army wants to field a Shadow replacement that's quieter, able to take off and land without a runway and transportable by CH-47 Chinook helicopter. "We saw all of that and more. We saw a very agile system from every performer, and we saw the soldiers uniformly fall in love with this capability and want to keep it," said Brig. Gen. Walter Rugen, director of the Army's Future Vertical Lift Cross Functional Team. But aviation officials at the demo were clear that the service is not ready to buy just yet. The results from the effort will be used to finalize a requirement document that is scheduled to go before the Army Requirements Oversight Council later this month for evaluation. Brig. Gen. Robert Barrie, head of Program Executive Office Aviation, would not comment on a fielding timeline but said the Army has the funding resources to hold the FTUAS competition and put similar capability in the "hands of soldiers very rapidly." Rugen added that BCTs clearly need a replacement for the Shadow as soon as possible. "The demand signal from the field is significant, and so it's not something that this team, this enterprise, can ignore," he said. "The field is clamoring for this capability, and so I would say that I am not overstating it by saying that the Army is looking for opportunities to get this in the hands of soldiers rapidly." Aviation officials said they were surprised that soldiers were able to control each of the prototypes while moving in a tactical vehicle. "We didn't think we would be able to operate on the move, but all five BCTs, all four form factors operated on the move by which the aircraft was in flight and they were driving an FMTV or a Humvee," Rugen said. "That was tremendous." Rugen was also impressed that all the prototypes were able to fly in the rain. "Shadow could never fly in this type of moisture, couldn't even come close," he said. Soldiers involved in the demos agreed that the Shadow is hindered by humid and rainy conditions but said that flying in the rain doesn't really add a tactical advantage. Spc. Athenia Bailey of the 1st Armored Division 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team said she noticed that cameras and other surveillance payload on all of the prototypes soon began to collect rain, which resulted in a loss of visibility. "Your mission is to find stuff and target stuff and send it out to higher [commands], and you are not going to be able to do that for a long period of time when you are flying in the rain," Bailey told reporters. Spc. Anthony Karl of the 1st Infantry Division's 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team said the vertical takeoff and landing capabilities of the new prototypes impressed him a lot more than their ability to fly in the rain because they are a lot easier to prepare for flight operations than the Shadow. "You can take everything off of a truck to fly one of these systems -- and it's relatively the same across the board for all of them -- in a third or less of the time it takes to get one Shadow flight line set up," he said. -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. Related: Army Drone Rodeo Will Feature Textron's Vertical Takeoff UAS Logan, WV (25601) Today Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. High 79F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional showers overnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. School district trustee races will present choices to voters in the Pasadena, Deer Park and La Porte school districts in the May 1 election. In Pasadena ISD, four positions will be on the ballot, and all feature contested races. At Position 1, incumbent Fred Roberts, who has served in the post since 1993, has declined to run for office. Noble J. Alix Jr. will face Paola Gonzales Fusilier for that seat. But two other longtime incumbents will vie against challengers as they seek new terms. Position 2 incumbent Mariselle Quijano has drawn a challenger in Crystal Davila. Quijano has served on the board since 2009. Position 3 incumbent Nelda R. Sullivan has drawn a pair of opponents in Sunil Nepal and Yen Huynh Rabe. Sullivan has served on the school board since 1993. Jack Bailey has decided not to run for re-election after serving since 2010; so Position 4 is another one that will have a new face. Al Bledsoe, Areef Bhuyan and Casey Phelan have filed for that seat. The district has an enrollment of more than 50,000 and includes the Pasadena and South Belt communities. Deer Park ISD The terms for three Deer Park ISD trustees are coming to an end come May, but there will only be one race for a seat on the school board. Trustees Rhonda Lowe in Position 1 and Jason Cable in Position 3 are running unopposed. The current holder of the Position 2 spot, Albert Lee Giddens, has drawn a pair of opponents Candace Igberaese and Dr. John Jackson. Deer Park ISDs enrollment is more than 12,800. La Porte ISD La Porte ISDs school board president, David L. Janda Jr., the incumbent in Position 5, will face a challenge from Ti ODaniel. The Position 4 race will be a three-way affair, with Jeff Martin, Marcus Beliz and Jason Reed battling it out. Lee Wallace, the current holder of the Position 4 seat, elected to not run again. The districts enrollment is more than 7,700. John DeLapp is a freelance writer. He can be contacted at texdelapp@gmail.com. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landrys unusual lawsuit against a reporter for The Advocate and The Times-Picayune who sought public records related to a sexual harassment investigation of one of Landrys top aides is set to be heard in a Baton Rouge courtroom Thursday. Landry sued reporter Andrea Gallo on Feb. 5, almost two months after she filed a request to the AGs office seeking the records of an investigation into Pat Magee, head of the offices criminal division. The suit has attracted national attention, prompting a story in the Washington Post and a critical statement from the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. The case is set to be heard by 19th Judicial District Judge Tim Kelley. The saga dates to Dec. 14, when Gallo asked for records of any sexual harassment complaints filed against Magee, as well as any records showing how those complaints were handled. Magee was placed on administrative leave the same day. AG Jeff Landry didn't report discipline of top aide resulting from sexual harassment complaint Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry chose not to disclose that he had to discipline one of his top deputies following a sexual harassment c Landrys public records coordinator, Asyl Nachabe, wrote Gallo back in early January to say the office could not provide the records immediately because they were in use, and that records of internal investigations do not become public until after the investigations are over. Nachabe also wrote that the exemptions are temporary and not permanent and we will make the appropriate documents available once the investigation is over. By that time, Landrys office had contracted with Vicki Crochet of the law firm Taylor Porter to handle the probe into Magees behavior, at a cost not to exceed $20,000. Magee came back to work Jan. 19 after that investigation was complete. But despite the earlier assurances, Landrys office announced that neither Crochets report nor any of the complaints against Magee would be released. Instead, Landry simply said that Magee had engaged in inappropriate verbal conversations, used sexual slang and made other unprofessional remarks over employees looks. Magees pay was docked $20,559 and he was ordered to take courses on workplace behavior. 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 Leading Louisiana good-government group slams AG Jeff Landry's lawsuit against reporter Attorney General Jeff Landrys lawsuit targeting a reporter for The Times-Picayune and The Advocate who filed a public-records request seeking Landrys lawyers said they were going to keep the complaints against Magee secret because of a constitutional right to privacy, as well as policies of Landrys office and state civil service rules that call for confidentiality in sexual harassment investigations. The newspaper suggested redacting names and other information that might identify victims or witnesses, but said that the office had to turn over the records. Landry then sued, seeking a declaratory judgment declaring the records off-limits, sealing court records in the matter and forcing Gallo to pay fees. The newspaper filed a counterclaim this week saying that Landry should be forced to turn over the relevant documents, with names redacted if necessary. Scott Sternberg, the newspapers lawyer, also asked Kelley to assess Landry attorneys fees, plus penalties of $100 per day dating back to Dec. 14. The newspaper also argued that the proceedings should not be sealed. Attorney General Jeff Landry sues Advocate reporter over public-records request Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry on Friday sued a reporter for The Advocate and The Times-Picayune over a public-records request she fil Landrys lawsuit has drawn widespread criticism, including from the Public Affairs Research Council, a good-government group. In a strongly worded commentary, PAR expressed concern that a lawsuit by the states top law enforcement officer would send a message to governmental entities across the state that it is acceptable to file such pre-emptive lawsuits to avoid disclosing potentially embarrassing facts. On Monday, a consortium of other media organizations, including The Lens, Gray Media Group, the Louisiana Press Association and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, filed a friend of the court brief in support of The Advocate and The Times-Picayune. Landry is not the first Louisiana official to file such a lawsuit, but he is the most prominent. Sternberg has also represented reporters and citizens in two similar cases filed by government bodies in the Monroe area. Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori is on trial for his role in a 1990s government program in which many Indigenous women in poor communities say they were forcibly sterilized, and some died or suffered serious injuries because of infection. The judicial process led by Judge Rafael Martinez began Monday following years of demands by human rights activists as well as numerous obstacles, including prosecutors who shelved investigations of Fujimori in the past. The new prosecutor in the case, Pablo Espinoza, said sterilizations were carried out in unsanitary conditions and that some women died from infections. Fujimori has been implicated in the deaths of five women and the injuries of another 1,301 women who were allegedly sterilized against their will. Fujimori, 82, is serving a 25-year prison sentence for two killings by the military during his 1990-2000 administration. He has also been convicted of corruption and faces another trial for the murder of six farmers by a military death squad during his administration. Fujimori said through his lawyers that he should not be tried in the sterilization case because, when he was extradited from Chile in 2007, it was not included in the group of crimes for which he was going to be judged. Some other former members of Fujimori's government are also accused in the sterilization case. As president, Fujimori announced at a congress in China in 1995 that his government would undertake a program to help poor Peruvian women decide the number of children they wanted to have. Later, there were growing complaints from women in poor communities in the Andes who said they had been sterilized without their knowledge. Officials of Fujimori's government claimed any excesses were the fault of overzealous local medical authorities. But the program was so controversial that the U.S. Congress cut aid payments to Peru that had been used to fund the program. "There are thousands of victims for which you can demonstrate that all this was part of state politics which was implemented from the head of government, alongside his advisor, Vladimiro Montesinos, and went through the Minister of Health and the Deputy Ministers and their Directors General," explained lawyer and human rights activist Ana Maria Vidal. Fujimori had boasted that the sterilization program dropped Peru's birth rate from 3.7 children per woman in 1990 to 2.7 children a decade later. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 30 giorni fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. The Russian workwear and PPE specialist selects Centric Software to optimize and track production CAMPBELL, Calif., March 2, 2021 - Vostok-Service, the largest developer, manufacturer and supplier of workwear, footwear and personal protective equipment (PPE) across Russia and Europe, has selected Centric Softwares Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), to track and improve product development and manufacturing. Centric Software provides the most innovative enterprise solutions to fashion, retail, footwear, outdoor, luxury, home decor and consumer goods companies to achieve strategic and operational digital transformation goals. Vostok-Service Group of Companies supplies both traditional and specialized labor protection equipment for various industries, such as: workwear and safety footwear, PPE, tools and related products. In order to guarantee the maximum level of safety for industrial workers using its workwear and PPE, Vostok-Service must ensure that the materials selected to make each of its products meet the required protective properties, and comply with strict quality control procedures. However, employees who wear the clothing increasingly want to look stylish, so for the past decade, Vostok-Service has taken inspiration from fashion trends to enable the creation of protective clothing that is not only durable and comfortable, but unique and well-designed. Due to the expanding production capacity of the company and the increase in the volume of products, we needed a modern IT solution to optimize and track production processes at all stages - from idea to production, explains Aleksey Suzdalev, Director of Production Division at Vostok-Service. We selected Centric PLM after a serious evaluation of competitive solutions available to the market and our final choice of vendor was very deliberate. Centric PLM has wide and varied functionalities that will help us track and improve product development and manufacturing, and Centric PLM incorporates worldwide best practices. Over five PLM vendors were considered by Vostok-Service, however, Centrics clear understanding of apparel, its approach to innovation and track record set it apart from its competitors. In addition, the success and 100% go-live rate of Centrics Agile DeploymentSM methodology were strong differentiators. With the introduction of Centric PLM, we plan to reduce labor costs for product development, increase the speed of new models released and increase labor productivity, comments Suzdalev. The creation of a digital twin and a common space where specialists can communicate will drastically increase the efficiency of our work. "We are delighted to be working with Vostok-Service to help the company grow and develop in-line with its present and future objectives, and we look forward to a long-term and successful partnership," says Chris Groves, President and CEO of Centric Software. Request a Demo Vostok-Service (www.vostok.ru) Founded in 1992, the Vostok-Service group of companies is the largest developer, manufacturer and supplier of workwear, footwear and personal protective equipment (PPE) in Russia and Europe. Its assortment consists of 12,000 items of workwear and safety footwear, PPE, tools, related products for enterprises of various industries including: energy, oil, gas, coal, chemical and petrochemical, ferrous and nonferrous metallurgy, mechanical engineering, metalworking and others. It is an international company that develops its business in the Czech Republic, Slovakia , Poland , Hungary , Italy , Spain , Turkey, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, South Africa, Finland. The Vostok-Service retail network in Russia and the CIS is represented by 280 branded stores, with more than 120 branches of the company operating in 56 regions of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. The production base of the Vostok-Service Group of Companies today is 15 sewing factories and four shoe factories, as well as an enterprise for the production of gloves with polymer coatings. The factories are located in Russia, Belarus and Italy, equipped with modern equipment to produce high quality products. About Centric Software (www.centricsoftware.com) From its headquarters in Silicon Valley, Centric Software provides a Digital Transformation Platform for the most prestigious names in fashion, retail, footwear, luxury, outdoor and consumer goods including cosmetics, beauty, food and beverage. Centrics flagship Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) platform, Centric 8, delivers enterprise-class merchandise planning, product development, sourcing, quality and collection management functionality tailored for fast-moving consumer industries. Centric SMB provides innovative PLM technology and key industry learnings for emerging brands. Centric Visual Innovation Platform (VIP) offers a new fully visual and digital experience for collaboration and decision-making and includes the Centric Buying Board to transform internal buying sessions and maximize retail value and the Centric Concept Board for driving creativity and evolving product concepts. All Centric innovations shorten time to market, boost product innovation and reduce costs. Centric Software is majority-owned by Dassault Systemes (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA), the world leader in 3D design software, 3D Digital Mock Up and PLM solutions. Centric Software has received multiple industry awards and recognition, including being named by Red Herring to its Top 100 Global list in 2013, 2015 and 2016. Centric also received various excellence awards from Frost & Sullivan in 2012, 2016, 2018 and 2021. Centric Software is a registered trademark of Centric Software Inc. All other brands and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Media Contacts: Centric Software Americas: Jennifer Forsythe, jforsythe@centricsoftware.com EMEA: Kristen Salaun-Batby, ksalaun-batby@centricsoftware.com APAC: Lily Dong, lily.dong@centricsoftware.com Instead of purely offering foreign investors a manufacturing base, Vietnam places more and more emphasis on R&D. Photo: Shutterstock South Korean conglomerate LG in early February declared to add about $750 million to its LG Display Vietnam facility in the northern port city of Haiphong, raising its total investment capital to $3.25 billion. The move took place as COVID-19 returned. Suk Myung Su, general director of LG Display Vietnam said that this subsidiary is one of LGs key projects across the globe. In the coming time, we expect the local authorities to keep facilitating a safe investment climate, thus assuring stability for our long-term plans. Sus statement partially reflects how important the Vietnamese market to the entire corporation is, especially as its LG Electronics branch has suffered tremendous losses in overseas markets. As of the end of December, LG Electronics recorded accumulated losses of $4.5 billion over 24 consecutive quarters. As a result, the parent company has been attempting to restructure its entire operations, including shifting the majority of its business segments to Vietnam. According to Korea Times, LG targets the country as its average labour cost is much lower than in South Korea, helping the company to save a sizable expense. Moreover, the growing living standards in Vietnam are also appeasing. Tran Anh Tuan, founder of research and development (R&D) company MESLAB, told VIR that the local electronics and home appliances market is very promising, as it is driven by the growing expenditures for these items. Therefore, LG chose to accelerate many projects in Vietnam, thus using it as its main supply base for products and new tech. Furthermore, its arch rival South Korean Samsung has poured immense capital into Vietnam, so LG cannot stand around with its arms crossed, added Tuan. Following a string of big foreign-invested ventures in Vietnam, LG is working with local authorities to receive plentiful incentives similar to what overseas giants are enjoying here. Shared ideas Similar to LG, its competitors like Samsung, Microsoft, Qualcomm, Intel, and lately Foxconn Apples largest assemblers have massively stimulated investments in Vietnam. Late last year, Foxconn announced to pour an extra $700 million into the country and thereby provide around 10,000 new jobs in 2021. At the same time, the Taiwanese assembler kicked off two projects in the northern province of Bac Giang. On January 18, Bac Giang Peoples Committee also licensed its new project to manufacture tablets and laptops, worth $270 million. As of the end of 2020, Foxconns total investment in Vietnam reached about $1.5 billion. Last week, Foxconn Singapore Pte. Ltd. also decided to pour an additional $23 million into the Fukang Technology Factory in the northern province of Bac Ninh, bringing the total capital of this project to $293 million. The project was previously granted its investment certificate in mid-January. Foxconn is also recruiting additional 1,000 electronic assembly workers for its factories in Vietnam, who will work at the industrial zones of Dinh Tram, Quang Chau, Van Trung in Bac Giang and Bac Ninh provinces. Last March, Samsung started its $220 million R&D project in Hanoi. The establishment will be the largest in Southeast Asia and responsible for all of its R&D activities. After 12 years of presence in Vietnam, Samsung has increased its total investment in the nation by as much as 26 times to $17.3 billion, which places it as the biggest overseas investor in the country. Intel in January also added $475 million to the first phase of Intel Products Vietnam for its chip assembly and manufacturing facility. Along with the $1-billion chipset assembling facility in Saigon Hi-tech Park in Ho Chi Minh City that was built 15 years ago, the US company has invested around $1.5 billion here. Contrary to the previous incentives applied to all foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs), the government has recently reviewed adjusting incentives for investments in high-tech projects. Last year, the government issued several incentives as mentioned in Decree No.94/2020/ND-CP regulating the preferential mechanisms and policies for the National Innovation Centre (NIC). Talking to VIR, Vu Quoc Huy, deputy director of the NIC, said that the criteria will include key requirements like sectors and niche markets, products, technology, business models, and human resources. These are basic standards to select appropriate businesses that focus on the core values of businesses instead of their profitability, so startups and small- and medium-sized enterprises with promising ideas have great chances to join the NIC, said Huy. Manufacturing and assembling establishments which previously had enjoyed a prolonged focus in Vietnam may no longer be approached with favourable conditions. A VIR source revealed that Intel has been in talks with the Ministry of Planning and Investment to receive enormous incentives for its latest project. When Intel entered Vietnam in 2007, the company was offered great incentives for its chip assembling and manufacturing facility. Pham Chanh Truc, head of the high-tech park in Ho Chi Minh City at the time, said Intel would not pay corporate income tax (CIT) for the first four years of operation and enjoy a 50 per cent tax break for the nine years following that. After that, Intel was set to pay only 10 per cent CIT, compared with the then-normal 28 per cent rate. R&D in focus According to the amended Law on Enterprises, R&D activities are classified as industries entitled to incentives. Article 20 stipulates that such projects with a scale of more than VND3 trillion ($130.4 million), and disbursements of at least VND1 trillion ($43.47 million) within three years, can apply for a particular incentive mechanism that is higher than the current provisions of the law and decided by the prime minister. For now, operators are investigating the incentives as stipulated in Decree 94. Those include fewer administrative procedures and a 50-year exemption from land leasing costs in high-tech areas. Establishments at the NIC will also be exempt from land clearance expenses and infrastructure usage fees at the areas they lease. Moreover, startups will be able to enjoy a preferential CIT rate of 10 per cent over the first 30 years, instead of the previous 20 per cent. The NIC will provide programmes focusing on supporting innovative companies, including promoting technology transfer between overseas and local businesses as well as assisting them with research and commercialisation of their products under a sandbox mechanism. Among foreign-invested projects, Samsung continues to enjoy the most favourable conditions for its R&D centre. LG, however, does not stand still as it is already researching locations near Danang to set up similar establishments. Vietnam annually spends a mere 0.4 per cent of its GDP on R&D activities, which is seen as a possible magnet for luring FIEs to the country. Tuan from MESLAB said that with global IT players R&D establishments, Vietnam could gain such benefits as creating suitable jobs for high-skilled employees. Shifting to R&D activities is an inevitable trend as local labour cost and their working skills keep improving, demanding higher-quality investment flows, Tuan said. Yi-Chin Lee, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Spring Branch ISD and students and staff who travel internationally will be required to quarantine before returning to in-person lessons. The move is pertinent as the district prepares to close for Spring Break during the week of March 15-19, SBISD officials said. At the advice of our local medical community and in keeping with the (Jan. 21) Presidential Executive Order and the CDC guidelines, we have notified students and staff that they will be required to quarantine after any international travel during Spring Break, read a statement from the district. Students who do travel internationally should attend virtual classes for the recommended quarantine period. Local authorities in the city issued a notice on the evening of Tuesday March 2 to say that it was embarking on a strict crackdown over March on industries that lag behind in terms of measures to lower emissions, with some actions possibly lasting months if the situation does not improve.The crackdown consists of 10 measures, which include the phasing out of outdated equipment and capacity, the implementation of strict emissions-reduction controls, cutting down the use of heavy-duty trucks and intensifying inspections.Seven 450-cubic-meter blast furnaces have been ordered to shut down by March 10, but these are not new requirements. The shutdowns are part of a capacity swap program that involves bigger blast furnaces replacing them.Affected mills include Yanshan Iron & Steel, Tangshan Stainless Steel, Huaxi Iron & Steel and Rongxing Iron & Steel. Xinbaotai Iron & Steel will also shut down all of its production facilities.The shutdown of certain blast furnaces in Tangshan was priced in by the market long ago, so the impact is not expected to be significant.But the ongoing restrictions on emissions will weaken demand for iron ore in Tangshan. Demand is not likely to recover soon considering the twin sessions will take place [this week], a buyer source in Tangshan said.Chinas legislative body, the National Peoples Congress, and its top-ranking political advisory body, the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, are holding their annual meetings - also known as the twin sessions - in Beijing on Thursday and Friday.Larger blast furnaces that will replace these smaller ones are also expected to start up in the first half of 2021, which would mitigate any drop in steel output, the source added.Iron ore prices could still get support from rising prices for finished steel, so the shutdown of these blast furnaces may not necessarily equate to a definite fall in prices for the steelmaking raw material, a steel mill source told Fastmarkets.In fact, Fastmarkets iron ore indices cfr Qingdao rose on Wednesday amid bullish steel prices The iron ore 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao index was at $176.40 per tonne on Wednesday, up $0.85 day on day and compared with $172.71 per tonne a week ago.While the official notice did not mention that the crackdown is related to the two top-level annual meetings taking place in neighboring Beijing this week, the timing is very close.The twin sessions have been raised as triggers for environmental controls in past years, but several market sources said the current crackdown is merely a continuation of the restrictions on sintering and coking activity which is already taking place in Tangshan.Officially, local authorities in Tangshan have cited the citys poor air quality as being the basis for the crackdown.Tangshan is already experiencing the effects of Chinas annual heating season, which stretches over autumn and winter. During this period, measures to lower emissions are intensified in northern China to offset the coal-fired heating systems that come online to deal with falling temperatures.The actual effect of the latest crackdown on steelmaking raw materials such as coking coal will depend on steel mills and coking plants adherence to the prescribed restrictions, a coking coal trader in Tangshan told Fastmarkets.Not all companies in the ferrous supply chain carried out production curbs fully in 2020, according to a source at a Tangshan coking coal plant. We are waiting for the specifics from local authorities in Tangshan and will follow other companies lead in curbing production, he said.Tangshans billet price surged by 140 yuan ($21) per tonne on Wednesday morning to 4,410 yuan per tonne due to market participants expectations of tighter steel supply and steady downstream demand in the wake of the crackdown.Billet prices have reached a nine-and-a-half-year high, an industry analyst pointed out.But end users may not make purchases straight away because they are unable to preserve their margins, sources said.This is especially since domestic billet prices may see some corrections after the sudden large increase, so billet importers are not willing to risk paying high prices for imports, a trader in eastern China said.He estimates workable prices for imported billet at no higher than $600 per tonne cfr China, though he said he had heard about offers of around $610 per tonne cfr.A Shanghai-based trader said hot-rolled coil prices were surging in eastern China on Wednesday morning after news of the crackdown in Tangshan led market participants to restock.Spot prices for HRC in Shanghai have already increased by more than 150 yuan per tonne to around 5,020 yuan per tonne since yesterday, he said.Fastmarkets assessed the price of steel hot-rolled coil domestic, ex-whs Eastern China at 4,980-5,030 yuan per tonne on Wednesday, up by 140-170 yuan per tonne day on day and from 4,830-4,840 yuan per tonne a week earlier.Most market participants believe that there is more upside than downside for prices in the rest of March.The upgrading of steelmaking facilities by major mills in past years to fit national pollution standards also mean steelmaking and steel output will be affected more than iron ore demand.This is because the market has already taken into account the blast furnace shutdowns and the quantity needed for iron ore, with prices moving accordingly, iron ore market participants said.Prices for iron ore rose to decade-high levels in December and January year despite steelmaking restrictions being in place to cut emissions, a Singapore-based trader said. Steel production cuts will be the key factor. Falling steel inventories will most likely push up prices for various steel products.Another restriction is that industrial companies in Tangshan that use vehicles for logistics are not allowed to use heavy-duty trucks with emission standards below that of National IV standards. This includes gas-powered trucks. Vehicles which adhere to National IV standards typically face stricter emission standards, typically capped at 4 g/kWh of carbon monoxide, 0.55 g/kWh of non-methane hydrocarbons and 3.5 g/kWh of nitrogen oxide.They can also only use National V standards or higher, or new energy vehicles.They also need to reduce the number of transportation vehicles operating within their factories by 50% for the duration of the crackdown. Systemic fungal infections are much rarer than other illnesses, but they are potentially deadly, with limited options for treatment. In fact, fungi are becoming increasingly resistant to the few drugs that are available, and infections are growing more common. A cover story in Chemical & Engineering News, the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, details how scientists are working to improve our antifungal arsenal. At present, there are only four types of antifungal drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and some infections are resistant to those drugs, making surgery the only option for treatment, writes Senior Correspondent Bethany Halford. Fungi can be found almost everywhere, but only a few hundred species are able to infect humans, and most people's immune systems can fight them off. However, people with compromised immune systems (for instance, cancer patients being treated with certain chemotherapies) are at a higher risk for developing fungal infections. The FDA has not approved a drug from a new antifungal class in 20 years, and the ones available all have downsides, including drug resistance and kidney toxicity. This dearth of treatments has doctors concerned that the problem will only get worse as time goes on. Creating a new antifungal drug is challenging because of the biological similarities between humans and fungi. Many molecules that are harmful to fungi are also harmful to people. Experts say that exploiting the differences between humans and fungi is key to developing new treatments; for example, fungal cells have walls, but human cells do not. In addition to developing new treatments, pharmaceutical researchers are working to improve established antifungal drugs to make them more potent and have fewer side effects. Although scientists and doctors are hopeful that new antifungals will be approved, establishing clinical trials has proven challenging because most of the people who get fungal infections are already very sick. However, the COVID-19 pandemic could change how pharmaceutical companies think about therapies for infectious diseases, prioritizing them in the future. ### The article, "The Fight Against Fungi," is freely available here. For more of the latest research news, register for our upcoming meeting, ACS Spring 2021. Journalists and public information officers are encouraged to apply for complimentary press registration by emailing us at newsroom@acs.org. The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS' mission is to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and its people. The Society is a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, eBooks and weekly news periodical Chemical & Engineering News. ACS journals are among the most cited, most trusted and most read within the scientific literature; however, ACS itself does not conduct chemical research. As a specialist in scientific information solutions (including SciFinder and STN), its CAS division powers global research, discovery and innovation. ACS' main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio. To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org. Follow us: Twitter | Facebook RESTON, Va., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ellucian, the leading provider of software and services built to power higher education, today announced Mindy Kaling as a keynote speaker for Ellucian Live 2021, the industry's top global technology conference. This year's virtual event will be held April 12-14, 2021 delivering session tracks, on-demand content, panel discussions, breakout meetings, special guest keynotes, networking opportunities and more. "We are excited to welcome Mindy Kaling to the Ellucian Live virtual stage to share her insights on how we can all be empowered to drive change no matter where we are in our journey," said Laura Ipsen, President and CEO, Ellucian. "Mindy's storytelling and personal encounters often challenge societal barriers while inspiring all of us to search for our own voices. Her style of questioning 'Why Not Me?' serves as a reminder to always reimagine and innovate for a better future." About Mindy Kaling Emmy-nominated writer, producer, New York Times best-selling author, director and actor Mindy Kaling has been named one of the brightest voices of her generation. At 24, Kaling joined the eight person writing staff at NBC's "The Office." During her eight seasons at the show, she wrote twenty-six episodes (more than any other writer) and was nominated for an Emmythe first for a woman of color in any writing category. Next Kaling created the "The Mindy Project" for Universal Television, a show that she starred in and executive produced from 2012 to 2017. Kaling wrote 25 episodes of the 117 episodes created for the six season series. In 2012, Kaling was named to the Time 100 Most Influential People in the World List. She was honored with the 2014 Glamour Women of the Year Award and most recently was a 2019 ELLE Women In Hollywood honoree. Kaling's latest release is the critically acclaimed series, "Never Have I Ever" for Netflix. Season 1 reached 40 million homes in its first four weeks of release and has been picked up for a second season by Netflix. Recently, it was announced that Kaling will write, produce and star in an untitled comedy for Universal opposite Priyanka Chopra, co-written with Dan Goor. The duo are also currently penning "Legally Blonde 3" which will star Reese Witherspoon. Kaling is also currently working on her HBO Max series, "The Sex Lives Of College Girls." In between all her ventures, Kaling has released two New York Times bestselling comedic memoirs: "Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)" and "Why Not Me?", and in Oct 2020 she released a new collection of essays in partnership with Amazon called "Nothing Like I Imagined." For more information on Ellucian Live 2021 and registration details, visit: https://www.ellucian.com/ellucianlive. About Ellucian Ellucian is the market leader charting the digital future of higher education with a portfolio of cloud-ready technology solutions and services. From student recruitment to workforce analytics; from fundraising opportunities to alumni engagement; Ellucian's comprehensive suite of data-rich tools gives colleges and universities the information they need to lead with confidence. Working with a community of more than 2,700 customers in over 50 countries, Ellucian keeps innovating as higher education keeps evolving. Drawing on its comprehensive higher education business acumen and suite of services, Ellucian guides its customers through manageable, sustainable digital transformationso that every type of institution and student can thrive in today's fast-changing landscape. To find out what's next in higher education solutions and services, visit Ellucian at www.ellucian.com. Media Contact Lindsay Stanley [email protected] 703.915.7966 SOURCE Ellucian Related Links https://www.ellucian.com Benny Tai Yiu-ting and other 46 instigators of Hong Kong unrest charged with "conspiring to subvert state power" appeared in court on Monday. The following elaborates on Tai's political manipulation, including the so-called "primary election," over the past years. During the election of the sixth-term Legislative Council (LegCo) in 2016, Tai launched "Operation ThunderGo" to disrupt the election with "coordinated candidacy" and other political tricks. In 2019, he initiated "Project Storm" to help radicals to seize many seats in the District Councils (DCs) and incited rioters to harass pro-establishment candidates. In 2020, Tai organized the illegal "primary election" named "35-plus" to rig the election of the seventh-term Legislative Council. He plotted to manipulate public opinion and assist candidates advocating "mutual destruction" to grab more than half of seats in the LegCo. If successful, they would indiscriminately veto all major bills of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government to paralyze the executive authorities and force the HKSAR chief executive to step down. Under the plot, the Hong Kong society would be brought to a complete standstill and foreign countries would impose sanctions against Hong Kong. Tai, a so-called "scholar", repeatedly rigged elections by taking advantage of institutional loopholes. With his assistance, anti-China disruptors entering Hong Kong's power structure spread extremist ideas including "Hong Kong independence", resisted the jurisdiction of the central authorities, and maliciously obstructed the government work. Ng Chau-pei, president of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, said the opposition lawmakers' repeated filibuster caused a backlog of bills concerning people's livelihood, and DC opposition members ignored the voice of local residents and blatantly opposed the national security law in Hong Kong. Tai's plots have imposed a threat to Hong Kong's stability, "one country, two systems", and the national sovereignty, security and development interests. According to Hong Kong media, Tai had close contact with some anti-China politicians in western countries and received funding from external forces under the name of academic exchange. The ultimate goal of his plots is to turn Hong Kong into a stronghold to subvert the state power and a pawn to contain China's development. Chu Kar-kin, a member of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, warned that if Tai succeeded, Hong Kong's status as a global financial, shipping and trade center would be put in peril and people's peaceful lives would be ruined. Fortunately, Hong Kong people have seen through Tai's plots. The University of Hong Kong dismissed Tai last July. Tai and other defendants charged with "conspiring to subvert state power" are standing trial. The wanton moves of Tai over the past years showed that the principle of "patriots governing Hong Kong" has not been comprehensively implemented in Hong Kong. Improving related systems, especially the electoral system, is the most critical and urgent task for implementing the principle of "patriots governing Hong Kong" and the jurisdiction of Hong Kong must be in the hands of patriots, said Xia Baolong, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and head of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council. LegCo member Lo Wai-kwok urged prompt efforts to prevent elections from being used as a tool of anti-China disruptors to wage a "color revolution". Echoing Lo, Woo Kim-kong, chairman of Woo Leung Lee Jewellery, called for a practical plan to ensure that members of the executive, legislative and judicial organs of the HKSAR and chiefs of its major statutory bodies must be genuine patriots. Observers believe that as long as "patriots governing Hong Kong" is strictly implemented and related loopholes are fixed, the implementation of "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong will be more stable and make more progress in the future. [March 03, 2021] Infosys Announces Canadian Expansion to Calgary, Doubling Canadian Workforce to 4,000 by 2023 CALGARY, AB, March 3, 2021 /CNW/ -- Infosys (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, today announced that it would be bringing 500 jobs to Calgary over the next three years, doubling its Canadian workforce to 4,000 employees by 2023. This expansion was announced by Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi, along with Ravi Kumar, President, Infosys, Mary Moran, President and CEO of Calgary Economic Development and David Knight Legg, CEO Invest Alberta Corporation. "We are thrilled to expand our presence in Canada and advance our commitment to hiring top tech talent across major hubs. Calgary is a natural next step as part of our Canadian expansion and represents a significant and promising market for Infosys. The city is home to a thriving talent pool that the COVID-related economic downturn has impacted. We will tap into this talent and offer skills and opportunities that will build on the city's economic strengths," said Ravi Kumar, President, Infosys. "We are pleased to see Infosys' continued growth in this region and their commitment to bringing 500 skilled jobs along with upskilling opportunities for our local workforce. This announcement is a testament to the talent and opportunity that exists in Alberta as we continue our progress towards economic recovery and growth," stated Alberta Premier Jason Kenney. "We've spent a long time building this relationship with Infosys, working toward this huge expansion of their operations in Calgary. This is the latest proof that the plan to diversify our city's economy is working. We are focused on making sure that Calgary is a great place to make a living and a great place to make a life. That benefit stood out to Infosys, and we are excited to be partners in their Canadian growth plans," said Mayor Nenshi. Within the last two years, Infosys has created 2,000 jobs across Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, and Montreal, with plans for further expansion across the country. The Calgary expansion will enable Infosys to scale work with clients in span >Western Canada, Pacific North West, and the Central United States across various industries, including natural resources, energy, media, retail, and communications. The company will hire tech talent from fourteen educational institutions across the country, including the University of Calgary, University of Alberta, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, University of British Columbia, University of Toronto, and Waterloo. Infosys plans to build a strong pipeline to expand the skills needed to accelerate digital transformation. Infosys has recently been recognized as a Best Place to Work in Canada - Glassdoor Employees' Choice Award. Additionally, the company has been certified Global Top Employer by the Top Employers Institute the regions covered include all of North America, APAC, and Europe. For more information please visit: https://www.infosys.com/powering-digital-canada.html. About Infosys Ltd Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. We enable clients in 46 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With over three decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer our clients through their digital journey. We do it by enabling the enterprise with an AI-powered core that helps prioritize the execution of change. We also empower the business with agile digital at scale to deliver unprecedented levels of performance and customer delight. Our always-on learning agenda drives their continuous improvement through building and transferring digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem. Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next. Safe?Harbor? Certain statements mentioned in this presentation concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements regarding our future business expectations intended to qualify for the 'safe?harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, industry segment concentration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks or system failures, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which Infosys has made strategic investments, withdrawal or expiration of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability and regional conflicts, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, and unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019. These filings are available at?www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/633365/Infosys_Logo.jpg View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/infosys-announces-canadian-expansion-to-calgary-doubling-canadian-workforce-to-4-000-by-2023--301239863.html SOURCE Infosys [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. [March 03, 2021] The HGreg Group Continues Its Expansion in the U.S. and Opens Regional Fulfillment Center, Dealership in Tampa Bay Area HGreg, one of the fastest growing automotive groups in North America, has found a new home in the Tampa Bay Area. Scheduled to open this spring, the new 10-acre property in Brandon will allow HGreg - which includes both HGregoire and HGreg.com- to expand its service offering, both digital and onsite, to car buyers throughout Central and West Coast Florida as well as out-of-state markets. Construction has already begun on the regional fulfilment center and storefront with an investment of more than $30 million. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005676/en/ HGreg Group has found a new home in the Tampa Bay Area Located at 1207 E Brandon Blvd, in Brandon, Hillsborough County, the new location will feature a 42,000 square-foot building and showroom and an inventory of more than 1,000 pre-owned vehicles. "I'm incredibly proud of our culture and team," says Hairabedian. "We made a strategic decision, back in 2009, to put down roots in Florida and we could not have achieved this growth without the contribution of countless passionate and hard-working associates. We're happy to continue to expand our team." HGreg is a network of 17 pre-owned and 13 new car dealerships throughout Canada and the U.S. In December 2020, the company announced its expansion into the West Coast with a major investment based in the Greater Los Angeles area. About HGreg Founded in 1993, HGreg- which includes both HGregoire and HGreg.com- is committed to simplifying the car buying process through its core values of excellence in customer service, transparency, smart use of technology and a refreshing customer-focused philosophy. Supported by a passionate team of more than 1,500 car lovers, HGreg operates 30 dealerships in North America, including 20 in Quebec, offering both pre-owned and new vehicles. For more information visit hgregoire.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005676/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- China forced banks to hold more foreign currencies in reserve for the first time in more than a decade, its most substantial move yet to rein the surging yuan.The nations financial institutions will need to hold 7% of their foreign exchange in reserve from June 15, according to a central bank statement Monday. Thats an increase of 2 percentage points, and the first such hike since 2007. The move, which the Peoples Bank of China said will help liquidity management, effectively reduces the supply of dollars and other currencies onshore -- putting pressure on the yuan to weaken.Although analysts said the direct impact may be small, the move is the clearest signal by the PBOC that its unhappy about the yuans surge to a three-year high against the greenback. Authorities had until now limited their response to rhetoric: a former central bank official and a state-media commentary talked down the currency over the weekend.The PBOC wants to show the market -- if the rally keeps going, it has many measures to slow it down and the market will fail if it wants to make speculative bets, said Zhou Hao, an economist at Commerzbank AG in Singapore. Its more of a symbolic move, as no matter how the PBOC boosts funding costs on foreign exchange, the rate on the yuan will almost always be higher.The PBOC set its daily reference rate at 6.3572 on Tuesday, only marginally weaker than the average forecast in a Bloomberg survey of analysts and traders. The currency gained 0.2% to 6.3634 per dollar as of 9:52 a.m. in Hong Kong, while the onshore rate strengthened 0.1%.Betting on the yuan has been a successful strategy in the past year. The currency has surged 13% against the dollar since last May, when it was near its lowest level since 2008 amid the effects of the pandemic and the trade war with the U.S. Brokerages including Citic Securities Co., Scotiabank and Westpac Banking Corp. expect the currency to climb to 6.2 against the dollar. That would be the strongest since a 2015 devaluation.The yuan is supported by Chinas economic recovery and its higher-yielding markets are attractive to global investors. A backdrop of imported inflation is bolstering the argument for a stronger yuan. Against a basket of trading partners, the Chinese currency is the strongest since 2016.The foreign-exchange reserve ratio hike will likely freeze about $20 billion of liquidity, according to Guan Tao, a former official at the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. The increase demonstrates the Chinese central banks strong determination to curb rapid appreciation in the yuan, and PBOC has more tools if speculation emerges in the currency market, he said.Recent history shows traders should be wary. In the wake of the devaluation, the yuan fell about 11% by the end of 2016, surged 11% through its 2018 peak, before reversing again to sink 13% by September 2019. When momentum in the yuan became too extreme, authorities often took steps to arrest the moves. In early 2018, for instance, the yuan fell the most in two months as authorities gave banks the green light to submit quotes for weaker fixings.Still, analysts remain unconvinced of the potency of the latest measure. Fundamental factors supporting the yuan -- such as its interest-rate premium and high inflation -- remain intact, Citigroup Inc. economists led by Liu Li-gang wrote in a note.While this policy will lock in a certain amount of capital inflow and make foreign exchange funding costs higher, its effectiveness remains in doubt, Liu wrote.Any tightening in dollar funding onshore wont be sustained because global investors can easily obtain cheap foreign-exchange overseas and invest in yuan bonds, according to Ju Wang, a senior currency strategist at HSBC Bank Plc.Beijing seems to be sticking to its goal of liberalizing markets as part of President Xi Jinpings plans to reduce moral hazard. Its not just the yuan where direct intervention is now an unusual sight. The national team of state-backed funds is rarely seen in the $12 trillion stock market anymore, unless moves risk turning into panic or mania. Even in the commodities market, where officials are struggling to cool prices, efforts have largely been verbal rather than direct.If the central bank takes additional assertive actions, such as setting dramatically weaker fixings, that could reinforce the belief that only heavy-handed intervention is worth paying attention to. Yet the Communist Party has made it clear it will act to reduce speculation and guard against risks to financial stability, especially in the run-up to the centenary of the Partys founding this July.We dont see this as an one-off change, but likely the start of a trend, Becky Liu, head of China macro strategy at Standard Chartered, said of Mondays move by the PBOC. It could be seen as a new mechanism to manage the yuan in the medium term, together with other counter-cyclical measures.(Adds 5th paragraph to show PBOCs fixing on Tuesday and latest pricing of yuan.)More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.2021 Bloomberg L.P. Speaking outside court, Eileen Rushe, who has a 14-year-old son, said the outcome of her legal action was 'bittersweet'. Photo: Gareth Chaney/ Collins Dublin A HOSPITAL has offered heartfelt apologies to a 35-year-old mother with terminal cervical cancer for the failings in her care after she was referred to it for treatment following a smear test. A letter of apology to Eileen Rushe, the mother of a 14-year-old boy, was read to the High Court today as she settled her action against the HSE. Her counsel Oonah McCrann SC, instructed by solicitor Michael Fitzsimons, told the court the tragedy in Ms Rushes case is that her smear test in 2017 was read correctly as abnormal but the hospital failed to properly treat her with a certain procedure which would have been curative. In the letter to court, the general manager of Louth County Hospital, Dundalk, on behalf of the Colposcopy Unit and hospital management offered my most sincere apology to you for the failings which occurred while you were under our care. The manager went on: I understand that this has had the most serious consequences for you and for that I wish to offer you and your family my heartfelt apologies. It said it appreciated that this has been a very difficult time for Ms Rushe and her family and it was hoped the resolution of the proceedings gives her some comfort. Ms Rushe from Termonfeckin, Co Louth, who blogs about her cancer journey, said outside court the outcome of her legal action was bittersweet and the apology gave her and her family some closure and peace of mind. Todays result is ultimately the reason why I started this journey to allow me to focus on my fight against cancer and more importantly to provide financial security for my son Seamus, she said. She added: In 2017 my wonderful son Seamus lost his father John. That year our lives changed forever because of cancer and mistakes in my care. Ms Rushe said she believed the apology would help her move forward and focus on being a mother to Seamus. For this I thank the HSE. Screening programmes and vaccines save lives. I want to encourage everyone to participate in any screening programmes available to them and vaccinate their children, both boys and girls against HPV, she said. Ms Rushe also called on the Government to act now to alleviate the worst impacts of the Supreme Court judgment in the Ruth Morrissey case relating to providing for care for children and families left behind. Ms Rushe had sued the HSE over her care after she was referred to the North East Regional Colposcopy Service at the Louth hospital by her GP in 2017. It was claimed from May 2017, there was a failure to diagnose or refer Ms Rushe to the appropriate specialist for the purpose of diagnosing cervical cancer and cytological cell changes went untreated until December 2018 when she was diagnosed with stage 3 invasive cervical cancer. It was claimed she was deprived of the opportunity of timely and effective investigation, diagnosis, management and treatment of her condition. After a smear test in April 2017, she attended the Louth hospital in August 2017 where she had a colposcopy and a punch biopsy. This showed abnormal cells which had potential to develop into cancerous cells. In October of that year, she attended the hospital again where she had a further colposcopy and a cold coagulation procedure. A follow-up plan for review in six months time was put in place. In May 2018, Ms Rushe had a repeat smear test and in October of that year had a further colposcopy and a punch biopsy. She was invited to attend for treatment. In December of that year an examination under anaesthetic and an MRI showed up the presence of a mass. A PET scan in a Dublin Hospital the next day confirmed a 6cm cervical tumour and she was advised to undergo radical chemoradiation therapy and brachytherapy. It was claimed there was an alleged failure to properly carefully and adequately assess or investigate Ms Rushes condition and an alleged failure to give or procure any adequate or sufficient or timely treatment to her following her referral to the hospital for colposcopy in May 2017. Mr Justice Kevin Cross was told that negligence was admitted in the case. The details of the settlement are confidential. Counsel told the court that as part of the settlement the right is reserved for Ms Rushes son Seamus to bring his own proceedings. The Holocaust was the most murderous and massive manifestation of Jew hatred and it began and ended with the aid of conspiracy theories. State-sponsored conspiracism fueled the genocide of 6 million innocent human beings. A major pillar of Nazi ideology and an effective method of drumming up anti-Semitism was the false accusation that Jews had stabbed Germany in the back during World War I. In this rewriting of history, German Jews were traitors who, along with communists, had deliberately undermined their nations war efforts. How else to explain disastrous losses on the battlefield? The government had misled its public and average Germans were shocked by defeat. Someone needed to shoulder the blame and it was more comfortable to attribute it to an already hated minority, rather than the military brass. Someone needed to be behind the punishing economic penalties of the Treaty of Versailles and the national humiliation. Lets blame the Jews. The Gossip Girl reboot, revolving around a group of Gen Z private-schoolers living on Manhattan's Upper East Side, now in its fifth month of shooting. And on Tuesday, two of the leads in the HBO Max teen drama -- Eli Brown and Whitney Peak -- were spotted walking side-by-side, as the cameras rolled on an intimate scene between the two stars. The upcoming HBO Max series is a sequel of sorts that will pick up eight years after the conclusion of the original hit series on The CW. Action! Eli Brown and Whitney Peak were seen shooting a scene for the reboot of the hit teen drama, Gossip Girl, on the streets of Manhattan on Tuesday The new iteration will reportedly feature more adult content and be more diverse, with more nonwhite leads and LGBT characters than the original show that ran from 2007 to 2012. Brown, 21, plays Obie Bergmann IV -- one of the privileged students who take the lead under the watchful eye of Gossip Girl. For Tuesday's scene, the costume department had the Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists star looking stylishly conservative in brown slacks with an orange sweater over a white dress shirt and tie and faded black boots. With the winter chill in the air, he covered up with a blue jacket as he conversed with Peak (Zoya Lott), 18, for their one-on-one. Private school fashion: Playing privileged private-schoolers, Brown and Peak were dressed looking stylishly conservative as they walked side-by-side as the cameras rolled Teen dreams: Peak, 18, looked to be styled in a school uniform, consisting of a black-patterned skirt ensemble and a white collared-shirt, in the scene that saw her character, Zoya Lott, get more emotionally animated Peak, who's known to many fans for her role in The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, appeared to be styled in a school uniform, consisting of a black-patterned skirt ensemble and a white collared-shirt. She kept warm in a brown, red and black-patterned sweater, brown boots and her raven tresses flowing to the middle of her back with plenty of natural curls and a center part. At one point during the walk, the pair stopped to look each other in the eye, and the two actor's became much more emotional and animated, especially Peak. Once the director yelled 'cut' to the scene the two stars promptly put on protective masks over their mouths and noses as part of heightened safety measures due to COVID-19. Privileged Upper East Siders: Brown's character, Obie Bergmann IV, also looked stylishly conservative in brown slacks with an orange sweater over a white dress shirt and tie Like the original series, the reboot is based on the book by Cecily von Ziegesar and was developed and written by original executive producer Joshua Safran. Safran will also be the showrunner and executive producer for the new show alongside original co-creators Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage. One of the main premises is expected to focus on how much social media -- and the landscape of New York City itself -- has changed in the intervening eight years. Once the director yelled 'cut' to the scene, the two stars promptly put on protective masks over their mouths and noses as part of heightened safety measures due to COVID-19. Along with Brown and Peak, the reboot also stars Emily Alyn Lind (Audrey Hope), Thomas Doherty (Max Wolfe), Jordan Alexander (Julien Calloway), Evan Mock (Aki Menzies), Zion Moreno (Luna La), Savannah Smith (Monet de Haan) and Tavi Gevinson (Kate Keller). It also also features Jonathan Fernandez, Jason Gotay. Adam Chanler-Berat, Laura Benanti and Donna Murphy. Kristen Bell returns as the narrator, an unknown, the omniscient blogger known as Gossip Girl. The much-anticipated reboot is set to premiere on HBO Max in November 2021. The original series aired on The CW network for six seasons from September 2007 to December 2012. This September 2020, file photo provided by Johnson & Johnson shows a pharmacist preparing to give an experimental COVID-19 vaccine. The U.S. is getting a third vaccine to prevent COVID-19, as the Food and Drug Administration on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021 cleared a Johnson & Johnson shot that works with just one dose instead of two. (Johnson & Johnson via AP, File) President Joe Biden said Tuesday the U.S. expects to take delivery of enough coronavirus vaccine for all adults by the end of Maytwo months earlier than anticipatedand he pushed states to get at least one shot into the arms of teachers by the end of March to hasten school reopenings. Biden also announced that drugmaker Merck will help produce rival Johnson & Johnson's newly approved one-shot vaccine, likening the partnership between the two drug companies to the spirit of national cooperation during World War II. "We're now on track to have enough vaccine supply for every adult in America by the end of May," Biden said. Despite the stepped-up pace of vaccine production, the work of inoculating Americans could extend well into the summer, officials said, depending both on the government's capacity to deliver doses and Americans' willingness to roll up their sleeves. Biden's announcements quickly raised expectations for when the nation could safely emerge from the pandemic with the promise of speedier vaccinations, but even as he expressed optimism, Biden quickly tempered the outlook for a return to life as it was before the virus hit. "I've been cautioned not to give an answer to that because we don't know for sure," Biden said, before saying his hope for a return to normal was sometime before "this time next year." President Joe Biden speaks about efforts to combat COVID-19, in the State Dining Room of the White House, Tuesday, March 2, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) As Biden spoke, states across the country were moving to relax virus-related restrictions. This despite the objections of the White House and the nation's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, who have warned against any relaxation of virus protocols until more Americans are vaccinated. In Texas, GOP Gov. Greg Abbott moved to lift his state's mask-wearing mandate and a host of other limitations. Michigan's Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer eased capacity limits on restaurants and both public and residential gatherings. Fauci has previously said the nation must achieve a vaccination rate of about 80% to reach "herd immunity." Only about 8% of the population has been fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, though the pace of vaccination has been increasing. The U.S. set a new daily record for injections last Thursday and Friday. In hopes of increasing vaccinations even further. the Biden administration told governors to make preparations to administer even more doses in the coming weeks. More shots are also headed toward the federally backed program to administer doses in retail pharmacies, which federal officials believe can double or triple their pace of vaccination. More than 800,000 doses of the J&J vaccine will also be distributed this week to pharmacies, on top of the 2.4 million they are now getting from Pfizer and Moderna. Those pharmacies will be key in getting the vaccines into the arms of teachersparticularly in the roughly 20 states where they have not been prioritized for shots. The aim is to help reopen schools to better educate students who have been at risk of falling behind during the pandemic and reduce the burden on parents who have had to choose between childcare and a job. President Joe Biden speaks about efforts to combat COVID-19, in the State Dining Room of the White House, Tuesday, March 2, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) "Let's treat in-person learning as the essential service that it is," Biden said. Teachers will be able to sign up directly through participating retail pharmacies, the administration said. White House press secretary Jen Psaki also announced Tuesday that the federal government was increasing supply of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines to states next week to 15.2 million doses per week, up from 14.5 million previously. States will also receive 2.8 million doses of the J&J shot this week. On a call with governors Tuesday, White House coronavirus coordinator Jeff Zients said states should prepare to administer 16 million to 17 million total weekly doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines by the end of March, climbing to 17 million to 18 million weekly by early April. The supply of J&J doses to states, expected to dip after the initial shipment this week, will climb to 4 million to 6 million weekly doses by the end of March and 5 million to 6 million doses weekly through the end of April. Officials have said J&J faced unexpected production issues with its vaccine and produced only 3.9 million doses before being cleared for emergency use authorization on Saturday. The company has promised to deliver 100 million doses by the end of June. Before the approval of the J&J shot, Biden had suggested that it would take until the end of July to have enough vaccine for every adult in the U.S. Facing questions about the company's slipping delivery schedule, J&J Vice President Richard Nettles told lawmakers on Capitol Hill last week that the company had faced "significant challenges" because of its "highly complex" manufacturing process. White House press secretary Jen Psaki speaks during a press briefing at the White House, Tuesday, March 2, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Psaki said that an "across-the-administration effort" was required to get the two historic rivals to work together on the vaccines, even though conversations between J&J and Merck have been going on for months. "There's a difference between conversations and it moving forward," she said. The White House said Merck would devote two plants to the production process. One would make the vaccine and the other would handle inserting the vaccine into vials and ensuring strict quality controls. Psaki said the Biden administration was using its powers under the Defense Production Act to help Merck retool to work on the production. Still it was not immediately clear when the effect of Merck's assistance would be reflected in supply. Federal officials have cautioned that setting up the highly specialized manufacturing lines to produce vaccines would take months. Compared to the two-dose versions produced by Moderna and Pfizer, the J&J vaccine is less resource-intensive to distribute and administer, making it critical for U.S. plans to spread vaccinations around the worldbut only once Americans are inoculated. The J&J vaccine can be stored for months at refrigerated temperatures, rather than frozen, and doesn't require patients to return for a second dose three or four weeks later. J&J has set up a global production network that includes brewing bulk vaccine at its Janssen facility in the Netherlands, and with a company in the U.S., Emergent BioSolutions, and another in India, Biological E. Ltd. Other contract manufacturers are lined up to help with later steps, including putting the vaccine into vials, in the U.S., Italy, Spain and South Africa. White House press secretary Jen Psaki speaks during a press briefing at the White House, Tuesday, March 2, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Joe Biden arrives to speak about efforts to combat COVID-19, in the State Dining Room of the White House, Tuesday, March 2, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) In the scramble to create COVID-19 vaccines, the three Western drug makers who've dominated the vaccine industry for decadesMerck & Co., Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKlinesurprisingly all fell short. Merck halted its own plans to develop a coronavirus vaccine earlier this year, finding that their candidates were generating an inferior immune system response compared with other vaccines. It said it would instead focus its work on developing treatments for COVID-19. Now, amid the global clamor for more vaccine doses, those heavyweights are helping manufacture doses for less-experienced rivals whose vaccines won the first emergency authorizations from regulators. Merck has since said it was in talks to help other drug companies with vaccine production, but wouldn't say Tuesday whether other deals are imminent. "Merck remains steadfast in our commitment to contribute to the global response to the pandemic and to preparing to address future pandemics," the Kenilworth, New Jersey-based company said in a statement. 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed 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. WASHINGTON President Joe Biden said Tuesday that the U.S. expects to take delivery of enough coronavirus vaccines for all adult Americans by the end of May, two months earlier than anticipated, as his administration announced that drugmaker Merck & Co. will help produce rival Johnson & Johnsons newly approved shot. With the bolstered supply, Biden also announced he would be using the powers of the federal government to direct all states to prioritize vaccinating teachers, and said the federal government would provide the doses directly through its pharmacy program. He challenged states to administer at least one dose of the vaccine to all teachers by the end of March as part of his administrations efforts to reopen more schools across the nation. Were now on track to have enough vaccine supply for every adult in America by the end of May, said Biden, who likened the partnership between the two drug companies to the spirit of national cooperation during World War II. The announcement comes as the White House looks to speed the production of the single-dose J&J vaccine and accelerate the nations plans to reach herd immunity in the U.S. and begin restoring normalcy after the pandemic. Biden noted that vaccine supply was only one bottleneck toward that goal, and that the new challenge will be injecting doses into arms as swiftly as possible. To that end, the Biden administration told governors Tuesday to prepare for their supplies of vaccine to continue to climb over the coming weeks. Additional doses are also heading toward a federally backed program to administer doses in more accessible retail pharmacies. Those pharmacies will be key in getting the vaccines into the arms of teachers, which will help reopen schools to better educate students who have been at risk at falling behind during the pandemic. Lets treat in-person learning as the essential service that it is, Biden said. Biden had originally suggested that the supply would be enough to vaccinate every adult American by the end of July. But despite the good news, he was leery of predicting when the nation would return to normal. He said, My hope is by this time next year were going to be back to normal, adding that he maybe it could come sooner. Officials have said J&J faced unexpected production issues with its vaccine and produced only 3.9 million doses ahead of its receiving emergency use authorization on Saturday. The company has promised to deliver 100 million doses by the end of June. White House press secretary Jen Psaki also announced Tuesday that the federal government was increasing supply of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines to states next week to 15.2 million doses per week, up from 14.5 million previously. States will also receive 2.8 million doses of the J&J shot this week. On a call with governors Tuesday, White House coronavirus coordinator Jeff Zients said states should prepare for administering 16-17 million total weekly doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines by the end of March, climbing to 17-18 million weekly by early April. The supply of J&J doses to states, expected to dip after the initial shipment this week, will climb to 4-6 million weekly doses by the end of March and 5-6 million doses weekly through the end of April. More than 800,000 doses of the J&J vaccine will also be distributed this week to pharmacies to administer in a separate federally-run program that also includes 2.4 million doses of the other two shots. Both figures are expected to steadily increase, as the White House increasingly looks to the capacity of pharmacy chains like CVS and Walgreens to help speed the nations mass vaccination campaign. Facing questions about the companys slipping delivery schedule, J&J Vice President Richard Nettles told lawmakers on Capitol Hill last week that the company had faced significant challenges because of its highly complex manufacturing process. The assistance from Merck was expected to help J&J meet its production commitments and expand supply even further, but the administration did not immediately provide specifics. Psaki said that an across the administration effort was required to get the two historic rivals to work together on the vaccines, even though conversations between the two companies have been going on for months. Theres a difference between conversations and it moving forward, she said. President Joe Biden is set to highlight the development in a speech Tuesday afternoon, as his administration now expects to have enough supply of the three approved vaccines to inoculate all eligible American adults by June though actually delivering the injections could take longer. It was not immediately clear when the effect of Mercks assistance would be reflected in supply. Previously, federal officials have cautioned that setting up the highly specialized manufacturing lines to produce vaccines would take months. The White House said Merck would devote two plants to the production process. One would make the vaccine and the other would handle inserting the vaccine into vials and ensuring strict quality controls. Psaki said the Biden administration was using its powers under the Defense Production Act to help Merck retool to work on the production. The news was first reported by The Washington Post. Compared to the two-dose versions produced by Moderna and Pfizer, the J&J vaccine is less resource intensive to distribute and administer, making it a critical piece to U.S. plans to spread vaccinations around the world but only once Americans are inoculated. The J&J vaccine can be stored for months at refrigerated temperatures, rather than frozen, and doesnt require patients to return for a second dose three or four weeks later. J&J has set up a global production network that includes brewing bulk vaccine at its Janssen facility in the Netherlands, and with a company in the U.S., Emergent BioSolutions, and another in India, Biological E. Ltd. Other contract manufacturers are lined up to help with later steps, including putting the vaccine into vials, in the U.S., Italy, Spain and South Africa. In the scramble to create COVID-19 vaccines, the three Western drug makers whove dominated the vaccine industry for decades Merck & Co., Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline surprisingly all fell short. Merck halted its own plans to develop a coronavirus vaccine earlier this year, finding that their candidates were generating an inferior immune system response compared with other vaccines. It said it would instead focus its work on developing treatments for COVID-19. FILE - This September 2020, file photo provided by Johnson & Johnson shows a pharmacist preparing to give an experimental COVID-19 vaccine. The U.S. is getting a third vaccine to prevent COVID-19, as the Food and Drug Administration on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021 cleared a Johnson & Johnson shot that works with just one dose instead of two. (Johnson & Johnson via AP, File)AP Now, amid the global clamor for more vaccine doses, those heavyweights are helping manufacture doses for less-experienced rivals whose vaccines won the first emergency authorizations from regulators. Merck has since said it was in talks to help other drug companies with vaccine production, but wouldnt say Tuesday whether other deals are imminent. Merck remains steadfast in our commitment to contribute to the global response to the pandemic and to preparing to address future pandemics, the Kenilworth, New Jersey-based company said in a statement. Sanofi Pasteur, named for pioneering French biologist Louis Pasteur, produces more than 1 billion vaccine doses a year and is a leader in pediatric, influenza and polio vaccines. It, too, has had delays with its COVID-19 vaccine candidates. While it tries to resolve those problems, Sanofi has agreed to bottle and package about 125 million doses of the vaccine from Pfizer and German partner BioNTech, as well as roughly 12 million doses per month of J&Js vaccine. GlaxoSmithKline, which makes vaccines against shingles, hepatitis, meningitis and many childhood illnesses, has focused its COVID-19 efforts on combining its adjuvant technology with rival companies vaccines. Adjuvants boost immune system response to vaccines, meaning smaller doses could be used and supply could be stretched. ___ Zeke Miller, Linda A. Johnson and Jonathan Lemire of The Associated Press wrote this story. Johnson reported from Fairless Hills, PA. Lemire reported from New York. Lauran Neergaard in Washington contributed to this report. Ellen Pompeo recently revealed that the future of her long-running medical drama Grey's Anatomy is uncertain. And the Golden Globe nominee is enjoying some quality family time while on a possibly permanent break from the ABC series. She cut a cozy cool look in an oversized leopard print cardigan Tuesday, as she stepped out with her son Eli Christopher to hit up the playground at Griffith Park in Los Angeles. Cozy cool: Ellen Pompeo cut a cozy cool look in an oversized leopard print cardigan Tuesday, as she stepped out with her son Eli Christopher to hit up the playground at Griffith Park in Los Angeles The 51-year-old layered the knee-length number over a white t-shirt, tucked into a pair of black track pants with white piping down the sides. She finished the look a black face mask, a matching driver cap and white sneakers, while toting a black leather crossbody handbag. Pompeo was spotted taking a trip down the slide, as she played with Eli, four, whom she shares with husband Chris Ivery, 54. She married the music producer in November of 2007, and they also share daughters Stella Luna, 11, and Sienna May, six. Casual outing: The 51-year-old layered the knee-length number over a white t-shirt, tucked into a pair of black track pants with white piping down the sides Best mom ever: Pompeo was spotted taking a trip down the slide, as she played with Eli, four, whom she shares with husband Chris Ivery, 54 Happy family: She married the music producer in November of 2007, and they also share daughters Stella Luna, 11, and Sienna May, six (pictured in January, 2017) The mother-of-three recently addressed the future of Grey's Anatomy, telling CBS Sunday Morning: 'I can't say. Can't say. We honestly have not decided. We're really trying to figure it out right now.' She said that they're in the middle of deciding if it will end with the current season, adding: 'It's, what story do we tell? To end a show this iconic, you know, how do we do it? 'I just want to make sure we do this character and this show and the fans I want to make sure we do it right.' Up in the air: The mother-of-three recently addressed the future of Grey's Anatomy, telling CBS Sunday Morning: 'I can't say. Can't say. We honestly have not decided. We're really trying to figure it out right now' Do it right: She said that they're in the middle of deciding if it will end with the current season, adding: 'I just want to make sure we do this character and this show and the fans I want to make sure we do it right' Leading lady: Pompeo has starred as the titular Dr. Meredith Grey in the critically acclaimed series for 17 seasons, since it premiered in 2005 Pompeo has starred as the titular Dr. Meredith Grey in the critically acclaimed series for 17 seasons, since it premiered in 2005. She recently used her platform to pen an open letter to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, after they recently came under fire for their lack of diversity, particularly over having no Black members. The Old School actress posted to Instagram ahead of this weekend's Golden Globe Awards: 'I would kindly ask, all my white colleagues in this industry, an industry that we love and has granted us enormous privilege. to pull up, show up and get this issue resolved. 'Let's show our Black colleagues that we care and are willing to do the work to right the wrongs we have created. Now is not a time to be silent. We have a real action item here lets get it done.' Using her platform: She recently used her platform to pen an open letter to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, after they recently came under fire for their lack of diversity, particularly over having no Black members United States President Joseph Biden has renewed targeted sanctions imposed on some Zanu PF officials in 2003, saying there are no tangible economic and political reforms in Zimbabwe. In a notice sent to Congress today, Biden said the sanctions will be in force until March 6, 2022 as prescribed in some provisions of the National Emergencies Act, which provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within 90 days prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the president publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date. Biden said he had sent the notice to Congress stating that the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13288 of March 6, 2003, with respect to the actions and policies of certain members of the Government of Zimbabwe and other persons to undermine Zimbabwe's democratic processes or institutions is to continue in effect beyond March 6, 2021. The notice reads in part, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has not made the necessary political and economic reforms that would warrant terminating the existing targeted sanctions program. Throughout the last year, government security services routinely intimidated and violently repressed citizens, including members of opposition political parties, union members, and journalists. The absence of progress on the most fundamental reforms needed to ensure the rule of law, democratic governance, and the protection of human rights leaves Zimbabweans vulnerable to ongoing repression and presents a continuing threat to peace and security in the region. He said the actions and policies of certain members of the Government of Zimbabwe and other persons to undermine Zimbabwe's democratic processes or institutions continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the foreign policy of the United States. Therefore, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13288, as amended, with respect to Zimbabwe and to maintain in force the sanctions to respond to this threat. Former presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump renewed the same Executive Order citing lack of political and economic reforms in Zimbabwe. Eighty-three Zanu PF officials and 37 companies are under the targeted sanctions. Former New York Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespdes was back on the field Tuesday for an open workout in Florida. More than 10 teams watched the free-agent showcase, including the New York Yankees. Heres what they saw, per MLB.com: Cespedes took batting practice and fielded fly balls for close to a dozen teams. ... One talent evaluator noted that Cespedes power remains impressive at age 35, but that his outfield mobility is limited. He can go be someones DH, the scout said. Introducing Yankees Insider: Get exclusive news, behind-the-scenes observations and the ability to text message directly with beat writers Cespedes is a two-time All-Star with 165 career homers in eight seasons with four clubs, but he was injured for the entire 2019 season and played just eight games last year before opting out as a COVID-19 precaution. The native of Cuba played for the Mets from 2015-18 and 2020, hitting 31 homers in 16. He hit a career-best 35 homers in 2015, 18 in 102 games with the Detroit Tigers and then 17 in 57 games following a trade to the Mets. Cespedes won a Gold Glove Award in 2015 and was a Silver Slugger Award recipient in 2016. (NJ Advance Medias Randy Miller contributed to this report.) Get Yankees text messages: Cut through the clutter of social media and text during games with beat writers and columnists. Plus, exclusive news and analysis every day. Sign up now. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. The parliamentary motions will follow two adopted by The Netherlands and Canada last month. Australia and Turkey are moving to investigate whether to label human rights violations in northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) as genocide, following a similar designation by the White House and recent parliamentary motions in Canada and the Netherlands. South Australian independent Senator Rex Patrick has proposed a motion for consideration by fellow upper house members that the Senate agrees that the PRCs [Peoples Republic of China] treatment of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang constitutes the crime of genocide, according to a report by the Guardian Australia. Set to be introduced on March 15, the motion also calls on China to immediately end torture and abuse in detention centers; abolish its system of mass internment camps, house arrest and forced labor; cease all coercive population control measures; and end the persecution of Uyghurs and other religious and ethnic minorities in Xinjiang and elsewhere in China. Authorities in the XUAR are believed to have held up to 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in a vast network of internment camps since early 2017. Reports suggest the camps are used as punishment for signs of extremism that authorities say include practicing basic forms of Islam, adhering to cultural traditions, and violating strict family-planning policies. Chinese officials have said the camps are centers for vocational training, but reporting by RFAs Uyghur Service and other media outlets shows that detainees are mostly held against their will in cramped and unsanitary conditions, where they are forced to endure inhumane treatmentincluding systematic rapeand political indoctrination. Amid increasing international scrutiny, authorities in the region have begun to send detainees to work at factories as part of an effort to label internment camps vocational centers, although those held in the facilities regularly toil under forced or coerced labor conditions. While Canberra has yet to refer to such abuses as crimes against humanity or genocide, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne has called reports of the situation in the region horrific and acknowledged an internationally recognized set of facts that have caused other governments to respond in the way they have. She has also cited the need for a multilateral approach to the issue because of Chinas vast diplomatic and economic influence, and reiterated Australias calls for United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michele Bachelet to gain access to the region to investigate the reports. Over the weekend, Turkeys Opposition Good Party (IP) Chairperson Meral Aksener said her party will request that the countrys parliament recognize the situation in the XUAR as genocide, according to a report by the Daily Sabah. Last week, the Dutch House of Representatives voted to recognize Chinas abuses against Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in the XUAR as genocide, becoming the first parliament in Europe to do so. The non-binding motion, approved by a cross-party majorityincluding the DENK Party, which was founded by Turkish lawmakersfollowed a similar resolution passed by Canadas House of Commons last month and an official designation of the situation in the region as genocide by the U.S. in January. US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is shown at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, Feb. 6, 2020. AP Photo House speaker updated In addition to the U.S. State Departments designation under former President Donald Trump, which the new administration of President Joe Biden has endorsed, Washington has taken several steps to address rights abuses in the XUAR. Trump slapped sanctions on several top Chinese officials deemed responsible for the situation, including regional party secretary Chen Quanguo, under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. The move, which marked the first time Washington had sanctioned a member of Chinas powerful Politburo, followed Trumps enactment in June of the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 (UHRPA). The legislation enjoyed broad bipartisan support in Congress, and highlights arbitrary incarceration, forced labor, and other abuses in the XUAR and provides for sanctions against the Chinese officials who enforce them. Another proposed billUyghur Forced Labor Prevention Actwas reintroduced in February in the House of Representatives. The act, which was passed by the House last year but never brought to the floor by the Senate, would block imports from the region unless proof can be shown that they are not linked to forced labor. On Monday, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi held a virtual meeting with representatives of the Washington-based Campaign for Uyghurs advocacy group and other experts for what she said via Twitter was an update on the appalling human rights abuses in XUAR. If we dont speak out clearly for human rights in China because of commercial interests, we lose all moral authority to speak out for human rights any place in the world, she wrote following the meeting. Rushan Abbas, founder and director of the Campaign for Uyghurs, said she discussed several issues of importance, including the likelihood of Congress passing the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, the possibility of U.S. pressure on the International Olympic Committee to relocate the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics to a different country, and asylum for Uyghur refugees. We were encouraged by Speaker Pelosis commitment to reaffirm the responsibility that the U.S. administration has to stop these atrocities, she told RFAs Uyghur Service. Reported and translated by Alim Seytoff for RFAs Uyghur Service. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. ARLINGTON, Va., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES) ("AES" or the "Company") announced today its intention to offer to sell, subject to market and other conditions, 10,000,000 Equity Units (the "Units"), each with a stated amount of $100. The Company expects the Units will initially consist of an aggregate of 1,000,000 shares of Series A Cumulative Perpetual Convertible Preferred Stock (the "Convertible Preferred Stock"), with an aggregate liquidation preference of $1.0 billion, and contracts to purchase, for an aggregate of $1.0 billion, shares of the Company's common stock (the "Common Stock"). The Company expects to grant to the underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 1,500,000 Units, solely to cover over-allotments. The offering will be made pursuant to an effective registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The Common Stock is expected to be delivered upon settlement of the purchase contracts on February 15, 2024 (subject to early settlement in certain circumstances). The Company expects to pay, quarterly in arrears, contract adjustment payments on the stated amount of each Unit and cumulative dividends, when, as and if declared by the Company's board of directors, on the $1,000 liquidation preference per share of Convertible Preferred Stock, in each case, at a rate to be determined in connection with the offering. The Company may pay such contract adjustment payments and dividends in cash, shares of Common Stock or a combination of cash and shares of Common Stock, at the Company's election, unless the Company has previously irrevocably elected a contract adjustment payment method or dividend payment method, as the case may be, to apply. The Company may also, in its discretion, defer contract adjustment payments on the Units. Each share of Convertible Preferred Stock may be converted only after being separated from the Units and, prior to February 15, 2024, only upon the occurrence of certain fundamental change events if such fundamental change event occurs prior to a successful remarketing of the Convertible Preferred Stock. Upon any such conversion, the Company will deliver in respect of each $1,000 liquidation preference of the Convertible Preferred Stock being converted (i) one share of the Company's Series B Preferred Stock or, solely with respect to conversions in connection with a redemption, up to $1,000 in cash and (ii) shares of Common Stock, if any, in respect of any conversion value in excess of the liquidation preference of the Convertible Preferred Stock being converted. The Convertible Preferred Stock is expected to be remarketed during either an optional remarketing period beginning on, and including, November 15, 2023 and ending on, and including, February 1, 2024 or a final remarketing period beginning on, and including, February 7, 2024 and ending on, and including, February 13, 2024. Upon any successful remarketing, the conversion rate and/or the dividend rate of the Convertible Preferred Stock may be increased, and the earliest redemption date for the Convertible Preferred Stock may be changed to a later date that is on or prior to March 21, 2025. The Convertible Preferred Stock is perpetual, but the Company may redeem all or any portion of the outstanding Convertible Preferred Stock from and after March 22, 2024 (which date may be changed to a later date as described above), at a redemption price equal to 100% of the liquidation preference thereof, plus any accumulated and unpaid dividends. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to develop its renewables business, U.S. utility businesses, LNG infrastructure and for other developments determined by management. Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, BofA Securities and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC are acting as joint book-running managers of this offering. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sales of these 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. The offering of these securities may be made only by means of a prospectus and a related prospectus supplement. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus, the related prospectus supplement and the other documents the Company has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the Company and the offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. Alternatively, copies may be obtained by contacting Citigroup Global Markets Inc., c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, New York 11717 or by calling toll-free at 1-800-831-9146; Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282-2198, Attention: Prospectus Department or by calling toll-free at 1-866-471-2526; BofA Securities, Inc., NC1-004-03-43, 200 North College Street, 3rd floor, Charlotte NC 28255-0001, Attention: Prospectus Department; or Morgan Stanley & Co., 180 Varick Street, New York, New York 10014, Attention: Prospectus Department. About AES The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES) is a Fortune 500 global energy company accelerating the future of energy. Together with our many stakeholders, we're improving lives by delivering the greener, smarter energy solutions the world needs. Our diverse workforce is committed to continuous innovation and operational excellence, while partnering with our customers on their strategic energy transitions and continuing to meet their energy needs today. For more information, visit www.aes.com. Safe Harbor Disclosure This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 and of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements are not intended to be a guarantee of future results, but instead constitute AES' current expectations based on reasonable assumptions. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, our financing plans, including the offering of the Units and the details thereof, the proposed use of proceeds therefrom and other expected effects of the offering of the Units. Forward-looking statements are not intended to be a guarantee of future results, but instead constitute AES' current expectations based on reasonable assumptions. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in AES' forward-looking statements due to risks, uncertainties and other factors. Important factors that could affect actual results are in AES' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), including, but not limited to, the risks discussed under Item 1A: "Risk Factors" and Item 7: "Management's Discussion & Analysis" in AES' 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K and in subsequent reports filed with the SEC. Readers are encouraged to read AES' filings to learn more about the risk factors associated with AES' business. AES undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. SOURCE The AES Corporation Related Links http://www.aes.com Photo: The Canadian Press Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is introduced by Dave Marcinkowski in Montelongo's Mexican Restaurant on Tuesday, March 2, 2021, in Lubbock, Texas. Governor Abbott announced that he is rescinding executive orders that limit capacities for businesses and the statewide mask mandate. (Justin Rex/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal via AP) Texas on Tuesday became the biggest state to lift its mask rule, joining a rapidly growing movement by governors and other leaders across the U.S. to loosen COVID-19 restrictions despite pleas from health officials not to let their guard down yet. The Lone Star State will also do away with limits on the number of diners who can be served indoors, said Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who made the announcement at a restaurant in Lubbock. The governors of Michigan, Mississippi and Louisiana likewise eased up on bars, restaurants and other businesses Tuesday, as did the mayor of San Francisco. Removing statewide mandates does not end personal responsibility, said Abbott, speaking from a crowded dining room where many of those surrounding him were not wearing masks. Its just that now state mandates are no longer needed." A year into the crisis, politicians and ordinary Americans alike have grown tired of rules meant to stem the spread of the coronavirus, which has killed over a half-million people in the United States. Some places are lifting infection control measures; in other places, people are ignoring them. Top health officials, including the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have responded by begging people repeatedly not to risk another deadly wave of contagion just when the nation is making progress in vaccinating people and victory over the outbreak is in sight. U.S. cases have plunged more than 70% over the past two months from an average of nearly 250,000 new infections a day, while average deaths per day have plummeted about 40% since mid-January. But the two curves have levelled off abruptly in the past several days and have even risen slightly, and the numbers are still running at alarmingly high levels, with an average of about 2,000 deaths and 68,000 cases per day. Health officials are increasingly worried about virus mutations. We stand to completely lose the hard-earned ground we have gained, CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky warned on Monday. Even so, many Americans are sick of the shutdowns that have damaged their livelihoods and are eager to socialize again. An Indianapolis-area bar was filled with maskless patrons over the weekend. In Southern California, people waited in lines that snaked through a parking lot on a recent weekday afternoon for the chance to shop and eat at Downtown Disney, part of Disneyland. (The theme park's rides remain closed.) And Florida is getting ready to welcome students on spring break. People want to stay safe, but at the same time, the fatigue has hit, said Ryan Luke, who is organizing a weekend rally in Eagle, Idaho, to encourage people to patronize businesses that dont require masks. "We just want to live a quasi-normal life. Michael Junge argued against a mask mandate when officials in the Missouri tourist town of Branson passed one and said he hasnt enforced it in his Lost Boys Barber Company. He said he is sick of it. I think the whole thing is a joke honestly, he said. They originally said that this was going to go for a month and they have pushed it out to indefinitely. ... It should have been done a long time ago. In San Francisco, an upbeat Mayor London Breed announced that California gave the green light to indoor dining and the reopening of movie theatres and gyms. You can enjoy your city, right here, right now, she said from Fishermans Wharf, one of the city's biggest tourist attractions. She added: We are not where we need to be yet, but were getting there, San Francisco. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said he is getting rid of most mask mandates and lifting most other restrictions, including limits on seating in restaurants, starting Wednesday. The governors office is getting out of the business of telling people what they can and cannot do, the Republican said. Florida, which is getting ready for spring break travellers to flock to its sunny beaches, is considered to be in an active outbreak, along with Texas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and South Carolina, according to the data-tracking website CovidActNow. Florida Gov. Rick DeSantis made it clear during his annual State of the State address Tuesday that he welcomes more visitors to Florida in his drive to keep the states economy thriving. Florida municipalities can impose their own mask rules and curfews, restrict beach access and place some limits on bars and restaurants, but some have virtually no such measures in place. Miami Beach will require masks indoors and out and restrict the number of people allowed on the beach as well as in bars and restaurants. If you want to party without restrictions, then go somewhere else. Go to Vegas, Miami Beach City Manager Raul Aguila said during a recent virtual meeting. We will be taking a zero-tolerance attitude towards that behaviour. In Michigan, a group called All Business Is Essential has resisted Gov. Gretchen Whitmers virus policies, and many people are ignoring mask requirements and other measures, said group leader Erik Kiilunen. At some point youve got to look yourself in the mirror and say, Do I want a zero-risk life? he said. Its become a farce, really. People have quit living for a year, at what price? I think everybody wants things to get back the way they were, said Aubrey D. Jenkins, the fire chief in Columbia, South Carolina, whose department issues dozens of $100 citations every weekend to bar-goers who refuse to wear masks or keep their distance. But we still have to be real cautious. [March 03, 2021] Emerson Announces Strategic Appointments, Enhanced Focus on ESG with Chief Sustainability Officer To enhance its focused efforts and purpose around environmental sustainability, global technology and industrial software leader Emerson (News - Alert) (NYSE: EMR) today announced the appointment of its first chief sustainability officer. Mike Train, who has served as president since 2018 and a member of Emerson's Office of the Chief Executive (OCE) since 2016, will step down as president to take on this new and important role for Emerson. Emerson also announced the promotion of Lisa Flavin, who currently serves as vice president and chief compliance officer, to senior vice president and chief compliance officer. Flavin will also join Emerson's OCE. Emerson Chief Executive Officer Lal Karsanbhai has been named president. "Empowering more efficient, sustainable operations both internally and for customers has been a longtime priority for Emerson," Karsanbhai said. "Mike has been a critical member of Emerson's global leadership team that oversees strategy to advance environmental, social and governance momentum, and formalizing his role in this space is an important step to continue accelerating our vital work." In his new role as senior vice president and chief sustainability officer, Train will lead the company's environmental sustainability strategy. He will focus on advancing technologies and advocacy to enhance company operations and enable customer improvements through Emerson's solutions and partnerships. Train has served in key leadership roles over his 30-year Emerson career. He started as an international planner in 1991, before becoming vice president of planning and development for Emerson Asia-Pacific in 1994. He became president of Emerson in Japan and Korea in 1996, and then led the planning group until 2002 as corporate vice president of planning and international. In 2002, Train was named president of Emerson Process Management Asia-Pacific. From 2008 to 2010, Train led Emerson's Rosemount business. From 2010 to 2016, Train was president of global sales for Emerson Process Management before being tapped to lead Emerson's Automation Solutions business in 2016. He held this role until 2018, when he was named president. Train currently serves as chairman of the board of trustees at Ranken Technical College and on Cornell University's Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management Advisory Council. He was a 2008 Eisenhower Fllowship recipient. He holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from General Motors (News - Alert) Institute and a master's degree in business administration from Cornell University. Train will remain a member of the OCE. "Our work as a company is increasingly focused on helping our customers navigate environmental and regulatory challenges," Karsanbhai said. "Mike has decades of experience across industries and a deep personal passion for sustainability. He has been tirelessly driving our work in this space and will be an incredible champion for continued progress. "Lisa is a proven leader who has strengthened the culture of our company as an ethical place to work," Karsanbhai continued. "Her appointment to the OCE reinforces the importance our senior leadership places on the critical areas of compliance and ethical behavior. Lisa combines demonstrated expertise in navigating a complex, global organization with an intrinsic ability to lead teams to success." Flavin joined Emerson in 1998 as director of internal audit. She was promoted to auditor general in February 2000, before being appointed vice president of audit in October 2000. She became chief compliance officer in 2011. In this role, she oversees Emerson's audit, enterprise risk management, government relations and compliance functions and has responsibility to ensure Emerson maintains its disciplined approach to evaluating and improving its systems of internal control, financial reporting and compliance processes. Flavin serves on the board of directors and is chair of the audit committee of Caleres, Inc. and BJC Healthcare. She is also on the board of directors of the United States Chamber of Commerce, served on the Professional Accounting Advisory Board at Washington University in St. Louis and is on the executive committee of The Conference Board's Council of Chief Audit Executives. In 2004, she was selected by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to participate on a panel determining the implementation of the Sarbanes-Oxley law. Flavin is active in the St. Louis community, where she serves on the board of advisors of Saint Louis Priory School and the board of directors and executive committee of Boys Hope Girls Hope. Flavin has been previously recognized by the St. Louis Business Journal as one of the "Most Influential Business Women" in St. Louis and a YWCA St. Louis Leader of Distinction. Flavin holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and is a certified public accountant. About Emerson Emerson (NYSE: EMR), headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri (USA), is a global technology and engineering company providing innovative solutions for customers in industrial, commercial and residential markets. Our Automation Solutions business helps process, hybrid and discrete manufacturers maximize production, protect personnel and the environment while optimizing their energy and operating costs. Our Commercial & Residential Solutions business helps ensure human comfort and health, protect food quality and safety, advance energy efficiency and create sustainable infrastructure. For more information visit Emerson.com. Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical may be "forward-looking" statements, which involve risks and uncertainties, and Emerson undertakes no obligation to update any such statements to reflect later developments. These risks and uncertainties include the scope, duration and ultimate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as economic and currency conditions, market demand, including related to the pandemic and oil and gas price declines and volatility, pricing, protection of intellectual property, cybersecurity, tariffs, competitive and technological factors, among others, as set forth in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports filed with the SEC (News - Alert) . View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005490/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Homicide detectives have reportedly concluded that the shocking death of three people whose bodies were found at the Government Quarters on Jogoo Road was a murder-suicide. According to the Star newspaper, police sources said the adult male victim, a Catholic priest identified as Kevin Kipkoech, first killed Charity Cheboi and her son Allan Kipngetich by suffocating them before he committed suicide hours later. A team investigating the case revisited the crime scene on Saturday, February 27 before arriving at the conclusion. The detectives reportedly established Kipkoech had locked himself in the toilet using a lock. Had there been another party in the house there is no way he or she could have locked the toilet from inside. It seems it is the deceased man who locked it to enhance his mission to die, said one officer. The officers are yet to establish the motive of the murder and suicide. They intend to visit St Thomas of Aquinas Seminary in Karen, Nairobi, where Kipkoech was in his eighth year and due to graduate as a Catholic priest this year, to get more information about his character. We dont know if he was jinxed because he was to graduate and be a priest or there was any other issue. We intend to dig further on his character, said another officer who sought anonymity. This comes as Government chief pathologist Dr Johansen Oduor established Cheboi and her son were smothered to death. He said a hand or a cloth was placed on the mouth and nose of the mother and son to deny them oxygen. The boy had injuries on the neck and mouth while the mother had superficial subcutaneous injuries on her right upper arm an indication she tried to defend herself before she died. Dr Oduor said Kipkoech had cherry red tissues, which are found in the body of a person who has died of carbon monoxide poisoning. The gentleman died because of carbon monoxide poisoning. I have gotten information that some jiko was found next to him, he said. This appears to confirm earlier reports by neighbours who said they last saw the man buying charcoal on Monday, February 22, a day before the bodies were found. The mother and son died earlier than the man. This is because there was advanced decomposition on the two bodies while that of the man was fairly fresh. He might have died a day after the others, said Oduor. Police say they are yet to establish the nature of a white substance that was found in the bedroom of the woman and her son. It is being analysed by experts. Steel Minister on Wednesday urged investors to invest in development of ports in Odisha, whose coastline, he said, will be the "hub of maritime trade". Pradhan, who is also the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, was speaking at a session on 'Investment Opportunities in Odisha' at the ongoing Maritime India Summit 2021. The event was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. Speaking on the ports sector at the event on Tuesday, the prime minister had announced that India will invest USD 82 billion in port projects by 2035. In his address, Pradhan said, "Odisha's coastline is going to be the hub of maritime trade. Anchor industries and companies are needed for development and operations of new ports in Odisha and optimal utilization of riverine and sea port area," a statement issued by the Ministry of Steel said. While inviting the potential investors to take advantage of business opportunities in the state, he said Odisha will also be the gateway of global maritime network of trade and commerce. Noting that Odisha has natural harbours, rich natural resources, long coastline and skill-able and hardworking manpower, he said the state is uniquely poised to be the part of India's AatmaNirbhar journey and contribute to the country's target of becoming a USD 5 trillion economy. Odisha also has a rich maritime history and thousands of years ago navigators of the state used to sail to different parts of the globe, he said. The minister further said, "Paradip is going to be the gateway of growth of eastern part of the country. Kalinganagar is being developed as a steel hub, envisages to become a self-contained ecosystem, and will enable the potential investors for setting up value added downstream facilities." The government-led initiatives in the petroleum and steel sectors will provide impetus to the maritime economy in Odisha. Integration of crucial infrastructure like road, rail and port will lead to the industrial development of the state. Potential for port-led blue economy will be unlocked with the multi-modal rail, road and air linkages with sea and riverine ports for transport of minerals and goods at much lower logistics cost, he said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Eight members of the public will join the scheduled SpaceX moon trip in 2023 after Yusaku Maezawa, a Japanese billionaire, announced on Tuesday that he would be choosing the individuals who will be joining him. According to CNBC, the Japanese billionaire invited the public in joining him on a trip around the moon which he called his mission in a video. The Japanese billionaire, Maezawa, announced the said mission in September of 2018 alongside SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who stated that the plan has evolved from flying artists on a lunar orbit trip. Moreover, the project of Maezawa, which he called 'dearMoon,' will be flying 10 to 12 individuals in total, and eight of the crew will be coming from the public who the Japanese billionaire will pick. Maezawa also mentioned that he would be paying for the entire journey, so those joining him will fly for free. The Japanese billionaire made his fortune by founding this fashion retail company, Zozotown, after resigning in 2019 and selling a majority stake to SoftBank. Furthermore, the dearMoon mission will take three days to fly to the moon, loop behind it in orbit, and then spend three days in the return flight. Musk also stated that aside from the historic private lunar mission, the rocket targets' flight path targets it to go beyond the Apollo missions' distance traveled. Musk stated that the mission expects people to be going further than any human has ever gone from planet Earth in an interview. On the other hand, the mission's website, dearMoon, stated that the 'pre-registration is still open until March 14. The pre-registration application requests the name, country, e-mail address, and profile picture of the applicant. The initial screening process will start on March 21, while the final interview and medical checkup will be conducted sometime in late May. Based on the dearMoon mission guidelines, there are two key criteria for any individual who applies to fly with Maezawa. First, a prospect passenger can advance whatever activity they are into by going to space, Space.com reported. Read also: Democrats Look to Send $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Relief Bill Including $1,400 Stimulus Checks to Biden Next Week Second, in the criteria, the eight aspiring astronauts must be willing and able to support other crew members who share the same aspirations. The Japanese billionaire's announcement of the SpaceX moon trip came after two and a half years since his original dearMoon announcement, and the project has stuck to its 2023 goal for its launch. Meanwhile, SpaceX has continued its dedication to developing Starship, as the rocket represents a next-generation vehicle which is the key to Musk's dreams of future space exploration. The SpaceX founder aims for Starship to be fully reusable. Despite not reaching the orbit yet, the company has testing prototypes in its facility in Texas and has successfully launched numerous Starship prototypes by landing them safely after short flights around 500 feet in altitude, CNA reported. Related article: SpaceX Investigation: DOJ Investigates Elon Musk's Company Following Claims of Discrimination in Hiring Process @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The government will spend millions of dollars building a massive intersection in Melbournes north-east to solve a traffic problem that locals say will be fixed by the $16 billion North East Link. Hundreds of trees will be felled for the project, which will replace the large roundabout regarded as a gateway to the bushland suburb of Eltham. Eltham resident Sana Kojicin says the government should reconsider the oversized design of the Fitzsimons Lane upgrade. Credit:Simon Schluter Work has already started on the intersection of Fitzsimons Lane and Main Road in Eltham a major thoroughfare connecting Melbournes northern suburbs with the city and the east, and used by more than 60,000 vehicles every day. But the upgrade has been controversial among locals, who are angry about the loss of several hundred trees and the intersections massive size two traffic lanes leading to Eltham widening to seven and the three lanes out of Eltham widening to five. 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 Humboldt Range Project now comprises 273 lode mining claims in two groups: Black Canyon and Fourth of July. ( ) (FRA:PX0) has successfully staked and registered 96 new federal lode claims to consolidate tenure at Humboldt Range Project in Nevada, USA, more than tripling the size of the land under tenure in the Fourth of July area. The Humboldt Range Project now comprises 273 lode mining claims in two groups: Black Canyon and Fourth of July. The 96 new lode claims at Fourth of July will be subject to the mine lease agreement with existing claim owners once PolarX exercises the option to acquire the mine lease agreement from the vendor. Legal due diligence on the existing 177 lode claims is still in progress and is expected to be completed within the next two weeks, following which, PolarXs option to acquire the mining rights may be exercised. Presence of high-grade gold and silver Upon exercise of the option to acquire the mine lease agreement, PolarX will immediately begin an evaluation of the length and continuity of the vein sets to determine whether high-grade mineable widths and tonnages are present, along with an evaluation of whether the altered rock between the veins contains economically viable grades of gold and silver amenable to bulk mining. The Humboldt Range Project complements PolarXs Alaska Range Project, providing a longer field season (April-December) for another high-quality project in a Tier-1 jurisdiction that can be serviced by the companys existing consultants. Validation sampling by PolarX at several sites confirmed the presence of high grades of gold and silver in outcropping veins and historic mine dumps, with peak values of up to 37.7 g/t gold and 18 g/t silver at Black Canyon and up to 31.2 g/t gold and up to 1,590 g/t silver at Fourth of July. Humboldt Range Project The Humboldt Range Project is between two large-scale active mines: the Florida Canyon gold mine (more than 5 million ounces of gold) and the Rochester silver-gold mine (more than 400 million ounces of silver and more than 3 million ounces of gold). Humboldt Range contains geology consistent with bonanza-style epithermal gold-silver mineralisation and bulk mineable epithermal gold-silver mineralisation, both of which are well known in Nevada. The claims have been owned by the same family since the 1950s and very limited exploration has been reported. Access to the project is via roads off the I-80 Interstate Highway, which lies less than 15 kilometres to the west. Widespread narrow vein mineralisation with visible gold occurs in the claims and was historically mined via numerous adits and underground workings between 1865 and 1927. Mineralisation occurs in high-grade epithermal quartz veins of varying thickness, either as isolated veins or as zones of sheeted/anastomosing veins within zones of intensely altered and mineralised host rocks. Numerous high-grade gold and silver assays from 2006-2007 sampling of outcropping veins and grab sampling from the dumps of old mine workings occur in both groups of claims, with peak values up to 3,384 g/t gold, 2,837 g/t silver, 22.9% lead and 3.1% zinc. 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. Sorry, no valid subscriptions were found for this Publication. Please select from an option below to start a subscription. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 24 Hour Access (Natural News) On Tuesday, Mar. 2, Gov. Greg Abbott ended Texass statewide Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) mask mandate. Alongside this, Abbot also allowed all of the states businesses to fully reopen. Texas is committed to going against the wishes of federal and public health officials, who have urged states to not abandon their COVID-19 restrictions. With the medical advancements of vaccines and antibody therapeutic drugs, Texas now has the tools to protect Texans from the virus. We must now do more to restore livelihoods and normalcy for Texans by opening Texas 100 percent, said Abbott during an address at a gathering with the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce in Lubbock County, West Texas. (Related: Texas doctor fired after administering 10 doses of coronavirus vaccine that were about to expire to family, acquaintances and strangers.) Abbott signed the states mask mandate executive order in July 2020. It required masks to be worn in public spaces in most counties, with some exceptions in place such as for children younger than 10 years old. Wearing a face covering in public is proven to be one of the most effective ways we have to slow the spread of COVID-19, said the governor at the time. Now, he feels that Texas is ready to join around a dozen other states that have either rescinded their mask mandates or have not had a mandate for a while, including neighboring Oklahoma. Once the mask mandate is fully rolled back, Texas will be the most populous state in the country to not have one. On Tuesday, Abbott talked about how nearly 2.5 million Texans have been confirmed through testing to have recovered from the coronavirus. He also mentioned how state health officials believe the actual number of recoveries is four to five times the official number. Abbott believes that this means maybe 10 million Texans or more out of a population of nearly 29 million have recovered from COVID-19. The governor is also putting his hopes on the more than 5.7 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine that have already been administered in the state. This is on top of the many more doses Texans are expected to receive in the near future thanks to the rapid increase in vaccine production. With the vaccine increasing so rapidly, Texas will soon expand the categories of people who are able to get them, and some medical professionals say within a few months, every Texan who wants a vaccine shot will be able to get one. But Abbott was quick to remind Texans that getting rid of the mask mandate does not end personal responsibility. Personal vigilance to follow the safe standards is still needed to contain COVID, he said. Its just that now state mandates are no longer needed. Abbott also orders the Texan economy to reopen 100 percent Along with the rolling back of the statewide mask mandate, Abbott also signed an executive order, which will take effect on Mar. 10, lifting restrictions imposed on businesses operating in the state. Make no mistake, COVID-19 has not disappeared, but it is clear from the recoveries, vaccinations, reduced hospitalizations and safe practices that Texans are using that state mandates are no longer needed. Todays announcement does not abandon safe practices that Texans have mastered over the past year. Instead, it is a reminder that each person has a role to play in their own personal safety and the safety of others. With this executive order, we are ensuring that all businesses and families in Texas have the freedom to determine their own destiny. If hospitalizations in any of Texas 22 hospital regions rise above 15 percent of hospital bed capacity for seven straight days, a county judge within that region will be allowed to impose mitigation strategies on businesses within the county. But these county judges will not be allowed to reinstate mask mandates nor reduce business capacity to below 50 percent. Under no circumstances can a county judge put anyone in jail for not following COVID-19 orders and no penalties can be imposed for failing to wear a face mask, said Abbott. Todays announcement ensures Texans can tap into their own self-reliance to seize the opportunities our state has to offer. If businesses want to limit capacity or implement additional safety protocols they have the right to do so, added the governor. It is their business and they get to choose how to operate their business the way they want to. Businesses dont need the state telling them how to operate. Once again, the governor is striking the right balance by removing the heavy hand of government and allowing businesses to operate as they see fit, wrote Texas Association of Business CEO Glenn Hamer, who praised Abbotts decision. One year into COVID-19, organizations understand what protocols they must implement to function safely, and TAB knows Texas companies will operate responsibly. Todays decision will unleash the full might of the Texas economy and create more and better-paying jobs for hardworking Texans. Health officials against Abbotts reopening plan Many health officials in Texas and all over the country are against any kind of plan to reopen the economy, seeing it as happening far too quickly. Its still too early, said Dr. Philip Huang, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services. We would love to be able to get back to normal, but with all the variables that are out there, we still have a lot more people that need to be vaccinated. Its not the time to relax. Please hear me clearly, said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday. At this level of cases, with variants spreading, we stand to completely lose the hard-earned ground we have gained. These variants are a very real threat to our people and our progress, she added. Now is not the time to relax the critical safeguards that we know can stop the spread of COVID-19 in our communities, not when we are so close. The CDC claims that health data shows Texas still has a worrying number of coronavirus-related hospital admissions and new cases of COVID-19. It is one of three states that have been flagged for exhibiting concerning test positivity data, along with Oklahoma and New Hampshire. Even the White House was quick to weigh in on Texass decision. Senior Advisor to the COVID-19 Response Coordinator Andy Slavitt said that Texas was doing this at a very bad time. The president has been very clear that we will save a lot of lives if the first 100 days 50,000 lives, thats the estimate if everybody wears a mask, said Slavitt during an appearance on MSNBC. Learn more about how Texas and other states in the U.S. are responding to the coronavirus by reading the latest articles at Pandemic.news. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com CBSNews.com DFW.CBSLocal.com Prime Minister Boris Johnson is ending what he insists must be the last lockdown, knowing it will cost thousands more lives. He admitted last Monday that ending lockdown would mean more infections, more hospitalisations more deaths. The government has ditched reducing the reproduction number (R number) of the virus as a condition for reopening, meaning COVID-19 will be allowed to spread throughout the population. Clinical staff care for a patient with coronavirus in the intensive care unit at the Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge, England, May 5, 2020 [Credit: Neil Hall Pool via AP] More deaths is portrayed by the mass media as the unavoidable price for a return to normality and freedom. This is lying propaganda. The government is committing murder on a mass scale. The pursuit of herd immunity by allowing the virus to spread unchecked has always been its policy. Johnsons statement to the nation of March 12 last year insisted that many more families are going to lose loved ones before their time. His chief adviser Dominic Cummings said privately that the governments strategy was herd immunity, protect the economy, and if that means some pensioners die, too bad. More than 135,000 people have already been killed by COVID-19 as a result. The only reason this death toll is not higher still is because a feared eruption of opposition in the working class forced the ruling class to make retreats. The first lockdown last March followed an outbreak of strikes in Italy, then the centre of the pandemic in Europe, that spread to Spain, France and the UK. The government was desperate to avert mass protests that would cut across its drive to implement a multi-hundred-billion-pound programme of government handouts to big business and the super-rich, justified as being in the national interest. The scale of the intervention was unprecedented350 billion in business loans from the government and 645 billion in quantitative easing from the Bank of England, since increased to a staggering 895 billion. With the bailout achieved, the government moved as swiftly as possible to force the population back to schools and workplaces to restart the flow of profits, even though its limited lockdown was proving effective in curbing the spread of the virus. This led inevitably to a disastrous re-eruption of infections and a second wave of disease that killed more people than the first. The continued threat of a social explosion, prompted by a wave of hospitalisations and the collapse of the healthcare system, forced Johnson to implement two additional lockdowns in November and January. These were more limited even than the first, with large sections of the population forced to come into work. New daily cases have only just been brought below 10,000for the first time in five months. Johnsons insistence that this must be the last lockdown is a declaration of a political war on the working class. All schools and colleges will be reopened at once to their more than ten million pupils, students and education workers on March 8. Neither mask wearing nor coronavirus testing will be compulsory. The governments Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies warns that this action alone will increase the national R rate by 10-50 percent. By June 21, all restrictions will be lifted. The scrapping of public health measures is being justified by citing the UKs vaccination programme. This is another fraud. The present fall in infections is almost entirely the result of the lockdown and not vaccination. Its removal will lead to a deadly surge in cases before the vaccination programme has been completed and taken full effect. According to the Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team, a gradual lifting of public health restrictions would result in a staggering 58,200 additional COVID-19 deaths between February 12 this year and June 30, 2022 based on a reopening agenda that is far more cautious than that planned by the government. Immunisation is a vital step towards ending the pandemic. But without a scientific strategy for implementing and maintaining public health measures until the population is effectively protected, more people will die unnecessarily. More dangerous and vaccine-resistant variants of the virus will also be allowed to develop. The Kent variant has already become dominant in the UK and cases of the South African and now Brazilian variants have been detected. Far from a return to normal, the sacrifice of workers lives to the pandemic takes place under conditions of a ruthless effort to claw back from the working class the billions handed to the corporations. Workers will also be made to bear the burden of a mounting trade war between Britain, the European powers, the US and China, which threatens to break out into catastrophic military conflicts. The result will be millions thrown out of work, slashed wages and social services, and workplaces turned into hellholes. Unemployment is officially at 5.1 percent and the Bank of England and Office for Budget Responsibility are forecasting an increase of 7-8 percent once the jobs furlough scheme is wound down. Fire and rehire schemes are being used to push through wage cuts of up to 25 percent and more gruelling work schedules. Polling by the Trades Union Congress in January found that 9 percent of workers in Britain have already been faced with having to re-apply for their jobs on worse terms and conditions or be sacked. Rates of poverty, destitution, debt, rent arrears and foodbank usage are rising sharply. The same class war offensive is underway in every country. The vaccine wars over which country will be supplied first are the most grotesque expression of the fierce competition among national ruling classes to undercut their rivals at the expense of their workers. These conflicts were graphically on display with the completion of Brexit at the height of Europes second wave. Amid a global public health disaster, rows between the UK and the European powers saw lorries piled up at the Port of Dover and the Northern Ireland Protocol threatened just weeks after the deal was signed. This fundamental lesson must be drawn from the year in which the pandemic has raged: The ruling class will pursue its interests ruthlessly no matter what the cost in human lives and suffering. Johnson and his counterparts internationally are impervious to scientific argument, let alone moral appeal. They are responding to the threat they fear from below by doubling down on their murderous agenda, strengthening the state apparatus, restricting freedom of speech, and encouraging the growth of far-right movements. The fascistic layers mobilised by Donald Trump in the invasion of the Capitol Building, Marine Le Pens National Rally in France, and the Alternative for Germany (AfD) all advance an anti-lockdown/anti-vaccination agenda, mobilising sections of the middle class and small business owners facing ruin at the hands of Europes governments against the working class. Defeating the pandemic is not primarily a medical question. It must be fought politically. The only social force which can impose the necessary measures to curb the pandemic, defeat the onslaught on jobs, wages and conditions and halt the descent into trade and military conflict is the international working class. Workers resistance is growing internationally, involving Italian public sector workers, wildcat strikes by French teachers against in-person teaching, industrial action against plant closures in Spain, the action of educators in Chicago, US, and Sao Paulo, Brazil, and ongoing strikes against British Gas and Manchester and London bus companies. But this must be given conscious organisational and political direction. The Go North West bus drivers picket line in Manchester on the first day of the strike (Credit: WSWS Media) The Labour Party and trade unions have been revealed as bitter enemies of the working class. The trade unions have functioned throughout the pandemic as a police force for the government and corporations. After signing-off on Chancellor Rishi Sunaks bailouts of big business, the Trades Union Congress provided the government with a document on A trade union approach on how to manage the mass return to work. Since then, the unions have suppressed any action against the threat to workers lives posed by COVID-19. Labour, initially under Jeremy Corbyn and then Sir Keir Starmer, has acted as a de facto coalition partner with the Tories in its drive to reopen schools and workplaces. Corbyn was told of the governments herd immunity strategy in private discussions and kept silent. Starmer dedicated himself to constructive opposition, a policy best summed up by his insistence, in the Daily Mail, that schools should be opened no ifs, no buts. The pandemic has acted as a trigger event, bringing into sharp focus for millions of people around the world the bankruptcy of the entire social and economic order and all its political defenders. New organisations of class struggle and a new socialist leadership must be built. For workers to defend their lives and livelihoods, the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) calls for the formation of rank-and-file committees in every workplace, networked across Britain and internationally, and independent of the trade unions. These committees must reject all calls to sacrifice in the national interest and fight uncompromisingly for the needs of the working class. Their first task must be to secure a full lockdown of non-essential production and the implementation of strict safety protocols in genuinely essential sectors, until the rollout of the vaccine is complete, and a rigorous test and trace system implemented. All workers forced to stay at home and small businesses required to close must receive full income support, with all jobs safeguarded. Against the claim that there is no money for these measures, rank-and-file committees must advance a programme for the expropriation of big business and the financial oligarchs. The fortunes of the super-rich pandemic profiteers and assets of the major corporations must be seized, to be managed democratically by the working class to meet social need, not private profit. A global pandemic requires a globally coordinated solution. The efforts of the ruling class to pit worker against worker as they seek control of the worlds markets and resources must be countered by the socialist unification of the working class. This demands the fight for a European-wide general strike and the taking of political power by the working class in a United Socialist States of Europe. Joining and building the Socialist Equality Party will provide the leadership to carry forward this life and death struggle. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 Chancellor announced plans for 'green growth' in his Budget today - but they were criticised for being 'way short' of the action required to tackle climate change. Rishi Sunak heralded a new national infrastructure bank in Leeds with 12billion to finance a green industrial revolution and 15billion of new green gilts this year. There were also changes to the remit of the Bank of England so it reflects the importance of environmental sustainability and the shift to net zero emission. Further plans included allowing UK savers to invest in a green National Savings and Investment product, and new funding to upgrade ports to support offshore wind. Also revealed was 88million for two separate UK competitions to develop floating offshore wind demonstrators and long-duration energy storage technology. But Mr Sunak only dwelt briefly on environmental measures in the 51-minute speech in the Commons today, in which he also announced fuel duty would be frozen again. An engineering vessel is moored alongside the EDF offshore wind farm in Teesport yesterday Chancellor Rishi Sunak stands at 11 Downing Street before heading to the Commons today And he was silent on the Government's flagship 'green homes grant' scheme paying householders to make their properties more energy efficient. This has been beset by delays and the threat of funding being pulled, with analysis finding it will help just 8 per cent of its target 600,000 homes by the end of March. What were the Budget's 'green growth' policies? National infrastructure bank with 12billion to finance a green industrial revolution 15billion of new green gilts this year Changes to the remit of the Bank of England so it reflects the importance of environmental sustainability and the shift to net zero emissions Plans to allow UK savers to invest in a green National Savings and Investment product. New funding to upgrade ports to support offshore wind 20million for a UK-wide competition to develop floating offshore wind demonstrators 68million for a UK-wide competition on long-duration energy storage technology 4million for a biomass feedstocks programme to identify ways to increase the production of green energy crops and forest products that can be used for energy Advertisement Responding to the Budget speech this afternoon, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: 'The biggest challenge for this country is the climate emergency. 'The Chancellor talks up his green credentials but his Budget stops way short of what is needed or what is happening in other countries. 'This Budget should have included a major green stimulus, bringing forward billions of pounds of investment to create new jobs and new green infrastructure.' Instead, Sir Keir said, the Government was trying to build a new coal mine which might not even work for British steel, referring to plans for a mine in Cumbria amid warnings the coking coal it produces may not be usable in UK steelworks. 'If anything sums up this Government's commitment to a green recovery and jobs for the future it's building a coal mine we can't even use,' he said. But Jonathan Maxwell, chief executive of sustainable investment firm Sustainable Development Capital, told MailOnline: 'SDCL welcomes today's Budget as it positions London as the global centre for green finance in the run up to November's COP26. 'Proposals to issue the UK's first sovereign green bond and introduce super-deductions on capital allowances are essential measures for supporting businesses and the economy. 'The creation of a 12billion Infrastructure Bank in particular shows the Government's ambition to help deliver the local authority and private sector infrastructure projects that will encourage a green recovery. 'However, the Government must ensure that financing from the Bank prioritises energy efficiency and local production investment, including in public sector buildings such as hospitals, if it wishes to achieve the rapid decarbonisation necessary to reach Net Zero.' The Campaign to Protect Rural England said the Budget was 'disappointing' for climate action The Green Alliance think tank asked in a statement: 'Was this a budget for climate and nature?' Green Party leader Caroline Lucas tweeted: 'Is that it, Rishi? We needed an ambitious budget for a greener, fairer future but we got one that traps us in a broken past.' She added: 'Our economy would be better served by a Chancellor who cared more about hedgehogs than hedge funds.' What has been said about the Budget's green policies? 'The Government must ensure that financing from the Bank prioritises energy efficiency and local production investment.' Jonathan Maxwell, Sustainable Development Capital 'The Chancellor talks up his green credentials but his Budget stops way short of what is needed or what is happening in other countries. Sir Keir Starmer, Labour leader 'What we need is for the Government to help create green and sustainable jobs up and down the country that help real people, while also making the UK economy greener' Crispin Truman, Campaign to Protect Rural England chief executive 'Our economy would be better served by a Chancellor who cared more about hedgehogs than hedge funds.' Caroline Lucas, Green Party leader 'Today's budget was a missed opportunity to launch a green, equitable recovery to put people on a secure footing and address the UK's debilitating inequalities.' Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Labour MP 'The pace of change doesn't reflect the urgency of the climate and nature crises that the UK and the world faces.' Green Alliance think tank 'This half-hearted approach to climate leadership has left the UK running out of time and credibility, just when we need them most.' Greenpeace spokesman 'Below the surface of vague commitments to 'low-carbon investment', the UK Government is continuing on the current course we have been warned is so dangerous.' Extinction Rebellion spokesman Advertisement Crispin Truman, chief executive of the Campaign to Protect Rural England, the countryside charity, said the Budget was disappointing for climate action and rural communities. 'What we need is for the Government to help create green and sustainable jobs up and down the country that help real people, while also making the UK economy greener,' he said. But he warned there was 'nothing green' about jobs created by a new coal mine. 'He should be stimulating jobs in areas like Cumbria with renewable energy and energy efficiency, rather than through a coal mine that will be disastrous for carbon emissions and disastrous for our international reputation on climate in equal measure,' he said. And Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy tweeted: 'The pandemic has shown how a decade of austerity weakened the foundations of our economy and our society. 'Today's budget was a missed opportunity to launch a green, equitable recovery to put people on a secure footing and address the UK's debilitating inequalities.' Her fellow Labour MP Rebecca Long-Bailey added: 'In today's Budget, Rishi Sunak spoke about a Green Industrial Revolution but his weak proposals are just another attempt to claim credit for a good idea he's too afraid to pursue.' And the Green Alliance think tank said in a statement: 'Was this a budget for climate and nature? The good news is HM Treasury is slowly moving in a greener direction. 'But the pace of change doesn't reflect the urgency of the climate and nature crises that the UK and the world faces.' And a spokesman for activist group Extinction Rebellion said: 'Today's Budget announcement shows that below the surface of vague commitments to 'low-carbon investment', the UK Government is continuing on the current course we have been warned is so dangerous. 'Not only will the government cut 1billion from net-zero spending intended to help insulate homes as part of the 'green homes grant' scheme, they are also allowing airports to expand, new coal mines to be built and investment to flow from the UK's banking and financial sector to new fossil fuel projects. 'There is no longer any argument that urgent and transformative action is needed on the climate and ecological crisis, and yet it is clearly still not happening.' A Greenpeace spokesman added: 'Rishi's vague slogans aren't going to cut emissions, and neither will the green homes grant now it's dropped off the Government's agenda. 'This half-hearted approach to climate leadership has left the UK running out of time and credibility, just when we need them most.' Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy said the Budget was a 'missed opportunity' for a green recovery Greenpeace criticised 'vague slogans' from Chancellor Rishi Sunak in a tweet posted today But the renewables industry welcomed moves on offshore wind, through investment in ports and plans for freeports. Industry body RenewableUK's chief executive Hugh McNeal said this represented a 'huge boost' to the sector's export ambitions. Where will the eight freeport locations be? The sites for the eight freeports in England have been revealed as part of the Chancellor's Budget. The renewables industry welcomed moves on offshore wind, through investment in plans for freeports. The following locations are all set to benefit from the post-Brexit status: East Midlands Airport Felixstowe and Harwich Humber region Liverpool City region Plymouth Solent Thames Teesside Advertisement Pledged in the Conservative Party 2019 manifesto, Mr Sunak announced that East Midlands Airport, Felixstowe and Harwich, the Humber region, the Liverpool City region, Plymouth, Solent, Thames and Teesside are all set to benefit from the post-Brexit status as freeports. Mr Sunak said the 'special economic zones with different rules to make it easier and cheaper to do business' would come with simpler planning, cheaper customs - with favourable tariffs, VAT or duties - and lower taxes, with 'tax breaks to encourage construction, private investment and job creation'. The announcement, which could potentially boost investment, comes only weeks before the local and mayoral elections, with the Tories looking to hang on to the Tees Valley mayoral seat, currently held by Ben Houchen, in May. Speaking about the freeport site in Felixstowe and Harwich, green entrepreneur Jo Bamford said: 'The PM has said the UK will be 'putting a big bet on hydrogen' and the Budget's green light for the Freeport East Hydrogen Hub is a major step towards delivering on these words. 'The Freeport East Hydrogen Hub will support the creation of thousands of green jobs and feature innovative uses in hydrogen for zero emissions buses, construction equipment, marine and agriculture. 'Crucially, these UK-made Net Zero technologies can be in use within 12 months and will place East Anglia at the forefront of the global hydrogen economy.' And commenting on the launch of green savings bonds, Huw Evans, director general of the Association of British Insurers, said: 'We welcome the launch of green bonds. 'They will help the Government raise funds to invest in renewable energy and green projects, with savers playing their part in helping speed up the UK's transition to a low carbon economy.' The transition to the digital economy has rapidly picked up pace in the last year, remaking both public and private companies across all industries, transforming how they create and deliver value. As a result, enterprises are facing the need for a fundamental architectural shift towards operating ubiquitously and on-demand, informed by real-time information. Data gravity is the obstacle to this transformation, and has the potential to inhibit workflow performance, raise security concerns and increase costs, alongside regulatory issues. Today, Digital Realty is taking specific actions to support the industry's transformation to a data-centric architecture and is evolving its interconnection capabilities with an updated roadmap for PlatformDIGITAL, adding new coverage, capacity, connectivity and control capabilities. This approach requires local copies of private, shared and public data sets to be integrated as part of decentralized workflows which originate and traverse across multiple internal and external platforms, with policy enforcement controls, real time analytics and interactive cross-platform orchestration. Digital Realty today outlined its plans to develop new native orchestration and native fabric connectivity options to further this industry shift. As one of many actions, Digital Realty is integrating the IP and engineering team of Raleigh, NC-based Pureport, adding in-house network software development to support the company's vision of building open, SDN-enabled cross platform orchestration with multiple industry partners. The new approach further enhances Digital Realty's global partnership with Megaport on its Service Exchange offering, continuing the companies' long-standing collaboration on open orchestration, and aims to accelerate integration with Interxion's Cloud Connect interconnection product in EMEA. In parallel, Digital Realty also today outlined its vision to create a native direct network path between its global campuses, creating new industrialized multi-path options in collaboration with industry-leading partners. Since launching its platform strategy at the end of 2019 and the onset of the global pandemic in early 2020, Digital Realty is building its position as both a global platform of multi-tenant datacenter capacity2 and for interconnection solutions that integrate global workflows, communities and hubs around data. Over the last year, the company has seen the uptake of virtual interconnection increase by 27% for its Service Exchange offering and 46% for its Cloud Connect product3 across Digital Realty's global portfolio of over 290 data centers, as the company expanded coverage from 36 metros in 2019 to now cover 49 metros and increased its presence from 15 countries to now address 24 countries globally. In March 2020, Digital Realty significantly expanded its global coverage in completing its combination with Interxion. The combined entity added 53 new data centers in EMEA to the company's global portfolio and incorporated key assets such as the submarine landing cable station and Internet hub in Marseille, France. As a result, customers now have access to more than 700 providers on PlatformDIGITAL in EMEA alone. Globally, participants in Digital Realty's connected data communities more than doubled from 2,000 to over 4,000 in 2020. As a result of last year's unprecedented shift to digital business, growth in peering traffic volumes on the Digital Realty Internet Exchange (DRIX) also led customers to increasingly migrate to a new baseline for peering connectivity, with adoption of 100G ports growing 70%, and total port capacity on DRIX growing 46% year on year. Across Digital Realty's global portfolio of more than 290 data centers, the pace of network cross-connect deployments has also accelerated in the last year, growing to a total of over 168,000 by the end of 2020, up 88,000 from the previous year. The industry has also recognized Digital Realty's rapid progress since the launch of its platform strategy. Cloudscene, a leading market intelligence platform for network services ranked the combined company in first place in EMEA, and second place in North America in Q1 on its Data Center Ecosystem Leaderboard. Most recently Digital Realty advanced to also take second spot in LATAM on the Cloudscene Leaderboard in the second half of 2020. Industry Perspective "The accelerating shift to always-on digital business is creating new architectural challenges for both enterprises and service providers - from ever increasing data volumes being created in multiple locations, regulatory and security concerns and a requirement to exchange data with new communities of business partners. Our industry research points to a growing need for this kind of combination of open interconnection and next-generation colocation that will reduce the complexity of digital transformation," said Courtney Munroe, Research Vice President, Worldwide Telecoms Research for IDC. "Our partnership with Digital Realty is a testament to our shared vision to fundamentally transform the way businesses enable IT services," said Vincent English, CEO of Megaport. "Since the launch of Service Exchange in 2016, Digital Realty and Megaport customers have unlocked the power of on-demand interconnection to support hybrid cloud, multi cloud, and cloud-to-cloud architectures that scale. We're excited to continue innovating with Digital Realty as we make building connections between enterprises, networks and clouds on PlatformDIGITAL an intuitive, as-a-service experience." "We are laying out our industry manifesto and a call to action today to remove legacy barriers in the interconnection industry to address data gravity," said Chris Sharp, Chief Technology Officer at Digital Realty. "We look forward to engaging with industry participants as we shape our vision for a fabric of fabrics that will unlock new opportunities and value for all sectors. We will be an industry steward championing this shift and together we can tackle data gravity head-on and build a new era of open, secure and dynamic connected data communities globally." Supporting resources: About Digital Realty Digital Realty supports the world's leading enterprises and service providers by delivering the full spectrum of data center, colocation and interconnection solutions. PlatformDIGITAL, the company's global data center platform, provides customers a trusted foundation and proven Pervasive Datacenter Architecture (PDx) solution methodology for scaling digital business and efficiently managing data gravity challenges. Digital Realty's global data center footprint gives customers access to the connected communities that matter to them with more than 290 facilities in 49 metros across 24 countries on six continents. To learn more about Digital Realty, please visit digitalrealty.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Media & Industry Analyst Relations Marc Musgrove Digital Realty +1 (415) 508-2812 [email protected] Investor Relations John Stewart / Jim Huseby Digital Realty +1 (415) 738-6500 [email protected] This press release contains forward-looking statements which are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially, including statements related to PlatformDIGITAL, including the updated roadmap, our industry manifesto, data gravity, the Data Gravity Index, our partnership with Megaport, Purepoint, and our global position in multi-tenant datacenter capacity and interconnection solutions. For a list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see the reports and other filings by the company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. 1 Synergy Research Group; Second largest carrier neutral interconnection globally 2 451 Research, a part of S & P Global Market Intelligence, Market Forecast, Leased Datacenter Global Providers, 2020. Capacity measured in terms of operational square footage. 3 27% MRR growth for Service Exchange in 2020. 46% growth in customer interconnects on Cloud Connect platform in 2020. SOURCE Digital Realty Related Links https://www.digitalrealty.com WASHINGTON California Attorney General Xavier Becerra took a step toward becoming secretary of Health and Human Services on Wednesday when a key Senate committee deadlocked on sending his nomination to the full chamber with a positive recommendation. All 14 Republicans on the Finance Committee voted against Becerras nomination, signaling his likely confirmation will consist largely if not exclusively of Democratic votes in the evenly split Senate. If that happens, Vice President Kamala Harris could break the tie in Becerras favor. Although the committee tied and thus did not favorably report his nomination, the vote still functionally advances Becerra by allowing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York to bring a confirmation vote to the floor. The Senate could vote within days. The party-line committee vote was expected. Conservative groups have organized against Becerra more than many of President Bidens Cabinet nominees, criticizing his positions on abortion and legal cases they characterize as issues of religious freedom. Other Republicans said Becerra didnt have enough experience on health care policy, which Democrats countered by pointing to his 24 years in the House working on health care legislation and numerous cases as attorney general dealing with the Affordable Care Act and health issues. Being HHS secretary should not be a learn-on-the-job position, and Im afraid that Mr. Becerra would be very dependent upon advisers, said Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., a physician. Mr. Becerras very bright, hes very well meaning, hes very smart. I will cooperate with him and work with him, but we shouldnt have the pretense that this person has the qualifications of someone with a different background. Democrats said Becerra is no stranger to managing large bureaucracies, noting that the California Justice Department is the largest such agency in the nation outside of the federal Justice Department. If theres an effort to paint the attorney general as some kind of inexperienced radical, its just not backed up by what the committee saw last week, said panel Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore. Although Democrats could confirm Becerra without any Republican help, he had positive exchanges during hearings before another committee with GOP Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Asked about the tie vote in the Finance Committee on Wednesday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki noted that Cassidy himself predicted Becerra has enough votes to be confirmed. We certainly understood from the beginning that every nominee would not receive 93 votes, Psaki said. But we remain confident and confidently behind the nomination. Tal Kopan is The San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent. Email: tal.kopan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @talkopan In one of the fiercest attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said while the Centre clamped an abrupt lockdown last year and asked people to clang thalis, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government provided full meals at affordable rates to the poor, needy and migrants during the pandemic crisis. "When people were being told to bang empty plates, we provided the poor people with full 'thalis' (plateful of meals) in the times of distress," Thackeray said, in his reply to the motion of thanks on the address of Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. In his address, Koshyari had lauded the government's Shiv Bhojan Yojana launched on Jan. 26, 2020 by which over 3.15 crore thalis at Rs.5/plate have been served. Costing the government around Rs.125-crore, the daily consumption of the affordable meals shot up from 18K to 138K, the governor noted on Monday (March 1). Thackeray recalled how he had called up the PM after the sudden lockdown was declared in the country and later the MVA government helped transport lakhs of stranded migrants safely to their home states all over India. "In fact, after they reached homes in Uttar Pradesh or Bihar, the migrants expressed their gratitude to us for the arrangements," the CM said. Thackeray took the opportunity to slam the Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre on the issue of the farmers' agitation outside Delhi and the skirmishes on the India-China borders. "You could put nails on roads (to quell the farmers' protest in Delhi), but you beat a retreat against China," Thackeray said sharply. However, Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis attacked the CM for raising irrelevant issues in the House and said Thackeray had insulted Indian soldiers on the borders. "Not an inch of (Indian) land has gone. Our soldiers defended the Chinese aggressions under extreme circumstances.. Yet you make such insulting statements against them (soldiers)," Fadnavis said. Evangelist Luis Palau now in hospice care as the 'end seems near,' son says Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Prominent evangelist Luis Palau, who has been battling lung cancer for the past few years, has entered hospice care, his son reported Monday night. Andrew Palau posted a statement to the Luis Palau Facebook page explaining that his 86-year-old father's battle with stage 4 lung cancer "took a turn for the worse" at the start of 2021. "He spent two weeks in the hospital in January, dealing with heart and lung issues. Although the doctors thought they had stabilized his condition and [we're] happy to send him home, he returned to the hospital on Friday, February 19th," stated Palau. "After meeting with doctors, the decision was made to stop all treatment and start on hospice care. All the medications and treatments were proving to be too much for his body to handle." Palau was returned home to spend his final days with his family, the statement notes. We dont know exactly how much time we have left with Dad, but the end seems near, the son added. He is in good spirits and not in pain. We know this is probably hard for you to hear. Please know that the entire family is so thankful for your encouragement, prayers, and friendship. Andrew Palau thanked supporters for their love and prayers. We are all at peace. We serve a good God who loves us beyond compare," Palaus statement continued. "Dad is pushing hard to the finish line just to see each of the grandchildren as his final hearts desire. The Lord knows his actual timing, and Dad keeps reminding us in these last few days, 'As for God, His way is perfect.'" Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1934, Palau moved to the United States in 1960 to engage in ministry work, eventually headquartering his efforts in Portland, Oregon. Overseeing his efforts through the Luis Palau Association, the evangelist was known for gathering large numbers of people for outdoor revival events, often cooperating with local churches. He is also said to have had a close relationship with legendary evangelist Billy Graham, whom he met at the age of 26. Graham invited Palau to speak at several events worldwide over the years. In 2015, Palau brought together more than 1,000 New York City churches to organize around 60,000 people in Central Park for an evangelism event. In 2010, Palau held an event celebrating 50 years of ministry at the Oregon Convention Center, which was attended by figures including Portland Mayor Sam Adams and award-winning music artist Steven Curtis Chapman. Palau posted on his Facebook page at the time that his years in ministry work have been a blessing and privilege. In 2018, the autobiographical film "Palau the Movie" was released depicting the evangelist's life story. In January 2018, Luis and his sons Andrew and Kevin announced that the elderly preacher was diagnosed with lung cancer. To me, the first thing you do is cry, the evangelist said in the announcement. I think 'oh wow, I can be gone in a few months' and one silly thought that came to mind is that I won't be able to pick up the phone and talk to the boys and hear their voice and talk to my wife. "So everything is ready, and if the Lord wants to take me home in the next two months or two years, then I'm ready, he stated. Palau continued to battle over the next couple of years. The evangelist reported in February 2020 that he was actually feeling quite well, with the disease being kept at bay. Its still there to be sure. But the doctors are very optimistic given the way things are going, Palau said in a statement at the time. Andrew Palau's statement echoed an earlier statement the Palau family posted to the website of Christian radio outlet K-LOVE late last week. Margaret Thatcher's former Oxford college is scrapping investments in coal in a bid to divest from all fossil fuels by this summer. Somerville College has announced the move nearly 40 years after the ex-Prime Minister faced down the miners' strike that saw coal production halve in Britain. The college, which Mrs Thatcher attended in the 1940s, says it has already cut 400,000 worth of investment in the coal industry, along with a 'significant proportion,' of holdings in gas and oil companies. Somerville College says it has divested 400,000 worth of investments in coal, along with a 'significant proportion' of holdings in oil and gas companies Margaret Thatcher attended Somerville College while at Oxford University in the 1940s. Her time as PM was later defined by the year-long miners' strike that began in 1984 In a statement on its website, the college said: 'We aim to fully divest from fossil fuels by July 2021. 'We have already divested from 400,000 of investments in coal, and from a significant proportion of our holdings in oil and gas companies. We will re-invest this income in new green investments.' The college also announced that it aims to be carbon-neutral by 2050 at the latest. The news comes just weeks after it was revealed Somerville College had ordered students to pass an 'unconscious bias' test in which they had to concede that a black lecturer would be more unpopular than white colleagues. Following an outcry, Somerville's principal, Lady Royall, said students would no longer be compelled to take the course, but other colleges are still insisting undergraduates and dons complete the often 'poor quality and ineffective' training. A University of Oxford spokesman said: 'Unconscious bias training is one of a range of resources available to staff. 'There is ongoing public debate about unconscious bias training and Oxford staff are free to challenge and question it under our Freedom of Speech policies.' Last month it was revealed Oxford undergraduates are being told that simply not being racist isnt good enough and they must be prepared to take action on the issue. Thatcher's former college said it aims to be carbon neutral by 2050 at the latest, and plans to invest 100million on green projects. The college has recently dropped its mandatory 'unconscious bias' test Students were told they were expected to make time to attend the Its About Race event at St Hugh's College. Attendees were shown a series of slides during the session. Under the heading Be an anti-racist on one slide, they were told: Are you racist? No isnt a good enough answer. The slide stated: We need to... stop thinking that injustice going on in the world isnt to an extent our fault, adding: Stop being a non-racist and start being an anti-racist. Another slide encouraged a commitment to action, asking the question: What is your individual contribution/commitment/pledge to tackle inequality and racism? Rahul Gandhi demands withdrawal of new regulations in Lakshadweep; Writes to PM Modi Rahul Gandhi stoking fear on vaccine, all will be vaccinate by December: Union Minister Congress leader Rahul Gandhi slams Centre over Chinese build-up in Depsang India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P New Delhi, Mar 03: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday attacked the Centre over Chinese build-up in Depsang region near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and said the cowardice of the government will lead to tragic consequences in the future. Sharing an exclusive report of India Today, Rahul Gandhi wrote on Twitter, "China mobilized its conventional and cyber forces to threaten India. GOI buckled." Budget has broadened efforts to link education with employability: PM Modi "Mark my words, our land in Depsang is gone and DBO is vulnerable. GOI's cowardice will lead to tragic consequences in the future," Rahul Gandhi said as he referred to India's highest airstrip Daulet Beg Oldie in Ladakh. The latest imagery suggested that the main building at PLA's Tianwendian post, an all-season post in Aksai Chin, has seen additional auxiliary structures, camps, vehicles and fencing since August 2020. The post is about 24 km opposite to Daulet Beg Oldie (DBO). The Tianwendian post with its air defence systems, storages, additional shelters and vehicles for the reinforcements serves as the core of the PLA operations in the region. Coronavirus cases: India records 14,989 new COVID-19 cases, 98 fresh fatalities in past 24 hours On May 5, 2020, the border standoff between the Indian and Chinese armies erupted following a violent clash in the Pangong Lake area and both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry. Ending the long stand-off between the two forces last month, Indian and Chinese troops implemented disengagement in eastern Ladakh's Galwan and Pangong Tso area. Anurag Kashyap, Tapsee Pannu face tax raids by income tax officials| Oneindia News Gail Rubin, CT, is author and host of the award-winning book and television series, A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Dont Plan to Die, Hail and Farewell: Cremation Ceremonies, Templates and Tips, and KICKING THE BUCKET LIST: 100 Downsizing and Organizing Things to Do Before You Die. Rubin is a Certified Thanatologist (that's a death educator) and a popular speaker who uses humor and films to get the end-of-life and funeral planning conversation started. She "knocked 'em dead" with her TEDx talk, A Good Goodbye. She provides continuing education credit classes for attorneys, doctors, nurses, social workers, hospice workers, financial planners, funeral directors and other professionals. She's a Certified Funeral Celebrant and funeral planning consultant who has been interviewed in national and local print, broadcast and online media. Known as The Doyenne of Death, she is the event coordinator of the Before I Die NM Festival. She also hosts A Good Goodbye Internet radio show and produces Mortality Minute radio and online video spots. Her YouTube Channel features more than 450 videos! Rubin is a member of the Association for Death Education and Counseling, the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association, Toastmasters International and the National Speakers Association New Mexico Chapter. Her speaking profile is available at eSpeakers.com. Gail Rubin has been interviewed about funeral planning issues in national and local broadcast, print and online media. Outlets include The Huffington Post, Money Magazine, Kiplinger, CBS Radio News, WGN-TV, and local affiliates for NPR, PBS, FOX, ABC-TV, CBS-TV and NBC-TV. Albuquerque Business First named her as one of their 2019 Women of Influence. Sign up for a free planning form and occasional informative newsletter at her website, AGoodGoodbye.com. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. 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Researchers at the New York State Department of Health in the United States have said concerning mutations within the B.1.526 lineage of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that has recently become prevalent in New York State warrant further monitoring. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is the agent responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that continues to sweep the globe posing a threat to public health and the economy worldwide. Erica Lasek-Nesselquist and colleagues say that as well as acquiring the E484K mutation, which is known to help the virus escape neutralizing antibodies, the B.1.526 lineage already harbors a D235G substitution that could also help to reduce the efficacy of neutralizing antibodies. Both the E484K and D235G mutations are located in a viral protein called spike the main surface structure that SARS-CoV-2 uses to bind to and enter host cells. As the initial stage of the infection process, the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike attaches to the host cell receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). This spike RBDACE2 interaction is the main target of neutralizing antibodies following infection with SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, another mutation S477N has arisen within the B.1.526 lineage that is associated with increased ACE2 receptor binding affinity and resistance to neutralization by monoclonal antibodies. The researchers say the combination of E484K, S477N and D253G mutations that might confer immune escape warrants further monitoring. A pre-print version of the research paper is available on the medRxiv* server, while the article undergoes peer review. Several variants of concern have emerged over recent months Several SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern have emerged internationally over recent months. These include the B.1.1.7 variant identified in the UK in September 2020, the B.1.351 variant identified in South Africa in October 2020 and the P.1 variant detected in Brazil in December 2020. All three lineages harbor a set of mutations in the viral spike protein that is crucial to the initial stage of infection. Relative frequency of SARS-CoV-2 lineages with E484K mutations in New York State. The number of SARS CoV-2 genomes assigned to lineages containing E484K as a function of time. The lineages included contained at least one genome with an E484K mutation in the New York State dataset. The mutations K417N and E484K found in B.1351 and P.1 are of particular concern since they significantly reduce the neutralization activity of monoclonal antibodies and convalescent plasma. However, while surveillance efforts have increased in the US, the country has not yet met the recommended sequencing of 5% of all COVID-19 cases in order to detect variants before they reach high prevalence in the population, says Pata and the team. Changing frequency of B.1.526 and other lineages in New York State. The number of genomes assigned to select SARS-CoV-2 lineages circulating in New York State as a function of time. Only lineages with 10 or more genomes from samples collected within the past 14 days were included. What did the researchers do? Pata and colleagues analyzed mutations present in more than 10,000 SARS-CoV-2 genomes from New York that were cataloged by NextClade. The team reports the emergence of the E484K mutation within the B.1.526 lineage that has become 26 times more prevalent across New York State in just over a month. Increase in Frequency of the B.1.526 E484K variant in the NYC metropolitan area. Starting from the top left, each panel encompasses a seven-day period from 2020-12-16 to 2021-02-03 showing the increase of B.1.526 484K variants (red dots). The red dots are proportional to the total number of variants found in an area. The researchers say that since the E484 mutation is located in the spike RBD at the interface with the ACE2 receptor it could increase binding affinity and contribute to the already dramatically increased rates of B.1.526 484K variants in New York. Other mutations present in B.1.526 likely do not explain the increase in transmission, writes the team. What about the D235G and S477N mutations? The B.1.526 lineage also harbors five other amino acid substitutions in the spike protein. One of these substitutions D253G occurs in the supersite loop of the N-terminal domain (NTD) of spike and is a key residue that interacts with most NTD-targeting neutralizing antibodies. This D235G mutation could therefore help to reduce the efficacy of neutralizing antibodies. Residues mutated in B.1.526 spike protein. Residues 452, 477, 484 and 501 are located at or near the interface of the RBD with the ACE2 receptor (left panel; PDB ID 6M17, Yan et al., 2020). Residue 253 is located in a small disordered loop in the NTD near the interface with neutralizing antibody 4A4 (right panel; PDB ID 7C2L, Chi et al., 2020). Figure prepared using the PyMOL Molecular Graphics System v2.3.5 (Schrodinger, LLC). Furthermore, another mutation S477N that is associated with increased ACE2 receptor binding affinity and resistance to antibody neutralization has emerged within the B.1.526 lineage. Now, the E484K and S477N spike variants currently comprise the majority of B.1.526 cases, says Pata and colleagues. We note the emergence of new variants in the B.1.526 lineage, which now harbor E484K or S477N mutations in addition to the already present D253G change, they write. The mutations have helped make B.1.526 the fifth most abundant lineage The researchers say that, collectively, these variants now represent 81% of B.1.526 SARS-CoV-2 genomes in New York State, helping to make it the fifth most abundant lineage since its detection in mid-December. The combination of E484K or S477N with a D253G mutation that might confer immune escape and the increased number of COVID-19 cases associated with these variants warrants further monitoring, concludes the team. *Important Notice medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa yesterday (March 2) issued a royal decree, appointing Fatima Jaffar Mansoor Al Sairafi as Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA). As per another decree, he has appointed Eman Ahmed Al Dossari as the new Undersecretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, reported BNA. Meanwhile, HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, issued a edict, appointing Mahmoud Ahmed Ali Muqbel as the Director of Communication and Awareness at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism. The Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism shall implement the edict, which takes effect upon publication in the Official Gazette. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. 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Evan Vucci / AP America is back, declared an excited Joe Biden. He was speaking to a group of mostly European political leaders, via video link, at the Munich Security Conference. The new president emphasized that the transatlantic alliance is back. Naturally, the message was well received. Angela Merkel, Emmanuel Macron and Boris Johnson all applauded Americas new stance. In his remarks, Biden also renewed Americas commitment to NATOs Article V, which obliges the military alliances member nations to respond collectively to an attack against any one of its members. During Donald Trumps presidency, he repeatedly refrained from publicly acknowledging that, as a member of NATO, his country would accept that obligation. Naturally, Trumps reluctance produced a great deal of anxiety in the capitals of Europe... and glee from the Kremlin. That changed when Biden entered the White House. The US president used his speech at the Munich conference to leave no doubt about his administrations position on Article V. An attack on one is an attack on all, Biden said, and promised that his country would honor its commitment. As president, Donald Trump disdained multilateralism, alliance-building and diplomacy, which he considered a waste of time. Instead, he prioritized the development of personal relationships with the leaders of countries such as China, Russia, Saudi Arabia and North Korea. He didnt accomplish much and, in general, US relations with many of the countries he sought to seduce deteriorated. It is fascinating to see high-level diplomats emulating the strategies of many multinational executives For their part, both Biden and his officials repeat, whenever possible, alliances will be the central pillar of the administrations foreign policy. They see diplomacy as the main instrument to further US national interests. According to them, successfully attacking the pandemic, climate change and the economic crisis, and preventing Iran from having nuclear weapons, would all be impossible without coordination with allies. From the perspective of Biden and his administration, Trumps slogan America First ended up meaning America Alone. According to them, Trumps position only served to isolate the country, including unilaterally ceding geopolitical spaces that were quickly filled by China and Russia. It also proved that while Americas military and economic power is important, it is not enough to accomplish the nations international objectives. Potential allies are keen to work with the United States in pursuit of their common interests. There is no doubt that repowering these alliances is necessary. Global problems that cannot be solved with local responses are proliferating and with them, the need for countries to act in a coordinated manner. Unfortunately, Washingtons attempts to build a much-needed network of international alliances will have one major obstacle: the volatility of US politics. As president, Donald Trump disdained multilateralism, alliance-building and diplomacy, which he considered a waste of time Why? Consider what would happen to a country that enthusiastically embraces Biden and dives into an alliance with the United States only to find four years later that the US elections have ushered in a new president who has no interest in upholding Bidens agreements. That issue is very much on the minds of foreign policy leaders of the very countries that Washington needs as allies. In the virtual corridors of the Munich conference, the most pressing question was not whether the United States was back. The burning question was and still is how long it will stay back. They realize that the United States is not a politically stable country. It is fascinating to see high-level diplomats emulating the strategies of many multinational executives. Since the late 1990s, business leaders have built complex and highly efficient supply chains that start in China and flow to markets around the world. These supply chains allowed companies to drastically reduce their inventories. Just-in-Time (JIT) logistics practices became universal in inventory management. In order to minimize costs, supplies arrive with speed and precision at their destination, just when they are needed for the manufacture of the final product. The trade war that Trump set off with China created all kinds of headaches in global supply chains. Thus, companies that depended on JIT logistics discovered that it was dangerous to put all their eggs in one basket. To mitigate the risk, executives were forced to balance the principle of Just-in-Time with that of Just-in-Case. Many were forced to invest in finding new suppliers, at considerable cost, just in case. Business leaders understood that as much as they want the United States to create stability and limit imbalances, this will not always be the case. Political leaders will likely emulate them. The politics of alliances promoted by Joe Biden will be shaped by the diplomacy of Just-in-Case. Follow me on Twitter: @moisesnaim Mano is also serving as the president of the Palliative Care Thailand Foundation, where he trained over 1,000 volunteers Indian music, dance, theatre, yoga and, even festivals, all contribute to the holistic vision of the Gandhi Institute, which is a part of the sprawling Rangsit University, in Bangkok. Behind all these, the institute has three aims to be a think-tank for policymakers in governments, to develop leaders for the future based on Gandhian principles, and to bring the Indian and Thai communities closer together. These were spelt out by the director of the institute, Mano Laohavanich, a doctor by training who was once ordained as a monk, and has even tried his hand in politics. Mano studied Sanskrit at Oxford (where he graduated with a Boden Prize), Buddhist ethics at Harvard and healing meditation at Hamburg University, and caused quite a stir when he returned to Thailand and questioned many concepts of Buddhism. In fact, hes currently an honorary advisor of Thailands Senate Commission on Poverty and Inequality Eradication, and an advisor to Thailands Parliamentary Commission on Religions, Arts and Culture. Mano is also serving as the president of the Palliative Care Thailand Foundation, where he has trained over 1,000 volunteers from Thailand and the neighbouring countries, in the last decade. Mano admires Gandhi for promoting peace in all religions as well as for his faith in non-violence and absolute truth. These are the principles he hopes to inculcate in the Gandhi Institute, where he was appointed director, when it was started in 2017 as part of the Rangsit Universitys College of Social Innovation. One of the impressive events he has held regularly, are the Gandhi Talk Series, where top dignitaries, from ambassadors to local luminaries, have spoken on religion, politics and the importance of Gandhi in public life. Having been involved in the world of politics and religion, Mano realises the importance of developing a new brand of leaders for the future. Thats why one of the highlights of the Institute, is the free Leadership Training programme held on Saturdays, which has attracted many youngsters. It starts with yoga-lessons in the morning, followed by sessions with academics and counsellors. Yoga involves the body, mind and soul, which are vital for leadership-development, states the doctor. His knowledge of religions also helps him encourage freethinking among the future leaders. Mano is inspired by the Center for the Study of World Religions in Harvard, and plans to create a 21-storey building at Rangsit Varsity, where world-leaders could visit, stay, give lectures and spend time together. We could have dialogues for life, innovative ways to solve problems and organise training programs for the youth, he declared. Its a five-year dream project, and when the architectural and financial plans are ready, he hopes to use his many connections to get funds from international donors, including well-known names like Bill Gates. Institutes are made not of buildings, but relationships he said simply. Mano admitted that the Covid pandemic had thrown a spanner in many of his projects, but, on the other hand, it has also uniquely augmented his courses. He spoke of the two Zoom sessions they had held, on the subject, how to apply Gandhian philosophy during the lockdown, which was addressed by two noted psychologists from India and attracted many participants. They also held an essay competition on Gandhi and Covid-19, which attracted as many as 100 entries. The climax was organising a vibrant play on Gandhi entitled The Stick, based on the five Gandhian Principles (service, nationalism, non-violence, family, girl child), which had a 60-strong cast of Indians and Thais, including talented musicians, dancers and actors. It was so successful that they held a second show of the play, at the prestigious Bangkok Bank auditorium, which was totally enjoyed by the senior members of the bank, including its CEO. Mano is supported in this project by his energetic assistant director from India, Sanjay Kumar. The latter, after a long communications career with Indian and international organisations, plans to use his skills of organising multilateral events to connect multinational communities, at the Gandhi Institute. He was proud to start a Thai-Indian Theatre Club, after the success of the Gandhi play. He has now launched a Thai-Indian Super Star Singing Series, where anyone who loves to sing, will be encouraged to participate. Action with Passion is his mantra, and he has numerous projects in mind, to tap the surfeit of talent in the country. Do you know that there are at least 150 yoga teachers in the city? We want to give a chance to all of them, as also to the many others who have musical and other talents, he stated. It all fits in with the Gandhi Institutes holistic aim to tap the inner resources of individuals. In order to get the communities involved, Mano and Sanjay Kumar were proud to successfully organise big Ganesh festivals, complete with puja, procession, and even immersion in the waters of the Chaophaya river where Thais and Indians partook in the festivities together. The images of Ganesh were created out of ecological materials by talented Thai artisans. The Gandhi Institute now plans to do a similar community-event for the festival of Holi. We are a listening organisation, and we are always keeping our ears open for new ideas and events, said Mano. He described the Gandhi Institute as an activity-based institute which was what made it different from many other Indian institutes in the city. He is hopeful that their holistic vision for the institute will be fully realised. MaintenX International is thrilled to get back to seeing clients and industry peers at conferences and seminars in 2021 MaintenX is coming back strong with plans to attend a variety of conferences and seminars, both in person and virtually, beginning later in March. MaintenX International is ready to get back out into the trade show world! Many shows were cancelled or postponed in 2020, and MaintenX has missed seeing their customers and peers. As one of the nations largest providers of self-performing commercial maintenance, MaintenX is coming back strong with plans to attend a variety of conferences and seminars, both in person and virtually, beginning later in March. In 2020 we had to find creative ways to stay connected with our customers and industry friends, said Bill Schaphorst, MaintenX VP of Business Development. But nothing beats coming together for interesting conversation and business insights during a conference. Our team is ready and excited to share all the new things MaintenX has in store, virtually and in person. MaintenX will kick off their trade show schedule at SPECS Virtual Spring Social which will take place on March 24 and 25 with the goal of bringing together the nation's top retailers and suppliers in an environment designed for safety. MaintenX is also ready for in person events. Their team is stocked up on hand sanitizer and fun giveaways which will be featured in their new booth set-up. Additionally, they have invested in new, metal business cards that feature a QR code so attendees can simply scan a MaintenX team members contact details into their phones, making the time-honored tradition of business card exchange, touchless. MaintenX will be in person for the RFMA 2021 Annual Conference in Charlotte, NC in June as well as in Maryland for the CONNEX2021 National Conference in August. Team members will also be attending a variety of other shows and conferences into the fall. For more information about MaintenX and the nationwide services they provide, visit http://www.maintenx.com. ABOUT MAINTENX INTERNATIONAL: MaintenX International is a fully licensed, facilities repair company. As one of the largest national self-performing facility maintenance and repair companies in the U.S., MaintenX has created a wide network of knowledgeable and professional technicians throughout the country. With their team of well-trained technicians, MaintenX self-performs and manages facility maintenance for their clients. In the event there is not a MaintenX technician in an area, the company has established a network of preferred vendor partners throughout the country for continued superior service for their clients. For more than 40 years, MaintenX has been expertly serving multi-location retail stores, restaurant chains and Fortune 500 companies nationwide. Kyiv considers statement of so called 'DPR' as threat of one-side withdrawal of Russian side from 'ceasefire regime' - Kravchuk Head of the Ukrainian delegation to participate in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) Leonid Kravchuk has protested against the so-called "People's militia of the DPR" reports of allegedly obtaining "permits to conduct warning fire to suppress enemy firing points." "The stance voiced by the head of the Ukrainian delegation: we regard this statement as a threat of the unilateral withdrawal of the Russian side from the ceasefire regime and a threat to the implementation of the Minsk agreements," a statement posted on the Telegram channel of the Ukrainian delegation in the TCG on Wednesday reads. At the same time, the statement informs about the continuation of consultations. Toyota City, Japan, February 26, 2021Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) has developed a product that packages a fuel cell (FC) system into a compact module and plans to begin selling it in the spring of 2021 or later. The new module will be easily utilized by companies that are developing and manufacturing FC products for wide variety of applications, including mobility such as trucks, buses, trains and ships, as well as stationary generators (referred to hereafter as "FC product companies"). As various policies for utilizing hydrogen have been adopted in recent years in each country and region and many companies have been entering the market one after another. As a result, the need for hydrogen and FC technologies has been increasing in a variety of applications. In addition to its effort to popularize FCEVs, Toyota will continue to strengthen its initiatives as an FC system supplier to promote hydrogen utilization through the popularization of FC products together with various FC product companies with the aim of reducing CO2 emissions to curtail global warming and to contribute to the achievement of carbon neutrality. Toyota has been taking various initiatives toward the creation of a hydrogen society, such as selling the "Mirai" FCEV and the "SORA" FCEV bus, selling FC systems to FC product companies, as well as allowing royalty-free use of its FCEV-related patent licenses. Through these experiences, the company has learned that many companies involved in FC products in a variety of industries are looking for FC systems that can be easily adapted to their own products. Therefore, to address these needs, Toyota has developed a product that packages individual FC system-related products of second generation Toyota Mirai with enhanced performance, such as the FC stack, as well as components that handle air supply, hydrogen supply, cooling, and power control, into a single compact module. The new module is available in four modelsa vertical type (Type I) and a horizontal type (Type II), with rated output of either 60 kW or 80 kW. The Guardian The potential consequences of the origins of the virus are shattering if they can be proved My own complacency on the matter was dynamited by the lab-leak essay that ran in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists earlier this month. Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters There was a time when the Covid pandemic seemed to confirm so many of our assumptions. It cast down the people we regarded as villains. It raised up those we thought were heroes. It prospered people who could shift easily to working from home even as it problematized the lives of those Trump voters living in the old economy. Like all plagues, Covid often felt like the hand of God on earth, scourging the people for their sins against higher learning and visibly sorting the righteous from the unmasked wicked. Respect science, admonished our yard signs. And lo!, Covid came and forced us to do so, elevating our scientists to the highest seats of social authority, from where they banned assembly, commerce, and all the rest. We cast blame so innocently in those days. We scolded at will. We knew who was right and we shook our heads to behold those in the wrong playing in their swimming pools and on the beach. It made perfect sense to us that Donald Trump, a politician we despised, could not grasp the situation, that he suggested people inject bleach, and that he was personally responsible for more than one super-spreading event. Reality itself punished leaders like him who refused to bow to expertise. The prestige news media even figured out a way to blame the worst death tolls on a system of organized ignorance they called populism. In reaction to the fool Trump, liberalism made a cult out of the hierarchy of credentialed achievement in general But these days the consensus doesnt consense quite as well as it used to. Now the media is filled with disturbing stories suggesting that Covid might have come not from populism at all, but from a laboratory screw-up in Wuhan, China. You can feel the moral convulsions beginning as the question sets in: What if science itself is in some way culpable for all this? * I am no expert on epidemics. Like everyone else I know, I spent the pandemic doing as I was told. A few months ago I even tried to talk a Fox News viewer out of believing in the lab-leak theory of Covids origins. The reason I did that is because the newspapers I read and the TV shows I watched had assured me on many occasions that the lab-leak theory wasnt true, that it was a racist conspiracy theory, that only deluded Trumpists believed it, that it got infinite pants-on-fire ratings from the fact-checkers, and because (despite all my cynicism) I am the sort who has always trusted the mainstream news media. My own complacency on the matter was dynamited by the lab-leak essay that ran in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists earlier this month; a few weeks later everyone from Doctor Fauci to President Biden is acknowledging that the lab-accident hypothesis might have some merit. We dont know the real answer yet, and we probably will never know, but this is the moment to anticipate what such a finding might ultimately mean. What if this crazy story turns out to be true? The answer is that this is the kind of thing that could obliterate the faith of millions. The last global disaster, the financial crisis of 2008, smashed peoples trust in the institutions of capitalism, in the myths of free trade and the New Economy, and eventually in the elites who ran both American political parties. In the years since (and for complicated reasons), liberal leaders have labored to remake themselves into defenders of professional rectitude and established legitimacy in nearly every field. In reaction to the fool Trump, liberalism made a sort of cult out of science, expertise, the university system, executive-branch norms, the intelligence community, the State Department, NGOs, the legacy news media, and the hierarchy of credentialed achievement in general. Now here we are in the waning days of Disastrous Global Crisis #2. Covid is of course worse by many orders of magnitude than the mortgage meltdown it has killed millions and ruined lives and disrupted the world economy far more extensively. Should it turn out that scientists and experts and NGOs, etc. are villains rather than heroes of this story, we may very well see the expert-worshiping values of modern liberalism go up in a fireball of public anger. Consider the details of the story as we have learned them in the last few weeks: Lab leaks happen. They arent the result of conspiracies: a lab accident is an accident, as Nathan Robinson points out; they happen all the time, in this country and in others, and people die from them. There is evidence that the lab in question, which studies bat coronaviruses, may have been conducting what is called gain of function research, a dangerous innovation in which diseases are deliberately made more virulent. By the way, right-wingers didnt dream up gain of function: all the cool virologists have been doing it (in this country and in others) even as the squares have been warning against it for years. There are strong hints that some of the bat-virus research at the Wuhan lab was funded in part by the American national-medical establishment which is to say, the lab-leak hypothesis doesnt implicate China alone. There seem to have been astonishing conflicts of interest among the people assigned to get to the bottom of it all, and (as we know from Enron and the housing bubble) conflicts of interest are always what trip up the well-credentialed professionals whom liberals insist we must all heed, honor, and obey. The news media, in its zealous policing of the boundaries of the permissible, insisted that Russiagate was ever so true but that the lab-leak hypothesis was false false false, and woe unto anyone who dared disagree. Reporters gulped down whatever line was most flattering to the experts they were quoting and then insisted that it was 100% right and absolutely incontrovertible that anything else was only unhinged Trumpist folly, that democracy dies when unbelievers get to speak, and so on. The social media monopolies actually censored posts about the lab-leak hypothesis. Of course they did! Because were at war with misinformation, you know, and people need to be brought back to the true and correct faith as agreed upon by experts. * Let us pray, now, for science, intoned a New York Times columnist back at the beginning of the Covid pandemic. The title of his article laid down the foundational faith of Trump-era liberalism: Coronavirus is What You Get When You Ignore Science. Ten months later, at the end of a scary article about the history of gain of function research and its possible role in the still ongoing Covid pandemic, Nicholson Baker wrote as follows: This may be the great scientific meta-experiment of the 21st century. Could a world full of scientists do all kinds of reckless recombinant things with viral diseases for many years and successfully avoid a serious outbreak? The hypothesis was that, yes, it was doable. The risk was worth taking. There would be no pandemic. Except there was. If it does indeed turn out that the lab-leak hypothesis is the right explanation for how it began that the common people of the world have been forced into a real-life lab experiment, at tremendous cost there is a moral earthquake on the way. Because if the hypothesis is right, it will soon start to dawn on people that our mistake was not insufficient reverence for scientists, or inadequate respect for expertise, or not enough censorship on Facebook. It was a failure to think critically about all of the above, to understand that there is no such thing as absolute expertise. Think of all the disasters of recent years: economic neoliberalism, destructive trade policies, the Iraq War, the housing bubble, banks that are too big to fail, mortgage-backed securities, the Hillary Clinton campaign of 2016 all of these disasters brought to you by the total, self-assured unanimity of the highly educated people who are supposed to know what theyre doing, plus the total complacency of the highly educated people who are supposed to be supervising them. Then again, maybe I am wrong to roll out all this speculation. Maybe the lab-leak hypothesis will be convincingly disproven. I certainly hope it is. But even if it inches closer to being confirmed, we can guess what the next turn of the narrative will be. It was a perfect storm, the experts will say. Who coulda known? And besides (they will say), the origins of the pandemic dont matter any more. Go back to sleep. Thomas Frank is a Guardian US columnist. He is the author, most recently, of The People, No: A Brief History of Anti-Populism Computer scientists at ETH (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich) are trying to create a detailed digital twin of our Big Blue Marble in a kind of pixelated cloning experiment intended to serve as a model of experiment for Earth's climatic changes. According to recent study in Nature Computational Science, the purpose here is for this replica planet to be used as a sounding board to simulate and project out the future of Earth environmental issues before they happen. This safeguard data could assist scientists and policymakers by giving them a more exact alert to forecast hazardous changes in climate and their harmful effects. The European Union has recently launched a pair of productive green initiative programs named "Green Deal" and "Digital Strategy" with the goal to become climate neutral by 2050. Destination Earth Initiative Part of this attempt will be the "Destination Earth" initiative to begin in mid-2021, where international climate researchers and computer scientists will join a ten-year study using an evolving digital model of Earth that will map extreme climate events unfolding in time and space. Peter Bauer, deputy director for research at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and co-founder of Destination Earth said If a plan of two-metre high dike in the Netherlands is made, for example, he can run the data through his digital twin and check if the dike will in all likelihood still protect against anticipated extreme events in 2050. Observational data will be constantly fed into the simulation in order to keep the digital twin relevant and up-to-date. Moreso, this observed information used traditionally for basic weather and climate simulations will be paired with new findings relating to human-related activities which includes, but not limited to, the influence of humankind on food, water, energy management, and the natural processes in the ecosystem. ALSO READ: Climate Change: Persistent Carbon Emission Levels Place Earth On Red Alert Benefit Of The Digital Earth Model Another major benefit of the digital Earth model will be to pass better planning strategies for our earth's fresh water and food supplies, solar plants and wind farms. "Destination Earth" is a joint effort of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), the European Space Agency (ESA), and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT). Bauer and co-researchers are heading up the climate science and meteorological angles of imploring Earth's digital twin.Their study will be matched with the expert of computer scientists from ETH Zurich and the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre (CSCS), most remarkably the efforts of ETH professors Torsten Hoefler of the Institute for High Performance Computing Systems, and Director of CSCS, physicist Thomas Schulthess. GPU: The Most Encouraging Option Presently, researchers have the believe that super computers based on graphics processing units (GPU) seem to be the most encouraging option for the creation of their digital earth. They appraise that running a full-scale digital twin, matching hardware with advanced algorithms, would need a system operating approximately 20,000 GPUs and consuming nearly 20MW of total power. Artificial intelligence (AI) will also element into this new earth modeling enterprise, as researchers intends to use it for data assimilation, data compression, and the representation of uncertain physical processes. Finally, Artificial Intelligence (AI) enables researchers on the project to speed up simulations and single out the most crucial information from massive dumps of data. RELATED ARTICLE: Climate Change Causes 2020 To Be One of the Hottest Years Despite la Nina For more news, update about climate events and similar topics don't forget to follow Nature World News! Welcome Guest! You Are Here: SEATTLE, March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Graduway, the leading provider of career services, alumni relations and fundraising software, announced today the appointment of Brittany N. Shaff as Vice President, Fundraising. She will join the company's Executive Leadership team and lead all aspects of Graduway's global fundraising strategy and execution, including thought-leadership, Go-To-Market strategy, and product development for it's digital fundraising platform. Prior to joining Graduway, Brittany Shaff most recently served as the Assistant Vice President of Digital Engagement + Philanthropic Giving at the University of Miami. In her role, she oversaw a team that focuses on creating personalized and measured experiences supporting all fundraising units across the University and the University of Miami Health System. At Miami, she created an innovative team that blends digital engagement and marketing tactics -- social listening, demand, lead generation, and traditional philanthropic (annual) giving approaches. Prior to Miami, she has served in various fundraising, marketing, and analytics positions spanning independent schools, medicine, and higher education, including at The Hamlin School, Towson University, and Johns Hopkins University. Recognized as a thought leader in fundraising and analytics, she has received over a dozen awards from CASE and other organizations. She regularly consults in higher education on fundraising and digital engagement initiatives. "We are thrilled to welcome Brittany to the Graduway team. Brittany is a demonstrated leader within the world of fundraising. Her knowledge and experience at leading institutions will empower us to further provide our customers with a best-of-breed suite of digital fundraising solutions and best practices to maximize their digital fundraising efforts." said Daniel Cohen, Graduway's Founder and CEO. Brittany Shaff commented "Graduway is at the forefront of the digital fundraising space. As a Graduway customer, I have seen first hand the impact of the Graduway platform in maximizing my digital fundraising efforts at the University of Miami. I am excited to join the team at Graduway where I will focus on partnering with Graduway customers in providing strategies, best practices and product innovation that will continue to push the bar in their digital fundraising." This appointment further cements Graduway's standing as the market leader in digital fundraising software supporting 2000+ leading institutions including Columbia University, Boston University, Wisconsin University, University of Pittsburgh, Rutgers University and University of Florida. Headquartered in the U.K. with operations in the U.S., Canada and Israel, Graduway is trusted by 2,000+ educational institutions and non-profits to power their career, alumni and donor networks, including UCLA, Tulane University and the University of Oxford. Founded in 2009 by Daniel Cohen, author of 'Alumni Therapy' and 'The Mentoring Revolution', Graduway exclusively hosts the Graduway Leaders Summit as a key gathering of leaders and executives from Career Services, Alumni Relations and Advancement. Visit Graduway at www.graduway.com. Contact: David Whitefield [email protected] , SOURCE Graduway WORCESTER, Mass., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The nurses of St. Vincent Hospital and Tenet Healthcare held their second round of talks with management on Wednesday since announcing their intent to strike on March 8. During negotiations, Tenet refused to agree to desperately needed staffing improvements to ensure safer care for all patients at the hospital even as nurses are seeking to avert the planned strike on Monday at 6 a.m. The nurses opened the talks by presenting a comprehensive proposal to achieve a settlement, making a modification to their wage proposal, as well as agreeing to management's request to extend the length of the contract from two to four years, assuming Tenet agreed to improving staffing and patient care conditions for all patients at the hospital. The nurses' proposal was designed to ensure the same level staffing and quality care, as well as competitive wages and benefits that are provided to the nurses at UMass Memorial Medical Center. More than 100 nurses have left St. Vincent due to dangerous staffing practices, and for better staffing and pay in benefits at other hospitals in the region. After hearing the proposal, Tenet came back and stated they would not make any changes in their position or negotiate any further to avert a strike. During talks on Monday, for the first time in 17 months of negotiations, Tenet presented a proposal on staffing, yet their proposal only addressed staffing on two units, with no changes to dangerous staffing conditions on 10 other units where the majority of patients are cared for, including the critical care units, emergency department, maternity, behavioral health and other medical surgical floors. The proposal also failed to include any increases in support staff, such as secretaries and patient care assistants on the units, as well as patient care observers to watch over patients at high risk for a fall so that nurses can focus on providing care to acutely ill patients. "It is clear from Tenet's hardline stance on staffing that they are intent on forcing nurses to strike," said Marlena Pellegrino, RN, co-chair of the bargaining unit. "We are sad to see that Tenet holds so little value for our patients, yet we are resolved to do whatever it takes to protect our patients, as it is safer to strike now than allow Tenet to continue endangering our patients every day on every shift. As we prepare for a strike, we are always ready to get back to the table to negotiate whenever Tenet is ready do the same." The 800 SVH nurses, who are represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), voted overwhelmingly on Feb. 10 to authorize the strike, and last week issued the required notice to conduct an open-ended strike beginning at 6 a.m. on March 8. In the last year alone, nurses have filed more than 500 official "unsafe staffing" reports where they informed management in real time that patient care conditions jeopardized the safety of their patients. The nurses also report their patients in Worcester are experiencing an increase in patient falls, an increase in patients suffering from preventable bed sores, potentially dangerous delays in patients receiving needed medications and other treatments all due to lack of appropriate staffing, excessive patient assignments, and cuts to valuable support staff. For a more detailed review of the staffing crisis, efforts by nurses to convince Tenet to address the crisis, as well as proposals nurses are seeking to improve patient care, click here to view a previous press release on the matter. MassNurses.org Facebook.com/MassNurses Twitter.com/MassNurses Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 23,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public. SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association Related Links http://www.massnurses.org Ball is in DMK's court, says TN Cong chief K S Alagiri on seat sharing India pti-Deepika S Cuddalore, Mar 03: Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K S Alagiri on Wednesday said the ''ball is the DMK''s court'' on seat-sharing for the April 6 assembly elections. The second round of parleys between the two allies was on the verge of conclusion. Progress in such matters could be taken forward only step by step and not at one go, he told reporters, responding to a question on the talks with the DMK. To a question on the number of seats his party has sought from the DMK, he said such things were being speculated and it was not important. "The ball is in their (DMK''s) court," he said adding, "hence, it is the DMK which has to decide (seat-sharing)." The number of seats to be fought by the Congress has to be determined, he said. Replying to a question, he denied the Congress had made a ''climb-down'' on the number of seats it sought from the DMK. Some issues needed to be resolved only through dialogue and there was no room for bargain among allies, he said. DMK-Congress yet to finalise on allocation of seats ahead of Tamil Nadu elections The DMK, eyeing to capture power after being in opposition for ten years, has allotted three seats to the Indian Union Muslim League and two to Manithaneya Makkal Katchi. In the 2016 assembly polls, Congress was allotted 41 seats and it had won seven of them. On party leader Rahul Gandhi not speaking about the DMK alliance during his recent campaign in Tamil Nadu, he said the assembly election was all about propaganda against the governments at the state and Centre, led by allies the AIADMK and the BJP respectively. During his tour, Gandhi made a mention about DMK chief M K Stalin''s leadership in Tamil Nadu and similarly, the Dravidian party president too remarked on the former Congress president, Alagiri said. The practice during campaigns was not to focus on allies throughout, he said. Comedian Chris D'Elia has been accused of soliciting child pornography in a lawsuit filed by a woman who claims he took her virginity when she was 17 years old. The lawsuit alleges that he lured the teenager - who has chosen to be known as Jane Doe - to his hotel room after a 2014 show in Connecticut. There, Doe's lawyers said in a recent statement, he told her it was 'hot' when she told him her age and that she was in high school. 'At the time, and subsequently, Mr. D'Elia expressed that Ms. Doe's age, innocence, and virginity made the encounter 'hot,' Doe's attorneys said in a statement. Responding to the allegations, a spokesperson for the 40-year-old comic said 'Chris denies these allegations and will vigorously defend himself against them in court.' The civil lawsuit accuses D'Elia of violating federal child pornography and child sexual exploitation laws, including soliciting over 100 sexually explicitly photos and videos, half of which were taken when Doe was 17 years old, the lawsuit claims. While it also claims that D'Elia took Doe's virginity when the pair met in Connecticut, Doe is not suing the comic for this reason. The age of consent in Connecticut is 16. Comedian Chris D'Elia (pictured in 2020) has been accused of soliciting child pornography in a lawsuit filed by a woman who claims he took her virginity when she was 17 years old The allegation is the latest in a series of accusations against D'Elia, who was accused of pursuing underage girls and of sexual misconduct by multiple women last year. His career imploded in June following the allegations made on social media, where he was accused of sending graphic messages and soliciting sex. D'Elia was soon dropped by representatives at three major talent agencies, and a Netflix prank show he was set to star in was cancelled. According to the lawsuit filed in federal district court for the Central District of California, D'Elia began exchanging messages with Doe - now 24 - in which he persuaded her to send him sexually explicit photographs of herself. Their message began after Doe sent the comedian a direct message on Instagram as a 'joke', but did not expect him to respond, the lawsuit says. However, D'Elia responded 'right away', it says, noting that the 'messages to Ms. Doe became sexual very quickly.' 'The same night they first started exchanging messages, Defendant D'Elia asked Ms. Doe to send him nude pictures of herself,' the lawsuit says. Doe claims that she eventually complied with his requests, sending between five and ten 'sexually explicit photos and videos of herself before she met him in person.' The comic 'constructed a manipulative, controlling, and abusive dynamic in which he demanded Ms. Doe provide him sexually explicit images of herself over the internet, directed her what specific sexual poses and acts she should perform for him, and psychologically punished her when she refused,' the lawsuit claims. The interaction between D'Elia and Doe took place over the course of four months, according to the lawsuit, when D'Elia was 34 years old. Their sexual encounter allegedly occurred when he persuaded her to attend one of his stand up shows in October 2014 at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut. Doe's attorney said that before the show, the comedian 'lured her to his hotel room ... separated her from her friends, and took advantage of her youth and inexperience to have sex with her.' D'Elia (right) is known as a stand-up comedian, for staring in sit-com 'Whitney' that ran from 2011 to 2013, and for his role in Netflix thriller 'You', (pictured, file photo) in which he plays a comedian who preys on underage girls Pictured: Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut, where Jane Doe claims in the lawsuit she met D'Elia in 2014 after a comedy gig Doe was a virgin before she met D'Elia, the lawsuit says, adding that Doe attended the show and then returned to the comic's room afterwards, during which D'Elia is said to have repeatedly asked how young she was and if she was in high school. The lawsuit includes graphic detail about what Doe alleges to have occurred during their encounter, and afterwards via social media. Their communication continued until May 2015, the lawsuit says. Doe turned 18 on January 31, 2015. Doe and her attorneys are seeking 'compensatory, liquidated, and punitive damages' damages and are demanding a trial by jury. On February 19, D'Elia broke his silence for the first time since last year's accusations in a YouTube video, maintaining that all of his relationships 'have been consensual and legal,' but admitted to having an unhealthy relationship with sex. On February 19, D'Elia broke his silence for the first time since last year's accusations in a YouTube video (pictured) maintaining that all of his relationships 'have been consensual and legal,' but admitted to having an unhealthy relationship with sex 'Sex, it controlled my life,' he said, speaking to the camera. 'It was my focus all the time, and I had a problem. And I do have a problem. It's not like months down the line everything's better. I need to do work on that.' D'Elia is known as a stand-up comedian, for staring in sit-com 'Whitney' that ran from 2011 to 2013, and for his role in Netflix thriller 'You', in which he plays a comedian who preys on underage girls. After watching the show, Doe says she 'sent him a final email expressing that she had been too young for what he had done to her and that she would never be in touch with him again,' the lawsuit says. A policy of placing trans women in female prisons unlawfully discriminates against other women by exposing them to an increased risk of sexual assault, the High Court has been told. A female prisoner, known only as FDJ, is bringing a legal challenge against a Ministry of Justice policy. It allows prisoners to be housed according to their gender identity 'irrespective of whether they have taken any legal or medical steps to acquire that gender'. The woman argues the policy indirectly and unlawfully discriminates against women who were born that gender. At a High Court hearing on Tuesday, lawyers for FDJ argued that accommodating transgender women in the female prison estate 'exposes female prisoners to a risk of sexual assault that would not arise absent that allocation'. FDJ claims she was sexually assaulted in prison in 2017 by a trans woman with a gender recognition certificate - which is not admitted by the MoJ. Karon Monaghan QC, outside the High Court at a different hearing, spoke yesterday The Royal Courts of Justice High Court is hearing the case against the Ministry of Justice Her lawyers also argue the policy does not consider 'the extraordinary vulnerability of female prisoners and the prevalence of a history of abuse and gendered violence'. At the hearing, Karon Monaghan QC, for FDJ, told the court trans women make up around 1% of the female incarcerated population, but are responsible for around 6% of sexual assaults in women's prisons. She said that a 'disproportionate' 45% of trans prisoners in 2017 had convictions for sexual offences, including a significant amount for rape, compared with 4% of female prisoners in the same year. Ms Monaghan told the court that Dr Sarah Lamble, an expert granted permission to intervene in the case, said there was a lack of data about the trans population in prisons and that 'any statistical claims should be treated with scepticism' and require further scrutiny. However, Ms Monaghan said: 'What we are concerned with is the known trans population, because it is those trans men and women who are liable to be moved into the prison estate.' FDJ's argument also includes a claim that transgender inmates are five times more likely to carry out sexual attacks in women's prisons, referencing a statistic provided in response to a parliamentary question. The concerns thew MoJ policy of placing trans women in female prisons in the UK However, Sarah Hannett, for the MoJ, argued in her written submissions that the figures were drawn from a very small sample of seven sexual assaults over a four-year period. 'Whilst any sexual assault in prison is a matter of serious concern, it is impossible to draw any meaningful conclusion from such a small sample,' she wrote. She added that a parliamentary question in May 2020 showed there had been no recorded sexual assaults by trans women without a GRC in prison throughout 2019, since the policies began, and that trans prisoners were more likely to be the victim of sexual assaults in prison. Ms Monaghan later argued the Government's policy contains a 'presumption' that trans women will be placed in the female prison estate if they have a gender recognition certificate (GRC), regardless of their offending history. 'The mandatory obligation to place a trans woman with a gender recognition certificate in the women's estate is indicative of the discrimination that we allege occurred,' she told the High Court. In written submissions, Ms Hannett said FDJ's argument 'significantly understated the actual and detailed provisions that apply to new arrivals'. She added an individual's 'offending history' was considered when deciding where to allocate a transgender prisoner and that the risk of harm they may present to other prisoners was a 'fundamental consideration'. FDJ is also challenging a separate policy in relation to a 'high-risk trans prisoner unit' at HMP Downview in Surrey, which was created in March 2019. Ms Hannett said the two policies pursued legitimate aims, including 'facilitating the rights of transgender people to live in and as their acquired gender, protecting transgender people's mental and physical health (and) ensuring the safety and welfare of all prisoners'. 'Acceding to unjustified, subjectively negative attitudes about transgender women or a class of transgender women, cannot justify differential treatment of transgender women prisoners in general,' she later added. The hearing, before Mr Justice Holroyde and Mr Justice Swift, is due to continue on Wednesday and the judges are expected to give their ruling at a later date. Coosawattee River Resort is a unique and special place, said Reid Schermer, vice president, FirstService Residential. The residents share a strong sense of pride in preserving the natural beauty of their community. Continuing its growth across the state of Georgia, FirstService Residential, North Americas property management leader, has expanded its list of managed communities with the addition of Coosawattee River Resort. Coosawattee River Resort is located in Ellijay, Georgia, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Just a short drive from Atlanta, the community features more than 7,000 individual lots comprised of residential homes, villas, time-shares and recreational vehicle lots. The resorts 5,550 acres sit along the beautiful Coosawattee River. In fact, a six-mile stretch of the Coosawattee River flows through Coosawattee River Resort into Carters Lake, a pristine mountain gem developed by the United States Army Corp of Engineers. Residents and visitors will experience breathtaking views, an array of amenities, water sports, riverside parks, pools and playgrounds, as well as a variety of wildlife, including deer, wild turkeys, bears, eagles and hawks. A leader in lifestyle programming and amenity management, FirstService Residential currently manages a portfolio of premier lifestyle communities throughout Georgia. Coosawattee River Resort is a unique and special place, said Reid Schermer, vice president, FirstService Residential. The residents share a strong sense of pride in preserving the natural beauty of their community. We are excited to work with the board to continue making Coosawattee River Resort a place residents love to call home. About FirstService Residential: FirstService Residential is North Americas property management leader, partnering with more than 8,000 communities across the U.S. and Canada, including low-, mid-, and high-rise condominiums and cooperatives; single-family communities; master-planned, lifestyle and active adult communities; and mixed-use and rental properties. HOAs, community associations, condos and strata corporations rely on their extensive experience, resources and local expertise to maximize property values and enhance their residents lifestyles. Dedicated to making a difference, every day, FirstService Residential goes above and beyond to deliver exceptional service. FirstService Residential is a subsidiary of FirstService Corporation (FSV), a North American leader in the property services sector. For more information, visit https://www.fsresidential.com. Advertisement Protesters calling for Andrew Cuomo's resignation gathered outside his offices in midtown Manhattan on Tuesday, as leaders of New York state's legislature reached a deal to strip him of his emergency powers two months before they expire. Chanting that Cuomo, a three-term governor, should quit, the crowd waved placards demanding he step down, the day after a third woman accused him of sexual harassment. He was already in the spotlight following an apparent cover-up of COVID deaths in nursing homes - actions that are now subject to investigation. A growing number of Democratic leaders have called on Cuomo to resign following the sexual harassment allegations, including Congresswoman Kathleen Rice, a New York representative who on Monday became the first Democrat in DC to call for him to stand down. Andrew Cuomo was granted emergency powers in the early days of the COVID pandemic Protesters in Manhattan made their feelings clear about Cuomo on Tuesday after a third woman accused him of harassment The three-term governor is facing calls for him to resign, with Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton demanding an inquiry The protesters stood in the chilly March evening demanding that the governor resign, with one labeling him a 'sex pest' Bill de Blasio, the mayor of New York, who has often feuded with the governor, said that if the allegations are true, Cuomo cannot govern. Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, and New York senator Kirsten Gillibrand have all called for a full investigation. On Tuesday Gillibrand, who spearheaded the effort to oust former senator Al Franken from the Senate over sexual misconduct claims, called sexual harassment allegations against Cuomo 'completely unacceptable.' Gillibrand stopped short of calling on Cuomo to resign but said 'every allegation of sexual harassment must be taken seriously and be reviewed.' Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who also represents New York, called the allegations against Cuomo 'very troubling.' A billboard in Albany, the New York state capital, was put up on Tuesday demanding the governor quit The 63-year-old governor on Tuesday suffered a further blow when a deal was reached to rescind powers he was granted on March 3, 2020 - three days after the first coronavirus case was confirmed in his state. What were Andrew Cuomo's emergency powers? On March 3, 2020, New York state's assembly granted Cuomo sweeping powers to handle the pandemic. They were designed to enable a swift response to the public health crisis. Critics said it gave Cuomo too much power. The new powers meant Cuomo could, without consulting the New York state assembly, make spending adjustments and withhold money amid the financial uncertainty of the pandemic. He could, through executive order, temporarily suspend ANY law, regulation rule or local law that would impede the compliance of, or prevent the necessary action to conduct, pandemic response. He has used this on a range of issues, including closures of businesses, and altering how elections are conducted in order to limit the spread of the virus. The orders must be renewed and updated every 30 days. The legislature could always overturn whatever order they don't like - but the Democrat-controlled body did not undo any of Cuomo's decisions. Advertisement Cuomo was able to swiftly issue new laws through executive order - something which, in the early days of the pandemic, was seen as essential to respond quickly to the public health crisis. But calls had been mounting for the powers to be removed, and those calls were given additional force by both sets of revelations. With Cuomo's leadership now being called into question, the state legislature agreed to remove his powers. 'A year into the pandemic, and as New Yorkers receive the vaccine, the temporary emergency powers have served their purpose it is time for them to be repealed,' said Carl Heastie, Assembly Speaker, in a statement. Under the deal, reached between Heastie and Andrea Stewart-Cousins, the majority leader, current directives related to preserving the public health will continue. The governor would still be able to modify existing orders such as the percentage of indoor capacity allowed at reopening restaurants. 'I think everyone understands where we were back in March and where we are now. We certainly see the need for a quick response but also want to move toward a system of increased oversight, and review,' she said. 'The public deserves to have checks and balances. Our proposal would create a system with increased input while at the same time ensuring New Yorkers continue to be protected.' Their agreement will now be put to a vote in the legislature, which could be held as soon as Friday. The Democrat has suffered a spectacular fall from grace since he became a national star last year for his handling of the state's coronavirus pandemic. Many commentators had tipped him for a role in President Joe Biden's administration but now members of his own party are calling for his resignation. Already facing heat over accusations he deliberately underreported COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes, Cuomo referred himself for investigation on Monday over sexual misconduct allegations by two former aides. Hours later, Anna Ruch, 33, told the New York Times that she met Cuomo at a wedding in September 2019. During the reception, he put his hand on her bare lower back - which she pushed away - and asked if he could kiss her. 'I was so confused and shocked and embarrassed,' Ruch, who did not work for Cuomo, told the Times. 'I turned my head away and didn't have words in that moment.' The newspaper published a photo showing the governor holding a visibly uncomfortable Ruch by the cheeks. Anna Ruch, now 33, met Andrew Cuomo at her friends' wedding in September 2019. He was photographed cupping her face Ruch worked in the Obama White House before switching to join the Biden 2020 campaign team Democrats and Republicans have joined Cuomo's accusers and anti-harassment campaigners in calling for the three-term governor to quit. The scandal engulfing Cuomo illustrates how allegations of sexual harassment gain traction in the #MeToo era. Sam Abrams, a political science professor at Sarah Lawrence College, told AFP the third accuser 'makes it much harder' for Cuomo to stay around. 'He is a fighter and will clear his name if it's believed to be a misunderstanding,' Abrams said. 'But if he loses the support of the party, and that is happening, he has no future or fourth term.' Cuomo enjoyed national adoration last spring with his straight-talking yet empathetic virus briefings that contrasted sharply with then-president Donald Trump's dismissive approach to the pandemic. He won an Emmy for the broadcasts, and wrote a book about leadership. Some Democrats even urged him to run for the White House, but now his stock has never been lower. Ruch's testimony came just days after former aide Charlotte Bennett told the New York Times that he sexually harassed her last year. Letitia James, pictured,the state attorney general, will oversee an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment Charlotte Bennett (left), 25, accused Cuomo of sexually harassing her during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in his Albany office, including quizzing her about dating older men. Lindsey Boylan (right) accused him of attempting to kiss her on the mouth in 2018 Bennett, 25, said that Cuomo told her in June that he was open to dating women in their 20s, and asked her if she thought age made a difference in romantic relationships, the Times said. While Cuomo never tried to touch her, 'I understood that the governor wanted to sleep with me, and felt horribly uncomfortable and scared,' she said. Another ex-aide, Lindsey Boylan, described unwanted physical contact from Cuomo when she worked for his administration, from 2015 to 2018. Boylan, 36, alleged that the governor had given her an unsolicited kiss on the lips, suggested that they play strip poker and went 'out of his way to touch me on my lower back, arms and legs.' Cuomo said Sunday he was 'truly sorry' if his conduct had ever been 'misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation.' He denied ever inappropriately touching or propositioning anyone. Cuomo, loathed by many on the left-wing of the Democratic Party, was slammed for the wording of his apology. He bowed to pressure for an independent probe into the misconduct claims, which will be led by New York Attorney General Letitia James. The findings will be disclosed in a public report that may not be released for months. Cuomo has led New York for ten years and is widely believed to covet a fourth term when his current one ends in 2022, to surpass his father Mario Cuomo, who served for three terms. With detractors unlikely to be able to muster enough votes to impeach Cuomo in the state legislature, experts say his future may hang on the outcome of the investigation. 'If it's really bad for him, then he either resigns or gets impeached,' said Columbia University politics expert Lincoln Mitchell. Appointment 3 March 2021 Covington, KY - Commonwealth Hotels announced today that Aaron Bajorek has been appointed general manager of the Art Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton. Mr. Bajorek brings over 20 years of hospitality experience to his new role as general manager having previously served as the property's assistant general manager since joining the Art in 2017. Prior to joining the Art Hotel, Bajorek built his career as a food and beverage leader with tenures at award-winning luxury properties including the Brown Palace Hotel and Spa in Denver and the Sonnenalp Hotel in Vail, Colorado. A Denver native, Aaron is a dedicated member of the community and holds a board position with the Golden Triangle Creative District and the Civic Center Conservancy. Greece was shaken by a 6.9-magnitude earthquake today which was felt in Athens and sent locals into the streets in Larissa close to where the tremor struck. Witnesses in Larissa said that 'buildings were shaking' and 'dust was rising' with one house said to have 'shaken like a ship' following the quake. Local media said people had fled their homes amid the tremor which made itself felt not only in Athens but also in the capitals of nearby Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia. 'I have never experienced anything like this before, I immediately left the house,' a citizen in Larissa told Greek television. Numerous aftershocks were reported following the quake around noon local time, and some buildings were damaged - but there were no reports of casualties. A view of a damaged house in the village of Damasi in central Greece following the earthquake A damaged primary school following the earthquake which was felt in numerous cities Greece was shaken by an earthquake today which sent locals onto the streets in Larissa and was felt as far away as Athens The mayor of Elassona, a town near Larissa, told Greek media that teachers and pupils had been evacuated from schools while any damage is investigated. 'The phenomenon was very intense, but I've been halfway around the city and we will not have much damage,' the mayor said. One aftershock with a magnitude of 4.4 was recorded only four miles from Elassona, according to Greek broadcaster ERT. Damage was reported at a school in the village of Damasi, while the fire brigade rescued an elderly man from a house that partly collapsed in the village of Mesochori. In Athens, students were told to stay out of university buildings because of fears that aftershocks would cause havoc in the historic capital. There were also fears of damage to telephone lines, with mobile networks said to be having difficulty in the city of Volos. The quake's epicentre was measured at 14 miles from Larissa, with a depth of around five miles, according to the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre. The EMSC put the magnitude at 6.9 but estimates varied, with the United States Geological Survey pegging it at 6.3. Greece lies in a highly seismically active region, although the vast majority of earthquakes cause no damage or injuries. Last October, an earthquake that struck the Aegean island of Samos and the nearby Turkish coast killed two people on Samos and at least 75 people in Turkey. Nana Akomea, the Managing Director of the State Transport Company (STC), has urged Ghanaians to take the COVID-19 vaccines in order for the nation to return to normal life. The Government of Ghana has received 600,000 COVID-19 vaccines. The government has begun administering the vaccines to high-profile personalities, media practitioners and frontline health workers among others. President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo together with Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and his wife Samira Bawumia were the first recipients of the vaccine. They were televised live on national screens on Monday, March 1 taking their doses. Speaking on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', Nana Akomea disclosed he will also received the vaccine and advised all Ghanaians to do same. He noted that the vaccine is the surest protection against the Coronavirus pandemic. He believed it will ensure Ghanainas go back to their normal living where they don't have to wear nose masks and bear the headache of observing all other COVID-19 protocols. "Everybody must be vaccinated for there to be a herd immunity in the country meaning even if people get infected, they won't fall sick to be admitted in the hospital or lose their lives. But before that can be possible, about 80 to 90 percent of Ghanaians have to be vaccinated. "I'm cocksure the vaccines will cover all Ghanaians. We have to get back to normal. We should be able to meet again and also go about our normal work routines. But because not every person has been vaccinated, we have to continue to wear the masks and observe all COVID-19 protocols. When we're able to vaccinate about 80 to 90 percent, our lives will come back to normal and there will be no need for wearing the masks," he told host Kwami Sefa Kayi. 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 Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 05:28:13|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, March 2 (Xinhua) -- At least 13 people were killed in a traffic collision Tuesday morning near U.S.-Mexico border in U.S. Southern California, according to the local police. California Highway Patrol Chief Omar Watson said at a press conference Tuesday noon that 12 people died at the scene just outside of Holtville, California, which is about 11 miles (17.7 kilometers) north of the U.S.-Mexico border, and another died after arriving at the hospital. Hospital sources said earlier that at least 15 people were killed in the accident. Judy Cruz, the El Centro Regional Medical Center's emergency department director, disclosed at a press conference that the accident left 15 dead and several others injured. Fourteen people died at the scene and another person died at the hospital, where six others are being treated, Cruz said, adding that at least five others were sent to other medical centers for treatment. "The patients are, of course, going through a little bit of a difficult time, as you can imagine," said Dr. Adolf Edwards, the Chief Executive Officer of Central Regional Medical Center. "This was a major accident and we are taking care of them in the emergency room department." The NBC Palm Spring news channel said the fatal accident occurred at about 6:16 a.m. local time in a place about 10 miles east of El Centro, the largest city in Imperial county, California. A red Ford SUV running westbound traveled "in the direct path" of a big rig truck traveling northbound at an intersection in the rural area, both police and doctors confirmed, but they provided different information of the number of people in the SUV. "Twenty-seven passengers were believed in the SUV" when the accident occurred, Cruz said. But Watson said the number was 25. Macario Mora, a spokesman for Customs and Border Protection in Yuma and El Centro, said the immigration status of those in the SUV was unknown and being investigated. "It was an unusual number of people in an SUV, but we don't know who they were," Mora said, adding that they could have been farm workers. A harvest of winter lettuce and other leafy greens in Southern California is underway, according to local media. Enditem Who is eligible? People who experienced a substantial loss of income because of job loss or furlough since February 29, 2020. A qualifying household must have a total income in 2020 at or below $99,000 for single filers and $198,000 for joint filers. People who use the federal Lifeline discount program. Lifeline offers up to a $9.25 discount off monthly phone or internet bills to households that make less than 135 percent of the federal poverty guideline or have at least one family member in some public assistance program such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). For a family of four to qualify based on 135 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, annual income would need to come in below $35,775. The Tribal Link Up program provides additional discounts for those who live on Native American lands. People who already use a discounted internet service from a high-speed internet provider that is aimed at low-income households. AT&T, for example, offers internet access for $10 or less a month for households in which at least one person participates in the government's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Cox offers internet service for $9.95 a month for new customers with at least one K-12 student in the household who qualifies for public assistance. Households whose children get free or low-cost school meals also will be eligible for the monthly discount of up to $50, as will people who have lost their jobs or had their income reduced in the past year. Households living on tribal Native American lands will be eligible for a higher internet discount of up to $75 a month, generally because high-speed internet in these areas is more expensive. The program also will offer a onetime discount of up to $100 for the purchase of a computer or tablet for those who are eligible, as long as consumers contribute $10 to $50 toward the purchase price. Those who get the benefits from the Lifeline Tribal Link Up discount program will be eligible to get EBB benefits as well. College students who receive student aid in the form of federal Pell grants. This story, originally published March 2, 2021, was updated to reflect the number of people enrolling in the Emergency Broadband Benefit program. The International Criminal Court prosecutor has said she has launched an investigation into alleged Israeli crimes in the Palestinian territories. The investigation plunges the court into the midst of one of the most fraught conflicts of the past half-a-century. Fatou Bensouda said in a statement that the investigation would be conducted independently, impartially and objectively, without fear or favour. The decision in effect turns the courts focus on two key Israeli policies of recent years: its repeated military operations against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, highlighted by a devastating 2014 war, and its expansion of Jewish settlements in east Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. Expand Close Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said the investigation would be conducted independently, impartially and objectively, without fear or favour (Bas Czerwinski/Pool file via AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said the investigation would be conducted independently, impartially and objectively, without fear or favour (Bas Czerwinski/Pool file via AP) If the investigation identifies suspects allegedly responsible for crimes, prosecutors can ask judges to issue international arrest warrants, which can remain under seal to help authorities apprehend those charged. Israel swiftly condemned the decision. Foreign minister Gabi Ashkenazi called it an act of moral and legal bankruptcy and said Israel will take every step necessary to protect its citizens and soldiers from legal persecution. Ms Bensouda said in 2019 there was a reasonable basis to open a war crimes investigation into Israeli military actions in the Gaza Strip as well as Israeli settlement activity in the occupied West Bank. Following that assessment, she asked judges to rule on the extent of the courts jurisdiction in the troubled region. They did that last month, saying that the courts jurisdiction extended to territories occupied by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war. This long-awaited step serves Palestines vigorous effort to achieve justice and accountability as indispensable bases for peace Palestinian foreign ministry The Palestinian Authority welcomed Wednesdays move. This long-awaited step serves Palestines vigorous effort to achieve justice and accountability as indispensable bases for peace, the Palestinian foreign ministry said. It called for concluding the investigation quickly because the crimes committed by the occupations leaders against the Palestinian people are lasting, systematic and far-reaching. The Palestinians joined the court in 2015 and have long pushed for an investigation of Israel, which is not a member of the court. The Palestinians asked the court to investigate Israeli actions during its 2014 war against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, as well as Israels construction of settlements in the occupied West Bank and annexed east Jerusalem. Israeli officials have accused the court in the past of overstepping its bounds, saying the Palestinians are not an independent sovereign state. Officials say that Israel has been unfairly singled out and reject the allegations. They say military actions in Gaza were acts of self-defence and the status of the West Bank is disputed and must be resolved through negotiations. (This decision) will only further polarise Israelis and Palestinians and distance them from the very dialogue needed to resolve the conflict between them Israeli foreign minister Gabi Ashkenazi The Israeli foreign minister accused the court of emboldening terrorist organisations and anti-Semitic groups. He said the decision will only further polarise Israelis and Palestinians and distance them from the very dialogue needed to resolve the conflict between them. But Ms Bensouda said there was a reasonable basis to proceed and there are admissible potential cases. Eugene Kontorovich, director of international law at the Kohelet Policy Forum, a conservative Israeli think tank, said the courts investigation is entirely unjustified and predictable, given its longstanding lawless bias against the Jewish state. Israel has also argued that its military justice system is independent and capable of investigating itself. The ICC was set up to deal with crimes in countries where authorities were unable or unwilling to launch meaningful prosecutions. The Palestinians and human rights groups say Israels military justice system is biased and routinely whitewashes abuses by soldiers. It is likely the investigation will also look into alleged crimes by Palestinian militants. This is a step forward to implement justice, punish the occupation and do justice to the Palestinian people Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem The prosecutor has said her investigation would look into the actions of Hamas, which fired rockets indiscriminately into Israel during the 2014 war. Israel blames Hamas and other militant groups for Palestinian war casualties, saying the militants use residential areas as cover to launch rockets and leave the military no choice but to strike back. Hamas welcomed the initiation of the investigation and called on Ms Bensouda to resist any pressure that could scuttle the process. This is a step forward to implement justice, punish the occupation and do justice to the Palestinian people, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told the Associated Press. Ms Bensouda said how prosecutors prioritised their work would be determined in due time based on constraints including the coronavirus pandemic, limited resources and their existing heavy workload. Such challenges, however, as daunting and complex as they are, cannot divert us from ultimately discharging the responsibilities that the Rome Statute places upon the Office, she said, referring to the courts founding treaty. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the ICCs war crimes investigation. In a videotaped statement, Mr Netanyahu accused the court of hypocrisy and anti-Semitism and vowed to fight for the truth. LONDON, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Valaris plc (OTC: VALPQ) ("Valaris" or the "Company") today announced that it has received approval from the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas of its prearranged Plan of Reorganization (the "Plan"). In addition to Bankruptcy Court confirmation, the Plan received support from approximately 80% of the Company's unsecured notes ("Noteholders") and bank lenders representing 100% of the Company's credit facility claims. In addition, approximately 81% of the Company's voting shareholders voted to accept the Plan. "I am pleased that we have received strong support for the Company's amended plan. This is an important milestone, as it clears the path for Valaris to emerge from chapter 11 early in the second quarter. The overwhelming support from our noteholders and bank lenders shows their confidence in our go-forward strategy and strength as a company," said Tom Burke, President and Chief Executive Officer of Valaris. "This achievement would not have been possible without the continued dedication and loyalty from our employees, customers, vendors and other partners. We look forward to emerging swiftly with our strengthened capital structure which, combined with our high-quality rig fleet and personnel, positions the company well in a still challenging offshore drilling market." Upon emergence and implementation of the Plan, Valaris will eliminate $7.1 billion of existing debt. Valaris will receive a $520 million capital injection through the issuance of a $550 million secured note maturing in 2028. The note includes the option of an 8.25% cash coupon, 10.25% half cash, half paid-in-kind coupon or 12% paid-in-kind coupon, all at the Company's election. Valaris has also reached an agreement with Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd. to amend its two newbuild drillship contracts to extend each delivery date to December 31, 2023, while giving the company the option to take delivery early or terminate the contracts on a non-recourse basis. Final payments for the VALARIS DS-13 and VALARIS DS-14 are estimated to be approximately $119 million and $218 million, respectively. Additional Information Court filings and additional information related to the Court-supervised proceedings are available at a website administered by the Company's claims agent, Stretto, http://cases.stretto.com/Valaris. Questions should be directed to our dedicated restructuring hotline 855-348-2032 (Toll-Free) or +1 949-266-6309 (International). Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Slaughter and May are serving as legal advisors to Valaris in connection with the restructuring. Lazard Ltd. is serving as Valaris' financial advisor and Alvarez & Marsal North America LLC as its restructuring advisor. Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP are serving as legal advisors to the consenting Noteholders, and Houlihan Lokey Inc. is serving as financial advisor. Shearman & Sterling LLP is serving as legal advisors to the RCF Administrative Agent, and Perella Weinberg Partners LP is serving as financial advisor. About Valaris plc Valaris plc (OTC: VALPQ) is the industry leader in offshore drilling services across all water depths and geographies. Operating a high-quality rig fleet of ultra-deepwater drillships, versatile semisubmersibles and modern shallow-water jackups, Valaris has experience operating in nearly every major offshore basin. Valaris maintains an unwavering commitment to safety, operational excellence, and customer satisfaction, with a focus on technology and innovation. Valaris plc is an English limited company (England No. 7023598).To learn more, visit our website at www.valaris.com. Cautionary Statements Statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements include words or phrases such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plan," "project," "could," "may," "might," "should," "will" and similar words. Such statements are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may cause actual results to vary materially from those indicated, including the Company's ability to obtain Bankruptcy Court approval with respect to motions or other requests made to the Bankruptcy Court, the ability of the Company to consummate the Plan, the effects of the Chapter 11 Cases on the Company's liquidity or results of operations or business prospects; the effects of the Chapter 11 Cases on the Company's business and the interests of various constituents, the length of time that the Company will operate under Chapter 11 protection, risks associated with third-party motions in the Chapter 11 Cases, the Company's debt levels, liquidity and ability to access financing sources, debt restrictions that may limit our liquidity and flexibility, the COVID-19 outbreak and global pandemic, the related public health measures implemented by governments worldwide, which may, among other things, impact our ability to staff rigs and rotate crews, the decline in oil prices during 2020 caused in part by the COVID-19 pandemic and the decisions by certain oil producers to reduce export prices and increase oil production, cancellation, suspension, renegotiation or termination of drilling contracts and programs. In particular, the unprecedented nature of the current economic downturn, pandemic, and industry decline may make it particularly difficult to identify risks or predict the degree to which identified risks will impact the Company's business and financial condition. In addition to the numerous factors described above, you should also carefully read and consider "Item 1A. Risk Factors" in Part I and "Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in Part II of our most recent annual report on Form 10-K, as updated in our subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, which are available on the Securities and Exchange Commission's website at www.sec.gov or on the Investor Relations section of our website at www.valaris.com. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Media Contact Dana Gorman / Sydney Isaacs Abernathy MacGregor +1 212-371-5999 Investor Contact Darin Gibbins Vice President Investor Relations and Treasurer +1 713-979-4623 SOURCE Valaris plc Related Links http://www.valaris.com GUELPH, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 3, 2021 / ZEN Graphene Solutions Ltd. ("ZEN" or the "Company") (TSXV:ZEN)(OTC Pink:ZENYF), a next-gen nanomaterials technology company, is pleased to announce it has been advised by Trebor Rx Corp. (Trebor) that their surgical masks with ZEN's biocidal coating have passed Health Canada testing requirements as a level 2 medical device. The coated masks were tested at a Health Canada approved facility in line with American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards. Trebor intends to begin marketing the ZEN coated masks immediately with products available in April as both companies ramp up their production to meet the strong demand Trebor is receiving. Greg Fenton, ZEN's CEO, commented, "When we announced our initial agreement with Trebor late last year, it was truly a historic day for ZEN. Now, with the requisite approvals and safety data in place, our initial agreement is poised to become a commercial reality. Importantly, we bring a new innovative product with an added level of protection to our front-line workers and the public while setting the stage for what we believe is substantial growth potential and tremendous value creation. We are extremely excited to have achieved this milestone with our partners at Trebor and expect the demand for personal protective equipment with biocidal protection to grow in tandem with our relationship." George Irwin, Trebor CEO, commented: "Trebor is excited to be launching a new, game changing, 4-ply mask technology with our partners at ZEN. The additional layer of protection from ZEN's biocidal coating against COVID-19 and various other bacterial and fungal pathogens, including the common cold virus, is the disrupter we need to get ahead of this and the other mutations of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. We are working towards an April production start in both our Collingwood, Ontario, and Edmonton, Alberta facilities. This announcement is the culmination of many hours of hard work by the people at both ZEN and Trebor, and it shows that innovative technology is alive and well in Canada as we work towards making lives safer every day." Disclaimer : The Company is not making any express or implied claims that its product can eliminate, cure, or contain the COVID-19 virus (or SARS-2 Coronavirus) at this time About ZEN Graphene Solutions Ltd. ZEN is a next-gen nanomaterials technology company developing graphene-based technologies that help protect people and the environment. ZEN is currently focused on commercializing a patent pending graphene-based coating with 99% biocidal activity, including against COVID-19, and the potential to use similar graphene compounds as pharmaceutical products against infectious diseases. The company has a significant R&D pipeline with an interest in monomers, polymers, metal alloys, corrosion coatings, biosensors, along with the production of graphene oxide and graphene quantum dots. Additionally, the company owns the unique Albany Graphite Project which provides the company with a potential competitive advantage in the graphene market. Labs in Japan, UK, Israel, USA, and Canada have independently demonstrated that ZEN's Albany PureTM Graphite is an ideal precursor material that easily converts (exfoliates) to graphene, using a variety of mechanical, chemical, and electrochemical methods. For further information: Greg Fenton, Chief Executive Officer Tel: 1(437) 220-8140 Email: Gfenton@zengraphene.com To find out more about ZEN Graphene Solutions Ltd., please visit our website at www.ZENGraphene.com. A copy of this news release and all material documents in respect of the Company may be obtained on ZEN's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.ca. About Trebor Rx Corp. Trebor Rx Corp. is led by George Irwin and Brenda Elliott, the 3rd generation Canadian business icons behind the Irwin Toy brand, which has been operating in Canada for almost 100 years. Fueled by a dedicated and compassionate team prioritizing safety and innovation, Trebor is disrupting the PPE industry and setting a new standard of production for masks and face shields while solving problems of cost, comfort, and medical waste. A proudly Canadian company with a production facility located in Collingwood, Ontario, Trebor is committed to providing Healthcare, Frontline, and Essential workers with innovative, new patented technology PPE during COVID-19 and beyond. For further information about Trebor: George Irwin, Chief Executive Officer Tel:1(416) 625-7499 Email: George.irwin@treborrx.com To find out more about Trebor Rx Corp., please visit our website at www.treborrx.com. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although ZEN believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. ZEN disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: ZEN Graphene Solutions Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/633252/ZEN-Graphene-Solutions-and-Trebor-Rx-Corp-Announce-Successful-Health-Canada-Testing-Requirements-of-Surgical-Masks .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. It was one of those glorious New Mexico mornings when the blue of the sky and the bright of the sun augured the end of a long winter and the coming of spring. It was Saturday, and everything felt hopeful, joyful, unbound. I was off to get my first COVID-19 vaccine. It came as a surprise. Last Wednesday evening, I was scrolling through my cellphone in my car, waiting for a curbside pickup, as one does in pandemic life, when up popped the text alert. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Notice from DOH to Joline, it read. Vaccine is now available at a location near you, and sign-up is on a first-come, first-serve basis. It was like winning the lottery, which, given the seeming randomness of the vaccine selection process, it is. But I hadnt won anything yet. Even though I immediately fumbled through the process of signing up for the only available event listed Saturday at the University of New Mexico Pit time slots were filling up fast. Still, I snagged an 11 a.m. slot. On that late morning I arrived at what has to be one of the best run big-scale vaccine clinics in the country, full of cheery folks with safety vests and red and silver pompoms who herded us deftly to one of many shot stations rimming the concourse. I was done in less than a half-hour, counting the 15-minute waiting period after the shot. Although we all wore masks, you could still tell we were smiling. To paraphrase the Washington Post, the happiest place on Earth is anywhere there is vaccine. If youre among the 603,463 and counting in New Mexico who have received one or both doses, you know this euphoria, this relief, this hope. Perhaps you shed a tear, praised God and health-care workers, waxed poetic, burst into song. Social media is filled with selfies of folks holding up their CDC-official COVID-19 vaccination record cards or capturing the moment they were stuck in the arm. Im thinking of hiring a brass band to march me down Lomas tomorrow, a friend posted on Facebook after snagging a vaccine appointment at Phils Pills. I know I will cry because maybe now I will be able to go to California in a month or so to see my family. We have waited so long for this. But how had we been so lucky while others, many who are older or in poorer health, have yet to get the call? Along with the joy, some of us are feeling a sort of survivors guilt and some of those who havent been vaccinated are feeling various degrees of envy, confusion and anger. Theyre saying people shouldve gotten it before I did, said a woman named Debra, a caregiver who received her second shot last month. Im actually being shamed for that by so-called friends. I thought about my aunt, 96, feisty but frail, who has yet to receive an appointment. About Laura and Kaye, both in their 60s and with rheumatoid arthritis. About Mike, 61 and fighting cancer for 14 years. About teachers. About folks in rural realms of the state. About those who miss their chance to sign up for an appointment when the alert comes because theyre not as glued to their cellphone or email as me. I thought about Sheila, a woman in her 70s with a host of pre-existing conditions and no computer whose neighbor registered her for the vaccine weeks ago to no avail. She called me Feb. 19 to vent, introducing herself as one of the forgotten ones. I contacted a DOH source, who immediately had someone reach out to her, check her registration and get her name in the queue to be contacted by a phone call rather than a text or email when an appointment opens up. This week, I called Sheila to check up on her. She said she feels more relieved, less forgotten, but she is still waiting for a vaccine date. Mike, the cancer fighter, is finally scheduled for his vaccine today, Wednesday. Keep the faith, folks. And yet for all those who clamor for a vaccine there are those who say they will refuse one. A Harvard CAPS-Harris poll released this week found that while 59% of respondents said they plan to get the vaccine, 41% said they are unwilling to do so. Of the naysayers, 66% said they were concerned about side effects, 33% said they did not believe it was effective, 27% said they were not concerned about the virus and 23% said it should go to more at-risk individuals. A separate survey, conducted by Civiqs Polling, found that Republicans are far more likely to refuse a vaccine than any other demographic group only 33% plan to get vaccinated, compared with 70% of Democrats and 47% of independents. I suspect these vaccine deniers are also the ones who raged against wearing a mask and refer to the rest of us rudely as covidiots. I wish them good luck, better fact-based information and adequate health and life insurance. At present, New Mexico and most of the country is vaccinating those in Phase 1A, which includes health workers and first responders, and Phase 1B, which includes people 75 and older, 16 and older with chronic health conditions and frontline essential workers. But this week, President Biden announced that there will be enough doses of vaccine for all adults in the country by May, the result of the approval of a third brand of vaccine, this one from Johnson and Johnson, being produced faster and in greater numbers through a deal with pharmaceutical competitor Merck. As for me, the only side effect from my first shot the Pfizer version was soreness in the vaccinated arm. Ive heard the second may bring on stronger side effects such as fever, chills, aches and lethargy. We shall see. For now, I am grateful for the side effect of hope, the light at the end of this dark pandemic winter, the promise of normal times finally within grasp. Spring is coming. Sign up for shots at cvvaccine.nmhealth.org. UpFront is a front-page news and opinion column. Reach Joline at 730-2793, jkrueger@abqjournal.com, Facebook or @jolinegkg on Twitter. 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 New Mexico and the nation as a whole work to recover stronger from the coronavirus pandemic, we have to evaluate events of the last year and apply lessons going forward. For millions, this has been traumatic, and it isnt over yet. Many have lost loved ones and livelihoods. Plans for a promising future have been set back. We need to develop and put in place reforms that promote prosperity and help ensure that any future pandemic does less damage than this one. One critical policy area we know can be improved is education. Every Hispanic family, like all families, appreciates the importance of a good education. My parents like so many others helped me understand from a young age that along with hard work and discipline, its a key to success for each future generation. They worked and sacrificed to make sure I had the opportunity to learn and succeed. To make sure all our kids can access the education they deserve, we must help them find their strengths and interests to see what fascinates and motivates them. Thats the key to developing their talents and ensuring that they become lifelong learners. When we help young people unlock their talents, we create a way for them to enrich both their own lives and the lives of those around them. For me, arts and music were among my passions from an early age, and Ive been fortunate enough to be able to pass those along as a college instructor. The pandemic and the lockdowns that followed have made that much harder. Last summer, 81% of Latino parents in New Mexico expressed concern their children would fall behind in their education because of the turn away from in-person education and toward remote learning. And according to a state legislative analysis published in October, those fears were well-founded. As many as four in five students in the state were failing at least one class. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Some states have responded by expanding the tools available to families to supplement their kids formal education. Idaho is among those that have used emergency federal education funds to directly empower parents and families to pay for education expenses kids need to keep learning during the unprecedented schooling disruption. Here in New Mexico, Rep. Zach Cook, R-Ruidoso, has introduced House Bill 292, which would provide Education Freedom Accounts for every New Mexican student, and House Joint Resolution 11, an amendment to allow for funding of these accounts. Together, these measures would give families access to a portion of the funding that the state allocates for their child. It would authorize them to spend on things such as tutoring, standardized test fees, online education programs, textbooks or other instructional materials, computer hardware and education software, and tuition at a school of their choice including a career or technical school. The Hispanic community is fully supportive of this type of reform. More than seven of every 10 Latinos recently said they would support giving parents a portion of those funds to use for home, virtual or private education if public schools do not reopen for in-person classes. A similar percentage said they would support their governor sending the funding directly to families and allowing them to choose how to use those funds to support their childs education. One thing is clear: The challenges in our educational system both short term and long term arent something we can ignore, hoping theyll fix themselves. The reality is that our educational system was in need of improvement and reform before coronavirus reached our shores, and there are changes we know can help both during the pandemic and once its no longer an urgent concern. The time to start on those changes is now. The Loyal Wingman aircraft on its maiden voyage. (Supplied by Boeing) History Has Been Made: First Aussie Made Military Aircraft in 50 Years Takes Off The first Australian military aircraft designed and developed in half a centurythe Loyal Wingmanhas successfully completed its first flight on the weekend. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the program is a testament to the ingenuity of Australias defence industry. History has been made, Morrison said. Introduced in February 2019, the unmanned Loyal Wingman has a range of more than 3,700 kilometres and keeps crewed capabilities out of harms way by projecting power forward via artificial intelligence. Loyal Wingman (Supplied by Boeing) The Acting Minister for Defence, Marise Payne, said the Loyal Wingman program would support Australias defence industry and boost Australias workforce. Through this Governments investment in the program, we have helped secure over 100 Australian jobs, Payne said in a statement. This includes 33 highly skilled aviation engineering jobs in Victoria that would otherwise have been made redundant in the midst of COVID-19. The Morrison Government is investing a further $115 million to support the next stage of development in the Boeing Loyal Wingman program, which will see Australia gain three more aircraft to help with existing platforms. The main body of the Loyal Wingman aircraft. (Supplied by Boeing) This new stage of development will deliver an increase in the advanced mission capabilities of the aircraft, Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said in a statement. Here is another high-flying example of how we are backing our local defence industry base, supporting and creating jobs in a range of high technology areas. We are very excited about the export potential of the Loyal Wingman, she said. With support from more than 35 Australian industry groups, including the Royal Australian Air Force, Boeing Australia, and its defence industry partners, the team was able to manufacture the aircraft from design to flight in three years. Boeing and Australia are pioneering fully integrated combat operations by crewed and uncrewed aircraft, Boeing Defense, Space & Security President and CEO Leanne Caret said. Were honoured to be opening this part of aviations future with the Royal Australian Air Force, and we look forward to showing others how they also could benefit from our loyal wingman capabilities. Additional Loyal Wingman aircraft are being developed, with plans for more flights scheduled for later this year. On February 28, the military and police officials raided the Kachin Baptist Church (KBC) twice in Lashio, Shan State, Myanmar before arresting 14 Christians including seminary students and 4 ministers, the International Christian Concern (ICC) reported. According to the congregation, a group of youth caught a police officer disguised in plainclothes, who had been spying on an anti-coup protestor, and investigated him inside the church's compound before setting him free, the ICC wrote. The compound is large enough that people in the church did not notice what was going on, especially at that time where a theological training is being held. As an act of retribution, the military and police forces, who are equipped in riot gear, raided the compound church at 1p.m. on that day. The raid caused the main gate of the church to be knocked down and some damages were even done inside the church before they arrested 13 Christians. A reliable source close to KBC told Voice of America Burmese Service, "The police searched KBC compound. A lot of police cars came and there were shootings. It seems like they used rubber bullets. Can't say how many casualties there are." At 5 p.m., the armed military and geared police forces returned to the Lashio church to search the compound while frightening the residents around. They went on to arrest another Christian, the KBC Church Secretary, according to the congregants nearby who reportedly saw what happened. The people in the neighborhood also submitted a video, that was examined by ICC, which documents the moments of the raid. It shows at least a dozen of geared police officers who went inside the church compound and caused damage. Despite the fact that Christians at the church compound were not involved in, or even aware of, the incident that happened between the plainclothes and the group of youth, the authorities still continued in arresting a total of 14 Christians at the compound. Among the arrested people are Dr. L Zau Ring, the church secretary, Maw She, Zau Doi Aung, Seng Ra Awng, and K.D Naw Mai, the ministers, Lagang Dau Gyung, HangKum Hkawng Gyung, and Gum Sut Nan, the seminary students, and youths Hawng Hkawng, Peter, Zau Ja Hpraw, Ah Sut, Hkaw Ying, and Dan Seng Awng. There is no information as to where these detainees are because the police station in the Lashio area did not provide any information. The police officers said that these forces are not people stationed in Lashio. Gina Goh, ICC's Regional Manager for Southeast Asia, said, "As the military junta cracks down on peaceful protests all over Myanmar, it is worrisome that 14 Christians from KBC Lashio have been arrested without due process." "The Tatmadaw (Burmese Army) has been hostile towards ethnic Kachin, who are predominantly Christian. What might happen to them is very concerning. ICC calls for their release and urges the global Church to pay attention to this case and the ongoing anti-coup movement, as more innocent lives are lost each day," Goh said. Ircon International share price fell over 7 per cent on Wednesday as the government is going to divest its 10 per cent stake of the company through offer for sale (OFS). The government, which holds 89.18 per cent stake in IRCON, has proposed to sell up to 16 per cent in the state-owned company at a floor price of Rs 88 per share. At the floor price, a 16 per cent stake sell would fetch over Rs 600 crore to the exchequer. Weighed down by government's stake sale plan, Ircon International shares opened sharply lower at Rs 93 against previous closing price of Rs 97.85. During the day's trade so far, the stock declined as much as 7.4 per cent to hit intraday low of Rs 90.60 amid heavy volume. The market cap of Railway PSU fell to Rs 4,312.26 crore. On the volume front, there was surge in selling as 5.06 lakh shares changed hands over the counter as compared to two-week average volume of 1.49 lakh shares. The OFS in IRCON opens today for non retail investors, while the widow for retail investors will open tomorrow. The base issue size of the OFS is 10 per cent or over 4.70 crore equity shares, with a green-shoe option to retain over-subscription of 6 per cent or over 2.82 crore shares. Overall, the total issue size, including green-shoe option, is 16 per cent or over 7.52 crore shares. The government has set a disinvestment target of Rs 32,000 crore in the revised estimates for the current fiscal. So far, it has raised Rs 20,626 crore through minority stake sale in CPSEs and share buy backs. Also read: Share Market Live Update: Sensex hovers around 50,600, Nifty holds 15k levels; SBI, Axis Bank, HDFC top gainers Also read: YES Bank shares gain on fund raising plan Also read: Stocks in news: RIL, Airtel, Vi, YES Bank, Ircon International, Ruchi Soya, Ion Exchange remaining of Thank you for reading! This is your last free article before you will be asked to subscribe. Already have a paid subscription? Sign in 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. security forces shot and killed at least eight people Wednesday, according to accounts on social media and local news reports, as authorities extended their lethal crackdown on protests against last month's Videos from various locations showed security forces firing slingshots at demonstrators, chasing them down and even brutally beating an ambulance crew. Demonstrators have regularly flooded the streets of cities across the country since the military seized power on February 1 and ousted the elected government of leader Aung San Their numbers have remained high even as security forces have repeatedly fired tear gas, rubber bullets and live rounds to disperse the crowds, and arrested protesters en masse. The intensifying standoff is unfortunately familiar in the country with a long history of peaceful resistance to military rule and brutal crackdowns. The reversed years of slow progress toward democracy in the Southeast Asian nation after five decades of military rule. According to the U.N. Human Rights Office, security forces killed at least 18 protesters Sunday. On Wednesday, there were reports of eight more deaths in four different cities, including a 14-year-old boy. Security forces have also arrested hundreds of people at protests, including journalists. On Saturday, at least eight journalists, including Thein Zaw of The Associated Press, were detained. A video shows he had moved out of the way as police charged down a street at protesters, but then was seized by police officers, who handcuffed him and held him briefly in a chokehold before marching him away. He has been charged with violating a public safety law that could see him imprisoned for up to three years. The escalation of the crackdown has led to increased diplomatic efforts to resolve Myanmar's political crisis but there appear to be few viable options. The UN Security Council is expected to hold a closed meeting on the situation on Friday, council diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized the give the information before the official announcement. The United Kingdom requested the meeting, they said. Still, any kind of coordinated action at the United Nations will be difficult since two permanent members of the Security Council, China and Russia, would almost certainly veto it. Some countries have imposed or are considering imposing their own sanctions. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which is a member, held a teleconference meeting of foreign ministers on Tuesday to discuss the crisis. But there, too, action is unlikely. The regional group of 10 nations has a tradition of non-interference in each other's internal affairs. A statement by the chair after the meeting merely called for an end to violence and for talks on how to reach a peaceful settlement. Ignoring that appeal, Myanmar's security forces on Wednesday continued to attack peaceful protesters. Details of the crackdowns and casualties are difficult to independently confirm, especially those occurring outside the bigger cities. But the accounts of most assaults have been consistent in social media and from local news outlets, and usually have videos and photos supporting them. It is also likely that many attacks in remote areas go unreported. In Yangon, the country's largest city, which has has seen some of the biggest protests, three people were killed, according to the Democratic Voice of Burma, an independent television and online news service. The deaths were also mentioned on Twitter, where some photos of bodies were posted. In addition, a widely circulated video taken from a security camera showed police in the city brutally beating members of an ambulance crew apparently after they were arrested. Police can be seen kicking the three crew members and thrashing them with rifle butts. Security forces are believed to single out medical workers for arrest and mistreatment because members of the medical profession launched the country's civil disobedience movement to resist the junta. In Mandalay, the country's second-biggest city, two people were reportedly shot dead. Photos posted on social media showed a university student peacefully taking part in the protest, and later showed her apparently lifeless with a head wound. Accounts on social media said a man was also killed. Riot police in the city, backed by soldiers, broke up a rally and chased around 1,000 teachers and students from a street with tear gas as gun shots could be heard. Video from The Associated Press showed a squad of police firing slingshots in the apparent direction of demonstrators as they dispersed. In the central city of Monywa, which has turned out huge crowds, three people were shot Wednesday, including one in the head, the Democratic Voice of Burma reported. Reports on social media said two died. In Myingyan, in the same central region, multiple social media posts reported the shooting death of a 14-year-old boy. Photos that posters said were of his body showed his head and chest soaked with blood as he was carried by fellow protesters. Live fire also was reported to have caused injuries in Magwe, also in central Myanmar; in the town of Hpakant in the northern state of Kachin; and in Pyinoolwin, a town in central better known to many by its British colonial name, Maymyo. Fort Polk, LA (71446) Today Scattered thunderstorms during the morning becoming more widespread this afternoon. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High 78F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Variable clouds with thunderstorms, especially late. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. All Apple stores in the US are now opened for the first time since March last year When Apple closed its retail stores in the US in mid-March 2020, the initial plan was to reopen a couple of weeks later on the 27th. That didnt happen it took nearly a full year for all the US stores to reopen, which they finally did. 9to5Mac reports that all 270 Apple stores in the United States are open in some capacity. Some allow in-store shopping sessions, others still operate as Express storefronts, but they are open. If youre planning an in-store visit, you should know that Apple is still enforcing COVID-19 precautions this means you need to wear a mask and store occupancy is limited. Its best to check your local store on this page to see what services it offers and then use the Apple Store app to book a one-on-one session if you need one. Walk-ins may be turned back. The last stores to reopen were those in Texas in the Houston, Dallas and San Antonio areas. The plan was to open a week ago, but the sever winter weather that hit Texas delayed that plan. As for the rest of the world, Apple stores in Mexico are opening today. In the UK the stores are closed except for Genius Bar services (by appointment) only. In France some stores remain temporarily closed. Source Donald McPherson is accused of staging the death of his wife Paula Leeson (pictured) 'to look like an accident' in a bid to get his hands on her 3.5million life insurance A property developer accused of murdering his wealthy wife while on holiday in Denmark was seeing another woman four months after becoming a widow, a court heard today. Donald McPherson, 47, is accused of a 'sinister pre-planned killing' of his wife Paula Leeson, also 47, who drowned in a 4ft deep swimming pool at the cottage they rented while on holiday in Danish village Nrre Nebel on June 6, 2017. Manchester Crown Court heard the defendant, who was born Alexander James Lang in Takapuna, New Zealand, stood to gain up to 3.5million in insurance payouts if his wife died before him. McPherson was seen with an 'Asian lady' and joined a group, Widowed And Young, which he described as 'like Tinder for widows', the court was also told. The morning after her death, McPherson made online transactions to move money from their joint bank account to his personal accounts. Prosecutors claim he did this to 'reduce his credit card debts'. McPherson, who lived with his wife in Sale, Greater Manchester, denies murder. Betty Leeson, the mother of Paula Leeson, in a statement read to the court on the second day of the trial, said it was 'strange' the defendant had not been to see his wife's grave for months after her funeral and other witnesses said he did not cry or show emotion at her funeral. Mrs Leeson added: 'I know he is seeing someone else. Paula was only buried in July. He was seeing an Asian lady by October.' Her son Neville Leeson told the jury McPherson was 'reluctant' to hand over his sister's iPhone after her death as a keepsake and to keep her old photos. Mr Leeson said that after he eventually got the phone he discovered some photos, including selfies of the smiling couple, taken on the day she died, though McPherson told police they had been in bed and when he got up he found her face down in the pool and dragged her out. The photos were in the trash folder, seemingly deleted from her camera roll after her death, the jury heard. David McLachlan QC, prosecuting, told the court the defendant was not a man of means but a 'man of straw'. He added: 'His actions in the aftermath of her death are characterised by greed not grief because money was his motivation throughout. He stood to gain a vast amount of money.' The prosecutor added: 'His wife had been dead eight days, her body had still yet to be repatriated and laid to rest, and he was joining Widowed and Young (WAY).' Donald McPherson, 47, has denied murder at Manchester Crown Court (pictured) Earlier the court heard after a 'whirlwind romance' McPherson married Paula Leeson, in a 'no expense spared' ceremony at a Cheshire castle. Her family, originally from County Wicklow in Ireland, own a successful building firm in Sale, Greater Manchester, and McPherson is also accused of forging her will. The court heard his debts had begun to 'spiral out of control' after buying and selling houses, when he booked them a trip to a remote coastal cottage in western Denmark in June 2017 - despite his wife 'hating' beach holidays. Her death was initially treated as a tragic accident by the Danish authorities though she had suffered injuries, but McPherson was later arrested in the UK as police looked into his financial background. The prosecution claim Mr McPherson 'never really showed much emotion after his wife's death', with a Danish paramedic describing McPherson's efforts to resuscitate his wife as 'very bad'. Mr McLachlan added: 'Far from being overwhelmed from grief, Donald McPherson was partying away with the Widowed and Young group.' On the day of her death, Ms Leeson had spoken to her mother, who said her daughter seemed 'subdued, as if something was wrong', the court heard. At 1.46pm, on June 6, McPherson called the emergency services. A paramedic arrived about ten minutes later and saw McPherson giving his wife CPR as she lay on the edge of the pool. The paramedic said Mr McPherson 'had not pressed hard enough', and had 'apologised because he had an injured shoulder'. Mr McLachlan said: 'He thought that Donald McPherson's resuscitation attempts to supposedly save his wife's life were very bad, as there was still so much water inside her lungs.' Mr McLachlan asked jurors to question whether, 'in fact [he] was really trying'. McPherson told police he had not seen his wife for 20 minutes before finding her in the pool. A post-mortem examination in Denmark found Ms Leeson had suffered injuries including abrasions and bruises to her forehead, and injuries to her arms and legs. Her death was found to be 'assumed accidental' by the Danish authorities. Mr McLachlan said: 'The prosecution case is that her death was far from accidental.' In April 2018, Greater Manchester Police arrested Mr McPherson, and he denied killing his wife. The trial, which is expected to last six weeks, was adjourned until tomorrow morning. Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts is dead-set on a wealth tax. It was a key plank of her failed presidential run last year, and she has now introduced legislation meant to wring more federal revenue from ultramillionaires. Warrens measure has essentially no chance of passing, because Republicans oppose it en masse and some Democratsincluding President Bidendont support it, either. One reason: It would be a nightmare to enforce. But Biden himself has other tax ideas that are more plausible than Warrens wealth tax and could surface later this year as Democrats look for new revenue to pay for a lavish infrastructure program and other projects. Bidens tax plan includes a raft of tax hikes on businesses and the wealthy that would raise about $2 trillion in tax revenue during a 10-year period, according to the Tax Policy Center. Getting any tax hike through Congress is tough, but Biden's proposal for higher taxes on the richest Americansakin to Warrens wealth taxmay represent the low-hanging fruit. Americans generally support tax hikes on the wealthy, giving Congress cover to enact them. Instead of a wealth tax, Biden would target capital gains and inheritances for high-income Americans. For people with income above $1 million, Biden would raise the capital-gains tax rate to the same level as the income tax. The highest tax bracket is now 37%, but Biden wants to boost it to 39.6%, which was the level before President Trump lowered it in 2017. So Biden would raise the capital-gains tax from the current rate of 23.8% to 39.6%. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., right, with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., at left, speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, March 1, 2021, to unveil a proposed Ultra-Millionaire Tax Act. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Hed also raise the maximum estate tax rate from 40% to 45% and lower the amount exempt from tax from $11.7 million, for an individual, to $3.5 million. Another Biden change would eliminate the step-up rule that basically voids capital-gains taxes on assets that have appreciated in value when the owner dies and leaves them to somebody else. The Tax Policy Center estimates Bidens hike in the capital-gains rate would raise $370 billion over 10 years, while the estate-tax changes would net another $220 billion. Thats $590 billion over a decade, or $59 billion per year, which is meaningful revenue even by Washingtons inflated standards. And that doesnt include any change in income-tax rates for businesses or individuals. Story continues The problem of enforcement Warren says her wealth tax would raise $3 trillion over a decade, or $300 billion per year. Many tax experts are extremely doubtful. There are two basic problems with a wealth tax. The first is enforcing it. Financial assets such as stocks have a known market value, but many other assetsprivately owned businesses, real estate thats not for sale, art and collectiblesdont have a known value. The billionaires Warren wants to target could have hundreds or thousand of assets that would need to be valued every year, to collect tax on it. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen highlighted this when she said recently that a wealth tax has very difficult implementation problems. There could be legal problems with a wealth tax as well, because of a quirk in the Constitution. Any direct tax has to be apportioned among the states in a manner that would effectively hit wealthy people in low-income states harder than those in high-income states. That would make the tax unworkable. Warren has mustered legal scholars arguing that her levy would not be a direct tax, while others disagree. At a minimum, it would face legal challenges, with the validity of the tax most likely hanging in the balance until the Supreme Court (which now has a 6-3 conservative majority) ruled. Imposing a new tax destined for legal challenge at the outset is not a shrewd way to safeguard the national treasury. President Joe Biden speaks during a virtual meeting with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Monday, March 1, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington, who's a co-sponsor of the Warren wealth tax bill, told Yahoo Finance recently that valuing assets under a wealth tax wouldn't be that difficult because the IRS already does it under the estate tax. "It actually is something we are already doing, she said. We just do it at death. Yet that highlights the problem. Assets can be valued and taxed at death because they can be liquidated, if necessary, to help pay the tax. It would be problematic, to say the least, if taxpayers, even wealthy ones, had to sell assets to pay a tax on those same assets. Plus, it's still often difficult to value illiquid assets even when the owner dies. Rep. Bidens capital gains and estate tax plans would require no new structure in the tax code or unusual enforcement mechanisms. Hed mainly be changing the threshold for taxes that have been on the books a long time and have changed many times before. Thered be no legal challenge, just a lot of grumbling among those whod have to pay more. Any tax hike raises the incentive for tax evasion, but again, itd probably be a lot easier to move wealth around through offshore accounts and tricky ownership structures than to hide capital gains or assets in an estate. Biden also wants other big tax changes, such as a higher business tax rate and higher rates for households earning more than $400,000. But he might want to start with capital-gains and estate taxes because theyre easier to target at the wealthy. The top 1% of earners capture 69% of long-term capital gains, while the top 20% of earners earn 90% of the capital gains. That shareholder class has benefited most from fiscal and monetary stimulus that has propped up the stock market for the last 11 months and helped with a decade of generous gains. If anybody can afford it, they can. As for the estate tax, only about 1,900 U.S. estates are subject to any federal tax, which is less than one-tenth of 1% of the Americans who die in a given year. The number of estates subject to this tax was three times higher in 2009, the last year the exemption threshold was $3.5 million. Since Biden wants to return to that ceiling, assume hed triple the number of families having to pay some estate tax. It still remains a vanishingly small number. Plus, unlike the wealth tax, it has been the law before, and theres no question of whether it would work. Rick Newman is the author of four books, including "Rebounders: How Winners Pivot from Setback to Success. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman. You can also send confidential tips, and click here to get Ricks stories by email. Read more: Get the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance A commission set up to examine the contentious issue of flags and emblems in Northern Ireland has cost more than 800,000, it can be revealed. But its long-awaited report has still not been published - seven months after being submitted. One member of the commission said that, if the report is not made public, then it would be a "complete waste of money". The Commission on Flags, Identity, Culture and Tradition (Fict) was established in June 2016, and was due to report within 18 months, but this was delayed after the collapse of Stormont. Work was put on hold in late 2018 and resumed in January 2020, with the commission asked to finish by April 10. However, the pandemic caused a further postponement. Its report was finally submitted last July. However last week it emerged it has not been shared with all Executive ministers. It has now come to light that the commission has cost the taxpayer a total of 809,019 since its inception. The 2017/18 financial year racked up the highest costs at 423,688. The lowest was in the 2020/21 financial year, when the total expenditure was 21,471. Of the 809,000, around half (380,245) went towards members' expenses and remuneration, except for political representatives on the commission, who are not remunerated. Fict was made up of 15 members, seven of whom were appointed by the parties, and was jointly chaired by community relations worker Neville Armstrong and Professor Dominic Bryan of Queen's University. Ulster Unionist MLA Doug Beattie sat on the commission until April 2020. "Having been on the commission and having taken no renumeration whatsoever, I have to say that it will only be measured as value for money when the report is released and its recommendations are actioned," he told the Belfast Telegraph. "Right now it's a report that is sitting on the shelf, gathering dust, and may never see the light of day. "And if that's the case then it's a complete waste of money, it's a waste of 800,000, it's a waste of taxpayers money, it's a waste of time, it's a waste of effort. "So, until it gets brought down off the shelf, dusted off and people get to see it and people start to work on it and take action, or exploit some of the aspects within it, then it's a big pink elephant." Belfast SDLP councillor Carl Whyte, who also sat on the commission, said: "The report should be published and the fact that it has been forward to the Executive (Office) and not published just isn't acceptable. "There are a lot of problems that need addressed and solved and there are recommendations within the report we submitted. "The fact that it hasn't been actioned by the Executive Office is just ridiculous. There is really no explanation or reason for this delay." A spokesperson for The Executive Office said: "A working group is being set up, involving Junior Ministers, advisers and officials, to map out a way forward for Executive consideration in relation to the report by the Commission on Flags, Identity, Culture and Tradition. "This will include decisions around its publication." New Delhi, March 3 : Securing victory in four out of five municipal wards by-elections, the results for which were announced on Wednesday, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national head and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the people of Delhi have rejected the BJP. While addressing a gathering of party leaders and workers at the party office Kejriwal said, "People of Delhi have chosen AAP with 4 seats, and have defeated BJP with 0 seats. I want to congratulate the people of Delhi and AAP volunteers who worked hard for this victory. The results show that the people of Delhi have shown faith and trust in the work done by the Aam Aadmi Party. The people have given their approval of the good work done by us. This shows that the people of Delhi are very happy with the work done by AAP." He said if someone asks about the achievements of AAP, people from across the country will tell how we have improved schools, hospitals, electricity and water supply and roads. He added that the people of Delhi want to change the municipal agencies in the city and are looking at the AAP as the main alternative. He added, "People of Delhi are very happy with the work done by AAP in the last 6 years, which is why they have given 4 seats to AAP." Kejriwal recalled the AAP's consecutive victories in the 2015 and 2020 Assembly elections. "We got 67 out of 70 seats in 2015 and then we won 62 seats in 2020. Now, after 6 years, the people of Delhi have again shown their faith in us and they want us to continue the way we are working," Kejriwal added. Earlier in the day Kejriwal had tweeted, "The people of Delhi once again voted in the name of work. Congratulations to all. The public has been perturbed by the 15-year BJP misrule in the MCD. People are now desperate to form the Aam Aadmi Party government in the MCD as well." -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Sen. Danny Carroll's Legislative Update By Kentucky State Senator Danny Carroll PADUCAH -Severe winter weather forced the Kentucky General Assembly to pause Regular Session activity during the week of February 15. My colleagues and I returned to Frankfort on Monday to resume legislative work on your behalf.I hope that you and your family remained safe during the period of heavy ice and snowstorms. We really cannot say enough about the men and women who work to keep the roads clear and the lights on. Stories across the Commonwealth included county personnel helping other counties, emergency efforts to get necessities to people who were without, and so much more. During crises, the general good in people shows through, and the storm is braved together. Thank you to all involved in helping restore normalcy.Upon legislators' return to Frankfort, the House and Senate got back to work, each passing several bills out of their respective chambers this week.Several priority bills continued through the legislative process including:Senate Bill 4 is a bipartisan measure that would create procedures and requirements for the issuance of both search warrants and arrest warrants that authorize entry without notice, commonly known as no-knock warrants. They would be allowed for instances where someone was believed to be in immediate danger, such as kidnapping cases. The no-knock warrants would also be allowed when sought in connection to cases involving certain violent crimes, terrorism, or weapons of mass destruction.An officer seeking a no-knock warrant would have to get approval from supervisors and certify the warrant application hadn't been "shopped," the practice of trying to find a receptive judge. The bill would also make clear that an officer's false statement in a warrant application constitutes felony perjury. And the approving judge's signature would have to be legible.SB 4 serves to make potentially dangerous circumstances safer for both law enforcement personnel and the public while also strengthening the public trust in agencies.Senate Bill 6 enacts new safeguards to ensure ethical behavior within the executive branch, particularly regarding actions and behaviors of gubernatorial transition team members. Transition teams consist of folks who help a Governor-Elect transition from candidate to the official office. They will help select individuals who will serve in the various positions within the Governor-Elect's administration and help determine policy goals and the new administration's general framework.Senate Bill 7 is a critical measure that relates to unemployment insurance benefits. This bill is in response to the overpayment of benefits carried out by the executive branch early on during the pandemic.The issue of Unemployment Insurance here in the Commonwealth is staggering. How the Office of Unemployment Insurance has handled claims and distribution has resulted in countless backlogs, unanswered phone calls, and thousands of frustrated and desperate Kentuckians without the means to provide for their families. People are hurting, and SB 7 is just a small step taken to help remedy that.Senate Bill 10 also made passage in the Senate. I feel that this measure can lead to meaningful dialogue and create a conducive environment for considering solutions for challenges facing communities across the Commonwealth. If passed, SB 10 would establish a Commission on Race and Access to Opportunity within the legislative branch to conduct studies and research where disparities may exist across sectors of educational equity, healthcare, economic opportunity, criminal justice, and more. The Commission established would have the authority to hold monthly meetings, seek comment and testimony from various individuals and organizations, and provide research to recommend data-driven policy initiatives.During this time of great divisiveness, I think it's essential all involved consider the benefit of sitting with others in honest, open conversation with the intent to listen. No, that will not always lead to an agreement on policy, but it will lead to better understanding and rapport. While we all come from unique backgrounds, endeavors like SB 10 promote more exact pathways.Other bills passing in the Senate this week included a number of bills that I am proud to sponsor this session:Senate Bill 49 is a bill I sponsor. It confirms the independent contractor status of contracted 1915c home and community-based support service providers through Medicaid. The bill will ensure the quality services independent contractors provide to Waiver participants will continue.Senate Bill 51 takes a step toward making it easier for doctors to treat patients struggling with substance use disorders by prohibiting insurers from requiring critical evaluations known as utilization reviews (UR). A UR requirement for matters such as addiction treatment can be unnecessarily onerous. Prior authorization requirements can similarly prevent patients from receiving needed treatment when they are ready. Removing requirements on this front can allow us to save lives here in KentuckySenate Bill 56 limits the number of managed care organizations (MCO) contracts to operate the Medicaid program to three. Currently, there are five. Limiting them to three will increase efficiencies within the Medicaid program and lower administrative costs for healthcare providers. I have supported this bill for several years now, and I'm hopeful it will pass into law this year. The excessive number of MCOs operating in our Commonwealth is costly to providers and provides no additional benefit to Medicaid recipients.Senate Bill 65 nullifies administrative regulations that were found deficient during the 2020 Legislative Interim and prohibits their re-enactment for a designated period if identical to or substantially the same. One regulation the legislature found deficient last year would have provided Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to parents of children who have chosen to be absent in the child's life.Senate Bill 67 allows for the purchase of alcohol-to-go as long as it is in association with a takeaway or "to-go" food order. All existing laws and regulations on alcohol would apply to the sale of alcohol-to-go, such as recognition of "dry territory" laws and license requirements.Senate Bill 115 seeks to build on the Read to Achieve (RTA) program's tremendous success. The bill would repurpose grant funds to replicate proven methods across all school districts. Many students have benefited from the RTA program, so we should expand access to more students. I'm extremely excited about the potential of this expanded program. Reading is at the core of young students' success, and this program shows great promise!!Senate Bill 135 relates to the postsecondary education performance fund. The bill revises the definition of "formula base amount" and establishes a definition of "funding floor" for purposes of priority funding for Kentucky institutions.SB 135 would add a hold-harmless and stop-loss prevention of 0% for the upcoming fiscal year and beyond. It also establishes how amounts distributed from the performance fund should be treated during the budget process.Senate Bill 148 returns child care classroom sizes to pre-COVID-19 numbers and allows those facilities to combine classes during the opening and closing hours once again. This is critical to centers struggling to survive with the limits related to classroom size and the ability to combine classes. The bill also establishes child care as an essential service critical to the economies of local governments and the Commonwealth, and it calls for local governments to consider family child care homes separately when making decisions on conditional use permits in residential zones. This is one of my priority pieces of legislation for the session, and it is receiving very broad support as it moves through the legislative process.Bills making it to the governor last week for his consideration included Senate Bill 3 and House Bill 6. SB 3 moves the current Governor's Office of Agricultural Policy, also known as GOAP, under the Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture's jurisdiction. It passed the Senate earlier in the session and was recently passed by the House with a new amendment. The House's amendment added a requirement that designated people report directly to and only to the Agriculture Commissioner. The Senate concurred with the House's amendment. HB 6 provides teeth to an already existing legislative committee, which with the passing of HB 6 would become the Legislative Oversight and Investigations Committee. The bill would codify subpoena powers, give the committee authority to maintain the confidentiality of investigative documents, and impose fines on those in non-compliance with the committee's efforts.As you can see, the General Assembly is not taking any time for granted. We are now past the halfway point of the 2021 Regular Session, with much work left to do. I will continue to provide weekly legislative updates in the weeks ahead. God Bless.If you have any questions or comments about these issues or any other public policy issue, please call me toll-free at 1-800-372-7181 or email me at Danny.Carroll@LRC.ky.gov. Or, you can review the legislature's work online at www.Legislature.ky.gov. FORT WORTH, Texas, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Jason Stephens, founder of Stephens Law, a Fort Worth law firm focusing exclusively on serious personal injury and wrongful death claims, received multiple professional recognitions from his peers and the media in 2020. "Despite the tragedies of 2020, our firm has continued charging ahead on behalf of its clients," Jason says. "We're especially proud of the recognitions we received last year during a time that has presented us all with new and unique challenges." Among the many recognitions Jason received in 2020 was his 17th consecutive appearance on the Super Lawyers list. No more than 5 percent of attorneys in each state are selected to the annual list of the nation's top attorneys. Likewise, he was named to The Best Lawyers in America, one of the most highly regarded lawyer rankings in the country, for the fifth year in a row. Both publications compile their lists based on a combined peer nominations and independent research system; attorneys are not permitted to compensate either organization in exchange for a listing. In recognition of his skill and reputation as a trial attorney, Jason was also selected to The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100, an invitation-only organization composed of the premier trial lawyers from each state or region who meet stringent qualifications as civil plaintiff and/or criminal defense trial lawyers. Local publications also recognized his work in 2020. Fort Worth Magazine has named him a Top Lawyer every year since 2003; he was also named to 360 West's Attorneys Worth Knowing, and recognized as "The Face of Personal Injury Law" by 76107 Magazine. Ongoing honors Jason achieved prior to 2020 include a 10-star ("superb") rating on AVVO and an AV Preeminent rating by Martindale-Hubbell, both the highest level of recognition from each organization. He is also a Lifetime Member of the Multi-Million-Dollar Advocates Forum, which includes fewer than 1 percent of lawyers, and a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, an invitation-only group of attorneys who meet specific professional requirements. Notable resolutions throughout his career include the 47th largest verdict in the U.S. in 2004 as recognized by the National Law Journal, the 5th largest verdict in Texas in 2004 as acknowledged by Texas Lawyer, and the 8th largest motor vehicle verdict in Texas in 2012 as observed by Texas Lawyer. About Stephens Law Stephens Law focuses exclusively on handling serious personal injury and wrongful death claims. Jason Stephens, the firm's founder, has over two decades of experience and a proven track record of success in helping individuals and families who have been harmed by the wrongdoing or negligence of others. Jason is one of a few top-rated Fort Worth lawyers who are experienced in handling car accident, truck accident, motorcycle accident, distracted driving, and brain injuries. For more information, visit StephensLaw.com. Media contact: Amy Hunt, Muse Communications 214-801-8116 or [email protected] SOURCE Stephens Law Doctors Lake Family Dental in Fleming Island, FL From the initial phone call scheduling a reservation to when they are leaving our office, we are constantly trying to exceed our patients' expectations. Our new website makes finding useful information about our office both easy and efficient. Doctors Lake Family Dental of Fleming Island, FL is excited to announce the launch of its new Hybrid-Responsive website at https://www.doctorslakefamilydental.com. The goal of the new website is to make information about this award-winning dental practice easily accessible to both current and potential patients. The Hybrid-Responsive design means that the site is equally usable on laptops, desktops, and mobile devices; whether patients are at home, at work, or on-the-go, they'll be greeted with a website that' intuitive to use and informative. With a few taps on the screen or clicks of the mouse, patients can find instructions for dental emergencies, referral information, new patient forms, directions to the office, and appointment request forms. "From the initial phone call scheduling a reservation to when they are leaving our office, we are constantly trying to exceed our patients' expectations. Our new website makes finding useful information about our office both easy and efficient," says Dr. Dayn C. Boitet. In addition to the new website, the team at Doctors Lake Family Dental has been monitoring the latest research on COVID-19 transmission and adapting their safety protocols accordingly. The practice exceeds all guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and American Dental Association in order to create a safe environment for patients and staff. New protocols include: Asking patients to wait in their cars rather than the practice's waiting room, then performing curbside check-in with temperature checks and COVID-19 questionnaires. Using a hydrogen peroxide rinse to reduce oral microbes before dental treatments. Allowing more time between procedures to accommodate social distancing and disinfection. About Dr. Dayn C. Boitet Dr. Dayn C. Boitet earned his dental degree with honors from Indiana University before beginning his career as a dentist for the United States Navy. In 1981, he founded Doctors Lake Family Dental in Fleming Island, Florida, where he has honed his expertise in dental sleep medicine and implant dentistry. Dr. Boitet was selected and trained by the inventor of dental implants, Dr. Per-Ingvar Branemark, and has provided dental implants for over 7,500 patients since his training. He was the first general dentist to receive the honor of being elected as the president of the Academy of Osseointegration, an international dental implant organization. In addition to his dental work, Dr. Boitet has a passion for philanthropy, supporting over 40 projects each quarter to give back to the local community where he has built his business and raised his family. About Dr. Cameron McMillin Dr. Cameron McMillin was one of the youngest students to earn a DMD from Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine. After graduating, he served in the United States Navy where he completed a one-year credentialing tour and two years of training at the Oral Surgery Clinic in the Naval Hospital in Jacksonville. In addition to his work at Doctors Lake Family Dental, he serves as the Vice President of the Clay County Dental Society and is an active member of the American Dental Association and Florida Dental Association. About Dr. Drew Fowler A native of upstate New York, Dr. Drew Fowler earned his DMD at LECOM School of Dental Medicine in Bradenton. Dr. Fowler has a passion for continuing education and stays up-to-date with the latest in dental medicine and technology by being an active member of the American Dental Association, the Florida Dental Association, and the Clay County Dental Society. About the Practice Doctors Lake Family Dental provides comprehensive dental care to patients of all ages in Fleming Island. While the practice specializes in implant dentistry and dental sleep medicine, it also provides general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, and restorative dentistry, all using state-of-the-art technology and advanced techniques. To learn more or request a reservation, call 904-264-6700, stop by the office at 1665 Eagle Harbor Parkway, Fleming Island, FL 32003, or visit the new website at https://www.doctorslakefamilydental.com. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Nearly a year after Congress passed a coronavirus relief bill, some Native American tribes remain in legal limbo over whats been distributed. The issue didnt become any clearer for three tribes that argued during a federal court hearing last week that they were shortchanged under the formula used to dole out a portion of the $8 billion set aside for tribes. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta set deadlines to move the case forward after attorneys for both sides said they couldnt reach an agreement on interim payments while the U.S. Treasury Department comes up with a new method to distribute the remaining $533 million. The department sent out $4.8 billion in payments to tribal governments using federal population data that some tribes said was badly skewed. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ The Shawnee Tribe in Oklahoma and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians in Florida were among those given the minimum $100,000 because U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development data showed they had a population of zero. The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation in Kansas has argued it should have received $7.65 million more than it got, based on its own enrollment data. The tribes filed separate lawsuits that have been consolidated into one case, with the Shawnee Tribe as the lead plaintiff. Mehta initially ruled the Treasury Department had discretion in how it distributes the funding and, therefore, the methodology wasnt subject to court review. A federal appeals court revived the claims and sent them back to Mehta for a decision on the merits. U.S. Justice Department attorney Kuntal Cholera, who is representing the Treasury Department, asked Mehta to give the agency until the end of April to come up with a new methodology that would factor in potential outcomes in a pending U.S. Supreme Court case also centered on virus relief funding for tribes. Lower courts in that case were split over whether Alaska Native corporations, which own most Native land in the state under a 1971 settlement, should be in the mix. More than a dozen Native American tribes sued the Treasury Department last year to try to keep the money out of the hands of the corporations. In the Shawnee case, the tribes attorney, Pilar Thomas, urged Mehta to prevent further delays. We are still in a pandemic, and we are still without our money, Thomas said. Whats unclear is whether the three tribes would see any financial relief in the case. Cholera said a decision in favor of the tribes simply would send Treasury back to the drawing board on how to distribute the remaining funds. A new methodology would make the tribes claims moot, and federal laws wouldnt provide for any financial damages, he said. Thomas disagreed and asked Mehta for an opportunity to argue otherwise, as did attorneys for the Prairie Band and Miccosukee tribes. In the meantime, Mehta urged Justice Department attorneys to ask treasury officials again if they would consider an interim payment to the tribes and report back to him by March 5. He said it wouldnt be a terribly large amount. Whats the worst that happens? he said. They get a little more than theyre supposed to, and they use it to combat coronavirus. Police in the province of North Holland tweeted that an explosive went off near the testing center in Bovenkarspel just before 7 a.m. Police cordoned off the area, which is 60 kilometers (40 miles) north of Amsterdam, and were investigating the cause of the blast. The growth of tourism in 19th-century Europe opened up new possibilities for travel, with first railways and then steamships placing even previously largely inaccessible destinations such as Egypt well within the reach of Europes middle classes. Families could start thinking of package deals to Upper Egypt thanks to travel agencies like the British company Thomas Cook. The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O) made it possible for many to think of taking short hops abroad, with a stay in one of Cairos new hotels giving way to a few days spent cruising up the Nile. With tourists came travelers, those who had more long-term plans in mind. The French novelist Gustave Flaubert visited Egypt in 1849, for example, tagging along on French government funds provided to his friend Maxime du Camp. In his well-known letters written from Egypt, Flaubert, never easily satisfied, is already complaining of fellow European visitors clogging up Cairos fast-developing hotels. Some such travelers were women, no doubt on errands that the character of European societies at the time could have made it difficult for them to manage at home. Sophia Lane Poole, sister of the famous British orientalist Edward Lane, became a published author, for example, thanks to her Letters from Cairo discussing some Egyptian womens lives. Lady Lucie Duff Gordon, settling in Luxor in the 1860s, provided a picture of Egypt at the time in her Letters from Egypt published in 1865. There were also other European women travelers who found in Egypt a place in which they could exercise talents that could have gone unexercised at home. The British woman traveler Amelia Edwards, for example, not a letter-writer but the author of the popular A Thousand Miles up the Nile, was co-founder of the Egypt Exploration Fund later in the century and the originator of an important collection of Egyptian antiquities. While many may think of later travelers when womens travel in the Middle East is mentioned, perhaps pre-eminently the British traveler Gertrude Bell, founder of the Iraqi Museum in Baghdad, in fact the tradition of women writer-travelers in the region goes back at least to the 1840s when Lane Poole stayed with her brother in Egypt, apparently in the search of something more interesting than what she was doing at home. Lane had already published his famous Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians in the 1830s, an early catalyst for the tourism that was later to be such a notable feature of Egypts economic development. Now he was working on his equally famous Arabic-English Lexicon, a work that took him the rest of his life but that was only finished and published by his nephew, the academic Stanley Lane Poole. Lane himself got up to the letter qaf in this stupendous work, which still impresses and for some purposes is still indispensable today. While working in Cairo on his Lexicon, he decided to invite his sister to stay with him in 1842, from which developed the idea of Sophias adding to Lanes Manners and Customs by focusing on areas of life that her brother had not been able fully to explore, notably the lives of women. Anyone interested in Sophia Lane Pooles Letters on this and other subjects, first published in London in two volumes in 1844 there was a third in 1846 is indebted to US scholar Jason Thompson, whose biography of Lane, published in 2010, provides an up-to-date portrait that is alive both to Lanes personal life and to his research. Thompson has much to say about Sophia and her stay in Cairo, but perhaps even more useful is the edition of the Letters produced by Egyptian scholar Azza Kararah in 2003, also their translator into Arabic. Kararah was perhaps the first to see the Letters in the round and to carry out the kind of detailed study that would allow readers to discover which parts are by Lane (Sophia often used her brothers notes) and which are by his sister. As Kararah notes in the introduction to her edition, Lane Pooles aim was not to deal with the women of Egypt in general, leaving that to her brother in Manners and Customs, but instead to provide an insight into the life of the hareems of the upper echelon of Egyptian society where the Turkish element predominated. Her first such hareem visit was in February 1843 to the home of the wife of Habib Effendi, the then governor of Cairo, followed in September 1843 to the hareem of then Egyptian ruler Mohamed Ali at the Qasr al-Dubara Palace west of Cairo, and then in January 1844 to the house of Nezleh Hanem, the eldest daughter of Mohamed Ali. Letters home Sophia Lane Poole explains in her Letters that both their form and subject-matter owed much to her brother. There was a tradition of public letter-writing from the Middle East, pre-eminently Lady Mary Wortley Montagues famous letters from Istanbul published some 80 years before, but perhaps Lane Pooles choice of the letter form had more to do with her own uncertainty as an author. Letters could be disguised as personal communications, even if they were intended for publication. Rather like diaries, sometimes also adopted by Victorian women writers, letters allowed their author apparently to report simply on what she had seen and heard, leaving the supposed authority of the article or book to men. Whatever the reason, Lane Pooles Letters are a mixed bag, with some of them copied verbatim out of her brothers notes and others being dutiful rehearsals of the kind of history found in Victorian encyclopaedias. They come more alive when she is reporting on household matters, and many readers must have wished that Lane Poole could have left the historical parts to her brother and focused more on what she had experienced herself. Kararah says something along these lines when she notes that one of the events that Lane Poole reports in the Letters, the wedding of Zeyneb Hanem, youngest daughter of Mohamed Ali, is not described in detail anywhere else. Lane Pooles observations on this event, taking place over eight days at the Cairo Citadel in December 1845, are thus our only source though, as Kararah notes, this is regrettable in some respects. I have since ascertained from the best authority that the cost of the diamonds given by the Pasha to his daughter on this occasion has been 200,000 pounds [around 12 million today], and of these ornaments the girdle and the necklace are the most splendid, Lane Poole writes. The girdle cost 40,000, the necklace 37,000, the ear-rings 12,000, and the bracelets 10,000 pounds sterling. Much of the writing is in this vein, and Lane Poole can overlook things that later readers might prefer to know. A group of European actors had been hired to entertain guests at the wedding, Lane Poole reports, but she gives no details of what they performed. It is a great pity that Lane Poole does not elaborate on the subject, Kararah writes. Knowledge of the nationality of the company and the play they presented would have been of great value to us today. Lane Poole cannot be blamed for writing for her contemporaries rather than for posterity and for her English contemporaries at that. But it is a pity that she did not focus more on what people said, and less on what they wore, when deciding what to include in her Letters. Thompson says that the voice is one of Victorian discretion, one that tastefully omitted certain details. It is hard to imagine Lane Pooles correspondents rushing to open her letters from Cairo. Comparing Lane Pooles Letters to those produced 20 years later by Luxor resident Lady Lucie Duff Gordon, such thoughts grow in size. Coming from a more free-thinking background, Duff Gordon was less inhibited in her observations, and she reports interestingly on political and societal matters in a way almost never attempted by Lane Poole. She is far more attuned to what people say and do, and the results are felt in her prose style, which is lively, conversational, and full of detail. Luxor letters Duff Gordon, like Lane Poole, was an accidental visitor to Egypt, though in her case the accident had to do with her own developing needs. Told by her doctor that she should go abroad to try to recover her health, never strong, in a warmer climate, she went first to South Africa before joining her daughter in Alexandria who was married to the director of a British bank. From there, she moved to Luxor, at the time little more than a village, living in what has been described as a ramshackle house built over an ancient Egyptian temple for the better part of seven years. Arriving in Alexandria in October 1862, Duff Gordon was in Aswan by the following February, already captivated by the beauty of the Nile. I dont think Italy or Greece can equal the sacred Nile, the perfect freshness of the gigantic buildings, the beauty of the sculptures, and the charm of the people, she writes. Back in Cairo in March, she reports on a visit to Egypt by the Ottoman sultan, then still the nominal ruler of Egypt. No one knows what he wants, she writes, adding that the Egyptian khedive, or viceroy, Ismail, has ordered all the women of the lower orders to keep indoors as they might shout out their grievances. In May, she writes of the destruction of some 68 of the most exquisite buildings in the Cairo cemeteries, adding that the previous khedive, Said, had used them for artillery practice. The days of the beauty of Cairo are numbered, Duff Gordon writes. The mosques are falling to decay, the exquisite lattice windows rotting away and replaced by European glass. Meanwhile, the khedives plans to develop the country attracted her scepticism, and she wrote in May 1863 of the poor fellaheen [farmers] marched off in gangs like convicts to work on construction projects. The wealth will perhaps be increased, if meanwhile the people are not exterminated. Settling into her house in Luxor in January 1864, Duff Gordon writes of the tourist boats, 70 to 120 a year, going up and down the Nile and the irritating habit of English tourists of shooting local pigeons. It is very thoughtless, but it is in great measure the fault of servants who think they must not venture to tell their masters that pigeons are private property I have given my neighbours permission to call the pigeons mine, and to go out and say the sitt [English lady] objects to her poultry being shot. She continues her campaign against the khedive, now engaged in building the Suez Canal and rebuilding Cairo along European lines. The system of wholesale extortion and spoliation [of the countryside] has reached a point beyond which it would be difficult to go, Duff Gordon writes in January 1865. It is curious to see the travelers dahabiehs [house boats] just as usual and the Europeans as far removed from all care or knowledge of the distress as if they were at home. When I remember the lovely smiling landscape which I first beheld from my windows, swarming with beasts and men, she writes, and look at the dreary waste now, I feel the foot of the Turk heavy indeed. Europe is enchanted with the enlightened Pasha [Ismail] who has ruined this poor country I wish you to publish these facts; they are no secret to any but those Europeans whose interests keep their eyes tightly shut, and they will soon have them opened. *A version of this article appears in print in the 4 March, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Short link: [March 03, 2021] Consero Global Acquires BridgeView CFO Solutions, Expands FaaS Offerings, Payroll, HR Services Consero Global LLC, a leader in Finance as a Service (FaaS), today announced that it has acquired BridgeView CFO Solutions, a San Francisco-based finance & accounting, HR, and business management firm. The combined company will have more than 800 employees serving over 150 clients nationwide and around the world. The acquisition expands Consero's suite of solutions to include HR and payroll services for its existing client base of institutional backed companies. And because BridgeView brings extensive expertise in finance & accounting solutions for financial services organizations including Private Equity & Venture Capital Firms and Hedge Funds, the deal will allow Consero to deliver its cutting-edge FaaS platform to those organizations as well as portfolio companies of some of those same firms. "BridgeView is a leader in outsourced accounting and business services for the financial services industry, which is why we're excited to welcome them into the Consero family," said Scott Tynes, CEO of Consero. "Not only will their expertise and solutions complement and expand our offerings to clients, but as a combined firm, we'll be able to reach even more mid-level companies that need professionalized finance and accounting suppot." "Consero's innovative integrated software platform, including their SIMPL financial management console, will provide our investment management clients with valuable clarity and financial insights into their firms," said Diana McDonough, President of BridgeView CFO Solutions. "Our common vision of supporting clients so they can stop worrying about finances and instead focus on building their business is perfectly aligned. BridgeView and Consero also share an important goal in promoting a collaborative and engaging corporate culture." "Our firms' shared technology and vision for delivering results and financial transparency for clients complement each other perfectly," said Bill Klein, President of Consero Global. "Not only will this allow us to offer more solutions to a wider client base, but this deal fits perfectly into our growth plan of developing additional client services via both organic and inorganic means." About Consero Global Founded in 2006-by Scott Tynes, Bill Klein, and Kiran Jagannath-Consero Global disrupts the way businesses build and maintain their finance and accounting function. Through a cloud-based platform, Consero delivers the financial clarity and efficiency needed to drive a business forward. Strategic CFOs are adopting Consero's cutting-edge Finance as a Service model to free up time and understand how the business is performing. Serving more than 130 clients and their portfolio companies, Consero provides the control and insight needed to steer businesses toward success. Contact Consero Global for more information about gaining greater control of your financial operations. More info at www.conseroglobal.com. About BridgeView CFO Solutions BridgeView CFO Solutions provides accounting, business consulting and administration services to firms focused on investment and financial management. With expertise in this industry and a variety of interconnected cloud based accounting solutions in place, BridgeView CFO's services encompass everything it takes to keep your business running seamlessly in the background, allowing entrepreneurs to focus on their priorities. We take the "business of the business" off your plate so you can focus on the "business of the product". More info at www.bridgeviewcfo.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005695/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] CLEVELAND, Ohio The Biden administrations push to end contracts with private prisons has left federal authorities in Cleveland scrambling to find ways to house nearly 800 inmates. A contract between the U.S. Marshals Service and CoreCivic, owner of the Northeast Ohio Correctional Center in Youngstown, expired Sunday. Authorities, however, were granted a three-month reprieve, and officials are pushing for additional time to study alternatives. The company said in a statement that it does not expect the government to renew the contract when the extension ends. It also said there are no safe or logistically viable alternatives for the Marshals Service. Since the early 2000s, the company has contracted with the Marshals Service to house inmates awaiting trial or sentencing in federal courtrooms in Youngstown, Akron and Cleveland. For years, inmates were held in county and city jails, with federal dollars boosting local budgets. However, in recent years, the Youngstown facility handled nearly all the pretrial detention services for federal courts. Cuyahoga County had held detainees until authorities removed them from the jail after marshals found widespread civil rights issues there in 2018. CoreCivic referred questions about the contract to the Marshals Service. U.S. Marshal Peter Elliott declined to comment. Officials fear that there are not enough jail beds available in Northeast Ohio to house the detainees. Others worry that the inmates could be moved out of the region or the state, making it difficult for family members to visit and defense attorneys to consult with them. There are concerns about our ability to effectively represent our clients if they are moved outside the district, said Stephen Newman, the federal public defender for northern Ohio. Access to our clients is very important. Terry Gilbert, a criminal defense and civil rights attorney in Cleveland, said he opposes private prisons, but if you dont have a substitute plan, then you have a problem. If they are going to terminate the contract, they better have some place that is safe with health care, mental health and other programs, as well as access to private attorney visitation rooms, Gilbert said. U.S. District Judge Patricia Gaughan, the chief judge for the Northern District of Ohio, said she has spoken with U.S. Sen. Sherrod Browns office about the critical need facing inmates and their attorneys. Brown has asked the Justice Department to identify locations in Ohio that can safely house the detainees that must be transferred and ensure continued access to their attorneys as their cases proceed, a spokeswoman for Brown said. Within days of taking office, President Joseph Biden ordered the Justice Department to avoid renewing contracts with companies that run prisons. He told reporters that he wanted to stop businesses from profiting off incarceration. At first, officials were unconcerned about the issue in Ohio, as the state does not have a private federal prison. The Northeast Ohio Correctional Center, however, is more of a detention center for federal inmates. It also has about 850 inmates from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. It is one of three privately run facilities that contracts with the state. The Marshals Service has 16 private detention facilities nationally. The average cost per inmate per day is nearly $100, according to the Marshals Services 2020 fiscal report. Attorneys said there were plans to build a detention center near the federal courthouse in Cleveland years ago. The proposal, however, never gained traction. Across the state, about 200 federal inmates awaiting trials are held at the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio, a facility operated by five counties, including Lucas. Federal detainees in southern Ohio are held in jails and facilities across Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati. A few, depending on the case, are held in the Youngstown facility. Mr Lyons announced last Friday that he was ordering a halt to work on the facilities for carrying out checks on food products arriving from Britain. (Press Eye/PA) Gordon Lyons announced last Friday that he was ordering a halt to work on the facilities for carrying out checks on food products arriving from Britain. A Democratic Unionist Party minister is facing a potential High Court challenge to his decision to stop work on permanent border control posts at Northern Ireland ports. Lawyers representing an unidentified member of Sinn Fein have issued a pre-action protocol letter as the first step towards seeking a judicial review of the move taken by Gordon Lyons. They claim the Agriculture Minister acted unlawfully by failing to consult colleagues on the Stormont Executive. Solicitor Paul Farrell of McIvor Farrell said: Our client regards the Ministers actions as shoddy and based solely on a partisan political stunt by the DUP. The border control posts formed part of the Brexit deal agreed between the UK and EU. Mr Lyons announced last Friday that he was ordering a halt to work on the facilities for carrying out checks on food products arriving from Britain. Officials were also asked to stop recruitment of inspection staff. He said it was in response to practical difficulties caused by the Northern Ireland Protocol set up to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland. But he has been heavily criticised by other political parties who accused him of acting unilaterally on an issue which required broader Executive consent. Correspondence issued by the Sinn Fein members legal representatives express concern that the move will frustrate the Protocol and could jeopardise the Good Friday Agreement. It contends that Mr Lyons took a decision on a significant and controversial issue in breach of the Ministerial Code. Due to the urgency of the issue, a response from Departmental solicitors is being sought by this Friday. Mr Farrell added: Our client regards the Ministers actions as unlawful and destabilising to the good governance of Northern Ireland. In arriving at his decision the Minister failed to consult the Executive Committee, contrary to the constitutional framework set out in the NI Act 1998 which requires collective decision making by the Executive Committee. In doing so our client contends he breached the Ministerial Code, and has also failed to have regard to his obligations to implement the Northern Ireland Protocol. A woman caught on hidden camera by Project Veritas, who identified her as Raquel Rodriguez. (Project Veritas/Youtube) Texas Woman Accused of Election Fraud Used Gift Bags: Warrant A former congressional campaign volunteer who was recorded on hidden camera saying she could deliver thousands of votes for tens of thousands of dollars, had a series of gift bags that were similar to the one she was recorded giving to an elderly woman, arrest warrants stated. The warrants say that in exchange for $500, Raquel Rodriguez agreed to show a person that posed as a potential client how she could get votes for the candidates of her choice, reported San Antonio Express-News. Rodriguez was arrested in January and faces four felony charges. She was recorded in October last year by journalists working undercover for Project Veritas. In the video, Rodriguez visits an elderly woman and appears to assist her in changing her mail ballot from Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) to Democrat challenger MJ Hegar. Rodriguez then gave the 72-year old lady a gift bag that had a shawl. The warrant says the same type of gift bags were found at Rodriguezs home office. On Oct. 29, the Texas Attorney Generals office started investigating the Bexar County Elections Office. James OKeefe, president of Project Veritas, addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) held in the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Fla., on Feb. 26, 2021. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Rodriguez said in a live stream on the show Carpenters Apprentice in October last year that she was just playing along with the undercover reporter. I dont care again what party you are on, Im non-partisan, Rodriguez said. I feel horrible about that because reality is, I lied. I lied about a lot of stuff. Just to make sure I was enticing them enough to find out what the bottom of this was. They asked for a proposal, I gave them a proposal. 99 percent was bs to make a sale, Rodriguez added. I expect people to believe me now. Im here telling you my story, I have nothing to hide at this point. It was just conversation, like the bs-ing, Rodriguez told News4SA. They were pulling me and I was pulling their strings thats how I saw it. Little did I know what they were doing but I knew something was wrong and I just went with it. In the Project Veritas video, she also indicated she has experience in manipulating votes and boasted about her influence with elected officials in Texas who owe her favors. First, everybody who knows me directly, they know what I do for the community, they know what I do for people, but Im not like a monster like they make me out to be, Rodriguez said. Rodriguez was charged with four felonies: election fraud, illegal voting, unlawfully possessing an official ballot, and unlawfully assisting people voting by maila practice known as ballot harvesting, the collection and submission mail-in ballots by a third-party rather than direct submission by the voters themselves. She said in the video she was a consultant for GOP congressional candidate Mauro Garza, but was seen in one clip attempting to persuade a voter to cast a straight Democrat ballot. This is what you call flipping people! she was recorded as saying, also noting that she could go to jail for what she did. When Veritas founder James OKeefe confronted the woman in public with some of the recordings, she said she didnt want to talk and that she didnt break any law. Petr Svab contributed to this report. No, governor. No. Thats our response to Gov. Greg Abbott giving even the slightest consideration to lifting the states mask mandate anytime soon. At a Corpus Christi news conference, the governor was asked when the mandate, which has been in effect since July, would end now that Texans are being vaccinated. His response: Were working right now on evaluating when were gonna be able to remove all statewide orders, and we will be making announcements about that pretty soon. OnExpressNews.com: Gov. Greg Abbott lifts statewide mask order, opens Texas '100 percent' Granted, its the announcements that are coming pretty soon and not necessarily a decision to lift the mandate. But given the governors hesitation to enact the statewide mandate in the first place, were not confident hell make the right decision and keep the mask order. This should be a no-brainer. Masks arent political symbols. They dont undermine freedom. But they do save lives. Vaccines have been helping Texas, like the rest of the nation, turn a corner in the fight against COVID-19. But relatively few Texans are vaccinated compared with the states total population, variants are emerging, and a vaccine doesnt mean there might not be transmission. Thats exactly why a decision to ease up now on masks would be a bad move. Why create our own headwind? A little more than 6.5 percent of the states population has been vaccinated. We need 70 percent to 80 percent of Texans vaccinated before we reach herd immunity. We are months away from hitting such numbers, and when we do even that doesnt mean lifting the mandate. Its just going to take time. Dr. Anthony Fauci has said Americans should continue to wear masks into 2022, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people who have been vaccinated continue to wear masks, practice social distancing and avoid large crowds. Masks are more readily available to each of us than vaccines and remain our greatest protection against the spread of COVID-19. When asked about the imminent lifting of the mandate, Abbotts answer should have been an unequivocal, No. There are some options if you are looking for a last-minute getaway for Spring Break. The world, however, is still in the middle of a pandemic so expect travel restrictions. Here is what to know about where and how you can vacation: Staying in Texas? Spring break doesn't mean that you have to jet off to an exotic place, there are plenty of spots in the Lone Star state for a getaway. Explore a state park: Whether you want to go for a day hike or camping overnight, there are 80 options to choose from across Texas. But guests need to make their reservations early because spots for spring break go quickly, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Garner, Inks Lake, Pedernales Falls, Guadalupe River, Mother Neff and Enchanted Rock state parks are experiencing a high volume of reservations. To reserve a spot, visit the TPWD website or call 512-389-8900. Stay at a unique Airbnb: Vacationing doesn't mean just having to stay at a hotel. There are a number of unique rentals to make your stay a little more exciting. From treehouses to castles, mySA.com has compiled a list of some interesting rentals and a separate list for glamping options. Take a road trip: Texas beaches are popular spring break destinations. While the events surrounding Spring Break may be toned down, South Padre Island, Galveston Island, Lake Texoma and Port Aransas are among the most popular places to visit during this time of the year. Flights: Officials have seen an uptick in demand for flights during spring break but travel still isn't expected to reflect pre-pandemic numbers, USA Today reported. While many airlines are still offering cheap or discounted flights, many pandemic-leniency policies are being lifted. Some airlines will begin tightening their booking restrictions and will no longer waive change fees after March 31. Airlines have also began to expand their destinations ahead of the spring and summer travel seasons so now may be the time to explore a new place. Southwest announced in December that it was adding nearly a dozen new destinations in 2021. Domestic travel: Many states have quarantine and testing requirements for out-of-state guests. These are the states with travel restrictions: Colorado: If you are headed to Aspen or Pitkin County for more than 24 hours, you have to complete an online affidavit and provide proof of a negative test within the last 72 hours. If results are pending, individuals must quarantine until they receive a negative result. If you are headed to Aspen or Pitkin County for more than 24 hours, you have to complete an online affidavit and provide proof of a negative test within the last 72 hours. If results are pending, individuals must quarantine until they receive a negative result. Connecticut: Unless you are from New York, New Jersey or Rhode Island, individuals must quarantine for 10 days or provide proof of a negative test. An online travel health form also must be completed. Unless you are from New York, New Jersey or Rhode Island, individuals must quarantine for 10 days or provide proof of a negative test. An online travel health form also must be completed. Hawaii: Travelers must have a negative test from one of their testing partners or quarantine for 10 days upon arrival. Travelers must have a negative test from one of their testing partners or quarantine for 10 days upon arrival. Maryland: Individuals must have a negative test or quarantine for 10 days. Individuals who don't comply may face up to one year in prison or a $5,000 fine. Individuals must have a negative test or quarantine for 10 days. Individuals who don't comply may face up to one year in prison or a $5,000 fine. Massachusetts: The state requires travelers to complete the Massachusetts Travel form and either have a negative test prior to arrival or go into a 10-day quarantine once they arrive. The state requires travelers to complete the Massachusetts Travel form and either have a negative test prior to arrival or go into a 10-day quarantine once they arrive. Minnesota: Visitors need to quarantine for 14 days. Visitors need to quarantine for 14 days. New Hampshire: Travelers must quarantine for seven days. If they have a negative test on or after day seven, they can exit quarantine. If not, they are required to quarantine until day 10. Travelers must quarantine for seven days. If they have a negative test on or after day seven, they can exit quarantine. If not, they are required to quarantine until day 10. New Jersey: The state recommends a 10-day quarantine or a seven-day quarantine with a negative test. They also ask guests to complete a voluntary online questionnaire. The state recommends a 10-day quarantine or a seven-day quarantine with a negative test. They also ask guests to complete a voluntary online questionnaire. New York: Travelers must quarantine for four days. If they have a negative test on or after day four, they can exit quarantine. Otherwise, travelers must quarantine until day 10. They must also fill out its state travel form. Travelers must quarantine for four days. If they have a negative test on or after day four, they can exit quarantine. Otherwise, travelers must quarantine until day 10. They must also fill out its state travel form. Pennsylvania: Visitors must provide proof of a negative test or must quarantine for 10 days. Visitors must provide proof of a negative test or must quarantine for 10 days. Rhode Island: Visitors must provide proof of a negative test or must quarantine for 14 days. Visitors must provide proof of a negative test or must quarantine for 14 days. Vermont: Travelers must quarantine for seven days. If they have a negative test on or after day seven, they can exit quarantine. If not, they are required to quarantine for 14 days. International: Where is travel restricted for Americans? Croatia: The country is temporarily prohibiting and restricting the crossing of persons across all border crossing points. The country is temporarily prohibiting and restricting the crossing of persons across all border crossing points. Slovenia: The country includes the United States on its red list and isn't allowing American tourists. The country includes the United States on its red list and isn't allowing American tourists. Spain: Only exempted Americans are allowed to enter the country. The exemptions are for individuals who are residents in Italy or for essential travel. Only exempted Americans are allowed to enter the country. The exemptions are for individuals who are residents in Italy or for essential travel. Italy: The only Americans allowed in the country are those arriving from within one of the designated countries in the European Union, have quarantined for at least 14 days and provided a negative test taken within the 48 hours prior to arrival. The only Americans allowed in the country are those arriving from within one of the designated countries in the European Union, have quarantined for at least 14 days and provided a negative test taken within the 48 hours prior to arrival. France: All travel to and from "outside the European space" is prohibited, according to the country's tourism site. This includes France's overseas territories such as St. Barts. All travel to and from "outside the European space" is prohibited, according to the country's tourism site. This includes France's overseas territories such as St. Barts. China: Like Spain, only exempted Americans with valid residence permits and visas are allowed to enter the country. Once in the country, they must provide negative test results and quarantine for at least 14 days. Where can Americans travel? Travel is still discouraged by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Visit the CDC's website for travel recommendations. Like the United States, all international destinations have their own restrictions and regulations during the pandemic. The American-Russian military competition is in full swing in the Red Sea, on the Sudanese coast. Last December, Russia announced an agreement with Khartoum to build a naval base in Port Sudan. However, since its removal from the American blacklist of countries supporting terrorism, the United States also covets this strategic location that is Sudan. And it is not out of the question that Washington might also set up a naval base there. The naval logistics center in Port Sudan, the first in Africa for Russia, is designed to accommodate up to four ships and 300 military personnel. According to the Russian authorities, it is to serve as a logistics support center and for repairs and supplies. The strategic position of this crossroads of maritime exchanges will strengthen Russias power of action in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden. As for the United States, they also seem to want a foot on the ground in post-el-Bashir Sudan, in a context of rapprochement between Washington and Khartoum, and at a time when military cooperation with Sudan is growing. Since the end of January, the date of the visit of the number two AFRICOM to Khartoum, information has leaked about an agreement for a U.S. naval base. It would be located at Aqiq Kabir, not far from the border with Eritrea. According to several observers, the policy of the American outstretched hand in Khartoum is aimed at cutting off Russian interests. In less than a week, two American military ships have docked in Sudan. The latest to date, the destroyer Winston Churchill, arrived Saturday in Port Sudan. And since Sunday, the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovitch is moored 4 kilometers from the U.S. ship. A SERIAL offender who was abusive and aggressive towards gardai while on temporary release from prison has had his release revoked. Brendan OConnor, 38, who has an address at Kylefea, Croom pleaded guilty to public order offences arising out of an incident near his home in the early hours of February 6, 2021. Sergeant Noel Barry told Newcastle West Court gardai were dealing with another incident at around 3am when the defendant approached a marked patrol car and told the gardai to "get the f*** out of town". He said he continued to be abusive and was arrested when he failed to leave the area as directed. Solicitor Kate Cussen said her client, who has more than 40 previous convictions, had been drinking on the night and that he has apologised for his behaviour. She said Mr O'Connor has "trouble with alcohol" and that his temporary release was revoked following the incident. Ms Cussen submitted that her client is doing his best and that he is "very interested" in entering a residential treatment programme when he is released from prison. Judge Mary Larkin imposed a one month prison sentence which she suspended for two years. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 3, 2021 / GREAT ATLANTIC RESOURCES CORP. (TSXV:GR) (the "Company" or "Great Atlantic") is pleased to announce it has received analytical results for 2020 prospecting rock samples collected at its Mascarene Property, located in southwest New Brunswick. 6.19% copper and 0.404 g/t gold (rubble sample adjacent to historic Wheal Louisiana Mine shaft) Multiple samples from the southern region of the property at and near the historic Wheal Louisiana Mine workings returned significant values for copper (up to 6.19% Cu) with +/- anomalous values for gold, nickel and cobalt. Three rock samples were collected from rubble near shafts at the historic Wheal Louisiana Mine, two of which returned: 6.19% copper and 0.404 grams per tonne (g/t) gold (mafic rock with sulfides). 0.86% copper and 0.197 g/t gold (quartz vein material with sulfides). Three rock samples were collected from rubble near a historic pit approximately 300 meters north of the historic Wheal Louisiana Mine. Two of these samples (mafic intrusive with sulfides) returned: 0.84% copper, 355 ppm nickel and 250 ppm cobalt. 0.75% copper. Prospecting and rock geochemical sampling were also conducted in the southwest region of the Mascarene Property, west-northwest of the historic Wheal Louisiana Mine. A sample of quartz vein float returned anomalous values of 2880 ppm copper (0.288%), 884 ppm nickel and 250 ppm cobalt. The 2020 rock samples were submitted to ALS Canada Ltd. for gold assay by Fire Assay - AA and for multi-element analysis by four acid digestion and ICP-AES analysis. The 2020 prospecting and rock geochemical sampling was conducted by a Qualified Person. ALS Canada Ltd. is independent of Great Atlantic. Historic pits / shafts are reported in multiple regions of the Mascarene Property dating back to the 1800s (New Brunswick. Dept. of Natural Resources and Energy Development Mineral Assessment Reports and Mineral Occurrence Database files), of which Great Atlantic has located such workings in the south, west and east regions of the property. Great Atlantic is currently conducting a diamond drilling program within the east region of the Mascarene Property (see Company News Release of February 26, 2021) in an area of anomalous (copper, zinc and / or gold) rock and soil samples collected by the Company during 2020 and within a broad magnetic high trend (identified during a 2001 government airborne magnetic survey). This zone of magnetic high anomalies extends through the entire Mascarene Property. Gold, silver, copper, nickel, cobalt and / or zinc mineralization is reported locally within and / or adjacent to this magnetic trend including two mineral occurrences with historic workings (Oliver Cameron Mine and Wheal Louisiana Mine occurrences) and within a small quarry referred to as the North Pit. Great Atlantic's management speculate this magnetic high trend to be associated with a buried mafic intrusion(s) and a possible target for mafic intrusive hosted copper-nickel-cobalt deposits. The Mascarene Property covers an area of approximately 2,080 hectares. The property is located approximately 6 kilometers southwest of the town of Saint George. Access is excellent with paved provincial roads transecting the property and within close proximity of the property. David Martin, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 and VP Exploration for Great Atlantic, is responsible for the technical information contained in this News Release. On Behalf of the board of directors "Christopher R Anderson" Mr. Christopher R. Anderson "Always be positive, strive for solutions, and never give up" President CEO Director 604-488-3900 - Dir Investor Relations: Please call 604-488-3900 About Great Atlantic Resources Corp.: Great Atlantic Resources Corp. is a Canadian exploration company focused on the discovery and development of mineral assets in the resource-rich and sovereign risk-free realm of Atlantic Canada, one of the number one mining regions of the world. Great Atlantic is currently surging forward building the company utilizing a Project Generation model, with a special focus on the most critical elements on the planet that are prominent in Atlantic Canada, Antimony, Tungsten and Gold. This press release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address future exploration drilling, exploration activities and events or developments that the Company expects, are forward looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. 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. Great Atlantic Resource Corp 888 Dunsmuir Street - Suite 888, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3K4 SOURCE: Great Atlantic Resources Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/633183/Great-Atlantic-Resources-Rock-Samples-Return-619-Copper-and-0404-gt-Gold-Copper-Cobalt-Nickel-Zinc-Gold-Mascarene-Property-New-Brunswick United States Vice President Kamala Harris spoke with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on March 2 and both leaders discussed reaffirming the strength of both the nations. In the telephonic conversation, according to the White House press release, Harris and Morrison discussed the future opportunities for further cooperation on global as well as regional challenges such as climate change, China, Burma among others. Both the US Vice President and Australian Prime Minister also agreed on the importance of working together along with other allies and partners on the promotion of economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Both leaders also vowed to work together in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. The White House said in a statement, Vice President Kamala Harris spoke today with Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia and reaffirmed the strength of the U.S.-Australia alliance. The Vice President and Prime Minister discussed opportunities for further cooperation on global and regional challenges, including those posed by climate change, China, Burma, and other regional issues." They also agreed on the importance of working together, alongside other allies and partners, on promoting economic recovery from the pandemic and advancing democratic values globally. The Vice President and Prime Minister pledged to further U.S.-Australia cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. Read - 'They Were The Innovators': Kamala Harris Hails People Of Colour At Black History Month Read - Kamala Harris Calls Astronaut Victor Glover At ISS, Congratulates Him For 'making History' Harris Discusses Climate Change, COVID-19 With Macron Earlier, Harris had discussed y spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron, where she discussed climate change, COVID-19 and other issues of mutual concern. Harris and Macron agreed on the need for close bilateral cooperation to address issues such as COVID-19, climate change, etc. Both leaders also discussed ways to support democracy at home and around the world. "Vice President Kamala Harris spoke today with President Emmanuel Macron of France, and expressed her commitment to strengthening bilateral ties between the United States and France and to revitalizing the transatlantic alliance," Harris's office said in a statement. VP Harris and President Macron further discussed the regional challenges concerning the United States and France, including those in the Middle East and Africa. Harris and Macron agreed on confronting those issues together. Read - Kamala Harris Visits Washington Vaccination Site Read - VP Harris Adds New Meaning To Black History Month FBI Director Christopher Wray arrives to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the January 6th insurrection, (Photo : Mandel Ngan/Pool via REUTERS) FBI Director Chris Wray on Tuesday debunked conspiracy theories promoted by right-wing supporters of former President Donald Trump, saying there was no evidence that leftist extremists disguised themselves as Trump supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol. In testimony to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, Wray also told lawmakers that the Federal Bureau of Investigation views the actions of the rioters on Jan. 6 as "domestic terrorism," and vowed to hold them accountable. Advertisement "We have not to date seen any evidence of any anarchist violent extremists or people subscribing to antifa in connection with the 6th," he testified, referring to the loosely organized anti-fascist movement. "That doesn't mean we're not looking and we'll continue to look, but at the moment, we have not seen that." Tuesday was Wray's first testimony in Congress since the attack, a failed bid to block Congress from certifying Democrat Joe Biden's November election victory. The attack occurred immediately after Republican Trump, in a speech near the White House, exhorted his supporters to march to the Capitol, having repeated his false claims that the election was stolen from him. The Justice Department has charged more than 300 people with crimes ranging from conspiracy to attacking police and obstructing Congress. The rioting left five dead. At least 18 people associated with the far-right Proud Boys have been charged and nine people tied to the anti-government militia known as the Oath Keepers are facing charges they conspired as far back as November to storm the Capitol to prevent Biden from becoming president. Biden took office on Jan. 20. Wray revealed that since the attacks, the FBI has also seen instances of "foreign adversaries" who have been "leveraging the events of Jan. 6 to amplify their own narratives" and push propaganda. He did not provide further details, saying he could not do so in an unclassified setting. Supporters of Trump have repeatedly made unsubstantiated claims the rioters were actually fake Trump supporters who belong to antifa. They have also repeated Trump's false claims that the election was stolen due to widespread fraud. Wray told lawmakers on Tuesday this narrative was false. To the contrary, he said, a number of the rioters belong to far-right militia movements, or were motivated by racial ideologies - but none to date appear to belong to any left-wing groups. The anti-government militia extremists, he noted, appears to be the "biggest bucket" that is trending as the FBI examines the backgrounds of the rioters. Wray said he stood by comments made by former Attorney General Bill Barr, who had infuriated Trump after the election when he said the Justice Department did not have evidence of any widespread election fraud. "We are not aware of any widespread evidence of voter fraud, much less that would have affected the outcome of the presidential election," Wray told lawmakers. The FBI has yet to arrest any suspects in the death of Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, or for pipe bombs that were discovered outside the headquarters of both the Republican and Democratic national committees. The FBI has obtained a video that shows a suspect spraying bear spray on police officers, including Sicknick, according to a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation. The suspect has yet to be identified by name, and it is still unclear if the bear spray contributed to Sicknick's death. Wray said he cannot disclose a cause of death, and Sicknick's death is still under investigation. In a newly unsealed search warrant, investigators say rioters carried weapons inside the Capitol including tire irons, sledge hammers, tasers, bear spray and, in at least one case, a handgun with an extended magazine. Investigators including the FBI have come under scrutiny over why more was not done to protect the Capitol ahead of the attack. The day before, the FBI's Norfolk, Virginia, office distributed a raw, unverified intelligence report which warned that violent extremists intended to disrupt Congress. Wray told lawmakers the intelligence was shared with other law enforcement agencies three different ways, but acknowledged he personally did not see the report until a few days later. As to why other top law enforcement officials did not see it, Wray said: "I don't have a good answer to that." Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat, said to Wray: "What I don't understand is why this ... raw intelligence didn't prompt a stronger warning and alarm." The United States' Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency received backlash after it locked the ICE Twitter account that gives updates and safety alerts regarding the illegal immigrants present in the United States who have committed crimes. Fox Business noted that the agency's account was created in 2013 and boosted during the Trump Administration. It became a platform for posting escapees, including their name, nationality, criminal history, and the U.S. Jurisdiction where they were released. ALSO READ: ICE Cancels Operations Targeting Illegal Immigrants with Sex Crime Cases ICE's locked twitter Former Senior Employee at U.S. ICE, John Feere, shared with The Washington Times that the account of the agency, known to be @ICEAlerts, is protected. This means that only the users following the account before its update on their privacy setting can see the target names. Feere added that users are also not allowed to retweet the old posts published by the agency. The Sara Carter Show echoed Feere's statement, saying that the ICE Alert Account page shares a note that states the Tweets of the account are protected, and only approved followers can see its tweets. A follow is now required to view the agency's alerts. Feere condemned the movement, saying that it seems like the Biden Administration locked the Twitter account to make it not too obvious that assaulters, drug dealers, thieves, and drunk drivers are now free under the new administration's policy. Fox Business also mentioned Feere, saying the current administration is not interested in public safety since the account of the agency that was launched in 2013 who supplies tweets inclined in involving the public in locating individuals deemed as threats to public safety. However, an ICE spokesperson shared that the locked Twitter account of the agency is not being utilized by the current agency only use their main Twitter account. Immigrants tested positive for COVID-19 Amid the issue of ICE's Twitter account privacy update, the agency faces another issue as Asylum-seekers tested positive for COVID-19 after authorities released them on the United States border. The Daily Wire mentioned a 35-year old asylum seeker, Miriam Izaguirre, from Honduras who crossed the Rio Grande with her young son, tested positive for COVID-19 a few hours after she was released. Izaguirre added that eight of them were separated as they wait for a bus headed to Houston, Texas. Reports also mentioned that other migrant families shared they tested positive for COVID-19. NBC News reported that the city of Brownsville administers these rapid tests at the bus stations after the migrant families are released by the border patrol. 108 migrants, or 6.3 percent of those immigrants who took the test as protocol, tested positive. From the locking of the agency's Twitter account concerning Immigrants, Fox News noted that President Joe Biden has pledged to modernize the Immigrant policy of the United States with ICE, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas shared that the administration is acting as restoratively as possible. Related article: ICE Nearly Released 3 Convicted Child Sex Offenders After Confusion Over Biden's Memo WATCH: Biden administration reportedly preparing new rules limiting ICE arrests and deportations from CBS News Roots Sustainable Agricultural Technologies Ltd (ASX:ROO) is developing and commercialising disruptive, modular, cutting-edge technologies to address critical problems in agriculture. Roots Sustainable Agricultural Technologies seeks to expand commercial activity internationally with emphasis on cannabis sector Roots Sustainable Agricultural Technologies Ltd (ASX:ROO) is working towards expanding its commercial activity internationally, with an emphasis on the cannabis sector. The company has raised funds via private placements during the year which will go towards, among others, the expansion of opportunities in the global cannabis sector. Roots has already secured deals with companies in the Czech Republic, Israel and California. The company's heat exchange probe has been successfully tested at its research hub and among cannabis growers in Israel. Patent registration The company successfully registered a design patent for its heat exchange probe in Australia. Roots completed the registration on January 10, 2020 and was awarded the patent shortly. On its patents in China and the EU, the registration is valid from the filing date (25 November 2019) for 45 years in the EU and ten years in China, unlocking a number of significant opportunities for Roots. MERIDEN First lady Jill Biden squatted down to speak to a masked Meriden kindergartner painting a picture in her classroom on a visit to Benjamin Franklin Elementary School Wednesday with U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. During coronavirus, there are few visitors to most Connecticut schools, never mind a first lady and education secretary, but Cardona and Biden arranged the visit to highlight how schools can safely teach in-person during the pandemic as Cardona launches an ambitious fight to put students back in the classroom nationwide. Biden, a community college teacher, complimented the girl in a T-shirt and teal gown, while Cardona Connecticuts former education commissioner and a Meriden native fist-bumped students who sat at tables separated by plexiglass dividers. They spoke to teachers about the challenges of teaching amid the coronavirus, both in-person and virtually. The trip was Cardonas first as secretary of education, coming on his first full day in the role. It was Jill Bidens first visit to Connecticut since the inauguration of President Joe Biden and one of her earliest domestic trips. Its important to safely reopen schools, Cardona told a small crowd at Benjamin Franklin Elementary. Its critical that we do it as safely as possible and as quickly as possible. The yearlong pandemic has led to fewer learning opportunities and more kids going hungry. Later in the day, Cardona, and Biden visited a middle school in Pennsylvania as they examine strategies to mitigate the coronavirus in schools and safely open classrooms for in-person learning full-time. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, joined Biden and Cardona for the tour of Benjamin Franklin Elementary and Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, planned to meet them at the Pennsylvania school. The presence of the two most powerful teachers union leaders sends a strong signal that the Biden administration intends to collaborate with unions on a plan to get teachers and students back in the classroom, not order them back over teachers objections. Weingarten and Pringle arguably have more influence over returning teachers to classrooms than Cardona or anyone else. The visits kick off Cardona and President Joe Bidens full court press to get students learning in-person in the majority of schools by April 30, Bidens 100th day in office a key goal Biden vowed to deliver on in December. President Biden Tuesday called on states to prioritize teachers for vaccinations and get every grade-school employee and child care provider at least one shot by the end of March. Connecticut started vaccinating its 99,000 teachers and school workers this week, the only essential workers to get priority for COVID-19 immunizations other than health care workers, now after the state pivoted to a mainly age-based model. We must continue to reopen Americas schools for in person learning as quickly and as safely as possible. The president recognizes this which is why he took bold action yesterday to get teachers and school staff vaccinated quickly, Cardona said in Meriden Wednesday. As secretary of education that is my top priority. The Biden administration has also pressed Congress to pass Bidens $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package as soon as possible, a bill that includes $130 billion in additional education money. The legislation is expected to clear the Senate later this week. Cardona announced in an op-ed Tuesday night he will host a national summit on safe school reopening this month, publish a new volume of an Education Department handbook on operating schools during the pandemic and collect data on how schools are functioning during the pandemic through a national survey. That survey is expected to reveal an uneven picture across the country with many schools offering only distance learning or a hybrid model and fewer hosting children in the classroom every day. Schools are constrained in how they can operate by factors like funding, geography, virus prevalence and their teachers union. About half of Connecticuts school districts dont currently offer full-time, in-person learning. Benjamin Franklin Elementary School and other K-8 schools in Meriden have offered full-time, in-person learning since before Labor Day, said Superintendent Mark Benigni. About 70 percent of Benjamin Franklin Elementary students are taking classes in person now. The district worked with its teachers union to develop a reopening plan, Benigni said, and require mask wearing, social distancing, increased cleaning and other changes to protect students and staff. Three percent of students and 10 percent of staff in Meriden Public Schools have tested positive for the coronavirus this school year, according to data published by the district. Less than a third of students and a quarter of staff members have quarantined. For Cardona, the trip was a return to his hometown and the school district he used to work at as a teacher, principal and then assistant superintendent. He never taught at Benjamin Franklin Elementary, where he and Biden visited Wednesday. Benigni and Benjamin Franklin Elementary Principal Joanne Conte gave Biden and Cardona a tour to show them how they operate the 323-student school amid a pandemic thats killed over 500,000 people. Welcome messages hung in classrooms and hallways in the school. In one kindergarten class, students wore blue T-shirts with 2037, their expected college graduation year, on the back. When Biden and Cardona walked into one classroom a little before noon the students screamed Welcome to kindergarten! Hi, Im Jill, the first lady said. Biden and Cardona walked through the classroom, stopping to ask the students what they were working on. The children wore masks and sat at individual desks or at tables divided by plexiglass. Next, the pair visited a sensory room filled with play mats, yoga balls, monkey bars and a large chart with a set of color-coded moods to help students with social and emotional learning and special needs. The school has three such classrooms. Being at home and being on the computer doesnt access this, Cardona said. For students that have disabilities having in-person opportunities that are safe, is important ... Thats what this room provides. Biden, a community college educator with a doctorate in education, asked if student anxiety increased during the pandemic. A teacher told Biden the answer: yes. In another classroom, Biden, Cardona and Weingarten spoke with a teacher who recently transitioned from teaching via computer to teaching in person. Weingarten said it was important to have flexibility to do both forms of teaching. Cardona, Biden and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont spoke to teachers and media at the school at the close of the visit. Teachers want to be back, Biden said. We want to be back. Last week I said to my students, hey guys how you doing? And they said Dr. B, Were doing OK, but we cant wait to be back to the classroom. She noted the hometown pride Meriden showed for Cardona and the support he had from teachers there. Educators favorite three words are not I Love You. Its going to be Education Secretary Cardona, Biden joked. Cardona took the podium and said it was good to be home. He said that in-person learning has resumed at least partially at local schools since mid-August of last year an effort he oversaw as Connecticuts education commissioner. The yearlong pandemic has led to fewer learning opportunities and more kids going hungry, Cardona said. Across the country, future Lin-Manuel Mirandas are sitting at home instead of going to drama club. Lamont, who also spoke to the small crowd, told Biden Its great having a teacher in the White House. He teased Cardona about whether he was ready to take on Bidens 100-day reopening goal. You hear that Miguel? Lamont asked. Cardona laughed and said he had about 72 days left. Outside across West Main Street from the school driveway where police kept supporters and protesters alike about 140 people lined up in a generally friendly atmosphere, in the late-winter sunshine. About a dozen supporters of former President Donald Trump waved flags and occasionally shouted out debunked conspiracy theories about the election. One man wore a white hazmat suit and held a sign in a shape of a mask that said We are being lied to. Most people were there to support Cardona, a local man with solid roots in the community who left the Meriden school district to first become Connecticuts education commissioner in February 2020. Raynia Martinez, 18, a UConn freshman, took off a few hours from her online classes to pay homage to her former third-grade principal. Inside Benjamin Franklin School, her younger brother got an up-close look at the first lady and Cardona. From behind a white face mask, Martinez remembered Cardona as a caring and kind principal in her early school days, after she arrived with no English skills, at age 6, from the Dominican Republic. He always talked to people and helped people, she recalled of her time at Hanover School. He goes to our church. His mom used to be my teacher there at St. Rose of Lima. They do a lot of fundraisers for the community, said Ilsa Nieves, 55, whos known the Cardona family for years. Their children sing for the Puerto Rican festival. They go to the library for Three Kings Day. Yes, the whole family sings there. Nieves wore an American flag baseball cap and was waving a Puerto Rico flag during the hour before Bidens motorcade arrived, during her hour-long visit inside the school and finally, during the swift drive-by, as Biden waved at the crowd from an open window when the motorcade left for the airport to head to another school visit in Pennsylvania. Claudia and Thomas Malone drove in to Meriden from nearby Plainville to mark the occasion standing a few feet away from a bearded man waving a Trump flag. Its education versus ignorance, Thomas Malone said, pointing a thumb over his left shoulder. This was a blatantly stolen election, said the Trump supporter, who declined to give his name as he stood on the corner of West Main Street and state Route 71 waving a frayed Trump flag. The fraud is off the charts. Its being covered up by seditious government, turncoats in every aspect of our legislature. All three branches of government are compromised. And were here to say that President Trump won in the biggest landslide in history and were not accepting the results. After Bidens motorcade left, participants in the event, including local officials, drifted out of the school and across West Broad Street. Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, state Sen. Mary Daugherty Abrams, state Reps. Michael Quinn and Hilda Santiago attended the official visit Wednesday. State Rep. Catherine Abercrombie, D-Meriden, emerged from the school praising the first ladys interest in getting more kids back into schools around the country. But she also wants to make sure that the support system they need for schools to get funding for mental health, said Abercrombie, who is co-chairman of the legislative Human Services Committee. We need to do a lot of screening because this is going to be a long-term effect for these students, so they were talking about the next round of dollars and how it can help impact these kids, she said. And food insecurity. People forget that with kids being out of school, food insecurity, right? We here in Meriden serve two meals a day. All our kids get breakfast and all of them get lunch. Conte said she hoped Cardona would reflect on the positive things that came out of the pandemic, and what things we've learned from it that we can use. We've taught children how to use Google Classroom and how to manage both in-person learning and distance learning, and being able to even teach their parents, Conte said. Meriden Mayor Kevin Scarpati added, As Dr. Cardona said in his statement, the Silver City certainly did shine today. emilie.munson@hearstdc.com; Twitter: @emiliemunson Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 18:01:36|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Rwandan Minister of Health Daniel Ngamije poses for photos in front of COVID-19 vaccines at the Kigali International Airport in Kigali, capital city of Rwanda, March 3, 2021. Rwanda on Wednesday morning received the first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines from COVAX in Kigali. (Photo by Cyril Ndegeya/Xinhua) KIGALI, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda on Wednesday morning received the first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines from COVAX in its capital, Kigali, the Ministry of Health said in a statement. The AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccines, which numbered 240,000 doses, will be followed by 102,960 doses of the Pfizer vaccines, also from the COVAX vaccine sharing program, that is expected to arrive on Wednesday evening, the statement said. The vaccines will be used to vaccinate a total of 171,480 people from risk groups who are identified as priority, including health personnel, frontline workers and those older than 65 years or with underlying health conditions, it said. "We are pleased to receive these first AstraZeneca-Oxford and Pfizer vaccines through the COVAX initiative, and appreciate the partnerships with the UN family, GAVI, funders and as well as manufacturers that have made this possible," Rwandan Minister of Health Daniel Ngamije said in the statement. The central African nation will immediately roll out its prepared vaccine plan, which will see the targeted risk groups across the country receiving their first dose, he said. Rwanda's target is to vaccinate 30 percent of the population by the end of 2021 and 60 percent by the end of 2022, according to him. The jabs from the COVAX represent an "unprecedented global effort" to have equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, WHO Rwanda Country Representative Kasonde Mwinga said in the statement. The vaccines will be dispatched on Thursday from the Rwanda Biomedical center (RBC) warehouse to district hospitals and then to all 508 health centers across the country, according to the statement. The country will kick off the vaccination exercise on Friday in hospitals and health centers, and recipients will be invited through respective districts, it added. According to the government, Rwanda continues negotiations with multiple partners, including international organizations and other governments to acquire additional vaccines. The country plans to inoculate at least 60 percent of its population, or some 8 million people, in two years to achieve herd immunity against the virus. As of Tuesday, Rwanda had recorded a total of 19,111 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 17,472 recoveries and 265 deaths. Enditem Another Republican Senator, Tim Scott, wins Trump's endorsement as the midterms in 2022. One of Trump's agendas is to reclaim seats in the House and the Senate to strengthen GOP. Last Tuesday, one more trusted GOP member got Trump's support, which to observers is crucial. Many in the GOP believe that endorsement gets massive support with Trump behind them. Sen. Tim Scott's reelection-run for the 2022 midterms, with the ex-president's support, signals that Republicans are regrouping. This movement in the GOP signals that Trump's influence will be a big factor for many GOP members. According to Trump, he gives Sen. Scott of South Carolina his endorsement; he sent the statement via email. He added that the senator is hard working for his people and state. He loves America, its military, its law enforcement; he upholds the Second Amendment and borders. He said that Scott would work hard for the US. According to forecasters, Scott, a first-term senator with the coveted endorsement, might ace his reelection in South Carolina, a Republican country. No GOP is slated to challenge him in the midterms yet. Last week another endorsement was issued for Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) in his 2022 midterms bid. In a statement, he said that Jerry Moran did well for his state of Kansas and his constituents. He stressed that everything that mattered, like the Second Amendment, gets his total support and endorsement. Also read: GOP Cassidy Declares Donald Trump Won't Be the 2024 Nominee Scott and Moran chose a no-convict vote in the sham impeachment in February. Those in the GOP who voted with Democrats are facing uncertain reelection. The South Carolina senator remains steadfast in his support for Trump, even as the Democrats leaned on anyone supporting the ex-president. The South Carolina senator said that the Democrats' blame is not legitimate, as many GOP members were critical of the sham trial. He strongly disagreed with the assertion that the ex-president caused the incident. Democrats weaponized the constitution to get Trump but failed miserably. Moran said that the constitution never said a former president could be tried for impeachment, even by the senate. The impeachment process is for a sitting president, not a civilian. Impeachment determines if a president is removed from office. On February 13, he stated that he chose to acquit, and Trump is out of office. He said that the Democrats had marred the country by twisting the constitution. Another point is that it has changed the presidency forever. Ex-president Trump gave a scathing critique of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who added that GOP candidates who don't support America first would not be supported. In the 2021 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Sunday, Trump scoured the GOP member who convicted him, and many of them faced backlash. He gave the other GOP members his support to include his ex-aide Max Miller who will challenge Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio). Gonzales voted to impeach Trump and got censured for it too. Just like Senator Tim Scott, Miller and the others had qualities that Trump admired. Related article: Trump Endorses Former Aide Max Miller over Rep. Gonzalez Who Voted to Convict Him. @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. On March 1, European Council President Charles Michel met in Tbilisi with Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili and Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili. Reportedly, the two sides were predominantly going to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic as well as cooperation between Georgia and the European Union under the 2014 Association Agreement. However, the top EU representatives trip to Georgia notably occurred against the background of a growing political crisis in this South Caucasus republic, marked acutely by the recent arrest of Nikanor Melia, who chairs the largest and most influential opposition party, United National Movement (UNM). As such, while visiting the Georgian capital, Michel also separately sat down with leaders of the main opposition parties, The Jamestown Foundation writes. Michel and Western diplomats, including United States Ambassador Kelly C. Degnan and EU delegation head Karl Hartzel, have for months been trying to push Georgias rival political factions to compromise, but the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) and the United Opposition (UOwhich includes UNM) see the issue of holding early elections as an irreconcilable red line. The UO claims the results of last autumns parliamentary elections were totally falsified, while GD denies any significant fraud took place. This past January, Parliamentary Speaker Archil Talakvadze reiterated that the general elections have already occurred on October 31, 2020, and the next will be held in 2024. After the arrest of the UNM party chairperson, the opposition leaders declared that any substantive negotiations with the ruling party would be possible only after the release of all political prisoners, including Melia. It makes no sense to negotiate with a government that arrests people for political reasons, UNM parliamentary deputy Roman Gotsiridze said in a February 27 interview with this author. At the same time, on Tbilisis central Rustaveli Avenue, in front of the national legislature, the opposition is holding a long-term anti-government protest. On February 26, at the beckoning and direction of UNMs founder, former president Mikhail Saakashvili, and other opposition leaders, several thousand UO supporters converged on the parliament building. One of the UNMs top officials, former Ukrainian National Police head Khatia Dekanoidze, read out Nikanor Melias statement the latter posted from prison. Namely, Melia called on all freedom-loving Georgians to take to the streets to preserve the countrys independence and with the aim of achieving the release of political prisonersnot only him but additionally television channel Mtavari Arkhi founder Giorgi Rurua. Demonstrators set up 11 tents near the parliament, and then opposition leaders unveiled their plan for a permanent protest movement. This would involve picketing the parliament during plenary sessions, organizing corridors of shame for ruling GD deputies, picketing the State Chancellery (where the office of Prime Minister Garibashvili is located), rallying outside the city court that had ordered Melias arrest earlier this month, as well as holding large-scale actions on Rustaveli Avenue. The first such action took place on March 1: several non-governmental organizations (NGO) staged a march toward the former residence of billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, who recently announced that he was leaving politics and stepping down as party chairperson of GD. The events in Georgia spotlight the apparently rebounding political influence inside the country of former president and UNM leader Mikheil Saakashvili, who presently resides abroad. In Kyiv, Saakashvili heads the Executive Committee of the National Council of Reforms in Ukraine. Just prior to Melias arrest, Saakashvili warned that if the authorities dared to storm UNMs party offices, he would respond with the most decisive measures. Saakashvili did not rule out that after the start of mass protests, he would return to Georgia from Ukraine. After the special forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs forcibly entered the UNM office and apprehended Melia, the former president accused the ruling party and Ivanishvili of establishing a Belarusian-type dictatorship; he also proclaimed that the introduction of the Russian model is taking place in Georgia. Saakashvili called for new elections under international control and announced his partys plans to mobilize the people. In response to whether he was readying to come back to Georgia, the former president said, I will definitely return at some point, but I always wanted to avoid chaos, bloodshed and civil clashes. Since the beginning of the political crisis, Saakashvili has been speaking almost daily on Georgian opposition TV channels, promising to free his homeland from the shameful rule of the Russian oligarch, Putins slave, the largest shareholder of Gazprom, Bidzina Ivanishvili [sic]. Days before his detainment, Nikanor Melia made some soft and diplomatic statements about the UOs readiness to begin negotiations with GD and the Garibashvili government . Some experts, thus, concluded that Melia was consciously choosing less radical rhetoric and different tactics from those advocated by the partys founder, Saakashvili. But as Gela Vasadze, the director of regional programs at the Center for Strategic Analysis of Georgia, told this author, It makes no sense to speculate about the disagreement between Saakashvili and Melia when the government itself has not offered any compromise options. [] The authorities chose the scenario of violence. Moreover, Vasadze argued, even though the former president is not physically in the country, he is much more influential than Melia because Saakashvili has the financial resources of his businessmen friends, a large electoral base and even support groups in the military and law enforcement establishment, which are in the hands of Saakashvili. Perhaps the last chance for compromise between the authorities and the opposition may hinge on the government granting a general amnesty to all opposition politicians arrested or charged by the Prosecutors Office since GD came to power in 2012. Saakashvili himself hinted about such an option in an interview with TV Pirveli (though he did not say directly or unequivocally that this is what he was calling for). The UNM founder was sentenced to 36 years in prison for abuse of power during his presidency. An amnesty would enable him to return to Georgia and resume his political activities. Nonetheless, such a proposal is unlikely to be acceptable to Garibashvilis government. The 38-year-old prime minister said that, in Georgia, everyone is equal before the law, and those who break the law must be punished. Garibashvili clearly had in mind not only the UNM chairperson, Melia, but also former president Saakashvili. On March 1, talks resumed between the government and opposition, hosted by the Georgian president. It will become apparent soon whether anything comes of this latest round of discussions. South Korea and the United States will hold a new round of talks in Washington later this week on the sharing of the cost for stationing the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), the foreign ministry said Wednesday, amid expectations the two sides are close to a deal. Seoul's top negotiator, Jeong Eun-bo, and his U.S. counterpart, Donna Welton, will meet in the U.S. capital Friday, the ministry said, amid speculation that the two sides are nearing a multiyear deal for the upkeep of 28,500 American troops in Korea. "The government expects that discussions will proceed toward a mutually acceptable agreement as soon as possible, based on talks that the two sides have had so far," the ministry said in a press release. "Through this, we will work to contribute to strengthening the South Korea-U.S. alliance and the combined defense posture," it added. Jeong and Welton last held talks via video links last month. Their talks to reach the defense cost-sharing deal, called the Special Measures Agreement (SMA), appear to have picked up pace recently, as the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has pushed to strengthen regional alliances. Since September 2019, the two sides have engaged in grueling negotiations to reach the new SMA. But they failed to strike a deal amid the former Donald Trump administration's calls for a hefty increase in Seoul's payments. Seoul has insisted that a 13 percent increase from the 2019 SMA is the "best offer" it could make. Washington had asked the ally to pay US$1.3 billion a year, an increase of about 50 percent from the last deal. The last one-year deal, which called for Seoul to pay about $870 million, already expired at the end of 2019. (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. ADVERTISEMENT I hope Yewandes lot will not be like that of Marilyn, because while those who wanted Marilyn out had their way, the Nigerian story, as far as fighting corruption is concerned, has remained unchanged. And despite the fact that she was said to have constituted clear and present danger, no case was instituted against her after office. For Okonjo Iweala, Oshiomhole never advanced the corruption case against her beyond the political exigency of that time. Last year, protests rocked the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC) over allegations of corruption levelled against the Executive Secretary, Ms. Yewande Sadiku. The protesters called for her resignation or sack by President Muhammadu Buhari. The president did not oblige them. Last week, the agencys union, again called out its members to re-enact their resentment against the Executive Secretary. Full disclosures first. I have never met Ms. Yewande Sadiku, not even through a third party, but I understand that she was met with resistance almost from the beginning of her tenure. I cannot confirm the allegations of corruption against her either, since she has not been tried in a law court. I have also not seen much of the work of the NIPC in public space, even though the agency has the mandate to promote, coordinate and monitor all investments in Nigeria. My concern is the way some public officials are harangued, taken to the cleaners, and their reputation smeared because of the self-serving interests of a few, who are probably averse to change (if any) or are being remote-controlled by higher authorities for the same selfish interest. I must add, at the risk of being accused of playing the victim card, that these attacks are more often directed at the female CEOs than their male counterparts. More often than not, the tendency to run into trouble is more prevalent among women appointees than men, for so many reasons: Our society, is by and large, patrilineal; so our male dominated society is yet to come to terms with women leadership, and is uncomfortable with women who have broken the glass ceiling, giving orders from the rooftop. The perception is that women have the uncanny reputation for high-handedness, and when, probably, they bring those traces to public works, they unsettle the Augean stable, and in return, they are heckled and harassed. The term iron lady derived from Margaret Thatchers tough stance as Prime Minister of Britain. When used to describe a female boss in our clime, it is mostly not complimentary; and that is putting it mildly. While Yewande might be traumatised with these incessant attacks, she is still sitting pretty at her job, despite the allegations and criticisms. Sadly, many are not that lucky. The unlucky ones get heckled out of office, and may have to deal with psychological trauma to their mental health. Contrarily, being high-handed is not an offence in itself; most of the women bosses described this way might just be disciplined, competent and capable. As such, while we seem obsessed with women at the top and who we want to draw back by cultural and religious inhibitions, public works may suffer, even as those inhibitions may blind us to their capacities and competence. There are misogynistic men, always on the prowl to cast aspersion on women in high places, but this does not mean that there are no bad female leaders taking bad decisions at their workplaces. My opinion is in relative terms. During the protest last week at the NIPC, staff accused the E.S. of executive felonies. Their grouse, according to a PREMIUM TIMES report, include wrongful dismissal, denial of promotion, breach of the public procurement law, and failure to pay staff the relevant allowances. The civil service union also asked for the reversal of dismissed staff in the last four years, renovation and rehabilitation of zonal offices and the NIPC headquarters, and above all the immediate removal of the E.S. There are channels to seek redress on all these issues and I hope all parties will explore them for peace to reign. While Yewande might be traumatised with these incessant attacks, she is still sitting pretty at her job, despite the allegations and criticisms. Sadly, many are not that lucky. The unlucky ones get heckled out of office, and may have to deal with psychological trauma to their mental health. As someone who had gone through such attacks revealed recently, nothing prepares any one for the type, severity and quantum of challenges that one can face while in service to our country and contrary to the beliefs of some people, these challenges DONT strengthen us. Instead, they change the shape of our souls, destroying our inner core; at the end of the service we leave with irreparable damages to our organs, body, spirit and soul. Recovery from the damages one incurs in service to our fatherland is not linear. This should not happen to Yewande before an amicable resolution is reached. Women have to work their hearts out, have to work twice as much as their male counterparts, before they get recognition or compensated. Women are also wired differently; they can become emotional wrecks if accused wrongly. Not even those we refer to as superwomen are free from such. Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, the newly appointed Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) had many of such moments when she was coordinating minister for the economy in the Jonathan administration. Another classic exampe was the case of Dr. Marilyn Amobi, then CEO of Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET). She had a running battle with two ministers of power, who were not even her supervising ministers by law, and some staff who saw in her a threat to whatever they stood for. In the end, the staff and ministers had their way Adams Oshiomhole, then governor of Edo State in 2015, accused her of using one billion naira of government money for Jonathans re-election and how the Excess Crude Account was depleted to $4.1 billion from $10 billion, without approval from the National Economic Council, to which the former minister responded and said Oshiomhole was after her because she denied him approval of a N15 billion suspicious loan, which would have left Edo State with a heavy debt burden, and the state would have found it very difficult to pay back. She also indicated using legal means to clear her name. In the end, it all boiled down to local politics, as Okonjo Iweala has since risen again to international reckoning with her WTO appointment. Another classic exampe was the case of Dr. Marilyn Amobi, then CEO of Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET). She had a running battle with two ministers of power, who were not even her supervising ministers by law, and some staff who saw in her a threat to whatever they stood for. In the end, the staff and ministers had their way, and her tenure was not renewed. Long after she was taken out of the way, the power sectors sad story at that level has only gotten worse. After an involuntary assessment tour of NBET and interactive session with her before she was relieved of her position, I wrote then: Public service is conservative, it resists business unusual and prefers to stick to existing structure even when it doesnt suit the purpose clearly she (Amobi) had made her mark, but is Nigerias cut-throat elite competition for top jobs ready? Such is the dilemma of one of a few leading lights of the Buhari administration. Since all these back and forth is not about incompetence and lack of knowledge of the job but mere spoils/perks of office, youd wonder what we really want as a nation a patronising novice who uses his/her office to embezzle and dispense favours recklessly or an accomplished, competent and skilful professional whose impact and footprints can engender the attainment of organisational and national objectives. I hope Yewandes lot will not be like that of Marilyn, because while those who wanted Marilyn out had their way, the Nigerian story, as far as fighting corruption is concerned, has remained unchanged. And despite the fact that she was said to have constituted clear and present danger, no case was instituted against her after office. For Okonjo Iweala, Oshiomhole never advanced the corruption case against her beyond the political exigency of that time. Yes, women can be unyielding, recalcitrant and tough on the job, but why not, if it can be justified positively. zainabokino@com; 08098209791 Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 TRENTON, N.J., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the global reuse platform Loop builds upon its partnership with Ulta Beauty, the nation's largest beauty retailer, to reduce beauty waste. Customers across the United States can now shop online at loopbyulta.com for beauty and personal care products in durable, sustainable packaging which will be refilled and reused. "Rethinking packaging provides the industry with the opportunity to develop new, luxurious designs that are also sustainable," said Tom Szaky, founder and CEO, Loop and TerraCycle. "Consumers are increasingly asking for more environmentally responsible options in this category and this collaboration provides them with a solution that is simple and convenient." When placing an order, Loop shoppers pay a deposit on each package which is fully refundable upon return. After use, consumers simply place empty packages back into the exclusively designed tote and schedule a free pickup online. "As the nation's leading beauty retailer, we have a responsibility to continuously improve and bring innovative solutions forward for the industry," said Dave Kimbell, president, Ulta Beauty. "As we work to deliver more informed, conscious product choices to our guests, this first-of-its-kind partnership with the pioneers at Loop is an exciting step on our journey. We look forward to seeing our guests embrace Loop by Ulta Beauty as we all work together to create a lasting legacy for our world." At launch, guests can visit loopbyulta.com to order sustainable packaging options from brands such as Burt's Bees, Plaine Products and Mad Hippie, among others. Oneka Elements, Dermalogica and L'ANZA will be coming to the platform soon. Ulta Beauty announced its partnership with Loop within its Conscious Beauty at Ulta Beauty launch, a holistic initiative focused on delivering transparency, education and choice. As part of the program's Sustainable Packaging pillar, together the companies will work to help minimize the more than 120 billion packaging units produced globally annually within the cosmetics industry1 and fuel actionable improvements for the industry and the world. 1 According to Zero Waste Week SOURCE Loop US LLC Related Links https://loopstore.com Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders have unveiled another plan to prod public schools across California to reopen. It provides $2 billion to districts that resume in-person instruction by March 31, another $4.6 billion to address learning loss, and punishes districts that fail to reopen by the deadline. The plan is bound to fail. It will fail for the same reason other plans, perks, and persuasion have misfired over the last 12 months: It provides no money and no strategy to overcome the kind of false and unscientific thinking that closed schools a year ago. And because the plan avoids mandating the number of days and hours a school must open to receive new funds, it permits the forces peddling pseudoscience to scare administrators, teachers, and parents into embracing a hybrid model (part in-person, part remote) that would be even worse than what we have now. A year ago, with scant knowledge of a novel pathogen, the thinking was that kids would be the primary drivers of COVID-19, while schools would be super-spreaders and school closures would save lives. We were wrong, says Dr. Jeanne Noble, head of the UCSF Emergency Departments COVID-19 Response. After intensive research and study, the scientific consensus is that adults are the primary drivers of the virus, and schools can be sanctuaries with significantly lower infection rates than surrounding communities. Moreover, low school rates mean low to zero school-to-home rates. But some players in the open school debate continue to advocate as if it were March 2020. The head of the Berkeley Federation of Teachers, Matt Meyer, recently articulated this unscientific thinking. Schoolchildren play a significant role spreading infections, and act as vectors for transmission, Meyer falsely stated. He also cited a CDC report indicating in-school transmissions can be controlled in communities with low rates of spread. He was right about that. But he ignored the CDCs more important finding that even in communities with high rates of spread (i.e., 100/100,000 daily cases), in-school transmissions can be close to zero. Inexplicably, Mr. Meyer says Berkeley teachers wont return to classrooms until Alameda Countys rate falls below 4/100,000 (it is 8.2/100,000, and falling). This thinking not only ignores science, but the experience of open schools. Private schools in the Bay Area have been open since last fall, with preschools open earlier, safely educating and caring for the kids of parents across the state. In Marin County, schools have been open since September with over 1 million in-person student days and zero student-to-teacher transmissions. In San Francisco, private schools have taught in-person classes to K-12 students for 6 months also with zero student-to-teacher transmissions. Studies report similar findings across the country, even in communities with significantly higher case rates than the Bay Area. In short, a year into the pandemic we know unequivocally that schools can reopen safely to in-person full-time learning. Key mitigation strategies are essential, and include universal masking, social distancing, basic hand hygiene, and proper ventilation focused on open doors and windows and eating outside. In fact, proper masking for teachers (cloth mask over medical mask or medical mask with knotted ear loops and tucked-in sides) combined with sufficient distancing (3 feet rather than 6 feet) is as effective as vaccines in reducing COVID transmissions. Mitigation procedures are complementary so a stronger mask will allow less distancing. And once teachers are vaccinated, social distancing will be even less necessary since vaccines are so protective against severe disease and definitively decrease transmission. President Biden and Governor Newsom both have committed to vaccinating teachers this month. We also know what is not required to reopen schools safely: universal child COVID testing; keeping kids 6-feet apart at all times; low community case rates; or infrastructure changes. Yet these realities are muted in the debate to reopen schools, and nowhere to be found in Newsoms new plan. Without an educative component, there is no counterpoint to the false and unscientific claims of powerful forces. The head of the California Teachers Association, E. Toby Boyd, insists that schools will remain closed until every teacher is vaccinated. At the same time, Mr. Boyd has falsely questioned the efficacy of those vaccinations. Hes further falsely claimed that all research shows that universal testing of teachers and students is required for safely reopening schools. This is not true. Vaccinating and testing are not prerequisites to reopening schools, although vaccination will lead to uncompromised safety for teachers in the school setting, which we support. The efficacy rate for preventing hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-19 is 100% for all three vaccines now deployed in the United States. Vaccines are also effective against coronavirus variants, and banish any doubt about opening schools. Meanwhile, the harm unleashed on California schoolchildren mounts. Every place you looksigns of social phobia and isolation all the way up to suicide attempts screams crisis, says Dr. Noble of UCSF. Local hospitals report the devastation: twice as many kids requiring mental health services: 75% more requiring immediate hospitalization; a 130% increase in kids hospitalized for eating disorders; child psychiatry beds full; the highest number of suicidal children on record. And thats just those who make it to hospitals; for others, the mental illness wins. Beyond the crushing emotional toll of closed schools, reports indicate potentially insurmountable educational deficits. These include substantial learning loss among California schoolchildren in English and math with a disparate impact on low-income, English-learner, and underrepresented students (here, here). One study estimates that while all students could lose 5-9 months of learning by June 2021, students of color could lose 6-12 months. The academic slide will have life-long impacts on a lost generation of students. In combination with the crisis in students mental health, closed schools will be a worse pandemic than COVID. The scientific consensus long abandoned its thinking of March 2020. Those hawking pseudoscience have not. Renewed efforts to open Californias public schools need to advocate a years worth of science so that the same thinking that closed schools a year ago doesnt win again. Dennis J. Ventry, Jr. Ph.D., JD is the parent of a Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) student and professor of law at UC Davis. Monica Gandhi M.D., MPH is a professor of Medicine and Infectious Diseases Doctor at UCSF. Deborah Simon-Weisberg MD is the parent of a special education student in the BUSD and the program director of the Family Medicine Residency Program at Lifelong Medical Care. Editors note: This piece has been updated from an earlier version to add detail and bylines. Mumbai, March 3 : Almost an year after Franklin Templeton unexpectedly closed six debt schemes in India, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a case of money laundering against the company and its senior officials, sources said on Wednesday. A senior ED official related to the probe told IANS, "We have registered a case of money laundering against Franklin Templeton and its senior officials." The official said that the agency registered the case on the basis of an FIR lodged by the Economic Offences Wing of Chennai Police. The official, however, refused to share further details. The first boxes of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine are loaded into a box for shipment from the McKesson facility in Shepherdsville, Kentucky on March 1, 2021. The study was done with 10 female greater mouse-eared bats (Myotis myotis) from the Orlova Chuka cave in Bulgaria. These have not been tagged yet. Credit: Stefan Greif, Tel Aviv University An international research team has taken a seat on the backs of wild bats to experience their world through echoes recorded by 3-gram computers. In a new paper published in Science Advances, the research team from Aarhus University and the Max Planck Institute of Ornithology attached echo- and motion-recording tags to wild greater mouse-eared bats in Bulgaria. "We experienced the world through the ears of the bats by recording their echoes directly on-board while they were hunting for insects at night," said Dr. Laura Stidsholt, postdoc at Aarhus University and leading author of the study. Whispering bats The tags recorded the echolocation calls and the movement of each bat in three dimensions, but most importantly, the echoes returning from their environment during one full night of foraging. This allowed the research team to tap into the sensory scenes of a hunting animal. "We wanted to use the tags to find out how bats control what they 'see' when they hunt tiny insects on the wing on superfast timescales. We used the sound recordings to find and track echoes from prey and vegetation, and to our surprise, we found that the bats are guided by extremely weak prey echoes that would be like a whisper to us," said Dr. Laura Stidsholt. The bats themselves control the strength of their returning echoes by calling louder or weaker. So why would they choose these weak echoes, if they could increase the levels by calling louder? An international research team has experienced the world of wild bats to experience through echoes recorded on-board the bats by 3-gram computers. The tiny computers also recorded the echolocation calls and the movement of each bat in three dimensions. With surprising results: The bats control the strength of their returning echoes by calling louder or weaker - and when hunting, they merely whisper to focus only on the prey and reduce the clutter from other echoes. Credit: Dr. Laura Stidsholt and Stefan Greif Acoustic tunnel vision To answer this, the researchers quantified the volume of air in which bats could potentially detect an echo for each echolocation call. The bats controlled the size of these sensory volumes by adjusting the strength of their calls. "We found that hunting bats narrow their sensory volumes by more than a thousand times to focus only on the prey and thereby reduce the clutter from other echoes. It's like an acoustic version of a tunnel vision that briefly makes their world much simpler," said Dr. Holger Goerlitz of Max Planck Institute of Ornithology, a co-author of the study. He continued: "The weak prey echoes might therefore be a consequence of the small sensory volumes shaped to hunt close to background clutter." To protect these weak echoes from interference, the research team also showed that the bats used their flight patterns to separate the prey echoes from the background e.g. by flying parallel to trees. The bat maneuvers fast in 3D to adjust its behavior to the sensory information from the surroundings. A female greater mouse-eared bat use echolocation to hunt for insects in air. Here is a 1 minute capture sequence, where she finally gets her meal indicated by chewing sounds in the end. Credit: Laura Stidsholt Precise flight adjustments "When the bats are hunting, they stay at least a prey detection distance away from the vegetation. We think they do this to avoid masking of the weak prey echoes by the loud echoes from vegetation. By continually adjusting both their flight patterns and their sensory volumes during the hunt, the bats simplify the information they need to process," said senior author Professor Peter Teglberg Madsen of Aarhus University. Peter Teglberg Madsen suggests that the bats dedicate their attention and brain to the most essential informationgetting their next mealand that this might be one of the reasons that bats are such efficient hunters. The miniature tags were designed and developed by Associate Professor Mark Johnson at Aarhus Institute of Advanced Sciences. Release and capture. Credit: Stefan Greif Small recordersbig challenge "It was a real challenge to make a computer so small that it could work on a flying bat and still be sensitive enough to pick up these weak sounds," said Mark Johnson. Close up of the tag. Credit: Stefan Greif Echolocating bats account for 20 percent of all mammal species and play important roles in ecosystems across the planet. "We think that this strategy has expanded the niches available to look for insects and is one of the reasons that bats have become such versatile hunters, but we don't know if they are versatile enough to cope with all the changes humans are making to the environment," said Professor Peter Teglberg Madsen. Explore further Bats can predict the future, researchers discover More information: L. Stidsholt el al., "Hunting bats adjust their echolocation to receive weak prey echoes for clutter reduction," Science Advances (2021). Journal information: Science Advances L. Stidsholt el al., "Hunting bats adjust their echolocation to receive weak prey echoes for clutter reduction,"(2021). advances.sciencemag.org/lookup .1126/sciadv.abf1367 From April 2021, Ukgazvydobuvannia has to sell all gas on market on terms no worse than Naftogaz group The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine intends to oblige PJSC Ukrgazvydobuvannia from April 2021 to sell 100% of the supply of natural gas to all market participants on terms no worse than Naftogaz group. The relevant instruction on the preparation of a draft government decision by the Economy Ministry within one day was adopted at the Wednesday governmental meeting at the suggestion of Acting Energy Minister Yuriy Vitrenko. Fishers caught in COVID-19 net, sink into poverty Lockdown restrictions following the global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic have severely impacted fishing operations, processing, markets and supply chains, leaving those in low-income groups vulnerable to malnutrition and poverty, say the authors of a new study. When the pandemic caused global lockdowns in March 2020 it disrupted the fish market supply chain on a global level, the ripple effects of which continue to be felt. The decline in demand for fresh fish has led to fewer wage opportunities while increased costs of transportation have led to either oversupply or wastage. The global seafood market reached a value of US$159.31 billion in 2019, and is projected to reach about US$194 billion dollars by 2027. The study notes that the seafood system is a meshed network of formal and informal producers and distributors, retailers and consumers. Developing countries, in particular, are exporting high volumes of seafood as part of poverty alleviation programs. According to the World Wildlife Fund, the developing world employ 97 percent of the world's fishing workforce with an overwhelming majority, 90 percent, are small-scale fishermen. The Food and Agriculture Organization estimated that about 200 million people were directly and indirectly employed along the value chain many of whom are women. Published online by Global Food Security in February, the study highlights labor and production disruptions that affected the incomes of self-employed and casual workers based on analysis of data collected from official government agencies and market reporting. The entry of migrant fish workers into ports, in Thailand and India for example, were restricted while most fish markets were shut down. Traders in India and Myanmar reported a 15 percent drop in fish prices after lockdowns were implemented. Though large-scale operators were eventually able to adapt, smaller operations especially from rural areas have had a harder time recovering due to limited access to technology and social protection programs. Businesses in China, for example, shifted to frozen and processed seafood in response to consumers staying home and cooking more. Small to medium enterprises had a more difficult time pivoting without access to a network of consumers online and a reliable transportation system. "With market disruptions people are not that likely to be fishing more, because they can't sell the product. One way to support the loss of income is setting up COVID-safe markets, through mobile apps for example, to minimize crowds. This has already been going on in the Philippines," explains Kate Barclay, professor of International Studies and Global Societies, University of Technology Sydney. The disruptions led to a significant reduction in consumption of nutrient-dense foods like fish in low-income countries, with households shifting towards staple foods, according to the study. Small-scale farmers in Myanmar reported buying less food, especially animal-sourced food. Since the fish sector is important in maintaining the global food chain, the authors of the study recommend longer-term adaptations over short-term coping mechanisms to safeguard against future volatilities. These include more investment in sustainable fishing and less reliance on food imports. "Fish and other aquatic animals are a nutritious source of food, one that tends to be more affordable than meat or poultry. When we think about how to recover from this pandemic there needs to be more investment and support given that this sector is an important source of livelihood for so many people," says Ben Belton, a co-author of the study and senior scientist at WorldFish. Belton also suggests social safety nets targeted at low-income groups and migrant workers. "In a crisis like this there's actually very little formal support that people are able to access. If you lose your job or you're unable to continue your business, you don't have many options and may be forced to borrow informally. But if there were more of a social safety net in times of need, whether it be in the form of cheap loans or food, it could at least provide a bit of a buffer," says Belton. One of the challenges for government and policy makers is identifying what kinds of support are effective at preserving businesses, income and food security while balancing sustainable practices. "Policy measures taken to help fishers through these extremely difficult times should be designed to respond to the specific problems in a given context, and should keep the long-term sustainability of the sector in mind," says Alice Tipping, lead of fish subsidies at the International Institute for Sustainable Development. "If a country is facing a drop off in fish supply because fishers are subject to lockdowns, providing general income support to the poorest sectors of the population may be the measure that best addresses the problem," Tipping says. "If fishers are able to fish but demand is lacking, for example because restaurants are closed, the best way of supporting fishers is to give them money directly, rather than trying to prop them up by further reducing their fishing costs which is likely to encourage them to fish more than may be sustainable," she adds. Phys.org 2003 - 2021 powered by Science X Network Theme(s): Communities and Organisations. (Bloomberg) -- The American Petroleum Institute is considering throwing its weight behind a government-imposed price on carbon dioxide emissions as a way to slow global warming, a major policy shift by the oil industrys top trade group. APIs draft policy statement does not endorse a specific mechanism, such as a tax on carbon dioxide emissions or cap-and-trade system, but endorses what it calls a market-based, economy-wide policy, according to two people familiar with the discussions. It could receive a vote by the groups executive board later this week. Proponents argue that a carbon tax that increases the cost of energy derived from oil, natural gas and coal could be more effective than regulations at paring U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Such as tax -- the proceeds of which could be rebated to consumers -- would discourage the use of fossil fuels while encouraging the market to develop low-carbon alternatives. The Chamber of Commerce embraced market-based policies to limit emissions in January, and several of APIs largest members, including Exxon Mobil Corp., ConocoPhillips, BP Plc and Royal Dutch Shell Plc already support a carbon tax-and-rebate plan. Getting a market price on carbon is going to be really important to make sure that were using market forces to try to most cost-effectively reduce CO2 emissions, Exxons chief executive officer, Exxon Mobil Chief Executive Officer Darren Woods said at the CERAweek by IHS Markit conference Tuesday. Governments should not pick winners and losers. The efforts have gained momentum as international energy companies are making investment decisions based on the assumption that emissions limits will be imposed by regulation, tax or other mechanisms. The companies are seeking regulatory certainty on the issue, instead of environmental policies that whipsaw with every presidential election. And they are bracing for possible tariffs on imports from countries with lax climate policies -- a potential risk for U.S. companies selling carbon-intensive products globally. API previously telegraphed its support in January, when it said it supported the ambitions of the Paris agreement to pare greenhouse gas emissions and cited market-based policies such as carbon pricing as a way to balance those reductions with flexibility and pacing to keep energy affordable. API senior vice president of communications Megan Bloomgren said the group has convened top industry officials throughout the supply chain to incubate a host of policy solutions and industry actions to shape a lower-carbon future. Our efforts are focused on supporting a new U.S. contribution to the global Paris agreement, Bloomgren said by email. Consideration of APIs move was earlier reported by the Wall Street Journal. Some environmentalists who oppose fossil-fuel development criticized the possible move, with Maya Golden-Krasner, deputy director of the Center for Biological Diversitys Climate Law Institute, calling it little more than a public relations ploy. Instead of letting producers buy their way out of climate accountability, we need strong regulations to keep fossil fuels in the ground, Golden-Krasner said. The effort divides the oil and gas industry. Some large, integrated energy companies that have global operations and investments in low-carbon businesses, favor the approach. Many independent oil producers and refiners are opposed. Natural Gas A carbon tax could benefit producers of natural gas over coal and spur investment in renewables and nuclear power. Several utilities have lobbied Biden administration officials to support a nationwide carbon price. And Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who previously endorsed a carbon tax as the textbook solution to climate change, reiterated in January that effective carbon pricing is essential to solve the climate crisis. I am fully supportive of effective carbon pricing, and I know that the president is as well, Yellen said in written answers to Senate Finance Committee questions. Nevertheless, the politics of the issue are challenging, particularly in the Senate, which voted 50-50 along party lines last month to block a measure that would have opposed a carbon tax. Senator Joe Manchin, whose role representing coal-rich West Virginia and heading the chambers energy committee makes him a key Democratic vote on such issues, signaled his openness to carbon pricing by voting with his party on the measure. Several Republicans, including Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitt Romney of Utah, have said they are open to a carbon tax. But developing a consensus plan has proved difficult, with an array of proposals advanced on Capitol Hill in recent years. Some initiatives have lured Republican and business support by imposing a carbon tax in exchange for wiping away federal regulation of carbon dioxide emissions -- a tradeoff many environmentalists staunchly oppose. Still other thorny questions surround how carbon tax revenue would be used, with some proposals calling for the money to be rebated to American taxpayers, and others pushing for proceeds to go to environmental restoration projects and revitalizing coal communities. 2021 Bloomberg L.P. An operation to scour waters near alleged con-woman Melissa Caddick's eastern suburbs mansion in Sydney was held on Wednesday. New South Wales police officers assessed the conditions off Dover Heights but determined it was too rough to safely enter the water. Divers will return on Thursday to assess conditions again in an attempt to search for her remains. Police divers again attempted to search for the remains of alleged con-woman Melissa Caddick in waters just metres from her residence in Sydney's eastern suburbs (pictured with her husband) Caddick is suspected to have committed suicide after defrauding her investors The area to be searched is just a couple hundred metres from the Wallangra Road property where the alleged fraudster was last seen alive. Ms Caddick vanished the day after corporate watchdog ASIC executed a search warrant at her luxury Dover Heights home on November 11. Liquidators say the 49-year-old mother '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. The search comes a day after police confirmed a chunk of stomach flesh found at Mollymook on the NSW south coast do not belong to Ms Caddick, but an unnamed man last seen on February 1. His death is not being treated as suspicious. Remains found at two other south coast beaches have also since been confirmed to be animal. The Dover Heights cliffs near Caddick's mansion where she is suspected to have died Police divers searched waters off Dover Heights on Wednesday (pictured) but called off the operation because of rough seas Thus far police have only found Ms Caddick's badly decayed foot, which washed up south of Tathra on February 21. NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing last week told reporters foul play against Ms Caddick was possible but suicide was more likely. Modelling by NSW Police marine rescue teams, taking tides and drift patterns into account, has explored the possibility that Ms Caddick entered the water near Dover Heights, where she lived, around November 12. The modelling deemed it possible that her foot could have drifted to Bournda Beach, where it was discovered by a group of campers. Jammu: Seventy young men have joined militancy in the past seven months this year with most of the recruits from three districts in south Kashmir, according to a senior official. The new recruits mostly belong to Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam districts in south Kashmir, which has become the hub of tech-savvy militants. As many as 70 Kashmiri youths joined militancy in the Valley in seven months period this year, the senior security officer told PTI quoting official statistics. The officer claimed 88 Kashmiri youths joined militancy in 2016. Since 2014, there has been a constant rise in the number of people joining militancy. As many as 66 youths joined militancy in Kashmir in 2015 and 53 in 2014, according to data compiled by security agencies. In 2010, 54 youths joined militancy and in 2011, the number came down to 23. It further dipped to 21 in 2012 and 16 in 2013, it said. The Pulwama-Shopian-Kulgam region has become a hotbed of homegrown terrorists, the officials said. Security officials say Pulwama, which has of-late emerged as the terror epicenter, is strategically important as it is the central point to connect Srinagar, Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Budgam districts of central Kashmir. The areas have seen the highest number of encounters and attacks, the officer added. The topography of Pulwama, with its vast orchards and fields ringed by dense forests, also provide a perfect shelter and operating cover to militants. Pulwama was home to Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, who was killed in an encounter with security forces in July last year. It was also the base of slain Abu Dujana, commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba militants in the Kashmir Valley, Abu Musa and dozens of other militants. Security forces have also foiled attempts by dozen others to cross over to the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir for arms training, the officer said. In 2017, as many as 54 men were stopped from joining the ranks of militants, the officer said. 132 terrorists have been killed in encounters with police and security forces in Kashmir Valley in over 7 months period this year, security officials said. While 115 militants have been killed till July end this year, 17 militants have been killed till August 9, as per official statistics. While 38 militants belonging to LeT were killed in over 7 months till 9 August, it was followed by killing of 37 militants of Hizb and 3 militants belonging to Musa Group of Al-Qeada followed by killing of 54 unidentified militants mostly along the LoC. Out of them, six top commanders of Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) were killed in encounters in Kashmir during the period. As per the data, the number of terrorists killed in the past over 6 months is the highest in the past 7 years. In 2010, 156 militants were killed in the first 7 months period of the year followed by 102 in 2017, 77 in 2016, 61 in 2011, 51 each in 2014 and 2015 respectively, the data showed. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has asked the police to try to bring back to mainstream youths who have fled their homes to join militancy. DGP S P Vaid has said that Going beyond its mandate of normal policing, J&K Police is transforming hearts and minds by instilling national pride in the youth of the Valley. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The IDA has had a commendably busy start to 2021. With just one month of the year gone by, we have already seen the publication of the agencys strategy for 2021-2024, an important paper co-authored with the OECD analysing Irelands FDI performance, and eight announcements of investment projects that will create over 700 jobs. Feargal de Freine, Assurance Partner with EY. It was an unfortunate coincidence that saw the strategy for 2021-2024 published on 6 January 2021. Events in Washington D.C. that day understandably led the news coverage; that same week saw the imposition of the lockdown response to the third wave of Covid-19, as well as the first days of trading under the new EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). It felt like a momentous week, with each of these three issues the US political transition, the pandemic, and the reshaping of European geopolitics and trade having profound consequences in both the days and the years ahead. Of at least equal significance, though, to the fortunes of the Irish state in the coming years will be the delivery of the refreshed FDI strategy. The OECD report provides a succinct articulation of why this is so. Ireland is one of the most open economies in the world. The Irish operations of multinational enterprises are deeply embedded in global value chains. FDI was central to Irelands recovery from the great recession that followed the financial crisis, and FDI provided crucial support to the economy during the Covid-19 pandemic. Its reasonable to assume, therefore, that our economic health in the coming years will depend on how we fare in attracting and retaining overseas investment. Our latest economic forecast points to an optimistic recovery for the Republic of Ireland, which could end up being the worlds fastest-growing economy in 2020. That depends on Q4 data due in March, but with growth of 8.1% in the year to Q3, income tax receipts down just 1% on the year, and corporation tax receipts up 9%, this suggests a high level of insulation from Covid-19 impacts. A central factor contributing to this stability is the strength of overseas investment in Ireland, particularly across sectors like ICT, life sciences and agri-food, sectors that experienced massive growth in spite of, or as a result of, the pandemic experience. What has brought success in the past will not necessarily result in future success. As the OECD report points out, Irelands FDI base is manufacturing, information and communications, and the finance and insurance sectors. This concentration creates pools of expertise and reputational advantage; however, it also creates a concentration risk related to policy changes in partner countries. Hence, the OECD strongly recommends and the new IDA strategy strongly endorses a continued focus on diversification of both sectors and origins of investment. Taoiseach Micheal Martin annoncing Microsoft Irelands expansion of its Dublin-based EMEA digital sales team, with 200 new jobs; on screen are Cathriona Hallahan, MD of Microsoft Ireland; Lisa Dillon, vice-president, Microsoft EMEA Digital Sales; Joanne Morrissey, HR director, Microsoft Ireland. For example, around two-thirds of FDI into Ireland originates in the United States (a far higher proportion than the European average). This source of investment will of course continue to be significant in the coming years. But the recent political transition in the US has highlighted the enduring appeal of a make and buy American agenda. The changing tax landscape is a factor to consider as well. Encouragingly, the Department of Finance has also been busy in the early weeks of the year and has published its own corporate tax roadmap highlighting the countrys heads-up engagement with the multilateral global tax agenda. Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in inward investment from China and India and that needs to continue. From a sectoral perspective, the IDAs focus on diversification is evident in the long list of areas highlighted in the strategy document: cloud, AI, 5G, big data, disruptive service platforms, advanced manufacturing, cell and gene therapy, connected health, industrial automation, and renewable energy. What is striking about this list is firstly the breadth of ambition, and secondly that many of these sectors build upon areas of existing strength and credibility for Ireland. For instance, the well-known presence of the worlds leading biopharmaceutical companies in Ireland makes it sensible to focus on opportunities in the new wave of personalised medicine that uses patients own cellular and genetic material to craft therapies. The IDA strategy document is called Driving Recovery and Sustainable Growth, a subtly punning title about the need for a growth strategy that can hold its own while also acknowledging the massive climate agenda that will be the overarching global challenge in coming years. Indeed, sustainability is embedded throughout the entire strategy, as well as being one of its five pillars alongside Growth, Transformation, Regions and Impact. The goals align to what we believe ourselves to be true, that the sustainability agenda can create and enhance long term value. The move to decarbonisation and greening the economy could prove to be a boon of new investment and new jobs, as investors and technologists alike seek out strongly aligned economies to develop solutions and advance their own sustainability ambitions. The Regions agenda, interestingly, is also strongly reflected in the announcements so far this year, with those located in Cork, Galway, Limerick, Athlone, Dublin and (perhaps most intriguingly) a fully virtual project (with roles being based anywhere in the country). Remote working is here to stay. This is an exciting moment in the Irish FDI story. The track record and creativity of the Irish proposition to global investors puts us in a strong position for the hard work that lies ahead. www.ey.com Umesh has over 30 years of experience in the pharmaceuticals industry, having worked in India, France and Sub-Saharan Africa for leading global pharma companies. Biocon Ltd announced that Susheel Umesh has joined Biocon Biologics as the Chief Commercial Officer - Emerging Markets (CCO-EMs) wef March 1, 2021. He will drive the companys business in the Emerging Markets (EMs) and will also be responsible for the Branded Formulations business. Umesh has over 30 years of experience in the pharmaceuticals industry, having worked in India, France and Sub-Saharan Africa for leading global pharma companies. He has managed global brands as well as led different functions in India and overseas in sales & marketing, business development and operations excellence. Most recently, he led the domestic formulations of an Indian biotech company as its Chief Executive Officer. With this appointment, Biocon Biologics will move its commercial operations from Singapore to its headquarters in Bengaluru. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Executive Chairperson, Biocon Biologics, said: We are very happy to welcome Susheel Umesh to Biocon Biologics. As Chief Commercial Officer, Susheel will be responsible for driving the companys growth strategy in Emerging Markets on a platform of affordable access. Dr Arun Chandavarkar, Managing Director, Biocon Biologics said, We are extremely delighted to have Susheel Umesh lead our Commercial Operations for the Emerging Markets. Susheel has deep expertise in diverse therapy areas, including diabetes, oncology, cardiology and transplantation, and has a proven track record of delivering robust business growth. Umesh said, I am extremely proud to join Biocon Biologics, at this juncture where it has established a strong biosimilars business in global markets in collaboration with its partners. I believe the company is well-positioned to impact millions of patients globally, capitalising on its strengths in science and global scale manufacturing expertise. Nobel peace prize laureate and Father of the Green Revolution, Dr Norman Borlaug, called Dr Rajaram, a scientist of great vision who made a significant contribution to the improvement of world wheat production, working for the benefit of hundreds of thousands of farmers in countries across the globe. In 2014 Rajaram was recognised with one of the highest honours in agriculture, the World Food Prize in recognition for benefiting the lives of hundreds of millions of people with the development of high-yielding and disease-resistant wheat varieties grown on more than 58 million hectares throughout the world. His achievement increased global wheat production by more than 200 million tonnes during his lifetime in diverse regions across the globe. Sanjaya Rajaram, a University of Sydney alumnus recognised with the World Food Prize was a world-renowned wheat breeder and scientist. One of the worlds leading food scientists, he died on February 17 from COVID-19 in Ciudad Obregon, Mexico. Dr Rajarams international career began in the NSW outback town of Narrabri, where he attended the University of Sydney plant breeding research station for his doctorate, completing it in 1965. It was a far cry from his place of origin but set him on a global career that improved the lives of millions of people. He was born in 1943 near a small farming village in the state of Uttar Pradesh in north-eastern India. His family made a meagre living on their five-hectare farm growing wheat, rice and maize. Raj, as he was known universally to his friends, was keenly interested in the world around him and his parents sent him to school in a nearby village; this at a time when 96 per cent of the Indian rural population had no formal education. He later won a state scholarship to attend high school and subsequently obtained a bachelors degree in science (agriculture) from the University of Gorakhpur in 1962. He then studied genetics and plant breeding under Dr M.S. Swaminathan at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi, graduating with a masters degree in 1964. Rajaram arrived in Australia in 1965 to study for his PhD in plant breeding at the University of Sydney, on a scholarship provided by the Rotary Club of Narrabri. When he arrived in Sydney, he was still fresh-faced and shy. He was immediately sent to the Universitys research station in Narrabri to learn the ins and outs of plant breeding. 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. Khanh Hoa province, on the south-central coast, has recently been leading the way in attaining attraction from both domestic and foreign financiers when it comes to the gas and electricity sector. Among the suitors is one from the United States, proposing the Millennium gas power project with a forecast capacity of 14,400MW and 17 million tonnes of storage for liquefied natural gas (LNG) per year. Joining in are Embark United Co., Ltd. and US Quantum Corporation to establish a 6,000MW gas power venture and a port warehouse to receive and process six million tonnes of LNG per year. Japanese investors did also not ignore the opportunity to develop gas power projects in Khanh Hoa, as Sumitomo Corporation proposed to invest in a 3,000MW gas power scheme and a storage system for three million tonnes of LNG per year, while J-Power Co., Ltd. wants to invest in a gas turbine power project with a capacity of 3,000MW. Despite a slightly slower approach, the province is also seeing the presence of more domestic investors, led by Electricity of Vietnam which proposed a 6,000MW gas power project, while Petrolimex wants to build a warehouse for around three million tonnes of LNG per year. Those involved in the gas power sector all understand that developing such a project in Vietnam is a difficult task, as the country is still in the process of building its Power Development Plan 8 (PDP8). Nevertheless, the total installed capacity of power sources by 2030 is supposed to reach 137.2GW, of which gas accounts for 21 per cent. Tran Ky Phuc, director of the Institute of Energy under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) the unit in charge of building the PDP8 said that electricity demand in this plan is calculated lower than in the revised PDP7, reducing the forecast amount by 3-4 billion kWh in 2020 and 9-10 billion kWh in 2030. Realistic needs The development of gas power sources in Vietnam is the result of the exhaustion of fossil fuels, the limitations of hydropower, and the fact that nuclear power is currently halted and new and renewable energy sources only meet a very small part of the actual demand. The Institute of Energy forecasts that Vietnams energy import rate will increase sharply by 2035 by nearly 2.5 times compared to 2015, from 54 to about 90 million tonnes of oil equivalent by 2025. The increasing investment in the gas and electricity sector is a prerequisite for LNG imports. Data from the MoIT shows that Vietnam has become a net energy importer since 2015, with a net import rate of about 5 per cent of the total energy supply. Meanwhile, the country started to import LNG in 2018, which is expected to reach about 3.6 million tonnes of LNG per year by 2025, as the domestic gas consumption is forecast to reach 13-27 billion cubic metres, but production might just deliver around 13-19 billion cu.m. Import of LNG will continue to increase strongly between 2026 and 2035 to about 6-10 million tonnes per year due to the increased market demand of around 23-31 billion cu.m. While the gas demand in Vietnam has increased sharply in recent years, Le Minh Nguyen, regional director of German MAN Energy Solutions SE said, Onshore gas output is on a downward trend. By the end of 2020, the gas output of PetroVietnam reached approximately 9.16 billion cu.m, while the figures for 2019 and 2018 were about 9.6 billion cu.m and 9.7 billion cu.m respectively. According to Minh, Vietnams gas field reserves are now estimated at 700 billion cu.m, which can be exploited in around 40-50 years. More gas supply will also be added in 2023 when the two projects at the Blue Whale field and O Mons Block B are updated. Imports for gas projects, such as Nhon Trach 3 and 4, are only meant to happen in the short term. However, the initial investment capital was one of the main bottlenecks, affecting both the exploration of new gas sources and their exploitation. Initial investments in gas projects are very large and, for example, amounted to $6-7 billion for O Mons Block B field and around $10 billion for the Blue Whale field. Strict conditions Vietnams forced import of LNG for electricity generation has become an opportunity for US energy companies to participate more deeply in the countrys gas sector. ExxonMobil is cooperating with PetroVietnam and its subsidiary, PetroVietnam Exploration Production Co. Ltd., to implement the Blue Whale field, the largest gas field in Vietnam, located about 100km from the central coast to the east and holding approximately 150.79 billion cu.m of gas. The gas supply of the Blue Whale field is secured in sync with the construction progress of the two mixed gas turbine power plants Dung Quat I and Dung Quat III in the south-central province of Quang Ngai. However, in the long run, Vietnam needs partners to realise the diversified power source target, and the United States could support it. Yet, the first dialogue session on energy one of five US dialogues conducted worldwide between Vietnam and the US held in 2018 did not reach an agreement, despite efforts behind the scenes during the previous three years. This dialogue session stopped at the trend of future cooperation, with some suggestions for development in the oil and gas sector yet leaving the renewable energy sector almost unchanged while coal-fired thermal power was not discussed at all. According to the US, Vietnam should develop gas power plants using LNG rather than continuing to operate coal-fired power plants. This recommendation is not new but has now also been noticed at the national level. The US proposal may be suitable for Vietnams target of diversified power sources, but there is no immediate progress because of the lack of a legal framework for electricity and gas. Even in the revised PDP7, the content for gas power remains fuzzy. It may take Vietnam up to three years to add this proposal to the new PDP8 and prepare the infrastructure for gas imports. Since the first gas was exploited at the Tien Hai C field in 1981, the country has exploited nearly 150 billion cu.m of gas, according to Dr. Nguyen Hong Minh, deputy director of the Vietnam Petroleum Institute. Minh said that oil and gas exploration has identified a depletion rate of only 16 per cent, but investment in oil and gas has continuously declined in recent years. The demand for capital increases and may sum up to $13-14 billion for the 2019-2025 period, but each year only a few hundred million US dollars can be mobilised. Tran Sy Thanh, PetroVietnams former chairman said, The oil and gas industry has difficulties to attract investment with the current mechanisms such as the strict contract conditions in the revised Law on Petroleum. Besides that, some taxes are also creating additional pressure on businesses participating in this field. For example, the gas industry is subject to a water resource tax of VND100 million ($4,300) for each square kilometre of the used sea surface, while each exploration lot needs about 5,000 sq.km, equivalent to an expense of $10-15 million. Thanh said that no investor can bear such a heavy tax. Inappropriate regulations are currently a huge barrier to investment in the sector. Hoang Anh Tuan, deputy director of the MoITs Domestic Market Department, confirmed that the contents in the Law on Petroleum and the follow-up Decree No.96/2015/ND-CP regulating oil and gas exploration Vietnams territories are inconsistent with reality. Tuan cited that there are many regulations on adjusting the upstream sector which includes searching for potential underground or underwater crude oil and natural gas fields but not on the midstream and downstream sectors the former of which involves the transportation, storage, and wholesale marketing of crude or refined petroleum products while the latter includes the refining of petroleum crude oil and processing and purifying of raw natural gas. Mid-and downstream activities are mainly regulated through the laws on enterprises, public investment, construction, environmental protection, and other relevant legal documents. Another problem is that, when Vietnam uses LNG to generate power, it may not always be fully accepted. Morten Bk, Denmarks former Permanent Secretary of State at the Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Utilities, noted that the dependence on imported gas sources will remain present in the future, when Vietnam develops gas power. Bk does also not believe that gas power can be the sole answer to sustainability and should only be considered one of many diverse energy sources. The Guardian The potential consequences of the origins of the virus are shattering if they can be proved My own complacency on the matter was dynamited by the lab-leak essay that ran in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists earlier this month. Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters There was a time when the Covid pandemic seemed to confirm so many of our assumptions. It cast down the people we regarded as villains. It raised up those we thought were heroes. It prospered people who could shift easily to working from home even as it problematized the lives of those Trump voters living in the old economy. Like all plagues, Covid often felt like the hand of God on earth, scourging the people for their sins against higher learning and visibly sorting the righteous from the unmasked wicked. Respect science, admonished our yard signs. And lo!, Covid came and forced us to do so, elevating our scientists to the highest seats of social authority, from where they banned assembly, commerce, and all the rest. We cast blame so innocently in those days. We scolded at will. We knew who was right and we shook our heads to behold those in the wrong playing in their swimming pools and on the beach. It made perfect sense to us that Donald Trump, a politician we despised, could not grasp the situation, that he suggested people inject bleach, and that he was personally responsible for more than one super-spreading event. Reality itself punished leaders like him who refused to bow to expertise. The prestige news media even figured out a way to blame the worst death tolls on a system of organized ignorance they called populism. In reaction to the fool Trump, liberalism made a cult out of the hierarchy of credentialed achievement in general But these days the consensus doesnt consense quite as well as it used to. Now the media is filled with disturbing stories suggesting that Covid might have come not from populism at all, but from a laboratory screw-up in Wuhan, China. You can feel the moral convulsions beginning as the question sets in: What if science itself is in some way culpable for all this? * I am no expert on epidemics. Like everyone else I know, I spent the pandemic doing as I was told. A few months ago I even tried to talk a Fox News viewer out of believing in the lab-leak theory of Covids origins. The reason I did that is because the newspapers I read and the TV shows I watched had assured me on many occasions that the lab-leak theory wasnt true, that it was a racist conspiracy theory, that only deluded Trumpists believed it, that it got infinite pants-on-fire ratings from the fact-checkers, and because (despite all my cynicism) I am the sort who has always trusted the mainstream news media. My own complacency on the matter was dynamited by the lab-leak essay that ran in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists earlier this month; a few weeks later everyone from Doctor Fauci to President Biden is acknowledging that the lab-accident hypothesis might have some merit. We dont know the real answer yet, and we probably will never know, but this is the moment to anticipate what such a finding might ultimately mean. What if this crazy story turns out to be true? The answer is that this is the kind of thing that could obliterate the faith of millions. The last global disaster, the financial crisis of 2008, smashed peoples trust in the institutions of capitalism, in the myths of free trade and the New Economy, and eventually in the elites who ran both American political parties. In the years since (and for complicated reasons), liberal leaders have labored to remake themselves into defenders of professional rectitude and established legitimacy in nearly every field. In reaction to the fool Trump, liberalism made a sort of cult out of science, expertise, the university system, executive-branch norms, the intelligence community, the State Department, NGOs, the legacy news media, and the hierarchy of credentialed achievement in general. Now here we are in the waning days of Disastrous Global Crisis #2. Covid is of course worse by many orders of magnitude than the mortgage meltdown it has killed millions and ruined lives and disrupted the world economy far more extensively. Should it turn out that scientists and experts and NGOs, etc. are villains rather than heroes of this story, we may very well see the expert-worshiping values of modern liberalism go up in a fireball of public anger. Consider the details of the story as we have learned them in the last few weeks: Lab leaks happen. They arent the result of conspiracies: a lab accident is an accident, as Nathan Robinson points out; they happen all the time, in this country and in others, and people die from them. There is evidence that the lab in question, which studies bat coronaviruses, may have been conducting what is called gain of function research, a dangerous innovation in which diseases are deliberately made more virulent. By the way, right-wingers didnt dream up gain of function: all the cool virologists have been doing it (in this country and in others) even as the squares have been warning against it for years. There are strong hints that some of the bat-virus research at the Wuhan lab was funded in part by the American national-medical establishment which is to say, the lab-leak hypothesis doesnt implicate China alone. There seem to have been astonishing conflicts of interest among the people assigned to get to the bottom of it all, and (as we know from Enron and the housing bubble) conflicts of interest are always what trip up the well-credentialed professionals whom liberals insist we must all heed, honor, and obey. The news media, in its zealous policing of the boundaries of the permissible, insisted that Russiagate was ever so true but that the lab-leak hypothesis was false false false, and woe unto anyone who dared disagree. Reporters gulped down whatever line was most flattering to the experts they were quoting and then insisted that it was 100% right and absolutely incontrovertible that anything else was only unhinged Trumpist folly, that democracy dies when unbelievers get to speak, and so on. The social media monopolies actually censored posts about the lab-leak hypothesis. Of course they did! Because were at war with misinformation, you know, and people need to be brought back to the true and correct faith as agreed upon by experts. * Let us pray, now, for science, intoned a New York Times columnist back at the beginning of the Covid pandemic. The title of his article laid down the foundational faith of Trump-era liberalism: Coronavirus is What You Get When You Ignore Science. Ten months later, at the end of a scary article about the history of gain of function research and its possible role in the still ongoing Covid pandemic, Nicholson Baker wrote as follows: This may be the great scientific meta-experiment of the 21st century. Could a world full of scientists do all kinds of reckless recombinant things with viral diseases for many years and successfully avoid a serious outbreak? The hypothesis was that, yes, it was doable. The risk was worth taking. There would be no pandemic. Except there was. If it does indeed turn out that the lab-leak hypothesis is the right explanation for how it began that the common people of the world have been forced into a real-life lab experiment, at tremendous cost there is a moral earthquake on the way. Because if the hypothesis is right, it will soon start to dawn on people that our mistake was not insufficient reverence for scientists, or inadequate respect for expertise, or not enough censorship on Facebook. It was a failure to think critically about all of the above, to understand that there is no such thing as absolute expertise. Think of all the disasters of recent years: economic neoliberalism, destructive trade policies, the Iraq War, the housing bubble, banks that are too big to fail, mortgage-backed securities, the Hillary Clinton campaign of 2016 all of these disasters brought to you by the total, self-assured unanimity of the highly educated people who are supposed to know what theyre doing, plus the total complacency of the highly educated people who are supposed to be supervising them. Then again, maybe I am wrong to roll out all this speculation. Maybe the lab-leak hypothesis will be convincingly disproven. I certainly hope it is. But even if it inches closer to being confirmed, we can guess what the next turn of the narrative will be. It was a perfect storm, the experts will say. Who coulda known? And besides (they will say), the origins of the pandemic dont matter any more. Go back to sleep. Thomas Frank is a Guardian US columnist. He is the author, most recently, of The People, No: A Brief History of Anti-Populism 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. Ukraine sends its samples to international laboratories. There are several strains of the novel COVID-19 coronavirus in circulation in Ukraine at the moment; no dangerous variants with mutations have been detected yet. Ukrainian Health Minister Maksym Stepanov announced on TV Channel Ukraina 24. Read also"No capacities" in Ukraine to identify new COVID-19 variants MP "To analyze mutations of strains, samples need to be sequenced. Unfortunately, we are only creating such laboratories. Meanwhile, we send samples to international laboratories. We've sent 200 samples to Berlin's Charite Clinical Center. We've received results on 48 of them only European Italian, Spanish strains are in circulation here, we have neither the mutated UK strain nor the one from South Africa. We are waiting for other results," he said. Stepanov disclosed where Ukraine sends its samples for the study of COVID-19 strains. "Now we are about to send 350 samples to London. In addition, we have taken samples in Ivano-Frankivsk region and sent them to the Institute of Microbiology it will take them longer to process as complex, expensive equipment is needed," he said. New COVID-19 strains Mutated variants of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus were first identified at the end of 2020, when the first vaccines were being developed. In December, two new strains were identified in the UK, one of them was found in patients who came from South Africa. In January 2021, a new strain was found in four people who entered Japan from Brazil. In February 2021, the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca announced that it could take from six to nine months to produce and start distributing effective vaccines against mutated strains of the coronavirus. Reporting by UNIAN 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. Egis India - the India arm of French construction, engineering, and mobility consultancy provider - is planning to make equity investment in the airport redevelopment and privatisation plans of the Indian government. The company plans to invest 75 million euros in India in the next five years across various sectors. "We are looking at the airport sector in India. We are operating seventeen airports around the world. We are putting in equity in the airport projects globally and also are part of the concession agreement. Part of the investments lined up in India is dedicated to picking up equity in airport projects in the country. We will participate in the bids as it is a very interesting prospect for us," Laurent Germain, Chief Executive Officer, Egis, told Business Today on the company's future plans for India. Germain added that the quantum of equity invested by the company in the airport projects globally varies between 5 per cent and 51 per cent. ALSO READ: Indian ports, shipping firms to ink MoUs worth Rs 3,38,561 cr at maritime summit Elaborating more on the company's investment plans in India, Egis India Managing Director, Sandeep Gulati said, "The government is planning to develop 150 airports in India while fifteen airports will be privatised. So we would be very keenly looking at the airport privatisation projects." The other areas of investment for the company in India includes metro train projects, high speed and semi-high speed train corridors, dedicated freight corridors, rural water projects and healthcare sector. "The investment in the conventional rail will be limited only to design and execution of the contract. We are not looking at asset monetisation plans of the Railway Ministry at least in the near future," Gulati clarified. ALSO READ: New Delhi Railway Station to undergo Rs 5,000 crore redevelopment; bids to be submitted by May Highways are also one of the key focus areas of the company. The company has recently bagged three toll operate-and-transfer contracts. The company has also done four railway station redevelopments for the Indian Railways and will look for upcoming opportunities in the sector. The company is also bullish on the Indian renewable energy sector and is in the process of a global acquisition in the sector to enhance presence in India. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. The first Johnson & Johnson doses have arrived in Minnesota and Gov. Walz is urging everyone to take it. The state will receive 45,200 doses of the vaccine this week and will be administered shortly after. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz - AP image Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz - AP image Minnesota currently ranks 3rd among states for the percentage of doses received that have been administered. This is an exciting development. We now have three vaccines available that are safe and highly effective in preventing severe disease, hospitalization, and death, said Governor Walz. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine will help our state quickly provide immunity and get us one step closer to ending this pandemic. We know we need broad community protection before we can get back to the normal, enjoyable parts of life we have missed, and the way we get there is by getting as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible. Everyone who has the opportunity to get this shot should take it. --- Cities and states are rapidly expanding access to vaccines as the nation races to head off a resurgence in coronavirus infections and reopen schools and businesses battered by the pandemic. The efforts come as the federal government ramps up shipments, with President Joe Biden saying the U.S. should have enough shots for all adults by the end of May. It also comes as more states are lifting restrictions like mask-wearing and reopening businesses despite warnings from health officials that it's too risky. Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and other states say teachers will get the first doses of the new one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Detroit is starting to vaccinate factory workers. And some states are vaccinating anyone 55 or older. - The Associated Press * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! ROME, MAR 3 - Police said Wednesday that they have arrested the ex husband of Ilenia Fabbri, a 46-year-old woman whose throat was slit at her home in Faenza, near Ravenna on February 6, and an acquaintance of his in relation to the murder. The husband, 53-year-old mechanic Claudio Nanni, allegedly commissioned the other man to kill his former partner. Investigators suspect that the motive is linked to Nanni's "profound resentment" at the economic demands made by the victim after the couple separated in 2018. The alleged accomplice was identified with the help of a description from the only eye-witness, a friend of the victim's daughter, and footage from a video-surveillance camera in a home in the area of the murder scene. (ANSA). HOLTVILLE, Calif. Thirteen people killed in one of the deadliest crashes involving migrants sneaking into the U.S. had entered California through a hole cut into the border fence with Mexico in what was believed to be a larger smuggling operation, officials said Wednesday. Surveillance video showed a Ford Expedition and Chevrolet Suburban drive through the opening early Tuesday, said Gregory Bovino, the Border Patrols El Centro sector chief. The Suburban carried 19 people, and it caught fire for unknown reasons on a nearby interstate after entering the U.S. All escaped the vehicle and were taken into custody by Border Patrol agents. The Expedition crammed with 25 people continued on, and a tractor-trailer struck it a short time later. Ten of the 13 killed in that crash have been identified as Mexican citizens. The Border Patrol said its agents were not pursuing the vehicle before the wreck. The opening in the fence was about 30 miles east of the crash in the heart of Californias Imperial Valley, a major farming region now at the height of a harvest that provides much of the lettuce, onions, broccoli and winter vegetables to U.S. supermarkets. It was made of steel bollards that were built before former President Donald Trump blanketed much of the border with taller barriers that go deeper into the ground. Photos show a panel of eight steel poles was lifted out and left on the ground in the desert next to an old tire and other debris. Human smugglers have proven time and again they have little regard for human life, Bovino said. Those who may be contemplating crossing the border illegally should pause to think of the dangers that all too often end in tragedy, tragedies our Border Patrol Agents and first responders are unfortunately very familiar with. The breach occurred in a busy area for illegal crossings near the Imperial Sand Dunes where migrants often climb over an aging barrier and wait for drivers to pick them up, hoping to avoid the scrutiny of Border Patrol agents at checkpoints on highways leading to Los Angeles, San Diego and Phoenix. A pandemic-related measure that allows the Border Patrol to expel people without an opportunity to seek asylum potentially leads some to try to evade authorities instead of surrendering, sometimes with fatal consequences. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention introduced expulsion powers nearly a year ago under Trump, and the Biden administration has signaled no plans to lift them anytime soon. The cause of Tuesdays collision wasnt yet known, authorities said. The Expedition is built to hold eight people safely, but smugglers are known to pack people into vehicles in extremely unsafe conditions to maximize their profits. Seats in the SUV had been removed except for those for the driver and front passenger, said Omar Watson, chief of the California Highway Patrols border division. The crash happened in an area that became a major route for illegal border crossings in the late 1990s after heightened enforcement in San Diego pushed migrants to more remote areas. Barely a mile from the crash, there is a cemetery with rows of unmarked bricks that is a burial ground for migrants who died crossing the border. In 2001, John Hunter founded Water Station, a volunteer group that leaves jugs of water in giant plastic drums for dehydrated migrants. I was trying to figure out how to stop the deaths, said Hunter, whose brother Duncan strongly advocated for border wall construction as a congressman. Illegal crossings in the area fell sharply in the mid-2000s but the area has remained a draw for migrants and was a priority for wall construction under Trump. His administrations first wall project was in Calexico. When police arrived Tuesday at the crash site about 125 miles (200 kilometers) east of San Diego, some passengers were trying to crawl out of the crumpled SUV. Others were wandering around the nearby fields. The big rigs front end was pushed into the SUVs left side and two empty trailers were jackknifed behind it. The men and women in the SUV ranged in age from 15 to 53, and those who survived had injuries that were minor to severe, including fractures and head trauma, officials said. The driver was from Mexicali, Mexico, just across the border, and was among those killed. The 68-year-old driver of the big rig, who is from the nearby California community of El Centro, suffered moderate injuries. The crash occurred around 6:15 a.m. under a clear, sunny sky at an intersection just outside the community of Holtville, about 11 miles north of the border. Authorities said the tractor-trailer was heading north on a highway when the SUV pulled in front of it from a road with a stop sign. Its not clear if the SUV ran the stop sign or had stopped before entering the highway. How fast both vehicles were going also wasnt yet known. A 1997 Ford Expedition can carry a maximum payload of 2,000 pounds. If it had 25 people inside, that would easily exceed the payload limit, taxing the brakes and making it tougher to steer the vehicle, said Frank Borris, former head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations Office of Defects Investigation. Youre going to have extended stopping distances, delayed reactions to steering inputs and potential overreaction to any type of high-speed lane change, said Borris, who now runs a safety consulting business. ___ Elliot Spagat of The Associated Press wrote this story. AP reporters Stefanie Dazio in Los Angeles, Julie Watson in San Diego, Anita Snow in Phoenix, Tom Krisher in Detroit and Mark Stevenson in Mexico City contributed. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. OCTAVE to study vaccine responses in patients with impaired immune systems A new UK study will seek to understand the immune response to COVID-19 vaccinations in patients with certain immunosuppressed conditions, including cancer. The OCTAVE trial, which is funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC), is a collaborative research project involving groups in the Universities of Glasgow, Birmingham, Oxford, Liverpool, Imperial College London and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Researchers will build on years of experience in understanding the immune system in the context of chronic conditions, to better determine the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in these clinically at-risk patient groups. People with cancer, inflammatory arthritis, diseases of the kidney or liver or who are having a stem cell transplant may be at increased risk of the more severe complications of COVID-19 infection. As a result, the rollout of vaccines is especially welcome for these vulnerable groups. However, these underlying medical conditions and the treatment that such patients receive as part of their care, may weaken the immune system. Current evidence shows that people with these medical conditions may not obtain optimal protection from established vaccines. Patients with significant underlying diseases were generally excluded from COVID-19 vaccine studies to date it is now important to confirm that the COVID-19 vaccines work well in such conditions. The OCTAVE study will investigate the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines being used in the UK in 2021, in up to 5,000 people within these patient populations. Using a variety of state-of-the-art immune tests performed on blood samples taken before and/or after COVID-19 vaccination, researchers will determine patients COVID-19 immune response and therefore the likelihood that vaccines will fully protect these groups from SARS-CoV-2 infection. Researchers have begun recruiting patients at sites across the UK and will compare results from the study group against control groups of healthy people, without these underlying diseases, who also received COVID-19 vaccines. The OCTAVE study will evaluate patients who receive COVID-19 vaccines as part of the national vaccination programme. Professor Iain McInnes, Head of the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences at the University of Glasgow who leads the OCTAVE study, said: We urgently need to understand if patient populations with chronic conditions such as cancer, inflammatory arthritis and kidney and liver disease are likely to be well-protected by current COVID-19 vaccines. The OCTAVE study will give us invaluable new data to help us answer questions of this kind from our patients and their families. Scientists do not yet know how long COVID-19 vaccines provide immunity for, and there may be an ongoing vaccination requirement against the disease for years to come. This may be especially so in people with weakened immune systems, due to drug treatments and underlying disease. Results from the OCTAVE study will help to inform how best to vaccinate patients with chronic conditions, and protect them from SAAR-CoV-2 infection. Professor Fiona Watt, Executive Chair of the Medical Research Council, which funded the study, said: This study is investigating the response to the new COVID-19 vaccines in people whose immune systems make them more vulnerable to COVID-19 and other infections. This will help ensure that those more at risk from infection receive the best protection possible. The OCTAVE study is sponsored by the University of Birmingham and is being run by the Universitys Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit (CRCTU). University of Birmingham Professor Pam Kearns, Director of the CRCTU, said: We are pleased to be supporting this important nationally collaborative study that will inform the best use of the COVID-19 vaccines to protect these vulnerable patients. Enquiries: ali.howard@glasgow.ac.uk or elizabeth.mcmeekin@glasgow.ac.uk / 0141 330 6557 or 0141 330 4831 Egyptian, Jordanian, and Palestinian foreign ministers have agreed to press on with efforts to create the opportune environment to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, calling for effective engagement by the international parties in the peace process. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry held with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi and his Palestinian counterpart Riyad Al-Malki a consultative tripartite meeting in the Egyptian capital of Cairo earlier on Wednesday, where they tackled the Palestinian cause and ways to resume negotiations to establish an independent Palestinian state. The three officials also agreed to coordinate to reach a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace that guarantees the establishment of an independent and viable Palestinian state on the borders of June 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Egypt and Jordan have been in talks with several Western parties to push forward the peace process. Cairo and Amman have been coordinating at the quartet level with Germany and France, and at the tripartite level with Palestine. During todays meeting, the ministers stressed the necessity to build on the momentum achieved over the last period to make headway in the peace process, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmed Hafez said in a statement. In February 2020, Egypt, along with Jordan, France, and Germany, formed the quartet committee, with the aim of reviving the halted negotiations. The quartet committee has so far held four meetings, the latest of which was hosted by Cairo last month, where the foreign ministers of the four countries forged 11 provisions detailed in a joint statement outlining the endeavours to revive the peace process. An anticipated meeting is expected in Paris this year. Hafez added that the FMs praised the outcomes of Februarys emergency meeting, held by the Arab League (AL) in Cairo, where the Arab foreign ministers reaffirmed that the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state will remain the Arab worlds central and fair cause. AL Secretary-General Ahmed Abu El-Gheit said the AL meeting restored a full consensus over the Palestinian cause with the blessing of Palestine. The statement added Shoukry, Safadi, and Al-Malki called, during the meeting, for ceasing all Israeli settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories. The settlement activities undermine the chances of reaching a two-state solution; moreover, they represent a violation of international legitimacy and international law resolutions, the ministers stressed. Shoukry also voiced Cairos support for all exerted efforts by the Palestinian leadership to render the Palestinian dialogue successful. He also hoped that the upcoming elections would contribute to end intra-Palestinian division. According to an announcement by the office of the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, in early February, legislative elections would be held on 22 May, followed by presidential elections on 31 July. Egypt hosted two-day talks dubbed the National Palestinian Dialogue in February, which brought together various Palestinian factions with the aim of ending inter-Palestinian differences and guarantee the success of the long-awaited elections scheduled for this year. Egypt is set to host another meeting of the National Palestinian Dialogue in March to further discuss the upcoming steps regarding the election of the national council in Palestine. Short link: A look at the major movers on the London market on Wednesday A large chunk of the Budget measures had been well flagged ahead of the actual speech, but their confirmation has still given a boost to certain sectors, notably hospitality, retail and housebuilders. News of the furlough extension and the continuation of the reduced 5% VAT rate for tourism and hospitality has boosted Whitbread PLC (LON.WTB) - owner of Premier Inns - by 194p or 5.7% to 3600p. British Airways owner International Consolidated Airlines Group (LON.IAG) - a big user of the furlough scheme - is also in demand, up 12.1p or 5.97% to 214.8p. A freeze on alcohol duty has given a lift to pub groups (albeit we don't know for sure exactly when they will be able to fully re-open), so J D Wetherspoon PLC (LON.JDW) is up 81p or 6.5% at 1327p while Mitchells and Butlers PLC (LON.MAB) is 14p or 4.71% better at 311.5p. Retailers are buoyed by business rates relief, with JD Sports Fashion PLC (LON.JD) running up a 19.4p or 2.39% gain to 832.4p. Hopes of an economic recovery have supported the banks, with Barclays PLC (LON.BARC) 6.14p or 3.79% better at 168.36p. In housing the stamp duty holiday will be extended from the end of March to June, and first-time buyers will get a Government guarantee on 95% mortgages. So Barratt Developments (LON.BDEV) is 39p or 5.7% better at 723.2p and Persimmon PLC (LON.PSN), already higher following its figures, is up 154p or 5.68% at 2864p. 2.22pm: CCTV company surges UniVision Engineering Ltd (LON.UVEL) has more than doubled after the Hong Kong based company's chairman Stephen Koo agreed to sell a 52% stake in the closed circuit television specialist at well above the current market price. Koo, who will retain around 20.5%, will receive 4.1p a share or 8.2m from Singapore IT investment group SinoCloud. In the market 's Aim-listed shares have jumped by 1.2p or 109% to 2.3p. If the deal goes ahead - and it needs due diligence, a fundraising and approval by SinoCloud shareholders - the Singapore company will make a funding facility of HK$10m available to . But UniVision has made clear that the UK takeover code does not apply and even though SinoCloud would own 52% it has no current intent to make an offer for the rest of the shares. 11.35am: Waste group upbeat on prospects Biffa PLC (LON.BIFF) has seen its shares bounce after it said the impact of the third lockdown on its earnings would be less severe than it originally thought. The waste management group said revenues in the third quarter were at 97% of the levels reached at the same time last year, and are expected to be around 92% in the final three months. Last week it completed an 87.5m deal to buy Company Shop Group, a redistributor of surplus food and household products, and it is also expanding its plastic milk bottle recyclying business. It said it was "well-positioned for a strong post pandemic future." Its shares are up 15p or 5.85% at 271.5p. 10.35am: Insurer hit by pandemic payout costs Insurer Hiscox Ltd (LON.HSX) has seen its shares drop sharply as it revealed the scars to its accounts from the pandemic. It fell into a $268m full year loss, compared to a profit of $53m last year, and admitted its growth ambitions for 2021 were modest. With the dividend cancelled for the year, its shares have dropped 11.37% or 111.6p to 870p. Analysts at UBS suggested the outlook statement would prompt modest profit downgrades and - correctly - predicted a negative reaction. Hiscox chairman Robert Childs said: "2020 got off to a good start and then came the global pandemic. Over my 48 years in the business, I have experienced most of the challenges that Mother Nature and mankind have thrown at the insurance industry, but Covid-19 and its repercussions have been one of the most testing. As a result, we expect to pay $475 million in Covid-related claims net of reinsurance, the majority for event cancellation and the remaining for business interruption and other claims. These are large sums and disappointingly means that we will make a pre-tax loss for the year of $268 million. Without Covid-19 we would have produced a profit of $207 million." It has also seen its brand damaged this year after arguments with customers over pandemic payouts, which was only resolved in the Supreme Court. Childs said: "For Hiscox UK, Covid-19 brought about a dispute with a number of our customers over the wording in some commercial property policies. Our commitment to putting things right for our customers has long been the cornerstone of the Hiscox brand. But for the first time, our reputation for paying claims quickly and without fuss came under intense scrutiny. We regret any dispute with a customer, but particularly where the policy wording was not as clear as it should have been. That is why we willingly agreed to be one of the group of insurers that assisted the FCA with the test case and we welcome the finality and certainty the Supreme Court Judgment has brought. We are now paying covered claims as quickly as possible." 9.38am: Kitchen products firm sees strong recovery Norcros PLC (LON.NXR), has built up a strong gain after a recovery in demand for its kitchen and bathroom products. Its shares have jumped 18p or 7.66% to 253p after it said full year profits were likely to beat expectations. A strong recovery in the second quarter of its financial year has continued, with revenues for the four months to 7 February 2021 rising by 117% compared to the same period last year. New houses being built in the UK boosted demand, as did increased activity levels in repair and maintenance in the UK and South Africa. It said: "The Board remains confident that the Group's leading market positions, established brands, broad distribution channels and experienced management team will deliver further growth, notwithstanding that economic conditions are likely to remain uncertain as our main markets continue to adjust to the impact of the pandemic. Consequently, it is now expected that reported underlying profit for the year to 31 March 2021 will be no less than 28m on a post-IFRS 16 basis and ahead of current market expectations of circa 25m". Peter Ashworth at Shore Capital said: "This update is highly positive. The Groups trading performance in the second half has improved markedly, with revenue ahead of the comparable period by some margin...The indication that underlying profit is likely to be no less than 3m ahead of consensus demonstrates the overall strength of the Groups trading performance, in challenging market conditions, given the pandemic. The shares have performed strongly in the last three months to date, rising by 20%. Further outperformance is likely, given this positive trading update." 8.42am: Barkby upbeat despite pub struggles Investors in The Barkby Group PLC (LON.BARK), the gastropubs operator which turned itself into a miniconglomerate, have cheered its latest update despite the impact of COVID-19 on its business. The company made a 2m net loss in the six months to December, not helped by its pubs and coffee shops having to shut during lockdown. But its diversification plan has helped support the business, with the property division in particular performing well. It completed a development in Hastings in August 2020 and sold it to Hastings Borough Council with a net balancing payment receipt of 1.8m, and has just announced the exchange of contracts for the sale of a development site at Saffron Walden. Investments in SleepHub, which specialises in sleep aids, and healthcare group Verso Biosense are both expected to pay off in terms of earnings next year. Executive chairman Charles Dickson, said: "Barkby has weathered the COVID-19 pandemic largely due to the success of our highly cash generative commercial property development business and activity has resumed apace. As we come out of lockdown, our pubs and coffee business are poised for significant growth and a return to profitability. The Group's investments in SleepHub and Verso Biosense are performing well. Our liquidity is strong and the diversification of the business means that the Group is in a strong position to benefit from the lifting of government lockdown restrictions. We look forward to the next 12 months with confidence." Its shares are up 0.75p or 3.57% to 21.75p on the news. Elsewhere Jersey Oil and Gas (LON.JOG) has jumped 11.73% or 26.5p to 252.5p following a positive report on its development project in the Greater Buchan Area of the North Sea, which has an estimated 172 million barrels of discovered and recoverable oil volumes. Chief executive Andrew Benitz said: "The Greater Buchan Area has the scale to be extremely low carbon through platform electrification at the same time as offering highly favourable project economics. As a result of a significant amount of work from Jersey Oil & Gas' excellent project team, working with specialist contractors, consultants and service providers, we are well on track to deliver on our Licence commitment to deliver the Concept Select to the Oil and Gas Authority ("OGA") by July this year. "We now plan to launch a farm-out process, which we expect to be highly attractive to a wide range of oil companies in light of the project's scale, economics and low carbon potential through platform electrification, characteristic of certain fully electrified fields offshore Norway." Proactive news headlines ( ) has been burning the (figurative) midnight oil, mining 129 Bitcoin (or equivalent) in February, up from 93 in January. ( ) told investors that it is now participating in the 's new dynamic containment service, and will have most of its operational portfolio in the service from the start of April. ( ) has completed the acquisitions of BWS Holdco (Businesswise) and General Energy Management (GEM). The company said its corporate order book has risen above 73mln as a result of the acquisitions, which are expected to enhance earnings in fiscal 2021. ( ) has reported key findings from a concept selection report for the proposed Greater Buchan Area project, in the North Sea, highlighting the potential for 172mln barrels of oil resources to be developed from a fully electrified platform. Westmount Energy Limited (LON:WTE, OTCQB:WMELF) awaits results of Exxons Bulletwood-1 exploration well offshore Guyana, as maritime reports reveal that the Stena Carron drillship is leaving the well site. (AIM: GDR) said new clinical guidance on screening to prevent antibiotic hearing loss (AHL) in babies should drive demand for its breakthrough diagnostic device. ( ) posted record profits for the six-month stage as the group, which, as the name suggests, specialises in allergy treatments for conditions such as hay fever, emerged from the period in rude health. ( ) announced it will expand its laboratory operations in San Diego, California, to include COVID-19 qPCR testing services. ( ) said managing director Robert Murray is to retire at the end of this month after 27 years with the company. His duties will be assumed by Garry Stran, who was recruited in December to be the company's chief operating officer. ( ) has appointed geospatial industry veteran Richard Weiss as European regional manager. PLC (LON:LIFE, OTCQB:WRHLF) notified investors that its name change from World High Life has become effective from today. ( ) said the open offer element of its fundraising concluded with all the available shares taken up. The fundraising remains conditional on shareholders approval at a general meeting at 10am today. FastForward Innovations Ltd ( ) is making a new corporate presentation available on its website today at http://www.fstfwd.co. ( ) will be hosting a live interactive presentation via the Investor Meet Company platform on Wednesday, 10 March at 3pm GMT. "In view of the significant increase in demand for the metals required for reducing global emissions, with platinum group metals playing a key role, the interactive presentation will provide investors with an opportunity to speak to the management of one of the largest producers of PGMs globally," the company said. ( ) said members of its management team will present at three upcoming investor conferences: Chardan's Virtual 3rd Annual Microbiome Medicines Summit on Monday March 8 at 11:45am ET (4.45pm GMT); the HC Wainwright Global Life Sciences Conference that is on-demand starting from Tuesday, March 9 at 7am ET (12pm GMT); and Oppenheimer's 31st Annual Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, March 16 at 8.40am ET (12.40pm GMT). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has admitted it did not perform contact tracing on flights that some of the earliest patients with the UK and Brazil coronavirus variants were on. In one weekly report, the federal health agency discussed a patient who traveled to the UK and came back infected with the country's highly contagious variant. However, because nearly two weeks had passed between the person's arrival and the confirmation they had the mutant strain, the CDC decided against contact tracing and just sent an informal notification to states that a variant had been detected. In another report, officials documented the first two cases of Americans infected with the variant first seen in Brazil. Once again, the CDC declined to perform m a full investigation and instead contacted individual state health departments where some passengers lived to inform them. However, the agency said that is has found no evidence to date that any additional infections resulted from the two cases. In two new reports, the CDC admitted it did not perform contact tracing for some of the earliest patients infected with UK and Brazil 'super-COVID' variants In the first report, the team looked at one of the first cases of the UK variant, known as B 1.1.7., in the U.S., which has now surpassed 2,500. The variant was first discovered in the county of Kent in September but was not deemed a 'Variant of Concern' (VOC) until December. Most estimates put it at about 70 percent more infectious than older 'wild-type' coronavirus variants. The patient, who is aged 61, visited family in the UK from November 13 to December 30, 2020. He or she was reportedly exposed to a relative with COVID-19 symptoms, such as cough, a runny nose and a headache on Christmas Eve. The patient received a negative test on December 28 ahead of traveling back to the U.S., but then began experiencing symptoms the following day. The patient was exposed on Christmas Eve, developed a runny nose a few days later, but was cleared to fly home. After confirming the patient had the UK variant, CDC did not perform contact tracing because 12 days had passed since the person's flight. There are now more than 2,500 cases in the U.S. On December 30, the patient disclosed a runny nose during a pre-travel interview but was still cleared to fly from London to Dallas, Texas, on the same day. The patient arrived in the U.S. on December 31, stayed overnight in a hotel and then drove home, which took around eight hours and including stops at two restaurants, two gas stations and a grocery store. After symptoms progressed to include a loss of taste and smell, severe headache, chills, and a dry cough, the patients was tested on January 3, which came back positive on January 4. Within a few days, genome sequencing confirmed that the patient was infected with the B.1.1.7. variant. The Texas Department of State Health Services shared the patient's flight information with the CDC on January 11. But the CDC did not perform contact tracing because 12 days had passed since the flight and, instead, sent 'an informational notification to the states because of the variant case.' In the Minnesota cases, heath officials contacted the CDC and told them the patients had been on an international and domestic flight. Once again, the DC did not perform contact tracing because 19 days had passed since the flights In the second report, CDC officials detailed a case in which a patient was infected with the Brazil variant, known as P.!. This variant first caught international attention when four travelers arriving to Tokyo from Manaus, Brazil, tested positive on January 2. The variant has the same spike protein mutation as the highly transmissible versions found in Kent and South Africa named N501Y which makes the spike better able to bind to receptors inside the body. The patient was a Minnesota resident who became ill during the first week of January and was hospitalized for nine days. After testing positive for COVID-19, the patient told investigators they had traveled to southeastern Brazil within 14 days before symptoms began. Both the patient and their travel partner, who also tested positive, were found to be infected with the Brazilian variant. The Minnesota Department of Health notified the CDC that the patients had been on both an international flight and a domestic flight. But the CDC did not do a full contact investigation, 'because 19 days had passed since the flights.' Instead the CDC obtained information for potentially exposed passengers and notified health departments in their states of residence. Neither the patient with the UK variant nor the patients with the Brazil variant are believed to have spread the virus to anybody. It is unclear why the CDC did not perform a full contact investigation. On its website, the agency does not The federal health agency did not immediately reply to DailyMail.com's request for comment. Liz Canavan said the UK variant of the virus now accounted for about 90% of all Covid-19 cases in Ireland (Brian Lawless/PA) A senior Government official has appealed to any young person who slipped up and attended a street party in Limerick to come forward for Covid-19 testing if they have concerns. Liz Canavan, assistant secretary at the Department of the Taoiseach, said it would not be fair to generalise following the scenes on the streets in Limerick as most young people were adhering to public health measures. Videos on social media showed a large crowd of revellers in the Castletroy area of the city on Tuesday night. Three people were arrested after gardai broke up the student street party. Gardai also issued approximately 30 fixed payment notices for Covid-19 regulation breaches. We have to have patience and keep remembering that this virus is not finished with us yet Liz Canavan Speaking at Government Buildings, Ms Canavan said: It would be easy to generalise but it wouldnt be fair and it wouldnt be accurate. The majority of young people are doing great and they have missed out on a lot. If you have slipped up and were part of last nights events, the best thing you can do is come forward for Covid testing. Representatives from the University of Limerick met gardai on Wednesday to discuss the incident. In a statement, a spokesman for the university said: UL has consistently liaised and worked with gardai to remind students of their personal responsibility to follow government and institutional guidelines. UL has provided resources for high-visibility Covid-19 Garda policing with a focus on estates in the immediate vicinity of the campus. Students at UL are subject to a code of conduct. Any student found to have attended the gathering will face suspension, pending a full investigation, or possible expulsion University of Limerick UL deplores the behaviour of a small minority of students living in the off-campus estates in private rented accommodation. Following a policing operation and continued and orchestrated non-compliance with public health regulations and failing to comply with directions from An Garda Siochana, gardai were forced to intervene in the situation. A number of individuals were arrested and fixed charge notices were issued following the incident. The university is conducting an investigation to identify any UL students who took part in the gathering, which represents a serious breach of both the public health restrictions and the institutional code of conduct. Students at UL are subject to a code of conduct. Any student found to have attended the gathering will face suspension, pending a full investigation, or possible expulsion. Ms Canavan went on to say that the UK variant of the virus accounts for about 90% of all Covid-19 cases in Ireland. Expand Close Liz Canavan said the return to school is not a signal to return to work (Brian Lawless/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Liz Canavan said the return to school is not a signal to return to work (Brian Lawless/PA) On average, one in three household contacts of confirmed cases of this new B117 variant are now testing positive, she said. With the earlier variant, less than one in five household contacts were testing positive. This means that we have to work as hard, if not harder, to interrupt transmission. She added: What we must not forget is how easily the trajectory can turn, especially with the new variant of the disease. This is the moment when we have to have patience and keep remembering that this virus is not finished with us yet. Ms Canavan described the return of schoolchildren to classrooms this week as a welcome step forward, but urged parents not to congregate around school gates and not to arrange playdates for their children. She warned that the latest data from the Economic and Social Research Institute (Esri) shows there has been a notable increase in workplace, retail and recreation movement. Data for the week ending February 26 revealed a 14% increase in workplace mobility in the month, while retail and recreation was up 4%. Ms Canavan described footfall in busy towns and cities as creeping up steadily, with monthly volumes in Dublin up 17% on the previous month. It represents an increase of 547,000 people moving around. Overall traffic volumes were up 8% on the previous week, and 9% since January, with every county showing an increase in traffic week on week. I cannot emphasise enough that we must all continue to work from home, unless our work is deemed essential work, which requires our physical presence, she said. And we are asking employers to ensure they are facilitating this. Our return to school is not a signal to return to work; in fact, it could jeopardise our plans. We also need to stay within our five-kilometre radius even though it is difficult. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain A coronavirus variant that was first detected in Brazil has emerged in Oregon, the first known case of the new variant on the contiguous U.S. West Coast, medical authorities said Tuesday. The sample was sent to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at the end of January by medical officials in Douglas County, Oregon. They said they received the results back on Monday night, which showed the P.1 variant. "The P.1 variant ... appears to be related to business travel outside the United States to and from Brazil," the Douglas County COVID-19 Response Team said in a statement Tuesday. The variant, which was first found in Manaus, Brazil, appears to be more contagious than other COVID-19 strains. It can potentially be contracted by someone who was already infected or who has been vaccinated. There have been 10 additional cases of the P.1 variant reported in the U.S., with five in Florida, two in Minnesota and one each in Oklahoma, Alaska and Maryland, the CDC says. Health officials in Douglas County, located in western Oregon, said they are awaiting results of other samples that were sent to the CDC for genome sequence DNA testing for emerging COVID-19 variants. The Oregon Health Authority said the unidentified person who contracted the Brazilian variant has been working closely with the local health department and has been self-isolating. Health officials on Tuesday also reported 13 new coronavirus-related deaths in the state, raising the known death toll to 2,225. There were 269 new confirmed and presumptive cases in the state, for a total of 156,037, authorities said. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. The company has two advanced high grade iron ore assets on a fast track to production at a period of strong iron ore prices and a positive outlook. Tony Sage has exercised 5 million options with a total value of $125,000. ( ) executive chairman Tony Sage continues to demonstrate that his confidence in the companys near-term iron ore production strategy is sky-high through the early exercising of options. He has exercised 5 million options for a total value of $125,000. These options were exercisable at 2.5 cents each and were due to expire on March 31, 2022. Converting the options into shares means that Sage holds over 21.673 million shares of combined interest in the company. The latest show of support follows Sage exercising 5 million options in early January worth $100,000. The company is well-placed to benefit from continuing strong iron ore market fundamentals, including increased demand and higher prices. China recently outlined its new 15-year plan which further boosts confidence for FEL and the industry as a whole. This is reflected somewhat by an increase in FELs market cap to approximately $30.8 million and an improvement in the share price to $0.045 today after hitting $0.063 in January 2021, a new high of three years. Strongly supported placement FEL completed a $5.5 million placement to fully fund the development capital at its near-term production JWD West Wiluna Iron Ore Project near Wiluna in Western Australia on February 18. This placement and the exercising of options have put the company in a strong position to carry out the following activities: Develop the JWD West Wiluna deposit; and Undertake evaluation works on the Yarram Iron Ore Project, which will include further resource drill-out, project approvals and milestone payment. Near-term production FEL remains on track to begin mining at JWD in the short-term and is finalising key mining and sales contracts. It aims to make the first shipment in the June quarter, alongside an assessment of second-phase mining at the project, which the company hopes to begin in the September quarter. The company also has a 50% stake in the Yarram Project in the Northern Territory as part of its two-pronged iron ore production strategy. Yarram is around 110 kilometres from Darwin Port and FEL intends to commence drilling, environmental and stakeholder work in the coming months. It is anticipated that the first iron ore product will ship from Yarram three months after a development decision, which is expected in the December quarter, following exploratory drilling and a JORC resource estimate. Management at Cork Airport has hit back at Ryanair and defended the decision to upgrade its main runway this year. With the airports passenger numbers down 99% during the pandemic, they said it made prudent business sense to fast-track major capital investment projects now, while the airport is extremely quiet. The airport hit back after Ryanair confirmed its Cork base will not reopen until winter 2021, at the earliest, blaming what it described as the airports crazy plan to dig up its runway across September, October and November. Ryanair said it would continue to fly to and from Cork this summer but only with aircraft that are based at other airports, such as London Stansted. Ryanair also criticised the Governments failed international travel restrictions which are imposed on inbound airport and port visitors, while its 300-mile border with Northern Ireland remains open. Micheal Martins Government needs to provide a clear roadmap for the recovery of Cork Airport, which, in fact, continues to be the most expensive of Irelands major airports, the airline said. It has failed to offer any Covid recovery incentives, and now plans to undertake runway works during the months of September, October and November which would prevent Ryanairs Cork-based aircraft taking off early in the morning or returning late in the evening." The airline did say, however, that it remains committed to Cork Airport. Ryanair said it would continue to fly to and from Cork this summer but only with aircraft that are based at other airports, such as London Stansted. Picture: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie But Cork Airports spokesman Kevin Cullinane said the airport management team has been engaged with all its major stakeholders, including Ryanair, in relation to the runway upgrade project since last autumn. The majority of our airline customers are strongly in favour of the runway work being done this year, he said. This runway reconstruction project is vital for the future of the airport and our aim is to complete with the least possible disruption and at the lowest cost. The reconstruction of the main runway, when completed later this year, will be a key strategic asset for the south of Ireland for the next 20 years. He said they consulted more than a dozen other international airports in the UK and continental Europe which have completed similar runway projects in recent years. Airports adopt a range of technical solutions and working windows, but the aim is always the same to complete the project as quickly and efficiently as possible, using the optimum technical solution, at the lowest cost, he said. Senator Jerry Buttimer urged the airline to engage positively with the management team at Cork Airport. Ryanair should stop playing politics with Cork Airport and rather engage in a meaningful way with the airport authorities to ensure that services are ready to restart whenever public health guidelines allow and there is demand again, he said. Public tendering for the runway upgrade started in November and it is hoped that the contract will be awarded in May. Mr Cullinane also pointed out that landing charges at Cork Airport have not increased in more than 14 years, and that the airport hopes to table a generous incentive scheme to its airline customers soon, which he said would have charges lower than those at Dublin Airport. Cork Airport was the fastest-growing airport in Ireland in 2019. Two men have been arrested after 17,500 worth of cocaine was discovered in a car in Co Limerick last night by Gardai and sniffer dog Bouncer. Gardai said they were alerted to the activities of a number of men and a vehicle in the College Court Drive area during ongoing operations in Castletroy, Limerick. Following a search of the vehicle, involving Garda Dog Bouncer of the Southern Region Garda Dog Unit, cocaine with an estimated street value of 17,500 along with 800 in cash was seized, Gardai said. Read More Two men were arrested at the scene and brought to Henry Street Garda station where they are currently detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice Act (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996. Gardai added that investigations are ongoing. From todays Down in Alabama podcast: During the COVID-related shutdowns Alabama and other states have had to varying degrees since last spring, one of the things that stuck in some peoples craw is what governments were considering essential and non-essential businesses and organizations. And now some lawmakers want to stop future orders from deciding who is more essential than whom. On todays briefing well talk about a bill with that goal passing the Alabama House -- and why many House Democrats were opposed to it. Also, we have a Tuscaloosa mayoral election and the new secretary of the U.S. Senate from Alabama. The Down in Alabama podcast is short and free. Listen to it by clicking on the player above or subscribe by looking for Down in Alabama on the device of your choosing. Get this and other AL.com newsletters here. Click here for the Spotify podcast page Click here for the Alexa skill page on Amazon Click here for the Amazon Music podcast page Click here for the iTunes podcast page New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (L) and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio speak during a press conference to discuss the first positive case of novel coronavirus in New York State in New York City on Mar. 2, 2020. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images) NYC Mayor Says Cuomo Should Resign If Allegations Are Proven True New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said the states Gov. Andrew Cuomo should resign from his post if an independent investigation confirms some of the recent allegations made against him, including the nursing home scandal and sexual harassment claims. State Attorney General Letitia James confirmed in a statement on March 1 that they are moving forward with an independent investigation into allegations of sexual harassment claims, that were made against the governor. The findings of the review will be disclosed in a public report. De Blasio said Cuomo should of course resign if any of the recent claims are proven correct, during an interview with CNNs Jake Tapper. I dont see how anyone can function as a governor and have the trust of the people and the respect of the people, if they purposefully covered up the deaths of thousands of our seniors, our elders, family members, beloved family members who are gone, de Blasio said on March. 1. If you cover that up, or if you did things for reasons that had to do with politics or contributions, and if youve sexually harassed young women in your employment, these are disqualifying realities. How could anyone look the people in the face after that? he said. If these allegations, if these charges are proven, theres just no way he can govern. There are increasing bipartisan calls for Cuomo to resign or be impeached. On March 2, six New York Democrats issued a letter calling for Cuomos impeachment over his handling of the states CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus response and the mounting sexual harassment allegations against him. Cuomo, 63, has been accused of harassment by three women, two of whom are former aides. He has also been under fire for withholding COVID-19 death data from state lawmakers and the public. As the fallout continued to grow, New Yorks state legislature announced on March 2 that it had reached a deal to repeal the governors emergency powers. State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, both Democrats, made the announcement but didnt specify when a vote will be held. Some members of the New York Congress are also now considering running against Cuomo in 2022 amid the growing scrutiny. Reps. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) and Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) both indicated that they will consider a run against Cuomo, with Zeldin moving forward by making a statement on Twitter about his intention. Meanwhile, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) defended Cuomos right to due process, saying he believes all sexual assault allegations should be treated the same, whether they are directed toward Democrats or Republicans. Graham cited the treatment of conservative Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh by Senate Democrats during his confirmation hearing. We had days and weeks of hearings, we had another FBI investigation, we took it seriously. And what should you do as Democrats regarding Cuomo? Do exactly what Republicans did, call for an independent investigation, take it seriously, Graham told Fox News Sean Hannity. New York state health officials underreported COVID-19-related nursing home deaths by as much as 50 percent in some places, according to a report released by Attorney General Letitia James. The 76-page report (pdf) released Jan. 28 follows an investigation by Jamess office into claims of neglect of patients and other conduct that allegedly led to the deaths of nursing home residents and employees. Not long after that report, a top aide to Cuomo apologized to Democratic lawmakers for withholding data on virus deaths in nursing homes in an effort to avoid scrutiny from federal prosecutors. The admission of the alleged coverup was made by Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa during a video conference call with state Democratic leaders on Feb. 11, according to an audio recording obtained by the New York Post. Cuomos office has denied the allegations of the first two women who came forward. In a statement on Feb. 28, he acknowledged that some of his interactions with women may have been insensitive or too personal. The statement maintained that Cuomo has never inappropriately touched anybody and said his office would cooperate with an investigation. The governor has stopped short of a full apology over his role in the nursing home scandal while acknowledging that because they failed to answer questions from the public, the state created a void filled with skepticism, and cynicism, and conspiracy theories which furthered the confusion. Jack Phillips and Isabel van Brugen contributed to this report. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-04 04:51:09|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MEXICO CITY, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced on Wednesday that state-run oil company Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) reached an agreement with Brazil's Odebrecht to renegotiate a contract for the supply of ethane gas, which it considered "unfair," with one of its subsidiaries. In his daily morning press conference, the president explained that the company Braskem Idesa will pay more for the supply of gas in the agreement with Pemex, which will allow savings of 13,749 million pesos (about 667 million U.S. dollars). In an effort to stop corruption and impunity, Lopez Obrador said, "That is why we have reviewed contracts that we considered unfair, that were signed so national and foreign individuals could make lucrative deals under the protection of public authority at the expense of the budget, which is the people's money," he added. Director General of Pemex Octavio Romero pointed out that the original 20-year agreement, which has been "detrimental" to the Mexican company, was signed in February 2010 during the administration of former President Felipe Calderon. According to Romero, the agreement on the petrochemical plant Etileno XXI in the state of Veracruz established that if Pemex did not deliver the ethane gas agreed upon, it would have to pay penalties of up to 200 percent of the cost. On Feb. 26, Pemex and Braskem Idesa signed an agreement modifying the contract, which said that the Mexican company will not have to pay penalties generated since the start of the current administration in December 2018, which is estimated at 147 million U.S. dollars. Odebrecht was embroiled in a scandal after admitting to having paid bribes in 12 countries for up to about 778 million U.S. dollars. Former Director General of Pemex Emilio Lozoya is currently facing legal proceedings over the Odebrecht scheme as well as a case of alleged use of illicit funds linked to Pemex's million-dollar purchase of a fertilizer plant. Enditem CHISINAU -- The European Union regards Moldova's new leadership with sympathy and has shown its readiness to help it fight corruption and reform its judiciary, President Maia Sandu has told RFE/RL, adding that the East European state needs to take advantage of this opportunity. A U.S.-educated former adviser with the World Bank, Sandu defeated Moscow-backed incumbent Igor Dodon in November 2020 on a pledge to fight entrenched corruption and improve relations with the European Union. "I've seen very much support and a lot of openness, unprecedented openness toward Moldova...which gives us enormous opportunities," Sandu said on March 3. "We must seize this moment, because the people expect responsible decisions and actions mainly in the fight against corruption and judiciary reform," Sandu said. Moldova is one of Europes poorest countries and is sharply divided between those who support closer ties with Russia and those who advocate stronger links to Brussels and neighboring EU member Romania. "I would say that our country hasn't enjoyed such openness in a very long time. We need to take advantage of this situation on all fronts, including in acquiring more vaccines [to fight the pandemic]," Sandu said. Standoff With Parliament The country has lagged behind the rest of the continent in the scramble for anti-COVID-19 vaccines and welcomed donations from friendly governments. The Moldovan drug regulator last month registered three vaccines -- Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and the Russian-made Sputnik V -- for use in Moldova. The government this week said it expects a first shipment of vaccines under the global COVAX scheme for poorer countries. Last week, Romania donated 21,600 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to the country of 3.5 million that has registered almost 190,000 infections and more than 4,000 fatalities. Sandu, who is currently embroiled in a standoff with the parliament dominated by lawmakers allied with Dodon, has repeatedly said she wants to push for snap elections in order to acquire a working majority in the 101-seat legislature. Moldova's Constitutional Court last month rejected Sandu's second attempt to nominate a prime minister, hindering her effort to force early elections. Sandu had nominated Natalia Gavrilita unsuccessfully for a second time on February 11 despite parliament's earlier rejection of Gavrilita. The second nomination appeared intended to clear a path for Sandu to dissolve parliament and call early elections. Sandu's former party, the Party of Action and Solidarity, hopes a new vote would leave them stronger relative to Dodon's Socialists. More than 70 percent of the people want early elections. Who are these lawmakers, who acceded to parliament through fraud, to act against the will of 70 percent of the people? Sandu said, adding that the dispute could be eventually settled through a referendum. "If no compromise can be reached, this conflict must be settled by the citizens in a referendum to either suspend the president or call early elections." The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the killing of three women working for a local radio and TV station in eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday. The attacks in Jalalabad are the latest in a spike of targeted killings that have seen judges, journalists and other professionals ambushed by gunmen or killed by car bombs. The killings have escalated since peace talks began last year between the Afghan government and the Taliban, sparking fears that the insurgents are eliminating perceived opponents. The three women - Mursal Wahidi, Sadia Sadat and a woman named only as Shahnaz - were aged between 18 and 20. They were shot and killed in two separate attacks after they left the Enikass TV station where they worked on Tuesday. On Wednesday, dozens of people gathered to mourn at the women's funerals. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the killing of three women working for a local radio and TV station in eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday. Pictured: Mourners attend the funeral of one of the women on Wednesday The three women - Mursal Wahidi, Sadia Sadat and a woman named only as Shahnaz - were aged between 18 and 20. They were shot and killed in two separate attacks after they left the Enikass TV station where they worked on Tuesday. Pictured: Mourners at the funeral of one of the women on Wednesday Afghan officials said police had arrested the killer and identified him as Qari Baser, insisting he was a member of the Taliban. The claim was promptly denied by Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid. Nangarhar police chief, General Juma Gul Hemat, said Baser had used a pistol with a silencer in the attacks and was arrested shortly afterwards. The ISIS claim, posted late on Tuesday, contradicted the Afghan government's accusations against the Taliban. ISIS said the women were targeted because they worked for one of the 'media stations loyal to the apostate Afghan government'. Targeted killings have escalated since peace talks began last year between the Afghan government and the Taliban, sparking fears that the insurgents are eliminating perceived opponents. Pictured: Relatives transport the coffin of Sadia Sadat, one of the women killed in Tuesday's attacks The attacks in Jalalabad are the latest in a spike of targeted killings that have seen judges, journalists and other professionals ambushed by gunmen or killed by car bombs. Pictured: The funeral of Sadia Sadat, one of the women killed in Tuesday's attacks It was not the first attack on women working at Enikass Radio and TV. In December, ISIS claimed the killing of another female employee there, Malala Maiwand. Friends and family gathered in Jalalabad on Wednesday to bury their loved ones as they pleaded for an end to the killings. Mohammad Nazif said his cousin Sadia Sadat was just 18 years old, and that she had been working at the TV station over the past year to help support her family. 'Her family was very happy for her to work in TV. She had not received any warnings,' Nazif told AFP news agency. 'I don't know why the militants target such innocent girls. I ask them to stop the targeted killing of media workers.' A colleague at Enikass TV who spoke on condition of anonymity said the station was reeling from the murders, describing the three victims as being like 'family'. 'Three innocent girls were shot dead in the daylight in the middle of the city. Nobody is safe anymore,' said the colleague. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani condemned Tuesday's attacks, saying that assaults on 'innocent compatriots, especially women, are contrary to the teachings of Islam, Afghan culture and the spirit of peace.' ISIS said the women were targeted because they worked for one of the 'media stations loyal to the apostate Afghan government'. Pictured: The father of Sadia Sadat waits outside a mortuary to receive her body The Afghan police blame the Taliban for the killings and have arrested a man they claim is a member of the group. This was denied by the Taliban's spokesman. Pictured: Hospital staff check the bodies of the women killed in Tuesday's attacks before releasing them to their families Shokrullah Pasoon of Enikass Radio and TV in Jalalabad - the station the women worked for - said one of them, Mursal Wahidi, was walking home when gunmen opened fire, according to eyewitnesses. The other two were shot and killed in a separate incident, also walking home from work. Two other people, apparently passersby, were reportedly wounded in the shooting attacks. The three women dubbed popular and often emotion-laden dramas from Turkey and India into Afghanistan's local languages of Dari and Pashtu, added Pasoon, the station's news editor said. Enikass Radio and TV is a privately owned outlet that broadcasts 'news, various political, social, Islamic, educational, satirical, and engaging programs and standard dubbing of serials and movies for the people of Afghanistan,' according to its website. Afghanistan is considered one of the most dangerous countries in the world for media workers. Tuesday's killings brought to 15 the number of media workers killed in Afghanistan in the last six months. Afghanistan is considered one of the most dangerous countries in the world for media workers. Tuesday's killings brought to 15 the number of media workers killed in Afghanistan in the last six months. Pictured: Mourners carry the coffin of one of the women killed in Tuesday's attacks The slayings of the women are part of a larger spike in targeted killings in the country in the past year, coinciding with the signing of a peace deal between the United States and the Taliban in February 2020. The Taliban have denied involvement in most of the targeted killings. Both the group and the government blame the other for staging the attacks to discredit the peace deal or leverage greater concessions. US officials also blame the Taliban for the wave of violence, while the Kabul government said the insurgents routinely hide behind IS claims to cover their tracks, a charge denied by the Taliban. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani (pictured) condemned Tuesday's attacks, saying that assaults on 'innocent compatriots, especially women, are contrary to the teachings of Islam, Afghan culture and the spirit of peace.' [File photo] The Biden administration is reviewing the peace deal which calls for the withdrawal of US and NATO troops by May 1. Officials say no decision has been made. The surge in violence has prompted concerns that the Taliban, who ruled most of Afghanistan from 1996-2001, could return to power following the potential US withdrawal. Democracy is fragile in Afghanistan, where the government is held together by a tentative power-sharing deal following a contested presidential election in 2019. The devastation of a 20-year conflict has taken a toll on the country's infrastructure and economy and half of its territory is either in Taliban hands or being contested by the group. Attacks on Afghan security forces have decimated defences and made it even more difficult for the state to combat the constant threat of insurgency and keep civilians safe. The North Cornwall Township Board of Supervisors released a statement on officer Joseph Fischer, who has been arrested on charges connected to the Jan. 6 riot at the United States Capitol. Police Officer Joseph Fischer remains on unpaid suspension as required by the Pennsylvania Confidence in Law Enforcement Act, the statement read. The Township will continue to monitor developments in the case brought by the United States against Mr. Fischer. There are no further updates regarding Officer Fischer at this time and the Township has no further comment. The statement continued on to add that North Cornwall Police Chief John Leahy had voluntarily resigned following the charges, and as with Officer Fischer, the Township has no further comment. The statement was issued at the Board of Supervisors meeting on March 2, held at the Lebanon Valley Exposition Center. The meeting was attended by roughly two dozen people, including a few members of the media. The floor was then opened to public comments from North Cornwall residents, some of whom inquired about the specifics of the suspension while others asked that the board not rush to judgment. According to authorities, Fischer posted comments on his Facebook profile, under the username SV Spindrift, bragging about storming the Capitol. He also published a video that includes himself in a crowd of people pushing the capitol police officers. Below is the townships statement in full: North Cornwall Township does not usually comment on personnel matters. However, in view of the public interest in recent events, it will provide these comments. Police Officer Joseph Fischer remains on unpaid suspension as required by the Pennsylvania Confidence in Law Enforcement Act. The Township will continue to monitor developments in the case brought by the United States against Mr. Fischer. There are no further updates regarding Officer Fischer at this time and the Township has no further comment. Chief John Leahy has voluntarily elected to resign his employment with North Cornwall Township. As with Officer Fischer, the Township has no further comment. As it has previously indicated, the Township recognizes each citizens right of free speech and association as well as his or her right to a presumption of innocence regarding any pending criminal charges. The Township also expects all citizens to understand that the exercise of the right of free speech and the right to association comes with a responsibility to accept the consequences of ones actions. Neither the Township nor any officer or employee endorses, accepts or condones any alleged participation in a crime against the United States nor any act committed by any individual who may have illegally breached the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021. The North Cornwall Township and its Police Department is dedicated to the proposition that they are responsible for the health, safety and welfare of the residents which they are sworn to protect. The Board of Township Supervisors wishes to express its gratitude to its residents as it works to ensure that all appropriate questions are asked and measures undertaken to protect the continuing professionalism of the Police Department. Now students will be able to go into a lab and identify the anatomical components of the cannabis plant to cultivate and cure and dry cannabis in preparation for processing, to learn about the health of the cannabis plant and how to safely use pesticides and nutrients, and about all the safety and sanitary standards that are required when growing cannabis, he said. While the scenes in College Court in Limerick last night were disturbing and disappointing, they are far from surprising for anyone from Limerick. It is well known that College Court is usually on wheels on Monday and Thursday nights during the two college semesters, and it is the known party spot for students and younger non-students for years. As a former UL student, I have seen things in College Court that would have surprised Nostradamus and, unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic has not halted some of this gusto when it comes to parties. These videos that went viral further deflated people and maddened them. Many will feel like the rules apply to them but dont for others. The last year has been torture for so many loved ones, livelihoods, weddings, birthdays, graduations and proper goodbyes all lost to Covid-19. Its obvious that as a nation, our spirit and mental health are suffering due to restrictions enacted in an attempt to push back a cruel virus. The prospect of freedom is drawing closer, we are seeing more people vaccinated every day and hospitalisations and cases are falling, but scenes like this seem to push that freedom further down the road. Gardai arrested five people in connection with the gathering last night. Three on drugs charges and two for flouting public health regulation. Another 50 fines were issued to people in attendance. UL President Kerstin Mey indicated that the university would take actions with strong disciplinary measures for students found in contravention of public health guidance at this gathering, and rightly so. It is worth noting that College Court is not an official UL accommodation centre, but rather a housing estate of privately-owned residences situated right beside UL. There is a certain tolerance and expectation almost, that students will diverge from the path of the righteous at times but during a pandemic, all bets are off. Read More Some may think a lot is being asked of students to abstain from social gatherings but tell that to the thousands of families grieving loved ones, to the thousands of business owners on the brink of financial ruin and to the thousands of health care workers who have faced hellish conditions for the last 12 months on all of our behalf. Not gathering in groups of 50 or 60 seems a relatively small price to pay in contrast. Earlier today Nphet revealed that public health teams were dealing with 13 open outbreaks in third-level institutions as it was confirmed that outbreaks in colleges are leading to wider community outbreaks. Deputy chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said a significant number of clusters in the community are associated with students who attend third level in the west and midwest. Its clear that similar gatherings to this are happening and its clear they are negatively affecting Limerick as a whole, which has the fourth highest incidence of Covid-19 in the country. Again, I would suggest it is a small minority of students who are attending these gatherings. While people across the country are rightly infuriated by the viral video clips showing dozens of people closely congregated, singing, drinking on the street and setting off fireworks, I would hazard a guess that it has annoyed the majority of UL students just as much, if not more. It must be remembered that it was just dozens who were in attendance out of a student population of over 17,000 at the University of Limerick. And as is often the case with parties in College Court, it may not just have been UL students in attendance. As we have seen in recent days, some people are very quick to cast judgment online, and now the UL student community as a whole is being branded as reckless by some when this is simply not the case. The first people who took to social media last night to condemn the actions of a thoughtless few, from what I could see, were fellow UL students. The line rolled out again and again by frustrated onlookers was: Well done, ye are making the rest of us look bad. It must also be remembered that most students who are following public health guidance are having a tough time of things, too. Not only are the majority of them trying to complete degrees remotely, many students work part-time jobs in supermarkets, shops, pharmacies, and food outlets where they face the risk of infection daily. Some students who have to physically attend university are not seeing their families for fear they will infect them, as the incidence of the virus is so high among UL students. The last thing they need is the Twitter mob rocking up and kicking them when they are down. Many students are just as peeved by this behaviour as everybody else. This was a small cluster of the hundreds of UL students who live in College Court, which is just one estate among dozens housing students in Castletroy. Any corrective action taken due to these videos must be done with this in mind. Or else we are just throwing the baby out with the bathwater, which will just serve to further disillusion law-abiding, third-level students even more. Read More Chinese labour programmes for Uighurs in Xinjiang are designed in part to reduce the population of the ethnic minority group, a study accidentally published online states. The report, written by academics at Nankai University, was taken offline in mid-2020 after being published in December 2019. But an archived copy was discovered and saved by a researcher outside of China before the university realised its mistake, the BBC reported. Dr Adrian Zenz, a leading scholar on Chinese policy towards Uighurs, analysed the report and produced an English translation. The report states that the long term measure of moving Uighurs to new jobs outside of the group's heartland in Xinjiang 'not only reduces the Uighur population density in Xinjiang, but also is an important method to influence, melt and assimilate Uighur minorities.' Chinese labour programmes for Uighurs in Xinjiang are designed in part to reduce the population of the ethnic minority group, a study accidentally published online states. The report, written by academics at Nankai University, was taken offline in mid-2020 after being published in December 2019. But an archived copy was discovered and saved by a researcher outside of China before the university realised its mistake. Pictured: A detention centre in Xinjiang [File photo] 'Let them gradually change their thinking and understanding, and transform their values and outlook on life through a change of environment and through labour work,' the report said, recommending that the programmes be expanded to eastern and central regions of the country. Dr Zenz described the comment as 'the most stunning admission of this report,' telling the BBC that the authors of the study were what made it particularly interesting. 'This is an unprecedented, authoritative source written by leading academics and former government officials with high-level access to Xinjiang itself,' he said. China has denied accusations of forced labour and labour transfers, which some human rights experts and foreign government have said amount to cultural genocide, along with the so-called 're-education centres' in Xinjiang where some one million Uighurs have been arbitrarily detained. The Chinese government has said that the work programmes are voluntary and are aimed at tackling poverty. The report also emphasised the 'voluntary' nature of the programmes, but provided information that appeared to contradict that, including worker export targets and the need for security guards in the labour sourcing teams. In a statement to the BBC, the Chinese government said that the report 'reflects only the author's personal view and much of its contents are not in line with the facts.' At times, the report appears to suggest that the measures against the Uighur population, which is mostly Muslim, have been too extreme, noting that the number of Uighurs placed in detention centres 'far exceeds' those suspected of having extremist links. 'The entire Uighur population should not be assumed to be rioters, the report said. 'This is very detrimental to the long term stability of Xinjiang.' An estimated one million Uighurs have been forcibly detained in China amid reports of forced sterilisation, sexual assault of women, intense surveillance and destruction of cultural and religious practices and sites. China has repeatedly denied the accusations. Pictured: The Chinese flag flies over a housing compound in Xinjiang [File photo] Chinese authorities have said that the so-called 're-education centres' in Xinjiang are for vocational training and to combat religious extremism. Previously, China denied the existence of the detention camps. The crackdown on Uighurs followed two brutal attacks on pedestrians in Beijing 2013 and Kunming in 2014, which were blamed on Uighur extremists. China is believed to be seeking to 're-educate' Uighurs by replacing perceived cultural and religious loyalties with allegiance to the Communist Party. The report said that some local and provincial authorities were refusing to accept workers from Xinjiang on 'security grounds' - a situation which it said created a 'serious obstacle' to the country's goals. Dr Zenz's review of the report included legal analysis by the former senior adviser to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, Erin Farrell Rosenberg. Rosenberg found 'credible grounds to conclude' that the labour transfer programme met the criteria of two crimes against humanity - persecution and forcible transfer. 'There is substantial evidence that the Chinese government is carrying out a widespread and systematic attack against the Uighur civilian population pursuant to a government policy,' Rosenberg said. An estimated one million Uighurs have been forcibly detained in China amid reports of forced sterilisation, sexual assault of women, intense surveillance and destruction of cultural and religious practices and sites. Chinese authorities have said that the so-called 're-education centres' in Xinjiang are for vocational training and to combat religious extremism. Previously, China denied the existence of the detention camps. Pictured: Uighurs during a lesson at a centre in Kashgar, Xinjiang on January 4, 2019 [File photo] China has continually denied the allegations and said on Tuesday that it was discussing a visit to Xinjiang by UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet. Bachelet said on Friday that a thorough and independent assessment of the situation in Xinjiang was necessary following reports of arbitrary detention, sexual violence and forced labour. 'The door to Xinjiang is always open, and we welcome the high commissioner to visit Xinjiang,' China's delegate Jiang Duan told the UN human rights council. 'Communication is kept up between the two sides, but the aim of the visit is to provide exchanges and cooperation rather than so-called investigation based on 'guilty before proven'. In 1887, San Antonio architect Alfred Giles designed a 163-foot monument for Alamo Plaza meant to honor the memory of the Alamo defenders who had died 51 years earlier in the legendary battle for Texas independence. Giles envisioned a monument made of granite, marble, steel and reinforced concrete. The Alamo Monument Association approved it and a fundraising campaign raised $25,000, a pretty hefty sum at the time. Nonetheless, nothing ever came of Giles design. In 1912, a new, more ambitious idea emerged. That year, the newly formed Alamo Heroes Monument Association developed a plan for a structure that would be 802 feet tall, with an 85 square foot base. It would contain a huge lobby, four elevators, museums, art galleries, a balcony with telescopes to provide a 100-mile view and a surrounding monument consisting of 12 columns of Texas granite. It never happened. I bring up this ancient San Antonio history to make two points: 1. Its always been ridiculously hard to get anything ambitious done when it comes to the Alamo. 2. The Cenotaph that we now regard as some sacred piece of Texas history was just a downscale compromise, the least impressive option in a series of Alamo Plaza monument ideas kicked around for more than half a century before the Cenotaphs 1940 unveiling. Historian J. Frank Dobie said the 56-foot empty tomb looked from a distance like a grain elevator or a swimming pool slide and he didnt mean it as a compliment. Local dissatisfaction with the Cenotaph became so strong by the time of its dedication that then-Mayor Maury Maverick felt compelled to urge everyone to stop quibbling. When it comes to the Alamo, the quibbling never stops. We got new evidence of that on Monday, when Mayor Ron Nirenberg removed Councilman Roberto Trevino from two committees involved in the long, tortured $450 million Alamo Plaza redevelopment project: the Alamo Management Committee (which Trevino chaired) and the Alamo Citizens Advisory Committee (which he tri-chaired). Nirenbergs announcement came on the same afternoon we learned that Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Land Commissioner George P. Bush had declared a truce in their war over the future of the Cenotaph, thereby creating a framework for the Alamo redevelopment project to move forward. Bush had infuriated Patrick and many members of the states Republican base with his support formalized in a 2018 lease agreement between the city and the Texas General Land Office for moving the Cenotaph 500 feet south, to a spot outside the Menger Hotel. A conservative group calling itself the Alamo Defenders Association passed out pamphlets at the 2018 GOP state convention in San Antonio, urging people to contact Bush and Nirenberg and say no to moving the Cenotaph one inch! The battle lines had been drawn. Those, like Patrick, who insisted on keeping the Cenotaph in its current space wanted Alamo Plaza to tell the story of the 1836 battle for Texas independence. Those, like Trevino, who supported moving the Cenotaph, felt strongly that a bigger, more inclusive story needed to be told. Trevinos participation seemed like a great stroke of luck. He was an architect with a strong command of the design issues involved, he had a unique passion for the projects potential and he just happened to be representing the council district that includes Alamo Plaza. The Alamo is the story about a place and not a building, Trevino said last July on KLRNs On the Record. The councilman said he wanted to convey the Alamos indigenous roots and history as a Spanish mission, in addition to recognizing the famous 13-day battle. Weve got to get away from the mythology. Were not telling the John Wayne story. That is bunk. Many Texans, however, love the mythology, and, for them, protecting the Cenotaphs location became a way of protecting their preferred version of the Alamo story. When the Texas Historical Commission voted 12-2 last September to deny San Antonios request to move the monument, the issue was decided. The perception among those close to Nirenberg was that the councilman soured on the whole project when it became evident that the Cenotaph would stay put. On Monday, after Nirenberg removed him from the committees, Trevino said the project is unraveling and no longer serves our best interest, but the best interest of the State. Nirenberg, like Trevino, had supported the Cenotaph relocation, but didnt want to endanger the project over that one issue. He recognized that any project this massive, involving an alliance between the state, the city and the Alamo Trust, would require some serious compromise. When it comes to the Alamo, nothing ever happens without conflict, compromise or collateral damage. ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470 Deepika Padukone will be starring opposite Shah Rukh Khan and John Abraham in the film Pathan. The movie is one of the most anticipated films of this year. The actor had started shooting for the same in November last year. Now, the latest developments surrounding the project suggests that Deepika will be seen in a never-seen-before look in the film. Deepika Padukone's slick look from Pathan may now further increase the excitement level surrounding the film. According to a news report in Pinkvilla, a source close to the movie revealed, "It's the character of a suave agent, who goes on a mission alongside Shah Rukh Khan, and after contemplating on multiple looks, they finally zeroed into the boy cut (short hair) avatar for DP. She has already shot a considerable chunk in the film, and is expected to join the gang of Pathan again from mid of March." Also Read: Deepika Padukone Gives A Sneak-Peek Into Her Daily Routine In This Fun Video; Watch Deepika Padukone's introduction scene in the film also promises to be larger than life. The actor shot for the same in December last year. Speaking on the same, the source added, "It was a massive set up to film her introductory scene at YRF studios. The audience is on to see DP like never before in Pathan." The source hinted that the film will be a big-screen visual spectacle. The three lead actors of the film consisting of Deepika along with Shah Rukh Khan and John Abraham will be performing some power-packed action sequences in the same, and an extended cameo by Salman Khan will flank them as Tiger. The source said, "It's going to be a big-screen visual spectacle with action and thrill on a different level. The three leads - SRK, DP and John - as also Salman, who has an extended cameo, have the action in plenty to offer in the film." Also Read: Deepika Padukone Joins The Viral 'Pawri Trend' And It Will Brighten Up Your Friday Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan will also be performing some lavish action sequences atop the Burj Khalifa in Dubai for the final climax scene. Pathan will also be the first Bollywood film to be shot inside the Burj Khalifa. Earlier, Hollywood films like Fast And The Furious and the Mission Impossible franchise has been shot in the renowned building. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 3) Metro Pacific Investments Corporation reported a plunge in its consolidated core net income for 2020 as its businesses dealt with reduced demand resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. In a disclosure to the local stock exchange on Wednesday, the infrastructure conglomerate said its earnings reached 10.2 billion last year, down 34% from the 15.6 billion it raked in 2019. MPIC mainly cited the economic contraction resulting from the health crisis, which led to decreased toll road traffic and demand for water and power from businesses and industries. The suspension of light rail services, succeeded by downscaled operations, also contributed to the drop. Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., for instance, saw income plunge by 49% to 2.7 billion. The conglomerate noted that MPTC posted less revenues as pandemic-induced mobility restrictions reduced vehicular traffic in toll roads both locally and in Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand. Manila Electric Company saw its core net income fall by 9% to 21.7 billion. Meralco had moved multiple times the deadline for its no-disconnection policy covering lifeline customers in line with the governments directive and extended payment schemes to allow the public relief amid the pandemic. Global Business Power also saw earnings fall to 2.4 billion, an annual decline of 13%. MPIC agreed last December to sell its 56% stake in the Visayas-based power producer to Meralco for 22.4 billion, effectively simplifying the conglomerates power portfolio, the disclosure noted. MPICs water business, West Zone concessionaire Maynilad, likewise reported a 15% year-on-year drop in its core net income. It earned 6.5 billion in 2020, pulled down by higher amortization and depreciation expenses due to substantial investments in its Putatan 2 water source, wastewater reclamation efforts in Pasay and Paranaque, and ongoing facility upgrades. Light Rail Manila Corp., meanwhile, logged a core net loss of 689 million as the government suspended public transport earlier into the pandemic. The LRT-1 railway was eventually allowed to operate albeit at a reduced capacity in light of quarantine protocols, leading to a 62% revenue decline. Metro Pacific Hospital Holdings Inc., which the conglomerate says has risen to the occasion to address healthcare demands amid the pandemic, saw a consolidated core net income drop of 85% to 224 million. There were significant increases in personnel costs and medical supplies such as personal protective equipment which are heavily used to ensure health and safety for our healthcare practitioners and patients, said MPIC. While earnings for the first time in our history have been less than ideal, we purposely directed our focus on service continuity amidst the pandemic, said conglomerate president and chief executive officer Jose Ma. K. Lim, emphasizing MPICs efforts with partners in government to ensure Filipinos get to access essential services especially amid the health crisis. The Syrian Network for Human Rights has documented the killing of 138 civilians in Syria during the month of February alone, reports Ayyam Al-Suria. The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) issued, on Monday, Mar. 1, 2021, its new monthly report on extrajudicial killings in Syria. The SNHR recorded the killing of 138 civilians in Syria in February 2021, including 23 children and 11 women, as well as 14 torture victims, including one child. This suggests that killings are still occurring ten years after the popular movement for democracy began. The report also included a breakdown of the death toll by the different perpetrators. The SNHRs Victim Documentation Team reported the deaths of 138 civilians in February, including 23 children and 11 adult women, 19 of whom were killed by Syrian regime forces, including two children and a woman. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) killed six civilians, including a child. The Islamic State (ISIS) killed one civilian. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) killed a child. The armed opposition, or National Army, killed a civilian. Other parties were responsible for killing the remaining 110 civilians, including 19 children, and ten women. The report recorded three massacres triggered by bombings that the SNHR was unable to trace the perpetrators of. It described the term massacre as the attack that caused the killing of at least five people at once. Death by torture The SNHR team documented the killing of 14 people due to torture. Ten were tortured by Syrian regime troops, one by the SDF, two by other groups, and one child by the HTS. Mines According to the report, civilian casualties from mines continued in February, with the deaths of 16 civilians, including six children. These casualties raised the total number of civilians killed by mines since the beginning of 2021 to 34, including 22 children. According to the report, there is great difficulty in determining the party that planted mines, due to the multiplicity of forces that controlled the areas in which the explosions occurred. As a result, the report does not assign the vast majority of mine victims to a single group, nor does it reveal any of the forces involved in the Syrian conflict or maps of mine-planting locations. Mass grave The report referred to the Civil Defenses announcement on February 17 that it had discovered a mass grave containing the remains of 19 unidentified corpses during rubble removal operations in Aleppos eastern countryside, which most likely dates back to ISISs control of the city where it fought National Army factions. Poor conditions for camps and refugees The report highlighted the continuing poor conditions in the camps and those of the refugees. It monitored the deaths as a result of the lack of food and medicine and the basic necessities of life in the camps. The report goes on to say that remote bombing operations in Syria have continued in the past month, citing three massacres in February that were all triggered by unexplained blasts. These bombings killed 18 civilians, including seven children and two adult women. Violation of international humanitarian law The report confirmed that the Syrian government has violated international humanitarian law and customary law as well as all UN Security Council resolutions especially Resolution 2139, Resolution 2042, and Resolution 2254 and did so without any accountability. According to the report, ISIS and HTS violated international humanitarian law by killing civilians. In addition, the SDF carried out attacks that were in breach of international humanitarian law, as well as indiscriminate killings that constituted war crimes. Claims The report urged the Security Council to take further steps in accordance with Resolution 2254 and emphasized the importance of referring the Syrian crisis to the International Criminal Court and holding all parties responsible. This includes the Russian government after evidence of its involvement in war crimes emerged. It also called on the relevant UN agencies to make further efforts to ensure the availability of food and medical humanitarian assistance in areas where fighting has ended, and in camps for internally displaced persons, and to monitor the countries which have pledged donations. It also recommended that the international community work on preparing projects aimed at drawing up maps that reveal the locations of mines and cluster munitions in all Syrian governorates, which would facilitate the process of demining and making the population aware of their locations. The report stressed the need for the Syrian regime to stop its indiscriminate bombing operations, targeting residential areas, hospitals, schools, and markets, and stop torture operations that have caused the death of thousands of Syrian citizens in detention centers, and to comply with UN Security Council resolutions and customary humanitarian law. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. In the world of Mixed-reality, Microsoft has been at the forefront for many years now. The company recently showcased a new MR platform called Microsoft Mesh at their Ignite digital conference, which is designed to help developers build immersive, multiuser, cross-platform mixed reality apps According to Microsoft, Mesh is designed to be a new MR platform powered by Microsoft Azure that will enable geographically distributed teams to have more collaborative meetings, conduct virtual design sessions, assist others, learn together and host virtual social meetups. The platform supports a range of devices including head-mounted displays such as the Microsoft HoloLens, HP Reverb G2, or Oculus Quest 2, and phones and tablets. It is capable of rendering a 3D presence with representative avatars through inside-out sensors of the devices, and it can use outside-in sensors for photorealistic 360o holoportation. The platform supports building spatial maps that are orders of magnitude more accurate than GPS, and Microsoft has also built a technology called multiuser sync, which can update pose, motions and expressions from participants or any holographic transform, all under a latency of 100 milliseconds. The Microsoft Mesh platform is already enabled on a few apps such as the Hololens Mesh App, AltspaceVR, and will be coming to other apps such as Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Dynamics 365 later on. (TNS) The California Department of Motor Vehicles has issued a warning about a new phishing scam related to REAL ID that seeks to get personal information, such as a driver's license number, Social Security number or financial information.Multiple DMV customers have received a text message stating, "Our records indicate that your contact information must be updated for REAL ID compliance. Provide an up-to-date mailing address and phone number."That message is not from the DMV."The DMV has not sent such a text, nor would we," DMV Director Steve Gordon said in a statement. "We offer secure online services and send text messages for some services, but never ask for personal information outside of a secure DMV account accessed by the customer."The California DMV will not ask for personal identifying information through email, text or over the phone, the department said. The DMV added that it does not send unsolicited requests for information, and when it does send a text or email to a customer, it is based on action initiated by that customer.If you get a message you suspect is phishing for your information, the DMV recommends that you ignore or delete it. You can also report it to the Federal Trade Commission, at ftc.gov/complaint.Phishing emails can be forwarded to reportphishing@apwg.org, while text messages can be forwarded to SPAM (7726).Beginning Oct. 1, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will require a valid passport or other federally approved document, including REAL ID, in order to board domestic flights or access secure federal facilities and military bases.More information is available at REALID.dmv.ca.gov. Four media workers recently arrested in Ethiopia's conflict-hit Tigray region were freed Wednesday, said a translator working for AFP who was part of the group held Addis Ababa, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Mar, 2021 ):Four media workers recently arrested in Ethiopia's conflict-hit Tigray region were freed Wednesday, said a translator working for AFP who was part of the group held. "They let us out today. They didn't say anything about why they let us go. But they said they have decided to free us," said the translator, Fitsum Berhane. Fitsum and Alula Akalu, a translator working for Britain's Financial Times newspaper, were arrested Saturday after three days of reporting on the conflict in Tigray. The other two detainees were BBC journalist Girmay Gebru and Temrat Yemane, a local journalist. The government did not give a reason for the arrests but a senior official said Wednesday the case against them had been dropped. "Out of magnanimity and in a bid to allow a conducive ambience, the government had to scrap the idea of pursuing the charges," Redwan Hussein, spokesman for the government task force dealing with the Tigray conflict, told AFP via text message. Both AFP and the Financial Times had obtained permission from the Ethiopian Broadcasting Authority and the Ministry of Peace to work in Tigray, where media access has been tightly restricted since hostilities began in November. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize winner, has said the military campaign is targeting leaders of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the region's longtime ruling party. But while Abiy said in late November that military operations were "completed" after federal troops entered the regional capital Mekele, top TPLF officials remain on the run and fighting has continued. Meanwhile global concern is mounting amid reports of atrocities against civilians and fears of a spiralling humanitarian catastrophe. The United States voiced concern Tuesday over the arrests of the four media workers, saying the move was inconsistent with the government's commitment to allow international press to operate in Tigray. The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission said Wednesday it welcomed the decision to release them. "We view this as a positive step, and encourage authorities to ensure journalists can report freely and safely in the region without fear and restrictions," said Daniel Bekele, head of the government-affiliated but independent body. - Arrested at gunpoint - In a telephone interview Wednesday, Fitsum described how soldiers barged into his home at around 1.00 am Saturday, accusing him of supporting the TPLF and possessing an unregistered satellite phone. "They were saying a lot of things about how I am a member of the TPLF and have been helping the party since the war started and giving them information," he said. "But I denied all because I don't know what they are talking about." An officer in plainclothes who had entered with the soldiers held a gun to his head as soldiers searched the home, Fitsum said. They seized his cellphones, a laptop and a power bank, as well as 3,800 Ethiopian birr (around $95), he said. So far only the money has been returned, he said. The soldiers then transported Fitsum to a military college near Mekele University, but stopped at one point in the middle of the road on the way, he said. "They took me down from the car. They said, 'Now you are going to tell us where you put the satellite phone,'" Fitsum recalled. "One of them said, 'I can kill you and make up a story about how you weren't respecting'" the evening curfew currently in effect in Mekele, he said. Eventually they got back in the vehicle, and Fitsum spent the next two nights at the military college, sleeping in a cell alone while handcuffed. By Monday night the handcuffs were removed, and on Tuesday Fitsum and the other media workers were transferred to a prison in Mekele. The day before his arrest, Fitsum had accompanied AFP journalists to the Tigray town of Dengolat to report on a massacre there. Some of the soldiers called him a traitor for working with foreign media and accused him of "setting up" the story, he said. "They said I betrayed my country for a little money," he said. "I said I was only translating. I didn't fix any of the moments. I said everything is recorded and you can check it." Migrant songbirds will arrive soon from Africa. The first martins and swallows are expected in mid-March, with chiffchaffs and willow warblers following a little later. In a month or two, sparrow-sized pied flycatchers will settle in Wales, having spent the winter just north of the Gulf of Guinea. A few pairs may cross the Irish Sea to nest in the oak-woods of Co Wicklow. The aptly named pied flycatcher sallies forth from a hunting perch to catch insects on the wing. Males have tuxedo-like black-and-white plumage. Females are brown and white. The nest locations of choice are tree holes, but flycatchers take readily to artificial nest-boxes. Columnist Richard Collins: In a month or so, pied flycatchers will migrate to Britain from Africa. As a result, they were among the first songbirds whose breeding behaviour was studied intensively. That led to their being 'outed'. The male's dark secret is that he cheats on his partner. Once her clutch is completed, he sometimes moves away, courts a second female, and nests bigamously with her. He doesn't desert his lawful wife, however, but returns when her chicks have hatched to help feed them. The unfortunate mistress receives no such support. Duped by his 'male-deception polygamy', she must raise her brood alone. Read More Donal Hickey: Play your part in frog survey Songbirds were thought to be models of marital fidelity, an example to us all, until Nick Davies's pioneering research on dunnocks, during the 1980s, put paid to that delusion. The sexual shenanigans that dunnocks get up to made pied flycatcher two-timing seem positively virtuous. Now, the flycatcher's visibility during nesting is helping scientists study one of the effects of climate change. As temperatures rise, spring starts earlier in the northern hemisphere. Plants, and the insects that depend on them, come into season more quickly, which often means that 'the best-laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft agley'. Long-distance migrant birds are among the 'timrous beasties' at a particular disadvantage. Their plans can be thrown into disarray. Nesting birds must get their act together sooner in a global-warming world, if they are to make best use of available resources. Doing so isn't a problem for residents; they respond directly to changing conditions. But migrants spending the winter in Africa can't detect changes taking place in faraway Europe. Having arrived here, following an exhausting journey, a bird must develop into breeding condition, stake out a territory, and nest at shorter notice than in the past. Getting its act together can be a challenge. Do birds such as flycatchers become short-taken and lose out? British Trust for Ornithology scientists, using data from Birdtrack and the Nest Records Scheme, compared the arrival and laying dates of pied flycatchers. For once, the news is good. While there is greater variation in arrival than breeding dates, the birds manage to nest sooner when local conditions require it. Nor do they breed less successfully; the production of eggs and young is not reduced. The researchers still think, however, that "there is a limit to how much birds could adapt to a changing climate". So, there may be trouble ahead. As with so many things in life, timing is all. YEREVAN, 3 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 3 March, USD exchange rate down by 1.37 drams to 525.99 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 3.25 drams to 636.45 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.07 drams to 7.14 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 4.21 drams to 735.39 drams. The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals. Gold price down by 250.57 drams to 29151.97 drams. Silver price down by 11.84 drams to 444.08 drams. Platinum price down by 391.43 drams to 20090.23 drams. Princess Eugenie is the 'only member' of the Royal Family who Meghan Markle is still close to, a royal insider has claimed. The Duchess of Sussex, 39, and the Queen's granddaughter, 30, reportedly maintain a close relationship despite Meghan and Prince Harry's decision to step back as senior royals - and have bonded over their recent pregnancy joy, according to a source. Meghan Markle, who welcomed Archie Harrison, in May 2019, announced she was pregnant with her second child around the same time Princess Eugenie welcomed her first son August in February 2021 with husband Jack Brooksbank. Speaking to Us Weekly, a source said: 'Eugenie is really the only member of the royal family that Meghan is still close to.' Princess Eugenie is the 'only member' of the Royal Family who Meghan Markle is still close to, a royal insider has claimed. Pictured, the Duchess of Sussex with Oprah Winfrey in a trailer for their tell-all interview The Duchess of Sussex and the Queen's granddaughter have reportedly bonded over their recent pregnancy joy, according to a source. Pictured, Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank with son, August The source went on to say that they 'are sort of an unlikely pair, but remain in contact', adding that the pair 'bonded' over their pregnancies. Along with their baby joy, the pair also both tied the knot in 2018 at St. Georges Chapel at Windsor castle - just five months apart. The close friendship may not come as a surprise because according to Finding Freedom authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, Prince Harry and Princess Eugenie had always had a strong bond. The authors wrote: 'Out of all the queen's grandchildren, Princess Eugenie and Prince Harry have one of the most natural connections. Like Harry, Eugenie is loyal, honest and great fun. According to Finding Freedom authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, Prince Harry and Princess Eugenie had always had a strong bond. Pictured: Harry with Eugenie and Princess Beatrice in 2015 on Trooping the Colour Harry confided to his cousin about Meghan in the early days of their relationship. Omid and Carolyn write Eugenie was one of the first members of the royal family to hear about Harry's new girl. Pictured at Eugenie's wedding to Jack Brooksbank on 12 October 2018 'The two had many nights out together in London, sneaking into back entrances of clubs, such as Mahiki, where Jack once was manager, or Tonteria, where in one of the VIP cave areas they downed shots from Mexican skull shaped glasses and a giant frozen margarita (with multiple straws).' The authors went on to say that the 'strong relationship between their mothers brought them together.' 'Like Harry, Eugenie also struggled to carve out her own identity growing up. 'Not being a senior royal meant that she had to go out into the world and find her own path, which she had done.' Meanwhile, they also detailed how Prince Harry even confided in his cousin early on in his relationship with Meghan. The authors wrote: 'Harry had always confided in his cousin when it came to the women in his life. 'Not only did he trust her implicitly, but friends said that she gives great advice and has always been 'beyond wise' for her years. 'It's not surprising then that Eugenie was one of the first in the family to know about his relationship with Meghan.' They revealed how Princess Eugenie was 'nothing but encouraging about his new relationship.' According to Omid and Carolyn, Prince Harry and Meghan went on several double dates with the couple.' (L-R) Matt Schlapp, Moderator, American Conservative Union chairman, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), House Minority Leader, and Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), participate in a discussion titled 'Winning Back America' during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) held in the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Fla., on Feb. 27, 2021. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) The Three Winners at CPAC 2021 Commentary Matt Schlapps decision to move the Conservative Political Action Conference from Washington, D.C. to Orlando, Florida was brilliant. No one knew how good this decision would ultimately be for the conservative movement. Washington is the heart of the swamp. Its news media is toxic and focused only on propaganda. The lobbying firms, bureaucracies, and the social life are all dominated by Democrats. In recent years, hatred of Trump and fear of COVID-19 have made Washington a dark and dour place for conservatives. By contrast, Florida is winning. Under former Gov. Rick Scott and current Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida has a competent but limited governmentand a much lower tax burden than states such as New York (where the bureaucratic public employee unions keep spending about twice the Florida level per capita). The result is a friendly and positive response to newcomers and a level of happiness reinforced each sunny day. The Washington media is breathlessly obsessed with a particular fantasy. As Chris Cillizza wrote in 101, there is a civil war at the heart of the Republican Party. However, at CPAC, it was obvious that there was no civil war. The tiny number of potential Republican rebels simply were not invited, and their absence was mostly irrelevant. The CPAC straw poll indicated that 95 percent of the participants favored the Republican Party continuing with President Trumps ideas. Only 3 percent opposed the Trump ideas and 2 percent were undecided. In a 31 to 1 split, its impossible to imagineand disingenuous to suggesta civil war underway or even likely. President Trumps ideas are much more widely supported than the idea of the former president as a possible candidate. Where Trumpian ideas had 95 percent support, the former president would garner only 55 percent in a primary, with Gov. DeSantis coming in second at 21 percent. Nevertheless, there is no question that the GOPs heart belongs to Trump. He gave a solid speech, and the crowd loved him. He was clearly the first big winner at CPAC. His announcement that he would not move to a third party was importantand a major step toward big Republican victories in 2022. So, he gave an incredibly powerful speech. But as a long-time party builder, I must reject his focus on defeating Republicans. There are 50 Democrats we should focus on defeating in the Senate before we worry about a single Republican. There are 221 House Democrats we should focus on defeating before we consider fighting with a single Republican. For 2022, President Trump should focus on replacing Speaker Nancy Pelosi with Speaker Kevin McCarthy. If a local district party wants to back an insurgent against an unreliable or hostile Republican incumbent that is their prerogative. It is a waste of resources and a destructive signal to the party for a national leader to spend time beating his own party when there are so many Democrats who are much worse for our agenda and values. If President Trump was the biggest winner at CPAC, Gov. DeSantis must be the second big winner. The fact that he would get 21 percent even with President Trump in the primary is a real tribute to DeSantiss leadership. The reality that without Trump in the primary Gov. DeSantis would receive 43 percent of the vote is amazing. He is clearly the non-Trump frontrunner and destined to be a major star in 2022 and 2024. The other big winner was a small surprise. I have known and admired Gov. Kristi Noem since she was a member of the U.S. House. She is a charismatic, energetic, and intelligent advocate of common-sense conservatism. She has also been an effective governor and her record makes laughingstocks of Govs. Andrew Cuomo, Gavin Newsom, and the other leftist leaders. However, until CPAC, Gov. Noem was relatively unknown. Her speech in Orlando launched her as a national player, and the CPAC participants reinforced this when they placed her second in the non-Trump primary with 11 percent of the vote. That put her above Donald Trump Jr., Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Sen. Ted Cruz. She is clearly becoming a major national figure. For the conservative movement, this was an incredibly strong CPAC. It proved there is a deep Republican bench with a lot of talentand a positive, optimistic vision for a better America. From Gingrich360.com. Newt Gingrich, a Republican, served as House speaker from 1995 to 1999 and ran as a presidential candidate in 2012. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. (Newser) In his first comments to reporters since Feb. 22, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he has "learned an important lesson" in the wake of a trio of sexual harassment claims. Cuomo said he "never knew at the time he was making anyone uncomfortable" and feels "awful" and "embarrassed" for his actions but that he "never touched anyone inappropriately." He continued, "You can find hundreds of pictures of me kissing men, women. It is my usual way of greeting. .. by the way it was my father's way of greeting. ... I kiss and hug legislators." But he allowed that "it doesn't matter my intent, what it matters is if anybody was offended by it ... if they were offended by it I apologize." More standout lines: When asked if he was going to resign, he said, "I am not going to resign, I work for the people of the state of New York, they elected me." He said the job is a demanding one between COVID, financial distress, vaccines, etc. When asked why it took a week to go before the cameras, Cuomo said he apologized days ago in a statement, that he "apologized today, I will apologize tomorrow, and I will apologize the day after." He said he wanted "New Yorkers to understand the emotion," which was largely embarrassment. "I'm embarrassed by it," he said. "I do not believe that I have ever done anything in my public career that I am ashamed of." Cuomo said he will "fully cooperate" with the state attorney generals investigation into the allegations. Attorney General Letitia James is currently choosing an outside law firm to handle the probe. story continues below One former aide, Charlotte Bennett, 25, said Cuomo quizzed her about her sex life and asked whether she would be open to a relationship with an older man, reports the AP. Bennett rejected Cuomo's attempted apology, in which he said he'd been trying to be "playful" and that his jokes had been misinterpreted as flirting. Another former aide, Lindsey Boylan, said Cuomo commented on her appearance inappropriately, kissed her without her consent at the end of a meeting, and once suggested they play strip poker while aboard his state-owned jet. Cuomo has denied Boylan's allegations. And another woman, Anna Ruch, told the New York Times that Cuomo put his hands on her face and asked if he could kiss her at a September 2019 wedding. (Read more Andrew Cuomo stories.) Lawmakers of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea participate in an online discussion event between parliamentary members of South Korea and the United States at a studio of local broadcaster Arirang TV in Seoul, Tuesday, with the participants from the U.S. seen on the background screens. Courtesy of office of Rep. Lee Kwang-jae By Jung Da-min When it comes to the goal of denuclearizing North Korea, shared by allies South Korea and the United States, establishing consistency in their relevant policies is a necessary step, regardless of which administration takes office, either in Seoul and Washington, lawmakers and politicians of the countries said during a virtual forum. "We have an unfortunate habit in Washington. When there is a transition of the administration, we tend to throw away many things that the previous administration has done," said Joseph Yun, the former U.S. special representative for North Korea policies, who participated in an online discussion event between congressional and assembly members of both countries, Tuesday. Yun and other participants said that there has been no consistency in the countries' North Korea policy, as it has often changed along with administrations. But they said such inconsistency in North Korea policy did not help both countries' efforts to bring the North back to the negotiation table, and they now need to establish some kind of consistency in order to build a shared North Korea policy. The former U.S. special envoy said that although there are many things he disagrees with in the former administration under Donald Trump, especially in terms of its foreign policy direction, he believes that there was something that should be noted Trump's attempts to reach out to North Korea and to solve the problem by holding summits with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un three times. "I do believe that something he did was right," Yun said. He also urged Seoul and Washington to take diplomatic initiatives based on a realistic assessment of the previous administration's policy, saying that he believes Kim is waiting for Washington's call since the breakup of the 2019 Hanoi deal. The event was hosted by the office of Rep. Lee Kwang-jae of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). Four DPK members participated as speakers, with four U.S. politicians participating through video link. The participants discussed how the allies could cooperate better in terms of dealing with sectors of the COVID-19 pandemic health crisis, economy and security. Attending from the U.S. side were Virginia Democratic Representative Gerry Connolly, co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Korea; California Republican Representative Young Kim, a Korean American member of the U.S. House of Representatives; Yun; and Frank Jannuzi, president of the Washington-based think tank, the Mansfield Foundation, and a close aide to U.S. President Joe Biden. Former Foreign Minister Yoon Young-kwan participated in the virtual event as the moderator, while four DPK lawmakers Hong Young-pyo, Kim Young-ho, Lee Jae-jung and Lee Young-sun participated as speakers from the South Korean side. "The debate session was meaningful, in that it was the first meeting between congressional and assembly members of both countries since the inauguration of the Biden administration," Rep. Lee Gwang-jae, who hosted the event, said after the event. Lee and other participants agreed that the allies are at a critical point for reaching an agreement to realize a unified North Korea policy through coordination. The Biden administration's North Korea policy is widely expected to be outlined with details in several months, by around June of this year. "I am also planning to host similar events with lawmakers of other neighboring countries, such as Russia, China and Japan," said Rep. Lee. Northampton City Councilor William H. Dwight, a long-standing fixture in city politics, announced Tuesday night he wont be seeking reelection to the legislative body after serving a collective 18 years in office. Currently an at-large city councilor, Dwight was first elected in 1997 as a councilor for Ward 1 and went on to serve four terms in the seat before leaving office in 2005 to host a show on the Northampton-based radio station WHMP for five years. Dwight then returned to the Pioneer Valleys political scene in 2011 to run and win one of Northamptons two city-wide councilor at large seats, noting at the time that serving as a councilor was his most exciting and meaningful job. He was subsequently elected by his colleagues as council president, a position he held for four years, during which time he oversaw the transition to a new city charter that sought to more clearly define the separation of powers in the municipalitys governance. The modernized charter increased the length of the mayors term from 2 to 4 years and removed the chief city executive from presidential duties over the council. I have always said that my civil service is the most important thing I do. Now it will just be the most important thing I ever did. Im happy with that, Dwight wrote in a statement. The councilors announcement comes amid a time of change in municipal politics in Northampton. In January, Mayor David Narkewicz, another long-standing public official in Northampton, announced he wont be seeking another term come the citys municipal election in November. He will have served 10 years in the post and 16 years collectively in public office by the time he steps down in January 2022. City Council President Gina-Louise Sciarra, who Dwight nominated for the position last year, launched her bid for mayor Tuesday, pledging to help residents overcome the coronavirus pandemic and build an equitable recovery. This year has brought unimaginable challenges and for many it has been personally devastating. The pandemic has laid bare the inequities and injustice of many broken systems in our country, Sciarra said in a statement. While hard, these moments also hold hope and opportunity for change. Im ready to work with everyone in our community to move us forward to a more vibrant, more accessible and more equitable Northampton. Sciarra, who has charted a similar political path as Narkewicz and served on the council since 2014, has worked with Dwight on a number of city measures. During their tenures on the legislative body, the council has passed updated zoning standards to require more affordable housing units in Northampton, restrictions on the use security cameras in the citys business district, a ban on the use of facial recognition technology, limits on the use of disposable plastics and stricter municipal campaign finance rules than those set by the state. In 2012, three years before the council passed the more restrictive political campaigning rules that set maximum contributions at $500, Dwight sponsored a resolution that was unanimously voted on by the council calling for a constitutional amendment to reverse the Citizens United decision handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court that gave corporations the same rights as people. At the time, Dwight called the courts ruling the manifestation of the most activist court Ive had occasion to witness. Copies of the councils resolution were sent to former President Barack Obama and the Massachusetts congressional delegation. Some would say the Supreme Court went out of its way to put it on its docket and render this decision, Dwight said in 2012. We cant get equal rights for women woven in the Constitution but the Supreme Court gets rights for corporations. Its a grotesque disparity, he added added. Dwights decision to leave the council is not coming out of left field. After announcing he would be stepping down as council president four years ago, he said his term then would likely be his last as an elected official. The councilor explained in 2017 he thought it was important to step out of the way and let someone else try their hand at leadership. Dwight said he would finish his two-year term and not seek reelection after, though he noted who knows what could happen? Following Dwights announcement four years ago, Narkewicz complimented the councilors work on the legislative body. Thank you President Dwight for your thoughtful leadership of the City Council over the last six years and your partnership with this Mayor in ensuring that our city government functions effectively, openly, and in the best interests of the residents of Northampton, the mayor said at the time. Related Content: OPEC sees a generally positive oil market outlook with last years uncertainty easing, but downside risks caused by the pandemic persist, the groups secretary general and its experts said. "We have come a long way from a year ago," OPEC chief Mohammad Barkindo said. "The days of GDP and oil demand figures being in the red because of the pandemic-induced shock appear to be behind us." Barkindo was speaking before Tuesdays meeting of the Joint Technical Committee (JTC), which reviews the oil market for the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Russia and other allies, a group know as OPEC+. OPEC+ ministers hold a full meeting on Thursday. The market widely expects them to ease their production cuts, which were the deepest ever, by around 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd), with OPECs leader, Saudi Arabia, ending its voluntary production cut of 1 million bpd. However, a JTC document called "for cautious optimism," citing "the underlying uncertainties in the physical markets and macro sentiment, including risks from COVID-19 mutations that are still on the rise". It also said it believed a recent oil price rally might have been caused more by financial players rather than improvements in physical oil market fundamentals. Barkindo said OPEC expected oil demand in 2021 to grow by 5.8 million bpd to about 96 million bpd. That compares with about 100 million bpd in 2019, before demand plummeted in 2020 due to the pandemic. "The encouraging global economic developments and resilient demand in Asia are upside factors," he said, although he noted that the downside risks of the continuing pandemic meant there was cause to only be cautiously optimistic. "Progress on COVID-19 vaccinations continues in many countries, but the current pace shows that many developing countries risk being left behind," Reuters cited the OPEC chief as saying. A new Samsung Galaxy Tab (SM-T225) has appeared in the FCC database. The same model was previously spotted on Geekbench powered by the Helio P22T and 3GB RAM with Android 11 onboard. Based on speculations this should be the upcoming Galaxy Tab A7 Lite which is expected to launch with an 8.7-inch display later this summer. Galaxy Tab A7 Lite render (credit: @_h0x0d_) The FCC listing revealed a sketch of the device which matched a previous render seen on Twitter. The sketch also confirms a headphone jack next to the USB-C port. We also get confirmation on the SM-T225s dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and LTE connectivity. Samsung Galaxy Tab (SM-T225) FCC listing The accompanying TUV Rheinland listing discloses a 5,100 mAh battery (model number HQ-3565S) and a 15W charger which will be bundled with the tablet. Thats all the info we have for now, well make sure to update you with any new development that emerges. Samsung Galaxy Tab (SM-T225) TUV and Geekbench listings Source | Via Reacting to the results of the recent Gujarat local body polls, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Wednesday that the victory of the BJP in the elections endorsed farmers' support for the agricultural reforms brought by the Union government through the new farm laws. Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, Javadekar said that the message is clear that people have faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "People voted for development and it (poll results in Gujarat) establishes that farmers are with the agricultural reforms brought by the Modi government," he said. Javadekar further stated that the Congress tried hard to win the local body polls and fielded its sitting MLAs or their relatives, but all of them lost the elections. "The BJP won 72 out of the 81 Nagar Palikas, while the Congress managed just one. In 18 municipalities, the Congress couldn't win even a single seat. The Congress could not cross 10 seats in 52 Nagar Palikas," said the Union minister. He pointed out that of the 231 Taluka Panchayats, the BJP has won 196. "Of the total 976 seats in the Zila Panchayats, the BJP won 800 which is 80 per cent of total seats. In the last polls, the BJP had won 368 seats while this time we won 800 seats. This is a huge success," he said. "Yesterday, the results of Zila Panchayats had come in which people from the rural areas and farmers were voters. They voted for the BJP and for development," the minister said. The Union Minister also claimed that people have rejected the negative campaign of the Congress. Javadekar highlighted that if these results are seen in terms of Assembly seats in Gujarat, the BJP will win 155 out of the 182 seats. SUNFIELD TOWNSHIP, MI -- Police recovered the body of a 41-year-old man who died Monday after falling through the ice while fishing. According to the Associated Press, another fisher saw Jason Betts fall through the ice on Tamarock Lake in Sunfield Township and called for help. Police rushed to the scene, according to the Eaton County Sheriffs Office and a dive team eventually recovered the body. The Lansing State Journal reports Betts was fishing by himself and is originally from South Boardman, Mich. Sunfield Township is approximately 23 miles west of Lansing. READ MORE: Fugitive team apprehends armed man wanted for Jackson County shooting Hanging KKK flag next to Black familys home unfortunately not a crime, prosecutor says Police identify young couple, unborn baby killed in crash ISTANBUL - Italian ex-premier Matteo Renzi's praise of Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) as a reformer is incomprehensible, the girlfriend of slain Saudi reporter Jamal Khashoggi told ANSA on Wednesday. Centrist Italia Viva (IV) party leader Renzi said on a visit to Riyadh during Italy's government crisis in January that MBS, whom the CIA say ordered Khashoggi's murder and dismemberment in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018, was the promoter of a "new Renaissance" in Saudi Arabia. In an interview with ANSA, Khashoggi's former girfriend Hatice Cengiz said "it is not possible to be well informed on Saudi Arabia and at the same time maintain that hereditary prince Mohammed bin Salman is a reformer. "I really don't understand why (Renzi) did that. "Perhaps he should try to understand the reality of the situation in Saudi Arabia better and what bin Salman did to Jamal". As well as boosting MBS as a reformer, Renzi said he envied labour costs in Saudi Arabia, where many immigrant workers are paid slave wages in appalling living and working conditions. Renzi has promised to explain his remarks, while acknowledging that the labour cost comment was "not one of my best". The former centre-left Democratic Party (PD) leader, who sparked Italy's government crisis by pulling IV out of the ruling coalition leading to Mario Draghi's appointment at the head of a national unity government, has been widely criticised for his paid speech in Riyadh. Cengiz also told ANSA that the West should impose sanctions on MBS because he had not been punished for what he did to her late boyfriend. "I don't think any justice has been done for Jamal's murder. Now we know that (MBS) can order the murder of an innocent person, and even after everyone knows what he did, there is still no punishment. "I think there should be sanctions against the prince. Actions are needed, not just words." A trial on Khashoggi's death is set to restart in Turkey.(ANSAmed). (ANSA). Cybersecurity CISA orders agencies to disconnect Microsoft Exchange on-prem servers The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued an emergency directive on Wednesday requiring all federal civilian agencies to update or disconnect Microsoft Exchange products running on-premises citing an "unacceptable risk" posed by newly discovered vulnerabilities reportedly being weaponized by a threat group with links to China. "The swiftness with which CISA issued this emergency directive reflects the seriousness of this vulnerability and the importance of all organizations in government and the private sector to take steps to remediate it," said acting CISA Director Brandon Wales. The directive adds that the vulnerabilities are not known to affect Microsoft 365 or Azure Cloud. "Successful exploitation of these vulnerabilities allows an attacker to access on-premises Exchange Servers, enabling them to gain persistent system access and control of an enterprise network," according to CISA. All agency chief information officers are required to submit a report to CISA by noon this Friday outlining their organization's status. The cybersecurity agency will provide a follow-up report to the secretary of Homeland Security and the Office of Management and Budget by April 5. CISA's directive comes one day after Microsoft began pushing out updates to its Exchange products in response to a state-sponsored group it calls "Hafnium." A Microsoft blog post published Tuesday said Hafnium targets U.S-based entities from several sectors such as infectious disease researcher, law firms, universities, defense contractors and policy think tanks. "Even though we've worked quickly to deploy an update for the Hafnium exploits, we know that many nation-state actors and criminal groups will move quickly to take advantage of any unpatched systems. Promptly applying today's patches is the best protection against this attack," according to the blog post. Microsoft said it has briefed "appropriate U.S. government agencies" on Hafnium. The company also said Hafnium's activity is "in no way connected to the separate SolarWinds-related attack." TEL AVIV, Israel, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As climate change continues to impact agriculture worldwide, a conference aimed at advancing technological cooperation in agriculture and water was held in Tel Aviv this week with senior government representatives from Israel and Africa along with investors from the United Arab Emirates and Israeli agricultural technology companies. IMPROVATE Agriculture and Water discussed the challenges facing the UAE and African nations in ensuring food security in the face of adverse climate conditions, and the opportunities for Israeli companies in these countries. To watch the full broadcast of Improvate Agriculture & Water In Arid Areas Conference Click Here. IMPROVATE Founder and Chair Irina Nevzlin said the Abraham Accords, as well as bringing big changes in the Middle East and strengthening relationships, had brought about an opportunity for countries to cooperate and exchange knowledge and expertise. "As Israel's landscape is very similar to that of the UAE, including the desert areas, the innovative methods developed for agricultural technology in Israel can be a valuable asset and focal point for partnering with the UAE and other Middle East countries." Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alon Schuster said Israel's desert climate and limited natural resources had led it to develop advanced agricultural technologies that today are at the forefront of global development: "The Israeli agricultural sector offers agricultural technologies to increase efficiency and yields, while generating maximum returns in all fields of agriculture, in challenging climate and soil conditions... Fruitful collaboration will enable us to share our experiences with our partners to a desert climate and to a reality of increasing desertification, and to learn together and share our knowledge and experience to create more efficient and sustainable agriculture that will ensure global food security." Yesh Atid Chairman and leader of the opposition, MK Yair Lapid addressed the global coronavirus crisis: "When the pandemic is finally over, we will be left with the global economic crisis. The solution to that crisis will be twofold: Technology and cooperation. The countries that innovate, that upgrade, that look forward, and that work together, will surge ahead. Israel is one of those countries, and so is the UAE." Former Mossad deputy director, MK Ram Ben Barak said the world needs to look ahead and understand that in some 35 years' time its current population will double and there is an urgent need to make plans to feed those people: "We need to support agriculture, we need to develop new technologies to get more out of one acre than we do today, and we need to develop use of water, because in the future there could be a day when there is not enough food in the world." Senior UAE officials, bankers and investors who participated in the conference said Israeli technologies had much to offer Gulf nations as they seek to increase local food production and ensure food security. Dr. Kamel Abdallah, Senior managing director and executive board advisor at Vita F&B capital, said that national food security has been a long-term objective for the UAE for many years and that the government's focus has shifted from availability and affordability to self-sufficiency and local production: "We are investing in companies that can bring technology so that we can bypass the harsh environment so that we can produce food locally. We are looking at different technologies for production in our harsh climate, focusing on reducing water use and building an environment for high yields per hectare." Sheikha Hend Faisal Al Qasimi, an Emirati royal, businesswoman and philanthropist, said the UAE is heavily invested in food security and is investing in agricultural and water technologies: "With technology you can grow everything. By investing water and time and technology we can really turn things around and make the desert bloom." Rahul Kale, Founder and CEO, Sunpower Renewables said urban and vertical farming would play a huge role in making sustainable communities a reality: "With solar storage becoming commercially viable, you can have vertical farming 24/7. I think the advent of solar storage will see a huge uptake in vertical greenery. Our products can add a lot of value to this industry." IMPROVATE CEO, Ronit Hasin-Hochman: "Israeli water management and agricultural technologies can provide outstanding solutions for countries around the world. We are very pleased that recent peace agreements enable us to facilitate collaborations across countries and continents." Attending the conference from Africa were Mr. Joseph Antoine Kasonga Mukuta, Minister of Agriculture from The Democratic Republic of Congo; Dr Deo-Guide Rurema, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Environment of Burundi; Mrs. Hadija Jabiri, the Founder and managing director of GBRI business solutions, EATFRESH from Tanzania; Mr. Tom Sillayo, General Manager of Faida Market Link Company, also from Tanzania; Mr. Lazare Ossende-Essanga, Director of Partnerships Promotion and Rural Entrepreneurship at the Gabon National Agricultural Development Agency. Speaking from the studio in Tel Aviv, His Excellency Job Masima, Ambassador of Tanzania to Israel called on Israeli companies to come to Africa, noting that the continent has a rapidly growing population, is more stable politically than in the past, and that its economy is on the rise, with five out of 10 of the world's fastest growing economies located in Africa: "Once you come to Africa, you are coming to a vast land that is like all of China, all of the United States and all of Europe, so this is where you should be looking. Thirty percent of the world's arable land is in Africa. With this arable land we are capable of feeding 9 billion people. Africa is the future global powerhouse, come to Africa." Among the companies presenting at the conference was Netafim, which for over 50 years has been a global leader in the advanced agriculture sector, and provides innovative agriculture solutions to millions of farmers, focusing on maximizing yields while saving on water and resources. Elad Levi, Vice President Middle East & Africa at Netafim, said: "I strongly believe that the Middle East presents substantial opportunities for collaborations, with the fundamental purpose to ensure a sustainable and sufficient supply of high-quality fresh food produced within the region. Netafim is an expert in desert farming in the neighborhood in the Middle East and is willing to leverage this knowledge for the prosperity of the entire region and all its people." Agricultural technology and research companies presenting at the conference: SupPlant is an Israeli Ag-Tech company that translates plants into actionable insights to assist farmers around the world in making the best use of resources, increasing yields and saving water in an unpredictable climate reality. GES is a veteran player in the water and wastewater treatment market. In its 31 years of activity, GES has successfully completed more than 300 projects in Israel and abroad. NRGene is a software company, using artificial intelligence to analyze genomic big data, to optimize and accelerate natural breeding of plants and animals used for agricultural uses. AlgaHealth is an Israeli biotech company pioneering the development of smart, cost-effective applications of microalgae. WFI Group transforms water challenges into opportunities, via fresh thinking, breakthrough technologies, profound know-how and a dedicated caring team of water experts. Promoting the circular economy and creating financial and environmental value from water, and shifting from savings to growth. Ramat Negev Desert Agro Research Center is an Agricultural research and development center, specializing in agriculture under desert conditions for over 60 years, in the Ramat Hanegev Regional Council. About IMPROVATE IMPROVATE is a platform that makes technology and innovation accessible to countries worldwide, with an emphasis on advancing Israeli technologies. Launched in September 2020, IMPROVATE operates out of London and Tel Aviv and connects leaders and decision-makers, and companies and investors with technology and innovation companies. IMPROVATE works through international conferences and business delegations and promotes deals between governments, organizations, and investors with innovation companies. Among IMPROVATE's Board members are former world chess champion Garry Kasparov, President Rosen Plevneliev - President of Bulgaria from 2010-2017, and IDF Major Gen. (Ret.) Amos Gilad. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1448842/IMPROVATE.jpg Back in December, Andy Lee was announced as the host on Channel 10's new game show, The Cube. And now the comedian has admitted to rejecting an offer to host Channel Seven's reboot of Dancing With The Stars to do The Cube instead. In an interview with the TV Reload podcast, the 39-year-old said, 'Hamish and I, when Darryl Summers finished up on Dancing With The Stars, got asked to host it... I don't know when that was.' Not interested: Andy Lee turned down an offer to host Dancing With The Stars to do The Cube instead 'We did not have to think long to say no because neither of us dance,' he said of himself and fellow host Hamish Blake. 'I like the show but it wasn't the type of show for two twenty year fellas to suddenly do,' he continued. 'And I think they went with Dan MacPherson which was a much better person to go with.' Based on the UK series of the same name, The Cube will see contestants put in a small perspex cube where they must take on a series of tasks in the hopes of winning $250,000. His new gig is putting him in direct competition with best pal Hamish who is signed to Channel Nine as he hosts the high-rated Lego Masters. Direct competition: Andy's new gig is putting him in direct competition with best pal Hamish who is signed to Channel Nine as he hosts the high-rated Lego Masters Popular host: The head of programming at 10 said: 'Andy Lee is one of the most popular and talented comedians in Australia, and we are thrilled he will host this brilliant series' However, he has the support of Channel 10 bosses who have given him the nod of approval. Head of programming at 10 ViacomCBS, Daniel Monaghan, said: 'Andy Lee is one of the most popular and talented comedians in Australia, and we are thrilled he will host this brilliant series. 'The Cube has been a huge success in the UK for years, and to bring this edge-of-your-seat game show to Australia for a local prime time version, with Andy Lee no less, is a fantastic addition to our 2021 schedule.' Remember this? Bec won the inaugural season of Dancing with the Stars in 2004 alongside professional dancer Michael Miziner, who went on to marry model Rachael Finch At this stage, Ada Nicodemou, Manu Fieldel, Bec Hewitt and Schapelle Corby, Fifi Box are expected to be apart of this season of Dancing With The Stars. Home and Away star Ada Nicodemou confirmed on Sunday she would be returning to the dance floor, after winning the show in 2005. 'When they first approached me... I thought that maybe I actually didn't have it in me. I'm 43 now and I thought maybe I was too old,' she said. Comeback queen: Home and Away star Ada Nicodemou confirmed on Sunday she would be returning to the dance floor, after winning the show in 2005 'But then I just thought, "You know what? Why not. It's a challenge and that's what life is all about at the end of the day. New challenges."' The actress will be reunited with her original dance partner Aric Yegudkin. Earlier this month TV Tonight reported that Daryl Somers, 69, is 'poised to return' to the hit show. Seven has begun filming the series with former winners and runners-up returning for its new 'all stars' format. The Cube airs Wednesday at 7:30pm On Channel Ten. March 03 : Along with being a stunning performer, actor Randeep Hooda is also an avid eco-warrior. The actor keeps updating his social media profile with awareness posts and his concern for environment. Randeep Hooda just took to his social media profile and wished everyone on World Wildlife Day and also urged authorities and fans to about rail expansion projects which could potentially destroy 55k tress from protected areas. The actor tweeted, Happy #WorldWildlifeDay, now that I have your attention; 3 unthought out linear projects are potentially destroying more than 55K trees from protected area in the biodiversity hotpot #WesternGhats. The main impact will be on #Mollem NP and #BhagwanMahaveer Wildlife sanctuary Happy #WorldWildlifeDay , now that I have your attention; 3 unthought out linear projects are potentially destroying more than 55K trees from protected area in the biodiversity hotpot #WesternGhats. The main impact will be on #Mollem NP and #BhagwanMahaveer WiLdlife sanctuary pic.twitter.com/SrjibmRKea Randeep Hooda (@RandeepHooda) March 3, 2021 Finding alternate alignments should be our first priority. Between financial viability of projects if shifted to alternate alignment AND feasibility of impact on climate change due to linear infra projects, we obviously have to choose the one with long term goals in mind The Western Ghats are 150 million old, one of the (only) 36 biodiversity hotspots in the world. The protected area is rich in flora and fauna with presence of scheduled and endangered species. We should find ways to go around this precious area @PiyushGoyal @nitin_gadkari read the full thread. Meanwhile on the work front, Hooda made his Hollywood debut with the American action-thriller film Extraction starring along with Chris Hemsworth and Goldshifteh Farahani. Hooda is appearing in Radhe a Salman Khan film and Unfair & Lovely opposite Ileana D'Cruz, a social satire on fad with fairness. Both the films are slated to be released in 2021. [March 03, 2021] Israel's Social Security Administration Doubles Customer Service Capability, Enables Remote Work for 700 Agents with Avaya Contact Center Solutions Avaya (NYSE: AVYA), a global leader in solutions to enhance and simplify communications and collaboration, has enabled Israel's Social Security Administration to successfully adopt remote work capabilities, expand contact center operations, and double the number of calls handled by its agents with Avaya (News - Alert) OneCloud contact center. Israel's Social Security Administration runs service centers at four locations across the country, which operate seven days a week and provide information in three languages. COVID-19 put the Administration hotline in an unprecedented position, as it needed to rapidly introduce a remote work strategy while managing a dramatic increase in inbound calls of approximately 220,000 inquiries a day. To manage this surge without compromising customer experience, the agency required a platform that would streamline contact center processes and support the 700 service representatives working across its sites. The Administration selected the Avaya OneCloud Contact Center platform with support from communications systems integrator and leading Avaya partner, ITNAVPro, which led the implementation. The secure, cloud-based Avaya platform provides the Administration with new automated features, including self-service, routing, agent tools, as well as workforce engagement capabilities and analytics, all of which were seamlessly integrated into its contact centers. Since deploying the platform and expanding its existing Avaya collaboration and communications infrastructure, ISSA agents are now able to handle hundreds of thousands of enquiries each month, with 30 percent of these opting for self-service options now possible with Avaya. In addition to helping the Administration quickly and easily transition hundreds of agents to work from anywhere after mandatory lockdowns and closures of physical offices, they were able to extend operating hours. Agents are also taking advantage of Avaya's advanced analytics algorithm which advises them on optimal call back hours, including outside typical busy periods. Additional features that are driving efficiency gains across the Social Security Administration contact centers include: automatic voice response with independent services tailored around emand; a call-back function that performs 30,000 call-backs per day, helping reduce wait times; automated updates on place-in-queue to keep callers informed; integration with digital channels, including a service option via Facebook (News - Alert) Messenger chat; call recording and more. "The COVID-19 crisis created congestion in the Social Security Administration customer service centers, which people rely on to provide comprehensive responses to issues relevant to the crisis, such as unemployment benefits, grant payments and more," said Yair Arieli, VP of Marketing, Sales and Business Development at ITNAVPro. "Avaya solutions have made it possible to effectively manage the volumes that come to service representatives and enable them to provide exceptional customer experience." "Israel's Social Security Administration is responsible for helping millions across the country access essential services and information, a need that has dramatically increased in the face of the pandemic," said Rafi Shkolnik, Avaya Israel. "The addition of flexible and secure cloud-based contact center capabilities has introduced new capabilities enabling the Administration to respond rapidly, while modernizing its contact centers throughout Israel for the long term." About Avaya Businesses are built by the experiences they provide, and everyday millions of those experiences are delivered by Avaya Holdings Corp. (NYSE: AVYA). Avaya is shaping what's next for the future of work, with innovation and partnerships that deliver game-changing business benefits. Our cloud communications solutions and multi-cloud application ecosystem power personalized, intelligent, and effortless customer and employee experiences to help achieve strategic ambitions and desired outcomes. Together, we are committed to help grow your business by delivering Experiences that Matter. Learn more at http://www.avaya.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This document contains certain "forward-looking statements." All statements other than statements of historical fact are "forward-looking" statements for purposes of the U.S. federal and state securities laws. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "might," "our vision," "plan," "potential," "preliminary," "predict," "should," "will," or "would" or the negative thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology. The Company has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. While the Company believes these expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections are reasonable, such forward-looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond its control. The factors are discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the " SEC (News - Alert) ") available at www.sec.gov, and may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. The Company cautions you that the list of important factors included in the Company's SEC filings may not contain all of the material factors that are important to you. In addition, in light of these risks and uncertainties, the matters referred to in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release may not in fact occur. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law. All trademarks identified by , TM, or SM are registered marks, trademarks, and service marks, respectively, of Avaya Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Source (News - Alert) : Avaya Newsroom View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005101/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has reported that, in collaboration with its official agencies, investigations were carried out into 47 unregistered food businesses in 2020, as compared to 19 in 2019, representing a 147% increase. These unregistered food businesses were operating illegally without the knowledge or supervision of the competent authorities. Some of these food businesses were established in domestic kitchens or private dwellings with inadequate food safety processes, procedures and facilities in place, as a result of the temporary closure of the food business in which the people were employed due to the COVID-19 restrictions. The food businesses were producing, processing or distributing various foods such as baked goods; eggs; ready-to-eat sushi products; poultry; and both raw and cooked meats. Food law requires all food businesses to be notified to the relevant competent authority irrespective of the size or type of food business, prior to operating. This requirement ensures that food businesses will be registered and/or approved with the appropriate inspection agency to ensure food safety and protect consumer health. The food business owner is legally responsible for ensuring that the food they produce is safe to eat. Following each investigation, the FSAI, in collaboration with the food inspectors, may take appropriate enforcement action to ensure consumer health is protected. In 2020, five Closure Orders, five Compliance Notices and three Prohibition Orders were served on unregistered/unapproved food businesses. In addition to these, two warrants were obtained to gain access to unregistered food businesses running their business from a domestic dwelling. The investigations also resulted in 17 tonnes of unfit and/or unsafe food taken off the market in Ireland. Commenting today, Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI urged consumers to be vigilant and only purchase food from reputable food businesses. Consumers have a right to safe food and bogus operators seeking to make a quick profit at the risk of potentially making consumers sick or selling non-compliant or fraudulent foodstuffs will be pursued using the legal powers available to us. The vast majority of food businesses comply with their legal requirement to notify prior to operating; however, it is very concerning to see an increase in the number of unregistered food businesses found to be operating in 2020. There is no doubt that COVID-19 has presented many challenges for the food industry and for people working in the sector, however, this does not change the legal requirements which are in place to protect consumer health. All food business owners, big or small, whether trading from a business premises, in the home, from a mobile unit, food truck and/or online, must be aware of food hygiene and food safety legislation. It is totally unacceptable that some food businesses are choosing to operate outside of the law, said Dr Byrne. Many of these unregistered food businesses are using social media platforms such as facebook, facebook marketplace, Adverts.ie, Done Deal and Instagram to advertise the sale and supply of their food products, and WhatsApp is also used by some for receiving orders. The FSAI and the food inspectors continue to monitor these sites and will take appropriate action, if unregistered food businesses are discovered. We would ask consumers that if they are in any doubt about a food business, they should contact us through our online complaint form www.fsai.ie/makeitbetter and we will follow up on this, added Dr Byrne. The FSAI has reiterated that anyone who is planning to open a food business should contact the FSAI for advice as to the correct procedures they must put in place to notify the relevant competent authority about their business, comply with food law and operate safely to ensure they can protect public health. [March 03, 2021] Spaceflight Inc. Signs Multiple Launch Agreements to Start 2021, Leveraging Its Success Managing Both "Bus and Taxi" Smallsat Launches Spaceflight Inc., the global launch services provider, announced it has started the year by signing several significant launch agreements with a wide range of organizations, including growing constellations needing routine and reliable launch schedules, smaller payloads requiring affordable bus-like options to popular orbits, firms needing regulatory and logistical guidance, as well as those seeking a personalized taxi service from loading dock to final orbital destination. Organizations that recently signed launch deals with Spaceflight include Lynk, Astro Digital, Kleos, BlackSky, Umbra, Orbit Fab and several undisclosed U.S. government payloads. "While the pandemic initially stalled many launch deals, we've really seen a tremendous resurgence in organizations coming to us to handle their very diverse launch needs," said Grant Bonin, senior vice president of business development at Spaceflight, Inc. "In addition to traditional, cost-effective rideshare options, we're also offering proven OTV solutions to satisfy a variety of orbital needs including GTO and beyond, many new dedicated launches, as well as expertise in many of the often overlooked but critical services like licensing, integration and logistics. We're committed to ensuring the first mile of our customers' launch is as well-executed as the last because both are equally critical to success." In November 2020, Spaceflight supported the successful launch of the Kleos Scouting Mission satellites (KSM1) and is now helping Kleos Space prepare for the launch of its second cluster of satellites in mid-2021. The second cluster - KSF1 Polar Vigilance Mission satellites will launch into a 500 kilometer Sun Synchronous Orbit aboard a SpaceX (News - Alert) Falcon9, under a rideshare contract with Spaceflight Inc. Kleos' satellites will detect and geolocate maritime radio frequency transmissions to provide global activity-based information, enhancing the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities of governments and commercial entities. "Spaceflight Inc. played an important role in the success of Kleos' first satellite mission and proved to be a proactive and flexible partner, which is essential to the success of the new space industry," said Andy Bowyer, Kleos Space CEO. "They went above and beyond the call of duty to get our scouting satellites launched in the middle of a pandemic. We are grateful to have Spaceflight's expertise and experience at our disposal as we prepare for the launch of our second cluster." Most recently, Spaceflight coordinated its first fully dedicated PSLV mission, successfully deploying its largest customer satellite to date, Amazonia-1, a nearly 700-kilogram Earth observation satellite. The company also successfully deployed 14 spacecraft from its first next-gen OTV (Sherpa-FX) on the record-breaking SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter-1 launch in January. In the coming months, Spaceflight is managing two dedicated rideshare missions on Rocket Lab Electron vehicles and a deployment from the International Space Station for several U.S government spacecraft. The company is preparing several ESPA-class OTVs complete with electric and chemical propulsion for missions later this year along with many traditional rideshare missions for a total of approximately 10 launches in 2021. Spaceflight has also signed an exclusive business development agreement with Mitsui Bussan Aerospace Co., Ltd., the leading aerospace trading company in Japan. The new alliance enables Mitsui Bussan Aerospace to expand its services to now offer Spaceflight's global rideshare and integration services in the APAC region, capitalizing on its regional and cultural expertise. Celebrating 10 years of providing innovative launch services, Spaceflight has launched nearly 350 satellites across 37 missions on eight different launch vehicles, including the Falcon 9, Electron, PSLV, and Vega. It has orchestrated several industry firsts including the first fully dedicated rideshare with 64 smallsats about the historic SSO-A mission and the first-ever rideshare mission to GTO with a lunar lander. About Spaceflight Inc. As the premier global launch services provider, Spaceflight is revolutionizing the business of space transportation through its comprehensive suite of launch services and Sherpa orbital transfer vehicles. The company provides unprecedented launch flexibility to ensure customers' smallsats get to orbit exactly when and where they want through a combination of long-standing relationships with a diverse portfolio of launch partners, innovative satellite integration capabilities, including flight and ground support hardware, licensing and logistics management, and extensive mission management expertise. Based in Seattle, Spaceflight has successfully launched hundreds of satellites and is a part of the Mitsui & Co., Ltd. portfolio, operating as an independent, U.S.-based company. For more information, visit http://www.spaceflight.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005276/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Another cycle of state administrative reform is coming. This is the time to review the results of the administrative reform program in the 2011-2020 period and set the orientation for the next decade. Public administration reform (PAR) is a process for all stakeholders from the public and non-public sectors. In the past decade, there were many systems to monitor the performance of the government apparatus at central and local levels, managed by organizations, associations, and non-governmental organizations, contributing to a push to improve public service efficiency. Attempts to increase rankings The chart below shows the change from zero to many measures to help government agencies at all levels examine themselves over time. The indexes contributing to the change of local public service governance and provision include the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), the Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI) of UNDP and its partners in Vietnam. Timeline of public performance evaluation indicators In addition, many international indicators are contributing to promoting innovation in Vietnam. The country is making great efforts to increase its position in international rankings in the spirit of Resolution 02/NQ-CP on performing main tasks and solutions to improve the business environment and enhance national competitiveness in 2020. Indicators such as the UN's e-government index, the UNDP's human development index, and the World Bank's business environment are being periodically monitored by Vietnam. Facing the requirement to strengthen national competitiveness and the task of realizing the goals set out in the state administrative reform program, the administrative apparatus, especially grassroots authorities, are under increasing pressure. Meanwhile, the key element of the apparatus is the contingent of cadres, civil servants and public employees. In order to serve people and businesses with integrity and professionalism, the organization of public service personnel needs to be done scientifically, employees should be recruited based on actual capacity, with assignment records and be assessed in many dimensions, and inspections of the public service should be done fairly. Some indicators measure performance of government apparatus However, based on statistics of the PCI, PAPI and Provincial Anti-Corruption Assessment (PACA) indicators, harassment and raising difficulties toward businesses and citizens by public employees at administrative agencies is still a problem. It is still a fact that there are many doors and intermediaries at administrative agencies that businesses and people have to pass. According to the PAPI index, in the assessment of the effectiveness of corruption control, fairness in recruitment of employees in the public sector was rated at the lowest level. Lack of KPI for efficiency of public services According to PAPI surveys, the positions that must rely most heavily on relationships to get at commune-level government agencies are the staff who perform land-related administrative procedures. Other positions such as judicial officers, teachers at public primary schools, and staff of People's Committees of communes, wards and towns also require relationships to be recruited. In that context, the promise of building a contingent of enthusiastic, talented civil servants has not been realized after 20 years. In addition, public service inspection seems to be very formal. Regulations on inspection and examination of public services do not favor unexpected inspection and examination. If only periodic inspections are launched, state agencies have time to prepare thoroughly for the inspection, so it is difficult to accurately assess the performance of daily public service activities of cadres and civil servants. Meanwhile, the implementation of job positions and the application of assignment records to cadres and civil servants by law were suspended after this mechanism was trialed at a number of ministries, sectors and localities without unknown causes. So far, there is still no Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for civil servants at each level and in each sector. The civil service system seems to lag far behind in the application of effective HR management solutions in comparison with the private sector. No need to streamline commune-level payroll With a population of more than 96 million, associated with commune, ward and town authorities, the contingent of communal cadres and civil servants are under pressure to serve the people, but they are not given adequate attention. These employees are not promptly informed with necessary information, and have not been properly trained to implement policies and law enforcement at the grassroots level. Many directions and instructions of provincial authorities on improving operational efficiency to improve public administrative service indicators do not reach civil servants at commune level. For example, at a meeting on the PAPI survey, with the participation of more than 700 civil servants who are chairman and vice-chairman of communes/wards/towns in Ho Chi Minh City, only five people raised their hands after they were asked whether they knew about the PAPI index. Only one of them knew about the Satisfaction Index of Public Administrative Services (SIPAS) index. None of them knew about sectoral indicators such as the Government Inspectorate's PACA. There is also a need to reconsider the payroll streamlining. Payroll streamlining is mainly carried out at the grassroots level, where additional civil servants are needed, especially in densely populated provinces home to migrants such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong and Dong Nai. The solution suggested for this situation is to localize the demand for public service staff. It is also necessary to separate urban and rural governments to ensure a more appropriate allocation of human resources and budgets based on local conditions. The payroll streamlining should focus on the intermediate level (districts) and provincial and city levels, not commune, because administrative agencies at this level have to handle many citizen-related tasks. Do Thanh Huyen (Public Policy Analyst, UNDP Vietnam) Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo, nominee for Secretary of Commerce, speaks at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Delaware, Jan. 8, 2021. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images) US Senate Confirms Raimondo to Head Commerce Department WASHINGTONThe Senate voted 84-15 on Tuesday to confirm Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo to head the U.S. Commerce Department, the agency that repeatedly sparred with China during the prior administration. Raimondo, a Democrat tapped by President Joe Biden, will oversee the Commerce Department and its bureaus, which have about 46,000 employees. The department includes the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Census, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service and the Foreign Commercial Service. It also helps negotiate trade agreements and enforces laws on trade and national security. At her confirmation hearing, Raimondo vowed to protect U.S. telecommunications networks from Chinese companies. But she refused to commit to keeping telecommunications company Huawei Technologies on a U.S. economic blacklist. The Commerce Department under former President Donald Trump took aim at China on numerous fronts, adding dozens of Chinese companies to a trade blacklist, including Huawei, the countrys top chipmaker SMIC, Hikvision and drone manufacturer SZ DJI Technology. In written responses to lawmakers, Raimondo said she had no reason to believe that the listed Chinese companies should not be. We should have no illusions about Chinas objectives, which I believe are to undercut Americas longstanding technological advantage and to displace America as the global leader in cutting-edge research and development and the industries of the future, she said. The Trump administration ordered to bar U.S. app stores from offering Chinese-owned TikTok or WeChat for download. The Justice Department last month put appeals of rulings blocking those efforts on hold pending a Biden administration review of the efforts. By David Shepardson The chances of flooding this spring on the shores of Lake Ontario are now deemed "low," the board that controls outflows from the lake said this week. Thus, on Monday the International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board returned to its management plan and reduced the amount of water flowing out of the lake past the dam at Massena. "In December, the risk analysis indicated a 28% chance of water levels exceeding a threshold at which damages occur in many shoreline communities. The risk is now down to 8%," the board announced Monday. The board said the outflows will again be governed by the thresholds set in Plan 2014, the water level management plan whose provisions some officials and property owners have blamed for the floods that struck the lakeshore in 2017 and 2019. The board and its defenders blamed the weather, arguing that it was just a coincidence that very wet springs occurred just after the new plan, which envisioned slightly higher water levels than the previous plan, took effect in December 2016. But starting in 2019, the board has been more proactive in releasing more water past the dam and down the St. Lawrence to the Atlantic Ocean. Program Aims to Support Government Efforts to Encourage People to Vaccinate PORTLAND, OR / ACCESSWIRE / March 3, 2021 / Kaya Holdings, Inc., ("KAYS" or the "Company") (OTCQB:KAYS), the first U.S. publicly traded company to vertically integrate cannabis retail, cultivation and processing, announced today that it's retail brand, Kaya Shack is launching "Pot 4 a Shot" vaccination appreciation program, offering a 10% discount to any customer at it Portland and Salem stores with proof of a COVID-19 vaccination. The vaccination discount will continue until the pandemic has passed. "As an industry we are placing great hope on regulatory changes from this administration", stated KAYS CEO Craig Frank, "The administration has set mass vaccination as a policy priority. I think it is important to show the administration that the cannabis industry is doing all we can to encourage and incentivize our customers to heed its call and get vaccinated. We certainly hope other cannabis dispensaries will join us". An Invitation to the Cannabis Industry Kaya Holdings invites all legal cannabis dispensaries to join us in making "Pot for a Shot" an industry effort to promote the government's vaccination efforts. For a "clean" logo free version of the Pot 4 a Shot poster designed by Bryan Arnold (feel free to place your own logo), please contact us at info@kayaholdings.com. About Kaya Holdings, Inc. (www.kayaholdings.com) Kaya Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB:KAYS) is an industry veteran, touch-the-plant, vertically integrated legal cannabis company operating a number of majority-owned subsidiaries that retail, cultivate, produce and distribute premium medical and recreational cannabis products, including flower, concentrates, oils and extracts, cannabis-infused foods and beverages, topicals and cannaceuticals. KAYS is a fully reporting, US-based publicly traded company, listed for trading on the OTCQB Tier of the over-the-counter market under the symbol OTCQB:KAYS. Summary of Operations KAYS corporate structure includes the following three majority-owned subsidiaries, each responding to various demands and opportunities in the cannabis industry: Marijuana Holdings Americas, Inc. owns the Kaya Shack brand of licensed medical and recreational marijuana stores (www.kayashack.com) and the Kaya Farms brand of cannabis production and processing operations that operate in the United States. Kaya Brands USA, Inc. owns a wide range of proprietary brands of cannabis extracts, oils, pre-rolls, topicals, food and beverages, cannaceuticals and related accessories. Kaya Brands International, Inc., was founded to serve as the vehicle for the Company's non-U.S. operations including retail franchising in Canada and cultivation activities in Greece and Israel. Marijuana Holdings Americas, Inc.- U.S. Cannabis Operations Kaya Shack Retail Cannabis Stores In 2014, KAYS became the first United States publicly-traded company to own and operate a Medical Marijuana Dispensary. KAYS presently operates two Kaya Shack OLCC licensed marijuana retail stores to service the legal medical and recreational marijuana market in Oregon and is in the process of relocating a third retail cannabis license to serve as a delivery hub for the Eugene and Southern Oregon Cannabis Market. Kaya Farms Eugene, Oregon Indoor Grow, Processing & Cannaceutical Facility: The Company owns a 12,000 square foot Kaya Farms indoor grow and manufacturing facility in Eugene, Oregon, which serves as the Company's center for cultivation trials, method experiments, genetic research and cannabis infused product development. The Company is presently conducting limited operations at this location under a Management Agreement with Sunstone Farms, the current licensee. Pending the successful acquisition and transfer of other existing OLCC Marijuana Production and Processing licenses, KAYS intends to build out the facility and ramp up to full production. Lebanon, Oregon Farm & Greenhouse Facility: KAYS owns a 26-acre parcel in Lebanon, Linn County, Oregon which it intends to construct an 85,000-square-foot Kaya Farms greenhouse cultivation and production facility. To date KAYS has received Linn County Zoning approvals and upon issuance of OLCC Licensing it will begin construction. The farm is intended for immediate development and provides the Company with a potential additional capacity of more than 100,000 pounds annually, to be expanded once export from Oregon to other U.S. States and foreign countries where cannabis use is legal is permitted. Kaya Farms operates in accordance with a Grow Operations manual, as well as manuals for compliance, employment matters and safety. Kaya Brands USA, Inc.- Brand and Product Development The Company maintains a genetics library of over 30 strains of cannabis and owns a number of proprietary brands in traditional and innovative cannabis categories including Kaya Buddies pre-rolls, Really Happy Glass cannabis accessories, and Kaya Gear, company-related and cannabis-centric fashion. These brands are currently available at Kaya Shack stores. The Company has made advances in the development of its Kumba Extracts, Syzygy Extracts, Pakalolo Juice Company Soothe Topicals, Tony Giggles Pleasure Foods (frozen infused Italian entrees), Uptown Shaman (cannaceuticals), and Kaya Yums (chocolates, gummies, power bars) brands. Pending approval of our production and processing license, KAYS intends to begin a multi-state rollout planned in 2020 to the extent permitted by U.S. legal infrastructure. These brands are intended for all Kaya Shack stores, both corporate-owned and franchised. Kaya Brands International, Inc.- Foreign Cannabis Operations After over six years of conducting "touch the plant" U.S. cannabis operations inside the strict regulatory confines of a public company, KAYS has formed a subsidiary, Kaya Brands International, Inc. ("KBI") to leverage its experience and expand into worldwide cannabis markets. KBI's current operations and initiatives include: Kaya Kannabis- Kaya Farms Greece S.A. ("Kaya Farms Greece," a Greek Corporation) is a majority owned subsidiary of KBI. The Company has just exercised its option (pursuant to terms of a previously disclosed 8-K filing) for Kaya Farms Greece to acquire a 50% interest in Greekkannabis, PC, an Athens, Greece based cannabis company which has received its license for the construction of a facility encompassing approximately 500,000 square feet of buildings on 15 acres of land outside of Athens, Greece to grow, process and export medical grade cannabis from Greece to the European Union and elsewhere. Kaya Farms Israel- Kaya Shalvah LTD ("Kaya Farms Israel," an Israeli Corporation) is a majority owned subsidiary of KBI. Kaya Farms Israel is in the process of applying to various Israeli Government Agencies for a license to grow, process and export medical grade cannabis from Israel. Upon submission of the initial application to the Israeli Cannabis Authority, Kaya Shalvah intends to submit a bid to acquire 100 Dunams (approximately 25 acres) of land in Israel that is part of Greenegev, an Israeli Government backed Cannabinoid Ecosystem in Yerucham, Israel that is envisioned to become the Silicon Valley of Medical Cannabis Production and Research. These two facilities, as currently envisioned (and after obtaining successful financing, completing construction and obtaining final requisite licensing), are configured to produce approximately 600,000 pounds of GMP Certified, Premium Medical Grade, Cannabis annually for potential export to the European Union and elsewhere. Canadian Franchising: KAYS has targeted Canada (the only G7 country that has legalized both medical and recreational cannabis production, sale and use on a national level) for its first international sale and operation of Kaya Shack cannabis store franchises, with a goal of 75-100 Kaya Shack Cannabis Retail locations throughout Canada through a multi-year structured rollout, subject to licensing and market conditions. KAYS has retained Toronto, Canada based law firm of Garfinkle Biderman, LLP to prepare the Franchise Disclosure Documents and related items for the sale of Kaya Shack cannabis store franchises in Canada. KAYS plans to ultimately expand its franchise operations to the U.S., as regulations and laws permit. Important Disclosure KAYS is planning execution of its stated business objectives in accordance with current understanding of state and local laws and federal enforcement policies and priorities as it relates to marijuana. Potential investors and shareholders are cautioned that KAYS and MJAI will obtain advice of counsel prior to actualizing any portion of their business plan (including but not limited to license applications for the cultivation, distribution or sale of marijuana products, engaging in said activities or acquiring existing cannabis production/sales operations). Advice of counsel with regard to specific activities of KAYS, federal, state or local legal action or changes in federal government policy and/or state and local laws may adversely affect business operations and shareholder value. Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes statements that may constitute "forward-looking" statements, usually containing the words "believe," "estimate," "project," "expect" or similar statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Factors that would cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, acceptance of the Company's current and future products and services in the marketplace, the ability of the Company to develop effective new products and receive regulatory approvals of such products, competitive factors, dependence upon third-party vendors, and other risks detailed in the Company's periodic report filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. By making these forward-looking statements, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release. For more information contact Investor Relations: info@kayaholdings.com or 561-210-7664 SOURCE: Kaya Holdings View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/633146/Kaya-Holdings-Incs-OTCQBKAYS-Cannabis-Retailer-Kaya-ShackTM-Launches-Pot-4-a-Shot-Vaccination-Appreciation-Program [March 03, 2021] The 58th Design Automation Conference Opens Call for Nominations for the Prestigious Marie R. Pistilli Award The Design Automation Conference (DAC) is recognized globally as the annual place to be for electronic design and systems professionals. Over the past 58 years, DAC has encouraged and fostered diversity among the electronic design community as well as the event attendees. For more than two decades, the Marie R. Pistilli Award, named for the former organizer of DAC who passed away in 2015, has been honoring those individuals who have helped advance the profile of women in the electronics industry and made significant overall contributions. Nominations are now being accepted for the 2021 Marie R. Pistilli Electronic Design Award. The Marie R. Pistilli Award honors a person in the semiconductor-related industry or academia his or her support and advancement of women in the related industries. Nominees may hail from technical or non-technical backgrounds and must be individuals who have made notable contributions to advancing the profile of women in EDA. Past recipients have played key roles in creating, launching, or manging products that involved contributions from women or created opportunities for women in the industry. Some have been leaders within a company or organization helping to raise the awareness of women, while others have been mentors or role models for successful women in technology. This year's honoree (to be announced prior to DAC) will be presented with the award at the 58th DAC General/Opening Session, being held at Moscone West Center in San Francisco, CA (News - Alert) from December 5-9, 2021. DAC will co-locate with SEMICON West 2021, which is being held at the Moscone Center, North and South Halls, December 7-9, 2021. "The DAC organization is proud to continue the Marie Pistilli legacy in an effort to make our industry a place where diversity and innovation thrives," said Harry Foster, 58th DAC General Chair and Verification Scientist at Siemens (News - Alert) EDA. "Marie had the foresight to honor those who have made tremendous contributions to the electronic industry and we continue to honor those who share in her passion for the electronics industry." For more information and to submit your nomination, visit the Worldwide Women in Electronic Design webpage. About DAC The Design Automation Conference (DAC) is recognized as the premier event for the design of electronic circuits and systems, and for electronic design automation (EDA) and silicon solutions. A diverse worldwide community representing more than 1,000 organizations attends each year, represented by system designers and architects, logic and circuit designers, validation engineers, CAD managers, senior managers and executives to researchers and academicians from leading universities. Close to 60 technical sessions selected by a committee of electronic design experts offer information on recent developments and trends, management practices and new products, methodologies and technologies. A highlight of DAC is its exhibition and suite area with approximately 200 of the leading and emerging EDA, silicon, intellectual property (IP) and design services providers. The conference is sponsored by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers ( IEEE (News - Alert) ), and is supported by ACM's Special Interest Group on Design Automation (ACM SIGDA). View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005112/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] New Delhi: In the backdrop of Gorakhpur's BRD Medical college tragedy, the Delhi government is also set to hold a key meeting regarding stocks of oxygen cylinders and life-saving drugs in the government hospitals. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal will chair the meeting which will be held on August 16. At least 70 children died in the state-run Baba Raghav Das Medical College since the past two days. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has assured that guilty will not be spared and the state government wants to eradicate the problem of Japanese Encephalitis forever. Also Read | Gorakhpur tragedy: Suspended medical college principal Dr Rajeev Mishra resigns For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. [March 02, 2021] World Connection Honored at 2020 Top Ranking Performers Awards BOISE, Idaho, March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- World Connection, a mid-sized, bilingual BPO with contact centers in Boise, ID and Guatemala City, Guatemala was awarded two medals in the 15th annual Global Top-Ranking Performers Awards from ContactCenterWorld.com, the Global Association for Contact Center and Customer Engagement Best Practices. Following the regional round, with "Ranked #1 in the Americas" wins in two categories, World Connection was awarded "Ranked #1 in the World for Best Call Center Design" and "Ranked #2 in the World for Best Outsourcing Partnership." "It is an honor to be recognized within our industry for these accolades," said World Connection President / CEO Hui Wu-Curtis. "Winning two golds for 'Best in the Americas' was a great achievement for us. To follow that up with a gold and a silver, judged by other colleagues against the best in the world, means more to me and my team than anything else." World Connection's "Ranked #1 in the World in Best Call Center Design" came for its Guatemala City location; a 1,200-seat facility built around people-focused themes. The "Ranked #2 in the World in Best Outsourcing Partnership" is for its long-term partnership with personal-finance oftware seller Quicken, which spans two locations in two countries. "We're thrilled to receive this new validation of our ongoing work to change the customer experience for good," said Wu-Curtis. In addition, Wu-Curtis was recognized with an Individual Industry Champion Award, presented to "top movers and shakers," highly respected individuals who positively influence the growth and development of the contact center industry. The 2020 Top Ranking Performers Awards attracted over 2000 entries from over 70 nations. About World Connection World Connection S.A. and World Connection LLC is a privately-owned global provider of call center, back office, and business process outsourcing services. Founded in 2011, World Connection provides outsourcing services including call centers, customer service, customer acquisition and retention, sales, collections, as well as back-office processing headquartered in Guatemala City. For more information, visit https://worldconnection.com/ About ContactCenterWorld.com The association is the World's largest association for Contact Center & CX professionals with over 205,00 professional members. ContactCenterWorld.com was founded in 1999 and runs the largest awards program for our industry, the highest rated events, offers networking for members, has over 40,000 documents online and offers daily tips, benchmarking data, employee engagement and customer experience programs. Learn more at http://www.contactcenterworld.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/world-connection-honored-at-2020-top-ranking-performers-awards-301238925.html SOURCE World Connection [ Back To SIP Trunking Home's Homepage ] A renewed move to extend the Waterford boundary into county Kilkenny is going to lead to 'unnecessary division' and is contrary to the united efforts of all counties in the south east to develop the region, according to local councillors. This morning (Wednesday) Piltown area councillors agreed to write to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O'Brien, because the sooner this can be stopped and put to bed the better. Waterford County Council agreed a motion last week to ask the minister to commence the implementation of the recommendations of the Waterford Boundary Review Committee, which were reported in 2017. "Particularly the extension of the boundary of Waterford City and County Council into County Kilkenny by including the entire electoral area of Kilculiheen and those parts of the electoral areas of Aglish and Dunkitt contained within the area of interest." Area chairman, Eamon Aylward, said he was "disappointed this has come up again." Things like this just lead to division and getting peoples backs up unnecessarily. The sooner this can be stopped and put to bed the better. Cllr Aylward added: "We dont want to be creating divisions which something like this did in the past and will do in the future." He said cooperation is the way forward "not opening up old wounds again. Cllr Fidelis Doherty said there are lots of things going they were better to be doing rather than dealing with this boundary issue. She advised the people who are making this application to "apply themselves to their own area." Cllr Pat Dunphy said this was happening every few years and was "turning into a joke," while Cllr Ger Frisby said it was "a complete waste of time" and questioned the motives of those bringing this up. It was agreed the matter will be referred to Kilkenny County Council's Corporate Policy Group, on Monday, and Director of Services Sean McKeown agreed there is now an onus on Kilkenny to respond and write to the minister. India, Russia to hold Indra-2021 drills in August in southern Russia 01 Jun 2021 | 4:30 PM New Delhi, Jun 1 (UNI) Indra-2021, the Indian-Russian joint drills of 500 armed forces servicemen of each country will run on August 1-15 this year at the Prudboi practice range in the Volgograd Region in southern Russia. see more.. India produced 198 4 million tonnes of milk during 2019-20: Giriraj Singh 01 Jun 2021 | 4:24 PM New Delhi, Jun 1 (UNI) Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying Giriraj Singh on Tuesday said India is a global leader amongst dairying nations and produced 198.4 million tonnes of milk during 2019-20 adding that milk production has increased at an average annual growth rate of 6.3 per cent per year in the last six years. see more.. IMUL moves SC against MHA order granting citizenship to non-Muslim minorities 01 Jun 2021 | 3:56 PM New Delhi, Jun 1 (UNI) Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court to challenge the Ministry of Home Affairs' May 28 order for the minorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, who have taken refuge in India, to apply for citizenship under Citizenship Amendment Act. see more.. Monsoon will hit Kerala on June: IMD 01 Jun 2021 | 3:50 PM New Delhi, Jun 1 (UNI) The India Meteorological Department(IMD) on Tuesday reiterated that South West Monsson onset over Kerala will take place on June 3 and there will no further delay. see more.. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. 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 Minister for Trade and Industry Alan Kojo Kyerematen has disclosed that 62 new factories have been added on to governments flagship one district one factory policy. This brings the total number of private-public industrial facilities under the project to 232. Government in June last year revealed that about 170 companies in various parts of the country had commenced operations or were either under construction. However, appearing before parliaments Appointments Committee Friday, February 26 2021, Mr. Kyerematen indicated that the flagship project which has been under his supervision since 2017, has revolutionized Ghanas industrial development. While responding to Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu's question on the status of the project, the nominee indicated that about 168 completely new factories have taken off out which 76 are currently under operation. This he says is contrary to claims that government was only revamping already existing companies as he noted that only 64 of such facilities were captured under the 1D1F project. Touching on interventions rolled out so far to support the emerging factories, Alan Kojo Kyerematen said, Mr. Chairman through this initiate weve been able to mobilize 2.3 billion Ghana Cedis from local financial institutions, government has provided interest subsidy payment in support of 230 million Ghana cedis. This is meant to de-risk the project to make it easier for them to put it (the factories). The Minister-designate is hopeful that when given the nod, work will be expedited on the project which has the potential of creating more job opportunities and transforming Ghanas economy. Below is the total break down of the 1D1F initiative: Two Hundred and Thirty-Two (232) IDIF projects in 154 Districts, at various stages of implementation, made up of 64 existing companies and 168 new companies. They are categorized as follows: Projects Currently Operating as 1D1F- 76 Projects under Construction -107 Projects ready to commence construction (Mobilization Stage) - 36 Pipeline Projects to be financed by PFIs- 13 TOTAL PROJECTS 232 They include Agro-processing (56%), General Manufacturing (22%), Meat Processing (5%), Primary Agriculture (4%), and other Industrial Enterprises (13%). The following milestones have been achieved: 139,331 direct and indirect jobs created by 76 1D1F companies in operation 285,915 additional direct and indirect jobs projected GHS 2.3 billion mobilized from PFIs Interest Subsidy payment support of GHS 213 million GHS 603 million Import Duty Exemptions granted to 37 1D1F companies 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 Ben Affleck is reportedly feeling like his old self again. The 48-year-old Argo director has gotten his groove back as he works on a new project with his longtime friend George Clooney, according to a Wednesday report from People. This comes three months after the father-of-three split from Cuban-born actress Ana de Armas who will appear in the next James Bond movie No Time To Die. Happy with his pal: Ben Affleck is back to his old self again. The 48-year-old Argo director has found his groove as he works on a new project with his longtime friend George Clooney, according to a Wednesday report from People. Seen in 2013 Ben has been working on the film The Tender Bar which is shooting in New England; the star grew up in Massachusetts. 'Ben is excited to be in Boston,' a source told People. 'He and George are happy to be reunited and working together again.' A production source also said that 'Affleck comes prepared and ready to film. He and George are great to work with.' It was added that the Batman star, who was once engaged to Jennifer Lopez, 'is in a good place.' The director of the movie is Clooney, who has been behind the camera for the hit projects The Midnight Sky, Catch-22, The Monuments Men, The Ides Of March, Leatherheads, Good Night, And Good Luck as well as Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind. A struggle to be him: The Hollywood icon talked about his brave battle to get and stay sober with The Hollywood Reporter last week And George was a producer on Ben's hit film Argo, which Ben directed and starred in. The Tender Bar is based on the 2005 memoir from J.R. Moehringer. Affleck plays a bar owner who looks after his nephew. The star has three kids daughters Violet, 15, and Seraphina, 12, and son Samuel, eight, with ex-wife Jennifer Garner. Last week he touched on how his divorce from Jennifer helped him gain experience which he uses to be a better actor. 'Having seen enough ups and downs, having had children and divorce I'm at a point now in my life where I have sufficient life experience to bring to a role to make it really interesting for me,' he told The Hollywood Reporter. Her famous ex: Ben and Ana de Armas split in December. They will appear in the film Deep Water, about a well-to-do husband who allows his wife to have affairs in order to avoid a divorce becomes a prime suspect in the disappearance of her lovers Armas and Affleck met on the set of Deep Water and began dating in March 2020. The 'painful' split was reported to be 'as amicable as can be' with sources insisting the pair still have 'a lot of love' for one another. An insider previously said: 'There is a lot of love still between the two of them. The split is as amicable as can be.' Ana has been taking the breakup in stride, looking undaunted in the candid moments she frequently shares on her Instagram stories. Ana debuted her very first Estee Lauder commercial for the fragrance Beautiful Magnolia on Wednesday after being named the new 'global ambassador' of the beauty brand. The siren was seen kissing and hugging a very handsome male model as they frolicked on a beach and at a mansion. Ben has three kids: The star with ex-wife Jennifer Garner, as well as their kids Seraphina, Violet and Samuel, in 2019 The commercial opens with the actress kissing and hugging a beau while in a stunning mansion that overlooks a canyon. She jumps into his arms and then jumps into a swimming pool with the looker as music plays in the background. They then kiss at sunset while soaking wet in the pool for what makes a very romantic moment. Dreamy shoot: Ana debuted in her very first Estee Lauder commercial for the fragrance Beautiful Magnolia after being named the new 'global ambassador' of the beauty brand. Here she is seen kissing her costar Romance is in the air: The 32-year-old siren, who broke up with Ben Affleck in December, was seen with a very handsome male model as they frolicked on a beach Next Ana smolders in a plunging gold crystal encrusted gown that makes the most of her figure. She stares at her man as if she is deeply in love. Then the duo are seen in their home as she models a black silk negligee and rolls around in a bed. That changes to a beach scene where she has on a silver gown that is skintight and he has on a suit. They run on the shore and then kiss again in what is a very flirty commercial. Siren! The Knives Out actress was also filmed in a revealing sheer gold gown making her look every inch the Bond girl that she is; Ana is starring in the new 007 adventure No Time To Die which will be released later this year It ends with the beauty in a pink gown with her dark hair worn down as she looks at magnolia trees. 'Were delighted to announce Ana de Armas as the face of our newest floral fragrance, #BeautifulMagnolia!' the company said on Instagram. 'Weve bottled up everything we love most about #flowers to bring you a modern #floralfragrance thats fresh, youthful, and unapologetically feminine.' That look of longing: The commercial has the Cuban-born beauty kissing and hugging a beau while in a stunning mansion that overlooks a canyon The day before she revealed some of her beauty secrets in a behind-the-scenes video from her Estee Lauder photo shoot posted on the beauty brand's Instagram account. Ana was unveiled as the new face of Estee Lauder last week, a company that Kendall Jenner and Elizabeth Hurley have been linked to in the past. 'Behind The Scenes with Estee Lauder Global Brand Ambassador Ana de Armas Lights, camera, action! We chatted with our newest Global Brand Ambassador, @ana_d_armas, to get to know her a bit better. Watch now and hear more about her journey as an actress, her beauty favorites, and her thoughts on joining the Estee Lauder brand,' the company captioned the informative clip. The LA resident sported a stunning gold silk dress for the shoot, keeping her glowing skin on display with her hair slicked back off her face. 'I am thrilled to be joining the Estee Lauder family. I'm on set now shooting my new campaign and I can't tell you much more than that right now, but stay tuned,' she started the video. NEW YORK, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- BlackBook Publishing is thrilled to announce the global release of Sleeping Presidents ($45 USD): a 215-page large format art book. Created and authored by well-known contemporary artist, filmmaker and poet John Ransom Phillips, Sleeping Presidents offers stunning art inspired by stories of the 45 past American Presidents, available now worldwide. Phillips invaded the dreams of every Commander in Chief. Some stories are more expansive than others, depending how the presidents met Phillips in their subconscious encounters. Each president has a featured chapter. As Joe Biden's Presidency is in its infancy, this chapter is offered exclusively online. "We often are more truly ourselves when we are asleep than in our waking life," Phillips said. "Invasions ran the gamut some presidents resisted, while others were met with a kind of pleasure bordering on frenzy." Sleeping Presidents explores the gulf between what we allow to be seen publicly and what we may be desperate to conceal, even from ourselves. Blurring the personal and political, these sympathetic, candid and amusing vignettes give witness to the private rites of public personae. In the book, you will find: George Washington fulfilling his repressed desire. fulfilling his repressed desire. Bill Clinton absorbing his mother's power. absorbing his mother's power. Ulysses S. Grant making peace with death. making peace with death. Presidents who resisted dream invasion included Zachary Taylor , Harry S. Truman , Lyndon B. Johnson and Gerald Ford . Each President is graced with figurative, emotional artwork (oil paintings and watercolors) that augment and amplify the text, exploring their unconscious worlds as interpreted through Phillips' inquiry and vision. Although these vignettes often read like prose poetry, they are much more. Laced with nuance, insight and extensive research, common themes and images emerge through the inverted timeline of Sleeping Presidents, making the work entirely without equal. ABOUT BLACKBOOK BlackBook is a leading global media brand, art gallery, full service creative agency and publishers of the award-winning BlackBook Magazine since 1996. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Working across various media - painting, film, theater and poetry - John Ransom Phillips blurs the lines between worlds and erases the boundaries between art, reality and imagination. He invites his audience to be part of his visions, embarking on historical and metaphysical journeys layered with universal themes of intimacy, love, sex and death. Phillips nurtures and channels these visions and tries not to question their origins. Phillips resides and works in New York, and his artwork has been exhibited worldwide. Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ransomart/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/art_ransom/?hl=en Twitter - https://twitter.com/jransomphillips?lang=en Phillips is available for interviews upon request. Review copies also available upon request. Contact: Michael Wright/Garson & Wright Public Relations 303-841-2117 [email protected] SOURCE BlackBook Publishing Alabama on Wednesday reached a morbid milestone: more than 10,000 people have died with COVID-19 since the pandemic began last year, according to state Health Department statistics. The state this morning reported 7,872 confirmed deaths and 2,157 probable deaths related to the pandemic for a total of 10,029. Thats nearly double the amount of lives lost to COVID-19 than the total number of American combat deaths in the countrys last three wars. More than 5,818 American combat deaths were reported in the Iraq War, War in Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf War. Stories of the 10,000 lives lost to coronavirus in Alabama About 78 percent of the states COVID-19 deaths are confirmed cases, while the remaining 22 percent are listed as probable cases. While the total number of coronavirus deaths exceeded 10,000 on Wednesday, the state is showing signs of improvement as COVID-19 vaccines get distributed to the most vulnerable Alabamians. Over the last week, six deaths or fewer have been reported every day in Alabama, compared to anywhere from 50 to 75 daily deaths during this winters peak. Jefferson County has the lions share of Alabamas COVID-19 death toll with more than 1,300 coronavirus deaths, followed by Mobile County with 735, Montgomery County with 517, Madison County with 458 and Tuscaloosa County with 412 deaths. Meanwhile, the country marked half a million coronavirus deaths last week, leading President Biden to issue a proclamation ordering all flags be flown at half staff. On this solemn occasion, we reflect on their loss and on their loved ones left behind, Biden said in the proclamation. We, as a nation, must remember them so we can begin to heal, to unite, and find purpose as one nation to defeat this pandemic. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- A smartphone app called Harbor, currently under development by researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, teaches young adults how to talk to a peer if they are concerned about that other person's drinking or drug use. Designed for people ages 18-29, Harbor teaches young adults how they can "act as first responders for their close friends who demonstrate risky substance use behaviors," according to the app's lead developer, social work professor Douglas C. Smith. Smith, the director of the Center for Prevention Research and Development at the U. of I., focuses his research on substance use and interventions for young people. While young adults have the highest rates of substance use, they are also the people least likely to seek treatment, he said. "If you're an individual who gets referred to treatment, or who is in need of treatment, it's pretty likely that people in your social network are worried about you," he said. "And there's probably a mix of people in your social network who also have elevated substance use as well." In an online survey of more than 450 young adults conducted for the current study, 45% of the respondents indicated that they were concerned about a close friend's drug or alcohol use. The study was published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. "If they're responding affirmatively to that question, there's a good chance their friend is probably using at some sort of risky level," said graduate student Kyle M. Bennett, the first author of the study. "They're probably not just an occasional user; they're probably going out frequently and experiencing some of those nasty side effects of whatever substance they may be using." However, while many young people may be troubled by friends' drug or alcohol use, many of them are also uncertain how to talk with them about it, Bennett said. "You hear this often: 'I would have done something, but I just didn't know what to do or I didn't know what to say or how to approach the topic,'" Bennett said. "The Harbor app guides them in supporting their friend without being confrontational or enabling." The app prompts the user to answer several questions about their friend's substance use behaviors and provides feedback on the potential seriousness - a feature that may be especially helpful to people who feel conflicted about intervening, Smith said. Smith said the idea for the mobile phone app sprang from a prior project, funded by a five-year grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, that explored the efficacy of having young people with alcohol or marijuana problems invite a close friend to participate in some of their treatment sessions with them to provide social support. "Since young adults have really low rates of coming to treatment, we thought that this peer model might be a way of expanding the benefits of treatment to people who don't usually seek it," Smith said. "A surprising finding from that study was that both the client and their friend made changes in their substance use behaviors and got better within six months." That study, published in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment in 2015, found that both the client and their friend reduced their binge drinking and increased the number of days that they abstained. Smith's co-authors were Western Ontario University psychology professor Tara Dumas and then-U. of I. graduate students Jordan P. Davis and the late Daniel J. Ureche. Harbor provides the app user with possible text messages and dialogues for conveying their concerns to their friend. Smith said a challenge for the team was writing messages that could be applied in differing situations without being overly generic and that also sounded conversational and reflected young people's speech patterns. "Ultimately, you're trying to communicate a message while encouraging them to adopt some of these practices and empowering them to put it in their own words when they talk with their friend," Smith said. When young adults in the study reviewed the sample scripts and messages, "more than 95% of them indicated the scripts would be useful in talking with their friends about their substance use," Bennett said. "And about 98% of respondents rated the script dialogues as realistic. If young adults felt the language in the scripts was inauthentic, I think it's safe to assume they would be less likely to use the app." Participants also were asked to evaluate the language in the app's messages and rate each of them as supportive, enabling or confrontational. While most of the participants accurately identified the enabling and confrontational responses, they were less consistent at recognizing the supportive responses, Smith said. The researchers were uncertain why that occurred but said it may have been because participants had not been given the app's educational module first and lacked the information or personal experience to accurately interpret supportive responses. The team is currently refining and beta-testing the Harbor app to deploy it in a controlled trial with young adults and their friends in a clinic setting this spring. ### In addition to Smith, the co-authors of the study included social work professor Kelly Lynn Clary of Texas State University and U. of I. graduate student Carol Ann Lee. The study was supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration and the U. of I. Office of Technology Management. BELMONT, MI There are approximately 34,000 cubic yards of PFAS-laden leather manufacturing waste buried at Wolverine World Wides House Street dump in Belmont, where, for more than 50 years, it has been feeding a plume thats poisoned the aquifer that local residents tap for drinking water. To dig that material up and move it to a lined landfill designed for hazardous waste would take more than three years and cost about $200 million, according to a study of cleanup options developed by the companys environmental consultant. By contrast, leaving that waste in the ground and planting trees above it with some small capping to alleviate rainwater infiltration in a few spots would take a couple years and cost the company between $6 million and $12 million to build. Take a guess at which option Wolverine proposes. The PFAS-sucking tree plan thats how I refer to it, said Sandy Wynn-Stelt, a widow living next to the dump who also serves on a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-created advisory board thats examining the proposed cleanup. On Feb. 19, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) received a feasibility study on House Street cleanup from Wolverine, which is proposing its plan under a consent decree negotiated between the state, the company and two local townships that was approved by a federal judge in Grand Rapids early last year. The settlement structures Wolverines cleanup obligations at House Street and its former tannery site in downtown Rockford, where decades of leather manufacturing and nearby waste disposal birthed a major drinking water contamination crisis that captured national attention and sparked an epidemiological health study of local residents. Wolverine is asking EGLE to approve a Phyto-Cap option that would use tree roots to draw contamination out of the ground through a process known as phytoremediation. It follows Wolverines proposal to turn the already heavily-wooded 76-acre property into a nature preserve with hiking trails; an idea that hasnt been warmly received by neighbors. More: Park proposed for infamous PFAS dump Neighbors and the EPA advisory group are skeptical of the phyto-plan and say the entire feasibility study is short on detail. Nonetheless, the footwear company has promoted phytoremediation this winter though stakeholder meetings, blog posts, FAQs, press announcements and friendly, free community news outlets like the Rockford Squire. Wolverine called the plan comprehensive in a statement, but would not say whether it would actively pursue phytoremediation over the formal objection of neighbors. Wolverine Worldwide recently proposed a comprehensive remediation plan for its House Street property, which reflects valuable feedback received from residents, community groups and local officials, the company said. This Phyto-Cap plan uses a combination of two methods to address the remediation objectives under the consent decree, while enhancing the property and area with up to 4,000 new trees and avoiding the deforestation of over 30 acres. Not everyone is sold, however. We have a lot of unanswered questions, said AJ Birkbeck, an environmental attorney who previously helped expose the pollution and who serves on the EPA community advisory group (CAG). It seems to be lacking some important information, like how long the phytoremediation would take and how the plume would be impacted by various options. Phytoremediation is not the only option Wolverine has at its disposal to deal with House Street waste. There are several in the 108-page feasibility study, of which 53-pages is comprised of resumes and other qualification documents promoting projects by Wolverines consultant, GZA GeoEnvironmental. The study compares viability of five cleanup options with wide cost ranges and a limited ability to impact the amount of PFAS thats already been released into the environment. A sixth option involving no further action is included but, practically speaking, is precluded by the consent decree. Cost and viability of the remedial options vary, but substantive capping of the waste is generally more expensive and would take several years at minimum to complete. That has allowed Wolverine to argue that phytoremediation would result in reduced truck traffic around the neighborhood compared to more expensive remedies. The options considered are: 1) Excavating and trucking the waste to a landfill, which would cost up to up to $200.2 million to design and build with up to $60,000 in annual maintenance. 2) Digging the waste up and placing it into a new lined containment cell on site that would cost up to $28.4 million to design and build, with up to $700,000 in annual maintenance. 3) Installing extraction wells along House Street to remove contaminated groundwater and pump it through an activated carbon filtration system that would cost up to $16.3 million to design and build with up to $730,000 in annual maintenance. 4) Consolidating the waste under a 30-acre permanent cap that would cost up to $18.4 million to design and build, with up to $120,000 in annual maintenance. 5) Performing phytoremediation with small areas of capping that would cost up to $12.5 million to design and build with up to $180,000 in annual maintenance. Unfortunately, the House Street contamination has a half-century head-start. According to the study, none of the options would have any short-term impact on the amount of PFAS already leaching through the local groundwater. Cleanup under the consent decree would only result in eliminating or reducing the flow of more from the source. Thankfully, tap water in the area has been addressed through in-home filtration, well use restrictions and new Plainfield Township water mains that started being laid last year. But, there are also natural resources and a larger drinking water supply to consider. One of the consent decree goals is to reduce contamination entering the Rogue River, which is about a mile-and-a-half southeast at its closest point. The Rogue is a tributary of the Grand River, which flows into Lake Michigan, and the adequacy of Wolverines plans to reduce PFAS entering the river has also been questioned by the CAG. Regulators at EGLE must approve whatever plan Wolverine proposes and a 30-acre unlined cap is the default option if the EGLE and the company cant reach an agreement. Capping contamination under an impermeable layer of clay is a common practice at closed landfills and other pollution sites to reduce infiltration from rain and meltwater, which can exacerbate and help spread groundwater contamination. Wolverine capped five small areas at the site in 2019 under an EPA order to remediate other contaminants besides PFAS, which the agency lacks authority to force remediation on because the chemicals have yet to be officially designated under Superfund law as hazardous although Democrats in Washington aim to change that this year. The state will take public comment on the plan from March 11 to April 17 and hold a virtual townhall meeting on Wednesday, March 31. Details will be posted to the sites page on the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART) website. Denise Trabbic-Pointer, a retired DuPont chemical engineer consulting for the Michigan Sierra Club chapter, reviewed the feasibility study and thinks it lacks detail. Its not very technical, said Trabbic-Pointer, who questioned whether theres enough scientific literature to demonstrate phytoremediations effectiveness with PFAS and the length of time necessary to achieve a practical benefit. In blog posts and stakeholder meetings, Wolverine has framed cleanup as a binary choice between either trees or a 30-acre cap, which, in an FAQ page, it said would not remove any PFAS from the ground like the Phyto-Cap option. However, Trabbic-Pointer said the amount of PFAS that trees might sequester appears to be small, compared to what this site has. She noted that the feasibility study does include other options and a final remedy could involve a combination. They also need to put in the pump-and-treat, she thinks. Wynn-Stelt said shed love if there was a natural way to clean up the property, which was formerly used as a Christmas tree farm in the decades after dumping ceased in the 1960s. Shes unconvinced planting trees is a real solution, but neither is she in favor of the most expensive option. Transporting the waste off-site to another landfill just takes it to someone elses backyard, said Wynn-Stelt, who has become a nationally recognized PFAS activist following the contamination discovery four years ago. Digging it up and putting it back in a lined unit, that probably makes the most sense, she said. Would I like that personally? No. That would take years and Ill have to make billions of cookies for every truck driver to keep them from backing over my mailbox. For neighbors, she sees a choice between bad options. Theres no good solution to this, Wynn-Stelt said. This neighborhood is screwed every way this works out. We either sacrifice the community and say sure, plant trees in the forest, or we bite the bullet and make them take care of this at the cost to our own quality of life. Related stories: Timeline: The Wolverine, 3M Scotchgard disaster Democrats ready to move on PFAS under Biden Michigan PFAS site list surges past 100 Blue soils dug from under polluted Wolverine tannery 3M, Wolverine settle pollution lawsuit with Michigan family 3M to pay $55M in Michigan PFAS settlement How citizen sleuths cracked the Wolverine tannery case PFAS activist says blood testing probably saved her life Some of the questions now facing our state are complicated, thorny even painful. Others are easy enough. For example, should Texas teachers be eligible for the COVID vaccine? Erica, honestly, I cant believe were having this conversation, said state Rep. Diego Bernal, a Democrat from San Antonio who serves on the House Committee on Public Education. In his view, the question is a no-brainer. Under state guidelines, educators havent been eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine by virtue of their occupation, but that is strange. For one thing, children arent eligible for the vaccine, meaning adults who work with children cant count on some degree of incidental protection as the vaccine rollout picks up steam. The rest of us, theoretically, over time will spend more and more time with a growing number of people who are vaccinated, Bernal said. Youre forcing teachers to spend time with groups of people who arent vaccinated. I dont understand the logic, maybe because there isnt any, he added, speaking prior to President Joe Bidens announcement of a policy Tuesday aimed at getting more vaccines to teachers. Houston ISD Trustee Holly Maria Flynn Vilaseca was similarly nonplussed when I talked to her on Tuesday. In a number of states, she noted, educators were treated as essential workers and made eligible for the vaccine in the rollouts early phases. I just dont know why teachers werent counted here as essential workers, she told me. A year ago, when the first cases of COVID-19 were being diagnosed in the United States, schoolchildren in Texas and across the country were abruptly switched to remote learning to protect them from the deadly virus. State officials aggressively pushed to reopen classrooms and offer in-person learning for the 2020-21 school year, threatening to withhold state funding for districts that didnt comply. Although millions of parents have opted to enroll their children in remote learning this year, most educators have been back in the classroom since August, where their responsibilities now include enforcing district guidelines about masks and social distancing as well as teaching students via Zoom and in person simultaneously. Thats been an outstanding effort on their part. And it hasnt been risk-free. As of last week, according to the Department of State Health Services, there had been 119,810 positive student cases of COVID-19 in Texas public schools since the year began, and 64,562 positive cases among school staff. The Houston Chronicle reported in January that it had identified nearly 40 school employees in Texas whose deaths had been linked to COVID-19. The deceased administrators, teachers, custodians, bus drivers, paraprofessionals ranged in age from 35 to 74 and included Houston ISD chemistry teacher Erick Ortiz, 52. Relatively few of the positive cases tracked by state officials, according to health experts, can be pinned to in-school transmission. Still, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines issued last month suggest that men and women who work in schools be prioritized for the vaccine at a relatively early stage of the rollout. (Teachers and school staff hold jobs critical to the continued functioning of society and are at potential occupational risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2, they note.) In most states, that was already the case. As of March 1, according to Education Week, more than 30 states had already moved to extend the vaccine to all teachers. Other states were likely to do the same, as they acquired greater supplies of the vaccine. On Monday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, announced that K-12 teachers over age 50 will be eligible for the vaccine, starting this week. And yet Texas is lagging on this front, as on others. Nor can educators expect any clarity from Gov. Greg Abbott, who on Tuesday lifted the statewide mask mandate covering businesses and public areas and opened EVERYTHING, as he put it in a follow-up tweet. In the speech, which alarmed public health experts who say a resurgence of the virus with new variants remains possible, the governor touted the states progress in vaccinations to date and promised that it will continue apace. More than 43,000 people have died of COVID-19 in Texas since the start of the pandemic. In fact get this the vaccine supply is increasing so rapidly, Texas will soon expand the categories of people available to get them, Abbott said, without specifying which categories of people hes considering in this context, or when they might be eligible. The good news is that Texas will be getting more supplies of vaccine in the coming months. But Abbotts move has the potential to put teachers at greater risk, especially if mask restrictions are lifted in schools. The Houston and Fort Bend school districts said Tuesday they would continue to require masks and face coverings at all district facilities, but other area districts were awaiting guidance from the Texas Education Agency. Biden on Tuesday directed all states to prioritize teachers and school staffers for the vaccines using the federal pharmacy program. His order followed an announcement that the United States should have enough doses of the vaccine for every adult in the country by the end of May. He said his goal was to provide a first shot to all educators by the end of March. Thats an encouraging development. The men and women who work in Texas public schools really shouldnt have to wait until summer break to be afforded the protection conferred by these vaccines. Theyve stepped up, under difficult and nerve-wracking circumstances, to tackle work that is surely essential. They should be treated as priorities, Flynn Vilaseca said, because education is a priority. erica.grieder@chron.com CHICOPEE - Multiple police and fire departments resumed their search of the Connecticut River on Wednesday for any trace of missing 11-year-old boy Aiden Blanchard of Chicopee who was last seen nearly a month ago. Area police and fire departments and the Massachusetts State Police deployed boats on the water for much of Wednesday as part of the search, according to the state police. Boats using sonar searched under the water, and the state police Dive Team also took part in the search. A remote-control underwater camera was also used. Aiden was last seen on the morning of Feb. 5 in the Willimansett neighborhood and is believed to have been heading to the area of the Medina Street Boat Launch at the Connecticut River. His family reported him missing later in the day. Aiden Blanchard Since his disappearance, Chicopee police and firefighters and the Massachusetts State Police have searched the water with divers, boats, drones and by helicopter. Aiden, a sixth-grader at Edward J. Bellamy Middle School, is described as having brown hair, blue eyes, is 5 feet tall and weighs about 100 pounds. He was last seen wearing a red ski jacket and black ski pants. Anyone who saw him after that or believes they have any information that may help locate him should immediately call 911, Chicopee Police at 413-594-1639, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST. VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) -- Teachers in the State of Indiana have been waiting patiently for their COVID-19 vaccines. We first told you back in January, educators in Indiana were under the impression they would be in Indiana's 1B plan for vaccine distribution. Meaning they would be one of the first to get the shot, right behind front-line workers. But then, the state changed its philosophy and went with an age-based approach. That's what we've been in since the beginning of the year. Tuesday night, president Joe Biden addressed the nation and talked about COVID-19 vaccines. He said if the right steps are taken, schools can be re-opened before employees are vaccinated, but he said he knows some teachers and parents are worried about that. So, he challenged every state to prioritize educators. "Let's treat in-person learning like an essential service that it is. And that means getting essential workers who provide that service, educators, school staff, child care workers. Get them vaccinated immediately. They are essential workers. Over 30 states have already taken the step to priorities educators for vaccination. Today I am using the full authority of the federal government. I'm directing every state to do the same. My challenge to all states, territories, and the District of Columbia is this. We want every educator, school staff member, childcare worker to receive at least 1 shot by the end of the month of March," he said. Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb will hold his weekly press conference, Wednesday. We'll be watching to see if he makes any changes in the state's vaccine rollout to include teachers. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. This last year's focus on COVID-19 has put the spotlight on public health systems and their underlying data. Many of the challenges agencies face are common to any enterprise, but structuring and sharing health data comes with additional complexities. Participants Jothi Dugar Chief Information Security Officer, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health Cynthia Hilsinger Chief Knowledge Officer, Defense Health Agency Michelle Holko President Innovation Fellow, General Services Administration Sachiko Kuwabara Director, Office of Risk Management and Operational Integrity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Christos Makridis Senior Advisor, National Artificial Intelligence Institute, Department of Veterans Affairs Ratima Kataria Deputy CIO, Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services Dr. Greg McDavitt Director, Global Healthcare and Life Sciences, Salesforce Dr. Don Rucker National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Department of Health and Human Services Bobby Saxon Deputy Director and Deputy CIO, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Bonnie Walker Director, IT Strategic Planning and Governance, Office of Information and Technology, Department of Veterans Affairs Note: FCW Editor-in-Chief Troy K. Schneider led the roundtable discussion. The Dec. 4, 2020, gathering was underwritten by Salesforce, but both the substance of the discussion and this recap are strictly editorial products. Neither Salesforce nor any of the roundtable participants had input beyond their Dec. 4 comments. At a recent virtual roundtable of federal health IT experts, participants explored some of the data challenges their agencies are working through. The discussion was on the record but not for individual attribution (see below for the list of participants), and the quotes have been edited for length and clarity. Here's what the group had to say. It all starts with the data Participants agreed that data alone won't get the job done, but nearly every other goal such as strengthened security, improved patient outcomes and well-designed user interfaces depends on better data governance. The pandemic has made clear that "threats are moving faster than our data," one official said. Components within a single agency lack the ability to quickly share accurate data internally, let alone "with our state, tribal, local and territorial partners." "A number of our jurisdictions still rely on paper-based systems," the official added. "That's just the reality of where we are." Internally, the obstacles are more cultural than technical, another participant said. "It wasn't that we didn't have enough data. It wasn't that we didn't have experts who understood that data. It's really that we don't work holistically. Instead of having a culture that defaults to sharing, we have a culture that defaults to silos. And I don't think this is unique to my agency." The official added that data owners often object to sharing because of concerns that outside users will misconstrue or misuse the dataset, "and so instead of addressing it from a data understanding and metadata approach, we default again to not sharing." That attitude is compounded by the differences in data structures across systems, others said. "We've had several electronic health systems and quite a few other charting systems," one official said, and each of them coded data differently. Something as simple as how a date is formatted can require significant data scrubbing and add to the fatigue for clinicians and other users when they're trying to input data. The group agreed that the initiatives at the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to move to interoperable, Cerner-based EHR systems will help, as will requirements imposed by the 21st Century Cures Act. That legislation, passed in 2016, mandates the sharing of health data in secure and machine-readable formats, with major deadlines set for December 2022 and December 2023. "The forcing function of the Cures Act is getting information from APIs," one official said. "I think it will allow all of the agencies on this call to start rethinking each of these individual pain points." Agencies need to "dissect today's information flows and figure out what APIs they're going to have available to liberate data from some of the silos," that official said. "There are a lot of opportunities out there to rethink these things, even within our current economic constraints." The sharing that results will lead to better health outcomes in addition to more efficient systems, another participant said. "You absolutely cannot discover things in your dataset unless you have a big enough dataset," he added. "And that requires data interoperability." Part of the answer is to build new federal systems "on a flexible cloud-based environment that enables you to build these tunnels, to connect these silos." A longer version of this article was first posted to FCW, a sibling site to GCN. (Newser) Capitol Police are boosting security in response to a far-right conspiracy theory claiming Donald Trump will again become president on Thursday. Some QAnon supporters believed Trump would declare martial law and remain in office on Jan. 20. But "when that didn't happen, the date was moved from Jan. 20 to March 4," the original date on which presidents were sworn into office until the passage of the 20th Amendment in 1933, per ABC News. According to the unfounded theorywhich some of QAnon's own leaders have rejectedno president has been legitimate since the passage of an 1871 law "that secretly turned the United States into a corporation," per USA Today. story continues below "Now why that's relevant, God knows. But any rate, now they are thinking maybe we should gather again and storm the Capitol on March 4," Rep. Adam Smith said last month, per Forbes, which notes some QAnon supporters see a major hike in March 4 rates at the Trump International Hotel as validation of some event. Members of Congress were notified that increased personnel would be deployed on Capitol Hill via a Monday bulletin from the House's acting sergeant-at-arms, Timothy Blodgett, who noted some have described March 4 as the "true Inauguration Day." But "the significance of this date has reportedly declined amongst various groups in recent days," Blodgett wrote. He added Capitol Police have "no indication that groups will travel to Washington DC to protest or commit acts of violence." (Read more Capitol Police stories.) Re-opening of Schools February 2021 The Department of Education said it was delighted to welcome its staff and pupils back into its schools and educational settings last week. 'After 9 weeks since the end of term in December, and 5 weeks of Contingency Learning, it was evident that staff and children were, on the whole, keen to get back into more of a normal routine and enjoy the face-to-face interaction with each other that we have, perhaps, taken more for granted in the past. Empty schools are sad and even eerie places. The joy and energy that the pupils have brought back into school has been an uplifting experience for all of our school communities.' 'School buildings were alive with activity, with children greeting each other happily, keen to rekindle their social relationships with smiles and anecdotes. The response of the children and their teachers during their first week back has served as a striking reminder that schools are not just about academic pursuits. The social and emotional experiences of school are a vital part of school life and staff ensure that priority is given to the wellbeing of children as well as their development into well rounded individuals. Head Teachers commented on how proud they were of their school staff, whose hard work throughout lockdown and thorough preparatory work for the reopening of our schools has enabled the transition to be as smooth as possible for our communitys children. Head Teacher at St Bernards Upper Primary School explained how The transition from home-learning to learning in the classroom has gone really smoothly. This is a true reflection of the good work the teachers have done over lockdown - the quality of activities, the level of differentiation, the interaction with pupils, the communication with parents and family members and the support that the school has given our most vulnerable pupils. ' The Department of Education says it recognises that the recent lockdown situation has been very challenging for all families, especially those with young children. 'We appreciate the efforts households have made to support learners through their contingency learning, and applaud parents for balancing this with their other home and work commitments. Working from home is not without its challenges, and we know everyone in the community has done their best to make the most of this challenging situation.' The Department of Education says it is cognisant of the fact that the recent lockdown has been even more challenging for families of children with disabilities and is especially pleased to open the doors of St Martins School and Early Birds Nursery to pupils once more. The Head Teacher of St Martins School explained how It was really wonderful to see the children back at school after such a long period away. Although there had been an element of apprehension, I was pleasantly surprised with how quickly both staff and pupils soon settled into their daily routine. 'Returning to school signified for pupils, school staff and parents, the prospect of finally being able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The smiles on everyones faces on our first day back was as much the knowledge that we are finally on our way out of this awful pandemic as it was about seeing our friends and teaching and learning together.' The Department of Education says it would like to thank all the children and young people in our community for engaging with their teachers on their school platforms, and for continuing to face the continuing disruptions to their learning with admirable resilience and enthusiasm. 'They truly are examples to us all.' At the College, Principal Michelle Soiza explained how teachers have been rewarded by their students with appreciative notes, grateful posts and positive feedback, through which College students have expressed their gratitude for their quality contingency learning experience and the continuous support they have received during lockdown. Head Teacher of St Annes Upper Primary School summarised the experience of Day 1: No hugs, no high-fives and not even a pat on the back, but it didnt matter. It was time to get back to where we (staff) and all those smiling faces belong: the classroom. The Department of Education and its schools feel very confident that our schools are safe learning environments in which our pupils can continue to thrive and enjoy learning. Following Public Health advice and bespoke Public Health visits to every educational setting, schools have adopted and implemented robust mitigation measures. 'These measures enable schools to maintain high levels of cleanliness and reduce the possible spread of COVID-19, whilst also ensuring that they provide a fun and meaningful learning experience for all our pupils. We have been delighted by the enthusiastic response of our pupils when opening our school gates after this tough lockdown. The smiles on their faces were testament to the fact that schools have worked hard to ensure that COVID-19 will not beat us in providing high quality learning; albeit at home via our home learning contingency platform or in schools...education will prevail!' External Affairs Minister on Wednesday spoke with British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and reviewed the progress in bilateral cooperation as well as discussed regional and UN issues. "Nice talking to UK Foreign Secretary @DominicRaab. Reviewed the progress in our bilateral cooperation. Also discussed regional and UN issues," Jaishankar tweeted. Raab had visited India last December and held talks with Jaishankar during which the two sides had agreed on the key elements of an ambitious 10-year roadmap to further broaden ties, and also boost strategic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Appearances can suggest we care less about things than we really do Summer will bring the debut titles from two imprints of Random House Childrens Books, each steered by a principal of Schwartz & Wade Books, co-directed by Anne Schwartz and Lee Wade from 2005 until 2020, when the imprint was disbanded. Wade is now spearheading Random House Studio, which is spotlighted here; and later this week we will feature a profile of Schwartzs eponymous new imprint. Random House Studios freshman list, v-p and publisher Wade said, is representative of the broad and diverse range of books the imprint will publish by bestselling, award-winning, and debut authors and illustrators. Random House Studio plans to release books across all formats, with its primary focus on picture books. Wade explained that establishing Random House Studio involved a balance of the new and the familiar. The rest of the imprints editorial teamexecutive editorial director Maria Modugno, senior editor Ann Kelley, and editorial assistant Charlotte Roosare Random House veterans. The imprint is new, but we are decidedly not new, Wade noted. Maria, Ann, and I have worked together for a long time and we share a mission to publish a wide range of high-quality books. We all have our own sensibilities that work well together. Wade anticipates that Random House Studio will release between 30 and 35 titles annually, and said she is looking forward to expanding the scope of her editorial reach, while remaining true to her publishing roots. I enjoyed working with Anne at Schwartz & Wade for 15 years, and learned from the experience, she said. Now, I am pleased to oversee a bigger list and to have the opportunity to work on a greater variety of titles and with even more authors and illustrators. My background is in design, so I have an eye for the visual, and graphics, art direction, and production will always be important elements of the books we publish. A Look at the Inaugural List Random House Studios first list, which will be released between May and August, affirms the imprints emphasis on picture books featuring wide-ranging topics and diverse collaborators. Highlights include Cat Problems, a humor-driven tale showcasing feline conundrums by bestselling author Jory John and two-time Caldecott Honor illustrator Lane Smith (for The Stinky Cheese Man and Grandpa Green). In Areli Is a Dreamer, illustrated by Luisa Uribe, Mexican-born DACA recipient and first-time author Areli Morales relays her immigration story. A Spanish-language edition, Areli es una dreamer, will be released simultaneously. The imprints first picture-book biography is Indelible Ann: The Larger-Than-Life Story of Governor Ann Richards by newcomer Meghan P. Browne, illustrated by Carlynn Whitt, which profiles the late governor of Texas. Another debut author is Kristy Everington, whose Isobel Adds It Up stars a math-loving girl who finds an unlikely solution to a noise problem. The book is illustrated by AG Ford, recipient of two NAACP Image Awards. And Brave as a Mouse, in which pesky felines jeopardize the friendship between a goldfish and a mouse, marks Italian author-illustrator Nicolo Carozzis U.S. picture-book debut. Lastly, a familiar picture-book character headlines the imprints first foray into graphic novels, Grumpy Monkey Freshly Squeezed by Suzanne Lang, illustrated by Max Lang. In this series opener, the title character searches for the perfect orange stress ball. And a Look Ahead Random House Studios fall list includes YA novelist Jennifer E. Smiths debut picture book, The Creature of Habit, illustrated by Pura Belpre Award winner Leo Espinosa, a story about being open to trying new things; The Faith of Elijah Cummings: The North Star of Equal Justice, a picture-book biography by Carole Boston Weatherford, featuring art by Laura Freeman; The Woman All Spies Fear: Code Breaker Elizebeth Smith Friedman and Her Hidden Life by Amy Butler Greenfield, a YA nonfiction title; and the first two Grumpy Monkey Step into Reading titles. Among the offerings in 2022 are Sweet Justice: Georgia Gilmore and the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Mara Rockliff, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, a Caldecott Honoree for Freedom in Congo Square; A Gift for Nana, a picture book by Lane Smith; This Story Is NOT About a Kitten by Randall de Seve, illustrated by Caldecott Honor recipient Carson Ellis; and a coming-of-age graphic novel by Liz Montague, one of the first Black female New Yorker cartoonists. Reflecting on the past year, Wade observed that planning and orchestrating the launch of Random House Studio during these troubled times was challenging, yet curiously gratifying. Its impossible to know what this experience would have been like had we all been in the office together, she said. Despite the fact that we were working remotely, I feel very connected to my colleagues. The pandemic cut out the noise, helped us focus, and created a bubble for us to work inwhich has been a true bonding experience. In a sense, I feel as though this past year has kept us grounded and made me realize that every book must have a purpose. Im not sure I felt that a few years ago, but now it is so clear to me that there should be no wasted space, and that its important that every book has a reason to be. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda will on Wednesday attend the BJP core group meeting in view of the upcoming West Bengal assembly election in the TMC-ruled state. According to reports, Bengal BJP MPs Mukul Roy, state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh and other top BJP leaders will attend the crucial meeting. During todays meeting, the BJP core group will discuss the names of probable party candidates for the first and second phase of assembly elections in the state. Core Committee discussed candidates for phase 1 and 2 polls. It will be declared soon. We also reviewed the upcoming election rallies of Prime Minister, Amit Shah, JP Nadda, Yogi Adityanath in the state, West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to address around 20 election rallies in West Bengal where polling to 294 Assembly seats will be held in eight phases from March 27 to April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 2. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP chief JP Nadda are also likely to address around 50 rallies each in West Bengal. A BJP source said that the Prime Minister will also address about six to seven rallies in Assam, which will go to the polls in three phases on March 27, April 1 and April 6. Modi`s first rally in West Bengal will be held on March 7 at Kolkata`s Brigade parade ground, which will mark the culmination of the party's 'Poribortan Yatra`. "Prime Minister Modi is the most popular leader of the country as well as the BJP. He will personally reach out to the maximum number of voters across the state, appealing to them to vote for the BJP for the development of West Bengal. Around 20 rallies of the Prime Minister will be held in West Bengal. If we get more time, a couple of more rallies will be planned," said a senior party leader. A BJP leader in West Bengal said that the party`s state unit will provide area-specific inputs like issues pertaining to a particular area or region for the Prime Minister`s election speeches. "In his rallies, the Prime Minister will talk about national and state issues along with area-specific issues," he said. The BJP is targeting 10 lakh people for Modi`s rally at the Brigade parade ground, a senior BJP leader said. The BJP has already started a door-to-door campaign urging people to attend the rally on March 7. "The BJP`s Bengal unit has also asked its booth-level workers to ensure the attendance of voters from their respective booths in the rally on March 7," said another BJP leader. As a star campaigner of the BJP, the Prime Minister had addressed about a dozen election rallies in the run-up to the Bihar Assembly polls held last year. Another senior BJP leader said that Shah, who is actively overseeing the preparations in West Bengal, and Nadda will address around 50 rallies each. "Both Amit Shah and party president Nadda made frequent visits to West Bengal. They separately flagged off the party'sPoribortan Yatra` which went through all the 294 Assembly segments of the state. Now they will intensively campaign in the state seeking votes for the party candidates," he said. Meanwhile, BJP`s national General Secretary and West Bengal in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya, state unit chief Dilip Ghosh and other senior leaders on Tuesday visited the Brigade parade ground to oversee the preparations for the March 7 rally. After its impressive show in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal when it secured 18 seats, the party has set a target to win over 200 seats to dislodge the Mamata Banerjee-led government in West Bengal. Elections to the 294-member assembly will be held in eight phases from March 27 to April 29. Live TV Kathmandu, March 3 The Ministry of Health and Population has informed that the countrys Covid-19 tally has reached 274,381 as of Wednesday afternoon. The ministry says 87 new cases were confirmed in the country in the past 24 hours. In this period, 3,399 swab samples were tested. So far, 2 million and 173,511 people have been tested in the country. As of today, 766 cases are active. Of the total cases so far, 270,605 people have achieved recovery whereas 3,010 died, according to the ministry. In the past 24 hours, 62 people have been discharged whereas no deaths have been reported. However, 233 deaths were reported from the past on Wednesday. Over 50 people are quarantined across the country. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Aerion signs expansive Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with NetJets and FlightSafety International (FSI) to shape the future of global mobility NetJets and Aerion to explore exclusive partnership for the global mobility platform, Aerion Connect TM FSI to support Aerion in establishing a new global Supersonic Training Academy NetJets has obtained purchase rights for 20 AS2 supersonic business jets, extending Aerion's global order backlog to USD $10 billion+ ahead of 2023 production start Reno, NV & Columbus, OH, March 03, 2021, the leader in supersonic technology has forged an expansive collaboration with NetJets, the largest private aviation company in the world, and FlightSafety International, the leader in professional aviation training, - both Berkshire Hathaway companies - to shape the future of global mobility. "At Aerion our vision is to build a future where humanity can travel between any two points on our planet within three hours and this new partnership is a significant step towards realizing that vision," said Aerion's Chairman, President & CEO, Tom Vice. "Our strategy is to connect the very best partners in the world within a new mobility ecosystem optimized for speed and founded on sustainability. In NetJets and FlightSafety International we have two such partners; both globally recognized leaders in their fields who share our passion for a new era of mobility that is both fast and at the same time kind to our planet." NetJets, the owner and operator of the world's largest and most diverse private jet fleet, and Aerion will explore NetJets' becoming the exclusive business jet operator for the global mobility platform, Aerion ConnectTM. A vision for a future global mobility ecosystem, Aerion ConnectTM will integrate multiple, currently siloed urban and regional networks and provide a seamless point-to-point travel experience, optimized for speed and luxury across multiple modes of transportation. "As the leader in private aviation, we constantly look for ways to be on the cutting-edge, and expanding our fleet to become the exclusive business jet operator for Aerion ConnectTM is a thrilling next step," said Adam Johnson, Chairman and CEO of NetJets Inc. "Together, we will be exploring the integration of the AS2 supersonic business jet into NetJets' global network, and we are honored to be their chosen partner to enable the Aerion Connect vision." In collaboration with FlightSafety International, the premier professional aviation training company, Aerion will also develop a supersonic flight training academy for civil, commercial, and military supersonic aircraft. The Aerion-branded facility will channel FSI's comprehensive global training expertise to provide a center of excellence for supersonic flight training and education, shaping the flight crews of the future. "We're excited to bring FSI's signature passion for safety to Aerion's training academy," said Brad Thress, CEO of FlightSafety International. "This partnership marries Aerion's innovation and our long-established experience, opening up new opportunities in the supersonic aircraft space and the future of the industry as a whole." Underlining the long-term focus of the partnership, NetJets has also obtained purchase rights for 20 AS2 supersonic business jets, which start production at Aerion Park in Melbourne, Florida in 2023. With significant growth achieved through 2020 and 2021, Aerion's global order backlog for the AS2 is now valued at more than USD $10 billion. The new AS2-the first supersonic aircraft to enter commercial service in 51 years and the world's first supersonic business aircraft- continues to advance toward manufacturing start after concluding wind tunnel validation late last year. NetJets' commitment to Aerion ConnectTM cements its industry-leading expertise through its diverse jet offerings. With more than 760 aircraft worldwide, 385 of which were delivered in the past 11 years, the partnership announcement further comes on the heels of NetJets' newly launched Global Sustainability Program, a worldwide commitment to reducing the environmental footprint of the brand and its Owners, with a focus on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) investment, corporate and consumer offsetting. Aerion and NetJets are united by a shared commitment to usher in a new era of sustainable flight that is kind to the planet and part of the solution to reverse climate change. As part of this agreement the two companies will also work together on domestic and international actions intended to facilitate the global availability and broad adoption of synthetic aviation fuels. Aerion's pursuit of faster point-to-point travel begins with the launch of the AS2 supersonic business jet. Designed to be inherently environmentally responsible from first flight, the AS2 is the first supersonic aircraft designed to be powered by 100% engineered synthetic fuel and reach supersonic speeds without the need for an afterburner. The manufacture of 300 AS2 aircraft is planned for the first decade of production. The AS2 will be the first aircraft assembled at the company's new global headquarters in Melbourne, Florida-Aerion Park. The state-of-the-art development-powered by sustainable technology -will incorporate headquarter operations plus an integrated campus for research, design, build, and maintenance of the company's supersonic aircraft. ### About Aerion: Aerion is founded on a core belief of bringing humanity closer. The company's vision is a future where humanity can travel between any two points on our planet within three hours using new transportation networks-powered by clean energy solutions and enabling a world where distance is no longer a barrier. The starting point is sustainable supersonic flight, led by the world's first supersonic business jet-the AS2. More information can be found at www.aerionsupersonic.com About NetJets Beginning as the first private jet charter and management company, NetJets has led the industry for 55+ years. Then in 1986, they revolutionized it with the concept of shared ownership and proceeded to build the largest, most diverse private jet fleet in the world. Today, NetJets is proud to be a Berkshire Hathaway company known for its unwavering commitment to safety, service, and unmatched global access. NetJets' industry-leading scale and business model offer NetJets and its Owners dependable financial sustainability unlike any other in the industry. For these reasons and many more, NetJets will continue to be the favored choice of the world's most discerning travelers for generations to come. For more information about the world's most reliable and trusted aviation company, visit netjets.com. About FlightSafety International FlightSafety International is a premier professional aviation training company and supplier of flight simulators, visual systems and displays to commercial, government and military organizations. FlightSafety's highly qualified instructors provide more than 1.4 million hours of training each year to pilots, technicians and other aviation professionals from 167 countries and independent territories. FlightSafety operates the world's largest fleet of advanced full-flight simulators at learning centers and training location in the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Hong Kong, India, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, South Africa and the United Kingdom. To learn more, please visit flightsafety.com. Attachment Charleston, WV (25301) Today A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High around 80F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers after midnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. The Olivier Francois Ausoni boutique is reopening its doors in a spirit of renewal following the second closure due to the public health crisis, during which the premises were refreshed and refurbished to accommodate a Bucherer Pop-Up store. In addition to elegant ready-towear and leather goods, an area is now dedicated to some 15 watch and jewellery brands among which Rolex plays a predominant role represented by the Lucerne-based retailer, as well as a section dedicated to "certified pre-owned" watches. Boutique Olivier Francois Ausoni Marko Stevic This cohabitation represents a real return to its roots for Bucherer, whose store located on the Rue de Bourg is undergoing renovation work due to last until autumn. When the watch and jewellery company settled in Lausanne in 1973, it occupied part of the premises alongside the Ausoni family in the prestigious building at no. 5 Place Saint-Francois, which had been based at this address since 1954. The bar on the ground floor of the Ausoni store bears witness to this period, with a wall featuring vestiges of the frame of the old safe that used to house Bucherer's timepieces. When Bucherer moved to Rue de Bourg in 1995, Olivier Francois Ausoni expanded its sales area, which now extends over four floors dedicated to highend fashion. In addition to a common past, Ausoni and Bucherer are equally drawn together by a set of strong shared values. Steeped in tradition, both these Swiss family businesses are renowned for their excellent service and products. Personal shoppers, free home delivery, alterations in the tailoring workshop (almost unique in Switzerland!), and, from today, watch repairs by an experienced watchmaker are among the customised services offered in the Ausoni boutique to their mostly local and extremely loyal clientele. Damien Riedo, Leo and Lea Ausoni Marko Stevic Whether it is changes due to the development of e-commerce or the public health crisis, current events are driving retailers to adopt a perpetually inventive approach in order to survive. Lea and Leo Ausoni, who represent the fourth generation of the family business opened more than a century ago, demonstrate consistent creativity in their drive to ensure the sustainability of their points of sale. The creation of LeaandLeo, their own handcrafted ready-to-wear brand in Europe; the 2016 launch of an e-shop dedicated to unbeatable oneoff offers; the tireless search for new trends and exclusive products; as well as frequent collaborations with brands whose values they share such as Mercedes, Ligne Roset, Missoni Home, Porsche Design, Manuel, Perego Cars, Knie, Green Up, Indian Motorcycle, and now Bucherer all testify to their constant dynamism. WASHINGTON The House Ethics Committee is investigating Representative Steven M. Palazzo, Republican of Mississippi, for potential misuse of funds, after a preliminary inquiry found that he engaged in what investigators called a concerning pattern of spending more than $80,000 in campaign money on a $1.2 million waterfront house that he was trying to sell. In a report published on Monday, the independent board of the Office of Congressional Ethics said it had voted unanimously to recommend that the House panel broaden its investigation into the fifth-term congressmans conduct including subpoenaing him, his brother and a dozen others because there was substantial reason to believe that Representative Palazzo converted funds to personal use to pay expenses that were not legitimate. In a brief statement from the leaders of the secretive Ethics Committee, Representative Ted Deutch, Democrat of Florida and the chairman, and Jackie Walorski of Indiana, the senior Republican, said that the panel would continue its inquiry to gather additional information necessary to complete its review. At issue, among other allegations, the report said, was a concerning pattern of campaign expenditures on a large riverfront home which Representative Palazzo owned and rented to Palazzo for Congress as an ostensible campaign headquarters. Investigators also alleged that Mr. Palazzo may have improperly used campaign funds to pay his brother and used his position in Congress to do a special favor for his brother. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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| 2021-03-03 23:39:18|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Olatunji Saliu ABUJA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- "We felt we had already spent years, even though it was our first day," said Anka, as she bitterly rued the harrowing journey she experienced, together with 278 other girls, in the den of kidnappers in Nigeria's northwest region last week. Anka and the other girls -- all students of the Government Girls Science Secondary School in Talata Mafara local government area of the northern state of Zamfara -- were released on Tuesday, after spending three unforgettable days in the forest with gunmen. "There was no clean water or good food... And our kidnappers threatened to kill, fry, and eat us," she recalled, sobbing heavily while narrating the harrowing experience to reporters. On the morning of Feb. 26, the gunmen in their hundreds rode into the town of Jangebe where the school is located, ordering the schoolgirls, hundreds of them, to march along a forest path. That morning, they trekked over a long distance from the school, had a stopover for some hours, before they reached their destination, Anka said. The abductors, who, according to her, were young boys and wore military uniforms, kept firing into the air to scare the schoolgirls. "They were very young boys with one elder they called Kasali or Yahaya, who gave them instructions. And he was the one that stopped them from touching any of us," the girl said. While in the kidnappers' den, she said they were laid in trenches littered with human feces. "We saw other people, including women and children, and the father of one of our schoolmates, who had been in the kidnappers' den for three months," Anka further narrated in tears. "They walked us on foot where some of us got dislocated on their foot. They fed us with rice, in which they put sand after cooking." Another girl, Abubakar, said they slept in the open while in captivity. Occasionally, they would go into hiding along with the criminals when they heard the sounds of helicopters on a search and rescue mission. "They ridiculed us, called us with many bad names, threatened to kill us, and then later, they asked us to pray for them to be good citizens. They also begged us to teach them the English language so that they could speak it," Abubakar said. Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara, where the kidnapping occurred, said on Tuesday that the girls were released through negotiations. "Following a series of dialogue and mediation with repentant bandits and scaling hurdles of those who want to scuttle our effort to secure the release of Jangebe schoolgirls, I am happy to announce that, the students have been released," Matawalle said. The governor insisted no ransom was paid for the release of the schoolgirls by kidnappers, adding it was a positive result of the peace accord he initiated. "No ransom was paid to anyone. I insisted that we were not going to give anything to any of them," he said. Matawalle said that the number of the students abducted was 279, but the Nigerian police said earlier that a total of 317 students were abducted from the all-girls secondary school in Zamfara. The attack on the school, and the mass abduction of the girls, was the third in recent school-related kidnappings in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, over the past three months. In December, some 344 schoolboys were abducted from an all-boys secondary school in Kankara town of the northwestern state of Katsina. They regained their freedom six days later. On Feb. 17, some gunmen also abducted 27 students and 15 others at a government secondary school in the town of Kagara located in north-central Niger State. They, too, regained their freedom about 10 days later. Yet again, the schoolgirls' abduction has further questioned the safety of schools in the northern part of Nigeria, said Kunle Adaranijo, a security expert. Some state governments in the northern part of the country have so far ordered the closure of boarding schools, as part of measures to nip the ugly trend in the bud. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said the time has come to reverse, completely, the grim and heartbreaking incidents of kidnapping in the country. "Being held in captivity is an agonizing experience, not only for the victims but also their families and all of us," the Nigerian leader said in a statement. "Ransom payments will continue to prosper kidnapping," he added while urging the police and the military to go after the kidnappers and bring them to justice. Enditem A former gym junkie who allegedly established a clandestine meth lab out of a rehab clinic has made a bold move to re-enter another facility. Police allege Luke McNally, who was once named Gold Coast's Young Entrepreneur of the Year, set up a drug lab inside a rehabilitation clinic based at the former site of Melbourne's infamous Daily Planet brothel. McNally once operated a $40million business running the booming Mass Nutrition supplement brand, which at its height boasted 45 stores spanning Australia and New Zealand. Luke McNally, 32, was the CEO of the Mass Nutrition supplement business The former Gold Coast Young Entrepreneur of the Year once made about $40million annually The Daily Planet was once a well-known brothel in Elsternwick in Melbourne's inner east. When it was replaced by a rehab clinic, locals claimed it still looked very much like a brothel inside But McNally's fall from grace has been long and spectacular and seemingly hit rock bottom in 2017 when it was revealed he was living with his mum while awaiting serious drug charges. On Wednesday, the Melbourne Magistrates' Court heard McNally now faces 43 new drug charges over allegations he was operating multiple meth labs across Victoria, including one within the Elsternwick rehab clinic. He had been on bail at the time while awaiting sentence in the County Court of Victoria over other serious drug offences. Supreme Court Justice John Champion had been duped by McNally into bailing him to the clinic on the pretext he would be treated for his drug addiction. Instead, police allege McNally, helped along by the management of Wellbeing Planet, went about building a drug lab with the help of other drug-addicted residents. The court heard police had the rogue clinic under surveillance and were listening to McNally carry out his alleged illicit trade. They raided the former brothel in December 2019 and made multiple arrests. A shotgun allegedly stamped with McNally's fingerprints was among a treasure trove of illegal booty the police confiscated. The muscle-bound 32-year-old sold the business in 2016 'due to bad publicity' At its height the brand boasted 45 stores spanning Australia and New Zealand At the time, nearby residents claimed little appeared to have changed from the building's old days as a seedy brothel. 'It was still decked out as a brothel. It had a large entertaining room with a bar, billiard tables, gaming machines and paintings of naked women on the walls,' a local told the ABC. 'Every room we went into had multiple beds, group showers, mirrors on the walls and on the ceilings above the beds. 'There is no access to daylight, no windows, no general amenity that you might want in a facility like that. The exact opposite in fact.' On Wednesday, a bloated McNally attempted to be released from his current residence at Marngoneet Correctional Centre to another rehab clinic - this time in Shepparton in Country Victoria. Prosecutors opposed the application, claiming McNally had shown little regard for court orders in the past and was likely to reoffend. The court heard a warrant was still out for McNally in Queensland after he skipped bail on drug charges there and fled to Melbourne. His dad had put up a surety of $200,000 to try and secure his son's release. Magistrate Sue Wakeling told McNally it was clear police had a strong case against him, declaring he had played a 'pivotal role' in the operation. McNally in fitter times. He appeared larger on Wednesday while addressing the court from jail Locals claimed the rehab clinic appeared to closely resemble the old Daily Planet brothel (pictured), which it replaced He had been in jail for eight months when he was released into the custody of the clinic by the Supreme Court of Victoria. Ms Wakeling said McNally claimed he had been failed by the managers of the clinic, who failed to deliver on promises to get him off drugs. 'The applicant is now charged along with one of the program managers and other residents in relation to the significant drug manufacturing activity, which took place in and out of that program,' she said. McNally was refused bail and will remain behind bars until his next court appearance. 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 19-year-old Pakistani student who shot to fame after her five-second video went viral on social media across the subcontinent, hopes numerous renditions of her monologue will translate into more dialogue between India and Pakistan. The short video shot by Dananeer Mobeen in the Nathaigali mountains of northern Pakistan and uploaded onto Instagram shows a group of youngsters enjoying themselves by a roadside. Swinging around the device she is filming on, Ms Mobeen gestures behind her and says in Urdu, "This is our car, this is us, and this is our party taking place." Seemly innocuous, she deliberately mispronounces the English word "party" as "pawri" to poke fun at South Asians who adopt Western accents. It immediately struck a chord in both India and Pakistan, sparking top trending hashtags on social media, and garnering millions of views and hundreds of spin-offs. "It was the most random video. I initially had no intention of uploading it," Ms Mobeen said, expressing surprise at how viral it had gone and adding the trend showed the power and reach of social media. "Pawri" monologue renditions have been used by police in India and the Delhi Commission for Women in their social media outreach campaigns. Dairy company Amul, known for inculcating trendy takes on current issues in its advertisements, did a "this is our pav-tea" version. Even politicians jumped on the bandwagon, with leaders using the catchy hook at public events and tweets. "I'm honoured and grateful for all the love across the border," said Ms Mobeen, expressing her happiness at fostering some rare friendly cross-border dialogue. Last week, India and Pakistan released a rare joint statement saying they had agreed to observe a ceasefire along the Line of Control, after exchanging fire hundreds of times over past months. Since the video went viral, Ms Mobeen said she has been inundated with acting and modelling offers, along with requests for product endorsements. Instead, she says she aspires to join Pakistan's foreign services. Also read: Pawri Ho Rahi Hai: Meet Dananeerr, the girl in viral video Also read: Dominos, Swiggy, SBI join the party as 'pawri ho rahi hai' on social media China has stirred up international controversy again by requiring all foreign arrivals to submit to anal swabs to screen for coronavirus. But the Korean Foreign Ministry on Tuesday claimed Koreans will not be subject to the intrusive exams. Asked if the government has protested, Foreign Ministry spokesman Choi Young-sam said, "We initiated negotiations early on in the most active manner. Since early this year, we made sure the indirect method of submitting stool samples could be used instead of Chinese quarantine authorities taking the swabs directly." The lawyer for a man sentenced to death for fatally shooting a Sonoma County sheriffs deputy in 1995, five days after being released from prison, told the state Supreme Court on Tuesday that his trial should have been transferred elsewhere because the county was saturated with coverage of the menacing killer and his heroic victim. Robert Lee Scully could not have gotten and did not in fact get a fair trial in Sonoma County which still felt itself under siege when trial proceedings began a year and a half later, attorney Valerie Hriciga of the state public defenders office told the court, which heard an hour of arguments remotely from its headquarters in San Francisco. Extensive news coverage portrayed Scully as a white supremacist, recounted his criminal record, described an execution-style slaying, and depicted the defendant as a threat to (the) community, Hriciga said. She said the deputy, Frank Trejo, was described in media accounts, justifiably, as a fallen hero. Scullys trial lawyers said a pretrial survey found that 85% of county residents were aware of the case, and, of that number, 78% thought Scully was definitely or probably guilty. But Deputy Attorney General Julie Je told the court that the furor had subsided by the time of the trial. Potential jurors are not expected to be totally ignorant of the facts of the case, Je said. Even pervasive adverse publicity does not inevitably lead to an unfair trial, and the trial judge properly found that the jury had been adequately screened for bias. Scully was 37 when he was freed from maximum-security Pelican Bay State Prison in March 1995 after serving 11 years for robbery convictions in San Diego. A friend, Brenda Moore, was driving him in her pickup truck toward San Diego, where he was due to meet with his parole officer, but she changed her mind after a stop in Sonoma County and decided to return home. They were arguing when Trejo, 58, pulled up on a road about a mile east of Sebastopol. Scully, who was carrying a shotgun, disarmed the deputy, forced him to lie on the ground and shot him in the head. Scully later testified that the gun had discharged accidentally when he stumbled while walking backward. But a jury found he had intentionally killed the deputy, and he was sentenced to death in June 1997. While his lawyers still contend the killing was not intentional and should not have been a capital crime, the central issue in Scullys appeal is Superior Court Judge Elaine Watters refusal to transfer the trial to another county. Watters found in two pretrial rulings that the local coverage of the case, although extensive, was not inflammatory or sensational, and that Scullys public unpopularity was universal and not confined to Sonoma County. Arguing that the court should overturn Scullys convictions and death sentence and order a new trial, Hriciga said Tuesday that pretrial questioning of prospective jurors showed they were still swayed by the emotional impact of the killing. COVID Resources Coronavirus Map Tracking COVID-19 cases across the Bay Area and California. Families no longer felt secure in their homes, the defense lawyer said. She said one prospective juror had watched Trejos memorial service on television, others told Watters they passed by a memorial to the deputy twice a day, and a juror in the case told the judge that Scully was assumed to be guilty. But Justice Martin Jenkins noted that jurors told the judge they could set their beliefs aside. Justice Teri Jackson of the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco, temporarily assigned to the states high court for the case, observed that Scullys trial lawyer had allowed the jury to be seated without using all of his allotted challenges. Hriciga replied that the lawyer had seen other prospective jurors written responses to pretrial questions and concluded they would be even less sympathetic than those already seated. A ruling in People vs. Scully, S062259, is due within 90 days. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko The lockdown during COVID-19 outbreak has made video conferencing the norm for professionals and educational users in todays world. While several services are available, Google meet has become one of the most accessible video conferencing tools for users. It offers several advanced features that make it easier for users to interact with each other while they cannot interact with them in the physical world. It has become the preferred tool for students attending classes, as well as professionals. Sometimes users may need to record the Google meet session for taking notes about a project or subject, or a team meeting. Do note that the Google meet record feature works only if you are attending the Meet via a PC. If you are connecting to the conference call via a smartphone then it wont work. Here is how you can record Google Meet sessions with ease. Here's How to Record Google Meet Session in 5 easy steps To record a Google Meet session, start or join a meeting on Google Meet. Now, just click on the three dots at the bottom right corner. You will get the "Record meeting" option which appears at the top of the pop-up menu. Just "Accept" on the pop-up that says "Ask for consent. This will start the recording, and you can choose to stop it whenever you want, or it will automatically stop when everyone leaves the meeting. The Google Meet recording will automatically be saved to the Google Drive folder. Do keep in mind that the recording will include the active speakers and other content that is presented. However, it will not include the notifications and other windows that you open. The live captions during the recording will also not be recorded. How to download the recording from Google Drive Recordings will be saved in the My Drive > Meet Recordings folder. Simply select the file and click more and then click on Download. To play the recording double-click the downloaded file. How to share the recording with others To share a recording with other users, simply select the file and click on share. You can also share the link in an email or chat message with others. Details still pending on third agreement between Emmet and Bay Bluffs by Mathias Hariyadi On behalf of the association, Indonesias foreign minister calls on the junta to keep in mind the humanitarian aspects of the crisis and avoid it from getting worse. The regional organisation is caught between the principle of non-interference and the need to respect rights. Indonesias experience might provide an example of how to overcome the crisis. Jakarta (AsiaNews) The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is worried about the crisis in Myanmar; for this reason, following a virtual emergency meeting, its members renewed their call for an end to the violence. Today, Indonesia's Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi urged the military junta that took over Myanmar to keep in mind the humanitarian aspects of the ongoing crisis, which is becoming more critical. Voicing the concerns of the regional association, Marsudi called for Aung San Suu Kyi release, stressing that force should not be used to disperse protesters. At the same time, she explained that while one of ASEANS principles is non-interference in the internal affairs of its members, the associations charter includes respect for human rights and freedom of thought, which must be protected. For Marsudi, Upholding and implementing values of democracy, respect of human rights, good governance, rule of law and constitutional government are equally important. This applies to Myanmars de facto rulers. On 24 February, Marsudi, together with her Thai counterpart Don Pramudwinai, met with Wunna Maung Lwin, the Foreign Minister of Myanmar's provisional military government in Bangkok to discuss a number of issues related to Myanmars crisis. The meeting had initially been scheduled for Naypyidaw, the capital of Myanmar, but protests in Myanmar prompted ASEAN leaders to change the venue of the summit. For protesters, a visit to the country under military rule would have meant legitimising the coup and giving the generals a green light to control the nation after arresting its civilian leaders. Indonesian Foreign minister said that she has had a series of contacts with the military junta and the civilian administration ousted in the coup, in search of a peaceful solution to the crisis. For this to happen, a favourable political atmosphere must be created in Myanmar aimed at dialogue, reconciliation and the strengthening of international trust, Marsudi explained on her way back from Bangkok. Indonesias former Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa also spoke out. In office between 2014 and 2019, he said that Myanmar's democratisation process is not an event, but a long-term process. Recent developments are a matter of great concern for the whole region, starting with the military junta that should refrain from violence and guarantee the right to peaceful protest. Indonesia itself can serve as a model to solve the crisis. Despite internal demographic and ethnic differences, Indonesia has been able to put its own military dictatorship behind and set up a civilian government based on respect for democratic values. A former chef who dismembered an associate in his bathroom didn't get rid of the evidence because he missed bin night, a trial has heard. After detailing how he stabbed and then dismembered a man inside his unit block, Khanh Xuan Pham ranted to police about their 'protection' of paedophiles. 'Why is there the protection of police for these ... maggots,' Pham said. 'Give me some paedophiles to kill, f*** me dead, mate.' Khanh Xuan Pham (pictured), 38, told the court he felt 'nothing' as he stabbed Mr Stefanovic and dismembered his body in January 2019 The Sadleir man's January 2019 interview with detectives came hours after his arrest for the alleged murder of Minto father Goran Stefanovic. The 40-year-old's decomposing remains were discovered in the bathroom of Pham's studio apartment on January 12 by the killer's mother, who alerted police. Pictured: Goran Stefanovic Pham, now 40 himself, is facing a NSW Supreme Court murder trial after prosecutors did not accept his plea of guilty to manslaughter. Agreed facts state that on January 8, Pham stabbed his victim once in the back inside the unit before following his victim to the building's entrance and stabbing the collapsed man in the heart. 'I had no choice,' Pham said in his formal police interview after his arrest. 'These pricks were playing games with me, setting me up and that.' The court has heard that on the day of his death, Mr Stefanovic met up with Pham to buy ice and was sitting on the killer's bed when he was stabbed. Pham said he felt 'nothing' as he stabbed Mr Stefanovic and later dismembered him, citing being caught dragging the body from the unit entrance as his only concern throughout the homicidal episode. Stefanovic had arrived at Pham's apartment to buy methamphetamine and was sitting on the killer's bed when he was stabbed He also claimed Mr Stefanovic would have done 'it to me so I do it to him that's how it felt'. The flesh - placed in bags in the bathroom - wasn't removed from his unit as 'I missed bin night', he said. 'I was a chef. It's the same, all the joints, the meat,' he said. 'We're all made the same - animals and people.' Asked if he enjoyed cutting off the dead man's ear with a sharp knife, Pham began ranting that 'rapist pricks' will never change and that police should let pedophiles be beaten up by members of the public, such as himself. The trial, being held without a jury, continues before Justice Helen Wilson. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. South Africa: MEC opens neglect case against KZN parents KwaZulu-Natal Social Development MEC, Nonhlanhla Khoza, has officially opened a case of child abuse and neglect at the Mehlomnyama police station, against the parents of a seven-year-old boy. This follows shocking pictures circulating on social media, showing the boys bruises, as he suffered assaults from his 17-year-old stepbrother. Khoza, together with Ugu District Municipality Mayor, Sizwe Ngcobo and Umzumbe Local Municipality Mayor, Londolo Zungu, held a meeting with police management on Tuesday after reports that the police had allegedly arrested the stepbrother, but later released him without the parole officers consent. It is alleged that when the matter was reported to the police, they urged the family to settle it as a family. Speaking to media outside the police station, Khoza said although the police have done their job to arrest the perpetrator, the department is concerned about the decision to release him. "It is unacceptable that a child can suffer such injuries in the presence of an older person at home," Khoza said. Khoza raised concerns about the circumstances that could have led to the 17-year-old stepbrother becoming so violent. "We have the best interests of the children [at heart]. Cases of child abuse and neglect are very serious. We want the police do justice to the matter, as violence directed at women and children cannot be tolerated," Khoza said. The MEC said social workers have managed to trace the biological mother of the boy at Ntumeni, Eshowe. Khoza has also met the child at a place of safety, where he is currently accommodated. The child was united with his biological mother, who travelled from Eshowe after social workers made contact with her. "We are happy that the child was removed from that toxic environment and is now united with his mother. We will be observing the child at the place of safety before any other option can be explored, including allowing him to go stay with his mother. We are happy to see the child playing after he has gone through such an ordeal. The child is now in safe hands," Khoza said. Citizens commended for interest in childs wellbeing Khoza has commended citizens, who have shown interest in the wellbeing of the child. "We are more grateful to the whistle-blower who refused to sit back while a child suffered. Our social workers have also been assigned to assess the alleged perpetrator, the MEC said. Mayor Ngcobo said they are extremely worried about this incident, hence they want to see police effecting arrests. It cannot be correct that a child gets assaulted like this and no one accounts for it," Ngcobo said. Mayor Zungu commended the department of Social Development for taking up the matter. "As soon as we heard about the incident on Sunday, we took it upon ourselves to contact the police. Social workers came on board to ensure the child was removed. He was taken to hospital for medical attention. However, the arrest and release of the stepbrother... is very concerning to us. However, we have confidence that the police will do a thorough investigation into this matter," Zungu said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-03-03. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Denton, TX (76205) Today Mostly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 75F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 59F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. NEW YORK, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors Ormat Technologies, Inc. ("Ormat" or the "Company") (NYSE: ORA). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980. The investigation concerns whether Ormat and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here for information about joining the class action] On March 1, 2021, before the market opened, Hindenburg Research ("Hindenburg") published a report entitled "Ormat: Dirty Dealings in 'Clean' Energy." According to the Hindenburg report, the Company "has engaged in what we believe to be widespread and systematic acts of intentional corruption," adding that it "expect[s] the blowback to these revelations to be severe, threatening Ormat's contracts in its most lucrative markets." In the report, Hindenburg claims to have "uncovered evidence tying Ormat to corruption with senior government officials" and "direct evidence tying Ormat to corruption with senior Guatemalan government officials", further noting that "Ormat paid contractors in Kenya tied to corrupt government officials." On this news, Ormat's stock price fell $1.00 per share, or 1.1%, to close at $84.67 per share on March 1, 2021. That same day, after the market closed, Ormat responded to the report and acknowledged that "[t]he Company is aware of claims being investigated in Israel regarding Ravit Barniv, an Ormat Board member, and Hezi Kattan, the Company's General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer." Though the "claims involve Ms. Barniv's and Mr. Kattan's work at another company, prior to joining Ormat," the Company announced that it would "transfer the responsibility for the Company's compliance function to other members of the Ormat management team until these issues are resolved." On this news, Ormat's stock price fell another $1.68 per share, or nearly 2%, to close at $82.99 per share on March 2, 2021. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com. CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP rswilloughby@pomlaw.com 888-476-6529 ext. 7980 An oceanfront Palm Beach, FL, property associated with the Trump family has splashed onto the market for $49 million, according to Bloomberg News. The beachfront abode had been owned by Maryanne Trump Barry, a retired federal appeals judge and the sister of former President Donald Trump. She purchased the place in 2004 for $11.5 million. Barry initially listed the home in late 2017 for $23.9 million, but ultimately decided to keep it in the family. She sold it in May 2018 for a discounted $18.5 million, to an entity managed by her nephews, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump. After acquiring the home in 2018, the Trump siblings embarked on a renovation, updating the mansion's dated interiors and furniture. They then put the place on the rental market to the select few tenants able to pay $100,000 a month. But perhaps the red-hot housing market in Palm Beach was just too tempting for the Trumps to sit on the sidelines. The listing also follows a January report that the bank that financed the brothers' purchase in 2018 has decided not to do business with the Trump family any longer. So now, the property is for sale againthis time with a hefty markup. Trump-linked property on the market in Palm Beach realtor.com Walls of glass realtor.com Deck with ocean views realtor.com Living room realtor.com Updated kitchen realtor.com Built in 1956, the Bermuda-style home features a coveted 194 feet of beach frontage. Spanning 10,455 square feet, the recently renovated space includes eight bedrooms, eight bathrooms, and three half-bathrooms. The interior layout offers an open entertaining space with a formal living room, sunroom, family room, library, and wet bar. ___ Watch: This Is Where Donald Trump Grew Up--and You Can Stay There, Too ___ Walls of glass look out to Atlantic Ocean views. The modernized white kitchen features two ovens and a double sink. The outdoor space is a true highlight, with a waterfront balcony, patio, and pool. The exterior has also undergone a refresh and is now painted a bright white. The home sits across from the former presidents private club, Mar-a-Lago, where he and his wife, Melania, decamped after leaving the White House. Another perk for the buyer: The home comes with a Mar-a-Lago club membership. The well-placed property is also within close proximity to other Trump family members, some of whom own homes around Mar-a-Lago, the private beach club Trump bought in 1985. The former president converted the property into a private club in the mid-1990s. Away from the posh environs of Palm Beach, Trump family members have been busy with other real estate transactions in the Sunshine State. Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, the former presidents daughter and son-in-law, have reportedly bought a 2-acre waterfront lot on Indian Creek Island for $32 million. Known as Billionaires Bunker, the elite island is close to Miami and offers a secure and picturesque locale. In the short term, the couple have rented a luxury condo in Miami. As for Donald Trump Jr., he and his partner, Kimberly Guilfoyle, also reportedly picked up adjacent properties going for millions in the posh Admirals Cove community in Jupiter, FL, about 20 miles from Mar-a-Lago, the Real Deal reports. While anyone with the funds could surely scoop up the Trump-owned investment in Palm Beach, it would be quite the prize for a supporter of the former president, if not for someone who already has Trump in their name. Lawrence Moens with Lawrence A. Moens Associates holds the listing. The post Palm Beach Mansion Owned by Trump Family Lands on Market for $49M appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. I feel that this is the right time to step away from my role and let another superintendent come forward, Rigg said in an emailed announcement to parents. I am profoundly impressed by the quality and vitality of our Catholic schools, staffed by men and women of exceptional talent and commitment. I leave my role knowing that God will continue to work through our teachers, principals, and benefactors to ensure the continuation of this critical educational ministry. Susan Sobolov, WIB-Connecticut Chapter Chair Susan Sobolov, WIB-Connecticut Chapter Chair Sea Island, GA, March 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Women In Bio (WIB), a national organization of professionals committed to promoting the careers, leadership and entrepreneurship of women in the life sciences, is excited to announce the launch of WIB-Connecticut, the 14th WIB chapter in North America! The WIB board of directors voted unanimously on February 18, 2021, to grant chapter status to the vibrant WIB-Connecticut community. Formerly an extension of the WIB-Metro New York Chapter, this region met all requirements to become an official chapter of WIB and was granted full chapter status by the board. Connecticut has become a nucleus of bioscience advancement, and over the past decade, Connecticut entrepreneurs, scientists, engineers and investors have contributed to innovative bioscience expansion. I am very excited to welcome the Connecticut chapter into WIB, said WIB President and Board Chair, Kayla Valdes, Ph.D. The Connecticut life sciences ecosystem has affirmed its footing in the biotech community, and the women who will be leading this new chapter have worked tirelessly to build a strong community of life science leaders with a bright future. The WIB board views the addition of this chapter as a valuable asset in our growing organization, which has blossomed to over 3,000 members within the past year. WIB Executive Director, Lisa Iadicicco agrees. This milestone helps further our mission, moving the needle on equity and inclusion for all women in the life sciences and beyond. 25 accomplished and passionate women, from academia to industry, are volunteering their time to broaden WIBs reach and engage, educate and empower the life sciences ecosystem in Connecticut, she said. Susan Sobolov, Ph.D., Chief Operating Officer at Caelum Biosciences, is excited to be leading this new chapter as its Chair and working with the chapter steering committee to bring the mission of WIB to all women across Connecticut. Story continues When I started in the industry, I heard the statistic that only 20% of leaders were women. This was attributed to the low rate of women entering the field. A recent report showed about 46% of entering employees are now women, yet only 28% of leadership roles are currently held by women, Sobolov said. WIB-Connecticut will provide career and personal development programming to cultivate the pipeline of women scientists in Connecticut and support their advancement and retention in the state to supply the growing biotech industry. As the biotech industry continues to grow in Connecticut, our new chapter will build networks and foster women scientists, entrepreneurs, and executives, helping advance them in leadership roles both at academic centers as well as in the biotech industry, Sobolov said. WIB-Connecticut is proud to launch with the support of Founding Sponsors: Marcum LLP and Wiggin and Dana LLP. For more information, visit https://www.womeninbio.org/Connecticut. ABOUT WOMEN IN BIO (WIB) Founded in 2002 to support women employed in the field of life sciences from the classroom to the boardroom, Women In Bio (WIB) is a multifaceted organization with 14 chapters across North America and Montreal. It offers an array of professional educational programs, peer to peer learning, mentoring and networking opportunities, and is the only organization for women that integrates all career levels and life sciences fields. WIB is funded by sponsors and partners dedicated to supporting women of all ages in their lifelong journey in the life sciences and beyond. Please visit http://www.womeninbio.org. ABOUT WIB-Connecticut Founded in 2021, WIB-Connecticut is committed to supporting innovation, networking, education, mentorship, and entrepreneurship by providing our vibrant bioscience community a platform that promotes collaboration and access to resources and events. For more information, visit https://www.womeninbio.org/Connecticut. Attachment CONTACT: Marsha Morgenstern Women In Bio (412) 223-7855 mmorgenstern@womeninbio.org The authorities in South Sudan have confirmed that a small plane crashed on Tuesday evening in the eastern Jonglei State, killing all the 10 people on board. It happened at Pieri airstrip shortly after take-off while heading to the capital, Juba. A team of investigators was being sent to the site of the crash to conduct preliminary investigations, Transport Minister Madut Biar Yel said. The plane belonged to a local aviation company, the South Supreme Airlines. The firm has not yet issued a statement about the crash. Jonglei State Governor Denay Jock Chagor said he received the news with "shock and horror" and sent condolences to the families and friends of the deceased. South Sudan's air safety profile is not yet rated by the International Aviation Safety Assessment Programme. But the database on Aviation Safety Network (ASN) shows that at least 10 planes crashed in different locations in South Sudan between 2018 and 2020, which caused about 30 fatalities. 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 Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office homicide investigators have arrested a New Orleans man accused in a fatal shooting at a River Ridge apartment complex. Elias Jackson, 31, was booked Monday on counts of second-degree murder, obstruction of justice and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, arrest records said. He has a 2009 conviction for armed robbery, according to Jefferson Parish court records. Jackson is accused in the Feb. 3 shooting death of Rodney Antoine Jr., 21, of Gretna. Antoine was in the parking lot of an apartment complex in the 500 block of Richard Avenue in River Ridge just before 6 p.m. with two friends when witnesses say gunfire rang out, according to Sheriff's Office records. Antoine suffered a gunshot wound to his abdomen. 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 two friends loaded Antoine into a car and began driving to a hospital. But they flagged down an ambulance near the intersection of Roosevelt Boulevard and Westgate Street in Kenner, authorities said. The ambulance brought him to University Hospital in New Orleans, where he later died. No information was available about how detectives linked Jackson to the killing. Investigators obtained a warrant for his arrest on Feb. 17. Jackson was arrested in New Orleans and transferred to the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center Monday. He was being held there on a $700,000 bond. South Australian Police has been ordered to probe further the 'incomplete' investigation into the death of an Adelaide woman who alleged she was raped by Christian Porter. The federal Attorney General outed himself on Wednesday as the federal minister accused of raping a 16-year-old girl in 1988 to emphatically deny ever sleeping with the woman, who took her own life last June. The 50-year-old former public prosecutor confirmed he attended a debating competition at Sydney University with his accuser when he was 17 and she was 16. South Australian Coroner David Whittle has refused to rule out an inquest into the woman's death, which has been called for by her friends. It comes after he received an 'incomplete' brief of evidence from police on Monday in relation to the 49-year-old woman's death last year. Christian Porter (left) outed himself as the federal minister accused of raping a 16-year-old girl in 1988 to emphatically deny ever even sleeping with the woman, who took her own life last June. He's pictured in 2018 with wife Jennifer (right), whom he's since separated from Mr Whittle has since requested one of his senior lawyers to liaise with police to collect more evidence such as letters and unsworn statements from the woman before she took her own life. 'I determined that the investigation is incomplete. This was particularly evident having regard to information contained in recent media reports,' Mr Whittle said in a statement late Wednesday. 'Counsel Assisting the State Coroner was allocated to assist SAPOL in the direction of the further investigations which I have requested. 'The investigation is continuing and once that investigation has been completed to my satisfaction, I shall determine whether to hold an inquest.' SA Police have vowed to continue to assist the coroner in the ongoing investigation. It comes after SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said the preparation of a report to the coroner had 'been done'. 'Our obligation is to undertake an investigation on behalf of the coroner and provide a report to the coroner,' Commissioner Stevens told the ABC. 'What the coroner decides to do in terms of inquesting that death is a matter for the coroner.' An emotional Christian Porter (pictured) said on Wednesday that if he stood down as Attorney General, there would be no rule of law left in Australia and it would set a dangerous precedent where 'accusation equals resignation' NSW Police announced on Tuesday that detectives had closed their investigation into the case due to insufficient admissible evidence to proceed. 'As such, NSW Police Force has determined the matter is now closed,' a spokesperson said. The deceased woman's family declined to comment on the matter on Wednesday. ''They continue to experience considerable grief arising from their loss,' a statement released by their lawyer on behalf of the family. Mr Porter began his extraordinary press conference on Wednesday with a poignant message to the woman's family. 'To the parents who are grieving for the loss of their adult daughter. 'I only knew your daughter for the briefest periods at debating competitions when we were teenagers about 33 years ago. I was 17 years old and I think that she was 16 years old. 'In losing that person, your daughter, you have suffered a terrible loss. And you did not deserve the frenzied politicisation of the circumstances of your daughter's death in the past week. 'I have thought, long and hard about the implications for you, of what I feel that I need to say today. 'And I hope that whatever else happens, from this point, that you will understand, that in saying today, that the things that are being claimed to have happened did not happen, that I did not mean to impose anything more upon your grief. 'But I hope that you will also understand, that because what is being alleged did not happen, I must say so publicly.' South Australian Coroner David Whittle (pictured) has refused to rule out a inquest into the death of the woman who accused Christian Porter of raping her in 1988. Meanwhile, the federal government is under mounting pressure to launch an independent inquiry into decades-old rape allegations Mr Porter. Some lawyers and politicians are adamant a separate probe must investigate the allegations despite police not proceeding because of insufficient evidence. Michael Bradley, who represented the woman, said Mr Porter was asking for the matter to be resolved purely based on his denial. 'In terms of the integrity of his office and his ability to continue to occupy that high public office, given the gravity of the allegation against him, does that need to be cleared up?' he told the ABC on Wednesday. He said an inquiry would make a determination based on the balance of probabilities and not require the attorney-general to prove anything. Mr Porter argued a similar probe into sexual harassment allegations against former High Court judge Dyson Heydon was different because it was a workplace issue. 'I would be asked to disprove something that just didn't happen 33 years ago. So, if that happens, I couldn't succeed to disprove something,' he said. Christian Porter (pictured during a debate when he was a schoolboy) has been accused of raping a woman when he was 17 and she was 16 after a debating competition at Sydney University in 1988 Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young, who is one of the politicians who received a letter with the allegations last week, said the detailed nature of the claims meant an inquiry was crucial. 'I don't think we want a culture in this country where it is just blame and name. I don't think that is helpful,' she told the ABC. 'But we don't need to talk about hypotheticals. What we have here is a very specific allegation. A very serious one.' Senator Hanson-Young said the highest-ranking law officer was accused of a heinous crime, meaning Prime Minister Scott Morrison needed to be satisfied Mr Porter was fit to remain in cabinet. Liberal MP Tim Wilson questioned the merit of an additional investigation, saying any new evidence should be put to police. Mr Porter spoke through tears during the press conference held in Perth on Wednesday Independent MP Zali Steggall wants the prime minister to task a retired judge or eminent person with conducting an inquiry. 'The difficulty with the police is with the victim being deceased, it puts a very quick end to that investigation,' she told the ABC. Australian Women Lawyers said an urgent inquiry was needed because uncertainty around the allegations was undermining the legal system. 'Until such investigation is conducted, the question remains as to whether the attorney is an appropriately fit and proper person to hold that office,' the group said in a statement. Christian Porter's moving message to his accuser's parents I just wanted to start by saying something to the parents who are grieving for the loss of their adult daughter. I only knew briefest periods. We met at debating competitions, when we were teenagers about 33 years ago, I was 17, years old, and I think that she was 16 years old. And in losing that person, your daughter, you suffered a terrible loss. And you did not deserve, the frenzied politicisation of the circumstances of your daughter's death for the past week. I have thought long and hard about the implications for you of what I feel that I need to say today. And I hope that whatever else happens, from this point that you understand that in saying today that the things that have been claimed to happen did not happen that I do not mean to impose anything more upon your grief. But I hope that you will also understand that because what is being alleged did not happen, I must say so publicly. Advertisement An ironed shirt, the 'bright' female friend, dancing and a bowl of prawns: Christian Porter reveals what he remembers about school debating trip at the centre of allegations he raped a 16-year-old - but denies he ever harmed the teenager Christian Porter as a schoolboy in WA By Charlie Moore, political reporter for Daily Mail Australia Attorney-general Christian Porter has denied raping a teenage girl in 1988 but shared some details about the debating trip on which the alleged incident happened. The 50-year-old former public prosecutor confirmed he attended a debating competition at Sydney University with his accuser when he was 17 and she was 16, but categorically denied ever sleeping with the woman who has since taken her own life. The minister said he recalls two nights out during the competition week including a formal dinner at a university college and 'dancing' in the city. 'It was 33 years ago. I remember two evenings that week. One was a night at one of the colleges with bowls of prawns which sticks in my mind. 'I do remember a formal dinner and going out dancing sounds about right,' he said. Mr Porter also recalled a time when the woman ironed his shirt before a night out with the debating team. 'There were four of us, three boys, and this person whose name I can't even say because of the situation we are in. 'I don't think any of us had ever ironed a shirt, and I recall, she showed us how to do it, I remember that,' he said. Mr Porter admitted that he can't remember every single detail of the night of the alleged incident but insisted that he would not have forgotten having sex with someone. Tearful: Christian Porter has outed himself as the cabinet minister accused of rape to categorically deny the accusation and has insist he will not stand down 'The things I have read did not happen. And to suggest that they could be forgotten is ridiculous, they just never happened,' he said. 'I did not sleep with the [alleged] victim. We didn't have anything of that nature happen between us,' he added. Asked if he had ever spent time alone with the woman, he said: 'It's not impossible, [but] I have never been in the person's room.' Mr Porter said he has not spoken to the woman - whom he described as an 'intelligent, bright, happy person' - since 1988 and does not know why she would make the allegation. 'I don't, I don't know, what her circumstances were. I don't know. 'I couldn't answer that question... I don't know about her life, what challenges she faced, or anything like that, I hadn't seen or heard or had contact in 33 years,' he said. Mr Porter spoke through tears during the press conference held in Perth on Wednesday The 50-year-old former public prosecutor confirmed he attended a debating competition at Sydney University with his accuser but denied sleeping with her Christian Porter (pictured during a debate when he was a schoolboy) has been accused of raping a woman when he was 17 and she was 16 after a debating competition at Sydney University in 1988 By unveiling himself in an emotional press conference on Wednesday, Mr Porter ended six days of speculation over the accused's identity after the woman's allegation was published in the media without naming the cabinet minister. The woman, who struggled with her mental health for years, told police about her allegation in February last year but took her own life in June. Detectives closed their investigation on Tuesday due to a lack of evidence. The accuser's allegation became public last week after Prime Minster Scott Morrison received a letter from a mystery sender which included a statement the woman had prepared for her lawyers in 2019. Mr Porter, who represents Pearce in WA, spoke to the prime minister when he got the letter last Wednesday and has since received his full backing. Journalists frantically asked questions following the minister's statement Mr Porter (pictured in a press briefing in Perth on Wednesday) has taken mental health leave after being accused of rape Mr Porter said if he stood down that there would be no rule of law left in Australia and it would set a dangerous precedent where 'accusation equals resignation' Senior government minister Christian Porter (pictured in Parliament) has categorically denied a historical rape allegation and said he will not be stepping down Revealing that he would take two weeks off, Mr Porter said: 'I have discussed with the prime minister today that after speaking with my own doctor I am going to take a short period of leave to assess and hopefully improve my own mental health. 'All of my life I have just pushed through, but for the many caring family and friends who have asked me that question over the course of the last week, ''Are you OK?'' I have got to say my answer is I really don't know. 'I am not ashamed to say that I am going to seek some professional assessment and assistance on answering that question over the next few weeks before I go back into the field and resume the role of Attorney-General, Minister of Industrial relations and Leader of the House'. If I stand down from my position as Attorney-General because of an allegation about something that simply did not happen, then any person in Australia can lose their career, their job, their life's work based on nothing more than an accusation Mr Porter said if he stood down that there would be no rule of law left in Australia and doing so would set a dangerous precedent where 'accusation equals resignation'. 'If I stand down from my position as Attorney-General because of an allegation about something that simply did not happen, then any person in Australia can lose their career, their job, their life's work based on nothing more than an accusation that appears in print,' he said. 'If that happens, anyone in public life is able to be removed simply by the printing of an allegation. Every child we raise can have their lives destroyed by online reporting of accusations alone,' he said. 'My guess is if I were to resign and that set a new standard there wouldn't be much need for an Attorney-General anyway because there would be no rule of law left to protect in this country, so I will not be part of letting that happen while I am Attorney-General and I am sure you will ask and I will state to you, I am not standing down or aside.' With legal options exhausted after police closed the case, political opponents have called for an independent inquiry into the allegations. But Mr Porter rejected the suggestion, saying such an inquiry would ultimately require him to disprove the allegation which he cannot do. 'What would I say in front of that inquiry? What would that inquiry ask many to do? To disapprove something that didn't happen 33 years ago. I honestly don't know what I would say to that inquiry. [Can I disprove the allegation] Of course I can't. I of course I can't,' he said. 'You are talking here about a civil determination of a criminal allegation on presumably the standards of balance of probabilities where I would be asked to disprove something that just didn't happen 33 years ago. So, if that happens, I couldn't succeed to disapprove something.' Former auto dealer Tim Kelly and former River City Company president Kim White are headed for a runoff election for mayor of Chattanooga. Mr. Kelly finished with 8,562 votes, while Ms. White polled 8,289. It was Kelly 30 percent and Ms. White 29 percent. Former city attorney Wade Hinton was third with 6,108. He had 22 percent. There has to be a runoff if no candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote. The runoff election will be held on April 13. Monty Bruell was a distant fourth, followed by City Councilman Russell Gilbert and former NAACP leader Elenora Woods. Monty Bruell: 2,407 Russell Gilbert: 889 Elenora Woods: 805 Fifteen candidates were on the ballot for mayor, and Jean Howard-Hill was waging a write-in campaign. Erskine Oglesby, current City Council member, had 332, behind Chris Long's 491. Other finishers were: Monty Bell 157 Robert C. Wilson 136 Andrew McLaren 61 D'Angelo Davis 60 Christopher Dahl 53 George Ryan Love 18 Lon Cartwright 10 There were 38 write-in votes. If she wins, Ms. White will be the first female mayor of Chattanooga. The Kelly campaign said: "Tim Kelly announced the launch of his runoff campaign to become Chattanoogas 63rd mayor on Tuesday after securing more votes than any other candidate in Chattanoogas mayoral election. While none of the 15 candidates in the crowded field garnered the majority needed to be declared Chattanoogas next mayor, Tim Kellys independent campaign brought together voters from both sides of the aisle that share his vision for One Chattanooga." "Mr. Kelly will continue to focus on Chattanoogas neighborhoods, ensuring a great education no matter your zip code, and bringing good-paying jobs to the city. Tim Kelly is the only candidate with a 100-day action plan to hit the ground running on day one, and published more than a dozen key policies in partnership with community groups across the city." Mr. Kelly said, One of the pleasures of running for public office is getting to know a lot of interesting people along the way, particularly people who share my passion for this city. While we may have disagreed on an issue or two here or there, we shared a common passion for Chattanooga that made this race feel constructive rather than divisive, and for that I hold a tremendous amount of respect for each of them. I look forward to working with the other candidates to move Chattanooga forward in the weeks, months, and years ahead. This campaign was built on the premise that Chattanooga can come together as one to take on our biggest challenges. It was a big bet that we could overcome partisanship and divisiveness in service of a different kind of politics. Tonights results show us that it is absolutely possible. In the final weeks of this campaign, we are going to be laser-focused on talking to Chattanoogans about our vision and plan to lead on day one. At the same time, our team will be preparing to govern, and we will begin creating a budget that reflects the values of One Chattanooga. We are so excited to welcome volunteers and supporters of other candidates to join us on the campaign trail over the next 42 days, said Rachel Hanson, campaign manager for the Kelly for Mayor campaign. Together, we will reach out to thousands of our neighbors and let them know theyve got one more ballot to cast to realize our vision of One Chattanooga. Malaysia's members of parliament attend a session of the lower house of parliament, in Kuala Lumpur, July 13, 2020. Malaysias parliament wont sit until a state of emergency ends on Aug. 1 and the cabinet has advised the king accordingly, the law minister said Wednesday, after the palace said last week that the house could meet during this period. Opposition leaders said the reasons given for delaying a parliamentary session such as that older lawmakers risked being infected with COVID-19 did not hold up to scrutiny. The emergency ordinance says there will be no legislative sitting during the emergency, Takiyuddin Hassan, the minister for Parliament and Law in the Prime Ministers Department, told a news conference. Any call for a parliament session must follow a decision made by the cabinet, Takiyuddin said. So now, the cabinet has advised the king that there will be no parliament sitting during the emergency. That is the situation now. The cabinet collectively and not Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin alone had agreed to advise the king not to convene parliament, Takiyuddin said. On Jan. 12, Muhyiddin suspended the legislature after the king declared the emergency, in a move criticized by the opposition. The emergency was proclaimed to stem what was seen as an alarming increase in COVID-19 infections, the king said then, according to a statement from the National Palace. After meeting with the heads of both houses of parliament on Feb. 24, King Al-Sultan Abdullah Riayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah said the assumption that parliament could not sit during an emergency was inaccurate based on provisions of the emergency ordinance. The king stated his view that Parliament can convene during the emergency and will take effect on a date that His Majesty deems suitable, on the advice of the prime minister, the palace said last week. After the kings latest statement, analysts said that a parliamentary sitting could precipitate a no-confidence vote against Muhyiddin, whose unelected government came to power in early March 2020 but whose current majority support is in doubt. But analysts also said that the PM would try to delay a parliamentary session as long as he could because the king was bound by the prime ministers advice. And Takiyuddin said as much on Wednesday. So the cabinet in giving the advice to postpone parliament ... this is not suspending the parliament but a postponement because of several reasons. There was a legal basis, and reasons based on science and data, Takiyuddin said. Risk to MPs The main reason not to convene parliament, the minister said, was that just under half of the lawmakers from the current parliament were older than 61 and risked developing health complications if they caught the coronavirus. We do not want our MPs to be exposed to this, because we would be in a confined area. And whenever the parliament has a sitting, every MP would have at least three officers, and on top of this, government officers also have to be present, Takiyuddin said. This explanation did not wash with Pakatan Harapan, the main opposition coalition. The minister [Takiyuddin] did not tell the media that based on facts and data, none of the MPs were infected during the 55 days parliament sat last year, Pakatan said in a statement, referring to the sessions held before the emergency was declared. There were also no clusters that emerged during that time that were related to the parliament sitting. It should be remembered also that none of the MPs were vaccinated at that time. This proves that the COVID-19 prevention measures instituted in parliament were effective, the opposition bloc said. Pakatan regrets the excuses given by Takiyuddin, which are weak, shallow, and do not respect his majestys statement on February 24, when it was announced parliament can convene during the emergency period. Malaysia began COVID-19 inoculations on Feb. 24, with Muhyiddin volunteering to take the countrys first dose. Coronavirus infections have fallen off in Malaysia since reaching a peak at the end of January. Google says it wont develop new ways to follow individual users across the internet after it phases out existing ad-tracking technology from Chrome browsers, in a change that threatens to shake up the online advertising industry. The digital giant has been working on proposals to remove from Chrome so-called third-party cookies, which are snippets of code used by a websites advertisers to record browsing history in order to show users personalised ads. Google will continue to be able to track users through its services like Search or Maps. Credit:Bloomberg Third-party cookies have long been a key tool for marketers to deliver targeted ads but theyve also been a source of privacy concerns, so Google has proposed instead grouping together web users with similar interests and keeping web histories private on user devices. Now the company which will continue to be able to track users through its services like Search or Maps has signalled that its taking another step towards abandoning the use of individual tracking for ad sales. Appearances can suggest we care less about things than we really do Covid: Spanish King's sisters vaccinated in UAE 'Necessary to visit father', they said, sparking controversy (ANSAmed) - MADRID, MARCH 3 - A controversy has erupted over the decision of the sisters of the King of Spain Felipe VI, Elena and Cristina, to get vaccinated against Covid during a visit to their father, former king Juan Carlos, who has been living in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since last August. Both Elena, 57, and Cristina, 55, are not members of categories who have a priority to get vaccinated in Spain. The pair confirmed they were vaccinated after the news was published by Spanish media. In a statement, Elena said they were "offered" the possibility of getting vaccinated during a visit to the former king in the UAE and they "accepted". The justification, added one of the King's two sisters, is that the vaccination is necessary to "obtain a vaccination passport" in order to visit their father "regularly". Elena said that otherwise she would have waited for her turn, like her sister, in Spain. The report sparked criticism from members of the government, formed by the Socialist Party and by Unidas Podemos, reported by the media. Miquel Iceta, the minister of territorial policies, said such conduct causes "lack of confidence" in institutions. "Spanish society does not accept" such behavior, said the second vice president of the government Pablo Iglesias. "Our country will be better with a republic", he added. Juan Carlos, the king of Spain from 1975 until 2014, was vaccinated in the UAE, according to Spanish media. The former monarch, who is 83, is considered part of a category of the Spanish population that are receiving the Covid vaccine, people over 80. Juan Carlos left the country last summer after he was involved in a scandal over alleged illegitimate fiscal operations abroad: he has already handed back 4.5 million euros of unpaid taxes and he is under investigation by Spanish and Swiss magistrates. Members of the right have defended the two women's decision not to respect the vaccination order established at home. "They did not take away a vaccine from anybody in Spain", said Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida, a member of the Popular Party and mayor of Madrid. (ANSAmed). How to explain vaccines to people who resist them Here is an attempt to write something that might convince people who resist getting vaccinations ("Vaccine Hesitancy vs. Vaccine Refusal: Nursing Home Staffers Say There's a Difference," Feb. 9). Your bodys immune system has produced antibodies that will kill a few thousand kinds of germs and virus. Since you are alive, the chances are quite high you will survive its producing another. Here is how the system works. The vaccine contains cells that are a harmless model of the germ or virus that feels like the one it prepares your body to fight when it invades your body. And, except when we had a president running for election who pushed producing one to increase his chances of winning, we only go to the trouble of making vaccines if the infection it fights has a high chance of killing you. If you did not have these vaccine-produced antibodies, your body would wait until the germ or virus actually invades your body to start building antibodies. Then a race begins, the invaders are trying to eat as much of you as possible and your immune system starts building antibodies to fight it. Who wins? If you die, the invader did. If you live, your immune system did. If you got your shot, the invaders are confronted by an army of antibodies that start killing them immediately and your immune system's chances of winning are several thousand times better. James H. Gundlach, professor emeritus of sociology, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama A good look from @KHNews at a key untapped #Covid19 resource in the US: Immigrant health professionals who would dearly love to be working in their field but face barriers in doing so.https://t.co/OOwl4bZOFa -; Amanda B-S (@AmandaWorking) January 27, 2021 Amanda Bergson-Shilcock, Philadelphia Communication is an essential medical skill The recent article "Amid Covid Health Worker Shortage, Foreign-Trained Professionals Sit on Sidelines" (Jan. 25) lacked in-depth research. With 30 years of experience in the health care field, most of it as a hospital CEO, I can relate multiple stories of foreign-trained physicians who lacked the skills necessary to practice in this country. Why? In many cases, it was the inability to communicate with patients and staff, both verbally and in writing. The author of this article gives slight attention to this issue, rather concentrating on years of training and education. While these are obviously critical, if the physician cannot communicate effectively to those he or she deals with, patients and staff alike, care given to patients suffers regardless of whether it has to do with injections, surgeries or day-to-day patient care. Richard Butler, Grants Pass, Oregon I've heard many stories of this with varying shades of grey, including ppl paying to cut the line and non-practicing doctors using their NPI numbers. Is it ok bc everyone needs to get vaccinated eventually? Or just plain unethical? #COVID19 #COVIDvaccines https://t.co/CvOzcWaT68 -; Zoe Barber (@ZoeBarber) February 16, 2021 Zoe Barber, Albany, New York Lab workers are essential, too I have never contacted a news outlet on an article before. But the article "With Demand Far Exceeding Supply, It Matters That People Are Jumping the Vaccine Line" (Feb. 2) was shared in a medical laboratory group on Facebook that I belong to. And, yes, I am a medical laboratory scientist and have been in the field since December 1999. This whole covid pandemic has taken a toll on our field. First, it has increased our workload while fewer people are coming into the field. We still have blood to cross-match, hematology smears and blood counts to perform, coagulation checks to determine that the proper amount of blood thinners are given, urinalysis tests to do and microbiology specimens to examine to see what types of bacteria are growing in whatever body part has an infection, along with which antibiotic will treat it. Now we have covid samples to process a lot of them. When you handle covid samples and perform the test so that nurses/doctors can know if their patients have it then you are very essential. I have no idea why the author of this article threw my profession in with administrators, public relations staff and board members. It is highly offensive. Who does she think performs the oodles of tests that must be done? Laboratory scientists' numbers are dwindling, and we work so hard and mostly short-staffed. Just this past month I worked 56-60 hours each week on my feet and every week in January. I work overtime at my full-time job during the week and then go to my second job, which is a busy hospital, where I work 13 hours every Saturday. I am burnt out and I know others are too. This article stung. Thanks for your time. Michelette D. Lewis Baldie, Fayetteville, North Carolina My 68 yo friend jumped the line @ a megasite bc they had 100s of missed appts/leftover doses. These "line jumpers" are saving doses destined for the trash. Don't blame them, but do publicize info on standby lines/availability so no dose is wasted @patio11 https://t.co/I3YtumenfH -; Approve AstraZeneca (@sociopathworld) February 4, 2021 Jamie Townsend, San Diego To quote KHN Editor-in-Chief Elisabeth Rosenthals article: But many hospitals interpreted the recommendation broadly, inoculating their entire staff public relations departments, administrators, programmers, laboratory scientists and, sometimes, their boards. They offered vaccines to psychiatrists who were seeing their patients on Zoom. They vaccinated radiologists who were reading films at home. Some of those immunized were at the upper end of the medical income totem pole, people who had sat out the pandemic at country homes. Inclusion of the laboratory scientists who are processing covid samples and reporting covid test results in the group that has little exposure to patients is incorrect. The laboratory performs phlebotomy directly on patients, accepts the biohazard samples and handles, processes and tests those samples but youre considering them as low-priority vaccinations. Every hospital I work with includes lab staff in its front-line worker vaccination program. And I assure you that the salary range for laboratory scientists doesnt put them in the top tier of the totem pole or allow them to sit in their country homes. This line is insulting to those who work in the lab, which has been one of the most stressed areas of health care in the past year. Mark Tiemeyer, O'Fallon, Missouri This article is so important. This is how injustice builds upon injustice. https://t.co/X8gzjP2Er3 via @khnews -; Emmy Ganos (@emmyganos) February 8, 2021 Emmy Ganos, Philadelphia Time to breathe easier? With covid-19 cases surging and hospital capacity dwindling, you rightly point out that the nation's oxygen supply chain is being stretched to the limit ("In Los Angeles and Beyond, Oxygen Is the Latest Covid Bottleneck," Jan. 7). Given unprecedented demand and a global shortage of critical supplies including oxygen concentrators, the severe pressures in the market pose tremendous risks to some of the country's most vulnerable patients. The problem isn't confined to hospitals; more than 1 million Americans who need respiratory care at home are also potentially compromised because of these supply shortages in some markets. For those with serious illnesses like COPD or ALS, home respiratory care is vital for improving quality of life, maintaining independence and preventing hospitalizations. Unfortunately, historical federal reimbursement policies unwittingly have led to this crisis. Previous rounds of Medicare's competitive bidding program utilized an extremely complex methodology that forced suppliers to accept reimbursement rates far below the cost of providing service. As a result, many suppliers left the Medicare program, while many manufacturers of oxygen equipment stopped production and halted efforts to innovate treatment options. While Medicare has rightly paused Round 2021 of the competitive bidding program, which would have required suppliers who did not win the bidding process to stop supplying patients in competitive bidding areas, the lingering damage from previous policies is exacerbating the crisis. Further reducing capacity of oxygen equipment during the pandemic would have been devastating. The Biden administration has the opportunity to address the shortage by finalizing the CY 2021 proposed rule, which will expand the blended rate for respiratory care products into noncompetitive bidding areas, and appropriately eliminate outdated budget neutrality requirements a major step forward to ensuring patient access in rural America. Medicare could also help by maintaining the streamlined documentation requirements to minimize paperwork that have helped hospitals, physicians and other practitioners maximize resources for patient care. Oxygen remains an essential tool in the treatment arsenal for combating the pandemic. We need to ensure a steady supply of oxygen for patients in the home, which, in turn, helps to reduce the tremendous surge in hospitals' capacity. The respiratory care sector is eager to collaborate with the Biden team to implement policies that will ensure Americans' continued access to home oxygen. Crispin Teufel, chairman of the Council for Quality Respiratory Care, Washington, D.C. Oxygen is a crucial treatment for hospitalized Covid patients. Hospitals are struggling to keep up with this explosive spread. At @ResolveTSL, we have worked on this issue for Africa. Sad to see it becoming a problem in the US. https://t.co/yHqWM5j8bv -; Dr. Tom Frieden (@DrTomFrieden) January 8, 2021 Dr. Tom Frieden, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, New York City I've been studying health insurance for almost 15 years; I've had two kids in that time, and I didn't know about the "birthday rule." But I have experienced a number of inappropriate bills from hospitals and other providers: https://t.co/WNbcImlG06 -; Erin Miller (@erinashmiller) February 9, 2021 Erin Miller, Denver Accentuating the miraculous I am a retired physician. I was appalled by this article ("College Tuition Sparked a Mental Health Crisis. Then the Hefty Hospital Bill Arrived," Feb. 26). To me, a fundamental issue was not addressed. Was the care appropriate? We do not know what the subject told the therapist, but if the therapist thought this person was at significant risk of suicide, referral to a hospital was probably appropriate. The patients impression that the care in the hospital was not helpful was presented as the last word without comment. Maybe the care was helpful. Can you imagine what a health care provider would experience if a patient mentioning suicidal thoughts was sent home and then took their own life? Health care providers must deal with diagnostic uncertainty every day. The press should not minimize the challenge of lack of certainty in the delivery of health care, particularly a question of whether a person is truly suicidal. Because of confidentiality issues, any such accounts of the medical care are one-sided (the patient's view). The reporter should make an effort to get an independent observer to address the generic medical situation before publicly presenting the account. The real issue of this situation was the impersonal automatic billing procedures, and the financial difficulty individuals encounter in our health delivery system. The miracles of this case no terrible outcome (no suicide), insurance reducing a $50,000 charge to a $3,413 bill for a weeklong hospital stay, and handling that bill by getting the right person on the phone should have been highlighted rather than handled as afterthoughts. Dr. Robert Alter, Chicago This story is bonkers. I hadn't heard of the "birthday rule" another wonky detail with big consequences https://t.co/x7YrRExlVz via @khnews -; Rebecca Gourevitch (@rgourevitch) January 28, 2021 Rebecca Gourevitch, Cambridge, Massachusetts The art of sacrifice Another reason to compare death tolls from World War II to covid-19 ("Comparing Death Tolls From Covid to Past Wars Is Fraught," Feb. 5) is to emphasize the idea of shared sacrifice provide a basis for comparison of what they are being asked to sacrifice with what those before them have been asked to sacrifice. To generations with no sense of shared sacrifice, wearing a piece of cloth for a year is a vast sacrifice. Many in the boomer generation have never sacrificed anything thats not part of their careers. I spent 10 years working with WWII vets in the VA but was never was in the military. To many non-military medical patients, the idea of a mask as a sacrifice is LOL. Consider the hoary old conservative, with a sense of shared history (I am a Democrat) and the image of society as a three-stranded cord: past, present and future. Robert Murphree, Norman, Oklahoma Unlike a military conflict YOU CAN'T SEE THIS ENEMY You can only defend yourself hopefully by wearing 2 masks (and maybe gloves) wherever you go https://t.co/M0hdmcDY80 -; Fifi Larouche (@fifilarouche) February 3, 2021 Fifi Larouche, Van Nuys, California Maintaining journalistic distance One of the topics discussed during the podcast episode "KHN's 'What the Health?': Open Enrollment, One More Time" (Feb. 18) was Gov. Andrew Cuomos decision to send covid patients to nursing homes. KHN's Julie Rovner seemingly defended the governor, saying its hard to make decisions in times when we dont know much (e.g., we didnt know the impact on seniors at the time of this directive). Three counterpoints to that: Everyone knew that elderly people were susceptible to this virus based on what was happening in Italy and Asia; Floridas governor allowed nursing homes to reject referrals of patients who had the virus; and the Navys hospital ship docked at New Yorks Pier 90 five days after Cuomos directive that hospitals refer covid patients to nursing homes. Im fairly confident that Cuomo knew that this ship was coming and chose not to use it to manage hospital capacity issues. This defense of Gov. Cuomo is unfounded and can only suggest political bias in KHNs reporting. Very, very disappointing. Laureen Boll, Denver An important reminder: Focusing on the cost of prescription drugs only obscures the real reason why overall hc prices are rising - the antiquated, FFS business model on which the entire healthcare industry today relies. @Meyer_HM @KHNewshttps://t.co/KJ85bUzlZc -; Rita Numerof (@RitaNumerof) February 16, 2021 Rita Numerof, St. Louis The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. The Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Prahlad Joshi on Tuesday said that the ruling BJP is certainly embarrassed over release of the sex CD involving Karnataka Water Resource Minister Ramesh Jarakiholi. Reacting to reports before leaving to New Delhi in Hubballi, the Union Minister said that he would speak about this issue with party high command in detail in New Delhi on Wednesday. "This matter needs to be investigated thoroughly from all angles," he said. He added that BJP is known for its discipline and culture. "This episode is an eye opener for all those who are in public life. They should remain clean always or otherwise," he said. Ina response to a question, the union minister said that the BJP can not justify such (if Jarakiholi is guilty) acts. "That is why I said this needs a thorough investigation, if he is found guilty, the BJP will certainly take action," he said. Answering to another question, the union mister said that he would speak with the Chief Minister, (B S Yediyurappa) and Karnataka BJP state unit president (Nalin Kumar Kateel) once he reached Delhi. "Due to paucity of time, I could not interact with them, will speak with them tomorrow (Wednesday)," he said. A Jersey City man tried to steal two vehicles with the drivers still inside and then spit on a Hoboken police officer, authorities said. Madhur Patel, 24, was arrested Monday at 4:34 p.m. on 14th Street between Park and Willow avenues and charged with two counts of carjacking, throwing bodily fluid at law enforcement officer and possession of PCP, Hoboken Lt. Danilo Cabrera said. Police officers Francis McCourt and Enrico Gnassi responded to the area after multiple reports of a man trying to break into vehicles and two drivers told the officers they were stopped at a red light at the intersection of 14th and Park Avenue when Patel pulled on their drivers door handles, trying to get in. Patel was unsuccessful when he found the vehicle doors were locked, and he was arrested after he spit on McCourts leg, Cabrera said. During a search after his arrest, police found phencyclidine, also known as PCP, in Patels possession. Patel was processed and taken to the Hudson County jail. [March 03, 2021] VTEX and Pivotree to power the next phase of hypergrowth for Blade HQ This eCommerce project delivery deal for VTEX Commerce Platform using Pivotree's eCommerce implementation services is the first step in a multi-year strategy to advance Blade HQ's leadership position TORONTO, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ Pivotree Inc. (TSXV: PVT) ("Pivotree") and VTEX today announce the signing of their new joint client, Blade HQ, accelerating their partnership to help brands leverage VTEX's industry-leading digital commerce and marketplace platform to grow their revenue. Blade HQ, a premier online destination for recreational and household knives, outgrew their homegrown software and selected the VTEX Commerce Platform as the best available solution to build on their incredible product selection, pricing, and customer service. Pivotree was selected as the implementation partner for its immense experience delivering digital transformation projects. "VTEX impressed us with their extraordinary out-of-the-box features and innovative low-code development platform," said Mark Christensen, CEO, Blade HQ. "The teams from VTEX and Pivotree won us over with their dedication and commitment to supporting us every step of the way as we aim to double our business in the next few years." Blade HQ selected VTEX's platform as the first step in a multi-year strategy to continue to build upon their industry leadership position. Together with Pivotree, they'll be able to modernize Blade HQ's online customer experience and explore future strategic growth opportunities with VTEX's native commerce, marketplace and order management capabilities. "What makes this partnership truly exceptional is that Pivotree and VTEX are determined to deliver the same outcome for our clients: rapidly implemented, scalable, and ambitious commerce projects that will deliver real ROI through unified modern experiences for the end customer," said Amit Shah, Chief Strategy Officer and US General Manager of VTEX. "Blade HQ has made it clear that this is what they expect, and we look forward to the success of this joint client project with Pivotree." "We're excited about this opportunity to partner with such a fast growing company like Blade HQ who are eager to think more strategically about long-term innovation that will focus on continuously improving customer experience," said Joel Farquhar, Pivotree's VP of Architecture. "Our team is excited to leverage VTEX's industry-leading commerce capabilities as a base for further innovation that will help Blade HQ grow their market share." About Pivotree Pivotree is a leading global commerce and MDM services provider. It is an end-to-end vendor supporting clients from strategy, platform selection, deployment, and hosting through to ongoing support. It operates as a single expert resource to help companies adapt relentlessly in an ever-changing digital commerce landscape. Leading and innovative clients rely on Pivotree's deep expertise to choose enterprise-proven solutions and design, build, and connect critical systems to run smoothly at defining moments in a commerce business. Pivotree serves as a trusted partner to over 170 market-leading brands and forward-thinking B2C and B2B companies, including many companies in the Fortune 1000. With offices and customers in the Americas, EMEA, and APAC, Pivotree is widely recognized as a high-growth company and industry leader around the globe. For more information, visit http://www.pivotree.com. About VTEX VTEX is the first and only global, fully integrated, end-to-end commerce platform with native marketplace and OMS capabilities. We help companies in retail, manufacturing, wholesale, grocery, consumer packaged goods and other verticals to sell more, operate more efficiently, scale seamlessly and deliver remarkable customer experience. Our modern microservices-based architecture and our powerful business and developer tools allow VTEX to future-proof our customers' businesses and free them from software updates. Major brands including Sony, Walmart, Whirlpool, Coca-Cola, Stanley Black & Decker, AB InBev and Nestle, plus 3,500+ active customers in 45 countries, trust VTEX to accelerate and transform their commerce. Visit www.vtex.com to learn more. 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. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vtex-and-pivotree-to-power-the-next-phase-of-hypergrowth-for-blade-hq-301238958.html SOURCE Pivotree Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 Queensland Health has defended the states slow coronavirus vaccine rollout after only 22 per cent of doses were administered in the first week. The state aimed to administer the first of two Pfizer doses to 37,000 frontline workers by the start of April. A health worker receives the Pfizer jab at the Princess Alexandra Hospital. In the first nine days of the rollout, 4212 people received the jab from Queensland Health. A total of 1202 people received the vaccine on Tuesday. That compares with 14,600 workers vaccinated in NSW and 6676 Victorians inoculated. Tata Power Company jumped 4.13% to Rs 104.55 after the company's subsidiary TP Saurya signed a power purchase agreement with Tata Steel (TSL) to develop a 15 MW solar project at Jamshedpur, Jharkhand. The energy will be supplied to TSL under a power purchase agreement (PPA) valid for a period of 25 years from scheduled commercial operation date. The project is required to be commissioned within six months from the date of execution of the PPA. Dr. Praveer Sinha, CEO & MD, Tata Power, said, "We are glad to collaborate with Tata Steel to reduce their carbon footprint and reaffirm the Tata Group's commitment for sustainability. Presently the association is limited to Tata Steel at Jamshedpur and we look forward to working closely with them for covering all their other plants across India." The plant is expected to generate an average of 32 MUs of energy per year and will annually offset approximately average 25.8 Million Kg of CO2. Tata Power's renewable capacity will increase to 4,047 MW, out of which 2,687 MW is operational and 1,360 MW is under implementation including 15 MW won under this PPA. Tata Power is India's largest integrated power company. It reported 28.4% rise in consolidated net profit to Rs 248.21 crore on 7.5% increase in net sales to Rs 7597.91 crore in Q3 FY21 over Q3 FY20. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The system imagined saves the country a lot of funds spent on conducting elections into the office of the president, a ritual repeated every four years, with the rancour that usually attends the process, accentuating fault lines and deepening polarisation. Taken out is the pressure which usually comes with re-election and the scorched-earth tactics often employed in desperation This week, the two-term tenure of the President of a pan-Nigerian organisation with which I have association will end and a new President will emerge. The process, as provided in the Constitution of the organisation, is of a different democratic hue from the universal suffrage model which we have become generally accustomed to, even if this popular model is only universal to the point that it finds accommodation for adults, leaving out those deemed not to be adults, further excluding on the basis of age, in the Nigerian case, certain categories of people from running from some offices, even when they are assumed to be adults. The process of election of the President, in the case of the organisation I make reference to, is entrusted into the hands of a collegiate, whose decision is then subject to ratification by the generality of members. In almost 4 decades of the organisation, that process has served it well smooth transition, no rancour or friction. Contestants to the position are hardly known outside the college, with the process of managing victory/defeat taken care of within, for the good of the organisation. I am a member of Rotary International, founded in 1905, though not as immersed in its culture as I could be. But I bet, millions have been inspired, as I have been, by its core values founded around its popular 4-way test of the things we think, say or do Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned? Beyond the 4-way test, I have been fascinated by its leadership model. Leadership in Rotary, at Club, District and International levels is for one year. The President serves for only one year, speedily passing the baton onto the next. What can be done in only a year? From observation and experience, a whole lot does get done. But what is of more interest to me, within this context, in the Rotary leadership model which structures governance around a tripod, with leaders across three tenures predetermined and are made to work as one, with succession plan clearly laid out making transition from one to the other smooth and largely free of friction. The President in office functions hand-in-glove with his successor-designate (President-elect) chosen at the same time, with the President-nominee, already designated also, waiting in the wings. Not only are the three in the Board of Directors, they are put through different leadership training programmes for the positions occupied, carefully grooming them for the one-year tenure as president. Indeed, managing an organisation of thousands is different from leading a country of millions, with different fault lines and overbearing ethno-religious sentiments running riot. Well, perhaps, that is another consideration for a bit more thought and tact to be put to the process through which leadership emerges, as well as the preparation and succession process. There are one or two things about the Rotary process for leadership recruitment, grooming and succession planning that can possibly challenge our thought process. The more I look at democracy in operation in Nigeria, not that it is remarkably different elsewhere, the more I wonder about how democratic the process is and can even be, given the inherent limitations and contradictions within it, which makes it difficult for the best to rise to the top, without leveraging on the shoulder of a sub-structure already compromised by what Sanusi Lamido Sanusi might have had in mind, when he spoke of vested interest. With time, it becomes more obvious that the top hierarchy of the power elite functions more like a Boys Club, with the doors of membership only opened as deemed fit, to whom it is deemed fit, for purposes best suited to the interest of the Boys Club. Again, that is not peculiarly Nigerian, even if the place of one country on the spectrum differs from that of the other, each moving back or forth, depending on which direction the pendulum swings per time. With time, democracy begins to morph more into an oligarchic arrangement, in which universal suffrage, limited by opportunity and choice, only ratifies decisions orchestrated by the oligarchy. Where output from the system, even when compromised, largely accommodates the interest of the masses and not too many are left behind, not many questions get asked, and the system trudges on, with the elite mindful enough to make the token concessions that keep things going. However, where the elite gets carried away or are not smart enough to recognise what self-enlightened interest dictates, it is only a matter of time before the bubble bursts. We have a number of states in which power and governance have remained exclusively in the hands of one party since 1999, which again is not necessarily bad, but in the context here, this strengthens the argument that power/influence is on the exclusive list of select power elites in the different geographical contraptions. In some states, even where power has changed hands, while the individuals involved might nominally belong to different political parties, they essentially belong to the same club of power brokers. Power, in many states, has only been passing from one friend to the other, irrespective of party affiliation. I am taking the liberty to re-imagine a governance architecture, taking cognisance of what we had, what we have, what we desire and what could be. I am re-imagining borrowing from the past, and merging with the present in configuring a possible future. I imagine a hybrid, a parliamentary-presidential hybrid system. I made the point, years back, that in spite of the political tension in Ondo State, most of the major players are friends; some for over 40 years. They largely belong to one family, a close-knit club, even if disagreements here and there see to them going in and out of parties. Most of them came into prominence in 1992 under the leadership of Governor Olumilua. Both Dr. Agagu and Dr. Mimiko served in that government. Dr. Mimiko equally served under Governor Adefarati in the Alliance for Democracy (AD), before moving over to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and he served as Minister, just as Dr. Agagu himself did, only to come edge out Dr. Agagu from office, stopping him from completing a second term. Eyitayo Jegede, the PDP candidate in the last two elections, was Attorney-General during the tenure of Dr. Mimiko, who refused to back him in the last election. Chief Olusola Oke has been around from the days of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), like the other two. He has been all over the place since 1999. He was PDP National Legal Adviser for four years. He has moved in and out of the parties, and is back in the All Progressives Congress (APC) now, where he contested and lost the governorship primary election to the incumbent governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, who served as Attorney-General in the State between 1997 and 1999. Ondo must be one of the few States, which has been governed by three different political parties AD/APC, the Labour Party and PDP. Yet, there has been little or no difference among them, in terms of philosophical disposition and outlook. There is an agreement, across board, on what the governance template is, even if the levels of performance might differ, largely on account of focus and the idiosyncrasy of the man in charge. In other states, where power is not being passed from one to the other through the agency of a godfather, it is among a group of friends, which effectively confirms the hold of the oligarchy. If it is the case then that what we largely have is governance in accordance with Platos template, should we not be asking if there is a need for the elaborate and expensive democratic institutions we have in place to superintend over the process through which leadership emerges, when in reality, the process is more about the ratification of candidates put forward by the Club of Afobajes, with the doors effectively shut to those outside these circles and the contest for power more of a game of musical chairs among friends. Even then, I do not make the conclusion that oligarchy emerging as icing on the cake of democracy is necessarily good or bad. I identify and isolate it as a trend, one which we are seeing fully in bloom, which has to be recognised for what its is, whatever the objective might be to make it work for the good of all, side-step it or even overturn it. Rather, I am cautiously looking at the argument by Plato for philosopher-kings, wondering if the expensive, expansive democracy that we purport to practise is worth the expense and trouble that comes with it, if at the end of the day we are constrained to only a few options and determination on the way forward remains at the behest of an oligarchy thrown up by the system. I wonder if this expansive presidential system that we have is actually native to us. Of course, it does not have to be to work for us. However, I wonder too if some of our traditional leadership and governance systems, even if where they manifest more as monarchical, do not rest more on oligarchy as a base. Could it mean that even though we now have what ought to be an open-ended democracy, we still find a way to make it more of oligarchy, given that we are more at home in that zone? I am thinking about Professor Sophie Oluwole and her exposition on the the Yoruba governance philosophy, which, as she explains, is four dimensional: Agba merin lonse lu Agba Okunrin, Agba Obirin, Agba Omode, Agba Alejo. Under this democratic arrangement, governance is all-encompassing, as everyone has a role to play. The place of the women, the youth and the foreigners are assured under this arrangement, as accommodation is found for segments of the populace usually left out in popular democracy. Agba merin lonse lu Agba Okunrin, Agba Obirin, Agba Omode, Agba Alejo. I am taking the liberty to re-imagine a governance architecture, taking cognisance of what we had, what we have, what we desire and what could be. I am re-imagining borrowing from the past, and merging with the present in configuring a possible future. I imagine a hybrid, a parliamentary-presidential hybrid system. With our predisposition for oligarchy, we might, as well, lean more towards institutionalising collegial systems through which our leaders emerge, enabling a culture of collegial leadership, rather than proliferating strong men all over the place and yearning for one strong man at the centre to solve problems that are better addressed at the local level. By and large, this re-imagination of governance is not oblivious of the fact that a system is only as good as the people in whose hands the running of the system is entrusted. Yet, we must keep imagining and re-imagining, fired by hope that somehow, time and circumstance will push us into embracing the best course of action At state and local government levels, I imagine a parliamentary system of governance, with State governors and chairmen, being primus inter pares, emerging through a College of Parliamentarians directly chosen by the people, and restricted to only one term in office. The commissioners will also emerge from the parliament, playing the dual role of being representatives of the people and superintending over assigned cabinet duties. This arrangement puts paid to the practice at the moment where some governors function more like emperors, spending more time in Abuja or outside the country, with commissioners rendered redundant and state legislature function more as an afterthought and appendage to the executive. I imagine a collapse into a leaner, more transparent, responsive and accountable system. At the national level, I imagine a parliamentary-presidential system with executive power residing in a college of six, with each of the geopolitical zones from which the president emerges on a rotational basis, serving a single term of five years. The president, being primus inter pares, is head of government, with the other members serving as vice-presidents, with cabinet duties, like other ministers. The legislative arm will be unicameral, from where ministers will be appointed and assigned cabinet positions. Everyone holding office is, first and foremost, a representative of his/her constituency. ADVERTISEMENT The parliament and college serve as grooming and preparatory ground for anyone who would emerge as president, not only imbuing him with knowledge of legislative practice, it keeps him grounded, being first a member of parliament, before he can become a member of the college and eventually the president, on account of his party securing majority control of seats in the parliament. A vote of no confidence in the parliament leads to the president vacating office, to be replaced by a member from the zone serving its turn in office. The system imagined saves the country a lot of funds spent on conducting elections into the office of the president, a ritual repeated every four years, with the rancour that usually attends the process, accentuating fault lines and deepening polarisation. Taken out is the pressure which usually comes with re-election and the scorched-earth tactics often employed in desperation to either retain office or take out the incumbent. As imagined here, all executive positions will only have single-term tenures. Needless to say that this re-imagination of governance envisions a devolution of powers to other tiers of the federation, making the centre more of a clearing house than command centre, with respect to the fundamental issues with direct connection to the lives of the people, majority of whom are stuck at the bottom of the pyramid, struggling with rudimentary necessities which should be catered for at sub-national levels. Well, whatever postulation has been laid out here only stems from the realm of imagination, limited by the fact that it has not ventured into the arena of how what is proposed can be accomplished. Without doubt, fulfilling some of the ideas here will amount to some members of the privileged class taking some losses. Yet, there is only so much that can be accomplished without some form of elite consensus around it. To imagine that the Nigerian power elite will have the courage and stamina, even for self-enlightened interest, to re-imagine the governance architecture and leadership model to the point where power devolves and it is more broadly shared, with greater control returned into the hands of citizens as it is here imagined, is indeed a tall order. By and large, this re-imagination of governance is not oblivious of the fact that a system is only as good as the people in whose hands the running of the system is entrusted. Yet, we must keep imagining and re-imagining, fired by hope that somehow, time and circumstance will push us into embracing the best course of action for the sake of a sustainable tomorrow. If only we will dig deep, we just might find out that what we are looking for is there in what we left behind. Simbo Olorunfemi works for Hoofbeatdotcom, a Nigerian Communications Consultancy and publisher of Africa Enterprise. Twitter: @simboolorunfemi BioMar takes majority ownership of Viet-Uc aquafeed business By acquiring a majority ownership of the Viet-Uc feed business, BioMar announced in a press statement that it is ready to pursue a position within high-end shrimp feed in Vietnam through acquiring a majority ownership of Viet-Uc's feed business. The move is said to create synergy with BioMar's existing shrimp businesses in Latin America. Through the acquisition BioMar establishes a partnership together with one of the leading seafood groups in Vietnam active in shrimp and fish hatcheries and shrimp farming. The ambition is to grow the market for high-end feed products focusing on sustainability, traceability, quality, and performance. The acquisition is subject to customary approvals by the authorities. "With this partnership we open an important door into the Vietnamese market, one of the worlds leading shrimp producing countries with a production close to 500,000 tonnes of shrimp. Considering the performance and agility of the Vietnamese shrimp industry during the last decade and not at least during this last year of pandemic, I am sure the market holds a great potential for growth," explains Carlos Diaz, CEO, BioMar Group. Looking at market forecasts and the increasing consumer focus on healthy and sustainable seafood, BioMar expects there will be an increasing market share for high-end feed, ensuring customers can capture value by delivering certified and tailored products towards global retail channels. "BioMar is already a significant shrimp feed producer in South and Central America and it is our ambition to continue the journey to become a major player within high-end shrimp feed. Within the past five years, we have established a significant production of shrimp feed in Ecuador and Costa Rica in partnership with large-scale local farmers. Now, adding Vietnam into the equation will enable us to build a strong relationship both to the market in Vietnam but also to the nearby countries, and at the same time creating benefits from the relation between genetic and nutritional development. Partnering with one of the leading companies within this field in order to develop high performance feeds, concepts and value chain collaborations makes a lot of sense in order to promote a positive development of the shrimp industry," concludes Diaz. Since 2012, BioMar has been engaged in the development of feed and technical services for shrimp utilising the capabilities of global R&D in combination with trial facilities around the world, most recently through the advanced internal feed trial unit in Ecuador dedicated to shrimp, and local trials in Vietnam. Gun Store Firearms Recovered, No Charges Expected By West Kentucky Star Staff MCCRACKEN COUNTY - The McCracken County Sheriff's Office said two firearms were recovered Wednesday afternoon after they had gone missing following a mishap with a delivery truck.Authorities said a delivery driver stopped at Paducah Shooter's Supply to pick up two firearms for shipment.The driver inadvertently placed the packages on the rear bumper of the truck and drove off. As the driver left the parking lot onto Cairo Road, the boxes fell off the bumper.A short time later, a white Ford truck pulled into the parking lot, and the driver picked up the packages and drove away.Authorities requested the public's help with identifying the driver. The firearms were located later Wednesday afternoon, and no criminal charges are expected.Previous story:Authorities are asking for the public's help with an investigation into two stolen firearms from Paducah Shooter's Supply.Wednesday afternoon, a delivery driver stopped at Paducah Shooter's Supply to pick up two firearms for shipment.The driver inadvertently placed the packages on the rear bumper of the truck and drove off. As the driver left the parking lot onto Cairo Road, the boxes fell off the bumper onto the roadway.A short time later, a white Ford truck pulled into the parking lot, and the driver, a white man, picked up the packages and drove away.The ATF is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the driver's identification.Anyone with information about the man's identity is asked to contact the McCracken County Sheriff's Office at 270-444-4719 or the ATF at 1-888-ATF-TIPS or ATFTips@atf.gov. In a recent issue of the U.S. Naval Institutes Proceedings, our military's senior commander for nuclear forces, U.S. Navy Admiral Charles "Chas" Richards, wrote, "[m]ore than a decade ago, Russia began aggressively modernizing its nuclear forces Russia is building new and novel systems, such as hypersonic glide vehicles, nuclear-armed and nuclear-powered torpedoes and cruise missiles, and other capabilities." China, too is in the midst of a significant nuclear build-up behind what has been called a "Great Wall of Secrecy." And yet, some argue that the U.S. should abandon the bipartisan Obama-Trump consensus to modernize the nuclear deterrent that protects the American people and over 30 allies. Russia is in the midst of a massive nuclear modernization program; for the first time since the end of the Cold War, it is growing its stockpile, and the bulk of this growth is in so-called non-strategic or unconstrained nuclear weapons of the type the not included by the Obama Administration in the New START treaty. Some of these weapons, with names like Avangard, Skyfall, and Poseidon, are like something out of the Cold War classic "Dr. Strangelove: They do not fundamentally change the nuclear balance, but are dangerous weapons in the hands of a dangerous leader. While the United States clearly differentiates nuclear from non-nuclear capable systems, Russias massive nuclear build-up is occurring with warheads with new military capabilities with the potential to be "employed by ships, aircraft, and ground forces," according to senior intelligence community leaders. Perhaps these new military capabilities are why Russia is conducting nuclear weapons tests in violation of the Clinton Administration's Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT); these are tests the United States last conducted in 1992 and foreswore in 1995. Yet Russia (and apparently China) are undertaking nuclear weapons tests with the apparent intention of using them to improve their nuclear weapons capabilities. The U.S., along with its British and French allies, appear to be the only nuclear weapons states that adhere to the test banextending the life of nuclear weapons with computer simulations while our adversaries use real test data to improve their nuclear weapons. A decade after New START was ratified, the status quo is therefore very much in Russia's favor: Putin had managed to exempt from arms control the bulk of his nuclear modernization program. As former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated, [o]nly 45 percent of Russias nuclear arsenal is subject to numerical limits ... [m]eanwhile, that agreement restricts 92 percent of Americas arsenal. Likewise, there is an unprecedented build-up by the People's Republic of China. In his article in Proceedings, Admiral Richards also warned about the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party's plans, Xi Jinping, "China's nuclear weapons stockpile is expected to double (if not triple or quadruple) over the next decade." Indeed, China either has or soon will field a triad (like Russia and the United States): heavy bombers, ballistic missile submarines, and land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles. Of course, Admiral Richards statement is not new; its entirely consistent with the warning of the previous director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Lieutenant General Robert Ashley, that their trajectory is consistent with President Xis vision for Chinas military, which was laid out at the 19th Party Congress, and stated that Chinas military will be fully transformed into a first-tier force by 2050. As the first-tier forces are those of Russia and the United States, we should consider ourselves warned. Time and time again, our nations senior national security leaders, military and civilian, have stated that nuclear deterrence is the top priority for the defense of the nation. Indeed, as part of the confirmation process, now-Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stated to the Senate Armed Services Committee, I agree that nuclear deterrence is the Departments highest priority mission and that updating and overhauling our nations nuclear forces is a critical national security priority. He joined the previous four Secretaries of Defense of both parties in echoing the same principle in favor of the nuclear modernization program signed up for by President Obama and carried forward by President Trump. Likewise, Secretary Austin was aligning himself with the best military advice of his senior military advisor, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Mark Milley, USA, who stated, "[t]he nuclear Triad has kept the peace since nuclear weapons were introduced and has sustained the test of time. Following this advice means recommitting to the bipartisan Obama-Trump nuclear modernization program, which calls for refurbishing and updating the complementary three-legged stool of nuclear weapons delivery systemsheavy bombers capable of fielding gravity bombs and air-launched cruise missiles and dual-capable aircraft; ballistic missile submarines, with missiles capable of carrying low-yield and larger-yield warheads; and land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles. Every one of these delivery systems is beyond its design life and must be modernized, or they will no longer be available to defend the American people or their allies. This modernization program also includes the Manhattan Project era complex of nuclear weapons production facilities at places like the Y-12 facility in Tennessee and plutonium manufacture facilities at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico and the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. These nuclear weapons production capabilities rarely attract the same attention as the DOD programs, but those programs are for naught if the National Nuclear Security Administration cannot produce the weapons to put on them. Instead of following the bad advice of those who advocated a five-year extension of the New START treaty without getting anything in return for it, President Biden should have looked for ways to build a bipartisan, unifying approach to national security generally and nuclear deterrence specifically. He should not double down on this mistake by undermining further the bipartisan consensus behind the Obama-Trump modernization plan or by following reckless advice to impose a No First Use or Sole Purpose unilateral restriction on the U.S. nuclear deterrent, which would only serve to inject new doubts in the capitals of critical allies. During his inauguration, President Biden spoke of his administration's mission: Bringing America together, uniting our people, uniting our nation. And I ask every American to join me in this cause." Many of us are prepared to join him in this work. If Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump can agree on anythingas they did on the imperative of modernizing the U.S. nuclear deterrent to protect American and its alliesit would seem to be an opportunity for unity that President Biden should not ignore. Representative Mike Turner is a Republican congressman from Ohio and is the ranking member on the House Subcommittee on Strategic Forces. Tim Morrison was a deputy assistant to the President for national security and the senior White House arms control official and is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute. In the year since the first case of COVID-19 was discovered in Oregon, our lives have changed in a million big and small ways. As we enter our second year of the coronavirus pandemic, we asked readers on social media to tell us what they missed most about their life before. Here are some of those responses. These responses have been edited. My 10-year-old is a competitive swimmer, and I miss cheering for her at the top of my lungs at a packed meet, and seeing the joy on her face after a good swim. Karli Kondo, Portland, 46 I miss cooking for people in a spirited dining atmosphere like I have done for 17 years in this town. Shaking hands with guests. Sharing a special wine or sharing a fork while trying new foods. I miss community. I miss hugging farmers when they bring fresh produce. Jason Keyes, Portland, 39 We accepted two foster kids during quarantine so what I miss most is all the typical supports for parents: not just childcare but friends houses, playdates, date nights, all the typical supports. Stephanie Sherman, Portland, 42 I miss not knowing how incredibly selfish people are, especially certain friends and family members. In the midst of a worldwide pandemic, when our country is losing lives daily, I continue to witness those I once admired think only of themselves. I cannot begin to put into words how it simultaneously saddens and infuriates me that people refuse to make such a simple sacrifice as wearing a mask to help protect others. I thought these were people who cared for others, but I was wrong. Jaklyn Larsen, Florence, 38 The serenity of my workplace. Instead, its turned into a hostile confrontational environment of please can you put a mask on? and then getting cussed out for suggesting it. Rhonda Mangum, Canby, 49 As a freelance writer, I miss coffee shops the most! Ive worked at home for nearly three years, and whenever I was stuck or just wanted to get out I would go and work at a coffee shop. I cant do that now and I miss it terribly! All the friendships I had with baristas too. Meira Gebel, Portland, 26 Definitely going to the movies. That was my weekly break from mom-life. I definitely dont miss my three hours a day commute, though, so it evens out. Jessica Liedtke, Vancouver, 39 I miss the level of trust I had for our community. Being high-risk during this has been a daily reminder of my life not mattering to so many people. Ive been told so many times it only kills sick people, if youre high-risk just stay home, but I still need to do daily tasks. Marta Soppe-Navetta, Newberg, 34 I miss being able to visit older folks in assisted living. They delight in visits from their friends. I miss taking my daughter and grandkids to lunch in a restaurant and hearing the laughter and chatter from occupants of nearby tables. I miss seeing peoples faces, not just eyes and eyebrows. I miss having coffee with the congregation members at church after the service and simply catching up with each others lives. I live alone, so I guess I really just miss people connections. Trudey Cheney, Hillsboro, 74 I profoundly miss the smell of new babies, live music vibrating through my body to my bones and spontaneity. Sonia-Marie Leikam, Portland, 38 My adult children are my heart. They are also scattered all over North America -- Arizona, DC, Toronto. I am so thrilled we have FaceTime and texting and my middle son and my daughter-in-law drove up from Arizona and stayed with us for a while ... but I want to see my kids like I planned this year. My heart is just a little bit broken. Thats what I miss the most. I will wear a mask for as long as I have to. I will be smart and careful. I just want to see my kids. Gigi Merrill, Salem, 56 I miss sweaty yoga. Releasing the weight I held that day. Happenstance. The hope, earth grounding, uplifting in the eyes that can only be paired with cheekbones. I miss cheekbones. Gabrielle Garrett, Portland, 32 I think the possibility of randomness. There used to be chances of running into friends or meeting people on the street or in places that is entirely gone now. Also arcades, I miss arcades like hell. Tony Dutcher, Portland, 35 What do you miss most from life before COVID? Tell me for a story for The @Oregonian! Reply here or email me at lacker@oregonian.com! Lizzy Acker (@lizzzyacker) February 22, 2021 Help us with a story! What have you learned after a year of COVID-19? And what do you miss most from life before that year? Send your answers to lacker@oregonian.com, along with your age, location and name. Posted by The Oregonian on Wednesday, February 24, 2021 -- Lizzy Acker 503-221-8052, lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker Wright to Continue as UW Engineering Dean Through August 2023 Cameron Wright Cameron Wright, who has served as interim dean of the University of Wyomings College of Engineering and Applied Science since August 2019, has been named acting dean through August 2023 by the UW Board of Trustees. Dr. Wright is the right person at the right time to lead the College of Engineering and Applied Science through the pandemic and our current budget headwinds, Interim Provost Anne Alexander says. We will restart a dean search in the summer of 2022, but were thrilled at his willingness to continue serving at this time. Wright, a professor of electrical and computer engineering, says he appreciates the confidence and support of the provost, President Ed Seidel and the Board of Trustees. Despite the recent challenges of the budget and a pandemic, I strongly believe the College of Engineering and Applied Science is on a positive trajectory, he says. Ill continue to find the best ways that we can all work together -- faculty, staff, everyone -- to provide a superlative education for our students; engage in meaningful research; and perform service to our state, our country and our professions. With adversity comes opportunity, and its an exciting time for all of us to be a part of the college and the university. Wrights areas of expertise are image processing, signal processing, biomedical instrumentation, real-time embedded computer systems, and wireless and satellite communications. He is director of the Wyoming Information, Signal Processing and Robotics Laboratory. In addition to his exceptional research record, Wright has been the recipient of numerous awards for excellence in teaching. He is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and a member of the American Society for Engineering Education; National Society of Professional Engineers; International Society for Optical Engineering; Biomedical Engineering Society; and Rocky Mountain Bioengineering Symposium Board of Directors. Wright holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Texas-Austin, an M.S. in electrical engineering from Purdue University, and a B.S. in electrical engineering from Louisiana Tech University. He served for 30 years in the U.S. military, enlisting in the Navy at the age of 17 and retiring as a lieutenant colonel from the Air Force in 2003. Opinion Policies Editorials are longer opinion pieces that are written by a group of community members recruited across campus who address relevant issues on a local, national and international level. Editorials are research-based. The purpose of the Editorial Board is to promote discussion concerning relevant issues in the community while advising on possible solutions. Topics are chosen via relevancy and interests of the members, which are then discussed by the Editorial Board in order to reach a general consensus concerning the topic or issue. Feedback policy If you have a grievance concerning the content or argument of the Editorial Board, please contact either Opinion Editor Peyton Hamel (peyton.hamel@iowastatedaily.com) or the Editorial Board as a whole (editorialboard@iowastatedaily.com). Those wanting to respond to editorials can also submit a letter to the editor through the Iowa State Daily website or by emailing the letter to Opinion Editor Peyton Hamel (peyton.hamel@iowastatedaily.com) or Editor-in-Chief Sage Smith (sage.smith@iowastatedaily.com). Column Policy Columns are hyper-specific to opinion and are written by only columnists employed by the Iowa State Daily. Columnists are unique because they have a specific writing day and only publish on those writing days. Each column undergoes a thorough editing process ensuring the integrity of the writer, and their claim is maintained while remaining research-based and respectful. Columns may be submitted from community members. These are labelled as Guest Columns. These contain similar research-based content and need to be at least 400 words in length. The following requirements should be met: first and last name, email and relation or position to Iowa State. Emails must be tied to the submitted guest column or it will not be accepted or published. Pseudonyms are prohibited and the writer will be banned from submissions. Read our full Opinion Policies here. Updated on 10/7/2020 Everyone seems to be reacting to Governor Gregg Abbott's announcement about ending the mask mandate in Texas. Houston residents, celebrities and the rest of the world weighed in on the decision, seeing that the state is ranking 42 out of 50 in vaccinations and positivity rates haven't gone down. Bun B in particular was heated about the announcement. #VERZUZ BATTLE ON THE WAY: Bun B promises an epic 'VERZUZ' battle with Southern rap legends The Houston rapper took to Instagram to share his disbelief. He shared with his one million Instagram followers his disdain for Abbott. "This is bat shit crazy @govabbott and you know it. As if you didnt already have enough blood on your hands. SMFH." This wouldn't be the first time the UGK member went in on the Texas politician, as he blasted Abbott last month about being on television while most of Texas lacked power due to winter snowstorm Uri. Rapper and activist Trae the Truth shared a similar sentiment on Instagram, saying that Abbott "aine even Worried bout the people.....He Gotta Get Up Out Of Office... @governorabbott." THE LONG ROAD AHEAD: Communities of color have a long road to recovery after Texas winter storm On Bun B's Instagram story, he also showed full support behind Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, who, along with Lina Hidalgo, blasted Abbott for lifting the mask mandate. Bun B also shared a collection of local restaurants and businesses that still plan on carrying out the mask mandate. Abbott announced that the mask mandate will end on March 10, and businesses can operate at 100 percent capacity. The European Medicines Agency will decide on 11 March whether to authorise the distribution of the Janssen vaccine in the European Union. If the EMA, as expected, approves this vaccine at the extraordinary meeting next Wednesday, it will be the fourth type to be distributed in Europe along with those developed by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca. Spain expects to have 21 million vials of this Johnson & Johnson vaccine, although the Ministry of Health does not have an exact date for the arrival of the doses from the subsidiary of the North American giant. At the end of January, Janssen announced that their tests indicate that his formula, based on human adenovirus 26 technology, had "general efficacy" in preventing the disease in large-scale trials against multiple variants carried out on three continents. In the tests, involving almost 44,000 volunteers, the level of protection against moderate and severe Covid-19 ranged from 72 per cent in the United States to 66 per cent in Latin America and only 57 per cent in South Africa, from where the new highly contagious strain has already spread. The efficacy of this vaccine is well below its rivals but it has the advantage that it is a single-dose vaccine and that its storage and handling are very simple. It is reported that it can be stable for two years at -20 degrees centigrade and for at least three months in most standard refrigerators, unlike the other three vaccines that are already being distributed. Gardai in Limerick have confirmed that one of the males arrested in relation to a public order incident that occurred in Carysfort Avenure, Castletroy last night has been charged. (More here) The male is now due to appear before Limerick District Court on Monday March 22. The other male arrested has been released without charge, however he has been issued a fixed charge notice for public order offences. The third male arrested, who was arrested under misuse of drugs legislation, remains detained at Henry Street Garda station. To date in excess of 50 FPNs have been issued in relation to breaches of the Health Act that occurred during this incident. Archdiocese of New Orleans says Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine is 'morally compromised' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Roman Catholic diocese is urging the faithful to refrain from taking one of the available coronavirus vaccines due to its use of aborted fetal cells in production and testing. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans released a statement Friday expressing concern about the latest coronavirus vaccine granted approval for use in the United States, which was manufactured by Johnson & Johnson. The statement began by acknowledging that coronavirus vaccines have used "morally compromised cell lines created from two abortions that occurred, one in the 1970s and one in the 1980s." "The Archdiocese of New Orleans, in light of guidance from the Vatican, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and The National Catholic Bioethics Center affirm that though there was some lab testing that utilized the abortion-derived cell line, the two vaccines currently available from Pfizer and Moderna do not rely on cell lines from abortions in the manufacturing process and therefore can be morally acceptable for Catholics as the connection to abortion is extremely remote," the statement continued. Citing the same guidance, the archdiocese maintained that it "must instruct Catholics that the latest vaccine from Janssen/Johnson & Johnson is morally compromised as it uses the abortion-derived cell line in development and production of the vaccine as well as the testing." "We advise that if the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine is available, Catholics should choose to receive either of those vaccines rather than to receive the new Johnson & Johnson vaccine because of its extensive use of abortion-derived cell lines." The Archdiocese of New Orleans' statement came as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee unanimously recommended that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine receive an Emergency Use Authorization Friday. On Saturday, the company reported that the FDA issued the Emergency Use Authorization, clearing the way for the vaccine to be administered in the U.S. Unlike the vaccines created by Moderna and Pfizer, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a single-shot vaccine. Johnson & Johnson announced that it was planning on shipping enough doses of the vaccine so that 20 million Americans would be vaccinated by the end of March. The manufacturer aims to have delivered 100 million doses of the shot by the middle of 2021. The Archdiocese of New Orleans' statement is not the first time that leaders in the Catholic Church have issued a statement urging Catholics to refrain from taking a specific coronavirus vaccine. In December, bishops from Colorado's three Roman Catholic dioceses issued a similar statement characterizing the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines as "morally acceptable" while arguing that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine was tainted. "Vaccines such as AstraZeneca-Oxford use aborted fetal lines in design, development, production, and testing, and therefore are not a morally valid option because better options are available," the bishops wrote in a letter. At the time the letter was written, the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine had not been approved for an Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA and still has not to this today. The Charlotte Lozier Institute, the research arm of the pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List, has put together a comprehensive table featuring data about all of the coronavirus vaccine candidates, including those that have yet to enter clinical trials. The table, updated on Jan. 4, notes whether abortion-derived cell lines were used in the design and development or production of the vaccine and if the cell lines were used in confirmatory lab tests. Along with the Johnson & Johnson and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines, a coronavirus vaccine manufactured by the Gamaleya Research Institute, which has entered phase 3 of clinical trials and has been granted early approval in Russia, uses an abortion-derived cell line in design and development, production and confirmatory lab tests. Meanwhile, vaccines manufactured by the Beijing Institute of Biological Products, the Wuhan Institute of Biological Products, Bharat Biotech and the Indian Council of Research, which are in phase 3 clinic trials and have been granted early approval in China or India, do not use abortion-derived cell lines at any point during confirmatory lab testing, design and development or production. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control, more than 96 million doses of the coronavirus vaccines have been delivered in the U.S. as of Monday, while nearly 51 million Americans have received at least one vaccine dose. An additional 25 million Americans have received both doses of either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine. Last week, a report surfaced that Motorola was going to announce a new Moto G smartwatch powered by Googles Wear OS along with a couple of renders of the smartwatch with a transparent backing. A Reddit thread points out that the text written around the backside of the watch body says Snapdragon Wear 4100 to indicate that the watch will be powered by the latest wearable chipset by Qualcomm. Via Reddit Despite this new discovery, were still not any closer to knowing exactly when Moto will launch this new smartwatch. The new Moto watch is expected to be a successor to the Moto 360 that launched back in 2019 (the one that wasnt manufactured by Motorola, but by its partner eBuyNow). The Snapdragon Wear 4100 platform is more power-efficient and much snapper than the Snapdragon 3100 Wear platform. We reviewed the TicWatch Pro 3 thats powered by the same chipset and we can attest that the battery life and performance has vastly improved with this new platform. Were excited to see Motos new offering in the Wear OS space. The OS is expected to be undergoing some major overhaul whos update is expected to be released sometime this year. Source Via I had always rolled my eyes when people described disastrous events as happening in slow motion. Surely everything happens in regular time, and its only when you replay it in your head that it seems to slow down? But when disaster came knocking for me one fateful day, I finally understood what they meant. Thomas Mitchell with wife Kate McGregor on her grandparents farm in Collie, NSW. A few years ago, I ventured out to country NSW to meet my new girlfriends grandparents. They were salt-of-the-earth farm folk, and I was a skinny-leg-jeans-in-summer city slicker. The weekend got off to a promising start, but when her grandfather, Ian, whisked me away to a paddock for some male bonding time, it all began to unravel. Our bonding was interrupted by some type of farm emergency runaway sheep or a busted fence so Ian asked me to drive his ancient ute back to the house. Most of the roosters rescued during a raid on an alleged cockfighting ring in Sydney were so aggressive towards other birds and humans they had to be put down. RSPCA New South Wales has confirmed 55 of the 71 fighting cockerels seized from a property in the city's south-west late last year were too dangerous to be found new homes. The traumatised birds were taken into care after police raided the Catherine Field acreage and dismantled the biggest alleged cockfighting ring they had uncovered in more than 20 years. Officers also seized metal spikes and spurs which are fixed to the birds' legs for the barbaric blood sport, as well as $107,170 in cash allegedly found during the raid. The blades were labelled with grim names including Mexican Slasher, Socket Knife, Half Bayonet, Jagger and Flipping Fork Knife. Most of the roosters seized during a raid on an alleged cockfighting ring in Sydney last year (pictured) were so aggressive towards humans and other birds they had to be put down. RSPCA NSW confirmed 55 of 71 fighting cockerels were too dangerous to be found new homes The birds were taken into care after police raided a property at Catherine Field and dismantled the biggest alleged cockfighting ring they had uncovered in more than 20 years (pictured). Fighting cockerels are kept in small cages to increase their aggression Officers also allegedly seized metal spikes and spurs (pictured) which are fixed to the birds' legs in the barbaric blood sport. The blades were labelled with grim names including Mexican Slasher, Socket Knife, Half Bayonet, Jagger and Flipping Fork Knife One injured rooster had to be euthanised shortly after the operation, while new homes were found for 15 others, but 55 of the birds could not be saved. 'The remaining roosters were sadly not suitable for re-homing due to serious aggression towards other fowl and people and they were humanely euthanised,' an RSPCA NSW spokeswoman said. 'The roosters were selectively bred for the purpose of killing and trained to be aggressive, and were not able to be placed safely with other animals.' Fighting cockerels are trained to attack, sometimes given steroids, and kept in small cages to increase their aggression for when they are released into a ring for combat. Sharpened spikes, spurs or blades are fixed to the feet of two birds which then fight until one is dead or so seriously injured it can no longer compete. While cockfighting has long been banned in all Australian states and territories underground events still takes place in rural and remote gambling dens. Police arrested 34 men aged 19 to 75 at Catherine Field and charged most with attending a fight in which an animal was pitted against another animal. Police arrested 34 men aged 19 to 75 in the Catherine Field raid on December 13 (pictured) and charged most with attending a fight in which an animal was pitted against another animal A 45-year-old man who lives at the raided property (pictured) has also been charged with managing or controlling a place which is used for animal fighting and promoting or organising an animal fight A 45-year-old man who lives at the property has also been charged with managing or controlling a place which is used for animal fighting and promoting or organising an animal fight. A 75-year-old man from Padstow Heights was charged with having in his custody a cockerel training dummy. When detectives raided the Camden Valley Way premises about 11am on December 13, a Sunday, they allegedly found a designated cockfighting area and several large sheds housing the 71 birds. The operation was part of a joint investigation into animal cruelty launched by the State Crime Command's Organised Crime Squad, RSPCA NSW and the NSW Crime Commission earlier last year. RSPCA chief executive officer Steve Coleman said it was rare for authorities to uncover cockfighting rings as they were so clandestinely run. In cockfighting 'contests' sharpened spikes, spurs or blades are fixed to the feet of two birds who then fight until one is dead or so seriously injured it can no longer compete. One of the birds seized at Catherine Field is pictured When detectives raided the Camden Valley Way premises about 11am on December 13, a Sunday, they allegedly found a designated cockfighting area (pictured) and several large sheds housing the 71 birds 'What's despicable about this activity is that these birds are literally fighting to survive,' Mr Coleman said. 'There's only one outcome with organised cockfighting and that is an animal has to die. And if it doesn't die at the time of the illegal activity it'll die shortly thereafter.' Mr Coleman said fighting cockerels were deliberately bred for aggression. 'Some of the breed lines of these birds are quite specific specific breeding to ensure they produce a bird that is ready to fight and is obviously quite strong.' 'The likelihood of being able to rehome fighting birds is very difficult. That's the harsh reality.' The raid at Catherine Field (pictured) was part of a joint investigation into animal cruelty launched by the State Crime Command's Organised Crime Squad, RSPCA NSW and the NSW Crime Commission earlier last year Cockfighting is a popular pastime in countries including The Philippines, parts of Indonesia - particularly Bali - Thailand and Vietnam.Pictured left and right are cockfighting weapons seized at Catherine Field Organised Crime Squad commander Detective Superintendent Martin Fileman said investigators discovered the alleged syndicate while pursuing other inquiries. 'By getting enjoyment out of livestock killing each other and making money out of it, it's quite disgraceful,' he said. Cockfighting is a popular pastime in countries including The Philippines, parts of Indonesia - particularly Bali - Thailand and Vietnam. Most of those arrested at Catherine Field have Southeast Asian surnames. When the accused men faced Picton Local Court on February 23 magistrate Mark Douglass noted the need to organise interpreters before their next appearances on April 1. Anyone with information about animal cruelty offences is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Related Sahel summit agrees need to intensify campaign against jihadists Jihadist groups in the nearby Sahel region, which recruit and train their followers online, represent Moroccos biggest militant threat, the head of its counterterrorism agency said. Although Morocco has had only one major attack over the past decade - the 2018 killing of two Scandinavian tourists - its location makes it a target for the Sahel groups said Haboub Cherkaoui. The terrorist threat persists as long as there are groups that recruit and train their followers online including Islamic State in the greater Sahara, he told Reuters in an interview. Since it was set up in 2015, Cherkaouis Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation has dismantled dozens of militant cells and arrested more than a thousand suspected jihadists, he said. The numbers point to the continued militant risk in Morocco after the rise of Islamic State in Syria and Iraq last decade caused a surge in jihadist activity that persists even after the group was defeated in its Middle East heartland. Islamic State refocused on the Sahel region, he said, and along with other jihadist groups there has taken advantage of porous borders and trafficking networks. Both Niger and Mali have battled militant insurgencies while Libyas civil war has created space for jihadist groups to operate. In late February, Moroccan Prime Minister Saad Dine El Otmani took part in a Sahel security summit in Ndjamena and offered support for military action against jihadist groups, including through training troops. Morocco is also concerned that some of its nationals who joined Islamic State in the Middle East might have relocated to the Sahel, Cherkaoui said. In total, 1,645 Moroccans joined jihadist groups in Syria and Iraq, including 745 who died in suicide attacks or in battle. Most of the 1,645 fought for Islamic State. Of the survivors, 270 have returned to Morocco and 137 were prosecuted, said Cherkaoui, adding that 288 women and 391 minors also went to the conflict zones, following their main income provider. Moroccan law punishes by up to 10 years those who join jihadist groups abroad. Morocco has offered intelligence that helped arrest Jihadists or foil attacks in France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Germany, Burkina Faso, Sri Lanka and recently the United States, Cherkaoui said. Our success hinges on continued intelligence sharing with our partners, Cherkaoui said. Short link: Agartala, March 3 : After neighbouring Assam, the relation between the ruling BJP and its junior ally Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) turned bitter ahead of the April 4 elections to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), which is considered as the mini-state Assembly in terms of political significance. Both the BJP and the IPFT are yet to finalise their seat-sharing in the 28-member TTAADC and even the leaders of the two parties are acusing each other on the issue. The much-awaited elections to the TTAADC will be held on April 4 and the statutory notifications would be issued on Thursday. In alliance with the tribal-based party IPFT, the BJP won the Assembly polls just three years ago (2018) ousting the 25-year uninterrupted governance of the Communist Party of India-Marxist led Left Front. The BJP and the IPFT had secured 36 and 8 seats respectively in the 60-member assembly while remaining 16 seats were bagged by the CPI-M. The IPFT President and Revenue Minister Narendra Chandra Debbarma said that despite their repeated appeal, the BJP leadership in Tripura and at the Centre did not yet discuss the seat sharing pattern and ratio in the upcoming TTAADC polls, which has a jurisdiction of over two-thirds of Tripura's 10,491 sq km area and home to over 12,16,000 people, 90 per cent of which are tribals. "After getting no response from the state leadership, delegations led by our party's General Secretary and Forest Minister Mevar Kumar Jamatia went to Delhi three times and urged the BJP's central leaders including the party's President J.P. Nadda to finalise the seat sharing for the TTAADC polls. But, unfortunately, the BJP leadership remained quiet on our repeated requests," Debbarma told IANS. Both Debbarma and Jamatia told IANS separately on Wednesday that they yet to get any invitation from the BJP leadership even as the BJP's central observer Vinod Kumar Sonkar arrived here on Tuesday to discuss the TTAADC poll strategies with the state leadership of the saffron party. The BJP-IPFT relation further deteriorated after the tribal based party's (IPFT) top leadership since February 20 held a series of meetings with Tripura's royal scion Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman, who was earlier state President of Congress but subsequently quit the party in 2019, recently formed an alliance of few tribal based parties and named TIPRA (The Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance). IPFT President (Debbarma) and General Secretary (Jamatia), both are ministers of the BJP-led Council of Ministers headed by the Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, however, said that they are still in coalition with the saffron party.In contrast, the BJP leaders already declared that they would put up candidates in majority of the TTAADC's 28 seats. The IPFT has reportedly wanted 22 seats to put up their candidates..BJP spokesman Nabendu Bhattacharjee said that they are still open to discuss with the IPFT leaders. "The last date for submission of nomination papers for the TTAADC polls is March 12. No meeting was called to discuss the seat sharing issue with the IPFT in the coming few days," Bhattacharjee told IANS. Another tribal based party Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT), a former ally of the Congress, earlier held talks with the TIPRA supremo Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman to jointly contest the polls to the TTAADC. "If Deb Barman does not finalise the seat share with us by Thursday, we would put up candidates in all the 28 TTAADC seats," INPT advisory committee chairman Srota Ranjan Khisa told IANS. The opposition Communist Party of India-Marxist, which has a substantial base among the tribals and had overned the TTAADC until May 17 last year, and the Congress also prepare themselves to contest the elections. After the Bodoland Territorial Council polls in western Assam in December last year, the BJP had forged an alliance with the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) and the Gana Suraksha Party (GSP), discarding its old ally Bodoland People's Front (BPF). The BPF has three ministers in the government led by Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. The BJP had contested the last Assam assembly election in 2016 in alliance with the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and BPF and came to power ousting the 15-year (2001-2016) uninterrupted rule of the Congress and becoming the single-largest party with 60 seats, while its allies AGP and BPF had won 14 and 12 seats respectively. The ruling alliance has the support of one independent MLA.In Tripura, the IPFT has been agitating since 2009 for the creation of a separate state by upgrading the TTAADC, which was constituted under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution in June 1985. The IPFT's demand, however, is strongly opposed by all the political major parties including the BJP, the CPI-M and the Congress. Of Tripura's four million populations, one third are tribals and they played a crucial role in all kinds of political affairs of the northeastern state. (Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in) With this partnership, we will each bring our respective expertise and experience to bear to help students find a school where they can thrive and fulfill their dreams, said David Felsenthal, EAB CEO. PowerSchool, a leading provider of K-12 education technology solutions, and premier education company EAB, announced today EAB will be the exclusive provider of the recently acquired Intersect student recruitment platform. PowerSchool supports more than 45 million students including over 75 percent of K-12 students in North America. EAB helps more than 1,900 schools support students from enrollment to graduation and beyond with proven solutions and transformative insights. Forty percent of high school students have access to Naviance, a solution now part of PowerSchools unified portfolio, which connects to Intersect to help best match students and colleges. Together, PowerSchool and EAB will connect higher education partners to millions more high school students to help support them in finding their best fit higher education options and help ensure success after high school. With this partnership, we will each bring our respective expertise and experience to bear to help students find a school where they can thrive and fulfill their dreams, said David Felsenthal, EAB CEO. Together, our two companies will ensure high school students using the Naviance platform can fully experience and evaluate prospective colleges, while providing EABs higher education partners with opportunities to showcase their schools and build stronger connections with millions of high school students. Because Naviance is an integral part of the postsecondary planning process at many K-12 schools, Intersect can connect colleges with high-intent students who are ready to engage with their institutions. Eighty percent of high school students who connect with a college on Intersect apply to that institution. Through this partnership, EAB will use their expertise in higher education to sell, service, and support the Intersect platform so that more schools, colleges, and universities will be able to take advantage of that record of success. My team and I are thrilled to partner with EAB to collectively help students realize their full potential by providing schools and districts a better way to match prospective students and colleges, said Hardeep Gulati, CEO of PowerSchool. This partnership with EAB, a highly-respected education and insights company, provides even more value to our customers as together we will help bridge the college and career readiness preparedness gap and support students in uncovering opportunities that help set them up for success. For more information about Intersect and this new partnership, visit http://www.eab.com/intersect. For more information about PowerSchools acquisition of Hobsons Naviance and Intersect, visit http://www.PowerSchool.com/Naviance-and-Intersect. About PowerSchool At PowerSchool, we believe in the simple truth that every student deserves the best opportunities in life. Thats why our mission is to power the education ecosystem with unified technology that helps educators and students realize their potential, in their way. From the front office to the classroom to the home, PowerSchool helps schools and districts efficiently manage instruction, learning, grading, attendance, assessment, analytics, state reporting, special education, student registration, talent, finance, and HR. Today, were proud to be the leading provider of K-12 education application technology supporting over 45 million students in over 80 countries. Visit http://www.powerschool.com to learn more. About EAB At EAB, our mission is to make education smarter and our communities stronger. We harness the collective power of more than 1,900 schools, colleges, and universities to uncover and apply proven practices and transformative insights. And since complex problems require multifaceted solutions, we work with each school differently to apply these insights through a customized blend of research, technology, and services. From kindergarten to college and beyond, EAB partners with education leaders, practitioners, and staffs to accelerate progress and drive results across three key areas: enrollment management, student success, and institutional operations and strategy. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Wednesday address a session at 10:30 AM to discuss the importance of education, research and skill development in helping the country become self-reliant. According to reports, the online session will be part of the webinar on Union Budget 2021-22 announcements. The webinar will begin with an inaugural session on Harnessing Education, Research and Skill Development for an Atmanirbhar Bharat which will be addressed by the Prime Minister. The PM is expected to discuss the impact of educational policies, research activities and skill development efforts undertaken by the government and educational institutions on the centres scheme named Atmanirbhar Bharat. Atmanirbhar Bharat was launched on May 12, 2020, aimed at making the country self-sustaining and self-generating. Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank informed about the session on his official Twitter handle. "Honble Prime Minister of India Shri @narendramodi Ji will be addressing the inaugural session on Harnessing Education, Research and Skill Development for an Atmanirbhar Bharat on March 3 at 10:30 AM," Pokhriyal tweeted. Hon'ble Prime Minister of India Shri @narendramodi Ji will be addressing the inaugural session on 'Harnessing Education, Research and Skill Development for an Atmanirbhar Bharat' on March 3 at 10:30 AM. pic.twitter.com/U3leOA5GgZ Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank (@DrRPNishank) March 2, 2021 The online session will feature a panel of leaders, scientists and industrialists. Apart from the main session, there will be a break-away session on Using Glue Grant to Develop Education Hubs. It will be chaired by Prof. Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary at the Department of Science and Technology. Live TV A middle school teacher has been sentenced to seven years in prison for molesting and having sex with four school boys in the southern Vietnamese province of Tay Ninh. The Peoples Court in Duong Minh Chau District, Tay Ninh Province on Tuesday opened the trial against Nguyen Hoang Nhut, 39, a former teacher of Phuoc Minh Middle School. Nhut was condemned to a seven-year jail term for having sex with people between 13 and under 16 years and molesting people under 16 years old, according to Vietnamese law. According to the indictment, Nhut was using a gay social network app in June 2019 when he discovered that L.G.L. was also a member. L. was a ninth grader at Phuoc Minh Middle School, and Nhut was his biology teacher. During one lesson, Nhut caught L. talking in class and told him to clean up the laboratory as a punishment. At the lab, Nhut said that his arms were in pain and tricked L. into touching his genitals. The incident took place for about two minutes before Nhut told L. to go back to class as there was someone outside the room. About one week later, Nhut phoned the boy and asked him to come to his house and help him bring some files to the school. Upon L.s arrival, Nhut asked the student to have sex with him, and the latter agreed. Aside from L., Nhut also had sex with two other school boys and molested another from June to December 2019. They were all ninth-grade students of Phuoc Minh School at the time of the incidents. Local police arrested and initiated legal proceedings against the teacher in June 2020. Aside from the jail term, Nhut was also required to pay VND10 million (US$436) to each of the victims as compensation. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! By Wu Shicun The year 2020 was not ordinary for the South China Sea. In the face of the common enemy of the COVID-19 pandemic, China and ASEAN countries were committed to properly managing maritime disputes, promoting pragmatic cooperation, and advancing consultations on the Code of Conduct(COC) in the South China Sea. However, some countries outside the region, unhappy to see a peaceful and stable South China Sea, kept creating new troubles in the region. Fortunately, China and ASEAN countries stayed the course of handling disputes through dialogue, increasing mutual trust through cooperation, and maintaining lasting peace and security in the South China Sea through rules-making. Thats how they have managed to keep the regional security situation generally stable and controllable. Looking ahead, the security situation in the South China Sea offers much to expect. The year 2021 will introduce a new stage of the COC consultations when China will consolidate or establish the bilateral maritime issue consultation mechanisms with the Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia in order to jointly improve the management of disputes and boost practical cooperation on the sea. In particular, negotiations on jointly developing oil and gas resources in the South China Sea between China and the Philippines are deepening, promising positive progress this year. Meanwhile, China, leveraging its construction achievements on islands and reefs in the South China Sea, will provide the international community with more public services and goods. All these positive factors will add more stability to the security situation in the region. The recent phone call between the presidents of China and the US also points to high expectations from the world for benign interaction between the two countries on the South China Sea issue. Nevertheless, the Biden administration has also released aggressive messages about China on several recent occasions. Im not exaggerating when I say that if the new administration doesnt right the wrong South China Sea policy implemented during Trumps presidensy, security prospects in the region will once again be clouded by murky prospects. First of all, for traditional geopolitical calculations, the US is likely to continue competing and contending with China in military and security domains in the South China Sea with diversified approaches, aiming to maintain its absolute military superiority in West Pacific and offset Chinas maritime buildup and island and reef construction results. As such, the Biden administration's policy toward the South China Sea is expected to opt for maintaining regular, high-frequency freedom of navigation operations in the waters and intensive military reconnaissance or deterrence activities by various ships and aircraft. Second, the Biden administration seems to have a mind to respond to the so-called China challenge by reshaping its international leadership, tightening the ties with allies, and exerting pressure along with the allies and partners. The Philippines, Japan, Australia, the UK, and Vietnam may be the primary targets it will woo in this process. Third, regional countries involved in the South China Sea issue may be instigated by the US to take unilateral actions to create an undertow in the region. The South China Sea issue is so long-lasting and so complicated that any quick resolution is impossible. There are both positive and negative factors at present, and how to keep the maritime security situation from worsening is a common challenge faced by all countries in the region. Asian countries history of fighting colonialism and foreign aggression and regional countries successful experience in cooperation and development have proved that the only way to ensure lasting peace and security in the South China Sea is for them to resist foreign interference, stand by each other through mutual help, and jointly forge a regional security order based on international law and aimed at common security. Any unilateral operation and negative foreign intervention in this process will only undermine the political mutual trust among countries involved, dampen their wish for maritime cooperation, and erode the foundation for peace and stability in the South China Sea. The US is the prime external factor of this issue. The China-US relationship is standing at a historical crossroads. The way it goes will largely depend on how the American side will view this relationship and what choice it will make, one that will have a significant bearing on the future security situation in the South China Sea. (The author is president of China's National Institute for South China Sea Studies, chairman of the board of governors of China-Southeast Asia Research Center on the South China Sea) Editor's note: This article is originally published on huanqiu.com, and is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn. THUNDER BAY, ON, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Clean Air Metals Inc. ("Clean Air Metals" or the "Company") (TSXV: AIR) (OTCQB: CLRMF) (FRA: CKU) is pleased to announce the commencement of a 40,000m diamond drill program at the Thunder Bay North Project. Following on the successful closing of the recent $11.5M financing (announced February 23, 2021), drilling with two drills has recommenced at the Escape Lake deposit. The program is focused on systematic step-outs to add to the Indicated mineral resource of 4,286,220 tonnes grading 3.67 g/t PdEq (6.16 g/t PtEq) using a $US 77 cutoff, outlined at the Escape Lake Deposit (announced January 20, 2021). The Company is also mobilizing a third drill to focus on resource delineation drilling at the adjacent Current Lake Deposit, building on the Indicated mineral resource of 11,999,177 tonnes grading 3.44 g/t PdEq (5.79 g/t PtEq) defined in the recent mineral resource update. The third drill will also test a number of promising new geophysical targets advanced by Clean Air Metals' VP-Exploration, Dawn Evans-Lamswood in the search for the source of massive sulphide mineralization. Massive sulphides have been documented and validated in the Current Lake Deposit by Nordmin Engineering (reported January 20, 2021). Hole BL10-197 previously intersected a massive sulphide lens grading 2.6m of 52.77 g/t Pt, 41.54 g/t Pd, 11.6% Cu, 3.29% Ni from 187.4m190.0m. The Company is also targeting completion of a Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") on the Current Lake Deposit in June, 2021. The PEA will be based on the recent mineral resource numbers and on bench-test scale metallurgical test work by Blue Coast Research in Victoria, BC on a drill-derived mini bulk sample. This work is progressing under the supervision of Nordmin Engineering Ltd. as previously disclosed (August 11, 2020). Abraham Drost, CEO of Clean Air Metals stated that "With the release of the underground ramp-access constrained mineral resource on January 20, 2021, the Company's management team and Board put its stamp on the Thunder Bay North project. We look forward to the Preliminary Economic Assessment of the Current Lake Deposit by Nordmin expected in Q2/2021. We continue to be encouraged about significant exploration potential for the presence of massive sulphides in the Thunder Bay North magma conduit system, highlighted by VP-Exploration Dawn Evans-Lamswood and her team. The new financing will also allow the Company to fully test Dawn's ideas, drawing on her notable discovery experience at Voisey's Bay, Newfoundland." PDAC Conference & Core Shack Clean Air Metals is pleased to announce its participation in the 2021 Virtual PDAC Conference to be held March 7-11, 2021 at www.pdac.ca. The Company has also been chosen to participate in the PDAC Core Shack where there will be core displayed from its 2020 drill campaign on the Escape Lake Deposit at the Thunder Bay North Project. Clean Air Metals drilled approximately 19,000 metres in 2020 leading to estimation of a maiden mineral resource at the Escape Lake Deposit, in addition to the Current Lake Deposit. Company representatives will be available at the PDAC virtual booth to answer any questions with regards to the Company and its drill program. About Clean Air Metals Inc. Clean Air Metals' flagship asset is the Thunder Bay North Project, a platinum, palladium, copper, nickel project located near the City of Thunder Bay, Ontario and the Lac des Iles Mine owned by Impala Platinum Holdings. The Clean Air Metals project hosts the Current Lake Deposit and magma conduit and the Company is actively exploring the Escape Lake Deposit, a twin conduit structure to the Current Lake Deposit. Executive Chairman Jim Gallagher, P.Eng. and CEO Abraham Drost, P.Geo. lead an experienced team of geologists and engineers who are using the Norilsk magma conduit stratigraphic and mineral deposit model to guide ongoing exploration and development studies. As the former CEO of North American Palladium Ltd. which owned the Lac des Iles Mine prior to the sale to Impala Platinum in December, 2019, Jim Gallagher and team are credited with the mine turnaround and creation of significant value for shareholders. Qualified Person Mr. Allan MacTavish, P.Geo. a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 and VP-Project Manager of the Company, has reviewed and approved all technical information in this press release. Social License Clean Air Metals Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary Panoramic PGMs (Canada) Ltd. acknowledge that the Thunder Bay North Project is on the traditional territories of the Fort William First Nation, Red Rock First Nation and Biinjitiwabik Zaaging Anishinabek. The parties together are the Cooperating Participants in a Memorandum of Agreement dated January 9, 2021 and the issue of Warrants, reported January 28, 2021. The Warrants were issued as part of the consideration for the Participating First Nations working with the Company on the design, approval and development of the exploration project, the Thunder Bay North Project, and as part of the Company's accommodation of the Participating First Nations' interests and rights related to exploration at the Thunder Bay North Project. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS "Abraham Drost" Abraham Drost, Chief Executive Officer of Clean Air Metals Inc. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections. SOURCE Clean Air Metals Inc. Related Links https://www.cleanairmetals.ca/ Roxy Jacenko has put her luxurious $840,000 boat up for sale. On Wednesday, the 41-year-old PR powerhouse shared a photo of the 2006 Riva Aquariva 33 to Instagram. 'It's the cult boat for the worldwide collectors and it could be yours next,' she captioned the post. On the market: Roxy Jacenko has put her luxurious $840,000 boat up for sale. On Wednesday, the 41-year-old PR powerhouse shared a photo of the 2006 Riva Aquariva 33 to Instagram According to Boat Sales, the craft retails for $841,500, however its resale value in Australia is unknown. The Italian-style luxurious yacht features wooden finishes with navy-blue accents and leather interior seating, as well as a discreet toilet. The Riva Aquariva 33 also has a wet bar, refrigerator and an electronically activated canopy. Roxy received the luxurious boat as a Christmas gift from her mother Doreen back in 2019. It could be yours: 'It's the cult boat for the worldwide collectors and it could be yours next,' Roxy captioned the post At the time, the entrepreneur shared a photo of her new boat to Instagram. 'Thanks Mummy. Who needs a model when you can have it in the flesh yewwwwww,' she captioned the post, alongside a Christmas tree and love heart emojis. Earlier this year, Doreen reportedly purchased a $5million cottage in Sydney's Vaucluse. That's generous! Roxy received the luxurious boat as a Christmas gift from her mother Doreen back in 2019 The former rag trader bought the property, which is located just one street away from the Roxy's home, in December. According to The Daily Telegraph, Doreen is planning a knockdown-rebuild and has enlisted the help of designer Blainey North to create a new luxurious home. The cottage features five spacious bedrooms, three bathrooms and living spaces for entertaining. The long struggle for womens suffrage culminated on August 18, 1920 with ratification of the 19th amendment to the U.S. It was a step forward for civil rights in America. "Vision, Voices and the VOTE" tells the stories of centuries of Franklin County women. Visitors can become part of the multi-year installation by taking a selfie and adding it to the exhibit. Franklin County Visitors Bureau (FCVB) invites the public to celebrate Womens History Month at the Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center. A new installation called "Vision, Voices and the VOTE" is slated to open on March 8, International Womens Day. In 1908, more than 15,000 women marched in New York City to gain better pay, shorter workdays, and the right to vote. This event was one of several across the world to inspire International Womens Day. It brought more attention to the long struggle of womens suffrage, which was finally legislated on August 18, 1920 with the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Doing the right thing shaped womens history, just as it did African American and all of American history. The FCVB-sponsored essay contest continues in March and poses the question: What is your right thing? The contest has no age restrictions. Share a personal story, the influences of family, friends, ancestors, mentors and heroes; or share a part of history that shapes you. The contest offers five chances to win $100. Learn more here. "Vision, Voices and the VOTE" tells the stories of centuries of Franklin County women. Visitors can become part of the multi-year installation by taking a selfie and adding it to the exhibit. Among the women highlighted are Molly Cochran Corbin. Born in Franklin County, she served as a female soldier during the Revolutionary War. As was the custom, she followed her husband to battle, cooking and caring for the soldiers. At the Battle of Fort Washington on Manhattan Island NY, November 1776, her husband was killed as he fired his cannon. Raised on the frontier of Franklin County, she follower her instincts and took her husbands place at the cannon, loading and firing until she was severely wounded. She became the first American woman to receive a pension for her service. Harriet Lane Johnston is another leading woman of Franklin County. She served as First Lady when she was the White House hostess for her uncle, President James Buchanan. Harriet Lane endowed a home for invalid children at Johns Hopkins Hospital, which served as a teaching, research, and training facility. In addition, she bequeathed an art collection to the Smithsonian Institutions, which is the foundation of the National Gallery of Art. Learn more about Harriet Lane here in the booklet called "Harriet Lane Johnston: May 9, 1830 July 3, 1900" by Joan C. McCulloh of the Mercersburg Historical Society. During the mid-1990s and into the early part of 21st century, Seven Local Women used their voices to spread the gospel. The ladiesLois Waters, Theda Davis, Vickie Kieffer, Bertha Allen, Bebe Ransom, Frances Slaughter, and Doris Carsoncame together from across Franklin County. All were active in their communities and churches. "Visit Vision, Voices and the VOTE" to learn more about the contributions of Franklin County women. The exhibit will be open through May 1. The Franklin County Visitors Bureau invites all to explore Franklin County PA and enjoy the history, arts, recreation, natural beauty, fresh foods and warm hospitality of communities like Chambersburg, Greencastle, Mercersburg, Shippensburg, and Waynesboro. Franklin County PA is located just north of the Mason Dixon Line and is an easy drive from Washington DC, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. Discover more. Plan your visit at ExploreFranklinCountyPA.com, by contacting 866.646.8060, or by visiting the Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center on the square in Chambersburg. Leading Consulting, branding, publishing and investment promotion firm, Foreign Investment Network (FIN), has joined millions around the globe in celebrating the appointment of former finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, as the first woman, and first African director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Mrs Okonjo-Iweala was named director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO) after her only rival, South Korean Trade Minister, Yoo Myung-Hee pulled out of the race. Her appointment makes her the first African and first woman to head the global trade body. Since her announcement, Nigerians have been rejoicing. Recall that some years ago, Foreign Investment Network (FIN) recognized and honoured Dr. Okonjo-Iweala as the Leading Woman of Substance. Other dignitaries that have received the FIN award over the years include: 1. His Excellency Vicente Fox, *Former* President of Mexico, *FIN INNOVATIVE LEADER OF THE YEAR AWARD* 2. Mr Andrew Martin, Former MD Zenith Bank UK, *FIN AWARD OF EXCELLENCE* 3. OPEC Secretary General, Mr. Mohammed Barkindo, *FIN LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD* 4. CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, *FIN/FORBES BEST OF AFRICA BANKING AWARD* 5. Former OPEC Secretary General, Dr. Rilwan Lukman, *FIN LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD* 6. AfDB President, Dr Adesina Akinwumi, *FIN AFRICAN ICON* 7. Aliko Dangote, Chairman Dangote Group, *FIN OIL AND GAS AFRICAN ICON* 8. Dr. Maikanti Baru, former GMD NNPC, *FIN FORBES BEST OF OIL & GAS MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD* Speaking on the appointment of Mrs Okonjo-Iweala, the Chairman, Foreign Investment Network (FIN), Olayinka Fayomi extolled the virtues of Mrs Okonjo- Iweala. According to Mrs Fayomi, Mrs Okonjo- Iweala is a woman of substance. She is a honest, transparent and accountable woman, a virtue not often found in public office-holders in Nigeria, she said. I believe her track record of integrity, diligence and passion for development will continue to yield positive results for the benefit of mankind and validate the global mandate of repositioning the WTO for greater good for all. FINs main objectives is meeting the investment needs and promoting emerging economies in Africa through marketing strategies which include: international conferences, business meetings, advocacy visits, investment fora and International exhibitions. Foreign Investment Network (FIN) recognizes the power in fund raising, creative media, publishing and communication consultancy through it media campaign and image building services using the international leading media. ADVERTISEMENT Over the years, FIN has stamped its authority in the following areas: Joint Venture Conferences Publishing Project Financing Training Exhibitions Oil & Gas Merger & Acquisition FINs aim is to supply strategic platforms for investment and also provide what will act as a boost and spur nations, regions and states to greater economic growth and development. Its communication strategy through FIN magazine stands us out from other consulting houses as it has transformed into a must read for investors, decision makers, top level CEOs and government officials. For enquiries: www.foreigninvestmentnetwork.com Email : Admin@finmagazine.com Phone: +442076925669 Weisman Design Group Caton Nelson Seattle landscape architecture firm Weisman Design Group promoted Peter Nelson to principal and Taber Jossi Caton to associate principal. Nelson will continue guiding the design of urban private sector projects and public educational campuses. Caton recently returned to the firm as a senior associate after several years back in her home state of Rhode Island. She has a wealth of experience designing higher education and public spaces. 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 (Newser) It's a Frank Sinatra song come to life, courtesy of a billionaire. In 2018, tycoon and art collector Yusaku Maezawa, founder of Japanese online fashion mall Zozotown, was announced as the first signed passenger aboard SpaceX's Starship rocket, set to fly to the moon sometime in 2023. At the time, Maezawa said he'd be bringing along "six to eight artists" on his mission, who'd be "asked to create something after they return to Earth," per the Verge. There's since been a "pretty significant update": Now the spots are up for grabs to anyone, with Maezawa opening up his dearMoon contest to the general public, not just traditional artists, reports the BBC. That's because the more he thought about it, "maybe every single person who is doing something creative could be called an artist," Maezawa says in a YouTube video posted Tuesday. story continues below Toward that end, there are two criteria for applicants: They need to want "to help other people and greater society in some way," as well as be "willing to support other crew members who share similar aspirations." Maezawa says there will be "10 to 12 people in all" on his "private ride," but perhaps most important: "I will pay for the entire journey." CNBC reports the rocket will take three days to get to the moon, at which point the rocket will "loop behind it in orbit" before making its three-day return trip. "This mission we expect people will go further than any human has ever gone from planet Earth," Elon Musk has said. Per the dearMoon site, astronaut wannabes have til March 14 to "preregister" (ie, to provide basic info like name, contact info, and a profile pic), with an "initial screening" starting March 21. The "final interview and medical checkup" will take place at the end of May. "I hope that together we can make it a fun trip," Maezawa says in his video. (Read more space travel stories.) New Delhi, March 3 : Ahead of Assembly elections in four states and a Union Territory in March-April, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora on Wednesday warned of strict action against the observers in case of "lax in performing duties". The Commissioner said that the Election Commission will take swift action against such election observers, giving them instruction that "willful lapses will not be tolerated". "EC (Election Commission of India) will act swiftly and ruthlessly in case anyone is found to be lax in performing their duties. The Commission shall not tolerate any willful lapses," Arora said while briefing a meeting organised for observers. These observers to be deployed for the forthcoming general election to the legislative Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal for which schedule was announced on February 26. More than 18 crore voters would be exercising their right of franchise in these elections in which more than 80,000 polling stations have been added. The CEC further asked the observers to visit the polling booths to check due facilitation to senior citizens, persons with disabilities and women voters to ensure Commission's commitment to principle of inclusive elections. More than 1,650 observers participated in the briefing meeting physically and virtually from more than 120 remote locations also. Officers from IAS, IPS, IRS and other central services have been included to be deployed as General, Police and Expenditure Observers. Addressing the Observers, Arora further said that they are one of the most important torchbearers of Indian democracy. The CEC recalled that during his tenure in EC, since September 2017, he has been associated with 14 elections of state Assemblies and also the 2019 Lok Sabha General Elections wherein observers played an important role in the conduct of elections. Taking note of the exemplary work accomplished by the CEO and DEOs of Bihar despite widespread Covid concerns, Arora said Bihar Assembly elections have literally become a turning point in the history of Indian elections. "Even the participation of voters was better than the previous Assembly and Parliamentary elections in Bihar." Mentioning that observers will have additional role in randomization of forces and its deployment during these elections, the CEC said observers need to ensure proper direction to field-level officers so that ECI's constitutional mandate is scrupulously fulfilled. He called upon observers for their active interventions and presence which could enable in building confidence among the voters especially in vulnerable areas and make all efforts to curb money power or vices of liquor and freebies with complete involvement of all the enforcement agencies. TERRE HAUTE IND. (WTHI) - More of Terre Haute's homeless community will find shelter with this upcoming project. The Mental Health America of West Central Indiana (MHAWCI) plans to build a tiny home village beginning this year. Duke Energy donated $12,500 that will go toward the first home. "We think that once we get the first tiny home up, it will help the community understand our vision," Jessica Brown, Director of Development at MHAWCI said. "We are one step closer to that." The tiny homes will be built near 14th and Chase Street in Terre Haute. Each home will include a small kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping area. The goal is to help several homeless people in the community find a home and help to establish their confidence and independence. "Housing is Human Right and in order to get your overall wellness... stable, mental, physical, emotional... you need a roof over your head," Brown said. The organization hopes to build a total of 8 or 9 homes over the next few years. To help accomplish this goal, the non-profit will work with Indiana State University students majoring in engineering and design management. Together, they will begin breaking ground next month. Chicago, Illinois, March 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On January 13, a bill focusing on comprehensive criminal justice reform passed the Illinois House and Senate. This comes months after the Illinois Senate Criminal Law and Special Committee on Public Safety held its first joint hearing on police use of force. During that hearing, Samuel V. Jones, a professor of law and associate dean at UIC John Marshall Law School, testified in support of criminal justice reform. The bill, HB 3653, advances criminal justice reform relative to police oversight, use of force, pre-trial procedures and other critically important areas. On January 10, Jones, along with Attorney General Kwame Raoul and other officials and experts, testified again in support of reform as advocates on both sides engaged in a heated debate in the states capitol. Governor Pritzker has now signed the bill. Jones, a former Marine and U.S. Army Military Police Captain, conducted training for the Department of Homeland Security and Illinois judges; he is a legal expert regarding police accountability and practices. During the recent hearings, he discussed a range of topics, including the importance of Illinois police officers having a duty to intervene in certain circumstances and the need for greater protection for police officers from retaliation. He also testified in great detail regarding racial disparities relative to police use of force and provided data regarding the disproportionate number of African Americans who have been stopped, tased or shot by police in relation to others. He also pointed to low conviction rates for police misconduct and the sizeable monetary costs of police violence in Illinois. State Rep. Carol Ammons (D-Urbana), a member of the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Pretrial Practices, remarked, The reforms laid out in HB 3653 are crucial to building a more equitable Illinois. Systemic problems require systemic solutions. Ending cash bail, holding law enforcement responsible for their actions, addressing officer wellness and mental health, and every other provision in this bill work to fundamentally restructure how we think about the criminal justice system and how it serves the communities across Illinois. We were delighted to have Professor Jones address our colleagues in the legislature and receive questions from the floor and appreciate his expertise throughout this process. His commitment to criminal justice reform was crucial to this work. The long process of passing this pillar, and all of the ILBC pillars for that matter, has been a labor of love. Jones plans to continue working with Illinois legislators on various measures. When asked about his passion for reform, Jones has been unwavering in his belief in the preservation of all life as the highest of ideals. We must be tireless in our commitment to reform so that it is sufficient both in scope and conception. I remain convinced that increased police accountability will foster trust and confidence between our police officers and the communities they serve and ultimately save lives and money across all spectrums. New Jerseys top court heard arguments Tuesday about whether the names of officers found guilty of misconduct should be made public, the final stop in a months-long legal battle between the states top law enforcement official and a coalition of police unions. Unlike many states, New Jersey generally doesnt name officers who received major discipline, which can be used in cases involving abuse of family members, drinking on the job or giving false testimony. State Attorney General Gurbir Grewal announced the plan to release names last summer and a representative told the Supreme Court Tuesday that disclosure would help the public hold cops accountable. Police unions disagreed, and raised the specter of a deadly attack on a judges home to argue that publicizing the names of cops who had received suspensions threatened those officers and their families. The state does release information about use-of-force incidents and that was more than enough to judge an officers record, lawyers said. The unions, representing police from the local to state level, asked the seven justices to overturn a ruling from a lower court which unanimously found Grewals plan to be legal. During more than four hours of oral arguments conducted over Zoom, some justices appeared skeptical of union claims that the plan would do little to bolster public trust. Transparency, accountability you dont think that those are furthered by the release of names? asked Justice Barry Albin. Others questioned whether it was fair to identify officers who had previously been promised confidentiality, especially in cases going back decades. Justices grilled lawyers on what a fair process would be for individual challenges and left open the possibility of gathering more information before issuing a decision suggesting some names could remain hidden for months if not years even if the court agrees the plan is legal. In court documents, police unions representing tens of thousands of officers statewide have characterized the proposal as nothing more than a political ploy hastily rolled out in the wake of George Floyd protests. Public disclosure could amount to a new, unfair punishment on what may have been a years-old mistake, lawyers for the cops said Tuesday. One attorney said departments were already forthcoming, and she cited an annual State Police report that includes brief, anonymous summaries of officers found guilty of serious misconduct. The transparency of the annual report is remarkable, said Katherine Hartman on behalf of two trooper unions. However, the last report summarizing misconduct was published in 2017, and the agency has not issued new summaries for the past three years. State Solicitor Jeremy Feigenbaum said New Jersey needed to do more. He and other proponents said the release of names could prevent abusive cops from switching to new jobs and help defense attorneys challenge officers who had a history of lying. Marking a case as confidential never took away the attorney generals ability to release it anyway, Feigenbaum said. He cited the states internal affairs policy which says records of an internal investigation may be released at the direction of the County Prosecutor or Attorney General. In court documents, Feigenbaum also challenged the claim that disclosure would endanger officers. He used The Force Report as an example, noting that NJ Advance Medias disclosure of thousands of officers force records did not trigger widespread harassment (although one cop lost his job and was prosecuted for assault after his history was exposed). Some law enforcement groups do support the plan, on the grounds that knowing whos been punished could reveal any racial disparities in discipline, such as if a department punishes Black officers more than white officers. The attorney general is only carefully disclosing a very limited amount of information, Feigenbaum said. Its only where its substantiated, its only where its major, and it doesnt disclose any complainants or witnesses. His allies in court agreed the plan had limits. Some groups seeking police reform support a bill (S2656) that would make internal police records public. The attorney generals proposal, while helpful, doesnt go far enough, said Alexander Shalom, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey. To my colleagues from the unions who disagree with the policy choices of the attorney general, I say: Welcome to the club, Shalom said in court. The justices did not give a timeline for when they might issue a decision. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Blake Nelson can be reached at bnelson@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips. As the COVID-19 death toll mounts, Tamil nationalist parties in Sri Lanka are appealing to Indias ruling Hindu-supremacist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This comes amid growing war tensions driven above all by US imperialism. The incoming Biden administration, which recently bombed Iranian-linked militias in Syria, is also threatening China, intensifying tensions across the Indian Ocean region between China and Washingtons main regional ally, India. The class content of Tamil nationalist appeals to the BJP is virtually self-evident. The BJP is a violently anticommunist party with a long, bloody tradition of inciting communal massacres of Muslims. It has adopted the herd immunity policies championed by US imperialism on the pandemic, as well as allying with Washington against China. By appealing to the BJP, the Tamil nationalists are seeking virulently right-wing alliances to pursue herd immunity policies, whip up communal hatred and back imperialist war policies against working class opposition. Indian Prime Minister Modi of the BJP (Source: Wikipedia) They are responding to the February 15 comments from BJP Chief Minister of Tripura state Biplab Deb, who said that Home Minister Amit Shah wanted the BJP to take over Sri Lanka. We have to expand the party in Sri Lanka, Nepal and win there to form a government, Deb quoted Shah as saying. Deb also attacked the Chinese Communist Party, The communists claimed that their party was the worlds largest party. But Amit Shah made the BJP the largest party in the world. Maravanpulavu Sachchidanandan, who leads Sri Lankas Hindu-extremist Shiva Senai, soon endorsed Debs remarks. Calling the BJP the safest movement for Hindus in the South Asian region, he hailed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a global protector of Hindus, calling for the building of the BJP in Sri Lanka. Only such a movement and leaders like Modi and [Indian Interior Ministry] Amit Shah can resolve the problems of the Hindus in Sri Lanka. This is why we have decided to start the BJP here. This is a provocative, barely veiled threat of violence against the working class. The BJP has sought to violently repress mounting strikes and farmers protests against its austerity agenda and also mass protests that erupted before the pandemic against its anti-Muslim citizenship law. Moreover, the Indian state has already invaded and occupied much of the Tamil-majority north of Sri Lanka between 1987 to1990. Nonetheless, several prominent Tamil nationalist politicians in Sri Lanka have supported Deb. Tamil National Party leader K. Shivajilingam, who joined an east-to-north march in Sri Lanka led by Hindu clerics last month, endorsed the call of the Hindu fanatics, saying, There are communist parties all over the world. In that case, why should there not be another international in the name of the BJP? He denounced the Sri Lankan governments decision to award a Chinese company a contract to generate electricity and solar power on three small islands off Sri Lankas northern coast. The Eelam Tamils will never permit Chinese companies on this soil, Shivajilingam said, adding, This [Chinese contract] must be immediately withdrawn. If not, we the Tamil people will take things into our own hands; that the government must understand. Shivajilingam threatened that if the Sri Lankan government did not toe an anti-China line, US and Indian troops could invade Sri Lanka. In the Indo-Pacific region, if you were to act against India and the United States, certainly there would be a major conflict. There is no guarantee that perhaps American or Indian troops might not land and stay in the North and East of Sri Lanka. He threatened to back an ethnic partition of Sri Lanka, with India annexing the Tamil Eelam state. Understand that many countries in the world are broken and fragmented. If you want, the island of Sri Lanka would be divided into two parts, one for the state of Tamil Eelam and another for the state of Sri Lanka. Understand that the Chief Minister would be elected, and everyone would have to go to [Indias] New Delhi Parliament and Upper House. Addressing the Modi government, he pledged, You must seek your security. We, the Eelam Tamils, will stand by it. Other Tamil nationalists endorsed founding the BJP in Sri Lanka, speculating that it could help their maneuvers with the Sri Lankan government in Colombo. Tamil National Alliance (TNA) official S. Shritharan said he would welcome the BJP into Sri Lanka if it supported ethnic Tamil control of the North and East. He added that the Sinhala nation must accept the art, culture, autonomy, sovereignty, Tamil nationalism and language of the Tamil people. Such remarks expose the violent shift to the right by the Tamil nationalists amid the pandemic and mounting geostrategic tensions in the region. Since the defeat and massacre of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) fighters at the end of the Sri Lankan civil war in 2009, Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim workers and youths have increasingly mobilized together in strikes and protests against austerity and police-state policies. This staggered and terrified Sri Lankas Sinhalese and Tamil bourgeois parties, cutting across their nationalist politics. While the Tamil bourgeois nationalists reacted in fear of the movement from below, they pursued an ever more openly neo-colonial, communal strategy. In 2015, they supported the US-backed regime change operation in Colombo to oust then-President Mahinda Rajapakse, whom Washington saw as too close to China, and set up a US-backed, pro-austerity government. After it collapsed in 2019, however, and the Rajapakse brothers returned to power, the Tamil nationalists became ever more hysterical in their right-wing, anti-China rhetoric. The pandemic has brought these conflicts to unprecedented intensity. The Modi government has been shaken by the mass strikes by public sector workers and protests by farmers. Now, as infections and deaths again mount across South Asia, all factions of the bourgeoisie are pursuing a murderous herd immunity policy, provoking bitter opposition among workers and youth. There are signs that Tamil nationalists pro-BJP rhetoric may have gone too far, from the standpoint of Washington and New Delhi. On February 24, US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina Teplitz met with TNA officials Mavi Senadhirasa, S. Sritharan, and C.V.K. Sivagnanam. She also met Jaffna Mayor V. Manivannan of the Tamil National Peoples Front (TNPF). Manivannan reportedly hailed Vice President Kamala Harris for her Tamil ancestry and appealed for US assistance. After these meetings, several of their online videos of the Hindu east-to-north march were taken down. The Tamil nationalists endorsements of the BJP are nonetheless a warning to workers in Sri Lanka and internationally. The workers and toiling masses do not and cannot forget the horrific trail of blood and pillage left behind by the Indian army in 1987-90 in areas of Sri Lanka it occupied, but the Tamil nationalists are seeking allies in New Delhi. However, the bourgeois nationalists are pressing on to the right, as international class and geopolitical tensions reach explosive dimensions. It is three decades since the Indian intervention in Sri Lanka and the Stalinist regimes dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Since then, the Indian bourgeoisie and the Tamil nationalist parties have fully integrated themselves into the imperialist-dominated world capitalist market and shifted far to the right. The Tamil nationalists anti-China outbursts, aiming to curry favor with US imperialism and Modi, are inseparable from their bitter hostility to the working class. By appealing to Modi, they seek allies against a renewed upsurge of workers struggles, notably in Sri Lankawith strikes by tea plantation workers, health care workers protests against the disastrous pandemic response and mass protests across the North and East in September. The alternative to the reactionary politics of the Sri Lankan and Indian regimes and to their Tamil nationalist allies is advanced by the Socialist Equality Party. It counterposes to the plots of New Delhi, Colombo and the Tamil nationalists the international mobilization and unification of the working class, across all the regions ethnic and state boundaries, in a struggle for state power and for socialism. It is the only way to halt the imperialist war drive and impose a scientifically-based policy to stop the pandemic. President Joe Biden will not prioritize announcing this week who will replace Nerra Tanden as his pick to head up the White House budget office as Democrats push for his deputy nominee Shalanda Young to take her spot. 'Let me first say that given Neera Tanden withdrew her nomination just last night, I would not expect or you should not expect any announcement on a future nominee this week,' White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Wednesday. 'Obviously the president's schedule is quite full, his focus remains on the American Rescue Plan.' Democratic House leadership started lobbying Tuesday evening a few hours after Biden accepted Tanden's withdrawal for the president to upgrade Young's deputy nomination to now become head of the White House Office of Management and Budget. Tanden submitted a letter to Biden on Tuesday formally withdrawing her candidacy to join his cabinet as OMB director. Her confirmation was on rocky grounds ever since centrist Democratic Senator Joe Manchin announced last month he would not vote to confirm her over her past of 'toxic' tweets attacking lawmakers. It appeared following Manchin, no moderate Republican was willing to cross the party line to vote for Tanden's confirmation and even some Democrats, like Senator Bernie Sanders, suggested doubt over her viability as a nominee. The White House is standing by their praise of Tanden. 'The president is looking forward to finding a place for her in the administration and values her experience and her talents and is looking forward to utilizing them,' Psaki said during her daily briefing on Wednesday afternoon. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday that Joe Biden will not be announcing this week a replacement for his Office of Management and Budget pick after Neera Tanden withdrew her nomination Neera Tanden officially withdrew her nomination on Tuesday evening after facing bipartisan backlash for her tweets attacking lawmakers on both sides Biden accepted Tanden's withdraw, but Psaki said Wednesday he is still going to look for a place for her in his administration likely not in a role that requires a confirmation Democrats are lobbying for Biden to nominate longtime House Appropriations Committee staffer Shalanda Young, a longtime House Appropriations staffer, to head the budget office Those backing Young's nomination, after working with her for years in her capacity as a staffer for the House Appropriations Committee, include the likes of House like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Majority Whip Jim Clyburn. All three Democratic leaders have personally expressed to the West Wing their support for her nomination Tuesday. Along with the top three Democrats in the House, the Congressional Black Caucus has also directly pressed Biden's advisers to convince him that Young is the right person to replace Tanden. If nominated and confirmed, Young would be the first woman of color to head OMB. Young has also garnered some bipartisan support as Republicans have expressed their positive view of her as she has started the confirmation process to be the budget office's deputy director. During her hearing before the Senate Budget Committee panel on Tuesday, Republican Ranking Member Lindsey Graham declared, 'You'll get my support, maybe for both jobs,' adding that she is 'highly qualified.' Top Democrats, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (left), Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (center) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, are putting their support behind the longtime Democratic staffer Young could have bipartisan support as Senate Budget Committee Ranking Member Lindsey Graham suggested during a confirmation hearing for the deputy nominee: 'You'll get my support, maybe for both jobs' Young was already making her way through the confirmation process for deputy of the Office of Management and Budget so she could have a leg up against other potential replacement 'Everybody that deals with you on our side has nothing but good things to say,' Graham said of Young. 'You might talk me out of voting for you, but I doubt it.' Young served as a staffer on the House Appropriations Committee since 2007. In 2017, she was named to staff director of the committee, where she served until her nomination to join Biden's administration as deputy director of OMB. 'You may be more than deputy,' Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana told Young during Tuesday's hearing. On Thursday, Young has another confirmation hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. So far, Biden's administration has not yet announced a replacement for Tanden's nomination as his cabinet remains half empty more than a month into his presidency and as recent as Monday the White House was still defending its original OMB pick. Other names being floated to take Tanden's place include Gene Sperling, who served as a top economic adviser to both Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, and Ann OLeary, who most recently worked as chief of staff for California Governor Gavin Newsom and was a top adviser to Hillary Clinton. A third choice mentioned is Sarah Bianchi, a longtime Biden loyalist who was his top economic adviser when he was Obama's vice president. Considering Republicans on the Budget Committee have already expressed they would support Young for OMB pick, she could be chosen if the White House is looking for a quick confirmation following the Tanden debacle. The White House on Tuesday evening withdrew Tanden's nomination as she faced increasing opposition from key Democratic and Republican senators for her controversial tweets attacking lawmakers on all sides. She called Mitch McConnell, the Senate Minority Leader, 'Voldemort', and said that Senator Susan Collins of Maine should be 'haunted' for the rest of her days for her questioning of Brett Kavanaugh's accuser, Christine Blasey Ford. She described Alabama senate candidate Roy Moore as 'a child molester', Ted Cruz as 'a vampire' and Tom Cotton 'a fraud'. In the days after the election, Tanden also deleted more than 1,000 tweets from her personal account. 'Unfortunately, it now seems clear that there is no path forward to gain confirmation, and I do not want continued consideration of my nomination to be a distraction from your other priorities,' Tanden wrote in a letter to Biden. Tanden, 50, apologized during her confirmation hearing to 'people on either the left or right who are hurt by what I've said.' Just prior to the hearing, she deleted hundreds more tweets, many of which were critical of Republicans. Her withdrawal marks the first high-profile defeat of one of Biden's nominees. Eleven of the 23 Cabinet nominees requiring Senate approval have been confirmed, most with strong bipartisan support. The president, in a statement, said he has 'utmost respect for her record of accomplishment, her experience and her counsel' and pledged to find her another role in his administration. Tanden is expected to get a White House position that does not require Senate confirmation. Tanden's viability was in doubt after Joe Manchin, a Democratic senator for West Virginia, and a number of moderate Republicans came out against her last month, all citing her tweets attacking members of both parties prior to her nomination. Manchin, a key moderate swing vote in the Senate, said last month in a statement announcing his opposition that 'her overtly partisan statements will have a toxic and detrimental impact on the important working relationship between members of Congress and the next director of the Office of Management and Budget.' Tanden is seen at an 'Impeach and Remove' rally in Washington in December 2019 Democrat Joe Manchin (left) and Susan Collins (right) have both been vocal about their concerns with Tanden leading the budget office Neera Tanden's tweets 'Vampires have more heart than Ted Cruz'. 'If Susan Collins and Jeff Flake actually believed the House would go along with DACA and Alexander Murray, they have no business being legislators because they are criminally ignorant.' Mitch McConnell was referred to as 'Moscow Mitch' and 'Voldemort'. 'Trump just called a black woman a dog and about 80% of the GOP don't think he's racist. Whole party needs to be defeated.' Advertisement Maine Republican Susan Collins, meanwhile, cited Biden's own standard of conduct in opposing Tanden, declaring in a statement that 'her past actions have demonstrated exactly the kind of animosity that President Biden has pledged to transcend.' Tanden needed just 51 votes in an evenly-divided Senate, with Vice President Kamala Harris acting as a tiebreaker. But without Manchin's support, the White House was left scrambling to find a Republican to support her. One potential Republican vote, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, told reporters earlier Tuesday on Capitol Hill she still had not yet made up her mind on Tanden's nomination. The White House stuck with her even after a number of centrist Republicans made their opposition known, insisting her experience growing up on welfare and background working on progressive policies as the president and CEO of the liberal-leaning Center for American Progress made her the right candidate for the moment. White House chief of staff Ron Klain initially insisted the administration was 'fighting our guts out' for her. Tanden faced pointed questions over her past comments about members from both parties during her confirmation hearing. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent senator and prominent progressive lawmaker, accused her of issuing 'vicious attacks' against progressives, and hadn't said whether he'd support her nomination. Collins cited the deleted tweets in her statement, saying that the move 'raises concerns about her commitment to transparency.' She said Congress 'has to be able to trust the OMB director to make countless decisions in an impartial manner, carrying out the letter of the law and congressional intent.' As recently as Monday, the White House indicated it was sticking by Tanden's nomination, with press secretary Jen Psaki noting Tanden's 'decades of experience' in defending their pick. 'We will continue of course to fight for the confirmation of every nominee that the president puts forward,' Psaki insisted, but she added, 'We'll see if we have 50 votes.' The head of the Office of Management and Budget is tasked with putting together the administration's budget, as well as overseeing a wide range of logistical and regulatory issues across the federal government. Tanden's withdrawal leaves the Biden administration without a clear replacement. Miss Universe Thailand gets chop as ambassador THAILAND: The Department of Mental Health has sacked Miss Universe Thailand 2020, Amanda Obdam, as its mental health ambassador, citing public concerns about the beauty queens views on the countrys political situation. violence By Bangkok Post Wednesday 3 March 2021, 11:14AM Phukets Amanda Obdam took to her social media account to express her disapproval of all forms of violence. Photo: Miss Universe Thailand. Her dismissal was announced in a press release published on the departments official Facebook page, with immediate effect. The statement quoted the departments director-general, Panpimol Wipulakorn, as saying the departments mental health ambassador should not do anything which may cause conflict and division in Thai society - in an apparent reference to Amandas stance on the recent political unrest gripping the nation. The 28-year-old Thai-Canadian model from Phuket was crowned Miss Universe Thailand 2020 on Oct 10 last year, when anti-government protests were beginning to escalate. On Oct 16 - as authorities dispersed anti-government protesters in Bangkok - she took to her social media account to express her disapproval of all forms of violence. Amanda became the departments mental health ambassador, as the department had agreed with the pageants organisers to name the winner as an ambassador. In the statement, Dr Panpimol rejected reports that the decision to appoint Amanda as the departments mental health ambassador on Feb 25 was a favour to anyone - saying she was chosen with the task of encouraging people to be good listeners and raising public awareness on mental health problems in the country. Thanyawat Kamonwongwat, a Move Forward Party MP, said the decision to strip Amanda of her ambassador role was taken after she aired her political views, which reflected the governments authoritarian nature. 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. Washington, March 3 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Mar, 2021 ) :US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke Tuesday with Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, whom Washington recognizes as interim president, and proposed working with allies to increase "multilateral pressure" against leftist leader Nicolas Maduro. "Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Venezuelan Interim President Juan Guaido today. Secretary Blinken stressed the importance of a return to democracy in Venezuela through free and fair elections," state department spokesman Ned price said in a statement. The two spoke via video call. Blinken called for "efforts to work with likeminded allies" such as the European Union, the Organization of American States and initiatives such as the Lima Group to "increase multilateral pressure" for a "peaceful, democratic transition" in the South American country, the statement said. Maduro, whose 2018 reelection has been deemed fraudulent by the White House, said after President Joe Biden's inauguration that he wanted to forge a "new path" with the United States. Relations between Washington and Caracas were tense under former president Donald Trump, who imposed crippling sanctions on Venezuela and its state oil company PDVSA in an effort to force socialist Maduro from power. Venezuela's economic crisis has caused more than five million people to flee the country. Blinken "committed to continued US support" in his call with Guaido, Price's statement said. Guaido, according to a statement from his office, told Blinken he was committed to the United States and other allies in seeking political solutions while increasing humanitarian assistance to Venezuela. "They agreed to work with the international community to achieve free, fair and transparent presidential and parliamentary elections," the statement said. Before taking office in January, Blinken called Maduro a "dictator" and said he would continue Trump's policy of recognizing Guaido as the interim president. Guaido declared himself Venezuela's leader in 2019, rooting his legitimacy in his role as speaker of the opposition-led National Assembly. His claim has been recognized by more than 50 countries, including the United States. Control of the legislative body has since been won by Maduro's forces in December 2020 elections internationally considered rigged. The US State Department also praised El Salvador Tuesday for holding "successful" legislative and municipal elections. Parties allied with President Nayib Bukele were victorious. Washington called on "all parties to work together to resolve any remaining concerns about this election peacefully," Price said in a statement. New Delhi, March 3 : The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari is running his illegal activities from Rupnagar district jail in Punjab where he is lodged currently. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted before a bench comprising Ashok Bhushan and R.S. Reddy that Ansari is "dodging" the judicial system. These allegations were denied by the Punjab government. Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, representing the Punjab government, argued that state government has nothing to do with Ansari while he is in custody, instead he was behind bards due to judicial process, and questioned the maintainability of the UP government's plea. The UP government has moved the top court seeking a direction to the Punjab government and Rupnagar jail authority to immediately hand over the custody of Ansari, an MLA from Mau constituency, to district jail Banda. Mehta submitted before the top court several cases are pending against Ansari in UP, and the Punjab jail authorities are denying handing him over to face trial in these matters. "He (Ansari) is dodging the judicial system," said Mehta. Mehta contended that the entire matter looks like a film script, where several cases were pending against Ansari in Uttar Pradesh and suddenly, the Punjab Police lodged an FIR in 2019. He added that Ansari has not been produced before UP court despite several orders. "I am showing the collusion between themHe is operating and running his illegal activities from jail in Punjab", said Mehta. Dave reiterated Punjab government has no special affection for Ansari and cited the case of Kerala-based journalist Siddique Kappan in the matter. Dave said, "Can Kerala tomorrow move the Supreme Court and say that he (Kappan) is from Kerala, so he be transferred to Kerala from Uttar Pradesh?". During the hearing, Ansari's counsel Mukul Rohatgi cited threat to the life of his client, as one of the co-accused was "eliminated in encounter" by the Uttar Pradesh Police. Rohatgi insisted to transfer all cases against him from UP to Delhi. The top court said it will look into this request. The court is likely to continue hearing the matter tomorrow. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Ukraine's First Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzheppar has met with the newly appointed head of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine, Steen Norlov, to discuss the issue of improving the effectiveness of the Action Plan for Ukraine, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's press service has reported. "First Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Emine Dzheppar met on March 2 with the newly appointed Representative of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in Ukraine, Head of the Council of Europe Office in our country, Steen Norlov, and Director of the Office of the Directorate General of Programs of the Council of Europe Verena Taylor," the report reads. The parties discussed ways to increase the effectiveness of the implementation of draft action plans, in particular those aimed at overcoming the effects of external aggression against Ukraine, the ministry said. The participants in the meeting emphasized the importance of the further effective implementation of the Action Plan as an effective practical tool for the Council of Europe to support the course of reforms in Ukraine in the areas of human rights protection, the rule of law and the development of a democratic society. The Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine 2018-2021 is a strategic programming instrument which aims, through cooperation, to accompany the country in its efforts to bring legislation, institutions and practice further into line with European standards in the areas of human rights, the rule of law and democracy and, through this, to support the country in meeting its obligations as a Council of Europe member State. Dzheppar congratulated Norlov on the beginning of his activity in this position, expressing confidence that the CoE Office in Ukraine will continue to implement projects developed jointly with Ukrainian partners under the Action Plan for 2018-2022. The Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine was earlier extended until the end of 2022. op The entrance of the Shanghai Stock Exchange in the Lujiazui Financial District, on Sept. 22. (Johannes Eisele/AFP/Getty Images) Chinese Investment Firm Under Investigation for Fraud, 12 Executives Arrested Financial firm Dalian Huaxun Investment Co., Ltd. has been ordered by Chinese authorities on Feb. 28 to suspend its business operations due to allegations of fraud and false advertising. So far, 147 employees, including the chairman and 11 executives, have been placed under criminal investigation on charges of fraud and running a false advertising scam involving 2.7 billion yuan (about $417.2 million), Chinese news portal Sohu reported. The investment firm was also given administrative penalties by regional securities authorities, according to Chinese media. Dalian Huaxun was established in 2000 in Dalian city, in Chinas northeastern Liaoning Province. It is one of Chinas first companies that obtained a certificate of investment advisor. In 2015, it was listed on the countrys National Equities Exchange and Quotations (NEEQ), a platform for trading the shares of a public limited company that is not listed on either the Shenzhen or Shanghai stock exchanges. The company attracts shareholders through a stock recommendation app called Huaxun Stock App and charges a membership fee with a promise of high returns, according to Chinese media reports. It advertises on multiple online platforms and offers incentives such as free golden stocks to attract potential investors. Once they click the link, they enter a chat group where a salesperson persuades them to invest in the app. Dalian Huaxun targets a certain group of people and avoids selling their services to public servants, lawyers, and media personnel. In March 2020, a female client surnamed Huang was lured in. She was enticed by the companys promise of lucrative gains and she followed the advice of a financial advisor who persuaded her to invest in Huaxun Stock App. However, she sustained losses once she bought stocks that were recommended by the app, according to Chinese media reports. When Huang began to complain, the company ignored her. But after she reported the situation to local police and threatened to file a complaint with the China Securities Regulatory Commission, Dalian Huaxun immediately responded. Huang was given a refund, but she was made to delete all her online chat history with the companys staff and to drop the case. According to Chinese media reports, Dalian Huaxuns annual membership fees vary from 8,800 yuan (about $1,360), 28,000 yuan (about $4,327), 39,800 yuan (about $6,151), and 128,000 yuan (about $19,782). Its employees gain a commission between 3 percent to 10 percent, depending on the sales. The company claims that it has 85 professional researchers, 26 first-rate analysts, and that more than 80 percent of its employees are senior professional title holders. Most of the companys employees are unqualified and are not licensed financial advisors, and some only have a middle school education, Sohu reported. Since 2017, Dalian Huaxun has been penalized several times by authorities for hiring unlicensed sales staff, Chinese media Yicai Global reported. The Court of Appeal has dismissed John Waters and Gemma O'Doherty's appeal against a refusal to permit them to challenge the constitutionality of laws introduced in response to Covid-19 on the basis it was "misconceived and entirely without merit." They had appealed the High Courts refusal to permit the two to bring their challenge and its award of costs of that hearing against them. In their judicial review proceedings against the State and the Minister for Health, with the Dail. Seanad and Ceann Comhairle as notice parties, the appellants had sought to have various legislative measures declared unconstitutional and flawed. In its decision the three-judge Court of Appeal, comprised of the President of the Court of Appeal Mr Justice George Birmingham, Ms Justice John Edwards and Ms Justice Caroline Costello dismissed all grounds of their appeal. Giving the court's decision Mr Justice Birmingham said that court was "quite satisfied" that the approach taken by the High Court in relation to their case "was the correct one". He added that while the case was "controversial and tendentious" no serious legal issue that would justify the granting of permission had been raised by the appellants. The applicants he said claimed "to know better than the government and the Oireachtas." and in their submission they had dismissed internal and international advice concerning the pandemic available to the government. They had "chosen rhetoric over substance and fiction and distortion over fact" and failed to meet the threshold of establishing an arguable case, the judge concluded. Mr Justice Birmingham said that during the appeal Ms O'Doherty had referred to the World Health Organisation as 'a private corporation.' and had made "allegations of treason" against the respondents and notice parties. While the underlying circumstances, that resulted in the state taking "very far-reaching measures", are "extraordinarily grave" the judge said Ms O'Doherty and Mr Waters have "singularly failed to raises issues of substance." While some of the arguments advanced "might have a certain appeal if addressed to a flag-waving assembly out the Custom's House, they had no purchase when addressed to a court of law. " The Judge the applicants, who described themselves as experienced journalists in the fields of law, science and medicine, were aggrieved by the High Court's criticisms of them for giving unsubstantiaed opinions and speeches and drawing a comparison with Nazi Germany. The appellants, who claimed their case was supported by scientific evidence, were critical of Mr Justice Meenan's attitude towards a government whose actions they described as being catastrophic and in breach of people's fundamental freedoms. The judge said they had claimed that no scientific studies exist to support the wearing of masks to stop the spread of viruses and said they was much evidence to show wearing masks was bad for people's health. Ms O'Doherty stated was a cure available for covid19 in the form of hydrochloroquine zine and Vitamin C, but what health services had been doing was placing patients in ICUs on ventilators bringing about their deaths. The judge said that "to put it at its mildest there was a tendency by the appellants to present as unchallenged fact what is keenly in dispute." "One is reminded of comments in another context of the existence of alternative facts" the judge said adding the High Court had approached to these issues complained of was "entirely correct." The Judge added that the court did not intend to depart from normal rule was that the losing parties should pay the legal costs of the action, unless it is asked to by one of the parties. If any party seeks such a departure must make written submissions to the court, the Judge added. The appeal was opposed by the respondents and the notice parties. Last year Ms O'Doherty and Mr Waters sought to challenge legislation including the 2020 Health Preservation and Protection and Other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act; the 2020 Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act Covid-19 Act and the 1947 Health Act (Affected Areas) Order. They claimed the laws, and the manner in which they were enacted, are repugnant to several articles of the Constitution including concerning the rights to travel, bodily integrity and the family, and amounted to an unprecedented suspension of constitutional rights. Last May Mr Justice Charles Meenan refused to grant them leave and said their claims were not arguable. They had not provided any expert evidence or facts to support their view the laws were disproportionate or unconstitutional. The manner in which the Houses of the Oireachtas dealt with the laws, introduced by a caretaker government and voted on by an incoming Dail and outgoing Seanad, was not something a court could interfere with, he said. The laws are constitutionally permissible and the proceedings should have been brought via plenary hearing, involving hearing oral evidence, and not judicial review, he held. In their submissions to the appeal court Ms ODoherty, and Mr Waters argued the High Court's decision refusing them permission to bring their challenge against the laws was wrong and that they didn't get a fair hearing before the lower courts. Mr Waters argued that the CoA should set aside a High Court judgement that was "deeply tainted." Michael Collins SC, with Patrick McCann SC for the Minister and the State said the applicants' appeal should be dismissed. Counsel said they have made many wild and general assertions, which he said were not supported by any reports or evidence. Some of their submissions to the court were appalling and offensive, counsel said. Francis Kieran Bl for the notice parties said the appeal should be dismissed as their claim was non judiciable, and nothing had been put before the court that would allow them "climb the high legal walls" required for thier arguments to succeed. Counsel adding that some of the applicant's submissions was "Bermuda Triangle stuff." 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 This past fall, United Way of Greater Chattanooga was selected as one of six grant administrators to oversee the Tennessee Community Cares Program (TN Cares) granting them access to oversee and handle over $24,000,000 in aid. Administrators were tasked with handling outreach, marketing and reporting of funds, receiving and approving grant applications and monitoring spending of approved programs as part of the wave of funding for Tennessee nonprofit organizations under the Tennessee Community Cares Program that was announced by Governor Bill Lee.The TN Cares program was part of the United States Financial Stimulus Accountability Group designated to provide up to $150 million in aid.United Way of Greater Chattanooga received 1,003 submissions for TN Cares aid totaling $24,239,734. The financial aid requested included COVID-19 related needs related to personnel expenses, COVID-19 contact tracing, distance learning, economic support, food programing, housing support, telework capabilities, medical expenses, nursing homes, payroll expenses, personal protective equipment, public health, and more.In addition to partnering with volunteer submission reviewers, United Way was able to work with additional outside consultants to optimize the application process and overall workflow and ensure top-tier quality for the nonprofits involved.United Way of Greater Chattanooga was supported in its efforts by Tennessee State Senator Bo Watson (TN-11), who partnered with on-the-ground organizations to ensure the most equitable and accountable process for executing this program in the community.The Tennessee Community Cares Program is exactly what our citizens needed in a time of uncertainty, and I was glad to lend a hand in executing its full potential, said TN State Senator Bo Watson. I would like to thank Governor Bill Lee, United Way of Greater Chattanooga, and all the other administrators for their leadership and diligence in making this program as effective as possible. The work we have all done here has made a significant impact on our shared community and our ability to continue weathering this crisis.At United Way, our mission is to unite people and resources in building a stronger, healthier community in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, we knew we had to step up, said Lesley Scearce, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Chattanooga. We were honored to be selected to oversee such an important task and to have the opportunity to live out our mission by doing exactly what we do best -- connecting resources to need through the relationships we have already built as an organization.We are so proud of the efforts of the nonprofits who stepped up to fight the good fight, added Suzy Anthony, vice president of Finance and Operations at United Way. Many of the nonprofits that we were able to help had never gone through this type of grant application process. So, while we are happy to see them be able to utilize the funds that were approved through Tennessee Cares, were also excited to see them apply for future grants now that they understand the process and believe in their ability. Texas is set to become the largest state to lift its mask mandate amid falling COVID numbers and increased vaccinations. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday the order requiring face coverings would end March 10. The order also allows businesses to reopen at full capacity and prevents local authorities from penalizing residents who do not wear a mask. It is now time to open Texas 100%, Abbott said. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves announced his state would also lift COVID restrictions, doing away with its mask order and allowing businesses to reopen without restrictions. The changes went into effect today. In Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced the state would increase capacity limits at establishments like restaurants and restart visitation at nursing homes statewide. The changes go into effect on March 5 and will remain in place through April 19. Louisiana has made changes as well, allowing bars to reopen and lifting capacity limits on religious services but keeping its mask mandate in place. The changes will not be instituted in New Orleans. Before yesterdays announcements, 35 states had requirements regarding some form of facial coverings. Three states had previously lifted them: Montana, Iowa and North Dakota. Alabamas mask order set to expire Friday Alabamas facial covering order is set to expire Friday unless extended by Gov. Kay Ivey. The order was first instituted in July and has been extended several times. Ivey has typically called a press conference a day or so before the previous deadlines but has not announced plans yet this week. Alabamas current order requires people to wear facial coverings within 6 feet of someone else as well as at schools for all personnel and students grades second and below. The deadline comes just as Alabama passed a grim milestone of 10,000 deaths. As of this morning, the state reported 7,872 confirmed deaths and 2,157 probable deaths related to the pandemic for a total of 10,029. Fiscally conservative conservatism may hold the idea of government-provided health care or payments aimed at family formation at arms length (for fear of enabling dependency), but many voters dont. The conservatism that was seemingly agreed upon by the Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute and National Review was not the conservatism that Mr. Trump sold to the American people. Mitt Romney campaigned in 2012 on being severely conservative and lost. Mr. Trump campaigned on a self-serving redefinition of what it even means to be conservative and won. After all, as Mr. Trump told ABC News in early 2016, this is called the Republican Party, its not called the Conservative Party. But what Mr. Trump was for, and what his voters supported, was not the populist nationalism generally associated with Trumpism. Populist nationalism has a long history in this country. Paleoconservatives like Pat Buchanan, the former Nixon assistant and political commentator, have espoused a blend of America First isolationist foreign policy rhetoric and distrust of perceived culture and political elites for decades. While populist nationalism exists, its existence does not depend on any one individual. Trumpism does. In reality, there is no such thing as Trumpism. Trumpism is a retconning of Mr. Trumps rise to the presidency, a version of the story in which his myriad statements and outbursts and tweets were based on a foundational policy and not on whatever he happened to be thinking about at that moment. What Mr. Trump was for was Donald Trump, and what Trumpism is, is Donald Trump. Put another way: Had Mr. Trump run for the presidency as a severely conservative nominee, he probably would have won the nomination just the same. He did not have a coherent policy platform, because he was the policy platform, the middle finger to perceived enemies and the bulwark against real or imagined progressive assault. Many Republican presidents would have moved the American Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem or supported a capital-gains tax cut or attempted to wage a Kulturkampf against cancel culture or any other wedge issue that provided an unwinnable and unlosable political war to be fought in the Twitter trenches. It is telling that as president, Mr. Trump became a remarkably standard Republican on many issues (his opposition to raising the minimum wage, for example) and received no penalty from his voters or allies. He did not need to fulfill the promises of Trumpism to win their support. He merely needed to be Donald Trump. According to a list published on Tuesday, Alibaba's Jack Ma is no longer China's richest man. The Alibaba and Ant Group founder lost his title after his empire underwent scrutiny by Chinese regulators. Alibaba's Jack Ma no longer China's richest man Jack Ma's peers prospered while his empire underwent heavy scrutiny by Chinese regulators. Ma and his family held the top spot for China's richest in 2019 and 2020 in the Hurun Global Rich List. However, Alibaba's CEO dropped to fourth place behind bottled water maker Nongfu Spring's Zhong Shanshan, Tencent Holding's Pony Ma, and e-commerce upstart Pinduoduo's Colin Huang, as per the latest list. The Hurun report said Jack Ma's fall to the fourth spot came after China's regulators threw antitrust issues at the Ant Group and Alibaba. Ma's recent woes were caused by a speech he gave on October 24. He blasted China's regulatory system, leading to the cancellation of his Ant Group's $37 billion IPO just days before it was expected to go public. Since then, authorities have intensified antitrust scrutiny of the country's tech industry, with Alibaba bearing the burden of the criticism, according to Reuters. In December, the competition regulator opened an official antitrust investigation into Alibaba. Chinese authorities have also strengthened their grip on the fintech sector, demanding that Ant combine some of its companies into a financial holding corporation that would be governed similarly to conventional financial firms. Alibaba's founder, who is not notorious for staying away from the spotlight, then went missing for three months, prompting a frenzy of rumors over his whereabouts. In January, he resurfaced with a 50-second video appearance. Zhong, China's new wealthiest person, got to the top for the first time thanks to the stock success of Nongfu Spring and vaccine manufacturer Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy Enterprise, both of which he owns. According to the list, Tencent's Ma's wealth increased by 70 percent year over year to 480 billion yuan ($74.16 billion), while Pinduoduo's Huang's wealth increased by 283 percent to 450 billion yuan. On the other hand, Ma and his family's capital rose by 22 percent to 360 billion yuan. With an estimated personal wealth of $54 billion, Zhang Yiming, founder of TikTok owner ByteDance, broke into the top five rankings among Chinese billionaires in Hurun's Global Rich List the first time. Read also: Ex-French President Nicolas Sarkozy Convicted of Corruption The highest concentration of billionaires in China Meanwhile, Zhong Shanshan of Nongfu Spring made his debut on the list with an $85 billion wealth. Last year, Zhong made his money on a $1.1 billion IPO in Hong Kong. According to Hurun, Zhong's first rise at the pinnacle was primarily due to his company's stock price success and vaccine maker Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy Enterprise, both of which he owns. Pony Ma, the founder of Tencent, saw his fortune rise 70 percent to $74.16 billion per Republic World. Huang's fortune rose by 283 percent to 69.53 billion dollars at Pinduoduo. According to Hurun, China produced more than 200 billionaires last year, and the country has added 490 billionaires in the last five years, compared to 160 in the United States. According to the survey, China now has six of the top ten cities with the largest concentration of billionaires, with Beijing leading the list for the sixth year in-a-row. Read also: You May Have Had COVID-19 Without Realizing It If You Experience These Signs Jack Ma's Ant Shelves employee share buyback program Due to ongoing regulatory uncertainty, Ant Group, Alibaba Group's financial services arm, has halted its share buyback program for current and soon-to-be-former employees, Bloomberg reported Monday. According to executives familiar with the situation, the Jack Ma-founded company employees are stuck with difficult-to-value shares. Even Ant cannot figure out what they are worth, according to executives familiar with the situation. Ant's valuation has been lowered to less than $8 billion by Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Francis Chan, 60 percent lower than the level reached during its now-canceled IPO. Read also: Biden Breaks Promise of Punishing Saudi Officials @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Bhopal, March 3 : Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh will be spearheading the farmers' agitation against the Centre's contentious farm laws, across various districts in the state, beginning from Wednesday. Singh is scheduled to hold a series of 'kisan chaupals' and 'panchayats' at many villages in the state. He will also be staying with the farmers for four days and interact with them, said a party statement. The former CM will be holding the first kisan chaupal in Ratlam's Renmahu Chowpatty on Wednesday night. Subsequently, on Thursday 'kisan mahapanchayats' will be convened at Delanpur in the same district, at Badnagar on Friday and in Sehore's Shyampur on Saturday. Political experts opined that Digvijaya wants to distance himself from the controversies brewing within the Congress. "This was the reason he did not make comment anything on the ongoing rift within the party and has gone on a non-political campaign to unite the protesting farmers." Fury has erupted in Spain over reports that King Felipe VI's sisters got vaccinated for coronavirus in the United Arab Emirates. According to El Mundo and El Confidencial, Princess Elena, 57, and Princess Cristina, 55, got the jabs last month while visiting their father, former king Juan Carlos, in Abu Dhabi. The two royals would not yet qualify for the jabs under Spain's Covid-19 immunisation programme, which gives priority to older people and the most vulnerable. A spokesman for the royal palace refused to comment on Wednesday's reports on the grounds that the princesses are formally 'not part' of the institution and the palace has no say in their activities. Fury has erupted in Spain over reports that King Felipe VI's sisters got vaccinated for coronavirus in the United Arab Emirates. According to El Mundo and El Confidencial, Princess Elena (centre), 57, and Princess Cristina (second from right), 55, got the jabs last month while visiting their father, former king Juan Carlos, in Abu Dhabi. Pictured L-R: Spanish King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, Princess Elena, Princess Cristina and her husband Inaki Urdangarin [File photo] Podemos, a hard-left party that forms part of Spain's coalition and is staunchly anti-monarchist, said such 'privileges' served to 'discredit' the monarchy. 'The vaccination of the princesses is more new which contributes to discrediting the monarchy. For the public this constitutes preferential treatment and privileges,' Equality Minister and Podemos member Irene Montero told public television TVE. The monarchy is one of several issues dividing Podemos and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's Socialists, which have governed in a coalition since January 2020. A spokesman for the royal palace refused to comment on Wednesday's reports on the grounds that the princesses are formally 'not part' of the institution and the palace has no say in their activities. The princesses are the sisters of King Felipe VI (pictured) The controversy over the vaccinations is the latest blow to Spain's embattled monarchy. Juan Carlos, who abdicated in 2014, has been living in the UAE since he left Spain in August amid growing questions over his financial dealings. Last week, he settled a debt of nearly 4.4million euros (3.8million) with the Spanish tax authorities in a bid to avoid a potential lawsuit. The back-taxes were due on the previously undeclared value of private jet flights - worth eight million euros, according to press reports - paid by a foundation based in Liechtenstein belonging to a distant cousin of Juan Carlos. Juan Carlos (pictured), who abdicated in 2014, has been living in the UAE since he left Spain in August amid growing questions over his financial dealings [File photo] The payment caused outrage in Spain, with Sanchez saying he shared the 'rejection' which the 'majority' of Spaniards feel towards what he called Juan Carlos' 'uncivic behaviour'. The country's former intelligence chief, Felix Sanz Roldan, also received the coronavirus vaccine in Abu Dhabi during a visit to Juan Carlos, according to Spanish media reports. Spain's chief of defence staff resigned in January after it was revealed that he got the coronavirus jab in Spain despite not being on a priority list. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tapped Israel's stockpile of Moderna vaccines to conduct COVID diplomacy with friendly governments without consulting the relevant government ministries. Why it matters: Netanyahu's unilateral move may have broken Israeli law, allegedly violated Israel's contract with Moderna, and risked exposing Israel to lawsuits. He was forced to backtrack, but not before thousands of doses had already been transferred. This is another example of Netanyahu attempting to run the country on his own while disregarding diplomatic protocols, his coalition partners, the Israeli bureaucracy and the limits to his own authority. Driving the news: Honduras, Guatemala and the Czech republic all of which moved their embassies to Jerusalem or announced plans to do so got 5,000 doses each. Rwanda, which often supports Israel at the UN, received 2,000. The Palestinians also received 5,000 doses. The big picture: Netanyahu has focused his COVID-19 strategy around vaccines. He personally negotiated with senior executives at Pfizer and Moderna, speaking with them over 30 times. Netanyahu's main coalition partners were kept out of the loop, in part because the prime minister wanted full credit for the vaccination campaign in Israel's March 23 elections. Israel's world-leading campaign has been waged using Pfizer jabs, leaving 100,000 Moderna shots unused. Netanyahu decided to send the Moderna vaccines to Palestinian medical workers and to allied countries around the world. Behind the scenes: Netanyahus office drafted a list of 20 countries that had taken pro-Israel steps in recent years or were of particular importance to Israel. He contacted them directly and proposed that they send a plane to pick up vaccines. Then, things got more complicated. Most government officials only learned about Netanyahu's plans through the Israeli press. One of those officials, a legal adviser in Netanyahu's office, told Netanyahus national security adviser to suspend the transfers because they might be illegal. When the attorney general started asking questions, it became clear that Netanyahu and his close aides hadn't consulted any relevant authorities before proceeding. Whats next: While the move is currently suspended, it could potentially be resumed after Netanyahu's office holds consultations with the relevant ministries and gets approval both from Moderna and the Cabinet, according to the attorney general. TORONTO, March 02, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Limestone Boat Company Limited (formerly LL One Inc.) (the "Company") is pleased to announce it has closed its qualifying transaction (the "Qualifying Transaction") pursuant to Policy 2.4 Capital Pool Companies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") and that the Company changed its name from "LL One Inc." to "The Limestone Boat Company Limited". Trading of common shares of the Company (each, a "Common Share") on the Exchange will resume on March 4, 2021. As previously announced, the Company entered into a definitive agreement dated November 13, 2020 (the "Definitive Agreement") with The Limestone Boat Company Inc. ("LBC") and 2790889 Ontario Inc. ("Subco"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, pursuant to which the parties completed a three-cornered amalgamation transaction (the "Amalgamation") resulting in the reverse take-over of LLO by the shareholders of LBC. Pursuant to the terms of the Definitive Agreement, Subco amalgamated with the LBC and, in connection with the Amalgamation, each holder of shares of LBC ("LBC Shares") received 50 Common Shares in exchange for each LBC Share (the "Exchange Ratio"). In addition, each convertible, exchangeable, or exercisable security of LBC was exchanged for a convertible exchangeable, or exercisable security, as applicable, of the Company on substantially the same economic terms and conditions as the original convertible, exchangeable or exercisable security of LBC based on the Exchange Ratio. As a result of the Qualifying Transaction, the Company will function as a holding company with Amalco as its primary operating subsidiary. The business of Amalco is the business formerly conducted by the LBC. A filing statement dated February 23, 2021 (the "Filing Statement"), providing information about the Qualifying Transaction, was posted to the Company's SEDAR profile, accessible via at www.sedar.com. Please see the Filing Statement on SEDAR for additional information, including details regarding LBC. Outstanding and Escrowed Shares Following completion of the Qualifying Transaction, there are 97,927,350 Common Shares issued and outstanding on a non-diluted basis and 103,503,100 Common Shares issued and outstanding on a fully diluted basis. As disclosed in the Filing Statement, 52,319,850 Common Shares issued pursuant to the Qualifying Transaction (representing approximately 53.43% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares) are subject to a Tier 2 Value Security Escrow Agreement and an additional 10,000,000 Common Shares (representing approximately 10.21% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares) are subject to Exchange Seed Share Resale Restrictions. 7,950,000 Common Shares remain subject to a capital pool company escrow agreement. Resumption of Trading The Company's common shares will commence trading on the Exchange as a Tier 2 Industrial, Technology or Life Sciences Issuer under the symbol "BOAT" once the Exchange's conditions for listing are satisfied and the Exchange issues its final exchange bulletin confirming the completion of the Qualifying Transaction. Board of Directors The board of directors of the Company consists of Telfer Hanson, Scott Hanson, Alan Gertner, Bryan Pearson, Charmaine Crooks, and Charles Pennock. Management of the Company consists of Scott Hanson (CEO), Donald J. Page (CFO), and Taylor Hanson (COO). Select biographical details regarding the board of directors and management can be found in the Filing Statement. Early Warning Requirements Scott Hanson Scott Hanson announces his intention to file an early warning report in accordance with Multilateral Instrument 62-104 Take-Over Bids and Issuer Bids and National Instrument 62-103 The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issuers for securities of the Company. Mr. Hanson intends to file an early warning report in connection with the acquisition of 17,500,000 Common Shares in connection with the Qualifying Transaction. Scott is the Chief Executive Officer and a director of the Company. Immediately prior to the closing of the Qualifying Transaction, Mr. Hanson did not, directly or indirectly, hold any shares of the Company. Immediately following the closing of the Qualifying Transaction, Scott Hanson holds, directly or indirectly, an aggregate of 17,500,000 Common Shares (representing 17.87% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares). Scott Hanson directly holds 14,000,000 Common Shares and is deemed to beneficially own or control 3,500,000 Common Shares directly held by Cynthia Hayhurst. The Common Shares held by Mr. Hanson, directly or indirectly, are subject to an applicable Exchange escrow time based release schedule, as more particularly described in the Filing Statement. In accordance with applicable securities laws, Mr. Hanson may, from time to time and at any time, acquire additional Common Shares and/or other equity, debt or other securities or instruments (collectively, "Securities") of the Company in the open market or otherwise, and reserves the right to dispose of any or all of its Securities in the open market or otherwise at any time and from time to time, and to engage in similar transactions with respect to the Securities, the whole depending on market conditions, the business and prospects of the Company and other relevant factors, subject to applicable escrow restrictions. A copy of the early warning report will be filed by Scott Hanson in connection with the RTO and will be available on SEDAR under the Company's profile. Early Warning Requirements Telfer Hanson Telfer Hanson announces his intention to file an early warning report in accordance with Multilateral Instrument 62-104 Take-Over Bids and Issuer Bids and National Instrument 62-103 The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issuers for securities of the Company. Mr. Hanson intends to file an early warning report in connection with the acquisition of 16,319,850 Common Shares in connection with the Qualifying Transaction. Mr. Hanson is the Chairman of the board of directors of the Company. Immediately prior to the closing of the Qualifying Transaction, Mr. Hanson did not, directly or indirectly, hold any shares of the Company. Immediately following the closing of the Qualifying Transaction, Mr. Hanson holds, directly or indirectly, an aggregate of 16,319,850 Common Shares (representing 16.67% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares). Telfer Hanson directly holds 1,250,000 Common Shares and is deemed to beneficially own or control 1,250,000 Common Shares directly held by Madeline Hanson. The Telfer Hanson (2017) Family Trust, of which Mr. Hanson is a trustee, holds 9,531,250 Common Shares and RKH Limited, of which Mr. Hanson is the controlling shareholder, holds 4,288,600 Common Shares. The Common Shares held by Mr. Hanson, directly or indirectly, are subject to an applicable Exchange escrow time based release schedule, as more particularly described in the Filing Statement. In accordance with applicable securities laws, Mr. Hanson may, from time to time and at any time, acquire additional Common Shares and/or other equity, debt or other securities or instruments (collectively, "Securities") of the Company in the open market or otherwise, and reserves the right to dispose of any or all of its Securities in the open market or otherwise at any time and from time to time, and to engage in similar transactions with respect to the Securities, the whole depending on market conditions, the business and prospects of the Company and other relevant factors, subject to applicable escrow restrictions. A copy of the early warning report will be filed by Telfer Hanson in connection with the RTO and will be available on SEDAR under the Company's profile. About Limestone The Limestone Boat Company Limited is a North American designer and manufacturer of recreational and commercial powerboats. Limestone is a heritage brand with a 35-year legacy, renowned for its timeless design, big water performance, quality manufacturing and durability. Crafted in a centrally-located manufacturing facility in Tennessee, Limestone features an evolved and expanded product line that will appeal to a growing number of boaters coast to coast. For more information, contact: Investor Relations Bill Mitoulas 800-720-2395 bill@limestoneboats.com Website: limestoneboats.com Cautionary statements Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) has in any way passed upon the merits of the Qualifying Transaction and neither of the foregoing entities accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release or has in any way approved or disapproved of the contents of this press release. Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the parties' current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. The business of the Company is subject to a number of material risks and uncertainties. Please refer to the Filing Statement and other SEDAR filings for further details. Various assumptions or factors are typically applied in drawing conclusions or making the forecasts or projections set out in forward-looking information. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to the parties. The material factors and assumptions include the parties being able to obtain the necessary corporate, regulatory and other third parties approvals. The forward looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the parties are not obligated to update or revise any forward looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward looking information contained herein. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. 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. Bishops in the DRC have urged the government of Felix Tshisekedi to keep its promises made to the people of the eastern province about improving security. Paul Samasumo Vatican City. Democratic Republic of Congos Catholic Bishops say a joint mission to the eastern province that they undertook, together with representatives of the Regional Bishops Conferences, learnt with sadness of the DRC governments many broken promises to the people. The promises had to do with improving security in the area. Members of the Standing Committee of the Conference Episcopale Nationale du Congo (CENCO) asserted at the end of their meeting recently. The Bishops also announced that they intend to start an advocacy campaign on behalf of the people in the eastern province. Governments broken promises to people of the east The security situation in our country, especially in the eastern part, remains precarious and is worsened by the recurring presence of armed groups that the National Army, supported by the United Nations Organisation Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO), is still not able to eradicate. The massacre of populations, kidnappings and displacement of people, in North Kivu and Ituri, and recently the despicable assassination of the Italian Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo with his bodyguard and driver sufficiently demonstrate this, said the Bishops. The Bishops add, Motivated by pastoral zeal for our brothers and sisters who have been injured by the recurrent atrocities in the eastern part of the country, together with the regional Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa (ACEAC), we as Bishops of CENCO undertook a joint listening mission to comfort the people of the dioceses of Butembo-Beni in North Kivu and Bunia in Ituri. We are deeply saddened by the information received and especially note the gap between the promises made and the reality on the ground for the populations of these regions affected by armed groups. Based on this information, CENCO is preparing a communication and advocacy campaign, disclosed the Bishops. Condolences to families and people of Italy The Bishops have, in the meantime, extended condolences to the families of the victims of the ambush in which the Italian ambassador to the DRC, Luca Attanasio; Italian carabinieri, Vittorio Iacovacci and Mustapha Milambo, the Congolese UN driver, were killed. Said the Bishops: We offer our most Christian condolences to the Italian State, to the biological families and relatives of the illustrious departed, and commend their souls to the Lord for eternal rest. Do not be accomplices in violence The Bishops have also implored their compatriots not to act as accomplices of the perpetrators of violence by giving in to tribal, ethnic or partisan feelings; but rather to be the neighbour without borders, they said. The Bishops further directed a special appeal to the President of the Republic, in his capacity as guarantor of the nation: Take ever greater care to guarantee national cohesion and security throughout the national territory, the prelates urge President Tshisekedi. Covid-19: There should be no laxity. Concerning Covid-19, the Bishops encourage everyone in the DRC to resist the tendency towards complacency. Like all countries in the world, the DRC is suffering the harmful effects of Covid-19. While we thank God for sparing us the worst that we feared because of our health systems precariousness, we are, however, concerned about the denial of reality by some of our compatriots. The almost general laxity in observing safety measures strongly recommended by the health authorities is worrying, said the Bishops. (paul.samasumo@spc.va) Dubai-based international airline Emirates will boost its frequencies to Sudan with the introduction of daily flights to/ from Khartoum starting on March 9. The introduction of additional frequencies will provide more options and added convenience for those wishing to travel to Dubai and beyond to Emirates' network of over 90 destinations. Khalfan Al Salami, Country Manager Sudan said: "The increase of frequencies to daily from Khartoum are a direct response to growing passenger demand for Emirates services, and are designed to improve our customers' experience through greater choice and added convenience. Emirates is the top choice for travellers in Sudan, and we are committed to growing our operations to and from Khartoum further to support the country's post-pandemic recovery and help grow opportunities for future trade and investment." Emirates flight EK733 departs from Dubai at 14:50hrs, arriving in Khartoum at 17:10hrs. EK734 departs Khartoum at 18:45hrs, arriving in Dubai at 00:40hrs, the following day. Emirates utilises the modern and spacious Boeing777-300ER on its services to Sudan. TradeArabia News Service This year our dine and drink business locations throughout the Gorge have suffered with closures. You can help support your favorites by purchasing take out and gift cards. Many of these business will offer curb-side delivery and some will deliver to your home. Lets keep the Gorge going strong! Pentagon Officials revealed the $125 million to Ukraine in military aid granted under the Biden Administration. The arms package comes with equipment to be given to Ukrainian forces engaged in hostilities with Russia. Barely six months in office, the new administration allowed the military to Ukraine. Surprisingly Biden allowed the aid early on and was generous compared to other U.S. allies. According to the reports, this aid is given to other countries via the Foreign Military Financing program to get made in the USA weapons. The deal includes two Mark VI patrol boats made by SAFE Boats International, which adds the ships to the current eight vessels, reported Defense News. The military package includes capabilities to improve combat, command, control and situational awareness for Ukraine's forces. This equipment other than patrol boats includes counter-artillery radars and tactical equipment. Added support comes in to enable intelligence on the battlefield. More add ons to the package are military medical treatment and combat evacuation procedures that complete what Ukraine gets. According to the fiscal 2021 Ukraine Security Assistance funding with $150 million left, that was given by Congress. But that is decided until the Defense and State departments decide if progress is enough to warrant giving more funds from the $125 million to Ukraine in military aid. Also read: US Air Force F-15 E-Strike Eagle: America's Hammer Against Adversaries Fights Again in 2021 In a statement by the Department, Ukraine started reforms and made changes in the military's civilian control. They are promoting more transparency and being accountable to improve and modernize its defense sector with key areas that should be part of NATO guidelines and standards. In short, Ukraine must follow the conditions that must be done to get military aid, especially when it comes to NATO conditions, according to the Department. During the Obama era, when lethal weapons like the Javelin were denied, Congress members lobbied to help Ukraine get them. Later the sale was allowed as aid, but that was in the Trump administration. This would be where the Democrats would base their first impeachment trial. Then-president Trump was innocent of the charge, but it won't end there. Whether the Ukrainian forces would get more of the javelins in the future is not certain. According to Oleksandr Danylyuk, chairman of the Ukrainian Center for Defense Reforms, the Javelin wouldn't be needed on the front line anymore. He said the hostilities don't require it in the front lines anymore. Every day some clashes have casualties on the front lines that are done by Russians and GRU snipers. They are active where hostilities are happening and taking Ukrainian soldiers' lives. Unlike before, it was armored vehicles and artillery doing the combat. Now it's man to man in combat areas, with infantry doing most of the fighting. The $125 million to Ukraine in military aid may go to other expenses than anti-tank rockets. Related article: US Chinook Twin Rotor Heavy Helicopters Bought by Indian Air Force, Not by Israeli Air Force @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Realty firm Ltd on Wednesday said it will expand plotted development business and targets to sell plots worth Rs 2,300 crore this year in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Uttarakhand, as part of its plan to monetise for retiring debt and completion of existing projects. Group will offer independent plots on land area of about 53 lakh sq ft, which is around 125 acres, in various cities across three states, the company said in a statement. The company will offer 2.43 lakh sq ft in Ghaziabad, 16.65 lakh sq ft in Gurugram, 8.73 lakh sq ft in Greater Noida, 8.1 lakh sq ft in Yamuna Expressway, 3.6 lakh sq ft in Meerut and 13.5 lakh sq ft in Rudrapur. Chairman R K Arora said the demand for independent plots has surged after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said the company estimates "a total revenue of Rs 2,300 crore on sale of developed plots, out of which Rs 1,000 crore will be utilised for liquidating the existing loans, Rs 300 crore to clear the authorities' land dues and Rs 1,000 crore to complete the ongoing housing projects". Arora said the company is targeting to deliver 7,000 flats in the year 2021. By offering independent plots, Arora said the "company's bottom-line (profit) will be slightly impacted, but delivery of flats to allottees would be speeded up". The plotted development would take maximum 12 months to develop including provision of infrastructure, facilities, road, sewer, drainage and power supply. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a time when many people doubt the accuracy or credibility of many fundamental facts especially online there are fast-emerging digital technologies that can enhance trust. Technologies known as blockchainpermanently, verifiably, and transparently store and share every economic transaction, legal contract, and virtually any other type of record that must be accessed by businesses and the public. Blockchain embed in digital code and permanently store in transparent, shared databases all manner of transactions and records, protected from tampering and deletion. Every payment and every work project, anything that requires documentation, is trackable by any computer connected to the blockchain network.Blockchain technology is today most closely associated with digital currency transactions, and yet there are a host of potential applications beyond cryptocurrencies. For example, both the public and private sector have struggled with the many challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Blockchain technologies could serve as a real-time data source for public health agencies tracking and tracing the virus spread. It could provide efficient and transparent management of vaccine supply distribution. Blockchain can also be used to distribute and track stimulus relief, reducing the amount of time required for Americans to receive funds from weeks to minutes. More broadly, blockchain technology holds incredible promise for businesses, governments, and consumers, increasing transparency, speed, security and accountability, and will enable enhanced services to Americans and their communities. Blockchain technology will spur new economic growth and create new opportunities for businesses to become more efficient and competitive in the global economy. With digital assets and blockchain, consumers have access to new services for banking, real-time payments, and money transfers, helping expand financial inclusion and closing the unbanked gap for millions. Blockchain is already being adopted globally by businesses and consumers alike. Policymakers in China, Russia, the European Union and other countries around the world have quickly surpassed the United States in putting in place policy frameworks to tap into the economic value of this rapidly growing and quickly evolving industry. Falling further behind is not simply a competitive disadvantage, it is a serious and growing national economic and security concern. Should the U.S. fail to compete in this new landscape, we could lose our position as the worlds dominant financial market, as well as forfeit control of crucial intellectual property and standards development for blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies to China and others. In 1996 a bipartisan Congress passed and the Clinton Administration signed into law the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which along with that administrations Framework for Global Electronic Commerce, set flexible rules of the road for the global internet, broadband, and mobile technologies. These policies supported innovation and economic growth here in the United States that today are foundational to our global economy. Its time for U.S. policymakers to again put in place similar rules of the road to spur innovation and investment, and adoption of blockchain technology and digital currencies. The Biden-Harris Administration via an Executive Order should establish a National Action Plan for Blockchain Technology. Such an order would create an Office of Blockchain Technology to coordinate research in blockchain, encourage government pilot projects, and support industry innovation. The Adminisration already has a Made in All of America plan to invest $300 billion in research and development in emerging technologies. Funding pilot programs for the use of blockchain technology could assist government services such as supply chain management, cyber and data security, recordkeeping, and would help nurture the global blockchain industry. Crucial to encouraging this innovation and adoption of blockchain is a legal and regulatory regime that is both clear and flexible for a nascent but fast-evolving technology. Invovators, investors, buseinesses, and consumers all require certainty that the rules of the road will allow them to develop and adopt new products and services, while also protecting all parties, particularly in the areas of privacy and security. Its important for Congress, the Federal Reserve, the U.S. Treasury Department, and agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, to engage in shaping this framework. Clear guidance is needed in such areas as digital payments and token-based blockchain platforms that also does not hinder growth and adoption of these innovative tools for businesses and consumer alike. Such a coordinated and focused effort will put in place policices that create a welcoming regulatory environment for investment and innovation in the in the United States, while spurring job creation and economic growth. Thirteen years after the 1996 telecom act that helped shape the global platforms so crucial to our lives and economy, those platforms enabled Satoshi Nakamoto to invent Bitcoin, ushering in the new era of digital assets. Today, the total market cap of cryptocurrency is three trillion dollars. The potential for digital assets and blockchain is clear, and the Biden Administration and this Congress can help fully realize that potential with a blockchain policy framework that encourage U.S. innovation and leadership. New Delhi, March 3 : An emerging trend in pan-Indian filmmaking is regional superhits are seeing remakes in other regional languages. The reason is primarily OTT, which has opened up access of filmmakers as well as the audience to language cinema they could not freely sample before. Films in Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Bengali, Kannada, and Marathi industries, especially, are increasingly drawing from each other. Here is a list of regional films that will cross boundaries in the months to come: Konttho Shiboprosad Mukherjee and Nandita Roy's acclaimed Bangla film starring Paoli Dam and Bangladeshi star Jaya Ahsan in the leading roles, was a hit when it released in 2019. Now, the film is getting a Malayalam remake. The remake will star well-known Malayalam actors Manju Warrier and Jayasurya and will be titled Meri Awaz Suno. The Malayalam remake is written and directed by G. Prajesh Sen. Drishyam 2 Director Jeethu Joseph will remake his new Malayalam hit Drishyam 2 in Telugu. This will make Jeethu's debut film in the Telugu film industry as a director. Telugu superstar Venkatesh will be seen in the lead role in the new version. The film is slated to go on the floors this month. Lucifer The Mohanlal-starrer Malayalam film Lucifer created waves upon release in 2019, and will be adapted into the Telugu language now. Superstar Chiranjeevi will essay the lead in the remake. The shooting of the remake is said to have started in Hyderabad and it is being directed by Mohan Raja. Maara The Tamil film, which released in January this year, is adapted from Malayalam film, Charlie. The Tamil version stars R. Madhavan and Shraddha Srinath. The film is directed by Dhilip Kumar. Kabadadaari The Tamil film is a remake of the Kannada film Kavaludaari, and it released in January this year. The Tamil remake is directed by Pradeep Krishnamoorthy and stars Sibi Sathyaraj and Nandita Swetha. -- Syndicated from IANS WCFA launched the event with the objective of bringing awareness to the importance of leadership skills and the evolution of modern public communications and education as a result of the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. Among the main participants were Hotwire Global CEO Barbara Bates, Omnicom University Global Dean Karen van Bergen, Edelman Africa CEO Jordan Rittenberry and many other prominent representatives of influential PR organizations and global companies who participated in thought-provoking panel discussions. "The event turned into a great success and we have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from both speakers and attendees. We were happy to have such outstanding top professionals with diverse experience and culture, make friends, interact with companies and research units, and expand our contact networks globally," said Maxim Behar, the President and one of the Founders of WCFA. On behalf of the Davos Municipality, the newly elected Davos Mayor Philipp Wilhelm greeted the speakers at the event and thanked the President Maxim Behar, who opened and moderated the Summit, for annually organizing such events in the famous Davos Congress Centre more than 10 years already. "In difficult times like these it's even more essential to talk about how to communicate with the people and it is most important because we cannot afford to lose people's trust. I'm really looking forward to meeting you in person here in Davos," the Mayor added. Partners of The Summit were PR Newswire a part of Cision Group Ltd., Public Relations Today and Launchee Space. The President Maxim Behar also announced the Association's upcoming projects the first Davos Communications Awards and the Global Educational Program in Public Relations and Social Media. The Davos Awards are in 14 categories and the participants will be judged by 15 global highly professional jury members and will announce the results in May. They will be opened for entries on March 10 until April 26. Learn more on www.wcfaglobal.com or contact Maxim Behar at [email protected] About World Communications Forum The World Communications Forum was founded in 2010 in Davos, Switzerland, where the Association was registered in 2014. The WCFA is an organization committed to active global discussions and exchanges focused on the development of communications expertise of its members and be an active voice in its key role in business, society and politics. Every year the forum gathers prominent representatives of the communication and public relations sector from around the world, who, through dialogue and discussion, exchange experiences and ideas to shape the art of global communications. In 2020, the WCFA organized its first ever 'Global Communications Summit' on the Zoom, bringing together some of the top communications experts globally. Resulting from this gathering were Tenets for Ethical Communications', endorsed and signed by 135 experts from 36 countries. www.wcfaglobal.com Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1448033/WCFA_Summit.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1448032/WCFA_Logo.jpg SOURCE World Communications Forum Association Posted Tuesday, March 2, 2021 5:47 pm A Centralia man is facing assault and robbery charges after he allegedly attacked a former roommate with a knife and then allegedly broke into her house two months later, holding a knife to her throat and demanding money. A Lewis County Superior Court judge issued a $50,000 warrant for the arrest of Elmer Jose Hernandez Zepeda on Jan. 7 on assault charges stemming from a Jan. 1 incident at a Centralia residence. Centralia police had responded to reports of a dispute and spoke with the alleged victim, who said that after she had asked Hernandez Zepeda to turn down his loud music he became angry, and then grabbed her by the hair, dragging her across the room and onto his bed, according to the affidavit of probable cause filed in Lewis County Superior Court. Hernandez Zepeda then allegedly grabbed her throat and held her down to where she could not breathe and sliced her leg with a knife. When another person attempted to pull Hernandez Zepeda off of the victim, he allegedly grabbed her by the hair as well before fleeing the residence. On Feb. 28, Centralia police responded to another report of a physical dispute at a Centralia address. The victim reported that Hernandez Zepeda had entered her house without her knowledge, shown up at her bedside, grabbed the back of her head and whispered to her that he wanted money so he could go to Miami, according to the affidavit. She reportedly told him that she did not have any money and attempted to wake another person in the room to call 911, but Hernandez Zepeda allegedly told her to shush, bit her cheek, and told her it would be really bad for her family if the police came. Hernandez Zepeda then allegedly lifted her head from the bed, and she noticed she was holding an 8 to 10 inch knife to her throat. He then reportedly went into the bathroom with the knife, at which point the victim was able to wake the other person in the room and have them call 911. Hernandez was booked into the Lewis County Jail just after noon on Feb. 28 and has been charged with one count of second-degree assault from the January incident and one count each of second-degree assault and first-degree attempted robbery from the February incident. All charges are considered Class B felonies, and each carries a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and a $20,000 fine. During Hernandez Zepedas March 1 preliminary hearing, Judge Joely A. ORourke approved a domestic violence protection order for the victim and set Hernandez Zepedas bail at $50,000 cash or bond for each assault charge. The allegations of this case are both serious and involve the same victim, ORourke said. So Im very concerned about community safety especially the safety of this alleged victim. Hernandez Zepeda is currently serving a nine-day sentence from a separate warrant out of Centralia Municipal Court and will not be allowed to post bail for the other charges until that sentence is complete. WASHINGTON Congressional Democrats are launching an investigation into the Electric Reliability Council of Texas failures during the winter storms, which members of the House Oversight Committee say they fear will happen again. A subcommittee of the Houses main investigative arm is now targeting the states power grid manager, which has drawn intense scrutiny after historic winter storms wiped out power to much of Texas, disrupting water supplies and leaving dozens dead. Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered a state investigation into ERCOT; seven of its 15 board members resigned last week. BACKGROUND: Texas grid fails to weatherize, repeats mistake feds cited 10 years ago U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who chairs the House Oversight Subcommittee on the Environment, on Wednesday wrote a letter demanding answers from Bill Magness, president and CEO of ERCOT. We received the letter and will be providing responses, a spokesman for ERCOT said Wednesday. Late Wednesday, Magness was fired by the ERCOT board but will continue in his role for another 60 days under his contract The congressional inquiry focuses on ERCOTs lack of preparation for extreme weather, which Khanna writes will only become more common with climate change. It notes that ERCOT has not acted upon past warnings from federal officials and consultants that Texas needed to weatherize its facilities to protect against the cold. This is not the first or even second time in recent history that an extreme winter weather event has caused electricity blackouts in Texas, Khanna wrote. Extreme winter weather events in Texas have occurred repeatedly over decades and ERCOT has been unprepared for them. The Subcommittee is concerned that the loss of electric reliability, and the resulting human suffering, deaths, and economic costs, will happen again unless ERCOT and the State of Texas confront the predicted increase in extreme weather events with adequate preparation and appropriate infrastructure, Khanna wrote. The panel specifically requests documents relating to ERCOTs decisions on where and when to implement rolling blackouts, ERCOTs communications with Abbott and other state leaders, as well as documents detailing its actions following a 2011 report urging Texas to prepare for future extreme weather. ben.wermund@chron.com Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 3) After a slight delivery delay, the much-awaited coronavirus vaccines from British-Swedish drug maker AstraZeneca are set to arrive on Thursday evening, Malacanang said. In a statement Wednesday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque confirmed that the country will receive 487,200 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines the initial shipment of allocated products coming from the COVAX facility. AstraZenecas expected time of arrival is based on the scheduled handover of vaccines. We will notify everyone, if and when there is a change of schedule, Roque said in a statement. President Rodrigo Duterte is also set to personally welcome the arrival of the shipment from COVAX, his former special assistant Senator Bong Go said in a separate statement. The country was supposed to receive on Monday 525,600 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, but the Health Department said the shipment would be delayed amid global supply shortage. Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe, the World Health Organization country representative, earlier explained in an interview with CNN Philippines it was an issue of logistics. Logistical arrangements for the delivery of the COVAX-supplied vaccines are being coordinated with humanitarian aid organization United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund or UNICEF, according to Abeyasinghe. Aside from the AstraZeneca doses, the country is also set to receive shots from Pfizer. Abeyasinghe had said that the Philippines has already complied with the requirements to secure the shipment, but that access to Pfizer supply has been a challenge. READ: Logistics, supply access problems hamper delivery of COVAX-supplied vaccines to PH WHO official The COVAX facility is an initiative led by the WHO, along with the vaccine alliance Gavi and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. It seeks to provide participating countries equitable access to coronavirus vaccines. "By bringing these leading solutions to more schools and districts we can help ensure greater access so every student can realize their full potential, no matter where they come from or where they want to go," said Hardeep Gulati, PowerSchool CEO PowerSchool, a leading provider of K-12 education technology solutions, announced today the completion of its acquisition of Hobsons Naviance and Intersect unlocking new and deeper insights into the whole child through integrated analytics. Naviance is a college, career, and life readiness solution used by students across U.S. schools for assessing and developing students interests and competencies in preparation for life after high school. Intersect is an innovative admissions solution connecting Naviance students to their best-fit higher education opportunities. More than 40 percent of high school students have access to Naviance, and together with PowerSchool, which supports over 75 percent of K-12 students, millions more students across the U.S. can get the support they need from these critical solutions. According to recent statistics, only 66 percent of students attend a college or university and just 55 percent of students feel prepared for life after high school, said Hardeep Gulati, CEO of PowerSchool. Every student deserves the opportunity to succeed, and its critical we help students align their needs, strengths, and interests with post-secondary goals to ensure they get the best help along their journey. By bringing these leading solutions to more schools and districts we can help ensure greater access so every student can realize their full potential, no matter where they come from or where they want to go. This acquisition furthers PowerSchools longstanding mission to ensure all students can access the best opportunities in life. Now, educators, students, and parents will have greater access to information and tools they need to help set a strong foundation for future success. Were very excited about PowerSchool and Naviance/Intersect joining together to provide technology solutions that will empower our educators with a more unified experience, and support our students, said Arijit Sarkar, Chief Information Officer at the Arkansas Department of Education. We chose products from each company because they were the best, and now together, the opportunities to further personalize the path for all our students to find their best fit for life after graduation is greater than ever before. As part of PowerSchools unified portfolio, Naviance will benefit from a new comprehensive unified experience providing valuable integration, insights, and personalization to help better prepare all students for their college, career, and life journeys, specifically: Investment in enhanced college and career content discovery tools and assessments, and improvements to the overall user experience and student engagement functionality. Simplified college application process with all the information counselors, students, and their parents or guardians need from various solutions and systems integrated in one place. This includes improved integrations with districts core toolsets such as the student information system and learning management system, including PowerSchool SIS and Schoology Learning. Holistic insights that provide analytics across all aspects of student learning to support each students plans going forward, no matter where theyre from or where theyre going. There will be an emphasis on expanding insights with PowerSchool Unified Insights powered by Hoonuit across the entire student learning experience through to college and career readiness and planning. Personalized education based on insights paired with a focus on the whole child that can be leveraged early in their journey to ensure students are receiving the instruction and curriculum aligned with their needs and post school goals and interests. No child should slip through the cracks and this will help ensure that doesnt happen, even as students return from COVID-led disruptions. In addition, PowerSchools acquisition of Intersect furthers its existing commitment to higher education. Intersect enables prospective students to connect to colleges and universities through Naviance, used by many high school students to research and explore colleges, often alongside school counselors and parents. Today, PowerSchool also announced an exciting partnership with EAB, a leader in enrollment management, student success, and institutional operations and strategy, as the exclusive provider of Intersect to help more students find and enroll in their best-fit higher education institutions. Because Naviance is integral to postsecondary planning at many K-12 schools, Intersect helps colleges contact students who are ready to engage with their institutions. For more information about PowerSchools acquisition of Hobsons Naviance and Intersect visit http://www.PowerSchool.com/Naviance-and-Intersect. About PowerSchool At PowerSchool, we believe in the simple truth that every student deserves the best opportunities in life. Thats why our mission is to power the education ecosystem with unified technology that helps educators and students realize their potential, in their way. From the front office to the classroom to the home, PowerSchool helps schools and districts efficiently manage instruction, learning, grading, attendance, assessment, analytics, state reporting, special education, student registration, talent, finance, and HR. Today, were proud to be the leading provider of K-12 education application technology supporting over 45 million students in over 80 countries. Visit http://www.powerschool.com to learn more. About Hobsons Hobsons helps millions of students identify their strengths, explore careers, create academic plans, match to best-fit educational opportunities, and reach their education and life goals. Through our solutions, we enable thousands of educational institutions to improve college and career planning, admissions and enrollment management, and student success and advising. About Naviance Naviance is a college, career, and life readiness (CCLR) platform that helps middle and high school students discover their strengths, explore college and career interests, create actionable goals, and find their best-fit path after high school. Trusted by more than 13,000 schools and more than 10 million students, this robust solution promotes college and career readiness by encouraging academic rigor and aligning student strengths and interests to long-term goals. Naviance is the partner who helps ensure all students are able to plan for postsecondary success. Visit http://www.hobsons.com/Naviance/ to learn more. About Intersect Intersect is a best-fit recruitment platform offering a comprehensive set of solutions for colleges and universities to strategically reach best-fit students, those most likely to both apply and succeed. Intersect connects with Naviance, a widely-adopted college, career and life readiness platform, used by over 10 million students nationwide. It enables colleges and universities to better connect with high school students actively engaged in the college prep process. Intersect also makes it easier to collaborate and create connections with high school counselors to support a successful student journey. Visit http://www.hobsons.com/Intersect/ to learn more. MERIDEN Late Wednesday morning, a small group of kindergarten students were seated at a table with Jody Roberts, longtime paraprofessional at Benjamin Franklin Elementary School, engaged in a review of letter formations. They had learned the sounds of the paired letters ch. Students wore masks, some adorned with cartoon and comic book characters. They all wore blue T-shirts with green colored numbers: 2037. That number signified the young students expected college graduation year. They were socially distanced. Clear, plexiglass dividers separated them and their instructors, including Rachel Valentin, seated at another table several feet away. They had a pair of prominent visitors: First lady Jill Biden and newly sworn in U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, a Meriden native and former public school educator in the city. Biden and Cardona were joined by other national, state and local officials, including members of the Meriden Board of Education, along with reporters, as they visited three classrooms at the school. Handwritten signs, made by students, plastered the schools walls and doors. As the entourage walked through the halls, teachers and students peered through their classroom doors to get a glimpse. During their first stop in Valentins classroom, lessons paused for a moment. Students enthusiastically greeted the guests, stating in unison, Welcome to kindergarten. Students offered salutations appropriate for social distancing, including air hugs and fist pumps, in lieu of handshakes and actual hugs. Biden introduced herself to the room, saying, Hi, Im Jill. Cardona complimented one boy on his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles mask. They moved onto another room, a sensory room for students with special needs. The school has three such rooms, each designed to meet different sets of sensory needs. This particular room, complete with floor mats and bouncy balls, was designed to meet the needs of high-energy students. They spoke with Patricia Sullivan Kowalski, the districts senior director of Student Supports and Special Education. The trio discussed the importance of providing in-person learning for those students. During the exchange, Biden asked about the pandemics impact on anxiety in children. I think because of the pandemic, children have felt unsafe at times, Sullivan Kowalski responded. And so, ensuring that they feel safe, having their routines, having access to their education and having outlets help. Biden and Cardona visited another classroom, that of second grade teacher Carla Wallace. Wallace said that until last Nov. 30, she had been instructing distance learning students. Wallace explained the importance of establishing relationships with students, engaging with them, and checking in on their emotional well-being. She noted meeting students online instead of in a physical classroom may feel impersonal. We were able to get to know each other, talk about where each other was from, what we did over the weekend. And then what was interesting. I could see that they really felt like they knew me, because when I transitioned back to in person, I got some of the same kids Wallace said. School reopening Addressing reporters afterwards, Cardona and Biden stressed the importance of reopening schools safely and quickly. They were joined by Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and other dignitaries. Despite the heroic work of our educators and staff, the yearlong pandemic has led to fewer learning opportunities, Cardona said. ... Schools are more than just places where students learn to read and write. Theyre communities. Theyre safe communities for children. Safely reopening schools quickly, means were creating a community for kids who deserve it. Throughout the country, future Lin-Manuel Mirandas are sitting at home instead of going to the drama club, future astronauts like Mark Kelly are sitting at home, instead of going to a science class. To spark that wonder in science. We must continue to reopen Americas schools for in-person learning as quickly and as safely as possible, Cardona said. Biden, herself a teacher, said she is proud to be an educator Especially when I visit schools like this. She thanked educators and promised she and President Joe Biden would work to lift up educators and address longstanding inequities. All of you deserve it, she said, describing the pandemic as a moment to take a really bad situation were going to turn it into opportunity. Pride, excitement Afterwards, Benjamin Franklin Principal Joanne Conte and other educators reflected on the visit. Its just surreal. Its just surreal. And it was just an honor, Conte said. I know Dr. Cardona. I worked with Dr. Cardona. Hes a mover and a shaker. Hes going to get things done. He is brilliant. He listens, he reflects. He is a hero for teachers and professionals, and he always does whats right for [students] emotional well-being and for student success. What I was proud of was that Dr. Biden actually took the time to walk around and watch the kids in action, because shes an educator. Instead of talking to myself or the adults in the room, she wanted to know what they, the kids, were working on, Conte said. The group didnt visit Diana Sakkos fifth grade classroom. She and her students were still excited about the visit. And they didnt appear distracted by it. The excitement in our building the last couple of days was just through the roof, Sakkos said. They wanted to show their best. They were w orking today. We were going through our lesson. Aisling Dold on her wedding day near Budva, Montenegro. Aisling and her husband, Sergey, wish to thank Oksana Kriukova from EventinMontenegro for planning their special day They hadn't seen each other for almost a year, after COVID-19 restrictions left them on opposite sides of the continent from each other. But after considerable research into which countries they were allowed to travel to, Lios Poil woman Aisling Dold and Moscow resident Sergey Anpilov this week ventured from Ireland and Russia respectively to finally tie the knot on a mountainside on Montenegro. In 2015, when he was 29, Sergey travelled to West Kerry to learn Irish. While there, he met Aisling after they'd popped into a local pub - Tigh an tSaorsaigh - and the rest is history. They became engaged two years ago in Sergey's city of birth, St Petersburg, but as it turned out, there would be a few obstacles to overcome before they finally married on Monday - not least a pandemic. "We've travelled a lot since we were together, but really we've been living continuously between Moscow and Ireland," Aisling told The Kerryman this week. "Prior to the pandemic, it was pretty easy because we both work from home, so I could work from Moscow and he could work from Ireland. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 11:15:52|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- China's "two sessions" are slated to convene this week, returning to the regular March schedule after last year's postponement to May due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The arrangement reconfirms that China's political, economic and social life is returning to normal, injecting confidence into the world amid the fight against the virus. China decided the opening dates of the two sessions -- the fourth sessions of the 13th National People's Congress and the 13th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, on Dec. 26, 2020. The decisive move of setting the time comes against the backdrop of Chinese society remaining on high alert over the pandemic, taking every precaution to ensure public health. Meanwhile, it shows China's determination to pool wisdom to sustain sound economic and social development and exercise governance in response to the people's expectations. The arrangement has stood the test of time and practice. This week, thousands of national lawmakers and political advisors will gather in Beijing for the important political meeting that covers every aspect of China's development and the people's well-being. Daunting development tasks lie ahead, and time is short. The country needs to work quickly to formulate development guidelines and decide how to implement them effectively. China's all legislative decisions are made after going through procedures and democratic deliberations to make sure the decision-making is sound and democratic. Its efforts to develop a socialist democracy with Chinese characteristics are a people-centered approach with a resolution to transform the people's aspirations into concrete plans and actions. For the outside world, the two sessions are an important window to understand China. It will be an inspiration to see how China ensures the smooth operation of the meetings with precise epidemic control and prevention measures. It will help the world better seize the opportunities in the post-epidemic era by learning the latest trends of the second-largest economy and the background of its policies. For China, sending signals to the world through the two sessions about how it will cooperate with the international community on key issues such as reducing carbon emissions is not only an effective way to stabilize expectations on China, but also a powerful response to certain fallacies and rumors created by some Western politicians with the intention to stop China's progress. While COVID-19 vaccines have lit the light at the end of the tunnel, growing worldwide cases of variants coupled with uneven distribution of vaccines have complicated the situation. On a broader level, global cooperation in many aspects is facing severe stress tests as the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, which are being accelerated by the pandemic. Whether it is the fight against the pandemic or domains beyond that, the world should join hands to turn the challenges into opportunities. China's two sessions will provide a strong spiritual force for the world to face hardships head-on and move forward. Enditem The cat is out of the bag. The United States is in relative decline and there is a resource crunch. There is an absence of a positive vision for humanity, as the country struggles with its own demons. by M.K. Bhadrakumar In a statement marking the return of the United States to the United Nations Human Rights Council on February 24, Secretary of State Antony Blinken disclosed that the Biden administration is placing democracy and human rights at the center of American foreign policy. The cat is out of the bag. The United States is in relative decline and there is a resource crunch. There is an absence of a positive vision for humanity, as the country struggles with its own demons. The dramatic events in the American society and politics in the recent past badly exposed the country as a sham democracy with an abominable record of racism and appalling inequality where the top 0.1 percent of the population hold roughly the same share of the countrys wealth as the bottom 90 percent. But the resurrection of American exceptionalism will have no takers, and the United States, lacking the capacity and the moral authority to advance a unifying agenda in the international arena, is assembling a toolkit for its diplomacy, with geopolitical objectives. The potential of the UN Human Rights Council ought to be directed at the raging coronavirus pandemic, which has undermined the social and economic foundations of states. The most fundamental human rightthe right to lifehas been threatened, with the world economic downturn causing a big rise in unemployment and aggravating social insecurity. The development gap between nations and regions is widening. Yet, the United States is in a category by itself even among the rich countries. The COVID-19 deaths per 1 million inhabitants have gone through the roof in the United States in comparison with its own alliesit stands at 1,556.48 per million in the United States as against 1,260.68 in France, 843.85 in Germany, and 62.48 in Japan. The appalling reality is that in the United States the death toll from the COVID-19 epidemic has crossed 500,000. Ironically, per capita COVID-19 deaths in some of the countries that the United States has berated for deficits in democracy and human rights will put the United States to shamein Syria, 60.16 deaths per million; Venezuela, 47.13; Cuba, 28.41; and Sri Lanka, 21.28. And China with a population of 1.4 billion registered 3.46 deaths per million. But for Blinken, it seems that such a horrific level of deaths among his countrymen isnt a human rights issue. Not a single state functionary in the United States has been held responsible for such a tragedy of unspeakable proportions. Suffice to say, the United States is bringing disrepute and shame to the whole Western world by leading them into such a cynical game strutting around as champions of human rights when according to a recent estimate, more than half of all vaccines against COVID-19 have been reserved for one-seventh of the worlds population. Isnt that a matter of human rights? According to an article in the Conversation by University of Oxford historian Roderick Bailey, the UK alone has reportedly secured enough vaccines to give each of its citizens five doses. If orders are met, the EU and U.S. could jab their populations three times over, while Canada would have enough to do so nine times. It is obscene, Mr. Blinken. At the same time, competition for diminishing vaccine supplies may lead to price spikes and further friction. Acrimony has erupted between the EU, UK and AstraZeneca over a shortfall in vaccine production, writes Bailey. Meanwhile, [i]n any situation where supplies are scarce and demand rises, it is poorer countries that will suffer most. The Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was spot on when he said at the UNHRC meeting on February 24, The pandemic has exacerbated old problems such as racism and xenophobia, as well as discrimination against national and religious minorities. Mass protests in the United States and Europe have exposed these countries continuing systemic inequalities, while highlighting the risks of condoning extremist ideologies. It is utter moral bankruptcy that the United States and its rich allies in the Western worldwhat Lavrov called the golden billion on planet earthwalk into the UNHRC and start pontificating about human rights and pursue coercive approaches and unlawful methods of intimidation and pressure with narrow and self-serving geopolitical goals. Again, arent the non-transparent policies of social networking platforms a matter of human rights, too? The United States, in particular, undertook commitments to ensure freedom of access to information for all citizens but is now hiding behind corporate policies to avoid delivering on these commitments, as Lavrov pointed out. As for the social networking platforms, they have begun to brazenly manipulate public opinion in the developing countries by banning or censoring user content at their own discretion. Now, they are, under U.S. protection, trampling on the human rights of world citizens, arent they? The human rights toolkit is universally applicable and there is not a single country on earth, including the United States, which doesnt have a problem with democracy and human rights. Isnt it a crying shame that an average Black American lives six years less than his white fellow countrymen? Dont the Black Americans get locked up in jails in much larger numbers than the whites? But the United States human rights standards are highly selectiveits the white mans burden. Evidently, the toolkit becomes a potent weapon to stigmatize the United States adversaries Russia and China; to pressure small countries that do not conform to U.S. regional policies (such as Sri Lanka, Cuba or Venezuela); or to extract concessions from countries by blackmailing them (such as Saudi Arabia). The toolkit has been used to bring about regime change toothat is, overthrow established governments and replace them with client regimes. The best-known examples are Ukraine and Georgia. A recent attempt in Belarus flopped. A trial project in Russia in recent weeks was simply squashed by the Kremlin. But it is a developing story. The countries in the periphery of Russia are being systematically destabilized and turned into theaters of geopolitical contestation so that the United States great adversary will get entrapped in a quagmire. The Biden administration is using this toolkit to try to re-establish the United States transatlantic leadership, which Europe is no longer comfortable with. Europe is experiencing the hidden charms of strategic autonomy. But the United States cannot hope to exercise global hegemony without the Western alliance system backing it, either. In this shadow play, Biden estimates that the human rights plank stands the best chance of bringing the United States Western allies on board under its leadership. The United States return to the UNHRC does not stem from noble intentions. It is primarily due to the worry over Chinas increasing influence in the UN body during the United States absence in the most recent years. Specifically, China stole a march over the United States by bringing the pandemic under control and it has become an eyesore. Equally, Chinas stance on human rights has growing resonance among the developing countriesthat human rights should be relative to the situations of developing countries; that the concept of human rights should be diversified as there is no one-size-fits-all approach for human rights development; and that countries should not export their own model or use human rights issues to interfere in other countries domestic affairs. Indeed, the Western concept of human rights, narrowly focused on freedom of speech or religion and democratic elections, tends to overlook that the basic right for the bulk of humanity is about living and development. The Western countries refuse to accept the fact that there are many roads to development and prosperity for the developing countries, and their path is only one of them and, perhaps, not even the best or the most suitable path. Plainly put, human rights are being used as a tool to reinforce and perpetuate the present global order in accordance with Western interests. However, it is a losing battle. A new world order is taking shape with a vastly different global humanitarian agenda, which will inevitably become the mainstream for human society. As the Global Times reports, According to a plan jointly issued [in late February] by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, Chinas cabinet, on Chinas comprehensive transportation network layout, the country aims to build all over the world 200,000 kilometers of railways, 460,000 kilometers of highways, and 25,000 kilometers of high-level sea lanes with 27 major coastal ports, 400 civil transportation airports and 80 express hubs by 2035, which, as one expert put it, will make the country not only a global production center but a logistics center, trade center, clearing center and financial center, laying a solid foundation for a path to be the worlds economic center. How could the Biden administration possibly counter this latest Chinese challenge? Unsurprisingly, the United States is at its wits end in dealing with Chinas surge. In 2020, China was over 70 percent the size of the United States GDP. The current forecast is that it will surpass the United States to be the worlds largest economy by 2028, according to the UK-based Center for Economics and Business Research. The United States realizes that the economic race is pretty much lost already. This article was produced in partnership by Indian Punchline and Globetrotter. M.K. Bhadrakumar is a former Indian diplomat. BAR HARBOR, MAINE -- The MDI Biological Laboratory will collaborate with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, an office of the state Department of Health and Human Services, on a five-year grant from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to improve access to safe drinking water in Maine. The mitigation of contaminants, especially arsenic, in well water is the subject of the laboratory's federally funded SEPA (Science Education Partnership Award) program, which teaches data literacy to secondary school students by analyzing data from well water collected from their homes. The grant from the Maine CDC will fund the testing of 500 wells from student households in Maine in coordination with the SEPA program. Previous testing conducted under the SEPA program has found that water from private wells in Maine is frequently contaminated with high levels of naturally occurring arsenic, which can have serious adverse health effects, including cancer, heart disease and developmental and reproductive problems. The program has also found that a large proportion of homeowners have not had their wells tested for arsenic. Arsenic has been designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as the environmental contaminant with the biggest impact on human health. The grant will also fund a pilot project to develop tools to evaluate the effectiveness of the program at reducing environmental health hazards with the goal of using it as a model for other school- and community-based programs in Maine and the country. "We are very grateful to the Maine CDC," said Jane E. Disney, Ph.D., director of research training and director of the Community Environmental Health Laboratory at the MDI Biological Laboratory and principal investigator of the SEPA program. "Their support will help us take the SEPA program to the next level by identifying barriers to mitigation for households whose wells test high for environmental contaminants." The five-year SEPA program, which involves schools in Maine and New Hampshire, is funded through a $1.2 million award to the MDI Biological Laboratory from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, an institute of the National Institutes of Health. "The SEPA program is the most recent example of the MDI Biological Laboratory's long and distinguished history of leadership in the field of environmental health," said Hermann Haller, M.D., president. "The grant from the Maine CDC will allow us to build on this extraordinarily successful program, which, in addition to addressing the arsenic threat, is helping students gain valuable expertise in data literacy." Since the inception of the SEPA program in 2018, students from 17 Maine and 10 New Hampshire schools working one-on-one with 18 scientist partners from Maine and New Hampshire colleges and universities have analyzed more than 1,500 well water samples in collaboration with the Trace Element Analysis Core at Dartmouth College. Results are shared with the Maine CDC and the N.H. Department of Environmental Services to help them monitor public health implications. Maine and New Hampshire have among the highest per capita reliance on private wells for drinking water in the nation at 56 percent and 46 percent respectively, representing a total of approximately 1.4 million people on private well water. The public health threat posed by arsenic and other harmful well water contaminants has been a focus of education and research at the MDI Biological Laboratory since a 2014 "arsenic summit" held in collaboration with Dartmouth to address approaches to limiting arsenic exposure. The summit led to an educational program entitled "All About Arsenic," which in turn gave rise to the SEPA program and now to the CDC grant. "One of the goals of the summit was to develop novel programs to address the arsenic problem," Disney said. "I am gratified to say we have realized this goal by developing a program that we hope will serve as a national model. This achievement represents the collaborative effort of many individuals and organizations with whom we have worked to improve access to safe drinking water." The "Data to Action" project is supported by Science Education Partnership (SEPA) grant 1R25GM129796-01 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, an institute of the National Institutes of Health. ### About the MDI Biological Laboratory We aim to improve human health and healthspan by uncovering basic mechanisms of tissue repair, aging and regeneration, translating our discoveries for the benefit of society and developing the next generation of scientific leaders. For more information, please visit mdibl.org. An elderly driver is dead after his car and a prime mover crashed in Brisbanes east on Wednesday morning, the force of the collision pushing his car into two other cars. The 80-year-old man from The Gap, the sole occupant of a Hyundai Accent, was pronounced dead at the accident scene in Murarrie. Paramedics treated several people after the crash, about 10.50am at the Lytton Road exit on Creek Road. Multiple crews including critical care and high-acuity response paramedics treated four people, with a man in his 50s, driving a Toyota Yaris, taken to the Princess Alexandra Hospital with a serious head injury and chest pain, while the 44-year-old female driver of a Hyundai i30 was not injured. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-21 19:54:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Voters check the information of candidates during the nationwide elections for the ninth National Assembly (NA) of Laos in Vientiane, Laos, Feb. 21, 2021. Some 4.28 million Lao people are eligible to vote to elect 164 NA members out of 224 candidates, and also to elect Provincial People's Councils, the provincial parliaments. (Photo by Kaikeo Saiyasane/Xinhua) VIENTIANE, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The nationwide elections for the ninth National Assembly (NA) of Laos were held on Sunday. Some 4.28 million Lao people are eligible to vote to elect 164 NA members out of 224 candidates, and also to elect Provincial People's Councils, the provincial parliaments. From 7:00 a.m. to 17:00 p.m. local time, Lao people across the country cast votes to elect their representatives to sit in the NA and provincial parliaments. President Bounnhang Vorachith, Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, NA President Pany Yathotou and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and state leaders joined citizens in voting for members of the national parliament's (MPs) ninth legislature and provincial People's Council second legislature. The National Election Committee and local election committees of Laos have been campaigning to encourage all eligible citizens to vote in the elections, which takes place every five years. Village authorities turned on community radios and loudspeakers early in the morning in a final effort to persuade everyone to exercise their right to vote, local online newspaper Vientiane Times reported. More than 7,200 polling stations were set up across the country. Mobile voting units were provided so that people who could not get to polling stations, including those who were ill, were able to vote. Early voting was arranged where necessary, including for soldiers and police, as they were engaged in security duties on election day. In addition, 40 polling stations were set up in other countries so that Lao citizens and officials overseas could vote. Some 224 candidates from all 18 constituencies are contesting 164 seats in the National Assembly and 788 candidates are competing for 492 seats on Provincial People's Councils. National Election Committee Spokesperson Somphou Duangsavanh told Vientiane Times he expected the results of the election would be revealed before the end of this month. Enditem New Delhi: Pakistan is today celebrating its 70th independence day. Speaking on the occasion Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that Pakistan desires positive and constructive relations with all countries of the world, especially with its neighbours on basis of sovereign equality in conformity with UN resolutions on the subject with a view to ensure durable peace in the region. Abbasi added, The people of South Asia have suffered enormously in the last fifty years due to the festering conflicts. Until and unless those conflicts are resolved amicably people of region cannot achieve prosperity and progress. Sweets exchanged at Wagah-Attari border on Pakistan's Independence Day. pic.twitter.com/kirCjcVqd2 ANI (@ANI) August 14, 2017 Earlier, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa hoisted the largest national flag in the history of Pakistan at Wagah Border on Sunday. The flag, made entirely in Pakistan, was hoisted on a 400-feet pole at midnight. The size of the flag is 120 feet by 80 feet. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Britain has condemned the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday. "We've condemned the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, we continue to call for a full investigation into the causes of his death," Johnson said when asked whether Britain would suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia in light of the conflict and humanitarian crisis in Yemen. He said Britain was following a long-standing set of rules and conventions on arms sales. 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." * This story was edited by Ahram Online. Short link: OTTAWA - A House of Commons committee is unanimously urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to promise he won't call a federal election while the COVID-19 pandemic rages across Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds a press conference in Ottawa on February 26, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick OTTAWA - A House of Commons committee is unanimously urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to promise he won't call a federal election while the COVID-19 pandemic rages across Canada. In a report by the procedure and House affairs committee, even Liberal members supported a recommendation calling for a commitment that there will be no election during the pandemic, unless Trudeau's minority Liberal government is defeated on a confidence vote. The committee makes no similar call for opposition parties to promise not to trigger an election during the pandemic by voting non-confidence in the government. However, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has vowed his party won't vote to bring the government down as long as the country is in the grip of COVID-19. That should be enough to ensure the survival of the minority Liberal government for the foreseeable future, unless Trudeau decides to trigger an election himself. Trudeau has repeatedly insisted he has no interest in forcing an election but opposition parties remain suspicious. "Unfortunately, the Liberal government has already indicated their desire to recklessly send Canadians to the polls at whatever time they deem to be the most advantageous for the prime minister," the Conservatives say in a supplementary report to the committee's report. Indeed, the Conservatives assert, without explanation, that Trudeau has already tried to orchestrate his government's defeat. They thank Liberal committee members for taking "a stand against the whims of the prime minister, who has been eagerly pressing towards an election for the last few months." At the same time, Conservatives appear to be pursuing a strategy that could give Trudeau justification for calling an election: Liberals accuse the Tories of systematically blocking the government's legislative agenda, including repeatedly delaying a bill authorizing billions in pandemic-related aid. They've also blocked debate on a bill that would give Elections Canada special powers to conduct an election safely, if need be, during the pandemic. Bill C-19 is the government's response to chief electoral officer Stephane Perrault, who has said special measures are urgent given that a minority government is inherently unstable and could theoretically fall at any time. However, some opposition MPs view the legislation as proof that the Liberals are planning to trigger an election. In their own supplementary report, New Democrats argue that an election in the midst of the pandemic "has the potential to undermine the health of our democracy." They point to the current delay in Newfoundland and Labrador's election due to a COVID outbreak as an example of the "delays, confusion and unforeseen barriers in voting" that could undermine Canadians' confidence in the outcome of a federal election. "This raises the spectre of a government whose political legitimacy is openly challenged," the NDP committee members say, adding that could lead to the kind of crisis that provoked a riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 by supporters of former president Donald Trump. The Capitol riot, sparked by Trump's unfounded claims that mail-in ballots were fraudulent, appears to have been on the minds of opposition committee members when it comes to other recommendations for how to safely conduct an election, if necessary, during the pandemic. Anticipating a massive increase in mail-in ballots, the chief electoral officer has, among other things, suggested that mail-in ballots received one day after the close of in-person polls should still be counted. The Conservatives say the procedure and House affairs committee should have rejected that proposal, arguing that "the election should end on Election Day and Canadians deserve to know the results without delay." Bloc Quebecois committee members, in their supplementary report, similarly argue that extending the deadline for receipt of mail-in ballots "would delay the election results, which would fuel voter suspicion and undermine confidence in the electoral system, which is obviously undesirable." This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 2, 2021. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 Winnipeg-based Rapid RTC, which provides real-time communications between automotive dealers and customers browsing online, has been acquired by U.K. software developer Keyloop in a deal that promises to expand Rapid RTCs reach to 16,000 dealers in more than 90 countries. Winnipeg-based Rapid RTC, which provides real-time communications between automotive dealers and customers browsing online, has been acquired by U.K. software developer Keyloop in a deal that promises to expand Rapid RTCs reach to 16,000 dealers in more than 90 countries. "When we first started Rapid RTC, we always had a vision of where our products could land and impact the auto industry," said Glen Demetrioff, who founded Rapid RTC and will remain president and chief executive officer. "The most exciting part now is were able to move our products on a much more significant path to being adopted on a global scale." Rapid RTC, which began in 1996 as DMT Development Systems Group, supplies software that works with auto dealers websites to provide live text and video chat between customers shopping online and sales floor staff. The company rebranded as Rapid RTC the RTC stands for real-time communications in 2018. It employs 310 staff in offices in Winnipeg, Toronto, Dallas, London and Paris. Rapid RTC has a current client list of 4,200 dealers and 27 automakers, from BMW to Toyota and beyond. Shoppers who have accepted a chat invitation while browsing an automakers or dealers website will most likely have been using Rapid RTCs systems. Its latest product, LiveDealer, allows a sales representative to switch instantly from text chat to video chat to give shoppers a virtual tour of the vehicle of interest. "The main difference between LiveDealer and Zoom is I can switch seamlessly from text chat to video," he said. "It lets the sales staff say, Why dont I just show you? and switch with the click of a button." Keyloop, which itself was acquired by Francisco Partners, also acquired enquiryMAX, another U.K.-based software developer. The company said in a statement it was "excited" to add Rapid RTCs and enquiryMAXs products to its lineup of global offerings. Till now, Rapid RTC was held privately by Demetrioff and his wife, Sharon. Glen Demetrioff expressed no regrets in giving up ownership of a company that began in his living room. "Ive always felt that I wanted to be part of something bigger and really move the needle on our products globally, so I always knew that one day Id be answering to a bigger entity," he said. The transaction closed Monday. Terms were not disclosed and Demetrioff declined to reveal Rapid RTCs annual revenues. kelly.taylor@freepress.mb.ca Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 13:16:54|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Xinhua writer Naftali Mwaura NAIROBI, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Riccardo Orizio, an Italian national who has lived in Kenya for 18 years, is proud of his adopted homeland where he is spearheading efforts to blend tourism with protection of iconic wildlife species. A former foreign correspondent with leading Italian dailies and also a bestselling author, the 59-year-old is proud of his current vocation of promoting a wildlife conservation model that is largely community-driven. "I am involved in conservation and in tourism," Orizio said during an interview at his home located in an upscale suburb of the Kenyan capital Nairobi ahead of World Wildlife Day that falls on Wednesday. "I fell in love with Africa, I fell in love with the wonderful wildlife in Kenya and also fell in love with the idea of contributing to innovative ways to protect the land, the people who own the land and wildlife through tourism," he added. Orizio owns and co-manages four luxury safari camps located at the world-famous Maasai Mara game reserve and northern Kenyan county of Samburu that attract tourists from all over the world. He said that part of the revenue generated from the lodges is ploughed back to the local nomadic communities to incentivise them to protect the wildlife amid threats of poaching. "My job is not only to run these properties for international and local clients but to make sure the Maasai and Samburu nomadic communities benefit from tourists, to become the main protectors of land and the wildlife," said Orizio. He said that 80 percent of some 108 employees in his luxury safari camps are from neighbouring communities, adding that they have appreciated the economic benefits of protecting land and wildlife species. "Right now there is a strong connection between tourism and local communities. We work together, manage the land together. The communities are full beneficiaries of employment," said Orizio. He said that monthly lease fee paid to landowners by the private conservancies where his lodges are based aims to ensure that wildlife sanctuaries are free from human settlement. "About 70 percent of revenue go to landowners, ensure they do not establish farms, housing or graze their animals inside the land set aside for wildlife," said Orizio. "When the land is left pure and pristine, wildlife thrives and multiplies. So the idea is to keep the land away from human interference, make sure wildlife has sufficient space and range," he added. Orizio said that a conservation fee of 12,000 shillings (116 U.S. dollars) paid by each tourist on a daily basis is channelled towards conservation of wildlife habitats. He said that besides providing employment to local pastoralists, the lodges also contribute to the development of social amenities like schools and health centres. Orizio acknowledged that human-wildlife conflict has undermined protection of iconic species, adding that local communities have been part of the solution to the menace amid financial incentives. "Human-wildlife conflict should be seen within cost versus benefit. There are cases of human-wildlife conflict, but people are ready to solve them if they benefit from wildlife," said Orizio. He clarified that wildlife is owned by the Kenyan government and owners and investors in the luxury safari camps only play a complementary role to ensure iconic species are protected from harm. "Wildlife in Kenya is owned by the state, it is under Kenya Wildlife Service, We make it possible to protect wildlife, give financial incentive to communities to protect wildlife," said Orizio. He said that Chinese tourists comprise a significant portion of guests at his luxury safari camps, adding that the Asian nation has become a critical player in Africa's wildlife conservation agenda. "I think there is a growing number of people in China who understands global issues of protecting land, wildlife and communities. Am aware of anti-poaching projects in Maasai Mara that are partially funded by Chinese donors," said Orizio. He said the COVID-19 pandemic led to nearly 80 percent loss of revenue generated from tourists, adding that the slump negatively impacted on community-led wildlife conservation projects. "Luckily we have started to see light at the end of the dark tunnel. Hopefully, by the end of this year we will be back to the same volumes as before and that is crucial for guaranteeing the protection of wildlife," said Orizio. Martin Sermetei, a 36-year-old Maasai landowner and an employee at Saruni lodge owned by Orizio, said that he had leased 125 acres of land for 25 years to the Mara North Conservancy where he is guaranteed of sustainable income. "I'm paid a monthly fee of 42,000 shillings but now am being paid 21, 000 shillings because of disruption in the tourism sector caused by the coronavirus," said Sermetei. "The money is guaranteed every month, and it is good business," he added. Sermetei said that nomadic landowners are passionate about protecting wildlife thanks to financial incentives from investors who have put up luxury camps at the conservancies. He said that conservancies have gone ahead to compensate herders who lose their livestock to wild animals. "Conservancies compensate herders 3,000 shillings if a goat is killed by a wild animal. Herders who lose a cow to wild animals are compensated with 10,000 shillings (91 US. Dollars)," said Sermetei. He said the luxury lodges have also boosted local economy by purchasing meat, milk and fresh produce from nearby small-scale farmers and herders. 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. In honor of Womens History Month, take time to watch one or several movies about strong women you can stream on Netflix right now. From surefire 2020 Oscar nominees like Ma Raineys Black Bottom to action movies starring Jessica Chastain and Jennifer Garner, the streamer has something for everyone. You can even find powerful documentaries about legendary figures like Michelle Obama and Joan Didion. We found 24 films subscribers can and should watch tonight or all month to celebrate strong women. Read our picks below: 20th Century Women (2016) The story of a teenage boy, his mother and two other women who help raise him among the love and freedom of Southern California of 1979. Annette Bening, Greta Gerwig and Elle Fanning star in Mike Mills highly acclaimed character study. Adrift (2018) A true story of survival, as a young couples chance encounter leads them first to love, and then on the adventure of a lifetime as they face one of the most catastrophic hurricanes in recorded history. Shailene Woodley is largely on her own as a woman at sea, trying to find a way home. Ava (2020) Jessica Chastain plays a deadly assassin who works for a black ops organization, traveling the globe specializing in high profile hits. When a job goes dangerously wrong she is forced to fight for her own survival in this Netflix original thriller from The Help director Tate Taylor. Becoming (2020) Netflixs intimate documentary about former first lady Michelle Obama looking at her life, hopes and connection with others during her 2019 book tour. Bird Box (2018) Five years after an ominous unseen presence drives most of society to suicide, a mother and her two children make a desperate bid to reach safety. Sandra Bullock stars in this popular (and memed) horror flick. The Dig (2021) An archaeologist embarks on the historically important excavation of Sutton Hoo in 1938. Carey Mulligan co-stars with Ralph Fiennes in the Netflix historical drama.. Eat Pray Love (2010) Julia Roberts stars as a married woman who realizes how unhappy her marriage really is and that her life needs to go in a different direction, as she takes off on a round-the-world journey to find herself. Based on the popular book of the same name. Enola Holmes (2020) When Enola Holmes (Sherlocks teen sister) discovers her mother missing, she sets off to find her, becoming a super-sleuth in her own right as she unravels a dangerous conspiracy. Millie Bobby Brown of Stranger Things stars in the title role. The Forty-Year-Old Version (2020) An unlucky New York City playwright, who is desperate for a breakthrough before 40, reinvents herself as a rapper, vacillating between the worlds of hip-hop and theater in order to find her true voice. Radha Blank wrote, directed and starred in this film many critics hailed as one of the best of 2020. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) Journalist Mikael Blomkvist and hacker Lisbeth Salander search for a woman missing for 40 years, navigating dangerous channels to solve the mystery. Rooney Mara earned an Oscar nomination for playing Stieg Larssons heroine. Gothika (2003) A depressed female psychiatrist wakes up as a patient in the asylum where she worked, with no memory of why she is there or what she has done. Halle Berry and Penelope Cruz star in this psychological thriller. Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold (2017) Literary icon Joan Didion reflects on her remarkable career and personal struggles in this documentary directed by her nephew, Griffin Dunne. Lady Bird (2017) In 2002, an artistically inclined seventeen-year-old girl comes of age in Sacramento. Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf earned Oscar nominations, as did writer/director Greta Gerwig, for this popular coming-of-age story. Loving (2016) The story of Richard and Mildred Loving, a couple whose arrest for interracial marriage in 1960s Virginia began a legal battle that would end with the Supreme Courts historic 1967 decision. Ruth Negga delivers a quietly powerful performance as a woman didnt seek to make history, but merely love who she wanted to love. Ma Raineys Black Bottom (2020) During a recording session, tensions rise between Ma Rainey, her ambitious horn player and the white management determined to control the Mother of the Blues. Viola Davis stars as the blues legend in yet another thunderous performance, opposite the late Chadwick Boseman. Middle of Nowhere (2012) When her husband is sentenced to eight years in prison, a woman drops out of medical school in order to focus on his well-being while hes incarcerated, leading her on a journey of self-discovery in Selma director Ava DuVernays drama. Mollys Game (2017) The true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier who ran the worlds most exclusive high-stakes poker game and became an FBI target. Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain stars in Aaron Sorkins film. The Next Karate Kid (1994) Mr. Miyagi takes a new pupil under his wing, this time a troubled adolescent girl. How many of us discovered future two-time Oscar-winner Hilary Swank. The Old Guard (2020) Charlize Theron leads a covert team of immortal mercenaries fighting to keep their identity a secret as an unexpected new member is discovered. Peppermint (2018) Five years after her husband and daughter are killed in a senseless act of violence, a woman (Jennifer Garner) comes back from self-imposed exile to seek revenge against those responsible and the system that let them go free. Pieces of a Woman (2020) When a young mothers home birth ends in tragedy, she begins a year-long odyssey of mourning that fractures relationships with loved ones. The Crown actress Vanessa Kirbys heartbreaking performance earned rave reviews. The Princess and the Frog (2009) A waitress, desperate to fulfill her dreams as a restaurant owner, is set on a journey to turn a frog prince back into a human being, but she has to face the same problem after she kisses him. Anika Noni Rose voices Tiana, Disneys first Black princess. The Runaways (2010) The coming-of-age biographical film about the 1970s teenage all-girl rock band The Runaways focuses on the relationship between Cherie Currie and Joan Jett, played by Dakota Fanning and Joan Jett. Soul Surfer (2011) How teenage surfer Bethany Hamilton overcame the odds and her own fears of returning to the water after losing her left arm in a shark attack. RELATED: New on Netflix March 2021 * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! Covid deaths in England are falling faster than gloomy SAGE advisers thought they would, official data show and scientists claim lockdown rules could be loosened faster. Models produced by the SPI-M group of scientists predicting the future of the Covid outbreak in February suggested the daily death count would stay above 200 until mid-March. But the average number of victims recorded each day had dropped below this level before the end of February, statistics show. Experts told The Telegraph the progress is 'better than expected' and suggested the Government's 'data not dates' approach could see relaxations brought forward. The vaccine rollout has made immense progress, with 20million people now vaccinated across the UK, and studies suggest the jabs are working better than expected, preventing between 85 and 94 per cent of hospitalisations. SPI-M's prediction was more pessimistic about how well the vaccine would work and whether it would stop transmission, which may explain why its estimates are gloomier than the reality. Under current plans, schools will reopen next Monday, and people will be allowed to meet in groups of six outdoors from March 29. Boris Johnson has committed to moving cautiously and slowly out of the current restrictions, insisting that they will be 'irreversible' this time. But Professor Mark Woolhouse, an infectious disease expert at Edinburgh University and adviser to SAGE, said going slowly 'is not a cost-free option' and the other health and economic impacts of lockdown would be worse the longer the rules lasted. A prediction made by SAGE sub-group SPI-M at the start of February suggested daily Covid deaths in England would stay above 200 until the end of March but they are already lower. The yellow line shows SPI-M's prediction, while the red line represents the actual daily death count, calculated as a seven-day average A monthly projection given to SAGE on February 10 suggested coronavirus deaths in England would fall from around 600 per day to 200 by the second week of March, around the 10th or 12th of the month. The fall in daily deaths would be slowing this month, the researchers predicted, and would drop to around 150 per day by March 21. But the average number of deaths recorded each day had already fallen to 157 by Monday, March 1, three weeks ahead of the experts' best guess. The average is calculated from the death counts on the day on which it falls and the previous six days. The most recent days may be artificially low because it can take a week or more for all death reports to be recorded, but deaths by date of death are in the low 200s in the most recent reliable figures, relating to late February. Government figures suggest the daily death count in England has a halving time of around two weeks, meaning it could drop to fewer than 80 per day by March 21. It is falling even faster in the very elderly, who were the first to be vaccinated and more than 90 per cent of over-80s are now thought to have some immunity. And the 99 deaths announced on Monday, March 1, was the lowest number since October 26 (90), before the second wave took off. Experts said the success of the vaccine programme had outstripped expectations and could lead to a British unlocking ahead of schedule. More than 20.4million people have had at least one dose of a vaccine so far and the programme is three months in, meaning that millions of people are now protected from Covid studies suggest the jabs are proving very effective. Professor David Spiegelhalter, a statistician at the University of Cambridge, said: 'We all sort of hoped something like this might happen but, frankly, it is better than anyone expected, I think.' NHS HOSPITALS IN LONDON TOLD TO PREPARE FOR PATIENT SURGE IN THIRD WAVE London's hospitals have been told to prepare for another surge in coronavirus patients 'later this year'. Leaked guidance handed to NHS trusts in the city last month warned they will be asked to 'begin to plan for a possible wave three Covid surge' as soon as late March, according to the Health Service Journal. The presentation, from NHS England and NHS Improvement, added: 'The purpose of the critical care de-surge plan (is to) ensure that the... bed base can expand safely in the event of a third Covid surge and/or other major incident/event.' But NHS sources in the capital said this was based on gloomy SAGE predictions that there could be a third wave of hospitalisations in the autumn, even though all Britons are expected to have received their first jab by June. The HSJ claimed no other regions in England have been given similar instructions. Ministers hope the mammoth vaccine rollout will stop another surge in hospitalisations. There are concerns a variant might dodge jab-induced immunity, but experts say studies suggesting this do not take into account other parts of the immune system which offer added protection. Boris Johnson appears to have embraced the fact that more people will die in a third wave when lockdown ends in the summer. He said in February: 'We're now travelling on a one-way road to freedom and we can begin safely to restart our lives, and do it with confidence. 'And I want to be frank about exactly what that means and the trade-offs involved. The vaccines reduce the danger of Covid, they save lives and they keep people out of hospital. But no vaccine against any disease has ever been 100 per cent effective. 'So, whenever we ease the lockdown whether its today or in six or nine months weve got to be realistic and accept that there will be more infections, more hospitalisations and therefore, sadly, more deaths, just as there are every year with flu. 'Even if we sustained the lockdown indefinitely, which would itself cost lives and do immeasurable harm to our children, we would not be able to eradicate this disease.' Advertisement Professor Woolhouse told The Telegraph: 'The data are indeed looking better than the models were predicting and, to the best of my knowledge, better than anyone was expecting. 'If the phrase "data-driven not date-driven" has any meaning, then it must allow for the schedule for relaxing restrictions to be brought forward if the data are better than expected and not just putting the schedule back if the data are worse than expected.' He added: 'Lockdown continues to be just as harmful as ever, so there is a public health imperative to relax measures as soon as it is safe to do so. An over-abundance of caution is not a cost-free option.' The success of the vaccination programme and how well the vaccines work may be behind the rapid improvement. SPI-M assumed that the vaccines would prevent 88 per cent (Pfizer) or 70 per cent (Oxford) of deaths and hospitalisations, and stop 48 per cent of virus transmission. But real-world data suggests they are much, better with Public Health England expert Dr Mary Ramsay yesterday saying they may stop the virus spreading 'almost completely' among people who have had one. And data suggest the jabs may be even more effective than predicted. A Scottish study based on real population data suggested last week that a single dose of either vaccine could reduce the risk of hospitalisation with Covid by between 85 and 94 per cent. Using data from members of the public the first study of its kind in the UK researchers at Edinburgh and Strathclyde universities found that the vaccines led to fewer hospital admissions from four weeks after the first dose. That study was based on an analysis of data from the 1.14million doses dished out between December 8 and February 15. It linked up people's vaccination records to reports of hospital admissions for Covid-19 to see whether people who had had a jab were coming less often than those who hadn't. It showed that among those aged 80 and over one of the highest risk groups vaccination was associated with an 81 per cent reduction in hospitalisation risk in the fourth week, when the results for both vaccines were combined. Protection increased over time for both vaccines, from 38 per cent (Pfizer) and 70 per cent (Oxford) after one week before the jab is expected to work at all to 85 per cent (Pfizer) and 94 per cent (Oxford) after four weeks. Oxford's appeared to be heading towards the almost total protection against severe Covid seen in clinical trials, but the study was not long enough to capture this. Pfizer's protection was also extremely high and rising. Professor Aziz Sheikh, the study director from the University of Edinburgh, said: 'Overall we are very, very impressed with the both the vaccines. When you move beyond the trial settings you never know what the results are going to be. 'Out in the field... both of these are working spectacularly well.' The success of England's mammoth Covid vaccination drive was underlined yesterday by official data showing that more than 90 per cent of over-85s now have antibodies. Figures compiled by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show 22 per cent of over-85s in England had Covid antibodies at the start of 2021, before the immunisation rollout began to rapidly pick up pace. But the rate stood at nearly 91 per cent on February 11, according to the most up-to-date estimate. The report which also showed one in four people overall had Covid antibodies in England, one in six in Wales and Northern Ireland and one in eight in Scotland looked at blood samples taken from 30,000 over-16s across the country. Rates were highest in London, where the ONS estimated 29 per cent of people had antibodies compared to just 16 per cent in the South West of England, the lowest in the UK. As well as through vaccination, antibodies are also made in the blood when someone catches and recovers from the virus. But the length of time antibodies remain at detectable levels in the blood is not fully known, given that studies have shown they can fade after a few months. Professor David Leon, an epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: 'This slightly steeper rate of decline [in deaths] among those 80+ years compared to those aged 60-79 years could be explained by a change in admission rates by age, whereby fewer people aged 80+ are admitted to hospital compared to those who are younger. 'It could also indicate a small reduction in case fatality in hospital among the eldest. 'A relatively greater reduction in hospital admissions in those aged 80+ is what would be hoped given prioritisation of this group in the national vaccination strategy. 'Whether vaccination also means that those who are admitted to hospital might be slightly less sick and have a higher survival chance is unclear.' Pashinian proposed the elections in late December following opposition protests sparked by Armenias defeat in the war in Nagorno-Karabakh. Opposition forces dismissed the offer, saying that they must be held by an interim government after Pashinians resignation. The ruling political team stated last month that it no longer sees the need to dissolve the Armenian parliament controlled by it. It claimed that most Armenians do not want that either. Pashinian renewed his election offer on Monday after the Armenian militarys top brass demanded his resignation, deepening the political crisis in the country. One of the two opposition parties represented in the parliament, Bright Armenia (LHK), accepted it. LHK leader Edmon Marukian insisted on Wednesday that fresh elections are the only realistic way to end the crisis even if they are held by the current government. He said he will likely meet with Pashinian on Thursday. The other parliamentary opposition party, Prosperous Armenia (BHK), again avoided clarifying its stance. The BHK is part of an opposition alliance which has been holding demonstrations in a bid to force Pashinian to resign. Alen Simonian, a senior member of the ruling My Step bloc, expressed hope that an election-related agreement with the parliamentary opposition will be reached after all. In my view, there is no way we can avoid pre-term elections because they are first and foremost needed by the authorities, Simonian told reporters. He at the same time said: The elections may take place only if all sides, or at least most of them, reach an agreement, and so we are going down that path. Under Armenias existing constitution, snap polls must be called only if Pashinian resigns and the National Assembly twice fails to elect another prime minister. His My Step bloc officially controls 83 seats in the 132-member parliament and should in theory be able to easily prevent the election of another premier nominated by the opposition minority. Nevertheless, Pashinian demanded in January that the BHK and the LHK formally pledge to refrain from such nominations in the event of his tactical resignation. Both parties refused to do that. WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden said Tuesday that he would use federal authority to offer coronavirus vaccinations to K-12 teachers and child care workers, with the aim of getting at least the first shot administered to all educators by the end of March. The goal is to remove one of the major barriers to reopening schools - an urgent step for parents and children alike - but one that has been enormously controversial and complicated. Teachers, who have resisted going back in many communities, have said that they would be much more willing to return to school buildings if they are vaccinated first. More than half the states have already put teachers into a high-priority category in their vaccination programs. "Today, I'm using the full authority of the federal government; I'm directing every state to do the same," Biden said. "My challenge to all states, territories and the District of Columbia is this: We want every educator, school staff member, child care worker to receive at least one shot by the end of the month of March." He said that starting next week, the federal government will use its pharmacy program to prioritize educators for vaccination and allow them to sign up for appointments. "I want to be very clear," he added. "Not every educator will be able to get their appointment in the first week. But our goal is to do everything we can to help every educator receive a shot this month." The status of K-12 education varies widely across the country, with some children able to attend in-person classes five days a week since the fall and others learning at home for nearly a year. Overall, the recent trend is toward more in-person options, with several large districts beginning to open buildings this week. The White House also is seriously considering appointing a "czar" to coordinate the effort to reopen schools, an administration official said. And it's possible that Linda Darling-Hammond, president of the California State Board of Education, who ran the education team for the Biden transition, will take on some sort of role in the reopening effort, people familiar with the process said. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, welcomed the news about the vaccination effort. "Vaccinations are a key ingredient to reopening schools safely, and this is the administration taking the steps to ramp up vaccinations for educators, which is great news for everyone who wants in-school learning," she said. During the presidential transition period, the Biden team considered a special program to prioritize teachers, but was dissuaded by the urgency of vaccinating older people, who are most likely to get very sick and require hospitalization, according to one person familiar with the conversations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that teachers be prioritized, suggesting they be part of the second group eligible for vaccination, behind only health-care workers and those in nursing homes and other senior settings. But the CDC did not mandate it and, in its guidance for school districts, said teacher vaccination is not a prerequisite for schools to reopen. The White House struggled with its response to this. Several officials, including Vice President Kamala Harris, declined to back up the CDC, though ultimately the White House said it agreed. Now the White House is bypassing state decision-making and giving teachers direct access to vaccine supply under its control through its pharmacy program. The Biden administration began deploying vaccine doses directly to retail pharmacies on Feb. 11, starting with 1 million. That sum quickly doubled and has grown steadily since. White House officials told governors Tuesday that the next wave of shipments to pharmacies would include 2.4 million doses. The initial locations, which included 6,500 stores, were selected in part to serve communities disproportionately affected by the virus, the administration said. The number of locations was expected to grow to as many as 40,000 pharmacies. Until now, access to this program was governed by eligibility rules in each state, though the Biden administration said locations were chosen to prioritize hard-hit communities. Notably, Biden's announcement included child care workers, who have received far less attention than teachers have. Many of them have been working in person through much of the pandemic. - - - The Washington Post's Isaac Stanley-Becker and Ashley Parker contributed to this report. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. Free Speech on Campus and the Case of Jonathan Bradley Commentary The case of Ryerson University student Jonathan Bradley is yet another example of the erosion of academic freedom and free speech at universities. A fourth-year journalism student and a strict Catholic, Bradley has filed a discrimination complaint with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO), claiming to have been fired from the Eyeopener, a Ryerson student newspaper, for reasons related to his religious views. The trouble began in March 2020, when Bradley wrote an commentary for The Post Millennial criticizing equity, diversity, and inclusion offices at Canadian universities. He wrote that these offices make students think that there is one acceptable opinion on issues. They discourage students from formulating their own ideas. He gave examples of social justice events organized by these offices at which he said this occurred, noting that these offices brainwash students and pointing to certain events that were filled with rampant political correctness and postmodernism. In the tribunal documents, he said he had grown disenchanted with these offices because he had noticed that some groups were being discriminated against by these offices on the basis of their viewpoints, according to the National Post. Shortly after his article was published, Bradleys editor told him that it made other Eyeopener staff feel unsafe and uncomfortable and that he wasnt allowed to write on diversity and inclusion issues for the newspaper anymore. Then in June 2020, one of Bradleys former classmates posted a number of tweets tagging the Eyeopener and Ryerson and telling them that Jonathan has tweeted blatantly homophobic and transphobic things. Her tweets included screenshots of private messages in 2017 between her and Bradley about some tweets Bradley had posted earlier. He had publicly expressed his view that homosexuality and transgenderism were sins, and in response to objections he provided sources including Biblical references that he felt made the issues clear. The classmates screenshots consisted of exchanges in which she asked Bradley to delete those public tweets, calling his view homophobic and telling him he can believe what he wants but just dont publicly say it. Days later, Bradley received an email from the Eyeopener informing him his job with the newspaper had been terminated. Since youve made your opinion public, members of our community, especially queer, trans, and non-binary folks, would no longer feel safe if you are associated with the publication, the email stated, according to the National Post. In his HRTO application, Bradley is seeking $20,000 in damages, while asking for his writing job to be restored and for the Eyeopener to develop and implement non-discriminatory policies and procedures, Canadian Catholic News reports. Bradleys lawyer, Carol Crosson, says the case encapsulates the many problems that have arisen on university campuses in recent years. The problems Mr. Bradley has experienced at Ryerson have been building for some time on university campuses, she told me. Unfortunately, these purported bastions of free speech fail to recall the fundamental freedoms held so dear at the time of their creation. The Society for Academic Freedom and Scholarship wrote to the Eyeopener in support of Bradley in January 2021. A campus newspaper that prohibits the expression of particular ideas or arguments helps to confirm the idea that a university is no place for the open discussion of controversial topics, the letter said. It noted that firing Bradley for expressing his views publicly will make it more difficult for other students to be open, candid, and direct about their own views, thus further chilling free speech. The core problem with social justice activists is that they constantly dress up their value judgments with the veneer of objectivity. They certainly have an abundance of studies from like-minded theorists they can cite that bestow intellectual, and even scientific, legitimacy upon their petulant behaviour. So to disagree is to be against the science or the conclusions put forth by these theorists who are clearly less than impartial. Take the unmitigated nonsense theyve uttered on free speech, for example. Critical race theorist David Gillborn holds that the function of free speech in our society is dictated by whiteness, such that already debunked racist beliefs can enjoy repeated public airings where they are lauded as scientific and rational by many White listeners, who simultaneously define as irrational, emotional, or exaggerated the opposing views of people of colour. Gillborns assertion is purely a value judgment and ideological statement masquerading as a sophisticated scholarly observation. It also now informs much of the culture surrounding free speech and academic freedom on campus. As the conflicts over free speech and social justice continue and become ever more polarized, Crosson hopes that Bradleys case will help reverse the erosion of fundamental freedoms in institutions like universities, where they should always be protected. Some say it is too late to remedy the erosion of our fundamental freedoms, especially on campuses. But I believe that if we have a few more Bradleys who kindly but firmly take a stand for the right every individual has to be treated evenly and fairly, we can change the trajectory, she says. I believe that many Bradleys exist. They just need to take their place. Cases like Bradleys, which appear to be happening more and more frequently, evoke the fundamental question of what the university experience ought to be about in 2021. In an ideal scenario, a discussion along these lines could be had that could strike a compromise between the competing interests of the embattled factions. Unfortunately, thats unlikely, as the social justice types repeatedly demonstrate that co-existence and pluralism are incompatible with their ideology. The institutions theyve aggressively co-opted will continue to reflect that, much to the detriment of their reputation and the regard that the tax-paying public has for them. Those in positions of authority could change the trajectory if they put their mind to it, but given the ideology to which theyve long subordinated themselves, this is a tall order. Shane Miller is a political writer based in London, Ontario. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. RM500k contempt fine on Mkini serves public interest: Federal Court The RM500,000 fine imposed on Malaysiakini for contempt over its readers comments is an appropriate sentence that serves the public interest, the Federal Court ruled. According to a copy of the full judgment of the majority 6-1 decision led by Court of Appeal President Rohana Yusuf, the sentence would deter others from committing similar acts of contempt involving readers comments. In our view, an appropriate sentence serves public interest in two ways. It may deter others from the temptation to commit such crime where the punishment is negligible, or it may deter that particular criminal from repeating the same crime. Not only regarding each crime, but in regard to each criminal the court always has the right and duty to decide whether to be lenient or severe, she said. Rohana added that the gravity of the contempt in Malaysiakinis case, which involved baseless allegations of corruption, is much more severe than other contempt cases brought before the Federal Court. The language used and the allegation made is beyond any bounds of decency. It was targeted at the judiciary as a whole and the wild suggestion of the chief justice being corrupt. The impugned comments which were facilitated to be published by the first respondent (Malaysiakini) have besmirched the good name of the judiciary as a whole and subverted the course of administration of justice, undermined public confidence, offended the dignity, integrity and impartiality of the judiciary. Having weighed the mitigating factors as submitted by the respondent against the seriousness of the offence committed, it is only right that the sentence must not be too lenient. Public interest demands a deterrent sentence be meted out against the first respondent. We, therefore, hold a fine of RM500,000 is appropriate, she said. The other apex bench members that form the majority ruling were Chief Judge of the High Court of Malaya Azahar Mohamed; Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim; and Federal Court judges Mohd Zawawi Salleh, Vernon Ong Lam Kiat, and Abdul Rahman Sebli. Story continues The lone dissenting decision was delivered by Federal Court judge Nallini Pathmanathan, who held that Malaysiakini is not in contempt over the readers comments. On Feb 19, the Federal Court in a majority 6-1 ruling found the news portal in contempt over its readers comments. This did not extend to its editor-in-chief Steven Gan who was found not guilty of the same charge. It is the first time that the news portal was cited for contempt in its 21-year history. The apex bench had then meted out an RM500,000 fine on the news portal, in spite of the Attorney-Generals Chambers only seeking an RM200,000 fine for the contempt charge. However in a fundraising campaign later the same day, the news portal received public donation exceeding the amount of fine. Malaysiakini paid the fine the week after. The ruling attracted concerns from various quarters, among them being the Malaysian Bar reportedly raising fears that it would have a chilling effect on press freedom of online media organisations and civil society groups in Malaysia. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. [March 03, 2021] Volvo Autonomous Solutions forms Partnership with Foretellix TEL AVIV, Israel, March 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Volvo Autonomous Solutions has signed an agreement with verification experts Foretellix to jointly address the challenges of large-scale verification of autonomous driving solutions on highways and confined areas, such as mines. Volvo Autonomous Solutions has formed a partnership with Foretellix to jointly create a Coverage Driven Verification solution for autonomous driving solutions operating on both public roads and in confined areas. The solution will enable massive scale testing of millions of different scenarios, which will validate autonomous vehicles and machines dealing with anything they might encounter within their specified Operational Design Domain (ODD). The partnership will focus on providing high levels of safety and productivity of Volvo Autonomous Solution vehicles and machines. The ability of the solution to orchestrate large scale simulation and conduct the big data analysis required will lead to a substantial reduction in costs and time to market, ensuring faster operational readiness and the ability to safely scale up the system across multiple sites and ODDs. Intelligent automation and analytics tools Foretellix is a pioneer in the commercialization of coverage-driven methodologies for automated driving systems verification. Foretellixdeveloped a novel verification platform that uses intelligent automation and big data analytics tools that coordinate and monitor millions of driving scenarios, to expose bugs and edge cases, including the most extreme cases. Volvo Autonomous Solutions will jointly adapt Foretellix's verification system for both highways and confined area applications, such as mines and quarries. Volvo Autonomous Solutions and Foretellix will use the Open Measurable Scenario Description Language (M-SDL) created by Foretellix. M-SDL simplifies the capture, reuse and sharing of scenarios, and can specify any mix of scenarios and operating conditions, to identify previously unknown hazards. "Volvo Autonomous Solutions believes in a collaborative verification concept, one that uses open standards," says Magnus Liljeqvist, Global Technology Manager Volvo Autonomous Solutions. "The partnership with Foretellix gives us access to the state-of-the-art verification tools and accelerating our time to market." "We are very proud to partner with Volvo Group. This partnership is a significant milestone for the industry as it is the first time that large scale Coverage Driven Verification will be used for verification of ADS in confined areas. Our partnership will combine the expertise of the two companies and set a new standard in the verification of automated driving systems, boosting both safety and productivity," says Ziv Binyamini, CEO and co-founder of Foretellix. In 2020 both companies conducted a successful pre-study that evaluated the Foretellix portfolio and its potential value in confined areas. For further information, please contact: Anna Arbius, Head of Marketing & Communications, Volvo Autonomous solutions, +46 739022993. volvoautonomoussolutions.com/news Volvo Autonomous Solutions is a separate business area of the Volvo Group. Incorporated in January 2020, its mission is to accelerate the development, commercialization and sales of autonomous solutions for our defined segments in the on-road and off-road space. In such segments, autonomous transport solutions can create value for customers by contributing to improved flexibility, delivery precision and productivity. Visit www.volvoautonomoussolutions.com. Foretellix provides a revolutionary development lifecycle verification platform for enabling mass deployment of autonomous driving systems. Foretellix is using proven approaches from the semiconductor chip industry utilizing hyper automation, big data analytics and AI. The platform orchestrates and manages the massive scale of testing required to ensure safety, reduce development cost, and shorten time to market of ADS deployment. Visit www.foretellix.com. SOURCE Foretellix [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The European Commission has said the UK is in violation of its post-Brexit obligations after unilaterally deciding to continue Irish Sea border grace periods until October. Britain is set to breach international law for a second time, vice-president Maros Sefcovic warned. The Irish Government also branded the intervention extending the soft-touch regulatory regime on some goods entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain as deeply unhelpful. A commission statement on behalf of Mr Sefcovic said: Following the UK Governments statement today, vice-president Sefcovic has expressed the EUs strong concerns over the UKs unilateral action, as this amounts to a violation of the relevant substantive provisions of the protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland and the good faith obligation under the Withdrawal Agreement. Maros Sefcovic (PA) This is the second time that the UK Government is set to breach international law. This also constitutes a clear departure from the constructive approach that has prevailed up until now, thereby undermining both the work of the Joint Committee and the mutual trust necessary for solution-oriented co-operation. The Northern Ireland Protocol is designed to prevent the imposition of a hard border on the island of Ireland by keeping Northern Ireland following EU trade rules. It has caused disruption to some goods travelling from the rest of the UK after suppliers encountered extra red tape. Businesses in Northern Ireland have been pressing for an extension to the grace periods to avoid a cliff-edge plunge into extra bureaucracy linked to the protocol. The British Government has said grace periods like those for supermarket agri-food movements from the rest of the UK to Northern Ireland will continue until October. Brandon Lewis (Leon Neal/PA) Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said: As part of the pragmatic and proportionate implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol, the Government is taking several temporary operational steps to avoid disruptive cliff edges as engagement with the EU continues through the Joint Committee. These recognise that appropriate time must be provided for businesses to implement new requirements, and support the effective flow of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Ministers face a backlash from unionists who fear the protocol threatens Northern Irelands place in the UK internal market. Mr Lewis said: For supermarkets and their suppliers, as part of the operational plan the UK committed to at the UK-EU Joint Committee on February 24, the current Scheme for Temporary Agri-food Movements to Northern Ireland (STAMNI) will continue until October 1. Certification requirements will then be introduced in phases alongside the rollout of the Digital Assistance Scheme. He said further guidance will be provided later this week on parcel movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, to provide necessary additional time for traders beyond April 1. Guidance will also be set out to help address practical problems on soil attached to the movement of plants, seeds, bulbs, vegetables and agricultural machinery. The first of the grace periods had been due to expire at the end of March. Supermarkets would have had to produce export health certificates for all shipments of animal products. Simon Coveney (Tom Honan/PA) Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said unilaterally continuing the grace period undermines the UKs commitment to the protocol. He said: A unilateral announcement is deeply unhelpful to building the relationship of trust and partnership that is central to the implementation of the protocol. Mr Coveney met Mr Lewis and the Cabinet Office minister responsible for EU-UK relations, Lord Frost. He said: I made clear to them my regret that the UK had moved in a unilateral way, rather than working in continued partnership with the EU in accordance with the EU-UK joint statements of 11 and 24 February. The DUP is aiming to undermine the protocol. The partys Westminster leader, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, said: Whilst supermarkets and those bringing in goods via our ports from Great Britain will be relieved to see extensions to the grace periods, we will be continuing to press the Government for a permanent solution. Grace periods do not provide the long-term certainty that businesses and consumers in Northern Ireland require. The protocol has been demonstrated to be unworkable. The DUPs Stormont Agriculture Minister, Gordon Lyons, sparked controversy on Friday night when he announced he had ordered officials to halt work on planned permanent facilities to carry out inspections on goods from Great Britain. Sinn Fein president Mary-Lou McDonald said: At last weeks meeting of the Joint Committee, Michael Gove and Maros Sefcovic reaffirmed support for the Irish Protocol and the need to work together to deal with issues that have arisen. It is incredible that one week later the British government has gone on a solo run and taken unilateral action. This was completely unnecessary, totally undermines the work of the Joint Committee and puts it on an immediate collision course with the European Union. [March 03, 2021] QuestionPro Appoints Sanja Licina, Ph.D. as President, Workforce AUSTIN, Texas, March 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- QuestionPro, a global leader in online survey and research services has appointed Sanja Licina, Ph.D. as President of its Workforce Experience division. In this role she will have overall responsibility for driving growth, product development and client satisfaction for this fast-growing division. Licina has 20 years experience as an executive and senior leader in high-growth organizations, as well as a researcher and product manager. For nine years she held multiple strategic roles at CareerBuilder, including product management, talent intelligence and workforce analytics. Prior to joining QuestionPro she led the Future of Organizations unit at Globant, a company that leverages digital-cognitive technologies to help companies transform. Early in her career she was a researcher for Ipsos and a consultant for Harvard Business School. I am so incredibly passionate about helping create amazing workplaces, said Licina. But great workplaces dont happen by accident it requires engagement, data and constant evaluation. QuestionPro offers customers the tools they need to implement, evaluate and continually improve a workplace culture. Im looking forward to what we can do together with our customers. Licina earned a B.A. in Psychology and Communications at the University of Michigan, her Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from DePaul University, ad an Executive MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern. Sanja is a dynamic and passionate leader whose academic and real-world experience are a perfect fit for her role in leading our Workforce Experience division, said Vivek Bhaskaran, CEO of QuestionPro. QuestionPro is committed to helping customers build remarkable workplaces which is something that Sanja has been doing her whole career. We couldnt be happier to have her on board. To create a truly empathetic organization, it's important to be able to effectively connect with employees, at scale. QuestionPro's Workforce platform is a powerful employee experience survey based technology that helps organizations gather insights through every step of the employee experience. Ongoing feedback from employees, delivered through intuitive dashboards, enables each stakeholder to build a stronger culture, and a better business. QuestionPros Workforce Experience platform has been recognized in the Forrester New Wave: EX Management report, in which customers praised QuestionPro for its support and willingness to partner with them on their EX initiatives. The report also noted that QuestionPro shines for its focus on culture and behavior and its willingness to partner with its clients to guide their efforts. About QuestionPro Founded in 2006, QuestionPro is a global provider of online survey and research services that help companies make better decisions through data. From free consumer accounts to robust enterprise-level research, we offer tools for the creation, distribution, and analysis of surveys. We also offer platforms for polling, mobile research and data visualization. Fortune 100 companies rely on us to help unlock insights about customers, employees and the marketplace. With offices in the US, Mexico, Germany, the United Arab Emirates and India, we offer customers 24-7 access to highly trained support specialists and engineers. More information is available at www.questionpro.com. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/30b63d9e-3ed6-484b-80a2-a4fa5ca490da Media Contact John Williams, Scoville PR for QuestionPro 206.660.5503, jwilliams@scovillepr.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] A view inside Ain al-Asad military airbase housing U.S. and other foreign troops in the western Iraqi province of Anbar, on Jan. 13, 2020. (Ayman Henna/AFP via Getty Images) Pentagon: US Contractor Dies in Rocket Attack at Iraq Base WASHINGTONA U.S. contractor died Wednesday when at least 10 rockets slammed into an air base housing U.S. and other coalition troops in western Iraq, the Pentagon said. Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said the contractor suffered a cardiac episode while sheltering and died shortly afterward. He said there were no service members injured and all are accounted for. British and Danish troops also are among those stationed at the base. The rocket attack was the first since the United States struck Iran-aligned militia targets along the Iraq-Syria border last week, killing one militiaman. No one claimed responsibility for Wednesdays attack. The rockets struck Ain al-Asad airbase in Anbar province early in the morning, U.S.-led coalition spokesperson Col. Wayne Marotto said. Kirby said the rockets were fired from east of the base, and that counter-rocket defensive systems were used to defend forces at the base. Kirby said the United States cant attribute responsibility for the attack yet, and that the extent of the damage was still being assessed. The Iraqi military released a statement saying that Wednesdays attack did not cause significant losses and that security forces had found the launch pad used for the rocketsa truck. Video of the site shows a burning truck in a desert area. British Ambassador to Iraq Stephen Hickey condemned the attack, saying it undermined the ongoing fight against the ISIS terrorist group. Coalition forces are in Iraq to fight Daesh at the invitation of the Iraqi government, he tweeted, using the Arabic acronym for ISIS. These terrorist attacks undermine the fight against Daesh and destabilize Iraq. Denmark said coalition forces at the base were helping to bring stability and security to the country. Despicable attacks against Ain al-Asad base in #Iraq are completely unacceptable, Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod tweeted. The Danish armed forces said two Danes who were at the base at the time of the attack are unharmed. Last weeks U.S. strike along the border was in response to a spate of rocket attacks that targeted the American presence, including one that killed a coalition contractor from the Philippines outside the Irbil airport. After that attack, the Pentagon said the strike was a proportionate military response. Marotto, the coalition spokesperson, said the Iraqi security forces were leading an investigation into the attack. U.S. troops in Iraq significantly decreased their presence in the country last year and withdrew from several Iraqi bases to consolidate chiefly in Ain al-Asad, Baghdad and Irbil. An engineer at the Vietnam National Space Center (VNSC) works on the NanoDragon satellite. Photo by VNSC. Micro-satellite NanoDragon, developed and built by the Vietnam National Space Center (VNSC), will go through a final test this month before it is put into orbit this September. The satellite weighs four kilos and belongs to the CubeSat category, a type of miniaturized satellite for space research that is made up of multiple 10 cm 10 cm 10 cm modules. NanoDragon will be delivered to Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan, for testing between March 8-22. The satellite will go through vibration test, shock test and thermal vacuum test, the last steps in the satellites hardware development, VNSC director Pham Anh Tuan said Tuesday. After the test, it will go back to Vietnam, waiting for launch. Japans Epsilon rocket is expected to launch NanoDragon in September as part of the second "Innovative satellite technology demonstration" program. The NanoDragon satellite that is almost completed. Photo by VNSC. NanoDragon is the product of Vietnam's nano-sized micro-satellite project for the 2016-2020 period. The satellite will be working at 520 kilometers high from the earth, with two main missions: tracking and monitoring vessels, and verifying the performance of the satellite attitude control system on orbit. Japan sent the 50-kilogram Vietnamese satellite MicroDragon into space from Uchinoura Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, southern Japan, in January 2019. It was used to observe Vietnams coast line, evaluate water quality, locate fishery resources and monitor changes to serve aquaculture, detect cloud coverage and aerosols, collect ground-based sensor signals and transmit them to stations on Earth. Vietnam sent its first indigenous satellite into space in 2013. The one-kilogram PicoDragon remained in orbit for three months. The country had launched four prior satellites, all made by foreign companies. 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. Scientists have confirmed the existence of a "space hurricane" hovering over the North Pole, according to a recent study. The newly-discovered phenomena was spotted swirling in the Earth's upper atmosphere, according to a recent study by Nature Communications. ASTEROID PASSING EARTH: An asteroid the size of the Golden Gate Bridge will pass by Earth in March "This hurricane shows strong circular horizontal plasma flow with shears, a nearly zero-flow center, and a coincident cyclone-shaped aurora caused by strong electron precipitation associated with intense upward magnetic field-aligned currents," according to the study. In an interview with Science Alert's Michelle Starr, space environment physicist Mike Lockwood explained the groundbreaking nature of the phenomena. "Until now, it was uncertain that space plasma hurricanes even existed, so to prove this with such a striking observation is incredible," Lockwood said. Jupiter and Saturn are also considered "extremely turbulent places," and a good breeding ground for these hurricanes, Starr wrote. There's also "roiling plasma tornadoes deep in the atmosphere of the Sun," according to Starr. Previous observations of space hurricanes were recorded by satellites in Aug. 2014. "They were only uncovered during retrospective analyses led by scientists from Shandong University in China," according to Doyle Rice with USA Today. Lockwood told Rice chances are no one saw the "space hurricane." "The phenomenon would be an incredible sight, but it's likely no one saw this particular space hurricane. It would be visible to the naked eye but because the event is over the pole you would have to be at very high latitudes (to see it)," Lockwood said. The "space hurricane" measured 600 miles across and was detected hundreds of miles above the North Pole, according to Rice. It "rained electrons instead of water," according to the study. Space physicist Qing-He Zhang of Shandong University said space hurricanes will serve as important research subjects moving forward, Starr wrote. "In addition, the space hurricane will lead to important space weather effects like increased satellite drag, disturbances in High Frequency radio communications, and increased errors in over-the-horizon radar location, satellite navigation and communication systems." [March 03, 2021] Sungrow Bags 500 MW Strategic Agreements during PV Japan Expo TOKYO, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sungrow, the global leading inverter solution supplier for renewables, has signed 500 MW strategic agreements to supply PV inverter solutions in Japan during the recent PV Expo. The Company also debuted a future-proof PV and energy storage product lineup optimized for various Japanese market segments; therefore, fueling the transition to a low carbon economy and overshooting Japan's 2050 carbon neutrality target. The auspicious beginning for 2021 The 500 MW agreements forged between Sungrow and some major Japan-based companies, will power a large number of applications in the coming years. "Our actions are firmly grounded in Japanese demands. We're excited for what's to come from these extensive partnerships as it's a tremendous opportunity to create customer value and business growth," said Sun Xiao, Country Manager of Sungrow Japan. Energy storage drives net zero carbon As self-consumption and VPP models increase in popularity, energy storage will play a much greater role in the fuure. The battery energy storage system (ESS) named ST159KWH-50HV is a 50 kW-3H system for self-consumption, featuring easy installations and a small footprint. Notably, Sungrow recently supplied a 21 MWh DC-coupling solar-plus-storage project in Hokkaido, ensuring 24 hours continuous yield. Latest PV product lineup boosts innovation Solar PV is a mainstream power source in Japan towards 2030 and 2050. Sungrow rolled out the new 5.5 kW string inverter tailored to the surging low voltage market. The inverter features a high DC/AC ratio of 3, enabling a low initial investment. With 3 MPPTs, it's ideal for complicated terrains. Japan has experienced a sizable growth in the ultra-high-voltage (UHV) market. The high-performance 125 kW string inverter Sungrow debuted is designed to support small utility-scale projects, compatible with the growing preference of high wattage bifacial modules. Its compact design and light weight of only 70 kg, permits faster solution speeds at installation and commissioning. The new offerings for the high voltage segment include 100 kW and 49.5 kW string inverters, featuring high efficiency and durability; therefore, making the assets of stakeholders more profitable. Sungrow's seven-year Japanese presence aids in aligning with its customers. "Our target in 2021 is to increase market share within the energy storage market and get a strong foothold in the UHV PV segment. We foresee the deployment of our commercial product portfolio and a strong beginning with more low voltage projects as well," commented Sun Xiao at the expo. About Sungrow Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd ("Sungrow") is the world's most bankable inverter brand with over 154 GW installed worldwide as of December 2020. Founded in 1997 by University Professor Cao Renxian, Sungrow is a leader in the research and development of solar inverters, with the largest dedicated R&D team in the industry and a broad product portfolio offering PV inverter solutions and energy storage systems for utility-scale, commercial, and residential applications, as well as internationally recognized floating PV plant solutions. With a strong 24-year track record in the PV space, Sungrow products power installations in over 150 countries. Learn more about Sungrow by visiting www.sungrowpower.com. SOURCE Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The Victorian Liberals have lost their bid to fight an Andrews government decision that has stripped local councils of their power to make planning decisions on the construction of thousands of new social housing units. The oppositions motion to revoke the changes failed in the upper house on Wednesday morning by 25 votes to 12. The state government late last year announced it would assess and approve all 12,000 homes it plans to build over the next four years under its $5.3 billion social housing blitz, drawing the ire of some of Melbournes most affluent councils. Opposition planning spokesman Tim Smith said the government was running tawdry old-fashioned class warfare. Credit:Paul Jeffers Opposition planning spokesman Tim Smith, who is also the member for Kew, said on Wednesday morning normal planning processes must apply to the construction of homes, regardless of whether they were part of a social housing blitz or private development. Land Minister Byeon Chang-heum takes part in a meeting of economy-related ministries at the Government Complex Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap By Do Je-hae President Moon Jae-in has ordered a thorough investigation into allegations of speculative illegal land purchases by employees of the state agency dealing with housing affairs, Cheong Wa Dae said Wednesday. Moon's instruction came a day after allegations emerged that 14 former and incumbent employees at the Korea Land & Housing Corp. (LH) and their family members purchased land in Siheung and Gwangmyeong, two cities in Gyeonggi Province designated by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport as new sites for a housing development project, based on inside government information prior to the project being announced last month. "President Moon ordered a thorough investigation into all land transactions of employees and their families at the land ministry and other related agencies involved in the third round of new housing projects in Siheung, Gwangmyeong and other areas," presidential spokesman Kang Min-seok said. "The President ordered the prime minister's office, jointly with the land ministry, to lead an intensive investigation to ensure all suspicions are completely cleared." The ministry launched an investigation into allegations raised by civic groups in a press conference the previous day, and suspended the employees from duty. According to the groups, 12 incumbent LH workers and two former ones, as well as their family members, bought farmland totaling 23,028 square meters from April 2018 to June 2020 based on internal, classified information. The ministry announced the development plan last month to build about 70,000 new homes in the two cities. When initiating housing developments, the state pays significant compensation to affected land owners. "We will be looking to find out whether there was any speculative land buying by LH employees in areas included in the third new city project," a ministry official said. The third project includes some parts of Namyangju, Incheon, Hanam, Goyang, Bucheon, Gwacheon and Ansan. Police also launched an investigation after the civic groups filed a criminal complaint. The groups said that what they have uncovered so far is only the tip of the iceberg. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has also called for a thorough investigation. "The alleged speculation by employees of the top real estate agency undermine the government's measures to eradicate real estate speculation," DPK floor leader Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon said in party meeting, Wednesday. DPK Chairman Lee Nak-yon also said if the allegations are true, the employees "violated the law and betrayed the people." "If the allegations are true, it is a grave crime to seek personal gain by using inside information," Lee wrote on Facebook. Some have underlined the responsibility of Land Minister Byeon Chang-heum, as the alleged speculative buying by LH employees took place while he was serving as CEO of the agency. He served in the position from April 2019 through December 2020. VENICE, FL, March 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -- CyberloQ Technologies Inc. (OTC: CLOQ) ("CyberloQ" or the "Company"), a provider of advanced authentication algorithms and geofencing capabilities for data control, today provides a review of the Companys market opportunities, current initiatives and revenue model. To our Shareholders, We would like to thank you for your continued support as we advance our operations to become a recognizable, key player in cybersecurity. We are pleased to provide you an update on our operations, current opportunities and plans for growth. MARKET OPPORTUNITIES According to Juniper Research, ecommerce merchants are expected to lose $25 billion to online payment fraud by 2024. The COVID-19 global pandemic has only increased the use of ecommerce and online banking, which in turn drives greater demand for technologies that enable secure online transactions. As the need for cyber security solutions increases, CyberloQ continues to focus on banking fraud prevention and credit management through its proprietary CyberloQ and TurnScor software. We believe merchants are primarily responsible for the safekeeping of clients assets and personal information, but consumers must also take measures to protect their personal financial data; it's our mission to provide tools that enable them to do so (https://CyberloQ.com/why-cyberloq/). Secure online payments are vital for the success of ecommerce, and we believe CyberloQ provides the solution for proactive, comprehensive cybersecurity. TECHNOLOGY CyberloQs customizable data security solutions provide an additional layer of protection to consumers, merchants and e-commerce as a whole, while TurnScor credit management platform provides consumers a cost-effective way to manage and repair their credit profiles. CyberloQ is a banking fraud prevention technology that enables institutional clients to combat fraudulent transactions and unauthorized access to customer accounts. Through the use of a customers smart-phone, CyberloQ uses a multi-factor authentication system to control access to a bank card; transaction type or amount; website; database or digital service. The mobile applications for CyberloQ have been built, and have been successfully integrated into the banking ecosystem. TurnScor is a web-based proprietary software platform which allows customers to monitor and manage their credit from the privacy of their own homes. Although consumers can sign-up for TurnScor on their own, the Company also intends to market TurnScor to certain institutional clients, where appropriate, in conjunction with CyberloQ as a value-added benefit to offer their customers. This combination will give consumers the bonus ability to control and repair their credit in anonymity. REVENUE MODEL The CyberloQ and TurnScor technologies create two revenue streams, each with a distinct marketing strategy designed to expand visibility, both domestic and International, and the application of our products among retail and wholesale/institutional customers. Retail Our retail model will allow for the direct marketing of our brands to consumers. The CyberloQ executive team is in late-stage discussions with a large direct marketing company regarding the development and launch of a digital wallet that would include the CyberloQ and TurnScor technologies. If negotiations are finalized, the direct response company will create a marketing program to present the e-wallet to its multi-million customer data-base, and then explore the launch of regional and national campaigns. We are confident this unique combination of a cybersecurity digital wallet and a state-of-the-art credit repair portal will give CyberloQ a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Wholesale/institutional Our wholesale/institutional revenue strategy calls for customized licensing agreements that will provide online security to businesses, fintech companies, databases, governments, healthcare institutions, online service providers, financial institutions, online gaming space and more. These licensing agreements allow our clients to offer the CyberloQ technology to their customers as a value-added service or as an additional product. This allows our clients the ability to design the strategy that best suits their needs and those of their customers. An example of this model is our re-seller agreement with Transact Payments Malta Ltd. (TPML) in Europe and Asia. Per the agreement, the licensing fee structure provides CyberloQ as a value-added service to its network, then passes the licensing costs to its customers. Learn more about this structure here https://www.smallcapvoice.com/interview-cyberloq-technologies-cloq/ . We also have a re-seller agreement with Strategic Solutions Integrated, LLC ( SSI ) in the greater Virginia area to assist with the Dept. of Defense and other government related entities (www.SSI-inc.org). COMMITMENT TO SHAREHOLDER VALUE We would like to reiterate our focus on establishing effective sales and marketing strategies that will enable the Company to safeguard e-commerce while increasing our corporate growth and shareholder value. Based on the growth plan defined, we are expanding the infrastructure required to handle large scale clients on a global basis, and will provide additional shareholder updates as they become available. Thank you again for your trust and support, The CyberloQ Executive Team About CyberloQ Technologies Inc. CyberloQ Technologies Inc. (OTC: CLOQ) secures clients sensitive data and valuable information with a patented, aggressive and proactive approach. CyberloQ's advanced authentication algorithms, private blockchain and industry-leading geofencing capabilities give clients complete control of their data for real-time authentication and dedicated fraud protection. For more information, visit https://CyberloQ.com/. Safe Harbor: From time to time, the Company may issue news releases that contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is subject to the safe harbor created by those sections. This material may contain statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. For those statements, the Company claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statement provisions contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and any amendments thereto. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, goals, assumptions, or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements." "Forward-looking statements" are based upon expectations, estimates and projections at the time the statements are made that involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated. The Company discourages any and all promotional activity by non-Company actors, and encourages investors and potential investors to review the Company's public filings, its website and its press releases, and to discuss these matters with their personal legal and financial advisors. Non-Company newsletters/recommendations, websites or general stock symbols/classifications or other identifiers regarding our securities, whether positive or negative, should not be relied on because these items are simply opinions/policies of a third party. These third parties are, in many instances, paid by the publisher or other third parties and the Company believes that they profit from the publication of this literature and the results on the market. These materials should not be a substitute for investors' research and/or independent decision-making. Company Contact: Chris Jackson President, CyberloQ Technologies Inc. 612.961.4536 chris@cyberloq.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. Police Commissioner Chris Dawson wants more powers to stop and search vehicles entering Western Australia from interstate in an ambitious plan to wipe out the states drug syndicates. His comments come a day after Premier Mark McGowan back-tracked on an idea to maintain some of WAs border restrictions after the COVID-19 state of emergency ends, to choke WAs drug supply networks. WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson. Credit:Lauren Pilat Speaking to Radio 6PR on Wednesday, Mr Dawson said the impacts of the pandemic and WAs border controls had reduced crime by almost half and led to a 23 per cent reduction in methamphetamine use. WA is in a rolling state of emergency, giving police additional powers with no end date yet known. (TNS) - People who show up to Marylands mass coronavirus vaccination clinics will not be turned away for lack of documentation or proof of eligibility a possible benefit for some of the states most at-risk residents, but also for those exploiting the system, medical ethicists, logistics experts and lawmakers say.Like other states, Maryland relies on an honor system at its mass vaccination sites, where those who show up for their shots without proof of eligibility or photo identification are asked to sign affidavits attesting to their credentials before getting immunized, according to Dennis R. Schrader, the states acting health secretary.But that leaves open the possibility of scarce vaccine doses falling into the hands of the wrong people, some say.Our approach to making sure shots get into the right arms is trust, but not verify, " state Sen. Mary Washington, a Democrat who represents Baltimore, told Schrader at a recent vaccine oversight committee hearing.That can mean residents are getting shortchanged.Republican state Sen. Addie Eckardt said the Walmart in Denton had been administering vaccines to people from out of state at the expense of some of her more vulnerable constituents in the Eastern Shore.Were in the middle of a pandemic: Were not out of a crisis, Eckardt said in an interview. Everyone wants to get it over with. And one of the ways to get it over with is getting vaccinated.At the same Senate meeting where lawmakers raised concerns, Schrader said the Maryland Department of Health provides little oversight of whether vaccination sites, such as pharmacies and hospitals, are following eligibility guidelines. He expressed confidence that they were, saying health officials had heard as much anecdotally.But, he said, were not going out and sending secret shoppers out to look to see if theyre doing it.Charles Gischlar, a health department spokesman, said there is no data that backs up the senators assertion about Walmart. He said the state agency provides specific guidance to all COVID-19 vaccinators about which priority groups are eligible.Most providers are diligent in following the states guidance, Gischlar said in an email. An affidavit is available at state-run vaccination sites for individuals who are eligible but cannot provide supporting documentation, and it has the force of law.The debate about eligibility requirements, and how rigid or loose they should be, comes amid a fierce scramble for doses among Maryland residents who qualify for COVID-19 immunization. Many people have bemoaned the process of scheduling appointments, calling it overly cumbersome and disadvantageous for people without computers or digital skills.Constrained by national supply shortages and logistical hurdles, state vaccinators have administered at least 474,011 second doses as of Monday, representing a small fraction of the more than 2 million people who qualify under the current guidelines.Maryland has said it receives approximately 12,000 shots a day from the federal government. At that pace, it would take about five months to vaccinate everyone eligible in the first phase. However, the state is set to receive 49,600 doses of the newly approved Johnson & Johnson vaccine this week.The pressure on states and private partners to quickly administer doses has mounted as more people continue to die from COVID-19 complications and as new, potentially more contagious variants circulate in the United States and elsewhere. As of Monday, about 513,000 Americans and nearly 7,700 Marylanders have died due to the virus since March.Some say having extensive checks in place at the mass vaccination sites, some of which are designed to accommodate thousands of appointments a day, minimizes the vaccine rollouts efficiency.Theyre setting up these large vaccination programs because they are more efficient you can get a lot more people through them than the smaller sites, and you can maximize your resources that way, said Diane Hoffmann, a professor of health law at the University of Maryland Carey School of Law. Theres this trade-off in however you set up the system; the more you put on people administratively, that takes time, and is less efficient.Schrader said the goals of the vaccination campaign were to ensure efficiency and equity as well as collaborate with local health departments.Critics of the rollout say those goals are often at odds with one another, especially as the county health departments see their weekly allotment numbers shrink or plateau while the state-run mass sites scale up.Dr. Michelle LaRue, senior manager of health and social services at CASA, an advocacy group for Latino and immigrant people, said not having to provide documentation serves as a double-edged sword for those who might benefit most from that policy.It does allow for people to skirt the system, LaRue said. Really, those who are hardest hit should be prioritized, and were not seeing that in the vaccine data.More people under the age of 60 are fully vaccinated in Maryland than those older, even though the virus has killed 7.5 times more people 60 and older than those younger. This may be attributable to the states prioritization of health care workers and first responders in the first weeks of the vaccine rollout.And white Maryland residents have received more than four times as many doses of coronavirus vaccine as Black residents, state data shows. Through Monday, about 64% of first doses where the recipients race was known were given to white residents, compared with about 17% for Black Marylanders. The latter group has been disproportionately hurt by the virus; 31% of Marylands population is Black, according to U.S. census data, but the community accounts for 33% of the states confirmed infections and 34% of the deaths.Meanwhile, Latino residents, 11% of the population, have received 4.1% of vaccine doses, yet 19% of the infected and 9% of the victims have been part of that group.LaRue said more will have to be done to ensure that the Latino and immigrant community can get vaccinated, aside from eliminating documentation requirements. Many do not have internet or transportation access, or might work front-line jobs that offer few, if any, paid days off. There also might be language barriers.A shortage of clear information also may be inspiring some people to try to cut the line, said Jeffrey Kahn, director of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics.When people are confused or dont have confidence in what theyre being told, they will have more of a tendency to act in their own interests, especially if they see others doing so, Kahn said in an email. To me, the clear answer is messaging and clarity about the vaccine rollout and when it will be your turn, how the process will work, etc.Elected officials, lawmakers and public health experts have criticized Marylands rollout as overly balkanized, as it often relies on eligible individuals to preregister at multiple sites and with many providers until securing an appointment. Facebook groups dedicated to helping people find appointments have amassed tens of thousands of followers.Schrader and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan have defended the system, arguing that it offers a breadth of choices and successfully gets shots into arms, even though Maryland lags behind many other states. Up to 80% of the country will need to be inoculated to end the coronavirus pandemic, scientists and researchers say, making mass vaccination sites all the more beneficial.Tinglong Dai, associate professor of operations management and business analytics at the Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School, said most states had implemented honor codes to speed up the process.With demand as high as it is and with the pressure mounting to not let a single dose of vaccine go to waste it can be nearly impossible to enforce eligibility, Dai said. But an audit, or random checks at high-volume clinics, could keep efficiency levels high without being too disruptive, he said.Vaccine tourism is real, Dai said about the phenomenon of people traveling in and out of their home states to find vaccination appointments. Its affecting accessibility for groups who are eligible.I wouldnt verify everyones eligibility; I would prefer random checks, or making it simpler from the beginning.Washington, the Maryland state senator, said eligibility concerns underscore the need to make more vaccines available to people who are most at risk and might have more barriers to access than others, such as the Latino and immigrant community, people who are homeless and older adults.Because there is a limited supply, the priority list has to be adhered to with more fidelity than we would with, say, public education or health care at an emergency room, Washington said. If people had confidence that there was diligence, that someone at the top was making sure things were fair and equitable, theyd say, Ill wait my turn. "___(c)2021 The Baltimore SunVisit The Baltimore Sun at www.baltimoresun.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Last year, CTs Race Set Before Us series helped challenge and inform Christians during a season of reckoning, lament, and heightened interest around issues of racial justice. Join moderator Vincent E. Bacote, along with guest speakers from the original series Walter Kim, Michelle Reyes, Jamal-Dominique Hopkins, and Sheila Caldwell as they discuss how we can pursue racial justice within our theology, churches, and society. Our Speakers: Vincent E. Bacote Vincent E. Bacote, PhD, is associate professor of theology and director of the Center for Applied Christian Ethics at Wheaton College. A theology adviser for CT, his books include The Political Disciple: A Theology of Public Life and his latest, Reckoning with Race and Performing the Good News: In Search of a Better Evangelical Theology. Want to learn more? Download our free resource with thought-provoking essays by CT writers of color exploring themes of racial identity, faith, and the future of evangelicalism. Walter Kim Walter Kim became the president of the National Association of Evangelicals in January 2020. He also serves pastor for leadership at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Charlottesville, Virginia, after ministering for 15 years at Bostons historic Park Street Church. Kim received his PhD from Harvard University in Near Eastern languages and civilizations, his MDiv from Regent College in Vancouver, and his BA from Northwestern University. He regularly speaks at college campuses, churches, retreats, and symposia, particularly in the areas of biblical theology and cultural issues. Jamal-Dominique Hopkins Jamal-Dominique Hopkins is currently dean and associate professor of Religion and Theology at Dickerson-Green Theological Seminary at Allen University. He also is a Senior Fellow at the Seymour Institute for Black Church and Policy Studies and a Pedagogy Fellow at Yale Universitys Center for Faith and Culture, where he is part of the Christ and Being Human project focused on revitalizing Christian higher education. Hopkins can be followed at www.jamalhopkins.com and on Twitter and Instagram @phdhopkins. Sheila Caldwell Shelia Caldwell is the chief intercultural engagement officer for Wheaton College, a position she has held since 2018. She previously served as the advisor to the president on diversity, director for Complete College Georgia, and principal investigator for an Upward Bound grant at the University of North Georgia. She is a diversity and student success champion with nearly two decades of experience in higher education. Caldwell earned a BS from Northern Illinois University, a MA from Argosy University, and a doctorate in education from the University of Georgia. She completed the Harvard Kennedy School Strategies for Building and Leading Diverse Organizations Executive Education program. Michelle Reyes Michelle Reyes, PhD, is the vice president of the Asian American Christian Collaborative and the co-executive director of Pax. She is also the scholar in residence at Hope Community Church, a minority-led multicultural church in East Austin, Texas, where her husband, Aaron, serves as lead pastor. Michelles work on faith and culture has been featured in Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, Missio Alliance, Faithfully Magazine and more. Her forthcoming book on cross-cultural relationships is called Becoming All Things: How Small Changes Lead to Lasting Connections Across Cultures (Zondervan, April 2021). Follow Michell on Twitter and Instagram. If you love gazing at San Francisco's Painted Ladies, their "older sister" is for sale. Built in Queen Anne style, 818 Steiner is architecturally significant, even among Alamo's Square's plethora of such buildings. The home broke ground in 1899, built for wholesale grocer Louis Hartter, his wife Emily Geisel, and their five children. The family owned this property until the late 1950s. The architects, Martens & Coffey, also designed notable neighboring homes, including 937 Steiner, 926 Grove, as well as homes on Hayes and Fillmore streets. Today, "818 Steiner is a Painted Lady's older sister," co-listing agent Mollie Poe told SFGATE, referring to the fact that the home is both older and (at 6,000 square feet) larger than the typical Painted Lady. The three-story home has been substantially renovated, but original details abound both inside and outside this grand dame. There are multiple bedrooms, an au-pair suite, a gym, an art room, a wine room, among many additional amenities in this Painted Lady. The chance to be her next owner comes with a $7.3 million price tag. A former inmate of the Auburn Correctional Facility has pleaded guilty to threatening to have a United States senator shot in the head in a note that was accompanied by white power, according to federal prosecutors. Carlo DiPadova, 61, faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 when he is sentenced, according to a news release sent by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of New York. DiPadova had previously been charged with mailing a threatening communication and impeding, intimidating, and interfering with a federal official by threat, prosecutors said. Federal authorities did not release the name of the senator but said that the senator represented New York State. DiPadova is now being held at a correctional facility in Malone, federal prosecutors said. DiPadova was in prison after being convicted on robbery charges for three armed holdups that netted him less than $1,000, SILive.com reported in 2017. When DiPadova was arrested, he was found with a .380-caliber handgun and crack cocaine, according to SILive.com. He later told a judge hed been addicted to drugs for much of his life and had severe mental health issues, SILive.com reported. DiPadova was serving a sentence of 16 years to life in prison, according to a database of New York State prison inmates. 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. Advertisement Nicola Sturgeon was tonight still facing the prospect of a confidence vote after eight hours of testimony failed to satisfy opposition parties she acted properly during the sexual assault probe against Alex Salmond. The First Minister was ridiculed by sceptical MSPs this afternoon as she claimed she 'didn't remember' a key meeting about the allegations against her predecessor and mentor. Members of a Scottish Parliament committee described her claims as 'unlikely' and said they were 'struggling to believe' her, while expressing incredulity at her 'forgetfulness'. She insisted that her version of events concerning the allegations against Mr Salmond was 'not a story' but the truth. But the Scottish Tories said tonight: 'Nicola Sturgeon dodged and evaded almost every difficult question. She vividly remembers the details she believes exonerate her, then forgets entirely anything that damages her. The litany of lies and abject failures is too much for any First Minister to survive. She must go.' They had already vowed to trigger a vote of no confidence in her and are hoping for the support of other opposition parties to oust her. Ms Sturgeon has maintained the first time she learned of accusations against her predecessor was on April 2, 2018, during a conversation with him in the dining room of her home. Accusations that she misled Parliament - which if proven could force her to resign - came after it emerged she had a prior meeting on March 29 with Mr Salmond's former chief of staff, Geoff Aberdein, about harassment claims. Ms Sturgeon previously stated she 'forgot' about this meeting and today said that the gravity of the April 2 meeting had 'obliterated' her memory of the March 29 one. She told MSPs: 'What happened in my house on April 2, in my dining room with a man that's been all these things to me for thirty years, was so significant, that that was the thing that will live with me forever. Did that, in my mind, slightly obliterate what came before that? Possibly.' Ms Sturgeon added that on March 29 Mr Aberdein raised harassment claims 'in general terms' but not specifically in relation to Mr Salmond. She said: 'As you know, and it's been the subject of comment and scepticism and I understand that: I didn't remember this meeting. 'And my recollection of this meeting is still not as vivid as I'd like it to be. I won't go into the detail, but it was a colleague's birthday, we stepped into my office. 'He indicated there was a harassment issue, to the best of my recollection it was in general terms. What I remember more strongly is how worried he was about Alex and the main purpose of the discussion, as I recall it, was for him to get me to agree to see Alex.' She also said that Mr Aberdein had expressed fears that Mr Salmond was poised to quit the SNP, which prompted her to agree to meet with her predecessor a few days later. Her remarks raised eyebrows from Lib Dem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton, who cast doubt on the veracity of her claims. He said: 'This massive and devastating fear and belief that you had that your friend and mentor of 30 years was about to quit your party came from a meeting that you claimed to have forgotten all about. Sorry First Minister, but do you realise how unlikely that sounds?' Tory MSP Murdo Fraser added: 'I share Mr Cole-Hamilton's scepticism about your forgetfulness... We're struggling to believe the story that you forgot about this meeting.' Ms Sturgeon shot back: 'It's not a story, it's an account of what happened.' Allies of Ms Sturgeon rode to her defence, with justice minister Humza Yousaf accusing members of the committee of a 'house of cards conspiracy' - tweets that were condemned online, given his position in government. In a crunch day for The First Minister's political future: Ms Sturgeon faced questions on why the committee had been deprived of crucial pieces of evidence; She dismissed Mr Salmond's 'absurd' claims there was a concerted plot to bring him down; She tore into her predecessor for not offering up 'a single word of regret' for 'inappropriate behaviour' during his own testimony last Friday; The First Minister denied that a member of her staff had leaked the name of one of the women accusers to Mr Salmond's chief of staff; Jackie Baillie MSP suggested to the inquiry the Daily Record newspaper was leaked information on Mr Salmond to spike an upcoming story about Ms Sturgeon, which Ms Sturgeon said she knew nothing about; Ms Sturgeon said that, during her tenure as deputy first minister, Mr Salmond was a 'tough' person to work for at times, but said she was 'sad' she had come to blows with her former mentor. Nicola Sturgeon 's future as First Minister is hanging in the balance today as she faces a grilling from MSPs and demands she resign over extraordinary claims she broke strict rules and lied to Parliament Sturgeon in the back of a chauffeur driven car leaving the Scottish Parliament in Holyrood, Edinburgh, on Wednesday night after a gruelling eight hours before the committee Nicola Sturgeon leaves her home, where it is claimed she first learnt about claims made against Mr Salmond. She faces a grilling by the Scottish Parliament today over claims she misled Parliament about when she knew of sexual harassment allegations against her mentor and former first minister Alex Salmond In six hours of brutal testimony last week, Alex Salmond laid out a case that senior SNP figures conspired to try to force him out of public life over harassment claims Sturgeon wearing a tartan mask leaves the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday evening Sturgeon fights for her career: Key quotes at the Holyrood inquiry On Alex Salmond's claims of a conspiracy to bring him down: 'I feel I may rebut the absurd suggestion that anyone acted with malice or as part of a plot against Alex Salmond. That claim is not based in any fact.' 'Alex Salmond was one of the the closest people to me in my life - I would never have wanted to get Alex Salmond. I had no motive intention or desire to get Alex .' On Alex Salmond's inappropriate behaviour: 'That he was acquitted by a jury of criminal conduct is beyond question. But I know, just from what he told me, that his behaviour was not always appropriate. 'And yet across six hours of testimony, there was not a single word of regret, reflection or a simple acknowledgment of that. I can only hope in private the reality might be different.' On the meeting at her home on March 29, 2018: The meeting 'did indicate a harassment-type issue had arisen, but my recollection is he [Salmond's chief of staff] did so in general terms.' On the meeting at her home on April 2, 2018: 'It was the detail of the complaints under the procedure that I was given on April 2 that was significant and indeed shocking'. On Mr Salmond telling her about the allegations against him: 'A moment in my life that I will never forget' On the prospect of allegations concerning Mr Salmond being made public: 'The thought of this becoming public, and I would have to comment on it, horrified me. Absolutely horrified me. It made me feel physically sick.' On the handling of complaints against Mr Salmond 'I am deeply regretful, deeply angry and will always feel incredibly bad for, principally, the two women who were let down, and the wider implications in terms of the cost to the taxpayer.' On claims the Scottish Goverment 'delayed, obstructed, obfuscated' the progress of the Holyrood Inquiry: 'I would not accept the characterisation.' On serving as deputy first minister under Mr Salmond 'He was a tough guy to work for. If he was displeased with you, you knew about it.' On a member of her staff leaking the name of one of the complainants to Mr Salmond's former chief of staff. 'I am not accepting that that happened, therefore I am clearly not accepting that was authorised' Advertisement The First Minister is accused of lying to the Scottish Parliament about when she knew of two female civil servants' sexual assault allegations against Mr Salmond - and could be forced to resign if the claims are proven. The gravity of the allegations has left the First Minister fighting for her job, and today she came out swinging by accusing Mr Salmond of being a sex pest and dismissing his 'absurd' claims of a conspiracy against him. She slammed her predecessor for failing to offer up a 'single word of regret' for his 'inappropriate behaviour' towards women during his six hours of testimony at the Holyrood Inquiry last week. She also contested his version of events in the run-up to the Scottish Government's investigation into sexual harassment allegations against Mr Salmond, of which he was subsequently cleared. Although Ms Sturgeon 'deeply regretted' how the probe into Mr Salmond was handled, she insisted she was trying to stop 'the age old pattern of allowing a powerful man to use his status and connections to get what he wants.' She denied that a senior member of her team had leaked the name of one of the complainers to Geoff Aberdein, who had previously been Mr Salmond's chief of staff, and that her staff had leaked to a Scottish newspaper. And she contradicted two witnesses who back Mr Salmond's version of events at the committee hearing today, saying her 'recollection of events is different' but admitting that she wished her 'memory of it was more vivid'. The inquiry could prove fatal for Ms Sturgeon if she is found to have broken the ministerial code by misleading Parliament about a meeting with Mr Aberdein on March 29, 2018, which she failed to record before claiming she 'forgot' about it. At the hearing today she claimed that Mr Aberdein raised the issue of sexual harassment with her on March 29, but did so in 'general terms' and she was not aware the allegations related to Mr Salmond. She continued to claim that she instead first learned of the allegations against Mr Salmond at a meeting with him at her house on April 2 . And she also claimed ignorance about a total of 30 sexual harassment complaints against five SNP ministers. MSPs demand Sturgeon provides critical evidence Ms Sturgeon came under mounting pressure to produce evidence relating to the investigation into Mr Salmond. Labour's Jackie Baillie launched a blistering take-down of her failure to provide critical records of meetings and asked why no senior Government figures had resigned for the botched 2018 investigation into Mr Salmond. Ms Sturgeon has also been accused of a cover-up by Scottish Tories, who are forcing a vote of no confidence over claims she broke the ministerial code by misleading Parliament. Ms Baillie said: 'I don't think I have felt quite so frustrated in my 22 years of being on parliamentary committees as with this one,' she said. 'We have waited for information from the Scottish Government, the stuff we have received has been partial and late. 'The legal advice has taken two votes in Parliament and a motion of no confidence in John Swinney before we saw it last night at six o'clock. And there is information missing.' Ms Baillie added: 'We have waited till the 11th hour for the legal advice, we get partial legal advice.' She asked Ms Sturgeon: 'Do you understand the frustration of the committee? Do you understand that it looks as though the Government doesn't want to give us critical information?' 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. No minutes were taken at the meeting. MS STURGEON'S CHANGING ACCOUNTS OF THE MARCH 29 AND APRIL 2 MEETINGS What she previously said: On January 8, 2019, Ms Sturgeon tells the Scottish Parliament she 'first heard' about sexual harassment allegations against Mr Salmond on April 2. In 2018, Andrew Marr asked Ms Sturgeon: 'Had you heard any stories about him before it broke in the press?' She responded: 'Obviously, absolutely not. Until, well I've said previously Alex Salmond informed me about these complaints in April, that was the first I had known.' And what she later said : In 2020, giving written evidence to the Holyrood into her government's handling of complaints against Mr Salmond, she said she 'forgot' about the March 29 meeting until 'late January/early February' 2019. She wrote: 'From what I recall, the discussion covered the fact that Alex Salmond wanted to see me urgently about a serious matter, and I think it did cover the suggestion that the matter might relate to allegations of a sexual nature.' What she says now: At the hearing today Ms Sturgeon claimed that Mr Aberdein raised the issue of sexual harassment with her on March 29, but did so in 'general terms' and she was not aware the allegations related to Mr Salmond. Today, she also suggested she knew about sexual assault allegations against Mr Salmond before the April 2 meeting due to media enquiries, despite previously denying this. She told MSPs: 'Since an approach from Sky News in November 2017... I had harboured a lingering suspicion that such issues in relation to Mr Salmond might rear their head. So hearing of a potential issue would not have been a massive shock.' 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 Committee deputy convener also said Margaret Mitchell said that that it had 'faced delay, obstruction, obfuscation' from the Government in its requests for evidence, and said some documents remained outstanding. Ms Sturgeon replied: 'I would not accept the characterisation.' Sturgeon dismisses Salmond's claim of a plot Appearing before MSPs at the Scottish Parliament today, Ms Sturgeon used her opening statement to rubbish Mr Salmond's claims of a concerted conspiracy to bring him down and remove him from public life. She rubbished the 'absurd suggestion that anyone acted with malice or as part of a plot against Alex Salmond'. She said 'that claim is not based in any fact' and she had 'no motive, intention or desire' to 'get' her predecessor. The inquiry into Mr Salmond was launched after a number of women came forward with allegations of sexual harassment. Ms Sturgeon told MSPs on Wednesday the idea that those involved were 'concocting' allegations was false, and they came forward of 'their own free will'. But a successful judicial review by Mr Salmond resulted in the investigation being ruled unlawful and 'tainted by apparent bias', with a 512,250 payout being awarded to him for legal fees. Mr Salmond was later acquitted of 13 charges following a criminal trial. The Holyrood Inquiry instead puts the spotlight on Ms Sturgeon and her Government's handling of the harassment complaints. Indeed, at points the committee convener ticked off Ms Sturgeon for shifting the focus on to Mr Salmond, saying: 'He's not under trial, your actions are.' Sturgeon says probe into Salmond 'right thing to do' The First Minister said she 'deeply regretted' how the investigation into Mr Salmond was handled but stood by the decision that a probe was necessary. She added that the complaint procedures used to investigate Mr Salmond were drawn up in late 2017, in the wake of the MeToo movement, and were drafted by civil servants, not her. She said: 'The Scottish Government despite the mistake it undoubtedly made, tried to do the right thing. 'As First Minister I refused to let the age old pattern of allowing a powerful man to use his status and connections to get what he wants.' But she added: 'That is not the same thing as saying I wanted this to be in the public domain. 'The thought of this becoming public, and I would have to comment on it, horrified me. Absolutely horrified me. It made me feel physically sick. 'I would have been very relieved if it had never come out into the public domain. 'I had nothing to gain from it and only a lot of pain and grief associated with it.' Sturgeon hits back at claims she broke ministerial code The Scottish Conservative group in Holyrood accuses the First Minister of breaking the ministerial code on three counts. First, she misled Parliament on when she first learned of the allegations; she previously claimed April 2, but Mr Salmond says March 29. Second, Ms Sturgeon failed to record the meetings she had with Mr Salmond concerning the allegations. Third, Ms Sturgeon pressed ahead with the investigation against Mr Salmond despite being warned by her lawyers they would lose the case. Ms Sturgeon said that she was 'relieved' to be appearing before the inquiry to lay out her side of the story. Today she recalled harassment claims arising on March 29 during a meeting with Mr Aberdein, but said it was spoken about in a non-specific sense - and that she only realised it was in relation to Mr Salmond during a meeting with him on April 2. Describing the April 2 meeting in her home with Mr Salmond, she said while he denied the complaints against him he gave his account of the incident which 'he said he had apologised for at the time'. Ms Sturgeon told MSPs: 'What he described constituted in my view deeply inappropriate behaviour on his part, perhaps a reason why that moment is embedded so strongly in my mind.' She said she did not 'immediately record the April 2 meeting' as she did not want it to become public and risk 'breaching the confidentiality of the process'. She added she had no intention of intervening in the investigation process and did not intervene, saying to do so would have been an abuse of her role. Addressing the judicial review, Ms Sturgeon said there was strong prospects of defending the challenge and as late as December 11, 2018, the advice given was it was 'very clear there was no need to drop the case'. She said she followed the advice of law officers so did not breach the ministerial code, as has been claimed. Labour's Jackie Baillie launched a blistering take-down of her failure to provide critical records of meetings and asked why no senior Government figures had resigned for the botched 2018 investigation into Mr Salmond Withering assessment of Salmond's testimony In her evidence the First Minister said she felt 'sad' she had come to blows with her old political mentor, which has ripped to the heart of the SNP ahead of May's Holyrood elections. She told MSPs: 'In all the legitimate considerations of this, sometimes the human elements of this situation are lost. Alex spoke on Friday about what a nightmare the last couple of years have been for him, and I don't doubt that. 'I have thought often about the impact on him. He was someone I cared about for a long time.' However, she called into question the former first minister's character for not recognising his inappropriate behaviour during his own appearance last Friday. Ms Sturgeon said: 'I found myself searching for any sign that he recognised how difficult this has been for others too. First and foremost to the woman who believed his behaviour to be inappropriate. 'But also to those who had campaigned with him, worked with him, cared for him and considered him a friend and now stand, unfairly accused of plotting against him. 'That he was acquitted by a jury of criminal conduct is beyond question. But I know, just from what he told me, that his behaviour was not always appropriate. 'And yet across six hours of testimony, there was not a single word of regret, reflection or a simple acknowledgment of that. I can only hope in private the reality might be different.' Ms Sturgeon, 50, served for seven years as Mr Salmond's deputy before succeeding him as first minister in 2014. She told MSPs today that he 'was a tough guy to work with' and on occasions told him he had crossed a line with his behaviour. Their close relationship and strive for Scottish independence over many years also manifested in a close relationship between their staff. Claims Sturgeon's staff leaked identity of complainer to Salmond's ally Ms Sturgeon today said she regarded Mr Aberdein as a friend, but denied claims that one of her staffers had revealed the identity of one of the female accusers to him. Labour's Jackie Baillie pressed the First Minister on the claims and called it an 'extraordinary breach of confidentiality' and, if proven, a 'sackable offence'. But Ms Sturgeon said: 'I am not accepting that that happened, therefore I am clearly not accepting that was authorised.' The First Minister accepted this was a 'matter of contention'. She added: 'Certainly in relation to one of the complainants Alex Salmond was pretty clear he had found out through investigations of Scottish Government social media accounts he had found out who that was. 'And in relation to the other one, and this is the bit I am perhaps speculating on, it must have been the case when he got that letter, because he knew about the incident because he had apologised to the person. 'So my assumption would be that he would have known that without anybody having to tell him. And I know from what he told me he found out the identity of the other one through his own investigations.' A statement from Mr Salmond's spokesperson released as Mr Sturgeon was giving evidence said: 'Mr Salmond has lodged a formal complaint with the permanent secretary to the Scottish Government under the civil service code, on the conduct of the official who is alleged to have breached civil service rules, by disclosing the name of a complainant in the Scottish Government process.' Claims Sturgeon's staff leaked to Daily Record to bury bad press about her Further scrutiny focused on a leak to the Daily Record newspaper that that revealed details of the complaints against Mr Salmond. Ms Sturgeon said: 'I can tell you they didn't come from me, or anyone acting on my instruction or request.' And she said she had no knowledge of claims conveyed by Ms Baillie that the Daily Record was leaked the information to spike an upcoming story on Ms Sturgeon. 'That is a new part of the conspiracy I'm hearing for the first time,' Ms Sturgeon said. Ms Sturgeon was also confronted by Tory MSP Margaret Mitchell about her knowledge of 30 sexual harassment claims against five SNP ministers over the course of 10 years. Responding after Ms Mitchell described the complaints, Ms Sturgeon said: 'Forgive me, I don't know exactly what you're referring to in terms of five SNP ministers.' The Scots Tories' allegations about Ms Sturgeon include repeatedly misleading the Scottish Parliament about when she first knew of the allegations against Mr Salmond, delaying settling the judicial review despite legal advice, and meeting Mr Salmond on government business without any officials present or records being taken The allegations Alex Salmond was cleared of July 2008: He was accused of kissing Woman A on the mouth and touching her buttocks and breast over her clothing in June and July 2008; and sexually assaulting her in either December 2010 or December 2011 in a nightclub i, by touching her arms and hips over her clothing. October or November 2010: He was charged with indecently assaulting Woman B at Bute House, the Scottish First Minister's official residence, in October or November 2010. She had accused him of repeatedly seizing her by the wrists, pulling her towards him and trying to kiss her. February 2011 Woman C accused him of assaulting her in a car in Edinburgh during February 2011 by touching her leg with his hand over her clothing, but said that was 'impossible' with others in the car who would have seen the incident take place. Between May 2011 and June 2013 Woman D claimed he assaulted her on a number of occasions between 2011 and 2013 at various locations, including Bute House and the Scottish Parliament building. Between May 2011 and June 2013, he was alleged to have sexually assaulted her by touching her buttocks over her clothing and stroking her arms and hair. December 2013: Woman F claimed he assaulted her at Bute House in December 2013 and sexually assaulting her in either November or December 2013. He was accused of making her sit on a bed, lying on top of her, struggling with her and pulling up her dress with intent to rape her. April 2014Woman G - a Scottish Government official said he twice assaulted her - once in Glasgow during 2012 and secondly in Bute House in April 2014. She accused him of smacking her buttocks at a Glasgow restaurant in March 2012. Salmond said: 'It didn't happen.' 2014 Meanwhile, Woman H said in 2014 Salmond sexually assaulted her attempting to rape her the same year. Advertisement Last night legal documents were finally released and revealed the Scottish Government was warned that it was heading for defeat in its legal battle with Mr Salmond. Lawyers told Ms Sturgeon's administration the court fight against the former First Minister was doomed three months before he eventually won the case. The warnings were shared with senior officials including the Lord Advocate, but the Government pressed on with the case. The decision left taxpayers to pick up a bill of more than 500,000 when the investigation was branded 'unlawful' and 'tainted by apparent bias' by the Court of Session. The revelations pile pressure on Ms Sturgeon as she prepares to face a grilling from MSPs at the inquiry today, in a session expected to last at least five hours. Last night, the Conservatives said they intend to call for a motion of no confidence in Ms Sturgeon at Holyrood, putting her career on the line. Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross said: 'Credible witnesses have now backed up Alex Salmond's claims and the legal advice shows the Government knew months in advance that the judicial review was doomed but they still went on to waste more than 500,000 of taxpayers' money. 'There is no longer any doubt that Nicola Sturgeon lied to the Scottish parliament and broke the ministerial code on numerous counts. 'No First Minister can be allowed to mislead the Scottish people and continue in office, especially when they have tried to cover up the truth and abused the power of their office in the process. 'The weight of the evidence is overwhelming. Nicola Sturgeon must resign.' 'No evidence she can provide tomorrow will counter the claims of numerous witnesses or refute that her Government ignored the legal advice for months and lost more than 500,000 of taxpayers' money in the process. We will be submitting a vote of no confidence in the First Minister.' Yesterday Duncan Hamilton, QC, challenged a series of Ms Sturgeon's claims about her meetings with Mr Salmond and backed up the former SNP leader's assertions. In a ten-page submission, he confirmed that the April 2 meeting between Mr Salmond and Ms Sturgeon in her home had been arranged to discuss the Government probe into complaints despite her claim in written evidence that she thought it was going to be about party business. Mr Hamilton, a legal adviser to Mr Salmond, also confirmed the former First Minister's claim that a senior Government official named one of the complainants to Mr Aberdein, in early March 2018. He said that his evidence was given 'to the very best' of his recollection, adding: 'I am prepared to provide the same evidence under oath in an affidavit if that is considered necessary.' Mr Hamilton said he is aware of who the official is and was told on a conference call which included former SNP spin doctor Kevin Pringle. Speaking in parliament last week, Ms Sturgeon said that to 'the very best of my knowledge, I do not think that happened'. The First Minister has repeatedly insisted she believed the meeting was to discuss SNP business and this is why no official record was made. But Mr Hamilton, who attended the meeting between Mr Salmond and Ms Sturgeon, said: 'I was invited to that meeting and travelled to it along with Mr Salmond and Mr Aberdein. I would further note that the letter received from the Scottish Government [informing Mr Salmond of the Government probe] was the sole focus of the meeting.' Mr Hamilton also backed up Mr Salmond's claim that Ms Sturgeon offered to intervene in the investigation as this was an 'important aspect' of discussions held at her home. After leaving the meeting, Mr Hamilton said it was discussed with Mr Salmond and Mr Aberdein as they felt mediation 'seemed very likely'. But he admitted that Ms Sturgeon later changed her mind. He added: 'I can confirm that the First Minister did offer to assist. We discussed mediation. My clear recollection is that her words were 'if it comes to it, I will intervene'. 'From a legal perspective, that was the most important aspect of the meeting. I therefore remember it clearly.' 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 Mr Hamilton said that Mr Salmond had waived his legal privilege to allow the submission backing up his side of events to be published. The evidence submission made on the eve of Ms Sturgeon's appearance at committee goes through several points made by Mr Salmond in relation to the meeting at the SNP leader's home in April 2018. He also confirmed that a meeting between Ms Sturgeon and Mr Aberdein in her parliamentary office on March 29 had been pre-planned to discuss the harassment complaints against Mr Salmond. Mr Pringle, a former SNP director of communications, also wrote to the inquiry backing up key claims made by Mr Salmond. He said he could confirm, following conversations with Mr Aberdein, that he 'is in no doubt that a complainant's name was shared with him' at a meeting about the complaints. And he knows Mr Aberdein 'was clear that the purpose of the meeting on March 29, 2018, was to discuss the two complaints that had been made against Mr Salmond'. The Tories intend to submit the motion of no confidence to the parliamentary bureau today and want it to be debated as early as this afternoon or tomorrow. A Scottish Labour spokesman said: 'Nicola Sturgeon has serious questions to answer. 'We will give her the opportunity to present her evidence to the committee and answer those questions.' A Scottish Liberal Democrat source said: 'Our view is that this looks very serious for the First Minister, both in terms of the claims she has made about complainants' names being leaked to Mr Salmond's team and her Government's handling of the judicial review but Nicola Sturgeon deserves her day to respond to these allegations before we decide what to do next.' A spokesman for Ms Sturgeon said: 'The First Minister will address all of the issues raised and much more besides at the committee tomorrow, while the independent adviser on the ministerial code will report in due course. 'But to call a vote of no confidence in the middle of a pandemic, before hearing a single word of the First Minister's evidence, is utterly irresponsible. 'It is for the public to decide who they want to govern Scotland and while we continue to fight the pandemic with the election campaign starting in just 20 days, that is precisely what they will be able to do.' SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford this morning said he was confident Ms Sturgeon would be 'exonerated' after she has appeared before the Holyrood inquiry. He told BBC Radio 4's Today: 'Let these allegations be put to the First Minister and I know she will answer them. 'She is a woman of integrity and honesty and I fully expect that at the end of this process, and we are very close to that, that the First Minister will be exonerated and in particular will be exonerated by the standards commissioner.' Asked where he had asked the Lord Advocate why he followed a different 'course of action' to that recommended by his external council when it came to Mr Salmond's trial, Mr Blackford replied: 'I'm not part of the Government and these conversations take place within government. 'Of course I've had conversations with colleagues and the First Minister on a regular basis. 'I know what the Scottish Government did right through this is make sure that due process took place and crucially, when the Government reached that determination that the case wasn't stateable, that the Government moved extrajudicially to move this to an early conclusion.' The devastating proof that Nicola Sturgeon's SNP government chose to ignore its own legal advice Nicola Sturgeon claims ignorance of THIRTY sexual harassment complaints against five SNP ministers By Rory Tingle For MailOnline Nicola Sturgeon today faced incredulity as she claimed ignorance of 30 sexual harassment claims against five SNP ministers while she was in office. Facing a Holyrood Inquiry into her government's botched handling of a probe into sexual harassment allegations against Alex Salmond, Ms Sturgeon was confronted by Tory MSP Margaret Mitchell about her knowledge of claims against other ministers. The allegations were made by members of a public sector union over the last ten years, covering the period when Ms Sturgeon was deputy first minister, up to 2014, before she took over from Mr Salmond as first minister. Responding after Ms Mitchell described the complaints, Ms Sturgeon who is fighting for her job - said: 'Forgive me, I don't know exactly what you're referring to in terms of five SNP ministers.' Ms Mitchell had ticked off the first minister for discussing allegations against Mr Salmond in response to her question about complaints against other SNP ministers. The committee deputy convener said: 'It is [about] the five SNP ministers. And can I remind you, Alex Salmond is a key witness to this inquiry. He's not under trial, your actions are, and if you could focus on that that would be much appreciated...' Advertisement Lawyers warned the Scottish Government was heading for defeat in its court battle with Alex Salmond more than three months before it lost the case. In a major development which piles more pressure on Nicola Sturgeon, it emerged yesterday that they warned in September 2018 there was 'a real risk that the court may be persuaded by the petitioner's case in respect of the ground of challenge based on 'procedural unfairness'.' Legal advisers then informed officials on October 31 of a 'very real problem' which eventually led to Mr Salmond winning the case. An 'urgent note' issued by senior counsel highlighted prior contact between the official who investigated complainants and a woman making the allegations. Roddy Dunlop, QC, who wrote the note, said he had contacted the Lord Advocate, James Wolffe, QC, to alert him to his concerns, 'and, frankly, as a sense check'. Mr Wolffe shared his concerns about the potential 'repercussions' for the case, he said. The legal advice was finally published last night after Deputy First Minister John Swinney had looked likely to lose a vote of no confidence tabled by the Tories. Taxpayers were landed with a bill of more than 500,000 when the Scottish Government investigation into Mr Salmond was described as 'unlawful' and 'tainted by apparent bias' by the Court of Session in January 2019. An email sent to government officials by Mr Dunlop, now Dean of the Faculty of Advocates, at 10.50pm on October 31, said: 'I have just discussed this with the Lord Advocate, as I am very concerned indeed. He has suggested a short note setting out my concerns, and this is now attached. 'I am sorry to be sending this to you at all, let alone late at night on Halloween, but I'm afraid I see no other option.' In a detailed report headed 'URGENT note by senior counsel', he explains that one of the complainers first made the complaint to Scottish Government HR official Judith Mackinnon, who went on to become the investigating officer in December 2017. He says this is a 'concern' as the complaints procedure sets out there must be 'no prior contact'. He said: 'I consider that this presents a very real problem indeed... If I am correct in the views expressed above, then the procedure was not followed: rather, an express embargo was ignored in a way which may well vitiate the entire proceedings.' In a 13-page document to the SNP administration, the Government's lawyers were asked for their 'views on the merits of the petition [brought by Mr Salmond] and the prospects of successfully resisting the judicial review proceedings that have been raised' (left). Senior Counsel for the Scottish Government Roddy Dunlop QC of Axiom Associates then raised the prospect of conceding the point on October 3 (right) Mr Dunlop then goes on to add that 'arguably that infects all that followed thereon'. He said the Lord Advocate 'has also indicated that he shares my firm advice that this issue will have to be disclosed, and my concern as to the potential repercussions for the wider case'. Mr Dunlop also said: 'A swift decision is going to have to be taken on whether to concede (a) the issue is disclosed and any argument based thereon then resisted, or (b) the issue is disclosed and the petition then conceded as a result thereof. 'I can well understand the angst that even suggesting (b) will provoke, but if the proceedings are vitiated then it makes little sense to continue to defend the indefensible.' On December 6, 2018, legal advisers told ministers in their view the 'least worst option' would be to concede the petition. They wrote: 'We cannot let the respondents sail forth into January's hearing without the now very real risks of doing so being crystal clear to all concerned.' Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross said: 'Despite the Scottish parliament backing two Scottish Conservative motions to release the legal advice, the SNP never even bothered to lift a finger to actually try and publish it. 'It's jaw-dropping that they didn't even ask if the Lord Advocate would allow it to be published. Instead, they let the public and press think he was the block on its release, when it was SNP ministers all along. 'John Swinney refused to even consider publishing the legal advice until his job was on the line.' Mr Swinney said: 'These documents are clear. Our legal advice was optimistic about the Government's prospects for success at the start. It became gradually but progressively less optimistic over time. It was only in December that the advice concluded that our case was no longer stateable and we should concede. As late as December 11, ministers were advised that we should continue.' He added: 'Significantly, however, this comprehensively disproves claims that we had continued the case in defiance of legal advice.' I have just discussed this with the Lord Advocate, as I am very concerned indeed. He has suggested a short note setting out my concerns, and this is now attached. I am sorry to be sending this to you at all, let alone late at night on Halloween, but I'm afraid I see no other option. As presently advised, I consider that this presents a very real problem indeed... If I am correct in the views expressed above, then the procedure was not followed: rather, an express embargo was ignored in a way which may well vitiate the entire proceedings. I can well understand the angst that even suggesting (conceding the case) will provoke, but if the proceedings are vitiated then it makes little sense to continue to defend the indefensible. BLOW-BY-BLOW: THE SEVEN WARNINGS NICOLA STURGEON'S GOVERNMENT IGNORED THAT THEIR CASE WAS DOOMED by JACK WRIGHT for MailOnline Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is facing calls from Opposition MSPs to resign after her Government published bombshell legal advice relating to its botched probe into allegations of sexual harassment by Alex Salmond. Deputy First Minister John Swinney agreed to hand over the papers under threat of a no-confidence vote, and admitted 'reservations were raised' by lawyers about the way allegations about Mr Salmond were investigated. The Scottish Government launched an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment by the former First Minister which was found to be unlawful, unfair and 'tainted by apparent bias' because of prior contact between the Investigating Officer and two of the women who complained. Redacted legal advice published by Mr Swinney last night showed that SNP ministers were warned they had 'a very real problem' defending their legal battle with Mr Salmond more than two months before it finally collapsed. Advice given to the Scottish Government on October 31, 2018 said there was 'an extremely concerning' issue that could gut their entire case - and that the 'least worst option' would be to concede the petition. They wrote: 'We understand how unpalatable that advice will be... But we cannot let the respondents sail forth into January's hearing without the now very real risks of doing so being crystal clear to all concerned.' MailOnline has gone through each document published by the Scottish Government to help you make sense of the political scandal which is rocking the nation. SEPTEMBER 27, 2018 : 'RISK IS THAT WITNESS STATEMENTS AND INITIAL REPORT BY INVESTIGATING OFFICER WERE NOT SHARED WITH SALMOND' In his letter published to Linda Fabiani, MSP chair of the Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints, Mr Swinney said legal advice from September 27, 2018 from senior and junior Counsel 'sets out an assessment of the merits of the petition brought by Mr Salmond and the Government's prospects of defending the proceedings at that point'. In a 13-page document to the SNP administration, the Government's lawyers were asked for their 'views on the merits of the petition [brought by Mr Salmond] and the prospects of successfully resisting the judicial review proceedings that have been raised'. The assessment explains that some of the grounds of challenge concern the validity and fairness of the Procedure for handling complaints against ministers and former ministers that was put in place in early 2018, while others concern the way in which the Procedure was applied to Mr Salmond. The lawyers say that 'several grounds of challenge are in our view 'time barred', arguing that 'complaints about the validity and fairness of the Procedure itself... should have been brought within 3 months of 7 March 2018, being the date on which the petitioner first became aware of the complaints and the investigation'. Though they say they believe that 'the majority of the grounds of challenge are weak and should be capable of being resisted successfully', they crucially concede: 'We think that there is a real risk that the Court may be persuaded by the petitioner's case in respect of the ground of challenge based on 'procedural unfairness''. They conclude: 'We consider that the areas of greatest risk are in relation to the fact that witness statements and the initial report prepared by the investigating officer were not shared with the petitioner'. In his letter to the Committee, Mr Swinney spun this by saying that the advice 'confirms that the majority of the grounds of challenge raised by Mr Salmond were assessed at that time as 'weak' and were considered capable of being resisted successfully'. He added: 'The document confirms that the Scottish Government was justified in defending the judicial review brought by Mr Salmond.' OCTOBER 30-31, 2018 : 'IT MAKES LITTLE SENSE TO CONTINUE TO DEFEND THE INDEFENSIBLE' Writing to the Committee, Mr Swinney said legal advice to the Scottish Government between October 30-31, 2018 demonstrated 'the development of Counsel's concerns around the issue of prior contact between the Investigating Officer and the two [Salmond sexual harassment] complainers and whether this could be reconciled with the text of paragraph 10 of the Scottish Government's Harassment Procedure'. After Mr Salmond's lawyers asked for information from the Scottish Government 'when, by what means and in what terms the complainers first initiated their complaints', lawyers advising the Scottish Government raised 'a discussion between the IO [Investigating Officer] and Complainer B'. Senior Counsel for the Scottish Government Roddy Dunlop QC of Axiom Associates then raised the prospect of conceding the point on October 31, describing the issue as 'extremely concerning'. He warned: 'The concern that arises is that the answer to the question 'when, by what means and in what terms the complainers first initiated their complaints' is that Complainer B, as I understand the position, first made her complaint to Judith McKinnon, Deputy Director of the People Directorate, in December 2017. 'That is of concern because it was, of course, Ms McKinnon that was subsequently appointed as the Investigating Officer under the Procedure which is presently under challenge. [...] I am told that it was thought that this did not present a problem to Ms McKinnon's appointment, as she had no prior involvement with the events giving rise to the complaint. 'I regret that I do not read the procedure in that way. [...] As presently advised I consider that this presents a very real problem indeed. The Petition is resisted on the basis that a fair Procedure was instituted and then followed. 'If I am correct... then the Procedure was not followed: rather, an express embargo was ignored in a way which may well vitiate the entire proceedings.' He went on: 'A swift decision is going to have to be taken thereafter as to whether (a) the issue is disclosed and any argument based thereon resisted, or (b) the issue is disclosed and the Petition is then conceded thereof. 'I can well understand the angst that even suggesting (b) will provoke, but if the proceedings are vitiated then it makes little sense to continue to defend the indefensible.' DECEMBER 6, 2018 : 'THE LEAST WORST OPTION WOULD BE TO CONCEDE THE PETITION' A letter written to Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC on December 6, 2018 stated that: 'Counsel are of the view that the 'least worst' option would be to concede the Petition. They understand how unpalatable that advice will be, and they do not tender it lightly'. Advice to the Scottish Government by Roddy Dunlop QC and Solicitor Advocate Christine O'Neill warned of 'substantial further development of the pleadings, accompanied by disclosure of a volume of information about, among other things, the discussions that took place Complainers A and B prior to them making formal complaints'. They argued that after Mr Salmond's lawyers introduced new grounds of challenge based on the Investigating Officer's prior contact with the complainers, 'with regret, we are now jointly of the view that those grounds are more likely than not to succeed'. 'At the outset, we recognise the dismay that this advice will cause,' they wrote. 'However, we feel it necessary to tender this advice, and the reasons for it, given the views which we have, independently at first and now of consensus, taken in this regard'. According to Mr Swinney: 'As the case progressed during November and early December, this issue was identified as the greatest area of risk for the Government's prospects in the judicial review.' DECEMBER 11, 2018 : LORD ADVOCATE - 'THERE ARE GOOD POLICY REASONS TO DEFEND THE CASE' The Deputy First Minister published documents showing that advice from December 6 was discussed in consultation with the Law Officers on December 11. It states that in a meeting with Lord Advocate James Wolffe (LA), the top Government lawyer was 'very clear that [there was] no question or need to drop the case' and that 'even if prospects are not certain it is important that our case is heard'. Senior Counsel Roddy Dunlop QC is said to have 'made clear that his note was not intended to convey that he didn't think we have a stateable case... They tested most of the arguments including the appointment of the IO [Investigating Officer] and concluded that we have credible arguments to make'. It went on: 'The argument on the appointment of the IO will turn on the extent to which we can persuade the court that there is an credible alternative to the objective reading test of para 10 of the procedure which is that what we had in mind was that the IO should not have had any prior involvement in the 'matters under investigation' i.e. the events being complained about.' The document also reveals that 'Counsel followed up the question of what Perm Sec [the Permanent Secretary] knew about the approaches from staff by late November'. 'While we are clear that there isn't a procedural bar to her knowing the detail at any point they are constructing an argument to the effect that early exposure to the detail resulted in her being predisposed to find against [the] FFM [former First Minister]', the emails state. 'The paper work doesn't shed much light on that.' Mr Swinney in his letter said that the minutes of December 11 showed 'that there remained good public policy reasons for continuing to defend the case and benefits in securing the clarity of a judicial finding from the Court'. DECEMBER 19, 2018 : EVIDENCE OF THE INVESTIGATING OFFICER'S PRIOR CONTACT WITH THE COMPLAINANTS 'MAKES A DEFENCE OF APPOINTING THE IO UNSTATEABLE' An extraordinary document presented to the Scottish Government by its lawyers showed that SNP ministers were warned that 'maintaining a defence of the appointment of the IO may be unstateable'. That morning, at the start of the first part of the Commission, the Government's lawyers said that they 'experienced extreme professional embarrassment as a result of assurances which we have given, both to our opponents and to the court, which assurances have been given on instructions, turning out to be false as a result of the revelation of further documents, highly relevant yet undisclosed'. New documents not handed to the Government's lawyers showed that the Investigating Officer had had contact with both complainants. The first document was a letter dated January 17, 2018 which stated: 'We met on 16 January 2018 to discuss your experience about the alleged misconduct of a former minister. Following this meeting you submitted a formal written complaint... I have been designated at the IO... The purpose of this letter is to invite you to a meeting to discuss your complaint in more detail'. A document presented to the Government by its lawyers showed that SNP ministers were warned 'maintaining a defence of the appointment of the IO may be unstateable' Legal advice warns: 'This letter suggests that there must have been other communications with Ms A in advance of the meeting of 16 January'. The second document referred to an email thread which showed that there 'must have been further contact undocumented in which the IO agreed to meet [complainant] Ms B. It is unclear whether this preceded or post dated the making of the complaint'. The lawyers told the Scottish Government: 'The complaint had only just been made. No one had appointed an IO for this complaint. The IO has effectively appointed herself in that regard. 'It seems inevitable, unless very prompt action indeed had been taken, [Redacted] see Ms B [Redacted] before the complaint was actually made, and accordingly before the IO could have had any legitimate interest in speaking to Ms B'. The lawyers then warned: 'As to the late nature of the revelation, this is unexplained, and frankly inexplicable. Given the nature of the searches described by as having been undertaken, we regret that we simply cannot understand why these documents have been made available only now. 'All of this gives rise to two concerns. First, we are now in a position where we think that maintaining a defence of the appointment of the IO may be unstateable. 'Given the timescales we are reluctant to take a final view on this, but there is a real risk that we so conclude. Second, we are each in a position which is, so far as dealings with the other side and the court are concerned, close to untenable'. According to Mr Swinney: 'Counsel's advice of 19 December following the Commissioner hearing that day... reflect[ed] the pressurised atmosphere of the process of identifying and handing over documents. 'As has been acknowledged in evidence to the Committee, the Scottish Government's handling of that process was flawed and this is regrettable. This, along with the subsequent Commission hearing on 21 December, was the moment at which the Scottish Government's case became no longer stateable.' DECEMBER 29, 2018 : LAWYERS OFFICIALLY ADVISE SNP MINISTERS TO CONCEDE SALMOND'S PETITION AFTER 'WATERSHED' HEARING Legal counsel advised the Scottish Government to conceded Mr Salmond's petition against its handling of its probe into sexual harassment allegations. They said: 'As you are aware, Counsel has offered advice on a number of occasions in relation to the prospects of the Scottish Government's (SG's) arguments prevailing in court. This advice has principally turned on Counsel's views on the appointment and actions of the Investigating Officer. Legal counsel advised the Scottish Government to conceded Mr Salmond's petition against its handling of its probe into sexual harassment allegations 'The key point to note is the 'watershed moment' of last Friday (21st December 2018), at which point the SG's case became, in Counsel's view, unstateable, given what emerged that day about the degree and nature of the contact between the IO and the prospective complainers prior to their formal complaints having been made. 'This information was contained in documents which were identified and produced for the Commission and Diligence Hearing last week, and had not been elicited by previous document searches. 'While there is no reason to believe that the IO was motivated by anything other than her desire to fulfil her role properly, we recognise that her actions give rise to a perception that there was an unfairness in the operation of the procedure in this case.' They also note that: 'The Lord Advocate and the Director of Legal Services share the view of Counsel about the likely prospects of success in defending the decision at Judical Review and the consequent advisability of conceding the petition at the earliest possibly opportunity.' The lawyers conclude: 'Having reviewed the material contained in this note, you may conclude that the Scottish Government is in a position where the only sensible and defensible action is to concede the petition and to plan for managing the attendant reputation and legal risks. The risks associated with proceeding to defend the Judicial Review could appear to be greater.' According to Mr Swinney: 'This was a shared view of both internal and external legal advisers. The case was reviewed and conceded quickly after this, taking account of further internal legal advice on the terms of the concession, which we are also sharing.' DECEMBER 31, 2018 : LORD ADVOCATE RECOMMENDS 'CAREFUL' CONCESSION OF SALMOND'S PETITION Lord Advocate James Wolffe told SNP ministers that 'the concession should be narrowly framed to reflect accurately and carefully the legal basis upon which Ministers are conceding the petition; and the basis of the concession should be explained as fully as it can be'. 'It may be unlikely that it will be possible to avoid the phrase 'apparent bias' being used at all, in all communications (including with the court),' Mr Wolffe went on. 'However, the use of that phrase should, in my view, be minimised, and should always be coupled with an appropriate explanation, intelligible to a lay person, of what that means - ie that the process must be seen to be impartial as well as actually impartial - and what it does not mean (ie that the process was actually tainted by bias).' Writing yesterday, the Deputy First Minister insisted: 'The documents published today demonstrate that the Scottish Government did not ignore legal advice in continuing to defend the judicial review, contrary to the terms of the Scottish Ministerial Code or the Civil Service Code. 'The documents demonstrate that there was no 'malicious' intent against Mr Salmond. The Scottish Government was within its rights to defend a judicial review raised against it by Mr Salmond and to continue to defend it whilst it still had a stateable case. There were good public policy reasons for continuing to defend the case and to seek a determination from the Court. 'Once it became clear that the Scottish Government no longer had a stateable case after the Commission hearings in late December 2018, the Government quickly reviewed the position and conceded the case. 'The view that the Government no longer had a stateable case was agreed by both internal and external advisers.' By Benjamin Jumbe Ugandans have been rallied to join efforts to conserve the countrys natural resources including wildlife and forests. This comes as Uganda joins the rest of the world to commemorate World Wildlife day running globally under the theme Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet. The scientific celebrations are to be held at Sheraton hotel in Kampala under the local theme Sustaining livelihoods through conservation Speaking to Kfm, the commissioner of Wildlife Conservation in the ministry of tourism Wildlife and Antiquities Dr Akankwasa Barirega says conservation is everyones role and should not be left to the government alone. The European Union (EU) and the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States have awarded Grants worth 368,939 EUR to five organizations in Uganda to address biodiversity conservation needs. The funds availed through the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)s Save Our Species African Wildlife Initiative and the BIOPAMA Action Component (AC), aim to alleviate impacts caused specifically through the pandemic. Three of the five grantees in Uganda namely, The Environmental Governance Institute (EGI), Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH), and the Rhino Fund Uganda are implementing a range of activities including diversifying livelihoods to absorb the loss of tourism income, implementing health protocols and monitoring to protect gorillas, and clearing invasive species to secure rhino habitat. Access the Experts: David Beberwyk In this installment, Beberwyk answers: Is real estate still a good investment for the future? In This Installment of Access the Experts David Beberwyk, Finance, Banking, and Real Estate Instructor, University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) College of Business Administration, answers the question: Is real estate still a good investment for the future? About Beberwyk Beberwyk, who also serves as the co-director of the Center for Real Estate Studies and Asset Management, has worked in the commercial, governmental, and residential property management sectors, and has experience with real estate brokerage operations, environmental management, and commercial/residential consulting. His research interests focus on topics relevant to the Greater Omaha Real Estate Community. Current personal research interests include brokerage operations, effectiveness and profitability of different business models, and maximizing return on investment for single and multi-family properties in the greater Omaha area. Beberwyk, who also serves as the co-director of the Center for Real Estate Studies and Asset Management, has worked in the commercial, governmental, and residential property management sectors, and has experience with real estate brokerage operations, environmental management, and commercial/residential consulting. His research interests focus on topics relevant to the Greater Omaha Real Estate Community. Current personal research interests include brokerage operations, effectiveness and profitability of different business models, and maximizing return on investment for single and multi-family properties in the greater Omaha area. Access the Experts Access the Experts is an innovative partnership between the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) and News Channel Nebraska (NCN), where viewers submit their questions to be answered by UNO faculty members. New segments of Access the Experts air every Tuesday and Thursday at 6:46 A.M. and 6:46 P.M. If youre not sure how to tune in, visit News Channel Nebraskas website to view their coverage areas. View all segments on our Access the Experts page. About the University of Nebraska at Omaha Located in one of Americas best cities to live, work and learn, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraskas premier metropolitan university. With more than 15,000 students enrolled in 200-plus programs of study, UNO is recognized nationally for its online education, graduate education, military friendliness and community engagement efforts. Founded in 1908, UNO has served learners of all backgrounds for more than 100 years and is dedicated to another century of excellence both in the classroom and in the community. Follow UNO on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. In late January, a plane filled with coronavirus vaccines landed in Santiago, Chile. It was greeted by Chiles President, Sebastian Pinera, who said today is a day of joy. The vaccine came from China which has started a successful campaign of vaccine diplomacy. The Associated Press reported that China has promised nearly half a billion doses of vaccines to more than 45 countries. Four of Chinas many vaccine makers claim they are able to produce at least 2.6 billion doses this year for countries that want them. There is little pubic information about Chinas vaccines. Their efficacy and safety are unclear. It is also unclear what exactly China wants in return for the vaccine. However, more than 25 countries have begun using them and another 11 countries plan to start soon. This acceptance is important for China because it wants to change its image. Many believe China mishandled the original outbreak of COVID-19, which began there. Were seeing certainly real-time vaccine diplomacy start to play out, with China in the lead, said Krishna Udayakumar. He is at the Duke Global Health Innovation Center at Duke University in North Carolina. China has said it is giving vaccine aid to 53 countries and exports to 27. But it refused a request by the AP for the list of countries. China also rejects the idea that it is exporting vaccines to change its image or conducting vaccine diplomacy. I dont see any linkage there, said Wang Huiyao. He is president of the Centre for China and Globalization, a Beijing research center. China should do more to help other countries, because its doing well, he added. Targeting poor countries China has targeted poorer countries as rich, Western nations bought up most of the costly vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna. It has also targeted countries that have not received an early supply of the Western vaccines. Chile is just one example. It received just 150,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine out of the ten million it had ordered. So, China sent four million doses of its Sinovac vaccine in January to the country of 19 million people. Chile now has the fifth highest vaccination rate in the world, reports Britains Oxford University. In Indonesia, healthcare workers and President Joko Widodo all received the Sinovac vaccine. For countries in tropical areas like Indonesia, Chinas vaccines are easier to use since they do not require extreme cold storage like the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines. Most of the Chinese vaccines are from Sinovac and Sinopharm. They use inactivated virus, a traditional vaccine technology. Some countries believe they are safer, even though new-technology vaccines from Western nations are safe and even more effective against COVID-19. Tyemur Musayev is an official in the Azerbaijan Ministry of Health. He said his country ordered 4 million Sinovac doses because it was made using traditional and safe methods. In eastern Europe, China is providing vaccines to Serbia and Hungary where China is competing with Russia and Western nations for political and economic influence. Serbia became the first European country to use a Chinese vaccine in January. The country purchased 1.5 million doses of Sinopharm vaccine and smaller amounts of Russias Sputnik V and Pfizer vaccines. Many Serbians say they are not worried about Chinese vaccines. They have been vaccinating their own people for (a) long period, I assume they have more experience, said Natasa Stermenski of Belgrade. She recently got a Chinese vaccine. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban got the Sinopharm vaccine on Sunday. He recently said he trusted the Chinese vaccine the most. Concerns about Chinese vaccines Chinas vaccine diplomacy will only be as good as the vaccines it is offering. And it still faces some problems. Ahmed Hamdan Zayed is a healthcare worker in Egypt. He did not really want to get a Chinese vaccine because of the lack of public information about it. But now, after doing some research, he will be among the first in his country to get Sinopharm vaccine. Sinopharm said limited information from its trials showed its vaccine to be 79 percent effective against COVID-19. Its chairman added the vaccine has not produced a single bad reaction. But the company did not answer requests for interview from the AP. Over 9 million Sinopharm vaccines have been given outside China. Other Chinese vaccine makers, including Sinovac and CanSino, have not released any information about the results of their final trials. There are also worries about how Chinese companies operate their businesses. In 2018, one of Chinas biggest vaccine companies falsified information to sell its rabies vaccines. And a company related to Sinopharm admitted it made low-quality diphtheria vaccines. For a lot of people, the first thing you think about is Made in China, and that doesnt give you much assurance, said Joy Zhang. She is a professor at the University of Kent in Britain. But health risks and the restriction of the pandemic have largely overcome worries about Chinas vaccines. One Eqyptian official said, We had to guarantee a vaccine. Any vaccine. Im Susan Shand. And I'm Jonathan Evans. The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story joy - n. a feeling of great happiness dose - n. the amount of a medicine, drug, or vitamin that is taken at one time mishandle - v. to deal with or manage (something) badly or incorrectly outbreak - n. sudden start or increase of fighting or disease linkage - n. a connection or relationship between two or more things tropical - adj. a warm climate assume - v. to think that something is true or probably true without knowing that it is true interview - n.: a meeting at which people talk to each other in order to ask questions and get information: falsify - v. to change (something) in order to make people believe something that is not true We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, and visit our Facebook page. Editor: Healing the animosity between Democrats and Republicans will take effort. The first step may be seeing the other side as misguided rather than malicious. Both desire citizens well-being, but promote different paths. In reality, they each have something to learn from the other. Moderate Democrats, at their best, are in tune with class disparities, want to assist the powerless and protect the environment. They are the party of hope and progress, all noble endeavors. Moderate Republicans, at their best, are pragmatic and cautious, promote the reward of individual effort and seek to uphold freedoms, all noble endeavors. Democrats with humanitarian goals often feel theyre on the high road. Republicans know that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. The world is filled with imperfect humans who can lay waste to the lefts pipe dreams, with potential economic hardship and chaos ensuing. This sober attitude can earn Republicans the label of bad guy. In reality, they dont have to look far to see Democrats visions run amok, when the party strives for increasing control and censorship, blind to their own imperfections. Republicans, government is by and for the people, and shouldnt be used to accommodate the greedy or to kowtow to corporations. Yet, the retirement plans of many depend on the health of corporations for funding pensions. Democrats, charity begins at home. There are limits to helping, as well as the concept of fairness. Dont squelch motivation. If you ignore the ideas of half the country, you miss something. Look deeper. Smugness and a sense of superiority are not the way forward. Most understand innately the benefits of free will. Infringing on rights is the wrong direction. Like the hopeful teenager and the cautious elder, both grudgingly can benefit from the others viewpoint. Lets respect rather than tear each other apart. TINA GELLY THROOP Editor: This month, Israel will conduct its fourth set of elections in two years for its parliamentary Knesset and prime minister. All Israeli citizens, whether they are Jewish, Christian, Muslim or Druze, have a vote, and the Arab bloc of parties forms one of the largest coalitions in the Knesset. As in America, the electorate is closely divided, making governance difficult, but democracy still prevails. In contrast, Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas, currently in the 16th year of what was supposed to be a four-year term of office, and Hamas, Gazas ruling terrorist regime, have announced legislative elections for May followed by a July presidential vote. These elections, which may yet be canceled as have all other Palestinian votes since 2005, will not have any Jewish voters, since Jews are not allowed to live in Palestinian-controlled areas. In fact, in those areas Palestinians are forbidden from selling land to a Jew. The irony of these two contrasting situations perpetually seems to escape Dominic Saadi (Israeli apartheid, Feb. 20), who labels Israel with the apartheid slur, while turning a blind eye to decades of Palestinian authoritarianism and attempts to delegitimize Israel and to bar Jews from their ancestral homeland. Failed Arab wars of annihilation against Israel have cost Palestinians territory while creating death, suffering and refugees. Repeated peace talks invariably have met with the Palestinian veto and turn to more violence. Nevertheless, Israel has continued to grow and modernize, and now the Arab world seems to have moved past Palestinian rejectionism with the Abraham Accords. Its time for Palestinian supporters like Saadi to stop firing disparaging and distorted shots against multiethnic Israel and instead demand that Palestinian leaders deliver democracy and peace to their own people, and end their fanatical dream of destroying the only true democracy in the Middle East. DAVID I. FALLK CLARKS SUMMIT JEWISH FEDERATION OF NEPA Editor: In conjunction with the mayor of Scranton and the Scranton Municipal Recreation Authority, a food drive was held Feb, 9, 11, 13 and 14. We thank those who contributed to the drives overwhelming success. Kudos to The Times-Tribune for the wonderful coverage of the drive, and to local television stations; we cannot thank you enough for getting our message out. As a result, residents of Scranton and surrounding areas came through big time. They came with cars and bags filled with all the items we had requested. Monetary donations exceeded our wildest expectations. Thank you, Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti. It was truly a team effort by all involved. The food collected will be distributed to local food pantries and made available for those in need. NORMA JEFFRIES SCRANTON AND MEMBERS OF THE SCRANTON MUNICIPAL RECREATIONAL AUTHORITY BOARD Editor: Although the COVID-19 American Rescue Plan provides relief to many in need, it is full of unnecessary items, excess benefits and provides stimulus checks and other handouts to many who should not receive them. If many of these items were eliminated, it would drastically reduce the estimated cost of $1.9 trillion. Some of the added items are: a $400 unemployment weekly bonus on top of the regular payments that would run until August and allows jobless benefits to last up to nearly a year and a half. Could this eliminate the incentive to return to work or look for work? It would create a program that would pay 85% of peoples COBRA premiums when they leave jobs, through September. It also would provide $130 billion to schools to reopen. Stimulus checks would give up to $1,400 per taxpayer and per dependent, giving money to some married couples with up to $200,000 in annual income. The act would expand Medicaid eligibility to incarcerated individuals 30 days prior to their release. This is only a fraction of the pork in the bill. The public should be more aware of how tax dollars will be spent. EDWARD ZINDELL JERMYN SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Navaera announced today the start of construction on its adaptive reuse project for the former Bratzel Building at 7501 E Osborn Rd., in downtown Scottsdale, Arizona. The project will revitalize the 8,427 square-foot building originally designed in 1966 by Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice Ray Parrish. The project will modernize the former industrial building and transform it into a modern, energy efficient office environment suitable for high-tech research and development. According to Matthew Adler, a Managing Principal at Navaera responsible for the project, "Navaera believes strongly in adaptive reuse projects that enable our organization to keep stories and memories of our communities alive, while also reducing unnecessary waste in constructing our office environments. We are excited to be moving into the downtown Scottsdale area, with its array of amenities, and central location." Navaera has engaged Bayley Construction as general contractor for the project. Jeremy Vermilyer, Bayley's superintendent on this project, shared "I'm excited to bring new life to the former Bratzel Building here in Scottsdale, where one of our offices is also located. It's always a fun challenge renovating a building from the mid-'60s. With hard work and a great team like ours, nothing is impossible." Upon completion of the project, Navaera will occupy the second floor of the renovated facility. Two suites will be made available for lease on the building's ground floor, which will range in size from 1,000 to 4,100 square feet. The project is expected to be completed in May 2021. About Navaera Navaera Sciences provides industry leading products for business operations, regulatory compliance, corporate responsibility and employee collaboration that enable clients to create and sustain competitive advantage by leveraging data to build and enhance organizational knowledge. Navaera Sciences offers a suite of advanced products that enable clients to develop and implement smart business planning strategies, improve operations and achieve ROI in the face of evolving global dynamics. Navaera Sciences is a privately held company headquartered in New York, NY. For more information on Navaera, please visit us on the web at http://www.navaera.com/ About Bayley Bayley Construction is a leading full-service general contractor with nationwide experience and offices in Washington, Arizona and California. Founded in 1963, our company brings a high level of experience and expertise, including a team of people who are passionate about what they do and are willing to take on complex challenges that live up to our slogan 'Quality People. Quality Buildings.' For more information, please visit our website at http://www.bayley.net. Contacts: Navaera Worldwide, LLC Jay Glassman +1 866 326 7601 x2860 [email protected] Bayley Construction, LP Sierra Segraves +1 206 576-1364 [email protected] SOURCE Navaera Worldwide Related Links http://www.navaera.com A former notorious Rebels bikie and a taxi driver were riddled with bullets in a brazen daylight ambush. Christopher Rymer, 30, was shot through the window of a Silvertop taxi he was travelling in Riverstone shortly after 9am on Wednesday. The taxi driver, 40, was also wounded after being shot up to six times. The injured driver managed to drive the pair to Hawkesbury Hospital. Christopher Rymer (pictured left) is fighting for life in hospital after he was shot at through the window of a taxi in Sydney's north-west on Tuesday morning CCTV obtained by Nine News records the moments before to the shooting where a dark-coloured ute follows the silver taxi along Junction Road. The ute is captured speeding away a short time later and was later found burnt out in nearby Beaumont Hills. Police were told the pair were shot when they stopped at an house in Riverstone after the taxi driver picked up Rymer from a home in Sydney's west. Both men remain in a serious condition with Rymer later transferred to Westmead Hospital for emergency surgery with potentially life-threatening injuries. The taxi driver is expected to make a full recovery. Witness Jadjid Singh said the alleged gunman shot 'four or five rounds' before getting back in his ute. 'The taxi was going very slow,' he told Nine News. Christopher Rymer was a notorious Rebels bikie but is understood to have left the bikie gang in 2019 The alleged gunman is still at large. Police believe the shooting was a targeted attack and were investigating whether it was linked to mounting tensions between the Rebels and Lone Wolves gangs. Officers were angry innocent lives were allegedly caught up in the gangland war. 'You fire enough shots at someone you want to kill and you hit someone innocent and it is really unacceptable,' Detective Superintendent Rob Critchlow told reporters. 'People in Sydney should be able to go about their lives without some fool trying to shoot another fool.' Christopher Rymer (pictured in Rebels colours) Superintendent Critchlow He confirmed My Rymer was known to police. 'We know a little bit about his business and he'll be subject to a strict investigation for what he's been victimised (in today) and what else he's been involved with,' he said. Separate crime scenes in Riverstone and Windsor were examined by specialist forensic police. 'The matter has now been referred to the State Crime Command's Criminal Group Squad, who have commenced an investigation,' police said. Rymer was once known as one of Sydney's most notorious bikies, renowned for uploading photos of his lavish lifestyle on Instagram, including shopping trips to Louis Vuitton and visits to theme parks on the Gold Coast. He is understood to have left the bikie gang in 2019 to become a devoted family man to his two young daughters and start up a dog breeding business. Larry Johnson, writing at the Gateway Pundit.com reports: The American people, regardless of political affiliation, should be bellowing a primal scream of outrage in light of the new evidenceoverwhelming evidence at thatof the FBIs corruption. If you have not read John Solomons latest revelations about the contents of formerly classified FBI documents that were declassified one week before Donald Trump left Washington, DC, then you need to take the time. You can read it here. Permit me to point out some background you need to appreciate the appalling gravity of these documents. In theory the FBI is not supposed to be a Secret Police (i.e., a GESTAPO). No FBI Agent or official is supposed to have the ability to wake up in the morning and decide to start investigating an American citizen just because the Agent does not like what someone has written or said. But we now know that world is our reality. In theory, Special Prosecutor John Durham, could put the brakes on this lawlessness by indicting and convicting James Comey, Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, James Baker, Bruce Ohr and others. Do not hold your breath. Durham appears to be a fraud and his failure to act will further embolden the FBI to engage in more illegal acts. The FBI documents use code names for various members of the Trump campaign team. Heres your cheat sheet: George Papadopoulos Crossfire Typhoon (aka CT) Carter Page Crossfire Dragron (aka CD) General Michael Flynn Crossfire Razor (aka CR) Campaign chairman Paul Manafort, Crossfire Fury (aka CF) But they were not the only ones targeted. These men also were put in the cross-hairs, without knowing the FBI was after them for the mere act of supporting Donald Trump: Future Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Foreign policy adviser Sam Clovis, Economic adviser Peter Navarro Inspector General Michael Horowitz lied with his claim that Crossfire Hurricane was properly predicated. It was not. There was no justification for this massive counter intelligence investigation, which had only one purposehelp Hillary Clinton. The key informant/spy in this operation is Stefan Halper, an obese bloodsucker whose father-in-law was a top level CIA officer in the 1970s: Halper is an American foreign policy scholar and retired Senior Fellow at the University of Cambridge where he is a Life Fellow at Magdalene College.[1] He served as a White House official in the Nixon, Ford, and Reagan administrations, and was reportedly in charge of the spying operation by the 1980 Ronald Reagan presidential campaign that became known as Debategate. Through his decades of work for the CIA, Halper has had extensive ties to the Bush family.[2] Through his work with Sir Richard Billing Dearlove, he had ties to the British Secret Intelligence Service MI6. Halper is referred to in the FBI documents as Confidential Human Source aka CHS. Here are the key documents for your own perusal. Do not take my word for it: Halper Source Documents_final.pdf 04518073623.pdf (FBI interview of FBI Agent William Barnett) HalperPageIntercept11-2016.pdf The money quote from Solomons article is this: Former FBI Assistant Director for Intelligence Kevin Brock said the information about Papadopoulos foreign lobbying that the bureau used to open the Russia collusion probe failed to meet the bureaus own legal standards to justify the larger dragnet that encompassed Page and many other Trump officials. Normally when the FBI opens an investigation on a U.S. citizen, it has specific facts justifying an investigation of that person, explained Brock, who led the implementation of many of the bureaus current rules for informants and intelligence gathering. But here what the ECs are saying is they dont know who is involved and they are just conjecturing that someone in the Trump campaign might be in a position to receive help from Russia. You just cant open a full field investigation on conjecture. . . . What they are doing is using preferred definitions, he said. When we employ the investigative techniques used against Carter Page to break the laws of another country and steal their secrets, its okay to call it spying. When we use those same techniques against a U.S. citizen, its called an investigation. Let us give the despicable Bill Barr credit for one thing. He told the truth about Obama. The Obama Administration was spying, illegally so, on Donald Trump and his campaign staff. We now know what a dishonored, disgraceful outfit the FBI has become. The FBI has betrayed the Constitution. Source: They Have Betrayed the Constitution - Overwhelming Evidence of FBI Corruption (thegatewaypundit.com) Hat tip to Carole Gunn for sending us this link. CPS Energy has been hit with a wrongful death lawsuit by the husband of a woman who died during last months winter storm. Jesus Rodriguez alleges in the complaint that he found his wife, Ann, dead in bed on Feb. 17, a day after their home lost power. She was 63. On information and belief, Ann Elizabeth Rodriguez died of the extreme cold inside her home, which was caused as a direct result of the power outage, the lawsuit states. In its final finding, the medical examiners office ruled Rodriguezs probable cause of death as cardiovascular disease with hypertension and hyperlipidemia, which is a high concentration of fats, or lipids, in the blood. The manner of death was deemed natural. On ExpressNews.com: Lawsuits already being filed against ERCOT over power outages in Texas Jesus Garcia Jr., a Houston lawyer representing Jesus Rodriguez, said theyll be able to learn more during discovery. Were going to get to the bottom of that, Garcia said of her cause of death. There are many times we get one finding from the coroners office or medical examiner thats incorrect. San Antonio litigator Mikal Watts also is part of Rodriguezs legal team. Jesus Rodriguez, 69, seeks more than $1 million in damages from the San Antonio utility, though he wants a jury to determine the fair amount of compensation. His lawsuit was filed Monday in state District Court in San Antonio and follows similar lawsuits filed around the state in the aftermath of a winter storm that brought frigid temperatures and widespread power outages. Watts firm filed a lawsuit against the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the states grid operator, on behalf of the family of a Houston man who died of hypothermia. A CPS Energy spokesperson said the city-owned utility doesnt comment on litigation. This was 100% preventable, Garcia said in a statement. CPS Energy and others could have increased electric production capacity in the San Antonio region in the days and weeks leading up to the February 2021 cold weather event. Garcia added CPS Energy had known for years that it needed to winterize its energy sources to prevent cold-weather failures, but consciously chose not to do so. SA Inc.: Get the best of business news sent directly to your inbox CPS Energy cannot say its shielded from the action by sovereign immunity, the lawsuit says, because Jesus Rodriguezs claims arise out of its operation and maintenance of a public utility. Jesus Rodriguez and his wife shared a home on South Cibolo Street on the West Side, the Bexar Appraisal Districts website shows. They bought the house in 2018. Power went out in the Rodriguez home on the morning of Feb. 16, so the couple had no heat, the suit says. Outdoors, temperatures remained below freezing throughout the day, ranging from 14 to 28 degrees, according to AccuWeathers website. As a result, the suit adds, the temperature inside the house plummeted. Besides his wrongful death claim, Jesus Rodriguez is suing CPS Energy for gross negligence for failing to prevent interruptions of service. The suit says hes entitled to recover punitive damages in an amount sufficient to punishCPS Energy and deter others from engaging in similar conduct. pdanner@express-news.net The massive power outage in Mumbai on October 12 last year may have been the result of a cyber sabotage. (Representational image: AFP) Hyderabad: The Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERT- In) on Tuesday advised the TS State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC) and TS Transmission Corporation (Transco) to take precautionary measures to ensure security of the power system, after a security threat from a China-based threat group was assessed. Security measures like blocking server IPs were communicated by CERT-In, apart from temporary disabling of the control function for remote operation of circuit Breakers from the SLDC and changing of credentials of all the users accessing the SLDC website. The CERT-IN also recommended isolation of suspected equipment within the perimeter of the SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) control centre to ensure safety of the grid and satisfactory power supply to all consumers of the state. These steps were said to have been taken. Earlier, a US firm, Recorded Future, claimed that a Chinese government-linked group of hackers had targeted critical power grid system through malware after which Union power minister R.K. Singh spoke with Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh. Deshmukh said the US companys report concerned the entire country not just Mumbai or Maharashtra. He said the massive power outage in Mumbai on October 12 last year may have been the result of a cyber sabotage as he cited a probe report of the state's cyber cell. Recent strikes in Istanbul in the municipalities controlled by Turkeys opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP) have strikingly exposed the CHP and the reactionary role played by the nominally opposition trade unions and pseudo-left groups that support it. The Genel-Is union affiliated to the DISK federation brazenly betrayed the Maltepe municipality workers strike. As the strike exposed the CHPs anti-worker orientation and threatened to spread to broader sections of workers angered over the ruling elites homicidal response to the pandemic, Genel-Is rapidly moved to shut it down. Union leaders signed a sellout deal with employers behind the backs of the workers and against their will. The banner reads: There is a strike in this workplace. [Credit: @KGrevde on Twitter] While workers were still voting on the deal, the union announced on social media that the lowest wage, including bonuses, was set at 4,700 TL (US$640) and that the strike was over. Fully 525 workers voted to continue the strike, only 42 workers voted to end it. Despite this overwhelming (over 90 percent) support for continuing the strike, DISK officials signed the agreement. On February 23, more than 1,500 workers had gone on strike in the municipality of Maltepe after months without a contract, demanding compensation for losses in wages and social rights over many years. From the beginning of the strike, the CHP municipal administration lied about workers demands and provoked the districts residents against the workers. While Maltepe Mayor Ali Klc has claimed he had offered 47 percent raises, workers replied that this percentage only involved about 30 workers. The real offer was only an eight percent raise. Striking municipal worker Ahmet Bozkurt showed his payroll to the Gazete Duvar, stating, My salary is 3,100 Turkish lira [US$420], including food and travel payment. I am paying 1,300 liras for house rent. It reaches 2,000 liras with bills. We also want to live humanely. I also struggle to raise my children well and to ensure that they receive a good education. Bozkurt also stressed the impact of the pandemic. He said that during the pandemic, at least 1,000 workers in Maltepe were infected with coronavirus, and one died. The COVID-19 pandemic led to attacks on the living and social conditions of the working class. Millions of workers faced imposed unpaid leaves at half the minimum wage, that is, at hunger wages. The rapid increase in prices of basic necessities, especially food, added to the decline in income and the growth of unemployment. Garbage was not collected in Maltepe due to the strike, and piles of rubbish emerged in the district. The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) administration led by CHP Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu worked to break the Maltepe municipality workers strike and started to collect garbage in the citypitting IBB workers against their class brothers and sisters in Maltepe. As workers denounced and opposed these strikebreaking efforts, the IBB claimed that it had respected the right to strike but had to collect garbage for public health reasons. Moreover, CHP officials joined these strikebreaking operations and mobilized a petty-bourgeois mob of 100 people to physically attack the strikers, who were trying to prevent garbage collection. This was a serious warning for workers that bourgeois opposition parties will not hesitate to resort to fascistic methods against workers. The union treachery in Maltepe comes shortly after a sellout in Istanbuls Kadkoy district, where the IBB again tried to break the strike by collecting garbage. On February 16, nearly 2,300 workers of the CHP-run Kadkoy municipality struck after contract talks broke down. Kadkoy Mayor Serdil Dara Odabas claimed that a 38 percent raise was offered, while workers said that they were actually offered a seven percent raise. The Kadkoy strike was also betrayed by the same DISK-affiliated Genel-Is union, which has close ties with the CHP. It worked to isolate the strike and then secretly signed a sellout with CHP officials. The union is desperately maneuvering to avoid being overrun by explosive anger among the workers. It has decided to strike in three other municipalities in Istanbul in March, setting different dates for each: in Kartal Municipality on March 4 and in Besiktas Municipality on March 15. However, they suddenly reached an agreement in Atasehir, before workers were to strike on March 2. The same union has repeatedly blocked strikes by suddenly signing sellouts, as in the CHP-affiliated Istanbul municipality of Sisli, where it signed a paltry three to four percent raise. These experiences underscore the critical necessity of the workers themselves building their own rank-and-file committees to take direct control over their struggles. This would allow them to coordinate and unite their strikes and appeal to other sections of the working class and to Istanbul residents for support. Otherwise, the unions clearly plan to repeat the Kadkoy and Maltepe betrayals. The unions have prevented the unification of all these strikes and strangled them by presenting workers with a fait accompli before other municipalities went on strike. DISK thus worked to prevent a unified movement of the working class, not only against the CHP but also the entire political establishment and the capitalist system they defend. DISK and the CHP are so close that in almost every general election, a DISK chairman becomes a CHP deputy. The CHPs reaction to these strikes shows that if it comes to power, it will be no less hostile to workers struggles than the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). It exposes the illusions peddled by petty-bourgeois pseudo-left parties about the CHP. Throughout the strike, members and sympathizers of the CHP and pseudo-left parties waged a smear campaign against the workers on social media, accusing unskilled workers of demanding exorbitant wages, being AKP puppets, and harming the struggle for democracy. They repeatedly asked why there were strikes only in CHP municipalities, insinuating that the strikes aided the AKP. These strikes also exposed the reactionary role played the middle class pseudo-left groups around the CHP-led bourgeois opposition, vindicating the exposure by the World Socialist Web Site. Many pseudo-left parties, such as the Left Party (formerly the Freedom and Solidarity Party, ODP), the Labor Party (EMEP) and the Workers Party of Turkey (TIP) backed CHP mayoral candidates, including Ekrem Imamoglu in the 2019 local elections. Left Party leader Alper Tas ran as a CHP candidate for the Beyoglu district of Istanbul, with the support of the far-right Good Party. During the Maltepe strike, the Left Party claimed its support from workers, but its representatives paid a friendly visit to CHP leader Kemal Klcdaroglu in his office. While the AKP government and the media it controls tried to use the strikes as a propaganda tool against the CHP, they also feared that these strikes would escape the unions control and trigger a broader explosion of the class struggle. As strikes against herd immunity and austerity policies increased in January, the AKP responded to the Bogazici University student protests with violent police state repression. This reflected its fear of coming mass struggles and the possibility that these could develop into an international struggle against the capitalist system. In fact, the AKP and the CHP agree that strikes must be ended before they get out of control. The betrayals of the Maltepe and Kadkoy municipal strikes contain critical lessons for the working class. The most important is that the only way forward for workers is through the building of their own independent socialist and internationalist party, i.e., a Turkish section of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI). No other political tendency exposes and fights the entire political establishment, including the CHP and its pseudo-left supporters and trade unions, and advances a revolutionary socialist perspective for the working class. Belagavi : , March 3 (IANS) Soon after the news of Karnataka Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi stepping down over the sex CD scandal became public, his supporters went berserk across the Gokak town in Belagavi district -- home to the Jarkiholi family -- on Wednesday. A large number of his supporters took out a protest march in Gokak, forcibly shut business establishments and colleges besides pelting stones on several buses. One of Jarkiholi's supporters even attempted self-immolation by dousing himself with kerosene. But the police intervened and prevented him from taking the extreme step. Another set of supporters poured milk on cutouts of Jarkiholi in the key junctions of the town to send out a message that their leader may be down, but not out. Jarkiholi, a powerful minister in Karnataka, was among the 17 legislators who had defected from the Congress and JD(S) in 2019 and joined the BJP, bringing down the Congress-JD(S) coalition government that was formed in 2018. He was forced to resign on Wednesday after a CD containing sexually explicit content was released by a Kanakapura-based RTI activist, Dinesh Kallahalli, to different news channels on Tuesday evening after formally lodging a complaint with the Cubbon Park police in Bengaluru. The alleged CD contained clips showing Jarkiholi getting intimate with a woman. It went viral after being aired on Kannada news channels on Tuesday. After filing a complaint with the police, Kallahalli had alleged that Jarkiholi had demanded sexual favours from the woman in exchange of getting her the permission to shoot documentaries on dams in Karnataka using drone cameras, besides luring her with a government job offer. Claiming innocence, both Jarkiholi and his brother and BJP leader Balachandra Jarkiholi dubbed the CD as 'fake and a political conspiracy' against their family. Xiaomi is widely tipped to launch a foldable smartphone this year. Over the past few weeks, the company we've seen a lot of leaks about this device, and now a new leak has revealed what may be the official name of the upcoming device. The foldable device is now being tipped to be launched under the Mi Mix series of phones. The information comes courtesy of a known tipster, Ross Young, who claims Xiaomis foldable smartphone may be called the Mi Mix 4 Pro Max. This isn't very surprising as Xiaomi in the past has used the Mi Mix series to launch phones with new, forward-looking technologies and features. We hear the upcoming Xiaomi foldable may be called the Mi Mix 4 Pro Max. China Star is the display supplier, not SDC. SDC will provide an in-folding display later in the year, which will be a little larger. Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) March 1, 2021 As per the leak, the foldable phone will use a display supplied by China Star Optoelectronics Technology (CSOT) -- a subsidiary of TCL. This is in contrast with a previous report that had claimed Xiaomi will use Samsung displays for its upcoming foldable phone. However, he does confirm that Samsung will provide displays for another folding phone which will be an in-folding device that will be announced later. The Mi Mix 4 Pro Max will instead be an outward folding phone similar to that of the Huawei Mate XS. This phone is also reportedly come with a cover display which will be 6.38-inches when folded. This is also not the first time we are hearing about Xiaomi foldable phones from Ross Young. In fact, he has in the past claimed the company could release three foldable phones in 2021. No other information about the phones is available, or even the size of the phone. It is speculated that 2021 will be dominated by foldable phones, and it looks like Xiaomi wants to keep pace with other smartphone makers aiming to make the fold. For now, there's no clarity on the launch timeline for the Xiaomi foldable phones, but given the other companies already have foldable devices in the market, Xiaomi might not wait too long and release a foldable phone in early 2021. Welcome to Morningstar.co.uk! You have been redirected here from Hemscott.com as we are merging our websites to provide you with a one-stop shop for all your investment research needs.To search for a security, type the name or ticker in the search box at the top of the page and select from the dropdown results.Registered Hemscott users can log in to Morningstar using the same login details. Similarly, if you are a Hemscott Premium user, you now have a Morningstar Premium account which you can access using the same login details. March 3, 2021 2000th customer installation of Philips Ambient Experience at bdz Bilddiagnostisches Zentrum Munster in Germany 91% of surveyed users are likely or extremely likely to recommend Philips Ambient Experience to other hospitals Amsterdam, the Netherlands - Royal Philips , together with the results of a comprehensive customer survey that reveals 91% of users are likely, or extremely likely, to recommend Philips Ambient Experience to other hospitals. The survey also further confirms the solution's ability to help hospitals deliver on the quadruple aim of enhanced patient and staff experiences, better outcomes, and lower cost of care. Philips' 2000th Ambient Experience install started at the bdz Bilddiagnostisches Zentrum Munster in Germany, as an integral part of the diagnostic center's newly equipped radiology suite. Philips Ambient Experience solution is a unique combination of optimized design, site planning, proprietary software, lighting, sound, video projection and multimedia content that applies human-focused innovation and design thinking to offer hospital patients and staff an engaging and pleasant experience. It can be applied both in radiology exam/treatment rooms and peripheral areas such as reception areas and waiting rooms. The majority of survey respondents indicate that Ambient Experience decreases patient tension (76%) and fear (71%), induces patient calmness (66%), and improves cooperation during exams (63%). Ambient Experience is found to have the highest added value for patients with claustrophobia or anxiety, pediatric patients, and patients undergoing longer studies like MRI exams. By helping to improve the patient experience and reducing anxiety, Ambient Experience can help facilitate first-time-right scans and diagnoses to help drive better health outcomes, improved hospital efficiency, and higher patient and staff satisfaction. "Health systems are looking for ways to increasing patient satisfaction while improving patient throughput and compliance in diagnostic imaging," said Werner Satter, General Manager Healthcare Experience Solutions at Philips. "Our customers confirm that Ambient Experience helps them improve the patient experience, reducing the patient's anxiety and thereby increasing first-time-right imaging." Customer survey results across Europe and the U.S. Analysis of the information provided by 59 respondents across Europe and the U.S. to a customer survey, conducted on behalf of Philips by The MarkeTech Group, indicate improved patient experience (endorsed by 83% of respondents) to be their most valuable attribute of using Ambient Experience in radiology exam rooms. The majority of customers surveyed (83%) indicated that Ambient Experience is at least impactful, and up to extremely impactful, in alleviating patient anxiety. Based on their current use of the solution, 91% were likely or extremely likely, to recommend their current Ambient Experience offering to another hospital, and 87% were likely, or extremely likely, to include Ambient Experience as part of a new purchase. 75% of respondents in the US and 59% in Europe believe that Ambient Experience encourages patients to choose their facility. The ability of Ambient Experience to help hospitals deliver on the quadruple aim is also supported by multiple studies across hospital sites in Germany, Denmark and the UK. More information is available in the Philips Ambient Experience Press Backgrounder . Philips is showcasing its Ambient Experience solution during the European Congress of Radiology, and follow @PhilipsLiveFrom for updates throughout the event. For further information, please contact: Kathy O'Reilly Philips Global Press Office Tel.: +1 978-221-8919 E-mail : kathy.oreilly@philips.com Twitter: @kathyoreilly Mark Groves Philips Global Press Office Tel.: +31 631 639 916 E-mail: mark.groves@philips.com About Royal Philips Royal Philips. Attachments Berlin: The far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) has been designated a suspected extremist threat by German intelligence and placed under surveillance. The move on Wednesday (Thursday AEDT) comes as other parties and Jewish groups accuse the AfD of fanning the flames of far-right violence and anti-Semitism, and bearing responsibility for a wave of attacks against the Jewish community and migrants. AfD leaders denounced the decision as purely political and aimed at massively damaging the party, especially in an election year. An election poster of AfD party Alternative fuer Deutschland in Mainz, Germany in 2016. Credit:AP It is the first party in the Bundestag to be designated a suspected extremist threat. The domestic intelligence agency, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), was unable to comment on the decision because of continuing legal action, but it was confirmed by intelligence sources. News Exchange Server Zero-Days Get Out-of-Band Security Patches Microsoft has issued out-of-band security patches to address zero-day flaws affecting Exchange Server 2013, Exchange Server 2016 and Exchange Server 2019. Organizations running those products are advised to patch immediately, as hackers are exploiting these flaws in active attacks. Microsoft also released security updates for Exchange Server 2010 Service Pack 3, but it's described as a "defense in depth update" for that product, which fell out of support last year. Update 3/5: For organizations not able to quickly update Exchange Servers with the out-of-band security patches, Microsoft has published these mitigation steps to take. The Exchange Online service isn't a target of these attacks. The emergency security patches are just getting released for Exchange Server products installed on customers' premises. Security Patches An announcement by the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) listed the Knowledge Base articles for the four out-of-band security patches as follows: "We recommend prioritizing installing updates on Exchange Servers that are externally facing," the MSRC indicated. "All affected Exchange Servers should ultimately be updated," it added. The initial attack uses Exchange Server's port 443, so some mitigation is enabled by restricting untrusted connections on that port or by using "a VPN to separate the Exchange Sever from external access." The attackers are thought to be members of the "Hafnium" group, acting on behalf of China. They are aiming to gain access to information from industry sectors, "including infectious disease researchers, law firms, higher education institutions, defense contractors, policy think tanks and NGOs," according to Tom Burt, Microsoft's corporate vice president of customer security and trust, in a Microsoft announcement. Microsoft doesn't think that this attack is connected with the SolarWinds Orion software hack, Burt added. He credited researchers at Dubex and Volexity for discovering the Hafnium activity. A more detailed description of the Hafnium attack methods on Exchange Server can be found in this announcement by Microsoft's security team members. It describes the vulnerabilities that are getting addressed. Hafnium is disguising the attacks, in part, by leveraging virtual private servers located in the United States, the security teams explained. Attacks Discovered in January Volexity, which posted a Tuesday announcement about the attacks, indicated that its Network Security Monitoring service had detected the Exchange Server zero-day attacks as early as "January 2021." Its investigators first thought that a backdoor had been installed to access Exchange Server e-mail data, but a subsequent "investigation revealed that the servers were not backdoored and uncovered a zero-day exploit being used in the wild." Volexity described the exploit as a "zero-day server-side request forgery (SSRF) vulnerability in Microsoft Exchange (CVE-2021-26855)," which was being used to steal mailbox content. The exploit can be remotely run and "does not require authentication of any kind." "The attacker only needs to know the server running Exchange and the account from which they want to extract e-mail," Volexity explained. The identity of the server's fully qualified domain name is needed, and then the attacker can send the server a series of requests to gain information. That information is used to send another server request, which will bypass authentication. A Russian court has sentenced a pro-Ukrainian activist from Moscow-annexed Crimea, Oleh Prykhodko, to five years in prison on terrorism charges that he and his supporters have dismissed as politically motivated. Ukrainian Ombudswoman Lyudmyla Denisova said on Telegram that the Southern District Military Court in the city of Rostov-on-Don on March 3 ordered Prykhodko to pay a 110,000 ruble (around $1,500) fine. Denisova called the court's ruling "unlawful" and "based on fabricated charges of an attempted terrorist attack and plotting an arson attack against the Russian Consulate in [Ukraine's western city of] Lviv in 2019." "I condemn the unlawful verdict by the Russian court and consider it retaliation from the occupying government for Oleh's pro-Ukrainian stance [and] his public refusal to recognize Crimea's annexation by Russia," Denisova's statement said, while also saying that Prykhodko has a medical condition. "I call on the international community to continue its pressure on the Russian Federation and demand the immediate release of all Kremlin critics," the statement said. Prykhodko was detained in October 2019 and charged with illegally fabricating handmade explosives with the intention of carrying out a terrorist act. He was charged later with possession of illegal explosives. Prykhodko denies all the charges, calling them politically motivated. Russia seized Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in March 2014, sending in troops and staging a referendum denounced as illegitimate by at least 100 countries, after Moscow-friendly Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted amid a wave of public protests. Rights groups say that since then Russia has moved aggressively to prosecute Ukrainian activists and anyone who questions the annexation. The encyclical of Pope Francis on fraternity and social friendship is now available in the Russian language. Pope Francis sends a message on the occasion of the release of the translation in Moscow on Wednesday. By Robin Gomes Pope Francis hopes that reflection and exchange on his encyclical, Fratelli tutti, can help dialogue grow between Christians and Muslims, not only in the Russian Federation, but everywhere in the world. The Pope expressed this wish in a message to the official presentation of the Russian translation of the encyclical at a ceremony on Wednesday at the "Pokrovskie vorota" cultural center in Moscow, Russia. Sponsored by the Spiritual Direction of Muslims of the Russian Federation, the translation is the result of the efforts of the Muslim International Forum and Medina Publishing. Archbishop Paolo Pezzi of the Catholic Archdiocese of Moscow and Apostolic Nuncio to Russia, and Archbishop Giovanni Aniello, officially presented the translation at Wednesdays event in Moscow. Pope Francis regarded the news of the Russian translation as a beautiful and joyful surprise. In this way, he wrote, it will be made available to a large number of men and women of good will who wish to confront this text. The Holy Father said he was also delighted and impressed by the fact that it was the Muslim International Forum that edited this translation into Russian. He thinks that reflection and dialogue on this Encyclical can be of help not only to the Russian Federation, where dialogue between Christians and Muslims is called to grow, but to the human family as a whole. Indeed, in the globalized and interconnected world in which we live, a gesture that is made in one corner has repercussions in every other part, the Pope said in his message for the event. He expressed his confidence that open and sincere discussion on the issues of Fratelli tutti can foster dialogue between religions. Indeed, he continued, fraternity comes from recognizing the one Father. And, if we are all children of the one Father, then we can call ourselves brothers and sisters and, above all, live as such, he said. Concluding with sentiments of gratitude, the Pope said I wish you all a fruitful study of this text and that you may benefit from it in your personal and social lives. KYODO NEWS - Mar 2, 2021 - 22:18 | All, Japan, Coronavirus A woman who received Pfizer Inc.'s coronavirus vaccine has died, but so far there has been no link found between her death and the inoculation, the health ministry said Tuesday. It is the first reported case of death after a coronavirus vaccination in Japan. The woman, in her 60s and with no pre-existing condition, is believed to have died of subarachnoid hemorrhage, the ministry said, weeks after Japan launched the first phase of its vaccination program. The ministry said at the moment it has not determined whether the woman's death on Monday came as a result of her having been administered the vaccine. Health authorities were notified of the death on Tuesday. The ministry has not revealed details such as where the woman lived. Tomohiro Morio of a working panel on vaccines under the ministry said that based on inoculation cases abroad, there appears to be no connection between the COVID-19 vaccination and subarachnoid hemorrhage. The ministry said the woman received the vaccine on Friday and that she did not suffer from any allergy. Japan began its COVID-19 vaccinations on Feb. 17 for an initial group of 40,000 health workers at 100 hospitals nationwide. Senior citizens are expected to get shots from April 12, followed by those with pre-existing conditions, such as diabetes, and workers at elderly care facilities, and then finally the general population. Much hinges on deliveries of some 300 million doses in the second quarter. Photo: Reuters/Benoit Tessier As you ponder how to best enjoy your daily promenade within the 5km perimeter of your pandemic precinct, it may not pay to consider how the other half lives. Reports this week Royal Caribbean is set to offer fully vaccinated sailings between Israel, Cyprus and the Greek Islands from May will gladden some hearts. Passengers will be vaccinated against Covid-19. Sailings include stops like Santorini, Mykonos, Athens and Limassol. Jabs for the boys, so to speak, for those fortunate enough to afford them. But for most of us stuck on dry dock and here for the foreseeable, any hopes of broadening our horizons are still tethered to the EUs vaccination schedule. All eyes are now on Brussels with the blocs reputation firmly on the line. Any further delays in the roll-out will undermine confidence in its core competence. EU officials are now working on a vaccine passport, which they hope will revive international travel for summer holidays. According to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, details of the: digital green pass will be set out this month. They will contain testing and vaccination data. The aim is to gradually enable them (EU citizens) to move safely in the EU or abroad for work or tourism, she said. Laudable and reassuring as it is to look ahead to summers of hope, what we need more than anything right now is a literal shot in the arm, not a metaphorical one. One can sympathise with southern EU states anxious to get their moribund tourism industries firing again. Yet a return to the sun lounger and cocktail bar seems a bit previous. Vaccine passports without a blanket vaccine roll-out are of dubious value. In the war with the coronavirus we will not be fighting them on the beaches. In this arms race the only shots that matter will be administered by GPs nationwide. As of yesterday Ireland has received 499,200 vaccine doses. We have been assured from April we can look forward to vaccinating up to 250,000 a week. While it is encouraging the number of Covid-19 patients in hospital has fallen below 500 for the first time this year, we still must protect ourselves. Deliverance from lockdown ultimately depends on the EU meeting its targets. Pressure to do so is beginning to tell. According to the Financial Times, a recent meeting of German Chancellor Angela Merkels cabinet saw an outburst from her finance minister Olaf Scholz. He described the Commissions vaccination strategy as a total s**it-show. Ms von der Leyens commitment to an industrial mobilisation aimed at battling the new variants gives the Commission a shot at redemption. Much hinges on deliveries of some 300 million doses in the second quarter, which it is banking on. Its ability to secure the promised supply, and oversee equitable distribution across the continent, may be its sternest test since its foundation. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Boris Johnson has revealed the Foreign Secretary again raised the death of Harry Dunn with the US Secretary of State ahead of a court hearing today. Dominic Raab spoke to US official Tony Blinken before the hearing at the Alexandria district court in Virginia. A timetable for Mr Dunn's alleged killer Anne Sacoolas to give evidence in a civil claim for damages against her is expected to be set at the hearing. In February, a judge ruled the substantive claim against Sacoolas can go ahead in the US, despite the suspect's motion to dismiss it. A timetable for Harry Dunn's alleged killer Anne Sacoolas to give evidence in a civil claim for damages against her is expected to be set at the hearing in Virginia today While making the application, lawyers acting on behalf of Sacoolas made admissions about the 43-year-old's employment at the time of the road crash which killed Mr Dunn - saying she and her husband Jonathan worked for the US state department and 'fled' the UK due to 'issues of security'. The US government asserted diplomatic immunity on behalf of the suspect following the 19-year-old's death in August 2019 outside RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire, and she was able to return to her home country. She was charged with causing death by dangerous driving, but an extradition request, submitted by the Home Office, was rejected by the US state department in January last year. The PM confirmed to the Dunn family's constituency MP Andrea Leadsom on Wednesday that the UK Government continues raise the case 'at the highest level'. The US government asserted diplomatic immunity on behalf of the suspect following the 19-year-old's death in August 2019 outside RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire, and she was able to return to her home country. Pictured, Mr Dunn Asked at Prime Minister's Questions if he could try to persuade President Joe Biden to deliver justice for Mr Dunn, Boris Johnson said: 'She's completely right to continue to raise the case of Harry Dunn and we sympathise deeply with his family. 'It's a case that we continue to raise at the highest level and I know that my Right Honourable Friend the Foreign Secretary has only just raised it now with Tony Blinken, the US secretary of state.' On Wednesday, Sacoolas's legal representatives will submit motions to dismiss certain parts of the civil claim - including an application to pay compensation amounting only to Mr Dunn's funeral costs. The Dunn family also brought the damages claim against Mr Sacoolas, due to Virginia's laws suggesting he is liable for allowing his wife to use the car which killed the teenager. Judge Thomas Ellis allowed the case to remain in the US and dismissed Sacoolas's application against the substantive civil claim, citing her 'refusal' to return to the UK. Asked at Prime Minister's Questions if he could try to persuade President Joe Biden to deliver justice, Boris Johnson said: 'It's a case that we continue to raise at the highest level and I know that my Right Honourable Friend the Foreign Secretary (pictured) has only just raised it' Handing his judgement down last month, the judge said: 'While it is commendable that defendant Anne Sacoolas admits that she was negligent and that her negligence caused Harry Dunn's death, this does not equate acceptance of responsibility. 'Full acceptance of responsibility entails facing those harmed by her negligence and taking responsibility for her acts where they occurred, in the United Kingdom.' After throwing out Sacoolas's motion to dismiss, Judge Ellis is expected to set a timetable on Wednesday for the suspect to give evidence in a 'deposition' ahead of a trial to be held in Virginia later this year. Ireland will have the strictest Covid-19 mandatory quarantining system in the entire of EU, according to a Department of Foreign Affairs briefing document. The system being designed by our Government goes further than anywhere else on the Continent, according to a paper prepared by senior civil servants involved in drafting an unprecedented system for detaining people arriving in this country. Its still unclear when the hotel quarantine system will be up and running but when it does we will be only country in the EU requiring residents to quarantine in hotels if arriving from red list countries. Only our erstwhile friends in the UK are planning to introduce a quarantine system as stringent as us which will see all arrivals from countries deemed to be unsafe forced to fork out up to 2,000 per person to stay in a hotel for up to a fortnight. People arriving from 33 countries ranging from Austria to Argentina and South Africa to Seychelles will be held in quarantine hotels once they are introduced later this month. Increasingly, European countries have developed their own lists of high-risk countries (sometimes called red lists), the Department of Foreign Affairs briefing says. Additional entry requirements or restrictive measures are in place for travellers originating in these countries. As the incidence of new variants outside their countries of origin has increased, so too has the number of high-risk areas designated by various European health authorities. Only Norway and the United Kingdom have a system of mandatory quarantine in a designated facility. But unlike the UK and Ireland, Norwegian residents are not required to quarantine in a designated facility. Instead, they are asked to quarantine at home while non-residents are brought to hotels, the document notes. Cyprus introduced mandatory hotel quarantining but only for arrivals from the UK and it is only in place until the end of the month at which point it will be reviewed. Hungary has banned any non-residents from entering the country while a quarantining system is available to those who have no fixed address to undergo home quarantine. Read More In Greece, passengers are randomly tested for the coronavirus when they arrive in ports and airports. Non-residents who test positive are required to stay in quarantine hotels for 14 days but the cost is covered by the Greek government. Testing before departure or on arrival is widespread across Europe, the frequency and timing of testing varies from country to country, as does the availability of test to release schemes, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs report. In Belgium, all passengers arriving from the United Kingdom, South Africa or South America must quarantine for 10 days and are required to get a PCR Covid-19 test on their first and seventh day in the country. In Austria, people arriving from most countries are required to have a negative test on arrival and if they dont are asked to get one within 24 hours. Both antigen and PCR tests are sufficient and passengers are asked to quarantine for at least 10 days. It can be ended after five days if you get a negative PCR or antigen Covid test. In comparison, anyone arriving in Ireland from Austria will be required to spend up to two weeks in a quarantine hotel at their own expense where they will have to undergo a number of coronavirus tests before they can leave. Denmark, which has a similar population to Ireland, requires passengers to have a negative test result within the 24 hours before they arrive in the country. They are then given a rapid antigen test in the airport and are asked to isolate for 10 days. They can stop isolating after the fourth day if they get a clear PCR test. The island of Malta has banned travel to and from Britain, South Africa and Brazil, and residents who are in those countries and want to return are required to get tests before arriving and on arrival. They are asked to quarantine for 14 days but they are not held in State-run facilities. The Government is determined to introduce a system comparable to New Zealand, Austria and Singapore where all arrivals are required to fork out for lengthy stays in hotels. During a call with New Zealands Covid Response Minister Chris Hipkins last week, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly was warned to expect problems when our quarantine system is introduced. Their system was introduced last year. But Minister Hipkins may also point to the fact there have only been 26 Covid-19 related deaths in his country compared to the now 4,333 here. Internet of Things (IoT) network provider SqwidNet has joined the 2021 MyBroadband Online Conference as an event partner. The 2021 MyBroadband Conference will kick off on 14 April in an exciting new online format which will showcase South Africas premier IT and telecommunications companies. The new online format makes it possible for delegates across South Africa to attend the event, listen to the speakers, and engage with exhibitors. TV personality Aki Anastasiou will serve as MC for the event and will also host interviews with the countrys top ICT executives. Topics that will be covered at the 2021 MyBroadband Online Conference include 5G, fibre, mobile broadband, mobile devices, IoT, digital transformation, online security, and innovation. As part of the conference, SqwidNet Managing Director Phathizwe Malinga will deliver a keynote address focusing on IoT developments in South Africa. SqwidNet launched in November 2016 as the licensed Sigfox operator in South Africa. Its IoT network offers low-cost access to IoT solutions and operators in South Africa. The SqwidNet network covers over 90% of South Africas population and 90% of the countrys national roads. Through its extensive IoT network and growing partner platform, the company is ideally positioned to provide strategic direction and advice on IoT solutions. Register now Registrations for the 2021 MyBroadband Online Conference are open and you can register for free using the voucher code below. Register here: 2021 MyBroadband Conference Website Voucher Code: Mybroadband2021 The tickets cover all aspects of the event, including access to all presentations and interviews, the expo area, and fun giveaways. After Lemay pitched Morgaa to 10th Ave, the companys founder Nancy Florence Savard created an in-house animation division, 10th Ave Animation, to produce it. The studio was set up, like its parent company, in the city of Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures (a suburb of Quebec City). 10th Avenue poached several artists from nearby animation hub Montreal. Far from being aimed at a parochial audience, 10th Aves films have proved that there is global demand for emphatically Quebecois family animation. They have been released in dozens of overseas markets. Morgaa is no exception, having already been sold to the U.S., the U.K., France, and Spain. The film opened in Canada this weekend. Below, Lemay and Savard tell us how Morgaa came about, and what it takes to make a Quebecois animated feature Cartoon Brew: You apparently conceived this project as a graphic novel. How did it become a film? How much did the story change as a result? Nicola Lemay: Yes, I did initially conceive the project as a graphic novel since financing a feature is such a herculean task. Les Editions de La Pasteque, a Montreal publisher, showed interest in my three-page book sample. But the call for an animated feature film was just too strong. At heart, Im a filmmaker more than a comic book artist. So I decided to take a chance and send my illustrations and synopsis to Nancy Florence Savard. She really liked my project and agreed to push it as a feature. Her strong skills and unique determination as a producer paid off. The story (and the visuals) changed a great deal from its original form. My initial story was too short and simplistic for a full feature, given it was aimed at young children. We approached Marc Robitaille, a terrific scriptwriting veteran in Quebec, and asked him to take my synopsis and transform it into a feature script. Marc had the idea of adding the character of Morgaa as a cult leader in a secret and hidden city on a remote island where Jack, the boys father, is imprisoned. He also added the old love story between Morgaa and Tom, an elderly sailor. The story went to a much higher and deeper level with these additions. That was our goal from the start: to make a film that had many layers and levels for different audiences a true family movie. How long did it take to get the financing in place? Nancy Florence Savard: It took us about a year and a half to get the financing in place. We have 17 partners including Canadian public agencies like SODEC, Telefilm Canada, tax credit programs, the Quebec City program, some private investments, two broadcasters (CBC/SRC), and three distributors (Maison 4:3, 10th Ave Studio, and Attraction Distribution). The story is set in Quebec, which is fairly unusual for an animated feature. Was this an advantage or disadvantage (or neither) when looking for financiers/distributors? Savard: One hundred percent of the investments are from Quebec and the rest of Canada. At 10th Ave, all our stories are from Quebec, but we are paying attention to create universal stories. And the Iles-de-la-Madeleine [a.k.a. the Magdalen Islands] are so charming. At 10th Ave, we love to push local talent, local stories to the international market. We find that exotic. This is the first film made at 10th Aves animation unit. Why did the company decide to launch an in-house studio? Savard: Our partner of the past 13 years changed his business model and closed his animation department. At the time, we were finishing our third animated movie, Mission Kathmandu: The Adventures of Nelly & Simon [a.k.a. A Yeti Adventure]. We were very sad. Some members of the crew came to me and suggested I open my own animation unit. I was not sure. Directing and producing are so different from managing an animation division. Then Yann Tremblay, the animation director of our two last movies, told me he could move back to Quebec City to start Felix and the Treasure of Morgaa. Seeing how much creators wanted to work on our animated feature film, we decided, Jean-Francois Tremblay and I, to open 10th Ave Animation. There arent many companies in the province of Quebec doing national animated movies. So, for some artists, it means a lot to create cultural content that can find a place in the international space. We love to develop talented artists and create our own IP. How big was the team? Was recruitment difficult, considering the studio is not based in a major animation hub like Montreal? Two hundred people worked on Felix and the Treasure of Morgaa. Its challenging to be based outside the Canadian movie metropolises, but the Capitale-Nationale region has so much to offer. Quebec City is gorgeous and secure with its European style. House prices are cheaper than in Montreal, Toronto, or Vancouver, and theres less traffic. Its a perfect spot for families or sport lovers. Police outside the Arndale Centre in Manchester, England, on Oct. 11, 2019, after a stabbing incident at the shopping center that left five people injured.(Peter Byrne/PA via AP) Disproportionality in UK Police Stop and Search Not Racist Says Former Senior Detective The disproportionate number of young black males being stopped by UK police under its stop and search power is not due to officers being racist, a former senior detective said on Monday. Instead, he said, they are being stopped in higher numbers than other ethnicities because they are more frequently involved in street robberies, county lines drug dealing, gang violence, and knife crime, including murder, where the victims are themselves usually black people. Its a sad fact, unfortunately, that young black men are involved in gang-related activityso if we look at the gang matrix in London, 89 percent of people on that matrix are black and ethnic minorities, ex-detective chief inspector of the Metropolitan Police Mike Neville told The Epoch Times. The police cant help thatthe police can try and be fair, but if a certain group or race or religion commits a certain type of crime, then they [the police] have got to deal with it, he said. A police officer and vehicles are seen at a cordon in Irving Street in Birmingham after a number of people were stabbed in the city centre, on Sept. 6, 2020. (Jacob King/PA via AP) Nevilles remarks come following a review of stop and search published last week by Her Majestys Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) titled Disproportionate use of police powers: A spotlight on stop and search and the use of force (pdf). The HMICFRS report states that ethnic minorities were over four times more likely to be stopped under stop and search than white people, rising to almost nine times more likely in the case of black people. It called for the police to explain why. Forces must do more to ensure they identify disproportionality, understand the reasons for it, take action to reduce it where required, and explain those reasons and actions to the public, it stated. Without a proper explanation, members of the public may see the disproportionate use of powers as a sign of discrimination, and so police legitimacy may be undermined. Ignoring Crime Statistics Neville, however, criticized the review, saying it ignores the crime statistics that may explain the disproportionality. Black people are 3 percent of the population, Neville said, but they are 21 percent of the suspects convicted of murder. Thats seven times higher than it should be. He said the factors underlying this ethnic disparity in offending, including housing and education, are largely beyond the control of the police who simply have to deal with the murder in front of them, regardless of the race of victim or perpetrator. Citing findings by Trevor Phillips, the former head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, in his 2020 programme, Things We Wont Say About Race That Are True, Neville said that different ethnicities do commit different crimes. We cant keep putting our head in the sand about this, he said. He called for a fairer, more realistic examination of how the police stop and search power is being used. Lets see both sides of the argument, lets be fair, he said. Yes, if people are being stopped and searched unfairly, thats not right, but lets look at the crime patterns. The HMICFRS report stated that over 35 years on from the introduction of stop and search legislation, no force fully understands the impact of the use of these powers. Disproportionality persists and no force can satisfactorily explain why. It said that the reasons given by police were not supported by sufficient evidence. Political Posturing Neville criticized past posturing over stop and search by politicians from both sides of the political spectrum. Its a scandal really that people virtue signaltry and score political points, he said. And we see the resultsliterally that is more dead young black men. Its awful, its a waste of life, and its shameful. What do people prefer, particularly young black men? he asked. Do they prefer the polices hands occasionally in their pockets or do they prefer a knife in their belly? According to the latest Home Office data (pdf), over 60 percent of stop and searches are for suspicion of drug possession, followed by 16 percent for suspicion of carrying an offensive weapon. Almost half of all stop and searches for the year ending March 2020 occurred in London. Amanda Pearson, stop and search lead and deputy assistant commissioner of the National Police Chiefs Council, told The Epoch Times in a statement that stop and search is a valuable policing tool. She said the power had enabled the removal of weapons from the streets as well as the disruption of drug markets. It has also helped identify young people in need of safeguarding and diversion away from crime, she said. We hold the power of stop and search on behalf of the public, so it is vital our communities have confidence in the way it is used and that officers have the confidence to use it effectively and appropriately. The HMICFRS did not respond to a request for 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. CATANIA, MAR 3 - Some 336 people have been placed under investigation in a probe into Cosa Nostra-run illegal online betting across Italy and abroad. Some 23 people were arrested in Sicily, Emilia Romagna, Puglia, Germany, Poland and Malta. Anti-mafia police have charged them with illegal betting, tax evasion, aggravated fraud and money laundering. They were also charged with favoring the Catania-based Cosa Nostra clan Santapaola-Ercolano, run from jail by superboss Benedetto 'Nitto' Santapaola. Police seized some 80 million euros in assets in the probe. Those investigated are accused of running the illegal online betting platform "Raisebet24.com", based in Malta. The proceeds from the scam, amounting to over 62 million euros, were then recycled in Italy and Germany, police said. Police also seized some 180,000 euros in cash hidden in the false bottom of a car. The anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) commented on the case saying "illegal betting is a prey of the Mafia". (ANSA). The Bluetooth logo is a superimposition of the runes for the letters "H" and "B", the initials for Viking-era king Harald "Bluetooth" Gormsson One of the best-known modern technologies owes its name and logo to a Viking-era king with a bad tooth: a quarter century ago, two engineers hatched the idea for the moniker "Bluetooth" over beers. At the end of the 1990s, Sven Mattisson, a Swedish engineer working at telecom group Ericsson, and Jim Kardach, an American employed by Intel, were among those developing the revolutionary technology. In 1998, at the dawn of the "wireless" era, the two men were part of an international consortium that created a universal standard for the technology first developed by Ericsson in 1994. But prior to that, they had struggled to pitch their wireless products. Intel had its Biz-RF wireless programme, Ericsson had MC-Link, while Nokia had its Low Power RF. Kardach, Mattisson and others presented their ideas at a seminar in Toronto in late 1997. "Jim and I said that people did not appreciate what we presented," Mattisson, now 65 and winding down his career at Ericsson, recalled in a recent interview with AFP. The engineer, who had travelled all the way to Canada from Sweden for the one-hour pitch, decided to hang out with Kardach for the evening before flying home. "We received a lukewarm reception of our confusing proposal, and it was at this time I realised we needed a codename for the project which everyone could use," Kardach explained in a long account on his webpage. - 'Chauvinistic story' To drown their sorrows, the two men headed for a local Toronto bar and ended up talking about history, one of Kardach's passions. "We had some beers... and Jim is interested in history so he asked me about Vikings, so we talked at length about that," said Mattisson, admitting that his recollection of that historic night is now somewhat foggy. Kardach said all he knew about Vikings was that they ran "around with horned helmets raiding and looting places, and that they were crazy chiefs." Mattisson recommended Kardach read a well-known Swedish historical novel about the Vikings, entitled "The Long Ships". Set in the 10th century"a chauvinistic story" about a boy taken hostage by Vikings, says Mattissonone name in the book caught Kardach's attention: that of the king of Denmark, Harald "Bluetooth" Gormsson. - UnificationAn important historic figure in Scandinavia in the 10th century, the king of Denmark's nickname is said to refer to a dead tooth, or, as other tales have it, to his liking for blueberries or even a simple translation error. During his reign, Denmark turned its back on its pagan beliefs and Norse gods, gradually converting to Christianity. But he is best known for having united Norway and Denmark in a union that lasted until 1814. A king who unified Scandinavian rivalsthe parallel delighted those seeking to unite the PC and cellular industries with a short-range wireless link. And the reference to the king goes beyond the name: the Bluetooth logo, which at first glance resembles a geometric squiggle, is in fact a superimposition of the runes for the letters "H" and "B", the king's initials. Low-cost and with low power consumption, Bluetooth was finally launched in May 1998, using technology allowing computer devices to communicate with each other in short range without fixed cables. The first consumer device equipped with the technology hit the market in 1999, and its name, which was initially meant to be temporary until something better was devised, became permanent. Explore further Archaeologists find silver treasure on German Baltic island 2021 AFP 03/03/2021 Photo (c) JJ Gouin - Getty Images Texas became the first U.S. state to lift its mask requirements and give businesses the go-ahead to fully reopen on Tuesday. The lifting of virus restrictions will go into effect on March 10. It is now time to open Texas 100 percent, Gov. Greg Abbott said, adding that Covid has not suddenly disappeared, but state mandates are no longer needed. Governor Abbotts statement comes a day after CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky acknowledged that many people are anxious for a return to normal. However, she expressed concern that some state and local officials may be jumping the gun in lifting virus restrictions. I know people are tired; they want to get back to life, to normal, Dr. Walensky said. But were not there yet. Facing backlash Abbotts decision to lift the statewide face mask mandate next week was met with bipartisan criticism, with some suggesting that the action isnt in line with the reality of the pandemic. Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price, a Republican, called Abbotts order premature and said more residents should get the vaccine before a reopening can be considered safe. I am calling on Gov. Abbott to open up additional vaccine tier categories so that more people are eligible to get a vaccine if they want one, Price said in a statement. As the states directive has changed, so must our response. Now, more than ever, vaccines and testing must be readily available. Although the vaccine distribution process is underway and daily reports of new COVID-19 cases are declining, the nation is still reporting more than 65,000 new cases a day on average, and new variants are emerging. Despite efforts from drugmakers to ramp up vaccine manufacturing, millions of people across the country have yet to be vaccinated. Some city and county officials in Texas are encouraging residents to continue abiding recommendations from federal health officials regarding the use of face masks in public settings. We need to focus not on what the governor tells you the law allows, but what doctors and the facts and the science that we all know well at this point tell us is necessary to keep us safe and give us our best chance of reaching herd immunity as quickly as possible, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said, according to the Texas Tribune. The company said its customers in Nova Scotia will soon be able to purchase RAD Vapes, RAD Shatter, and RAD Crumble, joining Heritage's already-available Premium 5 brand Heritage Cannabis says it will be bringing additional innovative products to Nova Scotia and other markets in the coming months Heritage Cannabis Holdings Corp ( ) ( ) (FRA:2UE) announced that it will begin selling its RAD branded products in Nova Scotia in March, after the company received its first order from the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC). Heritage Cannabis said its customers in Nova Scotia will soon be able to purchase RAD Vapes, RAD Shatter, and RAD Crumble, joining the companys Premium 5 brand, which is already available at the NSLC. We are very pleased to see our RAD brand accessible to cannabis consumers in the Nova Scotia market as we continue to focus on expanding our product and brand availability across Canada, Heritage Cannabis Holdings President of the Recreational Division David Schwede said in a statement. He added: Similar to the popularity of our other products many of which sell out quite quickly once available we expect Nova Scotians to have a positive reaction to these high-quality, favourably priced products. We will be bringing additional innovative products to this market and others in the coming months. The company noted its RAD brand provides cannabis consumers with the most affordable products while maintaining the highest quality standard possible. Heritage Cannabis is a vertically-integrated cannabis provider that currently has two Health Canada-approved licensed producers, through its subsidiaries Voyage Cannabis Corp and CannaCure Corp, both of which are regulated under the Cannabis Act Regulations. The company recently acquired Canadian recreational and medical cannabis company Premium 5 Ltd, which Heritage Cannabis expects will make it a leader in the extract and extract derivatives market, as Premium 5 is a premium provider of Cannabis 2.0 hydrocarbon and solventless concentrates in Canada. Heritage Cannabis recently reported fiscal 2020 gross revenue of $9.3 million, as the companys business accelerated during the year. Contact Sean at sean@proactiveinvestors.com The Nagol is Back! VTOs guide to this years Nagol, plus where to stay and play in south, central and north Pentecost. Mumbai: A Supreme Court ordered auction process began on Monday for Aamby Valley resort town of embattled Sahara group at a reserve price of Rs 37.392 crore. The official liquidator of the Bombay High Court published an auction notice today inviting prospective bidders for the integrated hill city township spread over 6,76,2l1 acres near Lonavala, located between Mumbai and Pune. A Mauritius-based investor, Royale Partners Investment Fund, last week said it has offered to invest USD 1.67 billion (over Rs 10,700 crore) in Sahara groups Aamby Valley project. Sahara group pegs the market valuation of this project at over Rs 1 lakh crore. Replying to emailed queries about its proposed deal with Sahara group, RPMG Investment told PTI, As deposed by Sahara before the Supreme Court of India, Royale Partners Investment Fund Ltd and its Limited Partners have agreed to invest USD 1.67 billion in the Aamby Valley Project. Saharas advocate Gautam Awasthi had said in a statement that the group had moved an application before the Supreme Court seeking permission for entering into an agreement with Victor Koenig UK Limited, with the nominee Royale Partners Investment Fund Limited, for inviting an investment of USD 1.67 billion into its Aamby Valley project. Also read: Supreme Court declines to stay auction of Aamby Valley ....Saharas had also prayed for stopping the auction process. After hearing counsels for Sebi, amicus curie and Kapil Sibal, senior advocate for Sahara, the Supreme Court has opened a window for Sahara by permitting them to enter into the negotiations and deposit the amount before this court, and that is Rs 1,500 crore to be deposited before the next date, he said. Awasthi had said that it was said by the judge that if Rs 1,500 crore is deposited, then auction order will be withdrawn. The Supreme Court on Thursday said the auction process will go on according to the schedule, but if Rs 1,500 crore is paid, as proposed by the group, into the Sebi-Sahara refund account by September 7, then it may pass an appropriate order. The group had asked the court to postpone the auction, which was scheduled to start with publication of a notice on August 14, till September 16 to enable Sahara group chief Subrata Roy arrange the money. Sahara lawyer told the court that hotels in New York have been sold and soon money would be coming into the Sahara account after which Rs 1,500 crore would be deposited into the Sebi-Sahara refund account by September 7, as had been directed by the court. Sahara has been engaged in a long-running battle with the capital market regulator Sebi (Securities and Exchange Board of India). The apex court had on July 25 asked the embattled Sahara chief to deposit Rs 1,500 crore in the Sebi-Sahara account by September 7 and said that it might then deliberate upon his plea seeking 18 months more time for making complete repayment. Also read: SC asks Sahara chief Subrata Roy to deposit Rs 1,500 cr by Sept 7 For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Australia's attorney-general Christian Porter has outed himself as the cabinet minister accused of raping a 16-year-old girl in 1988 to categorically deny the accusation and insist he will not stand down. In an extraordinary press briefing in Perth, a shattered and tearful Mr Porter said he had been subjected to a trial by media and has asked the Prime Minister to take some mental health leave as a result of the accusation which was investigated by police who closed the case without pressing charges. The 50-year-old former public prosecutor confirmed he attended a debating competition at Sydney University with his accuser when he was 17 and she was 16, but categorically denied ever sleeping with the woman who has since taken her own life. Tearful: Christian Porter has outed himself as the cabinet minister accused of rape to categorically deny the accusation and has insist he will not stand down Mr Porter spoke through tears during the press conference held in Perth on Wednesday The 50-year-old former public prosecutor confirmed he attended a debating competition at Sydney University with his accuser but denied sleeping with her Christian Porter (pictured during a debate when he was a schoolboy) has been accused of raping a woman when he was 17 and she was 16 after a debating competition at Sydney University in 1988 'The things that have been claimed to happen did not happen,' he said through tears in the emotional conference on Wednesday afternoon. 'I did not sleep with the [alleged] victim. We didn't have anything of that nature happen between us,' he added. By unveiling himself, Mr Porter ended six days of speculation over the accused's identity after the woman's allegation was published in the media without naming the cabinet minister. Mr Porter admitted that he can't remember every single detail of the night in question but insisted that he would not have forgotten having sex with someone. 'The things I have read did not happen. And to suggest that they could be forgotten is ridiculous, they just never happened,' he said. Asked if he had ever spent time alone with the woman, he said: 'It's not impossible, I have never been in the person's room.' The minister said he recalls two nights out during the week of the alleged incident including a formal dinner at a university college and 'dancing' in the city. If I stand down from my position as Attorney-General because of an allegation about something that simply did not happen, then any person in Australia can lose their career, their job, their life's work based on nothing more than an accusation 'It was 33 years ago. I remember two evenings that week. One was a night at one of the colleges with bowls of prawns which sticks in my mind. 'I do remember a formal dinner and going out dancing sounds about right,' he said. Mr Porter also recalled a time when the woman ironed his shirt before a night out with the debating team. 'There were four of us, three boys, and this person whose name I can't even say because of the situation we are in. 'I don't think any of us had ever ironed a shirt, and I recall, she showed us how to do it, I remember that,' he said. Mr Porter said he has not spoken to the woman - whom he described as a 'bright, happy person' - since 1988 and does not know why she would make the allegation. 'I don't, I don't know, what her circumstances were. I don't know. 'I couldn't answer that question... I don't know about her life, what challenges she faced, or anything like that, I hadn't seen or heard or had contact in 33 years,' he said. The woman, who struggled with her mental health for years, told police about her allegation in February last year but took her own life in June. Detectives closed their investigation on Tuesday due to a lack of evidence. The accuser's allegation became public last week after Prime Minster Scott Morrison received a letter from a mystery sender which included a statement the woman had prepared for her lawyers in 2019. Mr Porter spoke to the prime minister when he got the letter last Wednesday and has since received his full backing. Journalists frantically asked questions following the minister's statement Mr Porter (pictured in a press briefing in Perth on Wednesday) has taken mental health leave after being accused of rape Mr Porter said if he stood down that there would be no rule of law left in Australia and it would set a dangerous precedent where 'accusation equals resignation' Senior government minister Christian Porter (pictured in Parliament) has categorically denied a historical rape allegation and said he will not be stepping down Revealing that he would take two weeks off, Mr Porter said: 'I have discussed with the prime minister today that after speaking with my own doctor I am going to take a short period of leave to assess and hopefully improve my own mental health'. 'All of my life I have just pushed through, but for the many caring family and friends who have asked me that question over the course of the last week, ''Are you OK?'' I have got to say my answer is I really don't know. 'I am not ashamed to say that I am going to seek some professional assessment and assistance on answering that question over the next few weeks before I go back into the field and resume the role of Attorney-General, Minister of Industrial relations and Leader of the House'. Mr Porter said if he stood down that there would be no rule of law left in Australia and doing so would set a dangerous precedent where 'accusation equals resignation'. 'If I stand down from my position as Attorney-General because of an allegation about something that simply did not happen, then any person in Australia can lose their career, their job, their life's work based on nothing more than an accusation that appears in print,' he said. 'If that happens, anyone in public life is able to be removed simply by the printing of an allegation. Every child we raise can have their lives destroyed by online reporting of accusations alone,' he said. 'My guess is if I were to resign and that set a new standard there wouldn't be much need for an Attorney-General anyway because there would be no rule of law left to protect in this country, so I will not be part of letting that happen while I am attorney-general and I am sure you will ask and I will state to you, I am not standing down or aside.' With legal options exhausted after police closed the case, political opponents have called for an independent inquiry into the allegations. But Mr Porter rejected the suggestion, saying such an inquiry would ultimately require him to disprove the allegation which he cannot do. 'What would I say in front of that inquiry? What would that inquiry ask me to do? To disapprove something that didn't happen 33 years ago. I honestly don't know what I would say to that inquiry. [Can I disprove the allegation] Of course I can't. I of course I can't,' he said. 'You are talking here about a civil determination of a criminal allegation on presumably the standards of balance of probabilities where I would be asked to disprove something that just didn't happen 33 years ago. So, if that happens, I couldn't succeed to disapprove something.' Mr Porter announced he had split from his second wife Jennifer (pictured together) - who is 13 years his junior - in January 2020. A statement said the decision was mutual and they would focus on co-parenting their two young children. Mr Porter was briefly married to Lucy Gunn in the mid 2000s Christian Porter's moving message to his accuser's parents I just wanted to start by saying something to the parents who are grieving for the loss of their adult daughter. I only knew briefest periods. We met at debating competitions, when we were teenagers about 33 years ago, I was 17, years old, and I think that she was 16 years old. And in losing that person, your daughter, you suffered a terrible loss. And you did not deserve, the frenzied politicisation of the circumstances of your daughter's death for the past week. I have thought long and hard about the implications for you of what I feel that I need to say today. And I hope that whatever else happens, from this point that you understand that in saying today that the things that have been claimed to happen did not happen that I do not mean to impose anything more upon your grief. But I hope that you will also understand that because what is being alleged did not happen, I must say so publicly. Advertisement The allegations were first aired online by the ABC on Friday - without naming the minister - and Mr Porter slammed the broadcaster for not asking him for a response. 'Prior to last Friday's story in the ABC, no one in law enforcement, or the law or politics or the media ever put any specific allegations to me at all,' he said. 'I was aware, over the last few months, of a whispering campaign. 'Had the accusations ever been put to me before they were printed, I would have at least been able to say, the only thing that I can say, likely the only thing that I'm ever going to be able to say. 'And that's the truth. And that is that nothing in the allegations that have been printed ever happened. 'Even now, the only information I have about the allegations, is what has been circulating online and in certain media outlets.' At the start of his statement, Mr Porter addressed his accusers' parents and said they suffered a 'terrible loss'. 'And you did not deserve, the frenzied politicisation of the circumstances of your daughter's death for the past week,' he said. 'I have thought long and hard about the implications for you of what I feel that I need to say today. This is not the first time a senior politician has outed themselves as being accused of rape. Christian Porter as a schoolboy in WA Former Labor leader Bill Shorten denied sexual assault allegations in August 2014 after Victoria Police closed an investigation into him. 'I will not go into details, except to say the allegation was untrue and abhorrent,' he said at the time. Government supporters say Mr Shorten did not step down and so Mr Porter should not either. But Labor shadow home affairs minister Kristina Keneally said that is not a fair analogy because Mr Shorten's case was thoroughly investigated for 10 months. 'What we have here is a police investigation that can't proceed, because the alleged victim has died,' she told Sky News. 'And the police have determined they cannot gather enough admissible evidence. But there has not been a full investigation into these allegations. They have not been examined, as they need to be thoroughly and closely. And I think there are still very important questions.' The woman who accused Mr Porter never made a formal statement to police who were due to travel to her home in Adelaide in March 2020 but postponed due to Covid-19. In June the woman withdrew her allegation and died by suicide the next day, causing the investigation to be suspended before it was officially closed this week. According to Four Corners which first reported the allegation on Friday, the woman had bipolar disorder and had attended a psychiatric hospital in Melbourne in the months before her death aged 49. Friends say she was 'beautiful and clever' but 'consumed with trauma'. Mr Morrison said he did not read the letter but forwarded it to Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw (pictured) 'The matter is now closed': NSW Police statement In November 2019, a woman then aged 48, attended an Adelaide (South Australia) police station seeking advice about reporting historical sexual offences, which allegedly occurred in 1988 in Sydney (New South Wales). The matter was then referred to the NSW Police Force and an investigation by the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad commenced under Strike Force Wyndarra. NSW Police Force has been the lead agency in respect to this investigation since February 2020. For various reasons, the woman did not detail her allegations in a formal statement to NSW Police. The woman passed away in June 2020. Following the woman's death, NSW Police came into possession of a personal document purportedly made by the woman previously. NSW Police have since sought legal advice in relation to these matters. Based on information provided to NSW Police, there is insufficient admissible evidence to proceed. As such, NSW Police Force has determined the matter is now closed. Advertisement As well as leaving her prepared statement, the woman made a 45-minute recording in which she talked about her allegations, according to the Herald Sun. In a letter to a friend she wrote: 'I guess I just worry that a trial has the potential to be an emotional bloodbath, particularly for me and anyone who appears as a witness in the case.' NSW Police said officers have sought legal advice about a 'personal document' made by the woman. The woman had told several family and friends about her allegation. It was presumably one of them who sent the letter to Mr Morrison, Liberal MP Celia Hammond and two South Australian senators, demanding an investigation. The anonymous sender said they were inspired to write the letter after former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins went public with an allegation she was raped by another staffer in Defence Minister Linda Reynolds' parliament office in 2019. Ms Higgins' allegations dominated the past two sitting weeks of parliament as ministers were repeatedly grilled over who knew about her claims and when. The rape allegation: A timeline 1988: Event in Sydney at which woman later alleges she was raped Late 2019: Woman engages lawyers and prepares a statement February 2020: Woman reports allegations to NSW Police March 2020: Police postpone trip to visit her due to Covid-19 June 2020: Woman dies by suicide February 24, 2021: Anonymous letter is sent to PM detailing allegations March 1, 2021: PM says minister completely rejects the allegations March 2, 2021: NSW Police close the case Advertisement The sender demanded an inquiry into the 1988 allegation, writing: 'There will be considerable damage to community perceptions of justice... and the parliament when this story becomes public if it is simultaneously revealed that senior people (like yourselves) were aware of the accusation but had done nothing.' The ministerial code of conduct requires a minister to stand aside if charged with a crime. Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull earlier urged the minister to reveal himself and said it is 'impossible for him to function in that cabinet'. On Monday Mr Morrison said he spoke to the minister who 'vigorously rejected the allegations' on Wednesday evening. The prime minister said he did not read the letter but had been briefed on the contents of the allegations. Asked if he would set up an inquiry, he said: 'I'm not the police force. I have given it to the police to investigate.' Mr Morrison said AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw had not advised him to take any action. He refused to sack the minister, saying: 'We can't have a situation where the mere making of an allegation and that being publicised through the media is grounds for, you know, governments to stand people down simply on the basis of that. I mean, we have a rule of law in this country.' Mr Morrison said the first he substantially heard of the allegation was last week. Before that he had only heard rumours of a journalist making inquiries, he said. Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young and Labor Senator Penny Wong received the unsigned letter and both released statements saying they had contacted the AFP. 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'. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-04 03:12:06|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close STOCKHOLM, March. 3 (Xinhua) -- Nine people have been taken to hospital -- some of them seriously injured -- after a suspected terrorist attack in Vetlanda, south of Sweden, Swedish Television (SVT) reported on Wednesday. The suspect has been shot by police. Several areas were cordoned off in connection with the operation, SVT reported. Swedish police have launched a terrorism investigation following the incident in Vetlanda, about 400 km south of Stockholm. Nine persons, including the suspect, were injured, SVT said. The attack took place near the town's train station at around 3 p.m. local time (1400 GMT). Around 15 police patrols were sent to the area and the suspect, a man in his 20s, was shot and rushed to a hospital. Police spokesperson Thomas Agnevik told Xinhua that some sort of weapon was used in the attack, but declined to give any details due to the pending investigation. He had no details regarding the victims' injuries, but his colleague Angelica Israelsson Silfver said to the newspaper Aftonbladet that some were seriously injured. "Some are seriously injured and some are slightly injured, but no one is dead," she said. The nature of the suspect's injuries was also unclear, but Agnevik told Xinhua that the perpetrator was conscious when arriving at the hospital. "But we have not been able to interview him," he added. Enditem PHILADELPHIA, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CM Counsel Management LLC, a leading outpatient behavioral health platform, announces its strategic partnership with Savia Community Counseling Services LLC (hereinafter "Savia"), a provider of in-home behavioral healthcare services in New Jersey. The strategic partnership will include investments into Savia's practice, including hiring additional clinicians, bolstering IT infrastructure, adding additional training capabilities, refining the compliance toolkit, and, most notably, the development of a comprehensive outpatient behavioral health agency serving all age populations throughout New Jersey. Savia will continue to operate under its existing brand name. CM Counsel Management, which also manages the non-clinical business functions of behavioral health centers in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, will oversee Savia's operations, finances and marketing initiatives. Savia is noted for its Intensive In-home Counseling (IIC), a community-based intervention that provides behavioral health treatment services to children and families. Savia, with headquarters in Lodi, New Jersey, provides services to families in New Jersey's Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, and Union counties. "Savia's community-based behavioral healthcare services are provided to "at-risk" children and families and are of great value to New Jersey communities," said Jordan Klear, CM Counsel Management Chairman and CEO. "The additional stresses triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic have made their services more critically important. We will invest to expand staff, capabilities and market reach to support Savia's counseling services." Savia has more than 50 licensed social workers, counselors, and behavioral assistants who provide a wide range of individual and family therapies and interventions. Mental health services SCCS provides treatments for a diverse range of conditions, including ADHD/ADD, anxiety, anger management, bipolar disorders, depression, family conflicts, grief, obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD), substance abuse, trauma and other mental health disorders, including youth disorders such as child neglect and abuse, school truancy, and family/child conflict. "The Savia family welcomes the support and guidance of CM Counsel Management," said Sakima Gonzalez, SCCS Executive Director. "Demand for our services has never been higher and CM Counsel Management's investments and expertise will allow us to better serve our communities." CM Counsel Management, LLC, is led by founder and CEO Jordan Klear. The firm also manages CM Counsel, Inc., a leading outpatient behavioral health practice with three locations in the Philadelphia area. CM Counsel Management's goal is to fuel stable, long-term growth for outpatient behavioral health practices while preserving their core mission and values. For more information: Savia Community Counseling Services: http://www.saviacounseling.com/ CM Counsel Management: https://cmcounselmgt.com/ Contact: Michael Galvin, Galvin and Associates Email: [email protected] Phone: (408) 218-9335 SOURCE CM Counsel Management Related Links https://cmcounselmgt.com/ This is foul-mouthed bully Joseph Moses who went biblical with a homophobic and sectarian attack on his gay neighbour. The 53-year-old used shockingly abusive language against his neighbour and his partner, made gun gestures and on one occasion punched his victim in the face. Even when cops turned up during one episode, the boozed-up Co Tyrone man continued to crack off homophobic taunts including, Youre the only gay in the village a reference to comedy character Daffyd from the BBC sketch show Little Britain. During one prolonged incident last June, Moses went completely Old Testament on his stunned neighbour with a volley of appalling bigotry including calling him a f**got, a Fenian bastard, a bum boy, a gay boy and a f*****g poof. But this week Moses told the Sunday World he hadnt said any such thing despite pleading guilty to the charges in court! When confronted by the Sunday World at his home on the Letfern Road, Seskinore, a somewhat more mild-mannered Moses parted like the Red Sea and invited us in to give his version of events. I didnt say any of those things, claimed Moses. The police tricked me. I was arrested on three occasions but it was all untrue. Moses confirmed he had once been close pals with his victim, who lives only 60 yards away. I used to be best friends with him we even went on holiday together when we were younger. Expand Close Joseph Moses / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Joseph Moses He now lives in my ancestral home after he inherited it and things between us have just got out of hand. But how could I be sectarian when I have three Catholic children and I went to an integrated school? And how could I be homophobic when one of my best friends is in a same-sex relationship? When asked why he pleaded guilty to charges of harassment and assault of the man and another person if he hadnt done anything he replied: I had no choice and I just wanted the whole thing over. Asked why police would make up allegations that they had heard him calling his victim the only gay in the village, he told the Sunday World: I dont know why they made this up but they made the whole thing up. Sure they also accused me of calling him raspberry hole too. Moses also revealed the police had been back out to speak to him this week after a fresh complaint in relation to an allegation of shining bright lights at his neighbours property. Im worried this isnt going to stop. Im prepared to enter into mediation to get it sorted but the stress has caused me great harm. Ive been to hospital with chest pains because of all the stress, he said. Despite his protestations to this paper, Moses pleaded guilty in court and was handed two four-month suspended jail sentences. And he was warned he would go to jail if he repeats the behaviour. The sentences were imposed consecutively, and District Judge Mark McGarrity warned Moses at Omagh Magistrates Court he could be jailed for eight months on top of any new sentence if he appears back before the court within the next three years. Moses, who used to own a music shop in Omagh, admitted charges of harassment and assault of two victims. He was also ordered to pay them 350 each in compensation. The court was told that on May 5 last year, Moses called his neighbour a f**got and a gay f**got. He continued to make homophobic comments and made a gun gesture before punching his victim causing a cut to his lip. Just over a month later on the night of June 14, police received a report that Moses was shouting sectarian and homophobic comments at the neighbour and his partner. The abuse last for about 20 minutes. Police officers who arrived at the scene heard him shouting obscenities and insults including youre the only gay in the village. During police interview, he answered no comment to some of the questions and denied making homophobic comments. Defence solicitor Michael Fahy said there had been a strong bond between the two neighbouring families who lived peacefully for decades. He added that it was hard to understand why his client behaved in such a fashion last year and that he had not come to police attention for a decade before the incidents. Mr Fahy added: It was in the middle of the pandemic and no doubt alcohol was a factor in the derogatory and negative comments. There has been nothing since and both parties live within 60 metres of each other. It is not permissible or acceptable to make such comments. He accepts his guilt in the matter and is keen to have closure and move on. He has deep regret and remorse for his behaviour. It is unlikely he will be back in court and wants to move on with his life. Judge McGarrity said that by admitting the offences, Moses had spared his victims the prospect of giving evidence in court. He added that the pre-sentence report indicated the defendants remorse was genuine. The judge also imposed restraining orders in the case of both injured parties and warned Moses he faces custody if he breaches the orders. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 1 March 2021, the European Union-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) will enter into force. It has now been ratified by the Republic of Armenia, all EU Member States and the European Parliament. This represents an important milestone for EU-Armenia relations, Modern Diplomacy reports. This Agreement provides a framework for the EU and Armenia to work together in a wide range of areas: strengthening democracy, the rule of law and human rights; creating more jobs and business opportunities, improving legislation, public safety, a cleaner environment, as well as better education and opportunities for research. This bilateral agenda also contributes to overall aim of the EU to deepen and strengthen its relations with the countries of its Eastern neighbourhood through the Eastern Partnership framework. High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, said: The entry into force of our Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement comes at a moment when Armenia faces significant challenges. It sends a strong signal that the EU and Armenia are committed to democratic principles and the rule of law, as well as to a wider reform agenda. Across political, economic, trade, and other sectoral areas, our Agreement aims to bring positive change to peoples lives, to overcome challenges to Armenias reforms agenda. The scene in the Pitt Park area of east Belfast on February 2. Another four people have been arrested by police investigating a large gathering of loyalists in east Belfast. Three men, aged 35, 39, and 40 along with a 32-year-old woman have been arrested on suspicion of terrorism, and other related offences, police said on Wednesday morning. Police have linked the gathering to the east Belfast UVF. Detective Chief Superintendent John McVea said: Our investigation into the gathering at Pitt Park and activities linked to east Belfast UVF is continuing, and todays arrests were conducted under the Terrorism Act. Those arrested will now be questioned in Musgrave Street Serious Crime Suite. I would continue to appeal to anyone in the community who has information or footage regarding the incident or criminality in the area, to contact the police. A number of people have been arrested following the gathering on February 2in Pitt Park, off the Lower Newtownards Road. Three people have so far been charged. A court has been told up to 60 people were involved with defence lawyers, however, claiming it was a peaceful walk through. Rolls-Royce and Fermi Energia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to study the potential for the deployment of affordable, compact nuclear power stations, known as small modular reactors (SMR) in Estonia. The study will cover all aspects of deployment including grid suitability, cooling, emergency planning, human resources, licensing feasibility, economics and supply chain. Rolls-Royce is leading a consortium (UKSMR) that is designing a low-cost factory-built small modular reactor (SMR) power station. Its standardized, factory-made components and advanced manufacturing processes push costs down, while the rapid assembly of the modules and components inside a weatherproof canopy on the power station site itself avoid costly schedule disruptions. Fermi Energia is a company founded by nuclear scientists, energy experts and entrepreneurs to bring small modular reactors to Estonia to meet its climate goals, help the economy develop and gain energy security. The consortium led by Rolls-Royce is working with its partners and UK Government to secure a commitment for a fleet of factory built nuclear power stations, each providing at least 440MW of electricity, to be operational within a decade, helping the governments around the world net zero obligations. The consortium members feature the best of nuclear engineering, construction and infrastructure expertise in Assystem, Atkins, BAM Nuttall, Jacobs, Laing ORourke, National Nuclear Laboratory, Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, Rolls-Royce and TWI. The current phase of the program has been jointly funded by all consortium members and UK Research and Innovation. Nuclear power is central to tackling climate change, economic recovery and energy security. To do this it must be affordable, reliable and investable and the way we manufacture and assemble our power station brings its cost down to be comparable with offshore wind. It also stimulates jobs and growth and with the flexibility to power alternative low carbon fuels manufacture as well as providing grid power, it is the best option for underpinning decarbonisation strategies around the world. Tom Samson, interim CEO of the UKSMR consortium The power stations will be built by the UKSMR consortium, before being handed over to be operated by power generation companies. Richard Ratcliffe said he has spent the last five years swinging between hope and despair (Aaron Chown/PA) The five-year-long detainment of a British mother in Iran is a blot on British diplomacy, her husband has said. British-Iranian dual national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been detained in Tehran since 2016, when she was sentenced to five years in prison over allegations, which she denies, of plotting to overthrow the Iranian government. Her sentence is scheduled to end this weekend and her husband Richard has said he has spent the last five years swinging between hope and despair as his wife remained in Iran. It is shocking that what started off as a mum and a baby on holiday could be allowed to last for five years, he told the PA news agency. Theres no ambiguity in that, thats just staggering. It is a blot on British diplomacy and clearly Iranian hostage-taking is outrageous. Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 42, has been out of prison since last spring due to the coronavirus crisis, and has been under house arrest at her parents home in Tehran. Expand Close Gabriella Zaghari-Ratcliffe with her father Richard (Victoria Jones/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Gabriella Zaghari-Ratcliffe with her father Richard (Victoria Jones/PA) She was arrested at Tehrans Imam Khomeini airport while travelling to show her young daughter, Gabriella, to her parents in April 2016. Gabriella is now of school age and is counting down the days until her mother comes home. Mr Ratcliffe explained: Shes got a calendar that she crosses off each day. Shes in that sense counting down and I think probably still at this point treating it like an advent calendar, so the days will come off and then the magic delivery will happen. Expand Close Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe (Free Nazanin Campaign/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe (Free Nazanin Campaign/PA) In terms of her wider understanding, for a long time shes been asking whens mummy coming back, whens mummy coming back. Hopefully this wont be tough for her psychologically if mummy doesnt come back at the end of all those days on the calendar. Shes had a lot of experience of grown-ups promising her that mummys coming home and then mummy not coming home. Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffes original sentence is due to end on March 7, but she appeared in court last November on charges of spreading propaganda against the regime. Speaking at the time, Mr Ratcliffe called the charges spurious, saying the case presented the same evidence used when she was convicted in 2016. He told PA he wants to know what the Governments plan is for getting his wife back to the UK. It is shocking that what started off as a mum and a baby on holiday could be allowed to last for five years Richard Ratcliffe Mr Ratcliffe said: If she comes home on the day, I dont need to know what youre doing, thank you very much, and Im sorry for all of the rude things Ive said in the media, and Ill come out and say thank you very much and be very gracious. But if she doesnt come home, I want to know what youre going to do on March 8. Theres no ambiguity, thats proper straightforward hostage-taking, he added. Do I have confidence that the Government is going to get her home on March 7? No, Im standing here worried. A spokesman for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: The Foreign Secretary and FCDO remain in close contact with Zaghari-Ratcliffe and her family, and continue to provide our support. We do not accept Iran detaining dual British nationals as diplomatic leverage. The regime must end its arbitrary detention of all dual British nationals. We continue to do everything we can to secure the release of arbitrarily detained dual British nationals so that they can be reunited with their loved ones. We are excited to partner with both Virginia Housing and Fairfax County to help address the ongoing affordable housing crisis in our state. More affordable homes are coming to the Alexandria and Fort Belvoir area, thanks to affordable housing developer AHC Inc., which today announced the acquisition of two prime properties. The acquisition was made in partnership with Virginia Housing and Fairfax County to fulfill their goal of providing safe, affordable homes for the residents of Fairfax County. This acquisition ensures the preservation of 292 apartments as affordable homes. The properties will provide homes for residents earning between 50% and 80% of the Area Median Income or between $63,000 and $79,600 for a family of four. Affordability will be implemented in a phased approach upon turnover. Fairfax County is committed to ensuring no net loss of affordability. To accomplish this preservation goal, partnerships with the development community and financial institutions are essential, said Department of Housing and Community Development Director Tom Fleetwood. We are very excited that AHC and Virginia Housing have taken the first steps toward helping us meet that goal by preserving existing market affordable units along the opportunity-rich Richmond Highway Corridor. One of the properties, currently known as Haven Mount Vernon, is located at 5401 Claymont Drive in Alexandria, while the other, known as Haven Fort Belvoir, is located at 9190 Richmond Highway in Fort Belvoir. Both properties will be renamed as Landings I and Landings II, respectively. The two communities will undergo moderate improvements, including repairs to the siding and sidewalks, in addition to partial replacements of the HVAC systems and hot water heaters. Easier access to the leasing center, as well as new roofing will be implemented at Landings I, while window repairs will be made at Landings II. Additional renovations will take place at both buildings over the span of the next 10 years. Preservation is an important aspect of Virginia Housings mission, and AHC is to be commended for preserving some of Fairfax Countys much-needed affordable housing stock along the Route 1 corridor, said Virginia Housing CEO Susan Dewey. Virginia Housing remains focused on working with our partners to increase the amount of quality affordable housing available to our citizens, especially in Northern Virginia. Together with AHC, Fairfax County and our other partners, we are making great progress toward our goal. Occupying nearly 12 acres of land, Landings I will offer 216 apartments with 168 two-bedrooms and 48 one-bedrooms. Landings II is situated on approximately four acres and will feature 76 residences with 12 studios, 42 one-bedroom apartments, and 22 with two-bedrooms. Both communities will offer a number of amenities to their residents. Landings I will include a business center, fitness room, clubhouse, pool, childrens playground and picnic area, while Landings II will have an on-site dog park, playground and fitness center. I am committed to preserving and adding affordable and work force housing in the Richmond Highway corridor along with our many other new developments, said Mount Vernon District Supervisor Daniel Storck. "This new acquisition is a major step to not just preserving, but improving and enhancing the affordable housing stock we already have in the District for our residents. AHC Inc. financed the properties with loans from both Virginia Housing and Fairfax County, as well as an AHC Loan. The project also utilized Virginia Housing REACH grant funds for housing near the new Amazon headquarters. We are excited to partner with both Virginia Housing and Fairfax County to help address the ongoing affordable housing crisis in our state, said AHC Inc. VP of Multifamily Development, John Welsh. Currently, there are many hard-working families who work in Alexandria and Fort Belvoir but do not live here because of the lack of housing affordable to them. Landings I and II will offer much-needed affordable and moderately priced homes, located near employment centers and convenient transportation options. Landings I & II will connect nicely with Fairfax Countys Embark Richmond Highway. With the new acquisition, AHC Inc. has preserved or produced more than 1,100 quality homes for low- and moderate-income Fairfax County residents. AHC Inc. is also welcoming 113 families later this month to a brand new affordable housing community in Fairfax County called The Spire, which is already accepting applications. About AHC Inc. Founded in 1975, AHC Inc. is a nonprofit developer of affordable housing that provides quality homes and education programs for low- and moderate-income families. Based in Arlington, VA, AHC has developed more than 8,000 apartment units in 50+ properties in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. AHCs Resident Services program reaches 3,000 children, teens, adults and seniors each year through on-site education and social service programs and activities. For more information, visit https://www.ahcinc.org/. About the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority (FCRHA) The FCRHA serves more than 18,000 residents through a variety of rental housing assistance and First-Time Homebuyer programs; and owns and operates nearly 4,000 units of housing including multifamily housing, senior housing, licensed assisted living and specialized housing for tenants with a variety of needs. The FCRHA also oversees and administers Fairfax Countys land use housing programs and the investment of local funds as well as state and federal grants to increase and/or preserve the countys stock of affordable homes. For more information, visit http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/housing. About Virginia Housing When homes are affordable and accessible to jobs, good schools and transportation, everyone benefits. Individual lives are improved and communities as a whole grow stronger. Virginia Housing was created in 1972 by the General Assembly to help Virginians attain quality, affordable housing. We carry out this mission by working in public-private partnerships with local governments, community service organizations, lenders, Realtors, developers and many others. We provide mortgages for first-time homebuyers, as well as financing for apartment communities and neighborhood revitalization efforts. We offer free homebuyer classes, support housing counseling, and help people with disabilities and the elderly make their homes more livable. We also administer the federal Housing Choice Voucher and Housing Credit programs in Virginia. Virginia Housing is self-supporting and receives no state taxpayer dollars to fund our programs. Instead, we raise money in the capital markets, and we contribute a significant portion of our net revenues each year to help meet Virginias most difficult housing needs. http://www.virginiahousing.com. The state Department of Health is investigating a cluster of Legionnaires disease cases in Union County that has left one person dead. Health officials said they are aware of 14 confirmed cases of the diseases, including the death of a man in his late 60s, which were reported to the state between Feb. 3 and Feb. 26. The cases are among people who live in or spend time in Union County. New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli recommended anyone who experiences symptoms should visit their doctor. Symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath, fever, muscle aches and headaches, and the disease is treatable with antibiotics. Out of an abundance of caution, the Department recommends that individuals who live in Union County who become ill with pneumonia-like/respiratory symptoms, such as fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, muscle aches, and headache visit their healthcare provider, Persichilli said. The state health department receives about 250 to 350 reports of Legionnaires disease each year, according to the release. Some groups are at an increased risk for Legionnaires disease, including people over the age of 50, smokers and individuals with weakened immune systems or chronic lung disease. Most health people exposed to the bacteria do not develop the disease. Because it can take up to two weeks for Legionnaires disease symptoms to develop, the state suggests individuals seek medical attention if they develop symptoms within two weeks of being in Union County. The disease is not spread person to person. Instead, a person contracts Legionnaires disease, a type of lung infection, by breathing in small droplets of water in the air that contain the legionella bacteria, the state said. Aerosolized water can come from air-conditioning units for large buildings, hot tubs, cooling misters, decorative fountains and plumbing systems. Home air conditioning units do not use water to cool rooms, so they are not a risk for Legionella growth. The state health department is conducting investigations to find potential sources of exposures to the bacteria and conducting environmental sampling for Legionella. Health officials have identified a number of possible sources and remediation has begun at those sites. However, the health department said investigations into Legionnaires clusters are complex and finding the origin of the bacteria that caused infections is often not possible. This is a continuing investigation. The risk to anyone who lives in Union County is very small, Persichilli said. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Avalon Zoppo may be reached at azoppo2@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AvalonZoppo. Halle Berry has been offering a glimpse at her fitness journey for her 6.8million Instagram followers. And the Academy Award winner is treating her fans to the full experience with a new collaboration. She's revealing the secrets to her rock hard bod, as her lifestyle brand Respin launches a workout series on the free fitness app FitOn, which she teased Tuesday on Instagram. Fitness goals: Halle Berry is revealing the secrets to her rock hard bod, as her lifestyle brand Respin launches a workout series on the free fitness app FitOn, which she teased Tuesday on Instagram The 54-year-old wrote: 'I'm so excited to announce that @peterleethomas and I have partnered with @fitonapp x @respin to launch a series of ALL-NEW workouts that are totally FREE on the @fitonapp. 'These will give you a taste of our respin YOUR FIT at-home program. You can expect some martial arts inspired exercises, plyo and morethey will get your heart pumping!' She appeared in the teaser with her fitness partner, celebrity trainer Peter Lee Thomas, as they demonstrated some of the exercises. Berry has been documenting her fitness journey with her #FitnessFriday posts on Instagram, since starring in and making her directorial debut with her upcoming movie Bruised. Free workout: The 54-year-old wrote: 'I'm so excited to announce that @peterleethomas and I have partnered with @fitonapp x @respin to launch a series of ALL-NEW workouts that are totally FREE on the @fitonapp' A little taste: She added: 'These will give you a taste of our respin YOUR FIT at-home program. You can expect some martial arts inspired exercises, plyo and morethey will get your heart pumping!' Workout buddy: She appeared in the teaser with her fitness partner, celebrity trainer Peter Lee Thomas, as they demonstrated some of the exercises Fitness influencer: Berry has been documenting her fitness journey with her #FitnessFriday posts on Instagram, since starring in and making her directorial debut with her upcoming movie Bruised The film, which made its world premiere in September at Toronto International Film Festival, follows a disgraced fighter as she reunites with her six-year-old son while preparing to take on a rising MMA star. Thomas told HollywoodLife last year of Berry's dedication to fitness, after helping her get into shape for the role: 'This is now her life, and this is so important.' He added: 'She doesn't feel herself when she's not doing it, because she realizes how beneficial that is and how good it is for the hormones, how good it is for her sleep, how good it is for her.' Berry has recently signed on to executive produce and star in the sci-fi adventure film The Mothership for Netflix, which also bought Bruised in a record-breaking $20million deal. Leading lady: The film, which made its world premiere in September at Toronto International Film Festival, follows a disgraced fighter as she reunites with her six-year-old son while preparing to take on a rising MMA star Supportive trainer: Thomas told HollywoodLife last year of Berry's dedication to fitness, after helping her get into shape for the role: 'This is now her life, and this is so important' Beneficial: He added: 'She doesn't feel herself when she's not doing it, because she realizes how beneficial that is and how good it is for the hormones, how good it is for her sleep, how good it is for her' She stars in The Mothership as Sara Morse, a woman who discovers an extraterrestrial object under her rural farm, one year after her husband mysteriously vanished. The Monster's Ball actress is also thriving in her personal life, after she made her relationship official with Grammy-winning artist Van Hunt, 50, in September. A source recently told Us Weekly that Hunt 'really brings out the fun side of Halle,' adding: 'Halle absolutely believes Van is the one for her. [She] can see herself settling down with him.' The insider noted that the feeling is very mutual: 'Van is head over heels for Halle. It's adorable to see how much his is infatuated with her.' Coming soon: Berry has recently signed on to executive produce and star in the sci-fi adventure film The Mothership for Netflix, which also bought Bruised in a record-breaking $20million deal (pictured in May, 2019) While losing their appeal among young consumers in China, karaoke parlors are becoming more popular with middle-aged and elderly people, Worker's Daily reported. A customer selects a song in a karaoke booth in a shopping mall in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, on January 10, 2018 (Photo/Xinhnua) Li Jingwen, born after 1995, said she went to play room escape games with her friends instead of having a KTV party during the Spring Festival holiday. Similarly, Chen Ye, 31-year-old resident of Beijing, said that KTV no longer holds the attraction that it used to for him, as he now has more options for recreation. In 2019, 4,609 KTV clubs in China were deregistered or had their certificates revoked, according to data from Qichacha, a platform providing data and analytics on China-based private and public companies. The decline of KTV parlors is partly attributable to the rise of new KTV services, including sing-along apps on smartphones, which allow people to sing anytime anywhere, and mini KTV bars, which have a sound-proofed private space of less than two square meters and can be found in many shopping malls. While the passion among the young for karaoke is waning, more middle-aged and elderly people are now patronizing KTV clubs. According to statistics jointly released by Koubei, Alibaba's platform for local life services, and Eleme, a takeaway-ordering platform, in 2019, the number of consumers aged above 50 who went to karaoke parlors in the afternoon was 20 percent higher than that of young consumers. This may be down to the fact that the older demographic also love singing, and carry out most of their recreational activities during the day, according to Mr. Zhao, an operations officer of a KTV club in Huilongguan, Changping district in Beijing. 63-year-old Zhang Baogang said that it cost him just over 100 yuan (about $15.5) to sing and chat with friends in a karaoke room for the whole afternoon, which he enjoyed much more than spending time in a park. A woman surnamed Jiang explained that she went to karaoke clubs to make new friends and renew her friendship with her old friends, and didn't care much about whether she could sing well or not. To attract more middle-aged and elderly consumers, some KTV parlors have added more old songs favored by middle-aged and senior people to their collections, and offered discounts and sales promotions. There are several ways to upgrade your older Windows 7 or Windows 8 OS to Windows 10. Whether you are doing it for the first time on a new computer, upgrading your old computer or just want to do a new clean installation on your system. How to upgrade to Windows 10 OS from a Windows 7 or Windows 8 PC 1. To upgrade your system from Windows 7 or Windows 8 devices, you can simply use Microsofts upgrade tool. 2. If youre upgrading to Windows 10 on your PC which already has a valid licenseyou can simply use the Download Windows 10 tool. Just Click Download Tool Now, and run it. 3. Next and select Upgrade this PC. 4. Follow the instructions to complete the upgrade process to Windows 10. How to do a clean install of Windows 10 on your PC 1. You can download the official Windows 10 installation media for free from Microsoft and complete a clean install. 2. Go to Microsofts Download Windows 10 page, and click Download Tool Now, and run the downloaded file. 3. Next Create installation media for another PC. 4. Make sure to choose the correct language, edition and architecture you want to install. If you have a 64-bit CPU, download the 64-bit version, and if you have a PC with a 32-bit CPU, youll need the 32-bit version of Windows 10. 5. In case youre installing Windows 10 on your current PC, click on the Use the recommended options for this PC box and the tool will automatically download the correct version for your current PC. How to Reinstall Windows 10 on a PC that has Windows 10 OS already If you already have Windows 10 on your PC and want to perform a fresh install you can use Windows 10s Creators Update which makes it much easier to install Windows 10 from scratch. Click on the Fresh start choice in Windows Defender and get a fresh Microsoft Windows 10 system. This will wipe away all that manufacturer-installed stuff and just leave a fresh Windows 10 system for you to use. MILAN, MAR 3 - Milan police on Wednesday carried out raids and seizures against two people near Sardinian capital Cagliari and near Viterbo north of Rome in a probe into antisemitic and racist threats aimed at Holocaust survivor and life Senator Liliana Segre after she got the COVID vaccine last month. Police said the two men were a pensioner near Cagliari and a 40-year-old near Viterbo. They were identified by their initials, G.G.T, 75, from the Sardinian town of Porto Scuso, and G.T., 40, from the town of Valentano near Viterbo. Police seized their computers and phones. Police said they had found solid evidence to back up their suspicions against the pair. 90-year-old Holocaust survivor and Life Senator Segre received the threats after she got vaccinated against COVID-19 on February 18. The probe is into threats aggravated by discrimination and racial hatred. Posts included unprintable insults, antisemitic jibes, questions asking "why her and my grandma no", and others voicing the hope she would suffer the worst possible adverse reactions to the jab. It is not the first time the Auschwitz survivor has been targeted by racial and anti-semitic Web hate. She was inundated with insults after turning up for a Senate confidence vote in the government of ex-premier Giuseppe Conte in late January. Health Minister Roberto Speranza paid tribute to Segre after she had her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at a Milan hospital, as Lombardy started vaccinating its over-80s in the first vaccination wave. "A life that is an example for everyone. Even in the most simple gestures," Speranza said via Facebook. "Thank you Liliana Segre". Segre received crossparty solidarity after the insults, which have been unanimously judged "intolerable". Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, former leader of the populist 5-Star Movement (M5S), called her "a symbol of truth and hope" and said the attacks on her had been "vile". (ANSA). A sperm donor who has fathered 78 children and currently has 13 women pregnant has told how he does not receive any money for his services, but is paid in 'hugs and kisses'. New York college professor, Ari Nagel, 44- also known as The Sperminator - revealed he used to conceive 'the old-fashioned way' and would have sex with the women to help them conceive. However, since learning of other ways to conceive, he now delivers his sperm in a 'cup' so that he is able to protect himself and the other women he'd be helping that month. Speaking on the Claire Bryne Live programme, the donor explained: 'I've never charged any of the women for helping them grow their families. 'Of course I do get paid with lots of hugs and kisses and a lifetime of appreciation. Ari Nagel made his 50th semen donation to mother-to-be Kaienja Garrick (center right). Pictured, with her partner Decontee Slobert (left) and her seven-year-old sister (right) New York college professor, Ari Nagel (pictured) , 44 also known as The Sperminator told how he has fathered 78 children and currently has 13 women pregnant 'I get a lot of joy of being a father to so many kids. Some of them I see every day, some of them I've never met. It's up to the family.' Ari went on to explain that how he meets the women varies, depending on 'where they are located logistically.' He continued: 'A lot of women are just in the US so it makes it much easier, sometimes they are abroad. 'I went to Africa twice last month to try and meet women to help them conceive. The month before that I was in Barbados and then Georgia, the country not the state. Speaking on the Clair Bryne Live programme, the donor explained: 'I've never charged any of the women for helping them grow their families. Pictured, Clair Bryne Ari (pictured) went on to explain that how he meets the women varies, depending on 'where they are located logistically' 'The month before that I went to Russia, so sometimes travel is involved but the vast majority of the time they are within the US.' He went on to explain that the 13 women who are currently pregnant by him all received his sperm in a cup and artificially inseminated themselves - but added occasionally they go to a clinic if they're older. However, he added: 'Around a dozen of my children were conceived the old fashioned way. Early on when I didn't really know of another way to conceive that was the way I was going about it. 'But of course, now that I'm helping more than one woman in a month it's very difficult to have unprotected sex while still being able to protect myself and the other women I'd be helping that month.' Saint Vincent Hospital nurses and Tenet Healthcare, the hospitals parent company, failed to reach an agreement ahead of a planned strike next week, the Telegram reports. The Massachusetts Nurses Union, consisting of 800 nurses at the hospital, said they are gearing up for the strike to take place on Monday, stating that Tenet failed to propose adequate adjustments to nurse staffing ratios, among other things, needed to prevent the work stoppage, the newspaper reports. The hospitals Board of Trustees issued a statement Tuesday, calling the planned strike a severe step in amid the ongoing COVID pandemic, when patients are in need of care. We are troubled by the current situation between the Hospital and the Massachusetts Nurses Association that has led to the MNA calling for a strike starting March 8, the board said. Such a step seems too severe during a pandemic when we need to focus on caring for our community. The board said the hospitals staffing guidelines are better than most other hospitals in Massachusetts and have improved over time. We consistently perform better than expected compared to the national average in multiple quality measures for hospital acquired infections and mortality rates, the board wrote. We also actively monitor and adapt our performance expectations to continuously improve our quality. In response to Tenets proposed changes, the union wrote: While the hospital did come to the table with a proposal with minimal staffing changes on two of the telemetry units, their proposal made no changes to the staffing levels sought by the nurses on 10 other units where the majority of patients are cared for, including the critical care units, emergency department, maternity, behavioral health and other medical surgical floors. The hospitals CEO Carolyn Jackson said she thought its proposal was very generous, according to the Telegram. The hospitals governing board says it remains hopeful that the MNA will reconsider its plans to strike. On behalf of their members, and the patients we all serve, we ask that they work with Saint Vincent Hospital to put this disagreement behind us and move forward together, for the health and wellness of our community, the board wrote. Saint Vincent Hospital remains ready to reach an amicable agreement. Related Content: Sorry! This content is not available in your region 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. Employees are the bloodline of every company. Consequently, the success or otherwise of the company greatly depends on the talent the company has in its pool of employees. Knowing the right fit for your company is mostly the easiest to figure out. Finding talent with the best-fit job seekers is often not so easy. And as an HR manager, this could be frustrating. Likewise, job seekers are also faced with myriad problems when it comes to finding the right company that will value them for their skills, knowledge, and level of experience. Sending applications and not getting a single response to even acknowledge receipt of your application is common and easily results in frustrated job seekers. In view of the unique challenges in the Ghanaian system, the nature of the market, and best practices, TonatonJOBS has introduced a 360-degree solution for employers and job seekers alike. With the nature of the Ghanaian job market in perspective, Tonaton.com which has been the leading name in the classifieds market in Ghana launched a tailored platform to respond to the needs of both job seekers and recruiters. The platform, TonatonJOBS, connects job seekers and talent hunters in a seamless manner while addressing the challenges often faced by both parties in the recruitment process. TonatonJOBS platform has since been helping individuals and organizations to handle their recruitment without much of the hassle experienced before. TonatonJOBS has a pool of more than a million monthly views and lots of registered job seekers ready to apply. This has made TonatonJOBS a preferred platform. However, in the spirit of providing the best to their clients, membership, or free listings package, TonatonJOBS constantly seeks to provide the best of features and service. Here is What makes TonatonJOBS Special The platform relaunched with not just a bunch of new features but also a more focused purpose to help blue-collar job seekers and recruiters. Unlike other recruitment platforms which offer generalized solutions, TonatonJOBS brings their expertise in skill-based recruitment to the fore for the benefit of those who need it most. To be even more helpful, the company has added a bespoke service to help recruiters. They aim to help organizations with a broad spectrum of needs. Some organizations prefer to have candidates through the TonatonJOBS platform while others prefer to have their entire recruitment needs taken care of by trusted experts of TonatonJOBS so they can concentrate on their core business. TonatonJOBS introduced a flagship service to relieve organizations of their entire recruitment process called Staffing Solutions. The bespoke service, Staffing Solutions, will take care of the advertisement, ad posting, and initial screening of candidates. TonatonJOBS Staffing Solutions will then provide the employer with the best candidates for their own assessment and selection. The criteria for screening and selection are based on a clear understanding of the needs of the company, requisite skills, and experience level. Conclusion Tonaton continues to lead the classified market in Ghana as they attract millions of views each and every month. In the spirit of leadership and excellence, TonatonJOBS continues to help Ghanaian job seekers and recruiters to find what they need. Do contact them for assistance regarding any inquiries. 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 aYo Intermediaries Ghana Limited, a leading microinsurance company has defied economic headwinds triggered by the novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), to show its commitment to the economic wellbeing of its customers in the country. The company which offers Hospitalization and Life Insurance Cover through its two insurance products namely Send with Care and Recharge with Care continued to give value to its customers through claim payments. It also paid claims in value of GH2,421,787 to over 8,000 customers showing a significant increase in its claim payment by over 170% compared to 2019 where a total of GH872,987 claims were paid in value. This brings the total claims paid as at December 31, 2020 to GH3,346,500.00 over its four years in existence. The upsurge in the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the year 2020 has had hostile impacts on the global economy even as governments and corporate organizations around the world continue to implement strategic measures to contain it. The Ghanaian economy equally received a dose of the global economic shocks following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 which impacted on all sectors of the economy, and compelled many businesses to restructure. In the heat of the pandemic, aYo further rolled out the Free COVID 19 benefit relief to re-emphasize its value of showing care as it sought to put smiles on faces of its customers during the challenging period. The campaign which ended in December 2020 saw several customers and their family members receiving GH27,000.00 on COVID related claims in addition to their claim benefits at no extra cost. Ultimately, the company reviewed its Recharge with Care policy benefits with the customers best interests at heart. With its revised billing plan in August 2020, aYo Ghana began to offer up to GH100 per night cover and GH6,000 life cover to the customers which is a massive boost on the initial GH50 per night cover and GH3,000 life cover. Drivers of growth Commenting on the impressive performance, the CEO of aYo Ghana, Francis Gota, said: We value our customers and are committed to securing their financial wellbeing despite the challenging times. We are committed to providing a future where everyone uses insurance by leveraging on technology to make insurance relevant accessible and easy to use. He added: We encourage our customers to continue to observe the COVID- 19 protocols in order to protect themselves and their loved ones, because they care. Ag CEO Sam Addo of MTN Ghana congratulated aYo Ghana for the significant strides achieved in the insurance sector. He noted that accessibility to insurance services at the convenience of the customer through mobile telephony is a novelty that MTN Group sought to champion when aYo was launched. Products According to the company, over 4.5 million subscribers are currently using its insurance product known as Recharge with Care, since the launch of the product in April 2018. Its Send with Care and Recharge with Care which have been designed to cater for all MTN subscribers, are underwritten by Metropolitan Life Insurance Ghana. aYo Recharge with Care offers life and hospital insurance cover every time customers recharge their MTN airtime. Customers can get up to GH100 for each night they are admitted at the hospital to support hospital admission bills and up to GH6,000 life cover for themselves and one family member who is registered on the policy. How to sign on For Recharge with Care, you sign up by dialing *296#, select option 1 and then follow the prompt. You can either sign up for MyLife or MyHospital or both and pay a premium of GH4.00 valid for 30 days. Subscribers use the same process for filing claims (*296#, select option 1, then option 7 and then follow the prompt) and valid claims are paid directly to the claimants mobile money wallet without any hassle. MTN MoMo subscribers can send MoMo through aYo Send with Care by dialing *170#, select option 1 (transfer money) and then option 3 (Send with Care) on the mobile money menu to get up to GHs 30,000.00 hospital and life insurance cover and up to GHs3,000.00 life cover for their family members (receiver of the MoMo). Instructively, aYo intermediaries Ghana Limited is a subsidiary of aYo Holdings (Based in South Africa), a joint venture between MMI Holding and MTN Group, established to distribute insurance solutions to MTN subscribers in Ghana and Africa. Source: African Eye Report 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 Bharat Biotech's homegrown Covid-19 vaccinec Covaxin, has shown an interim vaccine efficacy of 81% in late-stage clinical trials, the Hyderabad-based company said on Wednesday. Thats better than Bharat Biotechs guidance last year of around 60% and Indias benchmark of 50% for vaccines targeting the novel The trials involved 25,800 participants and was conducted in partnership with Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the Indian government's medical research body. This was the largest ever trial conducted in India. "The Phase 3 study enrolled 25,800 participants between 18-98 years of age, including 2,433 over the age of 60 and 4,500 with comorbidities," the company said in a statement. "Today is an important milestone in vaccine discovery, for science and our fight against With today's results from our Phase 3 clinical trials, we have now reported data on our Covid-19 vaccine from Phase 1, 2, and 3 trials involving around 27,000 participants," Chairman and Managing Director Krishna Ella said. Covaxin demonstrates high clinical efficacy trend against Covid-19 but also significant immunogenicity against the rapidly emerging variants, he added. Analysis from the Institute of Virology indicates that vaccine-induced antibodies can neutralize the UK variant strains and other heterologous strains, said the company.I want to thank every one of the participants, who volunteered to participate in this vital clinical trial, our partners, principal investigators across 25 study sites, and our team at who dedicated their time to this vaccine discovery, said Suchitra Ella, Joint Managing Director, We could not have achieved this public-private partnership milestone without the relentless commitment of those involved. Participants received a vaccine or placebo in a 1:1 ratio, which showed that the vaccine candidate was well tolerated, said the company. Bharat Biotech expects to share further details of the trial results as additional data become available. An additional interim analysis is planned for 87 cases, and the final analysis is planned for 130 cases. All data from the second interim and final analyses will be shared via pre-publication servers as well as submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication. "Clinical trial to continue through to final analysis at 130 confirmed cases in order to gather further data and to evaluate the efficacy of Covaxin in additional secondary study endpoints," the company said. The interim analysis was based on 43 recorded cases of Covid-19 in the trial of 25,800 participants. Thirty-six of the 43 cases were recorded in participants who received a placebo, compared with seven cases in people who were given the Bharat Biotech vaccine, pointing to an efficacy rate of 80.6%, the company said. India had approved Covaxin in January without late-stage efficacy data, raising questions about its effectiveness. Earlier this week, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was inoculated with the first dose of Covaxin. "More than 40 countries globally have expressed their interest in Covaxin. These countries are highly satisfied with the safe, inactivated vaccine technology and robust data package for safety and immunogenicity," said Bharat Biotech. The findings cement Bharat Biotechs claims of the vaccine being safe and may help overcome vaccine hesitancy as India rolls out one of the worlds biggest inoculation programs to contain Covid-19 outbreak. The data is also a rebuttal for critics who had questioned the unprecedented haste with which the indigenously produced shot was approved in early January and deployed among Indias frontline health care workers even before providing any Phase 3 trial data. In June last year, Indias drug regulator permitted the family-run and closely-held Bharat Biotech to develop a homegrown vaccine in record time. Soon after, work on Covaxin was bogged down by controversies ranging from unrealistic government schedules to sporadic reports of adverse reactions. Despite the vaccine receiving the emergency use approval in January, many of those in the priority list for receiving the initial injections failed to turn up for their shots, concerned that they may be given the experimental vaccine. The sign ups among those willing to be vaccinated have improved in the past week. Officials in New Delhi and the management of Bharat Biotech have vigorously defended the vaccines safety and effectiveness during the roll out. The new data may boost uptake in a nation that has registered the worlds second-largest outbreak and is reporting a further spurt of infections in some states such as Maharashtra, triggering fears of regional restrictions after a lockdown in March last year that hobbled the economy. India has also approved the shot from Astrazeneca Plcs local partner, the Ltd., but the countrys inoculation campaign saw a tepid response in the initial weeks, endangering its target of reaching about a quarter of its population by August. With a capacity to manufacture about 300 million doses on an annual basis, the promising efficacy data will likely aid Bharat Biotech find further export markets. The company shipped the vaccine to Brazil this month and has signed an agreement with Ocugen Inc. to co-develop the vaccine for the U.S. The encouraging news comes at a time when India has seen a sudden spurt in new cases and has also entered the next phase of Covid-19 vaccination, whih commenced from March 1 for those who are over 60 years of age and for people aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions. More than 1.56 crore (1,56,20,749) vaccine doses have been administered through 3,12,188 sessions, according to provisional report till Wednesday 7 am. These include 67,42,187 healthcare workers (1st dose), 27,13,144 HCWs (2nd dose), 55,70,230 frontline workers (1st dose) and 834 FLWs (2nd dose), 71,896 beneficiaries aged more than 45 years with specific co-morbidities (1st dose) and 5,22,458 beneficiaries aged more than 60 years. Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Karnataka continue to report a surge in fresh COVID-19 cases and they account for 85.95 per cent of the cases reported in a span of 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday. The requested page is currently unavailable on this server. Back to [RTHK News Homepage] The investigation is continuing and once that investigation has been completed to my satisfaction, I shall determine whether to hold an inquest, he said. Mr Porter said he remembered the woman, who was 16 at the time, as a bright, happy person he knew from a Sydney debating competition when he was 17, but he said he had not had any contact with her since 1988. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video The denial is at odds with the womans written statement about the rape and her conversations with friends in 2019 and 2020, when she first told them Mr Porter had raped her at Sydney University that January. But the womans accusations were the subject of disagreement between her family and friends after her death. While some believed her, others did not. The woman chose not to proceed with the NSW Police complaint in the days before her death on June 24. Mr Porter addressed the womans parents in his press conference to tell them they had suffered a terrible loss. You did not deserve the frenzied politicisation of the circumstances of your daughters death in the past week, he said. Mr Porter said it would be wrong for him to stand aside or quit his job. If that happens, anyone in public life is able to be removed simply by the printing of an allegation, he said. Every child we raise can have their lives destroyed by online reporting of accusations alone. Loading My guess is that if I were to resign, and that set a new standard, well, there wouldnt be much need for an attorney-general anyway, because there would be no rule of law left to protect in this country. So I will not be part of letting that happen. Mr Porter rejected calls for an independent investigation similar to the High Court inquiry into Dyson Heydon in 2019, in which investigator Vivienne Thom found the former judge had sexually harassed six women. The government argument is that the court inquiry was into a workplace and was able to question people about the events, whereas Mr Porter faces accusations about his time before politics based on claims from someone who is now dead. Another government argument is that the court inquiry did not follow a police investigation, whereas an inquiry into Mr Porter would duplicate a police investigation that was formally closed this week. Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young acknowledged Mr Porter could not be tried or convicted in court on the rape allegation, given the woman was dead, but said his position as the first law officer of the country meant he had to face an inquiry. Senator Hanson-Young said the key question was whether Mr Porter was a fit and proper person to hold the key ministry. Mr Porter broke his silence on the allegations after NSW Police confirmed it had closed the case. Credit:Trevor Collens Labor and the Greens expressed disbelief that Mr Porter and Mr Morrison did not read the anonymous letter from the womans friends sent to the Prime Ministers office last week, given it also contained the womans statement from last year. In a series of statements on key facts, Mr Porter said he had never had the allegations put to him, had never been interviewed by NSW Police and had never seen the letter. While he spoke to Mr Morrison last Wednesday, they did not go over the specific allegations. Loading A friend of the woman, Dhanya Mani, said she found it disturbing the two men did not read the allegations when they had the chance. They did not think it was worth their time to dignify my friend by reading what had happened to her. They did not care, she said. Mr Porter also said the media had not put the allegations to him, a point disputed in the past by the ABCs Four Corners when it aired claims about his early life last November. I was aware of a rumour but no one has ever put the specifics of an allegation to me from the media, he said. Loading The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age put questions to Mr Porters press secretary at 10.22am on Sunday in an email with a subject line seeking comment on the rape allegation. There was no response to this email. The newspapers also sent Mr Porters press secretary another email with questions at 4.02pm on Monday but received no reply. Mr Porter also said he had never been informed about the NSW Police investigation, which began in February last year, was suspended in June and formally closed this week. New South Wales Police have never contacted me, he said. Asked why they had not interviewed Mr Porter, the NSW Police repeated their statement from Tuesday about closing the case. The government is planning to reject calls for a further inquiry on the grounds that former Labor leader Bill Shorten did not face such an inquiry after he revealed a rape claim against him in 2014. Mr Shorten said he was entitled to draw a line under the matter because Victorian Police had closed an investigation into him over an allegation of rape in the 1980s. Labor disputes the parallel on the grounds that Mr Shorten was interviewed by police, something that has not happened with Mr Porter. The Oregon Health Authority announced 269 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday along with 13 new deaths, as the state identified in Douglas County the first case of a variant strain of coronavirus originally detected in Brazil. The Brazilian variant, also known as P.1, was first detected in people traveling from Brazil to Japan in January. The variant appears to be more contagious and has reinfected people previously immune from having contracted the original virus, Douglas County health officials say. The person infected in Douglas County has known travel history prior to testing positive, according to the health authority. Only ten cases have previously been found in America in Alaska, Florida, Maryland, Minnesota and Oklahoma. Meanwhile, the state debuted its COVID-19 vaccine lottery system for the Oregon Convention Center mass vaccination site Monday, and said it would alert 750 people if they were selected for a shot. As of Friday, the state said 208,365 people had registered for the system via the getvaccinatedoregon.gov website. The other mass vaccination site at Portland International Airport continues to have people sign up for appointments directly online. Where the new cases are by county: Baker (2), Benton (3), Clackamas (20), Columbia (2), Coos (3), Crook (1), Deschutes (6), Douglas (20), Gilliam (1), Harney (2), Jackson (44), Jefferson (2), Josephine (20), Klamath (5), Lake (2), Lane (24), Lincoln (3), Linn (6), Marion (26), Morrow (1), Multnomah (28), Polk (4), Tillamook (3), Umatilla (11), Union (1), Washington (23) and Yamhill (6). Who died: Oregons 2,213th COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old Baker County woman who tested positive Feb. 24 and died Feb. 26 at her residence. The 2,214th death is an 88-year-old Baker County man who tested positive Feb. 24 and died Feb. 26 at his residence. The 2,215th death is a 100-year-old Clackamas County man who tested positive Jan. 25 and died Feb. 16 at his residence. The 2,216th death is a 91-year-old Douglas County woman who tested positive Feb. 19 and died Feb. 28 at her residence. The 2,217th death is a 91-year-old Deschutes County woman who tested positive Jan. 23 and died Feb. 16 at her residence. The 2,218th death is a 27-year-old Jackson County man who tested positive Jan. 26 and died Feb. 19 at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center. The 2,219th death is a 90-year-old Lane County man who tested positive Feb. 19 and died Feb. 28 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend. The 2,220th death is a 72-year-old Linn County woman who tested positive Jan. 12 and died Feb. 26 at Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital. The 2,221st death is an 83-year-old Multnomah County man who tested positive Jan. 6 and died Feb. 14 at his residence. The 2,222nd death is a 57-year-old Multnomah County man who tested positive Feb. 8 and died Feb. 10 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. The 2,223rd death is a 58-year-old Multnomah County woman who tested positive Jan. 29 and died Feb. 19 at Providence Portland Medical Center. The 2,224th death is a 79-year-old Yamhill County man who tested positive Jan. 25 and died Feb. 9 at his residence. He had no underlying conditions. The 2,225th death is a 78-year-old Coos County woman who tested positive Feb. 19 and died Feb. 28 at Mercy Medical Center. Unless noted above, each person who died had underlying health conditions or state officials were working to determine if the person had underlying medical conditions. The prevalence of infections: On Tuesday, the state reported 346 new positive tests out of 11,956 tests performed, equaling a 2.9% positivity rate. Who got infected: New confirmed or presumed infections grew among the following age groups: 0-9 (11); 10-19 (37); 20-29 (55); 30-39 (30); 40-49 (23); 50-59 (40); 60-69 (27); 70-79 (12); 80 and older (16). Whos in the hospital: The state reported 149 Oregonians with confirmed coronavirus infections were hospitalized Tuesday, 17 more than Monday. Of those, 29 coronavirus patients were in intensive care units, two more than Monday. Vaccines administered: Oregon has administered 997,448 first and second doses out of 1,244,505 received, which is about 80% of its supply. Oregon reported 10,911 newly administered doses, which includes 3,894 on Monday and the remainder from previous days. Since it began: Oregon has reported 156,037 confirmed or presumed infections and 2,225 deaths, among the lowest per capita numbers in the nation. To date, the state has reported over 3,760,400 lab reports from tests. -- Jaimie Ding jding@oregonian.com; 503-221-4395; @j_dingdingding A convicted murderer who went on to become an award-winning entrepreneur died as a result of a road traffic collision in Greece, an inquest heard. Zara Crane-Davies, 40, died alongside Luke Hall, 18, when the 4x4 she was driving overturned in Malia on the island of Crete. Ms Crane-Davies, who lived in Wythenshawe, south Manchester, was given a life sentence for killing a man in 2003. At the time, the mother-of-two lived in a ground floor flat in Purley, south London, when she got involved in a row with her neighbour, David Thompson, 37. She fatally stabbed him outside his front door by piercing his heart with a 10-inch kitchen knife. Ms Crane-Davies, then known as Sara Crane, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 12 years. Zara Crane-Davies, 41, died in a car crash in Crete. She was jailed for murder in 2003 after she stabbed a neighbour to death, then took part in Britain's first lesbian prison wedding in 2010 when she married fellow inmate Jo Crane-Davies, who was serving time for drug dealing The Court of Appeal rejected an appeal against the sentence in 2005. Ms Crane-Davies argued that the trial judge had not taken into account her 'appalling personal life' or her guilty plea when setting the minimum term. When she was in jail, she made history by being involved in the first-ever lesbian prison wedding, marrying convicted drug dealer Jo Crane-Davies, 46. Manchester Coroner's Court heard Jo was not with her wife in Greece at the time of the collision on 8 July 2019. She said she flew out to Crete when she was informed of her wife's death but was upset to discover an autopsy had been done and organs removed without Greek officials telling her. Senior coroner, Nigel Meadows, described how a post-mortem examination was first carried out in Greece followed by another on July 31. After her release, thought to be some time around 2012, Zara went to work for Working Chance, which helps female convicts find jobs (pictured left, with wife Jo right) In 2018 Zara won Mentor of the Year at the Northern Power Women awards in recognition of her work, then left Working Chance to found her own consultancy called SocialInvestor He described how during the accident Ms Crane-Davies had suffered 'extensive traumatic injuries', in particular a head injury and upper torso injury, which were 'unsurvivable.' A toxicology report showed evidence of amphetamine in Ms Crane-Davies's liver, but it was seen as inconclusive as to whether that contributed to the crash. Mr Meadows said: 'On July 8, 2019 near Malia, Crete, Zara was driving a motor vehicle with two occupants in an open-top jeep. 'The vehicle went out of control and a crash occurred from which she suffered catastrophic unsurvivable injuries.' Mr Meadows concluded that Ms Crane-Davies had died as a result of a road traffic collision. After the hearing, Jo Crane-Davies, a bus driver, said: 'Zara was lovely inside and out. Luke Hall, 18, and apprentice joiner from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, died alongside Zara Crane-Davies in the jeep crash on the Greek island of Crete in July, 2019, an inquest heard 'She was selfless and was doing good, helping women who had been in prison to get back into jobs. 'She was beautiful and she was unique.' Ms Crane-Davies, a director of Socialinvestor CIC, was crowned Mentor of the Year at the 2018 Northern Power Women Awards. At the time of her death, Northern Power Women said: 'Our thoughts are with the loved ones of Zara Crane-Davies and all involved in this tragic accident. 'Zara was a vibrant, pioneering supporter of the Northern Power Women family and she will be greatly missed.' In 2019, Zara became the Chief Operating Officer of the Resume Foundation, a network that links up non-profit organisations helping marginalised people back into work, with employers looking for staff. A statement from Resume Foundation said: 'Zara's motivation to help anyone in need and her will to beat life was astounding. 'She has inspired many around us and will continue to do so with her legacies. Zara will be sadly missed by us and the whole Third Sector. 'She now lives on in a better place. Our thoughts go out to her family, friends and loved ones.' With much of the economy set to reopen by the end of the week, it wouldnt take much for COVID-19 infection rates to climb again especially now that the South African variant has been confirmed in Manitoba. With much of the economy set to reopen by the end of the week, it wouldnt take much for COVID-19 infection rates to climb again especially now that the South African variant has been confirmed in Manitoba. As much as Manitobans have learned to live with COVID-19, the amount of physical interaction that will be possible under the new public health orders that take effect Friday is not without substantial risk. Thats not to say the province is moving too fast in its reopening plans. For the most part, public-health officials continue to strike the right balance between reopening the economy while protecting hospital capacity and mitigating severe disease outcomes. The province dropped the dangerous idea of maskless workouts in gyms, which was part of last weeks initial proposal. They did not give in to pressure to allow multi-household dining in restaurants and lounges (a significant source of spread). And they largely maintained the rules around limited household gatherings (with a new household bubble allowance). The rules arent perfect. There are many examples of why one type of facility can reopen and not another (movie theatres versus houses of worship, for example). However, those inequities are unavoidable as the province attempts to limit the overall number of sectors that open at the same time. By Friday, a good deal of Manitobas economy will be open. All types of business other than indoor theatres, indoor concert halls, casinos and bingo halls can operate. Even with capacity and other limits, thats not far from what existed in October when case numbers skyrocketed. The main difference now is there is more targeted intervention around prolonged, maskless contact in indoor places. The province also has far more testing and contact-tracing resources in place to better identify and isolate cases. Also, if cases do inch up, the damage wont be as severe in personal-care homes, since most residents and staff in those facilities are now vaccinated. It will also be easier to protect hospital capacity now that most front-line health-care workers in acute-care settings have been immunized. Still, it wouldnt take much to change Manitoba's favourable trajectory. Public-health officials quietly announced two confirmed cases of the B.1.351 variant from South Africa Tuesday, along with a sixth case of the U.K. strain. Dr. Brent Roussin, the chief provincial public health officer, didnt address the new variant during his news conference with Premier Brian Pallister; they focused largely on the provinces reopening plans. Normally, Roussin would highlight something that significant and take questions on it. The fact he didnt is troubling. It raises questions about whether the Pallister government deliberately prevented it from overshadowing its reopening announcement. Theres no evidence the B.1.351 variant causes more severe illness. But like the one that originated in the United Kingdom the B.1.1.7 variant, first detected in Manitoba three weeks ago it may spread more easily. The two possibly more contagious variants represent a significant risk that didnt exist in October. Manitoba has done extremely well getting its case numbers down in recent weeks. The province has the lowest number of new cases per capita over the past 14 days west of New Brunswick at 77 per 100,000 people (well below the national average of 107). The Prairie Mountain Health region, which includes Brandon, has frequently had one or no new cases per day during that period. More importantly, hospitalizations including the number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care continues to slowly decline. It shows Manitobas incremental reopening strategy has been successful. Theres no reason that cant continue, even with the further easing of restrictions and two new variants in the province. It will depend entirely on how well Manitobans continue to adapt to the province's evolving public-health orders. tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca The 6th Vietnam-Cuba political consultation at the deputy foreign minister level was convened via videoconference on March 2, under the chair of Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam Bui Thanh Son and First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba Marcelino Medina Gonzalez. Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam Bui Thanh Son at the political consultation on March 2 (Photo: baoquocte.vn) The 6th Vietnam-Cuba political consultation at the deputy foreign minister level was convened via videoconference on March 2, under the chair of Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam Bui Thanh Son and First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba Marcelino Medina Gonzalez. Participants in the event included Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba Le Thanh Tung and Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Orlando Nicolas Hernandez. Deputy Minister Son spoke of Vietnams situation, including the prominent outcomes of the 13th National Party Congress, measures in response to COVID-19, economic development, and social security ensuring. He affirmed that Vietnam always treasures and wishes to continue deepening the special traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Cuba. Officials at the political consultation (Photo: baoquocte.vn) For his part, Gonzalez also informed about the situation of his country, countermeasures to address difficulties caused by sanctions and the COVID-19 pandemic, and the updating of the socio-economic model. The two officials reviewed and assessed the areas of cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba, as well as between the two foreign ministries. They also looked into ways to develop bilateral relations in a more intensive and comprehensive manner. They agreed to keep close coordination to organise high-level visits when possible; effectively carry out cooperation mechanisms; increase exchanges between the countries ministries, sectors, and businesses; promote trade and investment ties; and work together in such spheres as food security, education, healthcare, science - technology, culture, sports, and tourism. At the consultation, the deputy foreign ministers had in-depth discussion about global and regional issues of shared concern. They concurred in the continuation of coordination and mutual support at international organisations and multilateral forums of which both Vietnam and Cuba are members. VNA Top leaders of Vietnam, Cuba hold phone talk Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong held phone talk with First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) Central Committee Raul Castro Ruz. A Chinese university lecturer in Britain was viciously attacked last week, renewing fears of violent anti-Asian racism in the country amid the coronavirus pandemic. Peng Wang, who teaches financial management at the University of Southampton, was attacked in broad daylight by four white men aged between 20 and 25 while jogging just minutes from his home last Tuesday. "Some crazy guys shouted at me from their car on the other side of the road," the 37-year-old lecturer said. "They said 'Chinese virus', get out [of] this country, f*** you." Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China. Wang said he yelled back at the men, who drove away but then circled back and attacked him. The assault left him with a bloody nose and bruises to his face and arm. In addition to facial injuries, lecturer Peng Wang was also left with bruises on his arm after the attack. Photo: Handout alt=In addition to facial injuries, lecturer Peng Wang was also left with bruises on his arm after the attack. Photo: Handout Bystanders called for an ambulance and contacted police. A 21-year-old suspect was arrested and later released while investigations continue. The incident has reinforced fears within the local Chinese community that Covid-19-related racial hate crime against people of Chinese heritage is on the rise in Britain. In March last year, soon after Covid-19 arrived in Britain, Singaporean student Jonathan Mok was attacked on London's Oxford Street. A 16-year-old boy was sentenced to 18 months of rehabilitation service for the racially motivated assault. Reports of race crime against people of East Asian appearance in Britain have soared in the past year. Between January and June 2020, there were 457 police reports of racially motivated crime against people who self-identified as Chinese. "It's definitely getting worse, since Brexit and then with the pandemic and people have got intolerant and angry, " said Wang, who is originally from Tianjin in northeast China, and moved to Southampton in 2014 after completing a doctorate in Finland. Story continues "When I first came to the UK I would go jogging in the night and had no worry of these things." In support of the lecturer, activists from the Southampton Stand Up to Racism campaign and the Chinese Association of Southampton held an online solidarity meeting on Monday night attended by around 300 people. Community groups are also being trained to offer support and advice for Chinese victims of Covid-19-related attacks. With diplomatic relations between Beijing and London also deteriorating over the National Security Law in Hong Kong and other issues, many Chinese people in Britain worry they could be targeted. "The fact that the tensions that came out of Donald Trump's government and subsequently with China and the way they painted [the coronavirus] as a 'Chinese virus' has not helped in the UK," said Jackson Ng, a barrister of Chinese descent and a Conservative town councillor in Buckinghamshire, northwest of London. He felt he had also been a victim of racial discrimination because of online accusations that he was working for the Chinese government. "In such a globalised world, what happens in America has an impact here. People don't distinguish. They associate a Chinese person wrongly as being representative of the Chinese Communist Party." Ng was born in Amsterdam, in the Netherlands. His parents came from Singapore and Indonesia. "There has always been racism in the UK but what has happened over the last 12 to 15 months, with the rhetoric by certain governments and then the situation in the UK where people are getting stressed out because they have been made redundant or have children not going to school, there is a multiplier effect. It's not right, it's wrong, and this kind of stuff needs to be called out." Ng sought and received a statement from British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab last month in support of victims of this type of racism, noting the expected influx of British National (Overseas) passport holders from Hong Kong after London offered them a path to citizenship. Responding to Ng's question at a recent Conservatives for Chinese online event, Raab said: "I would always stand up and say that we have got no time for conspiracy theories and we stand with all our black, Asian and ethnic minority communities and I think particularly during Covid[-19], our Chinese communities" "There is growing concern there isn't enough support available for immigrants from Hong Kong, especially those moving to cities like Liverpool and Manchester," Ng told the South China Morning Post, adding that it was important newcomers were helped to become involved in British society to avoid "community cohesion problems in the future". 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. Richwood, TX (77531) Today Thunderstorms likely. Rainfall will be locally heavy at times. High near 85F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. McLennan - GovTech Housing Assistance Solution, powered by Kinetech "We are excited to see our GovTech solution deployed so rapidly to address such a critical piece of economic recovery (rental / mortgage assistance)," said Michael Guido, CEO of Kinetech. During the first two months of the 2021 McLennan County was concerned of a rising demand for rental assistance applications. Faced with a manual process and combined with a recently approved increase in relief funding that needed to be distributed, county administrators needed a better way. Fortunately, McLennan learned of Kinetechs enterprise Government Technology (GovTech). Highlights: McLennan County selected Kinetechs GovTech SaaS Cloud to Digitize Covid Emergency Housing Assistance program Kinetech launches solution in 10 business days using GovTech, lowcode, and a proven Digital Execution Strategy Mobile-first solution allows applicants to upload documents via device camera and submit directly to McLennan Automated notifications bridge communication gaps between the landlord, the tenant / applicant, and the county to collect missing information, handle case management, and process payments to avoid eviction and prevent homelessness The cloud-native solution is available nearly 24/7 vs. government office hours removing friction in the application process. Kinetech announces General Availability of GovTech Cloud to North American partners McLennan knew Kinetechs technology was built on lowcode and thus easy to configure. The system did not require any changes to the existing databases or underlying processing. Instead, it simply fed data into the existing systems, and added screening and other security features to help validate eligibility. Applicants apply with their mobile devices and the city processes the submissions with their existing funding and machines. Best of all, for every application submitted by phone, hours of transcription work for the equivalent paper application were eliminated. The App Goes into Action in Less Than Two Weeks: In 10 business days, McLennan County and Kinetech were able to get a production ready application out to county citizens. The solution is accessible via any internet-connected device (iPhone, Android, laptop, etc). The service is available to county residents that are financially impacted by COVID and complete all eligibility requirements. McLennan is now accepting applications effective immediately at: mclennan.govtech.kinetechcloud.com Applications may be completed using a smartphone or PC. Users must have all required documentation to begin. The launch by McLennan county coincides with the general availability of the GovTech Cloud to North American customers. McLennans GovTech solution was launched the Monday following the devastating winter storm that left 3-5 million without access to power or water across Texas. We are excited to see our GovTech solution deployed so rapidly to address such a critical piece of economic recovery (rental / mortgage assistance), said Michael Guido, CEO of Kinetech. The incredible ability of the McLennan team was on display, as well as the resiliency of our cloud solutions. The Easiest Way to Modernize Your Process and Decrease Your Departments Workload: With a full solution possible in a matter of weeks, organizations may quickly implement a low-code app solution that is easy to use, improves personalized service, and nearly doubles throughput. Most clients see a 100% return on investment or more in the first 12-months, meaning the solution pays for itself. This approach provides several other key benefits: Digital allows email notifications or text (SMS) to be sent throughout submission and review process for better customer service, which also helps reduce incoming call volume Multi-lingual (English, Spanish and More) are available to help diverse populations apply for service in their native language thereby communicating more effectively with your department Standardized reporting is compliant with federal mandates and makes data easier to compile Compliance for grant funding requirements (CARES Act, CBDG, LiHEAP, etc.) is easier to verify and enforce and eligibility can be checked as applicants are submitting information Does not require you to hire any additional support staff and reduces the workload on existing staff by up to 70% Improves public relations by getting the applications in peoples hands faster and making them easy to process Quickly digitizes your process (away from paper) for the 21st century About GovTech: The GovTech Cloud is a governments innovation engine. Using Kinetechs lowcode templates, any paper-based process can be digitized to support document upload, case management, automated notifications, reporting and analytics. Get your organization communicating with a single point of record. Deploy agile, secure, government specific technology cost effectively using the cloud. Improve the digital services provided to citizens through intuitive, always on solutions. Uncover trends with rich analytics. Typical use cases include Housing, Rental, Utility, Mortgage, and Internet Assistance. About Kinetech Kinetech, a platform Mendix partner, is a provider of custom enterprise software, delivered through the cloud with a focus on improved business productivity. The company focuses on cloud, mobile, and integrated technologies that solve real client problems. Kinetechs service offerings are configured and integrated with other web services (APIs), platforms, and enterprise applications (CRM, ERP, HCM). The company delivers its offerings via internet browsers and on mobile devices. Kinetech designs, builds, and supports mission-critical applications, client/vendor portals, and modernizes legacy systems. Its cloud offerings include Digital Factory (Manufacturing), Kinetech PM (Construction / Project Management), GovTech (Government Technology) Cloud, and other bespoke solutions (Enterprise Cloud). President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that there would be enough COVID-19 vaccines available for the American population by the end of May, following his previous commitment of enough vaccine supply by the end of July. Biden is also pushing for teachers and school staff's vaccination over the next month. NPR reported that Biden's latest announcement of producing enough COVID-19 vaccines for each adult in the country by the end of May has moved up the timeline two months earlier, which is what he said just a few weeks ago. Having enough vaccine supply was made possible by the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) granting of emergency use authorization to Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine. Related article: Biden Administration Scrambles to Find 20 Million COVID-19 Vaccine Doses Unaccounted For COVID-19 Vaccinations for Teachers and School Staff According to NPR, Joe Biden called on states to prioritize teachers, school staff, and essential workers in the vaccination schedule to address a call for all grade-school employees and child care providers to be inoculated at least one shot by the end of the month. In an interview with CBS News, a White House Official shared that the Biden administration coordinates with states across the country and expects their respective authorities to act quickly to implement the inoculation. The officials also said the White House has the power to direct the vaccine supply that the federal government provides to the states and be dispersed, rendering to their guidelines. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said in a statement that Biden administration pushing the vaccinations for teachers or educators is great news for those who want in-school learning. COVID-19 Vaccine Supply Apart from the goal of inoculating educators and school staff, ABC News reported that Joe Biden also publicized the collaboration of pharmaceutical company Merck with their rival Johnson & Johnson in producing their one shot COVID-19 vaccine. Because of this, Biden noted that America is on-track with sufficing the vaccine supply for Americans by the end of May. CBS News added that a senior administration official said Merck would provide two factories to filling and producing the vaccine from its competitor Johnson & Johnson. Because of their collaboration, there is a potential to significantly increase the vaccine supply, but it may take two months before Merck can start with their production. ABC News furthered that officials noted that vaccination among Americans could extend into the summer as the production of the COVID-19 vaccines is heightened. Factors like the government's ability to deliver doses and the rest of the population's willingness to be inoculated will play a role in the vaccination crusade. With the vaccine's uptick in production due to Johnsons & Johnson and Merck's collaboration, Biden is saying that there are already at least 30 states who prioritize teachers and school staff in the vaccination. However, he noted that he is still using the federal government's authority to give directives on all states and the district of Colombia to do the same. Johnson & Johnson has started shipping out four million COVID-19 vaccines on Monday. The firm is targeting to deliver more than 20 million doses by the end of the month and 100 million on June. Read also: President Joe Biden Targets Groups With Vaccine Uncertainty for COVID-19 Funds as U.S. Mourns for the 500,000 Lives Lost Due to The Disease WATCH: Biden Says Vaccine Will be Available to Everyone by End of May - From CNBC Television Oleksii Liskonih/iStockBy CONNOR FINNEGAN, ABC News (WASHINGTON) -- Not long after President Joe Biden took office he moved immediately to push for an end to the war in Yemen -- pausing two arms sales to Saudi Arabia, naming a special envoy to reinvigorate diplomacy, and lifting the U.S. designation of the Houthi rebels as terrorists after aid groups warned it would spell disaster. But just over two weeks later, his administration is now sanctioning more Houthi leaders, as the movement's forces continue their offensive against a key northern city and their rocket and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia. And despite Yemen experiencing the world's worst humanitarian crisis, the United Nations donors conference Monday fell short of half of its requested funding to address the Yemeni people's plight. It's a sign that despite U.S. intentions, there are limits to what U.S. diplomacy can do, but to critics, it's also proof that Biden shouldn't have revoked his predecessor Donald Trump's 11th hour designation of the Iran-backed rebels. In six years of war, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have led a U.S.-backed coalition in support of the Yemeni government against the Houthis, a Shiite movement known formally as Ansar Allah and armed by Iran. Both sides have faced allegations of war crimes, with Yemen's population of around 29 million people suffering in the crosshairs and from starvation, sky-high inflation and a collapsed economy, and outbreaks of cholera and now coronavirus. The new U.S. sanctions Tuesday target the Houthis' naval chief of staff Mansur al Saadi and their air force commander Ahmad Ali Ahsan al Hamzi. Al Saadi is responsible for lethal attacks on international shipping, including civilian vessels, the U.S. Treasury said Tuesday, while al Hamzi oversees the Houthi's drone program that has targeted neighboring Saudi Arabia. Both men are said to have received training in Iran and helped smuggle Iranian weapons into Yemen. Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned Tehran's government for fanning "the flames of the conflict, threatening greater escalation, miscalculation, and regional instability," and providing the Houthis "weapons, intelligence, training, and support to conduct attacks" against civilian targets in Yemen and neighboring Saudi Arabia. But it was just two weeks ago that Blinken lifted certain sanctions on the Houthis' top leadership as specially globally designated terrorists. Former Trump administration officials accused their predecessors of easing up the pressure on the Houthis, even as they marched forward on the battlefield. State Department spokesperson Ned Price defended that decision Monday, saying that those Houthi leaders remain under different U.S. sanctions and that lifting the designation was critical to staving off a humanitarian crisis. Aid groups have warned that designating the Houthis as a terrorist organization would create enormous legal hurdles to bringing food, medicine, and other aid into a country where most civilians are reliant on foreign assistance. "It was not a mistake to do everything we could within our power to alleviate the humanitarian suffering of the Yemeni people," Price told reporters. Price also defended the Biden administration's response to the humanitarian crisis amid a deep shortfall in funding. The U.S. is contributing an additional $191 million for aid groups, Blinken announced Monday, on top of the $160 million the Trump administration had pledged for this fiscal year. That brings total U.S. assistance to $3.4 billion since the conflict began, according to the State Department. The U.N. had urged governments to provide more funding after its pledge drive last year was met with a little over half of its request -- at a time when the need is even greater, especially because of continued fighting and COVID-19. But Monday's drive fell even further short -- less than half of the $3.85 billion the UN requested for the 16 million Yemenis on the brink of famine and the 20 million that rely on humanitarian assistance everyday. The U.S. had called on Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in particular to boost their pledges after pulling back last year. Both Arab countries have announced more aid, with the Saudis telling the conference they'll supply $430 million and the UAE announcing Friday it will commit an additional $230 million. Price wouldn't say whether the U.S. was disappointed with Monday's total, but called on the international community to "raise our ambition. ... The United States put up today, other countries made generous donations. We need to keep that momentum going," he said. More than that, however, those pledges need to now be delivered quickly, according to David Gressly, an American who serves as the U.N.'s humanitarian coordinator for Yemen. "We want to turn promises into food, water, medicines, and other life-saving aid as quickly as possible," he told the U.N. donor conference Monday. "The difference between pledges paid promptly or not is the difference between life and death." This cycle of donor pledges has made work even harder for aid groups, according to Muriel Boursier, the Doctors Without Borders chief in Yemen. "There is a need for sustained response with proper funding," Boursier told ABC News from the capital Sana. "The humanitarian response cycle, with every year new pledging, disrupts the system every year." While aid alone won't stop the conflict, Gressly added, it is critical to halting the fighting, with scarce resources an important driver: "If you're not feeding the people, you're feeding the war," he told world leaders. Blinken also offered praise Monday for the Saudi and Yemeni governments, saying U.S. special envoy Tim Lenderking reported both are "committed and eager to find a solution to the conflict." But the Houthi rebels have continued their offensive toward Marib, a major city and key stronghold of government support -- imperiling over a million people, many of them already displaced from elsewhere in Yemen, and threatening further humanitarian disaster. While the U.S. and U.N. have called for that campaign to halt, Houthi forces continue to advance, emboldened on the battlefield to take control of Yemen's remaining population centers ahead of any negotiations. Copyright 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Partly cloudy this morning, then becoming cloudy during the afternoon. High 76F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mainly clear. Low 47F. Winds light and variable. Irina Shayk is back to mom duties in New York City after jetsetting to various fashion weeks across the pond. The 35-year-old model was spotted picking up her three-year-old daughter, Lea De Seine, clad in a long blue Max Mara teddy bear coat on Wednesday. Irina sported her best street wear for the outing, rocking a black t-shirt with a black and white-striped collar and gray relaxed fit denim. Mom duties: Irina Shayk was spotted picking up her three-year-old daughter, Lea De Seine, clad in a long blue Max Mara teddy bear coat on Wednesday The Russian beauty wore black leather boots and silver necklaces to give her look a bit of 90's rock star edge. She topped off the ensemble with a pair of blue-lensed sunglasses and a blue-printed face covering. Her stunning brunette locks blew in the chilly breeze as she made her way down the street, carrying both a tote bag and black DeMellier London clutch for the walk. Little Lea was wearing a black and white patterned face mask with a colorful striped pom pom beanie and brown hooded coat. 90's queen: The 35-year-old model sported her best street wear for the outing, rocking a black t-shirt with a black and white-striped collar and gray relaxed fit denim Irina's adorable child also sported a colorful scarf and floral print shoes, holding her dad's hand until she convinced him to pick her up. The fashionista shares Lea with 46-year-old actor Bradley Cooper, whom she was with for four years before splitting in 2019. The Oscar-winner was seen taking their daughter, who will be celebrating her fourth birthday on March 21, to school Wednesday morning. Style: She topped off the ensemble with a pair of blue-lensed sunglasses and a blue-printed face covering. Her stunning brunette locks blew in the chilly breeze as she made her way down the street, carrying both a tote bag and black clutch for the walk Shayk's stroll came one day after she gave a rare update on how the exes parent their little one to Elle Magazine. 'I never understood the term co-parenting. When Im with my daughter, Im 100 percent a mother, and when shes with her dad, hes 100 percent her dad. Co-parenting is parenting,' Irina explained in the March cover story. The Victoria's Secret angel has stayed mum on her former relationship with the A Star Is Born director, and Irina explained why: 'My past relationship, its something that belongs to me, and its private.' Exes: The fashionista shares Lea with 46-year-old actor Bradley Cooper, whom she was with for four years before splitting in 2019; the former couple are seen here in 2019 'Its just a piece of my inner self that I dont want to give away,' she added. 'I dont read what is out there. Honestly, Im too busy raising a child. If they want to write articles [about me], theyre doing their job. Im concentrating on my life and my friends. The rest is just noise.' The former couple welcomed little Lea in 2017 and Shayk star is frequently spotted walking around New York City with her daughter. Lea's doting dad took over parenting duties while Irina traveled to Europe for fashion week festivities, getting her to and from school each day. [March 03, 2021] Masood Khan, Esq., of SunPoint Public Adjusters, Inc. Accepts United Policyholders' Invitation on Prestigious Advisory Council United Policyholders, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to be a trustworthy and useful information resource and effective voice for consumers, announced it 2020-2021 members for their Advisory Council. United Policyholders invited Masood Khan, Esq., Executive Vice President of SunPoint Public Adjusters, Inc., to be a member on the Advisory Council for the term. Amy Bach, Esq., is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of United Policyholders and is a respected voice for consumers of all types of insurance in all 50 states. This honorable membership on the Advisory Council is extended to those who demonstrate a strong commitment to helping advance the work of United Policyholders so that they can continue to sustain the organization's operations for the benefit of insureds. Masood Khan, Esq., of SunPoint Public Adjusters Inc., was extremely honored to accept the Membership on the Advisory Council for United Policyholders. "I could not be more honored to have been invited to be part of such an amazing organization whose sole purpose is to advocate for policyholders, educate the insurance consumer, and provide resources that may not otherwise be an option for those who have suffered property devastation and have been forced to uproot their lives and/or businesses," said Masood Khan, Esq., of SunPoint Public Adjusters, Inc. Masood Khan, Esq., looks forward to working with United Policyholders on internal projects as well as those in conjunction with other non-profit organizations such as the American Association of Public Insurance Adjusters on matter of importance to policyholders. Both SunPoin Public Adjusters, Inc. and United Policyholders play a very key role in consumer advocacy, serving both residential and commercial property owners. "Now more than ever, it is critical that consumers are aware of their duties as insureds. United Policyholders provides an added benefit not only to the consumer but to the industry and works with legislators and other important resources to advocate on behalf of insureds to remove obstacles to recovery for consumers and their advocates while also maintaining up to date changes made by insurance legislators," stated Masood Khan, Esq., of SunPoint Public Adjusters, Inc. About United Policyholders: UP was co-founded in 1991 by Amy Bach, a consumer advocate and attorney, and Ina Delong, a 22-year insurance professional. The spark for UP was an urban area wildfire that destroyed 3,000 homes in Northern California. In the aftermath of the disaster, the residents struggled with serious and unexpected gaps in their insurance coverage and a claim process that was often adversarial. UP was formed to help level the playing field between insurers and insureds. Donations, foundation grants and volunteer labor support the organization's work. Our 200+ strong volunteer corps includes disaster survivors, lawyers, insurance professionals, financial planners, CPAs, construction experts, patient advocates and retired judges. No insurance companies underwrite or fund our programs. For more information visit https://www.uphelp.org. About SunPoint Public Adjusters, Inc.: SunPoint Public Adjusters, Inc. are professional loss consultants, commonly known as public insurance adjusters. The company is licensed by each state to represent policyholders' interests after a disaster. The license prohibits adjusters from representing the interests of insurance companies, eliminating the inherent conflict of interest that exists between the company's adjuster or the company's independent adjuster or the individual in the claims process. The public adjuster's role is to prepare, present, and negotiate the claim with only the interest of his/her client's best interest at heart. For more information, visit https://sunpoint.us. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005736/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The United States has revoked the designations of Ansarallah, or the Houthis, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and as Specially Designated Global Terrorist. This comes on the heels of the Biden-Harris Administrations decision to end its support for the Saudi-led military offensive in Yemen. The war, aimed at Houthi rebels, started more than six years ago, has led to a humanitarian crisis affecting some 24 million people and to the deaths of more than 233,000. We have listened to warnings from the United Nations, humanitarian groups, and bipartisan members of Congress, among others, that the designations could have a devastating impact on Yemenis access to basic commodities like food and fuel, explained Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement.By focusing on alleviating the humanitarian situation in Yemen, we hope the Yemeni parties can also focus on engaging in dialogue. Ansarallah leaders Abdul Malik al-Houthi, Abd al-Khaliq Badr al-Din al-Houthi, and Abdullah Yahya al-Hakim remain sanctioned. We will continue to closely monitor the activities of Ansarallah and its leaders and are actively identifying additional targets for designation, Said Secretary Blinken. The United States will continue to support the implementation of UN sanctions imposed on members of Ansarallah, call attention to the groups destabilizing activity, and pressure the group to change its behavior. The United States remains clear-eyed about Ansarallahs malign actions, including taking control of large areas of Yemen by force, attacking U.S. partners in the Gulf, kidnapping and torturing citizens of the United States and many of our allies, diverting humanitarian aid, brutally repressing Yemenis in areas they control, and the deadly attack on December 30, 2020 in Aden against the cabinet of the legitimate government of Yemen. Ansarallahs actions and intransigence prolong this conflict and exact serious humanitarian costs, declared Secretary Blinken. We remain committed to helping U.S. partners in the Gulf defend themselves, said Secretary Blinken, including against threats arising from Yemen, many of which are carried out with the support of Iran. The United States will redouble its efforts, alongside the United Nations and others, to end the war itself. We reaffirm our strong belief that there is no military solution to this conflict. We urge all parties to work towards a lasting political solution, said Secretary Blinken, which is the only means to durably end the humanitarian crisis afflicting the people of Yemen. Amid rising tensions between the US and Iran, at least 10 rockets were fired at Iraq's Ain al-Asad airbase on Wednesday that hosts the United States, coalition and Iraqi forces, the Iraqi military said. US-led coalition spokesperson and US Army Colonel Wayne Marotto said the base was targeted around 7:30 am (Iraq time) on Wednesday. However, Iran has not officially confirmed that it targeted the US-led coalition force's base. This is the second such rocket attack in Iraq in the past month. Notably, it has also happened just two days before Pope Francis is due to visit the war-torn country. The Pope is scheduled to visit the country from March 5-8. As per the latest information, no casualty has been reported in the rocket attack. The rockets were reportedly fired from a location in western Anbar province, about 8 km from the base. Also read: US-Iran conflict: Trump vows to hit 52 Iranian targets in case of retaliation In a recent similar attack on US-led forces in Iraq on February 16, a civilian contractor was killed and a US service member was injured as a rocket hit a facility in northern Iraq. The US forces on February 25 launched airstrikes in Syria to target facilities belonging to a powerful Iranian-backed Iraqi armed group, reportedly killing one fighter and wounding several others. Today's airstrikes are seen in the retaliation of these airstrikes. The US airstrikes were launched after President Joe Biden gave a green signal. "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," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said. Also read: US-Iran conflict: Both countries signal desire to avoid further tension Archbishop Michael Neary is among the six bishops calling for changes to the Covid restrictions. Photo: Keith Heneghan Six catholic bishops in the west of Ireland have called on the Government to overturn the cap of 10 mourners permitted at funerals under Covid restrictions and increase the number to 25. In a strongly worded statement today, the six bishops said they found it very difficult to support the Governments five-stage plan, Covid-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021: The Path Ahead over the funeral cap and the lack of clarity over the return to the public celebration of the sacraments. We believe that a modest increase to 25 would, without compromising safety, bring much consolation to grieving families, they said. They also announced the deferral of this years Confirmations in their dioceses until the autumn and encouraged parishes to do the same for Holy Communions. In so far as the Government plan currently offers no clarity about when we might expect to return to public Sacramental life, we find it difficult to have any confidence that the Sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation can be celebrated before the end of the present school year, the bishops said. Their pastoral message is published in the week that marks the first anniversary of the appearance of the Covid-19 pandemic in Ireland. Read More The bishops said they were reaching out to the people of the six dioceses of the Tuam Province given the tragic loss of so many lives in so many parish communities in the region. All of us appreciate the efforts and the sacrifices of those in our community who provide essential services. For many people, however, the continued high level of restriction poses practical and emotional challenges. As church leaders, they said they had consistently supported the public health restrictions on the grounds that they serve the common good but added that this did not mean that they cannot or should not speak out when they believe that something seems unfair or could be done better. We have consistently made representations, not only for the timely reopening of the public pastoral life of the Church, but also for better protection for elderly residents in nursing homes, for equity in the delivery of critical care in our hospitals and for a fair distribution of vaccines both in our own society and in the wider world. Though accepting that now is not the time for a major reopening of society, they highlighted their difficulties with Covid-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021: The Path Ahead. There are two things in this plan which we find very difficult to support. One of those is the fact that at Level 5, all funerals are still limited to 10 people. Their other concern is that public worship is still excluded even at Level 3. This would suggest that we may not have the opportunity to celebrate mass together for months to come. It ignores the important contribution of communal worship to the mental and spiritual well-being of people of faith. The fundamental importance of Holy Week and Easter for all Christians, makes the prohibition of public worship particularly painful. As Christians, the bishops said they were obliged to obey these regulations, but they underlined that it was their responsibility as church leaders to make the case for change. We will continue to make fair and reasonable representation and we encourage you to do likewise, Archbishop Michael Neary, Bishop John Fleming, Bishop Michael Duignan, Bishop Brendan Kelly, Bishop Kevin Doran, and Bishop Paul Dempsey said. Headlines: - Biden signed off on limiting $1,400 checks to those earning less than $80,000 for single filers and $160,000 for joint filers with no phase-out (full details) - Senate introduction of new stimulus bill delayed until Thursday after late alterations to funding provision - $1.9tn relief bill was passed by the House of Representatives last Saturday - The American Rescue Plan is supported by roughly 70% of Americans (poll) - Biden says he would support the stimulus bill's child tax credit increase being made permanent - Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer insists: "Help is on the way" - Stimulus check of up to $1,400 included in the Democrat-backed aid package - 14 March cited as deadline for American Rescue Plan bill to be passed - Progressive Dems call for minimum-wage hike not to be stripped from bill in the Senate - House approve bill that will extend and increase federal pandemic unemployment benefits (more here) - Get the latest stimulus check news in Spanish - las noticias sobre los cheques de estimulo en espanol - US covid-19 cases/deaths: 28.7 million/517,833 (live updates) Have a read of some of the latest related news stories: On March 3, Anhui's delegation of National People's Congress (NPC) deputies left for Beijing from Hefei to attend the Fourth Annual Session of the 13th National People's Congress. During the upcoming "Two Sessions", the deputies will offer their suggestions based on their experience in Anhui to help promtote the development of China in the first year of the 14th Five-Year Plan. [Photo by Peng Yini] On March 3, Anhui's delegation of National People's Congress (NPC) deputies left for Beijing from Hefei to attend the Fourth Annual Session of the 13th National People's Congress. During the upcoming "Two Sessions", the deputies will offer their suggestions based on their experience in Anhui to help promote the development of China in the first year of the 14th Five-Year Plan. [Photo by Peng Yini] Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 20:15:47|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HONG KONG, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Over half of New Zealand's border workforce have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccination on Wednesday, as some Asia-Pacific countries' vaccination drives were kicked off amid increasing daily cases. Malaysia reported 1,745 new COVID-19 infections, the health ministry said, bringing the national total to 305,880. Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press statement that two of the new cases are imported and 1,743 are local transmissions. Thailand confirmed 35 new infections, mostly domestic, according to the country's Center for the COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA). Of the new cases, 25 were domestic infections while 10 others referred to imported cases, the CCSA spokesman Taweesin Visanuyothin said during the daily briefing. Indian President Ram Nath Kovind got his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in the capital Delhi, an official at his office said. India's COVID-19 tally rose to 11,139,516 as 14,989 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours, said the latest data from the federal health ministry. The death toll mounted to 157,346 with 98 new deaths. The Philippines' Department of Health reported 1,783 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 582,223. The death toll climbed to 12,389 after 20 more patients died from the viral disease. Some 2,212 people have been quarantined at 31 accommodation centers across Laos, Deputy Director General of the Department of Communicable Diseases Control under Lao Ministry of Health Phonepaserd Sayamoungkhoun told a press conference in Lao capital Vientiane. Some 150,000 medical workers in Laos will get vaccinated against COVID-19 in March and April using the China-donated Sinopharm vaccines, local media reported. Tokyo reported 316 new daily COVID-19 cases, bringing the capital's cumulative total of infections to 112,345. According to the Tokyo Metropolitan government, the latest figure compares to 232 new infections confirmed the previous day and is 103 more than the same time a week earlier. Fiji reported four new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of active COVID-19 cases to seven in the island nation. According to a statement by Fiji's Ministry of Health, all four imported cases tested positive during routine quarantine testing, while undergoing mandatory 14-day quarantine in Nadi, Fiji's third-largest city. Cambodia reported 34 more local cases, bringing the total number of infected people linked to the third community transmission to 374, the Ministry of Health said in a statement. Two South Koreans with underlying diseases died after receiving the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines, according to Yonhap news agency. A patient around 50 years old, who had been in a nursing hospital in Goyang, just outside of the capital Seoul, received the first jab of the full two-dose vaccines, developed by the British-Swedish drug maker, on Tuesday morning. South Korea reported 444 more cases as of midnight Tuesday compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 90,816. The daily caseload was up from 344 the previous day, rising above 400 in four days. More than half of New Zealand's estimated 12,000 border workforces have received their first jab of the COVID-19 vaccine as the third batch of vaccines arrived in the country, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said. New Zealand reported two more cases in managed isolation facilities and no new cases in the community. Enditem WASHINGTON - Three women, including a photographer who said she lost vision after being shot with a rubber bullet, sued the District of Columbia and its former police chief last week for injuries they say they suffered at a May protest after the death of George Floyd. After Floyd died at the hands of Minneapolis police on May 25, protesters flooded D.C., staging marches that occasionally turned violent amid clashes with police. At about 9 p.m. on May 30, photojournalist Luz Del Carmen Salama-Tobar joined sisters Daphne Bolotas and Electra Bolotas, both teachers, in a protest near St. John's Church near Lafayette Square, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Soon after they arrived, officers fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the crowd "without warning or provocation," the lawsuit said. Salama-Tobar was struck by a rubber bullet in her left eye, according to the suit, which also said Daphne Bolotas suffered a broken wrist after she was thrown to the ground and that Electra Bolotas suffered a concussion after an officer hit her with a baton. The three women were detained by authorities in a police kettle for two hours before they were released, the lawsuit said. The rubber bullet was removed from Salama-Tobar's eye the next day, according to the lawsuit, but she still cannot see out of that eye. She also suffers from migraines and fears she "will no longer be able to effectively function as a professional," the lawsuit said. The suit, filed against former D.C. police chief Peter Newsham and unidentified local and federal law enforcement officers, sought unspecified compensatory and punitive damages. D.C. officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. Newsham declined to comment, citing the pending litigation. "We look forward to vindicating our clients' rights in the courtroom," attorneys for the women said in a statement. Newsham resigned in November amid criticism of his response to the protests. He subsequently became police chief of Prince William County in Virginia. Among other litigation filed after mass arrests, the American Civil Liberties Union and Black Lives Matter sued President Donald Trump in June after protesters in front of St. John's Church were hit with pepper spray and other projectiles ahead of a photo op of the president holding a Bible. A motion to dismiss in that suit, filed Feb. 16, said that courts "should not intrude into sensitive matters of presidential security" and that the officers involved in the incident are protected by "qualified immunity for actions taken to protect the President's safety." A response filed Friday called the actions at St. John's a "concerted, coordinated governmental attack." "This was no routine, orderly clearing of a safety perimeter for the President's movement," the motion said. "Rather, it was an attack by government officers against their own people, of a degree unprecedented on U.S. soil for the past half-century." The Whooper Swan has a yellow bill and no black knob like that of the Mute Swan. The yellow on its bill extends below its nostrils As we leave winter behind, the evocative, loud, bugling calls of Whooper Swans will soon fall silent for another year as these impressive winter visitors to Ireland depart northwards for their breeding grounds in remote areas of the Icelandic tundra. We have three species of swan in Ireland. The Mute Swan with its orange-red bill and prominent black knob on its forehead, is a well-known and widely distributed resident. The other two have yellow bills, do not have black knobs on their foreheads, and are winter visitors from the far north. The Whooper Swan, the larger of the two winter visitors, is immortalised in the legend of the Children of Lir in which the children's wicked step-mother turned the four offspring of King Lir into swans. The Whooper Swan is larger and the yellow on its bill extends below its nostrils as shown above. Bewick's Swan is smaller, more goose-like, and the yellow colour on its bill stops short of its nostrils. It nests in Arctic Russia. The results of the 8th International Swan Census that took place in January 2020 have just been released and they show that while Whooper Swan numbers increased by 27% since 2015, Bewick's Swan numbers continued to tumble, so much so that the species looks set to be extinct in Ireland in the coming years. The census is carried out over a single weekend every five years. Nearly 300 volunteer birdwatchers, as well as staff from BirdWatch Ireland and the National Parks and Wildlife Service, take part in the census, checking over 1,500 locations across the island of Ireland. In 2020, 19,111 Whooper Swans were recorded, 14,467 in the Republic of Ireland and 4,644 in Northern Ireland, the highest total ever recorded on the island. In total, 550 flocks were recorded. Wetlands along the River Shannon and its lakes and tributaries form a stronghold for the species. The largest numbers of birds were recorded in counties Offaly, Galway, Roscommon, Donegal, Derry and Antrim. Only 12 Bewick's Swans were recorded in all of Ireland during the 2020 census - 11 in Co Wexford and a lone bird in Co Roscommon. It is expected that the species will cease to occur in Ireland altogether in the near future due to changes in its migration as a result of climate change. A young cook has wowed thousands after he shared his very simple recipe for an epic McDonald's-inspired sausage and egg McMuffin. Accounting student Ali Chebbani, from Sydney, shared a now-viral TikTok video showing exactly how he makes the iconic breakfast menu item with double patties. The 21-year-old - who runs a food truck called Chebbo's Burger - used ground pork mince, a seven spice blend, garlic powder, pepper, a pinch of salt and sugar, cheese and English muffins. Scroll down for video Ali Chebbani (pictured), from Sydney, has wowed thousands after he shared his very simple recipe for an epic McDonald's-inspired sausage and egg McMuffin The ingredients you need to make sausage and egg McMuffin INGREDIENTS Sausage patties Pork mince 7 spice blend Garlic powder Salt and pepper Sugar Muffins Cheese Butter English muffins Advertisement He started by shaping the ground mince into two round balls, before seasoning the outer layers with a seven spice blend, garlic powder, pepper, salt and sugar. Ali, who calls himself Chebbo, suggested seasoning the patties with sage and thyme instead of the seven spice blend. 'I ran out of sage and thyme which was why I used seven spice,' he explained. He then placed the balls in a cast iron pan over high heat, before using a smashed burger tool to press the meat into a flat patty shapes. While the patties are sizzling, he buttered the muffins. To toast the bread, he placed them into the same pan with the patties. Once the patties are brown on one side, he flipped them over. Next, he cracked an egg into an egg ring. Then he used a spatula to 'give the egg a mix in the ring' to break up the yolk. Chebbo then placed a slice of cheese on each patty while it's still in the pan, and he removed it once the cheese has melted. 'To assemble, he topped the bottom muffin with the fried egg, followed by the double patties with cheeses, and the top of muffin. 'That's it,' Chebbo said as he took a big bite of his creation, adding: 'It's amazing.' He placed the ball-shaped mince pork in a cast iron pan over high heat, before using a smashed burger tool to press the meat into a flat patty shapes. Next, he cracked an egg into an egg ring. Then he used a spatula to 'give the egg a mix in the ring' to break up the yolk Once the patties are brown on one side, he flipped them over. Next, he then placed a slice of cheese on each patty while it's still in the pan, and he removed it once the cheese has melted The video has since been viewed more than 300,000 times, with dozens saying they couldn't wait to recreate the breakfast muffin at home. 'That almost looks better than the original at Maccas,' one wrote. One chef pointed out in an amusing post: 'You overcooked that egg to death, go easy bro, it ain't even born yet,' to which Chebbo responded: 'Yeah, my bad, I lost track of time.' Another man asked why he broke the egg yolk, to which Chebbo explained: 'It's how we did it at Maccas, grown used to it in muffins.' A McDonald's employee weighed in on the egg debate, saying: 'It's because we actually steam the eggs, not fry them and if the yolk isn't broken, then it'll be runny and annoy some Karens.' Recently, research team led by academician GUO Guangcan from CAS Key Laboratory of Quantum Information of the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) of CAS, has made an important progress in quantum information theory. Prof. LI Chuanfeng and Prof. XIANG Guoyong from the team, cooperated with Dr. Strelstov from University of Warsaw, investigated the imaginary part of quantum theory as a resource, and several important results have been obtained. Relevant results are now jointly published as Editors' Suggestion in Physical Review Letters and Physical Review A. Complex number is a mathematical tool, and it is widely used in mechanics, electrodynamics, optics and other related fields of physics to provide an elegant formulation of the corresponding theory. The birth of quantum mechanics gives a unified picture of wave and particle, and further strengthens the prominent role of complex number in physics. However, the question of whether complex structures are necessary for quantum mechanics has long been debated by physicists Researchers regarded complex number as a kind of quantum resource, and reveal its irreplaceable role in the local discrimination of bipartite quantum states. Furthermore, in the framework of quantum resource theory, they studied the measurement method of this resource and the transformation problem under various free operations. They have solved the problem of robustness measurement of complex size, transformation of single bit quantum state under free operation and mutual transformation probability of any pure state under free operation. Using the two-photon entangled state prepared by parametric down conversion, researchers further measured and compared the success probability of locally distinguishing quantum state when only using the real measurement basis and using general measurement basis. They successfully observed the increase of the success probability when using the complex measurement basis, which verified the important role of the complex in quantum mechanics. This work proves that the imaginary part is indispensable in the theory of quantum mechanics. The reviewer highly recommended it as "I find that the quantum imaginarity can be considered as a stronger form of quantum coherence, ......., I also think that the results in the manuscript will stimulate the research on the quantum foundation and the quantum resource theories with a richer structure". ### The Telegraph Theres nothing like a British heatwave to bring out a long list of extreme weather advice. With temperatures set to remain high this week, what advice should you be following? We asked the experts... The claim: Keep all your windows and curtains closed The truth: Its natural on a hot day to keep all your windows and doors open, says Dr Alannah Hare, an NHS and Private Sleep Consultant at the Royal Brompton. However, the best thing to do is to keep your windows shut and your curtains drawn all day. Its all due to temperature differentials. When you open your windows in the morning it feels cool and lovely, but as the sun comes up throughout the day it heats the inside of your house. If you keep your windows and curtains closed until dusk, however, your house will feel very cool when you go to bed. As the sun sets, open your curtains and windows and youll feel a lovely breeze coming through your house, which will help you sleep. Verdict: True The claim: Drink hot tea to cool down The truth: It has long been established that staying hydrated is essential during a heatwave. However, whether or not you should be boiling up a brew in the heat has been the subject of intense scientific debate. In 2012, a landmark study by the University of Ottawas Ollie Jay, sought to find an answer once and for all. The team discovered that when thermosensors in the mouth and throat detect heat, the brain activates a sweating response. The sweat then absorbs body heat and evaporates it into the air. As a result, they concluded that drinking hot drinks can cool you down in certain environments. Drinking a hot latte while wearing long sleeves and trousers won't work, because sweat needs to evaporate and the reduction in temperature caused by sweating needs to exceed the increase in temperature caused by drinking a hot drink. But drinking tea in a summer dress or short-sleeved shirt may help you cool down slightly. Verdict: True The claim: Have a hot curry The truth: Gazpacho, ice cream, cold fruit salad and, curry? Several foods can have a cooling effect, and it seems one of them is chilli. It might appear counter-intuitive everyone whos had an extra hot curry will know why but it makes sense, considering many of the worlds spiciest cuisines are found in warm climates. The theory is simple: fight fire with fire. Hot, spicy food, which usually contains chilli, contains a chemical called capsaicin. When eaten it heats up the body and you begin to sweat. The evaporation of this sweat removes heat from the body. Supposedly, cold food will only cool you down for a short spell, while hot, spicy food provides a more long-term cooling. Several other ingredients often found in curries are thought to hold cooling properties, such as turmeric. Its worth noting, however, that in order to sweat you must remain hydrated, so drink plenty of water. Verdict: True (but it might not feel like it) The claim: Stay out of the sun The truth: This week the sun is high enough in the sky, and strong enough, to deliver a really good hit of vitamin D, says dietitian Helen Bond. Its wise to be cautious in the sun, and I certainly wouldnt advise sitting in a beer garden or a park for a couple of hours in the lunchtime sun. But a 15 minute walk exposing your hands, face and arms to the sun will give you a fantastic amount of vitamin D to keep your levels topped up throughout the rest of the year. Verdict: False The claim: Have a cool beer tonight The truth: British people tend to get very excited about a sunny spell, says Bond. However, drinking too much alcohol in a heatwave is just about the worst thing you can do. On a cold day, alcohol is dehydrating, but on a hot day the effects are tenfold and if youre drinking during the day and outside, youre more likely to get burnt because the enjoyment of drinking keeps people rooted to the spot. A couple of beers is fine, but no more than that, and have a glass of water before, in between, and after each beer. People tend to drink more Pimms and beer in a heatwave and then get a double whammy of bad sleep, from the effects of the alcohol and the heat, adds Hare. So drink moderately. Verdict: False The claim: Have a cold shower before bed The truth: This is something people always tell me they do when its hot, but it doesnt work, says Hare. After a long, hot day in an office, its tempting to blast yourself under a cold shower just before bed. But the problem is the body then raises its core temperature to compensate for the cold water, which makes you feel warmer once youre in bed and makes sleep more uncomfortable. Its far better to have a tepid bath or shower, so your body doesnt try to warm itself up. Verdict: False The claim: Put your pillow in the freezer The truth: Weve all heard this one, but does it actually work? Yes it does, but dont put your whole pillow in there, just the pillow case, says Hare. Around an hour before you want to go to bed, put your pillow cases in a plastic bag and put them in the freezer for about 40 minutes. Then pop it on just before bed, and it will feel lovely and cool on your skin. You know that feeling you get on a warm night when you turn your pillow over so you can feel the cool side? It feels like that, but one hundred times better. Verdict: True The claim: Sleep naked The truth: People always ask me about this, says Hare. If youre wearing natural fibres, like cotton, then youll feel cooler in the night than if you were naked because the cotton will wick away sweat from your skin. However, anything man-made or synthetic will keep heat next to your skin. And the same goes for bedding. So if I had the choice between cotton and nakedness, Id choose cotton. But if youre choosing between man-made fibres and nakedness, go naked. Verdict: Inconclusive The claim: Don't exercise The truth: Working out can become a sweaty business though some hardy souls will carry on regardless. Exercising in extreme heat places extra stress on the body and can be dangerous, leading to a range of heat-related illnesses, from heat cramps to heatstroke. That doesnt mean you should avoid it altogether but you should understand how to recognise symptoms and know your limits. Warning signs, according to the Mayo Clinic, are numerous, including cramps, nausea, excessive sweating, dizziness, increased heart rate and visual problems. By taking some basic precautions, your exercise routine doesnt have to be sidelined when the heat is on. Here are some top tips from the Mayo Clinic: Know how fit you are. If new to working out, take added care. Opt for something less intense, and keep hydrated. Hydration is key. Drink regularly, and dont wait until youre thirsty. If sweating heavily, consider an isotonic sports drink, which will replace the minerals and nutrients lost while sweating, like sodium, chloride and potassium. Wear the right gear. Keep it lightweight and loose, and choose a material that promotes evaporation. Dark colours, which absorb heat, are best avoided. Cover up with a hat and wear plenty of sunscreen. A sunburn will hamper your bodys ability to cool down. Exercise early in the morning to avoid the worst of the heat Verdict: False-ish The claim: Read heat wave advice features (like this one) The truth: There are two things British people like to talk about the weather and their sleep, says Hare. During a heatwave people start to panic about their sleep, which is the very thing that will stop them sleeping. So try not to worry about it too much. Maybe your sleep will be a little disturbed, but thats fine. Youll manage to get enough sleep to get by. And just think, in a few months time it will be cold again, and well back to worrying about that instead. Verdict: Inconclusive Telegraph readers share their heatwave sleep advice Here's a selection of the comments you've left on our heatwave stories. Please continue to share with us your advice in the section below this article. Jasmine Maddock: I put an ice pack in the bed a little while to cool the bed down, and find a cup of tea helps as paradoxically the heat cools your body down. Mikel Crawley: We put a duvet on the floor near an open door so air moves through, and sleep on top of the duvet cover. Linden Airey: If you are wearing clothes to bed, lightly dampen the clothes. With this kind of heat, damp can be your friend! If you can't return to sleep after waking in the night, use a wet washcloth to cool your skin. Anonymous reader: Put large bath towel on your bed Have a cool or barely warm shower Lie down on your towel, still wet preferably naked Ideally also have fan blowing towards the bed on low Water will evaporate on your body and lower your temperature Towel will stay mildly damp and cool you as the water in that evaporates also What are your heatwave hacks? Tell us in the comments below The Portland Timbers will head to Tucson, Arizona, later this month to continue preseason training and will play four preseason matches there as the club prepares for the 2021 MLS season. After arriving in Tucson on March 15, the Timbers will play in the 2021 Visit Tucson Sun Cup. Portland will face the Colorado Rapids and Phoenix Rising on March 16, then play the Rising again on March 20. The Timbers will take on Sporting Kansas City on March 24. Portland will wrap up its preseason slate with a March 30 match against the Seattle Sounders in Tukwila, Washington. The Timbers begin play in the CONCACAF Champions League tournament with a road match against CD Marathon in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, on Tuesday, April 6. Marathon then will come to Portland for the second leg of the round of 16 matchup on Tuesday, April 13. Guwahati, March 3 : The seat-sharing arrangement for the Assam assembly elections between the ruling BJP and its allies - AGP, UPPL and GSP -- would be finalised in Delhi in presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national President J.P.Nadda, senior party leader and Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Wednesday. After the Bodoland Territorial Council polls in December last year the BJP had forged an alliance with the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) and the Gana Suraksha Party (GSP), discarding its old ally Bodoland People's Front (BPF). Sarma, convener of the BJP-backed regional body Northeast Democratic Alliance (NEDA), said that major issues about seat-sharing have been agreed upon with the AGP,UPPL and GSP and the remaining issues will be discussed in the Delhi meeting. Besides Sarma, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and other party leaders would attend the meetings expected to be held on Wednesday and Thursday. The BJP had contested the last assembly election in 2016 in alliance with the Asom Gana Parishad and BPF and came to power becoming the single-largest party with 60 seats, while its allies AGP and BPF had won 14 and 12 seats respectively. The ruling alliance has the support of one independent MLA. The BJP led alliance won the last Assembly polls (2016) ousting the 15-year (2001-2016) uninterrupted rule of the Congress led by former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, who died last year. The ruling BJP and its new allies UPPL and the GSP took over the governance after the last December's polls to the 40-member politically important BTC. The BPF on Sunday joined the Congress-led seven-party grand alliance a day after snapping ties with the ruling BJP. Credit - Cindy OrdGetty Images One of the most memorable moments of Sunday nights Golden Globes ceremony was when Lee Isaac Chungs daughter jumped into his arms. After Gal Gadot announced that his movie Minari had won the award for best foreign language film, his young daughter wrapped him in a bear hug, shook his neck euphorically and yelled, I prayed! I prayed! This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. With any luck, the viral moment will not be the apex of Minaris awards season run, but just the start of it. Minari, which is based on Chungs own experiences as the son of Korean immigrants who moved to rural Arkansas to start a farm growing Korean vegetables, has received rave reviews and seems poised for even more recognition. Chung talked to TIME about growing up in Arkansas, the cultural power of food and the Globes controversy. Here are excerpts of the conversation. TIME: Farming has been a huge part of the Asian-American experience, but many people are not familiar with that history. Did you initially believe that a movie on that subject could resonate so widely? Chung: I used to not trust that specificity about my own self: I didnt think it would be interesting to people. Having parents who are chicken sexersI had trouble explaining that to kids at school! The fact we were able to get the film financed felt like a miracle. Now, to see the reception of people in all walks of life saying they see themselves in the story somehowit almost shrinks the world a little bit. We all go through these specific circumstances, but theres something at the heart of our lives that were all the same in some way; we have the same pain and the same joy. At the same time, I worried about what my farmer friends would say if they saw this film, as well as Korean-American immigrants. I wanted to make sure I was being authentic and accurate, but also going to the level that the story needs to work now and years from now. My mind was in all of those places. The film is based on your parents story. Do you know why they moved to the U.S.? Story continues When my dad was in junior high, all these American films started to be introduced into Korea for the first time. My dad started to watch westerns at dollar cinemas in Seoul and felt like America was a miraculous place. His family had lost a lot of land during the Korean War and the Japanese occupation. That affected him a lot as a kid. He always felt like he needed to come to the U.S. and get land. Its an old Hollywood pioneer story he was working on. The films characters arrive in Arkansas in the wake of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which spurred a huge increase in Asian-American immigration. Is that part of your family history as well? I remember reading all about that in an Asian-American history course in college and realizing, Oh, this is how we were able to come. Culturally speaking, I feel like a lot of us who grew up around that time were seeing a shift in the public perception of what Asians and Asian-Americans were. Those of us who were now speaking English perfectlythat might not have been a thing 10 years earlier. Where I lived, I think we started off with maybe 10 Koreans in that area, and they were all chicken sexers. My dad started the first Korean church there. Year after year, the numbers would just grow. The idea that it was all caused by a law didnt dawn on me until much later. You never realize what the geopolitical things are, you just live through them. Do you remember the first time you realized you were different from your predominantly white peers in Arkansas? On my first day of school, the question I kept hearing all day long is, why is your face so flat? Id never heard that question or ever thought about my face being different. By the 4th or 5th time I was asked, I knew there was something strange about who I was compared to who all these kids are. Of course, I became great friends with all these guys. But the initial moment was a shock to my system. Do you remember feeling isolated while growing up? I have mixed feelings about all the isolation I may have felt. It was real. But from my own perspective, I dont know how much of it is because of my Asian-American identity and how much of it is just teenage angst and loneliness. Maybe thats part of being Asian American: youre always questioning that aspect of your own perception. I always tend to gravitate toward the idea of things being human: that this isolation I feel as an Asian American, even though its real, other people have it too in their own way. Thats something I wanted to tap into with Minari as well: to show those connections rather than just isolate. Minari ties food very closely to identity. How do you believe the two are connected? I didnt have much of a taste for Korean food growing up: I was over the moon about Mexican food. And I remember the first time my sister went to school, my mom made a lunch box full of gimbap for her. Slowly, the kids noticed what she was eating and made fun of her, and she started to throw this gimbap away and would not tell my mom. It became a kind of running joke in our family, but one obviously based on some heartache, where my mom knew not to make Korean food for us because it was just going to get thrown out. I look back on that with this feeling of sorrow. It must have been tough for my parents to hear these things: they went through such pains to preserve Korean food culture. It probably brought them this sense of home and identity. It was only when I got to college that I started to get into Korean food. All of a sudden my palette opened up to it, and anytime I went home, I couldnt get enough of it. I realized I had done my mom a great injustice of always saying, this food is no good. What is your relationship to Korean food now? Nowadays, Korean food is the only thing that I can eat, and it cheers me up. Its inexpressible, really; I dont know how its tied to identity or anything. But when I eat it I do feel as though this is the food that has nourished my ancestors and what has made this body through evolution and all these different things. Minari won best foreign language film at the Golden Globes in February. But how did you feel about the Golden Globes rule that made Minari ineligible for best picture because half of the dialogue is not in English, considering the film was shot entirely in the U.S. and created by Americans? It did strike me as odd. Their category of foreign seems to be set upon language and not geography, and that seems strange to me given our country. As a thought experiment, I wonder what if there was a Native American story in which theyre speaking in their language? How would that be categorized? This is the sort of thing that can awaken some of the traumas that we have as Asian Americans. On the other hand, Im trying not to let the awards or talk of categories define the film or why I want people to watch it. I feel as though the family in this film isnt too concerned about the way other people categorize them. For Christians trying to care for the poor in India, there is always a need for more prayer, more hands, and more money. Much of that money comes from donors in other countries. Recently, though, Prime Minister Narendra Modis government has tightened regulations on foreign funding to nonprofits, including Christian groups that feed orphans, run hospitals, and educate children. Since Modi took office in 2014, the Indian government has revoked permission for more than 16,000 nongovernmental organizations to receive foreign funding, using the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). It is deliberately an assault against the nonprofit sector, said Vijayesh Lal, the general secretary of the Evangelical Fellowship of India, and that includes the churches. In one recent round of revocations, six nonprofits lost the license allowing them to receive money from abroad. Four of those were Christian organizations. A search of the FCRA website reveals more than 450 revocations from 2011-2019 of groups with the word church in their name alone. While the FCRA is not designed specifically to target Christian groups, experts say its cumbersome regulations have been used by the ruling parties in India to stifle political and religious dissidents since the laws adoption in 1976. It has always been used as a tool, Lal said. The thought behind it is very clear. They dont want to encourage dissent. They dont want to encourage empowerment. The law was first passed in a period of Indian history called the Emergency. In the midst of economic crisis, suspicions of political corruption, strikes, student protests, and calls for revolution, Prime Minister ... 1 You have reached the end of this Article Preview You have reached the end of this Article Preview To continue reading, subscribe now. Subscribers have full digital access. Have something to add about this? See something we missed? Share your feedback here. Government schools clocked 74.47 per cent attendance in Class 10 and 68.38 per cent in Class 9 against 62.93 per cent and 55.6 per cent respectively in private schools. Representational image Kothagudem: The poor attendance of students of Clases 6, 7 and 8 in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district is surprising. Though school headmasters and teachers are campaigning to get the children to come to school, only 37.69 per cent of students turned up in the junior classes. These classes commenced on February 24 and education minister Sabita Indra Reddy had stated that parental permission is required for students to attend school. The government had reopened junior classes with the epidemic ebbing and the advent of the Covid-19 vaccine. The attendance is lower in private institutions when compared to the government schools 30.47 per cent and 45 per cent respectively. Of the 5,438 students enrolled in Class 6 in private schools, only 1,048 are attending classes. Against this, 2,296 of 4,625 students are attending Class 6 in government schools. In Class 7, the attendance in private schools is 24.32 per cent against 46.57 in government schools and in Class 8, 30.47 per cent in private schools and 45 per cent in government institutions. N. Venkateswara Rao, a teacher working in a private school, said that the parents were not sending their kids to schools due to the fee demand. Private schools are insisting that parents pay the fees dues immediately. A majority of the parents are poor and their incomes were affected during the pandemic. They are not sending their kids keeping the fee demand in view, he said. The attendance in Classes 9 and 10 has increased. Even here, the attendance is higher in government schools. Government schools clocked 74.47 per cent attendance in Class 10 and 68.38 per cent in Class 9 against 62.93 per cent and 55.6 per cent respectively in private schools. The headmasters of government schools succeeded to some extent in convincing the parents in sending their kids to the schools. A MAN has been accused of launching a firework at a garda during the weekends anti-lockdown riot in Dublin city centre. Jake Merriman (30) appeared in Dublin District Court today after he was arrested by gardai investigating violence that erupted at Saturdays demonstration. He is facing trial after Judge Brian O'Shea ruled the case was too serious to be dealt with at district court level and adjourned it for the directions of the DPP. Mr Merriman, of Meadowland Avenue, Dun Laoghaire is charged with five weapons offences following the protests on Grafton Street. Three of the charges allege that, in the course of a dispute, while appearing to be about to commit an assault, he produced an eight-shot cannon firework and glass bottles capable of inflicting serious injury in a manner likely unlawfully to intimidate another person. The other two charges allege he was in possession of glass bottles intended to unlawfully to cause injury to, incapacitate or intimidate any person. Mr Merriman was arrested yesterday morning and was held at Irishtown Garda Station before his court appearance today. Detective Sergeant Patrick Traynor said he arrested the accused at 11.20pm last night for the purpose of charging him. He made no reply to any of the five counts after caution and was handed copies of the charge sheets, Det Sgt Traynor said. DPP directions were not available yet, he told Judge OShea. The judge asked for an outline of what was alleged so he could consider the issue of jurisdiction, to determine a future trial venue. Det Sgt Traynor said it was alleged Mr Merriman was present at a demonstration on Grafton Street on Saturday during which "violent incidents erupted", with objects, missiles and fireworks being fired at members of the gardai. Judge OShea asked what Mr Merriman was specifically alleged to have done. Sgt Traynor said he allegedly produced an eight shot cannon firework and discharged it, and that he produced two glass bottles and threw them at gardai. Defence barrister Keith Spencer asked if there was any duplication in the incidents alleged in the charges. Det Sgt Traynor said they were five separate incidents and did not refer to the same bottle. Judge OShea said although DPP directions had not yet been given, there were no circumstances under which the alleged offences could be viewed as minor and refused jurisdiction. Det Sgt Traynor objected to bail on the grounds of the seriousness of the charges and potential sentence on conviction. He said there was CCTV evidence and it was alleged the accused made no attempt to hide his identity. There were also witnesses and the investigation was ongoing, he said. Judge OShea said he shared the view that the charges were serious but he had heard nothing that could not be dealt with by bail conditions. He noted that it was alleged the accused made no effort to conceal himself. Bail was sent in Mr Merrimans own bond of 200, with no cash required. Under conditions, the accused must sign on twice weekly at Shankill Garda Station, stay out of the Dublin 2 area including Grafton Street and reside at an address provided. This was different to the address he was charged under and Mr Spencer asked that it not be read out in court, saying there had been a substantial amount of fanfare in the media. Judge OShea said he could see why the address should not be announced openly in case there are any repercussions. The judge granted free legal aid after Mr Spencer said the accused had a power washing business but was on Pandemic Unemployment Payment. The accused was remanded on bail to April 14, for the DPPs consent for a return for trial. During his time working as the top White House physician, U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Amarillo, berated employees, made sexual comments about a female subordinate, and violated the policy for drinking alcohol on a presidential trip, according to a report from the Department of Defense inspector general obtained by CNN. 'A NATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT': Texas leaders respond to Abbott lifting mask mandate The report also found that the freshman Texas congressman took prescription-strength sleeping medication that raised concerns from Jacksons colleagues about his ability to provide proper care. The findings in the report stem from a yearslong investigation into Jackson, who was nominated in 2018 by former President Donald Trump to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. But Jackson withdrew from consideration during allegations of professional misconduct, including drinking on the job and overprescribing medication. At the time, Jackson called the accusations completely false and fabricated. On Tuesday night, Jackson again defended his actions in a statement to The Texas Tribune. "Three years ago I was the subject of a political hit job because I stood with President Trump, Jackson said in a written statement. Today, a Department of Defense Inspector General report has resurrected those same false allegations from my years with the Obama Administration because I have refused to turn my back on President Trump. Jackson also said he was proud of the work environment I fostered under three different Presidents of both parties; I take my professional responsibility with respect to prescription drug practices seriously; and I flat out reject any allegation that I consumed alcohol while on duty. ET TU, H-E-B?: H-E-B joins Abbott in lifting mask mandate at stores The Defense Department review was based on interviews with 78 witnesses and White House documents, CNN reported. In November 2020, Jackson was elected to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry. Jackson represents the congressional district that includes most of the Panhandle and parts of northern Texas such as Wichita Falls, where Gov. Greg Abbott was born. This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2021/03/02/ronny-jackson-white-house-physician-defense-investigation/. The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org. AKRON, Ohio In a move attributed to the coronavirus pandemic, Akron-based Smithers has canceled its plan for new downtown headquarters which the city and Summit County were helping fund. The company, which provides science, technology and business testing and consulting services, had planned to build a $16.9 million headquarters and research development facility in part of 47 North Main Street near Ohio 59. The project received the blessing of Summit County, the City of Akron and Summit Countys Development Finance Authority. Smithers was expected to contribute $7.1 million to the project and planned to borrow $5.7 million through a capital lease with the DFA. Akron was expected to contribute $2 million, primarily for parking lot and greenspace improvements, and a $48,102 grant for the costs of a sanitary sewer extension. JobsOhio was to provide $1.6 million in grants and FirstEnergy was to offer a $150,000 grant for electrical improvements. The deal called for a series of somewhat complicated real estate transactions. The DFA owns the building at 47 North Main Street the former home of the Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron, or ABIA. Summit County owns other parts of the property. Through a series of transfers, lot splits and consolidations, the county would transfer its parcels to DFA, which would then sell the site to Smithers. Akron Childrens Hospital, a long-time tenant in the building, was set to lease space for 10 years. Despite the best efforts of Smithers, Akron Childrens Hospital, the City of Akron, and Summit County, the COVID-19 pandemic made the project untenable when everyones focus needed to be on the health and safety of their employees, clients, and communities, Smithers said in a news release. All parties involved in the 47 N. Main St. project continue to explore redevelopment options for this historic downtown property. When the project was announced in September 2019, Smithers employed 111 people in Akron and planned to create 84 jobs over the next four years, including people with advanced degrees to work in the R&D facility. The company has 14 facilities across six states, China and the United Kingdom. In the meantime, Smithers has initiated a comprehensive search for a new campus to bring our Akron-based employees together in a transformational new home designed for agile operations and growth. The strategic reasons for a new Smithers global operations hub remain unchanged, the company said. In a statement, the City of Akron said: The City is aware that the project to put Smithers at 47 N. Main Street in downtown Akron will not be moving forward. This is largely due to COVID-19 altering economics for the partners involved in the deal. That said, the City is in communication with Smithers to assist in staying and growing right here in their hometown. Further, we know there is still market interest in 47 N. Main Street from a redevelopment perspective so we remain optimistic that we can achieve a win-win outcome. A spokeswoman for Summit County said, We are currently in discussions with another entity about the use of the building. We also continue to work with Smithers as they reassess their plans. Based on meal reviews that include chicken dishes with unremoved plumage, the Yelp rating for caterers serving Michigan National Guard soldiers currently deployed to Washington D.C. would likely be grim. It has come to light that Guard soldiers and Airmen are receiving undercooked, unsanitary and inadequate meals provided through private catering companies, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, said in a letter sent to Army and Guard officials Monday. While I understand the ad hoc nature of these deployments and appreciate the tremendous efforts made by many of those under your command, its simply unacceptable that these men and women are being fed chicken with feathers still attached and raw ground beef... Peters on Twitter said the purpose of his letter is to compel leaders to cancel the catering contracts and provide personnel a per diem to purchase their own meals, as well as reimbursements for prior meals soldiers paid for due to subpar service. Related: Michigan National Guard redeployed to Washington, D.C. after terror threat warning Officials in Washington dispute the claims. No, none of the chickens served as food had feathers, said Army Maj. Aaron Thacker, a National Guard spokesman. More than 1.2 million meals have been served to more the 26,000 service members serving our nations capital since January 7, 2021. Less than .01% of meals served appeared to be undercooked and there are always more meals prepared than are needed to accommodate issues of this nature, as well as Meals Ready to Eat (MREs). Its unacceptable @MINationalGuard members protecting our Capitol have received undercooked, unsanitary & inadequate meals. Im pressing @USArmy & @NationalGuard Bureau to provide per diem for the rest of their mission & retroactive per diem and cancel the catering contract. pic.twitter.com/QlTrEn9p45 Senator Gary Peters (@SenGaryPeters) March 2, 2021 There have been a growing number of complaints about accommodations and food being provided to nearly 5,200 Guard soldiers, including nearly 1,000 from Michigan, stationed in D.C. to keep peace in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 Capitol riots. Images of meals depicting food intermingled with metal shavings, raw meat and mold are circulating social media. According to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who was questioned about the situation during a press conference on Tuesday, the food service has improved since the complaints gained national attention. (Capitol police) called and asked that we contribute 1,000 Guard members to assist with ongoing security efforts in Washington D.C. shortly after the inauguration, Whitmer said. We granted that request, but I made very clear at the time that my expectation was that our Guards, women and men, would have appropriate, proper hotel accommodations and a per diem to ensure adequate meals and ensure that they were respected in their service. Thacker said per diem compensation for meals is not part of standard deployment. Per diem is not a practical solution for many reasons, he told MLive by email. We are in a pandemic, so eating (out in this) economy increases risk to both our force and the community. The majority of service members dont have vehicles, so finding a location to eat may be challenging. Also, restaurants have reduced seating capacity and hours, which may prevent our service members from eating. As soon as Whitmer heard reports of the inadequate meals, the governor said she passed the concerns along to acting Army Secretary John E. Whitley and asked Maj. Gen. Paul Rogers, the adjunct general of the Michigan Army and Air National Guard, to visit Washington to check on soldiers. It is my understanding that the quality of the food has dramatically improved, Whitmer said Tuesday. That doesnt mean that its excusable. Whitmer said the deployment began shortly after the Jan. 20 inauguration and is scheduled to conclude March 12. The governor said she has no intent to extend the stay. U.S. Capitol Police have recently increased the law enforcement presence in anticipation of potential protests on March 4, NBC reports. Some followers of baseless and often fantastical QAnon conspiracy theories believe that President Joe Biden is not the legal commander-in-chief and that ex-President Donald Trump will resume in that role on March 4. Thousands of Trump supporters breached the Capitol on Nov. 6, contributing to concerns over a future attack and leading to calls for support from the Michigan National Guard. I think the men and women who serve in the Guard have been called upon in unprecedented ways over the last 12 months, whether it is evacuating people in Midland in a 500-year flooding event or testing for COVID for people across the state, in all sorts of places including nursing homes and our prisons, to going to Washington D.C. when our nations security is a concern with a lot of civil unrest, the governor said. Its an incredible sacrifice and we owe them respect and support and this is something that I take very seriously. More on MLive: National Guard redeployed to D.C. Michigan congressman backs bill to track domestic terrorism, stop neo-Nazis from infiltrating police Domestic terrorism represents growing threat to United States Michigan man accused of assaulting Capitol police officer with hockey stick in riot Detroit Regional Chamber PAC reconsiders support for politicians who pushed election lies The House Facebook Kentucky Virginia Ohio Virginia Barbara Comstock Virginia Facebook Kentucky's Josie Raymond Louisville Facebook Facebook Facebook California Steve DelBianco U.S. Kentucky Robert Goforth East Bernstadt Kentucky Kentucky Steven Rudy Paducah Marshall County Kentucky Paducah Democrats Kentucky Kentucky The Kentucky Senate (TNS) Kentucky lawmakers on Tuesday approved new state tax breaks worth millions of dollars in hopes of luring large high-tech facilities that would provide an unknown number of jobs.budget committee passed House Bill 372, which would give an exemption on sales and use taxes to corporations like Amazon,and Google if they open data centers inside the state. The bill's drain on the state budget would start at $15 million a year and possibly rise, according to a fiscal note attached to the bill."The negative impact to the General Fund at full implementation will be substantial if a number of entities avail themselves of this exemption," the fiscal note continues.To qualify for the tax breaks, which would be guaranteed for 30 years, the tech companies must agree to create at least 20 permanent jobs and spend at least $150 million within five years on the construction and equipping of one or more data centers, where computer servers would run continuously.A trade association of tech companies called NetChoice is encouraging the states to create tax breaks in order to compete among themselves for the data centers. NetChoice representatives told the House panel on Tuesday thatshould enter the contest where states likeandalready are celebrating ribbon-cuttings.recovered over a dollar in state revenue for every dollar in state taxes exempted for data center equipment and purchases," testified, a NetChoice advisor who helped craft data center tax breaks inwhen she served in that state's legislature."As a former state legislator, I certainly appreciate your state budget challenges," Comstock said. "But I can tell you, this is something that I continue to see great headlines in our local community about what a resilient industry this is and how, while other things during the pandemic have reduced revenues, data centers continue to be the resilient thing in the economy, the gift that keeps giving."Some members of the committee's Democratic minority asked skeptical questions about how many jobs would be created in the cavernous buildings full of computers and whether tech giants like Amazon and among the wealthiest corporations on the planet really need to withhold tax money frombudget as part of their expansion plans."I'm not entirely sure it's going to pay off," said state Rep., D-"I don't thinkneeds tax coupons. I think's gonna do what's gonna do, and I don't want them to give better snacks to their employees inon the backs of Kentuckians," Raymond said.However, NetChoice representatives urged the House committee to consider the positive impact on local communities where a data center might be built."Once we're done building it, up to 100 data center employees come on board, and we pay excellent salaries to those folks. So it's not a giant impact on a local community but all the jobs are very high-paying," said NetChoice president"America's top investment heroes are tech firms," DelBianco added. "Those tech firms made $70 billion in capital investments in thealone last year. That is more than any other industry, including energy, pharma, telecom or manufacturing. Thing is, no enterprise data center like I've been describing has ever located innor in any other state that imposes sales tax on data center equipment for the last eight years."The committee voted 18-to-2 in favor of the data center tax breaks."I'm overwhelmingly 'yes,'" said state Rep., R-, casting his vote. "I hope that when these data centers start looking at, they look at my district."Next, the committee approved House Bill 230, which would remove the sales tax from electricity purchased by crytptocurrency mining operations. The panel voted 19-to-2 for that measure.The bill's fiscal note estimated its cost to the General Fund to start at $1 million a year. But the full cost after that cannot be determined, legislative staff wrote, because "it is unknown how many of the businesses might choose to locate here to avail themselves of this exemption."Mining cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin, is a complicated process. Miners use large rooms full of high-powered computers to solve complex math problems and unlock new currency. Next, they clump the resulting transactions together in blocks; the combined public record is known as the blockchain.needs to attract more cryptocurrency mining, and it can do so by offering tax breaks on the electricity the facilities consume in large quantity, the bill's sponsor said Tuesday."Mining for cryptocurrency takes a lot of electricity," said state Rep., R-. "It is very heavily impactful on industrial-type things. It is not just a few people sitting in their mom's basement or in their parents' basement writing code. This is actually highly sophisticated, highly technical."Core Scientific announced two years ago that it was opening a blockchain facility in an abandoned steel mill in. Today, Rudy told his colleagues, the facility uses more electricity for cryptocurrency mining than it did as a steel mill.But Rudy said he did not have specific numbers when some committee members asked him how many jobs the tech-loaded facilities would create or how much electricity they would use.In January,economic development officials approved tax incentives for Blockware Mining to open a cryptocurrency mining operation in leased space in, with a total investment of $28.4 million. Blockware Mining reported plans to create 10 jobs with an average hourly wage of $23, including employee benefits.A fewon the panel said they questioned the wisdom of forfeiting state revenue to woo a profitable industry that already is opening facilities inside. The fact that the facilities consume so much electricity is not a good thing for the state, they said."Why do we particularly want this industry in?" Raymond asked."We would love to have more industry," Rudy replied. "We welcome industry here."is advancing its own tax break bill for cryptocurrency mining, Senate Bill 255. SAN FRANCISCO, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Please find following a letter sent by the Artisan Partners International Value and Global Value Teams to the board of directors of Danone SA. Board of Directors Danone SA 3 March 2021 To the Members of the Board: The announcement regarding the separation of the roles of Chairman and CEO and the initiation of a search for a new CEO are positive steps for Danone. The lack of independent board oversight and the company's subsequent poor operating and financial performance over the last several years can only be reversed with fresh leadership and new direction. We are hopeful that a new era will soon begin, and Danone will be placed back on the path to restoring its vitality, not only for shareholders but for its employees and for France. Unfortunately, however, the benefits of these steps forward will be negated by the retention of Mr. Faber as Chairman and a weakening of the board's oversight structure. Long-term institutional shareholders invest in companies that hold themselves to certain standards of corporate governance. The new changes announced at Danone violate the most basic of these standards. The non-executive Chairman will be the former CEO who is not independent. One of the two Vice Chairs of the board is the former CFO. The newly appointed Lead Independent Director and Chair of the Governance Committee has no FMCG experience and has been on the board for 10 years. The board continues to lack relevant industry experience. With Mr. Faber as Chairman, the incoming CEO will not have the appropriate latitude to set a new direction. Instead, the new CEO will be in a position merely to execute the strategy already set in place by Mr. Faber, a circumstance in which it is highly unlikely that a world class executive will take the role. We urge the board to reconsider its actions and to immediately implement the following: Appoint a truly independent Chairman We believe Mr. Schnepp would be a good choice. Delay or cancel the implementation of the Local First strategy until a new CEO can evaluate the plan and either adopt it or take the company in a different direction. strategy until a new CEO can evaluate the plan and either adopt it or take the company in a different direction. Add at least one new director with relevant consumer products experience. We share the same objectives as the board. We are long-term investors, and we intend to continue to work to improve Danone in the interest of all stakeholders. It is clear to all objective observers that the company has been on the wrong path for years and a change of direction is desperately needed. N. David Samra Artisan International Value Lead Portfolio Manager Daniel J. O'Keefe Artisan Global Value Lead Portfolio Manager For media enquiries: Greenbrook (London) Andrew Honnor and Rob White [email protected] +44 207 952 2000 Steele & Holt (France) [email protected] +33 6 66 58 81 92 +33 6 58 25 54 14 SOURCE Artisan Partners Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 COLUMBUS, Ohio -- On Jan, 6, after a mob of rage-fueled supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol, my phone started ringing. I run a nonprofit school network for refugees in Ohio and Georgia. Parents were calling, frightened. These families fled civil unrest and authoritarianism in their native countries and found safety in the law and order here. Now they wondered: Was America just as unstable? Some people now want to rationalize or fictionalize what happened that day. Or they just want to forget and move on. But take it from refugees. We know how quickly stable governments can unravel. We must root out extremism, disinformation and distrust of our sacred institutions. If we dont, these evils will be weaponized to further divide the country. If youve lived under authoritarian strongmen, you know former President Trump is not simply a failed president. He is a tyrant whose megalomania wont end because he vacated the White House. In Bolivia, President Evo Morales bypassed his countrys own constitution to run for third and fourth terms. He left office in 2019 after violent protests alleged electoral fraud then branded it a coup. The further Trump is from power, the more desperately he will claw at our democratic institutions to try and regain it. Further, the armed militias who follow him many steeped in white nationalism wont simply disappear. Theyve been emboldened by Trumps racism, including the 2017 travel ban targeting seven Muslim-majority nations. President Joe Biden is already working to reverse this and what, by one count, were 400 other immigration policy changes during the Trump administration. But as he does, the far right will take a lesson from the Taliban playbook and turn their political misfortunes into a powerful recruitment tool. They already are. I fled my native Jordan because being gay there is punishable by death. Here, laws protect my civil rights. And yet, I felt palpable fear listening to Trump proclaim, We will never give up, we will never concede. According to him, the rule of law meant nothing. America has always seemed to move forward if slowly to become more equal and just. Its why refugees never hesitate to give back to the country that welcomed us. With the right support, refugees routinely make incredible strides in America. We are upwardly mobile, more than tripling our household income after 25 years, according to the immigration advocacy research group New American Economy. The communities where we settle become safer; between 2006 and 2015, nine of the 10 cities with the highest resettlement rate saw their crime rates fall. And nearly 350,000 refugees are essential workers, from health care to the food supply chain. While most of us refugees and U.S.-born were trying to help the country through a pandemic surge, Trump and his Republican allies allowed disinformation to flourish: repeating lies about a stolen election and suggesting that anyone who disagreed was treasonous. In the end, 147 Republicans refused to certify the election. It was terrifying to see our own elected officials disregard the foundation of our democracy. My students and their families lived through civil wars and violent clashes that ripped their populations apart. Its been traumatic to see similar things happening here. We were supposed to be better. And we can be, but that means a total rejection of authoritarianism, both at the ballot box and in the courts. We must hold Trump and the Republican party responsible for what they did and allowed others to do in their name. Only then can American democracy find its true North. Luma Mufleh is the founder and CEO of Fugees Family, a nonprofit school network for refugees in Cleveland, Columbus, and Clarkston, Georgia. Have something to say about this topic? * Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication. * Email general questions about our editorial board or comments or corrections on this opinion column to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: SULLIGENT, Ala. (WTVA) -- Emergency responders in Alabama including police officers and firefighters became eligible to receive coronavirus vaccines toward the end of January. Some people WTVA got to talk with said they received both shots of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine, but they said some of their fellow workers decided not to get it at all. Sulligent Police Chief Rick McDaniel said everyone in his department is now vaccinated with the Moderna vaccine, except for one who will receive his second shot soon. He said he urged all of his officers to get the shot. "For the safety of their family, and also for the safety of the people we serve here," McDaniel said. However, it was not mandatory. McDaniel wants to encourage others to get the vaccine when it becomes available. Captain Michael Franklin of the Sulligent Police Department said he had side effects from the vaccine. "Chills, low-grade fever, headache, weakness, but it only lasted for twenty-four hours." Franklin explained that before getting vaccinated, he had actually gotten the coronavirus and recovered. Afterward, he was able to get the vaccine. "It was a Godsend for me. It makes me more confident in my work," Franklin said. "It's still more comforting to know that we've had the vaccine." Right down the street at the volunteer fire department, Volunteer Firefighter Terry Carter also received the Moderna vaccine. She said the process to get the vaccine was simple, and she's glad she got it. However, she thinks it is ultimately up to individuals if they get it. "The vaccine didn't bother me none. I can't say that for everybody, everybody's different, I don't look at anybody any different whether they wanna take it or they don't wanna get it," she said. Nicola Sturgeon has given evidence to the Holyrood committee examining the Scottish Governments unlawful investigation of sexual harassment allegations made against Alex Salmond. The inquiry was established after Scotlands former first minister successfully challenged the Governments apparently biased investigation, resulting in a 512,250 payout. Here are the key dates as the saga unfolded: 2017 October 31 First Minister Nicola Sturgeon orders a review of the Scottish Governments policies and processes for addressing inappropriate conduct in the wake of the MeToo movement. The review is led by the Governments most senior civil servant, Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans. Expand Close First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, right, and Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans (Andrew Milligan/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, right, and Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans (Andrew Milligan/PA) November 4 Ms Sturgeon is informed about an inquiry by Sky News relating to Mr Salmonds alleged behaviour towards female staff at Edinburgh Airport. December 20 Ms Sturgeon approves the Handling of Harassment Complaints Involving Current or Former Ministers procedure. 2018 January Two female staff members make formal complaints to the Scottish Government about Mr Salmonds conduct in December 2013 when he was first minister. An internal investigation is established and investigating officer Judith Mackinnon is appointed. March 7 The Permanent Secretary tells Mr Salmond about the investigation. March 29 Mr Salmonds former chief of staff, Geoff Aberdein, meets Ms Sturgeon at Holyrood and discusses the allegations. In her written evidence to the committee in 2020, Ms Sturgeon says she forgot about this meeting until late January/early February 2019. Expand Close Geoff Aberdein is the former chief of staff to Alex Salmond (Andrew Milligan/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Geoff Aberdein is the former chief of staff to Alex Salmond (Andrew Milligan/PA) April 2 Mr Salmond meets Ms Sturgeon at her home in Glasgow and tells her that he is under investigation. In Mr Salmonds later written evidence, he states the First Minister suggested that she would intervene in favour of a mediation process at an appropriate stage but subsequently decided against intervening. Ms Sturgeon has argued she thought this was a party meeting, rather than a Government one. April 23 Mr Salmond calls Ms Sturgeon twice, asking her to encourage the Permanent Secretary to accept his mediation request. June 7 Ms Sturgeon meets Mr Salmond in Aberdeen, ahead of the SNP conference. July 14 Ms Sturgeon and Mr Salmond meet at the First Ministers Glasgow home. August 21 The Crown Office passes complaints about Mr Salmond to police. August 22 Mr Salmond is told the Government inquiry is complete. August 23 The Scottish Government tells Mr Salmonds lawyers it intends to release a public statement about the investigation, but agrees not to until an interim interdict application seeking to block publication has been heard. The Daily Record newspaper breaks news of the allegations against Mr Salmond via a tweet. He denies misconduct and calls some of the allegations patently ridiculous. Please see statement below. pic.twitter.com/LaTKotwdA8 Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) August 24, 2018 August 28 Mr Salmond lodges a petition for a judicial review at the Court of Session in Edinburgh. August 29 Mr Salmond resigns from the SNP, but says he will apply to rejoin once he has cleared his name. He launches a crowdfunding appeal for the review, which quickly reaches more than 100,000. September 14 Police confirm they have launched an investigation into the complaints against Mr Salmond, separate from the Governments investigation and the judicial review process. Expand Close Alex Salmond speaking outside the Court of Session in Edinburgh after it ruled the Scottish Government acted unlawfully regarding sexual harassment complaints against him (Jane Barlow/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Alex Salmond speaking outside the Court of Session in Edinburgh after it ruled the Scottish Government acted unlawfully regarding sexual harassment complaints against him (Jane Barlow/PA) 2019 January 8 A week before the full judicial review is due to start, the Scottish Government concedes defeat at the Court of Session in Edinburgh. The Governments lawyers accept that investigating officer Ms Mackinnon has had previous contact with the complainers. The court concludes the investigation was unlawful and tainted by apparent bias. Ms Evans releases a statement apologising to all involved and Mr Salmond calls for her to consider her position. January 13 Ms Sturgeon refers herself to independent advisers to rule on whether she breached the ministerial code in her meetings with Mr Salmond. January 15 MSPs agree to hold a Holyrood inquiry into the Governments handling of the complaints against Mr Salmond. January 23 Police Scotland arrest Mr Salmond. January 24 Mr Salmond appears at Edinburgh Sheriff Court and is charged with several sexual offences, including attempted rape, which he denies. August 2 The Scottish Government pays 511,250 to Mr Salmond in connection with the judicial review. 2020 February 26 The Scottish Parliament Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaint meets for the first time. March 9 Mr Salmonds criminal trial starts at the High Court in Edinburgh. Expand Close Alex Salmond speaks outside the High Court in Edinburgh after he was cleared of attempted rape and a series of sexual assaults (Andrew Milligan/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Alex Salmond speaks outside the High Court in Edinburgh after he was cleared of attempted rape and a series of sexual assaults (Andrew Milligan/PA) March 23 Mr Salmond is acquitted on all charges. The jury returns not guilty verdicts on 12 charges, including attempted rape, and a further not proven verdict is returned on a charge of sexual assault with intent to rape. August 18 The Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints hears evidence from its first witness, the Permanent Secretary. Expand Close Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans gives evidence to the Scottish Parliament committee examining the handling of harassment allegations (Russell Cheyne/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans gives evidence to the Scottish Parliament committee examining the handling of harassment allegations (Russell Cheyne/PA) September 29 Committee convener Linda Fabiani warns their investigation is being completely frustrated by a lack of evidence from key witnesses, and accuses the Scottish Government of obstruction. November 4 The Scottish Parliament passes a motion demanding the Government reveals the legal advice it received during the judicial review. Expand Close Linda Fabiani is convener of the Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints (Andrew Milligan/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Linda Fabiani is convener of the Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints (Andrew Milligan/PA) December 18 The inquiry into the Salmond affair reaches an agreement with the Scottish Government over access to previously undisclosed material. 2021 January 13 Mr Salmond rejects an invitation to appear before the committee in person on February 19, citing public health grounds. January 20 Mr Salmond alleges the Scottish Governments reprehensible failure to release crucial documents had put him at a disadvantage in both his criminal trial and legal challenge against the Governments investigation. In written evidence to the committee, he says his legal team will ask the Lord Advocate whether the Government was in contempt of court over the withholding of relevant evidence. January 26 Mr Salmond refuses another offer to appear before the committee the following week. January 27 The committee offers a final date February 8 for Mr Salmond to appear to give evidence. Expand Close Lord Advocate James Wolffe gives evidence to the Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints (Russell Cheyne/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lord Advocate James Wolffe gives evidence to the Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints (Russell Cheyne/PA) January 29 The Crown Office confirms it has handed over evidence to the Holyrood inquiry. It allows the unprecedented step of MSPs issuing a notice to the Crown Office under part of the Scotland Act, demanding the release of documents detailing text or WhatsApp communications between SNP chief operating officer Susan Ruddick and Scottish Government ministers, civil servants or special advisers. It also asks for any documents linked to the leaking of complaints to the Daily Record newspaper in August 2018. February 3 Mr Salmond brands the behaviour of the current Scottish Government a disgrace, in a written submission to the inquiry. He accuses Ms Evans of having a bias against him. He also claims the overwhelming likelihood is that someone in the Government leaked details of the case against him to the press. February 8 Mr Salmond declines to appear before the harassment committee over concerns about the committee not publishing his evidence. His submission, published elsewhere online, accused Ms Sturgeon of breaching the ministerial code with false and manifestly untrue statements to parliament, which she denies. Mr Salmonds lawyers say he cannot take his oath to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth until a number of concerns were addressed, including the publication of the evidence by the committee and concerns about him being in legal jeopardy. -February 25 Alex Salmond agrees to appear before the Holyrood inquiry after his evidence is published in a redacted form following a long drawn-out saga. Expand Close Former first minister Alex Salmond is sworn in before giving evidence to the committee (Andy Buchanan/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Former first minister Alex Salmond is sworn in before giving evidence to the committee (Andy Buchanan/PA) February 26 Mr Salmond gives evidence to the Holyrood committee. He says Scotlands leadership has failed and calls for the Lord Advocate and the head of Scotlands civil service, Leslie Evans, to resign over the handling of the complaints against him. He says he has no doubt Ms Sturgeon broke rules governing the behaviour of ministers which she denies but stops short of saying she should resign. March 2 The Scottish Conservatives call on Ms Sturgeon to resign after the Scottish Government published legal advice related to the botched investigation. Deputy First Minister John Swinney agreed to hand over the legal advice under threat of a no-confidence vote, and acknowledged reservations were raised by Government lawyers about the way allegations about Mr Salmond were investigated. The Scottish Conservatives say they will submit a no-confidence motion in the First Minister. March 3 First Minister Nicola Sturgeon gives evidence to the committee and maintains she did not intervene in the investigation as it would have been an abuse of her role. She said Mr Salmonds claims of a plot against him are absurd and her Government has nothing to hide. She apologises to the two women who made complaints, saying she regrets the very serious mistake made in the investigation. Expand Close Deputy First Minister John Swinney survived a vote of no confidence (Jane Barlow/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Deputy First Minister John Swinney survived a vote of no confidence (Jane Barlow/PA) March 10 Deputy First Minister John Swinney survives a vote of no confidence at Holyrood. The Tories, Labour and Liberal Democrats accused him of failing to hand over legal documents to the Scottish Parliament inquiry into the Governments handling of harassment complaints. But the support of Scottish Green MSPs meant the challenge to him was ultimately unsuccessful, with Holyrood voting down the motion by 57 votes to 65. March 16 A report from Laura Dunlop QC makes a range of recommendations about how complaints against current and former Government ministers should be handled. These include a call for harassment allegations against current or former ministers to be handled independently, rather then by the Scottish Government. Ms Dunlop was tasked with carrying out the review following Mr Salmonds successful court challenge against the Governments procedures. March 16 (evening) Using parliamentary privilege in the House of Commons, Conservative MP David Davis reads out messages that he suggested showed a concerted effort by senior members of the SNP to encourage complaints against Mr Salmond. These claims are strongly refuted by Nicola Sturgeon. A spokesman for her says the reality is very different to the picture being presented. March 18 MSPs on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints Committee reportedly vote 5-4 that the First Minister gave an inaccurate account of a meeting with Mr Salmond. Nicola Sturgeon says the very partisan leak is not that surprising saying she stands by the evidence she gave the committee. March 21 In a statement released through Rape Crisis Scotland, two women who made complaints of harassment against former first minister Alex Salmond said they would be making a formal complaint over the leak of evidence they gave to the Holyrood committee. A story in The Sunday Times claims the women, giving evidence in private last Monday, painted a picture of a demeaning environment for women, with one saying it was like the Wild West. Good morning, Bay Area. Its Wednesday, Mar. 3, and a Bay Area company is under congressional investigation for their vaccine distribution. Heres what you need to know to start your day. Indoor dining and other activities that were shuttered or severely curtailed for more than three months will resume on Wednesday in San Francisco, Santa Clara and Napa counties, which have moved into a less restrictive tier in the states pandemic reopening plan. With vaccinations increasing and coronavirus cases at their lowest levels since November, public health officials feel more confident about loosening some restrictions. City officials asked residents to remain cautious and continue wearing masks, given the more infectious variants known to be circulating in the Bay Area and a recent national uptick in cases. So how do residents and businesses feel about the re-reopening? Theres some joy, some concern and some wait-and-see. New info about Johnson & Johnson vaccine: How coronavirus vaccines work. Our California vaccine tracker. Four Bay Area counties are stuck in the purple tier. Here's when they might move to red How California's COVID numbers compare to Texas, which is lifting mask mandate and 100% of restrictions. Congress has launched an investigation into San Francisco-based health care provider One Medical following reports that it disregarded vaccine eligibility requirements in multiple cities, including at least three Bay Area counties. Around the Bay From columnist Heather Knight: San Francisco's beloved nightlife venues are on the brink of closure. It's time for everyone to step up. 700 deaths in 2020: S.F. has struggled to stem the fentanyl epidemic and overdose deaths. Can a new behavioral health czar change that? Recall campaign: National Republican groups, big tech venture capitalists and a whole lot of retirees a look at whos funding the recall campaign against Gov. Newsom. From Joe Garofoli: Where Saturday Night Live got Newsom wrong. Neighborhood targeting: Local small businesses could be casualties in privacy battle between Apple and Facebook. Transbay Tube still in: Funding for Silicon Valley BART extension nixed from federal stimulus bill after Republican protests. What to eat right now Even with the pandemic, new restaurants keep opening in San Francisco and the Bay Area and recently laid off chefs are getting creative about what theyre selling. In this imperfect environment, chefs are turning to affordable, delicious comforts. The Chronicles Food and Wine team has updated its monthly new restaurants list for March a snapshot of the most compelling new food to be ordering right now. Marchs additions include Puerto Rican classics, Asian-inspired deli sandwiches and a destination for outdoor brunch. Check out the new picks here. House of Prime Ribs owner and famed friendly face Joe Betz, 81, is feeling like everything is on its way up: Hes gotten his second vaccination shot and the restaurants few indoor dining spots are already booked for three months. Bay Briefing is written by Taylor Kate Brown, Anna Buchmann and Kellie Hwang and sent to readers email inboxes on weekday mornings. Sign up for the newsletter here, and contact the writers at taylor.brown@sfchronicle.com, anna.buchmann@sfchronicle.com, and kellie.hwang@sfchronicle.com. According to the top cop the operation on Monday went smoothly except for a few reports received by the Command Centre that persons going to and from their essential jobs, were turned back by certain police officers in error. ROME, MAR 3 - As many as six million Italian pupils may be doing lessons via distance learning as of next Monday as a result of a new package of COVID-19 measures passed by Premier Mario Draghi's government, according to an estimate by the Tuttoscuola education magazine. The closure of all schools in high-contagion-risk red zones, rather than just high schools, was the biggest change with respect to the existing rules to feature in the new decree, which comes into force on Saturday and runs until after Easter on April 6. The decree also gives regional authorities that are not red zones the power to close all schools in specific areas of high contagion, where there are 250 COVID cases or more for every 100,000 inhabitants in a week. Tuttoscuola said the new rules could see the number of students being taught via distance learning double from the three million that were having lessons in this way on March 1. The new decree keeps the current system of tiered restrictions based on a region's COVID contagion risk level, going from low-risk white to moderate-risk yellow, medium-risk orange and high risk red. In red zones all restaurants and bars are closed, except for takeaways and home deliveries, and all non-essential shops are closed too. In orange zones, shops can do business but restaurants and bars must stay closed. In yellow zones, shops are open and so are bars and restaurants until 6pm. In white zones many of these restrictions can be dropped and, for example, restaurants can serve food in the evening. Sardinia is Italy's only white zone at the moment. Another important change is that cinemas and theatres will be able to reopen from March 27 in yellow zones and people will be allowed to visit museums at the weekend. At the moment museums are only allowed to open from Monday to Friday in yellow zones. A ban on travelling between regions, except for work or health reasons or other situations of need, remains. (ANSA). One coronavirus vaccine dose may protect COVID-19 survivors as much as two doses given to people who have never had the infection, a new study suggests. Researchers from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill compared antibody levels among two groups of patients given either the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine or the moderna vaccine. People previously ill with COVID-19 had twice as high levels after a single shot in comparison with people who never tested positive - and as high levels as those given a two-dose regimen. The results are consistent with those of several others that have been published over the last few weeks - suggesting that the tight supply of vaccine doses could be freed up so that more people can be immunized more quickly. However, Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, has refused to budge and says that, for now, all people should receive both doses. A new study from UNC-Chapel Hill found that patients recovered from COVID-19 with just one vaccine dose had antibody levels that were about as high as a two-dose regimen in those who have never had the virus (above) The first dose in COVID-19 survivors stimulated an almost two-fold higher antibody response compared to those who never tested positive. Pictured: Joseph Noriega gets vaccinated against COVID-19 at the Martin Luther King J. Community Hospital in Compton, California, February 2021 'We observed that the antibody response to one... vaccine dose among individuals who had been previously infected was almost two-fold higher than that of individuals who had no signs of prior infection,' said Dr Allison Aiello, a professor of epidemiology at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. ' 'Moreover, the response to the first vaccination among individuals with prior infection was of similar magnitude to the response to two vaccine doses among seronegative individuals.' For the study, published on pre-print server medRxiv.org, the team looked at 193 healthcare personnel members who were eligible to receive the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine starting in mid-December 2020. Participants were split into two groups, those who were previously infected with COVID-19 and those who were never infected, and each were given vaccines. Both Pfizer's and Moderna's vaccines use part of the pathogen's genetic code called messenger RNA, or mRNA, to get the body to recognize the coronavirus and attack it if a person becomes infected. The mRNA encodes for all of the spike protein found on the outside of the virus that it uses to enter and infect cells. Researchers took blood samples to compare antibody levels between study participants who tested positive for COVID-19 prior to receiving the vaccine (seropositive) and those who did not have antibodies prior to vaccination (seronegative). Results showed that people previously infected with COVID-19 developed an almost two-fold higher antibody response to their first vaccine dose compared to those not previously infected. What's more, the antibody response post one vaccine dose in seropositive patients was nearly the same as post two vaccine doses in people who had not had COVID-19 before. The team hypothesizes that a prior infection with COVID-19 primes the immune response for the first dose of the vaccine. 'These results support a new and growing body of research suggesting that prior SARS-CoV-2 infection may act as a primer for the immune response to the first dose of mRNA-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccine,' said first author Dr Emily Ciccone, a clinical instructor and fellow in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the UNC School of Medicine. 'If this immune response is shown to be durable and protective against subsequent SARS-CoV-2 infection in future studies, individuals with a history of infection may be able to forgo the second dose of an mRNA-based vaccine.' Dr Anthony Fauci (above) has insisted the U.S. must stick to a two-dose strategy for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines However, Fauci has insisted the U.S. must stick to a two-dose strategy for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. In the UK, health officials ave opted to delay second doses by up to 12 weeks to give as many people as possible their first dose. Fauci argued that delaying second doses would leave people less protected and increase vaccine hesitancy. enable variants to spread and possibly boost skepticism among Americans already hesitant to get the shots. 'There's risks on either side,' Fauci was quoted as saying by the Washington Post. 'We're telling people (two shots) is what you should do and then we say, "Oops, we changed our mind"? I think that would be a messaging challenge, to say the least.' Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Keeping Up with the Kardashians star Kim Kardashian glammed up her eldest child North West's central bearded dragon Speed in a custom SKIMS Cozy hoodie. The 40-year-old KKW Beauty/SKIMS CEO commissioned white, pink, and brown hoodies and dresses from her team especially for the territorial reptile native to Australia. 'Meet the newest member of our family...Speed,' Kim - who boasts 312.4M social media followers - announced on Wednesday. Twinning! Keeping Up with the Kardashians star Kim Kardashian glammed up her eldest child North West's central bearded dragon Speed in a custom SKIMS Cozy hoodie Tiny! The 40-year-old KKW Beauty/SKIMS CEO commissioned white, pink, and brown hoodies and dresses from her team especially for the territorial reptile native to Australia 'I really wasn't planning on liking Speed the way I do but she grew on me...North and her bearded dragon go everywhere together it's kinda cute!' The seven-year-old aspiring rapper - whose bear hamster Blacktail died last year - fastened a tiny red jewel between her exotic pet's eyes a couple months before Lil Uzi Vert got a similar $24M pink diamond piercing. 'North always knows what's up!' Kardashian noted. Central bearded dragons eat insects and leafy greens, and they can live between 10-18 years in captivity. Kim announced on Wednesday: 'Meet the newest member of our family...Speed. I really wasn't planning on liking Speed the way I do but she grew on me...North and her bearded dragon go everywhere together it's kinda cute!' 'North always knows what's up!' The seven-year-old aspiring rapper - whose bear hamster Blacktail died last year - fastened a tiny red jewel between her exotic pet's eyes a couple months before Lil Uzi Vert got a similar $24M pink diamond piercing With the right heated lamps and love! Central bearded dragons eat insects and leafy greens, and they can live between 10-18 years in captivity Trendy: Bearded dragons have also been embraced by the Calabasas socialite's neighbor Nicole Richie, who adopted her similarly named Speedy back in 2018 Exotic pets: The 39-year-old Simple Life alum showcased her female liz on the September 30 episode of The Drew Barrymore Show where both ladies discussed 'bearded lizard motherhood' 'Though these animals may be loved by their owners, exotic animals do not thrive in captivity,' World Animal Protection staffer Peter Kemple Hardy told DailyMail.com in a statement. 'Confined in artificial environments they cannot express their full range of natural behaviors and suffer from inappropriate care and stress. Whether wild caught or captive bred, these are wild animals, not play things or photo props.' Bearded dragons have also been embraced by the Calabasas socialite's neighbor Nicole Richie, who adopted her similarly named Speedy back in 2018. The 39-year-old Simple Life alum showcased her female liz on the September 30 episode of The Drew Barrymore Show where both ladies discussed 'bearded lizard motherhood.' Christmas Eve family portrait: Little Speed will surely be a hit with Kim's younger children - son Saint, 5; daughter Chicago, 3; and son Psalm, 22 months Still around? Kardashian's only other known living pets are her three Pomeranians (from L-R) Sushi, Sake, and Soba/Soy Sauce 'Irreconcilable differences': The aspiring lawyer will likely keep the $60M Hidden Hills mansion in her third divorce from 21-time Grammy winner Kanye West (pictured in late October) Who will win? For his record Jesus is King, the 43-year-old rapper-designer will compete for the best contemporary christian music album trophy at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, which air March 14 on CBS Little Speed will surely be a hit with Kim's younger children - son Saint, 5; daughter Chicago, 3; and son Psalm, 22 months. Kardashian's only other known living pets are her three Pomeranians Sushi, Sake, and Soba/Soy Sauce. The aspiring lawyer will likely keep the $60M Hidden Hills mansion in her third divorce from 21-time Grammy winner Kanye West, according to TMZ. Kim filed for divorce from the 43-year-old rapper-designer on February 22 and she's seeking seeking joint and legal custody of their four children. 'Reserve your ticket!' Kardashian and her famous family will host the 20th (and final) season premiere of E! series Keeping Up with the Kardashians on March 13 at a Los Angeles drive-in Streaming in late 2021! On December 10, the half-Armenian beauty and her fam signed a new multi-year global content deal with Hulu/Star For his record Jesus is King, Kanye will compete for the best contemporary christian music album trophy at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, which air March 14 on CBS. Kardashian and her famous family will host the 20th (and final) season premiere of E! series Keeping Up with the Kardashians on March 13 at a Los Angeles drive-in. On December 10, the half-Armenian beauty and her fam signed a new multi-year global content deal with Hulu/Star, which starts streaming in late 2021. A 49-year-old Georgia man serving a seven-year sentence after pleading guilty to stealing a truck and running from police late last year committed suicide last week, becoming the second prisoner in less than a year to hang himself in an isolation cell at the St. Tammany Parish Jail. Steven Rudolph was discovered at 11:30 p.m. Thursday, unresponsive, by deputies who administered CPR. Rudolph, who had pleaded guilty in 22nd Judicial District Court in December, died the next day at a local hospital. The cause of death was strangulation by hanging, according to St. Tammany Parish Coroner Charles Preston, who ruled it a suicide. Preston would not provide further details on what Rudolph used to hang himself. Murel Rainey, 45, committed suicide last May. During a community meeting last year, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Randy Smith said that Rainey had used a bed sheet to strangle himself. Rainey had been awaiting trial on weapons charges and was unable to post the $103,500 bond. At the time, Smith said that Rainey's death was the first suicide at the jail since he became sheriff in 2016. Prior to that, the last suicide at the jail happened in 2013, when Jack Strain was still sheriff. Treshon Cousin, 22, hanged herself with a phone cord in a holding cell where she had been left alone for about 45 minutes. A year later, her family sued in federal court. The suit was settled in 2016. At the time of Cousin's death, the jail was still operating under an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice aimed at improving conditions there, including mental health treatment of inmates. That agreement, which began in 2013 after a DOJ investigation, was concluded on Jan. 31, 2017. St. Tammany top stories in your inbox A weekly guide to the biggest news in St. Tammany. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up As part of that agreement, the jail created five suicide-resistant cells that are under 24-hour physical monitoring by security staff. But the isolation cells where Rainey and Rudolph hanged themselves were not the so-called suicide watch cells but rather were part of the jail's Restricted Housing Unit, which houses prisoners who can't be placed in the general population for a variety of reasons, said Capt. Scott Lee, a spokesperson for the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office. The isolation cells are monitored with surveillance cameras and physical checks on inmate well-being "every four hours or as needed," Lee said. He declined to say why Rudolph and Rainey were in isolation cells. Lee declined to provide further information about Rudolph, saying that the matter was still under investigation. Rudolph pleaded guilty in December to possession of stolen items worth more than $25,000 and aggravated flight from an officer and was given seven- and five-year sentences to be served concurrently. The month after Rainey's death, Smith, who was speaking at Parish Councilman Mike Smith's constituent meeting, said that Rainey was being watched but was able to use a sheet and post to strangle himself in a 12-minute period. "It's the first one on my watch, and it bothers me," Smith said. He told the audience that the employee who was supposed to be watching Rainey had been let go. 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 British banker has been killed in a horrific kayaking accident after he was washed into deep waters off the coast of South Africa by high winds and waves. Married father-of-one Rod Johnston, 46, had gone out for a paddle on Friday afternoon on his surf-ski at popular tourist beach Camps Bay near Cape Town, where he had a seaside holiday home. The novice kayaker set off in calm conditions but as he got further from the shore the weather suddenly changed and it is believed he was washed off his craft into heavy surf. British banker Rod Johnston, 46, (pictured) died after a horrific ordeal at sea when he was swept out into deep water off the coast of South Africa Camps Bay near Cape Town where British banker Rod Johnston, 46, set off from before being lost at sea A surf-ski similar to, but not the same, as the one Scottish paddler Rod Johnston, 46, was paddling on when he lost his life off the coast of Cape Town Rod, from Dundee in Tayside, had been lent the sleek lightweight advanced surf-ski by a friend who had visited him at Christmas, but they are only supposed to be used by experts. Wife Debbie, 50, said he had set off in flat seas but said that strong off-shore winds had unexpectedly begun gusting out to sea and she believes large waves capsized her husband. When Rod failed to keep an early evening appointment the National Sea Rescue Institute were alerted, and as darkness fell launched three rescue lifeboats to try to find him. Scottish banker Rod Johnston's widowed wife Debbie, 50, and son Dean, 24 Scottish banker Rod Johnston, 46, and widowed wife Debbie, 50 An NSRI spokesman said: 'We carried out an extensive search between Oudekraal and Table Bay and we left no stone unturned to find the man who we believed to be missing at sea'. The three crews searched until midnight and then resumed at first light assisted by a EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter, which spotted Rod's surf-ski adrift five miles out to sea shortly after dawn. The victim's body could be seen floating lifelessly in the rough seas still attached to the craft by a short safety line. He had his lifejacket on but there was no sign of his paddle. The NSRI spokesman added: 'The helicopter deployed a rescue diver who was dropped into the water and secured the body of the deceased man who was still attached to the surf-ski. 'The NSRI rescue craft Rotarian Schipper rendezvoused at the discovery location and took the body of the man and his surf-ski on board and brought them both back to the shore. 'The body of the man was handed over to the South African Police Service. We had done all we could and could do nothing more and our condolences go to family and friends' he said. Last night distraught Rod's widow was flying from their holiday home in Camps Bay back to the family home in Johannesburg after identifying his body in a Cape Town mortuary. Scottish banker Rod Johnston, 46, who died in South Africa and his wheelchair bound son Dean, 24, proudly holding his BA certificate Debbie said: 'I don't think we will ever know the full answer to what exactly happened out there. Whatever happened was awful and is something Rod takes to the grave with him. 'He went out late on Friday afternoon when the sea was quite still and calm as he is a novice on a surf-ski and he had only been out about six or seven times just as a beginner. 'It was an advanced surf-ski which is very narrow and very light and really only meant for advanced paddlers but unfortunately the weather changed and the seas got very big. 'It would seem he was swept out to sea and the NSRI told me that he most likely capsized and lost his paddle and if you are not an advanced paddler then you are in big trouble. 'Without a paddle and as a novice they said it would be almost impossible to get back in the surf-ski but Rod would have fought and fought to the bitter end to try and save his life. 'They suspect Rod either drowned or died of hypothermia and when I went to see him in the mortuary he had what seemed to be blue frost bite around his nose and mouth. 'Having seen that for myself I am hoping hypothermia took him as that is a far more peaceful way to go than drowning. 'He was a very fit man and ran every day and played squash four days a week and was a very strong man so he would have kept on fighting for sure until the very end,' she said. The couple met at work in South Africa and were together for 20 years before marrying 10 years ago at the Johannesburg Country Club. They have a son Dean, aged 24. The EMS/AMS Skymed helicopter that was launched to search for missing Scottish surfskier Rod Johnston, 46, and dropped a diver five miles out from the coast of Cape Town into the sea to recover his body Tragic bank boss Rod Johnston, 46, from Scotland who died after a horror ordeal out at sea off the coast of Cape Town Rod got a BA Hons in Business Studies in his home town of Dundee, graduating in 1996, before moving out to South Africa to be with his father Gordon, mother and his two sisters. He began a career in banking first as a financial consultant with Deloitte Consultancy and then joined Absa bank, rising up to the top and sitting on the Executive Board of Members. Absa Group Limited is one of the top three banks in South Africa and operates in 11 other African countries, employing over 40,000 staff. It also has international offices in London and New York. His official title is Head of Sales Production (Financial Advisory) based in Johannesburg and is said to be one of the most respected and sought after bankers working in South Africa. When Rob's parents divorced his mother and younger sister Georgette and older sister Kirsty returned to Dundee and their father Gordon stayed behind in his native South Africa. Wife Debbie said: 'I had 30 wonderful years with Rod and he was just the most amazing individual and so loving and caring although he did have a very sarcastic side to him! 'Everyone will tell you how supportive he was to everyone both on a personal level and at work despite being at the top of the ladder he had time for everyone who worked for him. 'Dean and I are just devastated and cannot believe we will not see him again' she said. The NSRI rescue lifeboat Rotarian Schipper launched from Bakoven near Camps Bay to retrieve the body of Scottish banker Rod Johnston, 46, who lost his life in a tragic surf-ski incident Debbie urged all surf-skiers and kayakers to visit their local NSRI station and get a free simple device they can attach to their craft to activate if they get into trouble at sea. She said: 'They are literally lifesavers and Rod would be here today if he had one. Please if just one person goes out and gets one today then that will be just one life that is saved. 'Everyone should get one and also make a donation to the NSRI who worked all through the night to try and bring Rod back to me and they have my deepest thanks for that' she said. A Cape Town surf-ski expert said: 'The sea conditions on that day turned nasty with late strong offshore winds and big waves blowing out to sea and it was a catastrophe in the making. 'You have to be very experienced to paddle an advanced surf-ski and a novice would have no chance in big surf and once you fall in then you stay in as it is so difficult to get back on again. 'The water temperature was 8 degrees C or below so I suspect hypothermia would have got him' he said. A South African Police Service spokesman said an inquest report had been submitted and confirmed there was no suspicion of foul play and the tragedy appeared to be an incident at sea. Rolling out COVID-19 rapid antigen tests widely would raise the risk of missing a significant number of infected people, new Victorian data suggests. The data, published by the Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity on Wednesday, raises questions about how useful the tests would be in a country such as Australia where there is very little virus. A rapid antigen test. While not the most accurate, they are more readily available. Credit:Getty In testing of 2413 people without the virus and 22 with infections confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, the PanBio test, manufactured by Abbott, missed seven infections and produced one false positive. However, the tests accuracy dramatically improved to 100 per cent when used within seven days of the start of symptoms as it is designed to be used. [March 03, 2021] Womply Partners with Benworth Capital to Help Under-Served and Minority Businesses Access the Paycheck Protection Program via PPP Fast Lane Womply, the local commerce platform that provides apps, APIs, marketing, and financial tools to make local commerce happen, today announced an integrated partnership with Benworth Capital, a minority owned, and mission driven lender focusing on low-and-middle income minority borrowers. Benworth joins Womply's PPP Fast Lane program, which enables the smallest businesses to access vital Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding with as little friction as possible, while helping borrowers remain compliant and minimizing program fraud. PPP Fast Lane was built to service the under-served eligible businesses (and workers) that have so far had difficulty accessing the Paycheck Protection Program. These eligible borrowers, which include micro businesses, gig-workers, independent contractors, among others, are frequently found in low-and-middle income and minority communities, making program access all the more important. Womply data also shows that as businesses get smaller they are less likely to: Know they may be eligible for PPP Know how to apply for PPP Have a trusted advisor or banker who can help them understand the rules and apply PPP Fast Lane is a simple, web-based data collection process aiming to simplify the PPP process by removing friction that only applies to larger businesses. PPP Fast Lane includes multiple layers of fraud prevention and identity verification, which is essential to serving PPP loans at scale in accordance with government rules. Borrowers don't need a registered business entity, business license, official place of business, business bank account, accountant, lawyer, or business banker to apply for PPP. Immediately after completing PPP Fast Lane, applicants will be matched with their SBA approved lender. During the first round of the PPP, minority-owned businesses were far more likely to wait to receive funds, and less likely to receive them at all. The SBA has responded to these criticisms with efforts to improve access. This partnership is focused on eliminating any additional barriers to the program facing businesses and individuals in the Spanish speaking community. Benworth Capital's SBA Ayuda program has long supported the Hispanic community and Womply has published translations of PPP documents into multiple languages to help Spanish and other non-English speaking communities access the PPP program. Womply also provides real time multi-lingual support for applicants, and is expected to launch a Spanish language version of PPP Fast Lane soon. "Benworth is dedicated to supporting under-served businesses and individuals and as we fund PPP loans, we want to make sure we're getting borrowers the money they need as quickly as possible," said Bernie Navarro, President of Benworth. "The traditional lending community has too-frequently neglected the businesses and individuals who need help most. We are excited to partner with Womply to streamline the PPP application process, especially for our Spanish speaking customers." "We've deployed our data platform to build PPP Fast lane and help with eligibility, qualification, verification, and fraud detection," said Womply CEO and co-founder, Toby Scammell. "We're excited to put our technology to work for Benworth so that together we help as many under-served small businesses as possible." It's free to apply for PPP with PPP Fast Lane and Benworth. There is no credit check for either the individual or business. When in doubt, start your application at womply.com/ppp Apply now at: womply.com/ppp Learn more about PPP Fast Lane Submit press inquiries to Justin Davies: press@womply.com About Womply Womply's mission is to help local businesses thrive in a digital world. Founded in 2011, Womply is a local commerce platform that provides apps, APIs, marketing, and financial tools to make local commerce happen for over 500,000 American businesses and their customers. All of Womply's products and services are powered by the Womply Commerce Graph, a proprietary data asset that offers the most complete view of local commerce. To learn more, visit www.womply.com or email info@womply.com. About Benworth Benworth Capital Partners was formed in 2008 to provide loans to under-served businesses and individuals unable to secure financing from banks, credit unions and other traditional lending sources. As an alternative lender, Benworth provides real estate-secured loans and unsecured loans through its family of companies. In April 2020, Benworth became one of the few non-bank lenders authorized by the SBA and U.S. Department of the Treasury to offer Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loans. PPP loans are marketed through the SBABizHelp.com and SBBAyuda.com websites. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005739/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] On a day when officials confirmed that Napa County would be moving from purple to red tiers on Wednesday, there were 24 new COVID-19 cases and one death reported Tuesday, bringing the total since March to 72. Napa is moving to a less restrictive tier because COVID cases have dropped from their January highs. Residents are urged to continuing practicing social distancing, wash their hand regularly and wear masks in public. The latest death was a woman over age 65 who died in the county, officials said. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help We're offering our best deal ever with this Editor's Special. Support local news coverage by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. There have been three deaths reported this week. Fatalities are considered a lagging indicator that can follow a surge in cases weeks after they have begun to fall, health experts say. The average age of COVID fatalities in the county remains at 76 years, with males 56% of cases, the county said Tuesday. Broken down by race/ethnicity, 46% of deaths are non-Hispanic whites, 35% Hispanic/Latinx, 7% Asian, 7% other and 5% unknown. Deaths by age group: under 65, 19%; 65 to 74, 25%; 75-84, 25% and 85 and older, 31%. Since December, the county said 50,667 COVID-19 vaccinations have been administered to county residents, an increase of 1,038 doses since Mondays report. [March 03, 2021] Hamburg-based family business CREMER OLEO opens Latin America headquarter HAMBURG, Germany, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CREMER OLEO, subsidiary of the globally active CREMER group based in Hamburg, is expanding its presence in Latin America. From the Colombian capital Bogota, it will coordinate all the company's production, trading and logistics activities on the continent. CREMER OLEO's product range includes plant-based raw materials for cosmetics, food and animal feed, pharmaceuticals, fuels and technical applications. The management of CREMER OLEO's Latin American headquarter will be taken over by Roberto Echeverria. Born in Colombia, he has worked for the company since 2014 and most recently headed the successful glycerin division. "By establishing our head office for Latin America, we are sending a clear signal in the emerging region. We established ourBrazilian Oleo unit in 2019 one year later it was the country's most successful glycerin exporter," said Echeverria. "We are currently involved in various industries on the continent more projects will follow." Business Unit Manager Christian Falck says: "The regional unit enables us to drive forward the growth course we have embarked on even more efficiently. Roberto Echeverria and his dedicated team will further expand the CREMER network." CREMER CEO Dr. Ullrich Wegner: "CREMER has always been investing in emerging markets surrounding our products and services. The new Oleo headquarter perfectly complements the business of the other CREMER companies in the region." About CREMER: Founded in 1946 by Peter Cremer, CREMER is a successful global trading, logistics and industrial company in its third generation of family ownership. With more than 2,000 employees, CREMER is active worldwide. Due to increasing demand for oleochemical products, in 2005 CREMER founded CREMER OLEO GmbH & Co. KG. Press contact: CREMER OLEO GmbH & Co. KG www.cremeroleo.de | globaloleo@cremer.de Simone Weisgerber s.weisgerber@cremer.de | +49 4032011-0 SOURCE CREMER OLEO GmbH & Co. KG [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] March 3, 1946 Beer shortage hitting the area Bars, taverns and saloons throughout the Scranton area are experiencing a beer shortage. The shortage is reaching the point that some barkeeps are considering only opening two days a week. A spokesperson for the local breweries said that they recently received an order that breweries have cut production to 30% of their output in 1940 for three months. The federal order is part of the government plan to conserve grain so it can be sent to aid the people of Europe. Bar owners also feel that this shortage will help the Liquor Control Board to finally get licensed establishments to close at 2 a.m. on week nights and 12 a.m. on Saturday night. Green Ridge couple publishes second childrens book Green Ridge couple Byron and Kathryn Jacksons second childrens book, Farm Stories, sold out before it was even published on Feb. 25. The book was published under the Golden Books label by Simon & Schuster. The first printing of the book was 200,000 and agents reported that it will be some time before the publisher will be taking reorders. The book contains 50 stories for young children between the ages of 3 and 7 years. The book was illustrated by Scandinavian artist Gustaf Tenggren. The couples first book, A Rabbit Who Had Four Lucky Feet, which they wrote and illustrated, was published in 1942. More books are in the pipeline for the Jacksons. They have agreements with Simon & Schuster for 18 projects. Before publishing their first book, the couple worked in commercial art in Scranton. Sale at Eynon Drug Store Five-piece bridge set (folding table and four folding chairs) for $24.95, sturdy baby carriage for $14.95, electric razor for $17.50, roller skates for $2.49, leather travel bag for $9.95, a bottle of aspirin for 9 cents, a bottle of syrup of tar and extract of cod liver oil for 19 cents, a bottle of Dr. Lyons Tooth Powder for 23 cents and 1,000-sheet roll of toilet tissue for 5 cents. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 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. GUANGZHOU, China, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On February 21, GAC MOTOR officially opened its authorized showroom in Jordan, attracting more than 400 pre-launch test drives. The event also witnessed the first unveiling of the GAC smart key watch to the Jordanian market. The sophisticated and complementary melding of smart wearables with car functions attracted much attention from both the media and consumers alike. The opening ceremony was conducted in-store and broadcast live globally on the company's official website and through local official websites and social media. Mr. Nihad, a board member of the ALAYYAN group, and Mr. Zaro, an influential automobile media expert, attended the ceremony. This was the first instance of a global showroom opening streamed live from Jordan. Mr. NIHAD has exuded complete confidence in the development of GAC MOTOR in Jordan, and said, "We are thrilled with the showroom opening of GAC MOTOR, a leader in the Chinese automotive industry, and is sure to add diversity to the Jordanian market with their high quality and high-value vehicles." Jordan is one of the first overseas markets to introduce the GAC smart key watch. With the Smart Key Watch, functions such as controlling car doors, engines and windows can all be easily accomplished, removing the hassle of handling car keys. Additionally, the Smartwatch can also function as a "Smart Manager", monitoring our health and exercise, recording our appointments, becoming our lifestyle secretary, helping us manage our life from the comforts of our wrists. A trustworthy automobile media expert, Mr. Zaro is deeply respected in Jordan. At the opening ceremony, he gave a comprehensive analysis on GAC MOTOR's flagship model - the SUV GS8. During the test drive, this car expert was won over by the cross-country capacity that the GS8 exhibits on Jordan's great variety of surfaces. With the opening of this authorized store in Jordan, a cornerstone has been established in GAC MOTOR's far-reaching plans to develop and grow in the Middle East region. Going forward, GAC MOTOR will continue to bring high-quality products and services to Jordan, bringing an enjoyable automotive lifestyle to the Jordanian consumers and winning hearts as a brand of choice. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1448607/image1.jpg Tear gas floats around demonstrators at a protest in Yangon (HTUN AUNG KYAW) Pope Francis appeals for an end to violence against anti-coup protesters in Myanmar, and calls on the military junta to release political prisoners and allow the country to continue its journey toward democracy. By Devin Watkins Pope Francis once again lifted his voice in support of the people of Myanmar on Wednesday, in the wake of a deadly crackdown on protesters. Security forces have killed at least 30 people participating in pro-democracy marches since the military coup on 1 February. Lamenting the deadly clashes, the Pope called on the ruling military junta to stop the violence. I would like to draw the attention of the authorities involved to the fact that dialogue prevails over repression and harmony over discord, said Pope Francis. He also urged the international community to ensure that the aspirations of the people of Myanmar are not stifled by violence. May the young people of that beloved land be granted the hope of a future where hatred and injustice make way for encounter and reconciliation, he said. Release of political prisoners The Tatmadaw, Myanmars military, seized power in a coup on 1 February, detaining many political leaders. Aung San Suu Kyi, then the State Counsellor, de facto leader, and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was arrested and faces several charges, including causing fear and alarm and possessing illegally imported communications equipment. In his appeal, Pope Francis called on the military junta to release political prisoners and take steps toward restoring democracy. Finally, I repeat the wish I expressed a month ago," he said, "that the path towards democracy taken in recent years by Myanmar may be resumed through the concrete gesture of the release of the various political leaders imprisoned. Violent crackdown The Popes appeal come on the heels of a recent, violent crackdown on protesters. After nearly a month of peaceful demonstrations against the coup, security forces began using live ammunition against protesters across the country over the weekend. Just on Wednesday, the same day as the Popes appeal at the General Audience, police killed at least 9 people participating in pro-democracy marches. 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 billboard called on New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to resign, as he was stripped of his emergency COVID-19 rights while facing sexual harassment allegations. A billboard calls Cuomo to 'Resign Now!' The huge billboard, which was placed near Albany's state capital, showed Cuomo's face and the words "Resign Now!" in bright red letters. It was on show when state lawmakers signed an agreement two months before Cuomo's emergency powers for dealing with the coronavirus pandemic were due to expire. Meanwhile, protesters assembled outside the governor's office in midtown Manhattan, shouting and carrying posters demanding that Cuomo resign. Cuomo is under growing pressure to leave after a third woman accused him of sexual harassment on Monday, The Sun reported. Cuomo is now being prosecuted for allegedly hiding the number of COVID19 deaths in nursing homes, despite being highly praised for his leadership during the pandemic's early stages. On March 3, 2020, three days after the first confirmed virus case in New York, Cuomo was given COVID-19 emergency powers, which are in force until April 30, 2021. "A year after the pandemic, even when New Yorkers receive the vaccine, the temporary emergency powers have served their purpose - it is time for them to be repealed," Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said in a statement. Last March, Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Collins claimed that the need for a fast response was clear but that "the public needs checks and balances." Heastie and Stewart-Collins decided that existing directives must be left in effect so that the governor could adjust measures such as restaurant reopenings. Read also: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Responds to Sexual Harassment Allegations, Offers Apology National women's group calls on Gov. Cuomo to 'resign now' According to Newsweek, three women have accused New York Democrat Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment. The allegations prompted a national women's rights organization to recommend that he resign immediately. Shaunna Thomas, the executive director for UltraViolet, said in a statement on Tuesday that Gov.Cuomo should resign 'today' and that sexual harassment should not be tolerated in any workplace. Thomas continued, "When women like Lindsey Boylan, Charlotte Bennett, and Anna Ruch come out with their tales, they put themselves on the line in the expectation that the abuser will be kept responsible. We believe them. We salute Lindsey, Charlotte, and Anna on their courage in telling their experiences, and we stand by them." Boylan, a former governor's aide, was the first to denounce Cuomo of sexual harassment. She described a "pervasive" atmosphere of misconduct within his administration in a Medium blog post published last Wednesday and recalled an incident in which Cuomo reportedly kissed her as she tried to exit his office during a meeting. Bennett and Ruch also told the New York Times of their experiences. Bennett, a former aide, said the governor made her feel awkward by talking about her sex life and whether she would consider dating an older man. According to Ruch, Cuomo placed his palm on Ruch's bare lower back and then on her cheeks at a wedding in September 2019. The newspaper's report contained a graphic of the alleged incident. Read also: New York Gov. Cuomo Receives Third Allegation of Sexual Advances Allegations against Cuomo spark larger talks about sexual harassment In recent years, several women have come forward to share their stories about workplace sexual abuse, as per WGRZ. "A huge piece of this that's been popping up in the press more and more as we read more and more of these stories is just the collaboration of people coming together and sharing their stories can be super validating," Lindsey Rickard, vice president of training and innovation at BestSelf Behavioral Health, said. On the other hand, people who have been victims of workplace sexual harassment may be triggered by new allegations. Rickard clarified, "We just need to be mindful that everyone's perspective is special. It's nice just to be conscious if we're having these talks or if we want to share our own insights. We never want to make someone else feel obligated to speak about their experience if they aren't ready. That might end up causing more harm to the other person." Since not every case of workplace sexual harassment is documented, it's impossible to say how widespread it is. However, we can still get a decent sense of the effects. R. Scott Deluca, an attorney, can also speak about the frequency from a legal standpoint. As more incidents arise, Rickard highlighted the importance of recognizing that everyone's experience and approach vary. Read also: Ex-French President Nicolas Sarkozy Convicted of Corruption @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Karnatakas minister for agriculture, Mr. BC Patil recently took his covid vaccine shot at his residence which triggered controversy on Tuesday. the images and videos of health officials administering the covid-19 vaccine shot to the minister have been doing rounds on the internet and flooded the social media with outrage upon the misuse of power by the minister. the ministers wife was also vaccinated at home. In a statement to the media, the minister has responded by saying that there were many people in the house and he had to wait for around half an hour at the hospital asserting that as the prime reason for him taking the vaccine shot at home. He further added that there were certain privileges and his decision to take the vaccine at home can not be considered wrong. Patil also said that he himself called up the health officials to his residence in order to get vaccinated. The incident comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other political leaders were seen taking the covid-19 vaccine shot at hospitals. Prominent citizens like Aziz Premji, Narayana Murthy, Kris Gopalkrishnan, Sudha Murthy, and senior ministers across Bengaluru took their covid vaccine shot at hospitals. Also Read: The incident has given an opportunity to the opposition parties to criticize and politically attack the minister and the BS Yediyurappa led government in the state. Former Chief Minister and leader of the Janata Dal (Secular), HD Kumaraswamy called out the hypocrisy of the minister and said in this government, anyone can do anything they please. he added that instead of serving the people of the state, B.C Patil was getting the people to serve him. Stating this act as a violation of Covid Vaccination Protocol, K Sudhar, minister of health and Medical Education has said there is no provision of taking the covid-19 vaccination at home and strict action shall be taken against the health officials who went and administered the vaccine to the minister. meanwhile, Union Health secretary Rajeev Bhushan underlined that the ministry has asked for a report from the Karnataka government as the action is a violation of the protocol and is strictly not allowed. Also Read: Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 vaccination roll-out among healthcare workers may be delayed for the second week running due to changes to AstraZeneca's delivery schedule. 100,000 doses of all vaccines should have been delivered by Sunday, February 28, but Monday's figures showed 81,843 instead. The reduction of 18,157 affects frontline healthcare workers. However, the HSE is still confident the majority of over-85s will receive their vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. Professor Brian MacCraith, head of the Vaccine Taskforce, told RTE that AstraZeneca alerted them late last week to pending reductions across two deliveries. Vaccination roll-out among healthcare workers may be delayed for the second week running due to changes to AstraZeneca's delivery schedule. Picture: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie A HSE spokeswoman said this will be made up during March, and involves a temporary reduction of 25,000 doses. But there are also glitches in the over-85s roll-out. A plan to use the National Ambulance Service to deliver vaccines to bed-bound patients at home is not yet finalised, a spokeswoman said. The Irish Medical Organisation previously said there could be one or two such patients in each of the 1,373 GP practices. Up to 40 small GP practices are still in search of a buddy-up deal with another practice. Doctors in Cork, Limerick, Kerry, Monaghan, Dublin and Donegal have shared their frustrations on social media. Minutes from a Nphet meeting in late January, published on Wednesday, note among older people there is an appetite for when and where information regarding their vaccination. The meeting also discussed the concerning impact of variants. They discussed asking people arriving in Ireland to give samples for analysis through whole-genome sequencing. Contact tracing would then be enhanced for this group. A proposal was made to develop a national SARS-CoV-2 surveillance and whole genome sequencing programme. The minutes show in late January all counties had a positivity rate higher than 10%, even when outbreaks were removed from the equation. The World Health Organization recommends positivity stay below 5% for two weeks before changes to lockdowns. Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn warned in a newly-published letter to the Health Minister: 'Ireland continues to experience a very concerning and fragile epidemiological situation.' The news comes as unpublished data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre shows 73% of Covid cases in January had no underlying conditions, up from 58% in December. And Deputy Chief Medical Officer Ronan Glynn warned in a newly-published letter to the Health Minister: Ireland continues to experience a very concerning and fragile epidemiological situation. The letter, sent by Dr Glynn to Mr Donnelly on February 25, notes 20 counties with a 10% positivity rate. In reaction to this he recommended increased use of medical face masks. He said they should be worn by vulnerable, high-risk and very high-risk cohorts, and older age groups when in crowded outdoor spaces or confined indoor community spaces. The letter said 250 of the 637 deaths to that date in February were in nursing homes and 77 in hospitals. Meanwhile cancer patients and oncologists still do not know when vaccinations for these patients will start. Four hundred and twenty-two cancer patients have died with confirmed Covid-19. Head of research for the Irish Cancer Society Dr Robert O Connor said: There is still a lot of uncertainty. Covid has a very stark impact on the cancer community. On Wednesday, 25 deaths were notified and 566 cases confirmed by Nphet. Hospital numbers continued to decline to 489, with 114 in ICU. THE University of Limerick has confirmed it is conducting an investigation to identify any UL students who took part in a large gathering in Castletroy on Tuesday night. It says the gathering, which has generated considerable anger and outrage, represents a serious breach of both the public health restrictions and the institutional code of conduct. Three people were arrested and at least 50 Fixed Charges Penalty Notices were issued by gardai who were forced to intervene and break up the event. In a statement, the University of Limerick says representatives met with gardai this Wednesday to discuss the public order incident that took place at Carysfort Avenue, College Court. "UL has consistently liaised and worked with gardai to remind students of their personal responsibility to follow government and institutional guidelines. UL has provided resources for high visibility Covid-19 garda policing with a focus on estates in the immediate vicinity of the campus," reads the statement. UL will take action with strong disciplinary measures against any student who has been found to have breached public health guidelines. Students at UL are subject to a Code of Conduct. University Of Limerick (@UL) March 2, 2021 "UL deplores the behaviour of a small minority of students living in the off-campus estates in private rented accommodation. Students at UL are subject to a Code of Conduct. Any student found to have attended the gathering will face suspension, pending a full investigation, or possible expulsion," it adds. Samsung Exynos 2200 SoC is currently one of the latest chipsets in the market. However, Samsung has a lot of rivals that made a huge noise, including AMD, Apple's A14 Bionic chip, and many more. Exynos 2200 (Smartphone) is expected to be 25% faster CPU than the Exynos 2100 and 2.5x faster/better graphics (GPU) As per Previous Tests, Exynos 2200 (AMD GPU) also has better Graphics Performance than Apple's A14 Bionic. pic.twitter.com/cWzglO0WN4 Bishvendra Singh (@bishvendrasingh) March 1, 2021 If you have a hard time choosing between the two, this advanced comparison is the one for you. Sam Mobile reported that interested consumers previously wondered if the latest Samsung Exynos 2200 SoC could bring high-end features comparable with AMD's graphics and other features. Their question may be answered since Samsung is allegedly developing two new models of the Exynos 2200 SoC. The first one will be designed specifically for Android smartphones, while the other one will be developed for its upcoming laptops. A popular Twitter leaker, Anthony leaked this info. "There will be two versions of the new Exynos chipsets. The mobile version & the Laptop version. The Laptop version is expected to be ~20% faster than the mobile version," he claimed via his official Twitter account. Is Exynos 2200 SoC on par with A14? Based on the Twitter leak, the laptop version of the Exynos 2200 SoC will be 20% faster than the smartphone model. Although this is the case, Samsung is currently improving its mobile chip version so that it will be a powerful sequel to its Exynos 2100. It is also expected to be a strong rival to the latest Apple A14 Bionic chipset. When it comes to features, Samsung's smartphone chipset is expected to bring 25% better CPU performance and 2.5x faster graphics than its predecessor. On the other hand, it is expected to be twice as fast as iPhone 12 lineup's current processor when it comes to graphics. This means that users will have a better video-watching and online gaming experience. There will be two versions of the new Exynos chipsets The mobile version & the Laptop version. The Laptop version is expected to be ~20% faster than the mobile version. Anthony (@TheGalox_) March 1, 2021 Also Read: OnePlus 9 Pro Release Date, Specs: May Come Out In March and Will Feature a Redesigned Camera UI Although this is the case, there is no update yet regarding the upcoming mobile Exynos 2200 SoC's specific features. On the other hand, NoteBook Check reported that A14 has an Advanced Image Signal Processor, 16-Core Neural Engine, and other features that are hard to go against. Apple is developing another smartphone chip? Samsung is not the only one that is currently upgrading its mobile and laptop processors. Apple is also creating a new SoC that is expected to outperform its current A14 Bionic chipset. This means that Samsung's upcoming smartphone Exynos 2200 SoC, could also have some trouble once Apple finished its next-gen mobile chipset. For more news updates about Samsung's upcoming chipsets, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. This article is owned by TechTimes. Written by: Giuliano de Leon. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 Rapper DaBaby is accused of being a party to a violent tussle in which a 64-year-old man claimed he was 'beat, punched, spat on, threatened, shoved, and robbed' in confronting the rapper over the terms of their rental agreement. In court docs filed in Los Angeles, the homeowner, named Gary Pagar, said that he had rented the home to the rapper, 29, for the purposes of 'a private vacation' with nine friends for an agreed-upon fee of $43,706. Pagar said in legal docs that the entertainer, whose real name is Jonathan Lyndale Kirk, violated the terms by shooting a music video at the abode instead, which included about 40 people, including a film crew. The latest: Rapper DaBaby (L) is accused of being a party to a violent tussle in which a 64-year-old man claimed he was 'beat, punched, spat on, threatened, shoved, and robbed' in confronting the rapper over the terms of their rental agreement Pagar said that when he confronted the rapper on the day of the December 2, 2020 shoot, he was thrown to the ground by an associate of the rapper identified in court docs as DOE 1. About 30 people were on hand at the time of the incident, Pagar said, and no one came to his aid amid the onslaught from his much-larger attacker. The Charlotte, North Carolina native was seen in a nearby convertible in the clip as the confrontation unfolded. Pagar told the court that the rapper exited the vehicle to 'taunt, threaten and punch' him, stole his phone, and threatened him not to call the police. Details: Pagar said the rapper, 29, punched him in an incident when cameras were not filming He said he was assaulted by a large associate of the recording artist A video of the incident showed the confrontation unfold at the Southern California abode He told the court DaBaby 'sucker-punched' him in the face in a 'cowardly and despicable act,' bloodying him and knocking out his tooth while inside the home He told the court DaBaby 'sucker-punched' him in the face in a 'cowardly and despicable act,' bloodying him and knocking out his tooth. Pagar - who told the court his tooth was knocked out in the incident - said after he contacted authorities, DaBaby and his associates 'fled the scene leaving behind a damaged house and stealing valuable kitchenware as they left.' Pagar is asking for $117,910.48 in damages for the incident, as he said the upholstery and floor on the property were also defaced, a sculpture was broken and garbage was all over the place. Jake Paul and Da Baby were seen sitting in a convertible outside the abode Pagar said that when he confronted the rapper on the day of the December 2, 2020 shoot, he was thrown to the ground by an associate of the rapper identified in court docs as DOE 1 Background: Pagar said in legal docs that the entertainer violated the terms by shooting a music video at the abode instead, which included about 40 people, including a film crew In other social media clips of the property, the rapper's associates are seen brandishing large sets of firearms on the premises. Also linked to the incident is Jake Paul, who was on hand for the video shoot, seated in a red convertible. Paul did not get physically involved in the skirmish. Dailymail.com has reacted out to DaBaby's reps for comment on the incident. Pagar said after he contacted authorities, DaBaby and his associates 'fled the scene leaving behind a damaged house and stealing valuable kitchenware as they left' Injuries: Pagar told the court his tooth was knocked out in the incident In other social media clips of the property, the rapper's associates are seen brandishing large sets of firearms on the premises The rapper posed on the couch in a pile of high powered weapons In another clip, he dons a red balaclava and grimaces as he shows off his double watches Dailymail.com has reacted out to DaBaby's reps for comment on the incident. The rapper's associates are seen brandishing large sets of firearms on the premises Federal Department of Finance Bern, 03.03.2021 - On 3 March 2021, Federal Councillor Ueli Maurer held a virtual meeting with China's Vice-Premier Liu He to discuss current financial market issues. Financial market cooperation should be reinforced and expanded. Accompanied by representatives of the respective central banks and financial market supervisory authorities, as well as of the financial sector on the Swiss side, the two ministers talked about current challenges, prospects for deepening bilateral relations in the areas of stock exchange trading, sustainable financial services and wealth management, as well as central bank digital currency. The latest virtual ministerial meeting pursued the contacts already established between the financial authorities and the financial sector in Beijing in April 2017 and continued in April 2019. Parallel to the existing free trade agreement, the financial market relations between the two countries are also to be intensified further. The opportunities created by the liberalisation moves on the Chinese financial market are to be used for concrete cooperation projects. Address for enquiries Communication FDF Tel. +41 58 462 60 33 Mail: info@gs-efd.admin.ch Publisher Federal Department of Finance https://www.efd.admin.ch/efd/en/home.html State Secretariat for International Financial Matters http://www.sif.admin.ch MONUMENT RE ACQUIRES VARIABLE ANNUITY PORTFOLIO FROM ATHORA IRELAND PLC. Monument Re announced today that, subject to necessary Irish High Court and regulatory approvals, it has agreed to acquire the closed-block portfolio of variable annuities from Athora Ireland plc, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Athora Holding Ltd. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. "We are pleased to have reached agreement with Athora to acquire this block of business which further reinforces our position as the market leading consolidator in Ireland," said Manfred Maske, CEO of Monument Re. About Athora Holding Ltd. Athora is a specialised insurance and reinsurance group fully focused on the European market. Athora dedicates its focus, capital, time and technical insights to offering its customers a stable, long-term performance on its products. Athora's principal subsidiaries are Athora Netherlands N.V. (Amstelveen, Netherlands), Athora Belgium N.V./S.A. (Brussels), Athora Lebensversicherung AG (Wiesbaden, Germany), Athora Ireland plc (Dublin) and Athora Life Re Ltd. (Bermuda). The Athora group employs some 2,400 staff and has approximately 3 million policyholders for total consolidated assets of approximately 80 billion (as at 30 June 2020). For further information, go to: www.athora.com. About Athora Ireland Athora Ireland plc is an Irish insurance company focused on providing reinsurance solutions to insurers and the efficient management of a portfolio of variable annuities for some 13,000 policyholders, predominantly in the UK, representing about 1 billion of funds under management. For further information, go to: www.athora.com/ie. About Monument Re and Monument Life Insurance Monument Re Limited is a life Reinsurance and Insurance Holding Company with a presence in Bermuda, Ireland, Belgium, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, the Isle of Man and Guernsey, with branches in Spain, Italy, France and Germany. Monument Re operates as a reinsurer and acquirer of European asset-intensive portfolios. Through this strategy, Monument Re assumes asset-based risks within its risk appetite and efficiently operates these businesses or portfolios. Monument Re is subject to Group Supervision by the Bermuda Monetary Authority. Monument Life Insurance DAC is an Irish insurance company regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland and 100% owned by Monument Re Limited. To learn more, please visit www.monumentregroup.com or contact Fiona Davies at info@monumentregroup.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005109/en/ Contacts: Fiona Davies info@monumentregroup.com. 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 Church of England has allowed a fan of poet Sylvia Plath to be buried alongside her 'literary heroine' in a Yorkshire graveyard 200 miles from her home in a 'possibly unique,' case. Plath, a celebrated poet and novelist who took her own life in 1963, is buried at St Thomas the Apostle's churchyard in Heptonstall, West Yorkshire. Despite living around 200 miles away in Oxfordshire, a 44-year-old woman has been allowed to be buried at the same site, saying she felt 'profoundly spiritual,' during a visit. A church judge who approved the request described it as 'unusual, possibly unique'. Sylvia Plath is one of the most celebrated writers of the 20th century. Her semi-autobiographical novel The Bell Jar has sold more than 3million copies worldwide, while her poetry is revered as having advanced the form An Oxfordshire woman has won the right to be buried in the same churchyard as Plath, at St Thomas the Apostle church in Heptonstall, West Yorkshire. The US-born writer was buried there after she took her own life in 1963, aged just 30 RULES FOR BURIALS AT CHURCH GRAVEYARDS The Burial Act 1853 states, local residents, people named on a church's electoral roll and those dying within the same parish all have the right to be buried at their local churchyard. However, special requests can be sent off to the Church of England to be buried elsewhere. Advertisement Under the Burial Act 1853, local residents, people named on a church's electoral roll and those dying within the same parish all have the right to be buried at their local churchyard. However, special requests can be sent off to the Church of England to be buried elsewhere. In a judgment published by the Church of England, the unnamed woman applying to be buried in Heptonstall explained why she had applied for permission. She wrote: 'A few years ago I visited Heptonstall with my mother to visit the grave of the troubled poet, Sylvia Plath, wife of poet laureate Ted Hughes. 'We did not stay long as the last bus down the steep hill to Hebdon Bridge was due, yet I felt profoundly spiritual in this place. 'My siblings and their families know I love literature and will understand why I wish to be buried in St Thomass cemetery in the parish of St Thomas the Apostle in Heptonstall in Yorkshire.' Reverend Karen Marshall raised no objections to the application, stating: 'There is a lot of interest in the history of the village and its connection with Sylvia Plath, and although most people who are buried here are local, it is by no means the case for all of the burials. 'However, to my knowledge no one to date has cited their reason for wishing to be buried here as being on account of literary associations. 'The PCC was asked if it was happy for this application to go to faculty and they said that they were. They were happy for this to happen and the application was proposed and seconded.' An inscription on Plath's gravestone reads: 'Even amidst fierce flames the golden lotus can be planted'. Her husband, poet Ted Hughes, had to have the marker repaired on numerous occasions after people repeatedly scratched off his name as they blamed him for her suicide Sylvia Plath was married to Ted Hughes, who would go on to be the poet laureate. The couple separated months before her death after Plath discovered Hughes was having an affair Church judge The Worshipful Mark Hill QC, Chancellor of the Diocese of Leeds, said he felt confident that granting permission would not spark a flood of applications from people 'wanting to be buried in close proximity to their literary heroes and heroines'. There is space for around 450 more burials in the churchyard, court documents show. In his judgment, Mr Hill said: 'The reason for seeking a faculty is unusual, possibly unique. 'It is not for this Court to investigate the objective reasonableness of the petitioners justification, especially where there is so much available space.' Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 New COVID-19 cases in U.S. nursing homes have fallen to their lowest number since the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) started keeping track in May 2020, which suggests that vaccines are helping and that it might be possible to loosen some nursing home restrictions, a new report says. There has been an 82 percent decline in new COVID-19 cases among residents at nursing homes since the peak during the week of Dec. 20, when there were more than 30,000 new cases, CMS data show, according to the report from the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL). During the same period, COVID-19 cases in the general population decreased by 46 percent, indicating that vaccines are especially helping to protect nursing home residents. The data also show that since Dec. 20, COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes fell by a substantial 63 percent. The AHCA/NCAL represents more than 14,000 nursing homes and long-term care facilities nationwide that care for about 5 million people each year. "We still have a long road ahead, but these numbers are incredibly encouraging and a major morale booster for frontline caregivers who have been working tirelessly every day for a year to protect our residents," Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of AHCA/NCAL, said in a statement. "This new data showcases just how important it is for nursing homes residents and staff, as well as the general public, to get the vaccine because it is clearly working." In light of the new data, the AHCA/NCAL calls "on the [Biden] Administration to review its current guidance to nursing homes on restricting visitors and group activities," Parkinson said. "With millions of residents and caregivers now fully protected thanks to the vaccines, residents must be able to safely reengage in meaningful activities and be reunited with their loved ones." Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak More information: More Information Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Congress pushes SBA to accelerate venue bailout payments before its too late More than two months after Congress passed a $15 billion dollar relief measure aimed at the live events industry, venue operators are still waiting for the promised aid. On Thursday, a bipartisan group of US legislators from the House Small Business Committee sent a letter to the Small Business Administration urging them to act on the relief measures. According to the New York Times, the SBA has provided some information about its plans for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program but so far, has not announced when the program will begin accepting applications, or published the application itself. They had no urgency. This crisis is far from over, and our nations small businesses are still struggling. But this bill will provide entrepreneurs with the support they need to make it to the other side of this crisis. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to take quick action on this bill to send it to President Bidens desk, the legislators wrote in the letter signed by Representatives Roger Williams, Republican of Texas, Blaine Luetkemeyer, Republican of Missouri, and committee chair Nydia Velazquez, Democrat of New York. Rep. Williams told the Times that he also spoke with officials at the S.B.A. last week and came away disappointed. They had no urgency, Williams told the New York Times. If the S.B.A. cant do this, weve got to find an agency that can. CelebrityAccess Share on: (CNN) -- French Catholic clergy could have abused at least 10,000 minors and other vulnerable people since 1950, according to an independent investigation set up by the Church in France. The Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in the Church (CIASE) "estimates that the number of victims could reach 'at least ten thousand,'" it said in a statement released on Monday. The commission said it had so far received 6,500 testimonies, which concern at least 3,000 different victims. Jean-Marc Sauve, the president of the CIASE, said it is not known at this stage what percentage of all victims have testified to the commission. "It is very possible that the victims will reach at least the number of 10,000. The work in progress, and in particular the survey of the general population, will make it possible to specify the number," he said. The commission was set up in 2018 by the French Catholic Church hierarchy and religious institutes after abuse scandals came to light. It is financed by the French Catholic Bishops conference, but members are not paid and do not receive instructions from the Church. The archives of dioceses and religious institutions are accessible to the commission. It is scheduled to deliver a final report in the fall of 2021. In May 2019, Pope Francis issued global rules for reporting sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, mandating for the first time that all dioceses set up systems for reporting abuse and cover-ups. The rules require all Catholic dioceses around the world to have a "public and accessible" system in place. The norms cover internal Catholic Church procedure, not the issue of reporting abuse or cover-up to civil authorities, and must be followed by all dioceses. Archbishop Charles Scicluna, Vatican's top investigator of sex abuse, told CNN at the time that the new rules added a layer of accountability for church leaders. "First of all that leadership is not above the law," Scicluna said, "and second that leadership needs to know, all of us in leadership we need to know, that if the people love the Church they're going to denounce us when we do something wrong." This story was first published on CNN.com, "French Catholic clergy may have abused at least 10,000 people since 1950, say investigators" The Organisation for Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) has disclosed allegations of corruption and bribery at Electronic Toll Collection (ETC), which it said was brought to its attention by a whistleblower. ETC allegedly paid a South African company called ProAsh R10 million over a two-year period, starting three months after winning the e-toll collection contract. According to OUTA there was no apparent return for these payments. OUTA also revealed that Austrian business Kapsch TrafficCom, which owns ETC, allegedly laundered a $5.5-million bribe to Zambian officials through its South African bank account. ETC is majority-owned by Kapsch TrafficCom AG, which is based in Austria, and its subsidiaries Kapsch TrafficCom AB (based in Sweden), and TMT Services and Supplies (Pty) Ltd, OUTA explained. In September 2009, ETC was granted the contract to build, operate and maintain the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project open-road tolling system, commonly referred to as E-tolls. The operations part of the contract was switched on in December 2013 when the e-tolls went live, and is still running following various extensions to the five-year contract, stated OUTA. We believe these allegations of corruption, bribery and maladministration were reported to the ETC board and executive management of Kapsch TrafficCom in both South Africa and Austria in mid-2019, but were apparently initially ignored, it said. In addition, these allegations were also reported to the SAPS, the US Department of Justice and the Vienna Stock Exchange (where Kapsch is listed), with no feedback from the authorities. Allegations investigated OUTA said that it was approached by a whistleblower in September 2020 who said that they had reported these matters to the authorities and was concerned about the lack of action. The whistleblower approached OUTA to ensure these matters do not get swept under the carpet. OUTA said it investigated and helped to compile an affidavit with all the available information and evidence. This was then submitted by hand to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in terms of Section 27 of the National Prosecuting Act, OUTA said, explaining that this section of the law allows the reporting of information on specified offences directly to the NPA investigating director through an affidavit. OUTA said it submitted this report to ETC in November 2020. ETC then appointed ENS Africas forensics department to investigate the allegations. OUTA has since met twice with the investigation team of ENS and requested follow up correspondence on these issues from ETC. However, ETC has made it clear that although OUTA reported the matter to it and provided evidence and input to the investigators, ETC is not obliged to share the investigation findings with OUTA or the public. To date, OUTA said it has not been informed of any findings in this serious matter. OUTA believes that the questionable payments by ETC to ProAsh and the indications that Kapsch paid a significant bribe to secure the Zambian contract raise questions about the awarding of the e-tolls build-operate-maintain contract which SANRAL awarded to ETC in 2009, the organisation said. With the ongoing and mounting controversies related to the e-toll fiasco, OUTA eagerly awaits the announcement of Minister Mbalula on the future of e-tolls. Furthermore, OUTA believes that these latest revelations, along with others that OUTA has raised regarding the ETC tender and contract values as well as the inflated GFIP construction costs, warrant the introduction of an independent inquiry on the e-toll matter. The Health Services Executive is delighted to announce that it has completed essential upgrading and refurbishment of the Ballyshannon Community Nursing Unit (formerly known as the Rock). Ms Donna Reid, Director of Nursing confirmed that the home was recently inspected by HIQA and is now approved for registration. The upgraded facility can accommodate twenty seven residents in a combination of single shared bedrooms with ensuite facilities. New en suite rooms. A virtual tour is available by clicking on the following link. https://youtu.be/YyIVVYXICGA Beginning from the 3rd of March 2021, residents and staff who transferred previously to St Josephs Community Hospital in Stranorlar will relocate to this upgraded unit in Ballyshannon. Following this the residents and staff currently based at the existing Sheil Hospital will also transfer to this Ballyshannon Community Nursing Unit commencing the week of 15th March 2021. The reception area. The move will take place over a number of weeks in order to ensure that all residents have every opportunity to become accustomed to this new, upgraded facility. All transfers will be carrried out in accordance with Public Health and Infection Prevention and Control guidelines. All residents and their families are being communicated with on a regular basis throughout this period by Nurse Management. The vacating of the Sheil Community Hospital will enable the progression of works on the major capital project on the site . John Hayes, Chief Officer stated that, "People who have visited the Ballyshannon Community Nursing Unit have been impressed with the quality of the new accommodation. In addition the work programme on the major capital project on the Sheil Hospital site will now progress to the next essential phase of development." The World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) appealed today for 266 million US dollars to end food ration cuts for over 3 million refugees in East Africa. In recent months, WFP has been forced to implement ration cuts for refugees in Uganda (40%), Kenya (40%), South Sudan (30%), Djibouti (23%) and Ethiopia (16%). "Critical funding shortages have forced cuts of up to 60 percent, compromising long-standing efforts to achieve food security in camps," WFP's spokesperson Tomson Phiri told journalists in Geneva on Tuesday. "East Africa hosts one of the largest displaced populations of any region in the world, with some 4.4 million refugees and 8.1 million internally displaced people as of end-2020," he added. The impact of the funding shortfalls on refugee families has been compounded by COVID-19 lockdowns and measures to contain the pandemic's spread, which had already reduced the availability of food in markets in refugee camps and wrecked many refugees' hopes of helping to support their families through casual labour and small businesses. WFP has reported that people arriving in very bad shape in camps and that they are seeing a spike in malnutrition rates which could lead to a host of other problems. "When food is in short supply, protection concerns including sexual and gender-based violence increases in the camps," Phiri said. Phiri said that situation in Rwanda, which has seen 60% cuts, could be "quickly reversed" with the extra funds. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) ANNAPOLIS, Md. - At first, the bill addressing the role of racism in health disparities in Maryland laid out the context plainly: "Racism is rooted in the foundation of America, from the time chattel slavery began in the 1600s, to the Jim Crow era, to the declaration of the war on drugs that eventually led to the mass incarceration of Black people, and it has remained a presence in American society while subjecting Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to hardships and disadvantages in every aspect of life." But after Republicans and some conservative Democrats complained, lawmakers struck all 11 references to racism, past and present. Senate Finance Committee Chair Delores Kelley, D-Baltimore County, said the goal was to move the bill forward without a drawn-out fight on the Senate floor. "We were going to lose the vote on the floor if we didn't remove the preamble," Kelley said in an interview. "And the devil works in mysterious ways. . . . I think they thought we would let the whole bill die." Amid a national reckoning on structural racism and disparities exposed by the coronavirus pandemic, the decision shows the difficulties of confronting and addressing historic bigotry - even in a liberal legislature where Democrats hold veto-proof majorities in both chambers. "The truth of the matter is in order to end racism in this state we have to be willing to call it out and see it in print," said Sen. Mary Washington, D-Baltimore City, the bill's sponsor. The action also is evidence of the push and pull at play in the Senate, where more-conservative senators now lead the Republican caucus and Senate President Bill Ferguson, D-Baltimore City, a young liberal, is adjusting to his role after decades of Mike Miller leading the chamber. The bill, named for former state senator Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, would create a commission to examine the health of Maryland residents and the impact of various factors, including access to affordable housing, educational attainment and employment, on health. The commission would advise the state government on racial, ethnic, cultural or socioeconomic disparities in health, and set goals for health equity. It came to the floor last week with the references to racism intact. But, in an unusual move, Kelley, who is Black, asked for the measure to be sent back to her committee to deal with a last-minute amendment. "Why?" Sen. Malcolm Augustine, D-Prince George's, asked when the committee took up whether to delete the introductory passages about racism's role and impact throughout U.S. history. "Why? Why would we do that?" Sen. Brian Feldman, D-Montgomery, the vice chair of the committee who was running the meeting, turned to Sen. J.B. Jennings, R-Harford, for an answer. "There are issues in the preamble," Jennings said. "We just want to focus on the actual bill." The preamble said "racism unfairly disadvantages specific individuals and communities while unfairly giving advantages to other individuals." It continued: "The American Public Health Association, National Association of County and City Health Officials, and the American Academy of Pediatrics have declared racism as a public health crisis." Jennings and Sen. Stephen Hershey, R-Queen Anne's, voted in favor of the version of the bill with the preamble when it was approved by the committee the first time. Jennings noted that there had not been much discussion before that vote. He and Hershey told their colleagues that several members of the Republican caucus supported creating the commission but that they were "uncomfortable" basing it on racism. "There was concerns about some of the specifics in the clauses," Hershey said. Senate Minority Whip Michael Hough, R-Frederick, did not respond to a request for comment. Kelley said it was best to move the bill forward, especially since the legislature is also wrestling with major legislation on police accountability and other issues. "I would just say if you don't have an earthshaking reason, we'd like to get this back on the floor and move other bills," she said at the committee meeting. Sen. Antonio Hayes, D-Baltimore City, said he was sensitive to the Senate's full agenda and agreed with her on ensuring that the bill passed without a protracted debate. But, "for me, and I can only speak for me . . . this country has the issue of racism, right? And it's taken a long time for us to acknowledge that." He said he would not vote to remove the amendment if a roll call were taken. Feldman ultimately asked for a voice vote. Hershey said the amendment was "not meant to erase history or to not acknowledge that these conditions aren't out there. It's just do they need to be in writing in uncodified language in a bill that we all supported? This was just a request that our caucus made to say, 'Can we find a way to take it out, bring it back to the floor, we'll all vote in favor of it, and we'll be done with it.' " Experts in health and Black history said it was disappointing that Maryland lawmakers missed an opportunity. "You can't compromise on racism," said Naa Oyo Kwate, an associate professor of Africana studies at Rutgers University who has studied how racism directly and indirectly affects Black health. "Striking that language is not cosmetic. It's fundamental to what they are setting out to do and for what they are supposed to achieve." Natalia Linos, the executive director of the Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University, said: "We know as epidemiologists that when we're seeing these stark inequities between Black Americans and White Americans it isn't because of inferiority or biology reasons. This is because of our structures and our policies." "This is because of racism, past racism and ongoing exclusion that people face in poor housing or environmental racism." A similar bill in the House of Delegates has been approved by a subcommittee. It has the preamble. If the Senate bill passes, the measure will be taken up in the House. If the House puts the preamble back in, the chambers will have to hash out the differences in a conference committee. A postponement of business-related tax would assist pendemic-stricken companies and the state budget. Photo: Le Tien The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has proposed that the government approves a decree on extending the payment of taxes and land fees in 2021 with particular measures for every tax, beneficiary, and business sector. The MoF suggested delaying VAT payments for five months, reducing the total state budget by VND68.8 trillion ($3 billion) during the period. For corporate income tax (CIT), the MoF proposed deferring for three months consequently, around VND40.5 trillion ($1.76 billion) will be paid to the state budget later, while VAT made by household and individual businesses to be delayed is estimated at VND1.3 trillion ($56.5 million). Additionally, the MoF asked to put off land rentals for the first term of 2021 for corporations, organisations, and household and individual businesses, estimated at a total of around VND4.4 trillion ($191.3 million). Accordingly, total payments to be extended would be estimated at VND115 trillion ($5 billion). An MoF representative said that deferring taxes and land rental payments will be considered as non-interest loans the government provides for companies, household businesses, and individuals to overcome challenges caused by the global health crisis, and which will not affect the annual state budget. Around 96 per cent of businesses in the country will be eligible for such assistance if it is approved, said the representative. Vang Vien Thong, general director of Ho Chi Minh City-based Nam Anh Co., Ltd., a supplier of Japanese clothing giants, explained that the policy will greatly help businesses, especially ones enjoying huge incomes. It is favourable for us if the VAT payment is delayed for five months. For a firm generating millions of US dollars in revenue annually like Nam Anh, this policy will be a good resource for us to maintain and develop the business, said Thong. In another case, Tay Bac Construction and Trade Co., Ltd. in Hanoi had taxes and land rental payments delayed last year at more than VND400 million ($17,400). Director Nguyen Trung Hieu was happy with the policy, which helped keep the company afloat during the pandemic. If these payments remain deferred this year, this will be a key driver for businesses to operate and contribute to the state budget moving forward.. However, some experts and enterprises said that in addition to the deferral, ministries and agencies should ask the government to reduce CIT, depending on scale and industry. One example is that the rate could be 15 per cent for micro-sized enterprises and 17 per cent for small enterprises, instead of 20 per cent at present. Nguyen Van Duoc, director general of Trong Tin Tax Consulting and Accounting Co., Ltd., said that according to the Law on Support for Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises enacted in 2018, relevant small- and micro-sized enterprises were to have 15-17 per cent applied in CIT however, this has yet to be applied. So, Duoc said, the government and agencies should work on reducing the tax for them in line with the timeline of the law. In some special sectors, we should consider reducing 50 per cent of VAT in addition to extending the tax payment for five months. Especially, we should reduce 30 per cent of the total CIT payable in 2020 to apply in 2021, said Duoc. The policy should be adopted quickly in order for business operations and the economy to recover quicker. If the process takes too long, fewer will recover, at the expense of the state budget, added Duoc. Businesses said the proposal of reducing 30-50 per cent of land rent should be submitted to the government and the National Assembly soon, along with the proposal of decreasing CIT and VAT at the National Assembly meeting in March. This is the third time the MoF suggests such a delay to support businesses during the pandemic. Last April, the government issued a five-month deferral on tax and land rent, then in September extended the deadline for special consumption tax payment applying for domestically-manufactured or assembled cars. The long-awaited report into the financial affairs of Melissa Caddick reveals that she allegedly misappropriated around $25 million of investors funds. However, the heavily-redacted report has been greeted with disappointment by investors who say nothings been answered. It doesnt reveal a lot we dont already know, said one of those owed a considerable amount of money by Ms Caddick. The report is so heavily-redacted its hard to make any sense of it, said another who added that it doesnt say where the moneys gone. The two-part report has been provided to investors by Bruce Gleeson and Daniel Soire: the partners of insolvency firm Jones Partners, the court-appointed provisional liquidators. The first part of the report was into Ms Caddickss financial affairs and the other into her company Maliver, investors told the Herald. Directors David Vilensky and Chris Gale have exercised a combined total of 16,826,848 LRSOC options to acquire 16,826,848 fully paid ordinary shares for total consideration of $201,922. The company has secured around $1.2 million of funding via the exercise of options during the last three months. ( ) (FRA:XL5) directors David Vilensky and Chris Gale have demonstrated their support for the companys multi-commodity strategy across its halloysite, lithium, gold and copper projects in Australia and South America, including Argentina. The directors exercised a combined total of 16,826,848 LRSOC options to acquire 16,826,848 fully paid ordinary shares for a total consideration of $201,922. Euroz Hartleys Limited has also exercised 8,500,000 LRSOC options for a consideration of $102,000. The LRSOC options exercised from December 1, 2020, to March 2, 2021, total 99,965,400 - bringing in funds of $1,199,585 to the company. Vote of confidence Latin Resources executive director Chris Gale said: "The exercise of options by directors of the company, including the chairman, is extremely pleasing and a solid vote of confidence in the company, its projects, its people and its strategy going forward. With close to $1.2 million being banked by the company in the last 3 months from the exercise of options, it also affirms that well-priced options are an underrated source of new capital into the company." Salinas Lithium Project plans The company plans to start extensive exploration on the Salinas Lithium Project (held by 100%-owned Brazilian subsidiary, Mineracao Ferro Nordeste) in the near term. This project sits in the Jequitinhonha Valley region of Minas Gerais a lithium-rich but underexplored region which hosts the Eastern Brazilian pegmatite province, home to Sigma Lithium and lithium producer Companhia Brasileira de Litio (CBL). Latin has appointed local geologists to carry out fieldwork on the Salinas tenements with the key objective to define drill targets and to begin drilling in the second quarter of 2021. Noombenberry Project potential Recent sampling at the companys Noombenberry Project in Western Australia has highlighted the potential scale of the high-quality kaolinite and high-grade halloysite mineralisation within the project, where the company is engaged with independent consultants to generate its maiden JORC resource. Results from four float samples collected from dam walls have confirmed bright white and ultra-bright white kaolin. The company has land access agreements in place covering these areas and will progress to systematic drill testing of these new areas as a priority once the new tenements are granted. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close (@FahadShabbir) Nearly four million coronavirus jabs arrived in Nigeria on Tuesday, making Africa's most populous nation the latest country to receive vaccines from Covax, a global scheme to provide free inoculations Abuja, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Mar, 2021 ) :Nearly four million coronavirus jabs arrived in Nigeria on Tuesday, making Africa's most populous nation the latest country to receive vaccines from Covax, a global scheme to provide free inoculations. A flight carrying 3.94 million AstraZeneca doses arrived shortly before noon at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in the capital Abuja. Richer countries have surged ahead with vaccinations but many poorer countries are still awaiting deliveries, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to warn that the crisis cannot end unless everyone can inoculate their populations. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was among those hailing the arrival, writing on Twitter: "We must ACTogether to supply vaccines to all countries in the first 100 days of 2021." The batch of AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccines, made by the Serum Institute of India, are the first of 16 million jabs that Covax plans to deliver over the coming months to the country of 200 million people. "Today is a good day for Nigeria," Faisal Shuaib, director of the Primary healthcare agency, said in a statement. "Our team is ready to start administering doses to frontline health workers." Government official Boss Mustapha urged traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society groups and the media to spread the message that vaccinations were needed, adding: "This is a fight for everyone." - Tricky transport - Nigeria's food and drug control agency approved the AstraZeneca vaccine for use last month and vaccinations are scheduled to start on Friday. Frontline workers and support staff are the first in line, followed by the president and vice president on Saturday, a government spokesman Garba Shehu told AFP. The government said it hoped to vaccinate at least 70 percent of its adult population over the next two years, and health officials said more than two million people had already registered for the jab online. "As the vaccines arrive in batches due to limited supply we will inform Nigerians about who and where to receive the vaccine," Shuaib told reporters Monday. The agency launched a self-registration portal online to try to ease the rollout but the country faces immense security and logistics challenges. "States without a functional airport will have their vaccines transported by road using vans with fitted cold cabins, from the nearest airport," Shuaib said. The West African country has recorded 156,017 cases and 1,915 deaths since the start of the pandemic, though the figures are considered undercounted given the low number of tests administered. A new virus variant has also been discovered in Nigeria, but researchers have not yet determined if it is more contagious or deadly than the original strain. Last week, Ghana and Ivory Coast were the first African countries to receive vaccines from Covax, an initiative led by Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, WHO and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) with UNICEF as implementing partner. Some 237 million doses of AstraZeneca are to be delivered by the end of May to 142 participating economies, Covax says. New Delhi, March 3 : Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank), on behalf of the Central Government, has extended the Line of Credit (LOC) of $10.40 million to the government of the Kingdom of Eswatini (Swaziland) for construction of disaster recovery site. The LOC agreement to this effect was signed through exchange between Nirmit Ved, General Manager, Exim Bank, and Neal H Rijkenberg, Finance Minister, Kingdom of Eswatini (Swaziland). With the signing of the LOC Agreement, Exim Bank, till date, has extended three LOCs to the Kingdom of Eswatini (Swaziland), on behalf of the Government of India, taking the total value of LOCs extended to $68.30 million. The LOCs extended to the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini (Swaziland) cover projects in sectors including Information Technology, Disaster Management and Agriculture. With the signing of this LOC Agreement, Exim Bank has now in place 270 Lines of Credit, covering 62 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the CIS, with credit commitments of around $26.75 billion, available for financing exports from India. Besides promoting India's exports, Exim Bank's LOCs enable demonstration of Indian expertise and project execution capabilities in emerging markets. Credit: CC0 Public Domain According to a new study published in Medical Care, improving hospital nurse staffing as proposed in pending legislation in New York state would likely save lives. The cost of improving nurse staffing would be offset by savings achieved by reducing hospital readmissions and length of hospital stays. Researchers at the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research (CHOPR) at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, conducted independent research in early 2020 on whether pending nurse staffing legislation in New York state is in the public's interest. The study of 116 hospitals and 418,000 Medicare patients documented large differences in patient-to-nurse ratios by hospital from an average of 4.3 patients for each nurse to as many as 10.5 patients per nurse. The wide variation in patient-to-nurse ratios across hospitals in New York is contributing to avoidable deaths and unnecessary costs. The new study finds hospital deaths and costs of care are significantly lower in hospitals with better nurse staffing. Each additional patient added to a nurse's workload is associated with 13% higher in-hospital mortality and 8% higher readmissions. Similarly, the odds of staying a day longer in the hospital, a major cost factor, increased by 9% for surgical patients and 5% for medical patients. Lead author Karen Lasater, Ph.D., RN, an assistant professor and CHOPR researcher said, "Results show that improving nurse staffing in New York hospitals could substantially reduce deaths and save money that could go to funding improved staffing." Researchers estimated that if all New York hospitals had staffed at levels recommended in pending state legislation of not more than 4 patients per nurse on medical and surgical units, over a two-year period more than 4,370 deaths could have been avoided and over $720 million saved just among Medicare patients alone and likely considerably more across all hospitalized patients. Co-author, Linda H Aiken, Ph.D., RN, a senior researcher at CHOPR and professor at the University of Pennsylvania said, "This independent scientific study shows that setting a quality standard for nurse staffing in hospitals is in the public's interest. It is also feasible to fund because of significant savings associated with avoided days of care associated with better patient care." Explore further Improving hospital nurse staffing is associated with fewer deaths from sepsis More information: Karen B. Lasater et al. Is Hospital Nurse Staffing Legislation in the Public's Interest?, Medical Care (2021). Journal information: Medical Care Karen B. Lasater et al. Is Hospital Nurse Staffing Legislation in the Public's Interest?,(2021). DOI: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000001519 New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during a press conference before the opening of a mass COVID-19 vaccination site in the Queens borough of New York, N.Y., on Feb. 24, 2021. (Seth Wenig/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) 6 New York Democrats Call for Cuomos Impeachment Schumer calls mounting sexual harassment allegations 'very troubling' Six New York Democrats on Tuesday issued a letter calling for the impeachment of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, over his handling of the states CCP virus response and the mounting sexual harassment allegations against him. Cuomo, 63, has been accused of harassment by three women, two of whom are former aides. He has also been under fire for withholding COVID-19 death data from state lawmakers and the public. The lawmakers from the New York State Senate and Assembly jointly demanded that impeachment proceedings be held against the governor, reported Business Insider. In their letter, they called Cuomos behavior predatory and accused him of gross misconduct and of abusing his power. The accounts of sexual harassment from the women who have courageously come forward confirm what many in Albany have known for years: that Governor Cuomo uses his power to belittle, bully and harass his employees and colleagues, wrote the lawmakers, including State Sens. Julia Salazar and Jabari Brisport, and Assembly Members Emily Gallagher, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Zohran Mamdani, and Marcela Mitaynes. The accounts add to recent revelations of gross misconduct. It is time for the legislature to demand accountability. Impeachment proceedings are the appropriate avenue for us to pursue as legislators to hold the Governor accountable for his many abuses of power and remove him from office. Late Monday, Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y.) was the first Democratic member of Congress to call on Cuomo to resign, after a third woman came forward with harassment allegations against Cuomo. Anna Ruch, 33, said that she and the governor met at a wedding in September 2019, where he made unwanted advances toward her. Ruch alleged that he placed his hand on her bare lower back, called her aggressive when she promptly removed it, and then put his hands on her face and asked if he could kiss her. Both Lindsey Boylan, former deputy secretary for economic development and special adviser to Cuomo, and Charlotte Bennett, another former aide to the governor, have accused Cuomo of sexual harassment. Boylan, a Democrat running for the post of Manhattan borough president, in a post published last week, accused Cuomo of making inappropriate remarks, and allegedly touching and kissing her without consent. She said he would go out of his way to touch me on my lower back, arms, and legs, compare her to one of his rumored former girlfriends, and once suggested that they should play strip poker on a flight from an event in October 2017. Bennett, a former executive assistant and health policy adviser to Cuomo, accused the governor of sexually harassing her, including asking inappropriate questions. Separately, New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, published a report in January that found that the state under-counted nursing home deaths by as much as 50 percent, while the New York Post later reported that one of Cuomos aides, Melissa DeRosa, admitted to lawmakers in a private setting that the administration hid nursing home data last summer due to a federal probe. The lawmakers in their letter said that the Cuomo administrations admission of withholding critical information, including the thousands of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes, from the public and from the federal government was sufficient to proceed with the governors impeachment, before the emergence of sexual harassment allegations. As socialists and as elected representatives, we must demonstrate solidarity in this moment and ensure Governor Cuomo cannot simply walk away from these accusations, they said. Cuomos office hasnt responded to multiple requests for comment by The Epoch Times. On Sunday, his office issued a statement saying he never intended to offend anyone or cause any harm. Separately on Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) called the harassment allegations against the governor very troubling, but didnt suggest he should resign. Schumer said he has faith in Jamess investigation of the issue. I know the attorney general will conduct a thorough investigation that will be totally, totally independent without any outside interference, political or otherwise, Schumer told reporters. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 65-year-old man was taken to the hospital after he was hit by an SUV Wednesday morning while crossing a Hershey road, police said. The man was crossing Route 422 (West Chocolate Avenue) from north to south on the west side at about 7:27 a.m. when a GMC Yukon hit him, according to Derry Township police. The Yukon was on Ridge Road making a left at the Route 422 intersection when the crash occurred, police said. The man, who was dragged under the vehicle for a short distance after the crash, was taken to Milton S. Hershey Medical Center for unspecified injuries, police said. His current condition is unknown. The Yukon was not damaged, police said. The crash remains under investigation. Route 422 and Ridge Road were closed for about an hour Wednesday while investigators and emergency responders were at the scene. Roads are reopened as of 9:30 a.m., police said. Anyone who may have witnessed the crash is asked to call Derry Township police at 717-534-2202. READ MORE: Multiple people ejected in Cumberland County horse-and-buggy crash: state police Pa. men were driving 100 mph before fatal crash on bridge with 45 mph speed limit: investigators Logan, WV (25601) Today Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. High 79F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional showers overnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. Centre allows states to take call on converting more private hospitals into vaccine sites India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P New Delhi, Mar 03: In a re cent development, the health ministry has decided to allow state and Union Territory governments to identify more and more private hospitals which can be included in the vaccination drive in the ongoing second phase where senior citizens and people above 45 with co-morbidities are being inoculated. Earlier, only hospitals empanelled under Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, Central Government Health Scheme and State Health Insurance Schemes were allowed to vaccinate people at a cost of Rs 250 per dose. IMD claims high maximum temperatures to persist for another 4-5 days As vaccination gathered pace on Tuesday, the Centre said if private hospitals have an adequate number of vaccinators, adequate space for observation of the vaccinated, adequate cold chain management and adequate arrangement for the management of any adverse effect, then states/UTs can proactively make efforts to use these private hospitals as vaccination centres. Private hospitals have also been asked to open vaccination slots for 15 days to a month so that people can book their appointment in advance. In the first two days, private hospitals were allowing advanced booking for only a day or two. The Centre has also asked states to not store vaccines or to create a buffer stock, apprehending any future shortage. It also asked the government to supply vaccines to hospitals for the entire duration for which sessions have been planned. Anurag Kashyap, Tapsee Pannu face tax raids by income tax officials| Oneindia News "States/UTs should not store, reserve, conserve or create a buffer stock of the Covid vaccines at the state and district levels. The Central Government has adequate stock and will provide the required vaccine doses to the States and UTs," the health ministry said at a high-level review meeting on Tuesday with additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries and secretaries of states and UTs. Texas, Mississippi End Mask Mandates By The Associated Press LUBBOCK - Texas will become one of 16 states without a statewide order mandating masks in public, under a new executive order issued Tuesday by Gov. Greg Abbott.Abbott tweeted, Texas is OPEN 100%. EVERYTHING.Removing statewide mandates does not end personal responsibility, said Abbott, speaking from the crowded dining room of a restaurant in Lubbock. Its just that now state mandates are no longer needed, he said.The repeals take effect March 10.Abbott, a Republican, has faced sustained criticism from his party in Americas biggest red state over the statewide mandate imposed eight months ago, as well as business occupancy limits that Texas will also scuttle next week.Local officials will have some ability to impose new rules if cases spike, Abbott said, but those powers will be limited.At Bobs Steak & Chop House in Dallas, founder Bob Sambol welcomed the ability to make decisions for his own restaurant again, even though he has not decided what approach hell take. I have a week, thank God, Sambol said.Abbott joins a growing number of governors across the U.S. who are easing coronavirus restrictions. Like the rest of the country, Texas has seen the number of cases and deaths plunge. Hospitalizations are at the lowest levels since October, and the seven-day rolling average of positive tests has dropped to about 7,600 cases, down from more than 10,000 in mid-February.Abbotts rollbacks come just as the U.S. is picking up the pace of vaccinating people -- with victory over the virus in sight. In Texas, 7.1% of its nearly 30 million residents have been fully vaccinated, according to state data reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Early in the pandemic, Abbott stripped local officials of their power to implement tougher COVID-19 restrictions, but now says counties can impose mitigation strategies if virus hospitalizations exceed 15% of all hospital capacity in their region. However, Abbott forbade local officials from imposing penalties for not wearing a face covering.Retailers and other businesses will still be allowed to impose capacity limits and other restrictions on their own. Target, one of the nations biggest retailers, said it would continue requiring customers to wear masks in Texas. Mark Cuban, owner of the NBAs Dallas Mavericks, said he had no immediate plans to change the limits on fans at the American Airlines Center, where the biggest crowd so far this season was about 3,000 spectators.Most of the country has lived under mask mandates during the pandemic, with at least 37 states requiring face coverings to some degree. But those orders are increasingly falling by the wayside: North Dakota, Montana and Iowa have also lifted mask orders in recent weeks.In Mississippi, Gov. Tate Reeves announced similar plans Tuesday.If businesses or individuals decide to take additional precautions, they are absolutely within their rights, Reeves said at a news conference Tuesday. In fact, it may be smart. But we are not going to continue to use the heavy hand of government when it is no longer justified by the reality we see around us.Reeves tweeted Tuesday, "Weve been among the 4 or 5 most open states throughout this crisis, and weve been rewarded for it with more jobs and economic recovery."Texas and Mississippi join 14 other states either lifted their mask mandate or never adopted one in the first place, according to AARP:AlaskaArizonaFloridaGeorgiaIdahoIowaMissouriMontanaNebraskaNorth DakotaOklahomaSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennessee Senior Financial Assistant, Chennai, India Organization: The World Bank Country: India City: Chennai, India Office: World Bank in Chennai, India Closing date: Monday, 15 March 2021 Senior Financial Assistant Job #: req11082 Organization: World Bank Sector: Finance & Accounting Grade: GD Term Duration: 4 years 0 months Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment Location: Chennai,India Required Language(s): English Preferred Language(s): Closing Date: 3/15/2021 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC Description Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty, increasing shared prosperity and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org The World Bank Group Finance and Accounting (WFA) Vice Presidency Unit, is responsible for all aspects of financial reporting and the internal control framework for the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the extensive Trust Fund/Partnership portfolio of those entities. The VPU is also responsible for expressing a Finance viewpoint on controls over Bank Group operations. WFA comprises the following functions: Financial Instruments Accounting and Valuation; Loan Operations; Accounting Business Services; Financial Analysis and Reporting; Accounting Policy; Documentation and Communication; Advisory Services; and Operational Risks and Controls. These units collectively include approximately 500 staff, of which approximately 170 are in Washington, D.C., with the remainder in regional offices including the largest in Chennai, India. Unit Overview The WBG Trust Fund and Loan Operations Department (WFATL) in WFA provides a number of financial operation activities, notably financial services, compliance, disbursements, accounting, reporting, and analytics for IBRD/IDA loans and Trust Funds. WFATL consists of two divisions, each managed by one manager. The first division, WFACS, is devoted to providing client services and related operations for the loans business and external clients and is organized along business lines serving the regions and global practices. The Services within the area of WFACS responsibilities fall under three categories: regional coordination, country focal point assistance, and project-level fiduciary and portfolio management. The second division, WFAAS, is focused on supporting both the WBGs Trust Funds and Loans portfolios, for example, providing advice on the design and implementation of new trust funds, policies, or processes, as well as many activities associated with the implementation and closure of loans or trust funds, including account creation and maintenance, disbursement transactions, trust funds and loans accounting and reporting and helpdesk functions. These two divisions work closely and collaboratively with one another, in addition to with other Bank units. Division overview WFAAS division is split into (a) Advisory teams, based out of Washington DC, and (b) Operational support teams, based out of Chennai. The Operational support team in Chennai (WFALF), is split into three sub-teams viz., (i) TACT, (ii) Trust Funds accounting and reporting, and (iii) Loan accounting and reporting. Together, the Division provides end-to-end support for IBRD/IDA Loans and WBG Trust Funds, in terms of, Providing upstream advice to Bank teams and influence the design of new loan agreements to ensure: compliance with fiduciary, reporting, internal control requirements and best practices Support, help design, and ultimately implement and account for new and emerging loan products, in addition to the existing loans portfolio Ensure the accuracy and integrity of the Trust Fund and Loan modules, financial ledgers and related interfaces, which capture all TF and Loan activities Report on Trust Fund and Loan accounts at the individual account and portfolio level through, audited/un-audited financial statements, management reports, analyses and trends for corporate reporting, donor specific reports, etc. Maintain/enhance/develop underlying systems, tools and applications to cater to the changing business needs This is an advertisement for a Senior Financial Assistant, in the Trust Fund reporting Team forming part of the Operational Support in Chennai. This position reports to the Trust Fund reporting Team Lead. Duties & Responsibilities: The primary purpose of the job is to execute financial accounting activities for certain trust funds programs and support other reporting deliverables of the team. Carry out day-to-day accounting functions involving fund transfers, expense transfers, interim budget recoveries, budget updates and cancellation of funds for assigned programs within the ambit of trust funds accounting / administration policies / procedures and agreed Service Level Agreement (SLA) parameters; Manage expense reposting requests from clients, review and process such requests efficiently in accordance with the reposting guidelines and agreed SLA. Assist external auditors by providing the required supporting documentation in support of financial statements, in coordination with various Country Offices, within the agreed service level agreement (SLA) parameters; Initiate procedures to close assigned trust funds when due and return unutilized funds as per the procedures after completion of closure process; Monitor and resolve inconsistencies in master data /general ledger using exception reports; Compilation of the relevant legal documents and the general ledger extracts to serve as back up documents for the financial statements for trust funds requiring audit; Process improvements & automation projects: Participate/Assist in automation projects and coordinate with technical teams on system changes, bug fixes, enhancements and testing Contribute to the continuous improvements and process enhancement initiatives surrounding trust fund and Loan processes aimed at simplification and/or enhancements to process quality and controls; Provide inputs and actively participate in various institutional projects; Others: Provide a variety of metrics / charts to be included in overall departmental operations report to measure progress of operations vis-a-vis agreed norms for management information and action; Selection Criteria A professional certification (fully qualified as CPA, CA or equivalent) with 0-1 year of relevant work experience; Exposure to an integrated accounting system would be highly desirable; Attention to detail and numerical accuracy while managing multiple tasks and projects; Good team player, with a strong client and results orientation, capable of working within a multicultural environment, with minimum supervision; Good written and oral language skills in English; Ability to deal with rapidly shifting priorities and work demands, and willingness to learn new skills and seek help from colleagues; Strong computer skills, and basic understanding of information systems and the application of newer technologies. Competencies: Deliver Results for Clients - Takes full ownership to address client needs. Demonstrates initiative, independence and autonomy in addressing client needs in changing business contexts and environments. Has knowledge of department strategy, vision, and goals and can link them to those of the larger organization. Allocates and prioritizes resources according to areas of most urgent need and greatest impact for the client. Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries - Contributes to wider collaborative efforts. Adopts a collaborative approach to improve overall effectiveness outside ones department and displays an open helpful attitude toward others. Approaches conflicts as common problems to be solved. Demonstrates understanding of and acts to incorporate multiple perspectives. Frames thinking/actions with a WBG corporate perspective in mind Lead and Innovate - Initiates changes to work processes to improve efficiency and performance. Applies creativity, flexibility and persistence to develop new approaches. Considers own behavior in context of WBGs values and mission and recognizes impact on others. Frames problems and recommends solutions Create, Apply, and Share Knowledge - Actively promotes knowledge-sharing. Takes ownership for organization of knowledge-sharing and learning activities. Contributes to the knowledge of the work group and beyond. Uses feedback to develop self and mentor others. Builds personal and professional networks within and beyond the work group. Make Smart Decisions - Analyzes data to support and enable decision-making. Anticipates, researches, reviews, and analyzes available data and relevant empirical evidence, including lessons learned. Understands risk and can provide basic assessment using cost-benefit analysis. Uses critical thinking and good judgment to make decisions. Supports decisions, takes action and ensures appropriate follow-up actions are taken. Client Understanding and Advising - Follows through on client inquiries, requests, and addresses problems promptly and nondefensively. Proactively keeps the client up-to-date on the progress of projects. Makes decision by following guidelines and procedures. Broad Business Thinking - Keeps informed on business operations. Inquires about the relationship of delivered support/services to the business as it pertains to assigned area of responsibility and related projects. Seeks out relevant information related to clients from available sources including supervisors, peers, clients, intranet/Internet, and documentation. Provides a business-based rationale for determining the necessity of incremental improvements and communicates viewpoint using the clients own terminology with limited jargon. Project Management - Sets personal objectives and goals and manages use of own time. Works towards accomplishing own daily, weekly and annual objectives. Learns from mistakes, and adjusts goals and courses of action to meet changing needs. Sets priorities for his/her work in order to stay on top of the workload and tackle the most important issues first. Considers work/project timelines and the time it takes to get things done. Sets priorities, properly plans, keeps track of activities completed and in progress, and keeps clear, detailed records of activities related to accomplishing stated objectives, arrangements, etc. Analytical Thinking - Gathers and links data. Reviews for non-conformity and gathers further information in response to problems. Collates and reports information. Identifies direct cause-and-effect relationships. Identifies trends and exceptions. Investigates to define problems more accurately. Sorts information in order of importance. Identifies relationships and linkages between components. Identifies variable potential causes and effects. Solicits guidance to define criteria and assign values of importance and urgency. Escalates issues of both a routine and exceptional nature. Policies and Procedures - Gathers and links data. Reviews for non-conformity and gathers further information in response to problems. Collates and reports information. Identifies direct cause-and-effect relationships. Identifies trends and exceptions. Investigates to define problems more accurately. Sorts information in order of importance. Identifies relationships and linkages between components. Identifies variable potential causes and effects. Solicits guidance to define criteria and assign values of importance and urgency. Escalates issues of both a routine and exceptional nature Risks and Controls - Demonstrate understanding of key risks and internal control procedures in the related processes. Able to identify key risks and mitigating control steps in own functional areas. Perform internal control procedures in compliance with the overall risk and control framework. Takes proactive measures to know the internal control procedures (e.g., talks with business leaders about their goals and priorities). IT and Systems - Exhibit working knowledge of key information technology and main systems in own function areas. Effectively utilize such technologies and systems to successfully carry out work programs. Communication - Utilize appropriate tools and techniques to explain technical information in plain language. Present information in a logical and organized manner both in speech and in writing. Writes effective correspondence, prepares questions and reports, statements of circumstance and briefing notes Poverty has no borders, neither does excellence. We succeed because of our differences and we continuously search for qualified individuals with diverse backgrounds from around the globe. Read more coverage of the hearing: Boogaloo Boys not as light hearted as their flowery Hawaiian shirts, FBI agent testifies JACKSON, MI A colorful array of memes criticizing Gov. Gretchen Whitmers handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and her stance on gun rights were introduced as exhibits in cases against three men accused of plotting to kidnap and kill her. The preliminary examination for Joseph M. Morrison, Pete Musico and Paul Bellar began Wednesday, March 3, before Jackson County District Judge Michael Klaeren. After roughly eight hours of examination, the hearing was adjourned and scheduled to continue Thursday, March 4. During the exam, broadcast live on YouTube, attorneys with the Michigan Attorney Generals Office submitted a variety of memes as evidence, many of which circulated heavily on social media during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent protests at the Capitol when state legislators were challenging Whitmers executive powers to enforce the lockdown. Several of the memes compared Whitmer to Adolf Hitler with one image showing a Nazi SS hat crudely Photoshopped onto her head. Other memes were specifically tailored for the organization as propaganda tools used for recruitment, said FBI Special Agent Henrick Impola, who was the lead investor monitoring the groups activities. Among the memes was an image shared within the group of Whitmers home along with details about her travels, advocating for something violent to happen to her. For the governors safety, the court shut off the video of the live broadcasting of the hearing when this image was being displayed. The memes and general disapproval of Whitmer were not solely lockdown related, as the FBI found several memes and threatening comments posted long before Whitmer began issuing her executive orders. The group had issues with proposed red flag laws, laws that would take guns away from citizens if it believe they would commit an act of violence. Michigan does not currently have any such laws in place, prosecutors said. The FBI was made aware of the organization in March of 2020 after a member of the group, a postal worker and combat veteran, contacted police when the member learned the group was serious about committing acts of violence against law enforcement, Impola said. The member wanted to distance himself from the group and, after initially hesitating, became an informant for the FBI as it began its seven-month investigation. After the FBI raids in October 2020, the informant was put into witness protection and paid $24,000 after he was forced to relocate his family and sell his home at a loss due to threats against his life, according to testimony. The ties that bind the men behind the plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer Using the informant as a listening post, the FBI was able to monitor what the group was saying and doing in a private Facebook group and an encrypted messaging app, Wire, where members would coordinate events, share information and post memes about the boogaloo movement and Whitmer. Boogaloo was frequently discussed within the group during the seven-month investigation, Impola said. The Boogaloo has been identified by the FBI as a far-right, domestic terrorist movement centered on plans for a sequel to the Civil War. The FBI was able to collect Facebook data about the group with a warrant, but was unable to for Wire because the company that owns the app is not based in the United States. Since information is encrypted at a user level, a warrant wouldnt do any good even if they could get one, according to testimony. Wire information was collected by taking screenshots of the informants phone and FBI agents monitoring the chatter in real time, Impola said. The group organized several training exercises in Munith, participated in several protests in Lansing and, during the height of the police brutality protests over the summer of 2020, went to Detroit with the intention to kill police if they opened fire on protestors, Impola said. Morrison and Musico, cofounders of the Wolverine Watchmen militia group, are accused of providing materials and assistance to group members by conducting tactical training on Morrisons property in Munith, north of Jackson. The pair are charged with one felony count each of threat of terrorism, gang membership, providing material support for terrorist acts and felony firearms. Bellar, a member of the group, is charged with one felony count each of providing materials to support terrorist acts, attempt to commit felony as an associate or member of gang and felony firearms. Morrison, 26, and Musico, 42, were arraigned Oct. 8 on multiple felony charges connected to an alleged plot to kidnap, put on trial and execute Whitmer that was investigated by Michigan State Police and the FBI. Bellar, 22, was arrested by law enforcement in South Carolina, Oct. 7, at that same time the other alleged co-conspirators were being arrested and was arraigned Oct. 20 after being extradited back to Michigan. For more information about the alleged kidnap plot, click here. More from MLive: New tribal eagle aviary and raptor rehab center will be first of its kind in Michigan University of Michigan employees to continue working remotely through mid-summer Michigan Sen. Gary Peters questions why National Guard response to Capitol riot took hours Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Partly cloudy this morning, then becoming cloudy during the afternoon. High 76F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mainly clear. Low 47F. Winds light and variable. Earnings estimates of Inc see upgrade after strong Q3 results After a better-than-expected show by Inc in the December 2020 quarter, there is more good for investors and market participants. Even as corporate profits were already expected to grow at a robust pace in FY22 and FY23, the countrys top brokerages have now upgraded the earnings per share (EPS) estimates of big listed for FY21-FY23. Read more Half of telecom spectrum sold goes to at Rs 57,122 crore has bagged more than 50 per cent of the total quantum of airwaves sold by paying Rs 57,122.65 crore. Of the 855.6 megahertz of spectrum sold, Jio has got 488 megahertz. The company spent more than 60 per cent of this amount on buying spectrum in the 800 Mhz band the next best bet after the most expensive 700 Mhz band which went unsold once more. Read more Sebi's expert panel to probe glitch at NSE, submit report by March 15 The Securities and Exchange Board of Indias (Sebis) technical advisory committee has been mandated to probe the trading halt at National Stock Exchange (NSE) and fix accountability. The panel, which is currently chaired by Ashok Jhunjhunwala of IIT Madras, is learnt to have sought an explanation over two key issues from NSE. Read more woos with offer of cheaper production costs than China India is ready to offer incentives to ensure Inc's cost of production would be less than in China if the carmaker commits to making its electric vehicles in the south Asian country, transport minister Nitin Gadkari told Reuters. Gadkari's pitch comes weeks after billionaire Elon Musk's registered a company in India in a step towards entering the country, possibly as soon as mid-2021. Read more Ministries baulk at giving large procurement contracts to foreign companies A number of central ministries are refraining from awarding large procurement contracts to foreign in sectors where capabilities exist at home, a senior government official told Business Standard. This is aimed at giving impetus to domestic manufacturing. Read more Over 5 million registrations on Co-WIN in two days, no glitches: R S Sharma The Co-WIN portal, the backbone of covid vaccination drive in the country, has seen more than 5 million registrations in the last two days, R S Sharma, chairman of the empowered group on vaccination told reporters on Tuesday. Stressing that there were no glitches with the Co-WIN portal, Sharma said that going forward people would be allowed to book slots online depending upon the capacity of the hospitals. Read more $31 billion lined up for 400 across 7,500-km coastline: PM India will invest $82 billion (or Rs 6 trillion) in by 2035, raise the share of clean renewable energy source in the maritime sector, develop waterways, augment seaplane services, boost tourism around lighthouses, and generate 2 million jobs, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday. Read more Suzuki Motor charges up for EVs, spells out strategy for the first time Last week, Suzuki Motor Corp (SMC) in an investor presentation expressed strong intent to enter the electric vehicle (EV) space. This is part of a larger strategy the Hamamatsu-based firm has drawn up in developing electrification of technologies as it seeks to achieve carbon neutrality. The significance of this presentation is that it marked the first time that the Japanese carmaker spelt out its EV strategy with well-defined timelines. Read more Chairman Simon Thompson decides not to seek re-election at the 2022 annual general meetings ( ) said its chairman Simon Thompson will step down at the Anglo-Aussie company's 2022 annual general meetings. Sam Laidlaw, senior independent director of , and Simon McKeon, senior independent director of Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX:RIO), will jointly lead the search for Thompson's successor after he decided not to seek re-election. "I am proud of Rio Tinto's achievements in 2020, including our outstanding response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a second successive fatality-free year, significant progress with our climate change strategy, and strong shareholder returns," said Thompson. "However, these successes were overshadowed by the destruction of the Juukan Gorge rock shelters at the Brockman 4 operations in Australia and, as chairman, I am ultimately accountable for the failings that led to this tragic event," he added. Rio Tinto destroyed the Juukan rockshelters in the Pilbara region of Western Australia in May 2020, damaging its longstanding relationship with the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura People - the Tradional Owners of the 46,000-year-old caves. "Over the past eight months, we have engaged extensively with investors, government, civil society, indigenous leaders and, most importantly, Traditional Owners to learn the lessons from Juukan Gorge," said Thompson. "We have taken decisive action to address the weaknesses identified in our risk management and governance, while also acknowledging the need to improve our work culture and to rebuild relationships. In January, we appointed a new chief executive, Jakob Stausholm, who has moved swiftly to appoint his new executive team and has identified his key priorities to rebuild the trust that we have lost," he said. Laidlaw said the board accepted Thompson's decision and was "grateful that he has agreed to provide an important period of stability and support for Jakob and the new executive team ahead of the AGMs in 2022". "This will allow an orderly process for the appointment of our new chair and other key board members," he added. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2021) - Golden Independence (CSE: IGLD) (OTCQB: GIDMF) (FSE: 6NN) (the "Company") is pleased to announce the next series of drill results from its recently completed 2020 resource expansion drill program at the Independence project, south of Battle Mountain, Nevada. Results from these three reverse circulation (RC) holes include: 0.454 g/t gold and 5.8 g/t silver over 120 feet (36.6 metres) and 1.043 g/t gold and 2.8 g/t silver over 40 feet (12.2 metres) 0.314 g/t gold and 5.6 g/t silver over 270 feet (82.3 metres) including 1.473 g/t gold and 23.3 g/t silver over 20 feet (6.1 metres) 0.274 g/t gold and 3.6 g/t silver over 405 feet (123.4 metres) including 0.475 g/t gold and 3.4 g/t silver over 70 feet (12.3 metres) "These are the first of a series of Golden Independence holes testing the intrusive at the north end of the property," commented Golden Independence President Tim Henneberry. "While the oxides grades in the intrusive are a little lower than the chert, we continue to intersect good long intervals of continuous lower-grade mineralization with shorter higher-grade intervals. The deeper intersection in AGEI-23 of 1.043 g/t gold between 640 and 680 feet is significant as it is suggesting a potential deeper mineralized zone," he continued. "We continue to expand the mineralized footprint at Independence as we work toward a mid H1 new resource estimate," he concluded. "While gold grades are a little lower in the intrusive, the project continues to return significant lengths of mineralized material from surface," noted Golden Independence CEO Christos Doulis. "These results continue to support our belief that we will be able to significantly expand the historic oxide resource at the Independence project in the near term." Figure 1 To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7273/75907_5f42586124b608b6_001full.jpg or https://goldenindependence.co/docs/GI-2020_DrillMap_AGEI_22-24.pdf Table 1. 2020 Reverse Circulation Drill Results Hole ft from ft to ft length m length g/t gold g/t silver AGEI-22 0 405 405 123.4 0.274 3.6 including 30 100 70 21.3 0.475 3.4 AGEI-23 25 145 120 36.6 0.454 5.8 and 640 680 40 12.2 1.043 2.8 AGEI-24 0 270 270 82.3 0.314 5.6 including 225 245 20 6.1 1.473 23.3 and 360 510 150 45.7 0.493 5.0 All assay results are drill widths not true widths, which is undetermined at this time. Figure 2 To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7273/75907_5f42586124b608b6_002full.jpg or https://goldenindependence.co/docs/CrossSection_AGEI-22-24.pdf Quality assurance All samples were shipped to the ALS Minerals prep lab in Elko, Nevada with analyses completed at the ALS Minerals Lab in Reno, Nevada. Both facilities are ISO 9001:2015 and ISO/IEC 17025:2017 certified. All samples are analyzed utilizing ALS ME-ICP41 procedure, an aqua regia digestion with ICP-AES finish, with gold determined by the Au-AA23 procedure, a 30-gram fire assay with AAS finish. ALS Minerals is independent from Golden Independence. Golden Independence institutes a rigorous QA/QC program of duplicate samples, blanks and standards. Based on a review of the QA/QC data is not aware of any other factors that could materially affect the accuracy or reliability of the data referred to herein. R. Tim Henneberry, PGeo (British Columbia), President and Director of Golden Independence Mining Corp., is the qualified person who has reviewed and approved the technical content of this news release on behalf of the company. About Golden Independence Mining Corp. Golden Independence Mining Corp. is an exploration company currently focused on exploring the advanced-stage Independence Gold Property located in the Battle Mountain-Cortez Trend, Nevada and the Champ precious metal property near Castlegar, British Columbia. The Independence Gold Property benefits from over US$25 million in past exploration, including over 200 holes drilled, and is located adjacent to Nevada Gold Mines' Phoenix-Fortitude mining operations in the Battle Mountain-Cortez trend of Nevada. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Christos Doulis, Chief Executive Officer Telephone: 1.647.924.1083 Email: christos@goldenindependence.co To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/75907 Trader Joes fired an employee in New York, and as a result is facing calls for a boycott. Business Insider reports that on Friday, Ben Bonnema shared on Twitter that he was fired from his job at the Trader Joes on the Upper West Side after he asked the company to better protect its workers against the coronavirus. He also included the letter he had sent to the grocery chains CEO, which comprised five COVID-19-related changes. Among those changes were stricter mask requirements, enhanced store filtration, and a three strike policy for dealing with uncooperative shoppers, the report said. trader joe's just fired me for sending this letter to the ceo, saying i don't share the company values. i guess advocating for a safer workplace isn't a company value? pic.twitter.com/3TKi5B8HSJ Ben Bonnema (@BenBonnema) February 26, 2021 The report cited Bonnema, who said in the letter, We put our lives on the line everyday by showing up to work. He added, please, show up for us by adopting these policies. Shortly after sending his requests, Business Insider said Bonnema received a termination letter, which he shared on Twitter. The termination letter Bonnema posted suggested his requests did not reflect the grocery chains core Values. here's the letter they gave me pic.twitter.com/BeYmopbmJ3 Ben Bonnema (@BenBonnema) February 26, 2021 In a recent email, you suggest adopting a 3 strike policy against customers and a policy enforcing the same accommodation for every customer with a medical condition that precludes them from wearing a mask, the termination letter read. These suggestions are not in line with our core Values. In addition, you state that Trader Joes is not showing up for us without adopting your policies. It is clear that you do not understand our Values. As a result, we are no longer comfortable having you work for Trader Joes. Trader Joes response to Bonnema propelled Twitter users to call for a boycott of the grocery chain. Time to start a boycott of Trader Joes. Disgusting way to treat their staff https://t.co/nIepVrckLd Damian Keenan (@NorthWestEU) February 28, 2021 And another user promptly agreed, it was indeed time to boycott. Another user who advocated for the boycott tweeted their thanks to Bonnema for letting them know what is happening at Trader Joes. Thanks for stepping up to let us know what is happening at Trader Joes. Boycott these bastards. Michelle Jones (@Michell49685689) February 27, 2021 Someone else tweeted that Trader Joes actions may be considered unlawful, and called for Bonnemas reinstatement. I was going to shop at #TraderJoes this afternoon -- but now I'm going to take my business elsewhere. I too was one of the Scientists who wrote the letter. Now, I'm going to #BoycottTraderJoes until @BenBonnema is reinstated. Don Milton (@Don_Milton) February 27, 2021 The sentiment against Trader Joes continued, with users calling for a boycott until Bonnema is reinstated. Business Insider reported that a Twitter account associated with a workers union for the grocery chain expressed support for Bonnema. Weve spoken with @BenBonnema and are extending unequivocal support and solidarity. We will not be providing comment outside what Ben decides to share, but are supporting him in every way possible in this fight. An injury to one is an injury to all. Crew for a Trader Joes Union (@TraderJoesUnion) February 27, 2021 Business Insider said Trader Joes did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the calls for a boycott, however, a representative for the grocery chain told Insider in a statement on Saturday that the store leaderships decision to terminate Bonnema stemmed from the disrespect he showed toward our customers. The representative said: We have never, and would never, terminate a Crew Members employment for raising safety concerns, adding that, Nothing is more important at Trader Joes than the safety of our Crew Members and customers, Business Insider cited. Trader Joes has more than 500 locations across the U.S., the report said. READ MORE: Ms. Pittman said threats against lawmakers had risen nearly 94 percent in the first two months of the year compared with the first two months of 2020. She assured members of Congress that the police force would be ready for any potential violence on March 4. Christopher A. Wray, the F.B.I. director, told senators on Tuesday that the Jan. 6 attack was domestic terrorism and that such a threat was metastasizing across the country. In a rare terrorism bulletin in January, the Homeland Security Department warned that the attack would not be an isolated episode and that extremists were motivated by the presidential transition, as well as other perceived grievances fueled by false narratives, a clear reference to the accusations made by Mr. Trump. At the Conservative Political Action Conference on Sunday, his first public appearance since leaving office, Mr. Trump repeated his false claim that he had won the November election. Officials did not specify which militia group they believed was plotting to attack the Capitol on Thursday. The Capitol Police are asking for almost $620 million for the agencys budget, an increase of nearly 21 percent over current levels, to pay for new equipment, training and an additional 212 officers for assignments such as a permanent backup force to respond to events like the Jan. 6 riot. Ms. Pittman told the lawmakers that she would be working with the architect of the Capitol to design more physical hardening of the building after it was overrun by the rioters. The U.S.C.P. is steadfast in ensuring that an incident of this nature will never occur again, she said, adding that a similar incident occurring in the current environment is a very real and present danger. QAnons central tenet is that Mr. Trump was elected to take on a cabal of Democrats, international financiers and deep-state bureaucrats who worship Satan, abuse children and seek to dominate the world. When that did not come to pass while Mr. Trump was in office, some QAnon adherents began spinning elaborate conspiracy theories around March 4. The theory, like much associated with QAnon, is convoluted and takes on various forms, at times including secret pardons issued by President Barack Obama, the Banking Act of 1871, the Emergency Broadcast System and Mr. Trump taking the helm of a newly restored republic. And those are not even the most outlandish elements. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Ninety medical practitioners and science leaders have written to the Governor of NSW calling for convicted baby killer Kathleen Folbiggs immediate pardon and release from jail, saying the death of her children was not her fault. The 14-page petition argues that Folbigg should be granted a pardon based on the significant scientific evidence of natural causes of death for her children. Convicted baby killer Kathleen Folbigg in 2019. Credit:Nine Folbigg was jailed for at least 25 years in 2003 after she was found guilty of killing her four babies Caleb, Patrick, Sarah and Laura in the decade from 1989. The children died aged between 19 days and 19 months. An inquiry that began in 2018 heard that the genomes of the Folbigg children were sequenced and it was found that the two female children had a novel mutation in the CALM2 gene, the petition notes. New Delhi: A 22-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday (March 3) in connection with the alleged murder of a minor girl whose body was found in a pit in the Anoopshahr area of the district. The 12-year-old girl had gone missing since February 25. Her body was found on Tuesday. An FIR was lodged on February 28 on the basis of a complaint filed by the victim's father, who works as a labourer. "In his complaint, the girl's father had raised suspicion over the accused. The body was buried in a pit in the courtyard of the accused's house and has been exhumed. He killed her and buried the body," Bulandshahr Senior Superintendent of Police Santosh Kumar Singh was quoted as saying by PTI. According to the police, the accused, identified as Harendra, allegedly killed the girl after a failed rape attempt. The victim's body was exhumed from his house. The police said that the accused lived alone in the house. The family of the victim was known to him and the girl would sometimes visit his house to drink water. "On the day of the incident, when she went to his house for drinking water, the accused confessed that he was inebriated. He tried to rape the girl but she started screaming and he choked her to death," SSP Singh said. The accused was absconding after the incident. He was eventually arrested in Shimla. "We were on a lookout for him. Today at around 7.30 am, he was tracked and arrested from Shimla," the SSP said. The accused told the police that he worked as a labourer in Delhi. He had come to his home in Bulandshahr, three days before the incident. (below) is eyeing a name change for Boca Chica, Texas, the Gulf Coast community where his Space Exploration Technologies Corp. is building its futuristic deep-space rocket. Creating the city of Starbase, Texas," Musk tweeted Tuesday. From thence to Mars, And hence the Stars. A SpaceX representative made a casual inquiry" recently about requirements to incorporate Boca Chica and rename it the City of Starbase, said Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino. In a statement, he said county commissioners have been notified of the discussions about Boca Chica, a small burg near the Mexican border where SpaceXs new Starship prototypes dominate the seaside skyline. Sending a tweet doesnt make it so," Trevino said in an interview. They have a lot of hoops and hurdles to go through before they can make it so." Renaming Boca Chica would further deepen Musks imprint on Texas. In addition to SpaceXs activity, his automaker, Inc., is building a massive factory in East Austin for its forthcoming electric pickup truck. The private Musk Foundation has moved to Austin from California, and Musk himself has said he has relocated Texas, though he still spends time in the Golden State. SpaceX also tests rockets in McGregor, Texas, which is near Waco. The Starship prototypes its developing in Boca Chica are one day meant to fly people to the moon and to Mars. Separately, SpaceX posted engineering positions at Starlink for a new, state of the art manufacturing facility" its building in Austin. Starlink is the companys space-based Internet service, which is available in parts of Canada, the US and UK Austin television station KXAN reported earlier on the new job postings. As for Boca Chica, the incorporation process is handled under Texas law by Cameron County commissioners. That process would also include utilities in the town, which doesnt have a public water system. Water is transported by truck from nearby Brownsville and stored in tanks at each home. An Austin-based lobbyist for SpaceX referred all calls to the company, which didnt respond to requests for comment. Added Judge Trevino, I think they may be getting a little ahead of themselves." security forces opened fire on protesters against military rule on Wednesday, killing at least 33 people, witnesses and media reported, a day after neighbouring countries called for restraint and offered to help resolve the crisis. The security forces resorted to live fire with little warning in several towns and cities, witnesses said, as the junta appeared more determined than ever to stamp out protests against the February 1 coup that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. It's horrific, it's a massacre. No words can describe the situation and our feelings, youth activist Thinzar Shunlei Yi told Reuters via a messaging app. A spokesman for the ruling military council did not answer telephone calls seeking comment. The heaviest toll was in the central town of Monywa, where five people four men and one woman were killed, said Ko Thit Sar, editor of the Monywa Gazette. We've confirmed with family members and doctors, five people have been killed, he told Reuters. At least 30 people are wounded, some still unconscious. In the main city Yangon, witnesses said at least three people were killed when security forces opened fire with automatic weapons in the early evening. I heard so much continuous firing. I lay down on the ground, they shoot a lot and I saw two people killed on the spot, protester Kaung Pyae Sone Tun, 23, told Reuters. He said several people were wounded and carried away. Two people were killed in the countrys second-biggest city Mandalay, a witness and media reports said. Two people were killed in the northern mining town of Hpakant, a resident there said, and one person was killed in the central town of Myingyan. At least 55 people have been killed since the coup. The violence came a day after foreign ministers from Southeast Asian neighbours urged restraint but failed to unite behind a call for the release Suu Kyi and the restoration of democracy. The country is like the Tiananmen Square in most of its major cities, the Archbishop of Yangon, Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, said on Twitter, referring to the violent suppression of student-led protests in Beijing in 1989. Myanmar's state media said the military-appointed foreign minister apprised the administration of voting irregularities in a November election. Ousted President Win Myint is facing two new charges, his lawyer, Khin Maung Zaw, said, including one for a breach of the constitution. Sorry! This content is not available in your region Comedian Chris DElias career took a nosedive in 2020 after women made a series of allegations of sexual misconduct and sexual harassment against him, some saying they were underage at the time of the encounters. DElia, 40, who grew up in Montclair, is now facing a lawsuit claiming that he groomed, solicited nude photos from and sexually abused a 17-year-old girl. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a Jane Doe in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The lawsuit says the alleged sexual assault took place in 2014 at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut, when the woman was 17 and DElia was 34. The comedian is alleged to have asked the teen for nude photos after meeting her online and inviting her to a comedy show. Later, the woman says DElia wouldnt open his hotel door until her friend left. DElia is alleged to have assaulted the teen before and after his comedy show. According to the lawsuit, the woman says that she told him she was 17 and in high school. DElias spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter that the comedian denies the allegations. After multiple allegations against DElia surfaced on social media last year, comedian Tig Notaro replaced him in Zack Snyders upcoming Army of the Dead movie for Netflix, which filmed in Atlantic City. Actress Megan Drust accused DElia of exposing himself to her when he was in her car for a ride home in 2011. I stand by the fact that all my relationships have been consensual and legal, DElia said in a February YouTube video, adding that he had a problem and saying sex had controlled his life. DElias agency, CAA, dropped him in the wake of the allegations last year, and Netflix canceled plans for a series starring the comedian. An episode of Comedy Centrals Workaholics in which DElia plays a pedophile was removed from streaming services and on-demand. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com and followed at @AmyKup on Twitter. Utica, N.Y. -- Utica police are looking for a 25-year-old man they believe was involved in the December murder of a teen, according to a news release from department officials. Charles Phillips is wanted for second-degree murder in relation to the murder of Jahzier Johnson, police said. Johnson, of Utica, was found shot in the 1400 block of City Street shortly after midnight on Dec. 14, 2020, police said. Officers were dispatched to City Street to investigate reports of a male shot. When they arrived, they found Johnson lying in the street suffering from gunshot wounds, police said. Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene. Police ask anyone with information about Johnsons death or Phillips whereabouts contact the Utica polices warrants unit at 315-690-1834. 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. Shortly after 6 a.m. local time, the S.U.V. and a tractor-trailer collided on a California highway, State Route 115, on the outskirts of Holtville, Calif., about 40 miles west of the Arizona border and about 12 miles from the border with Mexico. The truck was heading north on the highway when the S.U.V., traveling west, pulled in front of the truck at an intersection, officials said. There were 25 people inside the S.U.V., Omar Watson, the chief of the California Highway Patrols border division, said at a news conference. When emergency crews arrived at the scene, they found 12 people dead. Some had been ejected from the S.U.V. and were on the pavement while others were inside the vehicle. One more person died at a hospital, bringing the total fatalities to 13, two fewer than hospital officials had reported earlier on Tuesday. At least six people were taken to a hospital with injuries. Some of the walking wounded were able to pull themselves out of the vehicle, Chief Watson said. Once personnel arrived on the scene, some were wandering around and some of them had already passed away. Chief Watson said that investigators did not know how fast either vehicle was traveling at the time, whether the S.U.V. had stopped at a stop sign or what led to the collision. He also said that no law enforcement agencies were chasing the S.U.V. before the crash. Guo Weimin, spokesperson of the fourth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee, speaks during a news conference via video link in Beijing on March 3, 2021. [Photo by Zou Hong/chinadaily.com.cn] The National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, China's top political advisory body, held a news conference via video link on Wednesday, one day ahead of the opening of its annual session. Guo Weimin, spokesperson of the fourth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee, briefed journalists on the session and took questions. Here are some highlights: - The session this year will last six and a half days, opening at 3 pm tomorrow and closing on the afternoon of March 10 (Read more) - Chinese COVID-19 vaccines safe, meet global standards - As of Feb 28, China had administered over 52 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines - Attempts to boycott Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics are 'doomed to fail', official says - China's international image affected by many factors, including lack of understanding and hostile politicians Guo Weimin, spokesperson of the fourth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee, speaks during a news conference via video link in Beijing on March 3, 2021. [Photo by Zhu Xingxin/chinadaily.com.cn] For our dedicated denizens of the discourse, we share this update featuring panty biz updates, community news and top headlines. Sounds Like A Comeback KC record label sees stage lights, live music ahead - after year of virtual shows rings flat "The pandemic really dampers our ability to be a sustainable business," said Patrick Sprehe, co-founder of Center Cut Records, describing the era's impact on his business and the livelihood of musicians who rely on Kansas City's social scene to back them up. Second Hand Winning Goodwill's billion dollar side hustle you've probably never heard of or shopped KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Goodwill is making a killing on all of your old stuff, even during a time when many of the organization's stores were closed because of COVID-19 restrictions. Stuck at home with time to kill, millions of people spent much of 2020 cleaning out closets, cabinets and entire rooms of stuff they no longer wanted. Kansas Republican Politico Earns Second Chance Ex-Kansas Rep. Watkins enters diversion over voter fraud Former Congressman Steve Watkins of Kansas has entered a diversion program to avoid trial over allegations that he voted illegally in a 2019 municipal election.Watkins, a Republican from Topeka who served only one term in the U.S. House, was facing three felony charges. Panties Cling To Power Must Read: Is Victoria's Secret Too Big to Fail?, Alexander Wang's Dark Partying History T hese are the stories making headlines in fashion on Monday. Is Victoria's Secret too big to fail? Despite its place at the center of many recent controversies, Victoria's Secret remained the fifth-largest apparel brand in the United States in terms of retail value in 2020. Prez Trump Double Take Trump's Strategy for Returning to Power Is Already Clear Viktor Orban became the Prime Minister of Hungary in 1998. Four years later, with a record number of Hungarians turning up to the polls, his party lost power. The next day, Orban's allies claimed voter fraud and demanded recounts, and although these demands were rejected, Orban continued to claim that the election had been stolen. Insurrection Plan Exposed Prosecutors: Proud Boys Gave Leader 'War Powers,' Planned Ahead For Capitol Riot A document filed in federal court on Monday sheds new light on the Proud Boys' tactical preparation for and movements during the Jan. 6 insurrection. It alleges that a Washington-based member of the far-right group was internally nominated to have "war powers" and assume "ultimate leadership" of the group's activities that day. TEXAS REOPENS!!! Texas governor lifts mask mandate despite health officials' warnings Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday he's lifting the mask mandate in Texas, even as health officials warn not to ease safety restrictions. MSM PRESS SECRETARY DOUBLE STANDARD EXPOSED!!! 'Disparate, Unfair': Kayleigh McEnany Says The Press Treated Her Differently Than Jen Psaki Former White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Tuesday that the press treated her differently than White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki. Celeb Doesnt Have Sense Of Humor After All Alec Baldwin, Hilaria Baldwin face backlash over baby announcement, star fights back: 'Shut the f--k up' Alec Baldwin reacted with fury to commenters who took issue with his and his wife Hilaria Baldwin's social media announcements about their sixth child. On Monday, Hilaria took to Instagram to reveal the couple had welcomed a sixth child to their family. Old School Shot Walk Up Unified Government Health Department announces walk-in COVID-19 vaccine clinics for 85+ KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Any Wyandotte County resident over age 85 can take advantage of several walk-in COVID-19 vaccinations clinics. Residents older than 85 don't need an appointment, according to the Unified Government Public Health Department, to receive the vaccine from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Home Team Heroes Named Royals Hall of Fame candidates announced The Royals announced the 2021 candidates for induction into the Royals Hall of Fame. This year's ballot includes first-timers Carlos Beltran, Billy Butler, Kyle Davies, Jeremy Guthrie, and Luke Hochevar. Appearing on the ballot for the second time are Johnny Damon and Yordano Ventura. Springtime Preview Persists Mostly sunny Wednesday with highs in mid-60s Hide Transcript Show Transcript EVENTUALLY. BREEZY AGAIN TOMORROW ON YOUR WEDNESDAY. EVENING FORECAST HAS US GOING THROUGH THE 50'S INTO THE 40'S. PRETTY RAPIDLY BECAUSE OF DRY AIR. 40 DEGREE DEGREES BY MIDNIGHT. ABOVE FREEZING BY TOMORROW MORNING. IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE HAVE SAID THAT BECAUSE OF THE SOUTHWEST WINDS AT 10 MILES PER HOUR. And this is the OPEN THREAD for right now. As the third wave of the pandemic hits Hungary, a respected surgeon calls for ethical proceedings against GPs who hesitate to recommend the Chinese jab to patients. A left-wing columnist, on the other hand, criticizes the government for using the epidemic for political purposes. In Magyar Nemzet, the renowned neuro surgeon Andras Csokay, in an open letter to the chairman of the Hungarian Chamber of Doctors, calls for those GPs who, to his knowledge, discourage their patients from taking the Chinese coronavirus vaccine, to face ethical proceedings. Csokay dismisses doubts about the safety and efficacy of the Chinese jab. Doctors who discourage patients, he maintains, violate medical ethics in order to undermine the Orban governments efforts to keep the epidemic at bay. Nepszavas Robert Friss accuses the government of mismanaging mass vaccination. The left-wing commentator writes that while the government criticizes the EU for its slow vaccination rollout, at the same time it fails to properly inform the Hungarian public about the vaccination plan, and did not even make the necessary arrangements to help GPs inoculate the public. This opinion does not necessarily represent the views of XpatLoop.com or the publisher. Your opinions are welcome too - for editorial review before possible publication online. Click here to Share Your Story MTI Photo: Peter Komka The Taos News delivered to your Taos County address every week for a full year! We offer our lowest mail rates to zip codes in the county. Click Here to See if you Qualify. Plan includes unlimited website access and e-edition print replica online. Your auto pay plan will be conveniently renewed at the end of the subscription period. You may cancel at anytime. The Philippines embassy in Canberra has intervened after claims migrant workers were exploited by a Brisbane business, including allegations the employees did domestic work on weekends for the companys multimillionaire owner. A group of Filipino welders, sponsored on 457 visas, claim over six years Hitec Welding owner Jozef Lewandowski expected them to work on weekends, including at his $3.3 million mansion in Chandler and a $2.4 million waterfront property in Cleveland. Joe Lewandowski has denied all the allegations made by his Filipino migrant workers. Credit:A Current Affair They claim they tended his garden and washed his motor yacht and Lamborghini cars, in return for their accommodation and annual flights home. Following the joint Brisbane Times and A Current Affair investigation, labour attache Cynthia Lamban said the embassy, through the Philippine Overseas Labor Office, was closely monitoring the situation of the workers. MOSCOW -- A district court judge in Moscow has rejected five separate appeals by RFE/RL against lower-court rulings that imposed fines against the company for violating Russias controversial "foreign agent" law. Judge Aleksei Krivoruchko of the Tverskoi district court issued the rulings on March 3, confirming fines imposed on RFE/RL for failing to mark written and broadcast materials in accordance with regulations set by the state media-monitoring agency Roskomnadzor. The lower court imposed the fines on February 10. "RFE/RL rejects the imposition of these fines and does not accept the Russian court's decision to strike down our appeal of them," RFE/RL President Jamie Fly said in response to the rulings. "We consider Russian Internet regulator Roskomnadzor's self-labeling regulations -- in fact, orders to deface our content platforms and intimidate our audiences -- to be a state-sponsored assault on media freedom that violates the Russian Constitution and Russia's media law," he said, adding that "RFE/RL will continue to object, protest, and appeal these requirements." Despite ongoing appeals in more cases on the issue, RFE/RL now has 60 days to pay the fines and come into compliance with the regulations or face the potential closure of its operations inside Russia. "RFE/RL will not abandon our growing audience in Russia, who continue to engage with our objective and independent journalism despite the Kremlins pressure campaign," Fly said. "RFE/RL will not be deterred by these blatant attempts to influence our editorial independence and undermine our ability to reach our audience at a moment when the Russian people are demanding the truth," he added. Large Fines Since January 14, Roskommnadzor has opened 260 cases against RFE/RL for violations of the labeling requirements. A Moscow court has already levied fines in 142 cases, with the total fines approaching a value of nearly $1 million. Judge Krivoruchko has played roles in several prominent cases in recent years, including the case of Sergei Magnitsky, a whistle-blowing lawyer whose death while in custody in 2009 prompted outrage among Western governments and international rights monitors. He has also ruled in cases involving opposition political figures Aleksei Navalny and Ilya Yashin. Russia's so-called "foreign agent" legislation was adopted in 2012 and has been modified repeatedly. It requires nongovernmental organizations that receive foreign assistance and that the government deems to be engaged in political activity to be registered, to identify themselves as "foreign agents," and to submit to audits. Later modifications targeted foreign-funded media. In 2017, the Russian government placed RFE/RL's Russian Service on the list, along with six other RFE/RL Russian-language news services, and Current Time, a network run by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA. At the end of 2020, the legislation was modified to allow the Russian government to include individuals, including foreign journalists, on its "foreign agent" list and to impose restrictions on them. In December 2020, Russia added five individuals to its "foreign agent" list, including three contributors to RFE/RL's Russian Service. All five are appealing their inclusion on the list. Roskomnadzor last year adopted rules requiring listed media to mark all written materials with a lengthy notice in large text, all radio materials with an audio statement, and all video materials with a 15-second text declaration. RFE/RL has called the fines "a state-sponsored campaign of coercion and intimidation," while the U.S. State Department has described them as "intolerable." Human Rights Watch has described the "foreign agent" legislation as "restrictive" and intended "to demonize independent groups." The United States said Wednesday it was "appalled" by the Myanmar junta's latest deadly violence against protesters and called for more global action. "We are appalled and revulsed to see the horrific violence perpetrated against the people of Burma for their peaceful calls to restore civilian governance," State Department spokesman Ned Price said, using Myanmar's former name. "We call on all countries to speak with one voice to condemn the brutal violence by the Burmese military against its own people," he told reporters. Short link: MUNICH and DUSSELDORF, Germany, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- IDnow, a leading provider of Identity Verification-as-a-Service solutions, today announced that it has agreed to acquire identity Trust Management AG, a leading international provider of digital and offline identification solutions from Germany. This is IDnow's second acquisition in the last six months and marks a significant milestone on IDnow's path to becoming one of the leading identity platforms in Europe. identity Trust Management AG has established itself as a key player in the German identity market over the last decade, with a particularly strong reputation and portfolio of clients across the telecommunications and insurance verticals. This transaction will further expand the portfolio of verification methods offered via the IDnow platform. The combined product portfolio will offer one of the broadest sets of identity verification methods available in the European market, ranging from automated to human-assisted and from purely online to point-of-sale. All these methods will be made available via the unified IDnow platform. For the last few years, IDnow's success has been fueled by strong organic growth and an increasing demand for digital solutions in the market. The acquisition of identity Trust Management AG will allow IDnow to expand into new industry verticals and provide its services to a broader customer base throughout Germany and beyond. "identity Trust Management AG has built an impressive company both in terms of product portfolio and client relationships," said Andreas Bodczek, CEO at IDnow. "We have known the leadership team for years and have established a partnership rooted in deep loyalty and mutual understanding. We are excited to welcome identity Trust Management AG's talented team to the IDnow family and look forward to combining the strengths of both companies to create a unified, market-leading brand." "This combination unites the power of IDnow's innovative technology with identity Trust Management AG's diverse set of capabilities to create a differentiated identity verification platform," said Uwe Stelzig, CEO at identity Trust Management AG. "Together, we will be well-positioned to achieve our joint vision of providing clients with a unique, one-stop solution for identity verification." IDnow will retain identity Trust Management AG's Dusseldorf location as well as its employees. About IDnow IDnow is a leading identity verification platform in Europe with a vision to make the connected world a safer place. The IDnow platform provides a broad portfolio of identity verification solutions, ranging from automated to human-assisted, from purely online to point-of-sale - each of them optimized for user conversion rates and security. The company has offices in Germany, United Kingdom and France and is backed by renowned institutional investors, including Corsair Capital and Seventure Partners. Its portfolio of over 300 international clients, spans a wide range of industries, and includes leading international players such as, Western Union, UBS, Commerzbank, Sixt and Munich Re, as well as digital champions like N26, Solarisbank, wefox and Tier mobility. About identity Trust Management AG identity Trust Management AG is an international provider of digital and offline identification solutions and a leading technology and software provider of certified identification processes for individuals and legal entities. identity Trust Management AG offers eIDAS compliant, certified and privacy compliant KYC processes for all industries. identity TM provides identification and eIDAS compliant QES services on the basis of Full Service and Software as a Service. Customers of identity Trust Management AG include market leaders such as Deutsche Telekom, 1&1, WEB.DE, GMX, OTTO, R+V, HUK, CosmosDirekt, BMW, SWK Bank, VW, Audi, Bundesdruckerei and Telefonica. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1447966/IDnow_M_TRIBES.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1342896/IDnow_Logo.jpg Press contact IDnow: Christina Schwinning press@idnow.io +49 89 41324 6054 Press contact identity Trust Management AG: Claudia Coleman presse@identity.tm +49 211 6877 3161 New Delhi: Farmers bill also known as The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 has recently sparked a lot of debate both in India and around the globe. Opposing the bill, the government saw a huge backlash from the North Indian farmers. It is being seen as one of the biggest protests of the 21st century. While the farmers were initially protesting for an amendment, now they are asking the government to repeal the law and they won't settle for anything less.This has caught the attention of some international celebrities like Trevor Noah, Rihanna, and Greta Thunberg. We asked one of the strongest voices of the farmers from Karnataka, Pranay Vivek Patil about it. Mr. Patil who is known for his work for the betterment of the marginalised communities in Karnataka talked to us today about the new Farmers Bill and it was interesting to get his views as he is one of the very few politicians who has been actively expressing his views over the farmers' protests in the past. His views are very unique and non-political. Pranay said that he is really very concerned for the farmers. Talking about the law, he said that the key provisions of the Farmers Bill are to help the small farmers (86% of total farmers) to get a better price at the market. But on the ground level, it will not be successful as it will allow private players to manipulate the prices. This act on Agri market allows farmers to sell their produce outside APMC mandis to the buyers that they want. While this law sounds quite enticing , there are some obvious shortfalls. I talked to some of the farmers about the same and they said that, The recent laws enacted at the centre will dismantle the minimum support price (MSP) system. Over time big corporate will dictate the terms and the farmers will have to face the consequences. He added, my main concern with the farmers bills is the lethal combination of an amendment to the essential commodities act and an inclination towards the privatisation of the agricultural sector. It will allow big shot businessmen to stockpile essential commodities so as to have an upper hand in price negotiations with the farmers for purchase of their produce. Mr. Patil seemed really concerned about the issue. Then there are issues with not fixing MSP etc but things like MSP etc can always be mended later and are not as important right now. Privatisation in agriculture is never a long-term solution. Mending the APMC Mandis is. Abhaji has always fought for the farmers and we will too. We stood for the farmers and protested actively against governments no matter which party was in power. We protested for Mahadayi as we are protesting for a change in the farmers' bill today. When it comes to farmers we have and always will push politics aside- said Mr. Patil. This Government had promised many things during their previous term but each and every major step proved to be disastrous. The pattern looks a lot like Demonetisation and GST. Pranay Patil only seems unanimous with the government on his views over the Ram Mandir about which he said, "I think we all should open-heartedly welcome the Supreme courts verdict. There are major concerns that we should be talking about. I think the verdict is more than fair for everyone. Everyone is getting what they wanted from this. Everyone is happy and that is a victory for any democracy. I, being a Ram bhakt, am personally very pleased with it. I really pity the ones who think that talking against a temple makes them very progressive. I ask them to talk against social stigmas because that is real forward-thinking and not pitty patying around issues with vested interests for their personal gains". The Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine is twice as likely to cause side effects after the first dose than the Pfizer/BioNTech jab, research suggests. Data from the Covid Symptom Tracking Study found 30 per cent of Britons given the UK-made vaccine suffered mild symptoms including headaches, fatigue or fever. This was compared to about 15 per cent of people who reported side effects in the days and weeks after receiving the Pfizer jab. King's College London researchers running the study said mild side-effects should not put people off getting the vaccines, which have shown to be immensely effective at preventing Covid illness and saving lives. The scientists said jab-induced symptoms should be viewed as reassuring because they signal the vaccines are working. The research drew on data from more than 700,000 vaccinated users of the Covid Symptom Tracking app, developed by KCL and health technology company ZOE. So far 21million people in the UK have been given a first dose of either Pfizer or Oxford's vaccine, with about 850,000 having received their follow up injection. The Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine is twice as likely to cause side effects after the first dose than the Pfizer/BioNTech jab, research by King's College London suggests So far 21million people in the UK have been given a first dose of either Pfizer or Oxford's vaccine, with about 850,000 having received both injections Revealing the figures Dr Anna Goodman, an infectious diseases specialist at Guy's and St Thomas' hospital in London who was involved in the research, told a webinar the number of side-effects reported were 'much lower than expected from the trials'. The jab studies showed up to 80 per cent of people experienced at least one mild side-effect, with the most common being pain at the injection site. She said any side-effects after a jab were 'reassuring' and 'nothing to worry about'. 'One thing that is interesting that we saw in the trials is people get more symptoms with their first Astrazeneca dose and more symptoms with their second Pfizer dose,'; she added. 'So that 30 per cent that you're showing can at least be reassured that going into their second dose they may have less symptoms next time round.' It comes after a University of Bristol study today found one dose of the Covid jabs being deployed in Britain are up to 80 per cent effective at stopping already-ill elderly people from being hospitalised with the disease. Earlier this week, the first real-world analysis of the Oxford and Pfizer jabs in England found a single injection prevented eight in 10 over-80s from falling severely sick with the virus. The Bristol study suggests the first dose works just as well in people of the same age who also have multiple underlying health woes. Scientists said the results were significant because they were in people least expected to be protected by the vaccine. They found the Oxford jab prevented around 80.4 per cent of patients from being hospitalised with Covid two weeks after the first dose. A single shot of Pfizer's vaccine was estimated to be 79.3 per cent effective after 14 days. Researchers looked at 460 over-80s who had pneumonia or lung diseases, both of which make them extremely vulnerable to Covid. Many also had other conditions which drove up their risk even further. Professor Adam Finn, a medical expert at Bristol who led the research and a member of the UK's top vaccine advisory panel, said he expects the effectiveness of the jabs to be even higher in younger age groups. Age is the biggest risk factor for the coronavirus and the vast majority of deaths and hospitalisations are in elderly people, which is why the UK prioritised jabs for over-80s and care home residents. But having underlying health conditions also drives up the risk of the virus, which is why Britons with conditions such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes came after the elderly on the priority list. 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. Marin County coroners officials on Tuesday released the name of the 45-year-old man found dead at the China Camp State Park in San Rafael on Sunday. Detectives and investigators identified Robert George Michaels, 45, as the victim through scientific means, Marin County officials said Tuesday. Authorities released few details on Tuesday, but have said his death is being investigated as suspicious in manner. Deputies found the body of Michaels who authorities said had no fixed address in San Francisco roughly 30 feet off the roadway on the 1600 block of North San Pedro Road when responding to a report of a possible dead body at around 12:40 p.m. Sunday. The mans cause and manner of death will be pending the conclusion of the investigations being completed by Marin County sheriffs and coroners officials. A forensic post mortem examination with toxicology testing is scheduled for later this week, sheriffs officials said. Authorities said the victim did not have any identification on him at the time of his death. Investigators contacted family members who live out of state and informed them of his death, authorities said. The Marin County Sheriffs Office and personnel of the Coroner Division offers our sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Michaels, sheriffs officials said in a statement Tuesday. Sheriffs officials said this investigation is ongoing. Lauren Hernandez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ByLHernandez Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-04 06:35:04|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, March 3 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called for efforts to advance the political process in South Sudan. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the founding of South Sudan. Over the past 10 years, the South Sudanese have overcome numerous challenges and made new progress in nation-building. At present, the situation in South Sudan presents both opportunities and challenges, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations. There is a need to maintain the positive momentum of the political process, he told the Security Council. For some time now, the cease-fire in South Sudan has been holding on the whole. And the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement has made positive progress on key issues, such as government formation and appointment of governors. China welcomes this development, he said. China encourages all parties in South Sudan to consolidate existing gains; move forward the key tasks of security arrangements, the reconstitution of parliament, and preparations for general elections; stay in the course of implementing the peace agreement and resolve potential differences by peaceful means, said Zhang. "We call on the armed factions that have not yet joined the agreement to do so as soon as possible. The implementation of the agreement faces practical difficulties, such as lack of funding. We hope the international community will provide responsive assistance," he said. The international community should continue to support the peace efforts of the African Union (AU) and sub-regional organizations such as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, and countries such as Sudan, he said. China calls on the international community to respond to the AU's initiative and lift sanctions against South Sudan as soon as possible, he said. It is necessary to continue to improve the security situation in South Sudan, said Zhang. Communal and ethnic conflicts continue to pose a security threat to the people of South Sudan, and require a combination of responses such as prevention, mediation, reconciliation, and protection. The UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, known as UNMISS, has devoted considerable efforts to this end with some success. The government of South Sudan bears the primary responsibility for protecting civilians. China supports the international community in continuing to provide capacity-building assistance to the government of South Sudan in this regard, he said. Competing for resources remains a major cause of communal and ethnic conflict. Developing the economy and improving people's livelihood can help eliminate the root causes of conflict. Special attention should be paid to this point, he said. It is necessary to help South Sudan in its response to challenges such as COVID-19. The COVID-19 infection rate in South Sudan is reported to be as high as 15 percent to 25 percent, which is worrying, he said. The immediate priority is to provide anti-COVID-19 support to South Sudan, ensure timely and fair access to vaccines for those in need and curb the spread of the pandemic, said Zhang. South Sudan is experiencing severe economic difficulties, and more than 8 million people may need humanitarian assistance this year. The international community should step up its support and assistance in this regard, he said. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-02 22:54:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Improving related systems to ensure "patriots governing Hong Kong" was the strongest appeal at a meeting held in Shenzhen organized by relevant departments of the Central Government. Produced by Xinhua Global Service NEW YORK, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has frequently denied EB-5 applications that list Bitcoin exchange-traded-funds as a legitimate "source of funds". Yet, in an unprecedented approach that included forensic reporting analysis, attorney Max Dilendorf provided an expert legal opinion and due diligence report proving that a green card applicants' source of funds met the standards to be qualified under this program. Because USCIS only requires a "preponderance of evidence" showing the legal acquisition of investment funds in EB-5 petitions and offers little guidance for applicants whose funds originated in cryptocurrency, Dilendorf's confirming evidence was a significant achievement. The Dilendorf Law Firm, NYC's top law firm for the digital age, represented several clients in EB-5 matters with the USCIS concerning the clients' EB-5 investments funded with cryptocurrencies. By submitting blockchain and cryptocurrency expert reports in these cases, the firm has provided evidence to support the legitimate "source of funds". The firm's clients were software engineers and early cryptocurrency adopters who, in the opinion of the crypto compliance law firm, are legally qualified for obtaining EB-5 investor green-cards, as there was little doubt on the legality of the source of the clients' cryptocurrency funds. Dilendorf's legal opinions and blockchain forensic reports, as submitted to the USCIS, included an expert assessment of the following: legality of the specific digital assets and regulatory framework for the involved financial institutions dealing with cryptocurrencies; origin and flow of cryptocurrencies funding the EB-5 investments; mechanism and sufficiency of digital wallets, private cryptographic keys, crypto trading platforms and accounts establishing ownership of the clients' cryptocurrency funds; KYC/AML compliance measures taken at each point of the funds' journey by clients and third parties, including crypto exchanges and OTC traders. Max Dilendorf, Esq. is also a top forensic Bitcoin and crypto expert witness. His expertise has also made him one of the top cryptocurrency consultants for Fortune 500 companies. Mr. Dilendorf's recent speaking engagements have included the Thailand SEC, IBM, Berkshire Hathaway, and New York University, to name a few. Recently, Dilendorf Law Firm released an article providing additional use cases where cryptocurrency expert witness opinions may be critical. https://dilendorf.com/resources/cryptocurrency-bitcoin-expert-witnesses.html and another article about their forensic capabilities within the blockchain and crypto space https://dilendorf.com/blockchain-crypto/blockchain-forensic-experts.html Max Dilendorf Dilendorf Law Firm PLLC 85 Broad Street, 27th Floor New York, NY 10004 T. 212.457.9797 [email protected] [Attorney Advertising] SOURCE Dilendorf Law Firm Related Links dilendorf.com Types of obituaries The Missourian publishes two types of obituaries family obituaries and life stories. A family obituary is the version submitted by a funeral home or family. Please see the submission form for details on cost and deadlines. Family obituaries A life story is a closer look at a person's life and involves a reporter contacting family and friends. Life stories are based on newsworthiness and consent of the family. Life stories. By now, many of the basic facts about how Covid-19 spreads are clear. People tend to become infected by inhaling droplets that come from the mouths and noses of others. Crowded indoor spaces where infected droplets can linger in the air are the most dangerous places. They are particularly dangerous when people are not wearing masks. Yet consider some of the new policies that state governments have put in place this week: Texas and Mississippi both announced they would lift their mask mandates (following Iowa and Montana, which did so last month) and allow businesses to operate at full capacity. Massachusetts removed capacity limits on restaurants. South Carolina will allow gatherings of more than 250 people. In announcing the changes, Tate Reeves, the governor of Mississippi, wrote: It is time! Greg Abbott, Texas governor, said, State mandates are no longer needed, while adding that he hoped Texans would practice personal vigilance. Peoples desire to return to normal life is understandable. If anything, many medical experts believe that the country has been too slow to restart some activities, like outdoor socializing and, above all, in-person school with precautions. The costs of an unending shutdown in lost learning, lost earnings and mental-health problems do sometimes outweigh the reduced risk of Covid transmission. But many of the changes that went into effect yesterday are different, these same experts say: They represent a rushed return to normalcy, rather than a careful weighing of costs and benefits. HOLTVILLE, Calif. (AP) Barely a mile from where an SUV packed with 25 people struck a tractor-trailer killing 13 inside a cemetery with unmarked bricks is a burial ground for migrants who died crossing the border from Mexico to remote California desert. Authorities are investigating whether human smuggling was involved in Tuesday's early-morning collision that killed the 22-year-old male driver of the SUV and 12 passengers. The Mexican government said 10 of the dead were Mexican citizens and that nationalities of the three others who died was undetermined. Seats of the 1997 Ford Expedition were removed except for the driver and right front passenger's, said Omar Watson, chief of the California Highway Patrol's border division. The cause of the collision was undetermined, authorities said, and it also was unknown why so many people were crammed into a vehicle built to hold eight people safely. But smugglers have been known to pack people in extremely unsafe conditions to maximize profits. The crash occurred during the height of harvest in California's Imperial Valley, which provides much of the lettuce, onions, broccoli and winter vegetables to U.S. supermarkets. Holtville, a no-stoplight town with a gazebo in its large central square, calls itself the world's carrot capital. The area became a major route for illegal border crossings in the late 1990s after heightened enforcement in San Diego pushed migrants to more remote areas. Many crossed the All-American Canal, an aqueduct that runs along the border and unleashes Colorado River water to farms through a vast network of canals. Law enforcement officers sort evidence and debris at the scene of a deadly crash in Holtville, Calif., on Tuesday, March 2, 2021. Authorities say a semi-truck crashed into an SUV carrying 25 people on a Southern California highway, killing at least 13 people. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) At the back of Terrace Park Cemetery in Holtville, single bricks rows of them mark the unidentified remains of people who died, many of them migrants. In 2001, John Hunter founded Water Station, a volunteer group that leaves jugs of water in giant plastic drums for dehydrated migrants. I was trying to figure out how to stop the deaths, said Hunter, whose brother Duncan strongly advocated for border wall construction as a congressman. Illegal crossings fell sharply in the mid-2000s but the area has remained a draw for migrants and was a priority for wall construction under former President Donald Trump. His administration's first wall project was in Calexico. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said late Tuesday that agents in its Homeland Security Investigations unit "have initiated a human smuggling investigation (into Tuesday's crash). The investigation is ongoing and no further details are available at this time. When police arrived about 125 miles (200 kilometers) east of San Diego, some passengers were trying to crawl out of the crumpled SUV while others were wandering around the fields. The rigs front end was pushed into the SUVs left side and two empty trailers were jackknifed behind it. It was a pretty chaotic scene, said Watson. Law enforcement officers work at the scene of a deadly crash in Holtville, Calif., on Tuesday, March 2, 2021. Authorities say a semi-truck crashed into an SUV carrying 25 people on a Southern California highway, killing at least 13 people. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) The Border Patrol said its agents were not pursuing the vehicle. People in the vehicle ranged in age from 15 to 53 and were a mix of men and women, officials said. The driver was from Mexicali, Mexico, just across the border, and was among those killed. The 68-year-old driver of the big rig, who is from nearby El Centro, was hospitalized with moderate injuries. Passengers injuries ranged from minor to severe and included fractures and head trauma. They were being cared for at several hospitals. One person was treated at a hospital and released. The crash occurred around 6:15 a.m. under clear, sunny skies at an intersection just outside Holtville, about 11 miles (18 kilometers) north of the border. Authorities said the tractor-trailer and its two empty containers were northbound on State Highway 115 when the SUV pulled in front of it from a road with a stop sign. A California Highway Patrol report said the SUV entered an intersection directly in front of the big-rig, which hit the left side of the SUV. Both vehicles came to a halt on a dirt shoulder. Law enforcement officers work at the scene of a deadly crash in Holtville, Calif., on Tuesday, March 2, 2021. Authorities say a semi-truck crashed into an SUV carrying multiple people on a Southern California highway, killing at least 13 people and injuring others. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) Its not clear if the SUV ran a stop sign or had stopped before entering the highway. Speeds were also unknown. The speed limit for tractor-trailers on the highway is 55 mph (88.5 kph), according to CHP Officer Jake Sanchez. The other road is also 55 mph for vehicles. A 1997 Ford Expedition can carry a maximum payload of 2,000 pounds. If it had 25 people inside, that would easily exceed the payload limit, which taxes the brakes and makes it tougher to steer, said Frank Borris, former head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations Office of Defects Investigation. Youre going to have extended stopping distances, delayed reactions to steering inputs and potential over-reaction to any type of high-speed lane change, said Borris, who now runs a safety consulting business. SUVs of that age tended to be top-heavy even without carrying a lot of weight, Borris said. With all of that payload above the vehicles center of gravity, its going to make it even more unstable, he said. The crash occurred amid verdant farms that grow a wide variety of vegetables and alfalfa used for cattle feed. Many workers commute daily from Mexico during the winter harvest, taking buses and SUVs to the fields from downtown Calexico just before dawn. The AIADMK, in a quick reaction, ruled out accommodating her or her nephew TTV Dhinakaran-led Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam either in the party or in the alliance led by it for the elections. New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday said the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam would decide on accommodating V K Sasikala, confidante of late chief minister of Tamil Nadu J Jayalalithaa, in the ruling party-led alliance for the April 6 assembly polls. The saffron party's Tamil Nadu in-charge and national general secretary, C T Ravi, when asked if his party wanted Sasikala to be in the AIADMK-led alliance and on Union Home Minister Amit Shah reportedly speaking to Chief Minister K Palaniswami about the matter, said, "Only you are speculating." His party was part of the AIADMK-led alliance and whether to accommodate or not Sasikala and Dhinakaran would be decided by Tamil Nadu's ruling party, he said. Both Chief Minister K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam knew the strengths and weaknesses of Sasikala and Dhinakaran and they would take a decision, he told reporters in Chennai. Asked if there was any conflict with AIADMK over any matter connected to seat-sharing, Ravi said there was no conflict, adding that discussions were on. "We are strengthening the party in all 234 seats." AIADMK senior leader and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, when asked if the BJP recommended bringing Sasikala to the alliance led by his party and if there was any pressure on his party over it, he said, "No one can force us." The BJP has never interfered in the AIADMK's internal affairs and a big rumour was doing the rounds as if the saffron party was pressuring his party on the matter, he said. There is no scope 100 per cent for Sasikala or AMMK joining the AIADMK or the alliance and this is the stand of the party, he asserted. The party's ideology and electoral alliances were two different things and the AIADMK's stand is to keep Sasikala and AMMK at bay, he said. On Dhinakaran stating that anti-DMK parties accepting AMMK's leadership were welcome for electoral alliance, he said it was a mocker. Asked about Amit Shah reportedly broaching the subject of bringing Sasikala into the AIADMK-led front during his visit to Chennai days ago, Jayakumar said it was a myth. For those getting tired of Zoom calls, a Boston hotel is offering another option. But it comes at a steep price. Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston transformed its Fairmont Gold Lounge into a private small meeting space. For four hours, the room can be rented starting at $500. Big things can happen at small meetings. Fairmont Copley Plaza invites executives to cancel their next important at-home Zoom call and instead focus on accomplishing their 2021 goals with (safe) colleague face time, the hotel said. Executives will gather comfortably knowing the spacious lounge is theirs to use exclusively. The room includes windows that can open for additional air flow. It also comes with socially distant seating, WiFi, a scheduled disinfection break, complimentary PPE kit and an easel board. Masks must still be worn throughout the meeting, the hotel said. An upgrade with individually served gourmet breakfast or lunch boxed meals, plus coffee and tea service starts at $795. Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, many have felt Zoom fatigue. Videoconferencing is a good thing for remote communication, but just think about the medium just because you can use video doesnt mean you have to, said Professor Jeremy Bailenson, founding director of the Stanford Virtual Human Interaction Lab (VHIL). He said there a number of reasons people are feeling this, including close-up eye contact, limited movement, cognitive load and more. This also isnt the first time a Boston hotel has offered residents a new place to work, as many were impacted by the pandemic. In the fall, Boston hotels started offering work-from-home packages. The packages include a desk, WiFi, coffee, personal protection equipment (PPE) and fun ways to take breaks, including cornhole and a putting green. MGM Resorts even offered a Work-from-Las-Vegas travel package earlier this year with the hopes of attracting visitors. Replace the same-old home office with a new home-away-from-home office, MGM Resorts website states. Youll get a room thats fully equipped with everything you need to get the job done plus your own Executive Assistant and much-deserved change of scenery. Thats a big win-win-win. Related Content: Advertisement Hospitalizations from COVID-19 are dropping across the United States at an average of two percent a day as 66,836 new cases were reported nationwide on Wednesday. According to data from the COVID Tracking Project, the number of people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in the U.S. has dropped dramatically since the start of the year, reaching 45,462 on Wednesday. The number has fallen for eight consecutive weeks from January 10 onward, after rising to record highs in December. COVID-19 deaths jumped to 2,449 on Wednesday as the nations death toll rose to 518,458. There have now been 28.7million Americans infected with COVID-19 in total. The drop in hospitalizations and cases comes as President Joe Biden blasted the 'neanderthal' decision by the Republican governors of Texas and Mississippi to drop mask mandates and fully reopen their states before their populations are vaccinated against COVID-19. 'I think it's a big mistake,' Biden said on Wednesday in the Oval Office. 'The last thing we need is neanderthal thinking.' The governors hit back at Biden, however, claiming that the presidents insults would not will stop us from leaning towards freedom. Texas Gov Greg Abbott went so far as to claim that it is Biden who is putting his state at risk from COVID-19 by 'recklessly releasing hundreds of illegal immigrants'. President Joe Biden on Tuesday (as pictured above) blasted the governors of Texas and Mississippi for reopening their states before their populations are vaccinated against COVID despite the drop in hospitalizations from the virus Hospitalizations from COVID-19 are dropping across the United States at an average of two percent a day, according to new data (as pictured above) from the COVID-19 Tracking project. It reached 45,462 on Wednesday Diners eat at a restaurant on the River Walk in San Antonio, Texas, on Wednesday after Gov. Abbot's decision was announced Notre Dame Fighting Irish fans drink in North Carolina. The state is now allowing more customers in bars and is among a number of southern states that are lifting their COVID-19 restrictions in the next few days Mississippi reported 301 new infections and 44 deaths on Tuesday. The state has recorded a total of 295,295, infections and 6,724 deaths. Attendees walk through the Mississippi State Fair in Jackson, Mississippi in October 2020 Texas Gov Greg Abbott went so far as to claim that it is Biden who is putting his state at risk from COVID-19 by 'recklessly releasing hundreds of illegal immigrants' rather than any damage caused by an easing in the restrictions On Tuesday, Abbot had declared it was time to 'open Texas 100 percent' with all restrictions in the Lone Star state, including mask mandates, to end March 10. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves immediately followed suit announcing he is rolling back all county mask mandates and removing statewide restrictions on all businesses from today. The two southern states join a rapidly growing movement by governors and other leaders across the US to loosen COVID-19 restrictions despite pleas from health officials. Its justified by the data, wrote Gov. Reeves wrote in a tweet after Biden's criticism of the move. Abbot also hit out as he claimed: We are able to contain COVID and safely allow Texas to open 100% ANOTHER new daily record in vaccines administered. Today Texas reports more than 229,000 in a single day. The high vaccination numbers focused on our senior population will continue to reduce hospitalizations, he added in a tweet. Today...Texas has the lowest COVID hospitalizations since October 24th. The positivity rate is the lowest since October 14th - and has steadily declined for 2 straight months. We gave a daily record of vaccinations: 229,490. In the last week we gave 1,220,577 vaccine shots. Biden's stance comes a day after Texas Gov Greg Abbott (left) and Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves (right) both announced on Tuesday that their states would end mask mandates and reopen businesses without capacity limitations Pedestrians walk in Austin Texas a day after the governor announced the mask mandate will be lifted Visitors to San Antonio still wore masks on Wednesday in San Antonio ahead of the lifting of the mandate on March 10 Visitors wearing face masks walk past a sign requiring masks at a restaurant in San Antonio on Wednesday Customers sit outside in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday where mask mandates will be lifted Restaurants will no longer be required to make their customers wear a mask when not at their tables in Texas Texas Gov Greg Abbott hit back at President Biden for claiming that the decision to lift the mask mandate is a mistake Hospitalizations from COVID-19 are dropping across the United States at an average of two percent a day as 66,836 new cases were reported nationwide on Wednesday, 2,449 new deaths and 45,462 current hospitalizations Abbott went a step further in claiming that it is Biden who is putting Texans at risk of COVID-19. The Biden Administration is recklessly releasing hundreds of illegal immigrants who have COVID into Texas communities, he claimed. The Biden Admin. must IMMEDIATELY end this callous act that exposes Texans & Americans to COVID. He and Reeves were supported by South Carolina Gov. Henry McAllister, who has also allowed for bars to allow more people inside. Thank you, Governors, @GregAbbott_TX and @tatereeves for standing up for freedom and common sense, he said in praise. In South Carolina you can work, play, or pray because our state never closed, and our prosperity cannot be cancelled. Biden had said in his criticism that it was 'critical' that governors across the country 'follow the science' as he urged Americans to be vigilant as the vaccine efforts continue. 'We are on the cusp of being able to fundamentally change the nature of this disease in which we are able to get vaccines in people's arms,' Biden said. 'We've been able to move that all the way up to the end of May to have enough for every American, to get every adult American a shot, and the last thing, the last thing we need is neanderthal thinking - that in the meantime everything is fine, take off your mask, forget it. 'It still matters. It's going to take time.' 'Wash your hands, hot water, do it frequently, wear a mask and stay socially distanced,' Biden said, repeating the federal advice. 'I know you all know that,' he told the reporters in the room. 'I wish the heck some of our elected officials knew that,' he said. Biden's tone was harsher than White House press secretary Jen Psaki after she earlier declined to take a swipe at the GOP governors head on. Asked about the reopenings in Mississippi and Texas, Psaki pointed Biden's push for Americans to wear masks for his first 100 days in office. She said that was 'based on the recommendations of health and medical experts... And their view is that it could save 50,000 lives,' she said. 'For nearly a year, we've been dealing and navigating and coping with this pandemic across the country and this entire country has paid the price for political leaders who ignored the science when it comes to the pandemic.' She said the president is 'hopeful' people in these states will continue to follow the federal guidelines. 'I would say we're not asking people just to listen to the president, of course, we recommend that, but we're asking people to listen to health experts, medical experts, the CDC, to Dr Fauci, to others who are basing their recommendations on how to save people's lives,' Psaki said. The press secretary did not say if Biden had called Reeves or Abbott about their decisions to reopen. CDC director Dr Rochelle Walensky echoed Biden's warning, saying the Texas and Mississippi decisions to defy federal guidelines and drop mask requirements were premature. 'Now is not the time to release all restrictions,' she said. 'The next month or two is really pivotal in terms of how this pandemic goes. I would still encourage individuals to wear a mask, to socially distance.' Walensky cautioned that recent steep declines in deaths and cases showed signs of stalling, and warned that the hyper-transmissible mutant variant 'looms ready to hijack our successes to date.' Texas will also do away with limits on the number of diners that businesses can serve indoors, said Abbott, who made the announcement at a restaurant in Lubbock. People sit at a bar and restaurant in Austin, Texas, in June 2020 TEXAS CASES: Like the rest of the country, Texas has seen the number of cases (depicted) and deaths plunge. Hospitalizations are at the lowest levels since October, and the seven-day rolling average of positive tests has dropped to about 7,600 cases, down from more than 10,000 in mid-February. Texas has seen a slight uptick in cases over the last week MISSISSIPPI CASES: Mississippi reported 301 new infections; the state has recorded a total of 295,295, infections Texas ICU nurse rails against reopening plan A Texas ICU nurse has slammed Gov Abbott's decision to fully reopen the state and get rid of the mask mandate, saying she fears more deaths will come as a result of COVID-19. Brittany Smart took to Instagram soon after Abbott's announcement as she posted a photo of herself with her head in her hands. 'I give up. I've seen too many bodies stacked like firewood. Y'all don't understand, or you just don't care. This isn't political. These are F***ING HUMANS! & they are DYING,' she wrote. In an interview with CBS, Smart called Abbott's move 'nerve-racking'. 'It's not like the COVID patients are gone. It's not like they're not dying. It's just that we no longer need a refrigerated truck outside, is the deal,' Smart said. 'We don't have people in the hallways anymore, stretchers. So, breathing is a little bit easier but it's not better... My biggest fear is that we're going to lose more people.' Advertisement California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat who has enforced the country's strictest lockdown measures, slammed his Texas counterpart as 'absolutely reckless'. Most of the country has lived under mask mandates during the pandemic, with at least 37 states requiring face coverings to some degree. Those orders, however, are increasingly falling by the wayside: North Dakota, Montana and Iowa have also lifted mask orders in recent weeks. Among the other states gradually reopening are Michigan and Louisiana with the easing of restrictions on bars, restaurants and other businesses. Massachusetts has lifted all restaurant capacity limits, South Carolina erased limits on gatherings and North Carolina allowed people back inside bars for the first time. Chicago and Las Vegas's public schools also welcomed back students this week and California has now reached an agreement that aims to get most children back in classrooms by the end of March. As the easing of restrictions continues to varying degrees across the country, a number of health officials and medical experts were critical of the decision to drop all restrictions in some states - particularly mask mandates. Dr Ashish Jha, Dean of Brown University's School of Public Health, said he was disappointed by Texas and Mississippi's decision because the US was close to having all high-risk people vaccinated. 'We're so close to the finish line here in terms of vaccinating high risk people,' he told ABC's Good Morning America. 'I wish Texas, Mississippi and others state would just hold off another little bit. We're not talking about many more months, but certainly waiting until all high-risk people are vaccinated.' Andy Slavitt, a White House COVID-19 senior adviser, told CNN that they understood the pressures governors were facing but urged them to rethink lifting mask mandates. 'We think it's a mistake to lift these mandates too early. Masks are saving a lot of lives,' he said. 'I'm really hoping that the businesses and the community and people in Texas, the mayors, the counties, will rethink this. I hope the governor rethinks this. Hopefully states will stick with this until such a time as we get through all the vaccinations and see the other side of this.' The moves from Texas and Mississippi to reopen came just hours after CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky warned states not to ease COVID-19 restrictions too quickly - even as cases fall and the pace of the vaccine rollout picks up. In Massachusetts, Governor Charlie Baker lifted restaurant capacity limits entirely from Monday (pictured is a Boston restaurant). Theaters can now open at 50 per cent capacity, with a maximum of 500 people, and capacity limits across all businesses have been raised to 50 per cent MASSACHUSETTS: Confirmed cases have plunged in Massachusetts since peaking during the holiday season 'We stand to completely lose the hard-earned ground we have gained,' Dr Walensky said. US cases have plunged more than 70 percent over the past two months from an average of nearly 250,000 new infections a day, while average deaths per day have plummeted about 40 percent since mid-January. The current nationwide average COVID numbers are at 2,000 deaths per day and 68,000 cases per day. While cases are plunging nationally, Texas and Mississippi are among a handful of states that have seen a slight uptick in new infections and deaths in recent days. Hospitalizations are still trending downwards in both states, according to data from the COVID Tracking Project. A year into the crisis, politicians and ordinary Americans alike have grown tired of rules meant to stem the spread of COVID that have damaged their livelihoods. Texas on Tuesday became the biggest state to lift its mask rule. The Lone Star State will also do away with limits on the number of diners who can be served indoors. 'Removing statewide mandates does not end personal responsibility,' Gov Abbott said at a press conference held inside a restaurant. 'COVID has not suddenly disappeared. It's just that now state mandates are no longer needed.' Retailers and other businesses will still be allowed to impose capacity limits and other restrictions on their own. Texas is fully reopening just ahead of the spring break holiday, which health experts worry could lead to more spread. Abbott's rollbacks come just as the US is picking up the pace of vaccinating people - with victory over the virus in sight. In Texas, 7.1 percent of its nearly 30 million residents have been fully vaccinated, according to state data reported to the CDC. Biden says US will have enough vaccines for every adult by end of MAY Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that the US will have enough vaccine doses for every adult in the country by the end of May. Biden made the announcement on the heels of green-lighting the Defense Production Act to be used to assist Merck & Co with manufacturing Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine. As it's a one-dose vaccine, with Johnson & Johnson, more people can be vaccinated with fewer doses. Biden also announced an initiative to get schools reopened by prioritizing the vaccination of K-12 teachers and staff using the federal pharmacy program during a brief speech from the White House's State Dining Room on Tuesday. 'When we came into office the prior administration had contracted for not nearly enough vaccine to cover adults in America,' he said pointing a finger at former President Donald Trump. 'We rectified that about three weeks ago and were able to say that we'll have enough vaccine supply for adults by the end of July. 'I'm pleased to announce today as a consequence of the stepped up process that I've ordered and just outlined, this country will have enough vaccine supply - I'll say it again - for every adult in America by the end of May. That's progress.' Advertisement Dr. Joseph Varon, chief medical officer at Houston's United Memorial Medical Center, said he called the hospital's top leaders immediately after Abbott's announcement and said they will need more staff and ventilators. 'I am just concerned that I am going to have a tsunami of new cases,' Varon said. 'I truly hope I am wrong. But unfortunately history seems to repeat itself.' Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said he is getting rid of most mask mandates and lifting most other restrictions, including limits on seating in restaurants, starting Wednesday. 'The governor's office is getting out of the business of telling people what they can and cannot do,' he said. 'Today, I signed what I expect will be one of my last executive orders regarding COVID-19. Our hospitalizations have plummeted, and our case numbers have fallen dramatically as well. In fact, our case numbers have fallen to the point where no county meets the original criteria for a mask mandate. He said he was replacing the current orders with recommendations. People are still being encouraged to wear masks and social distance but businesses will be left to make their own policies about reopening. Schools, which reopened in Mississippi back in August, will still have mask mandates where social distancing is not possible. Mississippi's cases, deaths and hospitalizations have also plunged in recent weeks and are now at the lowest levels since October. The state has now fully vaccinated 7.5 percent of its population. 'There will still be COVID in our communities, perhaps for a significant amount of time in our state, and across the country. We will all need to decide for ourselves how to assess the risks and rewards of each and every activity we choose to pursue,' Reeves said. 'But the risk of overwhelming our hospitals with severe COVID cases is coming to a close and gets less and less with each and every day we see more of our vulnerable get vaccinated.' The governors of Michigan, and Louisiana have also eased restrictions on bars, restaurants and other businesses, as did the mayor of San Francisco. In San Francisco, an upbeat Mayor London Breed announced that California gave the green light to indoor dining and the reopening of movie theaters and gyms. 'You can enjoy your city, right here, right now,' she said from Fishermans Wharf, one of the city's biggest tourist attractions. 'We are not where we need to be yet, but we're getting there, San Francisco.' In Massachusetts, Governor Charlie Baker lifted restaurant capacity limits entirely from Monday. Theaters can now open at 50 per cent capacity, with a maximum of 500 people. And capacity limits across all businesses have been raised to 50 per cent. In Missouri, where individual communities get to make the rules, the two biggest metropolitan areas - St Louis and Kansas City - have already relaxed some measures. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said Friday bars and restaurants could resume normal hours and all size limits on events and gatherings were lifted but kept the mask mandate in place. Over in Iowa, the governor recently lifted mask requirements and limits on the number of people allowed in bars and restaurants, while the town of Lawrence, home to the University of Kansas, now lets establishments stay open until midnight. Las Vegas on Monday became the latest of the nation's largest school districts to return children to classrooms. Pre-K children to third graders will go back two days a week, with other grades to be phased in by early April. In Chicago, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said that effective immediately, bars, restaurants and other businesses can increase indoor capacity to 50% and remain open until 1 a.m. 'We have made incredible progress in recent weeks and months, and I thank our business community for their ongoing commitment to saving lives,' Lightfoot said in a written statement. In California, Gov Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders reached an agreement aimed at getting most children back in classrooms by the end of March. Under the deal announced Monday, school districts could receive up to $6.6billion if they reopen by March 31. Watch manager Nicholas Mottram told the inquiry fire crews should have gone straight to the scene of the Manchester Arena bomb and not a rendezvous point three miles away Fire crews should have gone straight to the Manchester Arena bomb scene rather than a 'risk-averse' rendezvous point three miles away, a public inquiry has heard. Watch manager Nicholas Mottram said he felt they were 'sent there to be away and to reduce the risk to personnel' rather than trying to save lives. The inquiry has heard the first fire engine did not arrive at the Arena until two hours after the blast, which killed 22 people and injured hundreds at the end of an Ariana Grande concert on May 22 2017. Mr Mottram said the first he heard about the explosion was in a mobile phone call from his paramedic wife, Helen, who told him she was heading there. In contrast, shortly after this, he was ordered by his bosses to meet across the city at Philips Park fire station. Mr Mottram said he was at Philips Park when his wife phoned him again to say there were several fatalities and some 60 casualties from what appeared to be shrapnel injuries. Counsel to the inquiry, Paul Greaney QC, asked him: 'How were you feeling at that stage?' He replied: 'Very frustrated that we were not there as well. We seemed to have a lack of information and we seemed to be in the wrong location.' In a debrief questionnaire a month after the attack, he wrote: 'I can honestly say that I can't think of any aspect of the incident that went well.' He went on: 'Stop being so risk-averse as most of us joined the service to take risks and save lives, and not stand back and let people suffer or die. 'If the police and ambulance had waited as long as the fire and rescue service then there may have been a greater number of deaths. 'My feeling was, and is, that many firefighters joined the service to take risks to help save lives where possible. The inquiry was told firefighters did not arrive on scene at the Manchester Arena until two hours after the blast which left 22 people dead and hundreds injured after Ariana Grande gig Salman Abedi, pictured at Victoria Station, was identified as the man responsible for the attack 'The risk-averse approach demonstrated on the night does not reflect this and I feel our moral obligation to the public should be considered and not just policy and procedure.' He confirmed he still held those views about Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS), where he had worked since 1998. Mr Mottram told John Cooper QC, representing the bereaved families: 'I would say we are more risk-averse then we used to be when I joined the service. 'We should have gone to the Arena. We should not be going to Philips Park because that was totally the wrong location. 'It felt like we had been sent there to be away and to reduce the risk to personnel.' He said his colleagues could have set up an incident command-style system at the Arena and assisted paramedics with evacuating casualties to a triage area with proper equipment rather than hoardings. Neil Helmrich, the watch manager at Phillips Park, told the inquiry: 'I expected the incident commander to be there a lot quicker, that's for sure. 'The longer away or further away he is, how can he be implementing his plan? The longer he takes to get there, he can't move anything forward.' Three terrorism-trained 'NILO' officers arrived between 11.24pm and 11.41pm to be confronted by Andrew Simister, the watch manager from Manchester Central, and Nicholas Mottram, the crew manager from Gorton. Mr Mottram, whose wife, a paramedic, had been mobilised six minutes after the attack, approached Carlos Meakin the first NILO to arrive, to tell him it was a bomb and there were at least 60 casualties. Mr Meakin held his hand up and said: 'Not now, I'm busy,' he said. Mr Simister and Mr Mottram became 'fairly agitated,' and were told to 'back off', Mr Helmrich said. 'Normally if you are mobilised, the lights go, the bells go, the printer moves, you know what you are attending, you are working out how to deal with an incident,' he added. 'On this particular incident, we did not get any impetus or urgency from any of the officers in attendance.' Mr Helmrich told the inquiry that apart from one fellow watch manager 'none of the officers who had any other control of the incident demonstrated to me that they were desperate to get down to the incident'. He agreed with Mr Cooper that leadership was 'sorely lacking' on the night. Yesterday, the inquiry, which is looking at events before, during and after the suicide bombing, heard that Alan Topping, a duty command support officer on the night 'felt ashamed to be a firefighter' in the aftermath of the attack. 'We didn't respond and we didn't do our jobs to make a difference,' he told inquiry chairman Sir John Saunders. 'It took me a couple of days to put my shirt back on such was the strength of my feelings.' When they turned up at Manchester Central fire station, shortly after midnight, an hour and a half after the explosion, they saw lots of ambulances parked up and some police vehicles 'It was a fairly muted atmosphere at that stage. There was no shouting and balling - we are an hour and a half down the track 'In my experience, if you don't turn up fairly sharpish you're not going to be rescuing many people an hour and a half later.' They finally arrived at the scene of the explosion half an hour after that, two hours after the attack. 'Clearly I knew exactly what had been going on by that stage but it was not from any incident commander 'The crew inside my appliance were quiet. I think it was quiet because we had effectively commenced the incident at 10.45pm, witnessed the atrocity via the television and only now were being moved forward. 'Even a fire fighter with limited experience and time in the fire service would have understood we would not have been assisting many people by that stage and I think that is why the crew were quiet.' When they got to the scene of the attack all the casualties had been taken to hospital, Mr Helmrich said. 'It was quite calm and relaxed,' he added. Back at Manchester Central fire station for a 'hot debrief' at 4am, Mr Helmrich choked back tears as he said: 'I had not much left to offer. I stayed silent with my head bowed.' At a later debriefing, Mr Helmrich tried to find out who was supposed to be the incident commander on the ground. He told the inquiry: 'You have to take responsibility. You can't just take the money and take the rank, you have to take the responsibility that goes with it. In my experience too many individuals do not like the responsibility.' 'In a highly calculated way fire fighters will take some risk to save saveable lives. Not one person in this room we see wearing uniform has taken charge of the incident,' he said. He added: 'If policy and procedure or communication has broken down, you have to say something is not going right here, we have to take some risk here.' 'All our fire fighters and incident commanders are inundated with many, many policies and procedures and undeath those policies and procedures there is an effect on the incident on the ground. 'If you don't get them right, someone in the background starts to pick holes by surreptitious emails and phone calls and it has left lots of incident commanders in position where they can't see what is absolutely right in front of them.' He suggested that when a 'snatch rescue' was possible at the scene of a road traffic accident, those 'with less experience or an eye on advancement will put policy and procedures in place' and fail to rescue the victim. Nicholas Mottram told his bosses in a debrief after the attack: 'Stop being so risk averse as most of us joined the service to take risks and save lives and not stand back and let people suffer or die. 'Make sure that somebody is in charge of the incident that is able to make decisions. 'There may be a secondary device, but how long do we wait? If the police and ambulance had waited as long as the fire and rescue service did then there may have been a greater number of deaths.' He said there was a 'clear lack of leadership when it was needed for the biggest terror attack that Manchester has ever had' and added: 'Think of our moral obligation, not just policy and procedure.' The inquiry continues next week. Ben Lambert / Hearst Connecticut Media HARTFORD A city man who distributed fentanyl while on federal supervised release will spend five and a half years in prison, federal prosecutors said. Yacov C-Low Ocasio, 24, was sentenced Tuesday by Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to serve 66 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. A restraining order against Tamar Braxton brought by her boyfriend David Adefeso in a Los Angeles court has been dismissed. Neither the 43-year-old songstress or her ex attended the Tuesday hearing, according to TMZ, leading the court to dissolve the legal arrangement. Adefeso obtained the restraining order against Tamar, who is the younger sister of R&B staple Toni Braxton, last September amid claims that she had made death threats against him, and had assaulted him while he was driving. The latest: A restraining order against Tamar Braxton brought by her boyfriend David Adefeso in a Los Angeles court has been dismissed. The former couple was snapped in 2019 in LA The Maryland native and Adefeso have not gotten back together, a source told the outlet. The All the Way Home songstress, appearing on The Tamron Hall Show in October, denied her ex's claims. 'I am a survivor a domestic violence relationship,' she told Hall. 'And not at any point [were] David and I in an abusive relationship.' She said that the had audio recordings which proved her innocent of any physical abuse in the exchange. The All the Way Home songstress, appearing on The Tamron Hall Show in October, denied her ex's claims Neither the 43-year-old songstress or her ex attended the Tuesday hearing, according to TMZ, leading the court to dissolve the legal arrangement She told Hall: 'He has the video tape. He has it. It was in his car. Release it.' She opened up on the lighter times of her relationship with Adefeso. 'Let me tell you something, I loved David,' she said. 'He was my best friend. He was an amazing, amazing partner. He was my son's best friend as well, they were best friends. And it's just so hard because through everything else, I never expected this from him.' Adefeso told People in September in a statement that he wished Braxton the best in terms of her 'mental and emotional stability,' enunciating that he was 'the victim in this situation.' 'As I document in the filing, I am actually the victim of domestic abuse,' he said. 'One in seven men experience severe physical violence, yet it remains a silent epidemic. As humiliating as this is, I must speak out for my own truth and others who do not have a platform.' He continued: 'And although not part of the filing, I must affirm here and now that I have never physically abused Tamar before, during or after our relationship. Period. I want to resolve our legal issues and move on with my life to focus on my business, my family and the future.' Observing that expression of a view which is from a decision taken by the central government itself cannot be said to be seditious, the on Wednesday dismissed a PIL seeking action against Conference president over his comments on abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution. A Bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Hemant Gupta rejected the plea and also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the petitioners for making such claims and directed them to deposit the amount with the Advocates Welfare Fund within four weeks. The expression of a view which is from a decision taken by the central government itself cannot be said to be seditious. There is nothing in the statement which we find so offensive as to give a cause of action for a court to initiate proceedings. Not only that, the petitioners have nothing to do with the subject matter and this is clearly a case of publicity interest litigation for the petitioners only to get their names in press. We must discourage such endeavours, the Bench said. The petition alleged NC President was trying to hand over Kashmir to China, and thus he should be prosecuted for sedition The top court was hearing a plea which referred to his statement on restoring Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and contended it clearly amounts to a seditious act and therefore he is liable to be punished under section 124-A of the IPC. The petition filed by Rajat Sharma and Dr Neh Srivastava, both belonging to an organisation Vishwa Guru India Vision of Sardar Patel, alleged that the former chief minister is trying to hand over Kashmir to China and thus, he should be prosecuted for Sedition. Mr has committed an offence punishable under section 124-A of Indian Penal Code. As he has made the live statement that for restoring Article 370 he would take help of China which clearly amount to seditious act and therefore he is liable to be punished under section 124-A of the IPC, the plea said. The petitioners also referred to a statement made by BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra to claim that Abdullah is misleading the people of Jammu and Kashmir to join China for the restoration of Article 370 of the Constitution. UTV has announced its broadcaster Tracey Magee will be its new political editor. ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph ) UTV broadcaster Tracey Magee has been appointed the channel's political editor. The journalist, who has worked at UTV for almost 24 years, will succeed Ken Reid who leaves at the end of the month. Tracey has worked in politics in UTV since 2012, becoming Deputy Political Editor in 2016. Her time in politics has spanned nine elections, four referenda, three political agreements, the collapse and restoration of Stormont, the Brexit process from its beginning to the present day and the succession of every party leader in the executive. Traceys journalistic career started in the Mid Ulster Mail in 1995 as a reporter and she also spent a period at the Sunday Life. She moved to radio presenting with the former BCR, before joining UTV in 1997. She held many editorial roles prior to taking on a political brief, including in planning, general reporting and presenting. Speaking about her appointment on Wednesday Tracey said: Theres never a dull moment in politics in Northern Ireland, more true than ever in recent years in terms of Brexit and the pandemic. "Im looking forward to bringing these important stories and other political developments to our audiences." She added: "There is a fabulous politics team in UTV and its been an honour to work alongside some of the giants in political journalism over the years, none more so than Ken Reid, whom Ill miss dearly as a colleague and friend. Head of News and Programmes at UTV, Simon Clemison said: This is one of the top jobs in journalism in Northern Ireland and Tracey will continue our proud reputation for highly trusted and engaging political reporting and analysis, told in a way which is accessible to all. Meanwhile, Ken Reid said: "I am absolutely delighted for Tracey. She is a superb and trusted journalist, and UTV's political reporting will be great hands as a result. I wish her every success for the role." As well as news reporting, Tracey will also continue to be a regular contributor to UTVs weekly political programme, View from Stormont. 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. Consolidates Dauphinoise Thomson, Magal and Wahler brands under one company Backed by Cartesian Capital Group Robust business model, exemplary global reach and unmatched technological skills in place to assist automakers in the transition to electric mobility Manufacturing facilities in Brazil , China , France , Germany , UK, USA , , , , UK, Projected total revenue for the current financial year circa 150 million READING, England, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Thermal Management Solutions Group has been formed to take advantage of the global growth in electrified vehicles. The new global automotive technology business provides new technologies and systems which facilitate the transition of engine development from internal combustion to hybrid, battery electric, and fuel-cell vehicles. Thermal Management Solutions has been formed by Cartesian Capital Group and the former Arlington Industries Thermal Management Solutions' management team and has successfully executed two merger and acquisition processes in the UK and Germany. The transactions combine the Thermal Management division of the former Arlington Group with three global thermostat brands: Dauphinoise Thomson, Magal and Wahler, with a global footprint across six countries. Mark Franckel, Thermal Management Solutions CEO: "The newly formed Thermal Management Solutions Group combines an unparalleled pool of technical experience and delivers exceptional global market position and depth to provide both existing and new customers and suppliers with numerous advantages in navigating these exciting times in the automotive sector. "Leveraging the backing of Cartesian Capital Group and the expertise of the Dauphinoise Thomson, Magal and Wahler brands creates a commercially robust entity much stronger than the sum of its individual components." Crucial to the creation of Thermal Management Solutions was the safeguarding of as many jobs as possible. While a range of critical restructuring activities was necessary to ensure a robust and sustainable business model, the new group will emerge with over 150 million in revenues and employ more than 800 people across its six global locations. Along with providing automotive OEMs, Tier 1s and Tier 2s with thermal management solutions, Thermal Management Solutions will continue to grow its product and customer portfolio in the Automotive Independent Aftermarket, Heating and Sanitary sectors. About Thermal Management Solutions Group Thermal Management Solutions is Headquartered in Reading, UK. The Group employs more than 800 people globally, with manufacturing sites in Brazil, China, France, Germany, UK and the USA, and a projected total revenue of circa 150 million annually. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1448104/Electric_vehicle.jpg Contact Details: Will Reeves +44 (0)774-916-4024 will@influenceassociates.com SALT LAKE CITY, March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ensign College recently identified 428 cybersecurity employment opportunities available along the Wasatch Front, with new positions added every day. Likewise, across the U.S., the demand for cyber-analysts, auditors, engineers and other cybersecurity experts is unparalleled, as every business and entity recognizes the need to protect its assets. Ensign College Spencer DeGraw, program chair for the cybersecurity program at Ensign College, said "Most people would be surprised to see how many different career paths exist in the cybersecurity world, from physical security to digital monitoring, to infrastructure design. There will always be a need for cyber professionals. It is a fascinating and exciting career path." Indeed, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics projects that the number of information security analyst positions is anticipated to grow 31% between 2019 and 2029, while the median annual salary for security analysts soared to $99,730 in 2019. With Cybersecurity Ventures reporting as many as 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs globally in 2021, the dire need for skilled cyber experts continues to grow. What does this mean for the next generation of young adults making decisions about their futures? If you have an interest in IT and are looking for job security, a degree in cybersecurity is a good plan. "Cybersecurity covers a significant breadth of technology and skill sets, offering a range of satisfying careers," DeGraw explained. "Some jobs might involve network and data analysis skills, or programming skills. Others might require you to actually hack into a network to test the defenses of an environment, or conduct security audits or risk assessments." Regardless of which path interests you, a bachelor's degree is the best way to prepare yourself to meet the growing security needs of business professionals. Ensign College's cybersecurity program has been preparing highly qualified professionals since 2014. In fact, their cybersecurity competitive team consistently places high in national competitions, recently qualifying in the top 4 at the annual Rocky Mountain Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition in Denver, CO. "Our bachelor's program is designed as an applied degree, which means we emphasize hands-on labs and projects in our classes," said DeGraw. "Instructors with real-life experience in the industry help students develop skills like data analysis, problem-solving, and best practices in security infrastructure and design, so they have the experience to start work from day one." Cassie Thomas is a freelance writer and editor with more than 16 years' experience creating concise, engaging copy. Specializing in blog and website content as well as digital marketing and project management, she helps businesses achieve their communication goals with precision. Ensign College offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Cybersecurity, as well as a Bachelor of Applied Science degree. For more information about Ensign College, please contact: Contact: Royce Hinton Ensign College Email: [email protected] Phone: (801) 524-8174 Related Images ensign-college.jpg Ensign College SOURCE Ensign College Yerevan, March 3 : Armenian President Armen Sarkissian has again rejected Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's motion on dismissing Onik Gasparyan, the Chief of the Army's General Staff. In an official statement on its website, the President's Office said on Tuesday that Sarkissian decided not to sign the draft decree, but he will apply to the Constitutional Court to determine the issue, reports Xinhua news agency. "Faithful to his commitment, the President will continue steps aiming at further stabilizing the situation, and, by serving the institute of the president as a platform, is calling on everyone to negotiate to find a comprehensive solution to all existing problems," said the statement. It is the second time that the Armenian President turned down the motion on dismissing Gasparyan since February 25. Pashinyan on February 25 sacked Gasparyan, accusing him of attempting a military coup, after the latter, his deputies and dozens of top military commanders signed a statement, demanding the Prime Minister and his cabinet to resign. However, the Prime Minister's order needs a formal approval from the presidency. According to Armenian law, the President has three days to either approve a motion from the Prime Minister or return it with objections. But if the motion is sent to the President again, he will have to choose to sign it or apply to the Constitutional Court. In March of 2020, the Tow Center for Digital Journalism began tracking newsroom cutbacks in the wake of the pandemic. The trackers map tells part of the story of journalisms ongoing crisis: an upheaval that hurt newsrooms, journalists, andby straining journalisms marginsthe communities that those newsrooms and journalists are charged to serve. One year later, here are five key takeaways: The journalism crisis of the past year has been a crisis across the board, for digital media, magazines, radio & TV stations, andespeciallynewspapers. Consider this graphic, which plots the location of newsrooms where newspapers have experienced cutbacks amid the COVID crisis, including both outlet-specific cuts and chainwide cutbacks understood to have affected all their properties: In October of last year, the Pew Research Center reported that newspapers were hard hit by the pandemic, experiencing a 42 percent loss in advertising revenue in the second quarter of 2020 (meanwhile, Fox News advertising revenue saw a 41 percent increase). Broadcast and radio stations across the country also struggled. Pew reported a 24 percent loss in ad revenue for local television stations in the second quarter, though cable company re-transmission fees later made up the difference. This map shows broadcast stations across the country that experienced cutbacks, including outlet-specific and chainwide cuts: This one shows cutbacks at radio stations, including outlet-specific and chainwide cuts: Magazines and digital outlets also saw cutbacks, but the prevalence of newspapers across the country and the disequilibrium in their traditional business model meant that newspapers bore the brunt of the pandemics effect on journalism: borne out in layoffs, mergers, furloughs, pay cuts, print reductions, budget cuts, and closures. Significant layoffs happened across every medium. Sign up for CJR 's daily email There are no precise figures tallying the number of media layoffs, but the New York Times offered an imperfect, but good estimate that as many as 37,000 media workers may have experienced layoffs, furloughs, or lost pay amid the pandemic. This map plots the digital outlets, magazines, newspapers, radio stations, and broadcast stations where layoffs occurred, including both outlet-specific cuts and chainwide cutbacks understood to have affected all their properties: Print cutbacks accelerated the shift away from print. The cutback tracker reported changes to print at more than one hundred and sixty outlets. Though some publications have worked hard to bring back print editions (and some print publications have even launched mid-pandemic), I wrote in July that as business models and consumer habits continue to change, journalism outlets wrestle to balance business interests, accessibility, and keeping up with a changing worldand choices made during a crisis will ripple into the future. Cutbacks at Gannett loomed large. Gannettthe largest newspaper chain in the countryimplemented widespread furloughs in March, a round of layoffs in April, and another round of layoffs in June. In October, the company announced voluntary buyouts to all 21,000 of its employees; about 600 people opted in, Poynter reported, and Gannett accepted around 500 buyouts. More than sixty outlets have ceased publication. Though some outlets found ways to resume publication after shutting downand, in some cases, new publications set out to to fill news voidsthe Tow Center reports the shuttering of sixty-six news outlets: fifty-six newspapers, three digital outlets, five magazines, and one radio station. The Journalism Crisis Project aims to train our focus on the present crisis, tallying lost jobs and outlets and fostering a conversation about what comes next. We hope youll join us (click to subscribe). EXPLORE THE TOW CENTERS COVID-19 CUTBACK TRACKER. CONTRIBUTE TO OUR DATABASE: If youre aware of a newsroom experiencing layoffs, cutbacks, furloughs, print reductions, or any fundamental change as a result of covid-19, let us know by submitting information here. (Personal information will be kept secure by the Tow Center and will not be shared.) Below, more on recent media trends and changes in newsrooms across the world: JOURNALISM JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES: MediaGazer has been maintaining a list of media companies that are currently hiring. You can find it here. The Deez Links newsletter, in partnership with Study Hall, offers media classifieds for both job seekers and job providers. The Successful Pitches database offers resources for freelancers. The International Journalists Network lists international job opportunities alongside opportunities for funding and further education. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Lauren Harris is a freelance journalist. She writes CJR's weekly newsletter for the Journalism Crisis Project. Follow her on Twitter @LHarrisWrites. Australian of the Year and sexual abuse survivor Grace Tame has condemned the Australian Defence Force chief for advising cadets to not to make themselves attractive to sexual predators. General Angus Campbell made the controversial comments last week to trainee officers at the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra. Mr Campbell said they could avoid sexual predators by being aware of the 'Four As' - alcohol , alone, attractive, and being out after midnight. Ms Tame, 26, on Wednesday addressed the National Press Club and labelled the comments of the defence chief as 'really unhelpful'. 'I'm not judge, jury and executioner, but that's not helpful rhetoric at all,' she said. 'That feeds the idea that this is something that a victim has to foresee and stop themselves, as if they're to blame. That is really unhelpful.' Ms Tame was asked what the defence chief should instead be saying to which she replied 'anything but that'. Mr Campbell's comments have since been condemned by politicians and sexual assault survivor groups, having first been reported by The Canberra Times. Opposition frontbencher Kristina Keneally, Labor's deputy Senate leader, told the ABC Mr Campbell's language was 'clumsy' and that implied 'women are responsible for not being raped'. General Angus Campbell made the controversial comments last week to trainee officers at the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra Opposition leader, Anthony Albanese, stressed that women were not to blame and men should change their behaviour. 'Sexual violence is a scourge in our community and men have to take responsibility for changing their action and in terms of leadership, right throughout the community, people should feel safe,' he said. 'People should be able to go out at night and engage in the activity that people, including young people, will engage in, whether young women or men, on an equal basis.' Caitlin Roper, the spokesperson for feminist activist group Collective Shout told Daily Mail Australia that asking women to change their behaviour is 'completely backwards'. 'It's not women who are responsible for rape, it's the men who perpetrate it,' she said. '[Change] starts by changing men's attitudes, challenging the notion that women exist for men's use, that men are entitled to sex, as well as attitudes of casual sexism and disrespect for women, and making it clear that the ADF will not tolerate this behaviour. 'Even if we accepted the premise that individual women could avoid being raped if they don't drink, aren't out late at night, aren't alone or 'too attractive' - which is a flawed premise to begin with - all that accomplishes is ensuring that it is not her who is raped, it's another woman. 'It doesn't actually stop men raping.' Australian of the Year and sexual abuse survivor Grace Tame has condemned the comments of the Defence Chief after he told cadets not to become 'prey' to sexual assault by being attractive and out late In a statement seen by Daily Mail Australia, Mr Campbell said the ADF had 'zero tolerance for unacceptable behaviour', and stressed the perpetrator was always to blame. 'Considering incidents that have affected military personnel in my years of service, my intent was to raise awareness and challenge the group to do what they can to mitigate risk and take action if they witness unacceptable behaviour,' he said. 'I am aware that my comments have been interpreted by some in a way that I did not intend. There is never an excuse for perpetrating sexual assault or sexual harassment and the perpetrator is always to blame.' Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-02 23:15:04|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry (R) and his Sudanese counterpart Mariam al-Sadiq al-Mahdi attend a press conference after their meeting in Cairo, Egypt, March 2, 2021. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Sudanese counterpart Mariam al-Sadiq al-Mahdi stressed on Tuesday that Ethiopia's possible second phase filling of the Nile dam unilaterally would pose a direct threat to water security of Egypt and Sudan. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) CAIRO, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Sudanese counterpart Mariam al-Sadiq al-Mahdi stressed on Tuesday that Ethiopia's possible second phase filling of the Nile dam unilaterally would pose a direct threat to water security of Egypt and Sudan. The remarks came during the two ministers meeting in Egypt's capital Cairo, where the two diplomats tackled a number of issues of common interest, according to a joint press statement released after the meeting. The two ministers highlighted the importance of reaching a binding legal agreement on filling and operating the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) that would achieve the interests of the three countries, preserve the water rights of Egypt and Sudan, and limit the damages of the project to the two downstream countries. Shoukry and his Sudanese counterpart also stressed that they have political will and a serious desire to achieve this goal at the earliest possible opportunity, urging Ethiopia to show goodwill and engage in an effective negotiation process. They also expressed appreciation for the efforts made by South Africa during its presidency of the African Union in guiding the path of the GERD negotiations. The two ministers also affirmed that their countries are adhered to the proposal made by Sudan and supported by Egypt on developing the negotiation mechanism sponsored by the African Union through the formation of an international quartet led and managed by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the current chair of the African Union. Ethiopia started building the GERD in 2011, while Egypt is concerned that the dam might affect its 55.5-billion-cubic-meter annual share of the Nile water. Sudan has recently been raising similar concerns over the 4-billion-U.S.-dollar dam. Over the past few years, tripartite talks on the rules of filling and operating the GERD, with a total capacity of 74 billion cubic meters, have been fruitless, including the early ones hosted by Washington and the recent ones by the African Union. Meanwhile, the two ministers reviewed various regional and international issues of common interest, including the developments in Libya, Palestine, Syria, Yemen and other countries in the region, according to the statement, During the talks, the two sides discussed opportunities to develop investment cooperation as well as the available fields for Egyptian companies to invest in Sudan in a way that achieves mutual interests of both countries. The ministers' discussions also dealt with means of boosting trade relations and economic exchange between the two countries. 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. MCLEAN, Va., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- KETTLER announced today that twenty communities within its management portfolio are recipients of the Kingsley Excellence Award for their resident satisfaction scores in 2020. Grace Hill's KingsleySurveys released its Kingsley Excellence Awards list last month, recognizing individual communities that achieved outstanding performance in 2020. The metrics used to decide the awards are defined by The Kingsley Index, the most comprehensive performance benchmarking database in the real estate industry. Over the last five years, KETTLER has repositioned its management portfolio to include a customer promise that consistently exceeds expectations. By bringing in tools like KingsleySurveys to provide teams with real-time and actionable insights, KETTLER has improved its reputation scores across its portfolio overall by 13%. KETTLER is proud to acknowledge the following communities for their achievements in resident satisfaction: 672 Flats, Arlington, Va. 800 Carlyle, Alexandria, Va. Acadia at Metropolitan Park, Arlington, Va. Avenue Grand, White Marsh, Md. Bolden, Mclean, Va. Cascades Overlook, Sterling, Va. Dock 79, Washington, D.C. Garfield Park, Arlington, Va. Millennium at Metropolitan Park, Arlington, Va. Rise, McLean, Va. Maren, Washington, D.C. Solaire 8250, Silver Spring, Md. Solaire Bethesda, Bethesda, Md. Solaire Silver Spring, Silver Spring, Md. The Fields at Lorton Station, Lorton, Va. The Fields of Chantilly, Chantilly, Va. The Gunther, Baltimore, Md. Trelago, Maitland, Fla. Vista Laurel Highlands, Lorton, Va. Waterside at Reston, Reston, Va. For more information on KETTLER and our services, visit: www.kettler.com. About KETTLER KETTLER is an award-winning, multifamily developer, real estate investment, and property management company. Founded in 1977, the company has developed over 25,000 multifamily units, 5 million square feet of commercial space, more than 71,000 homes in 25 master-planned communities, and many of the D.C. region's premier mixed-use communities. Headquartered in McLean, Va., the company manages approximately 20,000 apartments in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast regions. For more information, visit www.kettler.com. MEDIA CONTACT: Melissa Fasano, 703-641-9000, [email protected] SOURCE KETTLER Related Links https://www.kettler.com/ WASHINGTON President Joe Biden slammed Republican Gov. Greg Abbotts decision to drop the Texas mask mandate as Neanderthal thinking on Wednesday amid backlash over the governors move to lift COVID restrictions during a pivotal period in the pandemic. I think its a big mistake, Biden said. Masks make a difference The last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking. The pushback from the White House is new for Abbott and other Republican governors who throughout the pandemic had been urged by Donald Trumps White House to resist COVID executive orders as much as possible. The Biden administration, on the other hand, is now urging Texans to ignore Abbotts latest order and wear masks and socially distance. To be clear, Abbott has also encouraged people to take those precautions, but says he is relying on Texans sense of personal responsibility, rather than government mandates. Abbotts move was applauded by Republicans both in Austin and in Congress. BACKGROUND: Gov. Greg Abbott lifts statewide mask order, opens Texas 100 percent Chip Somodevilla, HO / TNS The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday joined the president in saying that Abbott was too quick to end the mask mandate. So far Texas is the biggest state to do so. Samuel Corum, Stringer / Getty Images The next month or two is really pivotal in terms of how this pandemic goes, said CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky during a briefing on the virus. As we scale up vaccination, we really do need to decrease the amount of virus that is circulating. Meanwhile in Austin, state lawmakers scrutinized Abbotts decision on Wednesday as it became apparent that the governor had consulted only one of his four COVID medical advisers on rescinding the mask mandate before announcing it Tuesday afternoon in Lubbock. Dr. John Hellerstedt, the commissioner of the Department of State Health Services, was the third medical adviser to say he did not discuss lifting restrictions with Abbott in advance. 13% of Texans vaccinated Speaking at a packed Mexican restaurant on Tuesday where few people wore masks, Abbott said he was lifting the restrictions because severe infections are on the decline and vaccinations are rising. Hospitalizations from the disease have fallen by more than half from their high of over 14,000 in January. More than 3.5 million Texans have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and nearly 2 million have been fully vaccinated, out of a population of 29 million. Still, the state ranks among the lowest for the percentage of people vaccinated, at 13 percent. Gov. Abbotts new order Masks: A statewide mask mandate is lifted. Businesses can continue to require face coverings for employees and customers. School districts also appear able to require masks, though the Texas Education Agency said it will provide updated guidance later this week. Capacity limits: Beginning next Wednesday, businesses are allowed to open at full capacity, including restaurants and bars. Local rules: Local officials can impose limited restrictions if coronavirus hospitalizations rise above 15 percent of total hospitalizations in their region. Penalties for not wearing masks are prohibited, and businesses must be allowed to remain open at least at half capacity. Keep your distance: Fask masks, social distancing and other health and safety measures to slow the spread of infections are still recommended. See More Collapse Too many small business owners have struggled to pay their bills, Abbott said. This must end. It is now time to open Texas 100 percent. RELATED: All Texas school employees, childcare workers can now get COVID vaccine Testifying before the states committee on public health the next day, Hellerstedt, the state health services chief, told lawmakers he had not been consulted in advance. I did not have a personal conversation with him prior to the decision, Hellerstedt said. The commissioner said he has daily discussions with the governors staff, though, and both the governor and I are on the same page regarding actions to prevent COVID-19, including mask-wearing and social distancing. Hellerstedt did not say whether those staff conversations included a timetable for lifting COVID restrictions. Hellerstedt was the third of Abbotts four COVID health advisers to say they were not consulted on the move. That team, named at the start of the pandemic, includes three public health experts two of whom told the Dallas Morning News on Tuesday that they also were not involved in the decision. Only one adviser, Dr. John Zerwas, said he agreed with the policy change as Texas COVID numbers improve. Zerwas is a vice chancellor for health affairs at the University of Texas System and a former GOP state representative. Now we know @GovAbbotts premature repeal of the mask mandate happened without him having a conversation with the Commissioner of @TexasDSHS, the Texas House Democratic Caucus tweeted Wednesday. Renae Eze, a spokeswoman for the governor, said Abbott speaks regularly with Dr. Hellerstedt and Dr. Zerwas, along with others in the medical community, regarding yesterdays announcement. All were in agreement that Texans should continue following medical advice and safe standards on preventing COVID-19 to protect themselves and their loved ones, just like they do on other medical issues, Eze said in an email. As the governor mentioned yesterday, COVID-19 has not suddenly disappeared. Removing state mandates does not end personal responsibility or the importance of caring for family members, friends, and your community. Its not the first time Abbott has moved to ease COVID restrictions without the buy-in of all his medical advisers. In April, Abbott pushed to reopen the state, even as Texas had yet to meet most of the benchmarks his advisers had set for doing so. Biden plans to follow up White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday that Biden will follow up with Abbott personally. The president speaks regularly with governors, including Abbott, and Im sure he will raise this the next opportunity he has. This entire country has paid the price for political leaders who ignored the science when it comes to the pandemic, Psaki said. Theres still work that needs to be done. We need to remain vigilant. At the same time, Republicans were backing the governors decision and Abbott personally responded to the presidents criticism on Twitter, switching topics to lambaste Bidens immigration policy. The Biden administration is recklessly releasing hundreds of illegal immigrants who have COVID into Texas communities, Abbott said, an apparent reference to a change allowing 25,000 migrants to be released into the U.S. while they wait for asylum proceedings. The Biden Admin. must IMMEDIATELY end this callous act that exposes Texans & Americans to COVID. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz called the repeal of the states coronavirus restrictions great news, and U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady of The Woodlands called it a matter of common sense with hospitalizations on the decline. We ought to continue to do smart things, Brady said. Businesses that have good safety protocols in place keep doing good things. For individuals, there still always is risk of social gatherings in homes. You know, wear a mask when you cant socially distance, wash your hands just do the things weve been doing to tamp down these flareups. Were not through this yet, but I think the governors decision was pretty common sense and appropriate. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn also defended Abbotts decision, telling the Wall Street Journal that at some point, the government needs to quit making arbitrary rules that do not have any demonstrable connection with the public health. I dont think (Bidens) got a lot to say about preaching to my state about how weve handled this COVID-19 virus, Cornyn said. And the fact of the matter is, if you want to wear a mask, you can still wear a mask. ben.wermund@chron.com New Delhi, March 3 : Dollar chana prices have soared in the domestic market amid increasing demand from Horeca (Hotel, Restaurants and Cafe) segment and shortall in stocks as arrivals of fresh crops reportedly delayed in the markets of producing areas of Madhya Pradesh, India's largest chana producer. Prices of dollar chana rose sharply by Rs 700 to 1,000 per quintal on Wednesday at the benchmark spot market of Indore (Madhya Pradesh) due to shortage of carryover stocks and thin arrivals of fresh crops. Dollar chana (old stocks) was priced at Rs 7,400-Rs 8,200 per quintal while new crop of dollar chana traded at Rs 8,000-8,300 per quintal at Indore market. Dollar chana (White chickpea), commonly known as Kabuli chana is one of the chief food stuffs of Horeca segment and has attracted good demand from domestic market but carryover stocks are almost nil, therefore prices have shot up, said a trader dealing in the commodity. Suresh Agarwal, President, All India Dal Mills Assocication told IANS that domestic production of dollar chan is expected to remain 25 percent down from last year while the commodity has attracted good demand from overseas, particularly from Sri Lanka, Dubai and Algeria. A trader from Indore told India exports over one lakh tonnes of dollar chana every year for past few years while the volume of export was higher when the country used to export around 50,000-60,000 tonnes to Pakistan. He said that India has not been exporting dollar chana to Pakistan for last few years. The shortfall in stocks of dollar chana is seen globally which is also the reason of hikes in the prices of the commodity as Mexican dollar chana is also priced at 1,150 dollar per tonne, said the trader. However, Piyush Goyal, a trader Neemach market of Madhya Pradesh told IANS that the commodity is presently in the grip of the speculators, therefore, prices have soared in a couple of days. Amit Shukla, an expert of the pulses market said, prices of dollar chana have increaed around Rs1,500 per quintal this week amid firmer demand and weak stocks, and bullish tone is likely to continue amid strong demand ahead of Holi festival. 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. MCLEAN, Va., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hair Cuttery Family of Brands is helping Washingtonians kickstart the spring season and ditch the winter blues with the ultimate makeover. Spring Forward with a Makeover: HC Model Search calls on Washington metropolitan area locals to enter from now until March 14 to win a full makeover and become the face of a new marketing campaign. Two winners will be selected to receive a full makeover, which will include a hair care and product consultation, and service from top Hair Cuttery stylists consisting of cut and/or color treatment, blowout and style. The winners will also be invited to model in a professional photoshoot with the resulting photos becoming part of Hair Cuttery's spring 2021 marketing campaign. Hair Cuttery Family of Brands Announces Spring Forward with a Makeover: HC Model Search Contest Photo Credit: Hair Cuttery Family of Brands Hair Cuttery Family of Brands' team will be looking for entrants from all backgrounds who are eager for a new spring look. To enter, participants will be required to submit up to three of their best photos, and what impact a makeover will make in their lives. Video submissions are welcome but not required. Anyone over the age of 18 residing in Washington, D.C, Maryland, or Virginia is eligible to participate in the model search. The winners will be treated to make up and wardrobe consultations as well as the full hair makeover experience. This spring model search follows Hair Cuttery Family of Brands' holiday photo shoot which featured its own employees, as well as friends and family. "We are so excited to invite our loyal customers to participate in our spring marketing campaign," says Seth Gittlitz, CEO of Hair Cuttery Family of Brands. "Hair Cuttery's goal is to always provide our guests with a boost of confidence through an exceptional hair experience. We look forward to seeing all of the inspirational contest entries and showcasing real guests in upcoming marketing campaigns." The Spring Forward with a Makeover: HC Model Search contest is open between now and March 14. Entrants are encouraged to read the complete rules and eligibility requirements before entering. To find out more about the contest, please click here. About Hair Cuttery Family of Brands Hair Cuttery Family of Brands is the largest privately owned and operated chain of full-service hair salons in the United States, employing thousands of Salon Professionals in more than 500 company-owned locations on the East Coast and in the Midwest. Hair Cuttery Family of Brands consists of three premier brands: Hair Cuttery, Bubbles, and CIBU. Hair Cuttery is our signature brand, delivering best-in-class service at an affordable price. Bubbles provides an elevated salon experience using the finest selection of haircare products. CIBU is a high-performance professional haircare and styling product line that uses color safe formulas and offers solutions for every hair type. Hair Cuttery Family of Brands ensures that all Salon Professionals are BARBICIDE certified and that its salon safety and sanitation practices adhere to the most recent CDC guidelines. More information at: www.haircuttery.com . Contact: Cara Zizzo 702-592-2234 [email protected] SOURCE Hair Cuttery Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 04:32:53|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Continuing humanitarian access restrictions for Tigray, Ethiopia, is not necessarily a government denial, but a situation of bureaucratic impediment and a slow bureaucratic process, a UN spokesman said on Tuesday. Stephane Dujarric, the chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, was asked whether there was any UN investigation into reports of humanitarian aid abuses, such as vandalism, looting and violence. "Not that I'm aware of, we have very little international presence," Dujarric told a regular press briefing. "Their focus right now is on providing aid and giving food." "We have not been able to reach all the areas we need to, especially those in the rural part of the province," he said. "I don't think we're in a situation of denial. We're in a situation of bureaucratic impediment and a slow bureaucratic process." However, the spokesman said national and international partners of the United Nations report looting of humanitarian supplies and civilian infrastructure vandalization. "We, along with our humanitarian partners, continue to call on the parties to the conflict to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure," he said. More than 80 aid workers have received Tigray clearances, but the permits are for short missions and personnel returning to Tigray. The authorizations for international staff have been basically for people who had been in Mekele, the regional capital. New staff and needs assessment missions also need clearances, he said. Despite the challenges, humanitarians on the ground are working to increase the response, with some progress made, especially on food assistance in the main cities, Dujarric said. Also, more than 280,000 people received clean water, more than 35,000 refugees in Mai Ayni and Adi Harush camps are getting food assistance and more than 65,000 displaced people received shelter and necessary household items. Hundreds of thousands of people affected by the conflict have not been reached, particularly in Tigray's rural areas, the spokesman said. Enditem Related INTERVIEW: EU ambassador recounts how the EU is a strong supporter of Egypts economy Christian Berger assumes position of EU ambassador to Egypt Head of the European Union (EU) delegation to Egypt, Ambassador Christian Berger, visited four projects the Egyptian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (MSMEDA) is implementing at Samallout district in Minya governorate, a statement read on Wednesday. The projects are being implemented under the EU-funded agreement of Addressing the Root Causes of Irregular Migration. The EU delegation was accompanied by Minya governor, General Osama El-Qady, and a group from the agency presided over by head of the Human and Community Development Central Sector Medhat Massoud. The delegation visited the 1.2 km long Gabal El-Tair road paving project, financed by EGP 2.374 million, and the Gabal El-Tair youth centre renovation project, funded by EGP 1.458 million. They also visited the sites of the renovation project of three health units in three villages in Samallout, totalling EGP 1.555 million, and the veterinary unit in Bani Khaled village, financed at EGP 464,000. Minister of Trade and Industry and MSMEDA Executive Director Nevine Gamea said the visit is part of the close cooperation between MSMEDA and the EU a major sponsor agency of MSMEDA. "MSMEDA cooperates with a large number of international donor agencies that channel funds to the different projects it implements in the different governorates of Egypt in coordination with the state's engaged organs to fulfil the basic needs of inhabitants of the needy areas to help create an enabling environment for MSMEs," the minister said. "From July 2014 till the end of December 2020, MSMEDA injected EGP 2.6 billion in Minya, EGP 203.2 million of which to implement infrastructure and community development projects and create 2.73 million daily jobs (man/day); and EGP 2.4 billion that were directed to finance the establishment of 170,000 MSEs and already generated 201,700 jobs," Gamea explained. "The European Union Trust Fund closely cooperates with MSMEDA in providing key services and small-scale works for community infrastructure, as well as promoting economic activities and enhancing skills needed for employment. This is very much in line with the EU-Egypt partnership priorities," head of the EU delegation to Egypt said. "It is a great opportunity to be in Minya and learn more about this cooperation and how it is working in practice for the benefit of people living and working here," Berger noted. El-Qady lauded MSMEDA's job creation efforts for youth in Minya governorate. He emphasised the continuous cooperation between MSMEDA and the governorate on implementing the projects of the Agreement of Addressing the Root Causes on Irregular Migration that would in turn create employment opportunities for casual workers and offer choices to youth in a bid to curb the irregular migration phenomenon. Massoud said local contractors in Minya were hired to carry out projects funded by the agreement. The purpose was to generate daily jobs (man/day) for temporary workers. Massoud pointed out the projects visited by the delegation would create more than 13,00 daily job opportunities (man/day) for casual workers during their implementation period. The Agreement of Addressing the Root Causes of Irregular Migration through Employability and Labour-intensive Works (ELIW) was signed by MSMEDA and the EU at a grant of 27 million euros. The agreement is based on a study conducted by the National Coordinating Committee on Preventing Illegal Migration and Combating and Preventing Trafficking in Persons to execute infrastructure and community development projects in 11 governorates: Luxor, Assiut, Minya, Fayoum, Qalioubiya, Menoufiya, Gharbiya, Sharqiya, Beheira, Daqahliya, and Kafr El-Sheikh. The aim is to provide alternatives to youth, qualify them for labour market requirements, and help them establish micro and small enterprises. Short link: The U.A.E., by contrast, is transitioning from decades of oil abundance to an era of oil scarcity by building its own ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship in the same fields as Israel. The U.A.E.s population consists of one million citizens and nine million foreigners, most of them low-wage, non-unionized laborers from India and other parts of South Asia and the rest professionals largely from America, Europe, India and the Arab world. The U.A.E.s growth strategy for the 21st century of which the opening to Israel is a key part is to become THE Arab model for modernity, a diversified economy, globalization and intra-religious tolerance. To that end, in November the country announced a major liberalization of its Islamic personal laws allowing unmarried couples to cohabitate, which, among other things, makes the U.A.E. more accepting of gay and lesbian people; criminalizing so-called honor killings of women who shame their male relatives as well as made divorce laws much more equitable for women and loosened restrictions on alcohol. The U.A.E. is still an absolute monarchy, and a multiparty democracy is not on the menu. But greater gender equality, a more open education system and religious pluralism are. It still has work to do in all those areas, though witness the embarrassing saga around the leader of Dubai, whose daughter is reportedly being held hostage in her fathers palace. But the U.A.E.s new social laws constitute a big leap forward in its quest to attract the talent needed for a non-oil economy. All the neighbors are watching, and they are particularly watching how Iran and Saudi Arabia react. If you are a Lebanese Shiite living in the poor southern suburbs of Beirut having to scramble every day to barter eggs for meat as the economy teeters on collapse youre asking, Why are we stuck with Iran and its axis of failing proxies like Hezbollah, which just keep letting the past bury our future? That is a dangerous question for Iran and Hezbollah. And more Lebanese are asking every day. Which may explain why the outspoken Lebanese anti-Hezbollah journalist and publisher Lokman Slim was shot in the head in southern Lebanon a few weeks ago. All fingers point at Hezbollah as the culprit. As for Saudi Arabia, it is already letting Israels national airline, El Al, fly across Saudi airspace to the U.A.E. But will it follow suit and formally normalize with Israel? That would be huge for both Israeli-Arab and Jewish-Muslim relations. Karst-dependent snail from Malaysia discovered by Junn Kitt Foon, a recent winner of the Tony Whitten Memorial Prize. Credit: Junn Kitt Foon Later this year, virtually all the countries on Earth are due to meet in China under the Convention on Biological Diversity to agree global conservation targets for 2030. Virtually may be the operative word, if COVID-19 precludes member states from meeting face to face in Kunming. Whatever the format, conservationists fervently hope that global leaders will agree to set aside 30% of the world's land and sea for nature by the end of the decade. But is that enough? In his 2016 book Half-Earth: Our Planet's Fight for Life the biologist E. O. Wilson went further. He proposed ring-fencing half of Earth's surface as a vast natural reserve dedicated to conserving biodiversity. If that utopian vision strikes you as more akin to cloud cuckoo land than to blue-sky thinking, let's just remind ourselves why drastic measures are needed. Anthropocene armageddon We're witnessing a worldwide wipeout of wildlife that is unprecedented in human history. Species extinction rates have increased more than a thousandfold since Homo sapiens first emerged some 300,000 years ago and embarked on a mission to make a mockery of that scientific name. According to a 2019 UN report, one million speciesand countingare currently at risk of extinction. That stark statistic includes some of the animal kingdom's biggest rock stars, from gorillas and chimpanzeesour closest cousinsto lions, tigers, rhinos and elephants. It also encompasses myriad unsung support acts that even the most ardent nature lovers may never have encountered. "The plight of the little animal should all by itself serve as a wake-up call to us for mass extinctions imminent or in progress round the world," Wilson warned us. "We're extinguishing Earth's biodiversity as though the species of the natural world are no better than weeds and kitchen vermin." He was referring to the Kihansi spray toad, a species rendered extinct in the wild when its microhabitat was destroyed by dam construction, but those words are equally apposite for every amphibian, reptile and invertebrate thatknowingly or inadvertentlywe are ushering down the one-way street to oblivion in the name of 'growth'. This diminutive tree snail, native to French Polynesia, was among several species rescued from extinction by an FFI-funded captive-breeding programme. Credit: FFI Guardians of the little guy Fauna & Flora International (FFI) works to safeguard some of the world's most iconic wildlife, but we also champion many less-familiar species that might otherwise be overlooked, from Siamese crocs to saiga antelope. Over the next few months, in the run-up to that key conference in Kunming, we will be showcasing some of the neglected plants and animals that FFI is helping to protect. In this first instalment of our series, timed to coincide with World Wildlife Day, we want to talk about snails. Yes, really. Shell shock FFI was on the case as long ago as the 1980s, supporting a captive-breeding programme for critically endangered French Polynesian tree snails whose native South Pacific island had been overrun by non-native predatory snails. The voracious newcomers had been deliberately introduced to Moorea in the hope that they would eat their way through the multiplying colonies of another alien, the invasive and destructive giant African snail. Unfortunately, they displayed a marked preference for local delicacies and proceeded to hoover up the native Partula snails instead. After several local species were wiped out completely, an FFI grant enabled colonies of five of the remaining nine species to be rescued. The gargantuan Obo snail is now confined to less than 50 square kilometres of protected forest in the south of Principe. Credit: Estrela Matilde/Fundacao Principe Phantom menace Among the multitude of unassuming molluscs on FFI's radar is a recently described new species of ghost snail, named for its translucent shell, and known only from two limestone caves in Hon Chong. This 250-hectare karst ecosystem in southern Vietnam is home to the entire world population of over 30 different threatened species, six of which are critically endangered. The late Dr. Tony Whitten was the original driving force behind FFI's decision to engage constructively with the cement manufacturers whose quarrying activities arguably pose the greatest threat to the karst habitat on which the Hon Chong ghost snail and countless other cave-dwelling invertebrates depend. Speaking back in 2016 on behalf of the IUCN SSC Cave Invertebrate Specialist Group that he co-chaired, Dr. Whitten said: "The data are startling. We believe there is nowhere else on Earth where such a high concentration of species faces such intense riskthe scale of the likely extinctions if cement companies continue their activities unchecked is really quite shocking." A whale of a snail If you're not haunted by the prospect of losing the diminutive, diaphanous Hon Chong ghost snail, perhaps we can interest you in a monster at the other end of the snail spectrum. Alongside our partners on the remote island of Principe, a UNESCO Biosphere reserve in the Gulf of Guinea, we are preoccupied with protecting a forest giant that has undergone a precipitous population declinedown 75% in the last two decades. The Obo snail, as it is known locally, was historically a victim of overharvesting. More recently, this croissant-sized creature has succumbed to the loss of its forest habitat and appears to have been outcompeted by the invasive West African giant snail across much of its former range. By protecting its forest home, we hope to bring the Obo snail back from the brink. It's 'only' a snail, but if we're instrumental in orchestrating its survival, that will be music to our ears. Credit: Fauna & Flora International Neglected nature So, why this obtuse obsession with the obscure? These snails have a symbolic significance that transcends their own intrinsic right to survival. They represent neglected species everywhere and fly the flag for neglected nature as a whole. To quantify that neglect, we need only compare annual expenditure on defence (billions of dollars) and activities that harm biodiversity (35 banks have lent US$2.7 trillion for fossil fuel projects since 2016, according to a Rainforest Action Network report) with current levels of investment in the very thing that keeps us all alive (clue: it's a fraction of the many hundreds of billions that recent reports tell us we should be spending). This wilful refusal to invest in safeguarding the life support systems that prop up our planet would be laughable if it didn't have such catastrophic consequences. We need to invest in nature in all its forms, including the lowly snail. Biodiversity loss, climate chaos and the plight of the world's poorest people are bound together inextricably in a web no less complex than the natural ecosystems we collectively call home. In that web of life, all species are equal. We need to recognise that rhinoceros beetles are as worthy of attention as rhinos. Slip slidin' away We're not naive enough to suppose that a 'Save the Snail' campaign will set the world alight, or pull in the major donors. That said, the etymological aptness of Microsoft providing support to something minuscule and mushy must surely be a strong drawand the Shell story practically writes itself. And is it too much to hope that a school strike for snails might put endangered molluscs on the map in the same way that Greta Thunberg and friends pushed climate change to the top of the political agenda? 'Sweden's snail saviour' undoubtedly has a certain ring to it. Flippancy aside, viewing snails as superfluous in the grand scheme of thingsand sacrificing them on the altar of expediency because we can't splash the cash beyond species with superstar statusis a slippery slope. That's several small steps away from writing off the impact of climate change on the world's most impoverished, disadvantaged and disenfranchised as collateral damage. This entire year feels like one long drawn-out pivotal momenta nanosecond in Earth's history, but a cosmically significant period for the future of our planet and its remarkable but rapidly diminishing biodiversity. All eyes will be on the world's leaders in Kunming, as they will at the subsequent climate COP in Glasgow. The issues they will be addressing are two sides of the same coin, and need to be treated as such. Unless we start putting nature firstand not merely megafauna, but everything from molluscs to mangrovesall the talk about tackling climate chaos will be just more hot air. 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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 Sanctions have prohibited companies from doing business with the Russian authorities controlling Crimea for more than six years, but Western participation in the development of a bold, seagull-inspired opera house flies in the face of that ban. The Sevastopol State Opera and Ballet Theater, designed by the avant-garde Austrian architectural firm Coop Himmelb(l)au and expected to open in 2023, is part of a massive Kremlin-ordered cultural complex being constructed on the southern tip of the peninsula. Overlooking Sevastopol Bay alongside one of the Soviet Union's largest war monuments, the complex promises to rise as the grandest symbol yet of Russia's defiance of punitive measures imposed following its 2014 seizure of the Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula and ongoing involvement in the separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine. 'We Will Never Forget' Kyiv, Washington, and Brussels have hardened their demands that Russia respect Ukraine's territorial integrity and return Crimea to Ukrainian rule. In an address to the nation on the eve of the seventh anniversary of the Russian invasion of the Black Sea territory, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy declared on February 26 that Crimea "was snatched from us" and "we will never forget who did it, and we will never forget who allowed it." U.S. President Joe Biden reiterated in a statement the same day that "Crimea is Ukraine," vowing that "the United States does not and will never recognize Russia's purported annexation of the peninsula." But while Zelenskiy has recently upped the ante against Moscow's meddling in Ukraine, and the United States and the European Union have consistently tightened their respective sanctions regimes in an effort to force the Kremlin to reverse course, Russia has found ways to skirt the measures barring individuals and entities from working with it in Crimea. Among the most notable examples of Kremlin pet projects that have benefited from Western expertise and technology are the Crimean Bridge linking the peninsula to Russia's Rostov region, and efforts to generate power using turbines manufactured by the German manufacturing giant Siemens. The involvement of seven Dutch companies in the bridge project sparked an investigation by the country's public prosecutor in 2018, the outcome of which was still undetermined as of last year. Siemens, meanwhile, has said it was a "regrettable" and "individual" error that several of its turbines sold to Russia in 2015 and 2016 had ended up in Crimea via the Russian firm Technopromeksport. Nevertheless, Siemens CEO Joe Kaeser said in a 2019 interview that the company planned to step up investments in Russia and said he was "always very worried" about the prospect of increased sanctions. Grand-Scale Message When it comes to the Kremlin circumventing the measures, however, the ultramodern opera house set to be perched atop Cape Khrustalny stands alone in terms of message and scale. Architectural mock-ups of the building, for which the foundation has already been dug, show it dominating even the neighboring Soldier and Sailor Memorial built to honor the Soviet defense of the peninsula against Nazi invaders. The project also includes an art museum, educational center, boutique hotel, and villas that altogether are planned to rejuvenate nearly 40 hectares of long-neglected beachfront property as part of Russian President Vladimir Putin's call for major improvements to Sevastopol's cultural and tourism infrastructure. The opera house designed by Coop Himmelb(l)au, known for "deconstructivist" architecture and responsible for drawing up some of the most visually striking buildings in the world, appears destined to help Moscow realize its efforts to make the peninsula more attractive to visitors while putting its stamp on its occupied territory. How a prominent company anchored in the European Union and the United States could become involved in such a project despite the sanctions in place is the subject of legal and ethical debate. Coop Himmelb(l)au CEO and design principal Wolf Prix has maintained that the firm's work on the project was well within its rights, arguing in comments to the German and Austrian press that cultural projects were excluded from the sanctions regime. After residents of Crimea were introduced to the planned cultural complex in late November, revealing Coop Himmelb(l)au's participation, Prix told the German Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper that he "definitely wouldn't want to build for Hitler or the devil, and not for Stalin either." But this project, he argued, was for the Russian Federation, not for Putin, adding that "as long as I can realize what Coop Himmelb(l)au wants to build and not Putin, I'll do it" -- a remark that did not directly address the issue of the sanctions, which were imposed due to Russia's seizure of a Ukrainian region and not over actions by Putin as an individual. Prix, whose firm is is also involved in a Russian "cultural pillar" project in the Siberian city of Kemerovo, added that he would "like to see the one who does not accept orders in Crimea and Siberia." Kyiv, which has recently heightened its efforts to hold individuals and entities accountable for conducting business in occupied Crimea, strongly believes otherwise. In late November, Ukrainian Ambassador to Austria Oleksandr Shcherba wrote on Facebook that he had called Prix in an attempt to "convince him not to ruin his reputation by participating in this indirect yet unambiguous annexation" but that "unfortunately he didn't listen to my arguments." On March 2, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry confirmed to RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service that it "has initiated domestic proceedings to prosecute the Austrian architectural bureau" and that is was imposing unspecified sanctions against Coop Himmelb(l)au for "cooperation with the Russian occupation administration and assistance in Russia's attempt to legitimize the annexation of Crimea." In response to queries from RFE/RL regarding its participation in the Sevastopol project, a representative of Coop Himmelb(l)au said by e-mail on March 3 that the firm was "fully aware of this matter" but declined to comment. Big Impact Sanctions have clearly had an impact on business in Crimea. The European Union has banned imports of most Crimean products, while the United States has prohibited the export of U.S. goods to the region. Both Washington and Brussels have also targeted a growing list of individuals. Cruise ships originating from the European Union are barred from docking in Crimea, and EU nationals and entities are barred from investing in or buying real estate in Crimea and Sevastopol. The efforts have denied Crimeans access to many popular internationally recognized services, including Zoom, Tinder, and Booking.com; financial services such as Visa and Mastercard; and to Russian companies such as Yandex Taxi. Russian Internet and mobile providers have also avoided working in Crimea out of concerns of being hit by secondary sanctions. Political scientist Anton Shekhovtsov told RFE/RL's Russian Service in January that, in general, international sanctions "serve as a serious obstacle for those companies that do not shy away from working in the annexed Crimea." But workarounds involving shell companies have allowed some international and Russian firms to continue working in Crimea. And, as in the case of Sevastopol's cultural project, other loopholes exist. "It seems there is no legal impediment to undertake such an activity," Hannes Swoboda, president of the Vienna-based NGO International Institute for Peace (IIP) and a former member of the European Parliament, said in written comments to RFE/RL on March 1. "Principally it would have been necessary to include such [cultural] activities into the sanctions regime." The Austrian Foreign Ministry, responding to a query from RFE/RL regarding the status of the country's probe into whether Coop Himmelb(l)au's activities in Sevastopol were in violation of EU restrictive measures, wrote that the Prosecutor-General's Office had "decided against starting preliminary proceedings." While the ministry did not offer an explanation, the decision appeared to fit with the view that Coop Himmelb(l)au's involvement in a cultural project did not violate any sanctions. Keeping Up The Pressure Kyiv has continued to brace itself against Russian influence on the Crimean Peninsula. In February, Ukraine's Security Service announced that it was banning two foreign airlines for conducting flights to "temporarily occupied territories in violation of current law." The companies, Moldova's JET4U SRL and Portugal's JET4U LDA, had reportedly flown pro-Russian lawmaker Viktor Medvedchuk and close associate Taras Kozak to Crimea. Both Medvedchuk and Kozak were also the targets of controversial measures announced by Zelenskiy to limit Russia's media influence in Ukraine. Nongovernmental organizations, such as the Maidan of Foreign Affairs foundation, and Sanctions 2020 are also keeping the heat on Russia by outing individuals and entities they believe are in violation of sanctions. Moscow has responded to those moves by imposing sanctions of its own on Western individuals and companies, propagating the idea that it is actually benefiting from the punitive measures against Russia, and continuing to invest in Crimea. Russian authorities in the occupied territory were expected to spend 45 billion rubles ($610 million) on facilities from funds earmarked from the Russian federal budget in 2021. Some 1,700 projects are currently being built or designed in Crimea, the majority of them involving health care, housing, community services, and roadworks, according to Mikhail Khramov, the top official for construction and architecture in the Russian-imposed government. In addition, lawmakers are mulling a bill aimed at making it easier for investors to invest anonymously in Crimea. "The bill aimed to solve the problem of confidentiality has a special significance to the Republic of Crimea as a tool dealing with the factors restricting the investment potential of our region," Sergei Aksyonov, the Russian-installed head of Crimea, reportedly wrote on the social network VK recently. Looking at the current reality, the IIP's Swoboda told RFE/RL, "sanctions are defensive measures and we know from experience that they normally do not change the behavior of the sanctioned country, especially of big powers." And in the case of Sevastopol's opera house, he added, sanctions against cultural projects "would not have changed the Russian attitude and annexation of the Crimea." With reporting by Anton Mesnyanko of RFE/RL's Russian Service and Yulia Turchynska of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service Multiple people have spoken out about their violent encounters with Derek Chauvin ahead of his trial over the death of George Floyd, accusing the former Minneapolis cop of using excessive force during arrests, including choking and kneeling on them. Chauvin is scheduled to go on trial next Monday on charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter stemming from Floyd's arrest on May 25, during which the veteran police officer, who is white, was filmed kneeling on the black man's neck while he was handcuffed and pleading that he couldnt breathe. LaSean Braddock, a mental health worker from Minneapolis, told NBC News that when he saw video of Chavuin pressing his knee into Floyd's neck on the sidewalk, he recognized him as the officer who used force on him nearly seven years prior. LaSean Braddock (left) says Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin was one of officers who 'jumped' on his neck and back during a traffic stop in 2013. Chauvin is set to go on trial next week for the death of George Floyd, whose neck he knelt on in May 2020 (right) Floyd, a black man, was handcuffed and pleaded with Chauvin that he couldnt breathe Braddock recounted how he was driving home after a double shift at work in November 2013 when he was yet again pulled over by the police - something he said he had gotten used after having his identity stolen. Braddock, 48, said he showed the officer who stopped him documents from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, proving that he was the victim of an identity theft, but the cop put them away without even looking at the contents and demanded that he step out of the car. Braddock told the outlet that when he hesitated, because he did not know why he was stopped, the officer banged on his window with his flashlight, and then two other cops tried to pull him out of the driver's seat, before he got out on his own. 'Then they tried to slam me on the ground, but I was about 240 pounds,' Braddock said. 'Then they jumped on my head and my neck and my back. I was lying flat on the ground.' Braddock was booked into the county jail on charges of failure to comply with police orders and obstruction of the legal process, but prosecutors dropped the case two months later, reportedly after reviewing dashboard camera video from the arrest. Braddock filed a complaint against Chauvin a day after the traffic stop, alleging excessive force, but it was later dismissed without him being interviewed, or even notified, according to his attorney. 'It's unfortunate that they didn't do anything to Derek Chauvin,' Braddock told NBC. 'If they had done something about it, it might not have went [sic] that far.' Julian Hernandez, who also had a violent encounter with Chauvin about two years after Braddock's run-in with the cop, expressed a similar opinion. Chauvin, who has been booted from the force, will be tried on charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter Hernandez said in February 2015, he was at a concert with a large group of his co-workers at the El Nuevo Rodeo nightclub, where Chauvin worked as an off-duty security guard for 17 years, when he said the cop singled him out and ordered him to leave. 'The whole club was still going,' said Hernandez. 'And he picked me out of everybody and told me that I had to go because they were going to close.' Hernandez said he asked Chauvin to allow him get his jacket from the coat check, but he would not let him, even though it was the middle of winter in Minneapolis. After Chauvin escorted Hernandez outside, the situation took a violent turn and he allegedly grabbed Hernandez by the neck. 'Of course, I reacted, and then, after that, he choked me out on the ground,' the man alleged. Like Braddock before him, Hernandez filed an excessive force complaint against Chauvin, but it, too, was dismissed. Chauvin's attorney argued in court filings that the officer acted within the bounds of police department's policy, which at the time allowed the use of neck restraints on a person who is actively resisting. Police officers (L to R) J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao. Chauvin have been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter Hernandez pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct two months later. The case was dismissed after he stayed out of trouble for a year. Over the course of his 19 years on the force, Chauvin racked up at least a dozen complaints, but none of them resulted in disciplinary action, except for a letter of reprimand in one case. Prosecutors in the Floyd case have sought to introduce into evidence several of those cases in a bid to establish a pattern of excessive force. One of them concerns the June 2017 arrest of Zoya Code in connection with a domestic dispute involving a relative who accused the woman of trying to choke her. Code told The Marshall Project, a non-profit news organization, that when Chauvin went to detain her and she pulled away from him, he put her in the prone position on the ground and pressed his knee into her body. After she was handcuffed and refused to walk to the patrol car, Code said Chauvin placed her face down on the sidewalk, prompting her to plead: 'don't kill me.' Code was arrested on charges of misdemeanor domestic assault and disorderly conduct, which were later dropped. A number of local activists organizers announced their plans to demonstrate on March 8 when jury selection begins in Chauvin's trial Workers install concertina wire between fenced barriers outside the Hennepin County Government Center as part of security in preparation for the trial She is said to be listed as a prospective witness for the prosecution in Chauvin's upcoming trial. Jury selection is scheduled to begin on Monday, followed by opening statements on March 29. Civil unrest after Floyd's death spiraled and protests spread around the world and forced a painful reckoning on race in the United States. Chauvin will stand trial alone in March due to the coronavirus pandemic while the other three former officers involved in Floyd's arrest will be tried together in the summer, according to scheduling orders filed in Hennepin County District Court. Thomas Lane, 37, J. Alexander Kueng, 26, and Tou Thao, 34, have been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The judge ordered that the officers be tried separately due to spacing and social distancing requirements brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. As Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced the imminent lifting of coronavirus restrictions, hospitalizations from COVID-19 continued to decline in the San Antonio region. For the fourth day in a row, officials reported no new deaths from COVID-19. Bexar Countys confirmed death toll from the virus now stands at 2,670. Health officials reported 249 new coronavirus cases Tuesday, compared with 288 on Monday. The seven-day average of new cases, a metric that evens out day-to-day fluctuations in case counts, was 373, up from 204 a week earlier. The number of COVID-19 patients in San Antonio hospitals has fallen significantly in the past month after reaching an all-time high of 1,520 in January. As of Tuesday, Bexar County hospitals held 418 coronavirus patients compared with 1,176 on Feb. 2. Of those, 47 were admitted within the last 24 hours. The number in intensive care dropped to 158 Tuesday thats fifty fewer than a week ago. For the first time since November, the number of patients on ventilators fell below 100. Officials reported 90 patients were on ventilators Tuesday. Abbott said Tuesday he would lift the states mask mandate and drop the states occupancy limits for restaurants, bars, sporting events, retailers and wherever people gather. Both will be rolled back next Wednesday, March 10. The governor cited falling hospitalizations from COVID-19 across the state, as well as an increase in vaccinations. Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff criticized the move as premature and said it would lead to more infections and hospitalizations. The two urged residents to keep wearing masks and urged businesses to continue to require customers to wear face coverings while on their premises. The best tool weve had in the fight against this pandemic is our care for one another, Nirenberg said at the daily city-county coronavirus briefing. So please continue to do your part. On ExpressNews.com: Wolff says lifting Texas mask order means, Were going to have a lot more people die Abbotts lifting of the statewide mask ban comes at a dangerous time, local officials said. More contagious strains of the coronavirus abound, making it more likely that people who dont wear masks will contract and spread the disease. Spring Break is on the doorstep when college students tend to party in large groups and drink alcohol. Wolff said that case counts have been particularly high among people in their twenties. More Information Deaths in U.S. 88888 In Texas 88888 In Bexar County* *State count, based on different criteria, is higher. Source: State of Texas, S.A. Metropolitan Health District, CDC, Johns Hopkins See More Collapse With everybody gathering like that, you just now its going to spread, Wolff said. On ExpressNews.com: Gov. Greg Abbott lifts statewide mask order, opens Texas 100 percent Abbott left some leeway for local officials to enact their own restrictions should the pandemic worsen. County judges can impose mask mandates and occupancy limits if COVID-19 patients make up more than 15 percent of all local hospitalizations. As of Tuesday, the figure in Bexar was 8.3 percent. But the authority Abbott granted to locals is sharply circumscribed. County officials cant limit occupancy to less than 50 percent. In addition, the governor left no way for local authorities to enforce such measures with fines or jail terms. That renders local restrictions effectively meaningless, Wolff said. Lawyers for cities and counties from El Paso to Houston are poring over Abbotts order, looking for potential loopholes, said Larry Roberson, chief of the Bexar County district attorneys civil division. City Attorney Andy Segovia joked that the governors orders shouldnt be a Sudoku puzzle in terms of trying to figure out what we can and cant do. Officials still plan to require masks inside city and county buildings. San Antonio International Airport falls under a federal requirement for masks in transportation hubs, Nirenberg said. The county cant impose restrictions on Spurs games held at the AT&T Center, Wolff said. But the Spurs organization said in a statement that it still intended to limit attendance to 3,200 people and to require masks. Gareth Rhodes, a longtime aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, is no longer serving on his COVID-19 task force, City & State has learned. He has played a key role in crafting the state response to the pandemic over the past year, particularly on data analysis of public health trends and expanding testing. His departure comes as the governor finds himself increasingly under pressure over his handling of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes and sexual harassment allegations including one woman who alleged to The New York Times that Cuomo inappropriately touched and kissed her cheek at Rhodes 2019 wedding. Rhodes did not directly respond to a question about whether his departure from the task force was related to the ongoing scandals, but he confirmed that he would return to his day job as a deputy superintendent at the Department of Financial Services. Spokespeople for the governor and the department did not respond to requests for comment by publication time. Last week as I approached one year since moving to Albany to join the NYS Covid task force, I decided it was time, given the progress of the vaccination program and continued decline of Covid numbers, to return to my previous role at the Department of Financial Services and I informed the Governors senior staff at the time, Rhodes told City & State in a statement. 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. Athens, GA (30605) Today Clouds and some sun this morning with more clouds for this afternoon. High 83F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy early with increasing clouds overnight. Low around 60F. Winds light and variable. Biden says the book 'Dr. Seuss' is racist and will not be mentioned in 'Read Across America Day.' Before him, Trump cited the book for its approach and imagination, which is deemed healthy, not racist. Despite other pressing matters, Biden decided to cancel culture and removed Dr. Seuss from 'Read Across America Day.' The occasion is on March 2, on the author's birthday. Last Monday, he proclaimed and called Tuesday' Read Across America Day,' but he left out the classic beginner book, which is considered a presidential tradition in recent years. Before him, Trump and Obama recognized Dr. Seuss in their own proclamations while in office, reported the Epoch Times. Read Across America Day was started by the National Education Association (NEA) in 1998 to show children why reading is important. In 2018, the NEA and Dr. Seuss Enterprises ended their association before their contract was terminated between the two. Why the Biden administration regarded the children's book in such a negative was not answered. The White House kept its silence again. The author of Dr. Seuss is really Theodor Seuss Geisel, who considered himself a liberal all his life. He did political satire in the books he wrote, showing freedom and imagination, disavowing oppression, anti-Semitism, and some environmentalism which are liberal ideas. In World War II, he contributed to political cartoons to the PM, a New York City liberal tabloid. He dabbled in anti-Nazi themes, even showing Japanese-Americans as traitors. Dr. Seuss was featured as the main event for twenty years. Also read: Republicans say Democrats Shouldn't Change the President's Nuclear Authority, Call it Dangerous Precedent In 2017, the FLOTUS Lady Melania Trump celebrated the day by reading Dr. Seuss to children in hospitals. She added the books had brought joy, laughter, and magic to children's lives not only in the U.S but all over the world. Many children have been reading it for generations. Melania Trump said that Dr. Seuss's books' theme is captivating and inspirational; to be a dreamer and care. Dr. Seuss and his books have been teaching reading and more. In his 2018 proclamation, Trump told Americans to remember the message of Dr. Seuss. It said to "have brains in your head, feet in shoes, and go anywhere you choose." In Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS), Virginia school districts followed the White House and canceled the children's books by Dr. Seuss. The justification is that these books are racist and say most of his books are included. The district said the books could be accessed by children who learn from these books. They weren't banned totally, as is the initial perception. Children can still read it in the classroom and libraries without getting criticized. After Biden says Dr. Seuss is racist, Dr. Seuss is no longer the event's focus in Loudoun County Public Schools. Related article: WaPo Reporter Gets Attacked Online Because of Tweet About Neera Tanden @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Beijing (Gasgoo)- The Arcfox S HBT, the first model jointly developed by Huawei and BAIC BluePark, will make its debut at the Auto Shanghai 2021, according to the Wechat account of BluePark. Photo credit: BAIC BluePark Last week, Reuters reported that the telecommunications equipment maker intends to build electric vehicles under its own brand and launch some models this year, citing sources familiar with the situation. The report also said that Huawei was in talks with several automakers to build vehicles, including BAIC Groups BluePark. But according to BluePark, both parties are not co-working in contract manufacturing, but in jointly launching the Arcfox HBT. The new vehicle will be equipped with Huaweis 3 automotive-grade LiDARs, 6 millimeter-wave radars, 12 cameras, 13 ultrasonic radars as well as Huaweis chips with 352 TOPS of computing power. Photo credit: BAIC BluePark The cooperation between the two companies started from September, 2017, when BAIC Group and Huawei announced to deepen partnership. At that time, BAIC BJEV and Huawei set up a lab to co-develop core technologies and build premium intelligent electric vehicles. In April, 2019, an executive of Huawei revealed that Huawei and BAIC aim to build a world-class vehicle. In October, 2020, the ARCFOX T, powered by Huaweis 5G chipset, went on sale. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-04 05:01:12|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations and partners cannot assess how the more than 76,000 displaced people in Dikwa, Nigeria, are living following recent attacks, UN humanitarians said on Wednesday. "As of now and following ongoing military operations on the ground, the UN and partners are unable to assess further the humanitarian situation," the UN Office for the Coordination for Humanitarians Affairs (OCHA) said. Following intense attacks in Marte and surrounding areas since Feb. 14 by non-state armed groups, nearly 3,400 displaced people, including more than 2,000 children, arrived in Dikwa, Borno State, leading to a substantial population displacement wave. It is estimated that there are more than 76,000 internally displaced people in Dikwa due to ongoing conflict in the region since 2009, said OCHA. Attacks in Dikwa on Feb. 18 and March 1 have since further reduced the humanitarian footprint and increased security threats, it said. Armed groups hit several aid facilities in Dikwa on Monday, including a hospital reportedly set ablaze, said Edward Kallon, a UN coordinator, on Tuesday. The United Nations repeated its calls on all armed parties to immediately stop the violence and ensure the protection of civilians, civilian infrastructure, humanitarian assets and personnel. Enditem Mumbai, March 3 : In a shocker, girls in a Jalgaon hostel were allegedly forced to strip naked and dance before some police personnel, the Maharashtra legislature was informed here on Wednesday. Taking cognizance of the issue raised by the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Maha Vikas Aghadi government announced a time-bound probe into the incident. BJP legislator from Chikhli Shweta Mahale who raised the matter, said the women inmates who did not cooperate with the police were told to remove their clothes and dance naked. "The women in the hostel now live in sheer fear. They must be made to feel secure. The incident is a blot on the face of the state. The police who are supposed to protect have become aggressors," Mahale said. "This is a shameful incident. A video clip shows police making the girls nude. This must be thoroughly investigated. We must deal with this matter sensitively," said Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis, as some members demanded sacking of the MVA government and others shouted 'shame, shame' in the House. They urged Home Minister Anil Deshmukh to order an inquiry and immediately suspend the police officials involved in the incident. "This is a very unfortunate incident. We have appointed a four-member committee to probe the incident and submit its report within 48 hours. Necessary action will be taken as per the rules after the probe report is received," Deshmukh informed the House. Minister for Women & Child Development (Mrs) Yashomati Thakur said that all the evidence would be collected and probed and those found guilty would not be spared. The incident allegedly took place on March 1 at the government-run Ashadeep Women's Hostel in Ganeshnagar area of Jalgaon and a video of the dance party went viral. A local NGO, Jananayak Foundation, complained to Collector Abhijit Raut and demanded a probe into the matter, as the hostel falls under the Women & Child Welfare Department. According to the complaint, some local police personnel and others reportedly entered the hostel premises to 'investigate' certain things and coerced the women inmates to undress and dance before them. When the girls refused to do so, they were threatened with dire consequences like murder. The inmates later narrated their plight from the hostel windows. Fadnavis pointed out that it was not merely some news report, but even videos of the incident have surfaced, even as his senior colleague and ex-minister Sudhir Mungantiwar slammed the government. The government panel comprises Assistant Collector Trupti Dhodmise, mental health expert Kanchan Patil, policewoman Kanchan Kale and another official Kanchan Chavan. Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- China forced banks to hold more foreign currencies in reserve for the first time in more than a decade, its most substantial move yet to rein the surging yuan.The nations financial institutions will need to hold 7% of their foreign exchange in reserve from June 15, according to a central bank statement Monday. Thats an increase of 2 percentage points, and the first such hike since 2007. The move, which the Peoples Bank of China said will help liquidity management, effectively reduces the supply of dollars and other currencies onshore -- putting pressure on the yuan to weaken.Although analysts said the direct impact may be small, the move is the clearest signal by the PBOC that its unhappy about the yuans surge to a three-year high against the greenback. Authorities had until now limited their response to rhetoric: a former central bank official and a state-media commentary talked down the currency over the weekend.The PBOC wants to show the market -- if the rally keeps going, it has many measures to slow it down and the market will fail if it wants to make speculative bets, said Zhou Hao, an economist at Commerzbank AG in Singapore. Its more of a symbolic move, as no matter how the PBOC boosts funding costs on foreign exchange, the rate on the yuan will almost always be higher.The PBOC set its daily reference rate at 6.3572 on Tuesday, only marginally weaker than the average forecast in a Bloomberg survey of analysts and traders. The currency gained 0.2% to 6.3634 per dollar as of 9:52 a.m. in Hong Kong, while the onshore rate strengthened 0.1%.Betting on the yuan has been a successful strategy in the past year. The currency has surged 13% against the dollar since last May, when it was near its lowest level since 2008 amid the effects of the pandemic and the trade war with the U.S. Brokerages including Citic Securities Co., Scotiabank and Westpac Banking Corp. expect the currency to climb to 6.2 against the dollar. That would be the strongest since a 2015 devaluation.The yuan is supported by Chinas economic recovery and its higher-yielding markets are attractive to global investors. A backdrop of imported inflation is bolstering the argument for a stronger yuan. Against a basket of trading partners, the Chinese currency is the strongest since 2016.The foreign-exchange reserve ratio hike will likely freeze about $20 billion of liquidity, according to Guan Tao, a former official at the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. The increase demonstrates the Chinese central banks strong determination to curb rapid appreciation in the yuan, and PBOC has more tools if speculation emerges in the currency market, he said.Recent history shows traders should be wary. In the wake of the devaluation, the yuan fell about 11% by the end of 2016, surged 11% through its 2018 peak, before reversing again to sink 13% by September 2019. When momentum in the yuan became too extreme, authorities often took steps to arrest the moves. In early 2018, for instance, the yuan fell the most in two months as authorities gave banks the green light to submit quotes for weaker fixings.Still, analysts remain unconvinced of the potency of the latest measure. Fundamental factors supporting the yuan -- such as its interest-rate premium and high inflation -- remain intact, Citigroup Inc. economists led by Liu Li-gang wrote in a note.While this policy will lock in a certain amount of capital inflow and make foreign exchange funding costs higher, its effectiveness remains in doubt, Liu wrote.Any tightening in dollar funding onshore wont be sustained because global investors can easily obtain cheap foreign-exchange overseas and invest in yuan bonds, according to Ju Wang, a senior currency strategist at HSBC Bank Plc.Beijing seems to be sticking to its goal of liberalizing markets as part of President Xi Jinpings plans to reduce moral hazard. Its not just the yuan where direct intervention is now an unusual sight. The national team of state-backed funds is rarely seen in the $12 trillion stock market anymore, unless moves risk turning into panic or mania. Even in the commodities market, where officials are struggling to cool prices, efforts have largely been verbal rather than direct.If the central bank takes additional assertive actions, such as setting dramatically weaker fixings, that could reinforce the belief that only heavy-handed intervention is worth paying attention to. Yet the Communist Party has made it clear it will act to reduce speculation and guard against risks to financial stability, especially in the run-up to the centenary of the Partys founding this July.We dont see this as an one-off change, but likely the start of a trend, Becky Liu, head of China macro strategy at Standard Chartered, said of Mondays move by the PBOC. It could be seen as a new mechanism to manage the yuan in the medium term, together with other counter-cyclical measures.(Adds 5th paragraph to show PBOCs fixing on Tuesday and latest pricing of yuan.)More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.2021 Bloomberg L.P. [March 02, 2021] SEOCon Jakarta is Back with New Knowledge and Result on 2021 For Search and Digital Marketers JAKARTA, Indonesia, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SEOCon Jakarta consistently provides insight and knowledge in the world of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) in the focus of the growing digital industry today. Even in the midst of a pandemic like now, SEOCon Jakarta remains committed to re-organizing virtual SEOCon Jakarta 2021 with a mission for digital marketing professionals to become more familiar with SEO strategies within the support of SEO communities. Ryan Kristo Muljono, the initiator of SEOCon Jakarta, mentioned, "The search engine has evolved in the past few months, not only from the machine but also from the user. The rapid and frequent changes in SEO mean that the practitioners who work with it must be able to understand all the new SEO knowledge, especially when SEO is also in line with digital marketing in which the combination brings great benefit for the business. That's why SEOCon akarta is back this year. Now is the time to align your SEO and digital marketing knowledge." SEOCon Jakarta 2021 will be joined by more than 30 speakers from renowned companies and SEO communities around the world, namely Jon Earnshaw, Lukasz Zelezny, Eric Siu, Kaitlyn Blosser, Martin Splitt, Iona Carina and many more. Extended practical knowledge and insights about proven SEO strategies in real world, from SEO for business to technical SEO and from on-page to off-page SEO, will be shared in the talks. These topics will be covered throughout with in the first two days of the conference and on the third day a full day workshop will be held exclusively. Pi Datametrics' CTO Jon Earnshaw also added saying, "If SEOCon Jakarta 2021 is as big and as productive as last year, then, it should be a phenomenal event. The last event was the highlight of my SEO calendar - a super-engaged audience and so many insights to be taken away. This event is great because the speakers bring real hands-on experience to the stage and you get to learn exactly what it takes to make today's digital marketing campaigns a success. As a search professional, you will actually get to take home implementable and actionable insight and that alone is worth its weight in gold." Organized by Toffee Events, SEOCon Jakarta 2021 will be held for three consecutive days on March 17 - 19, 2021, conveying the theme of "Search in the New World". Unlike what we did in past years, SEOCon Jakarta 2021 will be held virtually through a Virtual Exhibition platform, which enables its attendees to experience an interactive virtual venue with a Conference Room, Business Matching, and Interactive Booth presented by SEOCon's partners. Be prepared to take in diverse perspectives on SEO insights from the stages available. All the talks can be accessed for free (registration needed) as everyone is welcome to experience the largest annual SEO online conference in Indonesia featuring the best in their fields SEOCon Jakarta. Visit SEOCon Jakarta 2021 official webpage at www.seocon.id or follow our social media to stay up to date with SEOCon Jakarta 2021 and click this link: seocon.id/register for registration. About Toffee Events, SEOCon Jakarta 2021's organizer Toffee Events is a boutique event management based in Indonesia, providing tailored event management solutions. Under the management of PT Klik EO Indonesia, Toffee Events has some register annual events, speaker managements, corporate training and events, serving both local and international markets. For SEOCon, Toffee Events partners with Alcormice, another leading MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Convention, Exhibition) Event operators in Indonesia. For further information, contact us at +62 878 010 010 17 / support@toffee.id SOURCE Toffee Events [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-04 01:43:44|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TEHRAN, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called on European parties to the 2015 nuclear agreement to stop the "wrongful and out-of-place illegal sanctions," noting Iran has preserved the agreement for three years despite being under "economic war." "The P4+1 has a heavy task today. They must know we resisted three years of economic war, and it is us who preserved the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) during this period," Rouhani said in a cabinet meeting in the capital Tehran, as quoted by official news agency IRNA. The P5+1 countries (China, France, Russia, Britain and the United States, plus Germany) negotiated the JCPOA on the Iranian nuclear program in 2015, before Washington under former U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear agreement in 2018. "You stop the sanctions and enforce the law, and if on the very first day after you lifted the sanctions you see that we are not fulfilling all our obligations, then it will be your right to tell the world that Iran is not fulfilling its obligations," he addressed European governments. A day earlier, Rouhani held a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, in which he reiterated Iran's position that the JCPOA is not renegotiable, and that lifting the U.S. sanctions is the only way to save the agreement, IRNA reported. According to a note on the official website of the French Presidency, Macron underlined in the telephone conversation his "deep concern" at decisions taken by Iran in "violation" of the JCPOA, and the need for Tehran to return to compliance with its obligations, as well as to "full cooperation" with the International Atomic Energy Agency. On Feb. 23, Iran stopped the implementation of voluntary implementation of the IAEA's additional protocol as envisaged in JCPOA, after a series of gradual steps undertaken by Tehran since 2019 to reduce its commitments under the agreement. Enditem The U.K. inflamed tensions with the European Union by reneging on part of their post-Brexit settlement, saying it would unilaterally change trade rules relating to Northern Ireland. The British government said it will waive customs paperwork on food entering Northern Ireland until October, beyond the April 1 deadline it had agreed on with the EU. The U.K. had asked for the deadline to be extended, but the bloc hadn't given its consent. Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said Wednesday in a written ministerial statement that the government "is taking several temporary operational steps to avoid disruptive cliff edges as engagement with the EU continues." "These recognize that appropriate time must be provided for businesses to implement new requirements," he said. Trade across the Irish Sea has been one of the most contentious features of Britain's post-Brexit relationship with the EU, as companies have had to grapple with new paperwork and frictions on commerce. An EU official said Britain's move wasn't an extension of a grace period because it wasn't mutually agreed on, and that U.K. action is in breach of the Brexit deal. The move comes shortly after David Frost, who negotiated the Brexit trade deal with the EU, was appointed to Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Cabinet to lead on relations with the bloc. Frost is due to speak with European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic about the issue later Wednesday. The requirement for export documents on food entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the U.K. was part of the Brexit accord, to ensure that goods crossing into the EU respected its rules and to avoid creating a border on the island of Ireland. Supermarkets have spoken out against the looming requirement for the export documents, saying it would lead to higher food prices and reduced choice in shops. The unilateral extension is welcome news for businesses, said Aodhan Connolly, director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium. "Retailers and consumers still need the certainty of a long-term workable solution," Connolly said. "This all must be done with the least disruption to communities in Northern Ireland." (Newser) Two Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday announced they will be introducing legislation to make Puerto Rico a state. Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Rep. Darren Soto of Florida say the bill has around 50 co-sponsors, CBS News reports. It would set up a process for the US territory to become the 51st state if the majority of its citizens vote for that outcome in a referendum, the Hill reports. Axios reports the outline it offers is similar to that undertaken by Alaska and Hawaii when they became states. Republicans will likely not be in favor: "After they change the filibuster, they're going to admit the District [of Columbia] as a state," Mitch McConnell said last September. "They're going to admit Puerto Rico as a state. That's four new Democratic senators in perpetuity." Those working for statehood in Puerto Rico push back on that, noting the island often votes for conservative leaders. story continues below Puerto Rican Governor Pedro Pierluisi and Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon, the island's resident commissioner and nonvoting member in the US House, back the legislation. Supporters of the bill say the federal government treats Puerto Rico, which does not have full voting representation in Congress and whose citizens cannot vote for president, unfairly, and that this inequity was laid bare during Hurricane Maria in 2017, when it became clear Puerto Rico lacked necessary resources and is not provided with adequate funding. Yet 47% of Puerto Rican citizens opposed statehood in a November referendum, with some preferring independence and others worrying Puerto Rico will lose its identity. "You cannot compare statehood for DC and statehood for Puerto Rico," Rep. Nydia Velazquez, who is Puerto Rican, has said. "DC is not a colony, Puerto Rico is a colony." (Read more Puerto Rico stories.) WASHINGTON, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In this series PDS Consulting Solutions will be hosting industry experts to discuss challenges and opportunities facing Government Contractors, including Costpoint Materials Management and Advance Manufacturing, Mission Critical Business Intelligence and Reporting, Small Business Solutions in Costpoint and Secure Cloud Hosting in our AWS GovCloud ITAR Space. This webinar series will be available ON DEMAND beginning March 10th with PDS' own industry expert Tommy Brittain kicking us off discussing Costpoint Materials. Each webinar will be a 30-minute information packed resource which includes answers to your questions with new webinars coming each quarter. WEBINAR #1 DETAILS Wed., March 10th: PDS Consulting Solutions: Webinar on Costpoint Procurement, "Purchase Reqs to P.O.s" Speaker(s): Kenneth Parsons, CEO-PDS, Tommy Brittain, Owner-TBCS & PDS Sr. Materials SME, Jennifer Vinson, PDS Dir. Of Marketing Description: In this webinar you will hear GovCon industry experts discuss the Costpoint procurement processes The generation of a Purchase Order from a Requisition. HOT TOPICS COVERED IN WEBINAR #1 : Procurement Cycle - Focus on Requisition to Purchase Order The Requisition Content Reviewed by The Buyer The Purchase Order Initiated & Managed by The Buyer Variations on the Process Buyer Discretion Observe Various Reports Procurement Features Future Session STAY CONNECTED LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram Email us at: [email protected] OR Call us at: 865.766.2092 *Supporting the Companies that Serve Our Nation* SOURCE PDS Consulting Solutions An artist who uses her vagina as a camera shutter to take photographs of male subjects is among the creatives whose work features in a book providing an 'unapologetic look' at women's sexuality. A Woman's Right To Pleasure, the brainchild of writer Alexandra Weiss and her colleagues at New York's Black Book gallery, is an erotic assortment of artwork and essays which celebrates female pleasure. The book was compiled as an 'act of resistance' to generate dialogue about women's sexual gratification, Weiss told The Guardian, at a time when women's reproductive rights were under threat from the Trump administration which had banned taxpayer-funded family planning clinics from referring patients for abortions. One of its contributors is Brooklyn based artist Dani Lessnau, who captures some of the few portraits of male nudes in the book by using her vagina as a camera shutter. One of the contributors to A Woman's Right To Pleasure is Brooklyn based artist Dani Lessnau, who captures some of the few portraits of male nudes in the book by using her vagina as a camera shutter (pictured) Dani Lessnau said it 'hit her' that if Hamilton could do that, what was stopping her putting a camera in another bodily orifice After feeling her attempt to capture her subject in a 'normal' way generated a rather 'flat' image which didn't reflect her perspective on their relationship, she came across the work of Ann Hamilton, who put pinhole cameras in her mouth. Lessnau said it 'hit her' that if Hamilton could do that, what was stopping her putting a camera in another bodily orifice. She transformed eight plastic film canisters into pinhole cameras and covered each one with a condom - telling the Guardian the process was, like sex, messy, with a single exposure taking up to a minute and a half and requiring her to remain still with her legs apart. 'Sometimes the shoots were sexual and sometimes they weren't,' Lessnau told the publication, adding that she used friends and ex-lovers as her subjects who were initially uneasy about having to stare at her intimate region for prolonged periods of time. 'But there was always a lot of desire. The men in the series all responded differently some saw it as fun, freeing. There were always interesting conversations... by the eighth shot, people are disarmed.' The book was compiled as an 'act of resistance' to generate dialogue about women's sexual gratification Another artist who features in the book is New York-based Marilyn Minter, who published a book packed with no-holds-barred images of exuberant female pubic hair, entitled Plush, in 2014. She also created a series of large 'bush' paintings belonging to women of all colours and races. 'I make them so beautiful that you can put them in your living room,' she said, adding that she 'doesn't care' that no one buys them because she knows how great they look. A Woman's Right To Pleasure also boasts the work of feminist artist Betty Tompkins, who was inspired to produce airbrush paintings of a penis using shades of green - after a New York gallery director claimed the hardest works to sell are 'paintings of d***s and green paintings'. There are also photographs from Jamaican-American artist and activist Renee Cox's 2001 American Family series. Her provocative photographs and videos of nude and clothed bodies, including her own, is considered part of the feminist art movement in the US. It addresses racism and sexism in society and explores intersections of race and gender throughout history. One of the most striking images is Fur, showing a naked black woman wearing a white fur thong. She credits her body confidence to her French husband's family, who were naturists, with whom she spent six months at a nudist camp in Corsica when they first got together. For much of history, the female experience has been presented by and explored through the voices, views and laws of men - whether it was John Cleland or Alfred Kinsey writing about it, Gustave Courbet painting it or politicians passing legislation about it. A Woman's Right To Pleasure, which sold out in weeks on its release last year and now has an accompanying podcast, certainly does its bit to change that narrative. Pussy Riot activist Nadya Tolokonnikova, a guest on the podcast, said of the project: 'This is our radical act of resistance against a history that has suppressed us for far too long. Now is our time to tell the world.' The Southern Military District Court in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, sentenced pro-Ukrainian activist from Crimea Oleh Prykhodko to five years in prison and a fine of 110,000 rubles ($1,500). "The Southern Military District Court in Rostov-on-Don found Crimean political prisoner Oleh Prykhodko guilty of storage of explosives and preparation for a terrorist attack and sentenced him to five years in a maximum security prison," the Crimean Solidarity reports. On February 25, the Russian public prosecutor asked to sentence the activist to 11 years in a maximum security prison and a fine of 200,000 rubles. For his part, Prykhodko said that he was "an ordinary Christian and a blacksmith who does not agree with the accession of Crimea to Russia, what he has always stated openly and publicly." It was his opinion, Prykhodko believes, that caused the "close attention of the secret services." Oleg Prykhodko is 62 years old, he lives in the city of Saki in Crimea and works as a blacksmith and metal carver. He has never hidden his pro-Ukrainian position and publicly condemned Crimea's accession to Russia in 2014. Police officers began to visit him and suggested removing a Ukrainian flag from his house and retracting his words. Oleg Prykhodko opposed such visits. Since 2016, he was summoned for numerous interrogations by the FSB, where he had absurd and absurd conversations about patriotism and nationalism. He was once fined in an administrative case after the confiscation of symbols, illegal in Russia, which he allegedly had promoted. On October 9, 2019, security officers put Prykhodko in a car and held him in the FSB building all night, after which they took him to a search in his garage, where they found explosives. As a result, the Ukrainian activist was charged under the following articles of the Criminal Code: Part 1of Article 30 and Part 1 of Article 205 ("Preparations for act of terrorism"), Part 1 of Article 222 ("Illegal acquisition and storage of explosives") and Part 1 of Article 223-1 ("Illegal manufacture of explosives"). ol Iranian officials have rejected the move by several European countries to censure Iran at the upcoming meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Germany, France and the United Kingdom plan to issue a statement expressing serious concern over moves Iran has made that counter the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iranian nuclear deal. As a result of the 2018 US exit from the deal and the reapplication of nuclear sanctions, Iran breached the JCPOA. Iranian officials say the breaches are reversible and they could be interested in returning to the deal, but only once all sanctions are lifted. With Joe Biden as president and US interest in returning to the JCPOA, it seems Europe is ready to take a hard line on Tehran, starting with the IAEA quarterly meeting in Vienna. The Biden administration has called for talks, and those who support negotiations between Iran and the United States say the two sides need to address sequencing of sanctions removal and full Iranian compliance to all of the JCPOAs terms. Chief of Staff of Hassan Rouhani's administration Mahmoud Vaezi said of the upcoming resolution, From our viewpoint, it is not a constructive position and will have a negative effect on JCPOA negotiations and Irans cooperation with the IAEA. He added, This behavior is not friendly, and they should change it before it is too late. Complicating matters with the IAEA is that Iran and IAEA director general Rafael Grossi recently came to an agreement to help delay a crisis. According to an Iranian parliamentary bill, Iran was required on Feb. 23 to suspend additional protocols that gave the IAEA broader access to Irans nuclear sites. The bill, named Strategic Action to Remove Sanctions, was designed to pressure Europe and the United States to remove sanctions on Iran. The Rouhani administration and Gross came to an agreement in which Iran would continue to record nuclear sites but hold on to footage for a period of three months. If in that time, Iran and the United States resolved US reentry into the JCPOA and sanctions removal and Iran returned to full compliance, then Iran would hand the recordings over to the IAEA. If not, then Iran would permanently delete the recordings. Vaezi said of Irans position, The sanctions must be removed, and both the United States and European countries have to take clear, operational action; conversely, once it is verified, we are certain we too will take such action. Regarding Rouhanis phone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, Vaezi told reporters "there are some differences. He said both sides agreed to think about these differences and continue the talks at the expert level. Vaezi reemphasized Irans desire to get back into the JCPOA. He said the sanctions must be removed in accordance with the JCPOA and an additional 1,600 sanctions were placed on Iran under Donald Trump. The additional sanctions are mostly on individuals or entities, which are separate from the JCPOA. Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced Tuesday that he will end a statewide mask mandate on March 10 and will simultaneously lift all coronavirus-related restrictions on business operations. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves followed suit, declaring that as of March 3, all restrictions in the state are now recommendations. It is now time to open Texas 100 percent, Abbott declared, asserting that people and businesses dont need the state telling them how to operate. He continued that he was rescinding most of the executive orders regarding the pandemic and that all businesses of any type are allowed to open 100 percent. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a news conference where he provided an update to Texas' response to COVID-19, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) At the same time, Abbott menaced any counties who planned on continuing with COVID-19 mitigation efforts, warning that under no circumstances can a person be jailed or fined for violating county-level public safety measures. Similarly, workplaces cannot be penalized for ignoring such measures and must be allowed to operate at 50 percent capacity at a minimum, regardless of the case counts and death rates in a given county. The move by Abbott is all the more outrageous coming in the aftermath of the recent deadly snowstorm across the entire state, which scientists have warned will likely be a super-spreader event, the result of people being forced to huddle in the few places that had warmth to survive the frigid onslaught. There have been nearly 2.7 million cases of the pandemic in Texas since March 2020 and more than 44,000 recorded deaths. An average of 7,000 new cases and 230 new deaths are still being reported each day, making it the state with the second worst outbreak in the country. One can thus only assume that Abbotts policies are designed to deliberately spur on a third wave of the pandemic in Texas and help galvanize a fourth wave nationally as part of the ruling elites herd immunity strategy. In the fall, the national third wave was fueled largely by partial relaxations of business operations and the resumption of some in-person learning at schools. Those actions tripled the number of new cases and daily deaths, causing an additional 250,000 deaths in just three months. Now, one can only imagine the scale of the pandemic as all restrictions are dropped in schools and workplaces, especially when multiplied by the spread of more contagious variants. A recent report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that all five of the major coronavirus variantsthose originating from Brazil, Britain, California, New York and South Africahave all been identified in Houston, the largest city in Texas and the fourth largest city in the United States. If they spread, and there are no indications they will be stopped, the case counts in the state will skyrocket beyond anything seen so far in the pandemic, stressing hospital systems past the breaking point. The presence of the Brazilian variant is especially worrying. A recent study conducted by the Imperial College London and the University of Sao Paulo found that the mutation that emerged in Brazil (formally known as the P.1 variant) is between 1.4 and 2.2 times more contagious than the other variants. It is also capable of evading immunity because it mutated from another variant and does not respond to the current suite of vaccines. In light of such dangers, the CDC is now warning that a new surge is on the horizon as the variants continue to spread. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky stated at a press briefing on Monday, At this level of cases with variants spreading, we stand to completely lose the hard-earned ground we have gained. She continued, These variants are a very real threat to our people and to our progress. Now is not the time to relax the critical safeguards that we know could stop the spread of COVID-19 in our communities, not when we are so close. Abbott faced immediate criticism from state Democrats, such as party chairman Gilberto Hinojosa, who called his actions extraordinarily dangerous and warned that they will kill Texans. These statements are true, but at the same time they hide the fact that the Democrats are pursuing essentially the same pandemic strategy as the Republicans. At the national level, one of the highest priorities of the Biden administration is to open schools, even though that has been proven to be a driver of the pandemic. And in states such as Illinois, New York and California, state Democratic administrations have been working with the teachers unions to enforce unsafe reopenings even as the new variants spread. The justification for the reopenings and lifting of restrictions is that, as Abbott claims, local, state and federal agencies are far better positioned now than they were at the beginning of the pandemic to handle the crisis. Elected officials point to the fact that case counts and death rates have come down sharply from their early January highs. Despite the downward trends with daily new cases having plateaued at about 70,000, last summers level, daily new deaths are still at about 2,000 each day. Whatever Abbott and his ilk in both parties claim, the pandemic is far from over. Nor will the proliferation of vaccines necessarily be as effective as one might hope. Both the Brazilian and South African variants have shown to be resistant to different vaccines, which means that booster shots must be developed and distributed, which takes time and resources. It is a race against the constantly mutating virus, which has hundreds of thousands of new chances around the world each day to become partially or totally immune to the vaccines. In contrast to the actions of Abbott, Reeves, Biden and the entire US political establishment, the real solution to the pandemic is to tighten restrictions, not loosen them. Online learning and remote work must be more completely implemented to give the virus as few chances as possible to spread, and those who work in essential industries must be given even greater protections. As the cases and deaths drop, such a scenario argues for even more stringent lockdowns, to bring the numbers to zero and end once and for all a pandemic which has already killed more than 529,000 Americans and 2.5 million globally. Steve Harveys daughter Lori Harvey has been the subject of lots of media attention since it was confirmed that shes dating Michael B. Jordan. The two appear to be in a happy relationship, taking lavish vacations, and Jordan even renting out an entire aquarium to celebrate Valentines Day. Although Lori has dated other entertainers such as Future and Diddy in the past, it seems like Jordan has been the best match for her thus far. Her father, Steve agrees. According to Steve, he never liked any of the famous men Lori dated in the past, and he feels Jordan is the only guy shes dated that he actually approves of. Steve Harvey didnt approve of any of Lori Harveys previous boyfriends Steve Harvey announces his new business venture SteveHarveyDeals.com at Atlanta Crowne Plaza Hotel | Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SteveHarveyDeals) RELATED: Steve Harvey on Lori Harveys Relationship With Michael B. Jordan: You Aint the Sexiest Man in the World to Me Harvey shared his thoughts on his childrens dating lives during a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Look man, when your kids grow up they can make decisions on their own, Harvey said. I justIm just happy that I can at least approve of one. Kimmel seemed surprised to find out that Harvey hadnt approved of any of Loris previous boyfriends. You didnt approve of the previous suitors? Kimmel asked, laughing. Nothing ever, Harvey said. Ever. Pure hatred. He doesnt think Michael B. Jordan is the sexiest man alive Even though he likes Jordan more than her past suitors, he doesnt necessarily agree with Jordans title as Sexiest Man Alive. Well first of all lets be clear about something, Harvey said. He is a nice guy. But he is not the sexiest man alive, to me. At all. I found nothing When asked who he thought was the Sexiest Man Alive, Harvey was brutally honest. Who is the sexiest man alive to you? Kimmel asked. Me, Harvey said. All these people Im paying for? Hell, if that aint sexy, what is? Ive never been attractive, I knew that. Thats why I had to come up with these damn jokes. But this kid is aI like him, man. Im pulling for him. The Family Feud host didnt understand Michael B. Jordans over-the-top Valentines Day gift for Lori Although Harvey is grateful that Jordan treats his daughter with respect, he doesnt think Jordan made a smart move by renting out an aquarium for her on Valentines Day. Yeah, well, good luck homie, Harvey said. Cause, you know, Valentines comes every year. I dont know if you know how this works or not, but I dont know how you gon top that. But good luck partner. I mean, it wasit was really nice what he did, you know. Im happy for him, hes a great guy, I met his father and everything, but that was a lot, that was a lot. I dont know where its going from, from here. So hopefully, you know, hell make Creed four, five, and six. His daughters dont read his relationship-help books Outside of TV, Harvey is also known for his self-help book, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man. In it, he provides helpful tips for women who are struggling to find a suitable partner. Yet, despite his expertise, his daughters refuse to read his book. I think its better if my daughters would read the damn book, Harvey said. That would be the smarter move Since the start of the pandemic, the federal government has earmarked nearly $620 million in emergency funds for Oregon schools. About $121 million that has arrived in Oregon so far, helping schools across the state purchase laptops, internet hotspots and program licenses to set up the virtual learning programs that have dominated the Oregon classroom experience over the last year. But a second round of federal funds is expected to deliver another $499 million to school districts by the end of the month, the states share of a $900 billion relief bill passed in December. And the bulk of that money should go toward reopening schools. What that looks like will differ from district to district. Some may need to upgrade dated ventilation systems or purchase air filters and fans. Others might opt to renovate classrooms to provide more space for students as the pandemic wears on. Mike Wiltfong, the Oregon Department of Educations director of school finance and facilities, said schools that are already open for in-person instruction provide a glimpse at how districts will need to spend federal aid. Were already seeing where schools are struggling some students sit in the hallway, he told The Oregonian/OregonLive. Wiltfong is concerned that Oregon schools will start burning through their federal aid allocations as districts begin rolling out their in-person offerings. Back in December, about 50,000 of Oregons 580,000 public K-12 students were getting some sort of in-person instruction. As of last week, that number was just over 136,000. Only two Portland-area districts, Lake Oswego and West Linn-Wilsonville, have begun bringing elementary students back into classrooms. Most other districts will do so later this month. In states where governors ordered schools to reopen such as Iowa, Texas and Arkansas, districts went through large chunks of their share of federal aid by the end of November, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education. By December, Texas schools spent 42% of their allocation in federal aid. In Iowa, it was 92%. Wiltfong said that once Oregon schools fully reopen for in-person learning, itll cost about $500 per student to educate them safely every year, or about $290 million. Even though the White House has pledged to inoculate every adult in the country by the end of May, it doesnt mean COVID-19 goes away. And that means schools will still need a steady supply of hand sanitizer and cleaning materials. Some may even have to take on construction projects to increase ventilation or expand classrooms. What is going to be the appropriate spacing for students in the future? Wiltfong said. What happens if we have a run-in with another variant of the virus? Spending so far The federal government didnt just cut Oregon schools a $121 million check and call it good. Schools had to first make their purchases, then submit receipts to the state Department of Education for reimbursement. School districts are not sitting on a bunch of money, Wiltfong told The Oregonian/OregonLive, citing speculation hes heard to the contrary. Portland Public Schools, the states largest district, has so far spent nearly $23 million in coronavirus-related expenses. Officials have been able to apply for reimbursements of about $7 million in federal aid so far. The district spent nearly $13 million over the last year on laptops, headsets, software and mobile hotspots as students went virtual. But the district also spent more than $4 million to upgrade schools in preparation for the return of in-person instruction. That includes ventilation system inspections, signage, plexiglas dividers and portable air filtration systems. Portland Public Schools has also spent more than $3 million on learning material and personnel for hybrid and limited in-person instruction. Personal protective equipment has cost the district more than $1 million. Health and safety supplies, including mobile nurse carts, consultations and cleaning cost another $1 million. The initial wave of federal relief came last March when little was known about the virus. Because of that, Wiltfong said, guidelines for spending the money were broad. Districts could tap into federal aid to pay for meal deliveries while schools were closed. Or they could spend the cash on Chromebooks and software for virtual learning. Basically, Wiltfong said, it went toward anything a principal deemed appropriate. Portland Public Schools will be able to tap into another $27 million in federal aid when the Oregon Department of Education opens up the second round. And if the U.S. Senate passes the $1.9 trillion aid package approved by the House in late February, the district will have another $70 million at its disposal. Long-term spending COVID-19s long-term effects on Oregon education spending dont stop there. Wiltfong expects districts will have to invest in personnel to help make up learning losses over the past year. In Portland Public Schools, officials dont know how much thats going to cost. Spokesperson Karen Werstein said district leaders may have more information during a March 11 school board meeting. Wiltfong said districts are wary of tapping into too much of the federal pot at this point in the pandemic. Even though Oregons economy fared better than expected over the last year and schools avoided much-feared cuts in funding, that sort of fortune isnt guaranteed in the future. And such unknowns are part of the reason districts have until September of next year to apply for reimbursements for federal coronavirus aid. Theyre proceeding in the best manner they can based on local decisions, Wiltfong said. --Eder Campuzano Speaking on the Senate floor on Tuesday, Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, denounced those remarks and urged his colleagues to vote against Ms. Raimondo. There has been a rush to embrace the worst elements of the Chinese Communist Party in the Biden administration. And that includes Governor Raimondo, he said. Under Mr. Trump, the Commerce Department played an outsize role in trade policy, levying tariffs on imported aluminum and steel for national security reasons, investigating additional tariffs on cars and placing a variety of curbs on technology exports to China. Ms. Raimondo and other Biden administration officials have not clarified whether they will keep those restrictions, saying they will first carry out a comprehensive review of their effects. Dr. Rouse is the dean of the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, and a former member of the council under President Barack Obama. Her academic research has focused on education, discrimination and the forces that hold some people back in the American economy. She won widespread praise from Republicans and Democrats alike in her confirmation hearing, with senators voting unanimously to send her nomination from the Banking Committee to the full Senate. She will assume her post amid an economic and public health crisis from the coronavirus pandemic, and in the waning days of congressional debate on a $1.9 trillion economic aid package that Mr. Biden has made his first major legislative priority. But in interviews and her hearing testimony, Dr. Rouse has made clear that she sees a larger set of priorities as council chair: overhauling the inner workings of the federal government to promote racial and gender equity in the economy. As deeply distressing as this pandemic and economic fallout have been, she said in her hearing, it is also an opportunity to rebuild the economy better than it was before making it work for everyone by increasing the availability of fulfilling jobs and leaving no one vulnerable to falling through the cracks. WTO negotiations on fisheries: Fundamental differences remain March 03,2021 | Source: IISD The World Trade Organization (WTO) Negotiating Group on Rules held a week-long series of meetings on fisheries subsidies in February. Members focused on three topics: special and differential treatment for developing and least developed country (LDC) members; provisions relating to subsidies contributing to overcapacity and overfishing in the draft consolidated text; and rules for how panels should handle fisheries subsidies disputes. The WTOs 11th Ministerial Conference (MC11) and SDG target 14.6 give negotiators the task of securing an agreement on eliminating subsidies for illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and to prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing by the end of 2020. In March 2020, the COVID-19 crisis resulted in the suspension of in-person meetings, and members used online meetings and written exchanges to continue negotiations. Despite their efforts and almost daily meetings in late November, WTO members were unable to finish negotiations by the 2020 deadline. At the 14 December informal meeting of the Trade Negotiations Committee, WTO members committed to build on their progress and reach a resolution in 2021. Members held bilateral and small group discussions from 15-19 February 2021. They concluded the week with a heads of delegation meeting on 19 February, where participants observed that fundamental differences still remained. Some said there had been a very limited meeting of the minds but remained confident they could still negotiate a deal. On special and differential treatment for developing and LDC members, members discussed whether certain developing countries and LDCs should be allowed time to expand their fleets through subsidization or whether a transition period should be used to increase countries abilities to monitor their fish stocks and therefore be able to subsidize fishing in well-managed waters. Members continued to disagree on which criteria should be used to identify countries that would qualify for special treatment and transition periods. Ambassador Didier Chambovey of Switzerland, who is chairing the discussions on this topic, observed significant gaps in members views on the issues. At the same time, he said he does not believe members differences were unbridgeable, and emphasized there are common elements in members proposals that could serve as a basis for building consensus. Members also reviewed the architecture of the chapter on overcapacity and overfishing, and discussed provisions to guide WTO dispute settlement panels. They considered which legal tests would trigger subsidy prohibitions. One member opposed a provision that would ban subsidies contingent on fishing in areas beyond a members jurisdiction, and preferred an agreement that prohibited fuel subsidies and fuel tax exemptions. Another member said a ban on fuel detaxation schemes would be irrelevant because such a provision would only apply to fuel sold in a members own jurisdiction. The Chair of the Negotiations, Ambassador Santiago Wills of Colombia, reminded members to begin reflecting on a acceptable outcome that could lead to a successful conclusion of the negotiations and benefits for global fish stocks and the ocean. The incoming WTO Director-General, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said a successful conclusion to the negotiations is among her immediate priorities. She called for the WTO to deliver new fisheries subsidies disciplines as soon as possible in 2021 and to deliver early success and results, leaving MC12 as the venue to conclude on modalities for implementation. Members will convene for the next cluster of fisheries subsidies meetings during the week of 15 March. To bridge divergent views, members may meet in small group consultations in advance of the cluster of meetings. 1990-2021, IISD Theme(s): Post Harvest Technology and Trade. (ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, MARCH 3 - "Right to a beard" is the slogan launched by a group of soldiers and officers who have appealed to the Supreme Court in Israel, requesting the Israeli army to respect their will to have a beard during their military service. The protest is led, among others, by Bar Pinto and Gilad Levi, both officers with a beard, decided to remove what they describe as a "discrimination between high officers and soldiers, between religious and secular" members of the military. "Our request - they asked on Facebook - is for the army to allow any soldier, without distinction of rank or religious belief, to have a beard". The logo chosen for the protest - in Hebrew 'Ptor zakan lekulam' (Right for a beard for all) - is the official one of Tsahal (the army), adorned with a beard. (ANSAmed) Following her confessionals, Kia reveals tips that she used to heal her psyche following turmoil and hopelessness. It is her raw emotional transparency that keeps her audience watching, relating, and using her tips to heal from their own emotional pain. Her take-away with each show is "I was destroyed, now I'm an asteroid." Making light of her rise from depression, and that now she is stronger than a fireball. Kia Waters has created a "text family" where she personally releases inspirational voice notes throughout the week, via text, to uplift & support subscribers. This is also a two-way platform to speak directly with Kia via text. Kia also offers One-on-One Confidential Inspiration Sessions, where she listens, offers support and practical tips toward emotional healing and growth using specific actions. Photo: The Canadian Press Justice Anne Molloy, from top left, John Rinaldi, Dr. Scott Woodside and accused Alek Minassian are shown during a murder trial conducted via Zoom videoconference in this courtroom sketch on December 11, 2020. A man who killed 10 people and injured 16 others by deliberately driving a van down a bustling Toronto sidewalk was found guilty at trial on Wednesday, with a judge finding he carried out the attack to achieve notoriety. Alek Minassian had admitted to planning and carrying out the attack on April 23, 2018 but had argued he should be found not criminally responsible for his actions because he is autistic. The 28-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont., pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder. Justice Anne Molloy, who refused to name Minassian in her decision and referred to him only as John Doe, found him guilty on all 26 counts. "Mr. Doe thought about committing these crimes over a considerable period of time and made a considered decision to proceed," she said in her judgment, which was delivered via video conference and broadcast on YouTube. The key issue at Minassian's trial, which began last November without a jury, was whether he had the capacity at the time of the attack to make a rational choice. Molloy said Minassian was fully capable of making a rational choice at the time and deliberately chose to commit mass murder. Robert Forsyth, whose 94-year-old aunt Betty Forsyth died after being hit from behind by Minassian, welcomed Molloy's decision. "I'm happy with the decision, although it's hard to use the word happy when you lose a loved one like this," he said. "It was clear he knew what he was doing." The Crown had argued that Minassian is a mass killer who knew right from wrong and happens to have autism. But the defence argued that because of autism, Minassian never developed empathy, and that lack of empathy left him incapable of rational choice. Molloy rejected that argument. "It does not matter that he does not have remorse nor empathize with the victims. Lack of empathy for the suffering of victims even an incapacity to empathize, for whatever reason does not constitute a defence under Section 16 of the Criminal Code," she said in her decision. The trial heard that Minassian had fantasized about mass killings for years, starting when he was in high school, where he was bullied for years. Minassian told several psychiatric assessors he wanted to shoot up his high school, but was unable to find a gun. At one point he became fixated on an American mass murderer who hated women. He joined an online community of so-called "incels" males who are involuntarily celibate. Minassian told a detective hours after the attack that he sought retribution against society because he was a lonely virgin who believed women wouldn't have sex with him. Later he mentioned different motives to different doctors who analyzed him. He told them he had a strong desire to commit a mass killing, he was lonely, worried he'd fail at his upcoming software development job, a belief he'd never have a relationship with a woman, his infatuation with a mass murderer and, what many point to as his biggest motivator, the quest for notoriety. Three weeks before the attack he booked a rental van for the day after he completed his final college exam, court heard. Around 1:30 p.m. on a bright and warm April day, Minassian sat in the driver's seat at Yonge Street and Finch Avenue at a red light. When the light turned green, he floored it, hopped the curb and began the attack. He drove for about two kilometres on and off the sidewalk as he killed and maimed unsuspecting pedestrians along the way. He was arrested moments later following a failed attempt to commit suicide by cop. Betty Forsyth, Ji Hun Kim, So He Chung, Geraldine Brady, Chul Min Kang, Anne Marie Victoria D'Amico, Munir Najjar, Dorothy Marie Sewell, Andrea Bradden and Beutis Renuka Amarasingha died in the attack. Mark Wright has admitted it has 'not been easy' trying to help his friend James 'Arg' Argent lose weight after he reached 27 stone. James, 33, said he will have life-saving gastric surgery in the near future after his weight crept up during lockdown. Speaking to The Sun, fitness enthusiast Mark told how he is doing all he can to help his pal and former TOWIE co-star to shed the pounds. Fitness: Mark Wright has admitted it has 'not been easy' trying to help his friend A'Arg' Argent lose weight after he reached 27 stone He said: 'It's not been easy but, you know, it's just what you've got to do for mates and family - you've got to be there for them. Just got to do it as a friend. 'No matter how hard it can get at times, making him lose weight and helping him lose weight is nothing as hard as what it was and everything that he went through last year, you know? 'That was tough, and it's been tough now, but he's getting there. Now he's made a decision on what he's going to do to change it and hopefully it works out for him.' Mark is known for his love of fitness and regularly posts his workouts online, while he also has a training app with his brother Josh. Health: James, 33, said he will have life-saving gastric surgery in the near future after his weight crept up during lockdown James received his first dose of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine last month after he was placed in the 'high-risk category' because of his weight. Appearing on Good Morning Britain on Tuesday, he said: 'They've [doctors] basically been saying, the size I am at the moment, it could be fatal. If I was to catch Covid, I could be a goner.' Speaking to Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid, James added: 'It has been worrying. It's been difficult putting on so much weight and obviously the fact I've got so big. 'It kind of shows I haven't been in the greatest of places. But I'm sitting here this morning, I'm feeling super positive... Health: James has been warned by doctors that he could die if he caught coronavirus - after his weight crept up to 27 stone in lockdown 'I've got life-changing surgery, which is going to be taking place in the near future, it's all booked up. 'I really feel like I'm making positive steps and I can't wait to get back to my very best.' James went on to explain how doctors have warned him he is in danger territory due to his weight and how if he were to catch Covid, it could be fatal. He also spoke about how being obese has 'serious implications on my heart'- something which is of concern to him because both of his parents suffer from heart problems. Weight battle: The former TOWIE star will have life-saving gastric surgery in the near future and described doctors' warnings as 'very worrying' (left, last month and right, in 2015) 'I've been speaking regularly to the doctors and nurses at Transform Hospital Group. They've been giving me advice,' he said. 'They've basically been saying, the size I am at the moment, it could be fatal. If I was to catch Covid, I could be a goner. 'It's not just that, my mum and dad, they've had heart problems themselves, so it's kind of in my family hereditary, in my genes and stuff. I've got to tackle this now before it's too late.' James has said he is still undecided as to which type of gastric surgery he will have, but says once he has chosen, it will happen in the 'near future'. 'It's a really, really serious operation,' he said. Making a change: The reality TV personality received his first dose of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine last month after he was placed in the 'high-risk category' because of his weight At the moment I haven't decided specifically which one it's going to be, there's options of a sleeve, bypass, I need to still do a bit more research, speak to a few more people. 'But the surgery is going to happen, it's going to happen in the near future. I really hope it's going to work for me, it's going to be life changing.' James revealed obesity is something he has been struggling with since he was a teenager and has found it 'impossible' to maintain a healthy weight. He said: 'I'm not saying I can't lose the weight without this type of surgery, but I've never been able to maintain it before. 'So I just believe that going for it this time, I've made a decision, I've spoken to all my friends, family, everyone's had their opinions and you know nine times out of 10, they've said it's not funny anymore, go for it. That's why I've made the decision. His inspiration: James said he draws motivation from Tyson Fury (pictured in 2020) and hopes to have comeback stronger than ever, like the heavyweight boxer 'It's not like I've put weight on in lockdown and I'm doing something drastic to get it off, this is something that I've had this underlying issue in terms of weight and eating disorder since I was a teenager.' During the interview, James reflected on how he hasn't gone through life 'plain sailing'. After his interview, the reality star took to Instagram and told fans he 'can't wait to be happy and healthy again' and is feeling 'super positive' as he looks ahead to his surgery. He wrote: 'A CHANGE IS GONNA COME. I can't wait to be Happy & Healthy again, I'm feeling super positive. 'I'm nervous about the big operation & surgery but I know it's for the best & will be life changing! 'A change is gonna come': After his GMB interview, the reality star took to Instagram and told fans he 'can't wait to be happy and healthy again' and is feeling 'super positive' 'I'm inspired by @gypsyking101 [Tyson Fury's] comeback & can't wait to be back to my very best.' (sic) Arg has battled drink and drug addiction since finding fame on TOWIE. In 2014 he was suspended from the show after he failed a routine drugs test. The TV star spent three months in a facility in Thailand over the festive season in 2016 in a bid to curb his addiction and revealed he checked himself in to a programme in order to get the 'ongoing support' he needed. In August 2019, Arg returned to rehab following a split from Gemma Collins in a bid to tackle his demons. James recently confessed that while he's now marking a year of sobriety after overcoming his drug addiction, his weight has left him too embarrassed to leave the house and he spends hours alone comfort eating. He said: 'I have been through an awful lot. Some people go through life quite plain sailing, other people find life a bit more difficult and stuff. 'I've certainly gone through it. I do believe that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. 'I'm really excited, first and foremost the most important thing for me is health and that's what I'm concentrating on fully at the moment.' Still friends: James was also quizzed on his ex Gemma during the interview and confirmed they weren't officially back together (pictured 2019) James was also quizzed on his ex Gemma during the interview and confirmed they weren't officially back together. 'We're not officially back together. It's impossible to be in a relationship with anyone bearing in mind I can't meet anyone outside of my house and stuff like that. 'But I suppose on the positive note, she's no longer blocked on my phone. Listen, we're friends at the moment and we have been in contact. 'You know, whatever happens between me and Gemma, we've been through a hell of a lot together and we're always going to be close.' SPRINGFIELD As part of Severe Weather Preparedness Month, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and the National Weather Service (NWS) have teamed up to publish a Severe Weather Preparedness Guide to help Illinoisans be better prepared when severe weather strikes. Making people aware of weather hazards and how to prepare for them, is just step one. Using the information and applying protective measures in an emergency takes practice. This month, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency is encouraging families, businesses, schools and communities to build a kit, practice your plan and be better prepared, said IEMA Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau. During Severe Weather Preparedness Week March 1-5 Illinoisans are encouraged to: Make a severe weather preparedness plan Build an emergency preparedness kit Identify your safe place to during a storm Familiarize yourself the various weather watches/warnings/advisories The NWS is responsible for issuing severe weather watches, warnings and advisories to alert the public when dangerous weather conditions are expected. This year, the NWS added two new terms to this Severe Weather Preparedness Guide: Tornado Emergency and Flash Flood Emergency. It is so important to know the difference between a watch and warning when it comes to tornadoes, severe thunderstorms and floods. said Chris Miller with the NWS in Lincoln, Illinois. In rare situations, an emergency can be issued for tornadoes and flash floods. This is when a confirmed, violent tornado or significant flood creates an imminent danger to life and property. Act immediately to save your life. Thunderstorms can produce damaging winds, deadly lightning, large hail, flash flooding and tornadoes. On average, Illinois will see 53 tornadoes each year with nearly 20 percent occurring at night. For a number of reasons, tornadoes that occur at night are twice as likely to result in fatalities. The NWS and state and local emergency management officials encourage people to have a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration All Hazards Weather Radio with battery backup. These radios can be programmed to receive alerts for specified counties to keep you and your family apprised of impending weather and post-event information for all types of hazards including natural (earthquakes), environmental (chemical spills) and public safety hazards (AMBER alerts). When an alert is issued for the programmed area, the device will sound a warning alarm tone followed by the essential information. Watches mean that severe weather or flooding might develop near your area over the next several hours. Be ready to act if storms approach, Miller said. When a warning is issued, a storm has a history of producing damage or flooding, or is expected to develop in your area shortly. We are warning you to take action immediately. FEMA offers a free mobile app with NWS weather alerts that can be tailored to offer alerts for up to five different locations nationwide. The mobile app can also help you locate open shelters and disaster resource centers near you in the event of an emergency. Wireless Emergency Alerts can provide lifesaving information about impending storms and emergencies. These alerts can be sent to your mobile device without the need to download an app or subscribe to a service. Not only are these tools critical to surviving overnight storms, but they can be extremely beneficial for those who travel. For more information visit www.Ready.Illinois.gov. A group of New Jersey lawmakers are trying to find out why Fort Dix federal prison where more than two-thirds of its inmate population contracted COVID-19 did not receive funding allocated for emergency response to the coronavirus pandemic. In a letter sent to Michael Carvajal, the director of the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), a group of Democratic legislators asked why the Burlington County prison did not receive any of the $100 million emergency response funding the BOP received from the CARES Act to respond to the pandemic. The Department of Justice (DOJ) said the BOP would use the money for personal protective equipment, cleaning supplies, Residential Reentry Centers to limit prisons inmate population and other relevant expenses. But Fort Dix, one of the countrys most populated federal prisons, received no money, the lawmakers said in their letter Monday. To date, more than 1,800 inmates have contracted COVID-19, including one who died from the virus, according to the BOP. More than 80 staff members have also tested positive. While BOP has certainly faced many difficult decisions while responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is distressing that a hard-hit facility such as FCI Fort Dix purportedly did not receive the supplemental resources it clearly required, the letter says. The letter was signed by a coalition of eight Democratic lawmakers, including U.S. Sens. Robert Menendez and Cory Booker, as well as U.S. Rep. Andy Kim, who represents the district the prison is located in. The lawmakers said the BOP informed them in December that the funding was allocated to those institutions with the most need and that FCI Fort Dix has been able to manage its operations without additional CARES Act funding, even though the prison had had multiple outbreaks at that point. A month later, an outbreak infected nearly 800 inmates with the virus. Lawmakers, advocates, inmates and families of inmates have been sounding the alarm since the early months of the pandemic that the facility was not equipped to protect the inmates. It is clear that FCI Fort Dix did have serious unmet needs related to COVID-19 prevention and mitigation, and that the facility has been unable to safely manage its operations, the letter says. The lawmakers urged the BOP to allocate funding to the prison from the year-end spending bill and COVID-19 relief package that then-President Donald Trump signed into law in December, which included an additional $300 million in emergency supplemental funding for the BOP. Going forward, we request that FCI Fort Dix has the necessary resources to more effectively protect its staff and incarcerated population for the remainder of the pandemic, the letter says. The lawmakers sent a series of questions to the BOP they requested to be answered by March 12, including if the agency revisited the decision to not provide funding to Fort Dix as cases increased and to provide a detailed timeline of the vaccination process at the prison for inmates and staff. So far, 183 staff members and 161 inmates have received both doses of the vaccine, according to the BOP. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Joe Atmonavage may be reached at jatmonavage@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us: nj.com/tips. Growing numbers of parents are pretending their children are ill after searching symptoms online, doctors have said. Experts said 'Doctor Google' and social media were fuelling an increase in parents who fabricate illnesses in their children. Some have kept their children off school, taken them to multiple doctors, put them through tests or even shaved their child's head so it looks like they are undergoing chemotherapy. Yesterday the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) launched guidance about so-called fabricated or induced illness (FII) in children, previously known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy. Cases arise when parents believe their child has an illness when they do not, or in some rare cases cause the illness themselves. Experts said 'Doctor Google' and social media were fuelling an increase in parents who fabricate illnesses in their children. Stock image Doctors say cases are becoming 'a lot more common' and that most paediatricians will have had a case on their books in the last two years. The college has urged doctors to discuss the case with parents, whereas the old process 'was to refer to social care early without involving the parents'. Dr Danya Glaser, a psychiatrist at Great Ormond Street Hospital, said: 'Fabricated or induced illness is a clinical situation in which a child is very likely to be harmed because the parents or the caregivers try, and sometimes succeed, to convince doctors that their child is unwell. 'The caregivers or parents do this either because they have developed a mistaken belief and then misguided anxiety about their child, or they might actually deceive and gain something out of having an apparently sick child.' Cases arise when parents believe their child has an illness when they do not, or in some rare cases cause the illness themselves. Stock image Dr Glaser added: 'The child is harmed by physical and emotional abuse or medical neglect in a number of different ways. 'Their life is not normal, they undergo repeated investigations or treatments, they are taken to different doctors. 'They might use aids which they don't need, they become socially isolated... or the children begin to believe that they are really ill.' She added that many parents are not out to deceive but have 'erroneous beliefs' that may have been helped by the internet. Dr Alison Steele, RCPCH child protection officer, said: 'I do think that genuinely it has become more of an issue and I do think that part of the driver for that is Doctor Google and social media. 'Occasionally someone will say the child's got a cancer diagnosis to the world outside, and they'll shave their head and they tell the school they have got cancer and actually that's been a complete fabrication.' Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Slovakia imposed an overnight curfew from Wednesday, the health ministry said, as the ex-communist country battles the world's highest Covid mortality rate. Slovaks will not be allowed out of their homes between 8:00 pm and 5:00 am, according to a government decree. During the day, Slovaks are being asked to stay in their homes with some exceptions, including medical visits, going to work and walks in nature or with pets. The curfew applies until March 19 but may be extended. The EU country of 5.4 million has the world's highest rate of Covid deaths, with 24 fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants over the last 14 days, according to an AFP tally. The high rate "is due to many factors, Slovakia has made several mistakes," Doctors' Trade Union Association chairman Peter Visolajsky told AFP earlier. "The lockdown was introduced too late and it is not sufficiently monitored. Also, this mortality rate is caused by the overall bad condition of Slovak healthcare," Visolajsky said. The expert said that, rather than adopting more restrictions, better enforcement of those already in place "could reduce the number of infections". Slovakia on Monday became the second country in the EU after Hungary to receive a shipment of Russia's Sputnik V vaccines after ordering two million of the jabs. The decision has proved highly divisive within the governing coalition of Prime Minister Igor Matovic. Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok has called the vaccine a tool in the Kremlin's "hybrid war" against the West. One of the four centre-right parties in the coalition has called for a reshuffle, accusing the government of mismanaging the pandemic and buying Russian vaccines without the consent of the whole cabinet. President Zuzana Caputova has said that only vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency should be used in Slovakia, which would exclude Sputnik V. The country is struggling to control the pandemic and has called on its EU partners for assistance. So far, Poland has agreed to take in 10 Slovak patients for treatment and Romania has sent a medical team. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 AFP Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 In just under two and a half hours, a champion was crowned in the 2021 GGPoker Super MILLION$ Week Event #6: $25,500 Super High Roller. The joint second most expensive tournament of the high-stakes festival on GGPoker attracted a field of 114 entries and the top 15 finishers earned a portion of the $$2,850,000 prize pool. The fast-paced final table was dominated by Russia's Arsenii Malinov, who defeated Day 1 chip leader Seth Davies in heads-up. Malinov claimed his biggest cash on GGPoker so far and parlayed a $2,500 satellite entry into a score of $661,743. That increases his overall cashes on the fastest-growing poker site to nearly $2.4 million. Runner-up Davies had to settle for a consolation prize worth $503,914 while Germany's "REPTAR" turned the second-shortest stack at the start of the final table in a third-place finish for $383,728. Among the finalists were also the online high roller regulars Aleksejs Ponakovs, Joao Vieira, Matthias Eibinger, Jason Koon, David Coleman, and Daniel Dvoress. Final Result Super MILLION$ Week Event #6: $25,500 Super High Roller Place Winner Country Prize (in USD) 1 Arsenii Malinov Russia $661,743 2 Seth Davies United States $503,914 3 REPTAR Germany $383,728 4 Aleksejs Ponakovs Latvia $292,207 5 Joao Vieira Portugal $222,514 6 Matthias Eibinger Austria $169,444 7 Jason Koon United States $129,030 8 David Coleman United States $98,256 9 Daniel Dvoress Canada $74,821 Arsenii Malinov Player Profile While Malinov's name may not immediately ring a bell in comparison with most other finalists, he has been a High Roller regular for some time. It was the 21st appearance in a Super MILLION$ event, which usually runs as a $10,300 buy-in during the Super Sunday on GGPoker. Malinov had cashed nine times and reached his fourth final table, which he dominated with sheer relentless aggression including a five-bet jam with seven-six suited. The action of the Final Day Daniel Dvoress was the shortest stack by some margin and became the first casualty when the ace-king suited of Malinov rivered the nut flush against pocket fives. David Coleman was gone next when his dominated ace-four ended up second-best against the ace-ten of Joao Vieira. It was a period in which Malinov turned up the heat and "REPTAR" earned two doubles. One of those left Jason Koon short, who then lost ace-queen once more for the last few chips against a three-betting Malinov with jack-five suited. Half an hour later, "REPTAR" went on a heater to eliminate Matthias Eibinger and Vieira within a few hands to take over the lead. Malinov struck back and gained the lead with his aggressive style and Aleksejs Ponakovs fell victim to the streak of Malinov. The Russian flopped top pair and a gutshot in three-way action to prevail with a superior straught and bust Ponakovs in fourth. Several double-ups in three-handed action followed until "REPTAR" jammed ace-queen into the kings of Seth Davies. One queen was not enough for the German and heads-up started almost even in chips. Malinov left little doubt over the role of table captain and cut Davies' stack short. The American pro gained traction once more only to jam a dominated ace-nine into ace-king suited. Both kickers hit and Malinov was crowned as the champion. Davies and all other high-stakes regulars can be the next winner of a Super MILLION$ Week event in the days to come, as the festival continues until March 7 with daily High Roller tournaments. South Carolina Senate Votes to Add Firing Squad to Execution Methods The South Carolina Senate voted on March 2 in favor of a measure that added firing squads as an alternative execution method for the states death-row inmates. A bipartisan group of lawmakers voted 3211 to give the bill a second reading. The measure, which would allow the state to restart executions after nearly a decade, states that the firing squad method may be used only if the state cant execute condemned inmates by way of lethal injection. Currently, South Carolina isnt able to place inmates on death row as its supply of lethal injection drugs has expired, and it hasnt been able to purchase more due to a shortage nationwide. The states last execution was in May 2011. At present, condemned inmates are able to choose between the electric chair and lethal injection, and since the drugs arent available, many have chosen the lethal injection method as the state is then unable to force inmates to be executed by means of electrocution. The Senate bill keeps lethal injection if the state has the drugs, but requires prison officials to use the electric chair if it does not. An inmate could choose a firing squad if they prefer. The state has been unable to purchase lethal injection drugs for about five years, as drug manufacturers seek to limit how their products are used. As a result, two scheduled executions so far have been pushed back. For several years, as most of you know, South Carolina has not been able to carry out executions, state Sen. Greg Hembree, a co-sponsor of the bill, told the Senate floor, The State reported. Families are waiting. Victims are waiting. The state is waiting. The House is considering a similar bill without the firing squad option, but it could also consider the Senate version after a procedural vote finalizes the bill later this week. To date, there are 37 inmates on death row in the state. Late last year, the Department of Justice (DOJ) amended its protocols to allow executions to be carried out by alternatives that include electrocution, firing squad, and poison gas. Effective Dec. 24, 2020, the latest rule allows authorities to allow death sentences to be carried out by lethal injection or use any other manner prescribed by the law of the state in which the sentence was imposed, with some states permitting methods such as inhaling nitrogen gas or death by firing squad. Former President Donald Trump repeatedly expressed support for capital punishment and restarted the practice at the federal level last year after a 17-year hiatus. Trump argued that executions serve as an effective deterrent and an appropriate punishment for some crimes, including mass shootings and the killings of police officers. President Joe Biden, meanwhile, is the first sitting U.S. president to openly oppose the death penalty and has discussed potentially instructing the DOJ to stop scheduling new executions, according to The Associated Press. Tom Ozimek and The Associated Press contributed to this report. NEW YORK Marc Agnifilo defended NXIVM leader Keith Raniere in news conferences, spoke on his behalf in documentaries and sat beside him during a nearly two-month trial in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn. And now, Agnifilo is leaving the case of Raniere, the disgraced personal growth guru known as Vanguard who is serving a 120-year federal prison sentence in Arizona. The defense attorney and another Raniere attorney, Teny Geragos, marked their withdrawal as Ranieres attorneys in letters filed in federal court on Feb. 23. The lawyers are withdrawing as attorneys Jennifer Bonjean, Joseph McBride and Steven Alan Metcalf II have been hired to wage the appeal of Raniere, formerly of Halfmoon, who based his cult-like company in Colonie for two decades. It had branches in Vancouver, Mexico, Los Angeles, the state of Washington, among other locations. In June 2019, a jury convicted Raniere, now 60, of sex trafficking, forced labor conspiracy and racketeering crimes that included underlying acts of possessing child pornography, extortion and identity theft. Now that Mr. Ranieres new counsel have entered appearances in this matter, I respectfully request to be formally relieved as counsel of record for Mr. Raniere, Agnifilo said in a letter to Senior U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis. I have conferred with Mr. Raniere, informed him of my intent to withdraw and he agrees. Agnifilo stated that Raniere would not be prejudiced by his departure because he has new attorneys. It was unclear if Albany attorney Paul DerOhannesian, who has defended Raniere alongside Agnifilo, would also be departing the case. Agnifilo, joined by DerOhannesian, vehemently defended Raniere at news conferences outside the federal courthouse in Brooklyn and in the courtroom. In one press briefing in May 2018, Agnifilo downplayed the fact that women in Ranieres secret master/slave group known as Dominus Obsequious Sororium, or DOS, were branded on their pelvic areas. Victims have said they were not told of the extent of the branding, the pain or what the branding would look like. "There are well-known groups of men that brand themselves. It's utterly uncontroversial. But a group of women decides to brand themselves, and all of a sudden they're victims," Agnifilo told reporters. In his closing argument to the jury in June 2019, Agnifilo told the jury the word cult would not help them in deliberations. "I think that's kind of a dead end. I think you have to look at the content and not be swayed by that word," he said. In the summation, he said DOS was not for everybody. But he suggested a former slave a woman whom Raniere blindfolded, ordered to disrobe and drove to a home in Halfmoon where she was sexually violated might have been helped by it because she had previously been suicidal and was not after DOS. "Maybe it worked," Agnifilo told the jury. "It's strong medicine but it has to be used in the right circumstances with the right people and the right time." The lawyer said Raniere and the woman had a "sweet, caring, casual relationship." At Ranieres sentencing, the woman told Raniere she was appalled to learn Raniere once referred to DOS members as "(expletive)-toy sex slaves." "That was me," she said. "My life meant nothing to you." After Raniere was convicted, Agnifilo was criticized by Albany attorney Steve Coffey after Agnifilo told NXIVM defector Barbara Bouchey, "Congratulations. I hope it helps. I really do." "Youre gonna speak to Barbara Bouchey? Youre going over to her and say, I hope that you can heal? Are you f---ing kidding me? Really? Coffey told the Times Union. Agnifilo appeared in "Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult" and recently in a two-hour documentary on Dateline NBC about the case. The Alabama Senate today passed a bill that would ban puberty-blocking, hormone medications, and surgeries as transgender treatments for people under age 19. The bill, passed by a vote of 23-4. It moves to the House of Representatives, which has a similar bill. Sen. Shay Shelnutt, R-Trussville, the sponsor of the Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act, began discussion of his bill today by reading a couple of definitions of gender dysphoria. Then he gave his own. What is gender dysphoria? Shelnutt said. I looked it up. According to the Mayo Clinic. Its a feeling of discomfort or distress that might occur in people who have gender identify different from their sex at birth. Another definition is a term that describes a sense of unease that a person may have whose gender identity differs from their birth sex. My definition: Someone thinks they should be a girl if theyre a boy or thinks they should be a boy if theyre a girl, Shelnutt said. Science shows that children that are going through this gender dysphoria, most of them mature or grow out of this stage if they are given the chance. So why is (this bill) needed? Its just to stop these surgeries and these drugs on our children. Its to protect our children. Thats my simple explanation. Parents and advocates lobbied against the bill at a State House rally today. The Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics opposes the bill. In a position statement, the organization said surgeries are not done on minors and that puberty-blockers and hormones are used as part of an evidence-based standard of care. Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, said the legislation would interfere with how families and medical professionals can help children struggling with gender dysphoria. We dont want the state in our business, Singleton said. But we want to put the state into the family all the time. Singleton predicted the law would be challenged in a federal court lawsuit like the abortion ban the Legislature passed in 2019. Shelnutt said he was not aware of the issue until the bill was presented to him more than a year ago. I didnt think this was going on in Alabama, had no idea, Shelnutt said. Ive been educated since then. I just think its wrong for this to happen to children. Children arent mature enough to make this decision on on surgeries and drugs. The whole point is to protect kids. Shelnutt said he was not aware of any transgender surgeries happening in Alabama but wanted to make sure none did. Asked about the opposition of the Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Shelnutt said he has heard from pediatricians who support his bill. Just because an association opposes it doesnt mean pediatrics doctors in Alabama oppose it, Shelnutt said. Ive talked to many of them. The four senators who voted against the bill were Singleton, Billy Beasley, D-Clayton; Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile; and Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham. Beasley, a pharmacist, noted that the bill would make it a felony for him to fill a prescription for puberty-blocking medications or hormones for a minor. If the bill becomes law, any violation of it would be a Class C felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison. I think thats just wrong, Beasley said. This bill needs to go away. Singleton proposed an amendment to remove the criminal penalty from the bill, but it was rejected by a vote of 21-5. Sen. Tom Whatley, R-Auburn, proposed an amendment to say that it would not prohibit or limit psychologists and professional counselors from doing their jobs. The Senate rejected it at Shelnutts request. Shelnutt said he wants children with gender dysphoria to get help but not be counseled in a way that affirms their gender identity conflict. Theres no medical diagnosis, Shelnutt said. Theres no medical condition that these kids have. Its just in their mind. Japan plans to extend the state of emergency in Tokyo and three neighboring prefectures by two weeks, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Wednesday. "I believe that an extension of about two weeks is necessary to protect the lives and livelihoods of the people. I would like to make a final decision after listening to the opinions of experts and people concerned," Suga said to reporters at the prime minister's office. The state of emergency for Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba prefectures is scheduled to last through Sunday. The government will listen to the opinions of the expert panel of the basic policy measures on Friday and then is expected to make a final decision on a two-week extension. Asked what criteria are necessary to lift the state of emergency, Suga said, "It is important for the hospital bed utilization rate to be below 50% and the vector to go down." On Tuesday, Suga said, "Tokyo and the three prefectures are connected in various ways," emphasizing that the judgment about the lifting of the state of emergency will be made with Tokyo and the three prefectures considered as one integrated area. The governors of Tokyo and the three neighboring prefectures have been coordinating to jointly ask the central government to extend the period of the state of emergency, according to sources. The governors plan to ask for an extension of another two weeks. Concerning the declaration of the state of emergency, Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike said Tuesday that the decrease in infections "has not caught up with the expected number." She expressed caution regarding the lifting of the state of emergency on the scheduled date. Kanagawa Gov. Yuji Kuroiwa said: "Looking at the whole of Tokyo and the three prefectures, some data were at Stage 4 levels. We may be unable to make the judgment until after watching the numbers up to the last minute" Tokyo recorded 316 new cases of the novel coronavirus Wednesday, the metropolitan government said. On Jan. 24, 213 cases reported. The number of patients seriously ill with covid-19 was 52, down by two from Tuesday's figure. Geneva/Jackson Hole, WY/Rome/New York, 3 March 2021 - For the first-ever virtual celebration of the United Nations World Wildlife Day, representatives of UN Member States, UN System organizations, international and non-governmental organizations, Indigenous Peoples and Local communities, and youth took part in an online event marking the Day. World Wildlife Day is celebrated this year under the theme "Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet", highlighting the link between the livelihoods, knowledge and experiences of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities who rely on forests, and the conservation of these ecosystems and the wildlife they harbor. In her welcoming words to speakers and viewers following the event online, Ms. Ivonne Higuero, Secretary-General of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, underlined the importance of this years celebration, with its focus on the communities that rely on forests and their wildlife and who have historically acted as their primary custodians. She said the aim of the event was to give a voice to these important stakeholders by sharing their forest conservation knowledge and experiences to inspire the establishment of truly sustainable models of interaction with the planets ecosystems and wildlife. For the first of the remarks at the high-level opening, His Excellency Mr. Federico Tenorio Calderon, Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation of Peru, spoke about the immense value of the Amazon Rainforest for the livelihoods of the communities inhabiting it. Minister Tenorio Calderon emphasized that sustainable use of wildlife not only ensures the survival of species, but also generates the means for the livelihoods of communities that share their habitats. Ms. Fawn Sharp, President of the Quinault Indian Nation and President of the National Congress of American Indians, spoke of the efforts of Indigenous Peoples and Local communities to preserve the knowledge and traditions that have sustained them for millennia. In her remarks, Ms. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Executive Secretary of the Convention for Biological Diversity, said that recognizing the knowledge, innovations and practices of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities ensures participatory environmental governance for the protection of forests and wildlife. His Excellency Mr. Antonio Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General, closed the high-level opening with a heartfelt plea to governments, businesses and people everywhere to scale up efforts to conserve forests and forest species, and to support and listen to the voices of forest communities. He called this an urgent step towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Two panel discussions brought together experts from around the world, first to explore the role of the livelihoods of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in the conservation and sustainable use of forests. The second panel looked at the opportunities for inclusive and sustainable economic growth and employment through the sustainable use of forests. The first panel was opened with a message from Ms. Nemonte Nenquimo, founder of the Ecuadorian organization Alianza Ceibo and laureate of the 2020 Equator Prize, who set the scene by illustrating her communitys efforts to sustainably use and conserve forest biodiversity for future generations. The panel was moderated by CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero. Speakers on this panel included Ms. Amy Fraenkel, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Migratory Species; Ms. Iliana Monterroso of the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR); Mr. Leif John Fosse, representing the Norwegian International Climate and Forest Initiative; Ms. Dilys Roe, Chair of the IUCN Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Specialist Group (SULI); and Mr. Kynan Tegar, a youth speaker, filmmaker and member of the Indigenous Community of Dayak Iban in Sungai Utik Longhouse, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. The panelists shared their personal and professional experiences with community-led efforts towards the sustainable use of forests and forest species, and how these contributed to the conservation of these ecosystems. The second panel opened with a message from another 2020 Equator Prize Laureate, Mr. Albert Lotana Lokasola, Founder and President of Vie Sauvage, an organization based in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mr. Lokasola gave highlights of their efforts to combine conservation of endemic forest species in the Congo basin, while also providing sustainable economic opportunities to local communities. The panel moderator was Ms. Adriana Dinu, Deputy Director of the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This panel featured Mr. Mateus Mutemba, Director General of the National Administration of the Conservation Areas (ANAC), the CITES Management Authority for Mozambique; Ms. Emmanuela Shinta, CEO & Executive Director of the Ranu Welum Foundation; Mr. Ewald Rametsteiner, Deputy Director of the Forestry Division at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); and Ms. Cindy L. Squires, Executive Director of the International Wood Products Association. These Panelists explored opportunities for inclusive and sustainable economic growth and employment opportunities for local and indigenous communities generated by models geared towards sustainable use. For the sixth year running, Jackson Wild, the CITES Secretariat and UNDP teamed for a Film Showcase based on this years theme. The contest attracted nearly 300 entries which brought to life a wide array of compelling stories about the work of communities involved in conserving forests and sustaining themselves through the essential ecosystem services provided by forests and wildlife. The 11 winning films were unveiled by Ms. Lisa Samford, Executive Director of Jackson Wild, and CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero. The celebration was also marked by the announcement of the winner of the third World Wildlife Day Youth Art Contest, organized by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), the CITES Secretariat, and UNDP. With over 500 entries, the contest saw school-age children and young artists from over 50 countries produce some truly inspirational works of art, illustrating the deep relationship between people, forests and forest wildlife. The winner of the Youth Art Contest, was also unveiled during the World Wildlife Day virtual celebration, introduced by Ms. Dia Mirza, actor, producer, IFAW Global Ambassador and UNEP Goodwill Ambassador, and Mr. Azzedine Downes, IFAW President and CEO. Remarks by organizers, participants and partners: QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General: The growing demand for wildmeat, especially in urban settings, is increasing humans exposure to zoonotic diseases and hunting pressure in forests. Wildmeat is an essential source of food for millions of indigenous and rural people, accounting for more than 50 percent of protein intake in many tropical and subtropical regions. But unless hunting and consumption are conducted in a sustainable manner, that supply will gradually diminish, with serious implications for food security. Already, recent studies estimate that 285 mammal species are threatened with extinction due to hunting for wildmeat. At FAO, we know that efficient food production must co-exist with biodiversity conservation if there is to be any real hope of ending poverty and hunger. To achieve those objectives, we advocate for more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems that feed humanity. Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator: This years World Wildlife Day celebration highlights the important links between smarter forest management policies and broader efforts to strengthen jobs and livelihoods for indigenous peoples and local communities. Nearly 1 billion people depend on forest foods, some 2.4 billion people use wood-based energy for cooking, and 1.2 billion people are dependent on agroforestry farming systems, while the formal forest sector provides an estimated 45 million jobs globally. There is an urgent need in 2021 to raise global levels of ambition and increase investments in the sustainable management of forest ecosystems if we are to meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement, the evolving global Biodiversity Framework, and 2030 Agenda. Mr. Alexander Trepelkov, Officer-in-Charge of the UN Forum on Forests Secretariat: The value of forests in supporting livelihoods, preserving biodiversity and regulating climate is undeniable. As the global community works towards a new development paradigm that integrates care for people and the planet based on the one health approach, the theme of this years World Wildlife Day underscores the vital role of forests for a sustainable future for all. Ms. Lisa Samford, Executive Director of Jackson Wild: "The power of personal storytelling to inspire individual, community and systemic change has never been more important. As weve been increasingly isolated during this pandemic, the global impact of media to share these compelling stories has helped connect each of us to our planet and to one another to address the massive impacts of climate change and accelerate equity in our world." Mr. Azzedine Downes, President and CEO of IFAW: On global days of unity and celebration such as World Wildlife Day, the inherent interconnectedness between mankind and the natural environment becomes ever clearer. From the individual to the local community to the broader global community, we must all empower by inclusion and fulfill our role as stewards of the natural world. This years theme of forests and livelihoods is a vivid reminder of just how fundamental the health of the natural environment is to our own. We look forward to continuing to participate with both CITES and UNDP on such celebrations well into the future. --- For more information and to arrange interviews, please contact: CITES Secretariat: Francisco Perez, +41 22 917 1447, francisco.perezgonzalez@un.org United Nations Development Programme: Sangita Khadka, +212906 5043, sangita.khadka@undp.org Jackson Wild: Abbey Greene, +1 307 200 3286, abbey@jacksonwild.org --- About CITES The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was signed on 3 March 1973 and entered into force on 1 July 1975. With 183 Parties (182 countries + the European Union), it remains one of the world's most powerful tools for wildlife conservation through the regulation of international trade in over 38,000 species of wild animals and plants. CITES-listed species are used by people around the world in their daily lives for food, health care, furniture, housing, tourist souvenirs, cosmetics or fashion. CITES seeks to ensure that international trade in such species is sustainable, legal and traceable and contributes to both the livelihoods of the communities that live closest to them and to national economies for a healthy planet and the prosperity of the people in support of UN Sustainable Development Goals. About Jackson Wild For 30 years, Jackson Wild has hosted extraordinary convenings for science, nature and conservation media stakeholders, celebrating the finest and most innovative media in the genre. The World Wildlife Day Film Showcase brings together stakeholders from all over the world to focus on a single global theme. Jackson Wilds international board members include: ARTE France, BBC Studios, Blue Ant Media / Love Nature, Boreales, Conservation International, Discovery, Doclights, FujiFilm Optical Devices - Fujinon Lenses, Gorongosa Restoration Project, HHMI Tangled Bank Studios, Humane Society International, International Fund for Animal Welfare, National Geographic Partners, National Geographic Society, Nature/WNET, Netflix, Off the Fence Productions, ORF/Universum, PBS, Saint Thomas Productions, San Diego Zoo, Seeker, Smithsonian Channel, Sony Electronics, SVT - Swedish Television, The Nature Conservancy, Terra Mater Factual Studios, Wanda Natura, WGBH, and World Wildlife Fund US. About UNDP UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. Learn more at undp.org or follow at @UNDP. About the United Nations World Wildlife Day On 20 December 2013, the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 3 March as World Wildlife Day to celebrate and raise awareness of the worlds wild fauna and flora. The date is the day of the signature of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1973. World Wildlife Day has quickly become the most prominent global annual event dedicated to wildlife. It is an opportunity to celebrate the many beautiful and varied forms of wild fauna and flora and to raise awareness of the various challenges faced by these species. The day also reminds us of the urgent need to step up the fight against wildlife crime, which has wide-ranging economic, environmental and social impacts. [March 03, 2021] AmplifiedAg Introduces Indoor Farm Platform and Disruptive Technologies, Positioning Company for Rapid Expansion CHARLESTON, S.C., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With a mission to provide global access to safe food, AmplifiedAg, Inc. introduces its indoor farming platform which includes vertical farms, hydroponic systems, and its proprietary operating system with disruptive seed-to-sale SaaS-based technologies. For the past five years, AmplifiedAg has demonstrated its unparalleled ability to sustainably grow produce to scale at the highest yield, quality and nutritional value, while operating directly at the point of consumption. AmplifiedAg deploys indoor farms 70% faster than other CEA implementations, and directly at the point of consumption. "AmplifiedAg is on a trajectory to change how the world is feeding itself. Through the adoption of our core technologies and scalable farm platform, we're providing secure food sources and influencing a global shift to indoor farming, which will play a key role in providing food to a growing planet," said Don Taylor, CEO of AmplifiedAg, Inc. AmplifiedAg rapidly deploys fully functioning farms 70% faster than other CEA implementations, and at cost that is 50% of the required capital per production pound. The company upcycles shipping containers into controlled agriculture environments with vertical hydroponic systems, LED lights and electronics, and integrated with AmplifiedAg's proprietary operating system. AmplifiedAg's indoor farm platform produces 86 times more crop yield per acre compared to traditional farmlands and provides reliable crop production with 365-day farming, regardless of climate and resources. The compact design maximizes the growing space, and provides easy mobility and scalability in food deserts and space-limited areas. But the heartbeat of the operation is AmplifiedAg's proprietary Operating System that features industry exclusive traceability which tracks every detail of an individual plant's journey from its growth to distribution. This gives farmers total transparency ad control of horticulture, food safety, and business management. Farm containers' resilient architecture and segmentation minimizes the risk of crop loss due to pest and pathogen infestations. SaaS-based technologies provide real-time tracking analytics and 24/7 access for farmers to mitigate risk, control the farm environment and optimize plant growth. AmplifiedAg's ability to quickly place farms directly in communities and distribution points drastically reduces emissions. Sustainably-focused, the farms don't use soil or pesticides and utilize up to 95% less water than traditional farming. Wholly-owned by AmplifiedAg, Vertical Roots is the company's proofpoint and has set industry-breaking records in less than five years. Vertical Roots is the largest hydroponic container farm in the U.S., growing nutritious leafy greens with products in over 1,200 grocery stores across the Southeast. With a proven concept for leafy greens, AmplifiedAg's horticulture expansion plan includes varied nutrient and protein-rich foods to feed the world's growing population. Increasing threats to the planet's food production fueled Taylor, a 30-year software industry veteran, to found AmplifiedAg in 2016. "With a growing population, less arable land, water supply and food contamination issues, climate change and environmental disasters," said Taylor, "Our planet is on a path to grow less food for more people while continuing to accelerate the degradation of the earth's fragile ecosystem. Exasperating our already critical food access issues on the planet. The only way we're going to get ourselves out of this situation is with technology. We need to grow safer food in greater volumes closer to the point of consumption, while conserving and restoring the environment." "That is what is driving all of our development and innovation, and ultimately the demand we are seeing from indoor farmers and communities across the world," concluded Taylor. AmplifiedAg, Inc. was founded in 2016 as the parent company of Vertical Roots, Boxcar Central, a SaaS platform supporting third-party logistics companies and breweries, and Tiger Corner Farms, a CEA farm manufacturing company. AmplifiedAg has absorbed Tiger Corner Farms and Boxcar Central operations as the company presents its mobile indoor farm platform to the market. About AmplifiedAg, Inc. AmplifiedAg, Inc. is an agtech industry visionary on a mission to provide global access to safe food. The company manufactures indoor vertical farms, hydroponic systems, and disruptive seed-to-sale SaaS-based technologies. Unlike other indoorag operations, AmplifiedAg provides holistic indoor farm solutions to grow and distribute food anywhere in the world. AmplifiedAg owns and operates Vertical Roots , the largest hydroponic container farm in the World. Learn more at www.amplifiedaginc.com . Growing Food for a Growing World. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/amplifiedag-introduces-indoor-farm-platform-and-disruptive-technologies-positioning-company-for-rapid-expansion-301239568.html SOURCE AmplifiedAg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Extends Option Agreement to Acquire Tarmoola Station Perth, Mar 3, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Torian Resources Limited ( ASX:TNR ) is pleased to advise that via its wholly owned subsidiary Tarmoola Holdings Pty Ltd (THP) it has extended its exclusive option agreement to purchase the 172,662Ha (424,748 Acre) Tarmoola Station.As Torian is looking to finance as much of the purchase as possible though debt so as to avoid significant shareholder dilution, the exclusive option period has been extended until April 30, 2021 allowing additional time for Torian to continue ongoing discussions and negotiations with financers. Indications thus far have been very positive, in that a significant percentage of the purchase may be funded by way of debt finance.The majority of Torian's Mt Stirling Gold Project including the Mt Stirling, Stirling Well, numerous historical Au workings, and much of the Diorite prospects and historical mines and workings, falls within the bounds of Tarmoola Station. Approximately 50% of the pastoral lease is covered by mining / exploration leases, with the station hosting numerous operating and abandoned mines including Red 5 Ltd's KOTH Operation; Round Oak Minerals Jaguar Project and the operating Bentley underground mine.The station currently contains a 20-person camp with approvals in place as well as infrastructure already built to expand to a 50-person accommodation facility. The Pastoral Lease also includes the 10 Mile Outcamp accommodation facility, in the NE of the property, and is serviced by the Goldfields Highway and a myriad of pastoral access tracks, including the Agnew and Darlot access roads. The station is neighboured by Nambi Station - leased by Glencore Mining, and Melrose Station leased by Red 5 Ltd.Since 2018 the owners have invested in excess of $1,000,000 in infrastructure upgrades across the Station including maintaining and upgrading 34 automated solar powered wells out of 42 existing wells that draw from the abundant water resource of the Tarmoola Aquifer.In addition to the pastoral lease and camp, the station agreement includes a number of revenue generating assets, including approximately 700 head of cattle, a continuous $360,000 per annum of carbon credits and a mining services business "Carhill Contracting" which is cash flow positive. In the last 12 months Carhill Contracting's customers have included Red 5 ( ASX:RED ), St Barbara Ltd ( ASX:SBM ), Round Oak Mining ( ASX:SOL ) Torian Resources ( ASX:TNR ) amongst other regional explorers. The revenue earned from carbon credits is as a result of the delivery and sale of Australian Carbon Credit Units ascribed to the Pastoral Station pursuant to the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011 (Cth).The purchase of the station and associated business also include hard assets (Machinery, vehicles etc) that have been independently valued at $1,165,600 (inc GST),which is significantly more than the $700,000 mentioned in the last ASX announcement dated 21/12/2020.As part of this option agreement, the current Station Manager has agreed to stay on for at least 12 months post settlement to provide stability during this transition. Torian Resources envisages a long and mutually beneficial business model whereby Pastoral interests can co-exist with the mineral wealth of the region and its rich pioneering history.As the agreement includes a number of cash flow positive businesses and over $1M of independently valued hard assets, Torian believes it can fund the bulk of the purchase through debt finance, thereby limiting shareholder dilution.Torian Executive Director Mr Peretz Schapiro said, "As drilling results continue to come in from our Mt Stirling Gold Project, it is becoming increasingly obvious that we will be working that ground for many years to come. Therefore, purchasing the station and its associated business (mining services, accommodation etc) becomes more and more of a "no-brainer," as in the long run it will reduce our discovery cost per ounce, and as owners of the pastoral lease it will ensure that the process of obtaining permits for our exploration and potential future mining activities, is as seamless as possible.The purchase of the Tarmoola station is therefore seen as a crucial step towards fast-tracking the exploration of and potential mining production at the Mt Stirling Gold Project.There are substantial access benefits by holding pastoral leases. Owning and controlling the pastoral lease on which the majority of our flagship project lies, in addition to the accommodation facilities and earth moving equipment, gives us enormous flexibility when it comes to our future exploration plans, as we continue to put runs on the board, prove up and expand on multiple targets and deposits to deliver JORC resources in the region. Furthermore, we will be able to leverage our positions as owners of the station when it comes to negotiations with our neighbours' within the Pastoral Lease, making us a significant player in the region.In addition, we will look to capitalise on the increase in the price of beef over the last few months.With drought conditions easing bringing plenty of rainfall to fill damns and grow lush pastures for cattle feed, Torian will look to establish further sustainable breeders to maximise the agricultural potential in coming years.For the avoidance of doubt, this agreement is not the reason for our current suspension on the ASX. Being in suspension is obviously immensely frustrating for our company and our shareholders. Shareholders should rest assured that we are currently working with the ASX to ensure that we are back 'on the boards' and trading again as quickly as possible.We look forward to keeping the market updated on our progress."About Tarmoola StationTarmoola Station is a pastoral lease located about 25 kilometres north west of Leonora and 100 kilometres south of Leinster in the Goldfields of Western Australia. The western boundary of Tarmoola adjoins Sturt Meadows Station.The property was established on land that was previously owned by the Leonora Pastoral Company but had remained largely undeveloped. Reuben McBride inspected the area and took up a lease over approximately 500,000 acres in 1923. Together with W. G. Hawkes, McBride formed the Tarmoola Pastoral Company in 1924 and embarked on an improvement program.Shortly afterward some 240,000 acres was fenced and several bores sunk.To view the terms of the agreement, please visit:About Torian Resources Limited Torian Resources Ltd (ASX:TNR) is a gold exploration and development company with an extensive and strategic land holding comprising eight projects and over 400km2 of tenure in the Goldfields Region of Western Australia. Torian's flagship project, Zuleika, is located along the world-class Zuleika Shear. The Zuleika Shear is the fourth largest gold producing region in Australia and consistently produces some of the country's highest grade and lowest cost gold mines. Torian's Zuleika project lies north and partly along strike of several major gold deposits including Northern Star's (ASX:NST) 7.0Moz East Kundana Joint Venture and Evolutions (ASX:EVN) 1.8Moz Frogs Legs and White Foil deposits. Torian's other projects include the strategically located Mt Stirling and Malcolm Projects in the Leonora region (near Red 5's King of the Hills Project), where it recently completed updated Mineral Resource Estimates and preliminary scoping studies, and a suite of other projects in the Kalgoorlie region including Credo Well JV Zuleika JV, Bonnie Vale, Gibraltar and Mount Monger/Wombola. Democrat Dan McKee was sworn in as Rhode Islands 76th governor Tuesday, while Gina Raimondo officially resigned the role and joined President Joe Bidens cabinet as U.S. commerce secretary. McKee, 69, has served as the states lieutenant governor since 2015. He will serve out the remaining 22 months of former Gov. Raimondos four-year term. Raimondo, 49, is a fellow Democrat and former venture capitalist whose new job will be to help set the Biden administrations trade policy and promote U.S. opportunities for growth domestically and overseas. She received Senate confirmation Tuesday. McKee is a lifelong Rhode Islander who earlier served as mayor of Cumberland, a town of about 33,500. He was sworn in about a year after the first case of coronavirus was confirmed in Rhode Island a health crisis that overshadowed Raimondos final year as governor and will dominate McKees first. The new governor said in a statement after Tuesdays brief Statehouse ceremony that he was honored and humbled to lead the state at a critical time. I will work hard, day in and day out, on behalf of Rhode Islanders in all 39 cities and towns to ensure we come out of this pandemic stronger than we went in, McKee said. His office said a public inauguration will be held Sunday on the Statehouse steps. Hes also slated to make stops Wednesday at vaccination clinics and a small business in the Providence area as well as sign an executive order. The Democratic Governors Association, meanwhile, quickly welcomed him to the fold. A lifelong public servant, Gov. McKee has the experience needed to lead Rhode Island out of this pandemic and towards economic recovery, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who chairs the group, said in a statement that also thanked Raimondo for her service. Rhode Island House Speaker Joe Shekarchi and Senate President Dominick Ruggerio, both Democrats, said McKee brings valuable perspective as a former mayor and as a consistent and strong voice for the hard-hit small business community. Later this month, McKee is required to submit to lawmakers a proposed budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. The deficit is already estimated at more than $300 million. The transition from Raimondo to McKee couldnt be any more stark in terms of approach and personality, but dramatic change isnt expected from the new leadership, said Joseph Cammarano, a political science professor at Providence College. Raimondo had a rising national profile even before she became governor, he said. As the states general treasurer, she successfully pushed for a major overhaul of the state pension system. Meanwhile McKee, who has run small businesses for decades, has been part of local politics for years but has never been quite front and center. Hes the low key, behind-the-scenes guy, Cammarano said. He would not have been anyones first pick. McKee, who graduated from Assumption College in Massachusetts and earned a masters degree from Harvard, has been critical of the states vaccine rollout efforts under Raimondo, but said late last month Rhode Island was doing a better job. Hes also pledged to retain many of the top officials and experts Raimondo has tapped to lead the states pandemic response. I expect him to be competent, capable and lowkey, Cammarano said. In a way, hes a return to the Rhode Island governors of the past. The new governors biggest strength is arguably the ties hes forged as a respected former mayor, said Aaron Ley, a political science professor at the University of Rhode Island in South Kingstown. As he prepared to take office, McKee drew on many of his former peers in and around the Blackstone Valley north of Providence. He gets it. He knows what the 39 communities are going through, said Johnston Mayor Joseph Polisena, who has known McKee for more than a decade and is among the municipal leaders advising him. He understands what we need. Rhode Islanders will also find McKee, who intends to run for governor outright next year, is measured, has no ego, and is willing to surround himself with experts from a variety of backgrounds and differing opinions, he added. Hes going to put people at ease, Polisena said. Hes ready for the job. One decision McKee gets to make that his predecessor didnt: who will be the next governor-in-waiting. Dozens of candidates have applied to take McKees old office, including current and former lawmakers, community activists, a one-time mayor, a TV weather forecaster and ordinary citizens. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 16:19:49|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Workers transport a batch of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines in Cairo International Airport, Egypt, Feb. 23, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Huiwo) CAIRO, March 3 (Xinhua) -- As the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines provided by China for Egypt and the General Secretariat of Arab League arrived, the Arab world once again witnessed the determination of China to underpin international solidarity against the COVID-19 pandemic, and promote the building of a global community of health for all. "(The) Chinese government has decided to provide Egypt with a second batch of aid vaccines to continue providing support in the fight against the epidemic," Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang told an online press conference on Monday. China is willing to strengthen vaccine cooperation with Egypt, support international solidarity against the COVID-19 pandemic, and promote the building of a global community of health for all, said Liao. On Feb. 23, Liao and Egyptian Assistant Health Minister for Financial and Administrative Affairs Wael El Saaey held a handover ceremony at the Cairo International Airport upon the arrival of the vaccines developed by Sinopharm. On the same day, Egyptian Health Minister Hala Zayed expressed gratitude to China for its offer of COVID-19 vaccines, saying that Egypt deeply appreciates China's help given that vaccines are currently limited worldwide, and this reflects the great friendship between the Egyptian and the Chinese people. China's experience in and the central government's capability of fighting the pandemic in a country with the world's largest population is unique and has inspired the world, the minister said. Magdy Badran, a professor of virology and member of the Egyptian Association of Immunology, hailed China's suggestion for cooperation with developing countries and stressed its vital role in combating and ending COVID-19 in the future. "Vaccines are the only hope to curb and control the spread of the virus," said Badran, adding the most important thing is that they should be safe, effective, cheap and available, and the Chinese vaccines are exactly so. The Egyptian medical expert said that he was deeply impressed by China's proposal of building a global community of health for all, as the virus doesn't differentiate between the poor and rich, or developed and developing countries. China and Egypt have joined hands to launch a central business district project in Egypt's New Administrative Capital, with the 385-meter-high Iconic Tower hitting 300 meters recently. It's expected to be the tallest building in Africa upon completion. On Feb. 8, the signing ceremony for Egypt's Alamein Downtown Towers Project between China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) and the Egyptian Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities was held simultaneously in Cairo and Beijing. "This year marks the 65th anniversary of Egypt-China diplomatic ties. China and Egypt should better strengthen their development strategies and promote cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative," Hussein Ismail, deputy editor-in-chief of the Arabic version of China Today magazine, told Xinhua in a recent interview. "Egypt welcomes more Chinese enterprises to do business in Egypt and make concerted efforts to further enhance (the) comprehensive strategic partnership with China," he stressed. Enditem The Market Report with Katie Pilbeam. FTSE 100 opened in the green ahead one of the most keenly anticipated Budget announcements in decades. Londons leading index rose 81 points to 6,695 in early trading. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to allocate 10bn to extend the furlough scheme until September. Its part of measures worth at least 30bn designed to protect jobs. An estimated 600,000 more self-employed people will also be eligible for government help, with more grants available. PLC ( ) the UKs largest housebuilder, said house demand has remained strong at the start of 2021 with forward orders of 2.3bn or 15% higher than last year. Housebuilders should get a boost from measures to encourage first-time buyers anticipated in the Budget. s ( ) chairman Simon Thompson will step down next year after the blasting of aboriginal heritage sites at a mine in Australia. Thompson said he is ultimately accountable for the failings that led to this tragic event. Cryptocurrency miner ( ) mined129 Bitcoin (or equivalent) in February, up from 93 in January. Mining revenue rose to 4.34mln compared to Januarys 2.48mln as the price of the crypto rocketed. ( ) is now participating in the 's new dynamic containment service. The industrial battery investor will have most of its operational portfolio in the service from the start of April. (AIM: GDR) said new clinical guidance on screening to prevent antibiotic hearing loss (AHL) in babies should drive demand for its breakthrough diagnostic device. The AHL assay remains on the track for launch in the summer. 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. Paxton, IL (60957) Today Partly to mostly cloudy. High 72F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy early with increasing clouds overnight. Slight chance of a shower late. Low 56F. Winds light and variable. (Natural News) Vasily Nebenzya, Russias representative to the United Nations (UN), warned the Security Council on Tuesday, Feb. 23, against linking climate change to global security. The council convened to discuss the impact of climate change on global security and peace. But no resolution recognizing climate change as a threat to stability is on the way after Russia warned against such a step. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who chaired the meeting, warned world leaders that climate change is a threat to the security of all nations. Johnson added that it is a matter of when, not if, world leaders will have to deal with the security impacts of climate change. Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the council that climate change is a crisis multiplier that has profound implications for international peace and stability. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) also cited studies linking climate change to global conflicts. French scientist Valerie Masson-Delmotte, a member of the IPCC, said that aspects related to the threat of climate change to global peace have long been recognized. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), an intergovernmental military alliance, has also accepted the connection. At an online press conference, NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance must do more to address the impact of climate change on security. This affects all of us and our Alliance must play its role. But Nebenzya pointed out that the link between climate change and conflicts applied to certain nations, not all. Therefore, there is no justification for making that connection globally. He also argued that making that connection would be dangerous because considering climate as the root cause of global security issues would be a distraction from the true root causes. Prakash Javadekar, Indias minister of environment, forest and climate change, echoed the sentiment and said there is no accepted methodology to show climate change was a direct cause of conflicts. Climate change not a threat to global security The council met amid calls for partnerships within the UN system to reduce the acute effects of climate change on global food security and natural resources, which have been allegedly fueling tensions among countries. The calls have begun since 2018 when climate alarmists pointed out that the UN Security Council has been relatively silent about climate change. Alarmists argue that as the world warms, conflicts over food, energy, water and other basic necessities will become more common and millions will be forced from their homes. Such a prediction has yet to come to fruition. The council is tasked with intervening in affairs like international terrorism and nuclear weapon proliferation. Compared to such challenges, conflicts over basic necessities hardly comes close to being a threat to global peace and stability. Nebenzya said as much during the meeting, adding that the council should not ignore those factors that have a great impact on conflict, such as political and socio-economic matters. Nebenzya also said the council should not take on the work of other UN agencies that specialize in climate. Unfortunately, Russia stood alone in arguing against considering climate change as a threat to global security. China, which has been an ally to Russia on this issue in previous meetings, supported Johnsons sentiment. Xie Zhenhua, the special representative for climate change affairs of China, also voiced narrow concerns, stating that any role the council plays on climate change needs to fall within the councils purview. Several world leaders and representatives also called on the council to deliver a strong resolution linking climate change and global security. But until Russia yields, the council can do nothing. (Related: Climate change that ignores history.) Go to ClimateAlarmism.news to learn more about the supposed threats of climate change. Sources include: WattsUpWithThat.com UN.org NATO.int Ronny Jackson, it appears, made many, many enemies during his rise as a Navy medical officer that ultimately landed him a gig as the physician to the president of the United States. Donald Trump, however, was not one of those many, many detractors. Trump was so enamored with Jackson, a square-jawed doctor with a nose for the political winds, that Trump tried to hand Jackson a spot in his Cabinet in 2018, as the head of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Jacksons nomination, however, was ultimately scuttled when former colleagues and subordinates began expressing how they really felt about Jackson. Advertisement What emerged was an unflattering portrait of a maniacal boss who liked the sauce, not to mention the odd sleeping pill, all of which resulted in numerous inappropriate interactions with female subordinates and co-workers. The blowback was sufficient to prompt an investigation by the Department of Defense inspector generals office, which, after years of digging, confirmed a number of grisly details about Jackson, who with Trumps backing ran and won a seat in Congress last year representing the Texas panhandle. Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe to the Slatest newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. The IG report is dropping Wednesday, but CNN got a sneak peek and reported ahead of the damning reports release that Jackson made sexual and denigrating comments about a female subordinate, violated the policy for drinking alcohol while on a presidential trip and took prescription-strength sleeping medication that prompted concerns from his colleagues about his ability to provide proper care. Jackson served during both the Trump and Obama administrations, and the investigation was launched in 2018 after his failed nomination to run the VA. After interviewing 78 witnesses and reviewing a host of White House documents, investigators concluded that Jackson, who achieved the rank of Rear Admiral, failed to treat his subordinates with dignity and respect, engaged in inappropriate conduct involving the use of alcohol during two incidents and used sleeping medication during an overseas trip that raised concerns about his ability to provide medical care to the President and other top officials, CNN says of the report. Advertisement Heres how the report characterized Jackson as a colleague and boss: overwhelming majority of witnesses (56) who worked with RDML Jackson from 2012 through 2018 told us they personally experienced, saw, or heard about him yelling, screaming, cursing, or belittling subordinates, the report says. Many of these witnesses described RDML Jacksons behavior with words and phrases such as meltdowns, yells for no reason, rages, tantrums, lashes out, and aggressive. These witnesses also described RDML Jacksons leadership style with terms such as tyrant, dictator, control freak, hallmarks of fear and intimidation, crappy manager, and not a leader at all, it adds. Advertisement Jacksons boozy behavior on foreign presidential trips was also questionable. Via CNN: On a presidential trip to Manila from April 22, 2014, to April 29, 2014, four witnesses who traveled with then-President Barack Obama and Jackson said that Jackson became intoxicated and made inappropriate comments about a female medical subordinate. A witness interviewed by the IG said that shortly after arriving in Manila, Jackson began drinking in the hotel lobby, then got into a car with a drink in his hand to go out on the town. Another witness said he could smell alcohol on Jacksons breath later that evening. Back at the hotel, one of the witnesses said he saw Jackson pounding on the door of his female subordinates room. When she opened the door, Jackson said, I need you, and, I need you to come to my room. Advertisement And then there was the sleeping drug Ambien. Via CNN: At least six witnesses, all of whom were medical personnel, also told investigators that Jackson took Ambien, a prescription medicine used to treat insomnia, on long flights while on duty for providing medical care for government officials, including the President. The witnesses said they were concerned about the Ambien because it often leaves users drowsy and can impair someones mental alertness. Three years ago I was the subject of a political hit job because I stood with President Trump, Jackson said in a written statement in response to the coming report. Today, a Department of Defense Inspector General report has resurrected those same false allegations from my years with the Obama Administration because I have refused to turn my back on President Trump. THE funeral of a man who killed his two brothers in an apparent murder-suicide will take place later today. A private service is being held later this morning in Mitchelstown for John Hennessey (59), who attacked and killed his brothers Willie and Paddy before taking his own life. The bodies of Willie Hennessy (66) and Paddy Hennessy (60) were found at the family home at Curraghgorm on the outskirts of Mitchelstown last Friday morning. The body of their younger brother Johnny (59) was recovered from the nearby river Funshion (also known as Funcheon) a few hours later. Postmortem examinations were conducted on the men at Cork University Hospital by Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster. The results were not released for operational reasons. However, it is understood that Willie and Paddy Hennessy died of injuries consistent with an assault with an axe. The men suffered shock and haemorrhage associated with trauma from head injuries. Johnny Hennessy died from drowning. Read More The funerals of Willie and Paddy are understood to be taking place tomorrow. In a funeral notice posted on Rip.ie, Johnny is described as the Beloved son of the late Thomas and Eily (McCarthy) and brother of the late Jerry. He will be remembered by his sister Breda (OReilly, Anglesboro), brother-in-law Ned, nieces Elaine and Lisa, grandnephews Jack, Danny, Logan and Caleb, grandniece Halle, relatives, neighbours and friends. Paddy is described as the Beloved father of Elaine and the late Paudie and devoted grandad to Jack, Danny, Logan and Halle. Expand Close Paddy Hennessy / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Paddy Hennessy He will be Deeply mourned by his daughter, her mother Stephanie, Paddys partner Kitty Russell, grandchildren, mother-in-law May Devonshire, sister Breda (OReilly, Anglesboro), brother-in-law Ned, niece Lisa, grandnephew Caleb, relatives, neighbours and friends. In a notice for Willie, he is described as the Beloved son of the late Thomas and Eily (nee McCarthy) and brother of the late Jerry. Expand Close Willie Hennessy / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Willie Hennessy Deeply mourned by his loving sister Breda (OReilly, Anglesboro), brother-in-law Ned, nieces Elaine & Lisa, grandnephews Jack, Danny, Logan and Caleb, grandniece Halle, relatives, neighbours and friends. Gardai believe from checking phone records that Johnny Hennessy may have killed his brothers by 6pm on Thursday before driving away from the farm in his Toyota Carolla van at about 10pm to Killacluig near where his body was recovered from the river Funcheon about 1.30pm on Friday. Gardai from Mitchelstown had spoken to Johnny Hennessy at about 6pm after they were contacted by a family member in Co Limerick to say that he had been in touch and had not sounded very coherent. However, when gardai rang Johnny Hennessy, he assured them everything was okay. Gardai accepted his assurance and did not call to the family farm. The matter has been referred to the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (Gsoc) because gardai were in contact with somebody who later died. Gsoc will examine phone records to try to establish whether or not Johnny Hennessy may have already killed his two brothers when he spoke to gardai. Gardai are appealing for anyone who has information in relation to the incident to come forward. Dozens of Australia's top scientists and doctors are demanding Kathleen Folbigg be pardoned from her 30-year jail term for killing four of her infant children. Folbigg, 53, was jailed in 2003 for the murders of her children Patrick, Sarah and Laura - aged from eight months to 19 months - between 1991 and 1999. She was also found guilty of the manslaughter of her first-born child, Caleb, who was just 19 days old when he died in Newcastle in 1989. Considered Australia's worst female serial killer and 'most hated woman', she has maintained her innocence and launched another bid for freedom in September. This time she is far from alone as 76 of the country's brightest minds, plus 14 from overseas, have signed a petition calling her incarceration a 'miscarriage of justice'. Those who signed the petition, which was presented to NSW Governor, Margaret Beazley, include two Nobel laureates and three Australians of the Year. Dozens of Australia's top scientists and doctors demand Kathleen Folbigg (pictured) be pardoned from her 30-year jail term for killed four of her infant children Folbigg was jailed in 2003 for at least 25 years for murdering her children Patrick, Sarah (right) and Laura (left) - aged from eight months to 19 months - between 1991 and 1999 Folbigg was found to have smothered her children, but the petition claims that is not possible and their deaths were all from natural causes. The petition, obtained by Daily Mail Australia, points to new research that sequenced Folbigg's genome. A genetic mutation called CALM2 G114R was found in Sarah and Laura's DNA, inherited from their mother, which can cause sudden cardiac arrest in infants. Petition writers argued this meant at least those two children likely died of natural causes, and therefore creates reasonable doubt over the convictions. 'Mutations in this gene are one of the best recognised causes of sudden death in infancy and childhood,' the petition read. 'The medical evidence that now exists creates a strong presumption that the Folbigg children died of natural causes. 'A reasonable person should have doubt about Ms Folbigg killing her four children. Deciding otherwise rejects medical science and the law that sets the standard of proof.' Considered Australia's worst female serial killer and 'most hated woman', she has maintained her innocence and launched another bid for freedom in September She was also found guilty of the manslaughter of her first child, Caleb (left), who was 19 days old when he died in Newcastle in 1989. Patrick Folbigg pictured right Signatories to the petition, addressed to NSW Governor Margaret Beazley, offered a scathing assessment of the case against Folbigg and the 'injustice' of her still being locked up. They included Australian Academy of Science president and Prime Minister's Prize for Science, John Shine, 2009 Nobel Prize winner Elizabeth Blackburn, and 1996 Nobel Prize winner and 1997 Australian of the Year Peter Doherty. Other Australians of the Year who signed were Fiona Stanley, for whom a hospital in Perth is named, and Ian Frazer who invented the cervical cancer vaccine. They argued the conclusion of a 2019 inquiry, which affirmed the guilty verdict, was at odds with medical and scientific evidence. 'This is because a natural cause of death for each of the children has been ascribed by qualified experts, and there was no evidence of smothering,' the petition reads. 'The Governor should have no doubt that the case against Kathleen Folbigg is entirely circumstantial. 'It is based on the proposition that the likelihood of four children from one family dying of natural causes is so unlikely as to be virtually impossible. 'It resulted in medical evidence being rejected in favour of inculpatory interpretations of Ms Folbigg's vague journal entries, which contained no admissions of guilt.' A page from Folbigg's diary: 'With Sarah all I wanted was her to shut up. And one day she did' An entry outlining Folbigg's feelings following the birth of Patrick, who was the second to die Evidence presented during Folbigg's Supreme Court trial, which saw her convicted of murder A TIMELINE OF MAJOR EVENTS IN KATHLEEN FOLBIGG'S LIFE * JUNE 14, 1967 - Kathleen Megan Donovan (later Folbigg) born * JANUARY 8, 1969 - Folbigg's mother murdered by her father * 1987 - Kathleen marries Craig Folbigg * FEBRUARY 20, 1989 - Caleb Folbigg dies aged 19 days * FEBRUARY 13, 1991 - Patrick Folbigg dies aged eight months * AUGUST 30, 1993 - Sarah Folbigg dies aged 10 months * MARCH 1, 1999 - Laura Folbigg dies, aged 18 months * OCTOBER 24, 2003 - Folbigg sentenced to 40 years in prison for murder, non-parole period is 30 years, later reduced on appeal to 25 years * JUNE 10, 2015 - NSW Governor David Hurley receives petition for review of convictions based on forensic pathology findings * OCTOBER 28, 2018 - Inquiry into convictions opens * MAY 2019 - An international medical registry reports that two US children have died of the mutation found in Sarah and Laura * JULY 2019 - Inquiry finds no reasonable doubt to Folbigg's convictions. Validation of Folbigg mutation could not be completed before end of inquiry * NOVEMBER 17, 2020 - Likely role of CALM2 mutation in Sarah and Laura's death confirmed in world leading study * MARCH 3, 2021 - Petition for Folbigg pardon sent to NSW Governor Margaret Beazley * MARCH 24, 2021 - NSW Court of Appeal dismisses challenge to Blanch Inquiry, stating its conclusion was not at odds with the evidence Advertisement Folbigg's former husband Craig found her diaries at their home in the New South Wales Hunter Valley. The chilling entries were made after the death of her first three children. 'Very depressed with myself, angry and upset. I've done it. I lost it with her,' she wrote of baby Laura on January 28, 1998. Laura would be the last of her children to die before her murderous spree was discovered. 'I yelled at her so angrily that it scared her. She hasn't stopped crying. Got so bad I nearly purposely dropped her on the floor and left her. I restrained enough to put her on the floor and walk away. Went to my room and left her to cry.' 'Was gone probably only five minutes but it seemed like a lifetime. I feel like the worst mother on this earth. Scared that she'll leave me now. Like Sarah did. I knew I was short tempered and cruel sometimes to her and she left. With a bit of help.' Only weeks earlier, on New year's Eve, she seemingly mocked the deaths of Laura's siblings. 'She's a fairly good natured baby, thank goodness, it will save her from the fate of her siblings. I think she was warned,' she wrote. A month earlier, Folbigg wrote of her desire to try and be a better mother this time around, but she was failing badly. Folbigg was found to have smothered her children, but the petition claims this is not possible and their deaths were all from natural causes The petition argued her latest appeal could take years to finalise, during which time Folbigg (pictured) unjustly languishes in jail 'Think I handle her fits of crying better than I did with Sarah - I've learnt to, once getting to me, to walk away and breathe in for a while myself. It helps me cope and figure out how to help her,' she wrote. 'With Sarah all I wanted was her to shut up. And one day she did.' Folbigg herself argued in 2018: 'Those diaries are written from a point of me always blaming myself. 'I blamed myself for everything. I took so much of the responsibility, because that's, as mothers, what you do.' The petition argued her latest appeal could take years to finalise, during which time she unjustly languishes in jail. 'Ms Folbigg has suffered and continues to suffer emotional and psychological trauma and physical abuse in custody,' the petition read. 'She has endured the death of her four children and has been wrongfully incarcerated because the justice system has failed her. We the undersigned seek her immediate pardon and release from jail.' They argued Governor Beazley had a duty to orchestrate Folbigg's pardon for the sake of justice, human right, and legal precedent. 'The executive prerogative of mercy is designed to deal with failures of the justice system such as this one,' the petition summed up in its conclusion section. Why dozens of top scientists signed the Folbigg petition Child and public health researcher Professor Fiona Stanley 'It is deeply concerning that medical and scientific evidence has been ignored in preference of circumstantial evidence. 'We now have an alternative explanation for the death of the Folbigg children.' Human geneticist and researcher Professor Jozef Gecz 'The science in this particular case is compelling and cannot be ignored. Despite the new knowledge gained from sequencing the human genome almost 20 years ago. 'We still have some way to go when it comes to both understanding the complexities of genetic disorders and educating the community about these issues' 'Expert advice should always be heard, and listened to. It will always trump presumption.' Former Australian Chief Scientist Professor Ian Chubb 'Expert advice should always be heard, and listened to. It will always trump presumption.' Australian National University Professor of Immunology Carola Vinuesa 'In all four Folbigg children, there is credible medical and pathological evidence, including new peer-reviewed genetic findings, by an international team of 27 scientists published in a top international cardiology journal last year, that points towards natural causes of death. 'It is our responsibility as scientists to assist our legal peers so that they can rely on scientific, peer-reviewed evidence and ensure that domain experts are at their disposal to solve the issues of a difficult legal case.' Australian Academy of Science President Professor John Shine 'Given the scientific and medical evidence that now exists in this case, signing this petition was the right thing to do. 'These matters are incredibly complex. As our scientific knowledge deepens, so does the complexity, which makes the job of the courts a more complex one too. 'We want to work more closely with the legal community to ensure evidence placed before courts is presented in the most accurate way possible, using the most appropriate experts and the most up-to-date science.' Advertisement 'It is incumbent on the Governor to exercise her power to stop the ongoing miscarriage of justice suffered by Ms Folbigg. 'Not to do so is to continue to deny Ms Folbigg basic human rights and to decrease faith in the NSW justice system. 'Ms Folbigg's case also establishes a dangerous precedent as it means that cogent medical and scientific evidence can simply be ignored in preference to subjective interpretations of circumstantial evidence.' The petition relies heavily on a the research of 27 scientists who last August released findings which show at least two of her children may have died of natural causes. Folbigg leaving the Supreme Court of NSW in April 2003. Scientists have said a never-seen-before genetic mutation found in her two girls' DNA had likely been deadly Folbigg launched legal proceedings against the inquiry's chief, former NSW District Court Judge Reginald Oliver Blanch. The 53-year-old alleges he acted with 'apprehended bias' against her, while making mistakes in his findings. The NSW Supreme Court heard Folbigg would argue Mr Blanch failed to properly accept the information collected by medical experts since she was sentenced. 'I apprehend that underlying [Folbigg's] stated grounds there is a proposition the judicial officer did not, in some way, come to grips with new medical - immunological and genetic - evidence post trial,' Justice John Basten said. Folbigg's lawyers said a 'significant shift in the scientific material' took place, and argued Mr Blanche's report was 'legally flawed'. The attorney-general denied the accusations against Mr Blanch. In a peer-reviewed study published last August, researchers in Australia, Canada, the United States, France, Italy and Denmark said a never-seen-before genetic mutation in the two girls' DNA had likely been deadly. The Danish scientists said the mutation, called CALM2 G114R, had been inherited from Folbigg. They said Caleb and Patrick had another genetic mutation which too could have led to their deaths. The CALM2 mutation causes a condition called 'Calmodulinopathy' which can cause sudden cardiac death in very young children, the paper's lead scientist said. They said the boys' mutated genes had two different copies which caused lethal epilepsy in mice in cases where they were faulty. Professor of Immunology at the Australian National University Carola Vinuesa - who revealed the results to a scientists' symposium - was last year tasked with analysing the DNA of Folbigg and the four deceased children. Scientists had analysed the infants' genome using only the blood from their heel-prick cards at birth. The report by Mr Blanch said 'the only conclusion reasonably open is that somebody intentionally caused harm to the children, and smothering was the obvious method'. 'The evidence pointed to no person other than Ms Folbigg,' the report said. Tracy Chapman (pictured) has been friends with convicted child killer Kathleen Folbigg since the pair were six and she has maintained her best friend's innocence since she was sent to jail after her 2003 Sydney trial Folbigg's evidence and listening device transcripts - which weren't before the jury at trial - showed she had been untruthful, unbelievable and 'made deliberate attempts to obscure the fact that she had committed the offences', it said. The inquiry was announced by NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman in 2018 after Folbigg's lawyers lodged a petition casting doubt on some evidence that led to her conviction. At the time, the attorney-general said he'd formed the view it was necessary 'to ensure public confidence in the administration of justice'. The results of the inquiry left Folbigg 'heartbroken and perplexed', friend Tracey Chapman told 7 News. She said despite the findings, they would continue to fight to prove her innocence. 'I can assure you, it's not over. Not until this gross injustice is recognised, the convictions overturned and this broken, arrogant, biased system apologises for its treatment of Kath. 'We have truth on our side and a growing number of supporters who are becoming very frustrated. I told her to try and find some comfort in these facts.' Read the petition to the NSW Governor Margaret Beazley here. COLUMBIA South Carolina's constitution prohibits saloons, and state Sen. Dick Harpootlian said he believes it's time to spell out those rules and require businesses to comply. The Columbia Democrat is author of a bill that defines the standards for a restaurant to have a liquor license. Harpootlian and some of his neighbors living near Columbia's Five Points have been arguing that bars in the neighborhood do not comply with the requirement of primarily being in the business of serving food. Now that debate could bring a change in state law. The South Carolina constitution, written in the mid-19th century, defines a restaurant eligible for a liquor license as one that is "primarily and substantially" in the business of serving meals. But there is no specific threshold and, under state law, bars are lumped in with restaurants. Under Harpootlian's bill, that would be 51 percent of a business' gross revenue coming from food and nonalcoholic beverage sales. Arguing that many businesses in the state really are operating illegally as saloons, Harpootlian cited the bars that draw huge crowds of students in Five Points on weekends as an example to be scrutinized. "You will see what it looks like and it's not good," he said during a March 2 Senate subcommittee hearing for his proposal. From his work on a court case involving a Five Points bar, Harpootlian said he learned that the business got 75 percent of its revenue or more from alcohol sales. That's hugely different from a traditional restaurant, he 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! "This is not going to put any restaurants out of business." Some in the restaurant business in Charleston are worried about the bill's 51 percent requirement, Sen. Sandy Senn, R-Charleston, told Harpootlian during the hearing. Referring to Harpootlian's scraps over Columbia bars, Senn jokingly offered an amendment that the bill apply only in Five Points. "Charleston has always had a different approach to the serving of alcohol," Harpootlian said. The S.C. Department of Revenue has declined to renew licenses for 11 of 15 bars in the Five Points district known as hangouts for University of South Carolina students. Bars with existing licenses can remain open while appeals proceed. At least five bars in Five Points have closed as a result of pressure mounted by neighbors and the college since 2019. Harpootlian said he would solicit responses from the hospitality industry about the required percentage of non-alcohol sales before the bill's next hearing, and that the percentage of gross income is a negotiable issue. The bill did not get a vote from the subcommittee. Another hearing is likely in the coming weeks. Nearly three dozen Democratic members of the Illinois House of Representatives have signed onto a resolution to condemn a southern Illinois Republican lawmaker for attending a Jan. 6 rally in Washington, D.C., that preceded a violent riot at the U.S. Capitol. House Resolution 132 also references a complaint filed with Illinois Legislative Inspector General Carol Pope to investigate the Jan. 6 actions of Rep. Chris Miller of Oakland. The legislative inspector general is responsible for investigating complaints of violations of any law, rule or abuse of authority or other forms of misconduct by members of the General Assembly. Supporting and participating in insurrection against the government is way beyond the pale and violates our oath of office, Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Deerfield, said Tuesday. The state of Illinois deserves to know what role Rep. Miller had in the riot of Jan. 6 in Washington, D.C., and that is why I referred this matter to the legislative inspector general for proper investigation. Illinois Democratic County Chairs Association President Kristina Zahorik also submitted a complaint late last month to the Office of the Legislative Inspector General to investigate Millers actions. The House resolution was co-sponsored as of Tuesday by 33 House Democrats, including House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch of Hillside; Speaker Pro Tempore Jehan Gordon-Booth of Peoria; and Majority Leader Greg Harris of Chicago. The resolution also criticizes Miller for allegedly adorning his truck with a decal for an anti-government militia group known as The Three Percenters. The resolution and calls to investigate Miller are in response to the GOP lawmakers publicized attendance at the Jan. 6 rally at which former President Donald Trump spoke before the crowd stormed the Capitol. In a video taken that day and posted on Facebook, Miller appears with the Washington Monument in the background and says hes at the Save America Rally in Washington, D.C. I think its important to know we are engaged in a great cultural war to see which worldview will survive, whether we will remain a free people under free market capitalism or whether they will put us under the tyranny of socialism, communism and the dangerous Democrat terrorists that are trying to destroy our country, Miller said in the video. The video was preserved online, although Miller deleted his social media posts from that day. Miller, 66, did not respond to requests for comment. The House resolution contends that Miller violated his oaths to the U.S. and Illinois constitutions by actively and publicly promoting the actions of an internationally recognized para-military hate group, for having a decal representing The Three Percenters. Miller has denied being a member of The Three Percenters and said he removed the sticker from his truck, according to news reports. The resolution also claims Miller through his continued actions and instigations, has created an environment that potentially threatens not only the sanctity of the Illinois General Assembly but also the safety of the members and their staff. Miller, who first was elected to the General Assembly in November 2018, serves House District 110, which covers a swath of southeastern Illinois and borders Indiana. He was reelected in November. His wife, U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, R-Illinois, also came under scrutiny when a video began circulating of the congresswoman saying, Hitler was right about one thing. He said, Whoever has the youth has the future. Our children are being propagandized. She later walked those comments back. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 21:46:00|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attends the unveiling of the installation "Pandemic Classroom," a model classroom made up of 168 empty desks, at the UN headquarters in New York on March 2, 2021, to call attention to the need for governments to prioritize the reopening of schools. Schools for more than 168 million children worldwide have been completely closed for almost a full year because of the coronavirus pandemic, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday. (Eskinder Debebe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua) UNITED NATIONS, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Schools for more than 168 million children worldwide have been completely closed for almost a full year because of the coronavirus pandemic, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday. Meanwhile, about 214 million children around the world, or one in seven, have missed more than three quarters of their in-person learning, according to new data released by UNICEF. The analysis on school closures report shows that 14 countries globally have remained largely closed from March 2020 to February 2021, two thirds of which are in Latin America and the Caribbean, affecting nearly 98 million schoolchildren. "As we approach the one-year mark of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are again reminded of the catastrophic education emergency worldwide lockdowns have created. With every day that goes by, children unable to access in-person schooling fall further and further behind, with the most marginalized paying the heaviest price," said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. "We cannot afford to move into year two of limited or even no in-school learning for these children. No effort should be spared to keep schools open, or prioritize them in reopening plans," added Fore. According to the latest data released by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, more than 888 million children globally continue to face disruptions to their education because of full and partial school closures. Also on Tuesday, UNICEF unveiled "Pandemic Classroom," a model classroom made up of 168 empty desks, to call attention to the education emergency and raise governments' awareness to keep schools open. Each of the 168 empty desks represents one million children living in countries where schools have been almost entirely closed. "We do not want shuttered doors and closed buildings to obscure the fact that our children's futures are being put on indefinite pause," said Fore. "This installation is a message to governments: We must prioritize reopening schools, and we must prioritize reopening them better than they were before." UNICEF also urges governments to prioritize every student's unique needs, with comprehensive services covering remedial learning, health and nutrition, mental health and protection measures in schools. Enditem Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 Chron readers were more than happy to share their thoughts after Governor Greg Abbott's announcement ending Texas' statewide mask mandate. The Lone Star State was center stage again as everyone from local leaders to politicians and social media chimed in with how they really felt about the decision. ABBOTT ENDS MANDATE: Abbott ends Texas mask mandate, opens businesses '100 percent' We asked Chron readers where they stand on the matter of masks. Sufficed to say, opinions were varied and plenty. "Very irresponsible move by Abbott," said Facebook user Pamela. "I am fully vaccinated and will continue to wear a mask and practice all precautions." "Im still wearing a mask, social distancing, and wont be patronizing crowded stores, etc. Its too early to go back to normal," Theresa said. Lisa said: "Still wearing masks in this household. Adult daughters also won't be going back to restaurants at 100%. Too risky. Thank God I got my 1st vaccine today. When the CDC says it's ok to stop everything, we will. Until then, we are doing our part. And then in 2024, we will vote Abbott out." Carol said: "Just in time to super spread the spring breakers! They were already so responsible the first time, of course they'll be responsible now. :screams into the void: when we go on lockdown again in April, Abbutt will be like, "Well, why weren't you folks responsible. Shoulda masked up. You don't need me to tell you..." "Reckless and selfish he needs to go. Will not be patronizing business that will be spreading the virus. This is a slap on all the medical community , people who has lost a love one and the thousands that been taking precautions for over a year," Ademar said. Suzanne said: "Abbott wants us to forget that he almost froze us to death two weeks ago. We won't. He wants to open the beaches and bars for the rich college kids on spring break." "Its a sad day for all the healthcare professionals that will be tasked with treating patients as Covid numbers rise. This is the dumbest decision ever," Terri said. Victoria said: "So Abbutt is leaving Texans to self-govern, just like he left the electrical grid to self-weatherize. Seems like Texas needs to declare independence from Abbutt. Vote him away." "Will continue to wear a doubled mask now, ask that my clients (Im a hairstylist) do as well and hope I can get the vaccine ASAP. I worried like I was back in March/April of last year!!! We are not ready, especially with Spring Break coming. This is insane!!" Jenn said. Antonio said: "It is one of the worst decisions that Abbott can make. He doesn't care about Texans. He is putting money before human lives again. He is a horrible human. I am still wearing a mask everywhere." Those in favor of lifting the mask mandate also shared their thoughts. Deborah said: "So happy that we are finally letting people do what they feel is right. If you want to keep wearing a mask, knock yourself out, but I will chose not to wear one." "I think it is FANTASTIC!!! Those that are hesitant can still wear masks. Use common sense for your own specific needs." Donna said. Isabel said: "You can continue to wear it!!!! He didnt say you couldnt!!!!!! Its your choice now!!!" George said: "You can still wear a mask if it makes you feel better. Stop complaining...we all have the right to protect ourselves as much as possible with various methods of protection. No one is forcing anyone to do anything they are uncomfortable with." "Praise Abbott its time for us Texans to be able to make our own decisions agin!! Dont feel safe....STAY HOME," Kelly said. Our Twitter poll had a few opinions to share as well. It's clear people are on both sides of Abbott's decision. How do you feel about Abbott's executive order to lift the mask mandate? President Joe Biden said Wednesday that Texas made a "big mistake" by removing its statewide mask mandate and suggested the decision reflected "Neanderthal thinking." The comments by the Democratic president came a day after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott announced he was not only ending the mask requirement but also allowing businesses to reopen at full capacity. A small fraction of Texans have been fully vaccinated, and while coronavirus numbers have been generally declining in the state, they remain substantial. "Texas I think it's a big mistake," Biden said at the White House. "We are on the cusp of being able to fundamentally change the nature of this disease because the way in which are are able to get vaccines in people's arms. The last thing the last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking in the meantime." HOUSTON LEADERS RESPOND: Hidalgo, Turner lambast Abbott for lifting mask order Biden's administration has urged states not to let up on restrictions as vaccinations pick up. Rochelle Walensky, Biden's director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reiterated that earlier Wednesday during a White House coronavirus briefing when asked about Abbott's announcement. "I think we at the CDC have been very clear that now is not the time to release all restrictions," Walensky said. Asked about the Texas news a short time later, White House press secretary Jen Psaki did not directly address Abbott's actions but said "the entire country has paid the price for political leaders who ignored the science when it comes to the pandemic." Abbott's announcement came four days after he joined Biden for a tour of Houston that was partly about the state's vaccination efforts. In remarks at the end of the trip, Biden stressed it was "not the time to relax" practices to curb the spread of the virus. "We have to keep washing our hands, staying socially distanced," Biden said. "And for Gods sake, wear your mask." H-E-B RESPONDS: H-E-B won't mandate for masks for shoppers, but urges customers to wear them But while federal leaders denounced Abbott's actions, Dr. John Hellerstedt, commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services, told a panel of state House members Wednesday afternoon that he and Abbott were on the same page about COVID-19 prevention recommendations. Hellerstedt said the governor did not lift restrictions in an attempt to diminish safety. I think the difference is, should you wear a mask? The answer is absolutely yes, Hellerstedt told the House Public Health Committee. Does the governor want folks to wear a mask and to take their own personal responsibility to do it? The answer I believe is yes. Hellerstedt was also asked whether Abbott consulted with him before Tuesday's action. The commissioner said that he spoke with the governors team beforehand, but the governor himself did not have a conversation with Hellerstedt ahead of the announcement. Cassi Pollock contributed reporting. Civil rights activist and political advisor Vernon Jordan died on Mar. 1. He was 85 years old. Jordan passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family after having his signature dinner and dessert. It was just the way he would have wanted it, said Jordans niece Ann Walker, We appreciate all of the outpourings of love and affection. The cause of death has not been released. Vernon Jordan was born on Aug. 15 1935, in Atlanta, GA. He graduated from David T. Howard high school with honors and attended DePauw University in Greencastle, IN, where he was the only black student out of the 400 students in the class. After his second term of school, Jordan was rejected for a summer internship with an insurance company because of his race. Instead, he went on to earn money by working for a banker and as a chauffeur for former Atlanta mayor Robert Maddox. He later attended Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C. and earned his J.D. degree. Following law school, Jordan came back to Atlanta to join the law office of civil rights activist Donald L. Hollowell. The first prominent case Jordan helped worked on was the lawsuit against the University of Georgia for racial discrimination in the admissions department. The firm won the suit, and the two African American students were permitted to attend the University. Jordan even heroically escorted the students past a group of angry protesters to the University himself. The Atlanta native was an icon in the civil rights movement. Having grown up in the Jim Crow South, Jordan experienced immense segregation first-hand. He became more involved in civil rights activism by serving as the Georgia field director for the NAACP in 1962, executive director of the United College Fund in 1970, and President of the National Urban League from 1971 to 1981, where he fought for equal rights for African Americans. Jordan was shot in an attempted murder attempt outside his hotel after returning from a public speaking event in Fort Wayne, IN, on May 29 1980. He was rushed to the hospital and had five surgeries for his critical injuries. During his extended three-month recovery at the hospital, President Jimmy Carter visited Jordan, which became a prominent media moment. The influential civil rights leader was also directly involved in politics. Jordan was famously known for being a campaign advisor and co-chair for former President Clintons transition team, a historic moment since he was the first African American to get that position. One of Jordans most prominent influences in the administration was his encouragement for Clinton to pass the NAFTA agreement in 1993. He also worked with a plethora of other Presidents, including Lyndon B. Johnson, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. The political advisor and civil rights leader has received over 55 honorary degrees, a Spingarn Medal from the NAACP for outstanding achievement, and sat on countless boards of directors. Vernon Jordans roles in so many historic moments in U.S. history paved the way for so many African Americans. His legacy of standing up for justice and equality is incredibly inspiring. The busy state Motor Vehicle Commission agency in Eatontown became the latest licensing center to close after four were shut down Monday due to the coronavirus. The Eatontown employee who tested positive for COVID-19 was last in the agency on Monday, and it will reopen March 8. It makes eight total agencies closed out of 39 statewide. The reopening is happening in a shorter time span because employees who have completed quarantine following a Feb. 24 closure at Eatontown will be available to staff the regional and licensing center, MVC officials said. The Eatontown inspection station is not affected because it is in a separate building. The reopening of the Rahway Licensing Center, which closed Monday, has been extended by one day, to Friday, March 12. An additional employee at Rahway tested positive for COVID-19, requiring a revised timeline for staff quarantine, officials said. The closures have taken a toll, sidelining 7 agencies of the 23 designated to handle drivers license transactions. Drivers who had appointments on dates that the agencies are closed will have to reschedule them. Agencies where employees have tested positive are closed for cleaning and so staff can quarantine. Agencies that have closed are scheduled to reopen on these dates: Eatontown Regional/Licensing Center, Monday, March 8. Newark Regional/Licensing Center, Wednesday, March 10. Cherry Hill Vehicle Center, Thursday, March 11. Rahway Licensing Center, Friday, March 12. West Deptford Regional/Licensing Center, Friday, March 12. Vineland Licensing Center, Monday, March 15. Salem Licensing Center, Monday, March 15. Lodi Licensing Center, Monday, March 15. Appointments at motor vehicle centers for new titles/registrations and registration renewals for customers ineligible for online renewal can be scheduled at NJMVC.gov. More appointment times are being added. Drivers are advised to check the status of the agency they intend to visit on NJMVC.gov before traveling there. They also should check the cheat sheet guide on the MVC website to determine if they need an appointment or can do their transactions on the MVC website. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Google on Wednesday announced plans to stop selling ads based on users' browsing history in an upcoming overhaul aimed at tightening up privacy. The tech giant's parent company, Alphabet Inc, said that it will stop using and investing in technologies that track users on its Chrome browser as they move from site to site by next year. Google has been working on proposals to remove from Chrome so-called third party cookies - snippets of code used by a website's advertisers to record browsing history in order to show users personalized ads - in an effort to meet growing data privacy standards. In Wednesday's announcement the company confirmed that it will not replace third-party cookies with similar cross-site tracking technology. For years, online ad technology companies including Google have been able to tell retailers to personalize an ad to someone after having tracked that person's searches the week before. Without third-party cookies or technologies like them, such tracking across multiple websites is unfeasible. Google is instead proposing grouping together web users with similar interests while keeping their unique identities private. With the forthcoming changes, Google will still be able to track users itself through data collected from its services like Search, Maps and YouTube. The company said the changes apply only to ad tools and unique identifiers for websites, not for mobile apps. Google on Wednesday announced plans to stop selling ads based on users' browsing history in an upcoming overhaul aimed at tightening up privacy (file photo) In a blog post, David Temkin, Google's director of product management for ads privacy and trust, said the company continues to get questions on whether it will join others in the ad tech industry that plan to replace third-party cookies with alternative user-level identifiers. 'Today, we're making explicit that once third-party cookies are phased out, we will not build alternate identifiers to track individuals as they browse across the web, nor will we use them in our products,' Temkin wrote. Google's proposals have drawn criticism from players in the online ad industry as well as scrutiny from regulators over concerns that it will add to the tech giant's already dominant power in online advertising. How brands will target ads to you after Google phases out browser cookies For years, online ad technology companies including Google have been able to tell retailers to personalize an ad to someone after having tracked that person's searches the week before. For example, if someone reading this DailyMail.com article had searched for a specific necklace on the Tiffany website, Google could tell a jeweler to create an ad matching that necklace. Without third-party cookies or technologies like them, such tracking across multiple websites is unfeasible. Google is instead proposing using new technology that will group together web users with similar interests while keeping web histories private on user devices. Under that system, brands could target their ads to a cluster interested in buying a car, for example, rather than relying on cookies that have tracked specific users across car-buying websites. Advertisement Chrome is the world's dominant web browser, and many rival browsers like Microsoft's Edge are based on Google's Chromium technology. Google accounted for 52 percent of global digital ad spending in 2020 with nearly $152billion, according to digital-ad consulting group Jounce Media. Critics contend Google is banning rivals from building gigantic profiles on users, while developing for itself features in Chrome to continue to add to such dossiers. Temkin disputed that notion in his blog post, vowing that Google will not to develop workarounds for itself and saying that it is committed to continue allowing targeting ads based on data that companies receive directly from consumers. 'If digital advertising doesn't evolve to address the growing concerns people have about their privacy and how their personal identity is being used, we risk the future of the free and open web,' Temkin wrote. Google had announced early last year that it would remove third-party cookies in 2022 - after other major browsers Safari and Firefox did the same. On Wednesday the company confirmed that it will not build or use any alternatives to replace the technology for its own ad-buying tools. Instead, Google is testing a way for businesses to target ads to clusters of consumers with similar interests, which it says would protect privacy because it hides individual users in a crowd. The technology, part of a project called the Privacy Sandbox, would use an algorithm to group people according to their common web browsing. Each group would have a minimum membership, so individuals can't be identified. Big trade groups representing advertisers have called on Google to delay phasing out cookies until an alternative proves suitable. Google said in January that its tests show the clustering system could be effective. Google's curtailing of unique tracking identifiers does have a few exceptions, the Wall Street Journal explained. For one, websites will still be able to track 'first-party' data - which comes directly from a customer's activity on a specific site. Advertisers on Google's services will also be allowed to continue targeting ads to specific clients for whom they already have contact information. For example, an advertiser could target ads to someone signed in to their profile YouTube while they are on the site. However, once they leave YouTube, advertisers will no longer be able to target those ads on other sites. Google has been working on proposals to remove from Chrome so-called third party cookies - snippets of code used by a website's advertisers to record browsing history in order to show users personalized ads - in an effort to meet growing data privacy standards Google's changes come as it and other Silicon Valley giants including Facebook and Apple stare down a growing number of antitrust investigations amid allegations of anti-competitive practices. In December Apple announced an upcoming iOS update that will require users to give permission in order for apps to track them for advertising purposes - a move that critics said would cripple small businesses. Smaller ad firms that rely on cross-site tracking have accused Google and Apple of using privacy as a smoke screen for changes that hurt competitors. Facebook is among the largest critics of Apple's iOS update. On an earnings call last month, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said: 'Apple has every incentive to use their dominant platform position to interfere with how our apps and other apps work.' While Google noted that its latest changes will not affect apps, experts predict that apps will be involved in the overhaul going forward. The UK's Competition and Markets Authority began investigating whether restricting cookies on Chrome will help Google increase its dominance in the online ad industry last month following a complaint from a group of marketers. A Google spokesperson told WSJ that the company has been briefing the CMA as it moves forward with plans to phase out cookies. Google also acknowledged that other companies could come up with cross-site tracking alternatives to use within Google's advertising infrastructure, but said that it will not use or invest in such tools for the adds it sells directly. 'We realize this means other providers may offer a level of user identity for ad tracking across the web that we will not,' Temkin wrote in the blog post. 'We don't believe these solutions will meet rising consumer expectations for privacy, nor will they stand up to rapidly evolving regulatory restrictions.' Google reportedly briefed some of its largest ad clients on the changes, including Nestle SA, which welcomed the news. 'We have long since recognized and advocated for the importance of first-party data, and itll become even more vital in a privacy-first world,' Nestle's global chief marketing officer Aude Gandon told WSJ. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 BEIJING, Mar. 3 -- A vaccination ceremony of the COVID-19 vaccines provided by the Chinese military was held at Fort Andres Bonifacio in Metro Manila, the national headquarters of the Philippine Army, on March 2nd, local time. Lt. Gen. Jose C Faustino Jr., commanding general of the Philippine Army, and Vivencio Dizon, the National Task Force against Covid-19 (NTF) deputy chief implementer, attended the ceremony. At the ceremony, Lt. Gen. Jose Faustino took the lead to get inoculated, becoming the first Chinese COVID-19 vaccine recipient among the senior military officials in the Philippines. It is learnt that the Philippine military had received this batch of COVID-19 vaccines from Chinese military on February 28. HALIFAX, NS / ACCESSWIRE / March 3, 2021 / Namibia Critical Metals Inc. ("Namibia Critical Metals" or the "Company") (TSXV:NMI) today announced it intends to complete a non-brokered private placement in the amount of up to $500,000 consisting of units offered at a price of $0.25 per unit ("Private Placement") representing a 11% discount to the closing price of the common shares of the Company on March 1, 2021. Each unit will consist of one common share and one warrant. Each whole warrant will be exercisable for one common share at a price of $0.35 for a period of 12 months. A maximum of 4,000,000 common shares of Namibia Critical Metals will be issued pursuant to the Private Placement (assuming full exercise of all warrants). The Private Placement is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV"). The proceeds of the Private Placement will be used primarily to fund gold exploration and general corporate purposes. The common shares and warrants of the Company issued pursuant to the Private Placement will be subject to a four-month hold period. The Company also announced today that Susanne Willett will assume the position of Chief Financial Officer of the Company on April 1, 2021 when Darrin Campbell, the current CFO, assumes the role of President as announced in the Company's press release of February 1, 2021. Ms. Willett also currently serves as CFO for Morien Resources Corp. (TSXV:MOX). Previously Ms. Willett worked for the New Brunswick Power group of companies as Business Unit CFO, Director of Financial Planning and Treasury, and Controller, where she directed business planning, regulatory compliance, management and financial reporting. Ms. Willett holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, a Master of Business Administration from York University in Toronto, Ontario, and qualified as a CPA, CA. About Namibia Critical Metals Inc. Namibia Critical Metals holds a diversified portfolio of exploration and advanced stage projects in the country of Namibia focused on the development of sustainable and ethical sources of metals for the battery, electric vehicle and associated industries. The Company also has significant land positions in areas favourable for gold mineralization. The Lofdal Heavy Rare Earth Project is the Company's most advanced project having completed a Preliminary Economic Assessment in 2014 and full Environmental Impact Assessment in 2017. An application has been made for a mining licence at Lofdal. The project is now in joint venture with JOGMEC who are funding the current $4,100,000 drilling and metallurgical program with the objective of doubling the resource size and optimization of the process flow sheet. At the Erongo Gold Project, stratigraphic equivalents to the sediments hosting the recent Osino gold discovery at Twin Hills have been identified but not yet sampled. Detailed soil surveys are planned over this highly prospective area. The Epembe Tantalum-Niobium Project is also at an advanced stage with a well-defined, 10 km long carbonatite dyke that has been delineated by detailed mapping with over 11,000 meters of drilling. Preliminary mineralogical and metallurgical studies including sorting tests (XRT), indicate the potential for significant physical upgrading. Further work will be undertaken to advance the project to a preliminary economic assessment stage. The Kunene Cobalt-Copper Project comprises a very large area of favorable stratigraphy ("the DOF") along strike to the west of the Opuwo Co-Cu-Zn deposit. Secondary copper mineralization over a wide area points to preliminary evidence of a regional-scale hydrothermal system. Exploration targets on EPLs held in the Kunene project comprise direct extensions of the DOF style mineralization to the west, sediment-hosted cobalt and copper, orogenic copper, and stratabound Mn and Zn-Pb mineralization. Earlier stage projects include the Grootfontein Project which has potential for magmatic Cu-Ni mineralization, Mississippi Valley-type Zn-Pb-V mineralization and Otjikoto-style gold mineralization. The common shares of Namibia Critical Metals Inc. trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "NMI". 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 more information please contact - Namibia Critical Metals Inc. Darrin Campbell, CFO Tel: +01 (902) 835-8760 Fax: +01 (902) 835-8761 Email: Info@NamibiaCMI.com Web site: www.NamibiaCriticalMetals.com The foregoing information may contain forward-looking information relating to the future performance of Namibia Rare Earths Inc. Forward-looking information, specifically, that concerning future performance, is subject to certain risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially. These risks and uncertainties are detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the appropriate securities commissions. SOURCE: Namibia Critical Metals Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/633127/Namibia-Critical-Metals-Announces-CDN500000-Private-Placement-and-Appointment-of-New-CFO A look at some of the major movers in London on Tuesday ( ) was off 15% at 11.5p after the company declined to say (for now) what it would do with the proceeds from recent disposals. The plastics products specialist has completed the disposal of Coral Product (Mouldings) limited and Interpack Limited. The disposals were announced on February 11. It is the board's intention to conduct a review to determine the most advantageous route to deliver shareholder value and apply the proceeds from the disposals." said Joe Grimmond, the chairman of Coral. 2.50pm: CloudCoCo Group gives back some of February's gains CloudCoCo Group PLC ( ) gave back some of Februarys handsome gains, sliding 8.3% to 1.65p in the wake of its full-year results announcement. The turnaround play saw its loss before tax narrow to 2.97mln in 2020 from a loss of 5.59mln in 2019 on revenue that rose to 7.97mln from 7.26mln. We are still in the early stages of our long-term plan, but there are green shoots clearly emerging, said Simon Duckworth, the non-executive chairman of the information technology and telecommunications specialist. 1.55pm: D4t4 finds interim replacement for its head abacus rattler PLC ( ) dived 7.1% to 276.5p after it announced an interim replacement for Charlie Irvine, its chief financial officer. Nitil Patel, formerly the chief financial officer at Dods group and Ten Alps (now known as ), will hold the fort until a permanent successor can be found for Irvine, who last month announced he was off to pastures new. The data solutions provider is currently undertaking an external search with a view to making a permanent appointment in due course. 1.00pm: DX reverses despite delivering a return to the black DX (Group) PLC ( ) retreated 8.3% to 29.7p after its interims failed to pack the punch investors were expecting. Adjusted profit before tax for the six months to January 2 was 3,8mln, compared to a loss a year earlier of 2.4mln. The freight firm said it has a healthy pipeline of opportunities in the parcels market, while trading in 2022 has so far been significantly ahead of last year, albeit in line with managements expectations. 12.05pm: Boohoo rocked by slave labour allegations ( ), down 4.9% at 327.75p, sashayed south as it faced a potential import ban in the US over allegations of slave labour. US Customs and Border Protection has received two petitions by campaign group Liberty Shared over the course of last month. The petitions concern the potential prohibition of imports to the US if they contain in whole or in part materials made with forced labour under the Tariff Act of 1930, from Boohoo or if made by apparel industry businesses based in Leicester with the exception of two companies, Basic Premier Limited and Ethically Sourced Products Limited. 11.05am: Hurricane share price gets sidetracked Hurricane Energy PLC (LON:HUR) tumbled 14% to 3.184p after it outlined some possible courses of action for a sidetrack from the 205/21a-7z well. The company has concluded that it will not be possible to drill this well during the 2021 summer weather window without unacceptable operational and cost risk. All options for potential further development activity are subject to factors that are or may be outside the company's control, which include field performance, prevailing oil prices and support from relevant stakeholders and counterparties, Hurricane told investors. 10.10am: PetroNeft encouraged by fracking results PetroNeft Resources PLC ( ) said it has completed its fracking programme on the Sibkrayevskoye and the Lineynoye fields, sending its shares 11% higher to 2.45p. The company said the initial results from the wells are very encouraging, leading to production increases and opening the door to potential further developments. Although it is still early days, results so far have demonstrated the value of fracking as a relatively low cost but highly effective means of increasing production, provided the right geological and operational conditions prevail combined with an optimized frack design. We look forward to identifying further candidates for similar activity within our licences, said David Sturt, the chief executive officer of PetroNeft. 9.15am: Amigo up after JPM increases its stake; Lookers escapes with a slapped wrist ( ), the scandal-hit loan company, saw its shares rise 21% to 19.76p on news of an increased shareholding. Funds managed by JP Morgan Chase upped their stake to 7.04% from 6.29% previously. Last night after the stock market closed, Amigo sneaked out details of its new long term incentive plan for its chief risk officer, Paul Dyer. Dyer will receive up to 1.5mln nil-cost options if the company hits certain performance targets. Talking of scandals, ( ) motored 10% higher to 44.4p after the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ended its investigation into the car dealers activities. The FCA was looking into the possible mis-selling of regulated products, and associated issues relating to potential customer detriment in the first half of 2019. The FCA does not intend to apply any sanction against the group but made clear its concerns relating to the historic culture, systems and controls of the group. The board said it fully accepts the FCA's comments and remains committed to improving the culture. Proactive news headlines ( ) said its focus on properties that have omnichannel potential has been validated by the surge in online grocery sales during the pandemic. Next Fifteen Communications PLC ( ) said it will repay 1.4mln of cash received from the government furlough scheme - reflecting its strong trading performance and robust balance sheet. (LON:MXC, ASX:MXC, ) said distributor Swiss has increased by 85% its initial order volume for ArtemiC Rescue, an anti-inflammatory product targeting COVID-19. ( )( ) has completed its flotation pilot plant programme for the Songwe Hill rare earths project in Malawi. The programme was completed at ALS Metallurgy in Perth, Australia, and was effective in scaling up a new, optimised flotation regime for the project. Shanta Gold Ltd ( ) generated revenue of US$147.4mln from its gold production operations in Tanzania during the year to 31 December 2020, up significantly from the US$112.8mln generated in 2019. Neuro-imaging specialist ( ) has been brought in by new client Cyclerion Therapeutics to support the latters phase II trial of a treatment for Alzheimers. ( ) is planning to launch a non-fungible token (NFT) technology development studio in Gibraltar. In partnership with Indorse, a Singaporean company, it plans to develop smart contract systems for NFT applications including a bridge for NFTs on Bitcoin using Rootstock (RSK) blockchain technology. Sirius Real Estate Limited ( ) announced it has completed the acquisition of a mixed-use business park in Fellbach, near Stuttgart, for 9.2mln. ( ) has acquired a modern purpose-built primary care centre in Shankill, Co. Dublin, Ireland for 3.8mln. ( ) has made progress towards completing the purchase of the remaining interest in the Mikei gold project in Kenya. ( ) told investors that rig mobilisation for the Merlin-1 exploration well is progressing well and has seen only minor weather-related delay. Chariot Oil & Gas Limited ( ) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Moroccan authorities committing to support the development of the Anchois Gas Development project. ( ) has launched a new directional drilling system, called SABER, which it describes as a disruptive alternative to traditional rotary steerable systems (RSS). Deepverge PLC ( ) said the Ecological Water Operating System, known as EcowaterOS, will begin its launch in China with an introduction via an industry webinar on March 17 and 18. ( ) has sold 19,634.15 SDT tokens in the Stake DAO (SDT) project, generating proceeds of US$255,542. The tokens were sold at an average price of US$13.02 each. ( )( ) has closed the 4mln placing it announced in mid-February, with just over 9.5mln shares issued at a price of 42p. ( ) is planning to list on Aim, a market to which the companys board believes it is more suited. Emmerson is about to enter into a pivotal period, with the commencement of mine construction at the Khemisset potash project in Morocco expected by the end of 2021. ( ) updated on its court case in the Bahamas reporting that, yesterday, the Honourable Justice Petra Hanna-Weekes allowed the company's application and ordered the applicants to post $200,000 security for costs within 30 days, pending which the proceedings will be stayed. ( ) notified investors that chief executive Richard Petti and chief financial officer Haywood Chapman will provide a live presentation relating to the company's preliminary results via the Investor Meet Company platform on 25 March at 4.30pm GMT. The presentation is open to all existing and potential shareholders. ( ) will host a webcast of an investor presentation on 12 March at 11am GMT. The call will be led by chief executive Osamede Okhomina, and will include a Q&A session at the end. The Company will provide an update on the business and its views on the drivers behind the current market. ( ) announced that chief executive Dr Markku Jalkanen will present in a pre-recorded presentation at the virtual HC Wainwright Global Life Sciences Conference that will be available on-demand starting Tuesday, March 9, at midday London time. An audio webcast of the presentation will be available in the investors section on Faron's website: https://www.faron.com/investors. Netizens can offer their suggestions on China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) by leaving messages on the official website and social media account of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's top political advisory body. Their ideas, which can be submitted starting Monday, will provide reference for more than 2,000 members of the CPPCC National Committee, including government officials, entrepreneurs, military officers, scholars and members of non-Communist parties, who will gather in Beijing this week for the fourth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee starting on Thursday. Discussion of the draft of 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035 will be a significant item on the agenda for this year's two sessionsthe annual meetings of China's top legislative and political advisory bodies. Wang Yang, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, urged full preparations for this year's two sessions when he spoke at a meeting of the Chairperson's Council of the CPPCC National Committee in Beijing last week. He said the event is of great importance for pooling strength and wisdom as the country starts a new journey in building a modern socialist nation. "The CPPCC National Committee will continue to carry out consultative supervision following the implementation of the 14th Five-Year Plan, which is of great significance for the CPPCC to play its role in the national governance system," Wang said. He called on the special committees of the CPPCC National Committee to conduct in-depth investigations and studies, strengthen coordination and cooperation with other forms of supervision and offer relevant suggestions, thus contributing to fully building a modern socialist country. In the past year, innovative methods were adopted by national political advisers, including putting forward proposals on major political and social issues for government and building consensus in society. Last year, the CPPCC National Committee arranged 14 nationwide lecture tours by its members to explain and promote the country's major policies and tasks, including winning the battle against extreme poverty and building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, as well as coordinating efforts to prevent and control the pandemic and promote socioeconomic development. In September, two CPPCC National Committee members from the medical professionHu Yu, president of Wuhan Union Hospital of China, and Wu Hao, director of the Fangzhuang Community Health Center in Beijinggave lectures in Wuhan, Hubei province, at which they shared their front-line experience in pandemic prevention and control. To popularize the Civil Code and improve people's sense of rule of law, the Social and Legal Affairs Committee under the CPPCC National Committee organized its members with a legal background to help the public learn about it. The Civil Code was adopted by the National People's Congress, the nation's top legislature, at last year's two sessions and took effect on Jan 1. A column was launched in July on the website of the CPPCC's official newspaper, which publicizes the Civil Code by using specific case studies and also carries 58 educational videos. By Jan 31, the online publication had been read more than 62 million times, according to official data. Lyu Hongbing, a national political adviser and vice-chairman of the All-China Lawyers Association who participated in the work, said he will suggest compiling and publishing a collection of case studies about the Civil Code at this year's two sessions. Getting ready As the plenary session draws near, national political advisers from various professional backgrounds are getting ready to submit their proposals, a major way for them to conduct political consultation on national affairs. The Central Committee of the China Association for Promoting Democracy, one of China's eight non-Communist parties, said it plans to send 46 proposals raised by its members to this year's session of the nation's top political advisory body. Many of the proposals will deal with education, such as improving the quality of county-level high schools. The Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party, another non-Communist party with many members in the health sector, said it will send 38 proposals, mainly focusing on medicine and healthcare, including improving the system for the prevention and control of major epidemics. The CPPCC National Committee said national political advisers have carried out various forms of research in light of their own expertise and used the Internet to conduct research during the COVID-19 epidemic in the past year. In June and July, the Economic Affairs Committee of the CPPCC National Committee surveyed more than 100 enterprises from 31 provinces about their concerns and suggestions on improving the business environment during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. This research report became an important reference for the central government. New Delhi, March 3 : Reacting to the results of the recent Gujarat local body polls, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Wednesday that the victory of the BJP in the elections endorsed farmers' support for the agricultural reforms brought by the Union government through the new farm laws. Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, Javadekar said that the message is clear that people have faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "People voted for development and it (poll results in Gujarat) establishes that farmers are with the agricultural reforms brought by the Modi government," he said. Javadekar further stated that the Congress tried hard to win the local body polls and fielded its sitting MLAs or their relatives, but all of them lost the elections. "The BJP won 72 out of the 81 Nagar Palikas, while the Congress managed just one. In 18 municipalities, the Congress couldn't win even a single seat. The Congress could not cross 10 seats in 52 Nagar Palikas," said the Union minister. He pointed out that of the 231 Taluka Panchayats, the BJP has won 196. "Of the total 976 seats in the Zila Panchayats, the BJP won 800 which is 80 per cent of total seats. In the last polls, the BJP had won 368 seats while this time we won 800 seats. This is a huge success," he said. "Yesterday, the results of Zila Panchayats had come in which people from the rural areas and farmers were voters. They voted for the BJP and for development," the minister said. The Union Minister also claimed that people have rejected the negative campaign of the Congress. Javadekar highlighted that if these results are seen in terms of Assembly seats in Gujarat, the BJP will win 155 out of the 182 seats. ROME, MAR 3 - The Senate on Wednesday approved the government's COVID decree introducing further urgent measures to contain the pandemic and carry out elections in 2021. The decree was approved by 122 votes to 27 with 88 abstentions. Nationalist opposition Brothers of Italy (FdI) voted against the decree while nationalist League party, a part of the national unity government, abstained. The decree now moves to the House for definitive approval. (ANSA). ADVERTISEMENT Some suspected herdsmen have killed a woman identified as Elizabeth Pascal in Ogun State. Ms Pascal was attacked, according to the police, on Monday evening at CAC Olorunda, Moriwi community of Imeko-Afon Local Government Area of the state. She was returning from the stream where she went to fetch water for domestic use when she was attacked and killed. The traditional ruler in the community, Akintunde Akinyemi, confirmed the killing. He alleged that the killing was by suspected Fulani herdsmen, who have continued to terrorise the Yewa axis of the state. Yes, it is true. The lady was killed today (Monday) by Fulani herdsmen around Imeko-Afon. She went to the stream and on her way coming, she met the Fulani herdsmen and they killed her. It happened around 3 oclock, according to the report, he told Punch Newspaper. The states police spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi, also confirmed the incident. The lady killed was a Benin Republic indigene who lives in Imeko. She was hacked to death on her way from the stream in Imeko-Afon area. Her husband already claimed her remains and had taken it to Benin Republic, the police said. On Tuesday, the governor of the state, Dapo Abiodun, announced the deployment of 10 patrol vans and 20 motorcycles to the Yewa axis of the state, to help check the menace of herdsmen in the area. Howard drove them to Strack and Van Til, 4725 Indianapolis Blvd., in East Chicago, and told her to go in and steal three cases of Modelo beer to sell for drugs, court records state. Pichon told investigators she tried to leave the store with the beer in her cart, but a worker stopped her, so she grabbed one of the cases and ran from the store to her blue Dodge Durango, where Howard was waiting, according to court records. After our most recent report from Constellation connoisseur Ralph Pettersen concerning the status of President Eisenhowers executive VC-121 Constellation transport, Columbine II, presently under rebuild with Dynamic Aviation in Bridgewater, Virginia, a number of questions arose regarding what happened to Lockheed L-1649A Starliner N7361C which Lufthansa spent vast sums restoring, only to cancel the project at the last hurdle. Oddly enough, breaking news emerged about this airframe just a short while later, and Pettersen kindly gave us permission to republish his report here Lufthansa Lockheed Starliner Moves to Paderborn Airport in Germany by Ralph M. Pettersen Austrian Wings reports that Lufthansa moved the main fuselage of Starliner N7316C from a warehouse in Bremen to the airport at Paderborn, Germany during the evening hours of 22-23 February 2021. Here is an English translation of that report. The Lufthansa Super Star is currently being secretly transferred from Bremen to Paderborn. A spokesman confirmed the transport to Austrian Wings. Almost three years ago Lufthansa announced the end of its Super Star project. The largely restored aircraft was brought to Germany by the USA shortly afterwards and has since been stored in a hangar in Bremen. On February 23, 2021, tthe historic airplane was transported from Bremen. The destination of the heavy transport is Paderborn Airport. The transport is currently paused at a motorway rest area about 12 kilometers from Paderborn. A Lufthansa spokesman confirmed the relocation of the aircraft to Paderborn at the request of Austrian Wings: The transport started shortly before midnight on Monday evening. The Deutsche Lufthansa Berlin Foundation would like to accommodate the Super Star in an aircraft hangar instead of in a port hall in order to ensure that the aircraft maintains its value. DLH Berlin-Stiftung (DLHBS) issued the following statement on February 22, 2021: Since shipment of the airplane to Germany in late 2019, it was planned to work out a concept for the exhibition of the Starliner by the end of 2020. But the COVID-19 pandemic delayed everything. One element of the concept already in place is that the plane would not be sold but remain with DLHBS. Future plans for the Starliner will therefore be worked out togther with LH. As the pandemic affected the financial situation, further developments cannot be expected until these financial problems are finally resolved. Therefore, the Starliner will probably remain disassembled for a longer period and another and better suited storage place was found in a hangar at Paderborn Airport. As stated by DLHBS, this decision has nothing to do with the presence of the Quax-Community at Paderborn Ap., responsible for the former DLH JU52, a Me108 and a Do27. The transport of the Starliner will be done in several steps mostly during nighttime between the February, 22nd and March 2021. But this schedule is preliminary and depends on several different parameters. The good news is that the airplane is being protectedthe bad news is that reassembly and completion of the static display restoration will be delayed. I will post updates and hopefully some additional photos as I receive them. Thanks much to Volker Schreiner for passing on the Austrian Wings report. We wish to thank Ralph Pettersen for permission to reproduce his report here. For those with an equal fascination for the status and history of every surviving Lockheed Constellation, please do visit his remarkable website HERE it is an extraordinary resource for detailed information on these magnificent survivors! PORT ORANGE, Fla., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Eric Wettlaufer, the owner of Insane Chains, has just patented a new invention that will change the way cyclists customize their bike chains. It's a revolutionary way for bikers to personalize the look of their single-speed bike chains with eye-catching custom colors. But what really makes this product so innovative is how easy it is to put on a bike. Red, white, and blue customized bicycle chain. There are no messy glues, complicated instructions, or need to take anything apart. Just put the custom Insane Chain over a bike chain and then snap it into place. It's a great way to personalize a bike in seconds. It took Eric years of tinkering with the Insane Chain to make the application process intuitive while making sure the custom chain stayed secure. Now it's finally done, and bikers everywhere can easily customize their own chains. This invention is now available on the official Insane Chain website, and to celebrate the promotion of this revolutionary biking accessory, the first 1,000 customers will get free shipping and returns on their order. Eric is a biker himself. So he knows how much bikers care about personalizing their bikes. Bike chains might seem like an insignificant detail to some, but bike enthusiasts take their bike's customization seriously. According to a Forbes article on custom road bikes, some bikers pay as much as $1,000 dollars just for a custom bike frame. This customization trend isn't just limited to bikes either. A recent study by the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) found that more than 7.9 million people customize or modify their cars each year. Together, they spend $7.2 billion dollars a year on their customizations. The motivation for these customizations isn't just to improve performance. Enthusiasts have a passion for customization as a creative outlet and as a way to express themselves. Eric and his customers share the same passion people have for customizing cars. But instead of cars, bikes are their creative outlet. That's why Eric is always looking for ways to push the limits of bike customization. His invention speaks to dedicated biker's desires to have every aspect of their bike fully customized. "I came up with the idea [for Insane Chains] while talking about it being the only thing left on a motorcycle or bicycle that had yet to be really customized," said Eric. Eric began customizing his bike chain with adhesives before stumbling upon his latest invention. He dealt with the frustrations of other chain customization solutions. They always took too long to apply, or just didn't last. He experimented with adhesives and all kinds of materials before patenting his novel solution. Eventually, he discovered a way to get custom chains to easily and securely snap on top of bike chains. Now Eric is the proud holder of the U.S. Patent 7571595. He talks more about his process, along with his journey to getting a patent, on the Insane Chain website. Also on the website are all the Insane Chain colors currently available. There's a wide variety to choose from. The vibrant colors are a great way to customize the standard grey bike chains that come with most bikes. Right now there are eight colors to choose from: chrome red blue black pink white teal bright green Each of these colors can be used on a chain. There's also an option to get multiple colors combined in a single chain. Right now there are over 40 different color combinations to choose from. The creativity Eric and his customers have used to express themselves with these combinations is striking. 518 Virginia Ave Port Orange, Fl 32127 [email protected] Related Images customizable-bicycle-chains.png Customizable Bicycle Chains Red, white, and blue customized bicycle chain. Related Links Shop Insane Chains Related Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtWcLPwXqoc SOURCE Insane Chains Welcome to Morningstar.co.uk! You have been redirected here from Hemscott.com as we are merging our websites to provide you with a one-stop shop for all your investment research needs.To search for a security, type the name or ticker in the search box at the top of the page and select from the dropdown results.Registered Hemscott users can log in to Morningstar using the same login details. Similarly, if you are a Hemscott Premium user, you now have a Morningstar Premium account which you can access using the same login details. March 03, 2021 By Following Trump's Policies Biden's 'Deterrence' Predictably Fails U.S. politicians and military love to claim that they are acting to restore deterrence: When the president illegally ordered the assassination of Soleimani in January of this year, administration officials eventually lined up behind the excuse that it was intended to restore deterrence against rocket attacks from Iranian-backed Iraqi militias. Even though these attacks have continued throughout the year much the same as before, we are back to the same old tired issuing of threats of military action in response to attacks that would not be happening if it were not for the presidents own reckless actions. ... Were it not for the presidents maximum pressure campaign, U.S. forces in Iraq would face far fewer risks than they do today, and conflict between our governments would be much less likely. Had it not been for the presidents decision to order the illegal and provocative attack that killed Soleimani and an Iraqi militia leader, tensions between the U.S. and Iran would not be as great as they are now. Trumps approach to Iran for the last two and a half years has been to pick a fight and then blame the other side for responding to his provocations. Far from deterring attacks from Iranian-backed militias and the Iranian military itself, the Trump administration has been provoking and inviting them. President Joe Biden and his administration continue, without any change, the Trump administration's policies towards Syria, Iraq and Iran. Just like Trump Biden has claimed that last week's airstrike on Iraqi security forces at the Iraqi-Syrian border was designed to deter from further missile strikes on U.S. forces in Iraq: President Joe Biden said Friday that Iran should view his decision to authorize U.S. airstrikes in Syria as a warning that it can expect consequences for its support of militia groups that threaten U.S. interests or personnel. You cant act with impunity. Be careful, Biden said when a reporter asked what message he had intended to send with the airstrikes, which the Pentagon said destroyed several buildings in eastern Syria but were not intended to eradicate the militia groups that used them to facilitate attacks inside Iraq. ... At the Pentagon, [chief spokesperson John] Kirby said the operation was a defensive strike on a waystation used by militants to move weapons and materials for attacks into Iraq. But he noted that while it sent a message of deterrence and eroded their ability to strike from that compound, the militias have other sites and capabilities. It is quite obvious that such "messaging" by airstrikes is nonsense that only guarantees that the cycle of violence escalates. As we noted after the recent strike: The Biden administration has yet to learn the lesson the Trump learned when he tired to provoke Iran and its allies. It is the resistance that has escalation dominance in the Middle East. It can control the pace of further steps up the escalation ladder. It is willing to step up higher than the U.S. It knows how to use that ability. Today the U.S. received proof that the "message" it sent did not have the desired effect: An air base hosting US, Iraqi and coalition forces in Iraq was targeted on Wednesday by at least 10 rockets, US coalition officials said. The Al-Asad air base was struck by grad missiles, Iraqi officials said earlier Wednesday. There are no reports of casualties or damage, and no group immediately claimed responsibility. The rocket launcher was found in the al-Bayader agricultural area near the town of al-Baghdadi, about 180 kilometers northwest of Baghdad, military sources told CNN. Sabereen news, a pro-Shia militia group, published images on its Telegram page claiming to show the launcher that attacked the base. Additional news from Iraq says that a U.S. contractor at the base died of a heart attack during the missile strike. A launch vehicle used in today's attack bigger The previous strike on the U.S. base in Erbil was done with three missiles. Today's attack, coming after the U.S. 'deterrence strike' on the unrelated target at the Syrian border, used at least 13 missiles of which ten hit their targets. The base is defended with C-RAM Systems (vid) but today's strike proves that mass attacks can easily overwhelm these. Should the U.S. insist on further escalation the next strike will again use more missiles. Interestingly all U.S. news outlets fail to mention the constant attacks on U.S. logistic convoys in Iraq. The latest one happened earlier today in south Iraq. While these attacks rarely cause more than material damage they are a constant reminder that plenty of Iraqis want the U.S. to leave their country. The groups who commit these attacks do not depend on Iran and do not follow its wishes. They are local Iraqis who take revenge for the assassination by the Trump administration of two of their heroes. After the murder of Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis a majority in the Iraqi parliament voted for a resolution that demands all foreign forces to leave. The Iranian government announced that the U.S., as punishment, would have to leave the Middle East. Neither the Iraqi groups nor Iran can be deterred from attempts to achieve those aims. The only way to change that is to fight, defeat and conquer Iran. But the U.S. and Israel are not willing to pay the price for that. They have been out-foxed by Iran. It's abilities are a real deterrence that is actually working. The Biden administration ignores the demands to leave Iraq and the Middle East at its own peril. Posted by b on March 3, 2021 at 16:30 UTC | Permalink Comments next page next page Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 21:47:45|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TOKYO, March 3 (Xinhua) -- A Japanese court on Wednesday greenlighted prosecutors' request to detain two Americans accused of aiding former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn to escape Japan for Lebanon while awaiting trial in 2019. The Tokyo District Court approved the detention of Michael Taylor, 60, a former member of Green Beret, and his son Peter Taylor, 28, until March 12. The approval came a day after the Taylors arrived in Japan under an extradition treaty with the United States. They will be questioned at the Tokyo Detention House, where Ghosn had also been held after being charged with financial crimes. He had been detained for more than 100 days before being granted bail. According to Japanese prosecutors, the two helped Ghosn to escape from his home in Tokyo to a hotel in the western prefecture of Osaka, and then smuggled him out of Japan in a box used for transporting musical equipment on a private jet to Turkey from Kansai International Airport, though Ghosn's bail did not allow him to travel overseas. He then escaped to Lebanon which does not have an extradition treaty with Japan. U.S. prosecutors said the Taylors received more than 1.3 million U.S. dollars from Ghosn and his family for helping with the escape plot. If they were indicted and found guilty, several judicial officials said they may receive suspended sentences, according to local media reports. The father and son were arrested in Massachusetts in May last year by U.S. authorities at the request of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office. Enditem CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) Spacewalking astronauts ventured out Sunday to install support frames for new, high-efficiency solar panels arriving at the International Space Station later this year. NASA's Kate Rubins and Victor Glover put the first set of mounting brackets and struts together, then bolted them into place next to the station's oldest and most degraded solar wings. But the work took longer than expected, and they barely got started on the second set before calling it quits. Rubins will finish the job during a second spacewalk later this week. The spacewalkers had to lug out the hundreds of pounds of mounting brackets and struts in 8-foot (2.5-meter) duffle-style bags. The equipment was so big and awkward that it had to be taken apart like furniture, just to get through the hatch. Some of the attachment locations required extra turns of the power drill and still weren't snug enough, as indicated by black lines. The astronauts had to use a ratchet wrench to deal with the more stubborn bolts, which slowed them down. At one point, they were two hours behind. Whoever painted this black line painted outside the lines a little bit," Glover said at one particularly troublesome spot. Well work on our kindergarten skills over here, Mission Control replied, urging him to move on. With more people and experiments flying on the space station, more power will be needed to keep everything running, according to NASA. The six new solar panels to be delivered in pairs by SpaceX over the coming year or so should boost the stations electrical capability by as much as 30%. Rubins and Glover tackled the struts for the first two solar panels, due to launch in June. Their spacewalk ended up lasting seven hours, a bit longer than planned. Really appreciate your hard work. I know there were a lot of challenges, Mission Control radioed. The eight solar panels up there now are 12 to 20 years old most of them past their design lifetime and deteriorating. Each panel is 112 feet (34 meters) long by 39 feet (12 meters) wide. Tip to tip counting the center framework, each pair stretches 240 feet (73 meters), longer than a Boeing 777s wingspan. Boeing is supplying the new roll-up panels, about half the size of the old ones but just as powerful thanks to the latest solar cell technology. Theyll be placed at an angle above the old ones, which will continue to operate. A prototype was tested at the space station in 2017. Rubins' helmet featured a new high-definition camera that provided stunning views, particularly those showing the vivid blue Earth 270 miles (435 kilometers) below. Pretty fantastic," observed Mission Control. Sundays spacewalk was the third for infectious disease specialist Rubins and Navy pilot Glover both of whom could end up flying to the moon. Theyre among 18 astronauts newly assigned to NASAs Artemis moon-landing program. The next moonwalkers will come from this group. Last week, Vice President Kamala Harris put in a congratulatory call to Glover, the first African American astronaut to live full time at the space station. NASA released the video exchange Saturday. The history making that you are doing, we are so proud of you, Harris said. Like other firsts, Glover replied, it won't be the last. We want to make sure that we can continue to do new things, he said. Rubins will float back out Friday with Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi to wrap up the solar panel prep work, and to vent and relocate ammonia coolant hoses. Glover and Noguchi were among four astronauts arriving via SpaceX in November. Rubins launched from Kazakhstan in October alongside two Russians. Theyre all scheduled to return to Earth this spring. ___ 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. Christian Porter as a schoolboy in WA Attorney-general Christian Porter has denied raping a teenage girl in 1988 but shared some details about the debating trip on which the alleged incident happened. The 50-year-old former public prosecutor confirmed he attended a debating competition at Sydney University with his accuser when he was 17 and she was 16, but categorically denied ever sleeping with the woman who has since taken her own life. The minister said he recalls two nights out during the competition week including a formal dinner at a university college and 'dancing' in the city. 'It was 33 years ago. I remember two evenings that week. One was a night at one of the colleges with bowls of prawns which sticks in my mind. 'I do remember a formal dinner and going out dancing sounds about right,' he said. Mr Porter also recalled a time when the woman ironed his shirt before a night out with the debating team. 'There were four of us, three boys, and this person whose name I can't even say because of the situation we are in. 'I don't think any of us had ever ironed a shirt, and I recall, she showed us how to do it, I remember that,' he said. Mr Porter admitted that he can't remember every single detail of the night of the alleged incident but insisted that he would not have forgotten having sex with someone. Tearful: Christian Porter has outed himself as the cabinet minister accused of rape to categorically deny the accusation and has insist he will not stand down 'The things I have read did not happen. And to suggest that they could be forgotten is ridiculous, they just never happened,' he said. 'I did not sleep with the [alleged] victim. We didn't have anything of that nature happen between us,' he added. Asked if he had ever spent time alone with the woman, he said: 'It's not impossible, [but] I have never been in the person's room.' Mr Porter said he has not spoken to the woman - whom he described as an 'intelligent, bright, happy person' - since 1988 and does not know why she would make the allegation. 'I don't, I don't know, what her circumstances were. I don't know. 'I couldn't answer that question... I don't know about her life, what challenges she faced, or anything like that, I hadn't seen or heard or had contact in 33 years,' he said. Mr Porter spoke through tears during the press conference held in Perth on Wednesday The 50-year-old former public prosecutor confirmed he attended a debating competition at Sydney University with his accuser but denied sleeping with her Christian Porter (pictured during a debate when he was a schoolboy) has been accused of raping a woman when he was 17 and she was 16 after a debating competition at Sydney University in 1988 By unveiling himself in an emotional press conference on Wednesday, Mr Porter ended six days of speculation over the accused's identity after the woman's allegation was published in the media without naming the cabinet minister. The woman, who struggled with her mental health for years, told police about her allegation in February last year but took her own life in June. Detectives closed their investigation on Tuesday due to a lack of evidence. The accuser's allegation became public last week after Prime Minster Scott Morrison received a letter from a mystery sender which included a statement the woman had prepared for her lawyers in 2019. Mr Porter, who represents Pearce in WA, spoke to the prime minister when he got the letter last Wednesday and has since received his full backing. Journalists frantically asked questions following the minister's statement Mr Porter (pictured in a press briefing in Perth on Wednesday) has taken mental health leave after being accused of rape Mr Porter said if he stood down that there would be no rule of law left in Australia and it would set a dangerous precedent where 'accusation equals resignation' Senior government minister Christian Porter (pictured in Parliament) has categorically denied a historical rape allegation and said he will not be stepping down Revealing that he would take two weeks off, Mr Porter said: 'I have discussed with the prime minister today that after speaking with my own doctor I am going to take a short period of leave to assess and hopefully improve my own mental health. 'All of my life I have just pushed through, but for the many caring family and friends who have asked me that question over the course of the last week, ''Are you OK?'' I have got to say my answer is I really don't know. 'I am not ashamed to say that I am going to seek some professional assessment and assistance on answering that question over the next few weeks before I go back into the field and resume the role of Attorney-General, Minister of Industrial relations and Leader of the House'. If I stand down from my position as Attorney-General because of an allegation about something that simply did not happen, then any person in Australia can lose their career, their job, their life's work based on nothing more than an accusation Mr Porter said if he stood down that there would be no rule of law left in Australia and doing so would set a dangerous precedent where 'accusation equals resignation'. 'If I stand down from my position as Attorney-General because of an allegation about something that simply did not happen, then any person in Australia can lose their career, their job, their life's work based on nothing more than an accusation that appears in print,' he said. 'If that happens, anyone in public life is able to be removed simply by the printing of an allegation. Every child we raise can have their lives destroyed by online reporting of accusations alone,' he said. 'My guess is if I were to resign and that set a new standard there wouldn't be much need for an Attorney-General anyway because there would be no rule of law left to protect in this country, so I will not be part of letting that happen while I am Attorney-General and I am sure you will ask and I will state to you, I am not standing down or aside.' With legal options exhausted after police closed the case, political opponents have called for an independent inquiry into the allegations. But Mr Porter rejected the suggestion, saying such an inquiry would ultimately require him to disprove the allegation which he cannot do. 'What would I say in front of that inquiry? What would that inquiry ask many to do? To disapprove something that didn't happen 33 years ago. I honestly don't know what I would say to that inquiry. [Can I disprove the allegation] Of course I can't. I of course I can't,' he said. 'You are talking here about a civil determination of a criminal allegation on presumably the standards of balance of probabilities where I would be asked to disprove something that just didn't happen 33 years ago. So, if that happens, I couldn't succeed to disapprove something.' Mr Porter announced he had split from his second wife Jennifer (pictured together) - who is 13 years his junior - in January 2020. A statement said the decision was mutual and they would focus on co-parenting their two young children. Mr Porter was briefly married to Lucy Gunn in the mid 2000s Christian Porter's moving message to his accuser's parents I just wanted to start by saying something to the parents who are grieving for the loss of their adult daughter. I only knew briefest periods. We met at debating competitions, when we were teenagers about 33 years ago, I was 17, years old, and I think that she was 16 years old. And in losing that person, your daughter, you suffered a terrible loss. And you did not deserve, the frenzied politicisation of the circumstances of your daughter's death for the past week. I have thought long and hard about the implications for you of what I feel that I need to say today. And I hope that whatever else happens, from this point that you understand that in saying today that the things that have been claimed to happen did not happen that I do not mean to impose anything more upon your grief. But I hope that you will also understand that because what is being alleged did not happen, I must say so publicly. Advertisement The allegations were first aired online by the ABC on Friday - without naming the minister - and Mr Porter slammed the broadcaster for not asking him for a response. 'Prior to last Friday's story in the ABC, no one in law enforcement, or the law or politics or the media ever put any specific allegations to me at all,' he said. 'I was aware, over the last few months, of a whispering campaign. 'Had the accusations ever been put to me before they were printed, I would have at least been able to say, the only thing that I can say, likely the only thing that I'm ever going to be able to say. 'And that's the truth. And that is that nothing in the allegations that have been printed ever happened. 'Even now, the only information I have about the allegations, is what has been circulating online and in certain media outlets.' At the start of his statement, Mr Porter addressed his accusers' parents and said they suffered a 'terrible loss'. 'And you did not deserve, the frenzied politicisation of the circumstances of your daughter's death for the past week,' he said. 'I have thought long and hard about the implications for you of what I feel that I need to say today. This is not the first time a senior politician has outed themselves as being accused of rape. Former Labor leader Bill Shorten denied sexual assault allegations in August 2014 after Victoria Police closed an investigation into him. 'I will not go into details, except to say the allegation was untrue and abhorrent,' he said at the time. Government supporters say Mr Shorten did not step down and so Mr Porter should not either. But Labor shadow home affairs minister Kristina Keneally said that is not a fair analogy because Mr Shorten's case was thoroughly investigated for 10 months. 'What we have here is a police investigation that can't proceed, because the alleged victim has died,' she told Sky News. 'And the police have determined they cannot gather enough admissible evidence. But there has not been a full investigation into these allegations. They have not been examined, as they need to be thoroughly and closely. And I think there are still very important questions.' The woman who accused Mr Porter never made a formal statement to police who were due to travel to her home in Adelaide in March 2020 but postponed due to Covid-19. In June the woman withdrew her allegation and died by suicide the next day, causing the investigation to be suspended before it was officially closed this week. According to Four Corners which first reported the allegation on Friday, the woman had bipolar disorder and had attended a psychiatric hospital in Melbourne in the months before her death aged 49. Friends say she was 'beautiful and clever' but 'consumed with trauma'. Mr Morrison said he did not read the letter but forwarded it to Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw (pictured) 'The matter is now closed': NSW Police statement In November 2019, a woman then aged 48, attended an Adelaide (South Australia) police station seeking advice about reporting historical sexual offences, which allegedly occurred in 1988 in Sydney (New South Wales). The matter was then referred to the NSW Police Force and an investigation by the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad commenced under Strike Force Wyndarra. NSW Police Force has been the lead agency in respect to this investigation since February 2020. For various reasons, the woman did not detail her allegations in a formal statement to NSW Police. The woman passed away in June 2020. Following the woman's death, NSW Police came into possession of a personal document purportedly made by the woman previously. NSW Police have since sought legal advice in relation to these matters. Based on information provided to NSW Police, there is insufficient admissible evidence to proceed. As such, NSW Police Force has determined the matter is now closed. Advertisement As well as leaving her prepared statement, the woman made a 45-minute recording in which she talked about her allegations, according to the Herald Sun. In a letter to a friend she wrote: 'I guess I just worry that a trial has the potential to be an emotional bloodbath, particularly for me and anyone who appears as a witness in the case.' NSW Police said officers have sought legal advice about a 'personal document' made by the woman. The woman had told several family and friends about her allegation. It was presumably one of them who sent the letter to Mr Morrison, Liberal MP Celia Hammond and two South Australian senators, demanding an investigation. The anonymous sender said they were inspired to write the letter after former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins went public with an allegation she was raped by another staffer in Defence Minister Linda Reynolds' parliament office in 2019. Ms Higgins' allegations dominated the past two sitting weeks of parliament as ministers were repeatedly grilled over who knew about her claims and when. The rape allegation: A timeline 1988: Rape allegedly happens at event in Sydney when woman is 16 Late 2019: Woman engages lawyers and prepares a statement February 2020: Woman reports allegations to NSW Police March 2020: Police postpone trip to visit her due to Covid-19 June 2020: Woman dies by suicide February 24, 2021: Anonymous letter is sent to PM detailing allegations March 1, 2021: PM says minister completely rejects the allegations March 2, 2021: NSW Police close the case Advertisement The sender demanded an inquiry into the 1988 allegation, writing: 'There will be considerable damage to community perceptions of justice... and the parliament when this story becomes public if it is simultaneously revealed that senior people (like yourselves) were aware of the accusation but had done nothing.' The ministerial code of conduct requires a minister to stand aside if charged with a crime. Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull earlier urged the minister to reveal himself and said it is 'impossible for him to function in that cabinet'. On Monday Mr Morrison said he spoke to the minister who 'vigorously rejected the allegations' on Wednesday evening. The prime minister said he did not read the letter but had been briefed on the contents of the allegations. Asked if he would set up an inquiry, he said: 'I'm not the police force. I have given it to the police to investigate.' Mr Morrison said AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw had not advised him to take any action. He refused to sack the minister, saying: 'We can't have a situation where the mere making of an allegation and that being publicised through the media is grounds for, you know, governments to stand people down simply on the basis of that. I mean, we have a rule of law in this country.' Mr Morrison said the first he substantially heard of the allegation was last week. Before that he had only heard rumours of a journalist making inquiries, he said. Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young and Labor Senator Penny Wong received the unsigned letter and both released statements saying they had contacted the AFP. 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'. Harford Mutual Insurance Group has announced changes to its leadership team. Senior Vice President Jeffrey Rink has been promoted to executive vice president with the added oversight of Administrative Operations, Customer Service and the Special Investigative Unit. Joining Harford Mutual in 2009, Rink has transformed its Business Development team and oversaw the expansion and new office in its southern region. In recent years, Rinks helped to create foundation, middle-market and large business units and develop and implement the new online rating system RapidWrite and Agent Portal. As executive vice president, he will continue to foster innovation in strategic planning and support the companys vision and growth plans. He has more than 30 years of insurance experience with national carriers including Travelers and Great American Insurance. Assistant Vice President of Underwriting David Curtin and Assistant Vice President of Claims Wayne Gearhart have been promoted to vice president. Curtin joined Harford Mutual in February 2019 and has helped to realign the companys Foundation Unit, analyzing profitability by segment and preparing Harford Mutual for the introduction of predictive analytics. Curtin has more than 30 years of experience with both mutual and stock insurance carriers. Gearhart joined the company in September 2019 from Westfield Insurance, bringing more than 25 years of claims perspective to his role. While at Westfield, Gearhart led the company through an operational and claims technology transformation, one of his key strategic goals at Harford Mutual. Harford Mutual Insurance Group, founded in 1842 in Harford County, Maryland, provides commercial property and casualty insurance products and services to a regional market. Source: Harford Mutual Insurance Group Topics Leadership Maryland The municipal corporation (MCD) bypoll results announced on Wednesday were termed a sign of revival of the party by the Congress, while the alleged "max fixing" between its rivals. candidate Chaudhary Zubair Khan won the Chauhan Bangar ward by a whopping margin of over 10,000 votes defeating AAP candidate and ex-MLA Mohammad Ishraq Khan. The leaders of AAP, which swept the bypolls winning four of the five wards, exuded hope that they would win the 2022 municipal corporation elections, after a "clean sweep" in the "semi final". The BJP's tally in the bypolls was zero. Delhi president Anil Kumar said in a press conference that following the MCD bye-election results for the five wards, the is "strongly" pitted against its rivals for the "final battle" of the MCD elections in 2022. Kumar said in a tweet that Congress's victory in Chauhan Bangar showed that the confidence of people in the party was rising and it was a message of "revival" of the party. "Delhiites want the Congress back in power. The bye-election results signalled their emphatic response against corruption and misrule of the at municipal corporations and the Arvind Kejriwal government which has been driving Delhi towards ruin," he claimed. The drew a blank in the bypolls and even lost the Shalimar Bagh North ward, held by it, to the AAP. "The results are an outcome of match fixing by the Congress and the AAP," Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta alleged in a statement. He claimed the bypolls results "clearly" show that the Congress and AAP had "teamed up" to defeat the BJP. "The decrease in vote share of the Congress in Shalimar Bagh and its increase in Chauhan Bangar ward is proof enough that the Congress and the AAP conspired against the BJP," Gupta alleged. The Delhi BJP president said that the party will deliberate over the reasons behind its defeat and weed out the shortcomings. "We will contest 2022 MCD polls with renewed energy and strategy. No victory or defeat is final for any political party, and I am sure we will win the 2022 elections," he said. The party will hold a meeting to discuss what went wrong and try to rectify it, he said. The Delhi Congress president said that the people have rejected the BJP for its 15 years of "misrule". He claimed Congress's vote share in has gone up from 6 per cent in the Assembly elections in 2020,to 22 per cent, while the BJP suffered a 10 per cent reduction in its vote percentage and AAP a 5.50 per cent reduction. He asserted that the Congress will win the MCD elections in 2022 and credited the bypoll victory in Chauhan Bangar to the "positive leadership" of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. Chaudhary Zubair Ahmad, who registered the lone victory for the party, said that the people in Chauhan Bangar gave him an overwhelming support as he received 16,500 votes out of the total 22,000 votes polled. "The humiliation of the BJP and the AAP was so complete that all the votes in two polling booths were cast to me, indicating that even the polling agents of both these parties also voted for the Congress," he claimed. Senior AAP leader Raghav Chadha said that the party has won the "semi-final decisively" with roughly one year to go for MCD finals. "It is time for Delhiites to put an end to the 15-year corruption-plagued rule of the BJP in MCD. With AAP ruling MCDs and Delhi, the double engine Kejriwal government will run full steam," he said. AAP's incharge of MCD affairs Durgesh Pathak said BJP should step down from the municipal corporations after its "miserable" defeat in the bypolls. "The result of the MCD bye-election is showing the mood of the people of Delhi. In the upcoming MCD elections next year the BJP will be thrown out of power," Pathak claimed. (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.) Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivers remarks about priorities for administration of President Joe Biden at the State Department in Washington March 3, 2021. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) Secretary of State Outlines Bidens Foreign Strategies, Says US Will Lead With Diplomacy Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday outlined how President Joe Bidens administration will approach the foreign policy arena, including shifting the United States back into international agreements after the previous administration stressed strong nationalism. During a speech from the State Department, the Biden appointee said the Democrat-led government will renew Americas strength to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities of our time by cooperating with other nations in combating the COVID-19 pandemic, especially on vaccinating people and hammering out deals like the one reached with Iran under the Obama administration. American leadership and engagement matter. Were hearing this now from our friends. Theyre glad were back. Whether we like it or not, the world does not organize itself. When the U.S. pulls back, one of two things is likely to happen. Either another country tries to take our place, but not in a way that advances our interest and values or maybe just as bad, no one steps up and then we get chaos and all the dangers that creates. Either way, thats not good for America, said Blinken, who served in the State Department during the Obama-Biden era. Biden has already announced that the United States is rejoining or moving to rejoin the pact with Iran, the Paris climate accords, and the United Nations Human Rights Council, among other international agreements or entities. Former President Donald Trump withdrew from the pacts, arguing they werent serving their stated purposes. While Bidens administration will lead with diplomacy, the ability to effectively negotiate depends in no small measure on the strength of our military, Blinken said, nearly a week after the United States launched airstrikes at Iranian-backed militant groups in Syria. The United States will make revitalizing ties with allies a major focus under Biden, his top foreign policy official said. President Joe Biden, accompanied by White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, left, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, second from left, attends a virtual meeting with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington on March 1, 2021. (Andrew Harnik/AP Photo) Blinken has acknowledged missteps by the administrations hes served. For instance, he told CBS last year that the Obama administration failed to prevent a horrific loss of life in Syria. On Wednesday, he said that some administration officials were mistaken in believing free trade agreements would broadly benefit Americans, pledging this time around to fight for every American job and for the rights, protections, and interests of all American workers, including using every tool to stop countries from stealing our intellectual property or manipulating their currencies to get an unfair advantage. In another echo of Trumps foreign policy outlook, Blinken described China as the biggest geopolitical test of the 21st century. Blinken also said that strong borders are fundamental to our national security, but argued there must be a just plain decent solution to the waves of migrants who reach Americas borders each year. We need to address the root causes that drive so many people to flee their homes and so well work closely with other countries, especially our neighbors in Central America to help them deliver better physical security and economic opportunity, so people dont feel like migrating is the only way out and up, he said. The secretary of state also emphasized that the administration will drive a green energy revolution in trying to tackle the climate crisis, blaming climate change for wildfires in California and flooding in the Midwest. James Carafano, vice president of the Heritage Foundations Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy, told The Epoch Times that he couldnt divine any real substantive action from the speech. For example, he said secure borders are important. Okay, thats totally contrast with everything theyre doing, he said. My assessment is: These guys came in without a plan. They dont have a plan for China. They dont have a plan for the Middle East. They dont have a plan for Russia, that they have an impulse to say well well do the opposite of Trump, he added. What were seeing as a policy, thats the admixture of Bidens natural tendency to be very consensus building; Obama people just want to go back and what theyre doing before, and some people have incredibly radical ideas like wed be better off with the Muslim Brotherhood [in] charge in the Middle East than Israel or the Arab countries. And what were seeing is kind of a weird admixture of, were not seeing a clear policy of how do you deal with [the] great power competition of the 21st century. The state board voted in January to deny an application by Trinity to open a 13,000-square-foot outpatient care center on the South Side. That vote followed hours of testimony, in which critics said the proposed center would be no replacement for a full-service hospital and would leave community members without needed care. Proponents of the center said more outpatient care, such as urgent care services, was needed on the South Side. EDWARDSVILLE Four attorneys at The Gori Law Firm have been selected for the 2021 Super Lawyers list. Sara Salger, Brad Evetts and David Aubrey were honored as Super Lawyers Illinois Rising Stars for 2021. Bob Marcus has received the 2021 Super Lawyer distinction. Kathmandu, March 3 The Dahal-Nepal faction of the Nepal Communist Party has taken action against Subas Chandra Nembang and six other leaders of the party who are active in defence of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. Following Olis decision to dissolve the House of Representatives, the party has been virtually divided. As the Supreme Court rejected the decision and reinstated House, the Dahal-Nepal faction is hoping to topple the government as soon as possible, but the Election Commissions indecisiveness about the split is barring it. In this context, the party held its central committee meeting on Wednesday and decided to remove former speaker Subas Chandra Nembang from the position of the parliamentary party deputy leader in the House of Representatives. Likewise, Mahesh Basnet, Bishal Bhattarai, Shanta Chaudhary, Surya Thapa, Prabhu Sah, and Karna Bahadur Thapa have been suspended from the party, according to leader Barsha Man Pun. Pun says the action was taken as they acted against the party interest. What do Texas bars, clubs and venues do next if they took advantage of regulatory exemptions to temporarily become a restaurant with a food and beverage license? Essentially nothing, according to guidance from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission given to one of the largest associations for the states beverage and entertainment venues. The TABC is still forming final rulings and information following Gov. Greg Abbotts Tuesday announcement of repealed COVID-19 restrictions, but leadership of the Texas Bar and Nightclub Alliance has already started asking about what comes next. Michael Klein, board president for the alliance, said the process appears straightforward. As weve been advised from TABC, anyone who became a restaurant and paid the fee doesnt have to pay anything to become a bar again, he said. You just stop selling food and you can transition back by giving up the permit. The guidance is similar to information the agency published last summer when Abbott ordered the closure of businesses that generate at least 51% of their profit from alcohol sales. If you expect your alcohol sales will be more than 60% of your total sales, TABC recommends that you cancel your FB Certificate, the agency wrote on its website last July. The Bar and Nightclub Alliance has been a vocal opponent of restrictions for bars and clubs, calling Abbotts executive orders targeted, but pointless. It also led litigation against the state and governor's office, but has since dropped multiple lawsuits. Klein said Tuesdays news was great for the alliances members, but doesnt undo losses already incurred. Our membership is ecstatic for the long overdue, full reopening of the Texas economy, which impacts the entirety of our membership that have been unfairly singled outed, he said. jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/jd_journalism TCT Television Expands Television Ministry into the San Francisco Market with Station KTNC NEWS PROVIDED BY TCT Television Network March 3, 2021 MARION, Ill., March 3, 2021 /Christian Newswire/ -- TCT Television, one of the largest independent Christian television broadcasters, added to its reach with expansion into the San Francisco, California market. KTNC covers both the San Francisco and Sacramento markets and is now part of the TCT Network. KTNC, which includes more than 2.65 million TV households, can now enjoy TCT's programming while enlarging TCT's industry-leading broadcast reach further on the west coast. TCT Network can be viewed anytime of the day or night, any day of the week, on DirecTV Channel 377, multiple cable systems nationwide, satellites, internet, over the air, and through its own TCT Mobile App or by streaming live at www.TCT.tv. The addition of KTNC allows local coverage throughout the San Francisco/Sacramento markets on DISH Network, Comcast Cable, Spectrum Cable, ATT U-Verse along with several other cable systems, as well as, over the air broadcast. Since its inception, the main purpose of TCT has been to broadcast the Gospel. This latest station acquisition follows through on our commitment to broadcast the Gospel to the world. For close to half a century, TCT has shown a great growth story. Beginning with one station, TCT has continued to expand into one of the leading broadcast ministries. From its exclusively produced programming, inspirational movies and leading worldwide ministry programs, there is so much to enjoy when watching TCT. Offering so much for a diversified audience, TCT provides faith and family programming at its finest! What's for the future? Long established in television broadcasting, TCT is constantly working on expanding coverage areas and improving distribution for our viewers on all screens and devices broadcast television, satellite, computers, internet, cell phones, tablets and whatever comes next. Over-the-air and over-the-top are the two fastest growing wireless delivery platforms that TCT is expanding upon. TCT Network continues to focus on quality broadcast television by enlarging its Network's reach, while providing premium programming and quality content for its viewers. About TCT TCT is a global television network dedicated to sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with commercial-free programming, 24/7! Find out more about TCT and our broadcast ministry at www.tct.tv. You can find us on: DirecTV Ch. 377 | Apple TV | Kindle Fire | Roku | truli | iTunes | Google Playstore | Cable Providers | VOD | YouTube | Live Streaming Still not sure how to watch? Visit www.tct.tv/watch to find a TCT channel in your area. For inquiries, please contact: media@tct.tv TCT Television Network, PO Box 1010, Marion, IL 62959 www.TCT.tv SOURCE TCT Television Network CONTACT: Judy Church, 618-997-4700, media@tct.tv Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Karnataka continue to report a surge in fresh COVID-19 cases and they account for85.95 per cent of the cases reported in a span of 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday. The ministry said that 14,989new cases were registered in a span of 24 hours. Maharashtra has reported the highest daily new cases at 7,863. It is followed by Kerala with 2,938, while Punjab reported 729 new cases. "Maharashtra, Punjab, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana and Karnataka have shown the maximum increase in new cases on a week on week basis," the ministry said. Maharashtra alone accounted for a weekly increase of 16,012 cases. In percentage terms, Punjab reported a weekly increase of 71.5 per cent (1,783 cases). The Centre is continuously engaging with the states and union territories reporting higher caseload of active cases and those reporting a spike in the daily new COVID-19 cases, the ministry underlined. States and UTs have been advised to maintain a continued rigorous vigil for containing the spread of COVID-19 so that the gains of collective efforts are not squandered away, the ministry said. Need for effective testing, comprehensive tracking, prompt isolation of positive cases and quick quarantine of close contacts are strongly emphasised. The central government has also rushed high-level teams to Maharashtra, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Jammu and Kashmir to support them in their fight against the recent spike in COVID-19 cases. The three-member teams are headed by joint secretary-level officers in the Health Ministry. They will ascertain reasons for the surge and coordinate with the state health departments in COVID-19 control and containment measures. India's total active caseload has reached1,70,126 on Wednesday. India's present active caseload now stands at1.53 per cent of the total positive cases. Showing the change in active cases for states/UTs in a day, the ministry said while Kerala, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Jammu and Kashmir show a reduction in the active cases in a span of 24 hours, Maharashtra, Punjab, Delhi, Karnataka and Gujarat display a rise in the active cases during the same period. Eight States -- Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Karnataka and Haryana -- are displaying an upward trajectory in daily new cases, the ministry highlighted. The 2nd dose of COVID19 vaccination started on February 13 for those beneficiaries who have completed 28 days after receipt of the first dose. Vaccination of frontline workers (FLWs) started on February 2. The next phase of Covid-19 vaccination commenced from March 1 for those who are over 60 years of age and for people aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions. More than 1.56 crore (1,56,20,749) vaccine doses have been administered through 3,12,188 sessions, according to provisional report till Wednesday 7 am. These include67,42,187healthcare workers (1st dose),27,13,144HCWs (2nd dose),55,70,230FLWs (1stdose) and 834 FLWs (2nddose),71,896beneficiaries aged more than 45 years with specific co-morbidities (1stdose) and5,22,458beneficiaries aged more than 60 years. As on Day-46 of the vaccination drive (March 2), total 7,68,730 vaccine doses were given. Out of which, 6,52,501 beneficiaries were vaccinated across 10,527 sessions for 1stdose (HCWs and FLWs) and 1,16,229 HCWs and FLWs received 2nddose of vaccine. More than 1.08 crore people have recovered from the disease so far. As many as 13,123 patients have recovered and got discharged in the last 24 hours. Of the new recovered cases, 86.58 per cent are concentrated in six states. Maharashtra has reported the maximum number of single-day recoveries with 6,332 newly recovered cases. As many as 3,512 people recovered in Kerala in the past 24 hours, followed by 473 in Tamil Nadu. Ninety-eight deaths were reported in a span of 24 hours. Four states account for88.78 per cent of the new deaths. Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties (54). Kerala follows with 16 daily deaths and Punjab reported 10 deaths in a span of 24 hours. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 13:33:10|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SEOUL, March 3 (Xinhua) -- South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook met with European Union (EU) Ambassador to South Korea Maria Castillo Fernandez on Wednesday to discuss security issues, according to Seoul's defense ministry. Suh and Fernandez held a meeting at the headquarters of the South Korean defense ministry in Seoul, exchanging opinions about the security situations on the Korean Peninsula and in the region as well as ways to strengthen cooperation between South Korea and the EU. During the meeting, Suh assessed the expanded bilateral cooperation since South Korea and the EU launched their strategic partnership relations in 2010, anticipating further expansion of their bilateral cooperation in the defense sector. Fernandez said she will do her best during her tenure to contribute to the peace settlement on the peninsula and the substantive development in the South Korea-EU cooperation. They also had consultations on the South Korean Cheonghae Unit's cooperation in the EU anti-piracy missions and the issues on holding South Korea-EU security talks. They agreed to actively push for the substantive exchange and cooperation between the senior-level military officials of the two sides that had been delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2009, the Cheonghae Unit has been on anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia, and recently expanded its mission areas to include the Strait of Hormuz. Enditem Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 30 giorni fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Retinal Vascular Occlusion (RVO) is the build-up of blood or other fluids in the retina of the eye, which prevents it from properly filtering light caused by the blood clot. RVO may result in a sudden loss of vision, which can be permanent if not treated urgently. RVO is a common vascular disorder and one of the most common causes of vision loss worldwide. Taking into consideration other eye diseases RVO is the second most common cause of blindness after diabetic retinopathy. RVO affects one eye. However, approximately 6%-14% of cases it can also affect both eyes. RVO has an incidence rate of 2.2 cases per 1000 of general population older than 40 years and 5.4 cases per 1000 of general population older than 64 years. Get Sample Copy @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/4899 The global retinal vascular occlusion market is experiencing growing demand due to increasing older population, increasing screening, greater emphasis on restorative procedures, the urgency of the RVO treatment, and others. The market restraints are the complications such as the risk of bleeding, infections, pain, especially during surgery, the high cost of retinal vascular occlusion treatment, lack of eye care infrastructure, and lack of focus on other diseases by developing regions, and others. The global retinal vascular occlusion market is expected to reach USD 20.7 billion by 2023, and the market is projected to grow at a CAGR of ~ 9.5 % during the forecast period 2017-2023. Segments The global retinal vascular occlusion market has been segmented on the basis of types, condition, diagnosis, drugs, surgery, and end user. Based on the types, the market has been segmented as retinal artery occlusion & retinal vascular occlusion. Based on the condition, the market has been segmented as non-ischemic and ischemic. Based on the diagnosis, the market has been segmented as fundoscopic examination, optical coherence tomography (OCT), fluorescein angiography, and others. Based on the drugs, the market has been segmented as an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), corticosteroid, anticoagulants, fibrinolytic, and others. Based on the surgery, the market has been segmented as laser retinal photocoagulation, chorioretinal venous anastomosis, radial optic neurotomy, and others. Based on the end user, the market has been segmented as hospitals and clinics, research and academics, and others. Key Players Some of the key players profiled in the report are Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals LLC, Novartis AG, Pfizer, Inc., AstraZeneca PLC, GlaxoSmithKline PLC, Johnson & Johnson, Teva pharmaceutical industries, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, and others. Regional Analysis The Americas account for a significant market share owing to high expenditure on the health care, especially, of the U.S. and Canada. Additionally, the greater number of ophthalmology procedures due to greater healthcare penetration in the U.S. and Canada drives the retinal vascular occlusion market. The high concentration of the major hospitals in the developed countries of this region coupled with good reimbursement rates is adding fuel to the market growth. Moreover, the large share of ophthalmology procedures, especially, the retinal vascular occlusion surgery treatment in the returns of hospitals favors the market. The large number of pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. is also a cause for the faster development of retinal vascular occlusion market in the US. The high development of the microsurgery field in developed regions such as the U.S. and Europe is a strong driver of the market. Europe is the second largest market in the world due to growing pharmaceutical industry and healthcare penetration. The European market growth is led by countries such as Germany and France. Germany is expected to be the fastest growing market over the assessment period due to its large pharmaceutical and microsurgery devices industry. Asia Pacific region is expected to grow rapidly; China and India are likely to lead this market due to fast-growing healthcare sector and large unmet needs over the forecast period. South East Asian countries such as China, India, and Malaysia are projected to contribute highly to the market growth. The growing penetration of healthcare industry in the Asia Pacific region is expected to drive the future retinal vascular occlusion market in the region. However, the low expenditure on ophthalmology and eye care coupled with the lack of insurance penetration in the developing regions is a dent in the market. Gulf nations such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE are estimated to drive the Middle East & African market. Other Middle East nations to watch out for are Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, and Iran. The African region is expected to witness a poor growth owing to poor economic and political conditions, and poor healthcare development. Other regions are expected to be laggards due to the poor social development and tribal identities such as sub-Saharan Africa. The focus of the governments of poor countries on fulfilling basic healthcare relegates the retinal vascular occlusion market to the background, which hampers the development of the market. Detailed Table of Contents: 1. Report Prologue 2. Introduction 2.1 Definition 2.2 Scope Of The Study 2.2.1 Research Objective 2.2.2 Assumptions 2.2.3 Limitations 2.3 Market Structure 2.4. Market Segmentation 3. Research Methodology 3.1 Research Process 3.2 Primary Research 3.3 Secondary Research 3.4 Market Size Estimation 3.5 Forecast Model 4. Market Dynamics 4.1 Drivers 4.2 Restraints 4.3 Opportunities 4.4 Mega Trends 4.5 Macroeconomic Indicators Continued read more @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/retinal-vascular-occlusion-market-4899 About US: Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. Oil prices were down in early trade on Wednesday, extending several days of losses, amid uncertainty over how much supply producing countries will push to restore to the market at a meeting this week while the coronavirus pandemic persists. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures fell 18 cents, or 0.3%, to $59.57 a barrel by 0122 GMT, down 6% since Feb. 25, when they hit their highest close since May 2019. Brent crude futures dipped 7 cents, or 0.1%, to $62.63 a barrel, down 7% from a 13-month high hit last week. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies, together called OPEC+, are set to meet on Thursday, at a time when they are generally positive on the oil market outlook compared with a year ago when they slashed supply to boost prices. OPEC+ sources last week said an output increase of 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) looked possible without building inventories. Saudi Arabia's voluntary cut of 1 million bpd is due to end in April, but it is unclear whether it will restore all of that supply right away. "The days of GDP and oil demand figures being in the red because of the pandemic-induced shock appear to be behind us," OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo said on Tuesday, speaking ahead of a meeting of OPEC+'s Joint Technical Committee (JTC). However, a JTC document seen by Reuters cited continued uncertainties in physical markets and risks of the coronavirus pandemic persisting with COVID-19 mutations. "The question the group must answer this week is whether the rebound in demand is strong enough to sustain an increase in output," ANZ analysts said in a note. Reinforcing concerns of potential oversupply, the American Petroleum Institute industry group reported U.S. crude stocks rose by 7.4 million barrels in the week to Feb. 26, in stark contrast to analysts' estimates for a draw of 928,000 barrels. "The unexpectedly large crude inventories build hit at a worrying time for oil bulls," said Stephen Innes, global market strategist at Axi. Also read: India's fuel demand to rise 9.8% in year to March 2022 The Florida insurance industry will be fighting for property insurance reforms in the 60-day legislative session that kicked off this week, but there are several other insurance-related bills to watch. Read on for a breakdown of the bills being considered by Florida lawmakers in the 2021 Florida Legislative Session: Senate Bill 1066: Insurance Consumer Advocate Authorizes the Insurance Consumer Advocate to collect certain information from the entities issued a certificate of authority by the Office of Insurance Regulation. Aggregate information may include information asserted as trade secret information unless the trade secret information can be individually taken out. SB 514/House Bill 315: Resiliency Establishes a Statewide Office of Resiliency with the office of the governor that is headed by a chief resilience officer. Creates a statewide sea-level rise task force adjunct to the Office of Resiliency, to recommend projections of anticipated sea level rise and flooding impacts along coastline. SB 168: Hurricane Loss Mitigation Program Extends until June 30, 2031 the Hurricane Loss Mitigation Program, which funds programs designed to improve the wind resistance of residences and public hurricane shelters. The fund and its associated $10 million appropriation from the Hurricane Catastrophe Fund are currently set to expire on June 30, 2021. HB 237: Demand Letters for Personal Injury Protection Benefits Requires written notice of intent to initiate litigation for relief related to personal injury protection benefits; revises requirements for demand letter for personal injury protection benefits; prohibits actions and prosecutions on behalf of claimants unless certain requirements are met. SB 76/HB 305: Residential Property Uses a lodestar fee (billable hours x reasonable hourly rate) for awarding attorney fees except in rare and exceptional circumstances. The bill would also allow an insurer to offer homeowners insurance policies that adjust claims on roofs 10 years or older on the basis of a roof surface reimbursement schedule. Requires notice of intent to initiate litigation and make a presuit demand. Authorizes an insurer to request to inspect, photograph, or evaluate certain property. HB 305 would not add the claimants requirement to provide notice of intent to initiate litigation proposed. SB 212: Contingency Risk Multipliers Provides that for certain attorney fees awarded for claims arising under property insurance policies, a strong presumption is created that a lodestar fee is sufficient and reasonable and except only under certain circumstances, specifically in a rare and exceptional circumstance with evidence that competent counsel could not be retained in a reasonable manner. SB 630: Community Associations Revises the regulation and governance of condominium, cooperative and homeowners associations. Prohibits a unit owners insurance policy from including rights of subrogation against the association if the associations policy does not provide subrogation rights against the unit owner. This bill is backed by the Florida Association of Insurance Agents. SB 686: Offers of Judgment Revises and expands the statute that governs settlement offers in civil litigation. Authorizes parties to serve offers of judgment that make certain stipulations relating to attorney fees and costs. The bill permits a party to make an offer of judgment that compensates someone solely for their harm or loss. It does not include an offer to compensate for awarding attorney fees and costs. Requires a party served with a settlement offer to notify the party making the offer, within 30 days, of any grounds for challenging the validity of the offer. HB 717/SB 1598: Consumer Protection Prohibits unlicensed activity by adjusting firms and prohibits someone from providing claims adjusting services unless they meet specified requirements.Prohibits licensed contractors and subcontractors from engaging in certain activities unless licensed and compliant as public adjusters; provides disclosure requirement that insurance coverage must meet before being eligible for export under Surplus Lines Law; prohibits foreign venue clauses in property insurance policies. SB 7014: Office of Insurance Regulation Adds the Office of Insurance Consumer Advocate to the list of entities to which the Office of Insurance Regulation may disclose confidential and exempt information. Would also remove the scheduled repeal of an exemption from public records requirements for certain proprietary business information and information that is confidential and held by the Office of Insurance Regulation, including reports submitted by insurers, and others. SB 728: Credit for Reinsurance Provides insurers with credit for reinsurance from the Commissioner of Insurance to the Office of Insurance Regulation and eliminates additional collateral requirements for reinsurers if the reinsurer is domiciled in a reciprocal jurisdiction and meets requirements set forth in the bill. The requirements include but are not limited to: Minimum capital and surplus requirements; minimum solvency or capital ratios; annual confirmation from the domiciliary supervisory authority stating that the reinsurer meets the capital, surplus, and minimum solvency or capital ratio requirements; and prompt claims payment practices. Sets definitions for reciprocal jurisdiction. Transfers specific authority and duties related to credit for reinsurance from the commissioner of insurance to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. Specifies requirements for assuming insurers and reinsurance agreements and authorizes a ceding insurer or its representative that is subject to rehabilitation, liquidation or conservation to seek a certain court order. SB 742/HB 815: Omnibus Bill Redefines the term covered policy under the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund in relation to certain collateral protection insurance policies. Specifies when service of process is valid and binding upon insurers. Specifies which entities must receive requests for loss run statements. Authorizes rather than requires rate filings for certain residential property insurance to include certain rate factors. Also authorizes insurers to file insurance rating plans based on windstorm mitigation construction standards and authorizes insurers to require policyholders to provide evidence of compliance with mitigation standards under certain conditions. Additionally, authorizes use of specified modeling indications for rate filings for residential property insurance; provides additional factors to be used in determination and fixing of rates for workers compensation and employers liability insurance; authorizes residential property insurers to file rating plans that provide certain windstorm mitigation premium discounts, credits and rate differentials; authorizes surplus lines agents to export flood coverage contracts or endorsements to surplus lines insurers without making certain diligent efforts; redefines the term assignment agreement to include scopes of service & property inspection. SB 1408/HB 1209: Department of Financial Services Makes it a felony crime for a person to knowingly aid and abet the unlicensed transaction of insurance; and clarifies current Florida law to designate the Division of Public Assistance Fraud (PAF) as a criminal justice agency to bolster fraud fighting efforts. Also, revises continuing education requirements for certain persons licensed to solicit, sell, or adjust insurance. Amends requiring submissions of renewal appointments of certain insurance representatives within a certain timeframe; requires the department to notify certain insurers or employers regarding inadvertent failures to appoint; requires insurers and employers to pay certain fees and taxes within a certain timeframe. Requires the department to suspend an insurers or employers authority to appoint licensees under certain circumstances. Deletes requirement for agents to advise insureds that certain coverage may be available for personal residential property risks to be eligible for export under the Surplus Lines Law. Provides an exemption from a diligent effort requirement for surplus lines agents exporting contracts or endorsements providing flood coverage. SB 906: Motor Vehicle Glass Prohibits motor vehicle repair shops and their employees from offering anything of value to a customer in exchange for making an insurance claim for motor vehicle glass replacement or repair, including offers made through certain persons. Also provides requirements that must be met for an assignment agreement to be valid; requires an assignee to hold harmless an assignor when certain requirements arent satisfied; requires that an assignment agreement be provided to an insurer at a specified time; requires insurers to respond to a notice within a specified timeframe; requiring insurers to have certain procedures relating to disputes. SB 54/HB 719: Motor Vehicle Insurance Repeals provisions that comprise the Florida Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law; revises the motor vehicle insurance coverages that an applicant must show to register certain vehicles with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles; provides alternative minimum liability insurance coverage requirements for certain motor vehicle owners or operators; revising financial responsibility requirements for owners or lessees of for-hire passenger transportation vehicles; prohibits certain practices by motor vehicle repair shops or motor vehicle glass repair facilities with respect to the replacement or repair of motor vehicle windshields. SB 1230/HB 1039: Insurance Requires the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to establish the Uninsured Vehicle Enforcement Program. The department, in coordination with the Department of Transportation, will install and operate automatic license plate reader systems on infrastructure and would be responsible for developing and maintaining a system for matching a vehicle identified by an automatic license plate reader system with insurance data held by the department for registered vehicles. Prohibits data collected or retained from being used for purposes other than traffic safety & traffic monitoring; prohibits law enforcement agencies & certain other agencies from selling license plate data or sharing such data. SB 1574: Citizens Property Insurance Corp. Revises the method for determining the amounts of potential surcharges to be levied against policyholders under certain circumstances. Also, specifies a limit for agent commission rates and provides that eligible surplus lines insurers may participate, in the same manner and on the same terms as an authorized insurer, in depopulation, take-out, or keep-out programs. Authorizes information from underwriting files and confidential claims files to be released by the corporation to specified entities considering writing or underwriting risks insured by the corporation under certain circumstances. COVID-19 Liability Protections SB 72/HB 7: Civil Liability for Damages Relating to COVID-19 Provides requirements for civil action based on COVID-19 related claim. Offers general liability protection for businesses schools, nonprofits and religious institutions that make a good-faith effort to follow established federal, state and local guidelines. Liability protections would apply retroactively to any newly filed lawsuit. SB 74: COVID-19-Related Claims Against Health Care Providers Provides preliminary procedures for civil actions based on COVID-19-related claims; provides the standard of proof required at trial for such claims and provides immunity from liability for COVID-19-related claims under certain circumstances. Require COVID-19-related claims to be filed within a specified timeframe. Related: Topics Florida After banning Xunsiding church - a prominent house church in Xiamen City- in 2019, Siming District Religious Affairs Bureau has again issued on February 24 another ban notice stating that their "campus" was not authorized, reports say. The administrative punishment notice was directed to Wang Xiaofei, wife of Minister Yang Xibo of Xiamen Xunsiding Church, the International Christian Concern reported. The notice said that Ms. Wang violated several articles under the "Regulations on Religious Affairs." It said that she started a branch for Xiamen Xunsiding Church without the approval of the religious affairs bureau. This, according to the authorities, is legal ground for them to also ban the campus. Pastor Yang Xibo posted on Facebook their experience. He said that the bureau went after his wife on the day that he was out preaching. "While out preaching on February 24, religious affairs bureau staff arrived at my home and interrogated my wife. Today, she received a punishment notice [from CCP authorities], but a certificate of merit (in the eyes of God). Officials targeted my wife because I was not at home." Pastor Xibo also noted that he received a similar notice in 2019. "Thank the Lord-my wife and I are a good match," he said. Under the same legal provisions, Ms. Wang can file an administrative reconsideration within 60 days. According to ICC's reports, Xunsiding Church "has been repeatedly harassed and raided by Siming Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau and local police over the last few years." From being the largest house church in Xiamen, Xunsiding Church resorted to small gatherings at different locations after they were forcibly shut down in May 2019. The new venues, however, were consecutively banned by the authorities. According to China Aid, the religious affairs bureau has teamed up with the police department, the national security agency, and the community management office. Even without search warrants and proper documents, the authorities have "confiscated possessions of churches and sealed their doors." The pressure has forced some house churches -usually with more than 100 members- to register under the bureau. Nonetheless, failure to meet any of the bureau's conditions will get them penalized. House churches with fewer members have remained firm in their resolve to not compromise by becoming a part of the government-sanctioned Three-self churches. Their non-compliance made them the target of continuous harassment. While that may sound bleak, Fenggang Yang, director of Center on Religion and Chinese Society noted that "when it comes to bringing in new converts, the evangelistic zeal of a small-group fellowship is often more effective than large church gatherings." "Moreover, the current campaign may keep jiating (house) churches small in size, but these campaigns usually wane after a while. Indeed, some jiating church leaders have been making preparations for the turnaround of the policy and the bouncing back of jiating churches in the near future," Yang observed. ICC (International Christian Concern) has been tirelessly tracking reports and will continue to monitor China's crackdowns on churches. For more information on Christian persecutions around the globe, head to their site at www.persecution.org. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. The Perkins Coie law firm, acting as outside counsel of the state party, issued an advisory opinion that warned electing a federal officeholder as chair could open the Democratic Party of Illinois to scrutiny by the Federal Election Commission over funds raised and dispersed on behalf of state office candidates who are not subject to tighter federal campaign finance restrictions. Madison County and Huntsville leaders hosted a Madison County/Huntsville-area coronavirus news conference Wednesday at Huntsville City Hall. Dr. Karen Landers, Madison County Health Officer, joined by Michelle Jordan, executive director of Top of Alabama Regional Council of Governments, and Huntsville-Madison County Emergency Management Agency Director Jeff Birdwell. Gladys Berejiklian met with her then lover Daryl Maguire to discuss a highway that was over 100 kilometres from the Wagga Wagga MPs electorate, but within metres of his new investment property at Ivanhoe. In October 2016 Mr Maguire paid $8000 for a property a few hundred metres from the Cobb Highway in the NSW outback township of Ivanhoe in the far west. Gladys Berejiklian as Treasurer met with Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire to discuss the Cobb Highway after his purchase of a property in Ivanhoe. Credit:Steven Siewert, James Brickwood The following month the MP met the then treasurer to discuss the Cobb Highway, her ministerial diaries show, even though it was 140 kilometres from Mr Maguires electorate. In September 2017 Mr Maguire snapped up another neighbouring property on Livingstone Street at Ivanhoe for the bargain price of $750. Paintings by Norman Rockwell are shown at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge. The Boy Scouts of America will sell its Rockwell paintings to compensate sexual abuse claims, according to a Monday court filing. LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / March 3, 2021 / Love Hemp Group PLC (AQSE:LIFE)(OTCQB:WRHLF), is pleased to announce that, further to the Company's announcement on 15 February 2021, the change of name from World High Life PLC to Love Hemp Group PLC has become effective. All share certificates that are presently in the hands of investors will be valid and do not need to be exchanged for new share certificates. Andrew Male, Chairman and Director of Love Hemp, says "The name change aligns the listed company with the operational entity and most importantly, the brand that everyone knows, Love Hemp." About Love Hemp Love Hemp is one of the UK's leading CBD and Hemp product suppliers and has more than 40 product lines, comprising oils, sprays and vapes and a variety of edible and water-based CBD products. Love Hemp has established relationships with over 2,000 stores in the UK, including leading brands such as Sainsbury's, Boots, Ocado and Holland & Barrett. Love Hemp is positioned to take advantage of the huge opportunities available in the UK and European legal cannabis space, which is set to be the largest in the world within five years. For further information please contact: Andrew Male Chairman & Director +44 (0) 7926 397 675 andrew@worldhighlife.uk AQSE Corporate Adviser Mark Anwyl/Allie Feuerlein Peterhouse Capital Limited +44 (0) 20 7469 0930 ma@peterhousecap.com af@peterhousecap.com Financial PR Tim Blythe Alice McLaren Madeleine Gordon-Foxwell +44 (0) 207 318 3205 worldhighlife@blytheweigh.com Financial Advisor Rupert Fane H&P Advisory Limited +44 (0) 20 7907 8500 rf@hannam.partners For more information on World High Life please visit: www.worldhighlife.uk www.lovehempgroup.com Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information. Upon the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain. This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com. SOURCE: Love Hemp Group PLC View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/633159/Love-Hemp-Group-PLC-Announces-Change-of-Name Washington: When the US began rolling out coronavirus vaccines late last year, there was a lot of concern about vaccine hesitancy among African-Americans. Multiple polls showed that black Americans were significantly more sceptical about getting the jab than white or Hispanic Americans, reflecting a history of disturbing government experiments on black patients. But as the vaccine rollout progressed and more information became available, African Americans confidence in the coronavirus vaccine grew - a development that has pleased public health experts. Donald Trumps speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference showed they he remains revered by the Republican base. Credit:AP But one demographic group in America remains stubbornly and disturbingly wary of getting the vaccine: Republicans. When Deann Stephenson lost power on the first day of the Texas blackouts sparked by frigid temperatures, she decided to walk to the corner store for supplies. It was the same milelong trek she took nearly every day through wooded, residential streets and past a landscaping business where a chain-link fence usually stood between her and a pack of barking dogs. But on Feb. 15, she did not make it to the store. Four mixed-breed dogs escaped from the property on the 24800 block of Cunningham Drive in Porter and attacked the 59-year-old woman, inflicting fatal injuries, according to Montgomery County officials. Stephenson, a mother of two and full-time caretaker for her disabled husband, leaves behind a shocked and devastated family. They hired Houston attorney Patrick OHara, who this week plans to file a civil negligence lawsuit against the dog owner. We were just pretty shaken up by what happened, said Keaton Clark, the victims 22-year-old son. I think justice should be served. Shortly after noon that day, neighbors found Stephenson lying in a roadside ditch with severe injuries. It appeared the dogs were chewing on the woman, one resident told OHara. Someone called 911 and others wrapped Stephenson in a blanket and tried to keep her alert. Paramedics transported her to Kingwood Hospital while deputies from the sheriffs office and animal control officers remained at the scene to conduct an investigation. A relative called Clark with the news of the attack but said his mother was stable and expected to recover after multiple surgeries and stitches. Later that day, however, Stephenson died at the hospital. The dog owner, whose name was not released, agreed to surrender the dogs to officials, according to Montgomery County Animal Services. The owner did not respond to a request for comment. The dogs, which were a mix of hound, shepherd and black mouth cur breeds, have since been euthanized, the agency said. The owner was cited for failing to provide proof of rabies vaccination and failure to properly confine the animals. Its unclear what prompted the attack or whether the dogs were trained as guard dogs, officials said. OHara said he believes the gate was open. The attorney said neighbors told him that a child was attacked by one of the same dogs several years ago. The dogs would often run rampant, OHara said, chasing children and delivery drivers. A spokesman for the countys animal service agency said there were no recent recorded complaints linked to the address, but there were five nonspecific calls in the area before 2016. County officials said an autopsy revealed Stephensons immediate cause of death to be multiple puncture wounds, lacerations and contusions. Members of the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office and District Attorneys Office are investigating to determine if criminal charges will be filed against the dog owner. This investigation is currently ongoing, the sheriffs office said in a statement. (We) would like to express our condolences to Deanns friends and family. On Wednesday, Clark pulled up a photo of his smiling mother holding a rose he gave her last year as a New Years Eve gift. The last time mother and son communicated was the night before the attack, Clark said, when they texted about the incoming winter storm. Clark, a pastor at Hope and Life Church, said his mother really liked his career choice. She was a kindhearted person who was always smiling, he said. She loved everybody that she met, Clark said. She really did a lot of good for people and helped people when she could. His parents were together for more than three decades. Stephenson cooked, cleaned and cared for her husband, son and 26-year-old daughter. Hes been going through a rough time for sure, Clark said. The family is raising funds through a GoFundMe page. anna.bauman@chron.com [March 03, 2021] Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP, a Leading Securities Fraud Law Firm, Announces Investigation of Ormat Technologies, Inc. (ORA) on Behalf of Investors Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM"), a leading national shareholder rights law firm, today announced that it has commenced an investigation on behalf of Ormat Technologies, Inc. ("Ormat" or the "Company") (NYSE: ORA) investors concerning the Company's possible violations of the federal securities laws. If you suffered a loss on your Ormat investments or would like to inquire about potentially pursuing claims to recover your loss under the federal securities laws, you can submit your contact information at https://www.glancylaw.com/cases/ormat-technologies-inc/. You can also contact Charles H. Linehan, of GPM at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, or via email at shareholders@glancylaw.com to learn more about your rights. On March 1, 2021, before the market opened, Hindenburg Research published a report entitled "Ormat: Dirty Dealings in 'Clean' Energy." According to the report, the Company "has engaged in what we believe to be widespread and systematic acts of intentional corruption," adding that it "expect[s] the blowback to these revelations to be severe, threatening Ormat's contracts in its most lucrative markets." The report alleges that Hindenburg "uncovered evidence tying Ormat to corruption with senior government officials," and "direct evidence tying Ormat to corruption with senior Guatemalan governmnt officials" further noting "Ormat paid contractors in Kenya tied to corrupt government officials." On this news, Ormat's stock price fell $1.00, or 1.1%, to close at $84.67 per share on March 1, 2021, thereby injuring investors. The same day, after the market closed, Ormat responded to the report and acknowledged that "[t]he Company is aware of claims being investigated in Israel regarding Ravit Barniv, an Ormat Board member, and Hezi Kattan, the Company's General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer." Though the "claims involve Ms. Barniv's and Mr. Kattan's work at another company, prior to joining Ormat," the Company announced that it would "transfer the responsibility for the Company's compliance function to other members of the Ormat management team until these issues are resolved." On this news, Ormat's stock price fell $1.68, or nearly 2%, to close at $82.99 per share on March 2, 2021, thereby injuring investors further. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook. Whistleblower Notice: Persons with non-public information regarding Ormat should consider their options to aid the investigation or take advantage of the SEC (News - Alert) Whistleblower Program. Under the program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Charles H. Linehan at 310-201-9150 or 888-773-9224 or email shareholders@glancylaw.com. About GPM Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP is a premier law firm representing investors and consumers in securities litigation and other complex class action litigation. ISS Securities Class Action Services has consistently ranked GPM in its annual SCAS Top 50 Report. In 2018, GPM was ranked a top five law firm in number of securities class action settlements, and a top six law firm for total dollar size of settlements. With four offices across the country, GPM's nearly 40 attorneys have won groundbreaking rulings and recovered billions of dollars for investors and consumers in securities, antitrust, consumer, and employment class actions. GPM's lawyers have handled cases covering a wide spectrum of corporate misconduct including cases involving financial restatements, internal control weaknesses, earnings management, fraudulent earnings guidance and forward looking statements, auditor misconduct, insider trading, violations of FDA regulations, actions resulting in FDA and DOJ investigations, and many other forms of corporate misconduct. GPM's attorneys have worked on securities cases relating to nearly all industries and sectors in the financial markets, including, energy, consumer discretionary, consumer staples, real estate and REITs, financial, insurance, information technology, health care, biotech, cryptocurrency, medical devices, and many more. GPM's past successes have been widely covered by leading news and industry publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times (News - Alert), Bloomberg Businessweek, Reuters, the Associated Press, Barron's, Investor's Business Daily, Forbes, and Money. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005278/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] A furious row has erupted in Europe after Britain unilaterally delayed checks on food going to Northern Ireland. The European Commission accused the UK of breaching international law and violating the Brexit agreement by deciding to continue Irish Sea border grace periods until October. The Irish Government also branded the intervention extending the soft-touch regulatory regime on some goods entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain as 'deeply unhelpful'. European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic slammed the move as he threatened legal action, while France branded the decision 'unacceptable'. Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis triggered the dispute by announcing that London will delay from April until October 1 a grace period under which food and farm products can flow to Northern Ireland from mainland Britain without customs inspections. The European Commission's vice president Maros Sefcovic has accused Britain of breaking international law again over the Northern Ireland Protocol A commission statement on behalf of Mr Sefcovic said: 'Following the UK Government's statement today, vice-president Sefcovic has expressed the EU's strong concerns over the UK's unilateral action, as this amounts to a violation of the relevant substantive provisions of the protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland and the good faith obligation under the Withdrawal Agreement. 'This is the second time that the UK Government is set to breach international law. 'This also constitutes a clear departure from the constructive approach that has prevailed up until now, thereby undermining both the work of the Joint Committee and the mutual trust necessary for solution-oriented co-operation.' The EU statement added: 'The European Commission will respond to these developments in accordance with the legal means established by the Withdrawal Agreement and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.' The Northern Ireland Protocol is designed to prevent the imposition of a hard border on the island of Ireland by keeping Northern Ireland following EU trade rules. It has caused disruption to some goods travelling from the rest of the UK after suppliers encountered extra red tape. Businesses in Northern Ireland have been pressing for an extension to the grace periods to avoid a cliff-edge plunge into extra bureaucracy linked to the protocol. Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said the controversial move is 'pragmatic and proportional' The British Government has said grace periods like those for supermarket agri-food movements from the rest of the UK to Northern Ireland 'will continue' until October. Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said: 'As part of the pragmatic and proportionate implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol, the Government is taking several temporary operational steps to avoid disruptive cliff edges as engagement with the EU continues through the Joint Committee. 'These recognise that appropriate time must be provided for businesses to implement new requirements, and support the effective flow of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.' Ministers face a backlash from unionists who fear the protocol threatens Northern Ireland's place in the UK internal market. Mr Lewis said: 'For supermarkets and their suppliers, as part of the operational plan the UK committed to at the UK-EU Joint Committee on February 24, the current Scheme for Temporary Agri-food Movements to Northern Ireland (STAMNI) will continue until October 1. Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said unilaterally continuing the grace period undermines the UK's commitment to the protocol 'Certification requirements will then be introduced in phases alongside the rollout of the Digital Assistance Scheme.' He said further guidance will be provided later this week on parcel movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, to provide necessary additional time for traders beyond April 1. 'Guidance will also be set out to help address practical problems on soil attached to the movement of plants, seeds, bulbs, vegetables and agricultural machinery.' The first of the grace periods had been due to expire at the end of March. Supermarkets would have had to produce export health certificates for all shipments of animal products. Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said unilaterally continuing the grace period undermines the UK's commitment to the protocol. He said: 'A unilateral announcement is deeply unhelpful to building the relationship of trust and partnership that is central to the implementation of the protocol.' The British Government has said grace periods like those for supermarket agri-food movements from the rest of the UK to Northern Ireland 'will continue' until October Mr Coveney met Mr Lewis and the Cabinet Office minister responsible for EU-UK relations, Lord Frost. He said: 'I made clear to them my regret that the UK had moved in a unilateral way, rather than working in continued partnership with the EU in accordance with the EU-UK joint statements of 11 and 24 February.' The DUP is aiming to undermine the protocol. The party's Westminster leader, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, said: 'Whilst supermarkets and those bringing in goods via our ports from Great Britain will be relieved to see extensions to the grace periods, we will be continuing to press the Government for a permanent solution. 'Grace periods do not provide the long-term certainty that businesses and consumers in Northern Ireland require. 'The protocol has been demonstrated to be unworkable.' The DUP's Stormont Agriculture Minister, Gordon Lyons, sparked controversy on Friday night when he announced he had ordered officials to halt work on planned permanent facilities to carry out inspections on goods from Great Britain. Sinn Fein president Mary-Lou McDonald said: 'At last week's meeting of the Joint Committee, Michael Gove and Maros Sefcovic reaffirmed support for the Irish Protocol and the need to work together to deal with issues that have arisen. 'It is incredible that one week later the British government has gone on a solo run and taken unilateral action. 'This was completely unnecessary, totally undermines the work of the Joint Committee and puts it on an immediate collision course with the European Union.' Kenyan farmers sue state over Kenya-UK trade deal, also challenge fisheries regulations by Andrew Wasike March 03,2021 | Source: Anadolu Agency Small farmers in Kenya have sued the state at a court in the capital Nairobi in a bid to stop a Kenya-UK trade deal. The farmers, under the banner of Kenya Small Scale Farmer Forum (KSSF), argued that the process of the deals ratification is extremely flawed as no public participation was conducted by the Kenyan government before the document was proposed in parliament last week. The agreement indicates an open market with heavily subsidized tariffs for the UK farm products like chicken, pigs and maize that have the dangerous potential to destroy local production of the very same products, the farmers said in a statement. Opposition to this agreement also challenges fisheries regulations that will grant large-scale UK fishing trawlers access to Kenyan waters without restrictions on declarations on undocumented or unspecified harvesting of fish during large-scale trawling, they added. In December, Kenyas parliament failed to ratify the trade agreement with the UK, calling for a supplementary report on the economic partnership agreement. Weekly newspaper The EastAfrican reported that according to the deal: UK goods to the EAC [East African Community] such as crude oil, chalk, vegetable seeds, motor spirit, aviation spirit and petroleum oils will have customs duty progressively abolished for 15 years, starting seven years after the agreement takes effect. The agreement also allows other East African Community member states to enjoy duty-free and quota-free access to the UK market under the Everything-but-Arms (EBA) initiative that was introduced in 2001 under the European Union Generalized Scheme of Preferences. Small-scale farmers argued that there is a heightened anxiety over Kenyas actual advantages vis-a-vis the UKs edge within this trade agreement that draws lines of imbalances and unfair trading. Anadolu Agency 2019 Theme(s): Fishing Craft, Gear and Fishing Methods. Comedian Rhys Nicholson has been named as the third judge on the RuPauls Drag Race Down Under. He joins RuPaul and Michelle Visage on the series which has recently been filming in New Zealand. Premiering later this year on Stan, the 8-part series will see Australian & Nz drag queens compete to become the first ever Down Under Drag Race Superstar. RuPaul, said: Rhys Nicholson is the perfect addition to the Drag Race Down Under family. His quick wit, love of drag, and willingness to carry Michelle Visages heavy luggage have already made him indispensable. I know our audience is going to love him as much as we do. Rhys Nicholson, said: I just cant tell you how thrilled I am to have been invited into the illustrious house of Drag Race. I genuinely still cant bloody believe it. The first words RuPaul ever said to me were Welcome to the family and thats exactly what it feels like. A family. Ru and Michelle are my new mummies. I hope the editors took out the bits where Im just staring at them wide eyed trying to comprehend sitting next to them. Being able to be a part of the show and help expose the world to our distinctive and particularly magnificent style of Down Under drag will forever be a highlight of my life and an honour. I hope I didnt F***. It. Up. The shows competing queens will be revealed this Saturday at the 2021 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in a special parade float. Stan Original Series RuPauls Drag Race Down Under is a World of Wonder production in collaboration with Warner Bros. International Production New Zealand for Stan and TVNZ. Randy Barbato, Fenton Bailey, Tom Campbell and RuPaul Charles serve as Executive Producers. Passion Distribution will distribute the series globally in line with Passion Distribution and WOWs distribution strategy. Related "Our network is known for talented teachers and leaders very successful professionals in the world of high-quality education," said BASIS.ed CEO Aaron Kindel. "I am certain students, families, teachers, and staff will be thrilled at the experience and skill that two of BASIS' best will bring to our new Mid City campus." The network is scheduling ample opportunities for both enrolled and interested families to meet and ask questions of Ms. Thompson and Ms. O'Connor. Visit BASISBRMidCity.org to learn more and RSVP for an upcoming event. Rosalind Thompson, Head of School Ms. Thompson's successful career began as a human resources executive before her daughter, a BASIS Charter School teacher, recruited her to our network from the corporate world. Ms. Thompson cultivated her keen knowledge of the incredible curriculum, programs, and operations of our high performing schools by first working in our headquarters. She then served as Head of School at several primary-grade BASIS campuses nationwide. Of particular note is Ms. Thompson's experience as a "founding Head of School" a special educational and operational role which she has performed for our campuses in San Antonio and Austin, Texas, Brooklyn, New York, and Chandler, Arizona. "Students are paramount," Ms. Thompson said. "I can't imagine working anywhere else and it's the students -- who I get to know so well and watch grow so closely -- who make this the most rewarding job!" Debbie O'Connor, Head of Operations Debbie O'Connor played a significant role in the successful opening of Louisiana's first BASIS Charter School, BASIS Baton RougeMaterra Campus, as its founding Head of Operations. Before joining our network, she served as the founding Executive Director of two nonprofits: Up Alliance, dedicated to promoting literacy and adult education in Baton Rouge; and Baton Rouge Children's Advocacy Center, which coordinates the investigation, prosecution, and treatment of child abuse. "Helping open both BASIS Charter School campuses in Baton Rouge is an honor," Ms. O'Connor said. "Materra campus has been incredibly successful, and I look forward to helping Mid City campus hit the ground running! If community excitement is a gauge, then the second school will be just as successful as the first!" Ready to enroll? There are still limited seats available at BASIS Baton Rouge Mid City. Visit BASISBRMidCity.org to apply. The BASIS Charter Schools network is among the nation's best whether assessed by national rankings, OECD/PISA scores, AP Exam scores, college admissions, merit aid earned, or any other measure. Our passionate Subject Expert Teachers serve K-12 students using the STEM-inspired, liberal arts-focused BASIS Charter School Curriculum. Our acclaimed program founded in 1998 and cultivating excellence every school year sinceeducates students at the highest international levels, preparing them to be participants in the 21st century global workforce. We'll have 31 public charter schools and over 21,000 students in Arizona, Louisiana, Texas, and Washington, D.C. in the 202122 academic year. For more information, please visit BASISBRMaterra.org or BASISBRMidCity.org. SOURCE BASIS Charter Schools On-demand transportation company Bolt has set its sights on creating over 130 jobs nationally with plans to bring its e-scooters to Ireland. Of these 130 jobs, it is understood 25 could be created in Cork. Following the successful launch of its taxi-hailing service in Dublin, Bolt is intent on creating Ireland's first multi-modal transport platform, where the public can choose between a car, e-scooter or even an e-bike. "Our data from similar sized cities shows that offering micromobility services like scooters alongside ride-hailing can replace up to 11% of car trips under 3km," commented Luke Mackey, Ireland country manager for Bolt. "Integration with the wider public transport system would only increase the value add to the public who can mix between cars, micromobility, rail and bus in one app," he continued. Bolt, which was founded by Markus Villig in 2013, when he was just 19, operates in more than 40 countries. Mr Villig has been featured as the youngest CEO in Forbes Europe 30 under 30 list and is the youngest founder of a billion dollar company in Europe. "In the future, journeys can begin from the multi-modal Bolt app. "Some trips make more sense on an e-scooter, some in a taxi. "Bolt can combine them all, and you dont have to use multiple apps for each service and type of vehicle. "Once a person enters their destination in our app, well recommend different ways to get there based on time, price or weather," Mr Mackey said. The new Irish jobs are expected to be created on the successful roll-out of e-scooters in Irish cities. These local operation roles would manage the charging, maintenance and distribution of the e-scooters. Bolt scooters are currently available in 15 countries and 53 cities across Europe. The company says it is now ready to provide 10,000 of its sustainable e-scooters to Irish towns and cities. The Bolt Four scooter, unveiled in December 2020, has a maximum speed of 25 km/h and a 40 km battery range. Investigations editor Larry Parnass, investigations editor, joined The Eagle in 2016 from the Daily Hampshire Gazette, where he was editor in chief. His freelance work has appeared in the Washington Post, Boston Globe, Hartford Courant and CommonWealth Magazine. New Delhi: A top American commander on Sunday said that the US is ready to help India modernise its military and jointly they can improve Indias military capabilities in significant and meaningful ways. The defence trade between the two counties has touched nearly USD 15 billion over the past decade. And it is expected to gallop in the next few years, as India is looking at the US for some of the latest military hardware. It includes fighter jets, latest unmanned aerial vehicles and aircraft carriers. While speaking to PTI, Commander of the US Pacific Command or PACOM Admiral Harry Harris said, I believe that the US is ready to help India modernise its military. India has been designated a major defence partner of the US. This is a strategic declaration thats unique to India and the US. It places India on the same level that we have many of our treaty allies. Harris, who has been pushing for a strong bond between India and US said, This is important, and I believe that together we will be able to improve Indias military capabilities in significant and meaningful ways. The Admiral said he is fairly happy with the level of defence cooperation that exists on Sunday between the two sides. ALSO READ | Modi Trump meet: Terrorism, Afghanistan, trade, social media and friendship 5 highlights of their joint statement We have been partners with India in the Malabar exercise series, the maritime exercise, for a number of years. I participated in one of the very first... one of the early Malabars, in 1995, Harris recollected while reflecting on the decades-old association with India. The Admiral said that he is very pleased that Japan is part of Malabar. I think the trilateral relationship between India and Japan and the US, that relationship is very important, he said. While giving a reply to a question, he said We could explore together bringing Australia into the exercise. That has merit. Theres a lot of common interests in the Indian Ocean, between Australia and India. But thats really a decision for India to make, and then a decision for Australia to participate, if so invited. Ill leave that to those two countries. According to Harris, there is a lot that India and the US can do together. Im pleased that India is a participant in Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), the Pacific exercise thats hosted every other year in Hawaii. Im pleased in general with where the relationship is going, and I look forward to more as the years progress, he said. Responding to a question on Indias decision against the American move to have a joint India-US naval patrol in the Indian Ocean, Harris said the US is not disappointed at all. Im not disappointed. This is on the patrols... Im not disappointed at all, Im encouraged that we were able to have a discussion about it, and I hope that that discussion remains open, he said. We stand ready to participate at whatever level India wants us to participate, Harris said. Harris refrained from giving any answer on India and the United States starting to share information about Chinese submarines in the Indian Ocean region. I dont want to answer the question, because I dont want to imply that Im sharing intelligence, or anything like that. Ill just simply say that a close relationship between US and India is clearly helpful to the United States, and I believe helpful to India as well, Harris said in response. Harris reiterated that he believes that the deepening US-India relationship is the defining strategic partnership for the 21st century. Im very interested, and very supportive, of whats happening in India. The Indian armed forces, and that whole piece...I think that the opportunities for our two countries are simply great. Its fantastic, Harris said. Noting that India remains an important line of effort at Pacific Command, Harris said Americas national leadership is working closely with Indias to grow the partnership between the two countries. (With PTI inputs) ALSO READ | Donald Trump: US miltary locked and loaded for North Korea For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. For the second time since nurses at Saint Vincent Healthcare announced their intent to strike on March 8, the two parties met and failed to reach an agreement, the Massachusetts Nurses Association announced on Wednesday. Nurses met with Tenet Healthcare, the parent company of Saint Vincent Hospital, on Wednesday to discuss increasing staff numbers. For the second time this week, the two parties left the meeting without an agreement. The nurses union didnt specify if another meeting was scheduled but said in a statement that they are open to continuing negotiations to reach a resolution. The two sides also met on Monday where Tenet brought to the table an offer to increase staffing, Saint Vincent Hospital said. However, the union said it addressed staffing in two units with no changes to 10 other units. As part of the latest offer, Saint Vincent Hospital said a nurse on a medical or surgical floor will be assigned to no more than four COVID patients and that nurses in the progressive care unit will be assigned to no more than two patients. The hospital also said two nursing units, currently classified as Cardiac Telemetry, will move to a ratio of four patients to a nurse. Saint Vincent Hospital also offered to add a dedicated critical care float position. The proposal, the union said, failed to include any increases in support staff, though. It is clear from Tenets hardline stance on staffing that they are intent on forcing nurses to strike, said Marlena Pellegrino, a registered nurse and co-chair of the bargaining unit. We are sad to see that Tenet holds so little value for our patients, yet we are resolved to do whatever it takes to protect our patients, as it is safer to strike now than allow Tenet to continue endangering our patients every day on every shift. As we prepare for a strike, we are always ready to get back to the table to negotiate whenever Tenet is ready to do the same. On Feb. 23, nurses at Saint Vincent delivered a 10-day notice of their intention to strike beginning at 6 a.m. on March 8. Saint Vincent CEO Caroyln Jackson called the idea of striking during a pandemic irresponsible. Jackson said the hospital is prepared to continue to provide care to patients by working through an agency to bring on replacement nurses. Complaints from nurses at Saint Vincent Hospital date back to last February when more than 70% signed a petition calling for safer staffing levels. A month later, more than 200 nurses attended a negotiation session with management to provide information about the staffing levels. Last May, after furloughs were implemented, nurses filed a vote of no confidence in Jackson and her management team. In January, nurses picketed outside the hospital. In December, more than 400 nurses participated in an information picket to protest the same conditions. On Feb. 10, Jackson said an offer to the nurses included wage increases between 5% and 22% by the end of 2022, retroactive pay, lump-sum payments, enhanced benefits for part-time nurses and hiring of critical care nurses. Related Content: Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer H-E-B will no longer require that customers wear masks, but they encourage shoppers to do so. Workers and vendors inside the store will still be required, however. The news comes after Gov. Greg Abbott announced he will end the Texas mask mandate starting March 10. Police aim rifles at anti-junta protesters on a street in Monywa, the largest city in northwestern Myanmar's Sagaing region, March 3, 2021. Photo courtesy of a citizen journalist At least 26 protesters were killed by police and military forces across Myanmar on Wednesday, witnesses said, on the second-bloodiest day in more than a month after a military coup deposed the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. At least 13 people died in Yangons North Okkalapa township, six people in Monywa, and two in Mandalay, city residents and witnesses said. Video footage from citizen journalists and CCTV cameras provided to RFA showed police brutally beating civilians in several areas. More than 50 people have been killed due to the violent and arbitrary crackdowns in Myanmar since the Feb. 1 coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), a watchdog group. Across the country, many protesters and bystanders suffered injuries from live ammunition, tear gas, and beatings by security forces in broad daylight during crackdowns on anti-junta demonstrators in heavily populated cities throughout Myanmar. Several protests were staged in Yangon, Myanmars largest city, where at least 13 people died in a brutal crackdown on demonstrators in suburban North Okkalapa township, residents said. Five demonstrators were injured in the township. Five protesters were hit by rubber bullets, and five others were arrested during a protest in Yangon's Sanchaung township, witnesses said. Policemen broke the windows of some cars parked on roads and arrested not only protesters, but also those who were providing first-aid treatment to the wounded, they said. Police and soldiers set fire to tires across the road from the protest site and viciously beat four volunteer medics who were helping anti-coup demonstrators, according to CCTV footage of the incident obtained by RFA. The military and so-called police are making an enemy of the peaceful protestors, terrorizing and directing their guns towards peoples face, chest, head, back and abdomen, the AAPP said in its daily report on anti-coup protests, arrests, and deaths. The armed personnel directed random shots towards the crowd of peaceful protests in an intentional manner, the group said. They dragged dead bodies and forcibly detained injured people, neglecting any medical care, violently beating and arresting people, shooting randomly into peoples houses with no reason, looting and [burning] public property. Myanmar anti-junta protesters block a street with sandbags and shields at Hledan Junction in Yangon, March 3, 2021. Credit: RFA Died on the spot At least eight people died amid police violence in Monywa, the largest city in northwestern Myanmars Sagaing region, according to the Monwya Gazette. We tried to save 10 people of whom two women and two men died of gunshots wounds, said Aung Nay Myo, a volunteer social worker in the city. A young woman about 20 years old was shot in the forehead, and a middle-aged woman was hit in the abdomen, he said. A man about 40 years old was shot in the face, and a young man about 20 years old was hit in the head. All four of them died on the spot, said Aung Nay Myo. Several others were wounded during the crackdown, though he said he did not have an exact number. In Mandalay, Myanmars second-largest city, Myo Naing Lin, 39, and Kyal Sin, a woman of unknown age, died of gunshot wounds, and several others were injured near 84th and 31st Streets when police and soldiers beat up protesters, residents said. In Myingyan, a city in Mandalay district, a 20-year-old man died when he was shot in the head by police and soldiers, a volunteer medic said. A man was shot in the head, and a bystander was hit in the abdomen when police shot him from a passing truck, he said. His condition is critical, and he is receiving treatment at a nearby medic camp. Residents later reported that the injured bystander, a 21-year-old, had died later in the day. More than 20 people we were injured in the crackdown, they said. In the Irrawaddy River town of Salin, Magway region, a second-year engineering student was killed by police gunfire, and three others who were wounded are in critical condition, witnesses said. Police and soldiers used tear gas, stun grenades, and live ammunition to disperse anti-junta demonstrators, they said. Local police reported that three policeman and one higher-ranking officer were injured when protesters fired pellets from slingshots at them. In Myitkyina, capital of northern Myanmars Kachin state, nearly 10,000 people took part in protest marches with police and soldiers taking action five times to disperse them, protesters said. Police took away several motorbikes parked along nearby roads and arrested several schoolteachers and protesters, though the exact figure was not available. Police crack down on anti-junta protesters in Myanmar's second-largest city, Mandalay, March 3, 2021. Credit: RFA Homes ransacked in Pathein Other brutal crackdowns occurred in the towns of Mawlamyine and Ye in southeastern Myanmars Mon state. A 19-year-old university student in Mawlamyine, the state capital, died, witnesses said. In Lashio, northern Shan state, about 200 youths rode motorbikes around the city in defiance of security forces, with one protester arrested when the group met head-on with a police convoy near Mansu Temple. In East Ngawun ward in Pathein, Ayeyarwady region, police and soldiers violently broke down the doors of houses where protesters were hiding to make arrests, witnesses said. Security forces ransacked some of the houses and took away some residents who were not involved in the protests. Nearly 100,000 people, including residents of Hpruso, Demoso, and Bawleke townships in Loikaw district in the eastern part of Kayah state, took part in anti-regime rallies. The AAPP said that as of Wednesday nearly 1,500 people had been arrested, charged, or sentenced in relation to the military coup, with 1,192 still being held. The number of arrestees includes nearly 30 reporters picked up across the country since Feb. 1. Though some of them have been released, others face defamation charges. During a weekend arrest of an Associated Press reporter, police seized the man while charging at protesters and held him in a chokehold before taking him away, according to a video of the incident. The reporter was charged with violating a public safety law that carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison, according to the Associated Press. Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Victims of Communist China Call for Magnitsky Laws in Australia Survivors of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) gathered in Canberra on Feb. 27-28 for the inaugural Victims of the Communist Regime of China conference, where attendees called for the rapid adoption of Magnitsky style legislation in Australia to limit human rights abusers from enjoying the spoils of their crimes. At the conference, the need for Magnitsky legislation was addressed by representatives of the Tibetan Buddhists, Falun Gong, Uyghur Muslims, and Catholic and Christian communities, as well as Hong Kong and Chinese democracy groups. They also called on the Australian government to continue to stand firm in the face of Beijings pressure. The representative of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) for Australia and New Zealand, Lhakpo Tshoko, urged the Australian government to enact legislation comparable to the United States Global Magnitsky Act and to encourage other governments to impose similar sanctions. It is high time that the international community come together for justice and truth to register their protest clearly and vigorously against high-handed Chinese atrocities committed against the Tibetan and other oppressed people under the CCP rule, Tshoko said. Lhakpa Tshoko Representative of the Central Tibetan Administration for Australia and New Zealand, at the Inaugural Victims of Communism seminar in Canberra, Australia, Feb. 27, 2021. (Image by Epoch Times Staff ) Magnitsky-style legislation refers to the application of targeted sanctions on perpetrators of human rights abuse and corruption. First developed in the United States, the Magnitsky Act was designed to punish Russian officials responsible for the death of Russian tax lawyer Sergei Magnitsky in 2009. Currently, the law empowers the U.S. government to sanction those it regards as human rights offenders by freezing their assets and prohibiting them from entering the United States, thereby limiting the perpetrators of human rights abuses, corrupt officials, and their beneficiaries from enjoying the proceeds of their crimes. In December 2020, Liberal MP Kevin Andrews, the chair of a parliamentary sub-committee on human rights, said the Australian government inquiry into the development and implementation of Magnitsky-style sanctions had found the legislation would align Australia with the world. Further, it would allow the federal government to create a world-leading version of the Magnitsky legislation. These recommendations would see Australia strengthen our commitment to protecting the human rights of people around the world. The reports recommendations would see Australia implement a world-leading version of Magnitsky legislation, Andrews said. We cannot control whether perpetrators are brought to justice within their home country, but targeted sanctions legislation will make Australian beaches, schools, medical care, and financial institutions off-limits to people who have profited from unconscionable conduct, he said. Currently, the parliamentary report recommends targeted sanctions, including banning entry to Australia for those identified as human rights abusers, and their beneficiaries, and the capacity to seize assets. Chair of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee, Senator David Fawcett, said these laws would make Australia a leader in addressing human rights abuse and corruption. Cooperation with like-minded nations on this matter has the potential to protect the human rights of countless citizens around the world, Fawcett said. Australia is an attractive destination for investment and lifestyle, and we have the opportunity to reduce incentives for corrupt and unscrupulous human rights abusers. Uyghur Muslim and Hong Kong delegates at the Victims of the Communist Regime of China conference supported this notion, arguing that the Magnitsky style laws would enable Australia to better curtail CCP influence and help raise awareness of the persecution of Uyghur Muslims and the oppression in Hong Kong. The representative of the Australia Hong Kong Linka group of Australian Hong Kongkers dedicated to supporting freedom in Hong Kongnoted that the Magnitsky legislation could play a critical role in hindering the CCP from financially benefiting from Hong Kongs commercial wealth and business ties with Australia. We are aware that certain pro-CCP government officials immediate family members currently reside in Australia, a representative of the group told The Epoch Times. When the Magnitsky Act comes into effect, we would like to see sanctions applied on these officials and immediate families that may provide them with the chance to take advantage of Australia. Currently, the inquiry report on the adoption of Magnitsky style laws in Australia is being reviewed by the government, a representative for Andrews told The Epoch Times. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. On Monday, Biden's Homeland Security secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, made a surprising statement when he was asked if there was a crisis on America's southern border, where up to 4,000 illegal aliens are streaming into the United States daily. The surprise wasn't that he denied that there is a crisis. Instead, it was that he effectively stated that we are no longer a nation of laws. Instead, Biden's "vision" supersedes explicit immigration laws. I've cued the video up to begin where the reporter asks Mayorkas if there's a crisis. His reference to aligning immigration policy with Biden's "vision" comes at 5:50: People may no longer realize that America has robust immigration laws. You can find them at 8 USC 1151 et seq. These laws govern all aspects of admitting non-citizens and non-legal residents into the United States. The laws are predicated on the idea that America has a border and that it has the right to control that border. Congress addressed not being a public charge, working illegally in the country, bringing in dangerous communicable disease, being mentally ill, and being a dangerous criminal or a drug-runner, and required visas, sponsors, and entering through appropriate checkpoints rather than sneaking in. Stuff like that. One of the first things Joe Biden did upon entering the Oval Office was sign executive orders that either make it harder for government employees to enforce these laws or require them not to enforce them at all. Thus, he stopped work on a wall that had as its sole purpose preventing illegal aliens from bypassing legal border checkpoints. That is, he made it easier for illegal aliens to sneak in. He also ordered the "restoration" the U.S. asylum system as it existed before Trump. Trump's approach complied with the law by requiring people seeking asylum to wait in Latin America until they could formally enter America and make their case. Biden's reinstated Obama approach allows entry to everyone who claims asylum, assigns all of these people court dates, and then shuttles them into America's interior, where the administration knows they'll disappear. This isn't a legal system; it's aiding and abetting a federal crime. Biden is also rolling back the "public charge rule," along with other barriers to immigration. We all know that executives have power over "rules," except the whole public charge thing isn't just a "rule." It implements 8 USC 1182(a)(4), in which Congress explicitly stated that an alien is inadmissible if "at the time of application for admission ... [he] is likely at any time to become a public charge." Again, Biden is ordering government employees to aid and abet a federal crime. By ordering his subordinates in the Executive Branch to ignore or violate federal law, Biden is violating his obligations under the Constitution the document that describes the beginning, middle, and end of his power. The Constitution, at Article II, Section 1, states that "[t]he executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America." Part of that executive power, as expressed in Section 3, is that "he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed[.]" The Heritage Foundation sums up the obligations this clause imposes on a president: This clause, known as the Take Care Clause, requires the President to enforce all constitutionally valid Acts of Congress, regardless of his own Administration's view of their wisdom or policy. The clause imposes a duty on the President; it does not confer a discretionary power. The Take Care Clause is a limit on the Vesting Clause's grant to the President of "the executive power." The same article quotes the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit reinforcing the president's obligations to carry out the law (emphasis mine): Under Article II of the Constitution and relevant Supreme Court precedents, the President must follow statutory mandates so long as there is appropriated money available and the President has no constitutional objection to the statute. So, too, the President must abide by statutory prohibitions unless the President has a constitutional objection to the prohibition. If the President has a constitutional objection to a statutory mandate or prohibition, the President may decline to follow the law unless and until a final Court order dictates otherwise. But the President may not decline to follow a statutory mandate or prohibition simply because of policy objections. Biden's "vision" is not a constitutional objection. Instead, he is doing precisely what he cannot do: declining "to follow a statutory mandate or prohibition simply because of policy objections." Obama got away with this type of unconstitutional conduct because Republicans invariably retreated when told that objecting to Obama's illegal, unconstitutional, and anti-American policies was "racist." Creepy Joe is lily-white. Republicans should be loud and proud in calling him out on his illegal, unconstitutional behavior. Image: DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. YouTube screen grab. A look at the major movers on the London market on Wednesday A large chunk of the Budget measures had been well flagged ahead of the actual speech, but their confirmation has still given a boost to certain sectors, notably hospitality, retail and housebuilders. News of the furlough extension and the continuation of the reduced 5% VAT rate for tourism and hospitality has boosted Whitbread PLC (LON.WTB) - owner of Premier Inns - by 194p or 5.7% to 3600p. British Airways owner International Consolidated Airlines Group (LON.IAG) - a big user of the furlough scheme - is also in demand, up 12.1p or 5.97% to 214.8p. A freeze on alcohol duty has given a lift to pub groups (albeit we don't know for sure exactly when they will be able to fully re-open), so J D Wetherspoon PLC (LON.JDW) is up 81p or 6.5% at 1327p while Mitchells and Butlers PLC (LON.MAB) is 14p or 4.71% better at 311.5p. Retailers are buoyed by business rates relief, with JD Sports Fashion PLC (LON.JD) running up a 19.4p or 2.39% gain to 832.4p. Hopes of an economic recovery have supported the banks, with Barclays PLC (LON.BARC) 6.14p or 3.79% better at 168.36p. In housing the stamp duty holiday will be extended from the end of March to June, and first-time buyers will get a Government guarantee on 95% mortgages. So Barratt Developments (LON.BDEV) is 39p or 5.7% better at 723.2p and Persimmon PLC (LON.PSN), already higher following its figures, is up 154p or 5.68% at 2864p. 2.22pm: CCTV company surges UniVision Engineering Ltd (LON.UVEL) has more than doubled after the Hong Kong based company's chairman Stephen Koo agreed to sell a 52% stake in the closed circuit television specialist at well above the current market price. Koo, who will retain around 20.5%, will receive 4.1p a share or 8.2m from Singapore IT investment group SinoCloud. In the market 's Aim-listed shares have jumped by 1.2p or 109% to 2.3p. If the deal goes ahead - and it needs due diligence, a fundraising and approval by SinoCloud shareholders - the Singapore company will make a funding facility of HK$10m available to . But UniVision has made clear that the UK takeover code does not apply and even though SinoCloud would own 52% it has no current intent to make an offer for the rest of the shares. 11.35am: Waste group upbeat on prospects Biffa PLC (LON.BIFF) has seen its shares bounce after it said the impact of the third lockdown on its earnings would be less severe than it originally thought. The waste management group said revenues in the third quarter were at 97% of the levels reached at the same time last year, and are expected to be around 92% in the final three months. Last week it completed an 87.5m deal to buy Company Shop Group, a redistributor of surplus food and household products, and it is also expanding its plastic milk bottle recyclying business. It said it was "well-positioned for a strong post pandemic future." Its shares are up 15p or 5.85% at 271.5p. 10.35am: Insurer hit by pandemic payout costs Insurer Hiscox Ltd (LON.HSX) has seen its shares drop sharply as it revealed the scars to its accounts from the pandemic. It fell into a $268m full year loss, compared to a profit of $53m last year, and admitted its growth ambitions for 2021 were modest. With the dividend cancelled for the year, its shares have dropped 11.37% or 111.6p to 870p. Analysts at UBS suggested the outlook statement would prompt modest profit downgrades and - correctly - predicted a negative reaction. Hiscox chairman Robert Childs said: "2020 got off to a good start and then came the global pandemic. Over my 48 years in the business, I have experienced most of the challenges that Mother Nature and mankind have thrown at the insurance industry, but Covid-19 and its repercussions have been one of the most testing. As a result, we expect to pay $475 million in Covid-related claims net of reinsurance, the majority for event cancellation and the remaining for business interruption and other claims. These are large sums and disappointingly means that we will make a pre-tax loss for the year of $268 million. Without Covid-19 we would have produced a profit of $207 million." It has also seen its brand damaged this year after arguments with customers over pandemic payouts, which was only resolved in the Supreme Court. Childs said: "For Hiscox UK, Covid-19 brought about a dispute with a number of our customers over the wording in some commercial property policies. Our commitment to putting things right for our customers has long been the cornerstone of the Hiscox brand. But for the first time, our reputation for paying claims quickly and without fuss came under intense scrutiny. We regret any dispute with a customer, but particularly where the policy wording was not as clear as it should have been. That is why we willingly agreed to be one of the group of insurers that assisted the FCA with the test case and we welcome the finality and certainty the Supreme Court Judgment has brought. We are now paying covered claims as quickly as possible." 9.38am: Kitchen products firm sees strong recovery Norcros PLC (LON.NXR), has built up a strong gain after a recovery in demand for its kitchen and bathroom products. Its shares have jumped 18p or 7.66% to 253p after it said full year profits were likely to beat expectations. A strong recovery in the second quarter of its financial year has continued, with revenues for the four months to 7 February 2021 rising by 117% compared to the same period last year. New houses being built in the UK boosted demand, as did increased activity levels in repair and maintenance in the UK and South Africa. It said: "The Board remains confident that the Group's leading market positions, established brands, broad distribution channels and experienced management team will deliver further growth, notwithstanding that economic conditions are likely to remain uncertain as our main markets continue to adjust to the impact of the pandemic. Consequently, it is now expected that reported underlying profit for the year to 31 March 2021 will be no less than 28m on a post-IFRS 16 basis and ahead of current market expectations of circa 25m". Peter Ashworth at Shore Capital said: "This update is highly positive. The Groups trading performance in the second half has improved markedly, with revenue ahead of the comparable period by some margin...The indication that underlying profit is likely to be no less than 3m ahead of consensus demonstrates the overall strength of the Groups trading performance, in challenging market conditions, given the pandemic. The shares have performed strongly in the last three months to date, rising by 20%. Further outperformance is likely, given this positive trading update." 8.42am: Barkby upbeat despite pub struggles Investors in The Barkby Group PLC (LON.BARK), the gastropubs operator which turned itself into a miniconglomerate, have cheered its latest update despite the impact of COVID-19 on its business. The company made a 2m net loss in the six months to December, not helped by its pubs and coffee shops having to shut during lockdown. But its diversification plan has helped support the business, with the property division in particular performing well. It completed a development in Hastings in August 2020 and sold it to Hastings Borough Council with a net balancing payment receipt of 1.8m, and has just announced the exchange of contracts for the sale of a development site at Saffron Walden. Investments in SleepHub, which specialises in sleep aids, and healthcare group Verso Biosense are both expected to pay off in terms of earnings next year. Executive chairman Charles Dickson, said: "Barkby has weathered the COVID-19 pandemic largely due to the success of our highly cash generative commercial property development business and activity has resumed apace. As we come out of lockdown, our pubs and coffee business are poised for significant growth and a return to profitability. The Group's investments in SleepHub and Verso Biosense are performing well. Our liquidity is strong and the diversification of the business means that the Group is in a strong position to benefit from the lifting of government lockdown restrictions. We look forward to the next 12 months with confidence." Its shares are up 0.75p or 3.57% to 21.75p on the news. Elsewhere Jersey Oil and Gas (LON.JOG) has jumped 11.73% or 26.5p to 252.5p following a positive report on its development project in the Greater Buchan Area of the North Sea, which has an estimated 172 million barrels of discovered and recoverable oil volumes. Chief executive Andrew Benitz said: "The Greater Buchan Area has the scale to be extremely low carbon through platform electrification at the same time as offering highly favourable project economics. As a result of a significant amount of work from Jersey Oil & Gas' excellent project team, working with specialist contractors, consultants and service providers, we are well on track to deliver on our Licence commitment to deliver the Concept Select to the Oil and Gas Authority ("OGA") by July this year. "We now plan to launch a farm-out process, which we expect to be highly attractive to a wide range of oil companies in light of the project's scale, economics and low carbon potential through platform electrification, characteristic of certain fully electrified fields offshore Norway." Proactive news headlines ( ) has been burning the (figurative) midnight oil, mining 129 Bitcoin (or equivalent) in February, up from 93 in January. ( ) told investors that it is now participating in the 's new dynamic containment service, and will have most of its operational portfolio in the service from the start of April. ( ) has completed the acquisitions of BWS Holdco (Businesswise) and General Energy Management (GEM). The company said its corporate order book has risen above 73mln as a result of the acquisitions, which are expected to enhance earnings in fiscal 2021. ( ) has reported key findings from a concept selection report for the proposed Greater Buchan Area project, in the North Sea, highlighting the potential for 172mln barrels of oil resources to be developed from a fully electrified platform. Westmount Energy Limited (LON:WTE, OTCQB:WMELF) awaits results of Exxons Bulletwood-1 exploration well offshore Guyana, as maritime reports reveal that the Stena Carron drillship is leaving the well site. (AIM: GDR) said new clinical guidance on screening to prevent antibiotic hearing loss (AHL) in babies should drive demand for its breakthrough diagnostic device. ( ) posted record profits for the six-month stage as the group, which, as the name suggests, specialises in allergy treatments for conditions such as hay fever, emerged from the period in rude health. ( ) announced it will expand its laboratory operations in San Diego, California, to include COVID-19 qPCR testing services. ( ) said managing director Robert Murray is to retire at the end of this month after 27 years with the company. His duties will be assumed by Garry Stran, who was recruited in December to be the company's chief operating officer. ( ) has appointed geospatial industry veteran Richard Weiss as European regional manager. PLC (LON:LIFE, OTCQB:WRHLF) notified investors that its name change from World High Life has become effective from today. ( ) said the open offer element of its fundraising concluded with all the available shares taken up. The fundraising remains conditional on shareholders approval at a general meeting at 10am today. FastForward Innovations Ltd ( ) is making a new corporate presentation available on its website today at http://www.fstfwd.co. ( ) will be hosting a live interactive presentation via the Investor Meet Company platform on Wednesday, 10 March at 3pm GMT. "In view of the significant increase in demand for the metals required for reducing global emissions, with platinum group metals playing a key role, the interactive presentation will provide investors with an opportunity to speak to the management of one of the largest producers of PGMs globally," the company said. ( ) said members of its management team will present at three upcoming investor conferences: Chardan's Virtual 3rd Annual Microbiome Medicines Summit on Monday March 8 at 11:45am ET (4.45pm GMT); the HC Wainwright Global Life Sciences Conference that is on-demand starting from Tuesday, March 9 at 7am ET (12pm GMT); and Oppenheimer's 31st Annual Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, March 16 at 8.40am ET (12.40pm GMT). Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Citing vaccinations on the rise and severe infections from the coronavirus pandemic declining, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday he will lift the states mask mandate next week and allow businesses to operate at full capacity. It is now time to open Texas 100 percent, Abbott said, sounding celebratory. Public health experts and elected leaders in San Antonio called it a bad idea given still-limited access to vaccines and warned that the pandemic was far from over. Were going to have a lot more people die and were going to have a lot more people getting sick, predicted Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff. Imploring local residents to keep wearing masks, he and San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg called the rollback, set to begin March 10, hasty and dangerous. It will end occupancy limits for restaurants, bars, sporting events, retailers and wherever people gather. Changes under the governors order: A statewide mask mandate is to be lifted, effective March 10. Businesses can continue to require face coverings for employees and customers. School districts also appear able to require masks, though the Texas Education Agency said it will be providing updated guidance later this week. Beginning next Wednesday, businesses are allowed to open at full capacity, including restaurants and bars. Local officials can impose limited restrictions if coronavirus hospitalizations rise above 15 percent of total hospitalizations in their region. Penalties for not wearing masks are prohibited, and businesses must be allowed to remain open at least at half capacity. Face masks, social distancing and other health and safety measures to slow the spread of infections are still recommended. See More Collapse Opening everything to 100 percent while simultaneously nixing our mask mandate is a huge mistake, Nirenberg said in a tweet. You dont cut off your parachute just as youve slowed your descent. Speaking to business leaders at a packed restaurant in Lubbock, the Republican governor cautioned Texans to continue following recommended guidelines, including distancing and wearing face coverings. Few of the attendees appeared to be following either recommendation. This does not remove personal responsibility, Abbott said. Personal vigilance is still needed to contain COVID. Its just that now, state mandates are no longer needed. Abbott said local officials can enact their own restrictions if the pandemic worsens. County judges can impose some restrictions like mask mandates and occupancy limits of up to 50 percent if COVID-19 patients make up more than 15 percent of all local hospitalizations. But the governor left no way for local authorities to enforce those measures, making them meaningless, Wolff said. Dr. Junda Woo, medical director of the Metropolitan Health District, said the city is at a fragile point as numbers slowly improve and Spring Break nears. We are in a race against time. We are in a race against the variants to get everybody vaccinated before those variants (become) the most common strain in the whole country, she said. Its hard when there are conflicting messages coming from different levels of government. People are going to hear the message they want to hear. Businesses still can impose their own safety standards for employees and customers. Several San Antonio-area school districts said they were not changing their safety protocols until they get guidance from the Texas Education Agency. The TEA said it would provide it this week. The message for parents, students and staff at East Central Independent School District was, mask up tomorrow, said its spokesman Brandon Oliver. San Antonio-based H-E-B will encourage, but not require, its customers to wear masks, spokeswoman Dya Campos said in a statement Tuesday. But the retailer will continue requiring employees and vendors to wear masks while at work, she said. Lifting the mask requirement hurts the businesses because (currently) the businesses can fall back on, Well, its a law, we have to enforce it, said Cherise Rohr-Allegrini, an infectious disease epidemiologist who served on the city-county COVID-19 health transition team. Theyre going to have a hard time telling people to wear masks, and theyre going to put their staff at risk. TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox The announcement comes as Abbott is under new scrutiny from statewide power outages last month, which contributed to dozens of deaths and left millions of Texans without power or water for days. Local officials are still waiting to see whether the blackouts, which forced many households to shelter with friends and family, could lead to new coronavirus outbreaks. The move also follows the easing of restrictions in several other states, with vaccine doses becoming more widely available. Nearly 20 percent of the nations adults have received at least one shot, and 10 percent have been fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Texas, more than 3.5 million people have received at least one dose, and nearly 2 million have been fully vaccinated, out of a population of 29 million. The state ranks among the lowest for the percentage of people vaccinated, at 13 percent. Hospitalizations from the disease have meanwhile fallen by more than half from their high over 14,000 in January. REACTION: Harris County judge accuses Abbott of lifting mask mandate, biz restrictions to distract from power outages Republican state leaders welcomed the rollback, including House Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, who called it an important step in the reopening of Texas, improving the mental health of our students, increasing the reporting of domestic violence and child abuse, and revitalizing our business climate. Faster vaccine shipments Over the weekend, Johnson & Johnson shipped out nearly 4 million doses of its newly authorized, one-shot COVID-19 vaccine to be delivered to states including Texas for use starting Tuesday. The company will deliver about 16 million more doses by the end of March and a total of 100 million by the end of June. That adds to the supply being distributed by Pfizer and Moderna and should help the nation amass enough doses by midsummer to vaccinate all adults. But the efforts come with strong warnings from health officials against reopening too quickly, as worrisome coronavirus variants spread. Young adults, who have been major drivers in past outbreaks, are not expected to be eligible for the vaccine for months, and many Texas teachers who have been ordered to return to the classroom also are not currently eligible. Earlier this week, Houston was the first city to record every major variant of the novel coronavirus many of which are more contagious than the original strain. On Monday, the head of the CDC, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, warned state officials and ordinary Americans not to let down their guard, saying she is really worried about reports that more states are rolling back the exact public health measures that we have recommended. I remain deeply concerned about a potential shift in the trajectory of the pandemic, she said. We stand to completely lose the hard-earned ground that we have gained. Frustrated Democrats accused the governor of risking lives for political points with conservatives, some of whom have been critical of his previous emergency orders. More than 43,000 coronavirus deaths have been recorded in Texas. Its reckless and dangerous for Governor Abbott to intentionally undermine public safety because he thinks its good politics, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, said in a statement. Clearly this announcement is a desperate distraction from the governors dereliction of duty during the massive power and water outages, for which he has never accepted personal responsibility. Infections spiked last summer after Abbott ended an initial statewide lockdown, and they exploded again last fall after he allowed restaurants and bars to open at increased capacity. After the governor last year refused to allow local authorities to require residents to wear masks outside of their homes, Wolff outflanked Abbott with a June order that businesses require customers and employees to wear masks on their premises. Other major Texas cities soon followed. Abbott said he had intended for cities and counties to do that all along, but eventually made wearing masks part of his own modified statewide order. Wolff said Abbotts new order appears to effectively block local governments from mandating masks. Only Texans who are health care workers, 65 or older or have chronic conditions are eligible for the vaccine. If Abbott wants businesses to reopen, he should prioritize additional vaccines for people working at schools, restaurants and grocery stores their risk of exposure to COVID-19 will grow even higher if people dont wear masks, Rohr-Allegrini said. Theres nothing in the governors order that prohibits wearing masks, and people should keep doing it if they stop, then its possible we could see an earlier acceleration of new cases here in San Antonio, said University Healths Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Bryan Alsip. The overall pandemic numbers are going down, but for those units in the hospital that have COVID-19 patients they are still busy, he said. The workload for our providers and staff caring for those patients hasnt changed. The Jewish Community Center, which keeps its pool and fitness facilities open by appointment only, wont drop its mask requirement, and well take your temperature and ask you if youre feeling well, just like before, said Saul Levenshus, its president and CEO. Everyone would like to say, Whew, were done with this. But we are not, and we dont feel that we can represent our community responsibly if we cant keep them safe and healthy, he said, adding that if he could speak to Abbott, his message would be, Be careful what you wish for. Staff writers Bruce Selcraig, Danya Perez, Andres Picon, Madison Iszler Lisa Gray and Robert Downen contributed to this report, which contains material from the Associated Press. PARIS Can face masks and T-shirts save the Louvre? Probably not, but maybe they can help keep the museums name alive while its doors stay shut. In normal times, the Louvre is one of the most visited museums in the world: 9.6 million people walked its halls in 2019. But the coronavirus has deprived it of foreign tourists and government decrees closed it down twice for nearly six months last year, a loss of 90 million (about $108 million) in revenue, according to the Louvre. Since last March, the museum, along with other French cultural institutions, has remained shut indefinitely. (It opened last year from early July to the end of October.) We need to find new ways to make money, said Adel Ziane, director of external relations for the Louvre. The Covid crisis has made it more urgent than ever to diversify and make the most of the Louvre name. As the battle against COVID-19 continues, women leaders around the globe are calling for a post-pandemic world that has gender equality at its core, and that is more just, more sustainable and more inclusive for all. Ahead of International Womens Day, we spoke to five of these women. In each of their different areas of work, these inspiring women show us why womens and girls leadership is more crucial than ever. Cleo Kambugu: A new normal includes everyone If we only think about a woman who looks a certain kind of way, how many other women aren't we recognising? How is that helpful in pushing the envelope around women's rights? Cleo Kambugu is a Ugandan transgender woman, helping lead the fight for equality for sexual and gender minorities. Currently, her mere identity - like other transgender women, lesbians and bisexual women may be considered a criminal act in Uganda. I think first we need to move to non-criminalising Ugandans for who they are and then move to the question of how we look in a positive direction, she says. Cleo is the Director of Programs for UHAI EASHRI, an indigenous activist fund supporting sexual and gender minorities and sex workers. During the pandemic, with many services shut down for minority communities, including healthcare, her organisation delivered humanitarian relief grants and just ensured that people got to live in dignity throughout the crisis. For Cleo, a new normal will be human rights sensitive, inclusive of women and all marginalised communities. She also wants to reframe the binary concept of gender. International Womens Day should also be about marginalised genders, she says. They are not anywhere in the conversation. True empowerment of women is simply allowing women to be, in all their diversity. Creating a space that allows women to be who they are will unleash their full potential. Amina Bouayach: What guides me is persistence When Amina Bouayach decided she would run as the first woman President of the the Moroccan Organization for Human Rights, the first people she consulted were her children. I wanted them to understand what this responsibility meant, she recalls. For me, its important to have support from my family for a position like this. They help me succeed. Amina is no stranger to such success. As the first woman to head a non-governmental organization in Morocco, and with a diverse career spanning journalism, politics and now human rights, leadership has always been an intrinsic part of her path. As President of the National Human Rights Council, Amina and her colleagues are pushing for quotas of women in political representation. Other major issues that she is focused on include equal access to education for women and girls in Morocco, abolishing child marriage and improving the human rights of women and girls with disabilities. Her fight for these rights has not been without challenge and difficulty, and she has faced discrimination as a woman in leadership. One important thing I have learned throughout this is the value of conversation and consultation, she explains. What guides me is persistence, which helps convince others and to move forward and implement my ideas. In a post-COVID-19 world, Amina believes we should turn away from pre-pandemic modes of life. Returning to normality, she says, should not be an option. She also believes countries should act in a collective manner, instead of in their own interests. When you take a universal approach, you can find answers to the most complex questions of humanity. For Amina, a world after COVID-19 will be one which recognises equality, which fights discrimination and which recognises the value of human beings. Mitzi Tan: Leading the battle for climate justice It is a simple fact that we have to fight back because the land that we are living on our home, our planet is in trouble. Last year, the strongest storm to make landfall in recorded history hit the Philippines. The country has suffered the ravages of climate change over the last decades: millions live in flood-prone areas, droughts are affecting food supply and on top of this, people who choose to defend environmental rights are also at risk of being imprisoned. This has not deterred Mitzi Tan. She says she had a privilege to choose to become an activist. At the age of 22, Mitzi is now the Convenor of Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines, the Fridays for Future for the southeast Asian nation. She and her organisation work on raising awareness about the climate crisis. She explains that even if the Philippines is one of the most affected countries in terms of the crisis, climate education is typically alienating, Western, too technical, and not empowering at all. As a young woman activist fighting for system change in the Philippines, Mitzi says she faces many challenges. Engrained gender stereotypes run deep there, she says, and as a woman, she is often patronised, and her ideas are questioned, dismissed or not heard. Mitzi addresses this inherent sexism by making it part of her work to ensure others actively unlearn it. Through conversations and by creating understanding, she believes fighting back against sexism is possible. In order to fight for our rights, we have to remember its not just about you or me, its the rights for all women, advises Mitzi. Women are powerful. Women are amazing. We can do anything. Editar Ochieng: Changing the narrative on sexual violence As a six-year-old girl, Editar Ochieng was sexually abused. At the age of 16, she was gang raped. Editar grew up in Kibera, the largest informal settlement in Kenyas capital, Nairobi. Tragically, sexual and gender-based violence is an endemic and pervasive issue there. It has been exacerbated even more in the pandemic, with lockdowns creating even more family and financial stress in an environment already suffering extreme levels of poverty. When she was 26, Editar founded the Feminist for Peace Rights and Justice Centre in Kibera, an organisation supporting survivors of sexual and other forms of violence in the community. At one point during the pandemic, Editar alone was receiving up to ten calls from victims of violence each day. Citing numbers however, is not enough for Editar. For her, one woman abused is one woman too many and its the obligation of all who have the capacity to do so to stand up for their rights and ensure that the status quo is disrupted. She says that education has given her the power as a feminist to look at challenges, to transcend them, and to become a leader who is fighting for change against gross systemic injustice. When youre a leader, youre changing the narrative, she says. We need to train our young girls on the importance of education. We need to reclaim our power so that we raise a different generation that understands there is power, but there is power that you can control. Maria de Luz Padua: Ensuring the rights of domestic workers When Maria de Luz Padua was a young girl, her mother, a domestic worker in Mexico City, was accused of robbery. She was taken away by the police and questioned, leaving Maria and her siblings very, very scared. Years later, Maria became a domestic worker herself, taking care of children. She didnt want to live the same experience as her mother, or have other domestic workers endure a similar situation. Maria is now the Secretary General of the Union of Domestic Workers in Mexico. Representing some 2.4 million domestic staff, her voice and leadership is critical in fighting for better rights and conditions including formalised contracts, social security, mandatory holiday pay, and the right to organise unions. COVID-19 has caused immense difficulties for domestic workers. Many have lost their jobs. Others workload has increased and at the same time, they have taken on extra responsibilities within their own families. Their lives have been placed at breaking point. Both Maria and her husband were not left unscathed, and both lost their jobs throughout the course of 2020. Yet, she remains optimistic. She worked under a contract with her previous employer, who treated her with dignity and respect, and she has access to social security. In a post-COVID-19 world, Maria says she dreams of a day when she and other domestic workers do not have to ask what are our rights? And in pushing for greater participation of women in decision making, we are building a better vision. Creating trust between women is key to driving women in leadership, she says. We are creating that path, we can make that change. Disclaimer: The views, information and opinions expressed in this article are those of the persons featured in the story and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Cleo, Amina, Mitzi, Editar and Maria are all featured in our #IStandWithHer campaign. Hear more about their work by watching their videos here. Please join us to celebrate and honour the achievements of women in leadership. Share your own stories of women leaders who inspire you and are taking a stance to better human rights for women and girls, using the hashtag #IStandWithHer. And, add your photo to one of our International Womens Day filters and share it on social media. 3 March 2021 Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Partly cloudy this morning, then becoming cloudy during the afternoon. High 76F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mainly clear. Low 47F. Winds light and variable. After a couple of weeks of trying to scrounge up votes that werent there, Neera Tanden, President Bidens nominee for Director of the Office of Management and Budget, withdrew herself from consideration Tuesday night. Unfortunately, it now seems clear that there is no path forward to gain confirmation, Tanden wrote in a letter to Biden, and I do not want continued consideration of my nomination to be a distraction from your other priorities. Tanden is President Bidens first nominee not to win Senate confirmation, and the first Cabinet-level nominee felled by rude tweets, primarilybut not exclusivelythose targeted at Republican senators. Tanden, who spent the Trump administration consistently rattling off digs at the Senate Republican conference, was dogged with questions about those tweets during her confirmation hearings. The 1,000 or so tweets she deleted ahead of her confirmation only called more attention to the habit. While she offered perfunctory apologies to those Republican senators whom shed targeted, it wasnt expected that shed need any of their votes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Until she did. In mid-February, West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin announced he would oppose Tanden, arguing that her her overtly partisan statements will have a toxic and detrimental impact on the important working relationship between members of Congress and the next director of the Office of Management and Budget. That announcement took both the White House and Senate Democratic leaders by surprise. It meant that Tanden did, after all, need a Republican vote. Maine Sen. Susan Collins wouldnt provide it, saying that Tanden has neither the experience nor the temperament to lead this critical agency. Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, no moderate on fiscal issues, wouldnt either. The last week, then, was spent with everyone wondering what Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski was up to. She was stillas of 6:30 on Tuesday nighttelling reporters that she hadnt made up her mind. As she played coy, whispers abounded about what the canny legislator, who had been deeply upset with the Biden administrations freeze on oil and gas leasing on federal lands in Alaska, might be trying to secure with her vote. As Senate Republican Whip John Thune told reporters this week, she wanted to get the White Houses attention on some things that are important to her state. And shes got, as any senator does, particularly through the nomination process, quite a bit of leverage to do that. Advertisement Murkowski clarified on Tuesday that she wasnt asking for a straight-up trade on confirming Tanden in exchange for opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling. Im not asking the administration to make any accommodations to me or to Alaska for Tandens nomination, she told reporters. She just wanted to educate Tanden about Alaskas unique situation, because Tanden, in her words, was not familiar with Alaska. Well, at least now shes familiar with Alaska. If Murkowski had supported Tandens nomination, the White House and Senate Democratic leadership likely couldve strung together 49 Democratic votes to push it through on a 50-50 vote with a Vice President Harris tiebreaker. But the support was still soft on the Democratic side beyond Manchin. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, whos had a hostile relationship with Tanden in the past, still was publicly undecided on her nomination. So was Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. The former chairs one of the committees overseeing Tandens nomination, the latter is the swing vote on the other committee. Neither committee ever voted on her nomination. (Meanwhile, the Budget Committee hearing for Tandens would-have-been deputy at OMB, Shalanda Young, went swimmingly Tuesday morning. Shes now the odds-on favorite to be promoted up to OMB director.) Advertisement Advertisement Tandens nomination was a misread from the Biden team. It underestimated her toxicity among Republicans, who want to pick off a nominee here or there, and the misgivings from critical Democrats on opposite poles of the caucus ideological spectrum. Once Manchin announced his opposition, Republicans had no reason to do Democrats a favor by saving her. But Tanden wont have to return to her ho-hum job as a simple, country president of a major liberal Washington D.C. think tank. President Biden, in his statement accepting Tandens withdrawal, said that he looks forward to having her serve in a role in my Administration. She will bring valuable perspective and insight to our work. Theres a whole constellation of big-shot administration jobs that dont require Senate confirmation, and Tanden will get one of them. A few transition team calls to Capitol Hill this past fall couldve landed her one of those jobs in the first place, and spared the embarrassment of this confirmation process. Source: Adobe/ The Chinese Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (IMAR) a hub of crypto mining activity, particularly Bitcoin (BTC) mining could be set to enact a shutdown of the industry, ordering all operators to close up shop as early as next month, and possibly pushing them to greener sources of energy. Per an official announcement, a new set of energy requirements is now in a consultation period, which will run until March 3. The measures are a response to clean energy commitments and internationally agreed carbon emission targets for 2020, which China is unlikely to meet unless it cuts down on coal-powered energy generation. The IMAR is the second-largest coal-producing region in China, and is also home to some of the nations oldest and highly polluting power stations the power from which is often channeled into BTC mining. The measures outline the IMARs aim to restrict growth in energy consumption to under 2% this year. Although the decision is not yet finalized, some have already welcomed the news, including the head of crypto mining and blockchain heavyweight BitFury Group, who tweeted his approval that Beijing would be shutting down Chinese miners operating on dirty coal. George Kikvadze, Executive Vice Chairman of the group, wrote, Great news for the industry and non-coal operators! "[There are] two "dirty provinces" in Chinese mining - Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia where BTC is primarily (but not exclusively coal) (lots of wind in [IMAR]). Sichuan and Yunnan are "clean" (hydro). This is great news," Nic Carter, Founding Partner of blockchain-focused venture capital firm Castle Island Ventures, added. Bloomberg reported that the IMARs move was a direct result of a blasting from the National Development and Reform Commission, a key Beijing-run economic policy unit, which pointed out that all other parts of China had successfully controlled their energy consumption in 2019 bar the IMAR. The report stated that the IMARs plans included the mission of cutting emissions per unit of gross domestic product by 3% this year and control incremental growth of energy consumption at about 5 million tons of standard coal. Bitcoin mining also accounts for massive amounts of power consumption much of it older coal-based in the Sichuan, Yunnan and Xinjiang provinces, none of which have announced any plans along the lines of the new IMAR ruling. As reported today, US-headquartered international banking giant Citi mentioned in their newest report on BTC that with asset managers increasingly focused on their own firms and their investment portfolios ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) impacts and with many institutional investors already leaders in the ESG space, this consideration might inhibit their interest in Bitcoin. "That said, Bitcoin mining is slowly popping up in places where there is an ample supply of renewable energy but not a lot of demand, including in Texas," they added. ___ Learn more: - Bitcoin Mining in 2021: Growth, Consolidation, Renewables, and Regulation - Don't Blame Bitcoin Miners For Price Dips, Says Analyst - Bitcoin Mining Becomes A Side Venture For Chinese Non-Crypto Firms - Bitcoin Miners Buy Oversupplied Energy, Turn To Renewables - Nic Carter - Ukraine Wants to Bolster its Budget with Nuclear-powered Crypto Mining ___ (Updated at 13:43 UTC with a comment from Nic Carter.) A GP has been accused of undermining the coronavirus vaccine programme after publicising her decision not to have the jab. Clare Joness practice in Hereford carries a message for its 9,000 patients about vaccination arrangements. But the partner at Wargrave House Surgery says she will not be among those attending a community hall for the Covid jab. In a letter to the citys MP Jesse Norman, whose wife Kate Bingham played a crucial role in securing millions of doses for the UK as vaccine tsar, Dr Jones railed against suggestions that medics could be disciplined for refusing to have the jab. A GP has been accused of undermining the coronavirus vaccine programme after publicising her decision not to have the jab (file photo) She wrote: Having worked tirelessly for the NHS for 31 years as a hospital doctor, A&E doctor and a GP with probably two sick days in my whole career, is the Government really suggesting that because I exert my choice not to have the Covid vaccine, my wealth of medical experience is going to be lost just because I choose to exercise my free will and conscience? Joyce Robbins, of the campaign group Patient Concern, accused the GP of being irresponsible. If patients are being asked to have the jab, then GPs should be having it too, she said. It is for everyones sake. Voices like this could hinder the success of the vaccine rollout and by not having the jab, Dr Jones risks picking up the virus and potentially passing it onto her patients. A General Medical Council spokesman said: Doctors should be immunised against common serious communicable diseases unless medically contraindicated. Tory MP Paul Bristow, a member of the Commons health and social care committee, described Dr Joness position as clearly wrong. In a historic intervention, the Queen said last week that those who refuse the vaccine ought to think about other people rather than themselves. In a letter to the citys MP Jesse Norman (pictured above), Dr Jones railed against suggestions that medics could be disciplined for refusing to have the jab The General Medical Councils (GMC) guidance states that doctors should be vaccinated against common serious communicable diseases unless there was good reason not to. Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty has also said doctors had a professional duty to get a Covid-19 vaccine. On Monday, new Public Health England data revealed that a single shot of either the Oxford-AstraZeneca or the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid jab reduces the chance of needing hospital treatment by more than 80 per cent. The analysis of English patients followed similarly spectacular results in Scotland. In a historic intervention, the Queen said last week that those who refuse the vaccine ought to think about other people rather than themselves More than 20million people have so far had a first dose in the UK - more than a third of the adult population. Professor Martin Marshall, chair of the Royal College of GPs, said GPs had delivered 75 per cent of the 20million vaccinations carried out in the UK so far. He added: We would strongly urge all health and care professionals to have the Covid-19 vaccine, unless there is a medical reason why they shouldnt, and the vast majority have. Healthcare professionals are at high-risk of contracting Covid-19 and getting vaccinated will help protect themselves, their colleagues and their patients. However, we dont agree with making Covid-19 vaccination mandatory as informed and educated choice about health interventions would be more beneficial long-term than enforcing them, which risks leading to resentment and mistrust. The 11th edition of the Hakawy International Arts Festival for Children will take place between 28 September and 5 October, AFCA for Arts and Culture, the company organising the festival announced. The only theatre festival for children in Cairo, Hakawy takes place annually in March. However, due to the pandemic, its upcoming edition has been moved to the second half of the year. We are committed to our audience, which in large part includes school children. September and October is the best timing. Schools will reopen and the situation of the pandemic will hopefully be under control by then, Mohamed El-Ghawy, the festivals founder and artistic director commented to Ahram Online. We are already working on a strategy that will suit the festivals upcoming edition and its audiences. As we continue to monitor the situation, we also put into consideration the changing realities of those months, he said, adding that the festivals postponement to the second half of the year will be implemented only for 2021. We will still look at the upcoming months and years and decide if this will be the fixed timing for further editions or if we will return to March later on. Founded in 2011 by Mohamed El-Ghawy, this annual event brings Egyptian and international theatre for children and other activities to Cairo and other governorates. Over the years, the Hakawy festival has brought over 60 companies and over 200 artists specialised in theatre for children from 15 countries and four continents to Egyptian audiences. The first round of the festival took place at the College du Sacre-Coeur in Heliopolis, and it brought together troupes from Egypt, Croatia, Ireland, and Finland. The second round took place in March 2012 at Al-Ghad, Al-Gomhoureya, and the Cairo Puppet theatres in AFCAs first large-scale cooperation with the Ministry of Culture. In March 2013, the festival started taking place at the Hanager Arts Centre, with some troupes visiting other venues, such as the Childrens Cancer Hospital. Each year, the festival presents captivating performances and attracts a growing audience. Over time, the Hakawy Festival hosted performances from many countires, with several of them showcasing their work in several consecutive years. The festivals 10th anniversary edition took place last year right before the pandemic, showcasing performances in schools and governorates. The details of the festivals 11th edition, which kicks off on 28 September 2021, are yet to be revealed. For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture Short link: Patna, March 3 : A final year student of Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) in Patna died due to Covid 19, an official said. Subhendu Shekher,23, as a native of Dahia village in Begusarai district and was pursuing MBBS course from NMCH. He had complained of cough and cold on February 24 and underwent a RTPCR test on the same day and was found Corona positive. The next day, he went to his native village in Begusarai and underwent home isolation before dying on March 1. Shockingly, the deceased had taken the first jab of vaccination in the first week of February. Dr Heera Lal Mahto, the principal of NMCH confirmed the incident. "We have directed other doctors to undergo home isolation. All doctors who are in contact with Subhendu, underwent Covid 19 test and 9 of them are tested Corona positive." "We have initiated sanitisation in old and new hospitals in NMCH. At present, examination is underway in the college. We have allowed doctors if they want to leave the examination," Mahto said. "The death of a doctor is saddening. Some more doctors have tested positive after his death but the government is making all efforts to ensure their safety," said Mangal Pandey, health minister of Bihar. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-02 21:11:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Photo taken on March 13, 2018 shows the headquarters of the People's Bank of China in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Cai Yang) BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- China's banking and insurance sector has taken a slew of measures to buoy the recovery of the country's economy amid COVID-19 disruptions, an official said on Tuesday. By the end of 2020, outstanding RMB loans increased by 19.6 trillion yuan (about 3.03 trillion U.S. dollars) over the beginning of the year, and 6.6 trillion yuan of loans had been extended, said Guo Shuqing, chairman of the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, at a press conference. Last year, new loans to the manufacturing sector stood at 2.2 trillion yuan, exceeding the total amount of the previous five years, while new loans to private enterprises totaled 5.7 trillion yuan, 1.5 trillion yuan more than in 2019, said Guo. A total of 292.1 billion yuan was paid to cover health-insurance claims last year, jumping 24.2 percent year on year, and 1.57 trillion yuan of long-term health-insurance risk reserve was accumulated. China's banking sector also contributed to boosting the high-quality development of the country's economy in the past year. Science and technology loans issued by the China Development Bank rose 23 percent year on year to 149.4 billion yuan, supporting a series of major projects in the fields of integrated circuits and commercial aircraft, said Zhao Huan, chairman of the bank, at the same press conference. This year, the sector will offer more targeted financial assistance to key areas, including technology innovation, advanced manufacturing, rural vitalization, green development and the growth of private, micro and small businesses, Guo said. Indiana Man Charged with Homicide, Robbery, and Weapons Charges Targeting Members of the LBGTQ Community Indiana Man Charged with Homicide, Robbery, and Weapons Charges Targeting Members of the LBGTQ Community Ryan Jarvi 517-599-2746 Attorney General March 3, 2021 DETROIT On March 2, 2021, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, with the assistance of the Fair Michigan Justice Project (FMJP), charged Diabolique Paris Johnson, 34, of Indianapolis, IN, in connection with a homicide and an armed robbery. FMJP is a program that assists Michigan law enforcement officers and prosecutors in solving serious crimes against lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender persons. On September 1, 2020, it is alleged that Johnson committed an armed robbery of a 26-year-old man, of Detroit, that occurred at a hotel located in the 24130 block of Michigan Avenue in Dearborn, MI. It is alleged that the man had his personal property taken during the robbery. The defendant was not in custody when he was charged with one count of Armed Robbery on September 21, 2020. On September 5, 2020, at a location in the 16800 block of Woodbine in Detroit, it is alleged that Johnson murdered a 39-year-old man, of Detroit, during an armed robbery. Prosecutors have charged Johnson with one count of First-Degree Felony Murder and one count of Felony Firearm. It is alleged that the victims in both cases were targeted on online dating apps because they were members of the LGBTQ community. More specific facts and evidence in the case will be placed on the record in court at the preliminary examination. From September 1, 2020, until December 4, 2020, police officers from Dearborn, Detroit, and Indianapolis IN, conducted an investigation which led to Johnsons arrest in Indianapolis. Defendant Johnson was extradited from Indiana and arrived in Michigan this afternoon. He was arraigned and remanded to jail today on the Dearborn Armed Robbery case in 18th District Court in Dearborn. The Probable Cause Conference is scheduled for March 12, 2021 and the Preliminary Examination is scheduled for March 19, 2021. He is expected to be arraigned on March 4, 2021 after 10:00 a.m. in 36th District Court in Detroit. In 2019, Attorney General Dana Nessel created a Hate Crimes Unit at her office to investigate and prosecute hate crimes that include victims targeted based on race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, and gender identity. As part of that initiative, AG Nessel has offered county prosecutors across the state assistance with their hate crimes prosecutions. This case represents the first joint undertaking between AG Nessel and Prosecutor Worthy in that effort. Im proud to stand with Prosecutor Worthy and the Fair Michigan Justice Project to announce these charges today. Its my hope that this case marks the beginning of a long partnership focused on providing justice to some of our most vulnerable communities, Attorney General Nessel said. It is my pleasure to announce that our recent agreement with Attorney General Dana Nessel that will allow us to receive assistance from her office on FMJP cases. I am also pleased to announce that veteran Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor LaDonna Logan will be working with FMJP to prosecute these important cases, said Prosecutor Worthy. Fair Michigan President Alanna Maguire said, It is troubling that the perpetrator of these vicious acts apparently used online dating apps to locate and target his victims. Michigans LGBTQ communities know that the Fair Michigan Justice Project, along with Michigans county prosecutors and law enforcement officials, stand ready to aggressively investigate and prosecute these brutal crimes. ### Please note: This release was also issued earlier today by the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office. A criminal charge is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The Attorney Generals office does not provide photos of defendants, but one may be available from the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office. The resumption of the Manitoba legislature Wednesday after a nearly three-month hiatus should provide an opportunity for the public to become reacquainted with members of Premier Brian Pallister's front bench. The resumption of the Manitoba legislature Wednesday after a nearly three-month hiatus should provide an opportunity for the public to become reacquainted with members of Premier Brian Pallister's front bench. More than ever, Pallister has been the face of the Progressive Conservative government of late while key cabinet ministers have seen their public roles diminished. Since the house last sat in early December, the premier has taken centre stage at pandemic-related news conferences as well as on other topics. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES Since the house last sat in early December, Premier Brian Pallister has taken centre stage at pandemic-related news conferences as well as on other topics. University of Manitoba political scientist Royce Koop says the "presidentialization" of Canadian politics has been occurring for some time, "but COVID just put it into overdrive especially here in Manitoba." In recent months, Pallister has appeared on camera more frequently than all his ministers combined. With the legislature in recess and the pandemic preventing politicians from pressing the flesh most cabinet members have laboured in obscurity. Former health minister Cameron Friesen played a key role in briefing the public about the pandemic early on, but his presence at news conferences became rarer as case counts and deaths soared late last year. Friesen's successor, Heather Stefanson, has largely worked in the shadows since her appointment in a Jan. 5 cabinet shuffle. "I think he made a conscious decision at some point to put himself out there and to be that really prominent public face," Koop said of Pallister. "The result of that has been when things have gone well hes gotten the credit and when things have gone badly hes had to eat it himself." MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES Former health minister Cameron Friesen played a key role in briefing the public about the pandemic early on, but his presence at news conferences became rarer as case counts and deaths soared late last year. With the pandemic top-of-mind, several government departments and the ministers in charge are not receiving the public scrutiny they usually get. Since the last sitting day of the legislature on Dec. 3, most cabinet ministers have largely avoided direct questions from reporters, instead issuing statements crafted by aides when asked for comment on the issues of the day. Journalists are so used to being refused interviews with ministers that some have admitted privately they've stopped requesting one-on-one time with these senior officials. In two months as health minister, Stefanson has participated in two press conferences and appeared in one photo-op (when she toured the Brandon COVID-19 vaccination site with the premier). She has declined requests for interviews with Free Press reporters. Instead, Stefanson has issued numerous press releases, including a four-paragraph statement Monday commenting on the release of a report on how the pandemic has affected Manitobans differently based on their race, ethnicity or indigeneity. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Heather Stefanson has largely worked in the shadows since her appointment in a Jan. 5 cabinet shuffle. Of the three new cabinet ministers sworn in as part of the January cabinet shuffle, Advanced Education, Skills and Training Minister Wayne Ewasko has held one formal press conference. Audrey Gordon, minister of mental health, wellness and recovery, had an outdoor photo-op at 8 a.m. in late January on Bell Let's Talk Day, followed by a poorly attended 8:30 a.m. announcement inside the legislative building that the Women's Health Clinic would develop a program to address the issues around pregnancy and infant loss. With Manitoba Hydro and other Crown corporations frequently in the news, Crown Services Minister Jeff Wharton has communicated to the media mainly by press release in recent months. His appearance alongside Pallister at a press conference Monday to comment on a Manitoba Hydro report marked only the second time since Nov. 30 that he has had a media availability. Since taking on the justice portfolio in January, Friesen has been absent as minister from the public eye in Winnipeg. Cliff Cullen, the former justice minister, has participated in a couple of high-profile media briefings as the new minister of education. He is likely to adopt a much higher public profile in the months ahead when the government releases a long-awaited review on the public school system, along with accompanying legislation. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Crown Services Minister Jeff Wharton has communicated to the media mainly by press release in recent months. Opposition Leader Wab Kinew said that under Pallister, power has always been concentrated in a small group surrounding the premier. There are public perils when government dodges questions and avoids accountability, he said. "When we couldn't get answers on (COVID-19) contact tracing or on testing or on preparations in the health-care system, that was the path that led us to a huge spike in cases," Kinew said. Last fall, the PC government took the unprecedented step of introducing 19 bills in the legislature without releasing their contents. The move followed procedural tactics the previous spring by the NDP that disrupted the government's legislative agenda, including delaying the introduction of the provincial budget. The government responds Blake Robert, the government's director of media relations and issues management, said COVID-19 has presented challenges with how the province communicates with the media and public. However, it has also "reinforced what Manitobans need to know and hear from their government and how they access that information," he said in a late-day statement Tuesday to the Free Press. "Given the evolution in how Manitobans obtain news and information, access to elected officials should not be defined based only on traditional media availabilities (hosted in the Manitoba legislature) and one-on-one interviews," he wrote. click to read more Blake Robert, the government's director of media relations and issues management, said COVID-19 has presented challenges with how the province communicates with the media and public. However, it has also "reinforced what Manitobans need to know and hear from their government and how they access that information," he said in a late-day statement Tuesday to the Free Press. "Given the evolution in how Manitobans obtain news and information, access to elected officials should not be defined based only on traditional media availabilities (hosted in the Manitoba legislature) and one-on-one interviews," he wrote. "Premier Pallister and our cabinet have been accessible and available to all Manitobans throughout this pandemic in a variety of ways, including traditional press conferences, virtual events, stakeholder meetings and roundtable discussions, telephone town halls, online engagement surveys, office correspondence and through digital and social media channels." Since becoming health minister, Heather Stefanson has held three media availabilities, provided four media interviews and taken part in a telephone town hall, Robert said. Advanced Education Minister Wayne Ewasko has held two media availabilities and "provided six interviews or written responses" to media questions, he said. Since becoming mental health, wellness and recovery minister, Audrey Gordon has held three media availabilities, "including one where no media chose to attend," Robert said. He also said Gordon has given nine media interviews, while not citing specific media outlets. Since joining cabinet as municipal relations minister in January, new cabinet minister Derek Johnson has held one media availability and given one interview, Robert said. It's unclear whether the MLA for Interlake-Gimli met with Winnipeg media or outlets in his constituency. Since Nov. 30, Crown Services Minister Jeff Wharton had held two media availabilities and "provided seven interviews or written responses" in response to media requests for comment, Robert said. Close Opposition parties were frustrated by the cancellation of weeks of legislative debate last spring due to COVID-19. Since fall, however, MLAs have adopted a normal sitting schedule as most members have been able to participate virtually. Koop said legislative sittings and elections are the main forums for holding governments to account. One of his concerns during the pandemic, is that a number of government departments are not getting the scrutiny they normally receive. "This is a time when you actually need to be paying more attention to what government's doing when everyone is focused on a particular thing," Koop said. "I think there's a good argument for real scrutiny in this period." larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca MBABANE - After all has been said and done, the equipment for base stations meant for rural schools will be returned to where they belong next Monday. That is if a statement issued by local fast-growing mobile telecommunications company, Eswatini Mobile is anything to go by. The statement was issued by the management of the company whose Chief Executive Officer is Jeff Penberton and it stated that the equipment has already arrived in the country. Recently, this publication reported how equipment for 10 of 20 base stations donated to government by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) had become the centre of controversy. Internet The equipment for the base stations that are meant to bridge the digital divide by providing free internet access to rural schools and communities is under the custody of the Eswatini Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (EPTC). The entire equipment is worth USD800 000 (about E12 million). Questions have been raised on how the lease agreement came about and this prompted the EPTC Board to institute an investigation. To ensure that the ongoing investigation was properly executed, the Board granted EPTC Managing Director Petros Dlamini an authorised leave for 12 days. The leave elapsed last Friday, but the Board, as reported by this publication on Monday, has not completed the investigation. Worth noting is that Dlaminis contract at the parastatal elapsed last Sunday and Board Chairman, Mtiti Fakudze, informed this publication that a recruitment process for the vacant post would commence. When the story broke, there were allegations that the equipment for the base stations had been sold to Eswatini Mobile and Acting Minister of Information, Communication and Technology, Manqoba Khumalo, called upon the EPTC Board of Directors to look into the matter and give him an update. This was then that the Board took the decision to investigate. In the statement issued yesterday, the Eswatini Mobile management broke its silence and detailed its stance on the matter. The company stated that it loaned the equipment from the government parastatal. According to a confidential Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) that was signed between Eswatini Mobile and EPTC, dated March 26, 2020, Eswatini Mobile was loaned equipment to enable us to complete the deployment of 10 base stations, reads part of the statement. According to the company, this took place in March at the height of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Eswatini Mobile approached its business partner and loaned the equipment in order to cope with the surge in traffic at the time. To facilitate this, a memorandum of agreement was signed which required that Eswatini Mobile should replace the equipment used with new equipment. Due to the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and logistic challenges, there has been a delay in receiving the new equipment to be returned from China, it was stated in the statement. Replacement The company assured that the replacement base stations equipment has now arrived in Eswatini and will be returned to EPTC by end of business Monday March 8, 2021. We look forward to continuing and growing a mutually beneficial business relationship with EPTC, it was stated. Following the statement, a comment was sought from Minister Khumalo and his response was, I will be happy to see the equipment for the base stations returned to EPTC and installed in the schools and clinics as soon as possible because the project is now a year behind schedule. It should be noted that after concerns were raised about the equipment, Dlamini came out to dispel the allegations. He admitted that the equipment for the 10 base stations was indeed given to Eswatini Mobile, but there was no money involved; instead, this was a lease. The former MD explained that Eswatini Mobile already knew that EPTC had equipment for base stations that was lying idle in its warehouse and that they had not been deployed because the parastatal had issues of upgrading its core network. Explaining further, Dlamini said Eswatini Mobile wanted to also upgrade for issues of capacity in order to cater for the demand that had arisen because of the COVID-19 lockdown. Deteriorating They then approached us and asked that instead of holding on to base stations equipment that was deteriorating, why dont we lease equipment for 10 of these to them to boost their capacity, predominantly in the COVID-19 period, Dlamini elaborated. Explaining about the agreement, Dlamini said it was structured in such a way that Eswatini Mobile had ordered its own base stations equipment and once it arrived they would be shipped directly to EPTC and not bring back the ones leased to them because then they would have been used. He also clarified that such a lease agreement was not out of the ordinary because as operators they did share resources, just like they previously did with MTN Eswatini in terms of spectrum and sites. By definition, a mobile phone base station is a transmission and reception station in a fixed location, consisting of one or more receive or transmit antenna, microwave dish and electronic circuitry, used to handle cellular traffic. The base station maintains the communication between the network and the mobile users through a radio link. The geographic area covered by a base station is called a cell. Gladys Berejiklian says Australia needs to think differently about how it measures success during the coronavirus pandemic, as she prepares to propose a radical change at the next national cabinet meeting. The NSW premier will raise the possibility of stopping daily Covid infection updates when she meets with other state and territory leaders on Friday. Her state went 45 days without a locally acquired case of coronavirus on Wednesday but Ms Berejiklian still thinks the nation's triumphs can be measured differently. Gladys Berejiklian (pictured on Wednesday) says Australia needs to think differently about how it measures success during the coronavirus pandemic Nurse manager Sue McGrady receives the Pfizer vaccination at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Vaccination Hub in Sydney on Monday February 22 'In my view, success isn't the number of cases,' she told The Australian. 'Keeping people out of hospitals should be our success some people who have had the vaccine might still get it, get it mildly and they're at home and then they're back doing what they do. That to me is a successful outcome.' The coronavirus vaccine rollout launched across Australia on Monday February 22. While Ms Berejiklian believes Australia is doing 'really well' in its pandemic response, she believes the nation can continue to move forward by changing how the virus is thought of. The premier even suggested Covid could one day being treated like the flu. 'Whilst you can't compare it to the flu because the flu is obviously far less contagious and has lower mortality rates living with Covid could look like that in the future,' she said. Healthcare workers arrive at the vaccination hub at Westmead Hospital on March 1 The national cabinet meeting on Friday is expected to discuss keeping the domestic borders open and the vaccine rollout. The NSW government vaccinated 15,000 people by the end of Wednesday, Ms Berejiklian said. Of the 6500 people working in the quarantine system, about 4200 have been vaccinated. The government is also pleased at the success of its Service NSW check-in app, which three quarters of the state's residents have downloaded. Last month, a widow in her late fifties reached out to Tabitha Olzinski for help getting a COVID-19 vaccine. The woman, who is eligible for vaccination because she works in manufacturing, was unable to find an appointment on her own, so she turned to South Alabama Vaccine Hunters, a Facebook group Olzinski started with her aunt on Feb. 5. As shes done for more than two dozen people over the past month, Olzinski helped the woman schedule a vaccination. She informed her that there were appointments available at a Walmart in Mobile and guided her through the process of signing up online. And last week, Olzinski accompanied the woman, who had no one else to come along, to her appointment. She stood by her as she had her temperature checked, filled out forms and received the injection, and she followed up with her over the ensuing days, checking to see if she was feeling okay. Alabamas self-appointed vaccine hunters have dedicated much of their free time to helping strangers bewildered by the red tape to navigate the vaccination bureaucracy. Theyre unpaid, untrained and largely unheralded, and they congregate in Facebook groups like Olzinskis, where hunters and people seeking shots share advice and news about where doses are available and how to get appointments. Tabitha Olzinski has dedicated many hours to helping people get vaccinated. (Courtesy Tabitha Olzinski) Helping get shots in arms In the Birmingham area, the administrators of COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics in AL, which appears to be Alabamas largest vaccine hunting Facebook group, have been working to help people get vaccinated since mid-January. Erin Bodden, a 38-year-old Homewood stay-at-home mom and small business owner, said she founded the group to fill a vital need. I started the group in mid-January after reading a local news article describing a vaccine clinic that had been allotted hundreds of doses but was only scheduling 10 to 20 appointments daily due to lack of sign-ups, she said. Almost simultaneously, I was reading posts on social media from people asking where to schedule vaccinations for their parents and grandparents. Much of what is available on Boddens page, which now has over 3,700 members, is crowdsourced information about the latest places to get doses or how to sign up for a vaccine. The group serves as a central forum, where members and administrators post helpful information like, Still tons of openings at the Hueytown Walmart, and questions such as, To those who have had their vaccine at CVS in Alabama, what documentation did you need to bring/did you have to show? Many people come to the page to find vaccines for themselves, while others seek shots for family members or friends who are unable to do so, whether due to lack of technical proficiency, limited access to resources or insufficient information. Not being able to use the websites can be very difficult, especially for people who are elderly or over a certain age. Its hard to understand Im on this website, where do I go? Olzinksi said. Or even if theyre younger or theyre rural or they dont have internet, thats also an obstacle standing in their way. And to make these appointments youve got to have the technology. My wartime effort Some vaccine hunting sites and social media groups have been criticized for helping people get coronavirus vaccines for which they are not yet eligible. But thats not the intention of these two Alabama groups. For both Bodden and Olzinski, its about helping elderly folks, frontline workers and other qualified people find and receive shots as efficiently as possible. Erin Bodden founded COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics in AL, a Facebook group that helps people find vaccine doses. (Courtesy Erin Bodden) Im really pleased that the page is a valuable resource for so many, Bodden said. Ive joked that its my wartime effort, but it really has been good to contribute in a positive and productive way. I wont be eligible for a vaccine until the phasing opens up to the general public, but Ive enjoyed seeing so many others post about their appointments. Olzinski, 50, said she spent most of the pandemic feeling guilty as she heard about medical doctors and nurses burning out battling COVID-19, while she was stuck watching from the sidelines, unable to put her skills and expertise to use fighting the virus. But Olzinski, who has a doctorate in social work and lives in Mobile, says she found her niche working to get shots in the arms of people who need them and supporting them at every step of that process. To me, I look at it as saving lives. As a social worker, Im always for the underdog and helping people, she said. Once COVID hit, I said, What I can I do? Im not a doctor; Im not a nurse. Im in mental health Ive finally found my niche of how I can help. This has helped give people back that confidence of being able to say, I feel like Im not going die now. 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. KYODO NEWS - Mar 3, 2021 - 09:49 | All, World U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday called on the Group of Seven industrialized countries to take the lead in reducing coal use for power generation as part of efforts to fight climate change. In a video message aired at a summit of the Powering Past Coal Alliance, co-chaired by Britain and Canada, Guterres said the "main emitters and coal users should announce their phase-out plans well before" the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow in November. "G-7 members should take the lead and commit to this phase-out at the G-7 June summit at the latest," he added. Britain, which holds the G-7's rotating presidency this year, plans to host an in-person summit from June 11 to 13 in Cornwall, in the southwest of the country. The U.N. chief also asked the members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development "to commit to phasing out coal by 2030," and urged non-OECD countries to do so by 2040. In the message, Guterres called for canceling all global coal projects in the pipeline, ending the international financing of coal plants and shifting investment to renewable energy projects. "We have a collective and urgent responsibility to address the serious challenges that come with the speed and scale of the transition," he said, adding that "fossil fuels-related air pollution causes one in five of all deaths globally each year." The G-7 groups Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States as well as the European Union. Related coverage: Japan to bolster support for Asia's shift to LNG for power generation G-7 leaders vow fair distribution of COVID-19 vaccines U.S. rejoins Paris climate accord under Biden administration SPICEWOOD, Texas, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Abracon LLC, (Abracon) today announced that it has completed the acquisition of AEL Crystals Ltd, a privately held frequency control supplier headquartered in Surrey, England. "We are excited to join these two frequency control companies together as we enhance our presence in the European market with the addition of a very knowledgeable AEL team. One key strategic objective for Abracon has been to position a hard site in Europe with a service center. The addition of AEL fulfills this objective as the AEL corporate headquarters in the UK will transform into the Abracon European service center," said Mike Calabria, Abracon's president and CEO. With the acquisition of AEL Crystals, Abracon will be able to further expand its frequency control and timing devices portfolio as well as expand Abracon's physical presence in the European market. Integrating AEL's range of products into Abracon's existing portfolio will strengthen Abracon's ability to provide the latest technical design support and global supply chain flexibility to solve customers' unique challenges of today. "We, at AEL Crystals Ltd, are delighted to become part of the Abracon family," said Gary Ramsdale, managing director of AEL. "We have long recognised that both AEL Crystals and Abracon share the core values of customer service, an unparalleled range of frequency control products and a reputation for reliability. We look forward to bringing these principles to the European market." Abracon will actively support the integration of AEL product lines as well as the superior customer service and reliability customers have come to know. About Abracon, LLC Founded in 1992, Abracon, LLC is an industry leader in passive components, providing frequency control & timing device, RF & antenna and inductor & connectivity solutions through a global distribution network. Abracon has design and application engineering resources in Texas and sales offices in Texas, California, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Scotland, India, Israel, Hungary, UK and Germany. Abracon's products are offered through its global distribution network. With service, quality and technical expertise at the company's core, Abracon enables innovative, connected IoT solutions in markets spanning data communication, transportation, industrial, medical, aerospace, defense and beyond. About AEL Crystals Since 1991, AEL Crystals Ltd has developed as one of Europe's leading vendors of frequency control components. Our success is based upon a foundation of solid engineering knowledge whilst also giving our customers a highly efficient total supply chain management service. No matter where you are located, whether you have R&D facilities in the UK or production in the Far East, you can be sure that AEL will always provide you with consistent quality and a reliable service at a globally competitive price. SOURCE Abracon, LLC Related Links https://abracon.com The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Mitchell Kukulka. Saturday, Feb. 27 11:14 p.m. A 21-year-old Homer Township woman reported someone was banging on her door late at night. The caller thought it might be the ex-girlfriend of her current boyfriend. Upon arrival, a deputy made contact with the suspect, a 34-year-old Midland woman. The 34-year-old said she was having issues with her 10-year-old daughter and needed to drop her off to the father, a 37-year-old man, who was not responding to her messages. The girl was turned over to the father, who wanted his ex to get in trouble for trespassing, as she had been warned in the past. 9:34 p.m. Deputies were dispatched to a Jerome Township location in reference to a 37-year-old woman reporting her 14-year-old daughter missing. Deputies found the juvenile at her boyfriend's house and drove her home. 8:43 p.m. Deputies were dispatched to speak with a 36-year-old man in reference to a larceny that happened at the Meridian Public School District. Deputies were able to return the stolen property to the owner. 7:09 p.m. A deputy was dispatched to a Lee Township residence in reference to a report of a dog bite. A dog bit an 56-year-old woman in her right hand. 5:25 p.m. Deputies were dispatched to a Greendale Township location in reference to a 2-year-old husky getting loose and attack a neighbor's animals, including ducks and a cat. A report is being sent to the Midland County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. 4:33 p.m. Deputies responded to a Mills Township residence for a felonious assault. An 18-year-old Mills Township man assaulted his 52-year-old father and 51-year-old mother with a knife. Deputies arrived on scene and took the suspect into custody. The victims were transported to the hospital to seek treatment for minor injuries. The suspect was lodged for felonious assault at the Midland County Jail. 3:56 p.m. Officers responded to a report of domestic violence in the 4700 block of Quincy Drive. 1:10 p.m. Officers performed a warrant arrest at the MidMichigan Medical Center-Midland. 11:07 a.m. Deputies responded to a single-car crash at a Mills Township location. 10:02 a.m. Deputies were dispatched to a Geneva Township residence for a report of a domestic assault between a father and daughter. Upon arrival, Deputies made contact with a 51-year-old man and an 18-year-old woman. After an investigation was completed, the 18-year-old was arrested for violating her bond conditions. She was transported to the Midland County Jail and lodged. 10:02 a.m. Officers responded to a larceny from a motor vehicle in the 500 block of West Wackerly Street. 9:56 a.m. A deputy responded to a single-vehicle crash causing minor injuries in Lee Township. The driver was issued a speeding citation. 8:25 a.m. Officers responded to a vehicle crash in the area of Eastman Avenue and West Hines Street. 4:51 a.m. A deputy responded to a car-deer crash in Larkin Township. 4:12 a.m. Officers responded to an assault in the 600 block of George Street. 3:49 a.m. Officers responded to an intoxicated driver in the area of North Saginaw Road and Orchard Drive. 3:14 a.m. Deputies were dispatched to a Lee Township residence in reference to a 29-year-old woman stating that a 32-year-old man was intoxicated and "out of control." The man damaged the woman's vehicle; the damage is about $500. The man was transported to the hospital by EMS for his injuries. Friday, Feb. 26 8:01 p.m. A 32-year-old Mount Haley Township woman called 9-1-1 to ask for help getting a dead dog out of a ditch. The dog was hit by a car and was stuck in a drainage tube in the ditch. The deputy pulled the deceased dog out of the ditch for the woman. 7:34 p.m. A deputy was dispatched to the MMMC ER in reference to a 46-year-old Greendale Township woman who was bitten by her dog. She suffered minor injuries. An isolation notice was issued to the woman. 3:21 p.m. A subject complained that his neighbor's music was too loud, and that he had an engine block hanging from a tree where kids could get hurt. A deputy heard the music, and determined it was not too loud. He spoke with the 52-year-old Edenville Township man, who agreed to place the engine block on the ground so nobody got hurt if they walked under it. 1:52 p.m. A 71-year-old woman reported she was the victim of an online scam involving Amazon. The woman reported her approximate loss is $3,999. There are no suspects. 1:15 p.m. Officers responded to a retail fraud in the 500 block of South Saginaw Road. 1:07 p.m. A 20-year-old woman reported her ex-roommate, an 18-year-old man took money from her bank account. The money was automatically withdrawn for a bill while residing together. The 18-year-old did not intentionally withdrawal money from her account. The complainant was referred to file a civil suite against her ex-roommate. 12:18 p.m. Officers responded to a hit-and-run crash in the area of Wackerly Road and Eastman Avenue. 11:32 a.m. Deputies were dispatched to an Ingersoll Township residence for a domestic assault. Upon arrival, deputies made contact with a 37-year-old Ingersoll Township man and a 29-year-old woman. The parties were separated and interviewed. After an investigation was conducted, the 37-year-old was placed under arrest for domestic assault. The 29-year-old left the residence with a family member. 10:24 a.m. A 21-year-old Larkin Township woman was bitten by a dog while grooming it. An isolation notice was served to the dog's owner, a 32-year-old Midland woman. 3:07 a.m. A 28-year-old Geneva Township woman reported her 34-year-old Mount Pleasant ex-boyfriend had caused about $600 worth of damage to her vehicle. The incident is under investigation. British insurer Hiscox reported a big loss for 2020 after a jump in claims from businesses disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and also faces brand damage from a legal dispute over policy wordings for pandemic-linked claims. Hiscox shares plunged 13% to the bottom of the UK mid-cap index by 0923 GMT. Hiscox has undoubtedly suffered some brand damage this year. The company lost a high-profile court case in January over the policy wordings and has reserved $475 million for pandemic-linked claims. Event cancellation and abandonment is expected to account for the biggest share of claims, followed by business interruption, the company said. In the court case, Hiscox and other insurers had argued many business interruption policies did not cover disruptions caused by government measures to curb the virus. Hiscox has undoubtedly suffered some brand damage this year, the company said. The insurer, which raised its estimate for business interruption claims by $48 million to nearly $190 million after the verdict, said it was now paying covered claims as quickly as possible. Chief Executive Bronek Masojada told Reuters that Hiscox had paid claims running well into the millions so far. Regret Anguish We clearly regret the uncertainty and anguish that the dispute has caused to our customers, the company said, adding that it was addressing issues related to clarity of policy wordings. The customisation of policies has to be restricted to ensure that there is not a long tail of wordings serving very small numbers of customers. For 2020, Hiscox reported a pre-tax loss of $268.5 million versus a profit of $53.1 million a year earlier. The company said it would have made a profit of $207 million without the pandemic. The company, which did not pay a 2019 final or 2020 interim dividend, said it had decided not to pay a final dividend for the year. Overall we believe that the recovery at Hiscox is going to take a bit longer, JP Morgan analysts wrote in a note as they kept their neutral rating on the stock. Hiscox said it planned to reshape its broker channel book by exiting liability business for customers with revenues over $100 million, while also altering its cyber book to respond to adverse ransomware trends. It said the changes would lead to a one-time $200 million reduction in Hiscox Retail premiums. Hiscox also said it was committed to reduce and eliminate by 2030 its exposure to coal-fired power plants and coal mines, as well as cutting its exposure to companies involved in producing landmines. (Reporting by Muvija M in Bengaluru and Carolyn Cohn in London; editing by Rashmi Aich, Edmund Blair and Jane Merriman) Topics COVID-19 Cyber Profit Loss SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Clari , the revenue operations leader, announced it has closed on $150 million in a Series E investment round, bringing the company's total valuation to $1.6 billion. This latest funding round is led by Silver Lake, with participation from B Capital Group and existing investors Sequoia Capital, Bain Capital Ventures, Sapphire Ventures, Madrona Ventures, Thomvest, and Tenaya Capital. The company will use the proceeds of the investment round to accelerate product development, expand ecosystem partnerships and drive global expansion. This new investment follows Clari's $60 million series D funding in October 2019, bringing the company's total funding to date to $285 million. "Silver Lake seeks to invest in the best companies driving digital transformation," said Ken Hao, Chairman and Managing Partner of Silver Lake. "We are delighted to join this excellent investor group in support of the extraordinary team at Clari as they build on their leadership in the emerging revenue operations category." Over the course of 2020, Clari added blue chip customers, processed and analyzed over 1 trillion revenue data points, and delivered multiple innovations through Clari's unique Revenue Operations Platform. "Clari became even more strategic for revenue teams in the pandemic year, as the need for visibility and control over the revenue process became essential," said Andy Byrne, CEO at Clari. "The transparency and rigor of a modern Revenue Operations approach allowed Clari customers to quickly pivot their go-to-market strategies to respond to changing market conditions. Over the last year, we've seen record usage and engagement with our platform, as revenue teams established more accountability and discipline across their different channels." Usage of Clari doubled over the course of 2020, as revenue teams transitioning to a virtual selling environment used Clari to quickly pivot their strategies and drive new growth initiatives. New customer wins include some of the world's most effective revenue teams, such as 3D Systems, Drift, Fivetran, iCIMS, Podium, SentinalOne, and Talend. Clari customers BigCommerce, Databricks, DataRobot, HashiCorp, Qualtrics, Sumo Logic, UiPath, Unity Technologies, and others raised private and public capital in 2020 at an aggregate valuation of over $100 billion. "Almost immediately, with Clari we gained increased visibility into our pipeline inventory and health of deals in play," said Rick Capstraw, CRO at Verizon Media Platform. "Clari is the lowest-effort, highest-return product we've ever used." In addition to the strong adoption of its platform, Clari continued to push Revenue Operations innovation forward, with the launch of new capabilities and products like Clari Adaptive Revenue Metrics , Clari Account Engagement and Clari Relationship Insights . "By 2025, Gartner predicts 75 percent of high-growth tech companies will use RevOps for end-to-end revenue production enabling hyperautomated sales and omnichannel customer engagement," said Alastair Woolcock, Senior Director Analyst at Gartner, et al. "RevOps is a holistic organizational model that aligns the company around three elements of centralized ops and processes, a communal shared-data layer, and a continuous customer engagement capability, all measured around revenue production." To continue the momentum of the Revenue Operations movement, Clari is hosting the Generation Revenue (GenR for short) conference on May 11-12, where sales and operations leaders will meet to share insights on the role of a modern revenue operations approach in driving strategic go-to-market initiatives. Registration is now open here . Clari is hiring across all departments, and was recently recognized as best places to work by Inc., Bay Area News Group, #GirlsClub and Built In. For more information about Clari and Revenue Operations visit clari.com. *Gartner, Tech Providers 2025: RevOps Is the End-to-End Strategy to Deliver Revenue Growth Faster, October 2020 About Clari Clari's Revenue Operations Platform improves efficiency, predictability, and growth across the entire revenue process. Clari gives revenue teams total visibility into their business, to drive process rigor, spot risk and opportunity in the pipeline, increase forecast accuracy, and drive overall efficiency. Thousands of sales, marketing, and customer success teams at leading companies, including Okta, Adobe, Workday, Zoom, and Finastra, use Clari's execution insights to make their revenue process more connected, efficient, and predictable. Visit us at clari.com and follow us @clari on LinkedIn. About Silver Lake Silver Lake is a global technology investment firm, with approximately $79 billion in combined assets under management and committed capital and a team of professionals based in North America, Europe and Asia. Silver Lake's portfolio of investments collectively generates more than $180 billion of revenue annually and employs more than 400,000 people globally. For more information about Silver Lake and its portfolio, please visit www.silverlake.com . About B Capital Group B Capital Group is a global firm specializing in multi-stage investing in B2B and B2B2C companies that are transforming large traditional industries across borders and geographies. Leveraging a global team of seasoned investor-experts and an exclusive partnership with The Boston Consulting Group, B Capital Group helps startups navigate business challenges, raise capital and attract talented leadership at key points of their journeys to scale. It specializes in Enterprise application software, Infrastructure, Security, AI/ML, Fintech and Insurtech, and HealthcareTech and Bio IT. Portfolio companies include Armory, Atomwise, DataRobot, Evidation Health, Icertis, Innovaccer, Kandji, Labelbox, Ninja Van, and Yalo. For more information, visit http://www.bcapgroup.com/. SOURCE Clari Related Links https://www.clari.com MERIDEN, Conn., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, March 3, Jill Biden will be making her inaugural trip to Connecticut as First Lady. She is a teacher, a mother, and America's First Lady, and the people of Connecticut have a message for her: Our kids are depending on you. Dr. Biden is coming to visit Meriden, Conn., the hometown of the new Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona. She will also be joined by Secretary Cardona. Parents from across the state hope their visit will draw national draw attention to the urgent needs of students in Connecticut. "The COVID pandemic created unprecedented circumstances for our schools and we need an unprecedented response," said Gwen Samuel, president and founder, Connecticut Parents Union. "We want everyone to see that our babies are being left out in the cold, and they deserve better. It's time to step up our game and put these children first. The learning loss and unmet funding needs have created a crisis. That's why parents representing all types of public schools in the state charter, district, and magnet are coming together to ask for support from the First Lady and Secretary Cardona." What: Parents, students and advocates from across the state erected an outdoor classroom in Meriden. First Lady Jill Biden is encouraged to stop by on her visit to hear from working families about how she can help students and here and across the nation. When: 11:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Where: 412 W Main Street -- Parking lot near Ben Franklin Elementary School, which is located at 426 W Main St, Meriden, CT 06451 Also follow on Twitter: #GetSchooled Who: The following spokespersons are available for comment: Gwen Samuel , president and founder, Connecticut Parents Union , president and founder, Connecticut Parents Union Greer James , parent of a student at Achievement First Public Charter School , parent of a student at Achievement First Public Charter School Maria Cordero , grandparent of a student from Meriden School District About Connecticut Parents Union The Connecticut Parents Union (CTPU), a membership organization whereby parents, guardians and families are connected with the educational resources and support system necessary to protect their children's educational rights thus ensuring that neither race, zip-code nor socio-economic status is a predictor of a child's success. About Public Charter Schools Public charter schools are independent, public, and tuition-free schools that are given the freedom to be more innovative while being held accountable for advancing student achievement. Since 2010, many research studies have found that students in charter schools do better in school than their traditional school peers. For example, one study by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes at Stanford University found that charter schools do a better job teaching low-income students, minority students, and students who are still learning English than traditional schools. Separate studies by the Center on Reinventing Public Education and Mathematica Policy Research have found that charter school students are more likely to graduate from high school, go on to college, stay in college and have higher earnings in early adulthood. SOURCE National Alliance for Public Charter Schools LAist only exists with reader support. If you're in a position to give, your donation powers our reporters and keeps us independent. Our reporting is free for everyone, but its not free to make. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily newsletters. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now. Early in the pandemic in Los Angeles, an elderly Korean woman who'd been verbally harassed and pelted with rocks in Koreatown went to her local police station to report the incident in her limited English. But as the woman later told community advocates, police opted not to take a report and provided no follow-up or referrals to organizations that provide counseling or legal advice. A year later, the woman cries talking about the attack and sought counseling on her own, according to Connie Chung Joe, the executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice-LA. Connie Chung Joe, the executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice-LA, asked police commissioners for improvements in how LAPD handles Asians targeted by verbal and physical assault. (Screen grab from March 2, 2021 L.A. Police Commission meeting ) "When victims are brave enough to come forward and share their experiences with the police," Joe told the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners on Tuesday, "having the police say that nothing can be done discourages victims and their communities from relying on the police again, particularly for immigrant victims who face language and cultural barriers." Verbal and physical attacks on Asian Americans have been taking place in Los Angeles for the last year, but recent violence against Asian elders captured on video around the country, and last month's assault in the heart of L.A.'s Koreatown on a 27-year-old Korean American man, now has leaders like the mayor and city attorney speaking more forcefully about the problem. L.A. police commissioners spent more than an hour at their meeting Tuesday discussing anti-Asian incidents and taking input from civil rights leaders, who said officers needed to get better at recognizing hate crimes and being sensitive to victims but they also made clear they were not calling for more policing. LAPD recorded 15 hate crimes against AAPI community members in 2020 -- up 114% from 2019. Three cases of anti-Asian hate crimes have been documented so far in 2021. By contrast, civil rights organizations received reports of more than 100 incidents in L.A. between March and December of last year. Most of the incidents do not appear to meet the definition of a hate crime -- when a crime is shown to be motivated by some kind of bias. But community leaders worry that police are failing to identify the cases that do qualify as hate crimes, pointing to a 2018 state auditor's report that found the LAPD incorrectly labeled three out of 15 cases -- 20% -- as hate incidents rather than hate crimes. "I would call on all officers to receive training continuously on how to identify when a crime rises to the level of hate crime and report it accordingly so that the public gets a full report on the severity of the problem," Joe said. Community leaders say it's clear Asians are being targeted in LA more often than is reported to law enforcement -- which LAPD's Assistant Chief Office of Operations Beatrice Girmala acknowledged. "We know that there are probably additional instances of hate crimes or hate incidents that are being committed," Girmala told the police commissioners Tuesday as she urged victims "to come forward out of the shadows" and make reports. LAPD's Assistant Chief Office of Operations Beatrice Girmala addresses the police commission on Asian hate incidents. (Screen grab from Zoom meeting of March 2, 2021 L.A. Police Commission meeting ) But Michael Lawson, president and CEO of the Los Angeles Urban League, said that the LAPD must convince the public that its officers do not themselves condone racist behavior, pointing to reports that some officers had shared a Valentine-themed meme with a photo of George Floyd and the words "You Take My Breath Away." "I implore you to take action and make it clear to the officers and the citizens that you serve that this behavior is unacceptable and must stop," Lawson said. Chief Michel Moore was missing from the meeting because he was in the hospital, but Girmala said that "with the George Floyd Valentine, when I had made a notification to (the chief) immediately, without a second of delay, that investigation was launched internally." "When we talk about zero tolerance, we don't want (the officers involved) in our organization to shame the organization," Girmala said. More Support for Victims, Not More Policing Lawson and Joe spoke of solidarity between L.A.'s Asian and Black communities, with Joe saying she and her organization back the Black Lives Matter movement, which seeks to end police brutality and systemic racism. "We are not advocating for more criminalization which we know disproportionately impacts certain communities," Joe said. Instead, Joe asked the LAPD to work with the officers it has now and give them more training on how to better respond to incidents of hate, even if they are not hate crimes, and to keep track of them. Joe cited the case of a Vietnamese American woman who was assailed by racial slurs last August at a restaurant in Pico-Union after rebuffing another patron's advances. Initially, police did not take a report, telling her no crime had been committed. After video she posted of the incident went viral, several other women came forward saying they had been verbally attacked by the same man. Most of the 114 anti-Asian incidents in LA that were reported to the Stop AAPI Hate reporting center last year are not hate crimes, said Manjusha Kulkarni, executive director of L.A.-based Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council, which co-founded the tracker. But Kulkarni said many count as civil rights violations, with reports ranging from physical attacks to refusal of service and vandalism. Women and the elderly are the most common targets, with perpetrators in hundreds of cases nationwide using racist rhetoric about the coronavirus popularized by President Trump. In response to the civil rights leaders, LAPD's Girmala said she wanted to solicit resource lists from them, "refresh" hate crime training for officers and work with community groups to alleviate fears about attacks. "This is not imagined," Girmala said to the commission. "I have to emphasize these are real anxieties that people are facing just to get to and from work and to and from their homes." LA Police Commissioner William Briggs circled back to the elderly Korean American woman attacked in Koreatown and struggled with how the incident was categorized. "For someone to actually throw rocks at another individual, I would just be baffled to know why that doesn't rise to the level of a hate crime versus a hate incident," Briggs said to Joe. "I think that underscores your point of more training for our officers to recognize this to, report it and to take these types of matter seriously." READ MORE: NOTE: Michael Lawson is a member of the Board of Trustees for Southern California Public Radio, which operates LAist and KPCC WE LOVE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ADVERTISEMENT The Kaduna State Government, on Tuesday, said bandits killed six persons, leaving one injured in Igabi and Kauru Local Government Areas of the state. The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, stated this in a statement he issued on Tuesday in Kaduna. Mr Aruwan said: six persons have been killed in isolated banditry incidents occurring in Igabi and Kauru local government areas, as reported by security agencies. In Igabi local government area, the bandits barricaded the Birnin Yero-Tami road, and killed one persons; one person was left injured and is now receiving treatment in a hospital. At Gwada village, also in Igabi LGA an attack by gunmen left two persons dead. The commissioner said in another incident, bandits invaded Ungwan Kure, and killed two residents. Similarly, bandits attacked Amawan Dadi Rugan Jauru settlements in Kauru local government area and a resident known simply as Likita was shot dead, he added. He said Gov Nasir El-Rufai noted the reports with sadness, and extended his condolences to the families of those killed, while praying for the repose of their souls. The governor also wished those injured quick recovery. (NAN). WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Federal Election Commission on Tuesday asked U.S. Rep. Jim Jordans campaign committee to explain large accounting discrepancies between reports it filed several years ago and corrected reports the committee filed earlier this year. Many of the discrepancies exceeded $100,000, and one exceeded $900,000. The campaign says no money was ever missing from its accounts, and blames the inconsistencies on troubles adjusting to skyrocketing donations as Jordans national profile grew. Several March 2 letters from the FEC ask Jordans campaign to explain: * an increase in disbursements totaling $122,706.60 on its 2018 post-general election report. * a decrease in disbursements totaling $130,319.97 on a report of the campaigns income and expenses during the final weeks of 2018. * a decrease in receipts totaling $111,950.54 on Jordans campaign finance report for the first quarter of 2019. * an increase in disbursements totaling $38,822.23 and a decrease in receipts totaling $164,342.47 on a report of the campaigns income and expenses in the second quarter of 2019. * an increase in disbursements totaling $37,784.91 and a decrease in receipts totaling $176,910.06 on a 2019 report that covered campaign expenses between July and September. * an increase in receipts totaling $144,562.79 on its year end report for 2019. * a decrease in receipts totaling $56,995.48 and a decrease in disbursements totaling $502,687.65 on a 2020 pre-primary report that covered January 1 through February 26. * an increase in receipts totaling $67,364.90 and a $16,505.97 decrease in disbursements on a 2020 pre-primary report that covered early April. * an increase in disbursements totaling $335,502.36 on its 2020 April quarterly report. * an increase in receipts totaling $558,726.12 on a 2020 quarterly report that covered expenses from April 9 through June 30, and a decrease in disbursements totaling $911,530.36. Each letter gives Jordans campaign until early April to respond, and says failure to do so could result in an audit or enforcement action. Jordans campaign blames the discrepancies on accounting difficulties it encountered as donations soared in tandem with Jordans growing national profile during Donald Trumps presidency. It filed more than a dozen corrected versions of its old reports with the Federal Election Commission in late January. The campaign has filed an amendment with the FEC to correct its campaign finance reports going back to 2018, said a statement from Jordans campaign manager, Kevin Eichinger. There was never any money missing from the account. In fact, the campaigns cash balance is actually higher than previously listed on the campaign finance reports. The error occurred when the former campaign treasurer inadvertently double-reported certain fundraising expenses. When the error was discovered, the campaign hired an outside expert to conduct a comprehensive audit and file the appropriate amendments. During the two-year period before Trump took office, Jordan raised $733,416 for his re-election, spent $422,967 and ended up with $1.3 million in his treasury, according to statistics compiled by PoliticalMoneyLine. Over the next two years, his campaign took in $1,241,417 and spent $1,809,464. The bulk of his donations came from Ohio during both those election cycles. From 2019 through 2020, Jordan raised $18,637,140, spent $13,268,968 and finished with more than $6 million in the bank. At that point, California had eclipsed Ohio as his top state for donors, and people from Florida gave almost as much to Jordan as those from his home state. Eichinger said Jordan received over 500,000 donations from roughly 300,000 individuals in 2020, with an average donation of $35. The outpouring of nationwide support for our message is why we are raising a ton more money, said Eichinger. It wasnt like we were actively looking to raise more money. There was an organic outpouring of support. We needed to put in place the operation to handle that kind of influx. Jordans campaign hired Thomas Datwyler as its treasurer in July. Brett Kappel, a Washington, D.C., attorney who specializes in campaign finance issues said Datwyler as among a small number of professional FEC accountants who provide their services to the upper echelon of Republican political committees. Discrepancies of $100,000 or more frequently result in a referral to the (FEC) enforcement division for an investigation, said Kappel. Read more: Sen. Rob Portman was a guinea pig for the new Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine Former Donald Trump aide Max Miller announces GOP primary bid against U.S. Rep. Anthony Gonzalez claiming endorsement from Trump House to pass coronavirus rescue plan with minimum wage increase and $1,400 stimulus checks: See whats in it for Ohio House passes ban on LGBTQ discrimination over objections from Republicans led by Rep. Jim Jordan President Biden signs executive order to secure U.S. production of semiconductors and other essentials after meeting with Sen. Rob Portman Congress members including Ohios Jim Jordan and Bob Gibbs grill postmaster general at hearing on mail delays Capitol Hill police blame intelligence failures for Jan. 6 riot breaches, Sen. Rob Portman cites training failures Jane Timkens Senate bid gains endorsement from Rep. Bob Gibbs Sen. Sherrod Brown wants pension fix included in coronavirus relief bill Senate to hold hearing on security failures behind U.S. Capitol riot Rep. Jim Jordan, in move dismissed by Democrats, questions whether House Speaker Nancy Pelosi should shoulder blame for Capitol Hill riot security failures Updates on CCP Virus: San Francisco Leaders Cheer Reopening San Francisco will begin reopening more parts of its economy starting Wednesday, including indoor dining, movie theaters and gyms, an upbeat Mayor London Breed announced as California gave seven counties the go-ahead thanks to declining rates of CCP virus cases, hospitalizations and deaths. The announcement came nearly a year after the San Francisco Bay Area imposed the nations first lockdown, shuttering thousands of businesses and forcing residents indoors. Most Small Businesses Not Requiring Tests or Vaccines for Employees The vast majority of the nations small businesses have not required their employees to get COVID-19 vaccines or tests to return to work, although there were significant differences across sectors, a government survey shows. The U.S. Census Bureaus Small Business Pulse Survey, released last week and based on data collected from some 25,000 respondents from Feb. 15-21, sought to measure the impact on small businesses of changing operating conditions amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Czechs Turns to Other Nations to Treat Patients With hospitals in some parts of the Czech Republic filled up, the country turned to Germany and other European countries with a request for help. The Czech Republic, one of the hardest-hit European Union countries, has been facing a surge of new cases attributed to a highly infectious CCP virus variant that is believed to originate in Britain. Majority of Downtown Toronto Employees Are Comfortable Returning to Onsite Work: Survey Most downtown Toronto workers say they are comfortable returning to on-site work, according to a new survey. The survey released Tuesday by research company Nanos says 64 percent of downtown Toronto workers are comfortable going back to work in the downtown area. Fifteen percent expressed feeling uncomfortable, and another 19 percent said they felt neutral about it, while 2 percent said they are unsure. Among those who said they felt uncomfortable, 56 percent said its because they are concerned about COVID-19 and the possibility of catching the CCP virus. Nearly 15 percent of respondents said they were concerned with crowding in downtown, and 12 percent said they were concerned about commuting. French Families Sue Over Extensive Nursing Home Deaths A Paris court is holding a hearing Wednesday in a class-action effort to hold French health authorities and companies accountable after thousands with the CCP virus died in nursing homes, and families were locked out and left in the dark about what was happening to their isolated loved ones. The hearing Wednesday involves a special measure to demand access to documents or other material involving decisions at nursing homes. It is among many legal efforts around the mismanagement of the pandemic that are working through the French justice system. Others include manslaughter charges, or target top government ministers, but this could be one of the most far-reaching cases. Japan PM Says Two-Week Extension May Be Necessary for State of Emergency in Tokyo Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Wednesday the government is considering a two-week extension of a state of emergency in the Tokyo area due to continuing pressure on the medical system from COVID-19 cases. The government will hold an advisory board meeting on Friday to decide on extending the emergency beyond the March 7 deadline. Suga said a shortage of beds in the capital region and a slow decline in infections prompted him to consider the move. Chicago Loosens Restrictions, Raising Restaurant Capacity to 50 Percent Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Tuesday that the citys bars and restaurants can boost capacity to 50 percent and stay open longer, the latest move to loosen COVID-19 restrictions in response to what she said was continued adherence to public health guidelines. We are further easing COVID-19 regulations on Chicago businesses, Lightfoot said at a press conference. Effective immediately, indoor capacity at bars, restaurants, and other businesses can increase to the lesser of 50 percent, or 50 people, per space, she said, adding that bars and restaurants will now be able to stay open until 1 a.m. Biden to Prioritize Vaccinating School Teachers President Joe Biden is directing states to prioritize vaccinating all teachers during the month of March, and announced that the federal government will help in the effort through its partnership with retail pharmacies. Biden said his goal is for every pre-kindergarten through 12th grade educator, school staff member, and childcare worker to receive at least one shot by the end of March. First Shipment of AstraZeneca Vaccine Arrives Amid Confusion Over Its Use for Seniors The first doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine are set to arrive in Canada today as confusion persists over who should get it. Canada is to receive 500,000 doses of the vaccine, the third approved for use in Canada, from the Serum Institute of India. But questions about who should receive the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine continue amid conflicting guidance about its use. Tom Ozimek, Isaac Teo, The Canadian Press, Reuters, and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. 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. Adult themes Frank HBO documentary film There Is No I in Threesome premieres next week on FOX Showcase. This is created by New Zealand-based filmmaker Jan Oliver Lucks. The New York Times called the documentary an astute examination of perspective and the Los Angeles Times described the final twist as shocking. With their wedding only a year away, filmmaker Lucks and his long-distance fiancee take a giant leap of faith and embark on a colourful adventure of sexual experimentation. Throwing traditional rules to the wind in favour of an open relationship, they self-document their journey with great honesty from the good, to the bad, and everything in between. But what begins as a fun way to explore themselves and satisfy curious libidos quickly evolves into an intense examination of their relationship and how much it can withstand. Filmed primarily using phone cameras and video chats, There Is No I in Threesome is an intimate, surprising look at a modern-day love story with a shocking ending you wont see coming. Wednesday, March 10 at 8.30pm on FOX Showcase and Binge. 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You are also aware that this distasteful character assassination of our client has been republished widely, causing her immense hurt and distress. Your comments are particularly malicious in view of the assault on our client that took place in your office, which is now the subject of a police investigation. Former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins has alleged she was raped by a colleague in Linda Reynolds office in Parliament House. Earlier, Ms Higgins said the comments made by Senator Reynolds were incredibly hurtful and evidence of the toxic workplace culture in Parliament House. Senator Reynolds said the comments were not in reference to Ms Higgins claims about being sexually assaulted but separate news reports about her own response to the incident. A report in The Australian attributed some remarks to me regarding the very serious allegations made by my former staff member, Ms Brittany Higgins, Senator Reynolds said in a statement. I have never questioned Ms Higgins account of her alleged sexual assault and have always sought to respect her agency in this matter. I did however comment on news reports regarding surrounding circumstances that I felt had been misrepresented. I have consistently respected Ms Higgins agency and privacy and said this is her story to tell and no one elses. Ms Higgins allegations are very serious and that is how they must be treated to ensure her legal rights are protected. I welcome her decision to progress this matter with the Australian Federal Police. Senator Reynolds was admitted to hospital the week after Ms Higgins made her allegation publicly, and has been on medical leave. Mr Morrison spoke with Senator Reynolds about the comments on Thursday morning and said the Defence Minister apologised to her staff shortly after making the comments. Loading She knows those comments to have been inappropriate and wrong, he said. The second point, though, is they were made in her private office in a stressful week. And they werent made in a public place, and nor were they intended for that. That doesnt excuse it, not for a second. And she made the appropriate apologies to her staff and rectified that. Mr Morrison said it was important to point out that Senator Reynolds was not making the comments in relation to the allegation of sexual assault. Her comments, she said to me, related to the further commentary about levels of support provided, and her frustrations about how she felt that they were doing everything they believed in their power to provide support, he said. Clearly, over a period of time there was a very different view about that. And weve acknowledged that, and thats why were addressing the issues the way that we are. Ms Higgins told Senator Reynolds, the then-defence industry minister, about being raped by another Liberal staffer in the Senators office in Parliament House in March 2019. Loading Senator Reynolds told the Senate she had not informed Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Ms Higgins allegations of rape. Pressed further on whether she ever told the Prime Ministers staff or any other minister about the allegations, she said Labors questions were assuming the nature of a private conversation, private conversations that I had with Ms Higgins and that it is not my story to tell. It is hers. Ms Higgins case has rocked Canberra and sparked a national debate about workplace culture in Canberra including the treatment of women. WASHINGTON - President Biden has agreed to narrow eligibility for a new round of $1,400 stimulus payments in his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill, a concession to moderate Senate Democrats as party leaders moved Wednesday to lock down support and finalize the sweeping legislation. Under the new structure, the checks would phase out faster for those at higher income levels, compared to the way the direct payments were structured in Biden's initial proposal and the version of the bill passed by the House on Saturday. The change came as the Senate prepared to take an initial procedural vote to move forward on the bill as early as Thursday. Biden and Senate Democratic leaders were scrambling to keep their caucus united since they cannot lose a single Democrat in the 50-50 Senate if Republicans unite against the legislation. In addition to the stimulus checks, the sweeping economic package would also extend unemployment benefits through August, as well as set aside $350 billion for state and local aide; $130 billion for schools; $160 billion for vaccinations, testing and other health care system support; increased the child tax credit; and spend billions more on a variety of other provisions including rental aid and food assistance. Biden made a closing pitch for the package to House Democrats on Wednesday evening, citing public polling in favor of the measure and telling them: "I know parts of this and everything else we seek to do are not easy, but people are going to remember how we showed up in this moment, how we listened to them . . . and how we took action." At least one Senate Republican, Lisa Murkowksi of Alaska, appeared open to considering a vote in favor of the legislation, telling reporters, "My state needs relief." Elsewhere, though, GOP opposition was hardening, as Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., announced plans to force Senate officials to read the entire 600-page-plus bill aloud before debate could even begin -- a process he predicted would take around 10 hours. "I don't want to sound like a leftist, but I'm gonna resist," Johnson told a talk radio host in Wisconsin. The action in the Senate was unfolding against a backdrop of tightened security around the Capitol complex, as the sergeant-at-arms and the Capitol Police warned of potential violent unrest over the coming days. The House moved up votes to allow members to avoid the Capitol on Thursday, the day some conspiracy theorists have identified as when former president Donald Trump should rightfully be inaugurated. The Senate is scheduled to remain at work. Under the plan for stimulus checks passed by the House, individuals earning up to $75,000 per year and couples making up to $150,000 per year would qualify for the full $1,400 payment. The size of the payments would then begin to scale down before zeroing out for individuals making $100,000 per year and couples making $200,000. Under the changes agreed to by Biden and Senate Democratic leadership, individuals earning $75,000 per year and couples earning $150,000 would still receive the full $1,400-per-person benefit. However, the benefit would disappear for individuals earning more than $80,000 annually and couples earning more than $160,000. That means singles making between $80,000 and $100,000 and couples earning between $160,000 and $200,000 would be newly excluded from seeing any benefit under the revised structure Biden agreed to. The changes were confirmed by a Democratic aide who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal deliberations. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden has always been open to a faster phaseout for higher-earning individuals and "he is comfortable with where the negotiations stand." "He is comfortable and knows there will be tweaks on the margin," Psaki said Wednesday's White House briefing. "What his firm viewpoint is, is that it needs to meet the scope of the challenge, it needs to be the size he's proposed, it needs to have the core components in order to have the impact on the American people." Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., was among those who had called for changing the eligibility levels for checks, telling reporters this week, "I think we could drop it below the $200,000 and still get households that really need it." She said she would hope to redirect the savings from that change toward other needs, such as hospitals. Narrowing eligibility for the stimulus checks was just one change moderates like Sens. Shaheen and Joe Manchin, W.Va., had been seeking. Several were also eyeing better targeting money for state and local governments, and changing the structure of weekly federal unemployment benefits in the bill, to keep them at the current level of $300 rather than raise them to $400 as proposed by Biden and passed by the House. Senate Democrats do not intend to adopt the suggested change to unemployment benefits, and they will stay at $400-per-week, the aide said. The unemployment benefits currently are set to expire March 14; the Biden bill would extend them through August. Democrats are aiming for final passage of the bill ahead of the March 14 deadline. About 12 million fewer adults and 5 million fewer children would get the stimulus payments under the new Biden-Senate compromise, according to preliminary estimates from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a left-leaning think tank. About 280 million Americans in total - 200 million adults and 80 million children - would be eligible for the checks under the new structure. Centrist Senate Democrats initially had pushed for even more aggressive restrictions on the stimulus payments. Senior Democratic officials had at one point considered dropping the full benefit for those making more than $50,000 per year, a change they ultimately abandoned after a backlash led by Senate Finance Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Senate Budget Chair Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Still, liberal lawmakers bristled at the new changes. House liberals have suggested it could be difficult for them to approve the package if it's watered down significantly in the Senate. Presuming the Senate passes the package this week, it would still have to go back to the House for final approval. "I don't understand the political or economic wisdom in allowing Trump to give more people relief checks than a Democratic administration," Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said in a statement. "People went far too long without relief last year - if anything we should be more generous, not more stingy. It's also an insensitive compromise for the roughly 80 percent of Americans that live in urban areas, which are known for higher costs of living." Biden acknowledged in his comments to House Democrats that "I know we're all making some small compromises," but he said staying united to pass the relief bill, his first major piece of legislation, would help restore the public's faith in government and open the door to further successes. "It's a show of strength," Biden said. "We know how much we have to do, but it all starts here, it starts by bringing this home." On a portion of his call with House Democrats that was not public, Biden told Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., that he supports legislation that would permanently increase the child tax credit to $3,000 per child, according to two people on the call who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share details of the conversation. The legislation as currently written would do so for one year. Senate moderates were discussing further changes and GOP senators also were preparing amendments aimed at further targeting the legislation, which could peel off Democratic votes as the legislation moves through the Senate. Democrats are advancing the package under a process called "budget reconciliation" that allows it to pass with a simple majority instead of the 60 votes normally required. With only 50 votes in the Senate and GOP support uncertain, Democrats must ensure they remain united to pass the legislation with Vice President Kamala Harris breaking the tie. Attention has focused on Senate moderates who have voiced skepticism about various elements of the bill. Psaki expressed optimism Wednesday that Democratic moderates such as Manchin would support the bill. The Catholic Education Commission of Victoria is seeking state and federal funding for its plans to open half-a-dozen schools in Melbournes fast-growing outer suburbs over the next two years. But a state school lobby group has branded the funding request a greedy grab for taxpayer money from an educational system that had lost market share in Victoria. Catholic schools will open in in Cranbourne, North Cranbourne, Craigieburn, Greenvale and Melton South over the next few years. Credit:Michele Mossop Six Catholic schools will open in 2022 and 2023 in Cranbourne, North Cranbourne, Craigieburn and Greenvale, with a primary and a secondary school in Melton South. A further seven primary schools and two secondary colleges are planned to open by 2025. A husband has admitted murdering his wife after her remains were found at a beauty spot. Thomas McCann, 49, pleaded guilty to murdering Yvonne McCann, 46, after the mother-of-four was found dead at Reddish Vale Country Park in Stockport, Greater Manchester, in May last year. McCann, who faces a life sentence, appeared during a brief hearing at Minshull Street Crown Court this afternoon via video link from prison. He was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at the end of the month. Yvonne McCann, 46, was found dead at Reddish Vale Country Park in Stockport, Greater Manchester, in May last year An investigation was launched by police (officers search Reddish Vale Country Park in Stockport) before McCann was charged with murder No further details about the case were disclosed in court. In May last year an investigation was launched by police after a member of the public found human remains at the park on May 25. Specialist teams spent days searching the park before McCann was charged with murder and appeared before magistrates on May 30. Speaking at the time Detective Superintendent Neil Jones, from Greater Manchester Police, said: 'This is an absolutely devastating incident. 'First and foremost, our thoughts are with the victim's loved ones and specialist officers will do everything they can to support them. 'Understandably, this news may cause concern within the community but I would like to provide some reassurance by saying that, at this time, we believe that this was an isolated incident.' Members of Ms McCann's family were in court to hear Thomas McCann, enter his plea today. Judge Alan Conrad QC told McCann: 'I am going to fix the sentence date in this case as March 29, on which date you will be produced in court. 'You will be remanded in custody until then.' Ms McCann's children described their mother as 'funny, loud, caring and loving' who 'was never happier than when she had her family around her' Police officers in Manchester began searching Reddish Vale Country Park in May last year Floral tributes laid at Reddish Vale Country Park in Stockport after Ms McCann's death In a tribute issued last year by Ms McCann's children, they described their mother as 'funny, loud, caring and loving' who 'was quick to smile and had time for anyone'. They said: 'If anyone was to be asked to describe our Mum in one word, funny, loud, caring, loving are just a few. Our Mum raised four children and was a Nanna to two beautiful Grandchildren. 'There was never a quiet moment in our house, we knew we were loved unconditionally, and she taught us to stick up for ourselves, but also to be kind and to treat people right. 'Our Mum was never happier than when she had her family around her, and always put her children first. Mum was ''louder than life'' we often heard her belly laugh before we even saw her. She was quick to smile and had time for anyone. 'Mum never took life too seriously, she was always joking and laughing, and it's difficult to find a photograph of her where she isn't pulling a funny face or sticking her tongue out. There was nobody like our Mum. 'She was our world and we were hers, we have lost the heart of our family. 'Mum was the bond that kept us all together, and we feel numb and broken without her. We know she would want us to enjoy our life every bit as much as she did. 'It brings us comfort to know that she is now with our Grandparents who she dearly missed. 'We would like to express our gratitude to friends and family for their kind thoughts, and would like to request some privacy at this tragic time.' The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 08:21:34|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON -- Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo on Tuesday was confirmed by the Senate as the new U.S. commerce secretary, about two months after President Joe Biden's announcement of the nomination. The upper chamber of Congress approved her nomination in a 84-15 vote. Raimondo, a 49-year-old former venture capitalist, will cut short her second term as governor of Rhode Island and is expected to be sworn in Wednesday. (US-Commerce-Senate) - - - - KIEV -- Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky was vaccinated against COVID-19 with AstraZeneca vaccine during his working trip to the Luhansk region, the president's press service reported Tuesday. "Vaccination is important. I know what COVID-19 is because I had this disease. Therefore, I suggest that everyone is vaccinated. Despite the fact that I recovered from COVID-19, my antibody level is very low," Zelensky said after the vaccination at a military mobile hospital on Tuesday. (Ukraine-Vaccine) - - - - LA PAZ -- At least 20 people were killed on Tuesday when a public transport bus overturned and fell into a ravine on the highway linking the Bolivian departments of Cochabamba (central) and Santa Cruz (east), local authorities reported. Deputy Commander of the Cochabamba Police Colonel Jhonny Corrales told local media that according to preliminary reports, the accident occurred early Tuesday morning at the highway's Canadon sector, where the bus fell some 150 meters down. (Bolivia-Accident) - - - - ANKARA -- Turkey on Tuesday reported 11,837 new COVID-19 cases, including 668 symptomatic patients, as its daily infections exceeded 10,000 for the first time in about two months. The previous time when the daily COVID-19 infections exceeded 10,000 in Turkey was Jan. 8 when a total of 11,479 cases were reported. (Turkey-COVID-19) Enditem Ships dock at a tourism port on the Yangtze River in Zigui, Hubei province, in April, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua] Editor's note: He Weiwen is a senior fellow at the Center for China and Globalization (CCG). The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN. The Yangtze River Protection Law of the People's Republic of China took effect on March 1. It stipulates explicitly all the legal aspects on ecological protection of the Yangtze River, and the development along the Yangtze River Basin. The law covers the overall planning of land resources, allocation of water resources, resources protection, harnessing water pollution, rehabilitation of ecology, overall development, upgrading and transformation of traditional industries, and legal responsibility. It symbolizes not only the first law governing a major river valley of China, but also the rule-based planning, environment protection and green development of the whole Yangtze River Basin, which covers 11 provinces and municipalities and accounts for close to half of the nation's economy. It is also a fundamental legal guarantee for China implementing its commitments to the Paris Climate Accord, to reach peak CO2 emissions by 2030 and hit carbon neutrality by 2060. Five years ago, when Chinese President Xi Jinping made the call "to step up conservation of the Yangtze River and stop its overdevelopment" as the guiding policy for economic development in the Yangtze River Basin, this huge area was in a poor environment. There were over 400,000 chemical enterprises, five major iron-steel complexes, seven leading oil refineries and mega-sized petrochemical works in Shanghai, Nanjing and Yizhen, and over 6,000 sewerage outlets to the river, with 40 billion tonnes of industrial liquid waste emitted into the river per year, or 51 percent of the nation's total. Five years later, however, there is a completely different landscape. All the 8,000 high-pollution factories have been moved, 1,361 illegal wharfs have been removed or fully rebuilt. All the petrochemical works and iron-steel complexes have been transformed with green technology thoroughly. No barren land could be found along the Yangtze River bank. The share of the river's quality A water increased from 82.3 percent in 2016 to 96.3 percent in 2020, with quality E portion decreasing from 3.5 percent to zero. This was achieved by unified government planning and coordination. In order to keep a sustainable, green development environment for generations to come, all future development should be protected by a systemic and conclusive law. The Yangtze River Protection Law is also essential to help secure the national efforts against climate change and meet China's commitment to the Paris Climate Accord. The Paris Climate Accord has set the target of keeping the global average temperature no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius higher than the pre-Industrial Revolution era. Global CO2 emissions hit an all-time high of 33.14 billion mt in 2018. If the world fails to keep it from growing, the temperature will be in danger. China's CO2 emissions accounted for 27.2 percent of the world total, the largest emitter by far. 2020 saw emissions drop by 7 percent worldwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and economic and travel falls. China also reduced its emissions by 1.4 percent. China reduced its CO2 emissions per unit of GDP by 47 percent from 2005 to 2017, meeting the 2020 target of 45 percent reduction ahead of time. This will require an enormous transformation toward low-carbon or carbon-free industries and services development, and an upgrade of traditional industries to high technologies in 10 years. As the Yangtze River Basin accounts for nearly half of the nation's total economy, the low-carbon, or carbon-free, or green development along the basin will make decisive contributions to meeting the national goal. In a word, Yangtze River protection means not only keeping the environment clean, but also contributing to a new pathway in China's sustainable development in future generations. To step up conservation of the Yangtze River and stop its overdevelopment does not mean slowing down the development. On the contrary, the past five years have witnessed accelerated higher quality growth along the Yangtze River Basin. In 2020, the total GDP of the 11 provinces and municipalities along the basin reached 47.16 trillion yuan, 46.4 percent of the nation's total, as compared to 42.3 percent in 2015. The Yangtze River Delta (Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui) alone accounted for 24 percent. The basin accounted for over 50 percent of the nation's total in information and telecom technologies, high-end manufactured goods, new material and biotechnology. Nanjing Iron and Steel Group, once a source of heavy pollution, has transformed to a high-tech manufacturer of both high-end steel products and new materials. Nanjing Chemical Industrial Park has also been transformed to a leading cluster of new materials industries. The Yangtze River Economic Belt also boasts eight free trade zones and five of the top 10 national economic development zones. It is estimated that, through great protection and upgrading development, the Yangtze River Basin will account for over half of China's economy by 2025, or by 2030 at the latest. It will also serve as the vanguard and model for the whole country to meet its ambitious goal of becoming a medium developed economy by 2035. Mumbai, March 3 : Actor Sonu Sood is going to launch what is expected to be India's biggest blood bank, through an app named Sonu For You. The app aims at connecting donors to those in urgent need of blood. As per the app, a donee can reach out to donors, and on receiving a request a donor can immediately reach the hospital and donate blood. Already being hailed as the country's biggest blood bank, Sonu For You promises to help patients with rare blood groups. Sonu tells IANS: "Sonu For You was conceived by me and my friend, Johnson. Every time someone needs blood on an urgent basis and we share the same on social media, we receive responses from many. So we thought, why not come with an app that serves the same purpose?" He adds: "Going to a blood bank to search for a certain blood group can take a long time especially in cases of rare blood groups. Every year, 12000 patients in India die due to lack of donated blood. With this app, we want to convey the message that our 20 minutes can save someone's life." The actor has been expanding relief work in different sectors of society. It started with his work for migrants during lockdown. He also started distribution of e-rickshaws among the underprivileged. Sonu has started online classes, too, for children who cannot afford technology. -- 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. Fashion stylist and television presenter Jules Sebastian, 41, has praised an affordable outfit from Australian retailer Best & Less as the ultimate autumn staple. The mum-of-two wore the ruffle mini skirt and matching print blouse together as a dress at the launch of the store's new collection, creating a chic dress-inspired look for the occasion. The mini skirt retails for $25 while the blouse is priced at $20. Jules Sebastian (pictured right) praised an affordable outfit from Australian retailer Best & Less At the collection launch on February 25, Jules wore the two-piece ruffle mini skirt and matching print blouse together as a dress, but the pieces can also be worn separately At the collection launch on February 25, Jules said she particularly loves how the outfit can be mixed and matched with various other pieces of clothing - such as jeans or a blazer. 'Best & Less give us the goods and then we can create our own fun with what we wear,' she said. The skirt has a frill hem at the front with an elastic back for a comfortable fit, and both are machine washable. The perfect autumn outfit can be dressed up with heels and a blazer or dressed down with sneakers and a jacket The mini skirt retails for $25 while the blouse is priced at $20 - making the entire outfit only $45 The perfect autumn outfit can be dressed up with heels and a blazer or dressed down with sneakers and a jacket. Other items featured in the new collection include a mid-rise skinny jean, a short sleeve cotton shirt and a rib wide leg pant, with nothing exceeding $55. The new products can be purchased via the Best & Less website but stock numbers may vary. A nursing home worker, left, receives the first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at a health care center in Seoul, Feb. 26, 2021. AP The South Korean government will step up efforts to contain misleading information online about coronavirus vaccines, as the country begun its mass inoculation program last week. According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters on Wednesday, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) will work together with internet portal sites and social media services to remove coronavirus falsehoods swiftly from their platforms. Under the plan, the agencies can ask the businesses to review any problematic content according to their internal policies and delete it if necessary. Popular global social media sites like Facebook and Twitter have already run their own policy guidelines on COVID-19 related misinformation to fight against vaccine lies and rumors. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. MONMOUTH COUNTY The University of Rhode Island, located in Kingston, R.I., is pleased to announce the Fall 2020 Dean's List. The students represent nearly all of Rhode Island's cities and towns, all six New England states, New York and New Jersey, and many other states and countries. The following students were named to Dean's List: Leah Bohner of Red Bank Jack Borenius of Little Silver Jake Brown of Red Bank Jess Byrne of Middletown Karlee Chimento of Red Bank Angelina Cohen of Middletown Lexie Crawford of Red Bank AJ Daluise of Fair Haven Stephanie DiBenedetto of Middletown Izzie Ermita of Middletown Jack Hennen of Rumson Shane Kerr of Rumson Kaitlyn Langanke of Middletown Caroline Larkin of Middletown Kara Manuelli of Middletown Frankie Marrone of Belford Abbey Ross of Middletown Matt Salicco of Red Bank Sarah Sudowsky of Monmouth Beach Christie Swanson of Red Bank(This story is continued under the ad)To be included on the Dean's List, full-time students must have completed 12 or more credits for letter grades during a semester and achieved at least a 3.30 quality point average. Part-time students qualify with the accumulation of 12 or more credits for letter grades earning at least a 3.30 quality point average.As a public Land Grant University in a highly competitive region in the United States, URI carefully monitors and manages its tuition and fee rates to remain one of the most affordable universities in the Northeast for both in-state and out-of-state students. An estimated 90% of undergraduate students receive annual financial aid and institutional supportThe University's total fall 2020 enrollment of 17,649 students comprises 15,393 full- and part-time undergraduate students, including 748 pharmacy six-year professional practice, and 2,256 full- and part-time graduate students. About 52 percent of the total student body is from Rhode Island and 48% are from out of state or foreign countries. The student body includes students from 48 U.S. states and territories, and 67 nations.The University of Rhode Island's pioneering research in ocean, environmental and health sciences extends the University's influence well beyond its coastal borders, while its interdisciplinary courses provide students with unique opportunities and experiences,Over the last 10 years, the University has completed more than $710 million in capital projects, including new construction, and renovation and rehabilitation of existing buildings across its four campuses. The University's campus locations, include the main campus, located on 1,248 acres in rural Kingston, the Graduate School of Oceanography, located on 165 acres on Narragansett Bay, the W. Alton Jones Campus in West Greenwich, a 1,200-acre nature preserve, the Alan Shawn Feinstein College of Education and Professional Studies and the Rhode Island Nursing Education Center, both in the capital city of Providence, RI. [March 03, 2021] Check Point Software Joins Forces with SimilarWeb to Improve Security Awareness for Consumers SAN CARLOS, Calif. and NEW YORK, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. , a leading provider of cyber security solutions globally, has announced a new alliance with SimilarWeb Ltd. , a leading digital intelligence company. The two companies will integrate statistical domain trends and security web threats generated by Check Point's ThreatCloud with SimilarWeb digital intelligence solutions. Both companies will share threat intelligence to improve their threat detection and improve security awareness for their respective users. The combination of SimilarWeb's traffic awareness and Check Point's threat intelligence will foster a more secure, reliable and transparent Internet for the greater good. As the Covid-19 pandemic altered employee environments and drove a massive shift to remote work, it also introduced advanced cyber-threats. A recent survey by Check Point highlights that 42% of respondents believe preventng phishing and social engineering attacks will be the biggest security challenge for 2021. With this new integration, consumers can verify a webpage's security and evaluate a domain's threat assessment through SimilarWeb's services. This transparency will help prevent users from falling victim to potential malicious attacks. "We're excited to team up with SimilarWeb and provide an extra layer of threat intelligence that will enhance security awareness for SimilarWeb users," said Dror Levy, Head of Consumer Sales at Check Point Software Technologies. "To stay ahead of threats, we must be proactive and work together to leave no part of an organization's attack surface unmonitored." "Check Point is an innovator in cyber security and we're pleased to be working with them to improve the value of our digital intelligence offerings to our customers," said Benjamin Seror, Chief Product Officer at Similarweb. "This alliance recognizes that security is now an essential component of a successful digital growth strategy." The integration with SimilarWeb further underlines Check Point's commitment to "secure your everything". With Check Point's ThreatCloud intelligence, SimilarWeb is joining forces with the largest collaborative security network, delivering threat data and attack trends from a global network of threat sensors, inspecting over 3 billion websites and 600 million files, and identifying more than 250 million malware activities every day. About SimilarWeb: As the most trusted platform for understanding online behavior, millions of people rely on SimilarWeb insights to strengthen their knowledge of the digital world. We empower anyone from the curious individual to the enterprise business leader to make smarter decisions by understanding why things happen across the digital ecosystem. About Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. ( www.checkpoint.com ) is a leading provider of cyber security solutions to governments and corporate enterprises globally. Its solutions protect customers from 5th generation cyber-attacks with an industry leading catch rate of malware, ransomware and other types of attacks. Check Point offers multilevel security architecture, "Infinity" Total Protection with Gen V advanced threat prevention, which defends enterprises' cloud, network and mobile device held information. Check Point provides the most comprehensive and intuitive one point of control security management system. Check Point protects over 100,000 organizations of all sizes. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/check-point-software-joins-forces-with-similarweb-to-improve-security-awareness-for-consumers-301238910.html SOURCE SimilarWeb [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Kay Swint went without power for 53 hours during last months winter storm, forcing the retired nursing director to crank up her gas fireplace, layer on two pairs of socks and go to bed in her sons sleeping bag to stay warm. As the polar vortex plunged Houston into frigid darkness, the temperature inside Swints 1957 Braesmont home fell to 43 degrees, bursting six pipes in her attic and saddling the 69-year-old retiree with a $2,500 repair bill. Across town, Deep Datta lost power in his Heights apartment just once, for all of three hours. When the power and heat went out Feb. 17, the 27-year-old environmental engineer said he put on a jacket when it got a little chilly inside. I know for some people, it was more of a life-threatening situation, Datta said. For me, it wasnt as bad. It was kind of an inconvenience. I was fairly comfortable the whole week. The starkly different experiences of Swint and Datta highlight a critical question still lingering from the recent power crisis: Why didnt rotating outages rotate? The rolling blackouts ordered by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to stabilize the power grid were supposed to last no more than 45 minutes and be spread equally among customers, but some Texans were without electricity for three days, ERCOT said, while others never lost power. The inability or failure to rotate power outages equitably meant the effects of the ice, snow and frigid temperatures were not shared equally to devastating effect. Dozens of Texans died during hourslong blackouts, including an 11-year-old boy in Conroe and a 95-year-old man in Acres Homes who were found dead in their freezing homes. In Sugar Land, three children and their grandmother trying to keep warm by their fireplace died in a house fire. In Galveston, a 75-year-old veteran, down to his last oxygen bottle after his electric-powered oxygen tank inside his house ran out, went to his truck to get the bottle and died in the cold. Hundreds of Texans were treated for carbon monoxide poisoning after resorting to running cars, portable generators, gas stoves and barbecue grills inside their homes and garages. On HoustonChronicle.com: Days ahead of blackouts, the warning signs were there Homes, schools and businesses across the state suffered billions of dollars in property damage from frozen and broken water pipes. Some insurance estimates forecast that the winter storm could be the costliest natural disaster in Texas history, possibly surpassing the $125 billion in damage from Hurricane Harvey. Much of the human suffering and misery during the storm was caused by the inability or failure to rotate outages, said ERCOT CEO Bill Magness, whom the councils board fired last week. The amount of power that utilities had to cut known as shedding load to offset the huge loss of electricity supplies was so great that the outages could not be rotated without risking the stability of the grid. When we had a lot of load shed, some customers were stuck in that load shed for the entire time, Magness told ERCOT board members recently. Thats where so much of the harm and damage came from. Carrying the load CenterPoint Energy, a regulated utility, owns transmission lines and distributes power to homes, public buildings and businesses in the Houston area. The utilitys distribution charges account for half or more of electric bills; the balance is the cost of electricity sold by retailers such as Reliant, Griddy or Discount Power. CenterPoint said it began preparing for the extreme weather Thursday, Feb. 11, three days before the storm hit. ERCOT forecast that electricity demand would hit a record of about 75,000 megawatts, nearly 14 percent higher than the previous winter peak of 65,915 megawatts set in January 2018. Supply and demand must stay balanced on the grid, or else it can collapse, knocking out power everywhere. ERCOT on Feb. 13 said it expected up to a 7,500-megawatt shortfall in electricity supplies during the storm, warning utilities that rotating power outages could be necessary. Godofredo A. Vasquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer CenterPoint is responsible for shedding about 25 percent of the excess load on the grid when electricity demand exceeds power generation. Only Oncor Electric Delivery in Dallas is responsible for a larger share, about 36 percent. With temperatures plunging and power plants struggling to keep up with surging demand, ERCOT began to mandate rotating outages in the early morning of Feb. 15. By sunrise that day, ERCOT had ordered 16,500 megawatts to be shed by utilities across the state, representing more than one-third of the average load on the grid in 2020. CenterPoint was responsible for shedding 4,100 megawatts in the Houston area. The orders to cut power came so rapidly, CenterPoint said, that it could not rotate customer outages automatically. The amount of power available from power generation companies was significantly reduced in a short amount of time, a spokeswoman said, preventing outages from being safely rotated without risking the integrity of the grid. Dark freeze CenterPoint activated its Incident Command Center, which it would operate 24 hours a day for the entire week. The company deployed 2,500 employees and contractors on 16-hour shifts to handle calls and restore power to customers. On HoustonChronicle.com: Were regulators right to push wholesale power prices to the max? The utility said it reached out to industrial and commercial customers, requesting them to conserve as much power as possible. At the same time, the company said, it isolated circuits to maintain power for the Texas Medical Center, other hospitals and critical services such as water, sewer and emergency response. CenterPoint said it sent crews to neighborhoods and began manually rotating power around midday Feb. 15 in an effort to spread outages while preserving the safety and stability of the grid. By that evening, ERCOT ordered 20,000 megawatts of power to be shed across Texas, including about 4,950 megawatts in the Houston area. More than 1.4 million CenterPoint customers would be without power for an additional 24 hours until crews were able to restore power gradually. Nearly all customers had power by Saturday, Feb. 20. Outage equity CenterPoint said it received 59 orders from ERCOT to cut power, and it complied to the best of its ability and as safely as possible. Some 89 percent of CenterPoints 2.7 million customer locations in the greater Houston area experienced a power outage during the storm. Some customers had longer outages because of the power shortage, but others because of downed power lines and damaged equipment. We were focused on restoring power throughout our entire 5,000-square-mile service territory as soon as power generation was available, a CenterPoint spokeswoman said. Colin Leyden, the Environmental Defense Funds director of regulatory and legislative affairs for energy, said he lost power in his Austin home around 2 a.m. Feb. 15 and went without power until around 1 a.m. three days later. Temperatures fell into the mid-40s inside his home. I would have done almost anything to get three to six hours of power to get our house warm, Leyden said. And Im in a fortunate circumstance. I cant imagine what it was like for someone who didnt have a car to warm up in or insulation in the walls. It was a nightmare for me, but it would have been pure hell for someone in that situation. On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas rolling blackouts worse than Californias last summer of wildfires In the aftermath of the power failure, the EDF issued policy recommendations for Texas lawmakers, including for state regulators to investigate ways to rotate outages equitably when needed. Leyden said he recommends utilities install more circuits that can shut off downtown office towers without affecting nearby hospitals and government buildings. In addition, Leyden said Texas should require the installation of remote switches that would allow utilities to flip circuits on and off without having to send workers do so manually. I have to assume that rotating outages would have led to much less tragedy, Leyden said. Rolling blackouts are not ideal, but they save lives and they save property. Swint would know. After losing power, she turned on her natural gas fireplace to keep her husband, daughter, son-in-law and three grandsons warm. But it had been so long since her family used it, they forgot to open the flue venting the fumes out of the house. It wasnt until the house got hot a few hours later when it dawned on them that they were in danger of carbon monoxide poisoning. They quickly opened the vents and layered on more clothing to ride out the 53-hour blackout. We could have easily had an incident, Swint said. Luckily for us, we figured it out before it was too late. paul.takahashi@chron.com twitter.com/paultakahashi VANCOUVER, BC, March 3, 2021 /CNW/ - Nova Mentis Life Science Corp. (CSE: NOVA) (FSE: HN3Q) (OTCQB: NMLSF) ("NOVA" or the "Company"), a leader in the development of psilocybin and other entheogens, is pleased to announce the launch of its US-based Observational Study NM-101: "Microbiotic Diversity in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Improving Diagnostics by Differentiating Subtypes." "NOVA's mission is to discover more precise ways to diagnose and treat autism spectrum disorder (ASD), an unmet medical need," stated Julia V. Perederiy, PhD, NOVA's Lead Scientist and Principal Investigator on the study. "This clinical investigation is an important first step in accurately defining subsets or cohorts of ASD patients that can best respond to specific psilocybin and entheogen therapy. Microbiome science and investigation continues to gain deeper insights into gut biology and its influence over brain activity and behaviour," she continued. This study will assess the gut microbiome across various subtypes of ASD (including fragile X syndrome) via genetic analysis of fecal samples, comparing bacterial profiles with those from age-matched neurotypical controls. This research is significant because shifts in gut bacteria contribute to the pathophysiology of GI disorders1, which are four times more common among children with ASD2 and are associated with worsening of behavioural symptoms, including anxiety, hypersensitivity and rigid-compulsive behaviours3. NOVA's observational clinical study aims to recruit at least 300 participants across the U.S.: 200+ with moderate/severe ASD and 100+ neurotypical controls. The large-scale design of this study, as well as inclusion of multidimensional datasets and proprietary machine learning systems, aims to resolve inconsistencies in prior clinical studies regarding the role of gut microbiota in ASD, particularly with regard to diagnostics and treatment - currently an unmet medical need. "A study of this size will allow us to use machine learning to segment the patient population into groups based on microbiome characteristics, genomics and performance on behavioural tests," said Kyle H. Ambert, PhD, of NOVA's Scientific Advisory Board. "Our findings here will help improve ASD diagnostic methods, allowing us to quantify disease severity using something besides behavioural methods alone." Study data will allow NOVA to develop an ASD Diagnostic Index and assist the company in the design and implementation of a planned Phase I Clinical Trial for NOVA's lead psychedelic compound (PILZ 1013). Moreover, this study will be used in preliminary conversations with the U.S. FDA to define the optimal regulatory pathway and accelerate NOVA's drug development program. Vich Vila A, Imhann F, Collij V, et al. ( December 2018 ). "Gut microbiota composition and functional changes in inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome." Sci Transl Med. 10(472):eaap8914. McElhanon BO, McCracken C, Karpen S, Sharp WG ( May 2013 ). "Gastrointestinal symptoms in autism spectrum disorder: a meta-analysis." Pediatrics. 133(5):872-83. Mazurek MO, Vasa RA, Kalb LG, Kanne SM, et al. ( January 2013 ). "Anxiety, sensory over-responsivity, and gastrointestinal problems in children with autism spectrum disorders." J Abnorm Child Psychol. 41(1):165-76. About Nova Mentis Life Science Corp. Nova Mentis Life Science Corp. is a Canadian-based biotechnology company that is focused on the emerging field of serotonergic psychedelic medicine, such as psilocybin and its related tryptamine derivatives. The Company is a global leader in this field by integrating the latest state-of-the-art medical and scientific technology into its drug development program. The goal is to diagnose and treat debilitating chronic conditions that have unmet medical needs, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). For further information on the Company, please visit https://www.novamentis.ca or email [email protected]. On Behalf of the Board Will Rascan, President & CEO Nova Mentis Life Science Corp. Twitter: @novamentislsc Instagram: @novamentislsc Facebook: @novamentislsc Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Nova Mentis Life Science's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such 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. SOURCE Nova Mentis Life Science Corp. For further information: Phone: 778-819-0244, Toll Free: 1-833-542-5323 OTTAWA - Former military ombudsman Gary Walbourne told a parliamentary committee Wednesday that he informed Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan of allegations of misconduct against Gen. Jonathan Vance during a hostile closed-door meeting three years ago. Canadian Forces ombudsman Gary Walbourne appears at a Senate veterans affairs committee in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 4, 2016. Former military ombudsman Gary Walbourne is set to testify today as a parliamentary committee continues digging into how the Liberal government handled allegations of misconduct against former defence chief Gen. Jonathan Vance. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick OTTAWA - Former military ombudsman Gary Walbourne told a parliamentary committee Wednesday that he informed Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan of allegations of misconduct against Gen. Jonathan Vance during a hostile closed-door meeting three years ago. Walbournes remarks appear to contradict Sajjans own testimony to the same committee Feb. 19, when he said he was as surprised as anyone when Global News first reported Vances alleged misconduct in early February. At that time, Sajjan repeatedly refused to confirm media reports that Walbourne raised allegations against Vance when the minister and ombudsman met in March 2018. Sajjan cited confidentiality and also said any allegations brought to him were taken seriously and referred to the appropriate authorities. Walbourne, whose testimony is protected by parliamentary privilege, used his opening statement to the House of Commons' defence committee to publicly confirm the conversation for the first time. Yes, I did meet with Minister Sajjan on March 1, 2018, he said. Yes, I did directly tell him about an allegation of inappropriate sexual behaviour made against the chief of defence. In a written statement released after the committee meeting, Sajjan said he disagreed "with parts of the testimony that occurred in committee today." "As I have stated, I was as shocked as everyone else at the allegations that were made public last month," he said. "I can assure the committee, and all Canadians, that any allegations that were brought forward were very quickly put forward to the proper authorities, while respecting the need to protect the privacy of any individuals involved. Any suggestion that I have done otherwise is wrong. Global News has reported that Vance allegedly had an ongoing relationship with a woman he significantly outranked. He is also accused of having made a sexual comment to a second, much younger, soldier in 2012, before he became commander of the Armed Forces. Vance, who turned over command of the military in January after more than five years in the job, has not responded to requests for comment by The Canadian Press and the allegations against him have not been independently verified. Global says Vance, who as defence chief oversaw the militarys efforts to root sexual misconduct from the ranks, has denied any wrongdoing. Military police are now investigating the allegations against Vance. They have also launched an investigation of Vances successor as defence chief, Admiral Art McDonald, who temporarily stepped aside last week in response to unspecified allegations of misconduct. Walbourne, whose appearance showcased the combative attitude that marked his more than four years as military ombudsman, did not spell out the details of the allegation that he presented to Sajjan. He also confirmed earlier reports that no formal complaint was filed, but told MPs he came to possess irrefutable, concrete evidence about Vance, which is what led him to raise the matter with Sajjan. I did not give the minister the details of the allegation, the former ombudsman said. I tried to show him some evidence. He refused to look at it. Walbourne, who is now the ombudsman at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ont., told the committee Sajjan later cut off all contact until the former ombudsmans resignation on Oct. 31, 2018. After this meeting, there were over a dozen requests from myself to the minister to meet. All were rejected, he said. And I never spoke to minister said again. This meeting was very hostile and ended bitterly. Walbourne also said he asked Sajjan to keep the matter in confidence until they could figure out how to handle the allegation, but that the minister instead told the Privy Council Office, which asked the ombudsman for information about the complainant. Walbourne, who initially declined an invitation to appear before the committee before being formally summoned to testify, said he refused to provide that information because the complainant had not given permission to do so. Liberal committee members repeatedly asked Walbourne what they expected Sajjan to do after notifying him of the allegations, and suggested the minister had acted promptly and appropriately by notifying the Privy Council Office, a bureaucratic operation that supports the prime minister and cabinet. Walbourne said he was looking for top cover from the minister so he could go back to the complainant and discuss lodging a formal complaint against Vance. The former ombudsman went on to blast Sajjan for having told the PCO about the allegations. Opposition MPs suggested Sajjan not only failed to take action when presented with the allegations, but in the words of NDP defence critic Randall Garrison, was not frank with us in his appearance before the committee. The former ombudsman, who repeatedly decried a lack of independence for the office, also drew a link between his meeting with Sajjan three years ago and the Department of National Defence cutting off his financial and staffing authorities. The ombudsman's office was being investigated at that time following a whistleblowers complaint. Walbourne was adamant the complaint had no merit, and instead alleged that it was used as an excuse to put pressure on him and his team. Asked if there was any attempt by the government to cover up for Vance, Walbourne said: I dont know if it was an attempt at a coverup, but I know it was a full-court press to get rid of me. Walbourne said there is a need for independent oversight of the Canadian Armed Forces, echoing testimony raised by other witnesses in recent weeks, suggesting it is essential for eliminating sexual misconduct in the ranks. Others have come before me and said that it's cultural change, he said. But until the government of Canada makes a decision to get this right, we're going to have this conversation again in six months. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 3, 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. Aerial view of fishing boats at a dock in Southampton, New York. Credit: Jeffrey Blum / Unsplash Coastal communities at the forefront of climate change reveal valuable approaches to foster adaptability and resilience, according to a worldwide analysis of small-scale fisheries by Stanford University researchers. Globally important for both livelihood and nourishment, small-scale fisheries employ about 90 percent of the world's fishers and provide half the fish for human consumption. Large-scale shockslike natural disasters, weather fluctuations, oil spills and market collapsecan spell disaster, depending on the fisheries' ability to adapt to change. In an assessment of 22 small-scale fisheries that experienced stressors, researchers revealed that diversity and flexibility are among the most important adaptive capacity factors overall, while access to financial assets was not as important for individual households as it was at the community scale. The research was published Jan. 23 in the journal Climatic Change. "The idea of assets not being essential at the household level is an empowering finding because we looked at a lot of places in developing nations without a lot of assets," said lead author Kristen Green, a Ph.D. student in the Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources (E-IPER) at Stanford's School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences (Stanford Earth). "It shows we can invest in non-financial or non-asset-based adaptive mechanisms, and fishers can still adapt." Focusing on response mechanisms The researchers measured adaptive capacity using a new framework with three response pathways: adapt, react and cope. Adaptation is defined as proactive planning or taking collective action, reaction as an unplanned response, and coping as passive acceptance of consequences. The team of 11 study authors determined whether or not each fishery community or household had capacity in the areas of knowledge, assets, diversity and flexibility, governance and institutions, and natural capital. "These adaptive capacity domains don't work in isolationit's the recipes or combinations that are important for successful adaptation," Green said. While previous research has calculated a quantitative or numerical resilience score for different regions and sectors, the focus on community response is fairly new, according to senior author Larry Crowder, the Edward Ricketts Provostial Professor and professor of biology in Stanford's School of Humanities and Sciences. The Adapt, React, Cope (ARC) response framework. Credit: Green et al "Millions of people are dependent on making a living in small-scale fisheries, and some of them are currently doing it better than others," said Crowder, who is also a senior fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. "If we can identify the features that allow communities and individuals to be better prepared for those perturbationsin other words, to have an adaptive responsethen we can try to build that capacity in communities that don't have it." In one case study in their analysis, a tropical island in Vanuatu exhibited flexibility when a cyclone disrupted fishery reefs, infrastructure and fisher livelihoods. Because the fishers had agency over management of the marine area, they were able to temporarily open a previously closed section to maintain food supply and income. "Part of our findings run counter to the emerging conventional wisdom that making specialists of fisherman is a good thing," Crowder said. "Historically, these fishers were generalists, and our findings suggest they're more able to adapt to fluctuating circumstances if they can maintain that generalist fishing approach." Incorporating diverse needs The researchers found that diversity and flexibility were important at every scale, for both community and household adaptive capacity in responding to acute and chronic stressorsfor example, being able to diversify fishing portfolios or shift to other means of income. In addition to climate stressors, the researchers assessed responses to biological, economic, political and social changes, as well as environmental degradation and overfishing. The patterns that emerged from the study may be applied to adaptive capacity in other sectors, such as agriculture or manufacturing. Using a broad "way of life" approach allowed the co-authors to consider what factors drive behavior, such as culture, heritage or spending time with their familiesnot necessarily economics. "From a Western perspective, sustainability would be a nice thing to have happen. But for people in these communities that are highly resource-dependent, it's not niceit's necessary," Crowder said. "Their future is potentially compromised if they and we don't help figure out how to make those lifestyles more sustainable in the long term." The analysis revealed several examples of how Western-style managementsuch as imposing fixed protection areas or maximizing one product that will make the most moneydoesn't always work for small-scale fisheries. Explore further How fishermen have adapted to change over the past 35+ years More information: Kristen M. Green et al, How adaptive capacity shapes the Adapt, React, Cope response to climate impacts: insights from small-scale fisheries, Climatic Change (2021). Journal information: Climatic Change Kristen M. Green et al, How adaptive capacity shapes the Adapt, React, Cope response to climate impacts: insights from small-scale fisheries,(2021). DOI: 10.1007/s10584-021-02965-w Bengaluru, March 3 : Two women were arrested at the Bengaluru airport for allegedly smuggling in foreign goods, including iPhones, saffron, aromatic tobacco and cigars, an official said on Wednesday. "The duo was taken into custody on landing at the Kempegowda international airport for smuggling in goods, including iPhones, saffron, tobacco and cigars into the city," said a Customs official here. The Customs air intelligence wing estimated the value of the smuggled goods to be around Rs 78 lakh and seized from the accused. "The accused, aged 36 and 33 years, flew into the city on Monday in an Emirates flight from Dubai via Mumbai on Monday. They hail from Ahmedabad and Mumbai," said the official. Of the exotic goods siezed, 30 were the latest models of Apple's iPhones, including 28 max models and two 12 PRO models, combinedly valued over Rs 40 lakh. On inspecting the duo's luggage, the Customs officials also found 10 air pods valued at 2.5 lakh. "The accused also tried to smuggle in 57kg of saffron valued at Rs 35 lakh, a packet of Cuban cigars worth Rs 5,000 1,775kg tobacco worth Rs 24,500," recalled the official. "On profiling the passenger, the 2 women were caught and handed over to the police. They were arrested and released on bail on Tuesday," added the official. As regular and direct international flights have not been resumed due to the Covid-induced restrictions, many passengers land at Delhi or Mumbai and take a connecting flight to the city with contraband goods. Geneva (UN Human Rights Council) 03 March 2021 (SPS)- Ms. Aminatou Haidar, President of the Saharawi Organ against Moroccan Occupation and 2019 Right Livelihood Laureate, denounced the excalation of Moroccan human rights violations against the people of Western Sahara, in a statement she delivered Monday before the 46th session of the UN Human Rights Council through video-conference. During the General Debate on the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights report, Ms. Haidar expressed grave concerns over the blatant violation of the ceasefire by the Moroccan authorities last November 2020 and the escalation of reprisals targeting Saharawi activists. On November 13, 2020, the Moroccan army broke the ceasefire agreements, entering the area of Guerguerat, to disperse Sahrawi demonstrators, who were exercising their freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, she affirmed. Subsequently, Aminatou added, Morocco stepped up its repression against Sahrawi civilians, particularly human rights defenders, including myself and members of my organisation ISACOM. Sultana Khaya and her family are currently under police siege and daily repression. She urged the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Michelle Bachelet, to organise a technical mission to Western Sahara with utmost urgency and for the UN to carry out their responsibility towards the decolonisation of Western Sahara. The situation in the occupied territories of Western Sahara is deteriorating by the day and the international community continues to turn a deaf ear, allowing the occupier to continue to act in total impunity, Aminatou deplored, warning that young Saharawis have lost trust in the international community and in peaceful resistance, which I have always supported. It is of utmost urgency for the UN to act, to avoid an escalation of violence. The UN and the Member States have committed to leave no one behind. The Saharawis must not be forgotten, she concluded. Last September, Aminatou Haidar and other members of her recently created organisation (Saharawi Organ against Moroccan Occupation), were subject to a police siege and daily repression by the Moroccan police forces, unable to leave their home without fear of persecution. The situation further worsened on November 13, 2020. Since then, violence has been on the rise once more in the occupied territories, but the international community has so far remained silent. (SPS) 090/500/60 (SPS) White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany speaks during a television interview at the White House in Washington on Oct. 2, 2020. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) Republicans on the Hill Too Quick to Exile Trump: McEnany Some Republicans in Congress have been too quick to exile former President Donald Trump, former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told Fox News on Tuesday. I think that Republicans on the Hill who are so quick to say President Trump doesnt have a place in this party, they need to look at the numbers and why these new voters who arent typically Republican voters came to the party, McEnany said in her first interview after she left the White House. Its because he offered economic hope and opportunity to a lot of people who did not have that. McEnany pointed out that Republicans should recognize that Trump got the highest percentage of the black vote of any Republican candidate in 20 years, and the highest percentage of the Hispanic vote in 16 years. [Trump] has made this party more inclusive, more expansive, more welcoming, McEnany added. McEnany also shared her impressions of Trumps speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Sunday. Former President Donald Trump addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference held in the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Fla., on Feb. 28, 2021. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Everything he said strikes at the very heart as to what made this movement pro-family, pro-worker. He changed the Republican Party forever. McEnany thought Trump can do it again. But whether Trump runs in 2024 or not, there are some incredible men and women in our party such as Govs. Ron DeSantis and Kristi Noem, who are walking in the same kind of Trump ideology, McEnany said. She also mentioned former Vice President Mike Pence is a supporter of the Trump movement. When asked why Trump didnt start a new party, McEnany said that Trump knows that for the betterment of his movement, fixing the Republican Party is the answer. McEnany suggested that Trump fixed the Republican Party when he brought Rust Belt Democrats to the party in 2016 by focusing on trade and protecting blue-collar workers. But theres a push to go back to the status quo. Theres a push to exile him, to exile his movement, McEnany continued. But you know, my message to them is, let the people decide. There are 75 million incredible people, and theyll decide the way this movement goes forward. Rep Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), one of the 17 lawmakers who voted to impeach Trump, publicly said Trump shouldnt have a place in the Republican Party. I dont believe that he should be playing a role in the future of the party or the country, Cheney said in a press conference last week. Trump said in his CPAC speech that it was good news Cheney had been censured by her state GOP. So hopefully, theyll get rid of her with the next election, said Trump. Get rid of em all. McEnany also talked about her experience on Jan. 6 in the White House. As those events transpired, it was disbelief, shock, somber, sad, horrified by the violence, and it was a very hard, difficult day in the White House. McEnany asserted that Trump holds no responsibility for the violence. I think Sen. Tim Scott said it best, McEnany continued. Those who hold responsibility are those who committed those heinous actions that we all condemn. McEnany pointed out that the rioters showed up at the Capitol before the end of Trumps speech. And then they did the exact opposite of what he said. He said march peacefully and patriotically. And they did the opposite. Fox News announced Tuesday that it had signed McEnany as a contributor to offer commentary on various network programs. Ivan Pentchoukov contributed to this report. STEINHAUSEN, Switzerland, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hitachi Medical Systems Europe (HMSE) announces the release of "APERTO Lucent Plus" *1 , 0.4 Tesla permanent Open MRI and "AIRIS Vento Plus" *2 , 0.3 Tesla permanent Open MRI system, both equipped with "SynergyDrive" on March 2, 2021, right at the start of ECR 2021 pop-up world tour. Since the launch of "AIRIS" the first permanent MRI system back in 1996, Hitachi has been highly recognized for their wide open, patient centric MRI systems that are providing patients with a spacious feeling and a relaxed examination experience without fear. "APERTO Lucent Plus" and "AIRIS Vento Plus", both permanent magnet Open MRI systems are now equipped with the "SynergyDrive" suite, inherited from their big brother, the 1.5 Tesla superconductive MRI system "ECHELON Smart Plus" with "SynergyDrive" *3 and previously only available on that system. The automation suite features high-speed examinations for improved MRI examination efficiency by automating, simplifying and accelerating them so that you can focus on the patient and not the procedure. APERTO Lucent Plus and AIRIS Vento Plus with "SynergyDrive" now offer a new 'Plus' in human-centered open MRI: high speed exams and clear, motion free images strong diagnostic capacity easy siting and efficient operation for fast ROI trusted reliability and service care open design for maximum patient comfort and relaxed patient experiences Product features 1. "SynergyDrive" for increased throughput, enabling a better patient and user experience "SynergyDrive" is the result of the combination of IP-RAPID, the high-speed exam feature and "AutoExam", a function that significantly improves operability. By streamlining the MRI examination workflow from patient check-in to the completion of an examination, scan times for routine exams can now be reduced by up to 30%* compared to conventional open MRI systems from Hitachi. *Depending on patient type and scan parameters. 2. "IP-RAPID" for significantly reduced scan times IP-RAPID is the high-speed scan feature of "SynergyDrive" which uses undersampling and image reconstruction utilizing iterative image processing, applicable to many sequences (2D/3D). IP-RAPID can be performed for various kinds of sequences and regions such as T1-weighted, T2-weighted, STIR, FLAIR, MRA, diffusion-weighted and fat-water separation images. IP-RAPID allows to significantly shorten scan times without loss in image quality. 3. "AutoExam" for simplified operation "AutoExam" allows for single-click exams by predefining scan condition settings such as slice positioning, image processing, image display and image transfer and so significantly reduces the burden on the operator. With the incorporation of "AutoPose" which is part of the "AutoExam", the system automatically proposes the optimum slice plane on the brain and is able to eliminate complex slice plane settings. Up to 5 slice planes can be preset in advance for the slice plane direction and angle. It proposes optimum slice planes right after the scanogram is completed. In addition, it proposes an AutoClip function which allows to automatically depict the region of interest of the brain MRA (clipping image *4 ). By automating post processing, complex and time-consuming steps can be eliminated so that the operator has more time to focus on the daily routine. *1 "APERTO Lucent Plus" is the name of the model equipped with the new system software version (ORIGIN 7) on "APERTO Lucent". *2 "AIRIS Vento Plus" is the name of the model equipped with the new system software version (ORIGIN 7) on "AIRIS Vento". *3 "ECHELON Smart Plus" is the name of the model equipped with the new system software version on "ECHELON Smart". *4 Clipping image is the image after cutting out unnecessary area such as fat. About Hitachi Medical Systems Europe Hitachi Healthcare in Europe is represented by Hitachi Medical Systems Europe Holding AG, Steinhausen, Switzerland. The company is a first-choice supplier of open and powerful high-field MRI systems, multi-slice CT systems as well as medical ultrasound systems. Ultrasound expertise encompasses clinical applications such as radiology, cardiology, internal medicine, obstetrics/gynecology, gastroenterology, urology and surgery. Hitachi Medical Systems Europe offers a complete range of solutions to address a wide range of medical challenges. For more information about Hitachi Medical Systems Europe Holding AG, please visit http://www.hitachi-medical-systems.eu. - Picture is available at AP Images (http://www.apimages.com) - Contact Romea Wallnoefer Hitachi Medical Systems Europe Holding AG Phone +41 41 748 63 33 [email protected] SOURCE Hitachi Medical Systems Europe Holding AG A woman who was trafficked from the age of 11 has revealed how she was raped by more than 1,000 men between the ages of 14 and 20. The mother, who lives in a city in the south of England, has told her story under the pseudonym Emily Vaughn in the harrowing book 'Enslaved: My True Story Of Survival', published by Harper Collins. Emily's story provides a stark account of how predatory 'stepfathers' target single mothers with teenage children who they can exploit, alongside their circle of friends. It details how her best friend's stepfather took her across county lines to deliver drugs aged 11, which sparked a chain of events that sent her life into a downward spiral, after being expelled from school for dealing drugs. Emily was homeschooled for a period by her mother and when she was 14, started a childcare course at college, where she met a friend who groomed her to have sex with men for drugs. Then another man called Yusuf - the boyfriend of her friend's mother - started trafficking her to different areas to have sex with strangers. 'I worked out that if I'd been raped by two men, three times a week, then this would equate to 312 men each year,' writes Emily. 'Even by this conservative estimate it would mean that over that five-year period I had been raped 1,560 times. 'Sometimes the rapes would include eight or more men at a time, so it's difficult to calculate a precise number.' Emily, who still suffers with flashbacks, hopes that sharing her story will help other women who have been victims of grooming, abuse, trafficking and modern slavery. In her book, details including names, places and dates have been changed to protect the family's identity. A woman who was trafficked by her best friend's stepfather from the age of 11 has revealed she was raped by more than 1,000 men between the ages of 14 and 20 (stock photo) CROSSING COUNTY LINES AGED 11 Emily explains how she was 11-years-old the first time she was taken across county lines on a drug deal with her friend Ashley's stepfather, Barry. Ashley, who was only 10 at the time, went with them. Emily had always felt like an outsider at school because other children teased her and called her names. She credited Barry with her growing confidence, saying she felt like she'd grown up overnight when she was doing drug runs with him. Emily had always hated school, but her work with Barry 'opened her eyes to a whole new and exciting world', which left her hating education even more. She played truant, bunking off school regularly, and when she did attend, Barry used her to deliver drugs to other parents through their children. 'I didn't care if I got caught with drugs at school I didn't care about much any more because I was out of control and didn't want to be there,' Emily says. 'Word got around and soon the other kids knew that if they wanted drugs they needed to come to me.' Emily Vaughn's harrowing book Enslaved: My True Story Of Survival details how she was used as a drug mule, delivering drugs across county lines, before she was trafficked for sex GANG RAPE ON PROMENADE After Emily was expelled from secondary school and homeschooled for a few years, she started attending childcare classes at the local college when she was 14-years-old, which is where she met two new friends, Andrea and Bronwyn. The first time Emily went Andrea's house after class, they went to the promenade, which was where teenagers hung out. When a car pulled up with four men inside - including their friends Phil, Sean and Taz - and Andrea gave Emily a reassuring nod, she took it to mean they were both getting in. However, Andrea didn't join her, leaving Emily alone with the four men. The interior light in the car went off and Emily soon watched her friend disappear behind an ice-cream hut with two shadowy figures. She recalls: 'I turned in my seat but Sean had pulled the car door closed, which caused the interior light to go out.' Emily added: 'More hands and more fingers were on me, pulling at my top, grabbing the waistband of my trousers and snaking beneath my clothes.' When the car started slowly moving, Emily says she was begging to be let out and to be returned to the safety of her friend. Despite trying to break free, she recalls how all three men were 'pawing' at her and 'pinning' her down. 'I was crying my eyes out but no one could hear; my pleas had been drowned out by the cheers and calls of the men,' she says. 'They began to paw at my body and pull at my clothes like a pack of wild animals.' When the men were busy arguing over who could go first, Emily managed to twist herself so that she could jump out of the car - before running as quickly as she could. Emily ran back to where she'd last seen Andrea, screaming her friend's name in a bid to ask for help. But it wasn't long before the men caught up with her and dragged her to an empty swimming pool. 'With my face pressed up against blue concrete, multiple hands worked together to anchor me down and pull off my jeans,' she recalls. 'I felt the safety of denim leave my skin as the cold bit against it. 'Somehow, I still had my knickers, although they'd been ripped at the sides and were clinging to my body by a thread. But it didn't matter; the men didn't care. Two of them pinned me down and proceeded to rape me at the same time.' She said that she had to turned her face to the side, allowing herself to drift off and focus on something else, rather than what was happening. Emily goes on to say how Andrea later downplayed the experience and referred to is as 'just sex' - adding 'that's what men are like' and that it 'gets easier' after the first time. Left confused, Emily stopped feeling as grown up as she had previously after helping on the drug runs. 'I'd wanted to grow up, just not this quickly,' she writes. 'It had been my first sexual encounter and I wasn't sure if it had actually been rape.' To this day, Emily suffers with flashbacks caused by the abuse she suffered as a child at the hands of countless men and her friend (stock photo) SEX TRAFFICKING IN TELFORD Emily says things got even worse for her when she was 16, during a trip to Telford. Her college friend Bronwyn's mother was dating a man called Yusuf, who took them to a house where 'nine or ten' men were waiting to have sex with them. 'That night I was raped by five men and Bron was raped by the rest,' says Emily. 'When they'd finally finished I tried to stand up but my legs gave way beneath me. I was in so much pain that I felt nauseous.' She continues that it was 'relentless' and even more men came in from the door and she was raped over and over, adding that she doesn't know how many men were there. Emily said that it didn't matter how sore she was, and that she overhead discussions between the men, with the charge being 20 for full intercourse and 10 for pral sex. SELF-HARM AND ATTEMPTED SUICIDE Meanwhile, Emily was still being groomed by Andrea, who introduced her to multiple men who would have sex with her for free drugs. She also started to earn money from having sex with men she met while she and Andrea worked as cleaners at an army barracks. It was at this time that Andrew introduced Emily to self-harming, which she insisted would 'make her feel better.' Emily had become addicted to drugs, and would do whatever she could to get her hands on the likes of weed and amphetamines, but Andrea introduced her to a new addiction. She says Andrea told her to use self harm when she 'needed to' in order to 'control' her own pain' - and even offered to cut Emily's arm for her. 'Constantly worried' she'd cut herself too deep or slip with the razor, Emily accepted Andrea's offer of doing it for the first week until she got the hang of it. After a week, Emily did it herself under Andrea's guidance and then Andrea gifted her a brand-new razor blade so that she could do it herself, adding: 'Now we can do it together.' It wasn't the only thing that Andrea gifted Emily from her mother's medicine cabinet, because when Emily told her that she 'wouldn't care if she died tomorrow', Andrea came up with a plan for them to kill themselves together. Emily remembers how Andrea gave her various pills and told her they would meet in a park to take them together. However, Andrea didn't show and texted Emily to go first - adding that she'd be there soon. GETTING LIFE BACK ON TRACK FOR DAUGHTER Later, Emily fell in love, but not before she discovered the father of her child was married and had four children with a woman who lived in Somerset. When she suspected she was pregnant, Emily was with her sister Lucy and her boyfriend Gareth, who offered her weed. Emily recalls how Lucy and Gareth started to laugh when she declined the drug, adding that after she decided to have some, the sensation made her feel sick. Earlier in the book, Emily described how she'd suffered a miscarriage in the college toilets and wasn't sure about the pregnancy because she had never wanted children. But she says her mother reassured her that she would look after the baby, should Emily not be up to it. When she rang her boyfriend Rob to tell him about the pregnancy, he immediately told her to 'get rid of it'. His friends came over to their place and offered her cocaine, but Emily turned it down, saying that she wasn't bothered. She later realised that she didn't want to bring her baby up in an environment with drug-taking every other week after a maternal instinct kicked in - especially after Rob accused her of having an affair and becoming violent one evening. Emily continues: 'Even though I'd never been the mothering sort I was determined not to expose a baby or any child to drugs. 'My whole life had been blighted by them; it'd started with Barry when I'd been eleven-years-old, and I knew I could never inflict that on another child. 'I was clean of drugs now, and had been since the day I'd discovered I was pregnant, and I was determined to stay that way. I owed my baby that, at the very least.' Emily says that because of what she's been through, she's 'overprotective' of her daughter and decided to write the book as she approached her 11th birthday. She said: 'It took me a while to realise that I was a victim, but now I'm a survivor.' 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. Editor Darren Marcy, a journalist since 1992, is the editor of the Manchester Journal. A New Mexico native, he previously worked for newspapers in the Land of Enchantment before moving to Vermont in 2004. He joined the Journal in October 2018. Texas is lifting its mask mandate, Governor Greg Abbott said Tuesday, making it the largest state to end an order intended to prevent the spread of the coronavirus that has killed more than 42,000 Texans. The Republican governor has faced sharp criticism from his party over the mandate, which was imposed eight months ago, and other COVID-19 restrictions. It was only ever lightly enforced, even during the worst outbreaks of the pandemic. Texas will also do away with limits on the number of diners that businesses can serve indoors, said Abbott, who made the announcement at a restaurant in Lubbock. He said the new rules would take effect March 10. "Removing statewide mandates does not end personal responsibility," said Abbott, speaking from a crowded dining room where many of those surrounding him were not wearing masks. "It's just that now state mandates are no longer needed," he said. The decision comes as governors across the US have been easing coronavirus restrictions, despite warnings from health experts that the pandemic is far from over. Like the rest of the country, Texas has seen the number of cases and deaths plunge. Hospitalizations are at the lowest levels since October, and the seven-day rolling average of positive tests has dropped to about 7,600 cases, down from more than 10,000 in mid-February. Only California and New York have reported more COVID-19 deaths than Texas. "The fact that things are headed in the right direction doesn't mean we have succeeded in eradicating the risk," said Dr Lauren Ancel Meyers, a professor of integrative biology and director of the University of Texas COVID-19 Modeling Consortium. She said the recent deadly winter freeze in Texas that left millions of people without power forcing families to shelter closely with others who still had heat could amplify transmission of the virus in the weeks ahead, although it remains too early to tell. Masks, she said, are one of the most effective strategies to curb the spread. Abbott imposed the statewide mask mandate in July during a deadly summer surge. But enforcement was spotty at best, and some sheriffs refused to police the restrictions at all. And as the pandemic dragged on, Abbott ruled out a return to tough COVID-19 rules, arguing that lockdowns do not work. With inputs from PTI Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Advertisement Nicola Sturgeon has squirmed under intense grilling from MSPs who demanded she explain why they have been deprived of crucial evidence relating to the Scottish Government's sexual harassment probe into Alex Salmond. The First Minister was accused of 'delay, obstruction and obfuscation' by withholding documents from the Holyrood Inquiry ahead of her testimony today. Labour's Jackie Baillie launched a blistering take-down of her failure to provide critical records of meetings and asked why no senior Government figures had resigned for the botched 2018 investigation into Mr Salmond. Ms Sturgeon has also been accused of a cover-up by Scottish Tories, who are forcing a vote of no confidence over claims she broke the ministerial code by misleading Parliament. The First Minister is accused of lying to the Scottish Parliament about when she knew of two female civil servants' sexual assault allegations against Mr Salmond - and could be forced to resign if the claims are proven. The gravity of the allegations has left the First Minister fighting for her job, and today she came out swinging by accusing Mr Salmond of being a sex pest and dismissing his 'absurd' claims of a conspiracy against him. She slammed her predecessor for failing to offer up a 'single word of regret' for his 'inappropriate behaviour' towards women during his six hours of testimony at the Holyrood Inquiry last week. She also contested his version of events in the run-up to the Scottish Government's investigation into sexual harassment allegations against Mr Salmond, of which he was subsequently cleared. Although Ms Sturgeon 'deeply regretted' how the probe into Mr Salmond was handled, she insisted she was trying to stop 'the age old pattern of allowing a powerful man to use his status and connections to get what he wants.' She denied that a senior member of her team had leaked the name of one of the complainers to Geoff Aberdein, who had previously been Mr Salmond's chief of staff, and that her staff had leaked to a Scottish newspaper. And she contradicted two witnesses who back Mr Salmond's version of events at the committee hearing today, saying her 'recollection of events is different' but admitting that she wished her 'memory of it was more vivid'. The inquiry could prove fatal for Ms Sturgeon if she is found to have broken the ministerial code by misleading Parliament about a meeting with Mr Aberdein on March 29, 2018, which she failed to record before claiming she 'forgot' about it. At the hearing today she claimed that Mr Aberdein raised the issue of sexual harassment with her on March 29, but did so in 'general terms' and she was not aware the allegations related to Mr Salmond. She continued to claim that she instead first learned of the allegations against Mr Salmond at a meeting with him at her house on April 2 . And she also claimed ignorance about a total of 30 sexual harassment complaints against five SNP ministers. But Ms Sturgeon came under mounting pressure to produce evidence relating to the investigation into Mr Salmond. Ms Baillie said: 'I don't think I have felt quite so frustrated in my 22 years of being on parliamentary committees as with this one,' she said. 'We have waited for information from the Scottish Government, the stuff we have received has been partial and late. 'The legal advice has taken two votes in Parliament and a motion of no confidence in John Swinney before we saw it last night at six o'clock. And there is information missing.' Ms Baillie added: 'We have waited till the 11th hour for the legal advice, we get partial legal advice.' She asked Ms Sturgeon: 'Do you understand the frustration of the committee? Do you understand that it looks as though the Government doesn't want to give us critical information?' As Ms Sturgeon's future hangs in the balance: Ms Sturgeon apologised to the two women complainants and wider public for the botched Scottish Government investigation into Mr Salmond, for which he won a judicial review and 500,000 in damages; She said she did not 'immediately record the April 2 meeting' as she did not want it to become public and risk 'breaching the confidentiality of the process'; The First Minister said Mr Salmond's account to her of his 'deeply inappropriate behaviour' is a 'moment in my life that I will never forget'; She said that she 'did not accept' that a member of her staff leaked the name of one of the complainants to Me Salmond's chief of staff, Geoff Aberdein; She denied accusations the Scottish Government had 'delayed, obstructed and obfuscated' critical evidence during the course of the Holyrood inquiry; Jackie Baillie MSP suggested to the inquiry the Daily Record newspaper was leaked information on Mr Salmond to spike an upcoming story about Ms Sturgeon, which Ms Sturgeon said she knew nothing about; Ms Sturgeon said that, during her tenure as deputy first minister, Mr Salmond was a 'tough' person to work for at times, but said she was 'sad' she had come to blows with her former mentor. Nicola Sturgeon 's future as First Minister is hanging in the balance today as she faces a grilling from MSPs and demands she resign over extraordinary claims she broke strict rules and lied to Parliament Sturgeon in the back of a chauffeur driven car leaving the Scottish Parliament in Holyrood, Edinburgh, on Wednesday night after a gruelling eight hours before the committee Nicola Sturgeon leaves her home, where it is claimed she first learnt about claims made against Mr Salmond. She faces a grilling by the Scottish Parliament today over claims she misled Parliament about when she knew of sexual harassment allegations against her mentor and former first minister Alex Salmond In six hours of brutal testimony last week, Alex Salmond laid out a case that senior SNP figures conspired to try to force him out of public life over harassment claims Sturgeon fights for her career: Key quotes at the Holyrood inquiry On Alex Salmond's claims of a conspiracy to bring him down: 'I feel I may rebut the absurd suggestion that anyone acted with malice or as part of a plot against Alex Salmond. That claim is not based in any fact.' 'Alex Salmond was one of the the closest people to me in my life - I would never have wanted to get Alex Salmond. I had no motive intention or desire to get Alex .' On Alex Salmond's inappropriate behaviour: 'That he was acquitted by a jury of criminal conduct is beyond question. But I know, just from what he told me, that his behaviour was not always appropriate. 'And yet across six hours of testimony, there was not a single word of regret, reflection or a simple acknowledgment of that. I can only hope in private the reality might be different.' On the meeting at her home on March 29, 2018: The meeting 'did indicate a harassment-type issue had arisen, but my recollection is he [Salmond's chief of staff] did so in general terms.' On the meeting at her home on April 2, 2018: 'It was the detail of the complaints under the procedure that I was given on April 2 that was significant and indeed shocking'. On Mr Salmond telling her about the allegations against him: 'A moment in my life that I will never forget' On the prospect of allegations concerning Mr Salmond being made public: 'The thought of this becoming public, and I would have to comment on it, horrified me. Absolutely horrified me. It made me feel physically sick.' On the handling of complaints against Mr Salmond 'I am deeply regretful, deeply angry and will always feel incredibly bad for, principally, the two women who were let down, and the wider implications in terms of the cost to the taxpayer.' On claims the Scottish Goverment 'delayed, obstructed, obfuscated' the progress of the Holyrood Inquiry: 'I would not accept the characterisation.' On serving as deputy first minister under Mr Salmond 'He was a tough guy to work for. If he was displeased with you, you knew about it.' On a member of her staff leaking the name of one of the complainants to Mr Salmond's former chief of staff. 'I am not accepting that that happened, therefore I am clearly not accepting that was authorised'. Advertisement Appearing before MSPs at the Scottish Parliament today, Ms Sturgeon used her opening statement to rubbish Mr Salmond's claims of a concerted conspiracy to bring him down and remove him from public life. She rubbished the 'absurd suggestion that anyone acted with malice or as part of a plot against Alex Salmond'. She said 'that claim is not based in any fact' and she had 'no motive, intention or desire' to 'get' her predecessor. The inquiry into Mr Salmond was launched after a number of women came forward with allegations of sexual harassment. Ms Sturgeon told MSPs on Wednesday the idea that those involved were 'concocting' allegations was false, and they came forward of 'their own free will'. But a successful judicial review by Mr Salmond resulted in the investigation being ruled unlawful and 'tainted by apparent bias', with a 512,250 payout being awarded to him for legal fees. Mr Salmond was later acquitted of 13 charges following a criminal trial. The Holyrood Inquiry instead puts the spotlight on Ms Sturgeon and her Government's handling of the harassment complaints. Indeed, at points the committee convener ticked off Ms Sturgeon for shifting the focus on to Mr Salmond, saying: 'He's not under trial, your actions are.' The First Minister said she 'deeply regretted' how the investigation into Mr Salmond was handled but stood by the decision that a probe was necessary. She added that the complaint procedures used to investigate Mr Salmond were drawn up in late 2017, in the wake of the MeToo movement, and were drafted by civil servants, not her. She said: 'The Scottish Government despite the mistake it undoubtedly made, tried to do the right thing. 'As First Minister I refused to let the age old pattern of allowing a powerful man to use his status and connections to get what he wants.' But she added: 'That is not the same thing as saying I wanted this to be in the public domain. 'The thought of this becoming public, and I would have to comment on it, horrified me. Absolutely horrified me. It made me feel physically sick. 'I would have been very relieved if it had never come out into the public domain. 'I had nothing to gain from it and only a lot of pain and grief associated with it.' The Scottish Conservative group in Holyrood accuses the First Minister of breaking the ministerial code on three counts. First, she misled Parliament on when she first learned of the allegations; she previously claimed April 2, but Mr Salmond says March 29. Second, Ms Sturgeon failed to record the meetings she had with Mr Salmond concerning the allegations. Third, Ms Sturgeon pressed ahead with the investigation against Mr Salmond despite being warned by her lawyers they would lose the case. Ms Sturgeon said that she was 'relieved' to be appearing before the inquiry to lay out her side of the story. Today she recalled harassment claims arising on March 29 during a meeting with Mr Aberdein, but said it was spoken about in a non-specific sense - and that she only realised it was in relation to Mr Salmond during a meeting with him on April 2. Describing the April 2 meeting in her home with Mr Salmond, she said while he denied the complaints against him he gave his account of the incident which 'he said he had apologised for at the time'. Ms Sturgeon told MSPs: 'What he described constituted in my view deeply inappropriate behaviour on his part, perhaps a reason why that moment is embedded so strongly in my mind.' She said she did not 'immediately record the April 2 meeting' as she did not want it to become public and risk 'breaching the confidentiality of the process'. Labour's Jackie Baillie launched a blistering take-down of her failure to provide critical records of meetings and asked why no senior Government figures had resigned for the botched 2018 investigation into Mr Salmond She added she had no intention of intervening in the investigation process and did not intervene, saying to do so would have been an abuse of her role. Addressing the judicial review, Ms Sturgeon said there was strong prospects of defending the challenge and as late as December 11, 2018, the advice given was it was 'very clear there was no need to drop the case'. She said she followed the advice of law officers so did not breach the ministerial code, as has been claimed. In her evidence the First Minister said she felt 'sad' she had come to blows with her old political mentor, which has ripped to the heart of the SNP ahead of May's Holyrood elections. She told MSPs: 'In all the legitimate considerations of this, sometimes the human elements of this situation are lost. Alex spoke on Friday about what a nightmare the last couple of years have been for him, and I don't doubt that. 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. No minutes were taken at the meeting. MS STURGEON'S CHANGING ACCOUNTS OF THE MARCH 29 AND APRIL 2 MEETINGS What she previously said: On January 8, 2019, Ms Sturgeon tells the Scottish Parliament she 'first heard' about sexual harassment allegations against Mr Salmond on April 2. In 2018, Andrew Marr asked Ms Sturgeon: 'Had you heard any stories about him before it broke in the press?' She responded: 'Obviously, absolutely not. Until, well I've said previously Alex Salmond informed me about these complaints in April, that was the first I had known.' And what she later said : In 2020, giving written evidence to the Holyrood into her government's handling of complaints against Mr Salmond, she said she 'forgot' about the March 29 meeting until 'late January/early February' 2019. She wrote: 'From what I recall, the discussion covered the fact that Alex Salmond wanted to see me urgently about a serious matter, and I think it did cover the suggestion that the matter might relate to allegations of a sexual nature.' What she says now: At the hearing today Ms Sturgeon claimed that Mr Aberdein raised the issue of sexual harassment with her on March 29, but did so in 'general terms' and she was not aware the allegations related to Mr Salmond. Today, she also suggested she knew about sexual assault allegations against Mr Salmond before the April 2 meeting due to media enquiries, despite previously denying this. She told MSPs: 'Since an approach from Sky News in November 2017... I had harboured a lingering suspicion that such issues in relation to Mr Salmond might rear their head. So hearing of a potential issue would not have been a massive shock.' 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 'I have thought often about the impact on him. He was someone I cared about for a long time.' However, she called into question the former first minister's character for not recognising his inappropriate behaviour during his own appearance last Friday. Ms Sturgeon said: 'I found myself searching for any sign that he recognised how difficult this has been for others too. First and foremost to the woman who believed his behaviour to be inappropriate. 'But also to those who had campaigned with him, worked with him, cared for him and considered him a friend and now stand, unfairly accused of plotting against him. 'That he was acquitted by a jury of criminal conduct is beyond question. But I know, just from what he told me, that his behaviour was not always appropriate. 'And yet across six hours of testimony, there was not a single word of regret, reflection or a simple acknowledgment of that. I can only hope in private the reality might be different.' Ms Sturgeon, 50, served for seven years as Mr Salmond's deputy before succeeding him as first minister in 2014. She told MSPs today that he 'was a tough guy to work with' and on occasions told him he had crossed a line with his behaviour. Their close relationship and strive for Scottish independence over many years also manifested in a close relationship between their staff. Ms Sturgeon today said she regarded Mr Aberdein as a friend, but denied claims that one of her staffers had revealed the identity of one of the female accusers to him. Labour's Jackie Baillie pressed the First Minister on the claims and called it an 'extraordinary breach of confidentiality' and, if proven, a 'sackable offence'. But Ms Sturgeon said: 'I am not accepting that that happened, therefore I am clearly not accepting that was authorised.' The First Minister accepted this was a 'matter of contention'. She added: 'Certainly in relation to one of the complainants Alex Salmond was pretty clear he had found out through investigations of Scottish Government social media accounts he had found out who that was. 'And in relation to the other one, and this is the bit I am perhaps speculating on, it must have been the case when he got that letter, because he knew about the incident because he had apologised to the person. 'So my assumption would be that he would have known that without anybody having to tell him. And I know from what he told me he found out the identity of the other one through his own investigations.' A statement from Mr Salmond's spokesperson released as Mr Sturgeon was giving evidence said: 'Mr Salmond has lodged a formal complaint with the permanent secretary to the Scottish Government under the civil service code, on the conduct of the official who is alleged to have breached civil service rules, by disclosing the name of a complainant in the Scottish Government process.' Further scrutiny focused on a leak to the Daily Record newspaper that that revealed details of the complaints against Mr Salmond. Ms Sturgeon said: 'I can tell you they didn't come from me, or anyone acting on my instruction or request.' And she said she had no knowledge of claims conveyed by Ms Baillie that the Daily Record was leaked the information to spike an upcoming story on Ms Sturgeon. 'That is a new part of the conspiracy I'm hearing for the first time,' Ms Sturgeon said. Ms Sturgeon was also confronted by Tory MSP Margaret Mitchell about her knowledge of 30 sexual harassment claims against five SNP ministers over the course of 10 years. Responding after Ms Mitchell described the complaints, Ms Sturgeon said: 'Forgive me, I don't know exactly what you're referring to in terms of five SNP ministers.' The Holyrood Inquiry into the Scottish Government's handling of harassment claims puts Ms Sturgeon, Scottish Government officials and special advisers under the spotlight. Since its inception the Scottish Government has faced accusations of thwarting its progress by withholding crucial evidence. Mr Salmond pulled out of his initial committee appearance after the Crown Office barred him from repeating key sections of his written evidence, which prosecutors claimed could identify his accusers. Today committee deputy convener Margaret Mitchell said that that it had 'faced delay, obstruction, obfuscation' from the Government in its requests for evidence, and said some documents remained outstanding. Ms Sturgeon replied: 'I would not accept the characterisation.' The Scots Tories' allegations about Ms Sturgeon include repeatedly misleading the Scottish Parliament about when she first knew of the allegations against Mr Salmond, delaying settling the judicial review despite legal advice, and meeting Mr Salmond on government business without any officials present or records being taken The allegations Alex Salmond was cleared of July 2008: He was accused of kissing Woman A on the mouth and touching her buttocks and breast over her clothing in June and July 2008; and sexually assaulting her in either December 2010 or December 2011 in a nightclub i, by touching her arms and hips over her clothing. October or November 2010: He was charged with indecently assaulting Woman B at Bute House, the Scottish First Minister's official residence, in October or November 2010. She had accused him of repeatedly seizing her by the wrists, pulling her towards him and trying to kiss her. February 2011 Woman C accused him of assaulting her in a car in Edinburgh during February 2011 by touching her leg with his hand over her clothing, but said that was 'impossible' with others in the car who would have seen the incident take place. Between May 2011 and June 2013 Woman D claimed he assaulted her on a number of occasions between 2011 and 2013 at various locations, including Bute House and the Scottish Parliament building. Between May 2011 and June 2013, he was alleged to have sexually assaulted her by touching her buttocks over her clothing and stroking her arms and hair. December 2013: Woman F claimed he assaulted her at Bute House in December 2013 and sexually assaulting her in either November or December 2013. He was accused of making her sit on a bed, lying on top of her, struggling with her and pulling up her dress with intent to rape her. April 2014Woman G - a Scottish Government official said he twice assaulted her - once in Glasgow during 2012 and secondly in Bute House in April 2014. She accused him of smacking her buttocks at a Glasgow restaurant in March 2012. Salmond said: 'It didn't happen.' 2014 Meanwhile, Woman H said in 2014 Salmond sexually assaulted her attempting to rape her the same year. Advertisement Last night legal documents were finally released and revealed the Scottish Government was warned that it was heading for defeat in its legal battle with Mr Salmond. Lawyers told Ms Sturgeon's administration the court fight against the former First Minister was doomed three months before he eventually won the case. The warnings were shared with senior officials including the Lord Advocate, but the Government pressed on with the case. The decision left taxpayers to pick up a bill of more than 500,000 when the investigation was branded 'unlawful' and 'tainted by apparent bias' by the Court of Session. The revelations pile pressure on Ms Sturgeon as she prepares to face a grilling from MSPs at the inquiry today, in a session expected to last at least five hours. Last night, the Conservatives said they intend to call for a motion of no confidence in Ms Sturgeon at Holyrood, putting her career on the line. Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross said: 'Credible witnesses have now backed up Alex Salmond's claims and the legal advice shows the Government knew months in advance that the judicial review was doomed but they still went on to waste more than 500,000 of taxpayers' money. 'There is no longer any doubt that Nicola Sturgeon lied to the Scottish parliament and broke the ministerial code on numerous counts. 'No First Minister can be allowed to mislead the Scottish people and continue in office, especially when they have tried to cover up the truth and abused the power of their office in the process. 'The weight of the evidence is overwhelming. Nicola Sturgeon must resign.' 'No evidence she can provide tomorrow will counter the claims of numerous witnesses or refute that her Government ignored the legal advice for months and lost more than 500,000 of taxpayers' money in the process. We will be submitting a vote of no confidence in the First Minister.' Yesterday Duncan Hamilton, QC, challenged a series of Ms Sturgeon's claims about her meetings with Mr Salmond and backed up the former SNP leader's assertions. In a ten-page submission, he confirmed that the April 2 meeting between Mr Salmond and Ms Sturgeon in her home had been arranged to discuss the Government probe into complaints despite her claim in written evidence that she thought it was going to be about party business. Mr Hamilton, a legal adviser to Mr Salmond, also confirmed the former First Minister's claim that a senior Government official named one of the complainants to Mr Aberdein, in early March 2018. He said that his evidence was given 'to the very best' of his recollection, adding: 'I am prepared to provide the same evidence under oath in an affidavit if that is considered necessary.' Mr Hamilton said he is aware of who the official is and was told on a conference call which included former SNP spin doctor Kevin Pringle. Speaking in parliament last week, Ms Sturgeon said that to 'the very best of my knowledge, I do not think that happened'. The First Minister has repeatedly insisted she believed the meeting was to discuss SNP business and this is why no official record was made. But Mr Hamilton, who attended the meeting between Mr Salmond and Ms Sturgeon, said: 'I was invited to that meeting and travelled to it along with Mr Salmond and Mr Aberdein. I would further note that the letter received from the Scottish Government [informing Mr Salmond of the Government probe] was the sole focus of the meeting.' Mr Hamilton also backed up Mr Salmond's claim that Ms Sturgeon offered to intervene in the investigation as this was an 'important aspect' of discussions held at her home. After leaving the meeting, Mr Hamilton said it was discussed with Mr Salmond and Mr Aberdein as they felt mediation 'seemed very likely'. But he admitted that Ms Sturgeon later changed her mind. He added: 'I can confirm that the First Minister did offer to assist. We discussed mediation. My clear recollection is that her words were 'if it comes to it, I will intervene'. 'From a legal perspective, that was the most important aspect of the meeting. I therefore remember it clearly.' 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 Mr Hamilton said that Mr Salmond had waived his legal privilege to allow the submission backing up his side of events to be published. The evidence submission made on the eve of Ms Sturgeon's appearance at committee goes through several points made by Mr Salmond in relation to the meeting at the SNP leader's home in April 2018. He also confirmed that a meeting between Ms Sturgeon and Mr Aberdein in her parliamentary office on March 29 had been pre-planned to discuss the harassment complaints against Mr Salmond. Mr Pringle, a former SNP director of communications, also wrote to the inquiry backing up key claims made by Mr Salmond. He said he could confirm, following conversations with Mr Aberdein, that he 'is in no doubt that a complainant's name was shared with him' at a meeting about the complaints. And he knows Mr Aberdein 'was clear that the purpose of the meeting on March 29, 2018, was to discuss the two complaints that had been made against Mr Salmond'. The Tories intend to submit the motion of no confidence to the parliamentary bureau today and want it to be debated as early as this afternoon or tomorrow. A Scottish Labour spokesman said: 'Nicola Sturgeon has serious questions to answer. 'We will give her the opportunity to present her evidence to the committee and answer those questions.' A Scottish Liberal Democrat source said: 'Our view is that this looks very serious for the First Minister, both in terms of the claims she has made about complainants' names being leaked to Mr Salmond's team and her Government's handling of the judicial review but Nicola Sturgeon deserves her day to respond to these allegations before we decide what to do next.' A spokesman for Ms Sturgeon said: 'The First Minister will address all of the issues raised and much more besides at the committee tomorrow, while the independent adviser on the ministerial code will report in due course. 'But to call a vote of no confidence in the middle of a pandemic, before hearing a single word of the First Minister's evidence, is utterly irresponsible. 'It is for the public to decide who they want to govern Scotland and while we continue to fight the pandemic with the election campaign starting in just 20 days, that is precisely what they will be able to do.' SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford this morning said he was confident Ms Sturgeon would be 'exonerated' after she has appeared before the Holyrood inquiry. He told BBC Radio 4's Today: 'Let these allegations be put to the First Minister and I know she will answer them. 'She is a woman of integrity and honesty and I fully expect that at the end of this process, and we are very close to that, that the First Minister will be exonerated and in particular will be exonerated by the standards commissioner.' Asked where he had asked the Lord Advocate why he followed a different 'course of action' to that recommended by his external council when it came to Mr Salmond's trial, Mr Blackford replied: 'I'm not part of the Government and these conversations take place within government. 'Of course I've had conversations with colleagues and the First Minister on a regular basis. 'I know what the Scottish Government did right through this is make sure that due process took place and crucially, when the Government reached that determination that the case wasn't stateable, that the Government moved extrajudicially to move this to an early conclusion.' The devastating proof that Nicola Sturgeon's SNP government chose to ignore its own legal advice Nicola Sturgeon claims ignorance of THIRTY sexual harassment complaints against five SNP ministers By Rory Tingle For MailOnline Nicola Sturgeon today faced incredulity as she claimed ignorance of 30 sexual harassment claims against five SNP ministers while she was in office. Facing a Holyrood Inquiry into her government's botched handling of a probe into sexual harassment allegations against Alex Salmond, Ms Sturgeon was confronted by Tory MSP Margaret Mitchell about her knowledge of claims against other ministers. The allegations were made by members of a public sector union over the last ten years, covering the period when Ms Sturgeon was deputy first minister, up to 2014, before she took over from Mr Salmond as first minister. Responding after Ms Mitchell described the complaints, Ms Sturgeon who is fighting for her job - said: 'Forgive me, I don't know exactly what you're referring to in terms of five SNP ministers.' Ms Mitchell had ticked off the first minister for discussing allegations against Mr Salmond in response to her question about complaints against other SNP ministers. The committee deputy convener said: 'It is [about] the five SNP ministers. And can I remind you, Alex Salmond is a key witness to this inquiry. He's not under trial, your actions are, and if you could focus on that that would be much appreciated...' Advertisement Lawyers warned the Scottish Government was heading for defeat in its court battle with Alex Salmond more than three months before it lost the case. In a major development which piles more pressure on Nicola Sturgeon, it emerged yesterday that they warned in September 2018 there was 'a real risk that the court may be persuaded by the petitioner's case in respect of the ground of challenge based on 'procedural unfairness'.' Legal advisers then informed officials on October 31 of a 'very real problem' which eventually led to Mr Salmond winning the case. An 'urgent note' issued by senior counsel highlighted prior contact between the official who investigated complainants and a woman making the allegations. Roddy Dunlop, QC, who wrote the note, said he had contacted the Lord Advocate, James Wolffe, QC, to alert him to his concerns, 'and, frankly, as a sense check'. Mr Wolffe shared his concerns about the potential 'repercussions' for the case, he said. The legal advice was finally published last night after Deputy First Minister John Swinney had looked likely to lose a vote of no confidence tabled by the Tories. Taxpayers were landed with a bill of more than 500,000 when the Scottish Government investigation into Mr Salmond was described as 'unlawful' and 'tainted by apparent bias' by the Court of Session in January 2019. An email sent to government officials by Mr Dunlop, now Dean of the Faculty of Advocates, at 10.50pm on October 31, said: 'I have just discussed this with the Lord Advocate, as I am very concerned indeed. He has suggested a short note setting out my concerns, and this is now attached. 'I am sorry to be sending this to you at all, let alone late at night on Halloween, but I'm afraid I see no other option.' In a detailed report headed 'URGENT note by senior counsel', he explains that one of the complainers first made the complaint to Scottish Government HR official Judith Mackinnon, who went on to become the investigating officer in December 2017. He says this is a 'concern' as the complaints procedure sets out there must be 'no prior contact'. He said: 'I consider that this presents a very real problem indeed... If I am correct in the views expressed above, then the procedure was not followed: rather, an express embargo was ignored in a way which may well vitiate the entire proceedings.' In a 13-page document to the SNP administration, the Government's lawyers were asked for their 'views on the merits of the petition [brought by Mr Salmond] and the prospects of successfully resisting the judicial review proceedings that have been raised' (left). Senior Counsel for the Scottish Government Roddy Dunlop QC of Axiom Associates then raised the prospect of conceding the point on October 3 (right) Mr Dunlop then goes on to add that 'arguably that infects all that followed thereon'. He said the Lord Advocate 'has also indicated that he shares my firm advice that this issue will have to be disclosed, and my concern as to the potential repercussions for the wider case'. Mr Dunlop also said: 'A swift decision is going to have to be taken on whether to concede (a) the issue is disclosed and any argument based thereon then resisted, or (b) the issue is disclosed and the petition then conceded as a result thereof. 'I can well understand the angst that even suggesting (b) will provoke, but if the proceedings are vitiated then it makes little sense to continue to defend the indefensible.' On December 6, 2018, legal advisers told ministers in their view the 'least worst option' would be to concede the petition. They wrote: 'We cannot let the respondents sail forth into January's hearing without the now very real risks of doing so being crystal clear to all concerned.' Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross said: 'Despite the Scottish parliament backing two Scottish Conservative motions to release the legal advice, the SNP never even bothered to lift a finger to actually try and publish it. 'It's jaw-dropping that they didn't even ask if the Lord Advocate would allow it to be published. Instead, they let the public and press think he was the block on its release, when it was SNP ministers all along. 'John Swinney refused to even consider publishing the legal advice until his job was on the line.' Mr Swinney said: 'These documents are clear. Our legal advice was optimistic about the Government's prospects for success at the start. It became gradually but progressively less optimistic over time. It was only in December that the advice concluded that our case was no longer stateable and we should concede. As late as December 11, ministers were advised that we should continue.' He added: 'Significantly, however, this comprehensively disproves claims that we had continued the case in defiance of legal advice.' I have just discussed this with the Lord Advocate, as I am very concerned indeed. He has suggested a short note setting out my concerns, and this is now attached. I am sorry to be sending this to you at all, let alone late at night on Halloween, but I'm afraid I see no other option. As presently advised, I consider that this presents a very real problem indeed... If I am correct in the views expressed above, then the procedure was not followed: rather, an express embargo was ignored in a way which may well vitiate the entire proceedings. I can well understand the angst that even suggesting (conceding the case) will provoke, but if the proceedings are vitiated then it makes little sense to continue to defend the indefensible. BLOW-BY-BLOW: THE SEVEN WARNINGS NICOLA STURGEON'S GOVERNMENT IGNORED THAT THEIR CASE WAS DOOMED by JACK WRIGHT for MailOnline Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is facing calls from Opposition MSPs to resign after her Government published bombshell legal advice relating to its botched probe into allegations of sexual harassment by Alex Salmond. Deputy First Minister John Swinney agreed to hand over the papers under threat of a no-confidence vote, and admitted 'reservations were raised' by lawyers about the way allegations about Mr Salmond were investigated. The Scottish Government launched an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment by the former First Minister which was found to be unlawful, unfair and 'tainted by apparent bias' because of prior contact between the Investigating Officer and two of the women who complained. Redacted legal advice published by Mr Swinney last night showed that SNP ministers were warned they had 'a very real problem' defending their legal battle with Mr Salmond more than two months before it finally collapsed. Advice given to the Scottish Government on October 31, 2018 said there was 'an extremely concerning' issue that could gut their entire case - and that the 'least worst option' would be to concede the petition. They wrote: 'We understand how unpalatable that advice will be... But we cannot let the respondents sail forth into January's hearing without the now very real risks of doing so being crystal clear to all concerned.' MailOnline has gone through each document published by the Scottish Government to help you make sense of the political scandal which is rocking the nation. SEPTEMBER 27, 2018 : 'RISK IS THAT WITNESS STATEMENTS AND INITIAL REPORT BY INVESTIGATING OFFICER WERE NOT SHARED WITH SALMOND' In his letter published to Linda Fabiani, MSP chair of the Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints, Mr Swinney said legal advice from September 27, 2018 from senior and junior Counsel 'sets out an assessment of the merits of the petition brought by Mr Salmond and the Government's prospects of defending the proceedings at that point'. In a 13-page document to the SNP administration, the Government's lawyers were asked for their 'views on the merits of the petition [brought by Mr Salmond] and the prospects of successfully resisting the judicial review proceedings that have been raised'. The assessment explains that some of the grounds of challenge concern the validity and fairness of the Procedure for handling complaints against ministers and former ministers that was put in place in early 2018, while others concern the way in which the Procedure was applied to Mr Salmond. The lawyers say that 'several grounds of challenge are in our view 'time barred', arguing that 'complaints about the validity and fairness of the Procedure itself... should have been brought within 3 months of 7 March 2018, being the date on which the petitioner first became aware of the complaints and the investigation'. Though they say they believe that 'the majority of the grounds of challenge are weak and should be capable of being resisted successfully', they crucially concede: 'We think that there is a real risk that the Court may be persuaded by the petitioner's case in respect of the ground of challenge based on 'procedural unfairness''. They conclude: 'We consider that the areas of greatest risk are in relation to the fact that witness statements and the initial report prepared by the investigating officer were not shared with the petitioner'. In his letter to the Committee, Mr Swinney spun this by saying that the advice 'confirms that the majority of the grounds of challenge raised by Mr Salmond were assessed at that time as 'weak' and were considered capable of being resisted successfully'. He added: 'The document confirms that the Scottish Government was justified in defending the judicial review brought by Mr Salmond.' OCTOBER 30-31, 2018 : 'IT MAKES LITTLE SENSE TO CONTINUE TO DEFEND THE INDEFENSIBLE' Writing to the Committee, Mr Swinney said legal advice to the Scottish Government between October 30-31, 2018 demonstrated 'the development of Counsel's concerns around the issue of prior contact between the Investigating Officer and the two [Salmond sexual harassment] complainers and whether this could be reconciled with the text of paragraph 10 of the Scottish Government's Harassment Procedure'. After Mr Salmond's lawyers asked for information from the Scottish Government 'when, by what means and in what terms the complainers first initiated their complaints', lawyers advising the Scottish Government raised 'a discussion between the IO [Investigating Officer] and Complainer B'. Senior Counsel for the Scottish Government Roddy Dunlop QC of Axiom Associates then raised the prospect of conceding the point on October 31, describing the issue as 'extremely concerning'. He warned: 'The concern that arises is that the answer to the question 'when, by what means and in what terms the complainers first initiated their complaints' is that Complainer B, as I understand the position, first made her complaint to Judith McKinnon, Deputy Director of the People Directorate, in December 2017. 'That is of concern because it was, of course, Ms McKinnon that was subsequently appointed as the Investigating Officer under the Procedure which is presently under challenge. [...] I am told that it was thought that this did not present a problem to Ms McKinnon's appointment, as she had no prior involvement with the events giving rise to the complaint. 'I regret that I do not read the procedure in that way. [...] As presently advised I consider that this presents a very real problem indeed. The Petition is resisted on the basis that a fair Procedure was instituted and then followed. 'If I am correct... then the Procedure was not followed: rather, an express embargo was ignored in a way which may well vitiate the entire proceedings.' He went on: 'A swift decision is going to have to be taken thereafter as to whether (a) the issue is disclosed and any argument based thereon resisted, or (b) the issue is disclosed and the Petition is then conceded thereof. 'I can well understand the angst that even suggesting (b) will provoke, but if the proceedings are vitiated then it makes little sense to continue to defend the indefensible.' DECEMBER 6, 2018 : 'THE LEAST WORST OPTION WOULD BE TO CONCEDE THE PETITION' A letter written to Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC on December 6, 2018 stated that: 'Counsel are of the view that the 'least worst' option would be to concede the Petition. They understand how unpalatable that advice will be, and they do not tender it lightly'. Advice to the Scottish Government by Roddy Dunlop QC and Solicitor Advocate Christine O'Neill warned of 'substantial further development of the pleadings, accompanied by disclosure of a volume of information about, among other things, the discussions that took place Complainers A and B prior to them making formal complaints'. They argued that after Mr Salmond's lawyers introduced new grounds of challenge based on the Investigating Officer's prior contact with the complainers, 'with regret, we are now jointly of the view that those grounds are more likely than not to succeed'. 'At the outset, we recognise the dismay that this advice will cause,' they wrote. 'However, we feel it necessary to tender this advice, and the reasons for it, given the views which we have, independently at first and now of consensus, taken in this regard'. According to Mr Swinney: 'As the case progressed during November and early December, this issue was identified as the greatest area of risk for the Government's prospects in the judicial review.' DECEMBER 11, 2018 : LORD ADVOCATE - 'THERE ARE GOOD POLICY REASONS TO DEFEND THE CASE' The Deputy First Minister published documents showing that advice from December 6 was discussed in consultation with the Law Officers on December 11. It states that in a meeting with Lord Advocate James Wolffe (LA), the top Government lawyer was 'very clear that [there was] no question or need to drop the case' and that 'even if prospects are not certain it is important that our case is heard'. Senior Counsel Roddy Dunlop QC is said to have 'made clear that his note was not intended to convey that he didn't think we have a stateable case... They tested most of the arguments including the appointment of the IO [Investigating Officer] and concluded that we have credible arguments to make'. It went on: 'The argument on the appointment of the IO will turn on the extent to which we can persuade the court that there is an credible alternative to the objective reading test of para 10 of the procedure which is that what we had in mind was that the IO should not have had any prior involvement in the 'matters under investigation' i.e. the events being complained about.' The document also reveals that 'Counsel followed up the question of what Perm Sec [the Permanent Secretary] knew about the approaches from staff by late November'. 'While we are clear that there isn't a procedural bar to her knowing the detail at any point they are constructing an argument to the effect that early exposure to the detail resulted in her being predisposed to find against [the] FFM [former First Minister]', the emails state. 'The paper work doesn't shed much light on that.' Mr Swinney in his letter said that the minutes of December 11 showed 'that there remained good public policy reasons for continuing to defend the case and benefits in securing the clarity of a judicial finding from the Court'. DECEMBER 19, 2018 : EVIDENCE OF THE INVESTIGATING OFFICER'S PRIOR CONTACT WITH THE COMPLAINANTS 'MAKES A DEFENCE OF APPOINTING THE IO UNSTATEABLE' An extraordinary document presented to the Scottish Government by its lawyers showed that SNP ministers were warned that 'maintaining a defence of the appointment of the IO may be unstateable'. That morning, at the start of the first part of the Commission, the Government's lawyers said that they 'experienced extreme professional embarrassment as a result of assurances which we have given, both to our opponents and to the court, which assurances have been given on instructions, turning out to be false as a result of the revelation of further documents, highly relevant yet undisclosed'. New documents not handed to the Government's lawyers showed that the Investigating Officer had had contact with both complainants. The first document was a letter dated January 17, 2018 which stated: 'We met on 16 January 2018 to discuss your experience about the alleged misconduct of a former minister. Following this meeting you submitted a formal written complaint... I have been designated at the IO... The purpose of this letter is to invite you to a meeting to discuss your complaint in more detail'. A document presented to the Government by its lawyers showed that SNP ministers were warned 'maintaining a defence of the appointment of the IO may be unstateable' Legal advice warns: 'This letter suggests that there must have been other communications with Ms A in advance of the meeting of 16 January'. The second document referred to an email thread which showed that there 'must have been further contact undocumented in which the IO agreed to meet [complainant] Ms B. It is unclear whether this preceded or post dated the making of the complaint'. The lawyers told the Scottish Government: 'The complaint had only just been made. No one had appointed an IO for this complaint. The IO has effectively appointed herself in that regard. 'It seems inevitable, unless very prompt action indeed had been taken, [Redacted] see Ms B [Redacted] before the complaint was actually made, and accordingly before the IO could have had any legitimate interest in speaking to Ms B'. The lawyers then warned: 'As to the late nature of the revelation, this is unexplained, and frankly inexplicable. Given the nature of the searches described by as having been undertaken, we regret that we simply cannot understand why these documents have been made available only now. 'All of this gives rise to two concerns. First, we are now in a position where we think that maintaining a defence of the appointment of the IO may be unstateable. 'Given the timescales we are reluctant to take a final view on this, but there is a real risk that we so conclude. Second, we are each in a position which is, so far as dealings with the other side and the court are concerned, close to untenable'. According to Mr Swinney: 'Counsel's advice of 19 December following the Commissioner hearing that day... reflect[ed] the pressurised atmosphere of the process of identifying and handing over documents. 'As has been acknowledged in evidence to the Committee, the Scottish Government's handling of that process was flawed and this is regrettable. This, along with the subsequent Commission hearing on 21 December, was the moment at which the Scottish Government's case became no longer stateable.' DECEMBER 29, 2018 : LAWYERS OFFICIALLY ADVISE SNP MINISTERS TO CONCEDE SALMOND'S PETITION AFTER 'WATERSHED' HEARING Legal counsel advised the Scottish Government to conceded Mr Salmond's petition against its handling of its probe into sexual harassment allegations. They said: 'As you are aware, Counsel has offered advice on a number of occasions in relation to the prospects of the Scottish Government's (SG's) arguments prevailing in court. This advice has principally turned on Counsel's views on the appointment and actions of the Investigating Officer. Legal counsel advised the Scottish Government to conceded Mr Salmond's petition against its handling of its probe into sexual harassment allegations 'The key point to note is the 'watershed moment' of last Friday (21st December 2018), at which point the SG's case became, in Counsel's view, unstateable, given what emerged that day about the degree and nature of the contact between the IO and the prospective complainers prior to their formal complaints having been made. 'This information was contained in documents which were identified and produced for the Commission and Diligence Hearing last week, and had not been elicited by previous document searches. 'While there is no reason to believe that the IO was motivated by anything other than her desire to fulfil her role properly, we recognise that her actions give rise to a perception that there was an unfairness in the operation of the procedure in this case.' They also note that: 'The Lord Advocate and the Director of Legal Services share the view of Counsel about the likely prospects of success in defending the decision at Judical Review and the consequent advisability of conceding the petition at the earliest possibly opportunity.' The lawyers conclude: 'Having reviewed the material contained in this note, you may conclude that the Scottish Government is in a position where the only sensible and defensible action is to concede the petition and to plan for managing the attendant reputation and legal risks. The risks associated with proceeding to defend the Judicial Review could appear to be greater.' According to Mr Swinney: 'This was a shared view of both internal and external legal advisers. The case was reviewed and conceded quickly after this, taking account of further internal legal advice on the terms of the concession, which we are also sharing.' DECEMBER 31, 2018 : LORD ADVOCATE RECOMMENDS 'CAREFUL' CONCESSION OF SALMOND'S PETITION Lord Advocate James Wolffe told SNP ministers that 'the concession should be narrowly framed to reflect accurately and carefully the legal basis upon which Ministers are conceding the petition; and the basis of the concession should be explained as fully as it can be'. 'It may be unlikely that it will be possible to avoid the phrase 'apparent bias' being used at all, in all communications (including with the court),' Mr Wolffe went on. 'However, the use of that phrase should, in my view, be minimised, and should always be coupled with an appropriate explanation, intelligible to a lay person, of what that means - ie that the process must be seen to be impartial as well as actually impartial - and what it does not mean (ie that the process was actually tainted by bias).' Writing yesterday, the Deputy First Minister insisted: 'The documents published today demonstrate that the Scottish Government did not ignore legal advice in continuing to defend the judicial review, contrary to the terms of the Scottish Ministerial Code or the Civil Service Code. 'The documents demonstrate that there was no 'malicious' intent against Mr Salmond. The Scottish Government was within its rights to defend a judicial review raised against it by Mr Salmond and to continue to defend it whilst it still had a stateable case. There were good public policy reasons for continuing to defend the case and to seek a determination from the Court. 'Once it became clear that the Scottish Government no longer had a stateable case after the Commission hearings in late December 2018, the Government quickly reviewed the position and conceded the case. 'The view that the Government no longer had a stateable case was agreed by both internal and external advisers.' Advertisement Huge lines were seen spilling out from mass vaccination centers in New York state as officials prepare to start a pilot program administering the single-shot Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine to residents overnight. Lines of people extending around the block were seen outside of New York's vaccination centers yesterday as people waited for hours to receive their Covid-19 vaccine dose. One woman even claimed she had been forced to wait up to four hours before receiving her shot and had seen people outside the center huddling together for warmth. Now though, New Yorkers will be able to receive their dose of the vaccine overnight, with shots being administered at the Yankee Stadium from March 4 and at the Javits Center and New York State Fair from March 5. New of the pilot programme was made off the back of President Joe Biden announcing that he has given the greenlight for the Defense Production Act to be used to assist Merck & Co with manufacturing Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine. As it's a one-dose vaccine, with Johnson & Johnson, more people can be vaccinated with fewer doses. Huge lines were seen spilling out from mass vaccination centers in New York state as they prepare to start running a pilot program to administer the singe-shot Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine to residents overnight. Pictured: People waiting outside the Javits Center yesterday Lines of people extending around the block were seen outside of New York's vaccination centers yesterday as people waited for hours to receive their Covid-19 vaccine dose One woman even claimed she had been forced to wait up to four hours before receiving her shot and had seen people outside the center huddling together for warmth Governor Andrew Cuomo also said that 95% of all first doses have already been administered as of Tuesday, with more than 4.6 million people in the state being given their first shot of the vaccine. As of Tuesday, New York City has vaccinated more than 2 million people. On Tuesday, the state had a test positivity rate of 4.53%, and it recorded 82 new COVID-19 deaths. More than 5,300 people are currently hospitalized with the virus. Since the start of the pandemic, more than 1.6 million people in the state have been infected with the virus, and more than 48,000 deaths. New York City mayor Bill de Blasio has called for the state to update COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to include lifeguards, sanitation workers, and people working in the justice system - including those who are called on for jury duty. News of the pilot program was announced on the governor's website yesterday, saying the state is already taking measures to ensure that distribution of the vaccine is carried out 'as quickly as possible'. The press release said: 'Thousands of new appointments will be made available at each of the three sites in the coming days. 'Counties, pharmacies, and Federally Qualified Health Centers will also be receiving Johnson & Johnson allocations this week.' However, it was also pointed out in the release that there is an expected lag in vaccine supplies next week. Around 164,800 Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses are expected to be delivered to New York this week and the Governor's office said additional sites will be used for the overnight scheme when supplies of the vaccine increase. It comes as President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that the U.S. will have enough vaccine doses for every adult in the country by the end of May. Biden made the announcement on the heels of green-lighting the Defense Production Act to be used to assist Merck & Co with manufacturing Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine. As it's a one-dose vaccine, with Johnson & Johnson, more people can be vaccinated with fewer doses. Now though, New Yorkers will be able to receive their dose of the vaccine overnight, with shots being administered at the Yankee Stadium from March 4 and at the Javits Center and New York State Fair from March 5 Around 164,800 Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses are expected to be delivered to New York this week and the Governor's office said additional sites will be used for the overnight scheme when supplies of the vaccine increase After this initial delivery, New York expects its next allocation from Johnson & Johnson to arrive in another 10 days. Governor Cuomo said: 'The White House has made great process securing additional Johnson & Johnson vaccines, and New York State will receive a large initial allocation of them to be administered over the next week. 'There will then be a lag in Johnson & Johnson production until it ticks up again roughly two weeks later. This pilot plan will maximize the initial doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and get as many shots in arms as possible.' Despite emphasis being placed on the speed at which the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be rolled out, the governor's office also said that the pilot programme will not impact on the rollout of the two-shot Pfizer vaccine. It comes as New York's mass vaccination centers saw long lines and even longer wait-times as people arrived to receive their Covid-19 vaccine. Liza O'Brien, 58, who is eligible to receive the vaccine because of hypertension, drove from Westchester County to the Javits Center, only to spend four hours waiting - including a period out in the freezing cold, according to the New York Post. The governor's office also said that the pilot programme will not impact on the rollout of the two-shot Pfizer vaccine She told the paper that despite being dropped off outside the doors of the center, she had to walk to the West Side in order to join the line. 'The wait was long and it was cold out. Many people were huddled because they didnt expect to wait out for a long time,' she said. After being contacted on Twitter with a number of complaints about wait times, Mark Levine, who is running for Manhattan borough president, contacted the vaccine site directly. At one point, the line to enter the Javit Center was so long that it extended as far back as the Hudson River. Responding to criticisms of the wait times, a spokesperson for Governor Cuomo pointed to the pilot Johnson & Johnson overnight program and said the site is already 'firing on all cylinders'. News of the pilot program was announced on the governor's website yesterday, saying the state is already taking measures to ensure that distribution of the vaccine is carried out 'as quickly as possible' They said: 'As we expand to vaccinate more New Yorkers, folks might notice some growing pains, but we are actively addressing these concerns in real time.' Appointments to receive an overnight Johnson & Johnson vaccine can be booked at the Yankee Stadium from today and from the Javits Center and New York State Fair from tomorrow. New York residents seeking to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccination as part of the overnight scheme at the Javits Center or New York State Fair should make an appointment online or contact the state's Covid-19 vaccination hotline on 833-NYS-4-VAX. People wishing to book an appointment for a shot at the Yankee Stadium need to contact 833-SOMOS-NY or visit somosvaccinations.com. The Audit Service Board has raised issues with the date of birth and compulsory retirement of the Auditor-General, Mr Daniel Yaw Domelevo. According to the Board Chairman of the Audit Service, Professor Edward Dua Agyeman, documents available to the board indicates that Mr Domelevo was born on June 1, 1960. This, according to Prof Dua Agyeman was indicative that Mr Domelevo should have retired on June 1, 2020. In a letter dated February 26, 2021, addressed to Mr Domelevo and signed by Prof Dua Agyeman, the Board said it had come to its attention that the personal records of Mr Domelevo in the Public Services of Ghana show several disparities and anomalies." The Board listed them as Records at the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) completed and signed by you [Domelevo] indicate your date of birth as 1st June 1960 when you joined the scheme on 1st October 1978. The records show that you stated your tribe as Togolese and a non-Ghanaian. That your home town is Agbatofe. On 25th October 1993, you completed and signed a SSNIT Change of Beneficiary Nomination form, stating your nationality as a Ghanaian and your home town as Ada in the Greater Accra Region. The date of birth on your Ghanaian passport number A45800, issued on 28th February 1996 is 1st June 1961. That place of birth is stated as Kumasi, Ashanti Region, the letter stated. But in a response to the Board letter dated February 27, 2021, Domelevo in a written response explained that his grandfather was a native of Ada in the Greater Accra Region but migrated to Togo and stayed at Agbatofe. He indicated that his father Augustine Domelevo migrated from Togo to the then Gold Coast. Either my father wrongly mentioned Agbatofe in Togo as his home town to me, or I misconstrued it at the time My mother is also a Ghanaian, he explained. On his date of birth, Mr. Domelevo said he noticed that the 1960 date of birth was a mistake when I checked my information in the baptismal register of the Catholic Church in Adeemmra. The register has Yaw as part of my name and also provides my date of birth as 1st June 1961 this corresponds with Thursday or Yaw- the day of the week on which I was born. But the Audit Service Board in a letter dated March 2, 2021, said Mr. Domelevos explanation of his nationality and narration of his grandfathers migration is irrelevant. The letter further described Mr. Domelevos answer to the issue of his date of birth as being inconsistent. On Domelevos reference to his baptismal certificate to confirm his date of birth, the Board said that the document is not a valid document to authenticate your date of birth. Again, the Board said Mr. Domelevos reference to a Parish Priest and provision of his contact for further verification of his date of birth is not admissible. Observation of your responses and explanations contained in your above reference letter make your date of birth and Ghanaian nationality even more doubtful and clearly establishes that you have made false statements contrary to law. The Board consequently insisted that Mr. Domelevo was due for compulsory retirement on June 1, 2020, and was in fact not a Ghanaian but a Togolese. Records made available to the Board indicate that your date of retirement was 1st June 2020 and as far as the Audit Service is concerned you are deemed to have retired, it noted. The Board further added that it was informing President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo about the development for him to take the necessary action. By a copy of this letter, the board is informing the President who is your appointing authority to take necessary action. Additionally, the board is making available to the President all the relevant documents at our disposal. 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 March 03 : Thiruvananthapuram: Finance minister Thomas Isaac on Wednesday came down on the enforcement directorates decision to issue notices to KIIFB CEO K M Abraham and axis bank officials to appear for questioning. Speaking at a meet the press event, Isaac said that the EDs plans to undermine KIIFB would come a cropper. The government would not be cowed down by the central agency, he said. The ED had registered a case against KIIFB over alleged violation of the provisions of FEMA (foreign exchange management act), citing the CAGs finding that KIIFB had borrowed funds from abroad without the central governments permission in violation of the provisions of the act. Coming down on the BJP-led central government, Isaac alleged that the centre was trying to choke KIIFB to death. The centres efforts to destroy KIIFB would not come to fruition, he added. The EDs notice to KIIFB officials was part of the centres efforts to undermine development initiatives in Kerala. The LDF governments initiatives had the backing of the people of Kerala. The state government would not bow down before the centres attempts to intimidate and deflate the morale of officials, Isaac asserted. Refuting the EDs charge that KIIFB violated the provisions of the FEMA, the Kerala finance minister said that KIIFB complied with the provisions of the act while floating masala bonds. The reserve bank was the implementing agency of the FEMA. KIIFB had obtained the central banks permission to float masala bonds, he said. Describing KIIFB as a body corporate, Isaac said that a body corporate could issue masala bonds to borrow money with the permission of the reserve bank. It was not the state government but KIIFB, a body corporate, which was borrowing funds from abroad, he clarified. However, the CAG in its report had flagged violation of the provisions of FEMA in KIIFBs external borrowings by pointing out that the interest for the funds KIIFB borrowed from abroad were being paid back from the state governments revenue. BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - Delivery Hero SE (DHER.DE DLVHF.OB) said all closing actions have been taken with respect to the Woowa Brothers deal. As part of the transaction, the company and the Woowa management are moving into a strategic partnership regarding the operations of both companies in Asia. Niklas Ostberg, CEO of Delivery Hero, said: 'After announcing that we were entering into a strategic partnership with Woowa in December 2019, I am now incredibly excited to start working together. It is an honour to welcome Bongjin Kim and his team to our family of founders and entrepreneurs.' Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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. New Delhi, March 3 : Airline major IndiGo will focus aggressively on expanding operations in tier-II cities to cash-in on the rising air traffic from these destinations. Accordingly, the airline plans to enhance connectivity to Leh, Agra, Darbhanga, Kurnool, Bareilly, Durgapur and Rajkot. In a conversation with IANS, IndiGo's Chief Strategy and Revenue Officer Sanjay Kumar said: "We have been witnessing steady demand from regional sectors owing to strong domestic travel demand getting back eventually." "We have an increased focus on tier II markets to strengthen our regional presence. Given the fact that international travel may take some time to rebound, airlines will bet big on smaller towns for a large volume of their traffic." According to Kumar, as corporate travel is expected to remain sluggish for the time being, "'MSME and new travellers' travelling from these regional and tier II and tier III cities, 'Visiting Friends and Relatives' (VFR) and leisure travel" will drive business. "We are already looking at expanding to seven regional stations over the next few months to enhance domestic connectivity. These stations include - Leh, Agra, Darbhanga, Kurnool, Bareilly, Durgapur and Rajkot." Besides, Kumar cited that the vaccination drive has boosted the overall confidence and demand in the country. "We are looking forward to the time where a larger population gets the vaccine jab and the fear of virus subsides further." In terms of future outlook, he said: "Domestic passenger demand will remain upbeat as we are witnessing growth from tier II and III markets. We do not see the demand diminishing for now as people have now slowly started moving within the country, specially for leisure travel." "We are expecting the demand to further increase, as cases slowly decrease and vaccination drive picks-up pace across the country." At present, IndiGo has a fleet of 284 aircraft and is operating more than 1,100 flights every day connecting 60 domestic and 6 international destinations. (Rohit Vaid can be contacted at rohit.v@ians.in) (Photo : "Instagram App - Credit to http://homedust.com/" by Homedust is licensed with CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/) Instagram confirms a bug that briefly hid likes to some users and was not visible to other people unless the post was there own. Instagram confirms a bug that briefly hid likes to some users and was not visible to other people unless the post was there own. A Bug on Instagram CNN reports that many Instagram users have noticed an unfamiliar message at the top of the social media app that says, "Testing a Chance to How You See Likes - We want your followers to focus on what you share, not how many likes your post gets. During this test, only you will be able to see the total number of likes on your post." This test, however, produces a bug and way too many Instagram users did not see likes across the board than they originally intended. We've been testing a new experience to hide likes on Feed posts. We unintentionally added more people to the test today, which was a bug were fixing this issue and restoring like counts to those people as soon as possible. Instagram Comms (@InstagramComms) March 3, 2021 In a statement, Instagram confirmed it was a bug and should be reverted to normal soon. A spokesperson for Facebook, which owns Instagram, says that the company has been testing a new experience to hide likes on posts and unintentionally added more people to the test day, which was a bug. The official also added that the company is now fixing the issue and resorting like counts to those people as soon as possible. Several people have reported seeing the change on their profiles on Tuesday, with the number of likes replaced with the phrase "and others." While followers would not see the total number of likes a post received, the owner of the post could still see it. Im about to cry. Why did Instagram take away my ability to see the number of likes any post has gotten?!?! Time to delete the app. Nerissarianna (@nerissarianna) March 3, 2021 Also Read: Instagram Launches Live Rooms Feature Allowing Four People to Group-Stream Comicbook reports that users may recall that Instagram first announced this "Hidden Likes" tests in 2019, noting that they believed it would be better in the long run for engagement on the platform. In a company post two years ago, the company stated that they are continuing the test to learn more from their global community. They have positive feedback from other countries such as Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Japan, and New Zealand. Hiding Likes to Focus on Users' Mental Health The Instagram post continued that the company understands that like counts are important to most creators. They are actively thinking through ways for creators to communicate value to their partners. Distractify reports that Instagram did this to mitigate the impact likes were having on users' mental health with the idea that users would feel less toxic pressure over how many likes their post garnered. Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri stated that Instagram users' well-being was far more critical to the social media application. Of course, brands and influencers were not happy about this change. Any account that monetized off of engagement was not thrilled. It seems that more users will experience the social media app's "Hiding Likes" test at the moment, but Instagram has not officially announced a wider rollout. The social media platform is hiding likes from followers as a way to follow through with the original intent: By removing the visibility of likes, Instagram users will feel less pressure to feel like they have to measure their "worth" or popularity" by how many likes they have on a post. But will that help? A psychologist named Jacqueline Sperling said that hiding likes on the app is a positive move. However, people will still compare themselves to others on the internet, saying that people can always compare and give comments to other users in the app. "There continues to be opportunities for comparison and feedback," says Sperling. Related Article: Facebook to Launch Safety Features to Help Combat Rampant Child Abuse in the Platform This article is owned by Tech Times Written by: Luis Smith 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. An Ohio great-great-grandmother was killed by a stray bullet as she was sitting in her living room while planning her son's funeral. Family matriarch and devout Christian Ruth Lewis, 89, was seated in a wheelchair with other family members at their home in Warren when the incident happened at around 7.30pm on Sunday. The stray bullet tore through a window of the home and hit Ruth in the back. Police do not believe she was the target of the attack. Family matriarch Ruth Lewis, 89, was killed by a stray bullet as she was sitting in her living room while planning her son's funeral Some of Lewis' grandchildren had left the property to pick up food prior to the shooting and returned to the chaotic scene. 'We went to Caesar's down the street,' granddaughter Ryanna Brantley (pictured, right) said One of the family members called 911, saying she didn't know what happened but that 'they just started shooting through my window.' Ruth was pronounced dead a short time later. No other injuries were reported. Police received several emergency calls after people in the area reported hearing between five and ten gunshots ring out, according to a report in The Warren Tribune Chronicle. Ruth was an entrepreneur as well as a devout Christian, and set up a barbecue restaurant with her late husband as well as ran her own beauty business Some of Lewis' grandchildren had left the property to pick up food prior to the shooting and returned to the chaotic scene. 'We went to Caesar's down the street,' granddaughter Ryanna Brantley told the newspaper. 'And we seen three police cars, so we called to check what was going on and then it caught us that, they just shot the house up.' Speaking to the publication, Lewis' granddaughter, Rakayla Lightning, said something had told her that day to 'get up and go kiss everybody in the house.' 'I went to go kiss my grandmother, my sister, my mom, and that was the last memory I had with my grandmother,' she said. The stray bullet tore through a window of the home and hit Ruth in the back. Above, granddaughter Ryanna Brantley A matriarch of five generations known locally as 'Mama', Ruth was a mother of eight and had almost 150 grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. Ruth was an entrepreneur as well as a devout Christian, and set up a barbecue restaurant with her late husband as well as ran her own beauty business. She also worked for an electrical firm and a construction company. Ruth had used a wheelchair since 2001 following a stroke and a car crash. Describing her mother, daughter Patricia Lewis Mallory said: 'She was full of life, my mom was full of life. 'She managed to smile through all of that hurt. She was in a wheelchair, she couldn't walk, she couldn't talk. But she still managed to show that beautiful smile.' Warren Mayor Doug Franklin told WKBN: 'This was a senseless death caused by a random bullet. 'Obviously, she wasnt the target so its so unfortunate, but that just goes to speak to the dangers of just having so many guns in irresponsible hands.' UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Depression can be a common problem for teens and adolescents, and while many treatments exist, they don't always work for everyone. A new study found that feeling more informed about their health may help teens take better care of themselves, leading to less depressive symptoms. The researchers also found that trust played a factor in whether receiving health information improved depression. The more that adolescents trusted their parents or teacher as a credible source of health information, the more likely they were to experience less depression. Additionally, even though adolescents reported that they trusted traditional media -- like TV, radio and newspapers -- more than online content, only content from social media or websites resulted in actual changes in behavior. Bu Zhong, associate professor of communications at Penn State, said the findings -- recently published in the journal Child: Care, Health and Development -- suggest that while adolescents are probably taught to be skeptical of online content, websites and social media have the potential to powerfully affect adolescent health. "The kids weren't purposefully being misleading when they said they didn't trust information online, even though that information was ultimately linked with lower depression," Zhong said. "They were probably told by their parents and teachers to be wary of information found online or on social media. But our research found that online content has a strong impact on their health behavior and depression mitigation strategies, which are not found in the traditional media content." According to the researchers, depression is one of the most common mental disorders among adolescents in China. In the United States, the National Institute of Mental Health reported that 13.3% of the U.S. population aged 12 to 17 in 2017 had at least one major depressive episode. Additionally, previous work has shown that depression increases the risk of adolescents experiencing poorer school performance and social withdrawal, along with an increased risk of self-harm and suicide ideation. "This study was actually inspired by my students, after several of them came to me really stressed out," Zhong said. "I know firsthand how widespread depression can be among students, so I was interested in what kind of health information people shared with the young people and if it can help them cope with depression." The researchers recruited 310 adolescents from elementary, middle and high schools in North China for the study. Participants answered information about health information -- such as seminars, classes, pamphlets and other media -- they recently consumed, including its quality and whether the source and information were credible. They also answered questions about their health, including their symptoms of depression and whether consuming health information led to changes in their behavior, such as whether they felt it helped them prevent disease and if it increased their likelihood to discuss and share health information with friends. The researchers found that the older participants were, the more likely they were to be depressed. Additionally, participants with higher GPAs were also more likely to be depressed. Zhong said this could be because the longer students were in school, and the better their grades were, the more likely they were more likely to feel more pressure to succeed. However, the more frequently participants used social media, the more likely they were to change their health behaviors, which led to less depression. Lastly, adolescents felt more depressed when their mothers had a higher level of education, but less depressed when their fathers had a higher level of education. Zhong described this finding as the "tiger mom effect." "These findings don't mean that a mom's education causes their kids' depression, but one interpretation could be that it may not be a good idea for moms to dominate their children's school life and push them too hard," Zhong said. "Kids may do much better at school and more importantly are less likely to experience stress or other depressive symptoms. Parents may learn from each other in educating their teen children." Overall, the researchers said the results suggest that health information has the potential to be strategically used to help mitigate depression in teens and adolescents. "Our research is interested in providing long-term health outcomes, not just temporary relief," Zhong said. "So we're looking for anything in addition to drugs, in addition to therapy, that can help people with their depression, and this offers another possibility. It may not be able to remove all the stressors causing teen depression, but it's possible we could equip adolescents with better health information gathering skills to help battle depression." ### Juan Chen, South China University of Technology, collaborated with Zhong on this research. MERIDEN First lady Jill Biden squatted down to speak to a masked Meriden kindergartner painting a picture in her classroom on a visit to Benjamin Franklin Elementary School Wednesday with U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. During coronavirus, there are few visitors to most Connecticut schools, never mind a first lady and education secretary, but Cardona and Biden arranged the visit to highlight how schools can safely teach in-person during the pandemic as Cardona launches an ambitious fight to put students back in the classroom nationwide. Biden, a community college teacher, complimented the girl in a T-shirt and teal gown, while Cardona Connecticuts former education commissioner and a Meriden native fist-bumped students who sat at tables separated by plexiglass dividers. They spoke to teachers about the challenges of teaching amid the coronavirus, both in-person and virtually. The trip was Cardonas first as secretary of education, coming on his first full day in the role. It was Jill Bidens first visit to Connecticut since the inauguration of President Joe Biden and one of her earliest domestic trips. Its important to safely reopen schools, Cardona told a small crowd at Benjamin Franklin Elementary. Its critical that we do it as safely as possible and as quickly as possible. The yearlong pandemic has led to fewer learning opportunities and more kids going hungry. Later in the day, Cardona, and Biden visited a middle school in Pennsylvania as they examine strategies to mitigate the coronavirus in schools and safely open classrooms for in-person learning full-time. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, joined Biden and Cardona for the tour of Benjamin Franklin Elementary and Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, planned to meet them at the Pennsylvania school. The presence of the two most powerful teachers union leaders sends a strong signal that the Biden administration intends to collaborate with unions on a plan to get teachers and students back in the classroom, not order them back over teachers objections. Weingarten and Pringle arguably have more influence over returning teachers to classrooms than Cardona or anyone else. The visits kick off Cardona and President Joe Bidens full court press to get students learning in-person in the majority of schools by April 30, Bidens 100th day in office a key goal Biden vowed to deliver on in December. President Biden Tuesday called on states to prioritize teachers for vaccinations and get every grade-school employee and child care provider at least one shot by the end of March. Connecticut started vaccinating its 99,000 teachers and school workers this week, the only essential workers to get priority for COVID-19 immunizations other than health care workers, now after the state pivoted to a mainly age-based model. We must continue to reopen Americas schools for in person learning as quickly and as safely as possible. The president recognizes this which is why he took bold action yesterday to get teachers and school staff vaccinated quickly, Cardona said in Meriden Wednesday. As secretary of education that is my top priority. The Biden administration has also pressed Congress to pass Bidens $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package as soon as possible, a bill that includes $130 billion in additional education money. The legislation is expected to clear the Senate later this week. Cardona announced in an op-ed Tuesday night he will host a national summit on safe school reopening this month, publish a new volume of an Education Department handbook on operating schools during the pandemic and collect data on how schools are functioning during the pandemic through a national survey. That survey is expected to reveal an uneven picture across the country with many schools offering only distance learning or a hybrid model and fewer hosting children in the classroom every day. Schools are constrained in how they can operate by factors like funding, geography, virus prevalence and their teachers union. About half of Connecticuts school districts dont currently offer full-time, in-person learning. Benjamin Franklin Elementary School and other K-8 schools in Meriden have offered full-time, in-person learning since before Labor Day, said Superintendent Mark Benigni. About 70 percent of Benjamin Franklin Elementary students are taking classes in person now. The district worked with its teachers union to develop a reopening plan, Benigni said, and require mask wearing, social distancing, increased cleaning and other changes to protect students and staff. Three percent of students and 10 percent of staff in Meriden Public Schools have tested positive for the coronavirus this school year, according to data published by the district. Less than a third of students and a quarter of staff members have quarantined. For Cardona, the trip was a return to his hometown and the school district he used to work at as a teacher, principal and then assistant superintendent. He never taught at Benjamin Franklin Elementary, where he and Biden visited Wednesday. Benigni and Benjamin Franklin Elementary Principal Joanne Conte gave Biden and Cardona a tour to show them how they operate the 323-student school amid a pandemic thats killed over 500,000 people. Welcome messages hung in classrooms and hallways in the school. In one kindergarten class, students wore blue T-shirts with 2037, their expected college graduation year, on the back. When Biden and Cardona walked into one classroom a little before noon the students screamed Welcome to kindergarten! Hi, Im Jill, the first lady said. Biden and Cardona walked through the classroom, stopping to ask the students what they were working on. The children wore masks and sat at individual desks or at tables divided by plexiglass. Next, the pair visited a sensory room filled with play mats, yoga balls, monkey bars and a large chart with a set of color-coded moods to help students with social and emotional learning and special needs. The school has three such classrooms. Being at home and being on the computer doesnt access this, Cardona said. For students that have disabilities having in-person opportunities that are safe, is important ... Thats what this room provides. Biden, a community college educator with a doctorate in education, asked if student anxiety increased during the pandemic. A teacher told Biden the answer: yes. In another classroom, Biden, Cardona and Weingarten spoke with a teacher who recently transitioned from teaching via computer to teaching in person. Weingarten said it was important to have flexibility to do both forms of teaching. Cardona, Biden and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont spoke to teachers and media at the school at the close of the visit. Teachers want to be back, Biden said. We want to be back. Last week I said to my students, hey guys how you doing? And they said Dr. B, Were doing OK, but we cant wait to be back to the classroom. She noted the hometown pride Meriden showed for Cardona and the support he had from teachers there. Educators favorite three words are not I Love You. Its going to be Education Secretary Cardona, Biden joked. Cardona took the podium and said it was good to be home. He said that in-person learning has resumed at least partially at local schools since mid-August of last year an effort he oversaw as Connecticuts education commissioner. The yearlong pandemic has led to fewer learning opportunities and more kids going hungry, Cardona said. Across the country, future Lin-Manuel Mirandas are sitting at home instead of going to drama club. Lamont, who also spoke to the small crowd, told Biden Its great having a teacher in the White House. He teased Cardona about whether he was ready to take on Bidens 100-day reopening goal. You hear that Miguel? Lamont asked. Cardona laughed and said he had about 72 days left. Outside across West Main Street from the school driveway where police kept supporters and protesters alike about 140 people lined up in a generally friendly atmosphere, in the late-winter sunshine. About a dozen supporters of former President Donald Trump waved flags and occasionally shouted out debunked conspiracy theories about the election. One man wore a white hazmat suit and held a sign in a shape of a mask that said We are being lied to. Most people were there to support Cardona, a local man with solid roots in the community who left the Meriden school district to first become Connecticuts education commissioner in February 2020. Raynia Martinez, 18, a UConn freshman, took off a few hours from her online classes to pay homage to her former third-grade principal. Inside Benjamin Franklin School, her younger brother got an up-close look at the first lady and Cardona. From behind a white face mask, Martinez remembered Cardona as a caring and kind principal in her early school days, after she arrived with no English skills, at age 6, from the Dominican Republic. He always talked to people and helped people, she recalled of her time at Hanover School. He goes to our church. His mom used to be my teacher there at St. Rose of Lima. They do a lot of fundraisers for the community, said Ilsa Nieves, 55, whos known the Cardona family for years. Their children sing for the Puerto Rican festival. They go to the library for Three Kings Day. Yes, the whole family sings there. Nieves wore an American flag baseball cap and was waving a Puerto Rico flag during the hour before Bidens motorcade arrived, during her hour-long visit inside the school and finally, during the swift drive-by, as Biden waved at the crowd from an open window when the motorcade left for the airport to head to another school visit in Pennsylvania. Claudia and Thomas Malone drove in to Meriden from nearby Plainville to mark the occasion standing a few feet away from a bearded man waving a Trump flag. Its education versus ignorance, Thomas Malone said, pointing a thumb over his left shoulder. This was a blatantly stolen election, said the Trump supporter, who declined to give his name as he stood on the corner of West Main Street and state Route 71 waving a frayed Trump flag. The fraud is off the charts. Its being covered up by seditious government, turncoats in every aspect of our legislature. All three branches of government are compromised. And were here to say that President Trump won in the biggest landslide in history and were not accepting the results. After Bidens motorcade left, participants in the event, including local officials, drifted out of the school and across West Broad Street. Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, state Sen. Mary Daugherty Abrams, state Reps. Michael Quinn and Hilda Santiago attended the official visit Wednesday. State Rep. Catherine Abercrombie, D-Meriden, emerged from the school praising the first ladys interest in getting more kids back into schools around the country. But she also wants to make sure that the support system they need for schools to get funding for mental health, said Abercrombie, who is co-chairman of the legislative Human Services Committee. We need to do a lot of screening because this is going to be a long-term effect for these students, so they were talking about the next round of dollars and how it can help impact these kids, she said. And food insecurity. People forget that with kids being out of school, food insecurity, right? We here in Meriden serve two meals a day. All our kids get breakfast and all of them get lunch. Conte said she hoped Cardona would reflect on the positive things that came out of the pandemic, and what things we've learned from it that we can use. We've taught children how to use Google Classroom and how to manage both in-person learning and distance learning, and being able to even teach their parents, Conte said. Meriden Mayor Kevin Scarpati added, As Dr. Cardona said in his statement, the Silver City certainly did shine today. emilie.munson@hearstdc.com; Twitter: @emiliemunson Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 Ethiopia said on Wednesday that inviting other parties as mediators in the 10-year-old Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) negotiations is "demeaning" the efforts of the African Union (AU), the current mediator of the talks. "The tendency to invite various parties as mediators to the issue while the AU-led negotiation has not been finalised is demeaning the efforts of the AU," an Ethiopian official said in a press conference held in Addis Ababa earlier today. The statement was in response to the call by Sudan and Egypt for engaging international mediation in the negotiations after the failure of previous talks held under the aegis of the AU. Dina Mufti, a spokesman for the Ethiopian foreign ministry, told Wednesdays conference that Addis Ababa believes negotiations overseen by the AU would bring a "win-win solution" to all parties. Mufti added that "the portrayals of some parties as if Ethiopia has postponed the on-going negotiation is also unfounded," adding that "we have been negotiating in good faith." Over the past year, the AU, under the presidency of South Africa, tried in vain to help the three countries reach an agreement over the long-running dispute, with the last round being stalled in January due to Khartoum's withdrawal from the meetings in objection to the methodology upon which the talks had been held. Endeavours to re-launch the talks were renewed with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) chairing the AU in February. The DRC held meetings with the three parties over the past several days to discuss the issue. Last week, Khartoum proposed to a delegation from the DRC, the current chair of the African Union, to develop the methodology of negotiations by forming a quartet committee to mediate the talks under the supervision of the DRC. During a meeting with his Sudanese counterpart Mariam Al-Saddiq Al-Mahdi in Cairo on Tuesday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry announced that Egypt supports the proposal for international mediation. The proposed mediation involves representatives from the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU), and the United States (US) alongside the AU. Both Egypt and Sudan have voiced their serious desire to negotiate, calling upon Ethiopia to show good faith and resume talks before the second filing of the dam. Mufti also said that Ethiopia believes it has the right to utilise its water resources without significantly harming the downstream countries, in accordance with international law and the principles of fair and equitable utilisation of water resources. Egypt and Sudan have consistently voiced their support for Ethiopias right to use the hydropower project in its development efforts, but they have repeatedly pursued a legally binding agreement on the rules for filling and operating the dam, a step that has been repeatedly dodged or rejected by Ethiopia. However, Egypt fears the project will significantly cut its crucial water supplies from the Nile River, while Sudan has concerns on how the reservoir will be managed. The downstream countries said that "unilaterally" commencing with the second filling would pose a direct threat to the riparian security of Egypt and Sudan and would represent a "material breach" of the Declaration of Principles (Dop) signed between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan in 2015. The DoP states that the three countries must agree on guidelines and rules for the operating processes of the dam before the reservoir is filled. Last year, Addis Ababa announced it had completed the initial filling with 4.9 billion cubic metres of Blue Nile water in the GERDs reservoir, while it announced plans to embark on the second phase of filling during the rainy season of August 2021 with 18.4 billion cubic metres of water. Short link: New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy arrives to speak during a news conference in Trenton, N.J., on Sept. 12, 2019. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters) New Law in New Jersey Bars Police From Informing Parents of Childs Marijuana Possession A newly signed law in New Jersey prohibits police officers from telling the parents of a child charged with marijuana possession about what happened. S3454 was one of three bills signed by Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, late last month that deals with cannabis, known colloquially as marijuana. The bill states that any person under 18 years of age or knowingly possesses marijuana will receive a written warning for the first violation of the law. However, a written notification shall not be provided by law enforcement to the parent, guardian, or person with legal custody of the minor, the law states. If the minor violates the law again, then parents can be notified. Murphy said the law and the two others he signed, A1897 and A21, were long overdue. Our current marijuana prohibition laws have failed every test of social justice, which is why for years Ive strongly supported the legalization of adult-use cannabis. Maintaining a status quo that allows tens of thousands, disproportionately people of color, to be arrested in New Jersey each year for low-level drug offenses is unjust and indefensible, he said in a statement. This legislation will establish an industry that brings equity and economic opportunity to our communities, while establishing minimum standards for safe products and allowing law enforcement to focus their resources on real public safety matters, he added. Lawmakers including Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and state Senate President Steve Sweeney, a Democrat, supported the reforms, which include legalizing cannabis use and possession for adults 21 years of age or older. But law enforcement agencies and groups decried the legislation, including the provision dealing with parental notification. To apply these new laws to a real-life situation, if an officer observes a 12-year-oldor a juvenile of any ageconsuming alcohol and/or smoking marijuana in violation of the law, that officer CANNOT contact the juveniles parent or guardianunless this behavior has been previously documented. Unless that child chooses to share this information, his or her parents or guardians will never know, Christopher Battiloro, chief of the Westfield Police Department, said in a statement. What presents itself as most problematicand disconcertingis the inability of the police to freely communicate with the parents and guardians of our children, he added. The New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police said the legal reform will severely impair the ability of law enforcement to surveil and police the illegal drug market, underage possession and consumption of alcohol and tobacco and criminalize very common and overwhelmingly non-controversial policing strategies. Under this new law, a law enforcement officer is subject to criminal prosecution if he or she even asks a minor or young adult under the age of 21 to consent to a search or otherwise conducts such a search despite reasonable suspicious activity, such as the odor of alcohol or marijuana. However, there are no tools available for an officer to know the ages of individuals that may be encountered. An honest mistake in ascertaining someones age, intentions or degree of impairment subjects the officer to prosecution for a crime, it added. The Greens believe the inner-south Brisbane federal seat of Griffith, once held by former Labor prime minister Kevin Rudd, is the second-most winnable seat for the party in the nation. Griffith overlaps the state electorate of South Brisbane and council ward of The Gabba both of which have fallen to the Greens. Greens candidate for Griffith Max Chandler-Mather. But it also includes a wider area, stretching to Mount Gravatt East and Murarrie, where the Greens were out-polled by Labor and the LNP. Griffith is held by Labor star Terri Butler on a margin of 2.9 per cent. Whitesboro, N.Y. -- A 34-year-old Whitesboro man was arrested and accused of having child porn, according to the New York State Police. David M. Beauharnois, of 21 Gould St. in Whitesboro, was charged with two counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child, police said. The charge is a felony. Troopers found the child porn after executing a search warrant at Beauharnois address Wednesday, police said. State police made the arrest after an investigation into someone at Beauharnois house uploading child porn, according to police. 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. CHICAGO, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (Cboe: CBOE), a market operator and global trading solutions provider, today reported February monthly trading volume statistics across its global business lines. The data sheet "Cboe Global Markets Monthly Volume & RPC/Net Revenue Capture Report" contains an overview of certain February trading statistics and market share by business segment, volume in select index products, and RPC/net capture, which is reported on a one-month lag, across business lines. Trading Volume for Current Month Year-To-Date February February % January % % 2021 2020 Chg 2021 Chg 2021 2020 Chg OPTIONS VOLUME (contracts, thousands) Year-To-Date Trading Days 19 19 19 38 40 Total Volume 249,325 209,552 19.0% 257,900 -3.3% 507,225 401,970 26.2% Total ADV 13,122 11,029 19.0% 13,574 -3.3% 13,348 10,049 32.8% FUTURES VOLUME (contracts, thousands) Year-To-Date Trading Days 19 19 19 38 40 Total Volume 5,110 7,182 -28.9% 5,169 -1.1% 10,279 12,969 -20.7% Total ADV 269 378 -28.9% 272 -1.1% 271 324 -16.6% U.S. EQUITIES EXCHANGE MATCHED VOLUME (shares, millions) Year-To-Date Trading Days 19 19 19 38 40 Total Volume 43,796 28,464 53.9% 43,351 1.0% 87,147 54,384 60.2% Total ADV 2,305 1,498 53.9% 2,282 1.0% 2,293 1,360 68.7% U.S. EQUITIES OFF-EXCHANGE MATCHED VOLUME (shares, millions)1 Year-To-Date Trading Days 19 19 19 38 40 Total Volume 1,892 N/A 2,119 -10.7% 4,011 N/A Total ADV 100 N/A 112 -10.7% 106 N/A CANADIAN EQUITIES MATCHED VOLUME (shares, thousands)2 Year-To-Date Trading Days 19 N/A 20 39 N/A Total Volume 1,678,749 N/A 1,272,741 31.9% 2,951,490 N/A Total ADV 88,355 N/A 63,637 38.8% 75,679 N/A EUROPEAN EQUITIES ( millions) Year-To-Date Trading Days 20 20 20 40 42 Total Notional Value 150,641 173,999 -13.4% 133,420 12.9% 284,060 322,824 -12.0% Total ADNV 7,532 8,700 -13.4% 6,671 12.9% 7,102 7,686 -7.6% EUROCCP (thousands)3 Year-To-Date Cleared Trades 93,040 N/A N/A 88,241 5.4% 181,282 N/A Net Settlements 771 N/A N/A 740 4.3% 1,511 N/A GLOBAL FX ($ millions)4 Year-To-Date Trading Days 20 20 20 40 42 Total Notional Value $746,912 $825,067 -9.5% $704,130 6.1% $1,451,042 $1,564,087 -7.2% Total ADNV $37,346 $41,253 -9.5% $35,207 6.1% $36,276 $37,240 -2.6% 1U.S. Equities Off-Exchange data reflects Cboe's acquisition of BIDS Trading effective on December 31, 2020. 2Canadian Equities data reflects Cboe's acquisition of MATCHNow effective on August 4, 2020. 3EuroCCP data reflects Cboe's acquisition of EuroCCP effective on July 1, 2020. 4Global FX metrics continue to include Spot and as of January 2021 include SEF products. ADV= average daily volume ADNV= average daily notional value February 2021 Trading Volume Highlights Options Exchange Volume ADV on each of Cboe's four options exchanges increased over February 2020 : : Cboe Options up 2 percent Cboe BZX up 39 percent Cboe EDGX up 58 percent Cboe C2 up 33 percent Cboe EDGX Options Exchange: Monthly ADV record of 1.59 million contracts traded, surpassing the previous record of 1.50 million contracts traded in January 2021 . Options Proprietary Product Volume MSCI EAFE Index (MXEA) options: Single-day volume record on February 12 of 4,507 contracts traded, representing $997 million in notional value. EAFE Index (MXEA) options: Single-day volume record on of 4,507 contracts traded, representing in notional value. S&P 500 ESG Index (SPESG) options: Single-day volume record on February 9 of 10,007 contracts traded, representing $345 million in notional value. Futures Proprietary Product Volume VIX futures (VX): ADV of 252,359 contracts, up nearly 2 percent from January 2021 . . Cboe iBoxx iShares $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond Index (IBIG) futures: Monthly ADV record of 715 contracts traded, representing $105 million in average daily notional value, up 65 percent from January 2021 . in average daily notional value, up 65 percent from . IBIG futures also set a new single-day volume record on February 22 with 2,200 contracts traded, representing $321 million in notional value. North American Equities Volume and Market Share Cboe EDGX Equities Exchange: Monthly record of 24.10 billion shares traded, surpassing the previous record of 22.96 billion shares traded in January 2021 . billion shares traded, surpassing the previous record of 22.96 billion shares traded in . Cboe EDGX Equities Exchange accounted for approximately 8.7 percent of total market share in continuous trading (excluding auctions) in February. for approximately 8.7 percent of total market share in continuous trading (excluding auctions) in February. MATCHNow's Conditional Order Book: Monthly ADV record of 733,096 shares traded. MATCHNow's Conditional Order Book also set a new single-day volume record on February 8 with 2.41 million shares traded. European Equities Trading Highlights Cboe LIS, Cboe Europe's block trading platform, set several records during February: Highest daily value-traded: 779 million on February 23 Largest single trade: 72.5 million on February 11 Highest monthly market share: 25 percent of the LIS market 1 On February 4 , Cboe Europe successfully re-introduced Swiss securities onto its UK order books. Cboe's ADNV in Swiss shares for the days traded in February was 398 million, making Cboe the second-largest venue for these securities. , Cboe Europe successfully re-introduced Swiss securities onto its UK order books. Cboe's ADNV in Swiss shares for the days traded in February was 398 million, making Cboe the second-largest venue for these securities. Cboe Closing Cross (3C), Cboe Europe's post-close trading service: Record monthly ADNV of 42 million, surpassing the previous record of 37 million in January 2021 . Global FX Trading Volume Cboe SEF NDF trading: Single-day record on February 26 of $433 million notional traded, surpassing the previous single-day record of $305 million . of notional traded, surpassing the previous single-day record of . Global FX Spot Full Amount: Single-day record on February 26 of $17.6 billion traded, exceeding the previous record by $100 million . 1Based on data published by big xyt, an independent data and analytics firm. About Cboe Global Markets, Inc. Cboe Global Markets (Cboe: CBOE) provides cutting-edge trading and investment solutions to market participants around the world. The company is committed to defining markets through product innovation, leading edge technology and seamless trading solutions. The company offers trading across a diverse range of products in multiple asset classes and geographies, including options, futures, U.S., Canadian and European equities, exchange-traded products (ETPs), global foreign exchange (FX) and volatility products based on the Cboe Volatility Index (VIX Index), recognized as the world's premier gauge of U.S. equity market volatility. Cboe's subsidiaries include the largest options exchange and the third largest stock exchange operator in the U.S. In addition, the company operates one of the largest stock exchanges by value traded in Europe, and owns EuroCCP, a leading pan-European equities clearing house. Cboe also is a leading market globally for ETP listings and trading. The company is headquartered in Chicago with a network of domestic and global offices across the Americas, Europe and Asia, including main hubs in New York, London, Kansas City and Amsterdam. For more information, visit www.cboe.com. CBOE-V BZX, Cboe, Cboe Global Markets, Cboe Volatility Index, CFE, EDGX, VIX, and XSP are registered trademarks and Cboe Futures ExchangeSM, C2SM and Mini VIXSM M are service marks of Cboe Exchange, Inc. or its affiliates. S&P 500 and SPX are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services, LLC and has been licensed for use by Cboe Exchange, Inc. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners. Any products that have the S&P Index or Indexes as their underlying interest are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Standard & Poor's or Cboe and neither Standard & Poor's nor Cboe make any representations or recommendations concerning the advisability of investing in products that have S&P indexes as their underlying interests. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners. Cboe Global Markets, Inc. and its affiliates do not recommend or make any representation as to possible benefits from any securities, futures or investments, or third-party products or services. Cboe Global Markets, Inc. is not affiliated with MSCI, S&P, Russell, iShares or IHS Markit. Investors should undertake their own due diligence regarding their securities, futures, and investment practices. This press release speaks only as of this date. Cboe Global Markets, Inc. disclaims any duty to update the information herein. Nothing in this announcement should be considered a solicitation to buy or an offer to sell any securities or futures in any jurisdiction where the offer or solicitation would be unlawful under the laws of such jurisdiction. Nothing contained in this communication constitutes tax, legal or investment advice. Investors must consult their tax adviser or legal counsel for advice and information concerning their particular situation. Cboe Global Markets, Inc. and its affiliates make no warranty, expressed or implied, including, without limitation, any warranties as of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy, completeness or timeliness, the results to be obtained by recipients of the products and services described herein, or as to the ability of the indices referenced in this press release to track the performance of their respective securities, generally, or the performance of the indices referenced in this press release or any subset of their respective securities, and shall not in any way be liable for any inaccuracies, errors. Cboe Global Markets, Inc. and its affiliates have not calculated, composed or determined the constituents or weightings of the securities that comprise the indices referenced in this press release and shall not in any way be liable for any inaccuracies, errors. Futures trading is not suitable for all investors and involves the risk of loss. That risk of loss can be substantial and can exceed the amount of money deposited for a futures position. You should, therefore, carefully consider whether futures trading is suitable for you in light of your circumstances and financial resources. You should put at risk only funds that you can afford to lose without affecting your lifestyle. For additional information regarding futures trading risks, see the Risk Disclosure Statement set forth in Appendix A to CFTC Regulation 1.55(c) and the Risk Disclosure Statement for Security Futures Contracts. The iBoxx iShares $ High Yield Corporate Bond Index and the iBoxx iShares $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond Index (the "Indexes") referenced herein are the property of Markit Indices Limited ("Index Sponsor") and have been licensed for use in connection with Cboe iBoxx iShares $ High Yield Corporate Bond Index Futures and Cboe iBoxx iShares $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond Index Futures. 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No party purchasing or selling Cboe iBoxx iShares $ High Yield Corporate Bond Index Futures or Cboe iBoxx iShares $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond Index Futures, nor the Index Sponsor, shall have any liability to any party for any act or failure to act by the Index Sponsor in connection with the determination, adjustment, calculation or maintenance of the Indexes. iBoxx is a service mark of IHS Markit Limited. The iBoxx iShares $ High Yield Corporate Bond Index and the iBoxx iShares $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond Index (the "Indexes") and futures contracts on the Indexes ("Contracts") are not sponsored by, or sold by BlackRock, Inc. or any of its affiliates (collectively, " BlackRock"). BlackRock makes no representation or warranty, express or implied to any person regarding the advisability of investing in securities, generally, or in the Contracts in particular. Nor does BlackRock make any representation or warranty as to the ability of the Index to track the performance of the fixed income securities market, generally, or the performance of HYG, LQD or any subset of fixed income securities. BlackRock has not calculated, composed or determined the constituents or weightings of the fixed income securities that comprise the Indexes ("Underlying Data"). BlackRock is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the prices and amounts of the Contracts, or the timing of the issuance or sale of such Contracts or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Contracts are to be converted into cash (if applicable). BlackRock has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration or trading of the Contracts. 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Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall BlackRock have any liability for any special, punitive, direct, indirect or consequential damages (including lost profits) resulting from the use of the Underlying Data or any data included therein, even if notified of the possibility of such damages. iShares is a registered trademark of BlackRock Fund Advisors and its affiliates. SOURCE Cboe Global Markets, Inc. Related Links http://www.cboe.com The year 2020 recorded venture capital and private equity worth $41 billion across 831 deals. The surge in deal value was primarily supported by telecom and retail segments with Reliance Jio and Reliance Retail alone receiving $16 billion VC and PE investment, according to a new report by Praxis Global Alliance, a global management consulting and advisory firm. 2020 has been a historical one with Covid impacting all geographies and industries. However, despite the pandemic, the Indian growth story remains strong. India is expected to be the third-largest economy by 2030 with a GDP (gross domestic product) of $7 trillion in 2030, said the report. It has seen robust activity both in public and private markets. Indian private market is going strong with a record investment of $41 billion in 2020 despite Covid, said Madhur Singhal, managing partner and CEO, Praxis Global Alliance. Indias private equity and venture capital landscape has truly matured and has proven resilient in fueling Indias economic growth. The first-of-its-kind research report India Pulse 2020 is supported by rich insights from over 125 VC/PE investors on the evolution of the VC/PE ecosystem, changes across deal-making, fundraising, exits as well as their overall outlook for 2021. The report said that India has a strong macro-economic outlook and has been resilient during Covid. Deal activity in public markets remained strong despite Covid. There were 43 IPOs (initial public offering), $3.6 billion raised through IPOs and 1.15x growth in benchmark indices. Telecom and retail received the highest funding in 2020. Investors expect technology and internet (consumer apps), healthcare and life sciences, and SaaS (software-as-a-service), cloud, AI and analytics to become more attractive in the next few years. 2020 saw lower exit activity with 148 exits worth $5.1 billion in 2020, down from 197 exits worth $9.2 billion in 2019. Fundraising activity in 2020 remained lukewarm with $5.4 billion raised in 2020 against $7.6 billion in 2019. As a result, VC and PE dry powder stood at $9.7 billion at the end of 2020 against $12.2 billion in 2019. Investors have an optimistic outlook for the VC and PE environment in 2021. More than 60 per cent of investors expect the overall VC and PE scenario across fundraising, deal activity at different stages, and exits to improve in 2021. More than 50 international and over 20 Indian investors made their first Indian VC and PE investment in 2020, said the Praxis report. India added 14 unicorns in 2020 alone and is home to 37 active unicorns as of December 2020. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Anti-social behaviour at County Derry lake Police are stepping up patrols after a number of incidents of anti-social behaviour were reported at a County Derry lake. Bradley's Lake, near Tobermore, is home to Moyola Angling Association, who reported that a boat had been taken from its mooring on their premises. "Regrettably we've had another incident of anti social behaviour at Bradley's Lake," said a spokesperson. "Our boat was stolen last weekend and taken for a four mile joy ride. The scary part of this story is that the would be pirates would have had to sail down a dangerous weir. "Fortunately no-one was injured and the boat has been recovered. We are happy for everyone to use our facility whether for exercise, fishing or just to see the swans." "If you see any suspicious activity please report it to the PSNI." Police have said they will be increasing patrols in response to the reports. "We have had reports of young people drinking and causing damage at Moyola Angling Association's site at Bradleys Lake in Tobermore," confirmed a spokeperson. "Criminal damage is a serious offence and if prosecuted could result in a fine or imprisonment depending on the circumstances. "We shall be stepping up patrols in the area and anyone committing an offence will be dealt with robustly." Call for increased road maintenance Mid Ulster District Council are to invite Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon to meet with the council in an effort to improve road maintenance in the area. A number of councillors had raised concerns from residents about the number of potholes appearing and recurring on the area's roads. Chair Cathal Mallaghan told the council the Department check A-class roads every two months, B-class roads every four months and C-class roads every 9 months. Cllr Paul McLean said those carrying out the work needed to be held to account for a longer period of time. It is not that the workmanship is bad, but that it just doesn't seem to last and therefore within a year, from the patch or the trench has been filled, it either subsides or starts to break up, he said. By that time, their commitment has passed; they're only accountable for six months or so. That's something we could take up with Roads Service. Council agreed to invite the Infrastructure Minister to a meeting to ask if the maintenance schedule could be returned to a previous policy of checking the roads more regularly. Further call for Covid support for fishermen A local council are to write to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to voice concern at a lack of support given to the Lough Neagh fishing industry during the pandemic. At last week's full meeting of Mid Ulster District Council, Cllr Niall McAleer said the delay in providing the support has been 'disgraceful'. Despite numerous commitments from DAERA to open such a scheme, we are now almost a year on from the first lockdown and to date, no support has been provided, he said. There have been other schemes rolled out in other areas, including for sea fishers, and quite rightly so, but those fishermen on Lough Neagh seem to have been left behind here. A lot of people have been in touch who are angry and disappointed. They want DAERA to put support in urgently so they can plan ahead for the rest of 2021. Council buildings to be lit in memory of Covid victims Mid Ulster District Council are set to light up council buildings to remember all those within the council area who have died as a result of Covid-19. Chair Cathal Mallaghan made the proposal during Chair's Business at the meeting, which took place almost exactly a year after NI's first Covid case was recorded. The buildings will be lit on March 19 to mark one year since the first person in Northern Ireland lost their life to Covid. Council offer support to local media A motion to support local media and condemn the recent threats to journalists has been passed at a meeting of Mid Ulster District Council. The motion sought to support a proposal to increase government investment in public interest news, including tax breaks for news subscriptions, support for new media start-ups and a wide-scale media literacy campaign aimed at tackling disinformation. Cllr Malachy Quinn said recent threats to local journalists had highlighted the importance of a free press. It is essential politicians demonstrate solidarity with journalists, especially when those journalists are exposing the evils in our society, he told the council. Covid-19 has led to a collapse in advertising revenue for both print and online media, while social distancing has also hampered the ability of newspapers to maintain significant volumes of print sales. I don't have to sell the importance of the local media to members. We know the benefits they bring. Local and regional papers are not just sources of information, though that is vital. They are the meeting point of people and places. They bind communities together, mitigate against isolation and provide something close to an essential service. The global health crisis has shown the vital role of quality journalism within the spectrum of essential public services, and has pushed many media companies to the brink. I believe there should be a recognition from this council that public interest journalism should be supported and protected. Padre Pio Mass in Dungiven The St Padre Pio Healing Mass will be held this evening in St Patrick's Church in Dungiven at 7pm. People are welcome to watch the service on the church's webcam. Maghera First Communions Dates have been announced for First Communion services in the Maghera area. Pupils at St Mary's Primary School, Glenview, with make their First Communion at St Mary's Church on Saturday, May 15, at 11am. For St Brigid's Primary School, Tirkane, the service will be held at St Mary's on Saturday, May 29, at 11am. The pupils of Bunscoil Naomh Brid will make their First Communion in St Mary's on Saturday, May 29, at 12.30pm, while the pupils of St Patrick's Primary School, Glen, will make their First Communion on Saturday, June 5, at 11am. (@FahadShabbir) UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd February, 2021) UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths has started his visit to Saudi Arabia in an attempt to negotiate a nationwide ceasefire in Yemen, United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a press briefing on Monday. "Special Envoy Martin Griffiths is in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, today, where he's expected to meet in the next few days with Yemeni and Saudi officials and diplomats," Dujarric said. "This visit is part of his efforts to achieve a nationwide ceasefire, alleviate the suffering of Yemeni people and resume the political process." Earlier in the month, violent clashes erupted over the rebel Houthi movement's attempts to advance toward Marib's Sirwah district, home to a strategically important military camp of the Yemeni government troops located 30 kilometers (18. 6 miles) away from the provincial capital. Yemen has been engulfed in an armed conflict between the government forces led by President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and the Houthi rebels since 2014. A coalition of states led by Saudi Arabia launched a military operation to support the Hadi-led government in 2015. The Houthis continue to maintain control over a vast part of the country's north, including of the capital Sanaa. Gov. Tom Wolf signed legislation Wednesday that will allow the Pennsylvania National Guard to assist with the states effort to distribute COVID-19 vaccines. This bill will support the National Guard and other state agencies in the planning process for community vaccination clinics once supply of COVID-19 vaccines increases, Wolf said in a statement. This service will help further expedite getting vaccine to Pennsylvanians across the state. The legislation enables the National Guard to work with the Pennsylvania Health Department to operate regional sites to administer the COVID-19 vaccines. The bill also requires the Wolf administration to report on how the Guard is being incorporated into the vaccination distribution strategy. Earlier Wednesday, the Wolf administration said the National Guard would assist in efforts to vaccinate teachers and school staff. The initial round of the newly approved Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be directed to teachers and other school employees. Wolf said the goal is to get school staff vaccinated so school districts still operating remotely can reopen their classrooms. State Rep. Tim ONeal, R-Washington County, authored the bill to have the Guard assist in the vaccine distribution. At a news conference with the governor to discuss plans to vaccinate teachers, ONeal said he was glad to see the Guard getting involved with the effort. ONeal formerly served in the Pennsylvania National Guard. Ive seen the capabilities our military has to deploy millions of dollars worth of equipment and thousands of people across the world in a timely and efficient manner, ONeal said. Our Guard is the perfect group to run this mission of vaccinating our teachers so school can reopen. Some lawmakers wanted the Guard to be utilized earlier in the COVID-19 vaccination effort, which has been criticized by many for moving too slowly. Initially, Wolf opposed the bill. The governor had cited a concern that it would divert the Guards medical units from assisting long-term care facilities with COVID-19 outbreaks. The governor also was worried about diverting doses away from other community providers, such as hospitals and pharmacies. The administration supported the bill after it was amended in the state House to ensure the Guards other duties wouldnt be compromised. Wolf has said the biggest challenge in the vaccination effort remains the simple fact that the demand far exceeds the available supply. But the state is starting to get more doses of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, and the arrival of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine represents another step to protect more people from COVID-19. More from PennLive COVID-19 update: Pa. nears 10% of adults fully vaccinated Pa. lags most states in getting COVID-19 vaccine to seniors, PennLive analysis finds Pursuit of COVID-19 vaccine devolves into hunger games for Pa. seniors ~ No derogation in sight ~ MARIGOT:--- On Tuesday morning there was a demonstration by parents protesting against the obligation to wear masks at school, for children from six years old, in front of the prefecture, in Saint Martin. While about sixty people, bearing placards in their hands, demonstrated in front of the State Representation, a delegation was received by the Deputy Prefect of the Northern Islands and the Vice-Rector, that lasted a little over an hour, the Collective considers it to be "very constructive", in the sense that each other's arguments have been exchanged and heard. "Now, we have in front of us a prefecture and a rectorate which are frozen in their positions", the authorities explaining that this is a government decree, and that in metropolitan France this has been in place since the month of October and that "nobody complains about it anymore". To which the Collective replied that it did not agree and reminded the prefect that children in metropolitan France were largely affected by wearing masks and that to ignore this reality "was a mistake". The spokesperson for the Collective recalled that people are resilient but very respectful of standards, and that barrier gestures are respected. "Everyone wears the mask, everyone accepts that tourism and business are affected, but we have firmly reminded them that if it was about the health of our children, and that here, on the other hand, we did not agree, and that we did not understand the decision that they were trying to impose on us ", especially" as we know today, that the masks are very badly worn, that they are perfectly ineffective in terms of health protocol . On the other hand, "it makes our children sick, it stresses them out, psychologically it's bad, for learning it's bad, and undoubtedly, in the long term, we will know that it is bad for health", argues collective. The latter hopes that "things will remain calm, and that there will not be a rise in power as in Guadeloupe. Because we know it would be negative for our children, that's not what we want ". While adding, "Let our children live as we hear. We are responsible for their education, its not you who decides for us . Each remains, for the moment, on its positions, and the Collective, assures that it will not stop there, "we hope all the same that we planted a small seed and that there will be behind all that a small one. reflection, and that it will go back to the ministry. We were nevertheless promised that the situation would be reassessed in two weeks. The next action of the Parents' Collective will take place on Friday, March 5, 2021, always from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., 0, in front of the West Indies Mall where the rectorate is located, with a meeting scheduled with Vice-Rector Michel Sanz. SMBN Texas will end its coronavirus restrictions next week with an upcoming executive order, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced Tuesday during a press conference in Lubbock. Why it matters: After Abbott signs the new order, which rescinds previous orders, all businesses can open to 100% capacity and the statewide mask mandate will be over, though large parts of the state will remain under mask local ordinances. What they're saying: "It is now time to open Texas 100%," Abbott said Tuesday. "For nearly a half a year, most businesses have been open either 75% or 50%, and during that time, too many Texans have been sidelined from employment opportunities." "Too many small business owners have struggled to pay their bills. This must end," he added. The governor said the restrictions are no longer needed now that the state is more prepared to test for and treat the virus and is vaccinating more of its residents. By the numbers: Texas reported more than 1,600 new cases and zero new deaths from the virus on Monday, according to the state's coronavirus dashboard. Abbott said Texas gave out 216,000 vaccine shots on Tuesday a record for the state and that 5.7 million shots have already been administered in the state. The big picture: Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) also announced Tuesday that the state will lift mask mandates for all counties on Wednesday, saying its "hospitalizations have plummeted, and our case numbers have fallen dramatically as well," according to an ABC affiliate. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Monday warned states against lifting public health restrictions because coronavirus cases and deaths "appear to be stalling" after a recent decline. HashCash Consultants ties up with an Australian Crypto enterprise With an aim to reshape decentralized finance, asset management to capital markets, payments, global trade, and numerous other areas, HashCash is helping the Australian crypto enterprise in solving critical business problems with blockchain. Global blockchain pioneer HashCash Consultants ties up with an Australian Crypto enterprise to help them with cryptocurrency and blockchain solutions. They aim to assist the crypto enterprise with their scalable and agile solutions, thereby leading to successful blockchain development in the Australian enterprise. HashCash will offer a wide spectrum of services and solutions to the Australian crypto enterprise, thereby leveraging security and blockchain capabilities to foster innovation. With an aim to propel economies of scale and solve critical business problems, HashCash offers the Australian crypto enterprise with new business opportunities, thereby aiding them with blockchain and cryptocurrency solutions. In an interactive session with the media, Raj Chowdhury, CEO of HashCash Consultants, commented, Crypto enterprises are looking forward to leveraging blockchain solutions for reimagining the way they conduct business processes. With an aim to reshape decentralized finance, asset management to capital markets, payments, global trade, and numerous other areas, HashCash is helping the Australian crypto enterprise in solving critical business problems with blockchain. HashCash, together with its professionals, look forward to helping clients in accelerating their blockchain transformation, thereby maximizing value. The organization has recently engaged in numerous activities in line with digital transformation. Lately, HashCash garnered immense recognition as the top blockchain development company in 2021, thereby striving for mass crypto and blockchain adoption. As far as their reach is Australia is concerned, HashCash has lately tied up with another Australian Enterprise to help them with its HC NET solution, thereby aid with settling payments and moving assets across borders. Apart from that, HashCash has also added innovative and attractive features to its white label crypto exchange platform in order to help enterprises in being a part of the global cryptocurrency revolution. About HashCash Consultants: HashCash is a global software company offering solutions in Blockchain, AI, Big Data, and IoT through its platforms, products & services. HashCash Blockchain products enable enterprises to move assets across borders in real-time for Remittances, Trade Finance, Payment Processing, and more. HashCash runs a US-based digital asset exchange, PayBito & Digital asset payment processor, BillBitcoins. HashCash offers white label crypto exchange solutions, Payment processor software, ICO services, and customized Blockchain use case development. It propels advancement in technology through Blockchain1o1 programs and its investment arm, Satoshi Angels. HashCash solves the toughest challenges by executing innovative digital transformation strategies for clients around the world. The government is to launch a PR blitz against the blight of middle-class illegal drug use, it has been reported. Boris Johnson is said to be planning the campaign with the hope of making taking cocaine as socially unacceptable as drink-driving. TV, radio and billboard adverts will target wealthy cocaine users who see the drug as a harmless weekend party habit by highlighting the violent crime and gang warfare that it is helping to fund. The Prime Minister hopes to imitate the successful drink-driving and road safety campaigns run by THINK! since 2000. Boris Johnson is said to be planning the campaign with the hope of making snorting cocaine as socially unacceptable as drink-driving The series of adverts vividly showing car crashes and the devastating results of intoxicated driving have brought road deaths to an all-time low. A government source told The Times: 'In the late Eighties or early Nineties, if you got your car keys out at the bar after three or four pints, nobody would say anything. You can't do that now. Even if you don't say something to them, you'd definitely say something to someone else. 'That's not happening with drugs. We need to make them socially unacceptable. The PM wants to make it socially unacceptable to do drugs. The campaign has yet to be formalised, but talks are believed to be ongoing between No10 and the Home Office as part of a crackdown on illegal drug use. The Prime Minister, who has previously said he tried cocaine at university, hopes to imitate the successful drink-driving and road safety campaigns run by THINK! since 2000 THINK! adverts, some of which vividly showing car crashes and the devastating results of intoxicated driving, have brought road deaths to an all-time low Mr Johnson is one a number of current cabinet members who have previously admitted to drug use, though the majority have only spoken about smoking cannabis. In an appearance on Have I Got News For You, the then-Henley MP Mr Johnson said: 'I think I was once given cocaine but I sneezed and so it did not go up my nose...In fact, I may have been doing icing sugar.' He later admitted to trying cocaine in an interview and when questioned on his previous jokey references said: 'I thoroughly disagree with drugs. I don't want my kids having drugs.' In the 2019 Tory leadership race, then-Environment Secretary Michael Gove publicly admitted to cocaine use on several occasions. He told the Mail at the time: 'I took drugs on several occasions at social events more than 20 years ago. At the time I was a young journalist. It was a mistake. I look back and think "I wish I hadn't done that".' In the 2019 Tory leadership race, then-Environment Secretary Michael Gove publicly admitted to cocaine use on several occasions His admission is believed to have killed off rumours that he could be installed as Home Secretary to replace Priti Patel as the government plans to launch a campaign against middle-class drug use. The advertising campaign to be launched later this year will form part of a wider strategy to reduce the demand for drugs in the UK. It comes as an extra 65 million of funding has been given to police forces tackling county lines drug gangs across the country. Senior police figures have previously been critical of middle-class drug users who shop ethically for food products or clothes, but will continue to take drugs that help fund organised crime. Deputy Chief Constable Jason Harwin, the National Police Chiefs' Council's lead for drugs, said: 'The supply of illegal drugs, irrespective of whether its for casual use or otherwise, will not be tolerated by police, and forces are committed to tackling this issue and the organised crime, violence and human trafficking that is frequently associated with it. 'We continue to work with police forces and partners across the country to help reduce this type of crime and the subsequent harm that is being brought through the criminal exploitation of young people by organised gangs and groups.' BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks rose for the third day running on Wednesday, with the latest PMI data and U.K. finance minister Rishi Sunak's budget speech in focus. IHS Markit's final February Composite Purchasing Managers' Index for the euro zone economy rose to 48.8 from January's 47.8, while the services PMI has been finalized at 45.7, up slightly from January's 45.4. Britain's treasury chief Rishi Sunak said in a tweet he will announce a three-part plan to 'protect the jobs and livelihoods of the British people' when he delivers his budget to Parliament later in the day. The pan European Stoxx 600 climbed 0.8 percent to 416.33 after closing up 0.2 percent on Tuesday. The German DAX jumped about 1 percent, France's CAC 40 index gained 0.9 percent and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 was up 1.2 percent. Miners Anglo American, Antofagasta and Glencore rose 1-2 percent on hopes for a quicker economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. Oil & gas firm BP Plc advanced 1.7 percent, Total SE rose over 1 percent and Royal Dutch Shell added 1.5 percent as oil prices rose amid signs of progress in the Covid-19 vaccine rollout in the United States. Banks also traded broadly higher, with Commerzbank, BNP Paribas, HSBC Holdings and Standard Chartered all rising over 2 percent each. British housebuilder Persimmon surged 3.6 percent despite reporting lower pretax profit and revenue in 2020. Polymetal gained 2.3 percent after it posted a record high net earnings of $1.1 billion in 2020 on stronger global prices for precious metals. Daily Mail and General Trust shares added 2.5 percent. The company said that its Consumer Media business, dmg media, has acquired New Scientist, science publishing title, from a consortium of individual investors led by Bernard Gray, for 70 million pounds in cash. Swiss logistics firm Kuehne + Nagel Group surged 5 percent. After closing the year 2020 with a record operating result, the company said it looks forward to the year 2021 with confidence. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. TANAISTE Leo Varadkar has heavily criticised a Green Party TDs unprecedented High Court action against his own Government over the EU-Canada trade deal. Coalition TD Patrick Costello initiated High Court proceedings against the Government on Monday seeking clarity on whether a referendum is needed to ratify the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA). Mr Varadkar told the Fine Gael parliamentary party on Wednesday he believed it was unprecedented for a Government TD to sue the Government and that the argument that Mr Costello was doing it as an individual and not a member of the coalition did not wash with me. Earlier a Green Party spokesperson said: This is an individual case taken by Patrick Costello rather than the party. It is the right of any individual to take such a case. The Green Party has sought to deal with this issue through the political system. The matter has been referred to an Oireachtas Committee. But the Fine Gael leader told his party the Dublin South-Central TDs actions were more serious than voting against the Government and that he had said this to Green Party leader Eamon Ryan. Read More Mr Varadkar also told colleagues there were people in Fine Gael who didnt want to join the coalition, but voted with the Government and had never contemplated suing it. Mr Costello declined to comment on Mr Varadkars remarks. A Fine Gael spokesperson said on Wednesday evening: The Programme for Government which all Government parties voted for is crystal clear. On page 111 it states that we will support new and existing EU trade deals. The programme also provides for referendums on a number of issues. This is not one of them. The Attorney Generals advice is also clear on this matter. No referendum is required as no transfer of sovereignty is involved. The Coalitions efforts to ratify CETA by way of a Dail vote have been delayed amid internal dispute within the Green Party over the deal which Mr Costello and his party colleague Neasa Hourigan have voiced strong opposition to. Opponents of the trade agreement claim it would allow multinationals to sue Ireland through an Investor Courts System (ICS) if strong climate and social rights protections are brought in. Ms Hourigan has said publicly she will not vote for CETA when it comes before the Dail. The three Coalition party leaders have agreed to allow an Oireachtas committee to further scrutinise the deal although there has been dispute among TDs regarding which committee will scrutinise the CETA. Responding to news of Mr Costellos case in the Dail earlier, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said it was his legal advice that the claims made against the agreement are not sustainable. Mr Martins spokesman said it remains a Programme for Government aim to ratify the deal. WASHINGTON, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Roslyn Layton, China Tech Threat Co-Founder, today released a new report showing that cyber attacks on banks are increasing in frequency, severity, and sophistication despite banks' investment in cybersecurity and significant federal policy efforts intended to mitigate them. "A cyber attack on a bank can devastate its customers and systems, and a cyber attack on the U.S. Treasurywhich SolarWinds came dangerously close to achievingcould bring down the country. The possibility of a similar attack represents an existential threat to the financial industry," said Dr. Layton. "The stark reality is that cyber attacks are growing faster and larger than government or banks can address them." The People's Republic of China (PRC), the leading threat actor against the U.S., increasingly supplies the IT products and services of U.S. financial organizations. This presents risks of backdoors, data exfiltration and unethical product development. The U.S. cyber policy approach, which restricts some PRC-owned IT firms but not others, is needlessly complex and invites exploitation. The report recommends a strategy for U.S. financial organizations to reduce operational and reputational risks: 1) Don't wait for policymakers to fix the problem 2) Conduct cyber resilience audits 3) Remove elements with cyber vulnerabilities 4) Adopt a secure cyber sourcing strategy "China is the only national adversary providing technology to U.S. financial institutions, banks and credit unions so they must guard against relying on products and services from suppliers controlled by the PRC. As cyber threats continue to evolve and grow, so too must companies' cyber defenses. There is no silver bullet, but proactive strategies, like continuous audits of systems and equipment can help financial institutions stay ahead of these threats," said Layton. About China Tech Threat: We bring attention to the threats, dangers and vulnerabilities posed of information technology from entities owned and affiliated with the Chinese government. We conduct research and collect on materials from other experts to better understand these complex issues and improve policy. SOURCE China Tech Threat Related Links https://chinatechthreat.com The President of Honduras addressed last week the Congress to present new laws and reforms to toughen the fight against transnational crime and stated "he will not stop fighting against evil until the last day of his mandate" The Attorney General, who is elected by Congress, created a new anti-corruption unit as part of the efforts to combat corruption. According to the report the "Supply Reduction During the first nine months of 2020" are: Honduran authorities claimed to have seized approximately 2.8 metric tons (MT) of cocaine, exceeding the 2.2 MT seized during the 2019 calendar year. New vessels purchased by the Honduran Navy are not active in counterdrug operations due to lack of fuel (which also restricts proactive boarding) and an inadequate maintenance budget. In October of last year, President Hernandez lamented Honduras' security forces limited aviation counterdrug capabilities, due to the budgetary limitations imposed by the covid pandemic. security forces limited aviation counterdrug capabilities, due to the budgetary limitations imposed by the covid pandemic. The Ministry of Defense (MOD) shares vital information with U.S. authorities, but operational elements within the Honduran Navy are limited in their ability to act on this information because of resource constraints and lack of communications infrastructure. The Communication Intercept Unit (UIC) controls judicial intercept facilities and the U.S. government works closely with vetted Honduran law enforcement units to improve access to these facilities and operations against intelligence generated. Honduran authorities executed a six-week counternarcotics operation, Operation Dominio, with U.S. entities during May and June that yielded 212 kilograms in cocaine seizures. The MOD reported the destruction of 34 clandestine airstrips used for transshipment of narcotics during the first ten months of 2020. The revised Honduran ASL enacted in August prohibits shooting down or damaging suspected narcotrafficking aircraft. The law is the first step to share radar or other information related to airborne drug trafficking with Honduran authorities. The Honduran government does not have the capacity to track all suspected drug trafficking flights without outside support. National Goals, Bilateral Cooperation, and U.S. Policy Initiatives The United States provides assistance to Honduras through the Central America Regional Security Initiative. provides assistance to through the Central America Regional Security Initiative. The United States engages with Honduran authorities to deny drug traffickers the use of Honduran territory, increase seizures, facilitate extraditions of traffickers, support Honduras -based prosecutions, and build stronger security presence in affected areas. engages with Honduran authorities to deny drug traffickers the use of Honduran territory, increase seizures, facilitate extraditions of traffickers, support -based prosecutions, and build stronger security presence in affected areas. Since the passage of the revised ASL, the U.S. government has been working closely with the Honduran government to create a Joint Interagency Operations Center (JIOC) to coordinate interdiction operations and information sharing between the Honduran military, police, investigators, and prosecutors. The United States will support the JIOC to equip the facility and develop necessary policies and standard operating procedures. will support the JIOC to equip the facility and develop necessary policies and standard operating procedures. The United States government provides advisory and logistical support and equipment to various Honduran National Police (HNP) directorates, the Public Ministry, and the military to improve Honduras' capacity to disrupt drug trafficking. government provides advisory and logistical support and equipment to various Honduran National Police (HNP) directorates, the Public Ministry, and the military to improve capacity to disrupt drug trafficking. U.S.-supported HNP vetted units include the Sensitive Investigations Unit, the Transnational Anti-Gang Unit, and the Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit, which address drug trafficking and other transnational criminal activity. Honduras is a participant in the Multilateral Maritime Counter Drug Summit, which brings together over 150 maritime counter drug professionals from North, Central, and South America and Europe to foster dialogue between maritime and justice sectors representing source, transit, and destination countries. is a participant in the Multilateral Maritime Counter Drug Summit, which brings together over 150 maritime counter drug professionals from North, Central, and and to foster dialogue between maritime and justice sectors representing source, transit, and destination countries. The United States continues to help build the capacity of Honduran institutions to combat drug trafficking, corruption, and other criminal issues. While the Honduran authorities demonstrated improved capacity to conduct interdictions in 2020. President Hernandez stated that "despite the great limitations imposed by the pandemic we achieved a lot against drug trafficking, transnational crime, maras and gangs, building a more secure and peaceful Honduras". Source: https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/International-Narcotics-Control-Strategy-Report-Volume-I-FINAL-1.pdf SOURCE Government of Honduras A LIMERICK man who was seriously injured when he was shot over a decade ago has admitted transporting an improvised firearm and ammunition across the city. Daniel Philips, 31, who has an address at Crecora Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston has pleaded guilty to possession of the gun and 88 rounds of ammunition on March 26, 2020. They were located at Shelbourne Park, Ennis Road after gardai retrieved a package which was thrown from a car during a high speed pursuit. During a sentencing hearing, Garda Michael Moloney said a Volkswagen Passat being driven by Mr Philips was first encountered in the Ballynanty area of the city at around midnight and it was eventually stopped in the Parteen area. He told John OSullivan BL that members of the Armed Support Unit were deployed during the pursuit and that after the Passat was stopped, gardai became aware that a package had been thrown from the car. Mr OSullivan said a resident at Shelbourne Park contacted gardai after they observed an item being thrown onto the footpath outside their home. He said ballistics experts confirmed the .22 callibre firearm was capable of being used. It was improvised but effective. Garda Moloney said the defendant denied any knowledge of the firearm when questioned and insisted he had driven off as he was not insured. He denied throwing anything, he said. Mr OSullivan said there was a feud between two families on the northside of the city at the time and that Mr Philips was alligned with one particular group. However, he said there was no evidence that he intended using the firearm and he confirmed the DPP regards the offence as being within the mid-range of the scale. Barrister Antoinette Simon submitted her client was moving the package to repay a drug debt and that he didnt know it contained a gun and ammunition. She said Mr Philips still experiences some short-term memory issues arising from him being shot twice in 2010 and that he has no trappings of wealth. Judge Tom ODonnell will impose sentence later this week. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 09:41:21|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BRASILIA, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo said Tuesday that it is "absolutely not true" that there is friction between Brazil and China, highlighting sound Brazil-China relations. At a press conference at the ministry's headquarters in Brasilia, Araujo stressed the Brazilian government's efforts to improve ties and increase trade agreements with other countries. Araujo dismissed any unease with China and reiterated the importance of the bilateral ties for both countries. "Of the world's major economies, Brazil perhaps has one of the best relations with China," he said. "Our relationship is very good, very productive. Trade increased last year, investments continue and vaccine supplies are arriving." Araujo also noted that Brazil is building "a network of new generation trade agreements," and cited the strengthening of trade with blocs and countries. Enditem You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close The former principal of one of Melbournes most prestigious schools who built an illustrious teaching career on the back of criminal lies has been hailed as a gifted and exceptional educator who inspired those he taught. Neil Lennie was headmaster of Caulfield Grammar School for five years and taught at three other private schools across 24 years despite never having been registered as a qualified teacher. Lennie has pleaded guilty to four counts of obtaining a financial advantage by deception after he falsely claimed he was a registered teacher and had tertiary qualifications in teaching, science and business, which helped him land positions at Mount Scopus Memorial College, Haileybury, Caulfield Grammar and Overnewton Anglican Community College, in Keilor, between 1976 and 2000. The 72-year-old on Wednesday faced a plea hearing in the County Court, which heard his once enviable reputation was now one of humiliation. LATEST 11:30 a.m. Mayor London Breed confirmed that San Francisco has finalized a distribution plan with the state for teacher vaccines. She noted that access codes will be available to all educators and teaching staff, but should prioritize those who are returning to in-person learning. Last night, we received our first vaccine priority access codes from the State for our educators who are in the classroom or who are heading back soon," she said in a statement. "Weve distributed this first set of codes to the San Francisco Unified School District for distribution to public school educators and support staff, including charter schools, that are slated to return to the classroom first, and the San Francisco Department of Public Health is working directly with our parochial and private schools to make sure their teachers who are teaching in person have access." Supervisor Hillary Ronen also confirmed to SFGATE that 2,000 codes were given by the state to teachers so far. "The faster the District and Union announce a concrete timeline for reopening the schools, the quicker the State will give all remaining educators the codes," she said in a statement. 8:15 a.m. San Francisco teachers hoping to get vaccinated faced a frustrating conundrum at the Moscone Center Tuesday. They should be getting vaccinated as part of the states Phase 1B, but none were able to, according to city politicians. The reason, officials said, is that teachers are supposed to be provided special access codes by the state in order to receive their shots. But because the school district has no clear-cut reopening plan, the state did not provide the district with the access code needed to get the vital immunization. Districts are required to have a reopening plan within 21 days. Just learned that no SF educator was vaccinated at Moscone today [because] the Governor forced Kaiser to hold all spots for educators who receive codes from the School District, Supervisor Hillary Ronen said in a tweet Tuesday. Ronen has been pushing the state to prioritize teachers for the vaccine. It is unclear if this vaccine challenge will further impede schools reopening, or if it affected other vaccine sites in the city. But it poses another hurdle in both the states vaccine rollout and the citys school reopening process, both of which have been met with criticism. San Francisco schools are currently facing a lawsuit by city attorney Dennis Herrera, and have reached an agreement over safety measures but have not announced an official reopening date. In an attempt to alleviate this, Gov. Gavin Newsom directed 10% of all vaccines go to teachers beginning Monday. Ronen told KRON that the governor will give codes to the city to circumvent the gridlocked district, which has approved six San Francisco Unified schools to reopen. The city will then be able to give those codes to the first 2,000 educators that we imagine are coming back in the six schools that have been OKd by the Department of Public Health to reopen, Ronen told the station. Representatives for Ronen and the teachers' union did not immediately respond to a request for comment from SFGATE. AI-enabled robotic systems deliver innovation, competitive advantage, and labor optimization RPSi (Robotic Product Sortation and Identification) system gives CEVA the capacity to process more than 5.5 million packages annually at its Vancouver facility with minimal operator intervention Compact operating footprint can cater to challenging parcel types CEVA Logistics and Berkshire Grey are implementing AI-enabled robotic automation systems into CEVA's supply chain operations in Canada. Embedding robotic solutions at CEVA's Vancouver eCommerce facility will maximize distribution center capacity, optimize throughput and accelerate fulfillment processes. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005118/en/ Improving throughput and speeding fulfilment Berkshire Grey's Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) model enables CEVA to leverage leading-edge, intelligent robotic automation systems on behalf of its customers. This gives CEVA the ability to increase capacity, improve throughput, and speed up fulfillment across locations as consumer demand grows. The RaaS model advances CEVA's agility to scale and serve its customers and their businesses now and in the future. Processing more than 5.5 million packages annually CEVA is using Berkshire Grey's Robotic Product Sortation and Identification (RPSi) system at its Vancouver distribution center to autonomously identify and sort eCommerce packages and parcels, streamlining distribution to 78 Canada Post destinations. The implementation has the capacity to process more than 5.5 million packages annually with minimal operator intervention in a compact 93 square-meter (1,000 square-foot) operating footprint. The RPSi system can handle challenging parcels such as the polybags, tubes, padded mailers and envelopes that are common in eCommerce shipping. Says Dominik Dittrich, CEVA's Executive Vice President of Contract Logistics, North America:"CEVA is committed to continuous improvement and innovation across its fulfillment, transportation and supply chain operations. The COVID-19 pandemic exponentially increased the fulfillment volume we needed to process shipments on behalf of our customers around the world. As we move forward, that volume is expected to remain strong. By partnering with Berkshire Grey and investing in its intelligent robotic automation systems, we can better operate our fulfillment facilities 24 hours per day to manage the excess volume, as well as scale our operations when needed." Adds Jessica Moran, SVP and General Manager of 3PL and Parcel Businesses at Berkshire Grey: "Berkshire Grey is excited to be a trusted partner to CEVA Logistics and provide the most innovative robotic technologies available today to help optimize their logistics and supply chain operations. Our AI-powered robotic solutions help businesses optimize labor while increasing throughput and capacity in their critical operations to better meet customer expectations." The RPSi is powered by AI-enabled robotic picking and placing, linear sort shuttle technology, a pack-to-light user interface, and Berkshire Grey's patented HyperScanner auto-identification module. The system uses the company's proprietary hardware and software to identify, singulate, transport, sort and store small parcels in specific and re-definable end locations aligned to meet CEVA's dynamic network sortation needs. About CEVA Logistics CEVA Logistics, a world reference in third-party logistics, provides and operates transportation and supply-chain solutions for large or medium size national and multinational companies. CEVA Logistics offers a broad range of services in both Contract Logistics and Freight Management thanks to 78,000 employees, operating over 1,000 facilities in more than 160 countries. CEVA Logistics' experienced specialists focus on seamlessly designing end-to-end customized solutions to meet the complex and rapidly evolving supply chain needs whatever the business sector. CEVA Logistics is part of the CMA CGM Group, a world leader in shipping and logistics. For more information, please visit www.cevalogistics.com About Berkshire Grey Berkshire Grey helps customers radically change the essential way they do business by delivering game-changing technology that combines AI and robotics to automate fulfillment, supply chain, and logistics operations. Berkshire Grey solutions are a fundamental engine of change that transform pick, pack, move, store, organize, and sort operations to deliver competitive advantage for enterprises serving today's connected consumers. Berkshire Grey customers include Global 100 retailers and logistics service providers. More information is available at www.berkshiregrey.com. Berkshire Grey and the Berkshire Grey logo are registered trademarks of Berkshire Grey. Other trademarks referenced are the property of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005118/en/ Contacts: CEVA Logistics Ryan Fisher Global Media Relations Manager ryan.fisher@cevalogistics.com T: +33 (0)6 03 64 72 53 Berkshire Grey Lilian Ma Director of Corporate Communications lilian.ma@berkshiregrey.com The Ascot home of a senior bikie who bashed Rebels boss Nick Martin weeks before his assassination has been peppered with bullets overnight in what police allege was a targeted attack. A WA Police spokesman said the gang crime squad was investigating an incident which occurred around 7.15pm on Tuesday at Hells Angels sergeant-at-arms Dayne Brajkovichs Sedgeland Way house. Dayne Brajkovich outside Perth Magistrates Court on December 17. Credit:9 News Perth There is currently a crime scene in place and empty shell casings have been located at the scene, he said. This appears to be a targeted incident. A small rival filed a complaint against Portland vacation rental management giant Vacasa on Wednesday, alleging that Vacasa had embarked on a smear campaign in an effort to poach clients. The court case spotlights the intense dynamics underlying the market for managing vacation getaways. Privately held Vacasa has grown enormously since its founding in 2009, primarily by acquiring small management companies in vacation destination communities and by winning clients away from other businesses. Vacasa is one of Portlands largest companies and one of the few sizable, Oregon-based companies to emerge in the past several decades. It manages more than 25,000 vacation rentals across the nation and in several foreign countries providing housekeeping, maintenance and online rental listing services. The Portland company says it can outperform competitors by using technology to dynamically adjust rental prices for busy periods, which makes rental properties more expensive for vacationers but more profitable for the homes owners. Vacasa has raised about $630 million over the past several years, including a $108 million investment round last spring. It had 6,000 employees prior to the pandemic, most of them in vacation destination markets where local crews maintain and clean vacation homes between rentals. Bend-based Meredith Lodging maintains just 700 homes, in destinations along the Oregon coast and in central Oregon. In its complaint, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Eugene, Meredith alleges that Vacasa sales representatives have been badmouthing the smaller competitor to its clients. Meredith claims that Vacasa representatives have been cold-calling vacation property owners who contract with Meredith. The Bend company alleges that Vacasas representatives spread falsehoods about the cleanliness of Merediths properties and how it manages negative reviews, then asks them to switch to Vacasa. Our primary objective really is to stop Vacasa from engaging in this untoward business practice, said Annie Robertson, Merediths chief legal officer. This damages our reputation to call people and say negative things about our company. Meredith said it wants the court to stop Vacasa from falsely advertising, and to pay attorney fees and unspecified damages from lost revenue damage to the brand and other costs. Robertson said that Vacasa had inquired previously about acquiring the Bend company, but that Meredith made it clear it wasnt interested. Meredith asked Vacasa to stop with the cold calls before filing Wednesdays, according to Robertson, but she said the Portland company refused. She said the dispute illustrates the issues that arise when one large business gains a big share of any market. Were starting to see that with these vacation rental management companies. Theyre being consolidated and rolled up into larger organizations, Robertson said. She said Vacasa and other big players are making the vacation management business more difficult for small companies and more expensive for vacationers. That has an impact on competing businesses, Robertson said, and that has an impact on consumers. -- Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | twitter: @rogoway | Armenian News - NEWS.am presents the daily digest of Armenia-related top news as of 03.03.2021: The Homeland Salvation Movementwhich demands the resignation of Armenias Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan commenced a rally Wednesday outside the National Assembly (NA) building. There was a large number of police troops inside the parliament's building, including near the entrance to ensure entry of PM Nikol Pashinyan into the National Assembly. Pashinyan came to the building accompanied by dozens of security officers and cars. The police set up a barricade on the street at the side entrance to the legislature. They also have formed a human chain near the gates of the NA building. Snipers have been stationed inside the parliament's building as well. During the parliament's meeting, Pashinyan answered no questions of deputies, leaving this to Vice PM Tigran Avinyan. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian has earlier issued a statement stating that he hasnt signed the decree on dismissing Onik Gasparyan, but hasnt applied to the Constitutional Court with the request to determine the constitutionality of the decree either. Today the leadership of the opposition Homeland Salvation Movement had a meeting with Armen Sarkissian and urged him to apply to the Constitutional Court in regard to this issue. Pashinyan has reportedly instructed to launch a criminal case to detain Onik Gasparyan. Meanwhile, later Wednesday, Sarkissian had a meeting with Onik Gasparyan and noted that the Armed Forces must always be under all Armenians care and that he will continue to keep the army and its problems in his focus. The Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh] rescue teams on Wednesday resumed searching for the bodies of the fallen servicemen, as well as for the missing in the Hadrut region and in the southern part of Kashatagh region, which is now out of Artsakh's jurisdiction. A total of 1,486 bodies have been found so far. After the 44-day Artsakh war in 2020, a total of 15,792.1 hectares out of 27,133.1 hectares of arable land in the Martuni region have fallen under Azerbaijani control, Martunis Amaras daily reported. Besides, 578 cattle, 872 small cattle, and 820 pigs died, as well as 792 cattle and 565 small cattle went missing in the Martuni region following the war. The Armenian parliament has adopted a draft statement condemning Azerbaijan's policy of obstructing and unnecessarily delaying the repatriation of POWs and captive civilians. In turn, Zareh Sinanyan, the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs of Armenia told Russia's RIA Novosti that Azerbaijan detains more than 100 Armenian citizens, and the delay in resolving this issue delays the start of a dialogue between Yerevan and Baku. Freedom House published its annual Freedom in the World 2021 report, touching upon the post-war events in Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. According to the report, Armenia scored 55 points out of 100 and is among the partially free countries. According to the authors of the report, the Karabakh war has strengthened the authoritarian rule of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, but this conflict threatens to destabilize the position of the Armenian government. The report also notes that the surrender of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in the war caused a violent reaction among some opponents, who stormed parliament in November and attacked the speaker. "Such disorder threatens the countrys hard-won progress," the authors added. Two Azerbaijanis are wanted on suspicion of murdering an Armenian man named Artur Sarukhanov in Russia. According to Russian media, the wanted are Georgian citizens Mussa and Sanan Hasanov. Earlier, a criminal case has been filed over the murder of this 22-year-old man and the attempted murder of his 31-year-old acquaintance. As of Wednesday morning, 360 COVID-19 new cases were confirmed in Armenia, and the total number of these cases has reached 172,816 in the country. Also, two more deaths from COVID-19 were reported, making the respective total 3,202 cases. The number of people who have recovered is 163,906, and the number of people currently being treated is 4,889. Meanwhile, 2,526 COVID-19 tests were conducted in Armenia over the past day, while 739,116 such tests have been performed to date. Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government and distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. King Gojong in 1883/84 / Robert Neff Collection By Robert Neff Traveling clothes in the late 19th century / Robert Neff Collection In early 1897, eight young men quietly left Seoul on a secret mission for the king. These men were Amhaeng-eosa (Secret Royal Inspectors) and had been dispatched "to different provinces to look after the condition of the people and to administer justice to immoral classes." As their name implies, they traveled in secret (sometimes in disguise) until they arrived at their target destination and, after examining the conditions of the populace, revealed themselves to the local government. Often these agents did not survive their missions wild animals and bandits preyed upon them on the lonelier stretches of highways, and sometimes corrupt officials (learning of the agent's identity) hired assassins to cut them down in dark places or poison their food before they could arrive. Their purpose was "to be an aid to the sovereign in promoting good government and as a check to the rapacity of the officials," but in 1897 these secret agents were the problem through their fleecing of the general population and extortion of local governments. In a letter to The Independent an English-language newspaper published in Seoul a reader complained that "Egypt had once ten plagues, but fortunately a Royal Inspector was not one of them." One of the worst of these inspectors was Lee Seung-euk. Apparently Lee had convinced King Gojong that the southern provinces were on the verge of open rebellion and that only he (Lee) could pacify them. The Korean monarch agreed and dispatched Lee as one of his secret agents to the Chuncheong and Jeolla Provinces. While there may have been some unrest in the provinces, it grew much worse due to Lee and his malevolent acts. Mapea (horse requisition tablet) used by Korean officials to obtain horses at the various stations throughout the country. National Museum, November 2020. Robert Neff Collection "[While] secreting himself in a Buddhist temple in Jangseong district, [Lee] discovered some young nuns in the temple. He ordered them to wait on him during his incognito sojourn. The nuns refused on the ground that as they were nuns such service would be degrading. The inspector showed them the Imperial commission which he held and told them that he was authorized by His Majesty to have absolute control over life and death wherever he went. In case they should disobey him he would use his power to compel them to have respect for the Imperial messenger. The nuns promised to wait on him the next day and they retired to their rooms. Once there they packed up their belongings and escaped from the inspector's infernal designs. The next morning the inspector, hearing of their escape, sent out a squad of runners to capture the nuns." The nuns managed to escape but Lee discovered a young girl (only 13 years old and raised by the nuns) and had her sent to his home "for the purpose of making her his slave." When the governor heard of the incident he lodged a complaint with the Home Department requesting that Lee be prohibited from "taking innocent children for illegal purposes as the inspector's action has caused much ill feeling among the people of the province and it causes great injury to the Imperial house." His complaint was promptly misplaced for nearly five months. The governor's complaint might not have been as noble as it initially appears; he might have also been seeking revenge. When Lee was in Gwangju he ordered the local magistrate to arrest "without giving any reason" eight petty officials. The magistrate promptly apprehended six of them but refused to arrest the remaining two as they were the governor's clerks. In a missive to the governor Lee stated that he was "the personal representative of His Majesty hence his position is higher than the governor [and] he has the right to arrest the governor himself if he so chooses." Unless the governor immediately complied, Lee would have him removed. It is unclear what temple Lee supposedly committed his outrage upon the Buddhist worshippers but perhaps it was Baegyang Temple. Circa 2014. Courtesy of Dale Quarrington at Koreantempleguide.com The governor refused Lee's demand claiming that he had been appointed by the monarch and the Council of State and answered to the Home Department and to no other. He could not and would not "purposely ignore the law for the sake of pleasing the inspector." Lee was far from pleased and dispatched a squad of constables to the governor's office and had the clerks and a couple of police officials taken away and beat and tortured until they were unable to sit or stand. Perhaps as a further threat, Lee summarily dismissed the magistrate of one of the larger cities for maladministration. In response, the governor complained to the central government but his pleas for help from the tyrannical inspector who "murders innocent men and tortures the people in the most savage-like manner" went unanswered. However, Lee wasn't alone during his reign of tyranny. "After his appointment, [Lee] immediately dispatched some two hundred deputies throughout the Southern provinces ransacking the houses of all well-to-do men." By early 1898, their acts had "succeeded in creating a genuine uprising." In April, the governor of South Jeolla Province claimed Lee was "arresting several wealthy citizens on the charge of their being connected with Tonghaks [a peasant rebellion] four years ago. In order to free themselves from the clutches of the inspector they had to sell their farms to obtain funds with which to bribe him. By such a process the inspector has rendered some hundred people in the province homeless. After having lost their property they became desperadoes and really formed themselves into bandits." Another view of Baegyang Temple named after a white sheep that is said to have come to listen to sermons at the temple and eventually became enlightened. Circa 2014. Courtesy of Dale Quarrington at Koreantempleguide.com This time the Home Department listened. In early April, the governors of South Chungcheong and North Jeolla provinces were ordered to immediately arrest Lee's agents for torturing people for the alleged crime of being undutiful to their parents or being connected with Tonghaks. Within a week the governors were ordered to release all the prisoners Lee and his agents had accused of being rebels or their sympathizers. Many of Lee's deputies suffered at the hands of the enraged population and there was even a rumor that Lee had "made a hasty retreat to Seoul" in order to escape the fatal wrath of the people but this proved to be untrue. In August, Lee was "still going about 'as a roaring lion seeking whom (rich men) he may devour.'" He had moved to Mokpo where he had established a large speculation firm but was still engaged in extortion "his favorite method [was] to imprison rich men for some alleged immorality, and then release them on payment of money." The Mai-il Sinmun (Daily Newspaper) noted that "many rich men [in Mokpo] have fled to Seoul in order to escape the extortions of the Imperial messenger." Mokpo in the early 20th century / Robert Neff Collection The number of threats made to lawmakers has almost doubled in the first two months of 2021 compared to last year, acting head of Capitol Police revealed Wednesday, as fallout ensues following the Capitol riots on January 6. 'In the first two months of 2021, there has been a 93.54 percent increase in threats to Members compared to the same period in 2020,' Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman said in prepared statements. 'And from 2017 to 2020, there has been a 118.66 percent increase in total threats and directions of interests, with the overwhelming majority of suspects residing outside of the NCR [National Capital Region].' Pittman, in prepared testimony for a hearing before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch on Wednesday morning, is going to ask the panel for a 20 per cent increase in appropriations for the U.S. Capitol Police to bolster security in light of the massive increase in threats. The request for a $619.33 million budget for the department in fiscal year 2022, Pittman argues, is specifically 'centered on member security' outside Washington since she outlines most of the threats are not coming from within the beltway. Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman revealed threats to lawmakers has increased 93.54 per cent from last year The acting chief appeared before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch Wednesday to request a 20 per cent increase in budget for FY2021 to help Capitol Police protect lawmakers in DC and their home districts where most threats are coming Capitol Police were on their own for hours as they attempted to stop a mob of pro-Trump rioters from gaining access to the Capitol complex an unsuccessful effort as hundreds were able to make their way inside on January 6 In the week leading up to Congress certifying the Electoral College results for Joe Biden on January 6 and in the weeks following the riots that day, lawmakers especially Democrats and some known Republican defectors started receiving a heightened slew of threats to their offices. Shortly after the attack on the nation's capital over the ire of Congress refusing to 'Stop the Steal,' approximately 26,000 National Guard troops were deployed to Washington, D.C. and a massive security fence topped with razor wire was erected song the entire perimeter of the Capitol complex. Metal detectors were also placed outside the House Chamber by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to ensure lawmakers and their staff did not bring weapons, mainly guns, to the floor, an initiative she claims will help bolster security efforts. During Wednesday's hearing, Pittman also plans to outline security needs at the Capitol not just in lawmakers' home districts. 'On the Capitol Complex, the level of existential threats to the U.S. Capitol and Grounds are increasing as well,' Pittman prepared in her testimony. 'This was abundantly clear on January 6, 2021, when insurrectionists attempted to prevent the Congress from certifying the 2020 Electoral College results by storming the U.S. Capitol.' 'Due to the heroic actions of USCP officers, with the assistance of the Metropolitan Police Department, the National Guard, and many other of our law enforcement partners, the violent rioters were prevented from accomplishing their goal,' Pittman said. Aacting House Sergeant at Arms Timothy Blodgett alerted members of Congress on Tuesday that there will be heightened security at the Capitol on Thursday due to far-right conspiracy theories circulating claiming that March 4 is the 'true inauguration day.' People associated with QAnon have been pushing the claim that Trump will be inaugurated on that day. Capitol Police posted a statement to Twitter Tuesday evening saying: '[B]ased on the intelligence we have, the department has taken immediate steps to enhance our security posture and staffing for a number of days, to include March 4th.' Capitol Police were forced to defend the Capitol for hours by themselves on January 6 as a mob of pro-Trump protesters descended on the complex and were able to storm inside the building. Eventually, the National Guard was brought in to help fend off the remaining rioters. Around 5,000 National Guard are maintaining a presence in D.C. in light of continued threats and Pittman says an increased budget for Capitol Police will decrease reliance on other enforcement agencies More than 30 lawmakers signed a letter at the end of January calling for greater protection in their districts, noting threats against members have sharply increased. One of the lawmakers most targeted by the pro-Trump mob is progressive Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, more commonly referred to as AOC. A Texas man who participated in the January 6 Capitol siege was charged in January with threatening the New York congresswoman by, according to court documents, tweeting: 'Assassinate AOC.' A California man was arrested a few weeks after the January 6 riot after being charged with sending threatening messages to members of Democratic Representative Hakeem Jeffries' family. 'Your brother is putting your entire family at risk,' one message sent to Jeffries' sibling read. 'We are armed and nearby your house.' Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger, who voted to advance Donald Trump second impeachment earlier this year, told The Washington Post that he had received multiple menacing messages. 'The ones I worry about are not the ones that type out a threat,' the Illinois Republican said. 'It's the ones who just do it.' Pittman says that to ensure the safety of members in light of the increased threats, it will require the Capitol Police to have a dedicated standby ready force at all times of two platoons, which would equate 80 officers. She says this will 'thereby removing the department's full reliance on partner agencies for mission support when faced with an immediate threat event.' The Uttar Pradesh government led by Yogi Adityanath is all set to introduce pod taxis to the people of the state as the taxi will be connecting commuters from Greater Noida to the Noida International Airport located in Jewar. Pod taxis are a popular driverless mode of transport in many western countries and can accommodate four to six people per car at a time. To extend the connectivity to remote areas, the Yamuna Expressway and Eastern Peripheral Expressway will soon be signing an agreement with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). metrino-prt.com Rs 1,250-1,500 crore estimated cost "We already have Metro connectivity till Greater Noida but Jewar is about 25 kilometers from Greater Noida city. To bridge this gap, pod taxis are being considered. Pod taxis are a revolutionary mode of transport widely being used in many western countries," said Dhirendra Singh, BJP MLA from Jewar in Greater Noida. According to the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA), the pod taxi service connecting Greater Noida and Jewar International Airport will be developed by the DMRC and a detailed project report (DPR) on the same will be presented soon. The estimated cost of the pod taxi project is an estimated Rs 50-60 crore per kilometer, which will bring the total cost to an estimated Rs 1,250-1,500 crore. metrino-prt.com Aimed at reducing travel time "The upcoming airport is easily approachable through road from Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi and a large area of Uttar Pradesh. To help reduce travel time, we are working on pod taxis that will give a hassle-free travel experience to the commuters. Also, as the Film City will be developed in Jewar area, the pod taxi service will be of great help in connectivity," said YEIDA CEO Arun Veer Singh. Representation On February 17, 2021, Jewar Airport on its Twitter handle had shared a small video and had captioned itwriting, "Noida International Airport model on display at the UP Diwas 2021." Bid by Zurich Airport approved for project So far, the upcoming airport in Jewar is connected through two major expressways, the Yamuna Expressway and Eastern Peripheral Expressway, which connects northern and southern areas around the national capital region. In December of last year, the UP Cabinet had approved the bid by Zurich Airport International for the development of the Jewar airport. Noida airport pacts with ministry, AAI likely to be signed this month @jewar_airport pic.twitter.com/IvulcEa59S Jewar_Airport (@jewar_airport) February 6, 2021 In 2016, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had said that a pilot project involving Metrino Driverless Pod Taxis will connect Delhi and Haryana at a cost of Rs 800 crore. US, Japan, Australia, India Need to Push Back Against CCP: Think Tank The United States, Japan, Australia, and India need to comprehensively push back against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the Indo-Pacific region, a leading think tank says. Cleo Paskal of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies told The Epoch Times at the Conservative Political Action Conference that the CCPs goal is to be number one in the world with comprehensive national power. She said members of the Quad alliance need a comprehensive, multi-national defense where countries bring to the table what they havewhich is uniqueto push back against the CCP. The Quad, or the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, was started in 2007 by then-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Its four members are the United States, Japan, Australia, and India. The Trump administration reenergized the Quad to become a military and diplomatic force in the region. The four countries have met annually since 2019. In November 2020, Australia rejoined the annual navy exercise Malabar, which began in 1992 and currently has the United States, Japan, and India as three permanent members. Ships from the Royal Australian Navy, Indian Navy, Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force, and the United States Navy participate in Malabar 2020 in the North Arabian Sea on Nov. 17, 2020. (Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Elliot Schaudt/U.S. Navy) Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo previously said the Quad is not only for a rivalry between the United States and China this is for the soul of the world. This is about whether this will be a world that operates in this sense that wereon a rules-based international order system, or one thats dominated by a coercive totalitarian regime like the one in China, Pompeo told Japans NHK when he visited Japan in October 2020 for the Quad ministerial meeting. Paskal suggested that China has presented challenges to the Quad members and their neighbors. In June 2020, China attacked India and killed 20 of its soldiers. And that was a complete game-changer for India, Paskal said. One of the first things they did, very interestingly, was [to] ban a bunch of Chinese apps, including WeChat and Tik Tok, because the Chinese were using the metadata to weaponize their AI. So India has been pushing back in many, many different ways ever since June 2020. (L-R) Indias Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Japans Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, Japans PM Yoshihide Suga, Australias Foreign Minister Marise Payne, and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pose for photographs before a Quad Indo-Pacific meeting at the prime ministers office in Tokyo on Oct. 6, 2020. (Nicolas Datiche/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) Australia was punished hard by the CCP because they were the first to ask for a COVID-19 investigation, Paskal pointed out. [China] put in place a lot of tariffs on everything, from coal to beef, to lobster, to wine, Paskal said. But they havent backed down. So its been a very interesting, new Australia that were seeing thats giving backbone to several other countries in the region as well. Japan has taken two interesting paths toward the CCPs threat, Paskal said. One is to give countries in the region economic alternatives, especially around things like energy, which justifies a free and open Indo-Pacific seaway. Japan has also been trying to establish better relationships with the small Pacific Island countries to try to keep China out and less able to establish a military presence. Paskal said that the push-back against the CCP must be comprehensive. You cant just fight back with guns and ships, although theyre very important. You also need to block Tik Tok, block WeChat, block money going into their stock market, block their market access to you. Frank Fang contributed to this report. DETROIT Detroits significant role in the growth of the Civil Rights Movement was recognized by the National Park Service when it added five sites for the National Register of Historic Places. Birwood Wall, New Bethel Baptist Church, Rosa L. and Raymond Parks Flat, Shrine of the Black Madonna of the Pan African Orthodox Christian Church and WGPR-TV Studio were all added to the list of historic places, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) announced last week. These places are associated with both the struggles and successes of the African American community in Detroit during the volatile mid-20th century, Martha MacFarlane-Faes, deputy officer of the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), said in a statement. The Civil Rights Movement was as much about equality for African Americans in the northern U.S. as in the south, she said. The newly listed sites embody the wide range of issues the Black community encountered as it worked toward empowerment during this period. Find more details about each historic site below. Birwood Wall, located along the alleyway between Birwood Avenue and Mendota Street from Eight Mile Road to Pembroke Avenue in Detroit, is one of five Michigan sites recently added to the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of Detroit's role in the Civil Rights Movement.MEDC Birwood Wall The Birwood Wall is associated with the federal redlining policy, which ensured neighborhoods would remain racially segregated in the mid-20th century, according to the release. The six-foot-high, three-block-long, concrete wall was constructed in 1941 to physically divide two growing neighborhoods: one white and one Black. It is a rare surviving, tangible example of the lengths to which the government, the real estate profession, private developers, and White residents were willing to go to keep neighborhood populations segregated, the release states. Redlining meant African Americans rarely qualified for federal mortgage loans and thus were denied participation in the American Dream of homeownership that characterized the postwar era. The wall can be seen from the Alfonso Wells Memorial Playground on Griggs Street in Detroit. New Bethel Baptist Church, 8430 Linwood St. in Detroit, is one of five Michigan sites recently added to the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of Detroit's role in the Civil Rights Movement.MEDC New Bethel Baptist Church New Bethel Baptist Church is associated with The Rev. C. L. Franklin and the leadership the church showed during in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, according to the release. Franklin was a gifted and influential pastor whose radio show and recordings attained a national following, the release states. Franklin supported the non-violent activism of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and founded the Walk to Freedom march held in Detroit in 1963; it was the first major civil rights march in the nations history. The church it is also where Aretha Franklin began her musical career. Rosa L. and Raymond Parks Flat, 3201-3203 Virginia Park St. in Detroit, is one of five Michigan sites recently added to the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of Detroit's role in the Civil Rights Movement.MEDC Rosa L. (McCauley) and Raymond Parks Flat The Detroit home of Rosa Parks and her husband Raymond Parks became a hub for her continued activism after refusing to relinquish her bus seat to a white passenger in Montgomery, Ala., in 1955. Rosa Parks actions in Alabama changed the course of civil rights history and focused national attention on discriminatory practices, the release states. But she and her husband faced harassment afterward, leading them to move north and settled in Detroit where Rosa Parks had family. The couple lived on the ground floor flat of this duplex from 1961-1988. The flat became a hub for meetings and discussions on civil rights, according to the release. Rosa Parks served as an aid to Congressman John Conyers Jr. and participated in numerous civil rights events while advocating for equal treatment under the law for African Americans. In the late 1960s, she aligned with Detroits leaders in the Black Power Movement. In 1987, she founded the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development to further youth education and leadership. (This property remains a private residence.) Shrine of the Black Madonna of the Pan African Orthodox Christian Church, 7625 Linwood St. in Detroit, is one of five Michigan sites recently added to the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of Detroit's role in the Civil Rights Movement.MEDC Shrine of the Black Madonna of the Pan African Orthodox Christian Church Commonly known as the Shrine of the Black Madonna, the church was founded by The Rev. Albert B. Cleage Jr. (later known as Jaramogi Abebe Agyeman) who was a nationally known civil rights leader, a champion of the Black Nationalism Movement and a community organizer in Detroit, according to the release. Cleage advocated for unity among African Americans, and championed separatism over integration. Cleage believed Blacks should actively develop their own power structures, instead of waiting for traditional white society to hand them their rights, the release states. On Easter Sunday 1967, Cleage rechristened Central Congregational Church as the Shrine of the Black Madonna, and unveiled an 18-foot mural of a Black Madonna and child commissioned from Black artist Glanton Dowdell. He challenged Blacks to adopt a new world view that was not based on accepted white norms, the release states. The Shrine became one of the largest and most influential Black Nationalist churches in the country with locations in Detroit, Atlanta, Houston, Calhoun Falls, S.C., and Monrovia and Ganta City in Liberia. The mural remains an iconic symbol of the Civil Rights Movement, according to the release. We are honored to receive this national historical landmark designation, Bishop Mbiyu Chui, of the Shrine of the Black Madonna, said in a statement. We continue to build and expand upon the legacy of our beloved founder who devoted his life and ministry to the mission of transforming urban ghettoes into Christian communities to bring about equality, justice and freedom for his people at home and abroad. WGPR-TV Studio, 3146 East Jefferson Ave. in Detroit, is one of five Michigan sites recently added to the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of Detroit's role in the Civil Rights Movement.MEDC WGPR-TV Studio WGPR-TV, founded by attorney William R. Banks, was the first Black-owned and operated television station in the United States. It debuted during September 1975, a decade after African Americans challenged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on the lack of Black programming, according to the release. WGPR-TV aired an Afro-centric focused newscast, a dance show, and public affairs features, the release states, and afforded career and training opportunities for Black students and professionals. The station was sold to CBS in 1995, transitioned to general programming and changed its call sign to WWJ. However, the studio retained a high degree of integrity from the WGPR-TV era, the release said. It has since been transformed into the William V. Banks Broadcast Museum, which chronicles the origins and influence of WGPR. To be considered for National Register listing, a property must be at least 50 years old, possess historic integrity, and be significant for its association with important people, events, or architecture and design. A 14-person Civil Rights Advisory Committee nominated the five Detroit sites as part of a competitive African American Civil Rights program grant awarded to SHPO by the park service. The committee included local historians familiar with Detroits Black history and staff members from SHPO and the City of Detroit Historic Designation Advisory Board. READ MORE: Fiat-Chrysler to pay $8K in profit-sharing bonuses to UAW employees Detroit offering mental health services to firefighters after 2 drunken driving crashes 6 Dr. Seuss books will no longer be published due to racist and insensitive imagery 12 Michigan properties added to National Register of Historic Places in 2020 Hanging KKK flag next to Black familys home unfortunately not a crime, prosecutor says Michigan police officer resigns amid investigation into racist social media post Michiganders 50 and older will soon be eligible for coronavirus vaccine Wednesday, March 3, coronavirus data by Michigan county: Five counties had no cases in past week Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday that he was lifting all COVID-19 restrictions, including mask requirements and capacity limits for restaurants, stores and other businesses. The move stunned San Antonio officials, who called it premature and dangerous. We talked to Dr. Junda Woo, medical director of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, about the governors order. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Do you think that this is the right time to lift restrictions? No. I think its a fragile time. Its a scary time. Were right on the cusp of beating down this pandemic. Were on the other side of the curve, but ... number one, there are new variants, and we know that the vaccines that we have are less effective against some of the new variants, which have all been found already in Houston. We have spring break coming up. We have not yet vaccinated even 10 percent of our countys population. And our goal is to vaccinate at least 70 percent. Some people would say 80 or 90 percent before we can resume more normal day-to-day activities. So its not the right time yet. Even though everyone is tired, we cant let up yet. The pandemic has eased up before, only to surge back again. Does it seem surreal to talk about dispensing with masks when there are people fighting for their lives in hospitals? Yes, it is. I cant say its surprising because weve been here twice before, right? We started to get back to a 5 percent positivity rate and then very quickly gone back up. So theres something in human nature. I cant say that Im surprised, but its really disappointing. The good thing is that compared to some other cities, I think San Antonio does have a culture of mask wearing, and we are going to do everything we can to reinforce that. Its hard when there are conflicting messages coming from different levels of government. People are going to hear the message they want to hear. Describe the risks in opening everything up. What could go wrong? What weve seen in the UK and in Brazil is that the new variants are much more easily transmitted, and people who have been infected before can be infected again. So we cant be too smug about, Oh, weve got vaccines and Weve had a high number of people infected, so its safe now. Were so close, but its not safe yet. Will local officials try to enforce a mask mandate for the city or county, despite the governors order? I dont know that were going to be able to do that. I think were going to have to rely upon businesses to do that. They still can voluntarily. H-E-B has said it will urge customers to wear masks, but not require it. Thats our largest grocery store. I worry. You know, weve already lost a lot of people from San Antonio to this virus, and were at a really fragile time and this could definitely get us into another wave that is sooner or larger than we would like. I dont think its realistic to have ever thought that we wouldnt have another wave. We were always going to have another wave. The question was how big it would be. Typically, they get smaller over time as more people are vaccinated, as more people have natural immunity. So this just makes that next wave seem a little closer, but I dont want to be all doom and gloom. I know that weve got a really good culture of masking in San Antonio, and were going to do everything we can to remind people that thats still good advice. Are we expecting to see COVID-19 numbers rise soon because of the winter storm, when people were housebound for days and shared space to keep warm? We havent been able to see the effects yet. And there are a few different factors working in opposite directions, because we didnt have any mass gatherings. Nobody was going to work. Nobody was going to school. Nobody was going to restaurants. So well have to see how it plays out, but it is concerning. Whats the main message for how people should protect themselves? Thats the hard part about this keeping the message new and interesting because our message really hasnt changed, right? Wear a mask, keep a healthy distance and wash your hands. The one new thing is making sure that you have a well-fitting mask. Weve seen more guidance about that from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The part that is different now is that because of the variants, we are in a race against time. We are in a race to get everybody vaccinated before those variants (become) the most common strain in the whole country, which the CDC is predicting by the middle or end of March. laura.garcia@express-news.net U.S. Air Force Rockwell B-1B Lancer bomber accompanied by two NATO air-policing Italian Eurofighter Typhoons fly over Vilnius, Lithuania, on March 3, 2021. (Ieva Budzekaite/Lithuanian Ministry of Defence/Handout via Reuters) US Bomber Flies Over Baltic States in Show of Solidarity: US Air Force VILNIUS/OSLOA nuclear-capable, long-range U.S. bomber flew over the capitals of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia on Wednesday in a show of solidarity with NATO allies, the U.S. Air Force said, amid Western concerns over a more assertive Russia. This mission sends a clear message that our commitment to our NATO allies is unshakeable, Gen. Jeff Harrigian, U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa commander said in a statement. Were in this together. Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia were once ruled from Moscow but are now part of both NATO and the European Union. U.S. Air Force Rockwell B-1B Lancer bomber flies over Vilnius, Lithuania, on March 3, 2021. (Ieva Budzekaite/Lithuanian Ministry of Defence/Handout via Reuters) The three Baltic states have hosted NATO and U.S. troops on their soil since Russia seized the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 from Ukraine, which is not a NATO member. The Russian Embassy in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius did not respond immediately to a request for comment. The bomber that flew on Wednesday is one of four deployed to Norway on Feb. 22 to operate in the strategically important Arctic region for several weeks. It is the first time this type of plane has been deployed in Norway and was accompanied by some 200 U.S. Air Force personnel. Norway, a founding member of NATO, shares a border with Russia in the Arctic. By Andrius Sytas and Gwladys Fouche European Council On 28 February and 1 March President Hoyer joined EU President Charles Michel on a mission to Moldova and Georgia, underlining the important role the EU Bank plays in Team Europe's effort to support the EUs Eastern Neighbourhood. In Tblisi President Michel said, The European Union remains committed to its partnership with all countries in the region, and that it stands firmly alongside Georgia. He added, I am delighted to be accompanied on this visit by Werner Hoyer, President of the European Investment Bank. A significant part of EU support is delivered through the European Investment Bank, the EU Bank. The European Investment Bank has provided around 1.8 billion to the local economy since 2007, of which 170 million recently in connection with COVID-19. This visit went hand in hand with the opening of a new office building for the EU institutions in Tbilisi. President Hoyer and President Michel were both present at the opening. The Banks Tblisi Regional Office is housed within the EU Delegations building. President Hoyer signed a new operation in the presence of President Michel, extending EIB support to Georgian micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). The 2.5 million operation will allow Liberty Bank to expand an existing credit line to a total of 17.5 million a much needed lifeline in the face of the pandemic . The EU bank has been supporting the economic and social development of Georgia since 2007, providing some 1.85 billion to the local economy to date. The EU banks activities in the country have supported key infrastructure projects (1 billion), MSMEs and mid-caps (290 million), municipal infrastructure (280 million) and green energy generation projects (23.5 million). EIB Group supported COVID-19 recovery activities, as part of Team Europe, in 2020 totalled 170 million. Georgia is among a few non-EU countries eligible to benefit from European Investment Fund (EIF) operations, designed to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with risk-sharing instruments. Today, the EIB Group portfolio of guarantees in Georgia covers 382.9 million of SME loans. In Moldova, the two presidents met Moldovan President Maia Sandu to reaffirm Team Europes commitment to Moldova and EU support for President Sandu`s planned reforms, which aim to strengthen the rule of law and tackle corruption. Speaking after the visit, President Hoyer said, The EU Bank is playing a major role in Team Europes efforts in the Eastern Neighborhood: in bolstering recovery, building resilience and encouraging investment. Were committed to supporting the kinds of initiatives and projects that make the EU a trusted and reliable partner for the region. The EU is Moldovas largest trading partner and principal market for Moldovan exports. During the last ten years, the Union has provided over one billion euros in grants. The European Investment Bank has financed key projects in the energy sector and for SMEs. The European Investment Bank has around 847 million invested around 847 million in Moldova since the beginning of our operations in the country in 2007, supporting all key sectors of the local economy, and SMEs in particular. In 2020 alone the Bank provided 20 million to aid the faster recovery of Moldovan SMEs from the COVID-19 pandemic. Read the press release to find out more about our support to Georgia Former Congresswoman Katie Hill has been unable to reach a settlement with her ex-husband, Kenny Heslep, over a restraining order she is seeking to ban him from revealing photos and confidential information about her, a Los Angeles court heard Tuesday. Now the case will go to trial. The court action has been postponed several times while Hill has been trying to reach an agreement with Heslep, whom she's accused of years of violent and sexual abuse. Heslep has denied those claims. But at Los Angeles Superior Court Tuesday, after hearing from attorneys for both that there's still no settlement, Judge Anne Richardson scheduled another hearing Wednesday to set a date for a full trial. Disgraced former Rep. Katie Hill is seeking a restraining order to ban her ex-husband Kenny Heslep from revealing photos and information about her. The case will go to trial after the pair were unable to reach a settlement Tuesday, DailyMail.com can reveal In October she quietly settled her divorce from husband Kenny Heslep after blaming him for exposing a 'throuple' sexual relationship they were having with a young female campaign staffer Hill's attorney, Jennifer Morra, told the court that the trial would take about four days and she would call 'four or five' witnesses, in addition to Hill. Heslep's lawyer, Erin McKinley, said she would have three witnesses, plus her client. Although Judge Richardson Hill's request for a restraining order that would have prevented Heslep from sharing intimate pictures and disclosures about his ex, she did continue a restraining order she made in December, forcing Heslep to stay 100 yards away from Hill, her mother and sister, and her pets. Hill, 33, - who resigned from Congress last year after nude photos emerged of her with a female campaign staffer she and Heslep had a 'throuple' sexual relationship with - claimed in her restraining order application that her former husband has her living in fear for her life. 'I have been subject to Kenny's physical, sexual, verbal, emotional and psychological abuse for more than 15 years including, but not limited to, the many times Kenny has threatened me with guns, killed and hurt my pets in front of me, choked me until I lost consciousness and publicly released sexually explicit photos of me, solely for the purpose of destroying my life and career in Congress after I had gathered the courage to leave him,' she said in a written declaration to the court. 'While I considered filing a restraining order many times over the years, I was always afraid doing so would simply make matters worse. 'At this point, I am finally seeking a restraining order because I am afraid that he will not give up until I am dead.' Heslep, 37, has been fighting his ex-wife's restraining order request, vehemently denying her claims in a written declaration to the court. 'There has never been any abuse or domestic violence in our relationship.The allegations are false,' he insisted. He denied leaking sexy pictures of Hill. And also claimed that there has been 'virtually no contact' between him and Hill for about 16 months. Hill - who met Heslep when she was only 16 and he 20 - said that she had hoped the 'frightening obsession' he has with her would stop when their divorce became final in September last year. But it didn't stop, she added. Hill, 33, resigned from Congress in 2019 after the publication of shocking nude photos of the politician cavorting with Morgan Desjardins, who was then a 22-year-old junior staffer, (pictured all together) and an ethics probe was launched into her alleged affair with another aide 'Kenny's continued attempts to publicly humiliate, intimidate and harass me have made it clear to me that Kenny's unhealthy and that his dangerous fixation on me continues, even though our divorce is final. 'I am terrified that Kenny will try to make good on the many threats he made during our relationship that I could never leave him 'or who knows what will happen' because 'neither of us could live without the other. 'I fear for my safety, the safety of my mother and sister and the safety of my animals. Every single day I live in terror that Kenny will finally take his obsession with controlling me beyond vicious interviews with newspapers to actually showing up on my doorstep, or one of my family members' doorsteps, with one of his guns. 'I am exhausted by living in fear and even though I still worry that filing for a domestic violence restraining order will set Kenny off, I truly believe it is the only tool I have left to protect myself.' The openly bisexual former legislator - who had served less than a year in Congress when she stepped down in the wake of the 'throuple' sex scandal involving the 24 year-old female staffer - told a harrowing tale of Heslep's physical and sexual abuse. 'Kenny would grab my buttocks, crotch and/or breasts hard, without permission, often in public or in front of other people, ' she said. 'I was often left feeling humiliated, small and ashamed. 'Kenny began insisting on trying to bring other people into our sex life, exploiting my bisexuality and using that as the reason why we needed to bring other women into our relationship, even if I agreed. Kenny equated my attraction to women with a desire ton have threesomes with him and other woman.' Hill said that 'the more successful I became, the angrier, more volatile and more abusive Kenny became. On multiple occasions, Kenny backed me into walls when he was angry, pinning me against them and shouting in my face. 'Kenny started choking me during sex, ignoring my attempts to stop him and not letting go until after I passed out or he finished, whether I was conscious or not. On more than one occasion, I was afraid Kenny was going to kill me.' In her declaration, Hill also complained that Heslep's anger and aggression weren't just directed at her but also at her, pets - including a cat, goat and horse. The case will go to trial after the pair (pictured at their wedding) were unable to reach a settlement Tuesday. Hill's attorney told the court that the trial would take about four days and she would call 'four or five' witnesses, in addition to Hill She said that on one occasion, Heslep allowed his two husky dogs to attack and kill her cat Bones. And on another, the huskies mauled her pet goat Daisy so badly that he shot the animal to put it out of its misery. Hill also claimed that Heslep is 'obsessed' with guns and owns 'more than a dozen.' As part of the restraining order, Judge Richardson ordered Heslep to turn in all his firearms to the police or a licensed gun dealer. Hills claims in her book titled She Will Rise: Becoming a Warrior in the Battle for True Equality that Heslep forced her to have a throuple with a staffer In his eight-page declaration opposing Hill's restraining order against him, Heslep told the court, 'Ms. Hill alleges that our polyamory (loving more than one person) and involvement with third parties was a form of abuse. 'However, during our marriage, Ms. Hill made it clear that she was not interested in monogamy as she was extremely interested in women. 'Her bisexuality was part of the platform on which she ran for public office. Ms. Hill wanted to remain married but explore her desire for women. 'Shortly after we were married, she began looking for another woman to bring into our marriage. We found our then girlfriend using a variety of online websites geared toward that purpose. Ms. Hill featured herself prominently on these website advertisements/profiles.' Heslep lashed out at Hill's abuse claims. 'I never choked Ms. Hill or put my hands on her during sex or at any other time,' he declared. 'I have never engaged in anything that could be construed as choking behavior. 'I have never even in a playful way made a gesture or done anything that could be construed in this manner. I have no interest in this kind of sex play or violence.I am not a violent or angry person.' Of Hill's contention that Heslep is 'obsessed' with guns, he said, 'In multiple interviews while campaigning, she (Hill) talks about owning guns. She ran on a platform of having guns yet also encouraging gun safety. 'Many of the guns in our home belonged to Ms. Hill, others were guns from family members. None of the guns in our home were mine. I never pointed the guns at her or at any other human being or animal for fun or to threaten.' Hill quit Congress on October 27, 2019, days after Red State first revealed the affair and published photos exposing the 'throuple' with her husband and the young staffer Heslep dismissed Hill's 'fears' for the safety of her mother and sister, as well as herself, saying, 'In the last two or three years, I do not recall any contact with her mother or sister.I have never had any conflict with her family members.' While Heslep did admit shooting their pet goat to put it out of its misery, he added, 'The idea that I directed my animals to kill other animals is absurd. Ms. Hill and I acquired the two huskies together. I certainly did not want our huskies to attack..Ms. Hill's goats. I was not at home when one of the huskies killed our cat.' As for Hill's claim that he released sexy photos of her, Heslep said, 'Ms. Hill alleges that I am responsible for leaking photos of her and ruining her career. 'I am a private personI only appear in one interview to defend myself several months ago after Ms. Hill's book came out making outlandish accusations against me. After over a year and a half of declining interviews, I was fed up.' In that interview with DailyMail.com, Heslep described a tangled web of trysts and alleged that Hill had an insatiable sexual appetite which led her to cheat on him multiple times and smoked copious amounts of marijuana. He also claimed Hill used campaign dollars to fund their 'sex-cations' with a staffer in early 2018 and says she falsely claimed their baggage expenses and flights to her campaign costs. In his statement Heslep said, 'I did not knowingly disseminate any private or sexually explicit photographs of Ms. Hill, nor would I. In response to an investigation regarding the same, I voluntarily turned over my computer and many other files requested by the investigating agency. 'A year has passed and I have not been prosecuted or even contacted. I have been fully co-operative and have not even hired an attorney with respect to the matter as I have done nothing wrong.' The EU-Mercosur agreement and its potential impact on Kerry farming provided for the most charged discussion at last Tuesday's online Kerry IFA AGM, at which Tanaiste Leo Varadkar was a guest speaker. If ratified in its current form, the agreement could see almost 100,000 tonnes of beef extra coming into the EU, levy-free, from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Farming organisations have long questioned the proposed deal, and IFA President Tim Cullinan, who also spoke last Tuesday, accused the EU of speaking with a "forked tongue" on the matter. "I can't stress enough the importance of the beef sector to rural Ireland," Mr Cullinan said. "We produce 30,000 to 35,000 animals a week, and 90 per cent of those animals have to be exported. "They [the EU] are asking us to develop new measures around the green deal, farm-to-fork, biodiversity That same commission wants to do a trade deal with a country that's sawing down trees in the Amazon to grow grass and produce more beef," he said. Mr Cullinan called on the Tanaiste to raise the matter immediately in Brussels and expressed concern at positive soundings on Mercosur coming from Europe. The Tanaiste said he doesn't expect Mercosur to be put forward for ratification in the near future and is of the view that it needs to be re-examined, particularly on environmental grounds. "I think it's a stronger argument to talk about the environmental impact than the economic impact on a particular sector for political reasons", the Tanaiste said. "I do think it would be very difficult for Ireland to be voting against it or be trying to block it. We're a country that benefits enormously from free trade and free-trade agreements and twisted a lot of arms to get a trade agreement with Britain for your benefit and for the benefit of all exporters. So if we suddenly turned into being anti free trade or only for free trade when it suited us, that could do us more harm in the longer run. So we need to play smart and box clever We're keeping close to the French and other countries that might be of a similar view to us." France said last month it would not sign the deal in its current form and called for guarantees from the South American nations on environmental and health concerns. The Tanaiste said Ireland stood to gain little from the deal and acknowledged the huge loss it could represent to Irish agriculture. He said he didn't expect to meet with his fellow trade ministers until May and offered to discuss the matter with the IFA before then. It was the most charged point of what was a largely amicable meeting. The Tanaiste outlined at the outset that he is not an expert on farming matters but described his family's farming background in County Waterford. He said Ireland would support the nitrates derogation being renewed and continued, and he also said that having a national dog-ownership database "seems like common sense". He expressed concern at hearing of animal-rights activists trespassing on people's farms and properties and promised to discuss the matter with Justice Minister Helen McEntee. He added that he will be contacting National Broadband Ireland to speed up the roll-out of broadband. He also said that the Macroom Bypass would be completed in 2023 and that the aim for the Adare Bypass is for it to be completed before the 2026 Ryder Cup. The rapid spread of the coronavirus offers a ready metaphor for rapid transmission of another public problem secrecy in government. In December, for example, Lackawanna Countys commissioners imposed a preposterous fee of 50 cents per minute, plus a $25 initiation fee, for members of the public to search public records that they already own. That vastly would have reduced public dissemination of government information. In doing so, the commissioners explained that, well, other counties had done it. They quickly rescinded the fees when faced with substantial public blowback. So, here is a cautionary tale about another county, Chester, clamping down on the release of public information, in case it also becomes viral. Two months after The Philadephia Inquirer relying partly on leaked information reported on major problems with a no-bid $13 million contract with a politically connected company for COVID-19 testing, the Chester County commissioners issued a new ethics policy. Some of the provisions, such as a ban on accepting gifts, are sound. But it forbids county employees from discussing any aspects of their jobs with anyone, including their friends and families, and precludes disclosing any information of any kind other than standard public information. Typically, government ethics bans preclude public employees from disseminating public information for their own profit, which is a legitimate ethics matter. As for the no-bid contract exposed by the Inquirer, the county has notified many county residents that their COVID-19 test results might be wrong, and has filed a lawsuit seeking to recoup $11 million of the $13 million contract price. The gag order tramples free speech, quite likely is unconstitutional, and is certain to expose taxpayers to further litigation costs. The state Legislature should act just as aggressively to prevent local governments from violating workers free speech rights. Bristol council has called for a Parliamentary inquiry to take place and investigate paying reparations for slavery. Councillors have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a plan for 'atonement and reparation' for Bristol's role in the transatlantic slave trade. Bristol City Council passed a motion at an extraordinary full council meeting on Tuesday. The motion - atonement and reparation for Bristol's role in the transatlantic traffic in enslaved Africans - was supported by 47 councillors, and opposed by 12. It comes eight months after Black Lives Matter protesters toppled a statue of the Bristol slave trader Edward Colston into the city's harbour. Bristol council has called for a Parliamentary inquiry to take place and investigate paying reparations for slavery. Pictured: Black Lives Matter protesters toppling a state of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol Ahead of the meeting, Green party councillor Cleo Lake, who brought the motion, said the city had 'played a leading role in trafficking and enslaving people, so as a city we now need to play a leading role in being honest about that and calling for systemic change'. She added: 'Reparations is not a paycheque for the descendants of people who were enslaved - it is a process outlined by the UN which looks for ''holistic repair''. 'This can include public apologies, social justice initiatives, education or cultural projects, commemorative ceremonies, affirmative action and much more.' The motion states that the council resolves to call on councillors, the Mayor or the chief executive to write to the speakers in the Houses of Parliament to say they should consider establishing an All-Party Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry to work on the scope of how reparations may be delivered. Councillors have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a plan for 'atonement and reparation' for Bristol's role in the transatlantic slave trade. Pictured: Mayor Marvin Rees It also calls for support of African Heritage Community (AHC) organisations in Bristol in relation to a reparations plan, the implementation of community wealth creation strategies to produce more sustainable equitable growth and address systemic poverty, and for recognition that reparative justice 'should be driven by Afrikan Heritage Communities experiences, voices and perspectives'. The Green party said use of the letter k signifies 'Afrikan unity and the importance of a shared political language', and that the spelling was changed by Europeans who substituted the k for a c. Labour councillor Carole Johnson told the meeting that, given Bristol's history, it was 'fitting' that it is 'one of the first councils to pass a motion on this matter'. Party colleague and deputy Mayor councillor Asher Craig, who seconded the motion, said the toppling of the statue of slave trader Edward Colston during a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Bristol last summer 'was a symbolic demonstration of our city's complex relationship with race'. She added: 'It highlights the long shadows cast by slavery and racism in Bristol and how this shapes our city's discourse about inequality and exclusion amid modern concerns about institutional racial violence and the disproportionate effect of the coronavirus on our black and brown citizens.' Addressing the meeting, Mayor Marvin Rees said the conversation on race will be complex, but that should not stop it taking place. Ahead of the meeting, Green party councillor Cleo Lake (pictured), who brought the motion, said the city had 'played a leading role in trafficking and enslaving people, so as a city we now need to play a leading role in being honest about that and calling for systemic change' He said: 'Racism and race inequality is still an inequality and a reality that needs to be addressed. 'The fact that there is complexity in it should not deter us from taking a first step down that path.' Deputy mayor Asher Craig told The Guardian: 'The toppling of the statue of Edward Colston in June was a symbolic demonstration of our city's complex relationship with race. It highlights the long shadows cast by slavery and racism in Bristol and how this shapes our city's discourse about inequality and exclusion.' Councillor Steve Smith told the meeting the Conservative group was 'unable to support this motion'. He said: 'We believe the motion risks exacerbating some divisions by promoting a binary view of the world when the reality is much more complicated.' Mr Smith said while the motion 'comes from a good place' and is done with 'the very noblest of intentions' the risk remains. He described the transatlantic slave trade as 'one of the darkest parts of our national history and our civic history in Bristol' but he said he was 'not convinced' anything in the motion would 'make that awful history any better'. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented economic disruption and unemployment worldwide, and it may be challenging for career counselors to determine how best to provide effective career counseling to unemployed people in the post-COVID-19 world. In an article published in the Journal of Employment Counseling, experts suggest applying a holistic model of career counseling that addresses the multifaceted needs of long-term unemployed people. The model was developed to address similar problems occurring in Greece in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. The authors note that career counselors should work on multiple levels--with individuals, with employers, with policy makers, and within the wider social context--to provide effective career counseling. "The full impact of the pandemic crisis on the world of work is yet to be seen. Nonetheless, it is certain that career counselling will have to address the sharp rise of unemployment, and a holistic approach is essential," said lead author Nikos Drosos, PhD, an Assistant Professor at the European University Cyprus. "As we saw in the recent financial crisis in Greece, working just with clients is not enough, and we have to make multilevel and multifaceted interventions." ### By Ko Dong-hwan Police in Gunsan are investigating a group of elementary school students over allegations that they bullied and sexually harassed a younger boy. Police in the North Jeolla provincial city said Tuesday that they received a report at around 6 p.m. that 10 boys, who appeared to be fourth to six graders, were bullying a third grader at a playground in the Jigok area in southwestern Gunsan. A majority of students began the new semester on Tuesday amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The report was made by the victim's mother. She told police that the aggressors "pulled down her son's pants" and circled around him and hurled insults at him. The victim's younger sibling was also at the scene, according to the police. Following the incident, the mother posted a text message online, which was shared by local residents, requesting that parents of any of the students at the playground contact her. But nobody responded. A police department team specializing in cases involving women and juveniles has taken up the case and began looking into video footage from surveillance cameras in the area. Boulder, Colo., USA: GSA's dynamic online journal, Geosphere, posts articles online regularly. Topics for articles posted for Geosphere this month include "a tale of five enclaves"; evidence for mantle and Moho in the Baltimore Mafic Complex (Maryland, USA); and the after effects of the 1964 Mw 9.2 megathrust rupture, Alaska. From Ordovician nascent to early Permian mature arc in the southern Altaids: Insights from the Kalatage inlier in the Eastern Tianshan, NW China Qigui Mao; Jingbin Wang; Wenjiao Xiao; Brian F. Windley; Karel Schulmann ... Abstract: The Kalatage inlier in the Dananhu-Haerlik arc is one of the most important arcs in the Eastern Tianshan, southern Altaids (or Central Asian orogenic belt). Based on outcrop maps and core logs, we report 16 new U-Pb dates in order to reconstruct the stratigraphic framework of the Dananhu-Haerlik arc. The new U-Pb ages reveal that the volcanic and intrusive rocks formed in the interval from the Ordovician to early Permian (445-299 Ma), with the oldest diorite dike at 445 3 Ma and the youngest rhyolite at 299 2 Ma. These results constrain the ages of the oldest basaltic and volcaniclastic rocks of the Ordovician Huangchaopo Group, which were intruded by granite- granodiorite-diorite plutons in the Late Ordovician to middle Silurian (445-426 Ma). The second oldest components are intermediate volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks of the early Silurian Hongliuxia Formation (S 1 h), which lies unconformably on the Huangchaopo Group and is unconformably overlain by Early Devonian volcanic rocks (416 Ma). From the mid- to late Silurian (S 2-3 ), all the rocks were exhumed, eroded, and overlain by polymictic pyroclastic deposits. Following subaerial to shallow subaqueous burial at 416-300 Ma by intermediate to felsic volcanic and volcaniclastics rocks, the succession was intruded by diorites, granodiorites, and granites (390-314 Ma). The arc volcanic and intrusive rocks are characterized by potassium enrichment, when they evolved from mafic to felsic and from tholeiitic via transitional and calc-alkaline to final high-K calc- alkaline compositions with relatively low initial Sr values, (87Sr/86Sr)i = 0.70391-0.70567, and positive Nd (t) values, +4.1 to +9.2. These new data suggest that the Dananhu-Haerlik arc is a long-lived arc that consequently requires a new evolutionary model. It began as a nascent (immature) intra-oceanic arc in the Ordovician to early Silurian, and it evolved into a mature island arc in the middle Silurian to early Permian. The results suggest that the construction of a juvenile-to-mature arc, in combination with its lateral attachment to an incoming arc or continent, was an important crustal growth mechanism in the southern Altaids. View article: https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geosphere/article-abstract/doi/10.1130/GES02232.1/594553/From-Ordovician-nascent-to-early-Permian-mature A tale of five enclaves: Mineral perspectives on origins of mafic enclaves in the Tuolumne Intrusive Complex C.G. Barnes; K. Werts; V. Memeti; S.R. Paterson; R. Bremer Abstract: The widespread occurrence of mafic magmatic enclaves (mme) in arc volcanic rocks attests to hybridization of mafic-intermediate magmas with felsic ones. Typically, mme and their hosts differ in mineral assemblage and the compositions of phenocrysts and matrix glass. In contrast, in many arc plutons, the mineral assemblages in mme are the same as in their host granitic rocks, and major-element mineral compositions are similar or identical. These similarities lead to difficulties in identifying mixing end members except through the use of bulk-rock compositions, which themselves may reflect various degrees of hybridization and potentially melt loss. This work describes the variety of enclave types and occurrences in the equigranular Half Dome unit (eHD) of the Tuolumne Intrusive Complex and then focuses on textural and mineral composition data on five porphyritic mme from the eHD. Specifically, major- and trace-element compositions and zoning patterns of plagioclase and hornblende were measured in the mme and their adjacent host granitic rocks. In each case, the majority of plagioclase phenocrysts in the mme (i.e., large crystals) were derived from a rhyolitic end member. The trace-element compositions and zoning patterns in these plagioclase phenocrysts indicate that each mme formed by hybridization with a distinct rhyolitic magma. In some cases, hybridization involved a single mixing event, whereas in others, evidence for at least two mixing events is preserved. In contrast, some hornblende phenocrysts grew from the enclave magma, and others were derived from the rhyolitic end member. Moreover, the composition of hornblende in the immediately adjacent host rock is distinct from hornblende typically observed in the eHD. Although primary basaltic magmas are thought to be parental to the mme, little or no evidence of such parents is preserved in the enclaves. Instead, the data indicate that hybridization of already hybrid andesitic enclave magmas with rhyolitic magmas in the eHD involved multiple andesitic and rhyolitic end members, which in turn is consistent with the eHD representing an amalgamation of numerous, compositionally distinct magma reservoirs. This conclusion applies to enclaves sampled <30 m from one another. Moreover, during amalgamation of various rhyolitic reservoirs, some mme were evidently disrupted from a surrounding mush and thus carried remnants of that mush as their immediately adjacent host. We suggest that detailed study of mineral compositions and zoning in plutonic mme provides a means to identify magmatic processes that cannot be deciphered from bulk-rock analysis. View article: https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geosphere/article-abstract/doi/10.1130/GES02233.1/594552/A-tale-of-five-enclaves-Mineral-perspectives-on Suprasubduction zone ophiolite fragments in the central Appalachian orogen: Evidence for mantle and Moho in the Baltimore Mafic Complex (Maryland, USA) George L. Guice; Michael R. Ackerson; Robert M. Holder; Freya R. George; Joseph F. Browning-Hanson ... Abstract: Suprasubduction zone (SSZ) ophiolites of the northern Appalachians (eastern North America) have provided key constraints on the fundamental tectonic processes responsible for the evolution of the Appalachian orogen. The central and southern Appalachians, which extend from southern New York to Alabama (USA), also contain numerous ultra- mafic-mafic bodies that have been interpreted as ophiolite fragments; however, this interpretation is a matter of debate, with the origin(s) of such occurrences also attributed to layered intrusions. These disparate proposed origins, alongside the range of possible magmatic affinities, have varied potential implications for the magmatic and tectonic evolution of the central and southern Appalachian orogen and its relationship with the northern Appalachian orogen. We present the results of field observations, petrography, bulk-rock geochemistry, and spinel mineral chemistry for ultramafic portions of the Baltimore Mafic Complex, which refers to a series of ultramafic-mafic bodies that are discontinuously exposed in Maryland and southern Pennsylvania (USA). Our data indicate that the Baltimore Mafic Complex comprises SSZ ophiolite fragments. The Soldiers Delight Ultramafite displays geochemical characteristics--including highly depleted bulk-rock trace element patterns and high Cr# of spinel--characteristic of subduction-related mantle peridotites and serpentinites. The Hollofield Ultramafite likely represents the "layered ultramafics" that form the Moho. Interpretation of the Baltimore Mafic Complex as an Iapetus Ocean-derived SSZ ophiolite in the central Appalachian orogen raises the possibility that a broadly coeval suite of ophiolites is preserved along thousands of kilometers of orogenic strike. View article: https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geosphere/article-abstract/doi/10.1130/GES02289.1/594550/Suprasubduction-zone-ophiolite-fragments-in-the Detrital zircon petrochronology of central Australia, and implications for the secular record of zircon trace element composition Charles Verdel; Matthew J. Campbell; Charlotte M. Allen Abstract: Hafnium (Hf) isotope composition of zircon has been integrated with U-Pb age to form a long-term (>4 b.y.) record of the evolution of the crust. In contrast, trace element compositions of zircon are most commonly utilized in local- or regional-scale petrological studies, and the most noteworthy applications of trace element studies of detrital zircon have been in "fingerprinting" potential source lithologies. The extent to which zircon trace element compositions varied globally over geological time scales (as, for example, zircon U-Pb age abundance, O isotope composition, and Hf isotope composition seem to have varied) has been little explored, and it is a topic that is well suited to the large data sets produced by detrital zircon studies. In this study we present new detrital zircon U-Pb ages and trace element compositions from a continent-scale basin system in Australia (the Centralian Superbasin) that bear directly on the Proterozoic history of Australia and which may be applicable to broader interpretations of plate-tectonic processes in other regions. U-Pb ages of detrital zircon in the Centralian Superbasin are dominated by populations of ca. 1800, 1600, 1200, and 600 Ma, and secular variations of zircon Hf isotope ratios are correlated with some trace element parameters between these major age populations. In particular, elevated Hf(i) (i.e., radiogenic "juvenile" Hf isotope composition) of detrital zircon in the Centralian Superbasin tends to correspond with relatively high values of Yb/U, Ce anomaly, and Lu/Nd (i.e., depletion of light rare earth elements). These correlations seem to be fundamentally governed by three related factors: elemental compatibility in the continental crust versus mantle, the thickness of continental crust, and the contributions of sediment to magmas. Similar trace element versus Hf(i) patterns among a global zircon data set suggest broad applicability. One particularly intriguing aspect of the global zircon data set is a late Neoproterozoic to Cambrian period during which both zircon Hf(i) and Yb/U reached minima, marking an era of anomalous zircon geochemistry that was related to significant contributions from old continental crust. View article: https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geosphere/article-abstract/doi/10.1130/GES02300.1/594551/Detrital-zircon-petrochronology-of-central Along-strike variations in protothrust zone characteristics at the Nankai Trough subduction margin Hannah L. Tilley; Gregory F. Moore; Mikiya Yamashita; Shuichi Kodaira Abstract: Significant along-strike changes in the protothrust zone at the toe of the Nankai Trough accretionary prism were imaged in new high-resolution seismic reflection data. The width of the protothrust zone varies greatly along strike; two spatially discrete segments have a wide protothrust zone (3.3-7.8 km, 50-110 protothrusts), and two segments have almost no protothrust zone (0.5-2.8 km, <20 protothrusts). The widest protothrust zone occurs in the region with the widest and thickest sediment wedge and subducting turbidite package, both of which are influenced by basement topography. The trench wedge size and lithology, the lithology of the subducting section, and the basement topography all influence the rate of consolidation in the trench wedge, which we hypothesize is an important control over the presence and width of the protothrust zone. We conclude that protothrusts are fractures that form from shear surfaces in deformation band clusters as the trench fill sediment is consolidated. Strain localization occurs at sites with a high density of protothrusts, which become the probable locations of future frontal thrust propagation. The frontal thrust may propagate forward with a lower buildup of strain where it is adjacent to a wide protothrust zone than at areas with a narrow or no protothrust zone. This is reflected in the accretionary prism geometry, where wide protothrust zones occur adjacent to fault-propagation folds with shallow prism toe surface slopes. View article: https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geosphere/article-abstract/doi/10.1130/GES02305.1/594554/Along-strike-variations-in-protothrust-zone The Permian Monos Formation: Stratigraphic and detrital zircon evidence for Permian Cordilleran arc development along the southwestern margin of Laurentia (northwestern Sonora, Mexico) Stephen C. Dobbs; Nancy R. Riggs; Kathleen M. Marsaglia; Carlos M. Gonzalez-Leon; M. Robinson Cecil ... Abstract: The southwestern margin of Laurentia transitioned from a left-lateral transform margin to a convergent margin by middle Permian time, which initiated the development of a subduction zone and subsequent Cordilleran arc along western Laurentia. The displaced Caborca block was translated several hundred kilometers from southern California, USA, to modern Sonora, Mexico, beginning in Pennsylvanian time (ca. 305 Ma). The Monos Formation, a ~600-m-thick assemblage of mixed bioclastic and volcaniclastic units exposed in northwestern Sonora, provides lithostratigraphic, petrographic, and geochronologic evidence for magmatic arc development associated with subduction by middle Permian time (ca. 275 Ma). The Monos Formation was deposited in a forearc basin adjacent to a magmatic arc forming along the southwestern Laurentian margin. Detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology suggests that Permian volcanic centers were the primary source for the Monos Formation. These grains mixed with far-traveled zircons from both Laurentia and Gondwana. Zircon age spectra in the Monos Formation are dominated by a ca. 274 Ma population that makes up 65% of all analyzed grains. The remaining 35% of grains range from 3.3 Ga to 0.3 Ma, similar to age spectra from Permian strata deposited in the Paleozoic sequences in the western continental interior. An abundance of Paleozoic through early Neoproterozoic ages suggests that marginal Gondwanan sources from Mexico and Central America also supplied material to the basin. The Monos Formation was deposited within tropical to subtropical latitudes, yet faunal assemblages are biosiliceous and heterotrophic. The lack of photozoan assemblages suggests that cold-water coastal upwelling combined with sedimentation from the Cordilleran arc and Laurentian continent promoted conditions more suitable for fauna resilient to biogeochemically stressed environments. We propose that transform faulting and displacement of the Caborca block ceased by middle Permian time and a subduction zone developed along the southwestern margin of Laurentia as early as early Permian time. The Monos basin developed along the leading edge of the continent as a magmatic arc developed, and facies indicate a consistent shoaling trend over the span of deposition. View article: https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geosphere/article-abstract/doi/10.1130/GES02320.1/595012/The-Permian-Monos-Formation-Stratigraphic-and Detrital sanidine 40Ar/39Ar dating confirms <2 Ma age of Crooked Ridge paleoriver and subsequent deep denudation of the southwestern Colorado Plateau Matthew T. Heizler; Karl E. Karlstrom; Micael Albonico; Richard Hereford; L. Sue Beard ... Abstract: Crooked Ridge and White Mesa in northeastern Arizona (southwestern United States) preserve, as inverted topography, a 57-km-long abandoned alluvial system near the present drainage divide between the Colorado, San Juan, and Little Colorado Rivers. The pathway of this paleoriver, flowing southwest toward eastern Grand Canyon, has led to provocative alternative models for its potential importance in carving Grand Canyon. The ~50-m-thick White Mesa alluvium is the only datable record of this paleoriver system. We present new 40Ar/39Ar sanidine dating that confirms a ca. 2 Ma maximum depositional age for White Mesa alluvium, supported by a large mode (n = 42) of dates from 2.06 to 1.76 Ma. Older grain modes show abundant 37-23 Ma grains mostly derived ultimately from the San Juan Mountains, as is also documented by rare volcanic and basement pebbles in the White Mesa alluvium. A tuff with an age of 1.07 0.05 Ma is inset below, and hence provides a younger age bracket for the White Mesa alluvium. Newly dated remnant deposits on Black Mesa contain similar 37-23 Ma grains and exotic pebbles, plus a large mode (n = 71) of 9.052 0.003 Ma sanidine. These deposits could be part of the White Mesa alluvium without any Pleistocene grains, but new detrital sanidine data from the upper Bidahochi Formation near Ganado, Arizona, have similar maximum depositional ages of 11.0-6.1 Ma and show similar 40-20 Ma San Juan Mountains-derived sanidine. Thus, we tentatively interpret the <9 Ma Black Mesa deposit to be a remnant of an 11-6 Ma Bidahochi alluvial system derived from the now-eroded southwestern fringe of the San Juan Mountains. This alluvial fringe is the probable source for reworking of 40-20 Ma detrital sanidine and exotic clasts into Oligocene Chuska Sandstone, Miocene Bidahochi Formation, and ultimately into the <2 Ma White Mesa alluvium. The <2 Ma age of the White Mesa alluvium does not support models that the Crooked Ridge paleoriver originated as a late Oligocene to Miocene San Juan River that ultimately carved across the Kaibab uplift. Instead, we interpret the Crooked Ridge paleoriver as a 1.9-1.1 Ma tributary to the Little Colorado River, analogous to modern-day Moenkopi Wash. We reject the "young sediment in old paleovalley" hypothesis based on mapping, stratigraphic, and geomorphic constraints. Deep exhumation and beheading by tributaries of the San Juan and Colorado Rivers caused the Crooked Ridge paleotributary to be abandoned between 1.9 and 1.1 Ma. Thermochronologic data also provide no evidence for, and pose substantial difficulties with, the hypothesis for an earlier (Oligocene-Miocene) Colorado-San Juan paleoriver system that flowed along the Crooked Ridge pathway and carved across the Kaibab uplift. View article: https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geosphere/article-abstract/doi/10.1130/GES02319.1/595013/Detrital-sanidine-40Ar-39Ar-dating-confirms-lt-2 Reconstructing drainage pathways in the North Atlantic during the Triassic utilizing heavy minerals, mineral chemistry, and detrital zircon geochronology Steven D. Andrews; Andrew Morton; Audrey Decou; Dirk Frei Abstract: In this study, single-grain mineral geochemistry, detrital zircon geochronology, and conventional heavy-mineral analysis are used to elucidate sediment transport pathways that existed in the North Atlantic region during the Triassic. The presence of lateral and axial drainage systems is identified and their source regions are constrained. Axial systems are suggested to have likely delivered sediment sourced in East Greenland (Milne Land-Renland) as far south as the south Viking Graben (>800 km). Furthermore, the data highlight the existence of lateral systems issuing from Western Norway and the Shetland Platform as well as a major east-west-aligned drainage divide positioned adjacent to the Milne Land- Renland region. This divide separated the catchments that flowed north to the Boreal Ocean from those that flowed south into a series of endoreic basins and, ultimately, the Tethys Sea. A further potential drainage divide is identified to the west of Shetland. The data presented and the conclusions reached have major implications for reservoir prediction, as well as correlation, throughout the region. Furthermore, understanding the drainage networks that existed during the Triassic can help constrain paleogeographic reconstructions and provides an important framework for the construction of facies models in the region. View article: https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geosphere/article-abstract/doi/10.1130/GES02277.1/595014/Reconstructing-drainage-pathways-in-the-North Subducting oceanic basement roughness impacts on upper-plate tectonic structure and a backstop splay fault zone activated in the southern Kodiak aftershock region of the Mw 9.2, 1964 megathrust rupture, Alaska Anne Krabbenhoeft; Roland von Huene; John J. Miller; Dirk Klaeschen Abstract: In 1964, the Alaska margin ruptured in a giant Mw 9.2 megathrust earthquake, the second largest during worldwide instrumental recording. The coseismic slip and aftershock region offshore Kodiak Island was surveyed in 1977-1981 to understand the region's tectonics. We re-processed multichannel seismic (MCS) field data using current standard Kirchhoff depth migration and/or MCS traveltime tomography. Additional surveys in 1994 added P-wave velocity structure from wide-angle seismic lines and multibeam bathymetry. Published regional gravity, backscatter, and earthquake compilations also became available at this time. Beneath the trench, rough oceanic crust is covered by ~3-5-km-thick sediment. Sediment on the subducting plate modulates the plate interface relief. The imbricate thrust faults of the accreted prism have a complex P-wave velocity structure. Landward, an accelerated increase in P-wave velocities is marked by a backstop splay fault zone (BSFZ) that marks a transition from the prism to the higher rigidity rock beneath the middle and upper slope. Structures associated with this feature may indicate fluid flow. Farther upslope, another fault extends >100 km along strike across the middle slope. Erosion from subducting seamounts leaves embayments in the frontal prism. Plate interface roughness varies along the subduction zone. Beneath the lower and middle slope, 2.5D plate interface images show modest relief, whereas the oceanic basement image is rougher. The 1964 earthquake slip maximum coincides with the leading and/or landward flank of a subducting seamount and the BSFZ. The BSFZ is a potentially active structure and should be considered in tsunami hazard assessments. View article: https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geosphere/article-abstract/doi/10.1130/GES02275.1/595015/Subducting-oceanic-basement-roughness-impacts-on ### GEOSPHERE articles are available at http://geosphere.geoscienceworld.org/content/early/recent . Representatives of the media may obtain complimentary copies of GEOSPHERE articles by contacting Kea Giles at the address above. Please discuss articles of interest with the authors before publishing stories on their work, and please make reference to GEOSPHERE in articles published. Non-media requests for articles may be directed to GSA Sales and Service, gsaservice@geosociety.org. A number of countries have advised against giving the AstraZeneca vaccine to people aged65 and over The AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccine appears to be more than 80 percent effective at preventing severe illness among elderly, at-risk individuals after a single dose, according to preliminary research published Wednesday. The results, which have yet to be peer-reviewed, added to the growing body of evidence that the vaccinewhich several countries have advised against giving to over-65sis both safe and effective in older people. Researchers at the University of Bristol analysed patients aged over 80 admitted to hospital in Britain with respiratory illness. All the patients were tested for COVID-19, and the positive and negative cases were separated into two data groups. The researchers then looked at how many people in each of the groups had received one dose of either the AstraZeneca vaccine, or one developed by Pfizer. They found that nine of the 36 (25 percent) COVID-19 positive patients had received the AstraZeneca jab. Among the COVID-19 negative patients, 53 out of 90 (58.9 percent) had received the jab. The difference between the proportion of positive and negative cases who had received a single vaccine dose represented an 80.4-percent efficacy in reducing severe COVID-19, the researchers said. For the Pfizer vaccine, 18 out of 245 COVID-19 positive patients had received a single dose, compared to 90 of the 269 COVID-19 negative patients. This corresponded to efficacy of 71.4 percent. "A single dose of either (Pfizer) or (AstraZeneca) vaccine resulted in substantial reductions in the risk of COVID-19-related hospitalisation in elderly, frail patients with extensive co-morbid disease," the authors said. Stephen Evans, professor of Pharmacoepidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said the results "provide further evidence that the vaccines are effective both in an older age group less studied in the trials". Both vaccines were developed and clinically trialed to be administered in the form of two separate doses a few weeks apart. 'Both effective' Although developers AstraZeneca and the University of Oxfordas well as the World Health Organizationhave insisted since the results of Phase-III clinical trials that their vaccine is safe and effective among people aged over 65, several countries currently advise against administering it to that age group. The medicines agencies of both France and Germany limited the AstraZeneca jab to people aged under 65. Spain last month said it would not give the AstraZeneca vaccine to people aged over 55. A host of other nations have said they will not give the jab to older people, including the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark and Greece. French President Emmanuel Macron said in January that the AstraZeneca jab was "quasi-ineffective" among over-65s. Only around a quarter of the 1.7 million AstraZeneca doses received by France had been administered by the end of last month, according to health ministry figures. By comparison, in Britain, the vaccine has been a key pillar of the immunisation drive, even among the elderly. Paul Hunter, a professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia, said the study showed that "a single dose of either the Oxford AstraZeneca or the Pfizer vaccine are both roughly equally effective at keeping elderly and frail people out of hospital and so reducing risk of death". Official data released Monday showed that both the AstraZeneca/Oxford and the Pfizer vaccine were "highly effective" in reducing infections and severe illness among elderly people. France earlier this week advised that people aged between 65 and 75 receive the AstraZeneca jab if they were at an elevated risk of severe COVID-19. 2021 AFP Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Bulandshahr, March 3 : Six days after she went missing, the body of a 13-year-old girl was recovered from a pit in Bulandshahr district. The family of the girl has claimed that she was kidnapped and raped, after which she was killed and her body was buried in a pit. According to police, the girl, a resident of Siraura village, had gone to work on a field with her mother and sister on February 25. While working, she felt thirsty and went to a nearby home to ask for water. When she did not return, the family started looking for her but could not find her. They even searched for her at the house near the field but only found a drunk youth there. A missing person complaint was filed at the Anupshahar police station on February 28. Since then, efforts were on to locate the girl but no clues to her whereabouts could be found. On Tuesday, a local informed that someone had buried a body in a plot roughly 100 metres away from the field from where the girl had gone missing. Following this, villagers gathered at the spot. The villagers found a pit covered with fresh dirt in the yard of the house and informed the police that reached the spot. The pit was dug up and the body of the missing girl was recovered. The body has now been sent for a post-mortem. Meanwhile, the father of the girl has said that his daughter was raped by the drunk youth, who then killed her and buried her body. According to him, his daughter had speech impairment and used to stammer while talking. Bulandshahr SSP S K Singh said that two people lived in the house from where the body was recovered -- a father-son duo. While the father has been arrested, the son is currently absconding. Bulandshahr district magistrate Ravindra Kumar, who also visited the site when the body was dug out, said, "It seems to be a case of murder. Since the victim was a minor and a boy was seen at this house, sexual assault cannot be ruled out. The strictest possible action will be taken in the matter and efforts are on to arrest the boy at the earliest." He also said that financial aid will be extended to the family of the victim. 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. Bank of Irelands decision to close its Granard branch is a huge blow to rural Ireland, according to local representatives, especially considering a commitment made to Granard people in recent years following the loss of Ulster Bank. Its very disappointing, said local councillor PJ Reilly. Back when Ulster Bank closed and decided to pull out of Granard, Bank of Ireland gave a commitment that they would not be leaving Granard. In fact, they went seeking customers of Ulster Bank to switch over so that they wouldnt have to be travelling into Longford town to do their banking, and they got a few customers out of that too, he added. Shortly after that, they did remove their cash services from the counter, which was a loss to the town, Cllr Reilly noted, but Bank of Ireland gave the people of Granard their commitment that there would always be a branch in the town. And that bank takes in a large community from Granard to Abbeylara, Mullinalaghta, Ballinagh, as well some towns in Cavan, such as Mullahoran, said Cllr Reilly. The closest branch was in Arva but theyve closed that and the branch in Castlepollard has been closed too. So the closest branch to us when the Granard branch closes will be Longford. There are two big businesses here - Kiernan Milling and Pat the Baker - and the local branch supported them, but the local mart will be seriously affected because the mart itself banked with Bank of Ireland and so did a large number of its customers. Granard Mart would do business there on a daily basis. Its a big let down to the community and to everybody. When Ulster Bank closed, they did go looking for customers, and then to turn around and do this to them is a huge let down. Bank of Ireland included its Granard branch in a list of 103 branches that are facing closure this year, as announced on Monday. The banking giant reported an underlying loss of 354m before tax for 2020, reflecting large losses as a result of bad loans during the Covid-19 pandemic. Some services will be taken over by the local post office and, while Cllr Reilly had high praise for the local post master and the local credit union, he said there are some services, such as applications for personal loans, that would still need a bank. To see both Ulster Bank and Bank of Ireland gone within a short number of years is a big blow to Granard, he said. There was a threat before, but Bank of Ireland said they were committed to Granard. They said there was an adequate number of businesses to keep the branch going and they said the number of personal accounts was way above what they needed to stay open. Online banking has been growing in popularity in recent years and, as the pandemic continues and the country remains in lockdown, many everyday tasks have moved online, but Cllr Reilly stressed that, in a rural town, not everybody uses the modern day online system. The elderly people here would rather go into the bank, or they might not use the internet, and we have a poorer broadband connection, he said. Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council, Paul Ross, said that the announcement was a big shock to Granard. It is particularly bad, following the news that Ulster Bank would be pulling out of Ireland. This is a huge hit to Granard because they had two banks and now theyll have no banks, he said. Since the Covid-19 recession, there has been an emphasis on supporting towns and town centres, so this is a kick in the teeth. Its all well and good talking about going online but there is a large group of people who are still without high speed broadband or who are not tech savvy. Bank of Ireland is showing no regard for the customers who have supported them for so many years. This is a sad day for rural Ireland. Vietnamese people are overpaying to own a same amount of gold as their international peers, said an expert. Many gold trading firms have suggested the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) to soon issue license for importing gold from abroad, General Director of Sacombank Jewelry Company (SBJ) To Thanh Hiep told Hanoitimes. Customers buying gold at a store in Tran Nhan Tong Street, Hanoi. Hiep attributed limited gold supply in the domestic market to the huge difference in prices, making investment in gold to be a high-risk trading for local investors. A huge difference at present between the domestic and international gold prices of nearly VND8 million (US$347) per tael is the biggest gap in recent years. Since the government decree No.24/2012 on gold market management, there has been no companies authorized to import gold materials for domestic jewelry manufacturing, said Hiep, adding the supply mainly comes from within the market. Vietnamese people are overpaying to own a same amount of gold as their international peers, said economist Tran Thanh Hai. Gold prices in the global market this morning [March 1] rose by US$8 per ounce to US$1,743.7, or nearly VND50 million (US$2,171) per tael, marking the precious metals first increase in price after declines of a combined US$100 per ounce in three consecutive trading sessions last week. Following a decrease of VND300,000 (US$13) per tael last week, the domestic gold prices returned to the upward trend by with a rise of VND150,000 (US$6.5) per tael, as state-owned Saigon Jewelry Company (SJC), the countrys largest gold and gold jewelry production and distribution company, quoted its buying-selling prices of VND55.95-56.35 million (US$2,429-2,439) per tael. Experts from the Vietnam Gold Traders Association (VGTA) have also recommended that the central bank relax state policies in this regard, so that local traders could import gold to meet the market demand. To further narrow the gap between prices of gold in Vietnam and international market, the VGTA experts have suggested the establishment of a national gold trading exchange center to stabilize gold prices. Lawyer Truong Thanh Duc, chairman of the BASICO Law firm, said there are no laws to address the difference in gold prices at present. Gold trading is a conditional business field, and therefore not under the list of goods subjects to price stabilization by the state, he added, saying the fluctuation of gold prices is dependent on market demand. There is no linkage between the domestic and international gold prices, so local firms are the ones to decide on that. This is the risk that gold buyers have to bear, Duc stated. Hanoitimes The Telegraph A convicted murderer who illegally entered the UK with 68 other Albanian migrants is claiming asylum because he fears he will be killed by the victims family in a blood feud if he is deported. The Albanian killer, who shot dead a mother in front of her eight-year-old daughter, is also claiming he is a victim of trafficking after being brought into the UK on a fishing boat for which smugglers were charging up to 3,000 per head, according to court papers seen by The Telegraph. He has been held in detention since November as he fights deportation at a cost of thousands of pounds to the taxpayer. It has included at least three court hearings where his lawyers have unsuccessfully sought to secure his release despite fears that he will abscond and is a threat to public safety. The court documents reveal that even while in detention in April, he was caught in possession of a class A drug which was tested and found to be cocaine. Official inquiries have revealed that as well as the 15-year sentence for murder, he has been jailed for two years for theft in Albania, and 16 months for another unknown offence. The murderer, who has been granted anonymity by the court, was among 69 Albanians who have been able to remain in the UK after a legal bungle let them off criminal immigration charges. Their fishing boat was intercepted off the coast of East Anglia on Nov 18 on its way from Belgium in an operation that involved 250 National Crime Agency, police and Border Force officers. But plans to prosecute them for illegal entry to the UK were abandoned because when arrested they had not yet set foot on British soil a key criteria under the law. Within two days of arriving in the UK, the Albanian killer lodged an asylum claim and, according to the court documents, was also emailing the authority that investigates modern slavery in pursuit of a trafficking claim. It was, however, nearly a full month before his allegations of trafficking were revealed to the UK authorities, at the end of December. The 42-year-old claimed he had been trafficked to Greece as a teenager, and beaten and forced to work there. The Albanian also alleged he had been a victim of torture, saying he had been bullied and beaten by police officers while in prison. He served 12 of the 15 years to which he was sentenced for shooting dead the woman in front of her eight-year-old daughter at her home in a central Albanian village. He arrived in Britain after travelling through Germany, Sweden and then Belgium before taking the fishing boat to the UK. The case comes as the Government is preparing to overhaul asylum laws and crackdown on illegal migrants by making it easier and quicker to deport them. A government source said: Our new plan for immigration means that criminals like this will never make it into the country in the first place and speed up the removal of those who should not be here. As the Albanian, known only as AM, was held before the end of the transition period, the more lenient EU laws on deportation require the UK to show that he is a genuine, present and serious threat. New post-Brexit immigration laws which took effect from Dec 31 bar any EU citizen sentenced to at least a year in prison from the UK. Under the new rules, asylum seekers will also be required to present all their claims in one go, rather than mounting multiple successive appeals. Thiruvananthapuram, March 3 : On expected lines, Mohammed Riyaz, son-in-law of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is all set to be fielded by the CPI(M) from the Beypore Assembly seat in Kozhikode district. His name now figures in the list of the CPI(M)'s Kozhikode district committee that was prepared after a meeting on Wednesday. This list will now be looked into at the state committee meeting to be held here on Wednesday. Beypore seat, has been a stronghold of the CPI(M) and with his name now surfacing, sitting party legislator V.K.C. Mammed Koya, who won the seat in 2016 with a margin of over 14,000 votes, will bow out of the contest. Riyaz, who hails from Kozhikode, rose in the CPI(M) through the student movement, and is presently the All India president of the youth wing of the CPI(M) - the DYFI. Incidentally, in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, Riyaz shocked the then Congress Lok Sabha candidate from Kozhikode, who lost the election by a slender margin of 838 votes. Since then Riyaz's stock has been on the rise, and he has been a frontline leader in charge of the youth wing of the party. Last year he married the daughter of Vijayan -- Veena Vijayan -- at a solemn function at the official residence of Vijayan, here. Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly has condemned those responsible for a bomb threat targeting his north Belfast constituency office. The north Belfast MLA said on Wednesday morning that he had been informed of a bomb threat made against his Antrim Road office. Mr Kelly added that there had been previous threats made in recent days and claimed they came from a "loyalist area". In a statement he said: "I was contacted by the PSNI who told me they had received a report that a bomb had been left at my constituency office on the Upper Antrim Road. "I was told that this bomb threat was phoned in from a loyalist area. This threat should be condemned in the strongest terms. Those behind these incidents offer nothing to the community but criminality and fear should be faced down. This is the second incident of intimidation targeted at my recently opened constituency office in recent days but will not stop me or any other Sinn Fein activist, from working for all the people of north Belfast. I will be continuing my work for the people of north Belfast as normal today and Sinn Fein elected representatives will not be intimidated from our work in this or any other area." The threat comes just a week after bomb alerts at the officers of West Belfast MP Paul Maskey and SDLP deputy leader and infrastructure minister Nichola Mallon. The politicians vowed it would not deter them in their work and the incidents condemned right across the political spectrum. In a statement, the PSNI said: "Police received a report of a suspicious object at the Antrim Road area of Newtownabbey shortly after 11:40pm on Tuesday 2nd March. "Officers attended the scene and carried out a thorough public safety operation in the area and nothing untoward was found. "Enquiries are continuing and police would appeal to anyone with any information in relation to this matter to contact them on 101, quoting reference number 2204 02/03/21. "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/." Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Five South County towns have been cleared of complaints that their officials violated the states open meeting law by discussing the current Housatonic River PCB cleanup plan in private sessions a year ago. But, two towns, Sheffield and Stockbridge, were found by the Attorney Generals Office to have failed to provide adequate notice about the purpose of allowable executive sessions. And Lenox and Sheffield were ordered to make public the minutes of those meetings. Opponents of the Environmental Protection Agencys latest river cleanup permit, issued in December, filed complaints last year about possible open meeting law violations by the five towns. Those meetings were convened as the towns moved, ahead of a Feb. 10, 2020, announcement, to endorse a deal reached through more than a year of secret talks. Residents want to stop a plan that allows the General Electric Co. to bury sediments tainted with lower levels of polychlorinated biphenyls in a newly created Lee landfill. The deal, known as the Rest of River cleanup, follows decades of earlier efforts to confront the toxic legacy of GEs transformer plant in Pittsfield. PCBs are listed as a probable carcinogen. A previous EPA permit ordered GE to ship all tainted sediments to treatment sites outside Massachusetts. In five separate decisions released Tuesday, the AGs office found that executive sessions held by the towns to review and approve the settlement announced Feb. 10, 2020, were, in theory, permitted, if properly called, under the provision that allows municipal boards to meet in private to discuss pending litigation. We conclude that the discussions in executive session fell within a proper statutory purpose, KerryAnne Kilcoyne, an assistant attorney general, wrote to the Sheffield Select Board, echoing language in her other decisions. The Boards executive session discussions were appropriate because they related to pending litigation and a settlement agreement that was a proposed resolution to that litigation. Here are capsule summaries prepared by The Eagle for each of the cases handled by Kilcoyne, who works in the attorney generals Division of Open Government. Great Barrington The complaint: That the Select Board improperly met in executive session between Feb. 1 and Feb. 10, 2020. That the Select Board improperly met in executive session between Feb. 1 and Feb. 10, 2020. The complainants: Holly Hardman and Susan Jennings. Holly Hardman and Susan Jennings. Key finding: The board did not hold executive sessions during either of its two meetings in that time period, on Feb. 4 and Feb. 10. The board did not hold executive sessions during either of its two meetings in that time period, on Feb. 4 and Feb. 10. AG order: Because the Board did not convene in executive session on either February 4 or February 10 to discuss the settlement agreement, it did not violate the Open Meeting Law. Lee The complaints: The Select Board failed to hold open meetings regarding the proposed settlement and failed to allow public participation in the decision to endorse the deal. The Select Board failed to hold open meetings regarding the proposed settlement and failed to allow public participation in the decision to endorse the deal. The complainants: Clare Lahey, Suzanne Salinetti and Matt Kelly. Clare Lahey, Suzanne Salinetti and Matt Kelly. Key finding: The board held a Feb. 4, 2020, executive session, but did so lawfully under the open meeting laws provision for private discussion of pending litigation. The board was not required to return to open session to ratify the agreement. The board held a Feb. 4, 2020, executive session, but did so lawfully under the open meeting laws provision for private discussion of pending litigation. The board was not required to return to open session to ratify the agreement. AG order: No violation. On the issue of allowing public participation raised by the complaints, Kilcoyne wrote that the law does not require that a board allow such participation. The law permits the Chair of the Board to decide who may speak at a meeting and for how long, she wrote. Thus, it is not a violation of the law if the chair decides not to allow any public participation during a meeting. We do, however, encourage public bodies to allow for as much public participation as time and circumstances permit. Lenox The complaints: The Select Board held improper executive sessions in the Feb. 1-Feb. 10 time period in 2020. And it failed to provide a timely release of its executive session minutes. The Select Board held improper executive sessions in the Feb. 1-Feb. 10 time period in 2020. And it failed to provide a timely release of its executive session minutes. The complainants: Sage Radachowsky, Deanne Markham and Virginia Schwerin. Sage Radachowsky, Deanne Markham and Virginia Schwerin. Key finding: The boards Feb. 5, 2020, executive session was properly posted and described. The boards Feb. 5, 2020, executive session was properly posted and described. AG order: The board must release minutes from its private session. We find that the Board did not violate the Open Meeting Law by improperly meeting in executive session. However, we are not persuaded that the purpose for the executive session remains ongoing and order the Board to release the February 5 executive session meeting minutes, unless the attorney-client privilege or an exemption to the Public Records Law applies, Kilcoyne wrote. Sheffield The complaint: The Select Board held an improper executive session. The Select Board held an improper executive session. The complainants: Peter and Melissa Martin. Peter and Melissa Martin. Key finding: The private meeting held Feb. 3, 2020, was allowable under state law, but the agenda item failed to properly and adequate describe the purpose of the session, listing it only as related to the Rest of River cleanup issue.Here, the Board provided neither a statutory citation nor a sufficient description of the executive session purpose, Kilcoyne wrote. We order immediate and future compliance with the laws requirements and we caution that similar future violations could be considered evidence of intent to violate the law. The private meeting held Feb. 3, 2020, was allowable under state law, but the agenda item failed to properly and adequate describe the purpose of the session, listing it only as related to the Rest of River cleanup issue.Here, the Board provided neither a statutory citation nor a sufficient description of the executive session purpose, Kilcoyne wrote. We order immediate and future compliance with the laws requirements and we caution that similar future violations could be considered evidence of intent to violate the law. AG order: The board must release minutes of the Feb. 3, 2020, session, without any redactions, within 30 days. Stockbridge This location is being considered because it is a convenient option for people who do not own cars, as it is easily accessible via the CTA. This is a part of our ongoing focus on partnership to ensure residents of disproportionately impacted communities have access to the vaccine as supplies are available, Sweeney said. We continue to believe that the vaccine is our best shot at bringing an end to this pandemic and we continue to use our current, very limited supplies for our most vulnerable patients over the age of 65. [For more news on coronavirus reopenings, sign up for breaking news email alerts] The finger-pointing in the reopening of San Francisco schools continued Wednesday, as district officials blamed the city for not supporting a return to classrooms and labor leaders blamed the district for not organizing on-site vaccinations, even as priority vaccines rolled out for thousands of teachers and school staff. More than 2,600 San Francisco teachers and school staff now have a code giving them access to dedicated vaccination appointments for educators, which should allow them to get their first COVID-19 shot within days, city officials said Tuesday. District officials sent these first vaccine codes to the staff at the schools set to reopen first, including preschools and 24 of the citys 64 elementary schools. These codes can be used to schedule appointments at Moscone Center and other Bay Area sites now, Mayor London Breed said Wednesday in a statement. Its unclear how many district teachers have been vaccinated so far, but the codes ensure that every educator in prioritized schools should have almost immediate access to the vaccine. San Francisco Unified has about 4,600 teachers, as well as thousands of other school staff including teacher aides, counselors, office and cafeteria staff, and custodians. The dedicated vaccines cover all those currently working in schools or who will be among the first to return when classrooms reopen. Amid a growing call from parents, health officials and others for students to return to classrooms, state and local officials have prioritized vaccines for teachers across California, with the belief it would pave the way for reopening. Yet in San Francisco, vaccines might ease anxiety for teachers who could return to schools in the coming weeks or months, but provides no guarantee classrooms will reopen anytime soon given ongoing labor negotiations and a scramble to move furniture, fix windows and other tasks at dozens of elementary schools. San Francisco health officials said they are waiting on the district to request inspections of schools ready for reopening. So far, only six elementary schools have been readied and approved for reopening. District officials, however, blamed the city Wednesday for delays in reopening, saying more vaccinations, testing and support are needed to reopen. Any delays in getting staff vaccinated will result in senseless delays in opening schools, said Superintendent Vincent Matthews in a statement. As weve repeatedly stated, we need the City to immediately prioritize access for our educators. In fact, vaccinations are not the reason schools remain closed. County health officials do not require teacher vaccines to open. The district and labor unions agreed to require them if the city is in the states second most restrictive red tier, which is where San Francisco is now. In the orange tier, the agreement does not require educators to be vaccinated. The city is expected to reach the orange tier in less than two weeks. Breed has emphasized that the city has contributed more than $15 million to help the district manage the pandemic and created learning hubs to provide a safe supportive space for students in distance learning. School Board President Gabriela Lopez criticized the city Tuesday for giving the district 2,650 codes out of 5,000 received from the state. Yet that allocation is also for private schools and charter schools, many of which are already open across the city. District officials instead pointed fingers at the city for failing to provide more resources to help open schools. Id like for our City partners to join us in putting on a teacher vaccination day like nearby counties have for their educators, Lopez said in the statement. Up to now, teachers have been scrambling to make appointments at Walgreens and CVS, but without the priority codes, they had to get things done the best way they could. Union officials blamed the district for delays, saying the district needs to set up vaccination sites on district property and provide timely information on where staff can get available vaccines. Our educators and school staff shouldnt have to monitor Twitter for updates about how they can access vaccines, said teachers union President Susan Solomon in a statement Wednesday. Solomon did not acknowledge the codes distributed to teachers Tuesday for priority appointments. The weekly allocation of 75,000 vaccines by the state for educators only became available starting on Monday. State officials urged districts to prioritize educators already back to in-person teaching, or those expected to return to classrooms within three weeks. San Francisco schools are not expected to reopen before mid-April, if not later, and only for preschool through second grade initially. COVID Resources Coronavirus Map Tracking COVID-19 cases across the Bay Area and California. For Josephine Zhao, a parent liaison at Gordon Lau Elementary, the news that teachers started receiving codes was great. But she feels there has been so much loss already, and the apparent deadlock at the bargaining table is only contributing to that, she said. A whole generation of kids is losing out in terms of social, emotional and physical development as well as academics, she said. Were not going to be there fast enough. Zhao, whose children are in 11th and eighth grades, said she believes each school should set its own school-day schedule for reopening given how different each site is in terms of demographics and a desire to return. That would end the labor stalemate. In the meantime, she said she hasnt received a code yet, because her school is not in the first two waves, but would be happy to go back without a vaccine. I believe in masks and social distancing, she said. I see those work. State officials sent the first round of vaccine codes to the city late Tuesday for distribution to the district, as well as private schools and charter schools. The codes were expected a day earlier. Meanwhile, the district continues to negotiate with the teachers union on what the school day will look like when and if classrooms reopen. Without that agreement, district officials cant schedule even the first round of students to come back. Superintendent Matthews said this week he still has no specific timeline for reopening schools given ongoing uncertainties. The district continues to set up school sites to meet health and safety standards, including spacing desks and posting signage, among other requirements. We still need a clear timeline from the district on reopening, Breed said. All of our kids need to be back in the classroom safely as soon as possible, and that includes working to get them back in five days a week for full days as soon as possible. Weve lost so much this year, and we have to do everything we can to support our kids. Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker Gov. John Bel Edwards hinted last week that he may loosen coronavirus restrictions for Louisiana. NEW: Louisiana to move to Phase 3 of coronavirus restrictions, bars allowed to open statewide Now he has called a press conference one day before his current executive order is set to expire. I anticipate based on the data I understand to be accurate...Well be making some changes with the proclamation that will become effective ... Wednesday, Edwards said on Thursday. Vaccine news in your inbox Once a week we'll update you on the progress of COVID-19 vaccinations. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up He declined to share details about what changes could happen with the order. Edwards is scheduled to hold a press conference at 1 p.m. Later, he will received his second dose of coronavirus vaccine. +4 Louisiana could receive biggest coronavirus vaccine shipment this week; here's where to get them Louisiana could see its largest shipment of coronavirus vaccine doses this week, especially after the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine r Watch the press conference and follow along below. Can't see the module? Click here. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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, March 3 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Mar, 2021 ) :British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday defended his government's plan to halve humanitarian aid for war-torn Yemen while continuing to sell arms to Saudi Arabia, despite a US freeze on its weapons' exports. An international aid conference on Yemen this week yielded less than half the funds needed to prevent what the UN warns is a looming famine. "Cutting aid is a death sentence," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned, in remarks echoed in the UK parliament by opposition leaders grilling Johnson at weekly prime minister's questions. Britain pledged 87 million ($122 million, 100 million Euros), about half the amount it offered at last year's Yemen conference, and only 40 percent of the total funding it provided to the shattered country during 2020. "How on earth can the prime minister justify selling arms to Saudi Arabia and cutting aid to people starving in Yemen?" said Keir Starmer, leader of the main opposition Labour party. He pointed to last month's decision by the new administration of President Joe Biden to pause US arms sales to Saudi Arabia, which is leading a devastating conflict against Huthi rebels in Yemen, pending a review. "It is true that current straightened circumstances, which I'm sure the people of this country understand, mean that temporarily we must reduce aid spending," Johnson replied, noting the Covid-19 pandemic's impact on UK finances. "But that does not obscure the fact that when it comes to our duty to the people of Yemen, we continue to step up to the plate," he said, noting Britain has given about 1 billion in the past five years, since the Saudi-led bombing campaign began. "It's a record of which this country can be proud. Given the difficulties that this country faces, I think the people of this country will think we've got our priorities right." Johnson added that the government continues "scrupulously to follow the humanitarian guidance which are amongst the toughest measures anywhere in the world in respect of all arms sales". Citing the pandemic, the UK government is planning to scrap a legally enshrined target for its aid budget this year, leading to accusations even from its own ranks that it is abandoning some of the world's poorest and most vulnerable people. Former international development secretary Andrew Mitchell, bitterly criticising the decision on Yemen, said cutting the UK's overall aid commitment was a "strategic mistake with deadly consequences". Four boys allegedly stole multiple cars and embarked on a wild crime spree through Sydney's west and north-west regions. Police allege the joy ride began when a 12-year-old boy, who was in the company of two other boys aged nine and 11, stole keys to a Holden Barina parked in North Parramatta at about 5.50pm on Saturday. The 12-year-old boy was allegedly seen behind the wheel of the car, with the two other boys inside, the following day when he almost hit three people watching the sunrise in a reserve car park in Carlingford at about 6am. The trio are accused of travelling through numerous Sydney suburbs where they allegedly committed further offences. Three boys have been charged following an alleged crime spree through Sydney (stock image) Police allege the boys stole a mobility scooter which was being ridden by a man and plucked items from retail stores. The trio were also allegedly involved in two fail-to-stop crashes before they dumped the car in Market Street, in Sydney's CBD, at about 11am on Sunday. The nine-year-old boy was then hit by a car on Victoria Road, West Ride, at about 4.20pm that day. Police allege he was running from a convenience store where he and the two other boys attempted to steal goods. The two other boys fled on foot. The nine-year-old was taken by ambulance to The Children's Hospital in Westmead in a stable condition. He suffered leg injuries, cuts, abrasions and a fractured eye socket. On Monday, a 15-year-old boy believed to be part of the group allegedly stole the keys to a Hyundai Accent during an aggravated break and enter at a home in Toongabbie at about 3.45am. Police said the car was then involved in a short pursuit with officers at about 4am and it was then allegedly seen driving erratically and at high-speed through the area over the following hours. Police allege the joy ride begun when a 12-year-old boy, who was in the company of two other boys aged nine and 11, stole keys to a Holden Barina parked in North Parramatta at about 5.50pm on Saturday (stock image) Police said they were unable to find the Hyundai. The 11-year-old boy and 12-year-old boy then allegedly threatened a 29-year-old pregnant woman with a knife and stole her Mazda 3 at Pendle Hill at about 10.30am on Monday. Police were called and found the allegedly stolen Hyundai but were unable to locate the boys or the Mazda 3. The 11-year-old boy and 12-year-old boy were arrested in Constitution Hill at about 2pm on Tuesday. The 15-year-old was arrested near Parramatta Railway Station at about 6pm. The young trio were charged with a range of offences including police pursuit, aggravated robbery, dangerous driving, armed robbery, assault with intent to rob, and stealing motor vehicles. They were all refused bail and will appear in a children's court on Wednesday. The Save Romania Union - Party of Liberty, Unity and Solidarity (USR PLUS) Alliance is urging President Klaus Iohannis not to promulgate a law under which a 46-hectare plot of land at the Romexpo Exhibition Centre switches from government ownership to that of the Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry for a real estate development. "Following today's decision of the Constitutional Court, USR PLUS is urging President Klaus Iohannis not to promulgate the law that allows the free granting of a plot worth hundreds of millions of euros in central Bucharest. The law must be sent back to Parliament for reconsideration and the Romexpo's real estate scam must be stopped," the alliance said in a statement released on Wednesday. On Wednesday, the Constitutional Court rejected the USR and Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) notification on this law, sources with the court told AGERPRES.The statement also says that USR PLUS supports development and investment, but not to the detriment of the citizens. "If you want to capitalise on land and develop real estate projects there, a transparent tender procedure must be organised first." Tehran, March 3 : Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has urged the US to lift sanctions to save the nuclear deal, which is also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). "JCPOA is by no means renegotiable, and the only way to protect and revive it is to remove sanctions by the US," Xinhua news agency quoted quoted Rouhani as saying on Tuesday while speaking to French President Emmanuel Macron on the phone. Iran's gradual retreat from its nuclear obligations is due to the US' 2018 withdrawal from the JCPOA as well as the "inability" of the UK, France and Germany to fulfil their nuclear commitments, Rouhani said. He stressed that Iran will re-embrace its obligations immediately if other parties of the deal adhere to their undertakings. Tehran's recent suspension of the voluntary implementation of the additional protocol of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is within the framework of the law passed by the Iranian Parliament, he said. In the meantime, "our cooperation with the IAEA continues and we have never left the JCPOA", he stressed. On February 23, Iran stopped implementation of the voluntary measures including the IAEA additional protocol, as envisaged in the JCPOA, which are beyond safeguard agreement. Image: Canva We are launching a series on Critical Race Theory. Its an important conversation today, since many are using the description and meaning different things. At the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center, we are committed to help Christians know and engage the culture with biblical discernment, so we are launching a conversation with, well, different views. As Christians, we want to think through these things together, and the series will include not just one opinion, but several. We started with a descriptive framing. From there, the conversation will include others who are more negative, some more positive, and some in the middle. All the articles will come from evangelicals. And, it is important that we hear from people of color, and in this series and in the real world not all people of color will agree. Its a conversation mature, Christ-like, and God-honoring. We hope it serves you and your church well. To start it off, I asked Sitara Roden from my team to give us a framing article. Our first contributor, who will be sharing a three-part article, is Dr. Pat Sawyer, with references to be shared at the conclusion. I will share my thoughts at the end of the series. -Ed Stetzer As a faculty member in the social sciences in a state institution, critical social theory (CST) is the water I swim in, the air I breathe. As an academic and conscientious Christian, justice concerns drive much of my scholarship and all of my praxis (activism). Consequently, critical race theory (CRT), a prominent critical social theory concerned about racial justice, has a place in my teaching, scholarship, and praxis. I say this to underscore that while this series will be net critical of CRT, that doesnt mean that CRT has nothing to offer to social analysis and that some of its insights arent genuinely instructive when it comes to our racial history in the U.S and our current racial zeitgeist. Indeed, some aspects of CRT are notably discerning and percipient. It is an injustice to truth to deny this or act otherwise. Please keep this in mind as you move through my analysis. In this article I want to give an overview of CRT and mention some of its unifying ideas. In the second article, Ill offer five important cautions relative to how its claims can be received and embraced. In the final article, Ill offer three more cautions, a salient concluding point, and a final exhortation. Before I move into an overview of CRT, I want to make a final point by way of introduction. Where there is disagreement about CRT in the professed Church, we should make every effort to ensure there is no hateful speech, no ad hominem attacks, and no slander. The nuance and care needed with this topic should underscore the importance of sticking close to Christs commands regarding our speech and how we communicate with one another (Matt 12:36-37; Eph 4:15, 29-31; Col 4:6; 2Tim 2:24-25). In many respects, the Enemy of souls is wreaking havoc in this regard. May we resist invective, let go of any vitriol, and do everything we can to abruptly halt our Enemys efforts. Overview of CRT In a series of articles this size there is no way to do justice (see what I did there) to the history and heritage of CRT which began in the 1980s and gained its footing through the work of legal scholars Derrick Bell, Alan Freeman, Richard Delgado, Kimberle Crenshaw, Charles Lawrence III, Patricia Williams, and Mari Matsuda, among others. Concisely put, CRT challenges and interrogates the ways in which race, racism, and racial power (with particular emphasis on an expanded definition of white supremacy) are constructed and reified, specifically in legal culture, and more broadly, in society. CRT borrows insight from the Marxism of Antonio Gramsci, utilizes aspects of the Neo-Marxism of historic Critical Theory while challenging others, finds its most immediate roots in critical legal studies (CLS) but also departs and expands from it, and draws epistemological inspiration from historic luminaries such as W.E.B. Du Bois, Carter G. Woodson, Frederick Douglass, and Sojourner Truth. CRT, like all contemporary manifestations of CST, is a hybrid of postmodernism and modernism. On one hand it is noticeably influenced by (but at points, resists) the postmodernism and poststructuralism (recognizing that some poststructuralists reject the postmodern label) of Jean-Francois Lyotard, Michel Foucault, and Jacques Derrida, among others and their interrogations of overarching metanarratives, their challenge to notions of neutrality, objectivity, and universal truth, and their emphasis on the inextricable relationship between language and power and the implications for society. Along these lines, CRT is skeptical of and critiques much of classical liberalism. On the other hand, CRT is a modernist enterprise in that it makes binding moral claims applicable to all people, everywhere. Its scholarship and popularized discourse are suffused with notions of what we should do, ought to do, indeed, must do. Consequently, it is praxis oriented, that is, it doesnt merely want to describe, it wants to prescribe. It wants to make changes to society, to emancipate and liberate. It encompasses issues of epistemology (the nature of knowing), ontology (the nature of being), and phenomenology (the nature of day-to-day lived experience). Therefore, in its most robust applications, CRT can (and does) operate as a working metanarrative or functional worldview. CRT has grown and evolved considerably since its inception. It is important to note that while CRT began as a movement in legal theory, it has spread to other fields and disciplines. Today, its expanded form gives considerable fuel to the critical social justice (CSJ) movement, which itself takes notable liberty with how it applies ideas from CRT in its discourse. This liberty is so significant that pronounced forms of CSJ (think DiAngelo, Kendi) have only minimal resemblance to early CRT. It is crucial to keep in mind that while there are unifying themes/elements (early CRT), core principles/key features/key concepts/tenets (as CRT has aged) that give meaningful, accurate explication of CRT, CRT resists essentialism. That is, there is no static, fixed canon of doctrines or methodologies of CRT that every CRT scholar adheres to or in the same way. To some extent the knowledge area is a reflexive, fluid, and contested space. For instance, recently a colleague and I discussed Derrick Bells contention that racism is an integral, permanent, and indestructible component of this society and that racism lies at the center, not the periphery; in the permanent, not in the fleeting; in the real lives of black and white people, not in the sentimental caverns of the mind (Faces at the Bottom of the Well, 1992, pp. ix and 198). My colleague and I have scholarship (both individually and jointly) where we have employed aspects of CRT. While we were in large agreement as to what we believe Bell to be saying, we have some divergence of opinion as to what Bell meant by this society and his locating of racism (in this instance) to individuals, to real lives of black and white people. My only point here is that we are two academics working with CRT, who both have legitimate perspectives to offer to discussions about race that at times genuinely draw from CRT, yet we are not fully aligned on how we understand CRT. One only has to attend academic conferences where CRT is a focus and go to lunch with fellow academics to see this dynamic loudly at work. Disagreements abound. In addition, part of the challenge of understanding CRT is that its definitions and descriptions have to be understood in their historical context and evolution and not in mere abstraction. Failure to understand this often has passionate but ill-informed advocates and adversaries of CRT talking (read yelling) past each other. Unifying Ideas of CRT Bearing in mind all Ive said, I want to now articulate a number of ideas (also designated as themes, elements, key features, key concepts, core principles, and tenets, among other descriptors) that CRT scholarship identifies as unifying ideas and concepts that buoy the field. A serious literature review of CRT scholarship will uncover upwards of 20 ideas (from here on, tenets, for ease of discussion) comprehensively drawn and defined notwithstanding that individual critical race theorists may reduce the tenets to as little as five or six. When they do this, they are often combining aspects of multiple tenets or writing from a different place in the history of CRT. In my work I usually explicate CRT via 15 elaborated tenets that afford some combining of tenets but not too much so as to ensure fidelity to the evolution of the knowledge area. I should note that CRT cannot be fully reduced to an abbreviated explication of its unifying ideas in a series of articles this size. CRT is a knowledge area of millions of words. Nevertheless, what follows are primary ideas permeating CRT that are having serious impact on the Church as well as society at large. The primary and peer-reviewed sources I have provided collectively demonstrate the tenets I offer but understand the number of sources supporting these tenets and their attendant ideas could be multiplied. Space has its constraints. With that said, in abbreviated form the tenets are as follows: 1) CRT contends that race as a concept is a social construct and not rooted in human nature or biology (there is only one race the Human race) and was created for the express purpose of disenfranchising people of color, especially Blacks. 2) CRT claims racism is endemic, permanent, pervasive, and often hard to recognize. 3) CRT contends that racism is much more than individual attitudes and actions; it is systemic to societal institutions, sectors, and systems, and is best understood as white supremacy (broadly redefined and not its narrow definition tied to white power and white nationalists hate groups) 4) CRT rejects a colorblind society claiming it provides cover for less overt forms of racism and serves to erase important racial and ethnic distinctions that should be emphasized. 5) CRT elevates and prioritizes black voice, black lived experience, and the indispensability and authority of black experiential knowledge relative to the social analysis of law in particular and society in general. In this vein, it incorporates the notion of naming ones own reality. 6) CRT recognizes interest convergence as a social reality, namely, that black interests will be served only to the extent that they serve white interests. 7) CRT challenges ahistoricism and offers revisionist history by replacing white majoritarian interpretations of events with ones that fit more readily with black and brown experience. In this vein, it incorporates the notion of naming ones own reality. 8) CRT puts forth the notion of racial realism, that societal benefits map to a racial hierarchy in society where Whites are situated at the top. Adjacent to this recognition is the notion of hegemony, the dominance or power of Whites over Blacks maintained not by force but through the customs, ideas, norms, values, and traditions of Whites supported via the tacit consent of Blacks. The dominance of Whites in society has compelled Blacks to adopt a double consciousness, the two-ness tension faced by Blacks to see themselves through Whites, white perspectives and the white gaze AND to see themselves through their own individual, black perspectives. 9) CRT promotes the notion of intersectionality, which is, the claim that different facets of our identity interact in distinct and complex ways based upon the particular intersection of social categories we occupy, yielding a life and existence that can be generally characterized by either privilege, oppression, or both. 10) CRT critiques the system of meritocracy and argues that it often serves to reify white supremacy and the status quo. 11) CRT critiques egalitarianism and its protean character arguing that it is often weaponized to do the opposite of what it promises. 12) CRT puts forth the notion of interlocking systems of oppression which contends that various social categories (such as Black, female, gay, differently-abled) marked by oppression are interdependent and serve to reinforce, compliment, (and even complicate) one another and cannot be individually effectively liberated without liberating all. 13) CRT contends that whiteness is property. The claim that being White in and of itself yields substantial cultural capital in the form of privileges, benefits, and resources in society. 14) CRT problematizes certain (not all) hegemonic (dominant) understandings of objectivity and neutrality relative to accepted knowledge and knowledge production asserting they often serve to reify white supremacy and the status quo. 15) CRT is oppositional in nature and is consequently an emancipatory enterprise. That is, it is praxis-centric in its absolute commitment to the alleviation of racial oppression and injustice as well as other adjacent marginalizations. Having given an overview of CRT and its unifying ideas, in the next article I will offer five of eight cautions regarding CRT. Pat Sawyer has a B.A. in Psychology from UNC Chapel Hill, an M.A. in Communication Studies from UNC Greensboro, and a Ph.D. in Educational Studies and Cultural Studies from UNC Greensboro. Dr. Sawyer is a faculty member at UNC Greensboro and serves on the editorial board of the peer-reviewed education journal, Philosophy, Theory, and Foundations in Education. He is a member of the Summit Church in RDU, North Carolina. He can be reached via Twitter @RealPatSawyer. Tata Motors, India's leading automotive brand, launched an advertising campaign for its premium flagship SUV, Safari. Over a decade back, the Tata Safari encouraged young India to reclaim their lives. Today the legend comes back to remind us that there is more to life than just boardrooms and deadlines. To remind us that time and again, we need to reclaim our lives from the shackles of our schedules and calendars. Today's Tata Safari is like the potential buyer, a more mature, more sophisticated version of what they were over a decade back. They are all achievers in their respective fields. They retain their hunger for professional success and their streak for adventure. But they are equally tuned in with their collective needs. Work and family life aren't mutually exclusive ways of life one to be chosen over the other. They balance the two effortlessly - with sophistication & maturity. The new Tata Safari campaign, Reclaim Your Life, is an ode to their evolution and their ability to balance the beautifully complex worlds they live in. It reminds us that to take control of our life, we have forgotten how to live life. We are so lost in our current affairs that we don't remember anything beyond. We are so bound by the calendar that we have forgotten that it's all created. The new ad asks people to unfollow the calendar and live life according to their terms. The campaign for the all-new Safari has been conceptualized and developed by Ogilvy Mumbai. It has a media mix of over 50 TV channels and a huge print and OOH coverage. Vivek Srivatsa, Head Marketing Passenger cars: Safari has always enjoyed an iconic status. With the new launch the challenge for communication was to raise the bar even higher, while refreshing the Reclaim your life theme to bring it in sync to the current times. Ogilvy has managed to do it beautifully in terms of storytelling and also in the way Safari has been integrated in the story. Saurabh Kulkarni, Group Creative Director, Ogilvy Mumbai: "Working on the new 'Reclaim your life' campaign was a big, big deal since the brand and the ad that launched it have something of a cult following. A lot has changed since then, though, including the consumer. Now, we're talking to somebody who's older, who's confined, not by the Monday to Friday routine, but by their own mindset which says that there's something called Monday. The client was clear from the start that the ad shouldn't be about showcasing features but rather telling a story. So, we told the story of a guy who breaks free of this construct of a calendar in his mind and reclaims his life. Mumbai, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/02/2021 -- JRE (India) Private Ltd continues to dominate the flexible hose assemblies and fittings industry with intensive research, innovative ideas, resource productivity, and teamwork. Established in 1981, the company offers a wide variety to support every sector requiring flexible hose assemblies and fittings, think LPG, Hydrocarbons, Paint, Food, Offshore, Chemicals, Cryogenics, Cement, Utility, Potable Water, Hydraulics, and more. The state-of-the-art manufacturing facility allows JRE to integrate operations and exercise complete control over the value chain, from R&D to material procurements to design, manufacturing, testing, and final delivery. The processes are optimized for productivity, ensuring quicker lead times without sacrificing product quality. The spokesperson at JRE recently stated, "JRE manufactures marine loading arms, API couplers, bellows, hose movers, PUHB saddles, hose rack, folding cages, and stairs, besides flexible hoses and fittings. We follow a quality management system complying with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 8001, CE, and ATEX, helping us deliver near-zero defect products that perform and last. Add to it our competitive pricing; we keep our customers profitable. We are consistently investing in technology up-gradation, employee training, and improving quality management systems. The idea is to stay ahead of the competition and deliver a unique value to customers." JRE has a lot to offer when it comes to options in hoses and couplings. The hoses come in all shapes and sizes, including rig hoses, composite hoses, hydraulic hoses, utility rubber hoses, specialized rubber hoses, FDA hoses, stainless steel hoses, and PTFE hoses. The company has established itself as the leading industrial rubber hose manufacturer in India. The couplings selection includes, but, not limited to, Food Industry Couplings, Ground Joint Couplings, Quick Release Couplings, Quick Camlock Couplings, and Chicago Couplings. JRE is more than just a manufacturer, thanks to another business vector representing the leading specialized equipment brands from England, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, and beyond. On Finn Power hose crimping machines, the spokesperson further stated, "Finn Power is a brand owned by LILLBACKA POWERCO of Finland. The brand includes hose crimping machines, hose cutting machines, hose skiving machines, special nut crimping machines and cable crimping machines. JRE takes pride in being a representative of Finn Power hose crimping machine in India. The machine is designed to make easy work of permanently assembling crimp couplings onto a hydraulic hose. Like all Finn Power products, the hose crimping machine is convenient and safe to operate and delivers top performance in demanding applications." As an authorized partner, JRE Private Limited provides sales and service India-wide for Finn Power hose crimping machines. The company has onboarded a team of professional sales and service professionals ready to assist and troubleshoot. The company also serves as a representative of CPV, Eaton, Wiese Europe, KOMPAFLEX, DELMECO, DITEC, TODO, SOPAT, STRAUB, HOSEBUN, CAVMAC, SUBITEC, FITTO Fittings, MATEC, TS Fasteners, and other top global brands. About JRE Private Limited JRE Private Limited, headquartered in Mumbai since 1981, is a diversified operation with a legacy of quality and customer satisfaction. One business vector designs and manufactures hoses and fittings, while the other represents some of the leading global speciality equipment brands from Europe and elsewhere. JRE is presently the only destination need for sales and service of Finn Power India machine. Contact Information: JRE Private Limited 35, 3rd Floor, Mistry Building Above Allahabad Bank, 635 J.S.S Road (Metro Side) Mumbai - 400002 India Tel: 91-22-66368931 / 91-22-66368932 Fax: 91-22-66368933 Email: info@jreltd.com Website: www.jreltd.com Chinese-American pastor and China Aid founder Bob Fu has been granted a restraining order from protestors who gathered outside his home last year, forcing the family to remain in protective custody for several months. In an email sent to The Christian Post, Fu, whose human rights organization is dedicated to exposing religious persecution by the Communist Party in China and to promoting religious freedom for all in that country, revealed that after weeks of harassment, protestors finally left his family home in Midland, Texas. Fu said that a federal judge had issued a restraining order in February barring them from approaching Fu, his family, or the staff of China Aid. A copy of the restraining order given to CP names Chinese billionaire Miles Kwok, also known as Guo Wengui who Fu said paid protestors to stand outside his home from early October through January Wenguis media company, GTV Media Group; and Saraca Media Group, Inc. Set to expire on June 1, 2021, unless extended by the court, the restraining order bans Wengui or anyone acting in concert with him, from picketing Fus home, approaching within 100 feet of the activist, his family, or his employees, and picketing within 50 feet of China Aids business location. Source:The Christian Post US Vice President Kamala Harris spoke over phone with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and discussed opportunities for further bilateral cooperation on global and regional challenges, including those posed by climate change, China and Myanmar. This was Harris's first phone call with a leader from the Asia Pacific region. Harris and Morrison also agreed on the importance of working together, alongside other allies and partners, on promoting economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and advancing democratic values globally, the White House said in a readout of the call on Tuesday. They pledged to further US-Australia cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and beyond, it said. During the call, she reaffirmed the strength of the US-Australia alliance. The vice president and the prime minister discussed opportunities for further cooperation on global and regional challenges, including those posed by climate change, China, Burma, and other regional issues, the White House said. The Biden administration is facing an assertive China, which is flexing its muscles in the strategic Indo-Pacific and posing a threat to the countries in the region. The Biden administration has been urging the international community to ramp up pressure on Myanmar's military to restore democracy. The February 1 coup reversed years of slow progress toward democracy in Myanmar after five decades of military rule. It came the day a newly-elected Parliament was supposed to take office. Ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party would have been installed for a second five-year term, but instead she was detained along with President Win Myint and other senior officials. After becoming the vice president, Harris has so far spoken over phone with five global leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo. (Image Credits: Twitter/@VP) (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) By Scott DiSavino NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices fell to their lowest in two weeks on Tuesday on expectations OPEC+ producers will ease supply curbs at their meeting later this week as economies start to recover from the coronavirus crisis. OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo said the outlook for oil demand was looking more positive, particularly in Asia. Brent futures fell 99 cents, or 1.6%, to settle at $62.70 a barrel, their lowest close since Feb. 12. The global benchmark has fallen about 7% from a 13-month peak hit last week. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) ... 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. Photo: The Canadian Press Rioters storm the Capitol, in Washington. At least 10 Ohioans have been charged in connection with the deadly insurrection at the U.S Capitol after being identified through social media and surveillance footage to the FBI. The U.S. Capitol Police say they have intelligence showing there is a possible plot by a militia group to breach the U.S. Capitol on Thursday. The revelation was detailed in a statement from the Capitol Police. It comes at the same time the acting police chief is testifying before a House subcommittee. The United States Capitol Police Department is aware of and prepared for any potential threats towards members of Congress or towards the Capitol complex, the agency said in a statement. We have obtained intelligence that shows a possible plot to breach the Capitol by an identified militia group on Thursday, March 4. The statement differs from an advisory that was sent to members of Congress by the acting House sergeant-at-arms this week, saying that Capitol Police had no indication that groups will travel to Washington D.C. to protest or commit acts of violence. The threat comes nearly two months after thousands of supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol in a violent insurrection as Congress was voting to certify Joe Bidens electoral win. So far, about 300 people have been charged with federal crimes for their roles in the riot. Five people, including a Capitol Police officer, died. Capitol Police say that they have stepped up security around the Capitol complex since January's insurrection, adding physical security measures such as the fencing topped with razor wire around the Capitol and members of the National Guard who remain at the complex. The statement said the agency was taking the intelligence seriously but provided no other specific details on the threat. The threat appears to be connected to a far-right conspiracy theory, mainly promoted by supporters of QAnon, that Trump will rise again to power on March 4, which was the original presidential inauguration day, until 1933, when it was moved to Jan. 20. Thousands of accounts that promoted the Jan. 6 event that led to a violent storming of the U.S. Capitol have since been suspended by major tech companies like Facebook and Twitter, making it far more difficult for QAnon and far-right groups to organize a repeat of the mass gathering on Thursday. Twitter banned more than 70,000 accounts after the riots, while Facebook and Instagram removed posts mentioning stop the steal, a pro-Trump rallying cry used to mobilize his supporters in January. And the conservative social media platform Parler, which many of Trumps supporters joined to promote false election fraud conspiracy theories and encourage friends to storm the Capitol on Jan. 6, was booted off the internet following the siege. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. CHICAGO, March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Women Employed is launching the Accelerating Student Progress and Increasing Racial Equity (ASPIRE) Project to improve developmental education in Illinois and increase equity, access to, and success in education and career and technical training. As currently structured, developmental education can be a barrier to students' college completion, contributing to damaging racial achievement gaps in higher education. Each year, up to 60,000 Illinois studentsdisproportionately low-income and students of colorare placed into remediation before starting college to improve basic academic skills. More than 80% never complete their programs. If those students started college with academic supports, research shows they would be significantly more successful. Through the ASPIRE Project, Women Employed continues our long-term leadership to improve statewide policy for developmental education and builds on our work with the statewide developmental education task force convened by the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) and the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE). Additionally, we will partner with ten community colleges to develop innovative strategies to determine college readiness and support students' academic progress. "Too many studentsespecially low-income, Black and Brown studentswho have the ability to succeed in higher education are deemed 'not college ready,'" says Cherita Ellens, President and CEO of Women Employed. "Developing strategies to place more of them directly into college-level, credit-bearing courses can help more students finish their programs." "Following the pandemic and recession, an increased number of students are expected to seek training through Illinois community colleges, yet those with low basic reading, writing, or math skills will not qualify for the career and technical education (CTE) programs needed to acquire credentials." shared ECMC Foundation Career Readiness Senior Director, Jennifer Zeisler. "Women Employed is positioned to help colleges eliminate barriers that keep students out of CTE programs and catalyze statewide, long-term equity improvements across Illinois." This work is funded in part by a multi-year grant from ECMC Foundation. Read more: https://womenemployed.org/press-release/women-employed-launches-aspire-project-to-improve-developmental-education-in-illinois/ Since 1973, Women Employed has improved the economic status of women and removed barriers to economic equity by effecting policy change, expanding access to educational opportunities, and advocating for fair, inclusive workplaces so all women, families, and communities can thrive. Learn more: womenemployed.org. SOURCE Women Employed Related Links http://www.womenemployed.org An art gallery in Newark that opened in 2019 quickly became a place where artists could connect with others in an unlikely part of the city. But now Akwaaba Gallery is in jeopardy of closing because of the coronavirus. Laura Bonas-Palmer didnt open the gallery in the heart of the citys downtown, which has steadily gained renewed interest from investors. Its instead nestled around a church and waffle house along South Orange Avenue in the citys West Ward, an area that has long been eager to revitalize. Its unique because its in an area where you dont see the arts, said Bonas-Palmer, who bought the space with her husband. ...We wanted to do something that looked like someone cared - that looked like someone loved the city. But the coronavirus has upended the growth of the gallery, which Bonas-Palmer said started to attract viewers from Manhattan before the pandemic hit. The gallery featured artists from around the country and Newark, which helped everyone make connections regardless of geography. I definitely met more people from the city, which was cool, said Kaishon Way, 25, who co-curated the first showcase at Akwaaba Gallery after Bonas-Palmer met him at a show in his apartment. I think around that time I was looking to branch out of local creatives and seeing people who were interested in the arts, but werent art people. Akwaaba Gallery in Newark opened in February 2019 and became a place where artists could not only sell their work, but also connect with others around the country.Paul Chinnery Bonas-Palmer and her husband came down with COVID-19 days after the gallery had to close in March due to statewide coronavirus restrictions. The virus nearly killed her husband and her focus was on his recovery for the next few months, instead of applying for federal grants at first. She and her husband, Ray Palmer, moved to Newark about 15 years ago. They came from Brooklyn, New York after immigrating from Trinidad. The gallery, which means welcome in parts of Ghana, had to close its doors from March until July and for another week in December due to local advisories. This made it impossible for Bonas-Palmer to rent it out as an event space to generate revenue. Bonas-Palmer owns the entire building at 509 South Orange Ave., which includes lofts that she was renting out, but she said some of her tenants moved during the pandemic. Once she turned the first floor into a gallery, which used to be a bail bonds storefront, her property taxes increased, too. Shes invested about $500,000 into the endeavor and both the lofts and gallery were still not making enough to cover the buildings mortgage, she said. Many new businesses dont begin to break even until after several years. This made it difficult for her and her husband to apply for unemployment or receive loans and grants, since she wasnt yet making a profit. Most applications, she said, were based on net profit instead of gross revenue. She did get a $5,000 grant from the City of Newark, but it wasnt enough to cover the three months of mortgage that she still owes. After Bonas-Palmer shared her plight in an early morning Facebook post last week, friends and artists encouraged her to create an online fundraiser. She was apprehensive about accepting money from strangers or even other artists, who she knows often struggle. Shed be able to rent out the first-floor storefront to another willing business. But she finally decided to ask for help because the art gallery was more than just a business. Its become a meaningful staple to the community. We love the city, we love the community and we really wanted to be part of the community, Bonas-Palmer said. And we hoped that doing what we did would really inspire others in the community. Local journalism needs your support. Subscribe at nj.com/supporter. Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com. New York, March 3 : Rivkah Reyes, who made a mark as a child actor in the 2003 film "School Of Rock", has revealed that the film's success resulted in bullying and addiction. Now 28, Reyes, who uses they/them gender neutral pronouns, has revealed how they were "sexualised" as a minor with men telling them they "couldn't wait" for Reyes to "turn 18". "After production wrapped, when I first came back to school, people were really nice or really mean. There was no middle ground. I was literally followed around the school with people chanting 'School Of Rock'," Reyes said in an interview with New York Post. In the interview Reyes also revealed that they yearned for a bigger role, just so that "people would stop calling me Katie" -- her character's name in the Jack Black-starrer, which became the highest grossing musical of the decade. Currently, Reyes is producing an upcoming podcast, "Where Are We Now", which will feature other child stars as guests. March 03 : Last year Sushmita Sen made her comeback and her digital debut with Ram Madhvani's web series 'Aarya' which earned her huge accolades. Not only her fans loved her in her fierceful avatar, she won many awards for the show as well. A couple of days back the actress announced the second season of the show and now finally the team has started to shoot in Jaipur for the much awaited season 2 of Aarya. Sushmita who is currently in Jaipur shooting for the show wrote, "Hell hath no fury like a woman. Reborn' #Aarya #season2 #Jaipur #khammaghani #privet I love you guys!!!" 'Aarya' has been directed by 'Neerja' fame director Ram Madhvani and is a story set against a Rajasthan backdrop. It is reportedly a remake of Dutch series 'Penoza'. Sushmita played the lead role in the show who joins the Mafia to seek revenge for her husband's death and protect her family. The show also starred Chandrachur Singh, Sikandar Kher, Ankur bhatia and Namit Das among others. The fans are already excited to see Sush sizzle back on screen with her strong avatar. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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| 2021-03-03 22:23:44|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MALE, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The Maldivian government has tightened restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, despite progress in vaccination. The Ministry of Islamic Affairs earlier this week announced that all prayer congregations at mosques in the Greater Male Region must be conducted with social distancing. The ministry also urged worshippers to wear masks and carry their own prayer mats. Mosques have been advised to remove their carpets, clean floors before congregations, and keep doors and windows open for air circulation. Congregational prayers were suspended in the capital Male in March 2020 to prevent the spread of COVID-19 but resumed again in July 2020. Meanwhile, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) announced last week that establishments found violating health and safety protocols will be shut down for 24 hours. HPA Director Ahmed Nasir was quoted in state media as saying that new policies will punish health violators by closure rather than a fine. Service providers and customers not wearing a mask will be fined, he said. The HPA carried out the fifth round of public health inspections in the Greater Male area in February in association with the Maldives Police Service, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Male' City Council, and the Housing Development Corporation. Maldives has 20,144 confirmed cases of COVID-19, out of which 17,470 have fully recovered and 62 have died, according to HPA data updated on Tuesday evening. Meanwhile, data from the HPA showed that 123,665 people have been vaccinated against COVID-19 between Feb. 1 and March 2. Enditem DGAP-Ad-hoc: Global Fashion Group S.A. / Key word(s): Financing Global Fashion Group S.A.: launches an offering of approx. EUR 375 million Convertible Bonds due 2028 03-March-2021 / 17:46 CET/CEST Disclosure of an inside information acc. to Article 17 MAR of the Regulation (EU) No 596/2014, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. NOT FOR DIRECT OR INDIRECT PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR RELEASE IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, SOUTH AFRICA, JAPAN OR ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH OFFERS OR SALES OF THE SECURITIES WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAWS. Disclosure of an inside information acc. to Article 17 MAR of the Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 Global Fashion Group S.A. launches an offering of approx. EUR 375 million Convertible Bonds due 2028 Luxembourg, 3 March 2021 - Global Fashion Group S.A. ("GFG" or the "Company", ISIN: LU2010095458, Frankfurt Stock Exchange: GFG), the leading online fashion and lifestyle destination in growth markets, launches an offering of senior, unsecured bonds convertible as per their terms and conditions (the "Convertible Bonds") in an aggregate principal amount of approximately EUR 375 million. The management board of GFG, with the consent of the Company's supervisory board, resolved today to launch an offering of Convertible Bonds, which will be issued at 100% of their principal amount with a denomination of EUR 100,000 each and will be redeemed at their principal amount on 15 March 2028, unless previously converted, redeemed or repurchased and cancelled. The Convertible Bonds will be offered with a coupon between 0.50% and 1.25% payable semi-annually in arrears, and a conversion premium of 40% to 45% above the reference price, being the clearing price in the Concurrent Offer of Existing Shares (as described below). The Convertible Bonds will be convertible into new/and or existing (at the discretion of the Company) no-par value common shares in dematerialized form of GFG (the "Shares"). The pricing of the offering of the Convertible Bonds will be determined based on an accelerated bookbuilding. The Convertible Bonds will be offered solely to institutional investors in certain jurisdictions outside the United States of America, Australia, South Africa and Japan via a private placement. In Canada, the offering will only be made in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia or Alberta, to institutional investors who are both an accredited investor and a Canadian permitted client under applicable Canadian securities laws. The pre-emptive rights of existing shareholders of the Company to subscribe for the Convertible Bonds are excluded. The Company will be entitled to redeem all, but not some only, of the Convertible Bonds outstanding at their principal amount plus accrued interest at any time (i) on or after the date fixed for redemption (which will be no earlier than 14 May 2025) if the stock exchange price per GFG share amounts to at least 130% of the then relevant conversion price over a certain period or (ii) if 15% or less of the aggregate principal amount of the Convertible Bonds remain outstanding. Holders of the Convertible Bonds will be entitled to require an early redemption of their Convertible Bonds at their principal amount plus accrued but unpaid interest on the fifth anniversary of the Convertible Bonds' issue. The Company is entitled to make a cash payment in lieu of delivering Shares if and to the extent on the settlement date the Company is unable to deliver Shares upon conversion. The Company is also entitled to fulfill its obligation to redeem the Convertible Bonds in cash by redeeming all of the Convertible Bonds by delivering Shares and, if applicable, paying an additional cash amount and accrued interest. The final terms of the Bonds are expected to be announced by tomorrow morning before market opening through a separate press release. The Convertible Bonds are expected to be issued by the Company on or around 15 March 2021. The Company intends to apply for the Convertible Bonds to be included to trading on the unregulated Open Market Segment (Freiverkehr) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Concurrent Offer of Existing Shares by Financial Institutions The Global Coordinators have informed the Company that concurrently with the placement of the Convertible Bonds, they intend to conduct a simultaneous placement of existing shares of the Company (the "Concurrent Offer of Existing Shares") on behalf of buyers of the Convertible Bonds who wish to sell such shares in short sales to hedge the market risk of an investment in the Convertible Bonds at a clearing price to be determined by way of an accelerated bookbuilding process. The Company will not receive any proceeds from the Concurrent Offer of Existing Shares. Use of Proceeds The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the issue of the Convertible Bonds to support the Company's continued growth strategy, for general corporate purposes and to pursue strategic opportunities that may arise. As part of the transactions, the Company has agreed to a lock-up period of 90 days, subject to customary exceptions. --Ends-- Person making the notification: Claire Higgins, Group Legal Counsel Media contact: Press / Communications Christina Song, Strategy Director press@global-fashion-group.com Investor Relations Adam Kay, Investor Relations Director investors@global-fashion-group.com IMPORTANT NOTICE This announcement may not be published, distributed or transmitted, directly or indirectly, in the United States of America (including its territories and possessions), Australia, South Africa or Japan or any other jurisdiction where such announcement could be unlawful. The distribution of this announcement may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions and persons who are in possession of this document or other information referred to herein should inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. This announcement does not constitute an offer of, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase, securities of the Company or of any of its subsidiaries in the United States of America, Luxembourg, Germany or any other jurisdiction. Neither this announcement nor anything contained herein shall form the basis of, or be relied upon in connection with, an offer in any jurisdiction. The securities offered will not be and have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements under the Securities Act. In the United Kingdom, this announcement is only directed at persons who (i) are investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended) (the "Order") or (ii) are persons falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (high net worth companies, unincorporated associations, etc. (all such persons together being referred to as "Relevant Persons")). This document must not be acted on, or relied upon, by persons who are not Relevant Persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this document relates is available only to Relevant Persons and will be engaged in only with Relevant Persons. In member states of the European Economic Area the placement of securities described in this announcement is directed exclusively at persons who are "qualified investors" with-in the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2017 (Prospectus Regulation). The Bonds are not intended to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the EEA. For these purposes, a "Retail Investor" means a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of MIFID II; (ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive (EU) 2016/97 (as amended, the "Insurance Distribution Directive"), where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of article 4(1) of MIFID II. Consequently, no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 (the "PRIIPs Regulation") for offering or selling the Bonds or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the EEA has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the Bonds or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the EEA may be unlawful under the PRIIPs Regulation. The Bonds are not intended, to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the Unit ed Kingdom ("UK"). For the purposes of this provision the expression "retail investor" means a person who is one (or more) of the following: (i) a retail client, as defined in point (8) of Article 2 of Regulation (EU) No 2017/565 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 ("EUWA"); or (ii) a customer within the meaning of the provisions of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the "FSMA") and any rules or regulations made under the FSMA to implement Directive (EU) 2016/97, where that customer would not qualify as a professional client, as defined in point (8) of Article 2(1) of Regulation (EU) No 600/2014 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the EUWA; or (iii) not a qualified investor as defined in Article 2 of the Prospectus Regulation as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the EUWA. Consequently no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the EUWA (the "UK PRIIPs Regulation") for offering or selling the Notes or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the UK has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the Notes or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the UK may be unlawful under the UK PRIIPs Regulation. No action has been taken that would permit an offering or an acquisition of the securities or a distribution of this announcement in any jurisdiction where such action would be un lawful. Persons into whose possession this announcement comes are required to inform themselves about and to observe any such restrictions. This announcement does not constitute a recommendation concerning the placement. Investors should consult a professional advisor as to the suitability of the placement for the person concerned. This announcement may contain forward looking statements, estimates, opinions and projections with respect to anticipated future performance of the Company ("forward-looking statements"). These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms "believes," "estimates," "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "may," "will" or "should" or, in each case, their negative, or other variations or comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements include all matters that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are based on the current views, expectations and assumptions of the management of the Company and involve significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Forward-looking statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such results will be achieved. Any forward-looking statements included herein only speak as at the date of this release. We undertake no obligation, and do not expect to publicly update, or publicly revise, any of the information, forward-looking statements or the conclusions contained herein or to reflect new events or circumstances or to correct any inaccuracies which may become apparent subsequent to the date hereof, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. We accept no liability whatsoever in respect of the achievement of such forward-looking statements and assumptions. Przepraszamy! Ogoszenie na stanowisku: Junior / Process Officer, Payment Services wygaso z dniem 2021-03-16 Ta propozycja bya zozona przez Nordea Bank Abp SA Oddzia w Polsce Mozliwe przyczyny wygasniecia ogoszenia to: propozycja zozona przez pracodawce zostaa usunieta z naszych zasobow firma zakonczya proces rekrutacji uzyskujac odpowiednia ilosc osob zleceniodawca 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 Administracja biurowa, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca Administracja biurowa Jezeli poszukujesz pracy na stanowisku Junior / Process Officer, Payment Services, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca Junior / Process Officer, Payment Services Jezeli poszukujesz pracy w miescie: odz, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca odz Pamietaj, ze mozesz takze rozpoczac poszukiwanie pracy od strony gownej, kliknij tutaj. Inne ogoszenia, ktore mogy byc w kregu Twoich zainteresowan: By Ou Can, Li Jianwen and Qian Zongyang True affection is the golden hoe that pierces the barren land. On September 22, 2015, President Xi Jinping attended a welcome banquet co-hosted by the State of Washington government and local friendly groups in Seattle, the United States. When delivering a speech at the banquet, President Xi said with sincere feelings that when he acted as the Party Secretary of the CPC Branch of the Liangjiahe Village, what he wanted to do the most was to offer the villagers a good treat of meat and make meat a regular dish at their dinner table. From to offer the villagers a good treat of meat to ensuring people in the old revolutionary base areas will enter the moderately prosperous society together with the rest of the country", President Xi has always cared about the people in old revolutionary base areas. Surrounded by rolling mountains, the Huangjia Geta village in the Yanchuan County, Yanan City features limited arable land, high mountains, and steep slopes. There was no machinery on the farm everything is done manually, and the village lacked laborers as most of the left-behind villagers were elders and children. In August 2016, the PLA Air Force headquarters set up a poverty alleviation working team to carry out targeted pairing assistance to the Huangjia Geta Village. Since then, the small village on the loess plateau has blazed a trail to prosperity in the next four years or so. With the finaical assistance from the Air Force headquarters, the village built 231 high-quality greenhouses to develop fruit and vegetable planting industry. Over the past few years, more villagers have joined greenhouse planting, growing fruits in spring and vegetables in autumn. In 2016, the villager Gao Chengs son died from illness, and his daughter-in-law remarried to another place, leaving him more than RMB200,000 debts in medical expenses. The Air Force poverty alleviation working team came and built seven greenhouses for me. Depending on selling fruits and vegetables growing in the greenhouses, I paid off all the debts two years later and bought a minivan last year, said Gao Cheng, who has become a leading person in anti-poverty efforts in the village now. In the past, this wouldnt happen in my wildest dreams, Gao added. Gao Cheng, a farmer in the Huangjia Geta Village smiles heartily when seeing a bumper harvest of vegetables in his greenhouses in the summer of 2020. (PLA Daily/Zhao Xiaoman) Seegene's new product filters COVID-19 and variants during primary PCR testing in 1 hr 55 minutes Seegene's proprietary high multiplex technology enables detection of 10 different targets S. Korean firm to research additional versions of variant diagnostic tests SEOUL, South Korea, March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Seegene (KQ096530), a biotechnology company specializing in molecular diagnostics, said Wednesday it finished the development of the world's first-ever variant diagnostic test that can simultaneously detect COVID-19 and screen multiple virus variants, with a single multiplex real-time PCR testing. The 'Allplex SARS-CoV-2 Master Assay' can detect both coronavirus and its variants in the initial round of testing. It's an ideal way of screening coronavirus genes, as the pandemic continues after being coupled with more contagious variants that have spread to at least 70 countries. The new COVID-19 test detects a total of 10 targets including four coronavirus genes (E gene, RdRP gene, N gene and S gene) as well as five defined virus variants notably spotted in the most recognized lineages. Those variants include B.1.1.7 (U.K. lineage of concern, associated with the N501Y mutation), B.1.351 (South African lineage defined by 501Y.V2), P.1 (Brazilian lineage with variants of biological significance E484K, N501Y and K417T), B.1.1.207 (U.S. lineage). Detecting four coronavirus genes in a single tube of assays can only be realized by Seegene and its unique technology, one that is extremely vital when distinguishing the virus that keeps on evolving at a fast rate. Seegene's technology can precisely detect various types of mutant variants including those of point mutation and deletion of amino acids. Additionally, Seegene's 'Allplex SARS-CoV-2 Master Assay' can pre-screen suspicious new variants that are believed to carry composition of the already discovered mutations. Recently multiple COVID-19 mutations have been reported to overlap, like the N501Y mutation, now being spotted in multiple lineages, after having been reported in the U.K. and South African variants. 'Allplex SARS-CoV-2 Master Assay' can also be used in conjunction with 'Allplex RV Essential Assay,' a one-step assay for screening 17 target causative viruses for respiratory infections. With a single swab sample, the two provide high usability in detecting essential respiratory pathogens accurately and comprehensively. Seegene also utilized its original technology of endogenous internal control system that verifies entire testing process, starting with the sample collection, making the less-invasive saliva sampling method a viable option. The company added the extraction-free application is currently under development. The extraction-free method can shorten the testing process and eliminate concerns over possible extraction reagent and consumable shortages. By incorporating Seegene's proprietary high multiplex technology, Seegene becomes the first in the market to target both COVID-19 and variants with a single tube of reagent. The company already has over 150 multiplex diagnostic tests in its portfolio including HPV and STI assays. With the company's big data auto-surveillance in silico system, the diagnostic firm said it closely monitors and analyzes global databases on the coronavirus and its variants, enabling swift response with further product development. Dr. Jong-Yoon Chun, CEO of Seegene said its new COVID-19 test will "help lessen the burden of the testing process as the turn-around-time for screening both COVID-19 and virus variants will drop to less than two hours after nucleic acid extraction." Currently, health authorities have to go through an extra round of genomic sequencing to distinguish the existence of COVID-19 variants after standard PCR tests, automatically leading to a more prolonged testing time. Dr. Chun added its "variant diagnostic test will ultimately boost massive testing ability in its fight against COVID-19, coupled with more contagious mutant variants." The need to screen COVID-19 variants has become an essential tool in effectively controlling infections and handling patient care, following worrisome developments that some COVID-19 vaccines produce a weakened immune response against the contagious virus variants. Seegene previously introduced 'Allplex SARS-CoV-2 Variants Assay,' a diagnostic test capable of identifying origins of multiple variants. This particular test can detect and differentiate virus variations that seem to have originated from the UK, South Africa, Japan and Brazil as well as additional suspicious variants. The two diagnostic assays can be complimentary in that it can screen COVID-19 as well as filter and identify the origins of virus variants, allowing health authorities to better trace the virus and handle patients. Dr. Chun added that "Seegene will continue to monitor the progress of virus variants and provide with more COVID-19 diagnostic tests to help contain the spread of COVID-19." About Seegene, Inc. Founded in Seoul, South Korea in 2000 and with subsidiaries in the U.S.A., Canada, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Brazil, and the Middle East, Seegene, Inc. is an in-vitro diagnostics (IVD) company that has been turning concepts into products through its pioneering R&D activities. Seegene owns its original patent technology including DPO (Dual Priming Oligonucleotide) for multiple target amplification; TOCE, for multiple target detection in a single channel; MuDT, the world's first real-time PCR technology that provides individual Ct values for multiple targets in a single channel for quantitative assays.; and mTOCE multiplex mutation detection technology. With these cutting-edge molecular diagnostic (MDx) technologies applied to diagnostic kits and other tools, Seegene has enhanced the sensitivity and specificity of PCR (polymerase chain reaction) to unprecedented levels, providing multiplex PCR products that target and detect genes of multiple pathogens simultaneously, saving testing time and cost. Seegene continues to set new standards in MDx providing new, cost-effective innovations. SOURCE Seegene Inc. New Delhi, March 3 : Subjects offered to learners in Madrassas by National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) under Special Provision for Quality Education of Madrassas (SPQEM) are without "any hard-line boundaries of fixed subject combinations", the government said on Wednesday. The Education Ministry, in a statement, said that various subjects are offered to learners under this provision and NIOS accredits Madrassas under SPQEM. "It is totally the discretion of the learner to opt for subject combination from the bouquet of the subjects provided by NIOS," said the Ministry. The Ministry issued the statement rejecting a news titled "NIOS to take Gita, Ramayan to Madrassas" that was published on Wednesday in a section of media. The Ministry' statement said "this news has distorted facts, misrepresented truth and seems to be of malicious intent". There are around 100 Madrassas with 50,000 students are accredited with NIOS, the Ministry further said, adding there are plans to accredit around 500 more Madrassas with the NIOS in the recent future--totally on the basis of demand of Madrassas. NIOS is the board of education under the Central government. Formerly known as National Open School (NOS), it was established in November 1989 as an autonomous organisation in pursuance of National Policy on Education 1986 by the Ministry of Education (MOE). NIOS is providing a number of vocational, life enrichment and community-oriented courses besides general and academic courses at Secondary and Senior Secondary level. It also offers Elementary level Courses through its Open Basic Education Programmes (OBE). The Central government through a gazette notification vested NIOS with the authority to examine and certify learners registered with it up to pre degree level courses whether Academic, Technical or Vocational. SAN FRANCISCO, March 02, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hagens Berman urges Infinity Q Diversified Alpha Fund (IQDAX; IQDNX) (the Fund) investors with significant losses to submit your losses now. A securities fraud class action has been filed after advisor Infinity Q Capital Management announced it is shutting down the Fund. Certain investors may have valuable claims. Class Period: Dec. 21, 2018 Feb. 22, 2021 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: Apr. 27, 2021 Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/IQDAX Contact An Attorney Now: IQDAX@hbsslaw.com 844-916-0895 Infinity Q Diversified Alpha Fund (IQDAX; IQDNX) Securities Fraud Class Action: The complaint alleges defendants misrepresented and concealed that (1) the Funds Chief Investment Officer manipulated variables going into valuation of significant Fund assets, (2) as a consequence, the Fund and its advisor would not be able to correctly calculate the Funds net asset value (NAV), (3) previously reported NAVs were unreliable, and (4) because of the foregoing the fund would halt redemptions and liquidate assets. The truth emerged on Feb. 22, 2021, when the advisor and Fund filed an application with the SEC seeking permission to suspend Fund share redemptions. The application also stated the Fund should be liquidated in part because of an inability to determine the impact of the CIOs adjustments to models used to value certain swap instruments. The same day, Bloomberg published an article entitled Mutual Fund Locks Out Founder After SEC Questions Swaps Pricing reporting that the funds advisor (1) cut off founder, majority owner, and CIO James Velissaris access to accounts and trading, and (2) had verified that Velissaris did in fact access and alter the third-party valuation models pertaining to hundreds of millions of dollars of swaps. Were focused on investors losses and proving defendants intentionally inflated the funds NAV, said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation. If you are an Infinity Q Diversified Alpha Fund investor and have significant losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firms investigation, click here to discuss your legal rights with Hagens Berman. Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Infinity Q Diversified Alpha Fund should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email IQDAX@hbsslaw.com. About Hagens Berman Hagens Berman is a national law firm with nine offices in eight cities around the country and eighty attorneys. The firm represents investors, whistleblowers, workers and consumers in complex litigation. More about the firm and its successes is located at hbsslaw.com. For the latest news visit our newsroom or follow us on Twitter at @classactionlaw . Previously Deported Illegal Alien Sentenced to 20 Years in Jail for Kidnapping Woman An illegal immigrant who was deported but returned to the United States has been sentenced to two decades in prison for kidnapping a woman. Luis Analberto Pineda-Anchecta, a native of Honduras, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert Conrad Jr. late last month for kidnapping a woman identified by law enforcement as his ex-girlfriend. Police officers in Charlotte arrested Pineda-Anchecta, 38, in May 2019 on several charges, including assault on a female and communicating threats. Two days later, Pineda-Anchecta was released from state custody on bond, despite immigration officials filing a detainer with the Mecklenburg County Sheriffs Office. That office ignored the retainer, which guides local officials to alert the federal counterparts before releasing illegal immigrants, according to federal officials. According to documents filed in the case, and evidence presented during the trial, the ex-girlfriend was soon approached by two masked men as she walked to her vehicle, which was parked at her apartment complex in Charlotte. She says one of the men was Pineda-Anchecta. The men grabbed her, stuffed cloth in her mouth, wrapped something around her head to keep the cloth in place, and forced her into a vehicle. According to the victim, Pineda-Anchecta told her, I love you and Im going to kill you. They eventually reached a wooded area, where Pineda-Anchecta dragged the woman out of the car. She was able to escape after a struggle and flagged down a passing motorist. Officers obtained a search warrant and found plastic rope in Pineda-Anchectas vehicle, as well as the victims phone. After a standoff, the accused was arrested. Pineda-Anchecta was convicted of kidnapping by a federal jury in June 2020. Conrad said the incident was a series of violent acts between the defendant and victim that escalated over time and culminated into this offense. He said from the bench that this was not a mere kidnapping, but that the defendant intended to kill the victim. Pineda-Anchecta was previously convicted of illegal reentry by a deported alien and was sentenced to seven months in prison, but he was later released. He will be subject to deportation again after finishing the new 20-year sentence. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Just as New York movie theaters are gearing up to open at reduced capacity on Friday amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Alamo Drafthouse -- the popular dine-in theater chain -- has announced the company has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. With this news, the fate of the Alamo Drafthouse theater that was supposed to open later this year in The Boulevard in New Dorp is now unclear. Alamo Drafthouse declined comment about the status of the Staten Island theater, which already has a 45,500-square-foot space earmarked for the popular chain movie house. And the Long Island-based Kimco Realty, the developer of The Boulevard, also declined comment about the future of the theater in the shopping center. After filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Delaware Bankruptcy Court, Alamo announced it is entering into a restructuring agreement by which it will sell assets to affiliates of Altamont Capital, Fortress Investment Group, founder Tim League and other original investors. The company didnt say it would be shuttering any of its 40 existing theaters in the United States. Because of the increase in vaccination availability, a very exciting slate of new releases, and pent-up audience demand, were extremely confident that by the end of 2021, the cinema industry -- and our theaters specifically -- will be thriving, said League, executive chairman of Alamo Drafthouse, in a statement. We are fortunate to have an incredibly talented and passionate team who are eager to welcome our loyal fans back to our theaters for a cinematic experience that cant be replicated. That said, these are difficult times and during this bankruptcy we will have to make difficult decisions about our lease portfolio. According to the Chapter 11 filing, Alamo Drafthouse has estimated having assets of between $100 million and $500 million, and liabilities of between $100 million and $500 million. The Staten Island Alamo Drafthouse is supposed to include The Flying Guillotine, a kung fu-inspired bar concept with Wu-Tangs kung-fu disciple RZA. Its also slated to feature nine auditoriums with approximately 930 luxury recliners. UPDATE ON BOULEVARD SHOPPING CENTER Following the launch of ShopRite in The Boulevard in October, the next retailers slated to open in the newly built shopping center in New Dorp include LA Fitness, Ulta Beauty, Party City and Marshalls, according to the projects developer. While the coronavirus pandemic may have delayed many national and local retailers from renovating individual stores in The Boulevard in New Dorp -- formerly known as Hylan Plaza -- exterior construction of the new $180 million shopping center is just about complete, said Joshua Weinkranz, president of the northern region of the Kimco Realty, developer of the project, to the Advance/SILive.com in January. According to Kimco, additional stores opening in The Boulevard include: Angelinas Kitchen; Astor Barbers; Bath & Body Works; Cigar Emporium; Corniche Cleaners; CVS; Diamond Braces; European Wax Center; Ulta Beauty; Marshalls; PetSmart; GameStop; Greek Xpress; JPMorgan; Chase Bank; LArtigiano Coffee Shop; Panera Bread; Lobo Loco; Hawaii Poke Bowls; Menchies Frozen Yogurt; Tropical Smoothie Cafe; On a Roll; Angel Tips Nail Salon; Ashton Hall; Le Peep; Red Lobster; Mattress Firm; Michaels Jewelry; Modern Acupuncture; Napoli Pizza; New China Buffet; New York Man; Old Navy; Reliance Wine & Liquor; Salon Illusion; Sese Nail Spa; Sterling Optical; Sushi Hibachi Buffet; Spectrum; Quest Diagnostics; The Hop Shoppe; Urban Planet. FOLLOW TRACEY PORPORA ON FACEBOOK and TWITTE Conservationists are sounding the alarm on the plight of the jaguar as the species continues to vanish relatively unnoticed. Population estimates for the Americas largest cat vary wildly, from 60,000 to 173,000. But of urgent concern is that numbers are in a steady decline due to increased threats across the 18 countries they inhabit. Numbers have dwindled by around a quarter over the last three generations with jaguars wiped out in 50 per cent of their historic range, and extinct in Uruguay and El Salvador. We know more about tigers and lions that are our own jaguar, our feline of the Americas, the third largest cat in the world, Dr Maria Jose Villanueva, WWFs Mexico conservation director and leader of the regional jaguar initiative, toldThe Independent. Were losing jaguars in many areas and starting to see shrinking populations. The biggest sub-population in the Amazon has 85 per cent of jaguars in the world but with the Amazon fires and strong deforestation rates, its starting to become a real concern to us. In 2018 conservation groups and 14 countries in Latin America committed to a 2030 roadmap to strengthen protections for jaguar habitats. The plan included creating a continuous jaguar corridor, winding up the continent from Argentina to Mexico, to provide the solitary big cat with the range it needs for survival. The roadmap also proposed strategies to reduce conflict between humans and jaguars as well as boost sustainable development, like eco-tourism, for communities which live in the same landscape. However WWF reported last month that minimal progress had been made at the international level, even as indigenous communities continue to drive conservation work locally. I think that the role of indigenous peoples and local communities is fundamental. They are our main stewards of conservation, and they need to be acknowledged as such, says Dr Villanueva. Jaguars teetered on the edge of extinction in the mid-20th century. Approximately 18,000 jaguars were killed each year until 1975 when international trade was banned. Although hunting declined, jaguars still faced retaliatory attacks by people protecting livestock, and by those who feared the large cats in remote areas. Man with skins of jaguar and ocelot for sale in the lowland rainforest of Madre de Dios, Peru. Jaguar bones, skulls and skins, are being sought as substitutes for tiger parts (WWF) Today jaguars face interwoven threats. The creatures are deliberately killed for their parts - fangs, skulls, bones, skins, paws and meat. As protections have increased for other big cat species like tigers, wildlife trafficking rings have turned their attention to the jaguar as a substitute for traditional medicine and ornamental products, the UN reports. Poaching is once again on the rise in the Amazon, particularly in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru and the Guianas. The explosion of trade routes between Latin America and Asia in the past decade, along with the establishment of Chinese-owned mining and logging operations in the region, has played a significant role in the increased demand for wildlife products. A 2020 report by TRAFFIC, an NGO focused on trade in wild animals, found that much of the wildlife leaving Latin America is destined for markets in China, and possibly Southeast Asia. Jaguars are particularly vulnerable to habitat loss driven by the rampant destruction of the Amazon for agricultural expansion, logging and mining. In 2020, deforestation in the Amazon soared to a 12-year high. Slashing and burning through the rainforest poses a twin threat to jaguars. It opens up access for trophy hunters, trafficking gangs and opportunistic poachers, while the chopping up of forest corridors leaves the solitary cats without the expansive areas of land they need, with males often traveling hundreds of miles to find a mate. Trapping jaguars in isolated pockets of shrinking forest also reduces their ability to hunt, reproduce and remain genetically diverse. In February, WWF appealed to the 14 countries who agreed to the 2030 roadmap - Argentina, Brazil, Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Suriname - to do more. Conservationists also urged Guyana, French Guiana, Nicaragua and Venezuela to join the initiative. Conservationists point to the impact that establishing a jaguar corridor will have on the climate crisis. The area encompasses over 4.8 million sq km2 of forests - an area a little larger than the EU - which capture nearly 125.9 gigatonnes of carbon emissions annually, more than three times the amount released by energy use in 2020. WWF launched a campaign last month to bring attention to the jaguar. So far 120,000 people have signed the wildlife non-profits petition that will be presented to international forums in the coming months. The conservation of jaguar habitats plays a vital role in the livelihoods and cultural continuity of indigenous communities. Like the jaguar, indigenous peoples are also threatened by deforestation, land being converted for agriculture, unsustainable mining, forest fires and urbanization. Professor Iguaigdigili Lopez, who studied biology and specializes in intercultural bilingual education, is a member of the indigenous Guna people of Panama. She is also president of the Organization of Indigenous Women on Biodiversity (OMIUBP). Jaguars have a lot of significance for indigenous peoples, she told The Independent in an email. In the Guna culture we believe that, at the beginning of humanity, jaguars were human beings. In the Dulegaya language the word for jaguar, Igarobandur, means way, opens, person. The jaguar was the person who guided the forest path, the one who opened the way to the farms, he was the head of the forests. Through constant struggles to maintain balance, our heavenly father and mother turned him into the spirit of the jaguar, so that he would always be guarding the forests, Professor Lopez added. OMIUBP holds workshops to educate young people in indigenous communities in legends of the jaguar, linking the stories to conservation. In the past year, these have become Zoom workshops due the coronavirus pandemic, which has particularly blighted indigenous communities. In these workshops we provide scientific information about jaguars with the support of Jaguara Panama, an organization specializing in the subject, Professor Lopez wrote. We also include the wise men and women of the communities, where they speak about the spirituality of forests, animals and the worldview of indigenous peoples in relation to the conservation of species. We are printing stories for children that will be distributed in local schools... [which] have a teaching or moral and are about our origins and identity as peoples. The more didactic material we have, whether stories, plays or otherwise, on the relationship of animals and particularly the jaguar to humans, the more we will impact the education of children and their knowledge of the environment. Along with traditional practices, technology has a role to play. The Independent reported last year on indigenous communities deployment of drones to protect their forest homes, improving their abilities to monitor often vast and difficult terrain. The Covid pandemic has slowed economic growth and led to greater poverty and inequality in Latin America, increasing calls for green and resilient recovery plans. Protect the jaguar, and you safeguard so much more, say conservationists, including expanses of forests, biodiversity, watersheds, and national and cultural heritage. I think that the pandemic provides [a way] to understand the real impact of continuing this path of overconsumption, over-exploitation and deforestation, Dr Villanueva says. We're opening the wounds of our planet, and it's making us sick. (@ChaudhryMAli88) ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 03rd Mar, 2021) Sheikh Shakhbout bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State, held a meeting with Abdoulaye Bio Tchane, Minister of State for Planning and Development of Benin, in Abu Dhabi, to discus ways of enhancing bilateral ties and advance them in several fields for the benefit of the two friendly peoples. They also explored investment opportunities in vital sectors including agricultural and infrastructure in Benin. She's in the know when it comes to all things beauty and skincare. And Go-To founder Zoe Foster Blake debuted a chic, French-inspired hairstyle during an interview on Channel Nine's Today show on Thursday. Broadcasting live from Sydney Harbour, Zoe, 40, looked radiant as she showed off her short bob with bangs. That's new! Zoe Foster Blake (right) debuted a chic new hairdo on the Today show on Thursday after returning from a luxury holiday with husband Hamish (left) on Lord Howe Island The fringe across her forehead is a new addition, as the beauty entrepreneur has long favoured shorter locks. Zoe wore a vibrant floral dress during the live cross, and sported a flawless makeup coverage with a glossy pout. 'I've been watching too much The Bureau [a French political thriller]. Embarrassed to realise I might try to morph into a French girl,' she said of her new hairstyle. 'I might try to morph into a French girl': Zoe, 40, looked radiant as she showed off her short bob with bangs earlier this week Before: The fringe across her forehead is a new addition, as the beauty entrepreneur has long favoured shorter locks Zoe and her husband, Hamish Blake, 39, recently relocated to Sydney from Melbourne with their two children, son Sonny, six, and daughter Rudy, three. When asked how they were finding the city, Zoe said: 'It's beautiful. It's lovely. It's good to be able to jump into the ocean every day. That's new.' Comedian Hamish, who hosts Nine's Lego Masters, added: 'It's amazing.' Newly minted Sydneysiders: Zoe and her husband, Hamish Blake, recently relocated to Sydney from Melbourne with their two children, son Sonny, six, and daughter Rudy, three Hamish and Zoe were on Today to speak about their duties as ambassadors for Tourism Australia. Earlier this week, the couple shared incredible footage on Instagram from their family holiday on Lord Howe Island, a tiny island in the Tasman Sea. The Blakes stayed at a $6,600-a-night resort and encouraged their fans to 'see Australia' and 'holiday here this year' during the Covid pandemic. LAist only exists with reader support. If you're in a position to give, your donation powers our reporters and keeps us independent. Our reporting is free for everyone, but its not free to make. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily newsletters. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now. The pandemic's stay at home orders, along with increased anxiety due to job losses, illness, and death of friends and family have led to an increase in domestic violence -- and college administrators say their students are enduring the violence, too. Many universities are relying on offices created within the last decade to provide confidential help and support that's helping students navigate the abuse, and remain on track to earn their degrees. "It's a pretty busy job," said Cortni Alexander, the full-time confidential advocate employed by California State University, San Bernardino to help students and employees on a wide range of issues relating to harassment and sexual violence. The pandemic has changed how harassment and sexual violence affects people in colleges, she said. "Students would usually have the opportunity to come on campus and have a couple hours away from home, and potentially, their abuser," Alexander said. "Everyone is spending 24 hours a day inside the house, in a potentially dangerous situation." Cortni Alexander is a confidential survivors' advocate at CSU San Bernardino. (Jordan Kubat) Alexander juggles a caseload of 20-35 people in abuse situations at any one time. She helps people file complaints with university officials, go to the police, accompanies them to the hospital, and aids them in asking professors or administrators for accommodations such as deadline extensions or time off from school. As the pandemic has shifted nearly all university teaching and support services online, advocates like Alexander and the offices that oversee them have also shifted their services online. Those offices say the change to a virtual environment has been a mixed blessing: it's allowed them to help people who would not have come forward --at the same time that it's shut some off from the critical help they need to stop the abuse and harassment in their lives. CALLS FOR HELP IN THE PANDEMIC Sexual violence and abuse are common among college students. Surveys conducted by colleges of their student populations suggest that sexual violence and non-consensual sexual acts happen to anywhere from 3% to 30% of college students. In many of these surveys, the rates of abuse reported by LGBT students is higher. Many incidents happen off campus, and most students do not come forward and report them. According to a December article in the New England Journal of Medicine, abuse crisis centers may be seeing a decline in calls for help, but that doesn't mean abuse is declining during the pandemic. "We do see somewhat of a decrease in students who utilize our services," said Danielle Samuel, a full-time advocate at CSU Northridge for the past two years: "We also see that some students have started using our services because of the fact that we are remote right now." A decrease and an increase? Other campuses report a similar dynamic, because the move of their services to telephone and videoconferencing has encouraged people who may not have been willing to step into a campus office to come forward for help. Some are seeking help for abuse that's taken place during the pandemic. Others seek counseling for abuse that happened earlier in their lives, perhaps because they were triggered by traumas they experienced during the pandemic. For students unwilling to step into a campus office to seek help for abuse, it's more convenient and less intimidating to talk remotely to a marriage and family therapist, like Samuel, while in their car or at home. However, for others the remote setting is not convenient because home is where the abuse is happening, or it's a place where they cannot speak freely. Karla Aguilar is a confidential suvivors' advocate at UC Riverside. (Courtesy UC Riverside) "[For] a student that I'm working [with] right now, how can I create safety if they're having to have a counseling session in their bathroom so a parent doesn't hear it?" said Karla Aguilar, director of UC Riverside's Campus Assault Resources & Education (CARE) office. Fallout from the pandemic such as job loss and the death of friends and family members have increased anxiety, which may increase as people spend a lot of time in close quarters with the same companions. INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE Some of the harassment and abuse that college students report is due to an increase in time spent with romantic partners they do or do not live with, and with roommates or family members. Many students have returned to family homes to save money while taking their remote classes. "We do see a decrease in the number of people who are reporting that strangers have caused the harm," said Mandy Mount, director of UC Irvine's CARE office. "We're also seeing an increase in the people who report that the person who caused the harm [is] not affiliated with the university," she said. That means that her office's three full-time advocates are spending more time helping people get out of living situations in which the college student has been harmed or is facing harm. Mount said more UC Irvine faculty and staff have come to her office for help during the pandemic. Her office, like other such offices at universities, also organizes support groups and programs for survivors of abuse. The staff also conducts trainings for clubs and campus groups like fraternities and sororities. Some of the most popular group sessions held by advocates and support staff are the webinars on healthy relationships, dating violence, and digital abuse. Mount said her office has seen more reports of abuse and harassment carried out by people who use technology. Some of the digital tactics that people use to harass and abuse others, such as their partners, include: Using mobile tracking devices Stealing the passwords of social media accounts Using information from money transfer apps Hacking devices to steal intimate photos, or creating fake nude photos Here's what CSUN's advocate distributes to help students and employees identify digital dating abuse: Here are links to the advocate offices at University of California and California State University campuses: UCLA, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, UC San Diego, UC Merced, UC Santa Cruz, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC San Francisco. San Diego State University, CSU Long Beach, CSU Northridge, CSU Fullerton, CSULA CSU Dominguez Hills, Cal Poly Pomona CSU San Marcos, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, CSU San Bernardino, CSU Bakersfield, CSU Channel Islands, Fresno State, CSU San Francisco, Cal Maritime, CSU East Bay, San Jose State, CSU Sacramento, Chico State, CSU Humboldt, CSU Stanislaus, CSU Sonoma, CSU Monterey Bay. THE WORK OF ADVOCATES DURING THE PANDEMIC IS 'CRITICAL' Groups that track abuse in California praise the work of confidential university advocates. "Advocates on campus are absolutely critical to survivors," said Ashley Klein-Jimenez, director of prevention for the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault. A key issue is that many college students who endure abuse and harassment don't step forward to report it to non-confidential agencies such as the police or university Title IX offices that carry out investigations. The increases in certain types of abuse and harassment, she said, are making the campus advocates an important starting point for students to use school resources, such as official investigations conducted by Title IX offices or rape crisis centers. A person gives up some confidentiality after filing an abuse complaint through a Title IX office, whereas the advocates maintain that person's confidentiality. "Advocates on campus are able to support survivors, whether or not the survivor wants to actually report the sexual violence," Klein-Jimenez said. "So that confidential advocate piece is so critical in letting survivors continue to kind of steer their healing and make choices for themselves." Klein-Jimenez and other survivor advocates say their biggest concern is that college students don't know that confidential help is available. "We have a whole prevention team ... that does outreach via social media," said CSUN's Samuel, adding that her office is ramping up its online outreach in the coming month. "We do have Sexual Assault Awareness month coming up [in April], which we do events for every year, and this year is no different," she said. "We will be doing that online." Jennifer Pemberton oversees an advocate program at California State University Northridge. (Chava Sanchez/LAist) As university administrators have increased funding for anti-sexual violence programs and support services for survivors, the pandemic has tested the reach of those messages to campus groups that rarely see each other in the real life. "It takes the whole campus" to support people who've endured abuse and help curb violence, said Jacob Chacko, assistant director for diversity and inclusion at CSU San Bernardino. To that end, his office sent an email to everyone on his campus, tens of thousands of students and employees, asking for letters of support for assault survivors. Some of the letters will be read in a program for Sexual Assault Awareness month. Chacko hopes the program brings "empowerment, healing, but also awareness and action on how folks can take action and get connected with our campus advocate." WHAT ABUSE SUPPORT MAY LOOK LIKE AFTER THE PANDEMIC While all UC and CSU campuses employ victims' advocates, many of California's 116 community colleges do not. "Just because [community colleges] don't have students ... living on campus, it doesn't mean that the students aren't being impacted by sexual violence, or dating violence, or stalking or harassment," Klein-Jimenez said. She lauded community colleges that have set up advocate programs, including Rio Hondo College, Cerritos College, and Sacramento City College. Another bright spot: California universities have announced that they plan to return to mostly in-person instruction this fall. Support services, like the survivors' advocate, will also return to campus. Administrators who run the CARE offices say they plan to offer a mix of in-person support and services that will keep the telephone and videoconferencing outreach that's helped them reach more students during the pandemic. "I am hopeful," said UCR's Aguilar. "There is a lot of repairing and healing and connection that's going to have to happen when we get to campus." And she said her office is ready to be part of that healing. READ MORE: CORRECTION: In a previous version of this story Mandy Mount's name was incorrect. LAist regrets the error. Toronto: A man who ploughed a rented van into dozens of people in Toronto in 2018 is guilty of murdering 10 people and attempting to murder 16, a judge ruled on Wednesday (Canada-time), dismissing a defence argument that the suspects mental disorder left him with no idea how horrific his actions were. Alek Minassian, 28, told police he was motivated by a desire to punish society for his perceived status as an incel - short for involuntary celibate - because he believed women would not have sex with him. Minassian had pleaded not criminally responsible. In a courtroom sketch from a 2018 hearing Alek Minassian is in orange. Credit:AP But the defence failed to prove Minassians autism spectrum disorder deprived him of the capacity to know his actions were wrong, Judge Anne Molloy said in a verdict that was privately live-streamed on YouTube following a trial held virtually due to the pandemic. Molloy referred to Minassian as John Doe to try to deny the accused the notoriety he said he desired. We can all sleep more soundly now that the Arizona Department of Education is protecting the nation from the threat of racist 3-month-old babies. Christopher Rufo of City Journal tells the story in a series of tweets: SCOOP: The Arizona Department of Education has created an "equity" toolkit claiming that babies show the first signs of racism at three months old and that white children "remain strongly biased in favor of whiteness" by age five. Let's review the resources in the toolkit. pic.twitter.com/g4Sk6X0VuO Christopher F. Rufo (@realchrisrufo) March 2, 2021 The Department of Education recommends a reading that claims babies are not "colorblind" and that parents must instill "antiracist attitudes and actions" beginning at birth, in order for their children to not "absorb bias from the world around them." pic.twitter.com/6WsfMTKJMx Christopher F. Rufo (@realchrisrufo) March 2, 2021 Another recommended reading claims that "all white people are white in the context of a society that continues to disadvantage people of color based on race." The document teaches schools how to "change what it means to be white" and inculcate an "antiracist white identity." pic.twitter.com/7Whc717K5q Christopher F. Rufo (@realchrisrufo) March 2, 2021 The Department provides additional resources for "families & community," telling white parents that they "can have a black friend, partner, or child and still be racist." The article claims that white people deny their own racism to "alleviate some of their white fragility." pic.twitter.com/eCa6SSXx3x Christopher F. Rufo (@realchrisrufo) March 2, 2021 The head of the Arizona Department of Education is an elected official, technically called superintendent of public instruction. Occupying that post since January 2019 is Kathy Hoffman, whose background is described thus: Superintendent Hoffman has spent her entire career working in public education, first as a pre-school teacher and then as a speech-language pathologist. Since she is a specialist in the early years of childhood and language, I would like Supt. Hoffman to explain how a 3-month-old can understand any words about racism, including any words that might be aimed at counteracting what her department obviously believes in an innate sense of racism peculiar to Caucasians. By the way, do Native American and Asian 3-month-olds need similar training? Are they also inherently racist? If so, toward whom? Whats next? Perhaps in utero indoctrination, the way some parents play Mozart and Bach to their fetuses tissue masses? I am reasonably certain Rufo is not having fun at our expense, a la Babylon Bee. But neo-racism, better known as anti-racism, has reached the point of self-parody. Supt. Hoffman's term ends in 2022. If she stands for re-election, I hope that she will be forced to explain why 3-month-old babies can be presumed to be racist and need to be indoctrinated into preferring faces that don't resemble their parents'. Graphic credit: Twitter (cropped). (Natural News) A series of patents for some futuristic and outlandish technology held by the U.S. Navy recently surfaced. Dubbed the UFO patents, these include inventions by Dr. Salvador Cezar Pais that have been claimed to be able to engineer reality. Several of the patent, such as one describing a hybrid aerospace-underwater craft that can supposedly reach extreme speeds on water and in space, sound so farfetched that a primary patent examiner at the Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) couldnt help but double-check. But James Sheehy, Chief Technology Officer of the Naval Aviation Enterprise, personally wrote a letter to the examiner stating that the U.S. needed to patent the technology since the Chinese were also investing significantly in these same technologies. Pais patents describe outlandish, paradigm-changing technologies Most of the patents are the work of Pais, whose various patents over the years have attracted attention for their futuristic-sounding technology and potential military and energy-producing applications. One of Pais patents describes an aerospace-underwater craft capable of incredible speed and maneuverability underwater, in the air and in even out in space. The cone-shaped craft can supposedly achieve this by creating a quantum vacuum around itself with a very dense polarized energy field. This field allows it to repel any molecule that comes into contact with the craft, no matter the medium. At the same time, manipulating quantum field fluctuations in the local vacuum energy state would supposedly help reduce the crafts inertia, giving it its extreme maneuverability. Furthermore, the patent claims that if the vacuum-creating technology can be engineered, it would allow scientists to engineer the fabric of our reality at the most fundamental level. This could possibly lead to significant advancements in aerospace propulsion and power generation, on top of other reality-changing outcomes. Other patents by Pais also stem from similar thinking, outlining pieces of technology necessary to make his creations come to fruition. One idea, which he also presented in a paper in 2019, proposes a system that would be able to achieve superconductivity at room temperatures. Doing so with existing technology currently requires very low temperatures. Pais said that such a technology would be a highly disruptive technology, capable of a total paradigm change in Science and Technology. Meanwhile, another Pais patent describes an electromagnetic generator that could create an impenetrable shield for military assets based on sea, land and space. (Related: Navy patents suggest American military possesses alien technology.) Patents highlight mysterious nature of Salvatore Pais The outlandish nature of Pais patents has led many to wonder about what exactly is going on with them. One theory is that the patents simply proactive, looking to make sure that the Navy already has them when the technologies become feasible. Another is that theyre simply part of a misinformation campaign meant to lead the countrys adversaries on a wild goose chase. Adding to the mystery is Pais himself. Little is known about Pais and he has virtually no presence on the web. What is known is that he supposedly received a Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Case Western Reserve University in 1999. Pais at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) headquarters at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland the Navys top aircraft test base before transferring to the Navys Strategic Systems Program organization in June 2019. He has since transferred to the U.S. Air Force this past February. The Navy itself has only recently opened up about the results of experiments involving Pais patents. In a recent email to The Drive, NAWCAD Communications Director Timothy Boulay confirmed that testing on Pais electromagnetic field generator took place between October 2016 and September 2019. As part of this, Boulay confirmed that Pais claims could not be proven. But it remains unclear why the Navy was hesitant to talk about the experiments until recently. This was despite the fact that it knew all along that the experiments resulted in what has been described to be a scientific dead-end where Pais theories were not verified. Is the U.S. Navy (and soon, the U.S. Air Force) working with Pais in the hopes that some of the technologies he envisions actually come to fruition? Is this all a massive ruse to confuse Americans enemies? Does Pais even actually exist? Follow MilitaryTechnology.news for more on this and other mysterious projects the U.S. military may be working on. Sources include: BigThink.com TheDrive.com 1 TheDrive.com 2 TheDrive.com 3 A developer of industrial parks joined the ranks of Chinese companies defaulting on international borrowings, with its failure to repay a maturing bond casting doubt over the entirety of its $4.6 billion in dollar-based debt. The debt difficulties at China Fortune Land Development Co. follow a series of defaults by other sizable Chinese groups such as Tsinghua Unigroup Co., a player in the countrys push for self-reliance in semiconductors, and state-owned commodity trader Tewoo Group Co. While eager to support growth and avoid market turmoil, Chinese authorities have grown more tolerant of defaults in recent years, both by private companies and state-backed ones, as they try to erode market assumptions that investors will always be made whole. China Fortune Land didnt repay holders of a $530 million note due Sunday, prompting Fitch Ratings to downgrade it to a restricted default" rating Tuesday morning Hong Kong time. The company has $9.8 billion of bonds outstanding, including $4.6 billion of offshore bonds, according to a February note from credit analysts at Goldman Sachs. Late last week, China Fortune Land said it needed time to fix a short-term cash shortage, adding that it aimed to seek a consensual resolution" with offshore bondholders and to treat domestic and international creditors fairly and reasonably. The company said it had missed payments on the equivalent of $1.7 billion of onshore loans and offshore bonds. China Fortune Lands bonds have been trading at deeply distressed levels for weeks, but analysts said the default was still surprising. This shows that the government is dead serious about letting weaker companies default," said Owen Gallimore, head of credit strategy at ANZ. This is a problem for the wider market because if you exclude blue-chip state-owned enterprises and financials, its all about implicit support." Mr. Gallimore said China Fortune Land would be the biggest international defaulter on record from China. Fitch didnt say whether the default on maturing debt would trigger cross-default on the companys other international bonds. It also withdrew its rating, saying China Fortune Land would no longer share the information needed for it to continue assessing the groups creditworthiness. The company didnt respond to a request for comment. Chuanyi Zhou, a credit analyst at research firm Lucror Analytics, said the companys ties to local governments, for which it has built a series of developments, had led some market participants to consider it similar to a local-government financing vehicle, or LGFV. It is a big deal for investors that even a company like that did not get a bailout," she said. Investors have focused on the risks posed by property developers, who make up a big part of the Chinese offshore bond market. Many are heavily indebted, and the sector is coming under greater regulatory pressure. Banks are told to cap property lending, and a system of three red lines," widely reported in local media, essentially requires the weakest players to cut debt. Some cities have also imposed restrictions to damp housing-market speculation. China Fortune Land isnt a typical residential developer. It was founded in 1998 with roots in Hebei, the province surrounding Beijing, with a focus on building industrial parks for local authorities. But it has since branched out into home-building, often on sites adjacent to its industrial areasa problem given recent curbs on new home sales in Hebei and neighboring regions. In a research report last month, Moodys Investors Service highlighted China Fortune Lands rapid expansion and its use of public-private partnerships" as contributing to its high debts. The company has to wait a long time to collect cash from local governments for the parks it has built, the rating company said. On Tuesday, Moodys also downgraded China Fortune Land and withdrew its rating. Moodys cut the company by two notches to Caa3, one of its lowest grades. It said bondholders were likely to recover a low proportion of what they were owed. The missed payments highlight the severe challenges facing CFLD given its weak liquidity. They will likely trigger cross defaults and accelerate the repayment of CFLDs onshore bonds and its other offshore bonds, and significantly disrupt CFLDs operations, jeopardizing its asset values," Moodys said. China Fortune Lands fall from grace has been rapid. As recently as September, it was able to issue $330 million of bonds due in 2022, paying an 8.75% coupon. On Monday, these bonds were quoted at 38 cents on the dollar, according to FactSet. The companys Shanghai-listed stock has tumbled 48% in the past three months, according to FactSet. Its biggest shareholders are Chairman Wang Wenxue and Ping An Insurance Group Co., one of Chinas biggest insurers. 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. Legitimate and sustainable agriculture practices can offset the destruction of habitats, forest clearings, and the damage done by conventional pesticides. Viewpoint, an informational television program hosted by veteran American actor Dennis Quaid, is gearing up for a segment featuring sustainable green strategies in the agriculture industry. Top-of-the-line innovators and methods will be showcased in the segment to shed light on the importance of making the agriculture industry green. Increased awareness about the environmental harm caused by typical agriculture practices has caused eco-friendly farming to become a top priority more than ever before. Legitimate and sustainable agriculture practices can offset the destruction of habitats, forest clearings, and the damage done by conventional pesticides. Farmer and agriculturists are finding ways to reduce the impact cultivating land and produce have on the environment. A popular way farmers are changing the course of agriculture is by implementing renewable energy sources. Switching to green methods can significantly reduce the carbon footprint created by conventional farming. Renewable energy sources, such as solar power, hydropower, or wind, can be used as alternative energy methods. Solar power is useful for fueling pumping and heating systems, and hydropower, which is sourced from river water, can run various farming machinery. Viewpoint is proud to highlight these sustainable agricultural methods in the upcoming segment. The program will feature the combined efforts of the shows development team and content providers. Making green changes can help ensure a healthy environment for generations to come. Dennis Quaid will host the TV program. Viewpoint with Dennis Quaid is created explicitly for television stations in the U.S. to educate audiences on various topics. The show is the recipient of numerous Telly awards. A crew of seasoned producers, developers, editors, and writers ties together the show. 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 retail pharmacy COVID-19 vaccine rollout has incited national public frustration. According to internet wisdom, the secret to getting an appointment is being persistent and clicking incessantly. When that doesnt work, complaints of crashing appointment sites, ghost appointments, and calendars with no availability swarm social media feeds and flood pharmacy phones. But when you call a pharmacy, theres a person on the other end of that line, fielding the complaints, desperate appointment attempts, and click storms. Slate talked to three pharmaceutical workers around the country to learn how they are handling the pressure. Advertisement Sarah, who works at an independent pharmacy in Fort Worth, Texas, has been a technician for 17 years. Working in the pharmacy setting is not for the weak, she says. This is the epitome of a thankless job. And its only become worse in the pandemic. Advertisement Advertisement The phones ring all the time. On the subreddit TalesFromThePharmacy, users talk about how no one listens to the recorded message saying pharmacy staff cant make appointments and will continue to call repeatedly. Most curse us out, one person wrote. Theyre trained to think if you whine a lot, well make an exception, another user posted. One pharmacist Slate talked to, who preferred to remain anonymous, works at a Walgreens outside Baltimore. He said that one guy called him six times over the course of a day, thinking that he would get a different person and a different answer. I cant blame people for calling, but it just makes everything go so much slower, this pharmacist said. Advertisement The issues with pharmacy booking websites have made life just as frustrating for the technicians administering the shots as those waiting for them. The Baltimore Walgreens pharmacist Slate spoke to was fuming: Elderly people call him up begging for an appointment, and all he can do is tell them to call the helpline. The helpline, though, tells the patients to phone him. I feel bad saying we cant do anything, a pharmaceutical worker at a New York City Walgreens, who didnt want to be named, told Slate. But eventually all stories start sounding the same. He said, I feel bad saying no, but we get so many phone calls that when I hang up one call, I have another call waiting. It doesnt stop. So, at this point, its just whatever. Advertisement Advertisement Sarah echoed this, saying that at first it was hard to say no, but nowafter turning so many people downshe is numb. We are people, too. We see those hurting in various ways because of the pandemic and we want to help everyone, but to be blunt, you got to wait your turn. Sarah said she gets constant calls of people trying to convince her that theyre qualified when they arent. Weve heard everything from people saying they qualify because they are smokers to people who are in great shape claiming to be overweight, she said. We want to make sure everyone gets the vaccine, but we do need just a little bit of patience and understanding of the rules and qualifications. People who book appointments before they are allowed to create a lot of unnecessary work for pharmacists, who are the ones personally sifting through every booked appointment and canceling those made by ineligible candidates. Advertisement But the pharmacy workers Slate spoke to said that they do try to help qualified patients whose stories stick with them. The Baltimore Walgreens pharmacist said that he felt horrible turning away two elderly women who had made appointments but were denied their shots because they had been exposed to COVID-19 recently. So he helped them secure appointments 10 days after their exposure date. The New York City Walgreens technician said an elderly woman came in on his first day administering the vaccine with an appointment confirmation, but it didnt show up in the pharmacys system. She was crying. When he had an extra, he called her and gave her the shot. Unless theres an exceptional case or a qualified patient in need who comes to mind, the pharmacists say theyll make storewide announcements when they have extra doses. At the end of the day, its kind of a free-for-all. Advertisement Advertisement The pharmacists who talked to Slate said that they were administering shots every 15 minutes while also filling prescriptions and answering the phones. The New York City pharmacist said that he was so busy on Monday that he didnt have time to fill a prescription that came in at 11 a.m. until 8:30 at night. You go home exhausted most days, and not all of us get breaks throughout the day, Sarah said. We arent just giving out shots. We are also running a pharmacy at the same time with the same number of staff. Yet the New York Walgreens worker said that adding more staff wont solve the problem. Each staff member needs to be trained, and training takes timea month at the very least. Finding the time to do that seems impossible. Seriously what are all of us going to do? one Reddit user wrote, echoing these worries. To think of us doing dozens, if not hundred plus COVID vaccines every day for the next year, even two years sounds like a nightmare to me and fills me with dread. Advertisement The pharmacists Slate spoke with feel that the only solution may be one without them in it. There really should have been a government website to handle all the scheduling instead of depending on us to put something together as an independent pharmacy, Sarah said. Even the pharmacists at big chains, like Walgreens, felt that they shouldnt be the backbone of the nations vaccine effort. They said that megasites like Los Angeles Dodger Stadiumwhere more than 7,000 vaccines have been delivered in a dayare the future of the vaccine effort. Right now, though, pharmacies remain the hub of vaccine distribution. Just recently, rollout efforts expanded beyond the chains to fill more local pharmacies. But already community pharmacies have complaints: They dont have enough doses. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. Mark Plesent, the longtime producing artistic director of off-Broadway's Working Theatre, died February 19 following a four-year battle with cancer. He was 60. Born in New York, and a graduate of Brown University, Plesent joined Working Theatre as an intern in 1989 and climbing up the ladder, quickly becoming managing director. He served as development director of Lar Lubovitch Dance Company from 1992-96 before returning to Working Theatre as producing director, working alongside artistic leaders Bill Mitchelson, Bill Wise, Bob Arcaro, and Connie Grappo. He became the sole producing artistic director in 2010, and brought on Tamilla Woodard in 2020 to serve as co-artistic directors. Under Plesent's leadership, Working Theater, the only theater in the country dedicated exclusively to telling the stories of working people, has been honored with six Drama Desk Award nominations, a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble for Tabletop, and three Audelco Awards. He founded the company's community arts education program TheaterWorks, which provides classes in writing and performance for working people. He also conceived and instituted a ticket subsidy program to provide low cost tickets to groups of working people. He has helped nurture productions about the working conditions of TV production crews (Rob Ackerman's Tabletop), the plight of the uninsured in America (Michael Killigan's Mercy Killers), and the struggles of women working in poultry plants (Lisa Ramirez's To the Bone). Plesent's most ambitious initiative, Five Boroughs One City, was founded as a collaborative, community-based theater producing project aimed at fostering dialogue about pressing social justice issues within and between the diverse working class communities of New York City. Since its inception in 2015, this initiative has produced and toured four of the original commissioned projects in dynamic co-partnership with community organizations and arts groups across the city including CASA, Riseboro, Snug Harbor, IBEW Local 3, and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. He is survived by his husband, Roger Belknap, parents Gloria and Stanley Plesent, sisters Nora Plesent and Leslie Fox, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. A celebration of his life will be held on Monday, March 8 via Zoom. LENEXA, Kan., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- City Wide, the nation's leading management company in the building maintenance industry, hosted its 18th annual franchise convention this year on March 1, 2021. Originally scheduled to take place in Tucson, Arizona, City Wide adapted a concept the company has become familiar with this past year to host its first ever virtual convention. The theme for this year was "The First Choice," which aligns with the company's vision to be the first choice for every community member it interacts with, including franchise owners, employees, clients, independent contractors and vendors. During a year of uncertainty, City Wide held true to its mission, becoming a trusted partner for more than 12,500 clients, 6,800 independent contractors and 23,000 combined associates nationwide. Jeff Oddo, CEO and owner of City Wide Facility Solutions and City Wide Franchise, shared with the system a speech that recapped the previous year, and discussed future plans for the company. A sign of its strength and continued growth, the brand opened locations in D.C., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Cherry Hill, New Jersey; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Westchester, New York in 2020. After moving its Home Office to a new 28,000 square foot building, the company also announced a new name and logo in September of last year to help better reinforce its vision for the future. Perhaps most noteworthy, City Wide collectively donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to charities in 2020. "While 2020 presented its fair share of challenges, I am proud of the way our system reacted to ensure we remained the first choice in every community we serve," said Oddo. "Our owners quickly learned what it means to serve as an essential business, and demonstrated leadership in a time of crisis to take care of our clients. And, amid a year where each of us were faced with a lot of difficulties, we still prioritized giveback volunteering nearly 23,500 service hours as a system. I am honored to lead and be a part of the City Wide family, and look forward to another successful year together." The convention ended with an awards presentation, recognizing franchisees and team members who performed exceptionally in sales, revenue generation, performance and other operations metrics. With more than $390 million in systemwide revenue in 2020, City Wide is well-prepared to rapidly grow its footprint nationally to reach its goal of 100 new locations in 10 years. SOURCE City Wide Facility Solutions Married At First Sight star Sean Donnelly has called out Channel Nine for preaching an anti-bullying message while also portraying the show's participants negatively. The Adelaide publican, 41, who was paired with single mother Jo McPharlin on season five in 2018, accused the dating show of being as bad as the trolls. Sean reposted Nine's 'message of love' on Instagram Stories on Tuesday and wrote: 'Well this is a f**ken joke surely you create the hate.' Slammed: Married At First Sight star Sean Donnelly has called out Channel Nine for preaching an anti-bullying message while also portraying the show's participants negatively Sean identified two Married At First Sight producers by name, but Daily Mail Australia cannot identify them for legal reasons. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Nine for comment. Sean's post comes after Nine announced severe penalties for Instagram trolls ahead of this year's Married At First Sight season premiere. The network released a 'message of love' and said that abusive comments about the new brides and grooms on social media would result in users being blocked. Calling them out: Sean reposted Nine's' message of love' on Instagram Stories on Tuesday and wrote: 'Well this is a f**ken joke surely you create the hate.' He identified two Married At First Sight producers by name, but Daily Mail Australia cannot identify them for legal reasons 'We all love watching MAFS and following the journey of the participants in Australia's biggest social experiment,' began a statement on the official Married At First Sight Instagram account, which has 365,000 followers. 'So let's celebrate our couples, support and encourage them. 'Comments on the official MAFS social accounts are moderated, and any that are offensive or personally attack participants or fellow MAFS viewers will not be tolerated. 'Anyone who continually breaches the community guidelines will be blocked.' The new participants have also disabled comments on their Instagram profiles. Taking a stand: Sean's post comes after Nine announced severe penalties for Instagram trolls ahead of this year's Married At First Sight season premiere Upsetting: Past contestants have had their fair share of negative comments on social media. Ines Basic (pictured) was recently left fearing for her life after being trolled by critics in the UK, who are watching the 2019 season for the first time Past contestants have had their fair share of negative comments on social media. Ines Basic was recently left fearing for her life after being trolled by critics in the UK, who are watching the 2019 season for the first time. Both her Instagram and YouTube accounts were flooded with cruel comments earlier this month, with one troll even calling her 'a fake delusional narcissist'. Sean appeared on the 2018 season of Married At First Sight and was paired with Jo McPharlin, also known as 'Foxy JoJo'. The victim had lodged a case of molestation of his daughter two and a half years ago Family members carry the body of Ambrish Sharma, who was allegedly shot dead by an accused out on bail in a case of molestation lodged in 2018 against the victim's daughter, in Hathras district, Tuesday, March 02, 2021. (PTI) Lucknow: A 50-year-old man was allegedly shot dead in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras district by an accused out on bail in a case of molestation lodged in 2018 against the victim's daughter, police said on Tuesday. "The incident took place in Nozarpur village of Sasani area in Hathras on Monday afternoon when the daughters of Ambrish Sharma (50) had gone to a temple, where the wife and aunt of accused Gaurav Sharma were present. The women had heated arguments with each other after which both Gaurav and Ambrish also reached there," Hathras Superintendent of Police Vineet Jaiswal said. Both Gaurav and Ambrish also had an argument after which the accused called some members of his family and shot Ambrish in a fit of rage, the SP said. Ambrish was rushed to the hospital where he was declared brought dead, the SP added. According to an FIR lodged by the victim's daughter, however, the incident took place in their family potato field. The Hathras SP said the FIR was registered against Gaurav Sharma, Lalit Sharma, Rahitash Sharma, Nikhil Sharma and two others. Out of them, Lalit has been arrested while the main accused Gaurav is absconding. In the FIR, it was alleged that the girl was there in her family potato field with her father Ambrish when Gaurav came in a white car with his accomplice and asked Ambrish to take back the case lodged against him. "Before my father could say anything, he opened fire on him. We rushed him to the hospital, where he died," the girl said in the FIR. The victim had lodged a case of molestation of his daughter two and a half years ago against Gaurav, who was jailed. Gaurav, then, came out on bail after a month and he had animosity with Ambrish since then, the SP added. Taking note of the incident, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered strict action to be taken against the accused and directed officials to invoke provisions of the stringent National Security Act (NSA) against them. Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav alleged that women in UP have lost hope of justice from the state government. "After 'Hathras ki beti', murder of a father who had complained of molestation of his daughter has taken place. UP's women have not just lost hope from the government, they have stopped seeking justice from it," Akhilesh said in a tweet in Hindi. "Enough of the atrocities on women, this time the BJP is out," he added. Akhilesh also tagged a video of a girl, said to be the victim's daughter along with his tweet. In the video, the girl is heard saying, "Please give me justice... please give me justice. First, he molested me and now he has shot my father. He had come to our village. There were six-seven people. My father had no enmity against anyone. His name is Gaurav Sharma, he is a dog...". Meanwhile, a war of words has started between the ruling BJP and the Samajwadi Party over the political background of the main accused. The state BJP has alleged that the main accused is from the SP with Gaurav Sharma running his social media pages with the name 'Gaurav Songra'. The BJP pointed to a Facebook post on February 27 in which Gaurav asked people to attend a farmers' meeting convened by Yadav on March 3 in Aligarh. "The accused is an SP leader and was out on bail and pressuring the victim's family to withdraw the case. No such element will be spared in the present regime," BJP spokesman Manish Shukla said. BJP MLA from Lambhua, Deomani Dwivedi took to Twitter on the matter and termed the Samajwadi Party as "Apradhwavi Party" (criminal party). He also put up a picture purportedly of Gaurav from the Facebook page in which he is inviting people for a kisan mahapanchyat in Aligarh. Samajwadi Party spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary rejected the charges of the BJP . "Gaurav is not a leader of the Samajwadi Party but that of the BJP. There are photographs of Gaurav with BJP leaders to prove this," Chaudhary said. When asked if Gaurav has ever been with the Samajwadi Party, Chaudhary said he has no information about it. In September last year, a 20-year-old Dalit woman died after being raped by four men in an incident that had shocked the entire nation. She later died due to her injuries at a hospital in Delhi and the police came under widespread criticism over the handling of the case and a late-night funeral of the victim where the family said they were not allowed. COVID-19 testing information for west-central Illinois counties: Morgan County Jacksonville Days and times: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Location: Drive-through testing site located at Dunlap Court and Morgan Street. Details: No appointment necessary. Photo ID and insurance card requested but not required. Brown County Mount Sterling Days and times: By appointment. Location: Brown County Health Department, 120 E. Main St. 217-773-2714 Details: Testing eligibility determined by telephone screening. Cass County Beardstown Days and times: Monday-Friday 9-11:20 a.m. Location: Cass County Health Department, 8590 St. Lukes Drive. 217-323-2182 Virginia Days and times: Monday-Friday 1-3 p.m. Location: Cass County Health Department, 331 S. Main St. 217-452-3057 Details: Testing by appointment only and is limited to those who live or work in Cass County. Schedules subject to change. Greene County Carrollton Days and times: By appointment. Open seven days a week. Location: Boyd Rural Health Clinic, 800 School St. 217-942-3600 Details: Testing performed if medically indicated, pre-op with doctors order, or return to work. Must call and leave message with name and callback number. Jersey County Jerseyville Days and times: By appointment. Location: Jerseyville Community Hospital Walk-in Clinic, 903 S. State St. 618-498-2273 Details: Testing performed if medically indicated. Macoupin County Gillespie Days and times: By appointment. Location: Maple Street Clinic, 109 E. Maple St. 217-313-5078 Details: Drive-through free testing. Register by phone or online at mcphd.net. Pike County Pittsfield Days and times: By appointment. Location: Quincy Medical Group, 320 N. Madison St. 217-277-4001 Details: Testing performed if medically indicated. . Days and times: Monday-Saturday 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Location: Illini Express Clinic, 101 E. Washington St. 217-277-3504 Details: Testing performed if medically indicated. Register upon arrival. Scott County Winchester: Days and times: Mondays and Fridays 9-11 a.m. Location: Scott County Health Department, 335 W. Cherry St. Details: Schedule subject to change. See Facebook page for updates. Orlando Bloom took a sunny stroll with his six-month-old daughter Daisy Dove strapped in a brown baby carrier while on vacation in Hawaii on Sunday. The 44-year-old Englishman showcased his impressively muscular legs and bulging biceps while clad in a clingy grey T-shirt, black Nike shorts, knee-high socks, and black sneakers. Orlando's precious princess was wearing a baby-blue onesie as he cooed in her ear during their father-daughter hike. Marsupial dad! SAG Award winner Orlando Bloom took a sunny stroll with his six-month-old daughter Daisy Dove strapped in a brown baby carrier while on vacation in Hawaii on Sunday Bloom was not wearing a face mask to protect himself and others from the coronavirus pandemic, which has only claimed the lives of 436 Hawaiians. The Boss brand ambassador and his fiancee of two years, Katy Perry, are vacationing with another family and one of the women joined him for the stroll. 'I'm constantly talking to her, chanting to her, singing - now I sing anything with "Daddy" in it, just because I want her to say "Dad" before she says anything else,' Orlando gushed on last Friday's episode of The Graham Norton Show. 'I'm like, "Daddy loves his, Daddy loves his!" She'll be like, "Mom is going to be much better at this than you. S** off!" Actually, she sort of has said a bit of "Da-dad, da-dad." Every time I come up she's very excited to see me.' Adonis: The 44-year-old Englishman showcased his impressively muscular legs and bulging biceps while clad in a clingy grey T-shirt, black Nike shorts, and knee-high socks Bundle of joy! Orlando's precious princess was wearing a baby-blue onesie as he cooed in her ear during their father-daughter hike Holiday: Bloom was not wearing a face mask to protect himself and others from the coronavirus pandemic, which has only claimed the lives of 436 Hawaiians Mystery pal: The Boss brand ambassador and his fiancee of two years, Katy Perry, are vacationing with another family and one of the women joined him for the stroll Bloom is also father to 10-year-old son Flynn Christopher Blanchard Copeland from his three-year marriage to Miranda Kerr, which ended in 2013. The Outpost action star will next serve presenting duties in Los Angeles at the 26th Annual Critics' Choice Awards, which air this Sunday on The CW. Meanwhile, the 36-year-old pop diva currently co-judges the (pre-taped) 19th season of singing competition American Idol, which airs Sundays on ABC. Katy will next compete for the favorite female artist trophy at the 34th Annual Kids' Choice Awards, which air March 13 on Nickelodeon. Orlando gushed on last Friday's episode of The Graham Norton Show: 'I'm constantly talking to her, chanting to her, singing - now I sing anything with "Daddy" in it, just because I want her to say "Dad" before she says anything else' Father-of-two: Bloom is also father to 10-year-old son Flynn Christopher Blanchard Copeland from his three-year marriage to Miranda Kerr, which ended in 2013 (pictured in 2019) Airing this Sunday on The CW! The Outpost action star will next serve presenting duties in Los Angeles at the 26th Annual Critics' Choice Awards Perry (born Katheryn Hudson) faces heavy competition against Beyonce, Billie Eilish, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, and Taylor Swift. Orlando and the 13-time Grammy nominee recently bought a $14.2M mansion in Montecito for their growing family and five dogs. The on/off couple - who were first linked in January 2016 - rekindled their romance in 2018 after 'taking a respectful, loving' 10 months apart from each other in February 2017. 'Auditions, Part 4': Meanwhile, the 36-year-old pop diva currently co-judges the (pre-taped) 19th season of singing competition American Idol, which airs Sundays on ABC U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price urged Russia to destroy its chemical weapons program. "The United States calls upon Russia to comply with its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and to declare and destroy its chemical weapons program under international verification," Price said during the daily press briefing. He stressed that any use of chemical weapons, anywhere, at any time, by anyone, under any circumstance is unacceptable and it contravenes international norms. The spokesman also welcomed the action taken by the EU to impose sanctions on Russia. A rally that pushed oil prices higher than they were immediately before the pandemic struck has faltered on uncertainty around OPEC+ and a stronger dollar. Hedge fund oil buying reflected the changing fortunes of oil, turning from net buyers to net sellers in the six most popular oil and fuel contracts, Reuters' John Kemp reported in his latest weekly column. That put an end to 15 straight weeks of buying, Kemp noted. Besides the obvious factors that affect oil prices, such as the upcoming OPEC+ meeting that could result in an agreement to boost production, which would dampen prices, there was one new factor: the potential for worsening U.S.-Saudi relations. The Biden administration last week released a report that implicated the Saudi government in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which would be enough to sour bilateral relations, especially after the federal administration announced sanctions on a former senior Saudi intelligence officer said to be involved in the murder and the Kingdom's Rapid Intervention Force. "Those involved in the abhorrent killing of Jamal Khashoggi must be held accountable. With this action, Treasury is sanctioning Saudi Arabia's Rapid Intervention Force and a senior Saudi official who was directly involved in Jamal Khashoggi's murder," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said. Start Trading On OPC Markets Today But more sanctions may be coming, and these may target none other than Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed, according to a Reuters report. The report cited a UN human rights investigator who said it was "extremely dangerous" on Washington's part to have named Mohammed as involved in the murder but without sanctioning him. This is where the danger for oil prices lies, really. If the federal U.S. government decides to exit this "extremely dangerous" situation and sanction the Saudi Crown Prince, the Kingdom's knee-jerk reaction would be to threaten the U.S. with flooding oil markets. While we're in the world of speculation, Saudi Arabia may want to resist the knee-jerk reaction, but since there is little else it could do should U.S. sanctions reach its highest government levels, it will probably wield the oil weapon. Of course, this may be precisely why Washington has not sanctioned Prince Mohammed yet and may not sanction him at all. Despite President Biden's green energy agenda, the oil and gas industry is a major contributor to GDP and an equally major employer: more oil and gas bankruptcies will hardly be welcomed news for Washington. Related Video: Top 5 Uses of Petroleum Out of the world of speculation and into reality, OPEC+ is meeting later this week to discuss production. The extended cartel's total production fell last month thanks to the deeper Saudi cuts, but these are over now, so output should begin climbing this month. The question is how high it would climb: the AFP reported earlier today internal tensions are running high in OPEC+ and might flare up at the meeting. "The priorities are well known: Russia wants to return to normal production as quickly as possible while Saudi Arabia wants to benefit from high prices a little longer," the AFP quoted Bjarne Schieldrop, chief analyst at commodities research firm Seb as saying. While the oil world awaits the Thursday meeting and its outcome, Congress passed President Biden's $1.9-trillion stimulus program and sent it to the Senate. While it has yet to receive final approval, Congress passing strengthened the U.S. dollar, which usually affects oil prices in a negative way. Fears are also mounting that fuel demand growth in China is slowing down. Still, on the tailwind side, we've got a growing chorus of economist voices expecting a quick rebound for the U.S. economy, which would boost oil demand, to apply counterpressure to all the factors pressuring oil. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has tightened controls on prominent dissidents and rights activists ahead of its National People's Congress (NPC), which opens in Beijing on Friday, placing some under house arrest, while taking others out of town on enforced "vacations" under police surveillance. Bao Tong, former political aide to late ousted premier Zhao Ziyang, has been warned not to give interviews or post any comments online for the duration of the annual NPC session, a person familiar with the situation told RFA. "The relevant department contacted Bao Tong a few days ago and told him not to write anything and not to speak to the media," the person said. "No articles or tweets." Outspoken veteran political journalist Gao Yu said she had been issued with a similar warning, and will remain under police guard at her Beijing home during the NPC session. "I was notified by the relevant department that they would be placing a surveillance team in my yard," Gao told RFA. "They told me this [on Monday]." Meanwhile, members of a prominent rights discussion forum in the southwestern province of Guizhou have been forced to take "vacations" in the suburbs of the provincial capital Guiyang ahead of the NPC session. "The state security police called me on Saturday and told me I had to come in and be briefed about the situation," Guizhou Human Rights Forum member Li Renke told RFA. "They told me they were taking me away at noon on Tuesday and that I should get ready," he said in an interview recorded before his departure. "They also told me that I couldn't bring my cell phone, and that it would better for me if I cooperated with them at this time." Li said he fully expects other members of the Forum to be subjected to similar measures. "I am guessing that the others will be in exactly the same situation," he said. "This is a coordinated operation, so they will definitely be taken out of town." He said fellow Forum members Zeng Ning, Huang Yanming, Liao Shuangyuan, Wu Yuqin, Shen Youlian, and Yang Shaozheng would likely also be targeted for enforced "vacations." "This will probably last for about 8-10 days," Li said. Meanwhile, the authorities in Beijing have shortened the duration of the annual session of the NPC and of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) advisory body, which opens on Thursday, as well as postponing the return of higher education students from the Lunar New Year break to March 15. "The duration of the meeting has been shortened," Gao Yu said. "The CPPCC opens on March 4, and the NPC will be over by March 11." Petitioners sent home A Beijing resident surnamed Liu said petitioners from other provinces are now being prevented from entering Beijing. "They are stopping petitioners from the northeast in Shanhaiguan, and getting local government officials to come pick them up," Liu said. "Basically, they can't get as far as Beijing." "Also, officials from the Beijing representative offices of provincial governments have been working with police in Beijing to go out to various villages and residential communities to check people's ID cards and photos [of people already here]," she said. Anyone with a record of petitioning the authorities over official wrongdoing would immediately be escorted back to their hometown, she said. Authorities have also stopped issuing press accreditation to visiting foreign journalists, and all press events will be conducted by video, with the authorities citing COVID-19 prevention. Journalists already in Beijing will require vaccination certificates and COVID-19 test results to attend. The Foreign Correspondents' Club of China (FCCC) said in its annual report that many foreign journalists are stuck outside China, with one in six being forced to operate on a string of short-term visas of between one and three months in duration. "China has used the coronavirus pandemic to create more restrictions for foreign press restrictions that exceed those for everyone else," the FCCC said via Twitter, summarizing its report. "Twenty-one percent said they were locked out last year, and journalists remain the one group of resident permits holders still barred from entering China," it said. "Forty-two percent of respondents [to the annual survey] said they were told to leave a place or were denied access for health and safety reasons when they presented no risk," it said. Reported by Qiao Long and Gigi Lee for RFA's Mandarin and Cantonese Services. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Logan, WV (25601) Today Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. High 79F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional showers overnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. AN idea hatched by three Cork women in 2015 aimed at encouraging teenage girls to take STEM (science, technology engineering and mathematics) subjects at Leaving Cert level and pursue STEM careers is going global this year with its first ever virtual event. The annual iWish conference started with an event of 1,000 students in that inaugural year and has now amassed the attention of more than 10,000 students ahead of the 2021 conference taking place tomorrow. Back then we had hardly organised a birthday party between us and we decided we would host a pilot of 1,000 teenage girls coming into the City Hall, Gillian Keating, one of the founders of iWish said, casting her mind back to that first year. Ms Keating, a partner at Ronan Daly Jermyn (RDJ), is one of the founders of iWish along with Caroline ODriscoll, a partner with Deloitte, and Ruth Buckley, Chief Information Officer at Cork City Council. Caroline and I separately were both struck by various issues pertaining to womens equality and advancement and limitations that are placed on women generally. We were both very focused on talent development and ensuring that initially in Cork we were well placed to compete internationally for some of the best companies that we have. We were both thinking about how we could continue to attract the best global companies. Of course, one of the most significant ways we can do that is by ensuring we have a really strong talent pool here in Cork. It was clear that a lot of the multinational companies that were operating here and also, to a lesser degree, indigenous ones, were finding it difficult to get people for particular roles and when we looked into that we saw that a big factor was women werent engaging in the technology roles in particular. We were both looking at that and thinking about how we could improve the situation, Ms Keating said, speaking about the inspiration behind setting up iWish. We connected straight away when we met and agreed we would try and do something about it. We met with Ruth Buckley from Cork City Council and the three of us hatched a plan to run a pilot event whereby we would invite women operating in the STEM arena to talk to the young girls about their careers and also companies to come into the City Hall and showcase what exactly they do, she continued. Speakers at this years virtual event include Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland, Anne OLeary, CEO of Vodafone, Marion Buchet, a French fighter pilot, Brenda Romero, an American Bafta-winning video game designer and developer, along with a host of other inspirational women working in STEM across some of the biggest businesses in Ireland and the world. Since 2015, iWish has sought to address the barriers facing female secondary school students when it comes to considering a career in STEM. Gillian Keating, a founder of I Wish. The impact of these barriers is evident in todays female representation in STEM, with just 25% of this workforce in Ireland being female. Were right to be impatient for change because it is in everybodys interest that the dial turns quickly on this. We know that diversity pays in terms of the thinking around solutions to world problems but also in terms of the bottom line for companies. We know that companies with diverse boards perform better. We have to have a whole of society approach to reaching a solution to the problem. iWish isnt going to fix that problem but we focus on one or two areas that are really important and have been shown to deliver change, Ms Keating said. Chief among these barriers is a lack of awareness about the types of jobs within the STEM arena, which iWish seeks to tackle. iWish also aims to bridge a confidence gap that exists among girls. Without realising it we are limiting the girls because were not always giving them sufficient information at the right time about the opportunities that are out there. Its not about telling the girls what to do, its about opening their eyes to different aspects of life that maybe they wouldnt see or different opportunities that they may not see. A huge amount of what we do is introducing girls to women who are either forging careers or who are real trailblazers and at the top of their career path in STEM. Female participation in STEM has never been more important, with the Covid-19 pandemic exposing inequities, Ms Keating said. For years we have been saying if young girls dont engage in STEM then they are at risk of being left behind in the economies of the future which are so focused around technology and science. Weve seen that now during the pandemic. Cluster Because women cluster in certain careers like hospitality and areas like retail, they have been more impacted by the pandemic and the economic downturn than those who have technology skills and are able to continue working throughout the pandemic. Thats just a snapshot of what can happen if we dont address the shortcomings that were seeing now. That, for me, is a real worry, Ms Keating said. Determined not to let this years cohort of students miss out, iWish organisers have moved the event online, which has enabled them to internationalise the event. Weve really been able to reap the benefits of technology and weve really been able to do that in terms of extending the reach of iWish to over 10,000 so far and some of them are registered from the UK, the US and Kenya, Ms Keating said. Every effort has been made to create an engaging and fun event for the seventh annual conference. We were determined not to make it a Zoom event because we know from working with the girls for the last six years we would just lose them after 10 minutes. Well have a range of fantastic speakers who will be dialling in or well be dialling out to them. We have designed it like a TV studio - we really wanted to make it as dynamic as possible. I wont say too much, but I think even Graham Norton might be jealous of our fantastic setup! Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money. Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Read more about the stimulus relief bill debate in Washington, check in on the latest coronavirus news and see more stories trending online today. Top stories Heres whats in the latest COVID-19 relief bill, including $5,600 in stimulus payments for a family of 4 (cleveland.com) McConnell to Fight Stimulus Bill In Every Way as Biden Urges Senate Dems to Get it Done Now (Newsweek) US Capitol Police beef up security for March 4 amid concerns over QAnon conspiracy theory (ABC) Iraq military base with U.S. troops hit by rockets (AP) California mass casualty crash involved smugglers, illegal immigrants, Border Patrol source says (Fox News) Biden budget pick Neera Tanden drops out of nomination process after confirmation process unravels (USA Today) Coronavirus news US will be able to vaccinate all adults by end of May, Biden says (AP) Coronavirus: Texas and other states ease rules despite warnings (BBC) Health officials warn we could have 4th Covid wave with early easing of restrictions (CNBC) Southern states top list of worst states for kids during the pandemic, Save the Children finds (CBS) Johnson & Johnson vaccine rekindles religious dilemma over morality of using fetal tissue (ABC News) Brazil variant shown to infect some coronavirus survivors with immunity (The Hill) Other trending headlines Quaker Oats Company Issues Voluntary Recall of Quaker Rice Crisps Sweet Barbecue Flavor Due to Undeclared Soy Issue (FDA) Bunny Wailer, reggae luminary and last Wailers member, dies (AP) Read Across America Day, once synonymous with Dr. Seuss, is diversifying. Heres why things have changed (USA Today) Degrassi Actor Jahmil French Dies at 29 (Yahoo) Amazon tweaks app icon after comparisons made to Hitler (NY Post) Ex-NFL Player Kellen Winslow II faces sentencing for multiple rapes, other sex crimes in San Diego County (KTLA) 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, March 3 : India Inc is against restrictions on the industry and has asked Haryana to reassess the legislation on 75 per cent jobs reservation for locals in the private sector. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has said that reservation affects productivity and industry competitiveness, and that the Haryana government could have avoided imposing restrictions on the industry. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII, said, "At a time when it is important to attract investments at the state level, the Haryana government could have avoided imposing restrictions on the industry. Reservation affects productivity and industry competitiveness. We hope the state government of Haryana relooks at the legislation." Author Ratan Sharda said in a tweet, "Haryana has passed a warrant for financial decline and signaled movement of private enterprise out of Haryana. What's the plan? #BJP eschewed at heavy cost. Deendayal Upadhyay ji lost only election he fought because he refused to appeal for votes in name of caste." On Tuesday, Haryana Governor Satydeo Narain Arya gave nod to the legislation providing 75 per cent reservation for jobs in the private sector to locals who have a state domicile certificate. Reservation for locals will apply for 10 years to private sector jobs offering a salary of less than Rs 50,000 a month. As per the Act, the quota applies to all companies, societies, trusts, limited liability partnership firms, partnership firms and any person employing 10 or more persons and an entity as may be notified by the government of Haryana. MAM | Media and Advertising Decoding Hotstuff's quirky hit campaigns for BFSI brands With the digital domain growing at a magnificent pace, brands across categories are looking towards it for marketing their products. In the past year, several businesses have admitted to increasing their digital ad spends and investing more time and energy to make the most of the medium. Read More... Television | TV Channels The second film of the #AajTakSabseTez campaign is out As part of the on-going #AajTakSabseTez campaign, the nations undisputed No.1 news channel today launched the second film of the series. The film titled Achaar Gully highlights how Aaj Tak does not conform to the growing trend of spicing up news. Read More... Mam | Marketing Cookie crumbles: Oreo maker sues Parle over design infringement Mondelez-owned food manufacturer Intercontinental Great Brands, the maker of Oreo biscuits, has moved the Delhi high court against Parle Products, alleging that the design of one of its biscuit brands is similar to that of its popular offering. Read More... Television | TV Channels Madhya Pradesh Tourism gets shot in the arm from Travelxp Madhya Pradesh tourism is all set to get a facelift as it collaborates with Travelxp to showcase the beauty and uniqueness of tourism destinations of the state worldwide. Travelxp will be creating an exclusive series showcasing the highlights of Madhya Pradesh to the global travel loving audience. Read More... Mam | Marketing Deepender Rana is new Kantar South Asia general manager Kantar has appointed Deepender Rana as general manager for its Insights division (formerly Kantar IMRB, TNS and Millward Brown) in the South Asia region. Rana was leading Kantar's Insights business in greater China. Read More... Mam | Media and Advertising Orra introduces 'Desired' with brand ambassador Disha Patani Diamond jewellery brand Orra has added a new category to its brand portfolio, targeted at millennials, by introducing its Desired collection. The launch aims to further expand their contemporary jewellery line for the growing base of young women consumers. Read More... A new prosecutor, Karim Khan, a British lawyer, will take over in June when Ms. Bensoudas term ends. Mr. Khan is not necessarily bound by Ms. Bensoudas decision. Lawyers familiar with the court and colleagues of Mr. Khan said they did not know Mr. Khans position on the case. The Palestinian Authoritys Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged a prompt conclusion of the investigation, saying that the crimes committed by officials of the occupying power against the Palestinian people are ongoing, systematic and widespread. Husam Zomlot, the head of the Palestinian mission to Britain, called the investigation a source of reassurance about the international legal and justice system. For many years, international order has been incomplete, incapable and lagging behind, but we are finally seeing the international system undertake its responsibility to hold Israel accountable, he added. Regarding the possibility of Palestinians also being investigated for war crimes, he said, We are committed to international law, regulations and rules. Period. We have always wanted to end impunity with regard to Israel. So we will accept international law in full and we will defend ourselves. International law cant be subdivided. The courts latest announcement comes as another diplomatic blow to Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced it in a video statement as undiluted anti-Semitism and the height of hypocrisy. He described Israel as being under attack and pledged that we will never stop fighting this injustice. We will speak the truth in every forum, in every country, on every stage until this outrageous decision is reversed and becomes null and void. 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. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops raised ethical questions Tuesday about the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine recently approved for use in the United States, saying other vaccines should be sought out first if a choice can be made. At issue, they said, was the moral permissibility of using vaccines developed, tested, and/or produced with the help of abortion-derived cell lines. In a joint statement, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, chairman of conferences Committee on Doctrine, and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, chairman of the conferences Committee on Pro-Life Activities, said there were ethical questions about the vaccine. Pfizer and Modernas vaccines raised concerns because an abortion-derived cell line was used for testing them, but not in their production, they said. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine, however, was developed, tested and is produced with abortion-derived cell lines raising additional moral concerns. New Jersey-based Johnson & Johnson, while not disputing the church officials contention that an abortion-derived cell line is used in the production, the drugmaker issued a statement stressing that there is no fetal tissue in its vaccine. We are able to manufacture hundreds of millions of doses using our engineered cell-line system that enables the rapid production of new viral vaccines to combat many of the most dangerous infectious diseases, the company said. In its statement, the conference said church doctrine has judged that when ethically irreproachable Covid-19 vaccines are not availableit is morally acceptable to receive Covid-19 vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses in their research and production process. However, if one can choose among equally safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, the vaccine with the least connection to abortion-derived cell lines should be chosen, the bishop and archbishop wrote. Therefore, if one has the ability to choose a vaccine, Pfizer or Modernas vaccines should be chosen over Johnson & Johnsons. They said while pharmaceutical companies should stop using abortion-derived cell lines, given the world-wide suffering that this pandemic is causing, we affirm again that being vaccinated can be an act of charity that serves the common good. The one-dose J&J vaccine was approved for emergency use over the weekend by the Food and Drug Administrations, giving health officials another weapon against a deadly virus that already has killed more than 510,000 people in the U.S. The FDA said J&Js vaccine offers strong protection against what matters most: serious illness, hospitalizations and death. One dose was 85% protective against the most severe COVID-19 illness, in a massive study that spanned three continents protection that remained strong even in countries such as South Africa, where the variants of most concern are spreading. The vaccine joined Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna which both require two doses: a priming shot and then a booster three or four weeks later, depending on the company. The vaccine developed by J&Js Belgian division, Janssen Pharmaceutica differs from the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which use mRNA technology to create a protein that prompts an immune response in the body. The new vaccine uses an adenovirus, a type of virus that causes the common cold, which carries a gene from the coronavirus into human cells. There, the cells produce the coronavirus spike protein, but not the coronavirus itself. It is the spike protein is what primes the immune system to fight off a subsequent infection by the virus. The technology is the same that was used to produce a successful Ebola vaccine. But in recent days, Roman Catholic leaders in St. Louis and New Orleans have been advising Catholics that the J&J vaccine was morally compromised, saying it was produced using a cell line derived from an aborted fetus. The New Orleans archdiocese last week said the decision to receive a vaccine was one of individual conscience, and stopped short of advising Catholics not to take the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. As with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the archdiocese said Catholics should choose coronavirus vaccines made by Moderna or Pfizer if they are available. The Archdiocese of St. Louis on Tuesday also encouraged Catholics to seek out the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines and avoid the Johnson & Johnson version if possible. Pope Francis has frequently spoken about the need to ensure that vaccines are widely available, especially to the poor and marginalized. And, last month, a decree signed by the governor of the Vatican city-state said that Vatican employees who opt out of vaccination without a proven medical reason could be subject to sanctions, including being fired. __ The Associated Press contributed to this report. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Cryptocurrencies could well be called the wonder of the 21st century for the financial world. Invest in it or not, you cannot ignore it. India may have taken a hard stance against cryptocurrencies, but an outright ban seems unlikely, say industry sources. They reckon some regulations are likely, especially on the taxation. But, before applying taxes, cryptocurrencies need to be classified. Is it a commodity, a currency, or a new asset class altogether? This is what will throw light on taxation. "Central Economic Intelligence Bureau (a branch of the union Finance Ministry) has conducted a study on levying GST on cryptocurrencies and has suggested to the Finance Ministry that Bitcoin can be categorised under 'intangible asset' class and GST could be imposed on all transactions. However, the Finance Ministry is yet to decide on the same," says Archit Gupta, Founder & CEO, Cleartax. ALSO READ: RBI working on digital currency, wants to tap on blockchain technology: Das What is likely There are talks of North Block considering an 18 per cent GST on Bitcoin transactions. But, could there be a sin tax of 28 per cent (plus cess), given its alleged nefarious status? "It is difficult to say, but if indeed 28 per cent tax is levied on the value itself it will distort the market completely because Indian crypto market will be available at 30 per cent premium and Indians may not be able to participate at fair prices," says Jaideep Reddy, Technology Lawyer, Nishith Desai and Associates. "The most conservative view is that cryptos are like residuary goods. In that case, there should be 18 per cent GST," he adds. Another possibility is levying taxes on the commission charged by exchanges. "If the government does not define cryptos as goods or services, then the GST can be charged on the services provided by the exchanges, but not on the transaction value," says Reddy. Taxing it like digital gold, stocks or bonds, in which tax is levied on the capital gains is another way out. "If capital gains taxation is applied, it will make the reporting very easy for us and our users," says Rahul Pagidipati, CEO, ZebPay. "If it is taxed like gold, then there should only be a commodity type of taxation. If it is treated as securities, then long-term or short-term capital gains but no GST. And if it is treated like stable coins, GST should be avoided. In most countries, bitcoins are taxed only when you sell them. There is no tax when you buy it," he adds. ALSO READ: 'Don't want to join every party in town': Rakesh Jhunjhunwala backs Bitcoin ban What happens globally In the US, cryptos are treated as a hybrid asset class. "If it's a security token, then SEC will come into picture. if it's a commodity token, then commodity commission, or if it is a stable coin, then Federal Reserve will have a role to play," explains Pagidipati. In Singapore, cryptocurrencies fall under the Payment Services Act and are treated as digital tokens. Since there is no long-term capital gains tax in Singapore, the capitals gains on bitcoins as a security token is tax free. Australia, says Reddy, has made sure there is no double taxation so that one doesn't pay the GST and income tax both on bitcoins. Experts and industry players agree a hybrid asset classification is the best way to go. "Industry is open to almost any type of classification as long as there is no double taxation. ALSO READ: Infographic: The rise of Bitcoin Mumbai, Mar 2 (UNI) Former chief minister and Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on Tuesday questioned the Centres move to charge people Rs 250 for COVID-19 vaccine dosage, the Phase-2 of which was launched nationwide on Monday. A person aged above 45 years with comorbidities or over 60-years-old can get inoculated at a designated centre for Rs 250 per dose in the second phase. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Martin Holverda/iStockBy JULIA JACOBO, ABC News (AUSTIN) -- Texas lawmakers are looking to hold power companies and the executives who oversee them accountable for Texas' recent energy catastrophe, which had deadly consequences. Millions in the state were left without heat and potable water following back-to-back winter storms. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit Tuesday against utility company Griddy Energy over enormous energy bills some customers incurred as a result of the storm. Bills were allegedly as high as $9,000. Griddy Energy charges $10 a month to allow residents to pay wholesale prices for electricity instead of a fixed rate. The wholesale prices spiked as temperatures dipped well below freezing as a result of the winter storms, leaving customers with exorbitant bills. "Griddy misled Texans and signed them up for services which, in a time of crisis, resulted in individual Texans each losing thousands of dollars," Paxton said in a statement Monday. "As Texans struggled to survive this winter storm, Griddy made the suffering even worse as it debited outrageous amounts each day." The lawsuit accuses Griddy of violating the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices and seeks injunctive relief from Griddy "to ensure that the Texans it serves will receive truthful and accurate energy service in the future" as well as court-ordered refunds to customers. A Texan who received a sky-high energy bill filed a $1 billion class action lawsuit against Griddy Energy last week. In court documents, the Harris County resident said her electricity bill totaled $9,340 when her monthly bills typically range between $200 and $250. Griddy has not immediately responded to ABC News' request for comment on either lawsuit, but dismissed the class action lawsuit as "meritless" to Reuters last week. The company has been left with "no choice but to power down," according to its website. In a statement, the company pointed its finger at the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), saying it had asked the organization, which operates the state's power grid, for "emergency help" on Feb. 16 and "they did not take action." "It was not a choice we made," the statement said, adding that ERCOT has now effectively shut the company down. Its access to the state's electricity market was revoked by ERCOT last week. Another Texas utility company, the Brazos Electric Power Cooperative, has filed for bankruptcy. Brazos Electric, which described itself as the "oldest and largest" power company in the state and serves more than 1.5 million Texans, filed for Chapter 11 to initiate a financial restructuring "to maintain the stability and integrity of its entire electric cooperative system," according to a press release on Monday. The filing was necessary to protect its customers from "unaffordable electric bills," executive vice president and general manager of Brazos Electric, Clifton Karnei, said in a statement. "We will prioritize what matters most to our Member cooperatives and their retail members as we, and they, work to return to normalcy," Karnei said. In addition, the chairwoman of the Public Utility Commission of Texas, Deann Walker, has resigned following the fallout from the power crisis. On Monday, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick called for Walker to resign, saying in a statement that neither the commission, which oversees the state's electric, telecommunication, water and sewer utilities, nor ERCOT were adequately prepared "before the storm hit in full force." Texas Rep. Jared Patterson tweeted on Friday that Walker "must resign," stating that he had "zero confidence" in her following her testimony during a joint committee hearing that took place that day. PUC Chair (at least) must resign. I have zero confidence after todays hearings; and by the line of questioning of my colleagues, I believe most if not all agree with me. Rep. Jared Patterson (@JaredLPatterson) February 26, 2021 Walker sent Texas Gov. Greg Abbott a letter of resignation on Monday, according to the Texas Tribune, which obtained a copy of the letter. In the letter, Walker wrote that the electric grid's failure was not caused by any one individual group but that the "interests of many people and companies contributed to the situation we faced in the devastating storm." "I testified last Thursday in the Senate and House and accepted my role in the situation," Walker wrote. "I believe others should come forward in dignity and courage and acknowledge how their actions or inactions contributed to the situation." Just in: PUC chair DeAnn Walker resigns #txlege pic.twitter.com/il31Ygp3oS Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) March 1, 2021 Walker was appointed by Abbott in 2017 and held a salary of $201,000, according to a Texas Tribune database. Copyright 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. When her car started making a noise more than a year ago, Chinara Johnson parked the vehicle and hasnt used it since. As a New Haven mother of 5-year-old twin boys, one of whom is on the autism spectrum, and an 8-year-old daughter, Johnson doesnt have the money to get the car running properly. She also didnt have money for child care as she underwent breast cancer treatments, including surgery and chemotherapy, and now is struggling with increased utility and food bills since the kids are home during the pandemic. Over the past few years, Johnson has not been eligible for federal child tax credits because she doesnt make enough money. But under the American Family Act sponsored by U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3, and others Johnson would qualify to receive direct payments of $3,600 each for the boys and $3,000 for her daughter in federal child tax credits. For now the child tax credit expansion would be available only in the 2021 tax year as part of the pandemic relief bill approved by the U.S. House of Representatives on Saturday. Under the bill, the IRS would have until July to begin to process direct payments. Nearly 11 million (one in seven) children in the United States live in poverty, according to the Center for American Progress. The proposal would lift nearly 5 million children out of poverty, the Columbia University Center on Poverty and Social Policy reports. That would cut the childhood poverty rate by 52 percent for Black children, 45 percent for Hispanic children, 61.5 percent for Native American children and 38.6 percent for white children. The one-time expanded child tax credit would benefit 132,000 Connecticut children whose families make less than $23,000 per year, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Overall, 721,300 Connecticut children in income brackets from the lowest to the highest would benefit, ITEP says. Nationally, families who make less than $21,300 per year would see a 37.4 percent boost in income due to the expanded child tax credit, the organization says. The one-year version of the American Family Act is part of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan before the U.S. Senate. The larger bill funds a wide range of programs to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and keep families and businesses afloat until the health crisis is under control. DeLauro intends to make the expanded child tax credit program permanent. For Johnson, expanding the child tax credit is a no-brainer. I know there are other parents who are going through a hard time, she said. Grocery bills have increased because the kids are home. Theres charging the kids remote devices. What about cleaning supplies? Where is all this extra money coming from? The payments would be a game-changer for the 38-year-old mother, who must find creative ways to purchase educational materials for her son since he hasnt been in a classroom in a year. He had trouble writing, so they said it would benefit him if he had an easel, Johnson said. He gets services at school, but all that came to a halt when schools closed. I had to purchase the easel. Im on a fixed income, but he needs soothing toys and other things that help him learn. I usually go without to make sure the kids have what they need. Johnson is hardly alone. According to a January Census Pulse Survey, about 874,000 Connecticut residents reported having difficulty covering household expenses, and 174,000 parents and guardians said their children arent eating enough because they cant afford food. I think the data points show how much we need federal and state budgets that prioritize people and that prioritize equity, said Emily Byrne, executive director of Connecticut Voices for Children. Byrnes group supports DeLauros efforts to eradicate child poverty and recommends the state provide similar child tax credits. For 18 years, DeLauro has championed the idea of expanding the child tax credits to include low-income families as part of her desire to harness the power of the federal government to provide for the least among us, she said in an email. But the plan didnt gain traction until this year when several factors suddenly changed the political landscape, DeLauro said. I think part of the reason this is moving now is because there is data to back up the sweeping impact this policy would have on families across the country, she said. Additionally, the coronavirus pandemic did not just shine a light on child poverty, it exacerbated it, and amplified the need and the urgency for expanding and improving the Child Tax Credit. The proposal helps families by removing the income threshold required to benefit from the child tax credits, increasing the amount of the credits to $3,600 for children under age 6 and $3,000 for children 6 to 17, and putting the money in the hands of families through direct payments rather than a reduction of their tax bill. Under the current child tax credit, families must meet an income threshold to receive the full benefit, and only $1,400 of the $2,000 credit can be returned as a tax refund. DeLauros bill would provide a tax credit for individuals with children making up to $150,000 per year and all married couples earning less than $200,000 per year. We are at a moment where passage is possible, DeLauro said. We have presidential leadership, strength in Congress, and the urgency of the pandemic demanding action. We can make permanent changes that would lift children out of poverty this generation and those that follow. The direct payments would help people like Juana Islas, who, along with her husband, works one full-time job and one part-time to support their three children, ages 14, 11 and 9. Although she is an undocumented immigrant, Islas pays state and federal taxes but gets little in return, she said. Her family does qualify for child tax credits because the children were born in New Haven, where they live. But she cried as she explained her living situation. I have to work two jobs because I have three kids to support and no government assistance available to me because I am undocumented, she said. The entire family came down with COVID-19 because she and her husband had no choice but to go to work throughout the pandemic. We didnt have the option of staying home, Islas said. The family wasnt eligible for stimulus checks or unemployment because of the couples immigration status. Taxes are deducted from our paycheck, but the money isnt returned to us for the safety net, she said. Islas hopes the child tax credits will be expanded so that she and her husband can work less. With the situation were in, we are abandoning our children because we are working day and night, she said. We cant help our kids with their homework or their online classes. We wouldnt stop working if we had government support because we are hardworking people, but we would spend more time with our children. This story was reported under a partnership with the Connecticut Health I-Team (c-hit.org), a nonprofit news organization dedicated to health reporting. Its Shraddha Kapoors birthday today and the actress has been flooded with wishes from fans and colleagues alike. And on this special occasion, her father is all praise for his daughter. Speaking to a news portal, Shakti Kapoor was heard gushing about his daughter and how he is lucky to have her in his life. He said that Shraddha is a golden child and has a heart of gold. Even after reaching such heights of success and being a superstar, she still consults him for major decisions and even listens to whatever he has to say. Shakti Kapoor even states her simple qualities, how generous she is in life and being an animal lover for life. He added that hes blessed to have her and be his daughter. Shraddha Kapoor is currently in the Maldives, enjoying her cousin Priyanks wedding celebrations. The actress has just returned to Mumbai a few weeks back after she wrapped the first schedule of her next by Luv Ranjan, where Ranbir Kapoor iz her co-star. She even has Naagin in her kitty, where she will play the shape-shifter on the big screen. The Canadian Press The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 9:00 p.m. ET on Monday May 31, 2021. There are 1,381,582 confirmed cases in Canada. Canada: 1,381,582 confirmed cases (33,753 active, 1,322,282 resolved, 25,547 deaths).*The total case count includes 13 confirmed cases among repatriated travellers. There were 2,118 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 88.81 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 18,572 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 2,653. There were 35 new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 274 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 39. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.1 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 67.22 per 100,000 people. There have been 34,790,069 tests completed. Newfoundland and Labrador: 1,311 confirmed cases (105 active, 1,200 resolved, six deaths). There were two new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 20.11 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 53 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is eight. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 1.15 per 100,000 people. There have been 272,036 tests completed. Prince Edward Island: 204 confirmed cases (10 active, 194 resolved, zero deaths). There were two new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 6.26 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of four new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people. There have been 162,673 tests completed. Nova Scotia: 5,567 confirmed cases (448 active, 5,034 resolved, 85 deaths). There were 17 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 45.74 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 232 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 33. There were zero new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of six new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is one. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.09 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 8.68 per 100,000 people. There have been 816,858 tests completed. New Brunswick: 2,212 confirmed cases (147 active, 2,022 resolved, 43 deaths). There were 12 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 18.81 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 68 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 10. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 5.5 per 100,000 people. There have been 343,885 tests completed. Quebec: 370,319 confirmed cases (3,925 active, 355,266 resolved, 11,128 deaths). There were 276 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 45.77 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 2,510 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 359. There was one new reported death Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 33 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is five. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.05 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 129.78 per 100,000 people. There have been 9,215,701 tests completed. Ontario: 531,459 confirmed cases (12,567 active, 510,135 resolved, 8,757 deaths). There were 916 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 85.29 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 7,548 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,078. There were 13 new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 135 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 19. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.13 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 59.43 per 100,000 people. There have been 15,053,293 tests completed. Manitoba: 51,090 confirmed cases (4,504 active, 45,533 resolved, 1,053 deaths). There were 303 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 326.55 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 2,303 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 329. There was one new reported death Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 20 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is three. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.21 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 76.35 per 100,000 people. There have been 798,782 tests completed. Saskatchewan: 46,748 confirmed cases (1,368 active, 44,841 resolved, 539 deaths). There were 113 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 116.06 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,039 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 148. There was one new reported death Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 12 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is two. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.15 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 45.73 per 100,000 people. There have been 856,362 tests completed. Alberta: 227,509 confirmed cases (7,646 active, 217,636 resolved, 2,227 deaths). There were 263 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 172.91 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 2,862 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 409. There were eight new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 44 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is six. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.14 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 50.36 per 100,000 people. There have been 4,497,687 tests completed. British Columbia: 144,289 confirmed cases (3,024 active, 139,562 resolved, 1,703 deaths). There were 212 new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 58.74 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,942 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 277. There were 11 new reported deaths Monday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 24 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is three. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.07 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 33.08 per 100,000 people. There have been 2,724,568 tests completed. Yukon: 84 confirmed cases (zero active, 82 resolved, two deaths). There were zero new cases Monday. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of zero new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 4.76 per 100,000 people. There have been 9,129 tests completed. Northwest Territories: 129 confirmed cases (zero active, 129 resolved, zero deaths). There were two new cases Monday. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of two new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people. There have been 23,336 tests completed. Nunavut: 648 confirmed cases (nine active, 635 resolved, four deaths). There were zero new cases Monday. The rate of active cases is 22.87 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of nine new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 10.16 per 100,000 people. There have been 15,683 tests completed. This report was automatically generated by The Canadian Press Digital Data Desk and was first published May 31, 2021. The Canadian Press Air Force Tech Sgt. Amie Muller deployed twice to Balad Air Base in Iraq, where burn pits were more than 10 acres in size and burned 100 to 200 tons of waste per day. She lost a battle with pancreatic cancer and died at age 36 about 10 years after her last deployment. She is survived by her husband and three children. The average age of a pancreatic cancer diagnosis is 70, according to the American Cancer Society. Muller is one of the many veterans who served in the post-9/11 wars and were exposed to burn pits, which were regularly used to dispose of garbage, plastic, jet fuel, paint, vehicles, weapons and human waste. They were a catch-all disposal solution due to a lack of infrastructure at remote combat outposts in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. Read Next: This Veteran Was Forced to Resign from a State Job Over a Sickness Caused by Burn Pits. Now the Supreme Court May Take Up His Case "I found an old journal of hers about her time in Iraq she had written for her daughter. She wrote about [burn pits] a lot," said her husband, Brian Muller. "The ventilators that they used to clean the filters after two days were like black soup, and she wrote about the things they put in burn pits that you shouldn't burn. It didn't make sense that this healthy young woman would get pancreatic cancer." Efforts to provide medical care to military victims of burn pits have long been plagued by delays in Congress and at the Department of Veterans Affairs. This year, however, the issue may finally get the momentum it needs, thanks to high-profile and influential advocates; well-supported measures on Capitol Hill; and a growing consensus among veterans groups that it's time for the wait to end. Many who work on or lobby for veterans also believe President Joe Biden's personal connection to the issue could put it on the fast-track for action. Biden suspects his son, Beau, who was a major in the Delaware Army National Guard, died of brain cancer in 2015 due to exposure to burn pits in Iraq. Like Muller, Beau Biden was at Balad Air Base. "[Beau volunteered to join the National Guard at age 32 because he thought he had an obligation to go," Biden told a Service Employees International Union convention in 2019. "And because of exposure to burn pits -- in my view, I can't prove it yet -- he came back with Stage Four glioblastoma." Until now, the VA and Congress have done little to provide service-related care and compensation to burn pit victims. Instead, the VA created a registry for veterans who believe their illnesses are linked to burn pits, largely as a data collection tool. VA officials say the department is still studying the issues. And advocates remain concerned that, despite Biden's close link to this health crisis, helpful action may take a back seat to fiery rhetoric and yet more studies. "The fact that Joe Biden was affected [means] that it's time to put pressure on and let America know that not everyone has the luxuries of insurance and financial security," said Rosie Torres, co-founder and executive director for Burn Pits 360. "We want to make sure we don't allow the new administration to say they need more studies. We want action; we're tired of the rhetoric and excuses." This week, scores of veteran advocates launched their yearly lobbying push on Capitol Hill, during which they meet with lawmakers and testify in hearings on the biggest issues facing veterans. Burn pits and toxic exposure rank at the top of most advocates' lists. "I know firsthand how exposure to toxic substances from burn pits can impact your health," Stephen Whitehead, national commander of the Disabled American Veterans, told lawmakers Wednesday. "I was stationed at Camp Scania in Iraq, which had a major burn pit just a mile away," he said. "I personally took several trips to this burn pit, where everything from tires and batteries to medical and human waste was burned. Since my return from Iraq, I have had a number of new medical challenges -- including respiratory, cardiovascular and thyroid issues -- as did a number of my fellow soldiers." VA Claim Denials Roughly 75% of disability claims have been denied. As of January, the VA had approved disability claims related to burn-pit exposure for 3,442 veterans out of 13,830, according to the latest data from the agency. It is unlikely the data paints the whole picture. It's unclear how many have been affected by serious health ailments or died from exposure to toxic environments, but the VA estimates 3.5 million veterans have been exposed to burn pits, according to a 2015 report. Proving an illness is linked to burn pits can be a tall order for a veteran. Because there is no presumptive service connection, VA claims must provide evidence of burn pit exposure, plus evidence of a link between the exposure and the disability. It can be virtually impossible to prove either. It's not clear whether the VA will expand care to veterans on its own, or if it will have to be forced to do so by Congress. Lawmakers and veteran advocates have said they are losing patience with the department, which still wants more information on the matter. "I have not yet made decisions about what we need to ask for Congress or what [the department] should be in a position to do around toxic exposures," VA Secretary Denis McDonough said in a call with reporters in February. "There's a lot of data coming in and a lot of experience to draw from, and I want to make sure that we're capturing it, and informing decisions ... and not letting this drag." But delays pending more data have become a staple of the burn pit issue in a way that echoes the decades-long struggle Vietnam veterans faced with Agent Orange. Advocates are urging the VA and Congress to take aggressive action to distribute care and disability compensation widely to veterans, who are getting older and sicker. "We may not have all the answers on burn pit exposure, if ever," Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Va., said at a hearing in September. "What we do know is that it's making people very sick. I can't tell these people to sit down to wait another 10 years because, quite frankly, some of them might not have another 10 years." Exposure to burn pits and other toxic environments has been dubbed the post-9/11 generation's Agent Orange after more than a decade of little progress on getting care to veterans who are developing respiratory diseases and cancers at a young age. Comedian, writer and veterans advocate Jon Stewart speaks at a press conference on "The Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act of 2020" at the House Triangle on September 15, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Paul Morigi/Getty Images) Jon Stewart: Heavyweight Lobbyist The health hazards of being constantly exposed to toxic fumes could be compounded with the post-9/11 generation growing older, posing a significant health care challenge to the Biden administration. Despite the large at-risk population, there has been little public pressure on the issue, and it rarely makes its way into major news coverage. There is also little evidence veterans or service members have been properly educated on the issue outside of scattered media reports. Since leaving "The Daily Show," comedian Jon Stewart's most prominent role has been his crusade to preserve the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund to give financial aid and medical care to the victims of the attack who got sick after inhaling the toxic smoke, fumes and dust. The fund previously had temporary funding until made permanent in 2019. Stewart was a powerhouse lobbyist on the issue on Capitol Hill, delivering powerful and emotional testimony to a House panel urging it not to abandon first responders and blasting lawmakers for their apparent indifference to the issue. He wielded the media to get the issue in front of as many people as possible, lobbied lawmakers to gain influence in Washington, and gained powerful legislative allies -- including both of New York's senators, Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer. Now, he plans a similar aggressive campaign focused on burn pits. Last year, he raised the issue on comedian Joe Rogan's podcast and launched his first mainstream media blitz in September on Capitol Hill to advocate for the The Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act. The legislation would remove the burden of proof from a veteran to show that he or she got sick from service; they would need to prove only that they served in one of the 34 countries named in the bill. He is also teaming up again with Gillibrand, who introduced the bill in the Senate, and Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., the bill's sponsor in the House. "There's a lot of similarities between the first responders' struggle and those exposed to burn pits," Stewart said. "And not just the health struggles, but the struggles with having it recognized by the government. The only difference between this and 9/11 is we did this to our own troops as opposed to an attack. We operated those burn pits." There are also other smaller measures waiting in Congress such as the Veterans Burn Pits Exposure Recognition Act, which was recently reintroduced by Sens. Dan Sullivan, D-Alaska, and Joe Manchin, D-W.V., both members of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. The measure would concede that troops serving in locations recognized by the VA Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry were exposed to toxins and eliminate some of barriers to filing VA claims, but does not immediately grant disability claims. Veterans would still need to provide evidence that their illnesses are linked to toxic exposure. With both small steps and big leaps on the table in Congress, some are hopeful 2021 could be the year the ball starts to move forward on what could be the greatest veteran health crisis since the Vietnam War. Yet even with a new White House administration, Stewart is concerned that the VA and Congress' motivation to provide health care to victims of toxic exposure never lasts long enough and the process crumbles under the weight of bureaucracy -- or that smaller measures that ultimately don't give veterans care or compensation take precedence. "The urgency gets lost," Stewart said. "You'll find they're willing to take the smallest action for the longest time. What they'll do is do a registry or a study on a registry; meanwhile, people are dying. What they agree on is they'll keep talking about it. It's a solvable problem. It's literally not rocket science." Momentum in Congress Despite lawmakers, VA officials and even other advocates saying the right things in public, Stewart says it's a far cry from tangible action. "Within Congress, there's territorial guarding, and people don't want to cooperate unless they're going to get credit," he said. "You have these institutional issues, even the [veteran service organizations] have been beaten down and settled for small victories they can take back to their constituents. But it all comes down to money. One, they [Congress] don't want to stick their necks out and, two, not wanting to spend the money. When you're downrange, you're important; then you're home, nobody cares." Some argue this is the year to move on health care for victims of toxic exposure, considering Biden's unique attachment to the issue and Democrats controlling Congress. Momentum is on veterans' side, but it's critical Congress seize the moment, they say. Ruiz has been a point man on Capitol Hill on burn pits, introducing key pieces of legislation over the years to beef up research and resources for sick veterans, and eliminating burn pit use overseas. He is also one of the newest members of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, which has made burn pits a top legislative priority. "I believe we have a lot of momentum. We have a president who knows about burn pits, who has identified the strong potential link to his son's brain cancer to exposure to burn pits fumes in Balad Air Force Base," Ruiz said. "If we mandated through the DoD and the VA to educate their own health care providers and provide training, then they will make a difference in understanding that it is real -- the wide variety of illnesses toxic exposure can cause -- and be more attuned." A key issue is the extraordinary cost of care associated with toxic exposure and the difficulty of linking exposure in a combat zone to cancer a veteran might develop later in life. "I think we're gonna see the speed bumps; movement could get held up in budgetary restraints as a barrier to getting these things done, which infuriates me," Ruiz said. Gillibrand, who led efforts to get care to those who got sick after 9/11, said the slow movement on burn pits is a similar fight. She pointed to the enormous cost that would likely hit the federal government, which could be slapped with a tab to cover cancers and respiratory issues for potentially millions of veterans whose illnesses will be almost impossible to clearly link to their service. "This is very similar to the hesitation some people had with the 9/11 health bill; they were worried about the cost," Gillibrand said. "When someone challenges me on the cost, I push back and say, 'This is the cost of war.'" -- Steve Beynon can be reached at Steve.Beynon@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevenBeynon. Related: 30 Years After the Gulf War: Veterans and the Legacy of Toxic Wounds Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Slamming Rahul Gandhi's remark on RSS, Hindu Mahasabha president Swami Chakrapani on Wednesday, said that the ex-Congress chief had insulted the nation. Condemning Gandhi's comparison of Saraswati Shishu Vidyalaya to Pakistan's Madarsas, he said that Gandhi's mind was affected due to 'prolonged exposure to sea'. Urging Congress High command to treat Rahul Gandhi, he said that the nation needs a 'healthy Opposition'. 'More than 80K Christians, Muslims in Vidyabharati schools': RSS hits back at Rahul Gandhi "Rahul Gandhi's statement is very objectionable. The entire country is insulted. One, he compared Saraswati Shishu Vidyalaya to Pakistan's Madarssas, said Chakrapani. He added, "Rahul fell victim to 'confusion of mind'. As he stayed in the sea for a long time in Kerala, scientifically his brain will get affected. The sea water is salty, and this is the effect of jumping in the sea. Congress supremo should get them treated in Agra and Ranchi. The country wants good healthy opposition." Sasikala quits politics amid AIADMK-BJP seat sharing talks: 'Will pray for Amma's rule' Rahul Gandhi on RSS On Tuesday, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is attacking the higher education institutions in the country through their schools and likened them to "madrasas used by radical Islamists in Pakistan", in an interview with Cornell University Professor Kaushik Basu. He alleged that it is doing something "fundamentally different" and filling up the institutions of the country with its people. "So, even if we defeat the BJP in the election, we are not going to get rid of their people in the institutional structure," he said. "As you said, higher education. In fact, the whole education system is being targeted. Re-writing of history. Subtle re-writing of social norms. Subtle attacks on the idea of the constitution. A subtle attack on the idea of equality. These are values India just requires. Modern India cannot exist without these values. So, absolutely you need to reclaim this space. What is going on is essentially an attack on the idea of equality. And by the way, RSS began the attack through their schools," Rahul said while responding to a question from a history professor. Gandhi drew severe ire from several BJP and VHP leaders who stated that the former Congress chief was just trying to create controversy 'to stay in news'. Moreover, the RSS-backed the Vidya Bharati Akhil Bharatiya Shikha Sansthan, which runs Vidyabharati schools across the country, said that its institutions have been praised by renowned academics on several occasions and it aims to build a 'capable generation of patriots and dedication towards society by rising above the caste, creed, community'. The statement further added that around 80,000 Muslim and Christian students study in Vidyabharati schools, suggesting the inclusiveness of the institution, unlike radical madrasas. Rahul Gandhi demonises RSS-run schools with Pak comparison; 'Education system captured' Rahul Gandhi makes massive submission; terms Indira-imposed Emergency 'a mistake' 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. Moscow will react to new anti-Russian sanctions based on the principle of reciprocity, but it wont necessarily be a tit-for-tat response, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement published on Tuesday in response to the U.S. imposing new sanctions against Russia. The diplomat pointed out that using the alleged poisoning of Alexey Navalny is just an excuse to continue blatantly interfering in Russias domestic affairs. "We have no plans to put up with this. We will react based on the principle of reciprocity, and it wont necessarily be a symmetrical response," she stressed, adding that the current stance of the U.S. administration shows "a triumph of the absurd." "The U.S. administration has made a hostile anti-Russian step by joining the European Union in imposing another package of sanctions to punish Moscow," she added. Zakharova noted that the White House got tangled in its own domestic problems and once again "is trying to cultivate an image of an external enemy." Russia is calling on the US "not to play with fire" when it comes to the decision of the U.S. to slap sanctions on Moscow. "Regardless of the United States addiction to sanctions we will continue to resolutely and consistently defend national interests and repel any aggression," TASS cited her as saying. The spokeswoman pointed out that all attempts to impose something on Russia through sanctions pressure have always failed. Moscow assumes that US officials do not realize that such a policy is unproductive in the modern geopolitical conditions and do not understand that "the claims of their own exceptionalism are an illusion." "Instead of being pulled into a new wave of confrontation, the U.S. should instead concern itself with duly adhering to its own obligations, for example, on the destruction of chemical weapons that Russia simply does not have since 2017. <> As a serial violator of international treaties and agreements in the sphere of arms control and non-proliferation, Washington does not have the moral right to lecture others by definition," the spokeswoman concluded. On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of the Treasury said that it had sanctioned seven Russian government officials over the situation around Alexey Navalny. The US sanctions target Federal Security Service Director Alexander Bortnikov, first deputy head of the presidential executive office Sergei Kiriyenko, Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov, chief of the Federal Penitentiary Service Alexander Kalashnikov, head of the presidential domestic policy directorate Andrei Yarin, and Deputy Defense Ministers Alexei Krivoruchko and Pavel Popov. China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page A new play in Moscow is bringing stories of the Soviet gulag to audiences with the help of real objects discovered at prison camps. The creators say letters, inscriptions, and household items help present a picture of the time as well as the suffering of the prisoners. A Thai woman has found a lump of precious whale vomit worth 185,000 (Rs 1.8 Lakh) while walking on the beach. Siriporn Niamrin was taking a stroll along the beach after a rainstorm when she spotted a strange-looking huge mass wash up on the coast of Nakhon Si Thammarat province in southern Thailand on February 23. According to Mail Online, she discovered that the weird-looking oval-shaped find was whale vomit aka ambergris which is a valuable ingredient and used in perfumes. Her neighbour informed her that the fishy smell could indicate that its a genuine piece of ambergris, hence, to check its authenticity, they held a naked flame to the 12 inches wide and 24 inches long mass, causing it to melt and then harden again after cooling down. Also Read: Fisherman Spots Rock-Like Lumps On Thailand Beach, It Turns Out To Be Whale Vomit Worth $3.2 Million Siriporn is now waiting for experts to visit her house to confirm that the lump is genuine ambergris, the rare ingredient used in the perfume industry. The Sun Talking to Daily Mail, Sairiporn said that she would help her community if it is genuine ambergris. She added that she felt lucky to have stumbled upon such a large piece and has asked the local council to visit to confirm. Also Read: Whale Watchers Capture Breathtaking Moment As Two Playful Humpback Whales Brush Past Their Boat The Sun Also called floating gold and treasure of the sea, Ambergris is produced by sperm whales when bile ducts in the gastrointestinal tract make secretions to ease the passage of large or sharp objects and when the whale vomits, it solidifies and floats to the surface. It has a foul smell at first but once it dries out, it develops a sweet and long-lasting fragrance, hence it has a high value in the high-end perfume industry. Also Read: Watch Baby Beluga Whale Inside Mom Whale's Womb In This Cute Ultrasound Kirill Vyshinsky, the executive director of the Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency, on Wednesday sent a follow-up letter to various international organizations, to draw attention and elicit a response to the persecution of writers working for the agency's Baltnews and Sputnik Latvia news outlets MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd March, 2021) Kirill Vyshinsky, the executive director of the Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency, on Wednesday sent a follow-up letter to various international organizations, to draw attention and elicit a response to the persecution of writers working for the agency's Baltnews and Sputnik Latvia news outlets. In early December, several Russian-speaking journalists working in Latvia, including those who wrote articles for the Baltnews and Sputnik Latvia outlets, have been accused of violating EU sanctions. Their apartments were searched, with them being put under their own recognizance to not leave the country. Sputnik Latvia and Baltnews are part of the Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency, whose director general, Dmitry Kiselev, is on the EU sanctions list. On December 10, Vyshinsky penned a letter to the United Nations, UNESCO, OSCE, the Council of Europe, the International Federation of Journalists and the Reporters Without Borders, asking them to use their influence to compel the Latvian authorities to respect human rights and the freedom of speech. No response followed, however. "It is baffling to see how, in the 21st century, in the middle of Europe, in a EU country they violate the foundational values, which Latvia, by joining the EU, committed itself to support and defend - the right to freely carry out professional duties, the right to free speech. And it is even more incomprehensible why our colleagues are being discriminated against in Latvia and threatened with criminal prosecution for feeling themselves Russian and want to express their views in Russian outlets in the Russian language," Vyshinsky wrote. The Russian Foreign Ministry condemned Riga's actions, calling them "a blatant example of undermining the foundations of a democratic society, and said it was ready to raise the issue at the OSCE Ministerial Council. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 The Nagol is Back! VTOs guide to this years Nagol, plus where to stay and play in south, central and north Pentecost. Residents of Reykjavik were told to brace for a possible volcanic eruption some time in the coming hours or days, though authorities said there was no indication the event would pose a threat to human life or property. Iceland's Met Office said a volcanic area close to the capital was expected to release lava slowly over the next few weeks, with the development potentially triggering earthquakes with a magnitude of up to 6.5 on the Richter scale. [March 03, 2021] Vertafore and Nationwide Partner on Commercial Submissions to Improve Market Connectivity DENVER and COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Vertafore announced today that Nationwide, a leading insurer of small businesses, is the newest carrier partner to join its Commercial Submissions platform to drive innovation in market connectivity. The partnership will enable Nationwide agency partners to more easily and quickly generate and compare commercial lines quotes for clients. Commercial Submissions connects the end-insured, agents and carriers for simplified, real-time quoting on commercial policies. The platform works seamlessly within Vertafore's agency management systems, allowing agents to significantly reduce the labor-intensive, repetitive and time-consuming process of quoting commercial insurance coverage. Nationwide plans to integrate all commercial lines products into the Commercial Submissions platform, beginning in May with workers' compensation, businessowners' policies (BOP) and general liability. Vertafore will later integrate Nationwide's commercial auto, umbrella and other commercial lines as made available through API. Nationwide broadens independent agent support In 2020, Nationwide completed its transition to a fully independent agent model and is now aligned with more than 11,000 independent agents in the United States to sell personal lines, commercial lines, agribusiness, excess and surplus and financial services solutions. As part of the transition, Nationwide has been investing in best-in-class solutios, including Vertafore's Commercial Submissions, to deepen its relationship with independent agents and help them build their business. "Partnering with Vertafore allows Nationwide to streamline processes for our agents, enabling them to generate quotes, issue new business, and service customers, resulting in agency speed, ease, and efficiency," said Kasey Ketcham, associate vice president of Product and Underwriting Enablement at Nationwide. "We look forward to leveraging Commercial Submissions to drive value for our agency partners and help them grow their businesses." As a Commercial Submissions design partner, Nationwide and Vertafore will collaborate to optimize the API connection between the two partners and to optimize the workflow for independent agents. Platform improves connectivity, collaboration for agents With its live collaboration capabilities, Commercial Submissions lets agents quote commercial policies in minutes directly from their Vertafore management system. The solution pre-fills 80% of application fields from the agency's management system and allows agents to invite clients to review quotes in real time, enabling agents to win business faster and easier than ever before. "Nationwide has a reputation for leadership in connecting to InsurTech solutions that make a difference for their agents and end-insureds. This partnership will deliver great value to the thousands of independent agents who write commercial business with Nationwide," said Amy Zupon, Vertafore CEO. About Vertafore As North America's InsurTech leader for more than 50 years, Vertafore is modernizing and simplifying insurance distribution so that our customers can focus on what matters most: people. Vertafore's solutions provide end-to-end connectivity, improve the client and agent experience, unlock the power of data, and streamline essential workflows to drive efficiency, productivity, and profitability for independent agencies and carriers. For more information about Vertafore, visit www.vertafore.com. 2021 Vertafore and the Vertafore logo are registered trademarks of Vertafore. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.? About Nationwide Nationwide, a Fortune 100 company based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest and strongest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the United States. Nationwide is rated A+ by both A.M. Best and Standard & Poor's. An industry leader in driving customer-focused innovation, Nationwide provides a full range of insurance and financial services products including auto, business, homeowners, farm and life insurance; public and private sector retirement plans, annuities and mutual funds; excess & surplus, specialty and surety; pet, motorcycle and boat insurance. For more information, visit www.nationwide.com. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Nationwide, Nationwide is on your side, and the Nationwide N and Eagle are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. 2021 MEDIA CONTACTS: Vertafore : Amanda Urban Next PR 312-259-1814 aurban@nextpr.com Nationwide: Graham Shippy (614) 249-0682 shippg1@nationwide.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vertafore-and-nationwide-partner-on-commercial-submissions-to-improve-market-connectivity-301239599.html SOURCE Vertafore [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] OTTAWA, ON, March 3, 2021 /CNW/ - Research and science are essential to creating opportunity for Canadians, and finding solutions to the challenges of today and tomorrow. That's why the Government of Canada has committed more than $10 billion since 2015 to fund research and science, and why they have guided our response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. To keep Canadians safe and supported through this crisis, and to build back better for everyone, we will continue to make smart investments in Canadian research and those who power it. The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced an investment to support more than 100 research projects and almost 1,000 researchers across the country. This investment of more than $518 million will ensure these researchers have the facilities and tools they need, and will fund projects that help us beat the pandemic and build a more resilient Canada. At the CHU de Quebec-Universite Laval, today's investment will help create a program to speed up vaccine production. Researchers at Ryerson University will use the funding to develop made-in-Canada technologies that will build cleaner, healthier, and more resilient communities. The funding will also help the University of Manitoba develop a digital archive to support reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, and will support other projects that address climate change, maternal and child health, genome sequencing, and cancer immunotherapy. By continuing to make the largest investment in science and research in our history, we're creating new jobs, a cleaner environment, and healthier communities now and into the future. Quotes "Canada's researchers and scientists are some of the brightest and most skilled in the world. Today's investments will ensure that they have what they need to help us build a Canada that is healthier, cleaner, and more competitive." The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada "Great science and research is the first step in driving innovation. Now more than ever, Canadians are looking to their researchers to develop innovative solutions to real-world problems. Our government is proud to support today's funding recipients, who are harnessing their expertise and dedication to make the important discoveries that will serve Canadians now and in the future." The Hon. Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry "Investing in research is an investment in the future of Canada. Discoveries will lead to economic growth and will help solve the challenges the world faces today. These projects demonstrate the breadth and depth of Canadian expertise and excellence, and these awards are a tribute to the innovative researchers across the country." Roseann O'Reilly Runte, President and CEO, Canada Foundation for Innovation Quick Facts Today's investments are made under the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI)'s Innovation Fund. The Innovation Fund supports 40 per cent of the eligible infrastructure costs of an institution's research project, with the remaining portion coming from partners such as provincial and territorial governments and the institution itself. The funding will be provided to 35 different universities, colleges, and research institutions across Canada , with 14 recipients in Ontario , nine in Quebec , four in British Columbia , two each in Alberta and Saskatchewan , and one each in Manitoba , Nova Scotia , Newfoundland and Labrador , and the Northwest Territories . , with 14 recipients in , nine in , four in , two each in and , and one each in , , and , and the . A full list of the universities, colleges, and research institutions funded by the CFI as part of today's announcement, and stories about some of the projects receiving support, are available online. Projects are selected as part of Innovation Fund competitions, which take place every two to three years and include a rigorous merit review process. In Budget 2018, the Government of Canada made an investment of $763 million over five years in the CFI to support state-of-the-art research infrastructure at Canadian universities, colleges, and research hospitals. It also established stable funding of $462 million per year starting in 2023-24 for the CFI. made an investment of over five years in the CFI to support state-of-the-art research infrastructure at Canadian universities, colleges, and research hospitals. It also established stable funding of per year starting in 2023-24 for the CFI. In May 2020 , the government announced $450 million in funding to help Canada's academic research community during the COVID-19 pandemic. This funding included wage supports to universities and health research institutes, and support to maintain essential research-related activities during the crisis. Related Product Associated Links This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca SOURCE Prime Minister's Office For further information: PMO Media Relations: [email protected] Related Links http://pm.gc.ca/ A man has been jailed for two years for assaulting his infant child and his ex-partner in two separate violent incidents. The earlier incident took place at the woman's home in Skerries, north Dublin on September 18, 2019 when the man, who cannot be named to protect the anonymity of the child, went to the home of the mother of their child. The court heard that he struck her repeatedly around the head while she was still holding the three- month-old baby. At one stage he pushed the woman up against a wall and the child's head was knocked against the wall. The man took the child from the woman and walked away but the woman followed and managed the get the baby back. The baby was vomiting repeatedly and was still vomiting when gardai arrived a short time later, Gerardine Small BL prosecuting told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The court heard that the later incident took place on June 12, 2020 when the defendant and the woman were in his home in Rush, north Dublin and began arguing over who would go to the shop to get milk for the baby. The man, who had taken tablets, began hitting the woman with his closed fists and dragging her back when she tried to get away from him by leaving the house. A telephone company technician who was working next door heard screaming and knocked on the door. When the accused answered the door the woman escaped and the technician walked off. The accused then picked up a metal bar and threatened the technician. The woman later told gardai that she was afraid for her life in the house and that after she escaped, she feared for her baby's safety. Gardai arrived and tried to talk the accused man down but the man repeatedly refused to come out or to hand over the baby. He put the child up to a window when gardai asked to see if the child was safe but later when gardai began smashing in the front door the man held the child to the back of the door. He was charged with child cruelty, an offence contrary to the Children Act 2001 and later pleaded guilty to this and to assault causing harm to the woman. He also pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to the child on the earlier occasion. Judge Martin Nolan said he was satisfied that the man never intended to harm the child but that he behaved with recklessness in relation to her. He said that his actions were nonetheless pretty inexcusable. He said he beat his former partner on two occasions and he beat her quite badly. He noted that the accused has pleaded guilty, is genuinely remorseful and comes from a good family who have a place for him when he emerges from prison. He sentenced him to two years imprisonment, which he backdated to the date he first went into custody following his arrest in June 2020. OLD GREENWICH, Conn., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Kidd & Company, LLC ("KCO"), a leading family office investment firm focused on the middle market, is pleased to announce that Family RV Group ("Family RV") has been sold to RV Retailer, LLC, the country's largest privately-held RV dealer. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 1968 and headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Family RV is a specialty retailer of new and used recreational vehicles and related services, parts and accessories. Since KCO's initial investment in 2016, Family RV grew from four locations in Ohio and Indiana to 12 locations across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia, while further expanding its relationships and reputation with the leading RV industry original equipment manufacturers. For more information, visit www.familyrvgroup.com. Ken Heuer, KCO principal and Family RV Board member stated, "We have been honored to work with the Jung family and all of the employees of Family RV over the last five years to generate tremendous growth, jobs and prosperity for everyone involved. 2020 was a banner year for the business, and we cannot think of a better partner for Family RV than RV Retailer to continue on the growth trajectory already established." Chuck Jung, Family RV Executive Vice President, stated, "We appreciate the experience and resources that KCO brought to bear on behalf of the Company founded by our parents more than fifty years ago and are excited for the next stage of our growth." Steve Jung added, "My brother Chuck and I look forward to joining the RV Retailer team, and I know all of our store associates are excited for what lies ahead." About Kidd & Company Based in Old Greenwich, Connecticut, KCO traces its roots to 1976 when William Kidd made his first private equity investment. Today, KCO is the private investment arm of the Kidd Family Office engaged in sponsoring private equity transactions in the lower middle market. The firm's focus is on driving superior returns by implementing fundamental strategic and operational improvements to drive above-market growth in revenue and earnings, both organically and through accretive acquisitions. The diverse skill set of its partners allows KCO to bring management, operational, sales and marketing, corporate finance and M&A expertise to bear to substantially increase the total value of its investments. For more information, visit www.kiddcompany.com. Contact: Chris Tofalli Chris Tofalli Public Relations, LLC 914-834-4334 SOURCE Kidd & Company, LLC 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 The WCO organized a virtual training for Palestinian Government officials in the control of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) which was funded by the External Action Service of the European Union as a part of the EU-LAS Project. Some thirteen officials participated in the four day event which was conducted from 21-24 February, 2021. The illicit use of SALW causes a serious threat to peace, security and is an obstacle to sustainable development in many parts of the world, include the Middle East and North Africa, where the WCO is concentrating its capacity building activities. The WCO Security Programme has committed to assist its members in tackling this most dangerous of illicit trades, and has developed a training curriculum specifically aimed at Customs front line staff and managers. In his opening remarks, His Excellency Ambassador / Dr. Omar Awadallah, representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, stated that the State of Palestine supports all activities in combatting illicit small arms and are committed to International Law and Conventions, and thanked all the agencies involved in delivering the workshop. He highlighted that Palestine was a member of the WCO and thanks the WCO for its support for capacity building initiatives in Palestine. The event provided training crucial to all aspects of illicit SALW control at the border, including identification of component parts of weapons, scrutiny of documentation such as end user certificates, risk management techniques and investigative techniques on the recovery of illicit weapons and ammunition. To find out more about WCO SALW Project activities or if you would like to host a SALW virtual training workshop please contact WCOSecurityProgramme@wcoomd.org. Lecturer Peng Wang suffered a bloody nose and bruises to his face after he was attacked in the British city of Southampton last week. Handout A Chinese university lecturer in Britain was viciously attacked last week, renewing fears of violent anti-Asian racism in the country amid the coronavirus pandemic. Peng Wang, who teaches financial management at the University of Southampton, was attacked in broad daylight by four white men aged between 20 and 25 while jogging just minutes from his home last Tuesday. "Some crazy guys shouted at me from their car on the other side of the road," the 37-year-old lecturer said. "They said 'Chinese virus', get out [of] this country, f*** you." Wang said he yelled back at the men, who drove away but then circled back and attacked him. The assault left him with a bloody nose and bruises to his face and arm. Bystanders called for an ambulance and contacted police. A 21-year-old suspect was arrested and later released while investigations continue. The incident has reinforced fears within the local Chinese community that Covid-19-related racial hate crime against people of Chinese heritage is on the rise in Britain. In March last year, soon after Covid-19 arrived in Britain, Singaporean student Jonathan Mok was attacked on London's Oxford Street. A 16-year-old boy was sentenced to 18 months of rehabilitation service for the racially motivated assault. Reports of race crime against people of East Asian appearance in Britain have soared in the past year. Between January and June 2020, there were 457 police reports of racially motivated crime against people who self-identified as Chinese. Students have diverse reasons for dropping out of colleges and universities without obtaining a degree. A new study published in the European Journal of Education provides a detailed analysis of these reasons. The study found that the most important reasons for leaving university without a degree are mainly related to students' lack of interest in their field of study, as well as wrong expectations concerning the content of their studies. Problems related to students' academic performance also appear to be important. The study suggests potential counter measures that higher education institutions might use to help students at risk of dropping out as they strive to finish their education and obtain their degrees. "The phenomenon of university dropout is a very relevant issue, and it's extremely important for the society, for higher education institutions, and of course, for the students themselves. It's associated with an inefficient use of universities' resources, personal failure, wasted time, and monetary investments," said co-author Herve D. Teguim Kamdjou, MSc, of the University of Duisburg-Essen, in Germany. "Providing new insights into this issue will help universities implement early warning systems and more personalised counselling services to support students at risk of dropping out during an early stage of study." ### VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 3, 2021 / Pampa Metals Corp. ("Pampa Metals" or the "Company")(CSE:PM)(FSE:FIRA)(OTC PINK:PMMCF) is pleased to announce that the Company will attend and exhibit at the annual Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada ("PDAC") convention, the world's premier mineral exploration and mining event. This year, the PDAC event will be held virtually between Monday, March 8th and Thursday, March 11th 2021. Starting March 3rd, 2021, the General Public will be able to visit our virtual booth in the Investor Exchange to view Pampa Metals' most up-to-date presentation and to arrange one-on-one meetings with members of the Company's management and Board of Directors. For more information and/or to register for the convention, please visit: https://www.pdac.ca/convention. ABOUT PAMPA METALS Pampa Metals is a Canadian company listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange (CSE: PM). Pampa Metals has interests in an outstanding 59,000-hectare portfolio of projects prospective for copper and gold located along proven mineral belts in Chile, one of the world's top mining jurisdictions. See attached map for the locations of the Company's projects. The Company has a vision to create value for shareholders and all other stakeholders by making a major copper discovery along the prime mineral belts of Chile, using the best geological and technological methods. For more information, please visit Pampa Metals' website here www.pampametals.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. Elon Musks computer aptitude test results from the University of Pretoria were so high that they had to retest him. This is feedback from his mother, Maye Musk, who posted the results from his computer aptitude test when he was 17 on social media. Musk was born in Pretoria in 1971 and showed a special aptitude in computing at a young age. When he was 11, Hyperama ran a computer course in partnership with Wits and computing experts from England. Elon was keen to attend, but the course organisers informed his father that they do not take any children. Elon, however, persisted and told his dad he must do this course. Errol, who has worked with Hyperama as a consulting engineer previously, called the company and they agreed to let Elon attend the introductory lecture. Elon, who was only in primary school at the time, was told to dress appropriately, sit on the side, and keep quiet. I left him at the 3-hour lecture at Wits, and when I came back to fetch him everyone came out, but not Elon, his father recalls. They searched the halls of Wits and finally discovered him in a lecture hall with his tie and jacket removed, his sleeves rolled up, talking to the computer experts from England. The one professor called Errol Musk aside and told him Elon had to get a computer. Errol duly purchased a computer for Elon, which was the start of something special. Using this computer, Elon taught himself to program and become familiar with the Internet. It was clear that he was an exceptional talent and loved the field. Just one year after receiving his first computer, at the age of 12, Elon coded a space fighting game called Blastar which he sold for $500 to trade publication PC and Office Technology magazine. He continued teaching himself new computing skills and took a computer aptitude test at the University of Pretoria in 1989 when he was 17. If I remember correctly, they had to retest you because they had never seen such a high score, his mother said. JLM Wiechers, Director of Information management at the University of Pretoria, said Musks results were outstanding. Musk received an A+ for both computer programming and computer operating. He used this ability to start numerous successful tech companies and become one of the most successful entrepreneurs in history. In the nineties, he joined forces with his brother Kimbal Musk and Greg Kouri to build Zip2. They sold Zip2 for $307 million to Compaq in 1999. Musk then founded X.com, which ultimately became PayPal, which was sold to eBay in October 2002 for $1.5 billion in stock. Musk used his cut of $180 million to invest $100 million in SpaceX, $70 million in Tesla, and $10 million in Solar City. These companies showed tremendous growth in recent years, which helped to make Musk the richest man in the world. Computer aptitude test The image below shows Musks computer aptitude test scores from 1989. Now read: Lightning strikes twice for Rain CEO Willem Roos MORRISTOWN, N.J., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Jim Fakult, President of Jersey Central Power and Light (JCP&L), a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), has been recognized by ROI-NJ and NJ Biz for leadership of 1,500 dedicated electric industry professionals who keep the power on for more than one million New Jersey customers. The publications named Fakult to their "power" lists published annually to honor the key influencers on New Jersey's economy. Fakult was included in the "Executives" sector of ROI-NJ's "Power List 2021," where he was described as "A strong leader of JCP&L and a stellar corporate citizen in line to be the next chair of the state Chamber (of Commerce)." The NJ BIZ "Power 100" list, which features the men and women who are influencing New Jersey's future, said "Fakult knows how important the infrastructure of JCP&L's lines is in keeping 1.1 million customers with power. In the last 18 months the JCP&L Reliability Plus Infrastructure Investment Program built on service reliability made by JCP&L in previous years." "While my name is the one on the lists, it would not be there without the combined efforts of the hard-working JCP&L employees who keep the lights on for our customers in a safe, reliable and affordable manner throughout the year," said Fakult. "We are continuing to benefit all of New Jersey by investing in our distribution and transmission systems to provide world-class infrastructure capable of powering the state's energy-intensive industries. In addition, we also have expertise in business development relationships and programs to help bring new investment and jobs to the region." A 33-year employee of FirstEnergy Corp., Fakult has overseen its operations in New Jersey at JCP&L since 2013. In May 2020, Fakult was selected as a member of Governor Phil Murphy's Restart and Recovery Advisory Council, a group of New Jersey business and municipal leaders that helped organize and plan the restart of the state's economy following the impact of the pandemic. Under Fakult's leadership, JCP&L also was named to the New Jersey Sustainable Business Registry for its continued focus on environmental awareness and sustainable practices and policies. JCP&L is the only electric utility on the list of more than 150 New Jersey companies and organizations recognized for their environmental leadership efforts. Community involvement and corporate giving also are top priorities at JCP&L. Fakult helps ensure that company resources are used to make New Jersey neighborhoods attractive places to live, work and do business, as well as support communities and local organizations that respond during times of need. Following the recovery efforts of Tropical Storm Isaias last fall, JCP&L donated approximately 83,000 pounds of unused food items to food banks and religious organizations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The donation was supplemented by an additional FirstEnergy Foundation contribution of $50,000 to benefit food banks in the region. FirstEnergy Foundation also has granted more than $406,000 to 18 New Jersey organizations through its "Investing with Purpose" program, which supports organizations that advance health and safety, workforce development, educational and social justice initiatives. Outside of JCP&L, Fakult serves on the board of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, the Alliance for Action, New Jersey Energy Alliance, Choose New Jersey and the New Jersey Utilities Association. He also is a member of the Morris County Chamber Business Cabinet and is chair of the board of trustees for the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, N.J. JCP&L is a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE). JCP&L serves 1.1 million customers in the counties of Burlington, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren. Follow JCP&L on Twitter @JCP_L, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JCPandL or online at www.jcp-l.com. FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,500 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp or online at www.firstenergycorp.com. Editor's Note: A photo of Jim Fakult, president of Jersey Central Power & Light, is available for download on Flickr. SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp. Related Links http://www.firstenergycorp.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. Gordon Elliott Yard Visit...19 February 2019; Trainer Gordon Elliott during a Gordon Elliott yard visit at Gordon Elliott Racing in Longwood, Co Meath. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile...ABT Photos of racehorse trainer Gordon Elliot on top of a dead horse are the most insensitive thing one Liveline caller had ever seen in her life. In the wake of the British Horseracing Authoritys decision to suspend Elliot due to his actions, many RTE Liveline callers have expressed outrage over his treatment of the animal. One caller, Elaine OHare, says shes been going to races for around 45 years now, and she was very upset over the whole ordeal. I went to bed last night and dreamt of horses, thats how sensitive I am, she told Joe Duffy. Dead horses, actually. Read More He was sitting on a dead horse, can he not afford to buy a bench? Hed be a newcomer to me, in all over the years, hed be a newcomer. Im not wishing his badness in his career, but hed better pull his socks up and get some manners. When asked what shed say to Elliot if they met in person, Ms OHare said that: The way I feel today Joe, it mighnt be too pleasant and I wouldnt air it. However, another caller Eamon Rooney, took issue with Ms OHares use of the word newcomer to describe Elliot. I think there's an inverse snobbery as well, and we heard it from one of your callers, he said. Him being a newcomer, I find very distasteful, just the way she described him as a newcomer I would be worried he wouldnt get a fair crack at the whip because he is a newcomer. Mr Rooney said that every time hes gone to the races, Elliots horses look fit and healthy. Gordon Elliots horses look as if theyre about to go to the Dublin show, he said. Elliots [horses] are always 100pc tip top, and I just hope he doesnt get crucified for one mistake he made. He added that a lot of English Facebook pages have anti-Irish sentiment on them, and that there is perhaps a feeling that Irish horses have been winning for too long now. I think the problem is that the Irish horse has been on top for quite a while now. I think he will be hung out to dry. A man was left stunned after he captured an astounding optical illusion showing a large boat appearing to float across the sky. As per the report in Mirror, Colin McCallum spotted the red "floating vessel" on the horizon as he travelled through Banff, Aberdeenshire, in Scotland last week. Also read: First It Looks Like A Man Walking In The Forest, And Then It Hits You Facebook Due to the similar colouring of the sea and sky, the large vessel appears to be sitting amongst the clouds. What makes it more intriguing is that fact that the keel of the ship is out of view which makes it difficult to make a distinction as to where the water ends and the clear blue skies begin. Shocked by the sighting, Colin filmed the illusion in motion as he passed by. Colin, a health and safety worker, shared the clip and his images onto Facebook later on that day, writing: "Saw a real life optical illusion in Banff today. Saw a real life optical illusion in Banff today Posted by Colin McCallum on Friday, 26 February 2021 Subsequent pictures also captured by Colin show the boat high amongst the clouds. Colin captioned over his video: Floating boat. Also read: Is He Facing The Camera Or Building? People Can't Guess In Which Direction This Guy Is Swinging Facebook Since Colin shared his picture onto Facebook, social media users have been left baffled by the footage. "When I first saw the boat, I had to do a double take because I genuinely thought it was floating. Upon further inspection, however, I noticed that it was in fact just a remarkable optical illusion," Colin was quoted as telling the Mirror. Also read: 7 day print subscribers enjoy unlimited access to yakimaherald.com Enter the LAST NAME and the 7 DIGIT phone number on your print subscription account to connect your print subscription to your yakimaherald.com account. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. U.S. President Joe Biden made his first call to an African leader last week, apparently choosing not to speak to Nigerias President Buhari, an omission experts say reflects not only Americas diplomatic priorities but Nigerias estimation at a time the continents largest democracy faces staggering domestic problems. Mr Biden reached out to Africa Thursday after more than a month in office and a flurry of phone calls to American allies around the world. He spoke to President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, while Vice President Kamala Harris spoke to President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday. Mr Biden had earlier spoken to President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa in November 2020, days after his election. The obvious sidestepping of Nigeria, long seen as an influential regional leader, has not gone unnoticed. Its an indication that the United States government doesnt think too much about our performance as a country right now. Its as simple as that, said Jide Osuntokun, professor of History and International Relations at the Osun State-based Redeemer University. Many governments outside Nigeria are worried about the future of our country. So its an indication that you have to do something or the world will pass you by. Many global leaders traditionally view engagements with their American counterparts, either through telephone calls or visits, as a gauge of their countries strategic interests with respect to the foreign policies of the worlds most powerful nation. They also pay attention to the timing of those interactions. Former President Barack Obama called 22 world leaders in four days after his election in 2008, while President Donald Trump called 20 within seven days of his election in 2016, according to CNN data. Mr Biden telephoned 19 global leaders in six days of his election, and as of Tuesday, had spoken to 17 leaders since taking office on January 20, White House releases compiled by PREMIUM TIMES show. The calls were made to close allies such as the United Kingdom and to those with security concerns such as Iraq and to rivals like Russia. When Mr Biden delayed contacting Americas closest ally in the Middle East, Israel, the country took notice. Israels oldest newspaper, the left wing-leaning Hareetz, warned it was a wake-up call, and blamed it on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus closeness to Mr Trump, and the alienation of the now ruling Democratic Party. The White House said Biden would be calling Netanyahu soon. But even after that happens, Israel will need a lot of time to repair the damage he did to the ties with the Democratic Party, the paper said in a February 15 editorial. Mr Bidens office said it was not a deliberate snub, and Mr Netanyahu argued the U.S. president had not called other Middle East leaders. The two leaders eventually spoke on February 17. Unstable and Insecure Like Europe and the Middle East where American engagements have almost always followed a pattern UK or France or Germany, and Israel first U.S. leaders have for decades contacted mostly the same select group of few African countries. Their phone calls or visits have been mostly to Egypt and South Africa. Nigeria, which has received three American presidents (Egypt has received the most 16), has seen a decline with no American president visiting in 18 years. President Biden has promised increased engagement with Africa after the halfheartedness of the Trump years. His administrations early choice is seen by some as reflective of Nigerias declining global standing. They worry it may shape future relations with other nations, although others say it is the leadership, not Nigeria, that is on trial. If you have a leadership that is not dynamic, that is not global in outlook you will not call such a leader, said Sheriff Folarin, professor of International Relations at Covenant University. If I were in President Bidens shoes, I will not call the president of Nigeria. I wont call him. He said that does not mean I would not have something to do with Nigeria because Nigerias place in Africa can never be under-emphasised. ADVERTISEMENT In addition to losing its position as a major exporter of crude oil to the U.S., Nigeria has stacked insecurity baggage that afflicts everything from food to foreign investment. The Buhari administration has done little to show leadership, analysts say. In the last few years, its obvious to us Nigerians that we have been punching below our weight internationally. We cannot secure our own territory not to talk of being able to secure our region, Professor Osuntokun said. With the instability we have in the country, with the insecurity and the unfortunate appearance of our government not willing to do anything about it, many governments outside Nigeria are worried about the future of our country. While that happens, relatively smaller African nations appear to be seizing the moment to resolve basic needs like power and critical infrastructure. And they are getting the attention. ALSO READ: Biden pledges cooperation with African countries Besides President Tshisekedi being the current chairman of the African Union, the DRC remains critical to the U.S. economic interest with its vast mineral resources essential for Americas tech industry. The country attracted more foreign direct investment than Nigeria between 2017 and 2019, retaining a place in the top five destinations in the continent, according to United Nations data. In her call to Mr Tshikekedi, U.S. Vice President Harris spoke about the two countries exploring economic opportunity in their two nations. In his call to Mr Kenyatta, Mr Biden applauded Kenyas leadership in the Horn of Africa and emphasised the U.S. commitment to working closely with the country to support regional peace and security. The two leaders also discussed the deteriorating humanitarian and human rights crises in Ethiopias Tigray region. Mr Osuntokun hopes Nigerian leaders will read the signs and change the direction of the country. Some of us are worried about what is going on. The total breakdown of law and order. We cant travel, even within the country, people are afraid to drive on the highways. And all these things will be communicated to the home governments not only to America but to all the governments that have diplomatic representation here, he said. So its an indication to us that if we want to be taken seriously, we have to make sure that our home is secure and stable. Mr Sheriff said he was hopeful the country will receive the required attention in future. There are many issues Nigeria is contending with at the moment, and you cant just call Nigeria now and say you want to talk about Africa. Nigeria is distracted right now because of its own internal problems, he said. A HEARTBROKEN mother said she received justice for her beloved daughter after a teen who admitted dangerous driving causing death was given four years detention. Daniel Wyse (17) of Killiney Heights, Knocknaheeny, Cork pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Kimberly O'Connor (16) and to causing serious injury to another teenager in the car. Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard that the car being driven by the defendant on February 19 2020 reached speeds of 119kmh in a 50kmh zone of the residential Cork community that evening. The defendant had no driving license, no motor insurance and had purchased the old Seat car involved via an Internet advertisement. The car collided with a concrete pillar on Harbour View Road in Knocknaheeny - just 50m from Ms O'Connor's home - and the 16 year old girl in the front passenger seat suffered critical injuries. Wyse had overtaken a taxi on Harbour View Road but his car clipped a kerb, then a tree, hit a utility box and a metal bollard before colliding with a concrete wall and gate pillar. The cap on the bollard was catapulted through the window of a nearby house while another part of the bollard ended up 45m away. Ms O'Connor was pronounced dead at the scene before she could be transferred to Cork University Hospital (CUH). Another teenager in the car also suffered serious injuries including a fractured skull. He initially lost the use of his limbs but has regained movement thanks to intensive physiotherapy. The boy has no recollection of the collision. Wyse told the court he was deeply remorseful for what happened. He also said the tragedy and the death of his friend will live with him for the rest of his life. Kimberly and her family will always be in my thoughts and prayers," he said via video-link. Read More His family expressed their deepest condolences to Kimberly's family. The teen received a term of eight years detention but with the final four years suspended in light of his remorse and his plea. However, Judge Sean O'Donnabhain noted that Wyse had fled the scene of the accident on the night. He said that identifying Wyse was in the public interest - and disqualified him from driving for a period of 15 years. The judge advised that it was in the public interest for anyone over that period who sees Wyse driving to notify the Gardai. Kimberly O'Connor's mother, Jennifer, said her family believed they had received justice. She acknowledged that she had been haunted by the aftermath of the horrific collision. The mother was in her family home that evening and heard the sound of the crash as it happened just 50m from her front door. "I am happy enough - we got justice for Kimberly today," she said. "It gives us a little bit of peace that we got justice for Kimberly. She deserved to be named here today - 100pc deserved to be named." She said that the collision was "every mother's worst nightmare." "Kimberly was a bright, bubbly happy girl with an infectious smile. She didn't deserve to die like that." Both the deceased and the defendant could be identified by special order of Judge O'Donnabhain who said it was unjust not to name Ms O'Connor. Her family had spoken of their upset at any suggestion the teenage girl should be left anonymous in the case. Under a provision of the Children's Act - which the Government are currently reviewing - the deceased would not ordinarily be identified as she is a juvenile. However, the judge said it was in the public interest to do so - and also allowed Wyse to be identified. The court was told that the case was widely publicised last year with numerous public tributes being paid to Ms O'Connor who was a popular student at Terence McSwiney College and had participated in several high profile charity events. Ms O'Connor, a Transition Year student, died when the car in which she was a passenger collided with a wall on Harbour View Road in Knocknaheeny. At her funeral, Ms O'Connor was described by her family as "a priceless diamond and a superstar." The Seat Toledo car was written off in the collision. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 Tear gas and fire extinguisher gas float around demonstrators during a protest against the military coup in Yangon, Myanmar, (Photo : REUTERS/Stringer) Some of Myanmar's neighbours pressed its ruling junta on Tuesday to release ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi and cease using lethal force against opponents of their Feb. 1 coup to work out a solution to the crisis. The calls from fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) came as Myanmar police again opened fire to disperse crowds after weeks of demonstrations against military rule. Several people were wounded, witnesses said. Advertisement ASEAN foreign ministers held talks with a representative of the junta in a video call two days after the bloodiest day of unrest since the military overthrew Suu Kyi's elected government. At least 21 people have been killed since the coup, which Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in an interview with the BBC was a "tragic" step back for Myanmar. The foreign minister of Indonesia, which has been pushing a regional diplomatic effort, urged Myanmar to "open its doors" to the ASEAN bloc to resolve the escalating tension, but said there was little it could do if it did not. Retno Marsudi, called for the release of political detainees and for the restoration of democracy, while pledging that ASEAN countries would not break their pledge of not interfering in each other's affairs. "Restoring democracy back on track must be pursued," Retno said. "Indonesia underlines that the will, the interest and the voices of the people of Myanmar must be respected." The foreign ministers of Malaysia and the Philippines also called for the release of Suu Kyi. But some countries were less emphatic and a statement from the group said "all parties" should refrain from instigating violence and that ASEAN stood ready to help. ASEAN groups Myanmar, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam. The bloc's effort to engage with Myanmar's military has been criticised by supporters of democracy, with a committee of ousted Myanmar lawmakers declaring the junta a terrorist group and saying ASEAN's engagement would give it legitimacy. Sa Sa, a senior member of the committee who has been anointed as its representative to the United Nations, said ASEAN should have no dealings with "this illegitimate military-led regime". Myanmar's own representative to the United Nations denounced the coup last week and after the junta announced he had been fired, he staked a formal claim as the legitimate representative, according to letters seen by Reuters. CONDEMNATION The coup halted Myanmar's tentative steps towards democracy after nearly 50 years of military rule and has drawn condemnation and sanctions from the United States and other Western countries. Singapore's Lee said sanctions would not affect the junta but hurt the people and the way forward was to free Suu Kyi and work out a solution - describing the takeover as "an enormous tragic step back". "To use lethal force against civilians and unarmed demonstrators, I think it is just not acceptable. That is disastrous not just internationally, but disastrous domestically," said. Hundreds of protesters, many wearing hard hats and clutching makeshift shields, gathered earlier behind barricades in different parts of Myanmar's main city of Yangon to chant slogans before police moved in firing stun grenades. There were no reports of injuries in Yangon but four people were wounded in the northwestern town of Kale, where police fired live ammunition to disperse a crowd after protesters threw objects at advancing police, witnesses said. State television MRTV later said security forces used stun grenades, rubber bullets and other non-lethal measures. "They were acting like they were in a war zone," a teacher at the protest who declined to be identified said of the police. MRTV said that crowds were being instigated through social media by illegal organisations and causing instability. It said 12 "riotous protesters" had been detained in Yangon. After the use of force by security forces on the streets, people protested from their balconies after dark across Yangon, chanting "the revolution must succeed" and calls for Suu Kyi's health. The military justified the coup saying its complaints of fraud in a November election won by Suu Kyi's party were ignored. The election commission said the vote was fair. Junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has pledged to hold new elections and hand power to the winner but has given no time frame. Suu Kyi, 75, appeared at a court hearing via video conferencing on Monday and looked in good health, one of her lawyers said. Two more charges were added to those filed against her after the coup, the lawyer said. More than 1,100 people have been detained, according to activists, among them six journalists in Yangon, one of whom works for the Associated Press, which has called for his release. The largest and oldest electricity co-operative in Texas has filed for bankruptcy protection after it received a $2.1 billion bill from ERCOT, the state's grid operator. Meanwhile, Texas lawmakers indicated their intention to hold power companies accountable after the arctic conditions in mid-February overwhelmed local utility companies ill-prepared for such weather, ultimately having deadly consequences. Brazos Electric Power Cooperative, which supplies 16 co-op members serving more than 1.5 million Texans, said it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday, as the fallout of last month's winter storm that left millions in the dark continues. According to court filings, Brazos said it was hit with invoices from ERCOT totaling more than $2.1 billion, with payment required within days. Brazos said the 'excessively high invoices' for the seven-day 'black swan' winter event were nearly three times its total power cost of $774 million for the whole of 2020. Bitterly cold weather in mid-February left millions without electricity across Texas as the Arctic conditions overwhelmed local utility companies ill-prepared for such weather On Monday, the company said that it was a 'financially robust, stable company' before the Arctic freeze that hit Texas between February 13 and February 19. 'As the month of February 2021 began, the notion that a financially stable cooperative such as Brazos Electric would end the month preparing for bankruptcy was unfathomable,' executive vice president and general manager Clifton Karnei said in a court filing. He said during the storm the price for wholesale electricity was set at the maximum price of $9,000 per megawatt hour for more than four straight days and ERCOT imposed other ancillary fees totaling more than $25,000 per MWh. 'The consequences of these prices were devastating,' he said. ERCOT has come under fire from customers and politicians over its apparent failure to prepare for the cold weather and soaring bills due to the temporary massive spike in the energy market. Residential customers who signed for variable-rate plans have reported receiving electric bills as high as $16,000. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered an investigation into ERCOT, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has also said it will probe the factors behind the power outages. Brazos said it filed for bankruptcy protection as 'it cannot and will not foist this catastrophic financial event on its members and those consumers.' 'Let me emphasize that this action by Brazos Electric was necessary to protect its member cooperatives and their more than 1.5 million retail members from unaffordable electric bills,' Karnei said in a press release. He added that the company would 'continue to provide electric service throughout the court-supervised process.' Texas is the only state in the continental US to have its own independent power grid, meaning it was cut off when the weather hit, and there could be more companies to declare bankruptcy. The largest and oldest electricity co-operative in Texas has filed for bankruptcy protection after it received a $2.1 billion bill from ERCOT, the state's grid operator. Pictured: In this Feb. 15, 2021, file photo, traffic is sparse on the snow-covered Interstate 45 near The Woodlands Parkway following an overnight snowfall in The Woodlands, Texas Ed Hirs, who teaches energy economics at the University of Houston, is sure there will be more power company bankruptcies. He cited estimates by BloombergNEF that Texans will pay $50 billion for electricity the week of February 14 compared with $4.2 billion the previous week. Hirs said the difference will be paid in higher electric rates or borne by taxpayers. Already, Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, and both Republican and Democratic legislators have promised to help Texans facing huge bills. "The consumer and the taxpayer are pretty much one and the same," Hirs said. "Whether it comes out of your left pocket or out of your right pocket, it's coming out of your pocket." Some consumers have already received February bills in the thousands of dollars. Most if not all of them had plans tied to the wholesale price of energy, which skyrocketed when the state's main electric grid lost 48% of its power while demand soared to heat homes as temperatures plunged into the single digits. The Brazos bankruptcy filing came the same day that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said that he is suing Griddy, a company that sold wholesale-rate plans, for passing along massive bills to its customers. Meanwhile, Texas lawmakers indicated their intention to hold power companies accountable after the arctic conditions in mid-February overwhelmed local utility companies ill-prepared for such weather, ultimately having deadly consequences. Pictured: Power lines in Houston on February 16, when an unusually heavy winter storm blanketed much of Texas with snow Brazos Electric Power Cooperative, which supplies 16 co-op members serving more than 1.5 million Texans, said it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday, as the fallout of last month's winter storm that left millions in the dark continues Griddy Energy charges $10 a month to allow customers to pay wholesale prices for electricity, rather than a fixed rate. However, as temperatures dipped below freezing last month, wholesale prices spiked, leaving customers with massive power bills. 'Griddy misled Texans and signed them up for services which, in a time of crisis, resulted in individual Texans each losing thousands of dollars,' Paxton said in a statement on Monday. 'As Texans struggled to survive this winter storm, Griddy made the suffering even worse as it debited outrageous amounts each day.' 'As the first lawsuit filed by my office to confront the outrageous failure of power companies, I will hold Griddy accountable for their escalation of this winter storm disaster,' Paxton's statement continued. 'My office will not allow Texans to be deceived or exploited by unlawful behavior and deceptive business practices.' The lawsuit accuses Griddy of violating a state law against deceptive trade practices, and it seeks refunds for customers. ERCOT shifted about 10,000 Griddy customers to other utilities on Friday, which the company said effectively shut it down. Residential customers who signed for variable-rate plans have reported receiving electric bills as high as $16,000. Pictured: A woman walks through falling snow in San Antonio, February 14 'We have always been transparent and customer-centric at every step,' Griddy said in a statement. 'We wanted to continue the fight for our members to get relief and that hasn't changed.' When a polar vortex reached Texas last month, much of the state's power grid collapsed, followed by its water systems. Millions huddled in frigid homes. Others fled for safety. The state, long suspicious of regulation and outsiders, was left to seek aid from the federal government and humanitarian groups to help its 29 million people. Now utilities involved in the grid face growing financial risks. Brazos was one of six electric cooperatives that were put on watch last Friday for possible credit-rating downgrades by Standard & Poor's. Although S&P judged each company's debt to be investment-grade, it warned of pressure to raise rates and the potential for more regulation. Texas Governor Greg Abbott (pictured, file photo) has ordered an investigation into ERCOT, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has also said it will probe the factors behind the power outages The others on S&P's radar: Brownsville, at the southern tip of Texas on the Mexican border; Garland Power & Light in the Dallas suburbs; Georgetown, an Austin suburb; Golden Spread Electric Cooperative in the Panhandle; and the Lower Colorado River Authority, which manages hydroelectric, natural gas and coal-fired power plants across more than 70 Texas counties. S&P also slapped a credit watch on San Antonio's public electric and gas systems, saying that the higher cost of providing electricity and natural gas during the freeze week will add to the utility's debt, put pressure on its ability to set rates, and potentially weaken its financial performance. Not all energy companies in Texas are suffering because of the freeze. While many Texans were still without power on Feb. 17, Roland Burns, the president and chief financial officer of Comstock Resources Inc., was telling analysts that the natural gas company was profiting nicely from the spike in prices, which started even before the Arctic weather arrived. 'Obviously this week is like hitting the jackpot as some of these incredible prices, I mean frankly we were able to ... get super-premium prices,' Burns said. Displaying the Nazi swastika would be a criminal offence in Victoria if the Andrews government implements a recommendation of a cross-party parliamentary inquiry into anti-vilification laws. After a year-long investigation the final report from the legal and social issues committee was tabled on Wednesday morning. It urges the government to legislate tougher laws against hate speech and racist insignia. A Nazi flag flying over a home in the Victorian town of Beulah last year. Premier Daniel Andrews said on Wednesday that the government which said said last year it would not act until the final report was released was open to criminalising Nazi symbols. It would be the first jurisdiction in Australia to impose such a ban. The state Liberal opposition, along with Jewish and anti-racism groups, called for a ban on the use of the swastika early last year after the government was powerless to stop a Nazi flag flying above a home in regional Victoria. Mr Andrews also said state laws were deficient when the government realised it did not have the powers to cancel a planned neo-Nazi music festival in 2019. NEW YORK, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against GTT Communications, Inc. ("GTT" or the "Company") (NYSE: GTT) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court for the Central District of California, and docketed under 21-cv-00839, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities other than Defendants that purchased or otherwise acquired GTT publicly traded securities from May 5, 2016 through November 9, 2020, inclusive (the "Class Period"), seeking to pursue remedies under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"). Plaintiff alleges that Defendants violated the Exchange Act by publishing false and misleading statements to artificially inflate the Company's stock price. If you are a shareholder who purchased GTT securities during the Class Period, you have until March 15, 2021 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. [Click here for information about joining the class action] GTT operates a global communications network, providing telecommunications services to large, multinational enterprises, carriers, and governments across five continents. Throughout the Class Period, GTT stated that its internal controls over financial reporting were "effective" and provided "reasonable assurance" that all required information was being disclosed. In truth, GTT's internal controls over financial reporting were inadequate, which led to years of inaccurate financial reporting, including failing to make adequate adjustments to the Company's Cost of Telecommunication Services and failing to recognize certain expenses. As a result of GTT's inadequate internal controls, the Company announced after market hours on August 10, 2020 that it would delay the filing of its quarterly report for the quarter ended June 30, 2020. The Company stated it had identified "certain issues related to the recording and reporting of Cost of Telecommunications Services and related internal controls." On this news, GTT shares fell by $0.65, or over 11%, from closing at $5.61 on August 10, 2020 to close at $4.96 on August 11, 2020. On November 9, 2020, the Company announced its quarterly report for the quarter ended September 30, 2020 would be delayed as well. The Company stated the delay was caused by the ongoing review and "examining the accounting for Cost of Telecommunications Services and [. . .] a number of issues in connection with the Company's previously issued financial statements[.]" On this news, GTT shares fell by $0.04, or 1%, to close at $3.96 on November 9, 2020. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP [email protected] 888-476-6529 ext. 7980 SOURCE Pomerantz LLP Related Links www.pomerantzlaw.com YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. A stable operational situation with no incidents has been maintained along the Armenian-Azerbaijani line of contact of the Armenian state border overnight March 2-3, the Defense Ministry of Armenia told ARMENPRESS. According to the information provided by the Armenian National Security Service, no border incidents were registered in Vorotan-Davit Bek section of the Goris-Kapan inter-state road which is under the responsibility of the NSS border troops. The Armed Forces of Armenia and the NSS border troops confidently control the border situation along the entire borderline. A group photo of students and faculty members at the public secondary school in Essen, Germany [CCTV] The headmaster and students of a German high school have written letters in reply to Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, expressing their commitment to increasing cultural exchanges between Germany and China. The letters, dated February 22, were penned by the principal Simone Reuen and students of Burg Gymnasium and were accompanied by Spring Festival gifts works of calligraphy and other handicrafts made by the students to express their appreciation for Peng's support. Peng wrote a letter on February 9 to the students and teachers at the public secondary school in Essen, Germany, encouraging them to contribute to and strengthen the friendship between the people of China and Germany. "Your letter is a great commendation, recognition and encouragement to our school and the work of our school's Chinese class and choir. I am extremely happy that our school has gained so much recognition in China for its activities related to Chinese language and Chinese culture," wrote Reuen. "Your letter to our teachers and classmates was read many times, we are very excited. We are so proud to realize that you watched our video," the students of Burggymnasium wrote in their letter, in reference to the clip in which students sang the Chinese song "After the Pandemic." Peng had mentioned the video in her letter, saying the students have expressed the collective wish of supporting people in all countries to conquer COVID-19 at an early date. "Small actions can sometimes have a huge impact. Our songs have a small but very important role in exchanges and mutual learning between the people of the two countries," Reuen said, adding "I am proud of them." Burg Gymnasium is one of the oldest public schools in Germany. It set up Chinese language courses in 1994, and has organized several visits to China for exchanges in recent years. In March 2014, Peng visited the school and joined a Chinese class there during President Xi's state visit to Germany. In October 2016, Peng met with the teachers and students of the school in Beijing. (Source: CGTN) Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Pope Francis has warned that mankind is facing a second great flood caused by climate change unless leaders act to fix corruption and injustice. The 84-year-old said that, in the story of the great flood in the Bible, God used his wrath to punish injustice and "clean up" the world. He then added that humanity is facing another "great deluge", perhaps due to a rise in temperature and the melting of glaciers. "[That is] what will happen now if we continue on the same path," he said. Francis made the comments to Italian writer Marco Pozza, who is also chaplain of Padua prison, in a new book that is due to be published in March. While discussing justice, Francis brings up the example of the biblical flood which destroyed the world except for Noah - who was deemed virtuous enough to survive, Daily Mail reported. The flood itself may have been a myth, Francis says, but it is used as an example to show how God uses wrath to punish injustice and right wrongs in the world. ALBANY, N.Y., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Amidst speculations that COVID-19 may have originated from animals, the entire meat industry has taken extraordinary measures to maintain the safety of meat. Since there is a high risk of transmission of COVID-19 via packaging, meat producing companies, especially fresh meat producing ones are giving high importance to maintain hygiene at every step of packaging. To attain this, meat producing companies are educating their logistics partners and other stakeholders in the value chain to prevent contamination from packaging to transport and distribution. Besides this, companies in the fresh meat packaging market are adhering to food safety guidelines recommended by the World Health Organization. This is indirectly helping meat producing companies to revive post the dip in meat consumption at the onset of COVID-19. In addition, to revive sales, meat producing companies are resorting to alternate sales channels such as online sales to fuel the meat industry. However, to attract sales via alternate channels, the packaging of meat products, especially fresh meat ones require adequate attention. This creates opportunities in the fresh meat packaging market. Thus, with such measures in place, the fresh meat packaging market is predicted to register a CAGR of 4.3% vis-a-vis volume for the 2020 2028 forecast period. Expanding at the growth rate, the fresh meat packaging market is predicted to surpass a volume of ~1,255,795 tons by 2028 from ~924,165 tons in 2020. Download PDF Brochure https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=23129 Key Findings of the Fresh Meat Packaging Market Report Use of Bio-plastics, Molded Fibers to Paint Strokes of Growth Rising consumer concerns for polystyrene foam trays covered with plastic film is making players in the fresh meat packaging market to develop alternate packaging solutions. This has resulted to develop packaging solutions that address such concerns at the same time do not compromise on performance. Furthermore, mounting environmental concerns of conventional meat packaging products is creating alerts in the fresh meat packaging market to develop sustainable packaging solutions. As a result, conscientious efforts by product manufacturers have led to the use of bioplastics and molded fiber materials for packaging of fresh meat products. Explore 176 pages of superlative research, current market scenario, and extensive geographical projections. Gain insights into the Fresh Meat Packaging Market (Material Type: Polyethylene [PE],Polypropylene [PP], BOPP, EVOH, PVC, PA, and Others; Packaging Type: Modified Atmosphere Packaging, Vacuum Skin Packaging Stand Up Pouches, Vacuum Thermoformed Packaging, and Others; and Meat Type: Beef, Pork, Poultry, Seafood, and Others) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2020-2028 at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/fresh-meat-packaging-market.html Design innovations for Seafood packaging to add Extra Stars of Growth Keen players in the fresh meat packaging market are striving for design innovations in seafood packaging. These companies are making efforts to install modern machinery coupled with avant-garde technology to enable packaging in perfectly portioned servings. Apart from this, design improvements to ensue food safety and freshness of the product is also on the cards of savvy players in the fresh meat packaging market. In this context, modified atmosphere packaging is a fast-growing phenomenon for seafood packaging that provides high concentration of carbon dioxide to prevent the growth of microorganisms. Furthermore, companies engaged in seafood packaging are also striving to switch to eco-friendly packaging solutions that are sustainable in the long run. Analyze Global Fresh Meat Packaging market growth in 30+ countries including US, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Russia, Poland, Benelux, Nordic, China, Japan, India, and South Korea. Request a sample of the study Availability of Corrugated Packaging for Lamb Packaging to create New Revenue Streams Players in the fresh meat packaging market are leveraging the increasing availability of corrugated packaging for lamb. Stakeholders are striving to deliver premium lamb with design innovations and high-performing packaging materials. In addition, corrugated packaging ensures high strength and durability to prevent damage to packaged content during handling and transportation. Besides this, corrugated packaging which is cardboard-based is in line with environmental considerations over plastic and expanded polystyrene that are increasingly facing bans across nations. Fresh Meat Packaging Market Growth Drivers High nutritional value of fresh meat continues to create opportunities in the fresh meat packaging market. Efforts of product manufacturers for sustainable packaging solutions, and at the same time overcome challenges to contain moisture expands the growth horizon of the said market. Request the Covid19 Impact Analysis at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=covid19&rep_id=23129 Fresh Meat Packaging Market: Key Players Mondi Plc Amcor Plc Berry Global Group Inc. Coveris Holdings SA Winpak Ltd. Sealed Air Corporation Bollore Group Cascades Inc. Amerplast Ltd. R. Faerch Plast A/S Explore Transparency Market Research's award-winning coverage of the Global Packaging Industry: Flexible Packaging for Healthcare Market The flexible packaging for healthcare market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 5.3% during the forecast period. Several medical products packaging manufacturers prefer flexible packaging, owing to its high barrier properties and flawless print finish for bags & sacks, tapes, and labels further lifting the growth of the flexible packaging for healthcare market across the globe. Metal Cosmetic Packaging Market Application of metal packaging in skin care and hair care products is expected to boost the business of market players. Rising skin care awareness coupled with falling cosmetic prices is offering promising opportunities for packaging providers. Owing to this, investments centered towards producing packaging for skin care products would prove profitable. About Transparency Market Research Transparency Market Research is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Our experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyse information. Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports. Contact Mr Rohit Bhisey Transparency Market Research State Tower, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany NY - 12207 United States USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Press Release Source: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/fresh-meat-packaging-market.htm SOURCE Transparency Market Research 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 BEVERLY HILLS, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 3, 2021 / CLICKSTREAM CORP. (OTC PINK:CLIS) a technology company focused on developing apps and digital platforms that disrupt conventional industries announces its subsidiary Nebula Software Corp. is extending its beta soft launch for its HeyPal iOS App to five additional countries, including the United Kingdom, Brazil, South Korea, Italy & Germany for Monday, March 15th 2021. HeyPal is currently live in 10 countries, including: Australia, Taiwan, Spain, Ireland, Switzerland, Morocco, Ukraine, Turkey, Colombia & Israel. Frank Magliochetti, CEO of ClickStream, states "The HeyPal team has made significant progress on the marketing & development of the beta app and we are ready to expand the soft launch to these five substantially larger markets as we prepare to launch HeyPal globally. We are excited to increase the diversity of our language learning pool as well." The purpose of the HeyPal beta soft launch is to stress test the app's infrastructure and analyze these markets' reactions before launching globally. The 5 additional countries were strategically chosen to satisfy the language demands between the HeyPal member population, allowing for an effective matchmaking process for the diverse pool of language learners. Isaac Nakash, CMO of Nebula states, "There is an extremely high demand for English speaking natives on the HeyPal platform, this is why including the United Kingdom as one of the new available countries was a no-brainer in our careful selection process. We are excited to introduce this new language learning trend to these new markets." ABOUT CLICKSTREAM CORPORATION ClickStream is a technology company focused on developing apps and digital platforms that disrupt conventional industries. The company is currently marketing and developing WinQuik and HeyPal respectively. WinQuik, is a free-to-play synchronized mobile app and digital gaming platform. The platform is designed to enable WinQuik users to have fun, interact and compete in order to win real money and prizes. WinQuik is currently in production for 2021 featuring actor Pooch Hall and other celebrity hosts such as NFL Quarterback Joshua Dobbs and celebrity chef Jordan Andino. Show subject matter includes sports, music, Hollywood, space, food and much more. Game types are set up dynamically with daily, live games and non-live games available to play multiple times daily as well as the ability to challenge friends and family 1-v-1. As a free-mium platform, ClickStream monetizes the WinQuik platform with corporate sponsors and advertisers. For more information please visit: Web: http://www.clickstream.technology/ or http://www.winquik.com/ | Twitter: https://twitter.com/winquikapp or https://twitter.com/ClickstreamC | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/winquiktrivia/. Story continues HeyPal, by way of ClickStream subsidiary Nebula Software Corp., is a language learning app that focuses on "language exchanging" between users around the world. As opposed to quizzes, flash cards and other traditional language studying tools, HeyPal's approach to helping its users learn a new language is by matching them together with native speakers of their target language. For example, if User A speaks English, and wants to learn French, HeyPal will match the user with User B who speaks fluent French and wishes to learn English. This approach makes the language learning process more fun, engaging, and encourages faster learning speed. HeyPal also has many social media features, including posts and media uploading to "language boards", allowing users to post original content and be immersed completely in the language they are learning. Nebula intends to monetize HeyPal by integrating a unique and effective premium subscription model that will allow users to gain access to certain features that will enhance their social language experience. For more information about HeyPal, please visit website at https://www.heypalapp.com/ and social media on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heypalapp/. SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT This press release contains forward-looking statements that can be identified by terminology such as "believes," "expects," "potential," "plans," "suggests," "may," "should," "could," "intends," or similar expressions. Many forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results implied by such statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, our ability to continue to enhance our products and systems to address industry changes, our ability to expand our customer base and retain existing customers, our ability to effectively compete in our market segment, the lack of public information on our company, our ability to raise sufficient capital to fund our business, operations, our ability to continue as a going concern, and a limited public market for our common stock, among other risks. Many factors are difficult to predict accurately and are generally beyond the company's control. Forward-looking statements speak only as to the date they are made, and we do not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made. FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT: Frank Magliochetti CEO info@clickstream.technology SOURCE: ClickStream Corporation View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/633091/ClickStreams-HeyPalTM-App-Prepares-Soft-Launch-in-UK-Brazil-South-Korea-Italy-Germany-for-March-15-2021 KYODO NEWS - Mar 3, 2021 - 13:04 | All, Japan The Japanese government appointed Wednesday an experienced press official of the Foreign Ministry as Cabinet public relations secretary after her predecessor resigned amid an ethics scandal involving Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's eldest son. Deputy Press Secretary Hikariko Ono, 55, assumed the post vacated by Makiko Yamada, 60, who resigned Monday a week after facing criticism for being treated to an expensive dinner in 2019 hosted by Tohokushinsha Film Corp. executives, including Seigo Suga. Ono, who joined the ministry in 1988, has served in various posts, including as official in charge of international public relations at the Prime Minister's Office and a spokesperson of the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games before becoming a deputy press secretary in April last year. Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said Ono has "abundant experience in public relations operations," and her promotion to a vice-ministerial post from a deputy assistant minister position, which is deemed rare, was decided from the standpoint of "placing the right people in the right jobs." By swiftly replacing Yamada, who was the first woman in Japan to become a Cabinet press secretary, with Ono, Suga's government seeks to contain the scandal amid falling public support over criticism of his response to the coronavirus pandemic. Yamada was found to have been treated to a dinner worth 74,000 yen ($700) in Tokyo by Tohokushinsha officials in 2019, when she was a senior bureaucrat at the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry. The dinner was deemed to have violated the national public service ethics law, which prohibits central government officials from receiving favors from companies in sectors they regulate. Tohokushinsha runs a satellite broadcasting business to which the communications ministry grants licenses. Related coverage: Suga's press official quits over communications ministry scandal PM Suga denies ethics scandal pushed him to skip press conference Japan elite bureaucrats punished over scandal involving Suga's son Srinagar, March 3 : A senior Indian army officer allegedly committed suicide in an army depot on the outskirts of Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar city on Wednesday. Police sources said Lt. Colonel Sudesh Baghat Singh shot himself dead with his service rifle in an army depot in the Khonmoh area on the outskirts of Srinagar city. "After hearing gunshots, soldiers rushed and found him lying in a pool of blood. "He was shifted to hospital where doctors said he was dead on arrival. "An FIR has been lodged in the incident and the cause behind the officer taking the extreme step is being investigated," sources said. Ready to quit cinema if it becomes hurdle to political career: Kamal Haasan TN election: In talks with 'like-minded' parties for alliance, says Kamal Haasan India pti-Deepika S Chennai March 03: Veteran actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder Kamal Haasan on Wednesday said he is in talks with "like-minded" parties for a possible electoral alliance for the April 6 assembly election. Reiterating that he is keen on forging ties with "good people", Haasan said several parties have initiated discussions for a possible alliance with the MNM and he "shook hands" with the All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi (AISMK). "Many parties are holding discussions and some like the AISMK shook hands. We will decide on alliance first before a confab on seat-sharing," Haasan told reporters here when his attention was drawn to AISMK founder R Sarath Kumar's assertion that an alliance between the two parties has been firmed up. Addressing his party's general council meeting in the southern coastal district of Thoothukudi earlier in the day, Sarath Kumar claimed his party has firmed up an electoral alliance with the MNM and that Haasan will be its chief ministerial candidate. "After hectic talks, poll ties was confirmed five minutes before midnight yesterday. In principle, we have decided to journey together. Kamal Haasan will be the chief minister candidate for the emerging alliance," Kumar said. Meanwhile, Haasan announced that former President A P J Abdul Kalam's scientific advisor V Ponraj, who has joined the MNM, will be the vice president of the party. Announcing his party's poll assurances, Haasan said MNM is committed to ensuring the dignity and recognition of homemakers. There will be 50 percent reservation for women in the uniform sector. Hostels will be made available in every district for free emergency overnight stay for women in distress, he said. Establishing banks that will be run by women and for women, too, figured in the party's agenda which also promised jobs to 50 lakh youth and monetisation of households. Haasan on Wednesday evening launched his electoral campaign and trained guns at the BJP and AIADMK, saying the saffron party thinks that Tamils could be convinced to vote for by "tweaking" Tamil pride while the AIADMK government''s promise of jobs to youth has remained far from reality. "Tamils are not for sale, their votes are also not for sale," he said and urged the people to give a mandate to his party to establish a corruption-free government. The coronavirus epidemic has prompted growing numbers of people to move into hotels because rooms are now so cheap that they make long stays easily affordable. The sharp drop in foreign visitors has forced hotels in the downtown shopping district of Myeong-dong, trendy Hongik University area and affluent Gangnam to advertise long-stay packages. And a growing number of people in their 20s and 30s who are bored at home in lockdown have snapped them up, both for the service and a change of scene. One 31-year-old office worker moved into a three-star hotel in central Seoul last week just a 10-minute walk from his office. The monthly cost is W660,000 or just W20,000 a night (US$1=W1,125). He said he wants to save time from his usual two-hour round-trip commute from Seongnam south of Seoul and use the hotel's gym for free. "The hotel room has no kitchenette, but I can heat up something to eat in a microwave in the basement or have food delivered," he said. The hotel also has a coin-operated laundry room. "It's really hard to find homes for jeonse [or Korean-style deposit lease], so I wanted to move into a hotel for a month since that does not require a large, lump-sum deposit." War crimes have been committed by all sides fighting in Mozambiques northern Cabo Delgado province, including jihadi rebels, government forces and a South African mercenary outfit that provides helicopter support to government troops, according to international rights group Amnesty International. Hundreds of Mozambican civilians have been unlawfully killed by the three groups in the conflict, Amnesty alleged in the report published Tuesday. The rights group urged the Mozambique government and international organizations to investigate potential war crimes and bring perpetrators to justice. The Mozambican government did not immediately respond to the allegations when contacted by The Associated Press. It denied charges of rights abuses in a report issued by Amnesty in September. More 2,000 people have been killed, an estimated 600,000 civilians have been displaced and 1 million people are in need of food aid as a result of the three-year jihadist insurgency in Cabo Delgado, international aid agencies say. The Amnesty report, What I Saw Is Death: War Crimes in Mozambiques Forgotten Cape, cites interviews with 79 displaced people, satellite photographs, and other documents. The atrocities include attacks by the insurgents, who have beheaded civilians or chopped them up with machetes, butchering them like animals, survivors told Amnesty researchers. Mozambiques armed forces have also abused the civilian population, and frequently flee the rebels attacks, failing in their duty to protect civilians, locals told Amnesty. And the Dyck Advisory Group, a private military company run by retired Zimbabwean colonel Lionel Dyck, has fired indiscriminately at civilians and dropped hand grenades from helicopters. Dropping unguided ordnance from moving aircraft constitutes an indiscriminate attack, as there is no way to distinguish between civilian objects and military objectives, Amnesty said. Amnestys report focuses on three major battles in 2020, for three towns in coastal Cabo Delgado: Quissanga, Macomia, and Mocimboa da Praia. Each time, the Mozambican militarys response was supported by helicopters operated by the Dyck group. The Dyck groups helicopters are armed with side-mounted machine guns and, according to an independent expert with knowledge of Dycks operations, the crew also drop hand grenades out the open doors onto targets below, the report says. This was also confirmed by sources close to the Dyck group, Amnesty researcher Brian Caster told AP. The insurgents are allied with the Islamic State group, which often claims responsibility for the rebels attacks in Mozambique. Locally the jihadis are called al-Shabaab, although they do not have any known alignment with the Somali rebels of that name. In September 2020, Amnesty accused the Mozambican armed forces including police and military of severe human rights abuses, saying it had seen five videos and three photos that showed torture; the dismemberment of alleged rebels; possible extrajudicial executions; and the transport and discarding of a large number of corpses into apparent mass graves. In the new report, Amnesty cites allegations from people in Macomia suggesting that the military carried out summary executions in their headquarters at the town. Mozambican civilians also testified that government forces frequently run away from insurgent attacks, dropping their weapons and taking off their uniforms to hide with civilians in the bush, including on occasions dressing as women in order to blend in. The Mozambican government, Amnesty said, should conduct independent, impartial, thorough, and transparent investigations into all credible allegations of torture and mistreatment of detainees, executions and the mutilation of bodies, and other serious war crimes by army soldiers and police in Cabo Delgado. The government should also investigate the conduct of the Dyck group, which is the ultimate responsibility of the Mozambique government which has contracted the company, Amnesty said. Amnesty also said the regional bloc, the Southern Africa Development Community, should launch a prompt and impartial investigation into torture and other grave violations committed by security forces in Cabo Delgado, and try those responsible. Short link: 3. Whats the worst job you ever had? I have liked and learned something at every job Ive held. I have always worked in customer service and hospitality, both go hand in hand. 4. What job would you like to try/not try? Try: Motivational speaker: This would be a challenge, as I consider myself to be shy, but I feel its an amazing thing to do especially when it can change someones life in a positive way. We definitely need to be surrounded by positivity. Not try: Data entry. I need face-to-face interaction for sure. I feel could not do this type of job for very long as I need to connect with people constantly. 5. What is the biggest challenge the hotel industry has faced? The shortage of workforce has been a huge issue in the last few years. We have to get competitive with salaries, benefits and work hard to motivate employees to stay for the long run. 6. Who do you most admire in the business world? New Delhi, March 3 : Bio-based technologies and engineering company Praj Industries and Repos Energy plan to join hands for bio-mobility and launch mobile biofuel selling units. In a statement, Repos Energy said that a collaboration was discussed during a recent the two companies. The two companies are likely to sign a memorandum of understanding soon in this regard. With the government pushing the use of sustainable resources of energy, the concept of bio-mobility is set to gain momentum in the coming months, it said. Amid the various developments and new policies which are being set to boost the production of fuel from bio-waste, the shift towards the use of greener and greener fuels is the only solution. "To bring this solution to the end-users through technology on wheels, Praj Industries, with Repos Energy, energy distribution startup will soon bring biofuel on wheels," said the statement. Founder Chairman of Praj Industries, Pramod Chaudhari said: "We want to build a carbon-neutral energy distribution ecosystem from agriculture to end-users through a vehicle. What Repos offers as a distribution solution was the only missing link in our ecosystem. Together, we can move towards carbon-neutral indigenous fuels." Co-founder of Repos Energy, Chetan Walunj said that India is on its way to become one of the highest consumers of energy in the coming decade. "We need to explore the newer and greener ways of energy distribution using technology. And this is the only way ahead to meet the PM's mission of COP 21," he said. Early this January, armed assailants shot the former mayor of Umm al-Fahm, Suleiman Aghbariah, leaving him seriously wounded. In response, the people of the city have gathered every Friday after prayers for the last eight weeks to protest the wave of violence and crime inundating Arab society and an alleged absence of police efforts to enforce the law in the countrys Arab towns and villages. The spontaneous protests were eventually taken over by the towns youth movement known as al-Haraq al-Fahmawi al-Muwahad. This Friday, things spun out of control. When clashes erupted with the demonstrators, the police apparently resorted to using tear gas, rubber bullets and stun grenades. Knesset member Yousef Jabareen of the Joint List and current Umm al-Fahm Mayor Samir Mahameed were among some three dozen people who were injured by stun grenades or rubber bullets, with one young man evacuated to Haifas Rambam Hospital. After surgery, he is now in serious but stable condition. According to a statement by the Israeli police, The protests were marked by disturbances which included attempts to block the entrance to the city and Route 65. Rocks were also thrown at the police, leaving one officer lightly injured. However, this statement seems to contradict several videos posted on social networks that show police shoving demonstrators, including men and women alike and a number of elected officials. The Arab public was outraged, mostly at the police. There have been calls for a commission of inquiry to investigate the incident. The municipality announced that it was freezing all community policing initiatives for the next two weeks, while the youth movement began organizing next Fridays demonstration, which is planned to include participants from across Arab-Israeli society and not just local residents. After receiving medical attention for his injuries, Jabareen had his office send a statement to Al-Monitor, Ruthless and racist police attacked non-violent demonstrators who were doing nothing more than demanding that they be kept safe from this wave of crime. City leaders and I were injured by stun grenades. The commander of the Umm al-Fahm Police must resign immediately. The entire Arab sector is demanding that. The police show strength when dealing with protesters and weakness when dealing with criminals, but that will not break us. We will continue to protest. There is no doubt that these events could be a turning point for the Arab public with the March elections just three weeks away. So far, both the Joint List and Raam, which left the coalition, have struggled to convince Arab voters to participate. In earlier contests, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus incitement helped them win the trust of Arab voters and get them to the ballots. Alleged police violence in Umm al-Fahm is likely to do the same. A Channel 13 poll published March 2 showed an anticipated rise in voter participation. It is now approaching 59%, up from 53% for the past few weeks. A debate on crime in the Arab public was held March 1 during the Knessets pre-election recess. The debate was initiated by the Joint List and 25 Knesset members including lawmakers from Meretz and Yesh Atid insisted that the Knesset address the issue of crime in Arab towns and villages and also the incidents in Umm al-Fahm. Yesh Atid chair Yair Lapid tweeted, What happened at the demonstration in Umm al-Fahm cannot go unanswered. Citizens who took to the street to demonstrate against violence in the Arab society were injured, including a Knesset member. The police are operating under difficult conditions, but that does not justify police violence. These remarks suggest that the leader of Yesh Atid is adopting a new approach toward Arab voters and Arab society in general. In the past, he would have been reluctant to make such a statement. Now, he quickly spoke up after the incident. Finally, after many long months, the government approved a 150-million-shekel ($45 million) budget to combat crime in Arab communities. What do the people of Umm al-Fahm think about these incidents? Local youth movement activist Yanal Jabareen told Al-Monitor, The people of my city, Umm al-Fahm, have spent the last seven weeks demonstrating against crime and violence in Arab society and against the inability of the police and government to eliminate organized crime. The violence last Friday reminded us of the live fire and snipers during the protests of October 2000. That incident marked a significant break in the relationship between the Arab sector and the institutions of government. When asked whether the events will have an impact on the upcoming election, Jabareen said, Of course it will. [Raam leader] Mansour Abbas has proved himself to be weak. Theyve already started disseminating older videos of him praising the police. On the other hand, it is too early to tell whether there will be a rise in the number of Arabs going to the polls. In contrast, Kafr Qasim resident Mahmoud Frej told Al-Monitor, I dont think that it will have any impact at all on the movement of votes from the Joint List to Raam or vice versa. Anyone voting for Raam believes in this new approach, which contends that the police are the solution, and that we must change our strategy and work through the government. In contrast, people who support the Joint List tend to identify with its constituent parties. This means that even if the incidents have an impact, it will be marginal at best. The State Revenue Committee (SRC) reported that six individuals of different nationalities have been arrested in what it called the countrys biggest drug bust in seven years. The government agency comprising the Armenian tax and customs services did not identify the suspects or specify their nationalities. In a statement, the SRC said that officers of its anti-smuggling unit found the heroin hidden in 33 boxes supposedly containing bakers yeast imported from Iran and stored at a customs warehouse in Yerevan. The market value of the heroin weighing, together with the packaging, about 365 kilograms is roughly $45 million, the statement said, adding that Western Europe was meant to be the consignments final destination. The statement also said that the SRC and the National Security Service (NSS) are taking large-scale investigative measures to try to identify more people possibly involved in the drug trafficking case. The case represents the second largest amount of the Class A drug ever seized in Armenia. In 2014, Armenian authorities confiscated as many as 850 kilograms of heroin which they said was smuggled from Iran by a drug trafficking ring led by a Turkish national. The man, Osman Ugurlu, was arrested and subsequently sentenced by an Armenian court to 19 years in prison. He denied any involvement in the massive heroin smuggling. Iran is believed to be the main source of drug trafficking in and through Armenia. Hundreds of Iranians as well as their local accomplices have been imprisoned in the South Caucasus country on corresponding charges since the 1990s. Drug trafficking is a serious challenge for Iran as it borders Afghanistan, the worlds largest opium producer, and Pakistan, a major transit country for drugs. New Delhi: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar will be visiting Dhaka on Thursday (March 4, 2021) to finalize the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh later this month. During the visit, S Jaishankar will call on Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina and will also hold talks with Bangladesh's Foreign minister AK Abdul Momen. External Affairs Ministry in a release said, "At the invitation of AK Abdul Momen, Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will pay an official visit to Dhaka on March 4, 2021." Prime Minister Modi will be visiting the country on March 26 for Bangladesh's 50th Independence Day celebration. This will be his first visit abroad in more than a year. His last visit abroad was to Brazil in November 2019, and since then there hasn't been any visit due to the covid pandemic. A number of High-Level visits have happened from Delhi to Dhaka and vice versa. Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla also visited Dhaka in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by the visit of Bangladeshi Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen to Delhi earlier this year. Just last week, the Home Secretaries of both countries had also held a virtual meet. Back in December 2020, a virtual meet at PMs level was also held, where the key focus was connectivity with the opening of the Haldibari-Chilahati rail link connecting Bangladesh with the Indian state of West Bengal. Currently, five out of pre-1965 six rail links have been revived, which are Haldibari-Chilahati rail link, Petrapole (India) - Benapole (Bangladesh), Gede (India) Darshana (Bangladesh), Singhabad (India)-Rohanpur (Bangladesh) and Radhikapur (India)Birol (Bangladesh). Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Marilyn Nieves/iStockBy ZOE MAGEE and KATIE KINDELAN, ABC News A U.K. judge on Tuesday denied a request by the publisher of the Mail on Sunday to appeal his ruling that the tabloid invaded the privacy of Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, by publishing portions of a letter she wrote to her father. The judge, High Court Justice Mark Warby, did acknowledge though that Associated Newspapers' Ltd., the publisher of the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday, could still attempt an appeal in the Court of Appeal, according to the U.K. Press Association (PA) reporter in court. Warby ruled last month that the Mail on Sunday invaded Meghan's privacy by publishing large parts of the personal letter she sent to her now-estranged father Thomas Markle before her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry. The judge also ordered Associated Newspapers' Ltd. on Tuesday to make an "interim payment" of nearly $630,000 of Meghan's legal costs within two weeks. Meghan's legal team claimed in court that her legal costs for the lawsuit, which she filed in fall of 2019, have exceeded $2 million, according to the PA reporter in court. Another hearing will be held in late April or early May to consider possible further "financial remedies" and to consider Meghan's claim under the Data Protection Act. Meghan's lawyers also sought an order requiring Associated Newspapers' Ltd. to publish a statement about the duchess' legal victory on the front page of The Mail On Sunday and the homepage of MailOnline "to act as a deterrent to future infringers," according to court documents. Meghan's 2018 handwritten letter to her father, which addressed the breakdown in their relationship, was reproduced by Associated Newspapers in five articles in February 2019. Meghan sued Associated Newspapers for alleged copyright infringement, misuse of private information and breach of the Data Protection Act. Meghan, who now lives in California with Harry and their son Archie, did not issue a statement after today's ruling. The duchess, who is expecting her second child, said after the court's ruling last month that she hopes her case "creates legal precedent." After two long years of pursuing litigation, I am grateful to the courts for holding Associated Newspapers and The Mail on Sunday to account for their illegal and dehumanizing practices. These tactics (and those of their sister publications MailOnline and the Daily Mail) are not new; in fact, theyve been going on for far too long without consequence. For these outlets, its a game. For me and so many others, its real life, real relationships, and very real sadness. The damage they have done and continue to do runs deep," Meghan said in her statement. The world needs reliable, fact-checked, high-quality news. What The Mail on Sunday and its partner publications do is the opposite." "We all lose when misinformation sells more than truth, when moral exploitation sells more than decency, and when companies create their business model to profit from peoples pain," she said. "But for today, with this comprehensive win on both privacy and copyright, we have all won. We now know, and hope it creates legal precedent, that you cannot take somebodys privacy and exploit it in a privacy case, as the defendant has blatantly done over the past two years." I share this victory with each of youbecause we all deserve justice and truth, and we all deserve better," Meghan concluded her statement. "I particularly want to thank my husband, mom, and legal team, and especially Jenny Afia for her unrelenting support throughout this process. Here is what to know about Meghan's nearly two-year legal battle with Associated Newspapers' Ltd. Why is the Duchess of Sussex suing Associated Newspapers? Meghan sued Associated Newspapers, the parent company of The Mail on Sunday and MailOnline, over five articles published in February 2019 that included excerpts from a private letter she sent to her now-estranged father, Thomas Markle. The duchess is seeking damages from the newspaper for alleged misuse of private information, copyright infringement and breach of the Data Protection Act. The letter, which is the focal point of the court case, describes the break down in relations between father and daughter. In the run-up to the 2018 royal wedding Thomas Markle had been the subject of immense tabloid interest, which reached a pinnacle when the Daily Mail revealed just days before the wedding that, in an attempt to revamp his image, Thomas Markle had staged paparazzi photos of himself preparing for his daughter's big day. Thomas Markle was then hospitalized and had to undergo surgery, which prevented him from traveling to his daughter's wedding. Relations between the two became strained and Thomas Markle gave several interviews to the media, which we now know greatly upset his daughter. The letter lays out Meghan's take on these events. According to the duchess' legal team, the Mail on Sunday breached copyright by publishing the private letter as it legally belongs to the duchess, the author of the letter. Her lawyers also argue that the Mail on Sunday breached privacy and data protection laws and that they cherry-picked portions of the letter to manipulate readers. The letter was published by the Mail on Sunday in February 2019. In it, the duchess describes her sadness at the deterioration of her relationship with her father, asks why he spoke to the media and said he has broken her heart "into a million pieces." Thomas Markle claims he agreed to the letter being published to set the record straight after a friend of the duchess mentioned the letter in an interview with People magazine. Five friends, described as "an essential part of Meghan's inner circle," spoke anonymously to People, according to the magazine, saying they wanted to "stand up against the global bullying we are seeing and speak the truth about our friend." They added, "Meg has silently sat back and endured the lies and untruths ... It's wrong to put anyone under this level of emotional trauma, let alone when they're pregnant." One of these five friends referenced the letter Meghan had written to her father, saying, "After the wedding she wrote him a letter. She's like, 'Dad, I'm so heartbroken. I love you. I have one father. Please stop victimizing me through the media so we can repair our relationship.'" Thomas Markle in turn said he felt compelled to publish the letter to defend his reputation -- asserting it was not the conciliatory missive described by this friend in People. The upcoming trial must determine whether the Mail on Sunday infringed Duchess Meghan's rights when it published the letter. Prince Harry announces lawsuit blasting 'disturbing pattern' by British tabloid media Prince Harry announced the lawsuit in a statement criticizing the media during his tour of southern Africa in October 2019. He wrote, "My wife has become one of the latest victims of a British tabloid press that wages campaigns against individuals with no thought to the consequences -- a ruthless campaign that has escalated over the past year, throughout her pregnancy and while raising our newborn son." "This particular legal action hinges on one incident in a long and disturbing pattern of behavior by British tabloid media," he added. "The contents of a private letter were published unlawfully in an intentionally destructive manner to manipulate you, the reader, and further the divisive agenda of the media group in question. In addition to their unlawful publication of this private document, they purposely misled you by strategically omitting select paragraphs, specific sentences, and even singular words to mask the lies they had perpetuated for over a year." I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces "My deepest fear is history repeating itself. I've seen what happens when someone I love is commoditized to the point that they are no longer treated or seen as a real person," wrote Harry, whose mother, Princess Diana, died in a paparazzi-involved car crash in 1997. "I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces." After the statement was released to the public, his law firm, Schillings, laid out their case. "We have initiated legal proceedings against the Mail on Sunday, and its parent company Associated Newspapers, over the intrusive and unlawful publication of a private letter written by the Duchess of Sussex, which is part of a campaign by this media group to publish false and deliberately derogatory stories about her, as well as her husband," the law firm wrote. "Given the refusal of Associated Newspapers to resolve this issue satisfactorily, we have issued proceedings to redress this breach of privacy, infringement of copyright and the aforementioned media agenda." What has happened so far? There have now been five pretrial hearings. The first hearing, known as a strike-out hearing, was held in April to determine which of the duchess's claims could proceed to a trial against Associated Newspapers. In this hearing, lawyers for the Mail on Sunday successfully argued that certain parts of the duchess' claims should be removed. Warby -- the judge who is presiding over the case -- agreed to take out complaints that the paper acted dishonestly, deliberately stirred up conflict between the duchess and her father, and pursued an agenda of publishing offensive or intrusive articles about the duchess. "I do not consider the allegations in question go to the 'heart' of the case, which at its core concerns the publication of five articles disclosing the words of, and information drawn from, the letter written by the claimant to her father in August in 2018." These five articles were published in the Mail on Sunday in February 2019 and reproduced parts of her handwritten letter she sent to her father. Having lost on those claims, the duchess agreed to pay Associated Newspapers' legal fees of approximately $87,000. Meghan wins right to protect identity of her friends The second hearing was on July 29 and in it the duchess' legal team called for Warby to legally block Associated Newspapers from publishing the identity of the five friends who gave interviews to People magazine. Their names were revealed to the newspaper in a confidential court document attached to the first hearing and Meghan was worried the identity of her friends would be made public. In a witness statement sent to the court before the hearing, the duchess argued, "Associated Newspapers, the owner of The Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday, is threatening to publish the names of five women -- five private citizens -- who made a choice on their own to speak anonymously with a U.S. media outlet more than a year ago, to defend me from the bullying behavior of Britain's tabloid media. "These five women are not on trial, and nor am I. The publisher of the Mail on Sunday is the one on trial. It is this publisher that acted unlawfully and is attempting to evade accountability; to create a circus and distract from the point of this case --that the Mail on Sunday unlawfully published my private letter." Her lawyers argued that the friends have a double right to anonymity, firstly as confidential journalistic sources and secondly under their own privacy rights. Lawyers for Associated Newspapers argued that the identities should be made public, calling them "important potential witnesses on a key issue." "Reporting these matters without referring to names would be a heavy curtailment of the media's and the defendant's entitlement to report this case and the public's right to know about it," said Antony White, the lawyer representing the paper. "No friend's oral evidence could be fully and properly reported because full reporting might identify her, especially as there has already been media speculation as to their identities." Warby said in his ruling, "I have concluded that, for the time being at least, the court should grant the claimant the order that she seeks," protecting the anonymity of friends who defended Meghan in the pages of a U.S. magazine." Warby also added though that concerns about confidentiality "may fade or even evaporate if and when there is a trial at which one or more of the sources gives evidence." Meghan's legal team is treating the five women as potential witnesses, so they may be named at trial. Associated Newspapers declined to comment on the judge's ruling. Court battle over behind-the-scenes book In the third hearing, held on Sept. 21, Associated Newspapers argued that they should be allowed to include "Finding Freedom" to support their argument that Meghan did not expect the contents of the letter to her father to remain private, even suggesting that she had mentioned it to the Kensington Palace communications team as part of a potential media strategy. They also argued that Meghan was trying to manipulate the narrative around her to be more positive, and that she gave or enabled "them [the authors of Finding Freedom, Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand] to be given a great deal of other information about her personal life, in order to set out her own version of events in a way that is favourable to her." Meghan's lawyers categorically refute these claims, maintaining that neither the duke nor the duchess collaborated with the authors of the book. Judge Francesca Kaye ruled in the High Court on Sept. 29th that Associated Newspapers could amend their argument against the duchess and include as evidence "Finding Freedom," a book about her and Prince Harry's departure from official royal duties co-authored by Carolyn Durand and Omid Scobie. Durand is a former producer at ABC News, and Scobie is currently an ABC News royal contributor. Responding to the ruling, the duchess's legal team issued a strongly worded statement saying they have "no doubt" the newspaper's new defense "will fail." "We were prepared for this potential outcome given the low threshold to amend a pleading for a privacy and copyright case," the legal team said in the statement, adding that the publishers are using the court case to "exploit The duchess's privacy and the privacy of those around her for profit-motivated clickbait rather than journalism." "As a reminder, it is The Mail on Sunday and Associated Newspapers who acted unlawfully and are the ones on trial, not The Duchess of Sussex, although they would like their readers to believe otherwise," they concluded in the statement. Associated Newspapers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Meghan's bid to avoid going to trial In the fourth hearing, held on Oct. 29th, Warby agreed to Meghan's lawyers' request to postpone the trial. Meghan's lawyers also laid out in the fourth hearing their application for a Summary Judgement, which is what Warby ruled on in his most recent decision. In a new tactic for her legal team, Meghans lawyers argued that Associated Newspapers defense is so weak the case should not even go to trial. Meghan wins on invasion of privacy In a judgment released on Feb. 11, the judge ruled that the Mail on Sunday invaded Meghan's privacy by publishing large parts of the personal letter she sent to her father. Representatives for the Mail on Sunday said in a statement at the time that they were considering appealing the decision. "We are very surprised by todays summary judgment and disappointed at being denied the chance to have all the evidence heard and tested in open court at a full trial," the statement read. "We are carefully considering the judgments contents and will decide in due course whether to lodge an appeal." Judge denies bid to appeal Judge Warby blocked an appeal on March 2 by the publisher of the Mail on Sunday to overturn a court ruling that the tabloid invaded the privacy of Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, by publishing portions of the letter she wrote to her father. The judge also ordered Associated Newspapers' Ltd. on Tuesday to make an "interim payment" of nearly $630,000 of Meghan's legal costs within two weeks, according to the PA reporter in court. What's next Another hearing will be held in late April or early May to consider "financial remedies" that could be granted to Meghan and to consider Meghan's claim under the Data Protection Act. Copyright 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. 33031 MXL Microphone widens the availability of its Unified Communications lines to customers in the United Kingdom by partnering with Midwich. FREMONT, CA: MXL Microphone widens the availability of its Unified Communications/UCC product lines to customers in the United Kingdom by joining forces with Midwich, a specialist audiovisual (AV) distributor to the trade market. MXL is accelerating its global distribution network to help market demand and brand evolution across the product line. With Midwichs market-pioneering reputation in the UK, MXL will scale its brand reach while the growing virtual communications continues to meet the increased demand for remote work solutions. This opportunity has come at the APT time for MXL as the distribution network is quickly evolving to meet market need. The expansion of the distribution potentials with Midwich benefits everyone in the supply chain while also laying the foundation for continued growth. Midwich is delighted to offer MXL mics to our channel partners in the UK and Ireland. The companys extensive range of products enhance audio quality and are an ideal solution for todays market, whether a solo user on the move, working from home or in the office environment. The company sees MXL mics as a vital audio product for the evolving Unified Communication (UC) market as the company moves towards a hybrid working model. MXLs range of UCC andAV solutions offers high-quality audio capture for various applications, including corporate communications, video conferencing, telemedicine, distance learning, and more. MXLs extensive catalog of AV and UCC solutions, coupled with Midwichs well-established network of existing partners, offers teams and individuals with high-performing solutions that they can depend on, crucial in this dynamic world. With the quickly growing demand for remote work solutions, it is a vital time for manufacturers to increase product availability around a global scale. This new partnership emphasizes MXLs core value of putting the customers current needs at the forefront of the business strategy. The entire team at MXL is thrilled to be working alongside Midwich, as people anticipate a successful and advantageous relationship for both parties, and most importantly, for the customers. UpCountry Magazine Editor/Features Digital Editor Jennifer Huberdeau is the acting features editor. Prior to The Eagle, she worked at The North Adams Transcript. She is a 2020 New England First Amendment Institute Fellow and a 2010 BCBS Health Care Fellow. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Rep. Darren Soto (D-Fla.) announced Tuesday they would introduce legislation to start the motions for Puerto Rico statehood. Why it matters: More than 52% of Puerto Ricans voted last November in favor of statehood, three years after Hurricane Maria struck and caused one of the worst natural disasters in the island's recorded history. It exposed Puerto Rico's vulnerable position as a U.S. territory and its lack of resources to battle poverty. The 3.2 million Americans in Puerto Rico lack full voting representation in Congress and cannot vote for president. Statehood proponents say the federal government treats Puerto Rico unequally and doesn't adequately fund programs to combat poverty and promote economic development. The details: Under the proposal, also supported by Puerto Rico's nonvoting member in the U.S. House, Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon (R-Puerto Rico), Congress would provide Puerto Rico a formal offer to become the 51st state. The legislation outlines the process for Puerto Rico's admission into the U.S, should it be ratified by Puerto Rico voters in a federally-sponsored, yes-or-no referendum. The plan sets a timeline for the future referendum vote, declaration of Puerto Rican statehood, and an election for the Puerto Rican congressional delegation. The outline is similar to the one set for Alaska and Hawaii in their quests for statehood. What they're saying: "My home state of New Mexico had a similar struggle to achieve statehood. It took 50 New Mexico statehood bills and 64 years before we were finally admitted to the United States," Heinrich said. Heinrich is the senior senator in the nation's most Hispanic state and, in recent years, has been aligning himself with issues supported by many Latinos. Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi told Axios' Alexi McCammond that he had been in contact with Heinrich on a Puerto Rican statehood proposal. New Mexico is home to 2 million people, two senators, and three representatives. Puerto Rico's population is 63% larger. Yes, but: GOP leaders have resisted moves to allow Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia to become states. Some Republicans claim the move would give Democrats four assured seats in the Senate a charge pro-statehood champions in Puerto Rico say is not true since the island has a history of voting for conservative leaders. What they're saying: "After they change the filibuster, they're going to admit the District as a state," then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said last September. "They're going to admit Puerto Rico as a state. That's four new Democratic senators in perpetuity." The big question: Puerto Rico statehood proponents need to convince some Republicans in the Senate to support a statehood plan to get a proposal through the divided chamber. Over 240,000 vaccines administered across North Wales however supplies set to be lower this week This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Mar 3rd, 2021 More than 240,000 vaccines have been administered across north Wales, however supplies are set to be lower this week due to production levels. Betsi Cadwaladwr University Health Board has carried out more vaccines than any other health board across Wales since the process began just over 12 weeks ago. So far 240,092 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered which breaks down to 216,248 first doses and 23,844 second doses. The vaccination process is currently focusing on priority groups 1-6, with the health board stating it on track to meet the Welsh Government milestone of offering all the top nine groups a vaccine by April 19. However this is subject to supplies. Such an issue will be in place across the region over the next week, with the number of vaccines being supplied to all health boards set to be lower than they were at the start of the programme. Gill Harris, deputy chief executive, said: This week we will receive a total of 35,870 vaccines (16,830 of the Pfizer vaccine and 19,040 AstraZeneca). The Pfizer vaccines will again be used primarily for second doses. We expect to see an increase in AstraZeneca vaccine supply from next week onwards. GP surgeries that have vaccinated 80 per cent of their patients aged 65-69 (Priority Group 5) will now begin to offer vaccination to all individuals aged 16-64 years with underlying health conditions (Priority Group 6). Following last weeks announcements from the Joint Council for Vaccination and Immunisation and the Welsh Government, people with learning disabilities, severe mental illness and unpaid carers are now included in Priority Group 6. We are working with the Welsh Government, Local Authorities and GPs to ensure that this cohort are identified and invited for vaccination in a timely manner. Letters are also being sent out to those in Priority Group 7 offering them appointments later this month. Following a successful pilot in Dwyfor, more community pharmacies across north Wales are now joining the vaccination programme. Finance & Administration Assistant, USAID Solutions for Peace and Recovery Project, Bukavu, DRC Company Profile: MSI, a Tetra Tech Company, is a Washington, DC metro area international development firm with a 35-year history of delivering development results across the world. Our core expertise is in the fields of monitoring and evaluation (M&E), institutional development, public sector management, governance and anti-corruption. MSI has implemented projects in 90 countries around the world such as Jordan, Kenya, Indonesia, Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Colombia, and Mexico. As one of the leading companies in our field, MSI has partnered with organizations across all sectors of international development to support clients ranging from large bilateral and multilateral donors such as USAID, the World Bank and the UNDP to national and local governments, NGOs, think tanks, foundations and universities. For more information on MSI, please visit our website at www.msiworldwide.com. Project Summary: The goal of the Solutions for Peace and Recovery (SPR) program, implemented in eastern DRC (North Kivu and South Kivu), is to increase social cohesion through inclusion of women and marginalized groups in community-based conflict analysis, prevention, resolution, and recovery. SPR provides USAID/DRC with the ability to respond to dynamic, time-sensitive, and/or unique opportunities to reinforce peace and prevent or assist in the recovery from conflict in areas that are strategically important to the stability of eastern DRC. Three hypotheses support the SPRs approach towards achieving the project goal. First, if communities in eastern DRC are enabled to analyze conflict, they will develop processes that will produce effective solutions. Second, if Congolese women and marginalized groups are given the skills and opportunities to participate in community-based decision-making, their participation will result in better and more sustainable solutions. Third, if community decision-making is inclusive and participatory, it will result in better solutions and greater social cohesion. These hypotheses or theories of change drive SPR project objectives: Community stakeholders identify and accept and solutions to specific drivers of conflict, Participatory solutions are implemented, and Resources for community development are more inclusively allocated **Please note: Only DRC citizens are eligible for this position** Position Summary: The Finance & Administration Assistant based in Bukavu, South Kivu will support financial, administrative and operational tasks to ensure the smooth running of the SPR project. The Finance & Administration Assistant will report directly to the Finance and Compliance Manager (FCM). The position is a short-term consultancy on a fixed-term contract that goes until July 31, 2021. Responsibilities: Receive invoices from vendors to be posted to the Invoice Tracking List; Prepare daily accounting and financial documents to ensure FCM validation; Manage petty cash, process travel expenses and distribution of cash advances; Review vouchers and payment requests, including proper back-up documentation to ensure compliance with MSI and USAID policies, procedures, rules and regulations Prepare payments for suppliers and MSI staff, deposit/withdraw funds or make bank transfers for project operations; Maintain all project accounting records up to date and in archival order for evaluation purposes; Track travel advances to MSI staff and consultants for liquidation; Support financial and accounting operations to complete day-to-day supply transactions; Maintain office, finance, and purchase order files, databases and assist with recording the purchasing of supplies. Works in close collaboration with other colleagues for the smooth running of operations requiring his/her support Provide administrative support to the project team in various aspects. Qualifications: At least three (3) years of experience in finance and administrative and/or operational management, preferably in an international organization. A degree in administration, economics, finance, accounting or a similar discipline required. Strong attention to detail and ability to follow instructions. Strong oral and written communication skills are required. Discretion and respect for confidentiality is required. Knowledge of MS Office programs (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) is required. Experience in a USAID project will be prioritized. Proficiency in French is required, and knowledge of English is an asset. Proven record of establishing trust with female participants and respecting cultural/community norms. Reasonable Accommodations: MSI is dedicated to hiring an inclusive workforce. If you would like to request reasonable accommodations during the application process, please email MSI.Dept.HRRecruiting@tetratechinc.onmicrosoft.com with Reasonable Accommodations in the title. Our recruitment team looks forward to engaging in an interactive process to provide reasonable accommodations for candidates Only candidates who have been selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please. Please submit application by no later than March 12, 2021. To apply: Please visit our website, www.msiworldwide.com ----------------------------------------------------------- USAID/DRC Solutions for Peace and Recovery, RDC Poste : Assistant financier et administratif base a Bukavu, Sud-Kivu Profile de lorganisation: MSI, une compagnie Tetra Tech, est une societe de developpement international basee dans la region metropolitaine de Washington, DC, avec 35 ans d'experience dans le developpement a travers le monde. Notre expertise principale se situe dans les domaines du suivi et de l'evaluation (S&E), du developpement institutionnel, de la gestion du secteur public, de la gouvernance et de la lutte contre la corruption. MSI mene de nombreux projets dans 90 pays a travers le monde, dont la Jordanie, le Maroc, le Liban, la Syrie, le Pakistan, l'Afghanistan, la Colombie et le Mexique. Une des entreprises principales dans ce domaine, MSI s'est associee a dautres organisations provenant de tous les secteurs du developpement international afin de soutenir des clients allant des donateurs bilateraux et multilateraux tels que USAID, la Banque mondiale et le PNUD, a des gouvernements nationaux et locaux, des ONG, des groupes de reflexion, des fondations et des universites. Pour plus de renseignements, veuillez consulter notre site web a l'adresse www.msiworldwide.com. Resume du Projet: L'objectif du programme Solutions pour la Paix et Relevement (SPR), mis en uvre dans l'Est de la RDC (Nord-Kivu et Sud-Kivu), est de faire grandir la cohesion sociale par l'inclusion des femmes et des groupes marginalises dans l'analyse, la prevention, la resolution et le redressement des conflits au niveau communautaire. SPR fournit a l'USAID/RDC la capacite de repondre a des opportunites dynamiques, urgentes et/ou uniques pour renforcer la paix et de prevenir ou d'aider au relevement a la suite dun conflit dans des zones qui sont strategiquement importantes pour la stabilite de l'est de la RDC. **Note : Seuls les citoyens de la RDC peuvent postuler ce poste** Resume du Poste: L'assistant financier et administratif, base a Bukavu, dans le Sud-Kivu, soutiendra les taches financieres, administratives et operationnelles afin d'assurer le bon deroulement du projet SPR. L'assistant financier et administratif relevera directement du gestionnaire des finances et de la conformite (FCM). Il s'agit d'un poste de consultant a court terme sur un contrat a duree determinee qui va jusqu'au 31 juillet 2021. Responsabilites : Recevoir les factures des fournisseurs pour les enregistrer dans la liste de suivi des factures ; Preparer les documents comptables et financiers quotidiens pour assurer la validation de la FCM; Gerer la petite caisse, traiter les frais de voyage et distribuer les avances de fonds ; Examiner les pieces justificatives et les demandes de paiement, y compris les documents de sauvegarde appropries pour assurer la conformite avec les politiques, les procedures, les regles et les reglements de MSI et de l'USAID Preparer les paiements pour les fournisseurs et le personnel de MSI, deposer/retirer des fonds ou effectuer des virements bancaires pour les operations du projet ; Tenir a jour et archiver tous les documents comptables du projet a des fins d'evaluation ; Suivre les avances de voyage au personnel et aux consultants de MSI en vue de leur liquidation; Soutenir les operations financieres et comptables afin de mener a bien les operations quotidiennes de fourniture ; Tenir a jour les dossiers de bureau, de finances et de bons de commande, les bases de donnees et aider a enregistrer l'achat de fournitures. Travailler en etroite collaboration avec d'autres collegues pour le bon deroulement des operations necessitant son soutien Fournir un soutien administratif a l'equipe du projet sous divers aspects. Qualifications: Au moins trois (3) ans d'experience en finance et en gestion administrative et/ou operationnelle, de preference dans une organisation internationale. Un diplome en administration, economie, finance, comptabilite ou dans une discipline similaire sera privilegie. Un grand souci du detail et une capacite a suivre des instructions. De solides competences en matiere de communication orale et ecrite sont requises. La discretion et le respect de la confidentialite sont requis. La connaissance des programmes MS Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) est requise. Une experience dans un projet de l'USAID sera privilegiee. La maitrise du francais est requise, et la connaissance de l'anglais est un atout. Logements raisonnables : MSI s'engage a recruter une main-d'uvre inclusive. Si vous souhaitez demander des amenagements raisonnables pendant la procedure de candidature, veuillez envoyer un courriel a MSI.Dept.HRRecruiting@tetratechinc.onmicrosoft.com en indiquant "Reasonable Accommodations" dans le titre. Notre equipe de recrutement est impatiente de s'engager dans un processus interactif pour fournir des accommodements raisonnables aux candidats. Les candidatures feminines sont vivement encouragees de postuler. Seuls les candidats selectionnes pour un entretien seront contactes. Nous vous remercions de ne pas nous contacter par telephone. La date limite pour postuler est fixee au 12 mars 2021. Pour postuler : accedez a notre site web, www.msiworldwide.com A Japanese fish named Hanako is thought to be the longest-serving Koi fish in history, having made it to the glorious old age of 226 before she died in 1977. The scarlet-colored fish was born in 1751, Japan, in the heart of the Tokugawa era. While the typical lifespan of a scarlet koi carp is about 40 years, Hanako endured to live competently into the 1970s and was 226 years old when she died. Her remarkable story was initially communicated when her last owner Dr. Komei Koshihara made a national report on Nippon Hoso Kyokai radio station in 1966. Hanako's Age Koshihara said he realized Hanako's age because he had it analyzed by professor Masayoshi Hiro, who operated at the Animal Science Laboratory at Women's College, Nagoya. Pair of the fish's scales had been pulled and examined for more than two months, enabling Hiro to figure the rings of growth on her scales to assume her age. In an English transcript from the report, Koshihara explained, "Hanako is however in excellent condition and swimming about elegantly in a calm ravine descending Mt. Ontake in a brief distance, with her length being 70 centimeters and 7.5 kilograms in weight." Read More: Graveyard on Ice: Japanese Skating Rink Closes After Freezing 5,000 Fish Furthermore, Koshihara considers Hanako to be a close friend, and at a time, someone watching him asked whether he was doing a trick with the fish. He went ahead explaining how Hanako appears to feel deeply valued, saying that there are different communication of feelings between them. Yearly Rings Koshihara biggest pleasure is to travel to his home town three or two times a month and keep company with Hanako, and was sometimes asked how he could know the age of the fish. The age of th fish can be known with 'the help of a microscope' and 'a specialist'. "As a tree trunk has its yearly rings, so a fish has its yearly rings on its scales, and we just have to count them to tell the age of a fish," he explained. Koshihara also disclosed where the fish arrived from, explaining that his grandmother on the maternal side is said to have been informed by her mother-in-law, when she was wedded into the family to take very good care of the carp because it has been handed down from the ancient times. Koshihara became very curious to know how long the car survived when this story was told to him, then he discovered Hanako's age by the before-mentioned technique, mourning greatly when being compelled to size a scale off her gorgeous body. How Scarlet Was Caught Hanako was caught in a net very carefully, two scales from various parts of her body was cleared out by using a firm tweezer. The scales were evaluated by the Laboratory of Domestic Science, Prof. Masayoshi Hiro of Nagoya Women's College. It took the professor two months to attain a satisfactory conclusion. By the use of the light microscope, pictures of every part of the scales was taken. RELATED ARTICLES: Some Popular Fish and Invertebrate Seafood Species Rapidly Declining Worldwide For more news, update about fishes and similar topics don't forget to follow Nature World News! Say what you like about Christian Porters moment on the stage on Wednesday, the production was brought to you by the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison. Morrison is the producer and director of this craven show of political stage management. The Prime Minister alone appoints and discharges the members of his cabinet. He alone decides the standards he will accept and the terms on which his ministers serve. If he cared about standards, he would require his Attorney-General to be a fit and proper person to be Australias first law officer. And while Porter can never be charged over this rape accusation, neither can his name ever be cleared. Because his accuser is dead, there never will be a trial. A Utah man has been arrested for allegedly abducting his ex-girlfriend's family dog, setting the animal on fire and abandoning it in the middle of a road following an argument with its owner over money. Michael Busico, 40, from West Valley, was booked into the Tooele County Jail on Monday on charges of torture of a companion animal, arson, theft and trespassing. The injured dog, a four-year-old red tick heeler named Dixie, was listed in critical condition as of Tuesday, having suffered second- and third-degree burns to its head, pelvis, belly and mouth. Michael Busico, 40 (left), faces charges of torture of a companion animal, arson, theft and trespassing, accused of setting his ex-girlfriend's family dog, Dixie (right), on fire The 4-year-old red tick heeler suffered second- and third-degree burns to its head, pelvis, belly and mouth Dixie remained in critical condition and was being treated with pains medication and fluids 'The dogs outcome remains uncertain at this time. She is currently on fluids and pain medication,' The Salt Lake County Animal Services wrote in an update. The incident began unfolding on Monday night, when animal control offices found the badly injured Dixie, which had been set on fire, wandering in the brush by Interstate 80 near the Salt Lake City suburb of Magna. Dixie was transported to a local veterinary hospital for treatment. Earlier that same day, police received a report about a dog that had been stolen from its owners' home. According to an arrest affidavit cited by Deseret News, one of Dixie's owners told police that she believed her ex-boyfriend, Busico, abducted her family dog following a dispute over $1,200 and their failed relationship. 'Mr. Busico specifically targeted his ex-girlfriend's daughter's dog,' the document states. Police say Busico abducted Dixie from her home, after going there under the guise of wanting to offer the dog treats Dixie was found badly burned and wander along a road on Monday night. Her owners recognized her from the news and called the police The woman's grown daughter, who gave her name to KSL only as Trista, said it broke her heart to see her beloved dog covered in burns and clinging to life. 'To take her out of someones backyard and light her on fire - its inhumane,' she said. Trista claimed that Busico had stopped by the house on Monday to ask about Dixie and offer her 'treats,' which seemed odd. The daughter left, and when she returned home later, both Busico and Dixie were gone. The family called the police after seeing their scorched dog on the news and recognizing the description of a suspect as matching Busico. When police tracked down Buscio to a relative's home, the suspect reportedly tried to flee, but he was quickly caught. BEDFORD, Texas, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Nanoscope Therapeutics Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing gene therapies for treatment of inherited retinal diseases, today announced that its President, Samarendra Mohanty, Ph.D., will participate in the Association for Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics (AOPT) 15th Biennial (Virtual) Meeting, March 4-7, 2021. Dr. Mohanty will deliver a presentation titled, "Ready for the Future: Refunctionalizing, Reprogramming, Revitalizing and Regenerating Retina for Restoring Vision," during an AOPT Special Session, Saturday, March 6, at 12 pm EST. "Hundreds of millions individuals are suffering from vision loss due to damage to the retina and optic nerve," said Dr. Mohanty, who also serves as Nanoscope's Chief Scientific Officer. "We are developing gene therapies to reprogram retinal cells and make them functionally active to regain vision." In addition, Nanoscope will participate in a session Friday, March 5, at 1:30 pm EST, and will make a presentation titled: "Low-Vision Multi-Parameter Test (LVMPT) to Quantitatively Measure Visual Level of Low-Vision Patients." "The LVMPT measures functional vision which can serve as a novel key endpoint for our clinical trial on Low-Vision Patients," said Sai Chavala, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Nanoscope. AOPT is a global, not-for-profit organization for scientists and individuals from all disciplines related to ocular pharmacology and its therapeutic applications. Members are from academic institutions, pharma and biotech industries, device companies, and clinics. Nanoscope's lead product is an optogenetic gene therapy, vMCO-010, that delivers light-sensitive Multi-Characteristic Opsin (MCO) into retinal cells to restore vision in patients with retinitis pigmentosa and Stargardt disease. Both applications have received orphan drug designation from the US-FDA. If successful, the optogenetic therapy would be the first treatment aimed at correcting these conditions. About Nanoscope Therapeutics Inc. Nanoscope Therapeutics, Bedford, TX, is advancing gene therapy using light-sensitive molecules for giving sight to the millions of blind individuals suffering from retinal degenerative disease, for which no cure exists. Nanoscope utilizes an ambient light-sensitive MCO molecule to re-sensitize the retina toward ambient light level. The company's pipeline includes optogenetics based retinal regeneration therapy for vision restoration in patients with retinitis pigmentosa, Stargardt disease, and dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Contact: Dan Eramian Opus Biotech Communications [email protected] 425-306-8716 SOURCE Nanoscope Therapeutics Related Links http://www.nanostherapeutics.com A senior Chinese diplomat has warned that Australians who vilify China will be 'cast aside in history'. Minister Wang Xining accused Australia's free press of deliberately sabotaging the relationship between the two countries and 'brainwashing' Australians by publishing negative stories. In a speech to business figures at a Chinese Lunar New Year dinner in Canberra, he urged China's critics to back down and adopt a conciliatory stance towards Beijing. A senior Chinese diplomat has warned that Australians who vilify China will be 'cast aside in history'. Pictured: Minister Wang Xining 'History will prove that it is wise and visionary to be China's friends,' he said. 'Those who deliberately vilify China and sabotage the friendship between our two countries and do damage to our long-term friendship and benefits out of their sectoral or selfish interest will be cast aside in history. 'Their children will be ashamed of mentioning their names in the history.' The minister accused Australian news organisations of not giving enough attention to China sending PPE Down Under at the start of the Covid-19 outbreak. 'To our disappointment, what the media cared and focused was the so-called hoarding of PPE by China related companies which led to certain shortage of PPE at that time,' he said. 'These claims ran rampant at certain time. However, it finally turned out all these claims were not true, and some of the reports amounts to libeling and were brought to lawsuit for defamation. But the damage has been done, the image of China's friends in Australia was severely harmed and smeared,' he added. He said Australians were being 'brainwashed' and therefore could not view China in a positive light. People wearing protective face masks in Beijing at the height of the pandemic last year 'If these people are immersed by those negative portraits of China by the major media outlets and brainwashed by the vulgarized and simplified political slogans, how would they understand China and agree with your assessment and impression of China,' the minister said. Minister Wang also criticised the federal government, which has taken steps to more closely scrutinize Chinese investment and undo Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews' belt and road deal with Beijing. 'In face of the impact of Covid-19 on our economy and people's lives, the best strategy is to strengthen and step up our collaboration. 'But last year, the collaboration in various fields was under a series of suspicions from a small number of people,' he said. 'The excuse for such suspicion is China's threats to Australian sovereignty and security, which is totally ridiculous. Because up to today no one single case has been substantiated or supported by evidence.' Minister Wang also criticised the federal government, which has taken steps to more closely scrutinize Chinese investment. Pictured: Prime Minister Scott Morrison Minister Wang also accused politicians of ruining the livelihoods of Australian business owners who trade with China while being paid by their taxes. 'And based on my observation, most of those people are siphoning off Australia's financial coffer, and they squander on the cornucopia which is the hard-won product of the majority of Australian labor force. 'They abused the power in their hands to strike hard on China's friends in Australia, who were working so hard to enhance Australia's economic power, improve people's living standard, and store potential for future development. When these people were barking loud, our friends had to bite the bullet.' Minister Wang, Deputy Head of Mission at China's embassy in Canberra, spoke previously at the National Press Club in August as Beijing-Canberra relations deteriorated following the government's call for an inquiry in the origins of coronavirus. Beijing responded by blocking Australian exports including coal, seafood and barley before slapping a 212 per cent tariff on Aussie wine, effectively banning the product. The Chinese Embassy in Canberra has released a dossier of 14 grievances including claims Australia is 'siding with the US' and interfering in its affairs in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Among the other grievances was Australia's decision to ban Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei from the country's 5G network and blocking foreign investment bids by Chinese companies. The Greens believe the inner-south Brisbane federal seat of Griffith, once held by former Labor prime minister Kevin Rudd, is the second-most winnable seat for the party in the nation. Griffith overlaps the state electorate of South Brisbane and council ward of The Gabba both of which have fallen to the Greens. Greens candidate for Griffith Max Chandler-Mather. But it also includes a wider area, stretching to Mount Gravatt East and Murarrie, where the Greens were out-polled by Labor and the LNP. Griffith is held by Labor star Terri Butler on a margin of 2.9 per cent. Section 2 lawsuits have proven pivotal in striking down or modifying restrictions on peoples ability to cast ballots. Among them are a 2015 case overturning Texas strict voter ID law and a 2016 decision nullifying a North Carolina voting law, whose constraints ranged from strict ID requirements to limiting voter registration and early voting. In the latter case, an appeals court wrote that Republicans in the state legislature had used the law to target Black voters with almost surgical precision. It would make it all the harder to stop some of these really dangerous voting laws, said Stephen Spaulding, a senior counsel for public policy at Common Cause. It would be an accelerant for further voter suppression. Mark Brnovich, the Arizona attorney general who argued the case before the court, said Section 2 can only apply if there is a substantial disparity impacting voters of color, a higher standard than Democrats believe exists under the 14th and 15th Amendments. He said that absent the higher bar, Section 2 would improperly inject race into all voting laws, and impede a states ability to run their elections. Without the Voting Rights Act, Democrats have few tools to stop Republican-controlled states from limiting voting access. House Democrats on Wednesday are expected to pass H.R. 1, a bill to standardize federal election rules by overriding many of the restrictive voting laws enacted in the states and to dramatically expand voting access. But the proposal has little chance of proceeding through the Senate unless Democrats there agree to suspend or terminate the filibusters 60-vote requirement to pass most legislation. Though a majority of justices seemed inclined to uphold Arizonas laws at the end of the nearly two-hour argument on Tuesday, it was not at all clear how broadly their ruling might impact Section 2, the last remaining pillar of the 1965 law, voting-rights experts said. One big reason is that the law says that whether the section is violated rests heavily on local circumstance, such as whether a law purporting to stop fraud was preceded by actual evidence of fraud. Another is that many violations do not rest on proof of intentional bias which can be difficult or impossible to prove but on evidence that the law in question perpetuates old injustices. Kolkata, March 3 : Myanmar's military junta have formally brought criminal charges against an Associated Press photographer and five other local journalists over their coverage of anti-coup protests, their lawyer said. Subir Bhaumik Kolkata, March 3 (IANS) Myanmar's military junta have formally brought criminal charges against an Associated Press photographer and five other local journalists over their coverage of anti-coup protests, their lawyer said. AP photographer Thein Zaw, 32, was arrested on Saturday when he was covering a demonstration in Myanmar's largest city Yangon. Zaw's lawyer said he and five other Myanmar journalists had been charged under a law against "causing fear, spreading false news or agitating directly or indirectly a government employee". The military-dominated State Administration Council (SAC) amended the law last month, to increase the maximum sentence from two years to three years in jail. "Ko Thein Zaw was simply reporting, he was doing his job in keeping with existing media law," said his lawyer Tin Zar Oo. Oo said all six journalists were being held at Yangon's infamous Insein prison. The other five journalists are from Myanmar Now, Myanmar Photo Agency, 7Day News, Zee Kwet Online news and a freelancer. AP's Vice-President of international news Ian Philips has appealed for Thein Zaw's immediate release. "Independent journalists must be allowed to freely and safely report the news without fear of retribution," he said. "AP decries in the strongest terms the arbitrary detention of Thein Zaw." A senior Myanmar Editor told this writer on condition of strict anonymity that the arrests were aimed at " creating a climate of fear in Myanmar media." "The military wants to stop the extensive reporting of the protest demonstrations, they want the media to practise self-censorship," the Editor said. Meanwhile, six more protesters were shot dead on Wednesday as anti-military demonstrations continued across Myanmar. Rescue workers said four were killed in Sagaing region bordering India and two in the country's second largest city of Mandalay. Management Tanden out as OMB director nominee Neera Tanden is out of the running to lead the Office of Management and Budget. (Photo credit: John Smith WIlliams/Shutterstock.com) After weeks of controversy, the Biden administration's pick to lead the Office of Management and Budget withdrew her name from consideration. Neera Tanden, the president of the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank, came under fire from Senate Republicans for her history of combative Twitter posts. Her bid to lead OMB was sunk by a Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) indicated on Feb. 19 that he would vote against her if her nomination reached the Senate floor. The two Senate committees that heard from Tanden in nomination hearings postponed votes last week to see if any Republicans would cross party lines to support her. "I have accepted Neera Tanden's request to withdraw her name from nomination for Director of the Office of Management and Budget," President Joe Biden said in a statement released Tuesday evening by the White House. "I have the utmost respect for her record of accomplishment, her experience and her counsel, and I look forward to having her serve in a role in my Administration. She will bring valuable perspective and insight to our work." In her letter withdrawing her nomination, Tanden wrote that, "I appreciate how hard you and your team at the White House has worked to win my confirmation. Unfortunately, it now seems clear that there is no path forward to gain confirmation, and I do not want continued consideration of my nomination to be a distraction from your other priorities." Earlier in the afternoon of the same day, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki indicated that Tanden had the administration's support. Also on Tuesday, the Senate Budget Committee heard from Shalanda Young, the nominee to serve as OMB's deputy director. At that hearing, Republicans said they would support Young should she be nominated to serve as OMB director. The Senate has moved more slowly on Biden's nominees than it has for previous incoming presidents, but every nominee to reach the Senate floor since Jan. 20 has been confirmed. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 30 giorni fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. A recent market study published by Future Market Insights Peptide Therapeutics Market: Global Industry Analysis & Opportunity Assessment, 20152025 consists a comprehensive assessment of the most important market dynamics. The report provides analysis of peptide therapeutics for 2014 and forecast of the market over 20152025. The report provides emerging trends and opportunities in the global market, which can help market players.to design their manufacturing, product or business strategies and exploit the maximum growth potential in the global peptide therapeutics market. The report provides analysis on market dynamics in the most comprehensive way for better understanding of readers. Section 1 Executive Summary In the opening section of the global report on peptide therapeutics market executive summary of the report is provided, which includes the global market overview and key findings. The section also includes market value (US$ Mn) estimates for key segments of the global peptide therapeutics market. Section 2 Market Introduction This section provides detailed taxonomy and definition of each segment of global peptide therapeutics market. The section helps readers to understand scope of the report, inclusion and exclusion criteria for different products & applications within the scope etc. This section also provides the analysis of global peptide therapeutics market based on optimistic, likely and conservative scenario. Request a Sample of this Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1038 Section 3 Market Dynamics This section provides readers with information about the most important macroeconomic and microeconomic factors that are instrumental in shaping the peptide therapeutics market. It helps readers to understand the critical market dynamics such as drivers, market restraints, trends, and growth opportunities for market players in peptide therapeutics market. Section 4 Global Peptide Therapeutics Market Drug Pipelines & Key Regulations This section provides overview on clinical development pipeline of peptide therapeutics for major companies. The section provides analysis by phase and therapeutic indications. The section also describes important regulatory pathways in three main markets of U.S., Europe and Japan through which peptide therapeutics are approved for commercial applications. Section 5 Global Peptide Therapeutics Market By Application Type, 20152025 Based on applications of peptide therapeutics, this section elaborates market value analysis for individual applications including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, CNS disorders, metabolic disorders, infections, hematological disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, dermatology, respiratory disorders, acromegaly and other applications. The section explains comparative trend analysis and market attractiveness analysis for each application of peptide therapeutics. The section also provides absolute $ opportunity analysis, which helps reader to identify growth potential for every year. Section 6 Global Peptide Therapeutics Market By Route of Administration, 20152025 This section provides market size analysis of peptide therapeutics available for administration through different routes including parenteral route, oral route, mucosal route and transdermal route Market attractiveness analysis by route of administration is provided to understand effects of approvals for different forms of peptide therapeutics. Section 7 Global Peptide Therapeutics Market, by Drug Type, 20152025 Drug type analysis provides analysis on usage and prescription pattern of peptide therapeutics for branded vs. generic/biosimilar drugs. Market attractive analysis by drug type is also discussed to fathom relative lucrativeness of different product types of peptide therapeutics. Section 8 Global Peptide Therapeutics Market By Region, 20152025 With the geographical perspective, global peptide therapeutics market is analysed on a total of seven regions viz. North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Japan and the Middle East and Africa (MEA). Historical trends in peptide therapeutics market and their effects on global market performance is discussed in this chapter. Get Full Report Buy Now @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/checkout/1038 Section 9 North America Peptide Therapeutics Market Analysis and Forecast 20152025 Readers can find detailed information about factors such as recent market developments, pricing analysis, and regional trends that are impacting the growth of the North America peptide therapeutics market. This section also includes the growth prospects of peptide therapeutics market in countries such as the U.S., and Canada. Section 10 Latin America Peptide Therapeutics Market Analysis and Forecast 20152025 The market performance of peptide therapeutics in Latin America is discussed on a country level (Brazil, Mexico & rest of Latin America) in this section. The section also provides insights on regional market trends in Latin America peptide therapeutics market. Section 11 Western Europe Peptide Therapeutics Market Analysis and Forecast 20152025 This section provides country wise analysis of peptide therapeutics market in Western Europe. Countries covered in this section are Germany, Italy, France, U.K, Spain, Nordic countries, BENELUX and rest of Western Europe. Market attractiveness analysis by country is provided to identify potential of growth for key players in the market. The section highlights regional market trends and pricing analysis for peptide therapeutics. Section 12 Eastern Europe Peptide Therapeutics Market Analysis and Forecast 20152025 This chapter of the report introduces peptide therapeutics market in Russia, Poland and rest of Eastern Europe by providing detailed information about the growth avenues for market players in the region and growth prospects of the market based on its leading segments. Section 13 APEJ Peptide Therapeutics Market Analysis and Forecast 20152025 China, India, ASEAN, and Australia & New Zealand are the leading countries in the APEJ region that are the prime subject of assessment to obtain growth prospects of the APEJ peptide therapeutics market in this chapter. Readers can find thorough information about the growth parameters of the APEJ peptide therapeutics market during the period 20152025. Section 14 Japan Peptide Therapeutics Market Analysis and Forecast 20152025 Readers can find important factors that can make a huge impact on the growth of peptide therapeutics market in Japan This chapter provides the overview of pricing, drivers, restraints, and trends in the Japan peptide therapeutics market. Section 15 MEA Peptide Therapeutics Market Analysis and Forecast 20152025 This chapter provides information on how peptide therapeutics market will grow in the major countries in MEA region, such as GCC Countries, South Africa, and rest of MEA during the period 2015-2025. Request for Report Ask A Question @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ask-question/rep-gb-1038 Section 16 Competition Landscape, Company Share and Company Profiles This section provides a dashboard review of competition in global peptide therapeutics market. It details the comparative assessment of key products specific to market segments and competitive position of key players in the global market. Readers can find a comprehensive profiles of key players in peptide therapeutics market, including company overview, revenue shares, strategic overview, and recent company developments, SWOT analysis etc. Market players featured in the report include Eli Lilly and Company, AstraZeneca plc, Merck & Co., Inc., Ipsen S.A, Novo Nordisk A/S, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. etc. and several contract manufacturing organisations such as CordenPharma International GmbH, PolyPeptide Group, Bachem AG etc. Section 17 Assumptions and Acronyms This section includes a list of acronyms and assumptions that provide a base to the information and statistics included in the report. The section also enlists forecast assumptions and forecast factors considered while estimating the market size. Section 18 Research Methodology This section helps readers to understand the research methodology followed to obtain various conclusions, important qualitative information, and quantitative information about peptide therapeutics market. Plus, Cal Coast and the San Diego Gulls raise money for books, Ocean Discovery Institute get a surprise donation, and Anvil of Hope plans a career fair The Senate is expected to begin debate today on the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill that passed the House last week. Democrats say its much-needed assistance for individuals, businesses and state and local governments, and a needed economic stimulus. Republicans, who appear to unanimously oppose it call it a non-COVID waste, and a blue state bailout. They say its riddled with pork. So what, exactly is in the bill? Heres a list, by committee, of whats in the bill with the estimated cost of each item, based on information by the non-partisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Ways & Means, $923 million Payments of $1,400 to most individuals, along with the same amount for each dependent. Checks would start to phase out at $75,000 in income and go to zero for individuals making $100,000. Estimated cost: $422 billion A $400 per week unemployment supplement through Aug. 29, along with an extension of programs that would make millions more eligible for jobless benefits. Estimated cost: $246 billion Expand Child Tax Credit, Child Care Tax Credit, and Earned Income Tax Credit mostly for one year. The plan would raise the $2,000 Child Tax Credit to $3,000, set the credit at $3,600 for parents of children under age 6 and make parents of 17-year-olds eligible. It would also make the credit fully refundable, so low-income households would get the full benefit, no matter how little they earn, according to the Wall Street Journa l. Estimated cost: $143 billion Provide grants to multi-employer pension plans and change single-employer pension funding rules. Estimated cost: $58 billion Temporarily expand Affordable Care Act subsidies for two years and subsidize 2020 and 2021 coverage. Estimated cost: $45 billion Extend paid sick leave and employee retention credit. Estimated cost: $14 billion Subsidize COBRA coverage for laid-off workers*. Estimated cost: $8 billion Repeal rule allowing multinational corporations to calculate their interest expenses including foreign subsidiaries. Estimated: minus-$22 billion Other policies. Estimated cost: $9 billion *The total removes $14 billion from COBRA subsidies and funding for LIHEAP that are shared between two committees and would be double-counted if summing each committees total. Oversight & Reform, $350 billion Provide money to state governments. Estimated cost: $195 billion Provide money to local governments, territories, and tribes. Estimated cost: $155 billion Create paid COVID leave for federal workers and other policies. Estimated cost: $0.4 billion Assessment: One of the unrelated provisions that has critics complaining likely is included in here: $500 million for museums & Native American language preservation. Politifact notes that the bill would appropriate $480 million for grants to fund activities related to the arts, humanities, libraries and museums, and Native American language preservation and maintenance, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office Education & Labor, $290 billion Provide funding for K-12 education. Estimated cost: $129 billion Provide funding for colleges and universities. Estimated cost: $40 billion Increase the federal minimum wage to $15/hour by 2025. Estimated cost: **$54 billion (A ruling by the Senate parliamentarian jettisoned the proposed minimum wage hike to $15 an hour saying it could not be included under Senate rules, according to usatoday.com Provide support for child care, grants to child care providers, and Head Start. Estimated cost: $40 billion Subsidize COBRA coverage for laid-off workers*. Estimated cost: $10 billion Extend nutrition assistance in place of school lunch for the duration of the emergency and other food assistance. Estimated cost: $7 billion Human services, labor programs, and other policies. Estimated cost: $11 billion *The total removes $14 billion from COBRA subsidies and funding for LIHEAP that are shared between two committees and would be double-counted if summing each committees total. Assessment: Another of those unrelated provisions is included in here: Energy & Commerce, $122 billion Increase funding for testing and contract tracing. Estimated cost: $50 billion Increase public health workforce and investments. Estimated cost: $19 billion Fund vaccine distribution, confidence, and supply chains. Estimated cost: $16 billion Increase Medicaid payments to states that newly expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Estimated cost: $16 billion Allow states to expand Medicaid coverage for prisoners close to release and for pregnant and postpartum women for 5 years. Estimated cost: $9 billion Remove the cap limiting how much drug manufacturers must rebate to Medicaid for drugs that have increased quickly in price. Estimated cost: minus-$18 billion Other policies. Estimated cost: $31 billion Transportation & Infrastructure, $90 billion Increase funding for the Disaster Relief Fund and cover funeral expenses related to COVID. Estimated cost: $47 billion Provide grants to transit agencies. Estimated cost: $28 billion Provide grants to airports and aviation manufacturers. Estimated cost: $11 billion Provide grants to communities under economic stress. Estimated cost: $3 billion Grants to Amtrak and other transportation-related spending. Estimated cost: $2 billion Assessment: It would appear the majority of those unrelated provisions are included in here: Financial Services, $71 billion Provide emergency rental assistance and assist homeless. Estimated cost: $30 billion Provide grants to airlines and contractors to freeze airline layoffs through September. Estimated cost: $12 billion Use Defense Production Act to buy and distribute medical supplies. Estimated cost: $10 billion Provide mortgage payment assistance. Estimated cost: $10 billion Reauthorize and fund the State Small Business Credit Initiative. Estimated cost: $9 billion Small Business, $50 billion Provide grants to restaurants and bars that lost revenue due to the pandemic. Estimated cost: $25 billion Provide additional EIDL Advance grants of up to $10,000 per business. Estimated cost: $15 billion Allow more PPP loans and expand eligibility to certain non-profit and digital media companies. Estimated cost: $7 billion Other policies. Estimated cost: $3 billion Veterans Affairs, $17 billion Provide funding for health care services, facilities, and copays for veterans. Estimated cost: $16 billion Fund job training assistance programs for veterans and other VA administrative costs. Estimated cost: $1 billion Agriculture, $16 billion Increase nutrition assistance. Estimated cost: $6 billion Pay off loans and other programs for socially disadvantaged farmers. Estimated cost: $5 billion Purchase and distribute food to needy individuals. Estimated cost: $4 billion Testing and monitoring for COVID in rural communities and among animal populations. Estimated cost: $1 billion Foreign Affairs, (no legislation reported yet). Estimated cost: $10 billion Science, Space, & Technology (no legislation reported yet). Estimated cost: $1 billion Natural Resources (no legislation reported yet). Estimated cost: $1 billion Assessment: The last provision that Stand for America criticized is this one. BOSTON, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- STAG Industrial, Inc. (the "Company") (NYSE:STAG) today provided additional detail highlighting features associated with a subset of acquisition activity that has occurred during 2021. The Company acquired the following properties, representing a selection of 2021 aggregate acquisition activity, in January and February. All purchase prices include estimated expenses and are before prorations. The property located in Sacramento, CA , was acquired for $25.9 million . The 267,284 thousand square foot building is 100% leased to a tenant that has occupied the building since 1993. The in-place lease has more than four years of remaining term, annual rental escalators of 3%, and in-place rent approximately 10% to 15% below current market rent per Company estimates. , was acquired for . The 267,284 thousand square foot building is 100% leased to a tenant that has occupied the building since 1993. The in-place lease has more than four years of remaining term, annual rental escalators of 3%, and in-place rent approximately 10% to 15% below current market rent per Company estimates. The property located in Minneapolis, MN , was acquired for $10.2 million . The 80,655 square foot building was built in 2020 and is 100% leased to a subsidiary of a publicly traded company. The in-place lease has more than nine years of remaining term, annual rental escalators of 2.5% over the first five years, and in-place rent approximately 5% to 10% below current market rent per Company estimates. , was acquired for . The 80,655 square foot building was built in 2020 and is 100% leased to a subsidiary of a publicly traded company. The in-place lease has more than nine years of remaining term, annual rental escalators of 2.5% over the first five years, and in-place rent approximately 5% to 10% below current market rent per Company estimates. The property located in Omaha, NE , was acquired for $24.9 million . The 370,000 square foot building is 100% leased to a subsidiary of a publicly traded, investment grade company that has occupied the building since 2016. The in-place lease has more than four years of remaining term with in-place rent approximately 5% to 10% below current market rent per Company estimates. About STAG Industrial, Inc. STAG Industrial, Inc. is a real estate investment trust focused on the acquisition, ownership and operation of single-tenant, industrial properties throughout the United States. As of December 31, 2020, the Company's portfolio consists of 492 buildings in 39 states with approximately 98.2 million rentable square feet. For additional information, please visit the Company's website at www.stagindustrial.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release, together with other statements and information publicly disseminated by the Company, contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company intends such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and includes this statement for purposes of complying with these safe harbor provisions. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe the Company's future plans, strategies and expectations, are generally identifiable by use of the words "believe," "will," "expect," "intend," "anticipate," "estimate," "should," "project" or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, among others, statements about the expected redemption, including the redemption date. You should not rely on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are, in some cases, beyond the Company's control and which could materially affect actual results, performances or achievements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to, the risk factors discussed in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 as updated by the Company's quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Accordingly, there is no assurance that the Company's expectations will be realized. Except as otherwise required by the federal securities laws, the Company disclaims any obligation or undertaking to publicly release any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained herein (or elsewhere) to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. SOURCE STAG Industrial, Inc. Related Links http://www.stagindustrial.com Close Elon Musk wants to make a new city called Starbase at SpaceX's launch facilities in Texas. Musk explained on his Twitter account that that Starbase would cover "an area much larger" than SpaceX's Texas facilities in Boca Chica Village. An area much larger than Boca Chica Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 2, 2021 He then followed up with another tweet, which read: "From thence to Mars and hence the stars." It's uncertain what the CEO means by this statement. But it may suggest that the company is trying to expand. Boca Chica, formerly known as Kennedy Shores, is simply a quiet fishing community. Musk's use of the term 'city' means that the site could be slated for accelerated expansion. Elon Musk's Starbase: Is He Expanding Through Texas? With a rocket research site in McGregor and a launch center in Boca Chica, SpaceX now has a major presence in Texas. Tesla has revealed plans to develop a Gigafactory in Austin in 2020. A vast number of jobs are currently open around the state due to SpaceX and The Boring Business. If that wasn't enough, Musk announced in December that he had transferred to the state. But it's not shocking that the CEO is trying to make some more of an impression now that he's developed some serious roots. ALSO READ: Elon Musk Eyes Building a Martian City from Glass Domes to Terraform; Would It Be Risky? In a statement to Business Insider, the judge's office in Cameron County, where Boca Chica is located, reported Musk's plans to build a community. "In the last few days, Cameron County was officially approached by SpaceX regarding Elon Musk's interest to incorporate Boca Chica Village into the City of Starbase, Texas. Earlier today Cameron County Commissioners Court was informed of SpaceX's endeavor," the statement read. The corporation is designing the Starship-Super Heavy, a giant steel launch vehicle that will one day send crewed missions to the moon and Mars. Musk, who created SpaceX in 2002, wants the spacecraft to be 394 feet tall (120 meters) and reusable forever. The machine could also be used to move people between places on Earth at breakneck speeds. Elon Musk's Starbase: What Is It All About? Bloomberg said the actual location of Starbase is the town of Boca Chica. According to the publication in late February, an unidentified SpaceX official made a "casual request" about integrating the group. However, there is no Starbase city yet. According to city leaders, Musk will have to propose before the incorporation process could begin. According to Bloomberg, Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino reported that SpaceX has yet to make a formal submission, too. "Sending a tweet doesn't make it so," Trevino said to the publication. According to a leaked FAA draft document shared with Insider in January, SpaceX may also be preparing to dig "up to five natural gas wells" and construct gas-fired power plants at its Boca Chica facilities. RELATED ARTICLE: Will Elon Musk's SpaceX Finally Send Humans To Mars After NASA Sent Five Rovers to Mars? Check out more news and information on SpaceX on Science Times. Stamp duty holiday Estate agents are gearing up for a second housing mini-boom after the Chancellor extended the stamp duty holiday until the end of June. It means an extra 300,000 home buyers could benefit from the break. House hunters swarmed property websites within minutes of the announcement, suggesting the market may once again go into overdrive. The extension was widely anticipated, but Rishi Sunak went further than expected by announcing an additional tapering-off period. Property experts said the news would be a 'huge relief' to buyers stuck in transaction bottlenecks and would save up to 100,000 sales from collapse. It prompted the Office for Budget Responsibility to predict house prices would grow by 5 per cent this year, a startling turnaround from its November forecast of a 4 per cent fall. The holiday means no tax is paid on properties worth up to 500,000, offering savings of up to 15,000. It was introduced in July and had been due to end on March 31, but will now be extended in England and Northern Ireland until June 30. The threshold will then be reduced to 250,000 until September 30, before returning to its normal level of 125,000. Luke and Lauren Elliott, from Solihull, could save thousands in stamp duty holiday (pictured with their children Jack, four, and Alice, two) Property website Rightmove said 45 per cent of buyers would pay no stamp duty during the 'tapering off' period. Homeowners Lauren and Luke Elliott said the announcement should save them thousands of pounds when they move house later this year. They believe it also helped sell their current home because they received an offer on it shortly after Mr Sunak's statement yesterday. Mr and Mrs Elliott, from Solihull, who run their own music school called Music Monsters, have sold their property for 285,000 and are looking to buy a new home for around 350,000. Mrs Elliott, 30, said: 'It's absolutely brilliant news for us and hopefully means we'll be able to save some money on our next property, too. We definitely should be able to move in time for the next deadline now.' Rightmove reported an 85 per cent spike in users of its mortgage calculator and a 16 per cent jump in overall traffic within half an hour of the Chancellor's speech. The initial tax break sparked a frenzy of activity and pushed prices to record highs. But it also caused massive backlogs and prompted fears that sales worth up to 1.5 billion could collapse if they missed the March deadline. Tim Bannister, Rightmove's property expert, said one in five deals agreed in July last year still hadn't been completed. He added: 'This three-month extension will come as a huge relief for those people who have been going through the sales process since last year and were always expecting to make use of the stamp duty savings.' Mr Sunak also announced that the Treasury would back lenders offering loans to buyers with a deposit of just 5 per cent. But critics said the policy did nothing to make homes more affordable and coupled with the stamp duty holiday extension would push prices further out of reach for many. Polly Neate, chief executive at housing charity Shelter, said two thirds of private renters had 'no savings at all' and still wouldn't be able to 'scrape together' a 5 per cent deposit. VAT cut extended for hospitality Drinkers, diners and tourists will receive discounts for another year after the Chancellor extended a cut to VAT until April 2022. Rishi Sunak said hospitality had been 'one of the hardest-hit sectors' and 150,000 businesses employing more than 2.4 million people 'needed our support'. He said the cut from 20 to 5 per cent would be extended until September 'to protect jobs', before increasing to an interim rate of 12.5 per cent between October and March. Taxes on alcoholic drinks will also be frozen for only the third time in two decades, reflecting that 'this is a tough time for hospitality'. The duty cut equates to a 2p saving on a pint of beer, 8p on a bottle of wine and 30p on a 75cl bottle of Scotch whisky. The VAT cut will cost the Treasury 5 billion, while the one-year freeze of duties on spirits, wine, cider and beer will cost 315 million. It is hoped the cuts will encourage customers out of their homes to spend, once firms are allowed to reopen from April 12. Surrey publican Garry Tallent (pictured alongside Sandy Masson) said the relief measures had given his business 'a fighting chance' of survival Surrey publican Garry Tallent said the relief measures had given his business 'a fighting chance' of survival. Mr Tallent, 57, who runs The Red Lion in Chobham with his partner Sandy Masson, said he had hoped alcohol duty would be cut, but he was pleased with the support offered, and the extension to the furlough scheme will help him retain his 16 staff members. He added: 'The VAT cuts have given us a fighting chance of survival. 'We would have liked them to be extended for longer but it feels like the Government have given us a workable solution to the crisis. It would also have been nice to see alcohol duties brought down for pubs, but overall I was more pleased than I was disappointed.' Mr Tallent took over The Red Lion in August 2019 and the business has lost around 140,000 during the pandemic. He said: 'The support offered doesn't even touch the sides of what we have lost. But pubs will always be a volatile industry, even in the best of times. We're very resilient and we're used to thinking on our feet.' Economists have predicted a 'roaring 20s' as households unleash 180 billion of savings built up during the pandemic. But businesses are worried that ongoing worries about the virus will mean many will be nervous to head out, dampening the recovery. Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: 'This was a good Budget for pubs and brewers in the short term.' But pubs that do not serve food hit back at Mr Sunak's measures, as they do not benefit from the VAT cut. Dawn Hopkins, of the Campaign for Pubs, said: 'Rishi Sunak either doesn't understand or doesn't care about the classic community local pub, as he has yet again discriminated against them with a food-only VAT cut that funnels millions to the likes of KFC.' Furlough until October The furlough scheme will be extended until October long after the economy is due to reopen. In an attempt to protect incomes, Rishi Sunak also announced that grants for the self-employed would continue into the autumn. However, employers will have to start to contribute to the furlough scheme - under which staff who are unable to work receive 80 per cent of their wages from the Government. More than 11million jobs have been furloughed under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which had been due to close at the end of April. It will now continue until the end of September. It has been credited with slowing the pace of job losses as tens of thousands of businesses remain shut. But it is estimated to cost 14billion per month. Jonathan Lea and Juliette Barrios (pictured) from Loxleys Restaurant and Wine Bar in Stratford-upon- Avon, Warwickshire, welcomed the extension of furlough Yesterday, the Chancellor announced a taper, which will require businesses to begin to contribute to the 80 per cent wages as they reopen. He told MPs: 'Nothing will change until July, when we will ask for a small contribution of just 10 per cent and 20 per cent in August and September.' The extension was welcomed by Jonathan Lea, 31, who manages Loxleys Restaurant and Wine Bar in Stratford-upon-Avon Warwickshire. It employs more than 30 staff. Mr Lea is currently on furlough alongside his fiancee Juliette Barrios, 23, a supervisor at the restaurant. 'The extension to the furlough scheme is fantastic for us,' he said. 'It has been an absolute godsend throughout this pandemic as it means we haven't lost a staff member.' Support for the self-employed will be expanded so that 600,000 more who were ineligible can now apply. The next grant, from February to April, will pay 80 per cent of average trading profits up to 7,500, while the final grant, from May to the end of September, will be cut to 30 per cent for those whose turnover has fallen by less than 30 per cent. Business rates and recovery loans High streets were handed a 12billion boost yesterday to help them recover from the pandemic. The Chancellor handed beleaguered firms a 6.8billion business rates holiday, extending relief until April 2022, as well as 5billion of 'restart grants' worth up to 18,000 each. Rishi Sunak announced a three-month extension to the break for shops, bars, restaurants and other leisure firms, cutting the tax to zero until the end of June. For the following nine months until the end of March 2022, firms will have their business rates bill discounted by two-thirds. The Treasury will also hand out 5billion of restart grants to 'help businesses reopen and get going again', with non-essential retailers able to claim up to 6,000 per shop. Beauty entrepreneur Elisabeth Bester, 42, (pictured) from Buckinghamshire, is among those 'grateful' for the recovery grants Hospitality, leisure, gyms and personal care businesses will be eligible for grants of up to 18,000 reflecting the longer time they been closed for. Beauty entrepreneur Elisabeth Bester, 42, is among those 'grateful' for the recovery grants. The mother-of-two runs the Marlow Face and Body clinic in Buckinghamshire. She has lost around 90 per cent of her revenue during lockdown. Mrs Bester said: 'I am very grateful for the restart grants as I think they will plug the immediate issues for lots of salons. They will certainly help with bills and managing cash flows.' Helen Dickinson, of the British Retail Consortium, said: 'The Chancellor has taken steps to avoid the business rates cliff edge, and restart grants provide a vital injection of funding during this extremely challenging period.' Mike Cherry, of the Federation of Small Businesses, said the Budget would 'help many small firms with their final push through to September'. The handouts will be backed up by a slew of loan guarantees, allowing firms of 'any size' to borrow between 25,000 and 10million. Asda, Morrisons, Tesco and Sainsbury's said they would not accept the rates relief and will pay the tax in full for 2021/22. Universal credit - Six more months of 20 uplift in benefit The Universal Credit uplift is being extended until September. The Chancellor said the temporary 20 rise, introduced at the start of the pandemic, will remain in place for half a year, 'well beyond' the end of the national lockdown. Working Tax Credit claimants will receive equivalent support over the next six months through a one-off payment of 500, due to the way the system works. Charities had been calling for the increase to be kept in place for at least a year or for it to be made permanent and urged the Government to think again. Action for Children's Imran Hussain said: 'It makes no sense to cut this lifeline in six months when the furlough scheme will have ended and unemployment is expected to be near its highest exactly when families will need it most. Families need help and certainty, not a stay of execution.' Dr Julia Faulconbridge, of the British Psychological Society, said: 'Psychologically the impact of a six-month extension and the uncertainty this brings is very damaging and this decision will have a significant impact on the mental and physical health of those already at risk as a result of living in poverty. 'People need security at this turbulent time the Chancellor has failed to provide that.' James Taylor, of Scope, cited a Health Foundation poll suggesting 59 per cent of the public support making the uplift permanent, saying: 'A temporary extension isn't enough; another six months would mean the uplift ending just as unemployment is set to peak. 'This creates the very real risk of plunging many disabled people into poverty.' Richard Kramer, of Sense, said: 'A six-month extension is not enough and doesn't take into account the millions of disabled people on legacy benefits who have not received any uplift at all so far.' Sorry, no valid subscriptions were found for this Publication. Please select from an option below to start a subscription. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 24 Hour Access U.S. House candidate Kim Klacik walked onto Mike Huckabee's cable talk show last August as the latest conservative celebrity, riding high on a viral campaign ad that had attracted 10 million views and was shared on social media by President Donald Trump and his eldest son. "We raised close to $2 million," the Republican congressional hopeful said of the three-minute spot, which showed her marching in a red dress and high heels past abandoned buildings in Baltimore, asserting that Democrats do not care about Black lives. But later that night, Klacik's staff told her it would be best to stop disclosing how much money the ad had raised for her campaign against Democratic Rep. Kweisi Mfume - because she wouldn't be keeping much of it, Klacik recounted in an interview. The company that produced the video, Arsenal Media Group, would take a cut. And a firm hired to promote the video, Olympic Media, would keep up to 70 percent of the money it generated, some of which was not disclosed in Klacik's initial campaign finance filings. Klacik, a self-described college dropout who launched a nonprofit organization to help disadvantaged women before running for office, said she did not personally approve or know about the contract with Olympic Media until that conversation. "When I saw it, I almost passed out," she said. Her campaign is an example of how some consulting firms are profiting handsomely from Republican candidates who have robust appeal in today's politically charged environment - even when they are running in deep-blue districts where it is virtually impossible for them to win. The more viral the candidate goes, the more money the companies make - a model possible only through the online outrage machine of hyperpartisan politics. Fundraising companies say their fees are well-earned and still leave candidates with more money than they would have if their ads had not been shared widely. But critics, including Klacik and some other 2020 candidates, say the system is deceptive, trapping first-time politicians in onerous contracts that siphon away cash their donors intended for them. "It sounds like part of the swamp that needs to be drained," said Bruce Dale, a Klacik donor from Michigan, who was aghast to learn that a chunk of his $800 in donations may not have made it to her. "They can say it's legal, but there are a lot of things that are legal that are wrong. This is wrong." - - - High-margin fundraising fees - sometimes in excess of 90 percent of a donor's first contribution - have sucked resources out of conservative politics ever since the movement organized in the 1970s around the costly medium of direct mail. Social media, email and text-message fundraising brought those same steep margins online. By the end of Klacik's campaign, she would raise a staggering $8.3 million and pay nearly $3.7 million of it to Olympic Media, according to campaign finance filings and her campaign manager. Klacik, now a frequent Fox News and Newsmax commentator, lost to Mfume in Maryland's 7th Congressional District by more than 40 percentage points. "I actually lost sleep over this," she said of the high share of donations claimed by Olympic. "These companies - it's a racket. Unfortunately, this is why we ask people to send us checks directly to our P.O. box." Olympic's founder and chief executive, Ryan Coyne, a former U.S. rower, countered that his company's work allowed Klacik - and Republicans in general - to amplify their voice in a traditionally Democratic part of the country and create a platform for future campaigns. "It's true, advertising costs related to getting your name out are the biggest driver of campaign expenses," he said. "We are proud to have raised and netted millions of dollars for the Klacik campaign - helping turn her into a household name, generating many millions of dollars in earned media." Another Republican long-shot candidate in a deep-blue district, Lacy Johnson, also worked with Olympic. But his campaign manager, Anton Lazzaro, considered the firm's rates reasonable in comparison with those of other vendors they encountered. Lazzaro stopped working with digital fundraiser Bryan Rudnick, for example, after signing a contract that gave Rudnick's firm 80 percent of the money it brought in for Johnson from new donors. Johnson was challenging Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., a national target of conservative scorn. Like Klacik, he urged Black voters to abandon the Democratic Party, saying it had served them poorly. Like Klacik, he lost by a wide margin - nearly 40 percentage points. He raised about $12 million from donors across the country. After Olympic's share and other fundraising costs were deducted, just $5 million remained, Lazzaro estimated. "There are so many vultures in GOP small-dollar fundraising," Lazzaro said. "It can be extremely difficult for first-time candidates to recognize legitimate fundraising vendors and self-serving operators taking upwards of 80 to 90 percent of gross donations." Rudnick's firm, LGM Consulting Group, is suing Johnson's campaign for alleged breach of contract, saying its fees, along with a five-year no-cancellation clause and certain exclusivity rights, were appropriate. "LGM invests significant time, effort and expense towards its client's campaign before it receives its first dollar," the company argued in a court filing. Rudnick referred questions to his attorney, who declined to comment. Several GOP consultants, speaking on the condition of anonymity to protect their clients, said that some first-time or long-shot candidates in desperate need of money and name recognition may have no choice but to agree to expensive contracts. But the consultants said that siphoning off such a large share of donations is counterproductive to achieving the greater conservative cause, because it redirects money that could be spent more directly on winning elections. "It probably needs to be changed," Klacik's campaign manager, Greg Stewart, said of the fundraising system he encountered. "A lot of us new candidates are getting into it and are like, 'What the heck?' But you are on the spot. Election Day is in X amount of time. Are you going to be able to change the system before the election? The answer is more than likely not." - - - Before the release of Klacik's viral ad, in mid-July, she had about $56,000 in the bank. She was mostly known as the person whose 2019 video highlighting trash and abandoned buildings in Baltimore caught the attention of then-President Donald Trump, who used it to attack then-Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., who was chairman of the House Oversight Committee. The campaign ad that would launch her onto Fox News and back into Trump's orbit took on a similar tone: blaming Baltimore's crime and blight on Democratic policies. Arsenal contracted with Benny Johnson, a Newsmax TV host and the chief creative officer at Turning Point USA, to script and direct the ad, which the firm asked prominent Republican activists to share online. Olympic took over the job of further prospecting for campaign contributions, Stewart said, placing the video in digital ads and sending it to lists of potential donors via email, text messages, and in Facebook posts. Rather than a traditional contract, where a client pays a fixed fee for products or services, Arsenal and Olympic each received $5,000 up front, with the promise of additional income based on how much money came in from donors. The ad was released online only. Klacik spent a relatively paltry $66,000 on traditional cable or broadcast advertising in her district, believing that she would draw more productive attention if her spots spread across social media. "We just felt like digital was the new wave," she said. "That's how President Donald Trump reached a lot of people." Klacik's campaign finance filings show she paid Arsenal just over $500,000 by the end of the campaign. That included about $100,000 in production and commission costs for the Baltimore ad and a second shoot later in the cycle, plus about $400,000 for a digital marketing campaign in her district, Stewart said. Initially the campaign disclosed a total of $1.6 million paid to Olympic by the end of 2020. A Feb. 1 amendment to federal filings revealed $1.2 million more paid to the company, and Stewart disclosed an additional $800,000 after questions from The Washington Post - bringing the total to nearly $3.7 million. The discrepancy was caused by an accounting mistake involving fees paid through WinRed, a GOP fundraising platform that allows vendors such as Olympic to deduct their share of donations automatically as the money comes in. Klacik reported paying millions of dollars to WinRed that actually went through the donation processor to other vendors. Stewart and a WinRed spokesman confirmed the error. Other Republican candidates, including Johnson and Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, also misreported expenses to vendors, WinRed said. Both the Klacik and Johnson campaigns said they are amending their filings. Jordan's campaign, which also hired Olympic Media for digital services, did not respond to a request for comment. WinRed said in a statement that it "proactively insists that campaigns report fees accurately" with the Federal Election Commission, and that it's "the responsibility of each campaign to manage their own agencies and their own FEC compliance." Stewart called the arrangement with Olympic the "price of doing business." He said Olympic - which also did work for Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-N.C. - fit with the campaign's insurgent brand and "did good work for us" by repackaging the Arsenal video. But although Klacik said she thought Arsenal's fees were fair, given the company's creative work, she took issue with Olympic's digital marketing rates. "Whoever's over there is making a killing," she said. - - - Klacik certainly got something for the millions she paid her vendors: a national political platform. Within days of the Baltimore ad's release, she landed a speaking slot at the Republican National Convention. By October, she'd taken in more than $6 million - mostly from small-dollar donors across the country. She spent more than $50,000 on private jets. She joined Donald Trump Jr. at a rally in Arizona, and the president himself in Atlanta to announce a plan to increase capital in Black communities. She traveled her district on a customized bus and spent thousands of dollars on a campaign event at Trump's hotel in downtown Washington. Part of the reason Klacik's ad took off so rapidly was the influencers, including Trump Jr., that Arsenal and Benny Johnson brought Klacik who were willing to praise and share the spot on their social media accounts. The company shot similar ads for a half-dozen other GOP politicians, including a viral spot for Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., that shows her walking the streets of D.C. promising to carry a Glock pistol to Congress. Joe Collins, a Republican who raised more than $10 million in his losing bid against veteran Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., said his deal with Arsenal left him with more money than he would have had otherwise, and a list of donors he is using for his next campaign. A contract between Arsenal and another 2020 Republican campaign, which was obtained by The Post, showed in detail how the payment structure can work. After an upfront production fee of $20,000, the two parties used WinRed fundraising links to track how much money came in as a result of people viewing the spot in freely shared social media posts. The campaign kept the first $20,000, to reimburse production costs. It split the next $40,000 50-50, and forfeited 25 percent of the money raised above $60,000. Klacik and several campaign managers who worked with Arsenal and Johnson in 2020 said their arrangement worked out well because they were able to attract donors who otherwise might never have heard of the candidates. "Without (Benny Johnson) taking my message and putting it into a video forum, we would have never been on the level we were on," Klacik said. This month, she launched her own political-action committee, Red Renaissance PAC, which she said she will use to raise money for other Republicans. Jason Cole, the managing partner at Arsenal, said the company works "with all types of groups to tell their stories. Often their budgets are limited, and we try to figure out creative solutions," he said. "We will always bet on our candidates and our work." Once campaigns have the donors' names, email addresses and phone numbers, they can seek repeat donations and keep 100 percent of the proceeds. But if a candidate takes off as a national fundraising target, as Klacik and Lacy Johnson did, the share of the money raised by the fundraisers spikes as well. "If you're a candidate who doesn't have money, that makes sense," said one GOP consultant, speaking on the condition of anonymity to protect the identity of his clients. "It's just that ultimately, the campaigns aren't paying for it. The donors are." Suzanne Salata, who is active in Republican politics in San Jose, Calif., researched Klacik and gave her $500 after seeing her initial viral video on Fox News. "I knew she was a long shot, but I felt it was worth investing in her," said Salata, who also donated to Lacy Johnson and other GOP hopefuls. But Salata found it "ridiculous" that companies would take a sizable cut of a candidate's fundraising money. "Like at a nonprofit, if their overhead was 40 or 50 percent, you wouldn't give to them," she said. "It's not exactly apples to apples. But I've never heard of a kickback like this (in campaigns)." Greg Ruggles, of Bettendorf, Iowa, sent Klacik $100 after stumbling onto her Baltimore campaign ad. He said he felt a little "duped"after learning a large chunk may have gone to a vendor. "If you're giving money to a cause," he said, "you want it to go to the cause, not to the company creating the ad." In the future, he added, "I'll certainly be more cautious about my donations." - - - The Washington Post's Anu Narayanswamy, Erin Cox and Alice Crites contributed to this report. (CNN) -- With Australians still unable to travel abroad due to pandemic restrictions, flag carrier Qantas is launching a series of "Mystery Flights" to encourage domestic travel. Travelers who book one of the three journeys on offer will put their fates into the hands of the airline. The one-day trips, which go on sale March 4, fly out of Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, departing on March 27, April 18 and May 1, respectively. Each Boeing 737 flight will be limited to 120 passengers and travel to a destination within approximately two hours. Guests enjoy breakfast in the Qantas lounge at 7 a.m. -- returning in the early evening. Travelers won't know where they're headed until the plane makes its descent to the mystery location, though the flight path will appear on the seat-back screens, giving fliers a chance to guess where they're headed. The flights will reportedly include some low-level flybys of key landmarks en route. The airline is offering a few hints on its website. For instance, flights from Brisbane will offer "the perfect getaway" for those who love country hospitality, gourmet food and wine and the great outdoors. Sydney flights will head to the tropics, making it an ideal trip for those who enjoy "lunching on the beach." The Melbourne flight will be suitable for fans of the great outdoors, gourmet food and wine and regional farmers markets. Customers will be given further clues upon booking to ensure they pack suitably. The all-inclusive packages cost AUD 737 (US$577) for economy-class seats and AUD 1,570 for business. "As well as helping bring more of our people back to work, these mystery flights are another way to support tourism operators in regional areas especially, who have been hit particularly hard by several waves of travel restrictions," said Qantas Group chief customer officer Stephanie Tully in a statement, referring to domestic state border controls. The airline first offered mystery flights in the 1990s. Passengers would arrive at the airport and be placed on a scheduled flight to any destination across the Qantas network. In 2020, the airline offered a seven-hour sightseeing "flight to nowhere," which sold out in 10 minutes. Australia has returned to relative normalcy since the start of the pandemic, with the country reporting zero new locally transmitted cases on Tuesday and nine cases among returned travelers in hotel quarantine. In total, it has recorded 28,986 cases and 909 deaths as of March 3. The country locked its borders early on, with Australians returning from abroad forced to quarantine in a hotel for two weeks. Australia has also imposed a ban on overseas travel, with those wanting to leave the country needing to get an exemption from the Department of Home Affairs. On Tuesday, the government announced Australia's international border closure would be extended by three months to June 17. Qantas said it plans to resume international flights by the end of October 2021. This story was first published on CNN.com, "As Australia extends international travel ban, Qantas launches domestic 'Mystery Flights'" Syracuse, N.Y. -- New York state is rolling out a third Covid-19 vaccine, this one made by Johnson & Johnson and just approved for use last weekend. With three vaccines on the market now, you can choose -- to some extent -- which one you want to receive in Central New York. But experts say the best vaccine is the first one you can get. When your number comes up to be vaccinated, whatever they offer you, you should take it, said Dr. Stephen Thomas, chief of the infectious disease division at Upstate Medical University. They have all been demonstrated to be safe and they all have a significant amount of efficacy. The biggest differences between the vaccines are the number of doses and the amount of protection they offer. Pfizer and Moderna each require two shots, while Johnson & Johnson requires just one. In clinical trials, both Pfizer and Moderna were about 95% effective at keeping people from getting sick from Covid-19. The Johnson and Johnson vaccine, marketed under the name Janssen, was closer to 75% effective in trials. But 75% is still a very high rate of protection, Thomas said, and you shouldnt pass up a chance to get Johnson & Johnson while holding out for the others. The flu vaccines have a huge public health impact every year and theyre generally only 45% efficacious, he said. New York is expecting its first shipment of over 164,000 Johnson & Johnson doses this week. Experts say all the vaccines are safe for almost all adults. Exceptions are people who have had bad reactions to vaccines in the past, or who might be allergic to some of the ingredients, which are listed on the manufacturers websites. (Weve provided the ingredients list below, too.) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention specifically named allergies to polyethylene glycol (PEG) and closely related polysorbate. All three manufacturers urge pregnant women to check with their healthcare providers before getting the vaccine. At the big state-run vaccination sites, you sign up for an appointment, not a particular vaccine. You get whats in stock, either Pfizer or Moderna. But starting Friday at the New York state fairgrounds site, you can choose the vaccine simply by choosing the time of day. The Pfizer vaccine will continue to be offered during the day, while the Johnson & Johnson shot will be offered from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Moderna is not offered at the fairgrounds. That overnight shift at the fairgrounds starts Friday, when the site turns into a 24/7 operation. You can sign up for the night-owl appointments starting at 8 a.m. Thursday at the states Am I Eligible website or by calling 1-833-697-4829. You cant switch between vaccine manufacturers. If your first dose is Moderna, the second had to be Moderna. Same with Pfizer. And you cant substitute the Johnson & Johnson shot for the second dose of the others. Kinney Drugs, the first drug store in New York to give the vaccines, is giving Moderna, and only to those 65 years and older, according to its website. The vaccines are approved for emergency use, which means they werent subject to years of further testing before release. They were each tested in clinical trials with tens of thousands of participants. All three vaccines have the same common side effects, including soreness, fever, muscle aches, headaches and fatigue. Symptoms generally disappear in 48 hours. Heres what to know about each vaccine: Pifizer-BioNTech: Two shots, 21 days apart. It was 95% effective in clinical trials at preventing people from getting sick. Its approved for use in people 16 and older. Ingredients: messenger ribonucleic acid, lipids ((4-hydroxybutyl)azanediyl)bis(hexane-6,1-diyl)bis(2-hexyldecanoate), 2 [(polyethylene glycol)-2000]-N,N-ditetradecylacetamide, 1,2-Distearoyl-sn-glycero-3- phosphocholine, and cholesterol), potassium chloride, monobasic potassium phosphate, sodium chloride, dibasic sodium phosphate dihydrate, and sucrose. Moderna: Two shots, 28 days apart. It was 94% effective in clinical trials. Approved for use in adults 18 and older. Ingredients: messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), lipids (SM-102, polyethylene glycol [PEG] 2000 dimyristoyl glycerol [DMG], cholesterol, and 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine [DSPC]), tromethamine, tromethamine hydrochloride, acetic acid, sodium acetate, and sucrose. Johnson & Johnson. One shot. Clinical trials showed it was 75% effective in the United States. Approved for adults 18 years and older. Ingredients: recombinant, replication-incompetent adenovirus type 26 expressing the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, citric acid monohydrate, trisodium citrate dihydrate, ethanol, 2-hydroxypropyl--cyclodextrin (HBCD), polysorbate-80, sodium chloride. READ MORE Covid vaccine site at NY State Fairgrounds to run 24 hours a day, add thousands of appointments Biden vows enough Covid-19 vaccine for all US adults by end of May Onondaga Countys vaccine supply more than triples this week Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Good news for Rep. Kevin McCarthy, and Sens. Tom Cotton and Marsha Blackburn: The BART expansion congressional Republicans branded as "Pelosi's Subway" will not be receiving federal funds in the Senate COVID-19 relief bill. On Tuesday evening, Pelosi spokesperson Drew Hammil sent news outlets a statement announcing that Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough who also nixed the Democrats' proposal for a $15 federal minimum wage had ruled that the BART extension into Silicon Valley is a "pilot project" and, therefore, cannot be included in the package. Democrats had hoped to use budget reconciliation to pass the package with 50 votes and bypass the 60-vote threshold required for new legislation. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) holds a news conference to announce legislation that would tax the net worth of America's wealthiest individuals at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on March 1, 2021. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Warrens Ultra-Millionaire Tax Proposal Dangerous, Barrasso Charges Proposal would impose 2 percent tax on households with over $50 million A top Senate Republican on Tuesday criticized an effort by Democrats to introduce a wealth tax. Were fighting every day to stop these ridiculous policies, Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), a member of the upper chambers GOP leadership, said on Fox Business Mornings With Maria. Theyre not just radical and extreme; theyre dangerous and they are scary. What Elizabeth Warren is talking about is not just raising taxes, shes talking about actually going out there and confiscating wealth, money that people have already earned and paid taxes on. So its tax raises on steroids. This is awful, he added. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) on Monday unveiled legislation that would require American households and trusts valued at between $50 million and $1 billion to pay a 2 percent annual tax. All fortunes valued over $1 billion would be hit with a 3 percent annual tax. The legislation would level the playing field and narrow the racial wealth gap, Warrens office said. We need to turn to infrastructure, childcare, pre-K, college. We need to turn to the things that create investment and opportunity going forward and to do that, a wealth tax is the best way to pay for it, Warren, a former Democrat presidential candidate, told reporters during a press briefing. Barrasso knocked the proposal. Youre talking about the road to socialism, he said. Thats where the Democrats want to take this country. Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) speaks during a hearing in Washington on Feb. 24, 2021. (Sarah Silbiger/Pool Photo via AP) The tax idea hasnt been backed by President Joe Biden. But Warren has on multiple occasions said that it would contribute to supporting his Build Back Better agenda. White House press secretary Jen Psaki noted on Monday that Biden will, as part of the next package of legislation, ensure wealthy Americans pay their fair share. Addressing the inequities in the tax code is something he talked about as part of the Build Back Better agenda and something he remains committed to, Psaki said during a briefing. He has a lot of respect for Senator Warren and is aligned in the goal of making sure the ultra-wealthy and big corporations finally pay their fair share. Warren and the other Democrats claim the proposal is estimated to generate at least $3 trillion in revenue over 10 years, citing a Feb. 24 analysis from University of California-Berkeley economists Emmanuel Saez and Gabriel Zucman. Other economists have figured the tax would only generate $75 billion over a decade. Critics of the lawmakers proposal question whether it is permitted by the U.S. Constitution. They also say the federal government would have difficulty calculating and enforcing the tax, and that would in turn discourage investment. Warren has defended her proposals constitutionality, pointing to estate taxes as precedent for wealth evaluation. I am completely confident that this is a constitutionally responsible way to do this, Warren told reporters in Washington. We have included in the package, multiple letters from scholars who are confident that there are no constitutional issues here. BERLIN For the first time in its postwar history, Germany has placed its main opposition party under surveillance, one of the most dramatic steps yet by a Western democracy to protect itself from the onslaught of far-right forces that have upset politics from Europe to the United States. The decision by the domestic intelligence agency will now allow it to tap phones and other communications and monitor the movements of members of the far-right Alternative for Germany party, which not only sits in the Federal Parliament but has become entrenched at all levels of politics in nearly every part of the nation. It is among the most sweeping efforts yet to deal with the rise of far-right and neo-Nazi political movements within Western democracies, which are attempting more vigorously to constrain, ostracize or even legally prosecute those elements to prevent them from chipping away at the foundations of democratic institutions. News of the move came on the same day that France banned Generation Identity, a militant youth movement considered dangerous for its slick rebranding of neo-Nazi concepts, and as lawmakers in the European Parliament in Brussels forced the party of Hungarys semi-authoritarian leader Viktor Orban out of the mainstream conservative group. You just have to wonder how many meetings took place, that allowed a toy company to decide to create a Nazi themed toy car, complete with Nazi symbols and likenesses of two German high officers. The toy replicas of vehicles used by the Third Reich were created and released by Polish firm COBI Toys. The toys were then pulled from shelves this week. According to the Jewish News, the toy included Mercedes cars used by the Nazis, replete with swastikas, mini-toy figures depicting Wehrmacht leader Field Marshal Paulus, as well as German Admiral and Chief of the military intelligence, Wilhelm Franz Canaris. According to Toybook, one product listing notes Adolf Hitlers affection for the vehicle. After the toys were pulled, the owner of the company, Robert Podles issued an online apology. ADVERTISEMENT A recent set of ours was posted on our social media sites and featured the names and likenesses of two German high officers. This was a first for us and will be the last. We realized some had taken offense and now fully understand the implications to some. We have already stopped the sale of these sets and we will not offer them in the future. We have also realized that we are not doing a thorough job in reviewing the comments and third-party posts on our social media accounts. Certain people are changing, customizing our products, and posting content that is obviously offensive and repulsive. They should have been condemned and removed immediately. This is an error in staffing and training that we are fixing immediately. I am ashamed that it has taken us this long to address this problem. He said his company produced items for people who wanted to educate themselves about whatever set they were building, but unfortunately, we did not do a particularly good job of explaining this goal through our products and recent actions. I apologize. I believe in fighting antisemitism in all forms. Employees working at an FDI business in Vietnam. Photo by Reuters/Kham. Vietnam is expected to garner interest from investors pulling out of Myanmar due to the military coup and looking for alternative Southeast Asian bases. "Once borders open up after the pandemic, and Asian investors return physically to Vietnam, I believe it will be a feeding frenzy and you will see deal activity erupt, pushing Vietnam to the top of the list of emerging markets attracting foreign investment," Field Pickering, head of venture investing at Singapore-based Vulpes Investment Management, which has interests in Myanmar, said. The coup on February 1 has resulted in the stock market and banks being closed and telephone and internet access suspended in major cities. Myanmar has been in chaos since the army seized power and detained elected government leader Aung San Suu Kyi and much of her party leadership on February 1, alleging fraud in a November election her party won in a landslide. Dave Richards, managing partner of impact investor Capria Ventures, told DealStreetAsia: "Investor money that might have gone into Myanmar will not be going there. The countries around the region will benefit." The U.S. company had planned to invest up to $8 million in several countries in February last year with a focus on Myanmar, but it postponed the plan and is set to make its first investment in Vietnam this year. In the last five years the Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam subregion has achieved average annual GDP growth of around 6 percent, much higher than the rest of Southeast Asia. FDI flows into the four countries grew by 6.3 percent in 2019, and 55.9 percent in the case of Myanmar. But all this could stop because of the coup. Andrew Durke, chief operating officer of Cambodia-based Obor Capital, said investors could shift from a Myanmar-only to a regional strategy. "For investors with set investment mandates in Southeast Asia and purely looking for financial returns, Vietnam remains a strong option for the same reasons that made it attractive in the past 5-10 years." Dutch development bank FMO said Vietnam has already built a business ecosystem that facilitates investments from companies moving part of their supply chain out of China. Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Arsen Avakov states that the sanctions imposed at the meeting of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) on February 19 are justified by relevant documents, a number of criminal proceedings on the Samara-Western Direction oil product pipeline are investigated by the police. "What was provided convinced me. There are several criminal proceedings on the same pipe, which we also have, including ... By the decision of Rivne Regional Court, it was determined that this pipe did not belong to Ukraine, and it was taken away ... And it now does not belong to Ukraine. Now imagine: all these years these comrades have been using this pipe, a huge number of cases in one way or another have been rebuffed in the judicial system, because there was a lot of money on that side and a lot of political and additional interest," Avakov said on the air of the program "Visiting Gordon" on Tuesday. "And now Zelensky has found the will and he said: let's stop this," the Ministry of Internal Affairs emphasized. According to Avakov, the head of state "did not hesitate - as soon as he got acquainted with the facts, he said that this is a nightmare." As reported, the NSDC of Ukraine instructed the Cabinet of Ministers to take the necessary measures to preserve and operate a part of oil product pipelines passing through the territory of Ukraine. Law enforcement agencies have been tasked with finding out the circumstances under which state property ended up in private hands. The Ukrainian segment of the aforementioned pipeline belongs to Rivne-based PrykarpatZakhidtrans, which operates the pipeline's section of around 1,100 kilometers intended to ship diesel fuel from Russia to Belarus both for Ukraine's domestic needs and for Europe-bound transit, including to Hungary. The pipeline's annual design capacity is 3.5 million tonnes. Until 2016, PrykarpatZakhidtrans was a subsidiary of Russian Transneft's JSC Transnefteproduct. In February 2016, Transneft sold PrykarpatZakhidtrans to Swiss company International Trading Partners AG. Subsequently, in March 2019, the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine allowed the Oil Bitumen Plant production unitary enterprise to gain control over PrykarpatZakhidtrans LLC. PrykarpatZakhidtrans LLC, which has a charter capital of UAH 105.563 million, is owned by Oil Bitumen Plant (51%), International Trading Partners (48%), and Anatoliy Shefer (1%). SBU said in February 2021 that, together with NABU, it documented unlawful steps taken by an expert who facilitated the removal of this strategic facility of oil and gas infrastructure from state property. NABU added that the suspect had intentionally compiled an inaccurate report that misled the Rivne region's Economic Court in August 2017 into declining to recognize the aforementioned part of the Samara-Western Direction oil product pipeline as a Ukrainian state-owned asset. The NABU explained that the trunk pipeline in question was built back in Soviet times and, after Ukraine proclaimed independence, should have been transferred to state ownership based on the right of succession. Meanwhile, the subsidiary of Russian company Transnefteproduct did not hand over the aforementioned pipeline to Ukraine. In 2011, the Economic Court of Rivne region recognized Ukraine as the owner of this section of the Samara-Western Direction oil product pipeline that runs through Ukrainian territory. The Appellate Court and the Higher Economic Court upheld this decision in 2014-2015. However, because of the expert's conclusions, the Economic Court of Rivne region overturned this ruling allegedly due to new circumstances. Subsequently, in 2017, the same court recognized PrykarpatZakhidtrans as the owner of the pipeline's section on the basis of a deliberately false conclusion presented by experts from liquidated UkrGIAP, former Institute of Nitrogen Industry and Organic Synthesis Products. PrykarpatZakhidtrans posted revenue of UAH 253.9 million in 2019, UAH 319.5 million in 2018, and UAH 262 million in 2017. A number of media outlets called the politician and businessman Viktor Medveduchk one of the beneficiaries of the Samara-Western Direction oil product pipeline. At the same time, the Opposition Platform - For Life party stated that Medvedchuk and his family members did not have and have no relation to the oil product pipeline. The project is funded by Edge Vietnam with consultation in financial investment and management from Edge Plus Holdings Pte (Singapore). Song Binh solar farm is in Song Binh Commune, Bac Binh District, Binh Thuan Province, an area with the highest solar power potential in the country based on a high average of sunny hours and stable heat radiation. The farm was set up from early November 2020, with a capacity of 10 MWp. Solar panels at Song Binh farm in Binh Thuan Province. Photo courtesy of Song Binh. At the grand opening, Edge Vietnam signed a cooperation agreement with WOSS Cooperation to provide smart battery systems to safely and efficiently store solar power, providing its clients with consistent electrical supply when sunlight is limited or unavailable. In addition, Edge VN and Edge Plus Singapore are looking for opportunities to develop smart solar power plants across Vietnam in the near future. The solar farm is supported by cutting-edge technologies, including Sun Power solar panels from the United States and solar optimizers from WOSS Cooperation. The solar optimizers are integrated with AI technology and Edge Computing to maximize electricity output. Speaking at the opening, Do Van Loc, Deputy Chairman of National High Technology Program, praised WOSS Cooperation for its use of benchmark-setting technologies in the project and expressed his hope of seeing more of its use at other solar farms. "Song Binh rooftop solar farm is proud to be an IoT-enabled solar farm leading the Vietnamese renewable energy industry. Building and developing a solar farm like Song Binh not only promotes local economic development, but also contributes to the climate change fight by promoting clean energy," a project representative said. Song Binh solar farm aims to meet the surging demand of clean energy in Vietnam. According to Vietnam Electricity group EVN, the current total installed capacity for solar power projects connected to the national power system is nearly 9,296 MWp, accounting for up to 25 percent. At least 38 people died Wednesday in the "bloodiest" day of Myanmar's crisis, the United Nations said, as the military junta defied growing international condemnation of its coup with a violent crackdown that the US said left it "appalled and revulsed." Myanmar has been in turmoil since February 1 when the military ousted and detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, ending the nation's decade-long experiment with democracy and sparking daily mass protests. International pressure is mounting: Western powers have repeatedly hit the generals with sanctions, Britain has called for a United Nations Security Council meeting on Friday, and after Wednesday's deaths, the United States said it was considering further action. But the junta has so far ignored the global condemnation, responding to the uprising with escalating strength. "Only today, 38 people died," UN envoy to Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener told reporters on Wednesday, adding that more than 50 people had died in total since the military takeover, with many more wounded. "Today was the bloodiest day since the coup happened," she noted, without providing any further details, including a breakdown of the deaths. She called for the UN to take "very strong measures" against the generals, adding that in her conversations with them, they had dismissed the threat of sanctions. "I will keep going on, we will not give up," she said. The violence left the United States "appalled and revulsed," State Department spokesman Ned Price said, telling reporters: "We call on all countries to speak with one voice to condemn the brutal violence by the Burmese military against its own people." He singled out China, a frequent US adversary that Myanmar's military has historically considered its main ally. "China does have influence in the region. It does have influence with the military junta. We have called upon the Chinese to use that influence in a constructive way, in a way that advances the interests of the people of Burma," Price said, using another name for Myanmar. Story continues And he said the United States, which has imposed sanctions on junta leaders, was looking at further actions. - 'Democracy is our cause' - Earlier, AFP recorded at least 17 deaths across Myanmar on Wednesday, with Monywa in the central Sagaing region registering at least seven, according to a doctor. Medics also said they saw two other individuals being dragged away by security forces but could not confirm if they had died. On the outskirts of commercial hub Yangon, at least six demonstrators died, according to a rescue worker and local journalist, as protesters blocked major roads. Near the famed Sule pagoda intersection, protesters pasted print-outs of junta leader Min Aung Hlaing's face on the ground -- a tactic aimed at slowing down security forces who will avoid standing on the portraits. In Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city, two demonstrators were killed, a doctor confirmed to AFP, adding that one of the victims aged 19 was shot in the head. Another 19-year-old protester died after being shot in Salin. "They shouldn't have used such lethal force against the peaceful protesters," said his friend Min Pyae Phyo, through tears. "I won't forget and forgive them the rest of my life." And a demonstration in Myingyan turned deadly when security forces fired against protesters carrying red home-made shields emblazoned with the three-finger salute -- a symbol of resistance. Several medics confirmed a young man was gunned down. Local media in northern Kachin state also reported similar scenes of violence. In Dawei Wednesday, one gunshot victim from Sunday, when 18 people were killed across the country, was cremated. Mourners held floral wreaths and portraits of Lwin Lwin Oo, 33, as coffin bearers were flanked by hundreds chanting: "We are united... Democracy is our cause." - Journalists charged - Wednesday's violence came on the heels of news that six Myanmar journalists would be charged under a law prohibiting "causing fear, spreading false news, or agitating directly or indirectly a government employee", according to their lawyer Tin Zar Oo. Among them is Associated Press photographer Thein Zaw, who was arrested Saturday as he covered an anti-coup demonstration in Yangon. Video emerged on Wednesday of him being held in a chokehold by police as he was handcuffed. The other five are from Myanmar Now, Myanmar Photo Agency, 7Day News, Zee Kwet Online News and a freelancer. They face up to three years in jail. The United States called for their release and was "forcefully making clear" that their detention was "unacceptable," Price said. Burgener said that the generals had told her they would hold elections in "one year." But she also said she had not been able to speak directly with the leaders since February 15, communicating only in writing since then. She said she sent a "long letter" directly to the army's number two Soe Win on Sunday but had not yet heard back, though she did receive information from the army daily. And she said she had not yet been granted permission to visit the country. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) monitoring group, more than 1,200 people have been arrested since the coup, with about 900 still behind bars or facing charges. But the real number is likely far higher -- state-run media reported more than 1,300 people were arrested on Sunday alone. bur-prh-st/to SHANGHAI, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Boqii Holding Limited ("Boqii" or the "Company") (NYSE: BQ), a leading pet-focused platform in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2021 (the quarter ended December 31, 2020). Fiscal Q3 2021 Operational and Financial Highlights Total revenues were RMB312.9 million ( US$48.0 million ), an increase of 23.2% from RMB254.1 million in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. were ( ), an increase of 23.2% from in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. Net loss was RMB81.9 million ( US$12.6 million ), compared to net loss of RMB56.4 million in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. was ( ), compared to net loss of in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. Adjusted net loss was RMB30.5 million ( US$4.7million ), representing a decrease of 49.8% from the adjusted net loss of RMB60.8 million in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. was ( ), representing a decrease of 49.8% from the adjusted net loss of in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. EBITDA [1] was a loss of RMB79.2 million ( US$12.1 million ), representing a 109.2% setback from a loss of RMB37.9 million in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. was a loss of ( ), representing a 109.2% setback from a loss of in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. Total GMV [2] was RMB763.8 million ( US$117.1 million ), an increase of 51.5% from RMB504.0 million in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. was ( ), an increase of 51.5% from in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. Active buyers were 1.5 million, an increase of 21.0% from 1.3 million in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. CEO & CFO Quote "Solid Q3 results were a testament to Boqii's relentless efforts on execution and user engagement," said Mr. Hao Liang, Boqii's Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We continued to influence pet parents with an extensive and appealing selection of content and products, fostering stronger user bonding and stickiness. We endeavor to build a pet ecosystem that provides full lifecycle coverage and a seamlessly integrated online and offline channel that offers an unparalleled customer experience." Ms. Yingzhi (Lisa) Tang, Boqii's Co-Founder, Co-CEO and CFO commented: "We had another strong quarter, generating solid operational and financial results. Total revenues grew 23.2% year over year to RMB312.9 million. Adjusted net loss improved significantly from RMB60.8 million in the same quarter of last fiscal year to RMB30.5 million. Notably, during the quarter we considerably improved our operating efficiency, manifested in lower fulfillment cost and reduced inventory turnover days. As a result, our adjusted net loss decreased by 49.8% year-on-year to RMB30.5 million. These results demonstrated our strong execution and potential to translate promising topline growth to profitability. Looking ahead, we will continue to drive rapid growth by expanding user reach and providing all-round user care. This will deliver differentiated growth by attracting high value customers in a large growing addressable market, thus further consolidating our position as an industry leader." [1]EBITDA refers to net loss excluding income tax expenses, interest expense, interest income, depreciation and amortization expenses, but including all the professional expenses in relation to initial public offering. EBITDA is a Non-GAAP financial measurement. Please refer to "Non-GAAP financial measurement". [2]GMV refers to gross merchandise volume, which is the total value of confirmed orders placed with us and sold through distribution model or drop shipping model where we act as a principal in the transaction regardless of whether the products are delivered or returned, calculated based on the listed prices of the ordered products without taking into consideration any discounts. The total GMV amount (i) includes GMV of products sold by Xingmu, (ii) excludes products sold through consignment model and (iii) excludes the value of services offered by us. GMV is subject to future adjustments (such as refunds) and represents only one measure of the Company's performance and should not be relied on as an indicator of our financial results, which depend on a variety of factors. Fiscal Third Quarter Financial Results Total revenues were RMB312.9 million (US$48.0 million), representing an increase of 23.2% from RMB254.1 million in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. The increase was primarily due to the continued organic growth of our business. Revenues (in RMB million) 2020 Dec. Quarter 2019 Dec. Quarter % change YoY Revenues from product sales 312.3 253.3 23.3 Boqii Mall 114.1 91.3 25.0 Third party e-commerce platforms 198.2 162.0 22.4 Revenues from online marketing and information services 0.6 0.8 (29.9) Total 312.9 254.1 23.2 Gross profit was RMB56.1 million (US$8.6 million), an increase of 19.0% from RMB47.2 million in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. Gross margin was 17.9%, compared with 18.6% in the same quarter of fiscal 2020. Operating expenses were RMB150.5 million, an increase of 67.3% from RMB90.0 million in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. Operating expenses as a percentage of total revenues was 48.1%, compared to 35.4% in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. The increase was primarily due to share-based compensation expenses, amounting to RMB51.4 million. Pursuant to the Amended and Restated 2018 Global Share Plan, the performance condition for options granted thereunder was satisfied upon completion of the first public offering; and as a result, the company, upon the completion of this offering, recorded RMB44.1 million of cumulative share-based compensation expenses for those options for which the vesting conditions have been satisfied as of such date. For the three months ended December 31, 2020, additional RMB7.3 million of share-based compensation expense was recorded. Fulfillment Expenses were RMB33.6 million , a decrease of 7.9% from RMB36.5 million in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. Fulfillment expenses as a percentage of total revenues were 10.7 %, compared to 14.3% in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. The decrease was mainly due to: (i) the improved utilization of warehouses by adjusting inventory mix; (ii) relocation of warehouses across China to be more cost-efficient; and (iii) lower delivery service prices through renegotiation with third-party delivery service providers. were , a decrease of 7.9% from in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. Fulfillment expenses as a percentage of total revenues were 10.7 %, compared to 14.3% in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. The decrease was mainly due to: (i) the improved utilization of warehouses by adjusting inventory mix; (ii) relocation of warehouses across to be more cost-efficient; and (iii) lower delivery service prices through renegotiation with third-party delivery service providers. Sales and marketing expenses were RMB55.1 million , an increase of 53.2% from RMB36.0 million in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. Sales and marketing expenses as a percentage of total revenue were 17.6%, compared to 14.2% in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. The increase was primarily due to share-based compensation expense of RMB 11.6 million . were , an increase of 53.2% from in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. Sales and marketing expenses as a percentage of total revenue were 17.6%, compared to 14.2% in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. The increase was primarily due to share-based compensation expense of . General and administrative expenses were RMB61.8 million , an increase of 252.7% from RMB17.5 million in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. General and administrative expenses as a percentage of total revenue were 19.8%, compared to 6.9% in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. The increase was primarily due to share-based compensation expense of RMB 39.8 million . Operating loss[3] was RMB93.6 million (US$14.3 million), an increase of 119.0% compared to RMB42.7 million in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. EBITDA[4] was a loss of RMB79.2 million (US$12.1 million), representing a 109.2% setback from a loss of RMB37.9 million in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. Net loss was RMB81.9 million (US$12.6 million), compared to net loss of RMB56.4 million in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. Adjusted net loss was RMB30.5 million (US$4.7million), representing a decrease of 49.8% from the adjusted net loss of RMB60.8 million in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. Diluted net earnings per share was RMB1.61 (US$0.25), compared to diluted net loss per share of RMB4.12 in the same quarter of fiscal year 2020. Total cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments were RMB475.4 million (US$72.9 million), compared to RMB127.8 million in the second quarter of fiscal year 2021. [3] Impacted by share-based compensation expenses of RMB51.4 million, RMB44.1 million of which were incurred upon the completion of our initial public offering. [4] Impacted by share-based compensation expenses of RMB51.4 million, RMB44.1 million of which were incurred upon the completion of our initial public offering. Conference Call Boqii's management will hold a conference call to discuss the financial results at 8:00 AM on Wednesday, March 3, 2021, U.S. Eastern Time (9:00 PM on Wednesday, March 3, 2021, Beijing/Hong Kong Time). To join the conference, please dial in 15 minutes before the conference is scheduled to begin using below numbers. Phone Number International 1-412-317-6061 United States 1-888-317-6003 Hong Kong 852 800-963976 Mainland China 86 4001-206115 Passcode 6025289 A replay of the conference call may be accessed by phone at the following numbers until March 10, 2021. Phone Number International 1-412-317-0088 United States 1-877-344-7529 Replay Access Code 10152708 A live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the Company's investor relations website at http://ir.boqii.com/. About Boqii Holding Limited Boqii Holding Limited (NYSE: BQ) is China's largest pet-focused platform We are the leading online destination for pet products and supplies in China with our broad selection of high-quality products including global leading brands, local emerging brands, and our own private label, Yoken and Mocare, offered at competitive prices. Our online sales platforms, including Boqii Mall and our flagship stores on third-party e-commerce platforms, provide customers with convenient access to a wide selection of high-quality pet products and an engaging and personalized shopping experience. Our Boqii Community provides an informative and interactive content platform for users to share their knowledge and love for pets. Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "target," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "potential," "continue," "is/are likely to" or other similar expressions. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual reports to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Further information regarding such risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law. Non-GAAP Financial Measures The Company uses non-GAAP financial measures, namely adjusted net loss, EBITDA and EBITDA margin, in evaluating its operating results and for financial and operational decision-making purposes. The Company defines (i) adjusted net loss as net loss excluding fair value change of derivative liabilities and share-based compensation expenses, (ii) EBITDA as net loss excluding income tax expenses, interest expense, interest income, depreciation and amortization expenses, and (iii) EBITDA margin as EBITDA as a percentage of total revenues. The Company believes adjusted net loss, EBITDA and EBITDA margin enhance investors' overall understanding of its financial performance and allow for greater visibility with respect to key metrics used by its management in its financial and operational decision-making. These non-GAAP financial measures are not defined under U.S. GAAP and are not presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. As these non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as analytical tools and may not be calculated in the same manner by all companies, they may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures used by other companies. The Company compensates for these limitations by reconciling the non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest U.S. GAAP performance measures, which should be considered when evaluating the Company's performance. For reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, please see the section of the accompanying tables titled, "Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results." The Company encourages investors and others to review its financial information in its entirety and not rely on any single financial measure. Exchange Rate This press release contains translations of certain RMB amounts into U.S. dollars ("USD") at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise stated, all translations from RMB to USD were made at the rate of RMB6.5250 to US$1.00, the noon buying rate in effect on December 31, 2020 in the H.10 statistical release of the Federal Reserve Board. The Company makes no representation that the RMB or USD amounts referred to could be converted into USD or RMB, as the case may be, at any particular rate or at all. For investor and media inquiries, please contact: In China: Boqii Holding Limited Investor Relations Tel: +86-21-6882-6051 Email: [email protected] The Blueshirt Group Ms. Susie Wang Email: [email protected] In the United States: The Blueshirt Group Ms. Julia Qian Email: [email protected] BOQII HOLDING LIMITED UNAUDITED INTERIM CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data, unless otherwise noted) As of March 31, 2020 As of December 31, 2020 As of December 31, 2020 RMB RMB US$ ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents 88,352 363,858 55,764 Short-term investments - 111,576 17,100 Accounts receivable, net 44,980 35,756 5,480 Inventories, net 63,056 85,588 13,117 Prepayments and other current assets 76,720 131,955 20,223 Amounts due from related parties 5,982 8,326 1,276 Total current assets 279,090 737,059 112,960 Non-current assets: Property and equipment, net 4,981 7,525 1,153 Intangible assets 33,538 30,537 4,680 Operating lease right-of-use assets 14,951 31,074 4,762 Long-term investments 73,432 74,970 11,490 Goodwill 40,184 40,184 6,158 Other non-current asset 11,019 3,372 517 Total non-current assets 178,105 187,662 28,760 Total assets 457,195 924,721 141,720 LIABILITIES, MEZZANINE EQUITY AND SHAREHOLDERS' DEFICIT Current liabilities Short-term borrowings 75,223 44,598 6,835 Accounts payable 88,005 67,884 10,404 Salary and welfare payable 4,465 6,987 1,071 Accrued liabilities and other current liabilities 37,883 43,160 6,615 Amounts due to related parties, current 45 1,920 294 Other debts, current 76,252 - - Contract liabilities 7,702 6,638 1,017 Operating lease liabilities, current 7,969 8,123 1,245 Derivative liabilities 14,351 10,956 1,679 Total current liabilities 311,895 190,266 29,160 Non-current liabilities Deferred tax liabilities 10,591 9,586 1,469 Operating lease liabilities, non-current 5,375 21,205 3,250 Long-term borrowings 53,148 71,227 10,916 Other debts, non-current 165,774 427,123 65,459 Amounts due to related parties, non-current 11,521 - - Total non-current liabilities 246,409 529,141 81,094 Total liabilities 558,304 719,407 110,254 Mezzanine equity Series A convertible redeemable preferred shares (US$ 0.001 par value; 11,000,000 shares authorized, 10,340,000 and nil shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2020, respectively) 484,122 - - Series B convertible redeemable preferred shares Series B convertible redeemable preferred shares (US$ 0.001 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized, 9,067,384 and nil shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2020, respectively) 527,682 - - Series C convertible redeemable preferred shares (US$ 0.001 par value; 6,000,000 shares authorized, 5,518,101 and nil shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2020, respectively) 420,419 - - Series D convertible redeemable preferred shares (US$ 0.001 par value; 3,000,000 and 0 shares authorized, 2,526,026 and nil shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2020, respectively) 188,183 - - Series D-1 convertible redeemable preferred shares (US$ 0.001 par value; 3,000,000 shares authorized, 2,178,530 and nil shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2020, respectively) 164,282 - - Series D-2 convertible redeemable preferred shares (US$ 0.001 par value; 2,000,000 shares authorized, 1,182,803 and nil shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2020, respectively) 89,464 - - Series E convertible redeemable preferred shares (US$ 0.001 par value;3,000,000 and 7,000,000 shares authorized, 1,042,623 and nil shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2020, respectively) 78,553 - - Redeemable non-controlling interests - 5,808 890 Receivable for issuance of preferred shares (94,758) - - Total mezzanine equity 1,857,947 5,808 890 Stockholders' equity/(deficit): Ordinary Shares (US$0.001 par value;153,000,000 ordinary shares authorized and 22,238,454 issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2020; nil shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2020) 139 - - Class A ordinary shares (US$0.001 par value; nil shares authorized, issued and outstanding shares as of March 31, 2020; 129,500,000 shares authorized, 55,860,157 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2020) - 404 62 Class B ordinary shares (US$0.001 par value; nil shares authorized, issued and outstanding shares as of March 31, 2020; 15,000,000 shares authorized, 12,204,604 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2020) - 82 13 Additional paid-in capital - 3,300,358 505,802 Statutory reserves 2,627 2,891 443 Accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) 11,204 (23,180) (3,552) Accumulated deficit (2,016,758) (2,718,965) (416,700) Receivable for issuance of ordinary shares (9) (407,962) (62,523) Total Boqii Holding Limited shareholders' equity/(deficit) (2,002,797) 153,628 23,545 Non-controlling interests 43,741 45,878 7,031 Total shareholders' equity/(deficit) (1,959,056) 199,506 30,576 Total liabilities, mezzanine equity and shareholders' deficit 457,195 924,721 141,720 Notes for all the condensed consolidated financial schedules presented: Note 1: The conversion of Renminbi (RMB) into U.S. dollars (USD) is based on the certified exchange rate of USD1.00=RMB6.5250 on December 31, 2020 published by the Federal Reserve Board. BOQII HOLDING LIMITED UNAUDITED INTERIM CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE LOSS (All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data, unless otherwise noted) Three Months Ended December 31, Nine Months Ended December 31, 2019 2020 2020 2019 2020 2020 RMB RMB US$ RMB RMB US$ Net revenues: Product sales 253,295 312,371 47,873 611,334 778,186 119,262 Online marketing and information services 791 555 85 2,297 2,368 363 Total revenues 254,086 312,926 47,958 613,631 780,554 119,625 Total cost of revenue (206,904) (256,784) (39,354) (485,708) (638,507) (97,856) Gross profit 47,182 56,142 8,604 127,923 142,047 21,769 Operating expenses: Fulfillment expenses (36,451) (33,557) (5,143) (91,946) (96,225) (14,747) Sales and marketing expenses (35,977) (55,107) (8,446) (103,340) (121,393) (18,604) General and administrative expenses (17,523) (61,811) (9,473) (44,457) (95,376) (14,617) Other income, net 34 740 113 2,391 1,045 160 Loss from operations (42,735) (93,593) (14,345) (109,429) (169,902) (26,039) Interest income 130 5,471 838 348 11,674 1,789 Interest expense (17,212) (6,990) (1,071) (41,555) (20,549) (3,149) Other (losses)/gain, net (1,196) 12,552 1,924 (2,701) 16,328 2,502 Fair value change of derivative liabilities 4,417 - - 5,850 10,409 1,595 Loss before income tax expenses (56,596) (82,560) (12,654) (147,487) (152,040) (23,302) Income taxes expenses 122 603 92 202 412 63 Share of results of equity investees 64 22 3 (486) (55) (8) Net loss (56,410) (81,935) (12,559) (147,771) (151,683) (23,247) Less: Net income attributable to the non-controlling interest shareholders 1,395 1,242 190 3,611 2,138 328 Net loss attributable to Boqii Holding Limited (57,805) (83,177) (12,749) (151,382) (153,821) (23,575) Less: Accretion on convertible redeemable preferred shares to redemption value (33,794) 195,935 30,028 (156,004) 120,873 18,525 Less: Deemed dividend to preferred shareholders - - - (741) (12,547) (1,923) Net income/(loss) attributable to Boqii Holding Limited's ordinary shareholders (91,599) 112,758 17,279 (308,127) (45,495) (6,973) Net loss (56,410) (81,935) (12,559) (147,771) (151,683) (23,247) Other comprehensive income/(loss): Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of nil tax (839) (24,062) (3,688) 1,729 (35,579) (5,453) Unrealized securities holding gains 1,960 - - 2,291 1,195 183 Total comprehensive loss (55,289) (105,997) (16,245) (143,751) (186,067) (28,517) Less: Total comprehensive loss attributable to non- controlling interest shareholders 1,395 1,242 190 3,611 2,138 328 Total comprehensive loss attributable to Boqii Holding Limited (56,684) (107,239) (16,435) (147,362) (188,205) (28,845) Net earnings/(loss) per share attributable to Boqii Holding Limited's ordinary shareholders basic (4.12) 1.68 0.26 (13.86) (0.68) (0.10) diluted (4.12) 1.61 0.25 (13.86) (0.68) (0.10) Weighted average number of ordinary shares basic 22,238,454 67,156,580 67,156,580 22,238,454 67,156,580 67,156,580 diluted 22,238,454 70,041,375 70,041,375 22,238,454 67,156,580 67,156,580 Notes for all the condensed consolidated financial schedules presented: Note 1: The conversion of Renminbi (RMB) into U.S. dollars (USD) is based on the certified exchange rate of USD1.00=RMB6.5250 on December 31, 2020 published by the Federal Reserve Board. Boqii Holding Limited Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results (In thousands) Three Months Ended December 31, Nine Months Ended December 31, 2019 2020 2019 2020 RMB RMB RMB RMB Net loss (56,410) (81,935) (147,771) (151,683) Fair value change of derivative liabilities (4,417) - (5,850) (10,409) Share-based compensation - 51,422 - 51,422 Adjusted Net loss (60,827) (30,513) (153,621) (110,670) Three Months Ended December 31, Nine Months Ended December 31, 2019 2020 2019 2020 RMB RMB RMB RMB Net loss (56,410) (81,935) (147,771) (151,683) Income tax expenses (122) (603) (202) (412) Interest expenses 17,212 6,990 41,555 20,549 Interest income (130) (5,471) (348) (11,674) Depreciation and amortization 1,581 1,784 3,142 5,135 EBITDA[5] (37,869) (79,235) (103,624) (138,085) EBITDA Margin[6] (14.9%) (25.3%) (16.9%) (17.7%) [5], [6] Impacted by share-based compensation expenses of RMB51.4 million, RMB44.1 million of which were incurred upon the completion of our initial public offering. Notes for all the condensed consolidated financial schedules presented: Note 1: The conversion of Renminbi (RMB) into U.S. dollars (USD) is based on the certified exchange rate of USD1.00=RMB6.5250 on December 31, 2020 published by the Federal Reserve Board. SOURCE Boqii Holding Limited Ghana is expected to take delivery of forty-two (42) million COVID-19 vaccines to inoculate its citizens against the dreaded Coronavirus pandemic. Managing Director of the State Transport Company (STC), Nana Akomea disclosed this in Accra on Tuesday. Ghana has already received 600000 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine - which gained global recognition - on Wednesday, February 24, 2021. President Nana Akufo-Addo and his wife Rebecca Akufo-Addo together with Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Second Lady Samira Bawumia first took the dose on Monday, March 1 publicly. Former President John Dramani Mahama and wife Lordina Mahama have also taken their doses. The vaccines are further to be administered to frontline health workers, media practitioners and government officials. Making his submissions on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', Nana Akomea stated that the vaccines will cover all Ghanaians stressing ''the government is expecting 42 million doses of the vaccine. Out of this 42 million, the United Nations is freely donating about 6 million to Ghana which includes the 600000 that have arrived in the country. So, another 5 million will arrive soon. Then the Government of Ghana will buy the rest''. He believed should about 80 percent of the population get vaccinated, the country will be more safer and life will return to its normal state. He therefore advised Ghanaians to avail themselves to receive the vaccines. ''I'm cocksure the vaccines will cover all Ghanaians. We have to get back to normal. We should be able to meet again and also go about our normal work routines. But because not every person has been vaccinated, we have to continue to wear the masks and observe all COVID-19 protocols. When we're able to vaccinate about 80 to 90 percent, our lives will come back to normal and there will be no need for wearing the masks'', he stated. 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 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! 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. Diplomat Rajesh Vaishnaw has been appointed India's next Ambassador to Morocco, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Wednesday. Vaishnaw, a 1996-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, is currently the High Commissioner of India to Malta. He is expected to take up the assignment shortly, the said in a brief statement. The appointment comes at a time when India- ties are witnessing an upswing. (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.) Williamson, WV (25661) Today A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. High near 80F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Cloudy skies with a few showers after midnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%. North Augusta, SC (29841) Today Mainly sunny to start, then a few afternoon clouds. High 87F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable. Update: A 3-month-old girl who was missing for 10 days was found safe and returned to her family, San Antonio Police said. SAPD did not divulge more details about the case. Original story: San Antonio police are searching for a missing, at-risk 3 month old. Samantha Margarita Reyes was last seen near the 100 block of La Gloria on Feb. 23. Police said she is 20-inches long and weighs 12 pounds with light brown skin, brown eyes and straight brown hair. Officials did not divulge details on the case or say who may have the child. Anyone with information is asked to call the San Antonio Police Department Missing Persons Unit at 210-207-7660. taylor.pettaway@express-news.net A father-of-five who raped his partner's six-month old baby niece and subjected her to a violent and degrading sexual assault has been jailed for 16 years. The 59-year-old Tipperary man recorded himself abusing the baby and also secretly recorded four other girls when they used the bathroom. Sentencing the man on Friday, Mr Justice Alexander Owens said the man's offending involved acting out violent fantasies of having sex with very young children which was highly exploitative. The offending took place over the course of seven months up to August 2019. The man cannot be named in order to protect the identities of the victims. The judge said that while it was open to him to impose a life sentence on the man, he considered a very long custodial sentence would be more proportionate. He handed down a sentence of 18 years but suspended the final two years on a number of conditions. He also ordered the man to undergo six years of post-release supervision, which the judge said was necessary for the protection of the public. In relation to the abuse of the baby, the judge said the man subjected her to a violent and degrading sexual assault which caused her great distress at the time. He said the assault was violent and brutal. In relation to the older children, the judge said the children had looked up to the man and he had engaged in a serious breach of trust. He noted that all of the man's victims may be told about the abuse in the future and suffer psychologically as a result. A local detective previously told Sean Gillane SC, prosecuting, that an anonymous envelope was delivered to a garda station on August 14, 2019, which contained an SD or memory card and a handwritten note. The handwritten note outlined that the memory card contained a clip of an infant being sexually abused by the accused man and asked gardai to arrest "this monster". The detective testified that an examination of the memory card revealed 20 video clips, each lasting three minutes, of female adults and female children using a toilet in a bathroom in the accused's home. The Central Criminal Court heard that four of the video files showed four girls individually using the toilet with their genitals were exposed. The defendant could be seen coming into the bathroom and fixing the position of the camera in the majority of the clips. The court heard that the accused man was in a relationship with a woman since 2012 and the couple would mind her nieces from time to time in the defendant's flat. The woman told gardai that she would occasionally leave the man alone with the young children if she was going to the shops and said she was unaware of events that had taken place. She said the accused had a "pattern" of checking whether the toilet was clean before the children used it. The witness said that three explicit video files had shown the defendant masturbating on the six-month-old infant as she lay in her pram, while another video showed him placing the baby's hands on his genital area and performing oral sex on her. The baby could be heard screaming, making choking noises and crying "intensely" in the videos, the detective said. The man pleaded guilty last year to two counts of oral rape, one count of attempted oral rape and five counts of sexual assault of the then six-month-old baby. He also pleaded guilty to five counts of production of child pornography of the baby and the four older children. He further pleaded guilty to four counts of possession of child pornography at his home in the midlands on dates from February to August 2019. In an emotional victim impact statement, one mother said she was introduced to the accused man seven years ago and welcomed him into their family home. She said she could not believe that the man had done "such horrific things" to her daughters and was grateful that they are young enough to move on with their lives. She said she no longer leaves her children with anyone and knows that she will have to explain to them what happened some day. "He is a monster and is where he should be today," she said. Another mother told the court in her statement that she had trusted the accused and thought he had her children's best interests at heart. "In my worst nightmare I could never have imagined it. I find now that when I need to use the bathroom I'm scanning it to make sure me or the children are not being recorded," she said. Colman Cody SC, defending, said that the level of criminality was impossible to comprehend and the aggravating factors included the disparity in ages between his client and the victims as well as the breach of trust. "There was a degree of planning employed by him and the recording of these incidences provided him with a source of gratification," he said. Counsel said it was quite obvious that the victims do not have any knowledge of what had happened and the harm caused seemed to be "at a minimum, or relatively non-existent". In mitigation, Mr Cody said his client became addicted to cocaine and it had become a destabilising factor in his life. He said his client accepted that he would receive a serious custodial sentence for the offences. Mr Justice Owens said he did not accept that the man's drug-taking was a mitigating factor. He said the man's general character was indifferent and he appeared to have little insight or understanding of the impact of his crimes on his victims. He imposed a number of post-release conditions on the man, including that he complete all available sex offender treatment programmes and not have any children under the age of 18 in his care. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Last Saturday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave the green light for a third COVID-19 vaccine to join the national rollout. Produced by Janssen and Johnson & Johnson, the newest vaccine is a single-shot dose and does not need to be kept at sub-zero temperatures, which should make it easier to distribute. However, the vaccine also has slightly lower rates of effectiveness. The University of Miami Miller School of Medicines infectious disease experts have been following the vaccine rollout closely. The Miller School is serving as a host site for national clinical trials on two out of the three vaccines now in usethe Moderna and Janssen products. Although inoculations for these studies ended in 2020, the full trials last two years and University researchers will follow patients until 2022. Dr. Susanne Doblecki-Lewis is the Universitys lead investigator for the Moderna trial. She is a professor of medicine and clinical director in the Division of Infectious Diseases, as well as the Universitys medical lead on its COVID-19 vaccine task force. Dr. Dushyantha Jayaweera is the Universitys lead investigator for the Janssen trial. He is a professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases and is associate director of the Miami Clinical and Translational Science Institute. The two physicians provided some details about the new vaccine and what it means for the nations vaccine distribution efforts. Many physicians have said that the Janssen vaccine works differently than the strategy used by Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to fend off COVID-19. Can you explain how it is different? Jayaweera Jayaweera: The existing Pfizer and Moderna vaccines use whats called messenger RNA (mRNA) to alert the bodys cells and simulate a COVID-19 infection. The presence of this COVID-19 mRNA prompts the body to produce antibodies against the novel coronavirus. On the other hand, the Janssen vaccine uses inactive particles of a cold virus (called adenovirus), which contain COVID-19 spike protein DNA within them. When the Janssen vaccine is injected into a person, these adenovirus particles attach to the surface of human cells and enter the nucleus. Within the nucleus, the DNA of the COVID-19 spike protein is identified, which prompts the cells to produce mRNA. This mRNA then signals the cell to make spike proteins, which the bodys immune system will identify and then make antibodies to fight off COVID-19 if the person is exposed to it in the future. An advantage of the Janssen vaccine is that it uses DNA that is stable compared to messenger RNA, which are more unstable and break down. Therefore, the Janssen vaccine does not need deep freezing like the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines require. And the distribution of this vaccine across the world is much easier than the other two. Overall, these are two different mechanisms for developing vaccines, but both are very effective for warding off severe COVID-19 infection. Since this vaccine is one dose, does that mean the potential side effects could be stronger with this one? Are there any reported side effects from the trials? Doblecki-Lewis Doblecki-Lewis: The side effects are similar to the side effects reported with the other vaccinesmostly some soreness at the site of injection and some general body aches, fatigue, and malaise are fairly common. It has been reported that the Janssen vaccine is 66 percent effective overall and 72 percent effective in the United States, compared to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which are in the 90 percent range. Why do you think this vaccine is less effective? Jayaweera: You cant compare one to the other because the populations of the clinical trials were different. It is possible that when the Moderna and Pfizer trials were done, it was early on in the pandemic and did not have that many variants in the study population. Doblecki-Lewis: There was a lot more COVID-19 circulating, and more variant strains, when the Janssen vaccine was tested. So, it is important not to get too focused on a specific number. We know that all three vaccines work well, and importantly, protect extremely well against critical illness and death. Ultimately, we want vaccines that save lives, and all three of the available vaccines do this very well. Is there any information about how well this new vaccine protects people from the COVID-19 variants? Doblecki-Lewis: This is difficult to answer because the variants are changing all the time, and the vaccines were not tested under the same conditions. The most reassuring information is that even in South Africa, where most of the infections were with a variant of the virus, the Janssen vaccine provided excellent protection from critical illness and death. Jayaweera: This vaccine is still under an ongoing two-year clinical trial in the United States, Brazil, and South Africa. Its emergency use approval is based on preliminary results, which showed that it is 85 percent effective at preventing severe disease four weeks after vaccination. Since some of these preliminary clinical results occurred in South Africa, we know there is some protection against the B.1.351 South African variant. But we still know very little about how much protection. That will take more time to decipher. Since the Janssen vaccine is one dose and does not have to be stored at such cold temperatures compared to the others, do you think this will help with its distribution, or peoples willingness to take it? Doblecki-Lewis: Yes. The single-dose regimen and easier transportation and storage are a huge advantage for this vaccine compared to the others. It simplifies the process a lot. What would you say to people who are considering getting vaccinated, but do not want to get this new one because its less effective? Doblecki-Lewis: It is much better to get an effective vaccine now than to wait. All three vaccines are safe and highly effective in preventing severe disease and death. Every day, there are tens of thousands of new COVID-19 infections in the United States and thousands of deaths. I strongly recommend that anyone who is offered a vaccine accept the one that is offered first. That is the best strategy, both for the individual and for public health. Sooner is better than later. What are the other vaccines close to getting emergency-use approval soon? Doblecki-Lewis: The next emergency use authorization submissions will probably be from AstraZeneca and Novavax. Do you think that having a third COVID-19 vaccine option will help accelerate the ability of young adults and children to get vaccinated? Doblecki-Lewis: Yes. More options are important and will accelerate the efforts to make vaccines widely available. Experts also noted that when it comes to getting vaccines, people with cancer (or with a history of cancer) can get some of the COVID-19 vaccines, but this depends on many factorssuch as the type of vaccine, the type of cancer a person has (or has had), if they are still being treated for cancer, and if their immune system is working properly. Therefore, it is best to speak with your doctor before getting any type of vaccine. The hunt for the missing case of the Brazil coronavirus variant in England 'should be easy', an expert has said as the Department of Health continues its scramble to find them. A positive test from a home test kit done in mid-February was found to be the mutant P1 strain that officials are desperately trying to control. But Test and Trace officials currently have no idea who the person is. They cannot be sure whether they had even travelled from Brazil and have only narrowed down their search to 379 homes in the South East. Kent and Surrey councils told MailOnline they were not aware of efforts to track the case in their populations, ruling out a third of the region's 9million people. Department of Health officials, who have worked alongside the Royal Mail to find the missing case, have refused to specify their search area. Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist at the University of Reading, said that it should be 'easy' to find the person if they had travelled to Brazil before being diagnosed. But there is no guarantee they did and the fact they didn't give contact details when they posted their swab test could mean they think they're in trouble and don't want to come forward, he said. It is unlikely the person is still infected or able to spread the disease because the test was taken on February 12 or 13 and most people recover within a fortnight. But health chiefs will want to track them down to quiz them on there whereabouts in the past month, to ensure the variant hasn't been spread further. Health Secretary Matt Hancock yesterday gave the first hint officials were getting closer to tracking down the person, who was one of six confirmed cases with the Brazilian P1 variant. The Government has found five out of the six confirmed cases caused by the P1 Brazilian variant but one, somewhere in the South East of England, has still not been identified Health Secretary Matt Hancock yesterday said: 'Our search has narrowed from the whole country down to 379 households in the South East of England and we're contacting each one' He said in the House of Commons: 'We've identified the batch of home test kits in question. 'Our search has narrowed from the whole country down to 379 households in the South East of England and we're contacting each one.' Dr Clarke told MailOnline: '379 isnt an awful lot, youd think it would be very easy to look through and find someone who has been to Brazil. 'Asking a simple question of "have you been to Brazil recently" would rely on people telling the truth, of course. 'Someone who hasnt filled in the form properly might think theyre in trouble... Theres been a lot of publicity around this and, had somebody made a mistake, then the likelihood is they would have put their hands up.' There are concerns the efforts to find the person are going too slowly and beginning too late. If someone has taken a test because they developed symptoms of coronavirus they likely caught the virus around five days earlier, because this is the average time it takes symptoms to develop. STUDY FINDS BRAZIL VARIANT MAY REINFECT 2/3 PEOPLE WITH IMMUNITY A study led by Imperial College London and published online yesterday has found that the Brazil variant of coronavirus may cause reinfection among 61 per cent of people who have already had Covid caused by a different strain. Research on the P1 variant among people living in the Brazilian city of Manaus found potentially high levels of reinfection, and that the variant was more transmissible than the original pandemic strain. British experts have cautioned that the study cannot be used to predict what may happen in the UK. According to the new study, blood testing suggests more than 67 per cent of people in Manaus may have had Covid by October 2020. There was surprise then when the city suffered another huge wave of coronavirus at the start of this year, so experts sought to find out why. They found that the proportion of Covid cases that were the P1 variant grew from zero to 87 per cent in about eight weeks. P1 was found to be 1.4 to 2.2 times more transmissible than other variants in Manaus, and was found to evade 25 per cent to 61 per cent of protective immunity from previous infection. Dr Nuno Faria, reader in viral evolution at Imperial, told a briefing: 'If 100 people were infected in Manaus last year, somewhere between 25 and 61 of them are susceptible to reinfection with P1.' The study could not say how severe illness was in people who were reinfected. It found a slightly higher death rate connected to P1 cases in Manaus but said this coincided with 'substantial healthcare failure' and hospitals running out of oxygen, so it couldn't be pinned on the new variant. Coronavirus genetics expert at COG-UK, Professor Sharon Peacock, said the study could not be used to speculate on the effectiveness of vaccines or how things 'will pan out in other countries including the UK'. Advertisement And if they caught it abroad or while travelling they may have passed a lot of people, increasing the risk of them passing it on. Labour's shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth slammed the Government's efforts yesterday and said: 'I welcome the progress the Secretary of State has mentioned on identifying the batch, but can he tell us how a test can be processed that doesn't collect contact details, and what mechanisms will be put in place to fix this in future? '22billion has been allocated to test and trace so can he assure us this wont happen again? 'I note he has said there is no information to suggest wider spread of the variant but he will remember that John Edmunds from SAGE told the Home Affairs Select Committee in January that for every identified South African variant there were probably another 30 unidentified. 'Has he received any estimate on the numbers of unidentified cases there are in the community?' The fact that the country is in lockdown and the reproduction number (R) of the virus is below one means it is unlikely the person passed the virus on to a stranger. But there is a possibility people in their household may have caught it. When they are identified more detailed contact tracing will have to be done, potentially retracing their steps for multiple weeks. But Dr Clarke said the person was not likely to still be capable of spreading Covid, adding: 'Even if it was an old person, the chances are they didnt get particularly ill and resolved the infection... The chances are that person no longer has the virus.' In total, Public Health England has identified six UK cases of the concerning so-called P1 variant three in England and three in Scotland. Three cases are Scottish residents who flew to Aberdeen from Brazil via Paris and London, who all tested positive while self-isolating. Other passengers who were on the same flight to Aberdeen are now being traced. The other two cases in England are from the same household in South Gloucestershire after one person returned from Brazil on February 10 just days before the Government's hotel quarantine rule came into force. Two other people in the same household have also tested positive but are not currently included in the UK case total of six, while tests on their type of coronavirus continue. Officials are searching for passengers who were on the Swiss Air flight LX318 from Sao Paulo to Heathrow, via Zurich, which landed on February 10. Surge testing will now be carried out in the Bradley Stoke, Patchway and Little Stoke areas of South Gloucestershire to capture any potential spread in cases. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the discovery of the variant in the UK showed the Government had not 'secured our borders in the way we should have done'. Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said any community transmission of the variant would be identified 'very, very quickly' through both regular PCR and lateral flow testing. EDWARDSVILLE Madison County is honoring Alton resident Anita H. (Manns) Banks with its Living Legend Community Service Award. Service to the church and community forms the foundation for Banks actions. Madison County Board member Michael Doc Holliday of Alton nominated Banks for the award and said it is for that very reason he selected her. Mrs. Banks has been a stellar leader in the Alton community for many years, Holliday said. With her work and dedication to her church, and her church family, as well as several community organizations she is someone who can be counted on. The annual award is presented during the County Boards February meeting in honor of Black History Month. Due to COVID-19 and the board continuing to hold meeting via remote, Holliday said he scheduled a time to present Banks with the award at her home. After graduating from Edwardsville High School in 1954, Banks moved to Alton. She worked as a parent coordinator for Madison County Economic Opportunity Commission Project Head Start, where she also served as employment counselor for 15 years, as well as Alton School District culinary specialist for 12 years and nutrition specialist for 12 years before retiring. Through the years she advanced her education by taking classes at Lewis and Clark Community College and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, by enrolling in refresher courses in human resource management. Banks is a member of Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church serving as a member of the culinary committee, the Dan Gurdon Scholarship Committee, the Lonnie Calmese Banquet Committee, church announcement clerk, condolence clerk and secretary for the Womens Sunday School class. She also advocates for the things she believes in by giving back to the community. She served as the chair on the Foster Grandparents Advisory Board, as a member of the Alton Chapter of NAACP executive committee, past state president of the Illinois Association of Club Women and Youth Affiliation and member of Reba Hill Civic Charity and Educational Club. Beside her service Banks has many hobbies, including her passion for cooking, which she enjoys sharing with others. Banks says one thing she is most proud of is her service as employment counselor. Through the years she helped place people in a variety of industrial jobs in the county Olin Corp., Shell Oil Co. (Wood River Refinery,) Laclede Steel Co. and Owen Glass Co. She said the last person she placed in a job recently retired from the Wood River Refinery in Roxana after 40 years of service. Banks believes in a life of service, to her community and to her church. Her motto, If I can help someone along the way, then my life will not be in vain. Mrs. Banks life has been filled with purpose, Holliday said. She is someone that can be depended on to be supportive and in a place when and where she is supposed to be. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com What do you get when you have a famous freestyle rapper; a world-leading magician; an astrophysicist YouTube star; a classical English actor; and a contemporary French music duo? The 2021 St Christophers School Future Learning Summit! The St Christophers School Future Learning Summit is an exciting educational, immersive, and interactive online experience and the first of its kind in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Proudly sponsored by HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Bah- rain, Batelco, and Springring, this unique, family fun day in event will take place on 19 March and is designed for students, families, and educators from Bahrain and all over the world. Following the huge success of our previous Future Learning Summits and the disappointment of cancelling last years due to COVID-19 restrictions, we are delighted to announce FLS 2021 as a fully online event, said Gavin Boyle, Director of Learning at St Christophers School. This year, FLS will consist of exciting practical and interactive sessions with speakers from around the globe. The aim of the event is to inspire, motivate, empower and connect students, families, and educators with global experts to explore what it takes to be truly Future-ready in the modern world. Chris Russell, CEO of HSBC in Bahrain, said: This event once again demonstrates agile thinking and innovation with its move online. For HSBC these are two important qualities for building future skills and we are proud to invest in education that fosters these qualities. HSBC is dedicated to supporting quality educational programmes that will develop a talent pool of young innovative and entrepreneurial talents. FLS 2021 will explore new and innovative ways of learning. In one session, we will explore how magicians create seemingly impossible feats and how this can be applied in the classroom and in our own creative pursuits. This keynote explores the techniques such as the guiding of attention; the framing of perception; and the staging of surprises. Dianna Cowern is the creator and host of the viral Physics Girl YouTube series with over 1.7 million subscribers, where she explains the weird quirks of our universe. Her videos total over 125 million views. She is an MIT graduate and an astrophysicist. She will be engaging the audience with ex- citing experiments that can be done in the home to explain real-world science whilst having fun as a family! Chris Turner is an award-winning British comedian and free-style rapper. In his session, he will reveal his secrets and dis- cuss how his performance techniques can be used to improve working memory and increase confidence when public speaking. Ben Walden is an English ac- tor and director of Contender Charlie, an organisation that encourages young people to explore their emotional and creative potential. Ben will use the power of storytelling and mythology to develop attributes such as leadership, self-confidence and problem-solving. This will be an engaging and interactive session where participants will feel empowered to face the challenges of the modern world. KIZ is a contemporary French music duo who will compose a song in real-time during the FLS from sounds captured from everyday objects submitted by the audience. They will demonstrate how they layer sounds, create beats and loops to produce a unique composition. The FLS theme song will be played out live at the end of the Summit. The interactive event will take place live online on 19 March from 12 to 16.30 pm Bahrain time. Registration is now open online at www.futurelearning.me We encourage you to experience this unique family fun day in together. For more information about the St Christophers School Future Learning Summit 2021 (FLS 2021), please visit www.future- learning.me Bengaluru, March 3 : RTI activistDinesh Kallahalli, who shot to fame after releasing 'sensational sleaze CD' containing intimate relationship of former minister Ramesh Jarakiholi with a woman, on Wednesday claimed that he has CDs of three more persons including a minister and he plans to release it soon. Interacting with media persons, Kallahalli said that his fight against corruption would continue. "I am not scared of my future. Although I am getting threat calls, I will not succumb to anyone. I am planning to release three more CDs that will again shake the Karnataka political landscape as one of the CDs pertains to a minister," he said. He added that the other two CDs belong to two high profile personalities but they are not politicians. "I can only assure the media these CDs will certainly create an even bigger impact at the national level," he said. Meanwhile, he has written a letter to the Ramnagara superintendent of police alleging that 'he was receiving multiple threat calls for releasing the CD'. Kallahalli released a CD to news channels, after formally filing complaint with the police, that contained intimate scenes of a former minister with an unknown woman which went viral as soon as it was released. According to the letter, Kallahalli charged that his life is under threat and he wants security for exposing a minister, who was luring a woman with a government job. In his letter, he alleged that it has come to his notice that a few unknown persons were roaming around his house scouting for information about him and his family. Rev. Dr. Rodney Smalls got his second dose of the coronavirus vaccine two weeks ago. His wife, who like him, is a health care worker, also got her second dose. But Smalls has spent the better part of months beyond frustrated: He had been unable to secure a vaccine appointment for his mother, Ethel Smalls, who is 91 years old. After months of trying, Smalls on Wednesday was able to get his mother vaccinated,, just hours after this story published. It took some work. Smalls had twice registered her and has even waited nearly an hour on hold on the phone to get through a scheduler with no luck. Its just been a hassle, said Smalls, pastor at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Harrisburg. Just getting through and getting returned phone calls. I hear that from numerous people. Its been very tough. A small number of Black Pennsylvania residents have been vaccinated, and a common explanation focuses on the idea that communities of color are hesitant to get the vaccine. Public health officials say a troubling number of African Americans, in particular, are refusing to get vaccinated, the result of a historical mistrust of government when it comes to public health. Some say that is understandable given the legacy of the U.S. government using Black Americans to essentially run public health medicine experiments. But some members of the Black community say a lack of access to the vaccines is an issue thats not getting enough attention. Some Black residents assert that they arent leery of the vaccine at all. Indeed, they want to get vaccinated, but they say it has been nearly impossible to do so. For anyone to say that people of color dont want it! said Anita Mobley of Harrisburg. For those that dont want it? They dont but there are a lot that do and cant get it. Everyone on our Zoom Bible study is trying to get it and they cant. Last week, after waiting two months to be called up, Mobley and her husband were called up and given their first dose. The appointment came after two months of copious phone calls. I kept seeing all this information on where to go and I tried everything and I didnt get anything, she said. Mobley even called the governors office, but at times was frustrated with the automated system. I did everything he told me to do and every single scheduling line, all those places, none had anything available, Mobley said. The Weis, the Rite Aid. Every time you go they had me fill out all this information. I said what the heck is going on? You are telling us that African Americans dont want the vaccine, but we do. Smalls and Mobley are just two among legions of African Americans who say they have struggled to get an appointment. While state public health data lacks racial information on many of those who have been vaccinated, the data for now shows that the vast majority of people who have been vaccinated are white. More than 1.1 million white Pennsylvanians have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccines, compared to about 42,000 Black residents, according to state Department of Health figures. Among those where race is known, Black residents account for a little over 3% of those who have been vaccinated (about 12% of the states residents are Black). The state numbers dont include the city of Philadelphia, which is doing its own vaccine distribution. In Philadelphia, over 20% of those who are vaccinated are Black, but Black residents account for 42% of the citys population. Gov. Tom Wolf and state officials have said repeatedly they want to ensure that the vaccine distribution is handled equitably and that all groups have access to the vaccine. But Wolf and other state officials say the high demand for the vaccine far surpasses the available supply. Smalls said he is well aware that there are certain zip code areas - low-income and predominantly Black - that have had woefully low vaccine distribution and participation rates, compared to more affluent, white communities. It doesnt surprise me at all, he said. Inequity in health care has been that way not just with this issue but with so many others. Womens health. Prenatal care. Access to vaccines and testing. Theres always a roadblock for us. Smalls had to register twice and Mobley registered a couple of times as well. My friend warned me not to hang up, so I stayed on the phone for two hours, Mobley said. But I got an appointment. Smalls said he has a substantial number of parishioners who are in their 60s and 70s who are being told that no appointments are available because of lack of vaccine doses. Some have registered with three or four different places and are on several waiting lists. Its extremely frustrating, Smalls said. A number of other people have had the same issue. Some are lucky and got through. Many havent gotten through. Its easy if you can hold on the line 45 minutes to an hour, but that is not always practical. With a third U.S. vaccine approved over the weekend, wait times could improve dramatically. Federal regulators have signed off on the new vaccine created by Johnson & Johnson. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is not quite as effective as the Pfizer and Moderna counterparts, but the drug is easy to store and ship, and requires only one dose. Health care officials say its critical for Black people to get vaccinated, since they are more likely to get seriously ill or die due to COVID-19. Black people are three times more likely to be hospitalized than whites and are twice as likely to die, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Weve had so many friends and family members die or get deathly ill from the virus, Mobley said. I figure our chances have got to be better by taking the vaccine. Mobley and her husband went to Holy Spirit Hospital last week and got their first dose. We thank God we got in this time, she said. But there are so many behind me who were not able to get in. At least now, Smalls, who spent months worrying about his mothers health and emotional well being, can be a little relieved. Shes 91 years old, he said. The church was her outlet. Mentally. Physically and spiritually. As a congregation we primarily shut down. Socially you can imagine the impact that its had on her. But its not just her. The impact it has had on all our elderly for that reason. EDITORS NOTE: This report was updated. Ethel Smalls was finally vaccinated Wednesday morning. More from PennLive Pa. lags most states in getting COVID-19 vaccine to seniors, PennLive analysis finds (@FahadShabbir) VILNIUS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd March, 2021) The fourth batch of AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccines, consisting of 19,200 doses, has been delivered to the emergency center in Lithuania, the country's Ministry of Health said in a statement. "Part of this batch of vaccines arrived at the vaccination centers on the same day, and the other part will be delivered on Wednesday," the ministry said in a press release. According to the ministry, currently Lithuania vaccinates against COVID-19 cancer patients and the elderly. The country uses three COVID-19 vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency: Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca. Since the beginning of the vaccination campaign in the country, 164,000 people, or 6.1 percent of the population, have received the first shots of the vaccine, and 73,200 or 2.63 percent have received both shots. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 4) A lawyer of one of the 37 petitions assailing the constitutionality of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 was stabbed by two unidentified men, Wednesday night in Iloilo City. Atty. Angelo Karlo Guillen was stabbed in the head and shoulder by two mask-wearing culprits, the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers (NUPL) confirmed. The human rights lawyer serves as NUPL's assistant vice president in the Visayas. "NUPL calls on authorities to promptly and properly investigate the attempt on the life of Atty. Guillen," the organization said in a statement. Guillen is a lawyer in the petition spearheaded by NUPL which questions the legality of the controversial Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020. Many sectoral groups have assailed this law for its broad provisions that may violate constitutional rights. Guillen also represented activists who were arrested during police raids in Bacolod City in October 2019 and Tumandok tribe members who were jailed December last year. The human rights lawyer was also detained following a Labor Day protest last year, after responding to what he claimed was the illegal arrest of 42 activists who were protesting the killing of Bayan Muna Iloilo coordinator Jory Porquia. "This is way too much, too many, too brazen, too evil. Hold tight, AK (Guillen). Show these cowards what a fighter you are," said NUPL President Edre Olalia. NUPL said it has recorded at least 54 work-related killings of lawyers and judges since June 2016. Palace condemns attack on human rights lawyer in Ilo-ilo City "We condemn that attack in the same manner that we condemn any attack that seeks to violate the right to life," Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said during a virtual briefing on Thursday. "We consider na mas karumal-dumal ang pag-atake sa isang abogado dahil inaatake din nila ang rule of law," he added. [Translation: We consider it more heinous to attack a lawyer because they also attack the rule of law.] Roque said the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation should hunt down the suspects. "Parusahan ang mga taong nasa likod nito," Roque said. [Translation: Punish the people behind it.] Friends of the Cabildo, a support group for the Louisiana State Museum, will debut an online class series, The History of New Orleans Rhythm & Blues, on March 10. Over the course of three weeks, the class will explore the rise and fall of the recording industry in New Orleans. Dr. Charles Chamberlain, a Louisiana historian known for providing professional history consulting and museum services, will serve as the instructor of the online class. By dissecting the careers of music legends such as Fats Domino and Little Richard, Chamberlain will examine the global impact of New Orleans recording industry. The music industry in New Orleans began kind of slow in the 1950s and then hit a real high point by the '60s and '70s, said Jason Strada, executive director of Friends of the Cabildo. Were going to really look at the rise of it, what happened to it, why was it so popular here in New Orleans, and why did we lose favor to other areas such as Nashville, Austin and New York City, especially on rhythm and blues. The history of it helps you learn the story of why its so important. Figures such as Dave Bartholomew, a member of the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, will be covered by the class. His legacy as a staple of New Orleans culture will be highlighted, in addition to his influence on the music industry. Although Dave Bartholomew is pretty well known in New Orleans, his impact around the world cannot be covered in just a couple of hours, Strada said. Were going to be able to point out to people how important he was to not only the recording industry, but to someone like Fat Domino, who was also his writing partner. The History of New Orleans Rhythm & Blues is not the Friends of the Cabildos first attempt at retelling the musical history of New Orleans. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the organization has offered classes covering different aspects of New Orleans music. Weve done a class on New Orleans hip-hop and New Orleans music in general, Strada said. We also did one on New Orleans jazz." Strada says this is the first time the Friends of the Cabildo will take a deep dive into what contributed to the New Orleans recording industry's success in its heyday. The weekly class will be offered on Zoom every Wednesday from 4-6 p.m. March 10-24. Enrollment is $45 for Friends of the Cabildo or $60 for the general public. All classes will be recorded and sent to class members after each Zoom session. For more information, visit friendsofthecabildo.org Intelligent.com, a trusted resource for online degree rankings and higher education planning, has announced the Top 25 Master's in Business Law Degree Programs for 2021. The comprehensive research guide is based on an assessment of 61 accredited colleges and universities in the nation. Each program is evaluated based on curriculum quality, graduation rate, reputation, and post-graduate employment. The 2021 rankings are calculated through a unique scoring system which includes student engagement, potential return on investment and leading third party evaluations. Intelligent.com analyzed 61 schools, on a scale of 0 to 100, with only 25 making it to the final list. The methodology also uses an algorithm which collects and analyzes multiple rankings into one score to easily compare each school. Students who pursue any one of these programs can expect to gain employment much quicker in comparison to candidates without a degree. In addition to accessibility and cost, the steady job growth in this market is one of the many reasons Intelligent.com researched and ranked the Top Master's in Business Law Degree Programs. To access the complete ranking, please visit: https://www.intelligent.com/best-masters-in-business-law-degree-programs/ 2021 Master's in Business Law Degree Programs featured on Intelligent.com (in alphabetical order): Arizona State University Boston College Boston University Brooklyn Law School Case Western Reserve University Chapman University Columbia University Duke University George Washington University Georgetown University Indiana University Bloomington Loyola University Chicago Northeastern University Northwestern University Stanford University University of Alabama University of Arizona University of California, Los Angeles University of Illinois at Chicago University of San Diego University of the Pacific University of Washington Vanderbilt University Wake Forest University Widener University About Intelligent.com Intelligent.com provides unbiased research to help students make informed decisions about higher education programs. The website offers curated guides which include the best degree programs as well as information about financial aid, internships and even study strategies. With comprehensive, user-friendly guides and hundreds of program rankings, Intelligent.com is a trusted source among students and prospective students. To learn more, please visit https://www.intelligent.com/. [March 03, 2021] NextNav launches new program to improve vertical location accuracy through certification of barometric sensors SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NextNav, the leader in 3D geolocation, today launched a new program, NextNav Certified, which will improve the accuracy of vertical location by standardizing performance metrics for barometric sensors used in mobile devices. Barometers are a relatively recent addition to most smartphones. Up to this point, theyve been used primarily for crowdsourced weather apps and other services which dont require highly precise measurements. Vertical location services like NextNav Pinnacle , on the other hand, rely on quality barometric pressure readings to deliver vertical positioning with floor level accuracy." As mobile apps start to use vertical location at scale, barometric sensors will need to produce consistent, reliable measurements. Through the NextNav Certified program, NextNav will work directly with barometric sensor manufacturers to improve the quality of their products. By testing sensors against real world data, NextNav will help manufacturers measure performance against higher standards which will benefit a wide variety of solutions. Certification of barometric sensor quality will also benefit device manufacturers. The NextNav Certified program will create an independent data soure which device makers can use to judge the quality and reliability of barometric components. Certification of barometric sensors will be a critical component of the 3D location ecosystem, said Ganesh Pattabiraman, CEO of NextNav. With NextNav Certified, were setting a high bar for performance which will improve the quality of sensors and the services that use them. Heres how the NextNav Certified program works. NextNav works with the sensor manufacturer to develop a test plan specific to the particular sensor model. Tests are performed by the sensor manufacturer and the results are shared with NextNav. NextNav validates the performance data to ensure it meets certain minimum criteria. Once the performance thresholds are met, the sensor is officially certified. Once a sensor is NextNav Certified, test data can be shared with device manufacturers, wireless carriers, and other stakeholders. NextNav also lists the sensor model on its public roster of certified components. NextNav and the company will also issue a joint press release. The company will also receive a NextNav Certified badge to display on its website. To learn more, visit the NextNav Certified page or contact NextNav for more information. About NextNav NextNav brings new dimensions to geolocation. Pinnacle, our revolutionary vertical positioning system, unleashes 3D location for apps, mobile devices, IOT, autonomous systems, and more. TerraPoiNT extends these services by providing a resilient 3D Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) capability in environments where GPS is jammed or blocked. With carrier-grade reliability and a rapidly expanding service footprint, NextNav is driving a whole new ecosystem for geolocation applications and services. For more information, visit NextNav.com, follow @NextNav on Twitter, or find us on LinkedIn . Media Contact Chelsea Hoedl LaunchSquad for NextNav NextNav@launchsquad.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Britains Energy and Clean Growth Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan has told the NSW Environment Minister Matt Kean that she wants to see Australia announce a more ambitious emissions reduction target. Mr Kean said Ms Trevelyan called him on Wednesday evening and the two discussed the gap between the net zero goals of Australias states and the federal governments target of net zero preferably by 2050, as well as ways NSW and Britain could collaborate on emissions reductions. UK Energy and Clean Growth Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan and NSW Environment Minister Matt Kean. Credit:Getty/Dominic Lorrimer He said he agreed the two jurisdictions would share information and experience on promoting electric vehicles, green hydrogen and renewable energy projects. She was very familiar with what we were doing in New South Wales, very excited about the energy roadmap, he said, referring to the state governments strategy of fast-tracking renewable energy development in grid connected zones around the state. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. First Holy Communion and Confirmation celebrations look set to be put on ice again due to the Covid-19 pandemic following a statement from bishops in the west of Ireland. A Pastoral message has been issued from the Bishops of the six dioceses of the Province of the Archdiocese of Tuam to Catholics in Galway, Mayo, Roscommon and Sligo. It says confirmations have been deferred to Autumn. Parishes have been advised to do the same in relation to First Holy Communions. "In so far as the Government plan currently offers no clarity about when we might expect to return to public Sacramental life, we find it difficult to have any confidence that the Sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation can be celebrated before the end of the present school year. "As of now, we have decided to defer the Sacrament of Confirmation for the 2021 class until the Autumn, and we encourage our parishes to consider doing the same in relation to First Holy Communion. Should the circumstances change for the better, this decision can be revisited in each diocese. "In the meantime, we encourage young people and their parents to continue with their preparation. We have provided online resources to support what is being done through the Religious Education programme with the teachers in the schools," said the statement. Sacraments were postponed to the Autumn in 2020 in many parts of the country due to the first wave of the pandemic. Text of pastoral Message from the Bishops of the six dioceses of the Province of the Archdiocese of Tuam Michael Neary (Archbishop of Tuam) Brendan Kelly (Bishop of Galway) John Fleming (Bishop of Killala) Kevin Doran (Bishop of Elphin) Michael Duignan (Bishop of Clonfert) Paul Dempsey (Bishop of Achonry) Dear Parishioners, brother Priests and Deacons, Religious and Friends Covid-19: A Year On This week we mark the first anniversary of the appearance of the Covid-19 pandemic in Ireland. As we consider how this has touched our parish communities, particularly given the tragic loss of so many lives, we wish to share some thoughts with you, the people of the six Dioceses of the Tuam Province. Further to Climb Many of us will be familiar with the experience of arriving at what we thought was the top of a mountain only to discover that there is still further to climb. Sometimes the last bit can be the hardest of all. We understand the experience of disappointment and frustration that many people feel, at the news of an indefinite extension of lockdown. We are delighted, however, that children have the opportunity to return to school and we wish them and their teachers every blessing. Until we are all Ok All of us appreciate the efforts and the sacrifices of those in our community who provide essential services. For many people, however, the continued high level of restriction poses practical and emotional challenges. We want to say very clearly that, in the Christian vision of things, every person is essential and no person is more important or necessary than any other. When we pray the Stations of the Cross, we celebrate people like Veronica, who wiped the face of Jesus and Simon of Cyrene who shared with Him the burden of the cross. None of us can say Im ok until we are all ok. Serving the Common Good and Supporting Restrictions As Church leaders, we have consistently supported the public health restrictions on the grounds that they serve the common good. The state has a particular responsibility for the common good and, on that basis, the Church teaches that Catholics must obey the law unless it is manifestly unjust or immoral. That does not mean that we cannot or should not speak out when we believe that something seems unfair or could be done better. We have consistently made representations, not only for the timely reopening of the public pastoral life of the Church, but also for better protection for elderly residents in nursing homes, for equity in the delivery of critical care in our hospitals and for a fair distribution of vaccines both in our own society and in the wider world. Difficulties with Covid-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021: The Path Ahead We recognise the need for prudence and caution at the present time, in the light of the terrible loss of life in January and February, and we accept absolutely that now is not the time for a major reopening of society. We have carefully considered the five stage plan Covid-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021: The Path Ahead, published by the Government last week. There are two things in this plan which we find very difficult to support. One of those is the fact that at level 5, all funerals are still limited to 10 people. We believe that a modest increase to 25 would, without compromising safety, bring much consolation to grieving families. Our second concern is that public worship is still excluded even at level 3. This would suggest that we may not have the opportunity to celebrate Mass together for months to come. It ignores the important contribution of communal worship to the mental and spiritual well-being of people of faith. The fundamental importance of Holy Week and Easter for all Christians, makes the prohibition of public worship particularly painful. While, as Christians, we are obliged to obey these regulations, we believe that it is our responsibility as Church leaders to make the case for change. We will continue to make fair and reasonable representation and we encourage you to do likewise. Sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation In so far as the Government plan currently offers no clarity about when we might expect to return to public Sacramental life, we find it difficult to have any confidence that the Sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation can be celebrated before the end of the present school year. As of now, we have decided to defer the Sacrament of Confirmation for the 2021 class until the Autumn, and we encourage our parishes to consider doing the same in relation to First Holy Communion. Should the circumstances change for the better, this decision can be revisited in each diocese. In the meantime, we encourage young people and their parents to continue with their preparation. We have provided online resources to support what is being done through the Religious Education programme with the teachers in the schools. Continuing Pastoral and Sacramental Care Bearing all of the foregoing in mind, it is also important for us to do as much as we can within the current restrictions to provide pastoral and sacramental care to our parishioners. Experience teaches us that with suitable precautions, the individual celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation is possible, as is the sacramental care of the sick. These, together with various other pastoral initiatives, can supplement the various online outreaches that have proved so helpful and successful. Towards Easter 2021 Gods love for us is revealed in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, who shared our human condition, with all its joys and sorrows. As his disciples today, we can have confidence in his promise to be with us always, even to the end of time. During this season of Lent, He walks the way of the cross with us and we journey in hope towards the joy of sharing in his Resurrection which, one way or another, we will celebrate together at Easter. Sincerely in Christ, Marty Schultz, Mark McCabe, Sara Stadtherr, Julie Anderson, Drummond Bogatzki, Tim Ferguson, Scott Johnson, Scott Kent and Jeff Karrow were present at Monday's council meeting. They, and all involved in helping with the efforts in downtown Alexandria during and after the devastating fire, were recognized for their contributions. South Korea is investigating the deaths of two people with pre-existing conditions who died shortly after being given AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine. One victim - a 63-year-old man and nursing home patient with a condition affecting blood vessels in his brain - died Tuesday four days after receiving the jab. The second victim - also male and a nursing home patient in his 50s with heart problems and diabetes - died Wednesday, just a day after getting the jab. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency did not link the deaths to the vaccine, but said it is investigating. South Korea is investigating the deaths of two men - both nursing home patients with pre-existing conditions - who died days after getting AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine (file image) Jeong Eun-kyeong, director of the agency, said the first man had developed symptoms including a high fever after being given the jab. His cause of death was given as blood poisoning and pneumonia. The second man suffered multiple heart attacks before his death on Tuesday. 'KDCA is conducting epidemiological surveys with relevant local authorities... to confirm any link with inoculation,' said Jeong. An AstraZeneca spokeswoman in Seoul said the company had no comment. Jeong noted that there were no cases of fatalities from receiving COVID-19 vaccines developed by AstraZeneca or Pfizer/BioNTech. However, did urge people to take the shot when they are feeling in good health. The KDCA said that out of the people who had received the coronavirus vaccines, 207 had adverse reactions, including three cases of severe allergic reactions, known as anaphylaxis. South Korea began vaccinating its population last week. By Tuesday midnight, 85,904 people had received the first doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine and 1,524 had been given Pfizer shots, KDCA said in a statement. South Korea reported 444 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, up from 344 on Monday, raising the country's tally to 90,816 infections, with 1,612 deaths. TEL AVIV, Israel, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As climate change continues to impact agriculture worldwide, a conference aimed at advancing technological cooperation in agriculture and water was held in Tel Aviv this week with senior government representatives from Israel and Africa along with investors from the United Arab Emirates and Israeli agricultural technology companies. From left to right: Irina Nevzlin, Founder and Chairman of IMPROVATE, and Ronit Hasin Hochman, CEO of IMPROVATE (Photo: Yanni Yacial) (PRNewsfoto/IMPROVATE) IMPROVATE Agriculture and Water discussed the challenges facing the UAE and African nations in ensuring food security in the face of adverse climate conditions, and the opportunities for Israeli companies in these countries. To watch the full broadcast of Improvate Agriculture & Water In Arid Areas Conference Click Here. IMPROVATE Founder and Chair Irina Nevzlin said the Abraham Accords, as well as bringing big changes in the Middle East and strengthening relationships, had brought about an opportunity for countries to cooperate and exchange knowledge and expertise. "As Israel's landscape is very similar to that of the UAE, including the desert areas, the innovative methods developed for agricultural technology in Israel can be a valuable asset and focal point for partnering with the UAE and other Middle East countries." Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alon Schuster said Israel's desert climate and limited natural resources had led it to develop advanced agricultural technologies that today are at the forefront of global development: "The Israeli agricultural sector offers agricultural technologies to increase efficiency and yields, while generating maximum returns in all fields of agriculture, in challenging climate and soil conditions... Fruitful collaboration will enable us to share our experiences with our partners to a desert climate and to a reality of increasing desertification, and to learn together and share our knowledge and experience to create more efficient and sustainable agriculture that will ensure global food security." Yesh Atid Chairman and leader of the opposition, MK Yair Lapid addressed the global coronavirus crisis: "When the pandemic is finally over, we will be left with the global economic crisis. The solution to that crisis will be twofold: Technology and cooperation. The countries that innovate, that upgrade, that look forward, and that work together, will surge ahead. Israel is one of those countries, and so is the UAE." Former Mossad deputy director, MK Ram Ben Barak said the world needs to look ahead and understand that in some 35 years' time its current population will double and there is an urgent need to make plans to feed those people: "We need to support agriculture, we need to develop new technologies to get more out of one acre than we do today, and we need to develop use of water, because in the future there could be a day when there is not enough food in the world." Senior UAE officials, bankers and investors who participated in the conference said Israeli technologies had much to offer Gulf nations as they seek to increase local food production and ensure food security. Dr. Kamel Abdallah, Senior managing director and executive board advisor at Vita F&B capital, said that national food security has been a long-term objective for the UAE for many years and that the government's focus has shifted from availability and affordability to self-sufficiency and local production: "We are investing in companies that can bring technology so that we can bypass the harsh environment so that we can produce food locally. We are looking at different technologies for production in our harsh climate, focusing on reducing water use and building an environment for high yields per hectare." Sheikha Hend Faisal Al Qasimi, an Emirati royal, businesswoman and philanthropist, said the UAE is heavily invested in food security and is investing in agricultural and water technologies: "With technology you can grow everything. By investing water and time and technology we can really turn things around and make the desert bloom." Rahul Kale, Founder and CEO, Sunpower Renewables said urban and vertical farming would play a huge role in making sustainable communities a reality: "With solar storage becoming commercially viable, you can have vertical farming 24/7. I think the advent of solar storage will see a huge uptake in vertical greenery. Our products can add a lot of value to this industry." IMPROVATE CEO, Ronit Hasin-Hochman: "Israeli water management and agricultural technologies can provide outstanding solutions for countries around the world. We are very pleased that recent peace agreements enable us to facilitate collaborations across countries and continents." Attending the conference from Africa were Mr. Joseph Antoine Kasonga Mukuta, Minister of Agriculture from The Democratic Republic of Congo; Dr Deo-Guide Rurema, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Environment of Burundi; Mrs. Hadija Jabiri, the Founder and managing director of GBRI business solutions, EATFRESH from Tanzania; Mr. Tom Sillayo, General Manager of Faida Market Link Company, also from Tanzania; Mr. Lazare Ossende-Essanga, Director of Partnerships Promotion and Rural Entrepreneurship at the Gabon National Agricultural Development Agency. Speaking from the studio in Tel Aviv, His Excellency Job Masima, Ambassador of Tanzania to Israel called on Israeli companies to come to Africa, noting that the continent has a rapidly growing population, is more stable politically than in the past, and that its economy is on the rise, with five out of 10 of the world's fastest growing economies located in Africa: "Once you come to Africa, you are coming to a vast land that is like all of China, all of the United States and all of Europe, so this is where you should be looking. Thirty percent of the world's arable land is in Africa. With this arable land we are capable of feeding 9 billion people. Africa is the future global powerhouse, come to Africa." Among the companies presenting at the conference was Netafim, which for over 50 years has been a global leader in the advanced agriculture sector, and provides innovative agriculture solutions to millions of farmers, focusing on maximizing yields while saving on water and resources. Elad Levi, Vice President Middle East & Africa at Netafim, said: "I strongly believe that the Middle East presents substantial opportunities for collaborations, with the fundamental purpose to ensure a sustainable and sufficient supply of high-quality fresh food produced within the region. Netafim is an expert in desert farming in the neighborhood in the Middle East and is willing to leverage this knowledge for the prosperity of the entire region and all its people." Agricultural technology and research companies presenting at the conference: SupPlant is an Israeli Ag-Tech company that translates plants into actionable insights to assist farmers around the world in making the best use of resources, increasing yields and saving water in an unpredictable climate reality. GES is a veteran player in the water and wastewater treatment market. In its 31 years of activity, GES has successfully completed more than 300 projects in Israel and abroad. NRGene is a software company, using artificial intelligence to analyze genomic big data, to optimize and accelerate natural breeding of plants and animals used for agricultural uses. AlgaHealth is an Israeli biotech company pioneering the development of smart, cost-effective applications of microalgae. WFI Group transforms water challenges into opportunities, via fresh thinking, breakthrough technologies, profound know-how and a dedicated caring team of water experts. Promoting the circular economy and creating financial and environmental value from water, and shifting from savings to growth. Ramat Negev Desert Agro Research Center is an Agricultural research and development center, specializing in agriculture under desert conditions for over 60 years, in the Ramat Hanegev Regional Council. About IMPROVATE IMPROVATE is a platform that makes technology and innovation accessible to countries worldwide, with an emphasis on advancing Israeli technologies. Launched in September 2020, IMPROVATE operates out of London and Tel Aviv and connects leaders and decision-makers, and companies and investors with technology and innovation companies. IMPROVATE works through international conferences and business delegations and promotes deals between governments, organizations, and investors with innovation companies. Among IMPROVATE's Board members are former world chess champion Garry Kasparov, President Rosen Plevneliev President of Bulgaria from 2010-2017, and IDF Major Gen. (Ret.) Amos Gilad. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1448842/IMPROVATE.jpg SOURCE IMPROVATE Related Links https://improvate.net San Francisco did not receive the expected state codes Tuesday for educators to get priority for vaccines because the citys citys high-volume vaccination site was already fully booked, state officials said. Alameda, Contra Costa and San Mateo counties confirmed they received the needed codes, which Gov. Gavin Newsom pledged last week counties would get as part of a new plan to set aside shots for teachers. San Franciscos school district which has 4,600 teachers did not receive its share of vouchers for the 75,000 vaccine doses reserved for teachers and other education workers statewide this week. State officials omitted San Francisco teachers from the first round of vaccine vouchers because the citys Moscone Center vaccination site was already booked for vaccination appointments, said Darrel Ng, a spokesman for the Department of Public Health. The department will determine the best way to allocate San Franciscos codes later this week, Ng said Tuesday evening. The governors office announced Thursday it would provide single-use vaccine codes to districts, enabling teachers and other school workers to access appointments on Californias online vaccination portal. Under the governors plan, 10% of the states vaccine supply will be earmarked for education workers each week in a statewide effort to hasten school reopenings. Teachers are in a current priority tier for vaccination, along with emergency responders, farmworkers and residents over 65, but there isnt enough supply to give doses to everyone eligible yet. Contra Costa County received 1,000 teacher codes Monday and is expecting another trove on Friday, Chris Farnitano, a public health official, told the countys Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. San Mateo County received 500 codes Sunday, which were distributed to education workers through a countywide priority process, said San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools Nancy Magee. Alameda County received and distributed 2,500 single-use codes Tuesday through a system that assigned priority levels to each educator based on exposure and risk, said Michelle Smith McDonald, communications director for the Alameda County Office of Education. The county expects more codes to arrive by weeks end. Moscone Center has the capacity to administer more than 10,000 vaccines daily, but since opening Feb. 5 the vaccination site has struggled to meet high demand. The center was briefly shut down due to vaccine shortages last month. SFUSDs disclosure comes as district officials scramble to prepare elementary schools ready for eventual reopening. After months of delays, the school board last week approved a health and safety agreement with the teachers union to get the youngest students back into classrooms, but there is no set date for a return. The union and the district still need to agree on how many days and hours students will return to in-person instruction. Chronicle staff writer Catherine Ho contributed to his report. Nora Mishanec is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: nora.mishanec@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NMishanec Terrorist hideout busted in Kashmir (file photo) A terrorist hideout has been busted in a joint operation by the police, army and the CRPF at Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, officials said. The police said that based on a credible input, J&K Police along with the army and CRPF busted a terrorist hideout in the forest area of Seer Pastoona at Awantipora in south Kashmir's Pulwama district. "During the search in the area by the joint team, one hideout of proscribed terrorist outfit Hizbul Mujahideen was busted and subsequently destroyed. The size of the hideout was approximately 5ft x 7ft x 4ft," the police said. The police further said that incriminating materials of proscribed terrorist outfit Hizbul Mujahideen and other materials like utensils etc. have been recovered from the hideout. "All the recovered materials have been taken into police custody for the purpose of investigation," police said. Further investigation is underway. Intelligent.com, a trusted resource for online degree rankings and higher education planning, has announced the Top 27 Master's in Criminology Degree Programs for 2021. The comprehensive research guide is based on an assessment of 66 accredited colleges and universities in the nation. Each program is evaluated based on curriculum quality, graduation rate, reputation, and post-graduate employment. The 2021 rankings are calculated through a unique scoring system which includes student engagement, potential return on investment and leading third party evaluations. Intelligent.com analyzed 66 schools, on a scale of 0 to 100, with only 27 making it to the final list. The methodology also uses an algorithm which collects and analyzes multiple rankings into one score to easily compare each school. Students who pursue any one of these programs can expect to gain employment much quicker in comparison to candidates without a degree. In addition to accessibility and cost, the steady job growth in this market is one of the many reasons Intelligent.com researched and ranked the Top Master's in Criminology Degree Programs. To access the complete ranking, please visit: https://www.intelligent.com/best-masters-in-criminology-degree-programs/ 2021 Master's in Criminology Degree Programs featured on Intelligent.com (in alphabetical order): American University Arizona State University California State University, Fresno Chaminade University, Honolulu Eastern Kentucky University Florida State University George Mason University Georgia Southern University Indiana State University Indiana University Of Pennsylvania Kent State University Missouri State University Northeastern University Pennsylvania State University Regis University Sam Houston State University San Jose State University Texas A&M University, Commerce University of California, Irvine University Of Florida University Of Illinois, Chicago University of Missouri Saint Louis University Of North Carolina, Wilmington University Of Pennsylvania University of South Florida University Of Texas, Dallas Washington State University About Intelligent.com Intelligent.com provides unbiased research to help students make informed decisions about higher education programs. The website offers curated guides which include the best degree programs as well as information about financial aid, internships and even study strategies. With comprehensive, user-friendly guides and hundreds of program rankings, Intelligent.com is a trusted source among students and prospective students. To learn more, please visit https://www.intelligent.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. President Joe Biden has embarked on a revolutionary program to replace constitutional freedoms with a new social justice agenda. Supporting the radical agenda is his defense secretary Lloyd Austin, whose top priority is to politicize the military to eliminate extremists. So, what happens when the hard left takes control of the government of a great democracy and decides that the desired social revolution requires the destruction of conservative institutions and leaders, and then institutes aggressive policies to expel conservatives from the military? We have a good answer when we look at France from 1899 to 1914 when hard-left governments were in power. France was fairly evenly divided between left and right in the three decades after the demise of the Second Empire and the founding of the Third Republic during the Franco-Prussian War. The military officer corps was mostly from the conservative middle class with a considerable number coming from the old aristocracy. In 1890 more than 20% of the cadets at some of the elite military academies came from the old aristocracy and a high percentage of Army officers were educated in Catholic schools. However, the Army also had many liberal supporters of the Republic in the officer corps and republican reforms in the 1880s had greatly benefitted the French Army by setting higher officer education standards and funding unit training. Through the 1890s the French left increased its position in the National Assembly and in 1899 the Left Bloc, a coalition dominated by the hard left, formed the government. Top leftist political leaders wanted to use their power to utterly break the power of the conservative half of France, which meant going after two key institutions: The Catholic Church and the military officer corps. The Church was the main target. Inspired by fanatically anti-clerical Emile Combes, French premier 1902-1905, the government passed new laws regulating the Church in 1901 that required all education to be secular. Ten thousand Catholic schools were shut down. Many churches were closed, and convents were closed on the order of the government. Combes had a staunch ally in the radical left General Louis Andre, who served as war minister from 1900 to 1904. Andre assembled a group of leftist anti-clerical officers in the war ministry and embarked on a program to purge conservative and religious officers from the army. (Douglas Porch, The March to the Marne: the French Army 1871-1914, 1981) In their desire to remold France according to Jacobin principles, the Left Bloc decided that conservative officers had to go. The government announced in 1901 that promotions in the army would no longer be an internal matter of the military promotion boards but would be under the purview of the War Department, run by the political ministers. Under General Andre, the War Ministry initiated a secret system of surveillance and informants to collect information on the political, social, and religious background of officers. A network of Freemasons, leftist government officials, and leftist officers send information on French officers directly to the War Ministry. A vast system of secret files was amassed, eventually amounting to files on 19,000 of the 25,000 regular officers. The War Ministry used the files to push the careers of officers known to favor the left, while adherence to Catholic practices or familial and social contacts with the old aristocracy, were enough to dead-end even the most competent officers career. While most of the files were destroyed by a reform-minded minister just before World War I, some still survive. An example concerns an infantry captain, rated as intelligent, took good care of his soldiers, was very competent in all of his professional duties, and an effective troop trainer. He was not known for expressing any statements critical of the government. However, this officer was known to have encouraged his wife to attend Mass and saw to it that his children received a Catholic education. The War Minister deemed untrustworthy. Morale plummeted when it was obvious the promotion system was rigged. The normal time in rank before promotion for a lieutenant colonel was 3.5 years, but some officers of known republican sympathies waited only 1.5 years. Ferdinand Foch and Emile Fayolle, who both later became marshals of France, served respectively five and eight years as lieutenant colonels before being promoted. Both were held back because they had Catholic educations. (Hew Strachan, The First World War, Vol. 1., Oxford, 2001) The politicization of the army in the decade prior to World War I had an enormous effect. Many good officers left the French army as politically correct mediocrities were promoted. The officer education standards fell dramatically as applications to the elite military academies of France, which mostly consisted mainly of officer cadets from conservative and religious families, fell dramatically. In 1897 there had been 1,920 applications to Ecole Speciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr, Frances West Point. By 1907, however, the number of applicants was halved. In 1900, 42% of the artillery officers were graduates of the elite Ecole Polytechnique. In 1913, only 13% of artillery officers were graduates. The average scores on the academy entrance exams also fell in proportion to the decline in applications. And not only the officer corps was demoralized, but the professional NCO Corps also abandoned the military. In 1900 72,000 NCOs had re-enlisted. In 1911 only 41,000. While the Left Bloc governments before World War I focused on the internal politics of the military and ensuring a politically loyal force, they forgot that France had a serious threat in the form of the German Empire. While French officer education standards dropped precipitously, the German states dramatically raised their education standards for joining the officer corps. German officer pay at all ranks was 50% higher than the French. While France starved its Army of training funds, the Germans generously funded training for both regular and reserve units. More than a decade of politicization of the military resulted in a French army that went to war in August 1914 with appallingly poor leadership and training. The great social experiment of the Left Bloc was a bloodbath. In the first month of the war, the French army lost 250,000 casualties20% of the field army. Faced with an existential crisis, the French government announced a truce between the left and the conservatives. For the duration of the war, with Frances survival at stake, meritocracy would be the only standard in the French army. By 6 September 1914, General Joffre, French Commander-in-Chief, had relieved two army commanders, ten corps commanders, and thirty-three division commanders (half of the French Army divisional commanders) for incompetence. Some officers slated for retirement in 1914 and denied promotion for political and religious views, became full generals and army commanders within a year. France barely survived in 1914 thanks to the British Expeditionary Force and Russias invasion of East Prussia. We see an interesting historical parallel today, with a leftist government under Biden behaving much like the French Premier Combes in trying to impose a radical leftist orthodoxy and crush the conservative half of the nation. In Defense Secretary Austin we see a man obsessed with the internal politics of the army, just like French General Andre, intent on purging the armed forces of extremists rather than focusing on foreign threats. In France, the attempt to replace meritocracy with political loyalty resulted in military disaster. The moral of the story is simple. You can have armed forces that are completely loyal to the political leadership and rigidly follows its political ideology. Or you can have a military based on meritocracy and competence. You cannot have both. James S. Corum Ph.D. is a military historian, author, and co-author of 14 books, and is a retired lieutenant colonel in the US Army Reserve. California National Guard troops enjoy breakfast that was provided by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as a show of gratitude in the Rayburn Room at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on Feb. 12, 2021. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images) Over a Dozen Soldiers Stationed at Capitol Are Sick After Provided With Undercooked Food: Report Members of the National Guard allegedly found metal shavings in over 70 meals and some were made sick by undercooked meat on Sunday, an ABC affiliate reported Monday. A Michigan National Guard staff sergeant whose identity is being withheld said this is a common problem for service members stationed at the U.S. Capitol building following the Jan. 6 riot, 7 Action News reported. Yesterday, for instance, there were 74 different meals found with raw beef in them, the sergeant said, 7 Action News reported. The sergeant also said soldiers had found metal shavings in their food. While the quality of provided meals has been a problem, the sergeant reportedly said that service members frequently dont get enough to eat, according to 7 Action News. You were getting maybe a Danish and some sort of juice, the sergeant said, 7 Action News reported. And then we had certain days where it was clearly a dinner role and Sunny D. They said alright, were going to make sure we spot check them. And were also going to start having them add temperatures to it, the sergeant said. At 140, you cook that chicken, undercook it to 140, and now youre telling youre telling us that its a 30-minute drive. This is what they say on the little placard thats (inaudible) good for four hours. No, its not. It wasnt good from the start and now its had hours to become even more dangerous. Over a dozen service members were in the hospital after consuming undercooked food and falling ill, 7 Action News reported. After several complaints about the quality of the food provided, Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer reached out to the acting secretary of the army. Now after the raw meat yesterday for dinner they have told us not to eat the meals for the next two days and are giving us MREs instead. Soldiers are now paying for all their meals for the next two days in order to get real food, the sergeant said Monday, 7 Action News reported. The National Guard described the meals as concerning and unacceptable in a statement provided to 7 Action News. The meals were provided as part of a contract with the Washington, D.C. National Guard to provide food for Michigans 1,000 service members. The National Guard is expected to stay at the U.S. Capitol until March 12, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said, The Hill reported. Austin did not rule out any potential threats and said the guard will remain stationed to protect lawmakers. By Kaylee Greenlee From The Daily Caller News Foundation Middle school teacher Brandee Brandt pounded on the door of a ground-level apartment in San Antonio for the third time one January afternoon in search of one of her students. Its Ms. Brandt! Davey, are you there? she called, her face close to the apartment door. She could hear voices inside, and finally Daveys older brother cracked open the door. You really arent going away are you? he said, trying to sound annoyed as a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. You know were not giving up! said Brandt, who asked the teen to go get Davey, 13, who had suddenly stopped doing his online schoolwork. Brandt and fellow eighth grade teacher Emily Countryman from Rawlinson Middle School would spend the day knocking on doors, from public housing apartment buildings to a middle class suburban neighborhood where nearly every house had a doorbell with a built in security camera. Since the beginning of the school year, a squad of Rawlinson teachers have visited around 100 homes. Once every few weeks, school staff develop a list of kids in urgent need of a visit. Two teachers volunteer, they set a date and the school hires substitute teachers. With half the schools 1,350 students learning remotely, and thus at a higher risk of chronic absence, teachers from Rawlinson have come knocking at the first sign of trouble this school year. Need to keep tabs on the latest coronavirus news in Texas? Our evening roundup has you covered. I felt a sense of urgency, Rawlinson Principal Sherry Mireles said. If theyre not getting their schooling it's our responsibility. Im not going to allow a 12-, 13-, 14-year-old to drop out. Not on my watch. Many of the visits pay off: Kids log on again, or turn in work for the first time in weeks. Its often not a one-time visit: The teachers keep dropping by until the student is found, logged on and participating. They know even the most disengaged kid can be found. The teachers relentless pursuit of these kids is why Rawlinson averaged 99% attendance in the weeks after Christmas break, said Mireles about 8 percentage points higher than the district middle school average. Attendance is critical to learning in any situation, most experts agree: Kids cant learn if theyre not in school, and already data from the COVID-19 era is grim. Chronic absenteeism among Black students in some Ohio districts is 47%. In Detroit, the school year kicked off with only 78% of students in attendance after a week. In several surveyed California districts, the chronic absentee rate for Black, Latino and American Indian/Alaskan Native students was between 19% and 29%. The Texas Education Agency does not yet have statewide absentee data for the 2020-21 school year. However, the pandemics toll on attendance showed itself immediately when school buildings shut down in March 2020. In the five school years before the pandemic, statewide attendance rates hovered just under 93%. In just three months, the pandemic pulled the statewide average for the entire 2019-20 school year down to 89%. The consequences are daunting. In the Ohio districts, reading scores have fallen by 7% after years of hard-won gains. In Texas, additional learning loss due to absenteeism will compound the six months already lost during the spring shutdowns and summer, according to an optional statewide assessment administered by the Texas Education Agency. Most of the students on Brandt and Countrymans list that January afternoon had either stopped logging on for classes or turning in work. Some were just starting to show signs of giving upregularly dropping single classes. Others hadnt been seen or heard from in months. Davey (the student's real name is not being used to protect his privacy) was just beginning to show real signs of fading, Countryman said. Hed stopped participating in class online. Without his camera on, she couldnt even tell if he was at his computer. He hadnt turned in the most recent test in her class. Around the state, districts are reporting dire numbers for remote learning attendance. Dallas ISD reported that thousands of students, one in five high schoolers, are considered chronically absent so far this school year. Smaller districts have done away with remote learning entirely to try to re-engage kids. Georgetown Universitys Future-Ed think tank and the nonprofit Attendance Works produced a report detailing how schools could fight chronic absenteeism during COVID-19. It included relationship-building home visits as one promising intervention. The Rawlinson teachers combine visits with a tool the study labeled strong: reminders to parents about the importance of attendance, consequences of absenteeism and how many days the student has missed. The study calls this nudging. Brandt and Countryman do a lot of nudging on their visits. Wearing matching masks and backing up 6 feet when the door opened, they made their pleas to students and parents to stay engaged. They've brought sport bottles emblazoned with the school mascot, tech help, groceries and school supplies. When Davey finally came to the door, he was bare-footed and sleepy-eyed, explaining his sleep pattern had slowly changed over the past few months, so that he was staying up all night, and sleeping during the day. The teachers gave him a nudge. He didnt need to log on for Zoom sessions if he was too sleepy, they allowed. But he needed to turn in the work. He needed to retake the test hed blown off. He needed to pass his classes. Dont you want to go to ninth grade? Countryman asked Davey. Yeah he said with a shy and sheepish smile. At another stop, Rochelle Mata told Brandt and Countryman that school Zoom calls overlapped with her job, which kept her tied to her computer from long before sunrise to mid-afternoon. Her middle school boys had started taking advantage, not logging on. Even if they miss the calls, the teachers reminded Mata, her sons could still turn in their work as long as it's before 11 p.m. That policy is helpful, Mata said, but when they had questions about their assignments, she often didnt know how to help. So they just wouldnt turn in anything. I feel like they feel lost, Mata said. Brandt had an answer for that too. Their district, Northside Independent School District, has a tutoring hotline manned by teachers from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. every night. Every need they can meet and every burden teachers can ease will make it more likely kids will have the support at home to engage at school. At Matas house, they left a bag of groceries. Brandt and Countryman have heard similar stories about kids taking advantage of parents work schedules at suburban homes with deep front porches and exuberant landscaping. Some of the kids get engaged just to get us off their back, Countryman laughed. Others are more defensive or evasive. At one house, the student who came to the door said his parents could not join them, though an adult was easily visible. While he talked to the teachers, a tiny hand reached out from behind the door and tugged at his socks. It was his little sister, maybe 3 or 4 years old, demanding attention. Several homes on the route were dark and quiet. Brandt and Countryman waited a long time, and knocked repeatedly. They peered in windows to see if lights were on, pressed their ears to the door to listen for voices. On a previous route, they once enlisted the help of a maintenance man who was on his way into the apartment, asking him to send a family member out to talk to them. At one apartment, a grandmother answered the door. Her granddaughter had been living with her, but she recently went back to live with her mother. The grandmother hadnt known the girl stopped logging on and promised to pass along the teachers message. Another address, which the school used for its attempted communication with a student whod disappeared in October, turned out to be the maintenance workshop at an apartment building. Brandt and Countryman went to the complexs office to do some sleuthing. By the end of the day, the teachers were tired, but upbeat. In a time when so much seems beyond their control, these visits help stave off a feeling of helplessness. [The students] are capable of so much more, Brandt said. The pandemic shouldnt be the reason they dont succeed. Two weeks later, Countryman said, the visits had paid off. The grandmother had made good on her promise, and her granddaughter is turning in her work, passing with flying colors. The school found the student whose address turned out to be a maintenance workshop. She is logging into class again. And Davey logged into class that very afternoon, completed his work and took a make-up test. He scored 100. The 74 is a nonprofit, non-partisan news site devoted to U.S. education and the 74 million children whose lives depend on it. WILMINGTON, DE / ACCESSWIRE / March 3, 2021 / Artemundi, a leading art fund manager with its affiliates having previously managed over US$1 billion in works of fine art and a firm commitment to increasing transparency in the market, has announced the launch of the Guernica V. Fund. This fund has been specifically designed to protect and grow wealth during the current health and economic crisis. The fund will allocate investment capital initially targeted at US$200 million towards the acquisition of a diversified portfolio of secondary-market museum-quality artworks with attractive short-term risk-return profiles. The fund will invest in highly desirable works from the late 19th Century Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, and Modernism periods, as well as the Post-War and early Contemporary movements. "In uncertain times, high-end art is an attractive investment option for preserving and growing wealth," said Javier Lumbreras, CEO of Artemundi. "Simultaneously, investing in art as an alternative is not something anybody can do; it demands connoisseurship, selectivity, and a thorough understanding of the art market to be able to garner strong returns. Our 32-year experience in art management will allow the Guernica V. Fund to capitalize on opportunities created by the market dislocations arising from the pandemic." The Guernica V. Fund will offer investors access to art investment opportunities without the difficulties and challenges of navigating the art market personally, and Artemundi has been working to increase the market's accessibility for decades. "The plan is to not only be the market leader by doing things right, but to combat opaque industry conduct and drive the art market toward a level of transparency and regulation that welcomes newcomers and fosters healthy future growth," added Lumbreras. Lumbreras, an art collector and investor himself, will be leading the Guernica V. Fund's investment management in consultation with a Management Advisory Council formed by a seasoned team of art market professionals. With over 32 years of experience managing art as an alternative asset, Lumbreras is a recognized authority on art investments, having previously launched Artemundi Global Fund during the 2008 financial recession. This fund successfully achieved a 17.41 proforma IRR net to investors, after all fees, expenses and deductions. Since then, Artemundi has held numerous co-investments, joint ventures, and private accounts. The devastating economic conditions created by this global crisis then spurred the launch of a new short-term fund to better protect investors' assets in an uncertain time. Strict investment protocols, administrative procedures, and powerful partnerships place the Guernica V. Fund solidly above its competition. The Guernica V Fund has selected Liberman Canna LLP in the USA and DLaw S.a.r.l. in Luxembourg to handle its legal affairs, and expects to benefit from the expertise of the Art Law + Art Funds practice of Liberman Canna that is headed by Enrique Liberman, the president of The Art Fund Association and a recognized authority on art fund formation and governance. The Guernica V. Fund will be audited by Deloitte and administered by Apex Funds. The investment manager's experience in handling all issues associated with the underlying asset, as well as the intricacies of a largely unregulated art market, mitigates risks to the fund's investment program. The investment plan covers the United States and Europe, with a master fund in Luxembourg and a Delaware fund. The Delaware fund, Guernica V Fund (US), LLP, will accept capital from US "accredited investors" for investment into the Luxembourg master fund, Guernica V Fund, SLP. For more information on the Guernica V. Fund, please visit https://artemundi.com/guernica-v-fund. About Artemundi Artemundi was born out of a rebellious idea and a principled objective: Help its clients build and diversify their investment portfolios without the excessive fees associated with traditional brick-and-mortar art companies while paving the way for more transparent business practices within the industry. Since its foundation in 1989, Artemundi has evolved to become an industry-leading art investment company. It now has over 32 years of experience providing expert fund and other management services. Beyond its emotional, intellectual, and cultural value, art is a real and tangible asset that appreciates over time. Fueled by this knowledge and deep understanding of art as an asset, Artemundi help clients properly manage their portfolios to achieve attractive return rates while reducing overall risk. For more information, please visit www.artemundi.com. Media Contact: Grace Lumbreras grace.lp@artemundi.com (+1) 800 969 1623 (+1) 302 988 5002 506(c) Offering Legend Securities of Guernica V Fund (US), LP will be offered and sold in reliance on the exemption from registration set forth in Section 506(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the "Securities Act". In accordance therewith, you should be aware that (i) the securities may be sold only to "accredited investors," which for natural persons are investors who meet certain minimum annual income or net worth thresholds, including net worth greater than $1 million (excluding their primary residence) or incomes above $200,000 in the last two years with the expectation of the same in the current year (or $300,000 with a spouse); (ii) the securities will only be offered in reliance on an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and will not be required to comply with specific disclosure requirements that apply to registration under the Securities Act; (iii) the Securities and Exchange Commission will not pass upon the merits of or give its approval to the securities, the terms of the offering, or the accuracy or completeness of any offering materials; (iv) the securities will be subject to legal restrictions on transfer and resale and investors should not assume they will be able to resell their securities; investing in securities involves risk, and investors should be able to bear the loss of their investment; and (v) the securities offered will not be subject to the protections of the Investment Company Act. Any performance data set forth herein represents past performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This press release is not an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to purchase, any securities of Guernica V Fund (US), LP or Guernica V Fund, SLP, in any jurisdiction where such offer or sale would be prohibited. Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain statements of a forward-looking nature relating to future events. These forward-looking statements are subject to the inherent uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions. These statements reflect Artemundi's current beliefs, and a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in this press release. Any forward-looking statement in this press release is based only on information currently available to Artemundi and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Artemundi undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement. This press release should not be construed as providing investment advice or making any investment recommendations to any recipient hereof. Investors in the Guernica V Fund should not invest on the basis of this press release but rather should read and understand the offering documentation of the fund before making an investment decision. Related Files 21 02 06 PRESS RELEASE_Guernica.docx Guernica High-res Image.jpg Related Images Related Links More about the Guernica V. Fund More about Investments in Art Related Video SOURCE: Artemundi LLC View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/632999/Artemundi-Launches-the-Guernica-V-Fund-to-Help-Investors-Diversify-Portfolios-and-Navigate-the-Art-Market-Amid-COVID-Related-Financial-Uncertainty Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Several Houston businesses will still require customers to wear masks even after Gov. Greg Abbott announced the end of Texas' mandate. This crowdsourced list, compiled by the staff at It's Not Hou, It's Me, shows which Houston restaurants, grocery stores and public places still require masks. Chron has a summary of the list below. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Once again the forgotten borough, Staten Island is the only borough in New York City without a state-run coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination site. Under the leadership of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, either alone or as city and federal partnerships, the state of New York has opened up COVID-19 vaccination sites at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, York College in Queens, the Jacob Javitz Center in Manhattan and Yankee Stadium in The Bronx. The state Department of Health (DOH) opened the first drive-thru COVID-19 test site in the state on Staten Island in the parking lot of South Beach Psychiatric Center, located at 777 Seaview Ave, in Ocean Breeze. The already existing infrastructure of the drive-thru site would easily allow it to be a drive-thru vaccination site or a mixed-use site, offering both testing and vaccinations, however, there are no immediate plans to do so. When asked about the lack of a state site on Staten Island and the possibility of one, either alone or as a city-state partnership, Jill Montag, state Department of Health spokeswoman, told the Advance/SILive.com any expansion is reliant on increased supply of vaccines. New York State has operationalized one of the largest vaccine distribution networks in the nation, with over 5,000 providers statewide, and nearly 4 million shots administered to date. The state has also taken special efforts to reach communities where access is lowest, hesitancy rates are the highest, and vaccination rates are below average, but as with everything, the states supply is limited by the allocation we receive from the federal government, Montag said. The city did not return a request for comment about the possibility of a city-state partnership for a vaccination site on Staten Island. HIGH SCHOOL BUILDINGS WILL BE READY IN TIME FOR THE FALL, MAYOR SAYS Across the five boroughs the city Department of Health has been using school buildings as vaccination locations. On Staten Island, Port Richmond and Staten Island Tech High Schools are being used. Tottenville High School was previously used as a COVID-19 test site. While elementary and intermediate schools have reopened for in-person schooling, high schools are still teaching remote-only citywide, therefore, high school buildings are the only buildings being used as vaccination sites. Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Monday that even though they are currently in use, opening schools for 100% in-person learning for the 2021-2022 school year in the fall is a priority and buildings will be ready in time. We intend to be back fully in September and any current activity that needs to be moved out to accommodate coming back [will be moved]. The priority is coming back, de Blasio said. He said the city holds contracts with the providers administering the vaccines, not the location where the vaccines are administered, giving the city the ability to move them to a new location, whether that is a private or public location. FOLLOW KRISTIN F. DALTON ON TWITTER. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC), an independent forum aimed at conserving the environment by strengthening and promoting green building practices, today (March 3) unveiled the findings of its in-depth study on the indoor environment quality (IEQ) of a representative school in the UAE, conducted in partnership with Saint-Gobain, a world leader in the habitat and construction markets. The report, Making UAE Schools Healthy: In-depth Measurement of Indoor Air Quality highlights the need to enhance schools indoor environment by taking into consideration not only the air quality but also factors such as lighting, acoustics and thermal comfort. The study is part of the ongoing activities of the Emirates Coalition for Green Schools, which promotes discussions on creating a national vision of healthy, high performance schools that are conducive to learning while saving energy and resources cost-efficiently. It followed the recommendations of the roundtable hosted by EmiratesGBC in November 2018, which discussed the lack of adequate IAQ in typical UAE schools. At a webinar to mark the launch of the report, industry experts shared the challenges and opportunities for improving IEQ at schools in the UAE and across the region. Announcing the findings, Ali Al Jassim, the Chairperson of EmiratesGBC, said: "While the pandemic situation altered ways of schooling, with the vaccination programme and confidence returning, students are increasingly returning to schools. This presents us the opportunity to highlight the findings of our crucial study on indoor air quality in UAE schools, and take measures to provide a healthy environment for our future generations." "The measures will not only contribute to their well-being but also inspire them to champion green practices. The Emirates Green Coalition of Schools helps raise awareness on the concern regarding IAQ. Concerted efforts by all stakeholders including the public and private sectors are need to convert the over 1,000 schools in the country into green schools," he stated. Paul Button, CEO, Saint-Gobain UAE, said: "The study marks a milestone as it provides evidence-based insights on the state of IAQ in our schools. With the pandemic accelerating the need to prioritise the well-being and health of all, taking due diligence measures and implementing scientific measures to enhance indoor air environment alongside other critical factors including acoustics, light and thermal comfort must become a national priority." "The UAE has set a model in championing sustainable development and our partnership with EmiratesGBC will further the cause towards a more sustainable nation by helping drive awareness on the need to introduce environmental best practices in our schools," he added. The study covered a comprehensive audit of the indoor air quality conditions at a representative school in the UAE, through continuous monitoring combined with standardised air sampling. One of the main findings is that the limit values set by the government authorities for temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide (CO2) are far from being met in the two sample classrooms in the selected school. This will have a negative impact on the childrens learning abilities. The report outlines a clear call to action to diverse stakeholders. This includes the need for government authorities/policy makers to drive action to improve and maintain good IEQ, which will in turn help the nation achieve its goal of building a knowledge-based and globally competitive society. The report urges schools and school facility managers to prioritise actions that improve IEQ and to lead by example, while parents, students and school staff are called upon to advocate for improvements and enabling change by acting as advocacy groups and continuously checking the IEQ performance. The study reaches out to designers and green building consultants to streamline adequate IEQ levels in their design and construction of schools, and urges manufacturers and suppliers to understand and disclose the health implications of their products as well as ensure their products do not have toxic chemicals, it added.-TradeArabia News Service The UK High Court has ruled that Health Minister Matt Hancock acted unlawfully by failing to comply with the Transparency Policy in granting Covid-19 contracts. The ruling followed a judicial review against the Tory governments failure to publish its contracts with private companies involved in the response to the pandemic. The review was headed by legal charity the Good Law Project (GLP), alongside three MPs from Labour, the Liberal Democrats, and Green Party. Health Secretary Matt Hancock speaking at a government Covid-19 press conference inside No10 Downing Street (credit: picture by Andrew Parsons/No 10 Downing Street--Flickr) Operating under the principle of never let a good crisis go to waste, the British ruling class, like their counterparts across the globe, ensured that vast profits were made by a small number of UK companies during the first wave of Covid-19. This is the modern-day equivalent of war profiteering. The Conservative government is not only using the pandemic to continue privatizing the National Health Service (NHS) but to enrich a select group of corporations and shareholders. Many winners of lucrative contracts, who received them without any competitive tendering or scrutiny, are Tory party cronies. The government used emergency powers under the Coronavirus Act 2020, introduced with the support of the Labour Party, to bypass normal contract tendering process and set up a VIP channellater renamed the high-priority lane. More than 17 billion worth of contracts for the supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), test and trace, procurement and consultation have been dished out in this way during the pandemic. This amount equals one eighth of the entire National Health Service (NHS) annual budget and excludes the money spent on outsourcing treatment and care services to private hospitals. By not publishing the details of the contracts awarded, Hancock was trying to conceal the corrupt practices of his government from the wider public. In handing down the judgement, Judge Chamberlain stated, The Secretary of State spent vast quantities of public money on pandemic-related procurements during 2020. The public were entitled to see who this money was going to, what it was being spent on and how the relevant contracts were awarded. The ruling stated that there was now no dispute that, in a substantial number of cases, the Secretary of State breached his legal obligation to publish Contract Award Notices [CAN] within 30 days of the award of contracts. While the documents relating to the contracts have been posted online, the GLP points out that vast amounts of detail that would allow the public to assess whether the contractors delivered what they promised have been blacked out and redacted. One 98.7 million PPE contract has the quantity, unit price, measurements and even the colour of gowns redacted. As part of the judicial review, the Good Law Project commissioned research into the governments handling of contracts, undertaken by procurement consultancy Tussell. Their findings are shocking. By the beginning of October 2020, the secretary of state for health and social care had spent some 15 billion on PPE. However, the value of contracts made public by then was only 2.68 billion. Their research found that the average time for publication of CANs was 47 days for Covid-19 related contracts, despite the legal obligation to publish within 30 days of awarding any contracts for public goods or services worth more than 120,000. The government was also in breach of its own transparency policy, which requires the publication of details of all public contracts worth more than 10,000. In November last year, the World Socialist Web Site noted that A report by the National Audit Office (NAO) into 8,600 contracts signed during the pandemic found that government officials awarded contracts worth 17.3 billion to private sector firms. Of this 10.5 billion (58 percent) was awarded directly without any tendering of contracts. 12.3 billion was paid out by government for the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) and 2.9 billion in Testing and Tracing contracts. The Good Law Projects submissions to the judicial review provide a further damning picture of government criminality and corruption. Many contracts were awarded to companies that did not have any prior experience in providing medical services, testing and tracing or PPE. As well as avoiding any competitive tendering, the government avoided scrutiny by not advertising that the contracts were on offer. Some of the types of personal protective equipment (PPE) used in National Health Service hospitals (credit: WSWS media) In April 2020, the government awarded a contract to Ayanda Capital Limited for the supply of face masks. The value of the contract was 252 million. Some 160 million worth of masks purchased were unusable in the NHS. This contract was won via the VIP lane by a company created by a crony of the minister for the international trade. Clandeboye Agencies Limited, a company which previously supplied only confectionery products, was awarded a 108 million contract for the supply of gowns to the NHS. Crisp Websites Limited (trading as PestFixa pest control company) managed to secure six contracts worth 345 million, benefitting from the VIP lane, despite the company having never before supplied medical PPE. Serious concerns have been raised about the quality of the products it supplied and the financial standing of the company. It was reported that Pestfix had total assets worth just 18,000 prior to winning contracts. The contracts awarded to those companies are subject to another legal challenge by the Good Law Project. In May, outsourcing company Serco was handed 108 million to run non-complex contact tracing for three months. Another private firm, Sitel, got a separate contract from the government. It was reported that the renewal value of Sercos contact tracing contract was 410 million. The companys pathetic performance was such that they managed to reach less than 60 percent of contacts by the end of October. Yet Serco was expected to make 165 million profit out of the contract. The company will this year resume dividend payouts after a seven-year interval with a 17 million distribution. Another beneficiary of the governments largesse to their friends in the private sector was Alex Bourne. Bourne previously ran a pub, The Cock Inn in Thurlow, situated close to Hancocks former constituency home in Suffolk and visited frequently by the health secretary. He had no expertise in the manufacture and supply of medical equipment but won at least 30 million worth of contracts to provide vials and plastic funnels for test samples. His company, Hinpack, is currently under investigation by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency as it is alleged he did not have adequate facilities from a health and hygiene perspective. Hancock was unrepentant after the High Court ruling, claiming without an ounce of shame that it was in the national interest that we did what we did. He was supposedly trying to save lives. Speaking to the Sky News, he said: If I had my time again, absolutely I do exactly the same thing even if it led to this conversation. Despite the well-publicised cases of nurses going to work in April wearing bin liners as PPE, Hancock insisted that there wasnt a national shortage [of PPE] at any point because of the work his team did. A National Health Service nurse wearing, in November 2020, a repurposed bin liner that was supplied as PPE (credit Twitter @drTeaLady) These are obscene lies. The pandemic profiteering took place amid and contributed to a catastrophic loss of life. More than 4.1 million people have contracted Covid-19 in the UK and at least 135,000 have died. Among the dead are 883 health and social care workers in England and Wales alone. The governments clear-eyed enthusiasm for shovelling public money into the pockets of their friends was in sharp contrast to their disregard for the actual provision of life-saving equipment. Surveys carried out by the Royal College of Nursing, Unison and British Medical Association among their members have revealed widespread shortages of PPE, leading to tens of thousands of infections. Severe starving of funds for the NHS and social care over the last decade had already created a massive shortage of PPE even before the pandemic hit. Between 2013 and 2016, the national stockpile of PPE was slashed by 40 percent as a part of 20 billion in cuts in NHS efficiency savings. Even though the government was fully aware of the PPE shortage, it refused to join a joint procurement scheme with the European Union in March. On March 19, it downgraded the classification of Covid-19 to a non-High Consequence Infectious Disease (HCID)reducing the level of what constitutes safe PPE required for staff in treating the disease. For further information visit NHS FightBack Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 Staff at La Trobe University have been told the university will shed another 250 to 300 full-time equivalent jobs this year, potentially taking the total number of lost jobs at the beleaguered institution past 500. University vice-chancellor John Dewar also lamented to staff in a meeting on Wednesday that the Morrison government was largely unsympathetic to the university sectors plight, despite the loss of billions of dollars and thousands of jobs. La Trobe University Credit:Erin Jonasson In candid comments about the tense relationship between universities and the Coalition, Professor Dewar said the federal government thinks it is our fault we are reliant on international student revenue. They think we are naive about foreign interference, particularly from China; and think we dont take issues of freedom of speech or academic freedom seriously enough. HOLYOKE City Council President Todd McGee will accept the role of acting mayor when Mayor Alex. B. Morse leaves the post for his new job as town manager in Provincetown. Meanwhile, the council voted Tuesday to send a home rule petition to prevent a special mayoral election to its Charter and Rules Committee for review. McGee said he has spoken with Morse since last weeks announcement, but a timeline has not been established. What I can tell you is that its ongoing. Once we know more, we can inform the council as to what the dates are, McGee said. Morse is currently negotiating a contract, including his pay and start date, with Provincetown officials. The previous town manager received a $190,000 annual salary and $9,000 housing allowance. I can assure you, its the role of the president to become acting mayor. Its a job that I will take very seriously during that brief transition period, McGee said. Im willing to do that job and based on what the rules say. McGee stressed he would not run for mayor. He was unsure if he would take a leave of absence from his job at MassMutual. My job is a transitional job. Brief as it is, Im going to help guide, as the mayor moves on, and hand it off to whoever becomes mayor at that time, he said. I will not be a candidate. I cannot be clearer than that. McGee noted that some of his colleagues in city government are running for Room 1. At large Councilor Rebecca Lisi and School Committee Member Devin Sheehan announced their mayoral candidacies in February. At large Councilor Mike Sullivan will likely launch an exploratory committee in the coming weeks. McGee reiterated he does not have a date to step into his new role. The timeline hinges on Morses actual departure. Once that becomes more available to me, I can alert you as to when those final dates are. Right now, the mayor is the mayor until he alerts us as to when his departure date will be, McGee said. McGee added, I wish the mayor good luck. I thanked him for his years of service to the City of Holyoke. Its an outstanding thing for his future going forward. But with that, well have a job to do in the transitional part. In a brief statement, Morse said, When I have more details, I will be sure to inform the council and the public. Councilor McGee and I are already in touch, and Ill begin including him in essential conversations and decisions. Once contract negotiations conclude, Ill be able to provide an official date of resignation. Im unable to provide more specifics at this time. Sullivan and at large Councilor Joseph McGiverin submitted a home rule petition that would forgo a special election for mayor. The City Council and state legislature must approve the petition. The city charter calls for a special election if a mayor leaves office with more than six months left in a term. Sullivan said a special election is unnecessary since a municipal election, including a mayoral contest, is slated for November 2021. He also cited the cost to taxpayers for a special election and the ongoing pandemic, which he said places voters and poll workers at risk. City Clerk Brenna Murphy McGee, Todd McGees wife, estimated a special election and runoff could cost $75,000 to $100,000. The cities of Boston and Lawrence were granted similar petitions recently by the Legislature. McGiverin requested the councils Charter and Rules Committee review the petition. He proposed that the winner of the November mayoral election enter office immediately instead of waiting for the January swearing-in. McGiverin was the last city council president to serve as acting mayor, doing so in 1991 when Mayor Martin Dunn won a state senate seat. He added that he was allowed only one salary. At large Councilor Peter Tallman supported McGiverins motion to send the petition to committee, giving the legal department time to draft additional language. City Solicitor Crystal Barnes said the petition should reflect Holyokes specific needs. Thats the best course of action here, Barnes said. Otherwise, were leaving it up to interpretation. We can tell the state that this is the exact process we want to happen, and thats what theyre going to grant us. The proposed petition is only for 2021 and not a permanent charter change. Barnes opposed amending Sullivans petition Tuesday night and called for the meeting of minds with the Charter and Rules Committee. She consulted with state election officials on how Boston and Lawrence pursued their petitions. Related content: Abbeyfeale native Mae Screeney is hopeful that a $250,000 reward offered by Australian police may be the key to finding out what happened to her disappeared cousin. Paddy Moriarty (70), who is believed to have hailed from Abbeyfeale, disappeared in the Australian Outback on December 16, 2017. He and his red kelpie, Kellie, were last seen leaving the Larrimah 'Pink Panther' Hotel, a rural pub two minutes from his home in the tiny Australian town of Larrimah. Mr Moriarty - the son of the late Abbeyfeale native Mary Theresa Moriarty - is believed to have been murdered, though no sign of him has been located in spite of an extensive police search and investigation. His house - located in a Northern Territory town of about a dozen residents, situated about 50 minutes from the nearest notable settlement - was found undisturbed by police days after his disappearance, with his vehicle and quad parked outside. Last Thursday, February 25, Northern Territory police offered a $250,000 reward for information that would lead to the location of his body and a conviction for those responsible for his likely death. "The investigation remains focussed on establishing what happened to Paddy, where he might be, and who is responsible," said Detective Sergeant Matt Allen. "We continue to follow up information from the public, and a number of people have been eliminated from our enquiries. Somebody knows what happened. Read More "A 70-year-old man and his dog don't just disappear from a tiny Outback town...The case will only be closed when it is solved," he said. Mae Screeney, an Abbeyfeale native and Mr Moriarty's second cousin, told The Kerryman that she hopes this will prove to be an inspired move on the part of Australian police. "It's really interesting, it's wonderful," she said. "Somebody knows something, don't they? And this might be what's needed to tempt someone to come forward and bring closure in relation to what happened to him." None of Mr Moriarty's relatives were aware that Mary Theresa Moriarty - who lived out her days in Jersey, where she died in 1995 - had a son, and efforts to find out about his upbringing in Ireland prior to moving to Australia in the mid-1960s have so far proven as frustratingly fruitless as efforts to find out what happened to him in December 2017. Mr Moriarty - born in Limerick County Hospital, Croom, in 1947 - was not married, and no familial relatives of his have been identified in Australia. A search of boarded-out records by TUSLA failed to uncover any information on his life in Ireland, while there's also no record of him having attended local school. Mae still believes that he did grow up in Abbeyfeale but not under the Moriarty name: "I find it hard to believe that there's no record of him. There has to be something. I find that unacceptable," she said. Australian reporter Kylie Stevenson - who along with colleague Caroline Graham is due to release a book about Mr Moriarty this year - explained that Australian police have been known to offer rewards like this down through the years, but this is a relatively rare move in the Northern Territory. "The appeal seems to suggest police firmly believe there is someone who knows something more," she said. "At the very least, the reward will renew interest in the case, which will hopefully generate new leads." If you have information on Paddy's life in Ireland that would by useful to Kylie and Caroline's book, contact kyliestevenson@hotmail.com or cgraham@bond.edu.au. Kangana Ranaut seems to have no intention of stopping from becoming a part of back-to-back controversies, and in the process, thoroughly entertaining her fans and people on seemingly uneventful days. Recently, Kangana tweeted an appreciation post for 'ancient women' and shamed modern women for wearing American jeans and rags instead of dressing up in authentic Indian dresses. Instagram_Kangana Ranaut She shared a picture of three women, who also are the first female licensed doctors in their countries, and wrote, "Appreciation tweet for ancient women who not only represented their individuality but their entire civilization, cultures and nations. Today if such achievers are to be clicked they will all wear torn American jeans n rags like blouses, representing nothing but American marketing." Check out the post here- Appreciation tweet for ancient women who not only represented their individuality but their entire civilisation,cultures and nations. Today if such achievers are to be clicked they will all wear torn American jeans n rags like blouses,representing nothing but American marketing. pic.twitter.com/0k2yjUuF07 Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) March 3, 2021 While a lot of people praised Kangana for her point of view, many people found pictures of her from the past in similar clothes. In the shared pictures, she can be seen wearing the very clothes she described as American jeans and rags. Heres what people on the internet have to say about Kanganas recent Twitter post- I know right? pic.twitter.com/MU7ogrOpQC Aap Chronology Samajh Lijiye (@sooperpower2020) March 3, 2021 Kash aap bhi inse 1% bhi inspire hoti ya inki jesi hoti Arynwtf (@arynwtf) March 3, 2021 M bhi kal se dhoti pahnuga Abhi (@Abhi51766229) March 3, 2021 Kangana has been extremely critical of western influence in India. Earlier, she attacked pop icon Rihanna who brought global attention to the ongoing farmers protest by tweeting about it, questioning the suspension of internet services that have been imposed on the protest sites around the capital where the protest is taking place. Reuters Soon, Kangana took to Twitter and reacted to Rihannas post by showing her support for the farm laws introduced by the government and called Rihanna a fool for supporting the protests. She wrote, No one is talking about it because they are not farmers they are terrorists who are trying to divide India so that China can take over our vulnerable broken nation and make it a Chinese colony much like the USA... Sit down you fool, we are not selling our nation like you dummies. A civilian contractor who died when rockets struck a US airbase in Iraq has been confirmed as a US national who suffered a heart attack when taking shelter, the Pentagon has revealed. At least 10 rockets hit the Ain al-Asad air base, in Iraq's western Anbar province, at around 7.20am local time from a launcher located five miles from the base. The Pentagon confirmed the victim's nationality in a statement on Wednesday after the attack, saying: 'There are no current reports of US servicemember injuries and all are accounted for. 'A US civilian contractor suffered a cardiac episode while sheltering and sadly passed away shortly after.' It is not yet clear who carried out the strikes but it comes days after President Joe Biden approved his first airstrike - an attack on two Iranian-backed Shia militia groups in Syria - that killed 22 people. Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have been escalating in recent years, particularly during former president Donald Trump's four years in the White House, exacerbated by the assassination of General Qasem Soleimani last year, on Trump's orders. After a retaliation last week to earlier such rocket attacks, the White House said President Joe Biden was determined 'to act to protect Americans' from such threats. The attack also comes ahead of Pope Francis's visit to Iraq, which is due to begin on Friday and will mark the first time a pope has been to the country. Despite the rocket attack, Pope Francis said that he would still make the trip 'because the people cannot be let down'. At least 10 rockets have hit a US airbase in Iraq in the latest in a series of attacks on American forces in the country. Pictures circulating on social media purportedly show the burnt out truck that was used to launch the attack Iraqi and Western security sources said that the contractor died of a heart attack. No other casualties have been reported in the attack. The attack on the sprawling base is the fourth time in less than three weeks that rockets hit a Western installation in the country. Ain al-Asad hosts both Iraqi forces and troops from the US-led coalition helping fight remnants of the Islamic State group - as well as the unmanned drones they use to surveil jihadist sleeper cells. Coalition spokesman Colonel Wayne Marotto confirmed that 10 rockets hit the base at 7.20am (4.20am GMT), but did not provide details on any casualties. Iraqi security forces said they had found the platform from which 10 'Grad-type rockets' hit the Ain al-Asad base. Western security sources told AFP the rockets in today's attack were Iranian-made Arash models, which are 122mm artillery rockets and heavier than those seen in similar strikes. Western security sources told AFP that the rockets were Iranian-made Arash models, which are 122mm artillery rockets and heavier than those seen in other attacks on Western targets in Iraq. Pictures online purportedly show the vehicle that was used to launch the strikes Ain al-Asad airbase in Iraq - which hosts US, coalition and Iraqi forces - was hit by at least 10 rockets on Tuesday. One casualty has been reported so far Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have been escalating in recent years, particularly during former president Donald Trump's four years in the White House, exacerbated by the assassination of General Qasem Soleimani (pictured in 2016) last year, on Trump's orders The rocket strike is the latest attack on US forces in Iraq by Iran-backed militias, though nobody has claimed responsibility. Ain al-Asad has also been attacked by ISIS in the past Video of the launcher pic.twitter.com/EP9AYYpCLk Michael A. Horowitz (@michaelh992) March 3, 2021 The Pope says he will still travel to Iraq on Friday despite rocket attack on military base Pope Francis has insisted that his historic trip to Iraq which is due to take place this week will go ahead despite an attack on US forces in the country today. The 84-year-old pontiff said he cannot disappoint people 'who have suffered so much' by calling off the visit, the first ever by a pope to Iraq, at the last minute. Instead, he asked people to pray for him and the journey 'so that it may take place in the best possible way and bear the hoped-for fruits'. Pope Francis is due to land in Iraq on Friday for a three-day visit designed to encourage the country's Christian faithful after years of often violent repression by Islamic extremists including ISIS. During the trip, Francis will visit the Our Lady of Salvation Church in Baghdad which was the site of a massacre of Christians in 2010, a church in Qaraqosh that was left charred by ISIS attacks, and pray for the victims of war in Mosul. The trip is also designed to broaden the Vatican's outreach to Islam, and on Saturday will feature a meeting between Francis and Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. Francis has said the journey will complete the dream of Pope John Paul II, who had planned to visit in 1999 but never made the trip over fears for his security and concerns that then-ruler Saddam Hussein would use it as propaganda. 'The day after tomorrow, God willing, I will go to Iraq for a three-day pilgrimage. For a long time I have wanted to meet these people who have suffered so much,' Francis said in his weekly Wednesday address. He added: 'The Iraqi people are waiting for us, they were waiting for Saint John Paul II, who was forbidden to go. 'One cannot disappoint a people for the second time. Let us pray that this journey will be successful.' Advertisement Dozens of rocket attacks and roadside bombs targeted Western security, military and diplomatic sites in Iraq in 2020, with Iraqi and Western military sources blaming hardline pro-Iran factions. They came to a near-complete halt in October following a truce with the hardliners, but they have resumed at a quickening pace over the past three weeks. In mid-February, rockets targeted US-led coalition troops in the Kurdish regional capital Arbil, a US military contracting company working north of the capital and the US embassy in Baghdad. The US responded on February 26 with an air strike on Kataeb Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed Iraqi paramilitary force stationed along the Iraqi-Syrian border. Twenty-two people were killed when seven 500lbs bombs were dropped on a compound used by two Iranian-backed Shia militia groups in the first Biden-authorized airstrike on the Shia militia compound in Syria. Military sources said the airstrike was intended to 'draw a line' after a series of attacks on US positions in Iraq. On February 15, a volley of rockets fell within the grounds of Erbil's international airport and in residential parts of the city, killing a contractor while wounding several US personnel and Iraqi civilians. The Green Zone in Baghdad, where the American embassy is located, has been a regular target for mortar and rocket fire. The compound in Syria had been used by militants to smuggle weapons across the border and into Iraq, the US said. Ain al-Asad air base is the second largest airbase established during US occupation of Iraq between 2003 and 2011. It came under attack by Iran last year following a drone strike ordered by President Trump which killed General Qasem Soleimani. Iran fired 15 Fateh-313 missiles at two US bases in Iraq during that attack: Ain al-Asad and another facility in Erbil. Ten of the rockets hit the US airbase and one landed at the Erbil facility, while four failed in flight, American military sources said at the time. No US troops were killed in that attack but 109 were later diagnosed with brain injuries from the force of the explosions. It is not yet clear who was behind Tuesday's rocket attack. The base has also come under attack from ISIS militants in the past. Pope Francis has insisted that his visit to Iraq, which is due to take place at the end of the week, will go ahead as planned despite a rocket attack on US forces in the country today The last major attack on Ain al-Asad came last year when Iran hit the base with 10 missiles in revenge for the killing of General Qasem Soleimani. 109 soldiers suffered brain injuries Jagame Thandhiram, the Dhanush starring mass entertainer which is directed by Karthik Subbaraj, is all set to release on Netflix soon. Recently, it was rumoured that the project is releasing on March 26, 2021. However, the sources close to Jagame Thandhiram have now denied the reports, thus putting an end to the speculations. The makers had officially confirmed the Netflix release of the Dhanush-Karthik Subbaraj project, by releasing the much-awaited official teaser. As per the reports, the team has not finalised the Netflix release date of Jagame Thandhiram so far. If things follow as planned, the release date of the highly anticipated project will be officially announced in a few days. As reported earlier, the Dhanush fans and cine-goers are upset with the production banner Y Not Studios, for opting for an OTT release for Jagame Thandhiram. The banner and producer S Shashikanth received severe backlash from the audiences on social media, after the reports regarding the Netflix release of the film started doing rounds. The grapevine also suggests that both the leading actor Dhanush and director Karthik Subbaraj are also not happy with the Netflix release of Jagame Thandhiram. The rumours regarding Dhanush's fall-out with producer Shashikanth started doing rounds after the duo unfollowed each other on social media. The actor had also expressed his displeasure over the OTT release, with a couple of Twitter posts. Coming to Jagame Thandhiram, the movie features Aishwarya Lekshmi and Sanchana Natarajan as the female leads. Santhosh Naraynan has composed the songs and original score. Shreyaas Krishna is the director of photography. Vivek Harshan has handled the editing. The Dhanush starrer is expected to releasing in five languages, including Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada. Also Read: Jagame Thandhiram: Is Dhanush Starrer The Highest Paid OTT Release In Tamil? Jagame Thandhiram Teaser Out: Dhanush-Karthik Subbaraj's Film To Release On Netflix! Kelly Brook made yet another stylish entrance when she arrived at work on Heart Radio on Wednesday. The presenter, 41, had a big smile on her face as she arrived, wearing slim-fit jeans and a light brown blazer. She tucked in a black top and cinched in her waist with a Gucci belt, carrying a black Chanel 19 bag in hand. On her way! Kelly Brook looked cheery as she stepped out wearing slim-fit jeans and a blazer ahead of her Heart Radio show on Wednesday Kelly completed her look with heeled ankle boots and a gold cross necklace. In November, Kelly enthused about tying the knot and starting a family with her boyfriend of five years, Jeremy Parisi. In the model insisted that while marriage and children with Jeremy, 35, won't fill a 'void', she's still looking forward towards the next chapter in her life. The Heart Radio host shared: 'Maybe we'll do a wedding in a year because we're allowed to again. We might think, ''Let's go for it and have a party!''' Looking cute: She tucked in a black top and cinched in her waist with a Gucci belt, carrying a black Chanel 19 bag in hand The went on to state she's currently content with her 'laid-back' and 'ambitious' partner of five years. TV star Kelly told OK!: 'I would love to get married at some point, but it's not high on my list. I would love to have children at some point. I am happy now, so I don't think it would fill any void. I'm pretty settled with my partner, we've got a lovely life.' In February 2018, the bombshell proposed to the hunk during a romantic holiday to Antigua, but an unimpressed Jeremy turned her down. Watch this space: In November, Kelly enthused about tying the knot and starting a family with her boyfriend of five years, Jeremy Parisi 'Maybe we'll have a wedding in a year!' Kelly Brook has enthused about tying the knot with her long-term love (pictured in November) On how caring for her new dog Teddy will be different to raising kids, she added: I think we've had times where we've looked at the dog and thought we can't! It's the opposite. You can leave the dog for a couple of hours but you can't leave a baby.' Elsewhere in the interview, the media personality admitted she suffered from 'severe anxiety' at the start of UK's first coronavirus lockdown, and feared she contracted the virus because she lives in London, a city she described as a 'COVID-19 hotspot'. The actress previously revealed she had gained weight during the global crisis, but has since bought a rebounder and engages in regular exercise. Photo: Contributed By Gwyn Morgan The essence of good journalism is diversity of opinion. This was demonstrated by two columns in last the National Post after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that international air travellers arriving in Canada would be confined to a government-designated hotel room while awaiting COVID-19 test results. John Ivisons column, headlined A good idea poorly carried out, was fundamentally supportive, while Chris Selley concluded that Mandatory hotel quarantine exists solely because it suddenly became a political necessity and a welcome distraction. Heres a chronology of the federal governments actions: Dec. 22: News of the British coronavirus variant prompted Ontario Premier Doug Ford, under political pressure himself, to call for additional restrictions: Theres just not enough being done to protect us from the threats coming in from the outside. Federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu defended her governments measures, noting that only 1.3 per cent of Ontario COVID-19 cases originated outside the country. Federal Public Safety Minister Bill Blair also challenged Ford, defending the governments restrictions on international flights as among the strongest and most rigorous in the world. Data compiled since shows it was during the next two weeks of federal inaction that COVID variants got their deadly foothold. Jan. 7: The prime minister finally announced that international air travellers must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test before boarding their return flight and then must quarantine for two weeks. Jan. 29: Trudeau announced that, effective Feb. 3, travellers would be required to undergo a second test upon arrival. But rather than quarantining at home to await results, they would be confined for three days in a government-designated hotel room that they must pay for, at an estimated cost of $2,000 If the second test is negative, they would be allowed to return home. But even with two successive negative results proving them to be the most COVID-safe people in the country, they would still be required to quarantine for the remaining 11 days. In yet another incomprehensible move, Trudeau announced a three-month suspension of flights from Mexico and the Caribbean, though neither location had yet recorded variant cases. This completely unexpected decision struck travellers like a bombshell. Stressed-out Canadians flooded airports trying to book flights, get a COVID-19 test and hurry home before the Feb. 3 mandatory hotel lockdown hard to do in just four days. After creating huge stress for travellers and posing impossible timing challenges for airlines, the government delayed the hotel lockdown measure to Feb. 22. It became clear that Trudeau had not sufficiently considered the time required for public servants to set up arrival testing and make the necessary hotel arrangements. But he wasnt done, in this era of havoc-creating new rules. He also announced that all international flights arriving after Feb. 22 would be directed to just four airports: Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver. Here again, he completely failed to consider the impact on Canadian travellers. Those four airports work fine for people living locally. After being released from the hotel, they can simply go home for the remaining days of their quarantine. But what about people who must take another flight to get home? Consider a couple from Winnipeg confined at a Calgary hotel. Will they be allowed to fly home after their three-day hotel stay or would they be required to remain at the hotel for the rest of the 14-day quarantine, adding another $6,000 to their hotel bill? Then, when they finally are allowed to go home, they have to buy tickets to Winnipeg, where they were originally booked to land. Besides Winnipeg, Canada has 12 other international airports, including Moncton, Halifax, London, Ottawa, Quebec City, Regina, Saskatoon, St. Johns and Victoria, all equipped for customs clearance and entry screening. Shutting them down to returning travellers flights is additional proof of our prime ministers uncaring attitude toward his subjects. Trudeaus actions between Dec. 22 and Jan. 29 must surely be among the most ill-conceived by any Canadian prime minister. And still two over-arching questions havent been addressed. Will the forced hotel stay keep Canadians safer? When the prime minister implemented the hotel lockdowns on Feb. 22, variants had already spread across the country. CTVs coronavirus tracking website records 873 active variant cases as of Feb. 24. Passengers arriving with a negative test are among the least likely of all Canadians to be carrying the virus, yet they are locked in hotel rooms. Meanwhile, locals who have tested positive are free to quarantine at home. That this makes no sense is not lost on travellers. No wonder many are simply walking out of the airport. And now we hear public health officials vow to hunt them down like criminals and issue fines of up to $1,800 per day. Whats the real motivation for the prime ministers actions? The most likely answer comes from Selley: A political necessity and a welcome distraction. The government has come under intense criticism for a fumbled vaccine procurement that places Canada 43rd as of this writing in vaccinations per capita. Trudeau has a history of attempting to deflect blame when he gets himself in trouble. He tried to blame the public service for awarding a $900-million contract to the WE Charity, which had paid generous speaking fees to his family. True to form, he now resorts to blaming the runaway virus infections on those supposedly unpatriotic and selfish Canadians who travelled south, partly to escape that very virus. Publicly vilifying a particular group to win public support for persecuting them has long been a favoured practice of despots. It has no place in our Canada. Gwyn Morgan is a retired business leader who has been a director of five global corporations. The Italian carmaker offered this Quattroporte generation with a choice of two different V8 engines, namely 4.2-liter and 4.9-liter, with the latter developing no less than 276 horsepower.On the other hand, the smaller engine produced 252 horsepower and eventually got phased out in 1981 when Maserati decided to stick with just the 4.9 unit.The 1982 Quattroporte that we have here is the closest look you can get at those times, as its an all-original model that has recently been discovered parked in a garage where it had been sitting for a long time.The car is complete, according to eBay seller shelbob , and it needs mostly cosmetics, they guarantee.Sold with a bill of sale because a title is missing, the Quattroporte comes with very little rust, mostly the result of the car sitting outside in the rain. At the same time, the floors and the chassis are both solid, according to the eBay post.The leather interior looks pretty good, though its pretty clear it shows its age and the owner says the only thing that needs to be urgently taken care of is the drivers seat, which is currently ripped off. The interior wood does show some signs of sun damage, but other than that, everything is in a fairly decent condition.We dont know if the car is still running, but it did before it was parked, so the buyer will be the first one to give it a try after all these days.The odometer is said to indicate 69,000 miles (111,044 kilometers), and of course, they are likely to be original.As for the price, this is up to the internet to decide, as the car is listed for auction with a $100 starting bid. The reserve is said to be low, but no further specifics have been shared in this regard. Gov. Gavin Newsoms long-awaited deal aimed at reopening schools is doing little to quell the wave of parent anger that helped propel the recall drive against him, an effort organizers believe will soon qualify for a special election. It also couldnt have come at a worse time -- amid new flashpoints over COVID lockdowns. On Monday, Newsom announced a new incentive plan providing $6.6 billion to public schools that reopen over the next month, the same day public frustration was flaring anew over a video of Berkeley Federation of Teachers President Matt Meyer taking his 2-year-old to a private preschool and another showing Newsom and celebrity George Lopez inside a restaurant in an area that currently doesnt allow indoor dining. Over the weekend, Newsom got the Saturday Night Live cold-open treatment, with Dr. Anthony Fauci, played by Kate McKinnon, introducing him as someone hated by everyone in California except those 10 people he had dinner with in Napa that one time. The spoof referenced the fierce backlash Newsom received after photos surfaced of him maskless at a lobbyists birthday dinner last year just as the governor was imposing new lockdown orders and calling on families not to gather with friends and relatives for Thanksgiving. Newsom, who won with 61.9% of the vote in 2018, has seen his popularity plummet since the dining incident. A UC-Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll released in early February showed just 46% of California voters approve of his performance, a big decline from the two-thirds who backed him in September. While the incident at the tony French Laundry restaurant undoubtedly played a role in the governors fading popularity, public pique has shifted to the slow roll of school reopenings and union demands that they remain closed or only provide limited in-classroom instruction. News this week that mental health claims for teens skyrocketed last spring amid the lockdowns -- as parents, school officials and pediatricians have been warning about for months -- has added more urgency to the reopening movement and bolsters those arguing that high school students should be prioritized in the push to get children back in classrooms. In mid-February the city of San Francisco took the dramatic step of suing its school district, citing the record high numbers of suicidal children as the one-year anniversary of COVID school closings approaches. California has had some of the strictest school reopening rules in the country with doors closed at many public schools across the state since the COVID-19 outbreak first began. In the last six months, as many other states have reopened public schools more aggressively, fed-up parents have united across party lines to help fuel the recall effort. Republican opponents have seized on the issue, with former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer holding several recent events outside schools while savaging Newsoms efforts as unacceptable. Faulconer on Monday blasted the governors latest plan as far too limited and piecemeal, leaving most middle school and high school students out. Kids in all grade levels, in all school districts, deserve to be back in school now, Faulconer said. For him to tout this as an accomplishment after months of inexcusable failures shows how out of touch he is, and why he should be recalled. Businessman Chris Cox, a 2018 gubernatorial candidate who intends to challenge Newsom again if the recall is triggered, has regularly hit him over the shuttered schools while Ric Grenell, President Trumps top intelligence official and another likely GOP candidate, is calling out the governor for allowing a form of lockdown hypocrisy akin to the French Laundry incident. Schools for the well-connected but not for the kids waiting for the government run schools to open, Grenell wrote in a tweet accompanied by a video of the Berkeley teachers union president taking his daughter to school. This is outrageous, @GavinNewsom! Under Newsoms plan, schools that remain closed would lose 1% of their portion of the $6.6 billion grant funding for every school day they remain closed past April 1. The proposal is expected to pass the state legislature Thursday. While many school districts across the state have made vaccinating all teachers a sticking point in reopening, the Newsom plan would not require it. Instead, it sets aside 10% of all available COVID vaccines, or at least 75,000, for teachers and school personnel. I look forward after the vote on Thursday to quickly signing this and moving forward to celebrate the reopening for in-person instruction of schools all up and down the state of California, Newsom said during an event Monday at a school in Elk Grove, a town near Sacramento. But critics have found fault with the requirements to qualify for the funding. For instance, elementary schools must offer in-person instruction to students in transitional kindergarten through second grade but theres no requirement for how many on-campus hours must be provided. The schools only need to bring in students through six grade, as well as those in at least one full middle- or high-school grade level, for an undefined time when local case rates fall below seven positive cases per 100,000 residents, known as the red tier. The vast majority of California counties are in a worse category, the purple tier. It ties the reopening to the [COVID] tiers, which the Centers for Disease Control has said is not necessary because its safe to reopen if you have the proper mitigation strategies in place, Ginny Merrifield, executive director of the Parents Association North County San Diego, told RealClearPolitics. There is really nothing in this plan that will make it any easier or requires school districts to reopen. Students are suffering irreparable harm, Merrifield argued, citing a spate of recent local teen suicides and attempted suicides. By the end of the month, the recall [signatures] will be filed, and so [Newsoms] really walking a tightrope here between the population, which is eager to get their children back in school after a year, and the California Teachers Association, which is one of his largest donors to his campaign for governor originally, Merrifield said. So it's a tough, tough spot he's painted himself into. Recall organizers last week announced they had reached 1.7 million signatures, exceeding the 1.5 million needed to qualify for a special election by the mid-March deadline. They would still like to hit a 2 million signature mark to allow for an expected 20% rejection rate. OpenSchoolsCA, a statewide group, labeled the Newsom plan a failure, not a breakthrough, as the governor claimed. Ernesto Falcon, a Bay Area parent active in the group, cited a report that the majority of public schools that are open in some form are in more affluent communities, which is reflective of the states worsening wealth inequities. Falcon argued that dangling grants in front of school districts isnt an effective incentive because schools across the state have already received billions in federal COVID-relief funds and are set to receive more in the next stimulus bill Congress is considering. Its not about money. Its really just fear-based opposition that is unwilling to listen to the health and safety rules and the science, he told RCP. While statewide teacher unions praised parts of Newsoms reopening plan, which they helped formulate, the United Teachers of Los Angeles, the largest local teachers union in the state, slammed the plan hours after Newsom unveiled it as a recipe for propagating structural racism. UTLA President Cecily Myart-Cruz noted that COVID has hit communities of color much harder than the broader public, with the highest rates of infections and deaths. Los Angeles Unified is the second largest school district in the nation with nearly 600,000 students and comprising roughly 10% of Californias public schoolchildren. We are being unfairly targeted by people who are not experiencing this disease in the same way as students and families in our communities, she said at a news conference Monday afternoon. Now educators are asked instead to sacrifice ourselves, the safety of our students and the safety of our schools. Myart-Cruz is demanding that schools in Los Angeles County remain closed until all teachers and staff receive both doses of the vaccine and reminded the public of a state law granting them collective bargaining power. The fact is that the plan does not supersede our legal right to bargain working conditions with LAUSD and our continued determination to do so, she said. The UTLA has announced plans for a vote this week on whether its members more than 35,000 teachers and certified employees should refuse to return to campus if in-person instruction becomes mandatory. More than 900 chapter chairs voted on the issue in mid-February with 93% choosing to organize around a refusal to return for a full or hybrid physical reopening of schools until certain safety conditions are met. Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain In order to realize the full potential of reforestation in the United States, the nation's tree nurseries need to increase seedling production by an additional 1.7 billion each year, a 2.4-fold increase over current nursery production. These numbers, taken from a new study, show the promise of increased nursery output as a way to fight climate change, create jobs, and recover from uncharacteristically severe wildfires. With more than 200,000 square miles in the United States suitable for reforestation, ramping up nursery production could offer big benefits for the climate. Restoring forests is an important nature-based solution to climate change and a compliment to the critical work of reducing fossil fuel emissions. "To meet the need for reforestation, we'll need to invest in more trees, more nurseries, more seed collection, and a bigger workforce," said the study's lead author, Joe Fargione of The Nature Conservancy. "In return we'll get carbon storage, clean water, clean air, and habitat for wildlife." The study, published recently in the science journal Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, was co-authored by 18 scientists from universities, nonprofits, businesses, and state and federal agencies. "Wildfires and insect outbreaks are being exacerbated by climate change and natural tree regeneration is being limited by the size of these disturbances," said Matthew Hurteau, associate professor in the Department of Biology at The University of New Mexico. "Planting is the only way we will reestablish forest cover in many of these areas and our lack of national nursery capacity is going to create a real bottleneck in seedling supply." To illustrate the requirements for increasing reforestation capacity in the U.S., the researchers identified 64 million acres of natural and agricultural lands, approximately 50% of the total reforestation opportunity. Accounting for different planting densities by region, it would require 30 billion trees to reforest these lands. This equates to 1.7 billion more tree seedlings produced each year for this land to be reforested by 2040. To achieve this large increase, investment is required across the entire reforestation "pipeline." Additional investment would be needed to expand capacity for seed collection and storage, tree nursery expansion, workforce development, and improvements in pre- and post-planting practices. To encourage nursery expansion, low-interest or forgivable loans in addition to long-term contracts, will be needed. Across the pipeline, achieving this scenario will require public support for investing in these activities, plus incentives for landowners to reforest. The investments will create jobs in rural communities, not only in nurseries but across the whole spectrum of reforestation activities- from seed collection, to preparing sites for planting, to post-planting management activities essential to growing healthy young stands. There are several existing reforestation programs in the United States that could be scaled up to put the new study's information to work. On public lands this includes the Reforestation Trust Fund, which can be enhanced via the soon-to-be-introduced federal REPLANT Act to fully fund reforestation of America's national forests. On private lands, they include the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), as well as state conservation agency cost-share programs. In New Mexico, Senate Bill 180 is currently making its way through the New Mexico State Legislature. The bill is designed to create a joint agreement between the Forestry Division of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department and will include the Agricultural Experiment Station at New Mexico State University, the UNM Department of Biology and the Department of Forestry at New Mexico Highlands University to create the "New Mexico Reforestation Center." The goal of the New Mexico Reforestation Center is to address the impacts of climate change on the state's forests and meet the state's current and future reforestation needs through the establishment of a seed bank program, a nursery program and a planting program. SB 180 will help position New Mexico as a regional leader in meeting the private and public land reforestation needs of the southwestern U.S. "We are at a pivotal moment in time where we can make a huge impact on the battle against climate change. Sadly, the greatest tool we have to fight this battle is incomplete," said Owen Burney, director of Reforestation and associate professor at New Mexico State University. "Therefore, it is critical that we invest in the entire reforestation pipeline to address the urgency and scale of the climate problem while simultaneously supporting water resources, forest products, wildlife habitat, recreation, and many other valuable resources forests provide." In the United States, hundreds of millions of acres are potentially reforestable. Currently, most lands in need of reforestation aren't being reforested. This problem is being exacerbated by the increasing need to reforest after fireswhich are becoming increasingly large and severe due to a century of misguided fire suppression and climate change. Only by increasing our capacity to plant trees will this need be met. Explore further Consideration of both the potential and constraints of reforestation is needed to achieve climate mitigation goals More information: Joseph Fargione et al. Challenges to the Reforestation Pipeline in the United States, Frontiers in Forests and Global Change (2021). Joseph Fargione et al. Challenges to the Reforestation Pipeline in the United States,(2021). DOI: 10.3389/ffgc.2021.629198 Two men accused of murdering seven people, including an Athens man, in Valhermoso Springs were indicted last week, according to reports. Morgan County Sheriffs Office shared a release Friday in which the countys district attorney, Scott Anderson, announced 23-year-old Frederic Allen Rogers of Woodville and 20-year-old John Michael Legg of Hartselle had each been indicted by a Morgan County grand jury on six counts of capital murder. The septuple homicide occurred in June 2020 in the 500 block of Talucah Road in Valhermoso Springs, about 18 miles east of Decatur. Jeramy Wade Roberts, 31, of Athens was among the first of the seven victims to be publicly identified by authorities. A dog was also shot and killed in the attack. According to court documents, a witness told authorities that Legg, Rogers, Roberts and three others were part of a club called 7 Deadly Sins. On June 4, 2020, Legg and Rogers were upset over the perceived disobedience towards the club and the theft of several of (Leggs) personal firearms a few hours before the homicides, records state. The witness told investigators that Rogers and Legg were planning to wipe the slate clean by entering the clubhouse on Talucah Road by force and dismantling the club. Hours later, MCSO deputies responded to a call about gunshots and arrived to find a house on fire. Authorities later discovered six adults and a juvenile dead. In Fridays release, officials said the victims each had gunshot wounds and some had been partially burned in a fire started by Legg and Rogers. The two were arrested during a traffic stop in Oregon two weeks after the murders. They were brought back to Morgan County, where they remain in jail without bond. Alabama law defines capital murder as murder committed during certain other acts or involving certain people. In this case, Morgan County officials said the first count of the six-count indictment stems from murder being committed during a robbery, the second count from two or more victims murdered as part of the same scheme or act, the sixth count from murder while committing arson and the remaining counts from murder during a burglary. Anderson said he plans to seek the death penalty for Legg and Rogers. ___ (c)2021 The News Courier (Athens, Ala.) Visit The News Courier (Athens, Ala.) at enewscourier.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Jennifer Sue Delgado, 7, died on June 6, 1988, after being stabbed in a laundromat in San Antonio by a man angered because a soda vending machine wouldn't work Classmates and friends of a seven-year-old girl stabbed to death in a laundromat in Texas almost 33 years ago have renewed an appeal for information as they seek to mount a memorial at the site of her murder. Jennifer Sue Delgado was helping her 25-year-old mother Melida wash clothes at a laundromat opposite her family home in San Antonio on June 6, 1988, when she was stabbed in the stomach by a man angered at a vending machine that would not work. Her mother, who was also stabbed in the shoulder during the attack but survived her injuries, told police that they did not know the suspect. He was described as a white man in his late teens to early 20s but had fled the scene before police arrived and has never been tracked down. Jennifer's former classmate at Westwood Terrace elementary school, Christopher Palmer, this week revealed that he still thinks about his young friend more than three decades on. He hopes that a permanent tribute to the seven-year-old can be established at the credit union that now stands on the site of the laundromat. 'I am hoping that something can be done to put a permanent memorial at the site of an elementary school classmate that was taken from us way too soon, just across the highway from Lackland,' he wrote in a Facebook post on Monday. 'I remember this one red dress she had. It was like a kind of like a Mexican-style dress and whenever I think of her, I think of that dress,' Palmer told KHOU 11 of Jennifer. Jennifer's classmates are calling for a memorial at the site of her murder Classmate Christopher Palmer as asked city council members to erect a tribute 'Unfortunately, another memory I have is just the day that I remember my parents turning on the news and hearing what happened and being so young I was eight, I knew she had passed away but at that age it didn't really hit me'. On the night of her daughter's death, Melida Delgado said that the suspect had come into the laundromat at about 8pm to buy a soda but became enraged, pulled out a knife, and stabbed her and her daughter when the machine wouldn't work. 'After becoming angry with the vending machine, the white male went to Jennifer Delgado and stabbed her once in the abdomen,' police said in an update on the cold case in 2014. '(He) then stabbed Jennifer's mother before fleeing.' Her father had been at home across the street at the time of the attack. According to KENS5, Jennifer ran across the road to her father after being stabbed but collapsed in front of the house. Her father ran outside on seeing she was injured and called for help. She and her mother were both rushed to Wilford Hall Hospital, but Jennifer died of her injuries. Witnesses said that the suspect fled in a Silver Honda, driven by another individual. 'Talking to her (Jennifer's) mother, she didn't know who the person was so it's not like there was any kind of anything against the family in particular it was just I don't know, what would cause someone to you know they're trying to get a soda from the vending machine, it doesn't work,' Palmer said. 'I'm just going to stab someone, what was going on in that person's mind,' . Palmer added that if the suspect cannot be tracked down, he hopes that city council members will eventually agree to the small memorial that has been refused in previous years. He has previously had vigils at the scene with other classmates and has worked to keep the memory of his classmate alive. 'If we can't have closure finding the killer, this in a way just provides somewhat of a legacy that those who knew her and even those that don't will know who she was,' Palmer continued. San Antonio police had previous reopened the cold case in April 2012, but no further information was unearthed, and the suspect's identity still remains a mystery. As there is no statute of limitations on murder, if the suspect is found, he can be sent to prison. If the public has any information that could lead to an arrest in the murder of Jennifer Delgado, call Crime Stoppers at 210-224-7867. Purchase of Monero Tokens and Depositing of Bitcoin to Generate Operating Income Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2021) - Cypherpunk Holdings Inc. (CSE: HODL) ("Cypherpunk" or the "Company"), a sector leader for privacy-technology investments, is pleased to provide a corporate update summarizing the Company's current corporate plans and completed investments. Cypherpunk Holdings is pleased to announce a purchase of 1,780 Monero tokens for CAD $500,000. This purchase of Monero strengthens the Company's investment thesis in becoming the world's leading privacy focused investment vehicle. According to Messari, Monero is also the world's leading privacy asset by market cap (https://messari.io/asset/monero). Additional information can be found at getmonero.org. To further increase the cash flow and generate income, part of the Company's Bitcoin holding is being deposited to BlockFi for variable interest. BlockFi is providing credit services to markets with limited access to simple products like a savings account. BlockFi sets itself apart from other crypto asset service providers by pairing market-leading rates with institutional-quality benefits. The company is the only independent lender with institutional backing from investors that include Valar Ventures, Galaxy Digital, Fidelity, Akuna Capital, SoFi and Coinbase Ventures. The Company is currently devoting resources to researching the two promising sectors of Decentralized Finance (DeFi) and Non Fungible Tokens (NFT) as these are high growth areas. Cointelegraph reports the sales volume from the top three platforms grew to $342 million in February, up almost 400% from the $71 million recorded the month before. https://cointelegraph.com/news/top-3-nft-brands-sales-grew-381-in-february About Cypherpunk Holdings Inc. Cypherpunk is a company set-up to invest in companies, technologies and protocols, which enhance or protect privacy. Its strategy is to make targeted investments in businesses and assets with strong privacy, often within the blockchain ecosystem, including select cryptocurrencies. Current equity investments include Samourai Wallet, Wasabi Wallet, Chia, NGRAVE, and Hydro 66. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Generally, any statements that are not historical facts may contain forward-looking information, and forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or indicates that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be" taken, "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to the Company's goal of making investments in the blockchain and other sectors and enhancing value. There is no assurance that the Company's plans or objectives will be implemented as set out herein, or at all. Forward- looking information is based on certain factors and assumptions the Company believes to be reasonable at the time such statements are made and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by law. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. Investor Relations Contacts: Veronika Oswald Investor Relations, Cypherpunk Holdings Inc. veronika@cypherpunkholdings.com Office: 416.599.8547 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/75988 It was an interesting day in the world of technology today. On one hand, Samsung launched the Galaxy A32 smartphone in India. On the other hand, the company introduced new TVs globally. In addition to that, Truecaller introduced Guardians app in India. So, here's what happened in tech today: Samsung launches Galaxy A32 Samsung launched the Galaxy A32 smartphone in India today. It is priced at 21,999 for the 6GB+128GB version. Truecaller launches Guardians app Truecaller launched Guardians app in India today. This app will allow users to share their location with trusted contacts and inform them about their whereabouts in case of an emergency. PayPal to hire over 1,000 engineers in India PayPal said it would hire over 1,000 engineers for its development centres across Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Chennai this year. Here are the details. Samsung announces new TVs, soundbars and more Samsung at its Unbox & Discover event showcased its 2021 lineup of devices which includes Micro LED TVs, Neo QLED TVs, lifestyle TVs, monitors, and soundbars. You can check all the details here. Amazon Alexa gets a new skill Macmillan Education India today rolled out a new interactive skill on Amazon Alexa today. This new skill is called Macmillan Altura and it is available on Alexa for learners of all age groups to learn English. Chennai, March 3 : Even as the two major Tamil Nadu political parties are working out their seat sharing maths for the April 6 assembly elections, they are also in the process of finalising their poll promises that would attract the voters. The election is crucial both for the ruling AIADMK led by Chief Minister K. Palaniswami and the opposition DMK led by M.K. Stalin and their manifestoes are going to be very populist with lots of freebies thrown in, said political analysts. The AIADMK government recently announced a loan waiver for farmers, loans against ornaments taken by the poor and farm labourers, loans to women self help groups (SHG), reservation for Vanniars, 24-hour three phased power for agriculture, all pass for students of 9, 10 and 11 classes and others. The government is already implementing various schemes like free laptops for students, free cattle, two wheeler purchase subsidy scheme for women and others. "There will be several welfare schemes and more freebies. The manifesto will also promise schemes for increasing self employment for the youth. There will be promises on giving government services online," an AIADMK leader told IANS preferring anonymity. "It is a do or die poll for Chief Minister Palaniswami. The government is facing an anti-incumbency factor. Also, the 10.5 per cent reservation for Vanniars has made other castes unhappy and this may go against the government. So, the manifesto has to be populist," a political analyst told IANS not wishing to be named. Continuing further he said for the DMK its manifesto has to be populist as it has to counter the loan waiver, Vanniar reservation and other decisions announced by the government. "The DMK has been saying that the state government had implemented what it has been promising the people. So, its manifesto has to be populist and different," he added. It is learnt that the ruling party will wait for the DMK to come out with its manifesto before announcing its own. Political analyst Kolahala Srenivaas is of the view that the manifestoes of the two parties would be like a vision statement as they have been speaking a lot about their schemes. "The AIADMK government has done what it had promised like the loan waivers for farmers/poor/SHGs. The government also announced the `all pass scheme' for students of 9, 10 and 11 classes," Sreenivas told IANS. "The AIADMK government was not able to make any new announcement relating to welfare schemes. The party in its manifesto may enhance the benefits under its existing welfare schemes," Sreenivas said. According to him, the government is trying to attract the rural votes as all its major announcements were focused on the rural populace while the DMK party seems to be focused on the youth. "The DMK was vociferous against the Tasmac (state government liquor retailing company) during the 2016 polls and promised that it would introduce prohibition. But this time around it is silent on that," Sreenivas told IANS. Perhaps the party is silent on Tasmac as the government would need revenue to implement the populist schemes the DMK would be announcing in its manifesto. "The DMK's stand on Tasmac will be known in its manifesto," Sreenivas said. Be that as it may, other parties are also giving the finishing touches to their manifestoes. "We will be announcing our manifesto soon," a leader of Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) floated by actor Kamal Hassan told IANS. The BJP is expected to finalise its manifesto soon. "We are hoping for Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to release it during the second week of March. The manifesto may contain promises like taking Hindu temples away from government control, appointment of additional hands in the subordinate judiciary and police force, a High Court bench in Coimbatore, transparency in government," a BJP leader told IANS on condition of anonymity. From the 'three measures' (around 4.5 kg) of rice for Re 1 scheme introduced by DMK founder C.N. Annadurai in 1967, competitive populism has been touching new heights in the state with the passage of time. The freebies include rice, free consumer durables like cycle, colour television, laptop, mixer-grinder, fans, livestock, loan waiver, free power and gold for brides, among others. (Venkatachari Jagannathan can be contacted at v.jagannathan@ians.in) She's been sidelined for a month after suffering a gruesome injury during a Today show stunt gone wrong. But Allison Langdon has revealed she's set to return to screens in a matter of days. Writing on the Nine website on Wednesday, the 41-year-old presenter revealed that she would return to Today's helm alongside co-host Karl Stefanovic on Monday Monday morning. She's back! Allison Langdon, 41, (pictured) confirmed on Wednesday that she is set to return to the helm at Today on Monday morning - weeks after she was sidelined due to a nasty knee injury she'd sustained during a botched TV stunt 'I'm starting to count down the sleeps until I join Karl, Alex, Brooke and Tim back on the desk on Monday morning,' the journalist enthused. She continued, 'I can't believe it has been a month since the accident. In that time I have pretty much read every book on my wish list (which was long), done countless jigsaw puzzles with the kids and tried to make the most of the downtime.' The presenter also shone some light on her accident, explaining, 'I've been working really hard on my rehabilitation, which hasn't been pleasant, but I'm slowly getting there.' Excited: 'I'm starting to count down the sleeps until I join Karl, Alex, Brooke and Tim back on the desk on Monday morning,' the journalist wrote on Nine's website. Picutred with co-host Karl Stefanovic 'I've loved watching the show as a viewer this past month. Great to see the vaccine roll out underway and I can't wait to see Oprah's full and frank chat with Meghan and Harry. The snippets have been compelling - I wonder how Buckingham Palace feels about it. I think perhaps the Queen is more concerned with the health of Prince Philip right now.' Allison also praised out her temporary replacement Sylvia Jeffreys: 'A huge shout out to the gorgeous Sylvia for doing an awesome job hosting these past two weeks. Not easy getting out of bed that early with a new bub weeks away and a toddler at home. She's been amazing, as was Leila. Two brilliant human beings - thanks guys!' 'Anyway five more sleeps before my alarm goes off at 3.30am - see you Monday!' she signed off. Fill-in: Langdon also praised out her temporary replacement, Sylvia Jeffreys (left), writing: 'A huge shout out to the gorgeous Sylvia for doing an awesome job hosting these past two weeks' Today host Allison Langdon has opened up on the gruesome injuries she suffered when a watersports stunt for the Channel Nine show went horribly wrong. The journalist, 41, has been off the air since undergoing knee surgery after falling from a hydrofoil during a pre-recorded segment on the Gold Coast on February 4. Speaking on The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Thursday, Allison revealed for the first time the extent of her injuries - and said she 'can't wait' to get back to work. She listed her injuries after her Today co-host Karl Stefanovic said she'd simply suffered a 'bruised kneecap'. 'I've done a right royal job on it,' Allison said, correcting him, before revealing she'd actually broken her leg and dislocated a knee. 'That sound horrific!' said radio host Jackie 'O' Henderson. Extreme sport: Allison underwent surgery days after seriously hurting her knee while filming a watersports segment for the Today show on the Gold Coast earlier this month Jackie noted dislocating a knee is particularly painful and there is a high probability of suffering the same injury again. Allison joked that she'll have an impressive scar on the back of her leg after it heals. When asked about her return to Today, she said optimistically: 'I'm desperate to get back, I actually miss Karl and the team. A couple more weeks and then hopefully.' Health update: On Monday, she surprised the Today team by Zooming into the breakfast show to share an update on her recovery. Allison said she was seeing a physiotherapist three times a week and resting up at home with her two children and husband On Monday, she surprised the Today team by Zooming into the breakfast show to share an update on her recovery. Allison said she was seeing a physiotherapist three times a week and resting up at home with her two children and husband. A week earlier, she'd revealed she was finally back home after having knee surgery in Sydney. She shared a photo to Instagram of herself with her children, Mack, four, and Scout, two, and captioned it: 'So nice to get home to these two.' Back home: A week earlier, she'd revealed she was finally back home after having knee surgery in Sydney following her accident on the Gold Coast on February 4. Pictured with her children, Mack, four, and Scout, two In a statement to Daily Mail Australia earlier this month, a Channel Nine spokesperson described what had happened as 'an unfortunate accident'. 'After nearly an hour of incident-free filming of a segment about hydrofoiling, Ally fell awkwardly as she headed back to the marina at the end of the shoot,' they said. The statement added that both Karl and Ally had a 'comprehensive safety induction and a thorough run-through of all aspects of hydrofoiling. The continuous migration of asylum seekers from Central America that crowd the United States southern border will continue to pose a challenge for the Biden administration, especially if it does not address the roots of the problem. Those were the words of Alejandro Portes, University of Miami professor of law and research professor and distinguished scholar in the College of Arts and Sciences. He was part of the online seminar, Immigration Policies for a New Era: Challenges and Promises, sponsored by the Universitys Institute for Advanced Study of the Americas. Felicia Marie Knaul, director of the institute, welcomed the panel of experts and said that the forum was timely; because at this time, the opportunities for immigration changes are vast. Portes said that the asylum seekers are coming for a real fear of persecution because of gangs and other bad situations in their countries. It will be necessary in the long term if you want these flows to diminishand eventually to ceaseto strengthen the institutional structures of those countries and to strengthen their police and create a situation that would be less desperate, he said. Adding that the asylum seekers have to be treated in a more humane way. Rebecca Sharpless, professor of law and director of the Immigration Clinic at the School of Law, explained that the legal asylum process was complex and time consuming and required the seekers to establish documents and witnesses to corroborate their testimony, which in many cases they did not have. There is a provision in the law that allows people to establish a credible fear of persecution, she said. I am a strong believer that if someone meets that threshold finding, then they should be released to the community while their case is being decided. Presently, asylum seekers are detained, sometimes for years, she noted. She pointed out that the Trump administration, through its policies, made it almost impossible for Central Americans to gain asylum. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden has promised change. The detention of undocumented workers continues to be on the rise in the U.S., said Sharpless. On any given day, 50,000 people are detained in the U.S. by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in detention centers. This compares to about 10,000 per day in 1994. As a nation, the U.S. is spending about $3.1 billion to detain undocumented workers, compared to $1.8 billion in 2010, according to Sharpless. The growth of detention took place under both Democratic and Republican administrations, Sharpless stated. Detention also grew in part because in 2009 Congress passed legislation that required ICE officials to maintain a certain amount of detention beds, she added. Private prisons are also used to detain some of the asylum seekers, she informed. ICE also carries out deportations using chartered and commercial flights and detainees are shackled, a practice that was not in place a decade ago, she indicated. Sharpless said Biden has promised to end family separationthe practice by the Trump administration of separating parents from their children. The president has also promised to end the wait that asylum seekers in Mexico encounter before entering the U.S., and he has promised an end to prolonged detention and a more detailed case management system. These are all huge, important moves, Sharpless said. But what Bidens plan does not include, she remarked, is any promise to reduce the number of detention beds or to end use of private immigration prisons. Nor has the administration promised to end family detention. All the experts on the panel concurred that the Biden administration intends to normalize immigration pathways for undocumented individuals. But passing comprehensive, major immigration reform will not be easy, especially since there is such a strong political polarization, they agreed. Other participants who spoke during the forum included Seth Leech, an immigration attorney and partner at Whitman, Osterman, and Hanna who spoke on Employment-Based Immigration and International Travel During the Biden Administration: Current Actions and Prospects. Maria Rodriguez, executive director of the Florida Immigrant Coalition, was another panelist and she addressed How the Status Quo Fails Families, Economies and Democracy: The Case for Immigration Reform from a Community Perspective. Margarita Rodriguez, lecturer in the Department of Sociology and faculty research fellow on migration, served as the moderator. Following a successful Post-it note task, newlyweds Booka Nile and Brett Helling have had a romantic breakthrough. Wednesday's episode of Married At First Sight saw the newlyweds reveal they've finally consummated their relationship. After waking up in bed together, the couple couldn't wipe the smiles off their faces. Milestone! Married At First Sight newlyweds Brett Helling (left) and Booka Nile (right), both 31, revealed they've FINALLY consummated their relationship during Wednesday's episode 'Last night, we made some progress with our physical affection,' the 31-year-old groom gushed to producers. 'Yeah it's happened. It's good,' Brett said. 'Yesterday's task was good for us...' he added. Brett said he was happy to have waited for the timing to be right and said that it was much more romantic rather than diving straight into it. Happy: 'Last night, we made some progress with our physical affection,' the 31-year-old groom gushed to producers Success! 'Yeah it's happened. It's good,' Brett said. 'Yesterday's task was good for us...' he added To celebrate the occasion, his musician partner Booka decided to surprise her husband by cooking the pair breakfast. Earlier in the episode, Booka said she was worried that her husband may not be attracted to her. Speaking to producers, she confessed: 'I'm starting to wonder a little bit about whether he's physically attracted to me or not.' Doubts: Earlier in the episode, Booka said she was worried that her husband may not be attracted to her How would you like your eggs? To celebrate the occasion, Booka decided to surprise her husband by cooking the pair breakfast Earlier in the episode, the couple were tasked with a Post-It challenge which required them to write their likes and dislikes about each other. To her surprise, Brett said: 'I like that you are comfortable being yourself, and you don't try to be anyone else. It's very admirable .' 'I struggled to find five things I don't like about her,' he told producers. 'I'm much more excited about telling her all the positives, 'cause that's something that'll help create a positive relationship,' he added. Married At First Sight continues Sunday at 7pm on Channel Nine Cheyenne Attorney to Speak with UW MBA Students Matt Kaufman Matt Kaufman, a partner with the law firm of Hathaway & Kunz LLP in Cheyenne, will speak with University of Wyoming Master of Business Administration (MBA) students Friday, March 5. Kaufman received both his undergraduate and law degrees from UW. He also has a graduate law degree from the University of Colorado-Boulder, and a certificate from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton Schools Aresty Institute of Executive Education in financial technology and transformative financial services. In his law practice, he focuses on business, corporate, finance, securities, blockchain, digital assets and technology. Kaufman is involved in local and regional entrepreneurship as the co-founder of the Wyoming Entrepreneurs group in Cheyenne; has published academic articles on developing entrepreneurship in the state; is counsel to dozens of startup and emerging growth companies, as well as several investment funds; and was among architects for the states first startup funding grant program, KickStart:Wyoming, which is administered by the Wyoming Business Council. His most recent ventures include a general partner of Ironhorse Capital LP in Cheyenne, and a partner with BXE Capital in Denver, Colo., a private cryptocurrency/digital asset investment fund that is globally ranked as a top 10 fund. Govs. Mark Gordon and Matt Mead have appointed Kaufman to various state boards, and he has served on UW and Laramie County Community College boards. For more information, email Tanner Russell, UW College of Business professional graduate programs coordinator, at trusse20@uwyo.edu. The US government is prosecuting two citizens of Ecuador for their alleged roles in a plot to defraud the country's police pensions fund, the Department of Justice said in a press release on Tuesday WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd March, 2021) The US government is prosecuting two citizens of Ecuador for their alleged roles in a plot to defraud the country's police pensions fund, the Department of Justice said in a press release on Tuesday. "Criminal complaints have been unsealed charging two Ecuadorian citizens for their alleged roles in a bribery and money laundering scheme involving Ecuador's public police pension fund (ISSPOL)," the release said. John Luzuriaga Aguinaga, 52, and Jorge Cherrez Mino, 46, were each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering in the Southern District of Florida on February 10 and February 19. Luzuriaga was arrested on February 26 and an arrest warrant has been issued for Cherrez who is believed to be in Mexico, the release said. "As alleged in the complaints, between approximately 2014 and 2020, Cherrez, an investment advisor, paid more than $2.6 million in bribes to ISSPOL officials, including at least approximately $1,397,066 to Luzuriaga, ISSPOL's Risk Director and a member of ISSPOL's Investment Committee," the release said. Cherrez allegedly obtained approximately $65 million in profits from one aspect of the scheme, the release added. American International College (AIC) announced it has earned the 2021-2022 Military Friendly School designation. American International College is proud to be recognized as an institution that assists men and women who serve our country, and appreciates the value of the many educational and leadership experiences that occur in the Armed Forces. American International College (AIC) announced it has earned the 2021-2022 Military Friendly School designation. Institutions earning the Military Friendly School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,200 schools participated in the 2021-2022 survey with 747 earning the designation. The 2021- 2022 Military Friendly Schools list will be published in the May issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at http://www.militaryfriendly.com. Methodology and criteria were determined by VIQTORY with input from the Military Friendly Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institutions survey response set and government/agency public data sources within a logic based scoring assessment. The institutions ability to meet thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence (degree advancement or transfer) and loan default rates for all students are measured. American International College is proud to be recognized as an institution that assists men and women who serve our country, says AIC President Vince Maniaci. The College appreciates the value of the many educational and leadership experiences that occur in the Armed Forces, and the excellent foundation that military service provides. In turn, we give transfer credits for students time in the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard, helping active duty service members and veterans get a head start on earning their degrees. Military Friendly is committed to transparency and providing consistent data driven standards in our designation process. This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages colleges to consistently evolve and invest in their programs. Schools who achieve designation show true commitment and dedication in their efforts, according to Kayla Lopez, national director of Military Partnerships for Military Friendly . Our standards assist schools by providing a benchmark that promotes positive educational outcomes, resources, and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the Military Community. More information about AICs commitment to attracting and supporting military students can be found online at aic.edu. About American International College Founded in 1885, American International College (AIC) is a private, co-educational, doctoral granting institution located in Springfield, Massachusetts comprising the School of Business, Arts and Sciences, the School of Education, and the School of Health Sciences. AIC supports and advances education, diversity, and opportunity for its students and the community. About Military Friendly Schools The Military Friendly Schools list is created each year based on extensive research using public data sources for more than 8,800 schools nationwide, input from student veterans, and responses to the proprietary, data-driven Military Friendly Schools survey from participating institutions. The survey questions, methodology, criteria and weighting were developed with the assistance of an independent research firm and an advisory council of educators and employers. The survey is administered for free and is open to all post-secondary schools that wish to participate. Criteria for consideration can be found at http://www.militaryfriendly.com. About Viqtory Founded in 2001, VIQTORY is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs and Military Friendly brands. VIQTORY and its brands are not a part of or endorsed by the U.S. Dept of Defense or any federal government entity. Learn more about VIQTORY at http://www.viqtory.com. A formal offer on teachers' pay for 2019 and 2020 has been accepted by the five main teaching unions, who said the agreement is "a step in the right direction". The pay settlement will see teachers' salaries increase by 2%, payable from September 1, 2019, and an additional 2%, payable from last September 1. Education Minister Peter Weir said: "I am pleased that the five trade unions which make up the Northern Ireland Teachers' Council (NITC) have accepted a pay offer today on behalf of their members." He said the pay award is applicable to all salary scales and teaching allowances. It has yet to be approved by the Department of Finance. Mr Weir added: "Teachers play a vital role in the Northern Ireland education system and I want to put on record my appreciation for the hard work they do on a daily basis, which has been made more difficult by the challenges of this pandemic." Unions welcomed the successful conclusion to negotiations. Gerry Murphy, Northern Secretary of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation, said: "This salary uplift for the two years in question takes us further along the pathway in restoring teachers' salaries to the levels they should be at. "It is a task INTO will stick at and we remind our members that at the end of the summer we will begin negotiation with DE and the employing authorities on the next pay uplift. "The uplift agreed of 2% for each of the years along with the associated back pay and the fact that the uplift comes with no strings attached is a positive step. INTO members can expect to see this uplift reflected in their salaries before the summer break." A spokesperson for the NASUWT added: "Today's 2% pay award for 2019 and 2020 is a step in the right direction for teachers. It is entirely unfair that FE lecturers are being offered less along with demands for detrimental changes to their contracts." The offer was made on Wednesday, February 10. Negotiations involved the employers and the Northern Ireland Teachers Council (NITC) which represents five unions - INTO, the NASUWT, Ulster Teachers' Union UTU, the National Education Union and National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), along with the Department for Education and the Education Authority. 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. Channel Seven's news studio will be relocating to Sydney's Eveleigh after 17 years at Martin Place. CEO of Seven West Media James Warburton announced that Sunrise, The Morning Show and Seven News will be moving by the end of 2022. Mr Warburton said in a statement, published by TV Tonight: 'For the first time in 40 years, all divisions of Seven Sydney are being brought together in one place.' Farewell to Brekky Central: Channel Seven will abandon its Martin Place studio and relocate to Sydney's Eveleigh after 17 years. Pictured Sunrise hosts Samantha Armytage and David Koch 'From December 2022, all of Seven Sydney will be located in a refurbished version of the existing Eveleigh office, refitted and significantly expanded.' 'Seven Eveleigh will span seven floors and include new, purpose-built, state-of-the-art studios and facilities for our news and public affairs shows and people.' He added: 'The expansion of Seven Eveleigh means we will be leaving Martin Place over the next 21 months.' New studio: CEO of Seven West Media James Warburton announced Sunrise, The Morning Show and Seven News will be moving by the end of 2022. Pictured Angela Cox and Michael Usher Seven News and Sunrise have been broadcast from Marin Place for the past 17 years but the network's headquarters has been based in Eveleigh since 2018. The Martin Place location has hosted some of the biggest international acts, such as Justin Bieber and One Direction. The moves comes after rival network Channel Nine's headquarters were relocated to North Sydney from Willoughby. Location: Seven News and Sunrise have been broadcast from Marin Place for the past 17 years but the network's headquarters has been based in Eveleigh since 2018 The television studios were among the first in Australia, and were established on the site more than 60 years ago. According to Domain, the Sydney TV site was sold in February for $249 million and it will be transformed into 460 new homes. There will be nine apartment buildings set on the 6000 square metres of land as well as a park, playground and retail plaza. Tata Motors Ltd is quoting at Rs 354, up 2.39% on the day as on 12:49 IST on the NSE. The stock is up 180.51% in last one year as compared to a 34.4% jump in NIFTY and a 54.08% jump in the Nifty Auto index. Tata Motors Ltd is up for a third straight session today. The stock is quoting at Rs 354, up 2.39% on the day as on 12:49 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is up around 1.36% on the day, quoting at 15121.7. The Sensex is at 50975.14, up 1.35%. Tata Motors Ltd has gained around 8.54% in last one month. Meanwhile, Nifty Auto index of which Tata Motors Ltd is a constituent, has gained around 1.62% in last one month and is currently quoting at 10744.05, down 0.49% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 538.45 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 820.47 lakh shares in last one month. The benchmark March futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 356, up 2.31% on the day. Tata Motors Ltd is up 180.51% in last one year as compared to a 34.4% jump in NIFTY and a 54.08% jump in the Nifty Auto index. The PE of the stock is 0 based on TTM earnings ending December 20. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinas bullying behaviour towards Australia over the past year has hurt many innocent bystanders. The list of victims includes Australian exporters hit by trade sanctions and Australian journalists threatened and driven out of China. But we should not forget that many Chinese-Australians have been the targets of racist abuse, becoming collateral damage of the breakdown in relations between Australia and China over the past year. New research by the Lowy Institute has found that more than one-third (37 per cent) of people in Australia with Chinese heritage reported being treated differently or less favourably over the past year. The poll found that 31 per cent of respondents said they were called offensive names and most shockingly 18 per cent said they had been physically threatened or attacked because of their Chinese background. The respondents blamed the change in attitudes first on Chinas perceived role in spreading COVID-19 and second on Australian-Chinese diplomatic tensions. The evidence of this hostility is not confined to the survey. It is all over the internet, in police files and even in politics. Opposition Leader Jodi McKay pointed out that Cumberland City Labor councillor Kun Huang recently received a letter filled with racist hate speech targeting him and the wider Chinese-Australian community. Belarusian Communications and Informatization Minister Konstantin Shulgan met with Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Doreen Bogdan-Martin to discuss ways to expand cooperation in information and communications technology (ICT) between the Belarusian Communications and Informatization Ministry and the ITU, BelTA learned from the website of the ministry. Doreen Bogdan-Martin spoke highly of Belarus' results in ICT and its positions in various international rankings related to ICT. Konstantin Shulgan briefed Doreen Bogdan-Martin about the status of the state program Belarus' Digital Development for 2021-2025, which is aimed at introducing ICT and cutting-edge industrial technologies in economic sectors and areas of life of the society and will facilitate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals at the national level through 2030. The parties also discussed preparations for the 2021 World Telecommunication Development Conference, which will take place in Ethiopia's Addis Ababa on 8-19 November, and the CIS regional preparatory meeting, due on 21-22 April. Konstantin Shulgan and Doreen Bogdan-Martin also discussed holding various international events under the aegis of the ITU in Belarus, including the international forum Smart sustainable cities: organizational and technical aspects a hybrid even due in Minsk on 16-18 March, a seminar to discuss the introduction of 5G in Minsk on 1-4 June within the framework of the international ICT forum TIBO 2021, and other joint events. The parties also looked into possible participation of the ITU top officials in TIBO 2021, if the epidemiological situation allows. We have talked about ways to advance cooperation with the ITU in the field of digital skills, including by means of providing expert and technological assistance and ensuring accessibility of digital technologies to people with disabilities. The agenda of the meeting also included stepping up cooperation with the ITU in cybersecurity and other promising fields. The meeting has helped outline promising areas of future cooperation in ICT with the International Telecommunication Union, the ministry noted. Source: Northern Ireland is at a good starting point to revitalise its high streets, a Stormont committee has heard. The Executive Offices scrutiny committee heard from representatives of the High Street Taskforce, which held its first meeting recently. It comes as businesses in town and city centres struggle following a series of lockdown restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic. However calls to support the high street pre-existed the pandemic with changing retail habits. Phil Prentice of Scotlands Towns Partnership, who is originally from Northern Ireland, was among those to give evidence to MLAs. Expand Close Phil Prentice of Scotlands Towns Partnership (NI Assembly/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Phil Prentice of Scotlands Towns Partnership (NI Assembly/PA) He described towns across the region as having retained local businesses, and not having become complete clones. I think you have a good starting point, you have a really good underbelly of family-owned businesses, restaurants, pubs you need to have a vision and you need to be able to enact that, he added. Representing local government, Belfast City Council chief executive Suzanne Wylie described a huge strategic shift in terms of retail which the pandemic shone a spotlight on. Without the vibrancy of those high streets we are going to struggle in terms of getting people to live there, getting people to invest there, to create jobs there and get tourists to visit, she told MLAs. There needs to be clear timeframes set for the taskforce to report back and to give an action plan as to what we think now needs to happen. Expand Close Belfast City Hall (Liam McBurney/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Belfast City Hall (Liam McBurney/PA) As the committee met, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a 5.8 billion high street restart fund. Derek McCallan from the Northern Ireland Local Government Association said 170 million earmarked for Northern Ireland should be distributed through councils. Colin Neill from Hospitality Ulster said his industry is the backbone of the economy, the fourth largest employer in Northern Ireland and is set to be a key part of the future of the high street by helping to create destinations. But he expressed concerns about the make-up of the 30-strong taskforce board, warning that decisions may be difficult. Expand Close Colin Neill, chief executive of Hospitality Ulster (Brian Lawless/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Colin Neill, chief executive of Hospitality Ulster (Brian Lawless/PA) John McGrillen, chief executive of Tourism Northern Ireland, said most visitors come to explore culture and heritage, and have authentic experiences. He called for further support for cultural venues to ensure there are good events and market places. We need to make our places look distinctive and they need to be rooted in the heritage and the history of the place and people who live about it, he said. Aodhan Connolly, director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, said villages, towns and cities should be turned into destinations where people want to spend time as well as their money. He suggested more hospitality and leisure, as well as looking at living over shops. Glyn Roberts of Retail NI said preparations need to be under way for the reopening of non-essential retail following the latest lockdown, even if specific dates have not been indicated. He called for a short-term group to be set up to prepare for the reopening of the high street. In the longer term, he said the age-old challenges of business rates must be tackled. We need fundamental restructuring of our business rate system, we need tightening up of our planning system, there are still out-of-town retail developments that are being allowed through, he said. Nick Jonas hosted Saturday Night Live on Feb. 27, 2021. The Jonas Brother made his debut as an SNL host. Nick was on the show alone without his brothers Kevin and Joe by his side a cause for concern for some Jonas Brothers fans until Kevin appeared in Nicks monologue. Unfortunately, Joe Jonas never made an appearance during his brothers SNL opening skit or otherwise. But theres a good reason for Joes absence. Nick Jonas | Will Heath/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images Most of Nick Jonass Saturday Night Live skits involved singing Nick pulled double duty on the late-night comedy show. He was the host, but he also performed as a musical guest. Several of the sketches relied on Nicks singing talent, too. The Murder Show digital short featured SNL cast members like Kate McKinnon, Ego Nwodim, and Melissa Villasenor singing about binge-watching true crime series on Netflix. At the end of the female-driven skit, Nick popped up dressed as NXIVM founder Keith Raniere to sing about his obsession with cult shows. Another singing-heavy skit was Bachelor Party featuring the male talent on SNL. Beck Bennett, Kyle Mooney, and Alex Moffat were just some of the male cast who joined Nick Jonas in singing an ode to bachelor party boners. Outside of the musically-inspired skits performed on Saturday Night Live, Nick also sang some of the songs from his solo career. The Nick Jonas songs performed on SNL During his Feb. 27 stint on Saturday Night Live, Nick performed twice. He performed his single Spaceman for the first time and debuted the new song This Is Heaven. Both tracks are from Nicks upcoming album Spaceman, which will be released on Mar. 12. Kevin Jonas was there to support Nick Jonas when he hosted Saturday Night Live The eldest Jonas brother made an appearance during Nicks SNL monologue. He was there for support, but Kevin also had a critical question. I gotta ask, are we good? Kevin wondered. Youre doing a lot of solo stuff are we still a band? RELATED: Saturday Night Live: The Top 5 Most-Watched Skits on YouTube Though his appearance was brief, many Jonas Brothers fans were glad to see Nick and Kevin together. Other fans wondered where Joe Jonas was why didnt he come to see Nick host Saturday Night Live? Joe Jonas is filming the war movie Devotion Joe Jonas was likely on the big-budget war film Devotion when his younger brother was hosting Saturday Night Live. According to Deadline, the movie, which stars Jonas and Thomas Sadoski of John Wick fame, is filming in Georgia. The aerial epic will tell the true story of Jesse Brown and Tom Hudner two U.S. Navy fighter pilots who are pushed to their limits as they learn to navigate the skies in a new fighter jet design. Sadoski will play squadron leader Dick Cevoli, and Jonas will play fighter pilot Marty Goode. So far, Joe has posted a few sneak-peaks of the movie on Instagram. In one post, Joe shared a photo of his wardrobe for the Devotion movie. On Feb. 23, just days before his brothers SNL appearance, Joe shared another image of his uniform hat for the film. Many fans believe if Joe were available, he would have likely been in the audience with Kevin as Nick hosted SNL. Fuming Geordies claim the world famous Tyne Bridge is 'ready for the scrapheap' and in need of a makeover. The iconic crossing between Newcastle and Gateshead is one of the most recognisable landmarks in the country. But proud locals say the Grade II listed bridge, opened in October 1928, has fallen to wrack and ruin with its fading paint showing signs of rust. Driving instructor Jay Bell said: 'Newcastle and Gateshead Councils are an absolute disgrace for the state of the Tyne Bridge. The iconic Tyne Bridge's paint is fading and is 'ready for the scrapheap' according to some people This view of the road level shows some of the wear on the bridge, which opened in 1928 'Arguably one of the most iconic bridges in the UK is looking like it's ready for the scrap yard. 'Hang your heads in shame.' Ian Gowland added: 'In my 30 years in Newcastle, it has been in a state of neglect more than a symbol of civic pride. 'Lightfittings not working, patchy paintwork, ill thought out grease patches, poor suicide prevention strategies and perpetually painful to navigate across by car or bike.' The bridge, connecting Newcastle and Gateshead, is one of the most iconic views in north east England The bridge is in need of a 'lick of paint' according to angry residents in the city David Huddart raged: 'It's a total disgrace.' And Craig Walker agreed: 'Definitely well overdue a lick of paint.' In 2019, Newcastle City Council bid for 40million worth of funding to revamp the bridge and the nearby motorway. However it is still waiting on a decision from the Government's Transport for North scheme. A 40million bid by Newcastle City Council is still being waited on by many in the city It is thought that even if approved this month, the work still wouldn't begin until 2022 at the earliest. The kittiwake birds which reside on the bridge are also dividing locals who say their droppings are leaving stains. It is the furthest inland colony of the black-legged gulls in the world - and conservationists want it to stay protected. Tyne Bridge: Northern icon inspired by Sydney Construction started in August 1925 and was opened on October 10 1928 by King George V in front of a crowd of thousands. The bridge spans 531 feet and the road deck is 84 feet 26m above the river The bridge cost 1.2million at the time- today worth about 70million. Designed by Mott, Hay and Anderson who used the Sydney Harbour Bridge as inspiration. A single worker died in the construction of the bridge. Father of four Nathaniel Collins, 33, fell into the river in the mid 1920s. Appears in films such as Goal!, Stormy Monday and I, Daniel Blake Advertisement But local Charlie Bennett, 23, said: 'Having worked inside the Tyne Bridge I know just how badly it needs repaired. "It is the most iconic landmark in our region and it has been left for wreck and ruin. "The excrement from the kittiwakes is disgusting and makes the centrepiece of our city look filthy. "Surely we can move them elsewhere. "After all, the bridge was built for us, not the birds. "The councils need to listen to their residents and give the bridge the lick of paint it deserves. It's not on." Paul Buskin of the Kittiwakes upon the Tyne group is determined that the birds are preserved. He said: 'Since establishing a modest 134 pairs of nesting Kittiwakes back in 2001, the total amount of nests on the Tyne Bridge has grown to over 700 pairs. 'This is the largest portion of the colony, which is the furthest inland breeding colony of Kittiwakes in the world. 'There is a great need to help safeguard existing birds and help secure and protect their nesting sites, as the UK population has fallen 60pc since 1986.' The Great North Run finishes on the famous bridge, which is frequently snapped for tourist pictures and postcards from the North East. In 2018 it was given Grade II listing by Historic England. Veronica Fiorato, from Historic England, said at the time: 'I is a representation of the North East's steely attitude. 'It fully deserves to be among the 5.8% of structures which are Grade II listed". A spokesperson for Newcastle City Council said: The Tyne Bridge is an iconic part of our citys skyline and a vital part of our transport infrastructure. 'Its of national importance and is approaching its centenary. This beautiful bridge needs a lot more than some paint, and local authorities are simply not able to have this level of funding set aside for such works particularly following more than a decade of austerity. We are working with the government to secure the estimated 40million required to carry out maintenance on the Tyne Bridge, and its approaches, in advance of its centenary. 'In response to our initial bid, which was part of a wider approach to prioritise transport schemes across the whole of the north, coordinated by Transport for the North, government awarded us 100,000 to enable us to complete our business case for investment. 'We will continue to lobby for investment in this bridge and will continue to make the case that it is essential that the government provide this funding so the work can be completed in advance of its centenary.' A Labour councillor has been suspended from the party after claiming she had visited a private care doctor for a Covid jab - which are only available on the NHS. Jamila Azad, 65, was today at the centre of an investigation after posting on social media she had been vaccinated. The Facebook status update said she had received a vaccination from a private medic amid 'a long wait for NHS waiting list'. It is made stranger by the fact the Oxfordshire County and City councillor's age means she is currently able to get the jab anyway. This morning the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency as well as the Labour Party were examining her claim. Ms Azad did not respond to a request to comment from MailOnline. The now deleted post last week said: My darling daughter took me to a Private Care Doctor for Covid 19 vaccine. Oxfordshire County and City councillor Jamila Azad declined to comment on the vaccine The post was put on Cllr Azad's public Facebook page but has since been deleted A long wait for NHS waiting list. We had take away from Akber take away. The post, which has since been removed, included photos of the councillor and another woman. They appear to be receiving jabs from a medic in scrubs and PPE. Ms Azad, represents St Clements and Cowley Marsh on Oxfordshire County Council, and St Clements on Oxford City Council for Labour, but she has now been suspended from the party. Cllr Jamila Azad has been suspended by the whips of Oxfordshire County Council and Labour When asked to comment on the post and her suspension from Labour, Ms Azad said she did not want to comment. Susan Brown, the Leader of the Labour Group at Oxford City Council and Liz Brighouse, Leader of the Labour Group at Oxfordshire County Council issued a joint statement in relation to the post. It said: Following a recent post on her Facebook account about her Covid 19 vaccination, Cllr Jamila Azad has been suspended by the whips of both the Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council Labour Groups, pending further investigation. Cllr Azad has now removed the post in question. We will be making no further comment on this matter until formal investigations into it have been completed. According to the Government it is currently illegal for coronavirus vaccines to be administered outside of the NHS. A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care said the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency had only authorised Covid vaccinations for use through the NHS. The Government spokesman added: It would be illegal to administer vaccines outside of the NHS and, if this happened, the MHRA would take enforcement action. Current Covid vaccinations which have been authorised include the Oxford-Astra Zeneca Vaccine, and the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. "In Amanda, we have a proven leader who has consistently demonstrated her capabilities as an investments expert and thought leader in the industry," said Carole Brown, head of PNC Asset Management Group. "Her experience overseeing all investment-strategy related activities, spanning asset allocation guidance on client portfolios to managing the evolution of our investment process, brings incredible value to our businesses. I am confident that she will continue to lead us in delivering high-quality investment services and solutions to our clients and prospects." In her new role, Agati will assume responsibility for the development and implementation of investment policies, strategies and tactics, while serving as a member of several internal governing bodies, including as chairwoman of PNC's Investment Policy Committee. Agati and McGlone will work closely over the next month to transition CIO responsibilities. "We are grateful to Mark for his thoughtful, measured and determined leadership that have been instrumental in developing our integrated investment approach and building a strong Investment Strategy & Services organization," said Brown. "We are also grateful for his dedication to the firm's strong commitment to developing industry leading talent, like Amanda, who will help lead us into the future." McGlone's career began at Mercantile Safe Deposit & Trust, which when acquired by PNC, positioned him for succession into the role of senior vice president and head of Taxable Fixed Income for PNC Capital Advisors (PCA). After serving in successive leadership roles within PCA, McGlone was promoted to the role of chief investment officer and president of PNC Capital Advisors, LLC. and, in 2018, was promoted to his current position of chief investment officer and managing executive of Investments for PNC Asset Management Group. Agati served as an Institutional Investment strategist before assuming her current role of chief investment strategist in 2017. In this role, she oversees all investment-strategy related activities for PNC's personal and institutional asset management businesses. In addition, she leads the team that establishes overall strategic and tactical asset allocation guidance of client portfolios, manages the evolution of investment processes, provides thought leadership on key investment issues, and is the author of numerous publications. She also performs research and analytics that help drive the overall investment recommendations of the firm while also managing the firm's asset allocation models. Agati earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance with a minor in Economics from the Schreyer Honors College of the Pennsylvania State University. She is a CFA charter holder, and a member of the CFA Institute and CFA Society of Philadelphia. She sits on the boards of several non-profit organizations. Additional Appointments Effective April 9 Succeeding Agati as chief investment strategist is Dan Brady, who previously served as director and client portfolio manager for the Investment Strategy Group. During his tenure, Brady was recognized as a top-performing employee within PNC for providing exceptional oversight of multi-asset class strategy and analysis. Prior to joining PNC, he worked as a consultant and senior portfolio associate giving him a unique breadth of experience providing financial planning services to individuals, families and institutions. He will report to Agati. Nick Ashburn will assume the role of head of Responsible Investing, also reporting to Agati. He previously served as director of Responsible Investing for the Asset Management Group, leading the advancement of the firm's Responsible Investing strategy, including the build out of research and analytical capabilities, training resources and thought leadership pieces within the space. Ashburn will continue this work in his elevated position, providing oversight to the implementation of the robust offering built under his leadership. Prior to PNC, Ashburn was senior director of Impact Investing at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he oversaw research and educational activities in impact investing across asset classes, sectors and geographies. PNC Asset Management Group, a member of the PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., is a relationship-based provider of investment, planning, banking and fiduciary services to wealthy individuals and institutions through the proactive delivery of value-add ideas and solutions. The Asset Management Group offers personal asset management for high and ultra-high net worth individuals and families and institutional asset management services to corporations, healthcare systems, insurance companies, unions, municipalities and nonprofits. For more information about PNC Asset Management, visit www.pnc.com. The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC) is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking including a full range of lending products; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. CONTACT: Britney Sage (412) 762-8775 [email protected] SOURCE PNC Asset Management Group New Mexicos Herrell Wants Answers From Mayorkas on Immigrants Entering US Without Medical, Crime Checks Rep. Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.) wants answers from the new Secretary of Homeland Security about reports that undocumented immigrants are coming into the United States without CCP virus testing or adequate criminal or national security background checks. Herrell told the recently confirmed Alejandro Mayorkas in a March 2 letter made available to The Epoch Times that border policies he and President Joe Biden have recently adopted represent a clear and present danger to residents of her district. According to numerous media reports, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is releasing thousands of aliens into the United States without COVID-19 tests where Title 42 has been abrogated for what appear to be political reasons, Herrell told Mayorkas in her letter. Title 42 is a regulation issued under former President Donald Trump in 2020 that directed DHS agents to return to their country of origin all illegal immigrants stopped at the U.S. border who are suspected of being health risks, either because they tried to evade screening measures or were subject back home to quarantining. Herrell cited a statement by Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council, saying that U.S. Border Patrol agents no longer test illegal aliens released by the agency. Herrell told The Epoch Times in a March 2 interview that shes especially concerned about the resumption of catch-and-release because we are seeing now where criminal aliens are starting to come into America. We know from previous information that, once they come into the country, there is no guarantee that they will show up for their court hearing. Rep. Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.) official photo, 117th Congress. (U.S. Congress/public domain) In fact, in some cases when they have a tracking device, an ankle monitor, they just cut those off, then theyve gone into the nation and there is no way to locate them. Herrell said the resumption of catch-and-release in the absence of effective health screening is especially damaging to residents in her district because New Mexico has just been ravaged by COVID. Weve been in lockdown for over nine months, our schools are not open, we have an incredible high rate now of teen suicide, weve had an incredible number of people with coronavirus and other illnesses sadly being alone in hospitals or in senior living facilities, weve had many people who were not able to do basic medical preventative procedures because of COVID, and weve had over 300 companies shut their doors for good, Herrell told The Epoch Times. Herrell, who was reelected in November 2020 to the seat she had lost in the 2018 election, told Mayorkas that his department now appears to be relying on local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to test aliens and quarantine them. This is unacceptable as an alien, once released, has no obligation to remain in the care of an NGO or submit to a COVID-19 test. This says nothing of places where NGOs are unable to provide such testing. This creates a clear and present danger to our border communities and national security, she said. Herrell also questioned Mayorkas about a recent meeting in which federal officials admitted they are releasing immigrants into the United States without screening for national security alerts. Additionally, I remain concerned that during a Feb. 16, 2021, DHS and Department of State staff call on the Biden administrations decision to allow reentry of those removed under the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), the administration admitted aliens are being admitted to the United States without security and criminal background checks that are comprehensive and current in the country of origin and countries of transit, Herrell wrote. This is a critical safeguard as background checks in the United States would likely not expose a criminal record of an illegal alien that has never entered the country before. The State Department admitted on the call with staff that they did not conduct any type of background checks on aliens in MPP. While DHS indicated they run a suite of background checks in their databases within the United States, they also stated they do minimal checks outside the country and shared they do not have access to many nations criminal background check systems. Much of the background information and data that is available from many foreign nations are in analog formats and subject to corruption, misrepresentation, and other problems that make such systems all but useless, she wrote. DHS did not respond to a request for comment. Contact Mark Tapscott at Mark.Tapscott@epochtimes.nyc Prince Harry, who has been living in the United States for the past year has been advised by the palace insiders to fly to the United Kingdom for bidding a final goodbye to Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth II amid the latters hospitalization. As per The Royal Observer report, Harry has been asked to fly back home as the royal family is severely concerned about the Duke of Edinburghs health. Prince Harry has been reportedly asked to bid final goodbye to his grandfather, weeks after the elder royal. After spending nearly a fortnight at Londons King Edward VII Hospital, Prince Philip has been transferred to St Bartholomews Hospital also known as Barts for his continued treatment. He was initially admitted on February 16 and was shifted on March 1. Amid the health reports, the royal source also told the publication that Prince Harry is being advised to fly home right now to say goodbye to his grandfather and added, who knows if he will listen. Read - Prince Philip Moved To Specialist London Cardiac Hospital Read - Prince Philip Shifted To St. Bartholomews Hospital, Responding Well: Reports Buckingham Palace is preparing a funeral Reportedly the Buckingham Palace is also making the required arrangements for a potential funeral which can also turn out to be a massive state function. The source has also revealed the discussions that are currently ongoing regarding Meghan Markle and Prince Harrys problem and how the couples seating position is still being considered as the British public may boo them. "There are lots of discussions about what to do with the problem of Meghan [Markle] and Harry, where to seat them and how to protect them from the British public who could boo them," the source said in the report. As per British media reports, UK royal commentators are hoping that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry would cancel their, what is hoped to be a groundbreaking Oprah interview before it airs on CBS while Prince Philip is still hospitalized. Other reports have also stated that Prince Harry has already organized a private jet to fly to the UK and would be tested of COVID-19 before leaving the United States and even upon his arrival to Britain. Read - Prince Philip 'responding To Treatment', Will Remain In Hospital For Several Days: Palace Read - UK's Prince William Says His 99-year-old Grandfather Prince Philip Is Doing 'OK' Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 The scientist in charge of Frances vaccine rollout, Alain Fischer, must sometimes feel like Sisyphus, forever rolling his boulder up the hill. After months of patiently working to win over a doubting publics acceptance of the groundbreaking mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, hes now fighting to convince French doctors to offer AstraZenecas more traditional shot to their patients. Resistance runs deep even as doses pile up, more data about efficacy emerges, and president Emmanuel Macron, along with other EU leaders, frantically tries to speed up inoculations. The challenge is not dispelling kooky theories about vaccinations side effects or effectiveness, but the more complex informed scepticism that leads to damaging comparison shopping. One doctor took to social media to criticise AstraZenecas less spectacular clinical efficacy levels of 62% compared to Pfizer and Modernas 95%, and its apparent weakness against variants, and said hed wait before offering it. Even some nurses, seen as an ideal target audience for the shot, say theyd rather hold out for Pfizer the Rolls-Royce of vaccines, in their view instead of AstraZeneca, presumably the Renault in this metaphor. Fischers response has been to patiently explain that AstraZenecas shot is in no way a bargain-basement vaccine, and to cite encouraging real-world data that is piling up from the UK, where low vaccine hesitancy, ambitious inoculation goals and weeks of gruelling lockdown have led to a rollout that puts most of the EU to shame. Europe isnt exactly swimming in shots, and doesnt have the luxury to start picking and choosing vaccines based on ideal efficacy percentages, especially given it needs at least seven months to vaccinate 70% of adults. Still, the damage has been done: Only 15% of Frances 1.7m AstraZeneca doses have been administered. Its a similar story in Germany, with low take-up from the public and medical personnel. Its worth trying to understand how we got here and how to fix this mess: Not just for the EU but for the world, as more vaccines similar to AstraZenecas like Johnson & Johnsons, which may also be perceived as a runner-up start being rolled out. Any fresh delays will only benefit Covid-19 and new emerging coronavirus variants. Part of the confusion in AstraZenecas case stems from a string of setbacks involving clinical data: An initial announcement of 90% efficacy last year turned out to only cover a small number of people who were given the wrong dosage. Last month, a relatively small trial in South Africa revealed the shot showed only 10% efficacy against the B.1351 variant. Real-world studies gauging its impact as it is rolled out obviously help, but lingering questions over the clinical trial data are partly why the US has not even approved AstraZeneca yet, unlike the EU. So better, more transparent studies will help. Theres also probably been too much politics and not enough pragmatism. In Britain, where health secretary Matt Hancock models himself on the pandemic disaster movie Contagion, bold bets on vaccines have paid off but promoting its success as some sort of Brexit victory also led some patients to snub rival vaccines for the English one. Meanwhile, in France and Germany, where the cinematic equivalent might be the arthouse movie, the opposite has happened: Caution over AstraZenecas data easily fell into exaggeration when Macron said the shot was quasi-ineffective for over-65s. Its a misconception thats stuck, even as hes walked it back and Fischer debunked it. On Monday, Frances health agency lifted its age limit on the AstraZeneca shot from 65 to 75 years for patients with comorbidities. Communication, key in the heat of any public health crisis, has been poor. Perhaps EU politicians should have echoed Canadas government, which eloquently pointed out that the benefits of being vaccinated outweighed the risks of not getting the shot. If we are in a race against variants, it makes more sense to jab now than to jab not. One idea might be to change the inoculation strategy if positive messaging on these vaccines is not cutting through to their current target audience. Estonia and Slovakia, for example, worked through their AstraZeneca supply by offering it to frontline workers and teachers. If nothing improves uptake while Pfizer and Moderna deliveries ramp up, then it is time to do the right thing and share the doses with the developing world, where countries are being forced to wait for scraps as the rich world hoards vaccines. Maybe the risk of sacrificing supply, and the sight of doses leaving the region is what it will really take to get Europeans to wake up to how lucky they are. If not, this boulder risks rolling downhill a few more times. Lionel Laurent is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering the EU and France. 'Stunning' data shows effectiveness of Oxford and Pfizer jabs Real-world data on the effectiveness of the Oxford and Pfizer vaccines is "stunning" and countries across Europe will take note, a scientist behind one of the jabs has said. Professor Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, welcomed the new study from Public Health England (PHE) which found that protection against developing symptomatic Covid-19 in the over-70s was around 60% for both Oxford and Pfizer after a single dose, while among the over-80s the vaccines offered more than 80% protection against hospital admission. A man exits a Covid-19 vaccination truck parked outside his residential building in the Parisian suburban city of Stains on Tuesday. Picture: Anne-Christine Poujoulat/Getty Images Prof Pollard told BBC radio that the findings were "stunning", and this was for two reasons. "First of all, because these data come from the hardest group to protect those who are the frailest, the oldest adults in our population and we're seeing an 80% reduction in hospitalisation in that group, which is stunning," he said. Second... both of the vaccines performed exactly the same, there was no daylight between them. "We've had all this difficulty with communication, particularly around Europe, with uncertainty about the evidence, whereas in the UK we've been rolling out both vaccines in the confidence that they would both give high levels of protection. "And that's absolutely what we've seen now in this real-world evidence that whether you've had a Pfizer vaccine or the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, you have very high levels of protection." Prof Pollard said around 5,000 people are dying every day from Covid across Europe, where some leaders have shunned the Oxford vaccine for older age groups. Prof Pollard said: "It just shows how critical it is to improve public confidence across the continent about the vaccines, and that's why the data that appears today is so important to show that both of the vaccines which are widely available in Europe can have this big impact." Asked about France reversing its decision not to recommend the Oxford jab for over-65s, Prof Pollard said he thought many countries would now be looking at the latest data. Asked if concern over the Oxford jab had been disappointing, he said it was "disappointing in some senses, but it's important to remember that the way in which scientific committees in different countries make their decisions is quite different. Prof Pollard said future vaccines may well be able to tackle the P1 Brazil variant that has been found in the UK as well as the South African variant. "The work at the moment is partly to understand whether a vaccine for one of them might actually protect against both so there's a lot more that we don't know yet about this, but all the developers are working on new vaccines to make sure we are ready if we need to be," he said. Trials of the Oxford vaccine have already started on younger age groups down to 12 years of age, with trials on younger groups starting soon, and results expected towards early summer, he added. DMK-Congress yet to finalise on allocation of seats ahead of Tamil Nadu elections India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P Chennai, Mar 03: The Congress and the DMK in Tamil Nadu have not been able to finalise a seat-sharing deal for the April 6 election despite two rounds of talks. According to reports, the Congress's demand for contesting in 30 of the state's 234 assembly seats is unacceptable to its Dravidian ally. The DMK, which is the dominant partner in the alliance in the southern state, is not ready to concede more than 20 seats, leading to a stalemate. There is speculation that a Rajya Sabha seat could be offered to the Congress. The radicalisation menace in Tamil Nadu was brushed aside for too long, until the NIA exposed it in 2014 Asked if the party will settle for a seat in the upper house of parliament, Tamil Nadu Congress chief KS Alagiri replied with an emphatic "no". However, he claimed the "talks are going on smoothly". The DMK had won 38 of the 39 Lok Sabha seats in 2019, wants to win the upcoming elections by contesting as many seats as possible. MK Stalin's party does not want a repeat of the 2016 elections, when the Congress could win just eight of the 41 seats it had contested in. It is not only the Congress that is facing a cut in its seat-share in the alliance. Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK) has been offered only two seats against four in 2016. Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has been given only three seats against six last time. TN Elections 2021: DMK unhappy on seat allocation; No promises made with Left, Congress Top Congress sources say the party understands its limitations and may settle for a lesser number of seats to help the DMK win. Anurag Kashyap, Tapsee Pannu face tax raids by income tax officials| Oneindia News In the opposite camp, the AIADMK and the BJP are also holding seat-sharing talks. There is speculation that the BJP could be offered around 20 seats. The ruling party's ally PMK has already been given 23 seats to contest in. Kingstree, SC (29556) Today Some sun this morning with increasing clouds this afternoon. High 84F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. 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 Scottish Conservatives have said that Nicola Sturgeon must go after her appearance before the Holyrood inquiry into her governments unlawful investigation of Alex Salmond on Wednesday. Party leader Douglas Ross said it is clear that Ms Sturgeon repeatedly misled the Scottish Parliament and that the litany of lies and abject failures is too much for any first minister to survive. Appearing before the Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints on Wednesday, Ms Sturgeon said there was nothing that the Government has to hide. The First Minister had originally claimed she first became aware of the Scottish Government investigation into Mr Salmond on April 2 2018, before later admitting to a March 29 meeting with Mr Salmonds former chief of staff Geoff Aberdein. Nicola Sturgeon dodged and evaded almost every difficult question. She vividly remembers the details she believes exonerate her, then forgets entirely anything that damages her. The litany of lies and abject failures is too much for any First Minister to survive. She must go. pic.twitter.com/i78QA8UJay Scottish Conservatives (@ScotTories) March 3, 2021 She said that at the March 29 meeting, Mr Aberdein did indicate a harassment-type issue had arisen, but my recollection is he did so in general terms. Mr Ross said: The abiding memory of this evidence session will be Nicola Sturgeon proclaiming I cant recall on repeat. She dodged and evaded almost every difficult question. The First Minister vividly remembers the details she believes exonerate her, then forgets entirely anything that damages her. Its not remotely credible, in fact its plainly absurd, for the First Minister to ask us to believe her account of a secret meeting that she claims to have forgotten entirely, instead of the evidence of multiple credible witnesses. Geoff Aberdeins account can be corroborated. The alternative version of events, that Nicola Sturgeon wants the public to believe, cannot, so it is now clear that Nicola Sturgeon repeatedly misled the Scottish Parliament. He added: The litany of lies and abject failures is too much for any first minister to survive. The evidence is overwhelming. She must go. Expand Close Nicola Sturgeon gave evidence to the Committee on Wednesday (Jeff J Mitchell/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Nicola Sturgeon gave evidence to the Committee on Wednesday (Jeff J Mitchell/PA) The Scottish Conservatives this week submitted votes of no confidence in Ms Sturgeon and Deputy First Minister John Swinney, and said that neither vote has been withdrawn. Scottish Labour deputy leader and Committee member Jackie Baillie said that Ms Sturgeons appearance before the committee left serious questions unanswered. She said: The First Ministers appearance today was welcome, but quite frankly we are not much further forward in understanding her role in this catastrophic failure of the Scottish Government. Ms Baillie added: Time and time again, Nicola Sturgeon assumed responsibility for the litany of failures of her government but still no-one has resigned for these failures. Ultimately, the First Minister was unable to answer accusations made against her, unable to disprove claims made by credible witnesses, and unable to properly defend the Governments costly decision to persist with the judicial review. Ultimately, the First Minister was unable to answer accusations made against her, unable to disprove claims made by credible witnesses, and unable to properly defend the Governments costly decision to persist with the judicial review Jackie Baillie, Scottish Labour deputy leader Serious questions remain over the First Ministers conduct. Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton said: The committee will need time to consider the large volume of new evidence before reaching its verdict. There are serious matters for the future of the First Minister. Reaching the correct conclusion will be the first step on the route to restoring confidence of those who may consider making complaints about harassment in future. A spokesman for the First Minister said: The First Minister today dismantled all of the claims which have been made against her. In fully eight hours of evidence, the opposition completely failed to substantiate any of the allegations and absurd conspiracy theories which have been levelled at her and her office in this case. The First Minister gave a clear, open and transparent account to the committee and directly addressed all of the issues raised. She was happy to take all of their questions and gave evidence for as long as the committee members wanted. She now looks forward to receiving the conclusions of the committees report, and the report of James Hamilton, the independent adviser on the Ministerial Code. The people of Scotland want a Government focused on the issues they are facing on a daily basis and the First Minister is now determined to get on with the job of leading the country through the pandemic and the many other issues facing the nation. THOMASVILLE, Ga., March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE: FLO), producer of Nature's Own, Dave's Killer Bread, Wonder, Canyon Bakehouse, Tastykake, and other bakery foods, today announced the pricing of the public offering of $500 million aggregate principal amount of 2.400% senior notes due 2031 (the "Notes"). The Notes will bear interest at a rate of 2.400% per annum and will mature on March 15, 2031. The offering is expected to close on March 9, 2021, subject to customary closing conditions. The company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to redeem our outstanding $400 million of 4.375% Senior Notes due 2022 and the balance of the net proceeds for general corporate purposes. For the offering, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and BofA Securities, Inc. are serving as Active Book-Running Managers, and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and Rabo Securities USA, Inc. as Passive Book-Running Managers. The offering is being made under an automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-248233) filed by Flowers Foods with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on August 21, 2020 and only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus. A preliminary prospectus supplement has been filed, and an issuer free writing prospectus and a final prospectus supplement relating to the offering of the Notes will be filed, with the SEC, to which this communication relates. Prospective investors should read the issuer free writing prospectus, preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus included in the registration statement and other documents Flowers has filed with the SEC for more complete information about Flowers and this offering. These documents are available at no charge by visiting EDGAR at http://www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the prospectus and the prospectus supplement may be obtained by contacting Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. Mail: 60 Wall Street, New York, New York 10005, Attention: Prospectus Group; Phone: 800-503-4611; Email: [email protected] or BofA Securities Inc. Mail: NC1-004-03-43, 200 North College Street, 3rd Floor, Charlotte NC 28255-0001, Attn: Prospectus Department; Email: [email protected] This communication is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The offering of these securities will be made only by means of the applicable prospectus supplement and the related prospectus. The securities being offered have not been approved or disapproved by any regulatory authority, nor has any such authority passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of the registration statement, the prospectus contained therein or the applicable prospectus supplement. About Flowers Foods Headquartered in Thomasville, Ga., Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE: FLO) is one of the largest producers of fresh packaged bakery foods in the United States, with 2020 sales of $4.4 billion. Flowers operates bakeries across the country that produce a wide range of bakery products. Among the company's top brands are Nature's Own, Dave's Killer Bread, Wonder, Canyon Bakehouse, and Tastykake. FLO-CORP FLO-IR Forward-Looking Statements Statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may include, among other things, statements regarding our current expectations and beliefs as to our ability to consummate the offering of the Notes and the intended use of proceeds thereof, and other future events, and are often identified by the use of words and phrases such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "predict," "project," "should," "will," "would," "is likely to," "is expected to" or "will continue," or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those projected. Other factors that may cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements contained in this release and that may affect the company's prospects in general include, but are not limited to (a) our ability to complete the offering on the expected timeline or at all, (b) unexpected changes in any of the following: (i) general economic and business conditions; (ii) the competitive setting in which we operate, including advertising or promotional strategies by us or our competitors, as well as changes in consumer demand; (iii) interest rates and other terms available to us on our borrowings; (iv) energy and raw materials costs and availability and hedging counter-party risks; (v) relationships with or increased costs related to our employees and third-party service providers; (vi) laws and regulations (including environmental and health-related issues); and (vii) accounting standards or tax rates in the markets in which we operate; (c) the ultimate impact of the COVID-19 outbreak and measures taken in response thereto on our business, results of operations and financial condition, which are highly uncertain and are difficult to predict; (d) the loss or financial instability of any significant customer(s), including as a result of product recalls or safety concerns related to our products; (e) changes in consumer behavior, trends and preferences, including health and whole grain trends, and the movement toward more inexpensive store branded products; (f) the level of success we achieve in developing and introducing new products and entering new markets; (g) our ability to implement new technology and customer requirements as required; (h) our ability to operate existing, and any new, manufacturing lines according to schedule; (i) our ability to execute our business strategies which may involve, among other things, (i) the integration of acquisitions or the acquisition or disposition of assets at presently targeted values, (ii) the deployment of new systems and technology, and (iii) an enhanced organizational structure; (j) consolidation within the baking industry and related industries; (k) changes in pricing, customer and consumer reaction to pricing actions, and the pricing environment among competitors within the industry; (l) disruptions in our direct-store-delivery distribution model, including litigation or an adverse ruling by a court or regulatory or governmental body that could affect the independent contractor classifications of the independent distributors; (m) increasing legal complexity and legal proceedings that we are or may become subject to; (n) increases in employee and employee-related costs; (o) the credit, business, and legal risks associated with independent distributors and customers, which operate in the highly competitive retail food and foodservice industries; (p) any business disruptions due to political instability, pandemics, armed hostilities, incidents of terrorism, natural disasters, labor strikes or work stoppages, technological breakdowns, product contamination, product recalls or safety concerns related to our products, or the responses to or repercussions from any of these or similar events or conditions and our ability to insure against such events; (q) the failure of our information technology systems to perform adequately, including any interruptions, intrusions or security breaches of such systems or risks associated with the planned implementation of a new enterprise resource planning system; and (r) regulation and legislation related to climate change that could affect our ability to procure our commodity needs or that necessitate additional unplanned capital expenditures . The foregoing list of important factors does not include all such factors, nor necessarily present them in order of importance. In addition, you should consult other disclosures made by the company, including the risk factors included in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC and disclosures made in other filings with the SEC and company press releases, for other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected by the company. We caution you not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as they speak only as of the date made and are inherently uncertain. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise or update such statements, except as required by law. SOURCE Flowers Foods, Inc. Related Links http://www.flowersfoods.com Karnataka Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi landed thick in the middle of a controversy Tuesday after a social activist approached the police accusing him of sexually harassing a woman on the pretext of getting her a government job. Kannada news channels widely aired video clips purportedly showing Jarkiholi getting intimate with the unidentified woman. Denying any wrongdoing, Jarkiholi said this is a big shock and sought an investigation into this. He said it is a 100% fake video. This comes just two days before the start of the all-important Budget session of the legislature, causing embarrassment to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa. Jarkiholi, who was in Mysuru, rushed to the city and met Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa. He said he would rush to New Delhi to meet the BJP central leadership. Social activist Dinesh Kallahalli approached Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant who directed him to the Cubbon Park police station to file a complaint. I dont know who Kallahalli is. I dont know who that woman is. I dont know anything. Im in a big shock. Let this be investigated, Jarkiholi told reporters. If I'm wrong, let them hang me," he added. Jarkiholi, who represents Gokak, was among the chief architects in causing the downfall of the Congress-JD(S) coalition, paving the way for the BJP to come to power. He was earlier with the Congress. The incident could potentially dent Jarkiholis political career. His family holds a clout in the politically-significant Belagavi, Karnatakas largest district. The Jarkiholi family has built an empire. Ive been a legislator for 21 years. Why was this done now? Its a political gimmick, the minister said. Im a dharmic man and I have no need to fear, he said, adding that he will quit politics if proven wrong. Kallahalli, who filed the complaint, said the victim and her relatives approached him as they were under threat. Im a social activist, so it is my responsibility to fight against such abuses. So, I contacted senior advocates and filed a complaint on her behalf," he said, alleging that Jarkiholi used Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi to meet the woman. The police reportedly grilled Kallahalli on the origin of the video, details of the victim, whether she was willing to testify and why she or her family approached him in the first place. A senior officer told DH that an FIR cannot be registered solely on the basis of Kallahallis complaint. DCP (Central) MN Anucheth, who is said to have been asked by Pant to look into the complaint, said necessary action will be taken after obtaining more details. The family members of the woman in the video are yet to give information to us, he said, adding that the police will inquire with the woman as well. This is not the first sex scandal involving a minister. In 2016, Congress HY Meti was forced to resign from the then chief minister Siddaramaiahs Cabinet after a sleazy tape went public. He, too, was accused of misusing power. In 2010, BJPs Hartal Halappa resigned when B S Yediyurappa was the CM after he was charged with sexual misconduct. There was no immediate reaction from the chief ministers office or the ruling BJP on the Jarkiholi controversy. However, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi stopped short of admitting that this is an embarrassment. It must be investigated, he said. As leaders, we need to be morally pure. We should be clean. But lets not jump to conclusions too soon," he added. Liz Ann Macgregor was largely unknown when she was appointed director of the Museum of Contemporary Art in 1999, attracting more attention for her Scottish accent, red hair, tartan skirts and Dr Martens Boots than her vision for the gallery. More than two decades later, when Macgregor steps down from the position in October, she will leave behind what was pre-pandemic one of the most visited contemporary art museums in the world: one that has staged, particularly in recent years, a run of first-class exhibitions. Liz Ann Macgregor has announced she will step down as director of the Museum of Contemporary Art. Credit:Wolter Peeters Known for the strength of her enthusiasm and charisma, Macgregor is credited with pulling the institution back from bankruptcy and cultivating the public conversation about contemporary art. During her reign, Macgregor implemented free admission, attracted millions in philanthropic donations, oversaw a major redevelopment, championed Indigenous art including overseeing a world-class survey of bark painter John Mawurndjul in 2018 and lobbied the government to invest in the arts in western Sydney, controversially becoming then Premier Mike Bairds ambassador for western Sydney and backing the relocation of the Powerhouse Museum to Parramatta. A cookbook author has shared the biggest mistakes home cooks make when preparing pasta - including breaking spaghetti so it fits in a pot of water and adding oil to the cooking water. Italian-Australian TV cook and food writer Silvia Colloca revealed her golden rules for cooking the perfect pasta dish every time. In her new book Simple Italian, the 43-year-old mother said you should never break dried spaghetti before boiling it because long pastas are supposed to effortlessly twirl around a fork. Italian-Australian TV cook and food writer Silvia Colloca (pictured) revealed her golden rules for cooking the perfect pasta dish every time The perfect sauces for each pasta shape LONG: Balance long thin strands of pasta such as spaghetti, linguine or fusilli with light sauces RIBBONS: Pair thicker, flatter ribbons such as tagliatelle, pappardelle and fettuccine with more robust sauces such as bolognese and ragu SHELLS: Heavy cream or meat sauces SHORT: Penne, rigatoni, farfalle and fusilli are fun and versatile shapes perfect for pasta salads, baked dishes and with chunkier sauces TWISTS: Lighter, smoother sauces such as pesto go perfect with fusilli, strozzapreti, caserecce and gemelli FILLED: Serve ravioli, tortellini or cappelletti with a light butter or oil sauce MINI SHAPES: Orzo, fregola and risoni is perfect for hearty soups, stews and pasta salads Advertisement 'Unless you are using your long strands as an addition to a soup, you should never break them so they fit in the pan more easily. Just use a bigger pan,' she said. Italians eat spaghetti by twirling forkfuls of long strands in a way that it doesn't slip off or let the sauce drip from it. The pasta can hold sauce more efficiently but if you break it in half, you'll have shorter strands which makes it harder to eat. While many assume adding oil to the cooking water helps prevent pasta from sticking together, Silvia said the method actually does nothing. 'If you do, the oil will float to the top, rendering it completely useless, then when you drain your pasta the oil coating will prevent the sauce from adhering properly,' she explained. Silvia said the trick to stop pasta from sticking together is to simply boil it in salted water, and stir it a few times while it's cooking. To cook the perfect al dente pasta, she said you should always boil instead of simmer. 'Never cook your pasta over low heat or it will turn into a gluey mess. A fierce rolling boil is what is needed,' she said. Silvia added: 'As a rule of thumb, al dente means cooking pasta for a minute or two less than you would instinctively think. 'Once the pasta is removed from the water, the residual heat will continue the cooking process, and if you are tossing the pasta in a sauce, that too will count as cooking time.' Last year, Italian chef Andrea Tranchero (pictured) - who worked in Michelin-starred restaurants around the world - revealed the dos and don'ts of cooking pasta Last year, Italian chef Andrea Tranchero - who worked in Michelin-starred restaurants around the world - revealed the dos and don'ts of cooking pasta. 'The perfect pasta starts with the pasta. A delicious Italian dish needs a good quality base and so it's very important that you choose a premium, good quality pasta to cook with,' Mr Tranchero told Daily Mail Australia. 'Cooking water should be salty like the sea - I recommend approximately 7g of salt per litre of water - and boiling with big bubbles before you add the pasta in.' The executive chef of Barilla said one of the biggest mistakes home cooks make is rinsing over cooked pasta with cold water. 'This only washes away the starch on the pasta which actually helps to make your finished dish silky and smooth,' he explained. Not combining the sauce and pasta when serving is another error made by many cooks in the kitchen. 'A lot of people don't finish off cooking their pasta and sauce together in the pan and allowing it to absorb the beautiful sauce flavours,' he said. How and when to use 2-DG anti-Covid drug? DRDO issues guidelines Coronavirus cases: Karnataka faces oxygen shortfall even as active cases still on higher side India-made Covaxin showed 81% interim efficacy: Bharat Biotech on Phase 3 results India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Mar 03: Bharat Biotech's coronavirus vaccine - Covaxin has shown an interim vaccine efficacy of 81% in late-stage clinical trials, the Hyderabad-based company said on Wednesday. "Covaxin demonstrated 81% interim efficacy in preventing Covid-19 in those without prior infection after the second dose," the company said in a statement. The trials involved 25,800 participants and were conducted in partnership with ICMR, the Indian government's medical research body. The Phase 3 study enrolled participants between 18-98 years of age, including 2,433 over the age of 60 and 4,500 with comorbidities, it added. "Clinical trial to continue through to final analysis at 130 confirmed cases in order to gather further data and to evaluate the efficacy of COVAXIN in additional secondary study endpoints," the company further said. The first interim analysis is based on 43 cases, of which 36 cases of COVID-19 were observed in the placebo group versus 7 cases observed in the COVAXIN group, resulting in a point estimate of vaccine efficacy of 80.6 per cent, Bharat Biotech said. 'Today is an important milestone in vaccine discovery, for science and our fight against coronavirus. With today's results from our Phase 3 clinical trials, we have now reported data on our COVID-19 vaccine from Phase 1, 2, and 3 trials involving around 27,000 participants,' Bharat Biotech Chairman & Managing Director Krishna Ella said. Covaxin demonstrates a high clinical efficacy trend against COVID-19 but also significant immunogenicity against the rapidly emerging variants, he added. COVAXIN and the AstraZeneca vaccines were approved by India's regulator in January. Covishield had shown an efficacy rate of 70 per cent after two full doses. However, one of the regimens with a half dose and a full dose showed 90 per cent efficacy against the virus. Bharat Biotech said the interim analysis of its vaccine included a preliminary review of the safety database, which showed that severe, serious, and medically attended adverse events occurred at low levels and were balanced between vaccine and placebo groups, the company said. The trial's conduct and monitoring are as per good clinical practice guidelines and have been outsourced to IQVIA, it added. 'Analysis from the National Institute of Virology indicates that vaccine-induced antibodies can neutralize the UK variant strains and other heterologous strains,' Bharat Biotech said. The company expects to share further details of the trial results as additional data becomes available, it noted. Additional interim analysis is planned for 87 cases, and the final analysis is planned for 130 cases, the company said. All data from the second interim and final analyses will be shared via pre-publication servers as well as submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication, it added. Bharat Biotech said more than 40 countries globally have expressed their interest in Covaxin. Covaxin Side effects: Those with history of allergies, bleeding disorder, fever or blood thinner are immune compromised or are on a medicine that affects the immune system, pregnant, breastfeeding or have received another COVID-19 vaccine must not take Covaxin. The side-effects are injection site pain, inspection site swelling, injection side redness, injection site itching, fever, malaise, weakness, rashes, nausea, vomiting, stiffness in the upper arm, weakness in injection arm, body ache, headache. Congressman Darin LaHood of Illinois has thrown his support behind proposed bipartisan legislation that would provide relief to the hospitality industry and its workers. The Hospitality and Commerce Job Recovery Act of 2021 is designed to create new recovery incentives for hospitality and trade shows, extend the employee retention tax credit to reduce layoffs and keep people in the hospitality industry employed, create a perishable food and beverage credit to help small businesses cover the cost of inventory lost during COVID-19-related closures, and provide a tax credit for middle-class families to jump-start travel when safe. Last night, a political bombshell landed. Shortly afterwards, before the smoke had cleared, came another explosive salvo. Nicola Sturgeons political career, and reputation, is no longer intact. The first missile came in the form of the legal advice given to the Scottish Government as it defended a judicial review brought by Alex Salmond. Its contents were devastating - each page more damning and revelatory than the last. The advice related to a judicial review brought by former First Minister Alex Salmond against the Government he used to lead and now run by his political protegee and one-time friend, Miss Sturgeon. The documents lay bare how badly failed the women at the heart of this scandal were. They confirm what has been rumoured for months in political and media circles. DOUGLAS ROSS: Nicola Sturgeons political career, and reputation, is no longer intact DOUGLAS ROSS: The advice related to a judicial review brought by former First Minister Alex Salmond against the Government he used to lead and now run by Miss Sturgeon They detail stark and unambiguous warnings from highly respected, independent lawyers that the Government had no chance of defending Mr Salmonds action. One of Scotlands foremost QCs, Roddy Dunlop, spelled it out in measured but crystal-clear language. Miss Sturgeons government was defending the indefensible. Eventually, when his clients continued to disregard his warnings, he was forced to threaten to quit. We know what happened next - Mr Salmond won his case and was awarded legal costs of at least 500,000. DOUGLAS ROSS: I am proud to say the public only know about any of this thanks to a tenacious and determined battle led by the Scottish Conservatives The treasure trove of documents expose Miss Sturgeons Nationalist regime as being consumed by conceit and arrogance; of being truly drunk on power with no concept of accountability. And what of the women? Mere collateral damage as Miss Sturgeon recklessly wasted taxpayers money and made one monumental mistake and awful lapse of judgment after another. It is clear Miss Sturgeon was confident none of this would ever become known to the paying public. Her government tried its best to keep the legal advice hidden. In Sturgeons Scotland, secrecy ensures survival. Well, she has made the biggest political miscalculation of her life. And I am proud to say the public only know about any of this thanks to a tenacious and determined battle led by the Scottish Conservatives. Twice we secured cross-party support to win a Scottish parliament vote for the Government to release the legal advice. Miss Sturgeon, neatly, had recused herself from the process due to her central role. Her deputy, and human shield, John Swinney twice defied the parliamentary vote and refused to release the advice. The impasse was broken when the Scottish Conservatives called a no confidence vote in Mr Swinney. Once we secured cross-party support, Mr Swinney knew his time was up. More importantly, so did the First Minister. On a chess board, when the other pieces are captured, the queen is exposed. DOUGLAS ROSS: Her reign as First Minister is untenable. Even the most ardent of her fans must recognise the removal van should be called to Bute House The second explosion that landed at Holyrood last night came as the evening news bulletins were attempting to articulate the importance of the first. It contained a damning account which confirmed the name of one of the female complainers was shared with Mr Salmonds team - an egregious breach of confidentiality. This compelling account contradicts Miss Sturgeons denials. Whatever she says in Holyrood today is largely academic. She has lied, repeatedly, to the Scottish parliament and to the people of Scotland. Her reign as First Minister is untenable. Even the most ardent of her fans must recognise the removal van should be called to Bute House. Someone in her inner circle needs to do something radical in this SNP Government - tell the truth and tell the First Minister that she is finished. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 05:12:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close U.S. FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., the United States, on March 2, 2021. Christopher Wray said on Tuesday that the law enforcement agency classifies the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol riot by former President Donald Trump's supporters as domestic terrorism. (Graeme Jennings/Pool via Xinhua) WASHINGTON, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Christopher Wray, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), said on Tuesday that the law enforcement agency classifies the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol riot by former President Donald Trump's supporters as domestic terrorism. "That attack, that siege, was criminal behavior, plain and simple, and it's behavior that we, the FBI, view as domestic terrorism," Wray said at a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Wray said the rioters came from "a variety of backgrounds." "The attackers on Jan. 6 included a number - and the number keeps growing as we build out our investigations - of what we would call militia violent extremism. And we have had some already arrested who we would put in the category of racially motivated violent extremism, white as well," said Wray. So far at least 280 people have been arrested with more than 300 charged in the wake of the Jan. 6 attack which interrupted Congress' electoral vote count of the presidential election. Five people died in the attack, including a Capitol police officer. Enditem WOOD RIVER No injuries were reported in a Monday night fire that caused extensive damage to a building on Wood River Avenue in Wood River. The fire was reported at about 6 p.m. Monday at 7 Wood River Ave. with the Wood River Fire Department joined by multiple neighboring agencies. The Alton Fire Department sent a chief, pumper truck and a crew to staff Wood Rivers fire station during the blaze. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. At Niantic, we see the transformative potential of augmented reality to make lives better for people, especially our Niantic Explorers around the world. AR can enrich daily routines like taking a walk in your neighbourhood or visiting your favourite local spot. There are tremendous benefits to getting outside and connecting with one another, and this is how we envision the true benefits of AR technology: in service of people and communities. Weve enabled many moments and memories through our signature Niantic experiences and were working to enable even more planet-scale experiences for next-generation AR hardware. But this is only the beginning. When we talk about AR, we are talking about the beginnings of a fundamental shift in computing where the world itself (the atoms) comes alive with information and experience (the bits). While this shift will occur over time, important software and hardware advances are laying the foundation today. For our part, were committed to leveraging and expanding our platform to build real-world AR experiences for as many devices as possible and reaching a diverse set of players no matter their physical location. This includes building with others that share a common vision for how technology can facilitate deeper social connection and spark a sense of adventure in the real world. At this years Microsoft Ignite conference, we announced we are collaborating with Microsoft on new kinds of experiences that advance innovation at the seam of the digital and physical world, and connect people together in brand new ways. We offered a glimpse of the potential for new AR experiences by showcasing a proof-of-concept Pokemon GO demo. While this demo is not intended for consumer use, it offers an early glimpse into the future evolutions in both software and hardware. Weve only scratched the surface. We know the years ahead to be filled with important achievements which will serve as waypoints in ARs journey to become a life-changing computing platform. Were thrilled to be leading the way. If you are a Standardbred Canada member and want to take advantage of the FREE enrolment for Equine Guelphs Racehorse Respiratory Health course, dont delay ... there are a limited number of spots remaining! This one-time free offer to enroll in Equine Guelphs online short course for Racehorse Respiratory Health (valued at $95) is available to the first 150 SC members that are in good standing to register into the course. Over 100 SC members have registered to date. This free online Racehorse Respiratory Health course is offered from March 22 to April 9. Respected experts from the racing industry include course instructor Dr. Melissa McKee from Ontario, and guest expert, Dr. Patty Hogan from New Jersey. Register for the course today at TheHorsePortal.ca/SC. No prior online learning experience is required and the schedule is flexible. The Standardbred Canada-Equine Guelph partnership also provides a 15 per cent discount on all future courses for its members to receive online industry training on The Horse Portal. The Fire and Emergency Preparedness Course runs from March 8 through March 15, and its not too late to sign up! This course is intended for horse owners, trainers, racetrack personnel and facility owners anyone who is interested in best practices to prevent fires in their barns and facilities, and to assist with being prepared for all manners of emergency situations. Mike has reported on the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem's wildlife, wildlands and the agencies that manage them since 2012. A native Minnesotan, he arrived in the West to study environmental journalism at the University of Colorado. Fortunately, the first serious attempt of the armed forces has had no major consequences for now. However, this endeavor shows that the power grip can easily slide away from Pashinyans grasp despite all the popular support he has, Turan Gafarl, Bachelor of Arts in History and Politics from Queen Mary University of London and a Master of Arts in Transnational Studies from University College London, writes for Anadolu Agency. Nikol Pashinyan, a former journalist and marginal figure of the opposition, became the leader of Armenia after the velvet revolution of 2018. Apart from his pro-Western and pro-peace image, his profile indeed mattered because his two predecessors were prominent members of the Karabakh clan who had a direct involvement in the war crimes committed against Azerbaijani civilians during the war in the early 1990s. As a result, many hoped that Pashinyan would be a man of peace and finally turn the page of war and help resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. However, Pashinyans so-called peaceful rhetoric died down a year after coming to power. His messages became more aggressive vis-a-vis Azerbaijan and his speeches in the occupied territories fueled more tensions. The violations of the ceasefire in his tenure led to the attempted Armenian attack on Tovuz last summer. The latter failed but the continued provocations by the Armenian side increased the risk of war exponentially. The implications of these provocations prompted the Azerbaijani army to launch a counteroffensive, which resulted in a full-scale war between the two countries. The ensuing 44-day war became a disaster for Armenia and its prime minister, as Azerbaijan liberated much of its occupied land and exposed the vulnerability of the Armenian armed forces. The war came to an end thanks to the trilateral agreement signed in November. The military commands tacit support was one of the main elements that helped Pashinyan to hold on to power after the 44-day war. When the furious mob stormed the parliament and attacked the personal quarters of the prime minister, the armed forces and police chose to protect the status quo. Nevertheless, the military institution had some unaddressed grievances pertaining to the war. As a result, the military command issued a statement demanding the prime ministers resignation right after Pashinyans dismissal of Tiran Khachatryan, the second highest-ranking official in the armed forces. The primary reason for Khachatryans dismissal is connected to the scandal of the unusable Russian weaponry during the Nagorno-Karabakh war. Armenian forces used Russian-made Iskander missiles to target Azerbaijani civilian centers. However, most of the missiles failed to hit their targets. Notwithstanding the war crime per se, Khachatryan defended the efficiency of the missiles, thereby publicly contradicting the prime minister. The jury is still out to determine whether the general acted as the mouthpiece of Moscow . One thing is clear, though: the generals statement caused his dismissal and created greater frictions between the military and the government. The military leadership stood in defense of Khachatryan and criticized the governments foreign policy, objecting to the army being targeted as a scapegoat after the war. While Chief of the Armed Forces Onik Gasparyan was dismissed by the prime minister, the Armenian president still did not sanction the two dismissals despite Khachatryans comments, adding to the confusion. The militarys involvement in the civilian administration is a threat to the democratic process in Armenia. Even though Pashinyan has made mistakes during his term, he remains an elected leader with widespread popular support, as he recently proved, once again, by walking in the streets of Yerevan and gathering his supporters for a rally. Russias official position on the attempted coup is interesting. The Kremlin described the event as an internal affair. Turkey was one of the first countries to condemn the failed coup against the elected government. Likewise, Azerbaijan expressed its concern about any unpredictable change in Armenia, as the November agreements integrity is a priority for the preservation of peace. The prospect of a new leader in Armenia supported by a pro-Russian military head may well reignite the conflict. Therefore, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev warned Armenia against revanchist thinking and stated that the war had ended. Washington has once again prioritized its pro-democratic interests and expressed support for a civilian administration in Yerevan. The anti-Russian stance of the new Biden administration could be decisive in determining Pashinyans fate. After the latest coup attempt, Armenias prime minister is faced with a tough decision: either siding totally with Moscow or getting closer to the West. Considering the Russian military base in Armenia, the Russian troops in Karabakh and increasing domestic instability, the price of any split with Moscow could be fatal. The situation in Armenia remains unstable and will most probably lead to a new election rather than a civil war. Fortunately, the first serious attempt of the armed forces has had no major consequences for now. However, this endeavor shows that the power grip can easily slide away from Pashinyans grasp despite all the popular support he has. A China-Europe freight train runs through the national gate at Erenhot Port in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Jan. 8, 2021. (Photo by Guo Pengjie/Xinhua) ROME, March 2 (Xinhua) -- As an ambitious geographical indications agreement between the European Union (EU) and China took effect on Monday, analysts said the deal can be a win-win situation for both sides, given that it is the first step toward protecting an even wider array of goods. The landmark agreement on geographical indications (GIs) between the EU and China protects and guarantees the authenticity of 100 GIs from each side. GI sign is used to show the specific geographical origin of a product and identify its qualities or reputation due to that origin. It is an important type of intellectual property right and a quality guarantee. WIN-WIN DEAL WELCOMED As a result of the deal, the total number of EU GIs protected in China increased to 134 while Chinese GIs that are officially protected in the EU were up to 110. The European products covered by the agreement range from 52 types of wine, 13 kinds of cheese, and various types of fruits, cured meats, and spirits, while Chinese products protected includes 28 kinds of tea and a wide range of agricultural products including specific types of apples, mushrooms, rice, honey and Goji berries. "This agreement is so important because it takes a new step, recognizing that there are key exports on both sides that need to be protected against misuse and copying," Lorenzo Castellani, a political scientist with Rome's LUISS University, told Xinhua. "This is a further step which testifies to the will of the European Union and China to work closely together," said Rodolphe Lameyse, chief executive officer of Vinexposium, a wine and spirits events organizer. Lukasz Karmowski, president of the Polish Association of Distilleries representing local agricultural vodka producers, called the agreement "a great success" for Polish national drink. As "China's first comprehensive, high-level bilateral agreement on GIs, its coming into effect fully testifies to China and the EU's commitment to upholding free and open trade, and supporting rules-based multilateral trading system," China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Monday. "It will provide new impetus to China-EU economic and trade cooperation and be conducive to cementing the foundation, economic- and trade-wise, of China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership," he noted. EXPANSION OF DEAL EXPECTED Of the 100 European Union products protected by the agreement, 26 come from Italy -- more than from any other European Union member states. Among the Italian products listed in the agreement are mozzarella and parmesan cheese, Brunello and Barbaresco wine, San Daniele and Prosciutto cured meats, and grappa, a high-alcohol spirit. "This is just a start, focusing mostly on products related to gastronomic excellence on both sides," Italian scholar Castellani said, predicting a wider expansion. In his opinion, it will ultimately grow far beyond current levels to cover industrial products including vehicles and aerospace equipment. According to the agreement, the scope of the document will expand to cover an additional 175 GIs from each side by 2024. But Rolando Manfredi, head of quality management for Coldiretti, Italy's largest agricultural union, said he hopes it will eventually be expanded far beyond even that level for 2024. "There are 8,000 geographically protected products in Italy alone, which means this agreement protects just 3 percent of them," he said. "I would like to see the list expand to include more and more of these products." Their aspiration highlights the potential of win-win cooperation between the EU and China and also reflects the impetus of existing EU-China relations. Last year, China surpassed the United States to become the EU's largest trading partner. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce data showed that China has been the bloc's top source of imports and its second-largest export market, with the bilateral trade volume reaching 649.5 billion U.S. dollars in 2020. According to EU data, the bloc's exports to China rose 2.2 percent last year compared to 2019, while imports from China grew 5.6 percent. That took place when the EU exports to the rest of the world shrank by 9.4 percent and imports fell by 11.6 percent in 2020 amid the global economic slowdown sparked by the coronavirus pandemic. Classes in the Wilkes County Schools will start on Aug. 23 and end on May 25 in 2021-22 as a result of a calendar approved by the Wilkes Board of Education on Feb. 1. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 3) The Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank on Wednesday downplayed concerns countries like the Philippines could fall into a debt trap, as governments continue to borrow to fund the fight against COVID-19. AIIB President Jin Liqun said incurring external debt should not be a problem if resources are used properly. "It's not the borrowing that created the debt problems, it's the use of the proceeds of the debt. It's the use of the borrowed money that matters. That makes or breaks," the AIIB chief said in a forum organized by the Chinese Embassy and the Association of China-Philippines Understanding. "We attach great importance to the use of the resources form the debt. Put them to the productive sectors, making sure that all these money would be used effectively, and the projects shall be implemented on schedule so that you can start to have revenues without delay," he added. The China-led multilateral development bank is providing the Philippines with $300 million or around 14.56 billion in loans to speed up the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines. The Asian Development Bank will lend the country $400 million, or around 19.41 billion. The Philippines' outstanding loans swelled to a fresh high of 10.327 trillion in January, according to the Bureau of Treasury. Even before the pandemic, critics warned that the billions of pesos in grants and investments from China, mainly for the Philippines' infrastructure projects, could push the country into a debt trap and lead to the Philippines ceding control of disputed islands. This is something both Manila and Beijing officials have repeatedly denied. In the same forum, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez and APCU Chair Emeritus Gloria Macapagal Arroyo thanked China for its donation of 600,000 doses of Sinovac's CoronaVacthe first vaccine to be rolled out in the country. Lopez reiterated the Philippines is seeing signs of economic recovery after being plunged into recession due to months of community quarantine. Three days after getting inoculated by Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, a woman from Japan who is in her 60s died of a brain hemorrhage. On Tuesday, Japan's Health Ministry announced the death of the woman, however, they did note that there is no significant link between the vaccine and the woman's death. Japanese Woman Dies of Brain Hemorrhage The woman who died of brain hemorrhage is the first death reported in Japan after a vaccination. Based on reports, she got her COVID-19 vaccine on Friday and was suspected to have suffered a brain hemorrhage on Monday, three days after she got the shot. In a statement, Japan's Health ministry quoted Dr. Tomohiro Morio and stated that in the woman's cause of death, brain hemorrhage is common among people in their 40s to 60s. He also added that based on samples acquired from overseas; there is no plausible link between the COVID-19 vaccine and brain hemorrhages, The Strait Times reported. Moreover, the ministry added that there is still a need to further probe the incident and make assessments in future working groups. They also stated that there is a huge possibility of this being a coincidental case. Meanwhile, officials of Pfizer in Japan were not immediately able to comment on the incident. Back in November, the pharmaceutical company has emphasized that its vaccine's efficacy was consistent in different ethnic groups and age groups. It also prided itself on the fact that its vaccine has no major side effects. On February 17, Japan was the last of the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations to commence its vaccination drive. At the moment, it has so far received three shipments of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, Fox News reported. The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine was just approved in Japan last month. It was also the first vaccine to be approved in the country which is currently stepping up the vaccination efforts in view of the 2021 Summer Olympics. Read also: Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine Receives Backlash from Church Man Dies After Receiving COVID-19 Vaccine In HK On the other hand, another death after getting the COVID-19 vaccine was reported in Hong Kong. It prompted health officials to launch investigations. On Tuesday night, the Department of Health of Hong Kong announced that a 63-year-old male died a couple of days after getting a dose of China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine. According to the International Business Times, the identity of the victim was not released, but it was reported that he experienced difficulty in breathing two days after getting the Sinovac coronavirus shot and was rushed to the hospital. The man then suffered from a cardiac arrest and the doctors were not able to resuscitate him, even after multiple attempts. As of the moment, Hong Kong officials are probing into the case by reviewing the medical records of the deceased. Authorities have also warned the public that they are still investigating if there is a possible connection between the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine and the death of the man. The fast development of the effective and safe COVID-19 vaccine has been praised by global health authorities. However, people who have underlying health conditions have been told to seek medical advice before getting the shot. Related article: Canada Vaccine Committee Against Administering AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine to 65 and Above @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Appointment 3 March 2021 Dorsett Hospitality has appointed Michael Foster as General Manager of the Dorsett Gold Coast, the group's first hotel in Australia and the first beach-style resort worldwide. Michael has over 15 years of hospitality industry experience, including pre-opening, hotel operations, as well as sales and marketing. He worked most recently as General Manager of the Holiday Inn Express Brisbane Central and has held several senior roles for other hotel brands including InterContinental (IHG), Pan Pacific and Crowne Plaza (IHG). Michael graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor's Degree in International Hotel and Tourism Management. The price of beef is expected to soar in supermarkets this year, with experts warning a 'rebuild' phase in the cattle industry means Aussie's will pay more for their meat. Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci has warned of 'volatile' price movements for Aussie beef, with consumers to expect continued price increases at their local butcher. Farming regions received heavy rainfall for the first time in several seasons last year, meaning farmers will be keeping more cattle on the newly-lush land. Consumers can expect to pay more for Australian beef this year, as industry experts predict prices to continue to increase While rainfall is above average and grass is plentiful, farmers will allow their herds to expand and rebuild, giving veal a chance to grow into beef, Mr Banducci told news.com.au. The cattle industry has entered a rebuild phase after Australian numbers fell to their lowest in two decades last year. Factors such as a smaller breeding base and severe drought conditions in the years before 2020 meant the rebuild is likely to be more gradual than previous ones. 'This year represents uncharted territory for Australian beef producers', Meat and Livestock Australia said in their Industry Projections report. 'Improved seasonal conditions in southern Australia throughout 2020, and above-average summer rain in northern Australia during the 202021 wet season, are expected to produce an abundance of pasture in all major cattle producing regions, with the exception of parts of WA', the report stated. Farmers are expected to take advantage of greener pastures and retain breeding stock rather than offload them onto trucks, meaning slaughter levels will fall. The breaking of the drought last year means Aussie farmers will take advantage of greener pastures and work to rebuild their herds, with slaughter levels to fall The report predicts cattle slaughter will fall 3% to 6.9million head, with calf slaughter expected to drop by 7%. The national cattle herd is predicted to increase by 2% to 25million head, with beef production for the year forecast to be 21 million tonnes. As for international demand for Australian beef, the report indicates a 2% increase in export levels, with a predicted 1.1 million tonne in shipped weight to be sent abroad. In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic affected areas of demand for Aussie meat, due to market access issues and 'a global drop of food service activity'. As world economies recover from the impacts of the virus, exports are expected to rebound, with a forecast of 5% growth in global GDP in 2021. Royals are concerned with Prince Philip's condition that Prince Harry is being urged to return to the United Kingdom to bid "goodbye" to his grandfather. Palace insiders advised Prince Harry to fly home due to Prince Philip, who is in the hospital. Prince Harry advised to go home to the UK for Prince Philip According to a source who spoke to Style Caster, "Who knows if he will listen." The source continued and noted that palace insiders are making arrangements for a possible funeral, a massive state function. The source added that there are many discussions regarding what to do with Meghan Markle and Harry's problem before explaining that palace officials are considering where to place them and how to protect them from the British public who might "boo" them. On February 16, Prince Philip, 99, was first hospitalized after feeling "unwell." On Monday, March 1, Buckingham Palace reported that the duke had been transferred to a specialist hospital for further treatment and observation after spending weeks at King Edward VII's hospital in London as a precautionary measure. The Duke of Edinburgh was moved from King Edward VII's Hospital to St. Bartholomew's Hospital on March 1, where doctors will begin to monitor him for infection and perform testing and evaluation for pre-existing heart disease, according to the palace. Although Prince Philip "remains comfortable and responding to treatment," the palace said at the time that he is "expected to stay in the hospital until at least the end of the week." Read also: Lady Gaga's Reward for Stolen Dogs May Fuel Dog Napping Royal experts urge Prince Harry, Meghan to postpone the interview In light of Prince Philip's health concerns, royal observers encourage Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to delay Oprah Winfrey's interview. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex recently sat down with Winfrey for a two-hour special in which "nothing was off-limits," due to air on March 7. The 90-minute interview will air on CBS in the United States and officially discuss subjects such as the couple's royal departure and Meghan's pregnancy. The Duchess is expecting her second child with Harry. However, some royal experts, including Richard Fitzwilliams, the former editor of Who's Who, have since recommended that the couple's forthcoming interview be rescheduled. At the same time, the Duke of Edinburgh remains hospitalized, the Independent reported. Fitzwilliams explained that he understands why the duke and duchess would be engaged in an interview with Winfrey because they "could get across the message they want," noting that Gayle King has previously stated that Winfrey was pleased with the interview. Read also: Jill Biden Shares Nightly Dates with President Joe, Gives Advice to Clarkson on Getting Over a Painful Divorce However, given Prince Philip's health, Fitzwilliams said it would be a most appropriate move at the moment if the interview would be postponed. Fitzwilliams admitted that the amount of advertisement, time, and money spent on the show, which will air on CBS, may make it difficult to delay; however, he thinks Winfrey will help. He is not alone in claiming that the two-hour special should be postponed; other royal experts have already mentioned that the interview should not air this weekend. Robert Lacey, the historical consultant for The Crown and author of the royal biography, Majesty, told The Daily Beast that canceling or postponing the interview would be advantageous for Prince Harry's image. "I think it would be a great turnaround for Prince Harry's image if he took the brave step of canceling the interview this weekend - or, if that's not practical, atleast delaying it," Lacey said. Meanwhile, Penny Junor, the author of Prince Harry, Brother, Soldier, Son, agreed that it is the right thing to do, saying, "Anything could hijack this interview as the Duke of Edinburgh is ill and could die any time. They were not to know he would get sick, but it could be seen to be the wrong time." Read also: Emma Watson Allegedly Steps Back From Acting Career, Focusing on Rumored Fiance @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. BAGHDAD (AP) At least 10 rockets targeted a military base in western Iraq that hosts U.S.-led coalition troops on Wednesday, the coalition and the Iraqi military said. It was not immediately known if there were any casualties. The rockets struck Ain al-Asad airbase in Anbar province at 7:20 a.m., coalition spokesman Col. Wayne Marotto said. No one claimed responsibility for the attack. The Iraqi military released a statement saying the attack did not cause significant losses and that security forces had found the launch pad used for the rockets. It was found in the al-Baghdadi area of Anbar, an Iraqi military official said on condition of anonymity to discuss the attack with the media. It was the first attack since the U.S. struck Iran-aligned militia targets along the Iraq-Syria border last week, killing killed one militiaman and stoking fears of a possible repeat of a series of tit-for-tat attacks that escalated last year, culminating in the U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassim Soleimani outside the Baghdad airport. Wednesday's attack targeted the same base where Iran struck with a barrage of missiles in January last year in retaliation for the killing of Soleimani. Dozens of U.S. service members were injured, suffering concussions in that strike. British Ambassador to Iraq Stephen Hickey condemned the attack, saying it undermined the ongoing fight against the Islamic State group. Coalition forces are in Iraq to fight Daesh at the invitation of the Iraqi government, he tweeted, using the Arabic acronym for IS. These terrorist attacks undermine the fight against Daesh and destabilize Iraq. Denmark, which like the U.S. and Britain also has troops at the base, said coalition forces at Ain al-Asad were helping to bring stability and security to the country. Despicable attacks against Ain al-Asad base in #Iraq are completely unacceptable," Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod tweeted. The Danish armed forces said two Danes, who were in the camp at the time of the attack, are unharmed. Wednesday's attack comes two days before Pope Francis' is scheduled to visit Iraq in a much anticipated trip that will include Baghdad, southern Iraq and in the northern city of Irbil. Last week's U.S. strike along the border had been in response to a spate of rocket attacks that targeted the American presence, including one that killed a coalition contractor from the Philippines outside the Irbil airport. After that attack, the Pentagon said the strike was a proportionate military response taken after consulting coalition partners. Marotto said the Iraqi security forces were leading an investigation into the attack on Ain al-Asad. U.S. troops in Iraq significantly decreased their presence in the country last year under the Trump administration. The forces withdrew from several Iraqi based across the country to consolidate chiefly in Ain al-Asad and Baghad. Frequent rocket attacks targeting the heavily fortified Green Zone, which houses the U.S. Embassy, during President Donald Trump's time in office frustrated the administration, leading to threats of embassy closure and escalatory strikes. ___ Associated Press writer Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, contributed to this report. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. When women in leadership was chosen as the global theme for International Womens Day in 2021, few would have anticipated how pertinent it would become. For many of us, it will be harder to celebrate International Womens Day on Monday and the progress of so many women while we are in the midst of a challenging debate about gender and culture in our parliaments. One way to address the gender gap in Parliament is to add more seats. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The debate has been confined to culture and has avoided the hard reality of gender power, including our poor progress to improve womens representation. Australia used to be a world leader on womens representation. In 1902, we became the second country in the world (behind New Zealand) to give women the right to vote, although that right was not at the time extended to Indigenous women. Advertisement More than a thousand people have been evacuated from their homes over fears a Kentucky dam could burst following several days of strong storms. In Eastern Kentucky, Breathitt County Emergency Management issued a mandatory evacuation for people living in the Lakeside and Brewers Trailer Court areas near Panbowl Lake in Jackson, Kentucky, southeast of Lexington. according to a Facebook post Tuesday afternoon. The National Weather Service warned that should the Kentucky Highway 15, that sits on top of the dam, completely give way, it could lead to flash flooding. Two state inspectors were said to be checking out the dam at Panbowl Lake in on Tuesday evening after reports of a failure. A hospital and nursing homes have also been evacuated along with about 1,000 people who lived in the horseshoe of the lake. Crews are filling sandbags at the erosion site of the dam under Highway 15 in Jackson where a dam was at risk of bursting Experts who were on scene in Breathitt County Tuesday evening say the dam is secure at the erosion site This is where the Kentucky River is backing into Pan Bowl Lake, flooding neighborhoods and prompting mandatory evacuations More than 1,000 people have been evacuated from their homes over fears a dam could burst following several days of storms. Pictured, Panbowl Lake in Jackson, in eastern Kentucky One local resident tweeted a photo that showed how flood waters had left their home cut off In this photo taken by a drone, a boat weaves through partially submerged cars and trailers in the city of Beattyville, Kentucky on Tuesday following heavy rains which caused the Kentucky River to flood Phillip Lucas, of Beattyville overlooks a flooded Main Street after heavy rains caused the Kentucky River to flood most of downtown. Lucas owns a building along Main Street and was preparing to assess the damage Brad Newnam, of Beattyville crosses a flooded East Main Street while checking on businesses in the area downtown Brandon Lynch, of Beattyville works to clear water inside of Newnam Funeral Home after heavy rains caused the Kentucky River to flood most of downtown In this photo taken by a drone, the city of Beattyville sits underwater following heavy rains on Sunday and Monday Powell County, Kentucky, particularly areas around the Red River at Clay City, was hit especially hard A vehicle is surrounded by floodwaters in the parking of the Johnson County Judicial Center in Paintsville, Kentucky The worst-case scenario appeared less likley on Tuesday evening; with further evacuations suspended and officials saying they do not expect the dam to burst. Flooding over the weekend led to the North Fork of the Kentucky river to rise adding pressure on the dam. Two inspectors and a dam safety supervisor have been on site on site with sandbags placed along the areas that have eroded in an attempt to stem the flow of water under the highway, according to WYMT. 'Transportation officials and representatives from partner agencies have been on the scene monitoring the situation to ensure every appropriate action is taken to keep Kentuckians safe,' said Chief District Engineer Corbett Caudill. 'Transportation Cabinet geotechnical and engineering experts are en route from Frankfort to survey conditions and advise on next steps.' The downtown area of the small village of Prestonburg in Floyd County, eastern Kentucky was deluged by floodwaters This is RT 122 on the Spurlock side of Bucks Branch in Prestonburg, Kentucky Sally's Branch Road at Hal Rogers Parkway in London, Kentucky is impassable. There are many other roads covered in water Water covers West Maple Street in Salyersville, Kentucky Randy Fitch clears debris from a mudslide on Wheeler Lane in Johnson County, Kentucky following heavy rain Video footage from boaters' footage showed vehicles submerged by floodwaters from the Kentucky River with several feet of water into downtown Beattyville, in Lee County. Rescue crews used county dump trucks to help people escape their homes. It's the worst river flooding in the region since 1957. It came after heavy thunderstorms pounded parts of Kentucky on Sunday and Monday, sending rivers out of their banks and leading to multiple water rescues, mudslides, road closures and power outages. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency Monday because of heavy rainfall across the state. Flood waters surround Rockhouse Freewill Baptist Church in Johnson County Catherine Castle stands on the porch of her home in downtown Paintsville, Kentucky as rising floodwaters approach Floodwaters cover a parking lot on Euclid Avenue in Paintsville, Kentucky Ricky Keeton, left, of the Oil Springs Fire Department, and Michael Oiler, of the Thelma Fire Department, make their way through floodwaters as they conduct a water rescue Floodwaters cover a parking lot on Euclid Avenue in Paintsville, Kentucky Michael Oiler, left, of the Thelma Fire Department, and Ricky Keeton, of the Oil Springs Fire Department, conduct a water rescue in Paintsville Floodwaters cover the intersection of Euclid Avenue and Bridge Street in Paintsville Water surrounds the Johnson County, Ky., Judicial Center in Paintsville 'We are acting swiftly to ensure the safety and security of Kentucky families and to get the needed help to our communities,' he said in a statement. He said 13 counties and cities had declared states of emergency and the Kentucky National Guard was activated and was assisting with high water emergencies. In Magoffin County, Kentucky, the Salyersville Nursing and Rehabilitation center was among the places evacuated. The facility decided to evacuate residents to assure they remain safe, CEO Joshua L. Calhoun said in a statement to WYMT. He said residents were taken to either a middle school or a hospital. 'While we do not have any water in the facility at this time and it is still accessible, due to the risk of flooding we made the decision to relocate,' he said. Severe or moderate flooding was forecast Monday on several rivers in West Virginia and eastern Kentucky, including different locations along the Kentucky River southeast of Lexington, the National Weather Service said. The road signs are barely visible after rain water flooded streets An abandoned car is surrounded by floodwater on Kentucky Route 7 in Salyersville, Kentucky Up to five inches of rain was dumped on parts of Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia and Maryland, leaving residents stranded, roads washed out and buildings flooded. Thunderstorms also brought damaging winds to Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi, knocking down power lines and trees. In central Tennessee, four adults and an infant were removed from a partially submerged truck that slid off a water-covered bridge in DeKalb County. In addition, a child was injured in Nashville when he tripped over a downed power line while playing outside, officials said. In West Virginia, flooding hit some areas that were ravaged by power outages from ice storms last month. Floodwaters inundated roads in more than a dozen counties, highways officials said. Flood waters after nearly 3' of rainfall shot south of London, Kentucky near Levi Jackson State Park & along south US 25 in the Fariston community An intersection in Paintsville is flooded leaving homes cut off and residents stranded The National Guard assisted with some evacuations in the Dunlow area of Wayne County. And about a dozen people had to be assisted at a church in the Kanawha County community of Cross Lanes on Monday after high water cut off access to a road, WCHS reported. In Roane County, residents in one public service district were asked to conserve drinking water after a flooded water plant broke down and was inaccessible. The Clay Roane Public Service District said in a social media post that water tanks were dangerously low and cannot be refilled until the floodwaters recede and the problem is repaired. Some schools closed or delayed classes because of flooding concerns and about 4,000 customers were without power in Kentucky and 2,000 West Virginia, according to poweroutage.us, a utility tracking service. In Kentucky, firefighter Eddie Stacy was turning his firetruck around in the dark while responding to storm damage when he noticed a tiny light coming from the flooded Red River. It was a cellphone a woman was waving from a car inundated with water that was rising by the minute. Heavy rain across Appalachia has led to water rescues, mudslides, road closures and power outages Road crews and members of the Frankfort, Kentucky fire department block traffic from traveling on Big Eddy Road as the Kentucky River washes over the roadway in Frankfort From the air the true devastation of the floodwaters was revealed Roads became rivers as nearby watercourses overflowed and covered the highway as seen here in Floyd County on Tuesday Brodhead units have evacuated two homes on Chestnut Grove Road. Both residences are located next to the Dix River which is over its banks Swiftwater rescue technicians were able to rescue a driver, passenger, and their two dogs in Wittensville, Kentucky Firefighters were able to safely rescue the occupants of a car in Wittensville, Kentucky The rescue by firefighters was all caught on on camera and posted to social media Firefighters and the department's water rescue team are on scene at KY 581 near Boyd Branch rescuing trapped homeowners. The roadway was completely blocked Stacy and other members of the Hazel Green Fire Department sprang into action Sunday night, pulling five people from the car where water was up to the dashboard. Among those rescued were a 17-month-old boy and a woman who appeared to be having a seizure. 'We don't do too much training on this water rescue. Instinct, it just kicks in,' Stacy said. Stacy was part of a storm-response unit cutting down a tree that had fallen onto a road in Wolfe County about 75 miles southeast of Lexington. But a mudslide started and Stacy was forced to move his firetruck. Another rescue took place in Oil Springs, Kentucky Floodwaters cover parking lots of businesses along Euclid Avenue in Paintsville on Monday A street in downtown Paintsville, is flooded with a mud and floodwater covering the road Tanner Ryles, left, and Ray Smith help move the furniture from their friend Kelly Sparrow's home as the Kentucky River inches closer in Frankfort on Tuesday Ray Smith helps to move the furniture from the home of his friend Kelly Sparrow as the rising Kentucky River inches closer As he was turning around, Stacy noticed something in the floodwaters just down the road - a woman sitting on a stalled car's door window, waving her cellphone flashlight and yelling for help. 'Nobody could hear from where she was,' Stacy said. 'That little flashlight when I was driving down the road just caught my attention. It was God, I tell you. It was God to have me in that place where I was supposed to be.' Stacy attached a 100-foot rope to the truck and himself and helped retrieve the car's occupants. Wolfe County Sheriff Chris Carson used a front-end loader to lift out the woman who had the seizure. The car's occupants were brought to the nearby fire station to be checked out by emergency technicians. The woman with the seizure eventually recovered, Stacy said. Photo: Contributed We spoke with chief operating officer at The Valens Company, Chantel Popoff. With Cannabis 3.0 on the horizon and Valens acquisition of edibles maker LYF, the Kelowna company is well positioned to offer consumers cannabis products that fit into their every-day life. Theyre poised for growth in Canada and beyond. the oz. What exactly is Cannabis 3.0? Popoff Essentially 3.0 products focus on bringing the benefits of cannabis derivatives into more mainstream health products already present in consumers homes. Some examples would be: THC or CBD-infused bath bombs THC-infused lip balm THC or CBD-infused honey CBD-infused topical creams. These are not just for pain relief, but also every-day items such as moisturizers. Essentially, the more advanced we get in cannabis products, the more mainstream or the more regular common items in the household are going to be carrying cannabis derivatives. 4.0 will see an even broader spectrum of cannabis infused deliverables made available to the consumer. the oz. How do companies prepare for this evolution in cannabis? Popoff Be able to predict what consumers are looking for by watching the trends that have happened down in the U.S. California is a great example. Companies were offering cannabis-infused products such as skin creams, moisturizers, and every-day food items such as salad dressings, honey, and coffee over three years ago these are things consumers have in their every-day lives and now they want the benefits of cannabis infused into them. Consumers dont want to have to change their habits or their day-to-day routine, rather they just want to do a direct substitution of cannabis infused products into their everyday purchasing habits. The success of being able to position yourself to support 3.0 comes down to innovation, quality and consistency. the oz. How many products has Valens now released in total? Popoff Weve manufactured just over 190 different SKUs across nine different product categories within the space. Because we do both white-label manufacturing as well as manufacturing for other LPs, weve really been able to focus in and gain experience in a broad spectrum of different categories, which really is what led us to looking at LYF as a great partner for Valens and a great next stepping stone to be able to jump into a vertical we werent already playing in. the oz. When and how did LYF actually come to Valens attention Popoff Theyre located just down the road from us, so from a geographical perspective, the location made a lot of sense. We looked at LYF early on as a potential manufacturer for us simply because they had an expertise in novel product creation. They were looking at infusion technologies and different white-label manufacturing very similar to what we do here but focused on the food space. The thing that made LYF different to us in our eyes versus other edibles manufacturers is that they focused on the broader spectrum of products. LYF was focused on manufacturing every-day foods that support more of the 3.0 categories, such as desserts, energy bars, fruit, nut and seed mixes, things that were more specialized and more CPG (consumer packaged goods) aligned. Currently, LYF holds capabilities to produce things such as real fruit gummies, caramel-filled bars, peanut butter cups, candies, granola products but theyre also looking at the different consumer trends that clients are after, such as plant-based, sugar-free, and natural ingredient offerings. Theyre also looking at raw ingredient or raw processing, which is very important in the market today. Being able to add our S?RSE Technology, which is water-soluble technology, into those products makes it not only more shelf stable but also tasteless and odourless, which is very important for folks somewhat hesitant getting into cannabis edibles because of potential cannabis taste and smell. the oz. How many people are employed by Valens? Popoff We are at just over 250, and were growing quickly. We expect to have close to 300 employees by the middle of summer. the oz. What is Valens doing to position itself for a more global market? Popoff Weve been focusing on the international scene for quite some time. We have received our import and export licences for products in Australia and weve also completed our first successful shipment to a partner that we have in Denmark for an R&D initiative. We are looking to obtain our EU GMP certification in our new K2 facility which is expected in fiscal 2021. We are going to continue to focus on quality and consistency and making sure that we have the necessary proceeds in which to grow. We recently closed a bought deal financing for total gross proceeds of almost $40 million, with $32 million of those proceeds to be used for M&A and business expansion opportunities in international markets. the oz. What is the one change that Health Canada could make to current regulations that would most benefit the industry as a whole? Popoff I think there are two changes that would benefit the industry. The first would be increasing the THC limit per pack from the 10 mg allowed today to 100 mg per pack that are commonly found in the US market. That would be a win-win not only for ourselves and other manufacturers but also for consumers because it drives the price down and margins up, allowing for more units or more serving sizes per pack. In addition, we would love to see the continued growth and deregulation of CBD. In the United States, CBD infused health and beauty products are available almost everywhere as over-the-counter items. The more that we can make CBD a mainstream ingredient, the more consumers will benefit and the more the market will benefit. It also provides an additional category for CPG and wellness companies to play in. the oz. We look forward to seeing what you cook up. The first Valens/LYF formulated products are likely to be available sometime this spring. Popoff says the team at LYF has a few secrets, so expect to see cannabis offerings that are outside the box. Find print copies of the oz. magazine at Spiritleaf locations around the Okanagan, Green Gaia in Penticton and Summerland, as well as Lake Country Cannabis. Email the author at [email protected]. Bengaluru: In a major trouble for the BJP ahead of crucial assembly elections in fours states, including Tamil Nadu, a video has surfaced online showing the Karnataka water resources minister in a compromising position with a woman, causing a big embarrassment to the BS Yediyurappa government in the southern state. The minister in question, Ramesh Jarkiholi, has called it a fake video and denied any involvement in it. The alleged sex tape has surfaced just ahead of the assembly elections in four states and one Union Territory and a month-long budget legislature session. The ruling BJP, which does not want to harm its poll prospects, has reportedly directed the Karnataka BJP state leaders to convince Jarakiholi to resign from his post till a probe report comes in the matter. It may be recalled that an alleged sex tape was released on a few news channels in which Jarakiholi was seen in a compromising position with a woman. We have seen treachery, vendetta, honeytrap, blackmailing as the motive behind such videos. The truth will come out after an investigation: Karnataka Dy CM CN Ashwath Narayan said on Ramesh Jarkiholi's alleged involvement in the sex tape case. We have seen treachery, vendetta, honey trap, blackmailing as the motive behind such videos. The truth will come out after an investigation: on Karnataka Dy CM CN Ashwath Narayan on Cabinet Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi's alleged involvement in the sex tape case pic.twitter.com/IKCmw0Ejcs ANI (@ANI) March 3, 2021 Meanwhile, Karnataka Home Minister B Bommai said, An inquiry is being conducted as per law. Our Party will take a decision on taking action against him soon. An inquiry is being conducted as per law. Our Party will take a decision on taking action against him: Karnataka Home Minister B Bommai on Cabinet Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi pic.twitter.com/SqFg2LIkda ANI (@ANI) March 3, 2021 A senior Delhi BJP leader was quoted as saying by IANS that it is truly embarrassing to face such a scenario during such an hour. "He will be convinced to resign. This is not the first time that anyone who was caught on such tapes, they have been forced to quit or they have quit on their own," he said. It may be recalled that some time ago, one Karnataka BJP leader was caught on videotape in a compromising position. He has now been allotted a ministry in the BJP government in the state despite huge criticism. "Therefore, it is certain that Jarakiholi will have to quit now and wait for his turn to make a comeback," he said. Meanwhile, seizing the opportunity, the Opposition Congress party has launched a sit-in protest in Bengaluru demanding Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa to sack Jarkiholi with immediate effect. Live TV Xi Jinping has struck a confident posture as he looks to secure Chinas prosperity and power in a post-Covid world, saying that the country is entering a time of opportunity when the East is rising and the West is declining. But behind closed doors, Chinas Communist Party leader has also issued a blunt caveat to officials: Do not count out our competitors, above all the United States. The biggest source of chaos in the present-day world is the United States, Mr. Xi said, a county official in northwest China recounted in a speech published last week on a government website. He quoted Mr. Xi as saying: The United States is the biggest threat to our countrys development and security. That warning, echoed in similar recent public comments by senior officials close to Mr. Xi, reinforces how he is seeking to balance confidence and caution as China strides ahead while other countries continue to grapple with the pandemic. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. The OSCE SMM recorded 174 units of weapons and equipment deployed outside designated storage sites in the training areas of the Russian-occupation forces in Donbas. This is stated in the daily report of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) issued on 2 March 2021. On February 23, in a training area near Myrne (28km southwest of Luhansk), the aerial imagery revealed the presence of 21 tanks, 11 self-propelled howitzer and mortars, 10 towed howitzers and mortars. In addition, in the same training area of the Russian-occupation forces, 56 armoured combat vehicles, which are not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons, were spotted. Missions drone revealed another 16 tanks in a training area near Ternove (57km east of Donetsk). According to the monitors, 32 tanks were spotted in a training area of the Russian armed formations near Kruhlyk (31km south-west of Luhansk). In a training area near Miusynsk (62km south-west of Luhansk), the imagery also revealed the presence of 12 tanks, 20 self-propelled howitzer and mortars, 7 surface-to-air missile systems, 25 towed howitzers and mortars, 46 armoured combat vehicles. The OSCE SMMs drone also spotted the presence of 63 armoured combat vehicles and 12 tanks in a training area near Buhaivka (37km south-west of Luhansk). ol Singapore research team's comprehensive study provides the glycaemic index values for a variety of foods that are consumed in non-Western countries, such as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, India, China, Japan, South Korea, Middle East and more Professor Christiani Jeyakumar Henry, Senior Advisor of Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (SIFBI), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and his team have developed a Glycaemic Index (GI) glossary of non-Western foods. The research paper was published in Nutrition & Diabetes on 6 Jan 2021: https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 1038/ s41387-020-00145-w . Observational studies have shown that the consumption of low glycaemic index (GI) foods is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), significantly less insulin resistance and a lower prevalence of the metabolic syndrome. However, most published GI values focus on Western foods with minimal inclusion of other foods from non-Western countries, hence their application is of limited global use. The team's comprehensive study provides the GI values for a variety of foods that are consumed in non-Western countries, such as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, India, China, Japan, South Korea, Middle East and more. The review extends and expands on the current GI tables to widen its application globally. The GI data compiled consists of both single and mixed meals. This is a major advance to many GI tables that have focused on single foods. Mixed meals in Asia are complex in relation to ingredients used and taste. Given the complexity, the inclusion of the GI of mixed meals is a major advantage. It is hoped that this compendium will highlight ways to reduce the GI of carbohydrate-rich staples and enhance the use of GI tables for a worldwide audience. ### About the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is Singapore's lead public sector agency that spearheads economic oriented research to advance scientific discovery and develop innovative technology. Through open innovation, we collaborate with our partners in both the public and private sectors to benefit society As a Science and Technology Organisation, A*STAR bridges the gap between academia and industry. Our research creates economic growth and jobs for Singapore, and enhances lives by contributing to societal benefits such as improving outcomes in healthcare, urban living, and sustainability. We play a key role in nurturing and developing a diversity of talent and leaders in our Agency and research entities, the wider research community and industry. A*STAR's R&D activities span biomedical sciences and physical sciences and engineering, with research entities primarily located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis. About the #NUforNE Series: This article is part of the University of Nebraska's #NUforNE series. #NUforNE features students, faculty, staff and alumni from across the University who are making an impact on Nebraska. Creating a Food Revolution with Indoor Farming: Kiran Bastola, Ph.D. When you think of agriculture, do you think of technology? If not, you should. Innovative agriculture techniques play a vital role in the next generation of food productionwhich explores how technology can address important issues related to food. One of those issues is disparities around access to healthy, fresh foodsuffered disproportionately by many Black, Latinx and indigenous communities. Feeding America identified 237,440 Nebraskans as food insecure in 2018, about 12% of the population. COVID-19 has only exacerbated food insecurity. The food insecurity rate in Nebraska has been estimated to rise 20% between 2019 and 2020 due to the pandemic. Equitable access to local, fresh, affordable food will be critical in helping to address hunger. This is the kind of work being done by Kiran Bastola, a bioinformatics professor at UNO with a Ph.D. in plant biologyand the grandson of farmers in Nepal, where nearly 70% of the population is involved in agriculture. Bastola has created a food computer with multiple applications, from education to farming to developing better food-based plants. His work explores environmentally controlled agriculture, where computer programs can closely monitor and adjust different environmental factors to maximize the elements of a plant's biologymaking food-based plants fresher, longer-lasting and better tasting. Personal Food Computer Bastolas personal food computer can be used in the classroom, at home or in a small business. It is an enclosed plant growth chamber the size of a dorm-room refrigerator loaded with LEDs, sensors, pumps, fans, control electronics, and a hydroponic tray for growing plants. The chamber is attached to a computer, and uses technology to adjust factors like light, air, humidity, water and temperature to create the ideal growing environment for the food being grown inside. Microgreens require a different environment than basil, for example, and the computer takes out any guesswork. Its a simple yet revolutionary idea: a portable box that can grow practically any kind of plantjust by downloading a recipe and planting some seeds. Tech-assisted indoor farming could help combat food insecurity and food access disparity in underserved communitieswhether that be in urban or rural areas. The real agricultural impact is the potential to grow crops indoors, which can feed more people using less land and water. And crops can grow year-round. No green thumb is needed for users to grow plants that can then be consumed or sold. It supports both people who need access to foodand the people providing that food. In addition to feeding families, plants grown with the food computer can serve as a source of viable income, using cost-effective, innovative agricultural techniqueswhich creates an economic as well as a social benefit. Science Education in K-12 Schools Bastolas food computer has been used by graduate students in UNOs College of Information Science and Technology and elementary school students alike to better understand the concepts behind the food we eat. "We need to be preparing young generations to understand and be interested in agriculture, Bastola said. They may have an understanding of farming that is not complete. Many students may not want to go into traditional farming, but they may be interested in farming that features an IT component, such as technology-assisted farming." Bastola has worked to bring technology like the food computer into classrooms in rural and urban areas across the region, especially those with high levels of food insecurity and fewer opportunities to learn STEM-based skills. The more that young people are engaged at an early age, the more likely they are to envision themselves addressing the pressing issues that will impact food production in the coming decades. The food computer is a way to make science, technology and even math come to life. Teachers can instruct students on carbon dioxide, and plant life cycles, photosynthesis and chlorophyll using real plants instead of a blackboard. And it creates an actual harvestlettuce, basil, tomatoes and spicy microgreens that students eat and take home. This is food that many students have rarely eaten, but have now grown themselves. Indoor Farming: Food Source of the Future? As the number of mouths that need to be fed across the world has grown, the idea of indoor farming is gaining traction. Indoor farming isn't land intensive. New technologies like Bastolas and advancements in hydroponics are making it possible to grow crops without pesticides, soil or even natural light. And indoor crops can be stacked vertically, making it environmentally sustainable. Bastola hopes to turn his concept into a food revolution through education, continued research and entrepreneurship. He plans to continue working with community partners who combat food disparities and training young scientists in STEM skills that support agriculture in an urban environment. He would also like to increase the amount of indoor farming being done, especially when it comes to commercial production. My dream is for the food computer to not only help people who want to eat healthy but cant afford itbut to also serve as a source of income. Ive seen people growing microgreens who make anywhere from $1,000 to $1,500 per week. That could make a tremendous economic difference, Bastola said. And, at the end of the day, that's why Im here. To make a difference. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION INTO THE UNITED STATES OR THROUGH U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 3, 2021 / XS Financial Inc. (CSE:XSF) (the "Company" or "XS") is pleased to announce that it has completed its previously announced private placement (the "Offering"), of (i) a brokered offering of 26,666,700 units ("Units") at a price of C$0.30 per Unit, led by Gravitas Securities Inc. and Canaccord Genuity Corp. (together, the "Co-Lead Agents"); and (ii) a non-brokered offering of 12,593,031 Units at a price of C$0.30 per Unit and 5,251 proportionate voting units of the Company ("PVS Units") at a price of C$300 per PVS Unit, to raise aggregate gross proceeds of C$13,353,219. Each Unit consisted of one subordinate voting share of the Company (each, a "Subordinate Share") and one share purchase warrant (each, a "Warrant"), with each Warrant entitling the holder to acquire one additional Subordinate Share at an exercise price of $0.45 for a period of 2 years from the date of issuance. Each PVS Unit consisted of one proportionate voting share of the Company (each, a "PV Share") and one share purchase warrant (a "PVS Warrant"), with each PVS Warrant entitling the holder to acquire one PV Share at an exercise price of $450 for a period of 2 years from the date of issuance. The PV Shares are convertible into Subordinate Shares on a 1:1,000 ratio, in accordance with the terms thereof, and are issuable to certain United States residents in order to preserve the foreign private issuer status of the Company under applicable securities laws. David Kivitz, CEO of XS Financial, commented: "Today's announcement shows confidence in XS Financial's platform as a leading CAPEX financing company for well-recognized cannabis companies. We are extremely appreciative of the significant number of existing investors who participated in our Offering and welcome many new institutional and strategic investors. We have experienced considerable demand for our competitively priced, non-dilutive leasing solutions, which are flexibly structured to build with our multi-state operator and single-state operator customers. XS is reviewing a large pipeline of opportunities in new and existing markets. With this Offering completed, existing bank financing, and syndication opportunities, the Company expects to quickly scale its leasing portfolio and add long-term monthly recurring payments, with the goal of driving shareholder returns." In connection with the Offering, the Company paid a cash commission to the Co-Lead Agents and certain other qualified registrants assisting in the Offering, and issued (i) an aggregate of 2,353,400 broker warrants ("Broker Warrants") with each such Broker Warrant entitling the holder to acquire one Unit at an exercise price of C$0.30 for a period of 2 years from the date of issuance; and (ii) an aggregate of 1,450,000 Units in satisfaction of a corporate finance fee. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for general working capital purposes. All securities issued and issuable under the Offering are subject to a four-month hold period from the date of closing of the Offering, in addition to any other restrictions under applicable law. All securities issued and issuable in connection with the Offering are subject to a statutory hold period expiring on July 4, 2021. Certain officers of the Company acquired a total of 5,251 PVS Units in connection with the Offering. Accordingly, the Offering is a "related party transaction" under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61- 101"). The Company relied on the exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in Sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 in respect of related party participation in the Offering as the Company is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange and neither the fair market value (as determined under MI 61-101) of the subject matter of, nor the fair market value of the consideration for, the transaction, insofar as it involves the related parties, exceeded 25% of the Company's market capitalization (as determined under MI 61-101). The Company will file a material change report in respect of the Offering. However, it will be filed less than 21 days in advance of this closing, which is consistent with market practice and the Company deems reasonable in the circumstances given that no conditions to closing remain unsatisfied that would have required the closing to have been delayed for such period. The securities offered have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or applicable state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or "U.S. persons" (as such term is defined under the U.S. Securities Act) absent registration or an exemption from such registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. About XS Financial Founded in 2017, XS Financial specializes in providing CAPEX financing solutions to cannabis companies in the United States, including cultivators, processors, manufacturers and testing laboratories. In addition, XSF has partnered with over 150 original equipment manufacturers (OEM) through its network of Preferred Vendor partnerships. This powerful dynamic provides an end-to-end solution for customers which results in recurring revenues, strong profit margins, and a proven business model for XSF stakeholders. The Company's subordinate voting shares are traded on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol "XSF". For more information, visit: www.xsfinancial.com. For inquiries please contact: David Kivitz Chief Executive Officer Antony Radbod Chief Operating Officer Tel: 1-310-683-2336 Email: ir@xsfinancial.com Forward-Looking Information This press release contains "forward-looking information" and may also contain statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements", collectively "forward-looking information", within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Such forward-looking information is not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent the beliefs and expectations regarding future events about the business and the industry and markets in which XS Financial operates, as well as plans or objectives of management, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain. Generally, such forward-looking information can be identified by the use of 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 may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved". Forward-looking information contained herein may include but is not limited to, the Company's anticipated use of proceeds, expectations regarding the Company's future operations, the scaling of its leasing portfolio and the funding commitments of the Company and the ability to capitalize on such and the timing thereof. In connection with the forward-looking information contained in this news release, the Company has made assumptions that the Company's financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events, and that the Company will receive all required regulatory approvals, including the final approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange, for the Offering. Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions which are difficult to predict, including without limitation, risks relating to the availability of financing and the other risks set forth in the continuous disclosure documents of XS from time to time. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information, which are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. XS Financial Inc. does not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions for updating any voluntary forward-looking information, except as required by applicable securities law. SOURCE: XS Financial Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/633368/XS-Financial-Inc-Closes-134-Million-Private-Placement-Led-by-Gravitas-Securities-and-Canaccord-Genuity It appears the management of the Lagos State University (LASU) has failed to learn from the controversy that led to the recent cancellation of the appointment of a new vice-chancellor for the institution. The school has again shortlisted two candidates without PhDs (Doctor of Philosophy) for its vacant vice chancellor position despite the position of the National Universities Commission (NUC), the agency that regulates university education in Nigeria, that fellowships of any professional bodies or organisation cannot be substituted for a PhD. Background Following the expiration of Olanrewaju Fagbohuns tenure as VC, applications were called for candidates to show interest in the position. Three candidates, Olumuyiwa Odusanya, Senapon Bakre and Kabir Akinyemi were shortlisted. The local chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), however, raised concern over what they tagged a flagrant violation of the advertisement for the vice-chancellors position. According to the advertisement, applicants for the position should be professors of at least 10 years standing, with a good track record of academic excellence of local and international repute including supervision and mentoring of postgraduate students, demonstration of continuous capacity for academic leadership, a track record of experience in university administration at high levels, and evidence of unassailable grounding in the finest academic traditions. But ASUU said one of the shortlisted candidates, Mr Odusanya, a professor at the Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), Ikeja was unqualified. They argued that the candidates qualification was the Fellowship of the Nigerian Postgraduate Medical College (hereafter referred to as the Fellowship) and not a PhD, which they said makes him unqualified for the job. Cancellation of selection process This controversy amongst other pressures from interested parties including traditional rulers and political bigwigs across the state led to the suspension of the VC selection process in January. Governor Sanwo-Olu was inundated with petitions arising from the selection process of the Vice-Chancellor by the Governing Council. After a thorough evaluation and investigation of the various complaints, Mr Governor, in his capacity as the Visitor to the University ordered the cancellation of the process, Gboyega Akosile, the chief press secretary to the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu said then in a statement. The governor then ordered a fresh process within 45 days. The former deputy vice-chancellor (administration) of the school, Oyedamola Oke, was later elected as the acting vice-chancellor in a University Senate election that took place on January 11. He got 61 votes to beat his contender, Wahab Ellias, the deputy vice-chancellor (academics) who scored 51 votes. Fresh start Following the restart of the selection process, the Governing Council of LASU shortlisted nine professors for the vacant VC position. Sources told PREMIUM TIMES that although 13 professors applied, nine were selected for the interview scheduled to hold on March 11. Two of the candidates selected are not staff of the university. The internal candidates shortlisted were: Akinyemi Kabir (Faculty of Science), Elias Wahab (current deputy vice-chancellor) Sena Bakre (Faculty of Science), Ibiyemi-Bello Olatunji, (LASUCOM), Olumuyiwa Odusanya, (LASUCOM), Abiodun Adewuya (acting Provost of LASUCOM) and Ayodeji Badejo, (former Dean, Faculty of Education) Two among the seven internal candidates, Mr Odusanya (whose nomination was the main reason for the annulment of the first selection process) and Mr Adewuya did not have PhDs, a development that is fast generating ripples on campus. PhD, postgraduate fellowship debate LASUs internal and external advertisement for the post of VC says candidates with a PhD or who possess the fellowship certificate of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, are qualified to apply. It, however, states clearly that such a candidate must be a scholar with significant impact in areas of international supervision and examination of PhD, and must also have supervised students (especially PhD). ADVERTISEMENT Some academics in the university, however, said one cannot supervise a PhD student if they do not possess a PhD degree themselves. They, therefore, said placing a fellowship as an equivalent of a PhD is an aberration. They argued that if a candidate with only a postgraduate fellowship is selected, it may lead to a crisis of legitimacy as a vice-chancellor without a PhD cannot confer PhD degrees on students. Fellowship not substitute for PhD NUC Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of NUC, Abubakar Rasheed, recently told a delegation from the West African Postgraduate College of Medical Laboratory Science, (WAPCMLS) that NUC will not accept fellowship of any professional bodies or organisation as a substitute for a PhD. He made the position clear while receiving the WAPCMLS led by its President, Nafiu Amidu, in his office last Wednesday, saying while fellowship is the highest professional qualification for professional in any non-academic organisation, PhD is the highest academic degree in the university system anywhere in the world. He said there was no basis for argument over the superiority of a PhD over a professional fellowship, stressing that such an argument was tantamount to a waste of time. having a fellowship is good but if you want to engage in teaching and research in the university system, you must not downplay pursuit of a PhD, you cannot even compare your research in doing a PhD with your professional or fellowship experiences, he said. The NUC position was reiterated by Ade Adejumo, the Ibadan zonal coordinator of ASUU. He said having a non-PhD holder as vice-chancellor is an aberration. The matter is straight forward. A fellowship is never an equivalent and cannot be substituted for a PhD. They are not the same thing and the NUC that is the regulatory body has pronounced on that. They are never the same thing. You cannot give what you dont have. In this case, the controversy about PhD or Fellowship is not there at all. People should not confuse the public. A vice-chancellor is both an administrative and academic leader. It is wrong to have a vice-chancellor who cannot go to class and teach. So, how will a non PhD holder VC teach PhD students? Not true? But Idowu Olayinka, a former vice-chancellor of the University of Ibadan, disagrees. Mr Olayinka told PREMIUM TIMES that the governing council of the institution has the right to set up guidelines and select candidates who meet the guidelines are qualified for the position. The important thing is for the governing council to set guidelines. For instance, in 2010, the University of Ibadan governing council said you have to be a professor to be qualified which means a candidate who bagged professorship within a year can apply then But five years later in 2015, the council said you must have been a professor for 10 years before you are qualified. So, you cannot shift the goal post, the governing council must have decided the conditions in the advertorial. If the conditions say PhD or fellowship, and candidates shortlisted meet that, there is nothing wrong. Also, a member of the LASU governing council who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES on the condition of not being mentioned, for fear of being singled out unfairly for punishment, said the governing council had zero input in setting the guidelines for appointment of the vice-chancellor. Even when the first advert was made, the council never met to look at the details of the advert. It was after the advert that it was brought before the council for retroactive approval. This means an action was taken and you are asking the council to approve after it has been implemented. There was no debate at the council and later the exercise led into trouble (until the governor cancelled the process). On the latest advert, the council was not aware. Even (as a) member of the council, I only saw it in the news and realised that they have put PhD or Fellowship, the source said. The registrar of the university, Yinka Amuni, did not respond to multiple requests for comment sent to him on WhatsApp and as SMS. He also did not return multiple calls made to his mobile phone. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Swiss logistics firm Kuehne + Nagel Group (KHNGY) reported Wednesday that its fourth-quarter net earnings grew 6 percent to 214 million Swiss francs from last year's 202 million francs. EBITDA increased 6.8 percent to 521 million francs from 488 million francs last year. Net turnover grew 5.5 percent to 5.54 billion francs from prior year's 5.26 billion francs. Further, the Board of Directors proposed a dividend of 4.50 francs per share to the Annual General Meeting to be held on May 4. Looking ahead, Joerg Wolle, Chairman of the Board of Directors, said, 'We were able to close the year 2020 with a record operating result - this shows the strength and resilience of our company. . With the successful completion of the restructuring of Contract Logistics, we are now ideally equipped for continued positive development. In view of Asia being the world's fastest growing economic region, the announcement of the acquisition of Apex Logistics in February 2021 is a significant milestone. The Board of Directors looks forward to the year 2021 with confidence.' Separately, the company announced that Tobias Staehelin will be proposed for election to the Board at the AGM on May 4. Staehelin is currently Chief Executive Officer of C. Haushahn GmbH & Co. KG in Stuttgart. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX KUEHNE & NAGEL-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de The coronavirus variant first detected in the northern Brazilian state of Amazonas is twice as contagious and capable of re-infection, stated a new study. The Sao Paulo Research Foundation said on Tuesday that the scientific research group was coordinated by Ester Sabino, an expert on infectious diseases at the University of Sao Paulo, and Nuno Faria, a researcher at Oxford University, reports Xinhua news agency. Brazil has the world's second-highest Covid-19 death toll, after the US, and the third-largest caseload, after the US and India. Sabino said the message from the data is that even people who have already had the disease should continue to be cautious. So far, 10,587,001 people in Brazil have tested positive for the virus and 255,720 people have died. Source: IANS In just seven weeks, the variant became more prevalent in the region, according to researchers at the Brazil-UK Center for Arbovirus Discovery, Diagnosis, Genomics and Epidemiology.Sabino said the message from the data is that even people who have already had the disease should continue to be cautious.So far, 10,587,001 people in Brazil have tested positive for the virus and 255,720 people have died.Source: IANS The virus variant was initially detected in November 2020 in Manaus, capital of Amazonas state. SALEM -- An impromptu five-minute conversation can be politically effective in the halls of the Oregon Capitol. Such encounters have long been crucial for the army of Oregon lobbyists hoping to get a moment with a state legislator. Paloma Sparks, the vice president of Oregon Business and Industry who serves as the groups lobbyist, described her practice of parking herself outside of a committee hearing or a legislators office. Once the legislator emerged, she could walk with them to their next appointment or committee hearing. I can give a whole spiel about concerns I have about their bill, said Sparks, who has been a lobbyist since 2009. Such conversations might lead to a longer session with the legislators staff that could change wording in legislation. But that personal style of lobbying has been checked by the pandemic. The Capitol has been closed since last March to the public and to lobbyists. Now, those representing everyone from acupuncturists to veterinarians must make do with text messages, emails and back-to-back video conferences. Lobbyists now have to do their work without a lobby. Interviews by the Salem Reporter with 10 lobbyists revealed that the hefty virtual workload caused by pandemic restrictions has significantly changed the legislative process. Lobbyists say much of their communication now happens over thousands of text messages and emails while clamoring to get time on legislators already packed schedule of Zoom meetings. Now, lobbyists have to book virtual meetings weeks in advance for conversations that would normally take five to 10 minutes. Some lobbyists find themselves playing phone tag just to ask a legislator a quick question. Some of them just dont respond, said Sparks. The new way of communicating has slowed the legislative process and made it more cumbersome, lobbyists say. Nearly 4,000 pieces of legislation on a broad range of topics are expected to be introduced this session, more than legislators have faced since 2009. The increased work and new dynamics likely will affect which bills are viable and which could require corrections in future sessions. Its people and information Lobbying is big business in Salem. According to state records, there are 1,822 lobbyists that represent a range of interests including the local city hall, the ACLU, giant corporations such as Apple and 7-11, and specialty industries like wine growers. Lobbyists attempt to influence legislative action and get in the good graces of lawmakers. Last year, they spent a total of $36 million trying to persuade lawmakers, according to reports filed with the Oregon Government Ethics Commission. But lobbyists say building relationships and providing reliable information is really how to gain traction with lawmakers. Lobbyists say that legislators and staff will turn to them to find out if what they are proposing in legislation can actually be implemented. Its people and information, said Tom Holt, who mostly represents health care companies, as well as the Oregon Society of Professional Journalists. Ninety-five percent of what we do is on issues that will never make the news. He said much of that work concerns technical issues in broader bills. For instance, he pointed to a bill from a previous session that would change the limits on refills for eye drops to treat glaucoma. Holt said the insurance company he was representing didnt oppose the goal of the legislation but was concerned the way the bill was worded would make it hard to implement. A lot of people see lobbyists on TV, and they think lobbying is giving checks or arguing loudly, said Mike Selvaggio, who represents United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555 and the Oregon Coalition of Police and Sheriffs. But he said lobbying is about relationships and communication, including with legislators and other lobbyists who may not be natural allies and providing trustworthy information on behalf of clients. Lobbyists also regularly talk to each other to spot areas of disagreement on bills to work around them. People like to jokingly say, lobbyists and politicians, you cant trust them, he said. But in Salem, (trust) is your bread and butter. Jared Mason-Gere, a lobbyist for the Oregon Education Association, said if a lobbyist is effective, lawmakers will seek them out to get answers to questions on complex issues, like school testing or the state employee retirement system. He said he also carries the stories of educators and students to legislators to show how legislation affects them. Information is the currency of the realm in the Capitol, said Arthur Towers, political director for the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association. Zoom is not the best platform for that Currently, only staff and legislators are allowed in the Capitol building. Lawmakers still do much of their work remotely. Marion County is in the states high risk category. Once it enters the moderate risk category, legislative leaders plan to develop a framework to allow greater access to the Capitol. Lobbyists interviewed by Salem Reporter say information travels faster and more freely when the Capitol is open. They say that short interactions between themselves and lawmakers or their staff are an overlooked part of the legislative process. These conversations usually arent on anyones calendar. They happen over coffee in the Capitol cafeteria, in legislators offices and in the hallways outside of committee hearings and floor sessions. Lobbyists use these conversations to check in on bills, point out problematic language, swap information and keep their priorities in front of lawmakers. Lobbyists say these small conversations smooth out disagreements and build consensus among legislators and other lobbyists, allowing legislation to move ahead. Towers said in normal times he could shuttle information from office to office. If he had 50 people to talk to, he could find them and speak to them in person in the Capitol. But 50 different texts to 50 different people seems harder, he said. Holt said when he cant get on a legislators calendar, hell drop by their office for five minutes to talk to staff, raising concerns about an amendment or section of a bill. Doing so can significantly slow down or speed up legislation, he said. Justin Martin, who represents the city of Salem and the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, said he would normally be camped out in the Capitol all day and sometimes all it takes is 30 seconds with a legislator or staffer to answer a question. But now he has to schedule a 10- or 15-minute video call. Its just frustrating, he said. There is no way around it. Sparks said she often discusses very technical aspects of employment law and its effects on businesses and workers. Zoom is not the best platform for that, she said. I dont know how legislators are absorbing the information theyre getting. Mistakes will get through With the ease of communication now gone, some lobbyists say errors and other problems with legislation that would have been fixed in normal times will now make it into law. Towers likened these short in-person interactions in the Capitol to oil in a car. Without them, the legislative gears will grind, he said. One lobbyist, speaking on background, said there were already signs of it during a special session in December. One of the priority bills of the session was to allow restaurants and bars to sell drinks to-go. But the bills language left out wine and an amendment had to be introduced during the one-day session to fix that. Such a mistake wouldnt happen in normal sessions, the lobbyist said. Another lobbyist, speaking on background, said they were blindsided this session when a state agency proposed a problematic bill with an unclear intent. When the bill was scheduled for a hearing, the lobbyist responded with alarm and quickly fired off emails to legislators on the committee. I could have swung by the chairs office or had several small conversations instead of sitting in my office at 2 a.m., the lobbyist said. Lobbyists said that their brief contacts with legislators become even more important as the session approaches deadlines for bills to be voted out of committee or the House or Senate. Jess Giannettino Villatoro, political director for the Oregon AFL-CIO, said shes worried that as committee deadlines approach, amendments that may have unintended consequences will unexpectedly post to the Legislatures website. That could cause her to publicly oppose the amendment, creating a more public and adversarial relationship with legislators or others when the issue could have been resolved with a conversation. That also would mean she has to reach out later to legislators to smooth relationships taking up more time. Some lobbyists say they expect that more bills will be passed this session that will have problems that need to be fixed in future sessions. If the legislature doesnt narrow its focus, were going to spend a lot of time having to clean up what happens this session, said Sparks. Other lobbyists say that bills are likely to be dropped because there isnt enough time in the new environment to resolve issues or get to unanswered questions. Mistakes will get through, said Holt. I have no doubt about that. But on the other hand, thats why the process has been slowed down to minimize those. Accessible to the public like never before Legislative leaders have said that although the Capitol is closed, doing much of its work remotely has allowed for greater citizen participation. More Oregonians are testifying before committees because they can appear remotely instead of driving, in some cases hundreds of miles, to testify in person. Lobbyists interviewed for this story say its positive that citizens can testify remotely. Mason-Gere, of the Oregon Education Association, pointed to a recent hearing where teachers from the coast and central Oregon weighed in remotely. The process is accessible to the public like never before, and I think its a huge improvement, said House Majority Leader Barbara Smith Warner, D-Portland, in an emailed statement. She added, Its a little less convenient for contract lobbyists, and a lot more accessible for the general public. If lobbyists have specific suggestions for improvements to the process, they should let us know. 'What is wrong in getting vaccinated at home?' If you are wondering about home vaccinations, this is the question Karnataka Agriculture Minister B C Patil also raised in a retort to his critics who raised eyebrows after the minister was administered the Covid-19 vaccine at home. Patil landed into a controversy on Tuesday after he and his wife took the jab at his home instead of going to a designated hospital. I appeal to all the eligible people to follow the protocol and take the vaccine to help the cause of building pandemic free, healthy India. Kourava B.C.Patil (@bcpatilkourava) March 2, 2021 State Health Minister K Sudhakar, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhusan and many others said that this is against the standard protocol. An investigation will also be carried out in this matter. Also read: Karnataka minister gets Covid-19 vaccine at home, Centre seeks report Patil's take on the issue, was, however, different. Defending himself, the Agriculture Minister argued that if he went to a hospital to get vaccinated, people would have to wait due to his visit. "Here I can attend to people and also can get vaccinated. What is wrong in this?," Patil who took his first shot of the Covid-19 vaccine asked. He said that he did not commit a crime and wanted to avoid trouble for public. "Have I done any theft or robbery? I have only taken the vaccine at home, which is not a crime," the Minister told reporters. He said it was good that his inoculation became public, which would inspire others to take the shot. However, Health Minister Sudhakar expressed his dissatisfaction over the conduct of Patil and said the medical team should have persuaded him to come to the hospital. "Unless there is prior permission, no one is allowed to go home to vaccinate. It is wrong to go home to administer a vaccine," he said. The Minister added that he would issue a circular to the doctors not to administer vaccines at home. When reporters sought Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa's reaction, he said getting vaccinated was more important than the place where the inoculation happened. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several others had taken the vaccine shots in designated hospitals on Monday after India started its third phase of vaccinations wherein the elderly and those above 45 with comorbidties were administered the coronavirus vaccine. (With PTI inputs) The European Union will support Ukraine at all stages of building the rule of law and reforming the judicial system, European Council President Charles Michel has said. According to an Ukrinform correspondent, he stated in his online speech at the All-Ukrainian Forum "Ukraine 30." Progress of Justice." Michel noted that recent decisions by the Constitutional Court only emphasized the need to pay more attention to Ukraine's judicial system. "Judicial independence is a very complex and comprehensive reform that requires proper leadership and courage. [...] The EU has consistently supported Ukraine on this path, and we intend to continue to provide advice, financial and public support. Mr. President Zelensky, we are your friends, we will support you at every stage of your path to the rule of law and reform of the judiciary in Ukraine," Michel said. He noted that Ukrainian citizens deserve a judicial system that respects the rule of law, applies it in practice, and demonstrates that crimes will not go unpunished. Judicial reform will allow Ukrainians to build institutions of power and improve conditions for business and investment in Ukraine, he said. Michel also recalled that the fight against corruption and comprehensive judicial reform are Ukraine's commitments under the Association Agreement with the EU, as well as a condition for receiving the second part of EU macro-financial assistance. op (Alliance News) -A Micro Focus International PLC on Wednesday said it has signed a commercial agreement with Amazon.com Inc's cloud platform arm. The pact with Amazon Web Services formalises a strategic collaboration to accelerate "the modernization of mainframe applications and workloads of large public and private enterprises" to the AWS Cloud. The two will work to use Micro Focus technology for customers looking to shift their business-critical mainframe applications and workloads to a cloud-based production environment. In conjunction with the agreement, Micro Focus has issued warrants to Amazon NV Investment Holdings LLC to subscribe for up to 15.9 million shares in the London-listed firm at 446.60 pence each. Shares in Micro Focus were up 14% at 500.80p each in London early Wednesday, making it the top performer in the FTSE 250 in opening trade. "The vesting of the warrants generally depends on the level of software revenues generated by AWS for Micro Focus under the commercial agreement over the multi-year term, according to revenue targets set out in the agreement," the company said. Full vesting of the warrants requires the commercial agreement to deliver a "material impact" on both Application Modernisation & Connectivity and total group revenue. Micro Focus Chief Executive Stephen Murdoch said: "This important strategic agreement between Micro Focus and AWS combines our technology leadership position in Application Modernisation with the world's most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud provider. "The modernization of mainframe applications and workloads into cloud environments is increasingly becoming an imperative in the digital transformation programmes of large enterprises worldwide, and this collaboration has the potential to drive new customer adoption and growth within our Application Modernisation and Connectivity Product Group for an extended period." By Lucy Heming;A lucyheming@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. After former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday in an interview with Kaushik Basu alleged that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is attacking the higher education institutions in the country through their schools and likened them to "madrasas used by radical Islamists in Pakistan", several political leaders across political parties have reacted to his remark. Rahul's demonisation of RSS panned Calling the Gandhi scion 'foolish', BJP MP Rakesh Sinha told Republic TV, "I am convinced that he is foolish. He is insulting the Indian people and legitimizing Pakistan jihad with his statement. He just creates controversy to stay in news. There is a serious crisis in their party as 23 Congress leaders (referring to the G23) are criticizing Congress. To divert from such a thing he is doing this." Former J&K Deputy CM and BJP leader Kavindra Gupta said, "Nationalist ideology people at constitutional posts being targeted is wrong. Being Nationalist seems bad for Congress." Congress leader BK Hariprasad supported the former Congress president and said, "I cannot comment on his emergency statement (that it was a 'mistake'), but what Rahul ji has said about RSS is right, they are trying to topple the entire fundamental principle of freedom struggle which is what Rahul Gandhi meant." VHP's Alok Kumar furiously criticized Rahul's comment and stated, "Rahul Gandhi has compared the Sarasvati Shishu Mandirs with the terrorist-producing Madrassas in Pakistan. The statement is dishonest and false. Sarasvati Shishu Mandirs provide quality education to millions of Indian children all over the country. They provide an education that instills in them respect for the country, a good human value system, makes them responsible citizens, and equips them with the knowledge that they can use for a good life. It is for this reason that they are preferred over the govt or costly public schools. " Kumar added, "I am surprised that Rahul Gandhi is in the habit of making statements that only please the Pakistanis or the Chinese and are against the national interest. Such irresponsible statements are the reasons for the continuing decline of the Congress party. I condemn the statement." READ | Rahul Gandhi Demonises RSS-run Schools With Pak Comparison; 'Education System Captured' READ | Rahul Gandhi Seeks Disqualification Of 12 Manipur BJP MLAs In 2018 'office Of Profit' Case BJP leader Ram Kadam has also hit back at Rahul and said, "Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who usually stands with our enemy countries like Pakistan and China has now given a statement that just like extremism and terrorism is being taught in Pakistan's madrassas and he is comparing them with RSS. Rahul Gandhi has lost his mental balance. RSS is an organization that talks about nationalism and talks about the development of the country. If he doesn't understand the difference between extremism and nationalism, then he should visit the Shakhas of RSS. He will get to know about it." Madhya Pradesh Minister Vishvas Sarang said, "Rahul Gandhi wants to disrespect the pride of the nation by making such remarks on the international platform. This shows your frustration. Rahul Gandhi you don't have that ''aukat' and ''haisiyat'' to question RSS." While speaking to Republic TV, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi lashed out at Rahul and said, "Attacking RSS and Modi has become a fashion from them, this is leading to their demolition." READ | Rahul Gandhi Takes A Dip With Fishermen In Kollam; Netizens Ask If He's 'farming In Sea' READ | Rahul Gandhi Makes Massive Submission; Terms Indira-imposed Emergency 'a Mistake' LEXINGTON, Mass., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Partner Therapeutics, Inc. (PTx), a commercial biotech company, announces a licensing and collaboration agreement with Munich-based SIRS Theraputics and Vienna-based F4 Pharma to support the development of FX-06, a synthetic peptide that has a broad spectrum of potential indications. The partnership will focus on exploring potential collaborations with the U.S. Government to develop FX-06 as a medical countermeasure against high priority threats for which there are significant unmet needs. SIRS and F4 Pharma are developing FX-06 in diseases associated with capillary leak with a current focus on treating patients with COVID-19. FX-06 is a fibrin-derived peptide (peptide B 1542) that binds to VE-Cadherin, thereby restoring the barrier function of the endothelium. Based upon its ability to restore barrier function, prevent vascular leak and leukocyte transmigration and reduce vasoconstriction, FX-06 is anticipated to mitigate the duration and severity of hemorrhage and accelerate recovery from barrier integrity loss resulting from pandemic and biological threats, such as COVID-19 and hemorrhagic fevers, as well as chemical agents and acute radiation exposure. "We are excited to work with Partner Therapeutics, given their impressive track record in late stage development in the area of medical countermeasures for bio-threats and their industry experienced development team. In collaboration with Partners Therapeutics we are focused on exploring FX-06 in areas of high interest and medical need," said Anne Burger, CEO of SIRS Therapeutics. Petra Wulfroth, CSO and co-founder of F4 Pharma "The current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has highlighted the public vulnerability caused by viruses, however, other biological or chemical threat agents can also evolve into a major public concern. FX-06 has a broad applicability in diseases and pathological conditions caused by systemic inflammation and increased permeability of the blood vessels." She added, "We believe its mechanism of action makes it promising tool to protect people." "FX-06 has been shown to counteract vascular leak and its fatal consequences from a variety of causes including thrombin, oxygen radicals, bacteria and viruses. Efficacy has been demonstrated in animal models of septic shock, hemorrhagic shock, dengue shock syndrome, capillary leak, hemorrhagic fever, reperfusion injury, transplantation and acute lung injury," said Debasish Roychowdhury, MD, Chief Technology Officer at Partner Therapeutics. "We look forward to the opportunity to further explore the utility of FX-06 as a solution to the high priority threats identified by the U.S. Government." "We look forward to the opportunity to work with our partners at SIRS and F4 Pharma to advance the development of FX06 as a potentially important treatment for COVID-19 as well as future pandemic threats and unmet needs for medical countermeasures," said John McManus, Chief Business Officer at Partner Therapeutics. "We believe that FX-06's activity in both animal and human models could make it a powerful potential tool for both known and unknown threats." PTx plans to accelerate the development of FX-06 as a state-of-the-art pharmaceutical prototype MCM for the treatment of multiple biothreats of interest to the US Government. PTx is currently conducting two clinical trials of Leukine, an FDA-approved immune modulator, in patients with COVID-19 under a $35 million development contract with the Department of Defense Joint Program Executive Office Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear (JPEO-CBRN). Leukine was FDA-approved for the treatment of the hematological damage due to acute radiation exposure under an advanced development contract with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and is held in the Strategic National Stockpile for use in this indication. ABOUT PARTNER THERAPEUTICS PTx is an integrated biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of late-stage therapeutics that improve health outcomes in the treatment of cancer and other serious diseases. The company believes in delivering products and supporting medical teams with the purpose of achieving superior outcomes for patients and their families. Visit www.partnertx.com ABOUT SIRS THERAPEUTICS SIRS Therapeutics GmbH is a development stage biopharmaceutical company that develops FX06, a fibrin-derived peptide for the treatment of diseases related to capillary leakage e.g., ARDS in patients with underlying COVID-19 infection. The Company was founded with initial investments from Wellington Partners in 2020 and is located in Germany. Visit www.sirs-therapeutics.com ABOUT F4 PHARMA F4 Pharma is a privately owned Austrian biotechnology company focusing on the development of the platform molecule FX06 in several indications with high unmet medical need. It is the intention of F4 Pharma to provide a safe and efficacious therapy to patients and physicians in critical disease situations in intensive care. Visit www.f4-pharma.com ABOUT FX-06 The endothelium, i.e. the inner layer of the blood vessels, plays an important role in the homeostasis between the blood within the vessel and the surrounding tissue. In many pathological disease situations, this well-balanced equilibrium is disturbed causing an increased permeability of the blood vessel and allowing inflammatory cells to invade into the surrounding tissue. The synthetic peptide FX06 binds to the contact points between the cells, normalizes increased permeability and reduces the systemic inflammation of the endothelium. SOURCE Partner Therapeutics, Inc. Related Links partnertx.com TEL AVIV, Israel, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Axilion Smart Mobility (TASE: AILN), the Israeli AI company leading the digital transformation of the mobility industry, published an analysis conducted by Frost & Sullivan. Axilion has redefined traffic management with its market-leading AI-based Digital Twin platform that empowers cities to reduce pollution, congestion and increase safety. Axilion's technology developed alongside its strategic partner Microsoft enables cities to decrease yearly carbon emissions in cities by 140,000s tons, combat crippling congestion, shorten journey times up to 47%, and improve road safety. Axilion Smart Mobility Uses AI to Create a Digital Twin of Your City in the Azure Cloud Frost & Sullivan's equity report on Axilion Smart Mobility views the AI-company as an excellent opportunity for those seeking to invest in sustainable and smart cities According to Oran Dror, CEO and Chairman of Axilion Smart Mobility: "The Frost & Sullivan analysis provides extensive information about the company and the field in which it operates, as well as the need to turn to innovation in order to overcome the most urgent challenge of our time climate change." As the planet heats up, climate change continues to dominate headlines. In recent weeks, Microsoft founder, Bill Gates, stressed the role he believes technological innovation must play in "How to Avoid a Climate Disaster." In his book, he calls for a reduction in carbon footprint and outlines the carbon offsets required to reach zero emissions. According to the tech mogul, the transition to green technology is possible. He indicates the role that countries and governments must continue in the investment and development of new products. As the demand for sustainable technology increases, Axilion's X Way AI-based Cloud Services provides an easy solution for cities to implement. Available through Microsoft Azure and part of the Azure pricing, Axilion's X Way is promoted by Microsoft resellers as long-term contracts for municipalities and countries. X Way enables cities to improve air quality and decrease traffic without the need for costly, time-consuming traditional congestion control methods. Instead, the AI-based Cloud Services reduce emissions with minor financial investment achieved through cloud services, software, and AI-based cameras. Already implemented in several cities globally, including New York and Jerusalem, Axilions technology is proven to reduce emissions, cut congestion, and improve residents' quality of life. The main points of the recommendation from Frost & Sullivan are as follows: 2020 was a breakthrough year for AI in cloud applications. According to Frost & Sullivan, 2021 will be the year when the pace of implementation of AI-based systems will accelerate using data center infrastructure that is expanding in countries worldwide. This field will attract additional investments in the coming years. According to Frost & Sullivan, the global AI market is expected to grow to $386.1 billion by 2025, at an impressive average annual growth rate of 19.7%. by 2025, at an impressive average annual growth rate of 19.7%. The rapid growth in data volume, coupled with the growing deployment of cloud-based computing platforms, is fueling the adoption of AI in a variety of areas - Axilion is in a position to address the growing need for a smart city management system. Axilion leverages its artificial intelligence capabilities to ease traffic congestion in cities and reduce carbon emissions from transportation. The company charges municipal fees for city traffic management services, with Microsoft Azure as a strategic partner. Frost & Sullivan recognizes investing in Axillion as an excellent opportunity for those seeking to invest in smart and sustainable cities Axilion is post-technological feasibility phase and about to enter a significant sales phase of projects such as those seen in Haifa and Jerusalem . and . Based on the detailed analysis of Frost & Sullivan, the company is valued at approximately $453.7 million ; NIS 1,502 million ; the target price is in the range of NIS 50.1 to NIS 55.4 and on average at a target price of NIS 52.7 . The full report can be viewed here For more information, please contact Axilion at [email protected] About Axilion Smart Mobility: Axilion is leading the digital transformation of the mobility industry. The company's AI reduces air pollution, reduces traffic congestion, streamlines public transit, and increases the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and micromobility scooters. Axilion utilizes Computer Vision to monitor city mobility in real-time and create a Mobility Digital Twin of the physical city in the Microsoft Azure Cloud. Axilion's Mobility Digital Twin combines with Deep Reinforcement Learning AI to generate real-time traffic insights and optimized traffic plans, creating a greener and smoother way to travel around cities. The company's technology is proven to reduce carbon emissions by 100,000s of tons, eliminate peak-time traffic congestion, prioritize eco-friendly travel modes, and cut journey time by up to 47% in the cities it operates. Axilion is a publically traded company on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE: AILN) and has offices in Europe, the US, and the UAE. SOURCE Axilion Smart Mobility Related Links https://axilion.com/ Two cars carrying the same license plate number were temporarily confiscated by police to verify a bogus license plate after they coincidentally appeared on the same street in Hanoi. Traffic police in Hanoi on Tuesday said that police officers in Van Phuc Ward, Ha Dong District were holding two Mercedes-Benz cars with the same color, both numbered 30E-488.16, after a video showing these two automobiles traveling on Van Phuc Street in the same district had gone viral on social media on Sunday. Police in Ha Dong District also summoned the people who claim to be the owners of the vehicles to the Van Phuc Ward police station to clarify which of the number plates was illegal. According to a source, the number plate 30E-488.16 in the system of Vietnam Register, which is in charge of car registration and inspection, belongs to a Mercedes-Benz car produced in 2011 and was registered for the first time in March 2012. According to the records, its owner is a limited company based in Nam Tu Liem District, Hanoi. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Flash China and Pakistan should push their cooperation to a higher level, wider range and greater depth as they celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Tuesday. He made the remarks when attending a ceremony to commence the celebrations with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi via video link. Noting the China-Pakistan friendship enjoys a time-honored history, Wang said the two countries have carried out all-round cooperation and developed all-weather friendship under the personal care of generations of leaders of both countries since the establishment of diplomatic ties 70 years ago. He said China and Pakistan should deepen political mutual trust, continue to firmly support each other on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns, strengthen communication and cooperation on major strategic issues, and jointly respond to changes in the international and regional situation as well as various risks and challenges. Wang urged the two countries to uphold the principle of mutual benefit for win-win results, promote the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and create new growth points for cooperation to better benefit the two peoples. China and Pakistan should encourage people from all walks of life, especially the younger generation, to more actively participate in activities of friendly exchanges, so as to advance mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, he said. Hailing China's development achievements and fruitful results of bilateral cooperation, Qureshi said Pakistan firmly adheres to the one-China policy, firmly supports the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and believes that CPEC will become a paradigm project of the BRI's high-quality development. A seven-year study of California's soupfin sharks sheds light on their migration and reproductive cycles, laying the groundwork for potential management strategies amid conservation concerns. The findings were published March 3 in the Journal of Applied Ecology by researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego and the University of San Diego (USD). Analyzing the tracking data from 34 female soupfin sharks (Galeorhinus galeus) tagged with acoustic transmitters, Scripps Oceanography researcher and USD professor Andrew Nosal discovered these sharks exhibit a triennial migratory cycle, returning to the tagging site off La Jolla, Calif. every three years. This is the first conclusive evidence in any animal of triennial philopatry, a term meaning 'home-loving,' referring to the periodic return of an animal to the same location. "During the first three years of tagging, none of the sharks returned to La Jolla after leaving," said Nosal. "We figured the sharks were simply wide-ranging and did not exhibit philopatry. Then, in the fourth year, we detected sharks tagged in the first year, and in the fifth year detected sharks tagged in the second year. This indicated a three-year cycle of migration and philopatry, which coincides with their three-year reproductive cycle." In sharks, the cycle of philopatry is typically linked to that species' reproductive cycle. For instance, species whose females give birth every two years often exhibit biennial philopatry, returning to the same preferred feeding, nursery, or pupping grounds every two years. In species with annual reproductive cycles, females usually exhibit annual philopatry. Nosal's previous research on female leopard sharks, guitarfish, and bat rays revealed annual philopatry to the warm waters off La Jolla, consistent with those species' annual reproductive cycles. Nosal and his colleagues tagged these soupfin sharks over five summers (2013 to 2017) off La Jolla, San Diego, where the sharks are commonly seen congregating in large numbers in the warm shallows. Using field ultrasound examinations, Nosal confirmed these sharks were pregnant females, likely using the warm water to incubate their developing embryos, as hypothesized for other shark and ray species. The team tracked the sharks' movements using a large coastal array of more than 300 underwater acoustic receivers positioned along the U.S. West Coast. Most sharks left La Jolla in the fall or winter after tagging, spending the next two years between the Northern Channel Islands and San Francisco Bay, with a few travelling as far as the Pacific Northwest. In these areas, Nosal believes the sharks give birth, feed, and mate, before returning to La Jolla, where they ovulate and undergo gestation in the warmer waters. One individual even completed two three-year cycles after being tagged in 2014, returning to La Jolla in 2017 and 2020. Of the sharks tagged, at least 15 percent were captured by artisanal gillnet fishers in Mexico. Last year, soupfin sharks were elevated to critically endangered status globally by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), due to heavy fishing pressure and steep population declines worldwide. In the eastern North Pacific, the soupfin population was hit hard by a fishery boom in the 1930s and 1940s, which targeted the sharks for their meat, fins, and livers, which are rich in vitamin A. With the advent of synthetic vitamin A, this fishery lost steam and the population is believed to have partially recovered in the decades since. Additionally, soupfin sharks were listed on Appendix II of the United Nations Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) in 2020. Nosal hopes his research, combined with these recent uplistings, leads to improved monitoring and cooperative international management of the Eastern North Pacific soupfin shark population. "Currently, soupfin sharks are not actively managed in U.S. waters and there has been no stock assessment, unlike in other countries," Nosal said. "Given the recent CMS listing and IUCN status elevation to Critically Endangered globally, as well as the highly migratory behavior we report along the U.S. West Coast, the current management scheme should be revisited by the U.S. Pacific Fishery Management Council." Soupfin sharks, also known as tope and school sharks, are found worldwide in temperate coastal waters, growing to a length of over six feet and feeding mainly on fish and invertebrates. There are five main populations: off Australia and New Zealand, the Eastern North Pacific, Southwest Atlantic, Europe, and Southern Africa. Nosal is hopeful that this research may inform any future management strategies, particularly in the U.S. "Suppose managers are monitoring female soupfin shark abundance at some location, such as La Jolla. High shark abundance three years in a row may suggest a stable population, but, given the triennial migration cycle, these may actually be three different breeding cohorts within the population." he said. "Managers could only compare apples to apples at this location every three years to track population trends." Nosal suspects the other populations of soupfin sharks also demonstrate triennial philopatry, but future long-term tracking studies would be needed to confirm this. These studies, he stresses, are only possible through strong collaborations among scientists and their institutions. "I only maintain a handful of acoustic receivers off La Jolla," he said. "The rest of the acoustic receivers that detected tagged soupfin sharks are managed by other researchers along the coast. This study would not have been possible without strong collaborations among scientists and their willingness to share detection data recorded by their receivers." This study also underscores the importance of long-term animal tracking studies. For example, other shark species, such as tiger sharks, also give birth every three years. Future studies like this one could reveal triennial cycles of migration and philopatry similar to soupfin sharks. ### This study was funded by the Moore Family Foundation and the Link Family Foundation. BELGRADE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd March, 2021) Croatian Health Minister Vili Beros has confirmed his country's interest in purchasing the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the Russian Embassy in Zagreb said. Earlier, the diplomatic mission told Sputnik that Croatian citizens and Russians living in the country contacted the mission every day to find out how to get the Russian vaccine. "On March 2, 2021, Russian Ambassador Andrey Nesterenko and Croatian Minister of Health Vili Beros held phone talks, during which they confirmed that the Croatian side was interested in buying the required amount of Sputnik V vaccine in Russia in accordance with EU norms and Croatian laws," the embassy said. "The sides expressed the common opinion that this issue needed to be resolved urgently, given that a certain level of coronavirus incidence remained in Croatia and new strains had been identified, not yet been studied by epidemiologists, which could seriously threaten the health of citizens of any country, including Croatia," it said. Sputnik V has been registered in 39 countries - Russia, Belarus, Argentina, Serbia, Palestine, Hungary, Iran, the UAE, Mexico, Armenia, Mongolia and others. TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 3, 2021 / Tsodilo Resources Limited ("Tsodilo" or the "Company") (TSXV:TSD)(OTCQB:TSDRF)(FSE:TZO) is pleased to announce that it has received approval to begin trading on the OTCQB Venture Market "OTCQB" under the symbol "TSDRF" as of the beginning of trading on March 4, 2021. The OTCQB offers developing Canadian companies the benefits of being publicly traded in the U.S. with lower cost and complexity than a U.S. exchange listing. Streamlined market standards enable Canadian companies to provide a strong baseline of transparency to inform and engage U.S. investors. To be eligible, Canadian companies must be current in their SEDAR reporting and undergo an annual verification and management certification process. As a verified market with efficient access to U.S. investors, the OTCQB helps Canadian companies build shareholder value with a goal of enhancing liquidity and achieving fair valuation. OTCQB companies provide current company information and meet financial standards that enable brokers to more easily quote and trade a security. Companies engage a far greater network of U.S. investors, data distributors and media partners, ensuring U.S. investors have access to the same high-quality information that is available to investors in Canada, but through U.S. platforms and portals to conduct research. Real-time quotes and market information for the Company can be found at https://www.otcmarkets.com. In addition to the OTCQB listing, there will be no change of trading symbols under the TSX-Venture Exchange symbol "TSD" nor the Frankfurt Stock Exchange symbol "TZO". "Tsodilo is excited to be listing on the OTCQB Venture Market. We believe a secondary listing on this market will provide the Company with increased access to US institutional and retail investors and a broader shareholder base. U.S. investors will have the opportunity to share in the Company's growth as investor interest in mineral resources and their development continue their momentum as the world emerges economically from the devasting effects of the Covid-19 pandemic" said James M. Bruchs, Chairman and CEO. About Tsodilo Resources Limited: Tsodilo Resources Limited is an international diamond and metals exploration company engaged in the search for economic diamond, metal deposits and industrial stone at its Bosoto (Pty) Limited ("Bosoto"), Gcwihaba Resources (Pty) Limited ("Gcwihaba") and Newdico (Pty) Ltd. ("Newdico) projects in Botswana and its Idada 361 (Pty) Limited ("Idada") project in Barberton, South Africa. The Company has a 100% stake in Bosoto (Pty) Ltd. which holds the BK16 kimberlite project in the Orapa Kimberlite Field (OKF) in Botswana and the PL216/2017 diamond prospection license also in the OKF. The Company has a 100% stake in its Gcwihaba project area consisting of seven metal (base, precious, platinum group, and rare earth) prospecting licenses all located in the North-West district of Botswana. The Company has a 100% interest in its Newdico industrial stone project located in Botswana's Central District. Additionally, Tsodilo has a 70% stake in Idada Trading 361 (Pty) Limited which holds the gold and silver exploration license in the Barberton area of South Africa. Tsodilo manages the exploration of the Gcwihaba, Bosoto, Newdico and Idada projects. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. This press release may contain forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements pertaining to the completion of anticipated financings) are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward- looking statements, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, changes in equity markets, changes in general economic conditions, market volatility, political developments in Botswana and surrounding countries, changes to regulations affecting the Company's activities, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, exploration and development risks, the uncertainties involved in interpreting exploration results and the other risks involved in the mineral exploration business. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements and, even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, uncertainties relating to availability and cost of funds, timing and content of work programs, results of exploration activities, interpretation of drilling results and other geological data, risks relating to variations in the diamond grade and kimberlite lithologies; variations in rates of recovery and breakage; estimates of grade and quality of diamonds, variations in diamond valuations and future diamond prices; the state of world diamond markets, reliability of mineral property titles, changes to regulations affecting the Company's activities, delays in obtaining or failure to obtain required project approvals, operational and infrastructure risk and other risks involved in the diamond exploration and development business. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to their inherent uncertainty. This news release may contain assumptions, estimates, and other forward-looking statements regarding future events. Such forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties and are subject to factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which may cause actual results or performance to differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: James M. Bruchs Dr. Alistair Jeffcoate Head Office Website Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Project Manager and Chief Geologist Officer Telephone +1 416 572 2033 http://www.TsodiloResources.com JBruchs@TsodiloResources.com Alistair.jeffcoate@TsodiloResources.com Facsimile + 1 416 987 4369 SOURCE: Tsodilo Resources Limited View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/633375/Tsodilo-Resources-Limited-Lists-on-the-OTCQB-Market The Omani capital Muscat has been the target of various Gulf diplomatic efforts over the last few weeks in relation to the conflict in Yemen. Though Oman has been trying to keep to the same line of quiet neutrality on regional issues inherited from late sultan Qaboos Bin Said, there have been indications of a shift, with new sultan Haitham Bin Tarek slowly notching up activity in his countrys foreign policy. Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan visited Muscat in mid-February to meet his Omani counterpart Sayed Badr Bin Hamad Al-Busaidi. According to statements from the official Emirati and Omani news agencies, the two ministers discussed the strong historic ties between the UAE and Oman and ways to strengthen their overall cooperation. The ministers also discussed issues relating to joint Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) action, in addition to a number of global issues of mutual concern. Sources in Oman and the UAE confirmed that the conflict in Yemen had been top of the agenda, especially with regard to exploring a political settlement in the war-torn country. Though the UAE withdrew its troops from Yemen in 2019, it is still part of the Saudi-led Coalition to support legitimacy there. The coalition has implied that Oman has been facilitating Iranian logistical support for the Houthi rebels in Yemen through its borders with the country. Now that the new US administration is pushing for a halt to the war and is preparing to re-engage with Iran, the Omani role will be a conciliatory one. Apart from Qatar, Oman is the only GCC country that has kept up good relations with Iran. The secret US-Iranian negotiations leading to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran under the former Obama administration were held in Muscat, where the newly designated head of the CIA, William Burns, was leading the American team. It is not clear what the Omani and Emirati ministers agreed on with regard to the situation in Yemen at their February meeting, but the fact that countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia are starting to court Oman indicates that Riyadh and Abu Dhabi are keen on following a political route in Yemen. Just over a week after Bin Zayed Al-Nahyans visit to Muscat, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal Bin Farhan arrived in Oman last Wednesday, where he met with his Omani counterpart and Yemen was at the top of the agenda. Omani-Emirati relations have witnessed ups and downs, but Saudi-Omani ties have always been cold. The late sultan Qaboos kept his distance from Gulf positions led by Saudi Arabia in order to protect the neutrality of Oman, but Sultan Haitham might not have the same luxury to stay away from regional developments in like manner. Oman has traditional ties to eastern Yemen with tribal extensions across the border. It also has strong ties with Iran built on history and trade rather than on the transactional basis of the Qatari-Iranian relations that were strengthened after the boycott of Qatar by its Arab neighbours in 2017. Saudi Arabia is no longer in a position to impose its policies on other GCC members, and it acknowledges that it needs a Gulf consensus before there can be any settlement of the crisis in Yemen. Oman would be an important balancing power in that regard. There could also be other mutual benefits since Oman has been the hardest hit economically of the Gulf countries by the Covid-19 pandemic. Its finances are not in good shape, and recently Qatar made it a $1 billion loan. Oman needs to borrow more to plug its widening deficit, and Abu Dhabi is in the best position financially to help. The results of the Saudi visit to Muscat came a few days after Bin Farhans visit when Oman joined others in the region in supporting the Saudi rejection of the US move to implicate Saudi Crown-Prince Mohamed Bin Salman in the killing of Saudi national Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. Oman announced its support for Riyadh and the Saudi judicial system in its handling of the investigations into the killing. The last of the recent visits to Muscat came this week when Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Ahmed Nasser Al-Sabah delivered a message from the emir of Kuwait to the sultan of Oman. An official statement mentioned bilateral relations, Gulf cooperation and issues of mutual interest, but Gulf sources also hinted that the letter might be related to recent Kuwaiti efforts to follow up on the GCC reconciliation with Qatar. Kuwait recently hosted two meetings on the latter, the first between Qatari and Emirati delegations and the second between a Qatari and an Egyptian delegation. It was not clear if the Kuwait meetings led to significant breakthroughs in normalising relations with Qatar, however. Neither Kuwait nor Oman were part of the Gulf boycott of Doha. It remains to be seen if Oman will use its clout to influence the Houthis and their Iranian backers to help end the war in Yemen to help the Saudis. It is becoming clear that the Biden administration is not prioritising the region in its foreign-policy efforts, except for the nuclear deal with Iran, and as a result Muscat has gained a significant position as the only Gulf country able to play a credible conciliatory role based on its good relations with both Washington and Tehran. *A version of this article appears in print in the 4 March, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you, we are excited to offer 4 weeks FREE Digital & Print access to all subscribers new and returning alike. We are dedicated to continuing providing reliable, high quality journalism. This is possible with the trust and support of our subscribers in the community we are proud to serve. The Pentagon is looking for a new way to screen social media as part of its background check process, in an effort to prevent extremist behavior in the ranks. The Defense Department "is examining a scalable means of implementing social media screening in conjunction with background investigations," Pentagon officials said in suggested training materials distributed for a stand-down to discuss extremism. The military-wide pause in operations was ordered by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The reference appears in a "common questions and answers" section, in which the Pentagon anticipated troops might ask about checking social media belonging to service members, civilian DoD employees and prospective recruits. Read Next: After 36 Years, Marines' F/A-18 Hornets Have Completed Their Final Carrier Deployment The suggested response notes that when service members and DoD civilians submit an SF-86 form to begin a background investigation process, they consent to having their publicly available social media information reviewed. The FBI now screens social media for extremism and criminal activity, the document states. But Anthony Kuhn, an attorney with the law firm Tully Rinckey who specializes in security clearance issues, said in an interview Tuesday that the Pentagon's statement indicates it plans to take a much more aggressive and methodical approach to monitoring troops' social media in the wake of the Jan. 6 ransacking of the Capitol by a violent mob. The military doesn't really have a formal process for doing so now, he said. Typically, a service member draws attention for extremist or other problematic social media posts after a third party sees them and alerts the military. Kuhn said he represents several people who have had their security clearances jeopardized due in part to social media posts, so the military does look at it in at least some cases. But he added that the momentum for doing so will probably keep growing. Troops are allowed to have and express their own political opinions, Kuhn said, as long as they follow certain guidelines, such as not doing so on duty or in uniform. But the training materials spell out how service members' activities can run afoul of the military's standards, such as by advocating for violence or sedition against the government. Service members are not allowed to "actively advocat[e] supremacist, extremist or criminal gang doctrine, ideology and causes," the training materials state. They also cannot actively participate in organizations that "advance, encourage or advocate illegal discrimination based on race, creed, color, sex, religion, ethnicity or national origin," or "the use of force, violence or criminal activity" to deprive people of their civil rights. Extremist groups often try to recruit current or former service members for their skills and to gain legitimacy for their cause, according to the training materials. "It's about extremist ideology, and that can take many forms," Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said in a gaggle with reporters Tuesday. "It's not just about white supremacy, but about extremist ideologies, including [those of] a criminal nature." In the new Pentagon training materials, officials said that, while troops have First Amendment rights to speak freely and assemble peaceably, the military must still assess their character, honesty, discretion, judgment and trustworthiness when deciding whether they are reliable enough to have access to classified or sensitive information. Actions that could disqualify service members include supporting, being involved or associating with, or expressing sympathy for those attempting, training for, or advocating sabotage, espionage, treason, terrorism or sedition against the United States, the training documents state. Those who associate or sympathize with people or organizations seeking to use force, violence, or other illegal or unconstitutional means to overthrow the federal or state government; prevent federal, state or local government personnel from performing their official duties; to gain retribution for perceived wrongs caused by the government; or to prevent other from exercising their legal or constitutional rights, could also find themselves disqualified, according to the training materials. "Any doubt is resolved in favor of the national security," officials said. Kuhn said the Pentagon's language suggests it might add social media checks to its continuous evaluation process, which already uses computers and investigators to track clearance holders and flag any financial trouble, criminal arrests, or emerging drug or alcohol problems. Tracking violations of DoD regulations' Guideline A, which requires "allegiance to the United States," has been difficult to monitor, he said. "That could be anything from liking a comment on a social media post that's buried somewhere on the internet, all the way through openly advocating violence against the government or a government official," Kuhn said. "They're trying to figure out a system to track that kind of behavior, those types of red flags. Right now, there isn't one." Service members who like and interact with posts by extremist groups such as the Three Percenters, a paramilitary organization that opposes federal government intervention in local affairs, could find that activity flagged by screening, Kuhn said. Due process still applies, and the service member wouldn't automatically lose their clearance, he said, but there would likely be an investigation. "I think that's going to be very common, moving forward," Kuhn said. This could mean automated scanning of accounts on Facebook or Twitter, or even sites such as Parler that do not ban users who post extremist content, he added. And while the military could start by only periodically reviewing social media posts when troops need background checks, Kuhn said he expects that, before long, it would be expanded into a practice of real-time monitoring to catch whether troops are involved in emerging threats. "They will be using whatever technology they have available to them at this point to be able to monitor, in real time, social media posts and groups they have concerns about," he said. "I'm sure they've already started" working on a continuous monitoring system after the shock of the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, and the apparently disproportionately large number of rioters with military backgrounds. Kuhn also expects that background investigations or periodic reinvestigations for renewals of security clearances will include closer looks at social media. -- Stephen Losey can be reached at stephen.losey@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StephenLosey. Related: Inauguration Day Will Come and Go. Violent Domestic Extremism May Be Around for a While Instead of looking up, Barbara Beeman is looking down. The Bayonne photographers new photo series, Natures Mirror, was created when Beeman decided to look at the world through puddle reflections. The photo exhibit can be seen at The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey in Summit from now through April 4. A lifelong Bayonne resident, Beeman has practiced the art of photography since attending Jersey City State College, now New Jersey City University. Some of the photos in the exhibit were taken in New York City while others were taken locally in Liberty State Park, Bayonne, and Hoboken. There is always an element of mystery when you look into a puddle, as if there is another world that we are missing out on, she says. I took these reflections in a new direction by adding a more vibrant colorful imagining what was going on with the puddle. One of the photos taken for the show is a reflection photo of the Bayonne Park Fountain taken on a very misty morning in February 2020, right before the pandemic hit. The ponds remind me of what a stately, pretty park we have, and it is also the spot where many children enjoying sailing their tiny boats in the summertime, she says. This spot in the park has always been a favorite one for families to have their photos taken through the years and speaks to the timelessness of the park and of Bayonne. Beeman worked for the Hudson Dispatch before finding a career as a supervisor at Hudson County Social Services where she helped clients who were victims of domestic violence, homeless families and singles, fire victims, and the elderly, work she did for 40 years before retiring. In addition to photography, she also pursued her passion for music as well. Beeman and her partner, Bill Bannon, are the Beeman & Bannon Band and currently have a new CD out called Will Things Get Better. Beeman was 15 when her mother bought her a Woolworths guitar and then invested in a better model that was purchased at Pieros Music in Bayonne. She took her first music lessons at Pieros with Eddie ORourke, Bayonnes late Elvis, as her teacher. Beeman recently had portfolios published in The Eye of Photography, an online French magazine. They are called Stolen Time and Old Glass and I have had a number of single photos published there during the pandemic, she said. She won the Marion Anderson Award for portraiture at the 2017 Members Show at the Visual Arts Center. Gallery admission is $5 and due to COVID-19 restrictions, you must call the Museum in advance so that they can arrange for a timed entry. Only 25 people allowed in the museum at the same time. The show is on the 2nd floor strolling gallery. The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey is located at 68 Elm St., Summit. [March 03, 2021] Decisive Point Announces Investment in Asylon to Accelerate Autonomous Systems for Security and Defense NEW YORK, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Decisive Point is pleased to announce its investment in Asylon, Inc., a manufacturer of infrastructure and software for the deployment and operation of autonomous systems. Asylon designs and manufactures the DroneCore System, an open architecture platform that manages unmanned ground and aerial robotics to autonomously execute pre-programmed patrol missions and provide superior security data intelligence. Asylon's rapid growth has been fueled by adoption in both the commercial and federal market. The company's DroneCore product is technically mature, with sales to a number of Fortune 100 customers. Asylon is currently working with the Air Force on the modernization of base security systems and remote surveillance. Decisive Point Partner, Thomas Hendrix, commented, "Asylon has created an innovative solution, allowing unmanned systems to operate with true autonomy and minimal human intervention for weeks or months at a time. We see great potential in their solution and talented team, both in commercial markets and in providing essential security soutions for the DoD." Damon Hamon, CEO and Co-Founder of ASYLON, said, "Decisive Point has been a key partner of ours for developing and landing our early government contracts. They've been instrumental in our contracting process and helped enable sustainable long-term growth. Becoming one of the first investments in their new fund is an honor and helps us continue to forge a common mission of integrating dual-use technology like security, robotics, and automation." About Decisive Point Decisive Point is a venture capital firm focused on technology for government, public safety, and defense. Our mission is to support founders with the guts to try; the ones who look at challenges facing the country and our communities and see problems worth solving. We support our clients as they navigate the federal market and invest in those that deliver solutions to both commercial customers and the nation. For more information, visit www.decisivepoint.com . About ASYLON Asylon manufactures & deploys the DroneCore System as an end-to-end white glove service for advanced perimeter security. DroneCore is a combination of hardware and software designed to streamline security efficiency, conduct automated operations, and gather vital real-time intelligence. The system is an American Made, fully automated drone platform operating as a robotic, aerial and ground guard to serve as a primary perimeter security deterrent and first responder. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/decisive-point-announces-investment-in-asylon-to-accelerate-autonomous-systems-for-security-and-defense-301239205.html SOURCE Decisive Point Group, LLC [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] WASHINGTON, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) companies joined the Rally for Recovery Commitment to protect employees, encourage COVID-19 vaccinations and educate staff and local communities on ways to mitigate the spread of the virus. The pledge was launched by the federal government and business leaders to encourage companies to take action to defeat the coronavirus. BCBS companies commit to: Requiring individuals to wear masks and social distance while in the workplace. Reducing barriers to vaccinations by making it easier for employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine, once available to them. Communicating with employees, members and communities about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines and ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19. "We need to come together to stop the spread of this unforgiving virus," said Kim Keck, president and CEO of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, which is also joining the pledge. "We are making a promise to continue to help ensure the safety of our employees and our communities at large as we fight the pandemic. We are committed to redoubling our efforts to support the equitable distribution of vaccines across the country. I'm pleased the administration is encouraging our nation's employers to take action to save lives." To learn more about how BCBS companies are combatting the pandemic, visit bcbsprogresshealth.com. Employers nationwide are encouraged to join the Rally for Recovery Commitment and can learn more and sign up here. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that joined the Rally for Recovery Commitment include: Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Hawaii, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota, Blue Cross of Idaho, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Blue Shield of California, Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield, Capital BlueCross, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, Florida Blue , Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, Independence Blue Cross, Premera Blue Cross, Regence BlueShield of Idaho, BlueCross BlueShield of Puerto Rico, Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield. About Blue Cross Blue Shield Association The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is a national federation of 35 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide health care coverage for one in three Americans. BCBSA provides health care insights through The Health of America Report series and the national BCBS Health Index. For more information on BCBSA and its member companies, please visit bcbs.com. We also encourage you to connect with us on Facebook, check out our videos on YouTube, follow us on Twitter and check out our blog. SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Related Links http://bcbs.com [March 03, 2021] HeveaConnect, Digital Marketplace for Sustainable Natural Rubber welcomes investment from Singapore Exchange SINGAPORE, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- HeveaConnect Pte Ltd ("HC") announced today that Singapore Exchange ("SGX") has taken a minority stake in HC with a view to accelerate the digitalisation of the natural rubber industry. SGX joins Halcyon Agri Corporation Limited ("HAC"), ITOCHU Corporation and DBS Bank Ltd as shareholders in HC. With over 100 years of trading heritage, Singapore is the hub and the heart of the global natural rubber trade. SGX's SICOM market is widely recognised as the world's price discovery centre for natural rubber, and its indices are the global pricing benchmark for participants along the natural rubber value chain. SGX plays a central role in supporting the global rubber community with its SICOM global price benchmark, arbitration services, and suite of derivative risk management solutions. As the world moves towards ubiquitous connectivity, there is an increasing need for digitalisation in the traditional rubber industry. HeveaConnect, the digital marketplace for sustainably produced natural rubber, is the ideal platform to address these market needs. HC's mission is to be the data backbone of the industry's efforts to develop a sustainable supply of natural rubber. Its platform today pioneers a sustainability dashboard, providing global market participants with vital integrated supply chain, traceability and sustainability data. SGX's investment in HC aims to bolster HeveaConnect's capability as the price discovery platform for sustainable natural rubber. This will in turn promote best practices across the natural rubber value chain. As part of the investment, SICOM futures prices will be made available on HeveaConnect's platform, to facilitate physical rubber spot and long-term price discovery against SICOM benchmarks. Lee Beng Hong, Senior Managing Director, Head of Fixed Income, Currencies and Commodities, SGX said, "The rubber industry's march towards digitalisation of the value chain and shift towards sustainable rubber are key objectives that we are excited to support. As the leading global pricing benchmark for natural rubber, we look forward to lending our expertise in further developing efficient and transparent price formation in physical rubber trade, to be supported by a data framework and infrastrcture that is both secure and independent." Ray Ferguson, Independent Chairman of HeveaConnect said, "HeveaConnect's key objective from the outset is to build a disruptive business that improves the price discovery process and facilitate collaboration on sustainability. With the support of the founding shareholders, HeveaConnect was able to develop and refine a trading platform that is ready for wider industry adoption. We are now delighted to welcome SGX as well as other future partners to further enhance the ecosystem for all." HeveaConnect as an Independent Platform to Encourage Industry Participation As a gesture in welcoming industry participation into HC, HAC will relinquish its position as the controlling shareholder in HC, by allocating 59,962 shares (representing 14.73% stake in the enlarged shareholding base) from its existing shareholding in HC to an independent trustee, to be distributed to eligible organisations involved in promoting the sustainability agenda in the natural rubber industry. With an increased involvement from different interest groups, HC's role as an independent common platform will be elevated and gain more traction with the natural rubber producers and customers. Andrew Trevatt, Director in HeveaConnect, representing HAC said, "The investment by SGX is a remarkable milestone for HC, as it continues on its path to be the frontier in the digitalisation of the natural rubber industry. We recognise that industry support and participation is paramount in propelling HC to its next stage of growth. Our commitment in HC has been, and will remain steadfast, and this resonates well with our initial intention to establish a fair and equitable common physical platform for all of the natural rubber supply chain participants." Preferred Price Discovery Marketplace for Physical Rubber Trade Since its inception in April 2019, HeveaConnect has successfully matched over 250,000 metric tonnes of physical natural rubber for global tyre majors including Michelin and Bridgestone, with gross sales value exceeding USD $325 million. Gerald Tan, Chief Executive of HeveaConnect, said, "We are digitalising the entire natural rubber supply chain from farmer to producer, from consumer to facilitator in a data-enriched ecosystem. Our custom-built platform has streamlined order-to-fulfilment workflow to enhance decision-making and risk management. We also offer digital tools to collect valuable supply chain data on the ground. Conforming to strict procurement policies, these services address the critical sustainability and traceability needs of our customers, financiers, and NGOs." Segsarn Trai-Ukos, Managing Director of SMPT (Michelin) added, "We have been using the HC platform for 22 months and can see the benefits of a digital platform. We are pleased to see SGX joining HC as a shareholder. It is now important for HC to increase the number of participants and ensure broad market adoption across the full supply chain." Brian Miller, Chairman of the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce Rubber Association notes, "Digitalisation and sustainability in the rubber supply chain are important market developments and we are glad to see many great initiatives in recent months that focus on these key areas." Open to all credible rubber market users, HeveaConnect solves for supply chain efficiencies, enhances bilateral trade and will next develop a multilateral trading process. Its innovations include HeveaConnect Platform, HeveaPro, HeveaTrace and HeveaGrow which tackle challenges across the supply chain. HeveaConnect promotes sustainable and auditable rubber production techniques, advocates traceable data-backed rubber, and provides superior price discovery for Sustainable Natural Rubber. About HeveaConnect Singapore founded and based HeveaConnect brings you the future of commodities trading. We are at the forefront of digitalising the natural rubber supply chain across the globe to create a data-enriched, technology-powered ecosystem. This digital transformation enables deeper analysis of the supply chain to uncover environmental, social and financial risks allowing targeted interventions. At HeveaConnect, we use technology to enable data transparency and strengthen trust. We provide industry intelligence and insights to empower our customers to make smarter decisions. We strive to identify issues and deliver solutions that will redefine how commodities are produced and traded. For more information, please visit www.heveaconnect.com. Contact: Sabrina Raziff sabrina.raziff@heveaconnect.com info@heveaconnect.com +65-68450168 SOURCE HeveaConnect Pte. Ltd. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] On Feb. 3, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf proposed a bold budget for 2021-2022 that would substantially increase Pennsylvanias K-12 Basic Education Funding (BEF) budget. Importantly, it would distribute most of that increase to all school districts using the Fair Funding Formula adopted by the legislature in 2016. We strongly urge our legislators to support this. Pennsylvania shortchanges most public school students including roughly 80% of Black and Hispanic students by distributing BEF unfairly. For students in underfunded districts, this means fewer A.P. courses; outdated books and technology; higher student-teacher ratios; and fewer counselors, nurses and librarians. Pennsylvanians for Fair Funding (a grassroots coalition of parents, students, school board members, taxpayers, educators and voters) will work to see that the commonwealth increases and fairly distributes education funding for all children. We urge every Pennsylvanian to support this historic education budget proposal before June 30, 2021. Karen Pooley, Bethlehem Alex Battaglia, Philadelphia John Barnett, Chester Springs Laura Johnson, Pottstown Members of Pennsylvanians for Fair Funding The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said Wednesday she has launched an investigation into alleged crimes in the Palestinian territories. Fatou Bensouda said in a statement the probe will be conducted ``independently, impartially and objectively, without fear or favor.'' Bensouda said in 2019 there was a ``reasonable basis'' to open a war crimes probe into Israeli military actions in the Gaza Strip as well as Israeli settlement activity in the occupied West Bank. Following that assessment, she asked judges to rule on the extent of the court's jurisdiction in the troubled region. They did that last month, saying that the court's jurisdiction extends to territories occupied by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinian Authority welcomed on Wednesday the International Criminal Court's decision. "This is a long-awaited step that serves Palestines tireless pursuit of justice and accountability, which are indispensable pillars of the peace the Palestinian people seek and deserve," the PA foreign ministry said in a statement. Short link: SC Dismisses ED Petition for Attachment of Satyam Computer's FDs Worth Rs822 Crore The Supreme Court (SC) has dismissed a special leave petition (SLP) filed by the enforcement directorate (ED) for attaching fixed deposits (FDs) worth Rs822 crore of erstwhile Satyam Computer Services Ltd. In a regulatory filing, Tech Mahindra Ltd, who took over Satyam Computer Services in 2012, says, "The SC vide order dated 26 February 2021 has dismissed the SLP filed by the Directorate of Enforcement, Hyderabad, for provisional attachment of fixed deposits aggregating to Rs822 crore pursuant to Section 5(1) of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, of erstwhile Satyam Computer Services." In January 2018, the ED had attached FDs worth Rs822 crore of erstwhile Satyam Computer Services kept with four lenders Andhra Bank, Bank of Baroda, IDBI Bank and ING Vysya Bank. The action by the ED was related with a case filed against B Ramalinga Raju, founder-chairman of Satyam Computer Services, and others. The ED had also attached some fixed assets worth Rs250 crore owned by Ramalinga Raju and his family in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu. According to ED, Ramalinga Raju, his brother B Rama Raju, wife B Nandini Raju and sister-in-law B Radha Raju transferred their shares in Satyam Computer Services to SRSR Holdings, owned by them. SRSR Holdings pledged these shares with lenders and obtained loan worth Rs2,172 crore. To conceal source of funding, these loans were routed among 327 front companies floated by the family. Out of the total loans obtained by the Raju family, Rs822 crore found its way in Satyam Computer Services and were utilised for daily expenses and paying salaries of employees. In 2012, the ED had claimed that since this amount of Rs822 crore subsists with Satyam Computer Services and was obtained by pledging the company shares, it falls under the definition of mischief of proceeds under the PMLA and thus liable for attachment. However, the Supreme Court dismissed ED's petition filed against an order passed by the High Court of Hyderabad for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. In December 2018, the HC had set aside ED's decision to provisionally attach these FDs worth Rs822 crore. Set up in 1987, Satyam Computer Services was India's fourth largest IT company by revenues when, in January 2009, its founder-chairman B Ramalinga Raju confessed to having mis-stated the companys earnings of around Rs7,136 crore over several years by inflating revenues and underplaying liabilities. The Union government stepped in and appointed a board, including HDFC chief Deepak Parekh and Kiran Karnik, former president of NASSCOM, to find a buyer for Satyam Computer Services. Auto-maker Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M)'s unit Tech Mahindra, outbid Larsen & Toubro Ltd (L&T) and private equity (PE) WL Ross to buy controlling stake in Satyam Computer Services for about Rs2,900 crore. Demonstrators also targeted the road to the airport and near the city of Baalbek while others shut down a foreign exchange bureau in the southern city of Sidon, local media said. The financial collapse, on a scale Lebanon has never seen, has slashed about 85% of the currency's value in a country relying heavily on imports. The cost of scarce dollars hit 10,000 Lebanese pounds on Tuesday, said three currency dealers on the informal market, a main source of cash since banks stopped dispensing dollars. Two other dealers said earlier the greenback had traded at 9,900. That makes Lebanon's minimum wage worth about $68 a month. Political leaders have failed to agree a rescue plan since the crisis, rooted in decades of state graft, erupted in late 2019 as dollar inflows dried up. At the time, protests had gripped the country, fuelled by anger over economic hardship and new tax plans, including a daily 20-cent fee on Whatsapp calls. Prices of many consumer goods such as diapers or cereals have nearly tripled since then and charities warn of rising hunger. The cybercriminal gang behind the Gootkit Trojan is expanding its malware distribution activities and is improving its multi-stage distribution platform to deliver additional threats. The loader now uses advanced techniques that include fileless execution, memory injection and components written in different programming languages. Over the past several years many Trojans evolved into malware distribution platforms by entering partnerships with ransomware gangs or by developing their own ransomware. Some well-known relationships are TrickBot and Ryuk or Dridex and WastedLocker. Gootkit is no exception and followed a similar path. Starting out as a Trojan focused on stealing online banking credentials, just like TrickBot and Dridex, Gootkit formed a partnership with the REvil ransomware. More recently, security researchers have seen the first stage of Gootkitthe so-called loader componentbeing used to distribute the Kronos Trojan and Cobalt Strike, a commercial post-exploitation agent developed for penetration testing but increasingly adopted by cybercriminals. Gootloader and search engine result poisoning According to a report by researchers from antivirus vendor Sophos, the Gootkit loader, dubbed Gootloader, has seen many improvements recently. The malware typically lands on computers after users visit maliciously crafted web pages by following Google search results. The hijacking of Google search results by using legitimate but compromised websites to game the ranking algorithm is not a new technique. A decade ago, it was called black hat search engine optimization (BHSEO), but the Sophos researchers have now dubbed it search engine deoptimization. To achieve this, the attackers use a network of around 400 legitimate websites with good reputation and search ranking that have been compromised and had malicious code injected into them. They then use their control over those sites to push them high in the search results for specific queries. This is much easier to achieve than targeting generic or popular search terms. Some examples of targeted search queries include: "Do I need a party wall agreement to sell my house," "intercompany agreement chart alberta," "employee retention bonus agreement template," "cisco wpa agreement," "columbia free trade agreement certificate of origin." The attackers also target search queries in German, Korean, and French. The malicious code on the compromised websites serves content related to such terms to search engine robots that index them, even though the intended purpose and the original content on those websites has nothing to do with the targeted terms. Once a search engine user clicks on a poisoned result, the code on the infected website checks their IP location, whether they came from Google based on their referrer header, their operating system version and language preference, and whether it's their first visit to the website. If the attackers' intended criteria is met, the target sees a page that mimics a discussion forum where a supposed user asked a question related to their search query and then an administrator answered with a link. This fake page has versions in different languages and users see the one that corresponds to their location. The link in the administrator's fake response leads to a .zip file that contains a malicious .js (JavaScript) file that serves as the first stage of the infection. The name of the .js file is the same as the user's search query, so different victims receive differently named files. This and the use of a fake message board where an alleged administrator responds to a question about the topic the user was interested in shows that the attackers are well versed in social engineering tactics. Multi-stage fileless execution Even though JavaScript is a programming language intended for the web, Windows executes .js files natively through the Windows Scripting Host (wscript.exe) component. Because of this, many malware authors used .js files to distribute malware in the past, particularly as email attachments, so there are methods to block the execution of such files on Windows. The attackers went to great lengths to obfuscate the malicious code inside Gootloader .js file to complicate detection and manual analysis. If executed successfully, the file downloads a secondary payload from a command-and-control server and loads it directly in memory. This second-stage component contains a blob of encoded data that it writes to the system registry. It then creates a Windows scheduled task that decodes the registry data and executes it as PowerShell code when the system is rebooted. This is part of the malware's persistence mechanism and does not involve files stored on the file system itself. The PowerShell payload executed at system restart downloads additional payloads that are also stored in the registry as data. One of them is a C# executable and another is a .NET executable whose data in registry is obfuscated using a substitution cipher. The purpose of .NET loader is to drop yet another loader written in Delphi that then drops the final payloadGootkit, REvil, Kronos or Cobalt Strike. However, the execution of the Delphi loader is not straightforward. First, the .NET loader launches a benign application called ImagingDevices.exe, an innocent system component installed by default on Windows, or another benign application called the Embarcadero External Translation Manager that is digitally signed by its publisher. Once one of these benign applications are loaded in memory, the loader uses a technique known as process hollowing techniques to replace their memory contents with those of the malicious Delphi loader. The infection process uses components written in JavaScript, PowerShell, C#, .NET and Delphi, most of which are never written to disk and are executed or loaded directly in memory using different techniques. The attackers are also using numerous code obfuscation and encryption techniques to complicate detection. "A criminal, ultimately, is just trying to buy a few minutes-to-hours of time remaining undetected to permit the attack to proceed without interference from endpoint protection software," the Sophos researchers said. "Instead of actively attacking the endpoint tools, as some malware distributors do, the creators of Gootloader have traded the more aggressive approach for a technique thats closer to a massive setup of dominoes that conceal the end result." That said, there are multiple opportunities to detect and block the attack during the infection chain, starting with enabling Windows to show file extensions and teaching users not to execute .js files. Security solutions that detect malicious behavior rather than relying fully on file signatures can also catch some of the components at different stages, like the scheduled task or the unusual registry entries. Sophos has also published indicators of compromise on GitHub. London: British researchers say there is growing evidence that the full two courses of existing vaccines will clobber the more transmissible strains of COVID-19 a development that could help unlock international travel and help relieve millions of people from lockdowns. The emergence of strains in countries with major coronavirus outbreaks, including Britain, Brazil and South Africa, have led to further international travel restrictions and measures. Governments have feared the strains would be resistant to the vaccines that were designed before their discovery. This week the Australian government extended the international border closure by another three months, citing the more transmissible strains that had emerged overseas. A military medic prepares a dose of coronavirus vaccine in Leeds, England. Credit:AP Britain has also introduced hotel quarantine for travellers from countries where the strains are prevalent and stopped recreational international travel. Creating a warm and supportive culture which also prioritizes facts and numbers, produces excellence and an environment in which people strive to be the best. Eduardo Cervantes, CEO of Corsa Security, has been named 2020 CEO of the Year, USA by CEO Monthly. The magazine selected Cervantes because of his success in growing and scaling the firm, raising capital, and building a high-performing team of leaders and executives. This accolade affirms Eduardo Cervantes as an influential and experienced executive in cybersecurity. In December 2020, he was accepted into the Forbes Business Council, an invitation-only worldwide growth and networking organization for successful business owners and leaders. Since taking the position of CEO at Corsa Security, the firm has secured several rounds of funding, been selected as a 2020 Red Herring Top 100 North America, named a TAG Cyber Distinguished Vendor, and expanded its list of distributors and partners. Cervantes, an expert in cybersecurity cloud, and SaaS technologies, has also served on several boards of directors for security-related companies, as well as an advisor for VC and PE funds. CEO Monthly points out that Cervantes strength is taking small companies in promising markets with great ideas and facilitating their growth to quickly generate shareholder value. Just like he scaled companies, Clear Path Technologies, Password Bank and Panda Security, Cervantes aims to do the same at Corsa Security. He is leading the company to revolutionize network security by automating virtualization with a turnkey solution, which is scalable and easy to implement, while offering a pay-as-you-grow model for significantly lower TCO. When asked for one of his key strategies in building a successful company, Cervantes told CEO Monthly, I am constantly on the lookout for experienced top talent that can quickly make an impact on the organization. In the selection process, I look closely at the candidates ability to lead, to get things done, to communicate, and their ability to think strategically, analytically, and practically. Creating a warm and supportive culture which also prioritizes facts and numbers, produces excellence and an environment in which people strive to be the best. CEO Monthly aims to offer the very latest insight, interviews and profiles of chief executive officers from across the breadth of the global corporate landscape. You can read the CEO Monthly interview with Cervantes and a profile on Corsa Security here. About Corsa Security Corsa Security is the leader in scaling network security with the first turnkey network security virtualization platform that simplifies how large enterprises and service providers expand traffic inspection, increase threat protection and automate firewall virtualization, at much lower total cost of ownership (TCO). By tightly integrating virtualization with intelligent orchestration, Corsa Security streamlines deployment, management and migration of virtualized next generation firewalls (NGFW) for zero-touch network security operations. Customers subscribe to the Corsa Security services based on their current needs and then pay as they grow while never having to deal with the infrastructure. Learn how Corsa Security is revolutionizing network security at corsa.com. [March 03, 2021] Experience Matters: Insight School of Washington Now Accepting Enrollments for 2021-2022 School Year After an academic year like no other, Insight School of Washington (ISWA), a full-time online public-school academy serving students throughout the state, is welcoming students in grades 6-12 to enroll for the 2021-2022 school year, starting tomorrow. ISWA is a state leader in providing safe, alternative education options for secondary students, while giving your student a personalized experience and providing them with what they need to succeed. ISWA is tuition-free to all students who reside in Washington, staffed by state-licensed teachers, and is an authorized statewide online public-school program of the Quillayute Valley School District. They offer a personalized approach to learning, delivering rich, engaging curriculum designed to assist students who seek alternative pathways to education, or who need some time for educational recovery. "One of the biggest things this pandemic showed us is that students, and parents, need consistency in their education," said Cecily Keister, Head of School. "I'm proud that Insight Washington provides a safe place for students at all ability levels to learn and grow and we continue to provide excellnt technology, platforms, and student supports in the face of challenging times." While working towards their high school diplomas, ISWA students can participate in the Stride Career Prep program and discover exciting options for their future in a variety of career fields, including: Business and IT. Students choose online school for a variety of reasons including advanced learning, a bullying-free environment, and the ability to support extracurricular pursuits or medical needs. ISWA's online platform gives students the opportunity to pursue their academic goals in a supportive environment and at an appropriate pace for their learning style. ISWA is now accepting enrollments for the 2021-2022 school year. Families are encouraged to attend an online information session hosted by the school. More information, how to enroll, and a schedule of upcoming events can be found at https://wa.insightschools.net/. About Insight School of Washington Insight School of Washington (ISWA) is a full-time online public-school program of the Quillayute Valley School District serving Washington students in grades 6-12. As a public school, ISWA is tuition-free and provides families the choice to access the curriculum and tools provided by K12, a Stride Company (NYSE: LRN). Stride offers learners of all ages a more effective way to learn and build skills for their future. For more information about ISWA, visit http://wa.insightschools.net. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005002/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Cedric The Entertainer says Bill Cosby still deserves credit for his contribution to black history and culture, despite his status as a convicted sex offender. Cedric, 56, made the claim in an Instagram video shared last Friday, during which he honored Cosby as a part of Black History Month. 'Bill Cosby was one of the first black men we saw on TV that was truly his own boss,' Cedric wrote beneath a four minute video in which he honored the disgraced comedian. 'He taught us to know our worth in this business, he showed us how to give back to our communities and institutions, he was/ is prolific, funny and audacious.' He continued: 'Cosby ruled on damn near every platform. Thursday nights became must see TV because of him. Film, stage, books, animation, [and] recordings, all were places he reigned supreme. So he has to be shouted out, for his contribution to the Black History of Comedy. Show the legend some recognition!' Cedric clarified that 'the controversy of Cosby's current situation [ie. his criminal conviction] was 'not what his post was about'. Cedric The Entertainer says Bill Cosby still deserves credit for his contribution to black culture and the black community, despite his status as a convicted sex offender Cosby was widely credited as one of the most influential African American entertainers in US history. Between 1985 and 1989, his hit sitcom The Cosby Show was the most-watched program on US television, frequently drawing in upward of 35 million viewers. Cosby also appeared in numerous hit films, authored several best-selling books and released a range of stand-up comedy albums. However, his glittering career came to an end after 60 women accused Cosby of a range of offenses - including rape and drug-facilitated sexual assault - between the years 1965 and 2008. Most of those accusations were unable to be tried in court due to the statute of limitations. However, in 2018, Cosby was convicted on three counts of aggravated indecent assault and sentenced to between three and 10 years in prison. Institutions including Yale University and John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts rescinded honorary awards they had conferred to Cosby prior to his conviction. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences also expelled him from their organization. However, Cedric The Entertainer still believes that Cosby's crimes should not completely mitigate his achievements. Cosby was widely credited as one of the most influential African American entertainers in US history. Between 1985 and 1989, his hit sitcom The Cosby Show was the most-watched program on US television, frequently drawing in upwards of 35 million viewers. The cast is pictured Cosby also appeared in numerous hit films, authored several best-selling books and released a range of stand-up comedy albums. He is pictured in the early 1990s 'We all live a full life with a lot of good things and some bad things. You pay the cost for all of it,' Cedric stated in a video obtained by TMZ on Wednesday. 'If you get convicted, people wanna wipe out the [good] things that you did.' He continued: 'What I wanted to say was that for so many years of our lives Bill Cosby was the litmus.... Everything he did, the way he contributed and showed love to black people, the way he taught us how to do that for ourselves, the way we all learned to take pride in our culture and our history'. Cedric added that The Cosby Show was groundbreaking because it featured a black lawyer and a black doctor, and audiences had 'never seen those images' before. He also claimed Cosby helped pave the way for legendary black entertainers like Jay-Z and Tyler Perry who 'emulated' Cosby's media power. When asked whether Cosby could ever be forgiven for his crimes, Cedric stated: 'Redemption for certain crimes are going to be hard to come by. 'Abuse of the ladies, taking advantage of people that are unaware of their circumstance, I don't know how much redemption you deserve for that'. Cedric The Entertainer still believes that Cosby's crimes should not completely mitigate his achievements. He is pictured out in Los Angeles last week Cedric The Entertainer is no stranger to controversy. In 2017, he defended music mogul Russell Simmons after he was accused of rape. Simmons has vehemently denied all allegations and he has not been convicted. 'I hate to see a guy who worked so hard lose so much so quickly,' Cedric stated at the time in a video with TMZ. 'They're allegations and hopefully we can get to the truth'. Shares of erased early losses and jumped 9 per cent to hit a fresh 52-week high of Rs 81.75 on the BSE in Wednesday's intra-day trade after the firm said it has bagged four orders worth Rs 1,000 crore. The company, in an exchange filing, on Wednesday announced that it has received four letters of acceptance for four new projects. READ HERE Among the four orders that the company has won, one is from the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board under the Jal Jeevan Mission worth Rs 131.14 crore. It has bagged another order from the Highways Department as part of the Chennai-Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor Project which involves upgrading two stretches of the road at a total contract price of Rs 558.66 crore. The third order is from the Chennai Municipal Corporation's Storm Water Drain department. The order value for this project is Rs 187.14 crore. The last order is from the Water Resource Department, Tamil Nadu for the extension, renovation and modernisation of the Lower Bhavani Project main canal in Erode District worth Rs 123.07 crore. The company informed that as of now, its outstanding order book stands at Rs 3,200 crore. "These order books would result in improved financials of the company," it said. Following this development, shares of the firm wiped off early losses to trade in the green. At 11.10 am, the scrip was trading 5 per cent higher at Rs 78.30 as against a 1.01 per cent rise in the S&P BSE Sensex. This is the third consecutive day of gain for the stock of the firm. is a small-cap company operating in the construction sector. A US Navy destroyer on Monday docked in Port Sudan, on the African countrys Red Sea coast, as Washington looks to expand its ties with the post-revolutionary government in Khartoum. The USS Winston Churchill arrived in port just a day after a Russian frigate, the Admiral Grigorovich, docked nearby ahead of implementation of a recent deal that would allow Moscow to establish a naval base there, AFP reported. A pro-democracy uprising that ousted Sudans longtime dictator, Omar al-Bashir, in 2019 has provided the United States an opportunity to counter Russias attempts to expand its influence in Africa. Last month, the USNS Carson City, a transport ship, became the first US military vessel to dock in Sudan in decades. The stopovers follow a visit in which US Navy Rear Adm. Heidi Berg and Ambassador Andrew Young, AFRICOMs deputy to the commander for civil-military engagement, met with senior officials in Khartoum to discuss pathways for partnership. The United States removed Sudans government from its state sponsors of terrorism list last year after officials in Khartoum made steps toward establishing a democracy and agreed to normalize ties with Israel. The outgoing Trump administration offered significant debt relief and removal from the terror list to extract the latter concession. Meanwhile, Khartoum granted the Kremlin rights to establish a naval logistics center capable of housing nuclear-powered vessels at Flamingo Bay, just north of the eastern coastal city of Port Sudan. The 25-year lease is subject to renewal each subsequent decade. The Associated Press reported that Russia will provide Sudan with weapons and military equipment in exchange. Russia also maintains the right to transport weapons and ammunition to the base, which will be protected by Sudans armed forces. The agreement also allows Russias military to offer training and cooperative support to Khartoums military an influence-building tactic which US commanders have sought to parry with competing offers around the globe. Moscow's support for Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in his countrys brutal civil war allowed the Kremlin to keep its only Mediterranean naval base at Tartus and granted it an air base at Khmeimim. Khmeimim has enabled Russia to fly Wagner paramilitary fighters and weapons into Libya to aid strongman Khalifa Hifter in his war against the United Nations-backed government in Tripoli. The appearance of Russian radar systems in Libya in 2019 led AFRICOM commander Gen. Stephen Townsend to publicly express concern that permanent Russian air defenses in North Africa could inhibit NATOs access to its southern flank. The US military merged command of its army forces in Africa and Europe in November. The Pentagon in recent years has increasingly sought to refocus its priorities on contesting both Russia's and Chinas attempts to expand their influence abroad. East Africa has drawn increased strategic interest amid growing economic potential, as well as the ongoing war in Yemen and threats to maritime security in the Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf. The Soviet Union previously had military bases in Somalia and in Ethiopia. Talks about establishing a Russian military base in Djibouti fell through in 2014. Chinas first overseas military base is in Djibouti. Foreign Policy reported earlier this month that the Biden administration has considered creating a special envoy position for the Horn of Africa as US officials deliberated whether or not to return special operations troops to Somalia, where they have trained local forces in combat against al-Shabab extremists. A revamped Russian naval presence on the Red Sea could allow Moscow to exert pressure on the flow of goods from the Pacific to Europe and potentially on petroleum supplies from the Persian Gulf. Meanwhile, Moscow is rushing to complete a second pipeline to Germany that would bypass Ukraine and double Russia's natural gas export capacity to Europe. Eighteen companies have recently quit the Nord Stream 2 project amid the threat of US sanctions, the State Department informed Congress last week. 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. Photo: Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce Last week, actors Daniel Dae Kim and Daniel Wu announced that they were offering a $25,000 reward to anyone who could help identify the person who was caught on camera shoving a 91-year-old man in Oaklands Chinatown. The attack came amid a sudden and massive rise in the number of hate crimes against Asian Americans across the country, a phenomenon many activists argue is not getting as much media attention as it deserves. The skyrocketing number of hate crimes against Asian Americans continues to grow, despite our repeated pleas for help, Kim wrote. The crimes ignored and even excused. Remember Vincent Chin. The skyrocketing number of hate crimes against Asian Americans continues to grow, despite our repeated pleas for help. The crimes ignored and even excused. Remember Vincent Chin. #EnoughisEnough. @danielwuyanzu & I are offering a $25,000 reward.. https://t.co/ImXYhzNuRH Daniel Dae Kim (@danieldaekim) February 5, 2021 Oakland police later said they believed that the man in the video is Yahya Muslim, 28. Muslim was already in custody on an unrelated case when they identified him. After the news was made public, Kim tweeted that he and Wu would be donating the $25,000 reward to various groups that combat anti-Asian violence. Vincent Chin, whom Kim referenced in his tweet, was a major figure in the Asian American rights movement. In 1982, the 27-year-old Chinese American man was killed in a hate crime by two white autoworkers. Its because of you little mfs that were out of work, one of the attackers allegedly said. After his death, Chins killers, Ronald Ebens and Michael Nitz, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and were sentenced to three years probation and a $3,000 fine. Neither spent a day in jail. The verdict sparked national outrage. The Vincent Chin case forced Asian Americans into the civil-rights discourse. Roland Hwang, the co-founder and former president of American Citizens for Justice told NBC News. Until then, Hwang explained, the national discussion about race relations had centered on Black and white Americans. The Vincent Chin case, along with other cases, each serves as a wake-up call to address anti-Asian bias and racial intolerance. Now, nearly 40 years after Chins death, hate crimes against Asian Americans are on the rise in the U.S. As the Queens Chronicle noted back in September, NYPD data showed that there has been a 1,900 percent increase in anti-Asian hate crimes in New York City in the past year there were 20 incidents in the first half of 2020 alone, compared to 1 in the whole of 2019. An August 2020 U.N. report also found that there were more than 1,800 racist incidents against Asian Americans in the United States over an eight-week period from March to May 2020. And the violence has continued into 2021. As Amanda Nguyen, the civil-rights activist and co-founder of Rise, a sexual-assault-survivor advocacy organization, noted in an Instagram video over the weekend, the past few weeks alone have seen several violent attacks on Asian Americans across the country: An 84-year-old Thai American man, Vicha Ratanapakdee, was killed in an unprovoked attack in San Francisco; a 64-year-old Vietnamese American woman was assaulted in broad daylight in San Jose and robbed of $1,000 in cash she had taken out for the upcoming Lunar New Year celebration; and in New York, Noel Quintana, 61, a Filipino American, was slashed in the face with a box cutter while riding the subway. This may be the first time you are hearing about this violence if you are not following Asian American news because the mainstream media does not spotlight our stories, Nguyen wrote in the caption alongside her video. Racism kills. Many blame the Trump administration for inciting this violence; Trump and numerous other members of his White House staff embraced racist and xenophobic anti-Asian rhetoric early on in the pandemic, repeatedly referring to COVID-19 as the China virus and the Wuhan virus. In an October statement, Manjusha Kulkarni, executive director of the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council said: Our data and evidence of the real-life stories confirm that Asian Americans are facing increasing racist and xenophobic attacks, catalyzed by rhetoric from the president and other government leadership. The Biden administration has begun to take steps to attempt to reverse the hateful legacy of its predecessor. In January, the president signed an executive order denouncing the discrimination that has been directed at the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities during the pandemic. I think these are very promising, Kulkarni told NBC News about the actions laid out in the presidents directive. And I think its just the beginning. Theres a lot more work that needs to be done. This post has been updated. 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 EDWARDSVILLE A father and son both face felony charges after an incident in Bethalto on Feb. 27. Jerome L. Graves, 51, of Wood River, was charged March 1 with aggravated driving while under the influence, a Class 2 felony, and aggravated driving under the influence while license revoked/suspended and driving while license revoked, both Class 4 felonies. Jerome E. Graves, 27, of Hartford, was charged March 1 with domestic battery (second subsequent offense), a Class 2 felony. Both cases were presented by the Bethalto Police Department. According to court documents, on Feb. 27 the elder Graves allegedly was driving a 2005 Chrysler Town and Country while under the influence of alcohol, while having a revoked license for DUI. It was noted that he had a previous conviction for driving while license revoked. His son was charged after allegedly punching the father numerous times. The fathers bail was set at $50,000, while the sons bail was $15,000. Other felony charges filed March 1 by the Madison County States Attorneys Office include: Jonte D. Graham, 33, of Madison, was charged with aggravated domestic battery, a Class 2 felony; and aggravated battery, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. According to court documents, on Feb. 26 Graham allegedly strangled a pregnant household or family member, grabbed her by the wrists, ripped her dress and pushed her. Bail was set at $50,000. Clyde Heiple, 52, listed as homeless out of Alton, was charged with domestic battery, a Class 4 felony, and two counts of unlawful failure to register as a sex offender (second subsequent offense), both Class 2 felonies. The case was presented by the Alton Police Department. On Feb. 16 Heiple allegedly grabbed a household or family member by the neck. It was noted he had a conviction for violating an order of protection in 2018 out of Madison County, and had also failed to register as a sex offender. He also failed to register as a sex offender on Nov. 1, and had a previous conviction in 2012 out of Madison County. Bail was set at $50,000. Stanley E. Davis, 29, of Godfrey, was charged with unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, a Class 3 felony; and reckless discharge of a firearm, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Alton Police Department. On Feb. 26 Davis, who has a 2017 conviction for unlawful delivery of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a park out of Madison County, allegedly was found to be in possession of a Glock 48 9 mm handgun, and had discharged the gun in a reckless manner during an incident on Ida Street. Bail was set at $40,000. Rosalio Sanchez, 32, of Mesquite, Texas, was charged with aggravated battery, a Class 2 felony. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. On Feb. 26 Sanchez allegedly threw a milk container full of urine on a Madison County corrections officer. Bail was set at $50,000. Angel S. Cortez, 19, of Granite City, was charged with aggravated assault, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. On Feb. 27 Cortez allegedly was operating a motor vehicle when he attempted to sideswipe another vehicle. No bail was noted. Adam J. Miller, 30, of Alton, was charged with reckless discharge of a firearm. The case was presented by the Alton Police Department. On Feb. 27 Miller allegedly discharged a Glock 10 mm handgun in a reckless manner, endangering four juveniles. Bail was set at $25,000. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 20:57:40|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JERUSALEM, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Israel's rough diamond exports rose 21.9 percent in the first two months of 2021, compared to January-February 2020, according to a report issued by the state's Ministry of Economy and Industry on Wednesday. This is a sharp change in trend, which began in December 2020, after Israel's rough diamond exports fell last year due to the coronavirus crisis. Since the beginning of 2021, Israel's rough diamond exports have totaled 231.9 million U.S. dollars, compared to 190.3 million dollars in January-February 2020, the report said. The ministry explained the change in increased demands for inlaid jewelry in China and the U.S., and in exports to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) following the normalization agreement signed between Israel and the UAE in September 2020. Rough diamond exports to the UAE in Feb. accounted for about 16 percent of Israel's total rough diamond exports. Imports of rough diamonds to Israel increased by 33 percent in January-February this year to 269.5 million dollars, compared to 202.6 million dollars in those months in 2020. The report also shows that Israel's polished diamond exports decreased by 1.9 percent in January-February this year, from 598.6 million dollars to 587.1 million dollars. Polished diamond imports to Israel fell by 19.1 percent, from 462.7 million dollars to 374.1 million dollars. Enditem Members of the Pakistan Democratic Movement - the 11-party opposition alliance - on Wednesday celebrated former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's victory in the Senate polls, while the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has cried foul said it will challenge the results. The PDM scored a major victory over PTI as Gilani won the general seat from Islamabad, defeating the ruling party's Abdul Hafeez Shaikh. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari took to Twitter to celebrate Gilani's win, saying: "Democracy is the best revenge. Jeya Bhutto!" A few hours after polling ended, Bilawal alongside Gilani held a press conference in which both leaders hailed the latter's victory as "a win for democracy", reported Dawn. The PPP chairman thanked the PDM leadership and said that Gilani's win was a win for all democratic forces in Pakistan. "This puppet government has lost from its own parliament and the people of Pakistan have won." "My sincerest felicitations to Mr. Yousuf Raza Gilani on his glorious victory in the Senate elections," tweeted Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) founder Nawaz Sharif. PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz also tweeted her congratulations to Gilani and the PDM. She congratulated the Members of National Assembly (MNAs) of the PML-N for accepting PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif's stance and "refusing to bow down and sell out". "Well done PML-N! The future is yours," said Maryam. In another post, she claimed that "the fake mandate has been snatched back by the people's representatives". "Their own people, despite the pressure on them, refused to vote for [...] (Prime Minister) Imran Khan," she said, adding that the premier now had no right to occupy the Prime Minister House. "Vote chor (thief), leave the chair," she added. Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani also congratulated Bilawal on the "historical win" of Gilani and the PDM. Meanwhile, members of the government criticised the results and said that they would be investigated. Senator Faisal Javed termed the results as "horse trading at its peak". He said the result should be "investigated and justice must be served". Addressing a press conference, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz said the result of the election for the Islamabad seat was a "vindication of the stance that Prime Minister Imran Khan repeatedly talked about", Dawn reported. "You know the character of those who have won," said the information minister. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill also reiterated that the party "will challenge this result". The polling for 37 seats of Pakistan's Senate came to a close at 5 pm for a total of 78 candidates contesting from Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Islamabad. The polls were held after a long-drawn open ballot controversy that kept the ruling party and opposition in a war of words and a legal battle before the Supreme Court on Monday announced that the elections for the Upper House of the Parliament will be held through secret ballot, according to Article 226 of the Pakistan Constitution. (ANI) Also Read: Maryam Nawaz lashes out at Imran Khan over poll rigging: 'Why are you afraid of power of the vote' Locals and homeowners from an upmarket Sydney suburb have been left mystified by a vandal who is damaging and removing no stopping signs. A number of no parking signs on Darling St in Rozelle, in Sydney's inner-west, have been tampered with. Some have even been sliced in half using a grinder, in a move which has shocked the community. The identity of the culprit remains unknown, with many residents taking to a local Facebook community page in an attempt to unmask the brazen offender. Residents in Rozelle have been shocked after a vandal began repeatedly damaging stop signs on a busy street in Sydney's inner-west The identity of the vandal remains a mystery, with a number of locals shocked at the brazen criminal behaviour One person pointed out the damaging of the signs is a criminal offence and suggested contacting the police. 'This is the fourth time the signs have been cut away... police and (Inner West) Council should get involved,' the comment read. 'With a high school down the road and a very busy intersection nearby, this is very dangerous for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.' Another labelled the wilful damage to the parking signs a form of modern-day 'beheading.' 'Whoever is vandalising these signs is costing us (ratepayers) money to replace them,' they said. 'A couple of the signs have been clean cut halfway up. I wonder who is doing this and why?' A third person revealed no-parking signs have been ripped out and then dumped in nearby Memory Lane in Rozelle three times recently. 'I noticed that one of the signs had been attacked (with a grinder)... someone really wants to park in this spot,' they said. According to Australian law, maliciously damaging public property can result in a jail sentence of up to five years. Daily Mail Australia contacted Inner West Council for comment, with officers from the Leichhardt Police Area Command recommending residents file a report if they have any information about the matter. They can also call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. British insurer Hiscox reported a big loss for 2020 after a jump in claims from businesses disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and also faces brand damage from a legal dispute over policy wordings for pandemic-linked claims. Hiscox shares plunged 13% to the bottom of the UK mid-cap index by 0923 GMT. The company lost a high-profile court case in January over the policy wordings and has reserved $475 million for pandemic-linked claims. Event cancellation and abandonment is expected to account for the biggest share of claims, followed by business interruption, the company said. In the court case, Hiscox and other insurers had argued many business interruption policies did not cover disruptions caused by government measures to curb the virus. Hiscox has undoubtedly suffered some brand damage this year, the company said. The insurer, which raised its estimate for business interruption claims by $48 million to nearly $190 million after the verdict, said it was now paying covered claims as quickly as possible. Chief Executive Bronek Masojada told Reuters that Hiscox had paid claims running well into the millions so far. Regret Anguish We clearly regret the uncertainty and anguish that the dispute has caused to our customers, the company said, adding that it was addressing issues related to clarity of policy wordings. The customisation of policies has to be restricted to ensure that there is not a long tail of wordings serving very small numbers of customers. For 2020, Hiscox reported a pre-tax loss of $268.5 million versus a profit of $53.1 million a year earlier. The company said it would have made a profit of $207 million without the pandemic. The company, which did not pay a 2019 final or 2020 interim dividend, said it had decided not to pay a final dividend for the year. Overall we believe that the recovery at Hiscox is going to take a bit longer, JP Morgan analysts wrote in a note as they kept their neutral rating on the stock. Hiscox said it planned to reshape its broker channel book by exiting liability business for customers with revenues over $100 million, while also altering its cyber book to respond to adverse ransomware trends. It said the changes would lead to a one-time $200 million reduction in Hiscox Retail premiums. Hiscox also said it was committed to reduce and eliminate by 2030 its exposure to coal-fired power plants and coal mines, as well as cutting its exposure to companies involved in producing landmines. Houston-area Catholic leaders said Tuesday that the new Johnson & Johnson vaccine is morally compromised because it involved the use of abortion-derived cells in its development. But, they said, Catholics should still get it if it is the only option available. According to Catholic moral teaching, it is permissible to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine when it is the only vaccine available in a given place, the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston said in a statement. Where there is an option, Catholics should choose the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines over the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. MORE COVID NEWS: Harris County sees doubling in COVID vaccine demand after Abbott's rollback The decision to receive a vaccination for COVID-19 is one of personal conscience, the archdiocese added. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops released similar guidance earlier in the week. Leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention, the nations second-largest faith group, echo the Catholic churchs stance on the new vaccine, which was OKd for emergency use by federal regulators last week. We should oppose authorizing or funding research rooted in the taking of innocent human life, Russell Moore, head of the SBCs public policy arm, said in an email Wednesday. That does not mean, though, that people must shun medical treatments that can save lives because they were discovered through means of which we would not necessarily approve. Taking a medication discovered through unethical means does not render the person receiving the treatment as culpable in the ethics of the research itself. Moore added that people should not violate their consciences, and noted there are other vaccines available. He also published a lengthy blog post on Wednesday in which he expanded on the use of cell lines in the three vaccines that have been approved for emergency use. It is important to note that although the cell lines potentially originated from abortions, no cells remain from the original fetal tissue in these cloned cells, and the cell lines no longer contain fetal tissue or body parts, wrote Moore, president of the SBCs Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. Last week, the New Orleans Archdiocese urged Catholics to opt for vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna rather than the new, one-shot vaccine from Johnson & Johnson. On HoustonChronicle.com: Everything you need to know about getting your COVID vaccine in Houston The Vatican has previously said it is morally acceptable for Catholics to receive any COVID-19 vaccine, including those in which cells derived from aborted fetuses were utilized. Since last year, many clergy have been actively advocating for vaccinations and other COVID-19 precautions, believing that the trust they generally enjoy with their congregations and the broader community will help convince potentially apprehensive people. A November survey by Pew Research showed half of white evangelicals and 59 percent of Black Protestants said they definitely or probably would not get a vaccine. Roughly one-third of Catholics and white nonevangelicals said the same. Local United Methodist leaders, for example, have continued to promote vaccines in videos aimed at minority communities that have been hardest hit by the pandemic, and which may be suspicious of vaccines because of historic abuse and exploitation under the guise of government healthcare initiatives. Theyve also spoken to the need for social distancing and masking including in the wake of Gov. Greg Abbotts Tuesday announcement that hed roll back the states mask mandate and other precautions. In a statement Wednesday, the regions top Methodist official, Bishop Scott Jones, advised churches and congregants to continue social distancing and wearing masks for the love of Christ and others. The pandemic is not over, Jones said. This is not a political decision, but one based on science which guides of love of God and neighbor. robert.downen@chron.com In his quest to track down the last of Afghanistan's antique rugs, Chari Allahqul has weathered high-country blizzards, suffered beatings from armed robbers, and skirted fighting with insurgents. Often on horseback with donkeys in tow, he travels deep into the jagged badlands of northern Afghanistan searching for hand-woven carpets made by the country's nomadic tribes. "The roads are dangerous, full of wolves and full of enemies. We have to spend nights in the forests or in the desert," explained Allahqul, who travels with a hardy Afghan sheepdog to keep him safe while he sleeps. Rug hunters can spend weeks -- if not months -- passing through villages like sleuths along old caravan trails, offering cash or bartering with modern goods to amass a diverse selection of pieces they can later peddle in rug bazaars or to collectors. But the journeys are often full of peril. Allahqul, who began carpet hunting as a child, said he was once clubbed with a Kalashnikov by bandits who passed over his carefully collected rugs while looking for cash, dismissing his wares as aging junk. "They said, 'these rugs are old rugs and throw them away'," he recalled with a grin, while admitting it took over two weeks to recover from the thrashing. Dangers are nothing new to the job, according to Allahqul, who remembers his father telling the story of a friend who was eaten alive by wolves after being stranded in a snowstorm during a rug expedition decades ago. "The only thing they found were his shoes and the rugs," he shrugged. - Hand crafted antiques - Afghanistan's carpet belt stretches west like a boomerang from northern Kunduz province along the Uzbek and Turkmenistani borders and down across the frontier with Iran. It is home to a smattering of nomadic groups who have specialised in making rugs for centuries. Going door-to-door in rural villages working off tips from local contacts, Allahqul bargains over what were once dowry gifts -- handcrafted rugs made by a young bride's family to adorn her new home. Story continues The most sought after carpets are often decades old, embellished with tribal patterns, woven from handspun wool and made with dyes concocted from local ingredients such as roots, herbs and flower petals. Once happy with their bounty, rug hunters head back to their homes where the carpets are washed and then dried on roofs for months, allowing the sun to bring out the colours. The rugs are then taken to cities like Kabul, where delicate repairs are made before they are sold. "Fixing or selling a carpet is like bringing up a child. It takes a lot of hard work," said Allahqul. A single carpet can take anywhere from six months to two years to make and can fetch thousands of dollars on the international market if it earns a place in the showrooms of premier rug dealers. Abdul Wahab, one of Kabul's top tribal carpet collectors, said his inventory has been amassed piece-by-piece from a network of rug hunters like Allahqul. "We rely 99.9 percent on those people," he explained. "I love my carpets. I buy them one by one, not just for the sake of selling them." - Fakes and imitations - But decades of conflict, displacement and urbanisation has forever changed the trade. Nomadic tribes have largely settled and abandoned their family-run looms, according to the rug sellers in Kabul's carpet bazaars. Imported wool and synthetic dyes, along with the proliferation of commercial workshops across the region, have flooded the market with cheaper rugs that can be produced en masse. "It's a very sad thing," sighed Wahab. "Wool from Belgium, dyes from another country... Nothing is Afghan at all." Fakes and cheap imitations are rife, he complained, making the selling of a more expensive antique to a less discerning customer all the more difficult. Unscrupulous carpet dealers have also been known to fabricate the faded patina seen on antiques, relying on chemical treatments, tea washing, and occasionally driving over new rugs with cars to give them a worn veneer -- and a higher price. Experienced rug sellers say only careful inspection with a seasoned eye and delicate touch can reveal the true value of a rug. "The dyes, the design, the condition, the age, the shape -- everything together gives value to the piece," said Wahid Abdullah, owner of Herat Carpets in Kabul. - 'It's all art' - Some rugs may not even be top quality, Abdullah said, but the uniqueness of the design or some other striking characteristic -- even a flaw intentionally woven into a pattern -- can distinguish them from modern, mass produced carpets. "It's all art. It's difficult to explain," he added. But the rug hunters combing Afghanistan's carpet heartlands complain that antique pieces are now increasingly difficult to find. The roads have also become more dangerous with international troops withdrawing from Afghanistan while lawlessness and the Taliban's influence grows. "The factory made rugs have hurt the hand-woven rug industry," Zalmai Ahmadi, a carpet hunter from western Afghanistan's Herat, told AFP. "The journeys are very, very difficult and we come across the Taliban, government forces, and thieves -- either they ask for money or you get killed." During two recent outings Ahmadi was only able to snag a couple rugs, compared to the dozens of pieces he could have easily collected a few years ago. "Whatever we wanted, we could get," he said. "But now we can't find them." mam-ds/ecl/gle John Howard says employers should have the power to ban staff from the workplace if they refuse to get a Covid-19 vaccination. Australia's second longest Prime Minister, now 81, said freedom of choice should extend to both workers and bosses. 'People are free, if they choose not to be vaccinated, but equally an employer in my opinion is free to say, "Well, I want all of my workforce vaccinated",' he told Sky News presenter Alan Jones. Mr Howard said no Australian, however, should be forced to get a coronavirus vaccination. Scroll down for video Former prime minister John Howard has declared employers should be able to ban staff from the workplace if they refused to get a Covid vaccination 'This is a matter for individuals. I support vaccination, fully,' he said. 'I don't have a lot of patience for anti-vaxxers but if people consciously object to something, within the limits of what is consistent with the right of others, they should be able to have that choice.' Prime Minister Scott Morrison in January said Covid-19 vaccines, for now, would not be compulsory for aged care workers, who are among the first to be administered the Pfizer vaccine. The flu vaccine is mandatory for aged care workers and visitors to nursing homes and Mr Morrison has flagged the possibility of applying that policy to the coronavirus vaccine. On industrial relations, Mr Howard admitted his controversial WorkChoices laws were unpopular with voters but denied they alone had cost him the November 2007 election, which saw Labor under Kevin Rudd end almost 12 years of Coalition rule. 'I think it was one of the things that hurt us, I don't think it's the main reason we lost in 2007,' he said. Mr Howard said no Australian, however, should be forced to get a coronavirus vaccination. Only the flu vaccine is mandatory for aged care workers. Pictured is infectious diseases expert Krispin Hajkowicz being vaccinated in Brisbane 'We lost in 2007 because people thought it was safe after a long period of one government, safe to make a change.' Mr Howard lost his own northern Sydney seat of Bennelong, after 33 years as the local member, to Labor's Maxine McKew, a former ABC TV presenter. Labor had promised to introduce an emissions trading scheme to sign up to climate targets which the Howard government had refused to do. 'The economy was going so well that a lot of people said, "You can take a risk with this other mob, they're saying nice things about the Kyoto protocol, they're saying nice things about this, that and the other and Mr Rudd seems a nice man",' Mr Howard said. Sky News presenter Alan Jones, a former Liberal candidate and prime ministerial speechwriter, ended the 18-minute interview with gushing praise Tuesday marked the 25th anniversary of Mr Howard's landslide election win, which ended 13 years of Labor rule. Jones, a former Liberal candidate and prime ministerial speechwriter, ended the 18-minute interview with gushing praise. 'I hope you feel a deep sense of pride as well as satisfaction with what you've achieved for Australia,' he said. 'It's always wonderful to talk to you and I want you to know that Australians love you and love hearing from you.' Lengthy Process Ahead in Effort to Oust Newsom, Recall Official Says The campaign to recall California Gov. Gavin Newsom is approaching its deadline to submit the number of signatures required to trigger an election. But even if it does, the work wont stop there, said a Recall Newsom official. The campaign has until March 10 to gather signatures, and until March 17 to turn the signed petitions into each countys Registrar of Voters Office. After all the signatures are submitted, theres a long process that must happen before a recall election is scheduled, said Anne Hyde Dunsmore, campaign manager for Rescue California, a group behind the recall effort. When final signatures are submitted, registrars have 30 days to notify the secretary of states office about the total number of signatures submitted and validated. This will happen April 29, Dunsmore said. Once the secretary of state is notified, things become more complicated, Dunsmore said, since its up to state legislatures to determine when other recall-related events will occur. Also, after April 29, there will be a 30-day period where voters will have the option to withdraw their signature. Now thats a fairly expensive process when you want to remove [signatures], Dunsmore said. Its one thing if you want to do it in a state Senate recall, its another thing if you want to do it on something where theres millions of signatures involved. We do not believe that they are going to engage in a big effort to get people to withdraw their signatures. Volunteers sort recall mail, hoping to oust California Gov. Gavin Newsom, at Capital Campaigns Inc. in Newport Beach, Calif., on Jan 4, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Next Steps After voters are given an option to withdraw their signatures, county elections officials will report the number of signatures withdrawn to the secretary of state, who will then determine if there are still enough signatures collected. The Department of Finance will be notified if there are. Were estimating that by sometime at the end of June, might be as late as mid-July, they will have to call an election for 120 to 180 business days from that point then youre looking at an election that will probably be sometime mid-September, as late as October, [or even] as early as August, Dunsmore said. Officials could try to hold a special election during a time that best suits their interests, Dunsmore said. They may look at it and decide that [Newsom] does more damage to himself and that prolonging the election doesnt make any sense and they dont want [other candidates] to raise their name ID, she said. They may decide to string it out, they may decide to make it sooner rather than later. Fact of the matter is that the people dont decide that. The supermajority of both houses and the governors office and all the Democrats in statewide office get to decide that interest. A man looks at items on a table calling for the recall of Gov. Gavin Newsom outside the Pineapple Hill Saloon & Grill in Sherman Oaks, Calif., on Jan. 7, 2021. (Jamie Joseph/The Epoch Times) Candidates in the special election can file to run 60 to 80 days before the election. It might be a smart move for Newsom to call the elections sooner rather than later, Dunsmore said, because it would allow candidates less time to raise money that will be used against him. Dunsmore said that the circumstances of counting ballots are different than a typical election. Unlike regular elections, we dont get to watch them count, she said. Some counties may let us watch them count, but its not mandated like it is on a regular election. So we dont know who theyre throwing out or why. We cant challenge it. Theres no such thing as a recount on a recall. These factors could make the election susceptible to games, said Dunsmore. She added that turning over more than the required number of signatures will take care of a lot of those shenanigans. I believe that our results will be indisputable, and I think they will reflect how people and the voters feel, and the shenanigans wont, Dunsmore said. The shenanigans are further going to inflame the upset that the voters are already feeling. If [Newsom] doesnt handle it properly and doesnt instruct his legislators and his statewide officials, his director of finance and so forth, to do what they can to support the people as well to have a special election, he will stand to lose for that. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The number of borough residents vaccinated against the coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to climb with 20% of residents either fully or partially vaccinated, according to city data. That is up from about 15% of borough residents that had been vaccinated a week and a half ago. Staten Island is tied with Manhattan, where 20% of residents have also been either partially or fully vaccinated. In second is Queens with 15%, followed by the Bronx with 14% and Brooklyn with 12%. Nine percent of Staten Island residents have been partially vaccinated and 11% have been fully vaccinated, the data shows. It does not specify which vaccine either Moderna or Pfizer was used. In total, 73,911 Staten Islanders have rolled up their sleeves as of March 2, the citys data shows. As of Tuesday, there were 173 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus reported on Staten Island over the past 24 hours, city Health Department data shows. To date, 1,580 borough residents are believed to have died from complications related to the coronavirus, according to the most recent data available. Also, as of Tuesday afternoon, 48,678 confirmed coronavirus cases have been recorded here since March 2020. That figure had been 48,505 on Monday. Of the boroughs 12 ZIP codes, 10306 encompassing Lighthouse Hill, Oakwood, New Dorp and Midland Beach and 10310 encompassing Port Richmond, Randall Manor and West Brighton both have the highest rates of vaccination at 22% either partially or fully vaccinated. In 10306, the 22% represents 9,418 people and in 10310 the 22% represents 3,794 people. Mariners Harbor, Graniteville and Port Ivory in the 10303 zip code has the lowest total vaccination rate at 13%, or 2,565 people, the data shows. In this area, one out of every 10 residents contracted COVID-19. There were 2,487 total cases and one out of every 420 people died from the virus. The coronavirus has disproportionately affected Black and Latino people in New York City, data has shown, highlighting racial inequities in health care that contribute to increased underlying conditions in those populations. Four zip codes 10304, 10305, 10308, and 10309 which include sections of New Dorp, Todt Hill, Arrochar, Midland Beach, Charleston, Princes Bay and Great Kills have 19% of their residents partially or fully vaccinated. Tottenville isnt far behind -- 18% of its 11,247 residents have been vaccinated. Annadale, Rosseville, Bloomfield, Silver Lake and St. George all have 21% of its residents vaccinated out of a total of 153,088 residents. Additionally, 15% of Elm Park residents in the 10302 ZIP code have been vaccinated. FOLLOW KRISTIN F. DALTON ON TWITTER. HOUSTON, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sewa International raised over $60,000 for Uttarakhand relief efforts while its volunteers continue to serve the victims of the massive flash floods caused by the Glacier Burst on February 7. The floods have claimed 60 lives and affected more than 200 families so far. Sewa volunteers preparing meals near a relief site Sewa volunteers from the medical team checking the health of an elderly woman The search and rescue operations have continued but hopes of recovering people alive from the flooded sites are receding fast. Government officials of the Indian state announced recently that 136 of the missing people will be declared dead. The sudden surge of water in the rivers Alaknanda and Dhauliganga severely damaged 12 villages on their banks and washed away homes, temples, and animals within a span of a couple of hours. The first alert about the disaster came from Sewa's volunteer Manvar Rawat's live video from Tapovan, a village damaged by the floods. His video, shared within half-hour of the glacier burst, has been watched by more than 3.7 million people and most national and international media agencies have used the same video in their news coverage. Sewa has been conducting many development projects for farmers, women, and children for the last few years in Chamoli District where the ruined villages are located. Currently, over 150 of its volunteers are on the ground serving meals to the needy, assisting rescue operations, arranging health checkups, and giving a helping hand to families that lost their loved ones and livelihood. A community kitchen operated by Sewa is serving meals to about 300 people a day. Over 350 blankets and 300 grocery kits have been distributed so far and homestay/shelter has been arranged for the needy. Sewa volunteers are also conducting a survey in flood-affected villages to find out the needs of the people. Rebuilding Plan Sewa volunteers have prepared a three-year relief and rebuilding plan with an estimated budget of over $300,000. This plan includes trauma counseling, environmental rehabilitation, and skill development. Commissioning a medical van, supporting community farming, and providing seed money to an estimated 300 people to start their business are part of the plan. Hundreds of trees were uprooted by the floods, and Sewa International wants to plant about 5,000 saplings and care for them until they grow and work as natural shields to prevent future avalanches and landslides. About Sewa International Sewa International, https://sewausa.org/, a leading Hindu faith-based nonprofit organization, has extensive experience in disaster rescue, relief, and rehabilitation operations having responded to 24 disasters in the US and abroad. CONTACT: Vidyasagar Tontalapur 1 - 720-526-9939 Viswanath Koppaka 1- 404-304-0563 Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.sewausa.org SOURCE Sewa International Highlights PUBG: New State website has a Hindi version that is hidden for now. This may mean the upcoming battle royale game may be released in India. Previously, Krafton had seemingly said PUBG: New State release in India is not in the pipeline yet. PUBG: New State is buzzing right now. It is the upcoming mobile title from the makers of Playerunknown's Battlegrounds set in the year 2051 with futuristic maps and gadgets. But while the rest of the world is excited about it, those in India have had almost no reasons to rejoice. That is because of the ban on PUBG Mobile that was imposed last year. Even Krafton, the company behind the PUBG IP, apparently said that the launch of PUBG: New State for India is not in the pipeline yet as the entire focus is on the Indian version of PUBG Mobile. But there might be something cooking. The code of the PUBG: New State website has a folder that shows there will likely be a Hindi version. The website of PUBG: New State - newstate.pubg.com - has a directory under assets marked "hi.js". This is essentially a javascript for the Hindi version of the website. Inspecting this folder reveals a full-fledged Hindi counterpart of the English website of PUBG: New State where each and every title, phrase, and text is translated into Hindi. There is the mention of the privacy policy, launch offers, and the features of PUBG: New State all in the Hindi language. But, surprisingly, Hindi is not listed as an available language on the front-end website, meaning it is not activated yet. The Hindi version was first spotted by Gemwire.gg and India Today Tech was able to independently verify it. It is plausible to think the Hindi version of PUBG: New State is meant for India. The maximum number of Hindi-language speakers reside in India, although the Devnagri script, which the website seems to be written in, is also what forms the Nepali language. It is just speculation because the folder on the website is named "hi" - an abbreviation for Hindi. But despite having the Hindi version, PUBG: New State is not accessible in Hindi and that is largely because of the deadlock between PUBG Corporation and the Indian government. The latter has not specified if it has plans to lift the ban or allow the launch of the Indian version of PUBG Mobile called PUBG Mobile India that is heavily censored. Although, the government thinks PUBG is an example of a violent and addictive game. PUBG Corporation's parent company Krafton was recently quoted as saying, "We are not planning to launch New State in India yet." According to a report by a South Korean website The Guru, Krafton wants to focus on the launch of PUBG Mobile India first. "It is true that India has been excluded from the pre-registration of New State," the company told the publication. But these statements also suggest, at the same time, Krafton may consider releasing PUBG: New State in India in the future. It is just the company is unsure about it, thanks to the Indian government's directive. On Sunday night, President Joe Biden issued a video statement fully backing the efforts of the Retail, Wholesale, Department Store Union (RWDSU) to unionize workers at Amazons Bessemer, Alabama warehouse. Nearly 6,000 workers at the facility, which is located just outside of Birmingham, are currently voting on whether to join the RWDSU. Biden clearly called on workers in Alabama to vote yes on the union drive, for which balloting concludes on March 29. The National Labor Relations Act didnt just say unions are allowed to exist, he said. It said we should encourage unions. Biden speaks at The Queen Theater, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021, in Wilmington, Del. [Credit: AP Photo/Matt Slocum] He continued, Today and over the next few days and weeks workers in Alabama and all across America are voting on whether to organize a union in their workplace. This is vitally importanta vitally important choiceas America grapples with the deadly pandemic, the economic crisis, and the reckoning of racewhat it reveals about the deep disparities that still exist in our country. Bidens intervention is historically unprecedented. After President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the National Labor Relations Act into law in 1935, the leaders of the newly organized industrial unions declared that The president wants you to join a union. But FDR never actually said that. In this case, Biden gave no indication of impartiality, all but calling on workers to vote the union in and accusing Amazon of intimidation. Biden is putting the entire prestige of the White House behind the vote. He would not have done this unless he felt that the direct support of his administration was both necessary to ensure a yes vote in Bessemer and strategically important. The very fact that Biden has intervened so forcefully exposes the claims that what is involved in the unionization campaign at Amazon has anything to do with the interests of Amazon workers. Bidens entire career in the Senate, from 1973 to 2009, coincides with the abandonment by the Democratic Party of any program of social reform and its accommodation to Reaganomics. Long known as Delawares senator from DuPont, Biden served on committees that were most sensitive to the interests of the ruling class, including the Judiciary Committee and the Foreign Relations Committee. He supported the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act in 1999, a milestone in the deregulation of the banks, and other right-wing measures. After nearly four decades in the Senate, Biden became Obamas vice president, helping to oversee the massive bailout of Wall Street following the 2008 financial crisis and the subsequent restructuring of class relations to benefit the rich. That included the bailout of General Motors and Chrysler, based on a 50 percent cut in the pay of all newly hired autoworkers. In the 2020 elections, Biden won the Democratic Party nomination for president through the intervention of the party leadership on the basis of an explicit repudiation of any program of social reform. Biden was promoted as the right-wing alternative to Bernie Sanders. Bidens aggressive intervention on behalf of the unionization campaign at Amazon can only be interpreted as a strategic, and not merely tactical decision by a significant faction of the ruling class. What are the considerations motivating this policy? First, the ruling class confronts an unprecedented crisis, which has been enormously intensified by the pandemic. As a result of the refusal of the ruling class to take the necessary measures to save lives, nearly 530,000 people have died from COVID-19 over the past year. The impact of mass death, combined with the disastrous social and economic situation, is having a profoundly radicalizing impact on the consciousness of workers and youth. Trump has responded to this situation with the promotion of fascistic organizations that will be used as a spearhead against working class unrest. The Democrats are attempting to smother social opposition by utilizing the unions. This is combined with their relentless efforts to divide workers against each other through the promotion of the politics of racial and gender identity. Significantly, Biden framed his intervention at Amazon in racial terms, presenting unions as instruments for defending especially Black and Brown workers. Second, the international situation is no less concerning to the ruling class, which is determined to maintain its global hegemonic position through the use of military force. The Biden administration is carrying out an increasingly confrontational policy toward Russia and, in particular, China. The logic of this policy leads to war. In the event of a major great power conflict, the pro-capitalist unions will be critical in promoting national chauvinism and suppressing the class struggle. War abroad requires a disciplined labor movement at home. Bidens intervention at Amazon is part of a broader strategy of promoting the unions and integrating them ever more directly into the state apparatus and corporate management. Prior to his inauguration in January, Biden pledged that he would be the most pro-union president ever. In mid-November, shortly after the 2020 elections, Biden held a meeting with the leaders of all the major unions, including AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, along with corporate executives from General Motors, Microsoft, Target and other companies. Biden reportedly told the meeting that he is a union guy, but insisted thats not anti-business. He added that were in a pretty dark hole right now, but we [that is, the union executives, the corporate CEOs and the incoming Biden administration] all agree on common goals. The strategy Biden is pursuing is known as corporatismthat is, the integration of the government with the corporations and the unions on the basis of a defense of the capitalist system. In 1938, Trotsky drew attention to this tendency when he wrote, in the founding document of the Fourth International, In periods of acute class struggle, the leading bodies of the trade unions aim to become masters of the mass movement in order to render it harmless In time of war or revolution, when the bourgeoisie is plunged into exceptional difficulties, trade union leaders usually become bourgeois ministers. Trotsky was writing at a time when workers in newly established industrial unions were engaged in insurrectionary struggles against the ruling class, including the mass sit-down strikes of autoworkers in the US. It has been decades since the AFL-CIO was associated in any way with the defense of workers interests against the corporations and the ruling class. Since the isolation and defeat of the PATCO air traffic controllers strike in 1981, the trade union movement has been completely integrated into the structures of corporate management. During the 1980s, the unions played a critical role in isolating and suppressing opposition to the ruling class counter-offensive spearheaded by the Reagan administration. With the assistance of the unions, strike activity was almost entirely suppressed in the 1990s and the first decades of the 21st century, facilitating an increase in social inequality to levels not seen since the 1920s. In 2018, during oral arguments before the Supreme Court in the case of Janus vs. AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees), a lawyer for AFSCME summed up the role of the unions by saying that the agency feethe requirement that public service employees in some states pay the equivalent of dues even if they opt out of joining a unionis the tradeoff for no strikes. Without maintaining the financial security of the unions, he warned, you can raise an untold specter of labor unrest throughout the country. The corporatist organizations like the AFL-CIO are still called unions, but their actual practice and role bear no relationship to the function traditionally associated with the term union. They are not workers organizations, but instruments of management and the state. The ruling class, however, is extremely concerned with and sensitive to the growth of opposition in the working class, which has been concretized in the movement for rank-and-file committees, including among Amazon workers, which has been spearheaded by the Socialist Equality Party and the World Socialist Web Site. The ruling class is, moreover, aware of the ability of workers in the US and internationally to utilize social media and other forms of communication to share information and organize outside of the control of the corporatist unions. There is particular concern over the political radicalization of Amazon workers, who have become even more critical to the overall process of capitalist exploitation since the onset of the pandemic. The worlds fifth largest employer added 427,000 jobs in 2020, bringing its total to 1.3 million employees worldwide, including half a million in the US. The promotion of the unions is aimed at countering the expanding movement of rank-and-file workers. It is aimed at subordinating workers to the array of laws that come into effect when the unions are established as the sole legitimate representative of the workers. In return, the union executives will be given access to the union dues that come from the institutionalization of these organizations in broader sections of industry. The combination of aggressive backing by the government and anger and opposition among Amazon workers could produce a victory for the union drive in Bessemer. Whatever the outcome of the vote, the fight to establish and build rank-and-file committees must be developed and expanded. Workers cannot allow themselves to be disciplined by the pro-capitalist and pro-imperialist trade union apparatus. This must be combined with a new political strategy to mobilize the working class in the US and internationally in the fight for socialist policies, including the expropriation of pandemic profiteers like Amazon owner Jeff Bezos and the transformation of Amazon and other logistics companies into public utilities, democratically controlled and collectively owned by the working class. At its most fundamental level, the promotion of the unions by the ruling class is aimed at quarantining workers from socialism. The overriding fear of the ruling class is that the objective radicalization of the working class, intensified by the pandemic, will acquire a socialist leadership and political program. It is this fear that is behind Bidens extraordinary intervention at Amazon. Since March 1, Ukraine has resumed the export of electricity from the Burshtyn TPP island to the European power system ENTSO-E, according to data on the ENTSO-E platform. According to the operational data of NPC Ukrenergo, as of 18:45 Tuesday, electricity exports to Hungary were at the level of 486 MW, Poland 210 MW, Romania 93 MW; and the total volume was 789 MW. At the same time, electricity to Ukraine was imported from Slovakia at the level of 188 MW, Hungary 160 MW, Romania 62 MW; with a total volume of 410 MW. The import of electricity to the Integrated Power System of Ukraine (IPS) from Belarus also remained at the level of 100 MW. According to market participants, the resumption of electricity exports to Europe became possible after a decrease in electricity consumption in Ukraine as a result of warm weather, as well as an increase in the load on nuclear power plants, which now operate in the amount of 12 power units out of 15. "In the winter period of the shortage, three units at Burshtyn TPP instead of export were supplying power to Ukraine, the rest of the units met the conditions of ENTSO-E capacity order, and also provided the consumers of the island itself," First Deputy Chairman of the Ukrainian Energy Assembly Yuriy Sakva told Interfax-Ukraine. According to the data of SOE Market Operator, as of March 2, the price of electricity on the day-ahead market (DAM) in the Burshtyn TPP island in the database was EUR 46.49 per MWh, while in Romania it was EUR 48.29, in Hungary EUR 53.19 and Poland EUR 62.30 per MWh. WASHINGTON - The Senate Foreign Relations Committee grilled President Joe Biden's nominee for the No. 2 position at the State Department on Wednesday, homing in on her role as the chief negotiator for the 2015 Iran nuclear deal during the Obama administration. The nominee for deputy secretary of state, Wendy Sherman, faces a difficult confirmation process as Republicans and some Democrats raise concerns about the Biden administration's promise to reenter the deal, even as some groups say the White House is moving too slowly on restoring an agreement that President Donald Trump abandoned. The debate comes as the Biden administration's diplomacy on Iran has stalled. The European Union has proposed a meeting with the Iran deal's original participants, but Tehran has balked at the idea because of Biden's decision to maintain Trump's "maximum pressure" sanctions. Meanwhile, U.S. personnel in Iraq have continued to come under rocket fire by militia groups, some of which have ties to Iran. Sherman sought to placate hawkish lawmakers by vowing to seek a new agreement with Iran that lengthens and strengthens the accord, and by sparsely defending the original deal. "I remain clear-eyed about the threat that Iran poses to our interests and those of our allies," Sherman said. "I would note that 2021 is not 2015, when the deal was agreed, nor 2016, when it was implemented. The facts on the ground have changed, the geopolitics of the region have changed, and the way forward must similarly change." The top Republican on the committee, Sen. James Risch of Idaho, said "rejoining the old nuclear accord is a nonstarter" and told her that he was deeply disappointed in "your performance" in negotiating the deal. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., questioned Sherman on contact she had with Iranian officials during the Trump administration. Sherman noted that she met with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and other Iranian officials on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference and had urged Iran not to violate the nuclear deal. She said she coordinated those conversations with the Trump administration's undersecretary of state for political affairs. In 2015, Iran sharply curtailed its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief from the world powers that forged the deal: the United States, Russia, China, France, Germany and Britain. The International Atomic Energy Agency has said Iran maintained those constraints until the Trump administration pulled out of the deal in 2018. The decision by Sherman and other Biden officials to pledge to get a better deal, rather than defend the Obama accord on its own merits, has frustrated some on the left. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said that by seeking to expand the deal rather than restore the agreement, "I worry we may be setting ourselves up for failure." Liberal groups echoed that sentiment in a letter addressed to Biden on Wednesday, demanding that he follow through on his promise to "quickly" rejoin the deal and end the Trump-era policies of economic sanctions. "The longer the elements of 'maximum pressure' remain in effect, the more it will continue to embolden hardliners and make U.S.-Iran diplomacy more difficult," said the groups, including MoveOn, J Street and Win Without War. "The recent escalation in military activity between the United States and reported Iranian proxies in Syria and Iraq only shows how urgently needed a new course of action is." Republicans repeatedly voiced concerns about lifting sanctions on Iran, given its support for militia groups and its missile arsenal. Sherman promised to voice those concerns to her superiors if confirmed for the position, a conciliatory posture that raised concerns among liberals. "I hope this is just a confirmation tactic, but Sherman refuses to defend the Iran Deal she negotiated," tweeted Joe Cirincione, the former president of Ploughshares, a group that supported the deal. "Is Biden folding?" he added. "What's his plan? All this very discouraging to Biden allies." Sherman's approach led to a cordial atmosphere at the hearing, though none of the Republicans indicated that they would support her confirmation in the closely divided Senate. Risch acknowledged that Sherman would largely be following the orders of the Biden White House and suggested that would be an improvement over the Obama administration. "You are carrying water for different people this time than you were last time," he said. He praised her comments recognizing that events had changed since the deal was reached. "Your comments about this not being 2015 are greatly appreciated," he said. North Korea Accused Of Pfizer Vaccine Hack South Korean intelligence officials have said that a recent attack on pharmaceutical company Pfizer, targeting information on coronavirus vaccines, was executed by North Korea in an attempt to steal Covid vaccine data. The intelligence service briefed lawmakers during a closed-door session. There were attempts to steal Covid vaccine and treatment technology during cyber attacks and Pfizer was hacked, said a South Korean National Assembly member, speaking to Reuters. North Korea has reported no cases of Covid-19, although its borders remain closed in a national quarantine effort and, given the nature of the North Korean regime, it is highly improbable that Covid-19 is not present there. If South Koreas intelligence is accurate, the attack on Pfizer is the latest in a number of attacks by N.Korea against organisations involved in the research and development of Covid-19 vaccines. If South Koreas intelligence is accurate, the attack on Pfizer is the latest in a number of attacks by North Korea against organisations involved in the research and development of Covid-19 vaccines. The attacks, which took place several months ago, appear to involve the use of spoofed logon pages for various online portals, which trick staffers at the target organisations into handing over their passwords. Nation state hacking is nothing new, and is something North Korea has a history of. In the past few years alone, North Korea has been held responsible for a number of cyber attacks causing disruption and financial losses on an unprecedented scale. ...No other country in recent history has resorted to printing fake US dollars. No other country deploys ransomware to blackmail bitcoins from their victims. No other country hacks international banking networks in order to steal money. In that line of thinking, it wouldnt be surprising for them to try to hack vaccine data either. commented F-Secure chief research officer Mikko Hypponen. This isn't the first time North Korea has been accused of hacking systems around the world to obtain vaccine data. In November 2020 Microsoft said, "two actors originating from North Korea that we call Zinc and Cerium" that it alleged were "targeting seven prominent companies directly involved in researching vaccines and treatments for COVID-19." Many security observers believe that the motivation might be to sell vaccine data on the black market as well as to in develop its own vaccine. Digital espionage targeting health bodies, vaccine scientists and drug makers has surged during the COVID-19 pandemic as state-backed hacking groups scramble to secure the latest research and information about the outbreak. Last year suspected North Korean hackers tried to break into at least nine health organisations, including Johnson & Johnson, Novavax Inc, and AstraZeneca. South Korea's intelligence agency said it had foiled North Korean attempts to hack into South Korean companies developing coronavirus vaccines. The attack, similar to the attacks believed to be of Russian origin late last year, are also believed to be by state-backed actors. Recently the US Department of Justice (DoJ) has charged three North Korean computer programmers with hacking offences related to a number of high profile data breaches, including a high profile attack on Sony Pictures in 2014. The men have been accused of attempting to steal more than $1.3 billion in money and crypto currency from a number of businesses around the world. Reuters: ITPro: Healthcare IT News: Telegraph: Al Jazeera: BBC: Computer Weekly: Image: Unsplash You Might Also Read: Successful Hack On EU Vaccine Agency: A court in China's eastern Jiangsu province has ruled in favor of a publisher that described homosexuality as a 'psychological disorder' in a university textbook. According to a copy of the February 9 appeal ruling, Suyu District Intermediate Court in the city of Suqian said the description resulted from 'perceptual differences' and was not a factual error, upholding a judgment made in September last year. 'I feel at a loss, because they didn't even have a trial, they just handed down the judgment,' said the plaintiff, who uses the pseudonym XiXi. Xixi, a 23-year-old Chinese LGBT activist who uses a pseudonym, holding a list of evidence for her case in Hong Kong In 2017, XiXi had sued Jinan University Press and a company owned by retailer JD.com for publishing and distributing factually incorrect content in the 2013 book on mental health education for university students. 'The teaching material classifies homosexuality as a psychological disorder, which it isn't,' the 24-year-old NGO worker said, adding that she only found out about the ruling on her appeal through her lawyer on February 22. 'I'm really disappointed, because we are seeing comments that are supporting this judgment.' In 2017, XiXi had sued Jinan University Press and a company owned by retailer JD.com for publishing and distributing factually incorrect content in the 2013 book on mental health education for university students Homosexuality was decategorised as a mental disorder by the Chinese Psychiatric Association in 2001. 'It's quite damaging to the whole LGBT community, so we are sorely disappointed,' said Peng Yanzi, the director of LGBT Rights Advocacy China. 'I'm not the only one who is disappointed, shocked and angry - the whole LGBT community is - but we also very much admire XiXi because she's spent years legally pursuing this.' Jinan University Press and JD.com did not immediately reply to emailed requests for comment. 22,000+ SQFT - Rare, Richardsonian Romanesque Design - W/3,500 SQFT Guest House on Nine-Acre, Moated Compound, is One of a Kind. Built to last 100 years Icon Global Group Launches International Marketing Campaign - Expects Record Sale for The Romanov Estate DALLAS, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Icon Global Group announces, "an unprecedented, national and international marketing campaign for a luxury residential estate compound in Houston." The enormous, secluded, nine-acre Romanov Estate compound sits in the heart of Hunters Creek Village and is within Houston's wealthiest zip code. Acclaimed architect Ken Newberry stated, "as an architect doing work for over 35 years across the United States and in several other countries around the world, I will tell you that The Romanov in Houston, Texas is one of the most extraordinary houses anyone may ever see. "While the exterior was influenced and follows the aesthetic of the Richardsonian Romanesque style there are also elements throughout inspired by trips to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina and Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California. "Like Hearst Castle, the interior of the home incorporates architectural elements personally selected by the client and shipped from England, France, Belgium and Italy," he said. The 22,000 SQFT home is complemented by a 3,500 SQFT guest lodge in its own private 5-acre setting. The prominent, elevated, 9-acre estate is surrounded on three sides by a moat of the 18,000-year-old Buffalo Bayou and buffered by the expansive grounds of the Houston Country Club. It is only entered via a private, secured gate in a cul-de-sac. All of it takes in the Houston skyline. "This is without question one of the most expensively built, tasteful and well-designed compounds ever built in Texas or nationally for that matter that I have seen and as a result, it follows, and I fully expect, that it will set a new benchmark in residential luxury sales well north of any Houston sale to date," said Uechtritz. "This estate is only for a discerning few, a security conscious and private, ultra-high net worth clientele. It will only be available to discuss through confidential, pre-qualified request. There will be no brokers open, nor will it open for broker previews, or to anyone for that matter, who has not first signed a confidentiality agreement and proved up complete financial ability to perform. We are releasing very few details or photographs to maintain integrity and privacy for the next owner. "We reserve the right to show it by invitation only, and only after criteria is met. I expect to show it less than a half dozen times, as the prospect pool who can afford or qualify for this is very shallow," he said. A Richardsonian Romanesque is rare and very few exist in the USA. The Romanov draws influences from a series of other renowned estates in America, such as the Wrigley, and Vanderbilt mansions, as well as construction elements from the University of Indiana's limestone buildings, and even the Pentagon. Construction includes hand cut limestone blocks a minimum of 12 inches thick. 9/ 11 - Six years in construction and finished in 2005, The Romanov is a skillfully crafted work of steel, concrete, and custom hand cut limestone from Indiana. Progress on the build was halted after the 9/11 attacks. The US Government required, and thus diverted, all the available limestone from the renowned Bybee quarries of Indiana to be redirected from the Romanov for the Pentagon rebuild. In addition to interior architecturals sourced across Europe, the estate is replete with truly custom and hand-built finishes, including a wrought iron elevator, interior railings and chandeliers. Energy efficiencies, embedded technology, and privacy features are as equally timeless as the entire estate. Builder Jeff Thomsen said, "For some of the more formal rooms, we cast our own trim of bronze buttons for controlling the lights. There are carvings in wood, stone, and metal that were the result of hundreds of hours of work." About the Icon Global Group. Founded by Dallas based complex deal maker and international real estate advisor, Australian Bernard Uechtritz; The Icon Global Group is an internationally connected, independent, full-service specialist company which designs and implements customized strategic and tactical, marketing and sales campaigns for unique, one of a kind, real property assets and business opportunities. Icon is the leading Farm & Ranch, Luxury Ranch, and Unique Residential sales firm of its kind and represents select industrial, commercial, and mixed-use real estate projects. Formerly a leading luxury real estate broker in Southern California, Uechtritz returned to his ranching roots in Texas, establishing the Icon Global Group. In 2016 Uechtritz successfully led the unprecedented global marketing and record-breaking sales campaign of America's most Iconic Cattle & Horse, Oil & Gas, Water & Farming enterprise - The legendary 535,000 acre - $725 Million Dollar - W.T. Waggoner Estate Ranch, in Vernon, Texas. THE ICON GLOBAL GROUP DESIGNS AND IMPLEMENTS STRATEGIC MARKETING AND SALES CAMPAIGNS FOR UNIQUE, HIGH-END PROPERTIES GLOBALLY. All photo & video credits - Icon Global Group Website: https://www.icon.global/romanov Video: https://vimeo.com/511780904 The Romanov Estate - photos Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpoQAzc-awM Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1448161/The_Romanov_Estate.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/712326/ICON_GLOBAL_GROUP_Logo.jpg Senior U.S. officials have held a first direct meeting with officials from the Iran-aligned Houthi movement that controls Yemen's capital, two sources familiar with the matter said, as the new U.S. administration pushes to end a six-year war. The discussions, which have not been officially made public by either side, took place in the Omani capital Muscat on Feb. 26 between U.S. Yemen envoy Timothy Lenderking and the Houthis' chief negotiator Mohammed Abdusalam, the sources said. The Houthis captured Yemen's capital in 2014 and control most populated areas. A Saudi-led coalition has battled them with tacit Western support since 2015 in a war that has killed tens of thousands and created what the United Nations considers the world's biggest humanitarian crisis. The Saudis and Houthis have been negotiating for more than a year towards a truce, directly and under the auspices of the United Nations. The Muscat meeting, one of the sources said, was part of a new "carrot and stick" approach by U.S. President Joe Biden, who last month declared a halt to U.S. support for the Saudi-led military campaign. Biden has also reversed a decision by his predecessor Donald Trump to designate the Houthis terrorists. The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday imposed new sanctions on two Houthi military leaders, accusing them of procuring weapons from Iran and organising attacks, after the group stepped up attacks on Saudi Arabia and intensified an offensive on the ground in Yemen's Marib. Lenderking met Abdusalam in Muscat after meeting with Saudi and U.N. officials in Riyadh. He also visited the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar during his regional tour. The UAE in particular has played a major role in the Saudi-led campaign in Yemen. The sources said Lenderking had pressed the Houthis to halt the Marib offensive and encouraged the movement to engage actively with Riyadh in virtual talks on a ceasefire. Abdulsalam, who is also the spokesman of the Houthi movement, did not respond to a Reuters' requests for comment. A U.S. State Department spokesperson said Lenderking has been meeting with regional senior government officials and has met with U.N. special envoy Martin Griffiths during his trip. "We will not be commenting on all his engagements," the spokesperson told Reuters. CEASEFIRE TALKS In ceasefire talks, Saudi Arabia has been seeking assurances on border security and curbing the influence of regional arch-rival Iran. The Saudi level of representation at virtual talks was recently raised, with Riyadh's ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed al-Jaber, now speaking with Abdulsalam, the sources said. Jaber did not respond to a request for comment. Riyadh wants a buffer zone inside Yemen along the border. The Houthis want an end to blockades on the Red Sea port of Hodeidah and Sanaa airport. If agreement is reached, one of the sources said, it would be taken to U.N. envoy Griffiths to prepare for broader peace talks that would include Yemen's internationally recognised, Saudi-backed government, now based in the port of Aden. The war, stalemated for years, has shifted to the gas-producing region of Marib where hundreds of fighters have been killed in a Houthi offensive, the most deadly clashes since 2018. On Wednesday, heavy clashes were reported around Marib and in Taiz, another heavily disputed city. Short link: "Association between county jail incarceration and cause-specific county mortality in the USA, 19872017: a retrospective, longitudinal study" | Main | "Procedural Due Process, Drug Courts, and Loss of Liberty Sanctions" March 2, 2021 En banc Second Circuit needs 120 pages and five opinions to sort out whether NY first-degree manslaughter qualifies as a federal "violent crime" I generally do not closely follow lower federal court rulings about what state convictions qualify as predicates for sentencing enhancement under the Armed Career Criminal Act ("ACCA") or the career offender sentencing guidelines. I have a hard time just keeping up with the many Supreme Court ACCA cases, and I have previously suggested in this post a few years ago that modern ACCA jurisprudence must reside as some level of hell in Dante's Inferno because this caselaw is so dang inscrutable. But a helpful reader alerted me to a new en banc Second Circuit decision today in US v. Scott, No. 18-163-cr (2d Cir. Mar. 2, 2021) (available here), which seems like a useful reminder of how nuts this jurisprudence can be. Here is how the majority opinion in Scott gets started: Defendant-appellee Gerald Scott is a violent criminal, who has repeatedly threatened, and on two occasions taken, human life. The killings were undoubtedly brutal: Scott shot one of his victims in the head at point-blank range; he stabbed the other to death. For these killings, Scott stands twice convicted in New York State of first-degree manslaughter under N.Y. Penal Law 125.20(1), a homicide crime second only to murder in its severity. At issue on this appeal is whether Scotts manslaughter convictions are for violent crimes. An affirmative answer might appear obvious to a man on the street aware of Scotts conduct. But the laws relevant here the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA), see 18 U.S.C. 924(e)(2)(B), and the Career Offender Sentencing Guideline, see U.S.S.G. 4B1.2(a) do not identify violent crimes by looking to what a defendant actually did. Rather, they look to the minimum he might have done and still been convicted. This inquiry focuses on a crimes elements, asking whether they categorically require a defendants use of physical force, specifically violent physical force. See Curtis Johnson v. United States, 559 U.S. 133, 140, 144 (2010) (defining physical force required by ACCA). Applying that standard here, we conclude that first-degree manslaughter is a categorically violent crime because its elements (1) the causation of death (2) by a person intent on causing at least serious physical injury necessarily involve the use of violent force. The occasion for our ruling is the United States appeal from an amended judgment of conviction entered on January 12, 2018, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (Laura Taylor Swain, Judge), which resentenced Scott to time served (then totaling approximately 11 years, 3 months) for attempted Hobbs Act robbery and related firearms crimes. Resentencing followed the district courts grant of Scotts 28 U.S.C. 2255 motion to vacate his original 22-year sentence. See United States v. Scott, No. 06 CR 988- LTS, 2017 WL 2414796, at *3 (S.D.N.Y. June 2, 2017). The district court concluded that it had mistakenly relied on ACCA and the Career Offender Guideline in imposing Scotts initial sentence. It reasoned that Scotts two prior convictions for first-degree manslaughter did not qualify as predicate violent crimes because first degree manslaughter can be committed in New York State by omission and thus without using force. Id. at *2 (emphasis added). A divided panel of this court agreed, with the majority analogizing omission to complete inaction, and concluding therefrom that the crime could be committed without the use of force. See United States v. Scott, 954 F.3d 74, 78 (2d Cir. 2020) (holding first-degree manslaughter not a predicate crime of violence because it can be committed by complete inaction and therefore without the use of force). After rehearing the case en banc, we reject this reasoning, which, carried to its logical or illogical conclusion, would preclude courts from recognizing even intentional murder as a categorically violent crime because, presumably, it is just as possible for a defendant to cause a persons death by omission when the defendants specific intent is to kill, see N.Y. Penal Law 125.25(1) (second-degree murder), as when his specific intent is to cause serious physical injury, see id. 125.20(1) (first-degree manslaughter). We decline to take the law down a path leading so far from the violent reality of these two most serious, intentionally injurious homicide crimes. Disconcertedly, the majority needed 50 more pages to explain why first-degree manslaughter in New York qualifies as a federal "violent crime," and then concurring and dissenting opinions needed 70 more pages to debate a formalistic legal matter that is an awful artifice of poorly conceived and constructed federal sentencing law. With the rocky jurisprudence of this case and the horrors of so many others, I would love to time warp back to the drafting of ACCA and urge a whole new approach to federal sentencing. March 2, 2021 at 06:50 PM | Permalink Comments Yes, it would be far better to ditch the ACCA and instead increase reliance on criminal history. Perhaps a criminal history level could be worth two offense levels in the table, rather than one as it is currently. Posted by: William C Jockusch | Mar 2, 2021 10:39:17 PM Armed Career Criminal Jurisprudence can lead to so many results that defy common sense on both ends of the sentencing spectrum -- extremely serious crimes like the two counts of first degree manslaughter this defendant has, and dramatic over-sentencing for crimes a simple as possession of a single bullet or shotgun shell (but no gun). I was incarcerated with many people serving ACCA sentences from 15 years to life. In my opinion, about 20% did not deserve the harsh ACCA sentences they received. One guy who did deserve his life sentence had already served 10 years in a Florida prison for murder before he was 30 years old. Upon release and while on parole, he acquired an SKS assault rifle and began robbing drug dealers. He was turned in a by roommate's dinner guest, to whom he had told his whole story and even shown the SKS assault rifle (don't you show your firearms to dinner guests?). The dinner guest was soon arrested for other crimes, for which he was facing a long sentence. The prosecutors asked him if he knew anything about any other serious crimes, and did he want to help himself? HE received a 5K Motion for giving them the guy with the SKS assault rifle. And that man deserves his life sentence; he is extremely violent and has no regard for the laws and rules of civilized society. But then there is the guy I met who got a 15 year ACCA sentence for "constructive possession" of a single shotgun shell in the door pocket of his father's pickup truck. 15 years doesn't make any sense to me. Posted by: Jim Gormley | Mar 3, 2021 8:57:26 AM Post a comment Beijing now requires Koreans to submit two negative coronavirus tests conducted within 48 hours before boarding if they want to visit, but the Korean government said it will not demand the same of Chinese travelers. Korea on Tuesday refused to respond in kind after China tightened quarantine requirements for Korean travelers. According to Chinese Embassy in Seoul, all passengers on direct flights to China must take two coronavirus tests at an interval of at least three hours from Wednesday. They must undergo them at two different designated hospitals and pay for them with their own money. Previously, China-bound travelers had to submit only one negative test conducted within 72 hours before boarding. About 4,000 travelers from Korea fly to China every week, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Students and businesspeople are complaining because of the cost, which is W300,000-400,000 for two tests (US$1=W1,113). Adding the cost of two weeks' self-quarantine, the cost becomes prohibitive. But the Korean government is still not asking arrivals from China to submit negative test results but tests them for free once they arrive. Health Ministry spokesman Sohn Young-rae said, "We do not implement quarantine measures in a reciprocal manner based on what other countries are doing." China's quarantine measures "are its own decision," he added. "The current 14-day quarantine and PCR testing on arrival are the most appropriate here in Korea at this moment." Following in Texas' footsteps, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves announced on Tuesday the reopening of businesses and the lifting of the statewide mask mandate. "Starting tomorrow, we are lifting all of our county mask mandates and businesses will be able to operate at full capacity without any state-imposed rules. Our hospitalizations and case numbers have plummeted, and the vaccine is being rapidly distributed. It is time!" Reeves said on Twitter yesterday. Starting tomorrow, we are lifting all of our county mask mandates and businesses will be able to operate at full capacity without any state-imposed rules. Our hospitalizations and case numbers have plummeted, and the vaccine is being rapidly distributed. It is time! Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) March 2, 2021 Similarly, he said the same during Tuesday's press announcement. "Today, I signed what I expect will be one of my last executive orders regarding COVID-19. Our hospitalizations have plummeted, and our case numbers have fallen dramatically as well. In fact, our case numbers have fallen to the point where no county meets the original criteria for a mask mandate," Reeves said during the press conference. "I am replacing our current orders with recommendations. Everyone should continue to listen to Dr. Dobbs and other health advisors for the best possible wisdom regarding how you can personally stem any risk of catching COVID," he added. "Their insight is valuable. The only rules that will remain in this order are a capacity limit of 50% on indoor arenas, and those that govern K-12 schools." Jackson Free Press reported that Reeves encourages, but doesn't require, everyone to wear a face mask and practice social distancing. "This new order removes our county mask mandates and allows businesses to operate at full capacity without state-imposed rules or restrictions," he stated. As per Jackson Free Press, K-12 schools in Mississippi will still require face masks when social distancing is not possible. K-12 extracurricular activities and outdoor activities is now allowed to operate at 50% capacity and 25% maximum seating capacity, which for indoor bowl and arena is increased to 50% for seating capacity. The Gateway Pundit, on the other hand, reported that this is a "domino effect." Reeves' decision follows similar courses of action taken by the states of Florida, Iowa, and Texas, respectively. "Executive orders that interfered with peoples' lives were the worst, but the only possible, intervention for much of the last year. Now, we are putting our focus towards rapid vaccine distribution. We are getting out of the business of telling people what they can and cannot do," Reeves tweeted also on Tuesday. "We've been among the 4 or 5 most open states throughout this crisis, and we've been rewarded for it with more jobs and economic recovery," he added. That's not because what we put in place was a light burden. It's only because the rest of the country was so harsh. "That's good, but we need to recognize that none of these orders, in any state, are anything short of unprecedented." "They have to end at the earliest possible moment. This is that moment for Mississippi," he added. In his Executive Order 1549, Reeves repealed his previously signed Executive Orders 1535 and 1536 known as the Safe Recovery Order. Executive Order 1549 encourages his constituents to "follow the CDC's and Mississippi State Department of Health's guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19". This pertains to continuously "wearing a face covering, covering the nose and mouth, while in public spaces whenever it is not possible to maintain social distancing from persons within the same household"; avoiding "large gatherings, particularly indoor gatherings"; "maintain social distancing between persons not in your household," "practice good hand hygiene, incluing washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public space," and "stay home if you feel sick or have any symptoms of COVID-19." In the wake of a high-profile sexual assault acquittal in May 2018, NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman lamented: We cant legislate for respect. The man acquitted was Luke Lazarus, the son of a prominent Kings Cross nightclub boss, who was accused of raping Saxon Mullins in an alleyway behind a Kings Cross club in 2013. After two trials and two appeals over five years, the NSW District Court found Lazarus had a genuine and honest belief that Mullins, then an 18-year-old virgin, was consenting to sex even though in her own mind she was not. There was no finality for anyone. Saxon Mullins endured five years of legal proceedings. Credit: Janie Barrett After waiving her right to anonymity and speaking on the ABCs Four Corners, Mullins case provoked debate about sexual consent laws, which differ between the states and territories. Commended for her bravery in sharing her story, Mullins was the catalyst in the Attorney-Generals decision to commission the NSW Law Reform Commission to review sexual consent laws. The commission released its final report last year, with 40 recommendations including ensuring a person who does not say or do anything to communicate consent is not mistaken for a willing participant. The boss of Channel 4 has called for the regulation of 'partisan' social media and claimed that online content can pose a 'huge danger' to young people. Chief executive Alex Mahon yesterday told an event for the release of a report on levels of public trust that political polarisation is being fuelled by social media content which create 'bubbles' and 'echo chambers'. At a meeting which included former Cabinet minister Baroness Morgan and veteran journalist Andrew Neil, she said unregulated social media poses a 'danger' to young people 'whose rates of self-esteem are plummeting'. Ms Mahon was supported by former Culture Secretary Baroness Morgan, who called for a clampdown on 'dubious' and 'downright deliberately fake' online information and urged the Government to 'get on with it'. The remarks were made at the launch of the Edelman Trust Barometer 2021, which found that trust in all information sources in the UK is at a 'record low'. According to the survey, trust in traditional media, search engines and social media has declined, while 54 per cent of respondents believe that journalists are 'purposely trying to mislead by saying things that they know are false or grossly exaggerated'. Chief executive Alex Mahon told a livestream event for the release of a report on levels of public trust that political polarisation is being fuelled by social media content which create 'bubbles' and 'echo chambers'. At a meeting which included former Cabinet minister Baroness Morgan and veteran journalist Andrew Neil, she said unregulated social media poses a 'danger' to young people 'whose rates of self-esteem are plummeting' The remarks were made at the event launch for the Edelman Trust Barometer 2021, which found that trust in all information sources in the UK is at a 'record low' Oliver Dowden warns Facebook's Sir Nick Clegg not deploy the 'nuclear option' of turning off newsfeeds in Britain as it did in Australia over payment for content row Oliver Dowden has told Facebook its decision to temporarily pull the plug on newsfeeds in Australia was a 'nuclear option' that must not be repeated in the UK. The Culture Secretary met with the social media giant's communications chief, Sir Nick Clegg, to express the Government's concerns at the firm's actions. Mr Dowden warned Sir Nick that ministers 'won't shy away from intervening to protect the interests of the public' if needed as the Government develops measures to improve competition in the digital market. Facebook sparked a furious row with the Australian government after it banned news posts on its platform over a proposed law that would force tech giants to pay for journalism. Facebook eventually reversed the move after politicians agreed to revise the law but the firm's ability to switch off content for millions of users has prompted growing concern around the world. Advertisement The report found that 56 per cent think most news organisations are putting ideology 'above informing the public', and called the 'so-called echo chamber of media' a 'serious problem' among UK readers. Speaking on a livestream, Ms Mahon, the chief executive of Ofcom-regulated public broadcaster Channel 4 said: 'What's good about all the TV channels and the news is this debate is held in public. 'So if you agree or don't agree with what's on... you will receive the same output whoever tunes in - and the issue with social media is that's not what you get. 'You get a bubble, a partisan, a feed that comes to you based on what you've already seen and what you've already liked, and what happens is that the points from the Left or the Right get further and further and further apart as you are in your bubble and you click on more of the same, and that's the problem. 'The discourse is not public, and there's nowhere that that's worse than the threat to young people, because it's not just that discourse isn't public - so they're not learning those skills, they're not learning those skills of debate, they're not seeing a range of opinions - there is also extremely dangerous content out there when we go to harm, when we go to anti-Semitic content, when we go to racist abuse - things that none of us would ever even think about publishing let alone get away with. 'And they're not regulated, and there is nowhere that danger is bigger than to young people whose rates of self-esteem are plummeting. 'We can't keep people off our phones, I love my phone, I love the internet - but what is happening now in terms of the content that young people in particular are seeing is incredibly dangerous to society and that's where we need regulation'. Asked about regulating online content, former Cabinet minister Baroness Morgan said: 'I think we need to get on with it. 'I think we are late to the party, not just here in the UK but I think around the world - you've got these enormous tech companies who have I think finally very belatedly woken up to the fact that they are publishers and they do have a responsibility for the content that they put out, exactly as you say which... will have to follow the Ofcom rules on broadcasting. The report found that 56 per cent think most news organisations are putting ideology 'above informing the public', and called the 'so-called echo chamber of media' a 'serious problem' among UK readers The boss of Channel 4 has called for the regulation of 'partisan' social media and claimed that online content can pose a 'huge danger' to young people 'And yet we have these platforms which are being looked out by millions of people, spreading all sorts of dubious information, sometimes downright deliberately fake obviously, sadly providing echo chambers and rather opportunities for all sorts of people'. She added: 'I think that jurisdictions now, they will be chasing online content, they'll be chasing data hoovering up, and as we've seen with the Australians and I think that battle will be spreading around the world, this issue of the publication of other people's news content... the issues around advertising... 'Governments need to embrace this'. The Edelman Trust Barometer 2021 also found that just one in five Britons have 'good information hygiene: regularly engaging with the news, avoiding echo chambers, vetting information and checking its veracity before spreading it'. In a statement, Edelman President Ed Williams said: 'The way information is provided and consumed has radically changed. And unless effort is made to determine the difference between free speech, fabrication and falsehoods, trust will continue to fall, and societal progress will be stymied.' A robotics platform designed by Toronto researchers to screen thousands of COVID-19 samples at once has the potential to revolutionize how labs track the spread of viruses and other pathogens, according to new findings. The study, out Wednesday in Nature Communications, found that the next-generation, ultra-high-throughput sequencing platform, called C19-SPAR-Seq, designed by researchers from the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute (LTRI) at Sinai Health, has a sensitivity rate greater than 95 per cent in positive cases during peak onset. "Identifying positive samples quickly and accurately is critical in beating this pandemic," said Dr. Jeff Wrana, senior investigator at the LTRI and professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics at the University of Toronto. "With new and potentially dangerous variants now circulating, this is a platform that is scalable, automated and capable of analyzing thousands of COVID-19 patient samples in a single instrument run." Wrana and fellow LTRI senior investigator Dr. Laurence Pelletier, in collaboration with University of Toronto professor Dr. Ben Blencowe, credit a strong team of eager trainees who shifted from other areas of research to help develop and validate the platform, allowing for the team to go from concept to published paper in under 12 months. "The co-operation of the Mount Sinai Hospital clinical diagnostic lab was the other key ingredient to our success," said Pelletier. "To date the shared microbiology lab, headed by Dr. Tony Mazzulli, has provided access to thousands of samples." In late 2020, the team pivoted again to use the robotics platform to screen thousands of positive samples for variants by rapidly sequencing fingerprint regions of the viral genome to look for key mutations. "It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Dr. Jeff Wrana and his team at the LTRI," said Dr. Mazzulli, microbiologist-in-chief for Sinai Health and University Health Network (UHN). "His novel SPAR-Seq System is cutting-edge technology and his team's ability to sequence COVID-19 samples in real time has tremendous potential for impacting our understanding of the epidemiology and spread of novel mutants in the province." The platform is also cost-effective. The study notes it only costs about $8 USD per test when running thousands of samples at once, as the cost per sample decreases due to economies of scale. "It's extremely reliable and readily adaptable," said Javier Hernandez, a junior researcher in the Wrana lab who co-led the study with Drs. Marie-Ming Aynaud and Seda Barutcu. "The turnaround is approximately 24 hours. It's very simple as we've automated practically every step in the process. For me, it's been a very exciting thing to see my work make a difference." ### This study was supported by the Toronto COVID-19 Action Initiative (TCAI) Fund from the University of Toronto and a donation from the Krembil Foundation. We need to talk about Lotties. The former Apprentice star, Lottie Lion, has been making ends meet through a so-called 'sugar daddy' website called Seeking Arrangement. Having lost her job due to the pandemic, and missing her former lifestyle, she signed up hoping to meet someone who 'would buy me a bag or a holiday'. Meanwhile, Kate Moss's half-sister, another Lottie, has been charging 50 a pop for a glimpse of her breasts on a website called Glow, which styles itself as an upmarket version of OnlyFans (which, in case you weren't familiar, is essentially a portal for amateur porn stars). For 35 you can access her derriere, while 1,000 will reportedly unlock access to the Full Mossy. Kate Moss's half-sister Lottie (pictured) has been charging 50 a pop for a glimpse of her breasts on a website called Glow The fact that either of these women who, let's face it, are not exactly in the last-chance saloon of life should be flogging their body parts in such a way may seem surprising. But today's young women see nothing unusual about exploiting their bodies. Indeed, many claim it's a form of female empowerment. They are 'owning' their sexuality, they argue. The men who pay are not exploiting them they're the saps. And anyone who disagrees is just slut-shaming. It is certainly true that if one is in the unenviable position of having to take up the world's oldest profession, entertaining men from the safety of your own webcam is preferable to being exploited on the streets or in a studio by some ruthless pimp. But the women on these sites don't consider themselves prostitutes. Indeed, they would be horrified at the thought. They think of themselves as entrepreneurs feminists, even. The former Apprentice star, Lottie Lion (pictured), has been making ends meet through a so-called 'sugar daddy' website called Seeking Arrangement For women of my generation, this is a hard concept to get our heads around. We were taught that using sex to get ahead was demeaning and retrograde. Liberation meant being more than just the object of a man's desire, and you could make your way in the world regardless of whether you looked good in a bikini. That is because, unlike women such as Moss and Lion indeed like all of the young women we see posing online in various stages of undress we didn't grow up in a post-porn world. Pornography has always existed, of course; but never before has it escaped censorship by adults, seeping virtually unencumbered into the consciousness of children and young adults. Today, online porn a violent, perverted form of sex that feeds people's darkest fantasies informs so much about the way the young engage with their bodies, from beauty to sex. SARAH VINE: For 35 you can access her derriere, while 1,000 will reportedly unlock access to the Full Mossy This translates into every aspect of youth culture, from oiled-up 'influencers' showing off their cleavages poolside to the rise in demand for plastic surgery such as breast enhancement and butt-lifts, and porn-centric pop stars such as Cardi B, whose videos legitimise obscenity in the name of 'empowerment'. What used to be the shocking exception has become the acceptable norm, a self-perpetuating cycle of debasement reinforced at every turn by a prevailing culture that rewards with fame and fortune those who turn it to their advantage. Or to put it another way, Kim Kardashian didn't end up on the cover of Vogue for her intellect and philanthropical work: she got there because she made a sex tape and 'broke the internet' by balancing a champagne glass on her bum. Is it any wonder, then, that so many should want to do the same? That, in the minds of young women growing up in such an atmosphere, operating a pay-per-view system on OnlyFans seems like a viable alternative to a proper job? I am even told that some young girls are using these websites to raise money for their university tuition fees. I can hardly think of a more depressing way to spend your gap year. This, I'm afraid, is the price we pay for ignoring repeated calls for regulation of the internet. This is what happens when you allow the worst of human nature to influence everyday standards. The genie is well and truly out of the bottle. Sadly, I can't see how we can ever put it back. Green eggs and sham No sooner has Nobel Prize-winning novelist Sir Kazuo Ishiguro warned that cancel culture is stifling creativity in literature than the publishers of Dr Seuss cancel six of the author's titles because of 'racist', 'insensitive' material. It's like tearing down the Sistine Chapel because of a lack of diversity in the heavenly host. Yes, it's full of white males. But that's Renaissance Italy for you. Dr Seuss was also of his time, and many attitudes of his day were unpleasant. Racism and prejudice were endemic, and his books reflect that. Airbrushing the ugliness doesn't mean it never existed. Indeed, you could argue it's important to have a record as a reminder of the suffering such attitudes caused and why we must not tolerate them today. The East Wing of majestic Hurst Castle constructed by Henry VIII to protect the Solent against the French slid into the sea last week. Experts had long warned of a problem with the foundations, but despite repeated calls for action English Heritage which owns the building did not act in time to save it. Now it's too late. Perhaps if it had spent less time rewriting our heritage (last year it announced all 950 of London's famous blue plaques would be reviewed for potential links to slavery) and more time looking after it, this important building would still be intact. Sam Cam's DIY answer to Downing Street decor Apparently the cost of redecorating the No. 11 flat at Downing Street is causing a headache for the Prime Minister. Pictured: Samantha Cameron with Michelle Obama in Number 11 Apparently the cost of redecorating the No. 11 flat at Downing Street is causing a headache for the Prime Minister. Nothing new there: when my old friend Samantha Cameron moved into the same flat in 2010, she was criticised for making it too modern. In reality, she rescued it from a nightmare of stained beige carpets, hideous built-in furniture and a downstairs loo that reminded me of the one in Trainspotting. The No. 10 flat, meanwhile, still had one room that stank of fags (with matching tobacco-stained ceiling) from Denis Thatcher's days. I think the budget for maintenance at the time was around 20,000 a year, not nearly enough to cover the upkeep of such a historic, Grade I-listed building. Part of the problem was the fact Samantha was obliged to use 'by appointment' government contractors, who charged an entirely unjustifiable mark-up. In the end she paid for the works herself, which Theresa and Philip May benefited from and explains, of course, why they didn't have to spend a penny on the place. Should runners wear masks while exercising in public? Trish Greenhalgh, professor of primary care health science at the University of Oxford, thinks the answer is yes and has been accused of whipping up hysteria. Who knows whether masks stop the transmission of Covid-19. But one thing is undeniable: our parks and pathways are packed with runners, breathing (understandably) very heavily and often passing by in such close proximity you can feel their breath on your face. Surely it's not an unreasonable request? I think we're going to have to find a better way of naming these virus mutations. Every time someone mentions the Brazilian one, all that comes to mind is the fact that it's been far too long since I went to the beauty salon. Technically, Mother's Day is March 14. But we all know when it really is: Monday the 8th, the day the kids finally go back to school! I never thought I'd be so excited at the prospect of the school run. Attorney-General Christian Porters public denial of allegations of rape has not stopped calls for an independent investigation into the accusation. Mr Porter rejected the accusation he raped a 16-year-old woman in Sydney in January 1988 and said he intended to remain in cabinet and in his portfolio. He is taking leave to assess and improve his mental health. Attorney-General Christian Porter holds a press conference where he strongly denied rape allegations. Credit:Trevor Collens But a womens legal organisation and crossbench MPs say there are still questions for him to answer and there must be an independent investigation of the matter. NSW Police said it did not have enough admissible evidence to proceed with an investigation it began in February last year but suspended in June when the woman took her own life. NIAGARA FALLS, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 3, 2021 / Entrepreneur, property developer, and full-time home builder Chris Lamb was recently featured in an article published on BitRebels. The article was centered on the many ways that technology has impacted the real estate industry. As an entrepreneur and investor in the real estate industry and as someone who currently works for Revel Realty in Niagara Falls, Chris Lamb has witnessed firsthand how technology has transformed the world of real estate. In the BitRebels article, he highlighted three major changes that technology has brought about, in both the way that real estate agents do business as well as the way that potential homeowners search for properties. The first topic discussed in the article is virtual tours. Lamb explained how, owing to virtual reality and augmented reality technology, having someone tour a property remotely is now commonplace. "Now, it is easier than ever before for global investors to set up a 3D, 360-degree tour of the property that allows them to see the ins and outs without actually being there in person," said Chris Lamb. Further, he explained how virtual reality is being used to show existing properties that are finished as well as properties that are unfinished. Thanks to virtual reality, it's possible to view a lifelike rendering of what a property still under development will look like when it's complete, down to every last customization. This is a major benefit, especially to foreign buyers who may not have the time to visit the property in person. The second way that real estate entrepreneurs leverage technology to their advantage, according to Niagara Falls' Chris Lamb, is by using real-time data. There is more data available than ever before, which is advantageous to both the real estate agent and the buyer. For example, in the past, a real estate entrepreneur may have only been able to provide potential investors with the price of the property and how it compared to others in the area. But now, real estate brokers and agents have access to tons of other important metrics, such as projected cash flow, return on investment, and the capitalization rate. Finally, the article ends with Chris Lamb discussing the rise of real estate applications and portals. Real estate apps have revolutionized the way that people shop for real estate. Such apps and online portals have made it simpler and more convenient for buyers to search for and find properties. The rise of real estate apps has also helped entrepreneurs and brokers market their properties to a much wider audience than ever before. Thus, such technology has actually made it easier for interested buyers to connect with entrepreneurs and property developers looking to sell their properties. For more information, visit: chrislamb.ca. About Chris Lamb Chris Lamb is a first-generation builder and investor based in St. Catharine's, Ontario, Canada. Lamb earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Brock University, before going on to study International Business Management at Niagara College. Upon graduating, he wrote his realtor exams and now works under Revel Realty in Niagara Falls. As a full-time home builder, his passion lies in building affordable housing communities and investment properties in the Niagara region. Contact: Chris Lamb chris@newcastlecommunities.com 905-329-3280 SOURCE: Chris Lamb View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/633335/Successful-Niagara-Falls-Property-Developer-Chris-Lamb-Featured-in-Article-on-BitRebels Ryanair boss Michael OLeary said British government support for airlines during the coronavirus pandemic has been lamentable. He claimed there is much more to be done to help the industry during the Covid-19 crisis. Giving evidence to the UK's Transport Select Committee, Mr OLeary said the furlough scheme is welcome, but the Government has been lamentable in providing other support. He went on: We had to refund over 1.5bn (1.3bn) to customers in the last 12 months because our flights were cancelled by government order. There has been no support for that. We have received no support. He criticised UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak for failing to reduce Air Passenger Duty (APD), which he described as a ridiculous tax that hits the poorest people hardest. He said: No effort has been made by the Government to roll that back, reduce it temporarily, or in fact what we would call for abandon it altogether, at least until traffic at UK airports recovers to pre-pandemic levels. He added: Theres much more to be done on Government support. The furlough scheme falls short of what needs to be done and it will be a very challenging and difficult return to normal operation or pre-Covid operation levels and profitability. (CNN) The United Kingdom is banking on a rapid vaccine rollout to bring its economy back to life this summer, while the United States is pinning its recovery hopes on another giant stimulus package. Europe won't have either, and it could be left behind. The European Union's vaccination campaign has been plagued by manufacturing delays, supply shortages and distribution challenges, making it difficult for policymakers to plot clear paths out of economically damaging lockdowns. While restrictions are gradually easing in some countries, others are leaning towards extending curbs as cases and hospitalizations remain stubbornly high. Meanwhile, relatively limited government spending and a heavy reliance on tourism in some EU economies promise to further damage the strength of the recovery. "We will get a rebound [in Europe], but it will be later and somewhat weaker than elsewhere," said Carsten Brzeski, global head of research at ING. Europe's economy will likely return to its pre-crisis level only in early 2023 six months to a year behind the United States, he added. Vaccine delays Following strong growth in the third quarter, Europe's economy contracted again in the final three months of last year after governments reimposed lockdowns to respond to spikes in coronavirus cases and deaths. Many of those measures remain in place, increasing the likelihood of another rough quarter to start 2021. "The near-term outlook for the European economy looks weaker than expected last autumn, as the pandemic has tightened its grip on the continent," the European Commission said in a report last month in which it cut its growth forecast for the EU economy this year to 3.7%, from 4.1% in November. "The question is now how quickly the vaccine can be rolled out, and at what point restrictions can be loosened," it added. The 27 countries that make up the European Union, as well as Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway, have collectively administered nearly 31 million vaccine doses, covering roughly 6% of the population, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. In comparison, more than 20 million Brits had received a first dose as at February 27, or about 30% of the UK population, government figures show. In the United States, 15% of the population has received at least one dose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "The rollout of coronavirus vaccines is key to the economic outlook across all major economies," said Sam Miley, an economist at the London-based Centre for Economics and Business Research. The European Union expects deliveries to pick up in the second quarter and still aims to have at least 70% of its adult population vaccinated by the end of summer, which could help spur a strong rebound in the second half of 2021. An initial reading of the Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), which tracks activity in manufacturing and services, shows that business sentiment in the 19 countries that use the euro rose to its highest level last month in almost three years on optimism over vaccines. But the shaky start to the vaccination program could have an enduring impact, because the longer restrictions are kept in place the more lasting the damage becomes. This can be seen in jobs data: employment across the eurozone fell for a twelfth straight month in February, according to data provider IHS Markit. There is also a risk that the crisis leaves "deeper scars in the EU's economic and social fabric, notably through widespread bankruptcies and job losses," the Commission said. "This would also hurt the financial sector, increase long-term unemployment and worsen inequalities." Tourism still crippled While a possible increase in the pace of vaccinations and warmer weather will likely pave the way for fewer domestic restrictions by the summer, worries over new variants could lead governments to keep some international travel restrictions in place for longer. That will deal a heavy blow to countries in southern Europe that depend on tourism such as Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece, whose economies have already been ravaged by travel restrictions. "Whereas two months ago it was looking cautiously optimistic that Spain could have a semi normal summer tourism season, I don't think that's on the cards at all," said David Oxley, senior Europe economist at Capital Economics. "A second lost summer for Spain would be very damaging," he told CNN Business. It also risks deepening the economic, social and fiscal divides between these countries and Europe's wealthier northern states, which is frequently the cause of tension within the bloc. "Should tourism experience another lost year, the damage to the [economies of Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece] would widen the GDP gap with the core eurozone countries," Maddalena Martini, an economist at Oxford Economics, wrote in a research note last week. "We don't expect a full recovery of services exports, including tourism, to pre-crisis levels until at least early 2023," Martini added. Inadequate stimulus When the pandemic exploded in Europe last March, the European Central Bank and national governments won plaudits for acting quickly to backstop financial markets and prop up their economies. Trillions of dollars worth of bond purchases and loan guarantees cushioned the blow to businesses and workers, preventing unemployment from spiking to levels seen in the United States. But given the size of the contraction, stimulus measures since have not been large enough to jumpstart a speedy recovery. Instead, economists say they've just done enough to prevent the economy from falling off a cliff. Additional spending over and above loans and guarantees ranges from 4% of GDP in Spain to 11% in Germany, Europe's largest economy, according to the International Monetary Fund. In contrast, fiscal stimulus in the United Kingdom amounts to over 16% of the economy and in the United States it's closer to 17% of GDP, a number that would increase to 25% if Biden's $1.9 trillion stimulus package is approved. While the rollout of the European Union's historic 800 billion ($961 billion) relief package in the second half of this year, which is not included in the IMF figures, could provide a welcome boost to the bloc, it is unlikely to be a game changer, according to Brzeski of ING. These funds will be released over several years and won't make a massive difference to the hardest hit countries, he added. "The scale of fiscal support in the eurozone is simply not in the same league as that of the US," Capital Economics chief economist Neil Shearing wrote in a note this week. There's also the risk that the European Union tightens fiscal rules too quickly, which would weaken support for incomes a move that ECB President Christine Lagarde has cautioned against. "I would see this in phases," said Brzeski. "The short term risk [for Europe] is the vaccine, the longer term risk is fiscal policy." This story was first published on CNN.com, "Vaccine delays and skimpy stimulus are holding back Europe's recovery." Sorry! This content is not available in your region 's ( ) Malcolm Palle joins Proactive London's Katie Pilbeam plan to launch a non-fungible token (NFT) technology development studio in Gibraltar. The plan is at the memorandum of understanding (MoU) stage with Indorse, a Singaporean company in which Coinsilium holds a 10% equity interest, to form a partnership or joint venture to create an entity that has been dubbed Nifty Labs. Palle says the timing, 'couldn't be better' as they approach this 'in a 'blaze of publicity', referring to the attention cryptocurrencies are now enjoying in the wider markets. Nifty Labs will develop smart contract systems for NFT applications including a bridge for NFTs on Bitcoin using Rootstock (RSK) blockchain technology. Tata Power announced that TP Saurya, the wholly owned subsidiary of the company, has signed a Power Purchase Agreement with Tata Steel (TSL) to develop a 15 MW solar project at Jamshedpur, Jharkhand. The energy will be supplied to TSL under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) valid for a period of 25 years from scheduled commercial operation date. The project is required to be commissioned within 6 months from the date of execution of the PPA. The Plant is expected to generate an average of 32 MUs of energy per year and will annually offset approximately average 25.8 Million Kg of CO2. Tata Power's renewable capacity will increase to 4,047 MW, out of which 2,687 MW is operational and 1,360 MW is under implementation including 15 MW won under this PPA. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shanghai first choice for industrial chain layout of multinational companies By:Zheng Qian | From:english.eastday.com | 2021-03-02 09:37 At a recent meeting themed around Shanghais business environment in 2021, Zong Ming, deputy mayor of Shanghai, held a discussion with officials from the foreign Consulate General in Shanghai and representatives of foreign trade institutions in Shanghai. Scientific city management has made Shanghai one of the safest cities in the world, especially in terms of the coronavirus pandemic control. In 2021, Shanghai's GDP, consumption, and imports and exports all achieved positive growth. Shanghais new development momentum continues to grow, with the total output value of industrial strategic emerging industries accounting for 40% of the total output value of industries that have a sales value of more than 2 million yuan. The goal of building Shanghai into an international economic, financial, trade, and shipping center has been basically completed. The proportion of R&D expenditure is equal to 4.1% of the citys GDP. Foreign investment in Shanghai last year grew by 6.2% while global foreign direct investment fell by 42%. The total number of multinational regional headquarters and foreign-funded R&D centers reached 771 and 481 respectively, and overseas talent reached about 200,000. Amid the pandemic, the transaction value of the third CIIE achieved a growth of 2.1%, showing that global investors continue to be optimistic about China and Shanghai. A Limerick drug dealer on the run for over a decade has been arrested in the UK after police seized 1.6 million of cocaine in Belfast this week. Anthony Terry had been at large after escaping from an Irish prison in 2006 just months after he got a four-year sentence for being in possession of 10kg of cannabis. But his 14 years on the run came to an end this week after his arrest by the UK's National Crime Agency officers in Wolverhampton last Monday. A van stopped at Belfast Port last week after arriving from Birkenhead, England, by ferry was found to have 20kg of cocaine. It is one of the largest such seizures ever made in Northern Ireland. Laethian McCalla (39) of Staffordshire, alleged to be the driver, was arrested and later charged after being questioned by NCA officers. Anthony Terry (46), of Crawford Road, Wolverhampton, has also been charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine and with possessing an improperly obtained ID document. The Limerick man was last seen legging it from the Regional Hospital in the city in September 2006 where he had been brought by the prison service after complaining of chest pains. In July that year he had been sentenced to serve four years behind bars after he admitted to possessing 10kg of cannabis worth 40,000 for sale or supply. Debt He told gardai he had a debt of 6,000 which he borrowed to buy a van and this had been sold on to a drug dealer by his original lender. Because of delays in making repayments the taxi driver's debt spiralled to 15,000, it was heard in court. The drug dealer reportedly threatened to rape Terry's wife and 13-year-old daughter if he did not come up with the money - but offered to go easy on him if he did a drop for them. Evidence was heard of how Terry had been caught red-handed as a garda surveillance team watched a van on the outskirts of the city on July 20, 2005. A taxi pulled up and when gardai approached Terry they asked him what was in bags found in the boot. He said they were tools he had been asked to deliver there. Gardai found the drugs in black bin liners. But just months after being sentenced he had escaped and remained at large until this week. This week the NCA revealed the 20kg haul of cocaine was discovered hidden inside an empty fuel tank being transported in a van. Officers used special equipment to recover the drugs, in an operation which took several hours and also involved Belfast Harbour Police, Border Force and the PSNI. Criminal NCA branch commander Adam Warnock said: "This was a significant seizure of cocaine, one of the biggest to be made by law enforcement in Northern Ireland in recent years. "The loss of the profit that would have been made from it will be felt by the criminal groups involved in drug supply in the province. "Those groups are also involved in exploitation and violence in our communities, so taking away these drugs will prevent them from reinvesting in further criminal activity. "Working with our partners across law enforcement we are determined to do all we can to disrupt and dismantle organised crime networks and protect the public." XanEdu's FlexEd courseware is an affordable, proven technology platform that begins with free, OER textbook content and leverages experienced educators to curate enhanced content including video, readings, homework, lecture slides, discussion topics and more. The content within each courseware title is carefully designed to guide students to mastery of each topic; FlexEd instructors regularly achieve 90% course completion rates. FlexEd integrates with any learning management system and provides students with study aids, self-assessments and a personalized learning center with text and email reminders. Open RN is funded by a grant from the US Department of Education to address the rising costs of textbooks which limit access to education for many students. Open RN textbooks are high quality, peer reviewed material. They contain active learning tools to assist students as they learn challenging concepts and apply them to patient care in the manner in which they will be tested with the new NCLEX Next Generation test questions. Because they are open resources, other nursing programs across the country will be able to easily customize to their own specifications and provide free content to their students, compounding the economic impact of the grant. "Our company is committed to quality, technology-driven solutions that make education affordable and accessible. We are thrilled to bring the benefits of FlexEd to nursing students with the high quality foundation found in Open RN textbooks" remarked John DeBoer, XanEdu CEO. "We are committed to nursing education and look forward to building affordable, effective FlexEd courseware for the full suite of Open RN titles." XanEdu is also the print partner for Open RN and will offer the full suite of titles in low cost print versions as they are published. ABOUT XANEDU XanEdu has been increasing student engagement and enhancing learning outcomes since 1999 by delivering innovative solutions across the education spectrum. We are committed to advancing the education tools for tomorrow through innovative products and services that meet students' evolving learning styles and incorporate cutting edge technology while maintaining our commitment to affordability and accessibility. XanEdu is a privately held company headquartered in Ann Arbor, MI. More information can be found at xanedu.com or by writing [email protected]. ABOUT OPEN RN The Open RN project is funded by a $2.5 million dollar grant from the Department of Education to create 5 OER Nursing Textbooks with 25 associated virtual reality scenarios. The project is led by Chippewa Valley Technical College, and the textbooks are being collaboratively written with faculty from Wisconsin technical colleges. The books will be reviewed nationally by nursing faculty, deans, healthcare alliance members, and other industry representatives to ensure the content is current and accurate. Other states and colleges are encouraged to adopt and customize these books for their specific requirements, to save students money re-purposing the high-quality Open RN base materials. The estimated maximum impact of this project for nursing students in Wisconsin Technical College Nursing programs is $1.5 million annually in textbook savings. Other nursing programs across the country will also be able to easily "remix" the textbook content to customize their own content, which could potentially lead to even more cost savings nationally. More information can be found at https://www.cvtc.edu/landing-pages/grants/open-rn SOURCE XanEdu Publishing, Inc.; Open RN Barcelona, pre-trial detention for 6 Italians arrested 'Attempted murder' among charges (ANSAmed) - MADRID, MARCH 3 - A judge in Barcelona has ordered overnight the preventive custody, without the possibility of getting bailed out, for the six Italians arrested on Saturday night in the Catalan city. They are accused of "attempted murder" after, according to the police, they set on fire a van of the Urban Guards with an officer on board during protests for the arrest of rapper Hasel, Spanish media reported on Wednesday. The same measure was ordered for the Spanish and French women suspected of being part of the same "violent" and "organized" group that took part in protests Saturday. The eight - including five men and a woman of Italian nationality aged 28 to 35 - are also accused of "attacking police officers", "belonging to a criminal group", "damages", "illicit demonstration" and "public disorder". (ANSAmed) J. Scott Applewhite ALBANY - An inmate in Great Meadow Correctional Facility in Comstock pleaded guilty on Feb. 25 to making plans to have a U.S. senator shot in the head, the U.S. Justice Department said. Carlo Di Padova, 61, also admitted to sending a letter to that senator that contained a white powdery substance, Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Thomas F. Relford said. The identity of the senator was not revealed in a press release sent by the Justice Department. Di Padova mailed the letter on Jan. 23, 2019, while an inmate at Auburn Correctional Facility in Auburn. The powder in the letter was harmless, the prosecutors said. Di Padova faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 when he is sentenced on June 16 in U.S. District Court in Utica. This case was investigated by the FBI and the state Department of Correction and Community Supervision. A Texas lawmaker has unveiled plans for a committee that would promote 'patriotic education' across the state's schools, parks and museums. Rep. Tan Parker is pressing for the 1836 Project - named after the year Texas achieved independence from Mexico - according to legislation filed Monday. The Republican's proposal echoes that of Donald Trump's 1776 Commission. That group was established by the former president as a response to The New York Times' '1619 Project' which highlights the lasting consequences of slavery in the US. But Parker insists his plans are unrelated and told The Dallas News they are 'exclusively about celebrating Texas'. His plans primarily target 'promoting awareness' of 'Texas values that continue to stimulate boundless prosperity across this state', according to the bill. The committee will focus on remembering the Texas War for Independence, the annexation of Texas by the US and Juneteenth. The lawmaker said in a news release: 'Throughout recent years, we have witnessed the destruction of historical monuments as many attempt to rewrite the past. 'Many of our children are taught to denounce Texas history and do not understand what it means to be a virtuous citizen.' Parker said the bill is 'about making certain we protect our history and share it with future generations'. Rep. Tan Parker is pressing for the 1836 Project - named after the year Texas achieved independence from Mexico - according to legislation filed Monday Battle of San Jacinto, 21 April 1836: Texas War of Independence (from Mexico) also called the Texas Revolution The committee will focus on the Texas War for Independence, the annexation of Texas by the US, pictured, and Juneteenth, Parker said, and was 'proactive' in its protection Texan students already learn about patriotic symbols and customs; they are expected to learn the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States and the Pledge to the Texas Flag. They also learn about 'the history of Texas from the early beginnings to the present'. But the lawmaker says he hopes his plans can be implemented across the state by 'ensuring patriotic education is provided to the public at state parks, battlefields, monuments, museums, installations, landmarks, cemeteries, and other places important to the Texas War for Independence and founding of this state'. He said his plans are 'proactive' and also plans for a pamphlet to be handed out to new drivers collecting their licenses which will detail how Texas promotes 'liberty and freedom for businesses and families'. The Republican's proposal echoes that of Donald Trump's 1776 Commission. That group was established by the former president as a response to The New York Times' '1619 Project' which highlights the lasting consequences of slavery in the US. But insists his plans are unrelated and told The Dallas News they are 'exclusively about celebrating Texas' WHAT THE PAMPHLET WILL INCLUDE According to Parker's proposals a pamphlet including the following will be handed to Texans getting their driver's license. The contents must include: an overview of Texas history and civics the legacy of economic prosperity in this state the abundant opportunities for businesses and families in this state Advertisement Parker said he wants 'patriotic education provided to the public', adding: 'Civic education should not be limited to the classroom.' Academics have long clashed with Texas' GOP-controlled education board on controversies that include lessons exploring the influence Moses had on the Founding Fathers. Governor Greg Abbott said earlier this year that students must learn 'what it means to be an American and what it means to be a Texan.' Joe Biden disbanded Trump's 1776 Commission and withdrew a report it released in an executive order signed on in his first day in office. In its report, which Trump hoped would be used in classrooms across the nation, the commission glorified the country's founders and played down Americas role in slavery. It also condemned the rise of progressive politics and argued that the civil rights movement ran afoul of the 'lofty ideals' espoused by the Founding Fathers. The panel, which included no professional historians of the United States, complained of 'false and fashionable ideologies' that depict the countrys story as one of 'oppression and victimhood.' Instead, it called for renewed efforts to foster 'a brave and honest love for our country.' Trump officials heralded the report as 'a definitive chronicle of the American founding,' but scholars say it disregards the most basic rules of scholarship. It offers no citations, for example, or a list of its source materials. The 1619 project was published in 2019, the 400th anniversary of the first arrival of African slaves. It turned into a popular podcast and materials were developed for schools to use Historians widely panned the report, saying it offers a false and outdated version of American history that ignores decades of research. 'It's an insult to the whole enterprise of education. Education is supposed to help young people learn to think critically,' said David Blight, a Civil War historian at Yale University. 'That report is a piece of right-wing propaganda.' Blight, at Yale, compared it to 'a sixth- or seventh-grade kind of approach to history - to make the children feel good.' He added: 'But it's worse than that, because it comes out of an agenda of political propaganda.' Proposals first reported last month in Arkansas, Iowa and Mississippi would also prohibit schools from using the New York Times 1619 project. Georgia colleges and universities have been quizzed about whether they're teaching about white privilege or oppression. And GOP governors are backing overhauls of civic education that mirror Trump's abandoned initiatives. Parker's plans primarily target 'promoting awareness' of 'Texas values that continue to stimulate boundless prosperity across this state'. They will focus on the Texas War for Independence, the annexation of Texas by the US and Juneteenth, he said South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a close ally of Trump's, in January proposed $900,000 to ramp up her state's civics curriculum to emphasize the U.S. as 'the most unique nation in the history of the world.' Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves is proposing a $3 million 'Patriotic Education Fund' to combat what he called revisionist history. 'Across the country, young children have suffered from indoctrination in far-left socialist teachings that emphasize Americas shortcomings over the exceptional achievements of this country,' Reeves said when he announced it. The proposals primarily target The New York Times' '1619 Project,' which examined slavery and its consequences as the central thread of U.S. history. The project was published in 2019, the 400th anniversary of the first arrival of African slaves. It turned into a popular podcast and materials were developed for schools to use. WILMINGTON, Del., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Artemundi, a leading art fund manager with its affiliates having previously managed over US$1 billion in works of fine art and a firm commitment to increasing transparency in the market, has announced the launch of the Guernica V. Fund. This fund has been specifically designed to protect and grow wealth during the current health and economic crisis. The fund will allocate investment capital initially targeted at US$200 million towards the acquisition of a diversified portfolio of secondary-market museum-quality artworks with attractive short-term risk-return profiles. by Alvaro Villalobos. ?Getty Images The fund will invest in highly desirable works from the late 19th Century Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, and Modernism periods, as well as the Post-War and early Contemporary movements. "In uncertain times, high-end art is an attractive investment option for preserving and growing wealth," said Javier Lumbreras, CEO of Artemundi. "Simultaneously, investing in art as an alternative is not something anybody can do; it demands connoisseurship, selectivity, and a thorough understanding of the art market to be able to garner strong returns. Our 32-year experience in art management will allow the Guernica V. Fund to capitalize on opportunities created by the market dislocations arising from the pandemic." The Guernica V. Fund will offer investors access to art investment opportunities without the difficulties and challenges of navigating the art market personally, and Artemundi has been working to increase the market's accessibility for decades. "The plan is to not only be the market leader by doing things right, but to combat opaque industry conduct and drive the art market toward a level of transparency and regulation that welcomes newcomers and fosters healthy future growth," added Lumbreras. Lumbreras, an art collector and investor himself, will be leading the Guernica V. Fund's investment management in consultation with a Management Advisory Council formed by a seasoned team of art market professionals. With over 32 years of experience managing art as an alternative asset, Lumbreras is a recognized authority on art investments, having previously launched Artemundi Global Fund during the 2008 financial recession. This fund successfully achieved a 17.41 proforma IRR net to investors, after all fees, expenses and deductions. Since then, Artemundi has held numerous co-investments, joint ventures, and private accounts. The devastating economic conditions created by this global crisis then spurred the launch of a new short-term fund to better protect investors' assets in an uncertain time. Strict investment protocols, administrative procedures, and powerful partnerships place the Guernica V. Fund solidly above its competition. The Guernica V Fund has selected Liberman Canna LLP in the USA and DLaw S.a.r.l. in Luxembourg to handle its legal affairs, and expects to benefit from the expertise of the Art Law + Art Funds practice of Liberman Canna that is headed by Enrique Liberman, the president of The Art Fund Association and a recognized authority on art fund formation and governance. The Guernica V. Fund will be audited by Deloitte and administered by Apex Funds. The investment manager's experience in handling all issues associated with the underlying asset, as well as the intricacies of a largely unregulated art market, mitigates risks to the fund's investment program. The investment plan covers the United States and Europe, with a master fund in Luxembourg and a Delaware fund. The Delaware fund, Guernica V Fund (US), LLP, will accept capital from US "accredited investors" for investment into the Luxembourg master fund, Guernica V Fund, SLP. For more information on the Guernica V. Fund, please visit https://artemundi.com/guernica-v-fund About Artemundi Artemundi was born out of a rebellious idea and a principled objective: Help its clients build and diversify their investment portfolios without the excessive fees associated with traditional brick-and-mortar art companies while paving the way for more transparent business practices within the industry. Since its foundation in 1989, Artemundi has evolved to become an industry-leading art investment company. It now has over 32 years of experience providing expert fund and other management services. Beyond its emotional, intellectual, and cultural value, art is a real and tangible asset that appreciates over time. Fueled by this knowledge and deep understanding of art as an asset, Artemundi help clients properly manage their portfolios to achieve attractive return rates while reducing overall risk. For more information, please visit www.artemundi.com. Media Contact: Grace Lumbreras [email protected] (+1) 800 969 1623 (+1) 302 988 5002 506(c) Offering Legend Securities of Guernica V Fund (US), LP will be offered and sold in reliance on the exemption from registration set forth in Section 506(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the "Securities Act". In accordance therewith, you should be aware that (i) the securities may be sold only to "accredited investors," which for natural persons are investors who meet certain minimum annual income or net worth thresholds, including net worth greater than $1 million (excluding their primary residence) or incomes above $200,000 in the last two years with the expectation of the same in the current year (or $300,000 with a spouse); (ii) the securities will only be offered in reliance on an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and will not be required to comply with specific disclosure requirements that apply to registration under the Securities Act; (iii) the Securities and Exchange Commission will not pass upon the merits of or give its approval to the securities, the terms of the offering, or the accuracy or completeness of any offering materials; (iv) the securities will be subject to legal restrictions on transfer and resale and investors should not assume they will be able to resell their securities; investing in securities involves risk, and investors should be able to bear the loss of their investment; and (v) the securities offered will not be subject to the protections of the Investment Company Act. Any performance data set forth herein represents past performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This press release is not an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to purchase, any securities of Guernica V Fund (US), LP or Guernica V Fund, SLP, in any jurisdiction where such offer or sale would be prohibited. Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain statements of a forward-looking nature relating to future events. These forward-looking statements are subject to the inherent uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions. These statements reflect Artemundi's current beliefs, and a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in this press release. Any forward-looking statement in this press release is based only on information currently available to Artemundi and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Artemundi undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement. This press release should not be construed as providing investment advice or making any investment recommendations to any recipient hereof. Investors in the Guernica V Fund should not invest on the basis of this press release but rather should read and understand the offering documentation of the fund before making an investment decision. Related Files 21 02 06 PRESS RELEASE_Guernica.docx Guernica High-res Image.jpg Related Images spains-reina-sofia-museum-prepares.jpg "Spain's Reina Sofia museum prepares to reopen in pandemic era" by Alvaro Villalobos. Getty Images Related Links More about the Guernica V. Fund More about Investments in Art Related Video https://vimeo.com/476050289 SOURCE Artemundi It has a budget of C$49.3 million for 2021/2 with 125,000m targeted for Malartic and 125,000m for Alpha O3's properties in Quebec already host measured and indicated (M&I) resources of 2.4 million ounces of gold at a grade of 1.22 g/t ( ) (OTCMKTS:OIIIF) unveiled plans on Tuesday to expand the drilling program at its Malartic and Alpha properties, two potential production sites, in Val-d'Or, Quebec, in a bid to discover and convert new gold resources. The company aims to sink 250,000 metres (m) during this year and next at the two properties, on top of the 86,000m undertaken in 2019 and 2020. It has a budget of C$49.3 million for 2021/2, with 125,000m targeted for Malartic and 125,000m for Alpha. The exploration success to date, as well as a recently completed C$35.0 million bought deal financing, which brought its total cash and investments to C$145.9 million, gives O3 Mining the confidence to expand the drilling program as it executes its triple exploration strategy to convert, expand and discover resource through the second-largest drilling program in Quebec behind its sister company , the explorer said in a statement. O3's properties in Quebec already host measured and indicated (M&I) resources of 2.4 million ounces of gold at a grade of 1.22 grams per ton (g/t), while there are 1.5 million ounces of the yellow metal at 2.27 g/t gold in inferred. At the Marban project on the Malartic property, infill drilling will be carried out to upgrade the inferred resources ahead of a pre-feasibility study earmarked for 2022, including at the NorlarticKierens, North-North, North Shear, Marban and the Gold Hawk deposits. The company will also continue with step-out drilling and testing new areas within five kilometres of the proposed plant site to identify new resources that can be brought within the mine plan. Elsewhere, O3 Mining aims to continue to expand the resource at the Orenada-Bulldog and Akasaba sectors at Alpha, where it has an option on the nearby Aurbel mill. At Alpha, the company also aims to continue to discover new mineralized zones at the Simkar and Omega sectors and test targets generated and verified using artificial intelligence (AI) by Mira Geoscience, incorporating drilling and mapping databases and samples, among others. Also in today's statement, O3 said Jose Vizquerra, President and CEO of the company, will present at the BMO Global Metals & Mining Conference on March 3 at 4pm ET, as part of the Osisko Group Panel alongside Osisko Development, , and Osisko Metals, and will be available for one-on-one meetings throughout the conference. Shares nudged up 2% in Toronto to C$2.55 each. ---Updates for share price--- Contact the author at giles@proactiveinvestors.com The six recipients come from leading research institutions in PICI's network, including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Penn's Abramson Cancer Center (Penn), the Stanford University School of Medicine, the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, and Gladstone Institutes. They also come from a variety of backgrounds, both in terms of their training and their geography, as half of the awardees were born outside of the mainland U.S. Hawaii, the United Kingdom and France. "This year's class of Parker Scholars, Bridge Fellows and Senior Fellows are an exceptional group of young scientists," said Lisa Butterfield, PhD, Vice President of Research and Development at PICI. "From projects that have historically been strong suits for PICI like T cell exhaustion to new areas like dendritic cells and immune tolerance, these rising stars will enable us to broaden our efforts to turn all cancers into curable diseases." The 2021 awardees are: Jean-Christophe Beltra , PhD , Parker Scholar at Penn , is working to unravel the role cytokines play in CD8 T cell exhaustion. Following his recent research which identified additional subsets of exhausted CD8 T cells and the complex process that leads to their exhaustion, he is now focused on determining how these cytokines can be guided and fine-tuned into a more effective combination partner with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors. at , is working to unravel the role cytokines play in CD8 T cell exhaustion. Following his recent research which identified additional subsets of exhausted CD8 T cells and the complex process that leads to their exhaustion, he is now focused on determining how these cytokines can be guided and fine-tuned into a more effective combination partner with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors. Chrysothemis ( Chryssie) Brown , MBBS, PhD , Parker Senior Fellow at MSK, is focused on how different dendritic cells influence tumor progression and response to immunotherapy. By better understanding the immune system of pediatric patients, she hopes to identify new immunotherapy targets to elicit responses to solid tumors in children. at MSK, is focused on how different dendritic cells influence tumor progression and response to immunotherapy. By better understanding the immune system of pediatric patients, she hopes to identify new immunotherapy targets to elicit responses to solid tumors in children. Caleb Lareau , PhD , Parker Scholar at Stanford, studies the way human cells change over time, looking for the mechanisms and markings that predate when a cell becomes cancerous. The ability to intervene in that process could lead to using immunotherapy as a preventative treatment. at Stanford, studies the way human cells change over time, looking for the mechanisms and markings that predate when a cell becomes cancerous. The ability to intervene in that process could lead to using immunotherapy as a preventative treatment. James Lee , MD , Parker Bridge Fellow at UCSF, is a medical oncologist specializing in melanoma. His research is focused on understanding how the spread of cancer to the liver can impact the rest of the immune system, particularly in how they inhibit the efficacy of T-cell based immunotherapy. at UCSF, is a medical oncologist specializing in melanoma. His research is focused on understanding how the spread of cancer to the liver can impact the rest of the immune system, particularly in how they inhibit the efficacy of T-cell based immunotherapy. Zachary Steinhart , PhD , Parker Scholar at Gladstone Institutes, is applying CRISPR gene editing approaches to improve CAR T cell therapy. He is working to gain insight into the genes that are essential to T cells that can be edited to make therapies more effective. at Gladstone Institutes, is applying CRISPR gene editing approaches to improve CAR T cell therapy. He is working to gain insight into the genes that are essential to T cells that can be edited to make therapies more effective. Evan Weber , PhD, Parker Bridge Fellow at Stanford, is also working on ways to improve the efficacy of CAR T cells, and his approach is tied to T cell exhaustion. By manipulating certain regions of DNA or proteins that can reshape DNA, he hopes to enable CAR T cells to resist or reverse their exhaustion, allowing them to kill cancer cells more efficiently. While each of the early career researchers will receive financial benefit, they were unanimous in their feeling that what truly sets this program apart is the access it grants them to other leaders in the field, as well as services like informatics that they would not be able to utilize on their own. "None of these discoveries will come from one person alone," Brown said. "Being part of this collaboration is the key to delivering on the promise of our ideas." "Being able to reach out and regularly interact with folks at the senior faculty level is what I'm looking forward to the most," Lee said. "The informatics support and tissue banking support are among the best in the country." "The most important developmental components of my career have come from working with people from different backgrounds. PICI is an incredible network, enabling team science at a level that is truly special and unique," Lareau said. "It's something for which I'm tremendously excited." In addition to funding bold ideas, the program is also a training ground for researchers as they prepare for the future of their science careers. "It's a great way for me to not only advance my research, but to learn how to manage a grant and manage money, which is something I will have to do if I run my own lab one day," Beltra said. About the Programs The early career researchers program was one of the first initiatives PICI founded following its launch in 2016. The goal is to empower ambitious researchers to pursue their boldest ideas to transform the immunotherapy and cell and gene therapy landscape for cancer patients. The Parker Scholars program supports graduate students and researchers entering their first postdoctoral appointment focused on high-impact, high-risk projects. The Parker Bridge Fellows program supports senior postdoctoral investigators as they transition to faculty positions. The Parker Senior Fellows program supports investigators who have recently completed their MD or PhD and are ready to establish a laboratory or independent program in cancer immunotherapy. Awardees are selected from a pool of candidates across PICI's partner research institutions. They are chosen on the basis of academic achievement, scientific approach, innovation, the significance of the proposed work to advance the field and the promise of their research to advance the mission and goals of PICI. About the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI) is radically changing the way cancer research is done. Founded in 2016 through a $250 million gift from Silicon Valley entrepreneur and philanthropist Sean Parker, the San Francisco-based nonprofit is an unprecedented collaboration between the country's leading immunotherapy researchers and cancer centers, including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Stanford Medicine, the University of California, Los Angeles, the University of California, San Francisco, the University of Pennsylvania and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The institute also supports top researchers at other institutions, including City of Hope, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Institute for Systems Biology and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. By forging alliances with academic, industry and nonprofit partners, PICI makes big bets on bold research to fulfill its mission: to accelerate the development of breakthrough immune therapies to turn all cancers into curable diseases. Find out more at www.parkerici.org. SOURCE Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy Related Links https://www.parkerici.org/ The turbulent times between 2016 and the present partisan party politics between Democrats and Republicans immediately brings a hue and cry of maverick to be applied to any member of Congress that does not adhere to their respective party position. In the nineteenth century the term maverick had nothing to do with the crazy political arena of today. Samuel A. Maverick was a stubborn Texas cattle rancher who refused to brand his herd because he thought it was cruel to his bovines to place a red-hot iron upon their hides. He could not be convinced that it was the only way to identify the ownership of free-range livestock so he just rounded up all cattle that he could find that did not have a brand even though they were not from his herd. Any stray unbranded cow was called a maverick, but the word has evolved to mean anyone who doesnt play by the political rules! (Excerpts from The Little Book of Answers Author Doug Lennox (2003) MJF Books New York, NY 1001. New Delhi, March 4 : Realising the importance of Christian voters ahead of the Assembly elections in Kerala, the BJP has started reaching out to the churches in the southern state. In central Kerala, the Christian community plays a decisive role with the Catholic church having huge influence. The BJP's move to reach out to the Christian community ahead of the Kerala Assembly polls is seen as an attempt to gain the confidence of the community, which has got significant influence in the constituencies in central Kerala. As per the 2011 Census, about 45 per cent of Kerala's total population belong to the minority communities, including Muslims. Around 40 Assembly constituencies falling in Thrissur, Chalakudy, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Idukki and Pathanamthitta are known as Christian heartlands, will be crucial for every political party. BJP kerala spokesperson Sandeep Vachaspati told IANS that the party is reaching out to all sections of the society with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Sabka Sath, Sabha Vikas'. Another BJP leader said that the Catholic church has huge influence among its 35 lakh-strong community and the three different Catholic groups dominate the per cent Christians in Kerala. "There are some misunderstandings or communication gaps with the Christian community which we are trying to sort out," he said. Recently, the BJP poll co-incharge for Kerala and Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka N. Ashwath Narayan had met a senior Catholic priest. Kerala BJP chief K. Surendran had also met Syro-Malabar church head Cardinal George Alencherry. Surendran's meeting with Alencherry took place in the middle of the party's ongoing 'Vijaya Yatra', which he is leading. A party leader said that during the meeting, Narayan tried to dispel whatever differences were there with the Christian community and sought his cooperation. The 140-member Kerala Assembly will go to the polls on April 6. The results will be declared May 2. Currently, the BJP has only one member in the Kerala Assembly. Sources said the BJP may field a few Christian candidates for the upcoming polls. Jerry Lara /Staff photographer WellMed has closed its COVID-19 vaccine reservation hotline since all appointments for this week have been taken, officials said today. WellMed expects to reopen its phone hotline this Friday once an additional 9,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine have been delivered. When it will reopen hasnt been determined since it depends on when that supply is delivered. A magnitude 4.4 earthquake near Atka, Aleutians West County, Alaska, USA, was reported only 26 minutes ago by the United States Geological Survey, considered the key international and national agency that monitors seismic activity in the US. The earthquake occurred at a moderately shallow depth of 40 miles beneath the epicenter in the evening on Tuesday 2 March 2021 at 8:51 pm local time. The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies issue their report. ... A magnitude 3.6 earthquake near Valdez, Valdez-Cordova County, Alaska, USA, was reported only 9 minutes ago by the United States Geological Survey, considered the key international and national agency that monitors seismic activity in the US. The earthquake occurred at a shallow depth of 8 miles beneath the epicenter late at night on Tuesday 2 March 2021 at 10:39 pm local time. The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies issue their report. ... We are receiving unverified early reports of seismic activity in or around Albania at approximately 10:19 GMT. There are no details yet on the magnitude or depth of this earthquake. We expect more accurate data to emerge in the next few minutes. The location and magnitude mentioned are indicative and temporary until the AllQuakes monitoring service receives more exact scientific data from a national or international seismological agency. Check back here shortly and stay safe. ... A magnitude 4.7 earthquake near Baturaja, Sumatera Selatan, Indonesia, was reported only 11 minutes ago by Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency, considered the main national agency that monitors seismic activity in Indonesia. The earthquake occurred at an intermediate depth of 129 km beneath the epicenter in the afternoon on Wednesday 3 March 2021 at 5:34 pm local time. The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies issue their report. ... An earthquake of magnitude 5.2 occurred in the evening on Wednesday 3 March 2021 at 9:16 pm local time near Pagan Village, Pagan Island, Northern Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, as reported by the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ). ... A massive 6.2 earthquake hit near the capital city of Larissa in the Thessaly Region, Greece, earlier today, 3 March 2021, at 12:16 pm local time. Within minutes after the quake, our monitoring service received numerous reports from users describing moderate shaking. Reports coming from Larissa described to have felt strong shaking. The earthquake was felt at a radius of more than 200 km from the epicenter. ... If you felt it , report it through our site or app right now! Support us - Help us upgrade our services! Weather reports Tsunami alerts Design upgrades Faster responsiveness Earthquake archive from 1900 onwards Additional seismic data sources Improved content in English Download and Upgrade the Volcanoes & Earthquakes app to get one of the fastest seismic and volcano alerts online: Android | IOS to get one of the fastest seismic and volcano alerts online: We truly love working to bring you the latest volcano and earthquake data from around the world. Maintaining our website and our free apps does require, however, considerable time and resources.We need financing to increase hard- and software capacity as well as support our editor team. We're aiming to achieve uninterrupted service wherever an earthquake or volcano eruption unfolds, and your donations can make it happen! Every donation will be highly appreciated. If you find the information useful and would like to support our team in integrating further features, write great content, and in upgrading our soft- and hardware, please PayPal or Online credit card payment )., these features have been added recently: Newman later said she began taking on duties commensurate with a much higher salary level, but she was never adequately compensated for that work. She also said she worked above her pay grade for more than two years before she was promoted, while white men with similar experience climbed the corporate ladder more quickly. Kimberly O'Connor (16) who was described by her mother as a "bright, bubbly happy girl with an infectious smile" A heartbroken mother said she received justice for her beloved daughter after a teen who admitted dangerous driving causing death was given four years detention. Daniel Wyse (17) of Killiney Heights, Knocknaheeny, Cork, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Kimberly O'Connor (16) and to causing serious injury to another teenager in the car. Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard that the car being driven by the defendant on February 19, 2020, reached speeds of 119kmh in a 50kmh zone of the residential Cork community that evening. The defendant had no driving license, no motor insurance and had purchased the old Seat car involved via an online advertisement. The car collided with a concrete pillar on Harbour View Road in Knocknaheeny just 50 metres from Ms O'Connor's home and the 16-year-old girl in the front passenger seat suffered critical injuries. Read More Wyse had overtaken a taxi on Harbour View Road but his car clipped a kerb, then a tree, hit a utility box and a metal bollard before colliding with a concrete wall and gate pillar. The cap on the bollard was catapulted through the window of a nearby house while another part of the bollard ended up 45 metres away. Ms O'Connor was pronounced dead at the scene before she could be transferred to Cork University Hospital (CUH). Another teenager in the car also suffered serious injuries including a fractured skull. He initially lost the use of his limbs but has regained movement thanks to intensive physiotherapy. The boy has no recollection of the collision. Wyse told the court he was deeply remorseful for what happened. He also said the tragedy and the death of his friend will live with him for the rest of his life. Kimberly and her family will always be in my thoughts and prayers, he said via video-link. His family expressed their deepest condolences to Kimberly's family. The teen received a term of eight years detention but with the final four years suspended in light of his remorse and his plea. However, Judge Sean O'Donnabhain noted that Wyse had fled the scene of the accident on the night. He said that identifying Wyse was in the public interest and disqualified him from driving for a period of 15 years. The judge advised that it was in the public interest for anyone over that period who sees Wyse driving to notify gardai. Kimberly O'Connor's mother, Jennifer, said her family believed they had received justice but acknowledged that she had been haunted by the aftermath of the horrific collision. The mother was in her family home that evening and heard the sound of the crash as it happened from her front door. I am happy enough we got justice for Kimberly today, she said. "It gives us a little bit of peace that we got justice for Kimberly. She deserved to be named here today 100pc deserved to be named. She said that the collision was "every mother's worst nightmare. "Kimberly was a bright, bubbly happy girl with an infectious smile. She didn't deserve to die like that. Both the deceased and the defendant could be identified by special order of Judge O'Donnabhain who said it was unjust not to name Ms O'Connor. Her family had spoken of their upset at any suggestion the teenage girl should be left anonymous in the case. Under a provision of the Children's Act which the Government are currently reviewing the deceased would not ordinarily be identified as she is a juvenile. However, the judge said it was in the public interest to do so and also allowed Wyse to be identified. The court was told that the case was widely publicised last year with numerous public tributes being paid to Ms O'Connor who was a popular student at Terence McSwiney College and had participated in several high-profile charity events. Ms O'Connor, a transition year student, died when the car in which she was a passenger collided with a wall on Harbour View Road in Knocknaheeny. At her funeral, Ms O'Connor was described by her family as "a priceless diamond and a superstar. Credit: Dr Kerstin Bilgmann, Macquarie University While consumers look out for the Dolphin Safe mark on seafood purchases, a major research stocktake of Australian-New Zealand waters gives new guidelines to managers of dolphin fisheries. Led by Flinders University, the extensive new genomic study of almost 500 common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), spanning multiple spatial areas of more than 1500 sq km from the southern and east coast of Australia to Tasmania and New Zealand, calls for greater collaboration between the two countries' conservation and fisheries plans. Just published in Frontiers in Marine Science, the study of DNA diversity of several dolphin populations in Australia and NZ suggests connectivity between several populations of common dolphins across the Tasman Sea. The common dolphins of the Pacific Ocean (eastern Australia and NZ) are highly differentiated at DNA level to those in the Indian Ocean (southern Australia), says the lead author Flinders University Ph.D. Andrea Barcelo. "While this species is considered one of the most abundant dolphin species in temperate and subtropical waters in Australia and New Zealand, they also suffer from frequent interactions and also mortality in several fisheries," says Ms Barcelo, from the Cetacean, Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution Lab (CEBEL) at Flinders University. The results indicate that inter-jurisdictional collaboration is needed to mitigate fisheries interactions of common dolphins across multiple spatial scales in the Australasian region, the international research team concludes. Marine scientists and experts from both countries supported the study including from the Flinders CEBEL and Molecular Ecology Lab, Massey University, National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research Ltd and MPI New Zealand. Overall, the findings identified complex common dolphin population structure and connectivity across state and international jurisdictions, including migration and gene flow across the Tasman Sea. "An understanding of population structure and connectivity at multiple spatial scales is required to assist wildlife conservation and management," says Flinders Associate Professor Luciana Moller. "This is particularly critical for widely distributed and highly mobile marine mammals subject to fisheries by-catch. "Information generated in this study will assist with the management of the dolphin-fishery interactions in the future," Associate Professor Moller says. The findings are also important when considering future conservation policies of marine ecosystems given the increase in anthropogenic impacts and ongoing changes of Earth's climate, the paper concludes. More information: Andrea Barcelo et al. A Matter of Scale: Population Genomic Structure and Connectivity of Fisheries At-Risk Common Dolphins (Delphinus delphis) From Australasia, Frontiers in Marine Science (2021). Andrea Barcelo et al. A Matter of Scale: Population Genomic Structure and Connectivity of Fisheries At-Risk Common Dolphins (Delphinus delphis) From Australasia,(2021). DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2021.616673 Coca-Cola continues tax haggle with GDT A few weeks ago the General Department of Taxation (GDT) under the Ministry of Finance failed to meet a mutual agreement with Coca-Cola Beverages Vietnam Ltd. in regards to the beverage corporations tax and administrative violations, and consequently decided to reject the appeal. In December 2019, the GDT announced that the Vietnamese arm of the soft drink giant was required to pay more than VND821 billion ($35.7 million) in fines and tax arrears stretching over nine years. According to Dang Ngoc Minh, deputy director of the GDT, 57.3 per cent of the amount was back tax, 35.2 per cent was a penalty for delayed payment, and the remaining amount was a penalty for incorrect filing. When the decision was made, Coca-Cola Vietnam paid VND471 billion ($20.5 million) last year, despite expressing its disagreement with some of the GDTs conclusions. After a December 2020 dialogue between the two parties, the GDT and Coca-Cola Vietnam were unable to break the deadlock and shortly thereafter, the tax department concluded that the companys first complaint in January 2020 was incorrect and therefore would not be recognised. As a result, the tax authorities denied the appeal and retained the penalty decision and the fine amount. Despite having operated in Vietnam since 1994, Coca-Cola had just reported profit from 2013 onwards. However, the tax losses of businesses may be carried forward fully and consecutively and offset against the profits of subsequent years for a maximum of five years. Thus, Coca-Cola Vietnam had not to pay tax at that time. Coca-Cola Vietnam reaffirmed that they have no other choice but to continue to pursue available avenues of appeal, according to a company representative. Coca-Cola Vietnam is deeply dismayed by this and rejects in no uncertain terms the GDTs decision and assertions with respect to the disputed issues. The explanations submitted by Coca-Cola Vietnam during the audit and appeal process provide a clear and sound response to support the companys position, the representative told VIR last week. Under inspection From March 2017 to December 2019, the GDT conducted its tax inspection, which covered the 2007-2015 period. It was noted at the time that Coca-Cola Vietnam actively cooperated with the local authorities by providing required information and necessary documents. However, the company realised that it had made some minor errors in describing its business operations, which had led to a failure to file for taxes. According to a representative of the GDT, Coca-Cola Vietnam had the right to appeal to the Ministry of Finance (MoF) or take legal action in case of continuing disagreement. In January last year, the company indeed filed a complaint concentrating on a number of issues, for example tax authorities not accepting some of the companys deductible expenses such as promotional products, refrigerators for organisations and individuals, fixed assets such as bottles and bottle deposits, and other expenses. Despite the troubles, the company insists it will continue attempts to work collaboratively with the local government to resolve these issues with utmost respect for the law. We understand that every company must do its part to support Vietnam in its economic recovery given the impact of the recent health crisis. Our company also has fully deposited the disputed amounts pending the outcome of the appeal in accordance with applicable law. However, Coca-Cola Vietnam continues to strongly maintain its position that it has operated in a compliant manner, the representative added. Major scrutiny Coca-Cola Vietnam is not the only foreign-invested enterprise (FIE) which has been tangled up in disputes with local tax authorities. In 2018, Dutch-backed personal care product maker Unilever Vietnam also faced a number of issues. The state auditing agency confirmed that Unilever Vietnam had to pay nearly VND800 billion ($34.78 million) in tax arrears for the period of 2009-2013. Notwithstanding, Unilever Vietnam did not agree with the charge and the two sides had been working to clarify the issue, during which the figure was revised to VND600 billion ($26 million). Metro Vietnam, Adidas, and Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam also have been the subject of contentious tax dispute due to their alleged transfer pricing activities. In the period of 2002-2013, Metro Vietnam changed its business licence six times and raised total investment and expanded its operation nationwide. In spite of that, Metro Vietnam constantly recorded losses, except for 2010 with a profit of VND173 billion ($7.52 million). And in 2012, Adidas Vietnamese business faced scrutiny from local tax authorities on the allegations of avoiding a huge number of tax bills by the price charged on transactions between different parts of the same company to keep its profit out of the Vietnamese tax net. Nguyen Duc Nghia, chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Agent Club, said that many FIEs were accused of practicing tax avoidance because they might reduce their tax base in higher-tax rate jurisdictions by shifting it to lower tax rate nations. Last December, the MoF revealed that around 55 per cent of FIEs in Vietnam recorded losses of VND131.4 trillion ($5.72 billion) in total. Specifically, over 12,450 FIEs reported losses last year, although they enjoyed a 13 per cent on-year increase in revenues. FIEs in some sectors including metallic production, and oil and gas have recorded losses for two consecutive years in 2018-2019. Meanwhile, other FIEs focusing on the manufacturing of personal vehicles like cars and motorbikes, food, medicine, education, and science and technology have reported decent profit margins. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 30 giorni fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Market Scenario Global Managed Security Service Market is expected to grow from US$ 24.05 Bn in 2017 to US$ 47.65 Bn by 2026, at a CAGR of 8.92% during the forecast period.Global Managed Security Service MarketManaged Security Service market is segmented by Security Type, organization size, deployment Mode, vertical, and region. On the basis of Security Type, the market further classified into managed network security, managed endpoint security, managed vertical security, and managed cloud security. In terms of organization size the market is divided into large enterprises & SMEs. Based on deployment Mode the market is split into on-premises, and cloud. Vertical segment includes Banking, Financial Services, And Insurance (BFSI)), Government and Defense, telecom and IT, healthcare, energy and utilities, manufacturing, retail. According to the region market is spread into North America, Europe, Asia pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. Click Here to Get Sample Premium Report @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/10286 It is necessary to have a managed security system which is massively available in market today. Rising factor about Managed Security Service market is that they can provide accuracy in internal and external scans among IT network, web verticals, hosts, and databases. Scans by an MSS will reduce the resource needs through a structured distributed deployment, so it is helping to reduce costs from IT operations. Risk of cyber-attacks on all the business and organization has been increasing day by day, it may harm organizations personal information and sensitive data. High initial cost is limiting the growth of market. Computer, laptops and mobile phones are widely used devices now a days, still most of the users are not yet aware about the security services of all this technologies so, Managed Security Service has to be provided. Managed network security services providers are also known as solution providers or value added resellers which can be hired for outsourcing processes and tasks related to network security. Managed end point security is another policy based approach toward network security which requires endpoint devices to be used in specific criteria just before having access to network resources. It includes some specialized equipment such as bar code readers or point of sale terminals and others like PCs, smart phones, laptop, tablets etc. keeping your sensitive information, data, and workload to the cloud provides high efficiency, better performance and cost. Cloud security managed services uses global threat intelligence, integrated security technologies and security professionals. Based on the deployment Mode market is divided into on-premises and cloud, exceptionally growing demand is for cloud based security and remains to influence the market over deployment Modes In terms of region, Managed Security Service market is segmented by North America, Europe, Asia pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. North America is estimated to grow at high rate in Managed Security Service market owing to large-scale industrialization and different organizations emerging in the region. Increasing strictness of cyber security regulations and government support for the development and commercialization of advanced security are boosting the market in this region. You can Buy This Report from Here @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/checkout/10286/Single Key players operated in managed securities service market are IBM, SecureWorks, BT group, AT&T, verizon, Trustwave, Symantec, Wipro, alertLogic, Symantec, bae Systems, centurylink, DXC, fortinet, fujitsu, NTT Security, Accenture, cipher, HCL, Hitachi systems security, optiv security,rapid7, Unisys. The scope of global Managed Security Service Market Global Managed Security Service Market, By Type Managed Identity and Access Management Managed antivirus/anti-malware Managed firewall Managed risk and compliance management Managed vulnerability management Managed Intrusion Detection System/ Intrusion Prevention System Managed Security Information and Event Management Managed Unified Threat Management Managed encryption Managed disaster recovery Managed Data Loss Prevention Managed Distributed Denial of Service mitigation Others Managed Security Service Market, by Security Type Managed Network Security Managed Endpoint Security Managed Vertical Security Managed Cloud Security Global Managed Security Service Market, By Organization Size Large Enterprise Small & Medium Enterprise Global Managed Security Service Market, By Deployment Mode On-premises Cloud Global Managed Security Service Market, by Vertical Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) Government and Defense Telecom and IT Healthcare Energy and Utilities Manufacturing Retail Global Managed Security Service Market, By Region North America Europe Asia pacific Middle East & Africa Latin America Key Players in the Global Managed Security Service Market IBM SecureWorks Inc. BT group AT&T Verizon Trust ware Symantec Wipro Alert Logic Symantec Bae Systems Century link DXC Fortinet Fujitsu NTT Security Accenture Cipher HCL Hitachi systems security Optiv security Rapid Unisys Request For Report Discounts @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/discount/10286 An Offaly man who sexually abused a teenage girl he met on social media and drove to his home has been jailed for two-and-a-half years. Ciaran McIntyre (24) denied ever meeting the girl when questioned by gardai despite his DNA being found on clothing she had been wearing on the night. The Central Criminal Court heard that McIntyre and the victim had never met before the night of the offence. McIntyre of Rhode, Edenderry, Co Offaly, pleaded guilty to defilement of a child under the age of 15 at his address on February 23, 2017. A local detective garda told Eilis Brennan SC, prosecuting, that McIntyre had been in contact with the victim on Snapchat for two days prior to inviting her to a party on the date in question. The detective said the victim had been grounded by her mother, so McIntyre said he would pick her up in his car from the back of her house. She told McIntyre she did not wish to go to the party and he said they would go for a drive instead. McIntyre drove the victim to a shopping centre car-park where he asked her to perform oral sex on him, but she refused. He then drove her to the caravan where he was living. Inside the caravan he asked the girl if she wanted to have sex and she said no. He asked her to sit on his bed where he removed her trousers and underwear and penetrated her anally with his penis. McIntyre dropped her back to her town following the incident, but instead of returning home the girl spent the night with a friend in an abandoned house. When she returned home the next day it transpired that gardai had been called by her mother due to her missing from her home and she made a complaint to gardai at that stage. In interview with gardai McIntyre denied ever meeting the girl but accepted they had been in contact on Snapchat. He continued to deny meeting her after his DNA was found on the t-shirt the girl had been wearing on the night. The detective agreed with Paul Greene SC, defending, that there was no suggestion that the victim had been under some class of imprisonment and that she went voluntarily. He agreed there was no physical violence during the sexual offence. He agreed with counsel that his client was released on bail due to his mother being diagnosed with lung cancer. He agreed McIntyre is providing care and assistance for his mother alongside his sister. Mr Greene asked the court to take into account his clients guilty plea which meant a child did not have to give evidence during a trial and gardai did not have to assemble evidence which may have been challenged. He noted a reference from an employer who speaks of having trust in the accused man. Counsel said his client had written a letter of apology. He submitted that McIntyre had demonstrated a level of remorse and was otherwise a decent man with a clean record. He said his client's mother speaks of his assistance to her as a carer. Justice Michael White said that although McIntyre has pleaded guilty, a report before the court shows he does not have much insight into his offending. He said McIntyre set out to sexually exploit a very young teenager. Justice White said the offence was aggravated by the nature of the offence, the age of the victim and the age gap between them, his outright denials of the offence even when faced with strong evidence and the exploitative nature of the offence. He said the mitigating factors were the guilty plea, the accused's relative youth at the time of the offence, his previous good character and his letter of remorse. Justice White sentenced McIntyre to two-and-a-half years imprisonment and order that he undergo 18 months of post release supervision. By Tom Sims and Tom Bergin FRANKFURT/LONDON (Reuters) - Germany's financial watchdog warned of "an imminent risk" that Greensill Bank would become over-indebted on Wednesday as it imposed a moratorium on the lender making disposals or payments. BaFin's move is another blow to the bank's owner, Greensill Capital, which said on Tuesday it is in talks to sell large parts of its business after the loss of backing from two Swiss asset managers which underpinned key parts of its supply chain financing model. Greensill, which was founded in 2011 by former Citigroup banker Lex Greensill, helps companies spread out the time they have to pay their bills. The loans, which typically have maturities of up to 90 days, are securitized and sold to investors, allowing Greensill to make new loans. Greensill's primary source of funding came to an abrupt halt this week when Credit Suisse and asset manager GAM Holdings AG suspended redemptions from funds which held most of their around $10 billion in assets in Greensill notes, over concerns about being able to accurately value them. Two sources told Reuters on Wednesday that SoftBank-backed Greensill Capital is preparing to file for insolvency, adding that the sale talks were with U.S. private equity firm Apollo. Greensill and Apollo did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Greensill's insolvency preparations, which were earlier reported by the Financial Times, or on the sale talks. Japan's SoftBank, which has invested $1.5 billion in recent years in Greensill, also declined to comment. BaFin said an audit found that Greensill Bank could not provide evidence of receivables on its balance sheet purchased from mining tycoon Sanjeev Gupta's GFG Alliance. GFG did not respond to a Reuters request for comment on BaFin's findings. "The moratorium had to be ordered to secure the assets in an orderly procedure," BaFin said in a statement, adding that the Bremen-based bank would be closed for business with customers. It declined to elaborate. Story continues Greensill Capital said in a statement that Greensill Bank always "seeks external legal and audit advice before booking any new asset." CASH RETURN Greensill Bank had loans outstanding of 2.8 billion euros and deposits of 3.3 billion euros at the end of 2019, rating agency Scope said in an October report, which did not detail the bank's exposure to GFG. The bank is a member of the Compensation Scheme of German Banks which means deposits up to 100,000 euros ($120,740) are protected. The German regulator said withdrawals were not currently possible, but gave no further detail in a statement. Prosecutors in Bremen said earlier they had received a criminal complaint from BaFin regarding Greensill Bank, but did not provide further details on it. In Britain, meanwhile the financial regulator took action against GFG's own trade finance arm Wyelands Bank. The Bank of England's Prudential Regulation Authority said it had ordered Wyelands to repay all its depositors. It said in a statement that it had been engaging closely with Wyelands, but did not say why it had taken the action. GFG said Wyelands, which had over 700 million pounds ($979 million) of deposits according to its latest annual report, would repay deposits and planned to "focus solely on business advisory and connected finance". A GFG spokesman declined to comment on the BoE statement. Credit Suisse said on Wednesday it is looking to return cash from its suspended funds dedicated to supply chain finance, which is a method by which companies can get cash from banks and funds such as Greensill Capital to pay their suppliers without having to dip into their working capital. "Given the significant amount of cash (and cash equivalents) in the funds, we are exploring mechanisms for distributing excess cash to investors," Credit Suisse said in a note to investors on its website. Credit Suisse said that more than 1,000 institutional or professional investors were invested across its funds. ($1 = 0.8282 euros) ($1 = 0.7153 pounds) (Reporting by Tom Sims and Patricia Uhlig in FRANKFURT and Tom Bergin in LONDON; Additional reporting by Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi and Oliver Hirt in ZURICH; Editing by Alexander Smith) Australian tourists could soon be welcomed back to Bali as the popular holiday destination plans 'green zones' open to travel on the island. The government and health authorities are formulating areas where both domestic and foreign tourists will be able to holiday, Bali governor Wayan Koster said on Tuesday. Other Indonesian ministers have also brought up the prospect of the designated free-travel areas in some parts of the island - specifically mentioning Nusa Dua, Ubud, Kuta, and Nusa Penida. A once bustling five-star resort in Bali is now unrecognisable as the Covid-19 pandemic forces tourists out of the island and luxury hotels are left abandoned (pictured Padma Resort in Legian on New Year's Eve) The Padma Resort in Legian, on the island's west coast, stretches more than 6 hectares, boasts five swimming pools, multiple restaurants and overlooks the beach but is sitting empty (pictured) The move appears to be prompted by declining coronavirus case numbers along with the beginning of the Southeast Asian nation's vaccine rollout. On Tuesday, Indonesia launched a drive-thru vaccination campaign targeting thousands of hospitality workers who would be on the front lines as the tourism-reliant country attempts to restart it's economy. The program aims to inoculate around 5,000 workers in hospitality and ride-sharing services by the end of March. 'The Covid-19 vaccine is paramount for Indonesia's tourism industry recovery,' Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno said. 'The availability of vaccines continues to be a source of hope for people to return to normalcy and boost confidence that they can travel safely.' Indonesia, the world's fourth most populous nation, plans to inoculate more than 180 million of its nearly 270 million people. Travellers are seen enjoying a dip in the pool at the Padma Resort on Bali's west coast before coronavirus hit Bali has kicked off a drive-thru vaccination campaign, targeting its hospitality workers on Tuesday (pictured) In August 2020, Bali closed the door to foreign tourists amid coronavirus concerns, battering its key tourism sector. The island's five-star hotels were deserted and normally crowded beaches empty of tourists. Indonesia's Institute for Development of Economics and Finance suggested the country adopt a 'double screening' method for accepting international tourists. The process would involve visitors needing to present an official Covid-19-free letter obtained before departure and then be subjected to testing upon arrival. Australia banned international travel in March 2020, months before Indonesia. Tourists flights out of the country are prohibited and citizens returning from overseas are required to go through two weeks of hotel quarantine at their own expense. While Australia's interstate borders finally look to be remaining consistently open after intermittent closures in 2020, international travel will take longer to ramp up. Australian travellers could soon be welcomed back to Bali with the island establishing 'green zones' (pictured: a flight passenger at Sydney airport in 2020) According to Department of Health secretary Brendan Murphy, most foreign travel will likely continue to remain off the table for much of 2021. 'I think that we'll go most of this year with still substantial border restrictions Even if we have a lot of the population vaccinated, we don't know whether that will prevent transmission of the virus,' he told the ABC on Tuesday. Some airlines such as Qantas are planning to resume international flights in October 2021 in line with the estimate of widespread vaccination. However, the possibility of travel bubbles with certain nations has been discussed by the government. Fiji, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Vanuatu, and New Zealand have been specifically mentioned but there are no concrete plans to open travel as of early March. CHADDS FORD, Pa., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Fundamental Underwriters is proud to recognize Maximum Independent Brokerage, LLC, with locations in Chicago, Ill. and Garnet Valley, Penn., as its 2020 Agency of the Year. "I'm pleased that our first-ever Agency of the Year award is being presented to Maximum Independent Brokerage, an agency that has partnered with Fundamental Underwriters from the start," said Abel Travis, vice president Fundamental Underwriters. "Maximum not only placed our first policy with Beth MacKinnon, our first underwriter, but they have contributed significantly to our success. We appreciate the strong partnership and look forward to continuing growing together in the coming years." Fundamental Underwriters is a specialty managing general underwriter with expertise in mid-market trucking insurance. It delivers individual underwriting solutions, consultative loss control programs and rapid claims resolutions for risks with superior safety cultures. "It's truly an honor to be the first recipient of Fundamental Underwriters Agency of the Year award," said Anthony Verrecchia, Sr. Managing Director & Partner, Maximum Independent Brokerage, LLC. "Fundamental Underwriters has built a great reputation and I'm proud that Maximum has played an instrumental role building the next frontier with Rob Westburg and his team. Congratulations to everyone who has been involved in making this achievement happen and here's to even better things through our partnership in the years to come." About Fundamental Underwriters Fundamental Underwriters is a division of AF Group and its subsidiaries. Insurance policies are issued by Third Coast Insurance Company. For more information, visit FundamentalUW.com. Contact: Bob Lapinski (312) 443-9819 or (517) 331-4890 [email protected] AFGroup.com SOURCE AF Group; Fundamental Underwriters An Indian man thought to have died after a motorcycle crash started moving moments before doctors were set to carry out an autopsy on him. The 27-year-old from Mahalingapur in the southern state of Karnataka was taken to a private hospital in a critical condition over the weekend following the crash. Doctors there declared him dead and took him off a ventilator, before his family moved him to a nearby government hospital for a post-mortem examination on Monday. A 27-year-old Indian man from Mahalingapur in the southern state of Karnataka, who was thought to have died following a motorcycle crash, was found moving moments before doctors were set to carry out an autopsy on him (stock image) However, moments before the doctors were set to cut the man's 'corpse' open, a pathologist saw the body move, his family told local media. The doctor assigned to carry out the post-mortem said that he had been informed that the man was dead, the Times of India reports. He said: 'As per request of his family members, we visited the hospital and found that he was shaking his hands and legs. When we examined him again thoroughly, we found he was alive. 'Now he has been admitted to a private hospital for further treatment.' The official said doctors at the private hospital had exercised 'bad judgement' when they removed him from the ventilator and presumed him dead. The 27-year-old has no been moved to a new hospital where his condition is improving (stock image) A government health officer has since confirmed this and said the injured man was then immediately admitted to another hospital, where his condition has been improving. The official said doctors at the private hospital had exercised 'bad judgement' when they removed him from the ventilator and declared he was dead. The family has yet to launch a formal complaint, the official added. A movie director secretly filmed women showering and using the toilet from a camera hidden in the bathroom of his west London home, a court heard. Mark Murphy, 43, captured hundreds of images using a spycam planted inside a clock in Kensington over eight years before he was caught in March 2019. He was handed a 15-month sentence at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday, suspended for two years, after admitting more than a dozen voyeurism charges. Murphy was also ordered to pay 5,000 in compensation to each of his victims, to a total of 80,000. The director has worked on several films throughout his 23-year career, including The Comedian's Guide to Survival starring James Buckley and horror flick Awaiting. Mark Murphy, 43, captured hundreds of images using a spycam planted inside a clock in Kensington over eight years before he was caught in March 2019. Pictured: Murphy The court heard how Metropolitan Police raided Murphy's home in March 2019, where they found hundreds of images of women in his two bathrooms. At least 24 victims had been filmed in 278 videos dating from October 2011. Seven women were videoed on the same day in 2016 when Murphy threw a party at his home in an upmarket Kensington neighbourhood, where properties fetch up to 4.2million. Judge Caroline Carberrry said the offences amounted to a 'campaign of voyeurism' against the women for the purposes of 'sexual gratification'. She told Murphy the recordings 'captured women engaging in the most private acts within your bathroom which included using the toilet or using the bath or shower.' 'In one particular footage you are engaged in intimacy with a woman in your bathroom and you can be seen looking at the camera and sticking you tongue out as she is performing a sexual act upon you,' Judge Carberry added. Seven women were videoed on the same day in 2016 when Murphy threw a party at his home in an upmarket Kensington neighbourhood, where properties fetch up to 4.2million The director has worked on several films throughout his 23-year career, including The Comedian's Guide to Survival starring James Buckley (above in the film) 'I have read all the statements all the women have provided to the police. 'Your behaviour represents a gross breach of the trust they have placed on you.' She said the victims had expressed 'shock, horror and disgust' at the violation, with some now fearful of using public or private bathrooms. Alongside a suspended sentence, Judge Carberrry ordered the forfeiture and destruction of Murphy's laptop. He was also told to pay 5,000 to 16 of his identified victims, making a total of 80,000, and was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order. Pictured: The Comedian's Guide to Survival Murphy has already paid thousands of pounds in compensation to two victims following civil proceedings, Southwark Crown Court heard. PC Bobby Kemp, of the Met's Central Specialist Crime, said: 'After we discovered what Murphy had been doing we were determined to find as many of the victims as possible. We wanted those who Murphy exploited to get both support and justice. 'Finding victims was not always easy, especially as some of the offences went back eight years, but we did everything we could to find all those whose trust Murphy had betrayed. 'I am glad that we have been able to find so many of the women Murphy exploited. 'If you think you may also be one of those directly affected by this case I would urge you to contact us; we can both advise you and offer you the support you may need.' The director, from Buckinghamshire, set up Solar Productions in 1997, and has directed five films including rom-com For Love or Money featuring former Eastenders star Robert Kazinsky. Murphy also directed The Comedian's Guide to Survival, featuring Buckley, in 2016. John Swan and Dream have seemingly ended this drama. John Swan/Dream/YouTube YouTuber John Swan has left social media after saying that he was involved in impersonating YouTuber Dream. Dream, a Minecraft YouTuber, claimed Swan impersonated him and sent chats to fans and associates The commentary community that defended Swan has been quick to apologize. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. John Swan, an internet drama commentary YouTuber with 170,000 subscribers, has left social media after he said he was involved in impersonating a well-known Minecraft YouTuber Dream in DMs sent to a fan. Known for his videos on controversial figures like Suzy Lu and Chris Hansen, Swan has deleted his Twitter and disappeared from his own Discord server. John Swan angered Dream fans before more drama ensued On February 14, Swan tweeted out that Dream was a "dou---bag" alongside a clip of YouTuber penguinz0 criticizing him. Dream fans were not happy with this categorization of their favorite content creator and replied by the hundreds to Swan's account. "Well thank you to all the stans that have interacted with my tweets today," Swan wrote in the now-deleted tweet. "This has reinforced everything I thought about stans and stan culture." Swan's response was posted to the DreamIsTaken2 subreddit, with the title "What a way to milk the drama." Dream responded to the post, writing that Swan had interviewed him for his Minecraft documentary series a year ago. Dream said that he believed later, Swan changed his own profile picture and avatar pretending to be Dream sending "the n-word" as well as "sexual stuff" to multiple fans, one of whom contacted him. The comment had only received 22 likes before Swan posted a rebuttal to Dream's claims. "Dream has made accusations about me on Reddit to try and smear my credibility," Swan wrote on February 15. In a Twitter thread, Swan claimed that he had logged into his Discord account on a friend's computer and that the friend had "decided it would be a good idea to start trolling," sending out the n-word as well as conversations about a "Minecraft sex mod" to others, including YouTuber and fan of Swan's HarleyTBS. Harley is a small YouTuber with 13,000 subscribers that had reached out to Swan to talk over Discord. Story continues This Twitter thread caused the drama to continue to snowball, with Dream responding to the thread, writing that he "didn't believe" Swan's story. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. On February 16, Dream went to his Twitch and streamed to an audience of a quarter of a million people explaining why he didn't believe Swan's story. Over the course of the now-deleted hour-long stream, Dream showed the messages sent to HarleyTBS from Swan's account as well as one pretending to be Dream, comparing the language to how Swan typically talks online. The stream itself spread throughout the internet with "caught in 4k" and "john swan lied" trending on Twitter with thousands of tweets over the next few hours. "Why would I, as a creator wanting to get big on the platform, try to smear another popular creator by creating an alt account and sending troll messages to 1 person," Swan wrote in a now-deleted tweet. "This just makes no sense optically and logically." Later that day, Daniel "Keemstar" Keem created multiple Twitter videos asking Swan to come on his DramaAlert show and appear in a debate with Dream. Swan declined, telling fellow YouTuber Optimus that he was only given 10 minutes to prepare, which wasn't enough time. Keem denied that, tweeting that he had been given at least two hours before he was set to record. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. When reached for comment on February 17, Swan told Insider he "wouldn't be doing any interviews until my response drops." Over a week later on February 24, Swan releases an 18-page Google Doc and audiobook explaining his side of the story. In the doc he attempts to debunk every single claim made by Dream in his live stream and tweets. Swan also attempted to hurt HarleyTBS' credibility, writing that "you probably shouldn't be listening to him when it comes to his takes on serious allegations." John Swan eventually said he had lied A few days later on February 27, Swan posted on Twitter that he had been lying and he was involved in sending the messages. "I told a lie and I thought it would never get brought back up again," Swan wrote. "I have let you all down. I am ashamed and disappointed in myself. And I am sorry." YouTuber LtCobra wrote on his Twitter, claiming that he was the one on Swan's account and had "pretended he was good friends with dream and sent Harley dreams discord account." This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Fellow YouTubers and collaborators that had defended Swan over the past month started to come out and speak out against him. "I've been shown proof tonight that has made me come to the conclusion that John Swan has been lying to me pretty flagrantly for the last few weeks," YouTuber Nicholas Deorio wrote. YouTubers like Kavos, AugieRFC, and Optimus tweeted their fury about the situation. 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. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Dream responded with his own Twitter thread, writing that he is "severely disappointed in John Swan for continuing to lie about me" and "very disappointed in all the commentary channels that made the narrative that I 'slandered a small creator'." This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. John Swan did not return an earlier request for comment today. Read the original article on Insider A second defendant has entered a guilty plea in a fraud case that cost the Bank of San Antonio more than $13 million. Jill Martin Alvarado, 58, of Irving, on Tuesday pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud in a case that involves the former president of a Bank of San Antonio subsidiary. Alvarados plea came a week after a San Antonio woman, Phyllis Jo Martinez, 79, pleaded guilty to the same charge. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio woman pleads guilty to role in bank fraud Both women face the possibility of up to 30 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a maximum fine of $1 million. They also will be required to make full restitution. Alvarado and Martinez also had been indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, but the charge was dismissed in exchange for the guilty pleas. Alvarado is free on a $50,000 unsecured bond pending her sentencing June 1. Martinezs sentencing is set for May 25. Joey Contreras, Alvardos San Antonio defense lawyer, declined to comment after the hearing. U.S. District Judge Jason Pulliam conducted the plea hearing via Zoom. The case centers on Ronald Wayne Schroeder, the former president of a Bank of San Antonio factoring subsidiary called Texas Express Funding LLC. Factoring involves advancing cash to companies in return for acquiring at a discount the debts owed to them. This allows the companies to get money quickly instead of waiting for customers to pay their bills. Alvarado and her husband, Rigo Alvarado, are co-owners of a trucking company called Alvys Logistics, which does business as Alvys Trucking LLC. SA Inc.: Get the best of business news sent directly to your inbox According a November indictment, the couple assisted Schroeder in providing false and misleading invoices from Alvys to financial institutions for factoring. That would result in payments to Alvys. Some of that money was then turned over to Schroeder for his own profit, the indictment stated. Schroeder is accused of using proceeds from the alleged scheme to buy automobiles, recreational vehicles, an airplane, a boat and a beach house. He faces three counts of bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He has pleaded not guilty. Schroeders lawyers have said he is cooperating and would continue to work with the government to rectify the situation. The indictments followed an August disclosure by the Bank of San Antonio that it had uncovered a $13.2 million Ponzi-style fraud scheme involving Schroeder. Rigo Alvarado also was indicted on conspiracy to commit bank fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He has pleaded not guilty. Martinezs son, Ryan Martinez, was indicted on the same charges. They owned a cleaning company that allegedly participated in the scheme. Ryan Martinez has pleaded not guilty. pdanner@express-news.net The Milton Hershey School is building two new facilities that will house living space for house parents in training. The buildings will be along Meadow Lane in Derry Township. Each 5,740-square-foot building will contain five apartments. The apartments will have each have three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The Milton Hershey School submitted a preliminary/final land development plan for the property to Derry Township that was presented to the Derry Township Planning Commission on Tuesday night. The intent of this housing is to provide accommodations for house parents that are in training for the school, Melanie Boehmer of the Milton Hershey School told the Derry Township Planning Commission. So it is pretty much temporary housing. Its not going to be long-term housing for those house parents. Theyll be trained and then theyll move onto permanent student homes. While the homes are temporary, house parents in training could live there for several months until they move onto permanent student homes, according to Boehmer. There will be at least two parking spaces for each apartment. The two buildings will be built on 10.4 acres of land. The school has more than 7,000 acres of land and more than 200 buildings, according to its website. The planning commission recommended the preliminary/final land development plan. The plan still needs to be approved by the Derry Township Board of Supervisors. The Milton Hershey School offers a cost-free education to students of need in grades pre-K through 12th grade. The school was founded in 1909. You can follow Daniel Urie on twitter @DanielUrie2018 and you can like him on Facebook. XPO Logistics will close one of its Palmer Township warehouses, a decision that affects more than 1,000 workers. Company spokeswoman Tara Mullins said about 600 full-time workers could be relocated to two other XPO Logistics warehouses nearby or to a new facility opening soon. She said 400 contingent workers are employed by a third party, so their fates are uncertain. Our customer made a business decision to change supply chain partners. Were working to transfer our colleagues to other XPO locations in the area, including a new facility were opening soon. We expect to be offering new positions to all affected employees, she said in a statement. She wouldnt name the customer that changed its supplier. The warehouse at 1611 Van Buren Road is closing, according to a WARN notice posted on the state labor department website. The notice says 1,072 workers are affected. The warehouse will close between April 26 and May 10, the notice says. Mullins said XPO has additional warehouses at 3000 AM Drive in Milford Township and 1520 Van Buren Road in Palmer Township. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to Lehighvalleylive.com. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. 13 Killed in California Crash Allegedly Entered US Illegally via Border Fence Hole: Officials U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said they believe the victims killed in the collision in Southern California just miles from the U.S.-Mexico border were illegal immigrants who were smuggled through a dilapidated border fence near Calexico. A Ford Expedition carrying more than two-dozen people collided with a semi-truck in Imperial County, California, on Tuesday, leaving at least 13 dead and more injured, local officials said. Border Patrol agents and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) opened an investigation to see whether the car was carrying smuggled migrants. We pray for the accident victims and their families during this difficult time, said El Centro Sector Chief Patrol Agent Gregory Bovino in a news conference on Wednesday. Agents, he said, believe the deceased individuals were part of a larger group of about 44 migrants who were smuggled through a hole in the fence near Calexico, a California city that lies along the border and is next to the Mexican city of Mexicali. Bovino added that an initial investigation into the origins of the vehicles indicate a potential nexus to the aforementioned breach in the border wall, while adding that human smugglers have proven time and again they have little regard for human life. Those who may be contemplating crossing the border illegally should pause to think of the dangers that all too often end in tragedy; tragedies our Border Patrol Agents and first responders are unfortunately very familiar with, he said in the news conference. Law enforcement officers work at the scene of a deadly crash in Holtville, Calif., on March 2, 2021. (Gregory Bull/AP Photo) The deadly collision occurred on Highway 115 at Norrish Road in Holtville, located some 115 miles east of San Diego. Its not immediately clear what caused the crash. And Guatemalan officials on Wednesday said they received information that one Guatemalan national died and another person from the Central American country was injured, Reuters reported. Ten Mexican nationals also died in the incident, Mexican authorities said, according to the news agency. The revelation that the Expedition was carrying smuggled illegal immigrants is sure to trigger criticism against the White House from Republicans and some Democrats who represent districts near the border over its immigration policy. Starting on Jan. 20, President Joe Biden has signed a number of immigration-related orders, which Republicans have said have triggered a crisis along the Southern Border. Biden, in remarks to reporters on Tuesday, downplayed concerns of there being a crisis at the border. No, well be able to handle it, he said, while confirming that he received a briefing about the border situation Tuesday. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, meanwhile, alleged the previous administration bears some responsibility for the crisis. Let me explain to you why [fixing the broken immigration system] is hard and why it is going to take time, he said during a news conference on Monday. I think it is important to understand what we have inherited because it defines the situation as it currently stands. Entire systems are not rebuilt in a day or in a few weeks. But Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), whose district lies along the border, warned that the situation needs to be taken seriously by the White Housenamely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is not a crisis yet, but it will become a crisis, Cuellar warned in a Fox News interview. The numbers have been increasing, and as your report just said a few minutes ago, the numbers are just increasing every day. The number of unaccompanied kids, the number of families who are coming in are just increasing every day. The CDC said there was no need for the people who may have received pooled doses to get their first doses again, as long as they received the correct size dose the first time, according to an email from the Illinois Department of Public Healths general counsel to the hospital systems general counsel. Those people could still receive their second doses on time, the CDC said, according to the emails. The Telegraph Theres nothing like a British heatwave to bring out a long list of extreme weather advice. With temperatures set to remain high this week, what advice should you be following? We asked the experts... The claim: Keep all your windows and curtains closed The truth: Its natural on a hot day to keep all your windows and doors open, says Dr Alannah Hare, an NHS and Private Sleep Consultant at the Royal Brompton. However, the best thing to do is to keep your windows shut and your curtains drawn all day. Its all due to temperature differentials. When you open your windows in the morning it feels cool and lovely, but as the sun comes up throughout the day it heats the inside of your house. If you keep your windows and curtains closed until dusk, however, your house will feel very cool when you go to bed. As the sun sets, open your curtains and windows and youll feel a lovely breeze coming through your house, which will help you sleep. Verdict: True The claim: Drink hot tea to cool down The truth: It has long been established that staying hydrated is essential during a heatwave. However, whether or not you should be boiling up a brew in the heat has been the subject of intense scientific debate. In 2012, a landmark study by the University of Ottawas Ollie Jay, sought to find an answer once and for all. The team discovered that when thermosensors in the mouth and throat detect heat, the brain activates a sweating response. The sweat then absorbs body heat and evaporates it into the air. As a result, they concluded that drinking hot drinks can cool you down in certain environments. Drinking a hot latte while wearing long sleeves and trousers won't work, because sweat needs to evaporate and the reduction in temperature caused by sweating needs to exceed the increase in temperature caused by drinking a hot drink. But drinking tea in a summer dress or short-sleeved shirt may help you cool down slightly. Verdict: True The claim: Have a hot curry The truth: Gazpacho, ice cream, cold fruit salad and, curry? Several foods can have a cooling effect, and it seems one of them is chilli. It might appear counter-intuitive everyone whos had an extra hot curry will know why but it makes sense, considering many of the worlds spiciest cuisines are found in warm climates. The theory is simple: fight fire with fire. Hot, spicy food, which usually contains chilli, contains a chemical called capsaicin. When eaten it heats up the body and you begin to sweat. The evaporation of this sweat removes heat from the body. Supposedly, cold food will only cool you down for a short spell, while hot, spicy food provides a more long-term cooling. Several other ingredients often found in curries are thought to hold cooling properties, such as turmeric. Its worth noting, however, that in order to sweat you must remain hydrated, so drink plenty of water. Verdict: True (but it might not feel like it) The claim: Stay out of the sun The truth: This week the sun is high enough in the sky, and strong enough, to deliver a really good hit of vitamin D, says dietitian Helen Bond. Its wise to be cautious in the sun, and I certainly wouldnt advise sitting in a beer garden or a park for a couple of hours in the lunchtime sun. But a 15 minute walk exposing your hands, face and arms to the sun will give you a fantastic amount of vitamin D to keep your levels topped up throughout the rest of the year. Verdict: False The claim: Have a cool beer tonight The truth: British people tend to get very excited about a sunny spell, says Bond. However, drinking too much alcohol in a heatwave is just about the worst thing you can do. On a cold day, alcohol is dehydrating, but on a hot day the effects are tenfold and if youre drinking during the day and outside, youre more likely to get burnt because the enjoyment of drinking keeps people rooted to the spot. A couple of beers is fine, but no more than that, and have a glass of water before, in between, and after each beer. People tend to drink more Pimms and beer in a heatwave and then get a double whammy of bad sleep, from the effects of the alcohol and the heat, adds Hare. So drink moderately. Verdict: False The claim: Have a cold shower before bed The truth: This is something people always tell me they do when its hot, but it doesnt work, says Hare. After a long, hot day in an office, its tempting to blast yourself under a cold shower just before bed. But the problem is the body then raises its core temperature to compensate for the cold water, which makes you feel warmer once youre in bed and makes sleep more uncomfortable. Its far better to have a tepid bath or shower, so your body doesnt try to warm itself up. Verdict: False The claim: Put your pillow in the freezer The truth: Weve all heard this one, but does it actually work? Yes it does, but dont put your whole pillow in there, just the pillow case, says Hare. Around an hour before you want to go to bed, put your pillow cases in a plastic bag and put them in the freezer for about 40 minutes. Then pop it on just before bed, and it will feel lovely and cool on your skin. You know that feeling you get on a warm night when you turn your pillow over so you can feel the cool side? It feels like that, but one hundred times better. Verdict: True The claim: Sleep naked The truth: People always ask me about this, says Hare. If youre wearing natural fibres, like cotton, then youll feel cooler in the night than if you were naked because the cotton will wick away sweat from your skin. However, anything man-made or synthetic will keep heat next to your skin. And the same goes for bedding. So if I had the choice between cotton and nakedness, Id choose cotton. But if youre choosing between man-made fibres and nakedness, go naked. Verdict: Inconclusive The claim: Don't exercise The truth: Working out can become a sweaty business though some hardy souls will carry on regardless. Exercising in extreme heat places extra stress on the body and can be dangerous, leading to a range of heat-related illnesses, from heat cramps to heatstroke. That doesnt mean you should avoid it altogether but you should understand how to recognise symptoms and know your limits. Warning signs, according to the Mayo Clinic, are numerous, including cramps, nausea, excessive sweating, dizziness, increased heart rate and visual problems. By taking some basic precautions, your exercise routine doesnt have to be sidelined when the heat is on. Here are some top tips from the Mayo Clinic: Know how fit you are. If new to working out, take added care. Opt for something less intense, and keep hydrated. Hydration is key. Drink regularly, and dont wait until youre thirsty. If sweating heavily, consider an isotonic sports drink, which will replace the minerals and nutrients lost while sweating, like sodium, chloride and potassium. Wear the right gear. Keep it lightweight and loose, and choose a material that promotes evaporation. Dark colours, which absorb heat, are best avoided. Cover up with a hat and wear plenty of sunscreen. A sunburn will hamper your bodys ability to cool down. Exercise early in the morning to avoid the worst of the heat Verdict: False-ish The claim: Read heat wave advice features (like this one) The truth: There are two things British people like to talk about the weather and their sleep, says Hare. During a heatwave people start to panic about their sleep, which is the very thing that will stop them sleeping. So try not to worry about it too much. Maybe your sleep will be a little disturbed, but thats fine. Youll manage to get enough sleep to get by. And just think, in a few months time it will be cold again, and well back to worrying about that instead. Verdict: Inconclusive Telegraph readers share their heatwave sleep advice Here's a selection of the comments you've left on our heatwave stories. Please continue to share with us your advice in the section below this article. Jasmine Maddock: I put an ice pack in the bed a little while to cool the bed down, and find a cup of tea helps as paradoxically the heat cools your body down. Mikel Crawley: We put a duvet on the floor near an open door so air moves through, and sleep on top of the duvet cover. Linden Airey: If you are wearing clothes to bed, lightly dampen the clothes. With this kind of heat, damp can be your friend! If you can't return to sleep after waking in the night, use a wet washcloth to cool your skin. Anonymous reader: Put large bath towel on your bed Have a cool or barely warm shower Lie down on your towel, still wet preferably naked Ideally also have fan blowing towards the bed on low Water will evaporate on your body and lower your temperature Towel will stay mildly damp and cool you as the water in that evaporates also What are your heatwave hacks? Tell us in the comments below Rochester, N.Y. The birthplace of Rochesters famous (or infamous) Garbage Plate is for sale, raising new questions about the storied restaurants future. A story in todays Rochester Democrat & Chronicle said the building that houses the Nick Tahous restaurant at 320 W. Main St. is listed for $975,000 with Howard Hanna Real Estate Services. The listing says the building, a non-descript former railroad station, is available for developmental use. License agreement for well-known restaurant also available. In February, owner Alex Tahou told WHAM-TV in Rochester that the business has suffered a 40% drop in business during the Covid-19 pandemic. Tahou, a grandson of the founder, blamed a lack of foot traffic since so many downtown businesses now have employees working from home. Nick Tahous was founded in 1918 and has been at the West Main Street location since 1963. It is legendary as the originator of the Garbage Plate, which started as a similar signature dish called hots n potats, according to the Democrat & Chronicle. It took on the more familiar name, the legend goes, when customers began asking for the dish with all the garbage in it. The Garbage Plate is a mix of hot meat sauce (Nick Tahous has its own signature version), plus cold macaroni salad, home fries, hot dogs, burgers (add cheese if you like) and a generous drizzle of yellow mustard. Its noted as a late-night specialty, popular with people getting out of bars after a night drinking. The Garbage Plate has been called New Yorks grossest food, but it still has won many fans over the years. Comedian Jim Gaffigan is among the most vocal recent advocates. Nick Tahous has trademarked the name Garbage Plate, but many imitations can be found across Upstate New York under similar-sounding monikers. In downtown Syracuse, for example, Brinewell Eatery specializes in garbage plate variations. Nick Tahou Hots in Rochester. Don Cazentre writes for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on Twitter or Facebook. Nasdaq filed a proposal with the SEC in December that would require companies listed on the exchange to release diversity statistics on their directors and include at least one woman and one person of color or self-identified member of the LGBTQ community on their boards. Companies that dont meet the requirement would need to explain why they dont in order to provide investors with more transparency on corporate diversity efforts. The instructions of the Facebook event had led me to a bonfire in a park. I joined the group of strangers sitting in the warm glow and it wasnt long before I realized that many of those whom I was chatting with were involved in the occult. Having seen the art group advertised that afternoon I had decided to check it out. Suddenly I was being offered brownies, learning fire twirling and teaching spray painting. The group was friendly and free spirited. At one point, a guy asked if he could practice his tarot reading skills on me. A niggling feeling sprung up and I said, no. Im a good Christian girl of course. Yet I needed to know why. I wanted to understand the quiet voice that said it would be wrong to have my cards read. The Danger of Tarot Readings? I knew the theory of why it is wrong; why listen to a lying spirit and allow a demonic entry point? but I decided to stick around and watch the tarot reading of another person of the art group. I learnt that the reason for avoiding tarot cards in practice is quite different to the reason in theory. He had the woman touch each card before carefully laying it on the table. He explained that one represented the past, one the present and one the future. Even as I remember the details of the event, I feel myself drawn into the story he was weaving of the womans life, the allure of looking into the depths of ourselves and seeing something glimmer. I saw this woman looking for understanding, for comfort and for intimacy. I believe that being understood is a core part of love and even if the cards predicted a bad outcome, or a bad reflection of the person, the desire to be understood overpowered the fear. I realized it was that intimacy which made the endeavor wrong. To rely upon this foreign spirit, or tarot reader for comfort, for guidance and intimacy would be like having a spiritual affair. We defile a part of ourselves that was made to house God alone. If we are not seeking intimacy and understanding from God, that glimmer at the bottom of the ocean may drown us as the spirit which offers us closeness reveals its malevolence. Unknowing Acts of Witchcraft Earlier in the evening I had talked with an occultist about religion. We talked about how the occult was all about gaining power, and how Christianity was about discovering power in surrender. I realized that many Christians whilst avoiding tarot cards engage in the spirit of the occult. Our deliberate ignorance lends itself to believing that witchcraft is watching Harry Potter, whilst engaging in the spirit of the occult when we pray for power. By power, I mean any prayer in which we ask for the universe to conform to our will, our rituals, our sacrifices. Any prayer in which God better do this or else. Any prayer that leaves us impatient for the result and not more content to wait upon God. When we pray that God would make that boy fall in love with us and we believe that if we do everything right God will alter their personality to include an attraction to our hippy, cat loving self. Or that the traffic lights will change in our favour because we remembered to read our Bible last week. In neither case have we reached for a valid means of achieving the desire and have thought about ourselves and not the other people we have prayed the red lights upon. These are examples of the spirit of witchcraft, which is best understood as a spirit that desires power through unnatural means. Fear God Alone I know that many Christians shrink from knowledge of opposing views. They feel the need to perform an exorcism after I have a chat with a Satanist on the bus or squirm when I pull out my Quran. We are scared of encountering the demonic or being led astray. I talked about my experience with the art group and a friend asked if I wasnt afraid of being targeted by Satan. Whats scarier than a target is living a life so safely that Satan never feels the need to target me. Im not saying live recklessly. Just dont hide the light that is Jesus. I promise, it shines especially brightly in dark places. Do not seek protection in ignorance for it can only make you ineffectual at best, open to Satan at worst. Seek your comfort and understanding in God. He loves to provide for you. He loves you. He is far stronger than the enemy, so walk boldly by his side, even when he leads you into a free-spirited art group. Hundreds of union members, locals and political leaders united Monday to protest an Amazon distribution facility in North Andover, Massachusetts just as many of them have at similar developments across Massachusetts. Their anger has mounted as Amazon plans a 5-story, 3.6 million square foot distribution center at 1600 Osgood St. Opponents share concerns that Amazons presence will sink the communitys workforce and atmosphere. Records show that as part of an agreement with town officials, Amazon will receive a $27 million tax break. Here is full coverage of the Alabama Amazon unionization effort Amazon needs to be held accountable for how it treats our community, the environment and workers, said Chris Brennan, president of the Merrimack Valley Construction and Building Trades Council. We want to make sure that Amazons presence here benefits the community. Brennan added that the rally was also to support Amazon workers in Alabama fighting to unionize. Steven Tolma, president of the state chapter of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, punctuated the importance of labor standards and the role of unions in the local Amazon undertaking. Amazon uses contractors who dont abide by labor standards, he said. They bring people in from out of state who will just pass through here. We need unions to hold them accountable. Were here today to ask Amazon to sign an agreement with labor standards, which includes hiring local and supporting the members and businesses of this community. Local iron workers and roofers applauded Tolmas message Monday while bearing their own frustration over losing bids at the site. This is a huge job any year, but then you factor in the pandemic, and our people are hurting. Theyve been out of work, said Brian Brousseau, president of the roofers and waterproofers local union 33. On behalf of ironworkers, business agent Kevin Collins pointed out, when you hire our workers, who live in the area and know whats around, youre also supporting the mom and pop shops. We all want our share, he said. We try to do everything right, and were still not getting that. Teamsters Local 25, made up of 12,500 members in varying trades, was also represented at the rally. They were joined by representatives of state Rep. Tram Nguyen, D- Andover, and U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, D- Westford. State Sen. Diana Dizoglio, D- Methuen, referred to by other speakers as a true friend of labor, denounced Amazon workers not getting proper personal protection equipment during the pandemic, contributing to 20,000 cases of COVID-19 within the company equivalent to more than half the population of North Andover. She called on Amazon to treat locals with the respect they deserve. More about the local resistance effort can be found at amazonupdates.org. ___ (c)2021 The Eagle-Tribune (North Andover, Mass.) Visit The Eagle-Tribune (North Andover, Mass.) at www.eagletribune.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. ROME, MAR 3 - Italian police on Wednesday arrested three people in Rome in a robe into suspected fraud in the supply of COVID facemasks in Italy. The three - Andelko Aleksic, former media businessman Vittorio Farina, and Domenico Romeo - are accused of fraud in the public supply of five million facemasks and 430,000 surgical gowns to the civil protection department in Lazio around Rome. Police seized almost 32 million euros in assets from the three, who were placed under house arrest. They are accused of importing unauthorized facemasks from China. Aleksic and Farina are also accused of influence peddling. Farina allegedly got in touch with then COVID emergency commissioner Domenico Arcuri, who is not under investigation. Arcuri has been replaced by army general Francesco Paolo Figliuolo, who has been tasked with speeding Italy's vaccine rollout. (ANSA). The Catholic Education Commission of Victoria is seeking state and federal funding for its plans to open half-a-dozen schools in Melbournes fast-growing outer suburbs over the next two years. But a state school lobby group has branded the funding request a greedy grab for taxpayer money from an educational system that had lost market share in Victoria. Catholic schools will open in in Cranbourne, North Cranbourne, Craigieburn, Greenvale and Melton South over the next few years. Credit:Michele Mossop Six Catholic schools will open in 2022 and 2023 in Cranbourne, North Cranbourne, Craigieburn and Greenvale, with a primary and a secondary school in Melton South. A further seven primary schools and two secondary colleges are planned to open by 2025. CALGARY - Waterous Energy Fund says it has prevailed in its takeover of private junior oilsands producer Osum Oil Sands Corp. Bitumen in an open mine area is shown at the historic Bitumount oil sands mining, separating and refining facility in Fort McMurray, Alta., Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2016. Calgary-based Waterous Energy Fund says it has prevailed in its takeover of private junior oilsands producer Osum Oil Sands Corp. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson CALGARY - Waterous Energy Fund says it has prevailed in its takeover of private junior oilsands producer Osum Oil Sands Corp. It says a total of 45.7 million Osum shares, about 34 per cent of the outstanding total and more than 50 per cent of the shares the fund didn't already own, were deposited to its offer of $3 per share by the expiry date. The fund says it intends to buy the remaining shares within four months. Osum leaders reversed their strong opposition to the Waterous deal last month after the initial offer of $2.40 per share was increased by 25 per cent. Waterous, a Calgary investment firm established in 2017 and headed by CEO Adam Waterous, said it bought 45 per cent of the outstanding shares last July from Osum's three largest shareholders. It says five of Osum's directors and four executive officers, including CEO Steve Spence, have voluntarily resigned. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 3, 2021. A recent theoretical paper, currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server, unveils a novel vaccination model that shows how a herd immunity threshold (HIT) value which considers heterogeneity is substantially lower in comparison with a HIT value of assuming a homogeneous population with many implications for further vaccination planning. Image Credit: plo / Shutterstock Since the start of the ongoing and devastating coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, one of the most pertinent issues raised by the global research and public health community was the fraction of susceptible population that will have to be immunized to halt the pandemic successfully. This intensified after several vaccines became available to different countries. One of the metrics commonly used is the HIT vaccination coverage dependent on the basic reproduction number (i.e., the highly quoted R 0 ), the latter being an average count of secondary infections caused by an infected individual when confronted with a completely susceptible population while he/she is infectious. For example, when the R 0 is 2.5, we need to immunize more than 60% of individuals to achieve HIT to eliminate the disease from the population. Nevertheless, this derivation is dependent on several assumptions in regards to the population characteristics and vaccine properties. More specifically, it predisposes that the vaccine protection will be perfect and last lifelong, without waning efficacy observed with other vaccines. Can we then apply such clean calculations in ideal circumstances to somewhat unpredictable, real-world scenarios? Without applying meticulous mathematical analysis, some have suggested that (assuming a homogeneous population) the classical vaccine-induced HIT can be substantially higher than the minimum HIT obtained when population heterogeneity is considered. Dr. Elamin H. Elbasha from the Merck & Co., Inc. in Kenilworth (USA) and Dr. Abba B. Gumel from the Arizona State University in Arizona (USA) and the University of Pretoria (South Africa) have decided to investigate the aforementioned claim by developing and rigorously testing a vaccination model that includes different forms of heterogeneity, and subsequently comparing it with a model of a homogeneous population. Vaccine coverage above which herd immunity is achieved by group and basic reproduction number. Modeling the optimal vaccination approaches By utilizing a two-group vaccination model in heterogeneous populations, these researchers have theoretically discerned the conditions where heterogeneity can result in many different HIT values which depends on the relative contact rates for groups, their size and the type of mixing between them, as well as relative vaccine efficacy. For example, in instances of biased random mixing, and in cases when vaccinating a certain group gives rise to the disproportionate prevention of higher transmission rates, an optimal approach would be to vaccinate that exact group before starting with vaccinating other groups. Furthermore, under the assumption of biased assortative mixing, the researchers have also found situations where it is optimal to vaccinate more than one group to achieve the optimal results. All of this is substantiated by many reproducible calculations. Heterogeneity and lower HIT value In a nutshell, the theoretical results for a two-group model developed by these two researchers suggest that deriving the vaccine-induced herd immunity threshold when the heterogeneous population model is taken into account is much more cumbersome than for the model with a homogeneous population. Moreover, they have shown that population heterogeneities tend to result in much lower HIT values in comparison to the homogeneous population case. This was found to be valid under both proportionate and other types of mixing among heterogeneous populations. By using realistic numerical examples and assuming biased assortative mixing with vaccine efficacy of 95% and basic reproduction number of 2.5, they have demonstrated that the HIT value considering heterogeneity can be significantly lower (40%) when compared with a HIT value assuming a homogeneous population (63%). A blueprint for future studies Naturally, when discussing their results, we have to consider that variables such as basic reproduction number and especially vaccine efficacy cannot be strictly seen as fixed, so the results have to be interpreted with caution. And although this analysis utilized a two-group model, the findings can be broadened to include models of multiple groups. Likewise, rigorous analyses of models with many heterogeneous groups (which are more realistic) can be performed by using the methods included this paper. In any case, modeling studies akin to this one are proving to be indispensable, especially since vaccinations are not progressing at the desired pace around the world. Reaching vaccine-induced herd immunity is one of the holy grails in our fight against COVID-19. *Important Notice medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. International Italian PM signs new anti-virus decree Rome, Mar 3 (IANS) | Publish Date: 3/3/2021 12:36:21 PM IST Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi signed a decree with fresh coronavirus containment measures. The decree, to be effective from March 6 to April 6, extends to March 27 a ban on travel between Italys 20 regions, the government said in a statement on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported, Xinhua news agency reported. Among the novelties is that beginning on March 27, museums will be open on weekends, while cinemas and theaters may reopen at 25 per cent capacity in regions designated as low risk. Under the new decree, schools, hairdressers, barbershops, and beauty salons will have to close in regions designated as at high risk of infections. Gyms, swimming pools and ski facilities will remain closed everywhere for the duration of the decree. The decree also gives regional governors powers to shut down schools in areas where there are more than 250 infections per 100,000 residents in a period of seven days. As of March 1, Italy had eight low-risk regions, 11 medium-risk regions, two high-risk regions, and one white region, Sardinia, where the virus is circulating very slowly and restrictions are very relaxed. However, even in the white zones it is mandatory to wear a mask in public, and events and venues such as fairs, congresses, football games, and nightclubs remain closed, the government said. 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. Welcome to Morningstar.co.uk! You have been redirected here from Hemscott.com as we are merging our websites to provide you with a one-stop shop for all your investment research needs.To search for a security, type the name or ticker in the search box at the top of the page and select from the dropdown results.Registered Hemscott users can log in to Morningstar using the same login details. Similarly, if you are a Hemscott Premium user, you now have a Morningstar Premium account which you can access using the same login details. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Saudi Arabia has announced that Muslims who want to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage this year will need to prove that they've been vaccinated against Covid-19. The kingdom's health ministry said it will consider a vaccination as 'the main condition for participation' in the pilgrimage to Mecca, which all Muslims who are physically and financially able to are obliged to make once in their lives. Health Minister Tawfiq Al Rabiah said in a statement on Tuesday that 'compulsory vaccination' would be required for all pilgrims. The statement from the ministry did not specify whether the Hajj, which traditionally draws more than two million Muslims from across the world, would again exclude pilgrims from outside Saudi Arabia in a bid to curb the spread of the virus. Saudi Arabia has announced that Muslims who want to travel to the country to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage this year will need to prove that they've been vaccinated against Covid-19. The pilgrimage usually draws more than two million Muslims from around the world. Pictured: The Grand Mosque in Mecca during Hajj in 2019 Last year, Saudi officials took the historic decision to allow only a very limited number of worshippers to perform the Hajj amid the surging pandemic. A total of 1,000 people already within the country were able to participate. The decision dealt a devastating blow to millions around the world, many of whom plan for and look forward to the trip for years. The five-day pilgrimage starts this year on the evening of July 17. It is made up of a series of rituals performed in and around Mecca, the holiest city in Islam. Last year, Saudi officials took the historic decision to allow only a very limited number of worshippers to perform the Hajj amid the surging pandemic. A total of 1,000 people already within the country were able to participate. Pictured: The Grand Mosque in Mecca during Hajj in 2020 In October, Saudi authorities relaxed restrictions, allowing thousands of pilgrims to perform the Umrah at the Grand Mosque in Mecca for the first time in seven months. Unlike Hajj, the Umrah can be performed all year round but some measures remained in place to help stop the spread of the virus, including banning pilgrims from touching the Kaaba, the black cubic structure towards which Muslims pray. Groups were also accompanied by a health worker and the number of medical teams present were increased. Saudi Arabia has approved the Moderna, Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs and began vaccinating residents on December 17. Pictured: A Saudi man receives a Covid-19 vaccine in Riyadh on December 17 Saudi Arabia has approved the Moderna, Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs and began vaccinating residents on December 17. The number of reported deaths and infections from Covid-19 in the country have remained low since a spike in the summer. Saudi Arabia has recorded some 378,000 infections and 6,505 deaths since the pandemic began last year. With would-be pilgrims spread across the world, Saudi Arabia's vaccine requirement could make it more difficult for Muslims from poorer countries with a smaller supply of the vaccine to undertake the pilgrimage this year. KYODO NEWS - Mar 3, 2021 - 19:28 | All, World, Japan Japan urged the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden last month to resume denuclearization talks with North Korea, as the new U.S. government plans a full review of its approach to Pyongyang, sources familiar with the matter said Wednesday. Takehiro Funakoshi, director general of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, called for the resumption of the denuclearization talks in a Feb. 19 teleconference with his U.S. and South Korean counterparts, saying they had been "highly effective," according to the sources. Negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled since 2019, after then U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un failed to reach an agreement on appropriate sanctions relief. The call underscores Tokyo's belief that direct negotiations between the United States and North Korea would yield results more quickly than a multilateral approach, and be more beneficial to its efforts to secure the return of Japanese citizens abducted by Pyongyang in the 1970s and 1980s. Six-party talks including China and Russia were held intermittently from 2003 to 2008, but a landmark 2005 agreement to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula was never implemented amid disagreement on how to verify North Korea was honoring its commitments. Trump was highly engaged in negotiations with North Korea but failed to strike a deal after three summits with Kim, one in 2018 in Singapore and two in 2019 in Hanoi and the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas. The Biden administration, which took power on Jan. 20, has pledged to carry out a wholesale review of North Korea policy and indicated it will consult with Japan and South Korea, its key allies in East Asia. The U.S. government sees Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile programs as an issue of "urgent priority," State Department spokesman Ned Price said several days before the teleconference. But there is concern in Tokyo that Biden will take a softer, phased approach that gives Pyongyang sanctions relief in exchange for gradually winding down its nuclear activities, unlike his predecessor Donald Trump's commitment to full-fledged denuclearization measures. In a Feb. 24 call with Sung Kim, the acting U.S. secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, Funakoshi urged Washington to continue demanding the complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear program, the sources said. Japan has made little progress in bringing North Korea to the negotiating table, despite Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's assertion that he is willing to meet with Kim without preconditions. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking for Suga to fulfill his promise to resolve the abduction issue as the family members of the victims grow older. Shigeru Yokota, who became a leading figure in repatriation efforts after his 13-year-old daughter Megumi was kidnapped in 1977, died last year at the age of 87. The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) said on Tuesday that it has halted a trial of convalescent blood plasma in treating patients with mild-to-moderate coronavirus. The decision was based on an independent data monitoring board, which found that the treatment caused no harm, but was also unlikely to benefit this group of patients. It comes less than two months after an international trial of convalescent plasma was stopped after similar findings. Other studies conducted in India and Argentina have also found no apparent benefit for those severely ill with the disease. On Tuesday, the NIH said it was halting a trial looking at convalescent blood plasma in treating patients with mild-to-moderate coronavirus after an independent safety board found no benefit. Pictured: Julio de Jesus, 43, who recovered from COVID-19, donates convalescent plasma at the Maternal Perinatal Hospital, in Toluca, Mexico, February 2021 Convalescent plasma therapy is when the liquid portion of blood is taken from a recovered coronavirus patient, and is transferred into a sick patient in hopes they will develop the antibodies needed to fight off the infection. Pictured: A laboratory technician shows a bag of convalescent plasma at the Maternal Perinatal Hospital in Toluca, Mexico, February 2021 Convalescent plasma therapy is an experimental treatment in which plasma from a recovered COVID-19 patient is used on an infected patient in critical condition. The hope is that the antibodies and immunity in the blood of a healthy person will be transferred to a sick person. From this, the infected person will then develop the antibodies needed to fight off the coronavirus. The treatment was first used during the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918, a situation not far removed from the coronavirus pandemic. People can donate plasma more than once, but have to wait several weeks after donating. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of convalescent plasma for treatment in April. It occurred after Mayo Clinic study in which there was 35 percent decrease in mortality among patients younger than age 80 who received plasma. However, the FDA added it must be given on case-by-case basis, and patients who receive it must be experiencing conditions such as respiratory failure or multiple organ failure. Some physicians and the American Red Cross praised the approval and say they've seen plasma work in patients. But others say the value of the treatment has yet to be established and say it might not be effective. Dr Eric Feigl-Ding, an epidemiologist from Harvard, says the '35 percent' figure is misleading because the treatment was tested between two groups receiving plasma and not against a control group. More than 100,000 Americans have been treated with plasma since the pandemic began, according to the NIH. Launched in August 2020, the NIH trial had enrolled 511 of 900 participants at 47 emergency department across the country. Coronavirus patients with mild to moderate symptoms were either given blood plasma from those who had recovered from COVID-19 or a placebo. All of these patients had at least one risk factor, such as obesity and hypertension, but none were ill enough to be hospitalized. In addition, arecent analysis found no significant difference in the proportion of patients who needed emergency treatment, had to be hospitalized or died within 15 days of entering the trial. 'Even if enrollment continued, this trial was highly unlikely to demonstrate that COVID-19 convalescent plasma prevents progression from mild to severe illness in at-risk emergency department non-hospitalized participants,' the NIH 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. 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. Ruth Wilson was seen filming Oslo, her new HBO political drama based on the play of the same name, in a west London park on Wednesday. The actress, 39, wrapped up warm in a winter trench and black leather gloves for the scenes, as she was seen looking stern and tense for the sequence. The screen star's appearance was the first time she has been seen since Idris Elba announced there is to be a film version of Luther, the BBC cop drama Ruth stars in alongside him. On location: Ruth Wilson was seen filming Oslo in a west London park on Wednesday - her new political drama based on the play of the same name Ruth looked chic in the ensemble - a dark grey coat over a thick blue rollneck sweater and leather knee-high boots. She wore her chestnut locks loosely and displayed a natural wash of make-up. She was joined on location by a male co-star who she was seen engaging in terse scenes with. The pair stood on the grassy bank, talking, before things seemed to get heated. Sleek: The actress, 39, wrapped up warm in a winter trench and black leather gloves for the scenes, as she was seen looking stern and tense for the sequence Confirmed: Ruth's appearance was the first time she's been seen since Idris Elba announced there is to be a film version of Luther, the BBC cop drama Ruth stars in alongside him Action! Ruth looked chic in the ensemble - a dark grey coat over a thick blue rollneck sweater and leather knee-high boots Chic: She wore her chestnut locks loosely and displayed a natural wash of make-up Between takes, they were seen chatting to the crew around them, asking for direction. Oslo is based on a true story of a small group of Israelis, Palestinians and one Norwegian couple that engaged in secret talks to help bring about the 1993 Oslo Peace Accords. The project had to be frozen for two weeks after members of the production tested positive for COVID-19. Andrew Scott, Salim Dau, Waleed Zuaiter, Jeff Wilbusch, Igal Naor, Dov Glickman, Rotem Keinan, Itzik Cohen, Tobias Zilliacus and Sasson Gabai will co-star. Tense: She was joined on location by a male co-star who she was seen engaging in terse scenes with Drama: The pair stood on the grassy bank, talking, before things seemed to get heated Guidance: Ruth asked for direction between takes Between takes: They were seen chatting to the crew around them Walk and talk: Oslo is based on a true story of a small group of Israelis, Palestinians and one Norwegian couple that engaged in secret talks to help bring about the 1993 Oslo Peace Accords Co-stars: Andrew Scott, Salim Dau, Waleed Zuaiter, Jeff Wilbusch, Igal Naor, Dov Glickman, Rotem Keinan, Itzik Cohen, Tobias Zilliacus and Sasson Gabai will co-star Elsewhere, Idris confirmed he will be working on a movie version of Luther this year, after it was revealed there won't be a sixth season of the hit BBC show. During an appearance on The All-New Capital Weekender on Friday, the 48-year-old actor revealed he's preparing to go into production on the psychological drama, in which he plays the hard-bitten but brilliant Detective Chief Inspector John Luther. Speaking with host MistaJam, the east London native was asked about his 2021 plans, and duly responded: 'Definitely making more music, people that love my film and stuff, listen, Im going to be making Luther: The Movie.' On hold: The project had to be frozen for two weeks after members of the production tested positive for COVID-19 Coming to a big screen near you: Idris has confirmed he will be working on a movie version of Luther this year, after it was revealed there won't be a sixth season of the BBC show He went on: 'Im super excited and I hope the fans are sort of excited for that. Its been a long time coming for a movie, for people that have loved the show. Weve been making the show for 10 years, so were making film.' The show, which also starred Ruth Wilson ran for ran for five hugely successful seasons between 2010 and 2019. Elsewhere in his interview, Elba also revealed that he'll be releasing new music with Franky Wah and chart-topping American rap sensation Megan Thee Stallion. Elba said: 'Im doing more music, Jam you know what its like, Im trying to stay with it when were not gigging now. So Ive got some really cool music coming, been working with Franky Wah on a tune Im looking forward to dropping. Revelation: During an appearance on The All-New Capital Weekender on Friday, the 48-year-old actor revealed he's preparing to go into production on the psychological drama 'Ive got a bit of a banger, I dont want to say too much but me, Megan Thee Stallion and Davido thats coming. Shout out to the fanatics.' Back in November, Neil Cross, the man responsible for writing and developing Luther, told Australia's Insider magazine confirmed there wouldn't be a sixth season of the popular British psychological crime drama. 'There is not going to be a season six definitively no season six,' he told the publication, but gave fans a glimpse of hope for Luther to live on in other ways. He said: 'Idris, [director] Jamie Payne, and I will shortly have some exciting news to share. There's gonna be more later, but it's not going to be season six.' Exciting: Late last year, the creator of BBC show Luther confirmed a feature length spin-off was very much in the pipeline, but a shooting schedule had yet to be agreed A month earlier, Cross, 51, expressed his confidence that Elba will pull on Luther's famous overcoat for a big screen addition in the near future. He told the Radio Times: 'Ask Idris! We are I don't know what I'm allowed to say, which is an answer in of itself! Words are my job and I've lost them all. 'We wanna make more Luther. We're gonna make more Luther. The how and the why, that's all to come, but we're gonna make more Luther.' Inspired by legendary detective Sherlock Holmes and American sleuth Columbo, the show relies on Luther's supreme intellect to solve a series of complex crimes across London. New music in the pipeline: During his chat with MistaJam, the actor and musician also revealed plans to release new tracks with Franky Wah, Megan Thee Stallion and Davido Reflecting on the show in 2019, Elba admitted he was anxious to see it developed into a feature, and insisted he was keen to get on board at the nearest available opportunity. 'I've maintained that I'd like to see [Luther] come to a film,' he said. 'That's what I think we're headed towards, is a film. I'm looking forward to making that happen... It is happening! 'With film, the sky is the limit. You can be a little bit more bold with the storylines, and a little bit more international, and a little more up the scale. But John Luther is always going to be John Luther.' He added: 'Neil is beavering away on writing this thing, and I think the remit for the film is to scale it up. Scribe: Neil Cross, the man responsible for writing and developing the show, has previously expressed confident Elba would pull on Luther's famous overcoat again. Pictured in 2018 'It will be more murder, more Volvos, more frowning Luther... essentially we just want to try to take it to a much bigger audience and scale, and perhaps international as well.' With COVID-19 restrictions currently limiting production, a schedule for any potential film is yet to be confirmed. The show, which also features Steven Mackintosh, Paul McGann and Indira Varma, has won numerous awards in the UK and US following its original launch. Elba has been recognised with a Critics' Choice Television Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Golden Globe Award for his role as Luther, while the show has been nominated for eleven Primetime Emmy Awards. Tune into MistaJam on The All-New Capital Weekender on Friday and Saturday nights 7pm 10pm on the Capital Network and Capital Dance. Facebook will lift its ban on political ads, including those that touch on social issues, on March 4th, the company announced on Wednesday . The social media giant put the policy in place after polls for the 2020 presidential election closed on the night of November 3rd. At the time, Facebook said it put the ban in place to prevent misinformation and confusion. When former President Donald Trump refused to concede the election and the January 6th Capitol riot occurred, the company extended the prohibition though it offered temporary wriggle room for the Georgia runoff. Now, almost exactly five months after it was put in place, that ban is ending, with Facebook planning to start accepting new ads tomorrow morning . Google, which lifted its ban on political ads last month , followed a similar trajectory. For its part, Facebook appears open to the idea of revisiting its policies on the subject, noting it will take time over the next few months to examine how they work and decide if further changes are warranted. Lucknow, March 3 : Ayush Kishore (30), son of BJP MP Kaushal Kishore, was shot at by bike borne assailants in Mandiaon area in Lucknow, in the wee hours of Wednesday. He has been admitted to the Trauma centre and is not yet in a condition to give a statement. According to ADCP North, Prachi Singh, Aayush was returning home around 2.45 am on Wednesday when the miscreants opened fire at him. Ayush was hit in the hand and the chest while the miscreants fled. ADCP Prachi Singh said that the police are searching for the miscreants through the CCTV footage from close to the scene. This is the second time that Ayush has been attacked and there is a possibility of rivalry behind the incident. BJP MP Kaushal Kishore and his wife Jaya Devi, is a BJP MLA, reached the Trauma Centre on being informed of the incident. Last year, the MP's younger son Akash Kishore had died due to kidney failure. Kaushal Kishore is BJP MP from Mohanlalganj seat. "Congratulations Patricia and thank you for all you do for patients. Thank God for you and nurses like you," Morgan said. "You all told me, 'Trust in the doctors, trust in the nurses, trust in the process and you will get better.' You trust and you can get better." Bosompem said she was honored and would never forget the award and will continue to share the inspiring story of Morgan's recovery with her patients. "I remember I saw you on TV and I thought, 'Wow, I did something to change a person's life,'" Bosompem said. "We do that every day on the Brain Trauma Unit. When people have a brain injury, they may be confused, or agitated. We find ways to help them. Sometimes they come back to see us, and it's so fulfilling." Bosompem was among the nurses at the JFK Johnson Brain Trauma Unit who cared for Morgan after the comedian was seriously injured and in a coma for two weeks following a 2014 accident on the New Jersey Turnpike. In the virtual event, Morgan was at times overcome with emotion and gratitude for his care, especially when he was asked how he felt being an inspiration to others with brain injuries. "If I can be an inspiration to someone, that's so big and I will gladly take on the challenge," Morgan said. "I believe my life was spared for that reason. I know it can be very traumatizing when you or a family member has a brain injury. But you can overcome it. You can get better ... You have to fight to get better and have a great support system. I had great nurses and doctors. I had the best in the world." Since Morgan's recovery, he has returned to comedy as well as to producing and acting. He has publicly thanked the brain injury physicians, nurses and therapists at JFK Johnson for helping him reclaim his gift for comedy. "God gave me a business and y'all helped me take care of it. I will always be grateful to you and the staff," he said. He was asked how humor helped in his recovery. "It's the greatest medicine," he said. "Everything that ever happened to me that was bad I turned funny ... So, you know, I guess it helps the brain heal faster. I thank God that He gave me a sense of humor to share with the world to help others heal. That's a good thing. That's a beautiful thing." Robert C. Garrett, CEO, Hackensack Meridian Health, thanked Morgan. "On behalf of the entire Hackensack Meridian Health network, I am thankful to Tracy Morgan for sharing the story of his recovery. He has inspired patients around the globe," Garrett said. "We are honored to have JFK University Medical Center and JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute as part of the Hackensack Meridian Health network. The JFK Johnson Center for Brain Injuries provides the highest level of rehabilitative care for people throughout the region. Congratulations to Patricia Bosompem, who is very deserving of this year's award. Patricia exemplifies the utmost in nursing care for patients with brain injuries." Bosompem joins previous honorees of the Tracy Morgan Award for Excellence in Rehabilitation Nursing: Jackie Chirichella, BSN, RN; Juan G. Ramirez, RN, CRRN; and Gina Domingo, RN, CRRN. "These nurses all exemplify the highest standards of rehabilitation nursing skills, talents and dedication," said Laura A. Mularz, DNP, MSN, director of Patient Care Services in Nursing Administration, JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute. She said Bosompem is meticulous in her duties and is a kind and patient mentor to new nurses. "Patricia helps them navigate the challenging behaviors that our brain injury patients sometimes exhibit. Those behaviors can be overwhelming at times. Pat approaches these challenges peacefully, creating an environment of learning, not fear," Mularz said. Morgan starred for seven seasons on NBC's Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning "30 Rock." He also was a cast member for seven seasons on Saturday Night Live. He produced and stars in The Last O.G., a television series, and has starred in several movies, including What Men Want. Morgan's recovery has been a subject of much of his comedy. After his recovery, the comedian publicly thanked Brian D. Greenwald, M.D., medical director of the Center for Brain Injuries at JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute. Dr. Greenwald recalled that after his injury Morgan feared he had lost the ability to make people laugh. "So, he would try out material on my staff and me, and we were in stitches. I remember laughing and telling Tracy, 'You will be back on-stage making people laugh.' Today, Tracy continues to succeed in what he wants to do in life, and that is what we want for all of our patients," Dr. Greenwald said. Sara Cuccurullo, M.D., vice president and medical director of JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute, said that by sharing his story, Morgan has put a focus on the role of Rehabilitation nursing. Rehabilitation nurses design and implement treatment strategies and advance the physical and emotional health of their patients after a disabling injury or chronic illness. "Tracy is honoring the specialized training, skills and dedication of Rehabilitation nurses everywhere," Dr. Cuccurullo said. "Rehabilitation nurses help the tens of thousands of Americans hospitalized each year with brain injuries. The goal is for all patients to reach their fullest potential." CLICK HERE TO SEE A PREVIEW OF THE EVENT CLICK HERE TO VIEW/DOWNLOAD FULL COVERAGE OF THE EVENT For more information about the JFK Johnson Center for Brain Injuries, click here. About Hackensack Meridian Health JFK Medical Center Serving residents of central New Jersey for more than 50 years, JFK Medical Center offers a complete array of advanced services in its 498-bed facility located in Edison, N.J. With more than 1,000 affiliated physicians, this academic medical center offers a complete spectrum of advanced services including general and specialized surgery, cardiac care, maternity and pediatrics, oncology, imaging, breast center, sleep center, wound care, robotic surgery, emergency medicine, weight loss surgery, radiology, long-term care and assisted living. It is home to the world-renowned Neuroscience Institute that diagnoses and treats brain, spine and nervous system disorders. To learn more, visit JFKMC.org. About Hackensack Meridian Health JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute Offering New Jersey's most comprehensive rehabilitation services, the JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute is a 94-bed facility located in Edison, N.J. serving residents of the tristate area for more than 40 years. Its mission is simple: provide quality rehabilitation for adults and children living with disabilities to obtain optimal function and independence within an accepting community. JFK Johnson Rehabilitation has developed programs in specialties that include brain injury, stroke rehabilitation, orthopedics/musculoskeletal and sports injuries, fitness, cardiac rehabilitation, women's health, pediatrics and a prosthetics and orthotics lab. It is the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department of the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. To learn more, visit JFKJohnson.org. SOURCE Hackensack Meridian Health .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... DENVER One year into the coronavirus pandemic, Colorado public health officials asked lawmakers to pass a bill that would make it unlawful to disseminate personal information that threatens the safety of health workers and their families. Under current law, doxing or revealing personal information which poses an imminent or serious threat to law enforcement, human service workers or their families is a Class 1 misdemeanor. The proposed bill would add employees and contractors of the state, county or district public health agencies to the existing law. Susan Wheelan, director of the El Paso county health department told the state House Judiciary committee that over the past year she has had to drive unmarked vehicles and be escorted by law enforcement due to the communitys hostile reactions toward pandemic-related restrictions. We should be able to be proud of the work that we do and the work that we are accomplishing and the service to the community without fear for our safety, Wheelan said. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ She added that team members have found that identifying themselves as public health workers has lead to contentious conversations and anger over the consequences of this novel virus and the health departments role in contact tracing and implementing the states policy and restrictions within the county. Some reactions have been threatening like telling local public health workers they better call an ambulance if they show up somewhere and they will end up in body bags, Wheelan said. Across the U.S., public health officials have found themselves at the forefront of battling the pandemic as well as the politicization of health orders and scientific findings on the virus. For health officials in small and rural communities, the threats and safety concerns are even more apparent because theyre often less anonymous than in cities. Beth Melton, a Routt County Commissioner said despite the countys attempt to take public credit and blame for the coronavirus rules, its local public health officials have still been targets of phone calls, emails and grocery store confrontations about the science of the virus and public policy decisions. In December 2020, the Routt county public health director was held up in her office by to a group of largely mask-less protestors outside of the municipal court. I share these examples really to demonstrate just how exposed our public health staff is in a small community like ours, Melton said. The bill passed the House Judiciary committee unanimously and will go to the House floor for debate. ___ Nieberg is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Captain Marvel 2 is still more than a year-and-a-half away from hitting theaters. However, we already know that Brie Larson (Carol Danvers), Iman Vellani (Kamala Khan), and Teyonah Parris (Monica Rambeau) will be stars of the sequel. All three characters are extremely powerful, but only one once lead the Avengers in the Marvel comics. Captain Marvel herself Brie Larson | Frazer Harrison/Getty Images This Captain Marvel 2 hero has a lot of aliases Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe first met Monica Rambeau in the original Captain Marvel film. Set in the 1990s, Monica was just a little girl in the flick. The story focused on Carols origin story, and also gave fans a peek at her friendship with Monicas mother, Maria. But what many fans might not know is that Monica is a formidable super hero in her own right. Monica has appeared with many superhero aliases in the comics over the past five decades. Her many names include Pulsar the Sun Goddess, Photon, Daystar, Sceptre, Lady-of-Light, and Spectrum. She also appeared as the first human Captain Marvel, well before Carol Danvers. Monica first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #16 back in 1982. She started out as a lieutenant of the New Orleans Harbor Patrol. During an investigation of a criminal scientist, Monica got the better of Peter Parker. During that issue, she also went through a life-changing event. Monica smashed a potent energy disruptor with her hands in order to destroy it. The resulting explosion ended up giving her the power to change her body into any form of electromagnetic energy. Spider-Man introduced Monica Rambeau to The Avengers While Monica was adjusting to her new powers, Spider-Man introduced her to The Avengers. She was briefly a probationary member of the team before they added her full-time. As Marvel.com explains, Monica is a formidable superhero with or without her powers. The Avengers figured this out rather quickly after she impressed them on numerous occasions. RELATED: Captain Marvel Brie Larson Has Some Demands to Return for Avengers 5 Monicas powers make her as fast as the speed of light, she can go anywhere undetected, and shes just as strong as the Hulk. She was the only one able to get through a force field. She was also the only one left standing when Zeus put the other Avengers down with a thunderbolt. Monica was such a vital part of the team, Captain America had no choice but to ask her to be the co-leader of Earths Mightiest Heroes and take over for Janet Van Dyne, The Wasp. After thinking about the offer, Monica accepted after she helped Captain America save a group of children from a cave-in. Will Monica Rambeau become a major part of the MCU before Captain Marvel 2 Monicas last mission with The Avengers as Captain Marvel was a battle against Namors wife Marrina. The former Avenger had mutated into Leviathan, forcing Monica to fight her. That was it for Monica as Captain Marvel and the leader of The Avengers. She eventually gave back the Captain Marvel name to Mar-vells son, Gennis-Vell, and started going by the name Photon. Eventually, that changed to Pulsar. Yes, its all pretty confusing. But the one thing fans can be sure of is that Monica is insanely powerful. No matter which name she uses. That is starting to become clear in WandaVision, and the new Disney+ series seems to be setting up the character for big things in phase 4 and beyond. A recent episode teased that things arent right between Monica and Carol. According to Parris, this beef will be explored in the upcoming sequel. I think that we know Monica will be in Captain Marvel 2 with Carol Danvers and Kamala Khan. So I think theres space there for us to further investigate whats happening with those two, Parris said. This appears to be setting up a huge storyline for Captain Marvel 2 when it premieres in theaters on Nov. 11, 2022. [Correction: An earlier version included the incorrect publication year for Amazing Spider-Man Annual #16.] Teenage groom Justin Duggar has shared a sneak peek at his first kiss with his new wife, Claire Spivey. Justin, 18, and Claire, 20, tied the knot in Texas in front of at least 100 guests on Friday, just three months since they announced their engagement the day after Justin's birthday. The Duggars are known for their strict rules governing male-female relations, including that couples wait until they have officially been pronounced husband and wife to share their first kiss so a new video that the couple has shared on Instagram likely shows the very first liplock of their lives. Gettin' frisky! Teenage groom Justin Duggar has shared a sneak peek at his first kiss with his new wife, Claire Spivey Never been kissed! Justin, 18, and Claire, 20, tied the knot in Texas in front of at least 100 guests on Friday and, if they followed Duggar traditions, shared their first kiss ever at the altar Full-frontal at last! The Duggars adhere to strict rules when it comes to dating, limiting their physical contact to brief side-hugs so as to avoid full-body contact before marriage Victory! The pair are seen walking back down the aisle after saying 'I do,' with some of Justin's older brothers seen as groomsmen in the background The couple announced their newlywed status on Friday shortly after they said 'I do.' And on Tuesday, they shared a preview clip of a video by wedding videographer Gabriel Johnson, which offers a look at the couple canoodling immediately after their nuptials including their first kiss at the altar. The clip and photos from the big day show Justin a navy suit, a moss green tie, and a white rose boutonniere. Claire, meanwhile, wore a tiered A-line lace gown by Allure bridals, which she appears to have had fitted with an additional modesty panel of lace above the neckline. Her hair was done in a loose braid woven with roses. The video captures the pair walking arm-in-arm outside at sunset, and posing together with Claire's hand on Justin's chest and Justin's hand on the small of her back a sexually tempting position they'd have been banned from taking just hours before. But the real thrill came inside, seconds after a pastor officially wed the couple: Allowed to kiss for the fist time, Justin put his hands on either side of Claire's face and went in for the prize. Claire, who had her arms around his back, followed up the quick smooch with a hug. They did it! The couple announced their newlywed status on Friday shortly after they said 'I do' On camera: On Tuesday, they shared a preview clip of a video by wedding videographer Gabriel Johnson, which offers a look at the couple canoodling immediately after their nuptials Touchy-feely! The Duggars, who are fundamentalist Christians, tend to marry quite young The Duggars, who are fundamentalist Christians, adhere to strict rules when it comes to dating, limiting their physical contact to brief side-hugs so as to avoid full-body contact until they are engaged. Once engaged, many of them graduate to hand holding, but still save any more touching including full-frontal hugs first kisses until they are married. Though Justin and Claire haven't confirmed that they, too, followed those rules, fans assume that they remained equally chaste until their nuptials. The new wedding video also offers several other tidbits from the occasion, like a glimpse at Justin's groomsmen, who appear to include his 20-year-old brothers Jedidiah and Jeremiah and 19-year-old James. Other shots also give an idea at the size of the wedding, with a room packed with enough chairs to seat over 100 people, despite a global pandemic still raging on an large gatherings being discouraged. It is unusual for a member of the Duggar family to hire an independent videographer to document their wedding, given that all eight of the other Duggar weddings to date have been captured by TLC's cameras for 19 Kids and Counting or Counting On. It's unclear if Justin's wedding to Claire will be shown on the next season of the show. More to come? It's unclear if Justin's wedding to Claire will be shown on the next season of Counting On on TLC What health crisis? The video shows a room packed with enough chairs to seat over 100 people, despite a global pandemic still raging on an large gatherings being discouraged The couple first announced their wedding on Friday with a favorite shot from the big day. 'Today we have started a journey together that God crafted long before we ever knew it was meant to be. We are so thankful for the love of Christ that has brought our lives together and teaches us what real love looks like,' they said in a statement shared by People. 'There is no greater joy than marrying your best friend. We are thankful for the prayers and support so many have shown us through our engagement and look forward to this new chapter of our lives together as husband and wife.' Their families shared their well wishes for the newlyweds. 'It was such a gorgeous wedding! Love you both very much and am SO happy for you guys!' wrote Joy Anna Duggar. 'Such a lovely wedding! Thrilled for you both!,' Anna Duggar said. 'Welcome to the family Claire! You are a stunning bride!' Clare's mother Hilary, who served as her daughter's matron of honor, Instagrammed a photo of the blushing bride, wishing her a happy 20th birthday the day after the wedding. 'Happy birthday baby girl! What a birthday for you today!!' she gushed in the caption. Family affair: Claire's mother served as her matron of honor on the big day All hands on deck! Claire appears to have helped do the younger girls' hair on her own wedding day Justin, who would be a high school senior this year if he had not been homeschooled, confirmed his engagement on TLC's website in November. The announcement had remarkable timing, given that Justin only reached the legal age to marry without parental permission the day before, November 16. (In Arkansas, children can marry at age 17 with parental consent.) 'There is nothing comparable to finding the one you are meant to spend your life with. We know we have found that in each other,' the couple said in a joint statement. 'We cannot wait to be married and are looking forward to a life together of faith in Christ, love for one another, and happiness!' The couple posed together for an engagement shoot, which included images of Claire's diamond ring. 'So excited to announce that we are engaged!!' Justin wrote on Instagram. 'I will never forget the look on her face when I slid the ring on her finger. We look forward to the day that we get to begin the rest of our lives together!' Both the Duggar family and Justin's future in-laws marked the occasion on Instagram. 'With Claire in his life we know this is already a wonderful year for Justin!' the official Duggar Instagram account wrote. 'We pray the Lord will continue to bless and guide both of them as they seek Him and grow together!' Children in love: Justin, who would be a high school senior this year if he had not been homeschooled, confirmed his engagement in November Babies buying baubles: 'We cannot wait to be married and are looking forward to a life together of faith in Christ, love for one another, and happiness!' they said No time to waste! Both fundamentalist Christians, the couple only just announced that they were courting in September Legal at last: The announcement had remarkable timing, given that Justin only reached the legal age to marry without parental permission the day before It was only September when Justin and Claire first announced that they were 'courting' the Duggars' preferred term for dating with a purpose of finding a husband or wife. Justin the 14th of 19 kids was just 17 at the time of the announcement on TLC's Counting On, which was likely filmed months before it aired in mid-September. Fans speculated that they'd actually been courting for months when the news went public, and in a post shared on her Instagram to celebrate the engagement, Claire confirmed that the couple had been together for 14 months, having first started 'dating with purpose' when Justin was just 16. Speaking to Us Weekly at the time, Justin said: 'God brought Claire in my life and I wasnt really expecting it, but he brought her along right when I needed her. 'Ever since then, I just knew that she was the one. Claire has a lot of good qualities and I can sit here and tell you all of them, but there are so many good things that Is see in her. Im so blessed to have her in my life.' Claire added: 'Justin and Is families have known each other for over 20 years so before he or I were even born, and then we got connected last year. 'Im really looking forward to the memories to come spent with him. Im excited to see what the Lord holds for us in the near future.' When abstaining in mandatory: Justin and Claire announced their courtship in September, and for Duggars, that usually means an engagement is imminent Just kids! 'There is nothing comparable to finding the one you are meant to spend your life with,' the couple said Getting handsy! He and Claire 'met at a family conference,' but their families have known each other since before they were born Justin and Claire filmed a reveal to his family for the Counting On finale on TLC, with Justin sitting down for a group video call with most of his family in Arkansas while visiting Claire and her family in Texas. 'I actually do have some news for the family. And I figure while we're all together I can introduce someone to you guys,' he said, before Claire sat next to him. 'This is Claire and we are now in an official relationship,' he said. 'My big announcement is I'm in a relationship with Claire Spivey,' he added in another recording. 'Claire is 19 and I am 17. Me and Claire met at a family conference not to long ago. It was several months after, I talked with her dad and asked if I could start a relationship with her. She's really outgoing and very sweet and nice,' he added. Meanwhile, Claire shared another message about their courtship on Instagram, writing: 'Words will never express the depth of my love and admiration for this amazing man! He is the most tenderhearted person, and every moment spent with him is treasured. 'Im so thankful for the man of God that he is. Whether we are in person, or long distance, he cherishes and loves me unconditionally. His example to me and all he meets, is unlike any other. I am the most blessed woman on earth to be in a relationship you. Ill love you forever.' Justin wasthe youngest member of his family to officially enter a courtship, get engaged, and get married. He knows her so well! 'She's really outgoing and very sweet and nice,' Justin says The restrictions on the sale of N95 masks by Google, Facebook and Amazon is indicative of a broader, national divide over the best course of action for average people looking to protect themselves from COVID-19 infection. One year into a global pandemic that has claimed 515,000 lives in the United States and 2.54 million lives globally, messaging on best mask-wear is still inconsistent at best and contradictory at worst. Many state governments seem to be sending the message that the worst is over and masks are no longer as necessary. On Wednesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott lifted the state-wide mask mandate with an executive order, following similar orders by Gov. Kim Reynolds in Iowa, Gov. Asa Hutchinson in Arkansas, Gov. Mike Parson in Missouri and Gov. Ron DeSantis in Florida. Meanwhile, at the federal level, the Centers of Disease Control (CDC) still recommends that N95 masks be reserved for healthcare professionals. Foreign governments and independent experts, however, don't agree. Both the German and French governments are requiring citizens to wear FFP1 or FFP2 masks (roughly the equivalent of American NIOSH N95 masks) in public, at work, or in shops. Domestically, Harvard Health Professor Joseph G. Allen recommended in the Washington Post that all Americans wear N95s. Respokare N95 Surgical Respirator Mask for $3.49 each at WellBefore.com Respokare N95 Surgical Respirator Mask - FDA Cleared NIOSH Approved - wellbefore.com 3.49 Shop Now "Theres no reason any essential worker and, really, everyone in the country should go without masks that filter 95 percent," Dr. Allen said. "The masks Im referring to, of course, are N95s. These are cheap pre-pandemic they cost about 50 cents and easy to manufacture." Further complicating the matter, Amazon, Facebook and Google have all independently either banned or severely limited the sale of N95 respirator masks since April 2020. If you search for N95 on Amazon, you'll receive a list of inferior (though still effective) KN95 masks. Customers who find N95 masks for sale will often see huge price markups and restrictions on products prioritized for organizations on the front lines responding to COVID-19. The masks that are mostly sold directly from the manufacturer. "Last year, when the demand far outweighed the supply for certain PPE items like N95 masks, Amazon listened to our healthcare and government customers on the front lines of the pandemic and prioritized this type of PPE inventory for them in order to meet their urgent need," an Amazon spokesperson told us over email. "Since then, we have continually monitored inventory of these supplies to be able to meet the needs of all customerswe currently offer a significant number of N95 masks to consumers and will continue making more available, while also ensuring we have supply available for healthcare workers. 40-Pack of Makrite N95 masks for sale at Amazon for $82.45 Makrite Triple-Layer Disposable Flat Fold N95 Respirator Mask (40 Respirators) - amazon.com 82.45 Shop Now High prices and limits on sales imply a mask shortage, but the truth is the opposite: Many companies pivoted toward N95 production during the pandemic, investing millions of dollars, only to struggle to get the life-saving equipment to wanting customers. One company, Demetech, told the NY Times that it has 30 million unsold N95 masks in warehouses that cant find buyers. Other manufacturers simply dont know why their product isnt being embraced. Theres no reason N95 shouldnt be the norm, said Paul Shrater, Chief Business Officer of Advoque Safeguard. His company shifted to N95 mask production early in the pandemic, undergoing a rigorous 4-month NIOSH certification that involved extensive analysis of its production process and virtual site-visits by CDC officials. Weve seen a lot of media about how the public can now be using N95, and should be, but theres a supply gap, Shrater explained. The country, the industry, the government everyone needs to be working together on connecting those dots. It can actually assist the national health if someone pulls the trigger on this. Another vendor, WellBefore, anticipated greater interest and regular wear of N95 masks in the future. "I do firmly believe that N95, KN95 or highly effective 3-PLY masks should be the standard for masks," said founder and CEO Shahzil Amin. "I can't say why the U.S. government mandate differs from the experts on this." In February, Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Biden's chief medical advisor, said that masks could be necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19 until the end of 2021. He also called the United States' handling of the pandemic "worse than most any other country." The CDC currently offers these 7 tips on effective mask wearing in public. Cool Protection Stand - 3D Mask Bracket - Face Mask Inner Support Frame - Plastic Bracket - More Space for Comfortable Breathing Protect Lipstick Washable Reusable - amazon.com 9.99 Shop Now This article has been edited to include a comment from Amazon. Byron Bay based real estate agent Scot Fuller failed to find love on Angie Kent's season of The Bachelorette. And it appears the experts on Married At First Sight couldn't find him a match either. Daily Mail Australia can reveal the 29-year-old reality star signed up to appear on the current season of the Channel Nine social experiment in a bid to find The One. EXCLUSIVE: Bachelorette star Scot Fuller [pictured] signed up for the current season of Married At First Sight... but didn't make the cut But despite making it to final rounds, it appears the show's experts couldn't find him the perfect match. On Monday, former Bachelor In Paradise star Jessica Brody shared footage of herself watching Married At First Sight the night before. Uploading the video to her Instagram, she appeared baffled when she noticed a man's photograph that resembled her co-star. 'Hang on. I'm watching last night's episode of MAFS. Wasn't that guy on my season of Bachelor In Paradise?' she asked her followers. 'Isn't that Scot? Like am I f**king losing my mind?' she asked. Unlucky in love: But despite making it to final rounds, it appears the show's experts couldn't find Scott the perfect match 'Am I tripping?' On Monday, former Bachelor In Paradise star Jessica Brody shared footage of herself watching Married At First Sight the night before. Uploading the video to her Instagram, she appeared baffled when she noticed a man's photograph that resembled her co-star Scot's photo appeared to be displayed alongside featured groom, Russell Duance, who was paired with Beth Moore. And if his Instagram is anything to go by, it appears Scot has since found love outside of reality television, cosying up to a mystery blonde in December. It comes just days after Daily Mail Australia revealed Jess had recently enjoyed a date night with MAFS groom Jake Edwards. Fairytale ending? If his Instagram is anything to go by, it appears Scot has since found love outside of reality television, cosying up to a mystery blonde in December The pair were spotted enjoying a drink together at a Melbourne hot spot last week. Alongside alcoholic beverages, Jess' distinctive fake finger nails were seen next to Jake's fresh hand tattoo, which reads 'order'. Jessica has since confirmed the pair did indeed catch up for a vino, but they're just 'friends'. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Scot in relation to this article. Pals: It comes just days after Daily Mail Australia revealed Jess had recently enjoyed a date night with MAFS groom Jake Edwards (left) Small businesses in Lackawanna County affected by the pandemic will be eligible for $2.3 million in grant funding through the COVID-19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Program, the office of state Rep. Marty Flynn, D-113, Scranton , announced Tuesday. MetroAction , a nonprofit community development organization dedicated to providing small-business loans and business development assistance throughout Northeast Pennsylvania, will distribute the money through the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce . Through the program, $145 million in funding will be available to eligible small businesses throughout the state. ROBERT TOMKAVAGE AG Nessel Joins Coalition Supporting Schools' Ability To Protect Students From Bullying AG Nessel Joins Coalition Supporting Schools' Ability To Protect Students From Bullying Ryan Jarvi 517-599-2746 Attorney General March 3, 2021 LANSING Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined a coalition of attorneys general in filing a friend-of-the-court brief urging the Supreme Court to preserve schools ability to address cyberbullying and other forms of off-campus bullying that substantially affects students education. The coalition filed the brief in Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L., a case concerning the ability of schools to hold students accountable for off-campus speech, and does not support either party. Because of public schools obligation to protect students and promote learning, the Supreme Court has long given them more leeway to regulate student speech under the First Amendment than states have regarding adults speech. But the lower court in this case ruled that schools may never regulate students off-campus speech. In their brief, the attorneys general urge the court to reject this rule, arguing that it would undermine state anti-bullying laws and prevent schools from addressing in-person and online bullying that originates off-campus. Instead, the coalition encourages the court to uphold an existing legal standard, which empowers schools to regulate speech that substantially disrupts school or interferes with other students ability to learn. Regardless of where it originates, bullying can have serious, long-lasting consequences on students and hinder their ability to learn, Nessel said. Education offers a wealth of opportunities for students, and we must make every effort to provide the worlds future leaders with the support they need to prepare for the challenges they will face. Schools must also have the ability to use every tool at their disposal to protect those students, and thats why my colleagues and I urge the court to preserve their abilities to address this issue. In Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, a landmark 1969 decision, the Supreme Court affirmed that students have First Amendment rights in public school settings but also recognized that school officials may regulate student speech that would materially and substantially disrupt the work and discipline of the school or interfere with the rights of other students. Every federal appellate court in the country, except the Third Circuit in the case now before the Supreme Court, has applied the Tinker standard to student speech that causes substantial disruption or harm at school, regardless of where the speech originates. Bullying is a harmful and disruptive form of student behavioroften involving speechthat public schools across the country prohibit. Bullying can take many forms, including physical violence, threats, offensive insults or mocking. It can also take the form of indirect aggression, such as spreading false or harmful rumors or distributing embarrassing images of a targeted student. All 50 states have passed school anti-bullying laws, including laws requiring schools to establish anti-bullying policies and implement procedures to investigate and respond to bullying. More than two-thirds of these laws cover some bullying that occurs or originates off-campus, and most state anti-bullying laws incorporate Tinkers standard of disruption to the school environment to determine when schools have authority to act. In their amicus brief filed in Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L., the attorneys general do not take a position on the underlying facts of the case. Instead, they urge the court to treat students off-campus speech like any other students speech, allowing schools to regulate it when it has substantial effects on the school or other students learning, because: Schools have a duty to provide a high-quality education to all students: Millions of school children experience bullying each year, and it oftentimes harms their ability to learn. In addition to making students feel unsafe at school, bullying has been shown to lower both short- and long-term academic performance of victims and perpetrators. Millions of school children experience bullying each year, and it oftentimes harms their ability to learn. In addition to making students feel unsafe at school, bullying has been shown to lower both short- and long-term academic performance of victims and perpetrators. The line between on- and off-campus has been blurred by technology: Technology, electronic communications and social media allow students to remain connected to their school communities even outside of school hours and when they are not physically present at school. During the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual learning has further blurred the line between on-campus and off-campus speech. Technology, electronic communications and social media allow students to remain connected to their school communities even outside of school hours and when they are not physically present at school. During the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual learning has further blurred the line between on-campus and off-campus speech. Cyberbullying is a growing problem: Technology has created new opportunities for bullying to occur and a growing number of school-aged children report being bullied by other students online, on their cell phones or on other electronic media. One recent survey found that 59% of teenagers in the United States have personally experienced cyberbullying at some point in their lives. In a 2019 nationally representative survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 15.7% of high school students reported being bullied by another student through texting, Instagram, Facebook or other social media during the past year. Technology has created new opportunities for bullying to occur and a growing number of school-aged children report being bullied by other students online, on their cell phones or on other electronic media. One recent survey found that 59% of teenagers in the United States have personally experienced cyberbullying at some point in their lives. In a 2019 nationally representative survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 15.7% of high school students reported being bullied by another student through texting, Instagram, Facebook or other social media during the past year. Bullying can become disruptive at school regardless of where it originates: Regardless of when and where it occurs, bullying can create a school climate in which student victims feel unsafe and unable to engage in learning. For example, children who are cyberbullied are more likely to report missing school because they feel unsafe at school or when traveling to or from school. Regardless of when and where it occurs, bullying can create a school climate in which student victims feel unsafe and unable to engage in learning. For example, children who are cyberbullied are more likely to report missing school because they feel unsafe at school or when traveling to or from school. Students will lose critical protections from cyberbullying: The laws of 35 states and the District of Columbia require or permit schools to regulate cyberbullying that occurs off-campus, on non-school devices and on non-school online platforms. Students would lose these important protections if the court limits schools power to regulate off-campus speech. Joining Attorney General Nessel in filing this brief are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription. Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor Mumbai, March 3 : In a massive action against some big Bollywood personalities, the Income Tax department on Wednesday carried out searches at over 30 locations in Mumbai and Pune, including the premises of noted film Director Anurag Kashyap, actor Taapsee Pannu and filmmaker Vikas Bahl. An I-T department source related to the probe told IANS, "Searches are on at the premises of Pannu, Kashyap and Bahl in Mumbai and other locations." The source, however, refused to share further details of the case. The source further said that multiple teams of the agency sleuths were carrying out searches at over 30 locations in Mumbai and Pune, including the premises of the Phantom Films and former partner of Phantom Films Madhu Mantena. Phantom Films was established by Anurag Kashyap, Director Vikramaditya Motwane, Producer Madhu Mantena and the former head of UTV Spotboy Vikas Bahl in 2011 and was dissolved in 2018. However, officials of the I-T department remained tightlipped on the searches at the premises of Phantom Films. According to another I-T department official, the searches are going on at the premises of these Bollywood personalities in connection with some "tax evasion" matter. Kashyap, Bahl and Pannu have been vocal on the social media platforms and have also raised their concern over the farmers' protest, which have been going at the borders of the national capital since November 26 last year against the three farm laws. Reacting to the news of the I-T searches on the Bollywood personalities, Congress Lok Sabha MP Manickam Tagore said, "Why (Union Finance Minister) Nirmala Sitharaman is so predictable? It's sad story for the I-T department, it has become so one sided and political too." -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed The World Trade Organization (WTO), the rule-making body for the global trading system that started life on January 1, 1995, has just had its glass ceiling shattered, with the first woman climbing to the apex of its structure. To add to the significance, the woman in question, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria's former two-time finance minister and foreign minister, is the first African appointed to be the director general of the WTO. Though she has recently acquired American citizenship, having studied, worked, and lived in the U.S. for nearly four decades, she is strongly rooted in Africa where she was born 66 years ago and had her early education. Respected economist The WTO has been a critical part of the international system since the emergence of the post-World War II international order. Its predecessor, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), provided the rules for the global trading system since 1948 when it was founded. While GATT mainly dealt with trade in goods, the WTO has a broader mandate which includes services and trade in inventions, creations and designs (intellectual property). The world trading system originated against the backdrop of the horrors of the two world wars and an economic depression. GATT was intended to provide a legal mechanism for tariff negotiation and make rules that would discourage countries from erecting barriers through non-tariff means. The various negotiations including the legendary Uruguay and Doha rounds, which culminated in the formation of the WTO, were critical in establishing the contemporary global trading architecture. It is this complex web of rule-making for trade, especially at a time when trade has emerged as the life-blood of the international system, that Okonjo-Iweala has assumed the leadership of. Okonjo-Iweala, who had a 25-year career at the World Bank in Washington, D.C. as a development economist, is no stranger to multilateralism. Rising to the number two position in the bank as managing director, she had the responsibility to oversee the World Bank's $81-billion operational portfolio in Africa, South Asia, Europe and Central Asia. First appointed as Nigeria's minister of finance in the late 1990s, Okonjo-Iweala oversaw the negotiations with the Paris Club that culminated in the elimination of $30 billion of Nigeria's debt, after paying a whopping $12 billion at once to the creditors. She had argued that paying the debt would free the country of the burden of interest payments, which, according to her, would free funds for addressing the country's huge infrastructure deficit. Critics of the massive capital flight which she engineered with the $12 billion payment insist that after the debt repayment and cancellation, there was nothing of substance in the improvement of the country's infrastructure. However, she made enormous efforts to improve Nigeria's macroeconomic management, which included, among other things, the implementation of an oil price-based fiscal system where revenues accruing above reference benchmark oil price were saved in a special account, called excess crude account, which helped to reduce macroeconomic volatility. She also instituted a key transparency governance measure, whereby each item of local or state monthly financial allocation from the federal government of Nigeria was published in the newspapers. In 2011, under another president, Jonathan Goodluck, she was reappointed as minister of finance with the expanded portfolio of coordinating minister for the economy, which is well acknowledged to have brought considerable stability to the macroeconomic management and even rebalancing of the country's economy. Since then, Nigeria has emerged as the largest economy in Africa, though poverty and staggering unemployment, leading to violent crimes and insurgency, remain open wounds which Nigeria is still struggling to contend with. New helmsperson She comes to the WTO with a lot of experience and broad international exposure that will serve her well in navigating through the negotiating crucibles that would stabilize the world trading system. In the era of multilateralism with isolated pockets of threats to it, she would have to make a compelling case for why free and fair trade is in the best interest of all. With the China-U.S trade impasse, mostly stoked by Washington, she must weigh in to enhance an impartial mechanism for trade dispute resolution that does not pander to hegemonic power designs. As trade in goods has evolved to a complex web of trading beyond goods to intellectual property, the WTO under Okonjo-Iweala must up its game to move in the direction of a fair and equitable trading system that leaves no member behind. Though bilateral trading agreements remain the key component of the contemporary international system, the WTO would continue to be the guarantor and rule maker and the last port of call for dispute settlement for international trade matters and, therefore, has enormous responsibility for providing an enabling roadmap to sustain one of key human activities. An accomplished woman long dedicated to international public service, Okonjo-Iweala is enjoined to use her new office to advance human prospects which clearly converge around the construction of a community of shared future for all humanity. Trade is one of the oldest human activities and must now be given a prime place in the restoration of the common development of all. This is the clarion call for Okonjo-Iweala. The author is director of the Center for China Studies in Abuja, Nigeria. If you are a student or youth at Appalachian State University or the surrounding area we encourage you to join the International Youth and Students for Social Equality. For more information please contact the club today. The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE), the youth and student wing of the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) is pleased to announce the establishment of a new chapter at Appalachian State University (ASU) in Boone, North Carolina. IYSSE club president at Appalachian State University The IYSSE is a Marxist and Trotskyist youth and student organization that insists that all the great problems confronting humanity in the 21st centurythe devastation wrought by COVID-19, war and social inequality; and the drive toward fascism and dictatorship by governments internationallyare the outcome of capitalism. The only solution to these problems is the global mobilization and unification of the working class on the basis of a revolutionary socialist program, politically independent of and irrevocably opposed to all capitalist parties and their pseudo-left appendages. The IYSSE at ASU will actively work to bring this perspective to the students and youth at ASU and in the surrounding area and to turn them to the working class in the region. What we fight for For safe and healthy campuses and workplaces! In opposition to the herd immunity policy of the ruling class and its devastating impact upon the lives and health of workers and students, we fight for the implementation of a rational and scientifically guided public health strategy to force the shutdown of all nonessential production and the full closure of in-person classes to contain the pandemic. In opposition to the herd immunity policy of the ruling class and its devastating impact upon the lives and health of workers and students, we fight for the implementation of a rational and scientifically guided public health strategy to force the shutdown of all nonessential production and the full closure of in-person classes to contain the pandemic. For the fight against war! We oppose all imperialist military actions by the United States and other capitalist powersactions which threaten to bring about a new conflagration of great power conflict in the form of a third world war. The drive toward war is an inevitable outcome of the internal contradictions of the capitalist system, which can only be solved by establishing a socialist society run by the working class. We oppose all imperialist military actions by the United States and other capitalist powersactions which threaten to bring about a new conflagration of great power conflict in the form of a third world war. The drive toward war is an inevitable outcome of the internal contradictions of the capitalist system, which can only be solved by establishing a socialist society run by the working class. For the defense of democratic rights! We defend the right to free speech and all whistleblowers and journalists who have been persecuted for exposing the crimes of the capitalist oligarchy. This includes both Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning, who were both taken into custody under the criminal Obama administration, as well as Rebekah Jones, the COVID-19 whistleblower who has come under attack by the state of Florida. We defend the right to free speech and all whistleblowers and journalists who have been persecuted for exposing the crimes of the capitalist oligarchy. This includes both Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning, who were both taken into custody under the criminal Obama administration, as well as Rebekah Jones, the COVID-19 whistleblower who has come under attack by the state of Florida. For the political independence of the working class! One of the major lessons of the past century and particularly the past decade is that the Democratic Party serves as the graveyard of all progressive social movements. Workers and youth who wish to fight for socialism must make an irrevocable break with the parties of the ruling eliteincluding its nominally left defenders, such as the Democratic Socialists of America, who repeatedly shepherd their members into supporting the Democratic Party. One of the major lessons of the past century and particularly the past decade is that the Democratic Party serves as the graveyard of all progressive social movements. Workers and youth who wish to fight for socialism must make an irrevocable break with the parties of the ruling eliteincluding its nominally left defenders, such as the Democratic Socialists of America, who repeatedly shepherd their members into supporting the Democratic Party. For the unity of the working class! The ruling class seeks to divide the working class and youth along lines of individual identities, especially race and gender. We insist that the main division in society is between two antagonistic classes: wealthy billionaires who control all the major resources and the means of production necessary for human survival and working people who must exchange their labor power for wages and must be exploited under capitalism for profit. The ruling class seeks to divide the working class and youth along lines of individual identities, especially race and gender. We insist that the main division in society is between two antagonistic classes: wealthy billionaires who control all the major resources and the means of production necessary for human survival and working people who must exchange their labor power for wages and must be exploited under capitalism for profit. For internationalism! Workers and young people face the might of the same billionaires and corporations across the globe. As production and distribution have become highly globalized in the 21st century, so too must the working class and its youth movement coordinate their struggles across international lines. The IYSSE at Appalachian State stands with the youth and students in other countries such as Germany and Australia who are building our movement across international lines. The fight for socialism in North Carolina The IYSSE at Appalachian State fights for the defense of historical truth. The critical lessons of the 20th century are ever more covered up by the ruling elites to justify their rule and disorient the working class as to the identity of its true enemy. This is most apparent in the New York Times 1619 project, where history was blatantly distorted in an attempt to characterize the main problems of today as the outcome of racial conflict and suppression. The Times intentionally misrepresented past events and attacked leading scholars in the field of history who opposed their false characterization of the past. These actions have strengthened and played into the hands of the far right, who have sought to counter these lies with nationalism and demagogy. Workers and young people at Appalachian State must take up a historical examination of the past two centuries of working-class struggle in the region and bring the lessons of that history to the workers who today fight to build their own independent organizations for political struggle. North Carolina, like every state, has a rich history of working-class struggle. In 1929, workers at the Loray Mill in Gastonia went on strike over working conditions. On September 14, 1929, a cartload of armed men attacked the workers as they marched to a rally, killing Ella May Wiggins, one of the main organizers of the strike. At the time, textile mill workers in the region were expected to work 55 to 60 hours, six days a week, and earned less than $10 a week in difficult and dangerous conditions. Whole families, including children, worked in the mills where many suffered breathing problems and lung damage from inhaling the small pieces of fabric that filled the air. Workers at the mills in Marion, Elizabethton, and Gastoniaall near Boone, North Carolinawere also key actors in the famous 1934 cotton mill general strike. On September 3, 1934, over 10,000 workers in Gastonia participated in the towns first Labor Day parade. Over the next week, thousands of organizers traveled throughout the South in cars and trucks to help workers close down the mills. By the efforts of these flying squadrons, between 300,000 and 500,000 workers across the eastern United States participated in the general strike. The majority of these workers came from the cotton mills of North and South Carolina, including Gaston County, where all 104 mills had closed by September 7. Ultimately, the strike was sold out by the United Textile Workers (UTW) in collaboration with the Roosevelt administration and the mill owners, who feared that the struggle would turn into an open threat to the entire capitalist system. The UTW leaders called the strike a success and ordered workers back to the mills with little gains. Many of these Southern workers felt betrayed by the hollow promises of the UTW and the federal government. The critical lesson to be gained from such events is the necessity of a principled and historically conscious leadership to intervene and guide such struggles into a political fight against the capitalist state. The goal of the IYSSE at Appalachian State is to develop such a leadership. We therefore stand with all workers in North Carolina, the Appalachian Region, the United States and the world, and will fight to bring socialist consciousness into their coming struggles. This includes all meatpacking workers, textile mill workers, furniture and aviation workers in the region, as well as Appalachian State graduate students, staff and faculty. SPRINGFIELD Hot Table, a grilled panini, soup and salad restaurant chain founded in Springfield in 2007, plans to open its eighth location this spring. Itll be a Hot Table restaurant geared to takeout dining and located at Shoppers World in Framingham, a location Hot Table President John DeVoie described as the highest-profile retail location in the state. I feel very lucky, DeVoie said. We have a great location. With 27 retailers, Shoppers World center is near the Natick Mall and the corporate headquarters of Boston Scientific, Bose, TJ Maxx, and Staples. The chain is expanding. Plans call for a Hot Table along with a Starbucks in a new plaza Pride Stations owner Robert Bolduc is developing in Westfield near the MassPike interchange. That Pride project in Westfield is before the citys planning board having been continued at a meeting Tuesday night. DeVoie said hes also planning to build Hot Tables first stand alone -- in its own building and not part of a plaza -- Hot Table somewhere in the Springfield area. That stand-alone store would probably have a pick-up window for customers whove ordered and paid on the app to get their food. The Framingham location will be smaller than most Hot Table locations, DeVoie said. It would seat about 35 and not 45. This location will employ about 25 people. But it will have racks for sorting take-out orders and dedicated pull-up spots for curbside orders. All accommodations, he said, for an away-from -premises dining business that was growing before COVID-19 but has taken off since. Like everybody else in the restaurant business we took a big hit, DeVoie said. It was very scary last year. I thought i was going to lose our company. But business improved, especially at locations in residential areas where hungry customers were working from home. Locations in areas where there are a lot of offices and fewer residents, like the Springfield Tower Square and Marlborough, are doing well but are slower to come back. But DeVoie said thatll change as more people return to offices. He renovated the Tower Square location, a Main Street space that was once a Friendlys. Gus & Pauls had a location there for 10 years before shutting in August 2007. Reins Deli Express moved in soon after, only to close in February 2008 after just a few months. Hot Table, owned by John DeVoie, his brother Christopher DeVoie and investor Rich Calcosola, opened there in 2009. The first Hot Table was the one in the Breckwood Shoppes that opened in 2007. Other locations are in Enfield, Connecticut; Glastonbury, Connecticut; Hadley, Marlborough and Worcester. Members of the Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Teams inspect the scene of a collision between a sport utility vehicle (SUV) and a tractor-trailer truck near Holtville, Calif., on March 2, 2021. (Bing Guan/Reuters) US Investigating Human Smuggling Link to California Crash That Killed 13 Investigators with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency were going to the scene of a deadly crash in southern California to probe whether it was connected to human smuggling, according to the agency. Special Agents from Homeland Security Investigations San Diego responded to the scene of todays fatal crash in El Centro, California, and have initiated a human smuggling investigation, an official with the agency, known as ICE, told The Epoch Times via email. Homeland Security Investigations is the primary investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, conducting federal criminal investigations into illegal cross-border movement of people, goods, money, technology, and other contraband. A crash involving an SUV carrying 25 people and a semi-truck took place Tuesday just 15 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border. Preliminary information indicated that the Ford Expedition SUV entered an intersection in front of a big rig, which then collided with the left side of the SUV. A dozen people were found dead when first responders first arrived at the scene, while another person died at a hospital, according to the California Highway Patrol. Itd be premature for me to discuss or speculate what caused this collision. What we have to keep in mind is that 13 people died in this crash. We owe it to the families and those killed and injured as well as the public to conduct a thorough and complete investigation, California Highway Patrol Chief Omar Watson said at a press briefing. Judy Cruz, managing director of the emergency room department at El Centro Regional Medical Center, had tabulated the death count as 15 at a separate news conference. A California Highway Patrol officer examines the scene of a deadly crash in Holtville, Calif., on March 2, 2021. (Gregory Bull/AP Photo) A law enforcement officer examines the scene of a deadly crash in Holtville, Calif., on March 2, 2021. (Gregory Bull/AP Photo) California Highway Patrol officers investigate a crash site after a collision between a Ford Expedition sport utility vehicle and a tractor-trailer truck in Holtville, Calif., on March 2, 2021. (Bing Guan/Reuters) Hugo Castro leaves crosses at the scene of a deadly crash in Holtville, Calif., on March 2, 2021. (Gregory Bull/AP Photo) At least 10 of those killed in the crash were from Mexico, according to Roberto Valasco, director of North American affairs for Mexicos Foreign Relations Department. Those injured ranged in age from 16 to 55 and were taken to various hospitals in the area with injuries ranging from fractures to life-threatening head wounds. Its unfortunate that that number of people were put into that vehicle because theres not enough safety restraints to safely keep those people within the vehicle. There are numerous people that were ejected onto the roadway as a result of this collision, Watson said. Officials are working with the Mexican consulate to determine the identities of those who were in the SUV. The driver has been identified. The driver, a native of Mexico, died. There were children in the vehicle, but authorities were still gathering details about them. A California official said immigration agents were not pursuing the SUV when it slammed into the semi-truck. ICE officials told outlets that they didnt yet have information on the victims immigration statuses. Dr. Adolphe Edward, chief medical officer at El Centro Regional Medical Center, told reporters that workers do not use the term undocumented in the hospitals. To us, these folks that came to us are patients, he said. The Biden administration has imposed sanctions on senior Russian Government officials for poisoning the opposition leader, Alexi Navalny. This must be perceived as the beginning of a stricter approach towards Moscow in comparison to Donald Trump. The United States demanded that Navaly must be must be released from detention. The sanctions, on the other hand block all access to financial assets for at least seven top most officials around Vladimir Putin, but not Putin himself. This action signals Bidens administration treatment of Russia which will be effectively different from its predecessor. Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken commented that there will be severe consequences of Russia abusing human rights and use of chemical weapons. He espoused that use of chemical weapons will be unacceptable and violates international norms. Calling Navalnys detention and prosecution as a political motivated move, Blinken stated that Russia must immediately release Navalny. It cannot be denied that Trump had blatantly chose to ignore and defend Putins actions. For the Biden administration, the diplomatic relationship with Russia poses a challenge. Also Read: India, Maldives and Sri Lanka trilateral secretariat established: A leap in Maritime Cooperation Also Read: US lawmakers introduce bill to scrap One-China Policy, resumes diplomatic relations with Taiwan The USA condemns Russia for undermining the U.S. and the European elections, encouraging cyber attacks and also engaging in threatening its neighbor, Ukraine. The US fears that Russia is assuming authoritarianism and not paying attention to the sanctions imposed on Tuesday. White House Press Secretary, Jen Psaki stated that they are prepared for the challenges posed by its relationship with Russia. We are neither seeking to reset our relationship with Russia, nor are we seeking to escalate. The intent behind the comment was to suggest that the Biden administration would not follow the footsteps of Barack Obama, under whom an attempt was made to reset the relationship with Russia. Also Read: IAF, UAE set to conduct first-ever drill as part of Desert Flag exercise this month Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. St Ninian's Lower and Ballasalla School students families told to self-isolate St Ninians Lower and Ballasalla School students and their families have been told to self-isolate. A urgent message released by the Manx Government says all students in Year 7 at St Ninians Lower School (Bemahague) and everyone they live with should stay at home and wait to be contacted by the COVID-111 service. No Year 7 students should attend school tomorrow (Wednesday). In addition, all students in Years 3 and 4, as well as teaching and support staff at Ballasalla School are being asked to self-isolate and wait to be contacted by the COVID-111 service. The school will therefore be closed tomorrow (Wednesday). Any students who had been due to attend Ballasalla School on Wednesday should instead go to Scoill Phurt Le Moirrey in Port St Mary. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Mumbai, March 3 : Axis Direct, has launched 'YIELD' - an online platform to buy and sell bonds and debentures in the secondary market. Axis Direct is the online brand of Axis Securities, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Axis Bank. With a simple investment process, YIELD allows retail investors direct access to the debt instruments. This removes the hassle of filling up physical forms or the need for separate KYC with the bond institutions. To facilitate transactions only in secure options, it aggregates only 'AAA' to 'A' rated quality debt instruments available for investment in the secondary market. By offering competitive rates and technical know-how, YIELD empowers the investors to make the right investment decision, the company said in a statement. The trades and settlement of transactions executed will be reported on BSE NDS platform. Apart from diversification, investment in bonds offers safety during market volatility due to fixed coupon rates. Bonds enable investors to earn better value from their investments with higher fixed returns. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor PLANTATION, Fla., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, MASA Medical Transport Solutions (MTS) announced Financial Benefits Services (FBS) as the First Valued Partner in its launch of the Valued Partner Program. FBS is a leading broker specializing in employee benefits solutions, benefits consulting, benefits administration, and online benefits enrollment platform technology. FBS is chosen for this prestigious honor because of five years of successful group benefits consulting on the added value MASA MTS' memberships bring to voluntary plans. MASA MTS provides coverage for out-of-pocket expenses from air and ground ambulance events. FBS offers genuine peace of mind for employers and employees by bridging the gaps in group coverage for medical emergency transportation that can result in crippling financial hardship. "We are happy to welcome FBS to our Valued Partner Program!" said Tony Lodovico, Senior Vice President, B2B Sales, MASA MTS, "FBS assists MASA MTS in offering our cost-effective memberships to businesses every day. We have been honored to be one of the offerings within their impressive portfolio of solutions. We look forward to continued success that comes from years of working together." "FBS is excited about our invitation to participate in the MASA MTS Valued Partner Program. MASA MTS delivers superior service and benefits coverage, and we've been thrilled to offer their plans," said Coby James, Senior Vice President, Financial Benefit Services. "FBS services over 480 school districts in Texas developing innovative benefit solutions for employers year to year. MASA MTS provides a unique solution to the challenge employees face with EMS transportation, delivering significant cost-savings and greater peace of mind for plan members. FBS introduced MASA MTS' emergency medical transportation coverage with great success, bolstering employer benefit packages across the state." About MASA Medical Transport Solutions MASA MTS is the leading prepaid limited health service that covers the unexpected costs associated with emergency medical transport. We provide a membership program covering all emergency air and ground transport providers in the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit www.masamts.com. About Financial Benefit Services (FBS) Founded in 1991, FBS made its mark by becoming one of the first firms in Texas to provide an online enrollment solution to Public entity employers, eliminating the need for paper-based enrollments. Years later, FBS is at the forefront of innovation with an advanced benefits technology platform, giving employers a comprehensive HR tool to recruit and retain a productive workforce. For more information, visit www.fbsbenefits.com SOURCE Masa Global Related Links https://www.masaglobal.com By Stephen Nellis (Reuters) - Holding NV has extended a deal to sell chip manufacturing equipment to Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp, China's largest chipmaker, until the end of this year, the Dutch company said in a statement on Wednesday. made the statement after SMIC on Wednesday disclosed a volume purchase agreement under which it has already spent $1.2 billion with the toolmaker. In a clarifying statement issued several hours later, said the agreement began in 2018 and was slated to expire at the end of 2020, but the two agreed in February to extend the deal to the end of this year. In December, SMIC was one of dozens of firms put on a U.S. blacklist that required American semiconductor manufacturing equipment firms such as Applied Materials Inc and Lam Research Corp to obtain a license before exporting products to the chipmaker. The U.S. Commerce Department said the action against SMIC stemmed from China's efforts to harness civilian technologies for military purposes and evidence of activities between SMIC and Chinese military industrial of concern. The rules would still allow the shipment of tools for making less advanced chips. ASML, which is based in the Netherlands and is the world's largest supplier of lithography equipment for making chips, produces a critical tool required to manufacture advanced chips: an extreme ultraviolet lithography, or EUV, machine. In 2019, the Trump administration pressed Dutch officials https://www.reuters.com/article/us-asml-holding-usa-china-insight/trump-administration-pressed-dutch-hard-to-cancel-china-chip-equipment-sale-sources-idUSKBN1Z50HN to cancel a sale of an EUV machine to SMIC. At that time, Dutch officials declined to renew a license needed to ship the tool. Dutch officials had not approved a license to ship an EUV tool to as of late February, according to government records. In its statement on Wednesday, ASML said the volume purchase deal with SMIC related to an older technology called deep ultraviolet lithography, or DUV. In January, ASML Chief Executive Peter Wennik said the company could see "significant upside" selling older chipmaking technology to if allowed by government officials to do so. accounted for 17% of ASML's 14 billion euros in 2020 sales. On Monday, the U.S. National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, or NSCAI, recommended that the United States coordinate with the Netherlands and Japan to deny export licenses to China for key chipmaking equipment. "This (sale) is a slap in the face to the NSCAI recommendations and shows how big the gap with allies is on these issue," a U.S. semiconductor executive said on condition of anonymity. (Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco and Toby Sterling in Amsterdam; Editing by Paul Simao and Jonathan Oatis) (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.) This was also a chance for the newly-established SVBG to introduce itself to Swiss partners. The webinar aimed at boosting trade and investment cooperation between Swiss and Vietnamese businesses. Speaking at the event, Ambassador Le Linh Lan stressed that Vietnam and Switzerland have maintained good friendship and cooperation for half a century. This year, the two are celebrating the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties. Switzerland is the 6th largest European investor in Vietnam, with its investment totaling US$2 billion, mostly in manufacturing processing and electricity. Currently, around 100 Swiss firms are operating in Vietnam. Meanwhile, Vietnam is the four biggest trade partner of Switzerland in ASEAN, with bilateral trade exceeding US$3.6 billion in 2019. Since 2012, Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) the intergovernmental organisation of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland began negotiations for an FTA, which is expected to be signed this year. Jharkiholi: A resignation on moral ground: Reading between the lines India oi-Dr. Sandeep Shastri The resignation of Water Resources Minster Ramesh Jarkiholi from the Karnataka Council of Ministers seemed inevitable, after the alleged sex scandal broke out. One terms it as inevitable for a combination of reasons: the embarrassment caused to the party at a critical juncture both nationally and at the state level; the start of the Karnataka Assembly session next week and the pressure on the state leadership to defuse a political time-bomb ; to deal with the internal contradictions within the ruling party at the state level and of course, to maintain the high moral ground if there were to be one at all, in contemporary politics and society! Ever since the video became viral, it appeared to be a matter of time for the ruling party to persuade the Minister to resign. The BJP did not want to be seen to be acting on the pressure of the Opposition and as a response to the issue being the focus of attack on the government and the ruling party. By getting the Minister to resign, the BJP hopes to claim to have acted in a pro-active manner on the issue. In the short run, the government (and ruling party) can claim to have swiftly acted. One is not sure of what is likely to happen in the long run, depending on how the case unfolds and the evidence on the issue emerges. One has seen in the past (and such alleged scandals are not new to Karnataka) that those who had to step down on facing similar charges in the past, found it very difficult to politically rehabilitate themselves, not just in the near immediate future but also in the distant future. Though one often says that public memory in short, it is important to remember that political opponents both in the opposition and within one's own party have a selfish political interest in keeping the controversy and memory alive. Three factors merit attention in this particular episode. Firstly, its timing. This is not just about the start of the Karnataka Assembly session next week, where the government and ruling party would definitely be targeted on the issue. The BJP also faces a crucial test in four different states (and one Union Territory) which have elections in the coming months. The party would be keen to ensure that this episode does not became a major campaign issue and an embarrassment for it as it seeks to retain power (in Assam), challenge the ruling party (in West Bengal), help its ally (in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry) and emerge as an important third force in a largely bi-polar race (in Kerala). Further, the BJP government in Karnataka, has of late, faced many a hiccup. There is the talk in the corridors of power of a leadership change at the state level as well as increasing unhappiness with the recent cabinet expansion. Different caste group have been making a concerted bid to gain reservations and this has placed additional pressure on the government. The COVID-19 crisis continues to remain and the surge in cases in the recent past has been a matter of concern. As it moves from one crisis to another, the last thing the government (and the ruling party) needed was yet another crisis! The swift attempt at damage control needs to be seen from this perspective too. Secondly, it is important to note that Ramesh Jharkiholi was a key player in the fall of the JDS-Congress government and the BJP coming to power in the state. Not only is he a key political player in Belagavi district, he is also seen as the leader of the Congress legislators who decided to revolt against the party. There was even talk of his becoming the Chief Minister or at least the Deputy Chief Minister during the JDS-Congress government. He had serious differences with prominent leaders within the Congress which paved the way for his becoming a rebel. When the large group of Congress legislators resigned and later joined the BJP, Jharkiholi was seen as a crucial leader. This explains his being given a prized portfolio when being made a Minister in the BJP government. The BJP already had a sizeable presence in Belagavi district even before the Jharkiholi brothers joined the party. Their entry created a new centre of power within the party both at the district level and in the state. This factor also explains why this alleged scandal has gained so much visibility. Finally, the alleged scandal, brings into focus yet another important issue. Can we truly separate the private life of public figures? One is here not merely referring to politicians but all those who are in public positions. There are those who argue that public figures should not be judged by their private actions but their public role. In the present case, the allegation is not merely about an individual's private life but the apparent promise of a government job. Either way, it brings into focus an important ethical norm. Chanakya in the Arthashastra advises the ruler (holder of a public office) to have a blemish-free record in both the public and private domain. Both the private and public represent two facets of the personality of the same individual and cannot be divorced from one another. This controversy has one again brought the issue into focus! (Dr Sandeep Shastri is a keen student of Indian politics with a special focus on political developments in Karnataka) A Belarusian pastor asks for prayers following the eviction of The New Life Church in Minsk, Belarus by authorities who forced their way into the church while people are praying. New Life Church is one of the biggest local churches in Minsk which started around 27 years ago. To this day, the church has over 50 ministries that focus on helping people throughout difficult situations in life. Pastor Vyacheslav Goncharenko Leonidovich, one of the church's senior pastors, explained to Evangelical Focus his sentiments after authorities evicted members of his church. He recounted how they felt powerless when authorities threatened them with arrest and fines after forcefully barging inside their church while prayer is ongoing. "We would have expected this kind of situation in the Soviet Union times when churches were persecuted. It might be the first case in the history of modern Belarus that we face this kind of injustice, a situation in which they entered forcefully in a church and evicted us," he claimed. According to Christian Headlines, Belarus has been experiencing more and more violations of their religious freedom ever since the 2020 re-election of President Alyaksandr Ryhoravich Lukashenko, a self-described "Orthodox atheist." Pastor Vyacheslav also narrated how bailiffs had to disrespectfully turn off the church's sound system so people inside the church would stop praying as they were asked to exit the building. "It was a very sad situation. We were witnessing how we were losing the building we have used for 19 years," he added. He was then asked by the interviewer why he thinks they were evicted by the authorities. As a response, Vyacheslav said: "The main problem is that the city of Minsk administration made the decision to take our land. The cause is an "unpurposeful use" of the building because it was an old cowshed when we bought it. All our efforts in this time to make this building registered for religious purposes were rejected. By not giving us permission, they were punishing us. They did not give us an alternative place where we could gather, either." The building, which at that time is nothing but an old unused building, was purchased by the New Life Pentecostal Church 20 years ago but they were never permitted by the authorities to use it for religious practices. He also added that authorities have long been trying to evict them from the building, which they successfully did last week. Pastor Vyacheslav, however, thinks that their eviction is the government's response to a video the church members previously made. In the video, members protest against the current administration's regime and calls for freedom. Vyacheslav also asked Christians across the world in an interview with the Evangelical Focus, to include Belarus in their prayers. "We are praying for this nation, that we have a great revival," he said. "We see that our nation does no longer want to deal with this evidence of evil, lies," he added. "We as a population are ready to resist this. People want to separate themselves from this evil and have a desire to become pure. And this is not only that people want to get rid of the government, but many, including non-Christians, are striving for kindness and fairness." Architecture on the Edge, commissioned by home, design and architecture streaming service Shelter, begins in April. The 6 x 15 minute series produced by Kliwadenko Novas Productions, reveals six unique buildings that showcase the modern architecture movement in Chile. The portrayed buildings are not just inserted in the landscape but they need to deal with its conditions. Surrounded by impressive views, often isolated, they declare to the world their own way of understanding architecture, says Producer Mario Novas. The modern architecture movement in Chile is cutting edge and extremely inspiring. We are excited to have commissioned this international series, and look forward to bringing it to audiences globally on Shelter, says Executive Producer and Shelter creator Dustin Clare. Instead of disappearing into the landscape, the works of Chilean architecture are sharply man-made, rough, cosmic and oceanic. These breathtaking designs are built on salt blankets in the desert, on the edge of oceans, cradled amongst mountains, while grasping an earthquake prone land. Through truly stunning photography, Architecture on the Edge features some of the countrys most engaging and celebrated buildings, and explores how Chilean architecture revels in pushing design to the very edge. The series includes Pritzker prize-winning architecture and architects from Chile. With principal photography having now wrapped in Chile, South America, Architecture on the Edge will premiere exclusively on Shelter: with episode 1 available to stream from April 5, 2021, and a new episode released weekly. Filmmakers Katerina Kliwadenko & Mario Novas are best known for their 2017 feature documentary Do More with Less, about the South and Central American avant garde pro-bono architecture movement to address the housing crisis and improve the lives of millions of South American people. Do More with Less was selected for festivals all over the world, and is available to stream on Shelter. Groundbreaking designs such as Desert Interpretation Center by Emilio Marin & Juan Carlos Lopez; Rio Plata Shelter by Elton Leniz Arquitectos & Francisco Cruz and Klotz House by Mathias Klotz are just some of the incredible buildings to be featured Architecture on the Edge. Architecture on the Edge delves into the diverse & challenging environments of the West Coast of South America, and is the second Shelter Original commission, following in the footsteps of the critically acclaimed Inspired Architecture. Featured buildings and architects: Desert Interpretation Center by Emilio Marin and Juan Carlos Lopez. Rio Plata Shelter by Elton Leniz Arquitectos and Francisco Cruz Klotz House by Mathias Klotz Nishizawa House by Ryue Nishizawa Remota Hotel by German del Sol Shangrila Cabin by Magdalena Besomi and DRAA Architects Monday April 5 on Shelter. Related A share of 92 percent of the budget assigned to the Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism will be spent on aid granted to private companies affected by the restrictions imposed for reigning in the pandemic, the Ministry said in a release, according to AGERPRES. "The 2021 budget allocation to the Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism is almost twice as high as last year, the approved appropriations totaling 6.6 billion lei. 92 percent of this budget will be used for aid granted to the private sector, affected by the measures imposed by the state to control the COVID-19 pandemic," the release reads. According to the Budget Law, one of the financial aid programs the Ministry of Economy will implement this year is dedicated to tourism companies, accommodation structures, food service facilities and travel agencies, whose activity was impacted by the pandemic. "The main objective of the financial support is to ensure the continuity of the activity of tourism companies, accommodation structures, food service facilities, travel agencies, which all carry the brunt of the epidemic's economic impact, by improving their access to liquidity, in order to help them continue business and maintain their jobs. The program has already been sanctioned under the recent OUG No. 10/2021, generically called 'The HoReCa Ordinance', which grants the beneficiaries aid in amount of 20 percent of the calculation base derived from activities falling under the tourism-specific NACE codes," the source mentions. Measure 3 for the support of SMEs - investment grants - will also become operational this year. "The Ministry continues this year too the aid measures under the SME Grants Program. In addition to Measure 1, which targets micro-grants (state aid of 2,000 euros each for micro-enterprises), and Measure 2 - working capital grants, Measure 3 - investment grants, will also be rendered operational. The measure is currently blocked until the remedy of the problems arisen in the selection method of applicant companies. The main objective of this state aid scheme is to provide financial support from non-reimbursable external funds available under the 2014 - 2020 Competitiveness Operational Program, in the context of the crisis caused by COVID-19, for beneficiaries whose activity was affected by the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus or whose activity has been banned by military ordinances during the state of emergency or restricted during the state of alert," the document reads. According to the synopsis of the programs financed from the budget of the Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism, Program 1 (State aid scheme for the film industry) has 233 million lei proposed for the current year in commitment appropriations and 100 million lei in budget appropriations, and Program 2 (Program on specific financial support measures for enterprises) has commitment appropriations of 2.5 billion lei and budgetary appropriations of 1 billion lei. Program 3 (Export Stimulation) has 1.5 million lei proposed for commitment appropriations and budget appropriations of 1.5 million lei, while the commitment appropriations available under Program 4 (Program for stimulating the establishment of small and medium enterprises "Start-up Nation - ROMANIA") stand at 14.6 million lei, and appropriations at 641.9 million lei. Program 5 (Mine Conservation or closure programs) has 70 million lei allocated for commitment appropriations and 70 million lei for appropriations, Program 6 (Tourism marketing and promotion program) has 6.7 million lei in commitment appropriations and an equal amount in appropriations, Program 7 (Development of tourist products) has 50.2 million lei proposed for commitment appropriations and 50.2 million lei for appropriations, while Program 8 (National program regarding the directions of geological research of mineral resources) has 1.02 million lei proposed for commitment appropriations and 1.02 million lei for appropriations. Security researchers discovered that new malicious NPM packages target Amazon, Slack, Zillow, and Lyft code repositories and possibly stealing Linux and Unix password files. Experts also stated that they can open reverse shells back to the hackers. Also Read: LastPass Confirms Its Service Will Soon Require Subscription! Here Are The Best Alternative Password Managers According to Bleeping Computer's latest report, this newly discovered flaw was first discovered by Alex Birsan, the security researcher who won bug bounties from 35 companies. The expert was able to utilize a new flaw in open-source development tools. On the other hand, IT Pro reported that the new malicious codes were found in JavaScript repositories. Because of this, hackers and other online attackers can easily acquire sensitive files from Unix and Linux systems. Sonotype, a cybersecurity firm, said that the NPM packages contain malicious dependency confusion codes and that these malicious packages target the commonly use components companies such as Amazon, Slack, Lyft, and Zillow. How the new NPM packages attack The new malicious NPM packages also contain lyft-dataset-sdk, serverless-slack-app, zg-rentals, and amzn. Meanwhile, the dependency managers also use different packages, such as PyPI, RubyGems, and NPM, on the public repo rather than the company's internal packages when building the application. Security researchers also explained that the new dependency confusion flaw allows different online attackers and cybercriminals to inject their own malicious code into an internal application in the supply-chain attack. "I was starting to wonder when we were going to see a malicious actor take advantage of the current situation. Finally, we've spotted one," said Juan Aguirre, a Sonatype security researcher, via Bleeping Computer. "There is no scenario I can imagine where I'm going to submit a PoC for a bug bounty program that actually harms the organization. Taking their /etc/shadow file is definitely harmful," he added. Malicious NPM package's main target Security experts said that the new malicious NPM packages' main packages are the companies' Linux profiles ".bash_history" files. Once the hackers acquire this data, they will send it to a remote host under their control. Cybercriminals are currently targeting it since it contains a list of all the commands you typed in the shell, including passwords passed as arguments or texts. You can click here for more info. For more news updates about new malicious codes used by different online attackers, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. This article is owned by TechTimes. Written by: Giuliano de Leon. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Streaming service Netflix was down for an hour and was inaccessible for thousands of subscribers across the United Kingdom, with numerous watchers being greeted with an error message stating, "Something went wrong. Sorry, we're having trouble with your request." and the error code NSES-500. Why was Netflix not working? Thousands of subscribers across the U.K. have reported that Netflix had connection problems, and it lasted for an hour. The viewers saw a pop-up error message that their request couldn't be granted, and an error code NSES-500 was displayed whenever they log into their account. Netflix went on to explain that an issue caused the error code with the internet browser. Netflix stated that if the error code NSES-500, it means that the browser's information just needs to be refreshed. Most of the reports about the interrupted service came from London, according to Down Detector Map. Cardiff, Glasgow, and Bournemouth were also affected by the Netflix issue. Also Read: Apple T.V. Plus to Give Credits to Subscribers Until June 2021 as Free Trial Gets Extended Meanwhile, other major cities in the U.K. have reported some connectivity issues. In Dublin, subscribers have been affected by the same problem. The official Twitter account of Netflix has been replying to the requests, questions, and reports by Netflix subscribers. Netflix tweeted that they are investigating the issue further. Netflix also suggested that subscribers refresh their webpage and then log into the streaming service again. Netflix back online Netflix was able to fix the issue after an hour, as people are now posting on social media that their service is back on. Most of the complaints earlier today was around the issue of not being able to connect to the Netflix website and being unable to stream. Most of the complaints also pointed out that the company should have a stronger system, especially after they announced that they will increase the subscription cost from 8.99 or $13 a month to 9.99 or $14 a month. The premium account will now cost from 11.99 or $16 a month to 13.99 or $20 a month, but the basic plan will still remain at 5.99. or $9 a month, according to Express.Co. According to Down Detector, more than 1,600 complaints were recorded on social media. Around 44% of reported issues were to do with "no connection," while one in three people with issues said that the main problem was that they couldn't access Netflix. Numerous customers took their sentiments online and talked about the issue, with some subscribers saying that they get the error code NSES-500. Netflix advises people to refresh the page and to try logging in again. But users pointed out that the advice did not work at all and could not access the streaming service for an hour. The main cause of damage is unknown, as subscribers were adamant in stating that it was not just a browser issue. A spokesperson for Netflix told Daily Mail that some of their members experienced an error as well when they tried to playback titles when streaming from Netflix for an hour. The spokesperson also said that their engineers have now fixed the issue, and they apologize for the inconvenience. This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Sieeka Khan 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Bhubaneswar, March 3 : As fire continued to ravage the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district, the state government on Wednesday sent a high-level team to the spot to examine the forest fire situation and control the raging inferno. Forest and Environment Minister Bikram Keshari Arukh directed the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) and other senior officials to visit the spot and assess the situation. "I have asked the PCCF, Wildlife to ascertain the cause of the fire and examine the situation. The PCF will submit a report to the state government on Thursday," the Minister said. The Minister's directive came a day after Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javedkar ordered the concerned authorities to initiate immediate steps to douse the fire and report him on the measures. The Minister was responding to a tweet by Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who drew the attention of Javedkar and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on the incident. The fire has already spread to Betanoti, Rasgobindpur and Morada forest ranges of the national park, endangering wild animals including tigers. "We have mobilised adequate number of officials along with well equipped fire squads to bring the fire under control," said J.D. Pati, STR additional director. He said over 1000 personnel including 250 forest guards have been engaged. Moreover, 40 fire tenders and 240 blower machines are being used to contain the blaze, Pati added. Union Minister Pratap Sarangi also expressed serious concerns over the fire incident. In a tweet, Sarangi said the fire in the Similipal forest is not a good sign for Asia. The Similipal forest is spread in an area of 2,750 square kilometers. It also has a sanctuary, which is home to several species. A woman in Thailand stumbled across a huge lump believed to be costly whale vomit while walking on a beach near her house. The barf estimated to be valued at nearly 190,000 pounds weighs around 15lb, and is 12 inches wide and 24 inches long. 49-years-old Siriporn Niamrin, spotted the vomit lump while walking the beach following a rainstorm when she saw a huge mass washed up ashore in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, Thailand on February 23. As she walked closer to the strange-looking substance, the woman noticed that it smelled like fish. Siriporn, then dragged the mass back to her house, thinking it might be worth some money. Also Read: There's something very expensive called whale puke, and its smuggler has been arrested in Mumbai After asking her neighbours to help her with the oval-shaped find, the woman was shocked to discover that the lump, also known as ambergris, valued approx. 186,500 pounds. "If I really have the genuine ambergris, I can help my community once I find a buyer for it," Siriporn told Daily Mail. "I feel lucky to have found such a large piece. I hope it will bring me money. I'm keeping it safe in my house and I have asked the local council to visit to check it," she added. What is Ambergris? Ambergris also called ambergrease, or grey amber is whale vomit which is a solid, waxy and flammable substance and is dull grey or blackish in colour. However, it is believed to be passed either as spew or faeces. How is it produced? It is a very costly wax that is produced as a secretion in the intestines (digestive system) of the sperm whale. The whale produces it to protect its gut from very sharp beaks of squid it prays on in the ocean. The substance acquires a sweet, earthy scent as it ages. Also Read: Chai for Rs 1,000? Know why this Kolkata shop sells tea at such a steep price Where is it found? The substance also described as floating gold is found afloat the tropical seas and is used as a fixative in perfumes as it is slowest in evaporating. Although Ambergris can be found on the ocean surface as well. However, the substance is quite difficult to find and is normally exported to the gulf as it gets very high prices there. What is it used for? Since Ambergris is soluble in alcohol, chloroform, ether and certain volatile and fixed oils, it is commonly used as a fixative in the manufacture of rare perfumes and fragrances like musk. It makes a scent last longer. There also is a superstition that burning Ambergris for good scent makes a person rich. Dogs are known to get attracted to its smell and hence are sometimes used by ambergris searchers. Burma 115 Information Ministry Staff Refuse to Work for Myanmar Junta Anti-regime protesters urge civil servants to join the civil disobedience movement. / The Irrawaddy YANGON A total of 115 Ministry of Information staff say they are refusing to work for Myanmars military regime and have joined the civil disobedience movement. A statement on Wednesday said staff based in Naypyitaw and Yangon from the Myanmar Alin, Kyemon and Global New Light of Myanmar newspapers and the Myanmar News Agency (MNA) and Myanmar Digital News which are under ministerial control stopped working on Feb. 8. The staff said they only want to work for a democratically elected government and are not resigning or failing to do their duty but instead standing against the military takeover. They said they would return to work only after a democratically elected government returns. MNA editor U Ye Khaung Nyunt posted on Facebook that he faces an investigation amid accusations he breached civil service regulations after he refused to go to his office. The ministry is being controlled by the military-appointed U Chit Naing. He is a former military officer and uses the pen name Chit Naing (Psychology). Since he took over the ministry, the newspapers have been filled with pro-military articles, including orders for independent media not to use coup, military regime and junta. Thousands of civil servants followed medical staff on strike against the military regime. In mid-February, the junta urged civil servants to return to work and threatened legal action under the civil service code of conduct. You may also like these stories: At Least Nine Protesters Shot Dead in Three Cities in Myanmar Myanmar Diplomat in US Refuses to Work for Military Regime Myanmar Military Detain More Than 1,200 Since Coup Seoul, March 3 : Samsung Electronics is likely to suffer a prolonged shutdown of its chip plant in the US following a power outage, industry insiders said on Wednesday, amid growing speculation that it is pushing to expand its semiconductor facility there. Samsung and other chipmakers in Texas are expected to need a "couple of weeks" to return to their normal operations following power blackouts in the region caused by a winter storm last month, according to foreign media reports. Samsung's chip plant in Austin, Texas, has not been running since February 16, which is the first time in the factory's history that production was halted. To minimize the damage and return to normal levels of production, the world's largest memory chip producer reportedly sent engineers to the Austin facility. Earlier, market researcher TrendForce said that the severe weather is estimated to impair about 1 or 2 percent of the global 12-inch wafer foundry capacity. But with the shutdown likely to be extended, industry observers now expect the chip industry may suffer further supply shortages, reports Yonhap news agency. Against this backdrop, Samsung recently submitted a revised tax credit proposal to authorities in Texas over its potential new chip plant in the region, according to industry sources. In the documents, the South Korean tech giant said it is inspecting other U.S. states for its possible investment, including two areas in Arizona and one site in New York, apparently trying to beef up its bargaining power. "Those from Austin requested to provide more data, so we just submitted an updated proposal," a Samsung official said. "Some of the expressions have changed, but there are no major changes in our content." Last month, it was reported that Samsung asked authorities in Texas to grant tax abatement over 20 years, which would be worth a total of US$805.5 million, for its new chip facility in Austin, Texas. Enjoy a bird's eye view of Cologne! Every year, over half a million passengers soar over the Rhine at a height of 30 metres with the Cologne Cable Car and are rewarded with an unparalleled view of the city and cathedral. For ensuring the safety of the carrying rope construction, Kolner Seilbahn relies on the Panomera camera technology of Regensburg-based manufacturer Dallmeier. The Cologne Cable Car offers an unrivalled view of the Cologne Old Town and its cathedral. Riding in gondolas at a height of 30 metres above the ground, visitors enjoy a bird's eye view of Cologne, the Old Town, the River Rhine, and the beautiful city environs. Video security technology The Cologne Cable Car has been featured as an established attraction of the city for over 60 years, and every year more than half a million passengers enjoy the 930-metre-long aerial trip over the Rhine. In order to ensure that the 44 cars reach the end stations in Riehl and Deutz safely from spring to autumn, the operators have decided to install video security technology from Dallmeier. The Cologne Cable Car has featured as an established attraction of the city for over 60 years The Cologne Cable Car project is the first undertaking anywhere in the world in which the patented Panomera camera technology is used to monitor a cable car carrying rope. In order to guarantee the passengers' safety at all times, the operators require rapid visual detection of possible technical problems, particularly in the structure of the carrying cable. Preventing technical problems Carlos Castro, Operations Manager of Kolner Seilbahn, explains: "Besides the approach of the gondolas to the stations, we observe the way they run onto the pylons. 30 metres up in the air, it is quite possible that a good gust of wind can set the cable and the pylons swinging. To enable early detection of incidents that cause the gondolas to approach the sensitive points out of alignment and to prevent technical problems, we decided to introduce video surveillance using the proven, patented Panomera camera technology." The carrying rope is supported on a total of three pylons over the entire distance of just under one kilometre. The resulting distances between the stations and the pylons range in length from 100 metres up to a considerable span of 480 metres over the Rhine itself. Extremely high quality The operators of the Cologne Cable Car found exactly the right solution in Panomera technology Consequently, their project partner VTS Video Technik Systeme GmbH, which was responsible for erection operations, only had access to a few installation points, but at the same time, the specification in respect of imaging and resolution quality was extremely high. Simply put, this meant that images must be recorded over very long distances, but at the same time, the image material must still be of extremely high quality. Together with the VTS, the operators of the Cologne Cable Car found exactly the right solution in Panomera technology. VTS GmbH has been a reliable, capable business partner to Dallmeier for many years, and brings the necessary expertise to the project based on long experience. Multifocal sensor system The Panomera multifocal sensor system is considered to have revolutionised video surveillance. It was developed specifically to provide full area coverage with video protection for large spaces and long distances. The particular feature of the technology is that multiple sensors having different focal lengths are installed in a single housing and a special software program compiles a total image in high resolution. This technical advantage gave us the decisive edge in view of the specified infrastructure" In this way, huge distances and expanses can be captured with a uniform resolution raster over the entire area of interest in real-time. Jurgen Vahlenkamp, managing director of VTS GmbH explains in more detail: "This technical advantage gave us the decisive edge in view of the specified infrastructure. For video observation with the Panomera, we managed extremely well with the small number of installation points available. Potential hazard situations Thanks to the special lens and sensor concept we do not fall below the specified resolution value even in the more distant image areas. The ideal prerequisite for surveillance over very long distances! The rollers themselves are also monitored using Dallmeier IR box cameras. The operator has full control over the entire situation over the entire length of the cables between the pylons, live and in high-resolution video images. In potential hazard situations, he can view details in a separate zoom image without losing sight of the overall action. In theory, any number of operators would be able to take a close look at a wide range of image areas at the same time. Analysing detailed picture We have succeeded in ensuring that the process of cable car operation is as safe as possible" "The operator has the situation under control at all times! He has access to an uninterrupted total view of the cables and the pylons while analysing a detailed picture of a certain area, at the same time if necessary, continues Vahlenkamp, "We have succeeded in ensuring that the process of cable car operation is as safe as possible, to the complete satisfaction of our customer." The wind that blows against the masts and cables 30 metres above the ground can cause them to start rocking and poses certain challenges not only for the operation of the gondolas but also for the installation of the cameras. To ensure that the camera systems each weighing more than ten kilos are not damaged or themselves become a hazard, the cameras were secured to the pylons using special plates. Real-life implementation The lenses themselves are installed immovably inside the camera housing and are unaffected by any swinging motion. In view of the special requirement of this project, the Dallmeier 3D planning team first simulated a digital twin of the entire surrounding area. With this approach, the manufacturer Dallmeier ensures that planning and real-life implementation match each other as closely as possible, and the customer benefits from the highest certainty regarding both the plan and their investment. The next step in the project execution was to construct and test the finished system The next step in the project execution was to construct and test the finished system, consisting of cameras and a high-performance recording appliance. In Dallmeier's own Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) Centre in Regensburg, the systems were pre-set according to the customer's specification. The FAT test run which follows ensures that project partner VTS will be able to install and commission the preconfigured system quickly and without difficulties. Reliable technical monitoring Carlos Castro sums up: "We're delighted. At last, we are in a position to monitor the entire span of 930 metres during operation. The images delivered are of outstanding quality. With this system we now have a good, additional tool which enables the system to be displayed visually, complementing the existing, reliable technical monitoring and control systems." In public areas, data protection and EU GDPR are important topics. Dallmeier's technology is compliant with all required criteria for data protection and data security, including during application in public areas. Roland Deja, Operations Manager Sales Backoffice at Dallmeier: "With the Dallmeier solution, we have given the go-ahead for cable car monitoring projects. The integrated approach adopted in Dallmeier solutions means that both the cameras and software can be upgraded, e.g., with AI-based assistance systems, at a later time as well. Thus, systems will remain viable for many years into the future and guarantee investment security for the Kolner Seilbahn." COSTA MESA, Calif., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Branded Online, the premier intelligent commerce solution for leading online brands, has partnered with Charming Charlie to reinvigorate its digital platform and drive profitability and revenue in 2021 and beyond. The Houston-based contemporary women's fashion and accessories powerhouse offers a wide array of fashion, apparel, accessories, and beauty products. It will team up with Branded Online to connect with consumers by building upon its digital strategy. A perfect announcement to share during what has been an explosive year for eCommerce, the Branded Online and Charming Charlie partnership brings together two of the most recognizable brand names in online commerce. The Branded Online team has a history of being pioneers of the digital landscape, having built the platforms and technology that ran ecommerce for companies like Samsung and Microsoft while at BuyNow.com and Digital River. With today's modern eCommerce landscape, they expanded their platform into fashion and lifestyle brands, which led to the creation of Branded Online. Through its success and immediate impact, Branded Online acquired legacy leaders, OneStop Commerce and Zther Interactive, the most awarded West Coast design agency and an industry leader in outsourced eCommerce to fashion and apparel brands today. As the leadership team at Branded Online's vision has grown, their technology and customer insights have immensely accelerated. They have merged into the premier intelligent commerce system and partnered with brand powerhouses such as Honeywell, Hurley, Bebe, Lululemon, True Religion, Yeezy, and countless others. Branded Online elevates eCommerce for brands who need superior technology and services to conquer the next frontier of online commerce to help fashion, CPG, beauty, health, and wellness brands. Branded Online's leadership understands the challenges online commerce giants face in accessing and partnering with a comprehensive growth and online commerce partner. About Branded Online Branded Online specializes in delivering enterprise-level solutions and technology through data-driven systems. Since 2010, Branded Online has helped brands demystify eCommerce by assisting them in navigating the complex online retail environment, providing digital marketing, technology and development, product and warehouse management, logistics, fulfillment, and merchant services. For more information, please visit www.brandedonline.com. About Charming Charlie Charming Charlie is an award-winning women's contemporary fashion and accessories retailer based in Houston, Texas. Founded in 2004, the award-winning retailer is recognized for leading the retail revolution with unparalleled in-store and online shopping experiences. Thoughtfully-curated collections incorporating classic design elements and trends of the moment combined with signature color schemes that spark creativity and individuality have elevated styles at an accessible price. For more information, please visit www.charmingcharlie.com. Contact: Jeeyan Rostam-Abadi, VP Corporate Marketing (217) 390-1810 [email protected] Related Links www.brandedonline.com www.charmingcharlie.com SOURCE Branded Online Related Links http://brandedonline.com The NSW government says residents in aged care facilities have been left waiting for their vaccines because of a lack of information from their federal counterparts about the roll-out. Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Wednesday said the state was trying to stay a few steps ahead by accelerating the vaccination roll-out, but it was yet to receive key details in writing from the Morrison government. Waiting for information: NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian was caught by surprise by a federal government plan to involve the defence force in the vaccine rollout. Credit:Janie Barrett From March 10 the state government will begin vaccinating people in phase 1b, mainly healthcare workers not vaccinated and the families of quarantine workers and aircrew, while still completing the vaccinations of those in the phase 1a bracket. Were one team, as far as Im concerned, but to be one team we need to make sure were sharing information when its available with each other, Ms Berejiklian said. Speaking at the recent virtual Munich Security Conference, President Joe Biden said that the threat of nuclear proliferation continues to require careful diplomacy and cooperation in order to minimize the risk of strategic misunderstanding or mistakes. Thats why we have said were prepared to reengage in negotiations with the P5+1 on Irans nuclear program. We must also address Irans destabilizing activities across the Middle East, and were going to work in close cooperation with our European and other partners as we proceed. President Bidens remarks came the day after the United States, along with Germany, France and Britain published a statement expressing their shared objective of Irans return to full compliance with its commitments under the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, the JCPOA. The four powers noted that President Biden has said that if Iran returns to full compliance, the United States will do the same, and is prepared to engage in discussions with Iran toward that end. The United States stopped participating in the JCPOA in 2018, re-imposed U.S. economic sanctions that had been lifted under the deal, and imposed new sanctions on Iran. It also placed travel restrictions on Iranian diplomats and took steps to initiate the snapback or re-imposition of multi-lateral UN sanctions on Iran. In recent months, Iran has taken a series of steps in excess of JCPOA limits, including openly enriching uranium to nearly 20 percent, far beyond what it had committed to do under the JCPOA, as well as producing uranium metal, a process with applications to nuclear weapons. In order to remove unnecessary obstacles to diplomacy, on February 18 the United States rescinded the previous administrations travel restrictions for Iranian representatives. The U.S. also announced it had reversed the previous administrations position on the snapback of multilateral UN sanctions on Iran. The European Union is now working to set up informal talks that would include Iran and the P5+1 countries the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, China and Russia with the goal of restoring the JCPOA. U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan emphasized that President Biden is determined to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and that the President is prepared to talk because he believes that hardheaded, clear-eyed diplomacy is the best way to do that. Optilan, the leading security and communications company for the energy, infrastructure, pipeline, and rail sectors, said it has secured a supply contract for a major UK renewable project - Seagreen Wind Farm, being developed at an investment of 3 billion ($4.17 billion). As per the deal, Optilan will supply telecom services, including the provision of integrated telecom and CCTV solutions, for both the offshore and onshore elements of the project. The contract has been awarded by Linxon, the joint venture between ABB and SNC-Lavalin, who are supporting Petrofac on the delivery of substations for the project. The 3bn Seagreen offshore wind farm is situated approximately 90km from the Angus coastline. Upon completion, the site will become one of the largest operating wind farms, with approximately 114 wind turbines being installed. CEO Bill Bayliss said: "The project was won by our teams in the UK and the Middle East, who worked extremely closely to deliver a thorough and detailed proposition. Winning the tender boosts our engineering portfolio and allows us to showcase our green capabilities once more." "Weve had an enviable last quarter with numerous contract and tender wins across a wide range of sectors as part of our energy transition strategy. As the world begins to open up again this year, we hope to build on our recent successes," he stated. "Renewable energy, as with all nascent technologies, brings with it challenges and evolving security risks that need to be addressed from the outset. Were perfectly placed to help the industry combat and overcome these," he added. With over 20 years experience in transmission and distribution in the UK, Optilan will bring in-depth knowledge and understanding of onshore substation design to this high-profile offshore wind project. Optilan is a global company with renowned expertise in delivering large scale projects in sectors such as energy, telecommunications, rail, pipeline monitoring systems and critical national infrastructure. The offshore wind industry will be integral to the UKs energy system by as soon as 2030, with the UK planning to generate 40GW from offshore wind farms by this date (According to GOV UK). This Seagreen contract win represents a pioneering project in the offshore wind industry for Optilan. Optilan provides communications, information and safety and security management systems for offshore and onshore renewable developments, with resilience as a core feature. NC Senate passes bill to give churches that house schools right to bear arms Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The North Carolina Senate passed the Religious Assembly Security and Protection Act of 2021 on Monday, which would allow churches that also house schools to bear arms. Senate Bill 43 passed with a 31-18 vote and has been sent to the House of Representatives for further consideration. The one-page bill would allow an exemption for churches or religious assemblies connected to schools to allow armed security teams during services. Churches on the same property as schools are not allowed under state law to have concealed carry or armed security teams, while other churches can already exercise that right. Last year, North Carolinas Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed a broader bill containing the provision the Second Amendment Preservation Act. The bill passed both chambers with bipartisan majorities, according to the National Rifle Associations Institute for Legislative Action. Dr. Mark Creech, executive director of conservative Christian lobbying organization Christian League Action of North Carolina, called on Christians to advocate for this bill. Its unfortunate that Christians need to take up weapons to defend themselves at church, but its become a necessity at this particular time, Creech told The Christian Post in an interview. The North Carolina Council of Churches, which has taken a stand against firearms in the past, wrote an opposition letter to S.B. 43. Signed by over 100 pastors and religious leaders across North Carolina, the letter addressed to the legislative leaders said allowing concealed weapons would endanger children in schools and set a dangerous precedent. Clearly, a safe place to worship and learn creates an environment conducive to this well-being. The presence of guns in our schools and sanctuaries does not, the faith leaders wrote in the letter Monday. While the sponsors of S.B. 43, the Protect Religious Meeting Places Act, may be well-intentioned, the facts do not support the claim that arming parishioners makes them safe. The bill, however, does not allow religious meeting places to use an armed security team or concealed carry as long as students are on campus. All this legislation does, which is quite reasonable, is carves out a place for them to be able to protect themselves with concealed carry or their own security team as long as the school is not in session and there are no extra-curricular activities going on, Creech explained. Creech said it gives churches on the same property as schools the same right as other churches in the state. Creech explained this bill would carve out a reasonable exemption for churches that are vulnerable from being able to protect themselves, which I would suggest is their God-given right. When Cain killed Abel with the rock, God didnt command the rock to be banned, Creech said. Human nature really hasnt changed since Cain killed Abel. What has changed is a woeful disregard for human life. With the rise in church shootings and hostility toward churches in the past decade, Creech said ensuring churches have the right to bear arms is an essential right. Since 2007, weve had a church shooting nearly every other year with as many as 70 parishioners being killed and as many as 38 being wounded, Creech said. So, were living in a time where theres hostility toward the Christian religion. Theres hostility toward Church. These churches in North Carolina that double as a school are quite vulnerable because they dont have the same right as other churches in our state to have concealed carry or have their own security team. Having the right to bear arms in all churches is an act of love since it allows Christians to protect their families and church family, Creech asserted. I think Scripture puts the responsibility on us because of our love for other people. That we ought to attempt to save the lives of others when a moment of great tribulation comes. , Creech said. If the bill is passed, it will be enacted on Dec. 1, 2021. The Batsona Police Command on Wednesday arrested some 51 suspected criminals in its operational area following the robbery of a bullion van on Monday, March 1. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Effia Tenge, Head of Public Affairs Unit of the Accra Regional Police Command, said the swoop was carried out at the Kotobabi Market and Addogonno Railway Crossing among other areas. Four police teams, including personnel from the Greater Accra Regional Operations and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), led by the Batsona and Sakumono District Commanders, picked the suspects for various crimes including drug peddling, she said. DSP Tenge said three of the suspects: Joseph Kuadze, John Agbo and Gabriel Obu, were arrested with quantities of dried leaves suspected to be narcotic drugs. She said the suspects had been detained with some to be processed for court while others would be screened for further investigations. 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 With Asian spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices having risen to unprecedented levels in January and the outlook remaining extremely robust Iran believes now is the time to move full ahead with its long-term strategy to become a leading global LNG supplier. A key focus for this will be the North Pars non-associated natural gas field that was the largest gas reservoir in Iran before the discovery of supergiant South Pars field in 1990. Propitiously for the speed of development of North Pars, not only are the spot prices of LNG set to remain at the historical high-end but also Iran has virtually completed all phases of its South Pars development. Located some 120 kilometres southeast of the southern Bushehr Province, the North Pars gas field has around 59 trillion cubic feet (about 1.67 trillion cubic metres) of gas in place, with a conservatively estimated recoverable volume of gas of approximately 47 trillion cubic feet. The gas itself is lean and sour with a condensate gas ratio of 4 barrels (0.64 cubic metres) per 1000 cubic feet and it contains around 6,000 parts per million of hydrogen sulphide and five per cent of carbon dioxide, a senior oil and gas figure who works closely with Irans Petroleum Ministry exclusively told OilPrice.com last week. The first design to operate in this field was approved in 1977 but, after the drilling of 17 wells and the installation of 26 offshore platforms, the active development of North Pars was suspended due to 1979 Islamic Revolution in the country and the subsequent war with Iraq from 1980-1988. A recent internal study of the state of North Pars by Iran determined that the field is still in a highly workable state for a quick push to significant gas output specifically, at least 100 million cubic metres per day (mcm/d) within less than 12 months of proper development with all of the gas recovered to be channelled into LNG production of at least 20 million metric tonnes per annum (mtpa). This is the LNG figure from the first 12 month phase of development only of North Pars but even this compares favourably to the entire yearly output of global LNG powerhouse and Irans neighbour Qatar, at 77 mtpa for many years. Although Qatar is set to increase this output to around 110 mtpa, Iran is set to not only bring on further phases of development of North Pars but also the development with a view to the LNG market of a number of other major gas fields, including most immediately Golshan, Ferdowsi, Farzad A and Farzad B, and Kish. It should not be forgotten that the major field from which Qatar takes the gas to sustain its status as number one LNG exporter in the world is exactly the same 9,700 square kilometre reservoir from which Iran draws much of its own gas: Qatars 6,000 square kilometre side of the field is the North Dome, whilst Irans 3,700 square kilometre side is South Pars (North Pars has been treated as an additional site). Start Trading On OPC Markets Today After the development hiatus, September 2006 saw Chinas CNOOC sign a memorandum of understanding with the National Iranian Oil Corporation (NIOC) to develop the North Pars site. This was then extended in December 2006 to incorporate the development of a four-train LNG facility with a 20 mtpa capacity. Later, when China proved slow on progressing with the this development and others in Iran but before U.S. and E.U. sanctions against Iran were ramped up in 2011/12 forcing its suspension of the project, German chemicals giant Linde Group had 60 per cent completed a US$3.3 billion flagship LNG export facility near Tombak Port. This facility was set to produce at least 10.5 mtpy of LNG, with expectations that it would take less than a year to finish. After sanctions were lifted again in 2016, Iran awarded Linde whose liquefaction process the facilitys first two trains were intended to use - a sweetener contract when it signed the first petrochemical co-operation deal between Iran and Germany; a Front End Engineering Design (FEED) contract for the olefin unit of Kian Petrochemical. Iran had also been moving ahead with plans to construct floating LNG facilities, especially near Europe, with in-principle deals having been struck with Italys Eni and Spains Cepsa to take both oil and LNG when it became available from Iran. Similar plans were being discussed between Iran and Greeces state-run gas supplier, Depa, to form a new firm that would build and run a floating LNG storage and re-gasification facility at Alexandroupolis, in the north of Greece, and the expansion of the Revythousa re-gasification terminal near Athens was being looked at as a potential entry point for Iranian gas. Both facilities would have been connected to two international pipeline systems: the Trans Adriatic Pipeline and the Gas Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria links. Indeed, the scale of Irans original LNG plans can be gauged from the fact that prior to 2011/12 it was in negotiations with a number of international oil companies about LNG-related projects, including Total, Petronas, Repsol, and Royal Dutch Shell, all of which had agreements with Iran as part of its fourth Five Year National Develop Plan (2005-2009) that aimed to produce 70 mtpy of LNG from the North Pars, South Pars, Ferdowsi and Golshan gas fields. Related: Bloombergs Hottest Energy Picks For 2021 After the scaling up of sanctions in 2011/12, caution amongst European firms about engaging with Iran in such projects understandably increased and, although this reticence temporarily abated after the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in January 2016, little progress was made by them before sanctions were again introduced by the U.S. following its unilateral withdrawal from the JCPOA in May 2018. In the interim, Iran had been working on a plan to make progress on its LNG plan by installing a network of mini LNG complexes with the help of South Korea. Late in 2018, South Koreas Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Kim Hyun-mee, agreed the finer points on its LNG co-operation with Irans Petroleum Minister, Bijan Zangeneh, which included Exim Banks initial 8 billion credit line to Iran and another 2.3 billion from two other South Korean companies. These mini-LNG complexes, with production capacities ranging from 2,000 to 500,000 tons of LNG per year - compared to typical large scale plant capacity of between 2.5 and 7.5 million tons per year - would benefit particularly from being both relatively quick to start up and locatable almost anywhere, even in very remote gas fields. In the absence even of these indigenous LNG facilities Iran was looking at utilising about 25 per cent of Omans total 1.5 million tons per year LNG production capacity at the Qalhat plant as part of a broader plan to build a 192 kilometre section of 36-inch pipeline running along the bed of the Oman Sea at depths of up to 1,340 metres from Mobarak Mount in Irans southern Hormuzgan province to Sohar Port in Oman for gas exports. With U.S. sanctions firmly back in place in 2018, though, Oman backed away from the plan, to be replaced by Russias Gazprom in Irans LNG plans, which signed two memoranda of understanding with the NIOC concerning the rollout of a two-fold joint strategy regarding gas. The first part concerned a gas cooperation roadmap between the two companies, and the second part detailed the construction Iranian LNG facilities in partnership with Irans Oil Industry Pension Fund. Initially, this would allow Gazprom to effectively take over from Linde on the existing 60 per cent complete LNG complex, and later to be integral in the construction of the mini-LNG complexes. Gazprom would take payment for its work from the sale of gas both from this complex and from part of the output from fields feeding gas into it. These plans, though, were again put on hold due to increased U.S. sanctions against both Iran and Russia, a relatively poor global LNG price outlook, and to the fact that China was again interested in taking a part in the LNG project as part of its wider 25-year deal with Iran. At that time it was envisaged that the North Pars LNG development would need around US$16 billion in investment - comprising US$5 billion in the upstream sector and US$11 billion in the downstream sector (mainly LNG plants) - to achieve at least the first phase LNG output of at minimum 100 mcm/d and the drilling of the 46 wells that this would entail. This is still the ballpark figure with which Iran is working and consideration is now being given by the Petroleum Ministry and NIOC to making the North Pars site the focus of a new bigger energy hub, concentrated on the production of LNG. This would allow for international state-owned companies to engage in a series of projects joining up their South Pars operations with their North Pars ones, according to the Iran source. By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: ANN ARBOR, Mich., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The most populous cities in the Great Lakes, and several former manufacturing hubs, face serious challenges from climate, unemployment, and lower quality of life but can enhance their livability for people and nature if they route more funding and investment into green infrastructure, according to a new study. Led by San Francisco based sustainable investing expert HIP Investor, Inc. (HIP) and supported by national consulting firm Environmental Consulting & Technology, Inc. (ECT), this report is one of the products of a coalition named the Resilient Infrastructure Sustainable Communities (RISC). The newly released report, "Climate Risks and Opportunities in the Great Lakes Region," (https://www.risc.solutions/toolkits-and-reports/), developed by leaders in sustainability, engineering, and climate action, focuses on the importance of intervention opportunities. These include the risk of flooding and other climate risks; workforce development opportunities such as the re-hiring of existing and skilled workers; closing the gaps in health and wealth, especially in communities of color; and innovative funding sources to pay for these improvements and projects. The research was focused on the eight U.S. Great Lakes states, comprising 653 counties, and in particular the 216 counties within the Great Lakes Basin. The analyses integrated over 100,000 data points of 15 factors to create an innovative composite scoring system. This study evaluated items such as flood risk, impervious surfaces, unemployment rates, skilled worker density, health and well-being, vulnerability index, and financing capacity into one overall score of readiness for implementing green stormwater infrastructure. The final readiness score was found to have a strong correlation with diversity of the population, i.e., people of color. "Communities across the Great Lakes basin are threatened by the changing climate, and threats are not affecting communities equally," says Steve Cole, vice president of programs at the Great Lakes Protection Fund, which supported this work. "This report illustrates where vulnerable populations are, and where conditions are favorable to increase community resilience by investing in green stormwater infrastructure. These investments could bring much-needed attention and new jobs to underserved communities while mitigating the environmental risks they face." RISC is led by ECT, and includes collaborators from across the country, including HIP, New York based climate-action nonprofit CDP, Chicago-based community-expert Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) and think/action-tank The Delta Institute, and Ann Arbor area based American Society of Adaptation Professionals. "Accelerating talk and action on important investments will help strengthen our communities, people and nature," says Sanjiv Sinha, Ph.D., RISC's Project Leader and a senior vice president at ECT, "Members of the RISC team are currently engaged in the greater Milwaukee and Buffalo regions on large-scale investments in green stormwater infrastructure, and other priority regions can benefit from their models." "Funding and financing climate action, especially in the Great Lakes, is lagging the visionary goals that many cities, counties, and states have set, such as 100% greenhouse gas reductions by 2030," says R. Paul Herman, CEO of sustainable-investing expert HIP Investor Inc. and a coauthor of the report. "Investing in green infrastructure today can create green jobs, stronger communities, and more resilience, which also fulfill the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals." Leading candidates for critical green stormwater infrastructure investment include: Cleveland metro area and Cuyahoga County, Ohio ; metro area and ; Milwaukee metro area and Milwaukee County, Wisconsin ; metro area and ; Chicago metro area and Cook County, Illinois ; and metro area and ; and Detroit metro area and Wayne County, Michigan . Smaller cities and mid-sized counties are prime candidates as well: Lucas County, Ohio ; ; Lake County, Indiana ; ; Ingham County, Michigan ; ; Erie County, Pennsylvania ; ; Isabella County, Michigan ; and ; and St. Joseph County, Indiana . (The report provides ranked data on all 653 counties in the US Great Lakes region.) "The focus on equity and equality in cities and communities is essential, as the analysis in the report shows," says Ron Harris, Chief Resilience Officer of the City of Minneapolis, and member of the leadership cluster for RISC. "Cities are increasingly tasked with solving major, competing issues. Cities that do not become fully equitable will always be in a recovery mode." The full report provides lists, maps and graphics to tell the story of the communities most in need of action to survive the climate and engage their workforces. Further details on RISC's work can be accessed at www.risc.solutions. The Great Lakes Protection Fund is a permanent, private, not-for-profit corporation that launches innovative solutions to improve the health of the Great Lakes. Since 1989, the Fund has awarded more than $90 million in support to catalyze the continuous development of new technologies and practical regional actions to improve the health of the Great Lakes. Learn more about the Fund: http://glpf.org/. Environmental Consulting & Technology, Inc. (ECT), is an employee-owned environmental consulting firm that provides practical solutions to complex challenges in power and energy, industrial, governmental, public private partnerships, and real estate markets. With professionals across 23 offices throughout the United States, ECT provides expertise in the areas of natural resources, air quality, water resources, compliance and site remediation. Learn more about ECT at: https://www.ectinc.com/about-us HIP (Human Impact + Profit) Investor, Inc. is a leading provider of ratings, metrics, and data to investors seeking impact, including climate action. HIP annually transforms 5 million data points on people, planet, and trust into 130,000 impact ratings of 115,000 governments and non-profits, 10,000 global corporations, and 1,000 investment funds. HIP advises cities and counties on how to fund and finance climate action. HIP manages investment portfolios for climate action, great workplaces, sustainable real-estate. Learn more about HIP: www.HIPinvestor.com Contacts: Mike Scott, MCCI for ECT, 248.766.9482, [email protected] Carolyn Artman, MCCI for ECT, 313.269.4729, [email protected] SOURCE Environmental Consulting & Technology (ECT) Related Links https://www.ectinc.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. Robert Irwin Relives Memories Riding Late Dad Steves Fixed Up Iconic Trail Bike Conservationist Robert Irwin has paid homage to his father, the late Steve Irwin, in a very special way by riding his fixed up vintage Honda motorbike around Australia Zoo. The 17-year-old also recreated an iconic photo of his father sitting on the trail bike and shared it on social media. I have so many memories of Dads old motorbike, Robert said on his Instagram page, hanging on to the front with Bindi as wed ride around the zoo with Dad. After being in the shed for a few years, the bike is all fixed up and running again, he said. Its so special to be riding it after all this time! Robert Irwin with the late Steve Irwins vintage Honda motorbike at Australia Zoo in Queensland on Feb. 12, 2021. (Courtesy of Robert Irwin via Australia Zoo) In the original photo, Robert as a toddler sits upfront on his fathers trail bike, clinging onto the handlebars as Steve rides. In the new photo, Robert straddles the Honda in his signature khaki Australia Zoo uniform. Both photos were taken on the grounds of Australia Zoo in Queensland. Since going live on Feb. 12, Roberts post has received over 332,000 likes to date. Steve Irwin passed away on Sept. 4, 2006. He sustained a fatal chest injury from a stingray barb while filming a marine documentary in Batt Reef, Queensland. Fans and Wildlife Warriors flocked to the comments section to remark on Roberts trip down memory lane. Robert Irwin as a toddler sitting on the trail bike, clinging onto the handlebars as Steve Irwin rides. (Courtesy of Robert Irwin via Australia Zoo) Like many of us I grew up watching your father on TV and [its] amazing that you decided to follow in his footsteps but by carving your own path, wrote one social media user, much respect for you. I cant even begin to think how big your dads smile is right now, wrote another. Widowed wife Terri and the couples two children, Bindi and Robert, have found myriad ways to honor and remember their beloved Steve in the years since his passing. The Irwins even released never-before-seen episodes of Steves show, The Crocodile Hunter, on DVD in February to mark 50 years of Steves legacy, the family-run Australia Zoo. Budding wildlife photographer Robert invited fans to relive our special family moments and the incredible adventures that our dad got up to. Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Epoch Inspired Newsletter here: TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter [March 03, 2021] SPIE and Photonics Media Prism Awards Honor Photonics Innovations Earlier today, during the Prism Awards, SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, and Photonics Media recognized the top optics and photonics products on the market. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005718/en/ The Prism Awards, presented by SPIE and its media partner Photonics Media, reflect the latest exciting developments, exponential growth, and rich technical innovations across photonics and photonics-enabled industries. (Photo: Business Wire) The 13th annual ceremony - normally an invitation-only, black-tie affair held during SPIE Photonics West in San Francisco - was held online, streaming from the Prism Awards website. The virtual platform offered an opportunity to involve participants across the globe, while also flavoring the high-profile recognition showcase with an adventurous James Bond/Steven Spielberg/Indiana Jones accent. The 90-minute affair highlighted an exciting range of dynamic companies - from KYOCERA SLD Laser and nanoLambda, to Teledyne DALSA and Element Six - all of them applying innovative and creative solutions to critical problems in areas such as life sciences, smart sensing, transportation, quantum, and visio technology. Each year, the Prism Awards reflect the latest exciting developments, exponential growth, and rich technical innovations across photonics and photonics-enabled industries. For consideration of this year's awards, SPIE received 149 applications from 18 countries. Finalists and winners were selected by a panel of international judges that included leaders from both the technology commercialization and funding sectors. The distinguished presenters of the Prism Awards represented the best of the global photonics industry: Microsoft (News - Alert) Senior Hardware Engineer Architect Maria Pace; GS1's Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives Rosalie Clemens; Lumentum's Director of Product Line Management for 3D Sensing Matthew Everett; Raytheon (News - Alert) Engineering Fellow Gerald Uyeno; the FDA's Director of BioMedical Physics Division Zane Arp; Rutgers University Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering Laura Fabris; Zemax CTO Sanjay Gangadhara; AegiQ CEO and Co-founder Maksym (Max) Sich; Photon etc., Business Development Director Marie-Christine Ferland; and MKS Instruments' (News - Alert) Spectra-Physics Senior VP and General Manager Dave Allen. "It's always such a pleasure to recognize and celebrate our Prism Award winners, finalists, and applicants and particularly so this year, with its many challenges and changes," said SPIE CEO Kent Rochford. "These scientists, researchers, and engineers are bringing key technologies and products to life, energizing the photonics market, and making a palpable impact on all of our lives." "The Prism Awards represent the highest honor the photonics industry can bestow," said Photonics Media CEO Tom Laurin. "The pandemic challenged - and continues to challenge - the global economy. But the contributions from this year's applicants go to show that no obstacle can stifle innovation. From all of us at Photonics Media, I'd like to congratulate the 2021 Prism Award winners. You've rightly earned your place at the vanguard of this industry." Below is the complete list of the award categories and the winners: Life Sciences : Augmentiqs Medical : Augmentiqs Medical Manufacturing : Boston Micro Fabrication : Boston Micro Fabrication Medical Devices : Norlase : Norlase Quality Control : Teledyne DALSA : Teledyne DALSA Quantum (News - Alert) : Element Six : Element Six Safety & Security : RaySecur : RaySecur Smart Sensing: nanoLambda nanoLambda Software : ALPhANOV : ALPhANOV Transportation : KYOCERA SLD Laser : KYOCERA SLD Laser Vision Technology: WaveOptics To find out more about the Prism Awards, please visit our website. About Photonics Media Photonics Media publishes print and digital business-to-business magazines, buyers' guides, websites, e-newsletters, books, webinars, conferences, and a podcast for individuals working with light-based technologies in the photonics industry. A pioneering publisher in the discipline of photonics, Photonics Media has built a large global audience comprising academics and researchers, manufacturers, and end-users. Over the past six decades, the company has fostered a tradition of innovation that has defined the industry. As its publications grow - following the technology into an ever-widening range of applications - the company adheres to a philosophy of editorial quality and integrity, maintaining an international reputation for leadership in photonics. www.photonics.com About SPIE SPIE is the international society for optics and photonics, an educational not-for-profit organization founded in 1955 to advance light-based science, engineering, and technology. The Society serves more than 258,000 constituents from 184 countries, offering conferences and their published proceedings, continuing education, books, journals, and the SPIE Digital Library. In 2020, SPIE provided over $5 million in community support including scholarships and awards, outreach and advocacy programs, travel grants, public policy, and educational resources. www.spie.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005718/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] As a candidate, President Biden promised to pass a multitrillion-dollar infrastructure package intended to create jobs and help the United States compete with China. And if anything, his first month in office, in which a power crisis in Texas left millions of people in need of water and electricity, has underscored the urgency of upgrading the nations aging structural underpinnings. But while the goal of addressing the United States infrastructure is bipartisan, the details are not. That includes how much to spend, what programs count as infrastructure and, most important, whether to raise taxes to pay for it. Economists agree that government investments in infrastructure can help the economy run more efficiently, leading to stronger growth and faster wage gains for workers. That consensus has brought calls from a wide range of groups for lawmakers to pass a major infrastructure bill. The American Society of Civil Engineers has given the countrys overall infrastructure a grade of D+, estimating that a funding gap of more than $2 trillion exists between needs and expected spending by all levels of government over the next decade. And the pandemic has put a spotlight on the poor quality of digital infrastructure in many parts of the United States, as more people are forced to work and attend school remotely. PJSC Myronivsky Hliboproduct (MHP) plans to open 2,000 Miasomarket stores in Ukraine by the end of 2023 as part of changing the sales format, primarily due to the modernization of the Nasha Ryaba franchise chain, according to Forbes Ukraine. "McKinsey [an international consulting company] estimates the shortage of convenience stores in Ukraine at about 7,000 units. We want to occupy about 30% of this market," MHP CEO Yuriy Kosiuk Yuriy Kosiuk told the publication. According to Forbes, the assortment in Miasomarket stores will be expanded due to meat-related products (spices, marinades, vegetables), of which 40% will be supplied by MHP, and the remaining 60% by third-party suppliers. The assortment of new stores will increase by 7 to 14 times to 150-420 types of items in comparison with the Nasha Ryaba chilled chicken stores, and their area will be at least 45 square meters. Forbes said the first Miasomarkets increased revenue by an average of 25% to 30%, and the sales of poultry meat by 20% compared to the Nasha Ryaba stores operating in their place. "The market wants to open convenience stores, which would provide not only meat, but also some kind of minimum set of products. What we are doing should have been started three years ago," the businessman said. According to Forbes, the new chain will develop according to a franchise model; the agricultural holding estimates investments for opening one Miasomarket at $50,000 to $120,000 with a payback period of three to four years. The publication said that since 2020 MHP has been developing restaurant formats. The company plans to create a franchise chain of DonerMarket shawarma shops with a total of about 2,000 outlets, each of which will cost the franchisee from $8,000 to $10,000. "We want to make life easier for a person. Some 69% of consumers want to eat a variety of healthy foods, but do not do it, because it takes a lot of time and money. We give a solution 'under laziness," the publication said, citing Kosiuk. By the end of 2021, MHP also plans to expand the chain of franchised gastronomic studios "Chef's Secrets" to at least ten establishments operating with an average bill of up to EUR 3 and a high feed rate. "We are an industrial company and we understand how to make such a restaurant efficient and safe. In the spring of 2021, the company will open an R&D center that will conduct the most complex research and study the needs of the client," the MHP CEO said. Davy has apologised for the behaviours that led to the stockbroker being fined 4.13m yesterday by the Central Bank and promised a detailed review of the findings that led to the enforcement action against the firm. Davy deeply regrets the shortcomings that emerged from the Central Bank of Irelands investigation and apologises unreservedly and unequivocally that these failures occurred, and that Davy failed to adhere to the high standards expected of the firm both internally and externally, the company said. The company also said that there had been a process of board, management and staff renewal and that the board is satisfied on the basis of actions taken to date that the issues that led to the Central Bank reprimand would not happen again. The statement was issued as Davy came under increasing pressure over the case, which is understood to relate to a 2014 incident when businessman Patrick Kearney and his Kilmona Holdings Ltd sold Anglo Irish Bank bonds via Davy at a steep discount in order to settle a debt without knowing the buyers were Davy employees who went on to sell the assets at a profit. Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe said that Davy's behaviour fell short of expected standards and that the firm should issue a public statement. The NTMA has also indicated its close relationship to Davy could be thrown into doubt following the Central Bank fine. Davy has a prized status as an National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) primary dealer in Irish government bonds The NTMA, which managed government borrowing including appointing dealers and managers for billions of euro in bond deals has indicating its relationship with Davy may be in doubt. "The NTMA notes the very serious findings by the Central Bank in this matter. The NTMA is monitoring the situation closely and awaits the companys response to the Central Bank findings. Primary dealers make two way trades in Irish government bonds, a high volume business than puts firms into direct contact with hundreds of international investors and money managers. Most primary dealers appointed by the NTMA are huge global investment banks, with the exception of Davy and the Dublin office of Cantor Fitzgerald. Meanwhile, management at Davy itself have been forced to re-issue an internal memo to staff about the record 4.13m fine the firm was hit with this week. An initial memo circulated on Tuesday included some comments that went beyond the agreed wording of the settlement agreement with the Central Bank that included the fine. This additional text said: "While there are no findings of actual conflict of interest or customer loss, there were significant shortcomings in how the transaction was conducted, particularly in the context of the policies and controls relating to the management of potential conflicts of interest. There was also a failure to engage with our compliance team. The updated note to staff now says. There were significant shortcomings in how the transaction was conducted, particularly in the context of the policies and controls relating to the management of potential conflicts of interest. There was also a failure to engage with our compliance team. On Tuesday Davy was reprimanded and fined 4.13m by the Central Bank of Ireland for four breaches of the European Communities (Markets in Financial Instruments) Regulations 2007 (MiFID). The fine is the biggest ever for an Irish stockbroker and the biggest here under MiFID regulations. Regulators are understood to have been particularly alarmed by the ease with which staff bypassed the Davy compliance function, and by the firms failure to engage properly with regulators once the case was under investigation. The Central Bank said it could not comment on the individual incident involved in the case. Kim Jugensen waits on customers at Don's Grill in the Pilsen neighborhood in Chicago on March 16, 2020. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) Chicago Eases COVID-19 Restrictions, Boosts Restaurant Capacity to 50 Percent Chicagos restaurants and bars can boost indoor capacity to 50 percent and stay open longer, in the citys latest move to ease COVID-19 restrictions in response to what Mayor Lori Lightfoot said was continued adherence to public health guidelines. We are further easing COVID-19 regulations on Chicago businesses, Lightfoot said at a press conference. Effective immediately, indoor capacity at bars, restaurants, and other businesses can increase to the lesser of 50 percent, or 50 people per space, she said, adding that bars and restaurants will now be able to stay open until 1 a.m. Lightfoot also said alcohol sales can now continue until 11 p.m., up from the current cutoff of 9 p.m., and indoor fitness class size can increase to 20 people. This progress can be attributed to the sustained effort that we have been seeing across all of our reopening metrics because people are still adhering to the public health guidance. It makes all the difference in the world, the mayor said. Chicago has reachedand sustained for two weeksat least the Moderate-Risk level in four key metrics: COVID-19 cases per day, test positivity rates, emergency department visits, and intensive care unit bed occupancy. As part of the established roadmap for a cautious and careful reopening, other regulations will remain in place for the time being, including the capacity limit of no more than 50 people within any one space at bars, restaurants, events and other venues, Lightfoots office said in a statement. I am thrilled that we have reached 50 [percent] capacity, but I again call on all of our businesses and residents to double down on what works. We must remain diligent as we continue to move forward cautiously and responsibly, she said in a statement. Sam Toia, president of the Illinois Restaurant Association, hailed the move in remarks to the Chicago Tribune, calling it another step in the right direction. He said he hopes the city will further raise the occupancy cap for private gatherings to 150 people as more eventssuch as weddingstake place in the spring. Toia also told the outlet that he has lobbied for restaurant workers to be moved up the vaccine priority list, calling them crucial components of the food supply chain and an integral part of the states infrastructure. Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady told the Chicago Tribune that the city is currently not considering revising its vaccine eligibility criteria for restaurant employees. Results include multiple intercepts ranging from 5 g/t Au to 27 g/t Au Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2021) - Galleon Gold Corp. (TSXV: GGO) (the "Company" or "Galleon Gold") is pleased to provide an update on the ongoing drill program at its 100% owned West Cache Gold Project, Timmins, Ontario. The Company has completed 38,000 meters of drilling in 177 core holes and continues to return excellent drill results from across the project area. Highlights from Central East Pit and the newly expanding area southward: WC-20-65 intersected 7.33 g/t Au over 1.5 m (103.5 to 105 m) 5.22 g/t Au over 1.5 m (244.5 to 246 m) 5.94 g/t Au over 1.0 m (270 to 271 m) WC-20-66 intersected 6.68 g/t Au over 1.5 m (409.5 to 411 m) intersected (409.5 to 411 m) WC-20-67 intersected 7.9 g/t Au over 1.0 m (130 to 131 m) intersected (130 to 131 m) WC-20-68 intersected 7.4 g/t Au over 1.0 m (175 to 176 m) 7.2 g/t Au over 1.0 m (315 to 316 m) 9.2 g/t Au over 1.0 m (322 to 323 m) WC-20-69 intersected 9.82 g/t Au over 1.5 m (252 to 253.5 m) intersected (252 to 253.5 m) WC-20-70 intersected 13.6 g/t Au over 1.0 m (216 to 217 m) intersected (216 to 217 m) WC-20-71 intersected 12.6 g/t Au over 1.5 m (174 to 175.5 m) intersected (174 to 175.5 m) WC-20-73 intersected 27.0 g/t Au over 1.0 m (235.5 to 236.5 m) intersected (235.5 to 236.5 m) WC-20-91 intersected 14.0 g/t Au over 1.5 m (119 to 120.5 m) *Holes 65, 67, 68 and 69, (Figure 1) provide support for the East Pit area definition drilling. Holes and intercepts to the south; including 66, 70, 71, 73 and 91, are part of a previously untested mineralized area located south of the East Pit. Additional drilling is planned in this newly emerging southern area. Highlights from New Zone #9: WC-21-116 intersected 3.52 g/t Au over 7.0 m (69 to 76 m), including 6.26 g/t Au over 2.0 m. intersected (69 to 76 m), including WC-21-117 intersected 1.37 g/t Au over 17.5 m (67.5 to 85 m), including 2.49 g/t Au over 5.0 m. intersected (67.5 to 85 m), including WC-21-099 intersected 1.63 g/t Au over 7.0 m (94.5 to 101.5 m), including 4.09 g/t Au over 2.0 m. *Holes 116, 117 and 99, (Figures 1 and 2) help define the near surface eastern edge of Zone #9 at potential open pit depths. Highlights from the Gap Area: WC-20-58 intersected 9.82 g/t Au over 1.5 m (244.5 to 246 m) intersected (244.5 to 246 m) WC-20-61 intersected 5.05 g/t Au over 0.65 m (174 to 174.65 m); and 9.98 g/t Au over 1.5 m (209.5 to 211 m) *Although holes 58 and 61, (Figure 1) are located in and around what is referred to as the "Gap Area", positive results in these holes and others in this area support a possible eastward continuation and expansion of the East Pit mineralized gold zones. Complicated by post-mineral diabase dikes, the Gap Area mineral potential was largely unexplored prior to the 2020-2021 WC drilling programs. Note from the CEO: R. David Russell CEO and President of Galleon Gold comments, "The Galleon Gold team is pleased to see that the goals set for the drill program continue to be met. The initial program was designed to infill projected near surface and deeper mineralization in the previously modeled East and West Pit areas (2013 technical report). In recent months, drilling has been directed at expanding those areas. Assays provided here support expansion of the East Pit area on three sides and additional definition on the near-surface portion of Zone #9. Over the past month, the Company has been adding definition drillholes in our new Zone #9 area and has initiated drilling on a new target to the south." Comments on all drillhole intercepts noted above: All WC drillholes are south directed angle holes with initial inclinations of -45 to -60 degrees from horizontal. Most intercepts are near perpendicular to the mineralized zone such that the drilled intercepts average approximately 97% of the true thickness of the interval. A full copy of the assays and drill hole statistics from the current drill program is available and updated regularly on the Company's website. Figure 1- Plan Map Announced Drillholes To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/1014/75900_fig1.jpg Figure 2 - Cross Section Zone #9 To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/1014/75900_fig2.jpg Galleon Gold Webinar Invitation: The Company will be participating in Red Cloud's 2021 Pre-PDAC Mining Show from March 3rd to March 5th, 2021. R. David Russell, President and CEO, will be giving an update on the West Cache Gold Project and talking about the Company's latest news on Thursday, March, 4 at 12:40 pm. Registration for the event hosted by Red Cloud Financial Services is available at this link: Red Clouds Webinar. Galleon Gold Participation at the 2021 PDAC Virtual Convention: The Company would like to invite investors to join us at the 2021 PDAC convention to be held virtually from Monday, March 8 until Thursday, March 11, 2021. You can find us at the Investor Exhibitors Portal and at the Core Shack Portal. We look forward to meeting you virtually. Qualified Person and Quality Control The technical content of this release has been reviewed and approved by West Cache Gold Project Manager Leah Page, P. Geo. (APGNS #217), a "Qualified Person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 -Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Quality Control and Assurance procedures and protocol include the insertion of one blank or standard for every 10 samples submitted for assay in addition to the insertion of standards, duplicates, and blanks inserted by AGAT Laboratories using the prep facility in Timmins, ON and analytical lab in Mississauga, ON. All gold values utilize common fire assay procedures with an AA finish, although assays over 10 g/t are re-analyzed by fire assay with a gravimetric finish. All samples reported have been checked against Company and Lab standards, duplicates and blanks. Sample prep includes all sample material crushed to 75% passing 2 mm with a 300 g split pulverized to 90% passing 200 mesh to create the 30 gram sample for fire assay. All core logging and sampling were completed in-house at the Company core facility in Timmins, ON. Core produced in the field is delivered to the Company's Timmins warehouse every morning with all logging, cutting, labeling and bagging completed by supervised personnel. Bagged core samples for assay are picked up twice a week by AGAT personnel for delivery to their prep facility across town. About West Cache Gold Project The West Cache Gold Project is located 13 km west of Timmins Ontario, it is serviced by Provincial highway 101 and secondary access roads. It is situated along the Porcupine-Destor gold belt, approximately 7 km northeast of Pan American Silver's Timmins West Mine and 14 km southwest of Newmont's Hollinger Mine. About Galleon Gold Galleon Gold is a North American exploration and development company. Eric Sprott holds approximately 23% of the Company's outstanding common shares and is also the Company's partner on the Neal Gold Project in Idaho. Drilling is currently underway at the Company's flagship project, the West Cache Gold Project, located 13 km from Timmins, Ontario. For further information: Galleon Gold R. David Russell Chairman and CEO T. (416) 644-0066 info@galleongold.com www.galleongold.com Forward-Looking Statements Some of the statements contained herein may be forward-looking statements which involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization and resources, exploration results, expectations, plans, and objectives of Galleon Gold are forward-looking statements that involve various risks. The following are important factors that could cause Galleon Gold's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements: changes in the world-wide price of mineral commodities, general market conditions, risks inherent in mineral exploration, risks associated with development, construction and mining operations, the uncertainty of future exploration activities and cash flows, and the uncertainty of access to additional capital. There can be no assurance that forward looking statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events may differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Galleon Gold undertakes no obligation to update such forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/75900 The Chancellor has pledged an additional 410million to Northern Ireland. Rishi Sunak set out plans to freeze income tax thresholds and increase corporation tax as he began the process of repairing the nation's finances following the coronavirus crisis. He used his Budget to set out a 65billion spending package this year and next year to support the economy as it recovers from the pandemic. Mr Sunak said: "Through the Barnett formula, the decisions I'm taking in this Budget also increase the funding for the devolved administrations, by 1.2b for the Scottish government, 740m for the Welsh government and 410m for the Northern Ireland executive." Read More Mr Sunak told MPs how Northern Ireland had benefitted from the UK coronavirus response and noted that the majority of measures in the budget applied "to all four nations" of the UK. The Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) will also be exempted from Corporation Tax from 2020-21 under plans from the Chancellor. Since the start of the pandemic, the UK Government has supported jobs and businesses across Northern Ireland and this Budget continues our Plan for Jobs through the next stage of our recovery," said Mr Sunak. "It is also a Budget that invests millions of pounds in Northern Ireland to fuel economic growth and ensure we bounce back from this pandemic together. The additional financial support for Northern Ireland comes as the Chancellor also confirmed the furlough scheme would continue until September. The Northern Ireland Secretary, Brandon Lewis, said the measures undermined the UK Government's commitment to Northern Ireland. "The decision to extend furlough, self-employment and business support, the Universal Credit uplift, and the hospitality and tourism VAT cut reaffirms those commitments and gives people and businesses the certainty they need to plan for the future," said Mr Lewis. "Todays Budget has announced an additional 410m for the Northern Ireland Executive as well as 11m for the Community Renewal Fund and the extension of the Governments 4.8bn Levelling Up Fund to cover the whole United Kingdom." Reacting to the Chancellors UK Budget statement, Retail NI Chief Executive Glyn Roberts said: Overall, this Budget is a bit of a Curates egg with a mixture of positive and not so positive measures for the business community in Northern Ireland We welcome the extension of the Furlough scheme until the end of September, but with employers expected to contribute 10% which will rise to 20% in the summer, it does reinforce the need for the Executive to clarify the timescale of its strategy of lifting restrictions and allowing businesses to reopen Expand Close Glyn Roberts of Retail NI / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Glyn Roberts of Retail NI The Chancellor outlined proposals for a 6k Restart Grant per premises for independent retailers and other businesses - this is something we want our own Executive to introduce in Northern Ireland Rishi Sunak has also introduced a year of rate relief for independent retailers in England and this is something our members expect to be brought forward by own Finance Minister The increase of Corporation Tax could potentially cause problems for our recovery and poses huge questions for the future of Northern Ireland having a similar rate to RoI. That being said, it is welcome that some smaller businesses will be protected from this increase with the maintained 19% small profits rate The big questions arising from this Budget are now directed back to the Northern Ireland Executive and how they are going to use the 410m extra funding to support business as we begin the long road toward a post-pandemic recovery. Ulster Unionist leader Steve Aiken welcomed the additional funds for the Executive, but criticised the Chancellor for the increase in corporation tax to 25% and the continued support Protocol, as measures which may act as a "disincentive" to business. The UUP leader also questioned the Assembly's ability to manage the additional revenue granted through the budget. "The Assembly spent several days debating and examining the Finance Minister`s budget for the Executive for the early part of this financial year and supplementary estimates," said Mr Aiken. "What has become clear is that even with an extra 3.3 billion from HM Treasury, the difficulties in managing that budget seem to be beyond the Finance Minister and some other members of the Executive. "Even with this largesse we are looking at real cuts in policing numbers, we still don`t have support for many of those excluded from existing Covid support schemes and yet again our health service will be deprived of the resources it needs." The UK's recovery from the economic damage caused by coronavirus will be "swifter and more sustained" than previously thought, Rishi Sunak told MPs as he set out his Budget on Wednesday. But he warned it would take "a long time" to rebuild and pledged to do "whatever it takes" to support people. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) expects the economy to return to its pre-Covid level by the middle of next year - six months earlier than they previously thought - but Mr Sunak acknowledged that "coronavirus has done and is still doing profound damage". He told MPs that despite the 280bn of support already committed to protecting the economy the damage done by the virus has been "acute". "Our economy has shrunk by 10% - the largest fall in over 300 years. Our borrowing is the highest it has been outside of wartime. "It's going to take this country - and the whole world - a long time to recover from this extraordinary economic situation. But we will recover." The Chancellor said the OBR expects the UK economy will be 3% smaller than it would have been in five years' time because of the coronavirus crisis, but that the economy is forecast to grow this year by 4%, by 7.3% in 2022, then 1.7%, 1.6% and 1.7% in the last three years of the forecast. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Advertisement Britain today recorded another 6,385 Covid cases and 315 deaths, with both measures continuing to fall week-on-week amid mounting pressure on No10 to consider easing lockdown sooner. Department of Health statistics show infections have plunged nearly 36 per cent on last Wednesday, when 9,938 positive tests were added to the Government's official toll. Fatalities have dropped by around 29 per cent, down from 442. In another positive developments, the number of Covid patients in hospital in England has dropped below 10,000 for the first time since the beginning of November. There were 9,594 coronavirus patients in hospital in England as of 8am on Wednesday March 3. The figures come after official data showed Covid deaths in England are falling faster than gloomy SAGE advisers thought they would. Models produced by the SPI-M group of scientists predicting the future of the outbreak in February suggested the daily death count would stay above 200 until mid-March. But the average number of victims recorded each day had dropped below this level before the end of February, statistics show. Experts told The Telegraph the progress is 'better than expected' and suggested No10's 'data not dates' approach could see relaxations brought forward. The vaccine roll-out has made immense progress, with almost 21million people now vaccinated across the UK, and studies have found both Oxford and Pfizer's jabs are working even better than hoped. Another 225,000 first doses were dished out yesterday. SPI-M's prediction was more pessimistic about how well the vaccine would work and whether it would stop transmission, which may explain why its estimates are gloomier than the reality. Under current lockdown-easing plans criticised by anti-lockdown Tory MPs for being too slow, schools will reopen next Monday, and people will be allowed to meet in groups of six outdoors from March 29. Boris Johnson has committed to moving cautiously and slowly out of the current restrictions, insisting that they will be 'irreversible' this time. But Professor Mark Woolhouse, an infectious disease expert at Edinburgh University and adviser to SAGE, said going slowly 'is not a cost-free option' and the other health and economic impacts of lockdown would be worse the longer the rules lasted. A prediction made by SAGE sub-group SPI-M at the start of February suggested daily Covid deaths in England would stay above 200 until the end of March but they are already lower. The yellow line shows SPI-M's prediction, while the red line represents the actual daily death count, calculated as a seven-day average A monthly projection given to SAGE on February 10 suggested coronavirus deaths in England would fall from around 600 per day to 200 by the second week of March, around the 10th or 12th of the month. The fall in daily deaths would be slowing this month, the researchers predicted, and would drop to around 150 per day by March 21. But the average number of deaths recorded each day had already fallen to 157 by Monday, March 1, three weeks ahead of the experts' best guess. The average is calculated from the death counts on the day on which it falls and the previous six days. The most recent days may be artificially low because it can take a week or more for all death reports to be recorded, but deaths by date of death are in the low 200s in the most recent reliable figures, relating to late February. Government figures suggest the daily death count in England has a halving time of around two weeks, meaning it could drop to fewer than 80 per day by March 21. It is falling even faster in the very elderly, who were the first to be vaccinated and more than 90 per cent of over-80s are now thought to have some immunity. And the 99 deaths announced on Monday, March 1, was the lowest number since October 26 (90), before the second wave took off. Experts said the success of the vaccine programme had outstripped expectations and could lead to a British unlocking ahead of schedule. More than 20.4million people have had at least one dose of a vaccine so far and the programme is three months in, meaning that millions of people are now protected from Covid studies suggest the jabs are proving very effective. Professor David Spiegelhalter, a statistician at the University of Cambridge, said: 'We all sort of hoped something like this might happen but, frankly, it is better than anyone expected, I think.' NHS HOSPITALS IN LONDON TOLD TO PREPARE FOR PATIENT SURGE IN THIRD WAVE London's hospitals have been told to prepare for another surge in coronavirus patients 'later this year'. Leaked guidance handed to NHS trusts in the city last month warned they will be asked to 'begin to plan for a possible wave three Covid surge' as soon as late March, according to the Health Service Journal. The presentation, from NHS England and NHS Improvement, added: 'The purpose of the critical care de-surge plan (is to) ensure that the... bed base can expand safely in the event of a third Covid surge and/or other major incident/event.' But NHS sources in the capital said this was based on gloomy SAGE predictions that there could be a third wave of hospitalisations in the autumn, even though all Britons are expected to have received their first jab by June. The HSJ claimed no other regions in England have been given similar instructions. Ministers hope the mammoth vaccine rollout will stop another surge in hospitalisations. There are concerns a variant might dodge jab-induced immunity, but experts say studies suggesting this do not take into account other parts of the immune system which offer added protection. Boris Johnson appears to have embraced the fact that more people will die in a third wave when lockdown ends in the summer. He said in February: 'We're now travelling on a one-way road to freedom and we can begin safely to restart our lives, and do it with confidence. 'And I want to be frank about exactly what that means and the trade-offs involved. The vaccines reduce the danger of Covid, they save lives and they keep people out of hospital. But no vaccine against any disease has ever been 100 per cent effective. 'So, whenever we ease the lockdown whether its today or in six or nine months weve got to be realistic and accept that there will be more infections, more hospitalisations and therefore, sadly, more deaths, just as there are every year with flu. 'Even if we sustained the lockdown indefinitely, which would itself cost lives and do immeasurable harm to our children, we would not be able to eradicate this disease.' Advertisement Professor Woolhouse told The Telegraph: 'The data are indeed looking better than the models were predicting and, to the best of my knowledge, better than anyone was expecting. 'If the phrase "data-driven not date-driven" has any meaning, then it must allow for the schedule for relaxing restrictions to be brought forward if the data are better than expected and not just putting the schedule back if the data are worse than expected.' He added: 'Lockdown continues to be just as harmful as ever, so there is a public health imperative to relax measures as soon as it is safe to do so. An over-abundance of caution is not a cost-free option.' The success of the vaccination programme and how well the vaccines work may be behind the rapid improvement. SPI-M assumed that the vaccines would prevent 88 per cent (Pfizer) or 70 per cent (Oxford) of deaths and hospitalisations, and stop 48 per cent of virus transmission. But real-world data suggests they are much, better with Public Health England expert Dr Mary Ramsay yesterday saying they may stop the virus spreading 'almost completely' among people who have had one. And data suggest the jabs may be even more effective than predicted. A Scottish study based on real population data suggested last week that a single dose of either vaccine could reduce the risk of hospitalisation with Covid by between 85 and 94 per cent. Using data from members of the public the first study of its kind in the UK researchers at Edinburgh and Strathclyde universities found that the vaccines led to fewer hospital admissions from four weeks after the first dose. That study was based on an analysis of data from the 1.14million doses dished out between December 8 and February 15. It linked up people's vaccination records to reports of hospital admissions for Covid-19 to see whether people who had had a jab were coming less often than those who hadn't. It showed that among those aged 80 and over one of the highest risk groups vaccination was associated with an 81 per cent reduction in hospitalisation risk in the fourth week, when the results for both vaccines were combined. Protection increased over time for both vaccines, from 38 per cent (Pfizer) and 70 per cent (Oxford) after one week before the jab is expected to work at all to 85 per cent (Pfizer) and 94 per cent (Oxford) after four weeks. Oxford's appeared to be heading towards the almost total protection against severe Covid seen in clinical trials, but the study was not long enough to capture this. Pfizer's protection was also extremely high and rising. Professor Aziz Sheikh, the study director from the University of Edinburgh, said: 'Overall we are very, very impressed with the both the vaccines. When you move beyond the trial settings you never know what the results are going to be. 'Out in the field... both of these are working spectacularly well.' The success of England's mammoth Covid vaccination drive was underlined yesterday by official data showing that more than 90 per cent of over-85s now have antibodies. Figures compiled by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show 22 per cent of over-85s in England had Covid antibodies at the start of 2021, before the immunisation rollout began to rapidly pick up pace. But the rate stood at nearly 91 per cent on February 11, according to the most up-to-date estimate. The report which also showed one in four people overall had Covid antibodies in England, one in six in Wales and Northern Ireland and one in eight in Scotland looked at blood samples taken from 30,000 over-16s across the country. Rates were highest in London, where the ONS estimated 29 per cent of people had antibodies compared to just 16 per cent in the South West of England, the lowest in the UK. As well as through vaccination, antibodies are also made in the blood when someone catches and recovers from the virus. But the length of time antibodies remain at detectable levels in the blood is not fully known, given that studies have shown they can fade after a few months. Professor David Leon, an epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: 'This slightly steeper rate of decline [in deaths] among those 80+ years compared to those aged 60-79 years could be explained by a change in admission rates by age, whereby fewer people aged 80+ are admitted to hospital compared to those who are younger. 'It could also indicate a small reduction in case fatality in hospital among the eldest. 'A relatively greater reduction in hospital admissions in those aged 80+ is what would be hoped given prioritisation of this group in the national vaccination strategy. 'Whether vaccination also means that those who are admitted to hospital might be slightly less sick and have a higher survival chance is unclear.' New York Governor Andrew Cuomo choked up on Wednesday as he apologized over sexual harassment claims but insisted he never touched 'anyone' and vowed to fully cooperate with the Attorney General's investigation in to him. The governor held a 40-minute briefing, hours after being slammed by Mayor de Blasio for hiding from the public and media amid the ongoing pandemic. He had not been seen publicly since February 24 and hadn't taken journalists' questions since February 22 - two days before the sexual harassment scandal erupted. Three women have alleged misconduct, including two former aides who both say he made inappropriate remarks towards them that were sexual. One of those aides also claims he forcibly kissed her on the mouth. A third woman came forward after them claiming that he'd asked to kiss her at a wedding. A photo of them at the wedding emerged in which he is clasping her face. On Wednesday afternoon, Cuomo started by briefing the media via Zoom on the state's COVID progress and making several announcements about reopening the state. He then, before taking questions, addressed the scandal, refused to resign despite calls for him to do so, and urged the public to wait for the findings of the investigation. He also defended his touchy-feeling ways, saying hugging and kissing were his 'customary way of greeting people' and that it's what his father, the late governor Mario Cuomo, also did. 'As you know the Attorney General is doing an independent review. I will fully cooperate with that review. The lawyers say I shouldn't say anything when you have a pending review - I understand that I am a lawyer too. 'But, I want New Yorkers to hear from me directly on this. First, I fully support a woman's right to come forward and I think it should be encouraged in every way. I now understand that I acted in a way that made people feel uncomfortable. It was unintentional. And I truly and deeply apologize for it. 'I feel awful about it and frankly I am embarrassed by it. That's not easy to say. That's the truth. This is what I want you to know and I want you to know this from me directly: I never touched anyone inappropriately. I never touched anyone inappropriately,' he said. Scroll down for video Cuomo on Wednesday at his first briefing since February 22. He has not been seen in public since February 24 amid growing calls for him to resign over sexual harassment claims Asked if he would resign, he said resolutely: 'I'm not going to resign. 'I work for the people of New York. I'm going to serve them. We have a full plate - we have COVID, we have rebuilding, a teetering New York City... so no. 'I am going to do he job the people of the state elected me to do.' He went on to vow not to hug or kiss people anymore, saying: 'I do not believe I have ever done anything in my public career that I am ashamed of. I didn't know I was making her uncomfortable at the time, I feel badly that I did. 'Sensitivities have changed and behavior has changed. I get it and I'm going to learn from it.' When asked about the photo that emerged of him clasping one of the accuser's faces, he said: 'You will find hundreds of pictures of me making the same gesture with hundreds of people - women, men children. 'You can go find hundreds of pictures of me kissing people - men and women. 'It is my usual and customary way of greeting. You know that because you've watched me. It was my father's way of greeting people - you're the governor of the state you want people to feel comfortable. You want to reach out to them. 'I was at a event in Queens the other day. I hugged the pastors who were there... but that doesn't matter. 'What matters is if anybody was offended by it. If they were offended by it, I apologize. If they were hurt, I apologize. If they felt pain from it, I apologize.' Two former aides - Charlotte Bennett and Lindsay Boylan - say Cuomo sexually harassed them when they were working for him. Charlotte Bennett (left), 25, accused Cuomo of sexually harassing her during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in his Albany office, including quizzing her about dating older men. Lindsey Boylan (right) accused him of attempting to kiss her on the mouth in 2018 A third woman has accused Governor Cuomo of unwanted touching and sexual attention, saying he placed his hands on her face and asked if he could kiss her at her friend's wedding. A friend took a series of pictures of the incident as it occurred. https://t.co/bgvzBK4vK0 pic.twitter.com/hXvgTvSntQ Evan Hill (@evanchill) March 2, 2021 Anna Ruch, now 33, met Andrew Cuomo at her friends' wedding in September 2019. He was photographed cupping her face. She says he asked if he could kiss her On Monday night, a third woman - Anna Ruch, now 33, who worked at the Obama White House and met Cuomo at a wedding in September 2019 - said he asked if he could kiss her. CUOMO'S STATEMENT ON SEX HARASSMENT SCANDAL IN FULL I want to address the recent allegations that have been made against me. As you know the Attorney General is doing an independent review. I will fully cooperate with that review. The lawyers say I shouldn't say anything when you have a pending review. I understand that. I am a lawyer too. But, I want New Yorkers to hear from me directly on this. First, I fully support a woman's right to come forward and I think it should be encouraged in every way. I now understand that I acted in a way that made people feel uncomfortable. It was unintentional. And I truly and deeply apologize for it. I feel awful about it and frankly I am embarrassed by it. That's not easy to say. That's the truth. This is what I want you to know and I want you to know this from me directly: I never touched anyone inappropriately. I never touched anyone inappropriately. I never knew at the time that I was making anyone feeling uncomfortable. I never knew at the time I was making anyone feel uncomfortable. I certainly never ever meant to offend anyone or cause anyone any pain. That is the last thing I would ever do that. I ask the people of this state to wait for the facts from the Attorney General's report before forming an opinion. Get the facts please before forming an opinion. I will fully cooperate with it.Then you will have the facts Make a decision when you have the facts I have learned from what has been an incredibly difficult situation. I've learned an important lesson. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for whatever pain I caused anyone I never intended it. I will be the better for this experience. Thank you Advertisement She is who was pictured with his hands clasping her face. The wedding was that of Gareth Rhodes- a Cuomo aide who this week quit his job in the COVID-19 task force. In a statement, he said: 'Last week as I approached one year since moving to Albany to join the NYS Covid task force, I decided it was time, given the progress of the vaccination program and continued decline of Covid numbers, to return to my previous role at the Department of Financial Services and I informed the Governors senior staff at the time.' Nine health officials have quit over claims Cuomo ignored their advice about COVID-19 too. Before today, Cuomo, 63, had not been seen at a public event on February 24. He was opening a vaccination site in the Bronx but did not take any questions from the media. The last time he accepted journalists' questions was two days earlier, on February 22, which was his last televised COVID-briefing. He made one virtual appearance - on February 25 - at the virtual governors' meeting where he welcomed President Joe Biden, but he had not been seen since then. Emails from his office indicate that he has been in Albany throughout. On Wednesday, he held a COVID briefing via Zoom, where journalists could dial in their questions. It is a marked difference from the forward-facing Cuomo the country became accustomed to throughout the pandemic, and which won him an Emmy. On Wednesday morning, Mayor Bill de Blasio criticized him for shying away from the spotlight again. 'We need a full investigation...we need the full truth and we need it quickly. In the meantime, if the governor is to remain in office, he has to govern. He has to answer questions every day and address the issues. 'There's so much going on with this pandemic we have to continue to do this work to protect people's lives and obviously, part of that is responding to the concerns of the public expressed through the media. 'That's the bottom line right now. If he can't do that, if he can't govern - of course, step aside and let someone else do it. 'Right now, what we need is clear answers and progress. We need local control. 'Especially when we see the dysfunction in Albany.' A growing number of Democratic leaders have called on Cuomo to resign following the sexual harassment allegations, including Congresswoman Kathleen Rice, a New York representative who on Monday became the first Democrat in DC to call for him to stand down. A journalist has also come forward to say she quit her job in local news because she was bullied by Cuomo's team, and a video resurfaced over the weekend of thew governor repeatedly telling a different journalist to 'eat the whole sausage' at the New York State Fair in 2016. A billboard in Albany, the New York state capital, was put up on Tuesday demanding the governor quit That journalist, Bethany Cefalu, said on Monday that she never felt pressured nor harassed, nor did she think Cuomo was inappropriate. On Monday night, Melissa DeRosa - one of his most senior aides - hit back at photos obtained by DailyMail.com which show the pair at dinner, not long after she got married. They appear close in the photos and Cuomo's hand is placed between them on a booth. DeRosa said in a statement to DailyMail.com: 'There have been misogynistic rumors in Albany and in government for years but I never thought I'd have to respond to them in the press. 'The Governor and I have never had an intimate relationship. 'The Governor and I have been close friends and colleagues for over ten years we've had countless meals together and suggestions or innuendo around that is inappropriate, offensive and wrong.' The women who have made allegations against him on banded together in solidarity on Monday night. Attorney General Letitia James is appointing a special counsel to investigate the claims after shutting down Cuomo's suggestion that he could appoint his own. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the claims were 'credible' and 'serious' earlier this week. A bill has been introduced by Republican lawmakers in the house of representatives to scrap the outdated and counter-productive- 'One China Policy' Two US top Republican lawmakers- Tom Tiffany and Scott Perry, introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives calling for the US to end the outdated One-China Policy and to resume its diplomatic relations with Taiwan. The US had maintained diplomatic relations with Taiwan till the year 1979 after then-President Jimmy Carter broke off all ties with Taipei and acknowledged the communist regime in Chinas Beijing. China sees Taiwan as a rebel province that must be merged with the mainland even if it requires China to use force. The bill suggests the Joe Biden-led US administration to support Taiwans membership in international forums and organizations and initiate negotiations with Taipei to form a US-Taiwan Free Trade Agreement. All the American Presidents, of both the Democratic and the Republic party till date, have supported Chinas claim over Taiwan for more than 40 years and supported Chinas stand of Taiwan being a part of Communist China- despite the objective reality suggesting otherwise that its clearly not and the One China Policy is outdated. Also Read: Lawmaker Scott Perry said that Taiwan is an independent country and it has been so for the past 70 years. Former President Ronald Reagan had earlier updated the relationship during his tenure by introducing Six Assurances which stated that the US did not recognize Communist Chinese claims of sovereignty over Taiwan. The two lawmakers while introducing the bill underlined that despite the Six Assuarances and the bipartisan Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), the US still lacks formal ties with Taiwan. Tom Tiffany, while proposing an amendment in 20202 asserted that America does not need a permission slip from the Chinese Communist Party to talk to its friends and partners around the world. Taiwan is a free, democratic and independent country and its time US policy reflected that fact He further added. Also Read: Leo Biasiucci, Republican whip in the Arizona House of Representatives, in an interview with The Epoch Times' "Crossroads" on Feb. 28, 2021. (Screenshot/The Epoch Times) Arizona Wont Enforce Bidens Gun Control Laws: State Representative Leo Biasiucci, the Republican whip in the Arizona House of Representatives, told The Epoch Times Crossroads that the State House just passed a bill not to comply with any federal gun-restricting measures, and the bill will hopefully pass in the State Senate and be signed into law by the governor. Biasiucci introduced a bill, HB 2111, which can be cited as the Second Amendment Firearm Freedom Act. The Arizona House of Representatives passed the bill on Feb 24 along party lines, 3129. Were Second Amendment friendly. We love our law-abiding citizens, gun owners, Biasiucci said. So I have a bill HB 2111 its very simple. It says if the federal government changes anything at the federal level, Arizona is not gonna play. Were not going to use money. Were not gonna use resources to complyif they ban AR-15 and they try to come in and start arresting people. Not gonna happen in our state. The courts wont even mess with it, our law enforcement wont mess around. He indicated that they are doing what then-Gov. Jerry Brown did in California. In 2017 California passed California Values Actnormally known as sanctuary lawto prohibit state and local law enforcement officials from cooperating with federal immigration officials. It said if ICE comes in and tried to detain illegals, were not going to help. Were not going to use resources, Biasiucci said. Then it got upheld in court. The federal government sued California in 2018 for the sanctuary law, but a District Judge dismissed it. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit upheld the district courts decision, stating California has the right to refrain from assisting with federal efforts. The Supreme Court declined to hear the federal governments petition in June 2020. So I said if thats gonna be upheld, lets use the same kind of language, but apply it to the Constitution, right to apply it to our Second Amendment, Biasiucci said. Biasiucci said its really concerning that President Joe Biden made some comments on gun controls from day one and could possibly change laws with a stroke of a pen. This is why we got ahead of the ballgame, Biasiucci said. He indicated the bill has a good chance to pass in the state Senate since Republicans have a two-seat lead there. If it goes to the governor, I dont see how he doesnt sign this thing, Biasiucci continued. So hopefully, well know in about a couple of weeks there. A family listens to speakers at a protest to new gun legislation at the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City, Utah on Feb. 8, 2020. (George Frey/AFP via Getty Images) Biasiucci went on to say, its so ridiculous that some Democrats are pushing for measures to hold gun manufacturers accountable. He stated that he firmly believes the problem is not the gun, its the person behind the gun. You look at Chicago, you look at even countries that have strict gun laws, and they have the highest [rate of] crime out of anybody, Biasiucci continued. If you get in a car accident, they dont sue Ford if youre drunk behind the wheel and you cause the problem. Theyre going after the guy whos behind the wheel. So this is the same exact situation. Biasiucci suggested gun manufacturers could move to Arizona to get great protection. I ask all these gun manufacturers come to Arizona. We got low taxes. Were trying to drop our income tax again this year. Were gonna try to move it to a flat tax. We have a lot of land, business-friendly. Were open for business. So I tell everybody: hey, come to Arizona, the land of the free over there, the last frontier. Biasiucci said that five or six states already took similar steps. Missouri, Wyoming, South Dakota, Arizona, Tennessee, Kansas, and Alaska already have some version of federal gun law nullification as part of their state law. We want to make sure you get out there and fight to keep this country alive, Biasiucci added. I do not want to turn socialist, and I dont want to turn into a Venezuela or any of these other countries. Were a republic, and Ill never stop fighting for that, and same with my colleagues. BEER-SHEVA, ISRAEL...March 3, 2021 - Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Researchers (BGU) have found for the first time that cigarette smoke toxicity impacts the protective biofilm in the lungs, particularly concerning when paired with COVID-19 respiratory issues. Though many health factors are known about smoking, little is known about the overall toxicity potential of its ingredients. Researchers developed a new smoke testing system called a bacterial panel with genetically modified bioluminescent bacteria to measure both filtered and unfiltered cigarette smoke's complex molecular mixture. According to the new study published in the journal Talanta, the researchers found that cigarette smoke affects communication between bacteria, which can affect microorganisms in the body and cause a negative effect on the formation of biofilm, which protects lung bacterial colonies. The study examined 12 distinct types of commercial cigarettes of varying prices bought at local Israeli stores, revealing that filters helped somewhat in lowering toxicity. "The experiment proved that the filter is a crucial element in reducing the harm of smoking so therefore, new filters need to be developed to reduce toxicity," explains Prof. Robert Marks, head of the BGU Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering. Prof. Robert Marks is a leading expert in the study of genetically engineered bacteria. His work focuses on finding the specific mechanisms of toxins in a variety of materials and their impact on the environment. Tobacco companies, research organizations, and academics can use the bacterial panel and its accompanying system to cost-effectively monitor the overall toxicity of various commercial cigarettes and test their filter effectiveness. "The recently developed smoke testing system, based on our bacterial panel, is a new system for researchers that need to analyze toxicity of smoke at a reasonable cost," says Prof. Marks. ### In addition to Prof. Marks, the study was led by BGU doctoral student Tim Axelrod and student Merav Lerman. Dr. Dorin Harpaz from the Hebrew University, and Dr. Evgeni Eltzov from the Volcani Center also participated. About American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Scientists at Cincinnati Children's just received a 5-year grant totaling $5.3 million from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) to advance research into the relationship between air pollution and mental health in children and adolescents. The grant will enable the scientists to conduct new air pollution exposure studies and analyze its impact on newly collected information about adolescents' mental health and brain structure, organization, and function. The lead investigators of the project are Kim Cecil, PhD, director of radiology research for the Imaging Research Center; Patrick Ryan, PhD, Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology; and Kimberly Yolton, PhD, director of research in the Division of General and Community Pediatrics. Approximately 50% of Americans will meet the criteria for diagnosis of a mental health disorder in their lifetime with the initial onset occurring in childhood or adolescence. More than one in five adolescents will experience a mental health disorder, including depression and anxiety, with the prevalence increasing. This puts them at a higher risk for suicide, as suicide is now the 2nd leading cause of death for adolescents in the US, and 3rd leading cause worldwide. The potential lifelong impact of these conditions makes it critical to find preventable causes, the researchers say. Few studies have looked at the impact of air pollution exposure on mental health disorders in children and adolescents. Cecil, Ryan, and Yolton previously found that childhood air pollution exposure is associated with increased risk for depression and anxiety at age 12 years and that children exposed to higher levels of air pollution early in life had changes in brain structure. However, the role of air pollution in the onset and persistence of mental health disorders during adolescence, and changes in brain structure, organization, and function linked to these outcomes, remain poorly understood. The role of environmental exposures on mental health outcomes is a relatively new area. Air pollution has been shown to be neurotoxic, but most studies focus on behavior or cognition. Few studies have examined the role of environmental exposures, including air pollution, on mental health. Studies like this one are a critical first step to understand how environmental exposures influence mental health in childhood and guide future public health decisions." Patrick Ryan, PhD, Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children's The researchers plan to build on data from the Cincinnati Childhood Allergy and Air Pollution Study (CCAAPS) and the Health Outcomes and Measures of the Environment (HOME) Study. Both groups include children who have been followed from birth and were evaluated at age 12 for mental health symptoms and changes in brain features. In the new study, the researchers plan to follow the same children into young adulthood to learn how air pollution may influence the persistence of mental health symptoms and additional changes in the brain. "People almost exclusively think about mental health as having genetic origins or being caused by one's personal circumstances such as stress, adversity, etc.," says Cecil. "The impact of factors from the environment, such as air pollution, are often not considered." The combination of environmental epidemiology, neuroimaging and a comprehensive psychological battery makes this a first-of-its-kind study. "The uniqueness is in all these disciplines coming together. The environmental health experts and mental health experts have rarely compared notes," Yolton says. "We're fortunate to have those lines of communication open in our work." By combining the two study cohorts, researchers will have access to data from 500 participants. Yolton's assessment battery will comprehensively characterize behaviors and mental health. Air pollution models developed by Ryan and co-investigator, Cole Brokamp, PhD, Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, will allow them to look at different components of air pollution along with distinct time points from birth to 18 to see whether there's a relationship between their brain and air pollution levels. Meanwhile, Cecil and her team will use neuroimaging tools to determine if structural and functional changes in the brain are part of normal development or whether they are linked to pollution. "We know many factors influence a child's behavior and mental health, along with their brain structure. With the larger size of the study cohort, we can better tease apart effects from those factors compared to the ones related to air pollution," Cecil says. Yolton says the researchers have been trying to pull the two study groups together for years. "I'm excited that we finally have the opportunity to combine these well-characterized cohorts. Our ability to look at contributions to mental health from early adolescence to young adulthood will be extremely impactful. We're going to be able to determine if the air pollution we're all exposed to could be contributing to the rising prevalence of mental health problems. This could result in policy changes to reduce air pollution exposures and thus lessen the risk of mental health problems." America Talks: Join us and #ListenFirst in a virtual conversation with another American The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Sen. Marco Rubio. Joe Raedle/Getty Images/Bloomberg via Getty Images Democrats want to bring back earmarks, but face strong opposition from Republicans. Republicans, who banned earmarks a decade ago, want to permanently do away with them, citing past abuses. Democrats argue that members of Congress use them to receive funding for community projects. Visit the Business section of Insider for more stories. Earmarks used to be a major - and controversial - tool for getting difficult legislation passed through Congress, but that all changed a decade ago. Now it could be changing back again, but not if the Republican Party has anything to say about it. The House Appropriations Committee, led by Chair Rosa DeLauro, announced new reforms on Friday for "community-project funding," essentially bringing earmarks back with more transparency and accountability. Those were two of the main complaints behind earmarks' ban under a Republican Congress in 2011. In a statement, DeLauro said the House will begin accepting member requests for funding in the upcoming fiscal year, and it "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 have a loaded history, as demonstrated by the nickname which comes from the world of livestock, with the implication being that earmarks are part and parcel of loathed "pork-barrel" politics. But for decades, they were useful in getting certain members of Congress to go along with legislation that otherwise didn't directly benefit their district. After a series of scandals related to earmarks obtained by members of both parties in the early 2000s, especially the infamous "bridge to nowhere," a Republican-led Congress banned them a decade ago. Here's why Republicans want to go further and ban them forever, and why Democrats want to bring them back. Here's why some Republicans want a permanent earmark ban Sen. Steve Daines. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images On Monday, Republican Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Steve Daines of Montana, joined by eight other Republican senators, introduced a bill to permanently ban earmarks. Story continues "For decades, Congress abused the trust and faith of the American people by handing out earmarks to well-connected businesses, campaign donors, and others who could afford a high-priced lobbyist," Rubio said in a statement. "Those backroom deals led to corruption and waste, and bought votes in Congress for unpopular legislation." Daines added in a statement that earmarks "do nothing but add to the toxic, swampy culture that DC's known for." The House Freedom Caucus, which consists of conservative Republican members, said on Twitter on February 25 that earmarks are "the currency of corruption." This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Earmarks for congressional Republican were a major factor behind last decade's ban. In 2005, Alaska Rep. Don Young secured $223 million for a bridge that would connect two small islands; critics argued that this "bridge to nowhere" would not actually serve any community, as few people would actually use it. And in the same year, former California Rep. Duke Cunningham landed himself eight years in prison for accepting $2.4 million in bribes in return for promising earmarks to defense contractors. The opposition to earmarks has been bipartisan for much of the last decade. In 2011, former President Barack Obama said in his State of the Union speech that he would veto any bill that contained earmarks. And when Democrats explored bringing them back in 2019, then-Appropriations Chair Nita Lowey said in a letter that there wasn't enough bipartisan support for reinstatement, and Democrats wanted that level of consensus. Not all Republicans strictly oppose bringing them back. Senate Appropriations ranking member Richard Shelby told reporters on February 25 that he supports earmarks that are "meritorious and transparent." "If they are frivolous requests, they should go by the wayside," Shelby said. Rubio and Daines did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment. Here's why some Democrats want to bring earmarks back House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. Alex Wong/Getty Images DeLauro's position on earmarks is that members of Congress need more funding to help their constituents and can avoid past abuses. "Community Project Funding restores balance on important decisions about how and where to spend taxpayer dollars, allowing Members of Congress to bring their knowledge and experience to the decision-making," DeLauro said in a statement. Beyond specific community funding needs, the lack of earmarks over the last decade has made Congress' job harder. In 2018, then-House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer testified before the Rules Committee on the importance of congressional earmarks, saying that "Members of Congress individually know their districts better than anyone at federal agencies and better than the Appropriations Committee as a whole." "Now, just as we saw the consequences of an unchecked system in the past, we've now seen also the unintended consequences of eliminating Congressionally directed spending altogether," Hoyer said. With Democrats now in the majority in both the House and Senate for at least two years until the midterm elections, earmarks could well be useful for getting more moderate or conservative Democrats to support big bills. For example, when progressive legislation is on the table, senators such as Joe Manchin of West Virginia or Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona - who both opposed a $15 minimum wage increase - could be more likely to support bills with community-funding measures introduced to them. Manchin and Sinema did not respond to Insider's requests for comment on whether they would support reinstating earmarks. Read the original article on Business Insider Charleston, WV (25301) Today A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High around 80F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers after midnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Egypt: Delegations led by Egyptian Foreign Sameh Shoukry and his Sudanese counterpart Mariam al-Sadiq al-Mahdi hold a meeting in Cairo, Egypt on March 2, 2021. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa/IANS) Image Source: IANS News Egypt: Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry (R) and his Sudanese counterpart Mariam al-Sadiq al-Mahdi attend a press conference after their meeting in Cairo, Egypt, March 2, 2021. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gom/IANS) Image Source: IANS News Cairo, March 3 : Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Sudanese counterpart Mariam al-Sadiq al-Mahdi stressed that Ethiopia's possible second phase filling of the Nile dam unilaterally would pose a direct threat to water security of the two nations. The remarks came during the two Ministers meeting here on Tuesday, where they tackled a number of issues of common interest, according to a joint press statement. They highlighted the importance of reaching a binding legal agreement on filling and operating the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) that would meet the interests of the three countries, preserve the water rights of Egypt and Sudan, and limit the damages of the project to the two downstream countries, Xinhua news agency reported. Shoukry and his Sudanese counterpart also stressed that they have political will and a serious desire to achieve this goal at the earliest possible opportunity, urging Ethiopia to show goodwill and engage in an effective negotiation process. They also expressed appreciation for the efforts made by South Africa during its presidency of the African Union in guiding the path of the GERD negotiations. The two Ministers affirmed that their countries adhered to the proposal made by Sudan and supported by Egypt on developing the negotiation mechanism sponsored by the African Union through the formation of an international quartet led and managed by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the current chair of the African Union. Ethiopia started building the GERD in 2011, while Egypt is concerned that the dam might affect its 55.5-billion-cubic-meter annual share of the Nile water. Sudan has recently been raising similar concerns over the $4 billion dam. Over the past few years, tripartite talks on the rules of filling and operating the GERD, with a total capacity of 74 billion cubic meters, have been fruitless, including the early ones hosted by Washington and the recent ones by the African Union. 404 This article is part of the On Tech newsletter. You can sign up here to receive it weekdays. This software sales job isnt really in Remote, Ore., a tiny town 200 miles south of Portland. This internship isnt either. This job is probably not in Remote, Mich., a place that doesnt appear to exist. When the pandemic hit and millions of Americans left physical workplaces, some employers left blank the location fields in online job listings or filled in remote. Career websites computer systems still went through the motions of tying a do-from-anywhere job to a city and state. Thats how, as Brian Feldman wrote in the BNet newsletter a few days ago, Remote, Ore., seems to have become Americas job capital. This is a relatively trivial example of computers not being as smart as wed like. But theres something profound here, too. Career websites reflect the collective mood of millions of American job seekers and companies. If you want a glimpse at our complicated feelings about work during and after the pandemic, job search sites are a good place to start. Two spectacular flights, two spectacular crash landings. The third time was almost the charm. On Wednesday, SpaceX launched another high-altitude flight of Starship, a huge next-generation spacecraft that Elon Musk, the founder and chief executive of the private rocket company, dreams of sending to Mars. It returned to the ground and set down in one piece, but then lit up in another fiery blast minutes after the landing. As the sun set over the test site in Boca Chica, Tex., close to Brownsville, the latest prototype, designated SN10, lifted off, its stainless steel exterior gaining a purple hue as it ascended toward an altitude of just over six miles, well below the orbital heights that SpaceX one day intends to achieve. It was the second launch attempt of the day. Three hours earlier, liftoff was aborted with just a fraction of a second left in the countdown. The engines had already ignited but were then shut off when the computer on board the Starship detected too much thrust from one of the engines. The engineers decided that the problem was not significant, adjusted the software, refueled the rocket and tried again. At about 6:15 p.m. Eastern time, the three engines ignited again, and this time they stayed on. The rocket rose into the Texas sky, and, by design, the engines shut down one by one as the rocket approached an altitude of six miles. Strategic Equity Capital plc Publication of Circular 3 March 2021 As announced on 8 February 2021, the Board of Strategic Equity Capital (the "Company") received a request to requisition a general meeting of the Company from two of its Shareholders, Ian Armitage and Jonathan Morgan, representing 7.66 per cent. of the Company's issued share capital (the "Requisitionists"). The Company is required to convene a General Meeting for the purpose of allowing Shareholders to consider and vote on two requisitioned resolutions (the "Resolutions"). The Resolutions relate to the continuation of the Company. Resolution 1 is a continuation resolution in a similar form to that put to Shareholders at the Annual General Meeting, the latest one being passed in November 2020. Resolution 2 requires the Board, in the event that Resolution 1 is not passed, to put forward proposals to Shareholders within eight weeks to enable those Shareholders who want to realise their investment in the Company for cash at or close to net asset value, or to exchange their Shares for shares in another investment vehicle, an opportunity to do so. The Board unanimously recommends that Shareholders vote FOR Resolution 1 (continuation of the Company) and AGAINST Resolution 2 (reconstruction proposals). The Company's fund management team and its portfolio have recently been subject to a detailed strategy review by the Investment Manager, which was appointed in May 2020, and with the oversight of the Board. Changes to the fund management team were announced in September 2020 with Ken Wotton appointed as lead manager of the Company's portfolio alongside Adam Khanbhai. On 2 March 2021, the Company published its interim report for the half-year period to 31 December 2020. In that report, the Board set out the positive returns of the Company in that period and noted the promising developments at portfolio companies. The Board has confidence in the management team's strategy for the portfolio and a vote against continuation of the Company at this early stage would, in the Board's opinion, not give the management team sufficient time to implement and demonstrate the benefits of their strategy and would, accordingly, be likely to prejudice the performance of the portfolio and therefore the interests of Shareholders. The Shareholders are given a regular opportunity to consider the future of the Company at each Annual General Meeting, at which a continuation resolution is proposed to Shareholders in substantially the same form as Resolution 1 proposed at the forthcoming General Meeting. In the event that any continuation resolution fails to pass, the Board will be required to put to Shareholders proposals for the liquidation or other reconstruction of the Company. This is substantially the same as what is proposed by Resolution 2. Each continuation vote of the Company so far has been passed, with the most recent continuation vote being approved by a comfortable margin at the Annual General Meeting in November 2020. Shareholders will be afforded another opportunity to vote on the continuation of the Company at the next Annual General Meeting which is expected to take place in or around November 2021. Given that the Board undertakes continuation votes annually at the AGM, the Board believes that the Resolutions proposed by the Requisitionists are unnecessary. Nevertheless, the Board is obligated to convene the General Meeting to put these Resolutions to Shareholders. The Board has consulted with certain key Shareholders who together hold Shares representing approximately 40.3 per cent. of the issued share capital of the Company as at 2 March 2021 (being the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this document), who have expressed their support for the Company's continuance and the Investment Manager's strategy, and have indicated that they will vote for Resolution 1 and against Resolution 2 at the General Meeting. The Company has today despatched a circular to Shareholders (the "Circular") which convenes the General Meeting of the Company for 10.00 a.m. on 30 March 2021. The Resolutions that will be put to Shareholders at the General Meeting are: 1. that the Company should continue as an investment trust until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company; and 2. that, if Resolution 1 is not passed, then within eight weeks the board of the Company shall put forward proposals to enable those Shareholders who want to realise their investment in the Company for cash at close to net asset value or (at the option of each Shareholder) to exchange their Shares for shares in another investment vehicle. Resolution 1 will be proposed as an ordinary resolution and Resolution 2 will be proposed as a special resolution. Both Resolutions will be conducted on a poll. An ordinary resolution requires a simple majority of members entitled to vote and present in person or by proxy to vote in favour in order for it to be passed. A special resolution requires a majority of at least 75 per cent. of members entitled to vote and present in person or by proxy to vote in favour in order for it to be passed. Proxies should be returned by no later than 10.00 a.m. on 26 March 2021. All Shareholders are entitled to attend and vote at the General Meeting. However, in light of social distancing measures imposed by the Government as a result of the current Covid-19 pandemic, any Shareholder seeking to attend the General Meeting in person may be refused entry to the General Meeting. Shareholders are therefore strongly encouraged to appoint the chairman of the meeting as their proxy, in CREST or by completing the form of proxy enclosed with the Circular. A copy of the circular published today will shortly be available on the Company's website www.strategicequitycapital.com and available at the National Storage Mechanism which is located at https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism. Capitalised terms used in this announcement have the same meaning as given to them in the Circular unless otherwise defined. LEI: 2138003R5GB8QZU2G577 Enquiries: Strategic Equity Capital plc Richard Hills (Chairman) (via PATAC below) PATAC Limited (Company secretary) 0131 378 0500 Steven Davidson Investec Bank plc (Broker) 020 7597 4000 Lucy Lewis Tom Skinner Especially with the COVID slowdowns, people simply dont have as much cash in their pocket. Its a benefit for them to be able to finance the premium with only 10% down. said Mark Trombly, Marketing Manager at Hospitality Insurance Group. New Model Designed to Help Struggling Restaurant Industry with Cash Flow and Financing Applying an insurance model prevalent in auto insurance and workers compensation, Hospitality Insurance Group has launched a new program that will give bars, restaurants, and any other eligible liquor liability policyholders more flexibility in how they pay their insurance premiums. Usage based coverage has been adopted for other insurance products but has never before been applied for liquor liability. In order to offer the cash-strapped bar and restaurant industry an affordable financing option, Hospitality entered into a unique partnership with First Insurance Funding. Hospitalitys Pay as You Pour program was developed to help businesses improve their cash flow by basing their bimonthly premium payments on how much liquor they sell. Premium payments will be lower when sales are down and, conversely, when sales volume is higher, businesses will be contributing more to premium payments. The program comes as many in the hospitality industry face a winter slowdown in business, particularly amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This program will alleviate the financial burden that occurs when insureds have slow months and money is tight, when sales are good, they will pay a higher premium and will be in a better position to make those payments. said Sandra Haley, Senior Vice President of Underwriting and Marketing at Hospitality Insurance Group. To participate, businesses must make a down payment of 10 percent, which is significantly less than the usual 20 to 25 percent deposits required to finance premiums. The lower down payment will aid businesses short on cash due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Especially with the COVID slowdowns, people simply dont have as much cash in their pocket. Its a benefit for them to be able to finance the premium with only 10% down. said Mark Trombly, Marketing Manager at Hospitality Insurance Group. The program is a permanent financing option that will continue to be available to businesses after the COVID-19 pandemic. Participating businesses must also have an acceptable sales verification system to upload. For those who participate in the program the renewal process will be effortless since last years sales information will already have been recorded as part of the program. The bimonthly premium payments for the liquor liability will be calculated by taking the average liquor liability rate which will then be multiplied by how much a bar, restaurant, or other business sells in liquor each month. At the end of the year, it all settles out, and they only pay for what they actually sold during the year, Haley said. Businesses who want to participate should contact their insurance agent. For more information, email info@hmic.com or visit https://hmic.com/ About Hospitality Insurance Group Hospitality Insurance Group, headquartered in Southborough, Mass., provides commercial property, general liability, liquor liability, and excess policies to owners of establishments that serve or sell liquor, including bars, taverns, restaurants, social clubs, and liquor stores, as well as caterers and other qualified businesses. Hospitality writes insurance in seven states that include Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. MANCHESTER, England, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Health and safety is a key priority for today's businesses and employees. Although the majority of people working in the construction industry care about health and safety and are diligent in their work, the construction industry remains one of the most dangerous sectors to work in when it comes to musculoskeletal injuries. According to statistics from the UK government agency, Health and Safety Executive (HSE), there were 498,000 workers reported to be suffering from work-related musculoskeletal injuries in 2018/19 with 41% of these injuries relating to upper limbs and neck. Altogether, HSE reports that 8.9 million working days were lost due to work-related musculoskeletal injuries in 2019/20. Overhead Work: A Major Risk Factor Musculoskeletal injuries develop when biomechanical demands, such as extreme postures, repeatedly exceed the worker's physical capacity during construction work. In this regard, overhead work has been identified as a major risk factor for this type of injury in the shoulder region. Working with the arms raised over 90 for more than 10% of a worker's working hours increases the risk of work-related musculoskeletal injuries in the shoulder region by one to two thirds. Support is Needed Overhead work remains a very common part of construction work today. And despite growing automation, numerous strenuous tasks cannot be fully automated, at all or at a reasonable cost. One solution to physically relieve workers while keeping them in control of the task is to assist them with an exoskeleton. An exoskeleton is a wearable system that provides physical assistance to its user through assistive torques and/or structural support. As the system is worn on the body and follows the user's movements, no - or very limited - modifications of the workplace are required. Exoskeletons are drawing great interest from the industry to help alleviate some of the issues caused by overhead construction work. Hilti Exoskeleton: Addressing Productivity and Increased Demand Exoskeletons are designed to enhance productivity by reducing stress on the body, causing less pain and fatigue due to a reduced load on muscles and joints. This reduced stress and increased comfort when working enables workers to improve their health and reduce the amount of sick days they take, provided that they still take the required rest breaks for physical and mental wellbeing. Tests have proved the effectiveness of the exoskeleton in terms of reducing stress on a worker's muscles and joints, to improve the health of a worker and minimise days lost through ill health. By being able to retain skilled workers for longer periods of time due to less employee sick days, construction companies can utilise exoskeletons to improve operations twofold by improving employee wellbeing and increasing on-site productivity. Find out more about the Hilti Exoskeleton on our website: https://hilti.to/exo-mri-product You can download the full Hilti MRI report here: https://hilti.to/exo-mri-report Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1448753/Hilti_musculoskeletal_injuries.jpg The Senator representing Imo West, Rochas Okorocha, has described those initiating his recall from the Senate as political undertakers. ... The Senator representing Imo West, Rochas Okorocha, has described those initiating his recall from the Senate as political undertakers. Okorocha, in a statement issued by his Spokesperson, Sam Onwuemeodo, in Owerri, the state capital, on Wednesday, said members of the group, Orlu Political Consecutive Assembly, were behind the recall move. Okorocha, a former governor of the state, accused his successor, Hope Uzodinma, of giving the Orlu group N1bn for his recall, adding that the governor should have used the said money to offset arrears of salaries and pensions in the state. The senator also said that his political relevance could not be watered down by the state government officials no matter how hard they tried. The statement partly read, A group known as Orlu Political Consultative Assembly, OPOCA, has told its audience that it was going to recall the Senator, Representing Imo West Senatorial District, Owelle Rochas Okorocha from the Senate and for whatever is their reason. We would have ignored the adult delinquents, but for those who might not know the history or story of the elements behind OPOCA, we have decided to react accordingly. Those behind OPOCA are Political undertakers who glory in absurdities, simply to enlarge their coast or make their leaking pockets fat. And not just for any meaningful venture, but for leisure and pleasure. For those who do not know the group, the characters in OPOCA were the same people who carried the mock coffin of Chief Arthur Nzeribe when he was in the Senate and they did that to please Chief Achike Udenwa, who was governor then. They were also the same group that confined Chief Achike Udenwa to their Hall of shame. They did that to please Chief Ikedi Ohakim who was governor then. In 2015, the same group wrote petition to the Inspector General of Police against Chief Hope Uzodinma alleging assault. They did that to please Rochas Okorocha who was governor then and they had done that, thinking that Okorocha would make them commissioners. But Okorocha was not interested in the group using him to fight anybody. He rather appointed two of them Special Advisers. Chief Samfo Nwankwo, may his soul rest in peace, had died, but Chief Anunobi, out of anger, decided to join forces with those who had gathered against Okorocha. And that was how he declared to run for the position of the National Publicity Secretary of the APC at the last Convention of the party against Barr. Emma Ibediro who had the backing of Okorocha. Today, he is commissioner in Uzodinmas government and unlike Owelle Okorocha, governor Uzodinma has found the remaining members of the group willing tools to continue to prosecute his war of attrition against Okorocha. We have heard that they have been given N1 billion for the recall gimmick. Our only advice is that the governor should use the money to help in paying workers, teachers, pensioners and so on, who have not been paid for several months and there is no sign all the end of the tunnel. We are also worried that with the deteriorated security situation in the state, some people with the backing of the state government, would be engaging in activities that would further submerge the security situation in the State. It is our candid position that the government should not drag traditional rulers into messy political outings. Under governor Uzodinma, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Christian Association of Nigeria, Pensioners Association, Nigeria Union of Teachers, Nigeria Labour Congress, have all been destroyed. Now, the traditional institution. All these do not speak well of the administration. Meanwhile, Uzodinmas Senior Special Assistant on Print Media, Modestus Nwamkpa, cautioned Okorocha to stop involving his principal in his recall ordeal. Nwamkpa, said that the governor was committed to developing the state, saying, Okorocha should stop provoking Imo people. The governor is very busy with issues of governance and it is important Okorocha deals his recall ordeal without mentioning our hard working governor. The wharfies union has teamed up with long-time bitter adversary, stevedoring giant Patrick Terminals, to call for COVID testing of international seafarers before they interact on board their ships with shore-based wharfies. The Maritime Union of Australia a division of the CFMMEU has called for testing of all seafarers whose vessels are loading or unloading in the port, saying they pose an unacceptable infection risk. Union leaders Robert Lumsden, David Ball and Matt Purcell at Melbourne docks on Wednesday. Credit:Jason South Dock workers are subject to a strict testing regime imposed by the state government, with swabs mandated every seven days and testing stations set up at the ports of Melbourne, Geelong, Hastings and Portland. But one union leader said testing the wharfies but not the sailors was akin to breathalysing the barman instead of the drink driver. Panaji, March 3 : Goa's only major port, the Mormugao Port Trust, operated by the Centre is planning to develop a ferry circuit to cater to the international cruise ship tourists visiting the state. Speaking virtually at the Maritime India Summit 2021, Chairman of the Trust E. Ramesh Kumar said that the ferry service would connect several beach destinations in the coastal states, both in North Goa and South Goa districts. "The ferry service that we are planning is designated to be on three or four identified routes whether from South of Goa to Dona Paula and onwards, South of Goa to Captain of Ports jetty at Panaji and onwards to Old Goa or from South of Goa to any of the beach destinations like Candolim, Calangute, Baga and so on," Kumar said. "With a dedicated colour-coded ferry service, we are also contemplating to receive passengers on the other side with hop-on-hop-off buses, with the same colour codes with refreshments served en route, multilingual audio commentary," he also said. The top official also said that the Port Trust was also in the process of setting a commercial hub spread over 4,000 sq mt area near the port terminal itself for visiting cruiseship holidayers. "There is a unique feature of this commercial hub which is going to be primarily designed to depict the old Goan culture imbued with modern facilities. It also embodies in it the rich culture of various states and exhibiting three essential ingredients whether it is handicraft, handloom or the cuisine of various states or the cultural forms including music and dance," Kumar said. Oasis International and African Enterprise Australia Working Together in the Discipleship of Africa NEWS PROVIDED BYMarch 3, 2021 CHICAGO, March 3, 2021 /Christian Newswire/ -- African Enterprise Australia and Oasis International have come together "to evangelize the cities of Africa through Word and Deed in partnership with the Church" and "to equip Africa's leaders to impact the global church." Through this partnership Oasis International, an enterprising Christian publishing ministry responding to Africa's thirst for God's Word and publisher of the Africa Study Bible, will provide content from the Africa Study Bible which will be included in the Pastor Training Courses materials for African Enterprise, an evangelism ministry which mobilizes thousands of local volunteers and churches in African nations to bring the Good News of Jesus to city people in Sub-Saharan and North Africa. "African Enterprise is unique for our focus on reaching every level of society with the Gospel. Each year we run up to 12 city-wide evangelism missions in Central, East, West and Southern Africa," says Ben Campbell, CEO African Enterprise Australia. "We're looking forward to partnering together with Oasis on this initiative which will introduce the contextualized content into our pan African Mission work which has been an increasing focus in the last few years." Matthew Elliott, President of Oasis International said, "The Africa Study Bible was created to address the reality of life in Africa from an African perspective. It is a unique resource suited to reach Christians in Africa who want to learn how to live out God's Truth in their own cultures. We're excited for this partnership with African Enterprise because the pastors they will be training for missions will get access to resources that will help them use cultural understandings to apply Scripture to everyday life in their churches and communities." Readers of the Africa Study Bible say: "I have just finished chapter 9 of the book of Hebrews using the Africa Study Bible that I received as a gift. I was struggling to get deeper understanding of the book of Hebrews but now with the study Bible, it's so awesome. The introduction of the book brings the whole imaginations of what is inside and makes [me] fully expectant. The application notes at the bottom of each page are bringing [me] into the context of the paragraph and see [myself] as among the targeted audience of the author. I am really enjoying reading the Bible now than before." -- Pastor Chisomo Jede, Balaka, Malawi. "I was impressed by how African stories and proverbs are properly applied in the interpretation of scriptures as reflected in study notes about scriptures. Having a study Bible that explores scriptures in the African perspective with African touch points will be of a great help to the pastors as they prepare their sermons but also to the general body of the church in Africa." -- Liberty Muhereza, Country Director, ALARM-Uganda "I have had the privilege of working across Africa for the past 40 years and have waited for this amazing tool to become available. I am confident that the Africa Study Bible will become an invaluable daily companion to every pastor and teacher in Africa. It is a brilliant Study Bible written by African scholars from an African perspective and will certainly help Africa to understand and teach the Bible better." -- The Rt. Rev. Dr. Warwick Cole, Edwardes, Principal: KwaZulu-Natal Missionary & Bible College, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa To learn more about how to partner with Oasis International and equip pastors and leaders with the Africa Study Bible visit godswordforafrica.com/apply/ ABOUT OASIS INTERNATIONAL Oasis International is a Christian publishing ministry that is committed to providing accessible, affordable, and contextualized biblical resources for Africans and their leaders, to impact the global church. Our mission is to grow discipleship through publishing African voices. We engage Africa's most influential, most relevant, and best communicators for the sake of the gospel. We cultivate local and global partnerships in order to publish and distribute high-quality books and Bibles. We create contextual content that meets the specific needs of Africa, has the power to transform individuals and societies, and gives the church in Africa a global voice. Oasis is: Satisfying Africa's Thirst for God's Word. Learn more at oasisinternational.com. ABOUT AFRICAN ENTERPRISE AUSTRALIA African Enterprise and our supporters have brought peace, reconciliation and hope to African nations for 50 years and saved countless lives. Our unique evangelistic approach involves mobilising thousands of local volunteers and churches in African nations to bring the Good News of Jesus to city people in Sub-Saharan and North Africa. With regular support and prayer, amazing supporters like you have rescued many thousands from lives of forced poverty and misery. Partnering with us makes saving more lives possible. Please join us now in celebrating God's mercy and power to change Africa.Together we have reached over 1.3 million with the good news of Jesus in 2018. SOURCE Oasis International CONTACT: Boka Nyachieo-Ngumba, 630-578-1265 Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Indian army soldiers near Zojila mountain pass that connects Srinagar to the union territory of Ladakh, bordering China, on Nov. 26, 2020. (Tauseef Mustafa/AFP via Getty Images) Chinese Social Media Influencer Forced to Confess on TV A Chinese social media influencer with millions of followers was recently arrested by Chinese authorities for questioning the Chinese soldiers death toll in the Sino-India border conflict in 2020. He was forced to make a confession on Chinas state-run national TV. On Mar. 1, the Nanjing Procuratorate announced on its official social media WeChat account that it approved the arrest of Qiu Ziming, the owner of the account named Spicy pen small ball on the Chinese social media Weibo, for belittling and ridiculing the heroes and martyrs defending the border and causing a negative social impact. Qiu was detained by local police on Feb. 20. Also on Mar. 1, the Supreme Procuratorate of China posted Qius confession footage on its official media Procuratorate Daily. State-run CCTV also broadcasted Qius one-minute confession that evening. In the video, Qiu was wearing prisoners clothes. He called his behavior annihilating conscience and said he felt very regretful for questioning the official death toll of Chinese soldiers from the Sino-India border clash. The worst conflict in 45 years broke out between Indian and Chinese soldiers in the Galwan Valley, Ladakh region in the Himalayas in June 2020. At least 20 Indian soldiers were killed in the clash. Last month, the Chinese regime announced that 4 soldiers died and 1 regiment commander was seriously injured in the conflict. Indian Army personnel keep vigilance at Bumla pass at the India-China border in Arunachal Pradesh on Oct. 21, 2012. According to Indian media reports, the Chinese have built 1010 houses, 2.5 miles inside the Indian territory in an area inside Arunachal Pradesh. (Biju Boro/AFP via Getty Images) Chinese netizens expressed skepticism about the death toll and the delay in releasing the information. A number of netizens have been arrested for questioning the official numbers on social media. Qiu, who has more than 2.4 million followers, published two posts. Qiu expressed sarcasm: Only the highest rank Chinese official therethe regimental commander has survived. Anyway, we won. Qius other post raised suspicion about the official death toll: Look at it carefully, and the four died all because of going there to rescue. Even the people who went to rescue all died. Then the people who needed rescue died. It means that the four people were not the only ones killed in the battle. This is also the reason why India dared to release the number and names of the dead the first time. In Indias view, they won with less casualties. On Feb. 10, the state-run Russian TASS news agency reported that 45 Chinese servicemen died in the clash. Yao Cheng, a former Chinese naval officer, told Chinese-language radio Sound of Hope on Feb. 23 that his China information channels counted the tombs of the dead soldiers and reported to him that more than 40 Chinese soldiers had died in the clash. Some [of my information channels] told me that the death toll is 42. I think this number is accurate, Yao said. According to Baidu, the Chinese equivalent of Wikipedia, Qiu, 39, resides in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. He majored in journalism and has a masters degree in law from the Political Department of Nanjing University. He once worked in the local Chinese media Jinling Evening News and Economic Observer as an investigative reporter. At least six netizens in Beijing, Hebei, Guizhou, Guangdong, Sichuan, and Jiangsu have been arrested for questioning the official data of Chinese casualties in the border conflict, according to a report by Voice of America. A 19-year-old netizen named Wang Jingyu from Chongqing city has become a fugitive, as the Chinese regime issued a warrant for him online for questioning the official numbers of Chinese soldier deaths. Wang is currently living in Europe, but his parents who are currently living in China have been arrested and assaulted in an effort to stop him from speaking to the media. Forced TV Confession Forced confessions on TV is a unique tactic of the Chinese communist regime. It is a practice reminiscent of the many forced, public confessions by so-called enemies of the state in the era of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), which was a violent and tumultuous political movement launched by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Mao Zedong. Tens of millions of people in China were persecuted to death at that time. In more recent years, people who are detained by the regime are forced to admit their guilt on TV. It causes public humiliation for the so-called criminal and it deters others. It violates basic human rights, despite the CCPs claim that China has a rule of law society. Unfairly receiving accusations with no chance of defending themselvesthis is not new, but its an adaptation to new technology that now makes it possible for everybody to see this, Jerome Cohen, a professor of law and an expert in Chinese law at New York University, told CNN in 2016. Activists gather outside the British Consulate-General building, following reports that Simon Cheng, a Hong Kong consulate employee had been detained by mainland Chinese authorities on his way back to the city, in Hong Kong on Aug. 21, 2019. (Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images) The victims of Chinas forced TV confessions include Chinas human rights lawyers, Hong Kong citizen Simon Cheng who worked for the British consulate in Hong Kong, British private investigator Peter Humphrey and his American wife Yu Yingzeng, and others. Simon Cheng disappeared on August 8, 2019. He later revealed that he was detained by the CCP for 15 days and tortured. He said he was forced to read a script given to him in front of a camera as his confession. Both Humphrey and Cheng filed a complaint with the UKs TV-regulator Ofcom against the Chinese regimes English language mouthpiece CGTN for airing their forced TV confessions in the UK. Their complaints were one of the factors that resulted in the suspension of CGTNs broadcasting license in the UK. Nicole Hao contributed to this report. New Delhi, March 3 : The Supreme Court said on Wednesday that if recruitment for public employment stood vitiated as a consequence of systemic fraud or irregularities, the entire process would become illegitimate, and be a strong reason to cancel the examination. A bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and M.R. Shah observed that there may be situations where the nature of the irregularities may be manifold, and the number of candidates involved is of such a magnitude that it is impossible to precisely delineate or segregate the tainted from the untainted. The top court stressed that the decisions of the recruiting body are hence subject to judicial control subject to the settled principle that the recruiting authority must have a measure of discretion to take decisions in accordance with law which are best suited to preserve the sanctity of the process. The bench, at the outset, said that constitutional values which undergird Articles 14 and 16 mandate that selection processes conducted by public authorities to make recruitments have to be fair, transparent and accountable. However, often human fallibility and foibles intrude into the selection processes, noted the top court. "The requirement that a public body must act in fair and reasonable terms animates the entire process of selection," noted the bench in its 66-page judgement. The bench emphasised that a considered decision of the authority based on the material before it taken bona fide should not lightly be interfered in the exercise of the powers of judicial review unless it stands vitiated on grounds of unreasonableness or proportionality. "Recruitment to public services must command public confidence. Persons who are recruited are intended to fulfil public functions associated with the functioning of the government. Where the entire process is found to be flawed, its cancellation may undoubtedly cause hardship to a few who may not specifically be found to be involved in wrongdoing," the bench said. The top court upheld the Delhi government decision of March 15, 2016 cancelling the Tier-I and Tier-II examinations held for recruitment to the post of head clerk. The court allowed an appeal by the Delhi Subordinate Service Selection Board against the Delhi High Court's judgement which set aside the decision to cancel the recruitment examinations. The bench noted that it is not sufficient to nullify the decision to cancel an examination where the nature of the wrongdoing cuts through the entire process so as to seriously impinge upon the legitimacy of the examinations which have been held for recruitment. "Both the high court and the tribunal have, in our view, erred in laying exclusive focus on the report of the second Committee which was confined to the issue of impersonation," noted the top court. The bench cited that the irregularities were not confined to acts of mal-practice or unfair means on the part of a specific group of persons. "On the contrary, the report of the committee found deficiencies of a systemic nature which cast serious doubts on the legitimacy of the entire process of recruitment involving both the Tier-I and Tier-II examinations," added the bench. The bench said these violations may or may not involve all the candidates within the ultimate zone of selection. "But that in our view is besides the point for the simple reason that the gravamen of the charge in the present case is not in regard to the taint which attaches to a specific group of persons but to the sanctity of the recruitment process as a whole," said the top court. RTHK: Blinken calls China biggest 'test,' vows US strength US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday that the United States was ready to confront China where need be, calling the Asian power the "biggest geopolitical test" of the century. In his first major speech, Blinken vowed that President Joe Biden's administration will emphasise diplomacy over military action and build cooperation with the world on global challenges such as climate change and Covid-19. "We will manage the biggest geopolitical test of the 21st century: our relationship with China," Blinken said at the State Department. "China is the only country with the economic, diplomatic, military and technological power to seriously challenge the stable and open international system - all the rules, values and relationships that make the world work the way we want it to," he said. "Our relationship with China will be competitive when it should be, collaborative when it can be and adversarial when it must be. And we will engage China from a position of strength." Blinken indicated that Biden would be sparing in military action despite ordering an air strike last week in Syria against Iranian-linked Iraqi Shi'ite paramilitaries. He did not mention a fresh attack on Wednesday on a base in Iraq in which a US contractor died from a cardiac episode. "In future cases when we must take military action, we will do so only when the objectives and mission are clear and achievable, consistent with our values and laws and with the informed consent of the American people," Blinken said. "And we'll do it together with diplomacy." Blinken voiced alarm over an "erosion of democracy" worldwide that includes the United States, pointing to the January 6 siege of the Capitol by supporters of defeated president Donald Trump. Unless the United States promotes democracy, "we play right into the hands of adversaries and competitors like Russia and China who seize every opportunity to sow doubts about the strength of our democracy," Blinken said. But he said Biden had no interest in bringing democracy to the world "through costly military interventions or by attempting to overthrow authoritarian regimes by force." "We have tried these tactics in the past. However well intentioned, they haven't worked." He was likely alluding to the war in Iraq as well as the 2011 operation, which he supported, that backed an uprising that overthrow dictator Moamer Kadhafi in Libya, ushering in a decade of chaos. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2021-03-03. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. One person was killed when an oil well exploded in southwest Louisiana over the weekend, authorities said. Emergency crews were called to the scene of the explosion near Longville on Sunday evening, according to a statement from Beauregard Parish Fire District 2. The agency said one person died in the blast. Authorities did not immediately identify the victim. The blaze was extinguished shortly after 6 p.m., officials said. No responders were hurt, and it was not immediately clear what caused the blaze. Nearby resident Brenda Eddins told KPLC-TV that she looked out from her front door and saw a big cloud of boiling oil smoke and fire. I was in my house and I heard a big boom and a second boom, and then my house shook and when my house shook, the witness added. The sheriffs office, the State Fire Marshals Office and Louisiana State Police HazMat were set to investigate the origin and cause of the fire. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Louisiana Energy Oil Gas 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. TURIN, MAR 3 - An Italian highway worker was killed by a waste compactor truck while he was putting up road signs at Pinerolo near Turin near Turin on Wednesday. Another worker was seriously injured in the accident. He was 'coptered to Turin's CTO Hospital. The accident took place on provincial highway 129. An autopsy has been ordered. (ANSA). Thiruvananthapuram, March 3 : There is a buzz in Kerala's political circles over retired diplomat Venu Rajamony's frequent outings with the Congress leaders which has led to speculation that he may go the Shashi Tharoor way -- from being a career envoy to full-fledged political personality. Rajamony, soon after superannuating from the Indian Foreign Service recently (Indian Ambassador to Netherlands) has been more or less settled in the state capital and the word among Congress workers is he will be given a ticket to contest the assembly election. Sources believe the possibility has further increased since the past few days, especially after top Congress leaders have been saying there will be surprises galore in their list of candidates. On Tuesday, Rajamony was at a seminar organised by the research wing of the Congress party. In the event, Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh appeared live from New Delhi. A senior Congress leader on condition of anonymity said that one cannot rule out the candidature of Rajamony. "He is now seen often among the top brass of our party, here. Look at Shashi Tharoor (who retired as a UN official), though he never had any political experience, he has already registered a hat trick of wins from the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat. "Even his adversaries agree with his stellar performance in the Lok Sabha that people like him are definitely an asset and Rajamony, though not as flamboyant as Tharoor, I am sure can give a shock to any candidate, if he is named to contest by our party. Kerala definitely needs people like Rajamony and if it happens through the Congress party, I don't think there will be any big opposition," said the Congress leader. The Congress party is considering fielding him from either the Nemom or Vattiyoorkavu assembly constituencies in the state capital city, said sources. Nemom will certainly be the cynosure of all eyes, as it is from this constituency that the BJP opened its account in the 140-member Kerala assembly in the 2016 election, when party veteran and then 85 years old O. Rajagopal won. For both the Congress and the CPI-M, this seat this time is going to be crucial and hence Rajamony is seen as the perfect fit. For the Congress party, Vattiyoorkavu is a must win after it suffered a shock defeat in the assembly by-election last year and the Congress party feels that, in this upcountry constituency, there will be no better person than Rajamony. Rajamony is quite well known to the Congress party's national leadership by virtue of his tenure as the press secretary to then President Pranab Mukherjee. And if he finally manages to be in the list, his presence could see a spirited high profile election campaign in the capital city. Rajamony can breathe easy that the state capital has always given the thumbs up to people with a similar background like his, like former Defence Minister V.K. Krishna Menon and the flamboyant Tharoor. The Office for the Attorney-General has released a statement this evening clarifying comments made by Christian Porter today that, no journalist has put the detail of the allegations to me in a way that would allow seeking a response, not ever. Since Mr Porters press conference today, a number of outlets including The Age and Sydney Morning Herald, have reported the times and dates when the allegations were put to the Attorney-Generals office for response and did not receive any reply. A spokesman for Mr Porter tonight said the Attorney General was specifically referring to the very first article about the alleged rape, published by the ABC on Friday. Clearly, in considering the Attorney-Generals media conference in full, he was referring to never having received in any substantive form the allegations against him before they were aired on ABC last Friday and not to enquiries driven by the ABCs airing of the allegations, the spokesman said. The spokesman pointed to Mr Porters comments: Had the accusation ever been put to me - before they were printed - I would have at least been able to say the only thing that I can say likely the only thing that Im ever going to be able to say and its the truth and that is that nothing in the allegations that have been printed ever happened. But Mr Porter was also asked directly by a reporter at the briefing,no journalist or media organisation put those specific allegations to you at any time? to which Mr Porter replied, never. The spokesman justified the lack of response to follow up reporting of the ABC story stating, theres not much point putting the allegations to the Attorney-General after theyve been printed. The spokesman also said the Attorney-General had never seen or had put to him the statement or pack of documents from the complainant that media has used as the basis for their reporting. To have received them when he was the subject of them and they were matters for law enforcement agencies, it would have been inappropriate for him to access them, he said. (Newser) Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, are now speaking out more on the rough environment that prompted them to pseudo-defect from the royal family and England. Now, sources tell the Times of London that Markle herself was accused of bullying, via a complaint filed by one of her staff members during her time at Kensington Palace, where the BBC notes the Sussexes lived for about a year after their May 2018 wedding. According to the grievance filed in October 2018 by Jason Knauf, who was then the couple's communications chief, Markle's behavior caused two personal assistants to leave the household, and a third one to have her "confidence" undermined. Among the allegations, per the sources, were senior staff feeling bullied by Markle, to the point they'd be in tears. One ex-worker claims to the Times to have been "humiliated" by the duchess, while another says Markle's behavior was akin to "emotional cruelty and manipulation." story continues below One aide allegedly once said to a co-worker before an expected confrontation with Markle: "I can't stop shaking." "The Duchess seems intent on always having someone in her sights," Knauf wrote in his emailed complaint. A source says once Harry got wind of it, he met with Knauf and pleaded with him to stop going after his wife. Although attorneys for the couple say that meeting never happened, the complaint apparently never went anywhere, and Knauf resigned soon after. A rep for the Sussexes tells the Times that Markle is "saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma." The statement calls the whole thing a "smear campaign," and says the Times itself is "being used by Buckingham Palace to peddle a wholly false narrative," just days before the Sussexes' interview with Oprah Winfrey is to air. So far, no comment from the palace. (Read more Meghan Markle stories.) FILE - This Dec. 4, 2019 file photo shows Dr. Mehmet Oz at the 14th annual L'Oreal Paris Women of Worth Gala in New York. Oz, the cardiac surgeon and longtime host of TV's Dr. Oz Show, rendered aid a 60-year-old traveler at Newark Liberty International Airport on Monday, March 1, 2021. Oz, along with Port Authority Officer Jeffrey Croissant, performed CPR on the man until three more officers arrived to provide oxygen and activate a defibrillator. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File) PHOTO:Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File 'Dr. Oz' Helps Resuscitate Man at Airport By The Associated Press NEWARK - When a traveler became stricken at Newark Liberty International Airport, the police got an assist from a celebrity doctor: Mehmet Oz. The incident occurred late Monday night when Port Authority Officer Jeffrey Croissant saw the 60-year-old man fall to the floor near a baggage claim area. Croissant called for backup, and immediately began performing CPR on the unidentified man, who wasn't breathing and didn't appear to have a pulse, according to the Port Authority. When another person came over to help, Croissant didnt immediately recognize it was Oz, the cardiac surgeon and longtime host of TVs Dr. Oz Show, who happened to be nearby. The two performed CPR together on the man until three other officers brought oxygen and a defibrillator for the man, who eventually regained a pulse and was taken to a hospital for evaluation. What better help than to have a cardiac surgeon?" Croissant said afterward. Oz has come to the aid of injured people on numerous occasions. In 2015, emergency responders arriving at the scene of a crash on the New Jersey Turnpike found Oz was already treating two injured people. And two years earlier, he helped a British tourist whose foot was severed when a cabbie jumped the curb at Rockefeller Center in midtown Manhattan. ROCHESTER, Minn. - Distance learning may be the way of the future for some Med City students. Rochester Public Schools is working on a plan to launch a permanent online school, with the district ready to send an application to the Minnesota Department of Education for approval. "We recognize a number of students may be seeking a virtual school experience beyond the pandemic for a variety of reasons. We believe we have a number of students who are thriving in this learning environment and would take advantage of a permanent on-line school should this be offered Rochester Public Schools," RPS staff said in a meeting document. The district says the school would serve K-12 students, offering coursework designed to meet the unique needs of each individual pupil. It would also provide a variety of learning model options, from full distance learning to hybrid learning where students could take as little as one class virtually. Staff add after the pandemic, students and teachers could even meet for activities like labs, field trips, and celebrations. School Board Clerk Melissa Amundsen says a dedicated online school would be an asset for Rochester families. "I think an online school is great and overdue, and I'm so happy that we're pursuing this option," Amundsen said. "I think it's healthy for our school district, it's healthy for our community, and it's healthy for the students and their families to have an additional option to choose from if that's what they feel works best for them." If the district's plan is accepted by MDE, the Rochester Public School Board would need to grant final approval before the program is launched. Staff say online courses through the school may begin this fall, with registration starting as early as this spring. RPS Superintendent Michael Munoz says if the virtual school is able to start this year, it's likely the full scope of the program won't be ready by fall. "It's not going to look like that day one that first year out. It's going to take some time to build the capacity to get where you would truly have a full online and a full staff dedicated just to the online academy part of it," Munoz said. Staff say even with in-person learning available, 17.2% of K-5 students in the district are choosing to remain in full distance learning. So far 19.7% of secondary students have indicated they will the same when full in-person learning resumes April 5th. Eight people have been handed over to Polish police on foot of European Arrest Warrants. The eight were surrendered to the Policja at Baldonnel Aerodrome by Gardai attached to the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI) this morning. Gardai said Polish police had sought the extraditions in relation to a number of offences including armed robbery, false imprisonment, burglary and offences connected with organised crime. Read More Detective Superintendent Michael J Mullen of the Garda Extradition Unit said the successful operation highlighted the strong international cooperation enjoyed by the Garda Extradition Unit. "This operation also highlights the continued commitment of domestic stakeholders including the Department of Justice, The Defence Forces and the Irish Prison Service all of whom work in tandem to ensure wanted fugitives are brought to justice, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 11:20:20|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ROME, March 2 (Xinhua) -- As an ambitious geographical indications agreement between the European Union (EU) and China took effect on Monday, analysts said the deal can be a win-win situation for both sides, given that it is the first step toward protecting an even wider array of goods. The landmark agreement on geographical indications (GIs) between the EU and China protects and guarantees the authenticity of 100 GIs from each side. GI sign is used to show the specific geographical origin of a product and identify its qualities or reputation due to that origin. It is an important type of intellectual property right and a quality guarantee. WIN-WIN DEAL WELCOMED As a result of the deal, the total number of EU GIs protected in China increased to 134 while Chinese GIs that are officially protected in the EU were up to 110. The European products covered by the agreement range from 52 types of wine, 13 kinds of cheese, and various types of fruits, cured meats, and spirits, while Chinese products protected includes 28 kinds of tea and a wide range of agricultural products including specific types of apples, mushrooms, rice, honey and Goji berries. "This agreement is so important because it takes a new step, recognizing that there are key exports on both sides that need to be protected against misuse and copying," Lorenzo Castellani, a political scientist with Rome's LUISS University, told Xinhua. "This is a further step which testifies to the will of the European Union and China to work closely together," said Rodolphe Lameyse, chief executive officer of Vinexposium, a wine and spirits events organizer. Lukasz Karmowski, president of the Polish Association of Distilleries representing local agricultural vodka producers, called the agreement "a great success" for Polish national drink. As "China's first comprehensive, high-level bilateral agreement on GIs, its coming into effect fully testifies to China and the EU's commitment to upholding free and open trade, and supporting rules-based multilateral trading system," China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Monday. "It will provide new impetus to China-EU economic and trade cooperation and be conducive to cementing the foundation, economic- and trade-wise, of China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership," he noted. EXPANSION OF DEAL EXPECTED Of the 100 European Union products protected by the agreement, 26 come from Italy -- more than from any other European Union member states. Among the Italian products listed in the agreement are mozzarella and parmesan cheese, Brunello and Barbaresco wine, San Daniele and Prosciutto cured meats, and grappa, a high-alcohol spirit. "This is just a start, focusing mostly on products related to gastronomic excellence on both sides," Italian scholar Castellani said, predicting a wider expansion. In his opinion, it will ultimately grow far beyond current levels to cover industrial products including vehicles and aerospace equipment. According to the agreement, the scope of the document will expand to cover an additional 175 GIs from each side by 2024. But Rolando Manfredi, head of quality management for Coldiretti, Italy's largest agricultural union, said he hopes it will eventually be expanded far beyond even that level for 2024. "There are 8,000 geographically protected products in Italy alone, which means this agreement protects just 3 percent of them," he said. "I would like to see the list expand to include more and more of these products." Their aspiration highlights the potential of win-win cooperation between the EU and China and also reflects the impetus of existing EU-China relations. Last year, China surpassed the United States to become the EU's largest trading partner. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce data showed that China has been the bloc's top source of imports and its second-largest export market, with the bilateral trade volume reaching 649.5 billion U.S. dollars in 2020. According to EU data, the bloc's exports to China rose 2.2 percent last year compared to 2019, while imports from China grew 5.6 percent. That took place when the EU exports to the rest of the world shrank by 9.4 percent and imports fell by 11.6 percent in 2020 amid the global economic slowdown sparked by the coronavirus pandemic. 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. Tandav Controversy: Amazon Prime Apologises Unconditionally, Issues Statement Amazon Prime Video on Tuesday said it respects its viewers' diverse beliefs and apologises unconditionally to anyone who felt hurt by scenes in Tandav, a starry political saga that found itself in trouble over allegations that it depicted Hindu gods in an objectionable manner. In a statement, the streamer said it "deeply regrets" the fact that viewers considered certain scenes to be objectionable and added that those have already been removed. It said it would continue to develop entertaining content with partners while "complying with the laws of India and respecting the diversity of culture and beliefs of our audiences". "Amazon Prime Video again deeply regrets that viewers considered certain scenes to be objectionable in the recently launched fictional series 'Tandav'. This was never our intention, and the scenes that were objected to were removed or edited when they were brought to our attention," the company said in its statement. "We respect our viewers' diverse beliefs and apologise unconditionally to anyone who felt hurt by these scenes. Our teams follow company content evaluation processes, which we acknowledge need to be constantly updated to better serve our audiences," it added. The Saif Ali Khan, Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, Dimple Kapadia starrer landed in major political controversy for a scene depicting a college play. It led to multiple FIRs and furious allegations that it hurt religious sentiments. Faced with multiple FIRs, arrests and calls for boycott, the cast and crew of the Ali Abbas Zafar-directed series apologised twice. Eventually, the team decided to cut the objectionable portions. The government last week brought new guidelines for social media and OTT platforms to ensure compliance with local laws. The apology from the streamer also comes four days after the Allahabad High Court rejected the anticipatory bail plea filed by Amazon Prime Video's head of India Originals Aparna Purohit, stating that the title of the show "can be offensive to the majority of the people of this country". While rejecting the application, a single-judge bench of Justice Sidharth said the applicant was earlier granted interim protection from arrest by another bench in a similar case but she was not cooperating with the investigation. The court observed, "Western filmmakers have refrained from ridiculing Lord Jesus or the Prophet but Hindi filmmakers have done this repeatedly and are still doing this most unabashedly with Hindu gods and goddesses." In January, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry sought an explanation from the makers as the chorus for a boycott grew against the show. The show, about intrigue in Delhi's corridors of power, touches on current issues such as student unrest and farmer protests. Tandav , which literally translates to dance of destruction', dominated headlines for days as the controversy refused to die down despite the makers' apology and the decision to remove the scene in question. The nine-episode Tandav', which premiered on the service on January 15, is only the latest in a long line of showbiz offerings to attract controversy for one reason or another. Netflix show A Suitable Boy, based on Vikram Seth's bestselling novel, faced the ire of the rightwing for a scene showing a Muslim man and a Hindu girl kissing in the backdrop of a temple. Amazon's Pataal Lok got into trouble for its depiction of communal issues, and Netflix's Leila was called "anti-Hindu" for showing the dystopian future of Aryavarta. PHOENIX, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A new report entitled, Arizona Reskilling & Recovery Network: A Workforce Development and Education/Training Framework, outlines how Arizona's community colleges are the economic engines needed to provide fast, job-focused training for unemployed and underemployed workers in an economy reshaped by the coronavirus pandemic. The report also calls for a coordinated operational plan with the [email protected] system and provides policy recommendations to assist in supporting recovery. The report proposes that Arizona's community colleges are positioned to quickly work across government and industry sectors to develop programs that upskill and reskill workers for the new economy. Upskilling teaches new competencies to help workers stay in current roles, reskilling prepares workers for new roles. "Arizona was selected as one of 20 states to join the national Reskilling and Recovery Network in large part because of the collaborative work that Arizona's community colleges are already doing," said Lee Lambert, Chancellor of Pima Community College and chair of the Workforce Committee for the Arizona Community College Coordinating Council (AC4). "Because of community colleges' ability to pivot and develop innovative methods for training and upskilling displaced and underemployed workers, community colleges will play a critical role in the economic recovery of our nation." Another key reason the report calls upon community colleges to reskill post-pandemic workers is the value they place on partnerships with private industry for apprenticeships, internships, and tuition reimbursement. Arizona's community colleges are rooted in their communities and can quickly adjust to local labor market needs. As proof, current construction and electrical apprenticeship programs at Arizona Western College, Central Arizona College, and Yavapai College give students viable skills while they earn income which helps reduce student debt. "This is about Arizona's community colleges working with private industry to supercharge local workforce development," stated Mark Gaspers, senior manager for state and local government operations at Boeing. "Our relationship with community colleges shows that we can work together to address workforce needs and develop curricula that gives students the industry skills they need." Economic inequalities caused by the coronavirus pandemic are also addressed within the report. Many Arizonans remain unemployed or employed in low-wage jobs, especially among rural communities, discouraged and marginally attached workers, racial and ethnic minorities, and women. "Community colleges have this reputation for agility in responding to industry needs," said Dr. Daniel P. Corr, president of Arizona Western College. "This marries that up with state-wide, scalable solutions that help eliminate poverty in both rural and urban settings." Research-backed evidence that the post-pandemic economy is expected to require more education at all levels provides the basis for the report. Arizona's community colleges are focused on programs that meet target industries identified by the Arizona Commerce Authority the state's leading economic development organization. Each of these industries represents high concentrations of workers, high wage career paths, job growth, and industry expansion. Current programs that offer cutting-edge technologies for targeted industries include: Arizona Western College's Unmanned Aerial Systems cross-discipline certificate, Maricopa Community Colleges' Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning program, Pima Community College's Automated Industrial Technology program, and Yavapai College's 3D Construction and Affordable Housing program. To support economic recovery, the report outlines a series of recommendations for policy makers. These pivotal reforms range from addressing expenditure limits to allow colleges to more efficiently and effectively create workforce programs on pace with Arizona business demands to develop a state-wide ApprenticeshipAZ model that includes tax credits for participating employers. For more information on these reforms, and to view report details, visit www.arizonacommunitycolleges.org. About the Report The Arizona Reskilling & Recovery Network: A Workforce Development and Education/Training Framework report was published by the Arizona Community College Coordinating Council (AC4). A steering committee from the Arizona Network Team of the National Reskilling and Recovery Network contributed research for the report. This network has been facilitated by the National Governors Association and the American Association of Community Colleges since July 2020, and involves 20-plus states including Arizona. Arizona's Network Team was composed of ten members: two representatives from the Governor's Office, four community college presidents/chancellors, two industry representatives, and two workforce representatives. About the Arizona Community College Coordinating Council The Arizona Community College Coordinating Council (AC4) is an association of the ten accredited community college district CEOs. As primary providers of job training, workforce preparation, and university transfer education in Arizona, the districts are responsible for serving a diverse population of students throughout the state. The Council was created to provide a forum for advocacy, communication, and coordination, and to provide a unified voice for independent community college districts. The Council and its executive director also act as a single point of contact to the public, media, education community, and public policy makers. About [email protected] [email protected] is the statewide workforce development network that helps employers of all sizes and types recruit, develop, and retain the best employees for their needs. For job seekers throughout the state, [email protected] provides services and resources to pursue employment opportunities. [email protected] is a public and private partnership with 12 regional areas and 47 local offices, all working together and all sharing one mission: providing innovative workforce solutions to employers and job seekers. SOURCE Arizona Community Colleges Related Links http://www.arizonacommunitycolleges.org [March 02, 2021] Mitigram introduces TxM Transaction Manager for Trade Finance operations STOCKHOLM, March 2, 2021 /PRnewswire/ -- Less than six months after launching the Open Market Discovery module, Swedish fintech Mitigram is releasing their latest, and to date biggest, add-on to their Trade Finance platform: TxM - Transaction Manager, a solution that will allow corporates to manage all their Trade Finance Transactions in one application. Despite great leaps in financial technology, a large portion of global Trade Finance still relies on outdated systems, such as spreadsheets attached to emails. "It might come as a surprise to most people, but many large corporates have not yet begun introducing new technologies within their Trade Finance operations. Information sits in e-mails and spreadsheets, and processes are very manual," said Mitigram's CEO Milena Torciano. "As such we saw an opportunity not only to solve the problem of inefficient processes. A solution like TxM will certainly help corporates as well as the market itself become more efficient and dynamic. We are confident that our product can help any company involved in cross border trade, regardless of their size." One of the main challenges that corporates and financial institutions face when working with outdated systems is the inability to integrate with newer solutions. "This first version of the Mitigram's Transaction Manager is one more step towards Mitigram becoming an integrated part of an ever-expanding Trade Finance ecosystem," commented Mitigram's Founder and Chief Product Officer Marjon Wohlen. "Like all our other modules, TxM is plug-and-play, and will seamlessly integrate with other systems in the market, such as SWIFT and other trade finance networks' initiatives." "The productivity gains for corporates are immediate with Mitigram's TxM," explained Benoit Steinbach, Managing Director, Corporate at Mitigram. "That is why we have seen such an enthusiastic response from our existing clients. They understand that with a multi-bank, multi-instrument and multi-channel solution like Mitigram, which will provide a collaborative interface across teams and colleagues, their whole Trade Finance operations can be mapped from A to Z, providing insights for intelligent and effective decision making." Mitigram is the most trusted market network in Trade Finance and it is used by large corporates and most of the largest banks in the world, to build business relationships across the globe. Currently operating in over 100 countries, Mitigram has recently expanded to Asia with regional headquarters in Singapore and sales directors in multiple countries. Transaction Manager - TxM launch webinar (www.bit.ly/txm-webinar) A complementary 45 minute webinar will be held on March 15, at 9:30AM CET (4:30PM SGT) to officially launch and demonstrate the capabilities of Mitigram's new Transaction Manager TxM. Register on GoToWebinar to book your seat. Head of Asia Johan Egnell and Product Manager Anton Monaghan will present the demo to participants and conduct a Q&A session. Limited seats are available at www.bit.ly/txm-webinar About Mitigram (www.mitigram.com) Mitigram is the premier global online platform for funding and hedging the risk of trade. Adopted by multinational corporates, leading commodity traders and many of the world's largest banks, Mitigram offers a collaborative, efficient and cost-effective way for corporates to securely interact with their financial institutions in the negotiation of trade finance, bonding & guarantees and risk mitigation. Mitigram also allows banks to collaborate with each other and with non-bank financial institutions in the exchange of information to allow for trade finance needs to be effectively communicated and redistributed. The platform provides access to an extended network of counterparties, supports comprehensive automated quotation workflows and provides all parties with a better understanding of market pricing. Launched in 2015, Mitigram has facilitated over $60 billion of trade finance in 100+ countries, covering the risks of over 1000 issuing banks in both developed and emerging markets. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mitigram-introduces-txm-transaction-manager-for-trade-finance-operations-301239148.html SOURCE Mitigram [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- China forced banks to hold more foreign currencies in reserve for the first time in more than a decade, its most substantial move yet to rein the surging yuan.The nations financial institutions will need to hold 7% of their foreign exchange in reserve from June 15, according to a central bank statement Monday. Thats an increase of 2 percentage points, and the first such hike since 2007. The move, which the Peoples Bank of China said will help liquidity management, effectively reduces the supply of dollars and other currencies onshore -- putting pressure on the yuan to weaken.Although analysts said the direct impact may be small, the move is the clearest signal by the PBOC that its unhappy about the yuans surge to a three-year high against the greenback. Authorities had until now limited their response to rhetoric: a former central bank official and a state-media commentary talked down the currency over the weekend.The PBOC wants to show the market -- if the rally keeps going, it has many measures to slow it down and the market will fail if it wants to make speculative bets, said Zhou Hao, an economist at Commerzbank AG in Singapore. Its more of a symbolic move, as no matter how the PBOC boosts funding costs on foreign exchange, the rate on the yuan will almost always be higher.The PBOC set its daily reference rate at 6.3572 on Tuesday, only marginally weaker than the average forecast in a Bloomberg survey of analysts and traders. The currency gained 0.2% to 6.3634 per dollar as of 9:52 a.m. in Hong Kong, while the onshore rate strengthened 0.1%.Betting on the yuan has been a successful strategy in the past year. The currency has surged 13% against the dollar since last May, when it was near its lowest level since 2008 amid the effects of the pandemic and the trade war with the U.S. Brokerages including Citic Securities Co., Scotiabank and Westpac Banking Corp. expect the currency to climb to 6.2 against the dollar. That would be the strongest since a 2015 devaluation.The yuan is supported by Chinas economic recovery and its higher-yielding markets are attractive to global investors. A backdrop of imported inflation is bolstering the argument for a stronger yuan. Against a basket of trading partners, the Chinese currency is the strongest since 2016.The foreign-exchange reserve ratio hike will likely freeze about $20 billion of liquidity, according to Guan Tao, a former official at the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. The increase demonstrates the Chinese central banks strong determination to curb rapid appreciation in the yuan, and PBOC has more tools if speculation emerges in the currency market, he said.Recent history shows traders should be wary. In the wake of the devaluation, the yuan fell about 11% by the end of 2016, surged 11% through its 2018 peak, before reversing again to sink 13% by September 2019. When momentum in the yuan became too extreme, authorities often took steps to arrest the moves. In early 2018, for instance, the yuan fell the most in two months as authorities gave banks the green light to submit quotes for weaker fixings.Still, analysts remain unconvinced of the potency of the latest measure. Fundamental factors supporting the yuan -- such as its interest-rate premium and high inflation -- remain intact, Citigroup Inc. economists led by Liu Li-gang wrote in a note.While this policy will lock in a certain amount of capital inflow and make foreign exchange funding costs higher, its effectiveness remains in doubt, Liu wrote.Any tightening in dollar funding onshore wont be sustained because global investors can easily obtain cheap foreign-exchange overseas and invest in yuan bonds, according to Ju Wang, a senior currency strategist at HSBC Bank Plc.Beijing seems to be sticking to its goal of liberalizing markets as part of President Xi Jinpings plans to reduce moral hazard. Its not just the yuan where direct intervention is now an unusual sight. The national team of state-backed funds is rarely seen in the $12 trillion stock market anymore, unless moves risk turning into panic or mania. Even in the commodities market, where officials are struggling to cool prices, efforts have largely been verbal rather than direct.If the central bank takes additional assertive actions, such as setting dramatically weaker fixings, that could reinforce the belief that only heavy-handed intervention is worth paying attention to. Yet the Communist Party has made it clear it will act to reduce speculation and guard against risks to financial stability, especially in the run-up to the centenary of the Partys founding this July.We dont see this as an one-off change, but likely the start of a trend, Becky Liu, head of China macro strategy at Standard Chartered, said of Mondays move by the PBOC. It could be seen as a new mechanism to manage the yuan in the medium term, together with other counter-cyclical measures.(Adds 5th paragraph to show PBOCs fixing on Tuesday and latest pricing of yuan.)More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.2021 Bloomberg L.P. BOSTON - Six Dr. Seuss books including And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street and If I Ran the Zoo will stop being published because of racist and insensitive imagery, the business that preserves and protects the author's legacy said Tuesday. Advertisement Advertise With Us A copy of the book "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street," by Dr. Seuss, rests in a chair, Monday, March 1, 2021, in Walpole, Mass. Dr. Seuss Enterprises, the business that preserves and protects the author and illustrator's legacy, announced on his birthday, Tuesday, March 2, 2021, that it would cease publication of several children's titles including "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street" and "If I Ran the Zoo," because of insensitive and racist imagery. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) BOSTON - Six Dr. Seuss books including And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street and If I Ran the Zoo will stop being published because of racist and insensitive imagery, the business that preserves and protects the author's legacy said Tuesday. These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong, Dr. Seuss Enterprises told The Associated Press in a statement that coincided with the late author and illustrators birthday. Ceasing sales of these books is only part of our commitment and our broader plan to ensure Dr. Seuss Enterprises catalogue represents and supports all communities and families," it said. The other books affected are McElligots Pool, On Beyond Zebra!, Scrambled Eggs Super!, and The Cats Quizzer. The decision to cease publication and sales of the books was made last year after months of discussion, the company, which was founded by Seuss' family, told AP. Dr. Seuss Enterprises listened and took feedback from our audiences including teachers, academics and specialists in the field as part of our review process. We then worked with a panel of experts, including educators, to review our catalogue of titles," it said. In And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street," an Asian person is portrayed wearing a conical hat, holding chopsticks, and eating from a bowl. If I Ran the Zoo includes a drawing of two bare-footed African men wearing what appear to be grass skirts with their hair tied above their heads. Books by Dr. Seuss who was born Theodor Seuss Geisel in Springfield, Massachusetts, on March 2, 1904 - have been translated into dozens of languages as well as in braille and are sold in more than 100 countries. He died in 1991. FILE - In this May 4, 2017, file photo, a mural that features Theodor Seuss Geisel, left, also known by his pen name Dr. Seuss, covers part of a wall near an entrance at The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum, in Springfield, Mass. Dr. Seuss Enterprises, the business that preserves and protects the author and illustrator's legacy, announced on his birthday, Tuesday, March 2, 2021, that it would cease publication of several children's titles including "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street" and "If I Ran the Zoo," because of insensitive and racist imagery. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File) He remains popular, earning an estimated $33 million before taxes in 2020, up from just $9.5 million five years ago, the company said. Forbes listed him No. 2 on its highest-paid dead celebrities of 2020, behind only the late pop star Michael Jackson. Random House Children Books, Dr. Seuss' publisher, issued a brief statement Tuesday: We respect the decision of Dr. Seuss Enterprises (DSE) and the work of the panel that reviewed this content last year, and their recommendation. As adored as Dr. Seuss is by millions around the world for the positive values in many of his works, including environmentalism and tolerance, there has been increasing criticism in recent years over the way Blacks, Asians and others are drawn in some of his most beloved childrens books, as well as in his earlier advertising and propaganda illustrations. The National Education Association, which founded Read Across America Day in 1998 and deliberately aligned it with Geisels birthday, has for several years deemphasized Seuss and encouraged a more diverse reading list for children. School districts across the country have also moved away from Dr. Seuss, prompting Loudoun County, Virginia, schools just outside Washington, D.C., to douse rumours last month that they were banning the books entirely. Research in recent years has revealed strong racial undertones in many books written/illustrated by Dr. Seuss, the school district said in a statement. In 2017, a school librarian in Cambridge, Massachusetts, criticized a gift of 10 Seuss books from first lady Melania Trump, saying many of his works were steeped in racist propaganda, caricatures, and harmful stereotypes. In 2018, a Dr. Seuss museum in his hometown of Springfield removed a mural that included an Asian stereotype. The Cat in the Hat," one of Seuss' most popular books, has received criticism, too, but will continue to be published for now. Dr. Seuss Enterprises, however, said it is committed to listening and learning and will continue to review our entire portfolio." The move to cease publication of the books drew immediate reaction on social media from those who called it another example of cancel culture." We've now got foundations book burning the authors to whom they are dedicated. Well done, everyone," conservative commentator and author Ben Shapiro tweeted. Others approved of the decision. The books we share with our children matter. Books shape their world view and tell them how to relate to the people, places, and ideas around them. As grown-ups, we have to examine the worldview we are creating for our children, including carefully re-examining our favourites," Rebekah Fitzsimmons, an assistant teaching professor at Carnegie Mellon University, tweeted. Numerous other popular childrens series have been criticized in recent years for alleged racism. In the 2007 book, Should We Burn Babar?, the author and educator Herbert R. Kohl contended that the Babar the Elephant books were celebrations of colonialism because of how the title character leaves the jungle and later returns to civilize his fellow animals. One of the books, Babars Travels, was removed from the shelves of a British library in 2012 because of its alleged stereotypes of Africans. Critics also have faulted the Curious George books for their premise of a white man bringing home a monkey from Africa. And Laura Ingalls Wilders portrayals of Native Americans in her Little House On the Prairie novels have been faulted so often that the American Library Association removed her name in 2018 from a lifetime achievement award it gives out each year. The association still gives out the Geisel Award for the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year. AP National Writer Hillel Italie contributed from New York. Shortly after 6 a.m. local time, the S.U.V. and a tractor-trailer collided on a California highway, State Route 115, on the outskirts of Holtville, Calif., about 40 miles west of the Arizona border and about 12 miles from the border with Mexico. The truck was heading north on the highway when the S.U.V., traveling west, pulled in front of the truck at an intersection, officials said. There were 25 people inside the S.U.V., Omar Watson, the chief of the California Highway Patrols border division, said at a news conference. When emergency crews arrived at the scene, they found 12 people dead. Some had been ejected from the S.U.V. and were on the pavement while others were inside the vehicle. One more person died at a hospital, bringing the total fatalities to 13, two fewer than hospital officials had reported earlier on Tuesday. At least six people were taken to a hospital with injuries. Some of the walking wounded were able to pull themselves out of the vehicle, Chief Watson said. Once personnel arrived on the scene, some were wandering around and some of them had already passed away. Chief Watson said that investigators did not know how fast either vehicle was traveling at the time, whether the S.U.V. had stopped at a stop sign or what led to the collision. He also said that no law enforcement agencies were chasing the S.U.V. before the crash. The current strong ties between India and the United States is the greatest testament to the legacy of and Martin Luther King Jr, Consul General of India in Chicago Amit Kumar has said. Kumar said this at the first Gandhi King Legacy Roundtable Summit organized by the US Congressional Multi Advisory Task Force of Congressman Danny K Davis in cooperation with Metropolitan Asian Family Services on February 26. "The greatest testament to the Gandhi-King legacy is the current ties between India, the world's largest democracy and the US, the oldest democracy," Kumar said, addressing the summit in Chicago last week, according to a media release issued on Tuesday. He said the supply of Indian-made COVID-19 vaccines to several countries recently is "another glowing example of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's global leadership". "Martin Luther King Jr. was a disciple of Gandhi. A lot of Gandhi's teachings was put into practice by Martin Luther king Jr. So it is important that our elected leaders and community leaders adapt and enrich the same partnership between African and Indian communities in Chicago and beyond," said Congressman Danny K Davis in his presidential address. (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 Nigerian government on Tuesday signed a pact with OCP Morocco, a leading global provider of phosphate and its derivatives, to aid the second phase of the Nigerian Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI) in Morocco. The pact signed by the Nigerian delegation led by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, and officials of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), is geared towards boosting local fertilizer production. This development was disclosed by the managing director of the NNPC in a tweet posted on his official Twitter handle on Tuesday. We joined HMSPR Timipre Sylva, OCP Morocco, PFI and the NSIA in Marrakech to endorse protocols that progresses the Ammonia plant establishment in Akwa Ibom. We gave gas supply assurances and NNPC will take equity in the venture. Local fertilizer production will get boost!, his tweet reads. According to the NSIA, the new MoU is expected to utilise Nigerias gas and Moroccos phosphate to produce 750,000 tons of ammonia and one million tons of phosphate fertilizers annually by 2025. Presidential Fertilizer InitiativePFI Following the two-day visit of the King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, to Nigeria in December 2, 2016, several agreements were endorsed by the two leaders. One of these agreements was conceived as a partnership between the Fertiliser Producers and Suppliers of Nigeria (FEPSAN) and OCP, a state-owned Moroccan company and a world leader in phosphate production and its derivatives. By this, OCP would supply discounted phosphate to Nigeria, so as to help boost the domestic blending of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK) fertiliser in the form of NPK 20:10:10, starting in 2017. President Muhammadu Buhari formally announced the approval and commencement of the initiative shortly after the Moroccan visit, in December 14 during his 2017 Budge presentation. According to the PFI guidelines, the goal is to achieve the local production of one million metric tonnes of blended Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium (NPK) Fertiliser for the 2017 wet season farming, and an additional 500,000 metric tonnes for dry season farming. By February 4, 2017, first shipment of potash arrived Nigeria from Europe, while the second shipment arrived early March. How PFI works In order to achieve the aim of the initiative, the Central Bank of Nigeria designated the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) to manage the nine per cent per annum fund on behalf of FEPSAN. However, because managing a fertiliser fund is not the NSIAs core mandate, a Special Purpose Vehicle known as NAIC-NPK Limited (where NAIC = NSIA Agric Investment Company), was established to carry this function out on its behalf. Being that FEPSAN had already successfully negotiated substantial discounts with the suppliers and producer of the four main raw materials needed for fertilizer formulation,which include Urea (36%), Limestone (27%), Phosphate (21%) and Potash (16%). Urea, and Limestone granules (LSG) are locally-sourced in Nigeria, while Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) and Muriate of Potash (MOP) are imported from Morocco and Europe respectively. For each batch of raw material required under the PFI, FEPSAN makes available to NAIC-NPK Limited the invoices from the suppliers.NAIC-NPK Limited then pays the suppliers directly, on behalf of FEPSAN, takes delivery of the raw materials, and then supplies these raw materials to the blending plants, which it has already signed on as contract blenders. For this contract-blending, according to the PFI guidelines, NAIC-NPK Limited pays the blenders a fee. The blending plants then produce, bag and sell the finished, packaged fertilizer to Agro-dealers and State Governments at the cost of 5,000 per bag, and remit this revenue to NAIC-NPK Limited, for re-investment into the next phase of production. ADVERTISEMENT The PFI is therefore a self-sustaining revolving fund, in which the revenues are re-invested into subsequent production cycles. Key players PFI initiative was designed by FEPSAN, an umbrella body of Fertiliser producers and suppliers,in collaboration with the Presidency, while it also signed the Fertiliser deal with OCP, on behalf of the Government of Nigeria. The chairman of the PFI is the Jigawa state governor, Mohammed Abubakar, and the leadership of FEPSAN. Meanwhile, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is the Provider of the Intervention Fund that served as seed capital for the PFI, which was used to open the required Letters of Credit for the suppliers of the raw materials. The NSIA (The Nigerian Sovereign Wealth Fund), in this regard is operating through a special purpose Vehicle called NAIC-NPK Limited. Other key players are the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, which inaugurated an 11-member National Fertiliser Technical Committee (NFTC), in March 2016, the Blending Plants accredited under the PFI, and the Agro-Dealers and State Governments who off-take the finished products from the blending Plants and retail to the farmers. Diversion of fertilizers According to the 2019 financial statements of the NSIA, despite the best efforts by all parties concerned to forestall stock loss and ensure raw material inputs translate to output for domestic production of NPK 20:10:10, some incidence of unauthorised lifting of the product was discovered at Bauchi Fertilizer Company and Bejafta Group Nigeria Limited. The NSIA said the development was escalated to the security agencies for investigation, and that the blending plants involved in the fraud were de-listed from participating in the 2020 PFI until the amounts owed, in the sum of 600 million and 1.031 billion by Bauchi Fertilizer Company and Bejafta Group Nigeria Limited respectively, are fully settled. The NSIA in the statement noted that line with the relevant accounting standards, the full amount of 1.631 billion has been recorded as inventory loss in the financial statements and charged to the income statement. Everything will be OK, read 19-year-old Angels T-shirt as the dancer and taekwondo champion joined anti-coup protesters in Myanmar on Wednesday. But she must have known it might not be OK she left details of her blood group, a contact number and a request to donate her body in the event of her death. Angel, also known as Kyal Sin, was killed by a shot to the head on the streets of Mandalay as she fought for a tentative democracy in which she had proudly voted for the first time last year, an election overturned by the February 1 coup. The UN special envoy on Myanmar said 38 people died on Wednesday - the most violent day since the coup - as the military quelled protests. A top Catholic school has been slammed for teaching pupils that gay sex is wrong and men were 'created to initiate sexual relationships' while women are just 'receiver-responders'. St Mary's Roman Catholic High School in Lugwardine, Herefordshire, has introduced the controversial 'A Fertile Heart' syllabus into lessons. The programme opposes gay and lesbian marriage and states that men were 'created to initiate sexual relationships' while women were 'receiver-responders' of sex. One chapter claims that men and women were designed to have specific roles, particularly in sex and relationships. St Mary's Roman Catholic High School has been criticised for teaching pupils using 'homophobic and misogynistic' textbooks on sexual relationships produced and approved by the Catholic church It suggests that 'man has been created to be the initiator in sexual relationships, and woman the receiver-responder'. Another section says that homosexuality should be treated with 'sensitivity', but adds: 'We cannot deny the objective reality of sex being directed towards procreation and family, nor the link between this and marriage, commitment and parenthood.' A link underneath goes to a Youtube clip of American Catholic campaigner Jason Evert, who argues that gay people cannot have 'real' marriage and should abstain from sex. On the next page it suggests that the contraceptive pill is a 'moral danger' because is 'drives a bus through female fertility'. St Mary's Roman Catholic High School in Lugwardine, Herefordshire, which teaches pupils aged 11 to 16, has introduced the controversial 'A Fertile Heart' syllabus into lessons One chapter claims that men and women were designed to have specific roles, particularly in sex and relationships. Another section says that homosexuality should be treated with 'sensitivity', but adds: 'We cannot deny the objective reality of sex being directed towards procreation and family, nor the link between this and marriage, commitment and parenthood' The Key Stage books were produced by a group of priests from the dioceses of Birmingham, Cardiff, Clifton and Shrewsbury, and has been approved by the Archbishop of Birmingham. The syllabus has received a mixed response from parents, with some saying it 'teaches children to be homophobic'. Parent Graeme Walker, 45, said: 'The school is incredibly good at getting children to fulfil their potential but I have a big problem with A Fertile Heart. 'Not only are pupils taught that an out-dated and frankly homophobic view when it comes to same sex relationships, it's also unashamedly misogynistic. 'I have raised my concerns with the school but I fear my views have fallen on deaf ears. Success has made the school managers blind to any criticism.' Another mum, who did not want to be named, supported the syllabus. She said: 'Parents know it's a Catholic school, teaching Catholic beliefs. 'I would say to people who do not approve of this programme to simply take your children out of the school.' The teaching resource was approved by the Archdiocese of Cardiff and has been rolled out to 56 Catholic schools in Cardiff as well as St Mary's School. Headteacher Stuart Wetson defended adopting 'A Fertile Heart', and said it provided pupils with a 'broad and balanced debate' on sex Herefordshire Council's children and families cabinet member Felicity Norman has criticised the syllabus and called for it to be scrapped. She said: 'It seems to be at odds with the essential role of a school to foster caring and cooperative relations between all children and staff, to respect differences and to support and encourage children as they negotiate the difficulties of adolescence. 'We are disturbed at the failure of the Archdiocese of Cardiff, responsible for directing its schools as to what it teaches, to respond to us over this or other matters concerning the safeguarding of children, in spite of attempts on our part to engage with them. 'The Local Authority has no power over what schools under the Archdiocese of Cardiff choose to teach within Herefordshire.' St Mary's School, which celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2011, caters for 745 pupils aged 11-16 and is a centre of excellence for English and the arts. It has also been ranked the best state school in Herefordshire for the last decade and received an 'outstanding' Ofsted rating in 2019. Headteacher Stuart Wetson defended adopting 'A Fertile Heart', and said it provided pupils with a 'broad and balanced debate' on sex. He said: 'In accordance with the Department for Education's guidance on Relationships and Sex Education, we are committed to providing our pupils with opportunities for broad and balanced debate on a range of issues whilst teaching distinctive faith perspectives on relationships. 'We continue to review and evaluate our practice, sharing feedback from teachers, pupils and parents with the Archdiocese of Cardiff and the publishers of key resources. 'Please see our most recent Ofsted and Section 48 Inspection reports, which comment directly on our "Outstanding" provision in all areas.' In a statement, a spokesperson for the programme said it was 'designed primarily though not exclusively as a resource for Catholic schools', and that the current revised edition was 'in full conformity with the Churchs moral teaching' and had the 'endorsement and active support of several Catholic bishops'. The spokesperson added they were 'sad' to hear councillors' concerns, and said some paragraphs in an earlier textbook 'were open to misinterpretation' and had been subsequently 'edited'. Schools minister Nick Gibb said it was for schools to decide which resources they chose to support. He added: 'The department has stated that schools should not work with agencies that take extreme positions, and this should also be reflected in the school's choice of resources.' Sidonie Bertrand-Shelton, Head of Education and Youth at LGBT+ rights charity Stonewall, told MailOnline: 'Every child and young person deserves an education which reflects the world we live in and celebrates diversity, and that includes teaching about LGBT+ people and our lives. 'All schools, including independent and faith schools, have a responsibility to support all their students no matter who they are, and lots of the faith schools we work with do a great job of creating inclusive environments. 'Sadly, we know that two in five LGBT+ pupils (40 per cent) are never taught anything about LGBT+ issues at school, and its upsetting to see that such misinformation about LGBT+ communities and our lives is still being taught. 'There is nothing wrong or shameful about being lesbian, gay, bi or trans, and teaching about us and our lives is crucial to reducing anti-LGBT+ bullying, and creating environments where all students, including LGBT+ students, can thrive.' Chennai, March 3 : Leader of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and Member of Parliament Thirumavalavan has said that the AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu is creating fissures among the people of the state by providing 10.5% reservation for the Vanniyar community under the Most Backward Classes (MBC) quota for government jobs and admissions to educational institutions. He also lashed out at the Pattali Makkal Katchi(PMK) which is the political outfit of the Vanniyar community and asked whether the demand of the party for 20% reservation to the community was a hoax. The senior Dalit leader who was a forensic officer in the Tamil Nadu government and who had resigned from service in 1999 to contest the elections, said the decision of the state government will lead to nothing but division of the people of the state on caste and community lines. Thirumavalavan said that the AIADMK government is controlled by the BJP and the actions and decisions taken by the Edappadi K Palaniswami government reflects its dependence on the BJP government at the Centre. He added that the BJP policies of dividing people on caste and communal lines is being implemented in Tamil Nadu and said that this will lead to major tension in the state. Speaking to IANS over telephone he said, "The Vanniyar community is also being cheated by the AIADMK, PMK and BJP combine and the people of that community will give a fitting response to those in power in the state for cheating them. The PMK even settled for 10.5% reservation based on the 1931 census instead of the 20% reservation the Vanniyar community has been demanding." The MP also voiced suspicions about Tamil Nadu governor Bhanwari Lal Purohit and said that the governor was acting at the behest of the central government and making the state government dance to the tune of the Centre. He said that the governor did not delay in signing the 10.5% reservation bill for Vanniyars under the MBC quota on the same day it was passed in the assembly while he had delayed the bill on reservation for students of government schools for admission to medical colleges. Mar. 3MOSES LAKE Elliott Goodrich wants to live in Idaho. But as an eastern Washington farmer, just outside the Moses Lake city limits, he notes it's not all that easy to simply move his farm fields and all to Idaho. "I can't pick up my farm and move someplace else," he said. "So, instead of us moving to Idaho, we want Idaho to move to us." Goodrich, who is also a member of the Moses Lake School Board, along with several other Moses Lake and Warden area farmers, recently founded the Committee for Liberty, a group which aims to help eastern Washington "break free from Olympia" by moving the Idaho-Washington state line west and merging much of the eastern part of Washington into Idaho. "Western Washington and eastern Washington are two completely different places. The problems they face are different from the problems we have; their economy is different, their lifestyle is different, and their values are different. And so what works over there doesn't work here," he said. Goodrich also said Idaho's laws and regulations would make it easier for farmers like him to do business a point echoed by BFI Native Seeds LLC founder Jerry Benson, who has donated $2,000 to the committee, according to data from the Washington Public Disclosure Commission. "The rule of Olympia is very antagonistic to the quality of life," Benson said. "We just don't think the same." Benson said as a lifelong Washingtonian born and raised here, he doesn't really want to split the state. But, he said a lack of respect from west side politicians for any way of living that isn't their own makes it increasingly difficult to live together in this state. "It isn't that Idaho's laws are so much better, but that Olympia's philosophy is much worse," he said. "I have always been a fan of the diversity of Washington, but that has seriously deteriorated." Story continues Goodrich said moving the state line would be politically achievable in ways creating a new state in eastern Washington the dream of the Liberty State movement would not, since it would mean creating two new U.S. senators who, as likely Republicans, would alter the balance in the U.S. Senate. "I wouldn't say it's a political non-starter, but it's about as close as you're going to get," he said. "We're just moving a state boundary. Not creating new senators, not creating a new governorship, not creating new laws or a bureaucracy." In fact, Goodrich said, eastern Washington is already closer to Idaho "politically, socially and economically" and the Gem State's laws are a better fit for the economy of eastern Washington. He also said eastern Washington's industries are at "a distinct competitive disadvantage" because of laws and rules passed in Olympia. Among the committee's concerns are a recent state Supreme Court ruling on overtime pay on farms, the creation of a carbon tax scheme, proposed bans on gasoline-powered vehicles, a proposed capital gains tax and Gov. Jay Inslee's handling of the closure of many small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. "It just comes down to the basic idea that government needs to represent the people that it's designed to serve, and ours doesn't," he explained. "We need to have a government that does, and Idaho's would." However, Goodrich doesn't expect anything to happen quickly, and much of the work of the Committee for Liberty will involve promoting the plan, finding supporters and raising money for what will be if it gains traction a very long process eventually requiring congressional approval. Among the things to be handled would be divvying up Washington state's debts, pensions for retired state workers, and other long-term liabilities, Goodrich said. "We're going to advocate for the process to start," he said. "We're under no illusions that this is going to be quick or easy. It's going to take a lot of time and a lot of money, but it is something that fundamentally needs to happen." Goodrich said the residents of western Washington should be supportive of ceding the eastern portion of the state to Idaho, noting many eastern Washington legislators have fought hard and stopped proposed tax increases, spending plans and other legislation supported by a majority of western state residents. "I think the people in Seattle who do want to see a progressive agenda should support this," he said. "We'll get out of their way and they can do as they please and hopefully they will let us do as we please as well." Charles H. Featherstone can be reached at cfeatherstone@columbiabasinherald.com. by Melani Manel Perera If we do not see justice for the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks, through a transparent investigation, by 21 April 2021, we will not only wear black, but we will invite people across the country to raise a black flag that day to show our strong opposition. Colombo (AsiaNews) Card Malcolm Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo, held a press conference yesterday in which he called on the government to reveal the names of the true masterminds of the 21 April 2019 Easter Sunday attacks. The prelate explained that the Catholic Church wants to properly study the report by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) and will express its views later. Sri Lankan authorities must bring to justice without delay the 'true masterminds' as well as those who seriously neglected their duties while aware of the attacks, said the cardinal addressing the media at the Bishops residence. If we do not see justice for the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks, through a transparent investigation, by 21 April 2021, we will not only wear black, but we will invite people across the country to raise a black flag that day to show our strong opposition. Cardi Ranjith thanked the members of the commission for their work, which lasted over a year and a half. Mr Chandraguptha handed over a copy of the PCoI report into the investigation of the Easter attacks to Cardinal Ranjith on Monday. The prelate said he put together a team composed of himself, auxiliary bishops, priests and several experts to study the PcoI report. If we do not listen to the various opinions on this PCoI report, we cannot draw a final conclusion. We will present an official position on the Commission's report after our study. However, we can clearly say that the report failed to meet the basic requirement to find out who masterminded the attacks and who facilitated them. For the cardinal, the investigations were deflected by recommendations that the Buddhist nationalist organisation Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) be banned. As a Catholic, Card Ranjith said he hoped to see justice for the victims of the attacks and that banning Buddhist organisations could not be approved. Catholics have always stood by Buddhists. Catholics were strongly supported by the Buddhist community when the attacks took place. Therefore, there should be no room for conflict between the Catholic and Buddhist communities, he added. The Cardinal wants the authorities to explain why they were unable to investigate the masterminds behind the attacks, those who helped and encouraged them, those who financed the attackers and those who intervened to weaken and sabotage the investigations. Likewise, he wants the authorities to bring all of these people to justice despite the fact that two years have passed since the attacks. The Auxiliary Bishop of Colombo Anthony Jayakody, who was at the press conference, spoke about the upcoming Black Sunday on 7 March, saying that Catholics are urged to come to church dressed in black that day. A special prayer will be recited for the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks, marking the start of a series of protests. It's a long and boring 247-mile drive from Albuquerque to Muleshoe, Texas. You drive east on I-40 to Santa Rosa, N.M. and then head south on U.S. 84. The trip "highlight" is the sign directing you to Billy the Kid's grave outside Fort Sumner, N.M. At this time of year, the rest of the drive is mostly wind, sand, and sagebrush. I drove to the metropolis of Muleshoe because it gave me something that I couldn't get in New Mexico: a Wuhan virus vaccine shot. I'm over 65 but under 75 and have no major underlying health issues. The problem for me is that in N.M., if a senior has no major underlying health issues, he is not eligible for the Wuhan virus vaccine unless he is at least 75 years old the highest age for any state in the country. Hawaii is the only other state with a 75 cutoff. In Texas, the age for seniors to qualify is a much lower and more reasonable 65. In looking at the following chart, it is obvious that the few states who have chosen to have cutoff ages for the vaccine higher than 65 are outliers. Minimum age for seniors not having major health issues to qualify for vaccine: AL 65 AK 65 AZ 55 AR 65 CA 65 CO 65 CN 55 DC 65 DE 65 FL 65 GA 65 HI 75 ID 65 IL 65 IN 60 IA 65 KS 65 KY 70 LA 65 ME 60 (as of 3/3) MD 65 MA 65 MI 65 MN 65 MS 65 MO 65 MT 70 NE 65 NH 65 NJ 65 NM 75 NY 65 NC 65 ND 65 NV 65 or 70 depending on county of residence OH 65 OK 65 OR 65 PA 65 RI 65 SC 65 SD 65 TN 70 TX 65 UT 65 VT 65 VA 65 WA 65 WV 65 WI 65 WY 65 Source. It is instructive to compare how Texas and New Mexico have each handled COVID-19 vaccine distributions. If I could use one word to describe how Texas has done, it would be transparent. Texas has been notifying the public on a weekly basis how much of each vaccine is being shipped out and where it is going with a vaccine allocation list. It has provided a list of vaccine hub providers for most counties in the state. Perhaps best of all, it publishes a vaccine availability map that shows vaccine type and availability throughout the state. This is how I found out about the pharmacy in Muleshoe where I could get my shot. I called up, advised the pharmacy that I was an out-of-state resident, and scheduled an appointment. It appears that a lot of power has been given to local resources throughout the state regarding vaccine distribution. In contrast, there is New Mexico. Ouch. If Texas vaccine distribution is an example of a partnership among state government, local government, and the private sector, New Mexico is an example of a command-and-control, from-the-top, government-imposed system. In New Mexico, if you are interested in getting a COVID-19 vaccine, you register and wait. You wait to receive a call or text or email from the health department stating when and where you can get your vaccine. We have no vaccine availability map like what Texas has. We can't call anyone and ask for an appointment. All we can do is check the health department website to make certain that our application has been received and that we are on a wait list. Why New Mexico has this command-and-control structure with no local input is probably mostly historical. No state in the country has had single-party Democrat rule at the state level longer than New Mexico since 1931. It has an enormous state government for its small population size that instinctively acts without much thought of working with the private sector. There is also the Hunger Games aspect of The Capitol, supposedly knowing what is best for the provinces and demanding that the provinces do what they are told, not ask questions, and just shut up. For seniors living in states with vaccine age limits higher than 65, you may want to investigate trying to get vaccinated in a neighboring state (sorry, Hawaii). You should ask yourself the following question: do I want to wait until my state eventually gets around to vaccinating me, realizing that I am at high risk until then? Or do I want to travel to a neighboring state, get vaccinated now, immediately reduce my risk of contracting COVID-19, and also immediately increase my chances of survival? When stated this way, I think the choice is pretty clear. Thanks again to the State of Texas and the K&K Pharmacy of Muleshoe, Texas for giving me my first COVID-19 shot. Had I not gotten a shot, I would still be Waiting for Godot here in New Mexico. Image via Needpix. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... SANTA FE Regular COVID-19 testing at the Roundhouse revealed a single positive test result this week the first confirmed case at the state Capitol in a month. A top legislative official declined Tuesday to provide information about the individual, including the persons job description, but said two other people were in quarantine due to contact tracing protocols. Deep cleaning was also done in the infected individuals job area, Legislative Council Services Director Raul Burciaga said Tuesday. The state Capitol had been a largely virus-free zone over the last month. Nearly 1,400 tests done on lawmakers, staffers and media members since Feb. 1 had all comeback negative before this weeks single positive test result, according to Department of Health data released by the Legislative Council Service. In contrast, five positive test results were recorded at the Roundhouse in January, including three cases one legislator and two staffers that were detected during testing conducted after the legislative sessions Jan. 19 opening day. Two State Police officers also tested positive at the Roundhouse before the session began and were immediately quarantined. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ This years 60-day legislative session is being conducted largely remotely due to the pandemic, with members of the public and lobbyists barred from the state Capitol in an attempt to avoid a mass outbreak. Legislative staffers and media members allowed in the Roundhouse are required to undergo weekly COVID-19 testing, while lawmakers have been requested but not required to undergo similar nasal swab testing. New Mexicos overall COVID-19 outlook has improved in recent weeks, with test positivity rates declining around the state and more than 600,000 vaccine doses administered to roughly 386,000 state residents as of Tuesday, according to DOH data. But legislative officials said they do not plan to halt the Roundhouse testing or ease testing requirements for most people working in the building. We are going to continue testing throughout the session, Burciaga told the Journal, adding an additional day or two of testing may be added after the sessions March 20 adjournment date for people who are still working in the Capitol or want to be tested one more time. (CNN) - The COVAX program will deliver 237 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to some 142 countries by the end of May, the World Health Organization's Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced today. COVAX is a program run by a coalition that includes the Vaccine Alliance known as Gavi and the World Health Organization (WHO), and is funded by donations from governments, multilateral institutions and foundations. Its mission is to buy coronavirus vaccines in bulk and send them to poorer nations that can't compete with wealthy countries in securing contracts with the major drug companies. During a virtual press briefing, Tedros said that when the history of the pandemic is written, Covax will be one of its standout successes. This week alone, COVAX will deliver a total of 11 million doses, according to Tedros. When the COVID-19 pandemic erupted last year, we knew that vaccines would be a vital tool in bringing it under control. But we also knew from our experience with HIV, the H1N1 pandemic and other diseases that market forces alone would not deliver the equitable distribution of vaccines, Tedros said. The vaccine rollout by the program is already underway, with Ghana and the Ivory Coast becoming the first countries to receive doses through COVAX last week, according to Tedros. This story was first published on CNN.com, "COVAX to deliver more than 230 million vaccine doses by end of May, WHO says" A woman who led gardai on a high-speed chase along the M50 while streaming it live on social media has been arrested. The chase on Monday evening, which involved up to 20 garda vehicles, began in north Dublin and went along the M50. The 24-year-old woman was later arrested in Ballymun in relation to dangerous driving. According to gardai, the incident from start to finish lasted 55 minutes. In different clips posted on social media, she could be heard singing along to songs playing on the radio, while in another she is shouting verbal abuse at the pursuing gardai. After driving along the M50 southbound, the woman went as far as the N11 near Bray, before changing her direction back towards Dublin. During the chase, a Garda helicopter in the air supported around 20 Garda vehicles, including 4x4 jeeps carrying members of the Armed Support Unit (ASU). A Garda statement said the woman was later arrested for dangerous driving. A spokesperson said: "Gardai are investigating an incident of dangerous driving that took place in the Ballymun area. "The incident began at 5.55pm when a car failed to stop for Gardai. "The driver of this car, a woman aged in her 20s, was later arrested for dangerous driving at Hampton Wood Drive in Ballymun at 6.50pm. "The woman is currently detained at Ballymun Garda station. No injuries have been reported." A district court judge and a garda superintendent have both expressed concern about what went on in a house in Donegal where four people were arrested. One of those arrested and brought before Wednesdays sitting of Donegal District Court was 34-year-old Michael Callaghan of 436 Drumrooske Estate, Donegal Town. He had been due before the court in relation to alleged bail breaches regarding the charge of assaulting James Wilson and causing him harm at 436 Drumrooske Estate, Donegal Town on December 30. However, he was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday after gardai were alerted to a disturbance at a house at Drumrooske Estate. Callaghan was charged with intoxication to the extent of being a danger to himself or others. The defendant appeared in court in a white hazmat-type one-piece garment with numerous cuts and bruises on his face. Judge Kevin Kilrane asked: Why is he dressed like this: Superintendent Colm Nevin explained that on arrival at the property where the disturbance was taking place, Callaghan came to the door. He was intoxicated, and had a deep cut to his head, said the inspector. An ambulance was called. He resisted getting into the ambulance. Paramedics feared for their own safety. The defendant was eventually conveyed to hospital where he received 10 stitches. He was then released, taken to Ballyshannon Garda Station and subsequently charged. Two women were also arrested and brought before the court. A second male was brought to hospital with a head injury and was subsequently detained. In response to a garda objection to bail, defence solicitor Gerry McGovern said: I find it strange that this man is brought to the court in this state where it is clear that half his head is stitched and he is not responsible for that. He is displayed in court in this outfit. It paints a picture which is not fair to Mr Callaghan. The solicitor also suggested that Mr Callaghan could have been cleaned up in order to appear at court. Superintendent Nevin replied that it was not an unfair picture, given that eight gardai had been required at the scene to deal with matters. The defendant had also been aggressive to the ambulance crew. He added: We dont go around washing people up. In relation to bail, Judge Kilrane said: We dont know what happened inside that house beyond that the defendant seems to be very badly injured. He refused any form of help from the ambulance crew etc. We can only assume that he wanted to get back into the house. Someone could have been badly injured or worse. The problem is that he is only facing Section 4 [intoxication] which does not carry a prison sentence. Whether it is just a madhouse where alcohol and other stuff goes on, where people are seriously injured like this man here who doesnt want to cooperate with gardai and ambulance personnel, is that enough for bail to be refused?" Superintendent Nevin also voiced concern about the events at the house. Regarding the fairness or otherwise of the defendant being in court given his injuries, the superintendent said: They saw fit for him to be discharged from hospital last night. In relation to the alleged breaches of bail as set out in court on January 6, Garda Catherine Henry outlined three separate incidents. One condition of Callaghans bail was that he remained sober. Garda Henry said that she had attended his address on January 26 following a complaint that Callaghan made threatening phone calls to a neighbour. He was highly intoxicated, she said. Another condition was that the defendant be contactable at all times on a phone number given to gardai. Garda Henry said she had called him twice on that number on January 27 and both calls had gone unanswered. A further bail condition was not to interfere with any witnesses. Garda Henry told the court that on February 2, the defendants brother David called to the alleged assault victim James Wilson. He asked Mr Wilson if he was withdrawing the charges against his brother. Mr Wilson said no, to which David Callaghan admitted replying, What am I to tell Michael? Furthermore, two unanswered calls were made to Mr Wilson from the phone registered to Michael Callaghan. David Callaghan claimed to have made these calls and visited Mr Wilson of his own accord. Judge Kilrane said he could not rescind bail because it would be difficult to show that Mr Wilson had been contacted at the request of Mr Callaghan. The other two incidents, again I find they are not just quite sufficient to warrant rescinding of bail, said the judge. On saying that, what is going on in this household is shocking. The defendant appears here in court as someone who has come out of a horror film; The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Lacerated from top to bottom. Judge Kilrane said it would have to be established if Callaghan was a victim of what happened at the house of it was mutual. Gardai will investigate that, he said. But obstacles are being put in their way from what we heard today. However, more information may be forthcoming. The judge extended bail to include the new charge. He adjourned all matters to April 26 but said it could be re-entered if further charges emerged. University of Limerick students found to have attended the gathering in College Court last night face suspension, pending a full investigation, or possible expulsion from their university. Officials from UL and An Garda Siochana met this Wednesday to discuss the incident that took place last night. In a statement, the university confirmed it is conducting an investigation to identify any students who took part in the gathering. Students at UL are subject to a Code of Conduct. Any student found to have attended the gathering will face suspension, pending a full investigation, or possible expulsion. The university said it has consistently worked with gardai to remind students of their personal responsibility to follow government and institutional guidelines. UL has provided resources for high visibility Covid-19 Garda policing with a focus on estates in the immediate vicinity of the campus. UL deplores the behaviour of a small minority of students living in the off-campus estates in private rented accommodation. Any student found to have attended the gathering will face suspension, pending a full investigation, or possible expulsion. University Of Limerick (@UL) March 3, 2021 Cocaine estimated to be worth 17,500 was seized last night in Limerick during the course of garda operations at a street gathering in the College Court, Castletroy area of the city. Two men have been arrested in connection with the drugs seizure. This brings the total number of arrests made last night to five after gardai confirmed three previous arrests. Gardai have also confirmed that 50 fixed charge penalty notices were issued as a result of the street party in Limerick last night. Of the five arrests made, one man has now been charged with a public order offence and is due to appear before Limerick District Court on March 22. Another has been released without charge but has been issued a fixed charge notice for public order offences. The third, who was arrested under the misuse of drugs legislation is still in custody at Henry Street Garda station. The two arrests announced this afternoon are also detained at Henry Street Garda station under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice Act (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996. Cocaine seized in the search is thought to be worth 17,500, pending analysis, and was discovered following the search of a vehicle with the assistance of a detective dog from the Southern Region Garda Dog Unit. 800 in cash was also seized. The discovery was made after the activities of a number of men and a vehicle in the area was brought to the attention of the gardai. Street party The incident occurred in the Castletroy area of Limerick City, which is heavily populated by students of the University of Limerick. One local resident told the Irish Examiner that "hundreds" of students began congregating outside from Tuesday afternoon, and that gardai arrived at the scene shortly after 7.30pm Footage shared on social media showed fireworks being discharged on the street and a separate clip showed dozens of people singing and dancing, most without masks. Gardai confirmed that officers in Henry Street received reports of a street party taking place on Carysfort Avenue, College Court, Castletroy, and that a policing operation was put in place and a significant number of Garda units attended the scene. "Following continued and orchestrated non-compliance with Public Health Regulations and failing to comply with directions from An Garda Siochana, gardai were forced to intervene at approximately 7.15pm," a Garda spokesperson said. "Three persons were arrested at the scene. Two men (20s) were arrested under the Public Order Legislation and one man (20s) was arrested under Misuse of Drugs Legislation. "Gardai have commenced an investigation into identifying the organisers of this event, and as with all breaches of the Public Health Regulations a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions." One resident said that smaller-scale parties had taken place in the area in recent days, but that these had been confined to people's houses and backyards. This is just by my home in Casteltroy, Limerick! pic.twitter.com/ftqQEEMzph Mostafa Darwish (@eldarwish90) March 2, 2021 When gardai arrived at the scene the resident said of the people who had gathered outside: "They just ran everywhere." One resident, who lives on the estate where the street-party took place said the scenes over the past 24 hours were like there was no pandemic at all. There has been a party going since about 11pm on Monday. It got bigger and was brought on the street at around 5 today. There were 30 to 40 people, all young and very loud, outside the house until the gardai showed up. Students like everyone have suffered a lot with #Covid19. The scenes in Limerick tonight are completely unacceptable & a slap in the face to everyone sacrificing so much. It does a real disservice to all students who abide by the rules day in and out. I have spoken to @UL tonight Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) March 2, 2021 The resident said most of the people then took off running, further into the estate, while one individual stayed and argued with gardai until he was seemingly detained. They were standing around in a circle, letting fireworks off. Its almost as if they want to end up in hospital, said the resident, who added they all are fed up in the neighbourhood. We thought the one upside to the pandemic is we would have some peace and quiet. How wrong we were. Its not just the students, College Court has become an open-air nightclub for half the city. Such gatherings are prohibited under laws aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19 and gardai have the power to hand down fines to people who attend. Community relations The Interim President of UL, Prof Kerstin Mey, tweeted that the university would take "strong disciplinary measures against any student who has been found to have breached public health guidelines", adding that all students are subject to a code of conduct. UL will take action with strong disciplinary measures against any student who has been found to have breached public health guidelines. Students at UL are subject to a Code of Conduct. Professor Kerstin Mey (@ULPresident) March 2, 2021 Gardai said they have a close and positive working relationship with the authorities and community in the University of Limerick and will continue to provide high visibility patrols in the vicinity of the UL campus and surrounding residential areas to check compliance to Covid-19 regulations and keep the community safe. Justice Minister Helen McEntee said the scenes witnessed in Limerick last night cannot be repeated. Speaking on the Pat Kenny Show, Ms McEntee said the event that took place in College Court was very disappointing : I understand that this is very difficult, but we cannot see scenes happening again last night. Its very disappointing for the people who live in that area but also for everybody else who has been trying so hard over the last year. I do firmly believe that the end is in sight. Limerick Green Party councillor Sean Hartigan told Newstalk Breakfast there were not enough police patrolling the area. It's not being properly policed, there's not enough police around the place, he said. There's guards in Castletroy all the time at one checkpoint, everybody knows where they are. They need to be patrolling the estate, they need to be handing out fines and they need to be challenging people as to whether they have to be in the area of Castletroy or whether they could be at home or working from home. Cllr Hartigan, who spoke to local residents after last night's events said they are at the end of their tether in there and the partying from some students is constant. The noise is constant out of College Court, day and night. Any time you go past, the boom boom noise is coming out. It's having a devastating effect on local residents. I was in there yesterday talking to people, they're worn out. There's a lot of older people that live in the estate who are trying to restrict their movements themselves. They find it very difficult with large amounts of students walking around and people can't sleep at night with the noise levels in the area. Another local councillor, Labour's Elena Secas, tweeted: "Unacceptable behaviour by students in Castletroy this evening. Total lack of respect for the local community who have been trying so hard to stay safe during these difficult times." OUTBREAKS The chaos in College Court comes amidst a student outbreak that has seen almost 280 confirmed Covid-19 cases to date. As of March 3, there are 276 confirmed Covid-19 cases associated with the current student outbreak in Limerick. We see the negative impact the pandemic has had on young people and we see the enormous sacrifices students have made over the past year, said Dr Marie Casey, a specialist in public health medicine at the HSE Department of Public Health Mid-West. Dr Casey has been involved in managing all outbreaks among students in the Mid-West since the start of the pandemic. But we are at a crucial stage of this pandemic where we have the ability to bring cases to low levels while our most vulnerable get vaccinated. "A lot of young people do not show symptoms if infected with this virus, which is why it is important to stay apart, avoid household visits and social gatherings of any kind, particularly during this current outbreak. "We have seen on previous occasions how small social gatherings have led to secondary outbreaks in nursing homes, workplaces, and households with vulnerable family members. Students are encouraged to contact the UL Student Health Centre or their GP if they are showing even the mildest of symptoms. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Teetering financial services house Greensill is headed back to court to stop its insurers from cancelling the groups policies warning it could cost 7000 Australian jobs as it works to complete a fire sale of the bulk of its business. Lawyers for the Anglo-Australian finance group told the Supreme Court of NSW on Monday that as many as 50,000 jobs globally and 7000 in Australia could be impacted if the Anglo-Australian group was not able to retain its insurance. Greensill Capital founder Lex Greensill and his team expect to complete a sale of large parts of the business this week. Credit:The Sydney Morning Herald Greensill was initially unsuccessful in its bid for an emergency injunction against its insurers but will be back in court on Friday to again argue its case over the cancellation of the policies The company was sent hurtling towards insolvency after two key financial backers Credit Suisse and GAM froze the flow of funds to the supply chain finance group following concerns Greensill was overexposed to a single client, believed to be entities associated with steel tycoon Sanjeev Gupta. Standing on a boat dock in Venice, Gabe Macormic faced a unique challenge: Find someone willing to take a sun-baked, 10-ton heap of dead nutria off his hands. Macormic had, on a lark, revived the long-dormant Plaquemines Parish Nutria Rodeo, an event that aims to knock back the booming population of orange-toothed, South American rodents that have been devouring Louisiana marshes for almost a century. He expected an extended circle of buddies to participate. Theyd zip around on airboats, have few laughs, maybe shoot a couple hundred swamp rats. But when the rodeo began Friday, about 200 hunters showed up. By Saturday night, when prizes were awarded for the most kills and biggest nutria, Macormic was confronting a body count far beyond his expectations: about 1,500 nutria. I thought wed get a couple hundred, he said. I had no idea wed shoot so many. The nutria were starting to stink, but Macormic wasnt worried. Before the rodeo, Audubon Zoo had agreed to take the entire haul. It was a win-win situation: Macormic would offload a bunch of dead nutria, and the zoo would get free meat for its alligators. It was good for the marsh, too. Nutria have eaten away at least 40 square miles of Louisianas coast line over the past 20 years, contributing to a land loss crisis that has made the state more susceptible to rising seas and stronger, more frequent storms. Theres no market for nutria fur, and few people want to eat nutria meat. A state bounty program isnt coming close to reaching the goal of killing at least 400,000 nutria per year, despite recently upping the reward from $5 to $6 per nutria tail. The zoo was fully onboard with the rodeo, calling its agreement with Macormic an opportunity to eliminate waste and contribute to wetlands conservation. But as a truck and trailer were en route to New Orleans with the first load Sunday, the zoo suddenly called the whole thing off. When I said they were getting fifteen hundred, they said, Oh, God. Please, no, Macormic said. The condition of the carcasses was also an issue. Macormic admits they were coming in hot and smelly. The time of death of the animals to the time that we received them, paired with the record heat, was not conducive to feeding these animals to our alligators, zoo officials said in a statement. Bottom line: They were disgusting. They smelled like what youd expect a pile of dead rats would smell like, Macormic said. It was pretty bad. The Venice marina with the corpse-laden dock had been supportive of the rodeo, but the managers patience was wearing thin. It was an unusually warm late February day. Temperatures had climbed above 80 degrees, and the stench was worsening. Environmental news in your inbox Stay up-to-date on the latest on Louisiana's coast and the environment. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up They said you've got to figure this out like now, Macormic said. As Macormic racked his brain about what to do with the fetid heap, a deckhand sidled up and offered to help. He said he knows a guy who deals with this sort of stuff, Macormic said. As in, a guy who knows how to deal with 1,500 dead nutria? I guess, Macormic said. And he was correct. A short time later, a crab boat pulled up and offered to take the entire load. Macormic didnt get the crabbers name or ask many questions. He said hed use them to bait his crab traps, Macormic said. He seemed happy to have them. Its not so far-fetched that a crabber would take a pile of dead nutria, said Julie Lively, a crab fisheries expert with the LSU AgCenter. Crab will eat anything, she said. Using nutria as bait isnt anything Ive heard of before, but it doesnt surprise me that a crabber would try it. Crabbers often use whatevers cheap and readily available. When Louisiana had a lot of catfish processing plants, traps were baited with catfish heads. Nowadays crabbers spend about $1 per pound for menhaden, a small schooling fish thats caught mostly for fertilizer and fish oil production. Many commercial trappers run several hundred or 1,000 traps at a time. The bait slots are just about nutria size. The rankness of the rodeo nutria might have just been lagniappe for the crabber. If something smells nasty or a little decayed, [crabs] are happy to go for it, Lively said. It can help attract them. For next years rodeo, Macormic plans to work more closely with the zoo to keep the dead nutria on ice and get them transported sooner. Yeah, I was little bummed when I had to get rid of all of them, he said. But shooting too many nutria thats a good problem to have. Once upon a time, two friends one white and one black went quietly about the business of March 03 : Saif Ali Khan and Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub starrer Tandav has been tangled in political controversy ever since its release on Amazon Prime Video in January this year. The scene that drew most of the controversies depicted a college theatrical programme that led to allegations that the web series hurt religious sentiments of the people of India, and multiple FIRs were filed against the show. After the makers of the series issued an unconditional apology in January, now Amazon Prime Video India has also issued an unconditional apology for unintentionally hurting the sentiments of a particular community. Amazon Prime Video Indias apology statement read, Amazon Prime Video again deeply regrets that viewers considered certain scenes to be objectionable in the recently launched fictional series Tandav. This was never our intention, and the scenes that were objected to were removed or edited when they were brought to our attention. The statement further read, We respect our viewers' diverse beliefs and apologise unconditionally to anyone who felt hurt by these scenes. Our teams follow company content evaluation processes, which we acknowledge need to be constantly updated to better serve our audiences. The cast and the crew of the Ali Abbas Zafar directorial series apologised twice. Eventually, the team cut out the objectionable scenes from the series. Tandav premiered on Amazon Prime Video on January 15, 2021. It stars Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Sunil Grover, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Kumud Mishra, among others. Earlier, the Allahabad High Court rejected the anticipatory bail application filed by Aparna Purohit, head of content of Amazon Prime Video India over Tandav controversy. The petition was filed in connection with an FIR filed in Greater Noida, alleging that the makers of Tandav have hurt the religious sentiments of a particular community. Aparna Purohit has been booked in 10 FIRs filed across the country. Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- China forced banks to hold more foreign currencies in reserve for the first time in more than a decade, its most substantial move yet to rein the surging yuan.The nations financial institutions will need to hold 7% of their foreign exchange in reserve from June 15, according to a central bank statement Monday. Thats an increase of 2 percentage points, and the first such hike since 2007. The move, which the Peoples Bank of China said will help liquidity management, effectively reduces the supply of dollars and other currencies onshore -- putting pressure on the yuan to weaken.Although analysts said the direct impact may be small, the move is the clearest signal by the PBOC that its unhappy about the yuans surge to a three-year high against the greenback. Authorities had until now limited their response to rhetoric: a former central bank official and a state-media commentary talked down the currency over the weekend.The PBOC wants to show the market -- if the rally keeps going, it has many measures to slow it down and the market will fail if it wants to make speculative bets, said Zhou Hao, an economist at Commerzbank AG in Singapore. Its more of a symbolic move, as no matter how the PBOC boosts funding costs on foreign exchange, the rate on the yuan will almost always be higher.The PBOC set its daily reference rate at 6.3572 on Tuesday, only marginally weaker than the average forecast in a Bloomberg survey of analysts and traders. The currency gained 0.2% to 6.3634 per dollar as of 9:52 a.m. in Hong Kong, while the onshore rate strengthened 0.1%.Betting on the yuan has been a successful strategy in the past year. The currency has surged 13% against the dollar since last May, when it was near its lowest level since 2008 amid the effects of the pandemic and the trade war with the U.S. Brokerages including Citic Securities Co., Scotiabank and Westpac Banking Corp. expect the currency to climb to 6.2 against the dollar. That would be the strongest since a 2015 devaluation.The yuan is supported by Chinas economic recovery and its higher-yielding markets are attractive to global investors. A backdrop of imported inflation is bolstering the argument for a stronger yuan. Against a basket of trading partners, the Chinese currency is the strongest since 2016.The foreign-exchange reserve ratio hike will likely freeze about $20 billion of liquidity, according to Guan Tao, a former official at the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. The increase demonstrates the Chinese central banks strong determination to curb rapid appreciation in the yuan, and PBOC has more tools if speculation emerges in the currency market, he said.Recent history shows traders should be wary. In the wake of the devaluation, the yuan fell about 11% by the end of 2016, surged 11% through its 2018 peak, before reversing again to sink 13% by September 2019. When momentum in the yuan became too extreme, authorities often took steps to arrest the moves. In early 2018, for instance, the yuan fell the most in two months as authorities gave banks the green light to submit quotes for weaker fixings.Still, analysts remain unconvinced of the potency of the latest measure. Fundamental factors supporting the yuan -- such as its interest-rate premium and high inflation -- remain intact, Citigroup Inc. economists led by Liu Li-gang wrote in a note.While this policy will lock in a certain amount of capital inflow and make foreign exchange funding costs higher, its effectiveness remains in doubt, Liu wrote.Any tightening in dollar funding onshore wont be sustained because global investors can easily obtain cheap foreign-exchange overseas and invest in yuan bonds, according to Ju Wang, a senior currency strategist at HSBC Bank Plc.Beijing seems to be sticking to its goal of liberalizing markets as part of President Xi Jinpings plans to reduce moral hazard. Its not just the yuan where direct intervention is now an unusual sight. The national team of state-backed funds is rarely seen in the $12 trillion stock market anymore, unless moves risk turning into panic or mania. Even in the commodities market, where officials are struggling to cool prices, efforts have largely been verbal rather than direct.If the central bank takes additional assertive actions, such as setting dramatically weaker fixings, that could reinforce the belief that only heavy-handed intervention is worth paying attention to. Yet the Communist Party has made it clear it will act to reduce speculation and guard against risks to financial stability, especially in the run-up to the centenary of the Partys founding this July.We dont see this as an one-off change, but likely the start of a trend, Becky Liu, head of China macro strategy at Standard Chartered, said of Mondays move by the PBOC. It could be seen as a new mechanism to manage the yuan in the medium term, together with other counter-cyclical measures.(Adds 5th paragraph to show PBOCs fixing on Tuesday and latest pricing of yuan.)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 government at its first Wednesday meeting appointed four prefects proposed by the UDMR (Democratic Union of Hungarians of Romania), according to a press release of this political party. After negotiations in the coalition on the nominations and appointments made by the Government, UDMR will have prefects in the following counties: Arad - Toth Csaba, Cluj - Tasnadi Istvan Szilard, Salaj - Dari Tamas, and Altfatter Tamas-Ferenc will continue to be a prefect in Satu Mare. The same source mentioned that the Government will also appoint other prefects and subprefects nominated by the UDMR in the next interval. Kenya hails first vaccines as 'bazookas' against COVID-19 Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Health Mutahi Kagwe receives the first batch of AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccines against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the Jomo Kenyatta international airport in Nairobi By Omar Mohammed NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya welcomed the arrival of over a million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday in its first batch under a global plan to ensure equitable distribution. "We have received ... machine guns, bazookas, and tanks to fight this war against COVID-19," Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe exulted as the doses arrived at Nairobi's main airport. With fewer resources and tougher logistics than other regions, African nations are racing to secure the hundreds of million of doses needed to inoculate their populations against the disease and allow the safe reopening of economies. Kenya, which has so far recorded 106,470 infections and 1,863 deaths from the virus, has seen a jump in the number of daily cases in the last two weeks. Kenya's roughly 400,000 health workers will take priority when vaccinations begin later this week, Kagwe said, before other essential workers like teachers and police. The doses which arrived on Wednesday came from the Serum Institute of India and were the first batch of an initial allocation to Kenya of 3.56 million doses by the COVAX facility, the ministry of health said. COVAX, which is led by the GAVI vaccines alliance along with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners, aims to deliver over 1.3 billion doses to 92 low- and middle-income countries, covering up to 20% of their populations. (Reporting by Omar Mohammed; Writing by Duncan Miriri; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) Proponents Say The Bill Protects Consumer Choice Gas and Building Industry Interests Concerns of Curbing Local Sustainability Efforts (TNS) Cities across the country are pushing for electric-only buildings, some by banning natural gas, as part of an ongoing effort to curb emissions and stall climate change. But another national push is underway in state legislatures to prevent this type of ban from happening elsewhere including in Indiana.House Bill 1191 would limit Hoosier city and town governments from banning any specific type of fuel source for appliances and heating homes. The language is neutral, but its been made clear in hearings that the issue is about protecting natural gas.The bill which has passed out of the House and is now awaiting a hearing in the Senate is more of a preventive measure. After all, it doesnt appear any Indiana cities are looking to ban natural gas any time soon. Its also just one bill of many circulating the country.Four similar laws were passed in other states last year, and 12 bills are moving through other statehouses this year, all in states such as Kentucky or Missouri where Republicans control the legislature. Advocates say its a necessary effort to protect consumer choice and keep energy costs low. But others protest, saying the gas industry is trying to protect itself by taking away local control and stifling cities sustainability goals.The bills author, Rep. Jim Pressel, R- Rolling Prairie, did not respond to multiple requests for comment.Greg Ellis, vice president of energy and environmental policy at the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, said this bill will still allow those who want clean or renewable energy to choose it. Its necessary, he said, for ensuring that the cost of gas infrastructure will be shared across a wider base, cutting down overall rates.It will help keep costs down for Hoosier residents and businesses, Ellis said. It keeps the choice in the hands of the consumer.Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard, a Republican, disagrees. He asserts that this bill would take away local governments power of choice. Local governments are closest to the people, he said, and he finds offense in the implication that cities cant make their own decisions when it comes to energy and sustainability goals.These should be local decisions Its disappointing to see legislators who dont understand that, Brainard said. Its not needed right now, but it limits flexibility in the future. And we dont know what the future holds.Also of concern is an amendment that makes Indianas legislation unique from those bills circulating around the rest of the nation.The amendment would restrict state universities from adopting certain energy-saving requirements for campus construction, unless they can be expected to result in savings within 10 years.Its unclear where the amendment came from, but it raised red flags for some bill opponents, who point out universities are already required to pass projects through several layers of review.HB 1191 is written in a way that says cities cant put in place policies or requirements that would prioritize one fuel over another for heat and appliances in buildings. Or as Pressel put it during a committee hearing: Its a ban on banning natural gas.The bill would prevent a municipality from banning new gas infrastructure and hookups in new construction. Pressel and other proponents say the measure is needed to preserve consumer choice. It should be up to residents on whether they want heat or a stovetop thats gas or electric, theyve said.Without that choice, they argue, bills will likely be higher.We are trying to meet the needs of what Hoosiers want and Hoosiers want safe, reliable energy choices, said Rick Wajda, chief executive officer of the Indianas Builders Association. They dont want to be told that only one type of energy can be provided to their house.Critics, however, question whether protecting consumers is the true aim. They point to other Indiana laws that removed net metering and the states energy efficiency program in recent years. Or a bill that would stop HOAs across Indiana from prohibiting rooftop solar that has not gone anywhere. Rep. Matt Pierce, D- Bloomington, even suggested a provision about HOAs be added to HB 1191, but that was disregarded.One needs to take a slightly broader view of all the energy bills being considered now and that have been considered and passed in recent years, said Sanya Carley, and economics policy professor at Indiana University. And they need to understand that not all those bills try to protect consumer choice.Rather, several opponents say they believe the consumer is being used as a front for the industry interests that are really at play with this bill: Those of the gas sector.This is how the fossil fuel and utility industries work, said Charlie Spatz, a researcher with the Climate Investigations Center. He has been following these topics for years and has reviewed thousands of pages of documents.Thats what they did with their disinformation campaign to try to cast doubt on climate change, he said. Now they are worried about the threat of electrification, or the replacing of technologies that use fossil fuels with those that use electricity.The industry also claims that natural gas is clean and consistent with efforts to fight climate change. Scientific research, however, says that while the fuel is cleaner than coal, its not clean; and its growing use is emerging as one of the biggest climate change drivers.This is what happens. They feel they are facing an existential threat and theyre not looking to change their business practices, Spatz said. So instead they have a strategy to tie the hands of municipalities who want to reduce fossil fuel use and take action on the climate crisis.The American Gas Association, a national organization lobbying for gas utilities, has maintained that it is at an arms length with efforts to pass "preemption" laws at the state level. An association spokesman toldthat we are not lobbying for bills like the one in Indiana, and that its members direct their own policy activities in the areas they serve.In Indiana, Citizens Energy and CenterPoint, formerly Vectren, are members of AGA. Citizens said it supports the concept that the marketplace should determine which fuels are available to customers. Much of the Gas Associations budget comes from ratepayers through their member utilities, Spatz said, which means ratepayers are funding some of this work.Though the association has maintained that separation, an AGA dues letter reveals the group is actively involved in these efforts. Under a section titled Securing the Future of Natural Gas, the letter says that AGA is increasingly active in the states.Through these efforts, we are bringing together allies to help promote the value of natural gas the letter, dated Nov. 20 of last year, reads. Over the course of the year, legislation preserving energy choice for customers passed in Arizona, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Tennessee.In Indiana, one of those allies that is promoting this legislation is the Indiana Builders Association, a trade group that advocates for the building, construction and development industries in the state. The group spoke during committee hearings on HB 1191 in favor of the bill. CEO Rick Wajda said that gas is the preferred fuel choice for many customers and that gas prohibitions would have a chilling effect on the construction industry.Theres another connection to the building industry: Pressel, the bills author, owns Pressel Enterprises, a custom homebuilding company. Pressels company is a member of the Indiana Builders Association and Pressel was a past president of the organization in 2016. A family member, who works as a Project Manager at Pressel Enterprises, is currently on IBAs board of directors.The Builders Association has been pushing several bills in this years legislative session. Three authors of a bill that would strip protections for wetlands and requirements for a permit to build in a wetland are all members of IBA. The same is true for the author of a bill to cut housing standards in Indiana.Its not unusual for the building and gas industries to be working together, Spatz said: Across the board, weve seen a marriage between the two to push preemption legislation. The gas industry is telling builders that consumers want gas, he said.Carley, the IU professor, said this bill is a direct response to a growing trend of cities creating strong decarbonization goals. Its their attempt, she added, to get ahead of the curve and stop Indiana cities that might follow suit.Its perhaps less to protect consumers," Carley said, "and more to restrict cities ability to take steps and make changes as it relates to climate change.HB 1191 would not prohibit cities or utilities from using natural gas to produce electricity. The bill solely limits governments from banning the fuel going into homes for heating and appliances.Even so, its a concern for environmental advocates, who point out that burning natural gas for heat emits carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that drive climate change.Heating for homes and buildings makes up 12 percent of the countrys total emissions. Of that, natural gas is responsible for more than two thirds of carbon dioxide sent into the atmosphere. According to one study from energy consulting firm E3, making all new buildings gas-free could cut those emissions by as much as 90 percent.Cities such as San Francisco, Berkeley and Oakland in recent years passed ordinances prohibiting natural gas in new construction.Six Indiana mayors including Brainard have pledged to curb emissions as part of Climate Mayors, a network of local leaders who committed to upholding the Paris Climate Agreement after former President Donald Trump withdrew in 2017. Indianapolis is also part of the Bloomberg Philanthropies American Cities Climate Challenge, which provides the city resources for accomplishing sustainability efforts.Indiana University, too, in recent years started the Environmental Resilience Institutes Resilience Cohort to help some Hoosier local governments manage their own emissions and navigate the impacts of a warming world on their area. Seventeen local governments have signed up.The spotlight on local governments is growing, in part because of disenchantment on the lack of action on the state and federal level. A recent survey found seven in 10 Hoosiers believed those governments needed to do more to address climate change.Now, Carley said, municipalities are taking a leading role.Hundreds of cities are taking pledges and taking very aggressive actions to limit emissions, she said. Cities are leading the way, no doubt, and doing so because they realize they have a moral imperative to do so.Opponents raise questions about how HB 1191 could impact these efforts.Is this a way to infringe on localities working on sustainability plans, climate plans, energy efficiency plans? asked Kerwin Olson, executive director of nonprofit consumer advocacy group Citizen Action Coalition. Will this bill invite litigation at a later time when they try to implement those plans? It certainly implies that.Extending restrictions to Indiana public universitiesThere is one aspect of Indianas law that sets it apart perhaps takes it farther than efforts in other states, Spatz said: An amendment that extends restrictions to the states public universities.More specifically, it prevents utilities from adopting policies with energy-saving requirements in construction or renovation of buildings. It says a university can use energy-efficient materials, which often are more expensive upfront, only if it can see the return and savings within 10 years.Thats an arbitrary number, Olson said. Those materials, like windows and roofs, are usually measured based on the life cycle of the item.Tom Morrison, the vice president of capital planning and facilities at IU, agreed. He said that a new energy efficient roof may pay itself back in 12 years, which still would mean significant savings on energy costs over its more than 30-year life cycle. But under the amended law, they would have to scrap the roof.We build things to last a really long time because we have to foresee that we will be here forever," Morrison said. "So we tend to invest in infrastructure that stands the test of time but also is cost effective because we are trying to maximize the states investment.Capital projects by state universities already must be approved by the University Board of Trustees, and from there it goes to the Commission for Higher Education for their recommendation. After that, it goes to the State Budget Committee, with members of the General Assembly, which has final approval over the project.The university analyzes the cost effectiveness of the project, Morrison said, and the state certainly has oversight of this right now.It is unclear where this amendment came from or who proposed it, amendment authors can remain anonymous at the committee level. Pressel and Utilities committee chair Rep. Ed Soliday, R- Valparaiso, said they saw the amendment only about a half-hour before the hearing where it was proposed.That means the universities didnt know about it either, and they werent able to come to the statehouse to testify on the bill.Pierce, who also is a professor at IU, said there is zero evidence that universities are making poor decisions when they incorporate energy efficiency or clean energy into their projects. Pressel said during the committee hearing that he didnt feel universities had done anything wrong.Pierce feels this amendment is worse than the original bill.I thought the introduced bill was kind of dumb but wouldnt do any harm because theres no one in the state attempting to do what the bill is trying to prohibit, the Bloomington Democrat said. But its no longer a harmless bill. Its now a bill thats going to add costs and bureaucracy to university projects and its going to tie the hands of local governments. Its become a very bad bill.Pierce and Morrison said that the amendment seems to contradict the original bill. The original is supposedly about preserving consumer choice, they said, but the amendment limits the choices and decisions a utility can make.Pierce proposed an amendment on the House floor to remove this university amendment, but his efforts failed. The amended bill passed out of the House in early February by a vote of 66 to 28. It is now awaiting a hearing in the Senate Utilities Committee, which has not yet been scheduled. Vietnam is expected to begin COVID-19 vaccination this week following a request from Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. During a regular meeting of the government in Hanoi on Tuesday, PM Phuc called for further efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the five important rules including wearing face masks, disinfecting, keeping safe distance, avoiding gatherings, and filling out health declaration forms. He requested the Ministry of Health to begin COVID-19 vaccination for prioritized groups of individuals within this week. Dang Quang Tan, head of the General Department of Preventive Medicine under the health ministry, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the agency is exerting all efforts to prepare for the vaccination. The process will begin as soon as a factory certificate is issued for the batch of COVID-19 vaccine doses having arrived in Vietnam last month, Tan elaborated. The vaccine was developed by the UKs AstraZeneca and manufactured by South Korea, he continued, adding that South Korea has promised to send the certificate within this week. The vaccine had already been assessed by the World Health Organization and is now being reviewed by Vietnams National Institute for Control of Vaccine and Biologicals. According to the governments resolution on the use of COVID-19 vaccine, the inoculation will start in provinces and cities with ongoing pandemic outbreaks, urban areas with large populations, and important transport hubs. The northern province of Hai Duong is currently the countrys largest epicenter, while northern Quang Ninh Province and Hai Phong City have recently recorded local infections, Tan said, adding that Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are important transport hubs with a large population. These localities may be the first to receive COVID-19 vaccination, the official continued. Health workers and employees of local steering committees for COVID-19 prevention and control are among the prioritized groups of individuals, he added. Vietnam previously received the first batch containing 117,600 doses of COVID-19 vaccine on February 24. The next batch with several millions of doses is expected to arrive in late April, said Deputy Minister of Health Truong Quoc Cuong. The health ministry said last week that Vietnam aims to obtain 90 million COVID-19 vaccine doses this year, including 30 million through the WHO-led COVAX scheme, 30 million from AstraZeneca, and the rest from negotiations with U.S. producers. Talks were also taking place to secure Russias Sputnik V jab, the ministry added. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-04 02:20:25|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TEHRAN, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian health minister on Wednesday called on people to refrain from travelling during the two-week holiday of the Iranian New Year starting March 21 given the COVID-19 epidemic. "Despite the fatigue and the heavy constraints they have endured during the past year, people should still have patience," Saeed Namaki said in an interview with state TV. Travelling during this year's Nowruz holiday may actually be even "more dangerous" than last year since Iran is now dealing with a mutated variant of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus, the minister noted. In normal years, millions of Iranians travel to touristic places or some relatives' place of residence around the country during the nearly two weeks period of the holiday starting on the first day of the Iranian New Year, Nowruz. Also on Wednesday, Sima Sadat Lari, spokeswoman for Iran's Health Ministry, said 8,525 new COVID-19 cases were detected in the past 24 hours, raising the country's overall count to 1,656,699, according to the ministry's official website. Of the newly infected, 764 patients had to be hospitalized, Lari added. Between Tuesday and Wednesday, 86 new deaths related to the coronavirus were registered in Iran, taking the death toll from the virus to 60,353. It is worth noting that 11 Iranian counties in the southwestern province of Khuzestan are still on red alert for a high risk of infection, the spokewoman said. Iran announced its first cases of COVID-19 on Feb. 19, 2020. Enditem Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard just announced on Ellen they are teaming up to not only host a game show, but they will also compete on it. The Hollywood power couple, who are both Michigan natives, will host Family Game Fight on NBC. NBC has picked up a 10-episode run of the one-hour game show. This will be the first time Bell and Shepard are teaming up for a television project together. On each episode, the couple will each join another family of four and compete against each other in a series of games with a big cash prize up for grabs. Family Game Fight was inspired by Bell and Shepard playing Taste Buds on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. For one of our first dates, I invited Dax over for a game night at my house with a bunch of friends, Bell said. He said he fell in love with me there because I was a very tiny person bossing everyone around. I fell in love with him too because hes a very large person who could boss everyone around, but chooses not to. Im so excited to host Family Game Fight and play all day with my best friend. Family Game Fight is now casting, and NBC is looking for family teams of four. You can apply to be on the show here. NBC is thrilled to be the network bringing Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard together to host a game show for the first time, said Jenny Groom Executive Vice President of Unscripted Content for NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. Weve been wanting to work with them as a duo for years. Their energy is infectious, their comedic sensibility comes so naturally, and their transparency about their relationship is what makes them so relatable and loveable. Here is the couples announcement on todays Ellen. MORE FROM MLIVE: Watch adorable polar bear cub experience snow for the first time at the Detroit Zoo Detroits giant RoboCop statue is real and its spectacular, at 11 feet, 2.5 tons City in Michigan ranked the No. 1 coolest place in U.S. with lowest cost of living Kolkata, March 3 : As election temperature soars in poll-bound West Bengal, political parties have opened their doors to local cine-stars, virtually offering them an alternative career path to join the mainstream electoral politics. A slew of Bengal Tollywood celebrities have recently joined both the camps of the state's ruling Trinamool Congress and its arch-rival Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Last week, actor Sayani Ghosh, Kanchan Mallick, director Raj Chakraborty and many other members of Kolkata's film and television fraternity had joined the ruling formation. Actress Sayantika Bandopadhyay also joined the Trinamool in the presence of state Education Minister Partha Chatterjee on Wednesday. Interestingly, Trinamool Congress on Wednesday organised a unique workshop for celebrities where party's Rajya Sabha leader Derek O'Brien trained all the newly inducted Tollywood personalities how to do campaign and win hearts of the general voters. The workshop, which went on for over one-and-a-half-hour, was attended by Chakraborty, Sudeshna Roy, Manali Dey, Sourav Das, Ranita Das, Sreetama Bhattacharya and many others. According to sources, the celebrities were told not to indulge in personal attacks and talk more about the development schemes that the Trinamool Congress had introduced in Bengal in the last 10 years. They were also given a book which has all the details of every state government schemes and benefits. The celebrities were instructed to study the book thoroughly and mix up with the voters to win support for the party. "We have been told to reach out to the people with the information about the state government's performance. They have given us all the details of the state government schemes that have been introduced so far. Now we need to share there with the people as much as possible," said Chakraborty. "When I had started my career, I was not a director. But slowly I learnt the tricks of the trade. The workshop was also targeted at making all of us politically aware about the party's guidelines, the state government's various schemes and its performance in the last 10 years. Such workshops are really effective for people like us who have come to the mainstream political arena from different fields," said Sudeshna Roy. Last month, a bunch of Bengali film industry personalities such as actors Yash Dasgupta, Soumili Ghosh Biswas, Papiya Adhikari, Minakshi Ghosh, Sutapa Mukherjee, Tramila Bhattacharya and Mallika Bannerjee, director Raj Mukherjee, producer-director Atanu Roy and music director Subhayu Bedoggo had joined the saffron camp, barely a few weeks ahead of the high-octane state Assembly elections. Actor Hiran Chatterjee, who was known as a Trinamool insider, also joined the BJP and was seen campaigning with the party's state unit president Dilip Ghosh in Malda and South Dinajpur districts last month. If the right-wing forces are scoring on local celebrity quotient, how can the Left parties be far behind? On February 28 at a mega show at Kolkata's Brigade parade ground, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) had showcased a number of celebrities like actor Sabyasachi Chakraborty, Badaga Moitra, director Aneek Dutta and Kamaleswar Mukherjee, among others, who openly campaigned for the Left-Congress-Indian Secular Front (ISF) alliance. Tom Hallberg covers a little bit of everything, from skiing to long-form feature stories. A Teton Valley, Idaho, transplant by way of Portland and Bend, Oregon, he spends his time outside work writing fiction, splitboarding and climbing. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. 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. Molybdenum Disulfide. Credit: Daria Sokol/MIPT Researchers of the Center for Photonics and Two-Dimensional Materials at MIPT, together with their colleagues from Spain, Great Britain, Sweden, and Singapore, including co-creator of the world's first 2-D material and Nobel laureate Konstantin Novoselov, have measured giant optical anisotropy in layered molybdenum disulfide crystals for the first time. The scientists suggest that such transition metal dichalcogenide crystals will replace silicon in photonics. Birefringence with a giant difference in refractive indices, characteristic of these substances, will make it possible to develop faster yet tiny optical devices. The work is published in the journal Nature Communications. The Scandinavian Vikings were the first, among others, to observe polarizing effects in optics. They discovered that objects appeared doubled when viewed through Iceland spar (clear calcite). That phenomenon was later called birefringence. The effect is due to the asymmetrical arrangement of atoms in some materials. As a result, a light beam refracts differently in the material,depending on the direction in which it propagates, splitting into two linearly polarized beams (the ordinary and extraordinary) and creating a doubled image. It turns out that the phenomenon of birefringence is very practical. For example, the Vikings used double refraction of some crystals for navigation. Present-day liquid crystal monitors use the birefringence effect in liquid crystals to create images. The phenomenon is also used to build polarizers, wave plates, and other optical components. It is desirable that the refractive indices of ordinary and extraordinary beams differ as much as possiblethen the desired effect can be achieved when light passes through a thinner plate, thus helping reduce the size of the device, and in some applications, increase its speed. Researchers have recently demonstrated the possibility of building ultra-compact waveguides with anisotropic materials to reach and even overcome the diffraction limit. The effect requires materials with a birefringence value greater than 1. So far, the BaTiS 3 perovskite layered crystals and the hexagonal boron nitride h-BN have held the record for birefringence (0.8). The desire to make modern optics more and more compact has stimulated the search for natural materials with huge optical anisotropy greater than 1. Transition metal dichalcogenides are extremely promising in this respect. These compounds based on sulfur, selenium, tellurium, and 3d-elements of the Mendeleev's Periodic Table have a layered structure. For example, molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) consists of alternating layers rotated with respect to each other by 180 degrees and held together by weak van der Waals forces (Figure 1). Icelandic feldspar. Credit: Mineral atalog "From the task of measuring the optical properties of molybdenum disulfide, we have arrived at a completely different problemnamely, to study anisotropy and find promising applications of the anisotropy of such crystals in photonics," Georgy Ermolaev, Ph.D. student at MIPT and first author of the study, says. This anisotropic structure could not but affect the material's optical properties. This fact was known already in the second half of the twentieth century. However, quantitative measurements of the anisotropy were non-existent. That was due, among other things, to considerable experimental difficulties. To overcome them, the researchers combined methods of near and far electric fields. In other words, in addition to irradiating the material at different angles and detecting the signal, the authors studied the propagation of waveguide modes in the material. This approach enabled them to unambiguously determine the birefringence of the material, which is 1.5 in the near-infrared and up to three times in the visible range. These values are several times greater than those of previous record-breakers. "We used a combination of techniquesspectral ellipsometry and near-field optical microscopy and verified our data with numerical calculations. The work required the efforts of a large number of scientists from different scientific teams in different countries and with different competencies. For all of us, this work was the beginning of large-scale research on anisotropic transition metal dichalcogenides nanophotonics," commented Aleksey Arsenin, a leading researcher at MIPT. The data obtained were compared with quantum calculations, which, to the researchers' surprise, produced exactly the same result, thus confirming the correctness of the constructed quantum mechanical model of layered materials and suggesting that the theory and conclusions published in the article are applicable to the entire class of transition metal dichalcogenides. Diagram of the structure of molybdenum disulphide. Credit: Nature Communications The researchers have completely rediscovered for the world a class of materials with enormous optical anisotropy. The discovery offers an additional degree of freedom in the development of compact photonic devices and. For example, it makes it possible to reach the diffraction limit in optics for wave-guiding systems with characteristic dimensions of about 100 nanometers. The work was led by Professor Valentyn Volkov. He moved from the University of Southern Denmark to MIPT in September 2019 to head the Center for Photonics and Two-Dimensional Materials. "Whereas previously we were limited to changes in geometry and effective refractive index to create new optical circuits and devices, giant anisotropy provides an additional degree of freedom to manipulate light," says Volkov. "Unexpectedly, we found out that naturally anisotropic materials enable us to build compact waveguides literally on the edge of the diffraction limit. It gives us an opportunity to compete with silicon photonics. Now we can safely not only talk about post-silicon photonics but also implement it." More information: G. A. Ermolaev et al. Giant optical anisotropy in transition metal dichalcogenides for next-generation photonics, Nature Communications (2021). Journal information: Nature Communications G. A. Ermolaev et al. Giant optical anisotropy in transition metal dichalcogenides for next-generation photonics,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21139-x Born and raised in Europe but Liisi has a special passion for Vietnamese Ao Dai (traditional gown) and Vietnamese silk products. Liisi next to silk garments from her own brand. Business started from the love for Ao Dai Liisi Mari (born 1990) was born and raised in Estonia. Liisi's family had been painters for three generations, so she inherited some of that talent. Living in the cradle of art, since childhood Liisi has always been immersed in paintbrushes and canvases. Her favorite technique is drawing on silk. Later, Liisi graduated from the University of Arts in Estonia and went to Hong Kong (China) to study. Here, she met the man of her dreams and got married to a Vietnamese. When we first met, I often shared with my husband Ngoc my hobbies. He said Vietnam is a famous country for its silk. We talked about a lot of things but I was really fascinated when he had the same aspirations, Liisi said. When she was introduced to Ngocs family, his mother brought her to a tailor to make an Ao Dai as a gift. The first time she held the Ao Dai in her hands, Liisi felt a strange sensation. In Liisi's head, the image of paint brushes dancing on her shirt appeared. Just like that, she was infatuated with Ao Dai in all its magnificence. Since then, Liisi has spent most of her time studying silk and Ao Dai. The young Estonian woman decided to choose silk to start a business thanks to her love of the Vietnamese Ao Dai. In 2018, she got married and moved to Vietnam to live with her husband. In addition to painting, Liisi occasionally does modeling work. Liisi is so addicted to Ao Dai that she wears them whenever a special occasion comes up, whether it is Tet or a wedding or party. Ao Dai contains the essence of national identity. I feel confident wearing them, Liisi said. Liisi saw that Vietnamese silk had a lot of potential so she started a business in her husband's hometown with her own silk brand. Liisi's husband was then working for a company with a monthly salary of thousands of dollars, but decided to quit his job to cooperate with his wife on the business. My husband studied business administration, but I was inclined to art. We have different personalities but have the same orientation and support each other in our work, said Liisi. According to Liisi, silk is a great material for painting. The natural softness of the silk fibers helps the colors to spread and blend together into attractive new colors. My products contain my love and passion for silk. The motifs on the Ao Dai are all hand drawn by me so each set is unique, nothing is mass produced, Liisi said. In the contest "Charming Ao Dai 2019", Liisi won 4th place with the Ao Dai she designed. In addition to the Ao Dai, Liisi also developed a hand-painted silk scarf and silk pillows. Just like the Ao Dai, there is only one version for each piece. In addition to the products drawn by Liisi, the couple also organizes sessions for customers who want to hand-draw the motifs of their scarf or Ao Dai at the sewing factory. "Painting on silk is an artistic activity that helps people find relaxation, tranquility, stress relief as well as training persistence and creativity," Liisi said. Bringing Vietnamese silk to the world Drawing on canvas class for children. The Estonian woman added that, although the business is stable, the couple's silk brand has not officially had a store, but only accepts orders via online form. In order for customers to choose easily, couple are using a smart fashion app with a "Try-on" feature - allowing buyers to try on clothes and accessories on models virtually. After being welcomed by the Vietnamese market, the couple brought "made in Vietnam" products to other countries. However, the distribution stops at retail activities. According to Liisi, customers in Finland, Estonia, Germany, the US, and China find Vietnamese silk products through the couple's sales page. A phoenix silk scarf hand drawn by Liisi. Mr. Tran Ngoc, Liisi's husband, said that in 2020, the couple intends to export through a large distribution channel, but due to the epidemic, it has been postponed. Currently, this plan has just been restarted. He will focus on exporting to Estonia and Germany. Because of limited capital and the lack of conditions to invest in large factories, my wife and I have developed the model of linking, sewing scarves and silk robes with traditional craft villages. For standard product line, we order outsourcing. High-end line, exclusive design, we bring them to a small self-production workshop. However, the source of silk fabric must always ensure the standards of Vietnam. Because the foreign market is quite careful," Mr. Ngoc said. Liisi inside the canvas studio. Mr. Ngoc shared that the couple started a business entirely with their own capital and did not seek funds from others. The brand name this may not be widely developed but the production is there. The quantity of goods is not high but he believes this is a sustainable way to go. At the beginning, Ngoc and his wife also faced many difficulties in finding markets and approaching customers. With business knowledge and brand development acquired for many years, Ngoc and his wife promote themselves through social networks. At the same time, the couple brings their products to travel fairs, world consumer fairs, and art shows. Silk is woven from insect silk. From this material, we can create many different fabrics, shiny like satin, rough like linen and burlap, hard like organza ... ", the owner added. Liisi and her husband introduce the silk brand to the world to promote Vietnamese culture. People often consider silk as a glossy fabric, loose and not for the young, but this material can be used for all ages, different in color and design. Liisi said the developing the silk brand is not simply a business. The main purpose is to promote Vietnamese traditional culture, and elevate products to art. My husband and I are determined to move around and live in both countries - Vietnam and Estonia. So, everyone has the opportunity to be close to their family. In the future, I plan to open a representative office in Estonia. My mother also likes Vietnamese silk products, said Liisi. Thai Minh A young woman spiralled into drug addiction, homelessness and crime after allegedly being introduced to the drug GHB by a 'toxic' ex-partner. Ashley Wigney, 25, from Logan, south of Brisbane, has been behind bars since December last year after being arrested over a string of offences. One of these included Wigney allegedly crashing a stolen car into a parked vehicle, causing $7,000 worth of damage, only to flee the scene. The young woman, who is being held at the Brisbane Women's Correctional Centre, appeared in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Tuesday via videolink and pleaded guilty to 25 offences, the Courier Mail reported. Ashley Wigney, 25, from Logan, south of Brisbane, has been behind bars since December last year after being arrested over a string of offences Wigney committed the majority of the offences last year and faced charges of possessing drugs, breaching bail, possessing a knife in public and unlawful use of a motor vehicle. Her defence lawyer Mollie Roper said the young woman had been in a turbulent relationship for around five years before they separated and that is how she was introduced to drugs. Wigney mainly used cannabis and GHB, also known as fantasy or liquid ecstasy, which gives the user a sense of euphoria. Ms Roper said that after Wigney's relationship broke down, she ended up homeless and her reliance on these drugs worsened. She said the 25-year-old's family disassociated themselves with her while she was using. The court heard Wigney had spiralled into a life of drug abuse and crime through a 'toxic' ex-partner Magistrate Rodney Kilner told the 25-year-old he'd give her 'one final chance', and sentenced her to 18 months probation. Upon her release Wigney will reside with her mother who she has recently reconnected with. Wigney was also fined for breaching probation and in relation to traffic offences. Intelligent.com, a trusted resource for online degree rankings and higher education planning, has announced the Top 40 Fire Science Degree Programs for 2021. The comprehensive research guide is based on an assessment of 156 accredited colleges and universities in the nation. Each program is evaluated based on curriculum quality, graduation rate, reputation, and post-graduate employment. The 2021 rankings are calculated through a unique scoring system which includes student engagement, potential return on investment and leading third party evaluations. Intelligent.com analyzed 156 schools, on a scale of 0 to 100, with only 40 making it to the final list. The methodology also uses an algorithm which collects and analyzes multiple rankings into one score to easily compare each school. Students who pursue any one of these programs can expect to gain employment much quicker in comparison to candidates without a degree. In addition to accessibility and cost, the steady job growth in this market is one of the many reasons Intelligent.com researched and ranked the Top Fire Science Degree Programs. To access the complete ranking, please visit: https://www.intelligent.com/best-fire-science-degree-programs/ 2021 Fire Science Degree Programs featured on Intelligent.com (in alphabetical order): Albany Technical College American Public University System Anna Maria College Bowling Green State University Butte College California State University, Los Angeles Colorado State University Columbia Southern University Eastern Kentucky University Eastern Oregon University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Fayetteville State University Idaho State University John Wood Community College Lake Superior State University Lake Tahoe Community College Lewis-Clark State College Madonna University Navarro College New Jersey City University Northwestern State University of Louisiana Palm Beach State College Purdue University Global Saint Leo University Saint Petersburg College Salem State University Seminole State College Southern Arkansas University Tech Tidewater Community College University of Cincinnati University of Florida University of Idaho University of Maryland University Of Nebraska, Omaha University of New Haven University of North Carolina, Charlotte University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh Vincennes University Waldorf University Western Illinois University About Intelligent.com Intelligent.com provides unbiased research to help students make informed decisions about higher education programs. The website offers curated guides which include the best degree programs as well as information about financial aid, internships and even study strategies. With comprehensive, user-friendly guides and hundreds of program rankings, Intelligent.com is a trusted source among students and prospective students. To learn more, please visit https://www.intelligent.com/. The Reporter-Telegram had its first meeting with the community group, and the pleasure was all mine. We talked about the current identity of Midland how it is community-minded, hospitable and independent. We talked about the needs, the opportunities and the narratives (accurate and otherwise) about our community. We talked about race, wealth, education and had first discussions about what Midland can be. We expect before our monthly meetings are complete that we will have more direction from these 10 community members about where they see Midland going. We even had our first op-ed this weekend from First Baptist Senior Pastor Darin Wood. He used our space this past week to spread the message of his churchs FirstCares program. But a reason for us to bring this group together also was to have a conversation about how the Reporter-Telegram could be a better community resident. They reminded us that we needed to stay true to our roots to what the first Reporter-Telegram publisher T. Paul Barron told our readers in the first edition of the Reporter-Telegram in 1929. The Reporter-Telegram will give close cooperation with churches, civic organizations, schools and institutions of the community, assisting each one impartially. Such organizations are invited to make use of the columns of The Reporter-Telegram. That is what a good community newspaper does. That is why one goal from our first meeting is to put together a community calendar worthy of Midland. A calendar where people will learn more about events like Community Worship Center's Project Giveback that took place last week. What was Project Giveback? They gave away clothes for those in need last weekend at Washington Park. In a community like Midland with more nonprofits per capita than just about any community in Texas this calendar will become a staple for those organizations needing to spread their message, to control the narrative in the community. So, the question is what can we do for you? What information do you have for us? Consider this an invitation to make use of the columns of the Reporter-Telegram. There will be more as we learn about Midland and about ourselves and how we can make a greater impact. But for now, I say we are off to a good start. Send your information to sdoreen@hearstnp.com or call me at 432-352-0605. I will get back to you and let you know what we can do. -- The 10 members of our community board are (in alphabetical order): Matt Galindo, Pastor Doug Lamb, LaToya Mayberry, Roy Nelson, Lucy Sisniega, Carla Smith, Kristen Vasquez, Steven Villela, Kate Williamson and Pastor Darin Wood. Economy Minister Diane Dodds has issued a warning to Ulster University that it is dependent on funding from her department. It comes after last months announcement that Health Science undergraduate courses would be transferred to the Magee campus in Derry rather than Coleraine. Minister Dodds initially said she was disappointed after learning the courses had gone to Magee and would speak to UU Vice Chancellor Professor Paul Bartholomew. Following an Assembly question from one of her party colleagues, it has now emerged that she has spoken to Professor Bartholomew. DUP MLA for East Derry, Maurice Bradley, asked the Minister for the Economy what her Department is doing to promote Ulster University's Coleraine campus. In response, Minister Dodds said: I met with the Vice-Chancellor of Ulster University on 3rd February, following his announcement on the future relocation of undergraduate health science courses to the Universitys Magee campus. I made it very clear to him that as a multi-campus university, dependent on funding from my Department, that I expect the Ulster University to be transparent and equitable in its distribution of teaching provision across all of its campuses. I have requested sight of the Universitys strategic plans to consider its proposals for future growth at its Coleraine campus. A new medical school and around 800 students on the health science courses will increase numbers at Magee. The university has ambitions of growing the campus to 6,000 by the end of the decade. However, Derry representatives and campaigners want to see a full-sized university in the city with a minimum of 10,000 students. That was the commitment made in New Decade, New Approach an agreement which restored devolved government in NI. SDLP higher education spokesperson Sinead McLaughlin expressed shock and anger at the Economy Ministers responses to recent written Assembly questions. She said they fail to confirm that the minister supports what all parties signed up to in New Decade, New Approach. The Foyle MLA said: "Expanding the Magee campus in Derry is like pushing a very large, very heavy boulder uphill. Minister Dodds has just made that boulder even larger and even heavier. "New Decade New Approach contained the explicit agreement for the expansion of the Magee campus to 10,000 students. "The minister's response, and lack of response, to other written questions is also very concerning. She added: While she specified in one written answer to another MLA that she wishes to see expansion at the Coleraine campus, she has not replied to my question seeking her confirmation that she supports the expansion of Magee to 10,000 students. That question was supposed to be answered no later than 9th February, yet has not had an answer. My follow-up question, seeking an answer to that earlier question, has also not had a reply and is also overdue. "The SDLP will not relax in its determination to make Derry a full-sized university city. We will continue to explore and work on options to achieve this, including through ongoing dialogue with the Irish government, which has shown its commitment to university expansion in Derry." EQUITY Meanwhile, People Before Profit Councillor Shaun Harkin addressed the Minister's comments on 'equity' across all campuses. The last figures obtained by the Derry News by way of an FOI request indicated 355 administrative jobs at Coleraine compared to 125 at Magee. Cllr Harkin said: "The Economy Minister keeps saying there should be 'equity' across all the campuses. There certainly should. "Coleraine campus has around 800 mainly well paid jobs compared to just 350 on Magee campus. The majority of the imbalance is because of the number of professional and technical staff at Coleraine. If you go onto the Ulster University website you will see that most of the Central departments of the University - finance, HR, the VCs office etc are located on the Coleraine campus. People Before Profit has long argued that the absence of a proper University in Derry is not only a matter of student numbers, with which there will continue to be a massive deficit, but also of the well paid administrative jobs that come with a University. "Coleraine has many of them, not a single central department of the University is located in Magee. The campus is really second class compared to Coleraine. "The population of Coleraine is less than a quarter of Derry, so with a balanced approach we would expect Magee to have four times the number of students and jobs. So, yes, lets get some balance between Coleraine and Magee." Tanishaa Mukerji has been sharing glimpses of her trip to the Maldives for about a week now. The latest in her line of posts saw her flaunt her flexibility while performing yoga out on the deck of her boat. Another post that she shared showed her going Scuba Diving with her companions and she also shared some beautiful clips of underwater life. She used the hashtags #boatlife and #diving trip on all of her videos and photos from her trip. Also read: On Tanuja's Birthday, Here's A Look At Veteran Star's Pics With Daughters Kajol & Tanishaa Tanishaa's Maldives trip Also read: Kajol And Her Sister Tanishaa Mukerji Gives Some Major Sister Goals With These Pics The post that goes with the caption Mornings like these ... blessed ! sees the actor performing Yoga early in the morning just as dawn was about to break. The background of the video is a beautiful sunrise as the sky is just about turning bright while the sunlight brightens in the sky. Tanishaa wrote that she felt blessed to begin her day in this manner. She is performing Yoga to the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra which is also a Hindu religious chant. The video just shows the silhouette of Tanishaa who seems to be wearing a thin sarong over her swimwear with her hair up in a bun. She starts off with some Yoga stretches and then goes into the main exercise in the video. Also read: Kajol's Birthday: Sister Tanishaa Mukerji Shares Unseen Throwback Pics To Extend Wishes Another one of Tanishaas videos showed the actor preparing to go Scuba Diving and then the clip changes to show the underwater world. Tanishaa shared a glimpse of what her days on the boat looked like with the caption, What a day! Boat life is the best! Blessed blessed blessed!. In her video, she has written A day of diving on our boat goes something like this, And ofcourse a ride to a private island. The video first shows Tanishaa and her companions in their Scuba Diving attires getting ready to dive. Next is a shot of her doing underwater swimming among some eagle rays. Her clip ends with her on her way to a private island with her companions, showing off the bright sun and the blue waters of Maldives. Also read: Kajol, Nysa Devgn, Tanuja And Tanishaa Mukerji Pose Happily In A 'pre-COVID Times' Pic 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. At least 13 people have been confirmed dead after a road mishap near the U.S.-Mexico border in California, Tuesday morning. The California crash involved an overloaded SUV with 25 people and a semi-truck, according to authorities. Officers found 12 individuals dead on scene while another person died at a local hospital. The remaining eight individuals were transported to different local hospitals for life-threatening injuries, according to a Fox News report. Meanwhile, the officials are not yet certain if the driver of the Ford Expedition had stopped at a stop sign before crossing into the path of the big rig. The driver of the Ford Expedition died in the crash, according to California Highway Patrol Chief Omar Watson. The CHP did not immediately know why there were way too many people crammed inside the SUV as a Ford Expedition can only carry eight people legally. Watson said that the vehicle is not meant for that many people. "It's unfortunate that that many people were put into that vehicle because there's not enough safety constraints to safely keep those people in that vehicle," Watson was quoted in a report. Meanwhile, the driver of the truck was hauling two trailers of gravel and was hospitalized with moderate injuries. Officials are collaborating with the Mexican consulate to help identify the victims, as well as inform their families of what happened. The victims are age from 20 to 55, with the youngest 16 being among the injured. Read more: US Continues to Add Cameras at the US-Mexico Border Despite Decline in Crossings, Why? The Probe of the Incident A Customs and Border Protection spokesperson in Yuma and El Centro, Macario Mora, said that the border patrol was helping other law enforcement with the crash. Mora added that the immigration status of those in the SUV was unknown and being investigated, according to The Guardian report. Watson said that numerous people were ejected from the vehicle while others were able to pull themselves out of the wreck. Injuries varied in severity from fractures, chest injuries to head traumas. "Our staff has done a tremendous job getting everything ready for these patients and being able to handle them and get them transferred out to the appropriate places as soon as possible, or if we can take care of them here, they're being well taken care of as well," Dr. Shavonne Borchardt at El Centro Regional Medical Center was quoted in a Los Angeles Times report. Five fire engines arrived at the scene, and 15 first responders were also deployed at the accident. The El Centro Fire Department and CBP officers also assisted at the scene. Details about how the crash happened were not immediately available to the public as it is still currently still under investigation, according to a Daily Mail report. However, CBP said that most of the survivors are Spanish-speaking. Watson said it is still early to know whether the occupants of the SUV were migrant workers or others who may have crossed from Mexico in the overcrowded vehicle, according to a Reuters report. Meanwhile, Sen. Dianne Feinstein said that she was heartbroken to hear about the fatal crash, adding that her office is closely monitoring the incident as they try to learn more. Feinstein also thanked the first responders at the scene. Also read: 11 Iranian Migrants Caught Illegally Crossing the U.S.-Mexico Border On Monday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced a 20-point guide to how to empower women. Timed to coincide with next week's International Women's Day, it dripped with all the usual insufferably patronising self-righteousness that's become the hallmark of the couple's endless hectoring homilies to the world. 'Let's unleash a groundswell of real acts of compassion for the women in your life!' they beseeched on their foundation website. The 20 points, which included such blatantly sexist guff as telling us all to 'order from a woman-led restaurant' can you imagine the outrage if I suggested ordering from a man-led restaurant? - also contained this directive: 'Support safe spaces for women.' Fine words from a couple who never stop telling us how caring and compassionate they are, and how much they want to 'empower' women. Doubtless, we'll hear a lot more of this narrative during their two-hour interview with Oprah Winfrey. Just as we'll hear more on how they were driven out of Britain and the Royal Family by a bunch of nasty bullies in the Press and Palace. Oh, and how poor Meghan was silenced by restrictive royal protocol - and had her vitally important voice taken away from her. The Oprah whine-athon will be brimming with anguished woe-is-me tears, indignant rage, wallowing self-pity and lots of claims about how kind, caring Meghan and Harry just want to save the world. But then we woke up to a rather different narrative this morning. On Monday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced a 20-point guide to how to empower women. 'Let's unleash a groundswell of real acts of compassion for the women in your life!' they beseeched on their foundation website. Doubtless, we'll hear a lot more of this narrative during their two-hour interview with Oprah Winfrey The Oprah whine-athon will be brimming with anguished woe-is-me tears, indignant rage, wallowing self-pity and lots of claims about how kind, caring Meghan and Harry just want to save the world. But then we woke up to a rather different narrative this morning. In a series of bombshell revelations in the UK's Times newspaper, Meghan stands accused of waging a systematic reign of bullying terror against her personal staff In a series of bombshell revelations in the UK's Times newspaper, Meghan stands accused of waging a systematic reign of bullying terror against her personal staff at Kensington Palace. Two young female personal assistants were said to have been bullied out of their jobs, and a third more senior female member of staff was also allegedly mistreated. The claims were made in a formal complaint. Naturally, Meghan came out fighting, instructing her legal team to say it was all 'a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation', and insisting, of course, that SHE was the real victim. The Duchess, her spokesman said, was 'saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma. She is determined to continue her work building compassion around the world and will keep striving to set an example for doing what is right and doing what is good.' The clear implication from this ferocious and laughably self-righteous riposte was that the allegations are untrue. So, where did they come from? Was it the nasty lying British press again? Well, no. The allegations were in an email written by the couple's then communications secretary Jason Knauf. The allegations were in an email written by the couple's then communications secretary Jason Knauf (pictured). The Times reports that Prince Harry pleaded with him not to continue with his complaint, something Harry has denied. Knauf was right to be concerned about the claims being brushed under the royal carpet because indeed, nothing was done - and a month later Knauf quit his job and went to work for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as one of their top aides In it, he said: 'I am very concerned that the Duchess was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year. The treatment of X* was totally unacceptable. The Duchess seems intent on always having someone in her sights. She is bullying Y and seeking to undermine her confidence. We have had report after report from people who have witnessed unacceptable behaviour towards Y.' Knauf sent his email to Simon Case, then Prince William's private secretary and now the UK Government's cabinet secretary, after conversations with Samantha Carruthers, the head of Human Resources at the Palace. In his email, Knauf also expressed concern about the stress allegedly being experienced by Samantha Cohen (pictured), Meghan and Harry's private secretary Case then forwarded it to Carruthers. In his email, Knauf also expressed concern about the stress allegedly being experienced by Samantha Cohen, Meghan and Harry's private secretary, and said: 'I questioned if the Household policy on bullying and harassment applies to principals.' Knauf said Carruthers 'agreed with me on all counts that the situation was very serious' and he added: 'I remain concerned that nothing will be done.' The Times reports that Prince Harry pleaded with him not to continue with his complaint, something Harry has denied. Knauf was right to be concerned about the claims being brushed under the royal carpet because indeed, nothing was done - and a month later Knauf quit his job and went to work for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as one of their top aides. The details of the Times story are jaw-dropping, outlining a litany of alleged bullying by Meghan towards her young female staff that reduced some to tears. Aides spoke of being humiliated and feeling 'sick' and 'terrified' by the dreadful treatment they received. After one row over an event, one reportedly told another: 'I feel terrified. I can't stop shaking.' A Palace source told the Times: 'There were a lot of broken people. Young women were broken by their behaviour.' The source described one member of staff as 'completely destroyed.' And it wasn't just Meghan. Harry stands accused of bullying behavior, too. The Times reports that even before the wedding, one aide told a colleague the couple were both 'outrageous bullies' and said they were considering resigning. The two personal assistants said to have been bullied out of the Palace have been silenced by Non-Disclosure Agreements they apparently signed that prevent them from talking about their experiences. The Sussexes deny knowing about the NDAs. When Meghan was allegedly warned by a senior Palace aide to treat her staff better, she is reported to have retorted: 'It's not my job to coddle people.' All of this makes shocking reading and if it's all true, then it makes a complete mockery of Meghan and Harry's endless victimhood tour. It's too late for Oprah to ask them about it because her interview is in the can. Instead, we'll just hear the Sussexes portray themselves as the bullied victims, not the bullies that it is now claimed they were themselves. And we'll hear Meghan cry that she was silenced, when in fact it's the alleged victims of her own bullying who have been silenced and had THEIR voice taken away. If Meghan and Harry truly believe what they wrote in their 20-point manifesto for empowering women, then they should today demand the non-disclosure agreements with their two former assistants be removed so the young women are free to tell their stories in their own words. Now THAT would be empowering. Then we can all hear the truth about the astonishing claims from the Sussexes' own communications secretary, directly from those he said were bullied out of their jobs. And rather than dismiss Knauf's sensational claims as one giant smear, perhaps they could explain why someone working so close to them made a formal complaint about their bullying, why the Palace HR department believed the allegations were 'very serious' and why nothing was done about it? The Times also contained a second shocking, and undenied, story: that Meghan wore a massive set of diamond chandelier earrings to a dinner during the Sussexes' tour of Fiji, which had been given to her as a wedding gift by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Times also contained a second shocking, and undenied, story: that Meghan wore a massive set of diamond chandelier earrings which had been given to her as a wedding gift by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (left) ordered a hit squad to murder Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi (right) by sawing up his body into small pieces, because Khashoggi had dared to criticise the Crown Prince's brutal regime Three weeks before she wore them, Bin Salman ordered a hit squad to murder Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi by sawing up his body into small pieces, because Khashoggi had dared to criticise the Crown Prince's brutal regime. The story made huge international news, and the finger of suspicion laid firmly and publicly at the murderous hand of Bin Salman. But we're supposed to believe, as claimed by her spokesman, that Meghan, who has regularly spouted off about her horror at human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia, didn't know anything about it because she doesn't read the papers. Yet somehow, she always knows what's in the papers! I wonder how empowered the horribly oppressed women of Saudi Arabia feel today knowing that Meghan Markle is happy to brazenly sport expensive jewels lavished on her by the murderous leader who oppresses them? Amid all this unedifying royal mudslinging, the Duke of Edinburgh remains seriously ill in hospital. The poor Queen must be in utter turmoil Meanwhile, amid all this unedifying royal mudslinging, the Duke of Edinburgh remains seriously ill in hospital. The poor Queen must be in utter turmoil. It's bad enough that Meghan and Harry have done this interview at such an incredibly insensitive time for the family. But to play the compassionate women-empowering victims of bullying on prime-time TV, when they've now been accused of their own shocking compassion-devoid bullying towards multiple women, is both beyond the pale, and beyond parody. Take the hypocritical halos off, your royal highnesses they're cracked. 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. (Natural News) Americas Frontline Doctors (AFLDS) has created a new tool for state lawmakers to craft Vaccine Bill of Rights (VBOR) legislation as a defense against mandatory vaccination. In the face of intrusive, dangerous and unnecessary proposals, to quote Patrick Delaney of LifeSiteNews, many Americans are concerned that the United States might go the way of Israel in requiring Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccination as a type of health passport in order to buy and sell. AFLDS is working on the frontlines to stop this from happening. The VBOR was composed, according to AFLDS, so that state legislatures can re-affirm their commitment to individual rights of conscience, assembly, and movement. You are now armed with the tools to fight for your freedom, a draft resolution of the document template reads. THIS IS YOUR MISSION. You, your family, and your friends are all free to access the VBOR document, which AFLDS is urging people to send to their state representatives along with a petition urging them to pass the resolution immediately. The LifeSite Action Center has created a nationwide Alert on its Voter Voice Platform that simplifies the process with a one-step contact form. This system will automatically match citizens to their representatives email and / or Twitter accounts, and with a single click they can send their message to them directly, Delaney writes. Calling the legislators offices is an option provided as well. Vaccine Bill of Rights actualizes already established Constitutional law The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution explicitly directs states to not deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. Mandatory vaccination clearly violates this. Some would argue, as did several of our own commenters, that there is no need for a VBOR because we already have the official Bill of Rights. One of them wrote: We already have a Bill of Rights to govern vaccines. It is THE Bill of Rights and the Ninth Amendment gives us the right to refuse vaccines Americans can hardly even think in principle anymore. Instead, Americans need a list of rights to choose from. It is all they can get their brains around. This writer agrees with that sentiment, however VBOR legislation could serve the purpose of reiterating what the main Bill of Rights already long established. Readers are encouraged to take this approach in contacting their legislators, reminding them that their job is to protect our existing rights under the Constitution, not infringe them. Quite frankly, I cant believe the conversation is even necessary, wrote another of our commenters. As explained by Delaney, the purpose of enacting a VBOR is to actualize already established Constitutional law, as well as federal law that broadly recognizes the international norms articulated in the Nuremberg Code of 1947. The Nuremberg Code, as you may already know, came about after World War II to address the crimes against humanity that were committed by Nazi doctors who conducted deadly medical experiments on concentration camp prisoners. That same model of human experimentation is happening once again under the guise of fighting a pandemic. No one not the government, employers, nor any individual should maintain the authority to force anyone to get vaccinated, and a Vaccine Bill of Rights in your state will ensure that they dont, the LifeSite Alert explains. The AFLDS proposal is a reasonable, responsible, and reassuring step in the right direction as we move into the next phase of the pandemic, and state legislators should either introduce its provisions as legislation or model their proposal after them. More of the latest news about the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) can be found at Pandemic.news. Sources for this article include: LifeSiteNews.com NYTimes.com NaturalNews.com (@ChaudhryMAli88) ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 03rd Mar, 2021) The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) today announced that it will remove destination restrictions on its Murban, Upper Zakum, Das and Umm Lulu crude grades, starting from the first traded contract month of the new ICE Murban Crude Oil Futures Contract. The company also confirmed that ADNOC Onshore, the producer of Murban Crude Oil, has launched a new monthly Murban Export Availability Forecast Report to provide forward visibility to market participants of expected Murban volumes available for export. ICE plans to launch ICE Futures Abu Dhabi (IFAD), Murban Crude Oil futures, and related cash settled derivatives and inter-commodity spreads, on March 29th, 2021. Murban futures will go to physical delivery two months ahead, meaning that the delivery month for the contract is two months ahead of the pricing month. In February, ICE confirmed that the first Murban futures contract month at launch will be the June contract, which expires at the end of April for physical delivery in June. Accordingly, destination restrictions on ADNOC crude grades will be removed from June 2021. This means that all barrels purchased from ADNOC can be sold onwards by the purchasing party (there is no restriction on reselling purchased barrels, ensuring that they can be freely traded). Khaled Salmeen, Executive Director of ADNOCs Downstream Industry, Marketing and Trading directorate, said, "Under the supervision of Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Managing Director and CEO of ADNOC Group, ADNOC is committed to ensuring that the necessary conditions are in place for Murban to succeed as freely tradable crude grade and as a trusted price marker. By lifting destination restrictions, ADNOC crude grades will become more attractive to global customers and the wider trading community. This is another important step as we prepare for the launch of the new Murban Futures Contract on the 29th March." ADNOC also confirmed that ADNOC Onshore has launched a monthly Murban export availability forecast report with a 12-month rolling forecast of Murban export availability. The first report was released in February and is available on an ADNOC Onshore managed webpage at www.adnoc.ae/en/adnoc-onshore/murban-reporting. This provides market participants with visibility of expected Murban Export availability volumes. By 2030, ADNOC expects its Murban grade crude to contribute almost 50 percent of the companys 5 million barrels of oil per day production capacity target. ADNOC Onshores largest Murban producing onshore assets Bu Hasa and the South East group of fields already have a production capacity of 650,000 and 630,000 barrels respectively. At the giant Bab field, building facilities and infrastructure is underway, to increase production capacity from over 420,000 to 485,000 barrels per day by end 2021. Speaking during a virtual media visit to ADNOC Onshore facilities, Salmeen and Stuart Williams, President of ICE Futures Europe, highlighted that ADNOC and ICE Futures Abu Dhabi (IFAD) have signed new agreements with Rongsheng Petrochemical Co, Ltd, and Unipec from China, to explore using the upcoming Murban futures contract. This follows earlier agreements that were signed with companies in the United States and Japan. Meng Fanqiu, General Manager of Rongsheng Petrochemical Singapore Pte Ltd, said, "Rongsheng will participate in IFAD and offtake Abu Dhabi crude priced with reference to ICE Murban Crude Oil Futures for supply to China. We believe that ICE Murban Crude Oil Futures will play an important role in the global crude oil pricing and bring more reliability, stability, transparency and liquidity to the market. This agreement further strengthens the relationship between Rongsheng and ADNOC and will open more opportunities to work together in the future." "IFAD will provide us with more alternatives to hedge and optimize our crude pricing portfolio," said Leo Yang, the Trading General Manager of Unipec Asia. "This is another innovation, injecting vitality to the trading world and enhancing the price discovery mechanism of light crude grades." IFAD is established in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), an International Financial Centre that practices and applies English common law. ICE is the operator of the exchange and the majority shareholder. ADNOC, BP, GS Caltex, INPEX, ENEOS (formally known as JXTG), PetroChina, PTT, Shell, Total (TOTSA) and Vitol are partnering with ICE to support the launch of IFAD. Earth Week will also see Multiple Days Of Climate Action On Earth Day, April 22, global activists, international leaders, and influencers will come together for the second-annual multi-hour Earth Day Live WASHINGTON, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- EARTHDAY.ORG along with lead organizers Education International, Hip Hop Caucus, and Earth Uprising are organizing three separate parallel climate action summits on April 20 and 21 ahead of the Biden Administration's global leaders' climate summit. The parallel summits are focused respectively on climate literacy, environmental justice, and a broad range of youth-led climate-focused issues. Earth Week will also bring thousands of groups and millions of voices together to stand up for climate action and bring awareness to humanity's greatest existential threat. On Earth Day, EARTHDAY.ORG will bring together its partners, activists, educators, researchers, musicians, artists, influencers and more for its second-annual Earth Day Live. "This Earth Day, we have an important opportunity to challenge world leaders to see climate change for what it is a pressing global security threat, one that threatens everyone and everything but particularly our most vulnerable people and places," Kathleen Rogers, President of EARTHDAY.ORG, said. April 20 The three days of climate action begin on April 20 with the global youth climate summit led by Earth Uprising, in collaboration with My Future My Voice, OneMillionOfUs and hundreds of youth climate activists. The global youth summit will consist of panels, speeches, discussions, and special messages with today's youth climate activists including Greta Thunberg, Alexandria Villasenor, and Licypriya Kangujam. The four-hour digital summit will address the progress that has been made on their main issues of concern, including the creation of green jobs, climate literacy, civic skill training, environmental justice, biodiversity protection and sustainable agriculture. In the lead up to the event, the youth organizers will put together a short list of demands that they want addressed at the Biden Administration's climate summit. "President Biden bringing together world leaders to discuss climate change on Earth Day is a major turning point in global climate action! This youth-led summit will bring together global youth climate activists to prepare a message for President Biden on the eve of his historic summit. Youth around the world are experiencing some of the worst effects of climate change right now. We're suffering from extreme weather, pollution, civil unrest, and the loss of lives and livelihoods. Our summit will identify the key issues and solutions most important to youth. The future of our generation is at stake and it's important for our voices to be heard!" Alexandria Villasenor, Founder of Earth Uprising said. "World leaders need to see climate change as an urgent political issue. The world is already experiencing adverse extreme weather events like floods, droughts, heat waves, cyclones, locusts and extremely polluted air at the same time. These are all the impacts of climate change. The United States must take a leadership role in the shift to sustainable production and consumption to end this crisis and shift from the carbon economy to the green economy. It must put in place policy that would draw investment into resource efficiency and reduction of waste. In doing so, it will provide a template for other developing countries as well," Licypriya Kangujam, 9-year-old Climate & Environmental Activist said. On the evening of April 20, the Hip Hop Caucus and its partners will present the "We Shall Breathe" virtual summit. This digital event will examine climate and environmental justice, connecting the climate crisis to issues of pollution, poverty, police brutality, and the pandemic, all within a racial justice framework. "Climate and environmental justice were on the ballot in November. The same Black and Brown voters that decided the election for President Biden, are the same communities that have been most impacted by environmental injustice and who are most threatened by climate disaster. This Earth Day, we expect President Biden to reinforce our affirmation that 'We Shall Breathe' by announcing bold climate action based on equity and justice domestically and globally," Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., President and Founder, Hip Hop Caucus said. April 21 On April 21, Education International will lead the "Teach for the Planet: Global Education Summit." The multilingual virtual summit will span several time zones and feature prominent activists from every continent, focused on the crucial role that educators play in combating climate change and why we need transformative climate education now. Susan Hopgood, President of Education International, said, "The fight against climate change must have an education face and a teacher's voice in every area of the world. The planet is in crisis and I strongly believe that teachers and educators have a critical role to play in combating the environmental destruction, human suffering and social injustice that will certainly occur if climate change continues at current rates." "Teachers know that the most important long-term investment our societies can make towards a sustainable future is ensuring every student is literate about climate science and equipped with the civic knowledge and skills to change course," David Edwards, General Secretary, Education International said. "All world leaders must commit to creating the necessary educational space and resources so that students learn the world's most important lesson. In launching this campaign, the world's educators are determined to realize our students' right to know, do and exist." April 22 Parallel to the Biden Administration's global climate summit, EARTHDAY.ORG will produce its second Earth Day Live digital event on April 22. The multi-hour multi-channel livestream will include segments taking place around the world starting at noon Eastern Time. Workshops, panel discussions, and special performances will focus on Earth Day's 2021 theme, Restore Our Earth, which examines natural processes, emerging green technologies, and innovative thinking that can restore the world's ecosystems. Topics will include climate and environmental literacy, climate restoration technologies, reforestation efforts, regenerative agriculture, equity and environmental justice, citizen science, cleanups, and beyond. World climate leaders, grassroots activists, nonprofit innovators, thought leaders, industry leaders, artists, musicians, influencers, and more will be involved. For more information about Earth Day 2021, please visit: https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2021/ About EARTHDAY.ORG EARTHDAY.ORG's mission is to diversify, educate, and activate the environmental movement worldwide. Growing out of the first Earth Day (1970), EARTHDAY.ORG is the world's largest recruiter to the environmental movement, working with more than 150,000 partners in nearly 192 countries to build environmental democracy. More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world. Learn more at: https://www.earthday.org About Hip Hop Caucus Formed in 2004, the Hip Hop Caucus (HHC) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that leverages Hip Hop culture to encourage young people to participate in the democratic process. Through a collaborative leadership network, HHC addresses core issues affecting underserved communities. HHC programs and campaigns support solution-driven community organizing led by today's young leaders. Learn more at: www.hiphopcaucus.org About Education International Education International is the global voice of educators and the world's largest, most representative global organization of education unions. With more than 32.5 million members in 384 organizations in 178 countries and territories, Education International works to promote peace, democracy, social justice and equity through education and the collective strength of teachers and education employees. Learn more at: https://www.ei-ie.org About Earth Uprising Earth Uprising is a global, youth-led non-profit organization focused on climate education, climate advocacy, and youth mobilization. Through its strong network of activists from all around the world, partnerships with other groups, and local, national, and international campaigns and actions, it aims to bring attention to, and spur action based on the latest science regarding the climate crisis. Earth Uprising provides the tools, resources, and connections young people need to take direct action in their communities. Learn more at earthuprising.org SOURCE EARTHDAY.ORG Related Links http://www.earthday.org Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Intellect Design Arena announced that China Banking Corporation (China Bank), one of the largest universal banks in the Philippines, has gone live with its Digital Trust and Wealth Management solution using Intellect's WealthQube suite. China Bank now joins the ranks of the very few financial institutions in Asia Pacific with 100% digitised Trust and Wealth Management operations. With Intellect's WealthQube suite, China Bank has acquired the unparalleled ability to service customers in real time, including providing them with their financial statements in real time. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) You are here Media > News Trinitys Centre for Resistance Studies to Launch with Keynote Lecture on Strongman Rule 3 March 2021 - A new Centre at Trinity College Dublin will respond to the growth of populism and authoritarianism across the world, providing a forum for academics, postgraduate researchers, intellectuals and activists to explore resistance in all its forms, from dissent to protest. On the 9th of March, Professor Juergen Barkhoff, Vice Provost of Trinity College will launch the Centre and introduce a keynote lecture from Professor Ruth Ben-Ghiat of New York University, entitled How to Resist a Strongman: Lessons from a Century of Authoritarian Rule. Professor Ben-Ghiat is the author of Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present, the first study to place Donald Trump in the context of a century of authoritarian leaders. A Professor of History and Italian Studies at New York University, Professor Ben-Ghiat writes frequently for CNN and other news and analysis sites on fascism, authoritarian leaders, propaganda, and threats to democracy around the world and how to counter them. Her lecture will examine a century of resistance to strongman rule, using examples from Italy, Chile, Russia, America, Libya, Turkey and elsewhere. The impact of changing media technologies on practices of dissent will be examined, as well as the continued use of mass non-violent protest or the body as a site of resistance. The Centre for Resistance Studies at Trinity College Dublin will be led by Balazs Apor, Associate Professor in European Studies at Trinity College Dublin. Professor Apors own research is related to the history of resistance and opposition to communist rule in Eastern Europe. He was a principal investigator in the Horizon2020 project COURAGE (Cultural Opposition - Understanding the Cultural Heritage of Dissent in the Former Socialist Countries) which explored the history of cultural opposition to communism from the perspective of the collections that were created by former oppositionists. The motivation to establish the centre is in part academic and in part civic, and is inspired primarily by the need to provide an adequate response to the rising tide of authoritarianism across the globe. The disciplines that will be represented in the new Centre include history, cultural studies, the social sciences, language and literature, law, peace studies and the health sciences, and its geographical scope will stretch from Hong Kong to South America, through Europe (East and West), Ireland (North and South), the Near and Middle East and the United States. In addition to organising conferences, panel discussions and podcast series on relevant themes, the Centre intends to establish a special resistance collection of archival and contemporary sources that will be made available for prospective researchers. Professor Balazs Apor said: It is difficult to think of a more timely initiative than the creation of a research centre that studies various forms of resistance ranging from non-conformism to protest. The motivation to establish the centre is in part academic and in part civic, and is inspired primarily by the need to provide an adequate response to the rising tide of authoritarianism across the globe. Director of the Trinity Long Room Hub, Professor Eve Patten said: We are looking forward to hosting the Centre for Resistance Studies and working with Balazs and others to help bring to light new research into the motivations behind resistance to authoritarianism and repression. This Centre will play a key role, not just academically but also in terms of civic society, in understanding dissent in all its forms. To register for the Centre launch and keynote lecture, click here. In collaboration with the Centre for Resistance Studies, Scholars at Risk Ireland will hold an online seminar on 'Women and Academic Freedom' on the 8th March at 12.30pm. Register here. Watch our recent online event 'Women and Resistance in Belarus and Poland' .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal New Mexico reported 247 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, including 100 new cases in Bernalillo County. The state also reported 11 COVID-related deaths, bringing the statewide toll to 3,740. Those who died were seven men and four women. There was a San Juan County man in his 40s who wasn't hospitalized, and a woman in her 90s from Eddy County who lived at the Good Life Senior Living facility in Carlsbad, according to a Department of Health news release. There were 199 patients hospitalized with COVID as of Tuesday. New Mexico has averaged 315 cases per day for the last week, according to a Journal analysis. Oct. 8 was the last time the state's seven-day average dipped below 300 cases per day. The state Department of Health on Tuesday also reported that more than 600,000 doses of vaccine had been administered. About 386,000 New Mexicans have had one shot and 217,000 have had two, which officials say is needed for maximum immunity with two of the three vaccines. Those vaccination figures don't include the nearly 160,000 doses that have been received by federal agencies in the state such as Veterans Affairs and the Indian Health Service. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-04 05:19:56|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Mutahi Kagwe, cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Health, inspects the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines upon the arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya on March 2, 2021. The United Nations has delivered million of doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Africa through COVAX, the global tool to procure and deliver vaccines for low- and middle-income countries, said a spokesman on Wednesday. More than 1 million doses has arrived in Kenya. (Photo by Joy Nabukewa/Xinhua) UNITED NATIONS, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations has delivered million of doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Africa through COVAX, the global tool to procure and deliver vaccines for low- and middle-income countries, said a spokesman on Wednesday. The vaccines have now arrived in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Gambia, Kenya, Rwanda and Senegal, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. More than 1 million doses arrived in Kenya on Wednesday, transported by the UN Children's Fund. The vaccine roll-out kicks off on Friday in the country, he told a daily press briefing in New York. Rwanda received 340,000 doses, with UN Resident Coordinator Fode Ndiaye hailing this historic moment as a big boost for hope and recovery. Senegal got 320,000 doses. That will help authorities' efforts to vaccinate 20 percent of the population, he said. The DRC received more than 1.7 million doses of vaccines, with the UN team's support. In the Gambia, the first shipment of 36,000 doses of COVAX-backed vaccines arrived on Tuesday night. With the support of the UN team, the government is preparing to kick-start the vaccination with health care workers, those with underlying medical conditions, and people aged 65 years and above. More than 620,000 doses arrived in Angola on Tuesday, with UN support. This will help cover an initial 10 percent of the country's first phase of vaccine needs. The vaccination effort in Angola began Tuesday with a 71-year-old lady receiving the first shot, said the spokesman. Enditem In Dallas, Kimberly White-Agent said she had struggled to find appointments for her brother and 83-year-old stepfather, even after city and federal officials opened a mass vaccination site to serve their largely Black neighborhood. She resorted to putting them on wait lists and hoping an extra slot opened up. Its like a mirage, she said. Some of the leftover chasers are not yet eligible to sign up for appointments. Others are old enough or sick enough to qualify but said that overloaded vaccination websites and endless hold lines convinced them to abandon the official channels and search for themselves. Gunnar Esiason, 29, has cystic fibrosis and said he was not about to wait until his New Hampshire vaccine appointment rolled around on April 21. So he started showing up at Walgreens pharmacies and state-run vaccination sites wherever there was a whiff of an extra vaccine, until he got a tip that a Dartmouth medical center had a few extras. I knew I was going to a lot of Nos, he said. All I needed was one Yes. In Minnesota, Ms. Franke signed up for eight vaccine lists managed by doctors, Walgreens, Walmart, even a state lottery, but she said nobody called. Then, last month, she got a tip that the mass vaccination site at the convention center might have some extras. There were about 20 other people already milling around in the lobby when Ms. Franke arrived, she said, and a health worker quickly emerged to inform them there were no leftovers. But many in the crowd stuck around, and after a half-hour, the vaccination team allowed people 65 and older, teachers and emergency responders to get their shots. Ms. Franke lined up and said she cried with relief on the car ride home to the suburbs. FBIs Wray Commits to Improving Flow of Information to Lawmakers FBI Director Christopher Wray has committed to improving the flow of information from the agency to lawmakers after being pressed on the issue during a Senate hearing on March 2. Speaking at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) accused the FBI of stonewalling information requests, expressing concern that, over the past four years, the agency hadnt answered the majority of lawmakers questions in hearings involving FBI witnesses. There were nine hearings in this committee in which the FBI was a witness, and in seven of them, the committee got exactly zero questions for the record. Seven. Zero questions. Can you explain that? the Rhode Island senator said. I cannot, Wray replied, prompting Whitehouse to press him on the matter. Are you going to do any better with the questions that were getting right now? Whitehouse said. Youve been asked questions for the record. Are they going to go into the same, whatever-it-was hole where questions for the record go to die at the FBI? Wray said the process of answering for-the-record questions requires the FBI to go through an elaborate interagency process and that the agency is required to comply with the interagency process to provide our responses to questions for the record. Dissatisfied with Wrays response, Whitehouse complained that the FBI didnt seem to go through any interagency process in response to some questions from Republicans about the investigation into the origins of the FBIs probe into Russian interference into the 2016 election, which later morphed into former special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into an alleged criminal conspiracy between Russian operatives and members of the Trump campaign. Muellers probe, which former President Donald Trump denounced as a witch hunt, found insufficient evidence of any collusion. When its a question thats suddenly of interest to one party and to President Trump, there seems to be a little side road that gets built around the traffic jam and stuff just flies right through, he said. So please dont tell me about interagency process, when Ive been sitting in this committee, watching FBI information get straight to this committee, without interagency process. Whitehouse then asked Wray whether he thinks Congress deserves responses to questions from executive agencies as part of our oversight responsibility. Yes, absolutely, the FBI director replied, adding that he had added staff to significantly reduce the backlog of requests and the turnaround time for responding to them. Senator, I commit to working with you to try and see how we can improve our responsiveness and to getting you more of the information you need, Wray said, although he insisted that his responsiveness to the committee or Congress overall was absolutely not affected by partisanship. I will commit to you that I will do what I can to improve the process. I am frustrated as you are, and obviously we need to get better, he said. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Pashinian petitioned President Armen Sarkissian last week to sign a decree relieving General Onik Gasparian of his duties shortly after the chief of the militarys General Staff and 40 other high-ranking officers accused the Armenian government of misrule and demanded its resignation. Sarkissian refused to sign such a decree on Saturday, saying that it appears to be unconstitutional and would deepen the unprecedented political crisis in the country. Pashinian criticized the refusal as unfounded and resent his motion to Sarkissian in another attempt to get him to fire Gasparian. Sarkissian on Tuesday appeared to have paved the way for Gasparians removal, again refusing to sign the proposed decree but making it clear that he will not ask the Constitutional Court to invalidate it. Under Armenian law, the president can keep blocking or at least delaying the generals sacking only by appealing to the court. Sarkissians second decision prompted serious concern from leaders of the Homeland Salvation Movement, an opposition alliance seeking Pashinians resignation. They met with him on Wednesday morning. The head of state also held another separate meeting with Gasparian. In a statement issued shortly afterwards, the General Staff offered its interpretation of complex legal requirements and procedures for the dismissal of its chief. The statement said, among other things, that Gasparian is legally allowed to remain the supreme military commander of the Armed Forces until the end of this week. The governments initial reaction to the statement was cautious, with Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinian calling it contentious during the governments question-and-answer session in the parliament. Pashinian also attended the session but chose not to comment. He earlier condemned the militarys demands as a coup attempt, A leader of the Homeland Salvation Movement, Vazgen Manukian, echoed the militarys interpretation of the law when he addressed supporters continuing to demonstrate in downtown Yerevan. Manukian claimed that Sarkissian and lawyers from the presidential staff assured the oppositionists that Gasparian can remain army chief until March 8. We got half of what we wanted but we have time to fight on, he said. Meanwhile, Sarkissians office did not clarify whether it indeed believes Gasparian can continue to lead the armed forces for at least several more days. Legal experts were divided on the issue. One of them, Tigran Yegorian, told RFE/RLs Armenian Service that Gasparian will automatically lose his post in the coming hours because Sarkissian has not challenged in the Constitutional Court the legality of his dismissal. Yegorian dismissed the militarys latest statement as an empty piece of paper. But Ara Ghazarian, a constitutional law expert, insisted that Gasparians sacking must be put on hold because the president has decided to ask the court to determine whether a relevant legal clause conforms to the Armenian constitution. Bail has been set at $1 million for a Jacksonville man charged in a deadly weekend shooting. Joshua E. Wilson, 37, of 27 Lavan Drive was arrested Tuesday on a charge of murder in the death of Malcolm V. Fitts, 26, of Chicago. Fitts, who is from Jacksonville, died about an hour after arriving Sunday at Passavant Area Hospital with a gunshot wound. Police had been called to the 800 block of Hoagland Boulevard about 5:30 a.m. Sunday because of reports of shots being fired. Wilson was being held Wednesday in the Morgan County Detention Facility. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for March 30. Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree Arizona Education Department Promotes Equity Toolkit That Claims Babies Can Harbor Racial Bias The Arizona Department of Education is providing teachers and parents with an equity and diversity toolkit that aims to show how racism can manifest in children as young as three months old, and that white children remain strongly biased in favor of whiteness by the age of five. According to the departments website, the toolkit was created as part of an effort to promote equity, diversity and inclusion in the wake of current events that highlight persistent racial biases in society. It includes an infographic suggesting that young children notice and think about race and that parents must take action before their kids absorb racial biases through interactions with the world. At birth, babies look equally at faces of all races. At 3 months, babies look more at faces that match the race of their caregivers, the infographic says, citing a 2005 study. The document cites another 2008 study to claim that by five, black and Latino children in research settings show no preference toward their own groups compared to whites, while white children at that age remain strongly biased in favor of whiteness. Silence about race reinforces racism, the infographic concludes, encouraging adults to actively talk to children about race instead of letting them draw their own conclusions based on what they see. Titled Theyre Not Too Young to Talk about Race, the infographic was developed by the Childrens Community School, a Philadelphia-based institution that incorporates the values of economic and racial justice into its pre-school education programs. We recognize that there are structural inequalities in our society, which systemically disadvantage people of color, poor people, and people with other marginalized identities, the institution says on its website, adding that it has worked consciously to actively fight racism and discrimination of all kinds since 2014. The toolkit went viral on social media after it was posted to Twitter by conservative journalist and filmmaker Christopher Rufo. A outspoken critic of critical race theory (CRT), Rufo called on Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, to investigate what is being promoted by the states Education Department, calling it deeply ideological, anti-scientific, and morally bunk. The Arizona equity toolkit came amid a heated debate over the CRT and its role in Americas social, cultural, and economic institutions. Rooted in the Marxist critical theory of class struggle, the CRT framework views the American system through a lens of power struggles between the race of the oppressor and that of the oppressed. As a result, according to the theory, the very foundations of the American social and political lifesuch as rationalism, constitutional law, and legal reasoningare considered tools of racial oppression. [March 03, 2021] Sustainalytics Launches its Principal Adverse Impact Data Solution Firm's Solution Helps Investors to Meet the SFDR Requirements AMSTERDAM, March 3, 2021 /CNW/ -- Sustainalytics, a Morningstar Company and a globally-recognized provider of ESG research, ratings and data, today launched its Principal Adverse Impact (PAI) Data Solution, an ESG dataset with rich corporate- and sovereign-level research that aligns with the current PAI indicators. The European Union's Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), which takes partial effect on March 10, 2021, introduces new rules for how investment managers need to incorporate and disclose sustainability risks and factors. With Sustainalytics' PAI Data Solution, investment managers can identify and understand the adverse sustainability impacts of their investments to fulfill the SFDR requirements. The SFDR requires fund managers to classify their funds as grey, light green, or dark green, requiring changes to product documentation and marketing materials, with stringent reporting requirements for green funds. Specifically, investment managers will need to report on how they assess whether portfolio companies comply with global standards, such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. In addition, investment managers will be required to disclose how their investments may negatively impact sustainability factors or the principal adverse impacts of their investments. Leveraging Sustainalytics' PAI Data Solution, investment managers have access to a wide range of indicators and metrics to support them with their mandatory entity-level PAI reporting as well as product-level periodic reporting. To fully comply with all the various SFDR requirements, investment managers will need a comprehensive set of ESG research solutions to identify and manage both ESG risks and potential adverse sustainability impacts. Sustainalytics' Client Advisory team can guide investors on the diverse requirements, helping them to find the right ESG research solutions to meet their firm-wide needs. The PAI Data Solution complements and builds on Sustainalytics' established, high-quality ESG research that already currently aligns to the remainder of the SFDR requirements. "Given the multifaceted aspects of the SFDR regulation, investors need a holistic, consistent approach to ESG across the entire investment value chain," said Anne Schoemaker, Sustainalytics' Associate Director of Product Strategy and Development. "With Sustainalytics' PAI Data Solution, investors can count on robust data coverage, trustworthy research, and flexible reporting capabilities to respond to the various regulatory requirements. We look forward to working with investors at every step of their compliance journey." In addition to Sustainalytics' PAI Data solution, the firm also offers an EU Taxonomy Solution and an EU Benchmarks Solution. To learn more about Sustainalytics' EU Action Plan Solutions, please click here. To register for our SFDR webinar on March 18, please click here. About Sustainalytics Sustainalytics, a Morningstar Company, is a leading ESG research, ratings and data firm that supports investors around the world with the development and implementation of responsible investment strategies. For more than 25 years, the firm has been at the forefront of developing high-quality, innovative solutions to meet the evolving needs of global investors. Today, Sustainalytics works with hundreds of the world's leading asset managers and pension funds who incorporate ESG and corporate governance information and assessments into their investment processes. Sustainalytics also works with hundreds of companies and their financial intermediaries to help them consider sustainability in policies, practices and capital projects. With 16 offices globally, Sustainalytics has more than 800 staff members, including more than 300 analysts with varied multidisciplinary expertise across more than 40 industry groups. For more information, visit www.sustainalytics.com . Media Contacts: Sarah Cohn sarah.cohn@sustainalytics.com P) +1 646.963.6944 Lee Reisch lee.reisch@sustainalytics.com P) +1 647.264.3775 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sustainalytics-launches-its-principal-adverse-impact-data-solution-301239370.html SOURCE Sustainalytics [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] 7 day print subscribers enjoy unlimited access to yakimaherald.com Enter the LAST NAME and the 7 DIGIT phone number on your print subscription account to connect your print subscription to your yakimaherald.com account. PORTLAND, Ore., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Wi-Fi as a Service Market by Service (Professional Services and Managed Services), Location Type (Indoor and Outdoor), Enterprise Size (Large Enterprises and SMEs), and Industry Vertical (Telecom & IT, BFSI, Education, Healthcare, Hospitality, Transportation, Retail, and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20202027."According to the report, the global Wi-Fi as a Service industry was estimated at $3.36 billion in 2019, and is expected to hit $12.21 billion by 2027, registering a CAGR of 17.6% from 2020 to 2027. Download Sample Report: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/9742 Drivers, restraints, and opportunities- Increase in requisite for low capital expenditure, rise in deployment of public Wi-Fi, and expediency of Wi-Fi infrastructure management and its remote troubleshooting drive the growth of the global Wi-Fi as a Service market. On the other hand, several security concerns impede the growth to some extent. However, rise in adoption of IoT and surge in demand for Wi-Fi as a service among SMEs are expected to create lucrative opportunities in the industry. Impact of Covid-19 on Wi-Fi as a Service Market, Globally: The outbreak of the pandemic led to rise in the trend of work-from-home culture. Accordingly, there's been a significant rise in the demand for Wi-Fi services, which in turn has boosted the global Wi-Fi as a service market. Also, SMEs have started looking for economic and reliable wireless connectivity solutions for their organizations, which has contributed significantly for continuation of revenue generation across the Wi-Fi industry. Get detailed COVID-19 impact analysis on the Wi-fi as a Service Market The professional services segment to lead the trail by 2027- Based on services, the professional services segment accounted for more than two-thirds of the global Wi-Fi as a Service market share in 2019, and is expected to dominate by the end of 2027. This is because it ensures effective functioning of Wi-Fi. Simultaneously, the managed services segment would register the fastest CAGR of 20.1% throughout the forecast period. Service-Level Agreements (SLAs) for managed WiFi services ensure that business objectives for access, availability and bandwidth are consistently met by the third-party vendor. This factor fuels the segment growth. The outdoor segment to dominate during the forecast period- Based on location type, the outdoor segment contributed to around two-thirds of the global Wi-Fi as a Service market revenue in 2019, and is projected to retain its dominance by 2027. This is attributed to the fact that organizations prefer deploying WaaS for outdoor location type to deliver optimal Wi-Fi performance. The indoor segment, on the other hand, would exhibit the fastest CAGR of 20.2% during the forecast period, owing to increasing need for uninterrupted internet connectivity and rising penetration of IoT. For Purchase Inquiry: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/9742 North America to rule the roost in terms of revenue: Based on geography, North America generated the major share in 2019, holding nearly two-fifths of the global Wi-Fi as a service market. Continuous advancements in technology, and presence of major number of Wi-Fi as a service vendors in North America region are contributing toward the growth of the WaaS market in this region. At the same time, the market across Asia-Pacific would grow at the fastest CAGR of 20.5% from 2020 to 2027. Increasing penetration of smartphones, need for cost effective internet services by SMEs, rise in popularity of fast internet connectivity, and strong & growing competition among ISPs drive the market growth in this province. Frontrunners in the industry- Cisco Systems Huawei Technologies Co. Singtel Viasat, Inc. Fujitsu Commscope Extreme Networks Arista Networks, Inc. Pareteum Corporation Telstra Corporation. Official Press Release: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/press-release/wi-fi-as-a-service-market.html Similar Research Reports for Information, Communication and Technology: Email Encryption Market Expected to Reach $3,186 Million, Globally, by 2023 Neural Network Market worth $38,719 Million Globally by 2023 Security Information& Event Management Market to Reach $3,720 Million Globally by 2023 Application Container Market Predicted to Reach $8,202 Million by 2025 Network Traffic Analytics Market Expected to Reach $3.11 Billion by 2026 Function-as-a-Service Market Expected to Reach $24,007.00 Million by 2026 AVENUE- A Subscription-Based Library (Premium on-demand, subscription-based pricing model): AMR introduces its online premium subscription-based library Avenue, designed specifically to offer cost-effective, one-stop solution for enterprises, investors, and universities. With Avenue, subscribers can avail an entire repository of reports on more than 2,000 niche industries and more than 12,000 company profiles. Moreover, users can get an online access to quantitative and qualitative data in PDF and Excel formats along with analyst support, customization, and updated versions of reports. Get an access to the library of reports at any time from any device and anywhere. For more details, follow the link: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/library-access About Allied Market Research: Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domains. AMR offers its services across 11 industry verticals including Life Sciences, Consumer Goods, Materials & Chemicals, Construction & Manufacturing, Food & Beverages, Energy & Power, Semiconductor & Electronics, Automotive & Transportation, ICT & Media, Aerospace & Defense, and BFSI. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact: David Correa 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States Toll Free: 1-800-792-5285 UK: +44-845-528-1300 Hong Kong: +852-301-84916 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1-855-550-5975 [email protected] Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com Follow Us on: LinkedIn Twitter SOURCE Allied Market Research During the final days of the 2019 legislative session, Texas House lawmakers rejected a bill that would have prevented cities, counties and school districts from hiring outside lobbyists to advocate for them in Austin. As soon as the measure failed, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick promised it would become law next session. Hard-line conservatives view the lobbying ban as a priority this year and have filed companion bills in both chambers to codify it. Texas Republicans have not extended the same level of scrutiny to the states in-house lobbying activity in Washington, D.C., which operates within Gov. Greg Abbotts office and was scheduled last year for its periodic review by the Sunset Advisory Commission, the state office that reviews programs and most other agencies and recommends whether they should continue operating. Last August, the commission of eight Republicans and two Democrats postponed its review of Texas Office of State-Federal Relations until 2022, citing the COVID-19 pandemic. The office serves as an intermediary between the state and federal government, lobbying Congress, the White House and federal agencies on state priorities. Like cities and counties, the office pays for those efforts using taxpayer dollars, though federal records show it has not hired outside lobbyists since 2007. I see absolutely no difference between the state of Texas having a state-federal relations office, which I haven't heard the governor denounce that, said state Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, the only Democrat in the Senate who voted for the lobbying ban last session. Its the same model that they're trying to prevent at the local level. So, I guess they get the prize for hypocrisy on that one. Agencies up for sunset review automatically are abolished following a year-long wind-down period unless the Legislature passes a bill keeping them alive. The decision to push back the sunset deadline for Texas federal lobbying office has raised the eyebrows of local officials, who argue the lobbyists they hire serve virtually the same function in Austin as the Office of State-Federal Relations in Washington. A spokeswoman for Gov. Greg Abbott did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Though the governors office does not define the Office of State-Federal Relations role as lobbying, in a September 2019 report to the Sunset Advisory Commission, officials from Abbotts office said the agency serves as the states advocate in Washington, D.C. The report also said the function of the state-federal relations office is best explained via the agencys response during and in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, which included working with agencies to accelerate recovery for Texas and providing proper direction in the push to appropriate federal disaster recovery dollars. That's what lobbying is, said veteran Austin lobbyist Bill Miller. You educate and ask for things. That's precisely what that office does, and if they're not doing that, then they're not doing their job. Houston officials say the citys outside lobbying team similarly helped ensure key features made it into the Legislatures massive Harvey recovery bill last session, helping them unlock hundreds of millions of federal dollars. They also argue Mayor Sylvester Turner would have struggled to pass his pension reform overhaul in 2017 without lobbyists to counter the fire pension system, which hired its own lobbyists to oppose the plan. Why on earth, when looking at the gravity and importance of these huge issues, would you not put together the best team for an optimum legislative result? said Bill Kelly, the citys director of government relations. Private sector businesses regulated by the state of Texas make this commonsense investment in advocacy and lobbying at much higher amounts. It is the fiscally responsible thing to do. City and county leaders argue their lobbyists are especially needed as Republican leaders have intensified their efforts in recent years to rein in local governments through property tax caps and numerous laws overriding local ordinances. Republicans say the lobbying ban would ensure residents tax dollars no longer fund lobbyists who advocate against measures such as lower property tax caps, which they say goes against the interest of the taxpayer. And they note the law would not prevent cities and counties from hiring in-house government relations employees who are not required to register as lobbyists. Local governments and the state of Texas both devote miniscule portions of their budgets to lobbying. Houston is paying up to $672,000 in fiscal 2021 for state lobbying services and up to $248,000 for federal lobbying, in addition to the citys $564,000 budget for its government relations office. That makes up about 0.06 percent of the citys $2.5 billion general fund budget, which pays for most of the citys day-to-day core operations. Lawmakers approved a $985,000 budget for the Office of State-Federal Relations this year, about 0.001 percent of the states $61.4 billion spending plan for general purpose revenue. In a December meeting of the Senate State Affairs Committee, state Sen. Bob Hall, an Edgewood Republican who authored the Senate version of the anti-lobbying bill this session, defended the states lobbying office. Our dealing with the federal government is to make sure were protecting our people from the federal government as part of our basic responsibility, Hall said. And were making sure that were protecting the people from local governments as our basic responsibility, because it was the state governments that were initially assigned that responsibility when they were elected by the people. State Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, told Hall he wanted to ensure lawmakers were being absolutely precise in explaining why something that weve asked the counties or other geopolitical subdivisions to do, were doing for a different reason with a different office. So, thats why I wanted to make sure that were not being whats the word Im looking for were not being inaccurate in how were treating our own level of government, Birdwell said. The sunset commission voted in August to delay its review of the Office of State-Federal Relations, along with the governors Economic Development and Tourism Office, because both have been inundated by the states response to the pandemic, and conducting sunset reviews on either would be a disservice to the public, state Rep. John Cyrier, a Lockhart Republican who chairs the sunset commission, said at the August meeting. The Office of State-Federal Relations has been around since 1965, operating out of the public eye for most of its existence. The office began hiring outside lobbyists in 2003 under then-Gov. Rick Perry, who received bipartisan criticism for bringing in lobbying groups linked to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff and fundraising scandals involving former majority leader Tom DeLay. Perry, a Republican, defended the use of taxpayer-funded lobbyists at the time, arguing they helped the state draw in more than a billion dollars in federal funding through Medicaid and for highways, ship channel dredging and other earmarks. By hiring outside lobbyists, Perrys office estimated the state shaved about 15 percent off the cost of hiring in-house employees. jasper.scherer@chron.com CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), the leading company commercializing fusion energy, today announced it will build a 47-acre commercial fusion energy campus in Devens, Massachusetts. The campus will be the birthplace of the commercial fusion energy industry and home to the compact fusion device SPARC that will demonstrate fusion can work as a power source. It will also include the company's corporate offices as well as an advanced manufacturing facility as it prepares to scale quickly and bring fusion power to market. "This campus is an important milestone in our mission to commercialize fusion energy and combat climate change. This will be the site where we harness fusion and prove it can work as a clean, limitless power source for the first time in history," said CFS CEO Bob Mumgaard. CFS, in collaboration with MIT, is designing and building the world's first net energy fusion device, SPARC, based on a combination of proven plasma physics and groundbreaking high temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets. These HTS magnets are the key technology that will enable SPARC and future fusion power plants around the world. This roadmap was validated through peer-reviewed research published in a leading scientific journal that shows SPARC will achieve net energy if the magnets work. A full-scale magnet demonstration is set to take place in June 2021. CFS will construct these HTS magnets for SPARC and future fusion power plants at the Devens campus in a 165,000ft2 manufacturing facility. Devens is a regional enterprise zone managed by MassDevelopment, the Commonwealth's finance and development agency. Following a series of public hearings, meetings, and submissions by CFS, the Devens Enterprise Commission, Devens' permitting authority, unanimously approved CFS' permit application. "Historically we have had many technologies that change the world start in Massachusetts, and when Commonwealth Fusion Systems does it by bringing fusion energy technology to life we will be able to say they did it at their first-of-its-kind campus in Devens," said MassDevelopment President and CEO Dan Rivera. "The former U.S. Army base today boasts an ecosystem of cutting-edge technology and manufacturing companies thanks to its proximity to major research and education hubs, first-rate utility infrastructure, and commitment to fostering innovation. As the Commonwealth's finance and economic development agency tasked with redeveloping Devens, MassDevelopment is thrilled to welcome Commonwealth Fusion Systems to the community." King Street Properties of Boston will develop and own the manufacturing facility. Construction on the campus will begin in spring 2021. About CFS CFS is on track to bring fusion energy technology to market. CFS was spun out of MIT and combines the decades of research experience of MIT's Plasma Science and Fusion Center with the innovation and speed of the private sector. Supported by the world's leading investors in breakthrough energy technologies, CFS is uniquely positioned to deliver the fastest path to commercial fusion energy. For more information: Kristen Cullen [email protected] SOURCE Commonwealth Fusion Systems Related Links https://cfs.energy/ Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money. Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists. Build Immunity in the Community: upload your vaccine record Students, faculty and staff are challenged to come together to Build Immunity in Our Community, with a goal to have 70% of the campus community vaccinated by July 1. If we reach this goal, the level of immunity in our campus community will enable the Path Forward team to ease some restrictions and requirements depending on the state of the pandemic. After you complete your vaccination, upload a photo of your vaccine record today to the confidential "Report your Vaccine" portal. If you have not yet received your vaccine, schedule an appointment so you can report your vaccination by July 1. Starting June 1, we will begin reporting the campus community's progress toward the goal here. We will report back to the community in July how the vaccination rate will shape the fall semester, and whether our approach will need to change. Your vaccination record only will be accessible by medical providers and contact tracers, and not tied to any employment or academic records. Scroll down for frequently asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccine. She is her own best advertisement when it comes to her activewear label Jaggad. And Rebecca Judd certainly turns up the head in a campaign for a brand new range for her label, created in collaboration with former Miss Universe Australia Jennifer Hawkins, 37. The footy WAG-turned-entrepreneur, 38, sizzles in a series of pictures she shared to Instagram on Tuesday. Match made in heaven! WAG Rebecca Judd shows off her incredible figure in her latest JAGGAD activewear collection created with former Miss Universe Australia Jennifer Hawkins 'Set your alarms people - @jenhawkins_ x @teamjaggad launches today at 4pm AEST,' the fashion designer captioned the post. 'Swipe to have a look at the range. Congrats Jen, you nailed it.' In the images, Bec shows off her cleavage in a figure-hugging crop top and matching tights. Her hair is styled in subtle waves, and she has a full face of makeup on for the photo shoot. Hot, hot, hot: The footy WAG-turned-entrepreneur, 38, sizzles in a series of pictures she shared to Instagram on Tuesday Gorgeous: In another image, Rebecca wears stylish leopard print trainers and a windbreaker jacket as she poses with another model Glam: Her hair is styled in subtle waves, and she has a full face of makeup on for the photo shoot Ripped: The mother-of-four shows off her incredible abs in the campaign images In another image, Rebecca wears stylish leopard print trainers and a windbreaker jacket. She stands alongside a gorgeous model, who dons a black racer-back top, bike pants and white sneakers. Rebecca is then seen modelling a neutral-coloured crop top and matching leggings as she poses against a concrete wall with her right hand ruffling her blonde tresses. Simple and sexy: Bec also models basic black leggings with orange detail and a matching black sweater Who else is involved in the business? Rebecca co-owns JAGGAD with her 37-year-old husband, Chris Judd, and another footy couple - Steven and Michelle Greene She then poses on the ground and giggles in a beige tracksuit, before modelling a similar coloured crop top and tights. In February, Jennifer revealed she designed capsule collection for JAGGAD as she 'always loved' the brand and wanted outfits that were 'sporty, luxe, versatile'. 'I've always loved JAGGAD as a brand, so it was a (big!) yes when the idea came up to collaborate and design a @teamjaggad range!' Jen captioned an Instagram post on February 25. 'I wanted it to be workout wear (+ #mumlife uniform) with a fashion influence - sporty, luxe, versatile!' Back to basics: She then poses on the ground and giggles in a beige tracksuit, before modelling a similar coloured crop top and tights Walking billboard: Bec is her own best advertisement when it comes to her activewear label Jaggad State officials will announce a plan Wednesday to vaccinate public and private school teachers with the newly approved Johnson & Johnson vaccine, a state legislator confirmed. Rep. Bridget Kosierowski, D-114, Waverly, a member of a joint vaccine task force of legislators, Gov. Tom Wolf and key members of his staff, said the task force will host a virtual news conference Wednesday morning to announce the plan. The idea is to resume in-person classes soon, Kosierowski said by telephone after the task force met Tuesday afternoon. The state Department of Health will target the Johnson & Johnson vaccine toward teachers, school bus drivers, cafeteria workers and other support staff, Kosierowski said. She said the targeted groups represent about 200,000 people, but about 100,000 already received vaccinations because they belong to a group eligible for vaccinations now. The existing eligible groups, part of Phase 1A, include front line health care workers, nursing home residents, senior citizens and people 16 or older with risky medical conditions. Johnson & Johnson is almost like a 1A subgroup, we could say, its own entity, Kosierowski said. After teachers are vaccinated, Johnson & Johnson vaccines will go to existing eligible groups, she said. The plan will not reduce the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines meant for existing eligible groups, Kosierowski said. That was a key topic of conversation when the task force met Sunday because no one wanted to add more people to the eligible groups already struggling to find vaccination appointments, she said. Kosierowski said initial estimates show the state is eligible to receive up to 90,000 Johnson & Johnson vaccines in its first shipment. The plan will entail mass vaccinations, she said, but she did not have precise details. The move will come as pressure builds nationwide to get students back to in-person classes. On another front, at a House Aging & Older Adult Services Committee hearing earlier Tuesday, lawmakers implored Aging Secretary Robert Torres to do better getting vaccines to senior citizens, according to The Associated Press. This is unacceptable, Kosierowski said during that hearing. The stories and phone calls, and the complications people have getting appointments. And theres no communication. We have to fix that. Bill Johnston-Walsh, AARPs Pennsylvania director, said a survey of members produced a harsh assessment of what he called the confusing, complicated and challenging vaccine distribution program in Pennsylvania, including jammed phone lines, crashed websites and overbooked schedules. We cannot stress enough how difficult this process has been for so many Pennsylvanians, he told the committee. Torres said his agency shifted employees from other programs to help make vaccine appointments. I worry just as much as youve expressed about our seniors and getting them vaccinated, Torres said. In a virtual news conference, Lindsey Mauldin, the Department of Healths senior adviser for COVID-19 response, said more than 2.48 million vaccine doses have been administered in a state with almost 13 million residents. She said the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will help, but the state has not received its first shipment. There is still not enough vaccine available to meet the current demands, Mauldin said. There will be more vaccines coming, but patience is still required. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. 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[March 03, 2021] Portnox Aids Credit Unions in Meeting New NCUA ACET Compliance Standards for Cybersecurity Portnox, a leading provider of network access control (NAC) and network security solutions, today announced that it has begun working with a number of U.S.-based credit unions to enhance their cybersecurity programs and meet stricter controls standards laid out within the National Credit Union Administration's (NCUA) new Automated Cybersecurity Examination Tool (ACET) framework. According to the NCUA, the ACET mirrors the FFIEC's Cybersecurity Assessment Tool developed for voluntary use by banks and credit unions. Just like the FFIEC's Tool, the ACET consists of two parts: The Inherent Risk Profile and the Cybersecurity Maturity level. The Control Maturity portion measures a credit union's level of cybersecurity controls. The levels range from "baseline" to "innovative," with the 123 baseline statements representing the minimum regulatory expectations. "In light of recent network hacks, and as the NCUA audits continue to expand, many credit unions struggle with finding an effective solution to meet Domain 3 controls within the ACET framework," said Ofer Amitai, CEO at Portnox (News - Alert) . "Fortunately, Portnox can provide the network access control, endpoint awareness, risk and real-time remediation capabilities that either directly meet or highly contribute to many of the most difficult ACET Domain 3 audit areas and requirements." Portnox CLEAR, the first and only cloud-delivered network access control solution on the market, is a natural fit for credit unions. With no on-site networking hardware required to operate, no patching or on-going maintenance, and low overall total cost of ownership, Portnox CLEAR caters to financial institutions with minimal in-house IT resources needing to meet regulatory and compliance standards. "We spent years looking for a NAC solution for our clients that was affordable, and more importantly, something that wasn't extremely difficult to install. We found that with Portnox CLEAR, and now our clients are benefiting from enhanced security and compliance by using CLEAR," said Lee Bird, President at Btech, a managed security services provider and Portnox partner based in Pasadena, California that specializes in cybersecurity for credit unions. About Portnox Portnox provides simple-to-deploy, operate and maintain network access control, security and visibility solutions. Portnox software can be deployed on-premises, as a cloud-delivered service, or in hybrid mode. It is agentless and vendor-agnostic, allowing organizations to maximize their existing network and cybersecurity investments. Hundreds of enterprises around the world rely on Portnox for network visibility, cybersecurity policy enforcement and regulatory compliance. The company has been recognized for its innovations by Info Security Products Guide, Cyber Security Excellence Awards, IoT Innovator Awards, Computing Security Awards, Best of Interop (News - Alert) ITX and Cyber Defense Magazine. Portnox has offices in the U.S., Europe and Asia. For information visit www.portnox.com, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. About Btech Btech is the market leader in providing affordable managed IT security services for credit unions. For over 30 years, Btech has worked diligently and professionally to maintain strong client relationships by providing honest, intelligent, and cost-effective services and solutions. We know credit unions, and will tailor IT services to ensure that your IT environment is secure and compliant. Visit btechonline.com to learn more. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005066/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] New Delhi, March 3 : Chhattisgarh Health Minister T.S. Singh Deo has been appointed as the senior observer for the upcoming Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TAADC) elections in Tripura. The Congress is trying to establish itself in the northeastern state ever since the BJP unseated the Left government, attempting to make inroads in the TAADC elections. The Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council is an autonomous district council administering the Tripuri-dominated areas of Tripura. Its council and assembly are situated in Khumulwng with 30 members. In the 2018 Assembly elections, the Left Front was defeated by the BJP-Indigenous People's Front of Tripura alliance, which won a landslide majority of 43 seats out of the 59 seats on which elections were held. Tungsten and tin concentrate production in the first and second quarters is expected to be ahead of any previously reported quarter, despite unprecedented rainfall slowing progress in the first quarter ( ) said it successfully completed its plant improvement programme at the La Parrilla Mine in Spain, leading to improved efficiency and increased production of tin and tungsten concentrate. The final phase of the programme included a planned closure in late January to enable the final stages to be implemented. The closure was initially planned to take four weeks, but was achieved in just two. Concentrator plant recovery for tungsten in February was greater than 60%, a record high. Tungsten and tin concentrate production in the first and second quarters is expected to be ahead of any previously reported quarter, despite unprecedented rainfall slowing progress in the first quarter, the company said. In early February, the Extremadura region of Spain experienced the highest amount of rainfall recorded in the last seven years. Water levels at the historic mine pit adjacent to the mine were already unseasonably high and it became unsafe for the team to access higher-grade ore. The company decided to delay restarting production until mid-February, when the mine restarted. "Notwithstanding this hurdle, the success of the plant improvement programme has been reinforced with expectations of Q1 production being the highest to date," W Resources said. Steps are being taken to lower the water level and regain access to the higher-grade ore and the company hopes that these measures will create a permanent solution covering the life of the mine. "With a stockpile of mid and lower level grade ore on site, processing will continue and the amount of concentrate expected to be produced in Q1 and Q2 2021 will be ahead of any previously reported quarter," it said. The company has benefitted from robust prices for its concentrate this year. It shipped 20 tonnes of tin concentrate on March 1, benefitting from a 26% increase in the net price received versus the previous tin shipment. Prices for Tungsten also remain robust, further highlighting the strength of the company's low-cost production, it said. In the past two months it has shipped 20 tonnes of tungsten concentrate and expects to ship a further 20 tonnes of tungsten concentrate on March 8. "It is frustrating that as we find ourselves on the cusp of seeing significant increases in the production of concentrate with much improved plant processing, we are denied access to our highest-grade ore due to high water levels," said chairman Michael Masterman. "The team is working hard to resolve this and as soon as the water levels fall and we can safely access our higher-grade ore, we can then start to ramp-up to more significant growth in concentrate production." Gilbert Carrasquillo/WireImage For Mary J. Blige, the unprecedented events of the past year presented the opportunity to dive head-first into launching her new wine brand, Sun Goddess Wines. "Sun Goddess was birthed to the world during the pandemic," Blige, 50, said on Tuesday evening, when she joined TJ Douglas, founder and co-owner of Boston wine store Urban Grape, for a virtual event to discuss her journey into the industry. "During the first quarantine, everybody was going through it. To give something so beautiful to the world at a time when they needed it, it made everyone smile." The event was also in support of the Urban Grape Wine Studies Award, which raises money to have a person of color attend wine school at Boston University. When asked about creating her own space in an industry that lacks diversity, Blige gave some sound advice. "I say don't be afraid to be who you are. Be original. Be you," said Blige. "I say be true to you in everything you do." While Blige was already a seasoned business woman when she found herself on a vineyard in Friuli, Italy, three years ago, her journey into the wine industry wasn't just about making profits. Instead, she says it was about creating something she was passionate about and sharing it with the world. "My reason was because I loved it. Everything is not done for money," said Blige. "This was a labor of love. It was like, I love it, and now I have cases of it in my garage and wine cellar. Do it for love, and then the money will come, everything else will come. Do it for love." RELATED: All the Celebs Who Have Gone into the Wine Business Blige put in the hours on the Fantinel Winery in Friuli, learning about wine production and tasting the grapes. While she noted that wine tends to be an expensive hobby, that was all the more reason why she wanted to ensure her brand is at a price point that's accessible to everyone, without sacrificing quality. Story continues "I'm never paying $10,000 for a bottle of wine," said Blige. "We want people from all walks of life to drink this. I wanted it to be affordable. Not everyone can afford wine. My fans have budgets, and people have budgets, period. The goal is to make sure everybody can get their hands on it. The wealthy people can drink it, and the people that are not wealthy can drink it." When asked what her favorite meal is with which to pair the wines, Blige was hesitant to pick. "It goes really well with friends," she said. "It's just a good time." Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- China forced banks to hold more foreign currencies in reserve for the first time in more than a decade, its most substantial move yet to rein the surging yuan.The nations financial institutions will need to hold 7% of their foreign exchange in reserve from June 15, according to a central bank statement Monday. Thats an increase of 2 percentage points, and the first such hike since 2007. The move, which the Peoples Bank of China said will help liquidity management, effectively reduces the supply of dollars and other currencies onshore -- putting pressure on the yuan to weaken.Although analysts said the direct impact may be small, the move is the clearest signal by the PBOC that its unhappy about the yuans surge to a three-year high against the greenback. Authorities had until now limited their response to rhetoric: a former central bank official and a state-media commentary talked down the currency over the weekend.The PBOC wants to show the market -- if the rally keeps going, it has many measures to slow it down and the market will fail if it wants to make speculative bets, said Zhou Hao, an economist at Commerzbank AG in Singapore. Its more of a symbolic move, as no matter how the PBOC boosts funding costs on foreign exchange, the rate on the yuan will almost always be higher.The PBOC set its daily reference rate at 6.3572 on Tuesday, only marginally weaker than the average forecast in a Bloomberg survey of analysts and traders. The currency gained 0.2% to 6.3634 per dollar as of 9:52 a.m. in Hong Kong, while the onshore rate strengthened 0.1%.Betting on the yuan has been a successful strategy in the past year. The currency has surged 13% against the dollar since last May, when it was near its lowest level since 2008 amid the effects of the pandemic and the trade war with the U.S. Brokerages including Citic Securities Co., Scotiabank and Westpac Banking Corp. expect the currency to climb to 6.2 against the dollar. That would be the strongest since a 2015 devaluation.The yuan is supported by Chinas economic recovery and its higher-yielding markets are attractive to global investors. A backdrop of imported inflation is bolstering the argument for a stronger yuan. Against a basket of trading partners, the Chinese currency is the strongest since 2016.The foreign-exchange reserve ratio hike will likely freeze about $20 billion of liquidity, according to Guan Tao, a former official at the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. The increase demonstrates the Chinese central banks strong determination to curb rapid appreciation in the yuan, and PBOC has more tools if speculation emerges in the currency market, he said.Recent history shows traders should be wary. In the wake of the devaluation, the yuan fell about 11% by the end of 2016, surged 11% through its 2018 peak, before reversing again to sink 13% by September 2019. When momentum in the yuan became too extreme, authorities often took steps to arrest the moves. In early 2018, for instance, the yuan fell the most in two months as authorities gave banks the green light to submit quotes for weaker fixings.Still, analysts remain unconvinced of the potency of the latest measure. Fundamental factors supporting the yuan -- such as its interest-rate premium and high inflation -- remain intact, Citigroup Inc. economists led by Liu Li-gang wrote in a note.While this policy will lock in a certain amount of capital inflow and make foreign exchange funding costs higher, its effectiveness remains in doubt, Liu wrote.Any tightening in dollar funding onshore wont be sustained because global investors can easily obtain cheap foreign-exchange overseas and invest in yuan bonds, according to Ju Wang, a senior currency strategist at HSBC Bank Plc.Beijing seems to be sticking to its goal of liberalizing markets as part of President Xi Jinpings plans to reduce moral hazard. Its not just the yuan where direct intervention is now an unusual sight. The national team of state-backed funds is rarely seen in the $12 trillion stock market anymore, unless moves risk turning into panic or mania. Even in the commodities market, where officials are struggling to cool prices, efforts have largely been verbal rather than direct.If the central bank takes additional assertive actions, such as setting dramatically weaker fixings, that could reinforce the belief that only heavy-handed intervention is worth paying attention to. Yet the Communist Party has made it clear it will act to reduce speculation and guard against risks to financial stability, especially in the run-up to the centenary of the Partys founding this July.We dont see this as an one-off change, but likely the start of a trend, Becky Liu, head of China macro strategy at Standard Chartered, said of Mondays move by the PBOC. It could be seen as a new mechanism to manage the yuan in the medium term, together with other counter-cyclical measures.(Adds 5th paragraph to show PBOCs fixing on Tuesday and latest pricing of yuan.)More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.2021 Bloomberg L.P. RESTON, Va., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Reston-based consulting firm Counter Threat Solutions (CTS) has earned a spot on the Vet100 list, a compilation of the 100 fastest growing veteran-owned businesses in the U.S. Created in partnership with Inc. magazine and Syracuse University's Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF), the list culls and ranks those veteran-owned businesses that were named to the annual Inc. 5000, a list of the nation's fastest-growing private companies based on stated revenue figures. "Over 87 percent of the new jobs in our country are created by private businesses," reports Eric Schurenberg, CEO of Mansueto Ventures, publisher of Inc. Magazine. "Veteran entrepreneurs employ more than 5.5 million, and should be recognized for their continued service to the country." Counter Threat Solutions was formed in 2015 by Theresa Keith, a former U.S. Army military intelligence professional and the company's CEO. Her passion for country combined with her entrepreneurial spirit led her to start CTS. The company serves the U.S. government and aids national security with a focus on the Intelligence and Defense communities. During her military service, Keith worked as a Mandarin Chinese linguist with the National Security Agency (NSA), reporting directly to the White House during the turnover of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to China. She then spent five years with the international software division of IBM before moving on to a government contracting company serving the intel community. There she managed 125 people in a variety of intelligence, counter-terrorism, and security projects. "Military experience provides veteran entrepreneurs with skills and knowledge we know to be valuable in the business world," said Mike Haynie, Syracuse University Vice Chancellor and IVMF Founder and Executive Director. "The business owners named to the Vet100 list served in defense of our collective freedom and security; they now continue to serve by bettering the economies in their communities and across the country." CTS employees a large cadre of former military personnel hailing from nearly all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. "CTS has built a reputation for innovative leadership, collaboration, and accountability all traits developed during military service, valued by our clients, and easily transferrable to our government, private, and commercial clientele," says Keith. Companies named to the Vet100 list will be honored at an awards ceremony in Dallas, TX in October 2021. CTS will join peers from across the country in acknowledgement of the positive economic impact of veteran entrepreneurs. About Syracuse University's Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IMVF) IVMF provides no-cost career training and entrepreneurship programs to prepare service members, veterans, and their families for post-service employment. About the Inc. 5000 The Inc. 5000 is Inc. magazine's list of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. About Counter Threat Solutions Counter Threat Solutions LLC (CTS) is a Woman-Owned Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) consulting company providing mission-savvy subject matter experts skilled in analysis, finance, multimedia, administrative support, program management, and IT solutions to the U.S. government's intelligence and defense communities as well as civilian commercial clientele. Learn more about CTS at ctstruenorth.com or LinkedIn. CONTACT Valerie Passwaiter (703) 987-1584 [email protected] ctstruenorth.com SOURCE Counter Threat Solutions Related Links http://www.ctstruenorth.com Gov. Charlie Baker announced on Thursday the state would move forward in its reopening plan. How Governments Use AI Today Why AI Is Challenging for Government Elements That Ease AI Adoption Bringing the Promise of AI to Reality Artificial intelligence or AI may no longer seem like the theme of a sci-fi movie where computers take over the world. Yet misconceptions linger about AI capabilities and uses, and governments are uncertain about what AI technology to implement and how. These factors slowed public sector adoption of AI until its potential value emerged more clearly during the COVID-19 pandemic.The demands of pandemic response accelerated state and local government interest in data-driven decision-making and implementation of early AI-related projects. For example, nearly all responding states in the Center for Digital Governments most recent Digital States Survey will make some use of AI by 2022 and many counties and cities will do so as well, according to the latest Digital Cities and Counties surveys.To support broad AI adoption, government business and IT leaders need a shared and realistic understanding of potential uses for AI and the challenges around these technologies today. Moving forward with AI initiatives will also be more successful if an organization applies a framework that addresses critical technology, management and leadership elements.The 2020 CDG Digital States, Cities and Counties surveys found several examples of how state and local governments are using AI today.Bellevue, Wash., delivers COVID-19 information via a multilingual chatbot, uses AI on video analytics to identify traffic signal changes that will reduce accidents and automates routine tasks for reviewing digital development plans. Virginia Beach, Va., uses AI to improve waste pickup routes and inform citizens of their pickup time. Early in the pandemic, Arizona used AI-driven chatbots to handle a surge in unemployment insurance applications until newly hired employees could be trained to handle those calls.Improving cybersecurity programs is another top use for AI, planned by most respondents in the CDG surveys.For many governments, five common challenges present barriers to AI implementation, especially on a broad scale.Resources. Using AI at a level that makes a meaningful impact on government operations and services requires a significant and ongoing resource investment. Improving data quality and access, deploying an AI development platform and hiring data scientists who can apply it effectively are all potential challenges.Cognitive limitations. Although AI models are increasingly sophisticated, they often lack the contextual understanding of humans. The knowledge of experienced employees is still required at the right points to improve data interpretation and process redesign.Inadequate transparency. It can be difficult to identify the why and how behind the choices made by AI models and their machine learning algorithms. This lack of full transparency about AI data analysis and decision-making can lead to inappropriate profiling, an opening for potential misuse of processes or data, and other unintended consequences.Trust issues. Mistrust about the decisions of an algorithm and fear that smart technologies will eliminate or change jobs mean employees and the public dont always welcome the use of AI.Uncertain value. The potential for achievable value in AI projects isnt always clear. Justifying a new investment in AI becomes even harder if previous attempts to use this technology have failed.Although these challenges can be complex, they are not insurmountable if AI is implemented with a focus on technology and expertise, management and leadership.SAP research found that a governments AI adoption can be more successful if it is done within a framework of three essential elements.The first element is technology and technical expertise. AI isnt off-the-shelf software that can simply be purchased and deployed. Instead, it is an evolving capability created from the combination of quality data, an AI platform and data science staff.AI models need a representative data set, one that is fit for reuse, to learn how to make relevant and unbiased decisions. The AI models need to run on a computing and storage platform that enables fast and efficient processing for large data sets and supports distributed AI services. Data scientists offer the understanding of government data and AI algorithms that is necessary to build appropriate AI models for public service purposes.The second element encompasses management strategies for redesigning work and guiding culture change. Employees may have substantial concerns that the use of AI will eliminate their jobs. Additionally, they may not trust the logic of AI algorithms, especially if they uncover previously unseen data patterns or trends.Involving a diverse set of employees as subject experts in the AI project can help replace resistance with engagement. Also important is to emphasize that AI can handle many routine data analysis tasks, freeing employees to focus on case management, customer service and other sensitive work that needs human experience and judgment.Another vital management responsibility is assuring that AI and machine learning algorithms are traceable and explainable to stakeholders, and that they adhere to high levels of data privacy, security and fair use. This transparency is vital to build trust that the government is applying AI for the right purposes and using data appropriately for analyses and recommendations.High citizen trust increases engagement and allows a government to apply AI for further innovation with additional services or new approaches to issues. Trust continues to build as government delivers these AI-driven innovations in an open and engaged manner.Organizational leadership is the third element. Executive-level attention is needed for AI oversight, creating stakeholder value and proving benefit to citizens. For oversight, its important to understand that all uses of AI technology come with the risk of perpetuating errors or bias that exist in the input data. Leaders should be prepared to establish and reinforce an organizational culture that is compliant with current laws, regulatory requirements and accepted ethics.The stakeholder value gained from AI can come in multiple forms. Internally, this value is often expressed in terms of financial and operational improvements. Externally, public value must be clear in terms of outcomes or service improvements that emerge from AI decision-making.When implemented with care, AI can help governments address critical operational and services challenges, as well as produce tangible results for employees and constituents. As the post-pandemic future unfolds, AI will become an increasingly important technology to help governments better fulfill their mission.To learn more about how to use data responsibly for AI, read the next article in our AI series , or to explore more thought leadership around AI, visit the SAP Institute for Digital Government (Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of updates by London-listed companies, issued on Tuesday and not separately reported by Alliance News: All Active Asset Capital Ltd - London-based firm seeking investment opportunities in the technology, software and artificial intelligence space - Exercises first tranche of the option agreement with AAQUA BV, and has acquired 6,000 new AAQUA shares. Under the terms of the option, AAA can subscribe for up to 125,000 new AAQUA ordinary shares at EUR1,000 per share, being a total cost of EUR125 million if fully exercised. AAA paid a EUR1 million fee for the grant of the option to AAQUA in December 2020. The grant fee is offset against the initial exercise cost payable by AAA; and so AAA's incremental cost of this initial exercise is EUR5 million. Redx Pharma PLC - Macclesfield, England-based treatments for cancer and fibrotic disease - Starts search for US-based chief financial officer. Notes James Mead will continue in his role as CFO until a new appointment has been made at which point Mead will assume the role of chief operating officer. Chair Iain Ross adds: "In conjunction with these changes, Mead will step down from the board with immediate effect and will cease to be a director of the company. Going forward, the board will therefore consist of five non-executive directors and one executive director, the CEO." Verici Dx PLC - clinical diagnostics developer for organ transplant - Partners Lorenzo Gallon, at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; Milagros Samaniego, at Henry Ford Health System and Daniel Maluf, at the University of Maryland, Baltimore to collaborate on company's clinical trial surrounding its two lead products, ClaravaTM and TutevaTM, and longer term, the validation of the fibrosis test. "The study uses next generation sequencing in the Verici Dx laboratory to create transcriptomic profiles to validate performance characteristics of the lead Verici Dx immune-phenotype signature tests," company explains. Amiad Water Systems Ltd - Israel-based water treatment and filtration systems - Launches Spin Klin Nova, a disc filtration system. "This cutting-edge solution, which is the culmination of years of R&D work, is the company's most efficient product to date. It includes multiple new features that are designed to make it as adaptable as possible to the needs of the customer while increasing ease of use," company says. Spin Klin Nova is available now in Israel and will be released globally later this month. Chariot Oil & Gas Ltd - Africa focused transition energy company - Signs memorandum of understanding along with its partner the Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines with the Ministry of Industry, Trade & Green and Digital Economy in Morocco. The MOU relates to the ministry's support of Chariot and ONHYM's Anchois gas development project as a potential provider of significant gas to the Moroccan gas market. Chariot's acting Chief Executive Adonis Pouroulis says: "The signing of this MOU is a significant step in our efforts to access the Moroccan gas markets. With the Kingdom of Morocco's support we intend to build on the positive conversations we are already having with entities involved in the Moroccan gas market, giving us greater confidence that we will sign the necessary agreements to expedite the development of this value accretive gas project, for the benefit of the Kingdom and Chariot's investors." Hurricane Energy PLC - Surrey-based oil and gas company - Says discussions on Lancaster field forward work programme, strategy, financing and balance sheet recapitalisation are ongoing. Looking at drilling the side-track in 2022 following further planning activity during 2021; or drilling the side-track together with the previously contemplated water injection well as a combined programme in 2022. If those do not pan out, considering drilling the side-track in 2022 and the water injection well in 2023. Hurricane adds: "Proposed side-track is more complex in nature than previous wells on Lancaster due to the incorporation of an intelligent completion and the challenges of delivering the well trajectory from the side-track location." Tern PLC - internet of things-focused investor - Pleased with recent momentum of portfolio companies. Notes Device Authority Ltd, Talking Medicines Ltd and Wyld Networks Ltd have had a good start to 2021 and have "promising" pipelines of business. Chief Executive Al Sisto says: "Device Authority's IoT summit last week, funded by its partner sponsors, was a particular milestone for the company, demonstrating the depth of their relationships and the important position their KeyScaler product has in the IoT. I wholly endorse one speaker from a global software company who commented that KeyScaler is 'the glue that holds the IoT together'." Adds: "I would also like to congratulate Talking Medicines on being selected as part of Healthcare UK's 'Fast 100'. This recognises Talking Medicines' innovation and their commitment to global expansion." Mkango Resources Ltd - explorer for rare earth elements in Malawi - Completes flotation pilot plant programme for the Songwe Hill rare earths project in Malawi. The results of the flotation pilot programme will be announced in due course, and the flotation concentrate produced will be supplied to ANSTO in Australia for hydrometallurgical piloting. "Discussions in relation to sites for a rare earth separation plant are ongoing - this will process the high grade, purified mixed rare earth carbonate produced at Songwe, enriched in high value neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium," company adds. IXICO PLC - AI data analytics company - Says Cyclerion Therapeutics Inc, a new client, to support the company's Phase IIa clinical trial to investigate CY6463 for treatment of individuals with Alzheimer's disease. For the study, IXICO will provide advanced neuroimaging solutions involving structural magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion MRI, resting state functional MRI and arterial spin labelling. "Whilst this contract does not change management's expectations of financial performance for the year, it adds to the company's strong order book, further increases visibility of future revenues, and reflects an increasing diversification of the company's client base," company adds. Westmount Energy Ltd - South America-focused energy investor - Notes the Stena Carron drillship is moving from the Bulletwood-1 location on the Canje block, offshore Guyana, to a new drilling location on the Stabroek block. "Westmount is not a direct participant in the Canje Joint Venture and is therefore not aware of the outcome of the Bulletwood-1 well. The company awaits confirmation and disclosure of the Bulletwood-1 drilling results by the operator or other Canje JV partners. It is the company's intention to update the market as soon as these drilling results are publicly available," company adds. Company plans drilling of the second and third wells on the Canje block, Jabillo-1 and Sapote-1, over the coming months. Bahamas Petroleum Co - Caribbean and Atlantic margin focused oil and gas company - Notes Honourable Justice Petra Hanna-Weekes allowed the company's application and ordered the applicants to post USD200,000 security for costs within 30 days, pending which the proceedings will be stayed. BPC recently added as a respondent to the application brought by environmental groups against the government of the Bahamas. BPC was entitled to request that the applicants provide security for costs. Enteq Upstream PLC - oil & gas drilling technology company based in Buckinghamshire - Launches disruptive alternative to traditional rotary steerable systems. The SABER tool is now ready for next stage field trials. "The SABER tool uses internally directed pressure differentials to steer from the drill bit face, delivering true 'at-bit' geo-steering. This mechanically simple design also removes the need for traditional pistons and pads that are susceptible to reliability issues - an approach which can create a smoother and more precise wellbore with easy to manage directional control. SABER will offer a robust, reliable, simple and cost effective directional drilling alternative to current RSS options," Enteq explains. DP Aircraft I Ltd - Guernsey-based aircraft leasing company - Signs letter of intent with Thai Airways under which the parties have agreed to amend the existing lease terms. The new terms provide for a "power by the hour" arrangement until the end of next year, with scaled back monthly lease payments thereafter, reflecting the reduced rates now seen in the market. The lease term will be extended from October 2026 to December 2029, with the company retaining a right of early termination in October 2026. Agrees with Thai lenders to amend and restate the existing loan facility agreements in respect of the Thai assets. Mobile Streams PLC - mobile content and data intelligence company headquartered in London - Says Chinese language version of Streams will launch on March 14. Streams China is aimed specifically at the Chinese market for companies that want to sell their products and services to a western audience. Also notes revenues and customer growth continue to remain ahead of internal forecasts, and monthly Streams Data revenue has now exceeded the net revenue brought in via the legacy business. Says Streams SaaS platform which generated initial customer revenues in October, now generating monthly revenue of GBP12,000, up 33% year on year. "Whilst still at a modest level, with our pipeline of product development and marketing, we expect to see significant growth in 2021, with additional higher price points to come," company adds. By Paul McGowan; paulmcgowan@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. ADVERTISEMENT The governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has vowed to ensure that the killers of Senator Gabriel Suswams elder brother are arrested and brought to justice. Mr Ortom said this in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Terver Akase, on Wednesday in Makurdi. The killers of Chief Terkura Suswam, elder brother to the Senator representing Benue North East, Senator Gabriel Suswam, must be apprehended and brought to justice, the statement said. It said the governor assured security operatives in the state of maximum support to apprehend the killers and ensure that justice was served. The governor said his administration will give security operatives maximum support to ensure that killers of Dr Suswam are arrested and made to the face the consequences of their action. Gov. Ortom stresses that his administration will not surrender Benue to criminals, and gives assurance that killers and kidnapers operating in Sankera axis of the State wont go unpunished, the statement said. It also said that the governor sympathised with Mr Suswam and the rest of the family, as well as the entire people of Logo Local Government Area over the painful death of Chief Terkura Suswam. He prayed God to grant the deceased eternal rest and his family the strength to bear the loss. Meanwhile, the Police Command in Benue said it had cordoned off Anyiin town, where the deceased was shot by his assailants on Tuesday evening while supervising the repairs of his plaza. (NAN) Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-01 21:24:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SHANGHAI, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Croatian midfielder Ante Majstorovic has joined the Chinese Super League (CSL) outfit Shanghai Port, the club announced here on Monday. The announcement said the transfer of Majstorovic was the result of friendly negotiation with his former owner NK Osijek. Born in 1993, Majstorovic once served Hajduk Split HNK and NK Lokomotiva Zagreb in Croatia. After joining NK Osijek in July, 2019, Majstorovic made 55 appearances on the pitch, leading the team to shut out their opponents 27 times. As captain of the team, he scored a critical goal in the 2020-21 UEFA Europa League qualifier facing FC Basel. Majstorovic arrived in Shanghai on the Chinese New Year's Eve. After a 14-day quarantine in line with COVID-19 pandemic prevention regulations, he started taking part in the team's training camp at Century Park in Pudong New Area last Saturday. "Welcome Majstorovic to join us. We hope he will soon adapt to the tactics of Shanghai Port and strengthen the back line in the coming season," the announcement said. 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. 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. WOODS HOLE, Mass. - Much like the popular TikTok challenge where kids resist eating snacks, cuttlefish can do the same! Cuttlefish can delay gratification - wait for a better meal rather than be tempted by the one at hand - and those that can wait longest also do better in a learning test, scientists have discovered. This intriguing report marks the first time a link between self-control and intelligence has been found in an animal other than humans and chimpanzees. It is published this week in Proceedings of the Royal Society B. The research was conducted at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), Woods Hole, while lead author Alexandra Schnell of University of Cambridge, UK, was in residence there as a Grass Fellow. Among Schnell's collaborators was MBL Senior Scientist Roger Hanlon, a leading expert in cephalopod behavior and joint senior author on the paper. "We used an adapted version of the Stanford marshmallow test, where children were given a choice of taking an immediate reward (1 marshmallow) or waiting to earn a delayed but better reward (2 marshmallows)," Schnell says. "Cuttlefish in the present study were all able to wait for the better reward and tolerated delays for up to 50-130 seconds, which is comparable to what we see in large-brained vertebrates such as chimpanzees, crows and parrots." Cuttlefish that could wait longer for a meal also showed better cognitive performance in a learning task. In that experiment, cuttlefish were trained to associate a visual cue with a food reward. Then, the situation was reversed, so the reward became associated with a different cue. "The cuttlefish that were quickest at learning both of those associations were better at exerting self-control," Schnell says. Why cuttlefish have evolved this capacity for self-control is a bit mysterious. Delayed gratification in humans is thought to strengthen social bonds between individuals -- such as waiting to eat so a partner can first -- which benefits the species as a whole. It may also be a function of tool-building animals, who need to wait to hunt while constructing the tool. But cuttlefish are not social species, and they don't build tools. Instead, the authors suggest, delayed gratification may be a by-product of the cuttlefish's need to camouflage to survive. "Cuttlefish spend most of their time camouflaging, sitting and waiting, punctuated by brief periods of foraging," Schnell says. "They break camouflage when they forage, so they are exposed to every predator in the ocean that wants to eat them. We speculate that delayed gratification may have evolved as a byproduct of this, so the cuttlefish can optimize foraging by waiting to choose better quality food." Finding this link between self-control and learning performance in a species outside of the primate lineage is an extreme example of convergent evolution, where completely different evolutionary histories have led to the same cognitive feature. ### Other collaborators include joint senior author Nicola Clayton at University of Cambridge and scientists at Ripon College in Wisconsin and the Karl Landsteiner University of Health Science, Krems, Austria. The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) is dedicated to scientific discovery - exploring fundamental biology, understanding marine biodiversity and the environment, and informing the human condition through research and education. Founded in Woods Hole, Massachusetts in 1888, the MBL is a private, nonprofit institution and an affiliate of the University of Chicago. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close NEW CASTLE, Pa., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its ongoing efforts to protect nesting birds and prevent power outages, Penn Power, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), has partnered with the Erie Bird Observatory for the second year in a row to install a nesting platform on top of a 55-foot wooden pole in Greenville, Mercer County. This proactive work will discourage ospreys from nesting on utility poles when they return to the area in the coming weeks. Over the past two years, the FirstEnergy Foundation has donated a total of $10,000 to the Erie Bird Observatory to fund the construction of nesting platforms across western Pennsylvania. In recent years, Penn Power has worked with the organization to install seven nesting platforms adjacent to utility poles that have experienced high levels of osprey activity. "We've experienced a significant spike in the osprey population over recent years, and we anticipate this year will be no different since the birds typically return to the same nesting sites as the year before," said Amy Ruszala, an environmental scientist and avian expert at FirstEnergy. "Our goal is to not only remove unoccupied osprey nests that are situated on our utility poles, but also take action to prevent the birds from making new nests on our equipment." Birds of prey, like ospreys, often seek out tall structures including electric transmission towers and poles to build their nests, which can measure up to three feet in width. These nesting habits often place the birds near energized electrical equipment jeopardizing their well-being and potentially causing power outages. Because ospreys prefer to nest near bodies of water, the new 5-square-foot wooden nesting platform was installed on top of an existing utility pole that previously served as a prime nesting habitat for the birds on Werner Road along the Shenango River. Last year, the company installed three nesting platforms near the Route 18 causeway over the Shenango River Lake in Mercer County and in Hartstown, Crawford County. "We are proud to partner with Penn Power to have these nest structures in place before the ospreys return to the area in late March and take up nesting this spring," said Sarah Sargent, executive director and founder of the Erie Bird Observatory. "Our partnership is a win-win because it helps keep the nesting birds safe and also benefits electric customers." Protecting birds is nothing new to Penn Power. The company has made great strides enhancing its avian protection efforts, including the implementation of drones to complete bird nest inspections and deployment of a mobile app that allows utility personnel to report avian issues in real time, streamlining the process to protect nesting birds and enhance electric service reliability. These ongoing efforts continue to help reduce power outages caused by nesting birds. Utility personnel also worked closely with FirstEnergy's environmentalists and state wildlife officials to remove nests from substations and transmission towers while the birds were south for the winter. Ospreys are a month away from the onset of their breeding season and will lay their eggs between April and July. Penn Power is a subsidiary of FirstEnergy and serves more than 160,000 customers in all or parts of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Crawford, Lawrence, and Mercer counties in western Pennsylvania. Follow Penn Power on Twitter @Penn_Power, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PennPower, and online at www.pennpower.com. FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,500 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com and on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp. Editor's Note: Photos of Penn Power utility personnel installing the nesting platforms are available for download on Flickr. SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp. Related Links http://www.firstenergycorp.com Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) - The Philippines' leading carrier Cebu Pacific continues to make moments happen for everyJuan with the launch of its trademark PISO fare to all domestic and international destinations on sale. With this special #CEBSuperSeatFest on its anniversary month, everyJuan can book flights for as low as 1 base fare from March 3-5 with travel dates from June 1 to Dec. 31, 2021. This year's Cebu Pacific 3.3 PISO sale lets you experience the fine sands and pristine waters of the country's revered beach destinations such as Cebu, Puerto Princesa, Bohol, Boracay, Coron and Siargao. Take advantage of this all-out blowout and rediscover the wanderlust in you that will take you to Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Iloilo, and General Santos City to explore their food scene and hidden sights. "Recent surveys show a lot of us are looking forward to traveling again, and we are very excited to welcome you all on board, especially now that requirements for domestic travel are starting to ease. We continue to do what we can to boost passenger confidence and spur travel, for #MoreSmilesAhead with everyJuan," said Candice Iyog, Cebu Pacific's vice president for marketing and customer experience. Guests are encouraged to make use of their travel funds to book new flights. Online payments will be accepted on all three days, while payment center options will be made available starting the second day. Safety is also assured while flying with Cebu Pacific in the "new normal" with its contactless procedures, thorough cleaning and disinfection protocols for all aircraft and facilities, mandatory wearing of masks and face shields for both passengers and crew, and antigen testing for airline frontliners before duty. On top of these, Cebu Pacific aircraft are also equipped with hospital-grade HEPA filters with 99.99% efficacy which keeps viruses at bay. The airline has been rated 7/7 stars by airlineratings.com for its COVID-19 protocols compliance. Cebu Pacific pioneered the PISO sale in 2004 to further democratize travel and offer low value and great service to its passengers. As it celebrates its 25th anniversary, the carrier aims to give back to everyJuan who has been instrumental in its growth story for #MoreSmilesAhead. The budget carrier also recently announced the removal of its change fees policy to provide passengers with more flexibility and unlimited rebooking in order to encourage travel and support tourism. Join Cebu Pacific as it celebrates 25 years of making moments happen! Book your PISO seats now via cebupacificair.com. The airline currently flies to 28 domestic destinations from its Manila and Cebu hubs, on top of five international destinations from Manila, namely Dubai, Hong Kong, Nagoya, Seoul, and Singapore. On Tuesday, Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the FBIs role in the January 6 siege of the US Capitol. The hearing followed congressional hearings held last week in which Washington D.C. police chiefs defended their failure to secure the Capitol in the lead-up and on the day of the attempted coup orchestrated by Donald Trump, attributing the ability of the fascistic mob to storm the building and delay certification of the 2020 election result to an intelligence or communication failure. Trump supporters try to break through a police barrier, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, at the Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) In his testimony Wray confirmed that: Militia extremists coordinated and pre-planned the assault on Congress. There is no evidence that Antifa forces, masquerading as Trump supporters, spearheaded the assault on the Capitola conspiracy theory promoted by a number of Republican congressmen as well as far-right groups. FBI intelligence reports were disseminated to the Capitol Police and the Metro D.C. Police prior to January 6. The FBI failed to issue a threat assessment prior to January 6. FBI and Department of Homeland Security intelligence reports warning of violence in relation to the election, the certification of the Electoral College vote, and the inauguration were issued to relevant police departments in December of 2020. Critical issues that were left unanswered by the hearing and Wrays testimony include: Why did the FBI fail to issue an official threat assessment? Why was there a de facto standdown of security forces outside the Capitol on January 6? What actions did the FBI take once the assault on the Capitol began? Why did it take hours for National Guard soldiers to be deployed? The January 6 joint session of Congress, presided over by Vice President Mike Pence and tasked with officially counting the Electoral College vote, had been targeted by Trump and his co-conspirators as the last chance to overturn Trumps defeat. Trump had called on his far-right supporters to mobilize that day, explicitly instructing the Proud Boys to stand back and stand by, and promising that the Stop the Steal event would be wild. It was well known within military, intelligence and police circles that thousands were planning to descend on the US Capitol, many carrying arms. Given these facts, compounded by the presence in the Capitol on January 6 of the three officials next in line after the president in the continuity of government line of successionthe vice president, the speaker of the House and the president pro tempore of the Senatethe failure of the FBI to issue an official threat assessment prior to January 6 is an extraordinary omission that raises many questions. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin (Democrat from Illinois) opened the hearing by noting the historically unprecedented character of the attack on Congress. For the first time ever we have failed to have a peaceful transfer of power, he said. He then proceeded to declare his support for the prosecution of Antifa and others supposedly responsible for left-wing violence during last summers mass protests against police violence. Durbin began his questioning of Wray by expressing his surprise that the FBI failed to issue a threat assessment in advance of January 6. In this connection, he pointed to the January 5 memo from the Norfolk, Virginia FBI office citing social media traffic showing that pro-Trump insurrectionists were planning for war at the Capitol and had obtained maps of the tunnels under the Capitol complex. Wray dodged the question of his failure to issue a threat assessment, noting instead that the Norfolk memo had been forwarded via email to the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) within the D.C. Metropolitan Police and Capitol police within an hour of its being issued. Durbin set the tone for the rest of the panel members, Democratic as well as Republican, by profusely praising Wray and the FBI for their hard work and dedicated service to the nation. In the course of his testimony, Wray acknowledged the central role of organized far-right militia groups in the siege of the Capitol on January 6. He said there were three groups of people involved in the events of January 6. Wray characterized the largest group as mostly peaceful, rowdy protesters. A second, smaller group was swept-up in emotion and committed low-level criminal behavior, he said. A third group, according to Wray, was the smallest and most serious. This group breached the Capitol grounds, engaged in violence against law enforcement and attempted to disrupt members of Congress and the conduct of their constitutional responsibilities. Wray continued, Those people clearly came to Washington... with plans and intentions to engage in the worst kind of violence. In a revealing back-and-forth with Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar, Wray confirmed the content of court documents cited by Klobuchar pertaining to the ongoing case of Proud Boy leader Ethan Nordean. The March 1 filing by federal prosecutors, who are seeking to keep Nordean in detention pending trial, details the Proud Boys assault on the Capitol, including the breach of certain parts of the building that had the weakest security and the groups use of Chinese-made Baofeng radios to communicate along encrypted channels during the attack. The filing notes: [Nordean]dressed all in black, wearing a tactical vestled the Proud Boys through the use of encrypted communications and military-style equipment and he led them with the specific plans to: split up into groups, attempt to break into the Capitol building from as many different points as possible, and prevent the Joint Session of Congress from Certifying the Electoral College results. The document also notes that in the wake of the arrest of Proud Boys Chairman Henry Enrique Tarrio on January 4, Nordean was nominated from within to have war powers and to take ultimate leadership of the Proud Boys activities on Jan 6. Prosecutors allege that certain Proud Boys privy to plans discussed their hope to turn the normies or normiecons loose on January 6 to incite and inspire them to burn that city to ash today and smash some pigs to dust. During her questioning, Klobuchar implied that the FBI had no informants among the fascist militia members who laid siege to the Capitol. There must be moments, she said, if only we could have known, if we could have infiltrated this group and found out what they are doing. Do you have those moments? This could be nothing other than an attempt at damage control on behalf of the FBI. The notion that the FBI does not have dozens, if not hundreds of informants in groups such as the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers and III Percenters is absurd, given the ease with which these groups are infiltrated by the state. Indeed, as Klobuchar well knows, the press has reported, citing 2014 court documents, that Proud Boys Chairman Tarrio has himself served as an FBI informant. The Republicans on the committee continued to put forward the party line, equating the hundreds of thousands of people who protested against police murder over the summer with those who stormed the Capitol on January 6. This was the tack taken by the ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee, Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who denounced those who take a narrow view of the extremist threat. We cant just focus on white supremacy, Grassley declared, demanding that the committee examine very broadly, all forms of political extremism. He then alluded to Michael Reinoehl, an antifascist protester who was assassinated by US Marshals last year on the orders of Trump. Among the Democrats Republican colleagues on the panel were co-conspirators in the coup plot, such as Josh Hawley of Missouri and Ted Cruz of Texas, who led the drive in the Senate to block the certification of Bidens election victory on the basis of the lie of a stolen election. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Days after Latiff Dudley was released from prison, he spotted a man on a city bus wearing a shirt promoting the Staten Island outreach group Fatherhood Matters. He inquired about the program, determined to make up for the time he had missed with his then 2-year-old son. Fast-forward a few months: Dudley was enrolled in a dentistry program at St. Pauls School of Nursing, working a steady job at Amazon, volunteering for the U.S. Census Bureau and providing for his son. He didnt joke or smile during that first meeting, said Vernon Wooten, senior case manager for the dads group. He was completely sure about what he was going to do and he exceeded my expectations. He was a prominent member of the group. He was one of my best guys. Earlier this month, Dudley, 26, was shot and killed in what one police source described as a dispute over a female. His killer remains at large. Dudleys family has established a GoFundme account to help pay for the funeral and other related expenses. Wooten said Dudley was vocal about his commitment to live out his life as a free man, following a 2016 arrest for possessing a handgun in a vehicle he was driving. He told a lot of stories about being in jail, Wooten said. Hed say, Ill never give my life away again. 11 Male, 26, dies after Stapleton shooting Following Dudleys death, law enforcement sources said detectives explored whether his earlier ties to a group of young men on the North Shore that identified loosely with the Bloods street gang had anything to do with the homicide. They ultimately determined it did not. What I learned the most about [Dudley] was that hes an extremely loyal guy, sometimes to a fault, Wooten said. He was loyal to this group he was affiliated with, and willing to protect his friends. Prior to his death, Dudley had planned a trip to Disney World with his son. My brother was a terrific father and a devoted family member, said Dudleys older sister, Faatima Holmes. He was doing so great since he had come home, I havent myself seen such a smooth transition home [from prison]. Latiff Dudley, left, is pictured with his certificate of completion from the Fatherhood Matters program. (Submitted) She also spoke to the heartache of losing her brother after watching him seemingly escape some of the challenges of his youth, challenges that local law enforcement data has shown are more often experienced by young men born into a low-income, high-crime areas of New York City. Latiff at a young age was traumatized with death all around him in Stapleton, Holmes said. And he had done his time for his past crimes. In the hours following the shooting, one young man lamented on Facebook: Rest up... s--- crazy on this sad a-- island. A woman who identified the victim as her godson on social media described him as a beautiful young man who was turning his life around. Saying his family from OSHA was heartbroken. The homicide was the boroughs second of 2021, following the shooting death of a 23-year-old man at a Stapleton recording studio. The victim in that case had no prior arrests, as police have so far eyed different possible motives and suspects. Both incidents remain under investigation. Divya Dutta who has been a part of films like Veer-Zara, Aaja Nachle and Badlapur, recently expressed her displeasure on being labelled as a 'supporting actor' in a series of tweets. The actress took a swipe at media and said that while her well-wishers think she deserves better, she doesn't like it when they tag her as a supporting actor. Divya tweeted, "Kuch journo dosto yun hain ki (some journalist friends) I understand u feel I deserve better, but pls don't try branding me with a tag of supporting actor. Am not. I am an actor. A complete one at that where I play all sorts of roles . Even leads. U understand? U better understand." Kuch journo dosto yun hain ki I understand u feel I deserve better, ()but pls dont try branding me with a tag of supporting actor. Am not. I am an actor. A complete one at that where I play all sorts of roles . Even leads. U understand? U better understand. 1/1 Divya Dutta (@divyadutta25) March 2, 2021 She also questioned the blatant sexism in Bollywood that hails a male actor as "versatile" when they do every kinds of roles but reserves a discriminatory label like "supporting" for female actors. The actress wrote in her next tweet, "It amuses me that male actors who do the same I.e play every kind of roles are not given this term . They are called versatile. but this tag is bestowed upon me because in ur opinion I deserved better. I appreciate . I am very happy doing t best roles in the business." 1/2. It amuses me that male actors who do the same I.e play every kind of roles are not given this term . They are called versatile. but this tag is bestowed upon me because in ur opinion I deserved better. I appreciate . I am very happy doing t best roles in the business Divya Dutta (@divyadutta25) March 2, 2021 "In the meantime., let me be what I love being!! An actor! Don't try brand me. I don't need it," the actress signed off. 1/3 in the meantime., let me be what I love being!! An actor! Dont try brand me. I dont need it. Divya Dutta (@divyadutta25) March 2, 2021 Workwise, Divya Dutta was recently seen in Netflix's anthology of short films, Zindagi In Shots. Her upcoming projects include Kangana Ranaut's female spy thriller Dhaakad and Umesh Shukla's family entertainer Aankh Micholi which stars Abhimanyu Dassani and Mrunal Thakur in leading roles. ALSO READ: Divya Dutta On Bollywood Being Tagged A 'Toxic' Place: What One Says, Everyone Will Say ALSO READ: Divya Dutta Opens Up On Being Replaced By Other Actors: Used To Feel Hurt And Helpless Brasilia, March 3 : The coronavirus variant detected in the northern Brazilian state of Amazonas is twice as contagious and capable of re-infecting those who already had Covid-19, according to a study The Sao Paulo Research Foundation said on Tuesday that the scientific research group was coordinated by Ester Sabino, an expert on infectious diseases at the University of Sao Paulo, and Nuno Faria, a researcher at Oxford University, reports Xinhua news agency. The virus variant was initially detected in November 2020 in Manaus, capital of Amazonas state. In just seven weeks, the variant became more prevalent in the region, according to researchers at the Brazil-UK Center for Arbovirus Discovery, Diagnosis, Genomics and Epidemiology. Sabino said the message from the data is that even people who have already had the disease should continue to be cautious. Brazil has the world's second-highest Covid-19 death toll, after the US, and the third-largest caseload, after the US and India. So far, 10,587,001 people in Brazil have tested positive for the virus and 255,720 people have died. Qantas has re-launched its popular 1990s 'mystery flights' to help get passengers to domestic destinations that have suffered as a result of the Covid-19 lockdowns. The Australian airline will offer customers three mystery flight experiences from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to an undisclosed destination roughly two hours away in an effort to combat border blues. The flight experiences will run from March to April and include an entire day of activities ranging from a winemaking, gourmet lunches and snorkelling on tropical islands. Qantas has re-launched its popular 1990s trend of mystery flights to assist domestic tourism destinations impacted by the coronavirus pandemic (pictured: stock image of Qantas passengers) Qantas' mystery destinations are a nostalgic trend brought back from 20 years ago, where customers could hop on a last minute flight to any location with available seats. 'Our customers tell us that where they can and can't travel within Australia has been a bit of a mystery lately,' Qantas chief customer officer Stephanie Tully said. 'These flights turn that mystery into a positive by creating a unique experience for the many people keen to start travelling again.' Flights will be on one of three Qantas Boeing 737 planes with economy fares starting at $737 including meals and in-flight beverages. QANTAS MYSTERY FLIGHTS Mystery Flight Adventure from BRISBANE WHEN: Saturday 27 March 2021 Perfect getaway if you love: - Country hospitality - Gourmet food and wine - The great outdoors Mystery Flight Adventure from SYDNEY WHEN: Sunday 18 April 2021 Perfect getaway if you love: - The tropics - Salt water on your skin - Long lunching on the beach Mystery Flight Adventure from MELBOURNE WHEN: Saturday 1 May 2021 Perfect getaway if you love: - The great outdoors (including a little walking) - Gourmet food and wine - Regional farmers markets Advertisement Qantas will offer customers three mystery flight experiences from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to an undisclosed destination The mystery flight experiences will run from March to April and include an entire day of activities ranging from a winemaking, gourmet lunches and snorkelling on tropical islands The flights will also include some low-level scenic flybys of key landmarks en route. Ms Stephanie Tully said the mystery flights were about promoting domestic tourism as the Covid-19 vaccine rollout had boosted certainty around state borders reopening. 'The vaccine rollout is bringing a lot more certainty and domestic border restrictions should soon be a thing of the past,' she said. 'As well as helping bring more of our people back to work, these mystery flights are another way to support tourism operators in regional areas who have been hit particularly hard by several waves of travel restrictions.' Customers will be provided with clues to assist with whether to pack a snorkel or sneakers in their carry-on baggage. Seats on the Qantas Mystery Flight Experiences will go on sale on Thursday. The tormented families of the Yorkshire Ripper's victims are calling for the estate left in the serial killer's will to be shared between them. Peter Sutcliffe, who murdered at least 13 women in the 1970s and 1980s, died at the the age of 74 at the University Hospital of North Durham last year after contracting coronavirus. While the contents of his will are shrouded in mystery there are claims Sutcliffe may have had a secret nest egg in the form of two plots of land in Scotland. Sutcliffe is also said to have boasted that one of the Kray twins offered to buy the land from him during his stay in Broadmoor, The Mirror reports. Now, Neil Jackson, 62, who is the son of Sutcliffe's second murder victim, Emily Jackson, has called on the Government to look into the killer's funds and assets. It comes after the Ripper's brother Mick Sutcliffe urged the killer's ex-wife Sonia Woodward, 70, to share the contents of his will. The families of the Peter Sutcliffe's (pictured with ex-wife Sonia Woodward) victims are calling for his estate to be shared between them Mr Jackson was just 17-years-old when his mother Emily was picked up by Sutcliffe outside the Gaiety pub in Yorkshire and driven to a derelict buildings on Enfield Terrace where she was hit twice with a hammer in 1976. He told The Mirror: 'Any money or property he had an interest in should be divided up and handed over as compensation to the families he destroyed.' He added: 'Sutcliffe didn't just kill her he killed my family. We got no compensation or support. I've never received a penny.' Meanwhile Ripper survivor Tracey Brown, who was just 14 when she was attacked by the serial killer, said it would bring 'a bit of solace' to have the money split among the families of the killer's victims and survivors. She added: 'Any money that horrible beast collected should be split with the victims and survivors.' Last week the killer's brother Mick Sutcliffe said a fellow inmate of his brother had claimed to have seen title deeds to land in Scotland under the Ripper's name and urged the killer's ex-wife Sonia to share the contents of his will. Mrs Woodward still own the couple's former 279,000 detached house in Bradford where she was living with Sutcliffe when he was arrested. However when asked about the land her former husband owned, Mrs Woodward refused to comment. The killer's brother Mick Sutcliffe urged the killer's ex-wife Sonia Woodward (pictured), 70, to share the contents of his will Sutcliffe, who murdered at least 13 women in the 1970s and 1980s, died at the the age of 74 at the University Hospital of North Durham last year It came just days after the Ripper's former wife was seen waiting at a bus stop near the couple's house the first time she has been spotted in public since Sutcliffe's death. According to Mick Sutcliffe, a woman called Pauline is said to have given the land to his brother years ago when he was in Broadmoor with gangland killer Ronnie Kray. The inmate, who sent a letter to Mick Sutcliffe, wrote: 'As for the two plots of land up in Scotland, it looked like plots to build on as the map was set out like a housing estate and the title deeds were in Peter's original name Sutcliffe. 'So it must have been a long time ago when Pauline bought it for him. He even told me a story about one of the Kray twins wanting to buy the land off him.' Born in Bingley, West Yorkshire, in 1946, Sutcliffe left school at the age of 15 and worked in menial jobs before becoming a grave digger. He began his killing spree in 1975, by murdering 28-year-old sex worker Wilma McCann on October 30, 1975, which followed three non-fatal attacks on women earlier in the year. Sutcliffe avoided detection for years due to a series of missed opportunities by police to snare him, and eventually confessed in 1981 when he was brought in due to a police check discovering stolen number plates on his car. Despite his 24-hour-long confession to the killings, Sutcliffe denied the murders when indicted at court. A composite of 12 of the 13 victims murdered by Sutcliffe. Top row, left to right: Wilma McCann, Emily Jackson, Irene Richardson, Patricia Atkinson, Jayne McDonald and Jean Jordan. Bottom, left to right: Yvonne Pearson, Helen Rytka, Vera Millward, Josephine Whitaker, Barbara Leach and Jacqueline Hill In May 1981, he was jailed for 20 life terms at the Old Bailey, with the judge recommending a minimum sentence of 30 years. He was transferred from Parkhurst prison on the Isle of Wight to Broadmoor secure hospital in Berkshire in 1984 after he was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. More than two decades later, a secret report revealed that Sutcliffe probably committed more crimes than the 13 murders and seven attempted murders for which he was convicted. West Yorkshire Police reviewed historical cases linked to Sutcliffe in the 1982 Byford Report and confirmed in 2016 that officers had visited a small number of people named in the report, but later announced they had no plans to charge him with further matters. The report, written by Sir Lawrence Byford about the flawed Ripper investigation, was completed in 1982 but only made public in 2006. It said there was an 'unexplained lull' in Sutcliffe's criminal activities between 1969, when he first came to the police's attention, and the first officially recognised Ripper assault in 1975. Sutcliffe was jailed for murdering and attacking women between 1976 and 1981. The report said: 'We feel it is highly improbable that the crimes in respect of which Sutcliffe has been charged and convicted are the only ones attributable to him. 'This feeling is reinforced by examining the details of a number of assaults on women since 1969 which, in some ways, clearly fall into the established pattern of Sutcliffe's overall modus operandi.' The Treasury is set to open its new economic hub outside London in Darlington, it was confirmed today. In a video to his department's civil servants, Rishi Sunak said that after 'a lot of thought and energy', the new economic campus would be in the north east market town. The decision on the Treasury North project - which is set to mean hundreds of jobs relocating - is a victory for Red Wall Tories who have been urging Boris Johnson to follow through on his 'levelling up' agenda. The decision on the Treasury North project - which is set to mean hundreds of jobs relocating - is a victory for Red Wall Tories who have been urging Boris Johnson to follow through on his 'levelling up' agenda Mr Sunak said he was 'really excited' about the decision, according to the recording of the message which has been shared on social media. Civic leaders across the North had made overtures in recent weeks for the Chancellor to send Treasury jobs their way. Darlington was among the favourite places for the move, with Bradford, Leeds and Newcastle also thought to be under consideration for the plan. Tees Valley's Tory elected mayor Ben Houchen said last month that Darlington would be a strong option as it would represent a move away from the metropolitan cities to the north and south of the town. Mr Sunak's huge Richmond constituency in North Yorkshire lies south of Darlington, which has strong transport links and voted Tory at the 2019 general election. Boris Johnson told Cabinet earlier that the Governments plan for growth will 'focus on innovation, skills and infrastructure - with the mission being to unleash the potential of our whole country and build back better from the pandemic'. Qatars Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said on Wednesday that his country is keen to restore warm, firm and good relations with Egypt after the signing of a reconciliation deal in Saudi Arabia in January. Egypt and Qatar restored diplomatic relations following the Al-Ula reconciliation agreement, which ended a more than three-year-long rift. The agreement, signed by Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states during the 41st GCC summit in Saudi Arabia, resumed relations between Qatar and the quartet of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and UAE. We wish for [Qatari-Egyptian] relations to return to being warm and that relations become good and firm between the two brotherly countries, the Qatari FM said in a press conference following a meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo. Following a meeting with Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Wednesday, the Qatari FM said the talks were marked by a spirit of positivity and optimism towards returning relations to normal. Official delegations from Egypt and Qatar held their first meeting in Kuwait last week to discuss future steps to enhance joint work and bilateral ties after the signing of the Al-Ula agreement. Sheikh Al-Thani referred to the meeting between the two delegations as positive, saying it comprised positive steps to restore relations between the state of Qatar and the Arab Republic of Egypt. The press conference was attended by Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul-Gheit. The Arab foreign ministers involved in the Wednesday meeting agreed on renewing Aboul-Gheit's five-year term. The Qatari FM congratulated Aboul-Gheit and wished him success. During the press conference, a reporter asked the Qatari minister about whether Doha would continue its strong relations with Ankara and Tehran, despite accusations by Arab countries that these two states are interfering in their domestic affairs. Turkey and Iran are neighbouring countries to the Arab states and there has been a divergence in opinions among Arab countries in this regard, the minister said. To us, we reject interference in the domestic affairs of any country as we reject foreign interference in Qatari domestic affairs, he said. Also, the protection of the sovereignty of states is a basis for our stances. We see that each state has the right to protect its sovereignty and to take the measures required to preserve its security. When asked about the future framework of cooperation between Arab states and the new US administration of Joe Biden to resolve the Palestinian issue, the minister said the Arab countries would work with any country that deals positively with the cause. As Arab countries, we adhere to the Arab Peace Initiative and the two-state solution on the basis of the 4 June 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as a capital for Palestine, the minister said. Certainly, the Arab countries will deal in a positive and constructive way with any US administration or any other country that would work in accordance with this direction and address this issue positively, the minister said. He affirmed that the Arab states would, in this case, engage with these countries to revive the peace process and put an end to the practices of the Israeli occupation. Short link: A record number of COVID-19 patients were taken to hospitals in Ukraine over the past 24 hours amid warnings from officials that there may be delays in the delivery of the vaccine developed by the Chinese company Sinovac. Health Minister Maksym Stepanov said on March 3 that 3,486 people were hospitalized over the past day -- the highest number since the epidemic hit the country. Stepanov said 7,235 new cases were registered over the past 24 hours with 185 deaths. Health authorities have reported more than 1.3 million coronavirus cases and over 26,000 deaths to date. Speaking on television late on March 2, the minister said that shipments of the Sinovac vaccine would likely be delayed and warned that "dirty information attacks" on his ministry's work were hampering negotiations with other vaccine suppliers. Stepanov said the Chinese vaccine had been due to arrive in the next few days, but he added: "I gave an order to clarify the situation with the counterparty, but something tells me that there may be a postponement." The National Anti-Corruption Bureau has opened an investigation into the signing of a contract with a local intermediary to procure Sinovac vaccines that activists claim was too expensive. Stepanov has denied any wrongdoing. Ukraine started vaccinating its population after receiving 500,000 doses of the vaccine developed by the British-Swedish company AstraZeneca last month. It has been prioritizing health-care workers and soldiers. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had a coronavirus vaccine shot on March 2 during a visit to eastern Ukraine, where fighting between government forces and Russia-backed separatists has claimed more than 13,200 lives since April 2014. Based on reporting by Reuters and RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service Hitting out at the Centre over the high unemployment rate in the country and low economic growth, former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh blamed demonetisation for the crisis. File Photo Attacking the Centre, Singh said unemployment is high in the country and its informal sector is in shambles following the "ill considered demonetisation decision" taken by the BJP-led government in 2016. Read more Wife Is Not Husband's Chattel, SC Tells Man Who Filed A Plea To Make His Spouse Live With Him The Supreme Court has said that a woman is not a chattel to be forced to live with her husband and cannot be forced to live with him. BCCL The SC made the observation on Tuesday while hearing a plea by a man who filed a petition seeking an order to make his partner live with him again. Read more 40-Year-Old Driver Dies Minutes After Second COVID Vaccine Shot In Maharashtra A 40-year-old man in Maharashtra died on Tuesday, shortly after taking a second dose of the anti-Covid vaccine. Doctors say the cause of death is not known yet. Reuters Sukhdev Kirdat from Bhiwandi, who worked as a driver with an eye specialist, fainted in an observation room around 15 minutes after taking the second dose. Read more Driverless Pod Taxis Will Connect Noida's Jewar Airport With Greater Noida The Uttar Pradesh government led by Yogi Adityanath is all set to introduce pod taxis to the people of the state as the taxi will be connecting commuters from Greater Noida to the Noida International Airport located in Jewar. metrino-prt.com Pod taxis are a popular driverless mode of transport in many western countries and can accommodate four to six people per car at a time. To extend the connectivity to remote areas, the Yamuna Expressway and Eastern Peripheral Expressway will soon be signing an agreement with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). Read more More Than 150 Monks Test COVID Positive In Himachal Monastery More than 150 monks have tested COVID positive at Gyuto Buddhist monastery in Himachal Pradesh. The area is now a containment zone, officials said. This was revealed when 20 cases were detected. File Image 330 monks were tested and 154 were positive over the last week or so, according to Gurdarshan Gupta, the districts Chief Medical Officer of Kangra district. Read more India Slams Rich Nations For Blocking COVID Vaccine Know-How That Could Help Poor Countries Across Africa and Southeast Asia, governments and aid groups, as well as the WHO, are calling on pharmaceutical companies to share their patent information more broadly to meet a yawning global shortfall in a pandemic that already has claimed nearly 2.5 million lives. Reuters Pharmaceutical companies that took taxpayer money from the US or Europe to develop inoculations at unprecedented speed say they are negotiating contracts and exclusive licensing deals with producers on a case-by-case basis because they need to protect their intellectual property and ensure safety. Read more A black officer had been fired after a random audit of his bodycam captured him using the N-word multiple times, police have said. Delvin White was fired Tuesday for 'violations of policy that prohibit discriminatory conduct', according to disposition letter released by the Tampa Police Department. White - an eight year veteran of the department - was a resource officer at Middleton High School at the time of his firing. He is said to have used the N-word while on the phone and directly to a person he was arresting on November 30, The Tampa Bay Times reported. White told his supervisor he did not mean for the word to be derogatory, police said. He added that he was using the word as it is 'commonly used in today's society as a means of shared culture and experiences among the African American community'. Delvin White was fired Tuesday for 'violations of policy that prohibit discriminatory conduct', according to the Tampa Police Department White was recorded using both the slur and the word 'ghetto' to reference a group of people while on the phone and driving home from an off-duty assignment on November 13, the letter said. He later used it again while talking on the phone with his wife. Camera footage also captured White using the word twice while arresting someone for trespassing on November 30, police said. Tampa police Chief Brian Dugan said in a statement: 'Derogatory statements made by police officers jeopardize the trust that our department works to establish with our community.' He added: 'Tampa Police officers are held to a higher standard and incidents like this negatively impact the entire law enforcement profession.' White - an eight year veteran of the department - was a resource officer at Middleton High School, pictured, at the time of his firing The Tampa Police Benevolent Association said in a statement it is backing White. They said: 'We stand with the City of Tampa and the Tampa Police Department in their efforts to stamp out racism in every form and condemn any and all derogatory statements in or out of uniform. 'The facts in the Delvin White matter do not reflect an act or any intent that warrants the punishment he received for his alleged transgression. 'Officer White is a beloved and trusted member o 'f the East Tampa community that he was raised in and that he protected every day. Despite his misstep, throughout the investigation, private citizens and other individuals associated with his school contacted the Chief of Police lending their support and reflecting their admiration for his character and contributions. 'The PBA will file a formal grievance on Officer Whites behalf with the hope and expectation of getting this valued Officer back to work.' VISALIA, Calif. Raymond Rubio was across the street from his home. He wore an Ecko brand hoodie sweatshirt, gloves and a backpack on the night of Jan. 22, 2020. He was walking through the parking lot of a local supermarket when he was confronted by Officer Marisa Burkdoll. Burkdoll told Rubio police had gotten calls of a man looking into vehicles. Rubio dismissed the accusation and said the only reason he was being stopped was because of the color of his skin. "You don't face racism because you're not brown," Rubio told Burkdoll early in the encounter after the officer told him she was mixed race. Less than eight minutes later, Rubio would be handcuffed and bloodied by dog bites. The 32-year-old California man has no prior felony convictions and is intellectually disabled, according to his attorney V. James DiSimone. He's received Supplemental Security Income benefits since childhood, his mother said. In addition to being physically restrained by Burkdoll, a police K-9 was released on Rubio and told to "bite" eight times, according to body camera video. The dog's handler, Officer Bill Hansen, gave the repeated orders in Dutch. Bodycam video from three Visalia police officers captured the arrest. The Visalia Times-Delta, part of the USA TODAY Network, was provided with the footage. Raymond Rubio on January 22, 2020. At no point during the video before the physical confrontation did officers tell Rubio he was being detained or arrested. A civil rights lawsuit was filed by DeSimone against the city of Visalia. The Los Angeles-based attorney represents Rubio and Helen Salinas, Rubio's mother. The city, Hansen, and Burkdoll are named in the lawsuit, which was filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Sacramento, California. During a press conference, DeSimone called the arresting officers "thugs with badges." He also said his client didn't do anything to cause the "sadistic" attack. Officers said they had to use physical force to detain Rubio because he was acting "froggy" and resisted arrest. DeSimone said his client complied with officers' commands. Story continues A photo of Raymond Rubio's injuries during a January 2020 arrest by Visalia police. These officers should be disciplined and fired. This is exactly the opposite of how police should deescalate, DeSimone said. Its outrageous how they dont give him the slightest chance to comply before they unleash this unjustified violence and the cruel way they kept the dog biting him. Visalia police Sgt. Celeste Sanchez said the department was aware of the lawsuit. "Due to the pending suit, the information which can be provided is limited," she said. Sanchez did release an account of Rubio's arrest. Both officers remain on the force. What the bodycam footage shows: 'What did I do?' On that night in 2020, Visalia police received three calls for service from three independent witnesses, Sanchez said. The callers reported a Hispanic man wearing a black and gray sweater, black gloves, a backpack, and white shoes was "looking into vehicles, acting suspiciously, and appeared as if he was under the influence," Sanchez said. Burkdoll was the first to arrive on the scene. Rubio matched the description of the person described in the calls for service, police said. Read more on race and identity: Sign up for USA TODAYs This Is America newsletter "The officer stopped to investigate and had a conversation with Rubio when she observed that he was displaying objective signs and symptoms of being under the influence of a controlled substance and also believed he was the same person responsible for casing vehicles described in the calls for service," Sanchez said. Hansen arrived as Burkdoll asked Rubio to remove his backpack. A photo of Raymond Rubio's injuries from a January 2020 arrest by Visalia police. Rubio asked why he had to hand over his backpack. In the bodycam footage, Rubio moves his hands toward his backpack straps, but the officer grabs him and throws him to the ground. Burkdoll used her flashlight and fists to subdue Rubio, the bodycam footage shows. In the video, Rubio can be heard screaming. He repeatedly asks, "What did I do?" Hansen then retrieved the dog and told Rubio he was going to set the dog loose. At this point, Rubio was on his stomach with Burkdoll trying to handcuff him. He continued to scream and thrash. He can be heard apologizing to Burkdoll: "I'm sorry, ma'am." Hansen released the dog on Rubio for more than 90 seconds. Rubio was taken to a local hospital for treatment. He would later test positive for methamphetamine, Sanchez said. DeSimone also confirmed a "small" amount of methamphetamine was found in Rubio's backpack. 'The police never gave my son a chance,' victim's mom says Rubio suffered a traumatic brain injury and deep bite wounds to his back, torso, left hand and arm, according to the lawsuit. He also suffered "psychological damage" following the incident. "Before last January, Ray was always a fun person to be around, with a great sense of humor," Rubio's mother said in a statement. "He liked telling jokes and making people laugh. He loved being around family and friends and going to the local convenience store. He loved music and dreamed of becoming a singer. He never feared walking freely alone anywhere." She added, "All that changed after the police attacked him, hit him in the head, and cruelly commanded the dog to chew on his flesh." She said her son now suffers from depression and rarely leaves his room. "Ive seen the video," she said. "The police never gave my son a chance." Police and prosecutors disagree. The case was submitted to the Tulare County District Attorneys office for review. The DA filed two counts of felony resisting with force or violence, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and under the influence of a controlled substance. The criminal case is still pending. Rubio and his attorney are asking the California Office of the Attorney General to investigate the Visalia Police Department's policy on the use of police canines. "We are looking for a change in policy," he said. Rubio is also seeking monetary compensation. Follow Sheyanne Romero on Twitter @sheyanne_VTD. This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: California civil rights lawsuit: Police used 'unjustified violence' One dose of the Covid jabs being deployed in Britain are up to 80 per cent effective at stopping already-ill elderly people from being hospitalised with the disease, fresh research shows. Earlier this week, the first real-world analysis of the Oxford and Pfizer jabs in England found a single injection prevented eight in 10 over-80s from falling severely sick with the virus. The latest study, by the University of Bristol, suggests the first dose works just as well in people of the same age who also have multiple underlying health woes. Scientists said the results were significant because they were in people least expected to be protected by the vaccine. They found the Oxford University/AstraZeneca jab prevented around 80.4 per cent of patients from being hospitalised with Covid two weeks after the first dose. A single shot of Pfizer/BioNTech's vaccine was estimated to be 79.3 per cent effective after 14 days. Researchers looked at 460 over-80s who had pneumonia or lung diseases, both of which make them extremely vulnerable to Covid. Many also had other conditions which drove up their risk even further. Professor Adam Finn, a medical expert at Bristol who led the research and a member of the UK's top vaccine advisory panel, said he expects the effectiveness of the jabs to be even higher in younger age groups. Age is the biggest risk factor for the coronavirus and the vast majority of deaths and hospitalisations are in elderly people, which is why the UK prioritised jabs for over-80s and care home residents. But having underlying health conditions also drives up the risk of the virus, which is why Britons with conditions such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes came after the elderly on the priority list. A catalogue of data has confirmed the Covid vaccines in Britain's arsenal, even after just one dose, are even more effective in the real world than scientists could have hoped. Covid deaths in England are falling faster than gloomy SAGE advisers thought they would, through a combination of the vaccine roll out and lockdown, and some SAGE scientists have started to come round to the idea of easing restrictions faster. The study involved elderly adults admitted to University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) and North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) over December and January. It included 466 people over 80, of whom 90 per cent were regarded as either frail or completely dependent on a carer. 'Many' of the patients were also suffering from other serious health conditions and diseases, the researchers said. 'Crude' and flawed formula used to divvy up Covid vaccine supplies around the UK A 'crude' and controversial algorithm is being used to divvy up Covid jab supplies around the UK, MailOnline can reveal. Department of Health bosses today confirmed officials deployed the Barnett formula to decide how many doses should be allocated to the devolved nations. The method used in the Treasury since the 1980s to distribute public funding is widely recognised as being flawed because it looks almost solely at population size. The Taxpayers' Alliance pressure group previously described the formula as a 'crude, back-of-the-envelope rule' because it doesn't consider different needs in different areas. It also doesn't account for a range of other factors, such as the number of elderly people, rates of poverty and ill health all of which make people vulnerable to Covid and bump them up the vaccine priority list. The decision to use the strategy means England is receiving 84.1 per cent of vaccine shipments from Pfizer and AstraZeneca, Scotland 8.3 per cent, Wales 4.8 per cent and Northern Ireland 2.9 per cent. A source told MailOnline that the devolved nations agreed that, despite its flaws, the Barnett formula was 'the most efficient method of vaccine allocation across the UK', given the urgency of the pandemic. Public health experts said the UK's jab allocation strategy 'should have been stratified' so areas with larger elderly populations, like Wales, got more doses quicker. But Professor Gabriel Scally, former director of public health for the South West of England, told MailOnline the success of the roll-out had 'probably nullified' any flaws in the Government's approach. Despite fears the Barnett formula could lead to some areas lagging behind due to fewer supplies of vaccines, latest official figures show the home nations are jabbing at roughly the same rate. Scotland has already given first doses to 97 per cent of over-70s, while England and Wales have jabbed 96 and 92 per cent of elderly residents, respectively. Equivalent age-related data for Northern Ireland is not yet available. Experts said the slightly lower uptake in Wales' uptake was unlikely to be significant enough to be attributed to the formula. More than 20million people across the UK have been given the initial injection and 800,000 have received both doses. A successful roll-out and high uptake is at the heart of Boris Johnson's lockdown-easing plans, with a smooth programme essential to restrictions being relaxed fully by June. A UK Government spokesperson said: 'We have secured and purchased vaccines on behalf of the whole of the United Kingdom. 'And with over 20million people already vaccinated nationwide, the vaccines programme underlines the strength of our great union and what we can achieve together.' Advertisement Professor Finn said the findings were significant because they showed the 'oldest and frailest' who would be the least likely to mount an immune response against Covid were still being protected by the vaccines. He added that despite the study being carried out in a different way from the Public Health England's analysis earlier this week, it found very similar results. The PHE study found both jabs reduced the chance of needing hospital treatment by more than 80 per cent among the over-80s, but it did not look at underlying health issues. 'I think what this does is provide confidence in the results overall,' Professor Finn said. 'I think their results confirm ours and our results confirm theirs.' Meanwhile, the Bristol professor, who is a member of the Government's vaccine advisory group, also took a swipe at European counties who initially said Oxford's jab shouldn't be given to elderly people, telling them they need to now 'get on' with it. Countries including France and Germany initially did not approve the vaccine for over-65s because trials of the jab mainly looked at younger and healthier people - despite assurances from the EU's regulator and the World Health Organization. France has since reversed its decision, but the initial policy has left the country's vaccine roll out severely lagging. France has taken delivery of 7.7million doses since the roll-out began in December but only distributed half - with just four per cent of the population getting any immunity at all. Germany is having similar problems, with around just 200,000 AstraZeneca shots having been administered out of 1.5million due to have been delivered by last week. Professor Finns said: 'In the short term, the job's done in the UK. But there are lots of doses of AstraZeneca vaccine available in European countries, and they are not being given to people over the age of 65, in some cases in countries over the age of 55, for lack of data. 'Well, here are the data. There are data from Public Health England and Scotland and now from us, showing that you can save lives in elderly people by giving them a dose of AstraZeneca vaccine. 'And those countries need to get on and start doing that as fast as possible.' In further positive news, Covid deaths in England are falling faster than gloomy SAGE advisers thought they would, official data show. Models produced by the SPI-M group of scientists predicting the future of the Covid outbreak in February suggested the daily death count would stay above 200 until mid-March. But the average number of victims recorded each day had dropped below this level before the end of February, statistics show. Experts told The Telegraph the progress is 'better than expected' and suggested the Government's 'data not dates' approach could see relaxations brought forward. The vaccine rollout has made immense progress, with 20million people now vaccinated across the UK, and studies suggest the jabs are working better than expected, preventing between 85 and 94 per cent of hospitalisations. SPI-M's prediction was more pessimistic about how well the vaccine would work and whether it would stop transmission, which may explain why its estimates are gloomier than the reality. Under current plans, schools will reopen next Monday, and people will be allowed to meet in groups of six outdoors from March 29. Boris Johnson has committed to moving cautiously and slowly out of the current restrictions, insisting that they will be 'irreversible' this time. But Professor Mark Woolhouse, an infectious disease expert at Edinburgh University and adviser to SAGE, said going slowly 'is not a cost-free option' and the other health and economic impacts of lockdown would be worse the longer the rules lasted. A monthly projection given to SAGE on February 10 suggested coronavirus deaths in England would fall from around 600 per day to 200 by the second week of March, around the 10th or 12th of the month. The fall in daily deaths would be slowing this month, the researchers predicted, and would drop to around 150 per day by March 21. But the average number of deaths recorded each day had already fallen to 157 by Monday, March 1, three weeks ahead of the experts' best guess. The average is calculated from the death counts on the day on which it falls and the previous six days. The most recent days may be artificially low because it can take a week or more for all death reports to be recorded, but deaths by date of death are in the low 200s in the most recent reliable figures, relating to late February. Government figures suggest the daily death count in England has a halving time of around two weeks, meaning it could drop to fewer than 80 per day by March 21. It is falling even faster in the very elderly, who were the first to be vaccinated and more than 90 per cent of over-80s are now thought to have some immunity. And the 99 deaths announced on Monday, March 1, was the lowest number since October 26 (90), before the second wave took off. Experts said the success of the vaccine programme had outstripped expectations and could lead to a British unlocking ahead of schedule. More than 20.4million people have had at least one dose of a vaccine so far and the programme is three months in, meaning that millions of people are now protected from Covid studies suggest the jabs are proving very effective. Professor David Spiegelhalter, a statistician at the University of Cambridge, said: 'We all sort of hoped something like this might happen but, frankly, it is better than anyone expected, I think.' EAGAN, Minn., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of an industry commitment announced at the White House today by America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is joining the call to increase the pace of COVID-19 vaccinations of at-risk seniors as vaccine doses and appointments become more widely available. After extensive collaboration, AHIP and BCBSA have coalesced around an industry-wide initiative and goal to vaccinate two million Americans in our most vulnerable communities, beginning with a focus on those 65 and over, during the next 100 days and expanding as vaccine supply grows and becomes more widely available. The initiative is built on a flexible, decentralized model to move quickly and with the ability for each organization to customize the approach for how to achieve this goal, based on local data, analytics, capabilities, and market conditions. In coordination with local providers, community groups and government agencies, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota has a number of initiatives underway across the state to ensure all members who are eligible for the vaccine have the right information, resources and opportunities needed to protect themselves against the coronavirus. Planning for a major 100-day telephone outreach effort, with dedicated staff placing calls to at-risk seniors and providing information on nearby vaccine sites and inquiring about any possible barriers from getting immunized. Partnering with North Memorial Health on a new COVID-19 vaccination site in Brooklyn Center , staffed by a team of Blue Cross nurses. Since opening last month, the clinic has been administering 450 to 650 vaccines a day to North Memorial Health customers. , staffed by a team of Blue Cross nurses. Since opening last month, the clinic has been administering 450 to 650 vaccines a day to North Memorial Health customers. Sponsoring transportation to and from vaccination appointments for senior patients at the Open Door Health Center in Mankato . Open Door Health Center is a federally qualified health center (FQHC) for people in need from Southern Minnesota . The Center provides comprehensive health care regardless of insurance coverage status or ability to pay. . Open Door Health Center is a federally qualified health center (FQHC) for people in need from . The Center provides comprehensive health care regardless of insurance coverage status or ability to pay. Volunteering with NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center, a vaccination site for is people 65 years and older who live in the surrounding Minneapolis neighborhoods. Blue Cross associates are able to use Volunteer Paid Time Off (VPTO) to serve as greeters and navigators, helping seniors check in to their appointments and fill out forms. Additionally, Blue Cross volunteers are supporting staff at the Native American Community Clinic (NACC), which encourages and administers vaccinations for elders 65 and older, using culturally relevant strategies. The NACC offers a full range of services to address health disparities within the urban Native American community of the Twin Cities . "We want to do everything we can to make sure that the vaccine is administered as efficiently and as quickly as possible," said Dr. Craig Samitt, president and chief executive officer at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. "Now is the time for all health insurers to rally as an industry and support this national goal of getting millions of seniors immunized against COVID-19 over the next 100 days. This is just the beginning for what our efforts will look like here in Minnesota." Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is committed to helping prevent the spread and impact of COVID-19 and to improve the long-term sustainability of health care in Minnesota. To learn more about how Blue Cross is working to address the immediate and long-term implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, visit www.bluecrossmn.com/covid. About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota For nearly 90 years, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (bluecrossmn.com) has supported the health, wellbeing and peace of mind of our members by striving to ensure equitable access to high quality care at an affordable price. We are on a mission to inspire change, transform care and improve health for the people and communities we serve by reinventing both ourselves and the broader system. Our more than 2.5 million members can be found in every Minnesota county, all 50 states and on four continents. As a proud nonprofit organization, we believe working to advance wellness for all Minnesotans is the greatest investment we can make. Our goal is nothing less than for everyone to be able to achieve their full health potential, regardless of race or other socially defined circumstances. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, which serves more than 107 million members across the U.S. SOURCE Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Related Links www.bluecrossmn.com ads11 BHPian Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Manchester Posts: 445 Thanked: 1,054 Times Re: Knowledge of London - What taxi drivers must learn to drive a cab Quote: RedTerrano Originally Posted by Frankly speaking this sounds like an overkill in todays world of GPS and navigation apps. How does it matter if the cabbie knows where a particular pub is located or some obscure lane? The pax would already know (in most cases) where the pub is. The navigator apps can probably provide a much optimal route than knowledge of some lesser known lanes. Overall my impression is Meh! are quite a few instances where a hackney cab driver with The Knowledge can come in handy. To give you an example, Google maps might work fine for most but it let me down too often when living there. Citymapper's sterling reputation at the start pretty much came about because the team recognised the many pitfalls of GMaps and built up a following amongst locals who realised this was an app that didn't seem it was built by coders in Silicon Valley just looking at satellite images and using a contractor in a GMaps car trundling along aimlessly collecting data.. For a place like London, with constant roadworks and awful traffic in zones 1 to 3 throughout the working day and the commuter routes around rush hour, a locals knowledge comes in handy in terms of rerouting, knowing which pubs get the rush of patrons coming out of the City, etc. Sure, using the Citymapper example, the need to have that lived in knowledge of a city is steadily becoming irrelevant, but I think for the fast pace of life there, and the folks who live there (you know the types, hurling through life at a million miles an hour), the last thing they want to see is their Uber driver fumbling with their satnav and not being familiar with where exactly they're going. Furthermore, just taking a pub - there's so many with similar names. If you don't have that local context, you could find yourself in the wrong part of town with egg on your face, and all your mates laughing from the place you're meant to be. I'm always wary calling radio cabs for that reason because a third of the time, despite my reiterating the exact post code, the gentleman would go with the street address that immediately pops up on his phone, drive there and ring me from across town. A lot of this might seem like splitting hairs but until you find yourself having been on the other end of the inconvenience of an out of town cabbie totally reliant on GMaps unwittingly marooning you, I guess it won't resonate. All that being said however, hackney cabs aren't without their faults. A lot have developed a chip on their shoulder and that attitude can impact a journey. As others have pointed out though, dense cities like London have a well developed enough public transit matrix comprised of various systems that it's rare you'd find yourself getting a cab in the first place. But then again I was younger when I lived there (ie, mostly broke) and any cab was an option of last resort. As a former Londoner, I can say that while it might seem anachronistic today, therequite a few instances where a hackney cab driver with The Knowledge can come in handy.To give you an example, Google maps might work fine for most but it let me down too often when living there. Citymapper's sterling reputation at the start pretty much came about because the team recognised the many pitfalls of GMaps and built up a following amongst locals who realised this was an app that didn't seem it was built by coders in Silicon Valley just looking at satellite images and using a contractor in a GMaps car trundling along aimlessly collecting data.. For a place like London, with constant roadworks and awful traffic in zones 1 to 3 throughout the working day and the commuter routes around rush hour, a locals knowledge comes in handy in terms of rerouting, knowing which pubs get the rush of patrons coming out of the City, etc. Sure, using the Citymapper example, the need to have that lived in knowledge of a city is steadily becoming irrelevant, but I think for the fast pace of life there, and the folks who live there (you know the types, hurling through life at a million miles an hour), the last thing they want to see is their Uber driver fumbling with their satnav and not being familiar with where exactly they're going. Furthermore, just taking a pub - there's so many with similar names. If you don't have that local, you could find yourself in the wrong part of town with egg on your face, and all your mates laughing from the place you're meant to be. I'm always wary calling radio cabs for that reason because a third of the time, despite my reiterating the exact post code, the gentleman would go with the street address that immediately pops up on his phone, drive there and ring me from across town.A lot of this might seem like splitting hairs but until you find yourself having been on the other end of the inconvenience of an out of town cabbie totally reliant on GMaps unwittingly marooning you, I guess it won't resonate.All that being said however, hackney cabs aren't without their faults. A lot have developed a chip on their shoulder and that attitude can impact a journey. As others have pointed out though, dense cities like London have a well developed enough public transit matrix comprised of various systems that it's rare you'd find yourself getting a cab in the first place. But then again I was younger when I lived there (ie, mostly broke) and any cab was an option of last resort. According to a press release published by Tass on March 3, 2021, the Northern Fleets Project 22350 frigate Admiral Kasatonov being on a long-distance voyage has called at the Turkish naval base of Aksaz in the Mediterranean Sea, the Defense Ministrys press office said. According to a press release published by Tass on March 3, 2021, the Northern Fleets Project 22350 frigate Admiral Kasatonov being on a long-distance voyage has called at the Turkish naval base of Aksaz in the Mediterranean Sea, the Defense Ministrys press office said. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link Russian frigate Admiral Kasatonov (Picture source: Military News) The call will last through March 4. During this period, the crew will replenish food and water supplies and have a rest, the press office said. During the voyage to the Mediterranean Sea, the frigate called at ports of Algeria, Greece and Egypt. Turkey is the fourth country in the region that has been visited by the ship. This is the first long-distance voyage for the Admiral Kasatonov frigate. The ship left Severomorsk on December 30, 2020. As of today, it has covered a distance of more than 12,700 nautical miles. The Admiral Kasatonov is an Admiral Gorshkov class frigate Project 22350 of the Russian Navy and the second ship of the class. She was laid down on 26 November 2009 and launched on 12 December 2014. She was commissioned on 21 July 2020. Project 22350 was designed by the Severnoye Design Bureau and incorporates use of stealth technology. As of August 2020, ten vessels have been contracted for delivery by 2027. The Admiral Gorshkov class frigate or Project 22350 has an overall length of 130 m, a beam of 16 m, and a draft of 16 m. They have operational ranges of more than 4,000 miles and a displacement of 4,500 t. The ship is powered by combined gas turbine and gas turbine (COGAG) propulsion systems including two M90FR boost gas turbines of 27,500 shp. (48,800 kW) and two cruise diesel engine of 5,200 shp. (3,900 kW) connected through two shafts. The ship can reach a top speed of 29.5 knots (54.6 km/h; 33.9 mph) with a maximum cruising range of 4,850 nmi (8,980 km; 5,580 mi) at 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph). She has ana zendurance of 30 days. The Admiral Gorshkov Class frigate is fitted with 3D air search radars, Puma fire control radars and sonar suites with hull-mounted LF sonar and LF VDS sonar. She is also equipped with Garpun-BAL SSM targeting and SAM control systems. The Admiral Gorshkov Class frigate is armed with 16 (2 8) UKSK VLS (Vertical Launching Systems) cells for Kalibr, Oniks or Zircon anti-ship cruise missiles and 32 (2 16) Redut VLS cells for 9M96, 9M96M, 9M96D/9M96DM(M2) and/or quad-packed 9M100 surface-to-air missiles. The armament of the ship also includes 1 130 mm Amethyst/Arsenal A-192M naval gun, two Palash CIWS Close-In Weapon Systems, eight 330 mm torpedo tubes for Paket-NK anti-torpedo/anti-submarine torpedoes and two 14.5 mm MTPU pedestal machine guns. The Admiral Gorshkov Class features an aft flight deck and hangar to carry advanced Ka-27 NATO code Helix helicopters developed for the Russian Navy to conduct anti-submarine warfare. Copyright 2021 TASS Navy Recognition. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Acclaimed architect Ken Newberry stated, " as an architect doing work for over 35 years across the United States and in several other countries around the world, I will tell you that The Romanov in Houston, Texas is one of the most extraordinary houses anyone may ever see. "While the exterior was influenced and follows the aesthetic of the Richardsonian Romanesque style there are also elements throughout inspired by trips to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina and Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California. "Like Hearst Castle, the interior of the home incorporates architectural elements personally selected by the client and shipped from England, France, Belgium and Italy," he said. The 22,000 SQFT home is complemented by a 3,500 SQFT guest lodge in its own private 5-acre setting. The prominent, elevated, 9-acre estate is surrounded on three sides by a moat of the 18,000-year-old Buffalo Bayou and buffered by the expansive grounds of the Houston Country Club. It is only entered via a private, secured gate in a cul-de-sac. All of it takes in the Houston skyline. "This is without question one of the most expensively built, tasteful and well-designed compounds ever built in Texas or nationally for that matter that I have seen and as a result, it follows, and I fully expect, that it will set a new benchmark in residential luxury sales well north of any Houston sale to date," said Uechtritz. "This estate is only for a discerning few, a security conscious and private, ultra-high net worth clientele. It will only be available to discuss through confidential, pre-qualified request. There will be no brokers open, nor will it open for broker previews, or to anyone for that matter, who has not first signed a confidentiality agreement and proved up complete financial ability to perform. We are releasing very few details or photographs to maintain integrity and privacy for the next owner. "We reserve the right to show it by invitation only, and only after criteria is met. I expect to show it less than a half dozen times, as the prospect pool who can afford or qualify for this is very shallow," he said. A Richardsonian Romanesque is rare and very few exist in the USA. The Romanov draws influences from a series of other renowned estates in America, such as the Wrigley, and Vanderbilt mansions, as well as construction elements from the University of Indiana's limestone buildings, and even the Pentagon. Construction includes hand cut limestone blocks a minimum of 12 inches thick. 9/ 11 - Six years in construction and finished in 2005, The Romanov is a skillfully crafted work of steel, concrete, and custom hand cut limestone from Indiana. Progress on the build was halted after the 9/11 attacks. The US Government required, and thus diverted, all the available limestone from the renowned Bybee quarries of Indiana to be redirected from the Romanov for the Pentagon rebuild. In addition to interior architecturals sourced across Europe, the estate is replete with truly custom and hand-built finishes, including a wrought iron elevator, interior railings and chandeliers. Energy efficiencies, embedded technology, and privacy features are as equally timeless as the entire estate. Builder Jeff Thomsen said, "For some of the more formal rooms, we cast our own trim of bronze buttons for controlling the lights. There are carvings in wood, stone, and metal that were the result of hundreds of hours of work." About the Icon Global Group. Founded by Dallas based complex deal maker and international real estate advisor, Australian Bernard Uechtritz; The Icon Global Group is an internationally connected, independent, full-service specialist company which designs and implements customized strategic and tactical, marketing and sales campaigns for unique, one of a kind, real property assets and business opportunities. Icon is the leading Farm & Ranch, Luxury Ranch, and Unique Residential sales firm of its kind and represents select industrial, commercial, and mixed-use real estate projects. Formerly a leading luxury real estate broker in Southern California, Uechtritz returned to his ranching roots in Texas, establishing the Icon Global Group. In 2016 Uechtritz successfully led the unprecedented global marketing and record-breaking sales campaign of America's most Iconic Cattle & Horse, Oil & Gas, Water & Farming enterprise The legendary 535,000 acre $725 Million Dollar W.T. Waggoner Estate Ranch, in Vernon, Texas. THE ICON GLOBAL GROUP DESIGNS AND IMPLEMENTS STRATEGIC MARKETING AND SALES CAMPAIGNS FOR UNIQUE, HIGH-END PROPERTIES GLOBALLY. All photo & video credits - Icon Global Group Website: https://www.icon.global/romanov Video: https://vimeo.com/511780904 The Romanov Estate - photos SOURCE Icon Global Group The Raxio Group, a pan-African data centre developer and operator, has claimed a first. It will establish and invest in Raxio Kinshasa, the first in a series of state-of-the-art, privately owned, carrier-neutral data centres in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The new data centre, which is to be commissioned in the second quarter of 2022, will, says Raxio, offer its customers an optimised environment for their IT equipment in a state-of-the-art facility. Raxio says the centre will be fully equipped with industry-best technology, security, caging, AC/DC power compatibility and redundancy in a 99.982 percent uptime environment. Customers will be able to cross-connect with local and international carriers and other customers in specially designed meet-me rooms. By co-locating in Raxios facility, customers will benefit from what is described as a shared infrastructure model, and reduce their operational and capital costs, while improving application performance and flexibility. The announcement of the new data centre is well timed. The DRC government recently unveiled what it calls a National Digital Plan Horizon 2025, highlighting the need for the establishment and modernisation of infrastructure, such as secure data centres, broadband infrastructure, and access to ICT-related incentives. In the coming years, new subsea cables will be landing along the coast, and the countrys inland terrestrial fibre networks are to be expanded. Raxio expects to build additional facilities in the DRC in the future, including a second one in Kinshasa and one in Lubumbashi in the Katanga region. Raxio Kinshasa is the third data centre of the Raxio Group portfolio. We reported last year on the establishment of a Raxio data centre in Uganda and plans for another in Ethiopia, where construction started earlier this year in Addis Ababa. The company says it expects to complete up to 10-12 data centre investments across Africa to meet the increased demand for high-quality local storage and data hosting in the region. 50 per cent of the fine collected from mask rule violators will be used for police welfare activities and the remaining will be given to BMC A woman walks past a mural depicting people travelling on a overcrowded public transport to raise awareness about maintaining social distancing and the use of masks, in Mumbai on March 2, 2021. (AFP) Mumbai: In a bid to intensify the crackdown on people not wearing masks, Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh has asked the city police force to collect fine from at least 1,000 such violators per day in each zone, an official said on Wednesday. Mumbai is divided into 12 police zones and the city police are authorised to collect a fine of Rs 200 from people not wearing masks, as mandated under COVID-19 norms. To prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the metropolis, Singh has asked the city police force to take strict action against those not wearing masks in public places, the official said. He said Singh recently asked all senior inspectors to improve the performance of their respective police stations and achieve the zonal target of 1,000 such cases per day. The Mumbai police are making efforts to increase the awareness among citizens about containing the spread of COVID-19, city police spokesperson S Chaitanya said. "The idea behind setting the target of 1,000 cases for each zone per day is to sensitise people about following guidelines issued by the government about wearing mask and maintaining physical distance in public places," he said. The official said 50 per cent of the fine collected from mask rule violators will be used for police welfare activities and the remaining amount will be given to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. Since the enforcement of lockdown in March last year, the city police have so far registered cases against 57,692 people under Indian Penal Code Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) for violating various COVID-19 prevention norms, another official said. Out of these people, 25,947 were arrested and later released on bail, he said. Since April 18 last year, 10,490 people were penalised for not wearing masks in public places, he added. On Tuesday, Mumbai reported 849 new cases of COVID-19, raising the tally to 3,27,619. The city has so far reported 11,476 deaths due to the disease, as per official figures. Right now, all over the state of Florida, people are unsure what the future holds. Its up to law firms like ours to provide a sense of right and wrong and to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. Especially the vulnerable, sick, and injured. Only months after opening new offices in Tampa, Fla., and Nashville, Tenn. Steinger, Greene & Feiner has is expanded their offices to include Orlando, Fla. The new firm offices are located 5401 South Kirkman Road, Suite 310, Orlando, FL 32819. Firm founder and partner Michael Steinger is excited about the move and hopes that Orlando welcomes the firm much like Tampa and Nashville have already. Weve served the injured in Florida for over 24 years and we think that now is a great time to open offices in Orlando. Our track record speaks to the unwavering commitment we bring to every city we eventually call home. That track record is impressive. Over the past 24 years, Steinger, Greene & Feiner has collected more than $1 Billion and fought for more than 32,000 clients. The decision to open a new office in Orlando now was made with the community in mind. Michael says, Right now, all over the state of Florida, people are unsure what the future holds. Its up to law firms like ours to provide a sense of right and wrong and to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. Especially the vulnerable, sick, and injured. Steinger, Greene & Feiner is already a household name in South Florida, where residents from the Treasure Coast all the way down to Miami can sing the firms T.V. jingle from memory. The expansion further solidifies the firms commitment to ensure that personal injury victims are treated fairly, and justice is always upheld. Yes, the pandemic has had a notable effect on the economy in Florida, but the partners at Steinger, Greene & Feiner see the expansion as another means to keep Orlando strong and aid in the overall recovery of the city and state. Although, thats not the only reason partners and lawyers from the firm are excited to move to Orlando. Some happily admit that their kids are excited about trips to Disney World and Universal Studios. The lure of the Magic Kingdom is just too irresistible. About: SINCE 1997, Steinger, Greene & Feiner has been serving and defending the rights of victims who have been injured due to the negligence of others. The firms legal team with more than 45 attorneys is committed to representing and fighting for injury victims best interests, giving each client insight into the law and their rights. Steinger, Greene & Feiner specializes in all personal injuries, such as auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, and truck accidents, workers compensation, slip and fall, and wrongful death. Learn more about the Orlando Personal Injury Law Firm: https://www.injurylawyers.com/orlando/. 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After the announcement of a ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) to maintain peace at the border between India and Pakistan, the Pakistan government may also be allowing imports of cotton from India in the coming days. The breakthrough in the 2003 ceasefire agreement on the LoC has provided an opportunity to the commerce ministry to revisit the decision and as per details shared by the Pakistan government sources, Islamabad may be importing cotton from India. "The advisor may take a decision on whether to import cotton and yarn from India next week," confirmed an official from the federal ministry of commerce. "Once the principal decision is taken, a formal summary will be presented before the Economic Committee of the cabinet," the official added. Sources also confirmed that deliberations over the restoration of cotton and yarn import in the first phase from India are already underway. However, decision would be taken after Prime Minister Imran Khan gives approval on the summary, as he also holds the portfolio of the commerce minister. This will be a major development since Pakistan had severed trade ties with India in protest against Modi government's decision to change the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, abrogating Article 370 and 35A. Pakistan maintains that any unilateral decision to change the special status of the Jammu and Kashmir is illegal and in violation of the UN resolution. Pakistan was quick to respond with sending back the sitting Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad along with cutting all trade and diplomatic ties with India. However, with Pakistan suffering to the shortfall of cotton and yarn, imports from India are to be restored. There is at minimum shortfall of six million bales and the country has so for imported roughly 688,305 metric tons of cotton and yarn, costing $1.1 billion, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. There is still a gap of about 3.5 million bales that needs to be filled through imports. On the other hand, the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) has been pressuring the government not to allow cotton and yarn import from India. Sources revealed that many of the millers have already hoarded the cotton and were now charging higher rates. Imports would dampen their short-term earnings. "The cotton sowing season is currently starting in Pakistan and the predicted drop in cotton price owing to import of yarn from India is approximately 10-15%, discouraging farmers not to sow cotton," according to the APTMA. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text The infantas Cristina and Elena in a file photo from last October. Jose Oliva / Europa Press Spanish leftist parties Unidas Podemos and the Catalan Republican Left (ERC) on Tuesday leveled harsh criticism against King Felipe VIs sisters, the infantas Elena and Cristina, for allegedly getting vaccinated against Covid-19 while on a trip to Abu Dhabi to visit their father, emeritus king Juan Carlos I. The story was broken last night by digital daily El Confidencial, which alleged that the pair got the inoculations in February. EL PAIS has not managed to confirm the information. The Royal Household, meanwhile, has declined to comment on the revelations on the basis that the infantas are not an official part of the institution. King Felipe, Queen Letizia and their daughters Princess Leonor and the infanta Sofia, the Royal Household added, will be vaccinated according to the groups established by the central government as part of the ongoing campaign. The infanta Cristina, it should be pointed out, is officially resident in Switzerland. The emeritus king Juan Carlos I, who abdicated the throne in 2014, has been living in Abu Dhabi since last August. He fled Spain as allegations of financial wrongdoing mounted against him. In the last couple of months he has made multi-million-euro payments to the Spanish Tax Agency in a bid to clear his debts and avoid prosecution. Juan Carlos is also reported to have received his Covid-19 vaccination in Abu Dhabi, as did Felix Sanz Roldan, the former head of Spains CNI intelligence services. By getting the vaccine, the infantas skipped the line in terms of the order of vaccination established by the Spanish authorities. That is not the case for their father, however, who, at 83, would be in line to receive his jabs according to the protocols in his home country. A TVE program briefly showed Felipe VI's daughters, Leonor and Sofia, instead of his sisters Elena and Cristina, to illustrate the story of their alleged vaccination in the United Arab Emirates. tve Coverage of the story has triggered a new controversy at the state broadcaster TVE, where the news program La hora de La 1 briefly showed a picture of Leonor and Sofia, the underage daughters of King Felipe VI, instead of his sisters Elena and Cristina. Forty seconds later, the host of the show, Igor Gomez, apologized live for the mistake. It was a technical error, we apologize, he said. Three weeks ago, a scriptwriter for the same program was fired after he wrote a caption about Princess Leonors study program in Wales that said: Leonor is leaving Spain, just like her grandfather, in a clear reference to Juan Carlos I. Members of the leftist Unidas Podemos, which is the junior partner in Spains Socialist Party (PSOE)-led coalition government, as well as leading representatives of the Catalan party ERC criticized the vaccination of the kings sisters. The ERC spokesperson in the Congress of Deputies, Gabriel Rufian, tweeted: Take care how you caption this, theyll sack you; take care how you tweet this, theyll report you; take care how you rap about this, theyll lock you up. He was referring to a series of controversies involving people who have been taken to court over recent years for insulting the Crown either on social media or in song lyrics. In the first instance, he was referring to sackings at state broadcaster TVE after an on-screen chryon during a news program about Princess Leonors study plans in the United Kingdom, which stated that the princess would be moving abroad, like her grandfather. Nadia Calvino, meanwhile, who is one of Spains deputy prime ministers and the economy minister, said during an interview with the Cadena SER radio network that she considered the news to be very surprising. Labor Minister Yolanda said on TVE: This country wants us to be equal and this is very unpleasant and ugly. The leader of left-wing party Mas Pais, Podemos co-founder Inigo Errejon, said via Twitter that his group would register a question on the issue with the government and would demand explanations. You visit your father who fled [the country] and jump the line for vaccination, he tweeted. Like any other Spaniard would, lets be honest. Its a lack of respect for our country. Another one. The Spanish royal family has been hit by a series of scandals over the years, dating back to the start of the last decade when the king was injured while on an elephant-hunting trip in the midst of the ongoing financial crisis in Spain, and his marital infidelity became public knowledge. King Felipe was forced to renounce any inheritance from his father last March due to the allegations of tax fraud that were mounting against the emeritus king. The infanta Cristina, meanwhile, escaped punishment for her involvement in a corruption scandal. But her husband, Inaki Urdangarin, was not so fortunate and was jailed for his part in the so-called Noos scandal. He is still serving his sentence. English version by Simon Hunter. Samsung sold 266 million smartphones in 2020. Reportedly Samsung had sold 3 million Galaxy Z Fold2 by the end of the year, if not less. Not exactly a runaway hit. An extensive review of Samsung's latest foldable by 9to5Google ended by basically stating that the phone was still not ready for prime time for a number of key reasons. Now with Apple opening their second store in Seoul Korea and two other stores in-the-works, Samsung is now trying to move more of their high-end foldable smartphones to differentiate themselves from Apple while trying to get the public to finally buy into the foldable concept. Thus far the trend is failing to gain needed traction. The Korean publication The Elec is reported today that Samsung has begun a new promotion called "Galaxy to Go" that offers a free 3-day trial of the 5G Galaxy Z Fold2. The program will run until April 30. Consumers can request the the device at one of 63 stores run by Samsung in the country. Samsung will send pop-up messages to those who burrow the devices to explain the devices many features. Would a 3-day trial for the Galaxy Z Fold2 interest those in North America? Send your comments into our Twitter and/or Facebook posts on this story. A stunning image of the International Space Station against a backdrop of the moon has been captured as its astronauts prepared for a spacewalk. The orbiting science laboratory had been reorientated to allow astronauts Kate Rubins and Victor Glover to step out and prepare solar arrays for future upgrades. Astrophotographer Andrew McCarthy captured the image of the station, which is orbiting 400km above the Earth, while on a roadside in Sacramento, California. This rare shot of the reorientated view of the station, captured at about 10:44 GMT on Monday, 'instantly became on of my favourite captures,' explained McCarthy. The International Space Station is captured on camera in a super-rare photo - as the spacecraft was illuminated for a split-second while passing in front of the moon NASA astronaut Kate Rubins is pictured during a spacewalk to install solar array modification kits on the space station on Sunday February 28 What made this image remarkable was the orientation of the ISS at the time it was taken and the 'to the second' precision of McCarthy capturing the orbiting lab as it grazed across the Copernicus crater on the moon - before it disappeared. This lunar impact crater is visible with binoculars slightly northwest of the centre of the Moon's Earth-facing hemisphere. The solar panels that usually lie flat at each side of the station were seen shifting at different angles due to the spacewalk, adding to the uniqueness of the photograph. In its normal orientation the eight solar arrays are fully stretched to gather energy from the sun, but during a spacewalk they are sometimes realigned McCarthy said the image became an instant favourite out of the many photographs he captures of the night sky on a daily basis. 'This is due to the novelty of capturing a spacecraft from Earth, but especially since I could clearly see the reconfiguration of the solar array due to a mission that was being live streamed from NASA,' he explained. 'This is one of the rare times where you can observe changes in the structure due to a mission easily from Earth. 'In this image, you can see how the solar array has been reoriented so the crew of the ISS can install new hardware.' British astronaut Tim Peake replied to the post about the image on Twitter, saying: 'Congratulations on getting such a fantastic shot of my old home!' The photo was captured on a roadside in Sacramento, California, chosen as it was a clear sky where McCarthy could capture the ISS following a path through the moon. 'But I didn't expect to get this cool, rare shot of a mission happening over our heads. McCarthy said the image became an instant favourite out of the many photographs he captures of the night sky on a daily basis 'And to top it off, in the photo the ISS happens to be grazing my favourite lunar crater, Copernicus. What a world.' He added: 'At 2:44am this morning, I positioned myself so the ISS would pass between the moon and I to get this picture. What I didn't expect- was for the ISS to look so much different than usual.' For the spacewalk, that led to the new look ISS, Glover and Rubins were continuing work on upgrades to the power systems, which are degrading slowly over time. British astronaut Tim Peake replied to the post about the image on Twitter to describe it as a 'fantastic shot of my old home' Their work lasted seven hours and four minutes on Sunday February 28, between 11:12 and 18:16 GMT - all live streamed by NASA. The ISS has eight solar array wings, each designed to produce a total of 250kW of power and the oldest was launched in 2000, the most recent on 2009 - all by the now defunct space shuttles. They are functioning well but degrading as they were designed to have a 15 year life span - and the oldest are now 21 years old. New solar arrays will be placed in front of the old ones later this year, launching on a SpaceX vehicle in June. The next spacewalk will see Rubins pair up with Soichi Noguchi from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency to complete more solar array upgrades. All past and present staff who have worked in Parliament House have been emailed a new 24-hour confidential counselling helpline to discuss sexual assault or harassment. The Department of Finance sent the message to thousands of political staffers and advisers on Tuesday, a day before Attorney-General Christian Porter vehemently denied he had raped a 16-year-old debater in January 1988 when he was 17. The group email, obtained by Daily Mail Australia, was also sent out a fortnight after Brittany Higgins, a former assistant media adviser to then defence industry minister Linda Reynolds, went public to allege a male work colleague had raped her in her Parliament House, Canberra workplace weeks before the May 2019 election. 'The Government has today announced an independent and confidential 24/7 telephone service to support current and former Commonwealth ministerial, parliamentary and electorate office staff, and those who have experienced serious incidents in a Commonwealth Parliamentary workplace,' the email said. Scroll down for video All past and present staff who have worked in Parliament House have been emailed a new confidential help line to report sexual assault Without mentioning Ms Higgins, the email sent to private email addresses acknowledged the revelations had been traumatic. 'The events of the last few weeks have been deeply distressing and traumatic for many,' it said. Prime Minister Scott Morrison last month responded to Ms Higgins's accounts by saying he had talked about the issue with his wife Jenny. This week, on the other matter, Mr Morrison said he believed his senior cabinet minister's insistence that he was innocent of rape in 1988. A woman last year committed suicide after making a complaint to South Australian police after an incident she said occurred in Sydney 32 years earlier. The Department of Finance email nonetheless praised the Prime Minister for showing leadership. 'In light of this, and ahead of the completion of the reviews initiated by the Prime Minister into workplace culture and safety, immediate action to provide psychological support is necessary,' the group email said. In response to this urgent need, a new Parliamentary Support Line has been established and is now available.' The group email, obtained by Daily Mail Australia, was also sent out a fortnight after Brittany Higgins, a former assistant media adviser to then defence industry minister Linda Reynolds, went public to allege a male work colleague had raped her in her Parliament House, Canberra workplace weeks before the May 2019 election The email stressed the anonymous helpline was designed to provide support, not investigate sexual assault or harassment allegations. 'The service is provided by trained professionals specialising in supporting staff, their families, friends and colleagues,' the email said. 'It will not have an investigative function. 'The new service is free, anonymous, independent and confidential and can provide you with information, counselling and referrals in response to sexual violence, assault, sexual harassment and other serious incidents in the workplace. 'No information will be shared with anyone else. All supported referrals will be done with your consent.' With 227 federal MPs in Parliament, thousands of staffers would have received the email. The Prime Minister's Office alone has 58 staff. The email said help was also available to managers seeking advice on dealing with sexual assault complaints. If you have worked at Parliament House and need to talk with a trained professional, call 1800 APH SPT (1800 274 778) If you need help dealing with domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT or 1800 737 732 The governor says it, so it must be true. Texans, in the words of Gov. Greg Abbott Tuesday, have mastered the safe daily habits that prevent the contraction and spread of COVID-19. Through Texans tireless efforts to obey public health guidelines and follow the governors statewide mask mandate, the pandemic is abating in the state, saving not only lives, but also allowing Abbott to slip the onerous bonds of responsibility and leave the fate of millions of our fellow Texans in the capable hands of the vigilant citizens of Texas. Texans have wrestled with COVID, and they have learned best how to conduct their own lives, Abbott said in a press conference in Lubbock. State mandates are no longer needed. Keep up the good work. Were all going to need it after Abbott announced Tuesday that starting March 10, his pandemic-related restrictions will be lifted, allowing all Texas businesses to open at 100 percent capacity yes, even bars and movie theaters, if they decide to do so. The economic case for allowing struggling businesses to reopen, restoring livelihoods and saving untold Texans from financial ruin is clear, but the move carries unacceptably high risk. TEXAS REOPENING: Gov. Greg Abbott lifts statewide mask order, opens Texas '100 percent' How in the Hill Country is lifting the states mask requirement instituted in July good for business? How is it good for any of us, save those who are more concerned with the slight discomfort of a piece of cloth across their face than the life and death consequences of a deadly disease? Abbott is actually hurting businesses by taking away their validation for requiring customers to don masks: its state law. Now, businesses are on their own in trying to get Billy Bob to comply with basic safety protocols. More importantly, Abbott is gambling with peoples lives again. Much as he did when the state reopened back in May to disastrous results, he has decided that politics outweigh the need to safeguard public health. More than 42,000 Texans have died of COVID-19. It is irresponsible to ease restrictions now. Even if the odds are better this time, more Texans will get sick and more Texans will die. We know very well how we got to the point where a life-saving face mask became a political statement, but we wont digress. Abbott is either gravely disingenuous or willfully ignorant about the behaviors of people in his own state when he claims everybody has mastered mask-wearing. For some, its a political statement to refuse. For your run-of-the-mill gas station clerk in rural Texas, its just something city folk do. Abbott is playing to his base, as evidenced by the cheers he got at the press conference announcing the changes on Tuesday. A welcome distraction, at least for the governor, from the power crisis fiasco that continues to roil the state. Abbott is right that the situation today is different than a year ago. Today, there is plenty of personal protective equipment, such as masks and gloves, there is ample testing capacity and treatment for COVID-19 has improved significantly. Most importantly there are now vaccines that protect from the worst of the pandemic. EXPERTS REACT: Abbott's COVID rollbacks were 'like PTSD' for Houston doctors, health experts Texans have already received more than 5.7 million vaccines, Abbott said. By next week, when restrictions are lifted, that number will be closer to 7 million, with about half of seniors having received their first dose. That is all good news, but it is the blind exuberance that the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned about this week, asking states not to loosen restrictions. Please hear me clearly. At this level of cases with variants spreading, we stand to completely lose the hard-earned ground we have gained, Rochelle Walensky said Monday. Now is not the time to relax the critical safeguards that we know could stop the spread of COVID-19 in our communities, not when we are so close. After consistent improvement with declining numbers, the latest weekly rolling average showed new cases and deaths in the U.S. both rising by 4 percent. More than 514,000 people have died from COVID in the United States as of Tuesday. Abbott also made sure that local officials hands are tied, expressly prohibiting county judges from using the threat of jail to enforce restrictions or allowing any penalty for not wearing a mask. County judges can re-implement restrictions only if COVID patients make up more than 15 percent hospital capacity in their hospital region for seven straight days. SOCIAL MEDIA REACTIONS: Texans respond with mix of outrage, support at Abbott's end to COVID restrictions Allowing preventative measures to be enforced only after people are so sick that they are overrunning hospitals and pushing doctors and nurses to their breaking points is political malpractice. This is not the time to promote more infections, to promote more hospitalizations, to promote more deaths for the sake of political expediency, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said. Once again, Abbott is trying to pass off a failure of governance as respect for personal freedom, to peddle sacrifice as a viable answer to restoring normalcy. We will continue to grieve for all who have suffered through this pandemic, Abbott said. And we will always mourn the loss of all lives. Texas doesnt need Abbotts grief there is enough to go around. We need his leadership to keep more people from dying. Scrapping the mask mandate, which helps businesses stay open by slowing the virus spread, is likely to do the opposite. Chris Larsen, co-founder of tech payments company Ripple, has donated $1.7 million to aid San Franciscos neighborhood merchants as the city recovers from the coronavirus pandemic. The new philanthropic program, named Avenue Greenlight, will allocate $50,000 each to the citys 34 merchants associations, which will use the funds to beautify retail streets, invest in public safety and hold more events. Larsen hopes it will boost small businesses that have been hurt by dwindling customer spending and health restrictions, which are loosening as cases drop. Larsen hopes its just the start to expanding business aid and is calling on his fellow tech and business leaders to contribute. Small businesses are really in a tough spot, Larsen said. If they can just hang on a little longer, were almost out of this thing. The funds wont directly go to individual merchants but could assist them by funding vandalism repairs and providing no-interest loans. The first neighborhoods to receive funding will be the Castro, Bayview, Chinatown and the Richmonds Clement Street merchant associations, which are now developing spending programs, with more neighborhoods to follow in the coming months. Morgan Mapes, president of the Clement Street Merchants Association, said the funding will have widespread benefits for the Richmond. We want to re-engage our community, said Mapes, who is also owner of the Golden Hour, a vintage clothing store. Possibilities include a Saturday outdoor street market, creating another parklet and adding trees. The group is also providing Clement Street merchandise for local retailers to sell. The funds could also help with more security cameras. We have been hit very hard with vandalism and burglaries, Mapes said. Her business has dealt with its own challenges, with her two employees leaving as business activity was limited. But things are picking up and Mapes received a $10,000 grant from Salesforce as part of a program announced late last year. Weve weathered the storm, she said. Jessica Christian / The Chronicle After years of booming tax revenue before the pandemic, San Francisco is now facing a budget deficit and has sought philanthropic assistance to bolster its economic recovery. Separately, the citys Give2SF fund raised $32.3 million for small business and resident aid, with donors including Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Twilio CEO Jeff Lawson. But many small businesses and restaurants have closed permanently. Our recovery from COVID is going to take the entire city coming together, Mayor London Breed said in a statement. I really appreciate how Chris is stepping up to demonstrate his commitment to San Francisco by not only supporting our neighborhoods and our small businesses, but also by rallying others to join him in this effort. Thats the focus and spirit we need to lift this city up, Larsen is hopeful about San Franciscos future, predicting a second Roaring Twenties that will restore energy and commerce to the city after vaccines have been distributed. I think theres going to be a mad rush into the city, he said. Apartment and office rents have fallen, making the city more affordable to a wider range of people and companies, he said. Ripple, which has 450 total employees with a majority in San Francisco, continues to hire locally and will keep its headquarters in the city. Larsen said he doesnt want to criticize tech executives or companies that have moved out, but he said San Francisco remains the best place to do business for Ripple, where he is executive chairman. Interactive Vaccine Tracker: Latest developments Detailed information about the coronavirus vaccines as it becomes available. Were committed to the city, he said. Its got the most diversity, creativity ... its got the critical mass. Avenue Greenlight is the latest in numerous civic-minded efforts by Larsen, whose net worth is an estimated $2.9 billion by Forbes. Larsen previously funded more than 1,000 security cameras across the city to help fight vandalism and robberies in business districts, with local Community Benefit Districts deciding where to place them. In 2019, he donated $25 million to San Francisco State University, his alma mater. Larsen was one of the largest local political contributors in Novembers election, spending $300,000 in support of Proposition A, a $487.5 million bond for parks, homeless services and bonds, and Proposition H, which streamlined some business permits. Both measures won. He said hes now donating $12 million to help refugees. Larsen said a key way to help the city recover is for various political and business groups to communicate more, compromise, and limit the infighting over city policies and issues. Were at each others throats way too much, he said. Roland Li is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: roland.li@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rolandlisf Tommy Robinson, 38, later commented about incident in two Facebook videos Tommy Robinson will represent himself in a libel trial next month because he 'cannot afford a lawyer', the High Court has heard. The English Defence League founder, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is being sued by a Syrian refugee who was filmed being attacked in a school playground. A video showing Jamal Hijazi, then 16, being pushed to the ground and threatened with drowning at Almondbury School, Huddersfield, provoked outrage after it went viral in November 2018. Robinson, 38, later commented about the incident in two Facebook videos, claiming Jamal was 'not innocent and he violently attacks young English girls in his school'. Tommy Robinson (pictured right, in 2019), whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is being sued by Jamal Hijazi (left), who was filmed being attacked in a school playground He also alleged Jamal 'beat a girl black and blue' and 'threatened to stab' another boy at his school, allegations the teenager denies. The teenager is bringing a libel claim against Robinson, who is relying on a defence of truth, and a trial is due to take place in April. At a preliminary hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London today, Robinson said he would have to represent himself at the trial. He told Mr Justice Griffiths: 'I can't afford a lawyer, so I've not got a lawyer. I've been a litigant in person for the last six weeks.' Robinson added that he owes his former solicitor 'quite a bit of money at the minute so she's not representing me'. He also claimed that 'matters to do with this case resulted in the breakdown of my marriage and I've not been in a great place mentally'. He asked for more time to prepare witness statements to support his case, telling the court he was recently stopped by West Yorkshire Police when he was attempting to gather evidence in Huddersfield. Robinson said the police had also taken his mobile phone, which contained potential witnesses' phone numbers, and would not return it until this weekend. A video showing Jamal, then 16, being pushed to the ground and threatened with drowning at Almondbury School, Huddersfield, provoked outrage after it went viral in November 2018 He said that he wanted to take witness statements from 'seven children and five teachers', adding: 'I know I will win the argument of truth in this case - I can 100% prove that.' Robinson also claimed that several potential witnesses would only be willing to give evidence anonymously, as they did not want to be 'associated with myself in the court case'. He said: 'Two of my child witnesses are studying law. I don't want to ruin their lives.' Robinson had initially asked for the trial in April to be adjourned, but did not pursue this at the hearing. In written submissions, Mr Hijazi's barrister, Ian Helme, said Robinson's evidence 'suggests that his difficulties are being caused by the reluctance of individuals to get involved in this action'. At a preliminary hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice, pictured above, in London today, Robinson said he would have to represent himself at the trial (file photo) He added: 'The defendant's difficulties are not related to the current situation [in relation to Covid-19], but to the fact that he is unable to identify individuals who are prepared to give evidence under oath to support his case.' Mr Helme continued: 'It has been over two years since the defendant published the allegations complained of. 'They have been uncorrected in that time - indeed, the defendant has stated that he intends to prove them true at trial. 'The claimant has had to live with that hanging over him for a very long time and it is profoundly unfair on him to delay his trial further. 'Given the defence of truth, vindication is essential.' Robinson was given until next Friday to file all witness statements on which he intends to rely, ahead of a pre-trial review at the end of March. Meridian Adhesives Group Announces Acquisition of GENTEC and FT Polymer GENTEC and FT Polymer are trusted names in the electronic adhesives market in Europe. Adding them to our fast-growing Electronics Division will only serve to strengthen our team and enhance our global footprint. We are pleased to have them join us. Meridian Adhesives Group (Meridian) announced today the acquisition of GENTEC and FT Polymer, two European-based adhesive suppliers for the electronics, medical, aerospace and automotive industries. The companies range of products include adhesives, encapsulants, coatings, UV-curing technology and dispensing equipment. The two companies will be joining Meridians Electronics Division and working directly with Epoxy Technology Europe under the guidance of Nicolas Schwarz, Managing Director. After years of working with GENTEC and FT Polymer, we are excited to have these two well-established companies joining Meridian, said Schwarz. I am looking forward to the expertise they will bring to our Electronics Division. Both GENTEC and FT Polymer have long-standing reputations as leading partners with Meridians Electronics Division, which is comprised of Epoxy Technology, Inc., Epoxy Technology Europe, and Epoxies, Etc. GENTEC currently serves Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg, while FT Polymer serves France, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. GENTEC and FT Polymer are trusted names in the electronic adhesives market in Europe, said Daniel Pelton, CEO of Meridian Adhesives Group. Adding them to our fast-growing Electronics Division will only serve to strengthen our team and enhance our global footprint. We are pleased to have them join us. The Electronics Division of Meridian Adhesives Group provides high technology products with experienced technical support. Epoxy, urethane, silicone and UV materials that are manufactured by Epoxy Technology and Epoxies, Etc. have been used in some of the most demanding applications. These companies are trusted partners of organizations throughout the world. For more information regarding GENTEC or FT Polymer visit https://gentec-benelux.com and https://ftpolymer.fr. About Meridian Adhesives Group Meridian Adhesives Group is a leading manufacturer of high-value adhesive technologies. With a broad portfolio of dynamic solutions, Meridian serves the electronics, infrastructure, flooring, packaging and product assembly markets. The groups operations are located in the Americas and EMEA, with a multitude of sales/service offices worldwide that are positioned to serve Meridians global customer base. For more information, visit https://meridianadhesives.com. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo speaks during a news conference at a vaccination site in the Brooklyn borough of New York, U.S. (Photo : REUTERS/File Photo) New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has retained a prominent white-collar criminal defense lawyer to represent his office in a federal investigation into the state's misreporting of COVID-19 deaths among nursing home residents, a spokesman said on Monday. Cuomo has come under fire in recent weeks over his office's role in reporting the official count of coronavirus fatalities among patients of nursing and extended-care facilities, as well as for allegations of sexual harassment leveled against him. Advertisement Elkan Abramowitz, a former federal prosecutor now working in private practice in New York City, was hired to represent Cuomo's "executive chamber" - consisting of the governor and his immediate staff - in the U.S. Justice Department inquiry into the COVID-19 nursing home deaths, senior advisor Rich Azzopardi told Reuters in a text message. Azzopardi earlier told the Wall Street Journal, which first reported Abramowitz's appointment, that Cuomo had not hired a lawyer in connection with the sexual harassment probe. Cuomo, one of the nation's best-known Democraticpoliticians, has been accused by two former aides of engaging in a series of unwanted, sexually suggestive comments, and in one case an unsolicited kiss. On Sunday, he apologized if any of his remarks or behavior were misinterpreted as flirtatious and said he never tried to make anyone feel uncomfortable. He said he never physically touched anyone. New York Attorney General Letitia James on Monday said she had accepted the governor's formal referral of the matter to her office, clearing the way for appointment of an outside counsel to conduct an investigation into the accounts of both women - Lindsey Boylan and Charlotte Bennett. Late on Monday, a third woman, Anna Ruch, came forward in an interview published by the New York Times to accuse the governor of inappropriate conduct at a September 2019 wedding reception. As reported by the Times, Ruch recounted the governor first put his hand on her bare lower back, then when she brushed his hand away, called her "aggressive" and placed his hands on her cheeks and asked her if he could kiss her. Ruch, according to the Times, said she pulled away and the encounter left her feeling "confused and shocked and embarrassed." The moment was caught in a cellphone photo Ruch said was taken by a friend and published by the Times with the article. Reuters was unable to independently verify Ruch's account. Attempts to reach her were unsuccessful. A representative for Cuomo did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The New York governor's brother, CNN host Chris Cuomo, told viewers late on Monday he could not cover stories surrounding the allegations on the governor due their relation. "Obviously, I'm aware of what's going on with my brother," the CNN host said on Monday. "Obviously, I cannot cover it because he is my brother. Now, of course CNN has to cover it. They have covered it extensively and they will continue to do so." The often outspoken governor has stayed mostly out of the public eye since the sexual harassment scandal started gaining traction last week. Cuomo rose to national prominence for his daily televised briefings last spring, when New York was the epicenter of the COVID-19 epidemic in the United States. In January, the attorney general's office issued a report that cast doubt on the Cuomo administration's handling of the coronavirus crisis, saying the state health department significantly undercounted the death toll in nursing homes and implemented policies that may have contributed to it. Before entering private practice, Abramowitz worked as a federal prosecutor in Manhattan, where he served as chief of the criminal division of the U.S. Attorney's office. Abramowitz represented Cuomo's office when federal prosecutors investigated the governor for disbanding an anti-corruption agency in 2014. He also represented filmmaker Woody Allen for many years, defending him against abuse allegations. Appearances can suggest we care less about things than we really do Appearances can suggest we care less about things than we really do Jollibee will join the group of restaurant offerings within the Centerpoint Mall shopping destination, located at 6464 Yonge Street. Store hours are 10AM 11PM, seven days a week. While indoor dining will not be offered in compliance with COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, Jollibee customers can enjoy their favorite menu items through a variety of ordering options, including call & pick-up, to-go, and delivery via DoorDash. "We are thrilled to offer our Canadian fans another location where they can easily and safely access their favorite Jollibee menu items," said Maribeth Dela Cruz, President of Jollibee Group North America, Philippine Brands. "Our passion continues to be providing our fans with great tasting food, brightening their day, and spreading the joy of eating with those who join us. The safety of our guests is our top priority, and we are proud to offer secure ordering channels that make serving our customers possible." With its prime location in one the of the region's major shopping destinations, Jollibee fans from all areas of the city now have a convenient new option to enjoy their favorite menu items in addition to the existing Vaughan Promenade and Wilson Station stores. The store offerings will include: Jolly Crispy Chicken : Jollibee's fried chicken is delicately hand-breaded to create a crispy and crunchy exterior, pressure fried for maximum juiciness and marinated to the bone to provide next level flavor. Jolly Crispy Chicken is often complemented with a side of silky, savory gravy for dipping each and every bite. : Jollibee's fried chicken is delicately hand-breaded to create a crispy and crunchy exterior, pressure fried for maximum juiciness and marinated to the bone to provide next level flavor. Jolly Crispy Chicken is often complemented with a side of silky, savory gravy for dipping each and every bite. Jolly Spaghetti : Spaghetti? At a fast-food restaurant?! You heard that right. This dish, beloved by adults and kids alike, features a signature sweet-style sauce loaded with chunky slices of savory ham and hotdog and is topped with a generous sprinkle of cheese. : Spaghetti? At a fast-food restaurant?! You heard that right. This dish, beloved by adults and kids alike, features a signature sweet-style sauce loaded with chunky slices of savory ham and hotdog and is topped with a generous sprinkle of cheese. Peach Mango Pie: This easy-to-enjoy dessert is delivered in a hand-held sleeve, so you'll never lose the delicious filling made with real sweet Philippine mangoes or its light crispy crust. The Centerpoint Mall location brings Jollibee's Canada footprint to 17 stores total. The fast-food brand will continue its expansion across North America, with plans to open an additional six stores in Canada and 20 stores in the U.S. by the end of 2021. Since the start of 2021 Jollibee has opened three new locations, putting the brand on track to achieve its goal of opening 300 store locations throughout North America by 2024. To provide a safe environment for customers and store team members in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, in-store dining at all Jollibee locations will remain closed until further notice. Prior to the pandemic, Jollibee store openings have generated tremendous excitement amongst fans from all over the world who gather to celebrate their passion for Jollibee, often inspiring multi-day campouts. With safety measures being a top priority, brand fans and curious first-time consumers are prohibited from crowding into stores but can still show their support by coming to store openings and social distancing as they wait in line to welcome Jollibee to their community and take home a taste of joy. Jollibee's North American business saw tremendous growth in 2020 by offering pandemic-compliant channels like drive-thru, call & pick-up, to-go, and delivery via DoorDash so that consumers have a safe way to enjoy their Jollibee meal. In 2021, Jollibee will continue offering these options at its store locations as the brand continues to expand across North America. For more information on these and Jollibee's other upcoming 2021 store openings, stay tuned to Jollibee Canada Facebook and Instagram pages. About Jollibee Jollibee is the largest fast food chain brand in the Philippines, operating a Philippine network of more than 1,400 stores. A dominant market leader in the Philippines, Jollibee has embarked on an aggressive international expansion plan. Jollibee has more than 240 international branches including in the United States, Canada, the People's Republic of China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Brunei, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Italy, and in the United Kingdom. In North America, Jollibee opened its first store in 1998 in Daly City, California. It now operates 63 stores across the region, with 47 stores in the states of Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Washington, and Virginia of the United States, and 16 stores across Manitoba, Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada. Technomic has consistently cited Jollibee among its Top 500 ranking restaurants in the United States. It was also awarded as Multinational Corporation of the Year by the Asian Business League of Southern California in 2017 and Corporation of the Year by the Asian Business Association in 2019. About Jollibee Group Jollibee Group is one of the fastest-growing Asian restaurant companies in the world. It operates in 33 countries, with over 5,800 stores globally with branches in the Philippines, United States, Canada, the People's Republic of China, United Kingdom, Italy, Vietnam, Brunei, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Indonesia, Costa Rica, Egypt, Panama, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, and India. It has eight wholly-owned brands (Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal, Yonghe King, Hong Zhuang Yuan, Smashburger), four franchised brands (Burger King and Panda Express in the Philippines, Dunkin' Donuts and Tim Ho Wan in certain territories in China), 80% ownership of The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, and 60% ownership in the SuperFoods Group that owns Highlands Coffee and PHO24 brands. Jollibee Group is a significant investor in Titan Dining LP, a private equity fund and the ultimate holding entity of the Tim Ho Wan (THW) Brand and has a joint venture with the THW Group to open THW restaurants in Mainland China. It also has a business venture with award-winning Chef Rick Bayless for Tortazo, a Mexican fast-casual restaurant business in the United States. The Group will also establish a 50/50 joint venture to operate and expand Yoshinoya in the Philippines. Yoshinoya is one of the largest and most recognized Japanese restaurant brands globally. Jollibee Group was named the Philippines' most admired company by the Asian Wall Street Journal for ten years. It was also honored as one of Asia's Fab 50 Companies and among the World's Best Employers by Forbes. In 2020, Gallup awarded the Jollibee Group with the Exceptional Workplace Award, making it the first Philippine-based company to receive the distinction. Jollibee Group has grown brands that bring delightful dining experiences to its customers worldwide, in line with its mission of serving great tasting food and spreading the joy of eating to everyone. SOURCE Jollibee 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. 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. Haryana man who lit pyres of over 300 Covid victims succumbs to virus Admin gears up as Hisar farmers get set to protest today 75% reservation in pvt sector jobs: Haryana Governor accords assent India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Chandigarh, Mar 03: Haryana Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya has given assent to the Bill providing 75 per cent reservation in the private sector to job seekers from the state, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said here on Tuesday. The Haryana Assembly had late last year passed the Bill, a key poll promise made by the ruling alliance partner Jannayak Janta Party. "The Haryana Governor today gave his assent to the Bill entailing 75 per cent reservation in the private sector to job seekers from the state. The government will notify it soon," the CM told reporters at a press conference here. The Haryana State Employment of Local Candidates Bill, 2020 provides quota for local people in private-sector jobs that offer a salary of less than Rs 50,000 a month. Haryana to reserve 75% quota for locals in private sector jobs The quota will initially apply for 10 years, according to the Bill. Apart from tackling unemployment among local people, the state government said the law will discourage the influx of migrants seeking low-paid jobs, which has a "significant impact" on local infrastructure and leads to the "proliferation of slums". The Bill covers private companies, societies, trusts and partnership firms in the state. It provides for training to eligible local candidates when qualified people are not available. It defines local candidates as those domiciled in the state. For the domicile status, a person should be born in Haryana or have lived there for at least 15 years. Giving 75 per cent reservation in private sector jobs was a key poll promise by Dushyant Chautala's JJP, which is the BJP's coalition partner in the state. Chautala described the assent given by the Governor as "happiest moment for the youth of Haryana." "The rules on this new law will be framed soon and published," he said at Faridabad. Anurag Kashyap, Tapsee Pannu face tax raids by income tax officials| Oneindia 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. New Delhi: A 40-year-old widow was forced to eat faeces before being brutally beaten to death by relatives after branding her witch in Rajasthans Kekri, around 140 kilometers from state capital Jaipur. Police said the the woman was killed on August 3. The victim has been identified as Kanya Devi Raigar. Ajmer Superintendent of police (SP) Rajendra Singh said, Kanya Devi Raigar was branded witch before being beaten to death. The SP added that she was forced to eat faeces before being tortured. According to Rajasthan Police the victim had succumbed to her injuries at the incident site. Also Read | Agra: Villagers kill old woman assuming her to be wicked The SP said that according to claims the woman was pierced with hot rod. It is being difficult to ascertain the as her body was cremated by the relatives , added the SP. The victims husband died a month back and she is survived by a son and daughter. Also Read: Woman killed by in-laws over dowry, hang her body from tree "We received a complaint of the murder and torture after brandishing the victim witch by a distant relative on August 10," said Kekri Police Station SHO Hari Ram Kumawat. We have registered an FIR against four people and three people have been detained, said Ajmer SP. Four people booked in the murder of the middle-aged woman have been identified as Pinky Raigar, Sonia Raigar, Chandra Prakash Raigar and Mahaveer Raigar. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Appearances can suggest we care less about things than we really do Bill Aims to Kick Harmful Chinese Companies Off US Stock Exchanges Republican lawmakers on March 3 introduced a bill that would block malign Chinese companies from being listed on American exchanges and other U.S. capital markets. Under the proposed legislation, Chinese companies and their subsidiaries and affiliates that are on the Commerce Departments entity list or the Pentagons list of companies owned or controlled by the Chinese military would be barred from tapping into American capital markets, including listing in securities exchanges and being included in indexes. The move would build upon former President Donald Trumps order banning U.S. investments in Chinese companies on the Pentagon list, which took effect in January. The measure was aimed to block American capital from being used to fund the Chinese regimes military development, jeopardizing U.S. national security. Since the order, indexes providers have removed several Chinese stocks from their indices, and the NYSE has announced the delisting of four Chinese companies. This is pretty simple: Communists who help keep Chairman Xis dictatorship runningoperating his surveillance state, managing his torture camps, or building his next-generation weapons systemsshouldnt be able to access American capital, bill co-sponsor Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) said in a statement. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), the bills lead sponsor in the Senate, said the legislation sends a message to the Chinese Communist Party that they will no longer be able to exploit our financial system. He urged the Biden administration to support the bill and build uponnot undothe critical work the previous administration took to address Chinas exploitation of U.S. capital markets. More than 300 Chinese companies are on the trade blacklist known as the entity list, having been added by Washington over concerns relating to national security or human rights. For instance, some firms listed aid Chinas military activities in the South China Sea, while others help the Chinese regimes surveillance of Uyghurs in its repression campaign in the Xinjiang region. U.S. companies are banned from doing business with firms on the list without a license from the Commerce Department. A companion bill was also introduced to the House by Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.). In December 2020, Trump signed into law legislation that requires Chinese companies to comply with U.S. auditing and reporting standards or face exclusion from U.S. stock exchanges. Watch Next: US Capital Is the Lifeline of the Chinese Communist Party: Roger Robinson Interview Meghan Markle's BFF Misha Nonoo has shared a photo as she celebrated her son's first birthday and called motherhood 'the wildest and sweetest experience.' The British-Bahraini fashion designer, who lives in New York and is known for her eponymous clothing line, posted a snap on Instagram with Leo in her arms playing with a number one balloon. In the caption, she posted: 'A ray of pure sunshine even when days have felt somewhat dark, we are so grateful for our Leo and all the magic, joy and laughter he brings to our lives.' Misha, who is rumoured to have introduced Meghan, 39, and Prince Harry, 36, married her oil heir husband Mikey Heiss, 33, in a star-studded ceremony in Rome in 2019. Meghan Markle 's BFF Misha Nonoo has shared a photo as she celebrated her son's first birthday and called motherhood 'the wildest and sweetest experience' The British-Bahraini fashion designer, who lives in New York and is known for her eponymous clothing line, called her son 'a raw of pure sunshine' Captioning the image yesterday, she wrote: 'In the blink of an eye, the light of our lives is one year old. 'I never fully understood what people meant when they said that time really flies when you watch your children grow, but becoming a Mother this past year has been the wildest and sweetest experience I could have imagined and the best club Ive ever been admitted to.' Last year, the bombshell biography Finding Freedom, co-authored by journalists Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, documented the friendship of Meghan Markle and Misha. It alleges how Markus Anderson, Soho Houses global membership director, provided the royal with introductions to many business and cultural elites - both in Canada and further afield. The explosive Finding Freedom biography suggested Misha was behind Meghan and Prince Harry's first meeting The authors penned: 'At a Soho House lunch in Miami, he was the one who sat the actress next to Misha, a budding fashion designer with a vivacious personality and impeccable pedigree. 'The occasion for the December 2014 Miami trip was Art Basel, a decadent art fair that brings the internationally rich and famous for a week of parties and events of all sorts and sizes. 'Markus invited Meghan, an art lover, to stay at the epicenter of the action, Soho Beach House, to set some sun, see some art, and have some fun. 'A perfect place to make new friends and connections, the Soho house event saw Misha and Meghan hit it off immediately.' Misha, who is rumoured to have introduced Meghan, 39, and Prince Harry , 36, and her oil heir husband Mikey, 33, announced the birth of their first child Leo in March The explosive biography goes on to suggest Misha and Markus were behind Meghan and Prince Harry's first meeting. It's thought the Duchess' close pals set the pair, who are now living in the US, up on a blind date in London. The fashion designer has also spoken out about 'massively missing her friends' while quarantined in New York with Leo - and revealed that she 'needs her girlfriends to have a laugh with and make light of things' when speaking to People magazine. The first time mother has since been making an effort to connect with friends virtually, saying: 'Its very stressful not having your normal life to return to I knew having a baby would change my life, but I never expected this.' Misha worked with the duchess (pictured together in 2019) on her Smart Works charity clothing line, calling Meghan 'wonderful, thoughtful and considerate' 'Ive massively missed seeing my friends. As soon as Leo was born we would have been in the store and seeing friends and been to London by now and, obviously, all of those plans are on hold,' the designer added. In the meantime, the fashion designer has been taking advantage of FaceTime, but admits its not the same. Being a new mum, you need a support network, and I definitely miss having in-person time with my new baby and my friends,' she explained. I miss having my girlfriends to have a laugh with and make light of things. This is a challenging and stressful and discombobulating time, but we have to look forward to the time when we can all be together. During her pregnancy, Misha told People, that the Duchess of Sussex had been sharing her advice about becoming a first-time mother. The designer revealed: 'As with all friendships, you share lots of tips and everything.' Her baby announcement came less than a year after close friend Meghan gave birth to baby Archie in May 2019. Future friends? Misha gave birth to baby Leo less than a year after Meghan and Prince Harry welcomed baby Archie in May Misha married her husband Mikey in a ceremony in Rome in September 2019 that was attended by Prince Harry, Meghan, Princess Eugenie, 29, and Princess Beatrice, 31 before announcing her pregnancy at the end of the year. The Duchess has continued to support her friend by wearing Misha Nonoo styles over the years and donned the famous 'Boyfriend shirt' for her first appearance alongside Prince Harry, and also wore another of Misha's designs for her final day of meetings in the UK before stepping back from royal duties. Misha, who worked with the Duchess on her Smart Works charity clothing line, opened up to FEMAIL last year about her friendship with the royal. Reflecting on the experience of working together, Misha described Meghan as 'the ultimate professional' and very 'considerate' of the women the collection was helping. 'It was such an ideal, incredibly easy collaboration,' she said. 'It was, from start to finish, wonderful, thoughtful, considerate, as is she.' Lingfield's Flying 5 To Suit Lingfield 15:25: 1pt win Miss Seafire 11/4 Zen Dancer heads the market for the 5-runner novice stakes over 5f at Lingfield after finishing third over this C&D on his second start. That was a big improvement on his debut and he may improve again but I think one of the opposition is also capable of improving plenty from their debut and could be a big threat. Miss Seafire was strongly backed on debut over 5f at Southwell and went off 5/6 fav up against three rivals including the 75-rated The Hulk. That rival won while Miss Seafire finished last but she showed far more promise than that finishing position suggests. Having been a bit awkwardly away, she travelled strongly behind the leaders early on before cruising to the front with three furlongs to go. While her rivals came under pressure with just over two furlongs to go, she still appeared to be travelling well but once pushed along soon after, she found little and wilted inside the final furlong. Clearly it's worrying that Miss Seafire went from travelling all over her rivals to nothing in quick time and it could be that she's a three furlongs filly. However, it could also have been the surface or an issue that's been resolved in the 24 days since that debut which caused her to weaken so quickly. I'm hoping it's one of the latter two and I think Lingfield's five furlongs will suit her strong travelling nature so she appeals at 11/4. Skatman To Bounce Back Musselburgh 12:45: 1pt win Skatman 11/10 Skatman was one of three horses to arrive at Paul Nicholls' yard having run in the same maiden point at Dromahane. While Lieutenant Rocco was moved to Colin Tizzard (and subsequently Nick Mitchell) before he ran for Nicholls, the runner up Barbados Buck's has since won three races over hurdles and is now a leading hope for the Albert Bartlett. Skatman beat Barbados Buck's quite comfortably and took a long time to pull up at Dromahane, a performance that suggested he could reach a good level under rules. His sole run under rules since came in a bumper at Ascot on soft ground. Having travelled well, he was in contention just before turning the final bend but once being pushed along soon after, he found little and was beaten 26 lengths. That was a strong bumper with subsequent Betfair Hurdle winner Soaring Glory winning the race, the runner up Kid Commando is now rated 140 over hurdles and the third was Bravemansgame who is now one of the market leaders for the Ballymore. Skatman has since had a wind op and wears a tongue tie for the first time today. I think the much better ground will suit and this looks a very good opportunity for him. The only apparent danger is 117-rated Presentandcounting, who is currently favourite, but he's looked a tricky ride having raced keenly and hung under pressure in the closing stages and it's not certain that this longer trip will suit him. I think the market has this wrong and Skatman should be favourite so the 11/10 appeals. 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. 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 Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves says that as of Wednesday, he is getting rid of most mask mandates that he had imposed to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus. He is also lifting most other restrictions, including limits on seating in restaurants. The governors office is getting out of the business of telling people what they can and cannot do, Republican Reeves said during a news conference Tuesday. Until now, most of Mississippis 82 counties had been under a mask mandate for months. Reeves said the number of people hospitalized because of the virus has decreased in recent weeks, and vaccination numbers are increasing. Reeves said he is issuing a new executive order that takes effect at 5 p.m. Wednesday and remains in place until March 31. He said rules for K-12 schools are not changing. Schools will still require masks where social distancing is not possible. There are also still limits on seating at K-12 school events: 25% capacity for indoor events and 50% capacity for outdoor events. The new capacity for seating at indoor arenas for colleges is 50%. Club areas in arenas are limited to 75% of their seating capacity. Reeves said he is encouraging other people to wear face coverings but is not requiring it. He is asking people to follow recommendations from the state health officer, Dr. Thomas Dobbs. Dobbs said in response to questions Tuesday that its still a good idea for people to avoid large, unmasked gatherings. Theres no way in heck I would go sit in a crowded bar right now, Dobbs said. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Killer T cells surround a cancer cell. Credit: NIH Utah researchers report significant new insights into the development of blood cancers. In work published today in Blood Cancer Discovery, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, scientists describe an analysis of published data from more than 7,000 patients diagnosed with leukemia and other blood disorders. Their findings provide new clues about mutations that may initiate cancer development and those that may help cancer to progress. The researchers sought to identify mutation hotspots, or frequent changes in specific locations of the cancer patients' genetic information. The researchers then used these hotspots to look for whether the same mutations were present in the DNA data of more than 4,500 people who were not known to have a cancer diagnosis. They found that approximately 2 percent of these presumably healthy participants had, at low levels, mutations identical to those frequently observed in the cancer patients. "Understanding how a disease develops is greatly benefited by studying persons who are currently healthy but are on a trajectory for disease onset," said Clint Mason, Ph.D., assistant professor of pediatrics at the U of U, who specializes in cancer genomics and bioinformatics and led the study. Mutations occur throughout the 3 billion bases of DNA that are present in human cells. Many will have no impact on health, yet certain mutations may cause or support development of diseases, including cancer. Therefore, scientists are working to discern which mutations have a significant impact on health. In this study, the researchers sought to understand which mutations are most frequently present in adults and children both with and without blood cancers. They hope this information may illuminate an understanding of these cancers, and further, may potentially be used to identify people who are progressing towards cancer. The team of researchers consisted nearly entirely of University of Utah (U of U) faculty and students. Mason was joined by co-first authors Julie Feusier, Ph.D., a trainee in the department of human genetics and now a postdoctoral fellow at Huntsman Cancer Institute, and Sasi Arunachalam, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow at Huntsman Cancer Institute and now a research associate at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, in performing analyses along with other co-authors. For the first part of the study, the researchers completed a large data mining analysis to examine published data from 48 cancer studies that reported mutations present in persons who were being diagnosed with leukemia or other hematologic malignancies. Across the 7,430 pediatric and adult cancer patients of those studies, 434 DNA locations were identified as frequently mutated. Then, in a subsequent analysis of many terabytes of publicly available genetic data, the researchers identified these same cancer-relevant mutations at low levels among 83 of the 4,538 persons who were presumably free from cancer. "When identical mutations are found to be present in a small percentage of blood cells of a healthy person, it may indicate that something abnormal has begun to occur," explained Mason. This abnormal process (known as clonal hematopoiesis) has previously been found to be increasingly common as people age. As a result, researchers generally focus on the study of adults when investigating this phenomenon. Yet in this study, in addition to adults, the researchers analyzed data from 400 children who were likely to be free from cancer. They found preliminary evidence that early cancer mutations could be detected in this age group. In an accompanying commentary, to be published by Blood Cancer Discovery in its "In the Spotlight" section, Barbara Spitzer, MD, and Ross Levine, MD, of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, wrote, "This work demonstrates the first evidence that [clonal hematopoiesis] is observed in children outside of those with advanced malignancies." They further commented, "This expansion of the range of hematologic malignancy hotspot mutations goes beyond an improved understanding of the molecular repertoire of hematologic malignancies... More complete knowledge of relevant mutations may increase our detection of patients at highest risk for malignant transformation." Finding a low-level mutation identical to one that is frequently present at cancer diagnoses could be alarming to a currently healthy person screened for such events. But fortunately, because cancer frequently requires multiple mutations to be present in a sizeable fraction of cells, most persons with a single low-level mutation are not likely to develop cancer for many years or decadesif they develop cancer at all. Large longitudinal studies are needed to identify the timeframe over which specific mutations or combinations of mutations accelerate progression to cancer. The Utah researchers next hope to determine the stability of mutations identified at younger ages. This will give a preliminary glimpse into their potential to serve as biomarkers for those having greatest risk of cancer. Future intervention studies will require such an identification. "Our goal has been to help fill in gaps in the understanding of cancer development so that future prevention work can take place more quickly and effectively," said Mason. "We are grateful to have been able to contribute a few puzzle pieces to that monumental effort." Explore further Study shows Kentucky endometrial cancer patients have higher rates of DACH1 mutation More information: Julie E Feusier et al. Large-Scale Identification of Clonal Hematopoiesis and Mutations Recurrent in Blood Cancers. Blood Cancer Discovery DOI: 10.1158/2643-3230.BCD-20-0094 Julie E Feusier et al. Large-Scale Identification of Clonal Hematopoiesis and Mutations Recurrent in Blood Cancers. Provided by Huntsman Cancer Institute (Alliance News) - A unilateral British decision to defer imposing checks on food and farm products going to Northern Ireland would violate the UK-EU Brexit treaty, a top EU official warned on Wednesday. "This is the second time that the UK government is set to breach international law," European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic warned in a statement. That referred to a previous attempt by London a later dropped a to override parts of the January 2020 Withdrawal Agreement that saw Britain end its near half-century membership in the EU. Sefcovic said it was "disappointingA that the UK government has resorted to such unilateral action" without informing Brussels beforehand as required under the treaty. "The European Commission will respond to these developments in accordance with the legal means" set out in the treaty, he said, adding that he would press that point to Britain's Brexit minister David Frost in a phone call later Wednesday. Sefcovic a who co-chairs with Frost a joint EU-UK committee meant to work through issues related to the Brexit treaty a stressed that the agreement aims to protect the 1998 Good Friday Agreement that brought an end to decades of political violence in Northern Ireland. Britain has been increasingly chafing against the Brexit treaty and its provisions that keep the British territory within the orbit of the EU's customs area as a way to ensure that no border is again erected between Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland. source: AFP Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Advertisement Meghan Markle wore a pair a striking diamond earrings that were a wedding gift from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, who approved the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, it was claimed today. Kensington Palace had said at the time of the formal dinner in Fiji in October 2018 - which took place three weeks after the killing at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul - that the jewellery was 'borrowed', without stating from whom. Lawyers for the Duchess of Sussex have now told The Times that she may have stated they were borrowed, but did not say they were borrowed from a jeweller - and denied that she had misled anyone about their provenance. The newspaper was also told by Meghan's team that every relevant member of royal staff knew who the earrings were from, and the Duchess was unaware of rumours at the time that bin Salman was involved in the killing. Bin Salman is not thought to have met Meghan or given her the earrings in person. The jewellery is considered Crown property because it was a gift from a foreign head of state, and she would not be allowed to sell them. The 500,000 earrings Meghan wore for the black tie reception at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, which was hosted by Fiji's president Jioji Konrote, were later revealed as being made by celebrity designer Butani. The Duchess was again seen wearing the earrings one month later on November 14, 2018 as she was photographed leaving Kensington Palace to attend Prince Charles's 70th birthday party at Buckingham Palace. Washington Post columnist Mr Khashoggi died on October 2. The event in Fiji on October 23 came less than a fortnight after the first reports on October 10 from US intelligence intercepts that suggested Bin Salman had ordered an operation to lure Mr Khashoggi back to Saudi from his home in Virginia and detain him. Then on October 20, the Saudi government revealed a preliminary investigation by prosecutors had found Mr Khashoggi died during a 'fight' after resisting efforts to return him to Saudi Arabia. By November 16, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the US had concluded that bin Salman had ordered Mr Khashoggi's assassination. The bloggers behind Meghans Mirror eventually identified the earrings brand in January 2019, and an expert then revealed to MailOnline that the generously sized multi-tier earrings could be worth up to 500,000. An array of celebrities including Jennifer Lopez, Kate Beckinsale, Rihanna, Christina Hendricks and even Michelle Obama have also been spotted wearing the Hong Kong-based brand. It is not clear if Meghan still has the earrings. Meghan Markle wore a pair of striking diamond earrings that were allegedly a wedding gift from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia. She is pictured wearing them at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, Fiji, on October 23, 2018 Meghan is pictured arriving for the state dinner in Suva with Prince Harry on October 23, 2018 during their royal tour of Fiji The Duchess of Sussex was again seen wearing the earrings one month later on November 14, 2018 as she was photographed leaving Kensington Palace to attend Prince Charles's 70th birthday party at Buckingham Palace Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia (left) approved the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi (right) in 2018 Members of the Royal Family attending official engagements are not usually seen wearing jewellery borrowed from designers. Meghan also wore a 1,095 dress by designer SAFiYAA at the dinner. Speaking about the opulent earrings, Deborah Papas, gemologist at Prestige Pawnbrokers of Channel 4's Posh Pawn, said in 2019: 'The Duchess of Sussex never ceases to amaze us with the beautiful jewellery she wears. Timeline of Jamal Khashoggi's murder and Meghan's earrings (2018) May 19: Meghan Markle marries Prince Harry at Windsor Castle and is allegedly given a wedding gift of a 500,000 pair of diamond earrings from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia October 2 : Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi is killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul : Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi is killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul October 20 : Saudi government reveals a preliminary investigation finds Mr Khashoggi died during a 'fight' after resisting efforts to return him to Saudi Arabia : Saudi government reveals a preliminary investigation finds Mr Khashoggi died during a 'fight' after resisting efforts to return him to Saudi Arabia October 23 : Meghan wears the earrings at a formal dinner at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, Fiji : Meghan wears the earrings at a formal dinner at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, Fiji November 14 : Meghan wears the earrings again for Prince Charles's birthday party at Buckingham Palace : Meghan wears the earrings again for Prince Charles's birthday party at Buckingham Palace November 16 : Central Intelligence Agency concludes bin Salman had ordered Mr Khashoggi's assassination. Advertisement 'In Fiji she chose to wear an absolutely stand-out pair of chandelier style diamond drop earrings in three strands set with white and yellow coloured diamonds. Most are round but some are pear shaped to give the stepped drop effect and all set in white gold. 'These drops appear very heavy, almost pulling down the lobe, but sparkle beautifully even with the slightest turn of the head and are truly stunning. They could easily be worth 500,000 or more.' Explaining the etiquette on royals wearing jewellery, William Hanson told MailOnline at the time: 'For grand events like state banquets and formal dinners, royalty usually wear more lavish, priceless jewellery. For less showy daytime events the 'bling' is often toned down to something more subtle and discrete, with the exception of any engagement or wedding rings.' He added: 'Royal women do have it very difficult - we all want them to look like royalty but if they wear anything too over the top or expensive they are criticised for being out of touch. They can't win.' Butani was founded in 1977 by brothers Manoj and Mukesh Butani from Hong Kong. The brand is popular on the A-list circuit, with an array of celebrities seen wearing their jewellery on the red carpet. Rihanna wore a pair of their earrings in her Love On The Brain video in 2016, which famously saw her soaking in a tub wearing nothing but jagged diamond earrings and black lipstick. Elsewhere Ariana Grande was pictured wearing a pair of large solitaire studs to the Met Gala in 2018, while Kate Beckinsale wore a pair of diamond string earrings to the premiere of The Only Living Boy in New York in 2017. That same year, Jennifer Lopez sported a pair of her trademark hoops embellished with diamonds by the designer for the World of Dance premiere. The Times made further claims relating to Meghan's same official tour of Fiji when the Duchess was seen being ushered out of an official engagement to a local market, which was initially said to be due to security concerns. In 2017 Jennifer Lopez sported a pair of her trademark hoops embellished with diamonds by the same designer, Butani Ariana Grande (left) wore a pair of large solitaire studs by the designer to the Met Gala in 2018 (left), while Christina Hendricks (right) attended the 19th Annual Post-Golden Globes Party in the same year wearing a pair of Butani earrings The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been interviewed by Oprah Winfrey in a programme due to be aired by CBS this Sunday In fact, the newspaper says, Meghan had cut short the visit because she had 'reservations' about the organisation UN Women, which had an involvement in the event. The Duchess denies these claims about the event. 'Revelations about race' in Oprah interview... and nothing is off-limits Meghan Markle will talk about her experience of race issues in Britain during her interview with Oprah Winfrey, it has been revealed. There is a growing expectation that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's talk with the US chat show queen will live up to its billing of having no subject 'off-limits'. It was claimed yesterday that the programme will be a 'horror show' for the Royal Family. The journalist who broke the story that the Sussexes were doing the TV interview claimed Meghan's comments about 'the issue of race in Britain' would be 'what we will all be talking about' the day after it is aired. Chris Ship, the royal editor for ITV News, told Good Morning Britain yesterday: 'I know that she's going to mention things like mental health and the impact that being in the UK had on her mental health. I know that she's going to mention about the press intrusion... but also she's going to raise the issue of race in Britain.' Mr Ship suggested this would be the main thing viewers discuss after watching the interview, to be broadcast in the US on Sunday night. Meghan's mother Doria is African-American and her father Thomas is white. ITV was facing growing criticism over plans to broadcast the interview with Miss Winfrey in Britain while the Duke of Edinburgh remains in hospital. There is increasing unease about the 'horrendous' timing. There were warnings last night that the broadcast could be a 'reputational mess' for everyone, which could 'herald terrible consequences' for the royal pair. There were calls for ITV to 'await events' before screening the programme in the UK. One critic branded the broadcaster's decision to buy up the interview rights as 'deplorable'. ITV, which is refusing to comment on the situation, is expected to broadcast it on Monday night at 8pm, about 24 hours after it has aired on CBS in America. According to reports, ITV saw off competition from Sky for the rights and paid in the region of 1million. Talks were reportedly completed on Monday. Producers in the US involved in making the programme say Harry, Meghan and their charitable foundation have received no payment for the interview. Harry's grandfather Philip, 99, was transferred to St Bartholomew's Hospital on Monday for tests on a pre-existing heart condition and treatment for an infection. This comes after the duke spent nearly two weeks in the private King Edward VII's Hospital. Public relations and crisis consultant Mark Borkowski yesterday warned: 'The timing is just horrendous. Anybody who looks at this through the optics of a caring family, even a family who are estranged from one another, it's very uncomfortable as you edge towards Sunday.' The PR expert said that if Philip's health declined, Harry and Meghan's fate would be 'in the lap of the gods'. He added: 'If you were strategically giving advice about mitigating reputational damage, you would show huge empathy by postponing.' Any worsening of Philip's health will raise issues for ITV. Experts say this could lead to major problems for advertisers airing commercials during the show. One senior TV executive said: 'The issue is whether ITV will take a big bath if advertisers don't want to be in it and also there is the wider collateral damage. Also, ITV airs a lot of royal documentaries will the palace stop co-operating?' Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams, editor of International Who's Who for 25 years, said ITV's decision to buy the rights to the 'highly sensational' interview was 'deplorable'. A 30-second advertising slot for the American broadcast is reportedly costing 144,000. At one point in the trailer, Miss Winfrey tells viewers: 'Just to make it clear to everybody, there is no subject that is off-limits.' Advertisement It comes as the Times dramatically claimed last night that a bullying complaint was lodged against the Duchess of Sussex by a senior member of Kensington Palace staff before she and Prince Harry quit as working royals. The newspaper reported it was made in October 2018 by Jason Knauf, who worked as communications secretary to Harry and Meghan. He is said to have claimed the duchess 'drove two personal assistants out of the household and was undermining the confidence of a third staff member'. The newspaper says Mr Knauf, who now heads the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's charitable foundation, seemingly acted to get Buckingham Palace to protect staff he claimed were coming under unbearable pressure from Meghan. It further claims Harry 'pleaded' with him not to pursue the allegations. The Times also reported a spokesman for the Sussexes vehemently denied the claims, saying they were 'the victims of a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation'. Sensationally, the couple's lawyers told the newspaper it was 'being used by Buckingham Palace to peddle a wholly false narrative' before this weekend's interview with Oprah Winfrey. They said the duchess was 'saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma'. The Daily Mail and MailOnline also approached a spokesman for the Sussexes for comment. The Times said it was contacted by sources who felt a 'partial version' had emerged of Meghan's two years as a working royal. It makes clear they wished to tell their side in advance of Sunday's 'tell all' television interview, which is likely to make uncomfortable viewing for Buckingham Palace. The newspaper says Mr Knauf sent his email to Simon Case, then the Duke of Cambridge's private secretary and now the cabinet secretary, after conversations with Samantha Carruthers, the head of HR. Mr Case then forwarded it to Miss Carruthers, who was based at Clarence House. In his email Mr Knauf also made clear he was concerned nothing had been done, or would be done in future, to protect palace staff. The Times quotes from his email, which is alleged to say: 'I am very concerned the duchess was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year. The treatment of X* was totally unacceptable.' He added: 'The duchess seems intent on always having someone in her sights. She is bullying Y and seeking to undermine her confidence. We have had report after report from people who have witnessed unacceptable behaviour towards Y.' After Harry was told about the complaint a source insists he had a meeting with Mr Knauf in which he begged him not to pursue it, The Times says. Lawyers for the duke and duchess deny that any meeting took place. The newspaper also claimed Meghan wore a pair of diamond earrings to a dinner in Fiji in 2018 that were a wedding gift from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, said by the US to have approved the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. The dinner took place three weeks after the killing. At the time it was reported the earrings were borrowed. The Times says Meghan does not deny this was what she said, despite being aware of their provenance. Lawyers for the duchess denied she had misled anyone about their provenance. The couple's lawyers told The Times it was 'being used by Buckingham Palace to peddle a wholly false narrative' before the interview. Buckingham Palace declined to comment when contacted by the Mail. The duchess denies bullying and her lawyers stated that one individual left after findings of misconduct. The spokesman for the Sussexes said in a statement to The Times: 'Let's just call this what it is a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation. We are disappointed to see this defamatory portrayal of the Duchess of Sussex given credibility by a media outlet. 'It's no coincidence that distorted several-year-old accusations aimed at undermining the duchess are being briefed to the British media shortly before she and the duke are due to speak openly and honestly about their experience of recent years.' Shirley Manson is the latest celebrity to pay tribute to Michael Gudinski after the Australian music industry giant's sudden death on Monday. In a post on Facebook on Tuesday, the 54-year-old Garbage frontwoman said she had 'lost a beloved friend' in Gudinski. 'A person who loved on me, encouraged me, believed in me... even at times when I had completely lost faith in myself,' she began. Paying her respects: Shirley Manson has become the latest celebrity to pay tribute to Michael Gudinski after the Australian music industry giant's sudden death on Monday. Pictured together Shirley said she'd spoken with the late 68-year-old only a week ago to discuss a new business venture. 'This was typical of Michael. He was always trying to put me up for stuff. Always trying to think of a way for me to survive the blows of an industry not in the least bit friendly towards older women,' she wrote. 'In this sense Michael was a bit of a renaissance man. He believed that women had worth beyond just being hot and happening. He believed most of all in talent and drive.' RIP: In a post on Facebook on Tuesday, the 54-year-old Garbage frontwoman said she had 'lost a beloved friend' in Gudinski Shirley said Gudinski would frequently tell her that he loved the fact she was 'loyal' and had 'integrity'. 'It breaks my heart thinking he is gone,' she continued. Shirley, who is based in the UK, said Gudinski would often be waiting for her whenever she disembarked a flight in Australia 'with beers and tequila shots and Chinese banquets'. 'A person who loved on me, encouraged me, believed in me... even at times when I had completely lost faith in myself,' she began. Pictured performing in Dublin in July 2019 'I will never again have him grab me by the hand and demand I take him somewhere so he could hear our new record. He would listen intently. He would bounce up and down in his chair,' she wrote. She added: 'At the end of every listening session he would jump up and bound around the room. 'Pacing and clapping his hands together and running up into my face and then bounding off again into the middle of the room shouting things like, "You devils have done it again," and then start laughing manically. Touching base: Shirley said she'd spoken with the late 68-year-old only a week ago to discuss a new business venture. Pictured at the SXSW Conference and Festival in Austin in March 2019 'Then shots would be laid out and he would insist on a toast and then another one and another one.' The heartbroken rockstar admitted she will never find anyone quite like Gudinski 'again in my life'. 'All his enthusiasm and his vigour, his passion and his love. He had so much love in him,' she concluded. 'At the end of every listening session he would jump up and bound around the room,' she wrote. Pictured with Ed Sheeran (right) in Perth in March 2018 'You f**king freak. You f**king incredible father. You f**king marvellous and maddening husband. 'You extraordinary record man. You were the last of your kind. I was lucky to know you. Love you forever and ever and ever. Endless gratitude to you Michael. See you on the flip side mate. Your girl Shirl.' Gudinski, who was widely regarded as the 'father of the Australian music industry', passed away in Melbourne on Monday night. 'You extraordinary record man. You were the last of your kind. I was lucky to know you. Love you forever and ever and ever. Endless gratitude to you Michael,' she wrote. Pictured in London in July 2019 He leaves behind wife Sue, children Matt and Kate, and two grandchildren. The music promoter formed record company Mushroom Records at just 20 years old, and went on to sign and launch the careers of local artists such as Kylie Minogue, who is now one of the biggest pop stars in the world. In 1979, he established concert promoter Frontier Touring and stayed at its helm until his death. Eye for talent: The music promoter formed record company Mushroom Records at just 20 years old, and went on to sign and launch the careers of local artists such as Kylie Minogue (left). Pictured with Dannii Minogue (right) in Melbourne in March 2009 His family confirmed his death on Tuesday morning. Mushroom Group said in a statement: 'It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Michael Gudinski AM overnight. 'The much-loved Australian music legend died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Melbourne, Australia. Michael Gudinski was a key figure in shaping the Australian music industry.' 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 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 Brother, sister duo invents low-cost solution for preserving vegetables and fruits Two young entrepreneurs from Naya Tola Dudhela in Bhagalpur district of Bihar, Nikky Kumar Jha and his young sister Reshmi Jha, have come up with a low-cost solution for preserving vegetables and fruits fresh for 5 to 30 days, which would help avoid wastage of food in a big way. Preservator/Sabjikothi is a wheel mountable storage for transportation of fresh fruits and vegetables. It is a cost-effective, microclimate based, portable storage that extends the shelf-life and preserve the freshness of fruits and vegetables anywhere between 5 to 30 days. The entire setup can be unloaded from wheels, and can doubly act as on-field and on-market storage. It requires 20 watts of power and 1 litre of water and has battery backup of a day and an option of solar charging. The USP of the technology lies in the fact that the entire setup can be assembled on any suitable means of transportation (E-rickshaw, mini-trucks, thelas etc) and it can transport contamination-free fruits and vegetables from field to market without any water loss and decay. Sabjikothi currently comes in capacities of 250 kg and 500 kg, with price tags of Rs10,000 and above, depending on the needs of the user. Sabjikothi works by construction of self-adaptable, ethylene oxidizing, and near-sterile microclimate in an insulated chamber. The controlled microclimate created inside the insulated chamber inhibit pathogen growth, delays browning as well as ripening and regulate activity of antioxidant enzyme. It also oxidizes ethylene into hydrogen, carbon di-oxide, water vapour and other small molecules which further creates a controlled atmosphere that enables the storage of fruits and vegetables for anywhere up to 40 days. It is a self-sustainable solution that only require 20 watt of electricity either on-grid or off-grid, and a litre of water per day. The invention, which was originally based on Jhas MSc dissertation in Ecology and Environment Studies from Nalanda University, where he developed an off-grid cold storage device that could help reduce post-harvest wastage, particularly of horticultural produce. This was later remodelled into a device for that does the job of preserving fruits and vegetables instead of providing artificial cooling. That was a joint effort of Jha and his younger sister, Rashmi Jha, a biotechnologist. India is among the largest producers of fruits and vegetables in the world, but our per capita availability is low because post-harvest losses account for about 30 per cent of total production. To preserve their shelf-life, these crops require adequate cold storage facilities. Such facilities allow farmers to preserve their produce while also giving them the necessary time to sell at the right price. But establishing this sort of infrastructure requires large amounts of capital, electricity and extensive logistics. Bangladesh: Marine fisheries policy designed for proper sea fish production March 03,2021 | Source: United News of Bangladesh The government has drafted the national marine fisheries policy for the sustainable conservation, management and extraction of marine fish in the countrys vast sea areas. This was conveyed at the 15th meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Fisheries and Livestock Ministry on Sunday. The meeting was held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban with chairman of the committee Dhirendra Debnath Shambhu in the chair. The main objective of the policy is to attain the desired growth in tapping the potential of marine fish. At the meeting, the committee was also informed that the ministry has taken short-, medium- and long-term action plans to strengthen the countrys blue economy. It was said that the marine fisheries management plan has also been drafted under a sustainable coastal and marine fisheries project. The parliamentary body was informed that a pilot project has been taken to collect tuna and other large pelagic fish commercially from the deep sea of the Area Beyond National Jurisdiction outside the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The committee recommended assisting small-large farmers to boost fisheries and animal resources and thus create jobs for the young generation. The parliamentary watchdog suggested promoting the real entrepreneurs in the fisheries and livestock sectors. Committee members Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim, Choto Monir, Nazma Akther and Shamima Akter Khanam attended the meeting. The Fisheries and Livestock Secretary and other high officials were present at the meeting, said a handout. With its Power Fx language introduced this week, Microsoft is making a play in the low-code development realm. Announced on March 2, the general purpose language is based on the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and spreadsheet-like formulas, sharing Excel syntax and functions. With Power Px, Microsoft is attempting to provide citizen developers with an approachable way to express logic. Power Fx already is in use across Microsofts Power Platform. Documentation on the language can be found on GitHub. The language spans from no code imperative programming to pro code situations involving strongly typed, declarative, and functional code. Similar to Excel, Power Fx formulas instantly recalculate, like a spreadsheet. Freed from keeping variables and data tables up to date manually, developers can tell the app what they want it to do without having to describe how or when. Apps can be edited in text editors including Visual Studio Code. Power Fx will be extended as a singular, consistent language across the Power Platform during the next two years. The language already has been extended to work with hundreds of external data sources, across mobile devices, and through advanced application scenarios, Microsoft said. Plans also call for extending Power Fx to Microsofts Dataverse, Power Automate, Virtual Agents, and elsewhere. Microsoft stressed there is still a lot of work to do to extract Power Fx from Power Apps. Users can share their thoughts about Power Fx on the projects GitHub repo. While low-code development platforms have been considered solutions for quick-to-assemble business apps, with professional developers taking on more sophisticated tasks with full-fledged languages, low-code platforms also can be leveraged for integrations and mobile experiences. Some of these platforms have included Mendix and Appian. There was no extra financial help announced in the Budget for social care, hospitals or schools. Boris Johnson had promised reform of social care when he became Prime Minister in July 2019, but the plans have been put off until later this year. Nurse Rebecca Sinnarajah said she felt 'let down' by the Chancellor's lack of support for the NHS. The 22-year-old, who works as a children's nurse in a London hospital, said: 'I thought we would finally be rewarded for our hard work especially after the year we've had. Nurses are always left out from NHS pay rises despite working so hard. 'This year has been really tough and it's actually so upsetting to not feel valued at all. This is my job and I love what I do, but it is not fair.' Rebecca Sinnarajah, who works as a children's nurse in a London hospital, used her platform as a Miss England finalist last year to campaign for fairer pay for nurses Miss Sinnarajah, who used her platform as a Miss England finalist last year to campaign for fairer pay for nurses, added: 'I would have been happy with just a couple of extra pounds. That's the least the Government could do. 'I don't want people to clap for the NHS, I want to be paid fairly.' Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt said the Budget contained 'little hope' for the social care sector which had been 'bruised and demoralised after its most devastating year in its history'. 'Understand money is difficult to commit at this stage, but they desperately need to know a plan is coming,' he tweeted. Age UK's charity director Caroline Abrahams said the Budget could result in a surge in care home closures 'putting more stress and strain on older and disabled people and their unpaid carers, who have already endured so much. Miss Sinnarajah, 22, said she felt 'let down' by the lack of support for the NHS from Chancellor Rishi Sunak (pictured) 'We and many others will also be seeking assurances that the lack of any mention of longer term care refinancing and reform does not reflect an intention on the part of this government to renege on its repeated promise to 'fix' care by bringing forward concrete proposals later in the year.' Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said: 'It is short-sighted and disappointing that the Government continues to ignore the funding pressures the education sector faces. 'The Government has said schools are a 'national priority', yet this Budget has provided schools with no new resources to manage coronavirus.' There was no help for struggling airlines and in fact taxes on long-haul flights are to rise. 'A lion of a man': Advocates worldwide honor martyr Shahbaz Bhatti 10 years after assassination Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A defender of religious freedom and Christian martyr, Shahbaz Bhattis legacy lives on 10 years after his death, though religious oppression in Pakistan has heightened in the decade following his assassination. International religious freedom advocates, legislators and religious leaders from across the globe on Tuesday participated in a virtual observance of the 10th anniversary of Bhattis death to honor the legacy of the first-ever Pakistani minister for minorities affairs and discussed the future of religious liberty for minorities in Pakistan. The virtual event was hosted by the Religious Freedom Institute, International Christian Voice and Institute for Global Engagement. Bhatti was killed at the age of 42 on March 2, 2011, after facing years of death threats for his outspoken opposition to the countrys corrupt blasphemy laws and other injustices in the Muslim-majority nation. Bhattis brother and founder of International Christian Voice, Peter Bhatti, said his brothers sacrifice will not go in vain. Some of us must make small sacrifices in the fight of justice and equality, Peter Bhatti said. My brother made the ultimate sacrifice of his life. After the Shahbaz Bhatti martyrdom, either we give up on his mission and allow our enemy to claim victory or to follow in his footsteps. Letting his enemy win is not an option. It is the duty of all of us to carry on his mission. Bhatti, the former federal minister for minorities affairs and first Christian member of the Pakistan presidents cabinet, was shot through a car window multiple times. No one was ever held accountable for his murder. The fatal attack was in response to Bhatti's demand to review the controversial blasphemy case of the Christian mother of five, Asia Bibi. Bibi was acquitted by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2018 after being imprisoned for over a decade based on false allegations that she insulted Islam. She now lives in Canada with her husband and children. Bibi shared a heartfelt video tribute to Bhatti and urged people never to forget him. She said he did not die since he is still alive in our hearts. She urged the community to come forward against injustice and inequality to protect our coming generation from these miseries. Bhattis nephew, David Bhatti, shared memories of visiting his uncle in Pakistans capital Islamabad. He remembers that his uncle was everyones favorite. He dedicated his entire life to fighting persecution, intolerance, discrimination and inequality of the religious minorities of Pakistan, Bhatti said. He challenged the forces of violence and darkness and refused to be silent. Bhatti said his uncle empathized with the persecuted and felt their pain daily despite the joy he radiated. Although he always radiated such happiness, he always carried the grief of the innocent lives lost to another suicide bombing at a place of worship, the nephew recalled. Or he was harboring the heartache of wrongfully incarcerated prisoners who were languishing cold and alone, without any hope. Or he was experiencing the weight of the agony felt by villagers whose entire homes were burnt to the ground simply because they were religious minorities. Bhatti said his uncle remained a patriot and did not give up on the country he loved, despite his challenges and the injustice he experienced. For him, challenges were opportunities. Opportunities to lead by example, Bhatti said. He empathized with the persecuted and oppressed deeply and to effect real, lasting change for this generation and for the next. He dreamed of seeing not just a Pakistan, but a world in which the dignity and worth of every human being was respected, valued and celebrated. Bhatti said his uncles death is easier to accept, knowing how he inspired people worldwide. My uncle believed that to despair is to accept defeat, Bhatti said. For him, silence is never an option. The legacy he leaves behind is a call to action: to be uncompromising in our principles, to name injustices wherever we see them and to be fearless in our pursuit of the truth. Other speakers included the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, former Archbishop of Karachi Cardinal Joseph Coutts and other leaders who promote religious liberty around the globe. Statements from several U.S. senators and international leaders were also featured during the event. U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Chairwoman Gayle Manchin shared that violent extremism has increased and religious minorities remain a target in the years following Bhattis death. Pakistans blasphemy laws are still being enforced vigorously with dozens of innocents languishing on death row and others serving lengthy prison terms, Manchin said. Now, more than ever, the U.S. government must send a message that there will be consequences for these egregious abuses. Manchin said the world continues to gain strength from Mr. Bhattis legacy. He defended a vision of a diverse, multicultural, and multi-religious society, the USCIRF chairwoman added. He opposed Pakistans blasphemy laws as a stark contrast to that vision, and he paid the ultimate price for that courage. Mr. Bhattis death was not in vain, and it will inspire and encourage us to keep pressing on until his vision is realized. Former U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., known by many as an impassioned advocate for international religious freedom, knew Bhatti as a giant in the Christian faith. He was a martyr and he was one of the most courageous and dedicated men I have ever known, Wolf shared in his video statement. Jesus said, This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this that someone lay down his life for his friends. Shahbaz Bhatti did this. In the final interview before his death, which was shared in the virtual event, Bhatti said he understood his life was on the line for his stand against a radical philosophy and call to abolish blasphemy laws that oppressed minority faiths. But I want to share that I believe in Jesus Christ who has given his own life for us, Bhatti said I am ready for a cause for my community and suffering people and I will die to defend their rights. I would prefer to die for my principle and for the justice of my community rather than to compromise on these threats. A decade later, Pakistans blasphemy laws still lead to persecution of Christians and faith minorities. Under section 295-C of Pakistans penal code, blasphemy is punishable by death. Muslims often abuse the law to settle personal scores with religious minorities. Pakistan ranks as the fifth most dangerous country in the world for Christians, according to Open Doors USAs 2021 World Watch List. Under 2% of the country of over 200 million people is Christian. In a panel discussion moderated by Rehman Chishti, a member of the United Kingdom House of Commons and senior fellow of the Religious Freedom Institute, panelists discussed the lack of religious freedom for minorities in Pakistan, the oppressive nature of blasphemy laws and how to enact the change Bhatti dreamed of and fought for. Panelists included Peter Bhatti, former member of Pakistan Parliament Farahnaz Isaphani, former European Union Special Envoy Jan Figel and former Special Advisor in the Near East and South and Central Asia at the U.S. Department of State Knox Thames. Moving forward, strengthening religious freedom in Pakistan will include external pressure persisting on reform and enacting change in the education system. Isaphani, who served with Bhatti in Pakistan's Parliament, remembers him as a lion of a man. Getting rid of blasphemy laws will be an interfaith global effort, Isaphani said. She said that even though politicians are afraid to talk about it, reform can still occur. Thames said the blasphemy laws empower the most extreme and violent voices. Pakistan must rediscover its roots or oppression will consume the country, he said. In the month before his death, Bhatti shared with The Christian Post in an interview that he had received death threats for speaking against Pakistans blasphemy law. "But I will continue to follow the principles that I believe. I will continue to raise the voice of the voiceless, Bhatti had told CP in the Feb. 11, 2011 interview. And I will not feel fear because of these threats because I follow Jesus Christ who has given his own life for us. So as a follower of Christ, my destiny is to speak up for those who cannot speak up for themselves. The full video tribute and supplemental videos for Bhattis commemoration can be found here. [March 03, 2021] Roll-to-Roll Continuous Inkjet Printed Electronics Demonstrated with PV Nano Cell's Sicrys Conductive Ink MIGDAL HAEMEK, Israel, March 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PV Nano Cell Ltd. (OTC: PVNNF), (the Company), an innovative provider of inkjet-based conductive digital printing solutions and producer of conductive digital inks, today announced that its Sicrys conductive ink was successfully used in Roll-to-Roll (R2R) continues inkjet printing of electronics as part of the DigiMan project. PV Nano Cell project partners were: C.P.C Solutions Ltd., Fraunhofer IKTS and Fraunhofer ENAS, Kerafol Keramische Folien GmbH & Co. KG, RIIT Ltd. OSTEC Group, Technical University of Chemnitz and MEPhI. The DigiMan Project (December 2018 November 2020) developed innovative sensor platforms for agro-industrial applications by providing a digital manufacturing process based on printing technologies and nano-material inks. Such approach enables to miniaturize the sensors, achieve flexibility in the target sensor properties and to realize these sensors in economically affordable batches. As part of the project, Low-cost temperature and humidity sensors were realized in a roll-to-roll industrial inkjet printing system with nano silver inks on PET substrate, demonstrating the ability to print a large quantity of sensors with high yield. Furthermore, a Bluetooth based wireless communication board with an inkjet-printed silver antenna as well as a printed RFID NFC sensor tag were developed for wireless sensor communication. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/691be4e0-1a5d-4b72-8f82-5171a034fcbe https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bd506c2f-2769-4fdc-89a8-495ea336a4ac PV Nano Cells Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Fernando de la Vega, commented, The success of DigiMan project marks yet another valuable advancement of PV Nano Cell in demonstrating the validity of our complete digital conductive printing solutions for mass production applications. Special sensors were developed and printed with our conductive Sicrys inks in a roll-2-roll inkjet and sintering system. This achievement proves the complete solution approach of inks, printers and printing process can be utilized in mass-production roll-to-roll systems, a must for some of the high-volume applications. About PV Nano Cell PV Nano Cell (PVN) offers the first-ever complete solution for mass-produced inkjet based, printed electronics. The proven solution includes PVNs proprietary Sicrys, silver-based conductive inks, inkjet production printers and the complete printing process. The process includes ink properties' optimization, printers parameters setup, printing modifications & tailored printing instructions per application. In the heart of PVNs alue proposition lies its unique and patented conductive silver and coper inks - Sicrys. Those are the only inks made of Single Nano Crystals which allows the inks to have the highest stability and throughput required to drive optimal mass-production results for wide range of applications. PVNs solutions are used all over the world in a range of digital printing applications including: photovoltaics, printed circuit boards, flexible printed circuits, antennas, sensors, heaters, touchscreens and other. For more information, please visit http://www.pvnanocell.com/ About Fraunhofer ENAS The Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Nano Systems ENAS is the specialist and development partner in the field of Smart Systems and their integration for various applications. Fraunhofer ENAS has specialized on the challenge of combining micro and nano sensors, actuators and electronic components with interfaces for communication and a self-sufficient energy supply to form smart systems, thus supporting the Internet of Things and the ongoing digitalization. Fraunhofer ENAS develops single components, manufacturing technologies and system concepts, system integration technologies and actively supports the technology transfer for and with its customers. Whether Start-up, SME or large enterprise, Fraunhofer ENAS offers innovation consulting and supports customer projects, starting from the idea, via design and technology development or realization based on established technologies up to tested prototypes. If standard components do not meet the requirements, Fraunhofer ENAS provides expert assistance in the realization of innovative and marketable products. For more information, please visit https://www.enas.fraunhofer.de/ About TUC Chemnitz University of Technology (German: Technische Universitat Chemnitz, abbreviated TU Chemnitz) is a public university in Chemnitz, Germany. With over 11,000 students, it is the third largest university in Saxony. With approximately 1,500 employees in science, engineering and management, TU Chemnitz counts among the most important employers in the region. TU Chemnitz has many years of experience in the field of manufacturing smart objects and components in "sheet-to-sheet" and "roll-to-roll" manufacturing processes using various printing technologies: screen, gravure, and inkjet printing. For more information, please visit https://www.tu-chemnitz.de/index.html About DigiMan Project DigiMan was a project financed by MANUNET under the European Unions Horizon 2020 research and innovation program. The objective of the DigiMan project was the development of a digital manufacturing process chain based on printing technologies and nanomaterial-based ink formulations for the development of smart sensors and hybrid electronics in different fields of applications. The project developed innovative ceramic- and polymer / paper-based sensor platforms that can be fabricated with environmentally friendly digital additive manufacturing technologies using inkjet or aerosol jet. This makes it possible to miniaturize the sensors, to achieve a flexibility in the target sensor properties and to realize these sensors in economically low cost even for small sensor batch quantities. For more information, please visit https://www.digiman-project.eu/ Forwardlooking Statements This press release contains forwardlooking statements. The words or phrases "would be," "will allow," "intends to," "will likely result," "are expected to," "will continue," "is anticipated," "estimate," "project," or similar expressions are intended to identify "forwardlooking statements." All information set forth in this news release, except historical and factual information, represents forwardlooking statements. This includes all statements about the Company's plans, beliefs, estimates and expectations. These statements are based on current estimates and projections, which involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forwardlooking statements. These risks and uncertainties include issues related to: rapidly changing technology and evolving standards in the industries in which the Company operates; the ability to obtain sufficient funding to continue operations, maintain adequate cash flow, profitably exploit new business, and sign new agreements. For a more detailed description of the risks and uncertainties affecting PV Nano Cell, reference is made to the Company's latest Annual Report on Form 20-F which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the other risk factors discussed from time to time by the Company in reports filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Except as otherwise required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Emerging Markets Consulting, LLC Mr. James S. Painter III President w: 1 (321) 206-6682 m: 1 (407) 340-0226 f: 1 (352) 429-0691 email: jamespainter@emergingmarketsllc.com website: www.emergingmarketsllc.com PV Nano Cell Ltd Dr. Fernando de la Vega CEO w: 972 (04) 654-6881 f: 972 (04) 654-6880 email: fernando@pvnanocell.com website: www.pvnanocell.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 03, 2021] Las Vegas Valley Water District Selects VODA.ai's Machine Learning to Support Decision-Making BOSTON, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- VODA.ai today announced it has signed with the Las Vegas Valley Water District as their exclusive provider of artificial intelligence and machine learning decision support software. VODA.ai is excited to partner with LVVWD to provide a virtual condition assessment of their entire water main pipe network. Smart decisions with artificial intelligence "In this challenging time, we are excited to use the predictive modeling from VODA.ai a another tool to help make better decisions in the future," said Doa Ross, Deputy General Manager Engineering at SNWA and LVVWD. "When Las Vegas Water District replaces pipes, we often have only two pieces of information to make expensive decisions: the age of the pipes and the history of pipe failures. With VODA.ai's daVinci machine learning toolset, we can now make more informed decisions." "The team at LVVWD is a great partner and has been collaborating with us to refine the results of our daVinci engine for years. By expanding this partnership, we are working with the LVVWD team to expand functionality that empowers the broader utility industry as well as helping LVVWD continue to serve the growing population and work toward its goal of a sustainable and efficient water system," said George Demosthenous, CEO at VODA.ai. About VODA.ai: VODA.ai uses artificial intelligence to assess the condition of water mains and help water utilities make smart decisions managing pipe assets. VODA.ai is a Software as a Service company serving utilities worldwide. It is headquartered in Boston Massachusetts. About Las Vegas Valley Water District: The Las Vegas Valley Water District is a not-for-profit water utility that began providing water to the Las Vegas Valley in 1954. The LVVWD serves more than 1.5 million people within the City of Las Vegas and Unincorporated Clark County and is a member of the Southern Nevada Water Authority. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/las-vegas-valley-water-district-selects-vodaais-machine-learning-to-support-decision-making-301239926.html SOURCE VODA.ai [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Intel has been ordered to pay $2.18 billion dollars after losing a lawsuit over two decade-old patents, Bloomberg has reported. A jury ruled that Intel infringed patents related to clock frequencies and voltage owned by a company called VLSI LLC. "Intel strongly disagrees with today's jury verdict," the company told Bloomberg in a statement. "We intend to appeal and are confident that we will prevail." "We are very pleased that the jury recognized the value of the innovations as reflected in the patents and are extremely happy with the jury verdict," said VLSI chief executive Michael Stolarski in a statement. The patents, dating back to 2010 and 2012, have changed hands a number of times over the years. They were originally awarded to FreeScale Semiconductor and SigmaTel, but FreeScale later bought SigmaTel and was eventually swallowed itself up by NXP Semiconductors in 2015. VLSI was a legitimate semiconductor company founded in 1979 and was one of the original investing partners in ARM Ltd. It was purchased by Philips in 1999 for $1 billion, and parts of it survive today inside the Philips spin-off NXP. Separately, VLSI LLC started up again four years ago and regained control of the two patents. However, Intel lawyer William Lee argued that the company has no products and its only potential source off revenue is the lawsuit. "VLSI] took two patents off the shelf that hadnt been used for 10 years and said, Wed like $2 billion, Lee told the jury. The case was fought in the US District Court for the Western District of Texas under Judge Alan Albright. Albright is "a former patent litigator and magistrate who was sworn in as a federal judge in 2018 and has quickly turned his courtroom into one of the most popular for patent owners to file suit," Bloomberg noted. Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly has condemned a hoax bomb alert at his constituency office in North Belfast (Brian Lawless/PA) Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly has condemned a bogus bomb alert at his office. The North Belfast representative said he was informed that a device had been left at his constituency office late on Tuesday. I was told that this bomb threat was phoned in from a loyalist area. This threat should be condemned in the strongest terms, he said. This is the second incident of intimidation targeted at my recently opened constituency office in recent days but will not stop me or any other Sinn Fein activist from working for all the people of North Belfast. The PSNI said officers received a report of a suspicious object in the Antrim Road area shortly after 11.40pm on Tuesday. Officers attended the scene and carried out a thorough public safety operation in the area and nothing untoward was found, the PSNI said in a statement. Inquiries are continuing and police would appeal to anyone with any information in relation to this matter to contact them on 101, quoting reference number 2204 02/03/21. Current Affairs A History of the Turks & Caicos Islands by H.E. Sadler. Bertie Sadler (now deceased) was for many years a resident of Grand Turk and served in the TCI Government for several years. His book was published in several formats over the years, starting in the late 1960s and achieved recognition both here and abroad, but has been out of print until this new edition, published by the authors daughter, Marjorie Sadler. The new publication is a 434-page hard cover book rich in illustrations, statistics, historical maps, charts, and recounts in detail the history of Turks and Caicos from the earliest times to the present years. It presents a compelling argument - shared by many historians - for the theory that Columbus made his first landfall on the island of Grand Turk, and gives an overview of the Lucayan culture existing on the islands at that time. It goes on to document the islands colourful past as a rendezvous for Caribbean pirates and the Bermuda privateers and mariners who pioneered the salt making industry in the seventeenth century. In the Eighteenth Century, the Turks and Caicos Islands were placed under a Bahamian custodianship, which didnt sit well with the islanders, who later successfully lobbied England for a form of self-government and separation from the Bahamas in 1848. The period known as the Presidency, which followed unfortunately ended in bankruptcy after 25 years, and TCI became wards of Jamaica until 1962. A subsequent re-alignment with The Bahamas came to an end on that countrys independence in 1973, and the islands thus reverted to its status as a British Crown Colony. The islands political and constitutional advancement, starting in 1976 with JAGS McCartney, the first Chief Minister, is also recorded with events up to the present. Landfalls history includes copious information on the salt economy, and its demise, as well as the settlement and development of the Caicos Islands during and after the Loyalist period. There are extensive sections dealing with slavery in the islands, the role played by religious institutions, experiments in agriculture, the fishing industry and later the development of a tourism industry. There is a vast trove of documented shipwrecks that occurred In the Islands, as well as some of the devastating hurricanes impacting the islands. This work is a valuable resource for students and followers of TCIs historical background and cultural heritage; it is now available at outlets in Provo and Grand Turk and can also be ordered online via the website. Copies are to be made available to Libraries and schools in Turks and Caicos. Contact: marjorie@turksislandslandfall.com. 331-2338/232-8951 30,000 Feet, an organization that empowers Black students in St. Paul through culture, art, technology and social justice, will use their grant to expand their distance learning support program. The program ensures that at least 100 students will have access to a laptop computer, small group tutoring sessions and holistic services that support mental and physical well-being. "We're fortunate to have deep connections on the East side of St. Paul. We've been around a long time, with a rich reserve of families that we've been successful with and those families trust us," said Kevin Robinson, Executive Director of 30,000 Feet. "This pandemic has shown we need to move with urgency to deal with the digital divide, and the easiest way to do so is with organizations like ours that can deepen existing relationships. Relationship-focused solutions will have the best long-term ramifications for our community's growth." The grants awarded support a variety of strategies to enhance digital learning for Minnesota students, focusing on organizations serving students who are Black, Indigenous or People of Color in kindergarten through grade 12. These strategies include: Technology tools, internet infrastructure and connectivity: Examples include the distribution of laptops, tech licenses and creation of comprehensive device solutions for students by Change Inc and Breakthrough Twin Cities , fiber internet installation for student computer labs in the Lower Sioux Indian Community in the State of Minnesota and the dissemination of reliable internet hotspots in the Twin Cities metro area by PCs for People. Culturally responsive and wrap-around support approaches: Organizations are responding to the unique learning needs of their community, like the Centro Tyrone Guzman, CLUES, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, the Hmong American Partnership, South Sudanese Foundation and Project Nandi, fiscally sponsored by WoMN Act. Safe spaces for learning, tutoring and mentoring: Organizations including Boise Forte Tribal Government will provide computer labs for students without adequate home access to school and tech support. Positive Image that will create virtual tutoring initiatives to provide Black and other underrepresented mentors and tutors to students. Unique financial solutions: A partnership between Venn Foundation and Youthprise will provide loans to families for devices and/or digital support that will be reimbursable from the family's K-12 Education Tax Credit. Grants were awarded based on expert insights identifying key priorities for allocating funding, and a review committee comprised of community members with a broad range of experience and geographic representation chose the recipients. Funding will be provided to programs throughout Minnesota, in a mix of urban, rural and Indigenous settings. A full list of grant recipients and the grant award process can be found here. "These partnerships are evidence philanthropy can come together in Minnesota and make an impact even in isolated, remote parts of the state that are often forgotten. This pandemic created a different landscape of understanding what access means in Minnesota's rural, isolated and sparse populations, from the inability to connect to reliable and affordable internet to the immense toxic stress added by the financial crisis of lay-offs and the State shutdown," said Tuleah Palmer, CEO of Blandin Foundation, which serves as one of the founding partners of ConnectedMN. "This effort to collectively advance issues that improve the quality of life for folks shows we don't have to breakdown we can breakthrough. We are not going back to normal; we are going to bounce forward into a whole new level of well-being and I am excited to see what we get done next." A Joint Approach Grants were supported by 36 local companies and foundations through MCBRE and/or through ConnectedMN. These organizations include, Best Buy, Bush Foundation, Cargill Foundation, Target and The Margaret A. Cargill Foundation Fund at the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation. A full list of funders to both organizations be found here. Says Dave MacLennan, chairman and CEO at Cargill, "As a global company, based in Minnesota, we know that a strong K-12 education system is how we prepare a strong future workforce and keep our headquarters' community competitive. Systemic inequality persists in education, and digital access is one of the greatest divides. Minnesota students deserve more. The Minnesota Business Coalition for Racial Equity connects Cargill with other Twin Cities companies, allowing us to combine our resources and deliver much-needed impact." More Help is Needed To reach more students, companies and organizations are encouraged to contribute financially to the Digital Learning Fund or provide in-kind gifts (like devices and connectivity services). Learn more about these opportunities here. Educators, local governments and prospective grant applicants are also encouraged to reach out. About Minnesota Business Coalition for Racial Equity The mission of Minnesota Business Coalition for Racial Equity (MBCRE) is to build an equitable, inclusive and prosperous State with and for Black Minnesotans. Developed in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, MBCRE is made up of more than 80 companies, small businesses and community organizations who are focused on efforts that address systemic racism through changing public policy, creating more opportunities in the workplace, activating allyship, and supporting philanthropic practices through mechanisms like the collective's Digital Learning Fund. Contributors to MBCRE's Digital Learning Fund include: 3M, Best Buy, Boston Scientific, Bush Foundation, Carlson Family Foundation, Cargill Foundation, Delta Dental of Minnesota, General Mills Foundation, Mortenson, nVent, Opus Foundation, Target, Thrivent Financial, Travelers and US Bank Foundation. About Partnership for a ConnectedMN In 2020, Partnership for a ConnectedMN was created in collaboration with the administration of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. Best Buy, Comcast, the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, Blandin Foundation, and Minnesota Business Partnership established ConnectedMN to ensure students and families from both urban and rural communities hit hardest by the sudden shift to online schools have the tools and support they need to participate in digital learning and digital life, including low-income, Indigenous and students of color. In September 2020, ConnectedMN awarded $2.1 million in grants to support the connectivity needs of 68,000 students and their families. Contributors to ConnectedMN include: Alerus Financial, Allianz Life Insurance Company, Andersen Corporation, Best Buy, Blandin Foundation, Boston Scientific, Bush Foundation, Comcast, Ecolab Foundation, Ernst & Young, F. R. Bigelow Foundation, Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation, GHR Foundation, Mardag Foundation, Minnesota Business Partnership, Minneapolis Foundation, Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Vikings, Protolabs Foundation, Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, Securian Financial, SPS Commerce Foundation, The Margaret A. Cargill Foundation Fund at the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, Vantage Financial and Xcel Energy. SOURCE Cargill, Inc. and Minnesota Business Coalition for Racial Equity Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 In this Nov. 10, 2016, file photo, people walk past a Microsoft office in New York. China-based government hackers have exploited a bug in Microsoft's email server software to target U.S. organizations, the company said Tuesday, March 2, 2021. (AP Photo/Swayne B. Hall, File) China-based government hackers have exploited a bug in Microsoft's email server software to target U.S. organizations, the company said Tuesday. Microsoft said that a "highly skilled and sophisticated" state-sponsored group operating from China has been trying to steal information from a number of American targets, including universities, defense contractors, law firms and infectious-disease researchers. Microsoft said it has released security upgrades to fix the vulnerabilities to its Exchange Server software, which is used for work email and calendar services, mostly for larger organizations that have their own in-person email servers. It doesn't affect personal email accounts or Microsoft's cloud-based services. The company said the hacking group it calls Hafnium was able to trick Exchange servers into allowing it to gain access. The hackers then masqueraded as someone who should have access and created a way to control the server remotely so that they could steal data from an organization's network. Microsoft said the group is based in China but operates from leased virtual private servers in the U.S., helping it avoid detection. The company based in Redmond, Washington, declined to name any specific targets or say how many organizations were affected. Reston, Virginia-based cybersecurity firm Volexity, which Microsoft credits for helping to detect the intrusions, said its network security monitoring service began picking up on a suspiciously large data transfer in late January. "They're just downloading email, literally going to town," said Steven Adair, Volexity's president, who said the targets have included "defense contractors, international aid and development organizations, the NGO think-tank community." Adair said he's concerned that the hackers will accelerate their activity in the coming days before organizations are able to install Microsoft's security upgrades. "As bad as it is now, I think it's about to get a lot worse," he said. "This gives them a limited amount of opportunity to go and exploit something. The patch isn't going to fix that if they left their backdoor behind." 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Why changing goalposts? Salman Khurshid asks 'G-23' in open letter India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Mar 03: The disquiet within the Congress continues to grow with senior party leader Salman Khurshid asking ''Group of 23'' leaders in an ''open letter'' if they were changing their goal posts and whether it was fair on their part to kick the ladder that they climbed to reach the top storey of life. Khurshid, a former Union minister, asked them to worry about how they would be judged in history than to seek a better place in the present. His remarks come after a public display of anger displayed by the G-23 leaders led by veteran Ghulam Nabi Azad in Jammu. He said they along with other Congress leaders must show the ordinary party workers across the country the path out of the present darkness towards sunshine instead of raising concerns about what they received, while noting that sacrifice cannot come with pre-conditions of success. He also quoted former US President John Kennedy''s words "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country (read party)", to say that the thousands of unnamed Congress cadres, who gave to the Congress, but unavoidably received little or nothing in return, too believe in democracy unlike the G-23 leaders who have an impressive history of achievements. "We thought the G-23 made their point and were suitably informed that party elections will be held when appropriate (something they agreed to in their interaction with the Congress president and later at the CWC). But are they changing the goal posts once again with the public display of disquiet (or reservations) in Jammu and as we are being told, very soon in Haryana," he asked in the open letter. "Gumnam of Congress too care about democracy", Khurshid said in the letter. The senior Congress leader said the growing dark footprint of communal forces has pushed the party into "forced errors" of becoming self conscious. "As a result we shy away from speaking about minorities and put on a public display of identifying with the cultural symbols of the majority that have largely been appropriated by the BJP. We have been forced to accept ''mistakes'' made by our heroes because public mood appears to require it. Obviously this calls for careful balancing of reality and perception, strategy and ideology," he noted. Khurshid said all leaders, old and young, happy and unhappy, need to come together to deal with this challenge instead of cribbing about real and imagined democratic deficits. "They must not forget that democracy is a process, not static in time. Ultimately it is a relevant question whether it is fair to kick the very ladder you have climbed to the top storey of life from where making speeches is easy. But do think of the many who did not make it to the ladder, the elevated platforms being far beyond reach," the former minister noted. He said that there are two ways of spending these dark moments -- to count blessings and the moments of joy and comfort the party has given; or else to wing about what was not received. "If we choose the latter what conviction will we carry with the innumerable workers who continue to hope that the darkness will give way. Besides, how will we be judged by history? It might be more important to worry about that than to seek a better place in the present," Khurshid said. The senior Congressman said just as the names of national martyrs are engraved on India Gate, there are records in the Congress office where innumerable names are embossed as part of its history and "for most that is enough recognition". For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 3, 2021, 22:47 [IST] Minister of the Interior Lucian Bode announced today having sacked the heads of the Bacau County Police and of the Onesti Police, as well as their deputies, and having notified the Prosecutor's Office for negligence in service in connection with the response of the police in the case of a man who held two workers hostage for several hours before stabbing them to death, according to AGERPRES. The Minister of the Interior also specified that he notified the competent prosecutor's office about the settlement of the complaints submitted prior to the event. Bode offered condolences to the families of the victims and presented the results of the preliminary investigation into the Onesti double stabbing case. "Regarding the response of the management of the Bacau County Police Inspectorate, and I am referring here to the Chief Inspector and his deputy (...), the deputy arrived late at the scene, minimizing the severity of the incident. Although the author had threatened several times that he will resort to violence, no legal measures have been ordered in this regard. (...) The management of the Bacau County Police Inspectorate did not make full use of all the available data and did not fully and correctly inform their superiors for multiple resources to be dispatched," said Lucian Bode. He added that the head of the Onesti Police and his deputy overlooked the author's past behavior and his previous threats were not properly documented. "There was a faulty communication between the command factors, which caused a lack coordination in action and failure to take responsibility," added Bode, who emphasized that he will not tolerate any deficiency in the actions aimed at citizen safety. The author of the stabbings, Gheorghe Morosan, will be heard by the prosecutor in the case opened against him for aggravated murder, when his health condition allows it. 68-year-old Gheorghe Morosan sequestered on Monday two workers - ages 36 and 52 - in an apartment in Onesti and later stabbed them at the end of 6 hours of negotiations which went fail. Police then opened fire, broke in the apartment and shot the aggressor. One of the victims was pronounced dead at the scene, the other died at the hospital. The aggressor was hospitalized for medical care. The apartment where the murders were committed had belonged to the aggressor, but is now Chimcomplex property following eviction. The perpetrator of the double killing was convicted four times in 1987, 1991, 1992 and 2010, the last time in Italy for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Three female journalists from Enikass TV were shot dead by unknown gunmen in two separate attacks as they attempted to return home from work on March 2. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) strongly condemn the horrendous attack and call for urgent measures to rectify the deplorable safety situation for media workers in the country. Hospital workers and relatives shift the body of one of three female media workers shot to death in two separate attacks, at a hospital in Jalalabad on March 2, 2021. Credit: NOORULLAH SHIRZADA / AFP Mursal Wahidi, Sadia Sadat, and Shahnaz Roafi, who all worked in Enikass TVs dubbing division, were gunned down in different locations in the eastern city of Jalalabad, in Nangarhar province. Saadia and Shahnaz were the first to be shot in Jalalabad police district one (PD1) around 4 pm, while Mursal Habibi was killed in police district four (PD4) within minutes of that attack. The triple murder is the latest in a string of targeted attacks on media workers which is happening on the backdrop of US-brokered attempts to negotiate an end to the countrys civil war. Ekinass had earlier informed Afghanistansnational intelligence agency about threats to its staff, but had no information of threats directed at particular employees.On December 10, 2020, Malala Maiwand, a female TV anchor for Enikass TV and Radio, was also killed by gunmen in Nangarhar.The Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the shooting, terming her a pro-regime journalist. Enikass TV director, Zalmay Latifi, said the network was accustomed to receiving threats from groups active in the region for its news coverage and had taken precautions to protect its staff. According to AIJA, the assailants fled from the scene following the assassinations. No group has claimed responsibility for the murder but AIJA said the negligence of the Afghan security forces had exacerbated an already dire safety situation. Afghan police later reported the arrest of a key Taliban leader in connection with the murders but the Taliban denied its involvement in an issued statement. Since peace talks started between the Taliban and the Afghan government in September 2020, attacks against media workers have continued to rise. The UN mission in Afghanistan has report ed that at least 11 human defenders and media workers were killed in targeted attacks in Afghanistan from September 12 to January 31, 2021. IFJ monitoring has recorded six deaths of media workers since that time. The IFJ said the killing of female media workers Mursal Wahidi, Sadia Sadat, and Shahnaz Roafi ahead of International Women Day on March 8 was particularly painful, while calling for regional solidarity. The AIJA said: AIJA condemns the killing and terms the attack as an attack against freedom of speech and humanity. AIJA believes that the Afghan forces negligence regarding the assassinations led to the increased attacks on journalist and media workers. The IFJ General Secretary, Anthony Bellanger, said:The IFJ is alarmed by the brutal nature of these pre-meditated killings. Women journalists contend with multiple layers of threat and obstacles to their participation in the media without the threat of losing their lives on their way home from work. The Afghanistan government must intensify its efforts to protect journalists who literally risk their lives to keep the country informed. Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting of the Presidium of the State Council, via a video conference call in Sochi, Russia, on Sept. 28, 2020. (Sputnik/Alexei Druzhinin/Kremlin via Reuters) Is the US Becoming Less Free Than Russia? Commentary Russia gets bad press, deservedly so. Corruption is rampant, journalists and other critics of President Vladimir Putin have met untimely ends, mass political protests are met with batons, the LGBTQ community suffers restrictions of a kind that ended decades ago in most Western countries, and religions seen as disloyal to the nationa radical Muslim offshoot and Jehovahs Witnesses are examplesarent tolerated. Yet, by some measuressome more personal than politicalRussia today affords its citizens more rights, more respect, and more accountability than the United States, Canada, and other Western countries, where fundamental freedoms can no longer be taken for granted. The decline of U.S. freedom is clearest since COVID-19, where under the guise of a real medical pandemic, [the United States is] really moving into a coup situation, a police state situation, states Naomi Wolf, a former adviser to President Bill Clinton who has been warning of the rise of tyranny in America since her 2007 bestseller, The End of America. The state has now crushed businesses, kept us from gathering in free assembly to worship as the First Amendment provides, is invading our bodies [and is] restricting movement. In contrast, Russia ended its nationwide six-week shutdown in May 2020, with bars and restaurants reopening with social distancing measures, and has refused to countenance a second nationwide lockdown. When regional or local lockdowns subsequently occurred, they tended to be short-lived or targeted, such as lockdowns of those 65 years of age and older, forcing bars and restaurants to close at 11 p.m., or requiring temperature checks before admitting patrons to Moscows theater and concert halls. Churches were often defiant. Pointing to the Russian constitutions guarantee of separation between church and state, many if not most remained open for Easter. The tyranny that the United States and other Western countries embraced via COVID-19 was short-lived and relatively tepid in Russia. After COVID-19 concerns end, the U.S. cancel culture will remain, threatening the livelihoods of millions of employees in universities, arts organizations, major corporations, and governments who dare dissent from the orthodoxy. Even heroes such as George Washington and Abraham Lincoln are being canceled for not being pure enough, or being too white and male. In effect, large pluralities of American society who combined represent the majority of Americans are subject to discipline for being allegedly racist, xenophobic, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, or otherwise suspect. In Russia, the Wests cancel culture phenomenon and the political correctness that fuels it, doesnt exist, so much so that an opinion article in the liberal Moscow Times, a critic of Putin and the Kremlin, bemoans the insensitive talk thats rife throughout Russia, including by politicians: In any other country with a modicum of political correctness, fellow lawmakers and public opinion would have forced these politicians to resign. Some countries would have charged them under hate-speech or extremism laws. Russians arent only free to be politically incorrect, they also dont feel disenfranchised from their political leadership. Unlike the millions of Americans who doubt that President Joe Biden garnered more votes than Donald Trump in the presidential election, few Russians, even among political enemies, dispute Putins electoral victory. As shown by the internationally respected Levada polling company, Putin has been consistently popular with approval numbers that far exceed those of Biden or Trump before him. Russians much more approve of their federal legislators than Americans do of their congressional leaders, and Russians also endorse their many governors. Contrary to the spin from the anti-Putin, anti-Russia Western media, Alexei Navalny, a political opponent of Putins who was poisoned and then jailed, may be lionized by many in the West, but his approval rating is only 19 percent, and hes most trusted by only 4 percent of Russians, compared to 32 percent who most trust Putin. Only 17 percent of Russians are confident that Navalnys inflammatory filmPalace for Putin: History of the Worlds Biggest Bribe, which claims he owns a $1.5 billion palaceisnt an unfair slander. Although Russia is a multinational state with close to 200 ethnic minorities, many of them represented in ethnically based national republics and autonomous regions, Russia has avoided the deep divisions and identity politics seen in the United States. If anything, the ethnic minorities tend to be even more supportive of Putin than ethnic Russians, despite Putins Russia First platform, or perhaps because of it. With the possible exception of Chechnya, where Muslim extremists have waged war against the federal government, the ethnic minorities tend to be patriotic Russians. Religious minorities also tend to be freer in Russia than in many Western countries, where they are subject to intolerance or worse. Anti-Semitism has been rising in the United States, Canada, the UK, and France, leading many Jews to emigrate to Israel or other countries perceived to be safe. Jews dont leave Russia for fear of attacksPutin and the Russian establishment are vigilant in making Russias Jews feel welcome, leading many Jews who emigrated to Israel from the former Soviet Union to return to Russia (pdf). Russians dont aspire to be woke Americans and Americans dont aspire to live under Russian-style strong-man rule. But unless the trend reverses, Americans could do worse than Russia-level liberties. Were turning into a version of a totalitarian state before everyones eyes, Wolf fears. Lawrence Solomon is a columnist, an author, and the policy director of Toronto-based Probe International. @LSolomonTweets LawrenceSolomon@nextcity.com Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. State Adding Teachers, School Staff to List Eligible to Receive Vaccine Today, I am directing every state to prioritize educators for vaccination. We want every educator, school staff member, and child-care worker to receive at least one shot by the end of this month. Its time to treat in-person learning like the essential service that it is. President Biden (@POTUS) March 2, 2021 GLOUCESTER, Mass. Educators, early educators and school staff will be eligible to make appointments through the commonwealth's system to receive COVID-19 vaccines starting next week, Gov. Charlie Baker announced on Wednesday morning. Making a stop at West Parish Elementary School, Baker said educators, who were next on the state's priority list for its phased vaccination rollout, will be able to schedule appointments starting Thursday, March 11. At least five times during a half-hour appearance with the media, Baker returned to what is now a nearly daily theme in his press briefings: the commonwealth has more capacity to deliver vaccines than it has supply of the vaccines, and demand far exceeds that supply. Baker said ]adding educators and school staff next week will increase the pool of eligible Bay Staters by about 400,000. "They'll join several of the other currently eligible groups, including everyone over the age of 65 and folks with two or more [medical] conditions who are working their way through the system for the past couple of weeks," Baker said. "The 65-plus group and the two health conditions group, between them, represent about a million residents. So far, we've received enough vaccine to vaccinate, so far, one third of the people in that category. "The math on this is pretty straightforward. If we add 400,000 people on March 11 to the eligible pool, that will mean we'll be back to having about a million people who are eligible to receive a vaccine. And, as I said, we currently receive about 150,000 first doses per week from the federal government." Baker said he was disappointed when the Biden administration informed the nation's governors on a Tuesday conference call that the federal government will not be distributing any more doses of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine until at least the end of March. "Johnson & Johnson had very significant commitments they made as part of the financial support they received under Operation Warp Speed," Baker said. "A lot of us were anticipating that once they got approved, they would meet those commitments. They're way less than half of what was presumed to come in March. Maybe they'll make up for that in April." Teachers and school staff will not have a designated status in the state's COVID-19 vaccination appointment system, Baker said. They will simply become part of the existing pool of eligible residents on March 11. Berkshire superintendents had been hoping to vaccinate teachers en masse as was done for health care facilities. The state does hope to set aside certain days for school staff at its mass vaccination sites like Springfield's Eastfield Mall. Baker said he does not have details on when those dates will be but said they likely would take place on weekends. Baker was asked whether moving school staff ahead in the line effectively moves everyone else back. "If the supply numbers don't change, yeah," Baker said. But he made the announcement Tuesday to ensure that there is no confusion between the state's rules and federal guidelines about vaccine eligibility. President Joseph Biden on Monday called on states to prioritize teachers in their vaccine distribution in a move that immediately was hailed by the president of the American Federation of Teachers, a union of 1.7 million members who endorsed Biden for president in 2020. Baker also Wednesday said the state's Board of Elementary and Secondary Education on Friday would decide whether to give the commissioner of education power to determine whether remote or hybrid learning models satisfy state education requirements for elementary schools effective April 1. "Around 80 percent of the state's schools are hybrid or in-person, but obviously, we'd like to see more kids in class more often," Baker said as he joined West Parish in celebrating its 101st day of in-person instruction this year. "There are schools all over Massachusetts operating in person since September and doing a wonderful job of managing COVID along the way. We also have made available to any school that wants it a weekly surveillance program that the state is paying for to start with and that districts can then pay for out of their federal funds. "The CDC's own guidelines don't require vaccinations for schools to open." Baker said the state has administered about 88 percent of the vaccinations it has received and that the single-dose nature of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine once it is received in large quantities will make it easier to manage the process. "Every single person vaccinated so far had to go back and get a second vaccine," Baker said. "We've administered 1.8 million shots. About 1.2 million have been first doses. That means between 550,000 and 600,000 people have been fully vaccinated. If this was one shot, we'd have 1.8 million people fully vaccinated." And, not for the first time, Baker defended the commonwealth's strategy of prioritizing its oldest residents and those with comorbidities in the vaccination queue. "The education community was right after 65-plus folks and folks with two comorbidities on our list," Baker said. "Our list came from an advisory panel in Massachusetts that prioritized, first of all, preserving life. And the data was overwhelming that people over 65 and people with comorbidities are most likely to be hospitalized and most likely to die." The worlds first and only national-scale drone delivery service, Zipline, today began the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines to selected health facilities within its service area in Ghana. This makes Ghana the first country in the world to deploy drones on a national scale to deliver COVID-19 vaccines. On 23 February, The COVAX Facility shipped 600,000 doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine, from the Serum Institute of India (SII) from Pune, India to Accra, Ghana. The arrival in Accra is the first batch delivered anywhere in the world by the COVAX Facility as part of an unprecedented effort to deliver at least 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to low- and middle-income countries by the end of 2021. The Government of Ghana will use Ziplines network to deliver its COVID-19 vaccines to ensure rapid, equitable access across the country. Nearly half of Ghana's population lives outside of cities, and those 12 million people are difficult to reach with time-limited, cold chain-dependent vaccines. Ziplines network provides Ghana with a resilient, efficient and equitable distribution strategy. "We are proud to be part of this significant milestone in Ghana where our drone logistics network is able to provide on-demand, last-mile delivery of COVID-19 vaccine at scale across the country, said Zipline CEO and co-founder Keller Rinaudo. Not only does this make Ghana the worlds first country to deploy drones on a national scale for the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, but is also a giant effort in ensuring equitable access and enabling Ghana to fully utilize its healthcare infrastructure to deliver vaccines. The Snr Vice President, Zipline Africa, Daniel Marfo said, This, no doubt, is an exciting time for Africa. We are leading the way in using revolutionary drone technology to provide on-demand delivery of medical supplies and vaccines to our people who need them the most. For many countries, nationwide, equitable distribution -- especially to remote and hard-to-reach regions -- is a daunting challenge. But in Ghana, the established health infrastructure, and Ziplines existing network, makes it possible to deliver to those regions quickly and safely. We are honored to be doing this with our key partners, the Ministry of Health, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the UPS Foundation. With this intervention, we believe Ghana will be in a position to distribute the vaccine as quickly and equitably as possible, said the General Manager of Zipline Ghana, Naa Adorkor Yawson. The vaccines are transferred to the Zipline distribution center by UPS, which is also providing in-country ground delivery support to the governments regional cold stores. Once the vaccines arrive at the Zipline distribution center at Mpanya in the Ashanti region, they are then flown on-demand to health facilities in the region. Asuofua Health Center was the first to receive COVID-19 vaccines via Ziplines drone delivery, and within the next few days, more health facilities and dosing centers will be added as directed by the Ghana Health Service. Zipline & Ghana Partnership & COVID-19 Response Ghana first partnered with Zipline in 2019, setting up its on-demand logistics service in four strategic locations to cover approximately half of the population and some of the countrys hardest-to-reach areas. Since 2019, Zipline Ghana has completed over 50,000 deliveries, distributing more than 450,000 medical commodities. Zipline distributed nearly 1 million routine vaccine doses in 2020 alone. In April 2020, Zipline began delivering COVID-19 test samples to Accra and Kumasi. This marked the first time in history that autonomous drones have been used to make regular long-range deliveries into densely populated urban areas. It was also the first time that drones had been used in this way to deliver COVID-19 test samples. In December 2020, Ghana also deployed Zipline to rapidly distribute personal protective equipment (PPE) to Ghanas poll workers for the presidential election. In less than 24 hours of receiving the request for assistance from the government, Zipline began delivering PPE, and in under 48 hours delivered PPE across the country, enabling polling locations to open safely and hundreds of thousands of Ghanaians to vote. 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 This has placed great strain on bar owners, employees, and, especially, independent vendors like Rosales Gil, whose business depends upon the bar business, but who does not qualify for any government assistance because of her immigration status. Rosales Gil is a single mother of two, a Guatemalan immigrant, and the sole provider for her entire family. A GoFundMe account was set up by DJs Victor Rodriguez and Jerren Ronald to support Rosy. "We really wanted to contribute and help out someone who has been a great ally to the LGBTQ+ community," said Ruby De Fresno, owner of the Faultline Bar. "My parents, like Rosy, arrived in this country as undocumented immigrants. I am familiar with her struggle," she added. The Faultline also presented Rosales Gil with its "Over the Rainbow" award. "We feel it is important to recognize Rosy for being such a great ally," noted De Fresno. "This is about raising awareness for those in need during these unprecedented times," De Fresno remarked. Rosales Gil started vending by herself on the Metro Red Line in Hollywood. Her presence was not welcomed by authorities. Eventually, she set up her stand on the sidewalk outside of the storied Faultline Bar in Silver Lake. Religious and from a country where gay culture is suppressed, Rosales Gil became a fixture in LGTBQ+ nightlife with her quick wit, love for people, and ready smile while serving street food to those she now considers an extended family. The Faultline Bar is an iconic gay venue located in Los Angeles which has been in business for 27 years. Contact: Ruby De Fresno Owner, Faultline Bar Phone: (424) 333-0173 Email: [email protected] Link to GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/97k5gy-rosy-needs-your-help SOURCE Faultline Bar Related Links http://www.faultlinebar.com/ Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High around 65F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 46F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Borsa Italiana non ha responsabilita per il contenuto del sito a cui sta per accedere e non ha responsabilita per le informazioni contenute. Accedendo a questo link, Borsa Italiana non intende sollecitare acquisti o offerte in alcun paese da parte di nessuno. Sarai automaticamente diretto al link in cinque secondi. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 By MICHAEL BALSAMO, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) The U.S. Capitol Police say they have intelligence showing there is a possible plot by a militia group to breach the U.S. Capitol on Thursday. The revelation was detailed in a statement from the Capitol Police. It comes at the same time the acting police chief is testifying before a House subcommittee. The statement differs from an advisory that was sent to members of Congress by the acting House sergeant-at-arms this week, saying that Capitol Police had no indication that groups will travel to Washington D.C. to protest or commit acts of violence. The threat comes nearly two months after thousands of supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol in a violent insurrection as Congress was voting to certify Joe Bidens electoral win. So far, about 300 people have been charged with federal crimes for their roles in the riot. Five people, including a Capitol Police officer, died. The threat appears to be connected to a far-right conspiracy theory, mainly promoted by supporters of QAnon, that Trump will rise again to power on March 4, which was the original presidential inauguration day, until 1933, when it was moved to Jan. 20. Many of the accounts that helped promote and organize the Jan. 6 riots on platforms like Facebook and Twitter have since been suspended, making it more difficult for the groups to organize. GENEVA, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Firmenich, the world's largest privately-owned fragrance and taste company, has teamed up in an exclusive collaboration with world-renowned arts and design college Central Saint Martins in London to reimagine the future of fine fragrance. Twenty-one projects provide a unique, "fragrance forward" vision for game-changing uses of fine fragrance, from heat relief, water conservation, and community empowerment, to mindful eating and scent travel. "Firmenich is empowering a positive future for fine fragrance," said Ilaria Resta, President, Global Perfumery, Firmenich. "Through both RE|GENERATION and Olfactive Design, we are writing a new story including creation, distribution points, distribution methods, and physical or digital experiences, to reinvent the value of fine fragrance. Perfume becomes a social intermediary, identity marker and mindful catalyst." "These inspirational projects with the talented next generation of designers are nourished by science and art. They represent both the future of luxury and the ultimate essence of fine fragrance," added Mehdi Lisi, VP, Global Fine Fragrance, Creation, Development and Innovation (CDI), Firmenich. "We are proud to share this work, co-created with Central Saint Martins." The 14th edition of Firmenich's Olfactive Design program is an unique collaboration with students in the Master of Arts of Narrative Environments and of Material Futures at Central Saint Martins. Partnered with Firmenich Fine Fragrance perfumers, students worked collectively to imagine seven future worlds with both utopian and dystopian attributes: Hope & Re-Enchantment, Danger/Chaos/Risk, Circularity, Generations & Memory, Hybrid Experiences, Identity and Pleasure & Wellbeing. Together, teams co-created prototypes, installations and bespoke fragrances inspired by the students' work to show how fragrance will impact our world in the years to come. Bethany Shepherd, Professor of MA Narrative Environments at Central Saint Martins said: "This is the first time our students have worked with perfume. With the rise in popularity of immersive experiences and meaningful interactions, students were keen to explore how scent can link both personal and cultural memory, and how olfactive experiences connect people to better understand each other and their environments." Global warming has formed urban heat islands in heavily populated areas and cities worldwide, where natural land is replaced with buildings and surfaces that retain heat (such as pavement). Manmade heat affects humans in many ways, from creating additional stress to amplifying illnesses. Looking at the theme of Danger/Chaos/Risk, student Lars Dittrich provides a counterbalance to these islands. As a solution, he created a Fragrance Ventilator that captures hot air as it rises, humidifies and cools the air in a tube, and then releases jets of fragrance from vents as cool, scented breeze. Senior Perfumer Dora Baghriche imagined a scent to emphasize a refreshing sensation, with a green accord to emulate the relieving sensation of vegetal freshness and a mineral facet to suggest an implicit petrichor effect of fresh rain. She also added a touch of Freezestorm, a breakthrough technology, delivering a long-lasting cooling sensation that reinforces the hyper-sensoriality of the project. Addressing the theme of Pleasure & Wellbeing, student Alessia Yu created a program to help individuals temper emotional eating habits at a time when eating disorders are on the rise. Her Mindful Dining experience proposes to restore a person's full awareness of what he or she is tasting, therefore bringing more joy and wellbeing to the individual's life. Olfaction contributes as much as 80-90% to the taste of one's food, thus scent is a powerful tool to engage a person's senses and create a more pleasurable food experience. The dining adventure begins with a customized dessert subscription, delivered with a scent box diffuser and audio-guided meditation. As a person begins the guided, mindful journey, they are introduced to each ingredient and layer of the dessert they're about to eat via fragrances emitted from the diffuser box as well as imagery on screen. This exercise amplifies smells and textures to better appreciate taste. In this example, Firmenich Perfumer Alexis Grugeon brought the dessert experience to life with an addictive banana bread fragrance. Using Smell The Taste technology transporting the individual to thoughts of home-baked goods, he mixed the rich creaminess of banana with notes of walnut, wrapped in a refined orris trail. With the feeling of Hope& Re-Enchantment as a guide, student Aliza Ruzavina created a communal Scent Fountain to help local communities take ownership of the future of their neighborhoods. The fountain lives at the center of each town, and features opinion polls about community issues, such as new building development, industrial changes, traffic density and natural park spaces. When voting, people smell scented tubes around the fountain containing different fragrances related to different outcomes of the poll. Each scent relates to a unique characteristic of what the community could smell like if a change is made. Once a person has smelled all of the options, they cast their ballot by pushing a button. Principal Perfumer Hamid Merati-Kashani imagined a fragrance that argues in favor of positive and eco-conscious communal behaviors, using notes of pink pepper, an exclusive NaturePrint magnolia scent, and biodegradable and renewable Sorbettolide musk as key ingredients. Each of these elements recall the existence of nature in the midst of a city, helping empower the community and people who live there to make healthy and eco-friendly decisions. The impressive, thought-provoking prototypes were showcased in a live, day-long, closed-door exhibit held at Central Saint Martins in London in December 2020. Students walked attendees through their concepts, constructions and fragrance creations. Access to the projects is now available exclusively on Firmenich's RE|GENERATION website so that customers and consumers can view the intricate works via images and video footage of each project. Additional content will be added bi-weekly, covering new themes, projects and insights. "Olfactive Design encourages us to think about the future of fine fragrance through new uses and application techniques. As the world changes, from climate issues to political and cultural unrest, so does our perfumery. Our industry has the ability to course correct current and future concerns, as fragrance plays a critical role in the wellbeing of future generations," said Associate Perfumer Alexis Grugeon. Since 1998, Firmenich's Olfactive Design program explores a thematic from artistic and sensorial standpoints. Each edition offers a unique experience engaging our senses as well as our imagination. This exclusive immersion takes us on an olfactive journey showcasing the creativity of our Fine Fragrance perfumers from Paris, New York, Sao Paulo and Dubai, who work with full creative freedom. Launched in July 2020, celebrating Firmenich's 125-year legacy and leadership in Fine Fragrance, RE|GENERATION is a global call-to-action embracing the radical optimism of change and examining how it will shape the future of the fine fragrance industry. The movement invites the fragrance community, customers, consumers, artists and influencers to work together to innovate, rejuvenate and drive the transformation of Fine Fragrance. @FirmenichFine FragranceIsCulture RegenerationReset. For more about Olfactive Design and RE|GENERATION, please visit: https://regeneration.firmenich.com/ . About Firmenich Firmenich, the world's largest privately-owned fragrance and taste company, was founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1895, and has been family-owned for 125 years. Firmenich is a leading business-to-business company specialized in the research, creation, manufacture and sale of perfumes, flavors and ingredients. Renowned for its world-class research and creativity, as well as its leadership in sustainability, Firmenich offers its customers superior innovation in formulation, a broad and high-quality palette of ingredients, and proprietary technologies including biotechnology, encapsulation, olfactory science and taste modulation. Firmenich had an annual turnover of 3.9 billion Swiss Francs at end June 2020. More information about Firmenich is available at www.firmenich.com About Central Saint Martins University Central Saint Martins, UAL is globally renowned for the creative energy of its students, staff and graduates. Its educational reputation across art, design and performance is demonstrated by alumni who shape the world including Grace Wales Bonner, Matty Bovan, Terence Conran, Michael Fassbender, Antony Gormley, Craig Green, Tom Hardy, Isaac Julien, Jean Jullien, Christopher Kane, Helen Marten, Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, Morag Myerscough, Sandy Powell, Laure Prouvost and Raqib Shaw among many others. Central Saint Martins is part of University of the Arts London (UAL), an international center for innovative teaching and research in arts, design, fashion, communication and the performing arts. www.arts.ac.uk/csm Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1448849/Firmenich_Olfactive_Design.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1357990/Firmenich_Logo.jpg It is a race against time as forest officials in Odisha are trying to control the spread of a raging wildfire in Similipal National Park in Mayurbhanj district On Wednesday the government sent a high-level team to examine the forest fire situation and control the raging inferno which has been raging for a week and spreading to newer areas. Native Voice/ Twitter Odisha Forest and Environment Minister BK Arukha said the state government has asked the principal chief conservator of forests, wildlife, to rush to Similipal. "I have asked the PCCF, Wildlife to ascertain the cause of the fire, control the inferno and examine the situation. He will submit a report to the state government on Thursday," the minister said. The raging flames continue to spread from one part to another devouring eight out of the total 21 ranges of the Similipal forest division so far. San_Joy/ Twitter The fire has already spread to Betanoti, Rasgobindpur and Morada forest ranges of the national park, spread across 2,750 sq km, endangering wild animals including tigers, besides burning a large number of medicinal plants, herbs and big trees. Similipal biosphere reserve of Mayurbhanj, Odisha is a treasure trove of flora & fauna. It also provides livelihood to thousands of people. Today, it needs protection from a raging fire. Pls spread the word on #WorldWildlifeDay & push the BJD govt towards action. Navajyoti Patnaik (@NavjyotiPatnaik) March 3, 2021 Over 1,000 people, including 250 forest guards and local volunteers, are engaged in the firefight. Forty vehicles including fire tenders and 240 blowers are being used in the operation, a senior official said. Massive fire engulfs parts of Similipal forest in Mayurbhanj reportedly causing extensive damage to flora and fauna. Union Min Dharmendra Pradhan shows concern#Odisha pic.twitter.com/on9Ie6GN4N OTV (@otvnews) March 2, 2021 The development came a day after Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar, expressed concern over the situation and ordered action to control the forest fire. Union MSME Minister Pratap Sarangi tweeted, "Similipal is burning and it''s not a good sign for Asia. Mayurbhanj needs national and international''s media attention as its cause is genuine. Sad, not any leading national media is covering the story of Similipal since fire broke a week ago." Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan, had earlier tweeted: "Distressed to learn about the forest fire raging in Similipal Tiger Reserve from social media platform. Request the urgent attention of Shri @PrakashJavadekar and CM Shri@Naveen _Odisha on this alarming situation at one of the most important biosphere reserves of the country." Distressed to learn about the forest fires raging in Simlipal Tiger Reserve from social media platforms. Request the urgent attention of Shri @PrakashJavdekar and CM Shri @Naveen_Odisha on this alarming situation at one of the most important biosphere reserves of the country. https://t.co/ZvbLRpgq7z Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) March 2, 2021 As the fire continues environmentalists have expressed concern that there will be an increase in poaching incidents as animals fleeing the blaze could become easy targets. Photos from Simlipal, please keep sharing photos and videos from on ground. This has been going on for 10 days and we are losing animals as we speak!Many endangered and being primed for illegal patching which will be rampant over the next few days as animals look for safe ground pic.twitter.com/OXR5JxsUZh Akshita M. Bhanj Deo (@TheGreatAshB) March 2, 2021 Similipal is Odisha's oldest tiger reserve and as per the data available in 2020 it was home to eight big cats. It is also part of the Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve and is home to several species including tiger, elephant, gaur and deer. Two young men were arrested by local people during their escape after a failed attempt to rob a bank with a gun in Vietnam. The armed robbery took place at the Agribank - Ha Tien branch at 37 Lam Son Street in Dong Ho Ward in Ha Tien City, Kien Giang Province, police in the city said on Tuesday afternoon. At around 4:30 pm that day, two young men wearing face masks, helmets, and a backpack walked into the branch and threatened bankers with a gun, demanding they give them money. As the banking employees shouted for help and ran out of the branch, a bank guard also joined their cry and pulled out a rubber gun and fired it three times in the air. Seeing that the bank guard had a gun, the two young men escaped on their motorbike toward nearby Nguyen Than Hien Street, where local people managed to catch them and confiscate their weapon. Police in Ha Tien City immediately arrived at the scene after being informed of the case. Police officers arrested the two robbers, as well as collected evidence, extracted footage from CCTV cameras, and took testimonies from witnesses at the scene. Right at the scene, the two young men declared their names as Trinh Dinh Phu and Trinh Dinh Hao, both dwelling in Thuan Yen Commune in Ha Tien City. Currently, the case is being further investigated for clarification. This is the first time authorities in Ha Tien City have recorded a heist with a gun. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Details still pending on third agreement between Emmet and Bay Bluffs Denton, TX (76205) Today Mostly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 75F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 59F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, left, speaks with reporters while his wife Elee Reeves, laughs at his response outside their Flowood, Miss., voting precinct, on Nov. 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Mississippi to Lift Mask Mandate, Allow Businesses Back at Full Capacity Announcement comes moments after Texas lifts similar restrictions Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves announced on Tuesday that the state will lift county mask mandates, and businesses will be able to operate at full capacity. Starting tomorrow, we are lifting all of our county mask mandates and businesses will be able to operate at full capacity without any state-imposed rules, Reeves announced on Twitter. Our hospitalizations and case numbers have plummeted, and the vaccine is being rapidly distributed. It is the time! The Republican governor expressed his opposition to certain restrictive executive orders amid the pandemic. Executive orders that interfered with peoples lives were the worst, but the only possible, intervention for much of the last year, he wrote on Twitter. Now, we are putting our focus towards rapid vaccine distribution. We are getting out of the business of telling people what they can and cannot do. Weve been among the 4 or 5 most open states throughout this crisis, and weve been rewarded for it with more jobs and economic recovery. Thats not because what we put in place was a light burden. Its only because the rest of the country was so harsh. Reeves said. Thats good, but we need to recognize that none of these orders, in any state, are anything short of unprecedented. They have to end at the earliest possible moment. This is that moment for Mississippi. Restrictions that are still in effect in Mississippi are a 50 percent capacity limit on indoor areas, he said in a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, reported the Daily Journal. Schools K-12 will still require 50 percent capacity for outdoor venues and 25 percent seating capacity for indoors, he told reporters. The requirements are staying in place because I believe that the most consequential debate playing out in America today is whether children should be in the classroom learning, the governor said, adding that he doesnt want any schools in Mississippi to have an excuse to act like other states that have not returned to in-person instruction. Reevess policy came out a few hours after a similar announcement in Texas. It is now time to open Texas 100%. Everybody who wants to work should have that opportunity. Every business that wants to be open should be open. Abbott said during a press conference in Lubbock. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a press conference at the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on May 18, 2020. (Lynda M. Gonzalez/The Dallas Morning News Pool) With the medical advancements of vaccines and antibody therapeutic drugs, Texas now has the tools to protect Texans from the virus, We must now do more to restore livelihoods and normalcy for Texans by opening Texas 100 percent. Make no mistake, COVID-19 has not disappeared, but it is clear from the recoveries, vaccinations, reduced hospitalizations, and safe practices that Texans are using that state mandates are no longer needed. said Abbott. According to Abbotts office, nearly 5.7 million vaccine shots have been administered to Texans, and the state is now administering almost one million shots each week. By next Wednesday, about 7 million shots would have been administered in Texas. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivers remarks about priorities for administration of U.S. President Joe Biden in the Ben Franklin room at the State Department in Washington, on March 3, 2021. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) Blinken Sees US-China Relationship as Biggest Geopolitical Test of the 21st Century Secretary of State Antony Blinken on March 3 listed managing the United States relationship with the Chinese regime as a top priority of the Biden administration, describing it as the biggest geopolitical test of the 21st century. Blinken, in his first speech outlining the Biden administrations foreign policy strategy, said the challenge posed by the Chinese regime is different from those posed by other countries such as Russia and North Korea. China is the only country with the economic, diplomatic, military, and technological power to seriously challenge the stable and open international systemall the rules, values, and relationships that make the world work the way we want it to, he said in a speech at the State Department. Among the administrations top priorities listed by Blinken, U.S.China relations was the only one that was specifically directed toward another country. Our relationship with China will be competitive when it should be, collaborative when it can be, and adversarial when it must be, Blinken said. The common denominator is the need to engage China from a position of strength. The Biden administration is currently reviewing the full suite of Trump-era policies aimed at countering a range of threats posed by the Chinese regime and has yet to announce any specific policy actions. While confronting the China challenge enjoys bipartisan support, the Biden administration faces heavy pressure from Republicans to continue policies that are tough on China. The Chinese regime, meanwhile, has demanded the Biden administration undo Trumps hardline China policies, and not interfere in what the regime calls red line issues, such as its human rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang, the crackdown in Hong Kong, and military aggression toward Taiwan. The Trump administration in January designated the Chinese regimes atrocities in Xinjiang a genocide. Blinken said the United States would work with allies to confront the regime in Beijing, an approach the administration has described as a point of difference from the Trump administration. It requires engaging in diplomacy, and in international organizations, because where we pull back, China has filled in, he said. Former Trump officials, however, have rejected the characterization that the administration acted too unilaterally, saying it did build alliances to push back against Chinese threats, but also wasnt afraid to go it alone when it suited U.S. interests. They said the United States withdrawal from international bodies including the World Health Organization and the UN Human Rights Council was due to systemic failings that were beyond reform, despite U.S. attempts. Both of those moves have been reversed by the Biden administration. Blinken said the administrations approach also requires standing up for our values when human rights are abused in Xinjiang or when democracy is trampled in Hong Kong. Because if we dont, China will act with even greater impunity, he said. Blinken highlighted out-competing China by investing in American workers, companies, and insisting on a level playing field. Without specifically mentioning China, he also said the administration would use every tool to stop countries from stealing our intellectual property or manipulating their currencies to get an unfair advantage. The Trump administration attempted to force the Chinese regime to reform a spate of unfair trade practices through the U.S.China trade war, which resulted in the phase one trade deal signed in January of 2020. While the Chinese regime so far has fallen short of its purchase commitments under the agreement, the Biden administration hasnt signaled how it would deal with the trade pact. Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here. Whether St. Helenas first good old-fashioned charitable lobster feed in over a year was a success depends on whom you ask. RLS Middle School students will tell you Saturdays drive-thru event behind Steves Hardware was a success because it helped them raise money including $2,100 in tips for a trip to Washington, D.C. It was also a win for Menegon Catering, proving that the fledgling company could handle a major event with more than 220 orders of lobster with all the trimmings. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Pandemic-weary diners who ate their meals at home were also enthusiastic, judging from the positive feedback the Menegons received on Saturday night. If you were a lobster, though, the whole experience was dreadful and very, very hot. As the first pickup time approached, lobsters were cooked in 18 boilers connected to 18 propane tanks, while Menegon Catering staff and five RLS students stood ready to pack the food into containers, pack the containers into bags, and hand them to drivers. The kids were so helpful, said Courtney Menegon. They would shout out to us, Hey, we have five left in this cooler, we have two left in this cooler. They helped us set up and clean up. They broke down boxes. They really got into it. Participate in TN Breakfast Bites to Promote Healthy Eating Nashville, TNIn celebration of National School Breakfast Week next week, March 8-12, the Tennessee Department of Education is partnering with the USDA Southeast Regional Office (SERO) to host TN Breakfast Bites to promote healthy eating during breakfast. Tennesseans of all ages are invited to join districts and schools across the state and enjoy berries for breakfast throughout the week to promote healthy eating using easily accessible produce. For tips and ways districts and schools can participate or host a TN Breakfast Bites event, click here. Share participation throughout the week on social media using #TNBreakfastBites. Schools play critical roles in feeding children across the state. With a nutritious school breakfast, students can start their day with a clear mind and full belly, which helps ensure they are ready to learn, said Commissioner Penny Schwinn. The department encourages all Tennesseans to join students and schools across the state in this fun activity by eating berries for breakfast and promoting healthy eating. TN Breakfast Bites encourages healthy eating of berries- including strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries- and breakfast participation from districts and schools as well as all Tennesseans. Additionally, districts and schools can connect their berry activities to classroom curriculum and extend past breakfast to promote nutrition and healthy eating practices throughout the school day. Knox County Schools is excited for the opportunity to highlight the importance of breakfast during National School Breakfast Week, said Brett Foster, Executive Director of School Nutrition, Knox County Schools. School breakfast helps fuel students, so they are ready to succeed in the classroom. There is no better way to start the school day than with a healthy, school breakfast! Across the country, schools will be participating in the national celebration, Score Big with School Breakfast, and highlighting the importance of nutritious school breakfasts and ensuring students start their days off with a healthy meal. On Wednesday, March 10, the USDA Southeast Regional Office (SERO) is hosting an event to highlight nutritious breakfast photos submitted from the various states participating. In October, during Farm to School month, the department hosts Tennessee Crunch Day to promote healthy eating of locally grown apples. To learn more about Tennessees School Nutrition Program, click here. For Tennessee Department of Education media inquiries, contact Edu.MediaInquiries@tn.gov. ### A woman who found a deadly blue-lined octopus inside a shell on a popular beach last weekend has urged locals to be wary. The beachgoer warned others to be careful after finding the tiny but deadly sea creature on Kurnell Beach in Sydney's south on Sunday. Blue-lined octopuses are a type of blue-ringed octopus - one of Australia's most dangerous marine animals due to the venom it uses to kill crabs and small fishes. There are around 10 species of blue-ringed octopuses, several of which are found in Australian waters. This tiny blue-lined octopus was founded nestled inside a shell at Sydney's Kurnell Beach Children are warned against picking up shells where the dangerous marine life hide The venom, tetrodotoxin, can paralyse a human in minutes, depriving the body of oxygen and causing death in serious cases. Most bites are initially not painful but may begin to throb and feel numb after 10 minutes. A person who has been bitten may require supplemental oxygen, intravenous fluids and even intubation in order to survive. The small but deadly creature lives in tidal pools along the east coast of Australia. They are considereed shy and non-aggressive unless they feel threatened. The bright blue rings on their body flare when they are readying to attack. Dicing with death: the blue rings of the species flare when they are ready to attack Deadly blue-ringed octopi have regularly been spotted at Sydney's Kurnell Beach Blue-ringed octopuses have been regularly spotted at Kurnell over the years. In January 2017 the 'I Love Kurnell' Facebook community page warned people to be careful about children picking up shells in the tidal pools because a number of the species had been spotted. The post suggested Kurnell 'needs warning signage urgently at the moment'. Daily Mail Austalia reported on a little girl collecting shells in her swimsuit shirt at Sydney's Balmoral Beach last year who saw a blue-ringed octopus fall out of one of the shells. In Jnauary 2019 a Reddit post from Chinese social media app Tik Tok featured a tourist in Australia cradlinga blue-ringed octopus, unaware of the danger. The gun used to kill journalist Lyra McKee also featured in four paramilitary-style shootings in Lononderry, the High Court has heard. Prosecutors detailed its history as a man on bail accused of possessing the pistol had his police signing conditions reduced on Wednesday. Ms McKee (29) was shot dead as she observed rioting in the citys Creggan area in April 2019. Dissident republican group the New IRA later claimed responsibility for the killing. Niall Sheerin, a 28-year-old bookmaker of Tyrconnell Street in Derry, denies charges of possessing a firearm in suspicious circumstances and possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life. The Hammerli .22 pistol and eight rounds of ammunition were discovered wrapped in bin liners in a hollow behind a telegraph pole during searches in the Ballymagroarty area of the city in June last year. Tests confirmed it was the same weapon used to kill Ms McKee, the court was told. Crown lawyer Robin Steer said: Police have also found that the firearm had been used in four paramilitary-style assaults between September 2018 and March 2019. Four men were shot in the legs by this firearm, and on two occasions the victim was even able to describe that it was a small black gun. Partial DNA profiles said to match Sheerins were obtained from the pistols loading mechanism and magazine. Its 70 millions times more likely the DNA found on the magazine belongs to him than somebody else, Mr Steer contended. He argued that this indicated the accused had the gun in his physical possession. Sheerin was granted bail last July, with conditions including an obligation to report to a PSNI station on a daily basis. Opposing his application to reduce those terms, the prosecution cited a further recent spate of paramilitary-style shootings in Derry. There have been four incidents since January of this year, Mr Steer said. On January 6 a man was driven to a wooded area in the Creggan and shot in both legs. Two days later a second victim was targeted in the same area, sustaining a wound above the knee. On February 6 another two men were subjected to similar attacks in a Creggan alleyway. One of them had been shot in the thigh and shin, and was taken to hospital in a critical condition. The daily signing condition is a proportionate and necessary restriction aimed at ensuring police know the accuseds whereabouts, it was submitted. Sheerin is not accused of any involvement in Ms McKees death, or any offences connected to the gun attacks. Defence counsel Joe Brolly told the court his client resolutely denies charges he does face which are based on a DNA swab with no other surrounding evidence. He pointed out that the man charged with Ms McKees murder, 53-year-old Paul McIntyre, from Kinnego Park in Derry, only has to report to police on bail three times a week. Mr Brolly insisted the latest series of punishment shootings referred to be the prosecution are not linked to the case against Sheerin. It reminds me of one of those surrealist jokes: How many fish does it take to change a light bulb? Two nuns, he said. Theres absolutely no evidence to link this accused to any of that, nor is it suggested there is, nor has he been questioned in relation to any of those matters. If there are organisations in the Derry city area involved in punishment shootings its got nothing to do with this applicant. Mr Justice Rooney ruled that the daily reporting condition is to be reduced. Ordering Sheerin to sign in with police three times a week, the judge said: I think its a fair compromise. The Bishop of New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond agues the J&J vaccine uses 'morally compromised cell lines created from two abortions' Roman Catholic leaders in St Louis and New Orleans are advising Catholics that the COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson is 'morally compromised' because it is produced using a cell line derived from an aborted fetus. The New Orleans archdiocese says the decision to receive a vaccine is one of individual conscience. In its statement late last week, it stopped short of advising Catholics not to take the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, but adds that Catholics should choose coronavirus vaccines made by Moderna or Pfizer - if they are available. The Archdiocese of St Louis on Tuesday encouraged Catholics to seek out the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines and avoid the Johnson & Johnson version if possible. Like the New Orleans archdiocese statement, the St Louis statement called the Johnson & Johnson vaccine 'morally compromised'. However, the St Louis statement stressed that Catholics can get that vaccine 'in good conscience if no other alternative is available'. Later Tuesday, a statement issued by chairmen of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' committees on doctrine and abortion issues issued a statement reiterating the moral concerns. It said the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines are preferable 'if one has the ability to choose a vaccine'. Scroll down for video Archbishop Mitchell Thomas Rozanski of St. Louis is also encouraging Catholics to seek out the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines and avoid the Johnson & Johnson version if possible The Archdiocese of New Orleans have told local Catholics to avoid the Johnson & Johnson vaccine Is the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine morally wrong? The statement from US Catholic leaders stems from a longstanding debate about the use of HEK293 cells. These cells reportedly trace to an aborted fetus from the 1970s. However, scholars have previously said that HEK293 cells are clones and are not the original fetal tissue. The HEK293 cell line is derived from human embryonic kidney cells grown in tissue culture. The statement from US Catholic leaders stems from a longstanding debate about the use of HEK293 cells (file image). These cells reportedly trace to an aborted fetus from the 1970s The line was cultured by scientist Alex Van der Eb in the early 1970s at the University of Leiden, Holland. The transformation was executed by Frank Graham, another scientist who invented the calcium phosphate method for transfecting cells. The source of the cells was a healthy aborted fetus of unknown parenthood. HEK293 cells are frequently used in cell biology and biotechnology. Several types of cell lines created decades ago using fetal tissue exist and are widely used in medical manufacturing but the cells in them today are clones of the early cells, not the original tissue. In the case of COVID-19 vaccines, some makers have used HEK293 to generate 'viral vectors,' which are weakened versions of common cold-causing adenoviruses. Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine is made using a harmless cold virus, called an adenovirus, the same technology it used to produce a successful Ebola vaccine. The first boxes of the Johnson and Johnson COVID vaccines in Shepherdsville, Kentucky Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine is made using a harmless cold virus, called an adenovirus, the same technology it used to produce a successful Ebola vaccine. The adenovirus is grown using what is called an immortalized cell line, and the virus then is pulled out and purified. Because the Catholic Church opposes all forms of abortion procedures, US Catholic leaders suggested believers should choose coronavirus vaccines made by Moderna or Pfizer. Advertisement While not disputing the church officials' contention that an abortion-derived cell line is used in the production, Johnson & Johnson issued a statement Tuesday stressing that 'there is no fetal tissue' in its vaccine adding the company used an 'engineered cell-line system that enables the rapid production of new viral vaccines to combat many of the most dangerous infectious diseases'. The company did not offer further specifics on its process. Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine is made using a harmless cold virus, called an adenovirus, the same technology it used to produce a successful Ebola vaccine. The adenovirus is grown using what is called an immortalized cell line, and the virus then is pulled out and purified. Several types of cell lines created decades ago using fetal tissue exist and are widely used in medical manufacturing but the cells in them today are clones of the early cells, not the original tissue. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops said in a January statement that 'abortion-derived' cell lines were used to test the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines but not in their development or production. Archdiocese of St Louis on Tuesday is also encouraging Catholics to seek out the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines and avoid the Johnson & Johnson version if possible The Archdiocese statements renewed religious discussions about the vaccine and the use of abortion-derived cells. In December, the Vatican said that 'it is morally acceptable to receive COVID-19 vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses' in the research and production process when 'ethically irreproachable' vaccines aren't available to the public. Pope Francis has frequently spoken about the need to ensure that vaccines are widely available, especially to the poor and marginalized. And, last month, a decree signed by the governor of the Vatican city-state said that Vatican employees who opt out of vaccination without a proven medical reason could be subject to sanctions, including being fired. The Archdiocese of New Orleans posted its statement Friday, the day before the Food and Drug Administration cleared the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for use in the US. Asked Tuesday about the New Orleans Archdiocese statement, Louisiana Gov John Bel Edwards - a rare anti-abortion Democrat - stressed the need for people to use any of the approved vaccines available in order to stop the spread of the virus. A statement was released by the Archdiocese of New Orleans The first box containing the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine heads down the conveyor to an awaiting transport truck at the McKesson facility in Shepherdsville, Kentucky Edwards said he spoke Sunday with Archbishop Gregory Aymond about the statement. 'I don't read his statement as completely telling people who are Catholic or otherwise not to avail themselves of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine,' said Edwards. 'Im encouraging everyone out there to take the first vaccine that is available to them.' He noted a statement issue Monday by Bishop Michael Duca of Baton Rouge. Duca acknowledged 'moral concerns' about the newly approved vaccine. But, he added 'if for any reasonable circumstance you are only able to receive the vaccine from Johnson & Johnson, you should feel free to do so for your safety and for the common good'. That is similar to guidance the US bishops' conference issued in January. 'Given that the COVID-19 virus can involve serious health risks, it can be morally acceptable to receive a vaccine that uses abortion-derived cell lines if no other available vaccines comparable in safety and efficacy with no connection to abortion,' the January guidance said. In the early days of oil drilling, when tools were basic and technology was lacking, every new oil well sunk into the ground ran the risk of a blowout. A blowout occurs when a high-pressure pocket of crude oil or natural gas is breached causing the oil or gas to shoot up the well and exit with an explosive force and create a gusher. Before the invention of blowout preventers, gushers were seen as natural consequences of oil drilling, an icon of oil exploration, and a symbol of new-found wealth. Despite the romanticism, gushers were extremely dangerous and wasteful. They have killed workmen, destroyed equipment, and coated the landscape with millions of barrels of oil. The destruction to wildlife and to the environment is catastrophic. The Lakeview Gusher reflected in a pool of oil spill. One of historys largest oil spills was the result of a blowout. On 15 March 1910, an oil well in the Midway-Sunset Oil Field in Kern County, California, erupted and flowed for 18 months before it was capped. By then, the gusher had spilled 9 million barrels of oil creating a lake large enough for people to raft on. The Lakeview gusher remains the largest accidental oil spill in history, bigger than the Deepwater Horizon disaster, and only eclipsed by the oil spills during the 1991 Gulf War, when Iraqi forces deliberately dumped massive amounts of oil into the Persian Gulf to thwart the US Marines from landing on Kuwait's coast. And when that didnt work, the retreating forces set fire to hundreds of oil wells causing environmental damage on a staggering scale. The Lakeview Oil Company started drilling on a promising piece of land called Midway-Sunset on New Years Day of 1909. Midway-Sunset is one of the largest oil reserves in the United States. The oil field runs diagonally across San Joaquin Valley in Central California for a length of 20 miles and covering more than 30 square miles. Within this area, there are nearly two dozen separate oil reservoirs at varying depths. Despite the riches the land held, the Lakeview drillers hit nothing but gas, and by the time the well reached 1,655 feet, the company had run out of funds. It was only through a partnership with the Union Oil Company, that drilling was resumed. Oil from the Lakeview Gusher accumulating in a pool. Rivers of oil from the Lakeview Gusher. For fourteen months, the company drilled, but fortune still eluded them. The Union Company decided they didnt want to sink any more time and money into what looked like a dry hole. So the Union assigned Dry Hole Charlie Woods, a driller with a notorious track record with dusters, to the well. Charlie was not a bad driller; but he was always assigned to drill poor prospects. But this time, Charlies luck was going to change. On the morning of March 15, 1910, the Lakeview Number One had reached a depth of 2,225 feet when oil came roaring out of the ground. It blew the crown block off the top of the derrick and shot into the air to a height of 200 feet. The drillers were excited at the sudden windfall of fortune, but soon it became apparent that the well wasnt going to stop anytime soon. In the initial days, the flow was estimated to around 125,000 barrels a day. Even after thirty days, the flow was still 90,000 barrels a day. The torrents of oil pouring out of the well created a river of crude oil that threatened to flow downhill towards Buena Vista Lake, eight miles away, whose water was used for irrigation. To stop the crude oil from contaminating the lake, workers built berms with sandbags. They also dug catch basins where the crude oil could accumulate. A worker poses in front of the runaway oil well. Two men raft on a pool of oil. While the drillers were battling the unruly well, the company quickly built a four-inch pipeline to pump oil from the pools to eight large storage tanks erected about 2 miles away. From the tanks, an eight-inch line carried the oil to Port Avila on the California coast. One month into the disaster, workers began building an enormous wooden box with 14-inch-thick timber hoping it would stifle the flow. But the gushers blew the box to smithereens. Then the ground beneath the well collapsed and everything on it, including all the drilling equipment, was completely swallowed up by the earth. While gushers were common occurrence in San Joaquin Valley, no one had seen such a force of nature before. It became a national news and tourists came from all around California to see it. Some newspapers reported that the column of oil was so tall that it could be seen from Bakersfield, 35 miles away. A special train ran everyday bringing gawkers to the oil field. On windy days, these onlookers often got drenched in a mist of oil. Crew construct a wooden box to plug the oil mouth. The moment the wooden box was blown away. It took 18 months to bring the gusher under control. Working under difficult conditions, workers built a 20-foot-high circular embankment of sandbags, a hundred-feet in diameter, around the well. The pool inside the dike was finally deep enough to reduce the gusher to a gurgling spout. Eventually, the bottom of the hole caved in on September 10, 1911, and the well died. During the 544 days it flowed, the well produced 9.4 million barrels of oil. Less than half was this oil was saved. The rest evaporated off or seeped back into the ground. Despite the fact that millions of barrels of oil were lost, the Lakeview gusher created an oversupply that tanked the market causing the price of crude oil to fall by as much as 50 percent. The Lakeview Gusher in its dying stages. The Lakeview Gusher is surrounded by an embankment of sandbanks. After the catastrophe was over, the Union Oil Company tried to tap into the subterranean reservoir that fed the Lakeview gusher, but all attempts to locate the source of the oil failed. Later studies revealed that the actual reservoira narrow, oil-filled channel of sandstone, only a few feet wide and about a mile longwas never breached by the drillers, but the underground oil was at such high pressure that it burst through the sandstone and up the well bore. Traces of this remarkable event can still be found in this region. Just one hundred feet away from the gusher site are stratified layers of congealed crude oil, sand and soil, like solidified lava from an ancient eruption. There are also traces of the sandbag berm used to surround the well. The site is also marked by a historical marker and a bronze plaque. Oil Strata from the 1910 Lakeview Gusher, taken almost a hundred years after the event. Photo: Antandrus/Wikimedia Commons The historical marker at the site of the Lakeview Gusher. Photo: Wayne Hsieh/Flickr References: # Dan Brekke, The Chevron Oil Spill Is Big, But This One Was Bigger a Lot Bigger, KQED # The Lakeview Gusher, San Joaquin Valley Geology # Looking Back On The Lakeview Gusher Of 1910, NPR Not seditious to have different views from government: Supreme Court India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Mar 03: The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected a plea seeking action against former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, Farooq Abdullah for his comments on scrapping of Article 370. The court said it was not seditious to have views different from the government. A Bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Hemant Gupta said, the expression of a view that is different form that of the government cannot be termed seditious. The Bench also asked the petitioners to deposit Rs 50,000 for filing the petition. The petitioners Rajat Sharma and New Srivastava had taken objections to Abdullah's comments on the Centre's decision to scrap Article 370. The petitioners also sought for the leader's membership of Parliament to be declared null and void. Further the petitioners also sought for sedition charges to be slapped against him. In a television interview, Abdullah had said that he wished with China's support, Article 370 is restored in Jammu and Kashmir. "As far as China is concerned, I didn't bring the Chinese president here. Our Prime Minister invited him to Gujarat and even did jhoola sawari with him. The PM even took him to Chennai and had food with him, Abdullah had said. Anurag Kashyap, Tapsee Pannu face tax raids by income tax officials| Oneindia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 3, 2021, 13:30 [IST] SAO PAULO and NEW YORK, March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Qintess, the Brazilian technology and digital transformation group, recognized as one of 100 most innovative companies in Brazil, joins the select group of companies invited by the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business (CSB) to discuss how to build the financial case for Return on Sustainability Investment (ROSI). With an agenda composed of different panels and renowned speakers like the CEOs of Ralph Lauren, HSBC Bank USA, Walmart, Burberry, among others, the event will take place on March 3 and 4, 2021. The objective is to generate insights based on cutting-edge CSB research as well as corporate and investor perspectives, connecting finance, corporate, academic, and non-profit professionals working in sustainable business around the world. "In the post-Covid-19 world, many changes can easily be predicted less travel, more remote work, reduced focus on cities that will require significant agility by corporations to find innovative ways to balance the well-being of their people and their responsibilities to society with the bottom-line needs of their businesses. But, less obviously, the challenges of dealing with Covid-19 are also likely to accelerate a shift that was already occurring toward a more sustainable and inclusive capitalism, and that's exactly what we're going to talk about," says Nana Baffour, CEO, Chairman & Chief Culture Officer of Qintess. According to the executive, who will be the moderator of the panel "Technology for People, Planet, and Profit," given the importance of the corporate organization in the modern economy, it is crucial that the right balance in the allocation of the company's resources among all key constituents customers, employees, shareholders, and the community is found. "Success and impact must be measured based not just on shareholder returns, but on how well each constituency is served, and technology has been a catalyst for this. This is our purpose at Qintess, to be an enabler to Sustainable Capitalism through Digital Transformation", concludes Baffour. Sponsored by Qintess, Glenmede, Investindustrial and Harvard Business Review, the NYU Stern CSB 2021 Practice Forum aims to show how sustainability returns are driven by innovation, operational efficiency, employee engagement, brand enhancement and risk mitigation. To Tensie Whelan, Director, NYU Stern CSB, and Clinical Professor of Business and Society at NYU Stern School of Business, building sustainable enterprises is about innovating in the face of significant change and competition, which requires business model transformation. According to Professor Whelan, NYU Stern CSB's research into Return on Sustainability Investment (ROSI) the focus of this event clearly illustrates the value that companies can derive by building sustainable enterprises. "A paradigm shift toward sustainable capitalism is needed to improve business performance in the new and rapidly evolving economy." According to CSB's research, sustainable businesses generate better results due to creating competitive advantage through stakeholder engagement; improving risk management; fostering innovation; improving operational efficiencies; building customer loyalty; and attracting and engaging employees. The NYU Stern CSB 2021 Practice Forum is an invitation-only event. About Qintess Qintess brings together experience in strategy, innovation, design, and technology to position itself as a leader in digital transformation. By developing innovative capabilities with emerging technologies, Qintess supports clients on their journeys towards sustainable business growth. Obsessed with innovation and agile decision making, innovative teams accelerate the delivery of solutions for various business challenges, generating value for customers, their employees, shareholders and for society. All actions are structured by ESG best practices, running with a genuine concern for people as well as the communities engaged with Qintess. Qintess has approximately 3,200 employees and more than 2,000 customers, with operations in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the United States and EMEA. Qintess' main clients include seven of the top ten financial institutions in the world, eight of the top ten utilities companies in Brazil and two of the country's three largest telecommunications companies. To learn more, visit: www.qintess.com About NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business The NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business (CSB) envisions a better world through better business. The Center was founded on the principle that sustainable business is good business; delivering better financial results while protecting the planet and its people. CSB aims to help current and future business leaders embrace proactive and innovative mainstreaming of sustainability, resulting in competitive advantage and resiliency for their companies as well as a positive impact for society. To learn more, visit: stern.nyu.edu/sustainability SOURCE Qintess Related Links http://www.qintess.com A decorated Deschutes County Sheriffs Office sergeant remains on paid leave more than a year after Redmond Police began investigating him in an alleged sexual assault. A newly released police report outlines an ongoing criminal investigation into Richard Deke DeMars, once a fast-rising officer at the agency and Oregons 2007 Deputy of the Year. I believe there is probable cause the crime of sodomy has occurred, wrote Lt. Aaron Wells of the Redmond Police Department. (The alleged victim) had a clear recollection of the sexual encounter. She told friends, went to the extent of seeing a doctor and was clear communicating to DeMars and others she did not want (the sexual contact). The Redmond Police Department began looking into DeMars in early 2020 after a woman alleged sexual abuse and domestic violence at his hands. The case was forwarded to the Deschutes County District Attorneys Office with a police recommendation to charge DeMars with a sex crime. First-, second- and third-degree sodomy are all felonies. Due to a conflict of interest, the case was transferred to the Oregon Department of Justice, which has yet to make a charging decision, according to spokeswoman Kristina Edmundson. Edmundson declined to discuss DeMars case. Were not in a position to confirm anything, or share additional details, she wrote to The Bulletin. DeMars, 37, has earned $131,807 since being placed on leave in February 2020. He remains the subject of an internal conduct investigation, in addition to the criminal investigation. The sheriffs office has so far paid a third-party investigator $44,397 for that investigation, a spokesman said Monday. In early 2020, a woman in a romantic relationship with DeMars told Redmond Police his behavior was becoming increasingly frightening to her. She described various controlling behaviors and being awoken to rough sex in the middle of the night. Shed started recording conversations with him and sending them to friends, scared something might happen to her, according to the police report. She told a detective she feared for her and her childrens safety if she ended up costing DeMars his job. Hed reportedly told her if she went to police, no one would believe her because hes Deke DeMars and she is just a drunk. Police next interviewed several friends of the woman, who confirmed she had shared with them the same details. One friend said that once when she was out at bars with the alleged victim, they noticed DeMars following them from a distance in his truck. The alleged victim told her friend he didnt do it to ensure they were safe but to later try to catch the woman in lies about where she had been. One day, DeMars accuser called the friend to ask her to delete the conversations with DeMars she had sent her, the friend told police. The alleged victim later told the friend that DeMars had made her make the call and had been listening in on the call at the time. In February 2020, a 911 call led to the exposure of a relationship between DeMars and one of his female subordinates. That woman, Allie Lamb, had called emergency services to report her live-in boyfriend was acting suicidal. Days later, the office would announce that DeMars and another sheriffs office sergeant, Kevin Dizney, had been placed on paid leave. Dizney was also one of Lambs supervisors, and he and his wife lived next door to Lamb. He reportedly consoled Lamb during the police presence at her house. Its unclear if the 911 call and Dizney being placed on leave are related. Dizney was disciplined and is now back at work. Dizney collected $116,210 while on paid leave. The investigator in his case earned $11,122. DeMars and Lamb are now married. Lamb, who now goes by her married name, remains employed with the Deschutes County Sheriffs Office. DeMars was named the states top deputy in 2007. In recommending him for the distinction, a supervisor wrote of receiving a letter from a woman who said DeMars had helped her buy groceries when she was out of money and he was behind her in the checkout line. The next year, he was given the Award of Valor by the Oregon State Sheriffs Association for his actions during a shooting in La Pine. --Garrett Andrews/Bend Bulletin The National Police have arrested the 26-year-old man that they had been searching for since last Saturday, when he allegedly brutally attacked his 16-year-old ex-girlfriend in Malaga city. The manhunt began last Saturday, after the 26-year-old man allegedly attacked his 16-year-old ex-girlfriend. The mother of the teenager explained that the day before her daughter had broken off the four-month relationship they had, something that she said he did not accept. According to her account, the pair met in the La Pelusa neighbourhood where he began to insult and threaten her. Allegedly he took her mobile phone and left for the Virginia Beach area, while she followed him to get it back. At a small tunnel that runs under the N-340 the mother of the young woman claims that he kicked and punched her daughter, and bit her on the nose. After that he allegedly left her badly injured and in a ditch until a man found her and took her to the headquarters of the Local Police of El Palo. The young woman was transferred to the Regional Hospital, where she was admitted for 24 hours, until she was discharged on Sunday night. On Wednesday in court the man accepted having carried out the attack, but also explained that he had been consuming alcohol and was on anxiety medication. He has been jailed without bail. Repeat offender National Police sources say the 26-year-olds record includes two other previous arrests for gender violence, as well as a restraining order with respect to another ex-partner, which is in force for a sentence imposed at the end of June. The events that led him to be arrested, and later sentenced, occurred just a year ago. On 1 March, 2020, the man was at home with a previous girlfriend, also a teenager. They had an argument, during which he attacked her by slapping her on the face and forcing a lighter into her mouth. He was sentenced to 27 days of community work community, and had a two-year restraining order imposed and also ordered to compensate the victim. The Australian Cyber Security Growth Network (AustCyber) has announced AUCyberscape, an online centre for Australian cybersecurity providers to list their products, services, business offerings, and sector experience where potential customers search for such services and get in touch with providers. Over the next decade, the Australian cybersecurity sector will become larger, more diverse, and sophisticated, said Michelle Price, CEO of AustCyber. In 2020 alone, Australians spent approximately $5.6 billion on cybersecurity from both local and international providers, a figure that is expected to increase to at least $7.6 billion by 2024. [ Keep up on the latest thought leadership, insights, how-to, and analysis on IT security through CSO Onlines newsletters. ] The free service has 84 providers already listed, and AustCyber intends for AUCyberscape to include all Australian cybersecurity providers in the coming months. A provider must have an Australian Business Number (ABN) to create an account and list its services on AUCyberscape. AustCyber then checks to confirm the business is an Australian cybersecurity business using publicly available tools. Potential customers can access the platform to find information and offerings that may be useful for their businesses or homes. AUCyberscape can be accessed by anyone looking for information or tools without creating an account or sharing any details. Searches can be done by location, service offered, or company name. Users can contact providers through AUCyberscape. Information on cybersecurity career pathways and education will also be available. AustCyber told CSO Australia that businesses will be able to see how many people have visited their profile, but no identifying data will be shared. The platform was developed by AustCyber, Insurance Australia Group (IAG)s Firemark Labs provided in-kind development support, and the project was managed by AustCyber. AustCyber also received financial support from the governments of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia. In return, the state governments will be able to see the footprint of cybersecurity providers in their state or territory. The cybersecurity component of the platform was built with security recommendations from Victoria-based Triskele Labs and ACT-based Ionize. The organisations were responsible for penetration tests of the platform. AUCyberscape is being hosted in Vault Cloud with Cipherise authentication to ensure the secure authentication of account holders accessing company profiles on the platform. This is the first AustCyber announcement since it merged into Stone & Chalk in February 2021, meant to accelerate the growth of Australian technology startups. WASHINGTON - Former president Donald Trump's culpability for the Jan. 6 Capitol riot is a question that's now for the history books (and potentially courts of law). But to the extent Trump did send supporters into the Capitol that day, court documents increasingly show, much like Trump said of Mexico in 2015, he wasn't sending his best. The Washington Post's Katie Shepherd on Tuesday detailed the story of William Robert Norwood III. According to a criminal complaint, Norwood texted a group of friends and family that he was going to attend the day's events and fool police by dressing in all black. "I'll look just like ANTIFA," he said. "I'll get away with anything." He allegedly followed up later with a photo showing him holding a police vest, apparently acquired during the riot. "It worked," Norwood said. "I got away with things that others were shot or arrested for." He was arrested last week. Another story revealed in recent days deals with Richard Michetti, a Pennsylvania man who allegedly texted with his ex-girlfriend about being in the Capitol. At one point, he told her she was a "moron" if she didn't understand the election was stolen. She later turned him in. The pace of arrests stemming from the Capitol riot has slowed in recent weeks. That's both to be expected and also a reflection of how many people made it rather easy to identify them - in many cases taking selfies or appearing in videos of the siege helpfully captured by themselves or others. The Post's Travis M. Andrews wrote in mid-January about some of the most brazen and ultimately foolhardy participants at that point. Now that the number of arrests has grown to about 280, the examples have grown. And nearly two months later, it's worth a look back at some of those whose alleged actions - apart from, you know, trying to overturn a democratic vote based on falsehoods - cast them in a particularly dim light. Below are 13 of them, in ascending order, that stand out. 13. Kevin Loftus: Allegedly posted a selfie in the Capitol with the caption, "One of 700 inside," adding, "That's right folks some of us are in it to win it." He later posted to Facebook, upon seeing himself pictured among the suspects, "i am wanted by the FBI for illegal entry" and pointing to his photo. 12. Troy Faulkner: Allegedly wore a jacket from his painting company that included a phone number. 11. Derrick Evans: The now-former West Virginia state lawmaker allegedly live-streamed himself entering the Capitol and identified himself for good measure: "We're in! Derrick Evans is in the Capitol!" 10. Joshua Lollar: Allegedly posted to Facebook after the Capitol riot saying, "Yeah, I'm good. Just got gassed and fought with cops that I never thought would happen." Within minutes, someone believed to be his sister posted, "We cleaned off the post of you going into and inside the capital since they plan to prosecute everyone that was in there." A minute later, she added, "You need to clean off your page." 9. Guy Reffitt: Allegedly told his family that he had been in the Capitol and that he had brought his gun with him. His adult son told investigators that his father later began to try covering his tracks, including deleting footage from his GoPro, and issued threats to his family if they turned him in. Among the charges in his indictment is witness tampering. 8. Norwood: Allegedly dressed like antifa to avoid arrest and told friends and family he had gotten away with it before being arrested. 7. Kevin Lyons: Allegedly briefly posted an Instagram of himself in the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., saying, "WHOSE HOUSE?!?!? OUR HOUSE!!" He later told the FBI he had a dream about being in the Capitol that day, before they showed him the Instagram. "Wow, you're pretty good. That was only up for an hour," he said, according to court documents. He later emailed video of his time there, saying, "Hello Nice FBI Lady, Here are the links to the videos." 6. Tam Dinh Pham: Allegedly left photos of himself in the Capitol in the deleted photos section of his phone. 5. Jenna Ryan: Allegedly posted multiple videos from inside the Capitol promoting her real estate business, including saying, "You guys, can you believe this? I'm not messing around. When I come to sell your house, this is what I'll do. I'll . . . sell your house." 4. Justin Stoll: Allegedly responded to someone who criticized his videos from inside the Capitol a day afterward by issuing threats, including, "If you ever in your . . . existence did something to jeopardize taking me away from my family, you will absolutely meet your maker. . . . You can play that for the [prosecutor] in court, I don't care." He's now charged with making threats and witness tampering. 3. Michetti: Allegedly called his ex-girlfriend a "moron" before she turned him in. 2. Joshua Matthew Black: Allegedly admitted in a video posted on YouTube - two days after the siege, when others were covering their tracks - that he entered the Capitol with a knife: "We just wanted to get inside the building, I wanted to get inside the building so I could plead the blood of Jesus over it. That was my goal." 1. Thomas Fee: Allegedly sent a selfie from the Capitol to his girlfriend's brother, who had asked if he was in Washington after seeing a social media post. The brother was a federal agent. GPO Plus graduates to a premium market and begins trading on March 2, 2021 Las Vegas, Nevada--(Newsfile Corp. - March 2, 2021) - GPO Plus, Inc. (OTCQB: GPOX), a diversified corporation operating industry specific Group Purchasing Organizations (GPO's), is thrilled to announce its successful upgrade to the OTCQB Venture Market (OTCQB). GPO Plus's common stock will be listed on OTCQB effective today, March 2, 2021, and will continue to trade under the ticker symbol "GPOX". To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7313/75901_5e17804bb499ba8b_001full.jpg "We are excited to uplist and begin trading on the OTCQB exchange as it upgrades our position in the public markets and is an important step towards our long-term growth plan to maximize shareholder value," said Brett H. Pojunis, CEO of GPOX. "We are hopeful this uplisting will provide better access to capital by advancing our shares to a more robust trading market providing for more active trading. To date, GPOX has been quietly proving its business model and listing on OTCQB intends to trigger multiple events including the launch of our shareholder communications strategy, attracting talented management, and introduction to additional expansion capital." The Company previously announced that the decision to graduate to the OTCQB Venture Market was part of GPOX's strategy to provide greater market exposure while demonstrating to its investors and the investment community its positive momentum and growth and management accomplished the goal ahead of schedule. The purpose of uplisting to the OTCQB is to broaden its shareholder base and enhance the Company's visibility within the investment community, notably to institutional investors. GPOX anticipates increased awareness of its expanding business model and growth opportunity as a result of listing on OTCQB. GPOX's common shares are eligible for electronic settlement and transfer in the United States through the Depository Trust Company ("DTC"). The OTCQB Venture Market (OTCQB), operated by OTC Markets Group Inc., is the premier marketplace for developing entrepreneurial companies in the U.S. and abroad. Companies must be current in their financial reporting and undergo an annual verification and management certification process, including meeting a minimum bid price and other financial conditions and qualifications. With more compliance and quality standards, the OTCQB provides investors improved visibility to enhance trading decisions. The OTCQB Venture Market is considered by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as an "established public market" for the purpose of determining the public market price when registering securities for resale with the SEC whereas the OTC Pink is not. The majority of broker dealer's trade stocks on the OTCQB Venture Market. Historically, this has resulted in improved liquidity and awareness for companies that ascend to the OTCQB Venture Market tier. Sign up for your FREE account on the GPOX Investor Relations Portal: Once you Activate your GPOX IR Account you will have immediate access to real time information available on GPOX. Sign up for alerts (email and SMS) to be the first to know about news, SEC Filings, Investor Events, updated Investor Presentations, and more: www.GPOPlus.com/ir. About GPO Plus, Inc. (GPOX) Headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, GPO Plus (OTCQB: GPOX) is a publicly traded diversified corporation operating industry specific Group Purchasing Organizations (GPO). The main holdings are HealthGPO, a Group Purchasing Organization for the Healthcare industry, and cbdGPO, a Group Purchasing Organization for the CBD and Hemp industry. In addition, GPO Plus offers professional services through GPOPRO Services. For more information please visit www.GPOPlus.com. To activate your free GPOX IR Account at www.GPOPlus.com/ir. Information about Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that include statements regarding expected financial performance and growth information relating to future events. Forward-looking statements include statements with respect to beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, expectations, anticipations, assumptions, estimates, intentions, and future performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond the control of the Company and its officers and managers, and which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by which, that performance or those results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time they are made and/or management's good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in, or suggested by, the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause these differences include but are not limited to; inability to gain or maintain licenses, reliance on unaudited statements, the Company's need for additional funding, governmental regulation of the cannabis industry, the impact of competitive products and pricing, the demand for the Company's products, and other risks that are detailed from time-to-time in the Company's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be forward-looking statements. You can typically identify these forward-looking statements through use of words such as "may," "will," "can" "anticipate," "assume," "should," "indicate," "would," "believe," "contemplate," "expect," "seek," "estimate," "continue," "plan," "point to," "project," "predict," "could," "intend," "target," "potential," and other similar words and expressions of the future. The Company expresses its expectations, beliefs and projections in good faith and believes that its expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions. However, there is no assurance that these expectations, beliefs and projections will prove to have been correct. Such statements reflect the current views of the Company with respect to its operations and future events, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to its proposed operations, including the risk factors set forth herein. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should the underlying assumptions prove incorrect, the Company's actual results may vary significantly from those intended, anticipated, believed, estimated, expected or planned. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, any favorable forward-looking events discussed herein might not be realized and occur. The Company has no obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For a more detailed description of the risk factors and uncertainties affecting GPO Plus, Inc. GPOX, please refer to the Company's recent Securities and Exchange Commission filings, which are available at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. GPO Plus's Contacts: Investor Inquiries: Brett H. Pojunis, CEO Email: ir@gpoplus.com Shareholder's Line: 855.935.GPOX (4769) To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/75901 Ho Chi Minh Citys Transport Department has proposed to ban rudimentary transport vehicles in two phases by 2025. Accident involving a three-wheeled vehicle at Nguyen Tri Phuong roundabout, District 10 H City in 2017. Two people were injured and hospitalized. The Department has submitted to the HCM City Peoples Committee a plan to regulate traffic flows of motorized 3 wheeled and homemade 3-4 wheeled vehicles before totally banning them after 2025. By 2022, all rudimentary vehicles will be banned in the city center within the boundaries of streets Hai Ba Trung Ton Duc Thang Ham Nghi Pham Ngu Lao Nguyen Thi Nghia Cach Mang Thang Tam Dien Bien Phu Hai Ba Trung. The vehicles will also be banned on other streets, Phan Dinh Giot (between Nguyen Van Troi to Truong Son), Truong Son (from Phan Dinh Giot to Hong Ha), Nam Ky Khoi Nghia (from Nguyen Van Troi to Dien Bien Phu), Vo Van Kiet (from Lo Gom to Ton Duc Thang) and the streets Tran Quoc Hoan, Hoang Van Thu, and Nguyen Van Troi. The Department also proposed restricting vehicles into the city from 5am 1pm and 4pm-10pm. The area is bordered to the North and the West by national highway 1 (from the NH1- Xa lo Hanoi intersection to NH1-Nguyen Van Linh intersection), to the East by Xa Lo Hanoi (from NH1 Xa lo Hanoi to Cat Lai intersection), Mai Chi Tho, and Dong Van Cong (upto Vo Chi Cong), and to the South by Vo Chi Cong (from Dong Van Cong to Phu My bridge) Phu My bridge overhead road (from Phu My bridge to Khu A Nam Sai Gon intersection) Nguyen Van Linh (from intersection of Khu A Nam Sai Gon to NH1). During peak hours of 6am-8am and 4pm-7pm, they will be banned on some sections of eight routes, namely NH1, 1K, 13, 50, 22, Xa lo Hanoi, Nguyen Van Linh, and Nguyen Luong Bang. For the phase from 2022 to 2025, the belts and routes will remain unchanged. The time restrictions will be from 5am to 10pm. Reasons for termination According to the Transportation Department, Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee has banned or restricted rudimentary motorized 3-wheelers and 3-4 wheelers into the city since 2013. But the scale was smaller and the restriction timeframe shorter than current proposals. This elimination has improved city traffic. The maximum exclusion of these vehicles in the city center brought significant outcomes. According to data from the HCM City Traffic Safety Committee, since 2017, there have been 39 accidents related to these vehicles. The number of accidents declined: 13 cases in 2017, 12 in 2018, and 14 for 2019 and 2020. The Department said that violations of rudimentary vehicles have not been treated seriously and that there has not been an appropriate vehicle to replace them. On the other hand, it is difficult to control this as the majority of commuters and drivers are low income people with low level of education and traffic awareness. And their living demands further promote vehicle usage to sell food along streets and to transport construction materials and goods. Once charged, they leave the vehicles and run away. Hence, it is difficult to detain the drivers and move the vehicles to already overloaded warehouse. In spite of obstacles, the Department is concerned about accident risks and the city's beauty. Therefore, an adjustment is necessary to deal with potential traffic accidents and congestion. Under the Governments Resolution No. 32 of 2007, many vehicles, including homemade 3-4 wheeled ones, have been suspended since 2008. The vehicle owners have been helped with vehicle replacement and job change. Since then, HCM City has collected and destroyed nearly 29,000 homemade 3-4 wheeled vehicles and spent nearly 160 billion dong to support affected people. However, there remain about 30,000 vehicles left. Tuan Kiet Outdated vehicles still run on streets of Saigon Super-old motorbikes without lights or mirrors carrying bulky things still run on the streets of Saigon, threatening the safety of others. Rock Creek, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2021) - SpeakEasy Cannabis Club Ltd. (CSE: EASY) (FSE: 39H) (the "Company" or "SpeakEasy") a holder of a federal licence to cultivate, process and sell cannabis under the Cannabis Act, has provided a review of the Company's achievements for 2020 and outlook for 2021. All flower produced at SpeakEasy's indoor grow facility from the fall of 2020 to date has been sold and has been well received by the market. In addition, all material currently growing has been spoken for in the foreseeable future. Founder, Marc Geen states, "produce a product people want, make it the best product possible, offer it at fair prices and customers will be lining up to buy it. We have been saying that for years and we have finally put those words to the test and have achieved great results. Our flower has been selling in British Columbia and Alberta and has created quite a stir, reorders and commitments to everything we can produce being the result. Receiving glowing reviews back from customers is an incredibly satisfying experience, it's acknowledgement that everything we've worked so hard for has come together resulting in satisfied customers." SpeakEasy sells out of its indoor craft flower SpeakEasy has received purchase orders and shipped over 310,000 grams of product as of today's date, representing a significant portion of the flower produced in our indoor facility. In addition, as a result of the quality of the flower that SpeakEasy has produced, all of the flower SpeakEasy can produce for the foreseeable future has been spoken for. Currently being distributed and sold in British Columbia and Alberta, with the expectation of entering into the Ontario market in the near future, SpeakEasy's flower has been well received. Sales of flower to this point have been wholesale, business to business, however, with the amendment to our licence, sales may be made directly to the provinces at a higher price. Experience and strategy demonstrate high quality, price point and demand Demand for high quality flower in the Canadian market has never been stronger and with more cannabis retail stores opening across the country increasing availability, Management believes that demand will continue to grow. Supply of flower in the market is high, however, it is filled predominantly with mid to low quality product grown in commercial greenhouses. Consumers in Canada, as we have seen in every other legal market in North America, expect and demand high quality products. Experience, genetics and purpose-built indoor grow facilities are the only way to produce the highest quality that consumers demand. We believe that SpeakEasy grows some of the best flower in the industry today because it has stuck to its fundamentals from the beginning. The Company is working to complete its over 60,000 square feet of purpose-built indoor grow facilities that will be capable of producing over 2,000 pounds per month. Compared to greenhouses that can grow mid-level quality product at best, SpeakEasy has focused on the highest quality flower production that can only be accomplished in a controlled environment of an indoor facility. Founder, Marc Geen further states, "high THC, high terpenes, high qualitydo all that with genetics that people want or don't even bother, there is no room in this industry for average." Scaling indoor craft cultivation for demand SpeakEasy expects to be registered in Saskatchewan within the next couple weeks and will then be able to begin sales directly to the recreational market in that Province. In addition, applications to BC, Alberta and Quebec control boards have been initiated, which will allow the Company to commence moving product directly into the retail space in those Provinces. Purchase orders are standing by for pre-rolls and flower and upon receipt of the appropriate licence, for concentrates from our outdoor harvest. Branding, packaging and pricing have all been established for our current products and it is anticipated SpeakEasy will enter each Province with the most competitive pricing in each market. Price-point has proven to be a key determining factor on consumer decision making in the cannabis market and with SpeakEasy's aggressive pricing and availability of the large consistent supply of flower, it is expected to have an impact in every market it enters. Given SpeakEasy's low-cost of production and the fact that processing and packaging are all done on site, further reducing costs, the Company is in a unique position to be able to maintain a low-cost point to consumers while maintaining a healthy profit margin. Geen says, "we are in the enviable position of having a large supply of beautiful, high quality product that is expected to cost less to produce than anyone in the market. We are also incredibly fortunate to have the genetics, facility and growers to produce amazing indoor flower that is finally out in the market and being received as well as we knew it would be. Our formula has always been a simple one, give the consumer what they want at a price they can afford, being in high demand is proof that philosophy is sound. We are a couple months away from ramping up our production of indoor flower to over 720 kilograms per month and I am very confident based on the response we've seen so far we will continue to be sold out." About SpeakEasy Cannabis Club Ltd. SpeakEasy Cannabis Club Ltd. holds a cultivation, processing and sales licence issued by Health Canada under the Cannabis Act. SpeakEasy owns 290 acres of land in Rock Creek, British Columbia, and leverages five generations of farming experience in B.C. as well as its favorable location to grow and process high-quality cannabis products at low cost. SpeakEasy cultivates small batch, high quality craft cannabis at scale in a portion of its 63,200 square foot indoor cannabis complex and has completed its harvest of its 60-acre outdoor field. Total yearly production of cannabis flower and biomass is projected to be in excess of 70,000 kilograms per year once in full production. On behalf of the Board of the Directors For more information please contact: Malcolm Davidson CEO investor@speakeasygrowers.com 1-604-218-9797 Forward Looking Statement This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause SpeakEasy's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such 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. Forward-looking statements in this document include statements concerning SpeakEasy's expectations concerning its expectations regarding sales of its products, including expectations that it will sell out of all of its production in the future, its expectations regarding entering into the Ontario market, its expectations with respect to demand for cannabis and cannabis derived products, its expectations regarding receipt of registration in Saskatchewan, its intention to enter into other provinces upon receipt of requisite approvals, and its intent to produce and sell high quality craft cannabis, and all other statements that are not statements of historical fact. Although SpeakEasy believes the forward-looking information contained in this news release is reasonable based on information available on the date hereof, by their nature forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. By their nature, these statements involve a variety of assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, levels of activity and achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Examples of such assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, assumptions, risks and uncertainties associated with general economic conditions; COVID-19, adverse industry events; future legislative and regulatory developments involving cannabis; the Company's ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favorable terms; the cannabis and hemp industries and markets in Canada and generally; the demand for CBD distillate, cannabis and cannabis related products, the ability of SpeakEasy to implement its business strategies; competition; the ability of SpeakEasy to obtain and retain all applicable licences or registrations under the Cannabis Act and other applicable legislation and other assumptions, risks and uncertainties. THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS NEWS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMPANY AS OF THE DATE OF THIS NEWS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE THE COMPANY MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/75924 1. An unusual deal between two pharmaceutical rivals could substantially ramp up the pace of vaccination in the U.S. Merck & Co. will help manufacture the new Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine in an arrangement brokered by the White House, several days after federal regulators granted emergency authorization for the third U.S. vaccine. President Biden said the faster production of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine would help position the U.S. to have enough coronavirus vaccines for all Americans by the end of May. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 3) A day after the South Africa variant reached the country and more cases of the UK variant were recorded, OCTA researchers on Wednesday said the case surge in parts of Metro Manila particularly in Pasay City is showing signs of the presence of these more contagious variants. Their recent projections show from an average of 900 daily cases in the National Capital Region, it could reach over 2,000 if the reproduction rate continues to shoot up. It is currently at 1.36, meaning more than one person is infected by a COVID-19 patient. OCTA said Pasay City where there are three cases of the South Africa variant called B.1.351 21 people per 100,000 are getting infected. Cases in Makati, Quezon City, and Manila City are also seeing a two-week surge. "The ongoing surge in Pasay City and the NCR has the hallmark of a variant-driven surge," OCTA fellow and molecular biologist Fr. Nicanor Austriaco told a media briefing. "When you see this pattern, especially if it is repeating itself in more LGUs, you are very concerned that what you're dealing with here is a variant." Austriaco said the trend seen in parts of Metro Manila are similar to the pattern in countries where the B.1.351 and B.1.17 or the UK variants became dominant, like what happened in United Kingdom, Israel, Portugal, and South Africa. He added a UK variant-driven surge was also seen previously in Central Visayas, particularly in Cebu City. But OCTA said the situation in the region is improving after implementing stricter measures. The group said Metro Manila LGUs can further improve their testing, tracing, and isolation efforts, adding localized lockdowns can also be enforced. The Philippines on Tuesday confirmed the first six cases of the B.1.351 variant, three of which are residents of Pasay City. The number of UK variant cases also went up to 87. CNN Philippines correspondent Carolyn Bonquin contributed to this report. Kabul, March 3 : About 60 people lost their lives in the increased targeted attacks in Afghanistan in February as fighting rages in the country, according to official figures released on Wednesday. On February 25, three family members of a slain journalist Bismillah Adil Aimaq were killed in a shooting attack in Ghor province. Aimaq was killed by militants in early January, Xinhua news agency reported. On the same day, Mohammad Musa Akhlaqi, a senior provincial official, was killed along a road in Ghazni city, the capital of Ghazni province. An eight-year-old granddaughter of Qamaruddin Shinwari, an adviser to President Ashraf Ghani, was killed, and his son and his driver were injured in an armed attack in Kabul on February 24. On February 22, Mohammad Nasim, a poultry farm owner, was killed along with his two workers by gunmen in Shulgara district of Balkh province. In neighbouring Baghlan province, a medical doctor, Khalil-ur-Rehman Narmgo, head of surgery unit of a local hospital, was shot dead by Taliban insurgents along a provincial road on February 23. On February 17, a security guard and his father lost their lives following a shooting attack in Kandahar province. A senior police officer of the Interior Ministry, two policemen and a child were killed in a roadside bomb explosion in Kabul. Five people, including a mother and her two daughters were wounded on February 21. On February 18, Mubashir Muslimyar, a Kabul University teacher, and one passer-by died and his vehicle destroyed in a bomb attack in the capital city. In Kabul's Bagrami district, a father and his son, both of them members of Afghan security forces, were shot dead on February 17. On February, eight people were killed and several others wounded in separate targeted shootings in a single day in Jalalabad city, capital of Nangarhar province. One policewoman was assassinated in Kandahar city on February 11, a day after a tribal elder and his friend were killed. On February 10, Colonel Mohammadzai Kochai, police chief of PD 5 in Kabul, and his colleague were killed in a roadside bomb blast. Four employees of a government ministry were shot and killed inside their vehicle driving on a road in PD 5 of Kabul. On February 2, four separate bomb explosions occurred in Kabul, leaving several people killed and wounded. In one attack, Mohammad Hatif, chairman of political party Jamiat-e-Eslah Afghanistan, and a civilian passing-by were killed and five people wounded. Some remaining 20 people were killed in direct attacks in Kandahar, Ghazni, Parwan, Herat, Kabul, Balkh, Nangarhar, Takhar and Helmand provinces during February. Taliban and Islamic State (IS) terrorists have conducted scores of targeted attacks against civilians and military officials in recent years. They consider anyone working for the government, NATO and the US-led troops as a target. Over 50 people were killed in targeted attacks in January this year. ADVERTISEMENT Myanmar security forces opened fire on protests against the military rule on Wednesday, killing nine people, witnesses and media reported. This happened a day after neighbouring countries called for restraint and offered to help Myanmar resolve the crisis. The security forces resorted to live fire with little warning in several towns and cities, witnesses said, as the junta appeared more determined than ever to stamp out protests against a February 1 coup that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. They marched towards us and fired tear gas, marched again and used stun grenades, Si Thu Maung, a protest leader in the central town of Myingyan, said. Then they didnt spray us with water cannon, no warning to disperse, they just fired their guns. One teenage boy was killed in Myingyan but the heaviest toll was in another central town, Monywa, where five people four men and one woman were killed, said Ko Thit Sar, Editor of the Monywa Gazette. Weve confirmed with family members and doctors, five people have been killed, he said. At least 30 people are wounded, some still unconscious. Two people were killed in the countrys second-biggest city Mandalay, a witness and media reports said, and one person was killed when police opened fire in the main city of Yangon, a witness there said. A spokesperson for the ruling military council did not answer telephone calls seeking comment. At least 30 people have been killed since the coup. The violence came a day after foreign ministers from Southeast Asian neighbours urged restraint but failed to unite behind a call for the release Suu Kyi and the restoration of democracy. Protesters were also out in Chin State in the west, Kachin State in the north, Shan State in the northeast, the central region of Sagaing and the south, media and residents said. Security forces also detained about 300 protesters as they broke up protests in Yangon, the Myanmar Now news agency reported. Suu Kyi, 75, has been held incommunicado since the coup but appeared at a court hearing via video conferencing this week and looked in good health, a lawyer said. (NAN) Dhaka, March 3 : Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam on Tuesday said Dhaka looked forward to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit this month to take forward the relations with some deliverables. Modi's planned visit to Bangladesh on March 26-27 will be his first foreign trip in more than a year mainly because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is scheduled to arrive on Thursday on a brief visit to discuss Modi's trip. Jaishankar is likely to arrive by a special aircraft on Thursday morning and will leave Dhaka the same day. The Indian External Affairs Minister is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and his Bangladesh counterpart AK Abdul Momen, Alam said. Bangladesh is set to celebrate the 50th anniversary of independence and 50 years of Dhaka-New Delhi diplomatic relations this year. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 22:49:52|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ADEN, Yemen, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Forces loyal to Yemen's government on Wednesday announced launching an artillery shelling against sites of the Houthi group in the country's southwestern province of Taiz. According to a brief statement released by the country's Defence Ministry website, the government troops shelled a number of the Houthi militia's sites in Taiz's eastern part, leaving 5 rebels killed. It said that several Houthis were injured by the artillery shelling in addition to destroying the militia's heavy weapons and military vehicles in the area. Local authorities frequently accuse the Houthis of launching random shelling against the residential neighborhoods controlled by the government in Taiz, killing and wounding innocent civilians. The Yemeni government forces, backed by the Saudi-led coalition, have been locked in clashes with the Iran-allied Houthi military in the north, east and west of Taiz since April 2015. Yemen has been mired into a civil war since late 2014, when Houthis overran much of the country and seized all northern provinces, including the capital Sanaa. Enditem The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday won four out of five seats in the municipal bypolls in Delhi. The Congress managed to win one seat, while the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) failed to get any. The AAP secured two seats in East Delhi (Kalyanpuri and Trilokpuri municipal wards) and two in North Delhi (Rohini and Shalimar Bagh). Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national president Avirnd Kejriwal congratulated the party workers for the win. He tweeted, "People in Delhi have once again voted for work. Congratulations to all. People were fed up with 15 years' rampant corruption of BJP in MCD. Now people want to hand over MCD to AAP." AAP's national spokesperson and MLA Raghav Chadha tweeted, "AAP wins semi final decisively, with roughly one year to go for MCD finals in 2022. It is time for Delhiites to put an end to the 15 year corruption plagued rule of BJP in MCD. Rajya Sarkar mein bhi Kejriwal, MCD mein bhi Kejriwal, Phir chalegi double engine ki Kejriwal sarkar". Polling was conducted on February 28 at 327 polling stations and 26 candidates were in the fray. Voting for the five municipal wards was recorded 50.86 per cent. Out of total 2,42,414 eligible voters, 1,23,299 people had casted their votes on Sunday. Kalyanpuri, one of the three municipal wards under the east civic body recorded the highest vote turnout with 59 per cent followed by Trilokpuri with 55.95 per cent and Chauhan Banger ward with 55.60 per cent. Two other municipal wards under North civic body -- Rohini C recorded 44.58 per cent and Shalimar Bagh saw the lowest share of votes The five wards where bypolls were conducted included Rohini C and Shalimar Bagh under North civic body, Trilokpuri, Kalyanpuri and Chauhan Banger under East Delhi Corporation. Shalimar Bagh ward is reserved for women; Trilokpuri and Kalyanpuri are reserved for SC category. Official White House Photo by Adam SchultzBy SARAH KOLINOVSKY, ABC News (WASHINGTON) -- First lady Jill Biden began wading into the debate over reopening schools with a visit to two schools Wednesday in Connecticut and Pennsylvania alongside the newly confirmed Education Secretary Miguel Cardona. The trip was meant to give Biden, a community college teacher, and Cardona an opportunity to see how schools nationwide are taking different approaches to reopening, as teachers, parents and school district officials grapple with how to get kids in classrooms safely. At Benjamin Franklin Elementary School in Meriden, Connecticut, Biden stopped in a kindergarten room Wednesday before she and Cardona visited a sensory room without students to learn about the modified approach for special needs students amid COVID-19. Biden and Cardona then met with a second-grade teacher who started the year distance learning and then transitioned back to in-person learning, and spoke about her experience. Biden -- in remarks at the school -- spoke about her own experiences as a teacher at Northern Virginia Community College this semester. "Last week, I said to my students. How are you doing, and they said, Dr B, We're doing okay. But we can't wait to be back in the class,'" she said. "And, you know, I think that's how we all feel but we just know that we have to get back safely." Cardona lamented that future Lin-Manuel Mirandas and astronauts like Mark Kelly are sitting at home instead of going to the drama club or science labs, but he also highlighted the president's actions on Tuesday to prioritize vaccinating teachers -- drawing a loud round of applause. In Waterford, Pennsylvania, Biden and Cardona visited Fort LeBoueuf Middle School and sat down with National Education Association President Becky Pringle and a small group of parents of teachers. As the parents and teachers spoke, Biden took some occasional notes and asked follow-up questions. I feel like people feel that there's light at the end of the tunnel," she said in some closing remarks. "There is hope and I have to thank your governor for prioritizing educators to get the vaccine that was a big step and I can't thank him enough for doing that." It hasn't always been a smooth ride for the two schools Biden and Cardona were visiting Wednesday. When the Meriden Public School District in Connecticut reopened last Fall, the local teacher's union voiced concerns about safety protocols, worried about how teachers would enforce them, according to the Meriden Record-Journal. "All the teachers want to return to normalcy, but trying to get children to wear masks all day is not a plan," said Meriden Federation of Teachers President Lauren Mancini Averitt at the time. Since last October, despite hiring additional teachers, social distancing and masking, the Benjamin Franklin Elementary School has reported a range of one to five positive COVID-19 cases on 11 separate weeks, according to Connecticut state coronavirus data. The school has slightly more than 350 students. At Fort LeBoeuf Middle School in the small town of Waterford, Pennsylvania, full reopening began in September 2020 after the December COVID-19 surge forced the school to go hybrid. Currently, about 80% of students are attending in person, while 20% are virtual. The district has seen a "substantial" level of community spread since early November, the highest level, and remains at that level this week, according to self-reported data. The school currently has one positive case and eight students in quarantine. Overall, they've had 1,359 students quarantine at some point across the district since they reopened in September. -ABC News' Shannon Crawford contributed to this report. Copyright 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. The Aaron Estes Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas presented the following awards Tuesday during the Texas Independence Day celebration at the Haley Library. Chapter officials presented an award to Elizabeth Staley, the winner of the Fourth-Grade Texas History Essay contest for her essay, Anson Jones Architect of Annexation. Elizabeth is a student at Hillander and her parents are Mark and Sarah Staley. YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. President Armen Sarkissian held a meeting today with the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces Colonel-General Onik Gasparyan, the presidency said in a news release. The president and Gasparyan discussed the tense situation which resulted from the latest developments. It was noted that regardless of the decisions in this regard, the countrys security and stability are of primary importance. President Sarkissian mentioned that the armed forces should always be under our care and that he will continue keeping the army and its issues under his attention. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan Katherine Waterston has been making her own name for herself over the past few years, though she's opening up about learning from her famous father, Law & Order star Sam Waterston. The 40-year-old actress had her breakthrough performance in Paul Thomas Anderson's 2014 film Inherent Vice, and she can be seen in The World to Come, which debuted on digital formats on Tuesday. She spoke about growing up with a famous actor for a father, and how it informed her decision to become an actor herself. Growing up: Katherine Waterston has been making her own name for herself over the past few years, though she's opening up about learning from her famous father, Law & Order star Sam Waterston Famous father: She spoke about growing up with a famous actor for a father, and how it informed her decision to become an actor herself 'It's a strange thing when you're the child of a successful actor, because you don't see all the years of training and blood, sweat and tears and humiliating auditions. You just see them in their element,' Waterston said. She joked that growing up like this, 'gives a child a very false sense of how the business works,' though her earliest memories were, 'seeing someone really stimulated by their work and really happy.' She added that it was important for her to study the craft formally, and then 'sort of abandon everything I'd learned.' Strange thing: 'It's a strange thing when you're the child of a successful actor, because you don't see all the years of training and blood, sweat and tears and humiliating auditions. You just see them in their element,' Waterston said 'In a way maybe studying acting was just some kind of strange exercise for myself to prove to myself and to anyone around who was paying attention - although I dont think anyone really was,' she said with a laugh. She added that, 'maybe that had something to do with being a second generation actor, that I didnt want to be perceived as some kind of silly dilettante who is bopping around and hanging off the coattails of her dad, that I was interested and really trying to be good at this thing.' Waterston was born in London and raised in Connecticut, studying acting at NYU's prestigious Tisch School for the Arts, though she realized how education was no substitute for performing. London born: Waterston was born in London and raised in Connecticut, studying acting at NYU's prestigious Tisch School for the Arts, though she realized how education was no substitute for performing 'But then when I got near the end of my education I found that I didnt know anything, not anything really useful or what we really needed to know,' she continued. 'And I realized everything I could find out, Id find out from being in front of a live audience and its just such a brutal reality if the scene isnt working, theyll let you know,' Waterston said. She came to realize that she had, 'gotten really good at talking about acting and I had to get on my feet and really figure out how to draw an audience in.' Education: 'But then when I got near the end of my education I found that I didnt know anything, not anything really useful or what we really needed to know,' she continued Waterston looked back at that time as, 'the dreamiest years,' even though she was nervous about, 'making it.' 'Those first jobs I was given in the theater where I figured out how to tell a story in front of an audience, I learned more in weeks on stage than I ever did in school,' she said. Waterston will next be seen in The Third Day mini-series and she'll return as Tina Goldstein in Fantastic Beasts 3 alongside Eddie Redmayne. Commonplace items such as a cap, shirt or storage cabinet could provide critical breakthroughs on child abuse cases and allow the public to help catch paedophiles. The Australian Federal Police are posting pictures of everyday items including a logo or bed sheet from cases in which their leads have stalled in the hope someone will recognise the images. The digitally enhanced photos are lifted from disturbing videos obtained by a specialist team of AFP officers who scour them for clues in the hope they will help them identify a location or suspect in the cold cases. The AFP has released a number of pictures of everyday items (pictured) lifted from child abuse videos in an effort to get the public's help in tracking down offenders Officers are hoping someone might recognise the images, such as the logo on this cap The AFP launched the program on Wednesday after it was established in Europe in 2017 The AFP will release nine images on Wednesday as they formally launch the Australian arm of the 'Trace an Object' program in partnership with Europol. 'These images, they're innocuous but they're particular enough that it might trigger a memory from someone out there,' Hilda Sirec, the AFP Commander of the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation, said. 'Even the smallest clue can often help solve a case.' The AFP is expected to release pictures of more items, which could be as simple as a vase or powerpoint, as officers tasked with the job sift through material. Tiles in the background of this video could also provide a breakthrough Police are hoping items such as patterns on tiles or on blankets (pictured) may trigger someone's memory A screen grab of a sheet lifted from one of the videos The program has saved 10 children since being launched in Europe in 2017. On the Europol website the screen grabs of objects such as a wristband or hotel room in Asia are posted with questions underneath. The public can then provide anonymous responses directly on the site which are forwarded to officers. 'Child exploitation is a huge problem in Australia. We receive more than 21,000 reports from our partners in relation to child abuse images,' Commander Sirec said. 'Hopefully this is going to be one part in helping us save children.' Logos on shirts and on sheets (pictured) are distinctive and could save a child in danger or lead police to a suspect Paris, March 2 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Mar, 2021 ) :The French government was under pressure on Tuesday to accelerate its vaccination programme after new figures showed that three in four jabs delivered by AstraZeneca had gone unused. An official in the health ministry told reporters on Tuesday that out of 600,000 doses delivered to health centres since early February, only a quarter of them had been administered. "There is an issue with uptake... because we can see that around 75 percent of stocks have not been injected," the official told journalists at a briefing, asking not to be named. On Monday evening, France moved to widen the population eligible for the Anglo-Swedish firm's jab, which up until now has been only offered to medical and care personnel below 65 years old and people in high-risk categories from 50-64. Previous guidance had prevented the vaccination being offered to anyone aged over 65, but Health Minister Olivier Veran reversed this stance following new data showing the jab's efficacy. "Now that we have good news about AstraZeneca, we absolutely need to find a place for this vaccine in our vaccination strategy," the health ministry official said. France's top health authority, HAS, also changed its advice on Tuesday, saying that pharmacy workers should be able to administer all three authorised vaccinations against Covid-19. It had previously recommended they only have access to the AstraZeneca jab, but not shots by Pfizer/BioNtech and Moderna, which require storage in ultra-low freezers. France's vaccine strategy has been criticised for being slow and overly bureaucratic, with the country lagging far behind trail-blazing neighbour Britain, as well as Germany and Italy, measured by the number of doses administered. Rolling out COVID-19 rapid antigen tests widely would raise the risk of missing a significant number of infected people, new Victorian data suggests. The data, published by the Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity on Wednesday, raises questions about how useful the tests would be in a country such as Australia where there is very little virus. A rapid antigen test. While not the most accurate, they are more readily available. Credit:Getty In testing of 2413 people without the virus and 22 with infections confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, the PanBio test, manufactured by Abbott, missed seven infections and produced one false positive. However, the tests accuracy dramatically improved to 100 per cent when used within seven days of the start of symptoms as it is designed to be used. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. A council at the centre of controversy over the NI Protocol has snubbed the opportunity to invite a top EU official and senior UK Government official to the borough to highlight difficulties faced by a "hard Brexit". Mid and East Antrim Borough Council refused to back an amendment by the Alliance Party to send an invitation to EU vice president Maros Sefcovic and Lord Frost, the new co-chair of a committee on implementing the Brexit withdrawal deal, to the borough. The council employs 12 officers who assist with post-Brexit checks at the port of Larne. Last month, they were withdrawn by the council over concerns for their security, but returned to duty four days later after the credibility of the threat was questioned by police. Alliance has said that a meeting with the officials would be "a vehicle to identify how council could assist in overcoming the difficulties and seeking acceptable, workable solutions". In a statement issued on social media after Monday's council meeting, Larne Lough Alliance Councillor Robert Logan said: "There is absolutely no point in writing to the DAERA Minister whose efforts are thus far unimpressive. "In the meantime, the Alliance Party is leading demands for a UK-EU Veterinary Agreement, something that would go a long way to addressing the volume of checks and make the application of the protocol much less stark. "So while the DUP and their friends continue to be disingenuous with their followers, staging stunt after stunt to distract from the misery they have brought on local people, only Alliance has a coherent plan which both the UK and EU have acknowledged as doable." Mr Logan was commenting after a motion proposed by DUP Councillor Gregg McKeen and seconded by the TUV's Matthew Armstrong "affirming the council's opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol" was passed. The council will also write to the Agriculture Minister and Food Standards Agency to set out the difficulties faced by the authority "implementing its obligations under the NI Protocol". The motion also seeks the council's "refusal to be used as a tool to impede the free flow of goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland". Proposing the motion, Mr McKeen said: "We can see the damage and hurt this is causing to the people of Northern Ireland. You just have to look at supermarket shelves with lack of products on them being supplied from within GB." He added: "Then there is the constitutional aspect of the Northern Ireland Protocol with a border now being placed in the Irish Sea. This affects our rights as citizens of the United Kingdom and must be removed." Seconding the motion, Mr Armstrong said that the NI Protocol has "wreaked havoc on the haulage industry, causes businesses to lose money hand over fist" and "economically and constitutionally is cyanide to the Union". The motion was passed by 29 votes to 10. Two workers were seriously injured after a stairwell collapsed in a Cambridge parking garage while restoration work was being done on the building Wednesday morning. First responders were sent to the parking garage at the intersection of Second and Spring streets after one of the buildings stairwells collapsed, resulting in significant injuries to two on-site workers who were doing the restoration work, the Cambridge Police Department wrote in a tweet shortly after 9 a.m. Units have responded to a parking garage at Second Street and Spring Street after one of the stairwells collapsed, resulting in significant injuries to two on-site workers conducting restoration work. #CambMA pic.twitter.com/d436WFykTS Cambridge Police (@CambridgePolice) March 3, 2021 The Cambridge Fire Department said the building collapse was reported around 8:22 a.m. No further information was released by authorities Wednesday morning. 08:22 STRUCTURE BUILDING COLLAPSE at 0XX SPRING ST in #CambMA Cambridge Fire Dept. (@CambridgeMAFire) March 3, 2021 The report of the injured workers comes only a week following news of two men killed at a construction site in Boston after being hit by a truck and falling in a deep hole in the Financial District. A GoFundMe page has since been set up for the family of 32-year-old Carlos Gutierrez, one of the men who died. The Suffolk District Attorneys Office is leading the investigation into the incident in Boston, working with the citys police department and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The skull of Anteosaurus compared to a modern human. Credit: Wits University Previously thought of as heavy, slow and sluggish, the 260-million-year-old predator, Anteosaurus, was a ferocious hunter-killer. Judging by its massive, bone-crushing teeth, gigantic skull and powerful jaw, there is no doubt that the Anteosaurus, a premammalian reptile that roamed the African continent 265 to 260 million years agoduring a period known as the middle Permianwas a ferocious carnivore. However, while it was previously thought that this beast of a creaturethat grew to about the size of an adult hippo or rhino, and featuring a thick crocodilian tailwas too heavy and sluggish to be an effective hunter, a new study has shown that the Anteosaurus would have been able to outrun, track down and kill its prey effectively. Despite its name and fierce appearance, Anteosaurus is not a dinosaur but rather belongs to the dinocephaliansmammal-like reptiles predating the dinosaurs. Much like the dinosaurs, dinocephalians roamed and ruled the Earth in the past, but they originated, thrived, and died about 30 million years before the first dinosaur even existed. The fossilized bones of Dinocephalians are found in many places in the world. They stand out by their large size and heavy weight. Dinocephalian bones are thick and dense, and Anteosaurus is no exception. The Anteosaurus' skull was ornamented with large bosses (bumps and lumps) above the eyes and a long crest on top of the snout which, in addition to its enlarged canines, made its skull look like that of a ferocious creature. However, because of the heavy architecture of its skeleton, it was previously assumed that it was a rather sluggish, slow-moving animal, only capable of scavenging or ambushing its prey, at best. The transparent skull of Anteosaurus (left) and Moschognathus (right) showing the differences in their brain cavities (green) and inner ear (purple). Credit: Wits University "Some scientists even suggested that Anteosaurus was so heavy that it could only have lived in water," says Dr. Julien Benoit of the Evolutionary Studies Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits University). By carefully reconstructing the skull of the Anteosaurus digitally using X-ray imaging and 3-D reconstructions, a team of researchers investigated the internal structures of the skull and found that the specific characteristics of its brain and balance organs were developed in such a way that it was everything but slow-moving. "Agile predators such as cheetahs or the infamous Velociraptor have always had a very specialized nervous systems and fine-tuned sensory organs that enable them to track and hunt down prey effectively," says Benoit. "We wanted to find out whether the Anteosaurus possessed similar adaptations." The team found that the organ of balance in Anteosaurus (its inner ear) was relatively larger than that of its closest relatives and other contemporaneous predators. This indicates that Anteosaurus was capable of moving much faster than its prey and competitors. They also found that the part of the brain responsible for coordinating the movements of the eyes with the head was exceptionally large, which would have been a crucial trait to ensure the animal's tracking abilities. A live reconstruction of Anteosaurus attacking a herbivorous Moschognathus. Credit: Alex Bernardini (@SimplexPaleo) "In creating the most complete reconstruction of an Anteosaurus skull to date, we found that overall, the nervous system of Anteosaurus was optimized and specialized for hunting swiftly and striking fast, unlike what was previously believed," says Dr. Ashley Kruger from the Natural History Museum in Stockholm, Sweden and previously from Wits University. "Even though Anteosaurus lived 200-million years before the famous dinosaur Tyrannosaurus rex, Anteosaurus was definitely not a 'primitive' creature, and was nothing short of a mighty prehistoric killing machine," says Benoit. The study is published in Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. Dal researchers have analyzed more than 1,000,000 tweets using the #stayathome hashtag to gain insight into how those in a 14-day quarantine period are coping emotionally. Credit: Claudio Schwarz/Unsplash photo While the long-term emotional impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are yet to be fully understood, social media is providing useful insight into how those in social isolation are feeling and how this may be affecting emotional well-being. Insight could have the potential to help inform public health policy making and early intervention to support mental and emotional well-being. New research from Dalhousie is using artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze the public emotions expressed through millions of tweets across the globe and identify trends that could make a significant impact in this area. Bringing together researchers from Computer Science and Community Health and Epidemiology, the interdisciplinary team hopes their new findings and methodology can be used for public good, particularly during times where decision makers find themselves in unchartered territory. #stayathome The unprecedented nature of the pandemic inspired the team to look to real-time public opinion through social media over more traditional survey methods, analyzing more than 1,000,000 tweets and using the #stayathome hashtag to gain insight into how those in a 14-day quarantine period are coping emotionally. "For most people, social isolation is strange and what has happened during this period is that individuals are trying to connect with the outside world, and with others, using social media. Many people are expressing their emotions and reactions during lockdown and social isolation through these platforms," says Rita Orji (pictured left), Canada Research Chair in Persuasive Technology and associate professor in the Faculty of Computer Science. "Nobody really understands the impacts of new policies during this time. This is an important project as it actually sheds light on the effects of these policies and how they are improving or harming people's health. This is the major motivator." Swarna Weerasinghe, associate professor in the Department of Community Health and Epidemiology echoes the unique impact this type of research could have. "The special thing about this approach is that we are capturing naturally flowing emotional feelings in tweets, it is very important for public health decision making to capture that," explains Dr. Weerasinghe. "In my area of research, we have to work together with computer scientists to expand our knowledge for the benefit of people." Deep Learning A deep learning model developed by Hamed Jelodar, a Ph.D. student working with Dr. Orji and Stan Matwin (shown right), Canada Research Chair and director of the Institute for Big Data Analytics, made it possible for the team to classify tweets including #stayathome into various emotion categories and from there identify trends. "Essentially, we collect tweets, then the basic tool used is a National Research Council of Canada resource, basically a dictionary that matches combinations of words and word sequences, to a particular type of emotion" says Dr. Matwin. "We then used deep learning to learn what makes a particular emotion." "The scale classifies emotions into different categories including anticipation, anger and happiness, for example," Dr. Orji adds. "The system takes this and rates and classifies the tweets. So, combining tweets from certain times etc. you start to see some trends. For example, at this point of the isolation period, most people are anxious. Based on that, you start to see an average of what the population is feeling at a particular time and we can tie that to what's happening in the world right now." Identifying global trends The team hope to use these trends to help inform public policy and interventions that could support emotional well-being during major global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. "When we looked at the data, there is a clear classification of negative feelings and positive feelings," says Dr. Weerasinghe (shown left). "We found that anger was the one that had the highest increasing trend during the isolation period, people get more and more angry with time. We see this reflected in the media with picketing etc. This is something public health decision makers should pay attention to very seriously. Where is this anger coming from? Why are people going out and rioting? It's because of increased negative emotional feelings." Dr. Matwin adds, "With machine learning we can predict where people are emotionally today and where they might be in a week. This could be extremely useful information for public health experts when making policies and identifying strategies to help people during times like this." Applying research to other domains Dr. Orji stresses that this is just the beginnings of research that could be developed much further and applied to many other areas. "We looked at a global reaction, rather than any particular segment. Possibly in our next round of research, we might narrow it down. Policies around the world are coming at different points in time, the rules are different and so are people's reactions. It would be good to break it down and look at this across different countries who have handled it differently. The methodology we are using here can actually be applied into other domains. If we adapt it, there are many other events happening across the world that people are publicly reacting to, for example political events. The methodology has application beyond health and beyond COVID-19." Explore further Story of COVID's mental health impact Lieutenant Colonel Doan Ngoc Minh Tuan, Deputy Head of the Da Nang Traffic Police Department, said the deployment of traffic cameras has eased work pressure on police officers. The central city of Da Nang is one of the first cities to place traffic cameras on main street arteries. Up to 143 cameras have been installed in 47 locations. The installation of cameras has raised peoples awareness, and encouraged them to follow traffic lights and control their speed. It has also reduced the presence of police officers at major traffic points. According to the Da Nang Traffic Police Department, from 2016 to 2020, these magic eyes helped to find and report 48,118 traffic violations, of which 38,004 cases were issued total fines of 55 billion dong and 7,590 driving licenses were withdrawn. Mr. Nguyen Van Phuong, a resident on Vo Chi Cong street, said that when there was no surveillance camera, many drivers did not follow traffic lights. After cameras were installed, people were more aware of compliance, causing fewer accidents. Interviewed by VietNamNet on February 23, Lieutenant Colonel Thai Anh Tuan, Head of Propaganda and Inspection of Traffic Accidents and Violations (Da Nang Traffic Police Department), said the surveillance cameras detect violations such as speeding, using wrong lanes and running red lights, and monitor traffic vehicle flows. Annually, the cameras detect about 10,000 violations. Many people used to cross at yellow lights. Currently, the people are more responsive, hence reduction in accidents. Drivers are well aware of surveillance cameras, said Tuan. Reduce on-site work for police Lieutenant Colonel Doan Ngoc Minh Tuan, Deputy Head of Da Nang Traffic Police Department, said that magic eyes have been placed at important traffic points, monitor traffic for 24/24 and record violations correctly and clearly. Cameras are also useful for detecting and tackling crime. According to Tuan, surveillance cameras have eased on-site pressure for police officers. They used to be present all the time at key traffic points to monitor traffic. Since the installation of cameras, they instead patrol to inspect and improve their efficiency, said Tuan. He further revealed that cameras have been placed on such street arteries as Vo Nguyen Giap and Nguyen Tat Thanh. His department and the transportation department plan to ask Da Nang Peoples Committee to invest and install more surveillance cameras on other roads for social security. Ho Giap Ministry proposes installing cameras to detect traffic violations Regarding the Ministry of Public Securitys proposal to install cameras and impose fines for traffic violations on highways, experts said this should have been done a long time ago. As indoor dining begins opening up around the Bay Area, restaurant workers are just starting to get vaccinated. Generally, they are exhaling and sometimes crying with relief. Kristina Costa, a pastry chef at San Franciscos Tartine Bakery, got her first shot last week and started sobbing as her car pulled into the waiting area. Mary Denham, owner of Marin County bakery pop-up Blooms End, described the feeling as magic. I didnt realize how much I was in despair until I got the appointment, Denham said. This is what relief feels like. This is what happiness is. The Chronicle interviewed 15 Bay Area restaurant workers who said theyll feel more protected and safe going into work once theyre fully vaccinated. Cooks and other back-of-house employees detailed tight working conditions where its nearly impossible to stay 6 feet apart from colleagues, even if everyone is masked and trying to socially distance. Servers, meanwhile, are among the only professionals who have to regularly interact with maskless people. Still, theres no easy return to normalcy. Workers and owners agree that masks will be part of the restaurant uniform for many months to come since its unknown whether vaccinated people can still spread the coronavirus. With many restaurant workers living with unvaccinated family members and friends, they still want to be cautious at work and some are worried diners will become even more relaxed about masking as vaccines become common. The return of indoor dining in parts of the Bay Area feels rushed to many workers who would rather be fully vaccinated first. While some workers, especially those in Alameda County, have already secured their first shots, others are still scrambling for appointments. Its an equity issue, said Adrian Lopez, a server at Rintaro and co-owner of Grand Coffee in San Francisco. Who has been on the front lines making peoples dinners for months and getting sick doing it because theyre still in cramped quarters? And who is itching to have a regular meal? Marlena Sloss / Special to The Chronicle Meanwhile, some restaurant workers, particularly in the Black and Latino communities, arent sure if they want the vaccine yet. Public health data shows they have the lowest vaccination rates in the Bay Area in San Francisco, Alameda and Contra Costa counties, Latinos account for 21.9% of the population and 9.9% of distributed vaccinations; Black people make up 9.3% of the population and 5.1% of vaccinations. Thats leading owners and some local nonprofits like Trabajadores Unidos Workers United to focus on education by providing articles about the vaccine. Some smaller spots such as Lion Dance Cafe and Friends and Family in Oakland plan to shut down for a couple of days in March so their employees can get vaccinated without fear of returning to work while feeling chills or other side effects. While one New York restaurant made headlines for allegedly firing a server because she didnt want to get vaccinated, several Bay Area owners say they dont plan to require vaccinations for employees. Employers can require vaccines if they provide exemptions for religious beliefs and disabilities, but it opens up potential legal complications, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The fact is that not everyone wants it and people who dont want it will challenge that as a matter of principle, said Kyle Connaughton, chef and co-owner of SingleThread in Healdsburg. Then youre dealing with the fallout. Solomon Johnson and Mike Woods, owners of Oakland ghost kitchen the Bussdown, initially preferred to wait a while to get their shots, citing the historic distrust of government and medical care in the Black community. For example, U.S. government officials recruited Black men in the 1930s to take part in the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, promising free health care but instead leaving patients untreated for observation. But potential customers have started asking them to cater events later this year, and they may feel safer if the chefs are vaccinated, Johnson said. For the sake of growing their business and paying the bills, they plan to make appointments. In some cases, workers want the vaccine but dont know how to get it or they fear retaliation from their bosses if they ask for time off to get the vaccine, said Reyna Noemi Aguilar, a cook at a SoMa restaurant. Folks from my community are not showing interest in trying to get vaccinated because they dont know who to ask and dont trust our bosses, she said in Spanish through an interpreter. Aguilar said her boss told her she wasnt eligible for a vaccine; she said she only learned she was eligible from her co-workers. Aguilar recently signed up through Trabajadores Unidos Workers United, and she plans to work with the nonprofit to help inform other Latino restaurant workers. Jon Weeks, a bartender at Anina and barista at Sightglass Coffee in San Francisco, said hes worried customers will get less diligent about masking, and said, in fact, that hes already seen that happening. Ever since the vaccine rollout began, he said, diners have used their own vaccinations as an excuse not to wear a mask. Once he and other workers are fully vaccinated, Weeks is concerned customers wont follow safety rules, mistakenly assuming it no longer matters. Trying to be an outspoken COVID educator for people when Im on shift feels weird and uncomfortable, he said. You get nervous in a hospitality context that anything adversarial is going to negatively impact your tips. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle Still, for many, theres hope now. Now Playing: Video: San Francisco Chronicle The one thing that will change is this weight on all of our shoulders will be lifted in some way, said Costa of Tartine. If there is a COVID-positive case, it adds so much stress to work for the next two weeks were all waiting with bated breath to make sure no one else has tested positive. For Denham of Blooms End, being vaccinated means more confidently holding pop-ups to sell pastries at other peoples businesses. During the pandemic, shes been uncomfortable with some other businesses less strict safety measures, such as allowing workers to wear bandanas instead of masks or keeping the door closed instead of maximizing ventilation. For Mike Raskin, owner of Oakland pop-up Ediths Pie, knowing many others will also get vaccinated in the coming months means finally searching for brick-and-mortar spaces for a future pie shop. It felt pointless when he had no clue when customers would feel comfortable sitting down indoors with a slice of chocolate chess pie. Theres been no reason to try to do more than is manageable because life is barely manageable, he said. This kind of changes whats possible. Janelle Bitker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: janelle.bitker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @janellebitker VANCOUVER - British Columbia health officials say their plan to delay the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine to four months is based on scientific evidence and real-world experience, as Ontario and Alberta consider following the province's lead. Dr. Bonnie Henry talks about phase two in B.C.'s COVID-19 immunization plan as Premier John Horgan and Minister Arian Dix look on during a press conference at Legislature in Victoria, B.C., on Monday, March 1, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito VANCOUVER - British Columbia health officials say their plan to delay the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine to four months is based on scientific evidence and real-world experience, as Ontario and Alberta consider following the province's lead. Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.'s provincial health officer, responded Tuesday to criticism from Canada's chief science adviser. Henry said the decision was made in the context of limited supply and based on strong local and international data. "This makes sense for us, knowing that it is a critical time right now with the limited amount of vaccines that we have in the coming weeks, to be able to provide that protection ... to everybody here," Henry said at a COVID-19 briefing. "That is why we made the decision that we did." Chief science adviser Mona Nemer told the CBC on Monday that B.C.'s plan amounts to a "population-level experiment" and that the data provided so far by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech is based on an interval of three to four weeks between doses. Henry said the manufacturers structured their clinical trials that way to get the vaccines to market as quickly as possible, but research in B.C., Quebec, Israel and the United Kingdom has shown that first doses are highly effective. The B.C. Centre for Disease Control examined the effects of a single dose on long-term care residents and health-care workers and found that it reduced the risk of the virus by up to 90 per cent within two to three weeks, Henry said. "It is a little bit unfortunate that the national science adviser ... obviously was not involved in some of these discussions and decision-making and perhaps did not understand the context that this decision was made in," Henry said. Dr. Danuta Skowronski, a B.C. Centre for Disease Control epidemiology lead whose work underpinned the province's plan, said Pfizer-BioNTech underestimated the efficacy of its first dose in its submissions to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Skowronski said the company included data from the first two weeks after trial participants received the shot, a time when vaccines typically aren't effective. When she and her colleagues adjusted the data, they found it was 92 per cent effective, similar to the Moderna vaccine. She said B.C.'s plan was based on the basic principles of vaccine science. The protection from a first dose of vaccine does not suddenly disappear, it gradually wanes over time, and scientists are typically more concerned about providing a second dose too soon rather than too late, she said. "I think if the public had a chance to hear and to understand that, they would say, 'OK, this is not messing around. This is really managing risk in a way that maximizes protection to as many Canadians as possible.'" B.C. has administered 283,182 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to date, including more than 86,000 second doses. The province reported 438 new cases of the virus on Tuesday and two more deaths, pushing the death toll in B.C. to 1,365. Henry said she expects a statement soon from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization aligning with the province's decision, while Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott said Tuesday she wanted to wait for such a recommendation. Elliott said extending the interval between doses would allow the province to get some level of protection to more people. "This would be a considerable change," she said. "With the variants of concern out there, this could make a significant difference for Ontario in reducing hospitalizations and deaths. So, we are anxiously awaiting NACI's review of this to determine what they have to say in their recommendations." Dr. Shelley Deeks, vice-chair of the national committee, said in an email the group is expected to issue a statement on extending the dose interval on Wednesday, but she did not confirm it would align with B.C.'s plan. Alberta's health minister said a committee of COVID-19 experts is analyzing emerging data and a decision on whether to follow B.C.s lead is coming. "There's fantastic evidence that's coming out," Tyler Shandro said Tuesday. "What the exact period of time (between doses) is going to be is still to be decided. We'll be announcing it soon, but we will be looking at having that length of time between first and second extended." Alberto Martin, a University of Toronto immunology professor, said there is "obviously some concern" about B.C.'s plan because he is not aware of any clinical trial that examined a four-month gap between Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna doses. However, he said difficult times when the vaccine supply is so limited require drastic measures. "It's a difficult decision to make. I don't know whether I'd like to be in that position, but I think it's understandable why they're doing this." Daniel Coombs, a University of British Columbia mathematician who has done COVID-19 modelling, said Nemer was right that B.C. was conducting an "experiment," but it seemed to be a necessary one. He added that the province may also be anticipating the approval of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, which only requires one shot. Michael Houghton, director of the Li Ka Shing Applied Virology Institute at the University of Alberta, said the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine data shows that one shot conveys 76 per cent protection for the next 12 weeks. Houghton said he is more concerned about extending the dose interval to 16 weeks for the other two approved vaccines. "These make vaccinologists nervous since, usually, we use in the real world what was tested in the clinic, but given the vaccine shortage, perhaps desperate times warrant such calculated gambles." With files from Holly McKenzie-Sutter in Toronto and Sylvia Strojek in Edmonton. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 2, 2021. Online Cybersecurity Degree Pursue lucrative and in-demand roles with Utica College's 100% online cybersecurity degree. You'll choose from four specializations to tailor your degree to your career goals. Study at an institution designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE/CDE). Request Information Jeff Bezos last week announced he will be stepping down from his role of CEO Amazon. Bezos is following Microsoft's lead and putting his cloud executive Andy Jassy in charge of the company. Given that Microsoft was exceedingly successful with putting Satya Nadella in the same role, it would seem that this would be a slam-dunk success. But the issue is that Amazon is not Microsoft; it is an online retail company with an unusual interest in cloud services. Amazon's success is that, up until now, its cloud business was run by a subject matter expert, and Bezos, while building Amazon, became an expert in online retail. Blue Origin, which Elon Musk's SpaceX has significantly eclipsed, is also run by experts. Still, Bezos isn't a rocket scientist, and this game of musical chairs will end with their cloud expert running the retail business and Bezos attempting to run full time a rocket company. This effort will almost certainly not end well because each executive's skills -- with the possible exception of who takes over Andy Jassy's cloud job -- are unqualified for the part of Bezo's empire they are running. Let's explore this potential train wreck this week, and we'll close with my product of the week, the new robotic Echo Show 10. Succession One of the most significant omissions with companies that are just a few decades old, like Amazon, is the lack of a formal succession training program for the CEO job. Often the CEO founder, who has grown up with their company, doesn't realize the unique skills they have and assumes almost any senior executive can do the job. More mature companies like IBM have formal programs where employees are identified early and extensively trained as executive assistants by former CEOs, and in various company roles. Hence, they gain the breadth they need for the job that they can demonstrate to the board when it comes time to replace the CEO. Like I did when I was in the IBM program, they also learn whether they even want the job (I didn't). Why Bezos Is Likely Leaving This lack of formal succession often results in the selected CEO underperforming because they either lack the necessary breadth or the interest to do the job as it needs to be done. The typical reason that a CEO like Bezos voluntarily steps down is that they no longer enjoy the job, which becomes very political, bureaucratic, and increasingly regulated as the company grows. Amazon is facing a vast number of things that I'm sure most of us wouldn't enjoy facing any more than Jeff Bezos does. The company is being unionized, is under antitrust review, its taxes are about to go up a lot, and it faces increasing competition from Walmart and China's online retail firms. Because of Amazon's size, it's restricted from many aggressive ways to compete. Both the unionization effort and antitrust investigation could result in massive headaches for the CEO. Wrong Choice Now, the guy that likes running a cloud business that isn't facing antitrust and isn't being unionized mostly requires technical competence rather than political savvy. Both union fighting and litigation experience don't look like a fit to me. When Microsoft pivoted to become a cloud business it was no longer under an antitrust cloud. As a result, competent technical leaders like Nadella and, a decade earlier, Steve Ballmer made more sense because Microsoft dealt with operational problems resulting from their antitrust effort. Even so, Balmer was still viewed as a failure because he lacked the technical competence needed to run a technology company. Given the threats to, and the nature of, Amazon's business, the company needs someone who understands how to address the threats and grasps the online retail market. Where Amazon needs its top cloud expert isn't running the company; it's running AWS, a mostly separate entity that also has Amazon as a client. To offer an analogy, Amazon is doing this as if Microsoft and Walmart merged, and Satya Nadella ran the combined company. There is a pretty good chance that both Microsoft and Walmart would suffer, since Satya does not have the retail comprehensiveness to run Walmart. I expect this move at Amazon to demonstrate that a successful CEO must be an expert in the business of the company, and also be able to formulate a strategy to address the imminent threats the firm faces. A better move would have been to anticipate an unfavorable antitrust action and spin off AWS as a separate company to help ensure that result wouldn't damage the company. As part of Amazon, selling cloud services to other retailers or into markets like China is problematic due to Amazon's retail power. Separately, Amazon would be free to compete against Microsoft and Google more evenly because it wouldn't be seen as a competitor or threat to many companies. Businesses, as a general practice, avoid buying from competitors like the plague. Repeating Bill Gates' Mistake When he went through the antitrust trials, Bill Gates realized he no longer enjoyed the job of running Microsoft. Things had changed a lot and became similar to what Bezos is facing at Amazon: assorted government challenges, bureaucracy, and people stopping you from doing things you enjoy. Bill wanted out, and he saw running his charity as something he'd enjoy more. But rather than looking for the best candidate to replace him, he picked the easiest in Steve Ballmer. That cost the company one of their best operational executives and caused Gates the loss of his closest friend. Even though there was supposed to be an overlap where Bill trained Steve, Bill pretty much moved on and left Steve to screw up -- which Steve did with a vengeance. Most notable were the failed Yahoo acquisition, the Nokia acquisition, Windows Vista, Windows 8, and the Zune debacle. It wasn't that Ballmer was a lousy manager; he did impressively well until he became CEO, whereupon he was out of his depth, which in turn made him overly defensive, which led to him not getting timely help. About that help: Bill did provide Steve with a technical resource out of Lotus' Iris software group, but Ray Ozzie (who replaced Gates as chief architect) didn't get along with Balmer, likely because Steve saw him as more of a threat than a partner. Also, Ray wasn't known to work well in large companies and hadn't grown up at Microsoft, making him a poor choice. They should have selected someone that Steve liked from inside Microsoft to offset his lack of programming skills and knowledge. Bezos appears to be making this same mistake, choosing someone not because they have the right skills but because they are comfortable and foolish enough to take the job without realizing they are likely to hate it. Back to the Microsoft-Walmart analogy...Think about it: If Satya Nadella were offered the job to run Walmart, even though he is a successful CEO, I think he'd be smart enough to say "hell no." That situation would bring about all the stuff he hates about being CEO without any of the technical aspects he loves; and he'd have to learn large scale retail and how to manage unionized employees (Walmart has been fighting unions for years, mostly with surprising success). Like Gates and Ballmer, Bezos and Jassy appear to be close friends, and just like with Gates and Ballmer, friendship is unlikely to survive this move if, as I expect, Jassy is now a square peg in a round hole. Wrapping Up Companies need succession planning. CEOs aren't immortal; they aren't infallible, they aren't always honest, and they often have issues with abusing power, given that every CEO will need to be replaced at some point. It is the board's job to find the best person for the job. With good succession planning, the firm will have internally several viable candidates at any time that are trained and ready to step in. Without it, you get something like we saw at Microsoft with Steve Ballmer; and now see with what I view as a bad skills match that will likely damage Amazon and force out their top cloud executive, hence damaging AWS. Unlike Bill Gates' charity, running a rocket company will be problematic for someone that isn't the right kind of engineer, much like running a software company was with Ballmer. There is always a chance this will work out, but the odds don't look good and, I expect, Amazon, AWS, and Blue Origin will all be badly harmed by this move. The Amazon Echo Show 10 I'm a colossal Echo fan. I've had nearly every Amazon Echo made since the firm came out with the platform. This digital assistant is our home's music source, it helps manage our shopping and it even turns out our lights at night. There's an Echo in every room of my house, except for closets and pet rooms (I'm a bit worried about what would happen if my pets figured out how to use it). We have the old Echo Show in the kitchen and my office. It works fine in my office mostly because I never really use the display and only ask it questions or to update shopping lists. But, in the kitchen, the display isn't angled correctly to use it for cooking, or to watch videos while cooking. Touching the device when you are preparing food can mess it up and, during a pandemic, touching anything others may touch is problematic. It will show if someone is at the door because it connects to the door camera, but that does you little good if you can't see the display. The new Echo Show 10 adds a motorized screen that will rotate to face you when you need to see something without touching it. Not only is that a ton more fun to show off when you have folks over, but it is also much more convenient when you have to see what is on the screen and your hands are dirty, or you are across the room at the wrong angle. Echo Show 10 Ironically, it also looks like my favorite iMac -- which for me is an added plus. The new Echo Show 10 will release on Feb. 25 for $249 -- and it is my product of the week. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ECT News Network. Rob Enderle has been an ECT News Network columnist since 2003. His areas of interest include AI, autonomous driving, drones, personal technology, emerging technology, regulation, litigation, M&E, and technology in politics. He has an MBA in human resources, marketing and computer science. He is also a certified management accountant. Enderle currently is president and principal analyst of the Enderle Group, a consultancy that serves the technology industry. He formerly served as a senior research fellow at Giga Information Group and Forrester. Email Rob. The Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) has announced a list of 697 Vietnamese seafood enterprises permitted to export their products to Taiwan, reported the Vietnam Association of Seafood Processors and Exporters (VASEP). Taiwan has mainly imported from Vietnam frozen/fresh tiger and white-leg shrimp and frozen pangasius fillet. Photo baodansinh.vn This list of eligible Vietnamese seafood enterprises is valid from February 23, 2021, according to the TFDA's announcement sent to the Vietnam Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei, the association said. The VASEP said Taiwan is not among the top 10 seafood export markets of Vietnam. But this market also has a relatively stable seafood import value from Vietnam with more than US$100 million per year, accounting for 1.3 to 1.8 per cent of national total seafood exports in recent years. This market mainly imports frozen/fresh tiger and white-leg shrimp, frozen pangasius fillet, processed shrimp, surimi, squid and octopus from Vietnam. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, seafood export turnover to this market in the first half of 2020 decreased by 14 per cent compared to the same period the year before, reaching $50.5 million. Of which, the export value fell by 18 per cent for shrimp to $27 million, 27 per cent for pangasius to nearly $10 million and 4 per cent for other seafood products to $22 million. According to the General Department of Customs, in 2020, Vietnam's seafood export value to Taiwan was $120 million. Before the pandemic, Nam Viet Joint Stock Company gained an export value of between $5-6 million each year from exporting pangasius to Taiwan. However, since due to the worldwide COVID-19 outbreak, the company's seafood exports to Taiwan have declined. Therefore, it has focused on key markets such as the US and the EU or potential markets in Asia like Thailand and Malaysia that have similar value exports and are also members of the CPTPP agreement, Do Thi Thu Thuy, Nam Viet's business manager, said. The Thuan Phuoc Fishery and Trading Joint Stock Company has also faced a reduction in seafood exports to Taiwan due to lower purchasing during the pandemic. The company will focus on larger markets and ignore this Asian market, said Tran Van Linh, Thuan Phuoc JSC chairman. According to experts, it is completely reasonable for local seafood enterprises to focus on major markets. The attraction from the EVFTA makes more and more businesses in the seafood industry concentrate on exploiting the European market. However, although the export value of seafood to Taiwan is not high, the demand for seafood in this market is increasing. This is an opportunity for Vietnamese businesses. The VASEP also noted that to export to Taiwan, the businesses' products need small packaging, nice design and full instructions for use. In addition, when entering the Taiwanese market, they need to pay attention to advertising. The experts say that besides the large markets, local enterprises should still maintain smaller markets. Diversifying markets will help them to achieve the long-term goal of sustainable development. VNS The crisis at Greensill Capital has cast a shadow over the business empire of Sanjeev Gupta raising fears for thousands of jobs in the steel industry. Gupta, 50, an Indian-born British tycoon, has been dubbed the 'saviour of UK steel' after buying plants in Rotherham, Stocksbridge, Newport and Hartlepool. But he has been heavily reliant on Greensill for funding and the crisis there has left him seeking other sources of finance. Saviour of UK steel: Sanjeev Gupta has been heavily reliant on Greensill for funding and the crisis there has left him seeking other sources of finance Talks have broken down between Gupta's GFG Alliance and Canadian asset management giant Brookfield over a loan worth hundreds of millions of pounds. Liberty Steel, part of the GFG Alliance, employs 3,000 staff in the UK while another 2,000 work in Gupta's engineering businesses. Unions warned that jobs could be at risk if Gupta's finances deteriorated. Community, the UK's steel union, said: 'Liberty Steel UK is a crucial strategic business and we are ready to work with it and the Government to secure the business and protect jobs.' Harish Patel from Unite told the BBC: 'The latest concerns about the future of Greensill and Sanjeev Gupta's refinancing difficulties are deeply alarming, and Unite will be seeking urgent reassurances about the health of the business units in the UK.' Gupta has been under scrutiny since his takeover binge that began in 2015 and has left him owning much of what remains of the steel industry in Britain. Liberty Steel has delayed publishing a coordinated set of accounts, which were due to be released in late 2020, raising further questions over its finances. GFG Alliance has around 30,000 employees and Liberty is the world's eighth-largest steel producer. GFG said: 'GFG has adequate funding for its current needs and its refinancing plans to broaden its capital base and obtain longer-term funding are progressing well. 'Our global efficiency drive means that our core businesses are operationally strong.' .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... SEOUL, South Korea South Koreas central bank says the countrys economy shrank for the first time in 22 years in 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic destroyed service industry jobs and depressed consumer spending. Preliminary data released by the Bank of Korea on Thursday showed that the countrys gross domestic product last year contracted 1% from 2019. It marked the first annual contraction for the countrys economy since 1998, when it was in the midst of a crippling financial crisis. The economy would have been even worse if not for the countrys technology exports, which saw increased demand driven by personal computers and servers as the pandemic forced millions around the world to work at home. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ The bank expects South Koreas economy to manage a modest recovery this year driven by exports. But it says it would take a longer time for the job market to recover from the damage to services industries such as restaurants and transportation. The country reported another new 424 cases of the coronavirus on Thursday, bringing its national caseload to 91,240, including 1,619 deaths. ___ THE VIRUS OUTBREAK: CDC chief: Wear masks, follow federal guidelines Biden stands by timeline of vaccines for all US adults by May Drug maker says India vaccine is 81% effective European countries seek vaccine overdrive to catch up Follow APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic, https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak ___ HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING: TORONTO A national panel of vaccine experts is recommending that Canadian provinces extend the interval between the two doses of a COVID-19 shot to quickly inoculate more people. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization says extending the dose interval to four months would create opportunities to protect the entire adult population against the virus within a short time frame. The panel says many as 80% of Canadians over 16 could receive a single dose by the end of June simply with the expected supply of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. In comparison, the federal government previously said 38% of people would receive two doses by the end of June. The committees recommendation came hours after Newfoundland and Labrador said it will extend the interval between the first and second doses to four months, and days after health officials in British Columbia announced they were doing so. Manitoba and Quebec also say they will delay second doses. Ontario previously said it was weighing a similar move but would seek advice from the federal government. The provinces administer health care in Canada. ___ ATLANTA, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said Georgias government will open five more mass-vaccination sites later this month as he defended the states performance in delivering COVID-19 vaccines. The state will open sites beginning March 17, joining four sites the state is already running. The Republican governor said Wednesday that the sites are being set up in advance of a further expansion of vaccine eligibility in the state to be announced later this month. Numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that Georgia has administered only 68% of the vaccines it has received and has 1 million unadministered doses. The data show only the District of Columbia and Kansas lag further behind. Georgia officials have disputed the CDC data for weeks and said some health providers are slow to report when they put shots in arms. The states own numbers show it has given 76% of available vaccines, which would be in the middle of the pack among states, if no other states were allowed to adjust their numbers. Still, thats 700,000 doses on hand, when the state is getting 200,000 doses this week, rising to 223,000 next week. We cant control whos holding second doses, Kemp said. I dont think they should be doing that. They should be giving those doses. The supply chain is caught up. They dont need to be doing that any more. They need to get shots in arms. ___ FLORIDA The CVS Pharmacy chain is vaccinating Florida teachers under age 50, circumventing state orders that continue to limit coronavirus inoculations to those over that age. The chain also began vaccinating day care and preschool teachers Wednesday, even though Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has not yet opened the vaccination program to them. CVS is giving inoculations in two dozen cities across the state. CVS said it is following Biden administration guidelines released this week, which are broader for educators than Floridas. For teachers, Florida limits the vaccine to classroom teachers 50 and older who work in kindergarten through 12th grade. The federal guidelines allow day care workers, preschool teachers and educators in elementary, middle and high schools to be vaccinated with no age limit. Weve aligned with updated Federal Retail Pharmacy Program guidelines by making appointments available to pre-K through 12 educators and staff and childcare workers in all 17 states where we currently offer COVID-19 vaccines, the Rhode Island-based company said in a statement. The chain had been working with DeSantis to expand vaccine availability. Its executives held a press conference with the governor last week when the chain announced its Latino-focused subsidiaries in Miami-Dade County, Navarro Discount Pharmacies and CVS y Mas, would offer the vaccine. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program will prioritize all school staff and child care workers this month, following President Joe Bidens directive on Tuesday. Other pharmacy chains participating in the program in Florida include Publix, Walmart and Walgreens, but it wasnt clear if they would also start vaccinating younger educators. The governors press office declined to comment on CVS decision. ___ ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. The U.S. government needs to boost vaccine supplies if it wants New Mexico to meet a new mandate for getting at least one shot into the arms of all teachers by the end of March, top state officials said Wednesday. Health Secretary Dr. Tracie Collins during a briefing said the state already has vaccinated more than 15,000 educators and that the group was next in line to be prioritized under New Mexicos phased approach to distributing vaccinations. Still, state officials have been reluctant to offer a timeline for expanding eligibility given ongoing supply issues. They are a priority for us as well so were going to work closely with the White House to figure out how to make this happen, Collins said of the push to get more teachers vaccinated. She said discussions were underway with the Biden administration. Many New Mexico school districts have opted not to dramatically increase in-person learning despite approval from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. Some have opened on a limited basis, allowing students to attend in-person based on the availability of teachers who volunteer. Citing supplies as a limiting factor, Lujan Grisham said in a statement she was hopeful Bidens directive was an indication that the federal government would be sending more support to the states to get schools opened safely on a faster timeline. ___ MINNEAPOLIS: Minnesota state and health officials on Wednesday celebrated the arrival of the first shipments of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine, saying it will help speed up the pace of vaccinations and a return to normal in the state. Gov. Tim Walz visited an M Health Fairview warehouse in Minneapolis that was one of several sites across the state to receive a share of the states initial 45,200 doses of the new vaccine. Minnesota wont get any more for the next week or two, but the governor expects deliveries of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to rise in the meantime. This is a good vaccine. Its 100% effective against death, its almost that against hospitalizations or severe disease, Walz said at a news conference after his tour. Ill tell Minnesotans, when you get the opportunity, roll up your sleeves and take the vaccine. ___ MONTPELIER, Vt. An outbreak of COVID-19 at the Vermont state prison in Newport has grown to 100 inmates and eight staff members, making it the largest outbreak at a Vermont correctional facility since the start of the pandemic, the commissioner of the Department of Corrections said. Its all hands on deck for our response, Corrections Commissioner Jim Baker said in a statement Tuesday, adding that the prison is being treated as though it were a hospital. Officials are coordinating with the departments medical contractor, regional hospitals, the State Emergency Operations Center and the Vermont Department of Health to ensure the well-being of the staff and inmates, he said. The Vermont outbreak began after one staff member and 21 inmates tested positive for the virus on Feb. 23. The most recent cases were detected in testing conducted March 1. The ACLU of Vermont is calling for the the state to reduce the number of people in prison and to prioritize vaccinations for incarcerated Vermonters. The prison has been on full lockdown since the first positive result Feb. 25. All other state prisons are on modified lockdown. ___ OKLAHOMA CITY The number of Oklahoma deaths due to the illness caused by the coronavirus jumped by about 2,500 Wednesday as the state health department began using the count reported by the federal Centers for Disease Control. The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported 7,035 deaths using the CDCs number that is based on death certificates. The health department on Tuesday had reported 4,534 COVID deaths. There were 747 new virus cases for a total of 425,746 since the pandemic began, the department reported. On Tuesday, the Oklahoma City Council extended the citys mask ordinance until April 30, after hearing that the city could achieve herd immunity by June, an estimated 80% rate of vaccination in the population. Council member David Greenwell said the mandate could be extended, if needed. Weve been very flexible to have these extensions occur roughly every six weeks, just to take into account developments in terms of new information about the virus, Greenwell said. ___ HARTFORD, Conn. More than 200 inmates at the federal prison in Danbury, Connecticut, have declined to get vaccinated against COVID-19, including numerous medically vulnerable prisoners who have been seeking release to home confinement due to concerns about the coronavirus, according to federal officials. Federal prosecutors disclosed in a new court document filed Tuesday that nearly 550 of the approximately 800 inmates at the prison complex have been offered a COVID-19 vaccine and 336 have received at least the first of two doses. Another 212 inmates declined. Some inmates may be worried or confused about the safety of the vaccines, or do not trust them, said Ariadne Ellsworth, a Yale Law School student and member of the legal team representing Danbury inmates who filed a class-action lawsuit accusing federal officials of not doing enough to protect them from the coronavirus. Our understanding is that, as more information has become available and individuals have had more opportunities to educate themselves about the vaccine, a number of class members who initially declined the vaccine have since informed the facility that they are now willing to take it, Ellsworth said. The Connecticut U.S. attorneys office filed the new document as part of the class-action lawsuit, which was settled last July. The federal Bureau of Prisons agreed to promptly identify prisoners who are low security risks and are at higher risk of developing serious COVID-19 complication and release them to home confinement. Prison officials say inmates who decline vaccinations without a documented medical reason will not be given further consideration for home confinement. Officials say they are continuing to consider home confinement for inmates who accept vaccinations, up until the time they are fully inoculated, usually two weeks after receiving the second dose. ___ WASHINGTON The Biden administration will partner with health insurance companies to help vulnerable older people get vaccinated for COVID-19. White House coronavirus special adviser Andy Slavitt announced Wednesday the goal is to get 2 million of the most at-risk seniors vaccinated soon. Many older people live in relative isolation and some lack the internet access to make vaccination appointments. Insurance companies have ties to Medicare recipients through businesses that range from Medicare Advantage private plans, to prescription drug coverage, to Medigap plans that seniors purchase for expenses that traditional Medicare doesnt cover. Slavitt says insurers will use their networks to contact seniors with information about COVID-19 vaccines, answer questions, find and schedule appointments for first and second doses and coordinate transportation. The focus will be on reaching people in medically underserved areas. The two major industry trade groups, Americas Health Insurance Plans and the BlueCross BlueShield Association, separately announced their member companies will take part in the pilot program, which is being called Vaccine Community Connectors. ___ WASHINGTON The Biden administration is warning against virus fatigue and encouraging Americans to continue to wear a mask and practice social distancing despite many states easing restrictions. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the nation is at a critical nexus in the pandemic, and the next two months are pivotal in determining the remaining course of the pandemic. While vaccinations are set to rapidly ramp up, Walensky warned deaths and new infections have plateaued at a troubling level after falling off their January highs. She says: Fatigue is winning and the exact measures we have taken to stop the pandemic are now too often being flagrantly ignored. Walensky says the CDC has been clear in opposing states moves to lift restrictions and encouraged Americans to follow federal guidelines. ___ LA PAZ, Bolivia Authorities say they have arrested eight people in connection with the death of seven students who fell to their deaths from a fourth-floor university balcony during a crowded meeting held in defiance of Bolivias pandemic restrictions. The dead, all first-year students at the Public University of El Alto, fell about 56 feet when a balcony railing gave way during a meeting for candidates for Sundays local elections in Bolivia. A seventh student died on Wednesday, according to doctors. Gov. Felix Patzi declared three days of mourning and prosecutor Marco Antonio Cossio said eight people had been arrested, some for violating the ban on public meetings during the pandemic. ___ NEW DELHI, India The interim analysis of results from an Indian vaccine makers late stage trials shows its COVID-19 vaccine to be about 81% effective in preventing illness from the coronavirus. The Bharat Biotech vaccine was controversially approved by India in January without waiting for trials to confirm that the vaccine was effective. Since then 1.3 million of doses of the vaccine have been administered to people in India. The interim results are based on 43 trial participants who were infected by the virus. Of these, 36 hadnt received the vaccine, the company says. A second analysis will be conducted for 87 cases, and a final analysis 130 cases. Health care workers have been reticent to take the shots and health experts are concerned the regulatory shortcut has amplified vaccine hesitancy. Bharat Biotech has already signed an agreement with Brazil to supply 20 million doses of the vaccine by September. ___ COLUMBUS, Ohio Ohios mask mandate will continue until a critical mass has been reached of people who have received the coronavirus vaccine, a spokesperson for Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said. Despite announcements that mask orders in Texas and other states are being lifted, DeWine believes its important to continue mask wearing and social distancing until that critical mass of vaccinations is met, DeWine press secretary Dan Tierney said Wednesday. DeWine issued the states mask mandate in July. While people who have been vaccinated have great immunity against severe forms of the coronavirus, including protection from being hospitalized or dying, they could still get the virus in a weakened form, Tierney said. That means they could transmit the virus to people at risk of serious complications, he said. We need to wear the mask to protect ourselves and others from the virus spreading until we get that critical mass where the vaccine is doing that for us, Tierney said. Yesterday, President Biden gave a speech at the White House and said that the US is on track to have enough vaccine supply to cover every adult in America by the end of Maya two-month improvement on his administrations previous timeline. Biden announced that the federal government has taken steps to accelerate the production of Johnson & Johnsons vaccine, including helping to finalize a deal that will see Merck, a rival pharmaceutical company, manufacture doses. This is a type of collaboration between companies we saw in World War II, Biden said, calling them good corporate citizens. He also announced plans to get a first dose to every teacher this month. Across the mediasphere, these new developments were hailed as very good news. Some politics-watchers noted that they also reflected smart media management on Bidens part. Eli Stokols, White House reporter for the LA Times, recalled how Trump, desperate to win the daily news cycle, said COVID would be gone by Easter, then summerand kept moving goalposts back. Theres more benefit, Stokols wrote, in setting moderate expectations, working to exceed them, and THEN doing the press conference. US health officials only approved Johnson & Johnsons vaccine, which requires just a single dose, last weekend. The greenlighting was also welcomed in much coverage. The Washington Post greeted it, in a push notification, as added firepower in the fight against the pathogen. Spencer Bokat-Lindell, an opinion editor at the New York Times, put the new vaccine at the heart of his case for COVID optimism; Insiders Hilary Brueck and Andrew Dunn wrote that it is probably the best shot, since its relatively easy to administer, works very well in young people, and potentially has lesser side effects than other vaccines. Still, such positivity wasnt ubiquitous: Ever since Johnson & Johnson reported its trial data, some coverage has emphasized that its vaccine has lower headline efficacy rates than those produced by Pfizer and Moderna. The Post recently reported, under the headline Johnson & Johnson vaccine deepens concerns over racial and geographic inequities, that the expected deployment of the new shot to hard-to-reach areas could drive perceptions of a two-tiered vaccine system, riven along racial or class lineswith marginalized communities getting what they think is an inferior product. On Sunday, Dr. Anthony Fauci toured the networks and was repeatedly asked what hed say to Americans whod rather wait for Pfizer or Moderna shots than get Johnson & Johnsons; he explained patiently that all three vaccines are very effective and that since they were tested under very different conditions, minute comparisons of efficacy percentages arent useful. On Monday, Alex Gorsky, the CEO of Johnson & Johnson, was asked the same question on Today. He stressed that the companys vaccine, unlike its competitors, was tested late last year, when COVID was at the peak of its spread, in countries with differing dominant variants. He added that the shot was still completely effective against hospitalization and death. ICYMI: They were arrested while covering protests last year. Theyre still in legal limbo. These variations in tone, despite the broad underlying positivity of the Johnson & Johnson news, speak to a broader question that I briefly visited a month ago, and that experts and observers have since continued to ask: is the press being unduly pessimistic in its coverage of the pandemic? Late last week, the techno-sociologist Zeynep Tufekciwho has argued repeatedly that the answer is yesmade her most detailed case yet in an article for The Atlantic that took aim at various public-health communicators, as well as journalists. The steady drumbeat of good news about the vaccines has been met with a chorus of relentless pessimism, Tufekci wrote. She then outlined five fallacies that, in her view, have consistently bedeviled COVID messaging: the undue fear that advising certain precautions will trigger a false sense of security and widespread reckless behavior; the repetition of inflexible rules at the expense of educating people about mechanisms of transmission, so they can make risk calculations for themselves; misleading media scolding about outdoor activities like going to the beach; excessive absolutism; and a poor balance between knowledge, risk, certainty, and actionthe framing, for example, that vaccines ability to reduce transmission (in addition to infection) remains a scary unknown, when sound reasoning and available evidence suggests they do have this ability, pending the collection of more data. The public, Tufekci concluded, has been offered a lot of misguided fretting over new virus variants, subjected to misleading debates about the inferiority of certain vaccines, and presented with long lists of things vaccinated people still cannot do, while media outlets wonder whether the pandemic will ever end. But there is, of course, still ample bad news about the pandemic. As I wrote last week, case and death counts remain objectively very highyesterday, they again topped fifty-four thousand and one thousand eight hundred, respectivelyand optimism about a general decline in rates shouldnt obscure that gutting human cost. Trump may be gone from the federal government, but state leaders continue to make foolish decisions: yesterday, the governors of Texas and Mississippi moved to roll back mask mandates and other restrictions, defying CDC guidance and offering every news show a fretful counterpoint to the hope of Bidens vaccine speech. As Ellen Ruppel Shell, a professor of science journalism at Boston University, told me last month, much coverage, in seesawing between good and bad news, has felt schizophrenic, and induced whiplash. Yesterday, the Times wrote, in an article on the reopenings, that many Americans are wondering whether to follow the lure of optimism, or to heed the warnings of health officials who say its premature to lift restrictions. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Its helpful, instead, to think of such formulations as false dichotomies: health officials are optimistic, but in the long term, more than the short. The pandemic has been marked by a flattening of timethe arrival of March sparked innumerable Twitter jokes about how last March never endedbut time is essential to any assessment of what constitutes good and bad pandemic news. We need constantly to interrogate how our baselines have shiftednot just in terms of what we consider to be high numbers of cases and deaths, but also in more positive contexts. If the overall efficacy of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is worth noting at all, its in the sense that a year ago, the breadth of our current vaccine arsenal, and the pace of the rollout, was almost unimaginable; as James T. McDeavitt, of Baylor, told the Times last week, if Johnson & Johnsons shot had been authorized before Pfizers and Modernas, everybody would be doing handstands and back flips and high-fives. Time also has a distorting effect when we look forward. The light at the end of the tunnel illuminates how much tunnel we still must navigate, which creates a set of expectations different from the one-day-then-the-next grind of the past year. The best thing we can do to guard against whiplash is to situate optimism and pessimism not as contrasting poles of a coverage debate, but compatibleindeed, unavoidablefacets of this same everything story were all still living. As Tufekci put it, effective communication requires a sense of proportiondistinguishing between due alarm and alarmism; warranted, measured caution and doombait; worst-case scenarios and claims of impending catastrophe. In her view, such balance has a practical benefit: encouraging people to dream about the end of this pandemic by talking about it more, and more concretely, she wrote, can help strengthen peoples resolve to endure whatever is necessary for the moment. Yesterday, during his vaccine speech, Biden said that the Johnson & Johnson news is a huge step in our effort to beat this pandemic, but I have to be honest with you: This fight is far from over. Increasingly, and may be a better word than but. Below, more on the pandemic: Other notable stories: ICYMI: Michael Tubbs on disinformation, racism, and news deserts Update: This post has been updated to clarify Al Jazeeras relationship with Qatar. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop. Photo: (Photo : Jessica Lewis from Pexels) Professors and technology experts from the Bringham Young University in Utah shared that despite the adverse effects brought by technology during the pandemic, there are ways that everyone can use to improve one's mental health. Increase in use of technology during the pandemic A drastic increase in the number of people dependent on technology has been recorded. That is since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. According to reports, this is described as an inevitable surge. Businesses have shifted to online platforms; employees have to work from home; and even students have to attend virtual classes. Because families had to stay at home most of the time, this threatened the mental health of some individuals. Spending more time together became a challenge for some families. However, experts from BYU say that there are ways on how to improve mental health through technology. According to them, despite the increase of cases of depression and anxiety, there can still be ways to turn things around. ALSO READ: Divorce Conflict Can Lead to Mental Health Problems in Children [2021 Study Revealed] How to improve mental health through technology 1. Be active users of technology Sarah Coyne, the School of Family Life associate director at BYU, shared that technology users may be categorized as active and passive users. Depending on the kind of user that one is, it can somewhat affect interaction online. Coyne says that active users are those that interact positively. These users are liking, sharing, and uplifting others. On the other hand, passive users are those who observe and scroll. Coyne believes that active use of technology is the healthier way to go. She said, "It's important to be really mindful of your social media use and making sure that we are not just scrolling." ALSO READ: Surprisingly Valid Reasons Why Moms Should Care About Their Prenatal Mental Health 2. Use technology to connect with others Another expert from BYU, Quintin Hunt, said that another way to improve mental health through technology is by using it to connect with others. Although we lack the physical aspect when connecting with others via technological means, staying connected and finding people to talk with is vital during the pandemic. For students, they feel that attending virtual classes is more exhausting. One student shared, "It's hard to find the energy to really do anything because I am not getting that social interaction that I really want that helps me actually enjoy the class." Meeting friends while following COVID-19 protocols is a solution that some people do. However, Hunt emphasizes that technology can be a great way to improve one's mental health. He said that one should not be afraid to talk about their struggles or talk about their mental health during these times. He said that people should continue to value one's relationship even if there is physical distance. ALSO READ: Parents Ask: How to stop panic attacks experienced by kids [What to do] Overseas Filipino contract workers arrive at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila after disembarking from a flight from Hong Kong, May 13, 2020. The ex-Philippine ambassador to Brazil, who was fired this week after videos that went viral showed her hitting a Filipina maid at her residence in Brasilia, said Wednesday she would sue the government over what she called an unfair dismissal. The firing of former diplomat Marichu Mauro has resonated deeply in the Philippines, which is among the worlds top exporters of overseas workers. On Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte sacked Mauro, a 26-year veteran of the Philippine foreign service. He also stripped her of retirement benefits and barred her from holding public office again over videos showing how she had repeatedly inflicted physical harm on her maid while serving as the countrys envoy to Brazil. In a statement released Wednesday, Mauro did not deny the allegations against her but asked whether her dismissal was a fair and equitable decision. My lawyers and I are constrained to resort to our courts to obtain an unbiased judgment, she said. Mauro returned to the Philippines late last year shortly after the video footage, captured by CCTV cameras at the ambassadors official residence, was aired on Brazilian television. I completely regret the incidents in the videos and the shame it has brought upon the Department of Foreign Affairs, Mauro said, adding that her maid, who had been employed by her family for the past three decades, had forgiven her for the alleged physical abuse. But she lashed out at the department for mishandling her case as if the intention was to make an example of me. Clearly, there was a deep desire to see me punished and to deny me my pension that I have worked so hard for many years, the former ambassador said. There was absolutely no interest in giving me the benefit of the doubt and considering possible mitigating and even aggravating circumstances that have contributed to my behavior, she said. Mauro also defended her record, saying she had often sought to protect the rights of Filipino migrants during previous postings abroad. According to Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., the maltreated maid was a distant relative of the Mauro family. Sadly it was videotaped. But the law is cut and dried, he said over Twitter. Shes appealing in court. That is her right, the top Philippine diplomat said of Mauro. Migrante International, a group that represents migrant workers, on Wednesday demanded that Mauro not only be fired but be held fully accountable and prosecuted for mistreating the maid. As a government official who abused her authority and undeniably committed cruel and inhumane treatment against her domestic helper, Mauro deserves no less than jail time and removal from all opportunities to serve in any government position, the group said. About one tenth of the countrys population of 108 million work abroad, many as laborers, seamen and maids. Four years ago, Manila suspended the deployment of Filipinos to Kuwait after gruesome deaths of Filipinos there, including that of a maid whose body was found stuffed inside a freezer. Migrante noted that Filipino overseas workers endure long working hours with little or no rest, suffer inadequate living conditions, insufficient food and low pay on top of physical and psychological abuse. It does not come as a surprise that there are thousands of exploited Filipino migrant workers all over the world have not attained justice under the leadership of Duterte, the group said in a statement. On Friday, March 5, at 12.00, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency will host a roundtable talk entitled "Unsettling Political March - Tensions at Front and in the Rear Growing." Participants include expert at the Hardarika Strategic Consulting Corporation Kostiantyn Matviyenko; Director of the Institute of Global Strategies Vadym Karasiov; Director of the Ukrainian Barometer sociological service Viktor Nebozhenko; political scientist, Head of the Penta Center for Applied Political Studies Volodymyr Fesenko (8/5a Reitarska Street). The press conference will be available on the YouTube channel of Interfax-Ukraine. Admission of journalists requires registration on the spot. A Hyderabad-based techie who had returned from Australia after a span of 20 years, has recently set up an agri-startup that offers modern technology such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, hydroponics and others to produce fresh and leafy Image Source: IANS News A Hyderabad-based techie who had returned from Australia after a span of 20 years, has recently set up an agri-startup that offers modern technology such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, hydroponics and others to produce fresh and leafy Image Source: IANS News A Hyderabad-based techie who had returned from Australia after a span of 20 years, has recently set up an agri-startup that offers modern technology such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, hydroponics and others to produce fresh and leafy Image Source: IANS News Hyderabad, March 3 : A Hyderabad-based techie who had returned from Australia after a span of 20 years, has recently set up an agri-startup that offers modern technology such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, hydroponics and others to produce fresh and leafy vegetables free from chemicals and pesticides. "I was in Australia for 20 years and was working with a lot of technologies in the agricultural space. That is where all this started and then I decided that there is so much scope in India in the farming sector," said Sachin Darbarwar, founder of the startup 'Simply Fresh', to IANS. He said that technology is quite advanced in Europe, Australia and other countries as compared to India but at the same time there is a need for affordable fresh chemical and pesticide-free vegetable produce in India. "With that thought process, we contemplated that why don't we give it a try? So that is how it all started," said Darbarwar. After setting up Simply Fresh in 2013 and before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic last year, Darbarwar was growing up to 150 varieties of vegetables, supplying them to a good number of supermarkets, hotels, corporates, live kitchens and others. However, the pandemic threw a spanner in their operations, forcing them to take a break and wait for everything to settle down to resume with renewed focus on exports, along with nutraceuticals. The nutraceuticals focus is to cater to raw material requirements. "Right now we are exporting to the UK and Middle East. In the coming months, once the international airfares come down, we will look at a few more companies like Germany and Singapore," he noted. Darbarwar said he will stick to calling his products chemical and pesticide-free as Simply Fresh is awaiting the government's certification to be categorized as organic. He also said that there is no policy with the government currently to certify hydroponic produce to be called as organic and hopes that he could call Simply Fresh's produce as organic in a couple of months' time. According to Darbarwar, his company employs a technology called precision farming and hydroponics forms a small part of it. "We have been working with 40 different vendors and we imported equipment from seven different countries. We use a lot of AI, a lot of machine learning, a lot of automation is there in place and we have developed a technology called farm-in- the-box which controls the farm right from seed time," he said. Working with botanists and professors, Simply Fresh uses technology to decode signals coming from the plants, which respond to environmental changes and the nutrients being fed to them. Darbarwar and his wife Shweta made use of a 10 acre plot of land to recreate and produce the inviting vegetables they enjoyed in Australia. As many as 14 kinds of lettuce, 10 types of herbs, microgreens, peppers, capsicum and tomato are some of their produce. The startup raised nearly $20 million in funding and managed to shift to a larger parcel of land at Arjunpatla in Siddipet. BRUNSWICK Hannaford Supermarkets announced Wednesday it plans to build its 52nd store in New York state at 9 Lord Ave. at the intersection with Route 7. This new location will make it even easier for Brunswick-area customers to do their grocery shopping for the week or pick up that one item they need. We are proud to be investing further in New York, bringing new jobs to the area and strengthening our relationship with the community, Eric Blom, a Hannaford spokesman, said. National Vaccination Plan Meanwhile, Phase II aims to reduce severe morbidity and mortality in the population at greatest risk, such as: people with comorbidity, members of native or indigenous communities, National Penitentiary Institute (INPE) personnel, and inmates. Finally, Phase III is expected to reduce the transmission of the infection within the community and generate herd immunity. During this stage, people aged between 18 and 59 will be vaccinated. Cientos de profesionales de la salud de hospitales de Lima Metropolitana empezaron a recibir hoy la segunda dosis de la vacuna contra la COVID-19. El Minsa desplego brigadas de vacunadores para aplicar el reforzamiento a la primera linea frente a la pandemia. #PongoElHombro ???? pic.twitter.com/t8dusThLIo 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. 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. 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Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber has not announced if he will run for reelection this year, but it appears hes at least giving it serious consideration. In recent weeks, Webber has been calling potential supporters to ask for their endorsement in a future mayoral campaign, several people familiar with the matter told the Journal. These include various business, cultural and political leaders throughout the city, some of whom supported Webber during his 2018 campaign. One of them is JoAnn Balzer, a community organizer heavily involved in Santa Fes art scene. Balzer said Monday that Webber recently reached out to her asking if he could list her as an endorsement should he decide to run. She said Webber did not definitively say he if he would run, but she plans on endorsing him if he does. Others who spoke with Webber said they believe the mayor will run for reelection, but is waiting for the right time to make an announcement. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ It appears many in Santa Fes political circles are waiting for a Webber announcement. If he decides to run, it could impact the number of possible candidates willing to run against him. He raised more than $300,000 in the 2018 mayoral election more than his four opponents combined. So far, only City Councilor JoAnne Vigil Coppler has expressed interest in running for the seat and many observers say it could come down to just her and Webber. Santa Fe School Board President Kate Noble, who ran against Webber in 2018, said shes worried about the implications of a two-person race, because it limits the number of perspectives represented for the voters. Im concerned that we are heading for a two-person, us-or-them, type of election, Noble said. That needs to be avoided at all costs. Webber said in a statement Monday afternoon that an update on his candidacy is forthcoming very soon. Unlike their canine counterparts, cats may be 'too socially inept' to stand with their owners against someone treating their human poorly, a study has warned. Researchers from Japan found that our feline friends will as gladly take food from someone who hinders their owner as one who helps them or acts neutrally. However, this might not be a simple case of treachery, the team said instead, it is possible that cats cannot read human social interactions the same way dogs can. Domestic cats evolved from solitary hunters, meaning that they likely lacked the kind of original social skills dogs were able to build on during domestication. Unlike their canine counterparts, cats may be 'too socially inept' to stand with their owners against someone treating their human poorly, a study has warned (stock image) In the study, animal behaviour scientist Hitomi Chijiiwa of Kyoto University and colleagues had cat owners try unsuccessfully to open a transparent container to take out an object while their cats watched. Each human participant then asked another person sitting nearby for help, with this individual then either assisted the owner in opening the container, as a 'helper', or refused and turned away instead, acting as a 'non-helper'. In both cases, a third person was also present, but playing a neutral role. Following the interaction over the container, both the helper/non-helper and the neutral person simultaneously offered a treat to the cat, with the researchers recording from whom the pet chose to take the food. Each cat of which there were 36 in total ran the experiment four times. The researchers found that the cats expressed no preference towards taking food from a person who had helped their owner over a neutral party, nor did they seem inclined to avoid the non-helper either. This stands in contrast to how dogs have behaved in identical tests, with 'man's best friend' typically avoiding people who had refused to help their owner. In the study, animal behaviour scientist Hitomi Chijiiwa of Kyoto University and colleagues had cat owners try unsuccessfully to open a transparent container to take out an object while their cats watched. Each human participant then asked another person sitting nearby for help, with this individual then either assisted the owner in opening the container, as a 'helper', or refused and turned away instead, acting as a 'non-helper'. Pictured: the experiment design According to the team, their findings do not necessarily mean that dogs are more loyal than cats but may simply be the result of cats not understanding the social interactions at play and unable to tell that the non-helper was being unhelpful. 'We consider that cats might not possess the same social evaluation abilities as dogs, at least in this situation, because unlike the latter, they have not been selected to cooperate with humans,' the researchers wrote in their paper. 'However, further work on cats social evaluation capacities needs to consider ecological validity, notably with regard to the species sociality,' they added. Furthermore, the team noted, the choice of cats used in the study may mean that the findings are not representative of all pet felines. 'About two thirds of our subjects were from cat cafes, which makes us cautious about generalizing the results of this study to all domestic cats,' they wrote. Cafe-resident cats, for example, may experience less attachment-building interactions with their owners in comparison with house cats, while also being more accustomed to socialising with strangers. Each cat repeated the experiment four times in total. The researchers found that the cats expressed no preference towards taking food from a person who had helped their owner over a neutral party, nor did they seem inclined to avoid the non-helper either (stock image) 'What should we take from this? A tempting conclusion would be that cats are selfish and couldnt care less how their humans are treated,' wrote philosopher of the mind Ali Boyle, of the University of Cambridge, in the Conversation. 'Although this might fit with our preconceptions about cats, its an example of anthropomorphic bias. It involves interpreting cats behaviour as though they were furry little humans, rather than creatures with their own distinctive ways of thinking.' Unlike dogs, who are descended from pack animals, cats have evolved from largely solitary hunters and were domesticated later meaning that they have likely not ended up with the same social finesse as canines. 'Although cats are able to pick up on some human social cues they can follow human pointing and are sensitive to human emotions theyre probably less tuned in to our social relationships than dogs are,' Ms Boyle added. The full findings of the study were published in the journal Animal Behavior and Cognition. NASAs Mars rover, Perseverance, is running on a processor thats 23 years old. Last seen in Apples iMac G3 (the colorful AIO), it's a single-core processor with approximately 6 million transistors and a clock speed of 233MHz. While there are beefier chips, well, everywhere, NASA went with the PowerPC 750 due to the most important factor for space exploration: reliability. The RAD750 variant of the PowerPC 750 that's inside Percy should withstand 200,000 to 1,000,000 rads, as well as temperatures between 55 and 125 degrees Celsius. The processor has already proven itself, ticking away in around 100 satellites floating around Earth. NASA Its not the first mainstream CPU sent into space by a longshot. Back in 2006, NASA strapped a radiation-hardened version of the original PlayStations CPU into its New Horizons probe. In decades time, I wonder where well be sending Ryzen, M1 and Snapdragon chips. And if all this Mars and space talk has you dreaming, theres now a chance you could win a trip around the moon. Mat Smith Maezawa will choose eight others to fly on the first civilian mission to the Moon. dearMoon Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa purchased the right to be SpaceX's first lunar tourist on a mission scheduled for 2023, but he won't be going alone. Maezawa bought all the seats on the flight and announced plans to choose eight people to take the week-long trip to orbit the Moon with him (and two or three others). Maezawa says there are two criteria for potential tripmates. One, that they can push the envelope of whatever they do to help people and society by taking this trip, and that they're willing and able to support crewmembers in their ambitions. I assume this goes beyond helping fellow passengers get their helmets on. Continue reading. Accessory maker Gomi will help eke more use out of damaged battery packs. Gomi Gomi, a UK company that makes sustainable chargers and other devices, has launched a line of portable Bluetooth speakers built from retired Lime e-bike batteries. The company will use 50,000 battery cells from 1,000 old Lime e-bikes to build the Gomi Speaker with 20 hours of battery life. Batteries aside, the speakers are built from 100 percent recycled plastic waste. Theyre now live on Kickstarter, with prices starting at 99 ($138). Continue reading. Pixels everywhere. Samsung Samsung decided to highlight its 2021 TV lineup with a 45-minute long preview video, but you dont have to watch the whole thing. Weve edited down the key bits to make it around ten minutes, so you can get pricing info on the main lineup and see items like the new 76-inch MicroLED configuration, updated Odyssey G9 gaming monitor and 4K short-throw projector. Continue reading. Microsoft At its Ignite conference today, Microsoft announced some big upgrades to the Teams app for work. Since we clearly aren't going to return to large-scale in-person events anytime soon, you can now have up to a thousand attendees per meeting from both inside and outside your organization. If you need to reach even more people, theres a view-only broadcast mode that will support up to 10,000 attendees. Microsoft is also offering a stronger Teams spin on Powerpoint, with Powerpoint Live. Here, presenters can advance their slides whenever they like while viewers can privately skip ahead or go back at their own speed. Continue reading. Instagram Way back in 2019, Instagram announced the start of tests to hide the Like counts we all see on everyone else's posts. That test has apparently still been going on, but without much update or expansion. Then today, all of a sudden, many Instagram users in the US got the above notification saying they wouldn't see Like counts anymore. Instagram told Engadget that today's expansion was a bug, explaining in a tweet that "We unintentionally added more people to the test today." Your precious counts should now be restored or will be very soon. Continue reading. But wait, theres more... DJI officially unveils its cinematic FPV drone Volvo plans to go fully electric by 2030 and only sell cars online The 2022 C40 Recharge will be Volvo's first leather-free EV 'It Takes Two' turns a good platformer into a saccharine romcom 'Aliens: Fireteam' is an online-only survival shooter with Xenomorph hordes Microsoft Mesh aims to bring holographic virtual collaboration to all PlayStation Store will stop selling movies and TV shows on August 31st Uber spins out Postmates' robot delivery division into a separate company Epic Games has bought 'Fall Guys' studio Mediatonic Many KY Businesses Can Increase To 60% Capacity By West Kentucky Star Staff FRANKFORT - On Monday, Governor Andy Beshear announced that restaurants, bars, theaters and 15 other businesses can increase capacity to 60 percent as the state completes its seventh straight week of declining COVID cases.Beshear confirmed the lowest number of new cases since September 28, and the lowest positivity rate since October 18. Kentucky's positivity rate currently stands at 4.84 percent."We've never seen what we are seeing now in terms of a downward trend," said Gov. Beshear. "COVID hospitalizations, ICU admittance and those needing a ventilator have either decreased or stabilized. We will watch and see to ensure we don't see a corresponding increase in cases."Under the new guidelines, the following businesses can increase capacity: Indoor auctions Barbershops/cosmetology/hair salons Bars and restaurants Bowling alleys Indoor educational and cultural activities Fitness centers Funeral and memorial services Government offices/agencies Massage therapy Movie theaters Nail salons Office-based businesses Places of worship (recommendation) Retail Tanning salons Tattoo parlors Vehicle and vessel dealerships Venues and event spacesBeshear has also signaled his support for increasing child care capacity to regular group sizes on March 15 if the current trends continue.On Monday, Beshear confirmed 509 new cases and 15 deaths. McCracken County was included on the list of top counties with the most positive cases.You can see Beshear's full update below.On the Net: Vietnam will run for the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 term to spur human rights in the international arena. Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh early this week stated at the high-level segment of the 46th regular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, with its big achievements in ensuring human rights and desiring to further contribute to joint efforts in protecting and promoting human rights in the world, Vietnam presented its candidature for membership of the Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 term. We are honoured to have been endorsed as the ASEAN candidate for this position and are looking forward to the support from UN member states, Minh said. If Vietnams proposal is adopted, it will mark another milestone for the countrys further engagement and contributions to the international community, which is now particularly hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic and straining public health and social security systems of all countries. Vietnam is running for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council As Secretary-General Guterres put it, the pandemic has been triggering and exacerbating various human rights challenges, Minh said. This should not, however, be a cause for despair. We can already see rays of hope. The world is moving towards a new normal. The global economy is seeing signs of gradual recovery. Vaccines have been developed and made available for public use in record time. Digital transformation and the application of science and technology, particularly IT, will most likely help provide solutions to challenges in all aspects of life. The pandemic has also offered the world a new pathway to go forward, based on adaptability, innovation, cooperation, and solidarity at local, national, and global levels. Vietnam believes strongly that ensuring a safe society amid epi- and pandemics like COVID-19 is the best way to ensure that each and every member of the society can fully enjoy their human rights, Minh stated. Vietnam is grateful for the valuable support from its partners, international organisations, non-governmental organisations, and people around the world. Vietnam has provided medical masks and supplies to support more than 50 countries and international friends in their response to the pandemic. As proposed by Vietnam, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution by consensus proclaiming December 27 as the International Day of Epidemic Preparedness to help raise awareness on the importance of preventing and responding to epi- and pandemics. Vietnam has joined the human development group based on the UNs Human Development Index, and risen one spot to 117th out of 189 economies in the index. Vietnams score has risen by 45 per cent in the past 30 years, according to a report released this week by the United Nations Development Programme, ranking economies based on life expectancy, education, per capita income, gender gap, and poverty. Since 1990, its score has grown at an average of 1.31 per cent a year, making it one of the worlds 20 fastest-growing ones. VIR The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. The United States government has asked for a court order to prevent the disclosure of certain sensitive information relating to the fraud case involving Ramon Abass, a former Nigerian Instagram celebrity who is better known as Hushpuppi. The information the authorities want to be protected include details concerning victims, yet-to-be-apprehended conspirators, and investigation techniques. The specific pieces of information are contained in some documents the U.S. authorities are to hand over to Mr Abass defence team ahead of the commencement of his trial in a U.S. District Court in California in May. PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday obtained the application filed at the California court on February 26. It was filed jointly by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Central District of California, Anil Antony, and the defence counsel, Louis Shapiro. U.S. authorities said the documents they intended to present to the defendant contained sensitive information such as the personal identifying information (PII) of real persons, including personal names, dates of birth, addresses, government identification numbers, financial account numbers, email addresses and photographs. They added that the materials might also contain information within the scope of the Privacy Act. The application reads in part, As part of its investigation in the above-captioned case, the government is in possession of documents related to the charges against defendant, and seeks to provide those documents to counsel for defendant (although some of the materials may exceed the scope of the governments discovery obligations). The governments discovery productions have consisted of, and future discovery productions will consist of, thousands of pages of documents, as well as additional audio and video files, forensic extractions of data from digital devices, and PDF and/or HTML files containing documents seized from online accounts. In the application, it was also stated that the purpose of the proposed Protective Order was to prevent the unauthorised dissemination, distribution, or use of materials containing the sensitive information. If this Sensitive Information is disclosed to defendant without limitation, it will risk exposure of:(a) the privacy and security of the informations legitimate owners, (b) sensitive victim-related information; (c) information about uncharged subjects of the governments investigation and other law enforcement investigations, and (d) potentially sensitive law enforcement investigative techniques, the document added. Proposed order The prosecution and the defence teams attached a format of the proposed protective order to the application which is pending before Judge Otis Wright The defence team shall access and use Protected Discovery for the sole purpose of preparing for trial or any related proceedings in the above-captioned criminal matter, including any appeal and any motion filed by defendant pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 2255, and for no other purpose, the proposed order read in part. Before being shown any portion of the Protected Discovery, however, any witness or witness counsel must be informed of, and agree to be bound by, the requirements of the Protective Order. No witness or witness counsel may retain the Protected Discovery, or any copy thereof, after his or her review of those materials with the defense team is complete, it added. Hushpuppis travails In June 2020, the 37-year-old Hushpuppi known for flaunting his opulent lifestyle on social media was arrested in Dubai by some special operatives including the Emirati police officers and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) operatives. The FBIs investigation, according to the affidavit obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, revealed that Mr Abbas finances this extravagant lifestyle through crime. He is alleged to be the leader of a mafia that facilitated computer intrusion, Business Email Compromise (BEC) fraud and money laundering. His targeted victims, majorly in the U.S., were reportedly duped hundreds of millions of dollars. ADVERTISEMENT In July, Mr Abass alongside Olalekan Ponle, popularly known as Woodberry, was extradited to Chicago in the United States where he was first arraigned. However, because the U.S Court in Illinois does not have jurisdiction over the case, he was transferred to Los Angeles, a city in California, where his trial will commence in May. At the pretrial stage, he pleaded not guilty to the four counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering conspiracies, international money laundering and engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activities. On September 23, 2020, Judge Wright ordered that the jury trial that was suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic would continue by 9 a.m. on May 4. If convicted, Mr Abass might spend the next 20 years in the U.S. federal prison. Paxton, IL (60957) Today Partly to mostly cloudy. High 72F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy early with increasing clouds overnight. Slight chance of a shower late. Low 56F. Winds light and variable. After sentencing thousands of elderly New Yorkers to death by seeding nursing homes with COVID-infected patients, Andrew Cuomo seems to be on the verge of losing his political future, and maybe his job, over saying unpleasant things to a few women. He is starting to resemble toast, the plain old unbuttered white kind, not the whole-grain avocado toast that enjoyed a brief fad. Photo credit: Georgedadrummer, CC BY-SA 3.0 license. To anyone with a sense of proportion, this must appear odd. Don't accuse me of minimizing the seriousness of sexual harassment! To say that it isn't as bad as killing thousands of people is not the same as trivializing it. Few things are worse than mass killing. How does one explain this focus on the lesser charge, when it has been known for many months (to consumers of conservative media, if not those reliant on the legacy blue media) that Cuomo has a copious amount of blood on his hands? One explanation is that feminist groups have enormous sway in the legacy media, so their concerns trump those of the relatives of the prematurely departed. But, the feminist groups have been slow to denounce Cuomo. John Nolte of Breitbart has a better explanation, I think: Why is America's corrupt media not at all interested in some 15,000 dead senior citizens while they tar and feather Cuomo over the allegations he made three left-wing women uncomfortable? The answer is obvious[.] ... Four other Democrat governors issued the same sociopathic nursing home order as Cuomo. Four other Democrats ordered infected coronavirus patients be admitted into nursing home facilities where 1) the most vulnerable live, and 2) they're not set up to handle an infectious virus. What this means is that if the corrupt media were to do the right thing (like that will ever happen) and go after Cuomo over his deadly nursing home policy, it would open a Pandora's Box against these four Democrat governors and the Democrat party as a whole, which is something our fake media will never do. Here's the rundown from my colleague Wendell Husebo: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) issued an order that a long-term care facility "must not prohibit admission or readmission of a resident based on COVID-19 [coronavirus] testing requirements or results." The policy was renewed three times before being rescinded in July 2020. Gov. Gavin Newsom's (D-CA) administration ordered on April 10, 2020, that "patients hospitalized, or receiving treatment at an alternate care site, with COVID-19 can be discharged to a [skilled nursing facility] when clinically indicated." Gov. Phil Murphy (D-NJ) approved a directive from state Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli that said no patient could be denied admission or readmission to a nursing home "solely based on a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19." ... Gov. Tom Wolf (D-PA) enacted a mandatory admission policy in March, saying "nursing care facilities must continue to accept new admissions and receive readmissions for current residents who have been discharged from the hospital who are stable." Mismanagement of the COVID pandemic is potentially the biggest issue in 2022 and even 2024. We see from the experience of red states like Florida and South Dakota that lockdowns were unnecessary, certainly after the "two weeks to flatten the curve" con played out and power-mad governors destroyed businesses, closed schools, and abused the citizenry , while panicking them over a virus from which 99%+ recover, other than the very elderly and those with serious comorbidities. Perhaps the theory is that by taking Cuomo's scalp, they can quiet other protests. I sort of doubt it. I am watching California's likely recall vote on Gavin Newsom closely. Bengaluru, March 3 : The state-run Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) in this tech city celebrated 'World Wildlife Day' by planting saplings of native trees across the sprawling zoo in the southern suburb, an official said on Wednesday. "As per the theme for this year - forests and livelihood: sustaining people and planet, several saplings of native tree species were planted in the zoo under the supervision of Karnataka Forest Development Corporation director Bhagyavathi Amaresh and head of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in Karnataka Soundaryavalli," said zoo executive director Vanashri Vipin Singh said on the occasion. World Wildlife Day is celebrated on March 3 every year to raise awareness of the wild fauna and flora in all countries, as decided by the United Nations General Assembly at its 68th session on December 20, 2013. "To mark the day, we have highlighted the role of forests, species and ecosystems in sustaining the livelihood of people the world over, especially indigenous and local communities with historic ties to forested and forest areas," said Singh. As part of its online awareness creation initiative, the zoo collaborated with WWF to implement 'one earth, one home' programme on its website for students from classes 1 to 8 in English and Kannada to learn about sustainable living. The WWF recognises the zoo as implementation partner of its programme in the southern state. An online contest on the *#DoOneThingToday* was initiated in many categories, including drawing/painting with conservation message, poster on sustaining people and planet and elocution on forest and livelihood. The entries can be sent to educationbbp@gmail.com by students with their name, class and contact details by March 7. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 09:33:03|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SAO PAULO, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The coronavirus variant detected in the northern Brazilian state of Amazonas is twice as contagious and capable of re-infecting those who already had COVID-19, according to a scientific study released on Tuesday. The Sao Paulo Research Foundation said the scientific research group was coordinated by Ester Sabino, an expert on infectious diseases at the University of Sao Paulo, and Nuno Faria, a researcher at Oxford University in Britain. The virus variant was initially detected in mid-November in Manaus, capital of Amazonas state. In just seven weeks, the variant became more prevalent in the region, according to researchers at the Brazil-U.K. Center for Arbovirus Discovery, Diagnosis, Genomics and Epidemiology. Sabino said the message from the data is that even people who have already had the disease should continue to be cautious. Brazil has the world's second-highest COVID-19 death toll, after the United States, and the third-largest caseload, after the United States and India. So far, 10,587,001 people in Brazil have tested positive for the virus and 255,720 people have died from the disease. Enditem Tom Stoppard: A Life By Hermione Lee Knopf. 896 pp. $35 - - - Playwright Tom Stoppard has led a full and varied life, much of it in the public eye since "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead" set loose two characters from "Hamlet" to question the nature of freedom and destiny in theaters around the world. Veteran biographer Hermione Lee's massive new tome follows Stoppard through more than 80 years in meticulous detail - indeed, like such later Stoppard plays as "The Coast of Utopia" and "The Hard Problem," the biography provides information in occasionally exhausting and unnecessary abundance. However, this wealth of material gives a vivid sense of Stoppard's glamorous social life, enduring personal and professional relationships and political commitments. He was born Tomas Straussler in 1937 in Czechoslovakia. His family fled the Nazis to Singapore when he was 18 months old; his father died during the Japanese invasion in 1942. Tomas and older brother Petr escaped with their mother to India, where she met and married Maj. Kenneth Stoppard. He brought the family to England and gave the boys his last name in 1946. Tom Stoppard, as he was known from then on, acquired from these turbulent beginnings the sense that he was "a lucky man, leading a charmed life," grateful for the refuge he found in England and aware that others had not been so fortunate. Lee traces throughout the book Stoppard's journey to reconnect with his Czech/Jewish origins, stymied for many years by his mother's reluctance to talk about a painful past but urged on by the question, "What would that other Tom have been, the one who didn't become an Englishman?" Stoppard's most openly autobiographical explorations of this question occur in the 21st-century works "Rock 'n' Roll" and "Leopoldstadt," but his fascination with double identities and double lives dates back to "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern" in 1966 and crops up over the decades in plays like "Travesties" and "Hapgood." His gratitude to his adopted homeland made him a staunch defender of traditional English values, which he defined as "tolerance, fair play and autonomous liberty." He was anti-communist and anti-union; he both supported and socialized with Tory Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher at a time when most British artists were vocally left-wing and detested her. These positions, plus his unabashed relish for the nice clothes, cars and houses acquired with his commercial success, got Stoppard tagged as a conservative establishment figure. Lee prefers to spotlight his defense of persecuted writers in Eastern Europe, battles against censorship and charitable work for children in war zones. Implicitly bolstering Stoppard's contention that "how you choose to behave in your private life is replicated in the political sphere," she devotes many pages to his generosity toward younger artists, his friendships with politically differing writers like Harold Pinter and David Hare, his cordial relations with former lovers and one ex-wife (not his embittered first, who had alcohol and mental health issues). The key test of an artist's biography is how well it handles the art, and Lee gets good marks here, starting with her analysis of the play that launched his career. She nails "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's" distinctive style and tone, a blend of modernist freedom, dazzling wordplay and broad comedy that characterizes all his work. She also notes how Stoppard's long resistance to discussing autobiographical echoes in his plays, coupled with an insistence that his primary goal was to entertain, led some early critics to dismiss him as a flashy intellectual showman with scant emotional investment in his characters. Lee disputes the conventional wisdom that only with "The Real Thing" in 1982 did Stoppard start to plumb human feelings. His 1972 play "Jumpers," she argues persuasively, is both "showbiz incarnate: tricksy, hilarious, flamboyant, startling," and a grieving depiction of a doomed marriage that opened two days after Stoppard's first divorce. Lee also rejects the view that the philosophical debates in Stoppard's plays are mere window dressing. She presents him as "a playwright profoundly interested in the political choices and decisions of individuals," rendered suspect in more doctrinaire eyes by his ability to write compelling arguments for characters on both sides of an issue. Lee's thorough exegeses of his plays make palpable the intellectual and artistic aims that unify them. She weaves these commentaries into an equally thorough chronicle of Stoppard's personal life, tracing a personal and artistic odyssey that culminates in "Leopoldstadt," a reckoning with the Holocaust and his lost family history that opened in London to near-universal acclaim in early 2020 and was closed by the pandemic on March 14. Lee doesn't pretend to be entirely objective. She tells us that Stoppard, now 83, asked her to write this biography, and her respect and affection for him are evident throughout. There is undoubtedly more to learn from a harder-edged, more critical biography by someone unconcerned with the subject's reaction. But that doesn't diminish the value of this intelligent, admiring tribute to a playwright who remains a vital figure in international theater after more than 50 years. - - - Wendy Smith is the author of "Real Life Drama: The Group Theatre and America, 1931-1940." The National University of Ireland in Galway has been hit by positive cases. Students at NUI Galway who breached public health guidelines have been asked to write a 2,000-word reflective essay. Sanctions have been imposed on a small number of students who have not complied with the universitys code of conduct during the Covid-19 pandemic. Some have been asked to pay fines to the student hardship fund, which provides financial support to struggling students, while others had to write apologies to staff impacted by the breaches. Students were also asked to write reflective essays about their actions. Read More A NUI Galway spokesperson said: "NUI Galway currently has a student community of almost 19,000. The vast majority of our students have adhered to the public health guidelines, conscious of keeping themselves, their families and the wider community safe since the Covid-19 pandemic hit. "The university can confirm that it has imposed sanctions under the student code of conduct on a number of students in relation to breaches of public health guidelines. "The sanctions which can be imposed by the university range from fines which are paid to the Student Hardship Fund, Letters of Apology to staff impacted by breaches, Reflective Essays, formal caution, suspension or expulsion." More than 400 people aged between 18 and 24 have tested positive for Covid in Galway over a two-week period. The HSE said many of the cases were linked to interactions between young adults. Students from NUI Galway returned to the city on the weekend of February 6 for the start of the second semester, which led to a big outbreak. Despite the majority of courses now taking place online, the students union said some returned to off-campus and on-campus accommodation due to a lack of study space at home and poor broadband. Dr Eoin Mac Donncha, director of the health centre at NUI Galway, referred hundreds of students for a Covid-19 test in February. Students congregating is a big issue here, whereas students in the likes of Dublin are far more dispersed, Dr Mac Donncha said. Student accommodation both private and on campus tends to be fairly densely packed into a small area in the city, both on the west and east side of the Corrib. If infection gets into any of those settings, even for students who arent socialising, it can spread much more rapidly. The majority of students are being good and sticking to the guidance, but there is a minority who arent and having house parties and socialising when they shouldnt be. The Utah Legislature has approved a bill backed by Paris Hilton to enact more regulations on the state's 'troubled teen' centers. Known as SB127, the bill was given final legislative approval by the Utah House on Tuesday night, just weeks after Hilton broke down in tears as she testified before lawmakers about abuse she allegedly suffered at Provo Canyon School in the 1990s. The bill will now go to the desk of Gov. Spencer Cox for his consideration, where it's expected to be signed into law. 'I am so proud to share that SB127, the bill I testified on behalf of has passed the Utah legislature,' Hilton celebrated in an Instagram post on Wednesday afternoon. 'This bill protects thousands of youth in residential care from cruel punishments, strip-searches, and seclusion, bans the use of chemical restraint and peer restraint, ensures youth have unmonitored communication with their families, prohibits gender-based discrimination, creates suicide prevention policies, and more.' The 40-year-old added that 'so much of the abuse and trauma' she claims to have experienced at Provo would 'now be illegal under this new law.' 'The teenage version of me would be so incredibly proud to know I accomplished my goal of protecting youth who are experiencing abuse in the name of treatment,' she continued. 'Survivors, this is a BIG step towards systemic change!' Scroll down for video The Utah Legislature has approved a bill backed by Paris Hilton (pictured outside the Utah State Capitol building) to enact more regulations on the state's 'troubled teen' centers Known as SB127, the bill was given final legislative approve by the Utah House on Tuesday night, just weeks after Hilton broke down in tears as she recounted for lawmakers alleged abuse she suffered at Provo Canyon School in the 1990s During her testimony on February 8, Hilton described how she experienced 'unconstitutional, degrading and terrifying abuse' at Provo Canyon, a psychiatric youth residential treatment center, as a teenager. Hilton, the granddaughter of Hilton Hotel founder Conrad Hilton, was sent to the boarding school by her parents in an attempt to stop her from partying and teenage rebellion. 'My name is Paris Hilton, I am an institutional abuse survivor and I speak today on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of children currently in residential care facilities across the United States,' she said during the hearing. 'For the past 20 years, I have had a recurring nightmare where I'm kidnapped in the middle of the night by two strangers, strip-searched, and locked in a facility. I wish I could tell you that this haunting nightmare was just a dream, but it is not.' Hilton claims staff members at the $300,000 per-year school would beat her, force her to take unknown pills, watch her shower and send her to solitary confinement without clothes as punishment. 'Without a diagnosis, I was forced to consume medication that made me feel numb and exhausted. I didn't breathe fresh air or see the sunlight for 11 months. There was zero privacy every time I would use the bathroom or take a shower it was monitored,' she alleged. 'At 16 years old as a child I felt their piercing eyes staring at my naked body. I was just a kid and felt violated every single day.' Hilton also said that children in Provo Canyon School were 'restrained, thrown into walls, strangled, and sexually abused regularly.' She said one staff member would 'brag to other students that she was the one that broke Paris Hilton.' For several months, Hilton has campaigned to enact more regulations on troubled teen residential treatment centers like Provo Canyon School, both in Utah and nationwide. During her testimony on February 8 during a committee hearing, Hilton described how she experienced 'unconstitutional, degrading and terrifying abuse' at Provo Canyon, a psychiatric youth residential treatment center, as a teenager Hilton, the granddaughter of Hilton Hotel founder Conrad Hilton, was sent to the boarding school by her parents in an attempt to stop her from partying and teenage rebellion Hilton's shocking testimony, and similar horrifying accounts made by a number of other backers of the bill, left some lawmakers incredulously asking how such 'disgusting' abuse of children had seemingly gone unchecked for decades. 'This just adds some guardrails and some oversight that frankly has been lacking,' the bill's House sponsor Rep. Brady Brammer (R), said on the House floor, according to Deseret News. Under the bill, youth treatment programs would be prohibited from imposing certain punishments on children, such as denying them food or water, spanking or hitting them, or any other punishment 'intended to frighten or humiliate.' SB127 would also put additional rules on when those programs could put a child into seclusion, conduct strip or body cavity searches, and use drugs or medication to deal with a childs behavior. Some House lawmakers had attempted to amend the bill, with Rep. Rex Shipp (R), seeking to change it to only allow 'inducing pain unless it is necessary to protect health and safety,' arguing children can occasionally be violent to staff. Rep. Jeff Stenquist (R) also tried to extend the reporting requirement for use of restraints or solitary confinement from one business day to three business days, asserting his belief 'seclusion is not always harmful' and is 'sometimes necessary'. Both attempts to amend the bill failed. The House voted 70-2 to approve the bill on Tuesday, after the Senate approved it in a unanimous vote on February 16. Hilton also said that children in Provo Canyon School were 'restrained, thrown into walls, strangled, and sexually abused regularly' She said she was 'forced to consume medication that made me feel numb and exhausted' while at the school. She is shown in a protest photo by Jennifer Rovero An outside view shows the Provo Canyon School, where Hilton said staff members would beat her and watch her shower 'Reform to the trouble teen industry in Utah is long overdue,' tweeted Sen. Mike McKell (R), the bill sponsor, after the vote Tuesday. 'Thank you @ParisHilton for bringing attention to this critical issue.' In a follow up statement, McKell added: 'I'm ecstatic SB127 passed the Utah Legislature. 'It sets a path forward for other states and the country to increase transparency and bring an end to abusive practices in youth residential treatment centers. 'I want to express my appreciation and applaud Paris Hilton's bravery for using her platform and voice to bring attention to this critical issue. It empowered many others to share their personal stories, resulting in much-needed positive, impacting changes to this industry.' Hilton first spoke out about the abuse she allegedly suffered at Provo in the YouTube Originals documentary, This Is Paris. During a rally in October last year, Hilton called for the school to be shut down indefinitely. She was joined by around 100 other survivors and supporters who said they had suffered similar abuse at schools across the country. Provo Canyon School originally opened in 1971 and is now under new ownership. The administration has previously said it can't comment on anything that came before the ownership change, including Hilton's time there. 'While we acknowledge there are individuals over the many years who believe they were not helped by the program, we are heartened by the many stories former residents share about how their stay was a pivot point in improving and in many cases, saving their lives,' a Provo spokesperson said, in part. Hilton has posted photos to Instagram back in January showing her at the age of 18 after she allegedly suffered abuse at the Provo Canyon School The school (inside seen above) has also said it does not use solitary confinement or forcible medication as a method for punishing children at its facility The House voted 70-2 to approve the bill, after the Senate approved it on a unanimous vote February 16 A statement on the school website says the previous owners sold the school in 2000. The school has also said it does not use solitary confinement or forcible medication as a method for punishing children at its facility. Hilton hit back at the school's claims, and dispute its assertions. 'Thats just something that theyre saying,' she said. 'Thats just an excuse, because I have spoken to girls who have been pulled out of there as recently as three weeks ago.' Since her documentary was released, other celebrities have spoken out about their experiences at the school or others like it, including Michael Jackson's daughter Paris Jackson and tattoo artist Kat Von D. Hilton says she's now set her sites on approaching the 'federal arena with a bill that will protect youth across the nation in these types of facilities.' If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Commentary How Can the Myanmar Militarys Attempted Coup Fail? Anti-regime protesters in front of the US Embassy in Yangon in February. / The Irrawaddy More than a month ago the military junta seized power in Myanmar and now blood is flowing in the streets. However, it is inspiring to see the youth and Generation Z out on the streets opposing the coup. The sudden but robust nationwide uprising is gaining momentum in spite of the crackdown across the country, as is the Civil Disobedience Movement CDM. It is a military coup but there is hope that the peoples will and opposition can make it fail. It is going to be a long fight and the attempted coup has still not succeeded. So what can we do to stop it? The world is watching closely. Myanmar people who lived in the dark ages under repressive military regimes say that empty words are not enough. A cartoon drawn by a famous artist in Yangon mocked: Dont worry UN: We stand with you! This week, foreign ministers in the region urged the Myanmar military to desist from violence and respect the will of the Myanmar people; the messages were conveyed during an informal meeting of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers (Myanmar is a member of the regional bloc) on Tuesday. Wunna Maung Lwin, the top envoy appointed by the military regime, attended the meeting. ASEAN wants to continue to engage and to be helpful and to be constructive wherever possible. But ultimately, the solution lies within Myanmar itself, Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan told the media after the meeting. The only way youre going to get a long-term sustainable viable solution is for national reconciliation to occur, and in particular we call for the release of the President Win Myint and State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and the other political detainees. Balakrishnan stressed that Singapore has not recognized the regime as Myanmars government. We have not recognized the military leaders as the government of Myanmar, he said. We do recognize, however, that under the 2008 Constitution, it provides for a special role for the military as an institution in the body politic of Myanmar. Retno Marsudi, Indonesias foreign minister, said after the meeting: Indonesia underlines that the will, the interest and the voices of the people of Myanmar must be respected. Last week, she was in Bangkok where Wunna Maung Lwin, Retno and the Thai foreign minister held a meeting. Thailand, Myanmars closest neighbor, sharing a border of over 2,400 kilometers, is concerned with the growing instability. Thai officials are concerned with the spread of protests and the Milk Tea Alliance in the region (Bangkok saw an hours-long street protest last week, involving Thai and Myanmar people) and an influx of refugees and political activists to the border, and is apprehensively watching the growing Civil Disobedience Movement in Myanmar. The generals in Myanmar are also counting on likeminded neighbors who can, as in the past, give them some much-needed legitimacy. Nevertheless, Myanmars crisis is ASEANs crisis and it goes beyond the national interest. Myanmar people know that the regional grouping is not democratic; many members are semi-democracies or authoritarian regimes. Myanmar youth who are out on the streets do not have a high opinion of ASEAN either. They ridicule ASEAN, China and Japan and many more countries and governments they think just pay lip service. Last month, Myanmar youth held a series of protests in front of embassies including Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan and China asking them not to support the coup. They wanted some form of intervention to bring relief from the coup and restore the status quo to recognize the legitimate government of Myanmar. In front of the US Embassy, some placards called for US troops to come, or for the UN to send peacekeeping forces. It is not going to happen and in reality, no foreign forces will intervene in Myanmar. While waiting to see more concrete action from Myanmars neighbors, as well as the UN and the West, Myanmar people know that language matters. They may appreciate Indonesias position as well as the stance of Singapore, which does not recognize the regime as the government. However, the pathetic and irrelevant ASEAN has been bruised again as Myanmar implodes. Youth and activists in the CDM movement gave ASEAN a nickname: pha-sean. Pha literally means a prostitute, or it can also mean cover up or shield. Thats what ASEAN, like China, has doneto provide a protective shield to repressive regimes in the past. It is believed that more US sanctions against regime individuals and business associates are coming. The Biden administration announced it will work with likeminded countries in the region. Singapore, one of the largest investors, is key to this approach. Japan can also play a role in this nexus. Tokyo is Myanmars largest aid donor and has invested in several key strategic projects in Yangon and in the south. Japan is also seen as a counterbalance to China. More importantly, Japan trained the Myanmar military in the past and historic ties between the two are strong. Coup maker Senior General Min Aung Hlaing is also close with Yohei Sasakawa, the chairman of Japans Nippon Foundation. He serves as a special envoy of the Japanese government for national reconciliation in Myanmar. It is believed that the general has kept a line of communication with him open since the coup. After the coup in Myanmar, China is in an awkward position now. The Chinese ambassador, after a series of anti-China protests in front of his embassy in Yangon, told local media that the situation is absolutely not what China wants to see. China earlier said that the coup was a major reshuffle, a comment that angered people in Myanmar. What position will China take if the US and its allies take a tougher stand on the regime? To regain respect from people in Myanmar and build a long-term relationship with the country, a crystal clear stance from Beijing on the Myanmar crisis is needed. (It is not true that Min Aung Hlaing flew to China as reported in the Bangkok Post a few days ago.) Last week, Myanmars ambassador to the UN, U Kyaw Moe Tun, gave a speech calling for the strongest possible action from the international community to immediately end the military coup, to stop oppressing innocent people, to return the state power to the people and to restore the democracy. That ought to galvanize further action by the United States, European Union and other democracies. Following the ambassadors dismissal by the regime, Myanmars deputy ambassador to the United Nations in New York, U Tin Maung Naing, resigned on Tuesday after the military regime assigned him to replace his boss. The UN has not explicitly stated whether it would accept a regime-appointed ambassador. On Tuesday, the UN said it received a statement from Myanmars Ministry of Foreign Affairs saying U Tin Maung Naing had been appointed the interim head of the permanent mission. The new US ambassador, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, reiterated that she was extraordinarily moved by the Myanmar ambassadors statement, and commended him for his bravery and compassion. Some Asian diplomats who are willing to provide diplomatic cover to the regime said U Kyaw Moe Tuns speech complicated matters in dealing with Myanmar. In fact, they failed to see who complicated the matter in the first place. Thomas-Greenfield said the US is committed to using our renewed engagement here in New York [and] internationally to press the military to reverse its actions and restore a democratically elected government. At the UN briefing, Christine Schraner Burgener, special envoy for Myanmar, told diplomats, It is important the international community does not lend legitimacy or recognition to this regime. More US sanctions against individuals are said to be coming. As in the past, the US has a role to play. In 2011, the US appointed Derek Mitchell, who previously served in several posts in the Defense and State departments, as special envoy to Myanmar to reinvigorate US policy on the military-backed government in Myanmar. Earlier, Kurt Campbell, then Assistant Secretary of State, had sought to engage the Myanmar regime and then opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and regional governments, to seek a breakthrough. That was part of the Obama administrations policy of making high-level contacts with the junta after reviewing its policy and change of course. Supporters called it principled engagement but critics called it misguided and unsuccessful. In any case, the US should no doubt consider appointing a special envoy or sending a delegation to the region to speak with key allies including Japan and India (both are Quad members) and South Korea. Singapore and Indonesia should be key partners in the Myanmar crisis as well. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Twitter, We stand firmly with the courageous people of Burma and encourage all countries to speak with one voice in support of their will. The crisis in Myanmar also presents a window of opportunity for the Biden administration to engage regional allies, as the appointment of Campbell as the National Security Councils Indo-Pacific affairs coordinator indicates Bidens intent to focus more on the region and strengthen relations with allies and to counter China. It is important not to lend any legitimacy to the junta all over the world, we have seen that attempted coups can succeed but some fail. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Regimes Appointed Envoy to UN Resigns Despite Promotion At Least Nine Protesters Shot Dead in Three Cities in Myanmar Myanmar Diplomat in US Refuses to Work for Military Regime OTTAWA The Trudeau government says a Toronto-based developer waited until the 11th hour to drastically increase its demands for federal funds to revitalize Portage Place mall in Winnipeg. OTTAWA The Trudeau government says a Toronto-based developer waited until the 11th hour to drastically increase its demands for federal funds to revitalize Portage Place mall in Winnipeg. Amid mounting pressure to get some sort of deal approved, Manitoba federal cabinet minister Dan Vandal said Starlight Investments went from asking for $20 million to a whopping $50 million in cash, plus a $243-million loan. "I found out about it, about 10 days ago," Vandal told the Free Press on Tuesday. "Thats going to make a difficult negotiation even more difficult." A Starlight spokeswoman suggested this wasnt the full story, but did not provide a response Tuesday. The federal NDP said the deal should not have drawn out this long in the first place. On Monday, Starlight declared its $400-million proposal to redevelop Portage Place was in jeopardy, after Ottawa passed the March 1 deadline the firm set for the feds to commit $20 million to the project. If approved, the proposal is to create 500 housing units and almost 500,000 square feet of office and retail space in the city centre. Winnipeg city council approved a $20-million incentive package to support the project, while the province has promised a $28.7-million education tax rebate. Starlight previously said it needed a federal commitment to make the project feasible by last August, but postponed that deadline twice. On Monday, the company told the Free Press the firm cant justify another deadline extension to its shareholders, without a clear timeline on when federal cash is coming. In multiple recent queries, Ottawa gave no explanation for the hold-up until Tuesday, when Vandal told media about the increased funding request. "The late augmentation of the financial request was a surprise to everybody, especially to me," said the Liberal MP for St. BonifaceSt. Vital. He noted the firm is asking the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. for a quarter-billion-dollar loan, and still hasnt provided all the information Ottawa requested months before the "arbitrary" March 1 deadline. "We're relying on the public service to do their due diligence, and they're waiting on very precise information from Starlight," he said. "Those are huge sums of dollars in a middle of a pandemic, and we just need to do our homework." The mall functions as a community drop-in, on a stretch of Portage Avenue grappling with the loss of workers commuting to downtown amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the recent mothballing of the former flagship Hudson's Bay Co. building. NDP MP Leah Gazan (Winnipeg Centre) represents the area, and questioned why Ottawa was demanding more information on a deal the city and province deemed good enough. "I do not buy that argument," said Gazan, speaking before Vandal revealed Starlight had more than doubled its original $20-million demand. "I don't think that's too much to ask, particularly with the level of corporate bailouts we've seen from this Liberal government." Gazan noted a report last month by the Parliamentary Budget Officer, which found scant progress from the national housing strategy since its 2017 launch. The report found Winnipeg has the highest number of Indigenous people who are inadequately housed in the country. She said federal underfunding is visible in the homeless camps around the city and the recent emergence of trench fever, a disease rarely seen on this continent. "Whatever is going on with the developer, I am focused on the federal government and their continual failure to provide proper support," Gazan said. Vandal dismissed the criticism, noting the recent $12-million announcement to retrofit buildings and create 88 affordable housing spots, and said more announcements were in the works. "Thats typical NDP banter from the cheap seats," Vandal said. "The NDP seem to think theres a magic wand we can waive, and just make all the problems go away, but theres not. Its just put your nose to the ground and work in good faith," he said. "If this project has legs, and it merits it, then it's going to survive. And I hope that it does." dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca BRUSSELS For years, Hungarys leader, Viktor Orban, has clashed with the European Union as he steadily eroded democracy in his country, but time and again, an alliance of conservative European political parties has shielded him from serious penalties. On Wednesday, he lost that shield. Relations between Mr. Orban and the center-right group, the European Peoples Party, had become increasingly frayed as he grew more authoritarian, and the alliance had signaled that it might finally expel him. But Mr. Orban jumped first on Wednesday, pulling his Fidesz party out of the group. Membership in the grouping has given Mr. Orban and Fidesz clout and a degree of legitimacy within Europe. The party includes mainstream conservatives like the Christian Democrats of Germany, the Republicans of France and Forza Italia in Italy, and is the strongest faction in the European Parliament. No longer having to provide cover for him could spell some relief for the center-right grouping. Some European conservatives have long complained that accommodating Mr. Orban meant compromising their principles and enabling him and what he called his illiberal state. New Delhi: The UP Congress on Sunday termed the children deaths in Gorakhpurs BRD hospital murder and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister, saying if he was unable to handle his home district, how will he run the state. 70 children were murdered in the last four days (since August 10). The state government is responsible for their murder. This government is a killer and I want to ask how many more children will be killed, Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee chief Raj Babbar, addressing a press conference said. When a chief minister is unable to handle a medical college in his home district, how would he run the state? He should immediately resign from his post, he said. UP CM Yogi Adityanath who visited Gorakhpur after 48 hours of the incident hit back at Congress and said the party should show sensitivity and not politicise the issue. Also Read | Gorakhpur hospital tragedy: Yogi-govt removes Dr Kafeel Khan as BRD College Superintendent of Dept of Pediatrics When Ghulam Nabi Azad was the Union health minister, he had said that he cannot do anything since health is a state subject. The people whose sensitivity has died are now unnecessarily rubbing salt in the wounds by raising a sensitive issue. I have come here to find a solution to the issue, else otherwise I would not have made frequent trips to this place, he told reporters. State Health minister Siddhartha Nath Singh, while slamming the Congress said in politics, the Oppositions job is not only to just criticise, but do so in a constructive manner. Babbar demanded a compensation of Rs 1 crore each for the victims parents and said a case of murder should be lodged against those who are found guilty. He said the Congress would run a state-wide campaign on the issue. He hailed the media for the unbiased reporting on the issue and said, Who will decide it was death or murder? The entire focus of the government is on cow-slaughter, singing of Vande Matram, where the flag is being hoisted on August 15. The Congress leader said that under the UPA government, Rs 150 crore was given to the BRD medical college hospital and a 100-bed ward was also constructed. (With Inputs from PTI) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. A mammoth tooth discovered from the Siberian permafrost results in the oldest DNA yet uncovered and gives insight into the evolution of the massive beasts. Genetic substance removed from a 1.2-million-year-old mammoth tooth is the recent record holder for the world's most ancient DNA. Scientists from Sweden, in the Centre for Palaeogenetics, have examined the DNA and decided that it arrived from an earlier unknown kind of mammoth that has now been named the Krestovka mammoth. The Columbian Mammoths The Krestovka mammoth is dubbed after the region of Russia in which it was discovered where it had been concealed in the Siberian permafrost for over a million years. This recently observed species of mammoth fills the gap between the Columbian mammoths that populated North America and older Siberian steppe mammoths. Research released in the peer-reviewed journal on February 17, 2021, attributes the oldest DNA findings in the mammoth, which would have roamed the earth before the existence of the Neanderthals or even humans. The former record holder for the oldest genomic data regained was from a horse dated roughly 780,000 years ago. Read More: Thirsty, Lonely Woolly: Earth's Last Mammoth Went Extinct Due to Water Scarcity The Three Ancient Mammoths Three ancient mammoths were found in the 1970s, inside the Siberian permafrost. A new examination of the specimens disclosed the eldest of the three to have lived 1.2 million years ago. These beasts would have survived during the time of Middle Pleistocene, also known as the Chibanian. Researchers acknowledge that the Krestovka mammoth must have been separated from the elder Siberian steppe mammoths over 2 million years ago. This is the initial evidence ever discovered of a distinct genetic lineage from the steppe mammoth. The center for Paleogenetics lead author of the research Tom van der Valk explained that "this arrived as a total shock to us." All previous research has suggested that there were solely one species of a mammoth in Siberia then, named the steppe mammoth. But the DNA surveys now reveal that there were two different genetic lineages, which where cited as the Krestovka mammoth and the Adycha mammoth. Genome of Mammoths Researchers thinks the recently spotted Krestovka mammoths gave half of their DNA to North America's Columbian mammoth, while furry mammoths gave the other half. That renders the Columbian mammoth a hybrid of the two earlier types of a mammoth. By correlating the genome of mammoths for more than a million years, scientists have been able to examine the passive evolution and changes to life in cold Arctic conditions. The gene variants such circadian rhythms, cold tolerance, hair growth, fat deposits, and thermoregulation were already existing in the earlier mammoths Scientists are striving to sometimes find DNA from other long-lived animals, likely from as long as 2.6 million years ago. Age is a barrier, where scientists will slam a fence that's when permafrost began. It wouldn't have been cold enough earlier than 2.6 million years ago to conserve the type of samples that are now being recovered. Related Article: The Merits of Using DNA to Revive Extinct Animals and Plants For more news, update about mammoths and similar topics don't forget to follow Nature World News! JeMs lackey who plotted attacks in Delhi, Jammu booked by NIA India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Mar 03: The National Investigation has registered a case against a terror outfit, Lashker-e-Mustafa, which works for the proscribed terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad. The outfit, according to the NIA was planning on carrying out terror acts at the behest of the JeM in the Jammu area with the aim of threatening the sovereignty, integrity and security of India. The arrested accused Hidayat-ullah Malik is the chief of Lashker-e-Mustafa. During searches conducted, one hand grenade, 3 magazines and 28 rounds with other incriminating material were recovered from his possession. Maal-e-Ganimat: 11 JMB operatives charged for dacoity intended to raise terror funds Hidayat-ullah Malik had done reconnaissance of many security installations in Jammu and Delhi in 2018 and 2019 for carrying out terror attacks. He has been associated with other terror groups in past and has furthered subversive and terror activities in Kashmir valley. The terror group had also committed a daylight Bank robbery in which to Sixty (60) Lakh Rupees were looted from JK Bank, Main Branch Shopian in November 2020. Anurag Kashyap, Tapsee Pannu face tax raids by income tax officials| Oneindia News In the land of coq-au vin, blanquette de veau and boeuf bourguignon, meat-free meals in schools are a sacrilege, as far as some French government ministers are concerned. So a decision by the Ecologist Green Party mayor of Lyon that only vegetarian meals will temporarily be served in the city's schools due to meat supply problems caused by the pandemic, led to vehement criticism by the agriculture and interior ministers. They in turn were sharply rebuked by the environment minister, in an unusual display of discord within the cabinet. Citing logistics problems, Lyon's mayor Gregory Doucet decided to temporarily provide the city's 29,000 school children meals without meat from Monday, although the city will still serve eggs and fish. "This is absurd from a nutritional point of view and a scandal from a social point of view," Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandie said on RTL radio on Tuesday. On his Twitter feed on Saturday, conservative Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin slammed the "scandalous ideology" of the Lyon city government. "Besides being an unacceptable insult to France's farmers and butchers, it is clear that the Greens' moralist and elitist policies exclude low-income people. For many children, the school canteen is the only place where they get to eat meat," he said. During a visit to a school restaurant on the French Atlantic coast on Monday, Environment Minister Barbara Pompili praised a menu of zucchini soup, spaghetti with lentils, carrots and tomatoes, goat cheese and a pear dessert. She said that under new government policies, schools would be encouraged to experiment with a daily vegetarian menu option and she called the debate about the Lyon menu "prehistoric". Environmentalists argue that meat uses up an inordinate amount of land compared to plant-based protein and worsens climate change and deforestation. During an agriculture-themed visit to a farm on Tuesday, Macron tip-toed around the issue pleading for "a complete model of nutrition" and "quality meat" produced in France. In recent years, several French environment ministers have proposed more vegetarian options in school canteens but have met with strong opposition from France's powerful agriculture lobby. (Natural News) Nine elderly care home residents in Spain have died and a further 69 tested positive for COVID-19 10 days after they were given the first dose of Pfizers COVID vaccination. (Article by Michael Haynes republished from HumansAreFree.com) The news adds to the growing number of reports of people dying shortly after receiving the experimental vaccine. El Salvador care home in Toledo in Spain, run by the Messengers of Peace, began administering the first doses of the Pfizer experimental vaccine on January 13. After six days, ten residents began to demonstrate symptoms of COVID-19, which swiftly resulted in a large number of residents and staff presenting with symptoms. As of February 2, there had been a total of nine residents who had died following their injection, 5 more in hospital, and 33 members of staff who were found to have tested positive according to PCR tests. In statements made to the Spanish radio COPE, Sergio Mella, the director general of the Messengers of Peace, said that during the so-called first and second waves of the virus, the home had been completely free from any instances of the infection, and that the virus had only appeared after the vaccine had been administered. He added that COVID hygiene protocols had been carefully adhered to within the care home. Despite this peculiar correlation in events, Mella did not attribute anything to the injections, but called the deaths and infections a coincidence. He suggested that one of those administering the injections was asymptomatically carrying and spreading the virus, or that a member of staff had become infected with the virus around the same time as the vaccine had been given. Mella called for a wide, national uptake of the experimental vaccine, and reports note that the home announced its intention to continue the vaccination routine, by administering the second dose of the vaccine on February 3. Further PCR tests were set to be performed two days later. LifeSiteNews reached out to El Salvador home for comment, but no reply was received at time of publishing. The news comes as yet another headline in the series of almost daily revelations of deaths and COVID infections, which occur after COVID vaccinations. Early in February 35 Catholic religious sisters in Kentucky received the first dose of Pfizers vaccine. The convent was completely locked down, with no ingress or egress, yet two days after the injections two nuns died and 26 tested positive for the virus. Similar scenes were found in the Netherlands, when on January 30, 106 residents in a nursing home in Amersfoort received their first dose of a COVID injection. Like El Salvador, the home had not seen any cases of the virus since the infection emerged last year. However, within two weeks, over 70 residents had tested positive for the virus, and by February 22, twenty-two residents had died. Another nursing home in Spain gave the first dose of Pfizers experimental vaccine in early January, and on January 12 staff reported an outbreak of the virus in the home. By the end of the month 46 residents had died, 28 out of 94 residents tested positive for the virus as well 12 staff. Such cases are being reported all across the world, as deaths or infections of COVID-19, are occurring closely following COVID vaccinations. Writing for LifeSite, Celeste McGovern collated statistics of such events from around the world: 29 elderly people died in Norway shortly after receiving Pfizers vaccination. 13 deaths among 40 residents following vaccination at one nursing home in Germany were dismissed as tragic coincidence. 10 deaths in a German palliative care patients within hours to four days of COVID-19 vaccination were deemed a coincidence. 22 of 72 residents of a nursing home in Basingstoke, England have died following vaccination. 24 seniors at a nursing home in Syracuse, NY were reported to have died from COVID-19 as of January 9, 2021 despite having been vaccinated beginning December 22, 2020. 10 cases of COVID-19 were reported on January 28 among seniors who had received both doses of Pfizers vaccine at one care home in Stockholm Sweden. The residents were vaccinated on December 27 and again on January 19. The COVID-19 death toll in the small British enclave of Gibraltar numbered 16 before it launched its Pfizer vaccination campaign on January 10, 2021 and then shot up to 53 deaths 10 days later and to 70 seven days after that. According to a Reuters report, the Gibraltar Health Authority declared there was no evidence at all of any causal link between 6 of the deaths that were investigated and the Pfizers vaccine, despite the individuals having tested negative for Covid-19 before vaccination, but positive in the days immediately after. 4,500 COVID-19 cases in Israel occurred in patients after they had received one dose of Pfizers vaccine and 375 of those vaccinated patients required hospitalization, Israeli news media reported on January 12. Seven adults living in a care home in Saskatoon tested positive for coronavirus a week after residents were vaccinated at the Sherbrooke Community Centre, the CBC reported. There were no positive cases at the time of vaccination. Seven residents at a Montreal long-term care facility tested positive for Covid-19 within 28 days of being vaccinated with Pfizers vaccine, prompting the province of Quebec to delay the second Pfizer dose. Abercorn Care Home in Scotland, which began COVID-19 vaccinations on December 14, 2020 was home to an outbreak of the virus by January 10 and the National Health Service for the region refused to comment on whether vaccinated residents were ill. A care home staff group founder told the Scottish Daily Record : We have had members of our group whose parents have had the vaccine and then two weeks later have tested positive for coronavirus. All of the residents at a home in Inverness, Scotland were vaccinated against COVID-19 early in January, but 17 became infected with the virus after the first dose. Since the launch of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) has recorded a total of 929 deaths from December 15, 2020, up to February 12, 2021, accounting for almost 6% of 15,923 adverse events on the systems report. Last week, during LifeSiteNewss conference on COVID-19, a panel of doctors warned about the potential dangers of the experimental vaccines being used against COVID-19, mentioning harmful side-effects and even deaths. Dr. Sherri Tenpenny explained that the antibody thus created in response to the COVID injection, instead of protecting you if you get exposed to that pathogen, what it does is it makes you sicker, turns on all of the autoimmune cascades that have been created by this antibody and starts to attack your liver, your lungs and your kidneys. That antibody can literally go inside of your lungs and kill your lung tissue. With such results, Tenpenny predicted an autoimmune cascade, which would cause widespread illness and fatality: everyone is going to be equally damaged now. Read more at: HumansAreFree.com and VaccineDeaths.com. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah Winfrey may not be that exclusive anymore. According to I Paper's Late Editor Benjamin Butterworth, the Queen of Talk is likely unhappy that the Duke of Sussex has done an interview with British TV host James Corden. Oprah is reportedly furious that she can't use the former royal's anger towards the British press as her exclusive line. Butterworth admitted that it's possible the Duke and Duchess of Sussex desperately wants their story to get out of there, and one way of doing it was during Prince Harry's appearance on "The Late Late Show with James Corden." The expert claimed, "Oprah must have been livid that he'd already given the line of why he quit the royals to James, so she's not got that as an exclusive." He also believes that Oprah, who is one of the most respected TV personalities globally, has shelled out millions just for the supposed exclusive interview. However, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle managed to make themselves look cheap despite being rich and having a high position in life. Prince Harry on 'The Late Late Show with James Corden' The dad-of-one appeared last Friday's show with British comedian James Corden to talk about his new life and discuss their decision to quit royal life. In their candid interview, Prince Harry revealed he left royal life because the British press destroyed his mental health. He told Corden that he needed to get his family out of the UK because of the toxicity, and he had to do what any husband and father would do. 'Oprah with Meghan and Harry' Oprah Winfrey sat down with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to reveal shocking things about their lives in the UK before stepping back as senior members of the royal family. "Oprah with Meghan and Harry: A CBS Primetime Special" shared teasers early this week where the host inquired about a breaking point, whether they were "silent or silenced," and the reason why they decided to leave the UK. The interview will air on Mar. 7 and was initially supposed to air for an hour and a half but was extended to two hours because of other advertisements in between. Calls for Delay However, there have been calls that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex should postpone their interview because of the inappropriate timing. Prince Harry's grandfather Prince Phillip is currently in the hospital, and the world is still suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Butterworth added that it wouldn't matter for the American audience. "Would it have killed them to do it in three months, six months, when the world will hopefully be in a much stronger place?" See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Partly cloudy this morning, then becoming cloudy during the afternoon. High 76F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mainly clear. Low 47F. Winds light and variable. (Newser) Government wildlife officials have released two more critically endangered red wolves into the wild in North Carolina and could place several more captive-bred wolves into the habitat this year, according to a new plan submitted to a federal judge. The US Fish and Wildlife Service said in the filing Monday that it brought two male wolves from a Florida wildlife refuge, paired them with wild female wolves from North Carolina, and let them loose in February, the AP reports. One of the male wolves was later killed by a car. The service said it also plans to release another captive-bred pair into the wild this summer and will aim to introduce captive-bred pups into any wild litters born in the breeding season that runs through May. Releases of captive-bred wolves had largely been halted by the government in recent years. Conservation groups suing the federal government say it needs to move faster. story continues below The plan was submitted to US District Judge Terrence Boyle, who ordered the agency in January to introduce more wolves into eastern North Carolina, the only place in the world where they roam free. At the time, Boyle noted that as few as seven red wolves remained in the wild. Around 250 more live in zoos and refuges as part of the captive-breeding program. Boyle has given conservation groups two weeks to raise any objections to the new plan. The officials who prepared the plan wrote that the federal agency "remains committed to reintroducing the red wolf into portions of its historical range and recovering the species in the wild. Red wolves once occupied much of the eastern US but were driven to near extinction by trapping, hunting, and habitat loss before they were reintroduced to North Carolina in 1987. (Read more wolves stories.) Somerset Rosslyn Nairobi Photo 360 Part of the renowned Somerset portfolio, our second property in Kenya is home to an affluent and serene neighbourhood. Perched stylishly in a safely gated community, Somerset Rosslyn Nairobi focuses on exclusive global living through a range of comprehensive lifestyle amenities. The locality is home to significant establishments, welcoming leisure and business travellers alike, and is a 30 minutes drive from the Jomo Kenyatta International airport in Nairobi. Please note The Sun Chronicle is providing this story and all of our local coronavirus coverage for free so that all readers have access to this important information about the pandemic. Please visit our dedicated coronavirus coverage page for more stories. If you'd like to support our mission, please subscribe. United Nations, March 3 : UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has received two conflicting letters concerning the position of Myanmar's Permanent Representative to the world body. "I can confirm that we've received two letters. They're currently under review," Xinhua news agency quoted Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for Guterres, as saying at a briefing on Tuesday. "We did receive a letter yesterday (Monday) from Kyaw Moe Tun, the Permanent Representative of Myanmar, which was addressed to the President of the General Assembly with copy to the Secretary-General's Office, informing that he remains Myanmar's Permanent Representative to the UN," Dujarric told the press briefing. "We've also received a note verbale from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar this (Tuesday) morning, which was addressed to the Secretary-General's Office, informing that the State Administration Council of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar has terminated the duties and responsibilities of Kyaw Moe Tun as Permanent Representative of Myanmar and that U Tin Maung Naing, Deputy Permanent Representative, has been assigned as the charge d'affaires ad interim of the Permanent Mission," the spokesman added Kyaw Moe Tun, who spoke at a UN General Assembly meeting on February 26 against the Myanmar detention of the country's political leaders, was fired by the military authorities the next day. In an emotional speech, Kyaw Moe Tun said no-one should co-operate with the military until it handed back power to the democratically elected government. In a further show of defiance, Kyaw Moe Tun held up three fingers, a gesture against authoritarian rule that has been adopted by anti-coup protesters in the country. Myanmar's state television announced his removal, saying he had "betrayed the country and spoken for an unofficial organization which doesn't represent the country and had abused the power and responsibilities of an ambassador". The Myanmar military staged the coup on February 1 and declared a year-long state of emergency. It handed all state power over to Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services General Min Aung Hlaing. In response to the coup, Myanmar has witnessed continued protests demanding the release of former de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior officials of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party and also the restoration of the democratically elected government. On Sunday, 18 protesters lost their lives, making the deadliest day of the demonstrations. (Natural News) Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Peoples Republic of China spokesman Zhao Lijian on Thursday, Feb. 25, denied reports that the country required U.S. diplomats to undergo anal swab tests for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). To my knowledge, China has never required U.S. diplomatic staff stationed in China to conduct anal swab tests, he said. Last week, the Washington Post reported that some workers told the Department of State that they had been subjected to the tests. The state department never agreed to this kind of testing and protested directly to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when we learned that some staff were subject to it, a state department spokesperson said. It is not known how many U.S. diplomats have taken the test. The state department claimed that it was told by Beijing that the test was given in error as diplomatic personnel were exempt from it. A representative of the department reiterated its commitment to guaranteeing the safety and security of American diplomats and their families, while preserving their dignity. The supposed anal swabbing of U.S. diplomats sparked a significant chatter on Chinese social media platform Sina Weibo. Many users joked about how Americans are so potty-mouthed when it comes to China that it would be expected they would mistake an oral swab for an anal one. Some questioned the authenticity of the U.S. diplomats claims and perceived that this was just another rumor to discredit China over its handling of coronavirus. There had been a lot of bad sentiment between the U.S. and China, particularly during the Trump administration. China criticized the U.S. government for exacerbating anti-Chinese sentiment by repeatedly calling coronavirus the China virus and Kung flu. Virus traces in fecal samples are detectable for a longer period China introduced anal swabs in January as experts claimed they could increase the detection rate of infected people. Some Chinese cities used samples taken from the anus to detect potential infections amid intensified screening during a spate of regional outbreaks ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays. (Related: China now using anal swabs to detect coronavirus.) Reports said the test is mandatory for incoming travelers in some parts of China. To collect test samples, a cotton swab should be inserted about three to five centimeters into the rectum and rotated gently. After completing the motion twice, the swab would be removed before being securely placed inside a sample container. The whole procedure would only take a few seconds. Li Tongzeng, a respiratory and infectious disease doctor in Beijing, told state media that anal tests could avoid missing infections as virus traces in fecal samples are detectable for a longer time than the more common coronavirus tests used in the mouth and nose. But he noted that anal swabs are only needed for certain people such as those under quarantine. Researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong said in a paper published last year that stool tests could be more effective in finding infections in children and infants as their waste carries a higher viral load than adults. But some experts were not convinced. Yang Zhanqiu, a deputy director of the pathogen biology department at Wuhan University, told state media Global Times that the nasal and throat swabs remain the most efficient test as the virus is proven to be contracted via ones upper respiratory tract rather than the digestive system. There have been cases concerning the coronavirus testing positive in a patients excrement, but no evidence has suggested it had been transmitted through ones digestive system, Yang said. Beijing began using anal swabs more frequently after a nine-year-old boy tested positive for the virus last month. Authorities said, more than three million residents in three Beijing districts had been tested for coronavirus last month in a bid to stem the infection. Follow Pandemic.news for more news and information related to the coronavirus pandemic. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk BBC.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 Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 06:04:16|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close U.S. FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on "Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation" on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., the United States, on July 23, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) The rioters came from "a variety of backgrounds," says Christopher Wray. WASHINGTON, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Christopher Wray, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), said on Tuesday that the law enforcement agency classifies the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol riot by former President Donald Trump's supporters as domestic terrorism. "That attack, that siege, was criminal behavior, plain and simple, and it's behavior that we, the FBI, view as domestic terrorism," Wray said at a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. File photo taken on Jan. 6, 2021 shows supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump gathering in front of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Wray said the rioters came from "a variety of backgrounds." "The attackers on Jan. 6 included a number - and the number keeps growing as we build out our investigations - of what we would call militia violent extremism. And we have had some already arrested who we would put in the category of racially motivated violent extremism, white as well," said Wray. So far at least 280 people have been arrested with more than 300 charged in the wake of the Jan. 6 attack which interrupted Congress' electoral vote count of the presidential election. Five people died in the attack, including a Capitol police officer. Cattle and foodstuff traders in northern Nigeria have agreed to resume transportation of food items to the south. PREMIUM TIMES learnt the group under the aegis of Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria reached an agreement at a meeting with Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State on Wednesday. A former aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, attended the meeting. Ive gotten the commitment of the union. In order for us not to continue to have this hardship across the country to lift the ban on food and livestock transportation to the south, Mr Bello said. Ive also gotten major commitment from people from the south not to attack people of Hausa/Fulani and the traders in the south and that the criminals among them irrespective of tribe and religion should be handed over to law enforcement agents. Ive also gotten the commitment that their lives and properties will be protected also. So, these are the messages we brought to the the chief of staff to convey to the president. Strike The union went on strike last week asking the government to pay compensation to its members that were recently attacked and ensure their protection. It demanded the payment of N475 billion compensation for lives of members and properties lost during the #EndSARS protest and Shasa market chaos. Also, the group demanded that the government should order the dismantling of all road blocks on federal highways The strike forced prices of onions, tomatoes, and beef to rise in several cities in southern Nigeria. At the popular Mile 12 market in Lagos, this newspaper observed Tuesday that meat sellers across the market were largely absent and there was scarcity of tomatoes, pepper and some other food items brought from the northern part of the country. When PREMIUM TIMES reporter visited the market, the few available tomatoes traders were besieged by a crowd of desperate buyers haggling prices. A big basket of tomatoes, which sold between N5, 000 to N6,000 before the food blockade, sold for as high as N35, 000 on Tuesday. Similarly, a bag of pepper was sold at an average price of N17, 000, from a relatively lower price of between N8, 000 and N10, 000 last week. This crate of tomatoes is N13, 000. We sold it for N2,500, even N2, 000 when there was plenty goods. See around, no tomatoes in the market, a trader told our reporter, pointing at the crate of tomatoes. Some other sellers sold crates of tomatoes between N11, 000 and N8, 500, depending on how fresh they looked. The price of pepper has even gone down today, as at yesterday (Monday), we sold a bag for N28, 000, a trader said. ADVERTISEMENT The situation was similar in other states. Plans to quarantine thousands more international arrivals at two privately built facilities outside state capitals in Victoria and Queensland have stalled as negotiations between state and federal governments hit an impasse. In late January, the Queensland government approached billionaire John Wagner to put forward a proposal to build a facility near his companys Wellcamp airport on the outskirts of Toowoomba. John Wagner on the airport his family built on their property in Toowoomba. photo Jarrayd Apelt 23rd July 2014 Credit:Jarrayd Apelt Trucking tycoon Lindsay Fox also pitched a plan to build a 1000-bed facility near Avalon Airport, which he owns, about 56 kilometres west of Melbournes CBD. The facilities would require federal government approval to allow repatriation flights to land at the regional airports, but this is still being considered. Bill Shorten has been spotted on a walk through Sydney's Kings Cross on the day Christian Porter denied raping a 16-year-old girl in 1988. The former Labor leader had an eerily similar experience in August 2014 when he also tearfully denied sexual assault allegations. Mr Shorten was strolling with an advisor through the same streets where Mr Porter and the woman he is accused of raping hung out three decades earlier. He is in Sydney for Labor's shadow cabinet meeting. Bill Shorten has been spotted on a walk through Sydney's Kings Cross on the day Christian Porter denied raping a 16-year-old girl in 1988 Mr Porter, like Mr Shorten, refused to step down as attorney-general as police had closed the investigation after the woman took her own life last year. But earlier in the day, columnist Jessica Irvine claimed on the Today Show that Mr Shorten should not stay in federal parliament because of the 2014 allegations. 'We need to change the standard of behaviour [of politicians],' she said. 'We do not want people who have been accused of such things [being allowed to stay in parliament].' As Shorten had been forced to do, Porter denied the truth of claims he had raped a teenage girl while attending a debating contest at Sydney University 33 years ago. Mr Porter today said he 'now knew how the former opposition leader felt' in dealing the sexual allegations that were levelled against him. Mr Shorten was accused of rape by a woman who claimed the former Labor leader assaulted her in 1986 during a Young Labor conference in Portarlington, near Geelong, Victoria. No charges were ever laid against him and on August 21, 2014, he released a brief statement confirming police had dropped their investigation into the claims. 'I will not go into the details, except to say that the allegation was untrue and abhorrent,' Mr Shorten said at a press conference. Mr Shorten was strolling with a minder through the same streets where Mr Porter and the woman he is accused of raping hung out three decades earlier Approached by Daily Mail Australia, Mr Shorten declined to comment on the remarks of both Irvine and Mr Porter. Government supporters say Mr Shorten did not step down and so Mr Porter should not either. But Labor shadow home affairs minister Kristina Keneally said that is not a fair analogy because Mr Shorten's case was thoroughly investigated for 10 months. 'What we have here is a police investigation that can't proceed, because the alleged victim has died,' she told Sky News. 'And the police have determined they cannot gather enough admissible evidence. But there has not been a full investigation into these allegations. 'They have not been examined, as they need to be thoroughly and closely. And I think there are still very important questions.' The woman who accused Mr Porter never made a formal statement to police who were due to travel to her home in Adelaide in March 2020 but postponed due to Covid-19. In June the woman withdrew her allegation and died by suicide the next day, causing the investigation to be suspended before it was officially closed this week. Mr Porter, 50, a former public prosecutor, confirmed he attended a debating competition at Sydney University with his accuser when he was 17 and she was 16. The former Labor leader had an eerily similar experience in August 2014 when he also tearfully denied sexual assault allegations Christian Porter faces the press pack in Perth as he denies the sexual assault allegations However, he categorically denied ever sleeping with the woman who has since taken her own life. 'The things that have been claimed to happen did not happen,' he said through tears in the emotional conference on Wednesday afternoon. 'I did not sleep with the [alleged] victim. We didn't have anything of that nature happen between us,' he added. By unveiling himself, Mr Porter ended six days of speculation over the accused's identity after the woman's allegation was published in the media without naming the cabinet minister. Mr Porter admitted that he can't remember every single detail of the night in question but insisted that he would not have forgotten having sex with someone. 'The things I have read did not happen. And to suggest that they could be forgotten is ridiculous, they just never happened,' he said. Asked if he had ever spent time alone with the woman, he said: 'It's not impossible, I have never been in the person's room.' European Union diplomats say ambassadors to the bloc have approved an extension of asset freezes imposed on former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and seven people in his inner circle over the embezzlement of Ukrainian state funds. Speaking on condition of anonymity, several EU diplomats who are familiar with the matter said that the 27 envoys agreed on March 3 to remove former Prime Minister Serhiy Arbuzov and former Education Minister Dmytro Tabachnyk form the sanctions list. They also gave their green light to a six-month rollover of sanctions against 177 individuals and 48 entities the bloc believes are responsible for the undermining of Ukraines territorial integrity. Both sanctions regimes will officially be extended later this week. Brussels imposed the measures against Ukraines pro-Kremlin former president, family members, and close political allies shortly after the collapse of his government in February 2014. Some of the people listed have challenged, and sometimes won court cases against the measure, leading to growing demands that the list should be pared down further or even scrapped. EU diplomats told RFE/RL that there were discussions about removing from the list the former minister for duties and revenues, Oleksandr Klymenko, and the son of the ex-president, Oleksandr Yanukovych, but that the pair will remain under sanctions for now. In 2020, sanctions imposed on former Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and ex-Energy Minister Eduard Stavytsky were lifted. Andriy Klyuyev, the former head of Yanukovych's presidential administration, was delisted the previous year. Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- China forced banks to hold more foreign currencies in reserve for the first time in more than a decade, its most substantial move yet to rein the surging yuan.The nations financial institutions will need to hold 7% of their foreign exchange in reserve from June 15, according to a central bank statement Monday. Thats an increase of 2 percentage points, and the first such hike since 2007. The move, which the Peoples Bank of China said will help liquidity management, effectively reduces the supply of dollars and other currencies onshore -- putting pressure on the yuan to weaken.Although analysts said the direct impact may be small, the move is the clearest signal by the PBOC that its unhappy about the yuans surge to a three-year high against the greenback. Authorities had until now limited their response to rhetoric: a former central bank official and a state-media commentary talked down the currency over the weekend.The PBOC wants to show the market -- if the rally keeps going, it has many measures to slow it down and the market will fail if it wants to make speculative bets, said Zhou Hao, an economist at Commerzbank AG in Singapore. Its more of a symbolic move, as no matter how the PBOC boosts funding costs on foreign exchange, the rate on the yuan will almost always be higher.The PBOC set its daily reference rate at 6.3572 on Tuesday, only marginally weaker than the average forecast in a Bloomberg survey of analysts and traders. The currency gained 0.2% to 6.3634 per dollar as of 9:52 a.m. in Hong Kong, while the onshore rate strengthened 0.1%.Betting on the yuan has been a successful strategy in the past year. The currency has surged 13% against the dollar since last May, when it was near its lowest level since 2008 amid the effects of the pandemic and the trade war with the U.S. Brokerages including Citic Securities Co., Scotiabank and Westpac Banking Corp. expect the currency to climb to 6.2 against the dollar. That would be the strongest since a 2015 devaluation.The yuan is supported by Chinas economic recovery and its higher-yielding markets are attractive to global investors. A backdrop of imported inflation is bolstering the argument for a stronger yuan. Against a basket of trading partners, the Chinese currency is the strongest since 2016.The foreign-exchange reserve ratio hike will likely freeze about $20 billion of liquidity, according to Guan Tao, a former official at the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. The increase demonstrates the Chinese central banks strong determination to curb rapid appreciation in the yuan, and PBOC has more tools if speculation emerges in the currency market, he said.Recent history shows traders should be wary. In the wake of the devaluation, the yuan fell about 11% by the end of 2016, surged 11% through its 2018 peak, before reversing again to sink 13% by September 2019. When momentum in the yuan became too extreme, authorities often took steps to arrest the moves. In early 2018, for instance, the yuan fell the most in two months as authorities gave banks the green light to submit quotes for weaker fixings.Still, analysts remain unconvinced of the potency of the latest measure. Fundamental factors supporting the yuan -- such as its interest-rate premium and high inflation -- remain intact, Citigroup Inc. economists led by Liu Li-gang wrote in a note.While this policy will lock in a certain amount of capital inflow and make foreign exchange funding costs higher, its effectiveness remains in doubt, Liu wrote.Any tightening in dollar funding onshore wont be sustained because global investors can easily obtain cheap foreign-exchange overseas and invest in yuan bonds, according to Ju Wang, a senior currency strategist at HSBC Bank Plc.Beijing seems to be sticking to its goal of liberalizing markets as part of President Xi Jinpings plans to reduce moral hazard. Its not just the yuan where direct intervention is now an unusual sight. The national team of state-backed funds is rarely seen in the $12 trillion stock market anymore, unless moves risk turning into panic or mania. Even in the commodities market, where officials are struggling to cool prices, efforts have largely been verbal rather than direct.If the central bank takes additional assertive actions, such as setting dramatically weaker fixings, that could reinforce the belief that only heavy-handed intervention is worth paying attention to. Yet the Communist Party has made it clear it will act to reduce speculation and guard against risks to financial stability, especially in the run-up to the centenary of the Partys founding this July.We dont see this as an one-off change, but likely the start of a trend, Becky Liu, head of China macro strategy at Standard Chartered, said of Mondays move by the PBOC. It could be seen as a new mechanism to manage the yuan in the medium term, together with other counter-cyclical measures.(Adds 5th paragraph to show PBOCs fixing on Tuesday and latest pricing of yuan.)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 new map showing the location of a series of small tropical islands 200 million years ago in the area that is now Bristol sheds new light on how British dinosaurs lived. University of Bristol researchers examined hundreds of pieces of data including historic literature describing the region as being like the Florida Everglades. The data was carefully compiled and digitised so it could be used to generate a 3D map of the once Caribbean-style environment that is now the west of England. The islands were home to small dinosaurs, lizard-like animals and some of the first mammals to live on the land, according to lead author Jack Lovegrove. The findings also helped scientists know more about how a small dinosaur known as Thecodontosaurus - or the Bristol dinosaur - lived 200 million years ago. A new map showing the location of series of small tropical islands 200 million years ago in the area that is now Bristol sheds new light on how British dinosaurs lived The findings have provided greater insight into the type of surroundings inhabited by the Thecodontosaurus, a small dinosaur the size of a medium-sized dog with a long tail also known as the Bristol dinosaur. THECODONTOSAURUSOR 'THE BRISTOL DINOSAUR' The Bristol dinosaur, or Thecodontosaurus, was first discovered in 1834. The name means 'ancient socket-toothed reptile'. It lived in what was the Bristol archipelago 210 million years ago. This is an area of small islands now covered by Bristol and Somerset. It is a small sized dinosaur, about the size of a Labrador, about 2.5 metres long and with a long tail. It had powerful back legs with smaller front legs and walked on all fours. It could reach up with its front legs and use its claws to grab hold of the stems of prehistoric trees for food. Small sharp teeth with tiny sharp bumps on one side were like knives that could tear through juicy leaves. Advertisement The study used data from geological measurements all round Bristol through the last 200 years - from quarries, road sections, cliffs, and boreholes. They then pulled in other data from literature and historical records to generate the 3D topographic model of the area. This shows the landscape of a region - that is now Bristol and Somerset - as it existed before a great sea, the Rhaetian Ocean, flooded most of the land at the end of the Triassic period, the team explained. One of the pieces of literature uncovered by the Bristol team described the area as a 'landscape of limestone islands' with storms powerful enough to 'scatter pebbles, roll fragments of marl as well as breaking bones and teeth.' 'No one has ever gathered all this data before,' said Lovegrove. 'It was often thought that these small dinosaurs and lizard-like animals lived in a desert landscape, but this provides the first standardised evidence supporting the theory that they lived alongside each other on flooded tropical islands,' he said. At the end of the Triassic period the UK was close to the Equator and enjoyed a warm Mediterranean climate, with very high sea levels compared to today. The Atlantic Ocean began to open up between Europe and North America causing land level to fall, leaving Bristol Channel area seas 100 metres higher than today. High areas, such as the Mendip Hills, a ridge across the Clifton Downs in Bristol, and the hills of South Wales poked through the water, forming an archipelago of 20 to 30 islands. The islands were made from limestone which became fissured and cracked with rainfall, forming cave systems. 'The process was more complicated than simply drawing the ancient coastlines around the present-day 100-meter contour line because as sea levels rose, there was all kinds of small-scale faulting,' said Lovegrove. 'The coastlines dropped in many places as sea levels rose,' he added. The team created a 3D topographical map that allowed them to better understand how sea levels rose and fell over millions of year to create the British isles THE BRISTOL ARCHIPELAGO The Bristol archipelago was a series of small tropical islands in an area that is now modern Bristol and Somerset. Each island was home to unique species of dinosaur, lizard and even very early mammals. At the end of the Triassic period the UK was close to the Equator and enjoyed a warm Mediterranean climate, with very high sea levels compared to today. The Atlantic Ocean began to open up between Europe and North America causing land level to fall, leaving Bristol Channel area seas 100 metres higher than today. This created the archipelago that existed 200 million years ago. Advertisement The findings have provided greater insight into the type of surroundings inhabited by the Thecodontosaurus, which was the size of a medium-sized dog with a long tail. Co-author Professor Michael Benton, Professor of Vertebrate Paleontology at the University of Bristol, said he was keen to resolve the ancient landscape. 'The Thecodontosaurus lived on several of these islands including the one that cut across the Clifton Downs, and we wanted to understand the world it occupied and why the dinosaurs on different islands show some differences,' he said. 'Perhaps they couldn't swim too well.' 'We also wanted to see whether these early island-dwellers showed any of the effects of island life,' said co-author Dr David Whiteside. On islands today, middle-sized animals are often much smaller than their continent or large-island equivalence because there are fewer resources. That some phenomenon was found in the fossil records of the Bristol archipelago 'Also, we found evidence that the small islands were occupied by small numbers of species, whereas larger islands, such as the Mendip Island, could support many more,' explained Whiteside. Slide me On the left is a map created by the team showing the various islands of the Bristol archipelago with the names of the towns and cities of modern Bristol and Somerset, and for comparison a modern map showing the same region today on the right The study, carried out with the British Geological Survey, demonstrates the level of detail that can be drawn from geological information using modern analytical tools. The new map even shows how the Mendip Island was flooded step-by-step, with sea level rising a few meters every million years, until it became nearly completely flooded 100 million years later, in the Cretaceous. Co-author Dr Andy Newell, of the British Geological Survey, said models of the Earth's crust help scientists understand much about the modern British isles. For example it can point in the direction of water and some mineral resources. 'In the UK we have this rich resource of historical data from mining and other development, and we now have the computational tools to make complex, but accurate, models,' said Newell. Appearances can suggest we care less about things than we really do The "France Cards and Payments Opportunities and Risks to 2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. 'France Cards and Payments Opportunities and Risks to 2024' report provides detailed analysis of market trends in the French cards and payments industry. It provides values and volumes for a number of key performance indicators in the industry, including cash, cards, credit transfers, direct debits, and cheques during the review-period (2016-20e). The French payment market is on a path of constant innovation. To reduce the dependence on cash and drive the country towards a cashless society, as part of its National Retail Payments Strategy (2019-2024) Banque de France has formulated various measures that are being adopted by commercial banks and payment service providers. The plan includes promoting acceptance of card payments by merchants even for payments starting from 1 ($1.12), incorporating contactless functionality in every payment terminal in the country, and strengthening the security of electronic payments. With such measures in place, the frequency of card-based transactions is anticipated to increase further over the forecast period. To protect card holders against loss or theft of their payment cards, in July 2020 Societe Generale collaborated with Apple Pay to launch an instant digital card in France. This virtual payment card can be issued on a permanent or temporary basis. If customers lose their payment card, the bank issues a digital version and makes it available to the card holder via the Apple Pay app. As a result, the card holder's funds remain safe and they can continue to make contactless payments. Amid COVID-19, Federation Bancaire Francaise raised the limit on contactless cards in the country from 30 ($33.68) to 50 ($56.14) in March 2020, in a bid to encourage consumers to use contactless payments rather than cash for purchases of essential items. As a result, consumers do not need to enter their PIN for payments worth up to 50 ($56.14). The report also analyzes various payment card markets operating in the industry, and provides detailed information on the number of cards in circulation, transaction values and volumes during the review-period and over the forecast-period (2020e-24f). It also offers information on the country's competitive landscape, including the market shares of issuers and schemes. This report provides top-level market analysis, information and insights into the French cards and payments industry, including Current and forecast values for each market in the French cards and payments industry, including debit and credit cards. Detailed insights into payment instruments including cash, cards, credit transfers, direct debits, and cheques. It also, includes an overview of the country's key alternative payment instruments. E-commerce market analysis. Analysis of various market drivers and regulations governing the French cards and payments industry. Detailed analysis of strategies adopted by banks and other institutions to market debit, credit and charge cards. Key Topics Covered: Payment Instruments Card-based Payments Merchant Acquiring Ecommerce Payments Buy Now Pay Later Mobile Proximity Payments P2P Payments Bill Payments Alternative Payments Job Analysis Payment Innovations Payment Infrastructure Regulation Appendix Companies Mentioned Credit Agricole Credit Mutuel Groupe BPCE La Banque Postale Societe Generale BNP Paribas Cartes Bancaires Mastercard Visa American Express Carrefour Pay PayPal Samsung Pay Google Pay Apple Pay Amazon Pay For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/czrxgw View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005733/en/ Contacts: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 TORONTO - CBS All Access will be renamed Paramount Plus on Thursday, which brings heaps of new streaming programming to its U.S. subscribers, but not Canadian customers. The logo for the CBS Corporation appears above a trading post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2019. CBS All Access will be renamed Paramount Plus on Thursday, bringing heaps of new streaming programming to its subscribers, unless they're in Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Richard Drew TORONTO - CBS All Access will be renamed Paramount Plus on Thursday, which brings heaps of new streaming programming to its U.S. subscribers, but not Canadian customers. A representative for ViacomCBS says while American audiences will have access to a library of Paramount films on the platform, as well as TV series from Nickelodeon, MTV, BET, Showtime and Comedy Central, none of those options will be available north of the border. Instead, the Canadian rebrand to Paramount Plus is little more than a logo change, at least for now. Michelle Alban, vice president of communications for the Canadian market at ViacomCBS, said programming announcements are expected at an undetermined future date. It's another twist in the increasingly complex world of streaming rights for Canadian viewers. Last week, ViacomCBS executives pulled out all the stops for the revamp and rename of the U.S. streaming platform. More than 50 new productions were announced for the streaming service in the coming years. They include original series based on popular Paramount films, among them "Fatal Attraction," "Flashdance" and "The Italian Job." But whether those shows wind up on Paramount Plus in Canada is still unclear. Several years ago, leadership at ViacomCBS began selling off licensing rights to its marquee CBS All Access original series, including "Star Trek: Discovery" and "Star Trek: Picard." Those shows went to Canadian broadcaster Bell Media who first aired them on traditional TV channels before they appeared on Crave, its own streaming platform. Others were acquired by fellow streamers. That left CBS All Access with the leftovers of its own service in Canada, a handful of less memorable shows such as a remake of "The Twilight Zone" and "Why Women Kill." With its new life under the Paramount Plus brand, the streaming platform's future is still to be charted in Canada. For now, Paramount Plus will be absent of Hollywood movies and largely house older TV series, such as "Beverly Hills 90210," "Taxi," "The Brady Bunch" and "I Love Lucy," and a live feed of CBS News. A commercial-free subscription to Paramount Plus will remain at its current price of $5.99 a month in Canada. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 3, 2021. DUBLIN, Ohio, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Quantum Health, the industry-leading consumer healthcare navigation and care coordination company, announced today it has earned a 2021 Silver Stevie Award as Front-Line Customer Service Team of the Year from the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. The Stevie Awards recognize achievements by customer service teams, contact centers, business development and sales professionals worldwide. Global winners of this year's awards were determined by a panel of more than 160 industry professionals. This is not the first time Quantum Health has been recognized with a Stevie Award. Quantum Health CEO and Founder Kara Trott received a Silver Stevie Award as Female Entrepreneur of the Year in both 2019 and 2020. "It is an exceptional honor to be recognized with a Stevie Award, among an esteemed list of global companies, in recognition of our commitment to improving the consumer healthcare experience," said Steven Knight, Quantum Health's chief operating officer. "Despite the disruption and challenges that 2020 created, not only for the healthcare system but for our clients and members, our Healthcare Warriors adapted quickly and were able to guide members through the uncertainty with empathy and compassion." Quantum Health's customer service expertise is further evidenced by consistently high member Net Promoter Scores (NPS). NPS is the most transparent and universally respected way for industries to measure consumer satisfaction across all industries. Throughout 2020, Quantum Health averaged an NPS of 77. During the difficult initial phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company's member scores exceeded 78 every month from April through July, reaching an unprecedented score of 81 in June and July. Not only have Quantum Health's member scores continued to increase year after year, they rival those of some of the world's best-regarded brands. By comparison, the healthcare industry's average NPS is generally 15 or lower. About Quantum Health Quantum Health is the industry-leading consumer healthcare navigation and care coordination company that delivers an unparalleled consumer experience to its members, as well as validated claims savings and high satisfaction rates for its self-insured employer clients. Quantum Health's proprietary Real-Time Intercept model identifies opportunities for early intervention in a member's healthcare journey, resulting in better engagement, outcomes and cost efficiencies. The company was founded in 1999 and is based in Dublin, Ohio. Since its inception, Quantum Health has earned numerous awards and honors, including being named among the Fastest-Growing Private Companies by Inc. 5000 and a Great Place to Work by FORTUNE Magazine and Entrepreneur Magazine. The Women Presidents' Organization has ranked Quantum Health as one of the 50 Fastest-Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies. Columbus Business First has honored Quantum Health as a Best Place to Work. To learn more about the company, visit www.Quantum-Health.com , and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter . Media Contact: Susan Simkins Quantum Health, Corporate Communications [email protected] 800-257-2038 x 13494 SOURCE Quantum Health Related Links http://quantum-health.com (Newser) Donald Trump will not be sworn in as the 19th president of the United States on Thursday, but Capitol Police officials say they have received intelligence that conspiracy theorists who believe otherwise might be planning to storm the Capitol again. "We have obtained intelligence that shows a possible plot to breach the Capitol by an identified militia group on Thursday, March 4," Capitol Police said in a statement. Sources tell ABC that the alert is connected to a recent FBI bulletin that warned the Three Percenters militia group might be planning to use tactics including detonating a bomb to pull law enforcement away from the Capitol before an attack on the building. story continues below "Our Department is working with our local, state, and federal partners to stop any threats to the Capitol," the Capitol Police statement said. "We are taking the intelligence seriously. Due to the sensitive nature of this information, we cannot provide additional details at this time." Lawmakers are expected to be briefed on the threat by Capitol Police in a closed session Wednesday, the AP reports. Security measures still in place after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol include a razor wire-topped fence around the complex. Around 5,000 National Guard troops are at the site. March 4 was the presidential inauguration date until 1933. A conspiracy theory spread by QAnon supporters claims that the US secretly became a corporation in 1871, meaning Ulysses Grant, the 18th president, was the last "real" president, Forbes reports. (Read more Capitol Police stories.) The issue is not so much that the people dont want to get vaccinated on the weekends; its that the local public health departments that are delivering those vaccines arent fully staffed in their locations in those over the weekend days, and their partners similarly, he said. Weve tried to make up for that by, again, with the FEMA site, which is open on Saturday and Sundays, and with the distribution of vaccines to our federal retail pharmacy partners. MADRID, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Jose Ignacio Rubio joins Vidoomy's sales team as a Digital Sales Manager, supporting the company's commercial growth in Spain and maximizing Vidoomy's positioning from its HQ in Madrid. Vidoomy offers its advertisers the access to target audiences of its campaigns, making the perfect match between them and its 2500 premium digital media inventory. Its technology is directly implemented in more than 2500 premium websites worldwide, with a reach of more than 500 million unique users. Vidoomy's specialized technology improves the efficiency of the advertisers' media investment in, mainly, branding and awareness campaigns, obtaining thus the best KPIs in the market. Currently, Vidoomy counts with presence in the biggest digital markets in the world, including a recently open African market. The role of the sales teams is focused on the main media agencies in the industry, as well as in other independent international advertisers. This way, Vidoomy's business network reaches the key players in the digital media advertising world internationally. Jose Ignacio Rubio will be responsible for the growth and positioning of Vidoomy on a national level, increasing the company's client portfolio who invest in programmatic advertising. His wide experience as a sales professional in leading companies such as Deloitte or Mediaset, will be key to position Vidoomy as a referent in the country. "After almost 6 years as an Account Executive in Mediaset Spain, I join Vidoomy with great motivation to participate in the growth of the company on a national level. I was eager to join a young, dynamic and technological company. I'm excited to help position Vidoomy as a national referent in video advertising. At my arrival, I've found some very experienced professionals and I'm sure we will achieve great things together." "Jose Ignacio Rubio plays a main role in the company's sales growth and consolidation of its commercial strategy in Spain, in the year with the highest growth expectations in the history of Vidoomy," comments Antonio Simarro (VP Global Sales Vidoomy). With the experience and professionalism of Jose Ignacio Rubio, together with an innovative technology and the industry's leader, the success of Vidoomy in Spain is guaranteed. RICHMOND HILL, ON, March 2, 2021 /CNW/ - Mazda Canada Inc. (MCI) today reported February sales of 4,114 vehicles, representing a decrease of 2.8 percent versus February 2020. Sales year-to-date (YTD) are 8,153, which is an increase of 2.1 percent compared to the first two months of 2020. FEBRUARY 2021 SALES HIGHLIGHTS: CX-9 enjoyed a record February, growing sales by 22.5 percent compared to the same month last year. CX-5 sales increased 6.7 percent, which is the second-best February result in the 10-year history of the nameplate. The prospect of the impending spring driving season drove sales of the MX-5 to near record levels, marking the best February sales since 1995. Mazda6 sales rose 29.2 percent, and are up 76.4 percent over the first two months of 2021. YTD sales of Mazda's family of crossovers, including the CX-3, CX-30, CX-5, and CX-9 increased 6.6 percent compared to 2020, and accounted for 76.8 percent of Mazda sales. February February YOY YTD YTD YOY 2021 2020 Change 2021 2020 Change Mazda3 717 958 -25.2% 1,500 1,899 -21.0% Mazda6 137 106 29.2% 291 165 76.4% MX-5 82 23 256.5% 98 49 100.0% Passenger Car 936 1,087 -13.9% 1,889 2,113 -10.6% CX-3 445 559 -20.4% 884 1,114 -20.6% CX-30 670 696 -3.7% 1,251 1,047 19.5% CX-5 1,709 1,601 6.7% 3,420 3,132 9.2% CX-9 354 289 22.5% 709 581 22.0% Light Truck 3,178 3,145 1.0% 6,264 5,874 6.6% MAZDA TOTAL 4,114 4,232 -2.8% 8,153 7,987 2.1% Mazda Canada Inc. is responsible for the sales and marketing, customer service and parts support of Mazda vehicles in Canada. Headquartered in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Mazda Canada has a nationwide network of 163 dealerships. For additional information, visit Mazda Canada's media website at www.media.mazda.ca. SOURCE Mazda Canada Inc. For further information: Chuck Reimer, Mazda Canada Inc., 905-787-7079; Sandra Lemaitre, Mazda Canada Inc., 905-787-7167 Related Links http://www.mazda.ca [March 03, 2021] Klarna expands Open Banking solution to 8 more European markets STOCKHOLM, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Klarna, the leading global payments and shopping service, today announces the expansion of its leading Open Banking solution across eight more European countries, including Portugal, Denmark, Luxembourg, Ireland, Croatia, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. Klarna provides the largest open banking network in Europe, supporting a total of 24 countries in the continent, with up to 99% and a minimum of 90% bank coverage across markets. Klarna's Open Banking solution which today processes more than 150m+ transactions per year, offers third party providers simplified access to consumer bank account data via `Account information' (AIS) and `Payment initiation' (PIS) services in line with Payment Services Directives (PSD2). The secure solution allows consumers, wishing to elevate the potential of their financial data, to better understand and engage with their finances in a more meaningful way. As part of the latest expansion, Klarna also introduces `Account Insights' a powerful new solution that turns simple bank statements into unique insights through categorization and data enrichment. These insights can enable a variety of use cases including personalized budget plans, insurance checks, loan applications, credit- & risk assessments, personal finance management applications, and many more, all through a simple API integration. "Since we launched our Open Banking Offering in March 2019 our growth trajectory has been tremendous. That's why we're excited to launch in 8 more markets today and expand our product offering even further, as we continue to lead Europe's Open Banking industry covering more than 6.000 banks across 24 countries. The ability to empower consumers through financial data should not be at the discretion of a single provider but open to many providers so that more solutions can be developed that put the customer at the centre of their personal finances," says Koen Koppen, Klarnas Chief Technology Officer. Klarna's XS2A API is the most established and proven solution that has been developed at scale across markets for more than 15 years. Across markets, Klarna has a superior PIS conversion rate from the login to successful completion of the flow. The Klarna Open Banking Platform also provides developer friendly tools and technical solutions to help solve both the compliance and UX aspects of managing credentials and to overall help drive an accelerated time to market for products while minimizing costs and technological investments required. Note to editor: Open banking market availability in Europe: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ireland, and the UK. About Klarna We make shopping smoooth. With Klarna consumers can buy now and pay later, so they can get what they need today. Klarna's offering to consumers and retailers include payments, social shopping, and personal finances. Over 200,000 merchants, including H&M, IKEA, Expedia Group, Samsung, ASOS, Peloton, Abercrombie & Fitch, Nike and AliExpress have enabled Klarna's innovative shopping experience online and in-store. Klarna is the most highly valued private fintech in Europe with a valuation of $10.65 billion, and is one of the largest private fintechs globally. Klarna was founded in 2005, has over 3,500 employees. For more information, visit klarna.com. Contact Daniel Byrne press@klarna.com +46701612666 This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Public/1740/3294630/a9704f3dd0ad839c_org.png Klarna_open_banking https://mb.cision.com/Public/1740/3294630/b59a2f4debc7450c_org.jpg KoenKoppen_landscape [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] SHELL POINT - This watery wilderness of purple-flowered marsh is so vast, so inaccessible that few human beings see how much of it is dying. But from a helicopter hovering at 300 feet, the brown, bruised patches are easy to spot. Pilot Robert Whittaker swoops in low, spooking three nutria. They scatter, briefly showing their beaver-like faces and their scaly, rat-like tails, then disappear into the landscape - a landscape they're killing one nibble at a time. Whittaker has been flying this hard-hit stretch of Terrebonne Parish coastline for seven years, long enough to know what happens when nutria turn green marsh into brown mush. "Eventually, it all just turns to open water," he said. Whittaker and a pair state biologists are conducting an annual survey of nutria damage to wetlands along the state's fragile coast. Since 2001, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries-led survey has documented about 27,000 acres of marsh converted to open water by nutria, a South American import that has flourished in Louisiana over the past century. Last year, almost all of the damage - about 99 percent - was inflicted just in Terrebonne. The survey team flies about 2,350 miles each year. It covers a zig-zag route of transects spaced 1.8 miles apart. There are spots that heal up, but most get worse from the hundreds of thousands of pairs of busy buck teeth. "You can tell where they're really active by the brown spots and the trails they make," said Wildlife and Fisheries biologist Jennifer Manuel, pointing down at a tangle of narrow paths pounded down by little nutria feet. Whittaker lowers his chopper, setting its pontoons onto a floating carpet of hyacinth. "It's like landing on a waterbed," Manuel said. Biologist Catherine Normand identified plant species while Manuel took photographs. In the air, Normand used a computer and global positioning equipment to map the damaged areas. Near Shell Point, about 30 miles south of Morgan City, this stretch of marsh looks fairly healthy, but damage coast-wide is increasing. Last year, about 6,500 acres were affected by nutria feeding, an 8 percent increase over the previous survey. Nutria were brought to Louisiana in the 1930s for fur farming. Some escaped, but many were released after the fur market tanked during World War II. For nutria, Louisiana is an edible paradise. They have few predators, and the landscape has proven bountiful and delicious. The nutria's method of eating makes it particularly destructive. Unlike native Louisiana muskrat, which chomp the leaves of plants, nutria go straight for the roots. "With muskrat, eating the leaves means the plant usually recovers," said Michael Massimi, the invasive species coordinator for the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program. "But not with nutria. They make it really hard for the plant to come back." The die-back of plants means there's nothing to hold the soil in place, speeding an already rapid rate of land loss. Each year, about 17 square miles Louisiana's coast disappears due to erosion, subsidence, sea level rise and other factors. The nutria survey's early years documented a surge of damage, going from 45,000 acres in 1993 to 105,000 acres in 1999. The data persuaded state leaders to establish a bounty program that pays hunters and trappers $5 for each nutria tail. Environmental news in your inbox Stay up-to-date on the latest on Louisiana's coast and the environment. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up The program brought immediate results. After the first year, in 2002, the number of coastal acres damaged by nutria fell by 10,000. The annual tally of damaged acres now hovers between 4,000 and 6,000 acres, a far cry from the 82,000 when the program began. Last year, about 350,000 tails were turned in. That amounted to a $1.7 million payout to 274 participants. The latest season's totals haven't been released, but they were falling far short in April, with just under 200,000 tails reported. More than a quarter of all tails come out of Terrebonne. That's good, Normand said, but it's not keeping pace with the rate of damage. The parish has several characteristics working against it. First, Terrebonne has few people outside of Houma, and the neighboring parishes have small populations, making the trapper pool relatively small. The only way into Terrebonne's vast stretches of marshland is by water, but few vessels besides air boats can navigate the shallow waters. Property owners rarely grant trappers access because the noisy vessels scare waterfowl favored by duck hunters, who pay leases for access. Property owners also don't want the legal headaches that come with air boats. "If you operate an air boat long enough, you're going to crash it," Manuel said. "They're dangerous, so liability is a concern." Foxes, coyotes and other predators don't venture into the deep Terrebonne marshlands where nutria thrive. Alligators are plentiful, but they rarely go after the wily rodents. Gators will, however, take advantage of an opportunity presented by, say, a helicopter. "One year, we flew by and scared a nutria, and it went running for a place to hide," Manuel said. "It went straight to an alligator that had its mouth open. It snapped down right on it." If a bigger dent in the Terrebonne nutria population is to be made, there must be more incentive than $5 per tail, said Massimi, the invasive species coordinator. The return of the fur market would likely do the trick. When nutria pelts fetched $8 during the 1970s ($47 in today's currency) the state recorded almost no damage from nutria. "But then came the fur backlash in the '80s," Massimi said. "That's when nutria became a problem again." About seven years ago, the Barataria-Terrebeonne National Estuary Program and other environmental groups tried "rebranding" nutria fur as eco-fashion, and nutria meat as haute cuisine. The effort didn't pan out. The Louisiana coast's only remaining fur buyer, Pitre's Fur and Alligator in Galliano, hasn't bought or sold a nutria pelt for at least a year. "Nutria fur - it's dead right now," owner Tab Pitre said. "In the last four years, nobody's called at all about nutria." Normand says nutria are in Louisiana to stay. Eradication is unrealistic. Annual management is the only viable strategy. "There's no way we'll ever get rid of them," she said. "But there is value in keeping them at a manageable level where they're not causing as much damage as they could." Best Lip Balms for Men Pucker Up With Our Pick of the Best Lip Balms on the Market Right Now The AskMen editorial team thoroughly researches & reviews the best gear, services and staples for life. AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service. Product photos from retailer site. Men take their lips for granted. For most, lip balm is an afterthought; a grooming product for women. But truth be told, lip care is an underrated, but extremely valuable grooming essential one that can make all the difference in your health and lifestyle. Chapped, cracked lips are one of those things that can get out of hand and unpleasant real fast. RELATED: Best Moisturizers for Men But before running off to purchase any pharmacy-branded lip balm, its worth knowing the facts. Dermatologists suggest staying away from products with the following ingredients: camphor, phenol, and salicylic acid. These can leave you with coarse or irritated lips. Anything with artificial colors and synthetic fragrances must be avoided for the same reasons, along with any balms that leave shiny gloss, as they absorb sunlight and increase sunburn risk. Instead, point your mouth in the direction of moisturizers made from beeswax, organic oils, and other natural ingredients. These keep lips less dry, and can even help next time you struggle with slipping off your wedding ring at the gym. Ingredients like cocoa butter and lanolin are also a plus as well, as they help moisten, protect, and soften lips. Then, of course there are high-rated SPF lip balms that will administer a healthy, protective coat to block UV rays. So pucker up as we get you familiar with the markets best lip balms. Best All-Purpose Lip Balm Ouli's Ointment All-Purpose Balm Celebrity makeup artist Stephanie G-M started this brand as a way of bringing multi-use products to a broader audience. Her balm is a go-to for dry lips, skin and so much more. Seven ingredients are all that goes into the product and its highly moisturizing with plenty of organic olive oil and beeswax. Promising Review: I love that you can use this product for multiple uses, such as cracked heels, lips, and cuticles and even on my toddlers and baby. It moisturizes well without being overly greasy like Vaseline. Dominika $20 at TheDetoxMarket.com Best Multi-Pack Lip Balm Hello Wonderlips Duo Hello is rooted in making sensible, no-fuss care products and thats the ethos that makes their vegan, moisturizing lip balms such a hit. The strawberry and mint flavors are a nice contrast and the consistency is thick enough for just a dab (meaning youll get lots of use out of one tube). Theres no junk in either as well with both featuring a coconut oil base. Promising Review: I'm kind of over hard, waxy lip balms so this is a breath of fresh air. When you apply it to your lips, it takes on a slippery oily consistency that feels pleasant and hydrating. While the strawberry flavor is ostensibly "natural," it tastes more like strawberry Star Burst candy than the actual fruit. Of course, that isn't necessarily a bad thing and doesn't detract in the least from my appreciation for this product. I'm keeping this on my WFH desk for repeated applications over the course of the day to keep my lips soft. Since this is a multi-pack, I also have one on my bedside table to use as an overnight "sleeping pack." And, if I ever get out of the house again, I intend to carry a third in my purse. Blake $7.99 at Hello-Products.com Best Primer Lip Balm Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm As more men embrace more feminine practices like nail polish and makeup, a lip balm prepared for that becomes all the more important. This of-the-moment mix from Summer Fridays is specifically formulated to show a little shine and act as the perfect base for lipstick. Promising Review: Love this lip balm so much!! Best thing I have ever put on my lips! A little goes such a long way!! But yes please ... the packaging ... love the look but the functionality isnt great but still so worth it and Id buy it again!! Nikole $22.00 at SummerFridays.com Best Repairing Lip Balm for Cracked Lips Osmia Organics Lip Repair If youve ever had cracked lips, you know how painful it can be. Instead of putting irritating chemicals on the spot in question, opt for this blend from Osmia Organics, which uses the power of nature to heal and replenish your troubled skin. It all comes from a base of Manuka honey and myrrh extract, which are powerful ancient remedies and it can even be used on other cracked skin like around the nose or hands. Promising Review: Great product, keeps lips moisturized for hours and I like knowing I'm not putting harmful chemicals in my body. It is more waxy in texture, so it needs to be warmed up a bit between my fingers on chilly days. I like that it's not greasy. Jo $22 at Amazon.com Best Cocoa Butter Lip Balm Badger Cocoa Butter Lip Balm Among the 100+ products that Badger makes, their range of lip balms are certainly among their most popular. All of their balms are certified organic and include a healthy dose of low-processed cocoa butter. Its a highly-hydrating blend you can feel good about using day in and day out. Promising Review: "This product works great! I ordered 6 and I'm glad I did. Hard to find locally, so this worked out well and was easy to order." Buzzard II $5.99 at Amazon.com Best Nourishing Lip Balm Weleda Skin Food Lip Butter Weledas popular Skin Food is a thick, paste-like lotion that hydrates even the driest skin. Their lip balm is a take on that with a botanical blend that gradually melts into lips for long-lasting nourishment. Its a clean mix that provides a softer feel the more you use it. Promising Review: Love this product! Super luxurious and healing for my lips. This is a repeat buy for me. Taylor $6.99 at Amazon.com Best Trendy Lip Balm DedCool Watermelon Balm Stick This particular balm isnt all looks; it performs when it needs to as well. Beyond shea butter, vitamin E and candelilla wax, it includes a subtle hint of watermelon, which several reviewers love as it tastes like a Jolly Rancher. A sweet (healthy) treat for your lips, indeed. Promising Reviews: 10/10 this is an adult lip smacker BUT CLEAN AND JUMBO. I am applying this product all day everyday and will never be without it. Adam $14 at Credobeauty.com Best Cruelty-Free Lip Balm Hurraw! Lemon Lip Balm Hurraw!s signature lip balm comes in an array of flavors, but the bright touch of lemon is our favorite. Every flavor is organic, all-natural and vegan with a few different nourishing oils making up its base. The lemon version has an added punch of Malagasy lemongrass to wake up your lips on even the driest days. Promising Review: I truly believe that you can never have too many lip products. And I have many balms all over the house, cars, and in purses. But I have to say, this night-time soother is the creamy best! There is no sting when applied to super chapped lips. The scent and feel are relaxing, leaving lips soft and moisturized in the morn. I think everyone would love this product. It even scents your face mask ??! Just pure lusciousness! Sekhmet (taken from another flavor) $16.50 (3-pack) at Amazon.com Best Organic Lip Balm Henne Organics Luxury Lip Balm V2 For those looking for something a little higher-end, Henne Organics has the stick form of their hand-apply balm using the same oil and beeswax base. Applying a few layers throughout the day, then a couple more before bed as part of a routine can help introduce that ongoing moisture that our lips so desperately need. Lastly, theres no fragrance here, so all youre getting is pure, hydrating goodness. Promising Review: I love this lip balm more than any other, clean or dirty. If youre new to the brand, I fully recommend it. You wont be disappointed. If you already have the pot version of this, I recommend this for its convenience but the potted version is slightly more moisturizing in my opinion. I love that I have both though. This one is just so convenient for on the go. T $19 at Henneorganics.com Best Cold Weather Lip Balm Dermatone Medicated Lip Balm SPF 23 with Carabiner Dermatone has been around for 40 years for good reason: the stuff works. This is what winter athletes trust for tough, cold weather conditions and youll find it on sale at just about any ski resort anywhere. What makes it great? A sun-protecting formula that adds a touch of petrolatum to protect from cold weather irritation. This particular version is equipped out of the box to latch onto your backpack and go wherever life takes you. $4.49 at Dermatone.com Best Luxury Lip Balm La Mer The Lip Balm The most distinguished gent can attest to La Mer products being the essence of cosmetic mens care. Aerospace physicist Dr. Max Huber has practically developed what many label the Rolls-Royce of lip balms composed of an intensely rich formula hailed for its light scent and rejuvenate properties. The Lip Balm adds a sense of refreshment when applied, while the companys patented Miracle Broth solution strengthens your lips moisture barrier to achieve anti-aging results. Promising Review: This is one thing I cannot live without! It is nutrient, to begin with. Unlike a lot of lip balm, this doesn't only lock the moist in but also replenish it. My lips just feel so much better using it. It is richer than lip masks. It also is sweet. I guess to each of their own taste, but I like it. It would be really SWEET for a date too. AlanH $70 at Sephora.com Best All Natural Lip Balm Burts Bees Beeswax Lip Balm Chances have it you either owned or tried the original lip balm at some point. Thats a wake up call to expand your horizons. The praised lip care brand carries a wide variety of distinct flavors, each designed for specific use. But, when in doubt, go with what you know, and we know we love the peppermint tingle of the OG beeswax balm. Experts recommend keeping a stick close when stuck indoors. Promising Review: I have used the same brand of chap stick all of my life, the one it seems almost everyone uses. Recently Ive noticed that no matter how often I apply it my lips still get chapped. I dont know, maybe they changed something but I thought I would try something else. It turns out there arent a lot of options for something else and so many people say they like Burts Bees I decided to try it. Im not a chemist but whatever is in Burts Bees seems to go on smoother and I can definitely feel the soothing effect more. And I like the freshness of the flavored sticks (I chose the Best of Burts selection with Original Beeswax, Strawberry, Coconut & Pear, and Vanilla Bean). All things considered, its a good value here and convenient to buy. My only not so positive comment is that it took a while to find out how to remove the safety tab to open the cap. Its not hard once you know but they could have made it just a little more obvious for us new users. Hall of Fame Top Reviewer PhotoGraphics $9.57 for 4 at Amazon.com Best Lip Balm with Sunscreen Sun Bum Lip Balm, SPF 30 Whether youre looking for lip moisturizing, SPF shielding, or just another great vegan option, SunBum has every box checked off. The companys field-tested its formula to withstand varying conditions. Its made with aloe and vitamin E along with SPF 30 UV protection to ward off the sun. The collection comes in a variety of fun beachy flavors, including: Banana, Coconut, Key Lime, Watermelon, Mango, and Pineapple. Promising Review: We visit Tahiti every year and this stuff is great. Sun protection, mild flavor and feels good on the mouth. Keeps lips moistened for a long time in and out of the water. I keep one in my purse and every drawer at home so it's always at my fingertips. BeachRabbit $3.99 at Amazon.com Already licking your lips? Pick out a couple new favorites from this list to ensure that your smackers never crack again. You Might Also Dig: AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service. To find out more, please read our complete terms of use. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Karnataka Minister BC Patil on Tuesday defended his move of getting the first COVID-19 dose at home while other lawmakers were visiting the hospital as India began its second phase of coronavirus vaccination. Questioning what is wrong with this?, Patil argued that by going to the hospital, he would have made people wait but at home, he attended the people and also get vaccinated against COVID-19. However, Patil received harsh backlash from several ministers and the Union Health Ministry has said that vaccination at home was not allowed in protocol. If I go to the hospital to get vaccinated, then, people there will have to wait due to my visit there. But, here I can attend to people & also can get vaccinated. What is wrong in this?, said Karnataka Minister BC Patil after taking the shot at his residence, Hirekerur house from government doctors. Earlier today, Patil also hailed the made-in-India vaccines. For the second phase of coronavirus vaccination, with an aim to vaccinate all people above the age of 60 and 45-year-olds with comorbidities, the center has designated nearly 10,00 government hospitals and 20,000 private hospitals. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Rajnath Singh, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan among others, all visited one of the many hospitals to get their respective first doses of COVID-19 vaccine. On Patil, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said, This is not allowed in the protocol. We have asked for a report from the State government. Read - Karnataka Minister Takes Covid Vaccine Jab At Home Violating Protocol, Centre Seeks Report Read - Karnataka Launches Engineering Research And Development Policy; Aims To Create 50,000 New Jobs Union Ministers visit designated hospitals While Union Minister Rajnath Singh went to RR Hospital in New Delhi to get the first COVID-19 vaccine shot, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Harsh Vardhan received their jabs at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Patna and at Delhi Heart and Lung Institute respectively. Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi kick-started Phase 2 of India's massive inoculation drive and received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine at AIIMS, New Delhi. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu also took his first dose of COVID-19 Vaccine in Chennai. Read - Over 8.25 Lakh Vaccinated In Karnataka So Far: Health Dept Read - Karnataka Logs 349 News COVID-19 Cases,5 Fatalities Austal USA has a new point person heading up customer relations with the U.S. military, the company announced this week. According to a brief announcement issued Tuesday, Larry Ryder, a longtime business development executive, will serve as vice president for business development and external affairs. Responsibilities will include all of Austals business development efforts, state and federal legislative activities, customer relations with the U.S. military as well as coordinating external communications and media relations. The appointment follows an abrupt transition last week when Austal USAs parent company, Australia-based Austal Ltd., announced the resignation of Austal USA President Craig Perciavalle. Austal USAs CFO, Rusty Murdaugh, was named interim president while maintaining CFO duties. Perciavalles departure, and the question of how it might be related to nebulous investigations under way in Australia and the United States, led to some head-scratching in defense-industry media. Austal Ltd. said a review found that certain financial announcements in 2016 had been correctly handled, but that it had uncovered other internal problems. These included incorrect cost estimates at Austal USA that hampered Austal Ltd.s ability to estimate overruns in the Littoral Combat Ship program prior to 2016, and the use of some valves that didnt meet U.S. Navy specifications. The Navy later agreed to accept the valves, according to Austal Ltd. Ryders broad responsibilities suggest that Murdaugh will not be expected to step into Perciavalles role as primary salesman and ambassador for the company. His appointment comes at a time when business development is a particularly critical area: Austal has a half-dozen more Littoral Combat Ships to deliver, a task likely to be completed within three years, as well as three more ships in the smaller Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) program. Another wrinkle is turnover in Alabamas Congressional delegation. Richard Shelby, a strong advocate for Austal, has announced plans to retire in 2022, leaving Tommy Tuberville as the states senior senator. Austal USA had contracts for two more of the transports, known as EPFs, going into 2021: EPF 13, the future USNS Apalachicola, and EPF 14, the future USNS Cody. However, defense bills approved by Congress and President Donald Trump in late 2020 included funding for a 15th ship in the series. Austal USA also announced this week that the Navy had awarded it a $235 undefinitized contract action modification for EPF 15. Austal USA described the award as a display of confidence for the program. The ship is to include enhanced medical capability. Under Perciavalle, Austal USA had pitched the EPF as a platform suitable for a variety of roles, from medical ship to drone mothership. The company had also positioned itself, with federal support, to expand into steel construction in addition to its previous specialty in aluminum hulls. At its core, the EPF is designed to be highly capable, flexible and affordable, said Murdaugh. With this baseline, weve been able to deliver multiple ships that are performing different missions for the U.S. military. The award of EPF 15 allows the Navy to leverage a hot production line and highly trained workforce to continue producing ships that are meeting the needs of warfighters today and into the future. A strong 6.3-magnitude earthquake hit central Greece on Wednesday, damaging several buildings and prompting crowds to rush into the streets, though no injuries or deaths were immediately reported. Several aftershocks were reported after the main quake hit midday near the central city of Larissa, sparking panic in the area rarely hit by serious earthquakes. Everything happened very fast, people ran out of buildings, there are still aftershocks, Chrissoula Katsiouli, a staffer at the mayors office in the local town of Elassona, near Larissa, told AFP. We are still dazed it was very frightening, local resident Vassilis Boussias told Skai TV. The civil protection authority said a disabled man had been rescued from his home in the village of Mesochori, after the side of the house completely collapsed. The clock tower of a church in Damasi also caved in and a school was damaged. Fortunately, the teachers managed to get the children out very quickly and there were no victims, the mayor of Tyrnavos Yiannis Kokkouras told Skai TV, referring to the damaged school in Damasi. There were no injuries reported after the earthquake, which struck at 12:16 am (1016 GMT), the civil protection authority said. The agency also reported landslides had occurred in the region, and authorities were assessing further damage, while a helicopter was overflying the area in search for people in need. Police also sealed off a bridge cracked by the quake, local media reported. The US Geological Survey said the earthquake, which could be felt in central and northern Greece, was magnitude 6.3. But the Institute of Geodynamics in Athens said earlier the quake had measured at a magnitude of 6.0. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu called his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias to convey solidarity and said Ankara was ready to offer support if needed. Relations between regional rivals Greece and Turkey markedly improved in 1999 when both countries were struck by deadly earthquakes less than a month apart. Last year, the countries also cooperated on recovery efforts after a strong earthquake struck in the Aegean Sea, killing scores and causing vast damage mainly in Turkey. Aftershocks warning According to the Athens observatory, the epicentre of the quake was 16 kilometres (10 miles) south of the town of Elassona and was eight kilometres deep. There were several aftershocks following the main tremor including one at magnitude 5.7 after authorities issued a warning. Seismologist Gerassimos Papadopoulos said there could be significant aftershocks, speaking on Skai radio. However, experts stress that quake faults in the area rarely produce tremors larger than the one clocked on Wednesday. The last major earthquake in the area was in the 18th century and was magnitude 6.2, Manolis Skordilis, a seismologist at Thessalonikis Aristotle University, told state agency ANA. Greece is located on a number of fault lines, and is sporadically hit by earthquakes. But the quakes often happen at sea and do not often kill people or cause extensive damage. The last fatal earthquake was in October, when a magnitude 7.0 hit in the Aegean Sea between the Greek island of Samos and the city of Izmir in western Turkey. The majority of damage was in Turkey where 114 people were killed and more than 1,000 injured. In Greece, two teenagers were reported dead on the island of Samos. SOURCE: AFP New Delhi, March 3 : The Delhi government has decided to bring the College of Art of Delhi University under Ambedkar University. The Delhi government's cabinet has approved the merger. But the Delhi University teachers are strongly objecting to the Delhi government's move. The Delhi University Teachers ' Association (DUTA) has condemned the decision while cautioning the government. "This is another example of the Delhi government's violation of statutory provisions of the University of Delhi," DUTA president Rajab Ray said. "It reveals the attitude of the Delhi government in tackling governance issues in funded colleges under the University of Delhi," he added. According to Duta, teachers, staff and students of 12 colleges of Delhi University, fully funded by the Delhi government, are already suffering a lot due to the delay of grant by the Delhi government, which is affecting their financial, educational and administrative functioning. The employees of these colleges have not been paid salaries and pensions for several months. Ray further said that DUTA strongly condemns the Delhi government's stand and warns against harassment of these institutions and employees. It may be recalled that this is not the first time that an institute of Delhi University has been linked with any other university other than DU. In the year 2009, the Delhi College of Engineering was similarly shifted from DU to another university. It is called the Delhi Technological University. Thanks to a grant to assist cities dealing with fallout from PG&Es PSPS events, the residents of Rancho De Calistoga will no longer be left in the dark when the rest of the city has power. The City of Calistoga will use grant funds to purchase emergency backup generators for the roughly 120-unit mobile home park for seniors, which residents will then maintain. Last fall, the city received a $300,000 Public Safety Power Shutoff Resiliency grant through the California Office of Emergency Services. So far $52,000 has been spent to purchase and install a back-up generator at the High Street water lift pump, and the remainder will be used to purchase the generators, the city council agreed on Tuesday. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. After 15-16 weeks of order and delivery time, they should be installed by fall. The generators will be owned by the city and leased to the park. If at any time the park no longer needs them, if for example PG&E supplies backup power to the park, the city may relocate the generators, said City Manager Mike Kirn. Park owners have agreed to provide $68,700 in capital funding and to operate and maintain the generators through a nominal increase in the parks private utility rates. CLINTON, Miss. (WTVA) - Tupelo Christian Preparatory School (TCPS) signed a new partnership with Mississippi College. This will allow the college to offer 18 hours of dual academic credit to TCPS juniors and seniors. TCPS Head of School Andy Carter signed the agreement on Feb. 25. Read More - Mississippi College's full statement Advertisement New Zealand Dollar Outlook: New Zealand Dollar Bolstered by RBNZ While central banks like the Bank of Canada and the Reserve Bank of Australia lodge complaints about the Federal Reserve due to the status of their appreciating currencies, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand has a different opponent when it contends with its appreciating currency: itself. The recent change in the RBNZs remit actually makes its monetary posture more hawkish relative to its previous moorings, and moreover, much more hawkish than other central banks. This particular nuance that sets the RBNZ apart from other central banks makes the New Zealand Dollar more resilient during periods where market participants get spooked due to rising global bond yields. And during periods where growth-linked assets are doing well, the New Zealand Dollar now stands to be the poster child of the carry trade once more. NZD/JPY RATE TECHNICAL ANALYSIS: WEEKLY CHART (September 2014 to March 2021) (CHART 1) From a weekly perspective, NZD/JPY rates are on track with what is our longer-term bullish point of view: a bottoming process has commenced. NZD/JPY rates continue to trade higher following their break above the descending trendline from the January 2014, July 2017, December 2018, and August 2020 highs. Momentum remains bullish weekly timeframes. Rates continue to hold above the 50% Fibonacci retracement of the 2015 high/2020 low range at 76.77, while the pair is still above its weekly 4-, 13-, and 26-EMA envelope. Weekly MACD remains at its highest levels since early-2017, while weekly Slow Stochastics continue to linger in overbought territory. All-in-all, it appears a longer-term bottom has been established. NZD/JPY RATE TECHNICAL ANALYSIS: DAILY CHART (March 2020 to March 2021) (CHART 2) On the daily timeframe, the recent pullback in NZD/JPY rates (like NZD/USD rates) appears orderly, insofar as the pairs drop brought it back to its daily EMA envelope, which never buckled or saw the shorter-term EMAs fall out of bullish sequential order. Bullish momentum remains firm, and the pullback itself was absorbed neatly by the aforementioned 50% Fibonacci retracement. Daily MACD remains in bullish territory and trending higher, while daily Slow Stochastics have turned higher again above their median line. The path of least resistance remains to the topside for NZD/JPY rates. NZD/USD RATE TECHNICAL ANALYSIS: DAILY CHART (March 2020 to March 2021) (CHART 3) NZD/USD rates experienced a quick downdraft last week but appear to be recovering cleanly. NZD/USD is trying to reestablish itself above its daily 5-, 8-, 13-, and 21-EMA envelope, which lost its full bullish sequencing (daily 5-EMA dropped below daily 8-EMA). Daily MACD is still trending lower but remains above its signal line, but daily Slow Stochastics, while turning higher, did fall below their median line. All in all, its noteworthy that the recovery hasnt been as robust as in NZD/JPY rates; similarly, if your disposition is that US Treasury yields (among others) can continue to rise, its likely that NZD/USD lags NZD/JPY. IG Client Sentiment Index: NZD/USD RATE Forecast (March 2, 2021) (Chart 4) NZD/USD: Retail trader data shows 46.81% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders short to long at 1.14 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 27.91% higher than yesterday and 32.00% higher from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 0.81% higher than yesterday and 23.16% lower from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-short suggests NZD/USD prices may continue to rise. Yet traders are less net-short than yesterday and compared with last week. Recent changes in sentiment warn that the current NZD/USD price trend may soon reverse lower despite the fact traders remain net-short. --- Written by Christopher Vecchio, CFA, Senior Currency Strategist Members of the Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Teams (MAIT) inspect the scene of a collision between a sport utility vehicle (SUV) and a tractor-trailer truck near Holtville, California, U.S., March 2, 2021. REUTERS/Bing Guan At least 13 people, 10 of them Mexican nationals, were killed on Tuesday when a tractor-trailer slammed into an SUV crammed with 25 adults and children on a dusty Southern Californian road near the U.S.-Mexico border, officials said. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents opened an investigation into whether human smuggling was involved, an agency spokeswoman said in a statement hours later. Handmade wooden crosses stretched in a line across a patch of dry grass and dirt by the roadside, and a seat covered in what appeared to be blood lay near the crumpled Ford Expedition, as the desolate highway through the farming community of Holtville remained closed Tuesday afternoon. Expand Close A California Highway Patrol officer examines the scene of a deadly crash in Holtville, Calif., Tuesday, March 2, 2021. Authorities say a semitruck crashed into an SUV, killing multiple people. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A California Highway Patrol officer examines the scene of a deadly crash in Holtville, Calif., Tuesday, March 2, 2021. Authorities say a semitruck crashed into an SUV, killing multiple people. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) The white tractor-trailer cab with yellow trim was still smashed into the wrecked side of the maroon SUV. The entire driver's side of the smaller vehicle was caved in, and the passenger side was flung wide open. "Unfortunately, consular staff have confirmed the death of 10 Mexicans so far," Roberto Velasco, the foreign ministry's director for North America, said in a tweet in Spanish. Mexicans were also among the injured, he said. It was not immediately clear how fast the vehicles were going, or whether the SUV had observed a stop sign before heading into the intersection of State Route 115 and Norrish Road just outside of Holtville, about 10 miles (16.1 km) north of the border, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) said. Those killed, who included the driver of the SUV, ranged in age from 15 to 53, and minors as young as 16 were injured, said Omar Watson, chief of the highway patrol's border division. He said the driver was 22 years old. Several of the occupants were ejected from the vehicle and died on the pavement; others died inside the SUV, Watson said. Most of the survivors are Spanish-speaking, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said. Despite the presence of CBP agents and Spanish translators, Watson said it was too early to know whether the SUV's occupants were migrant workers or others who might have crossed from Mexico in the overcrowded vehicle. Special agents from ICE's Homeland Security Investigations branch responded to the crash scene "and have initiated a human smuggling investigation," a spokeswoman said late on Tuesday. "The investigation is ongoing, and no further details are available at this time. Although it varies by trim and model year, the Ford Expedition typically is designed to hold five to eight people. Watson said the CHP was working with the Mexican Consulate to determine who was in the vehicle and notify families. A CBP spokesperson, who was not authorized to discuss the case publicly, said the agency was not in pursuit of or aware of the vehicle until after the crash. The agency does not know and is not investigating the immigration status of the people at this time. Expand Close California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers investigate a crash site after a collision between a Ford Expedition sport utility vehicle (SUV) and a tractor-trailer truck near Holtville, California, U.S. in an aerial photograph March 2, 2021. REUTERS/Bing Guan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers investigate a crash site after a collision between a Ford Expedition sport utility vehicle (SUV) and a tractor-trailer truck near Holtville, California, U.S. in an aerial photograph March 2, 2021. REUTERS/Bing Guan The driver of the tractor-trailer, which was earlier said to be hauling gravel but according to the CHP was not, was also hospitalized with moderate injuries, Watson said. The logo of Havens and Sons Trucking of nearby El Centro was on the side of the truck cab. A person who answered the phone at the company told Reuters it had no comment at this time. Several of the victims were taken to El Centro Regional Medical Center, the director of the hospital's emergency room, Judy Cruz, said in a news briefing posted on Facebook. Agriculture drives the economy around Holtville and El Centro. Known as the Imperial Valley, the area is a big producer of fruits, vegetables, grain and cattle despite being desert, thanks to irrigation from the Colorado River and a long growing season. Hospital officials had previously said that 27 people were in the SUV, and that 15 had died, but Watson said there were 25 passengers and 13 fatalities. Three victims were flown to other hospitals and seven others were brought to El Centro. One person died at the hospital, Cruz said. WASHINGTON - The U.S. Capitol Police said Wednesday that they have information regarding a possible plot by a militant group to breach the Capitol on Thursday, a date that some followers of the QAnon extremist ideology falsely claim will mark former president Donald Trump's return to the White House. The department declined to name the militia group or provide additional details, citing the "sensitive nature" of the information. In a statement, the department said it is "prepared for any potential threats." In response, the House canceled a scheduled Thursday session, instead wrapping up planned votes late Wednesday. The Senate, considering President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill, planned to remain in session Thursday. Members and staff were encouraged to take precautions such as parking in underground garages. "We have already made significant security upgrades to include establishing a physical structure and increasing manpower to ensure the protection of Congress, the public and our police officers," police said in the statement. The Capitol Police and the FBI have been criticized for not acting on intelligence supplied by the FBI's Norfolk field office shortly before the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Rioters easily swarmed through bicycle rack barricades; Capitol and District of Columbia police officers were overwhelmed by the pure numbers of attackers; and the National Guard did not respond to the scene until hours after the siege had begun. Melissa Smislova, the acting undersecretary of the Office of Intelligence and Analysis in the Department of Homeland Security, said Wednesday that her agency, in coordination with the FBI, issued a bulletin very late Tuesday night or very early Wednesday morning about "extremists discussing March 4 and March 6." March 4, the original Inauguration Day before the passage of the 20th Amendment in 1932, is the date that some on the far right have come to believe - wrongly - that Trump will again rise to power. An FBI official told The Washington Post last week that leaders were aware of the QAnon chatter surrounding March 4, but said, "We don't have any indication of violence or a specific, credible plot at this time." An FBI bulletin sent late Tuesday night warns broadly of "militia violent extremists" posing a threat throughout 2021, and that domestic violent extremists generally have probably been "emboldened" by the events of Jan. 6, according to a person familiar with its contents. The bulletin - a copy of which was posted online by a Politico reporter and confirmed by The Post - talks of the QAnon "conspiracy theory" surrounding March 4 and adds that, as of late February, an "unidentified group" of militia violent extremists had "discussed plans to take control of the U.S. Capitol and remove Democratic lawmakers" on that date. The FBI said in a statement Wednesday: "While our standard practice is to not comment on specific intelligence products, the FBI is constantly gathering and sharing intelligence with our law enforcement partners. We are always on alert for any potential threats." District police declined to discuss in detail the department's response to the potential threat, though acting chief Robert J. Contee III said in a statement that Civil Disturbance Units "will have an increased presence around the city to ensure the public's safety." A District police spokeswoman said the department was working with other agencies to assess information. Chris Rodriguez, director of the District's Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, told the District Council on Wednesday afternoon that Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, Contee and acting fire chief John Donnelly had been discussing what to expect. "At this time, we're aware of this threat," Rodriguez said. "Given some of the security measures in the city and the awareness at all levels of government - state, local and federal - we will stay enhanced, continue to watch and make sure the 4th goes off peacefully," he said. He added: "We have not seen the types of chatter we saw prior to the [January] 6th, particularly online - the groups do not appear to be mobilizing, and so we do not expect large numbers in the District over the next couple of days." Researchers tracking online conversations about March 4 say they have detected far less intense and fewer specific plans for mayhem than before the Jan. 6 siege of the U.S. Capitol. "While we have seen a certain of amount of chatter, we have not seen on any of the platforms any of the incitement and calls to violence we saw before," said Marc Ginsberg, president of the Coalition for a Safer Web, a nonpartisan group that advocates for technologies and policies to remove extremist content from social media. Researchers hold out the possibility that individual attacks or acts of violence could be planned on closed, encrypted channels that are far more difficult to monitor than the open platforms, such as Parler and TheDonald.win, that hosted much of the planning ahead of Jan. 6. After concluding the Senate's Wednesday business and scheduling the Thursday session to begin at noon, Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin, D-Ill., acknowledged the "apparent contradiction" in how the two chambers were approaching the rest of this week. Now chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Durbin said that he would expect to have been briefed by the FBI or Justice Department officials if they considered the threat that serious - and he has not yet been so briefed. "I don't know if it's a tease. You know, we were told on January 6 crowd was coming back for January 20 and they didn't appear. I can't tell. But in light of what we went through on January 6, it's understandable people are concerned," Durbin said. The warning about another potential threat to Congress comes as a date for President Biden's first address on Capitol Hill has not yet been set. New presidents typically deliver a speech to a joint session of Congress in February. In January, Bowser requested that 500 members of the District National Guard remain activated through March 12, amid concerns about potential extremist activity tied to three events: Trump's now-concluded impeachment trial, Biden's address and March 4. In addition to the National Guard and increased police presence, the Capitol grounds have been surrounded by security fencing since the Jan. 6 insurrection. Last week, acting Capitol Police chief Yogananda Pittman warned lawmakers that members of extremist groups involved in the Jan. 6 riot "want to blow up the Capitol and kill as many members as possible" during Biden's address. But after that briefing, members of Congress reacted negatively to the idea of maintaining expansive physical barriers to the Capitol. Both Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said the Jan. 6 riot was largely a failure of intelligence, rather than infrastructure. "The idea of just making a permanent fortress or a permanent fence is too much of a knee-jerk solution," Van Hollen said. District Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Democrat, who has been pushing for removal of the fencing around the Capitol, said Wednesday that in light of the new information, the barriers and increased police presence "may have to be there right now. I think they have to respond to the intelligence." But she said she was encouraged to see that some fencing had been reduced earlier in the week, and that she will continue to advocate to "return the people's house to the people." On Wednesday, Pittman appeared before Congress to ask for a 21% increase to the force's budget to pay for improved security after the Jan. 6 riot, with an emphasis on better support and training for officers, and broader protections for lawmakers. Pittman said that in the first two months of 2021, officials noted a 93% increase in threats against lawmakers compared with the same period of 2020. She proposed a security plan for members that includes a focus on security outside of the District. She also said that the Capitol Police plan to establish "a dedicated stand-ready force of two platoons (80 officers) at all times," to reduce the force's reliance on partner agencies to respond to emergencies. - - - The Washington Post's Greg Jaffe, Mike DeBonis, Colby Itkowitz, Felicia Sonmez, Karoun Demirjian and Paul Kane contributed to this report. Student COVID-19 Test Reimbursement As a result of the travel restrictions in effect in the United Kingdom, students returning to University currently need to book a COVID Test package through UK. This consists of booking two COVID Tests via the UK Government website and should be arranged as part of their travel plans. HMGoG will be reimbursing the cost of one such COVID Test package (210) per Academic Year for those students currently in receipt of a Gibraltar Scholarship Award. Students will need to apply for the reimbursement of the cost of their COVID Test Package by completing the COVID Reimbursement Form on the Department of Education website. The form can be found on www.education.gov.gi. Students will need to submit their CTM receipt as evidence of having booked and paid for the COVID Test as part of their application for reimbursement. SAN FRANCISCO, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hagens Berman urges SolarWinds Corporation (NYSE: SWI) investors with significant losses to submit your losses now. A securities fraud class action has been filed and certain investors may have valuable claims. Class Period: Oct. 18, 2018 Dec. 17, 2020 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: March 5, 2021 Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/SWI Contact An Attorney Now: [email protected] 844-916-0895 SolarWinds Corporation (SWI) Securities Fraud Class Action: The complaint alleges that Defendants misrepresented and concealed that: (1) since mid-2020, SolarWinds' Orion monitoring products had a vulnerability that allowed hackers to compromise the server upon which the products ran; (2) SolarWinds' update server had an easily accessible password; and (3) consequently, SolarWinds' customers, including the Federal Government, Microsoft, Cisco, and Nvidia, were vulnerable to hacks. Investors allegedly began to learn the truth on Dec. 13, 2020 when Reuters reported Russian hackers had infiltrated the U.S. Treasury and Commerce departments' systems by tampering with SolarWinds updates. Then, on Dec. 14, 2020 SolarWinds confirmed the vulnerability was inserted in its Orion monitoring products and existed in updates released between Mar. and June 2020. On Dec. 15, 2020, Reuters reported that (1) a security researcher alerted SolarWinds last year that anyone could access the company's update server by using the password "solarwinds123," and (2) a cyber security expert noticed that even days after SolarWinds knew their software was compromised the malicious updates were still available for download. Significantly, shortly before these events unfolded, two investors controlling a majority of SolarWinds' board of directors sold $285 million of SolarWinds shares at inflated prices. Most recently, on Mar. 1, 2021, SolarWinds filed its annual report, disclosing that it was the subject of numerous regulatory investigations, including by the DOJ and the SEC. "We're focused on proving that SolarWinds knew about the security vulnerabilities before disclosing them," said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation. If you are a SolarWinds investor and have significant losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firm's investigation, click here to discuss your legal rights with Hagens Berman. Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding SolarWinds Corporation should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email [email protected]. About Hagens Berman Hagens Berman is a national law firm with nine offices in eight cities around the country and eighty attorneys. The firm represents investors, whistleblowers, workers and consumers in complex litigation. More about the firm and its successes is located at hbsslaw.com. For the latest news visit our newsroom or follow us on Twitter at @classactionlaw . Contact: Reed Kathrein, 844-916-0895 SOURCE Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP Related Links https://www.hbsslaw.com One of Britain's biggest housebuilders has set aside 125million to fix fire-trap flats after posting profits of 264million last year. Taylor Wimpey said the fund would 'provide certainty' for leaseholders and spare them the cost of making buildings safe. Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said the move was 'very welcome', but leaseholders described it as 'a token gesture'. It is the latest construction giant to set aside cash since the Mail launched its campaign to end the cladding scandal in January and follows others in including buildings below 18 metres (60ft) in height. Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey said today it will pay out 125 million to replace cladding and improve fire safety on all blocks built in the last 20 years. Pictured: A general view down the Thames path towards the Royal Artillery Quays which has the same flammable cladding that caused the Grenfell disaster Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said the move was 'very welcome', but leaseholders described it as 'a token gesture' How we've led the way Jan 4: Mail launches End The Cladding Scandal campaign. Jan 14: Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick lifts gagging clause barring leaseholders who speak out from government funds. Jan 16: Plan revealed to ban Kingspan and Arconic, whose products were used on Grenfell, from government contracts. Jan 18: Ministers intend to impose a tax on developers to raise 2billion for repairs. Jan 19: Government announces new regulator with powers to jail bosses of firms which make dangerous products for homes. Feb 5: Construction giant Barratt backs developer tax and says it has spent 82million fixing fire safety defects on homes. Feb 11: Mr Jenrick announces extra 3.5billion to replace unsafe cladding but only for buildings taller than 18 metres. Feb 11: Persimmon sets aside 75million for 26 buildings. March 2: Taylor Wimpey announces 125million fund to fix fire safety defects. Advertisement This newspaper's campaign has sparked a frenzied response from ministers and developers desperate to quell the outcry over the treatment of around four million leaseholders. Government funding to fix the problem has more than trebled to 5billion, while four out of the UK's five biggest developers have now earmarked cash for repairs. But the End Our Cladding Scandal [EOCS] campaign group last night sent an open letter to Boris Johnson demanding he go further. The letter, also signed by more than a dozen MPs, said current support 'will not be enough to save us, or to make buildings safe at the pace we need to see'. Taylor Wimpey's intervention came as it reported a record order book for 2021 and posted sales revenues of 2.8billion, including an estimated 1.2billion through the taxpayer-funded Help To Buy scheme. Its fire safety fund comes on top of a 40million pot to cover the cost of replacing ACM cladding. The material was used on Grenfell Tower in west London, where a fire killed 72 people in 2017. Taylor Wimpey said it had completed work on 12 out of 19 blocks with ACM cladding. The firm said it had identified 232 potentially unsafe buildings and its fund would cover any block built in the past 20 years, including those below 18 metres in height. Ministers have faced a backlash following a decision to exclude those living in small and medium-rise buildings from funds to replace unsafe cladding. It means those in smaller blocks face bills of up to 600 a year to make their homes safe. Ministers have said they will impose a new tax on developers worth 2billion over ten years to help pay for fire safety work. The tragic Grenfell Tower fire in west London in 2017 left 72 dead and has since sparked efforts to help repair or replace cladding The five biggest builders have made about 10billion in profits since the Grenfell fire. Berkeley Group, which has made 2.3billion since the blaze, is yet to earmark a sum for repairs. Persimmon has reaped in 2.1billion in pre-tax profits since Grenfell and has pledged 75million to pay for work on 26 buildings that may be affected by the cladding issue. Barratt has made 2.2billion and has so far spent 82million on fixing flammable cladding and other defects. While Bellway has raked in 1.5billion and has a 87million cladding fund. WE WENT to Newport for three days last week, two Minnesotans long married, to rediscover the fact that ocean air is delicious and invigorating and can even make you happy. That surely is why the Vanderbilts built their monstrous mansion on the shore: sinking into decadence in a fake palace w 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. remaining of Thank you for reading! 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Pune, India, March 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global dermal fillers market is set to gain traction from the increasing usage of hyaluronic acid dermal fillers as they are considered to be the gold standard material for facial fillers, such as restoration of volume/fullness, scar treatment, lip enhancement, and wrinkle correction. The report further mentions that the market size was USD 3.73 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 6.64 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 9.3% during the forecast period. Increasing Need to Appear Youthful and Healthy will Favor Growth In todays world, the demand for non-invasive or minimally invasive procedures and cosmetic surgeries, such as filler injections and botulinum toxin injections has surged rapidly. People are seeking out for pain-free and easy techniques to appear healthy and youthful, unlike invasive cosmetic surgeries. Request a Sample Copy of the Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/dermal-fillers-market-100939 The American Society of Plastic Surgeons, for instance, reported that since 2000, the number of minimally invasive cosmetic surgeries has increased to 200%. It has shown no indication of reducing. These factors are expected to bolster the dermal fillers market growth in the near future. However, the high cost of these fillers may hamper growth. Hyaluronic Segment Generated 77.0% Share in 2019 Based on material, the hyaluronic acid segment earned 77.0% in the dermal fillers market and dominated in 2019. This growth is attributable to the increasing number of new product launches under this segment by prominent companies worldwide. COVID-19 Pandemic: Delay of Non-COVID-related Procedures May Obstruct Growth The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the healthcare sector across the globe. The prolonged lockdown has caused cancellation or postponement of non-COVID-related healthcare procedures to maintain safety. Allergan stated in its quarterly report that it showcased a decline of around 0.5% in revenue compared, compared to last year. But, numerous dermatological centers and specialty clinics have exhibited 70% increase in virtual consultations requests amid the lockdown period. We are offering in-depth research reports to help you better understand the current scenario and take steps accordingly. To get to know more about the short-term and long-term impact of COVID-19 on this market, please visit: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/dermal-fillers-market-100939 Increasing Investments in Research and Development Activities to Propel Growth in Europe Geographically, North America procured USD 1.72 billion in terms of revenue in 2019. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons declared that in the U.S., approximately 15.9 million minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures were performed in 2018. It is one of the most significant factors responsible for the high demand for these fillers in this region. On the other hand, Europe held the second-highest market position in 2019 because of the rising geriatric population in the region. Besides, the surging investments in research and developments activities in the region would propel growth. In Asia Pacific, is set to exhibit the highest CAGR throughout the forthcoming years backed by the increasing awareness of people living in Asian countries to enhance their physical appearances. Quick Buy - Dermal Fillers market Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/checkout-page/100939 A list of all the renowned manufacturers operating in the global market: ALLERGAN (Dublin, Ireland) Revance Therapeutics, Inc. (California, U.S.) Merz Pharma (Frankfurt, Germany) Galderma (Lausanne, Switzerland) Sinclair Pharma (London, U.K.) Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (Mumbai, India) BIOPLUS CO., LTD. (South Korea) Bioxis Pharmaceuticals (Lyon, France) SCULPT Luxury Dermal Fillers LTD (U.K.) DR. Korman (Kiryat Bialik, Israel) Prollenium Medical Technologies (Toronto, Canada) Suneva Medical (California, U.S.) Anika Therapeutics, Inc. (Massachusetts, U.S.) Have Any Query? Ask Our Experts: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/speak-to-analyst/dermal-fillers-market-100939 Some major points from Table of Content: Introduction Research Scope Market Segmentation Research Methodology Definitions and Assumptions Executive Summary Market Dynamics Market Drivers Market Restraints Market Opportunities Key Insights Overview of the Number of Dermal Fillers Procedures by Key Countries Overview of Price Analysis of Types of Dermal Fillers Overview of Regulatory Scenario by Key Countries Overview of Reimbursement Scenario by Key Countries New Product Launches Pipeline Analysis-Key Products Impact of COVID-19 on Dermal Fillers Market Global Dermal Fillers Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2016-2027 Key Findings / Summary Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Material Hyaluronic Acid Calcium Hydroxylapatite Poly-L-lactic Acid PMMA (Poly (methyl methacrylate)) Fat Fillers Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Product Biodegradable Non-Biodegradable Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Application Scar Treatment Wrinkle Correction Treatment Lip Enhancement Restoration of Volume/ Fullness Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By End User Specialty & Dermatology Clinics Hospitals & Clinics Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Region North America Europe Asia Pacific Latin America Middle East & Africa North America Dermal Fillers Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2016-2027 Key Findings / Summary Market Analysis By Material Hyaluronic Acid Calcium Hydroxylapatite Poly-L-lactic Acid PMMA (Poly (methyl methacrylate)) Fat Fillers Others Market Analysis By Product Biodegradable Non-Biodegradable Market Analysis By Application Scar Treatment Wrinkle Correction Treatment Lip Enhancement Restoration of Volume/ Fullness Others Market Analysis By End User Specialty & Dermatology Clinics Hospitals & Clinics Others Market Analysis By Country U.S. Canada Continued... Get your Customized Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/customization/dermal-fillers-market-100939 Have a Look at Related Reports: Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) Market Size , Share and Industry Analysis By Type (Products, Instruments & Software, Consumables, Services), By Application (Diagnostics, Research), By End User (Research Institutes, Healthcare Facilities & Diagnostic Centres, Pharmaceutical & Biotechnological Companies, Contract Research Organization) & Regional Forecast, 2019 2026 Neurovascular Devices/ Interventional Neurology Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Device Type (Stenting Systems, Embolization, Neurothrombectomy and Support Devices), By Application (Cerebral Aneurysms, Ischemic Stroke and Others), By End User (Hospitals, Specialty Clinics and Others) and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026 Biomarkers Market Size , Share & Industry Analysis, By Indication (Oncology, Cardiology, Neurology, and Others), By End User (Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies, Diagnostics & Research Laboratories, Hospitals & Specialty Clinics, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026 Infusion Pump Market Size , Share & Industry Analysis, By Type (Volumetric Pumps, Syringe Pumps, Enteral Pumps, Insulin Pumps, Elastomeric Pumps, Implantable Pumps, and PCA Pumps), By Application (Diabetes, Oncology, Pain Management, and Others), By End User (Hospitals & Clinics, Ambulatory Care Settings, Home Care Settings, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026 Hair Transplant Market Size , Share & Industry Analysis, By Type (Surgical and Non-surgical), By Gender (Male and Female) By End User (Hospitals & Clinics and Hair Transplant Centers), and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026 About Us: Fortune Business Insights offers expert corporate analysis and accurate data, helping organizations of all sizes make timely decisions. 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Ltd. 308, Supreme Headquarters, Survey No. 36, Baner, Pune-Bangalore Highway, Pune - 411045, Maharashtra, India. Phone: US :+1 424 253 0390 UK : +44 2071 939123 APAC : +91 744 740 1245 Email: sales@fortunebusinessinsights.com Fortune Business Insights LinkedIn | Twitter | Blogs There have been 25 further deaths of people with Covid-19 and 566 new cases of the virus confirmed by the Department of Health this evening. This takes the number of deaths from Covid-19 in Ireland to 4,357, while the total case count in the State has now risen to 221,189. Five of the deaths occurred in March,13 occurred in February and six occurred in January or earlier. There have been 233 new cases confirmed in Dublin, 37 in Kildare, 30 in Meath, 25 in Donegal, 24 in Westmeath and the remaining 217 cases are spread across all other counties. Read More As of 8am today, there are 489 Covid-19 patients in hospital, of which 114 are in ICU. There have been29 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours. Of the cases notified today; 280 are men and 284 are female; 68pc are under 45 years of age and the median age is 34 years old. 439,782 doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been administered in Ireland up to last Sunday, last data shows. 297,899 people have received their first dose and 141,883 people have received their second. The national 14-day incidence rate has fallen below 200 cases per 100,000 people for the first time since December. It currently stands at 199.4. Dr Ronan Glynn, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health said: "thanks to the hard work and sacrifice of the vast majority of people, key disease indicators continue on a positive trajectory. However, we are still seeing outbreaks in the community, including those linked to extended families, workplaces and funerals. We need to keep up our guard against the B117 variant of Covid-19, which we know is dominant in Ireland at present and highly transmissible. Our willingness to stick with the public health advice in our daily routine has brought us the progress that we can see today. Together, through staying at home as much as possible, social distancing, hand washing and wearing face coverings, we can continue to drive down the spread of Covid-19, Dr Glynn said. Earlier today Nphet revealed that public health teams were dealing with 13 open outbreaks in third level institutions as it was confirmed that outbreaks in colleges are leading to wider community outbreaks. Deputy chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said a significant number of clusters in the community are associated with students who attend third level in the west and midwest are under investigation. There were three newly notified outbreaks associated with third-level institutions and students and 13 open outbreaks associated with these settings, Dr Glynn said. It was confirmed today that Ireland missed its target of 100,000 vaccinations for last week and that it would also fall short of this weeks target due to a supply issue with Astrazenecas vaccine. The HSE confirmed that the shortfall will not affect the months overall vaccination target with further supplies to be added to shipments in the coming weeks to compensate for the shortfall. More to follow.. The Lord + Taylor era has ended in Connecticut. Now comes the challenge of filling hundreds of thousands of square feet vacated by the oldest department-store chain in the country. Last Saturday marked the final day of business at Lord + Taylors stores in Stamford and at the Westfield Trumbull mall, after the closing at the end of December of its stores at Danbury Fair mall and Westfarms mall in Farmington. The Stamford and Farmington locations are being marketed for potential redevelopment for office space, while the future of the Danbury and Trumbull sites appears less clear. Both enterprises and employees require spaces that meet their needs today and allow for future evolution, commercial real estate firm CBRE, which is marketing the Stamford and Farmington properties, says on the websites promoting its York Factory workspace concept for those locations. York Factory is created for enterprises seeking a solution for the modern workforce. Our highly amenitized and inspiring workspaces are designed to optimize health, happiness and productivity. Search underway for successors Lord + Taylor has vacated an approximately 160,000-square-foot standalone building at 110 High Ridge Road in Stamford and an approximately 117,000 square-foot box at Westfield Trumbull. It had opened the Stamford store in 1969 and the Trumbull establishment in 1992. It occupied about 120,000 square feet at Westfarms, and it had operated there since 1983. Its nearly 80,000-square-foot store at Danbury had been in business since 1991. Despite the mass migration of office workers to remote setups in the past year in response to the coronavirus pandemic, CBRE appears to be anticipating that the office market will eventually recover. Its York Factory websites list a number of single-tenant and multi-tenant workspace options. The websites renderings show large and bright open-floor layouts, evoking the type of office space that has become popular in recent years. York Factorys turnkey designs are built to maximize productivity, empowering employees to choose how and where they work best, it also says on the websites. York Factory can provide varying levels of tenant fit out, amenities and services depending on local market demand and individual tenant preferences. Each site represents a potential bespoke opportunity for a tenant. Messages left for Hudsons Bay Co., which controls the Lord + Taylor properties in Connecticut and the nearly three-dozen other Lord + Taylor sites in the U.S., were not returned. More Information For decades, Lord + Taylor occupied some of the largest storefronts in Connecticut. After the closing of all of the stores in the country's oldest department-store chain, the search is on for replacements at the four locations where Lord + Taylor operated in the state. Stamford: Lord + Taylor's store opened in 1969, occupying about 160,000 square feet in a standalone building at 110 High Ridge Road Trumbull: Store opened in 1992, occupying about 117,000 square feet at Westfield Trumbull mall Danbury: Store opened in 1991, occupying about 80,000 square feet at Danbury Fair mall Farmington: Store opened in 1983, occupying about 120,000 square feet at Westfarms mall Source: Hudson's Bay Co. See More Collapse Hudsons Bay sold Lord + Taylor to rental-clothing company Le Tote in 2019, but it has kept those department stores in its real estate portfolio through ownership and ground-lease arrangements. Plans for the Danbury and Trumbull sites have been less publicized. Macerich, the owner of Danbury Fair, and Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, the owner of Westfield Trumbull, declined to comment for this article. Demise of a retail powerhouse Only a few years ago, Lord + Taylor officials had envisioned many more years of operating in the Nutmeg State. In late 2016, Lord + Taylor completed a nearly two-year renovation of the Stamford property. But amid the ongoing rise of e-commerce, the 1826-founded business started to struggle long before the pandemic struck. In January 2019, Lord + Taylor shuttered its flagship store in Manhattan, ending a 104-year run for the midtown establishment. The property was sold for $850 million to co-working firm WeWork and partner Rhone Capital. Its travails contributed to Hudsons Bays decision later in 2019 to sell the business to Le Tote. The outbreak of COVID-19 dashed hopes of a revival for Lord + Taylor and many other retail companies. Last August, Lord + Taylor and Le Tote filed for bankruptcy. Later that month, Lord + Taylor announced that it would shut down all 38 of its locations. To clear out inventory, the stores held closing sales in the following months. By their last days, the stores were stripped bare, with only a smattering of merchandise still on display. About 150 Lord + Taylor employees in Connecticut would be laid off, Le Tote told the labor department last October. The job cuts were expected to include 58 positions in Stamford, 40 in Trumbull, 28 in Danbury and 24 in Farmington. Affected employees were not unionized. pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; twitter: @paulschott HOUSTON, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Mayor Sylvester Turner and the City of Houston's Animal Shelter & Adoption Center (BARC), today announced that Rescued Pets Movement Inc. (RPM), the largest homeless animal rehabilitation and transport 501(c)(3) nonprofit in the United States, has saved a total of 50,000 homeless animals from BARC. Founded in 2013, RPM has worked with BARC to give thousands of homeless dogs and cats a second chance at life each year through rescue, rehabilitation, and transport to reputable animal welfare organizations across the United States. Mayor Turner also announced that he has proclaimed Monday, March 8, 2021 as "Rescued Pets Movement Day." "Saving 50,000 homeless animals from BARC in a little over seven years is a dream come true for all of us at RPM and would not have been possible without our strong collaboration with BARC, the City of Houston and our rescue partners, as well as the incredible generosity of our donors, fosters, and volunteers," said Cindy Perini, Co-Founder and CEO of Rescued Pets Movement. "I want to thank Mayor Turner and everyone at BARC, especially Greg Damianoff, for their support. The greatest reward is helping these homeless animals find loving, forever homes through our rescue partners across the United States. We hope this achievement inspires more Houstonians to consider supporting RPM, where every donation allows us to continue this amazing work of saving lives from BARC." Commenting on RPM's achievement, Mayor Turner said. "I congratulate BARC and RPM for this achievement, which is nothing short of extraordinary. I also thank all Houstonians who have helped BARC and RPM by fostering, volunteering, and donating. It takes a village to help homeless animals, and by working together, Houston can eliminate animal cruelty, promote humane values, and end animal homelessness." BARC's Director, Greg Damianoff, added. "In addition to this significant milestone, BARC's partnership with RPM was the major reason we achieved a live release of 95.6% for calendar year 2020. I have the utmost respect for the tireless work of RPM's leadership, employees, volunteers, fosters, and donors. BARC is eternally grateful to partners like RPM that are committed to saving the lives of shelter animals." About BARC BARC, the City of Houston's Animal Shelter and Adoption Center, takes in more than 25,000 animals annually regardless of behavior, breed, or medical condition. BARC works each day to improve the health and safety of Houstonians and their pets by pioneering programs such as low cost and no cost spay/neuter services, mobile adoptions, transfer/rescue partnerships, and community outreach. Through these programs and with support from community partners, BARC's live release rate has improved from 49% in 2013 to 95.6% in 2020. About Rescued Pets Movement Inc. Rescued Pets Movement Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization that provides a second chance for thousands of homeless dogs and cats through rescue, rehabilitation, and transport to forever homes in communities throughout the United States that have a demand for adoptable pets. Since September 2013, RPM has saved the lives of almost 60,000 homeless animals. RPM partners with reputable rescue groups across the Country in areas where there is a need for adoptable pets and transports the animals to these organizations using its own vans and drivers. Once rescued from the shelter, these pets are given veterinary care and are then temporarily placed in foster homes or RPM's boarding facility until they are ready for transport to their forever homes. For more information about RPM, please visit: www.rescuedpetsmovement.org To become a foster for RPM, please visit: https://www.rescuedpetsmovement.org/foster/ If you are a rescue group in an area that has a demand for adoptable pets and are interested in becoming a rescue partner, please contact [email protected] To like us on Facebook, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/rescuedpetsmovement/ Contact: Shelby Roquemore Rescued Pets Movement [email protected] SOURCE Rescued Pets Movement Inc. Related Links https://rescuedpetsmovement.org/ At least 13 people have been shot dead by security forces in Myanmar after they opened fire on pro-democracy protesters across the country. Two people - a man and a woman - died in the city of Mandalay, in the centre of the country, after being shot in the chest and neck, medics said. At least one person was killed in the nearby town of Myingyan - a young man who doctors said died on the sport after being shot in the head. Another five people died in the city of Monywa also in the centre of the country, with reports of further deaths - though these could not be confirmed. Three more were killed in the country's largest city of Yangon as day-time scuffles escalated as evening fell, while two died in the northern mining town of Hpakant. Dozens were injured in skirmishes with the police, medics added, while journalists were arrested for covering the coup and charged under security laws. At least 13 people have died after security forces in Myanmar opened fire on pro-democracy protesters in the centre of the country (pictured, protests in Mandalay) Two people - a man and a woman - died after being shot in the chest and neck during clashes in the city of Mandalay on Wednesday (pictured) Clashes also broke out between protesters and security forces in Yangon, the country's biggest city, leaving dozens wounded (pictured) Myanmar's military leaders have defied international pressure to restore democracy by launching an increasingly brutal crackdown on demonstrators A soldier aims a shotgun at protesters in Yangon as they attempt to disperse crowds Myanmar has been in chaos since February 1 when the military launched a coup and detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, ending the country's decade-long experiment with democracy and sparking daily mass protests. International pressure is mounting - Western powers have repeatedly hit the generals with sanctions - and Britain has called for a United Nations meeting on Friday. But the junta has ignored the global condemnation, responding to the uprising with escalating brutality, and security services used lethal force on demonstrators again on Wednesday. Four people were shot dead during a protest in a city in central Myanmar, according to medics who spoke to AFP by phone. Another two demonstrators died about two hours' drive away in Mandalay, the nation's second biggest city, medics told AFP. One of the Mandalay victims was shot in the head and the other in the chest, according to a doctor, who asked not to be named. A protest in the central city of Myingyan also turned deadly, as security forces confronted protesters in hard hats crouching behind red home-made shields emblazoned with the three-finger salute - a symbol of resistance for the anti-coup movement. Protesters use makeshift riot shields to block police projectiles including tear gas during anti-coup demonstrations in Yangon Demonstrators flee as riot police officers advance on them during a protest against the military coup in Yangon A policeman aims a slingshot at protesters during a protest against the military coup in Yangon Policemen and soldiers armed with guns and slingshots advance towards anti-coup protesters in Mandalay, where two people were shot dead Anti-coup protestors standing behind makeshift-shields brave teargas in Mandalay, Myanmar 'They fired tear gas, rubber bullets, and live rounds,' a volunteer medic on the scene told AFP, adding that at least 10 people were injured. Thet Thet Swe, from Myingyan rescue clinic, confirmed a young man was shot in the head and died. 'Zin Ko Ko Zaw, a 20-year-old was shot dead on the spot and my team treated 17 injured people,' a second rescue team member told AFP. Two rescue team members in north-western Monywa said they saw security forces taking away two individuals. Demonstrations also continued across Yangon, Myanmar's largest city, on Wednesday, with protesters using makeshift tyre and barbed wire barricades to block major roads. In downtown Pansodan Road, near the famed Sule pagoda intersection, protesters pasted print-outs of junta leader Min Aung Hlaing's face on the ground - a tactic aimed at slowing down security forces who will avoid standing on the portraits. In San Chaung township, which has been the site of intense clashes in recent days, tear gas and fire extinguisher clouds filled the streets as riot police confronted protesters. There were also chaotic scenes at North Okkalapa - a civil society health clinic confirmed 19 injured people had arrived for medical treatment. A protester holds a homemade shield during a march against the military coup in Yangon Protesters take cover behind makeshift barricades during a demonstration against the military coup in Yangon Demonstrators gather behind a barricade during a protest against the military coup in Yangon A Myanmar anti-riot police officer aims a tear gas launcher to disperse protesters during a protest against the military coup in Yangon Armed security vehicles are driven past debris of demonstrators-made makeshift barricades after riot police and soldiers cracked-down anti-coup protesters in Mandalay 'Some got hit with rubber bullets, some fell down and some were beaten. We had to transfer one man to hospital for a operation because a rubber bullet hit his head. We do not have a surgeon here,' an official told AFP. Sunday was the bloodiest day since the military takeover, with the UN saying at least 18 protesters were killed across the country. In Dawei Wednesday, one of four gunshot victims from Sunday was cremated. Mourners held floral wreaths and portraits of Lwin Lwin Oo, 33, as coffin bearers were flanked by hundreds chanting: 'We are united, yes we are... to get democracy is our cause'. Wednesday's violence came after the foreign ministers of Southeast Asian nations - including Myanmar's junta representative Wunna Maung Lwin - discussed the crisis at a virtual meeting. After the talks Indonesia's Retno Marsudi expressed frustration over the junta's lack of cooperation, and Singapore condemned the use of lethal force. AP photographer Thein Zaw, 32, was arrested on Saturday as he covered a demonstration in Myanmar's commercial hub Yangon, his lawyer told AFP on Wednesday. Thein Zw and five other Myanmar journalists had been charged under a law against 'causing fear, spreading false news or agitating directly or indirectly a government employee', according to the lawyer, Tin Zar Oo. Policemen armed with guns, sling-shots and shields advance towards anti-coup protesters in Mandalay, where two people were later shot dead Protesters stand behind makeshift barricades during a demonstration against the military coup in Yangon A demonstrator holds a placard calling for the release of detained Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi The junta amended the legislation last month, increasing the maximum sentence from two years to three years in jail. The other five journalists are from Myanmar Now, Myanmar Photo Agency, 7Day News, Zee Kwet Online news and a freelancer, according to AP. AP's vice-president of international news Ian Philips called for Thein Zaw's immediate release. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) monitoring group, more than 1,200 people have been arrested since the coup, with about 900 still behind bars or facing charges. But the real number is likely far higher - state-run media reported on Sunday alone more than 1,300 people were arrested. State-broadcaster MRTV said Tuesday 511 detainees had been released in Yangon. Pope Francis on Wednesday urged Myanmar's military authorities to prioritise dialogue over repression. 'We are still getting sad news from Myanmar of bloody clashes with losses of human lives,' Francis said during his weekly audience. 'I would like to draw the attention of the involved authorities so that dialogue may prevail over repression and harmony over discord,' the 84-year-old Catholic leader said. The international community should 'work so that the aspirations of the people of Myanmar are not stifled by violence', Francis said. The pope has already spoken out on at least two occasions to voice solidarity with the people of Myanmar following the February 1 coup, and to call for the release of detained leaders. The German government said Wednesday it had called in the Moroccan ambassador in Berlin for "urgent" talks, after Rabat said it had suspended contacts with Germany's embassy. "Yesterday, we summoned the Moroccan ambassador to urgent talks at the Foreign Ministry to clarify events reported in Morocco," ministry spokesman Christofer Burger told a government press conference in Berlin. "In our view, there is no reason to restrict diplomatic relations. Germany and Morocco have worked together closely for many decades, which in our view is in the interest of both countries," he added. "Nothing has changed in Germany's policy towards Morocco." On Monday, Rabat announced it had halted dealings with the German embassy and German cultural organisations due to a number of disagreements on key issues, including the status of the Western Sahara. In a letter addressed to the prime minister and published by Moroccan media Monday, Morocco's Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said the decision was in response "deep misunderstandings" on "issues fundamental for Morocco". "Morocco wishes to preserve its relationship with Germany but this is a form of warning expressing unease over many issues," a senior foreign ministry official told AFP late Monday. Morocco was angered by German criticism of former US president Donald Trump's recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara in return for moves by Rabat to normalise its relations with Israel, the official said. Rabat was also dismayed that it was kept out of discussions on Libya's political future at a congress in Berlin in January 2020. Morocco insists its claim to sovereignty over the former Spanish colony of Western Sahara is non-negotiable, despite rival claims by the pro-independence Polisario Front, with which it fought a 1975-91 war. Morocco has had generally good relations with Germany, which provides it with a substantial amount of financial aid. 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. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. (ANSAmed) - SARAJEVO, MARCH 3 - The Italian embassy in Sarajevo has announced that on Thursday it will start a competition for amateurs "Sanremo mladih BiH", the first event of this kind organized at a national level in Bosnia. At the initiative of the Primo Liceo of Sarajevo, the embassy has organized a mini song festival for Italian-language students in Bosnia-Herzegovina and for youths who love Italian music. Among the many initiatives organized by the embassy aimed at promoting the meeting, exchange and dialogue for Italian language and culture, the event running from Thursday, March 4, until Sunday, March 7, will have as protagonists 19 students from nine schools in Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Mostar, Zenica and Visoko. The students will sing, play and present through video clips they have filmed that will be published on the Facebook page of the embassy "ItalyinBiH". A jury of professionals in the sector will pick the top three artists and those who will obtain more "likes" on the Facebook page on March 4-7 will win a special prize. The competition is launched together with the radio program Radio Italia, organized by the embassy at the beginning of the pandemic to fill the void of events, which is now promoted by seven stations in as many cities of Bosnia-Herzegovina, and is dedicated to the high school student of Sarajevo Rijad ulic, who tragically died last week and whose memory is honored by the event, together with family and friends and many schoolmates who have written many of the songs in competition. (ANSAmed) Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money. Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists. NEW YORK, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Jianpu Technology Inc. ("Jianpu" or the "Company") (NYSE: JT). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980. The investigation concerns whether Jianpu and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here for information about joining the class action] On June 15, 2020, in a Notification of Late Filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Jianpu disclosed that the independent audit committee of its board of directors (the "Audit Committee") was conducting an internal review of certain matters relating to transactions between the Company and third-party business entities and, as a result, could not timely file its 2019 annual report. Then, on February 16, 2021, Jianpu announced that the Audit Committee's review had found "certain transactions involv[ing] third-party agents . . . with undisclosed relationships, and some transactions lack[ing] business substance," which the Company characterized as "questionable transactions." Jianpu further advised that, "[a]s a result, certain revenue and associated expenses were inflated or inaccurately recorded" in financial statements for fiscal years 2018 and 2019, and that "certain employees improperly altered supporting documents that were provided to the Company's external auditor." As a result, Jianpu concluded that "the previously issued audited financial statements for the fiscal year 2018 and the auditor's report can no longer be relied upon" and would be restated, and that "investors must exercise caution when using the Company's previously announced unaudited financial information for the fiscal year 2019." On this news, Jianpu's American depositary share ("ADS") price fell $0.60 per ADS, or 13.22%, to close at $3.94 per ADS on February 16, 2021. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com. CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP rswilloughby@pomlaw.com 888-476-6529 ext. 7980 The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Octavia Spencer never stops working, so its no surprise she has a superhero flick with fellow Oscar nominee Melissa McCarthy due in 2021. The talented pair play childhood friends who gain superpowers in Netflixs new action/comedy Thunder Force, streaming next month. The Netflix plot description: In a world where supervillains are commonplace, two estranged childhood best friends reunite after one devises a treatment that gives them powers to protect their city. Spencer plays the head of the program developing the powers, with her own being invisibility. It also stars Jason Bateman, Bobby Cannavale, Pom Klementieff and Melissa Leo. Its directed by Ben Falcone, McCarthys husband and frequent collaborator. Thunder Force begins streaming April 9. Watch the trailer above. The Montgomery-born actress and Auburn graduate never stops working. With three best supporting actress Oscar nominations for performances in The Shape of Water, Hidden Figures and The Help (for which she won), Spencer has barely taken a breath since her debut in 1996s A Time to Kill. Spencer had a busy 2020, earning an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie thanks to her outstanding work in the Netflix show Self Made: Inspired By The Life Of Madam C.J. Walker, which she produced with LeBron James. She co-starred in the Alabama-set re-adaptation of Roald Dahls The Witches on HBO Max, in collaboration with Oscar-winners Robert Zemeckis and Anne Hathaway. Add the Apple TV+ series Truth Be Told, plus the films Dolittle, Onward and Superintelligence, and its hard to know where Spencer finds the time. Kingstree, SC (29556) Today Some sun this morning with increasing clouds this afternoon. High 84F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. A new report from Korean outlet Chosun claims that LG has indefinitely put its V60 successor on hold. LG was supposed to begin field testing the phone, codenamed Rainbow, at the end of February, aiming for a market release in March. The company has reportedly ceased communication with local carriers about the release of the Rainbow. LG's Rainbow phone is rumored to be a traditional-looking smartphone as opposed to the Explorer Project rollable phone (which LG demoed at CES), that is expected in 2021. Rumor pointed to the Rainbow being the LG V70 with a Snapdragon 888 chipset and support for a stylus. This isn't the first Korean report citing an LG phone being put on hold. Yonhap reported that LG has put its rollable phone on hold, a report which was subsequently denied officially. Earlier reports have LG looking for a buyer for its fledging smartphone business. Turbulent times at LG Mobile, indeed. Source | Via 1 | 2 Officials in Orange Consider Special Election After Judge Annuls Councilmans Victory Though a judge has ordered Mike Alvarez to vacate his seat on the Orange City Council, its unclear how the situation will play out. Undeterred by the citys two-term limit, Alvarez ran again and was elected to a third term last November, after the city changed from at-large to district elections in 2019. But a consolidated lawsuit filed by resident Michael MacIsaac and John Russo, one of Alvarezs opponents in 2020, has resulted in an annulment of the councilmembers victory, leaving the Southern California citys Third District council seat vacant. Orange County Superior Court Judge Nathan Scott officially rendered his judgment in favor of the plaintiffs on Feb. 24. Alvarez had 10 business days from that date to file an appealbut told The Epoch Times he hadnt made a decision yet about how to handle the situation. Im still working with my attorney on what my next steps are, he said. Councilmember Arianna Barrios said the Orange City Council hasnt met thus far to discuss the matter. This is such an unusual situation. I think we are all waiting to see what happens next, Barrios told The Epoch Times. She explained two possible scenarios that could unfold if the courts decision is upheld: The council could either appoint someone to the vacant seat or hold a special election. Russo told The Epoch Times that if a special election is held, he will run again. There are a lot of open ends to this situation that I am not super thrilled about. The judge didnt really give direction on how to fill the seat. He just did one half: He made the seat open, Russo said. But Im very glad that the judge did rule in the favor of maintaining the law. This not only sends a message but also sets a precedent to our city council, saying, We the people who elected you are going to hold you accountable to do what is right and to follow the city code that we voted on. Civic Responsibility Barrios said the districting lawsuit settlement of 2019 clearly stated the council would handle future vacancies by holding a special election. For me personally, I do not like the idea of spending desperately needed general fund dollars, but in the interest of fairness, the District should be given the opportunity to choose their own representative, Barrios said in a text message. The current Council Majority was adamant in 2019 that Special Election is the only democratic solution. At a meeting held in January 2019, Mayor Mark Murphy, Councilmember Kim Nichols, and Councilmember Chip Monacoall of whom remain on the current City Councilwere adamant about holding a special election in the event of a vacancy. While its an honor to serve as an appointed person, it doesnt feel genuine and true until youre electedand I can speak to that from firsthand knowledge, Murphy said at the time. Nichols said: Its the communitys right to make this decision. I believe that we need to ask the voters one more time: Who should we put in this seat to represent you? Monaco acknowledged the councils right to make an appointment, but said investing city funds to host a special election is appropriate in the spirit and support of democracy. Barrios, who was elected to represent Oranges District 1 last November, said shes curious to see whether their perspectives will be maintained. The Council Majority were adamant that you cant put a price on democracy and we had to go to a Special Election. If the majority changes to being adamant about an appointment, our discussion will be very interesting indeed, she said. MacIsaacs attorney, Gary S. Winuk, told The Epoch Times that theyre pleased with the outcome. He said his clients motives for filing the lawsuitgood government and civic responsibilityhave been validated. Winuk said if Alvarez decides to appeal, the case would be given preference by the appellate court to hear it sooner than other cases, but whether Alvarez would be able to stay in office during the appeal will have to be decided by the Court. In November, Alvarez received over 50 percent of the vote in Oranges Third District, compared to nearly 27 percent for Russo. A third opponent, Danett Abbott-Wicker, received about 22 percent. Former President Donald Trump addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference held in the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Fla., on Feb. 28, 2021. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Trump Says Buy Goya Foods After New Calls for Boycott Former President Donald Trump encouraged Americans to buy Goya Foods products after the company faced new calls for a boycott over remarks made by its chief executive at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Florida over the weekend. Goya Foods CEO Robert Unanue described Trump as the actual president of the United States, sparking a new wave of calls on social media to cancel the brand. This man is greatreal courage. Buy Goya Foods. Thank you, Robert, Trump wrote in marker over a printout of an article about the boycott calls. Trumps spokesman, Jason Miller, shared a photo of Trumps note on Twitter. When he appeared briefly on stage as a featured guest at the Reagan Dinner at CPAC on Feb. 27, Unanue received one of the most enthusiastic reactions from the attendees. Its just an honor to be here. But my biggest honor today is going to be that I think were going to be on the same stage as, in my opinion, the real, legitimate, and the still actual president of the United States, Donald J. Trump, Unanue said. He added jokingly: Sorry Twitter, Ive already been canceled. You cant do it again. No way. Robert Unanue, the CEO of Goya Foods, addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference held in the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Fla., on Feb. 28, 2021. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Trump had expressed his support for Goya Foods when the company faced calls for a boycott in July 2020. At the time, the presidents daughter, Ivanka Trump, also showed her support by sharing a photo of herself holding a can of Goyas black beans and tweeting the companys slogan, If its Goya, it has to be good. Goya Foods is doing GREAT. The Radical Left smear machine backfired, people are buying like crazy! Trump wrote on Twitter on July 15, 2020. Unanue prompted that boycott over remarks he made at the White House, where he had appeared with Trump for the creation of an advisory panel on spurring Hispanic prosperity. Were all truly blessed at the same time to have a leader like President Trump who is a builder, and thats what my grandfather did, said Unanue, the third generation of his family to run the business. In December 2020, Unanue jokingly named Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) as Goyas employee of the month after her call for a boycott resulted in a sales increase. Goyas board of directors censured Unanue earlier this year for his comments about the 2020 election. The board wanted to remove Unanue, but was stymied only by the regulations of the family-owned business; it ended up prohibiting Unanue from speaking to the media about the companys politics without permission from the board. Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- China forced banks to hold more foreign currencies in reserve for the first time in more than a decade, its most substantial move yet to rein the surging yuan.The nations financial institutions will need to hold 7% of their foreign exchange in reserve from June 15, according to a central bank statement Monday. Thats an increase of 2 percentage points, and the first such hike since 2007. The move, which the Peoples Bank of China said will help liquidity management, effectively reduces the supply of dollars and other currencies onshore -- putting pressure on the yuan to weaken.Although analysts said the direct impact may be small, the move is the clearest signal by the PBOC that its unhappy about the yuans surge to a three-year high against the greenback. Authorities had until now limited their response to rhetoric: a former central bank official and a state-media commentary talked down the currency over the weekend.The PBOC wants to show the market -- if the rally keeps going, it has many measures to slow it down and the market will fail if it wants to make speculative bets, said Zhou Hao, an economist at Commerzbank AG in Singapore. Its more of a symbolic move, as no matter how the PBOC boosts funding costs on foreign exchange, the rate on the yuan will almost always be higher.The PBOC set its daily reference rate at 6.3572 on Tuesday, only marginally weaker than the average forecast in a Bloomberg survey of analysts and traders. The currency gained 0.2% to 6.3634 per dollar as of 9:52 a.m. in Hong Kong, while the onshore rate strengthened 0.1%.Betting on the yuan has been a successful strategy in the past year. The currency has surged 13% against the dollar since last May, when it was near its lowest level since 2008 amid the effects of the pandemic and the trade war with the U.S. Brokerages including Citic Securities Co., Scotiabank and Westpac Banking Corp. expect the currency to climb to 6.2 against the dollar. That would be the strongest since a 2015 devaluation.The yuan is supported by Chinas economic recovery and its higher-yielding markets are attractive to global investors. A backdrop of imported inflation is bolstering the argument for a stronger yuan. Against a basket of trading partners, the Chinese currency is the strongest since 2016.The foreign-exchange reserve ratio hike will likely freeze about $20 billion of liquidity, according to Guan Tao, a former official at the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. The increase demonstrates the Chinese central banks strong determination to curb rapid appreciation in the yuan, and PBOC has more tools if speculation emerges in the currency market, he said.Recent history shows traders should be wary. In the wake of the devaluation, the yuan fell about 11% by the end of 2016, surged 11% through its 2018 peak, before reversing again to sink 13% by September 2019. When momentum in the yuan became too extreme, authorities often took steps to arrest the moves. In early 2018, for instance, the yuan fell the most in two months as authorities gave banks the green light to submit quotes for weaker fixings.Still, analysts remain unconvinced of the potency of the latest measure. Fundamental factors supporting the yuan -- such as its interest-rate premium and high inflation -- remain intact, Citigroup Inc. economists led by Liu Li-gang wrote in a note.While this policy will lock in a certain amount of capital inflow and make foreign exchange funding costs higher, its effectiveness remains in doubt, Liu wrote.Any tightening in dollar funding onshore wont be sustained because global investors can easily obtain cheap foreign-exchange overseas and invest in yuan bonds, according to Ju Wang, a senior currency strategist at HSBC Bank Plc.Beijing seems to be sticking to its goal of liberalizing markets as part of President Xi Jinpings plans to reduce moral hazard. Its not just the yuan where direct intervention is now an unusual sight. The national team of state-backed funds is rarely seen in the $12 trillion stock market anymore, unless moves risk turning into panic or mania. Even in the commodities market, where officials are struggling to cool prices, efforts have largely been verbal rather than direct.If the central bank takes additional assertive actions, such as setting dramatically weaker fixings, that could reinforce the belief that only heavy-handed intervention is worth paying attention to. Yet the Communist Party has made it clear it will act to reduce speculation and guard against risks to financial stability, especially in the run-up to the centenary of the Partys founding this July.We dont see this as an one-off change, but likely the start of a trend, Becky Liu, head of China macro strategy at Standard Chartered, said of Mondays move by the PBOC. It could be seen as a new mechanism to manage the yuan in the medium term, together with other counter-cyclical measures.(Adds 5th paragraph to show PBOCs fixing on Tuesday and latest pricing of yuan.)More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.2021 Bloomberg L.P. Advertisement Advertise With Us Cindy and Ray Brownlee are terrified for their daughter. Becky, who is 39, has Down syndrome, type 1 diabetes and asthma. Having Down syndrome means her immune system is compromised. She had to stop working as a Walmart greeter, a job she has held for more than 15 years and where she is much beloved by staff and customers alike. Becky Brownlee, seen here proudly displaying a Special Olympics medal, has Down syndrome, which makes her especially vulnerable to COVID-19. The province and Canada as a whole refuse to prioritize this at-risk group of people. (Submitted) Unlike others with Down syndrome, she does not live in a congregate or group living setting she lives with her parents and is therefore not prioritized for the vaccine. This is despite the fact that people with Down syndrome have five times the hospitalization rate as compared to the general population due to COVID-19 and 10 times the mortality rate. "The provinces vaccination eligibility criteria is ever evolving as we work our way through this pandemic. At this time, Becky is not eligible as per vaccination eligibility," a provincial spokesperson stated by email. "Currently, Focused Immunization Teams are visiting congregate living facilities several of which are home to individuals with either physical or intellectual challenges. Eligibility for general population was announced recently: 95 and over and adjusted on a regular basis pending appointment availability. First Nations eligibility began at 75-plus and is adjusted on a regular basis." According to the provinces vaccine queue calculator, there are 501,597 Manitobans ahead of Becky. Back when the pandemic reached Manitoba, Becky developed double pneumonia. Her parents were very concerned it might be COVID-19. Thats when her doctor told her to stop working as a greeter. He also said she couldnt go anywhere. She can take walks, she can be in the car with her parents, and she can go to the doctors office. In an effort to secure Becky a vaccine, the Brownlees have written to Premier Brian Pallister, Health Minister Heather Stefanson and Brandon West MLA Reg Helwer. "All we got back was this standard form letter," said Cindy. Cindy is familiar with one other adult in Brandon with Down syndrome and very significant health issues who is living in their own home. "Were familiar with lots of other people who have Down syndrome, but theyre living in congregate or group homes," she said. The Brandon Sun attempted to call the Manitoba Down Syndrome Society for relevant statistics, but the office is closed and the message said calls would only be returned on Thursday. Ray supports other vulnerable groups prioritized for early vaccination, such as First Nations and residents at personal care homes and congregate living and group settings. However, he believes it is wrong to exclude Becky and other vulnerable individuals. "Everything that comes into our house is wiped down with a disinfectant groceries, anything. We had the plumber here not too long ago and the whole house was disinfected wherever he was. A lot of care and caution," said Ray. "It just seems to me that were doing our share, but were not getting consideration on the other end." Meanwhile, Brandon University professor Bruce Strang, whose teenage son Sean has Down syndrome, told the Sun on Tuesday that hes filing a human rights complaint regarding the province not including people like his son in its vaccination plans. He also said research has shown that individuals with Down syndrome are more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 or die because of the virus than people without it, so Strang believes the province should place them and others with disabilities at a higher priority to receive their vaccinations. Strang previously filed a human rights complaint against the province and the Brandon School Division for not appropriately considering the needs of students with disabilities and health conditions when making their COVID-19 back-to-school plans. "The provincial government and the chief medical officer of health have, in my view, completely ignored disability issues in the vaccine rollout," he said. "The government is once again failing to live up to its duties under the Human Rights Code, and its discriminating against people with disabilities in the vaccine rollout." According to Strang, he has tried to reach officials at Manitoba Health to speak about the issue, but was told that no one would speak with him over the phone. Two weeks ago, he sent an email to the office of Health Minister Heather Stefanson, to which he said he has only received an automated reply. The email sent to Stefansons office said that if he does not hear a reply, he will make a complaint to the provincial Human Rights Commission. A copy of this email was provided to the Sun. The professor pointed to an online town hall that chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin participated in on Feb. 8, during which another Manitoba parent expressed concern about her daughter with Down syndrome and what could happen if she contracted COVID-19 as she gets sick easily. The Brownlees also participated in the town hall. The parent asked why people like her daughter are not being given vaccination priority. "When we look at the modelling, the best way to quickly protect the most vulnerable Manitobans is the age-based approach," said Roussin. "If we took a risk-based approach, we actually protect less Manitobans quickly who are at risk. (These) are the decisions were forced to make when we have extreme vaccine scarcity, but theres no doubt that theres going to be people who are at higher risk that dont get vaccinated." Strang didnt appreciate Roussins response. "The answer was essentially nothing," said Strang. "That they knew that people with Down syndrome who have greatly increased risk of medical issues and death due to COVID-19, but they were going to concentrate on rolling out the vaccine by age only to the general population. That to me is an astonishingly lazy answer." Additionally, the Brownlees said they are afraid that Becky will be offered the AstraZeneca vaccine, which operates in a different fashion than the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and is said to be less efficient. Strang and the Brownlees arent the only ones concerned about children and adults with Down syndrome. Canada as a whole is ignoring the issue, while other countries and some states in the U.S. have prioritized those with Down syndrome to be vaccinated. Cindy cannot understand why Roussins science is not the same as the science around the world. Parents in Quebec have launched a Canada-wide petition at bit.ly/3kCQT7r Ready for My Shot is another grassroots advocacy group and can be found at readyformyshot.ca mletourneau@brandonsun.com, cslark@brandonsun.com Chennai, Mar 2 (UNI) Actor-politician and Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) Founder Kamal Haasan took is first Covid vaccine jab at a private hospital here today. Kamal took the vaccine shot at the Sri Ramachandra hospital ahead of launching his campaign for the April six Assembly polls. In a tweet after taking the vaccine shot, Kamal said 'I have taken covid vaccine. Those who take care on themselves and care for others should take the vaccine'. Meanwhile, MNM announced that they have a set a new trend by becoming the first political party to get police permission to hold campaign for the Assembly elections. UNI GV 1459 Charleston, WV (25301) Today A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High around 80F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers after midnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. [March 03, 2021] Economic recovery will be green in Cantons-de-l'Est region Government of Canada grants $33,000 to assist ADDERE to go green and helps create one job. EAST ANGUS, QC, March 3, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED) The environment and clean technologies will be key elements in Canada's economic recovery. Issues related to the fight against climate change were obviously very present before COVID-19, but the pandemic represents a unique opportunity to increase the pace of the green transition. Sustainable business practices and clean technologies can help SMEs offer products of equal or higher quality using fewer resources and less energy and generating less waste. Businesses and organizations have much to gain from putting into place environmental measures that will enable them to maintain their competitiveness and mitigate future climate impacts, while also meeting the growing global demand for clean technologies. Clean technology projects for a strong economy Elisabeth Briere, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec), the Honourable Melanie Joly, today announced $33,000 in financial support for ADDERE (Concertaction Estrie). This non-repayable contribution will enable the organization to develop, make accessible and promote an interactive web platform offering information as well as an array of tools, training and networking activities to strengthen sustainable development initiatives. CED's assistance will focus on professional fees, the salary of the project lead and the costs of advertising and computer equipment. The project, aimed at improving the performance of SMEs and NPOs in the Estrie region and elsewhere in Quebec through the adoption of sustainable development practices, will lead to the creation of one job. An NPO created in 2010, ADDERE has been accompanying manufacturing and service businesses, organizations and municipalities for over 10 years to propel eco-responsibility forward through their business practices. Its services range from developing eco-responsible business strategies to elaborating action plans on managing social and environmental impacts, as well as communication and awareness-raising among stakeholders and mentoring on obtaining sustainable development accreditations. The Government of Canada has set itself te objective to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Climate-friendly measures have also been defined as the cornerstone of a plan aimed at supporting and creating millions of jobs across the country. Through this assistance, the Government of Canada is attesting to its willingness to build a more competitive, more productive and greener economy. Quotes "CED fosters the entrepreneurial spirit, even more so when our entrepreneurs' ingenuity and knowhow lead to the development and marketing of green technologies. Innovation is at the heart of CED's priorities, and we proudly support the green transition in businesses and organizations, as well as the adoption of cleaner energy processes. By leveraging innovative projects such as the one by ADDERE (Concertaction Estrie), we are also investing in the well-being of future generations." Elisabeth Briere, Member of Parliament for Sherbrooke and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec) "The Government of Canada has made concrete commitments to demonstrate that a strong economy and a healthy environment go hand in hand. Among other actions, we are making strategic investments in clean technologies. By helping SMEs in the Cantons-de-l'Est region to become more innovative and competitive and by boosting innovation to develop greener technologies and products, we are also preparing Canadians for the jobs of today and tomorrow." The Honourable Melanie Joly, Member of Parliament for Ahuntsic-Cartierville, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for CED Quick facts The clean technology sector represents 3.2% of Canada's GDP and accounts for 317,000 jobs across the country. Over 850 clean tech businesses are helping to position Canada as the top G20 country and fourth country globally on the Global Cleantech Innovation Index. GDP and accounts for 317,000 jobs across the country. Over 850 clean tech businesses are helping to position as the top G20 country and fourth country globally on the Global Cleantech Innovation Index. The Honourable Melanie Joly , Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, is also the minister responsible for the six regional development agencies (RDAs), including CED. , Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, is also the minister responsible for the six regional development agencies (RDAs), including CED. CED's minimum target for investments in clean technologies in 2019-2020 was $25M . This target was greatly exceeded, with nearly $42M invested in 161 projects aimed at improving environmental performance, using less energy-intensive technologies or developing technologies to reduce businesses' environmental footprint. . This target was greatly exceeded, with nearly invested in 161 projects aimed at improving environmental performance, using less energy-intensive technologies or developing technologies to reduce businesses' environmental footprint. Funds have been granted under CED's Regional Economic Growth through Innovation program. Through this program, CED supports emerging and well-established sectors aiming, among other things, to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and atmospheric pollutants. CED is a key federal partner in Quebec's regional economic development. With its 12 regional business offices, CED accompanies businesses, supporting organizations and all regions across Quebec into tomorrow's economy. Associated links Federal Sustainable Development Strategy Canada's COVID-19 Economic Response Plan COVID-19 Economic Response Plan Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) CED's funding programs Stay connected Follow CED on social media Consult CED's news SOURCE Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] More than two weeks after sub-freezing temperatures from winter storms devastated the southern US, hundreds of thousands are still without water and many face a long road to recovery. Residents of Jackson, Mississippi remain under a boil water advisory, and many do not have running water at all. The city has set up multiple sites for distribution of non-potable water just for people to be able to flush their toilets. Some residents reported having to melt snow for the same purpose. In a press release, city officials reported a total of 80 water mains broke or were damaged over the course of the crisis last month. Officials stated that significant progress was made in repairing Jacksons water supply, but there was no timeline for when a full restoration of services will be complete. Initially, the water system was projected to be fully operational last week. People wait in line to fill propane tanks Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) On top of having to boil water, residents are also being asked to limit their water usage. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves dispatched the National Guard with tanker trucks of non-potable water on Wednesday. The cold snap that hit last month exposed the dilapidated state of Jacksons water and sewage system. A city official told CBS that there was no way of knowing how many people were without water, because the system was too old. Jackson has no way of tracking water outages besides residents reporting them. In a press conference, Mayor Chokwe Lumumba lamented that the city has a $2 billion infrastructure problem but an annual budget of only $300 million. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality reported over 207,000 Texans were still without water as of Tuesday morning. The majority of those without water live in impoverished rural areas. Many of the communities do not have the resources to fix their water systems and were not approved for federal aid by the Biden administration, which allotted disaster relief for less than half of Texas counties. Texas residents are still struggling to get enough food and water, as millions of workers lost working hours in the days after the initial freeze. Some missed an entire week or more of work, a loss of more than a quarter of their monthly income. For workers already on a knifes edge, living paycheck to paycheck, the storm proved a complete disaster. Many are being forced to choose between buying groceries or paying for their rent. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner reported about 10,000 people visited a single distribution center Sunday for food kits and bottles of water. The Houston Food Bank, which serves communities in 18 counties across Southeast Texas, was forced to enter disaster mode because they did not have enough volunteers to meet the surge in demand for food assistance after the storm. Houston officials lifted a boil water advisory more than a week ago, but thousands still do not have running water because of damaged pipes. Houstons infrastructure was not designed for extreme cold weather and the volume of burst pipes overwhelmed the citys plumbers. The shortage is so severe that Republican Governor Greg Abbott has asked for plumbers in other states to assist with repair efforts. All signs point to the winter storm eclipsing Hurricane Harvey, which hit the state four years ago, as Texas worst recent natural disaster, in both financial and human costs. State officials still have not issued an official death tally but reports from multiple cities indicate that it is at least in the hundreds, and likely to grow. For comparison, more than 75 people died in Texas during Hurricane Harvey, including about 50 in the Houston area. The Houston Chronicle counted at least 51 deaths that authorities attributed to, or suspected were caused by, the storm and cold, and another five believed to be linked. The newspaper named each victim and the cause of death, including hypothermia, carbon monoxide poisoning, and household fires. On Tuesday, the Dallas County medical examiners office said it is investigating whether 17 deaths are linked to the winter storm. The agency said it could take two to three months until the causes of death are determined. Travis County spokesman Hector Nieto told the Austin American-Statesman that the medical examiners office is now processing more than 80 deaths reported in the Austin area since February 13. A common thread links those who succumbed to the storm: they were among societys most vulnerable. Most of the reported deaths were elderly and a significant number were homeless. In Houston alone, six children died. An 11-year-old boy in Conroe, Texas died in his bed of suspected hypothermia after his familys trailer home was left without power for two days and temperatures fell below freezing. However, it must be stated that the weather and the damage wrought was not an uncontrollable act of God, as many politicians have asserted. Rather, the intense human suffering is a direct consequence of the rotten American capitalist system. Scientists have warned about disruptions in the polar jet stream, spawned by rapid climate change, that could lead to extreme winter storms far into the southern US and northern Mexico. Additionally, the American ruling class possesses the resources required to implement measures to mitigate the impact of inclement weather. The Texas government has tirelessly worked to cover up the decades-long deregulation conspiracy its politicians have carried out on behalf of energy corporations. Governor Abbott has shielded the power companies, which reaped tens of billions from the disaster, and devoted his time to pointing fingers and demanding resignations from the leadership of the states electric grid operator, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, and the Public Utility Commission. President Joe Biden meanwhile traveled to Houston last week to absolve the criminals in the Texas government of all accountability, instead promising to work with them for the long haul. Biden has only given a pittance to the tens of millions impacted, while trillions are made available to inflate the stock market. After Hurricane Katrina destroyed much of New Orleans and a significant portion of the Gulf Coast in 2005, the World Socialist Web Site wrote: Hurricane Katrina has laid bare the awful truths of contemporary Americaa country torn by the most intense class divisions, ruled by a corrupt plutocracy that possesses no sense either of social reality or public responsibility, in which millions of its citizens are deemed expendable and cannot depend on any social safety net or public assistance if disaster, in whatever form, strikes. The disaster which is still unfolding from Texas to Mississippi is the most recent affirmation of this analysis. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 18:43:44|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Photo taken on May 22, 2020 shows flags on the Tian'anmen Square and atop the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli) BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislature and political advisory body will start annual sessions this week, returning to their traditional March schedule after last year's events were postponed to May due to the COVID-19 epidemic. As the year 2021 marks the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), the world will watch how China, with the elimination of absolute poverty just declared, charts its course toward fully building a modern socialist country. The fourth session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) is scheduled to open on Friday, a day after the opening of the fourth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). In addition to hearing the annual work reports of the government, top legislature, top court and top procuratorate, lawmakers will also review a blueprint for China's development in the next five to 15 years -- the draft outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan and the long-range objectives through the year 2035. The following are some of the issues expected to be high on the agenda of the two sessions. People work at a workshop of Harbin Dongan Automotive Engine Manufacturing Co., Ltd. in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Feb. 25, 2021. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GOALS Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, China was the only major economy in the world to register positive growth in 2020, with its GDP expanding 2.3 percent to hit 101.6 trillion yuan (about 15.7 trillion U.S. dollars) in the year. On Friday when the government work report is delivered to the NPC for deliberation, this year's development goals will be closely watched. Last year, no specific GDP growth figure was set in the government work report due to the uncertainty brought by COVID-19 and the world economic and trade environment. Zhang Liqun, a research fellow with the Development Research Center of the State Council, said China's economy is resilient, has potential and will maintain sustained growth in 2021. But he said the primary goal of economic development is not to seek a nice-looking GDP figure but to raise the quality of the growth and ensure people's well-being. Major development targets listed in the 14th Five-Year Plan, including economic growth, newly created jobs in urban areas, major projects, as well as pollution control will also draw attention. Aerial photo taken on Feb. 19, 2021 shows containers at the automatic dock of the Qingdao port in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province. (Photo by Zhang Jingang/Xinhua) DUAL CIRCULATION China's "dual circulation" development paradigm, in which domestic and overseas markets reinforce each other, with the domestic market as the mainstay, is expected to be another hot topic during the two sessions. The 14th Five-Year Plan will further clarify how China will implement the dual circulation strategy and achieve high-quality development. Unleashing domestic demand is crucial to driving China's growth, but this new development paradigm does not mean China will backpedal on its opening-up, officials and experts have said. Dual circulation is seen as a strategic and win-win choice for China to reshape its international cooperation and new competitive edge, said Justin Yifu Lin, former World Bank chief economist and honorary dean of the National School of Development at Peking University. SCI-TECH INNOVATION Chinese authorities have said the country will uphold the central role of innovation in its modernization drive and implement an innovation-driven strategy for the next five to 15 years. It will strategically underpin its national development with self-reliance in science and technology. "We still face challenges including a complex international environment, and there is still a supply gap in the overall innovation capacity," said Xue Lan, a professor from Tsinghua University. Xue said the country's high-quality development must rely on sci-tech innovation. National legislators and political advisors, many of whom are scientists and Big Tech executives, are expected to discuss the ways to build China's sci-tech strength and create an enabling environment for innovation. Aerial photo taken on Aug. 17, 2020 shows a photovoltaic power station at a green industrial development park in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Hainan, northwest China's Qinghai Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Long) GREEN DEVELOPMENT A complete economic and societal shift to cleaner energy and fewer polluting emissions conforms to the people's expectations for high-quality development. Last year, China announced that it would strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. To that end, carbon emission control has been included in China's top policy priorities for 2021. In January, Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu said the country has begun formulating an action plan to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and will accelerate the transformation toward green and low-carbon development across China's society over the next 10 years. Wu Gang, a member of the CPPCC National Committee and chairman of Xinjiang Goldwind Sci & Tech Co., Ltd., said he had submitted proposals on achieving carbon neutrality and would discuss with fellow political advisors about building a clean and diversified energy supply system. LEGISLATION As the highest organ of state power, the NPC exercises various functions and powers including enacting and amending basic laws. In 2019, the NPC session adopted the Foreign Investment Law. Last year, the milestone Civil Code was adopted. The upcoming session will see lawmakers deliberate draft amendments to the organic law and procedural rules of the NPC, which deal with the operations of the country's top legislature. According to sources from the top legislature, the draft amendments assimilate effective practices in legislative processes, such as making NPC sessions more open and efficient. HOUSTON, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Aramco Americas and Motiva Enterprises, part of Saudi Aramco's global network of companies, today announced a $200,000 donation to the Southeast Texas Emergency Relief Fund (SETERF) in support of Winter Storm Uri recovery efforts in Jefferson County, Texas. "Most of our 2,500 U.S. employees live and work in the Golden Triangle, and our Manufacturing Complex has been a part of the Port Arthur community for more than 100 years," said Motiva President and CEO Brian Coffman. "When our Southeast Texas neighbors are affected by a crisis such as Winter Storm Uri, we experience it right along with them. Our hope is that this donation provides immediate relief to our community and enables further resiliency for this vitally important region of the Gulf Coast." Nabeel AlAfaleg, CEO and President of Aramco Americas, said, "Aramco values the Port Arthur community and it is important to us to support the area's recovery after a devastating storm." With the funds from these donations, SETERF will work with local community organizations such as Port Arthur Community Action Network (PACAN) and Triangle Community Outreach. "We are once again grateful for Motiva's generosity in the wake of this extraordinary weather event, and we welcome the support of Aramco Americas," said Robert Edgar, SETERF Board Chairman. "Our partnership has already impacted the lives of so many, and we look forward to further serving this community." "Many in our community were already hurting, and this recent storm exacerbated food and housing issues. PACAN is grateful for this donation; we see it as an opportunity to further our mission to bring our fellow citizens hope, that regardless of what we're experiencing right now, 'Port Arthur Can' get through it," said John Beard Jr., Founder, President and Executive Director of Port Arthur Community Action Network. "A lot of residents are in need after this storm," said Pearlanna Carron, Founder of Triangle Community Outreach. "Our organization will use this generous donation to feed the community's most vulnerable populations and assist them with their current needs." Many Southeast Texans experienced the impacts of freezing temperatures, which led to power outages, burst pipes and household supply shortages across the city. SETERF plans to work closely with the nonprofit organizations to address the immediate needs of the community after Winter Storm Uri. About Aramco Americas Aramco Services Company (d/b/a Aramco Americas) is the U.S.-based subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, a world leader in integrated energy and chemicals, and has had a presence in the U.S. for more than 60 years. Aramco Americas is a contributor to the U.S. energy sector through research and development, venture fund activities, asset ownership, as well as technology and digital transformation. The company is headquartered in Houston, and maintains offices in New York, Washington, D.C., Boston, and Detroit. Aramco Americas is committed to being a positive contributor in the communities where its employees live and work, and to making a difference through outreach that benefits the arts, geosciences, education and the environment. americas.aramco.com. About Motiva Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Motiva refines, distributes and markets petroleum products throughout the Americas. The company's Port Arthur Manufacturing Complex (PAMC) in Port Arthur, TX, is comprised of North America's largest refinery with a crude capacity of more than 630,000 barrels a day, the country's largest lubricant plant, and an adjacent chemical plant. Under exclusive, long-term brand licenses with Shell and Phillips 66 (for the 76 brand), Motiva's marketing operations support more than 5,000 retail gasoline stations. The company's 2,500 US employees are dedicated to delivering excellence and having fun making a difference. Motiva is wholly-owned by Saudi Aramco. www.motiva.com. SOURCE Motiva Enterprises LLC Related Links www.motiva.com Denmark to Become First EU Nation Telling Syrian Refugees to Return Home Denmark has announced Syrian refugees seeking asylum in the Scandinavian country should return to their home-nation as conditions in the war-torn Western Asian country have improved. We must give people protection for as long as it is needed, Danish Minister for Immigration and Integration Mattias Tesfaye told The Telegraph. When conditions in the home country improve, a former refugee should return home and re-establish a life there, he said. The government said they arent planning to force migrants seeking asylum to leave, but 94 Syrian refugees are stripped from asylum while 179 people have kept theirs. This year, there will be an additional screening on 300 cases, according to immigration authorities. Syrian refugees will be placed into Danish deportation camps as the government announced the Syrian capital, Damascus, is no longer dangerous enough to offer refugees ground protection. The move has made Denmark the first nation in Europe to tell immigrants to return to their home-nation. This comes as Danish officials said earlier this year they are working towards an anti-migration policy that strives towards zero asylum seekers. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in January she wants no asylum seekers at all coming to Denmark, a policy criticized by human rights groups. We cannot promise zero asylum seekers, but we can set up that vision, as we did before the elections, Frederiksen told Parliament. We want a new asylum system, and we will do what we can to introduce it. Denmarks Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen addresses a press conference in the Prime Ministers Office in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Feb. 24, 2021. (Jens Dresling/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images) Human rights groups have criticized Danish officials to send Syrian migrants back, claiming the country remains under war and isnt safe yet. They said the governments decision to send the refugees to deportation camps will leave the migrants with no other option than to return to Syria. The government hopes that they will go voluntarily, that they will just give up and go on their own, human rights advocate Michala Bendixen for Refugees Welcome, told The Telegraph. Tesfaye pointed out last month that refugees will be offered protection in the Scandinavian nation for as long as they need to and Denmark has been open and honest from the start regarding the situation on migrants. We have made it clear to the Syrian refugees that their residence permit is temporary, Tesfaye said. It can be withdrawn if protection is no longer needed. Most Syrian refugees that arrived in Denmark are primarily due to the Syrian civil war. As of 2017, there are a total of 40,477 persons of Syrian origin living in Denmark. From NTD News Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 01:46:46|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A medical worker administers a dose of Chinese Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine to a recipient in Rommani, Morocco, March 3, 2021. Morocco's COVID-19 tally rose to 484,159 on Tuesday as 393 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours. Meanwhile, 3,657,468 people have been vaccinated so far against COVID-19 in the country. (Photo by Chadi/Xinhua) RABAT, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's COVID-19 tally rose to 484,159 on Tuesday as 393 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours. The death toll hit 8,654 as eight COVID-19 patients died in the last 24 hours, according to a statement by the Ministry of Health. The total number of recoveries from COVID-19 in Morocco totalled 469,868 after 523 new ones were added, while 386 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, 3,657,468 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 vaccines. Enditem Finance minister Rishi Sunak announced a costly extension of his emergency aid programmes to see Britain's economy through its current coronavirus lockdown, but announced a tax hike for many businesses as he began to focus on fixing the public finances. Delivering an annual budget speech on Wednesday, Sunak said the economy will regain its pre-pandemic size in the middle of 2022, six months earlier than previously forecast, helped by Europe's fastest COVID-19 vaccination programme. But it will remain 3 percent smaller in five years' time than it would have been without the damage wrought by the coronavirus crisis and extra support is needed now as the country remains under coronavirus restrictions, he said. Among the new support measures was a five-month extension of his huge jobs rescue plan and more help for the self-employed, the continuation of an emergency increase in welfare payments, and an extension of a VAT cut for the hospitality sector. A tax cut for home-buyers was also extended until the end of June. "First, we will continue doing whatever it takes to support the British people and businesses through this moment of crisis," Sunak told parliament. "Second, once we are on the way to recovery, we will need to begin fixing the public finances - and I want to be honest today about our plans to do that. And, third, in today's Budget we begin the work of building our future economy." Announcing forecasts by the Office for Budgetary Responsibility (OBR), Sunak said the economy was likely to grow by 4 percent in 2021, slower than a forecast of 5.5 percent made in November, reflecting the current lockdown which began in January. Looking further ahead, the OBR forecast gross domestic product would grow 7.3 percent, 1.7 percent and 1.6 percent in 2022, 2023 and 2024 respectively. In November, the OBR had forecast growth in those years of 6.6 percent, 2.3 percent and 1.7 percent. Sunak promised to do "whatever it takes" to steer the economy through what he hopes will be the final months of pandemic restrictions. He has already racked up Britain's highest borrowing since World War Two, which hit an estimated 17 percent of GDP in the 2020/21 financial year that is about to end and should fall to a still historically high 10.3 percent in 2021/22. In a first move to raise taxes, Sunak announced he would raise corporation tax to 25 percent from 19 percent from 2023, by which time the economy should be past the pandemic crisis. "Even after this change the UK will still have the lowest corporation tax rate in the G7 - lower than the United States, Canada, Italy, Japan, Germany and France," he said. Businesses with profits of 50,000 pounds or less would pay a new Small Profits Rate, maintained at the current rate of 19 percent. Sunak also said he would freeze the amount of money that people can earn tax-free and the threshold for the higher rate of income tax until 2026. Also Read: French firm plans equity investments in India's airport privatisation projects The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. James Fowler Ridgeway, an Auburn native who went on to a long and impactful career in investigative journalism, passed away Feb. 13 in Washington, D.C. He was 84. According to obituaries for Ridgeway in The New York Times, The Washington Post and other outlets, he was born Nov. 1, 1936, to George and Florence Ridgeway. George, who was educated at Princeton, worked as a professor of history at Wells College in Aurora in the 1930s and 1940s, a representative of the college told The Citizen. After attending school in Washington and then Princeton himself, James began his journalism career at The Wall Street Journal. He joined The New Republic in 1962, and married an editor there, Patricia Dodge, in 1966. Ridgeway later worked as the Washington correspondent for The Village Voice for 30 years. He also wrote for The New York Times, The Nation, Mother Jones, The Guardian, The Observer and other publications, and authored 19 books during his career. Ridgeway is remembered in his obituaries as a muckraker in the best sense of the word. One of his first big stories saw him work with Ralph Nader, then an unknown, to document the lack of regulation in the auto industry. The 1964 article was a turning point in Nader's efforts to force the industry to adopt safety features like seat belts, he said. The three-dimensional structure of the SARM1 protein determined by cryo-electron microscopy. Credit: Jeff Nanson. A Griffith University-led research team has discovered how a therapeutic target common among debilitating neurodegenerative disorders is activated, which could help accelerate drug development. In a study published in the journal Neuron, the researchers from Griffith University's Institute for Glycomics, the University of Queensland and Washington University, analyzed the structure and function of a protein called SARM1, which is involved in the destruction of nerve fibers. They found that the protein is a sensor that responds to the levels of specific molecules derived from metabolism. "SARM1 is a potential therapeutic target for many neurodegenerative diseases,"' said lead author and Institute for Glycomics researcher, Dr. Thomas Ve. "When nerve fibers are damaged, whether by injury, disease or as a side effect of certain drugs, SARM1 is called into action which sets off a series of events in the cell that trigger them to self-destruct. "This destruction likely plays an important role in multiple neurodegenerative conditions, including peripheral neuropathy, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), traumatic brain injury and glaucoma." Dr. Ve and joint first author on the paper, Dr. Yun Shi used NMR spectroscopy, a biophysical tool to analyze interactions between proteins and small molecules, to demonstrate that two important metabolites in nerve cells compete for binding to the SARM1 protein, and the ratio of these two metabolites determines whether SARM1 becomes activated. Dr. Ve and collaborators also used structural biology toolsCryo-electron Microscopy and X-ray Crystallographyto determine three-dimensional structures of the SARM1 protein which enabled them to pinpoint exactly where these two metabolites bind to SARM1 and how they regulate SARM1 activation. Dr. Ve, also an Australian Research Council Future Fellow and NHMRC Investigator, said the new structural information about SARM1 had the potential to accelerate the development of drugs that target neurodegenerative diseases. "We are very excited by these findings as they greatly advance our understanding of how SARM1 is activated," he said. "It provides clues as to how one might block activation of this protein using structure-guided approaches to prevent nerve fiber loss in neurodegenerative diseases." Professor Mark von Itzstein AO, Director of the Institute for Glycomics, welcomed this important breakthrough. "New strategies towards solving neurodegenerative diseases have become increasingly important due to the enormous impact on the quality of life of those that suffer with these conditions." Explore further Gene therapy blocks peripheral nerve damage in mice More information: Matthew D. Figley et al. SARM1 is a metabolic sensor activated by an increased NMN/NAD+ ratio to trigger axon degeneration, Neuron (2021). Journal information: Neuron Matthew D. Figley et al. SARM1 is a metabolic sensor activated by an increased NMN/NAD+ ratio to trigger axon degeneration,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.02.009 A probation officer on Mar. 2 visits a former sex offender (face blurred) wearing an electronic anklet who lives in a one-room residence in Seoul's Jongno District. Korea Times By Ko Dong-hwan Probation officers in charge of monitoring former sex offenders who wear electronic anklets are complaining of burnout under a system where only a handful of staff are overseeing a large number of ex-convicts. According to the Ministry of Justice, the load each officer is required to deal with has been consistently increasing since the monitoring system was introduced in 2008. That year, there were 48 officers responsible for 151 tagged former convicts nationwide or 3.1 offenders per officer. But the number of former sex offenders being monitored via electronic anklets surpassed 1,000 in 2012, 2,000 in 2014 and 4,000 in 2020, while the pool of law enforcement officers expanded to 237 during the same period. By January 2021, the number of former sex offenders each officer is required to monitor reached 21.7, up seven times since the system was introduced. The workload, according to the South Korean daily Hankook Ilbo, is excessive compared to developed countries like Sweden and Australia, where each law enforcement officer monitors between five and eight former sex offenders. Last year, the justice ministry requested the National Assembly to authorize the addition of 302 more probation officers. But lawmakers approved the addition of only 101 citing budget constraints. A lack of National Assembly support and the justice ministry's inability to empower the force also resulted in an inadequate number of special probation officers who are dedicated to monitoring just one person with exceptional notoriety. Each of those officers is assigned to one former sex offender considered to represent an exceptionally high risk of repeat offense, including ones who assaulted teenagers three or more times in the past. But while there are 192 former sex offenders fitting that profile nationwide, only 24 of them are under close monitoring. Cho Doo-soon, who served a 12-year prison term after kidnapping an eight years old girl and raping her in a church bathroom in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, in 2008, leaves a probation center in the city on Dec. 12, 2020, after being released from prison earlier that day. Since his release, Cho has been under surveillance by a special probation officer who exclusively monitored him. Korea Times photo by Wang Tae-seok Inflow Communications, an innovative provider of strategic advisory, consulting, and managed services for contact center and unified communications technologies, has won the Genesys North American Partner of the Year Award for 2021. The award was presented virtually to founder and CEO, Travis Dillard, on February 24, 2021, at the Genesys Inspire 2021 global kick-off. Inflow Communications, a Genesys partner since 2015 and currently a Genesy Gold Partner, has made great strides in building an implementation and professional services practice to ensure their customers get the most benefit from the Genesys Cloud platform. Travis Dillard said, It is a huge honor to be recognized by Genesys, especially in light of the formidable competitors we have in this space. Its a testament to our employees and the investment in time and resources weve made to become a powerful partner for Genesys. With the addition of a Genesys Cloud Technical Account Team and software integration developers, Inflow has created a robust team of experts to design, deploy, and manage their customers Genesys Cloud platform. Were eager to continue helping our customers benefit from our offerings on the Genesys platform. Theres so much more we can do to help our customers capitalize on the technology and their customer experience strategy. From CRM integrations to artificial intelligence, bots, and more. With so much progress being made in the industry, its definitely an exciting place to be, Dillard continued. About Inflow Communications Based in Portland, Oregon Inflow Communications is an innovative provider of strategic advisory, consulting, and managed services for contact center, customer experience, and unified communications solutions to over 500 customers nationwide. Inflow has grown to be a trusted advisor in its market through the high caliber of its work, problem-solving approach, and focus on client satisfaction. More information can be found at http://www.inflowcomm.com About Genesys Every year, Genesys delivers more than 70 billion remarkable customer experiences for organizations in over 100 countries. Through the power of the cloud and AI, our technology connects every customer moment across marketing, sales, and service on any channel, while also improving employee experiences. Genesys pioneered Experience as a ServiceSM so organizations of any size can provide true personalization at scale, interact with empathy, and foster customer trust and loyalty. This is enabled by Genesys CloudTM, an all-in-one solution, and the world's leading public cloud contact center platform, designed for rapid innovation, scalability, and flexibility. Visit http://www.genesys.com. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. In 27 years at the company, Murray has helped build the business into a specialist bank with a portfolio of over 400million ( ) said managing director Robert Murray is to retire at the end of this month. Murray informed the board in January of last year of his intention to retire, giving the specialist bank plenty of time to line up a successor and in December of last year the company recruited Garry Stran with the intention of Stran becoming the chief operating officer, which he has now done. Murray, who has been with PCF for 27 years, has agreed to remain with the group in an advisory capacity. Shore Capital, PCFs joint broker, said, Stran brings to PCF experience across credit management, corporate finance, advisory and fintech. Its forecasts for PCF remain under review. It noted that at its current share price of 23.5p (unchanged on the day), the company trades on a trailing price/net asset value per share (NAV) of slightly less than 1.0 based on the NAV of 23.7p reported at the end of September. 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 east Alabama community marked the two-year anniversary of a tornado that killed 23 people and injured scores more with ceremonies and other remembrances on Wednesday. A list of names will be read during a noontime event at the Lee County courthouse square in Opelika to recall the people who died when the twister hit the Beauregard community on March 3, 2019. A moment of silence was planned in the town of Smiths Station, and a candlelight memorial was organized at a church that served as a relief center. Here is full coverage of that tragic storm We just want to honor those that are gone and recognize those families that we know are still hurting and grieving even two years later, said Rita Smith, the county emergency management director. A tornado with winds estimated at 170 mph (273 kph) struck rural Lee County, destroying dozens of homes and killing multiple members of some families. About 90 people were injured, and rebuilding continues in the area, where the tornado gouged out a path of destruction almost 27 miles (43 kilometers) long. A memorial to victims of the tornado was erected at Providence Baptist Church, where the candlelight vigil will be held. It also honors the first responders and the people who volunteered in the aftermath of the storm, which also caused extensive damage in west Georgia. SPRINGFIELD - Local, state and federal law enforcement on Tuesday arrested four suspects Tuesday as part of a year-long investigation into an organized drug trafficking operation supplying heroin to Hampden County, according to the Massachusetts State Police. The arrests at four residences and multiple vehicles in different locations resulted in the confiscation of a half-kilo of heroin, already packaged for street sales, one firearm, and $20,000 in cash, said state police spokesman David Procopio. Arrested and charged with trafficking heroin in excess of 200 grams, and conspiracy to violate drug laws were Enrique Alicea, 29, of West Springfield, Joshua Vazquez, 29, of Springfield, and Jose Alicea, 69, of West Springfield. A fourth man, Todd Cruzado, 33, of Springfield was charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute, and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. Procopio said the investigation started in February 2020 with the state polices Commonwealth Interstate Narcotics Reduction and Enforcement Team. For the last several months, members of the state police team, the Hampden County Drug Task Force and the FBI Gang Task Force conducted hundreds of hours of surveillance of suspects, during which time they identified associates and customers. They also determined methods used to transport drugs from New York to Springfield, he said. Other agencies taking part in the arrests were the Hampden and Berkshire Drug Task forces, and Hampden and Berkshire Sheriffs departments, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security, and officers with the Springfield, West Springfield, Easthampton, Westfield and Holyoke Police. The investigation is ongoing, Procopio said. Pakistan''s Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh was trounced by former premier Yusuf Raza Gilani in the crucial Senate elections on Wednesday, in a major setback for Prime Minister Imran Khan who had personally campaigned for his Cabinet colleague. The ruling Tehreek-e-Insaf Party (PTI) had claimed that it enjoyed support of 182 members while 172 votes were needed to elect the senator. "Yusuf Raza Gilani got 169 votes while Shaikh got 164 votes. Seven votes were rejected. Total number of polled votes was 340," the Election Commission of (ECP) announced. Prime Minister Khan had personally made efforts for Shaikh''s victory in the hotly contested election. Gilani was supported by the Democratic Movement (PDM), an alliance of 11 opposition parties, including the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and the Pakistan Peoples'' Party. Interestingly, Shaikh was a minister in the cabinet of former prime minister Gilani during his tenure from 2008 to 2012. In another twist, Fozia Arshad of the ruling party got 174 votes in the same house and defeated PDM-supported candidate Farzana Kausar who received 161 votes. Five votes were rejected in their case. Shehbaz Gill, a government spokesman, said that the Opposition won by a margin of five votes while seven votes were rejected. He announced to "challenge the elections". Addressing the media along with Gilani after the victory, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari asked Prime Minister Khan to step down as the defeat of his candidate showed that he has lost confidence in the National Assembly. "Imran Khan should resign, this is not only the Opposition''s demand but of the government''s own members," Bilawal said, adding that "a new era was starting in Pakistan''s democratic journey". He thanked the PDM leadership and said that Gilani''s win was a win for all democratic forces in Pakistan. "This puppet government has lost from its own parliament and the people of Pakistan have won." Gilani said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif called him from London, where he lives, and "congratulated him on the glorious victory". PML-N Vice-president Maryam Nawaz tweeted that Khan has no right to rule the country as "their (PTI) own people, despite pressure on them, refused to vote for Imran Khan (candidate)." PML-N senior leader Ahsan Iqbal also said that Prime Minister Khan should resign tonight. "Imran and his ministers can''t even cast their votes properly; how can they run a country?" He was referring to the media reports that Khan''s own vote and that of his two ministers were among the seven rejected votes, which cost them the coveted seat, as Shaikh was defeated by a meagre five vote margin. The ruling party leaders, however, rejected calls for resignation of Khan. "The Opposition leaders should be ashamed. With what face and character can they say that Imran Khan should resign or say to bring no confidence against him, Information Minister Shibli Faraz said. Meanwhile, Khan held an important meeting of the party leaders after the defeat to discuss the embarrassing situation he suddenly found himself in, according to Geo TV. Both the government and opposition had been accusing each other of using money to influence and swing the loyalty of lawmakers. A video surfaced on Tuesday showing Ali Haider Gilani, son of the former premier, apparently explaining to at least two lawmakers how they can waste their votes during the election. "Yousuf Raza Gilani''s son was caught buying votes in the Senate and giving away tricks to waste votes. This is the character of the PDM and their joint candidate," said a tweet from PTI''s official account. Gilani belongs to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) but was a joint opposition candidate from Islamabad. Ali admitted that he was in the leaked video but rejected the allegation that he was trying to make a deal with the lawmakers to buy votes for his father. The members of the Senate - the upper house of parliament - are elected for six-year terms. A total of 52 senators in the house of 104 will retire on March 11 on completion of their six year term, including four retiring senators from the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Since FATA has been merged with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, they will not be reelected and the Senate strength will shrink to 100. Twenty-three Senators each represent the four provinces while four are elected from Islamabad. The remaining four senators from FATA will retire in 2024 and the Senate will further contract to 96 members. The voting was held for 37 seats as other candidates had ran unopposed. The polling started at 9am and continued till 5pm without any break. National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, Prime Minister Khan, former president Asif Ali Zardari, PPP chairperson Bilawal, and Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif were among those who cast their votes. Separately, the Sindh Assembly turned into a pandemonium after lawmakers belonging to the PTI and PPP got into physical brawl over the issue of a disgruntled PTI lawmaker, who was finally taken away from the assembly premises by fellow party members. Earlier, the government tried to conduct the elections through open ballot but the plea was turned down by the Supreme Court on Monday. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 3) The Manila City government has approved the conduct of limited face-to-face classes in four more medical schools. These are the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) College of Medicine, Metropolitan Medical Center College of Arts and Sciences, Chinese General Hospital Colleges, and Manila Theological College's College of Medicine, the city government announced in a statement Wednesday. Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso gave his green light following a meeting with school officials on their proposal to hold face-to-face classes and clerkship programs for health-related courses. The city government said PLM asked for the "gradual reopening" of its clinical clerkship program at the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center. The Metropolitan Medical Center College of Arts and Sciences requested the same for classes and clinical clerkship under its Doctor of Medicine program. Meanwhile, the Manila Theological College's College of Medicine proposed to allow fourth year medical students to be on a limited in-hospital duty at the Tondo Medical Center. The Chinese General Hospital Colleges likewise sought the conduct of hands-on pre-clinical training and clinical rotation in their campus laboratory and hospital under the following programs: Doctor of Medicine, BS Nursing, BS Medical Technology, BS Radiologic Technology, and BS Physical Therapy. "What is the goal here? To produce doctors, nurses, midwives and all others allowed ng CHED (Commission on Higher Education) to conduct face-to-face classes," Domagoso said, according to the city government. "If we can produce that next year, then at least we can continue strenghten our medical professionals handling the situation." The mayor also assured the medical schools that they can avail of the city's COVID-19 testing services. Domagoso also approved in February the resumption of some face-to-face classes at the University of Santo Tomas and Centro Escolar University. This is in line with President Rodrigo Duterte's decision to allow in-person classes for the medical and allied health programs of higher education institutions in areas under the general community quarantine and modified GCQ. A joint memorandum of the Commission on Higher Education and the Department of Health requires universities and colleges to consult with their respective local government units first before conducting these face-to-face classes. 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. After almost a year of fighting the ongoing pandemic disease, there's now a race to vaccinate as many county residents as possible before a more dangerous COVID-19 variant, such as the U.K. one, becomes the dominant strain. This all-out effort is being replicated in other parts of California, and in many areas of the country and world. Baldwin said the U.K. variant does spread easier and there is a potential that it could circulate quickly in the county and across the state. "It's unknown right now, at least for California, if it's going to contribute significantly to another surge or an increase in the number of cases. We don't know yet," she said. "We're watching it, and the state is watching it." 0:55 Fauci Says CDC Will Ease Guidelines For Vaccinated People Soon More than 65 million COVID vaccines have been administered in the U.S.Dr. Anthony Fauci said he believes the CDC will ease some COVID restrict Swartzberg said the latest scientific data suggested the U.K. variant is between 40% and 45% more transmissible than the early strain of COVID-19. Some data indicated that it may cause more severe illness, he said, but such claims are still speculation. This variant has probably been in the United State since September or October, but did not become prominent until early January, experts said. "Right now, it is doubling every nine to 10 days," Swartzberg said of the U.K. strain. "It will likely become the dominant strain by the end of this month." Los Angeles, March 3 : Model Chrissy Teigen on Wednesday shared a stunning picture on social media but it is the hilarious caption that steals the eye. In the Instagram image, Chrissy is seen sitting on a sofa dressed in an all-black outfit paired with a beige overcoat. She wrote as the caption: "March issue of nothing magazine is on stands now." Teigen last month penned an emotional note about the loss of her son, and said she is full of regret that she did not look at his face when he was born. She posted a motley of pictures on Instagram from a shoot in Mexico that was being done around the time she was expecting her third child, Jack. PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa faces a difficult choice as he looks for suitable candidates to replace his former deputy, Kembo Mohadi, who resigned under pressure on Monday. This comes as it has been the tradition since the consummation of the 1987 Unity Accord between Zanu PF and PF Zapu that one of the vice presidents comes from Zapu, and also from Matabeleland. However, the Unity Accord has no specific clause stating explicitly that one of the two vice presidents must come from either Zanu PF or PF Zapu. Some political analysts told the Daily News yesterday that this tradition was not cast in stone, adding that it was simply done to balance regional interests a practice which is dictated by the Constitution when it comes to ministerial appointments. But others said the pact should be respected as was understood and intended when it was consummated more than three decades ago. University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer, Clever Mumbengegwi, said barring other internal political dynamics in Zanu PF, it would be prudent for Mnangagwa to go for the most senior Zapu cadre in the politburo to replace Mohadi. In this case it would be Obert Mpofu given that he is the Zanu PF secretary for administration and nobody from the Zapu ranks is more senior than him, notwithstanding the fact that he joined Zanu PF before the Unity Accord. It is also important to note that the military element in the ruling party could also want to have a say, and in that case they would naturally want (Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces) Phillip Valerio Sibanda. However, the president will have a headache if other political dynamics, which outsiders may not be privy to, are considered, Mumbengegwi told the Daily News. For example, if one is not looking at the Unity Accord, then party seniority will be the criteria and that means the Zanu PF national chairperson, Oppah Muchinguri, will come into the picture given that she is in the presidium, he added. The Unity Accord is silent on whether one of the two vice presidents must come from the PF Zapu side. Zanu PF and PF Zapu have irrevocably committed themselves to unite under one political party; that the unity of the two political parties shall be achieved under the name Zimbabwe African National Union (Patriotic Front) Zanu PF; that comrade Robert Gabriel Mugabe shall be the first secretary and president of Zanu PF, that Zanu PF shall have two second secretaries and vice presidents who shall be appointed by the first secretary and president of the party, part of the pact reads. Another political analyst, Dumisani Nkomo, said while the Unity Accord was not explicit about the vice presidents position, the spirit of the agreement dictates that the deputy or one of the VPs should be from the former PF Zapu. In this respect, Simon Khaya Moyo and Sithembiso Nyoni tick the box. (Obert) Mpofu, in terms of the Unity Accord matrix, falls out of favour. But if the accord is not a factor, he may be a strong contender. A dark horse is General Phillip Valerio Sibanda as a Zipra cadre. In terms of who may be more desirable, it is definitely Nyoni and Moyo who are preferable, as we are not aware of any human rights violations they have committed or any act of corruption, he said. Another political analyst, Methuseli Moyo, suggested that Mohadis position could be filled by anyone from any of the Matabeleland regions regardless of whether they were from Zapu or Zanu. The Unity Accord is now 32 years old by the way. Does it make sense today to follow Zapu structures that last existed 32 years ago? To me it is a big no. The Unity Accord sought to unite Zimbabweans across party and tribe and that must have been achieved now. To maintain unity, yes Zanu has to pay attention to regional balance, but for ex-Zapu cadres to monopolise the VP post until all of them die is counter-productive, Moyo told the Daily News. What about those from Matabeleland who have always been Zanu? Should they be disadvantaged? Continuing to reward people with positions for a Zapu that only exists to share positions is in my opinion a self-serving strategy by ex-Zapu leaders. Time has come for Zanu PF to use existing structures and dynamics to choose its leadership. Jacob Mudenda, Obert Mpofu, Simon Khaya Moyo, Cain Mathema and maybe Angeline Masuku are, for me, the candidates, Moyo added. On his part, constitutional law expert and leader of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), Lovemore Madhuku, said Mnangagwa could do away with Mohadis replacement without falling foul of the countrys supreme law. There is no constitutional provision obliging the president to have two deputies. The Constitution provides that the president shall have up to two vice presidents. He can take his time and do with one for now until he thinks he is ready to make a replacement if he so wishes, Madhuku told the Daily News. This comes as Mohadi on Monday resigned from office marking the first time in the history of independent Zimbabwe that a sitting vice president has quit his or her job. I have been going through a soul searching pilgrimage and realised that I need the space to deal with my problems outside the government chair. I have arrived at this decision not as a matter of cowardice, but as a sign of demonstrating great respect to the office of the president, so that it is not compromised or caricatured by actions that are linked to my challenges as an individual, he said. The inter-connectivity with social media ecologies have been relaying viral panics, peddling flames of lies creating myths and muddling the reality of my life as a family man. I am a victim of information distortion, voice cloning, and sponsored spooking and political sabotage. Digital media, in their hybridity, have been abused by my enemies to blackmail me, but my spirit will never die. Following the recurring disinformation and virilisation of my alleged immoral unions, dispensed through awkward slacktivism, Im stepping down as the vice president of the Republic of Zimbabwe in terms of section 96 (2) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe (no.20) Act, 2013 with immediate effect, Mohadi added. Since Zimbabwes independence in 1980, vice presidents have either died in office or been fired. The late Simon Muzenda, Joshua Nkomo, Joseph Msika and John Nkomo all died in office while Joice Mujuru was sacked by the late former president Robert Mugabe in December 2014, at the height of Zanu PFs tribal, factional and succession wars. And in the twilight of Mugabes rule, Generation 40 (G40) kingpins coalesced around the nonagenarians erratic wife Grace resulting in the group being involved in a hammer and tongs succession tussle with Mnangagwas Team Lacoste. Mugabe subsequently fired Mnangagwa in early November 2017, before he came back to become the countrys new leader following a stunning and widely-supported military coup. Daily News Willem Roos is South African business royalty. After growing two start-ups in different industries to multi-billion-rand valuations, he is as bankable as Tom Cruise in the movie industry. To understand why Roos is so highly regarded, you have to go back to the mid-nineties, when he was a recently qualified actuary working at insurance company Aegis. There he met Rene Otto, and they saw an opportunity to do insurance differently cut out the middleman, improve customer service, and use a sophisticated underwriting system. They presented the idea at the Aegis shareholder conference where it caught the eye of RMB Holdings chairman Laurie Dippenaar. He was keen to know more. Tech expert Howard Aron joined Roos and Otto to present their business plan to RMB, and it was an immediate hit. Roos, Otto, and Aron received funding from RMB, and OUTsurance was born. Interestingly, the initial business plan did not include the famous OUTbonus. This was added later when the founders were looking to differentiate themselves from other insurance companies. Otto served as OUTsurance MD when the company was launched in February 1998 but resigned three years later. Roos took the reins with co-founder Aron after Otto left. At just 29, Roos was one of the youngest leaders of a large financial institution the country has ever seen. Roos was up for the challenge. Under his leadership, OUTsurance blossomed and rapidly grew its car and household insurance market share in South Africa. It also launched operations in Namibia, Australia, and New Zealand. Through innovative marketing campaigns and fresh product offerings, OUTsurance became the best-known insurance brand in the country. It also continued innovating and launched many new products, including business and life insurance. Roos achievements were recognised when he and his business partner Howard Aron won the Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur Award in 2009. After two decades at OUTsurance, Roos was ready for a change. But instead of enjoying his success and kicking back on a wine farm, he moved to an even bigger challenge. In October 2017, Rand Merchant Investment Holdings announced Roos has resigned from OUTsurance to join mobile operator Rain as CEO. This surprised the market. Rain operates in one of the most regulated and scrutinised industries in South Africa, with tremendous pressure on top executives. Why jump from the frying pan into the fire? Roos downplayed the pressure he would face at Rain, saying both the insurance and telecommunications industries are heavily regulated. That aspect did not feature in my decision, he said. I felt it was an appropriate time to leave OUTsurance, and I was very excited to join Rain to help the business to scale, he said. As for Rains decision to recruit Roos to run the company, it was not as surprising as it may seem. Rain director Michael Jordaan said Roos is an exceptional entrepreneur and it made sense to put him in charge of the new start-up. Willem has an exceptional intellect and that was needed to formulate a new telecoms company using first principles rather than copying the competition, Jordaan said. Roos loved the change from running a large established organisation to managing a business that was still in the start-up phase. It is a lot of fun being part of a fast-growing start-up business, he said. Under Roos leadership, Rain launched innovative new products which resonated with consumers, including unlimited fixed and mobile data packages. Rain also launched South Africas first commercial 5G products in Gauteng and Cape Town ahead of rivals Vodacom and MTN. These products were perfectly suited for working from home and it was an instant hit when President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a national lockdown in March 2020. Orders for Rains 4G and 5G products quadrupled in a matter of days. This growth helped the operator to comfortably exceed its financial targets, but it came at a price. The rapid increase in subscribers put immense pressure on Rains network and its support channels struggled to cope. It was a tough time for Rain. Roos said dealing with this explosive growth and lagging service levels were by far the biggest challenge during his tenure as CEO. The good news is that Rain has made good progress in recent months and service levels are now much better than what they were last year. Apart from providing unlimited data products which consumers wanted, Roos also added value to shareholders. He significantly de-risked the business, clarified the business model, and set it up for significant future growth. This has helped to increase Rains valuation to R15.03 billion, making it one of South Africas top telecommunications companies. Roos has therefore achieved the same at Rain as what he did at OUTsurance grow shareholder value by offering disruptive products which consumers love. Looking back over the last three years, Roos said he is particularly proud that Rain connected thousands of people to the Internet where it was not previously affordable for them to do so. Rain has come a long way in its goal to democratise the Internet in South Africa by enabling more people to have an unlimited broadband connection. Roos is now in the process of handing over the reins to Rain co-founder Brandon Leigh in what Jordaan describes as an exceptionally seamless process. The future is bright for Rain. It has a talented and motivated team of people that will take the business to the next level, Roos said. Roos will maintain his close ties with Rain. He is retaining his shareholding in the mobile operator and he will also remain on the board. He is, however, looking forward to having a less hectic schedule compared to a full-time operational role. Now read: Naspers in firing line for online dominance in South Africa Several of San Antonios performing arts organizations, museums and other attractions plan to stay the course with COVID-19 safety measures in the wake of Gov. Greg Abbotts announcement that state mandates will be lifted March 10. Many spaces that have been closed arent in a hurry to reopen. And many of those that have been operating at reduced capacity levels have no plans to open up additional seating or relax mask requirements right now. The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, which reopened for ticketed indoor events in September and has been operating at about 32 percent capacity, released a statement saying it would maintain such measures as temperature checks and mandatory mask wearing for the time being. The Carver Community Cultural Center also will stick with its safety measures, said Director Cassandra Parker-Nowicki. On ExpressNews.com: Broadway shows return to the Majestic Theatre in September Currently, we are not changing any plans, policies or procedures related to COVID-19, Parker-Nowicki said via email. We will still require masks be worn by everyone entering our facility and will still operate at reduced capacity to allow for social distancing. We are still planning to present our Intimate Series performances and postpone all the mainstage performances until next season. The Woodlawn Theatre, too, requires masks for anyone on the premises, and that policy will remain in place at least until a larger percentage of the population has been vaccinated, said Christopher Rodriguez, the theaters executive and artistic director. The theater has a stash of disposable masks on hand for anyone who turns up without one. The earliest the theater will reopen for productions is May, when Rodriguez plans to stage a revue. Hopefully, we will move forward with just 50 percent capacity still, unless we feel we can go up on that, he said. Movie theaters, too, are not racing to change things. The Alamo Drafthouse, which has only one of its three San Antonio theaters in operation, and at reduced capacity, tweeted Tuesday evening that it would be keeping all of its safety measures in place for the foreseeable future. We are only following the guidance of the CDC and medical experts, not politicians, the Austin-based company tweeted. Right now, at what we hope is the beginning of the end of COVID, the health of our teams and our guests remains this companys top priority. Santikos, the San Antonio-based chain, has seven of its nine locations open at 50 percent capacity. The company has not made a decision yet on whether to make changes, said Andrew Brooks, executive director for sales and marketing. It is gathering feedback from employees on the matter The San Antonio Zoo will continue to operate under its current policies and procedures, zoo President and CEO Tim Morrow said in a statement. That information can be found at sazoo.org/welcomeback. As we have done throughout the pandemic, and will continue to do, we notify our guests and fans through social media and emails about any changes to these guest protocols, Morrow said. We are continually assessing our operations On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio Symphony returns to live performances Witte Museum President and CEO Marise McDermott issued a similar statement, indicating the museum would continue to uphold all its pandemic protocols, including mask wearing and social distancing. The Witte Museum developed safety protocols last spring in preparation for re-opening the museum post-COVID-19 closure, McDermott said. The protocols include a welcome by a trained safety ambassador who will explain the importance of masks, extensive cleansing throughout the day, and physical distancing cues. The Witte Museum is fortunate to have plenty of space throughout the campus to spread out, even with what is considered 100% capacity. The San Antonio Museum of Art will continue to require masks and social distancing on its campus. Meanwhile, the McNay Art Museum will continue operation at 50 percent capacity and require all staff and guests to wear masks while inside the museum. However, visitors will no longer be required to wear masks when outdoors on the grounds. Two attractions geared toward younger visitors also will maintain most existent protocols. The DoSeum posted on Instagram (@thedoseum) that it will keep its current policies in place regarding capacity and masks. Those include capacity limits on all galleries and mandatory masks for ages 10 and older, with masks for ages 2 to 9 highly encouraged. For more information, visit thedoseum.org. Morgans Wonderland, which reopens Friday, will require guests to purchase admission tickets in advance at morganswonderland.com/admissions. Guests ages 3 and older must wear face masks, practice social distancing and consume any food and snacks only in designated areas. dlmartin@express-news.net 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. [March 03, 2021] Nu-Tek BioSciences to Build Dedicated Animal-free Peptone Manufacturing Facility to Service Growing Biologics Supply Chain Demands Nu-Tek BioSciences, LLC, an innovative manufacturer of industrial ingredients used in the development and manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, announced today that the company will build a new manufacturing facility in Austin, Minnesota. This will be the first dedicated, animal-free peptone, and protein hydrolysate manufacturing facility in the U.S. This U.S. owned peptone manufacturing plant will help meet the rapidly growing demand for materials used to manufacture biologics. For more than ten years, Nu-Tek BioSciences has been manufacturing and supplying peptones to the pharmaceutical industry and is uniquely qualified to provide large capacities of raw materials. The Company's technology platform was developed to meet the growing demand for animal-free media components in the biopharma industry. This investment into manufacturing comes at a time when pharmaceutical companies are seeking solutions to mitigate supply chain risk. With the current pressures of COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing, this capacity will solidify the Company's commitment to building businesses and assets with long-term sustainability. Nu-Tek is currently supplying a critical component used in the manufacture of a COVID-19 vaccine. "At Nu-Tek we believe this expansion in the pharmaceutical industry brings the promise of a vibrant manufacturing industry to the Midwest," said Thomas Yezzi, CEO, Nu-Tek BioSciences. "When we embarked on this project, with our core business as manufacturers, we required a very special location. Austin's rich manufacturing background combined with the health technology and innovation from Minnesota's Medical Alley cluster, the Hormel Institute and other leading healthcare institutions and universities, made Austin the perfect choice to build a world class manufacturing facility." Nu-Tek BioSciences, a solutions-based manufacturer, has successfully developed a portfolio of products for use in the pharmaceutical and industrial fermentation industries. Peptones and protein hydrolysates are commonly used in microbiological media, fermentation nutrient systems, as well as cell and tissue culture media. This Austin-based project has been conducted in consultation with local officials from the City of Austin, the Austin Port Authority, Austin Utilities, Mower County, Development Corporation of Austin (DCA) and the Community Venture Network. The new manufacturing facility will be built at Creekside Business Park with construction expected to begin in the Spring of 2021. About Nu-Tek BioSciences Nu-Tek BioSciences develops and manufactures peptones and protein hydrolysates for the biotech and wellness foods industry. Nu-Tek's portfolio of products are used in a variety of applications ranging from pharmaceuticals to industrial fermentations. Nu-Tek's peptones are most commonly used in microbiological media, fermentation nutrient systems, as well as, cell and tissue culture media. They can also be found in the wellness foods sector, used in the manufacture of allergen-free probiotics and serving as nutritional protein hydrolysates. Extensive experience with proteins and associated manufacturing practices have enabled the development of proprietary processes used at the firm today. The unique processing techniques produce peptones which have been proven to increase growth rates and yields. Coupled with superior customer service, Nu-Tek creates additional value in manufacturing as a solutions-based manufacturer. Flexibility and openness to innovation allows for customization of products to meet firm specific needs. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005281/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] PHILIPSBURG:--- Let me publicly congratulate you (The Minister of Justice) for getting the process of the IBPS (Immigration and Border Protection Service) in its final stages. is how MP Buncamper started his speech on the floor of parliament in Wednesdays meeting with the Minister of Justice, Anna Richardson. I know that some people may be disappointed with the change but we must execute the law based on the LIOL (National Order of Governments structure) Buncamper stated. The MP went on to say that This department has its work cut out for it as the immigration issue is a serious one and we must deal with it humanly, but yet firmly. The UNICEF report, that addresses the abuse of persons bringing their families to St. Maarten while we are facing serious financial challenges due to the COVID-19, needs to be addressed. Buncamper said. The MP enquired if the border control extension mentioned in the country packages is a done deal and what exactly it entails. He questioned the added value of the Dutch border control over the past 3 years, seeing the large stream of illegals persons, weapons, and drugs constantly coming into the country. What will be the actions of the IBPS when residence permits expire? The MP when on to question how the illegal behavior of business owners who hire undocumented persons will be handled? There was a law passed which states that such practices can carry a maximum fine of 100.000 guilders. Do we make use of this law? Is it being enforced?, the MP enquired. The MP went on to question the tolerance with undocumented persons seeing the serious social issues this brings about in our country in a number of aspects, such as education, health, and others? It is a fact that we currently can use some immigrant workers, but without proper control, this can deteriorate the quality of life of the legal residents. What steps are taken to ensure that foreign workers leave the island when their work and residence permits expire and are not renewed? MP Buncamper noted that St. Maarten is listed as a tier 2 country in the US Department of State, and questioned how this compares with the region and the rest of the Dutch Caribbean. How are we going to deal with the issue of children born in St. Maarten from foreign parents? Why was IBP Services placed under the auspices of the St. Maarten Police Force KPSM in 2016 only to see us having to turn it over to the Dutch as a condition for liquidity support in 2017? MP Buncamper went on to question the costs associated with the border control using KMAR versus training and employing our own people. How much is spent yearly from the trust funds monies on KMAR and do their employees pay their taxes to the St. Maarten government or to the Dutch government? How many persons will the IBPS employ to get the compliance department properly operational and ensure we have good data to make proper decisions? The MP enquired. The MP also questions the duration of the recently signed border control protocol. The Massachusetts Teachers Association is continuing to put pressure on the state to speed up educator COVID-19 vaccinations after President Joe Biden on Tuesday said he was directing each to prioritize inoculations for teachers and school staff. Biden tweeted that he was directing every state to prioritize educators with at least one shot by the end of March. We want every educator, school staff member, and child-care worker to receive at least one shot by the end of this month, Biden tweeted. Its time to treat in-person learning like the essential service that it is. In Massachusetts, educators are part of Phase 2 of the vaccination program, which started last month. But, educators are not yet eligible to start getting the vaccine. We are thrilled that President Biden recognizes how important it is to vaccinate school employees so that we can protect the many thousands who are already working in person and open schools more fully this spring, MTA President Merrie Najimy said in a statement. In-person learning is by far the best way to meet our students social, emotional and academic needs. In Massachusetts, Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Ronald Mariano have made the same case. Spilka on Tuesday called on the administration of Gov. Charlie Baker to reserve vaccine doses for teachers. We need a vaccine program for teachers and staff that is aggressive, and we need it this month, Spilka said. As more vaccine doses become available to the state, I am calling on the governor to designate a percentage of those doses to be administered to teachers and staff in their communities. Baker and education officials are seeking to return to traditional schooling for elementary school students as early as next month. That proposed plan has been controversial among some educators because employees are not yet vaccinated. Today, I am directing every state to prioritize educators for vaccination. We want every educator, school staff member, and child-care worker to receive at least one shot by the end of this month. Its time to treat in-person learning like the essential service that it is. President Biden (@POTUS) March 2, 2021 Governor Charlie Baker: Its time to get with the program, Najimy said. Make school employees eligible now and approve our Last Mile Vaccine Delivery Plan to get them vaccinated quickly in their own districts. It is also time to vaccinate public higher education employees to give those already working in person the same protection and so that our colleges and universities can increase on-campus learning. For the sake of students, educators and our communities, theres no time to waste. Twenty-one legislators sent a letter last week asking the Baker administration to reserve Johnson & Johnsons single-dose vaccine for teachers. That vaccine was approved for emergency use last week. Related Content: Seoul, March 3 : Two patients at the long-term care hospitals in South Korea's Gyeonggi province died after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine against Covid-19, the first cases of deaths since the country launched its nationwide vaccination programme last week. A 50-something patient with multiple underlying diseases died at a hospital in Goyang on Wednesday, just outside of Seoul's northwestern border, after receiving the vaccine shot on Tuesday morning, according to health officials, Yonhap news agency reported. The patient began to show symptoms of heart failure and difficulty in breathing by the afternoon but recovered after being put under emergency care. The symptoms recurred on Wednesday morning before the patient died. Health officials said they are yet to determine whether the patient suffered side-effects from the vaccine. The patient's preexisting conditions included heart problems, diabetes and a stroke. The second patient, who was at a long-term care hospital in Pyeongtaek, 70 km south of Seoul, died on Wednesday morning, four days after being administered with the AstraZeneca vaccine, health officials said. The 63-year-old man with cerebrovascular disease had shown severe symptoms, such as a high fever and pantalgia, since receiving the vaccine jab last Saturday. As the patient's condition worsened, he was rushed to a higher-level hospital on Tuesday, but he passed away while showing symptoms of blood poisoning and pneumonia, according to officials. An investigation is currently underway to find whether the death had anything to do with the vaccination, officials said. Local quarantine officials of Gyeonggi province, home to both cities, earlier said the 63-year-old Pyeongtaek resident marked the nation's first case of a severe adverse reaction from a Covid-19 vaccine, along with a 50-something man in Uijeongbu, also in the same province, since the national inoculation campaign began on Friday. China in Focus (March 2): Japan Asks China to Stop Anal Swab Testing China comes under fire again for subjecting foreigners to an invasive virus test. Japanese officials say it needs to stop. The head of the Chinese Communist Party is determined to stand against democratic principles. He vows not to follow constitutionalism. Floridas governor takes new action to protect the state from Chinas communist influence. One Chinese sailor is speaking out against the Chinese regime after traveling around the world opened his eyes. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more first-hand news from China. For more news and videos, please visit our website and Twitter. Largest producer of uranium in the US Leading producer of vanadium used in batteries, steel, and chemical industries Recovering rare earth elements (REEs) at White Mesa mill in Utah What Energy Fuels does: Energy Fuels Inc ( ) ( ), headquartered in Colorado, is a fully integrated producer of both uranium and vanadium, and owner of the only operating conventional uranium mill at White Mesa in Utah. It supplies uranium (U3O8) to major nuclear utilities and can also produce vanadium from some projects as market conditions allow. The firm's White Mesa mill has a licensed capacity to produce over eight million pounds of uranium a year, and can generate vanadium when market conditions warrant. The mill is also licensed for the production of other minerals, including tantalum, which has made it onto the US government's 'critical minerals' list. The White Mesa mill is also operating under a new processing deal to assist in the cleanup of a formerly producing, Cold war era abandoned uranium mine in New Mexico. Energy Fuels has started to recover both light and heavy rare earth elements (REEs) at the mill, as well as uranium from certain natural ores and alternate feed materials. Meanwhile, the group's Nichols Ranch ISR Project is in operation and has a licensed capacity of 2 million pounds of U3O8 per year. It is currently producing and has generated over 1.2 million pounds of uranium since 2014. The Alta Mesa ISR project is currently on standby Energy Fuels also has one of the largest NI 43-101 uranium resources in the US and several uranium and uranium/vanadium mining projects on standby and in various stages of permitting and development. How is it doing: On May 14, Energy Fuels revealed that it ended the first quarter of 2021 with US$60.4 million in working capital as it gears up to expand its rare earths capabilities this year. Energy Fuels reported that it holds around $28 million worth of inventory, including 690,800 pound of uranium and 1,672,000 pounds of vanadium both immediately marketable, according to the company. During the quarter ended March 31, 2021, the company posted revenue of $353,000 and a net loss of $10.91 million, compared to a net loss of $5.66 million for the first quarter of 2020, which Energy Fuels attributed primarily to an increase in its share price that resulted in a non-cash mark-to-market increase in warrant liabilities of $3.50 million. Development expenditures also rose by $2.69 million compared to 1Q 2020 due to its rare earths program ramp up. Away from the numbers, in April 2021, Energy Fuels announced a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Hyperion Metals Limited, in which Hyperion would send natural monazite sands from its Titan Project in Tennessee to Energy Fuels for processing. Energy Fuels said it plans to produce mixed rare earth element (REE) products at its White Mesa Mill in Utah from the monazite sands it receives. In addition to producing mixed REE carbonate, Energy Fuels is also evaluating the potential to develop US separation, metals, alloys, and other downstream REE capabilities at the White Mesa Mill or nearby. The company added it hopes to increase its supply of monazite feed to approximately 15,000 tons per year for this initiative. Energy Fuels also revealed recently that it has teamed up with Neo Performance Materials on a new US and European rare earth production initiative. The program will produce value-added rare earth products from natural monazite sands, which is a byproduct of heavy mineral sands mined in the southeastern US. Energy Fuels will process the monazite sands into a mixed rare earth carbonate in Utah to use as feedstock for Neos rare earth separation facility in Estonia. The firm is also evaluating the potential to develop separation facilities in the US. In December 2020, Energy Fuels announced that it is set to become the first US company in more than 20 years to produce a marketable mixed rare earth element (REE) concentrate ready for separation on a commercial scale. This comes after the company reported that it has entered into a three-year supply agreement with The Chemours Company to acquire a minimum of 2,500 tons per year of natural monazite sands from the Offerman Mineral Sand Plant in Georgia. Energy Fuels has started to process the monazite sands at White Mesa, while also recovering the contained uranium, which it believes represents an important step toward re-establishing a fully integrated US REE supply chain. The goal is to process at least 15,000 tons of monazite per year for the recovery of REEs and uranium, which would represent about 2% of White Mesas throughput capacity. Energy Fuels expects to gradually ramp-up production of an intermediate REE product called "mixed REE carbonate." This product will then advance to REE separation, which is the next stage in the REE value chain. Upon successful ramp-up, the company plans to commercially produce an REE product at a stage more advanced than any other US company. Energy Fuels plans to sell its mixed REE carbonate to Neo Performance which will process the material at its facility in Europe and manufacture separated REE products available to US and European markets. Energy Fuels currently is in negotiations with various parties to procure sources of monazite sands that can potentially be processed on a commercial scale at the Mill for the recovery of REE concentrate and uranium. In addition, it is carrying out ongoing discussions on the possible sale of REE concentrate produced at the Mill to an REE separation facility. What the broker says: In a note published on May 26 following Energy Fuels' 1Q results, analysts at Noble Capital said that while processing REE carbonate could generate tens of millions in cash flow, separating REE elements could be even more profitable. The analysts said: We estimate that REE carbonate might sell for $50,000 per tonne with cost of goods representing 75% of revenues depending on the quality of the Monazite. Such an estimate would imply $30 million generated by Energy Fuels for producing 2,000-3,000 tonnes of REE carbonate as per guidance. That number would grow to $75 million if the company meets targets to eventually process 15,000 tonnes of Monazite (6,000 tonnes of REE carbonate). Noble repeated a Market Perform rating on the stock. Inflection points: Commercially produce an REE product more advanced than any other US company Update on government budget proposal Uranium/vanadium price moves What the boss says: While nearly all current and future nuclear reactors are fueled by uranium, other clean energy and advanced technologies, including electric vehicles renewable energy and batteries, require other critical minerals that Energy Fuels produces," the company's CEO Mark Chalmers told shareholders recently. "A robust market for responsibly produced, American clean energy products and technologies, made by American workers, is possible in the US ... Energy Fuels' White Mesa Mill in Utah can help this vision become a reality. To say these are exciting times for our company would be the understatement of my lifetime." Contact Angela at angela@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter @AHarmantas Business has been placed at the heart of today's Budget and the Chancellor has announced a number of sweeping changes to try and bolster jobs and investment up and down the country. Among a string of big-ticket announcements, we now know there's a surprise new 'super deduction' plan on the way, corporation tax is going up and 'freeports' are coming in eight new locations. For ordinary people, there's a lot of jargon and pretty complex ideas and concepts to get to grips with, so here, we outline what all this means for businesses, the people that work in them and the taxman, otherwise known as HM Revenue & Customs. Getting back to business: Sunak wants to turbocharge investment and get the economy moving 'Super deduction' tax cut for firms Unlike so many announcements in the Budget, this one seems to have come as a genuine surprise to many and it's even been dubbed as the new 'splash out to help out' scheme. One of the things that's interesting about it that its set to benefit a fair few companies in the north, where a lot of manufacturing firms are based, while the corporation tax hike announced could hit certain firms in places like London and the south east of England hardest. What's happening? From 1 April until 31 March 2023, businesses ploughing cash into 'qualifying' new plant and machinery will be able to claim something called the 'super deduction' on their tax bill. The main reason this is being introduced is because levels of investment by businesses have 'chilled' as a result of the pandemic, the Treasury said. 'This super-deduction will encourage firms to invest in productivity-enhancing plant and machinery assets that will help them grow, and to make those investments now', it said. Manufacturing boost: From April a two year 'super deduction' in tax will be available to firms making plant and machinery investments In short, the super deduction will enable companies to cut their tax bill by up to 25p for every 1 they invest. Sunak noted that such a system had 'never been tried' in Britain before and represents the 'biggest business tax cut in modern British history'. The Treasury thinks super deductions will ensure Britain's capital allowances system, which is the process whereby businesses pay lower tax when they buy certain assets, will be among the most competitive in the world. He wants companies to unleash the cash they have tied up in their balance sheets, but the plans looks set to cost the Government over 25billion. In terms of what sort of companies may benefit most from the super deduction, manufacturing and construction firms are likely to be at the top of the list as they, by their very nature, often need to spend a lot of cash on new equipment and machinery. But, the real in-depth specifics of what sort of things will fall in scope for the super deduction are not yet known. Super deductions broadly welcomed However, there seems to be broad consensus among analysts and business insiders that the new super deduction will be good for business, even though it has some limitations, namely that it'll only be available for a couple of years. Mark Minihane, EY UK & Ireland advanced manufacturing and mobility tax leader, said: 'Manufacturing businesses will also welcome the super-deduction incentive for investing in new equipment, and will be eager for more detail on what exactly this will cover. However, the two-year period for the relief is a little disappointing.' He added: 'There was a lack of wider investment stimulus. There was also no mention of the patent box regime and no extension of the current R&D tax relief regime, although the announced review of the latter is welcome.' Paul Falvey, tax partner at BDO, said: 'For businesses, the introduction of a 'super deduction' worth an estimated 29bn over the next four years is squarely aimed at spurring investment. Limits: Some critics have suggested the super deduction should continue beyond 2023 'This will likely benefit industries such as infrastructure, manufacturing, utilities and construction. 'It will be interesting to see to what extent this encourages short term investment for sectors that generally take a longer term view of investment decisions. The Chancellor will hope it encourages them to take a less cautious view of their medium economic prospects. Meanwhile, Martin Walker, head of UK equities at Invesco, said: 'The move by the Chancellor in the budget today to offer accelerated tax allowances of up to 130% on investment, provides a real cash flow incentive for companies to kick-start investment in the UK, cash that will ultimately only be paid back through taxation, once the benefits of the investment begin to show. 'This is likely to be hugely supportive of a wide-range of UK industries, and indeed also of the domestic banking sector providing short and medium term loans.' Stella Amiss, head tax for regions at PwC, said: 'It is likely that he has the levelling up agenda in mind as the super deduction capital allowances will benefit the Midlands and the North whereas the rate rise will be most acutely felt in London and the South East.' Sell-off in gilts after surprise announcement There was some movement in the markets today as a result of Sunak's surprise super deductions announcement. Michael Hewson, chief analyst at CMC Markets UK, said the corporation tax hike had been 'overshadowed' by the super deduction plans. He added: 'This appears to have prompted a selloff in UK gilt markets, pushing yields back up towards last week's peaks above 0.8%. 'On the flip side the FTSE 250 looks set to close at a one year high, as investors pile back into to an index that has underperformed markedly over the past 12 months. The reaction of sterling amounted to what can only be described as a collective shrug.' Corporation tax hike What the Chancellor gives with the one hand, he takes away with the other and this is certainly what has happened in today's Budget. Summing up what's gone on, Mark Heppell, a partner at JMW Solicitors has summed things up fairly well, saying the super deduction announcement has been enacted to help 'mask the pain' of the upcoming hike to corporation taxes. What's happening? A rise in corporation tax, which is a tax companies pay on the profits they make, was always on the cards, but some business leaders have been shocked at the scale of the hike. Sunak announced a hefty hike of corporation tax to 25 per cent by 2023 for the biggest businesses in his Budget. While he stressed it was still the lowest rate in the G7, the hike from the current 19 per cent level was likely to anger big businesses. Firms with profits under 50,000 will remain at 19 per cent, meaning only 10 per cent of companies will pay the higher rate. Why is this happening? The measure looks set to raise around 50billion by 2026 in additional taxes, with huge sums coming in towards the end of parliament. In 2024 and 2025 alone it will raise 16billion and 17billion respectively. Sunak made it clear he'd rather hike taxes on business like this than increase something like income tax, which would hit millions of people in the pocket, and, in all likelihood, trigger a major downturn in public attitudes towards the Government. Pretty unpopular but necessary move A hike to corporation tax in some form was never in doubt and most experts seem to think it is necessary given the state of the nation's finances. It also signals the Chancellor favours tax hikes as opposed to increased borrowing. Paul Fazackerley, IFA at Furnley House, said: 'While not everyone will support raising the rate of corporation tax, the reality is that it's the right thing to do. 'Corporation tax is a tax on profits, not turnover, so it is only a tax on businesses that are thriving. Businesses have had a lot of support over the last year and there have been more winners than perhaps some people realise.' Hiked: The most profitable businesses in the country will be paying more corporation tax Meanwhile, Jon Richardson, head of tax policy at PwC, said: 'The Chancellor has swept aside any lingering notion of the UK becoming a post-Brexit Singapore. 'After years of a declining headline corporation tax rate, his hand has clearly been forced by the pandemic and a desire to start repairing the public finances. But in increasing the rate in one bang in 2023 rather than a gradual rise, he will rip off the plaster more quickly and painfully than might have been expected. 'While the UK will still be left with a headline rate around the G20 average, this doesn't necessarily paint the full picture. 'Over recent years, the effective tax rate has increased through restrictions on reliefs and allowances. However, the Chancellor has taken steps to address that trend through the super deduction for capital investment.' Tax on online giants notably absent Before the Budget, rumours swirled that Sunak could introduce a new tax on online delivery giants like Amazon in a bid to try and get bricks-and-mortar based businesses on an even keel. Yet, this didn't materalise today. Mona Bitar, EY UK & Ireland consumer leader, said: 'The rumoured online sales tax did not appear in today's Budget announcement, leaving the retail sector waiting for details on the Chancellor's intentions. No new tax: Before the Budget, rumours swirled that Sunak could introduce a new tax on online delivery giants like Amazon 'As the sector navigates post-pandemic recovery, greater certainty is needed in this area. With tax consultations deferred until 23 March, the sector will be hoping for more information then. 'Most physical retailers are trying to grow their online business while managing a portfolio of stores as footfall declines. Any new taxes on online sales will need to be set at the right level and introduced at the appropriate time to benefit rather than hinder these businesses as they seek to recover from the impact of COVID-19.' Eight new freeports are on the way Sunak ensured he made a pretty big deal in announcing the launch of eight new 'freeport' sites across Britain, claiming they will help businesses and bolster the economy. What's a freeport? Typically located near shipping ports or airports, freeports are designated by the Government as areas with little to no tax in order to boost economic activity. They are of course located geographically within a country, but essentially exist outside its borders for tax purposes. A company can import products into a freeport without having to pay the UK tax rate on that item. They can then process the item in the UK before exporting it to a third country or selling it into the UK market, where it will face standard taxes. They've actually been around for a long time and Britain operated several of them up until 2012, when the Government stopped renewing their licences. Locations included Liverpool, the Port of Tilbury and Southampton. So, where will the eight new freeports be located? Today, the Chancellor revealed that the Government plans to launch freeports in eight new locations across the country. They will start operating later this year. Over 30 locations in England reportedly bid in an attempt to become a freeport. New hubs: Eight new freeport hubs will be launched later this year, Sunak said today The new feeeport hubs will be located at East Midlands Airport, Felixstowe and Harwich, the Humber region, Liverpool City Region, Plymouth, Solent, Thames and Teesside. In England, companies inside the sites will also be offered temporary tax breaks, typically lasting five years. Why is the Chancellor doing this? Sunak and the Government hope the new freeports will help drive up activity in the economy and help regenerate struggling areas to give them a new lease of life. It's aimed at helping 'level up' the economy. Sunak said freeport areas would have 'different rules to make it easier and cheaper to do business.' He said the freeport policy is 'on a scale we've never done before' and will be crucial in creating jobs. He added: 'I see old industrial sites being used to capture and store carbon, vaccines being manufactured, offshore wind turbines, creating clean energy for the rest of the country, all located within a freeport, with a Treasury just down the road, and the UK infrastructure bank only an hour away.' What's the reaction been like? Richard Ballantyne,the boss of the British Ports Association, said: 'We welcome this as a first tranche of freeports in England but there will be regions that are disappointed not to have been recognised. 'These are an interesting selection of bids and we look forward to a continuing a partnership with Ministers who rightly recognise the critical role that ports can play in anchoring prosperity and supporting important industries in our coastal communities. 'It is important that the Government now considers how it can extend many of these benefits elsewhere if it is serious about its implementing its levelling up agenda.' An eight-foot tall steel fence topped with concertina razor wire circles the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 29, 2021. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Update: FBI Counterterrorism Official Says She Has No Knowledge of Firearms Recovered During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach An FBI official on Wednesday testified at a Senate hearing that she has no knowledge of any guns being recovered from suspects who were arrested during the Jan. 6 Capitol breach. When asked by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) about whether firearms were recovered or if any suspect was charged with firearms offenses, FBI counterterrorism official Jill Sanborn responded: To my knowledge, none. She qualified her remark by saying that she did not want to speak for Capitol Police first. But in the hearing, Sanborn also said that before the Jan. 6 incident, We knew they would be armed, we had intelligence that they would be coming to DC, but we did not have intelligence that they would be breaching the Capitol. I believe that the only shots that were fired were the ones that resulted in the death of the lady, Sanborn also testified, referring to the officer-involved shooting of Ashli Babbit. Later, Sanborn said officials found a firearm in search of a vehicle that also had Molotov cocktails Johnson previously told news outlets that the term armed insurrection used by some Democratic officials, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and mainstream news outlets is incorrect as no guns were recovered. Videos posted online appeared to show some alleged rioters in melee battles with Capitol Police officers. In one instance, a man was seen hitting an officer with an American flag. Officer Brian Sicknick died on Jan. 7 from natural causes. The Department of Justice has charged three people on firearms charges in connection to the Jan. 6 riot. I would say, if its properly termed an armed insurrection, it was a pretty ragtag one, Johnson remarked in his interview with the New York Times last week. This didnt seem like an armed insurrection to me. When you hear the word armed, dont you think of firearms? Heres the questions I would have liked to ask: How many firearms were confiscated? How many shots were fired? he also said. Johnson added: If that was a planned armed insurrection, you really have a bunch of idiots. The senators comments drew a rebuke from media pundits and congressional Democrats, who attempted to characterize him as someone who is sympathetic to the rioters. Separately on Wednesday, the U.S. Capitol Police said Wednesday it has obtained intelligence pointing to a possible plot by a militia group to breach the building on Thursday. The statement did not name the organization but called it an identified militia group. Thursday marks the date when some have claimed that Trump, defeated by Biden in the Nov. 3 election, will be sworn in for a second term in office. A day before that, FBI Director Christopher Wray said that the Jan. 6 incident is being classified by the agency as domestic terrorism. The U.S. Justice Department has charged more than 300 people with taking part in the Capitol breach. Among those arrested were members of right-wing groups such as the Oath Keepers, Three Percenters, and Proud Boys. The Oath Keepers and Three Percenters are armed militia groups. There was no indication that the Senate or House would alter their legislative activities on Thursday. The House is aiming to debate and pass a policing reform bill on Thursday. The Senate could be in the midst of a potentially long debate and votes on a COVID-19 aid bill. Reuters contributed to this report. Editors note: This article was updated to include the Department of Justice having charged three suspects in connection with the riot with firearms offenses and Sanborn later saying in the hearing that a firearm was found in a vehicle that also had Molotov cocktails. You are here Media > News Latest Behind the Headlines Examines Perils of Political Speech 2 March 2021 - In the Trinity Long Room Hubs latest Behind the Headlines, a panel of five distinguished speakers, including Ambassador to the US, Daniel Mulhall, discussed political language and speech and how oratory can persuade, for both good and bad. Addressing the online audience, Professor Eve Patten, Director of the Trinity Long Room Hub noted the recent events of January 6th 2021 at Capitol Hill as the impetus to draw on the expertise of the Arts and Humanities and go Behind the Headlines to examine what is the current state of play when it comes to the relationship between speech and action. Joining the Trinity Long Room Hubs online event from Washington, Ambassador Daniel Mulhall, spoke of the many political speeches that have inspired him during his career, and during his postings in India, Germany, Britain and the USA. Commenting on the recent change of administration in the US, Ambassador Mulhall noted President Joe Bidens rhetoric of empathy and reflected on whether he might indeed be able to heal divisions and make the journey to that further shore, a line from Seamus Heaneys Cure at Troy, an adapted verse so centrally part of President Bidens political campaign. Quoting Socrates who described rhetoric as a bag of tricks devised to flatter and deceive the ear, Professor Martine Cuypers took the audience back to Ancient Greece where she explored whether the precepts of classical oratory still apply to political speech-making today. ...raw political passion can unleash forces that become uncontrollable... Referring to thinkers such as Aristotle and Cicero, she spoke of the importance of oratory in ancient education, and the belief that there was a direct link between speaking well and responsible leadership as well as the recognition that, in the wrong hands, rule by the people, could quite easily become tyranny. While speakers alluded to the loss of the impassioned speeches of generations gone, others were quick to note the differences across cultures where, for some, history is a reminder of how raw political passion can unleash forces that become uncontrollable. How will social media impact on speeches into the future? What will be remembered? #hubmatters pic.twitter.com/9oJvdooitS TrinityLongRoomHub (@TLRHub) March 1, 2021 Professor Darryl Jones said that "in an age of populist oratory the work of George Orwell matters as much as ever. The Professor of Literature at Trinity College Dublin said that Orwell recognised the danger of Hitler and Mussolini in that they grasped the power of nationalism and patriotism so readily espoused from their soap boxes. Quoting Orwells Politics and the English Language, he said there is a real danger to throwing your mind open and letting the ready-made sentences come crowding in. They will construct your sentences for you--even think your thoughts for you. Contrary to common understanding, politicians dont necessarily love speaking, commented Alan Finlayson, Professor of Political and Social Theory at The University of East Anglia. He said that we as citizens make our politicians speak to us so that we can judge them. He said meaningful rhetorical citizenship is prohibited today with staged political campaigns and scripted messages based on an imagined audience. According to Professor Finlayson, denied the chance to be rhetorical citizens, we distrust politics and within this void or crisis of rhetorical culture we see a growth in populist speech that appears to speak to the people. Contrary to common understanding, politicians dont necessarily love speaking... As a practising politician, Senator Ivana Bacik, Reid Professor of Criminal Law in Trinity College Dublin, warned against the seduction of the soundbite in an age of social media arguing that context is lacking. She highlighted as one of her most memorable speeches, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosis address to the Irish Parliament in 2018. The Senator said Pelosis words masked real power in her direct appeal to Boris Johnson regarding the Good Friday Agreement. This speech prompted her to reflect on how rarely women are regarded in history as having made great speeches. As the 20th Century drew to a close, we were told that the political speech, delivered on a charged occasion by an eloquent orator was a redundant discursive form in the age of mass media, commented Professor Darryl Jones. He continued, we were wrong. About Behind the Headlines: The Trinity Long Room Hubs Behind the Headlines discussion series offers background analyses on current issues by experts drawing on the long-term perspectives of Arts & Humanities research. It aims to provide a forum that deepens understanding, combats simplification and creates space for informed and respectful public discourse. The Trinity Long Room Hub Behind the Headlines series is supported by the John Pollard Foundation. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal 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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 In September last year when Rio shareholders successfully blasted three of the miners most senior executives out of their jobs because of the Juukan Gorge destruction, it looked like the fight had finished. Three of the biggest scalps in Australian corporate history were on spikes - chief executive Jean-Sebastien Jacques, iron ore division boss Chris Salisbury and corporate affairs boss Simone Niven. And then there was quiet. But the battle wasnt over. Behind the scenes, a group of mainly Australian shareholders continued guerrilla warfare without the assistance of the public outcry that had turbocharged the campaign to make Rio accountable for the destruction of the 46,000-year-old sacred indigenous sites. Simon Thompson ultimately took accountability. Credit:Bloomberg As described by one large activist shareholder, the executive changes were just phase one of the campaign. Gov. Phil Murphy announced Monday that state officials fully expect New Jersey schools to return for in-person learning come September, adding that teachers will be eligible to receive the vaccine beginning March 15. However, what Murphy did not announce was how the renewal of in-person instruction for all students could effectively be carried out. David Cennimo, an infectious disease specialist from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, said there are no absolutes in terms of what health and safety precautions should and should not remain in place by the start of the new school year. However, he did turn his attention to the regulations that appear to have proven most effective in keeping students safe thus far, including social distancing, mask-wearing, scheduling changes, health screeners and limiting person-to-person interaction. Acknowledging teachers forthcoming eligibility for the vaccine, Cennimo said their vaccination would certainly be helpful while adding that it does not preclude them from adhering to various precautions. I know that we dont really know how protective being vaccinated is against the possibility that you can spread COVID, Cennimo said. So I dont think it should be if a teacher has been vaccinated, they dont have to wear a mask in the classroom. Marie Blistan, president of the New Jersey Education Association, posted a message on the organizations Facebook page pledging their willingness to work with Murphy to get New Jersey teachers vaccinated. At every level, New Jersey educators have worked tirelessly to educate our students and have advocated tirelessly to protect them and our communities throughout this pandemic by demanding high standards for health and safety, Blistan wrote. We stand ready to work with the Murphy administration, other elected leaders, school districts and colleges to ensure that our members can access the promised vaccinations quickly and efficiently. School districts across New Jersey have already taken actions to welcome a larger portion of students back into school buildings even if certain health and safety precautions cannot be maintained. For example, on Monday the Flemington-Raritan Regional School district Board of Education voted to combine its student cohorts and eliminate virtual week rotations beginning March 22 by adopting a plan that does not allow for them to achieve social distancing at all times. Superintendent Kari McGann previously said all students and teachers will continue to wear masks, all faculty and staff members will have access to face shields, plexiglass barriers will be erected on all students and faculty members desks, and these desks will continue to face in the same direction. According to Cennimo, the school district is not necessarily making a mistake in approving such a plan, emphasizing that student safety can never been 100% guaranteed even if maximum precautions were taken. I really think the mistake is guaranteeing student safety, Cennimo said. It is not possible to open in-person schooling with zero risk of COVID transmissions in the school ... its possible to mitigate those risks significantly, but I feel like if we keep chasing our tail on zero risks, nothing is going to ever open. So what exactly will it take for schools to reopen safely? Honest and open communication between school officials, health officials, and community members, Cennimo said. I do think this can be done successfully and safely, but its going to take the coordination of a lot of moving parts, Cennimo said. Im glad were having this conversation now for next year, because I do think its going to take that long just to figure out what are the important things, and really what can be sort of minimized. Tell us your COVID-19 vaccination stories, send us a news tip or questions about the vaccination process on our tip form. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Caroline Fassett may be reached at cfassett@njadvancemedia.com. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-04 00:12:08|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank (WB) on Wednesday urged Tanzania to take bold policy actions to maintain the east African nation's lower-middle income status in the post COVID-19 era. "Realizing the goals of Tanzania's Development Vision 2025 will require a concerted effort to restore the economy's growth momentum while expanding access to economic opportunities," said Mara Warwick, World Bank's Country Director for Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Warwick was speaking at the launch of the World Bank's 15th Tanzania Economic Update which observed that the global COVID-19 pandemic has significantly slowed economic growth, adversely affecting lives and livelihoods of Tanzanians. Following two decades of sustained growth, Tanzania reached an important milestone in July 2020, when it formally graduated to the lower-middle-income country status. "Tanzania's sustained economic expansion in recent years has supported improvements in overall living standards," said Warwick. "However, there is an important opportunity for the country to raise its own bar, providing greater opportunities and economic security for the large proportion of Tanzanians still living in poverty amidst serious impacts from the global COVID-19 pandemic," she said. The economic update launched in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam noted that while Tanzania avoided a recession in 2020, economic growth decelerated to an estimated two percent. The update said the poverty rate was estimated to have risen to 27.2 percent, warning that the loss of income could have pushed an additional 600,000 Tanzanians below the national poverty line, most of which are households relying on self-employment and informal micro-enterprises in urban areas. The economic update also highlights uncertainty of the country's economic outlook. According to the update, real gross domestic product was projected to grow in 2021 in the range of three percent to 5.3 percent, with realization on the upper side of this range hinging on a strong recovery in global economic activity supported by the world-wide rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, and sound domestic policies to foster a sustainable recovery. Enditem SmartEquip allowed us to standardize workflow across multiple branches. This made it possible to scale our business and bring more branches on without there being a lot of pain. How do you expand from 4 branches to over 45 locations in just a few years without compromising the great customer service youre known for? Thats the challenge Cooper Equipment Rentals (https://cooperequipment.ca/) faced when they began expanding in 2013. Having started in a small shed in Markham in 1972, Cooper is now the leading full-service construction equipment rental company in Canada. Much of their growth has been fueled by acquisitions 9 in the last 8 years. 2 years into their growth, Cooper partnered with SmartEquip (https://www.smartequip.com), a first of its kind process improvement and procurement software that connects equipment owners to manufacturers. Through innovative technology, SmartEquip procurement makes repairing and maintaining equipment easier and faster. While Cooper initially adopted SmartEquip to streamline their parts procurement process, they soon found that SmartEquip also helped them expand. By standardizing workflow and providing a solid parts procurement foundation, SmartEquip is now helping Cooper work toward the goal of having the largest rental fleet in Canada. Standardizing Workflow When they initially began acquiring companies, Cooper found it challenging to have different workflows in each branch. According to Darryl Cooper, President and COO of Cooper Equipment Rentals, SmartEquip allowed us to standardize workflow across multiple branches. This made it possible to scale our business and bring more branches on without there being a lot of pain. Creating this consistency helped acquisitions smoothly transition to being part of Cooper. Instead of a jumble of old and new systems, SmartEquip allowed Cooper to get everyone on the same page. Easy Onboarding In addition to standardizing workflows, SmartEquip is user-friendly making it easy for employees from other branches to use the Cooper workflow. Corey Lee, Inventory Manager, Cooper Equipment Rentals, says new employees love how SmartEquip streamlines everything and how easy it is to use. They dont have to pick up the phone for diagrams. Instead, they have everything right there. And, for employees from acquired companies already using SmartEquip, Cooper being on the same platform is a huge plus. These employees love SmartEquip, so it makes their transition to Cooper easier. Even if acquired employees were used to their old procurement process, SmartEquip is so easy to use they dont mind switching. With little resistance to a new system, Cooper can more easily integrate acquisitions and focus on growing even more. One-Stop-Shop Beyond unifying all Cooper Branches with one workflow, SmartEquip makes Coopers entire parts procurement process easier. Before SmartEquip, Cooper Technicians and Parts Coordinators had to call manufacturers or login to each brands site for parts manuals. For Cooper, this meant continually managing credentials for hundreds of employees for all their brands and dealers websites, which was challenging. Then, Technicians had to figure out the right part from the manual. After that, they had to place another call to order parts. If they needed multiple parts, they had to call or login several times. This whole process could add upwards of 30-45 minutes to their parts procurement process. And, manually going through each step left room for errors which could increase costs and decrease uptime. Offering a more streamlined way to procure parts, SmartEquip saves technicians time and reduces errors by being a one-stop-shop. Every one of our preferred vendors is in one portal. And, technicians can order parts in one session. They can order parts of different makes and models in the same basket, Rodrigo Lentino, Rental Fleet Manager at Cooper Equipment Rentals, says. SmartEquips unique platform makes the long and frustrating parts ordering process easy. With SmartEquip, Cooper technicians are automatically presented the correct parts manuals for each piece of equipment based on its specific brand, model, and serial number. Then, SmartEquip handles the rest, from work orders through purchase orders. If technicians are unsure of what to order, they can find parts diagrams and product support libraries within the SmartEquip platform as well significantly increasing efficiency in the selection and repair process. Increased Part and Vendor Visibility SmartEquips technology provides insight into which parts Cooper already has. Before, Cooper branches didnt know if other branches had the part they needed. Now, according to Bob Chan, Fleet Coordinator, SmartEquip shows all our other branches and their inventory. It saves so much money that way. If they havent used a part we need, we can have it shipped over instead of purchasing it. Another way SmartEquip helps Cooper optimize their purchase activity is by increasing vendor visibility. Brian Spilak, Senior Vice President,Cooper Equipment Rentals, says The other thing that SmartEquip does for us is that it helps channel activity toward our preferred vendors. This enables us to negotiate the best possible agreement with vendors based on a consolidated offering across the branch network and in turn keeps us competitive in the marketplace with our customers. With SmartEquip, Cooper can work with vendors to set pre-determined prices for parts they get through SmartEquip. So, Cooper knows exactly how much a part will cost every time. Combined with saving time searching and comparing prices from different suppliers, this predetermined pricing can help Cooper reduce expenses during growth. On the supply side, SmartEquips network already has more than 550 suppliers 175 brands, 375 MRO-type suppliers, and thousands of dealers. With such a large network of suppliers, vendors want to be on the SmartEquip network because it helps them provide better service to their customers and get more business. As such, SmartEquip helps both rental fleet owners like Cooper and parts vendors expand their business. More Time for Customers Along with decreasing time-consuming administrative costs, SmartEquip helps Cooper employees spend more time on what matters customers. At Cooper, were all about making lives easier, Spilak shares. Making lives easier for our customers. Making lives easier for the Cooper team. SmartEquip does that for our Parts and Service Coordinators and our lead Technicians. At the end the day streamlining this admin heavy aspect of our business increases wrench time. More wrench time is what our Technicians want to be spending their time doing and more wrench time is ultimately what our customers want them to spend their time doing. With SmartEquips streamlined parts procurement process, Cooper Technicians dont have to spend most of their time searching for and ordering the right part. Instead, they can focus on repairing and maintaining equipment ensuring all equipment is in top shape for customers. And, increase equipment uptime. SmartEquip also helps Cooper offer more items for customers to purchase at their locations. With the addition of commodities vendors, Cooper can order consumables for showroom display, like safety glasses or vests, on the same platform. Having one place to order both parts and commodities not only saves time. It also standardizes offerings across all Cooper branches so customers get the same great Cooper experience at every branch. Technology and the Cooper Difference In 2013, Cooper established the Cooper Difference, which is their guiding philosophy. One of the key components of the Cooper Difference is putting customers first. This can be a challenge when rapidly expanding. But, with the right technology, Cooper didnt have to sacrifice outstanding customer service for growth. Instead, Cooper uses innovative technology like SmartEquip to unify and streamline their operations leaving them more time to focus on customers and expanding their business coast-to-coast. Wondering if SmartEquip could help your business grow? Learn more (https://www.smartequip.com/) about how SmartEquip can help you today. PARIS, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- EKINOPS (Euronext Paris - FR0011466069) (EKI), a leading supplier of telecommunications solutions for telecom operators and businesses, has published its financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2020 as approved by the Board of Directors on March 2, 2021. The statutory auditors have finished auditing the financial statements and the certification report will be issued shortly. m - IFRS 20191 2020 Change (%) Revenue 93.5 92.8 -1% Gross margin 49.9 51.1 +2% % of revenue 53.4% 55.1% Operating expenses 45.4 47.6 +5% EBITDA2 15.0 14.8 -1% % of revenue 16.0% 15.9% Current operating income 4.5 3.5 -22% Other operating income/(expenses) (2.6) (0.2) +72% Operating income 2.0 3.3 Net income 1.6 3.2 +100% 1 On June 30, 2020, the Group finalized the purchase price allocation of Ekinops Brasil. Certain items were impacted by the retroactive effect of this purchase price allocation. The "2019" column includes these impacts. 2 EBITDA (Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) corresponds to current operating income restated for (i) amortization, depreciation, provisions, and (ii) charges related to share-based payments. Full-year consolidated revenue for 2020 slid 0.8% to 92.8 million. At constant exchange rates, full-year revenue edged up 0.2%, reflecting the Group's strong performance in a market disrupted by the pandemic and its economic consequences. Ekinops recorded major commercial successes in 2020 with the new offerings, especially in virtualization, SD-WAN and OTN solutions which acted as a catalyst for WDM product sales. In the access market, sales of high value-added mid-range routers doubled, making a further contribution to the improvement in margins. In terms of regions, the Group posted strong growth in France (up 9%) and the USA (up 3% at constant exchange rates). The EMEA region (Europe excluding France, Middle East & Africa) saw a limited 2% decline in full-year sales (flat at constant exchange rates), while the Group returned to growth in the second half with sales up 8%. Most heavily impacted by the health situation and lockdown measures, the Asia-Pacific region posted a 24% decline in 2020. 55.1% gross margin rate, above the target range 2020 gross margin came to 51.1 million, up 1.2 million from 2019. This resulted in a gross margin rate of 55.1%, up 1.7 point from 53.4% in 2019 and just above the 50-55% target range set by the Group. Besides tightly controlling production costs, the Group continued to reap the benefits of its upmarket strategy, as the growing success of new solutions contributed to improving the product mix and margins. Robust 2020 EBITDA margin: 15.9% 2020 EBITDA amounted to 14.8 million, down only 0.2 million from 2019 EBITDA. The control of the cost structure, despite a disrupted environment and without the Group having to resort to partial unemployment throughout the year, enabled the company to achieve a robust 15.9% EBITDA margin, just below the 16.0% all-time high achieved in the previous year. The 2.2 million year-on-year increase in operating expenses (including 1.2 million depreciation and amortization charges) was due to the expansion of the R&D teams (7 new hires excluding the R&D team acquired in Brazil) and the full-year impact of the expenses incurred by the OTN business in Brazil acquired in July 2019. Other operating expense items were kept well under control in 2020, with sales and marketing expenditure down 3%, mainly due to savings on travel expenses, and overheads and administrative costs down 9% including a major reduction in share-based payment expenses versus 2019. After net depreciation, amortization and provisions (10.4 million) and non-cash expenses relating to share-based payments (0.9 million), current operating income amounted to 3.5 million (3.8% of revenue) in 2020. Given the absence of material non-recurring income and expense items in 2020, operating income came to 3.3 million, up from 1.9 million in 2019. After 1.3 million of financial expenses (including 0.8 million currency losses) and the utilization of 1.2 million deferred taxes, net income, Group share came to 3.2 million, double the 2019 figure (1.6 million). Net cash3 up 4.1 million to 18.1 million as of December 31, 2020 In 2020, Ekinops generated cash flow before taxes and net borrowing costs of 13.8 million, up 11% versus 2019. Working capital increased by 5.6 million in 2020, mainly due to the year-end inventory-building policy designed to forestall supply issues with certain electronic components. Operating cash flow amounted to 7.2 million in 2020. Cash flow from investing activities amounted to a 4.9 million outflow of which 4.3 million of CAPEX (non-current assets and R&D capitalization) and 0.6 million for the purchase of minority interests from former OneAccess shareholders. Cash flow from financing activities amounted to a 14.9 million inflow in 2020, boosted by (i) new bank borrowings totaling 12.7 million net of repayments, including 12.5 million under government support schemes to help businesses cope with the pandemic (PGE state-guaranteed loans in France and PPP Paycheck Protection Program in the USA) and (ii) a 3.3 million capital increase following the exercise of options by employees share-based payment plans. The overall change in cash and cash equivalents was a 17.0 million increase in 2020. As of December 31, 2020, cash and cash equivalents amounted to 49.6 million versus borrowings of 31.6 million. Ekinops continued to benefit from a highly robust financial position, posting net cash3 of 18.1 million at 2020 year-end up from 14.0 million the previous year. ASSETS - m IFRS 12/31 20194 12/31 2020 EQUITY & LIABILITIES - m IFRS 12/31 20194 12/31 2020 Non-current assets 83.9 77.6 Shareholders' equity 86.4 90.9 o/w goodwill 28.7 28.3 Financial liabilities 18.7 31.6 o/w intangible assets 34.3 27.2 o/w bank loans 9.8 21.9 o/w right-of-use assets 6.2 5.3 o/w factoring 6.7 7.8 Current assets 38.9 41.2 R&D tax credit pre-financing 5.3 6.3 o/w inventories 10.5 13.9 Trade payables 13.8 12.4 o/w trade receivables 21.4 22.3 Lease liabilities 6.5 5.5 Cash & cash equivalents 32.6 49.6 Other liabilities 24.6 21.8 TOTAL 155.4 168.5 TOTAL 155.4 168.5 3 Net cash = cash and cash equivalents borrowings (excluding bank debt relating to CIR pre-financing and IFRS 16 lease liabilities) 4 On June 30, 2020, the Group finalized the purchase price allocation of Ekinops Brasil. Certain items were impacted by the retroactive effect of this purchase price allocation. The "December 31, 2019" column includes these impacts. Outlook Although it is still too early to envisage a sustained market recovery given the prolongation of the health crisis in 2021, so far the signs in terms of operator investment are encouraging. That said, current worldwide pressure on the supply of certain electronic components is likely to curb global equipment production in the first half and delay deliveries to operators in the second half. In response to this situation, toward the end of 2020 Ekinops pursued a policy of building surplus inventory and ordering certain component categories in advance. The Group is currently adopting a stance of cautious optimism in the hope that these supply problems will have a limited impact on its business. At this stage of the year, Ekinops plans to continue to outperform its markets and main competitors, then step up the pace of growth as and when the effects of the health crisis begin to wear off. The major commercial successes of 2020 confirmed Ekinops' leadership in key technology areas serving new-generation operator networks (virtualization, SDN and SD-WAN, 10 GB/s connectivity and 5G enterprise routers in access, OTN, etc.). This technology leadership and the efforts expended on business development and winning new accounts in 2020 will further boost growth as market demand rises. 2021 financial targets Ekinops continues to pursue its long-term trajectory towards double-digit growth. Progress towards this goal in 2021 will depend on the increase in demand over the coming months as and when the effects of the health crisis begin to wear off. Ekinops has set a mid-year deadline for confirming this target for 2021. Regarding gross margin, the upmarket strategy and increasing role of software solutions in the equipment offering have prompted the Group to raise its target range. As from 2021, Ekinops has decided to aim for a long-term gross margin rate in the 52-56% range, compared to the previous range of 50-55%. In terms of operating performance, Ekinops is aiming at an EBITDA margin of 12-16% in 2021 while continuing to hire the staff required to drive its innovation policy and business development strategy. Relying on its very sound financial position, Ekinops intends to continue pursuing all external growth opportunities that would create value for the company. 2021 financial calendar Date Release April 12, 2021 Q1 2021 revenue May 27, 2021 General Meeting July 12, 2021 Q2 2021 revenue July 29, 2021 H1 2021 results October 12, 2021 Q3 2021 revenue January 12, 2022 FY 2021 revenue March 8, 2022 2021 annual results All press releases are published after Euronext Paris market close. For more information, visit www.ekinops.com Appendices - Alternative performance indicators EBITDA The Group has opted to communicate this metric in view of (i) its significance for the analysis of financial performance, and (ii) the vesting terms governing Group employee bonus share and stock option plans. As such, the Group defines EBITDA as current operating income restated for (i) amortization, depreciation, provisions and write-offs, and (ii) charges related to share-based payments. m - IFRS 2019 2020 Current operating income 4.5 3.5 Amortization, depreciation (excl. right-of-use assets) and provisions 3.5 4.6 Amort., depr. of developed technologies and customer relations 5.1 5.8 Share-based payments 1.8 0.9 EBITDA 15.0 14.8 SOURCE Ekinops Available at the bottom page is the latest announcement from Rocket Lab. Its twice as entertaining and fun as a movie trailer and several times more awesome because its not fiction . Focusing on the companys dependability when it comes to committing to a project, it shows CEO Peter Beck talk about previous accomplishments and then eating the proverbial hat (but literally so) before announcing Neutron.Rocket Lab has been around since 2002 and, as of 2018, when the first Electron booster was launched, its been putting dozens of satellites into orbit. Electron specializes in small payloads and, while the company never mentioned plans for a bigger rocket, it feels like the right step in the right direction. This is where Neutron comes in: a two-stage vehicle with a reusable first stage that will land on a platform in the ocean, guaranteeing high launch cadence and minimized launch costs.Neutron will be 40 meters (131 feet) long and will have a payload fairing with a 4.5-meter (14.7-foot) diameter. The cargo will be loaded into the fairing, and the payload will depend on the destination: lift capacity for low Earth orbit is 8,000 kg (17,636 pounds), for the Moon 2,000 kg (4,400 pounds) and 1,500 kg (3,300 pounds) for Mars. More importantly, Neutron will also be capable of International Space Station (ISS) resupply and human spaceflight missions, the company says.Given ongoing efforts by SpaceX with Falcon 9, which has nearly three times the payload capacity, it would be easy to compare the two companies and suggest theyre direct competitors. And that Rocket Lab is already losing for choosing to build smaller. Beck is quick to shut this thought process before it even forms.Efficiently building the mega constellations of the future requires launching multiple satellites in batches to different orbital planes, Beck says. Its a requirement that all too often sees large launch vehicles fly with payloads well below their full lift capacity, which is an incredibly expensive and inefficient way to build out a satellite constellation. Neutrons 8-ton lift capacity will make it ideally sized to deploy satellites in batches to specific orbital planes, creating a more targeted and streamlined approach to building out mega constellations.Neutron will be online in 2024 and will launch from NASAs Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Terminating the powers of member of the Supreme Judicial Council Gagik Jhangiryan is not on the Councils agenda. This is what Chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council of Armenia Ruben Vardazaryan told reporters in parliament today. There is only one claim that one of the judges submitted to the Administrative Court against the chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council, that is, yours truly, and the particular judge is asking the court to oblige me to terminate Jhangiryans powers. Were currently waiting for the judicial act. Im familiar with the claim, which has also been submitted to the Supreme Judicial Council, but since Im the defendant, I wont answer the question whether the claim is substantiated or not, Vardazaryan said. Judge of the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction Karine Petrosyan has submitted a claim to the Supreme Judicial Council to terminate the powers of member of the Council Gagik Jhangiaryan, stating that the ground for her application is the fact that academic lawyer member of the Council Gagik Jhangiaryan is 65 years old and, according to the judge, this is proscribed by the Judicial Code. In regard to this, Jhangiryan had said that the Judicial Code doesnt set restrictions for academic lawyer members. Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's expected visit to Bangladesh, External Affairs Minister (EAM) will pay an official visit to Dhaka on March 4 at the invitation of his counterpart Dr A K Abdul Momen. According to a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Jaishankar will meet his counterpart and will also call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The EAM's visit to follows the Prime Minister-level Virtual Summit held between two countries on December 17, 2020, and will also provide an opportunity to take stock of the progress in bilateral relations. Hasina, in conversation with PM Modi during the virtual summit in January, said that India is the country's true friend for its support during the 1971 liberation war. Both sides had also reiterated their strong commitment to eliminating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. (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.) FCW Insider: March 3 After weeks of controversy, the Biden administration's pick to lead the Office of Management and Budget withdrew her name from consideration. The Defense Innovation Unit issued 56 prototype other transaction agreements in 2020, according to a recent report, bringing the total number of OTAs issued to 208 since its inception in 2015. Lt. Gen. Richard Clark, the Air Force Academys superintendent, told Congress the academys accreditation was threatened by legacy IT. Steve Kelman shares new research that suggests managers are too stingy with their praise. While Neera Tanden's nomination to lead the Office of Management and Budget is in peril, it looks like Shalanda Young will have an smooth path to confirmation as the agency's number two official. Quick Hits *** The Office of Management and Budget explained to agencies in a March 2 memo how to roll back contractual changes put in place as part of the Trump administration's order purging federal agencies of diversity training programs that ran afoul of certain content restrictions spelled out in the executive order titled "Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping." That order was overturned as part of a Biden administration executive order issued on the day Joe Biden and Kamala Harris took office. The memo also advised that the Labor Department's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs will not be enforcing any contractual language related to the order. *** Once again, cybersecurity, federal workforce management and IT acquisition are among the leading trouble areas in the Government Accountability Office's annual high risk list. *** Microsoft announced an "out of band" emergency update to deal with a security flaw that is being leveraged in cyberattacks against three Microsoft Exchange Server products. The 0-day bug is being used to target on-premises servers cloud email is not affected according to the company. Microsoft said the threat group responsible for the attack is based in China and appears to be state-sponsored. Companies on both sides of the border are seeing movement on the US legislative front with even better sales prospects to start off 2021 Canaccord said overall sales in the US could surpass US$20 billion this year Canadas cannabis operators are reaping the benefits of their US counterparts momentum. Companies on both sides of the border are seeing strong tailwinds in favour of US legislation and even better sales prospects to start off 2021. said its Canadian Cannabis Index finished 4.8% higher to end the month of February after sustained positive newsflow from the US regarding federal marijuana reform, while its US Cannabis Index was up 17.3% for the month. US cannabis legislation is sharply in focus at the beginning of the year, buoyed by a joint statement from Democratic senators including Majority Leader Chuck Schumer pledging federal cannabis reform in 2021. Canaccord said overall sales in the US could surpass US$20 billion this year. In Canada, national sales ended 2020 at an annualized run rate of C$3.5 billion. With an aligned House, Senate and White House, pro-cannabis legislation/measures have a seemingly easier political path to navigate, representing a moderate de-risking to the sector as a whole, Canaccord analysts wrote in their monthly report. Although we caution investors that full federal legalization in the US (as experienced in Canada) does not appear to be on the table, we note that current pending legislation could see marijuana become decriminalized and rescheduled out of its Schedule 1 classification, Canaccord wrote. With a large majority of MSOs tapping the equity markets back in January, we believe many of the leading US operators are sufficiently cashed-up to continue building out exposure in a sector that we believe has the potential to eclipse US$20 billion in sales this year. Company valuations surged in January before leveling off slightly in February due to slightly underwhelming earnings reports from behemoths like Canopy Growth Corp, Tilray, Aurora and Cronos were overshadowed by large writeoffs and what Canaccord deemed less certain paths to profitability. We underline that Canadian operators still have limited-to-no exposure to current legal markets in the US; however, they continue the long-standing pattern of moving in correlation with US headlines, analysts wrote. We also note that comments made by several management teams during earnings calls held during February appeared to be increasingly bullish over the prospect of Canadian LPs eventually gaining exposure to US markets for THC. The group of analysts cautioned investors over the potential for Canadian licensed producers to secure meaningful exposure in the US, given the significant progress already made by key stakeholders south of the border on a state-by-state level. It added that it will keep a watchful eye on the US federal landscape, which could see meaningful progress towards legislation within the year. The firm also updated its Watch List of up-and-coming cannabis companies to include names like Aleafia Health Inc, Avicanna, Halo Labs, , Red White & Bloom Brands Inc, TerrAscend Corp, Village Farms International, and ( ) ( ) (FRA:4WE). None of the stocks on the list are currently rated by Canaccord. Contact Angela at angela@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter @AHarmantas India stood up Chinas disruptive use of technology and my way or no way attitude: CDS Ex-army man who received Star Medal during Indo-China war now drives an auto for a living India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Mar 03: An ex-Army man and star medal awardee during the 1971 India-China war is now an auto-rickshaw driver in Hyderabad. Driving an auto for a living, he appealed to the state government for help. Sheikh Abdul Kareem is a Star Medal recipient, a special award given to him for his contribution in the Indo-China war. Speaking to ANI, Kareem said, "I was recruited into the Indian army after the death of my father who worked for the British Army and then for the Indian army. In 1964, I entered the Indian army." "I participated in the 1971 Indo-China war and was posted in Lahaul area. I was awarded with Star Medal and was the special award recipient in 1971," he said. How this Mumbai auto-rickshaw driver is waging 'silent war' against coronavirus Kareem said, "During the reign of Indira Gandhi, as there were surplus army personnel, many of them were removed from the postings and I was one of them. While in the army, I applied for government land and was given five acres of land in Gollapalli village in what is now Telangana." After nearly 20 years, the five acres land that was given to me has been distributed among seven village persons and after complaining about the same, I was offered another five acres under the same survey number but was denied the original land. Now it has been nearly about one year and till now the document of the land details are not ready," he told ANI. He said that after being removed from the army, he faced a lot of problems. He said that he does not even own a home and currently, at the age of 71, is driving auto-rickshaws to feed his family. "I offered my services to this nation as an army personnel for nine years, but was removed and am now driving an auto-rickshaw at the age of 71. It has been difficult to feed my family. I do not even have my own house so that I can look after my family," he said. He also urged the government to provide ex-servicemen who are homeless with the double bedroom flats that are given to the poor. Anurag Kashyap, Tapsee Pannu face tax raids by income tax officials| Oneindia News "Despite winning a good service medal, I have not even received any sort of pension or any financial support from the government. I also request the central government to financially suport ex-servicemen who are in need of help," he also told news agency ANI. Having bid farewell to a large part of his musical past in February of 2019 with the formal, final shows of Microdisney, singer Cathal Coughlan wouldnt have been blamed for finding himself at a juncture of sorts. While none of us could have quite anticipated what would be in store in the months and years that followed, the current moment seems ideal for Coughlan to cast a cold eye on affairs of the world. New album Song of Co-Aklan does just that, seeing Coughlan emerge from a decade of traumatic and informing experiences with a wider frame of reference. I had to slow things down a bit. The big nothing that happened over [previous solo album from 2010] Rancho Tetrahedron, which I slaved over, made me think that maybe I was out of step with the times," he says via Zoom from his home in London. That non-reaction may have been a letdown for Coughlan, but he was thrilled with the overwhelmingly positive welcome when he briefly returned with Microdisney. Two years later, his old bandmate Sean O'Hagan is even among the collaborators on the new album. And despite the temporary diversion of the band he made his name in, Coughlan had kept writing, and had gathered plenty material for his solo record. The first thing I was interested in was the heart of melancholy at Tin Pan Alley, which really gripped me for a few years. Frankie Vallis Motown stuff, The Four Tops. I got into the Brecht songbook again, which was a recurring thing in my consciousness, since I was a teenager. I could see some of the things that happened in traditional music, like Lankum, Ye Vagabonds, Landless and Lisa ONeill. Sometimes the things youre interested in arent things you can do well. Right to the very end, it was there, but some things got pushed aside to fit the twelve-song thing that I was doing. To the end of assembling that body of work, Coughlan has assumed the persona of Co-Aklan, a singular protagonist whose sober, side-eyeing observations of the current moment are informed by history, shifting geopolitics, and a wide frame of literary and cultural reference. Getting into that persona has allowed Coughlan to detach himself from matters somewhat, and examine his own perspective on the present. Its a lot to do with the firmament that emerged from the collapse of an economic and social model. Im not interested in post-truth, or any of that anachronistic stuff, but it didnt come out of a vacuum. And with the rise of proto-tyrannies, were seeing how empty the Greco-Roman-style rebranding of things was. The idea with Co-Aklan was a form of self-abnegation and abandonment of self from that. Not in an ironic way - unless youre a billionaire, we are where we are, in the absent-minded crosshairs of the algorithm. Its not invested in us, it doesnt want anything from us, but the dataset matters. Now in his late 50s, the former post-punk hero says he's still proud of his Cork roots. I havent lived in Ireland for forty years, but I have that identity, and Im proud of it. But Ive only been self-named in recent times because I couldnt think of anything else, so I thought, what if I was a bit more courageous about this situation? Song of Co-aklan is due out on March 12, and current circumstances have inevitably affected it. While restrictions have necessitated a significant amount of remote work with a wide range of collaborators, the record is the end result of months of a relatively new way of getting things done. The live scene may be dead for now, but it hasn't all been bad news. Through all the things the pandemic has wrought, we cant go out and play gigs, but theres been an exponential growth in outlets talking about music. Ive been doing that quite a bit, but in the making of the record, I think that people are a lot more tolerant of musicians seizing means of production, says Coughlan. We did an awful lot of work remotely. Theres one man on the record that weve never even met. It was much easier to make a confected album, a pop-type production, from our bedrooms. Thats just the way we have to do things, but its been a shot in the arm. If it was physically-bound, and travel-bound, I dont know if this thing would have been made. On the promotion end, theres a core about five people doing stuff every single day, and in 2010, that never would have happened. Im not a fan of the gig economy and what its done, but were in it. Cathal Coughlan and the cover of Song of Co-Aklan. The album releases on vinyl and in various digital formats via Dimple Discs, a relatively new label based in London with deep connections to Irish music history. But in the decade since Rancho Tetrahedron, the very model of music has changed utterly. Song of Co-Aklan, then, happens at the current stage of this ongoing tumult, and Coughlan has taken note of changing habits, not least on the internet. The big trend I see is that weve moved from a creative web, to a consumer web. The way it turned out, not everybody was able to have a server under their beds running Linux, to tend to their need to interact with their creative partners, or their audience. Into the breach stepped the inevitable titans of northern California. Theres something particularly insidious about people [in that world], that have breezed through life. What have you actually seen of the world, matey? You can make an app scale up so it can serve five million people, and you can get peoples copyrights off them without paying. But what is it that you actually know about? While the new album is very much preoccupied with the current moment, and trying to get a grip on the popular mood and feeling, Coughlan already has another big project in the pipeline. Whats next is the Teilifis a hAon album Ive made with [legendary Irish producer]Jacknife Lee, which will start coming out towards the summer. Its influenced by the imagery of Ireland in the early 1960s, which we know is absurd. Its quite different to Song of Co-Aklan. In the meantime, he says he'd love to do some live shows with the new album. As to how we do that, I havent the vaguest idea. When we did Kilkenny Arts Festival in 2019, I thought we had some vague idea of the future, but I dont pretend to have that anymore. Song of Co-Aklan releases in digital and physical formats on March 12 via Dimple Discs A Question of Taste Reading: It is a little bit research-y. Ive been reading a book called Limonov by a French non-fiction writer called Emmanuel Carrere. Hes turned up as a character in the new Adam Curtis series, and Im quite interested on the basis of the geopolitical situation were in, especially how Russia was allowed to disintegrate and go feral in the Nineties, and hes a creature of that time, a libertarian that became a fascist. Watching: I would say that the new Adam Curtis series [Cant Get You Out of My Head:An Emotional History of the Modern World, on BBC] is up to his standard. It meanders early on, but thats because hes doing the things that he likes to do, playing with images and contrast. It makes you think in ways youre not made to think by other media, and I wholeheartedly applaud making a fine art out of reportage. Listening: Theres an ad-hoc group called Loma, somewhere in the northeastern US that have a bit of that youthful eclecticism Im seeing now. Theres a British band I like called Jockstrap, who are really pretty strange. And closer to my own age group, James Yorkston has put out a great album recently, The Wide, Wide River. KYODO NEWS - Mar 3, 2021 - 12:26 | All, 3/11 Fukushima, Japan, World Manufacturers of canned fish in eastern and northeastern Japan that was devastated by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster have been offering the protein-rich items to feed school children in developing countries in gratitude for reconstruction aid given to them. Ahead of the 10th anniversary of the March 11 catastrophe next week, president of Iwate Canning Co., a maker of canned sardines and mackerel, said the last decade has been about how to repay people for the various support the disaster-hit areas have received, including from the Japanese government and other countries. "Knowing that our canned fish are of help to children overseas, our factory members feel the great significance of the project. For the last 10 years, we have continuously pondered how to repay (people)," said the president Sumiaki Yamashita. Iwate Canning and six other companies from Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Ibaraki and Chiba prefectures -- all hit by the earthquake and tsunami disaster -- have sent from 800 to 1,000 tons of canned fish every year to African and Asian countries via the World Food Program. The aid project was funded by a Japanese grant aid totaling some 5 billion yen ($46.8 million) that covers the 10 years from fiscal 2011 to help reconstruction efforts in areas hit by the disaster. Recipient countries of the foreign aid include Burundi, Cambodia, the Republic of Congo, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Laos and Lesotho. Some of such countries offered aid to Japan in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, including Sri Lanka, which donated cash of $1 million and 3 million tea bags and also sent a team to help recovery efforts such as removal of debris. "I have learned that international aid is not just one-way. We are of course benefitting from financing by the reconstruction-related budget but children in developing countries are also gaining valuable nutrition," said Yamashita. He saw two of his factories in Miyako and Ofunato in Iwate Prefecture forced to close down by the tsunami. "I hope to continue this mutual support," the president added. The canned fish help meet the protein needs of children in developing countries and also contribute to improving their livelihoods and communities, according to Japan Suisankanzume Packers Association, an industry group of canned fish makers which organizes the project with the Foreign Ministry and the WFP. "Canned mackerel and sardines are being used in school meals. This meal service is giving children motivation to come to school and study," said Tsutomu Matsuura, the association's managing director. Local farmers are also being encouraged to make vegetables for the school meals, which has contributed to reinvigorating the local economy, he said. 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. Children across China participated in various themed activities, including sports challenges and parent-child games, over the last few days to celebrate the International Childrens Day, which falls on Tuesday this year. China established the day in 1949 and made it a full-day holiday for children under 14 in 1956 as an occasion to celebrate the spirit of youth Jun 01, 2021 05:38 PM Funds: Former UK PM David Cameron is an adviser to Greensill. Photo: Oli Scarff/Getty Greensill Capital, a specialist lender advised by former UK prime minister David Cameron, is moving closer to a deal to sell its operating business to Apollo-backed Athene Holding after a swift crisis of confidence in Australian Lex Greensills startup lender forced it to seek a sale to avoid collapse. The deal talks are progressing between Greensill and the combination of Athene and Apollo Global Management, according to people familiar with the matter. Athene is an annuity seller thats part-owned by Apollo. Greensill is a startup lender that finances elements of complex supply chains but has been hot by a wave of defaults. Greensill has entered a period of exclusivity with a leading global financial institution with a view to concluding a transaction with them this week, the firm said in a statement yesterday. Any deal is expected to include large parts of Greensills business and its assets under management, the firm said. Earlier in the day, GAM Holding said it will start winding down a fund that invests in loans sourced by Greensill. That came a day after Credit Suisse froze a group of supply-chain-finance funds that it ran with help from the Australian financier, citing considerable uncertainty about the valuations of some of the holdings. The freezes on about $11bn worth of funds deprived Greensill of large buyers for his assets at the same time as regulators in Germany are putting pressure on his bank to diversify its holdings. Apollo and Athene may provide funding for loans as part of any deal, and may look to exclude any assets they deem too risky, one of the people said. A spokesperson for Apollo declined to comment. While the structure of the new business is still being determined, we expect the transaction will ensure the majority of Greensill clients will continue to be funded in the same way as they currently are while also preserving a substantial number of jobs, Greensill said in the statement. SoftBank Groups Vision Fund had already substantially written down its $1.5bn (1.24bn) holding in Greensill, and was considering dropping the valuation to close to zero, people familiar with the matter said on Monday. The writedown occurred at the end of last year, said one person. This week marks a stark fall for a firm that in October had been considering a capital raising that would have valued it at $7bn. At the time, the firm said that the fundraising would help boost growth. Still, controversy has followed the fast-growing firm for several years. In Germany, BaFin has been pressuring Greensill Bank to reduce the concentration of assets linked to UK industrialist Sanjeev Gupta, Bloomberg reported in August. The bank has been seeking to raise money and cut its exposure to companies linked to Gupta, people familiar with the matter have said. If the dry weather persists in March and April, fire danger will be heightened this summer and fall because moisture levels in grasses, shrubs and trees will be low. Add to that, temperatures are rising due to climate change. Last year was the hottest year recorded on Earth since 1880 when modern temperature records began, according to NASA and NOAA, the parent agency of the National Weather Service. The seven hottest years since 1880 have all occurred in the past seven years. Each community in the state has different water supply conditions. Some areas have large amounts of water stored in underground aquifers, if the geology near them is favorable, while others do not. Other places have more reservoirs, or recycled water projects, or in the case of San Diego and Santa Barbara, new ocean desalination plants built in recent years. One thing that is a near certainty for nearly every California community, starting in April or May: There will be a new push by city water departments and regional water districts to ask people to use less water on landscaping, take shorter showers and check homes for leaks. In some cases, those requests will be public relations campaigns. In others, they will come with financial penalties for water use over certain levels, as happened during the 2012-16 drought in many areas. President Emmanuel Macron has admitted for the first time that French soldiers murdered a top Algerian independence figure then covered up his death in the latest acknowledgement by Paris of its colonial-era crimes. Macron met four of the grandchildren of Ali Boumendjel and admitted in the name of France that the lawyer had been detained, tortured and killed in Algiers on March 23, 1957, his office said on Tuesday. French authorities had previously claimed that he had committed suicide while in detention, a lie that his widow and other family members had campaigned for years to see overturned. Looking our history in the face, acknowledging the truth, will not enable us to heal all of the still open wounds, but it will help to create a path for the future, the statement from Macrons office said. As the first French president to be born in the post-colonial era, Macron has made several unprecedented steps to face up to Frances brutal fight to retain control of its North African colony, which won independence in 1962. In 2018, he admitted that France had created a system that facilitated torture during the war and acknowledged that French mathematician Maurice Audin, a Communist pro-independence activist, was also murdered in Algiers. In July last year, he tasked French historian Benjamin Stora with assessing how France has dealt with its colonial legacy. Storas report in January made a series of recommendations, including acknowledging the murder of Boumendjel and creating a memory and truth commission that would hear testimony from people who suffered during the war. It did not suggest a formal state apology, however, and Macron has said there would be no repentance nor apologies but rather symbolic acts aimed at promoting reconciliation. Confessions Boumendjel was a French-speaking nationalist lawyer and intellectual who served as a link between the moderate UDMA party and the National Liberation Front (FLN), the underground resistance movement. Macron praised his humanism and his courage in his statement, adding that Boumendjel had been influenced by French Enlightenment values in his fight against the injustice of the colonial system. In 2001, the former head of French intelligence in Algiers, Paul Aussaresses, published a book Special Services 1955-1957 in which he described how he and his death squad tortured and killed prisoners, including Boumendjel. Aussaresses wrote that the government, notably the then-justice minister Francois Mitterrand, who later became president, was informed about and tolerated the use of torture, executions and forced displacements. Last month, Boumendjels niece Fadela Boumendjel-Chitour denounced what she called the devastating lie the French state had told about her uncle, which had never been officially corrected. Macron also said on Tuesday that he would continue to open national archives and encouraged historians to continue researching Algerias independence war, which saw atrocities committed by all sides. Deep wounds Paris ruled Algeria for more than 100 years and the independence war from 1954 to 1962 killed 1.5 million Algerians, leaving deep scars and a toxic debate about the legacy of colonisation. During his 2017 election campaign, Macron declared that the occupation of Algeria was a crime against humanity and called French actions genuinely barbaric. But despite his outreach efforts, he has been criticised for ruling out a state apology, with the Algerian government calling the most recent report by Stora not objective and below expectations. On Frances right and far right, many politicians object to raking up the past, with French colonialism still defended as a civilising enterprise that helped develop occupied territories. During his presidential run in 2017, Macrons comments on Algeria were denounced by his defeated right-wing rival Francois Fillon as this hatred of our history, this perpetual repentance. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Since pouring first gold in December 2020, commissioning activities at the PureGold Mine have transitioned to full scale ramp-up of the mining and milling operations, the company said in an update Pure Gold Mining Inc ( ) ( ) ( ) (FRA:L11A) said Wednesday that it anticipates declaring commercial production at the PureGold Mine in the second quarter of 2021. The gold company updated shareholders on a host of developments related to its production target, including mine design and processing initiatives. Since pouring first gold in December 2020, commissioning activities at the PureGold Mine have transitioned to full-scale ramp-up of the mining and milling operations, with approximately 260 persons employed at the mine site, the Vancouver-based company wrote. Performance to date has met or exceeded expectations with respect to underground development and ore production rates, milling performance and gold recovery. Gold pours and shipments have continued regularly throughout the ramp-up period. Pure Gold said it is forecasting around 7 grams per ton (g/t) gold grades, which is in line with the grade profile for the initial production year detailed in a 2019 feasibility study. High-grade stopes will comprise an increasing proportion of ore production over the next few months and head grades are expected to increase as unit costs trend downwards, it added. Lateral sill development from the East Portal is also expected to start in late March 2021, with stope production anticipated from April onward, the company said. Ore production from the East Portal will complement current ore production from the Main Ramp, allowing the company to meet or exceed the design capacity of 800 tonnes per day from the mine. As for the milling facility, Pure Gold said that it was performing in line with expectations, averaging around 600 tons per day for the month of February with more than 700 tons per day in the latter end of the month. Pure Gold told shareholders that it is focusing its ramp-up activities on optimization of the mill process systems in an effort to achieve the design rate of 800 tonnes per day, which is expected to happen in the coming weeks. Gold recoveries are also tracking around 95% -- in line with the firms expectations. Meanwhile, gold pours have been occurring at a rate of about one pour per week with regular shipments of gold dore to the . The PureGold mine is a multimillion-ounce gold asset located in Red Lake, Ontario. Contact Angela at angela@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter @AHarmantas Breakthrough greatly enhances the ultrafast resolution achievable with X-ray free-electron lasers. A large international team of scientists from various research organizations, including the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory, has developed a method that dramatically improves the already ultrafast time resolution achievable with X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs). It could lead to breakthroughs on how to design new materials and more efficient chemical processes. An XFEL device is a powerful combination of particle accelerator and laser technology producing extremely brilliant and ultrashort pulses of X-rays for scientific research. "With this technology, scientists can now track processes that occur within millions of a billionth of a second (femtoseconds) at sizes down to the atomic scale," said Gilles Doumy, a physicist in Argonne's Chemical Sciences and Engineering division. "Our method makes it possible to do this for even faster times." "It's like trying to photograph the end of a race when the camera shutter might activate at any moment in the final ten seconds." -- Dan Haynes, doctoral student, Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter One of the most promising applications of XFELs has been in the biological sciences. In such research, scientists can capture how biological processes fundamental to life change over time, even before the radiation from the laser's X-rays destroys the samples. In physics and chemistry, these X-rays can also shed light on the fastest processes occurring in nature with a shutter speed lasting only a femtosecond. Such processes include the making and breaking of chemical bonds and the vibrations of atoms on thin film surfaces. For over a decade XFELs have delivered intense, femtosecond X-ray pulses, with recent forays into the sub-femtosecond r e gime (attosecond). However, on these miniscule time scales, it is difficult to synchronize the X-ray pulse that sparks a reaction in the sample and the laser pulse that "observes" it. This problem is called timing jitter. Lead author Dan Haynes, a doctoral student at the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, said, "It's like trying to photograph the end of a race when the camera shutter might activate at any moment in the final ten seconds." To circumvent the jitter problem, the research team came up with a pioneering, highly precise approach dubbed "self-referenced attosecond streaking." The team demonstrated their method by measuring a fundamental decay process in neon gas at the Linac Coherent Light Source, a DOE Office of Science User Facility at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. Doumy and his advisor at the time, Ohio State University Professor Louis DiMauro, had first proposed the measurement in 2012. In the decay process, called Auger decay, an X-ray pulse catapults atomic core electrons in the sample out of their place. This leads to their replacement by electrons in outer atomic shells. As these outer electrons relax, they release energy. That process can induce the emission of another electron, known as an Auger electron. Radiation damage occurs due to both the intense X-rays and the continued emission of Auger electrons, which can rapidly degrade the sample. Upon X-ray exposure, the neon atoms also emit electrons, called photoelectrons. After exposing both types of electrons to an external "streaking" laser pulse, the researchers determined their final energy in each of tens of thousands of individual measurements. "From those measurements, we can follow Auger decay in time with sub-femtosecond precision, even though the timing jitter was a hundred-times larger," said Doumy. "The technique relies on the fact that Auger electrons are emitted slightly later than the photoelectrons and thus interact with a different part of the streaking laser pulse." This factor forms the foundation of the technique. By combining so many individual observations, the team was able to construct a detailed map of the physical decay process. From that information, they could determine the characteristic time delay between the photoelectron and Auger electron emission. The researchers are hopeful that self-referenced streaking will have a broad impact in the field of ultrafast science. Essentially, the technique enables traditional attosecond streaking spectroscopy to be extended to XFELs worldwide as they approach the attosecond frontier. In this way, self-referenced streaking may facilitate a new class of experiments benefitting from the flexibility and extreme intensity of XFELs without compromising on time resolution. ### The published research, "Clocking Auger Electrons," appeared in Nature Physics. Besides Argonne, participating organizations include Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter (Germany), Center for Free-Electron Laser Science (Germany), Universitat Hamburg (Germany), Technische Universitat Munchen (Germany), Paul Scherrer Institute (Switzerland), Ohio State University, Kansas State University, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (Switzerland), Synchrotron SOLEIL (France), SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Dublin City University (Ireland), Technische Universitat Dortmund (Germany), European XFEL GmbH (Germany), Universitat Kassel (Germany), Lomonosov Moscow State University (Russia), University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU (Spain), Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (Germany) and University of Bern (Germany). The research was funded, in part, by the DOE Office of Basic Energy Sciences. Parts of this article were adapted from "Clocking electron movements inside an atom," Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter. Argonne National Laboratory seeks solutions to pressing national problems in science and technology. The nation's first national laboratory, Argonne conducts leading-edge basic and applied scientific research in virtually every scientific discipline. Argonne researchers work closely with researchers from hundreds of companies, universities, and federal, state and municipal agencies to help them solve their specific problems, advance America's scientific leadership and prepare the nation for a better future. With employees from more than 60 nations, Argonne is managed by UChicago Argonne, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. Stan Swamy had conspired with Maoists to create unrest in country: Court Bhima Koregaon case: SC seeks response of NIA on bail plea of activist Navlakha India pti-Deepika S New Delhi, Mar 03: The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought a response from the National Investigation Agency on the bail plea of activist Gautam Navlakha in the alleged Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case. A bench comprising Justices U U Lalit and K M Joseph issued notice to the probe agency on the plea of the activist against the Bombay High Court order of February 8 dismissing his bail plea. Initially, the bench, which was hearing some other matter even after 4.30 PM, was of the view that the hearing on Navlakha''s plea be fixed for consideration on Thursday. However, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the activist, said that he has been waiting for the case for few hours. NIA to probe Nimita Railway Station blast case in which TMC minister was injured In the brief hearing conducted through video conferencing, the bench issued notice to NIA and sought its response by March 15. According to police, some activists allegedly made inflammatory speeches and provocative statements at the Elgar Parishad meet in Pune on December 31, 2017, which triggered violence at Koregaon Bhima in the district the next day. The police have also alleged that the event was backed by some Maoist groups. The high court had said that "it sees no reason to interfere with a special court''''s order which earlier rejected his bail plea". Navlakha had approached the high court last year, challenging the special NIA court''s order of July 12, 2020 that rejected his plea for statutory bail. On December 16 last year, the High Court bench reserved its verdict on the plea filed by Navlakha, seeking statutory or default bail on the ground that he had been in custody for over 90 days, but the prosecution failed to file a charge sheet in the case within this period. The NIA had argued that his plea was not maintainable, and sought an extension of time to file the charge sheet. The special court had then accepted NIA''s plea seeking extension of 90 to 180 days to file the charge sheet against Navlakha and his co-accused, activist Dr Anand Teltumbde. Navlakha''s counsel had told the high court that the NIA was granted the extension to file its charge sheet. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal had said Navlakha had already spent 93 days in custody, including 34 days of house arrest, and that the High Court must count house arrest as a period of custody. While he was under house arrest, Navlakha''s personal liberties remained curtailed, Sibal had said. However, Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, who appeared for the NIA, had argued that Navlakha''s house arrest could not be included in the time spent in the custody of police or NIA, or under judicial custody. Raju argued that the Pune police arrested Navlakha in August 2018, but had not taken him into custody. He said the accused remained under house arrest, and the Delhi High Court quashed his arrest and remand order in October 2018. The FIR against him was re-registered in January 2020, and Navlakha surrendered before the NIA on April 14. He spent 11 days in the NIA''s custody till April 25, and since then he in judicial custody in the Taloja jail in neighbouring Navi Mumbai. Raju had argued that if the court "looked from the other angle, it would see that if he (Navlakha) was arrested on August 28, 2018, he should have been enlarged on bail." "He was a free man till April 2020. He was neither on bail nor in custody. There cannot be a gap in the custody and detention period," Raju had said. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Every airline in the world has had a rough 12 months. Qantas is no exception. While Australian airlines have been blessed with a larger domestic market to sustain them than, say, Qatar Airways or Emirates (which have taken this chance to grab market share on an international level), that internal energy has proved crucial, with Australians still currently forbidden from travelling overseas. To cope with this last challenging 12 months, Qantas has launched a number of initiatives, from business class memorabilia sell-offs to flights to nowhere. It has also, today, announced the return of mystery flights a popular trend from the 90s. The trend? Rolling up to the airport, and hopping on whatever flight you felt like, based on whatever was left on offer that day. Qantas says it is doing this to help boost domestic tourism, which has been fiscally crushed by The Bat Kiss and its vacuuming of demand. Flight to nowhere? . Flight to somewhere? . Flight to who knows where? Thats next. Were operating three mystery flights across Australia to combat the border blues. Seats go on sale on https://t.co/3SnaE5AA13 at midday Thursday 4 March >> https://t.co/U3ZIstDWwm Qantas (@Qantas) March 2, 2021 Qantas mystery trips will be available to be booked from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, and passengers will be flown to undisclosed interstate locations then taken on day trips where they land. The day trips will be organised by Qantas and local tour operators. Our customers tell us that where they can and cant travel within Australia has been a bit of a mystery lately, Qantas chief customer officer, Stephanie Tully has said of the initiative. These flights turn that mystery into a positive by creating a unique experience for the many people keen to start travelling again. The announcement comes after last weeks news Australias international borders will be shut until mid-June. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Maddi Addicted to Australia (@maddipap) All passengers need to do is book and turn up at the airport, Qantas announced this morning. Passengers will be in the air for about two hours before arriving at their mystery destination. Clues will be dropped along the way, with low-level flybys of landmarks (subject to weather conditions and air traffic control) taking place. RELATED: It Was Super Quiet: Staycationing In An Australian Quarantine Hotel Activities at the destinations range from winemaking and snorkelling to gourmet lunching. Think: premium wine regions and tropical islands. Customers will also be given hints to make sure the destination fits their interests, and will be told whether they need to bring items like snorkels or sneakers. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rachel Ayris (@rachelmayayris) This comes in a context where many Australians are more open than ever to explore their domestic surrounds, some even going to great lengths to pretend theyre in Europe or to find Australian alternatives to big-ticket overseas destinations (which in some cases end up being better than the real deal). DMARGE recently spoke to Maddison Papantoniou, who is currently travelling Australia in a Land Cruiser with her partner Jake Rusanoff, to get a taste of what life is like for domestic travellers right now. She told DMARGE: Weve experienced hot outback and vast desert, lush tropics, gnarly surf beaches and bustling cities all without even jumping on a plane so wed say we are coping just fine with not being able to travel overseas right now (although we do hope we are able to in the not so distant future). Many other Australians are taking to exploring the country on four wheels too. However, Qantas initiative is sure to raise the interest (and booking fingers) of many Australians too, with previous initiatives selling out very quickly, and with the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine boosting certainty around state borders opening. RELATED: Why Health Passports Are So Damn Important Right Now, According To An Aviation Expert Flights will all be on Qantas Boeing 737s. Economy tickets begin at $737. Fare sales will begin on Thursday midday on Qantas.com. See the full details of the flights, courtesy of Qantas, below. Mystery Flight Adventure from Brisbane, Saturday 27 March 2021 This is the perfect getaway if you love: Country hospitality Gourmet food and wine The great outdoors Mystery Flight Adventure from Sydney, Sunday 18 April 2021 This is the perfect getaway if you love: The tropics Salt water on your skin Long lunching on the beach Mystery Flight Adventure from Melbourne, Saturday 1 May 2021 This is the perfect getaway if you love: The great outdoors (including a little walking) Gourmet food and wine Regional farmers markets Read Next NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - More African countries received the long-awaited first deliveries of COVID-19 vaccines on Wednesday, with Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal and Lesotho benefiting from the global COVAX initiative that aims to ensure doses for the worlds low-and middle-income nations. African and other health officials have been frustrated by the sight of a handful of rich countries rolling out vaccines after snapping up large amounts for themselves. "We will be known as the continent of COVID" if Africa doesnt quickly reach its target of vaccinating 60% of its population of 1.3 billion people, the director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, John Nkengasong, said last week. The continent last month surpassed 100,000 confirmed deaths. So far Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Angola, Gambia and Congo also have received their first vaccine doses via COVAX, with several other countries including Mali, Senegal, Malawi and Uganda set to receive them this week. Rwanda is becoming the first African nation to receive the Pfizer vaccine via COVAX. The vaccine needs storage at ultra-cold temperatures, making rollout complex in hot countries and rural areas, for example. COVAX has faced delays related to the severely limited global supply of vaccine doses as well as logistical issues. The first arrival of COVID-19 vaccines to Kenya is offloaded from a Qatar Airways flight at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya, early Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Around 1.02 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India arrived at the airport as part of the COVAX facility, according to the Ministry of Health. (AP Photo) And COVAX alone will not supply Africas 54 countries with the doses needed to reach the 60% population coverage for achieving so-called herd immunity, when enough people are protected through infection or vaccination to make it difficult for a virus to continue to spread. That's why some countries such as South Africa, the hardest-hit African nation, are also pursuing COVID-19 vaccines via bilateral deals or via the African Union's bulk-purchasing program. Despite the various challenges, some health officials expressed jubilation as the first vaccine doses via COVAX arrived. "We have been fighting the pandemic with rubber bullets but what we have acquired today is equivalent, metaphorically speaking, to bazookas and machine guns," Kenyan Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe said. Kenya received 1.02 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India. The minister said the vaccines will be administered to some 400,000 medical workers and the rest will go to other front-line workers such as teachers and police officers. "This first shipment of 1 million vaccines is part of an order of 3.5 million to Kenya," UNICEF spokesman Andrew Brown told The Associated Press. Kenya, East Africas commercial hub, has more than 106,000 confirmed virus cases including more than 1,800 deaths. Many health workers for months have been disgruntled over the inadequate supply of personal protective equipment. They also say they were never paid the allowances that the government promised them for the extra work and risk while combating COVID-19. Rwanda received 240,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, with 102,960 Pfizer doses expected later Wednesday. The health ministry said these first doses will target front-line workers, those above 65 and people with underlying health conditions. Health Minister Daniel Ngamije said Rwandas goal is to vaccinate 30% of the population by the end of this year, and 60% by the end of 2022. Rwanda has recorded 19,111 cases and 265 deaths. And the southern African kingdom of Lesotho received 36,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine Wednesday. The country has had more than 10,000 infections including 295 deaths. ___ Ssuuna reported from Kigali, Rwanda. ___ Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at: https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak The first arrival of COVID-19 vaccines to Kenya is offloaded from a Qatar Airways flight at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya, early Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Around 1.02 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India arrived at the airport as part of the COVAX facility, according to the Ministry of Health. (AP Photo) AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines are received by airport workers at the airport in Kigali, Rwanda Wednesday, March 3, 2021. More African countries received the long-awaited first deliveries of COVID-19 vaccines on Wednesday, with Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal and Lesotho benefiting from the global COVAX initiative that aims to ensure doses for the world's low-and middle-income nations. (AP Photo/Muhizi Olivier) Advertisement Test and Trace is missing a third of people who may be infected with coronavirus in parts of England, according to official data which highlights a disparity in the 22billion programme. Statistics released by the Department of Health show a North-South divide has emerged in the success of the scheme, which experts say is crucial to keeping outbreaks under control. Up to 90 per cent of contacts of Covid patients are tracked down in the best-performing places in Essex, Sussex and London, compared to just 65 per cent in parts of Yorkshire, Manchester and Newcastle. No10's scientific advisers say the contact tracing programme needs to reach 80 per cent of contacts to keep local epidemics under control. Scientists reacting described the 'postcode lottery' as hugely worrying. Professor Gabriel Scally, a public health expert and former public health director for the South West of England, told MailOnline: 'It is clear evidence that the inequalities in local communities experience of Covid is very significant.' The figures look at the percentage of people told to isolate after coming into contact with someone who tested positive for the virus, and who therefore may be infected themselves. They look specifically at contacts who were not managed by local health protection teams. Instead, the data is based on the 85 per cent of contacts who are reached by call handlers. Data released by NHS England going up to February 17 show the shocking disparity between regions of the country in terms of how well the Government's 22billion coronavirus contract tracing scheme is reaching people Areas in the South East performed best, with 90 per cent of contacts in Thurrock, Essex, reached by call handlers or the Test and Trace app. The area was followed by greater Essex and Sutton in London, which both saw 89 per cent of contacts told to isolate AREAS WITH THE MOST COVID CONTACTS REACHED BY NHS TEST AND TRACE Thurrock, Essex Essex Sutton, London Barking and Dagenham, London 90 per cent 89 per cent 89 per cent 88 per cent Southend-on-Sea, Essex East Sussex Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire 88 per cent 88 per cent 88 per cent Bexley, London Bromley, London Bracknell Forest, Berkshire 88 per cent 88 per cent 88 per cent Advertisement AREAS WITH THE LEAST COVID CONTACTS REACHED BY NHS TEST AND TRACE Bradford, Yorkshire Oldham, Greater Manchester 65 per cent 66 per cent Newcastle upon Tyne Blackburn with Darwen, Lancashire 67 per cent 68 per cent Nottingham Manchester Sheffield Bolton Rochdale, Greater Manchester 68 per cent 68 per cent 70 per cent 70 per cent 70 per cent Leeds 71 per cent Advertisement Bradford in Yorkshire, the worst performing area, saw just 15,851 of 28,322 known contacts reached by NHS Test and Trace call handlers and online since Test and Trace began in May 28. This meant only 65 per cent of people known to have come into contact with the virus were told to self-isolate by the scheme, with almost 12,500 potentially infected people missed. It was followed by Oldham and Newcastle upon Tyne, which both saw 66 per cent of known contacts traced, and Blackburn, Nottingham and Manchester, where 68 per cent of known contacts were traced by the system. Areas in the South East performed best, with 90 per cent of contacts in Thurrock, Essex, reached by call handlers or the Test and Trace app. It was followed by greater Essex and Sutton in London, which both saw 89 per cent of contacts told to isolate. And Barking and Dagenham in London, East Sussex, Southend-on-Sea in Essex and Milton Keynes in Bedfordshire all saw 88 per cent of known contacts reached. NHS Test and Trace's boss Baroness Dido Harding (pictured) was hauled before the Commons after a failure to ramp up capacity over summer led to unwell Britons being asked to travel 200 miles to get swabbed for the virus at the start of the academic year Separate data shows 54,551 coronavirus-positive patients have not provided any contact details such as email addresses and mobile numbers since the scheme launched. It means tens of thousands of infected people have been allowed to carry on with their day-to-day lives, potentially spreading the virus further. Professor Scally, a member of Independent SAGE, told MailOnline: 'The very wide disparity in the performance of contact tracing is hugely worrying. 'Added to reports of variation in vaccination uptake and the fact that the UK is exceptional in not testing or close contacts, it is clear evidence that the inequalities in local communities experience of Covid is very significant. 'When schools are shortly coming back into full operation, it isn't easy to see how this can be safe if the community handling of Covid is so highly variable. 'We know that at the end of the first lockdown last year, there were local authorities in the north of England where the virus was still freely circulating.' MailOnline's analysis of the figures shows there was a six percentage point difference in the success of Test and Trace between the richest and poorest parts of the country. Using the Government's most recent indices of deprivation statistics which measure deprivation in terms of incomes, education, health, employment, crime and more each of the 149 unitary authorities reviewed by NHS Test and Trace were ranked in terms of how deprived they were. The top 20 per cent most deprived areas saw an average of 76.4 per cent of known contacts reached by the program. Meanwhile a fifth of the least deprived areas of the country saw 82.7 per cent of people contacted by NHS Test and Trace. The Government's 22billion contact tracing system has been hit by a catalogue of errors since it first launched in May last year. The system's boss Baroness Dido Harding was hauled before the Commons after a failure to ramp up capacity over summer led to unwell Britons being asked to travel 200 miles to get swabbed for the virus at the start of the academic year. Test and Trace is still missing thousands of infected people and two weeks ago Baroness Harding admitted the programme only cuts the speed of Covid's spread by around five per cent. The scheme reached only 62.6 per cent of people who had been in contact with someone who had tested positive for coronavirus in October. By last week, the scheme reached 80 per cent on average across regions. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 16:35:38|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- China will solicit proposals worldwide for astronomical observations using FAST, the world's largest filled-aperture radio telescope, from April 1 to May 15, Wu Xiangping, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told Xinhua. The results of the reviewed proposals will be announced on July 20, and observation times will start to be arranged in August. FAST, or the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope, is open to the world for use. This demonstrates China's commitment as a major country and its practice of the idea of a community with a shared future for humankind, said Wu, also a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. The comprehensive performance of the telescope is more than 10 times higher than that of other radio telescopes in the world, significantly expanding the limits of human observation of the universe, according to Wu. FAST has identified over 300 pulsars so far. Wu predicts that the number could reach 1,000 in five years and that the telescope could locate and identify the first pulsar outside the Galaxy. "China is ushering in a golden age of radio astronomy development," said Wu. "We should use the precious window period to make major scientific discoveries and significant contributions to human exploration and understanding of the universe." Enditem President of John MacArthur-linked Christian liberal arts university resigns Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The president of a Christian liberal arts university where California Pastor John MacArthur serves as chancellor has offered his resignation. The Masters University announced on Monday that President Sam Horn had sent a letter of resignation to the board of directors last Friday, after serving as president since 2020. This past year has been one of the most challenging years in higher education and we are grateful for our entire leadership team during this unprecedented time, stated the university. In the coming days, the Board of Directors will appoint an interim president and begin the process of looking for the next president. Pray for us as we seek what is best for the future of both TMU and [The Masters Seminary]. The statement also said the university had experienced several important institutional milestones, among them the schools reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the reaffirmation of accreditation by [the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission]. University spokesperson Corey Williams told The Christian Post that the board of directors will select an interim president and "then they will begin the process of looking for the next president." "The Master's University and Seminary received a six-year affirmation of accreditation last year and a change in leadership will have no bearing on that," said Williams, who noted that MacArthur had no part in Horn's decision to resign. In August 2018, the university was put on probation by the WSCUC, a leading educational accrediting agency in the region, following a report detailing multiple leadership concerns. Stated concerns included the lack of qualifications for staff members in leadership positions, questionable independence of the board of trustees, and a "climate of fear, intimidation, bullying" among employees. According to the terms of the probation, the school continued to maintain its accreditation status but had fewer than two years to remedy the concerns listed by the commission. In October 2018, MacArthur announced that he was stepping down as university president, a position he had held since 1985, and later became chancellor in 2019. I have had the rare and enriching privilege of serving The Master's University and Seminary as president," said MacArthur in a statement released at the time. "I originally signed up for five years, thinking I would be able along with my pastoral ministry at Grace Community Church to help strengthen the university and seminary. I underestimated the hold that educating young Christians for Gospel influence on the world would have on me." The Masters University was originally founded in 1927 and known as the Los Angeles Baptist Theological Seminary, becoming nondenominational under MacArthur in the 1980s. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2021) - MAX RESOURCE CORP. (TSXV: MXR) (OTC Pink: MXROF) (FSE: M1D2) ("Max" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the "CONEJO discovery", a new type of copper mineralization hosted in igneous rock, at CESAR North within the wholly-owned CESAR copper-silver project in North Eastern Colombia (refer to Figures 2 and 3). The CONEJO zone spans 1.6-km by 0.6-km, is open in all directions, and lies along the CESAR North Kupferschiefer-type (SEDEX) copper-silver mineralization. This new mineralization is considered to be related to the sediment copper-silver system, but hosted in an igneous (volcanic) unit. It is associated with fracture-controlled primary chalcocite mineralization that becomes more continuous as fracture density increases (refer to Figures 1 and 4). "This discovery of a new type of copper mineralization hosted in igneous host rock, significantly enhances the Company's steadfast belief of CESAR as district scale with several pulses of mineralization," commented Max CEO, Brett Matich. " "CESAR provides Max significant exposure to copper, a critical energy metal and a key metal for the world's transition to clean green energy," he concluded. Over 200 rock samples have been sent to ALS; assay results are expected early April. The Max in-country team continues mapping of CONEJO to determine structural controls and extent of the footprint of this new mineralized zone. In addition, the Company will initiate a ground Induced Polarization (IP) survey. Figure 1. Fracture controlled copper mineralization hosted in igneous host rock at CONEJO. To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3834/75916_34df2b6194d2ca95_002full.jpg Figure 2. CESAR Copper-Silver Project. - Figure 3. The CONEJO sample locations. To view an enhanced version of Figure 2 & Figure 3, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3834/75916_34df2b6194d2ca95_003full.jpg Story continues Figure 4. CONEJO discovery outcrop. To view an enhanced version of Figure 4, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3834/75916_34df2b6194d2ca95_004full.jpg Max interprets the stratabound copper-silver (SEDEX) mineralization in the CESAR Basin to be analogous to the Kupferschiefer Basin in Poland. The Kupferschiefer deposits, Europe's largest copper source, produced 3MT of copper in 2018 and 40 million ounces of silver in 2019 from an orebody 0.5 to 5.5-metres thick, grading 1.49% copper and 48.6 g/t silver. This silver yield is almost twice the production of the world's second largest silver mine. Source: World Silver Survey 2020 and Kupferschiefer Deposits & Prospects in SW Poland, September 27, 2019. Max cautions investors that the presence of copper-silver mineralization at Kupferschiefer is not necessarily indicative of similar mineralization at CESAR. CESAR COPPER-SILVER PROJECT IN COLOMBIA The CESAR project in North Eastern Colombia consists of over 2,500 km cumulatively covering a major portion of the newly discovered CESAR district, and extends over 220-km of highly prospective copper-silver mineralization. This region enjoys major infrastructure as a result of oil & gas and mining operations, including Cerrejon, the largest coal mine in Latin America, jointly owned by global miners BHP Billiton, Xstrata and Anglo American (refer to Figure 1). Given the outstanding district-scale prospectively of the CESAR Copper-Silver project, Max has initiated a multiple faceted exploration program for 2021: Advanced Drill Core Analysis and Modelling: ongoing interpretation of seismic sections and analysis of historical drill holes, all being integrated into our structural modelling of the CESAR Basin, in collaboration with Ingenieria Geologica Universidad Nacional de Colombia ("IGUN") in Medellin (January 7, 2021); Geochemical and Mineralogical: geochemical and mineralogy research programs by the University of Science and Technology ("AGH") of Krakow, Poland. AGH bring their extensive knowledge of KGHM's world renowned Kupferschiefer sediment-hosted copper-silver deposits in Poland to the CESAR project; Geophysics: Fathom Geophysics is interpreting regional airborne magnetic and radiometric data, funded by the Company in collaboration with one of the world's leading copper producers; Proprietary Field Exploration & Techniques: Max exploration team are bringing proprietary exploration knowledge to the field programs that are now underway: CESAR North: - In 2020, Max identified stratabound copper-silver mineralization (SEDEX) spanning over 45 sq. km, with highlight values of 0.1 to 34.4% copper and 5 to 305 g/t silver over continuous intervals ranging 0.1 to 25.0-metres; The Max team is exploring this 40-km long belt; - In 2021, Max discovered fracture-controlled copper mineralization hosted in igneous host over 1.6-km by 0.6-km (CONEJO zone), open in all directions, and lies along the CESAR North Kupferschiefer-type (SEDEX) copper-silver mineralization; CESAR West: Max has initiated sampling and mapping the continuous 180-kilometre-long landholding with already discovered copper-silver mineralization; CESAR South: Recent 15-km discovered zone, highlight grab sample values of 11.4% copper + 656g/t silver. QUALIFIED PERSON The Company's disclosure of a technical or scientific nature in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Tim Henneberry, P Geo (British Columbia), a member of the Max Resource Advisory Board, who serves as a qualified person under the definition of National Instrument 43:101. ABOUT MAX RESOURCE CORP. Max Resource Corp. is an energy and precious metals exploration company, engaged in advancing both its district-scale CESAR copper-silver project in Colombia and the newly acquired RT Gold project in Peru. Both projects have potential for the discovery of large-scale mineral deposits; both SEDEX and copper-silver-type in Colombia; high-grade gold porphyry and massive sulfide in Peru. Max Resource was awarded a Top 10 Ranked Company in the Mining Sector on the TSX Venture 50 for 2021, achieving a market cap increase of 1,992% and a share price increase of 282% in 2020. For more information visit: https://www.maxresource.com/ For more information visit: www.tsx.com/venture50 TSX Venture 50 for 2021 video: MAX Resource Corp. (TSXV: MXR) - 2021 TSX Venture 50 - YouTube For additional information contact: Max Resource Corp. Tim McNulty E: info@maxresource.com T: (604) 290-8100 *The Venture 50 ranking is provided by TSX Venture Exchange Inc. ("TSXV") for information purposes only. Neither TMX Group Limited nor any of its affiliated companies guarantees the completeness of this information, and are not responsible for any errors or omissions in or any use of, or reliance on, this information. The Venture 50 program is not an invitation to purchase securities listed on TSX Venture Exchange. TSXV and its affiliates do not endorse or recommend any of the referenced securities or issuers, and this information should not be construed as providing any trading, legal, accounting, tax, investment, business, financial or other advice and should not be relied on for such purposes" 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 Except for statements of historic fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to delays or uncertainties with regulatory approvals, including that of the TSXV. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the commercialization plans for Max Resources Corp. described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties that could affect financial results is contained in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/75916 Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High around 65F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 46F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Youre not famous alone, you stand on the shoulders of women who paved the way for famousness; three woman September, Sirleaf, Maathai made a path. Every year March is designated Women's History Month in the United States but influential women are not limited just to the USA. The three famous black African women South African Dulcie Evonne September, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Kenyan Dr. Wangari Maathai played a vital role for women throughout the world in history. Celebrate Women's History Month by learning about three famous black African women. Dulcie Evonne September Dulcie Evonne September was an anti-apartheid activist, humanitarian and political prisoner. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Politician and economist, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is the first female elected president in Africa. Dr. Wangari Maathai Dr. Wangari Maathai organized women to work together for a mutual benefit, and to plan for future generations South African Dulcie Evonne September. Dulcie Evonne September was an anti-apartheid activist, humanitarian and political prisoner. Dulcie Evonne September, in 1976 joined the African National Congress where she worked in the Women's League. She was an anti-apartheid activist, humanitarian and political prisoner. September was arrested and detained without trial at Roeland Street Prison on October 7, 1963. Together with nine others, she was charged under the Criminal Procedure Act, with the principal charge one of a conspiracy to commit acts of sabotage, and incite acts of politically motivated violence. After almost six months of court proceedings, judgement was delivered on April 15, 1964. September was sentenced to five years imprisonment, during which time she endured severe physical and psychological abuse. In 1973, as her banning order ended, September applied for a permanent departure permit. She had secured a position at Madeley College of Education in London, England; she then went into exile in London. At the end of 1983, September was appointed ANC Chief Representative in France, Switzerland and Luxembourg. Coupled with her new appointment, September underwent a short course in military training in the Soviet Union. On the morning of March 29, 1988, September was assassinated outside the ANC's Paris office at 28, Rue des Petites-Ecuries, as she was opening the office after collecting the mail. She was shot five times from behind with a 22-calibre silenced rifle. She was 52 years old. Liberian Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Politician and economist, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is the first female elected president in Africa. Johnson Sirleaf began her political career in the 1970s as her nation's first female minister of finance. Worked within the banking industry at Citibank and the United Nations. She was imprisoned in the 1980s for criticizing the government and she has gone into exile twice to escape persecution. First ran in the Liberian presidential election of 1997 but was defeated. After two years of rule by a transitional government, democratic elections in late 2005 brought President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to power. Under the 1986 Liberian Constitution, voters to a six-year term, which may be renewed once, democratically elect the president. On January 16, 2006, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was sworn in as the twenty-fourth and current president, making her the first elected female president in Africa. She subsequently won reelection in 2011 and remains challenged to rebuild Liberia's economy, particularly following the 2014-15 Ebola epidemic, and to reconcile a nation still recovering from 14 years of fighting. In 2016, she was named the 83rd-most powerful woman in the world by Forbes Magazine. She has been called the Iron Lady due to her strong will and political persistence. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011 or their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building work. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf stated If asked to describe my homeland in a sentence, I might say something like this: Liberia is a wonderful, beautiful, mixed-up country struggling mightily to find itself. Kenyan Dr. Wangari Maathai. Dr. Wangari Maathai organized women to work together for a mutual benefit, and to plan for future generations. Dr. Maathai was a Kenyan woman who taught her brand of sustainable development, democracy, and peace that won her the Nobel Prize. Dr. Wangari Maathai taught a practical understanding of love for the world. Dr. Wangari Maathai was born in Nyeri, a rural area of Kenya on April 1, 1940. Maathai was a Kenyan environmental activist who founded the Green Belt Movement. She became the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 and the first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a doctorate degree. She earned her doctorate from the University of Nairobi in 1971. In 1976, while she was serving in the National Council of Women, Professor Maathai introduced the idea of community-based tree planting. The Green Belt Movement focus at the time was poverty reduction and environmental conservation through tree planting. According to The Green Belt Movement, "Dr. Maathai saw the urgent need to respond to the necessities of rural Kenyan women who reported that their streams were drying up, their food supply was less secure, and they had to walk further and further to get firewood for fuel and fencing. The Green Belt Movement encouraged the women to work together to grow seedlings and plant trees to bind the soil, store rainwater, provide food and firewood, and receive a small monetary token for their work. Shortly after beginning The Green Belt Movement work, Dr. Maathai saw that behind the everyday hardships of the poor and environmental degradation, deforestation, and food insecurity there were deeper issues of disempowerment, disenfranchisement, and a loss of the traditional values that had previously enabled communities to protect their environment." Dr Maathai organized women to work together for a mutual benefit, and to plan for future generations. According to the Nobel Prize, Maathai's mobilization of African women was not limited in its vision to work for sustainable development; she saw tree-planting in a broader perspective which included democracy, women's rights, and international solidarity. In the words of the Nobel Committee: "She thinks globally and acts locally." Dr. Maathai died on September 25, 2011, at the age of 71 after a battle with ovarian cancer. "Be the change you want to see in the world" African Proverb. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 You are the owner of this article. Flash Another 6,391 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 4,188,400, according to official figures released Tuesday. The country also reported another 343 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 123,296. 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 20.4 million people in Britain have been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine. Earlier Tuesday, data from the British Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that coronavirus related deaths in England and Wales are falling fastest among those aged 80 and over thanks to the vaccine rollout in Britain. Meanwhile, health authorities continue to look for an unidentified person who tested positive for the variant of coronavirus first found in Brazil. Six cases of the P1 coronavirus variant first found in Brazil have been discovered in Britain. Five have been located while another person has failed to complete the test registration card. "Our search has narrowed from the whole country down to 379 households in the southeast of England and we're contacting each one," British Health Secretary Matt Hancock told MPs on Tuesday. There are concerns that this variant may spread more easily, might evade the immune system, or that vaccines might be less effective against it. The current vaccines deployed in Britain had "not yet been studied against this variant" but that work is under way to "understand what impact it might have," said Hancock. "We do know this variant has caused significant challenges in Brazil," he said. "So we're doing all we can to stop the spread of this new variant in the UK, to analyse its effects and to develop an updated vaccine that works on all these variants of concern and protect the progress we've made as a nation." 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. On Feb. 22, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his long-anticipated "roadmap" exiting the lockdown. Schools in England will reopen from March 8 as first part of the four-step plan, which Johnson said was designed to be "cautious but irreversible". 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. 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. Article L. 238-8-II of the French commercial Code and article 223-16 of the AMF (French Financial Markets Authority) general regulation Regulatory News: Corporate name of the issuer: Veolia Environnement (Paris:VIE) 21 rue La Boetie 75008 PARIS FRANCE (ISIN code: FR0000124141-VIE) Information closing date Total number of shares forming the share capital Total number of voting rights February 28, 2021 578,611,362 Total number of theoretical voting rights (1): 614,994,877 Total number of voting rights that may be exercised (2): 602,504,704 Inclusion in the Veolia Environnement Articles of Association of a clause requiring a reporting obligation of the declaration of crossing a shareholding threshold, complementary to the one relating to the thresholds provided by the French law and the regulations in force (article 8). (1) Number of theoretical voting rights after taking into account the number of shares with double voting rights as of February 28, 2021 (36,383,515 shares) and the number of treasury shares held as of February 28, 2021 (12,490,173 shares). (2) Number of voting rights that may be exercised number of theoretical voting rights (or total number of voting rights attached to shares) shares without voting rights (number of treasury shares held as of February 28, 2021). View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005810/en/ Contacts: Veolia Environnement We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form If you got stimulus money, you should have received a confirmation letter from the IRS in the mail. If you cannot find it, here is what you should do. Report if you did not receive your stimulus money If you did not receive a stimulus payment by February 16, you would most likely have to report it as a Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2020 tax return. The IRS announced the closure of stimulus check season on that day, saying that it had completed sending out the first and second stimulus checks - the deadline for sending them out was January 15, as stated by the December legislation. When you apply for your lost funds, though, you will need the IRS letter that you should have gotten in the mail. You will find details on the stimulus money for up to $1,200 in the first round and $600 in the second round on the letter. But, what if you never got the message, or if you misplaced it? According to CNET, here is some advice on how to get a copy of the IRS letter that you will be using to file your taxes and demand the missing stimulus money. Read also: $350B State, Local Government Aid in Biden's COVID-19 Relief Package: Enough, or Too Much? IRS Notice 1444 and 1444-B If you were qualified for a stimulus payment, the IRS must have mailed a letter to your current address with your details on the payment within 15 days of issuing your first and second payments. The IRS will have given you Notice 1444 for the first payment and Notice 1444-B for the second. When you filed your taxes last year, the IRS says you will use the details from these notes to demand the money you were eligible for but did not receive. On line 30 of the 2020 1040 or 1040-SR tax forms, you will effectively insert the cumulative amount you determined you owe. Where can I find the IRS letter if I cannot find the hard copy? If you do not have the IRS confirmation notice, you can look up the details in your federal tax account through the IRS website. If you do not already have an IRS account, go to the IRS account settings and press the blue Create button or view your account to get started. To set up your account, you'll need some information, such as tax and financial information, as well as an email address and a cell phone number to get activation codes. According to the IRS, each spouse in a married couple filing jointly would need to log into their own account. How to claim a stimulus check using the 2020 tax return The IRS was unable to trace some recipients despite sending out millions of stimulus checks. If you did not get yours, here is how to figure out why, as per AS.com. In February, the IRS declared that it had sent out "all lawfully authorized" stimulus payments, but certain individuals never got the second, or even the first, check. In some cases, the IRS did not have records on hand, and in others, the CARES Act, which approved the Economic Impact Payments, had stipulations that were later amended. Regardless of the situation, anyone who did not receive the entire amount of their stimulus payment would have to demand it via the Recovery Rebate Credit after filing their taxes this year. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) started collecting and filing 2020 tax returns on February 12, a month later than the usual January 15 start date. The IRS Free File tool is also available for download. If your taxable salary is less than $72,000, you can file your taxes directly with the IRS. Read also: Republican Governors Mock Biden's Stimulus Bill for 'Penalizing' States Will your stimulus check increase your Social Security tax? Many seniors are worried about how this stimulus money will affect their taxes, especially the tax on Social Security benefits. April 15 will be here before you know it, but if you have not done so, you will need to file your 2020 tax return quickly. You do not want a bad surprise when it is time to file your tax return. So, if you are a retiree, hopefully, we can help ease your concerns about stimulus checks and Social Security taxes. When your provisional income is less than $25,000, and you are unmarried, none of your Social Security benefits are taxed. Up to 50 percent of your Social Security benefits can be taxed if your provisional salary is between $25,000 and $34,000. If your provisional salary reaches $34,000, you will be taxed on up to 85 percent of your benefits. If your provisional income is less than $32,000 for married couples filing a joint return, your Social Security benefits are secure. If your provisional salary is between $32,000 and $44,000, you will be entitled to the 50 percent rate. According to Yahoo, if your provisional salary is higher than $44,000, up to 85 percent of your benefits will be taxed. Read also: Will a Fourth Stimulus Check Be Possible as the Third Nears Its Distribution To Eligible Americans? @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. London, March 3 : Coronavirus-related deaths in England and Wales are falling fastest among those aged 80 and over thanks to the vaccine rollout in the UK, statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed. There were 1,622 deaths for those over 80 years old in the week to February 19, down 69 per cent from 5,300 four weeks earlier, Xinhua news agency quoted the ONS as saying on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the number of deaths among those aged 70 to 79 dropped 65 per cent over the same period, while the number of deaths in the 0 to 69 age group fell by 55 per cent. According to the ONS, these discrepancies between age groups suggest the vaccine program has been an important factor in preventing coronavirus mortality. The latest ONS data also showed that there were 3,017 deaths in the most recent week. Deaths among the over-70s have accounted for 83 per cent of all coronavirus deaths in England and Wales. The ONS figures are based on mentions of Covid-19 on death certificates. The UK's overall coronavirus death toll currently stands at 123,530, the fifth largest in the world after the US, Brazil, Mexico and India. The total caseload has increased to 4,200,700, also the fifth highest globally after the US, India, Brazil and Russia. More than 20.2 million people in the UK have been given the first jab of a coronavirus vaccine, according to the latest official figures. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Canberra, March 3 : A tropical cyclone off Australia's northeast coast is forecast to intensify throughout Wednesday and overnight, with gale force winds impacting parts of the coastline. As of Wednesday morning, tropical cyclone Niran has classified a category 2, creating sustained winds near its centre of around 100 km/h with gusts up to 140 km/h, reports Xinhua news agency. Forecasters expect Niran to intensify to a category 3 by early Thursday morning as it accelerated in speed in a southeasterly direction away from the coast. "Tropical cyclone Niran is expected to remain slow-moving off the north Queensland coast while intensifying over the next 24 hours," the Australian Bureau of Meteorology said in an update. "Coastal crossing of the cyclone is not expected. However, as the cyclone strengthens, it may produce gales about exposed coastal and island communities between Cape Melville and Innisfail today or early on Thursday. "On Thursday, the cyclone is expected to adopt a southeasterly track and accelerate away from the coast." Earlier in the week, thousands of homes were left without power when infrastructure was impacted by strong winds, according to local media reports. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said residents should remain vigilant for official updates and be particularly wary of the dangers posed by floodwaters. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Australian of the Year Grace Tame says allegations of rapes involving political figures are not surprising to her, as she called on Australians to end the widespread culture that allows sexual assaults. Speaking at the National Press Club on Wednesday, Ms Tame responded to questions about how two prominent rape allegations had been made against political figures just weeks after she was named Australian of the Year for campaigning for victims of sexual assault. Australian of the Year Grace Tame during her address to the National Press Club. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Its not surprising to me at all. Coverup culture, the abuse of power, is not unique to Parliament, she said. Its not necessarily individual cases, its the issue itself that is going to keep inspiring me to do this work. I was doing this work before it dominated the national stage. It is heightened right now because its happening in the centre of our country in Parliament but like I said, its not unique to Parliament. It happens everywhere. Financial support re-opens from today Financial support for Manx residents and businesses affected by the lockdown resume from this morning. The Manx Earnings Replacement Allowance MERA will be payable to eligible persons from today. Claims will be able to be made on line at gov.im from 9am on Thursday. Anyone who is unable to make their claim on line should phone 648125 or email mera@gov.im. MERA will again be available to both employed earners who are made redundant, laid off or put on nil pay by their employer, and self-employed individuals who are prevented from carrying out their work due to the restrictions and who meet the qualifying conditions. The Salary Support Scheme will again be opened to all of those businesses that were able to claim during the original period of lock down from the 2nd March to 19th July 2020. The method of claim remains the same. All applicants are reminded that they must be able to demonstrate 25% reduction in turnover. All those businesses seeking support for February (Period 13) can claim now, and applications for Period 14 will open on the 29th March. The Coronavirus Business Support Scheme (CBSS) will be re-opened to support businesses and self-employed persons who have regular business overheads of 250 or more per month. Formed under the Coronavirus Business Support Scheme, the 'CBSS - Circuit Break (March 2021)' will offer a grant payment of 1,500 to eligible applicants who declare that they have a 25% or more reduction in turnover, and will be open to broadly the same sectors as in the January Circuit-break lockdown, with the exception of those businesses permitted to operate during the lockdown which comes into effect at 00:01 on Wednesday 3rd March 2021 (notably construction and horticulture). Construction and Horticultural businesses should only apply if they are impacted due to indoor working restrictions, a reduction in demand for services from customers or if workers are required to self-isolate/shield. All eligible applicants who received payment through the Scheme in January will be fast tracked, based on declarations that their situation remains unchanged. Pastor shares how God used his depression, suicidal ideation to help others find freedom Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Pastor Ben Courson has shared how his struggles with mental illness and suicidal ideation compelled him to help others understand that they, too, can defeat the dark lord of depression with Gods help. Courson, founder of Hope Generation and Pastor of Applegate Christian Fellowship, recently revealed on The Crazy Happy Podcast, a new show from Daniel Fusco and the Edifi Podcast Network, that he understands firsthand what its like to feel broken. Though he grew up a "happy kid," Courson said that when he entered the ministry at age 18, he began to struggle with depression and began flirting with suicide." After experiencing a wave of traumas, including the untimely death of his sister, the suicide of a pastor friend, and the end of an eight-year romantic relationship, Courson was diagnosed with Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. My counselor said, You have, you have one of the most difficult cases of depression I've ever had to treat, he recalled, adding that his latest book,Flirting with Darkness, was birthed out of the idea that if God could heal my broken heart and He has He can heal anybody. Courson stressed that his struggles are not unique to him, noting that suicide was the second leading cause of death among millennials in 2017, and there are 123 suicides a day. He cited a June report from the CDC that found 30% of millennials said they had thought about suicide in the last 30 days. So, it's not just me, he said. Our whole generation is going through this clinical depression, and nearly half of people report being harmed in their mental health since the coronavirus hit. Though he experienced horrible nightmares" during his bout with depression, Courson also said he had dreams that God was going to do something with his life and thats what kept me going, he said. We have nightmares, and we have dreams, but we conquer our nightmares because of our dreams, Courson said, adding: Im so glad I didnt commit suicide because now I know exactly what my message is. It's a message of hope for this generation. Courson cited Hebrews 2:10, which speaks of Christ being made perfect through suffering, to explain that: When we go through adversity, it forges our soul into steel, and tempers our spirit into iron. The only way to live in the likeness of God and to reach the full stature of Christ is through suffering, he emphasized. Christ was made perfect through suffering. So if Christ was made perfect through suffering, then what if that's true in our lives as well? It gives us a whole new way to reframe our pain and retrain our brain. A common misconception surrounding people who struggle with mental illness, Courson said, is that they are weak. Yet, biblical heroes, including Moses, Elijah, Paul, and even Jesus Himself, all went through intense emotional experiences. Sometimes it's a symptom of strength, that you have a great creative fire and sometimes you burn in your own creative fire. Worry is a misuse of the imagination. So if you're very creative and have a big imagination, that's the dark underbelly that can crush you, Courson said. On the other hand, though removing the stigma around mental illness is a good thing, theres always the danger of failing to actually address it, Courson said. "The Psalmist didn't say, Why are you cast down, oh my soul? Keep up the good work, he pointed out. He said, Why are you cast down, oh my soul? Put your hope in God, don't stay cast down. I'm not going to go to the doctor and asked him to diagnose me and not accept the cure, he added. So I really believe that depression can be beaten, but we have to fight. There's going to be blood in the battle. But we have to fight, and I believe it can be defeated. In Flirting with Darkness, Courson shares the causes of depression, and then identifies 11 weapons he described as practical handles for people to defeat the dark lord of depression. He encourages readers to embraces their oddities, stressing that oddities and unique traits are actually commodities that can be used by God. If you're like, Why did God make me this way? Maybe it's because He's trying to get you to your destiny. You're different to make a difference. You don't fit in; you stand out, he said. The very things that seem to create mental illness in us, or feeling ostracized or separation anxiety ... out of that fire and tribulation, He comes to create a fire that can actually be an asset, he added. Courson offered the reminder that "every successful person" learns how to reframe pain. We're all going to go through adversity, he posited. The question is, how are we going to view it? What's our ... point of view? How are we going to look at it? If we can reframe that pain, suddenly, we can see what the enemy intended for evil, there's a redemptive quality and God meant for good if well have eyes to see and ears to hear. Pastors, church leaders, and experts have increasingly addressed the topic of mental illness and suicide ideation in recent months as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to amplify feelings of loneliness and anxiety. Kayla Stoecklein, who lost her 30-year-old husband, Andrew Stoecklein megachurch pastor of Inland Hills Church in Chino, California to suicide, recently encouraged those struggling with depression or anxiety to tell someone." It can be easy to minimize it in your mind and think it's no big deal and try to shrug it off, but it's real. Invite somebody to share that pain with you. Invite friends, professionals and family into your pain. You do not have to carry it alone. Keep reaching out for help. Ask God to teach you how to live with the pain, she told The Christian Post. To those living with someone struggling with mental illness, she encouraged patience, grace and transparency. She expressed regret over failing to welcome more people into her pain, causing her to feel extremely isolated and alone. You don't have to carry it all by yourself, she stressed. Make room for self-care, find ways to fill yourself up so that you can keep pouring out. You cannot keep caring for somebody that's struggling with mental illness if you're not caring for yourself. Openserve recently announced free fibre speed upgrades for wholesale customers, as well as price cuts across a number of products. A number of local ISPs have confirmed that these speed upgrades and price cuts will be passed on to customers, which means many Openserve customers may find themselves paying less or the same for a connection that is double the speed of their current package. This is despite the additional bandwidth usage that will have to be absorbed by ISPs. Vox previously told MyBroadband that the changes will cost ISPs more money, not less, due to an increase in bandwidth consumption and the subsequent need to buy more wholesale bandwidth from Openserve. This is great news for consumers, however, as they can now access fibre at all-time-low prices. Openserve turns the tables Vumatel has rapidly expanded its fibre footprint across South Africa and has become a favourite among many consumers. This was especially true when it offered lower prices for the same connection speeds as equivalent packages on Openserve. The tables have now turned significantly in Openserves favour, however, as while Vumatel has continued to increase prices, the Telkom-owned fibre network has slashed its wholesale rates. This means that Openserve is now much cheaper than Vumatel across the board, making it an attractive option for South Africans looking to save on their monthly fibre bill. Openserve and Vumatel are the two big FTTH players in South Africa, and their networks extend across the country. Many South Africans are presented with the choice between these two operators, and Openserves new pricing makes it an attractive option over Vumatel for consumers. Uncapped fibre price comparison The table below compares the uncapped fibre accounts available on Openserve and Vumatel from a number of prominent local ISPs. We compared equivalent fibre packages with download speeds of 20/25Mbps, 50Mbps, 100Mbps, and 200Mbps. Upload speeds are also shown, as these differ according to package choice and network operator. What is immediately apparent from this comparison is that Openserve now offers much lower prices than Vumatel for the same fibre packages. In a few cases, the price of an Openserve package is up to 36% lower than Vumatel from the same ISP despite having a higher line speed, making the former the obvious choice for budget-conscious users. This pricing difference is shown in the table below. Vumatel vs Openserve 20Mbps / 25Mbps Uncapped Package Vumatel Openserve Afrihost 20/20Mbps R907 Afrihost 25/25Mbps R597 Cool Ideas 20/20Mbps R929 Cool Ideas 25/25Mbps R599 Supersonic 20/20Mbps R845 Supersonic 25/25Mbps R699 RSAWEB 20/20Mbps R845 RSAWEB 25/25Mbps R595 50Mbps Uncapped Package Vumatel Openserve Afrihost 50/5Mbps R997 Afrihost 50/25Mbps R797 Afrihost 50/50Mbps R1,117 Cool Ideas 50/5Mbps R969 Cool Ideas 50/25Mbps R819 Cool Ideas 50/50Mbps R1,049 Supersonic 50/5Mbps R955 Supersonic 50/25Mbps R849 Supersonic 50/50Mbps R995 RSAWEB 50/5Mbps R935 RSAWEB 50/25Mbps R795 RSAWEB 50/50Mbps R1,035 100Mbps Uncapped Package Vumatel Openserve Afrihost 100/10Mbps R1,147 Afrihost 100/50Mbps R917 Afrihost 100/100Mbps R1,247 Cool Ideas 100/10Mbps R1,119 Cool Ideas 100/50Mbps R999 Cool Ideas 100/100Mbps R1,199 Supersonic 100/10Mbps R1,145 Supersonic 100/50Mbps R1,049 Supersonic 100/100Mbps R1,195 RSAWEB 100/10Mbps R1,095 RSAWEB 100/50Mbps R995 RSAWEB 100/100Mbps R1,195 200Mbps Uncapped Package Vumatel Openserve Afrihost 200/20Mbps R1,447 Afrihost 200/100Mbps R1,117 Afrihost 200/200Mbps R1,497 Cool Ideas 200/20Mbps R1,419 Cool Ideas 200/100Mbps R1,199 Cool Ideas 200/200Mbps R1,499 Supersonic 200/100Mbps R1,195 Supersonic 200/200Mbps R1,549 RSAWEB 200/20Mbps R1,395 RSAWEB 200/100Mbps R1,295 RSAWEB 200/200Mbps R1,495 Now read: Fibre price war in South Africa after wholesale changes 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. Ranchi, March 3 : The Jharkhand government on Wednesday tabled the annual budget of the of Rs 91,277 crore for the financial year 2021-22 with a focus on the education and health sectors. Jharkhand Finance Minister Rameshwar Oraon tabled the budget in the state assembly on Wednesday amid a parallel budget tabled by the main opposition party, BJP. Of Rs 91,277 crore a sum of Rs 75,755.01 crore has been set for revenue expenditure while a sum of Rs 15,521.99 crore has been set for institutional expenditure. The budgetary allocations have been done in three sectors: the general sector has been allocated a sum of Rs 26,734.05 crore, the social sector 33,625.72 crore and the economic sector Rs 30,917.23 crore. The fiscal deficit for 2021-22 has been pegged at Rs 10,210.87 crore which is 2.83 percent of the GSDP. The finance minister said that in the year 2019-20 the growth rate of Jharkhand was 6.7 per cent. However due to Coronavirus pandemic, apart from the country the growth rate in Jharkhand has also been impacted. He said that in 2020-21 the GDP of the country is expected to fall by 7.5 per cent while that of Jharkhand is expected to decline by 6.9 per cent. Oraon said due to the efforts of the state government development has once again come on track. "Due to far sighted policies in the year 2021-22 the growth rate has been projected at 9.5 per cent ". The state government is likely to generate Rs 23,265.42 from its own taxes, non tax receipts have been pegged at Rs 13,500 crore. From central assistance a sum of Rs 17,891.48 crore while from the share in central taxes a sum of Rs 22,050.10 crore, from public borrowings Rs 14,500 crore and from advance taxes a sum of Rs 70 crore is expected. The government hopes to earn a maximum of 25.49 per cent from state own taxes, 24.16 per cent from state's share of central taxes, 19.60 per cent from grants in aid, 15.89 per cent from borrowings, 14.79 per cent from state-owned taxes while from recovery of loans and advances 0.07 per cent has been projected. The Jharkhand government has introduced outcome budget in 11 departments. Poor people will be given sari, dhoti and lungi at a cost of Rs 10. There will be scholarships for tribal students to study abroad. Every ten tribal students on merit basis will be selected under scholarship to study overseas. Lawrence: Ryan, Johnson are Republicans willing to speak the truth columns Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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. * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! New South Wales residents could be forced to show proof they've been vaccinated against Covid with a passport-style phone app before they're allowed to enter venues. The Morrison Government is in talks with Service NSW to discuss the plan that would allow people to use the SNSW app to show they've gotten the jab. The proposal is similar to Israel's green pass system, where holders get exclusive access to gyms, hotels, theatres, and concerts. If the technology gets the go ahead, pubs and clubs could enforce the proof of vaccine as a requirement upon entry, The Daily Telegraph reports. If the technology gets the go ahead, pubs and clubs could enforce the proof of vaccine as a requirement upon entry Administered doses have fallen well short of the 60,000 target in the first week, but the government believes ground can be made up The Service NSW app, which has been downloaded more than four million times, will only increase in popularity if the vaccine passport was stored on the app. 'I want to thank the people of NSW for downloading the Service NSW app more than four million times which continues to keep our community safe from COVID-19,' she said. 'We are using technology to enhance the user experience and prioritise public safety, and these figures show that citizens have embraced our digital solutions.' Meanwhile, defence personnel will step in to add some firepower to the rollout of coronavirus vaccines across Australia. The Australian Defence Force will from next week help administer the vaccine in aged care homes, with an emphasis placed on facilities in regional areas. 'They are very organised - we set our best expectations and they continue to beat them,' Health Minister Greg Hunt told the Nine Network on Tuesday. Mr Hunt remains confident all Australians can get at least a first dose of the vaccine by October, despite a slow start to the program. Administered doses have fallen well short of the 60,000 target in the first week, but the government believes ground can be made up. As of Tuesday evening nearly 42,000 Australians have had their first dose, including more than 13,000 aged care residents at 158 facilities. Federal Aged Care Services Minister Richard Colbeck said the government always expected a few difficulties in the early days of the program. He said the target of vaccinating all Australian aged care residents within six weeks of the rollout's start date remained on course. Jane Halton from the national COVID-19 commission said some states - Victoria, NSW and Queensland - had decided to ease into the rollout. The Service NSW app, which has been downloaded more than four million times, will continue to increase in popularity if the vaccine passport is stored on the app 'Slow and steady at the beginning is wise,' Ms Halton told 3AW radio. 'Everyone is learning how to do this ... we've never done this before.' Only the Pfizer vaccine has been administered so far, with imported stocks of the AstraZeneca option to be available in the next 10 days. Pharmaceutical giant CSL is also manufacturing 50 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in Victoria, with senior official Christopher Larkins saying about one million jabs were ready at the facility. Doses will begin leaving the Victorian facility by the end of the month, with the company to ramp up production. Mr Hunt on Tuesday also confirmed federal biosecurity powers have been renewed for three months until mid-June, which gives the government the ability to limit such things as cruise ship movement and international travel. South Korean boy band Pentagon is gearing up to release its new EP. ADVERTISEMENT The K-pop group shared concept images and concept previews for its forthcoming mini album, Love or Take, on Tuesday. One concept preview depicts the members of Pentagon in cartoon form. Each member is shown striking a pose against a pink background. Pentagon later released a concept image that shows the real-life group standing together in a line. On Monday, Pentagon shared a track list for Love or Take that listed the EP's seven songs. The album will feature "10 Seconds, "Do or Not, 1+1, Baby I Love You, That's Me, Sing" and the solo song "Young Sentiment" by Hui. Pentagon shared a schedule of events for Love or Take last week. The group will release the album and a new music video March 15. Love or Take will mark Pentagon's first release since the EP We:th in October. Pentagon released its debut Korean studio album, Universe: The Black Hall, and its debut Japanese studio album, Universe: The History, in 2020. Pentagon consists of Jinho, Hui, Hongseok, Shinwon, Yeo One, Yan An, Yuto, Kino and Wooseok. The group made its debut in 2016. While Ms. Tandens social media posts were often aggressive, White House officials believed Republican senators would not scuttle a nomination over Twitter behavior after years of standing behind President Donald J. Trump, who excoriated Republicans and Democrats alike in frequent Twitter rants. The officials also thought senators would be drawn to the groundbreaking nature of Ms. Tandens nomination she would have been the first Indian-American to lead the budget office and had a personal story of being raised by a single mother who at times relied on government assistance to get by. Ms. Tanden and a variety of groups supporting her were able to secure several high-profile endorsements, including one from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. But the White House underestimated what would become bipartisan consternation over Ms. Tandens posts, particularly given Mr. Bidens repeated calls for unity after four years of divisive rhetoric from Mr. Trump. During two confirmation hearings, senators in both parties grilled Ms. Tanden about her social media posts and her decision to delete more than 1,000 tweets after the election in November. Among those who questioned her social media comments was Senator Bernie Sanders, independent of Vermont and the chairman of the Budget Committee, who singled out Ms. Tandens vicious attacks on him and the staff that supported his 2016 presidential campaign. She apologized, but it was clear that some senators were not inclined to accept it. That included Mr. Manchin, whose decision last month to oppose her nomination dealt a crucial blow to her chances of confirmation. I believe her overtly partisan statements will have a toxic and detrimental impact on the important working relationship between members of Congress and the next director of the Office of Management and Budget, Mr. Manchin said at the time. For this reason, I cannot support her nomination. Less than a week ago, top White House aides had vowed not to give up on Ms. Tanden, accusing Republicans of being overly sensitive about her online criticism of them and promising that the president intended to fight for his right to select his own advisers. On February 23, the bargaining committee for the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) issued a 10-day strike notice to the management of St. Vincent Hospital. Located in Worcester, Massachusetts, St. Vincent Hospital is owned and operated by Tenet Healthcare of Dallas, Texas. Tenet Healthcare is a for-profit health care conglomerate that received $3 billion from the CARES Act and posted 2020 profits of $414 million. The 800 MNA nurses who work at St. Vincent Hospital have been negotiating for a new contract since November 2019. Their central demand is that Tenet hire more nurses to improve the patient-to-nurse ratio. Negotiations re-started on Monday, March 1. Nurses will strike the hospital at 6 a.m. on Monday, March 8 if an agreement is not reached. The current patient-to-nurse ratio on the medical-surgical floor is 5-to-1. Nurses want maximum assignments set at four, as medical-surgical nurses care for patients who require a level of care second only to patients in the intensive care unit. With higher ratios, patients are put at risk and nurses are pushed to the emotional and physical brink. Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester, Massachusetts (USA). [Wikimedia Commons] The decision to strike comes after months of struggle by St. Vincent nurses. Last March, before the pandemic exploded in Massachusetts, more than 200 nurses sat in on negotiations to attest to the deteriorating conditions, which included patient falls and the development of preventable complications, even death. Weeks earlier, 70 percent of them signed a petition for safer ratios and an end to a punitive management culture. Over the course of the pandemic, nurses have filed over 500 reports with hospital management, documenting unsafe conditions. When nurses were fighting rising levels of COVID-19, while having to reuse PPE, which threatened their own lives, management furloughed support staff and began flexing nurse assignments to make up for lost revenue because expensive elective procedures had been canceled. Nurses overwhelmingly passed a vote of no confidence in hospital CEO Carolyn Jackson. Still, management did nothing to address their concerns. In January alone, during the holiday surge, nurses filed 76 reports documenting unsafe conditions, a rate of more than two per day. Abandoning earlier policies, St. Vincent Hospital management now refuses to implement even the most basic COVID-19 protocols, insisting on co-mingling patients with and without the disease. As schools are reopened and Massachusetts relaxes restrictions, despite the dire predictions of epidemiologist Michael Osterholm that a spring surge will overwhelm the nations hospital system, the struggles of nurses at St. Vincent and elsewhere take on critical importance. The growth in cases of the so-called UK variant in Massachusetts is centered in Worcester, where case numbers recently doubled and have a doubling time of seven to 10 days. UMass Memorial Medical Center, also in Worcester, will begin genomic sequencing of the virus to ascertain the spread of the B.1.1.7. variant, which is more transmissible and lethal. The nurses struggle is a fight for their patients, the community, a rational health care system and their own health and well-being as workers. The Boston Globe recently reported that health care workers in Massachusetts are at significant risk of contracting COVID-19. In a sample including the largest hospitals and medical centers in the state, data reveals positivity rates among health care workers of 11.8 percent, 8.5 percent, and 6.6 percent at Boston Medical Center, Beth Israel Lahey and Mass General Brigham, respectively. In total, over 9,000 health care workers in Massachusetts have contracted COVID-19, some bringing the disease home to their families. Nationally, according to the CDC, over 400,000 health care workers have tested positive for the virus and over 1,400 have died of COVID-19, including 74 in Massachusetts. Cases among health care workers have followed the rise and fall of cases in the communities. During the surge of cases in December, 450 workers at Baystate Health in Springfield were either sick with COVID-19 or out of work because they had been exposed. Trish Powers, head of the MNA bargaining committee at Brigham and Womens Hospital, told the Globe, COVID is the first time I really had the fear of going to work. If Im holding my patients hand, am I going to get sick? Powers tested positive in mid-December. She believes she contracted the virus in the break room, the only place nurses are able to get a bite to eat or a drink of water during long shifts when they will wait for hours to even go to the bathroom. Powers has been out of work since getting sick and is currently dealing with cardiac complications and lingering fatigue. Lori Pannozzo, a nurse at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester, has been out of work for weeks after developing pneumonia when she contracted COVID-19. She traces her exposure to when she had to intubate a patient while having to reuse personal protective equipment, which is against protocol. Pannozzo told the Globe, I never really had anxiety before. I was kind of able to relate with my patients. Not being able to breathe is scary. The MNA frames the St. Vincent nurses struggle in moral terms and appeals to Democratic Party politicians to pressure the for-profit health care conglomerate to do the right thing. Hospital CEO Jackson has labeled even the bare mention of striking as irresponsible. In a bid to win popular support, Tenet Healthcare hired a communications firm to conduct a phone survey of resident sentiment about the strike. The results it produced showed overwhelming 62 percent opposition to a strike in the Greater Worcester area. The Worcester Telegram created its own poll March 1 testing readers opinion on a strike. Within eight hours of being published, the poll recorded 2,260 responses, with 73 percent in support. In 2000, the last time the MNA struck at St. Vincent Hospital, workers won an end to mandatory overtime. However, in contradiction to its bloated rhetoric that we refuse to be pushed any further and are now ready to do whatever it takes to ensure the safety of our patients, the union now admits that our goal is to avert the strike. A similar contradiction can be found in the recent letter published by the Worcester Telegram from Raymond Mariano, mayor of Worcester from 1993 to 2002. Mariano begins his letter hailing the nurses as being on the side of angels and being on the frontline tackling the pandemic and who have been heralded as heroes are now walking on informational picket lines not for themselves but for their patients. Mariano closes, however, by capturing the approach of the union and the Democratic Party to the nurses struggle. I have nothing against for profit health care, he writes. In my personal experience, they have brought great efficiency to an industry where waiting for hours was considered routine. And Tenet has a right to make a profit. But, they do not have the right to jeopardize patient safety. Their commitment to their stockholders has to be equally matched, at a minimum, with their commitment to the patients who are in their carecare which provides them with their profits. The struggle at St. Vincent is being waged by 800 nurses who have faced disease and death, who have made great sacrifices and will continue to do so in the middle of the single greatest public health disaster in modern history. However, this fight comes into direct confrontation with the for-profit health system in the US. To advocate for their rights and the health and safety of their patients, nurses must form their own rank-and-file safety committees, independent of the Democrats and the pro-capitalist unions. St. Vincent nurses should reach out to nurses and other health care workers across the state and beyond to support them in this fight. Contact the World Socialist Web Site to find out more about building a rank-and-fight committee at your hospital or other workplace. Mobile police say two people have been arrested in connection with a Saturday fatal shooting at a Theodore adult club. Cpl. Ryan Blakely of Mobile police said Robert Abrams and his girlfriend, Breanna Cunningham, were apprehended Tuesday by the U.S. Marshals, DIberville (Miss.) police and Biloxi police. They have both been charged with the murder of Manchella Allen, Blakely said. Allen, 45, died after being shot multiple times at the Cookies N Cream club in at 1:36 a.m. Saturday. Police arrived to the club at 6673 Theodore Dawes Road in reference to a shot. Allen was pronounced dead by medical personnel. A day after the governor and the Mohegan Tribal Nation reached an apparent deal on sports and online gaming, it became clear Wednesday that the agreement isnt going anywhere without the Mashantucket Pequots. A bipartisan group of 17 lawmakers from eastern Connecticut, led by the powerful senator whose district includes both tribes, announced opposition to the governors solo deal with the Mohegans if it excludes the Mashantucket Pequots. Then, Gov. Ned Lamonts lead negotiator, Chief of Staff Paul Mounds, admitted that it will take the cooperation of both tribes to finalize the lucrative gambling future in Connecticut. And later still, the chairman of the Mohegan tribe issued a statement saying all three governments need to be aligned to make these changes a reality. It remained unclear Wednesday evening whether the Mashantucket Pequot tribe, which owns and operates Foxwoods Resort Casino, was any closer to joining the deal, or reaching an amended agreement. Mounds and that tribes chairman, Rodney Butler, had both said Tuesday they were close. The state legislators, led by Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, the powerful co-chairwoman of the budget-writing Appropriations Committee, in a letter Wednesday to Lamont, called the agreement with the Mohegans incomplete and called for future talks with both tribes, with a Sunday deadline. Unless an agreement includes both tribes, the eastern Connecticut delegation simply cannot support it, the group wrote. We implore all three parties to come together and complete an agreement by Sunday March 7, 2021. We believe that is possible. Since an eventual deal on gambling expansion has to be voted upon in the General Assembly, the bipartisan opposition could by itself throw the governors proposal into jeopardy. Ostens coalition succeeded in stopping a bid by MGM Resorts International in 2018 and 2019 to open up the gaming industry in Connecticut after MGM proposed a $675 million casino on Bridgeport Harbor. The Mashantucket Pequots issued a statement late Tuesday saying a deal with only one tribe cannot exist. The tribes and the state work under federally approved compacts reached in the 90s and the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs must approve changes to those compacts. Mounds issued a statement in which he agreed that both tribes must be a party in any agreement and that the Mashantucket Pequots should join it. Mounds added, this agreement is best for the entire State of Connecticut, especially Eastern Connecticut, where the tribes employ thousands of people and contribute significantly to local economies and communities. This expansion of gaming in Connecticut is a financial benefit to both tribes and will provide long-term stability for both sovereign governments. Governor Ned Lamont is urging the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation to join this agreement immediately, and Eastern Connecticut legislators should do the same. By announcing a deal with the Mohegan tribe, Lamont and Mounds in effect forced the tribe that owns Foxwoods which has seen sharp revenue declines due to the pandemic to act quickly. In a written statement, Mashantucket Pequot Chairman Rodney Butler said it was offensive for the state to announce a deal with just the Mohegans, indicating that the ploy was bad-faith bargaining. On Wednesday afternoon, Mohegan Tribe Chairman James Gessner Jr. said the debate over sports gambling on online casino games have lingered for years without action. The Mohegan Tribe came to an agreement with Gov. Lamont because we felt that if we didnt find compromise now, Connecticut would risk missing out once again on making these changes, to the detriment of both the state and local municipal budgets, and also to the Mohegan Tribe and its tribal members, Gessner said in a statement that was conciliatory to the Mashantucket Pequots. They have to go through their own process as a separate government, and we certainly recognize that all three governments need to be aligned to make these changes a reality, Gessner said. We will continue to communicate with them, and also with our great partners in the Southeastern delegation to the General Assembly, without whose steadfast support our collective progress to reach this point would never have been possible. Under the deal, announced Tuesday afternoon, the Mohegan tribe would hold the rights to online casino games played by people located in Connecticut, and sports betting, both online and at fixed locations. The state would charge a tax of 20 percent of revenues for online iGaming, and 13.75 percent of revenues for sports betting. The CT Lottery Corp. would have the right to some online sports betting and 15 sports betting locations, which it could subcontract to Sportech, the company that runs pari-mutuel off-track betting locations in the state. Sportech opposed the deal Tuesday and said it could file a lawsuit to stop it. The lawmakers noted that during a hearing on the future of gambling on Tuesday, Lamont advisers said the governor was close to a comprehensive agreement with both tribal nations, but closer with one than the other. Hours later, the agreement with the Mohegans alone was announced. kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixon Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 3) The Food and Drug Administration said it has not let up on the probe about the early vaccinations of members of the Presidential Security Group and special envoy Ramon "Mon" Tulfo. "As of now, wala pa kaming nakukuhang kasagutan, pero tuluy-tuloy ang investigation diyan. In fact, 'yung Bureau of Customs alam ko may sagot sila kasi humuhingi kami ng datos ng importasyon ng mga bakuna nitong nakaraan na taon. So, tinitignan po 'yan ngayon ng ating mga enforcement unit, 'yung ating mga regulatory enforcers," said FDA Director General Eric Domingo at the Laging Handa briefing on Wednesday. [Translation: As of now, we have not received any replies, but the investigation is ongoing. In fact, I know the Bureau of Customs has responded because we asked for data on the importation of vaccines last year. So, this will be studied by our enforcement units, our regulatory enforcers.] Domingo did not provide any details about the data from the BOC, saying he is waiting for the result of the ongoing investigation. The FDA is looking into Tulfo's claim that he was inoculated with the Sinopharm vaccine last year. In an interview with CNN Philippines, he alleged that "thousands" of government officials, together with police and military personnel, received COVID-19 vaccines from his source. In the same interview, Tulfo said the vaccination took place in a private property and that his supplier was "a philanthropist." However, he did not say where and from whom he got the doses from. Earlier, the FDA allowed the PSG to use the unregistered Sinopharm vaccines through a "compassionate permit" in the absence of an Emergency Use Authorization. READ: Medical workers question PSG's 'compassionate' permit for Sinopharm vaccine In today's briefing, Domingo said a compassionate permit was not a guarantee of how safe and effective the vaccine is. "'Pag nagbigay kami ng compassionate special permit, klaro po na ang nanghihingi ng bakuna ay siya ang completely responsible sa produktong 'yon. Hindi po na-evaluate 'yan ng FDA," he said. [Translation: When we give a compassionate special permit, it's clear that the one who asked for the vaccine would be fully responsible for the product. It was not evaluated by the FDA.] The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. PHILIPSBURG:--- The COVID-19 pandemic has made evident how fragile our different systems are. The school sector has become one of the worst affected sectors all over the world. From 15 to 26 March, the regional review on school safety in the context of Systemic Risk: the virtual Caribbean Safe School Initiative (CSSI) Pre-Ministerial forum will assess experiences of the education sectors COVID-19 response and recovery prior to and during the 2020 hurricane season. It will also discuss the need for coordinating policies and actions for prevention and mitigation to build education sector resilience. The Pre-Ministerial Forum will also highlight the fact that ensuring school safety is the starting point for reactivating the economy while discussing the fiscal limitations that might impact the region due to the economic crisis resulting from the pandemic. This event, which will set the agenda for the Third CSSI Ministerial Forum to be held in Sint Maarten in 2022, will promote a culture of disaster prevention, resilience, and responsible citizenship, generate understanding of disaster risk, support mutual learning, and share experiences; and encourage public and private stakeholders to actively engage in such initiatives and to develop new ones at the local, national, regional and global levels, as it is envisioned in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. The forum will host not only meetings between the Ministers of Education of the Caribbean region but also between permanent secretaries, national disaster management offices directors, inter-sectoral partners, educational practitioners, and youth organizations. The CSSI is integrated by 18 states and territories of the Caribbean region (CDEMA participating states), overseas territories, and CARIFORUM countries, making it an initiative of the wider Caribbean. The opening session will be attended by Mami Mizutori, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head of UNDRR, the Executive Director of CDEMA, Honorable Curtis King Ministry of Education of St. Vincent & the Grenadines, and Hon. Rodolphe E. Samuel Ministry of Education of St Marteen. The virtual Caribbean Safe School Initiative Pre-Ministerial forum is organized by the Safe School working group of the education sector sub-committee of the Caribbean Disaster management coordination and harmonization council, with the leadership of the Government of Sint Maarten and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. 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 Joe Exotic, the famous Tiger King, has reportedly found himself a new attorney to represent him as they plan to file a motion for a new trial. According to TMZ, Exotic, whose real name Joseph Maldonado-Passage, is getting the best revenge he can from enemy Carole Baskin. This is because he hired the attorney who recently represented Baskin's missing husband, John Lewis. John M. Phillips is willing to work with the Tiger King for free in a bid to get a new trial arranged so he could please his case in a new set of jurors. In a statement, Phillips said that they have already started to work on Exotic's new trial motion and admitted he was proud of being the leader of his legal team. "This isn't about tigers, television, or tomfoolery. It's about justice and evidence. More soon," he added. Phillips also posted a video that featured Joe Exotic's former legal team. The lawyer was characterized as engaging in "buffoonery" after trying to get their client pardoned by former POTUS Donald Trump. Exotic was previously represented by federal public defenders in his Oklahoma case. Amy Hanna is also part of Exotic's new legal team. Additionally, Phillips hasn't mentioned what arguments he plans to make in his motion for a new trial. But as per The Washington Post, it will reportedly rely on aired and unaired footage from the hit Netflix series, "Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness." He also mentioned that the show's statements could've helped his client but weren't presented to jurors during his previous trial. John Phillips confessed that he became involved in the case after providing advice to Don Lewis's family. Lewis, who was married to Carole Baskin, disappeared in 1997. His case remains open, and as of last year, a Florida sheriff assigned a detective to handle new leads. News of Joe Exotic's new lawyer came after he announced last week that there would be a "Major Announcement" this week. His Twitter account said that "Once this cat is out of the bag, there is NO ONE going to lie about anything anymore." It's unclear if this is related to his new set of legal team. March 1 announcement..Message today from Joe Major announcement will be made on Wednesday of this week. Every News station, radio, newspaper, and talk show will be talking about this. Once this cat is out of the bag there is NO ONE going to lie about anything anymore. pic.twitter.com/3xrB7K7val Joe Exotic (@joe_exotic) March 1, 2021 'Tiger King' on Netflix The series talked about Joseph Maldonado-Passage's repeated accusations that Carole Baskin murdered her former husband and possibly fed him to her tigers. However, the Big Cat Rescue ownerr has never been charged with any crime and even denied any allegations thrown at her on "Tiger King." Currently, Joe Exotic is serving a 22-year prison sentence for a murder-for-hire plot against Carole Baskin and for animal abuse. See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles 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 NSW will bring forward coronavirus vaccinations for people in the next phase of the national rollout, Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced on Wednesday. The Premier said her government would be looking to bring forward the vaccination of people in phase 1b of the rollout particularly healthcare workers not already vaccinated and the families of quarantine workers and aircrew, while completing the vaccinations of those in the phase 1a bracket. The NSW government believes strongly that we merge those two categories to get the vaccine out as soon as possible, Ms Berejiklian said, adding that, while her state was operating vaccination hubs exclusively for the Pfizer vaccine, the arrival of the first 300,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine on the weekend meant the rollout could be advanced more quickly. The Premier said NSW would administer its first doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine on March 10. The United States recorded fewer than 40,000 new daily cases of Covid-19 for the first time in five months on Thursday, a piece of promising news as countries across the globe struggle to hold off another infection surge before inoculations become widespread. With frustration over restrictions having long weighed on populations worldwide, leaders were seeking to balance demands for easing rules while not unleashing another explosion in cases. In the United States, the world's hardest-hit country, the number of daily cases peaked at nearly 300,000 in early January following the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's holidays. With cases declining and vaccines rolling out, several US states have begun jettisoning mask-wearing rules -- much to the chagrin of President Joe Biden, who called the move "Neanderthal thinking." While his administration says its promise to vaccinate 100 million people in its first 100 days is ahead of schedule, Europe is facing heavy criticism over delays in its inoculation campaign. The EU drug watchdog said Thursday it had started a "rolling review" of the Sputnik V shot, meaning Russian coronavirus vaccines could soon be doled out across Europe. Moscow responded by saying it could supply doses for 50 million Europeans starting from June as the 27-nation bloc pledged to inoculate all those in need by the end of summer. The EU has already approved three vaccines, but some members have gone it alone, approving shots from Russia and China unilaterally after criticizing delays. In another sign of the pressure countries face, Italy blocked a shipment to Australia of AstraZeneca's vaccine, the first such export ban under an EU vaccine monitoring scheme. The EU has fiercely criticized the Anglo-Swedish company for supplying just a fraction of the doses it had promised to deliver to the bloc. An Australian ministry of health spokesperson played down the impact of the decision, which blocks the export of 250,000 doses, stating that the vaccines were "not factored into our distribution plan for coming weeks." Story continues The need for a wide vaccine rollout was underscored on Thursday when the World Health Organization's European branch warned that infections had once again begun to rise in the region. "This ends a promising six-week decline in new cases," said Hans Kluge. Hungary is among the European nations suffering a surge in infections and deaths, and its government said Thursday it will tighten its lockdown, while Ukraine also warned of a new national lockdown. Italy's government announced the postponement of a round of local elections until after the summer. In South America, Rio de Janeiro placed new restrictions on bars, restaurants and beaches, seeking to contain a surge pushing Brazil's hospitals to the breaking point. And President Jair Bolsonaro announced that Brazil's foreign minister would lead a delegation to Israel on Saturday to sign an agreement to begin Phase 3 testing in his country of an Israeli-developed nasal spray used to treat Covid-19. The pandemic has now killed more than 2.5 million people since emerging in China in late 2019. - European vaccine policy - Europe's vaccine policy remains chaotic and rancorous, with new rows brewing even as old ones are laid to rest. Germany and Sweden on Thursday followed France's lead by reversing course and authorizing the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine for over-65s. Belgium is expected to follow suit, after a raft of studies showing the vaccine is effective for the elderly. However, France has waded into an argument with Austria and Denmark, who are bypassing the EU to broker a vaccine deal directly with Israel. France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian acknowledged shortcomings in the EU's vaccination policies but criticized "attempts at secession" by some countries. EU Industry Commissioner Thierry Breton said he was confident that "by the end of the summer, and I hope even sooner, all those who need to be vaccinated will have been." The EU has been trailing Britain on vaccinations. Britain was again at the forefront on Thursday, announcing a partnership with public health bodies in Australia, Canada, Singapore and Switzerland to ensure shots modified to cope with new variants are fast-tracked. Elsewhere in potential good news for future supplies, German group Curevac said it had signed a deal with Novartis for the Swiss pharmaceutical giant to help in its production of the vaccine it is developing. Several of the biggest African countries meanwhile have only just begun their vaccination campaigns in earnest. And exhausted health workers in some African countries, such as South Africa, were meanwhile celebrating a drop in cases. "One death is enough to traumatize nurses," Phuti Kobo, a ward manager at Thembisa Hospital near Johannesburg, told AFP. "If you had more than five in a day, that was a real trauma, but we managed through it all. We will be much wiser when we approach the third wave." burs-mjs-bfm/dw Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- China forced banks to hold more foreign currencies in reserve for the first time in more than a decade, its most substantial move yet to rein the surging yuan.The nations financial institutions will need to hold 7% of their foreign exchange in reserve from June 15, according to a central bank statement Monday. Thats an increase of 2 percentage points, and the first such hike since 2007. The move, which the Peoples Bank of China said will help liquidity management, effectively reduces the supply of dollars and other currencies onshore -- putting pressure on the yuan to weaken.Although analysts said the direct impact may be small, the move is the clearest signal by the PBOC that its unhappy about the yuans surge to a three-year high against the greenback. Authorities had until now limited their response to rhetoric: a former central bank official and a state-media commentary talked down the currency over the weekend.The PBOC wants to show the market -- if the rally keeps going, it has many measures to slow it down and the market will fail if it wants to make speculative bets, said Zhou Hao, an economist at Commerzbank AG in Singapore. Its more of a symbolic move, as no matter how the PBOC boosts funding costs on foreign exchange, the rate on the yuan will almost always be higher.The PBOC set its daily reference rate at 6.3572 on Tuesday, only marginally weaker than the average forecast in a Bloomberg survey of analysts and traders. The currency gained 0.2% to 6.3634 per dollar as of 9:52 a.m. in Hong Kong, while the onshore rate strengthened 0.1%.Betting on the yuan has been a successful strategy in the past year. The currency has surged 13% against the dollar since last May, when it was near its lowest level since 2008 amid the effects of the pandemic and the trade war with the U.S. Brokerages including Citic Securities Co., Scotiabank and Westpac Banking Corp. expect the currency to climb to 6.2 against the dollar. That would be the strongest since a 2015 devaluation.The yuan is supported by Chinas economic recovery and its higher-yielding markets are attractive to global investors. A backdrop of imported inflation is bolstering the argument for a stronger yuan. Against a basket of trading partners, the Chinese currency is the strongest since 2016.The foreign-exchange reserve ratio hike will likely freeze about $20 billion of liquidity, according to Guan Tao, a former official at the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. The increase demonstrates the Chinese central banks strong determination to curb rapid appreciation in the yuan, and PBOC has more tools if speculation emerges in the currency market, he said.Recent history shows traders should be wary. In the wake of the devaluation, the yuan fell about 11% by the end of 2016, surged 11% through its 2018 peak, before reversing again to sink 13% by September 2019. When momentum in the yuan became too extreme, authorities often took steps to arrest the moves. In early 2018, for instance, the yuan fell the most in two months as authorities gave banks the green light to submit quotes for weaker fixings.Still, analysts remain unconvinced of the potency of the latest measure. Fundamental factors supporting the yuan -- such as its interest-rate premium and high inflation -- remain intact, Citigroup Inc. economists led by Liu Li-gang wrote in a note.While this policy will lock in a certain amount of capital inflow and make foreign exchange funding costs higher, its effectiveness remains in doubt, Liu wrote.Any tightening in dollar funding onshore wont be sustained because global investors can easily obtain cheap foreign-exchange overseas and invest in yuan bonds, according to Ju Wang, a senior currency strategist at HSBC Bank Plc.Beijing seems to be sticking to its goal of liberalizing markets as part of President Xi Jinpings plans to reduce moral hazard. Its not just the yuan where direct intervention is now an unusual sight. The national team of state-backed funds is rarely seen in the $12 trillion stock market anymore, unless moves risk turning into panic or mania. Even in the commodities market, where officials are struggling to cool prices, efforts have largely been verbal rather than direct.If the central bank takes additional assertive actions, such as setting dramatically weaker fixings, that could reinforce the belief that only heavy-handed intervention is worth paying attention to. Yet the Communist Party has made it clear it will act to reduce speculation and guard against risks to financial stability, especially in the run-up to the centenary of the Partys founding this July.We dont see this as an one-off change, but likely the start of a trend, Becky Liu, head of China macro strategy at Standard Chartered, said of Mondays move by the PBOC. It could be seen as a new mechanism to manage the yuan in the medium term, together with other counter-cyclical measures.(Adds 5th paragraph to show PBOCs fixing on Tuesday and latest pricing of yuan.)More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.2021 Bloomberg L.P. Posted Tuesday, March 2, 2021 5:53 pm A Lewis County Superior Court judge has set bail at $250,000 for a Sumner man who allegedly broke into an ex-partners house and threatened a man with a hatchet on Feb. 13 after having eluded police a couple weeks earlier. Amos Allen Schaeffer had allegedly taken a Nissan Sentra without the owners permission and was driving the vehicle on state Route 508 on Jan. 31 when officers attempted to pull him over for suspected involvement in a hit-and-run. The Sentra reportedly drove erratically and engaged police in a 90 mph chase before officers lost sight of the vehicle, later finding it abandoned in a wooded area near mile marker four on state Route 7. The Lewis County Sheriffs Office had been investigating Schaeffer as the alleged driver of that Sentra that when, on Feb. 13, deputies were dispatched to a Mineral address on reports that Schaeffer had broken the glass on the front door of a residence with a hatchet and forced his way inside. Schaeffer was reportedly angry that a woman who lived at the residence had broken up with him and allegedly attacked a male resident, pushing him to the ground, hitting him in the face and allegedly threatening to bury the hatchet in (the victim)s skull before driving away, according to the affidavit of probable cause filed in Lewis County Superior Court. Schaeffer was booked into Lewis County Jail just after 8 p.m. on Feb. 27 and has been charged with one count each of first-degree burglary, fourth-degree assault and third-degree malicious mischief all felonies along with one count of harassment, a gross misdemeanor stemming from the Feb. 13 incident, and one count each of second-degree taking a motor vehicle without permission and attempting to elude a police vehicle stemming from the Jan. 31 incident. Its quite the little spree here, said Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher of the charges during Schaeffers March 1 preliminary hearing in Lewis County Superior Court. Meagher requested that bail be set at $50,000 an increase from the $25,000 bail set over the weekend out of concern for community safety. Judge Joely A. ORourke decided to set bail at five times that requested amount, due to Schaeffers history of domestic violence convictions and protection order violations, along with the fact that he was in community custody at the time of both incidents. I have significant concerns for community safety, said ORourke. The allegations are very serious. Schaeffer has an arraignment hearing scheduled for March 4. Appointment 3 March 2021 The Royal Palm Hotel, Galapagos has announced the appointment of a new General Manager, who joins the hotel this month. A native Ecuadorian with 20 years' experience in Retail, Sales, Marketing, Hospitality and Tourism, Mr Diego Andrade Murtinho joins The Royal Palm Hotel from his position as National Director of Sales for the Oro Verde Hotels, a renowned Ecuadorian group of lodging service providers with more than 600 rooms in 4 cities in mainland Ecuador. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. The Illinois Department of Public Health on Tuesday said it expects the state will receive 83,000 doses of the newly authorized Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine by Wednesday. Unlike the currently available Pfizer and Moderna doses, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires only one shot and can be stored at much higher temperatures. Like Pfizer and Moderna, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is 100% effective in protecting recipients against death and hospitalization. The vast majority of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine more than 90% will be distributed to mass vaccination sites throughout the state. The remaining doses will be shipped to other providers across the state. These doses are in addition to the approximate 288,000 doses the federal government allocated to Illinois this week. This total does not include doses for the city of Chicago, which will receive its own allocation. As Dr. (Anthony) Fauci and many medical experts have pointed out time and again, we are so fortunate to have three effective vaccines that are proven to fully protect against death and hospitalization, said IDPH Director Dr. NgoziEzike. The new Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be distributed for use at mass vaccination sites across the state, so that we are maximizing their capacity and getting as many eligible Illinoisans vaccinated as possible so that we can win the race against the new virus variants and end this pandemic. On Tuesday, the IDPH was reporting 53,102 COVID-19 vaccinations so far in Madison County. That included 41,998 first vaccine doses or 15.8% of the population given, as well as 11,104 second vaccine doses, or 4.2% of the population, to be fully vaccinated. The Madison County Health Department has said the actual number of both vaccinations is higher than the IDPH figures. To schedule a vaccination, county residents can visit https://events.juvare.com/IL-IDPH/m3sb8/ or call 618-650-8445. The IDPH on Tuesday also reported that 10.72% of Macoupin County had received both doses of the vaccine. Other fully vaccinated rates included Calhoun County at 9.56%, Jersey County at 14.28% and Greene County at 10.86%. On Tuesday the IDPH reported 3,186,385 doses of vaccine had been delivered to providers in Illinois. About 443,700 doses have been allocated to the federal governments Pharmacy Partnership Program for long-term care facilities. This brings the total Illinois doses to 3,630,085. A total of 2,817,892 vaccines have been administered, including 324,827 for long-term care facilities. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 80,416 doses. The IDPH on Tuesday reported 1,577 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois. It also reported 47 additional deaths statewide, but none in Madison, Macoupin, Jersey, Greene or Calhoun counties. Late Monday the county health department also was reporting no additional COVID-19 related deaths leaving the countys death toll at 459. There are sometimes discrepancies in the number of cases and deaths reported at the state and local levels, in part because of the volume of cases, and also as each local department forwards the information and it is verified. Local health officials have said the cases eventually reconcile as the reporting catches up. The county health department reported 33 new confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases on Monday, along with 589 tests. To date the county has reported 27,545 cases within the county and a total of 262,136 tests. There were 29 COVID-19 patients reported in Madison County hospitals Monday, four on ventilators. The three-day positivity rate on Monday was 3.69%, the lowest three-day figure since July 2. The seven-day rate was 5.46% and the 10-day rate was 5.51%. The IDPH reported Tuesday that the preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total tests Feb. 23 to March 1 was 2.4%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity for the same period was 2.8%. To date, the IDPH has reported 1,189,416 cases, including 20,583 deaths. As of Monday night, 1,231 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 281 were intensive care unit patients and 148 were on ventilators. For move COVID-19 information, visit https://coronavirus-response-madcoil.hub.arcgis.com/, www.madisonchd.org or Facebook @madisonchd. Also visit www.co.madison.il.us or Facebook @madisoncountyil for more vaccination news and daily updates. For The Telegraphs online vaccine tracker, visit https://www.thetelegraph.com/coronavirus-vaccine-tracker-alton-illinois/. For additional vaccine locations visit https://coronavirus.illinois.gov/s/vaccination-location. Local and statewide information also is available at www.dph.illinois.gov. Click the coronavirus banner. For health-related questions about COVID-19, people also can call the IDPH hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov. New Delhi, March 3 : Sri Lanka Air Force got first hand feel of India's indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft Tejas as Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Navy participate in their 70th anniversary in Colombo. Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria also visited Colombo on Thursday to take part in Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) 70th anniversary and also to strengthen bilateral relationship and open up newer avenues of mutual interest. Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Navy participated in the Aerobatic Display by Sarang (Advance Light Helicopter), Surya Kiran (Hawks), Tejas Fighter Aircraft, Tejas Trainer and the Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft. A total of 23 aircraft of the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy are participating in the event. The detachment for the Aerobatic Display arrived in Colombo on February 27, 2021, with the support of C17 Globe Master and C130J transport aircrafts of Indian Air Force. The deployment of such wide variety and huge inventory of aircrafts and helicopters of IAF and Indian Navy is testimony to the strong bonds of friendship and close interoperability shared between the corresponding forces of India and Sri Lanka services," the Indian government said. The Indian Air Force chief arrived at Colombo on Thursday an invitation from Sri Lanka Air Force chief Air Marshal Sudarshana APathirana. Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) is celebrating its 70th anniversary on March 2 and presentation of the President's colours to two of its Units on March 5. Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria attended the inaugural ceremony Thursday, during which a flypast was carried out. The aerobatic display was also carried out. The air show at Galle Face Colombo saw participation by an IAF contingent comprising of Suryakiran and Sarang Aerobatic Display Teams and Tejas LCA. All the Indian aircraft on display are Made in India and as such represent the indigenous technical prowess of Indian research and development sector and reliability of products of India's Defence Industry. Tejas Trainer, on display for the first time, afforded the opportunity of independent sorties for the Sri Lanka Air Force Pilots, accompanied with the Indian Pilots. The officers from Sri Lanka Air Force and Sri Lanka Navy also had firsthand experience onboard the Indian Navy's AMaritime Patrol Aircraft Dornier. "Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) pilots and Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) observers will fly along with the Indian crew. This is in continuation of the half yearly Dornier training sorties being facilitated for SLAF and SLN," the government said. Further, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria will interact with various dignitaries and the heads of Services of the Armed Forces of Sri Lanka during his two day visit. A"The visit will further strengthen the existing cooperative process and open up newer avenues of mutual interest," IAF said in a statement. (Sumit Kumar Singh can be reached at sumit.k@ians.in) London: British researchers say there is growing evidence that the full two courses of existing vaccines will clobber the more transmissible strains of COVID-19 a development that could help unlock international travel and help relieve millions of people from lockdowns. The emergence of strains in countries with major coronavirus outbreaks, including Britain, Brazil and South Africa, have led to further international travel restrictions and measures. Governments have feared the strains would be resistant to the vaccines that were designed before their discovery. This week the Australian government extended the international border closure by another three months, citing the more transmissible strains that had emerged overseas. A military medic prepares a dose of coronavirus vaccine in Leeds, England. Credit:AP Britain has also introduced hotel quarantine for travellers from countries where the strains are prevalent and stopped recreational international travel. COVID19 SCENE Seen is one of RickthePoetWarriors ten new releases of fresh and funny poetry. I created RickthePoetWarrior with the intention of writing on various non-standard poetry subjects, including politics, science, and stuff, using humor and satire as a means of making poetry palatable to a wider audience. The Canadian poet known by the moniker RickthePoetWarrior has just unleashed ten new volumes of his poetry. Clever, humorous, and thoughtful, the poet tackles an astonishing array of topics. Included among RickthePoetWarriors cache of recent works is COVID19 SCENE Seen, which critiques the over-the-top and fear-based responses to the Coronavirus by governments, so-called experts, and laypeople alike. The poetic voyage of Victoria by Deceit of the Pants, looks at one of Canada's oldest and oddest cities. The often-bawdy Aural Gynecology, goes in for an examination of relationships between men and the fairer sex, while the The Computer Part e- exposes tech geekdom as well as how technology has lead to a society of dumbed down narcissists. The unabashedly boorish and no-frills titled One Hundred Fart Poems offers at least an equal number of gassy laughs for those not too refined to acknowledge sophomoric tendencies. And with all of that, weve only covered half of the ten new releases. Ricks professional background includes freelancing IT skills, running retail stores, and dabbling in website creationall of which left him spiritually exhausted, and led him to create his poetic alter ego, RickthePoetWarrior, to give voice to his viewpoints and promote his politics in an entertaining manner. When I decided to write, I looked at the current state of poetry and decided I didnt want to go mainstream with verse about pretty flowers or lost loves, explains the author. I created RickthePoetWarrior with the intention of writing on various non-standard poetry subjects, including politics, science, and stuff, using humor and satire as a means of making poetry palatable to a wider audience. The poetry of RickthePoetWarrior makes frequent use of puns and creative wordplay, keeping the reader simultaneously hooked, amused, and eagerly anticipating the next unexpected turn of phrase. RickthePoetWarriors tone is often dark and cynical. He approaches topics with an offbeat, quirky and no-holds-barred viewpoint. Across the various volumes of his new releases, themes frequently include a distrust and dislike of government and big business alike, class struggles, and a sympathy for the downtrodden accompanied by spite for TheRich. Consistent with his identity as a warrior, Rick does not simply rail against generalities. From top social media and tech companies (and their CEOs), to orange-haired Presidents of the United States, to politicians from his native Canada, and even to his homelands most famous coffee and donut purveyor, he names names. Yet, as a poet warrior, he wields wordsalbeit razor-sharp as a sword. His vocabulary is sometimes salty, and always colorful. The copyright page of each volume finishes with the kindly greeting, Peace be with you. Perhaps an unlikely greeting for a warriorthough RickthePoetWarrior is after all a poet, and thus an ultimately peaceful warrior. (And lest one be tempted to classify him as simply a wild-eyed political radical, recall his other works, including his collection of poems about flatulence). Despite my sarcastic and cynical attitude, I love people, and that is my motivation for writing, says the poet. That, and the thought that I might actually make them think about something besides themselves. RickthePoetWarrior doesnt reserve all his barbs for the soft bellies of othershes prone to frequently turn the sword inward with self-deprecating humor. Of his audience he says, they should be able to laugh at themselves, because thats who Im making fun of most of the timeus. With such a hilarious object for roasting, readers might wonder why only ten new volumes. Surely, RickthePoetWarriors pen will not run dry anytime soon. A full list of RickthePoetWarriors ten newest releases is available at eBookIt's website. About RickthePoetWarrior Rick was born in New Brunswick, Canada, the middle child of five siblings. He held a variety of interesting jobs: he was a Streaker before going to work for the Boy Scouts, and then got his degree in programming. He also worked in Egypt as a peacemaker for a year before heading back to Canada. Half Irish, half Polish, I like forcing the round peg into the square hole, just to piss off my counsel. About eBookIt.com Since 2010, eBookIt.com (based in Sudbury, Massachusetts) has helped thousands of authors and publishers get their books converted to ebook format, and distributed to all the major ebook retailers, including Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, Apple iBookstore, Kobo, Scribd, Ingram Digital, and Google eBookstore. Advertisement A woke offensive has taken the nation's schools by storm in the aftermath of the George Floyd fallout, but instead of the intended purpose of solving racial inequities it's irritated parents of all persuasions. In interviews with DailyMail.com, parents say they've been overwhelmed by education reformers seeking to impose anti-racist agendas on America's schools. They describe the efforts as well-intentioned but often rushed, condescending, insulting and poorly timed, coming during a global pandemic when most families are just trying to get by. 'It's a whole cottage industry right now, a whole lot really fast that even a good-hearted liberal like me has trouble digesting,' said a Manhattan mother who was recently mandated to sign on to a 90-minute, anti-racist Zoom seminar for her pre-teen daughter's school. 'The stuff is intense,' she said in an interview with DailyMail.com. 'They actually told us, ''The most dangerous place for a black person to live is in a white person's imagination.' And they told us that as a truth. They're presupposing uniform white aggression.' My thought was ''Please don't say that to my child.'' My daughter's imagination is not dangerous.' Parents say they've been overwhelmed by education reformers seeking to impose anti-racist agendas on America's schools. The exclusive Dalton School in Manhattan is mired in controversy after an eight-page memo of staff's anti-racist 'demands' was leaked, proposing sweeping changes to staff training and the curriculum The '8 white identities' document was apparently designed by the Slow Factory Foundation off a curriculum reportedly created by Barnor Hesse, a professor at Northwestern University Joe Borelli, a New York City councilman who serves on the education committee, said he's been flooded with complaints from constituents about the woke movement in schools and noted many parents are seeing it for the first time because their children are taking classes from home. 'When parents are listening to the background noise of their son or daughter's education, they hear first hand what's happening in the classroom,' he told DailyMail.com. 'The public would be shocked at how little focus City Hall has on making schools better rather than making schools part of some woke utopia.' 'This whole woke movement is horrible for society,' argued public school parent Carrie Letke of Ann Arbor, Michigan Their mission is to right wrongs of an education system they decry as institutionally racist, a goal most parents support. More than 80 percent of Americans including 59 percent of conservatives agree education should teach children about the history of racism, according to a recent poll commissioned by The 74, an education news website. How schools bring about those reforms topped the agenda last week when administrators across the country came together virtually for the School Superintendents Association's annual conference. 'How do you go about doing this (reform) so you don't do it in an antagonistic way where you're in essence making the situation worse because people get riled up?' Daniel Domenech, executive director of School Superintendents Association, asked DailyMail.com. 'It has to be done carefully.' He conceded that hasn't always been the case. 'There's a tremendous backlash,' he said. 'It's a battle that is going to be fought district by district, school by school. There are unfortunately people who don't want to accept or see the reality and will fight everything.' A Portland principal was branded a 'BLM Marxist' by angry parents after she claimed the education system is built on a 'system of oppression and white supremacy.' In New York City, a high school principal sent parents a survey asking them to reflect where they land on an eight-point scale of 'whiteness' from 'white supremacists' to 'white abolitionist.' The exclusive Dalton School in Manhattan is mired in controversy after an eight-page memo of staff's anti-racist 'demands' was leaked, proposing sweeping changes to staff training and the curriculum. In San Francisco the school board voted to strike the names of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln and dozens of other historical figures from the district's institutions deemed to have ties to racism or have 'dishonorable legacies.' 'This whole woke movement is horrible for society,' argued public school parent Carrie Letke of Ann Arbor, Michigan, where a high school English department chair recently challenged the 'whiteness' of Shakespeare and supported efforts to replace him. 'Why are we constantly focused on race, race, race, color, color, color,' she said. 'Everyone's open to be receptive of things, but they're jamming it down our throats in the worst way.' In Pennsylvania, Elena Fishbein (pictured) states that she pulled her children from a local public school after a 'Cultural Proficiency Committee' drew up a plan 'to offer explicit lessons on equity and race for our students.' She launched the grassroots group 'No Left Turn in Education' to fight 'indoctrination' In New York City, a high school principal sent parents this survey asking them to reflect where they land on an eight-point scale of 'whiteness' from 'white supremacists' to 'white abolitionist' Letke was home last week when her son, a senior at Ann Arbor's Community High School, started complaining when his teacher turned a literature class into a lecture on social justice, racism and gender neutral bathrooms. 'My office is below his bedroom, and he was on this Zoom session on racism and inclusivity,' Letke told DailyMail.com. 'He didn't agree with some of the teacher's comments, but was like, ''If I were to raise my voice, it would change the way they treat me.'' This whole woke movement is horrible for society. Why are we constantly focused on race, race, race, color, color, color. The woke movement in education has ignited passion on all sides, with some on the right denouncing diversity plans as Marxist and leftist indoctrination. Last summer, a district in Southlake, Texas introduced a plan to require diversity and inclusion training after a video went viral showing some of its students laughing as they shouted the N-word, according to local press reports. Parents packed school board meetings to oppose the plan, arguing it would create diversity police and discriminate against white children. Some even pulled their kids out of the district, and one mother sued, halting the plan's implementation. In San Antonio, one parent said her 15-year-old daughter's school, which is almost entirely white, doesn't even attempt reform because of the anticipated backlash. 'Black History Month is in February, but it hasn't even been brought up at any of our schools,' the mom told DailyMail.com. 'People wouldn't know it's Black History Month unless it popped up on their phone. Everything's just swept under the rug.' In Pennsylvania, Elena Fishbein states that she pulled her children from a local public school after a 'Cultural Proficiency Committee' drew up a plan 'to offer explicit lessons on equity and race for our students.' She launched the grassroots group 'No Left Turn in Education' to fight 'indoctrination.' 'The fight for America begins in the classroom,' she says in a video on Facebook. 'It is D-day. Wake up right now!' 'They're telling your kids they are privileged and guilty if the color of their skin is white.' A change in curriculum is a direct response to the nationwide Black Lives Matter protests that were sparked by the death of George Floyd Mike Gonzalez, a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation and a father-of-three from Bethesda, Maryland, said he's concerned about students being force-fed 'Critical Race Theory' programs that teach the effects of systemic racism on American life. 'Parents are afraid to speak out,' he told DailyMail.com. 'They don't feel like they can fight this. They're afraid of being canceled, being called a racist, of their children not being allowed to go to school. And this is happening in the land of the free.' A student at Princeton University, where the school president declared that racism 'remains embedded in the structures of the university itself,' told DailyMail.com he's bothered by the rhetoric of conservatives who deny a need for reforms. 'They don't say they're against equality,' he said. 'They say they want to move preemptively into a post-racial society. But it takes work. We first have to acknowledge, deal and repair the historical damage before we move into a world without racism.' 'When I ask my daughter what she's studying in history or reading in English, it appears to be a very new and, I would say, slavery-specific theme. Everything seems to hover around this one topic of race. Roberto German, who with his wife Lorena co-founded Multicultural Classroom, which works with schools to promote anti-racism efforts, said he and his wife have been threatened for their efforts and outspokenness. During the height of the George Floyd protests in May, his wife tweeted: 'Educators: what are you burning? Your White-centered curriculum? The Amy Cooper next door? Your anti-Black behavior policies? The school's racist policies? Your racist ass principal.' 'We've received threats and been bombarded by hate mail, people calling us 'coons' and saying, 'Die n*****,' Roberto German told DailyMail.com. 'We're not in this to spread hate and we don't want to receive it.' Alicia Williams, who founded Teach Woke, an organization that provides race and equity workshops for schools nationwide, told DailyMail.com that she's not surprised by all the hostility. 'There's always resistance when there's change, when black and brown people want equality, when white folks want to hold onto their power and their privilege.' In Oregon, Sheila Warren, the black president of the Portland Parent Union, said she's been fighting with public school officials for years to make changes that could help fellow minorities, but said the district rarely consults with the black community. Joe Borelli, a New York City councilman who serves on the education committee, said he's been flooded with complaints from constituents about the woke movement in schools and noted many parents are seeing it for the first time because their children are taking classes from home The Dalton School put out a 'commitment to anti-racism' memo which some parents think is overboard 'We're up against institutional racism, liberal, white astute parents who want things their way,' she told DailyMail.com. 'These liberals are worse than people who are racist up front. 'Their whole ''woke'' thing is offensive to us,' she added. 'That word came from our community. People are appropriating it now, the white folks. They talk about equity and anti-racism, without consulting the people who are most impacted, which in our case is the people of color.' In Manhattan, the mother who was forced onto the Zoom session for her daughter's class said she wishes the school would consult parents before reworking the curriculum. 'When I ask my daughter what she's studying in history or reading in English, it appears to be a very new and, I would say, slavery-specific theme,' she said. 'Everything seems to hover around this one topic of race.' 'These schools, their hearts are in the right place, and we all hate racism,' she continued. 'But I'm not sure the school cares about how I feel or my kids feel about what they're doing.' 'And honestly, it's a crap year to focus on this given the pandemic sh*t-show of schools,' she said. 'It's hard for parents to have the necessary conversation when we're struggling to find work. What's happening here is a bunch of white, liberal progressive parents, in a pandemic, trying to grapple with very important action from schools that takes a lot of bandwidth that parents don't actually have this year.' Irresponsible dog walkers dumping their pets' waste is on the rise across the country as pet owners feel less likely to be confronted over the issue in locked-down Britain. Litter pickers have reported finding baggies full of excrement across the country abandoned in country lanes, tied up on fences or left near bins. Social media has been filled with images from users fuming at those who decided not to deal with the foul mess themselves. Polls on litter find that the issue is the number one concern among respondents and experts say it is on the rise because of lockdown. This week even rangers from the Queen's sprawling 55-acre Balmoral estate in Aberdeenshire discovered a mountain of 20 bags left behind by owners. Litter pickers have shared their grim finds of bags full of waste on social media Sharing a picture of their grim find, they tweeted: 'Why do people do this? 'This was all cleared away this morning plus another 20+ bags as well.' In Upton St Leonards, Gloucestershire, horse owner Kathryn Bell was furious to find bags tied to fences around the paddock she keeps her animal in. She slammed the 'lazy' dog walkers, adding the plastic could be deadly to her animals if they mistook the bags for treats. Kathryn, 41 and from Brockworth, 'It's something you see all the time now. 'There's always poo bags hung on a fence or on a bush. It's definitely increased since lockdown. 'More walkers around our field and a lot more poo bags because of it. To think that the people that are doing it are dog owners so you'd think they'd be animal lovers, yet they don't give a toss about the animals in the field that could ingest it. 'I don't know if its just laziness or they put it there to remind themselves to throw it away on the way back. 'I don't know why they do it.' Kathryn Bell fumed about the bag abandoned near her horses' paddock as the animals confuse the sound of it for their treats Rangers in Balmoral Castle shared their own discovery of 20 bags full of dog waste on the estate Balmoral rangers slammed those who leave behind their waste, rather than taking it home with them or finding a bin Staff said they had found a 'mountain' of waste on the Queen's Balmoral Estate in Aberdeenshire And in Herefordshire, Hay-on-Wye Town Council fumed as it shared a picture on social media of dumped bags full of dog mess left near one of its four dog bins. A spokesman for the RSPCA warned the plastic bags used by dog owners can make animals seriously ill if they are eaten and called on owners to deal with them properly. They added: 'We promote responsible dog ownership and encourage all dog owners to bag up their dog's mess and bin it appropriately. 'We all want to enjoy our parks, footpaths and countryside without seeing dog poo or discarded poo bags littered on the verges or hanging from bushes and trees. Another discarded dog waste bag posted to social media by fed up members of the public 'These bags are usually made from plastic so do not decompose properly and are therefore hazardous to the environment. 'Wildlife can get tangled and injured by these bags and animals such as deer, horses and livestock can become seriously ill if they ingest the bags when grazing.' Charity Keep Britain Tidy describes dog fouling as the number one issue the public is most concerned about. A spokesman said: 'Whether it's our research-led campaigns, our innovations, our legal advice, or our work with land managers and dog charities we are working hard to tackle the issue.' Expert Andy Coleman, who runs the dogfoul.org website, says there has been an increase in the amount of droppings not being picked up across the UK during lockdown. He said: 'The three to eight per cent of dog owners that are irresponsible tarnish the image of all dog owners. 'Their actions not only cause social grievance, they impact on the natural environment, the enjoyment of parks and open spaces as well as causing serious health risks due to the bacteria that can be found in them.' 'We think this is mainly due to the fact that with less people out on the streets, the irresponsible dog owners feel safe in the knowledge that there are less people potentially watching them and therefore simply do not bother picking up after their dogs.' The Chronicle A San Francisco man has been arrested on suspicion of multiple counts of assault with a deadly weapon in connection to a shooting that injured five men in the citys Tenderloin District in June 2020, police said Tuesday. Lewayne Hollins, 48, was identified as a suspect in a shooting that injured five men on the 200 block of Leavenworth Street in San Francisco on June 22, 2020, San Francisco police said. Five men had been walking in the neighborhood when they were shot by an occupant in a gray van at about 3:18 p.m., police said. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 Police inquring based on complaint: Basavraj Bommai on sexual harassment charge against Minister India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P Bengaluru, Mar 03: Police will inquire into the allegations of sexual harassment against Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi based on the complaint, Karnataka Home Minister Basavraj Bommai said on Wednesday, even as opposition Congress demanded for his immediate resignation and registration of FIR. Speaking to reporters, Bommai said,"Whatever the complaint is there, based on the complaint we are doing the inquiry, as per law we are doing it." Responding to a question on opposition demanding Jarkiholi's resignation, he said, "our party will take a decision." Deputy Chief Minister CN Ashwth Narayan said it was not right to comment on the issue without knowing facts, and it may be an allegation out of malice. "there is no clarity....complaint has been lodged, let the truth come out....without knowing truth it was not right to comment or pass judgements, it was not clear whether the allegations were made out of any malice, so no question of giving importance to it now," he told the media. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi slams Centre over Chinese build-up in Depsang Dinesh Kallahalli, a social activist had on Tuesday lodged a police complaint against Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi alleging sexual harassment to a job aspirant and threatening her and family of dire consequences. Purported video clips showing Ramesh Jarkiholi getting intimate with an unidentified woman, were widely aired by Kannada news channels. Demanding Jarkiholi's immediate resignation and registration of FIR, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah said, "If that party (BJP) has shame and if they respect human values immediately they have to take his resignation." Karnataka Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi embroiled in sex CD scandal, calls it 'fake'| Oneindia News "This is national news, if the government has shame, it has to take his resignation immediately, and immediately FIR has to be registered," he told reporters. Reacting to the allegations, Ramesh had told some news channels that he was shocked and the videos were 100 per cent fake, as he also sought an investigation. Police have assured necessary action after obtaining more details and said they will also interrogate the woman. Bareilly : , March 3 (IANS) Shabnam, awaiting death sentence for killing seven members of her family, has been shifted to the Bareilly jail from the Rampur prison, after her photos with some fellow inmates surfaced on social media platforms recently. Two guards of the Rampur jail have also been placed under suspension after jail authorities found that they had clicked the photos with their phones and later circulated them. Jail administration officials said that the pictures were most likely taken on January 26 this year inside the jail premises. "It is a breach of security and violation of the jail manual," an official said. Another inmate of the same jail -- who was also seen in photos -- has also been shifted to the Bareilly prison. The death row convict, Shabnam, was brought to the Rampur district jail in 2019. The order to transfer them was given by Rampur District Magistrate Aunjaneya Kumar on Monday and the two were shifted to Bareilly on Tuesday. Rampur jail superintendent P.D. Salonia said, "Rampur district administration had issued the orders to shift both the convicts to Bareilly district jail. An inquiry revealed that a male prison guard and a woman guard deputed in the jail had taken the photos of the convicts. A report in the matter was sent to the divisional prison Moradabad which ordered suspension of the two guards." Confirming the development, Bareilly jail superintendent P.Singh said, "Shabnam and another convict were shifted from Rampur to Bareilly district jail for security reasons." Shabnam Ali and her lover Saleem were convicted in 2010 for killing seven persons in the Babankhedi village in Uttar Pradesh's Amroha. In April 2008, seven members of Shabnam's family -- her mother, father, two brothers, sister-in-law, cousin and a 10-month-old nephew -- were found murdered. They were given sedatives-mixed milk and, when they fell unconscious, their throats were slit. Shabnam's family was against her relationship with Saleem. Shabnam has recently filed a fresh mercy petition before Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and President Ram Nath Kovind. While an official death warrant is yet to be issued, preparations are on to hang her in Mathura, which is the only jail in the country with gallows for women. Shabnam, now 38, might become the first woman to be hanged in Independent India. Cloud Nothings have been a going concern for over a decade now. During that time, they have established themselves as a punk-pop band of the highest caliber. Between their debut, Turning On in 2010 (recently reissued to commemorate the anniversary of its first arrival) and 2018s Last Building Burning, they released a total of seven albums, including 2015s collaboration with Wavves, No Life for Me. They have been a one-label band, except for the Wavves release, working with Carpark Records. Those first six or seven albums were released almost every year, sometimes with a slightly longer gap between issues. Then Covid happened, and as was the case for so many artists, everything changed. But for Dylan Baldi, the arrival of a global pandemic seems to have been the catalyst for, or perhaps its better to say, the crystallization of, a work ethic that has been breathtakingly prolific. The new Cloud Nothings album, The Shadow I Remember, was recorded just under the wire before Covids grip tightened on every aspect of our lives and was always planned for a release at this time. But once the lockdown happened, all other plans changed, and Baldi went into the kind of overdrive that might make you feel slightly inadequate if you were an aspiring artist or even just a regularly productive one. A list of Dylan Baldi releases from 2020 includes, but is not necessarily limited to the following: a solo album entitled Enemy at Home; two Cloud Nothings albums, The Black Hole Understands and what you might consider its companion Life Is Only One Event; and two free jazz collaborations between Baldi and Cloud Nothings bandmate Jayson Gerycz, Blessed Repair and After Commodore Perry Service Plaza, both as the Baldi/Gerycz Duo. All of those 2002 releases were put out on Bandcamp. Also, Cloud Nothings released 27 live shows, also on Bandcamp. In other words, Dylan Baldi released 32 albums in 2020. And thats if you dont count the Bandcamp subscription service, which began in August 2020 and gets you four new songs a month, sort of like EPs. So all told, thats 37 discrete items released by Dylan Baldi and collaborators in the calendar year of 2020. If that productivity alone werent astonishing enough, what is even more remarkable is both the quality control and the energy levels of those releases. The new material was consistently strong, albeit that Enemy At Home is effectively an album of demos. The two Cloud Nothings Bandcamp albums were an almost refreshing return to the bands very early days and what you might even call a slightly mellower sound (although some restless fans online inevitably clamored for the noisier energy of other parts of their oeuvre). The live shows were of a very high standard in terms of sound quality and song selection, not to mention the vitality of hearing the bands live evolution over the better part of a decade. All in all, 2020 was a phenomenal year for Dylan Baldi and Cloud Nothings, and he barely left his house. And so you might be forgiven for feeling exhausted (just as you might forgive Baldi himself) before we even get to a consideration of what might be considered the official follow-up to 2018s Last Building Burning. But yet, The Shadow I Remember doesnt allow you to rest as a listener, even as Baldi doesnt allow himself to stay useless, as he once rather misleadingly pleaded on 2012s brilliant Attack on Memory. Because, and this is an important thing to say about Dylan Baldi and his band, Cloud Nothings are very good at what you might call misdirection. This manifests itself in several ways, one of which is that you might think theyre a punk band, but they have hooks that songwriters in Swedish pop music factories would kill for. You might also think theyre a pop band, but theyll rip your head off with a visceral aural attack just when you were enjoying Dylans plaintive croon. You might look at them in photographs and think theyre a bunch of slackers, but then go right ahead and look at their discography and begin to compose your lengthy apology. In short, Cloud Nothings contain multitudes, and The Shadow I Remembercontains as many multitudes as you can shake a stick at. The only reason it might be difficult to say that this new album is their best is that theyre all equally good and all equally varied, and all equally vital. So lets dig into this latest release, the bands ninth album. And speaking of misdirection, you might be forgiven for thinking that this is what you might call a Covid album as you listen to the lyrics of the opening track, Oslo, where Baldi begins, The world I know has gone away. But in fact, the album was recorded in early 2020 (in Chicago with Steve Albini, as they did for Attack on Memory in 2012) before we knew what we were in for, and so you have to pivot to another interpretation of this opening shot, or at least concede that more than one thing can be true at once (another thing Cloud Nothings force you to face up to). And sure enough, Oslo turns out to be a meditation on growing up, getting older, feeling adrift from the past but not fully connected to the present, and yet still wondering what the future holds Am I older now, or is this just another age? Am I at the end, or will there be another change? These are, it turns out, part of the Cloud Nothings gestalt, existential meditations set against the backdrop of alternating and fused noise and melody. In its way, Oslo is the archetypal Cloud Nothings song, not only because it will assault and seduce by turns, but also because the musical mood might not always match the lyrical tone, which is a delightfully bracing way to be off-balance. And whats more, Baldi and the band have this uncanny knack of making a song that feels massive and cinematic, shifting pace, changing the subject multiple times, screaming then purring, dropping in delicate little piano pieces, bashing you over the head with guitar, bass, and drums, but all in the space of what is rarely longer than three minutes. And that, sure enough, turns out to be the point. As Baldi himself said in the press release for the new album, Thats the goal I want the three-minute song to be an epic. Thats the short version of the long-ass jam. And while there have been transcendent extended jams in the Cloud Nothings canon, notably No Future/No Past and Wasted Days from Attack on Memory, for example, most of the rest of their catalog demonstrates that you dont need eight minutes to make a song that feels like youve just watched an entire movie. And so it is on Oslo and elsewhere on the album. While other bands would indeed stretch these kinds of things into extended rockist histrionics, Cloud Nothings are nothing if not economical, which adds to the intensity of the listening experience. What this also means is that your head will spin on the regular as you try to assimilate the fact that it feels as if theyve crammed three songs into one three-minute span, or in the case of Its Love, one of the albums later tracks, one minute and 32 seconds. Its Love is a really remarkable slice of brilliance, as you wonder by turns if youre listening to The Who, or Nirvana, or Husker Du, until youre reminded by Baldis distinctive voice and an uncanny ear for a melody, that Cloud Nothings are nothing if not their own unique band. It does seem to be Nirvana and Kurt Cobain that one hears most often here, in terms of the primal vocal scream, the crushing drum sound, the wonderful surprise of coming across a beautiful melody in the midst of what previously seemed like noise therapy, and the twinned energies of brash self-confidence and genuine introspection and doubt, the twin impostors of the punk spirit. But if this reference point pops up more than once in various ways, its almost as if Baldi and company want you to know that they also know the lineage they are continuing with this project. The ghosts of rock screamers past can be heard here, not in a way that haunts, but rather in a way that acknowledges them and then says, hold my beer. Between Oslo and closing track The Room It Was (about which more presently), we are treated to nine more songs, 11 in total, just over 30 minutes of music, which feels like a whole world of experience. There are two handfuls of three-minute epics, each of them Coleridgean flights of fancy that take you to places in your mind that you might never have dreamed of. They drop you back down gently to earth each time, bewildered and ecstatic as if you have had some extra-corporeal experience. And indeed, its an impressive gift that Baldi has for making you feel human, more than human and not infrequently kind of sad, all at once, as if he were some kind of musical psychotropic pharmacist, regulating your mood with exquisite precision over 30 perfectly paced minutes. Because this is, at its root, music of recognition as much as it is anything else. And this is Cloud Nothings greatest gift to us, that they provide us a mirror of our humanity, angry, joyful, self-hating, transcendent, prideful, ashamed, feeling that anything is possible but that all may also be lost, so that we both laugh and cry together, often simultaneously. Multitudes indeed, but without ever tipping over into bi-polarity or psychological or existential disorder. This is just how it is. It doesnt necessarily mean that were crazy. The albums standout track might be its second song, the recently released single, Nothing Without You, which features the wonderful surprise of a guest vocal appearance by Ohmmes Macie Stewart. The track stands out partly because of the change of tone introduced by a female voice, but also because its a classic Cloud Nothings jam, at once fierce and tender, a full-frontal noise onslaught that breaks deftly into delicate melodic passages, a beautiful piano part, and the feeling of satisfaction that you thought you could only get from a live music experience. When this song ends, as is the case with so many here, you kind of want to make a whooping sound and hold your glass aloft as you notice that the exposed armpit might not be the freshest for your fellow audience members. In our current moment, reminders of personal hygiene might be well placed, but thats not really the point. The point of that kind of moment of recognition is that a music community still exists, even if still virtually for the time being. And thats perhaps the real genius of The Shadow I Remember. It reminds you of what live music was like, and what it will be like again its a defiant turn outward after so much turning inward these many months of our confinement. There are actually moments when the band almost mimic what they might imagine a crowd singalong used to sound like, as if to say, well see you soon and you can do that part, wont it be great? But for the moment, true to the previously established bona fides of their indomitable work ethic, they not only play all the instruments, they also play the part of the responsive audience, as in the background vocals of Am I Something, for example, where a drama of self-doubt is played out in the imagined realm of a band playing to a crowd of kindred self-doubting spirits. A lyric like Am I something, do you see me, does anybody out there really need me? speaks both to the isolating self-doubt of the artist as it does to the alienating confinement of the listener, who can easily identify with such a question. In these times we might be forgiven for wondering if anyone is out there anymore and if we are of any real use. Cloud Nothings are here to remind us that were together before and we will be together again. Just imagine the feeling of solidarity you will get when you can all ask that question en masse, to each other, and be validated and affirmed by the answer of your very juxtaposition with like-minded fans, drunk on the euphoric camaraderie of being deafened and uplifted by the live music experience once again. If we think of the experience of listening to The Shadow I Remember as the mimetic version of a live show we cannot yet attend, the closing track The Room It Was serves then as the encore, the room of the title serving as the venue for the imaginary gig we have been attending. And once again, the band provide their own contrapuntal energy, where Baldi finally intones the albums title, rasping the first part, The shadow, before more tenderly and wistfully singing the whole phrase, The shadow I remember, as if the shadow is itself a memory of how we used to commune, something that makes him both angry in his iteration of the first part of the phrase and poignant in its second utterance. Its a brilliant way to end the album, delivering the albums title, framed as the simultaneous sound of anger, pain, regret and hope. The room as it was and the room it will be once again, with all of us in it. Ok, so maybe this is their best album. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. CALIFORNIA Seven California counties are moving out of the states most restrictive COVID-19 tier, according to state health officials. The counties that are moving from the purple tier to the red tier are Modoc, Lassen, El Dorado, Napa, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Clara. No counties had to move back a tier Tuesday, according to health officials. The move to the red tier means indoor dining rooms and movie theaters can reopen at 25% capacity or up to 100 people, whichever is fewer. Gyms can open indoors at 10% capacity. Museums, zoos and aquariums can open indoor activities at 25% capacity. Wineries in the red tier may open outdoors with modifications, but bars and distilleries that do not serve food may not. Other retail businesses like clothing stores and florists can go from 25% capacity to 50%. Gov. Gavin Newsom said he expected 12 more counties would move to less restrictive COVID-19 tiers next week. A scene from the 2021 Korean production of the musical "Wicked" / Courtesy of S&CO By Kwon Mee-yoo The musical "Wicked" returned to Korean stages after five years in spite of the coronavirus pandemic, enticing fans who have grown thirsty for spectacular musicals. Since opening on Feb. 16 at Blue Square in Seoul, the musical has enjoyed sold-out shows. The musical, which reimagines the story of "The Wizard of Oz," is a blockbuster hit not only on New York's Broadway and London's West End, but worldwide. It revolves around the unlikely friendship between Elphaba, the wicked witch with green skin, and Glinda the good witch, beginning in their Shiz University days. In the third Korean production, Oak Joo-hyun and Son Seung-yeon alternate the role of Elphaba. Oak, who was acclaimed for her portrayal of Elphaba in the Korean-language premiere back in 2013, returns to fly on the broom once again. "When I first played Elphaba, I was overjoyed and excited as I got to play the role that impressed me when I saw the show overseas. As years have passed and I gained more life experience under my belt, I discovered that I can deliver deeper messages within this visual extravaganza," Oak said during a press conference in February. Fiyero, left, played by Jin Tae-hwa, and Elphaba, played by Son Seung-yeon, in a scene from the 2021 Korean production of musical "Wicked" / Courtesy of S&CO Son, also known as Sonnet Son, takes another step as an actress after her stint as Rachel Marron in the musical version of "The Bodyguard." The winner of the "Voice of Korea" talent show in 2012, Son is famous for her powerful singing and was considered for years a strong candidate to play Elphaba. "I try to convey the message of the show how we should live through hardships that force us to compromise," Son said. Son interprets her character as a righteous person. "That is why she is always infuriated. She does not put up with injustice. When I was a teenager, I was tough and boyish and in love with hip-hop music, like Elphaba," Son said. "Elphaba is also teased for her green skin. I also faced many walls because of my appearance while pursuing my dream. I can understand how Elphaba continues to run after her dream despite obstacles." Son had covered songs by Broadway's original Elphaba, Idina Menzel, such as "Let It Go" and "Into the Unknown" and is glad to play a role Menzel originated on stage. "People told me I resemble Idina, especially when I'm in Elphaba's green makeup," Son said. The cast of the musical "Wicked," from left Nam Kyung-joo, Jin Tae-hwa, Son Seung-yeon, Oak Joo-hyun, Jeong Sun-ah, Na Ha-na and Seo Kyung-su, pose for a photo at Blue Square in Hannam-dong, Seoul, Feb. 23. / Courtesy of S&CO This production is Jeong Sun-ah's third time playing the bubbly good witch Glinda. "I am grateful for being able to take part in Wicked three times. When I auditioned last year, I thought by February, we would be all over with the COVID-19 pandemic, but we are still in the midst of the pandemic. We are suggesting new ways to enjoy performing arts during the pandemic," Jeong said. The show is being performed while abiding by COVID-19 safety measures, including temperature checks, mandatory face masks and socially distanced seating plans. "During the first performance, I wondered whether any audience members were in the hall or not, because no one laughed at my comedic lines. However, as the show went on, I was able to see the audience wearing face masks and applauding harder than ever since they cannot give a shout even during the curtain call," Jeong said. While Jeong is known for her impeccable portrayal of sweet yet delicate Glinda, another Glinda, Na Ha-na, is a 28-year-old who is joining the show for the first time. "I was excited just to audition for the role since I was able to perform a scene. When I was cast for the role, I could hardly believe my ears. As a huge musical fan, I still can't believe that I am part of this beautiful show that I really enjoyed as an audience member years ago," Na said with bursting excitement. Seo Kyung-su and and Jin Tae-hwa alternate the role of the Winkie prince Fiyero, who goes to school with Elphaba and Glinda. Veteran actors Nam Kyung-joo and Lee Sang-jun play the Wizard and Lee So-yu and Kim Ji-sun are Madame Morrible, the headmistress of Shiz University. "Wicked" runs through May 1 in Seoul and travels to the southern port city of Busan afterwards. Tribal clashes in Sudan's western Darfur region killed at least 10 people Wednesday, a senior security official said, the latest bout of violence in the restive region. The clashes in the town of Saraf Omra in North Darfur province pitted the Arabized Fur tribe against the Tama tribe over a piece of land, said Maj. Gen. Yahia Mohammed al-Nour, the top police official in the province. He said at least 32 others were wounded in the clashes. Security forces arrested a number of suspects and authorities imposed a curfew in the town, he said. Tribal violence in Darfur and other areas of Sudan is a major challenge to the transitional government that has ruled the country since a popular uprising led to the ousterof longtime autocratic President Omar al-Bashir in April 2019. The clashes came two months after the joint U.N.-African Union peacekeeping force that had been in Darfur for a decade ended its mandate. The force, known as UNAMID, handed over its facility in Saraf Omra to the Sudanese government in January, part of its drawdown process. A bout of tribal clashes in January in West Darfur and South Darfur killed around 470 people, according to the United Nations and local officials. The clashes displaced more than 120,000 people, mostly women and children. *This story was edited by Ahram Online. Short link: Recreational drugs such as magic mushrooms, MDMA and ketamine can be more effective in treating resistant depression than any other known treatment, the UKs former Chief Drug Adviser has said. Professor David Nutt of Imperial College London is the scientific adviser to the Awakn Clinic which is about to open in Bristol. The clinic that is already licensed to prescribe ketamine to patients is also planning on administrating MDMA and magic mushroom therapies. Professor Nutt told Newstalk Breakfast that said there is evidence that all three can help with depression, anxiety, PTSD and addiction. We are using these treatments for people who have failed on other treatments, he said. Yes, there are other good treatments but in the case of depression, about one-third of people just dont respond at all. We have shown that magic mushrooms psilocybin can treat those people with resistant depression more effectively than any other known treatment. He pointed out that these drugs have been vilified for decades in an attempt to stop recreational use. In our studies, we have done extensive studies on MDMA and psilocybin, they have turned out to be very acceptable drugs because you are only using them once or twice, it is not like you are using them every day, he said. Professor Nutt said the clinical benefits of all three drugs are now well-proven. Currently the only way one can do that is to have a big pharma company doing massive trials, spending billions of dollars to satisfy the regulators, he said. That is going to take a long time. It may never happen and if we wait for that a lot of patients are going to be disadvantaged. That is why we want to move more quickly because the need is there now especially after COVID. He also argued that people have been taking these drugs, in the case of mushrooms for millennia and in the case of MDMA for the last 50 years. We have the data for the last 50 years and the reason we were allowed to do the psilocybin studies in depressed people was because they accepted that the recreational use over decades had shown no ill effects. Professor Nutt was dismissed from his role as the UK Governments Chef Drug Adviser in 2009 after he said drugs like ecstasy and LSD were less dangerous than alcohol. He said he has become more and more convinced of his view in the years since. The evidence is growing and growing, he said. The problem with alcohol is that not only is it very harmful and very widely used, it has no medical value at all unfortunately. These drugs have enormous medical value and when they are used in medicine their safety is fantastic. Obviously, people can die using MDMA. If they take a gram off MDMA they may die but we are not giving them a gram, we are giving them MDMA in a medical setting in the same way as you would give an anaesthetic in a medical setting for a surgical procedure and in those situations, these drugs are safe. MOSCOW A court in Ukraine on Wednesday rejected an extradition request for an American who served in the countrys right-wing paramilitary units, dealing a blow to United States law enforcement agencies seeking to clamp down on Americans traveling to Ukraine to get battle experience with far-right militias there. The American, Craig A. Lang, an Army veteran and North Carolina native, had been charged in the United States in connection with a double murder in Florida, but his case drew attention to the risk of Americans fighting for far-right groups in Ukraine and other global hot spots. Just as we dont want them in the American military, we dont want them training to fight and kill in foreign militaries, Heidi Beirich, director of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, said in a telephone interview. We have enough violence in our own backyard to worry about. The U.S. authorities have signaled that they intend to focus on Ukrainian paramilitaries as one of the worlds hubs for right-wing extremists, an issue that shot to the top of the agenda this year after far-right groups demonstrated their potential for violence in the Capitol riot. Slow down, governor. Youre moving too fast. Im glad were beyond Carnival season, but moving into Phase 3 with looser restrictions? Really? Lots of people have pent-up pandemic desires and want to cut loose. Weve got businesses suffering with customer restrictions, lots of people out of work and some people with jobs are in situations where they could lose them. I know its a balancing act. I am one of the fortunate people. Still employed and able to work from home. But Im not sure loosening things now is such a great idea when we have history to show us whats likely to happen. Our national virus case baseline has improved significantly. It had been as high as 300,000 a day. With much more attention on reducing community spread with mitigation steps, a significant increase in testing, careful attention to hospitalizations, and, more recently, a more robust vaccination effort, that number has fallen to about 70,000. Thats good, but its not good enough. It was just last week that Dr. Anthony Fauci went on Sunday talk shows to warn us. President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser and the country's top expert on infectious diseases said though the U.S. COVID-19 case baseline has dropped, its not time to resume normal activities. Herd immunity is not here, and it wont be here soon, he said. Weve seen what happens when you pull back prematurely, he said on CBSs Face the Nation. You can get back to normal more quickly if you keep getting that baseline lower, he said on NBCs Meet the Press. Fauci said theres a real risk that our case baseline will increase and, once again, lifting restrictions will lead to surges as weve had in the past. Go back and look at the surges that weve had over the past year, he said on NBC. It was always at a time when you wanted to pull back. In Louisiana, we went into Phase 2 in early June. We had a seven-day case average that topped 2,100 in late July after some summertime fun that started around Memorial Day. What happened? Phase 2 was extended in early August. We moved into Phase 3 in September. We had a surge. In late November, we moved back into Phase 2. With some end-of-semester celebrations and Christmas season joy, our seven-day case average topped 3,700 cases in early January. We chugged along. Our cases are down considerably. Our seven-day average number of cases is still more than 800. Thats too high. Were about to top 10,000 Louisiana deaths attributed to COVID-19. Thats too many. Fauci warned all of us that this is not the time to loosen restrictions so we can continue to reduce the number of cases and get closer to being back to normal sooner. But nooooo. We want to enjoy the advent of spring. Plus, weve got the U.K. variant in our state, and two others might be coming. The governor acknowledged that we have several U.K. variant cases, and one-third of them are in the Lake Charles area. The state's health officer, Dr. Joe Kanter, told me weve got 18 U.K. variant cases in the state, and another 54 are suspect cases. Feels like a lot since the first such case was reported. He said the South Africa variant is in 14 states, and the infected states closest to us include Texas, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina. Too close for me. He said the Brazilian variant is in four states, and the closest infected state is Florida. Too close for me. Since we know these variants are tricky, perhaps we shouldnt be inviting Rudy Rona in to party. We know the U.K. variant is more dangerous because its more easily transmitted. Were hoping the vaccines stand up to the variants. Some health leaders think an additional dose might be necessary for those who have been vaccinated. And dont be fooled by the 1-million-dose celebration. Thats not 1 million people. Its 657,265 people with the first dose and 368,146 people with completed doses. Im glad more of us are vaccinated, but weve got 4.6 million people here. Thank goodness were not Mississippi and Texas, where those governors are giving in to the virus and demands to open the economy. Theyve lifted mask mandates. Its optional to our east and to our west. New Orleans is sticking with Phase 2, correctly. Hold fast with the mask mandate, governor. Please. Yes, Louisiana is moving in the right direction. I just hope the vaccines keep coming, faster and faster, and I pray the U.K. variant case numbers stay low or the two other variants stay away. Sir Keir Starmer was facing increased kickback against his refusal to back business tax rises today as a Labour 'Bible' accused him of leaving voters 'bewildered'. In a scathing attack on the Opposition Leader the New Statesman said that the party has 'no idea what it wants under his leadership. Sir Keir has already faced criticism from the left of the party over his refusal to demand Rishi Sunak increase corporation taxes in the Budget later today - even when increases have been backed by some senior Tories. The Chancellor is said to be considering raising corporation tax to as much as 25 per cent from 19 per cent. However, there is a growing split in the party on the issue because some Labour MPs believe they should be supporting an increase, arguing it is a progressive tax that targets large firms who have thrived in the pandemic. In a leader column in this week's magazine criticises Sir Keir's position, pointing out that he campaigned for the leadership last year on a platform that included increases to corporation tax. Headlined 'Lost Labour' it said the party seems 'increasingly troubled' as support for the Tories grows on the back of the successful vaccine rollout. In a scathing attack on the Opposition Leader the New Sattesman said that the party has 'no idea what it wants under his leadership. Sir Keir has already faced criticism from the left of the party over his refusal to demand Rishi Sunak increase corporation taxes in the Budget later today 'It is possible to argue on technical Keynesian grounds that no tax rises should be imposed during an economic recovery. But this assertion is unlikely to persuade voters who have struggled as large corporations have thrived,' it said. 'In the US, President Biden has grasped the public mood by calling for a rise in corporation tax from 21 per cent to 28 per cent alongside a $1.9trillion (almost 9 per cent of GDP) stimulus programme. 'Having fallen behind the Conservatives in the polls following the successful vaccine roll-out, Labour seems increasingly troubled. 'On 27 February, after Anas Sarwar became the partys new Scottish leader, the deputy leader Angela Rayner and the shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy erroneously tweeted that he was the first ethnic-minority leader of any party (that was the Jewish Benjamin Disraeli). This was careless. 'Perhaps no political party is as adept at reinvention as the Tories. Mr Sunak is unlikely to repeat the punitive spending cuts of the past decade. 'As the Conservatives reposition themselves for a new era of state intervention, the Labour Party seems to have lost confidence in what it is, what it wants and for whom it speaks.' Sir Keir has demanded the Government rule out any tax rises on firms or families this year as the country tries to recover from the coronavirus crisis. And at the weekend shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds insisted 'now is not the time for immediate tax rises' as she hinted Labour could back a corporation tax hike in the future. The row comes as Labour continues to dip in the polls as the coronavirus vaccination programme continues across the UK. At the weekend Sir Keir's approval rating fell to its lowest level since he replaced Jeremy Corbyn last April. A new survey conducted by Deltapoll showed Sir Keir has a net approval rating of zero. But Boris Johnson has continued his upward surge, with the PM pulling ahead of his counterpart for the first time since last May, recording a number of plus 10. Yesterday Sir Keir came under attack from hard Left elements in the party today, who urged him to listen to grassroots activists agitating for tax rises. The warning came in a paper co-written by Jon Trickett and Ian Lavery, who served in Jeremy Corbyn's top team but were jettisoned by Sir Keir last April. The pair, together with ex-MP Laura Smith, said that Sir Keir is wrong to argue against corporation tax increases ahead of Wednesday's Budget. In their paper, the trio said that 'even a Tory Chancellor wants to see increases in corporation tax', with Rishi Sunak rumoured to be considering a rise as part of the effort to reduce the coronavirus deficit. They argued: 'We must remember that corporation tax is a tax on big business profits - not families. 'Having spoken to many members of the Labour movement over the last year, it is becoming clearer that the party is becoming more disconnected from its movement and values.' The trio - all supporters of Sir Keir's predecessor Mr Corbyn - claim that trend is 'reflected in the wider public' because of Labour's inability to build an opinion poll lead. Mining threatens South Africa's West Coast beaches March 03,2021 | Source: Surfer Today Protect The West Coast (PTWC) welcomed a legal ruling in early February 2021 against Mineral Resources Commodities Limited (MRC) and Mineral Sands Resources Limited (MSR). MRC is a Western Australian mining company; MSR is a South African subsidiary of MRC. The Cape Town-based environmental Not-For-Profit Company (NPC) was formed to oppose increasing mining operations by MRC and other companies on the West Coast of South Africa. "This ruling is a major coup for the environment and its protection, and we plan on using it to put more pressure on both the government and the miners by bringing more factual information into the public domain," said Mike Schlebach, the driving force behind PTWC. "By doing this, we will encourage better oversight, accountability, and alternatives." "Many of MRC's mining activities in South Africa would not be allowed on their home turf in Australia, and we are quite confused as to why its shareholders and the good people of Australia are allowing this." Since its formation in November 2020, PTWC has made significant inroads towards its cause, rapidly gaining support in South Africa and internationally, including from top Australian professional surfer Belinda Baggs and Hawaii's John John Florence, two-time world surfing champion. "Many of MRC's mining activities in South Africa would not be allowed on their home turf in Australia," adds Schlebach. "We are quite confused as to why its shareholders and the good people of Australia are allowing this." Mining has become a common practice on pristine beaches and offshore areas of South Africa's West Coast. The industrial activity is restricting public coastal access, causing devastating environmental damage, and negatively affecting local communities. The problem is not new and has been going on for several decades. Nevertheless, the pressure of multinational mining companies on natural resources has been increasing fast with the support and approval of local and national authorities. According to PTWC, there are numerous new mining applications in the pipeline and widespread concerns about the effect of their operations on the environment. 2021 SurferToday.com | All Rights Reserved Theme(s): Others. Overview Forex trading has experienced substantial rise in recent years, with more forex traders emerging to participate in one of the largest financial markets in the world. The forex market is both liquid and extremely volatile as result of the volume of trades that are executed daily. Higher liquidity results in lower transaction costs, which is one of the main reasons why so many traders are drawn to the forex market. Traders have access to the forex market 24 hours a day, five days a week, creating potential for a vast number of trading opportunities. Forex Trading Stats for 2021 Forex Market Size The forex trading market is currently worth $1.93 quadrillion which is 2.5 x larger than the global gross domestic product (GDP) with more than $5.3 million traded per day in the market. More than 85% of the forex market transactions happen involving the following forex pairs, in the following order: EUR/USD USD/JPY GBP/USD AUD/USD NZD/USD USD/CAD USD/CHF Currency Stats The US Dollar is still the most traded currency in the world, forming part of 90% of global trades, even in African countries such as Nigeria, with the Nigerian Naira (NGN) being traded in exchange for US Dollars. Forex Technology MetaTrader 4 is the most popular trading platform used by Nigerian traders with MetaTrader 5 being the closest competitor. Both these trading platforms are offered by most forex brokers due to their flexibility, high-customization, and user-friendly interface. More than 35% of traders seek brokers who offer mobile trading platforms, and most traders prefer Android over iOS. More mobile devices are compatible with Android, with most traders making use of Samsung and Huawei. Trader Stats There are currently more than 300,000 retail forex traders in Nigeria, with a substantial rise that can be seen in female traders, with 46% more women who have registered trading accounts in the past year. However, women still only represent 10% of all traders in the world, with 89.1% of all traders being male. There are also more young people joining the trading industry, with the youngest traders between the ages of 25 to 34. Broker Stats Amidst all the brokers who offer their services to Nigerian traders, some of the most popular well-regulated brokers include AvaTrade, FXTM, HotForex, Pepperstone, Exness, IG, Plus500, XM, Alpari, and IC Markets. You might like: CBN bans cryptocurrency Forex trading versus Cryptocurrency Even though cryptocurrency has achieved more widespread acceptance across the globe, forex trading is still more popular than cryptocurrency in Nigeria. This is due to a variety of reasons; however, the unregulated nature of cryptocurrency keeps a lot of traders at bay with investment in digital currency, along with the excessive costs involved in trading cryptocurrency as opposed to the low transaction costs that come with forex trading. ADVERTISEMENT Nigeria Foreign Exchange Reserves The Nigerian forex reserves saw a substantial increase to 36400 USD million in January when compared to the 35360 USD million recorded for December 2020, indicating a substantial increase in forex trading in Nigeria. Ready to start trading? Open a free trading account here. 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 Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. GATINEAU, QC, March 3, 2021 /CNW/ - Every day, volunteers throughout Canada make valuable contributions to their communities. The Government of Canada recognizes the difference they make in the lives of fellow Canadians through Canada's Volunteer Awards (CVA), with the advice and support of a National Advisory Committee (NAC). Today, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Ahmed Hussen, announced a call for applications for new NAC members. The NAC is composed of up to 15 leaders and changemakers who have demonstrated knowledge, experience and commitment as volunteers. Its members provide advice and recommendations on the selection of recipients in several CVA categories and build awareness of the CVA program. This call for applications will serve both to fill vacancies in the existing committee and to create a roster of pre-qualified candidates for future vacancies. NAC members will be selected by the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and will serve a term of three years, with the possibility of extensions by one-year increments, for a maximum term of six years. Interested individuals are encouraged to apply by April 8, 2021. Quote "As long-time volunteers and changemakers themselves, National Advisory Committee members are experts in the field and are leading positive change in their communities. The knowledge and insight that they have gained through their own experiences make them a valuable source of advice on the selection of Canada's Volunteer Award recipients. I look forward to working with the new members as we continue to recognize the many contributions volunteers make in communities across Canada." Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Ahmed Hussen Associated Links Apply to become a member of Canada's Volunteer Awards' National Advisory Committee Canada's Volunteer Awards Program Follow us on Twitter Backgrounder About the National Advisory Committee: Story continues What is the National Advisory Committee? The National Advisory Committee (NAC) members advise and assist the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development on all matters relating to the selection of Canada's Volunteer Award recipients. Who should apply to be a part of the NAC? The Government of Canada is inviting individuals with relevant volunteer and community experience from the charitable, not-for-profit, social enterprise, volunteer or private sectors to apply to join the NAC. It is important that committee members represent Canada's cultural, linguistic and regional diversities. The Government encourages Canadians aged 18 years and older from across the country to apply, including people with disabilities and those from Indigenous, racialized, and LGBTQ2 communities. How long does a member serve on the NAC? Members serve for a three-year term with the possibility of extension by one-year increments, for a maximum term of six years. Membership is reviewed annually, and terms are staggered to ensure continuity. This allows for smooth integration of new members and provides consistency through transfer of information related to the selection process. How are NAC members selected? Candidates apply through the Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) website. Candidates are screened by ESDC against established criteria. The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development selects members. Successful candidates are notified that they have been selected for the NAC. About Canada's Volunteer Awards: What are Canada's Volunteer Awards? Volunteering greatly benefits communities and promotes partnerships that help address persistent social problems.The Government of Canada is dedicated to recognizing volunteers and the time and resources they give. Canada's Volunteer Awards recognize the contributions that individuals, not-for-profit organizations, social enterprises and businesses make to their communities through volunteering. How many awards are presented? Each year, there are a total of 21 awards, at the regional and the national levels. There are 20 regional awards, four for each of the five regions across Canada (Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, Prairies, and British Columbia and the North): Emerging Leader to recognize young volunteers between the ages of 18 and 30; Community Leader to recognize individuals or groups of volunteers; Business Leader to recognize businesses and social enterprises; and Social Innovator to recognize the contributions of not-for-profit organizations and social enterprises. There is also one national award: Therese Casgrain Lifelong Achievement Award to recognize individuals who have volunteered for at least 20 years. SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada Cision View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/March2021/03/c3158.html DENVER, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Crestone Services Group, LLC, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Diversified Solutions, Inc (DSI). DSI is a service provider building the next generation communications network in Arizona, Idaho, and Montana. This acquisition represents a meaningful entry for Crestone into the attractive Phoenix market where infrastructure spending is at record levels. DSI has experienced significant growth in recent years related to 5G and fiber-to-the-home investments. The company will operate as a subsidiary of Crestone and be led by its founders Aaron Larkin and Shane Olerich. "We are thrilled to welcome Aaron, Shane and the talented DSI team to Crestone. Our organizations are well aligned, and we see this merger as a perfect fit. By adding DSI to the platform, we solidify our position as a leading communications infrastructure provider in the Mountain West. Our success is primarily due to our sizable workforce, end-to-end services, and our concentrated regional focus," said Rick Barrett, CEO of Crestone Services Group. Aaron Larkin, President of DSI added, "Shane and I are excited to join Crestone. Their resources, combined with increasing market opportunities, will lead to many years of growth for our business. When we considered our options, we wanted to partner with a group that shared our vision and values - that's why we choose Crestone". About Crestone Services Group Crestone Services Group was formed in 2015 to develop a leading utility services company pursuing strategic acquisitions in the communications, power, and gas distribution markets. To date, Crestone Services Group has completed ten acquisitions of businesses supporting communications carriers and public utility owners. Crestone Services Group is a joint investment between Diamond State Ventures, Banyan Investment Partners, Asydan Capital Management and Post Road Group and is led by former Blackeagle Energy Services CEO, Rick Barrett. About Diamond State Ventures Founded in 1999 with its first fund, Diamond State Ventures is a licensed Small Business Investment Company ("SBIC") engaged in providing debt and equity financing to lower middle-market companies across the United States. With approximately $225 million in invested and committed capital across three funds, DSV will participate in a variety of transactions including growth/expansion financings, recapitalizations and buyouts. Importantly, DSV seeks to invest in exceptional businesses managed by extraordinary people who possess a record of achievement, integrity and determination. About Banyan Investment Partners Banyan Fund, L.P. was founded in 2002 to provide mezzanine capital to smaller middle-market companies headquartered primarily in the Southeastern United States. Mezzanine capital is used to supplement a company's debt capacity beyond banks' credit limitations and is a substantially cheaper and less dilutive alternative to equity financing. We strive to contribute beyond the capital we provide to our clients, by entering into a close partnership arrangement with management teams coupling high integrity with a desire to build substantial enterprise value. About Post Road Group Post Road Group is a private investment firm based in Stamford, CT. Post Road's special opportunity investment team executes debt and equity investments in primarily tech, media, telecom, and other tech-enabled business services companies. Since its founding in 2015, the team has invested over $1 billion in its target industries, and is currently investing out of Special Opportunity Fund I. To learn more, please visit postroadgroup.com. Further information is available at www.crestoneservices.com SOURCE Crestone Services Group Millions of coronavirus shots from the global Covax scheme have arrived in Nigeria, Angola and Kenya, as African countries ramp up their vaccine rollouts. Richer countries have surged ahead with vaccinations but many poorer countries are still awaiting deliveries, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to warn that the crisis cannot end unless everyone can inoculate their populations. The Covax facility, run by the WHO along with health NGOs, is aiming to supply vaccines to dozens of countries in the first 100 days of 2021, and two billion doses by the end of the year. While the continent's most populous country Nigeria received almost four million jabs on Tuesday, Angola received more than 600,000 doses and DR Congo was scheduled to get a consignment later, following recent deliveries to Ghana and Ivory Coast. Kenya received its first shipment of just over 1 million Covax-funded AstraZeneca/Oxford shots early Wednesday. However, there are still critical hurdles for the scheme's rollout in vast African countries with sketchy infrastructure and an array of security challenges a point addressed by Faisal Shuaib, director of Nigeria's primary healthcare agency. "States without a functional airport will have their vaccines transported by road using vans with fitted cold cabins, from the nearest airport," he said. He called the delivery which arrived around noon in the capital Abuja a "good day for Nigeria" and promised the rollout would begin in earnest on Friday with frontline health workers the first to be inoculated. Nigerian official Boss Mustapha urged traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society groups and the media to spread the message that vaccinations were needed, adding: "This is a fight for everyone." In Angola, where some healthcare workers were vaccinated shortly after the doses were offloaded, the WHO's Djamila Cabral said the arrival of vaccines brought a "stronger hope to save lives", but warned that everyone needed to continue respecting Covid restrictions to beat the pandemic. Story continues Watch: What it's like living in a village with 142% rise in coronavirus cases 70 percent goal The almost four million AstraZeneca/Oxford doses received by Nigeria, made by the Serum Institute of India, are the first of 16 million shots that Covax plans to deliver over the coming months to the country of 200 million. The government said it hoped to vaccinate at least 70 percent of its adult population over the next two years and health officials said more than two million people had already registered for the jab online. "As the vaccines arrive in batches due to limited supply we will inform Nigerians about who and where to receive the vaccine," Shuaib told reporters. Nigeria has recorded 1,915 deaths from 156,017 cases since the start of the pandemic and Angola 508 deaths from 20,854 cases though official figures in most countries are considered to be underestimates. A new virus variant has also been discovered in Nigeria, but researchers have not yet determined if it is more contagious or deadly than the original strain. Last week, Ghana and Ivory Coast were the first African countries to receive vaccines from Covax, an initiative led by the Gavi vaccine alliance, WHO and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) with UNICEF as implementing partner. Some 237 million AstraZeneca doses are to be delivered by the end of May to 142 participating economies, Covax says. Watch: Do coronavirus vaccines affect fertility? (AFP) An expert from the UOC and participant in the European FAIRCOM project reveals that between 1998 and 2018 only 20% of the public compensation applied for was granted European Union law rules that Member States must provide fair and appropriate compensation for victims of sexual offences. In some countries, few victims receive any financial compensation, or often the amount received is very low. According to figures from the Spanish Government's Ministry of Finance, obtained by professor of Criminal Law at the UOC, Josep M. Tamarit, between 1998 and 2018 in Spain some 1,356 applications for public compensation were made, of which 272 were favourably settled. "During these two decades, only 20% of the compensation requested was granted. In other words, an average of 13 grants of 1,375 euros per person were paid out," revealed the expert. Tamarit, the lead researcher on victimization in the UOC's VICRIM group, is involved in the European project FAIRCOM along with academics from other universities and NGOs from Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, Greece and Latvia. The project aims to improve the chances of victims of sexual offences to get fair and effective compensation. In the context of this research, the expert managed to ascertain that even though in Spain there is the possibility of applying for this compensation, in accordance with Law 35/1995, victims are faced with a number of obstacles to obtaining it. "The figures show that in Spain there are few applications, and this is mainly due to the fact that not all the victims are properly informed about the option of making a claim," explained Tamarit. And in the case of the people who do apply for public compensation, it is often refused. The criminal process in Spain The main route to getting compensation is the criminal process. "If the aggressor has been identified, judged and sentenced, the court imposes in its ruling the obligation to pay compensation to the victim, who can apply for it if they have taken part in person in the proceedings or, in Spanish law, it can also be requested by the Public Prosecution Service," explained Tamarit. "The procedures for making a claim can be very long and complicated. The compensation awarded very often does not reach the victim because the offender has no resources or because the judicial system is incapable of executing the sentences," the expert added. For the cases in which compensation cannot be made effective, Tamarit explained that the European states have established compensation mechanisms from public funds, based on the idea that the State must assume its duty to protect its citizens from crime. The payments are made as a symbol of recognition, public sympathy, and social solidarity with the victims. He said: "In Spain, the system of public compensation for victims of violent crimes and crimes against sexual freedom is managed by the Ministry of Finance, which takes a very restrictive approach, as shown by the figures." 12 good practices to guarantee compensation Within the framework of the FAIRCOM project, funded by the European Union, the experts are drawing up a series of resources aimed at providing professionals and institutions with the tools to improve current legislation and practices. Among the first results, they concluded that Member States should take measures to ensure that the compensation awarded by the court is actually available to the victim, and that the public compensation systems have an effective impact on the victims who need it. In their e-book State and Offender Compensation of Victims of Sexual Violence: Survey, Good Practices and Recommendations, the experts involved in the project recommend various good practices: 1. A public body should be responsible for obtaining the compensation awarded by the courts from the offender. In the Netherlands, this task is the responsibility of the Central Judicial Collection Agency (CJCA), which recovers up to 70% of the compensation awarded from offenders. 2. This could be complemented by an advance payment by the State, whereby if the compensation granted is advanced partially or in full to the victims in the event of the (partial) insolvency of the offender, the State can take recourse against the offender to recover this amount. 3. An effective and easy-to-follow procedure needs to be put in place. Article 16 of the Victims' Rights Directive obliges Member States to ensure that victims can obtain a decision on compensation by the offender within a reasonable time frame during the criminal proceeding. States should provide an alternative to civil proceedings, as these are currently ineffective in obtaining compensation from the offender, especially in the case of sexual offences. 4. State-funded lawyers and/or other forms of legal aid should be available to the victims of sexual offences who enter criminal proceedings, especially at the start of the process. 5. No court fee should be charged to extend access to compensation. 6. With regard to compensation by the State, it is recommended that this type of compensation is made available to all victims of sexual offences, including those that do not imply 'violence' in their usual connotation, such as online sex offences. 7. Specific attention should be paid to minors who suffer sexual abuse, taking into account the problem of domestic victimization and arbitrating procedures to ensure that the amount of compensation will meet the needs of underage victims, or that they will receive it when they reach adult age. 8. State compensation must be available, regardless of the outcome of criminal proceedings. Having to wait for the final decision of a criminal trial can lead to disproportionate waiting times, as most criminal proceedings take many years and consequently the situation places an unacceptable burden on the victims. 9. State compensation should be available in cases where the offender is not known, not prosecuted or not sentenced. A victim is no less a victim in these cases (UN Declaration of Basic Principles, 1985; European Convention on the Compensation of Victims of Violent Crimes (1983). 10. The deadline to apply for state compensation must be long and flexible enough to allow access to justice. It is revealing how the research shows that victims of sexual offences in the Netherlands apply for compensation on average about six years after the event. In the case of underage victims, calculating the deadline for applying for public compensation should begin when they reach adult age. 11. The decision-making authority should be an independent entity. 12. Countries should take into account the framework established by the European Court of Justice regarding the amounts of compensation. These amounts should not be purely symbolic or manifestly insufficient, and they should compensate, to the appropriate extent, the suffering to which the victims have been exposed. If fixed amounts are used, they should vary according to the severity of the violence suffered, and also to avoid a manifestly insufficient amount being awarded in view of the circumstances of a specific case. To develop this good practice manual, the researchers undertook a study of the legal documents and instruments of European policy. The compensation schemes of the five participating countries were compared, using the descriptions of the compensation systems of the European e-Justice Portal. The content was validated and complemented with compensation experts from the participating countries and project partners. In addition, workshops were held in each participating country for professionals working with victims of sexual violence to discuss good practices and potential improvements. ### This project is supported by the European Commission, Grant Agreement: 847360 -- FAIRCOM -- JUST-AG-2018/JUST-JACC-AG-201. UOC R&I The UOC's research and innovation (R&I) is helping overcome pressing challenges faced by global societies in the 21st century, by studying interactions between technology and human & social sciences with a specific focus on the network society, e-learning and e-health. Over 500 researchers and 51 research groups work among the University's seven faculties and two research centres: the Internet Interdisciplinary Institute (IN3) and the eHealth Center (eHC). The United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and open knowledge serve as strategic pillars for the UOC's teaching, research and innovation. More information: research.uoc.edu. #UOC25years Wyoming Lawmakers Grant Initial Approval to Election Reform Voter ID Bill A bill that would require voters to submit photo identification at the polls passed its first vote in the Wyoming House of Representatives on March 1. The legislation, House Bill 75, requires voters to present either a Wyoming drivers license, or identification card, tribal identification card, valid U.S. passport, U.S. military card, or Medicare insurance card when casting their ballots in elections. The bill wouldnt apply to people voting by absentee ballot after registering in person or by mail. It still requires a further two votes to clear the House. If successful, it would then proceed to the Senate. Secretary of State Ed Buchanan, a backer of the legislation, hasnt said that voter fraud is a problem in the state, but described the bill as a measure needed to prevent any future problems in the election process. Its a proactive piece of legislation. Although its been pointed out we dont see a lot of fraud in the state of Wyoming, were very lucky to live where we live. Our small population and having those personal relationships has prevented a great deal of fraud, Buchanan said. If folks ever lose faith in our elections then all is lost because they will lose faith in their government, they will lose faith in law enforcement, they will lose faith in the legislature, in my office [and] anyone thats in a position of authority, he added. This is a best practices issue, creating an environment where its difficult to commit fraud, said Rep. Chuck Gray, a Republican from Casper and one of 56 cosponsors of the bill. Its about Wyoming being the gold standard on the issue. Voters in the state are already required to submit a valid form of identification when registering to vote, however, the latest legislation would require voters to do so again at the polls. Critics of the legislation argue it would make voting in person less accessible, and would therefore disenfranchise voters. Marguerite Herman with the League of Women Voters told the Wyoming House Corporations Committee that it promotes a false narrative that elections arent secure. There is no evidence of pervasive voter impersonation that would be remedied by presenting voter ID at the polls, Herman said in a Zoom meeting. The premise of the bill at all is shaky at best. If we think our elections are secure to the point there is no voter fraud, then what does this policy do? challenged Jackson Rep. Mike Yin, a Democrat. Is it just a response to whats happening on the national level? And if so, does that better Wyoming to implement a policy that doesnt bring any benefit to us because our elections are already secure. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Washington: In his first two weeks in office, US President Joe Biden wasted no time dismantling wide swathes of the Trump legacy, revoking more than 30 orders signed by his predecessor, while rejoining the Paris climate accord, ending the Muslim travel ban and halting construction on a Mexican border wall. But there is one area of Trump policy that Biden has embraced: space. The White House has announced support for a pair of Trumps signature initiatives: the Artemis program, NASAs effort to return astronauts to the lunar surface, and the Space Force, as a sixth branch of the armed services. Steve Jurczyk, Acting NASA Administrator talks to the United States President Joe Biden calling to congratulate NASAs Perseverance rover team after receiving confirmation the spacecraft successfully touched down on Mars. Credit:AP The endorsement of the Artemis program means the effort would become the first major deep-space human exploration program with funding to survive a change in presidents since Apollo, ending a series of fitful efforts to send astronauts back to the moon and beyond that ultimately went nowhere. The police in Hanois Tay Ho district invited four foreign victims of sexual assaults to the scenes of the crime on March 2 in order to conduct field investigations as a way of gathering more evidence and witness testimony. A 28-year-old British citizen, a sexual assault victim, shows the police the place where she was sexually assaulted. VOV understands that only four foreigners who were victims of recent sexual assaults carried out by a group of young men have reported the crime to the authorities. Several other victims have so far failed to show up at the police station, therefore the actual number of victims remains unknown, according to an investigator. Despite this, no additional sexual assaults have happened since the police tracked down several suspects, including summoning several people for interrogations. Police agents have been deployed to patrol around West Lake where sexual assaults happened but recorded no similar cases, said the investigator. Thanks to the presence of police forces, foreigners residing around West Lake feel more at ease when going out these days. Previously I always brought with me a bottle of self-defence pepper spray, but now I am no longer worried when going out, said J.K., a 24-year-old girl from South Africa. Meanwhile, K.M.C, a 25-year-old girl from Ireland, thanked the media and the police for their swift response. I am still a bit worried whenever I go out, but the situation is getting better and better now, she confided. The police operating in Tay Ho district have handled the case after receiving reports that foreign women living in the locality had fallen victim to a string of sexual assaults carried out by a group of young people. Some victims stated that they were sexually assaulted by young men as they were walking down main streets such as To Ngoc Van, Quang Ba, and Dang Thai Mai. An Irish victim even said the men drove a motorcycle at her, before strangling her, throwing stones at her, and snatching her belongings. The police subsequently summoned some suspects for interrogation. Tay Ho district remains a popular place among Hanois expat community with many foreigners or foreign organisations renting property to either stay or work there. VOV 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. You are the owner of this article. Reporter Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk). Thiruvananthapuram, March 3 : In the run up to the upcoming April 6th assembly polls, the Congress led UDF on Wednesday came out with their logo with the hash tag in Malayalam ( Naadu Nanakan UDF) which in essence means the UDF promises to put Kerala back on the track . The entire top brass of the UDF was present when the logo was released. Leader of opposition Ramesh Chennithala told the media that the state is eagerly waiting to see that there is a change and the Congress led UDF promises a clean rule and will take Kerala to new realms of development. "For this, the only way out is to see that the Congress led UDF government takes office. Our campaign will centre around the numerous scams which has its origin from the office of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan," said Chennithala. "We will expose all the misleading advertisements that was given by the Vijayan government in the past six months and we will come out with facts about it," added Chennithala. "Even while we expose the government, we will come out with a realistic manifesto on what we plan on the future road map of Kerala , which will be published very soon," said Chennithala. Meanwhile the discussions with regards to seat sharing among the various allies in the UDF continues and the leaders are expecting to trash out whatever differences of opinion remains. In the 140 Kerala Assembly, this time the Congress is expecting to contest in around 95 seats, leaving the rest to its allies. "Talks are progressing and we expect to finish the seat sharing at the earliest," added Chennithala. The new head of the World Trade Organization, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, starts work this week. Hopefully she likes a challenge. She takes charge of an institution once seen as vital for global prosperity but now widely regarded as moribund, and she'll need to contend with a new climate of opinion that seems to regard free trade as passe and measures to build domestic economic resilience as paramount. The future of the liberal trading order is under threat. It may be decided, one way or the other, on her watch. Okonjo-Iweala is eminently qualified. Her experience in development (she was Nigeria's finance minister and the No. 2 official at the World Bank) has acquainted her with the centrality of trade in promoting prosperity. But her task is enormous and, no matter how competent or energetic, she can't do it alone. It took U.S. leadership to build the WTO, and it will take U.S. leadership to revive it. The body has three indispensable functions. It facilitates negotiations to promote free and fair global trade. It provides transparency by monitoring countries' trade policies. And it serves as a forum for settling disputes. Each mandate is on the point of collapse. WTO negotiations have achieved nothing for years. Monitoring is failing because many governments prefer not to comply. And the dispute-settlement process has been effectively shut down by the U.S. refusal (beginning under President Barack Obama) to appoint judges to its appellate body. This breakdown, it must be emphasized, is not the fault of the WTO and its officials. In the end, the body can only do what its member governments ask and empower it to do. At the moment, they're content to let it slide into irrelevance. For now, you might think, this doesn't matter. Maybe the post-pandemic preference for shorter supply chains and adequate domestic capacity makes renewing the WTO less important. Just the opposite. A global emergency such as COVID-19 increases the need for cooperation, in particular for stable trade relations. A retreat to protectionism will only heighten vulnerability and worsen the damage. Nor is the pandemic the only such threat. Policies to address climate change also have enormous implications for trade. A body capable of maintaining cooperation under stress founded on the truth that liberal trade is positive-sum, not zero-sum is essential for managing these risks. Certainly, Okonjo-Iweala's WTO will need to make the system work better. The necessary agenda is wide-ranging and far from straightforward. In particular, there needs to be a new emphasis on transparency and compliance, especially in countries whose governments play a dominant role in directing resources China, most notably. Old rules need updating for new industries, fast-changing conditions and foreseeable future pressures. In contending with all this, the WTO needs to be much nimbler. At the same time, Okonjo-Iweala must refuse to be a scapegoat. If member states and the U.S. above all remain content to see the WTO fail, its fate is sealed. Last week, President Joe Biden's nominee for U.S. Trade Representative, Katherine Tai, appeared before Congress. She's an experienced and respected trade litigator and negotiator, with credentials as impressive as Okonjo-Iweala's. Her appointment seems to command bipartisan support. If confirmed, Tai will need to make the case for an approach to trade that grasps the benefits of cooperation and competition, and opposes efforts to supplant them. So far, unfortunately, the Biden administration's rhetoric on trade hasn't much differed from that of the Trump administration which did more to set back global trade than any other in modern times, and at great cost to the country. Robert Lighthizer, Trump's trade representative, had no time for the WTO, an attitude that hastened its decline. With luck, Tai will see it as the ally it can and should be, in strengthening the U.S. and repairing the global economy. If she and her team fail to rise to that challenge, Okonjo-Iweala's task will be impossible. This editorial appeared at the Bloomberg and was distributed by Tribune Content Agency. As the U.S. looks to build a coalition to further punish Myanmar's generals, it is not having much success convincing governments in Asia to follow suit. The standing of army chief Min Aung Hlaing's regime has slipped even further in the West after his envoy to the United Nations denounced the military takeover and Myanmar authorities killed at least 18 protesters on Sunday, the deadliest day since the Feb. 1 coup. While the junta has since told security forces to avoid using live bullets, reports emerged that protesters were still being shot with them. At least two more were killed on Wednesday in the city of Mandalay. The U.S. has led the international pushback, with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan saying the country was "coordinating closely with allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region" and would take additional actions after imposing targeted sanctions on the coup makers. The U.K. also sanctioned the generals and the European Union has said its working on punitive measures. Asian countries, by contrast, haven't taken any concrete action. While Indonesia has conducted shuttle diplomacy and Singapore has said its "appalled by the violence," no countries in the region so far have indicated they would support sanctions or any other measures that would hit the military's finances. On Tuesday, foreign ministers of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which includes Myanmar, called "on all parties to refrain from instigating further violence" and for "a peaceful solution through constructive dialogue." While some individual ministers called for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and a return to democracy, the statement didn't mention her by name and refrained from using the word "coup." It also said Asean, which is based on the principle of nonintervention, was ready "to assist Myanmar in a positive, peaceful and constructive manner." Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong separately said sanctions would only hurt the population at large and push Myanmar closer to those willing to talk to them like China. "You can ostracize them, condemn them, and pass resolutions or not, but it really has very little influence," Lee told the BBC, according to comments distributed by his office. "We have to express disapproval for what is done, which is against the values of many other countries, and in fact a large part of humanity. But to say that I will take action against them, where does this lead?" For Myanmar's generals, Asia's reluctance to join in U.S.-led sanctions or even cut them out of meetings effectively offers a diplomatic lifeline as they struggle to gain control of the country. Prior to Myanmar's opening about a decade ago, business ties with Asia allowed the junta to survive for years despite much broader Western sanctions than are currently in place. "Asean has an unmatched track record of indifference to authoritarian rule in Myanmar," said Lee Morgenbesser, a lecturer at Australia's Griffith University whose researches Southeast Asian politics. Among Southeast Asia's 10 countries, two are run by military men who staged coups, two are Communist regimes with no elections, two have had ruling parties in power for more than two decades and one is an absolute monarchy. Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines are the only democracies that have seen peaceful transfers of power from one party to another in recent years. Countries in Asia also avoided sanctioning Myanmar's generals over allegations of genocide against the Muslim Rohingya minority that forced more than 700,000 people to flee across the border into Bangladesh. An independent UN fact-finding mission found in 2019 that at least 59 foreign firms -- most from Asia -- had either joint ventures or commercial ties with the military, producing revenue that "substantially enhances its ability to carry out gross violations of human rights with impunity." "In some ways, Asean allowed the military to get away with what happened with the Rohingya crisis and I think that they are faced with something more dangerous," said Bridget Welsh, honorary research associate at the Asia Research Institute, University of Nottingham Malaysia. "This is going to be much more difficult for them to wrestle with." Myanmar's generals have made clear they have no intention of returning the nation to isolation, vowing to hold elections after a yearlong state of emergency. The junta has appointed Aung Naing Oo -- a familiar face to foreign investors -- as investment minister. China and Thailand alone accounted for about half of Myanmar's trade in 2019, the latest year for which data is available, with the U.S. and Europe comprising roughly 13%. Asian economies represented seven of Myanmar's top 10 foreign investors as of January, led by China and Singapore, according to data from the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration. Vietnam's Viettel Group, a state-owned enterprise operated by the Ministry of Defense, announced in 2018 that it was investing $1.5 billion to set up the mobile operator Mytel. Thailand's state-owned PTT, meanwhile, has imported natural gas from Myanmar for years via the Gulf of Martaban, and its exploration arm said last month it didn't expect the political situation to impact its operations or plans in the country. Asean should take a clear stand particularly on avoiding more civilian casualties, according to Ong Keng Yong, a former secretary-general of the bloc. He likened Myanmar to a neighbor who infringes on the rights of nearby home owners. "You can rearrange the furniture and setup in your home," he said. "But if that involves more use of scarce electricity and water resources, the others in the gated compound can have a say." (Bloomberg) -- Oil tumbled below $60 a barrel in New York with the OPEC+ alliance said to be set to agree to a production increase later this week. U.S. crude futures fell 0.9 percent to the lowest in more than a week on Tuesday, while its global counterpart Brent hit a two-week low. The widespread view among the producer group is that the market can absorb additional barrels, according to people familiar with the matter. That could put the alliance on track to implement the majority of the 1.5 million barrel-a-day output hike thats up for debate on Thursday. Oils underlying market structure has also weakened this week. The backwardation, an indication of tightening supplies, seen in key timespreads is shrinking. At the same time, some pockets of physical oil market strength appear to be wobbling, with observed flows of North Sea crude grades to Asia dropping in February to the lowest in four months. West Texas Intermediate for April delivery fell 89 cents to settle at $59.75 a barrel. While the Saudi surprise cut really kick-started this move higher, the unwinding of that will be more difficult for the market, said Edward Moya, senior market analyst at Oanda Corp. There is still significant risk for the short-term outlook. Crude has rallied more than 20% since the start of the year with support from a range of factors, including Saudi Arabias unilateral output cuts. The rollout of vaccines and an investor charge into commodities have also underpinned the gains. Even if OPEC and its allies restore 2.4 million barrels a day of crude output by June, global oil inventories are set to decline each month this year, according to an OPEC+ panel. India has reiterated a call for the group to increase its production from April. Prices were getting elevated enough that stabilizing the market makes sense, said Bill OGrady, executive vice president at Confluence Investment Management in St. Louis. It is a difference between what was expected and what was hoped. What you expect is that they will raise production, what you hope is that they dont. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies must decide how much output is to be restored, with current reductions totaling just over 7 million barrels a day. The group is the largest actor in the oil market, with collective production covering more than 40% of worldwide demand. Saudi Arabia always said that its voluntary supply reduction would only last for two months. The kingdom will start to roll back its extra cut as planned in April, but is still discussing internally whether to return all of the barrels in a single month, or over a longer period, said people familiar with the deliberations. Meanwhile, oil shipments from OPECs Persian Gulf producers edged higher last month, despite the Saudi cut. Increased shipments from Kuwait and Iraq more than offset lower flows from the UAE and Saudi Arabia, vessel-tracking data monitored by Bloomberg show. In the U.S., crude inventories are expected to have declined last week, according to a Bloomberg survey. The industry-funded American Petroleum Institute will report its storage figures later Tuesday ahead of a U.S. government report on Wednesday. 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 leader of the opposition in the United Kingdom, Sir Keir Starmer on Wednesday pressed Prime Minister Boris Johnson on plans to cut aid to war-torn Yemen by 50%, as well as Britain's arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Johnson defended his government's actions on arms sales saying they followed "consolidated guidance". Johnson also stood behind plans to slash aid to Yemen citing national priorities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, adding the UK continued to be one of the highest contributors of international aid in the world. Yemens war started in 2014 when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and much of the countrys north. The Saudi-led, U.S.-backed coalition intervened months later to dislodge the rebels and restore the internationally recognized government. The conflict has killed some 130,000 people and spawned the worlds worst humanitarian disaster. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Anna Kernahan is an 18-year-old climate activist and writer from Belfast, founder of Fridays for Future NI and Amnesty International Bravery Award winner. She school strikes for the climate every week to raise awareness of the climate and ecological crises and is an Ulster Wildlife Youth Advocate. On World Wildlife Day, Ulster Wildlife and its Our Bright Future Youth Advocates have launched the #LearnMoreOutdoors campaign, to encourage teachers to spend more time learning in and about nature, creating a series of videos to highlight the benefits of outdoor learning. How easy can the environment be incorporated into a school's core curriculum? Incredibly easily! There is no subject that cannot have the environment incorporated in some way in order to #LearnMoreOutdoors. From maths to science to art, being out in nature is always a relevant yet fun way to learn. What do you feel are the benefits of outdoor learning? There are endless benefits to outdoor learning, but some of the highlights would be improved health and wellbeing (there's the physical movement that comes with being outside, thus movement stimulates the brain to increase focus and it decreases stress levels), being in nature makes lessons more interactive and enjoyable, students have increased motivation to learn and also increased social skills alongside this. It boosts observational skills and curiosity, there's a positive impact on pupil behaviour as they directly experience a connection to nature, and it increases a sense of care for the environment. Why did you feel compelled to establish Fridays for Future NI? I had read the IPCC's 1.5C degrees of warming special report and the science was terrifying, which filled me with a strong feeling of climate anxiety. I felt a moral obligation to do something, anything, to raise awareness of the climate crisis. There had been a few climate strikes in Northern Ireland by YCANI [Youth Climate Association Northern Ireland] which had been successful but I felt as though a more regular presence was needed to put pressure on the NI Assembly. No-one else was keen on the idea however, and so I decided to do it on my own in the hope it would at least be better than nothing. Did your interest in ecology/wildlife start at a young age? Yes, I've always loved being in nature, searching for worms and walking through hills. In nursery school I'd be digging in soil to search for insects and once I could read I was obsessed with nature encyclopaedias. Having nature in schools would really help normalise this for more children, as at the time most children would call me weird. Do we appreciate our environment? What, if anything, gives you hope for the future? Yes and no. Some people do but usually people who are more exposed to the outdoors from a young age are more likely to appreciate nature as they go through life. I have very little hope for the future and am mainly motivated by fear. However, I do have some hope. My hope comes from the young people fighting every day to raise awareness. Have you continued your school strikes during lockdown? Yes, there have been school strikes every Friday but on a much smaller scale. Every crisis should be treated like a crisis and this means both the climate crisis and the coronavirus crisis so we are trying to balance the importance of raising awareness of the environment while also staying safe. The next Global Day of Action is on March 19 and something very exciting is being planned! For more information on the video resources, see https://www.ulsterwildlife.org/learn-more-outdoors Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-04 05:30:08|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CARACAS, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The crude oil market "shows clear signs of recovery in terms of consumption, supply and prices" in March, Venezuelan Minister of Petroleum Tareck El Aissami said Wednesday. "This invites us to continue the progressive and gradual adjustment of production," said El Aissami, who took part in a teleconference of the joint ministerial monitoring committee of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+). Successful cooperation between countries "within the organization has led to the desired balance of the world energy market," El Aissami added. Venezuela's Oil Ministry said in a statement that the meeting, hosted out of Vienna (Austria), gathered OPEC members Saudi Arabia, Algeria, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Kuwait, Nigeria and Venezuela. OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo participated, and non-OPEC allied countries Kazakhstan and Russia were also present. In February, during the presentation of a report on the development of the management of Venezuela's oil industry, El Aissami said the country aimed to produce just over 1.5 million barrels of crude per day by 2021. Over the last three years, Venezuela's oil output has suffered a sharp decline and authorities of the South American nation blame U.S. sanctions for undermining the industry. Enditem Tuesday, March 2, 2021 Join the Conversation in the Next Death Cafe! The next Albuquerque Death Cafe will take place ONLINE on Sunday, March 21, 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time. Due to self-distancing imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, we will meet through Zoom. RSVP to Gail [at] AGoodGoodbye.com to receive the link for the meeting. The objective of the Death Cafe is to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives. Its an interesting, unstructured conversation with no specific agenda. The Death Cafe offers a relaxed, confidential and safe setting to discuss death. We drink tea (or your favorite beverage) and eat delicious cake or cookies. Please provide your own refreshments. Have a cup of tea or coffee and a cookie or other snack handy. The Death Cafe concept was started in the United Kingdom by Jon Underwood. He was influenced by the ideas of Swiss sociologist Bernard Crettaz, who started holding Cafe Mortel events in France and Switzerland. Albuquerque was the first city in the U.S. west of the Mississippi to hold a Death Cafe. Gail Rubin hosted it in September, 2012. For more information about Death Cafes, visit this page at AGoodGoodbye.com or visit www.DeathCafe.com. Join the Albuquerque Death Cafe Meetup group to be kept apprised of upcoming events. Click here to go to the Meetup page. Your Death Cafe Host Gail Rubin, Certified Thanatologist, hosts the Albuquerque Death Cafe. She is a pioneering death educator. Rubin is a public speaker, a published author of three books, host of a TV interview series and podcast, a blogger, a funeral industry trade journalist, a Certified Funeral Celebrant, and an innovator in the funeral business. She created a conversation-starting game called The Newly-Dead Game, introduced the Death Cafe movement in the United States, and held the first Before I Die Festival west of the Mississippi in 2017. Albuquerque Business First named her one of their 2019 Women of Influence. Related With COVID-19 metrics improving in Massachusetts and a timeline for educator vaccinations in place, the states education commission on Friday plans to ask authority to determine when to take the remote and hybrid learning options off the table. Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley will ask for that authority from the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education during a meeting scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday. About 80% of schools in Massachusetts currently have some form of in-person learning, officials said Wednesday. School staff and students have been going into buildings with safety measures like masks and distancing, and a pooled COVID-19 testing program started last month. With the extensive mitigation strategies in place and as state health metrics continue to improve, we now need to begin shifting away from remote and hybrid learning models and return to the in-person educational format, Riley wrote in a memo issued Wednesday. Though many schools have some form of in-person learning, about 300,000 students are enrolled in districts that are fully remote at the moment, according to Rileys memo. Last month, Riley said he hoped to see elementary school students back to traditional learning five days a week in April. After a challenging winter, we are beginning to see hopeful signs ahead as we look towards spring. We have seen significant improvement in our COVID-19 health metrics, nearly half of our schools now have pooled testing available for students and staff, and the vaccine rollout is in process. Many districts are already starting to bring more students back, especially at the elementary level, Riley wrote. Riley is proposing amendments to student learning time regulations that would allow him to determine that a district may no longer use hybrid or remote models if it is determined that students can safely learn in-person after consulting with state health officials and medical experts. That determination could be made using a phased-in approach. For example, Riley could determine that hybrid or remote learning is first taken off the table for elementary students, and make determinations later for middle school and high school students. There will be a waiver provision in the amendments for districts that can make a compelling case for taking an incremental approach to getting back to traditional learning, according to the memo. Parents who want to keep their kids remote for the remainder of the school year can do so, the memo indicates. DESE plans to solicit public comment after the adoption of regulatory amendments. Then Riley plans to bring amendments back to the Board, with any changes from the public comment, for final adoption at the Boards meeting in May. When the pandemic first erupted last year, all Massachusetts schools went remote. Starting the 2020-2021 school year, districts were asked to prepare plans for fully in-person, hybrid and remote learning. As coronavirus cases spiked after Thanksgiving and Christmas, many districts relied on remote learning for a short period. Other districts, like Worcester, have been remote since the school year began. However, Worcester students are slated to return to classrooms this month for hybrid learning. As we have stated repeatedly throughout this pandemic, we know there is no substitute for in-person learning, especially for younger students, students with disabilities, and English learners. In addition to academic instruction and support, we know when students are in school, they have the opportunity to learn important social and emotional skills, and they have access to mental health and other support services, as well as healthy meals, Riley wrote. Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday morning announced that K-12 educators and staff and child care workers can start making appointments to get vaccinated on March 11. Related Content: Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by subscribing or contributing today. BJP's CEC to meet on Thursday to finalise first list of candidates for assembly polls India pti-Deepika S New Delhi, Mar 03: The central election committee of the BJP will meet on Thursday to finalise its first list of candidates for five assembly polls, with top party leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expected to attend the meeting. The party is likely to clear its candidates for the first phase of the polls, scheduled for March 27, in Assam and West Bengal. The BJP core groups of the two states will deliberate with the central leadership, including party president J P Nadda, to narrow down the list of probables before the CEC picks the candidates. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and state party chief Ranjeet Kumar Dass will be part of deliberations for their state, while key organisational leaders from West Bengal, including state party chief Dilip Ghosh, will attend the meeting to discuss the names of candidates for their state. Elections in Assam will be conducted in three phases on March 27, April 1 and April 6, while polling in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will take place in a single phase on April 6. Elections for the West Bengal assembly will be held in eight phases, up from seven last time, beginning with polling for 30 seats on March 27. The second phase of the West Bengal assembly elections has been scheduled for April 1 and will cover 30 constituencies, followed by the third phase on April 6 for 31 seats, fourth on April 10 for 44 constituencies, fifth on April 17 for 45 seats, sixth for 43 seats on April 22, seventh phase on April 26 for 36 seats and the last and eighth phase on April 29 for 35 seats. The BJP has high stakes in West Bengal and Assam. While in Bengal, it has mounted an aggressive all-out campaign, deploying a number of leaders drawn from various states and considered adept in poll campaigning, to end the 10-year-old reign of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. In Assam, where the party came to power for the first time in 2016, the BJP has been pulling out all the stops to retain power, with the Congress joining hands with regional parties to capture its old bastion. The farm bureau has met with U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik. Most of her Republican colleagues, including central New York's U.S. Rep. John Katko, have signaled stiff opposition to a path to citizenship for people in the country illegally. Asked last week if she supports citizenship for dairy farmworkers already in this country, Stefanik said she supports a legal status referred to in a previous bill as a "certified agricultural worker." According to the bill language, the worker would only be able to apply for permanent resident status after fulfilling an unspecified "certain amount" of agricultural labor for "a number of years." Stefanik said she opposes Bidens plan and will co-sponsor the narrower bill that addresses current farmworkers and the H2A expansion. "The Biden immigration plan is much more sweeping," Stefanik said. "It is broad amnesty with zero dollars for border security, which is really important in a district like mine." In other priorities, Fisher said the farm bureau is also lobbying the state and federal government to make farmworkers eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. "We must protect the health and safety of the essential workers that our food supply relies on in this country," he said. The Farm Bureau announced other federal priorities for this year in a press call Wednesday, including normalizing agricultural trade with China, increasing it with other parts of Asia and Europe, including signing the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which former President Trump scuttled, and licensing more meat processing plants in New York State. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2021) - Planned exploration activities in 2021 have been expanded at both the palladium dominant Lantinen Koillismaa ("LK") PGE-Ni-Cu project in Finland and the Tyko Nickel-Copper project in Ontario, Canada, said Palladium One Mining Inc. (CSE: BULL) (OTCQB: NKORF) (FSE: DCR1) ("Palladium One" or the "Company") today. Derrick Weyrauch, President and CEO of Palladium One said, "A cash balance of $19.7 allows for the acceleration of exploration activities and expansion of the initial 2021 exploration budget to $11.5 million. The expanded program in Finland lets us complete resource definition drilling at the Kaukua South and Haukiaho zones while also initiating drilling at potential eastern and western extensions of Kaukua South. At the Tyko project, our expanded program will be centered on new target development, infill drilling, and expansion of known high-grade nickel mineralization at the Smoke Lake zone." Expanded 2021 Program Details Initial budget $11.5 million. Planned drilling 27,000 meters (Finland - 23,000 meters, Canada - 4,000 meters) Planned drilling in Finland includes completion of the 17,500-meter Phase II drill program in preparation of an initial NI43-101 resource estimate at the Kaukua South zone (H1 2022), 2,000 meters of infill drilling at the Haukiaho zone in preparation for an initial NI43-101 resource estimate and 6,500 meters of reconnaissance drilling for potential strike length expansions at Kaukua South. Induced Polarization and Magnetic surveys on potential west and eastern strike extension of Kaukua South. Phase II metallurgical testing at LK project. Borehole Electromagnetic ("BHEM"), horizontal loop EM and regional airborne Magnetic and EM surveys at the Tyko project. Expected cash balance in excess $8 million at yearend, thereby providing sufficient funding for additional 2021 program expansions as may be appropriate, and program extension into 2022. The Company is also planning to undertake regional exploration work during 2021 including soil surveys and mapping and may further modify its 2021 plans as results are received. Exploration Update - Finland In late February, assay results for holes LK21-034 through 036 from the Kaukua South zone were received but are currently under review due to assay results being above three standard deviations on QA/QC standards for nickel and copper analysis. These holes will be released once QA/QC issues have been resolved. Additional drilling at Murtolampi continues to delineate significant at surface mineralization, indicating potential for a valuable satellite pit two kilometers northeast of the Kaukua deposit. Three holes were drilled on the Murtolampi zone (LK20-039 through 041) and returned at or near surface mineralization, including drill hole LK20-041 which returned 64.0 metres at 1.38 g/t Pd_Equivalent ("Pd_Eq."), from 1.5 meters down hole and having a core interval of 6.0 m at 3.19 g/t Pd_Eq starting 54.5 meters down hole. The core Murtolampi zone has now been delineated over 150 meters and is interpreted to extend over 600 meters (Figure 1 and 2). with intercepts of up to 78.5 metres at 2.0 g/t Pd_Eq. in hole LK20-026, (press release November 16, 2020). Murtolampi remains open for expansion to the southwest. Induced Polarization and Magnetic surveys suggest that favourable peridotite hosts rocks continue toward hole LK20-024 which returned 3.0 m at 1.41 g/t Pd_Eq. within 21.0 m at 0.85 g/t Pd_Eq. (press release November 16, 2020) (Figure 2). Further drilling is planned to infill this area. Holes LK21-037 and LK21-038 were reconnaissance holes drilled to test IP and/or magnetic anomalies away from known mineralized areas. Hole LK21-037 intersected mafic to intermediate volcanic rocks, and LK21-038 granophyric altered felsic volcanic rocks. Neither hole intersected the target mafic-ultramafic rocks of the Koillismaa Complex. Figure 1. Greater Kaukua area plan map, showing current NI 43-101 Kaukua Deposit conceptual pit outline (dashed yellow), Kaukua South and Murtolampi IP chargeability anomalies, and Palladium One drill hole locations. To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6502/75891_8a866bd274a7ba99_001full.jpg Figure 2. Murtolampi Long section looking northwest, showing IP Chargeability isoshells and Pd_Eq. grade, resumed Phase I drill holes labelled in red. To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6502/75891_8a866bd274a7ba99_002full.jpg Table 1: Murtolampi and Reconnaissance Phase 2 Drill Results Zone Hole From (m) To (m) Width (m) Pd_Eq g/t* PGE g/t (Pd+Pt+Au) Pd g/t Pt g/t Au g/t Cu % Ni % Murtolampi LK20-012 5.8 92.9 87.2 1.43 0.53 0.32 0.17 0.04 0.08 0.18 Inc. 28.5 48.7 20.2 2.26 1.05 0.63 0.35 0.07 0.13 0.24 And 61.4 80.6 19.1 1.84 0.72 0.43 0.22 0.08 0.13 0.21 Murtolampi LK20-024 93.0 114.0 21.0 0.85 0.25 0.16 0.08 0.01 0.04 0.12 Inc. 93.0 96.0 3.0 1.41 0.71 0.48 0.21 0.02 0.12 0.12 Murtolampi LK20-025 86.0 111.0 25.0 0.65 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.02 0.14 Murtolampi LK20-026 11.0 89.5 78.5 2.03 1.07 0.62 0.37 0.09 0.14 0.17 Inc. 59.5 88.0 28.5 2.69 1.45 0.85 0.51 0.09 0.15 0.24 Inc. 65.5 78.3 12.8 3.44 1.92 1.12 0.70 0.10 0.18 0.29 Inc. 67.0 74.0 7.0 3.84 2.19 1.29 0.78 0.11 0.21 0.32 Inc. 72.8 74.0 1.2 4.53 2.59 1.48 0.80 0.32 0.29 0.34 Reconnaissance LK20-037 No significant values Reconnaissance LK20-038 No significant values Murtolampi LK20-039 2.6 69.0 66.4 0.84 0.32 0.18 0.11 0.03 0.08 0.09 Inc. 49.4 69.0 19.6 1.25 0.55 0.32 0.19 0.05 0.11 0.12 Inc. 63.0 69.0 6.0 1.45 0.80 0.46 0.30 0.04 0.11 0.11 Murtolampi LK20-040 44.5 86.6 42.1 1.33 0.69 0.41 0.23 0.05 0.09 0.12 Inc. 71.4 86.6 15.3 1.77 0.90 0.53 0.29 0.08 0.12 0.16 Inc. 71.4 76.0 4.7 2.15 1.21 0.71 0.38 0.13 0.13 0.17 Murtlolampi LK20-041 1.5 65.5 64.0 1.38 0.55 0.33 0.18 0.03 0.11 0.15 Inc. 1.5 18.0 16.5 1.72 0.81 0.47 0.28 0.05 0.17 0.15 Inc. 7.5 13.5 6.0 2.02 0.99 0.58 0.35 0.06 0.20 0.16 And 54.5 60.5 6.0 3.19 1.83 1.16 0.58 0.09 0.29 0.21 Inc. 54.5 57.3 2.8 3.90 2.16 1.38 0.65 0.13 0.37 0.26 * Reported widths are "drilled widths" not true widths. ** Orange shaded values previously released (see press release August 25, 2020, November 16, 2020) *Palladium Equivalent Palladium equivalent is calculated using US$1,100 per ounce for palladium, US$950 per ounce for platinum, US$1,300 per ounce for gold, US$6,614 per tonne for copper, and US$15,4332 per tonne for nickel. This calculation is consistent with the calculation in the Company's September 2019 NI 43-101 Kaukua resource estimate. QA/QC The Phase I drilling program was carried out under the supervision of Neil Pettigrew, M.Sc., P. Geo., Vice President of Exploration and a director of the Company. Drill core samples were split using a rock saw by Company staff, with half retained in the core box and stored indoors in a secure facility, in Taivalkoski, Finland. The drill core samples were transported by courier from the Company's core handling facility in Taivalkoski, Finland, to ALS Global ("ALS") laboratory in Outokumpu, Finland. ALS, is an accredited lab and are ISO compliant (ISO 9001:2008, ISO/IEC 17025:2005). PGE analysis was performed using a 30 grams fire assay with an ICP-MS or ICP-AES finish. Multi-element analyses, including copper and nickel were analysed by four acid digestion using 0.25 grams with an ICP-AES finish. Certified standards, blanks and crushed duplicates are placed in the sample stream at a rate of one QA/QC sample per 10 core samples. Results are analyzed for acceptance at the time of import. All standards associated with the results in this press release were determined to be acceptable within the defined limits of the standard used Qualified Person The technical information in this release has been reviewed and verified by Neil Pettigrew, M.Sc., P. Geo., Vice President of Exploration and a director of the Company and the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. About Palladium One Palladium One Mining Inc. is an exploration company targeting district scale, platinum-group-element (PGE)-copper nickel deposits in Finland and Canada. Its flagship project is the Lantinen Koillismaa or LK Project, a palladium dominant platinum group element-copper-nickel project in north-central Finland, ranked by the Fraser Institute as one of the world's top countries for mineral exploration and development. Exploration at LK is focused on targeting disseminated sulfides along 38 kilometers of favorable basal contact and building on an established NI 43-101 open pit resource. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Derrick Weyrauch" President & CEO, Director For further information contact: Derrick Weyrauch, President & CEO Email: info@palladiumoneinc.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This press release includes "forward-looking information" that is subject to a few assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Statements regarding listing of the Company's common shares on the TSXV are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties normally incident to such events. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future events and that actual events or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements represent management's best judgment based on information currently available. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include regulatory actions and general business conditions. Such forward-looking information reflects the Company's views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those set out in the Company's annual information form dated April 29, 2020 and filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, except as required by law. 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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/75891 ALBANY - For Troy Millin, baking is not just a quarantine hobby. The 11th grader at Albany High School and Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) cadet dreams of one day opening his own bakery, and recently, he's been making birthday cakes for veterans and their family members. "I feel like dessert connects with your soul," Millin said. "You can be in any mood. When you present someone with a cake, they'll be happy, it doesn't matter." Millin, 17, is in the culinary program at Abrookin Career and Technical Center. Like most Albany middle and high school students, Millin hasn't been inside a classroom or seen his friends since March of last year because of the COVID-19 health crisis. For a social kid like Millin, the isolation has been "horrible," he said. Connecting with teachers and classmates through a computer screen "doesn't feel real." He also lost his job at the start of the pandemic and misses having a normal routine. "It's a lot, but I'm lucky I found something to take my mind off of it," he said. He reached out to Maj. David Erickson, who runs the Sgt. Henry Johnson Battalion JROTC at Albany High School, and asked how he could combine his passion for baking with community service. It was Erickson who proposed he bake cakes for veterans. Millin's first cake went to WWII veteran Ken Bailey for his 99th birthday. Bailey was elated. "It's inspiring for other kids, too. We have over 100 kids in the program so I keep telling them, do something for someone else, it's just going to make their day," Erickson said. Erickson bought the ingredients. Lisa Valentine, who runs the culinary program at Abrookin Center, provided Millin with baking equipment and guidance. Valentine, who is a Navy vet and Blue Star mom with a son overseas, was happy to support the effort. The Blue Star designation indicates a parent or family with a child in military service, while the term Gold Star refers to those whose child has died while serving the country. "Gold Star moms have my heart... so when Major called me, I said 'I'm in,'" Valentine said. "I'm honored to be able to teach him so he can get those skills and keep passing it on." To help connect Millin with more veterans, Erickson reached out to Carrie Farley, who is a member of the Albany Chapter of American Gold Star Mothers. She was so moved by Troy's gesture that she and other Gold Star moms took up a collection to buy him cake pans and baking supplies of his own. "When you bake, there's so much therapy in giving to another human being and seeing a smile on their face," Farley said. "That's a gift he'll be able to give for the rest of his life." On Tuesday, Erickson, Valentine, and Farley surprised Millin with all the pans, whisks, mixers, and flour an aspiring baker could wish for. Millin showed them a cake he made for a Vietnam veteran named Bill Keyes who served in the Marines and earned a Purple Heart. The cake will be presented to Keyes on Thursday at the Veterans Miracle Center on Central Avenue in Colonie. When he graduates in two years, Millin hopes to attend a historically Black college like Howard University where he would continue to pursue culinary arts while majoring in psychology. If he completes a third year at the Abrookin culinary program, he will leave high school with credits from Schenectady County Community College toward his undergraduate degree. "He's a very humble, mature, thoughtful, and helpful young man," his mother Divonne Millin said. When he's baking, Millin said it doesn't feel like he's in school, because he's relaxed and having fun. Lately, he's been experimenting with cake decorating, which has been a creative outlet. When asked what he'd tell other high school students struggling with quarantine, Millin says they should find their "thing." "If you can't find anything, just try to take your mind off of it," he said. Vietnam and Aspirations roundtable The level of income is necessary but not a prerequisite. We have to give qualified people the chance to do what they can do so that they feel like they are contributing to the community. In part 2 of the online roundtable "Vietnam and Aspirations", Dr. Nguyen Van Dang from the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and Prof. Le Anh Vinh from the Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences, talk about solutions to attract and gather talented people for the countrys development. At the opening session of the 13th National Party Congress, General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong emphasized the focus: Arousing spirit and will, determination to develop a prosperous and happy country; the strong and enduring nation; to develop mechanisms and policies to promote the Vietnamese people's spirit of dedication to the country. With the clear direction for national development, what human resources do we need to develop the country, especially during the current golden population period? Prof. Le Anh Vinh. Photo: Pham Hai Prof. Le Anh Vinh: First of all, we are holding a golden opportunity. Vietnam has turned to a golden population since 2006. We will have about 20 years more in this period and we need to fully exploit this potential. Vietnam also has a big population so we have the potential for remarkable growth in the coming period. However, we also have limitations. First, Vietnam is among the countries with the high population aging rate and the golden population period is very short compared to other countries. The second drawback is that there is an indicator relating to a country's socio-economic potential when it reaches its population peak. If we take the US with 100 points, Singapore 146 points, then Vietnam has only about ten points. Simply, we are facing an opportunity to mine a gold mine - that is the population - but the license period is short, and the sci-tech conditions to mine it are limited. The problem therefore is how to exploit it most effectively. I think it's about investing in people and education. This is the solution to maximize the development ability in the coming period. Dr. Nguyen Van Dang: I agree with Professor Vinh that we are at the stage called the golden population structure. However, that is a challenge for us to take advantage of it. I also agree with Professor Vinh that, first of all, we must invest in education and training to improve the quality of human resources and to increase the competitiveness of workers in the local labor market. Second, in my opinion, policies must promote economic freedom. Because promoting economic freedom will increase employment opportunities for workers. We have a high number of people of working age, so the economy can develop to meet the needs of workers and then we can take advantage of the golden population structure. Without strong adjustments, in the next 20-25 years, we will enter a period when the population is starting to age, and the opportunity will be over. In the process of investing in people and education and training, what should we do to create opportunities for the emerging talented people? Prof. Le Anh Vinh: I work in the field of education and have the opportunity to work with many young people, many capable ones. As I have observed, the capable people often have a desire to contribute to society. That is, besides their pursuits in life, they all want to contribute to the community, society and the country. However, how should we promote that? I think, in the process of using people, we have three steps. Step 1 is discovery, step 2 is training and step 3 is use. There should be a consistent policy in all 3 steps. Lets look at the policies of some regional countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. The first is discovering capable people. We must foster talent through education and training, but at the same time we need policies to employ talented people. I think the key point about using people is a consistent policy, from discovery to training to utilization. Dr. Nguyen Van Dang: In order for talented people to appear, firstly it must be clear about what a talented person is. Because it is a general concept. There are people who are talented in political leadership, others are talented in management and others talented in certain professions. Second, we must create confidence in people that the people who believe that they have talent and capacity should join the public sector, the activities of the State and the government and they will change their lives in a more positive direction by contributing to the community and society. How to gather talented people? I think it belongs to the leadership role. That is to form inspirational value systems capable of gathering capable people so that they are inspired and have aspirations to contribute to the community and the country. Participants can be talented in the public, private and communities. So how to connect talented people in these three areas? This will be a challenge in leadership and management. To gather talented people, the key point is to build and shape new value systems, reflecting the breath of life, of the times, and attaching this to the current context so they can be shared by the corporate sector, the state and the community. Of course, they must be followed by policies on remuneration, recruitment and others. Dr. Nguyen Van Dang What about the issue of income and remuneration in the policy to attract talented people, Prof. Vinh? Prof. Le Anh Vinh: I think income level is necessary to have a stability in life and talented people have the ability to earn high income. But I don't think this is a prerequisite. I strongly agree with Dr. Dang that the prerequisite is that we must give qualified people the opportunity to work with their capabilities and strengths so that they can maximize their talent and give them the feeling that "I'm doing this not just for myself, for my family, but also for the community". In 2010, at the age of 27, Le Anh Vinh received a doctorate from Harvard University. In 2020 he became the youngest professor in Vietnam. There are many opportunities to study and work abroad. Why did Professor Vinh choose to return to Vietnam to become an educational manager, and a teacher? Prof. Le Anh Vinh: Actually, this is a personal choice and I have never wanted to work abroad. Since childhood I have always had a great connection with my family. My parents never told me such great things as you must contribute to the country. They also did not tell me "try to study and work abroad"... My parents just told me a very simple thing: do what you feel is the happiest. I always feel happiest to be with my family and develop in the environment in which I was born and raised. More broadly, I can live in my own country. Now the international connection is very simple. During the period from 2010 to 2020, when I returned home, I also had short-term work trips abroad. But I want to work for a long time in my country. Dr. Dang is also one of the young people who have the opportunity to study in developed countries, then return home to teach, and have very insightful articles, contributing ideas to the country's development policy. What do you think about dedication? Dr. Nguyen Van Dang: In the community of overseas students, I find that the vast majority of them have the desire to return to their home country to find suitable jobs, bring what they learned abroad to contribute to agencies and organizations at home as well as their country. That is the desire to contribute. We could get a normal job in America, but it was just about making a living. Returning home, we can teach at universities and staff training schools. And we feel like we can contribute more. We feel that our lives are more meaningful. The problem is how to maintain, and promote that desire. It relates to the policies of the Party and State. VietNamNet Cheers quickly shifted to confusion upon the approval of a third COVID-19 vaccine for Canadians, with federal officials touting a bolstered arsenal against the pandemic while acknowledging limitations. Seniors receive their COVID-19 vaccine at a clinic at Olympic Stadium marking the beginning of mass vaccination in the Province of Quebec based on age in Montreal, on Monday, March 1, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson Cheers quickly shifted to confusion upon the approval of a third COVID-19 vaccine for Canadians, with federal officials touting a bolstered arsenal against the pandemic while acknowledging limitations. But what appears to be contradictory advice is more aligned than it appears, federal officials insisted Tuesday, stressing common ground while trying to combat public confusion over how the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine should be deployed. On the one hand, Health Canada says Oxford-AstraZenecas vaccine has been deemed safe for seniors and points to emerging real-world data that shows it can protect older citizens against symptomatic infection. At the same time, guidelines from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization highlight the product's lower efficacy rate and suggest it be reserved for people younger than 65 because of limited trial data. Still, both federal bodies stress the fact Canada now has three vaccines that can drive down hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-19. They also stress the benefits of receiving an AstraZeneca jab early, even if current data shows it has a lower efficacy than the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna shots, which will take longer to reach some groups. Heres a closer look at some of the questions raised by Canada's newest COVID-19 vaccine: WHY THE MIXED MESSAGES? While it may seem that Health Canada and NACI are at odds, each body serves different purposes and is answering different questions, explains Dr. Supriya Sharma, the chief medical adviser at Health Canada. Health Canadas role is to look at a particular vaccine and determine if it's safe and effective. NACI considers how all approved vaccines can be used in the most efficient and effective way. It's not unusual for this committee made up of experts in the fields of infectious diseases, immunology, pharmacy, nursing, and social science to suggest limitations in use, says Sharma. Still, infectious disease expert Dr. Andrew Morris says the message has been muddled by some media coverage and suggests that could have been avoided if NACI stressed the constantly evolving nature of their work. "I'm pretty certain that the folks at NACI believe that AstraZeneca will turn out to be as useful in older adults as in younger adults but they obviously don't have data to support that," says Morris, medical director of the antimicrobial stewardship program at the University Health Network and Sinai Health in Toronto. "They will definitely review and be willing to change their advice based on new data." IS THE OXFORD-ASTRAZENECA VACCINE SAFE FOR SENIORS? Both Health Canada and NACI stress there were no safety concerns in the clinical studies, nor among the millions of seniors who have received jabs in countries that are giving it to older citizens. However, Canada does have two other highly efficacious alternatives to AstraZeneca, notes Sharma. "Thats why NACI says if you have two vaccines with more clinical data and real-world evidence of effectiveness in seniors, then those are the ones we should prioritize for the most vulnerable," says Sharma. "Maybe limit Oxford-AstraZeneca to other people for now." DOES LOWER EFFICACY MEAN SOME VACCINES ARE NOT AS GOOD AS OTHERS? While it may be tempting to rank vaccines by efficacy, Sharma says head-to-head comparisons are impossible because each is the result of varying clinical trials. The many differences include when each type of vaccine was tested, who they were tested on and how the results were measured. Even the same vaccine can have multiple trials with different methods and varying results. For instance, Sharma notes some data for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine showed efficacy rises to 85 per cent if the gap between doses is 12 weeks. If it's just four weeks, efficacy was 62 per cent. "It's just a caution to not get caught up in absolute numbers that you can't compare to each other," said Sharma. Morris agrees, urging the public to focus on more significant findings. "This is a real communication challenge because for the things that really matter which is are you going to get really sick from this disease or is it going to kill you? all the vaccines seem to be equivalent to me," says Morris. WHY DOES NACI SUGGEST SENIORS SHOULD BE GIVEN SOME VACCINES OVER OTHERS? Despite Health Canada's caution against ranking vaccines, NACI notes the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has "insufficient data" in older adults "to conclude the vaccine is efficacious in this age group." Morris says NACI has applied "a pure interpretation of the science," an approach that can vary among experts. "The cautious scientist is going to say, 'Let's not get burned, let's wait,' because they probably see very little downside of waiting," says Morris. "Others would say: 'You know what? We need to just move ahead and and give it to everyone because speed is of the essence.'" Sharma says Health Canada agrees with NACI's advice that seniors receive Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna shots if possible, "because that's where we have the most information." "Were aligned," she insists. Nevertheless, seniors shouldn't wait for a Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech shot if they can have an AstraZeneca dose sooner, she says. Sharma says there is already evidence the AstraZeneca vaccine is effective from the real-world experience of millions of people who have received doses over the last two months. WILL I HAVE A CHOICE? Morris notes it's unlikely most people will be able to choose which vaccine they receive since much depends on supply, distribution and logistics in deployment. However, he expects vaccines will be needed for quite a while. "Almost certainly your first two shots aren't going to be your last two shots. I think that's very likely," he says. "Governments can start thinking about, potentially, giving people a different kind of booster over time so that if people get one vaccine, then the next time they get a vaccine, it may be different. There's all different ways to look at this." WHEN WILL WE KNOW MORE ABOUT OXFORD-ASTRAZENECA? Morris says randomized trials underway in the United States should produce findings in the next 10 days or so, and that should settle the questions about seniors. "And when those results come out, this will be put to rest finally one way or the other," he says, believing "we're spending way too much time on the nuances of this." In the meantime, he marvels at how quickly we have an array of vaccines available. "The rapidity that we got to a vaccine, and that we have multiple vaccines that are amazingly protective, all these things are just absolutely amazing." With files from Mia Rabson in Ottawa This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 2, 2021. Thousands of Michigan students are learning virtually but schools are still required to conduct standardized tests this spring, but they will have more flexibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Education recently informed states. The Biden administration last week offered school leaders guidance in administering statewide summative assessments, including flexibility for administering shorter versions of the federally mandated state exams, offering them remotely, and delaying testing. But in a letter to state education leaders, acting Assistant Education Secretary Ian Rosenblum wrote that standardized tests are too crucial for collecting data on how COVID-19 has impacted learning to be waived in 2021. We must be prepared to address the educational inequities that have been exacerbated by the pandemic, including by using student learning data to enable states, school districts, and schools to target resources and supports to the students with the greatest needs, Rosenblum wrote. The guidance comes after Michigans second request that the federal government waive standardized testing for 2021 because of the pandemic. Michigan Superintendent Michael Rice argued the exams cannot be administered fairly and safely while thousands of students are still at home learning remotely many lacking consistent Internet access. Former U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos allowed Michigan to waive standardized testing in spring 2020 as schools were shifting abruptly to remote learning during the start of the pandemic but denied the first 2021 waiver request in September. While the federal government has said states will need to administer exams, Michigans education department understood the Feb. 22 guidance to not be a blanket acceptance or rejection of anything, but instead an opportunity to submit state-specific waiver considerations. The letter says theres going to be no cookie-cutter approach like there was at the beginning of the pandemic last year, Rice said in a Feb. 24 Michigan Department of Education news release. What USED (U.S. Department of Education) basically said was that it is open to considerations on the accountability side and a little less open on the assessment side. On Tuesday, March 2, Rice said Michigans waiver request is still pending. We anticipate getting a response from USED to our waiver request before the statutory deadline, Rice said Tuesday in a statement. MDE is prepared to administer the state assessments in the event a federal waiver is not approved. RELATED: Michigan asking feds to cancel standardized tests after year of inconsistent education In his Jan. 25 request to the federal government, Rice argued a majority of students have received inconsistent to no instruction in-person during the 2020-21 school year. He asked the federal government to waive Michigans standardized test, the M-STEP, and replace it with locally administered benchmark assessments. Michigan education officials say theres still a chance that could happen. We anticipate getting a response from USED to our waiver request before the statutory deadline, Rice said Tuesday. MDE is prepared to administer the state assessments in the event a federal waiver is not approved. The guidance from the Biden administration acknowledged that some school districts may not be able to safely administer state standardized tests using their standardized practices. Rosenblum said the federal education department will work with states to address their individual needs. Certainly, we do not believe that if there are places where students are unable to attend school safely in person because of the pandemic that they should be brought into school buildings for the sole purpose of taking a test, Rosenblum wrote. While Rice acknowledged the importance of collecting data on learning loss, he argued that can be done with benchmark assessments instead of standardized tests. We are able to discern where kids are academically for parents and for educators with our benchmark assessments, and we can use the assessments to target resources, interventions, and supports for our kids in our districts, Rice said Feb. 23 after the federal guidance was issued. Bay City Public Schools Superintendent Steve Bigelow previously told MLive that benchmark assessments, like the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP), allow educators to track student progress throughout the year, while standardized tests only provide a snapshot of where students are at the end of the year. But Amber Arellano, executive director of The Education Trust-Midwest, argued local assessments dont hold all students to the same standards and expectations. She issued a statement Feb. 23 in support of the federal government denying a blanket waiver of standardized tests. They do not offer appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities or English learners, as required under federal law for statewide assessments; they are not peer reviewed to ensure quality and prevent bias; and the results of these assessments will not be comparable from district to district, Arellano wrote. In the federal guidance, Rosenblum said states will be allowed to request waivers of the accountability and school identification requirements in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which would also lower the requirement that 95% of students take the exams. Rice said the guidance marks the beginning of a new part of the process that could take some time. I appreciate that, during the pandemic, the U.S. Department of Education has recognized the need for a number of flexibilities, including school identification, accountability, and participation rate, Rice said. To help you navigate this complicated school year, were pleased to offer you a simpler way to get all of your education news: Our new Michigan Schools: Education in the COVID Era newsletter delivered right to your inbox. To receive this newsletter, simply click here to sign up. More on MLive: More Michigan students back in class since Gov. Whitmers call for more in-person learning 5 things to know about Michigans last school standing for virtual learning How Michigan classrooms will look ahead of students return since pandemic $500 Michigan Classroom Heroes grants expanded to include more teachers Remote learning not sustainable, Whitmer says, praising schools for going back in person Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-02 21:48:40|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MOGADISHU, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Somali President Mohamed Farmajo has called for consultative talks on March 4 with federal member state leaders to break an election deadlock and avert a constitutional crisis. Farmajo said in a statement issued on Monday evening that the day-long event will take place in Mogadishu to help finalize talks on delayed elections and findings tabled by the technical committee. "The forum marks the climax of efforts towards implementing the elections agreements and recommendations," the presidency said. Farmajo whose term in office officially ended on Feb. 8 has failed to secure any agreement in the previous rounds of consultative talks between his government and leaders of Puntland and Jubaland states. The two regional states have demanded that Farmajo stops chairing the talks since his term has already lapsed and he should only attend such meetings as a presidential candidate and not as a president. The contentious issue between Farmajo and Jubaland leader Ahmed Madobe is the deployment of troops in the Gedo region where 16 electoral seats will be up for grabs. The council of presidential candidates has also demanded the resignation of Farmajo who is seeking another four-year term after he failed to conduct credible, free and fair polls. The presidential candidates have instead called on Farmajo to hand over the office to a transitional council. Farmajo's announcement follows a meeting between Prime Minister Mohamed Roble and the oppositional presidential candidates in Mogadishu on Monday where the two sides cited progress on issues raised. The Monday meeting also formed two commissions which will work on ensuring how peaceful protests will be held while the second will investigate Feb. 19 armed clashes in Mogadishu and assassination attempt claims on two presidential candidates. The proposed Thursday meeting between Farmajo and five federal member state leaders is expected to arrive at a way forward for the delayed elections, considered critical for the sake of entrenching the federal system of governance, which is required to appease communities and regions claiming systematic exclusion and marginalization for decades. Enditem The sale of CRMC represents the third successful exit of the $134 million funds managed and arranged by TVM Capital Healthcare Singapore based TVM Capital Healthcare, a global specialist healthcare private equity firm operating in emerging markets, announces the successful sale of its portfolio company Cambridge Medical and Rehabilitation Center ("CMRC") to UAE-based publicly traded investment company, Amanat Holdings PJSC. CMRC is the leading post-acute care and rehabilitation services provider in the MENA region. TVM Capital Healthcare has a long track record of successfully investing in and growing specialty care companies with investment and operation teams in the MENA region and Southeast Asia. The sale of CRMC represents the third successful exit of the $134 million funds managed and arranged by TVM Capital Healthcare. Distribution to investors of Paid-In capital (DPI) amounts to 2.4 times funds invested to date, with two companies still in the portfolio. Compounded returns amount to 28.0% Gross IRR / 19.7% Net IRR, a performance in the Upper Quartile of similar vintage funds, benchmarked against Cambridge Associates Emerging Markets PE and VC Funds. In total the sale is estimated to bring in a 4.6x return on capital invested. As a highly active growth capital investor, TVM Capital Healthcare has invested and grown CMRC to be a sustainable healthcare business that continues to have a significant social impact on the communities it serves. CMRC is fully accredited by some of the world's top clinical excellence accreditation organizations, such as Joint Commission International (JCI) and CARF and is considered a pioneer in post-acute services in its region. CMRC today has a capacity of 250 licensed beds and out-patient facilities. More recently during the global COVID-19 pandemic, CMRC demonstrated the benefits of specialist care outside of hospitals, relieving the public health system by unblocking acute beds and delivering quality outcomes for the post-acute patients it took on. Bengaluru, March 3 : Karnataka Milk Federation president and BJP legislator, Balachandra Jarakiholi on Wednesday appealed to Karnataka Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa that the 'sleaze CD' case should either be probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the state police in order to expose the political conspiracy behind it. Balachandra Jarakiholi is the younger brother of water resource minister Ramesh Jarakiholi who has allegedly been caught with a woman in a compromising position in a CD that came to light on Tuesday evening after Kanakpura based RTI activist Dinesh Kallahalli filed a complaint with the police and released the CD containing sexually explicit content to news channels. The minister has since resigned. After his meeting with Yediyurappa here, Jarakiholi told reporters that the trend of releasing a 'fake CD' to tarnish politicians is growing in the state, therefore, the state government should take concrete steps to prevent this once and for all. "I have appealed to the CM (Yediyurappa) to hand over this case either to the CBI or to the CID in order to expose those who are behind this racket," he said. He claimed that this conspiracy was hatched by their family rivals. "The family will certainly stand behind our beleaguered brother (Ramesh). This is a fake CD and released to tarnish our family's reputation. We will file a defamation suit against those who have released this CD," he said. In response to a question, he said the Jarakiholis will file a defamation suit of around Rs 100 crore against those who maligned the family. "If the same trend continues (release of CDs) then half of the legislators may have to resign from their posts. Therefore, in a bid to put an end to this trend, the CM should hand over my brother's case to either the CBI or the CID," he demanded. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. In this Aug. 14, 2019, file photo, then-Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs speaks during an interview in Stockton, Calif. A study of people in California who received $500 a month for free says they used it to pay off debt and get full-time jobs. A pair of independent researchers reviewed data from the first year of the study and released their finding on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Run by a nonprofit founded by Tubbs, the program gave $500 a month to 125 people who lived in census tracts at or below the city's median household income of $46,033. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File) After getting $500 per month for two years without rules on how to spend it, 125 people in California paid off debt, got full-time jobs and reported lower rates of anxiety and depression, according to a study released Wednesday. The program in the Northern California city of Stockton was the highest-profile experiment in the U.S. of a universal basic income, where everyone gets a guaranteed amount per month for free. Announced by former Mayor Michael Tubbs with great fanfare in 2017, the idea quickly gained momentum once it became a major part of Andrew Yang's 2020 campaign for president. Supporters say a guaranteed income can alleviate the stress and anxiety of people living in poverty while giving them the financial security needed to find good jobs and avoid debt. But critics argue free money would eliminate the incentive to work, creating a society dependent on the state. Tubbs, who at 26 was elected Stockton's first Black mayor in 2016 after endorsements from Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama, wanted to put those claims to the test. Stockton was an ideal place, given its proximity to Silicon Valley and the eagerness of the state's tech titans to fund the experiment as they grapple with how to prepare for job losses that could come with automation and artificial intelligence. The Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration launched in February 2019, selecting a group of 125 people who lived in census tracts at or below the city's median household income of $46,033. The program did not use tax dollars, but was financed by private donations, including a nonprofit led by Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes. A pair of independent researchers at the University of Tennessee and the University of Pennsylvania reviewed data from the first year of the study, which did not overlap with the pandemic. A second study looking at year two is scheduled to be released next year. When the program started in February 2019, 28% of the people slated to get the free money had full-time jobs. One year later, 40% of those people had full-time jobs. A control group of people who did not get the money saw a 5 percentage point increase in full-time employment over that same time period. "These numbers were incredible. I hardly believed them myself," said Stacia West, an assistant professor at the University of Tennessee who analyzed the data along with Amy Castro Baker, an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Tomas Vargas said the extra $500 a month was enough for him to take time off from his part-time job and find full-time work that paid better. He said he was depressed at the start of 2019, but now says he is happier and healthier. "Every day I get to wake up and enjoy my kids," he said. "My wife, we enjoy time together. We didn't have that before." In this Aug. 14, 2019, file photo, Susie Garza displays the city provided debit card she receives monthly through a trial program in Stockton, Calif. A study of people in California who received $500 a month for free says they used it to pay off debt and get full-time jobs. A pair of independent researchers reviewed data from the first year of the study and released their finding on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File) Tubbs cheered the results, telling reporters on a conference call to "tell your friends, tell your cousins, that guaranteed income did not make people stop working." Matt Zwolinski, director of the Center for Ethics, Economics and Public Policy at the University of San Diego, reviewed the study and said it is "really good news for supporters of a basic income guarantee." But he said the study is limited because it only lasted two years, and people are unlikely to drop out of the labor force if they know the extra money is temporary. "Tubbs' claim that this experiment proves that a basic income doesn't negatively affect employment is overstated," he said. Researchers found the people who got the money reported lower incidences of anxiety and depressive symptoms when compared to another group of people who did not get the money. Those findings could be key to next year's study, which will look at how participants fared during the pandemic. "It will allow us to ask the question: To what degree did that $500 serve as a financial vaccine as people were entering the pandemic," Baker said. "The fact that folks went (into the pandemic) in a much stronger position, I think, bodes really well for the ways in which cash can really alleviate chronic strain." People got the money once a month on a debit card, which let researchers track how most of the people spent it. Less than 1% of the money went to tobacco and alcohol. Tubbs, who lost his reelection bid as Stockton's mayor in November, said his goal is to convince state and federal lawmakers to implement guaranteed income programs on a larger scale. Aside from conservatives who object to big government spending, opposition also comes from labor unions that worry the government would end other social safety net programs to pay for it. Yang's plan would have cost nearly $3 trillion a year to provide a guaranteed income to everyone. "That's a question these experiments are not designed to answer," said Steve Smith, communications director for the California Labor Federation. Still, guaranteed income programs seem to be gaining momentum. More than 40 mayors have joined Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, with many planning projects of their own. A proposal in the California Legislature would offer $1,000 per month for three years to people who age out of the state's foster care system. And in Congress, Republican U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah has proposed expanding the child tax credit to send most parents at least $250 per month. Tubbs said that's a big difference from when he first announced this guaranteed income program four years ago. "How the pendulum has swung," he said. 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. The seeds for the rapid disintegration of Lex Greensills empire were sown eight months ago, when a little-known Australian insurer called Bond and Credit Company decided not to renew insurance policies covering $4.6 billion in corporate loans backed by the financiers firm. The policies were due to lapse on March 1, prompting a last-ditch effort from Greensills supply-chain firm to take the insurer to court in Australia, warning that losing insurance coverage for its 40 or so clients could spark defaults and put 50,000 jobs at risk. But late on Monday a judge in Sydney struck down Greensills injunction, triggering a series of events that have since reverberated around the world. Hours later in Zurich, Credit Suisse Group AG suspended a $10 billion family of funds that invested in debt arranged by Greensill Capital, choking off a key source of funding thats left the tycoons namesake firm struggling for survival. Germanys financial regulator BaFin has also stepped in, taking oversight of a German bank run by Greensill as it considers freezing payments in and out of the lender. Greensill Capital is now seeking a last-minute rescue with talks to sell its operating business to Athene Holding Ltd., an annuity seller part-owned by New York-based private equity firm Apollo Global Management, even as it starts insolvency proceedings in the UK. The series of events underscore a key element that underpinned Greensills strategy: insurance policies. The Credit Suisse funds invested in loans that were originated by Greensill Capital, which provides a type of loosely regulated short-term funding to help companies pay their bills on time. In a twist thats peculiar to these types of vehicles, the funds were able to garner the third-highest rating from Moodys Investors Service based in part on the credit score of the insurers that backed the underlying debt. Insurance Policy In addition to the role of the insurers, the episode also highlights the ongoing mismatch between high ratings and the risks posed by underlying assets, more than a decade after ratings companies were criticized and investigated for assigning triple-A labels to subprime debt that later turned out to be worthless. A Greensill spokesman declined to comment, as did representatives for Bond and Credit Company. A representative for Moodys didnt immediately have any comment. The insurance arrangements gave firms like Greensills the flexibility to court smaller borrowers that wouldnt otherwise be able to get investment-grade ratings, with a measure of security that an insurance policy brings. The impeccable credentials also allowed Credit Suisse to sell funds to investors such as pensions and corporate treasurers seeking suitable assets to help boost returns. But the model hinges on the insurers renewing their policies as long as the underlying debt is still held in the fund. Credit Suisse decided to suspend the group of funds after credit insurance offered by Bond and Credit Company, a unit of Japanese behemoth Tokio Marine Holding, ended Monday on some of the loans Greensill made, according to people briefed on the matter. That left some debt no longer valued on the strength of the insurer but rather on the underlying borrower, triggering questions on the valuations of the assets. Its not clear why Bond and Credit Company allowed the policies to lapse. In denying Greensills injunction to force the insurer to renew the contracts, the Australian judge noted that despite the fact that the underwriters position was made clear eight months ago, apparently Greensill only sought legal advice about its position in the last week of February. There have been signs of pain at several companies that borrowed through Greensill amid the market turmoil induced by the pandemic. Some companies backed by the firm also collapsed last year amid suspected accounting issues, including hospital operator NMC Health Plc and commodity trader Agritrade International. Loans tied to a single UK entrepreneur, Sanjeev Gupta, have also emerged as a focus at Germanys financial regulator. BaFin has been pressuring Greensill Bank to reduce the concentration of assets linked to Gupta, Bloomberg reported in August. The bank had been seeking to raise money and cut its exposure to companies linked to Gupta, people familiar with the matter previously said. Greensill rose from working on his familys sweet potato and sugar cane farm in Australia. He carved a niche for himself in the fast-growing supply-chain finance world, building a business at Morgan Stanley in London financing corporate supply chains, and then worked at Citigroup Inc. He started his own company in 2011, attracting backers like SoftBank Group Corp. and wooing advisers such as former UK Prime Minister David Cameron. This week marks a dramatic fall for Greensills firm, which in October had been considering a capital raising that would have valued it at $7 billion. One of its earliest backers, SoftBanks Vision Fund, had already substantially written down its $1.5 billion holding in Greensill, and was considering dropping the valuation to close to zero, people familiar with the matter said Monday. Greensill Capital lost another longtime ally after Swiss money manager GAM Holding AG said its ending dealings with the firm and unwinding an $842 million fund that invested in Greensill-linked companies. With assistance from Jack Farchy. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Carriers Three people were arrested after gardai broke up a student street party in Limerick. Videos that appeared on social media on Tuesday night showed a large crowd of revellers in the Castletroy area of the city. Higher education minister Simon Harris branded the scenes that unfolded in Carysfort Avenue in the College Court student area as completely unacceptable. The University of Limerick warned that strong disciplinary action would be taken against any student who breached coronavirus regulations. Two men in their 20s were arrested on suspicion of public order offences and another, also aged in his 20s, on suspicion of misuse of drugs. UL will take action with strong disciplinary measures against any student who has been found to have breached public health guidelines. Students at UL are subject to a Code of Conduct. University Of Limerick (@UL) March 2, 2021 Gardai also issued approximately 30 fixed payment notices for Covid-19 regulation breaches. The Garda said a significant number of its units attended the scene and gardai initially attempted to engage with the young people who had gathered. A Garda statement said following continued and orchestrated non-compliance with public health regulations and failure to comply with Garda direction, gardai intervened around 7.15pm. Gardai have commenced an investigation into identifying the organisers of this event, and as with all breaches of the public health regulations a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions, said a Garda statement. Students like everyone have suffered a lot with #Covid19. The scenes in Limerick tonight are completely unacceptable & a slap in the face to everyone sacrificing so much. It does a real disservice to all students who abide by the rules day in and out. I have spoken to @UL tonight Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) March 2, 2021 The Garda insisted it would continue to maintain a close and positive working relationship with those associated with the University of Limerick. Gardai in Limerick will continue to provide high visibility patrols in the vicinity of the University of Limerick campus and surrounding residential areas to check compliance to Covid-19 regulations and keep the community safe, the statement added. The Covid-19 pandemic remains a public health crisis and An Garda Siochana continues to appeal to all citizens to demonstrate personal and social responsibility to comply with public health guidelines and regulations in order to continue to save lives. Mr Harris tweeted: Students like everyone have suffered a lot with #Covid19. The scenes in Limerick tonight are completely unacceptable & a slap in the face to everyone sacrificing so much. It does a real disservice to all students who abide by the rules day in and out. The minister said he has spoken to the University of Limerick. He added: My understanding is a full investigation is underway by both the Gardai and by the university authorities. Any student in breach of restrictions and regulations must & will face serious consequences. The university tweeted: UL will take action with strong disciplinary measures against any student who has been found to have breached public health guidelines. Students at UL are subject to a Code of Conduct. China's political advisors have proposed regulating internet giants and digital data security as the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) will open its annual session. Zhao Wen, a national political advisor and vice chairman of the Central Committee of Jiusan Society, proposed reining in super-large mixed operation businesses that integrate online sales, financial credit and loan, and digital technology. "The fact that these companies exploit online credit loans to fuel young people's consumption as well as companies going public have created legions of billionaires, among other factors, means that the gap between the rich and the poor will be further widened," she said. Zhao continued, "If they are allowed to develop into juggernauts that will never fall and are not willing to obey supervision, they will bring a wide range of harm to the online, economic, and social environments and pose great systemic risks. It has now come to the critical moment when we have to strengthen supervision, curb monopoly, seek advantages, avoid creating disadvantages, and avoid risks for them." In her proposal, the political advisor called for drawing on the successful experience and lessons of "separate operation and separate supervision" of China's financial industry as well as practical experience learned from the United States splitting up of the Standard Oil Company under its antitrust law. This should help guide dealings with mixed operation business entities by splitting them up and implementing strict separate operations and supervision. For years, China has stepped up efforts to better regulate the internet industry, aiming to ensure equal participation in market competition for all types of market players. The Draft Revision of the Anti-Monopoly Law, issued in early 2020, added provisions for determining the dominant market position of internet companies. The anti-trust guidelines on the country's platform economy, which was unveiled in February, encompass a set of rules that could help rein in monopolistic conduct among the country's top internet firms. Last December, China's State Administration for Market Regulation announced the launch of an antitrust investigation into the e-commerce giant Alibaba Group. Tan Jianfeng, a national political advisor and president of the Shanghai Information Security Trade Association, described how he was concerned about data security. "The nature of the internet is data, and data security is the core of cyberspace security, and it is also the foundation for the healthy development of the internet," Tan said, adding that he planned to submit six proposals, five of which relate to strengthening data security. In light of the generally low level of data security and privacy protection in China, and the relatively weak capabilities of the data security industry, Tan proposed that China should "strengthen professional legislation and special law enforcement on data security, establish standardized mechanisms in data collection, secure storage, orderly circulation, data rights confirmation, data pricing, data security, and data privacy, and establish a data circulation system that adapts to the development of artificial intelligence." He acknowledged that big data can effectively promote the economic transformation and development, but at present, many technologies are used indiscriminately without a bottom line, randomly collecting people's biodata in a way that lacks control measures and presents certain risks. Tan also suggested that all non-renewable data, such as face scans, fingerprints, and DNA should no longer be collected by the market at will. China should establish a "national data bank" to uniformly manage and control data. "After a large number of national personal medical files and health files are gathered, they can be used to analyze the country's labor status as well as economic and related industrial development trends. However, if acquired by hostile forces, this same data may cause unpredictable harm to national security and industrial economic development," he warned. The Communist Party of China and the Chinese government attach great importance to personal information security and privacy protection, Guo Weimin, spokesperson for the fourth session of the 13th National Committee of the CPPCC, told a press conference on Wednesday. "As far as we know, relevant departments have taken a series of measures. The Cyberspace Administration of China, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, and the State Administration for Market Regulation have carried out relevant works, including formulating relevant national standards and regulations, guiding and urging enterprise platforms to implement personal information protection obligations, and carrying out special governance for apps that collect and use personal information in violation of laws and regulations, as well as strengthening management of the use of public security video surveillance, face recognition and other means," he said. He also added that the draft of the personal information protection law had been submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for deliberation. The promulgation and implementation of this law will play an important role in protecting the security of personal information. New York, March 3 : Indian-American Neera Tanden, who had alienated politicians on all sides, has withdrawn her nomination for a cabinet position, but US President Joe Biden has promised her another job that will not need Senate approval. "I look forward to having her serve in a role in my administration. She will bring valuable perspective and insight to our work," Biden said on Tuesday night after Tanden accepted defeat in her bid for Senate confirmation as the director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). After a week of desperate attempts by Biden and Democrat leaders to get at least one Republican senator to defect and vote for her, she wrote to Biden, "Unfortunately, it now seems clear that there is no path forward to gain confirmation, and I do not want continued consideration of my nomination to be a distraction from your other priorities." The post of the director of the OMB is one of the most powerful in the US as the official oversees the crafting of the $5 trillion US budget for all the departments and vets policies and appointments. She would have been the second Indian-American to be on the US cabinet, the first being Republican Nikki Haley, who was on former President Donald Trump's cabinet. Biden can appoint Tanden to a senior position in the White House which would not need Senate approval like cabinet and some senior jobs. This was the first defeat for Biden in getting a nominee through the Senate and it had been expected from the time she was one of his first nominations in November shortly after his election because of her volatility. In contrast to Tanden, Biden's nominee to be her deputy, Shalanda Young, was warmly received by leaders of both parties. The African American woman is considered a possible replacement for Tanden as she has already faced a Budget Committee hearing and her confirmation could be speeded up. The influential Republican Senator Lindsey Graham hinted at backing her for the top job, telling her, "You'll get my support, maybe for both jobs." After Democrat Senator Joe Manchin announced that he will not vote for her citing her venemous tweets and statements, her confirmation in the evenly divided Senate was in doubt. "I believe her overtly partisan statements will have a toxic and detrimental impact on the important working relationship between members of Congress and the next director of the Office of Management and Budget," he said. A colourful equal opportunity insulter, Tanden had called a statement by Manchin's daughter Heather Bresch "pernicious". After some Republican straddlers had refused to vote for her, the Democrat's last hope was Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, but she would not commit to supporting her either. A reporter had shown her in public a Tanden tweet in which she said Murkowski sounded like she was "high on your own supply." She added, "You know, we know, and everyone knows this is all garbage." Tanden, who is close to Hilary Clinton and advised her campaign, had also attacked Leftist Senator Bernie Sanders who had run against her for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination in 2016. Tanden had also physically attacked Sander's campaign manager Faiz Shakir when he had worked for her at the Centre for American Progress think tank. She admitted to The New York Times, "I didn't slug him, I pushed him." Sanders now heads the Senate Budget Committee that had to first approve her nomination and the panel put off the vote set for last Wednesday. Sanders, who told her when she appeared before the committee, "There were vicious attacks made against progressives, people who I have worked with, me personally," also did not confirm if he would vote for her. Tanden, who had deleted more than 1,000 tweets just before Biden named her for the OMB post, told senators that she regretted her remarks, but also admitted that she had probably meant them when she wrote them. Although many conservatives were at the forefront of the opposition to Tanden, the US Chamber of Commerce endorsed her while some leftists also campaigned against her. Democratic Party' left-wing group, Roots Action, organised a "Twitter storm" against her, calling her, "One of the most prominent anti-progressive voices of the neo-liberal establishment" -- a reference to her closeness to Clinton. South Asians for Biden, a group that campaigned for him, mobilised members of the community in a last effort on Tanden's behalf to contact key senators who could ensure her confirmation. Representative Judy Chu, who heads the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, said, "I'm disappointed that such a qualified candidate was subject to such a negative double standard." Several Democrats have said that Republicans went along with Trump, who was known for his mean tweets, but were now setting a very high standard for Tanden. Biden has appointed over 20 Indian-Americans to senior positions, but not all of them require Senate confirmation. A controversial one is that of Vivek Murty, the nominee for surgeon-general. He faces opposition from the gun lobby for his advocacy of strict gun controls, which he sees ultimately as a health issue because of the deaths and injuries caused by the wide availability of firearms. A conservative group has launched a TV campaign against Vanita Gupta, a civil rights leader who has been nominated for associate attorney-general. But another conservative group is launching a counter-campaign in support of her and many conservative leaders and media have also endorsed her. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter at @arulouis) -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed New Jersey teachers will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine beginning March 15, a significant development that has parents asking the obvious question: How soon will kids finally be able to go back to school five days a week? The answer, for many parents, is probably not soon enough. The states backlog in scheduling vaccination appointments, the roughly six-week timeframe it takes to become fully protected from COVID-19 and social distancing restrictions mean many schools might not feel confident fully reopening anytime soon, experts in health and education say. Some districts might be cautious, continuing with hybrid schedules until fully reopening in September, when there is the potential that students will also begin getting vaccinated. It is not as though on March 15, we will be ready to run, said Rich Bozza, executive director of the New Jersey Association of School Administrators. It is going to be literally months until we see sufficient numbers of educators and support staff that are ready to return to school buildings. Bozza is optimistic that more schools will expand hybrid instruction by May, when many teachers should be fully vaccinated. But the more likely target for a statewide return to five days a week of in-person learning is September, he said. I remain positive that we will be able to bring everybody back in if the vaccinations roll out the way they do and people take advantage of them, Bozza said. Fewer than 10% of New Jersey students about 74,000 children are currently learning in-person full time, according to state data provided Monday by Gov. Phil Murphy. Another 56% percent of students 760,000 children are in hybrid instruction, meaning they get some time in the classroom, but spend at least part of their week learning from home. State officials are fully expecting schools across New Jersey to have in-person learning safely and responsibly when the next academic year starts in September, Murphy said Monday. The governors September prediction is realistic considering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine adds a third option for inoculation, and theres a chance COVID-19 cases drop over the summer, said Stephanie Silvera, an epidemiologist and public health professor at Montclair State University. I do think that if we keep on the path we are going on right now, we can get there, she said. In the meantime, some schools face legitimate barriers this spring to bringing all students back five days a week, said Tony Trongone, superintendent of Millville Public Schools. He expects his teachers to get their first shots in late March. The Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines require two doses, and the timeline from the first shot to full protection is about six weeks. All things considered, he doesnt foresee a majority of his teachers being vaccinated until May, he said. Millville is currently offering hybrid scheduling, but it has more than 50 teachers working from home, Trongone said. Some of these teachers cant return to work in person until their own children, who attend different districts, are able to get back into their schools. Substitute teachers, already hard to come by, would become essential if Millville fully opens before other districts in the area, he said. A coordinated, regional approach to reopening might help solve that problem, Trongone said. But he has no answer for what to do about social distancing recommendations in districts with large class sizes. The CDC guidelines that advise six feet of distance between students simply cant be followed for classes of 20 or more, he said. New Jerseys guidance to schools allows them to have students closer together as long as proper safety measures are in place something some districts have addressed with plexiglass dividers on every desk. But that wont be a solution for every community, Trongone said. Once you start saying 22 to 23 kids in a class, it is a bad optic, Trongone said. You just start drowning in the social distancing world. The CDC has said in-person learning is safe with proper remediation measures. And many health experts have recently pushed for schools to reopen especially at the elementary level, where young children are less likely to spread COVID-19. Schools would be more likely to fully reopen sooner if the six-feet recommendation for social distancing was reduced to three feet, the distance suggested by the World Health Organization, Bozza said. Until we get down to less than six feet or a sense the environment is much more safe... then it is just not possible to get all kids back into the school. Bozza said. The New Jersey Education Association, the states largest teachers union, is hopeful students will be able to fully return in the fall, spokesman Steve Baker said. However, Baker pointed out that few people expected school closures to last more than a couple weeks last March. Its now been nearly one year, and many school buildings are still dormant. I dont think anybody can say for sure what is going to happen six or seven months down the road, Baker said. We have to be prepared to keep students safe, whatever that looks like. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Adam Clark may be reached at aclark@njadvancemedia.com. Have a news tip or a story idea about New Jersey schools? Send it here. SELBYVILLE, Del., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the latest report "Data Center Infrastructure Market by Solution (Cooling, Power, UPS, IT Racks & Enclosures, LV/MV Distribution, Networking Equipment, DCIM), Component (Hardware, Software, Services), Application (BFSI, Colocation, Energy, Government, Healthcare, Manufacturing, IT & Telecom), Regional Outlook, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast 2027", by Global Market Insights Inc., the market valuation of data center infrastructure will cross $100 billion by 2027. The growth of cloud computing, Big Data, and AI is expected to drive demand for energy-efficient data center infrastructure solutions among organizations. The service segment in the data center infrastructure market will observe substantial growth till 2027 owing to the growing demand for scalable infrastructure to support high-end applications. The growing expansion of hyperscale data centers due to the adoption of data analytics, cloud computing, and emerging technologies such as AI, machine learning, and IoT is boosting market growth. Hyperscale data centers require modernized and high-capability infrastructure to enhance protection and support critical IT equipment. Leading cloud service providers, such as Google, LLC, Facebook Inc., and Amaznon.com., Inc., are investing a hefty amount in the construction of hyperscale data center facilities. High-density networking servers in these data centers demand a combination of power, cooling, and security management solutions to enable energy-efficient operation. Request for a sample of this research report at https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/2580 The service segment in the data center infrastructure market is projected to hold a major revenue share, led by the growing demand for scalable infrastructure to support high-end applications. Data center services, including consulting, monitoring, design, and maintenance, help operators in better managing the data center and its equipment. Enterprises require skilled professional & managed service providers for managing systems and optimizing the data center infrastructure to achieve efficiencies. Professional service providers with the required technical expertise in data center operations and IT management enable the streamlining of business processes. These services help in significantly reducing the total cost of maintenance and operations of IT equipment. The Asia Pacific data center infrastructure market is estimated to witness exponential growth over the forecast time period. Increasing government concerns regarding the safety of customer data are encouraging businesses to establish their data center infrastructure facilities within the country. Furthermore, various government initiatives, such as Smart Cities, Made in China, and Digital India, are fueling the acceptance of IoT and cloud computing in the APAC region. This is encouraging companies to construct data center facilities across the region. With the expansion of the data center industry, the demand for advanced power, cooling, and network solutions will increase to maintain the reliability of these facilities. Key participants operating in the data center infrastructure market are Eaton Corporation PLC, Schneider Electric SE, Equinix, Inc., Vertiv Group Co., Rittal GmbH & Co. KG, Panduit Corporation, and Submer Technologies Sl. Request for customization of this research report at https://www.gminsights.com/roc/2580 Some major findings of the data center infrastructure market report are: The increasing usage of IoT devices has resulted in increased data traffic that places an immense power burden on data centers. To reduce energy consumption, data center operators are focusing on adopting efficient and cost-effective data center infrastructure solutions. The rise in internet infrastructure is leading to large amounts of data being generated by individuals and connected devices, contributing to the expansion of the data center industry. The growing demand for hardware components, such as servers, cables, Ethernet switches, and routers, will improve bandwidth speed and connectivity in data centers. The proliferation of driverless cars, robots, and AI is encouraging service providers to move strategic IT assets closer to the network edge. The edge data centers are rapidly shifting toward liquid cooling solutions to run real applications with full-featured hardware and reduce energy consumption for high-density applications. Leading colocation service providers, such as Equinix, Inc., Digital Realty, and CyrusOne, Inc., are accepting advanced data center infrastructure solutions to enhance their ability to serve customers in demanding markets. Table of Contents (ToC) of the report: Chapter 3. Data Center Infrastructure Market Insights 3.1. Industry segmentation 3.2. Impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on data center infrastructure market 3.2.1. Global outlook 3.2.2. Regional outlook 3.2.3. Industry value chain 3.2.4. Competitive landscape 3.3. Industry ecosystem analysis 3.4. Technological & innovation landscape 3.4.1. Innovation in data center technology 3.4.2. Impact of AI and Machine Learning (ML) 3.4.3. Silicon photonics 3.4.4. Lithium-ion battery 3.4.5. Liquid cooling 3.5. Regulatory landscape 3.6. Industry impact forces 3.6.1. Growth drivers 3.6.2. Industry pitfalls & challenges 3.7. Growth potential analysis 3.8. Porter's analysis 3.9. PESTEL analysis Browse Complete Table of Contents (ToC) at https://www.gminsights.com/toc/detail/data-center-infrastructure-market About Global Market Insights, Inc. Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider, offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy, and biotechnology. Contact Us: Arun Hegde Corporate Sales, USA Global Market Insights Inc. Phone: 1-302-846-7766 Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688 Email: [email protected] Related Images data-center-infrastructure-market.png Data Center Infrastructure Market Growth Predicted at 11.5% Through 2027: GMI The service segment in the data center infrastructure market will observe substantial growth till 2027 owing to the growing demand for scalable infrastructure to support high-end applications. Related Links Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) Market Data Center Power Market SOURCE Global Market Insights Inc. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. New Delhi: The Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday (March 3, 2021) announced that the people can now take the COVID-19 vaccine shot round the clock as per their convenience. Harsh Vardhan took to his official Twitter account to announce the news and said, "The government has ended the time constraint to increase the speed of vaccination. Citizens of the country can now get vaccinated 24x7 at their convenience." Vardhan who took the vaccine jab on Tuesday added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi understands the health of citizens of the country as well as the value of their time. Earlier on Tuesday, Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health Secretary chaired a high-level review meeting with Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and Secretaries (H&FW) of States and UTs. They reviewed the status and pace of the next phase of the country-wide COVID vaccination program which commenced from March 1. They were urged to utilise 100% capacities of all private hospitals functioning as the COVID Vaccination Centres (CVCs). They were also directed to ensure adequate allocation of coronavirus vaccines to all hospitals (government and private) for the entire duration for which sessions has been planned, to enable them to function as CVCs in a smooth and obstruction-free manner. It was also reiterated that there is no shortage of COVID vaccines, hence adequate vaccine doses should be allocated to the CVCs. The new phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from Monday for those who are over 60 years of age and for people aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions. However, the nation-wide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 with healthcare workers being inoculated against the virus, whereas, the vaccination of the frontline workers began on February 2. The 2nd dose of COVID-19 vaccination started on February 13 for those beneficiaries who have completed 28 days after receipt of the 1st dose. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's provisional report, till 7 am on Monday, more than 1.56 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered through 3,12,188 sessions. Meanwhile, India reported 14,989 new coronavirus confirmed cases in the last 24 hours, which took the country's total active caseload to 1,70,126. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Most Small Businesses Not Requiring COVID-19 Tests, Vaccines for Employees A vast majority of the nations small businesses havent required their employees to get COVID-19 vaccines or be tested to return to work, although there were significant differences across sectors, a government survey shows. The U.S. Census Bureaus Small Business Pulse Survey, released last week and based on data collected from some 25,000 respondents from Feb. 1521, sought to measure the effects on small businesses of changing operating conditions during the COVID-19 outbreak. Besides questions on how overall business has been affected by the pandemic, the survey also asked whether the business required its workers to test negative for COVID-19 and whether employees were required to provide proof of vaccination before physically coming to work. Nationwide, 70.1 percent of businesses said they dont require a negative test, while 10 percent said they do, and 19.9 percent replied not applicable, this business did not have employees physically coming to work in the last week. Regarding proof of vaccination, 78.4 percent of businesses said they dont require it, while 2.2 percent said they do, and 19.4 percent replied not applicable, this business did not have employees physically coming to work in the last week. Granular data showed significant differences across sectors, however, both in testing and vaccination. Health care was by far the largest sector requiring a vaccine, with 4.9 percent of its respondents checking that box, followed by accommodation and food services (2.4 percent), and construction (2.3 percent). Also leading the field in testing requirements was the health care sector (15.5 percent), followed by construction (11.7 percent), and manufacturing (11.3 percent). The results of the survey come as the U.S. vaccination drive is picking up speed and a third vaccine is on the way. As COVID-19 vaccine shipments to states are ramping up, nearly 20 percent of the nations adults have received at least one dose and 10 percent have been fully inoculated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Johnson & Johnsons newly authorized one-shot vaccine has started shipping, with nearly 4 million doses dispatched over the weekend. The company expects to deliver about 16 million more doses by the end of March and a total of 100 million by the end of June. At the same time, states eager to reopen for business are easing restrictions. Massachusetts on March 1 made it much easier to grab dinner and a show, while Iowas governor recently lifted mask requirements and limits on the number of people allowed in bars and restaurants. The two biggest metropolitan areas in MissouriSt. Louis and Kansas Cityare relaxing some measures, and Chicagos mayor announced that indoor restaurants and bars could start operating at increased capacity. Concerned about easing restrictions, the head of the CDC, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, on March 1 warned state officials and ordinary Americans not to let down their guard, saying she is really worried about reports that more states are rolling back the exact public health measures that we have recommended. I remain deeply concerned about a potential shift in the trajectory of the pandemic, she said. We stand to completely lose the hard-earned ground that we have gained. The Associated Press contributed to this report. MOSCOW -- Russias Justice Ministry has added the professional medical organization Alliance Of Doctors to its controversial list of organizations fulfilling the functions of a foreign agent. The ministry announced the decision on March 3, saying it had determined the NGO had received foreign funding and was engaged in political activity. It did not offer any specifics. The Alliance Of Doctors is headed by ophthalmologist Anastasia Vasilyeva, who has treated opposition leader Aleksei Navalny in the past. The organization, founded in 2018, fights for fair wages and working conditions for medical professionals. Vasilyeva was detained by police for several days in January as part of a sweep by authorities on the eve of unsanctioned mass rallies against the Kremlin critic's arrest. On March 2, lawyer Pavel Chikov of the Agora legal-defense organization announced that the ministry had filed a complaint against the NGO Nasiliyu.net, one of Russias leading organizations addressing domestic violence. Nasiliyu.net had been added to the foreign agent list in December 2020. According to Chikov, the government has deemed that the activity of Nasiliyu.net in "publicizing the problem of domestic violence," "creating conditions so that victims know where to turn for help," and "participating in promoting and conducting campaigns aimed at adopting a law against family and domestic violence" must be considered "political activity" under the countrys "foreign agent" laws. The government also deemed the NGO's public calls for government agencies "to take measures to protect victims of domestic violence" during the coronavirus pandemic to be "political activity." The complaint also notes that Nasiliyu.nets website includes contact information to the Anna domestic-violence crisis center, which has also been listed as a "foreign agent" organization. Chikov said the government also listed as "political activity" the NGOs participation in a 2019 sanctioned demonstration against gender discrimination and domestic violence held to mark International Womens Day on March 8, although the Justice Department's complaint notes the event "took place without any disturbance to public order." The ministry is asking a court to fine Nasiliyu.net from 300,000 to 500,000 rubles ($4,000 to $6,800). In addition, the ministry is seeking a fine of up to 300,000 rubles against the NGO's director, Anna Rivina. Nasiliyu.net was founded in 2015 and was registered as an NGO in 2018. In December 2020, it was listed as a "foreign agent" organization, a designation that it is appealing in court. When Nasiliyu.net was included on the list, Rivina wrote on Facebook that "95 percent" of the reason why the organization was targeted was "because of our draft law on domestic violence and 5 percent because of our support for LGBT rights. Russia's so-called foreign agent legislation was adopted in 2012 and has been modified repeatedly. It requires nongovernmental organizations that receive foreign assistance and that the government deems to be engaged in political activity to be registered, to identify themselves as foreign agents, and to submit to audits. Later modifications of the law targeted foreign-funded media, including RFE/RLs Russian Service, six other RFE/RL Russian-language news services, and Current Time. Human Rights Watch has described the foreign agent legislation as "restrictive" and intended "to demonize independent groups." With reporting by Kommersant Via Teleconference Washington D.C. March 1 11:03 A.M. EST You can visit a collection of all White House posts by clicking HERE. Contact: White House White House Press Office Good morning. Thank you for joining us. We got very good news over the weekend: The Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for a third safe and effective vaccine, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which will help us defeat the pandemic.While we have much work ahead of us on so many fronts, this is certainly a very encouraging development.Today, we'll get a state-of-the-pandemic update from Dr. Walensky. Dr. Fauci and Dr. Nunez-Smith will discuss the recently authorized J&J vaccine. And I'll close with an update on our planning, logistics, and distribution of the J&J vaccine. And then we'll open it up to questions.With that, I'll turn it over to Dr. Walensky.Dr. Walensky.Thank you, Jeff. I'm delighted to be back with you today. Let's get started with the current state of the pandemic.I remain deeply concerned about a potential shift in the trajectory of the pandemic. The latest CDC data continue to suggest that recent declines in cases have leveled off at a very high number. The most recent seven-day average of cases approximately 67,200 represents an increase of a little over 2 percent compared to the prior seven days.Similarly, the most recent seven-day average of deaths has also increased more than 2 percent from the previous seven days to nearly 2,000 deaths per day.These data are evidence that our recent declines appear to be stalling stalling at over 70,000 cases a day. With these new statistics, I am really worried about reports that more states are rolling back the exact public health measures we have recommended to protect people from COVID-19.I understand the temptation to do this. Seventy thousand cases a day seemed good compared to where we were just a few months ago. But we cannot be resigned to 70,000 cases a day, 2,000 daily deaths.Please hear me clearly: At this level of cases, with variants spreading, we stand to completely lose the hard-earned ground we have gained. These variants are a very real threat to our people and our progress. Now is not the time to relax the critical safeguards that we know can stop the spread of COVID-19 in our communities, not when we are so close.We have the ability to stop a potential fourth surge of cases in this country. Please stay strong in your conviction. Continue wearing you well-fitted mask and taking the other public health prevention actions that we know work.Ultimately, vaccination is what will bring us out of this pandemic. To get there, we need to vaccinate many more people. Yesterday, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, endorsed the safety and efficacy of Janssen's COVID-19 vaccine. After the ACIP met, I was heartened to sign their recommendations for use of this vaccine in people 18 or older.This means we now have three safe and highly effective vaccines that prevent serious illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. Importantly, ACIP does not state a preference for a particular COVID-19 vaccine; rather, they recommend that individuals can get any of the ACIP-recommended COVID-19 vaccines, and they encourage individuals to receive the earliest vaccine available to them.The Janssen vaccine is a much-needed addition to our toolbox and increases the number of vaccine doses available, and makes it possible for people to get for more people to get vaccinated and protected from COVID-19.It also offers several unique benefits. It's a single-dose vaccine that provides COVID-19 protection with just one shot. That can help fully vaccinate people who may have difficulty, or who are not interested, in returning for a second dose. For those administering the vaccine, this vaccine is also easier to store and transport since it does not need to be kept in a freezer. This will make it easier to provide vaccine in community settings and mobile sites as supplies scale up.Having multiple types of vaccine available, especially ones with different dosing regimens and different storing and handling, offers more flexibility. For example, clinics and mass vaccination sites that do not have freezer capacity may be able to use the Janssen vaccine, increasing access to more communities.I know that many Americans look forward to rolling up their sleeves with confidence as soon as a COVID-19 vaccine is available to them. We are working hard to get and distribute these vaccines to your communities. I also know that some people may not be there today and may still have questions about these vaccines, including wanting more information about the process for developing and authorizing them. That's natural. And I know that some people have had experiences that may have diminished their confidence in the health system. That's also understandable.I want to emphasize several important facts about these vaccines. We have conducted the largest-scale clinical trials of any vaccine, and what made that possible so quickly was the high amount of disease in the community and the fact that so many people were interested in participating. All of the available data show that these vaccines are safe and are highly effective.Over 100,000 people participated in clinical trials to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of these vaccines, and they have all met rigorous FDA scientific standards. Equally importantly, as of today, nearly 50 million people in the United States have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. We have put in place the most intensive vaccine safety monitoring systems in U.S. history, and we are actively monitoring for any new safety signals.CDC's new V-safe smartphone-based health checker has now enrolled approximately 4.5 million people to capture patient-reported side effects in real time. These results are all reassuring. Some people have no side effects after vaccination. Many people have reported mild side effects like pain, swelling at the injection site, and headache and chills or fever. These are common with all vaccines and should go away after a day or so. Serious, generally reversible reactions remain exceptionally rare.For those who have still have questions about the vaccines, I encourage you to visit the CDC COVID-19 website for more information. Our decisions today as a unified nation, and as individuals, including whether and when to get vaccinated, will determine how quickly we can stop this pandemic and what life will look like in the coming months ahead.The most important thing you can do is to be ready to get the vaccine that is available to you. It will help protect us all from COVID-19.Thank you. I look forward to your questions. And with that, I'll turn things over to Dr. Fauci.Dr. Fauci?Thank you very much, Dr. Walensky. I'm going to just talk a little bit more now about the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine.If I could have that first slide. Let's move on to the second slide. We get questions just move on to the second slide.We get questions regarding the various percentage numbers that people see. And I know most of you are aware of them, but let me just clarify a few things. The 66 percent vaccine efficacy that we have is really against all of the countries involved. You must recall that this vaccine trial was done on three continents the United States, South America, and South Africa with varying degrees of infection dynamics, as well as varying strains, variants, or lineages. That is the 66 percent. The 72 percent is the vaccine efficacy against moderate to severe critical infection in the United States.I want to point out again a question we often get asked. In order to try we always say: What vaccine is better than the other vaccine? In order to be able to determine that, you would have to compare them head to head. This was not done. We have three highly efficacious vaccines that also, as Dr. Walensky says, has a very good safety profile.A very important number, but I want to reemphasize, is that there's 85 percent efficacy against severe COVID-19 globally, including the United States. This is very important because if you look at other countries, such as South Africa if you go to the next slide where you have the B1351, you can see that the efficacy against severe critical disease was 82 percent there. That's really very important, because even though the vaccine itself the spike protein that was used and expressed in that vaccine was the spike protein against wild-type virus, namely the virus that is the D614G, not against the B1351. So even though the vaccine itself was not specifically directed against those variants, it did extremely well when it came to preventing severe critical disease. And as we've heard many times now, there were no hospitalizations or deaths in any of those studies.Next slide.I want to just spend a minute now telling you the difference between the mRNA and the Ad26, because we often get asked that question. As we've said on previous briefings, the mRNA that's injected into the muscle codes for the spike protein in the proper configuration. The body sees that and makes an immune response against that, giving you the protection that has been shown with both of the mRNA vaccines.Next slide.[ ... ]Read the full transcript HERE WASHINGTON - The White House withdrew Neera Tanden's nomination to be director of the White House Office of Management and Budget on Tuesday evening after she faced bipartisan opposition for the job - dealing President Joe Biden his first Cabinet defeat in the evenly split Senate. Tanden, who would have been the first woman of color to lead the powerful budget agency, drew opposition because of past social media posts attacking Republican lawmakers. In a letter to the president withdrawing herself from consideration, Tanden acknowledged that she had no remaining path to confirmation and said she did not want to distract from other priorities. "I have the utmost respect for her record of accomplishment, her experience and her counsel, and I look forward to having her serve in a role in my administration," Biden said in a statement. "She will bring valuable perspective and insight to our work." Tanden is "incredibly grateful for your leadership on behalf of the American people and for your agenda that will make such a transformative difference in people's lives," she told Biden. Her nomination began to collapse last month when Sen. Joe Manchin III, D-W.Va., said he would oppose Tanden for the post, citing her past remarks targeting Republicans. That meant she would need at least one Republican vote to be confirmed in the 50-50 Senate, but potential swing votes including Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Mitt Romney, R-Utah, also said they would not back her. Tanden, a veteran political operative who most recently led the liberal Washington-based Center for American Progress think tank, had maintained an active presence on Twitter, frequently criticizing GOP senators. She has since deleted more than 1,000 tweets and apologized for her past remarks, although Senate Republicans repeatedly seized on her social media posts to criticize her fitness and temperament for the administration job. Tanden had called Collins "the worst" and "pathetic," and said "vampires have more heart than Ted Cruz," referring to the GOP senator from Texas. Tanden has compared Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to "Voldemort," the Harry Potter series villain, and called him "Moscow Mitch." In turn, Republican senators faced accusations of a double standard when it came to Tanden and her Twitter posts, considering how often they feigned ignorance about President Donald Trump's social media feeds during his administration. Trump regularly aimed furious insults at an array of people who angered him, including foreign leaders and Democratic lawmakers. In recent days, attention had largely turned to Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who has been weighing whether to support Tanden and met with the nominee earlier this week. Murkowski had not announced her decision when Tanden withdrew Tuesday. By the time her nomination was withdrawn, Tanden had met with 46 senators, who were immediately lobbied by incoming administration and key advocacy groups once Biden announced her nomination in December. Tanden had the endorsement of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and powerful labor unions such as the Communications Workers of America. She also had strong support from leaders and activists representing the Asian American community. But Tanden, a longtime operative, had taken on any number of powerful figures on Capitol Hill. A centrist Democrat, she had also tangled in the past with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who now chairs one of the two Senate committees that took up her nomination. Sanders was informed by the White House earlier Tuesday that Tanden would be withdrawing from the job, according to one aide familiar with the conversation who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter. Murkowski had reiterated earlier Tuesday that she remained undecided on Tanden. First-term presidents typically face defeat on at least one Cabinet post as they staff up their administration, and Biden was no exception. Trump withdrew the nomination of Andrew Puzder for labor secretary, and former president Barack Obama dropped Tom Daschle as his pick for health secretary, in the early weeks of their administrations. Neither of Biden's immediate predecessors had the barest of majorities in the Senate that Biden does, with one defector from his own party able to derail a nomination or a top policy priority, such as a massive coronavirus relief package that senators will take up later this week. Although Manchin was the only senator from the Democratic caucus to make his opposition to Tanden public, Democratic officials were also concerned about how Sanders and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., would vote. Sinema sits on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the other panel that considered Tanden. Democratic leaders abruptly postponed the two committee votes for Tanden last week amid uncertainty about the outcome. Even as the White House was preparing to pull Tanden's nomination on Tuesday, Sanders said in a CNN interview that he remained undecided on her fate and acknowledged that she did not have the votes "right now." Senior Senate Republicans suggested that Murkowski was seeking Alaska-specific concessions from the White House as she continued to hold out on the OMB pick, although the senator said earlier Tuesday that she had not asked the administration to "make any accommodations to me or to Alaska for the Tanden nomination, or any nomination." After Tanden withdrew, Murkowski added, "I think we all have an obligation to figure out how we're going to vet the nominees, and I take each one of them seriously." Murkowski did not make her position on Tanden clear, saying only that she did not tell the White House that she was opposed to her. "She's a really strong woman, I'll tell you that," the senator said. Tanden's defeat was a disappointment to Asian American advocacy groups, which had pressured Biden to nominate more Asian American and Pacific Islander officials to his administration. Biden had tapped two for his Cabinet - Tanden and Katherine Tai, who has been nominated as U.S. trade representative - but neither post carries the title of secretary, the first time in two decades that no Asian American was named as one. "We expect the highest levels of professionalism and civility from our leaders in government, which is precisely what Neera displayed in taking responsibility for her past comments and committing to a change in tone," Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., leader of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, said Tuesday. "I'm disappointed that such a qualified candidate was subject to such a negative double standard." Administration officials did not immediately indicate whom Biden would nominate instead of Tanden, although senior Democrats have increasingly talked up Shalanda Young, who had initially been chosen as Tanden's deputy at OMB. Young is a former staff director for the House Appropriations Committee and has long been respected by senior Republicans as well as Democrats. Just hours before the White House pulled Tanden's nomination, Young appeared before the Senate Budget Committee, where she won praise from Democrats and Republicans. GOP senators made it clear they would prefer her for the top OMB job. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, the ranking Republican on the panel, heaped praise on Young and hinted at her potential elevation, telling her: "You'll get my support, maybe for both jobs." Sen. John Neely Kennedy, R-La.. was more blunt: "You may be more than deputy." While Republicans did not hide their support for her, Young was careful throughout the hearing to compliment Tanden, showing no signs of the impending withdrawal. She said that she and Tanden would "make a great team if both of us were confirmed." Democrats on the committee, too, lauded Young's work in Congress, but they remained united in supporting Tanden. If Biden taps Young for the top spot, a number of people under consideration for the director job could be considered for the deputy role, including Ann O'Leary, a longtime Hillary Clinton policy aide, Sarah Bianchi, a longtime Biden policy aide,and Martha Coven, a former OMB official in the Obama administration. - - - The Washington Post's Jeff Stein and Mike DeBonis contributed to this report. COEUR D'ALENE, ID / ACCESSWIRE / March 3, 2021 / New Jersey Mining Company (OTCQB:NJMC) ("NJMC" or the "Company") is pleased to provide a "big picture" update, including a preliminary discussion in regard to up-listing to a senior exchange in concert with our plans to increase production at the Golden Chest Mine and the potential for the spin-out of its rare earth subsidiary to shareholders. NJMC President and CEO John Swallow stated, "As business owners, fellow investors and community stakeholders (and substantial NJMC shareholders), we believe it is important to understand how or what a person (or company) thinks, especially with regard to anticipating and adjusting to the multitude of macro and micro inputs. As discussions continue to evolve (and subject to change), and as the initial results of our drill program are received, we felt that communication from management in regard to the various paths being contemplated would be appreciated - such as a recap and possible positioning of our Rare Earths subsidiary, potential for increased gold production and eventually working toward a senior exchange listing." CONCEPTUAL PLAN FOR UP TO 20,000 OZ/YR GOLD PRODUCTION AT GOLDEN CHEST NJMC's 2021 drill plan is based on its "Deep Rooted" ore shoot model. Recent deeper drilling at the Golden Chest is showing deeper and better grade continuity of the Joe Dandy and Paymaster shoots while Skookum core logging is still underway core holes in this area also intercepted the mineralized Idaho Fault. Initial positive results and preliminary analysis have accelerated the potential for a significant increase of gold production per year at the Golden Chest and the evaluation for a new mill at the Golden Chest. Conceptual Plan - Preliminary Economics Preliminary internal estimates and the conceptual plans are based on firsthand corporate experience with development, mining, exploration, milling and other knowledge gained from NJMC operations. Budgeting for personnel, equipment, and underground development have been considered in this evaluation. Subject to adjustments, the company is working with preliminary AISC estimates in the $1,100/ounce - $1,200/ounce range for gold, at a 20,000 ounce/year run rate. Conceptual Plan - Preliminary Capex The Company is developing a plan to build a 360 tonne per day (tpd) flotation mill at the Golden Chest Mine in Murray, Idaho in order to increase gold production up to 20,000 ounces per year. Budgetary cost estimates are made for the major items in this plan including mine development, construction of the mill, land acquisition, resource in-fill drilling at the mine, and exploration drilling at the Alder Gulch property two miles west of the mine. Current trucking of ore to the existing New Jersey mill is roughly $12/tonne. At just 50,000 tonnes per year, the potential annual savings from just this one component is estimated at $600,000. Expansion of the existing underground mine would be undertaken with production coming from the Skookum Shoot of 50,000 tonnes per year and the Paymaster Shoot of 36,000 tonnes per year. An additional 30,000 tonnes per year will be sourced from an existing surface stockpile. Currently, the Skookum is the only area in production. Gold grades in the Skookum are expected to be about same as they are now at 6.5 gram per tonne (gpt) gold while the Paymaster gold grade will require more drilling to determine accurately, the existing drilling indicates two narrower, but higher-grade veins with a diluted grade (2-meter mining width) of 8.5 gpt gold. The Paymaster veins are separated by an intrusion of quartz monzonite (15 to 30 meters thick) which is where the access ramp would be placed. Finally, the surface stockpile grade is well established from blasthole sampling at 1.09 gpt gold. Using these tonnages, gold grades, and metallurgical recoveries from current milling data, an annual production of approximately 20,000 ounces is indicated. Table 1 below lists the preliminary budgetary capital cost estimates for the conceptual plan to increase annual production at the Golden Chest up to 20,000 ounces per year. The costs are preliminary in nature and detailed engineering is still required to determine the final costs, with some costs listed coming from the mine cost handbook. This information is for discussion purposes only to allow for better understanding of management and other corporate goals. The timing of capital expenditure for a new mill and mine expansion will likely occur in phases while remaining flexible with the disposition of some non-core assets and an eye on shareholder dilution. Table 1 Capital Item $ USD Mine Development Main Access Ramp $ 3,600,000 Ventilation Raise $ 800,000 Mining Equipment $ 1,500,000 Flotation Mill $ 6,000,000 Paste Backfill Plant $ 2,000,000 Land Acquisition (in-process) $ 1,500,000 Electrical Service Upgrade $ 1,000,000 Golden Chest Infill Drilling $ 2,500,000 Murray Gold Belt Drilling $ 1,500,000 Total $20,400,000 Drilling Highlights at the Golden Chest Six identified ore shoots - Katie Dora, Klondike, Skookum, Golden Chest, Paymaster and Joe Dandy. 2020/2021 drill program is testing down-dip extensions of the six recognized ore shoots. Focused on preliminary production/mine-life potential of each individual ore shoot. Drill program began with high-grade intercept of 0.2 meters of 74.6 grams per tonne gold (gpt), true thickness, in the Katie Dora. In the Paymaster, a significant additional vein assaying 104 gpt gold over 0.4 meters was encountered in hole GC 21-184. This intercept is located 47 meters above the Idaho Fault. Also, from the Paymaster, GC 21-184 intercepted 1.5 meters of 20.1 gpt gold (including 0.9 meters of 26.7 gpt gold) in the upper vein and 1.4 meters of 3.8 gpt gold in the lower vein. GC 20-183 (Paymaster) intercepted 0.9 meters of 14.7 gpt gold in the upper vein. Followed by a new discovery in the Joe Dandy, the southernmost ore shoot, with 7.3 meters that assayed 11.5 gpt gold (including 2.3 meters of 19.5 gpt, true thickness). Current underground production is from Skookum Shoot - growth from 5,000 ounces to 10,000+/- ounces per year production run rate from the Skookum over next 12 months. NJMC's RARE EARTH ELEMENT (REE) SUBSIDIARY Company management believes that NJMC's REE holdings represent a significant unrealized value for shareholders. And while concrete plans are not yet in place, the company is evaluating a spin-out of its REE subsidiary to NJMC shareholders, possibly at or near the timing of up-listing to a senior exchange. NJMC's Rare Earth Element properties resources are already listed as part of the United States' Rare Earth Element national inventory , as identified in IGS and USGS publications. The presence of "at-risk" rare earth elements such as ?Neodymium, Praseodymium, Dysprosium, Yttrium, ?and Niobium have been confirmed through NJMC's sampling at the ?Diamond Creek and Roberts properties. Permitting underway for drill programs at Diamond Creek and Roberts. Diamond Creek REE Project The REE bearing veins of the Diamond Creek area are on the short list of the well-recognized and studied occurrences in the United States. At Diamond Creek, the gold and REE's occur within the same veins, but it is not clear if the gold is genetically related to the REE mineralization. Some of the mineral pulses have gold, thorium, uranium, niobium, yttrium and REE's. Niobium and gold are possible by-products that would add greatly to the economics of Diamond Creek. In 1979, M.H. Staatz, of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) estimated an overall probable resource at Diamond Creek of approximately 70,800 metric tonnes of total rare-earth oxides, using an average grade of 1.22 percent. Reported sample assays show REE oxide contents ranging from 0.59 to 5.51 percent. Additionally, three samples cut across one of the larger veins were assayed for gold, and contained 0.5, 2.4 and 11.9 grams per tonne (0.017, 0.07, and 0.348 ounces per ton). The Diamond Creek REE Project covers approximately 421 hectares (1,040 acres) and is comprised of 52 unpatented mining claims. It is located in the Eureka Mining district, approximately 13 kilometers (8 miles) north-northwest of the town Salmon, Idaho. The REE mineralization at Diamond Creek is found in quartz veins over a large area approximately 3.2 km (2 mi) long and 0.8 km (0.5 mi) wide. Roberts REE Project Recent sampling by Company geologists returned grades in excess of 12% combined Rare Earths Elements, with gold values up to 8.8 grams per tonne and Niobium as high as 0.50%. At the Roberts, one carbonatite occurrence can be found in a northwest trending seam which measures approximately 400 meters long and 90 meters wide. The second occurrence is a small carbonatite plug measuring about 200 meters in diameter. Studies conducted by A.T. Abbott (1954) and A.L. Anderson (1958) from the Idaho Geological Survey (IGS), and E.P. Kaiser (1956) with the U.S. Geologic Survey (USGS) pioneered recognition of these unusual deposit types in the Mineral Hill District. The unusual carbonatite seam and intrusive plug occurring on the Roberts property are characterized by an impressive REE concentration. Abbott reported cutting a 2.5' sample across the Roberts lode which returned 21.5% combined rare earth oxides and thoria . NJMC personnel believe that Rare Earth Elements like Neodymium, Praseodymium and Samarium occur on the property in abundance. The Roberts REE Project is comprised of 12 unpatented mining claims covering an area of approximately 219 acres. This project is located within the Mineral Hill Mining District, approximately 30 miles northwest of the town of Salmon, Idaho. The Principal Rare Earth Elements Deposits of the United States - A Summary of Domestic Deposits and a Global Perspective - USGS Scientific Investigations Report 2010-5220 CONCLUSION AND COMMENTARY Mr. Swallow concluded, "We realize that there is a lot to 'unpack' in this press release, however we believe it is important to have an understanding of the Company. In addition to the above-mentioned conceptual plans, management is also evaluating up-listing to a senior exchange in an effort to increase the Company's exposure to mainstream equity investors, portfolio managers, and other groups. Because the company and operations have shown substantial growth and operational viability, we have a good understanding of how a phased approach fits into the more modest capex requirements of an established producer. NJMC is a small operating company working to become a larger company. There are no guarantees in this business - or any other - and everything is subject to change. We also realize that discussing potential plans/thinking is somewhat unconventional, however we find it easier and more honest to converse with folks if we are both substantially on the same page. This press release discusses the thoughts of management and hopefully allows people to analyze whether or not NJMC aligns with their own investment criteria. New Jersey Mining Co. has been (and will be) an example of building as you go and has experienced success where others have failed. There will always be choppiness in our results on both sides of the ledger and I would expect more of the same as our 'up and to the right' path continues." Quality assurance/quality control All of the samples were analyzed by American Analytical of Osburn, Idaho, an ISO certified laboratory. Samples were analyzed using lead collection fire assay with a gravimetric finish. A series of known assay standards are submitted with each drill hole as part of a quality assurance-quality compliance program. Qualified person NJMC's Vice President, Grant A. Brackebusch, P.E. is a qualified person as such term is defined in National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information and data included in this press release. About New Jersey Mining Company Headquartered in North Idaho, New Jersey Mining Company is the rare example of a vertically integrated, operating junior mining company. NJMC produces gold at the Golden Chest Mine and recently consolidated the Murray Gold Belt (MGB) for the first time in over 100-years. The MGB is an overlooked gold producing region within the Coeur d'Alene Mining District, located north of the prolific Silver Valley. In addition to gold, the Company maintains a presence in the Critical Minerals sector and is focused on identifying and exploring for Critical Minerals (Rare Earth Minerals) important to our country's defensive readiness and a low-carbon future. New Jersey Mining Company possesses the in-house skillsets of a much larger company while enjoying the flexibility of a smaller and more entrepreneurial corporate structure. Its production-based strategy, by design, provides the flexibility to advance the Murray Gold Belt and/or its Critical Minerals holdings on its own or with a strategic partner in a manner that is consistent with its existing philosophy and culture. NJMC has established a high-quality, early to advanced-stage asset base in four historic mining districts of Idaho and Montana, which includes the currently producing Golden Chest Mine. Management is stakeholder focused and owns more than 15-percent of NJMC stock. The Company's common stock trades on the OTC-QB under the symbol "NJMC." For more information on New Jersey Mining Company go to www.newjerseymining.com or call: Monique Hayes, Corporate Secretary/Investor Relations Email: monique@newjerseymining.com (208) 625-9001 Forward-Looking Statements This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended that are intended to be covered by the safe harbor created by such sections. Such statements are based on good faith assumptions that New Jersey Mining Company believes are reasonable, but which are subject to a wide range of uncertainties and business risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed, projected or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the, the risk that the 20,000 oz production estimates are not based on a comprehensive feasibility study of mineral reserves, as a result there are increased uncertainties and economic/technical risks associated with these estimates, the risk the mine plan changes due to rising costs or other operational details, an increased risk associated with production activities occurring without completion of a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability, the risk the Company is unable to finance, permit and build flotation mill at the Golden Chest Mine the risks and hazards inherent in the mining business (including risks inherent in developing mining projects, environmental hazards, industrial accidents, weather or geologically related conditions), changes in the market prices of gold and silver and the potential impact on revenues from changes in the market price of gold and cash costs, a sustained lower price environment, the risk that drilling permits are delayed or not granted for the Diamond Creek or Roberts Rare Earth projects, the risk that the Company is unsuccessful or decides not to spin out the REE projects into a subsidiary, the risk that the Company is unable to meet the minimum requirements to obtain a listing on a senior exchange or is not approved for listing on a senior exchange in the U.S., the risks relating to widespread epidemics or pandemic outbreak including the COVID-19 pandemic; the impact of COVID-19 on our workforce, suppliers and other essential resources and what effect those impacts, if they occur, would have on our business, including our ability to access goods and supplies, the ability to transport our products and impacts on employee productivity, the risks in connection with the operations, cash flow and results of the Company relating to the unknown duration and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as other uncertainties and risk factors. Actual results, developments and timetables could vary significantly from the estimates presented. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. NJMC disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. SOURCE: New Jersey Mining Company View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/633153/New-Jersey-Mining-Company-Evaluates-Potential-for-20000-OzYear-Gold-Production-at-Golden-Chest-Mine-Possible-Spin-out-of-Rare-Earths-Subsidiary-to-its-Shareholders (@FahadShabbir) Lithuania has turned down the extradition request by Belarusian Investigative Committee for the opposition figure and former presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the country's foreign ministry told Sputnik on Wednesday VILNIUS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd March, 2021) Lithuania has turned down the extradition request by Belarusian Investigative Committee for the opposition figure and former presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the country's foreign ministry told Sputnik on Wednesday. The Belarusian Investigative Committee on Tuesday initiated extradition of Tikhanovskaya, who fled to Lithuania after the election. "Lithuania does not extradite people who suffer political persecution. Minsk knows that perfectly well," the ministry said in a statement. Belarus has been in a prolonged political crisis after the August 9 presidential election, won by incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko. The opposition has not recognized the results, claiming that Tikhanovskaya was the real winner. The dispute resulted in mass protests across the country. Several Western countries, including the United States and the European Union, have slapped sanctions on Belarusian officials deemed responsible for alleged electoral fraud and protest suppression. H-E-B will urge, but not require, customers to wear masks inside its Texas stores after Gov. Greg Abbott rescinded his statewide mask mandate Tuesday, representatives said. Still, staff will stand at the door and asks customers to put masks on and give them one if they don't have one. Although there is no longer a statewide mask order, H-E-B believes it is important that masks be worn in public spaces until more Texans and our partners have access to the COVID-19 vaccine, Lisa Helfman, the retailers local public affairs director, said in a statement. 'NOW IS NOT THE TIME:' CDC chief calls out Gov. Abbott for lifting COVID restrictions Kroger updated its position and said Thursday it would require all customers to wear masks. "We remind those who cant wear masks that we offer low touch or no touch pickup and delivery services," said Joe Kelley, president of Kroger in Houston. Randalls, too, updated its position late last week, saying it will still require masks at its Texas stores, said Christy Lara, a regional spokesperson. "While we know that mask requirements have been controversial and polarizing across some of our operating areas," Lara said, "we also know that masks in combination with social distancing and proper cleaning and sanitization can work to prevent the spread of the virus." amanda.drane@chron.com Twitter.com/amandadrane The Telegraph Theres nothing like a British heatwave to bring out a long list of extreme weather advice. With temperatures set to remain high this week, what advice should you be following? We asked the experts... The claim: Keep all your windows and curtains closed The truth: Its natural on a hot day to keep all your windows and doors open, says Dr Alannah Hare, an NHS and Private Sleep Consultant at the Royal Brompton. However, the best thing to do is to keep your windows shut and your curtains drawn all day. Its all due to temperature differentials. When you open your windows in the morning it feels cool and lovely, but as the sun comes up throughout the day it heats the inside of your house. If you keep your windows and curtains closed until dusk, however, your house will feel very cool when you go to bed. As the sun sets, open your curtains and windows and youll feel a lovely breeze coming through your house, which will help you sleep. Verdict: True The claim: Drink hot tea to cool down The truth: It has long been established that staying hydrated is essential during a heatwave. However, whether or not you should be boiling up a brew in the heat has been the subject of intense scientific debate. In 2012, a landmark study by the University of Ottawas Ollie Jay, sought to find an answer once and for all. The team discovered that when thermosensors in the mouth and throat detect heat, the brain activates a sweating response. The sweat then absorbs body heat and evaporates it into the air. As a result, they concluded that drinking hot drinks can cool you down in certain environments. Drinking a hot latte while wearing long sleeves and trousers won't work, because sweat needs to evaporate and the reduction in temperature caused by sweating needs to exceed the increase in temperature caused by drinking a hot drink. But drinking tea in a summer dress or short-sleeved shirt may help you cool down slightly. Verdict: True The claim: Have a hot curry The truth: Gazpacho, ice cream, cold fruit salad and, curry? Several foods can have a cooling effect, and it seems one of them is chilli. It might appear counter-intuitive everyone whos had an extra hot curry will know why but it makes sense, considering many of the worlds spiciest cuisines are found in warm climates. The theory is simple: fight fire with fire. Hot, spicy food, which usually contains chilli, contains a chemical called capsaicin. When eaten it heats up the body and you begin to sweat. The evaporation of this sweat removes heat from the body. Supposedly, cold food will only cool you down for a short spell, while hot, spicy food provides a more long-term cooling. Several other ingredients often found in curries are thought to hold cooling properties, such as turmeric. Its worth noting, however, that in order to sweat you must remain hydrated, so drink plenty of water. Verdict: True (but it might not feel like it) The claim: Stay out of the sun The truth: This week the sun is high enough in the sky, and strong enough, to deliver a really good hit of vitamin D, says dietitian Helen Bond. Its wise to be cautious in the sun, and I certainly wouldnt advise sitting in a beer garden or a park for a couple of hours in the lunchtime sun. But a 15 minute walk exposing your hands, face and arms to the sun will give you a fantastic amount of vitamin D to keep your levels topped up throughout the rest of the year. Verdict: False The claim: Have a cool beer tonight The truth: British people tend to get very excited about a sunny spell, says Bond. However, drinking too much alcohol in a heatwave is just about the worst thing you can do. On a cold day, alcohol is dehydrating, but on a hot day the effects are tenfold and if youre drinking during the day and outside, youre more likely to get burnt because the enjoyment of drinking keeps people rooted to the spot. A couple of beers is fine, but no more than that, and have a glass of water before, in between, and after each beer. People tend to drink more Pimms and beer in a heatwave and then get a double whammy of bad sleep, from the effects of the alcohol and the heat, adds Hare. So drink moderately. Verdict: False The claim: Have a cold shower before bed The truth: This is something people always tell me they do when its hot, but it doesnt work, says Hare. After a long, hot day in an office, its tempting to blast yourself under a cold shower just before bed. But the problem is the body then raises its core temperature to compensate for the cold water, which makes you feel warmer once youre in bed and makes sleep more uncomfortable. Its far better to have a tepid bath or shower, so your body doesnt try to warm itself up. Verdict: False The claim: Put your pillow in the freezer The truth: Weve all heard this one, but does it actually work? Yes it does, but dont put your whole pillow in there, just the pillow case, says Hare. Around an hour before you want to go to bed, put your pillow cases in a plastic bag and put them in the freezer for about 40 minutes. Then pop it on just before bed, and it will feel lovely and cool on your skin. You know that feeling you get on a warm night when you turn your pillow over so you can feel the cool side? It feels like that, but one hundred times better. Verdict: True The claim: Sleep naked The truth: People always ask me about this, says Hare. If youre wearing natural fibres, like cotton, then youll feel cooler in the night than if you were naked because the cotton will wick away sweat from your skin. However, anything man-made or synthetic will keep heat next to your skin. And the same goes for bedding. So if I had the choice between cotton and nakedness, Id choose cotton. But if youre choosing between man-made fibres and nakedness, go naked. Verdict: Inconclusive The claim: Don't exercise The truth: Working out can become a sweaty business though some hardy souls will carry on regardless. Exercising in extreme heat places extra stress on the body and can be dangerous, leading to a range of heat-related illnesses, from heat cramps to heatstroke. That doesnt mean you should avoid it altogether but you should understand how to recognise symptoms and know your limits. Warning signs, according to the Mayo Clinic, are numerous, including cramps, nausea, excessive sweating, dizziness, increased heart rate and visual problems. By taking some basic precautions, your exercise routine doesnt have to be sidelined when the heat is on. Here are some top tips from the Mayo Clinic: Know how fit you are. If new to working out, take added care. Opt for something less intense, and keep hydrated. Hydration is key. Drink regularly, and dont wait until youre thirsty. If sweating heavily, consider an isotonic sports drink, which will replace the minerals and nutrients lost while sweating, like sodium, chloride and potassium. Wear the right gear. Keep it lightweight and loose, and choose a material that promotes evaporation. Dark colours, which absorb heat, are best avoided. Cover up with a hat and wear plenty of sunscreen. A sunburn will hamper your bodys ability to cool down. Exercise early in the morning to avoid the worst of the heat Verdict: False-ish The claim: Read heat wave advice features (like this one) The truth: There are two things British people like to talk about the weather and their sleep, says Hare. During a heatwave people start to panic about their sleep, which is the very thing that will stop them sleeping. So try not to worry about it too much. Maybe your sleep will be a little disturbed, but thats fine. Youll manage to get enough sleep to get by. And just think, in a few months time it will be cold again, and well back to worrying about that instead. Verdict: Inconclusive Telegraph readers share their heatwave sleep advice Here's a selection of the comments you've left on our heatwave stories. Please continue to share with us your advice in the section below this article. Jasmine Maddock: I put an ice pack in the bed a little while to cool the bed down, and find a cup of tea helps as paradoxically the heat cools your body down. Mikel Crawley: We put a duvet on the floor near an open door so air moves through, and sleep on top of the duvet cover. Linden Airey: If you are wearing clothes to bed, lightly dampen the clothes. With this kind of heat, damp can be your friend! If you can't return to sleep after waking in the night, use a wet washcloth to cool your skin. Anonymous reader: Put large bath towel on your bed Have a cool or barely warm shower Lie down on your towel, still wet preferably naked Ideally also have fan blowing towards the bed on low Water will evaporate on your body and lower your temperature Towel will stay mildly damp and cool you as the water in that evaporates also What are your heatwave hacks? Tell us in the comments below For more than 200 years, senators have lived by a set of norms and rules designed to give all Americans a voice in their government. These long-standing principles include the precedent of deferring to presidents on their cabinet appointments. But in 2017, Democrats broke that tradition by playing hardball with President Trumps nominations. That was a mistake, but now a new standard is set for both sides. The Left cannot expect conservatives to go back to the same precedent that Democrats broke. Whats more, Bidens nominees are not the unifying leaders voters were promised. So, if conservatives are serious about defending America from the agenda of the Left, nominations are a great place to start. They should remember 2017 and follow the new precedent set by the Left now is no time to back down. In 2009, following President Obamas election, Senate Republicans quickly confirmed the presidents cabinet picks, despite serious policy differences. They confirmed 12 nominees in just the first three days of Obamas administration. On average, Obamas nominees were confirmed after 18.3 days, and nearly three-quarters were confirmed with a simple voice vote. They followed Senate custom and generally deferred to the executive on his Cabinet picks and yet the Left still cried obstruction. In 2017, however, Senate Democrats seemingly forgot 2009, and they chose to break that precedent. Led by then-Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, they weaponized the confirmation process, fighting tooth and nail to slow down the enactment of President Trumps conservative agenda. It took 25 days before Trumps 12th Cabinet-level nominee was confirmed. Only two nominees were confirmed in Trumps first three days in office. Trumps nominees took an average of 33.3 days to be confirmed and Democrats did not allow a single voice vote. Then-Sen. Kamala Harris supported just three of 35 significant Trump nominees. So far, the Senate has decided to ignore how radical Bidens nominees are and operate like it is 2009. Bidens nominees are sailing through committees and floor votes with little opposition. When deciding whether they should confirm Bidens picks, conservatives should take a step back, remember how Senate Democrats treated President Trumps nominees, and recognize that personnel is policy. If theres one nominee who deserves serious scrutiny, its Xavier Becerra, one of Bidens most progressive nominees. In December, Biden nominated Becerra to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, one of the most far-reaching departments in our government. HHS oversees healthcare for millions of Americans through programs like Medicare and Medicaid and is currently the lead agency for our nations COVID response, including our vaccine program. Its an extremely important role, which is why conservatives cannot sit back and let the nomination proceed unchecked. But its clear why Biden picked a lawyer with no medical experience: to appease the far-Left wing of his party. Becerra is no moderate. He has staunchly supported government-run, single-payer healthcare, which Biden claims to oppose. Bidens nomination of Becerra is revealing. While Biden claims to oppose single-payer healthcare, subsidies for the healthcare of illegal immigrants, and other proposals from the Sanders wing of the party, Xavier Becerra never met a government program he didnt like. Radical Biden nominees like Becerra dont deserve a moderate response steeped in the former Senate tradition. The Left held up conservative nominees for weeks and months, and now they want conservatives to let them speed progressive nominees through. Its time for senators to take off the kid gloves: call additional hearings, question nominees, and ultimately vote against confirming Bidens nominees. If Biden were serious about unity, he would withdraw Becerra, today. Until then, conservatives should pursue a unity of their own: a united front against radical nominees. The stakes are simply too high. Jessica Anderson is executive director of Heritage Action for America. She wrote this for InsideSources.com. New Delhi, March 3 : The bypoll results of Municipal Corporations of Delhi have come as a setback for the BJP, which had been ruling the civic body for three consecutive terms. Results for five municipal wards, show that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has won four and the Congress won one municipal ward. Terming the result as setback, Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta told the IANS out of five municipal wards four were with the AAP and one (Shalimar Bagh) is with the BJP but the party failed to retain it. Gupta has accepted that the results did not come as per the party's expectations and corrective steps will be taken after detailed analysis of reasons behind defeat. "We've sought detailed reports from the poll in-charge of these five municipal wards asking to list the reasons for defeat. Once the report comes, we will identify the shortcomings and correct them before next year's municipal polls," Gupta said. A senior Delhi BJP leader claimed that the rising fuel and cooking gas prices forced the urban poor to vote against the party. "During campaigning at several places, people complained about rising fuel and cooking gas prices. They asked us to request the union government to control the prices that were adversely affecting the household budget," said Delhi BJP leaders. Another leader pointed out that the disconnect with people found reflection in the results. "For last six months, we have been raising issues like AAP-led Delhi government stalling release of funds amounting to Rs 13,000 crore to the civic bodies or a scam of Rs 26,000 crore in Delhi Jal Board. But results show that people have other concerns and they did not believe the allegations levelled by us against the AAP government," he said. A senior Delhi BJP leader raised question over organizational functioning and said the humiliating defeat is result of not keeping checks and balances of reports submitted to the state leadership by the workers. "There is no check on reporting of workers including office bearers. Everything is accepted without verifying the report submitted to state leadership. Even in a meeting held after Sunday polling, several leaders including office bearers made claims of party victory with huge margin. But the results show us a different picture," he said. The results have come as a shocker for the BJP which failed to open its account in the bypolls just a year before the civic polls in the national capital. In the 2017 municipal polls, the BJP won 181 seats out of 272. Since the 2007 municipal polls, the BJP has been ruling the civic bodies in Delhi. "The humiliating defeat raised an alarm in the party ahead of next year's municipal polls," said a party insider. Bypolls were held in Kalyanpuri, Trilokpuri, Chauhan Bangar, Rohini C and Shalimar Bagh North. Of these five seats, four fell vacant after the AAP councillors won assembly polls in February last year. The Shalimar Bagh seat has been vacant since the death of BJP's Renu Jaju last year. A vehicle slammed into a Gettysburg gift shop and burst into flames, killing the driver and setting the building and a neighboring structure on fire, authorities said. Emergency dispatchers in Adams County said the vehicle crashed into the Blue and Gray Gift Shop shortly before 4:30 a.m. Monday. Coroner Pat Felix said Monday afternoon that the male driver of the vehicle had died, but identifying him might take several days. Chief Robert Glenny of the Gettysburg police department said excess speed appeared to have been involved, and the driver may have been dead or unconscious before hitting the building. WGAL-TV reports that 25 to 30 departments responded. The station said the neighboring building has several apartments but the six people inside were able to escape safely. Deputy Chief Joe Temarantz of the Gettysburg Fire Department told the station that two off-duty firefighters on their way to work rescued a few people who were stuck on a balcony at the rear of the apartment building. Two firefighters had leg injuries and one suffered a medical emergency. All were being treated at the hospital and were expected to be released. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Auto Personal Auto Pennsylvania Now Open 3 March 2021 Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand's leading hotel operator, expands its popular family-themed resort brand with the world's second Centara Mirage, opening in a popular beach destination in southern Vietnam. Located a few hours' drive from Ho Chi Minh City, Centara Mirage Resort Mui Ne will be a Spanish Mediterranean themed waterpark resort inspired by nautical adventures and voyages of discovery. Opening on 15th April 2021, the 984-key resort will infuse the guest experience with elements of fantasy, wonder and awe. Fantastic family-friendly facilities include diverse dining, an observatory tower cafe, separate playgrounds and Kids' Clubs for younger and older children, Cenvaree Spa, and the world's first Spa Candy, a wellness destination designed specifically for children. The resort's waterpark will feature a lazy river, water slides, splash pool, cliff jumping pool and kids' pool, ensuring children enjoy endless days of excitement and fun. Centara Mirage has become hugely popular in Thailand following the success of Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya, which opened in Pattaya in 2009 and is still widely regarded as Thailand's top family resort today. Canadian actor Jamil French has passed away at the age of 29. The actor was well-known for his performance as Dave Turner in the popular show, Degrassi: The Next Generation. The actor had also appeared in the Netflix show, Soundtrack wherein he essayed the role of Dante Sands. Jahmil French's agent shared a statement with ET Canada which confirmed the news of his demise. It read as "It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of a dear friend and client Jahmil French. He will be remembered by many for his passion for the arts, his commitment to his craft, and his vibrant personality. I ask that you keep his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers at this difficult time." Actor Melinda Shankar who played the actor's love interest in Degrassi took to her social media handle to share a heartfelt tribute for him. She shared some beautiful pictures with him from the sets of the show and stated, "You will always hold such a special place in my heart. Thank you for being one of the most talented, compassionate, kindest, funniest friends I have. You were so loved. Sharing some of my fav pics over the years to highlight his bright light. I'll miss our dance-offs." Also Read: Taylor Swift Calls Out Netflix For 'Deeply Sexist Joke' In Ginny & Georgia Not only this but Jahmil French's co-star from Degrassi, Annie Clark also shared an emotional post for him. She shared a video of the late actor dancing on a stage and wrote, "Heartbroken over the loss of our friend Jahmil French. This video is how I'll always think of him. So full of energy and fun. He was always dancing. A true talent and a great friend. We will all miss you so much Jahmil." Other co-stars of Jahmil from Degrassi like Chloe Rose, Jessica Tyler and Cristine Prosperi also paid their tribute to the late actor. Heartbroken over the loss of our friend Jahmil French. This video is how Ill always think of him. So full of energy and fun. He was always dancing. A true talent and a great friend. We will all miss you so much Jahmil pic.twitter.com/hgKibZ1h1j Annie Clark (@anniejclark) March 2, 2021 Also Read: Happy Birthday Daniel Craig: Here's A Look At 5 Of His Iconic Roles That Left Us In Awe Of His Charisma Jahmil French's Soundtrack director Joshua Safran also wrote on his social media handle stating, "I can confirm my good friend, co-worker, and all-around inspiration, Jahmil French, passed away yesterday. Only posting because I see the story getting out there. I will have more to say about him later. Right now we're all just processing this devastating news." The cause of the actor's demise has not been revealed yet. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 10:49:42|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HARARE, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean schools will reopen in a phased manner after a two-month national lockdown, Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said Tuesday. Mutsvangwa told a post-cabinet media briefing that while examination classes are to commence on March 15, other students will resume learning on March 22. Mutsvangwa said school attendance will be on a rotational basis to avoid overcrowding in line with COVID-19 guidelines, with pupils expected to employ virtual learning on days that they are not at school. Churches, which have remained closed since the total lockdown in January, can now congregate but with people not exceeding 50, said Mutsvangwa. Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Monday announced that the economy will reopen on condition that businesses and individuals adhere to national and World Health Organization COVID-19 guidelines. The president decided to relax the lockdown measures at a time when the country is progressing with its national vaccination campaign after taking delivery of the first batch of vaccines donated by China last month. Enditem By Juliet Nalwooga The Police Flying Squad Unit together with the Special Force Command, and Criminal have arrested a criminal gang leader who has been staging aggravated robberies and murders in Luwero, Nakasongola, and Nakaseke districts. The suspect identified as Stephen Kisule was arrested yesterday evening along with one Samuel Mawejje who was hiding in Bombo. Police say this brings the total number of suspects arrested to 10 including two female suspects. A pistol with two magazines and 17 rounds of ammunition that they reportedly robbed from the Late Major Noel Mwesigye, an SMG rifle with two empty magazines, 17 mobile phones, a red motorcycle Reg number UEV 185W, Bajaj Boxer were recovered after a search at their residence. Police spokesperson Fred Enanga says they shall continue efforts to counter all forms of gang crime in communities. Never aimed for power: Jayalalithaa aide VK Sasikala quits politics ahead of Tamil Nadu polls India oi-Deepika S Chennai, Mar 03: Expelled AIADMK Chief VK Sasikala, who was released from jail in January has quit politics and public life. She urged 'true supporters of Amma' to work like siblings and ensure Jayalalithaa's 'golden rule continues. "I have never been after power or position even when Jaya (J Jayalalithaa) was alive. Won't do that after she is dead. (I am) quitting politics but I pray that her party wins, and her legacy goes on," Sasikala said in a statement. She appealed to Jayalalithaa's 'true supporters' to work unitedly in the April 6 elections and prevent 'common enemy', DMK, identified as 'evil force' by the late chief minister, from coming to power. Appalled by her decision, Dhinakaran said, "I came to know a while ago. Chinamma had called me. I tried to convince her to not take the decision. However, she had made up her mind. She said this is right. I don't speak for her. Whatever she wanted to convey is there in the letter." After being released from a Bengaluru prison following completion of a four-year term in an assets case, Sasikala had last month announced her intention to engage in active politics. Her subsequent political moves, including the stand of the AMMK floated by her nephew TTV Dhinakaran, in the polls was keenly awaited by observers and political parties alike in the state especially in the context of the crucial assembly elections. Students tried to march to the home ministry in Dhaka demanding action over what they called the "murder" of Mushtaq Ahmed Hundreds of Bangladeshi activists staged a fourth day of protests Monday over the death of a writer in detention as the UN rights chief called for a review of a digital security law used against opposition figures. Students tried to march to the home ministry in Dhaka demanding action over what they called the "murder" of Mushtaq Ahmed in a high-security jail, as well as the repeal of the Digital Security Act (DSA). Riot police stopped them 100 metres from the government complex that houses all major ministries. Ahmed, one of hundreds detained under the DSA since it was enacted in 2018, died last Thursday at a jail where he had been held since May. The protesters also demanded the release of more than a dozen activists detained during clashes with police since the death. Student leader Masud Rana said there could be a "revolt" against the government. More groups also planned protests during the day over the death of Ahmed, and to demand the release of cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore, who was detained with the writer. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Monday urged Bangladesh to ensure a transparent probe into Ahmed's death. "There needs to be an overhaul of the Digital Security Act under which Ahmed was charged - and all those detained under this act for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and opinion must be released," she said in a statement. Ahmed was detained for publishing an article and sharing Facebook posts critical of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Bachelet also expressed "serious concern" at allegations that Kishore has been subjected "to torture or other ill treatment". "The government must ensure that its investigation into Ahmed's death is prompt, transparent and independent, and that any allegations of ill-treatment of other detainees are also immediately investigated," Bachelet said. The country's high court has put off until Wednesday a decision on whether Kishore should get bail, his representatives said. sam-sa/tw Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 15:57:28|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A pack of COVID-19 vaccines donated by the Chinese government is seen at an airport in Georgetown, capital of Guyana, March 2, 2021. Guyana on Tuesday received a shipment of COVID-19 vaccines donated by the Chinese government to help the country combat the pandemic. Guyana's Minister of Health Frank Anthony and Charge d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy to Guyana Chen Xilai welcomed the shipment at an airport in Guyana's capital Georgetown and signed official documents on the handover of the vaccines. (Department of Public Information of Guyana/Handout via Xinhua) GEORGETOWN, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Guyana on Tuesday received a shipment of COVID-19 vaccines donated by the Chinese government to help the country combat the pandemic. Guyana's Minister of Health Frank Anthony and Charge d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy to Guyana Chen Xilai welcomed the shipment at an airport in Guyana's capital Georgetown and signed official documents on the handover of the vaccines. During the ceremony, Anthony conveyed gratitude to the Chinese people and the government on behalf of Guyanese President Irfaan Ali, the Guyanese government and people. He said it is the first time that Guyana has received COVID-19 vaccines directly donated by a foreign government, which arrived on time and will be immediately used to inoculate frontline health workers. Anthony hailed China's donation of the vaccines developed by pharmaceutical group Sinopharm, saying it is one of the best vaccines in the world and proved effective. China has been supporting Guyana since the outbreak and the donation this time is another example of cooperation between the two countries in jointly combatting the pandemic, he added. For his part, Chen said the donations have opened a new chapter in bilateral cooperation. The donation is also China's efforts to make Chinese COVID-19 vaccines a global public good accessible and affordable to developing countries, said Chen. He believes that Guyana could overcome the pandemic as soon as possible and the friendship between China and Guyana will grow stronger. Guyana has granted emergency use approval of China's Sinopharm and Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccines in the country. Guyana has started the first phase of its national vaccination campaign, mainly targeting frontline medics. According to the latest report from Guyana's Ministry of Health, 8,626 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the start of the outbreak, and 197 people have died from the disease. 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. Ben Fogle revealed he brought his children home jam and honey to eat after his trip to Chernobyl's high-radiation Exclusion Zone. The 47-year-old TV star's new documentary, Inside Chernobyl, sees him visit the abandoned city of Pripyat in Ukraine, which lay in the shadow of the Chernobyl power plant, where the nuclear disaster happened on April 26th 1986. During the show, Fogle visits the haunting control room where Reactor 4 failed, sparking the worst nuclear power plant accident in history, exposing residents in and around the Eastern European city to intense radiation poisoning, with thousands of people subsequently dying of cancers and illness' related to the exposure. Appearing on Good Morning Britain today, he told how during the trip he discovered 'elderly residents' living in woods in the surrounding areas of Pripyat, and brought home produce for his children Ludo and Iona, who he shares with with wife Marina. For his latest documentary, TV explorer Ben Fogle travelled to the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and toured the city which was ravaged by the world's worst nuclear disaster (pictured in a classroom in Pripyat, a deserted city 3.5km away from the nuclear plant) Ben brought home produce for kids Ludo and Iona, who he shares with with wife Marina. Pictured, the family attending Goodwood Festival in 2017 'What's really excited me is what's happened in those 35 years since this extraordinary re-wilding,' said Ben. 'There's wolves and bears returning. 'The little extraordinary community of people who are maintaining the safety of this zone, elderly residents who have returned and are living in the woods. 'I brought home Chernobyl honey and jam for my children to eat. I think it's a good tale of hope.' He went on to explain that while there are still 'dangers' in the area, and people are still not allowed to live in the exclusion zone permanently, but there is a community of residents trying to 'bring a semblance of normality back' to the area. Appearing on Good Morning Britain today, he told how during the trip he discovered 'elderly residents' living in woods in the surrounding areas of Pripyat 'What excited me, humanity can right lots of the wrongs we made,' Ben explained. 'The million people who were able to secure that facility, remove all the soil, bury things that were radioactive and try to bring a semblance of normality back to this extraordinary area. I think it gives hope when we're looking at a post-pandemic world.' The programme, which was filmed over a week, sees him set foot inside the 'eerie' Exclusion Zone - which locals simply call 'the Zone' - where high levels of radiation are still recorded. He told the Mirror he'd decided to speak to his children, Ludo and Iona, with wife Marina about the dangers of being exposed to radiation before making the trip. Ben said: 'I had to do a course with a radiation expert before committing, so that I could actually explain to Marina and the children the risks involved. 'I decided that the benefits of making a film that would entertain people, educate people and maybe give them a little bit of hope, outweighed the risks to my own health.' Ben wearing PPE in the heart of the Chernobyl control room where disaster struck in 1986 when a nuclear reactor caught fire and exploded - sending shockwaves about the dangers of nuclear disasters around the world In a deserted classroom: Ben was equipped with several devices to monitor his radiation exposure during his visit While he admitted there were risks to travelling to Chernobyl's centre, he said he felt confident he would be fine under expert medical guidance. Pripyat, which was a model city built in the 1980s, was completely evacuated following the disaster, with inhabitants told to never come back to their homes Fogle, heading into the most toxic areas of the city, toured the abandoned schools and houses, and even meets with residents who made the choice to come back to the city after the disaster. In the Exclusion Zone, Ben was handed several devices to monitor the radiation level around him. He had to wear a chip around his neck which registers his total radiation exposure, and a meter to register the level of radiation around specific places and objects - he was also warned not to touch anything. However, the adventurer said the trip filled him with hope, seeing how the once-deserted city was being overtaken with nature, with trees breaking through the concrete. An aerial view of Pripyat and its hospital (foreground) where firefighters and employees of the nuclear plant were treated on the night of the disaster, with surrounding abandoned buildings The explorer said Chernobyl felt very different to the war zones he'd visited in the past for similar programmes He said he saw packs of wolves roaming around the city and horses walking around, and was impressed with the power of nature to reclaim the land back. Arriving in ghost town Pripyat, he said: 'I've been to war zones, I've seen places that have experienced great upheaval and changes but never quite like this.' He also spoke with locals who lived through the disaster and decided to come back to Pripyat, which was stripped of its 48,000 inhabitants following the fire at the plant. He spoke to Vanessa, who was evacuated but returned to Pripyat because she was unhappy about having moved. He also met with Aleksey Moskalenkow, a policeman who was on duty the night of the disaster, and who is still in good health today, having suffered no apparent damaged from the blast. A derelict classroom: Ben said he had to take a course on radiation exposure before travelling to the Exclusion Zone - and was told to not touch anything during his visit Ben was struck by how eerie and haunted Pripyat - close to the former power plant - felt, but said he was hopeful to see how nature had come back in the city (pictured: a room left as it was after the blast) An abandoned swimming pool in the heart of Pripyat. Ben said he was touched by the sadness of the deserted city, which was meant to be a model Soviet urban landscape when it was first built The total number of casualties caused by the Chernobyl disaster remains unknown because many people died later from radiation poisoning and subsequent health issues. Only 28 people died immediately after the fire. The TV star concluded he was moved by the sad past of Pripyat and the good times its inhabitants - whose average age was 26 - would have had before disaster struck. Ben noted several Pripyat inhabitants had died of depression and suffered from poor mental health due to the fact they had been taken away from their homes. 'The majority of them all died prematurely, not from radiation, but from depression and health issues that probably came out of the trauma of being pushed from their homes, losing their livelihoods, losing their jobs,' he said. Ben Fogle: Inside Chernobyl airs at 9pm on Wednesday on Channel 5. (Newser) "It is now time to open Texas 100%," Gov. Greg Abbott declared Tuesday, announcing that the state's mask mandate is being lifted and businesses will be allowed to open at full capacity starting March 10. Abbott issued an executive order Tuesday rescinding earlier pandemic-related orders, including the mask mandate, CNN reports. Soon after he spoke, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, a fellow Republican, announced that the state's mask mandate would be lifted Wednesday, along with restrictions on businesses, reports NBC. "Our hospitalizations and case numbers have plummeted, and the vaccine is being rapidly distributed. It is time," he tweeted, adding that the state is "getting out of the business of telling people what they can and cannot do." story continues below "Removing statewide mandates does not end personal responsibility," Abbott said. "Its just that now state mandates are no longer needed." Health authorities, however, warned Monday that this is a dangerous time to roll back restrictions. "At this level of cases with variants spreading, we stand to completely lose the hard earned ground we have gained," CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said at the daily White House COVID briefing. Dr. Joseph Varon, chief medical officer at Houstons United Memorial Medical Center, said he told hospital leaders after Abbott's announcement that they would need more staff and ventilators, the AP reports. "I am just concerned that I am going to have a tsunami of new cases," he said. "I truly hope I am wrong. But unfortunately history seems to repeat itself." (Read more coronavirus stories.) Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attends a teleconference on China's spring farming in Beijing, capital of China, March 2, 2021. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Tuesday stressed efforts in farm management and preparation for spring plowing while cautioning about major animal diseases and pests. All regions and departments should work to consolidate the achievements made in the fight against poverty and promote rural vitalization with a comprehensive approach, Li said in a written instruction to a teleconference on China's spring farming. Concerning food security, Li said policies supporting grain production should be strengthened and farmers and local governments should be mobilized to ensure that the grain output stays above 650 billion kg this year. He also emphasized fostering the country's seed industry, constructing high-standard farmlands and securing the "red line" of 1.8 billion mu (120 million hectares) of arable land. Vice Premier Hu Chunhua, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attended the conference. Speaking at the event, he called for solid work to achieve a harvest and an effective supply of grain and key agricultural products this year. Rina Dhaka, one of Indias most celebrated fashion designers, joined NewsX for an exclusive interview as part of NewsX India A-List. She burst on to Indian fashion scene in the late 80s and has showcased her work at The Louvre Paris, and Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York among many others. Talking about her incredible journey so far, she said, When I came around, there was no such career path for people in designing as such. There was late Rohit Khosla as a designer and there was Ritu Kumar in the northeast. But this whole industry as such didnt exist. My journey in fact, this is what youth is, youth is all about innovation. That was the need of our hour. Our hour means, me and my contemporaries like Rohit Bal and Tarun Tahiliani; we all came around at a time and we were very heady with that period of time. There was no concept really about money, it was all about creativity, craft and trying to pursue some kind of a fashion. In fact, at par with the rest of the world, there was really no design industry, even in the west. There were high street stores like Selfridges, Bloomingdales in America. Designers, as a category of clothing, came about the same time as us. And look where it is today. We have schools of fashion, we have students coming out of these great schools every year and there is a booming trade and industry. When we found the FDCI, we were just nine members. Over a cup of chai every evening and a few laughs, we created this body of FDCI. Today it itself has like millions of followers on Instagram and it runs successful events like fashion weeks, which can help designers in India and internationally come together and get work. So yes, fashion has really been a long way and my journey is that journey too. Expressing her views on how the landscape of the fashion industry changed over the years, especially with inclusion of issues that matter to young people like body positivity and inclusivity, she said, Lakme approached me to do a plus-size show and we did the casting for plus sizes. This was, i think two years or maybe two and a half years ago. There were 300 models, who came for audition, we only announced an hour before. Fabulous, body positive, not shy, very confident, and frankly, they could do runways anywhere. These are plus-size models. And one of the girls I picked out from a crowd called Sakshi. She has gone on to be on the cover of every national magazine. Today, she is Indias most celebrated model. Now in fashion weeks, we have to have a better ratio of plus-sized models as well. This is where the journey of inclusivity has got us and then the noise that we made in the years prior to that, took us there. Im really happy that its no more about a size eight, which is called a sample size and passion because we always made samples are the first pieces on that size, which was the model sizing. Today, a sample size is also a plus size. When asked about the difficulties faced by the fashion industry in the past one year and are things coming back to normal, she responded, Fashion is actually one of the trades which teaches you, especially for all of us who have been designers and my contemporaries. We are always in competition, were always running to the next season. Were always pressured against, what we call a deadline, and deadline has the word dead and its not a fake word. It really is that you have to die before you finish the clothing. You are really as good as your last collection or your last show. The year was hard. Everything was shot and the costs were high. There was also the demand totally shrunk. People realised that. My own very old client, who always has to buy something new that I have to offer, who is also like my muse, said, Rina, what have I been doing with my life? Where am I going to go wearing these coats? I dont know what Im going to do, I have no need. I have decided not to be an active consumer anymore. This was like what the industry faced, especially the luxury industry of ours. In terms of exports as well, there were a lot of uncertainties, fears with stores, closing down, customers patterns, buying patterns and needs changing. How do you reinvent yourself was something we all learnt. Were on that journey now, were on that road now. I must say were like roaches, we will survive, because our trade has taught us such. So, you cant write us off as yet. We just go through, go through this. On a concluding note, she shared a piece of advise for the young designers and said, Have a strong health. Dont ever ignore your health because you need health. A lot of these children go out and eat on the fruit, you know, roadside and all. Some of them succumb to jaundice, there was a lot of interns who would get jaundice because of the water, in early days, not now maybe now theyre more aware. Second, Fashion isnt a fashion show or a catwalk, behind the scenes or what we see on Instagram, or social media or television. In reality, it is quite dreary and dreadful. It is a lot of pursuit. You go into these dirty lanes following your garment or where its made to get it done. One has to be prepared for the monotony of the daily life that you need to pursue to stay in the grind of completing your work. The main building of the Soong Ching Ling Memorial Residence in Shanghai reopened to the public yesterday after being closed for more than a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The memorial shut on January 24 last year, after the novel coronavirus outbreak. On March 20, it reopened but the main building remained closed. The city was under stricter virus prevention and control measures at that time and we were afraid the enhanced disinfection would damage exhibits in the building, which are authentic, said Song Shijuan, vice curator of the memorial. Now, life in Shanghai has returned to normal and its time for us to reopen it to the public. She said more than 400 people visited the memorial residence and the main building yesterday. The residence was where Soong, honorary president of the Peoples Republic of China and the wife of Sun Yat-sen, founder of the Kuomintang, spent most of her life. Soong was born and grew up in Shanghai. She married Sun in 1915 and assisted him in his revolutionary efforts. After he died in 1925, she continued to play an important role in Chinas social and political development. Soong moved into the residence in the spring of 1949 and lived there until her death in 1981. In October that year, it was unveiled as a memorial to Soong and it opened to the public in May 1988. The residence, covering 4,830 square meters, was built in 1920 and refurbished in 1990, 2006 and 2018. The main building, a three-story white brick-wood structure, was originally built by a Greek shipping magnate, so its shaped like a boat when looked at from the front. There are shipping-related elements, such as a fish-shaped wind vane on top of the building and sailboat patterns on wind-shades. There is a hallway, a living room, a dining room and two study rooms on the first floor while Soongs bedroom and office were on the second floor. Visitors can find out about Soong and the important role she played in China. In the house, she witnessed the liberation of Shanghai and accepted an invitation to attend the first plenary session of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference. After the founding of the Peoples Republic of China, Soong served in several prominent positions, including vice president. She not only met senior Chinese leaders including Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai and Liu Shaoqi, but also foreign heads of state, such as Sukarno, Indonesias first president, and Kim Il Sung, founding leader of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. In the dining room, there is a piece of embroidery presented by Kim during his visit on December 5, 1958, and a bronze sword presented by Sukarno. The memorial residence is open between 9am and 5pm from Tuesday to Sunday with a daily limit of 1,500 visitors. Only 300 visitors are allowed into the residence at any one time and 50 to the main building. NEBO Four people were arrested after officers from the Pike County Sheriffs Department and West Central Illinois Drug Task Force simultaneously executed two search warrants in this Pike County village. Two people were arrested after a search at 10:38 p.m. Monday of a house at 525 E. Park St., according to Pike County Sheriff David E. Greenwood. remaining of Thank you for reading! This is your last free article before you will be asked to subscribe. Already have a paid subscription? Sign in Egypt and Turkey could sign a deal on maritime demarcation in the eastern Mediterranean if their ties allow such a move, Reuters quoted Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu as saying on Wednesday. The Turkish ministers remarks came during a press conference with his Georgian counterpart Davit Zalkaliani held in Ankara on Wednesday. In February, Egypt announced the start of an international bid round for the exploration of oil and natural gas in 24 blocks. Nine of the 24 blocks are located in the Mediterranean Sea, according to a statement by the Egyptian petroleum ministry. Commenting on the Egyptian tender in the Mediterranean, Cavusoglu said that Ankara positively viewed Egypts exploration bids within its own maritime borders given that the tender respected Turkey's territorial waters. Egyptian and Turkish ties have been strained since the 2013 ouster of Mohamed Morsi, who was a close ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans government. From its side, Egypt has repeatedly condemned Ankaras support for the terrorist-designated Muslim Brotherhood. Tensions have escalated over Ankaras military intervention in war-torn Libya, its violation of Iraqs sovereignty, and its search for gas in the eastern Mediterranean, in violation of the territorial waters of Greece and Cyprus, two close allies of Cairo. Addressing a virtual meeting of Arab foreign ministers organised by the Arab League in late-2020, Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry stressed the necessity of adopting a unified and firm Arab policy against Turkeys destructive practices in Libya, Syria, and Iraq. Conflict further heightened after Egypt and Greece signed a maritime demarcation deal last August establishing an exclusive economic zone between the two countries, sparking an angry response from Turkey, who at the time claimed the area falls in the borders of Turkeys continental shelf. Also, in August, the Egyptian foreign ministry objected to a seismic survey that had been planned by Turkey in the eastern Mediterranean, saying it overlaps with Egypts exclusive economic zone and represents a violation and attack on sovereign rights. The Turkish planned survey has also stirred a dispute with Greece and Cyprus over drilling rights, with Athens stressing it will do whatever is necessary to defend its sovereign rights. Short link: Lewis Hamilton says he isn't sure if the pre-race 'kneeling' routine will continue in 2021. Amid the US unrest last year in the wake of George Floyd's death, Hamilton pushed for Mercedes to switch to a black livery and began kneeling before races in deference to the Black Lives Matter movement. 12 of his fellow drivers followed suit, although seven - notably Kimi Raikkonen, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz - continued to stand for the national anthems. Formula 1 announced recently that the rainbow signage, and possibly the 'End Racism' messaging, will be replaced by a new social campaign for 2021. "No more drivers kneeling before the start?" Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport wondered last month. When asked about kneeling in 2021, seven time world champion Hamilton said on Tuesday: "Everyone must be able to make their own decision about it. "It's a symbolic gesture," he is quoted by De Telegraaf. "At times it can have a lot of impact. "We haven't decided yet whether we will do it this year, but I expect that we will discuss it with Stefano (Domenicali) in Bahrain." Hamilton said pushing on with his activist campaigns is more important to him than a potential record eighth world title this year. "Kneeling is not the most important thing anyway," said the 36-year-old Briton. "The point is that actual action is taken. "We will see how we can work together, how we can do even more as a sport so that it is no longer necessary to kneel." (GMM) Glow-in-the-dark sharks found off New Zealand coast BBC (dk) Rare locked letter sealed 300 years ago is finally opened virtually LiveScience (Kevin W) Mount Sinabung eruption: Indonesian volcano sends a cloud of ash and dust into the sky CNN How Green Are Electric Vehicles? New York Times (David L) On Mars, and in Texas, Engineering is Peer-Reviewed by Reality Issues (fk) Our grasslands have been poisoned by intensive farming Aeon. Anthony L pages Amfortas. First-of-its-kind trial finds psychedelic microdosing is equal to placebo New Atlas (David L) HIV findings in DR Congo give hope for cure BBC. Resilc: Between this and the possible malaria vax, a big week in health issues missed by USA USA press. #COVID-19 China? Chinese Australians discriminated against as Canberra-Beijing tensions boil over: Lowy report abc.net.au. Kevin W: There are 1.2 million people who have Chinese ancestry in Australia so everything is going to plan. SNP The seven key questions facing Nicola Sturgeon BBC. Kevin W: In short, the answers are Yes, Yes Yes, Yes, Everything, Yes & Yes. EU must overhaul flagship data protection laws, says father of policy Financial Times New Cold War US sanctions Russian officials over nerve-agent attack Associated Press. Resilc: Im sure they are shaking in their boots. Syraqistan Imperial Collapse Watch Capitol Seizure Biden Democrats voting bill would make biggest changes in decades Los Angeles Times Supreme Court Will Hear Voting Rights Act Case as Congress Takes Up H.R. 1 Charles Pierce, Esquire (furzy) Black Injustice Tipping Point Killings by Police Declined after Black Lives Matter Protests Scientific American (Kevin C) Texas Deep Freeze Aftermath A Pipeline of Oil Money Fuels Texas Deregulators Young Turks (furzy) Stimulus checks have Americans in agreement, but were bitterly split on everything else Study Finds. Resilc: I am all for New England LLC. ACLU, Partner Orgs File SCOTUS Amicus Brief Supporting Privacy Rights of Nonprofit Donors ACLU. As an expert on money in politics said, Look who is feeding the pigs. I havent read the filing, but the wording of the press release is consistent with providing for anonymity of 503(c)4 donors, who are funding lobbying. Woke Watch Dish tries to disrupt SpaceXs Starlink plans as companies fight at FCC arstechnica (Kevin W) A jury says Intel owes $2.18 billion for infringing a zombie chip companys patents The Verge How private equity squeezes cash from the dying U.S. coal industry Reuters Class Warfare Antidote du jour (Tracie H): And a bonus (dk). I may have featured this vid years ago, but its gotten picked up on Twitter again, so as good an excuse as any for a reprise: See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. ALBANY, N.Y. With allegations of unsettling behavior toward women spilling into the public eye, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo spent Tuesday fending off calls for his resignation, with few voluble defenders in a moment of unparalleled weakness in his decade-long tenure in Albany. Signs of the governors diminished sway were everywhere. A small, but expanding, coterie of Democratic lawmakers called on Mr. Cuomo to step down, as did the state Working Families Party, which has frequently clashed with the governor. Among some donors, there was an increasing sense of discomfort with reports of Mr. Cuomos behavior and uncertainty around his future, with one active Democratic donor describing a growing instinct to hedge their bets. Representative Lee Zeldin, a Long Island Republican, announced on Tuesday that he was actively exploring a run for governor. Still, for all that, one major bulwark to any forced departure the Democrat-dominated statehouse, which could impeach him appeared to be holding, for now at least. Impeachment would require mass defections by Democrats in both the State Assembly and the Senate, which seemed unlikely as of Tuesday. - An increased number of emergency cases such as trauma-related attacks and heart attacks are expected to emerge as major factors driving the intraosseous devices market over the forecast timeframe. - Manufacturers of intraosseous system invest considerably on research and development in order to release high-quality products, which are expected to improve treatment outcome. ALBANY, N.Y., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Intraosseous devices provide a reliable, comfortable, and safe method of delivering fluids and drugs to patients through the bone marrow. Value added features provided by different intraosseous devices so as to ensure reliable and efficient vascular access, leading to positive results and medical aid and treatment. This factor is predicted to boost the global intraosseous devices market in the near future. These devices find use in a range of medical situations, particularly in emergency cases, and they provide effective and fast care to the patients. Medical practitioners and qualified personnel need intraosseous devices as a feasible alternative to gain intravenous access when such access becomes difficult to obtain. Intraosseous resuscitation has proved to be the preferred approach for paediatric resuscitation because such an access is challenging and sluggish in kids. Intraosseous devices come with different characteristics such as high efficacy, speed, and ease of vascular access, which assist medical practitioners and their skilled personnel to give adequate care and treatment to patients rapidly and effectively. The global intraosseous devices market is expected to expand at a 5.6 % CAGR from 2018 to 2026, based on several growth factors. In the coming years, the said market is projected to be fuelled by an increase in number of illnesses and emergency medical conditions. Request for Analysis of COVID-19 Impact on Intraosseous Devices Market - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/covid19.php Key Findings of Market Report Technological Advancements to Bring Forth Highly Effective Devices In the intraosseous devices market, technological advancements are making considerable impact. Manufacturing companies in the intraosseous devices market are spending plenty of time and resources on research and development activities to come up with products that prove to be more effective in the treatment process. The global intraosseous devices market is likely to expand rapidly, thanks to the changes brought into needle tips and in the improvements made to catheter system. These devices featuring cutting-edge designs and excellent quality materials are making a name for themselves in the industry. The number of regulatory and government approvals for intraosseous devices is rising, which is likely to prove to be essential building blocks for the said market. The global intraosseous devices market is prophesized to expand as guidelines are restructured in light of the rising death rate due to cardiovascular diseases. Request Brochure of Intraosseous Devices Market Report -https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/brochure.php Increased Occurrences of Emergencies to Bolster Market Growth The high occurrences of emergency conditions like trauma and different diseases, such as heart attack are likely to augur well for the market. In addition to that, rising military conflicts have resulted in a surge in the patients requiring treatment using intraosseous devices. Over the forecast timeframe, an increase in the number of emergency cases such as trauma-related attacks and heart attacks is anticipated to be a major factor driving the global intraosseous devices market. In addition to that, the market is expected to be fuelled by comprehensive research and technological developments in the near future. Request for Custom Research - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/custom-research.php Intraosseous Devices Market: Growth Drivers Augmented use of intraosseous devices to provide emergency medical services or EMS resulting from high incidence of various disease, particularly paediatric diseases, are likely to drive its demand. In addition, a rise in the number of patients attending emergencies is also expected to propel growth of the market. Semi-automatic intraosseous devices have proven to be far more user-friendly than manual ones and they make for easier and faster vascular access. Semi-automatic systems have observed higher rate of adoption than automatic devices. In the global intraosseous devices market, technological advancements are making substantial impact. Manufacturing companies in the global intraosseous devices market are likely to spend a lot of time and resources on research and development activities. The objective is to come up with devices that are more effective in the treatment process. Purchase the Intraosseous Devices Market Report -https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php Global Intraosseous Devices Market: Key Competitors Cook Medical Teleflex Incorporated PerSys Medical Company Becton Dickinson Company Aero Healthcare Explore Transparency Market Research's award-winning coverage of the global Healthcare Industry: Cardiac Arrest Treatment Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/cardiac-arrest-therapeutics-market.html Vascular Access Devices Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/vascular-access-devices-market.html About Us Transparency Market Research is a next-generation market intelligence provider, offering fact-based solutions to business leaders, consultants, and strategy professionals. Our reports are single-point solutions for businesses to grow, evolve, and mature. Our real-time data collection methods along with ability to track more than one million high growth niche products are aligned with your aims. The detailed and proprietary statistical models used by our analysts offer insights for making right decision in the shortest span of time. For organizations that require specific but comprehensive information we offer customized solutions through adhoc reports. These requests are delivered with the perfect combination of right sense of fact-oriented problem solving methodologies and leveraging existing data repositories. TMR believes that unison of solutions for clients-specific problems with right methodology of research is the key to help enterprises reach right decision." Browse More Upcoming Reports by Transparency Market Research: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/upcoming.htm Contact Mr. Rohit Bhisey Transparency Market Research State Tower, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany NY - 12207 United States USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Press Release Source: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/intraosseous-devices-market.htm Website: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1085206/Transparency_Market_Research_Logo.jpg India on Wednesday pledged Rs 24.6 crore ($2.11 million) for reconstruction of three heritage sites in central Nepal that were destroyed during the devastating April 2015 earthquake which saw the death of over 9,000 people. The Memorandum of Understanding for reconstruction of Jestha Varna Mahavihara in Lalitpur district, Sulighyang Gumba and Shermathang Gumba in Sindhupalchowk district were signed between the officials of the Indian Embassy, Kathmandu and Nepal National Reconstruction Authority (NRA). The contract agreements have also been signed between the successful bidders and the NRA. The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) will provide technical assistance for the restoration of Jestha Varna Mahavihara, while the other two projects will be led by Nepal's Central Level Project Implementation Unit. The three cultural sites were damaged during the April 2015 earthquake. The 7.8 magnitude jolt had left nearly 9,000 people dead and 22,000 injured. As per an agreement in 2017, India has pledged Rs 580 crore ($50 million) for reconstruction of 28 heritage sites in the Himalayan nation, apart from aid in the health and education sectors. A Jacksonville man was arrested Tuesday on a charge of murder in the weekend shooting death of a former Jacksonville resident. Joshua E. Wilson, 37, of Jacksonville was arrested about 1 p.m. Tuesday. He is accused of fatally shooting Malcolm V. Fitts, 26, a former Jacksonville resident who was living in Chicago. The reason behind the shooting has not been explained. Fitts, a father of four, was in Jacksonville to visit his daughter and mother, brother-in-law Chris Pulley told the Journal-Courier. Pulley described him as a loyal friend and family member. He was a fun person, he had a lot of energy a positive energy, Pulley said. He was fun to be around and he made you feel loved. Police were called about 5:23 a.m. Sunday to the 800 block of Hoagland Boulevard after a witness reported hearing six or seven shots fired in the vicinity of Pearl Street. As officers blanketed the area, Fitts arrived at Passavant Area Hospital across town, seeking treatment for gunshot wounds. He died about an hour later. Preliminary autopsy results confirmed Monday that the gunshot wounds were the cause of death, according to Morgan County Coroner Marcy Patterson. Her office, Jacksonville police and the Morgan County states attorney are continuing the investigation. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Sky Regional Airlines Inc. will shut down at the end of March after Air Canada said it was ending its contract with the company. Air Canada planes are shown on the tarmac at Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, Saturday, May 16, 2020. Sky Regional Airlines Inc. will shut down at the end of March after losing its contract with Air Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes Sky Regional Airlines Inc. will shut down at the end of March after Air Canada said it was ending its contract with the company. Sky Regional, which had partnered with Air Canada to operate flights along regional routes in Canada and the U.S. under the Air Canada Express brand, will become the first domestic scheduled airline to permanently shut down since the start of the pandemic. "Sadly, as a result [of Air Canada's decision], we will be forced to shut down our operations, despite our many adjustments in the face of the various travel restrictions imposed by governments, thus far without any sector-specific support," chairman and chief executive Russ Payson said in a statement. Sky Regional's announcement comes after Air Canada said Monday it would consolidate all regional service under Jazz Aviation LP and end its business agreement with Sky Regional as of March 31. Payson said the company's 25 Embraer aircraft will be transferred to Air Canada and that its pilots, including those on layoff, will be transferred to Jazz. The pilots will be governed by the terms of Jazz's collective agreement, Payson said. Sky Regional employed 800 people before the pandemic, Payson said. Sky Regional, which operated its first flight in 2011, offered domestic flights in addition to flights into U.S. destinations such as Boston, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, Washington, Dallas and Chicago, the company's website says. "Over the past decade, we have operated with outstanding service, an impeccable safety record and excellent cost management, which benefited not only our client, but Canadian travellers," Payson said. Other airlines have struggled as a lack of travel takes a heavy toll on the aviation industry. Thousands of aviation workers have been laid off this year alone, as the industry calls for a bailout from the federal government. Regional routes like those serviced by Sky Regional have seen widespread cuts during the pandemic, with airlines looking to cut costs. Robert Kokonis, president of Toronto-based consulting firm AirTrav Inc., said Air Canada's decision to end the agreement with Sky Regional likely came as a result of uncertainty around demand for regional aviation after the pandemic. Kokonis added that the consolidation of Air Canada's regional flights under Jazz could create an opportunity for smaller carriers to enter new markets where flights have been cut during the pandemic, once demand for travel recovers. This might open the door for [smaller airlines] to start to serve some of those underserved regional routes," Kokonis said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 3, 2021. Companies in this story: (TSX:AC) HAMBURG, Germany, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CREMER OLEO, subsidiary of the globally active CREMER group based in Hamburg, is expanding its presence in Latin America. From the Colombian capital Bogota, it will coordinate all the company's production, trading and logistics activities on the continent. CREMER OLEO's product range includes plant-based raw materials for cosmetics, food and animal feed, pharmaceuticals, fuels and technical applications. The management of CREMER OLEO's Latin American headquarter will be taken over by Roberto Echeverria. Born in Colombia, he has worked for the company since 2014 and most recently headed the successful glycerin division. "By establishing our head office for Latin America, we are sending a clear signal in the emerging region. We established our Brazilian Oleo unit in 2019 one year later it was the country's most successful glycerin exporter," said Echeverria. "We are currently involved in various industries on the continent more projects will follow." Business Unit Manager Christian Falck says: "The regional unit enables us to drive forward the growth course we have embarked on even more efficiently. Roberto Echeverria and his dedicated team will further expand the CREMER network." CREMER CEO Dr. Ullrich Wegner: "CREMER has always been investing in emerging markets surrounding our products and services. The new Oleo headquarter perfectly complements the business of the other CREMER companies in the region." About CREMER: Founded in 1946 by Peter Cremer, CREMER is a successful global trading, logistics and industrial company in its third generation of family ownership. With more than 2,000 employees, CREMER is active worldwide. Due to increasing demand for oleochemical products, in 2005 CREMER founded CREMER OLEO GmbH & Co. KG. Press contact: CREMER OLEO GmbH & Co. KG www.cremeroleo.de | [email protected] Simone Weisgerber [email protected] | +49 4032011-0 SOURCE CREMER OLEO GmbH & Co. KG [March 02, 2021] Forward Financing Reaches $1 Billion in Funding to Underserved Small Businesses BOSTON, March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Forward Financing, a financial technology company that provides flexible revenue-based financing to small businesses, today announced that they have provided $1 billion in funding since their inception in 2012. The majority of this funding has gone to underserved small businesses nationwide, those that are unable to obtain financing through traditional sources like banks or the Small Business Administration. "Nine years ago, we started this company upon the realization that so many small businesses lacked access to working capital," said Forward Financing co-founder and CEO Justin Bakes. "As we look ahead to our next $1 billion milestone, we will continue to focus on providing best-in-class customer service and on helping our small business customers reach their full potential, no matter what challenges may arise." The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the U.S. economy and many small businesses have needed additional financial resources to get by. Despite over $600 billion in loans provided through the Payroll Protection Program, this alone has been insufficient in fulfilling the need for capital. As a result, many small business owners have turned to funders like Forward Financing for support. Forward Financing is uniquely suited to help small businesses during this economic downturn because it offers financing that is based on revenue and is not a loan. Therefore, small business customers who may be experiencing a revenue slowdown can reduce their payments proportionately. "It has been a great pleasure working with Forward Financing," said Erik Sterling, owner of The SterlingWinters Company. "They have an incredible caring team. The tea works with you beyond assisting in securing funding. They truly care about you, your business and how they can continue to be of service. I highly recommend Forward Financing for your financial needs. They will always work with you for a win-win situation." Over the past six months, Forward Financing has grown daily funding volume at an average rate of 17% per month as they continue to help small businesses navigate the pandemic economy. In order to help meet rapidly growing demand, they are currently expanding headcount in Boston by 20%. About Forward Financing Forward Financing is a Boston-based financial technology company that provides fast, flexible working capital to small businesses nationwide. Their dedicated account representatives and advanced proprietary technology help customers spend less time finding capital and more time growing their business. With a simple, secure online application, business owners can trust that Forward Financing works to get them approvals within minutes, funding within hours, and personalized support when they need it most. Since 2012, Forward Financing has expanded Main Street's access to capital by providing over $1 billion in funding to nearly 30,000 small businesses. The company is rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau and 'Excellent / 4.9 stars' on Trustpilot.com. Forward Financing was named a Best Place To Work by both the Boston Business Journal and Built In Boston, and has been named by both Inc. Magazine and the Boston Business Journal as one of Massachusetts' fastest-growing companies each year since 2017. Forward Financing is committed to helping more small business owners succeed and achieve their full potential. To learn more, visit www.forwardfinancing.com. Media Contact Lauren Groccia lmelaugh@forwardfinancing.com 508-314-3574 Related Images justin-bakes.jpg Justin Bakes Justin Bakes, co-founder and CEO, started Forward Financing in 2012 to expand Main Street's access to capital Related Links https://www.forwardfinancing.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/forward-financing-reaches-1-billion-in-funding-to-underserved-small-businesses-301239111.html SOURCE Forward Financing [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] On Monday, the Pentagon announced a $125 million military aid package for Ukraine. The $125 million package includes two armed Mark VI patrol boats, giving Ukraine a total of eight such vessels provided by the US. The Pentagon said the package also includes capabilities to enhance the lethality, command and control, and situational awareness of Ukraines forces. This means additional counter-artillery radars, other tactical equipment, continued support for satellite systems, and some medical equipment. This package is the first part of the $275 million approved by Congress for Ukraine in the 2021 fiscal year. As per the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, the additional $150 million is contingent on Ukraine reforming its military. The Pentagon said it will work with the State Department to certify that Ukraine has made sufficient progress on key defense reforms this year. Since the 2014 US-backed coup in Ukraine that sparked the war in the eastern Donbas region, the US has provided Kyiv with $2 billion in military aid. Despite the controversy around President Trump and aid to Ukraine, he took a step the Obama administration was not willing to take and sent Javelin anti-tank missiles to Kyiv. Last week, President Biden released a statement on the seventh anniversary of Russias annexation of Crimea and said the US would never accept Russian sovereignty over the peninsula. He said the US will stand with Ukraine against Russias aggressive acts. Like the war in the Donbas, the annexation of Crimea was also sparked by the US-backed coup in Kyiv. The largely ethnic Russian populations of Crimea and Donbas rejected the nationalist post-coup government in Kyiv, and the majority of Crimeans favored joining Russia. Beijing, March 3 : China and Pakistan should push their cooperation to a higher level, wider range and greater depth as they celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties, Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said. He made the remarks when attending a ceremony on Tuesday to commence the celebrations with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi via video link, reports Xinhua news agency. Noting the China-Pakistan friendship enjoys a time-honoured history, Wang said the two countries have carried out all-round cooperation and developed all-weather friendship under the personal care of generations of leaders of both countries since the establishment of diplomatic ties 70 years ago. He said China and Pakistan should deepen political mutual trust, continue to firmly support each other on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns, strengthen communication and cooperation on major strategic issues, and jointly respond to changes in the international and regional situation as well as various risks and challenges. Wang urged the two countries to uphold the principle of mutual benefit for win-win results, promote the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and create new growth points for cooperation to better benefit the two peoples. China and Pakistan should encourage people from all walks of life, especially the younger generation, to more actively participate in activities of friendly exchanges, so as to advance mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, he said. Hailing China's development achievements and fruitful results of bilateral cooperation, Qureshi said Pakistan firmly adheres to the one-China policy, firmly supports the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and believes that CPEC will become a paradigm project of the BRI's high-quality development. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text During his time working as the top White House physician, U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Amarillo, berated employees, made sexual comments about a female subordinate, and violated the policy for drinking alcohol on a presidential trip, according to a report from the Department of Defense inspector general obtained by CNN. 'A NATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT': Texas leaders respond to Abbott lifting mask mandate The report also found that the freshman Texas congressman took prescription-strength sleeping medication that raised concerns from Jacksons colleagues about his ability to provide proper care. The findings in the report stem from a yearslong investigation into Jackson, who was nominated in 2018 by former President Donald Trump to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. But Jackson withdrew from consideration during allegations of professional misconduct, including drinking on the job and overprescribing medication. At the time, Jackson called the accusations completely false and fabricated. On Tuesday night, Jackson again defended his actions in a statement to The Texas Tribune. "Three years ago I was the subject of a political hit job because I stood with President Trump, Jackson said in a written statement. Today, a Department of Defense Inspector General report has resurrected those same false allegations from my years with the Obama Administration because I have refused to turn my back on President Trump. Jackson also said he was proud of the work environment I fostered under three different Presidents of both parties; I take my professional responsibility with respect to prescription drug practices seriously; and I flat out reject any allegation that I consumed alcohol while on duty. ET TU, H-E-B?: H-E-B joins Abbott in lifting mask mandate at stores The Defense Department review was based on interviews with 78 witnesses and White House documents, CNN reported. In November 2020, Jackson was elected to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry. Jackson represents the congressional district that includes most of the Panhandle and parts of northern Texas such as Wichita Falls, where Gov. Greg Abbott was born. This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2021/03/02/ronny-jackson-white-house-physician-defense-investigation/. The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org. South Korea's first transgender soldier, who was discharged from the military last year after having gender reassignment surgery, has been found dead in her home. Byun Hui-su, 23, was found by emergency workers at her home in Cheongju, south of Seoul, on Wednesday after counsellors said they had been unable to contact her. Ms Byun had been a top-rated driver in a tank regiment before being discharged from the military last year after undergoing surgery while on leave in Thailand. Military leaders ruled at the time that she was suffering from 'a physical or mental disability', which also excluded her from serving in female regiments. Byun Hui-su, 23, was a tank driver in the South Korean military until she was dismissed last year after having gender reassignment surgery. She has been found dead at home Ms Byun wept at a press conference last year after she was discharged - begging to be allowed back into the military and saying it had been her life's dream to serve. She subsequently filed a lawsuit against her dismissal with a hearing due in April this year, a spokeswoman for the Center for Military Human Rights Korea said. The cause of her death was not made immediately clear, with police saying an investigation has been launched. However, a spokesman for the National Mental Health Center where Ms Byun had been receiving treatment, said it seems that she had taken the decision to end her life. Workers at the centre said they contacted emergency services after being unable to contact Ms Byun since February 28. Firefighters were called her home around 6pm Wednesday and found her body 'in a state of decomposition'. Local media reported that Ms Byun had been receiving mental health treatment after a previous attempt at suicide three months ago. Sergeant Byun had joined the military in 2017 as an officer after studying at a specialist military college, and became a tank driver. Ms Byun had begged to be allowed to continue serving in a female regiment after surgery in 2019, but was discharged after top brass ruled she was suffering a 'mental disability' There, she distinguished herself as one of the top-scoring drivers in her battalion. But in November 2019 she made the decision to go to Thailand for gender reassignment surgery. Ms Byun said she had been struggling for many years about her identity. She claimed that her superior officers were aware of her difficulties and had signed her leave papers knowing what she intended to do. However, upon return to her regiment she found an investigation had been launched by top brass which ended in her dismissal. South Korea's military does not explicitly ban gay or transgender people from serving, but she was dismissed on mental health grounds. A female soldier was previously dismissed in 2006 on similar grounds when she underwent a double mastectomy when cancer was discovered in one breast. She successfully challenged the discharge. Other gay soldiers say they have been targeted by military chiefs under a rule banning 'sodomy' - sometimes for consensual sex that happened off base, the LA Times previously reported. For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details Planning a trip to Nepal? Great! Nepal is an amazing country with lots of things to do. It is also one of the cheapest countries in Asia for your vacation, which you can enjoy without regret. But, to optimise the vacation, there are some things you must know before visiting Nepal. Here are some basic things you need to know before visiting Nepal: 1. Geography The new political map of the country issued by the government of Nepal, on Monday, May 18, 2020, and launched on Wednesday, May 20, 2020. Unlike what most people think, Nepal is a separate, sovereign country and not an extension of India or China. If you have booked tickets already, you might know this, but a disclaimer is still in place. Nepal is a mountainous country with an average elevation of 3,265 m. It is also home to the eight out of 14 tallest mountains in the world, and the best place for those interested in mountain climbing, hiking and trekking. But, this also means roads are hard to travel and rough in the mountainous and hilly regions. 2. Climate and weather The best time to visit Nepal is between October and December when the skies are clear and the weather is calm and dry. This is perfect for time for adventurous activities. In January and February, the winter prevails in Nepal. This time is perfect if you want to refresh, look at beautiful skies from Namche Bazaar or have a quiet and overall pleasant trekking session thanks to a low number of travellers during these months. And, if you want to fully enjoy the natural beauty of Nepal, the best time is during late May when the spring starts and the flowers like rhododendrons start blooming, making for an amazing sight to behold. 3. Places to visit There are lots of great places in Nepal that you would not want to miss. But visiting all of those places will take you a lot of time. So, for starters, get a tourist guide or find a group for yourself. It will save you a lot of time and will be a lot easier to trek and hike. The must-visit place to start is the Pashupatinath temple, one of the historic Hindu temples, which is not too far from the international airport. Another would be all the durbar square areas in the Kathmandu valley, each representing its own unique history, architecture and culture. Outside Kathmandu, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, Lumbini, is also a great place to 5isit because of its historical and religious importance. Other naturally rich sites are Chitwan, Khaptad, and Rara. 4. Visa processing Photo: Pixabay Getting a tourist visa to Nepal is not that complicated. You can simply apply for a visa online within 15 days before the date of arrival in Nepal. All you need is the address of your hotel room you are staying in in Nepal and a recent digital version of your passport-size photo that you can upload in your application. But, Nepal also offers on-arrival visas, which have been suspended now due to the Covid-19 crisis. Else, you can get your visa at the Tribhuvan International Airport and costs you USD 25-100 (in cash) per single entry. Prices are also determined by your trip duration which might be around 15-90 days. And, extending a visa is also pretty easy here and are only allowed to stay up to 150 days since your arrival in Nepal. 5. Accommodation options Homestay in Rainaskot If you are visiting Nepal for the first time and are wondering where to stay, you do not have to. From five-star hotels to affordable hostels, everything is available according to your budget. The Dwarikas Hotel, Kathmandu Marriott hotel, Babermahal Villa might be great options if you are looking for the best lounging experience in Kathmandu. But, if you want a budget hotel, there are plenty of such options too with great services. Do your research carefully and confirm services you need with the hotels before booking. If you looking for lounging outside the Kathmandu valley, there are plenty of hotel options too, especially in major hubs like Pokhara and Chitwan. You will also get hostel and homestay options, for a cheaper more authentic travel experience. 6. Costs of tourist attraction The cost of visiting Nepal is pretty cheap and so is travelling around Nepal. Prices will vary from place to place, but around USD 25-30 is enough for your daily expenses in Nepal including food and decent accommodation. Avoid buying foods inside airports or tourist destinations as they might cost you more. Travelling around Kathmandu in a taxi will cost you way more than travelling in a public vehicle. One thing you might want to prepare is for the entrance fees. In heritage sites and other popular tourist attractions, you will need to pay; eg Kathmandu Durbar Square will charge you USD 10 per entrance, Swyambhu Stupa costs USD 2 and Pashupatinath temple will cost you USD 10. For trekking and mountain climbing, also consider permit fees and national park entrance fees. 7. Food precautions If you ever visit Nepal, you must try local and authentic cuisines, no matter which part of the country you travel to. But, what you need to understand is that Nepali local foods are filled with spices. If you are not used to it, you might have problems with digestion. It is better to avoid spicy foods. Take caution and keep medicines at your disposal if you are keen to try all. Also, local people are not familiar with the concept of food allergies or intolerance [gluten, dairy]. So, if you have an allergy or intolerance to any food, please let the hotel or your host know beforehand. You can research the food in the area you are travelling to and make a list. It is for your own safety. 8. Things to avoid Photo: Pexels/ Artem Beliaikin Before you come to Nepal, you need to understand what you can do and cannot do in this country to avoid all problems that can arise from misunderstanding or cultural gap. Mountain climbing and trekking is very common in Nepal. But, do not go trekking or do any type of activity alone. Hiring a guide might be a good idea since English is not a commonly used language outside Kathmandu. Bringing any sort of weapon or drugs can be considered illegal in Nepal, so avoid it at all cost. Public display of affection like kissing should also be avoided since it is considered inappropriate in Nepali culture. 9. Respect the national flag Nepals flag is the only non-quadrilateral flag that represents a country. It consists of two juxtaposed triangles with a crimson-coloured base and deep blue borders. It has a white crescent moon with eight rays in the upper part and a white twelve rayed sun in the lower part. Peoples sentiments, as well as the constitution, require you to respect the flag. Damaging, stepping over it, discarding and disrespecting flag can result in a three-year jail sentence or NRs 30,000 fine or both. Unlike in other countries, you have to be very careful about making merchandise out of Nepals flag. Using colours is okay, but it is considered immensely disrespectful to wear Nepals flag in anything below the belt areas. Printing flags on other pieces of clothing also needs to be done with caution and respect. Nepal also has a strict mathematical description of how the flag should be made. It has provisions on who can hoist the flag and when. 10. Health precautions Representative image With the pandemic taking its toll, all people coming to Nepal will be required to have papers proving either a negative Covid-19 test or that you have taken the vaccine. Follow self-quarantine and, afterwards, wear a mask all the time when you are outside to reduce the risk of transmission. Other than this, the government has recommended travellers get vaccinations for some most common diseases in Nepal including malaria, polio, hepatitis A and B, typhoid, Japanese encephalitis, rabies, yellow fever, MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), flu, chickenpox, DPT, etc. Avoid interactions with street animals as they may transmit fleas or diseases which you do not want. Because Nepal is a developing country, health facilities might not be available, outside Kathmandu, whenever needed, so take necessary precautions. Try to carry your water while travelling since purified water is not easily available everywhere in Nepal. Lastly, public toilets are not as you imagined here in Nepal. Most of these public toilets are not maintained or cleaned properly. So try to avoid them or enter at your own risk. In long, forest routes, they are even less. Also, always carry your sanitiser or soap. Burma Myanmar Regime's Appointed Envoy to UN Resigns Despite Promotion Anti-regime protesters in Mandalay march against the military dictatorship. / The Irrawaddy YANGON Myanmars deputy ambassador to the United Nations in New York, U Tin Maung Naing, has resigned after the military regime assigned him to replace his boss, U Kyaw Moe Tun, who made a courageous speech to the UN General Assembly rejecting the junta and representing the democratically elected government. On Tuesday, the UN said it received a statement from Myanmars Ministry of Foreign Affairs saying U Tin Maung Naing had been appointed the interim head of the permanent mission. The regime dismissed U Kyaw Moe Tun, accusing him of high treason for appealing for global help to restore democracy to Myanmar. U Kyaw Moe Tun told the UN that he is still representing Myanmar as he is appointed by the democratically elected government which is still recognized internationally. The Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), representing elected members of the Union Parliament from the National League for Democracy (NLD), told the UN to recognize U Kyaw Moe Tun as the official envoy of the elected government. The CRPH also said U Kyaw Moe Tun had been given additional duties to manage foreign and diplomatic affairs for the NLD government, in effect appointing him foreign minister in exile. The contradictory statements put the UN under pressure to choose between U Kyaw Moe Tun, a national hero, and U Tin Maung Naing, who was initially backed by the military. Thousands of Facebook and Twitter users shared a statement saying Myanmars people do not recognize U Tin Maung Naing as their UN representative and only U Kyaw Moe Tun can speak for them. U Tin Maung Naing posted on Facebook on Wednesday that he was resigning without giving a reason. The ministry recalled at least 100 diplomatic staff from around 19 countries after U Kyaw Moe Tun condemned the military regime at the UN. You may also like these stories: At Least Nine Protesters Shot Dead in Three Cities in Myanmar Myanmar Military Detain More Than 1,200 Since Coup Myanmars Military Council Labeled Terrorist Group Advertisement Security in Washington D.C. is being beefed up even further after Capitol police received intelligence that militia group the Three Percenters could be plotting to breach the Capitol this Thursday, March 4. Cop sources told FOX 5 that Capitol officers were issued with an intelligence bulletin on Tuesday warning of a militia plot that specifically mentioned the far-right group. Members of the Three Percenters are among the rioters accused of breaching the Capitol on January 6 as part of a Make America Great Again mob. This Thursday is predicted by followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory to be the day that Donald Trump will take power again, returning to D.C. to be inaugurated as president once more. It emerged as a new source of hope for QAnon loyalists after the original theory that Trump would win the 2020 election fell apart. Members of the National Guard are seen at the US Capitol Building on Tuesday. Security in D.C. has been beefed up as intelligence emerged of a threat from the Three Percenters, who may be planning to breach the Capitol on Thursday Members of the National Guard enter a gate in temporary security fencing near the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday. The Capitol is being guarded by almost 5,000 troops ahead of March 4 as Capitol cops receive word of a threat from the 3%ers This Thursday is predicted by followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory to be the day that former President Donald Trump (pictured on Sunday) will take power again and return to Washington D.C. for his inauguration Police sources told Fox that they have now had vacation and days off canceled for the coming week as D.C. prepares to combat the threat posed by the new theory. Capitol police had announced earlier on Tuesday that they had been made aware of 'concerning information and intelligence pertaining to March 4th' and were increasing security as a result. The statement added that 'based on the intelligence that we have, the Department has taken immediate steps to enhance our security posture and staffing for a number of days, to include March 4th'. The Capitol is being guarded by almost 5,000 troops ahead of Thursday and US Capitol Police requested 4,900 National Guard troops remain in the nation's capital until at least March 12. For some soldiers, this means it is almost two months since they were first drafted in to the city following the MAGA mob riot on January 6 where Trump supporters broke into the Capitol in a violent riot that left five dead. A member of the National Guard guards the Captiol on Tuesday. Some members have been stationed there for two months US Capitol Police said it was award of the threat on March 4 in a statement earlier on Tuesday People walk past a section of fencing blocking the Capitol grounds on Monday as securoty is increased The U.S Capitol Building behind temporary security fencing as members of the National Guard walk by on Tuesday National Guard patrol a section of fencing blocking the Capitol grounds as they prepare for a potential breach plot What is the Three Percenters movement? The Three Percenters are a loosely organized movement that formed in 2008, according to the Anti-Defamation League, the Jewish civil rights organization that tracks extremist groups. On its website, the right-wing group says it isnt an anti-government militia but 'we will defend ourselves when necessary.' The Three Percenters derives its name from the belief that just 3% of the colonists rose up to fight the British. They have vowed to resist any government that infringes on the U.S. Constitution. The Oregon Three Percenters joined an armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon in 2016. Dozens of people occupied the remote refuge for more than a month to protest federal control of Western lands. The group also took part in a violent right-wing rally in Portland last year. Advertisement It comes as the Michigan National Guard has blown the whistle on sub-par food being fed to troops that has caused more than a dozen soldiers on deployment to become ill. March 4 is important for QAnon conspirators because it was the former inauguration date of the country before the 20th Amendment moved it up to its current date in January. It was moved to lessen the time of a 'lame duck' presidency. QAnon followers believe that Trump will rally and return to the Capitol on Thursday, where he will be sworn in again. Forbes reports that room rates at Trump's D.C. hotel for the nights of March 3 and March 4 have spiked and far exceed the typical rates. A king deluxe room, for example, is going for $1,331 per night, which is 180 percent above the base rate of the hotel. Other hotels in the area are not making the same price increases for the coming nights. 'Raising room prices will surely be interpreted by QAnon as Trumps support for the March 4 narrative,' said Jason Blazakis, senior fellow at the Soufan Center, a nonpartisan think tank. 'They absolutely try to interpret the words and actions of President Trump very carefully. According to Fox, there is speculation that March 20 - the day the Republican party came to life in 1834 - and April 15 - federal income tax day - may also pose a threat. A memo from acting House Sergeant at Arms Timothy Blodgett claims that some of the threat for March 4 has diminished, Fox reports, despite the bulletin naming the Three Percenters. The right-wing group is a loosely organized movement that claims it isn't an anti-government militia but 'we will defend ourselves when necessary.' The Three Percenters derives its name from the belief that just 3% of the colonists rose up to fight the British. They have vowed to resist any government that infringes on the U.S. Constitution. The Capitol was the site of a pro-Trump insurrection on January 6 that left five dead, including a Capitol police officer. The mob believed Trump's false claims that the election was 'rigged' and 'stolen' from him. Members of the National Guard near the U.S. Capitol perimeter that is surrounded by security fencing due to a potential militia plot to preach the building again on March 4, on what used to be the presidential Inauguration Day Members of the National Guard at the U.S. Capitol where many of them have been stationed for two months The Capitol is being guarded by almost 5,000 troops ahead of Thursday and US Capitol Police requested 4,900 National Guard troops remain in the nation's capital until at least March 12. Members of the National Guard pictured on Tuesday U.S. National Guard soldiers patrol outside the Hart Senate Office Building on Tuesday. The news of the threat emerged Tuesday as further details emerged of the sub=par conditions being suffered by the National Guard at the Capitol According to Fox, there is speculation that March 20 - the day the Republican party came to life in 1834 - and April 15 - federal income tax day - may also pose a threat as the National Guard are called on to remain until at least March 12 Even after leaving the White House, and his suspension from favorite social media platform Twitter, Trump has continued to push the unfounded allegations. During his remarks at CPAC on Sunday, he mentioned the possibility of winning for 'a third time' if he chooses to run for president again. It suggested that he had won in 2020 and could run again in 2024. QAnon beliefs have rarely been validated by the realities that have unfolded around the conspiracy's followers. As well as believing Trump will return as president this Thursday, they think the former president is working against Satanic members of Hollywood and the Democratic Party who are running a pedophile ring, which led to the infamous Pizzagate incident. They also believe John F. Kennedy Jr. is still alive and that COVID-19 is a conspiracy that was invented to hurt Trump's reelection chances. Members of the Three Percenters have been among those charged with involvement in the January 6 Capitol riot. Members of the Three Percenters have been among those charged with involvement in the January 6 Capitol riot, pictured Security was upped around the Capitol after a MAGA mob stormed the building on January 6, pictured According to a George Washington University study published on Tuesday, rioters included members of military networks, military 'clusters,' and 'inspired believers'. Pictured, rear gas is released into a crowd of rioters on January 6 According to a George Washington University study published on Tuesday, rioters included members of military networks, military 'clusters,' and 'inspired believers'. Of the later group, they 'arranged their own travel, accommodations, and other logistics to join the crowds in Washington from areas throughout the United States,' according to the report. 'Charging documents claim that many of the more-organized individuals that participated in the siege were affiliated with nationwide anti-government militia movements, specifically the Oath Keepers and the Three Percenters. Both groups operate as umbrella organizations for dozens of militias throughout the country,' according to the group. They 'arranged their own travel, accommodations, and other logistics to join the crowds in Washington from areas throughout the United States,' the report added. Raw chicken, moldy bread and metal shavings: Poor food has hospitalized Michigan National Guard troops on patrol in DC causing state lawmakers to demand a new food vendor be brought in Members of the Michigan National Guard have been forced to eat raw chicken, moldy bread and meals containing metal shavings while they remain on guard in Washington DC protecting the US Capitol from attack. More than a dozen soldiers on deployment have become ill - with some serious enough to be hospitalized - after reportedly being given undercooked and contaminated food being supplied by a contractor to all troops stationed in DC. Soldiers have blown the whistle on the sub-par food by sharing photos of pink chicken, uncooked beef and moldy food with lawmakers and online while one staff sergeant revealed dozens of meals had to be thrown out when metal shavings were found inside dishes. The shocking conditions have sparked a group of bipartisan lawmakers to demand a new food vendor be brought in or for troops to be given a daily allowance to buy their own food, while some are calling for guard members to be sent home altogether. During their time protecting the seat of American democracy, National Guard members have endured substandard conditions, including being forced to sleep outside, as well as COVID-19 safety risks. Uncooked meat. Members of the Michigan National Guard have been forced to eat raw chicken, moldy bread and meals containing metal shavings while they remain on guard in Washington DC protecting the US Capitol from attack Raw chicken. More than a dozen soldiers on deployment have become ill - with some serious enough to be hospitalized - after reportedly being given undercooked and contaminated food being supplied by a contractor to all troops stationed in DC Moldy bread. Soldiers have blown the whistle on the sub-par food by sharing photos of pink chicken, uncooked beef and moldy food with lawmakers and online Thousands of Guardsmen were forced to sleep on the floor of a packed parking garage back in January when they were told to stop taking their rest breaks inside the Capitol by a Capitol officer. Meanwhile, hundreds of guard members tested positive for COVID-19 with insiders describing a failure by the National Guard to implement coronavirus testing and social distancing protocols evenly across the board. In the latest saga over the treatment of the men and women deployed to the Capitol, National Guard members are complaining the food they are being given is inedible and unsafe, reported TV6. Undercooked food left more than a dozen soldiers unwell including an unknown number who were taken to hospital as a result, one staff sergeant, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told 7 Action News. The guard member said the issue is not isolated, citing multiple occasions where dozens of meals were tossed due to the discovery of raw meat or other contamination. Almost 75 meals were thrown out Sunday after metal shavings were found inside them while another 74 meals had raw beef in them, they said. Aside from the poor - and sometimes dangerous - quality, the sergeant said troops are not being given enough food, with breakfast some days consisting of just a dinner roll and Sunny D ahead of a 12-hour shift. Metal shavings. One staff sergeant revealed dozens of meals had to be thrown out when metal shavings were found inside dishes The shocking conditions have sparked a group of bipartisan lawmakers to demand a new food vendor be brought in or for troops to be given a daily allowance to buy their own food Raw beef (left) and a bad orange (right). Just some of the food the troops are fed while protecting the Capitol Many guard members are said to be resorting to buying their own food because they don't trust the food being provided to them. Reports of the poor food has caused an uproar among lawmakers from both parties, with all 14 members of the Michigan Delegation in the House of Representatives sending a letter to Chief of the National Guard Bureau General Daniel R. Hokanson Tuesday. The letter, led by Republican Rep. Bill Huizenga of Michigan's 2nd Congressional District, demanded the National Guard void its contract with the current food supplier and either find another or for a per diem to be provided to troops. It was signed by Debbie Dingell, Tim Walberg, Brenda Lawrence, Jack Bergman, Haley Stevens, Fred Upton, Elissa Slotkin, John Moolenaar, Dan Kildee, Peter Meijer, Andy Levin, Lisa McClain and Rashida Tlaib. The bipartisan group hit out at the 'unacceptable and inadequate quality of food' that had 'hospitalized' some troops. 'We understand that the decision was made to provide contracted meals to support the entire federal response stationed at the Capitol,' the letter read. 'However, it is clear that these contracted meals are poorly prepared, oftentimes inedible, and highly inadequate to support our soldiers. It is completely unacceptable that our men and women serving in Washington D.C. are being hospitalized due to the food they are being provided. 'As Representatives of these service members, we request that either the current contract be voided and a new food provider be brought in or that the service members be provided with a per diem throughout their remaining time in Washington, D.C.' The Michigan National Guard released a statement saying reports of undercooked and inadequate food was 'very concerning' and 'unacceptable' Issues with the quality of food comes after a backlash in January when shocking photos showed thousands of Guardsmen forced to sleep on the floor of the packed Thurgood Marshall Building parking garage and in a park outside (above) Insiders described a failure by the National Guard to implement coronavirus testing and social distancing protocols evenly across the board. Pictured up to 5,000 troops in the garage Rep. Bergman said troops don't expect a '5-star resort' but what they have been served with is 'an embarrassment'. 'After visiting with our Michigan Guard troops in DC, I have heard from many over the past 48 hours regarding additional issues of contaminated and undercooked food being served,' he said, per TV6. 'This is unacceptable. Our troops don't demand a 5-star resort or expensive food, but at a minimum, they deserve meals that are safe to consume. 'This is an embarrassment for all those responsible for the care of our troops, and must be met with full accountability.' Bergman called for the guard members to leave DC altogether saying t is 'time to get our troops home to their families.' The Michigan National Guard released a statement saying reports of undercooked and inadequate food was 'very concerning' and 'unacceptable.' 'The Michigan National Guard finds the reports of undercooked and poorly prepared food provided to our service members in Washington, D.C. very concerning. The firsthand accounts and pictures of undercooked food being served clearly shows that what is being given to Michigan's service members is unacceptable,' it read. The guard said the issue was escalated to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer who called Acting Secretary of the Army John E. Whitley 'to communicate Michigan's concerns'. 'Other Michigan senior leaders also engaged at the highest levels of the federal government to inform those in charge and to ensure that they knew of our displeasure with the conditions. Every assurance was given that the issue would be addressed and corrected,' the statement said. DailyMail.com has contacted the DC National Guard for comment about how the issue is being resolved. Vernon Jordan has died. He was 85. Jordan lived a remarkable life from young waiter and chauffeur in the segregated south, to civil rights leader, to towering D.C. power broker and trusted adviser of presidents. You can get a flavor of it in this New York Times obituary. Jordan was a partner and an institution at the law firm where I worked. He had an office on the same floor I did. I never really got to know Jordan, but did have the opportunity to observe him. A year or two before I joined the firm, Jordan was caught up in the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky scandal. Jordan had helped find a job for Lewinsky at Revlon. His explanation that he liked to help young people find good positions was greeted with plenty of skepticism. I know I didnt buy it. However, soon after joining the firm, I learned that, whatever might have been the case with Lewinsky, Jordan really did like to find good positions for young people. He often did so, and not just for the well connected. Jordan didnt just care about young people. My observation was that he cared about everyone he worked with. When working long hours, I would set myself up in a conference room near the elevators on our floor. If Jordan popped by the office at night or on weekends and saw me on a regular basis, he would come into the conference room, ask how I was doing, and encourage me to finish up and go home to my family. If he passed me in the hallway and saw that I was stressed, he would notice and say a kind word or two. At the firm, I benefitted from Jordans legendary ability to bring in business, some of which I worked on. Of course, I appreciated that. But I appreciated his kind words more. The last time I saw Jordan was in December 2017. It was at a restaurant where I was celebrating the holidays with a few friends. One of them was about to leave the firm and take a high-level position in the Trump Justice Department. Jordan entered the restaurant with his wife and another couple. He spotted us and walked across the room to congratulate my friend and wish him well. Class. The last time I saw Jordan on television was in a recent PBS special. At one point in the documentary, Jordan said that whatever he had achieved in life, he accomplished through perseverance and hard work. Thats always a good message. Its an especially important one these days, when so many people seem to feel entitled to something for nothing. RIP. PARLAMENTUL REPUBLICII MOLDOVA 2010 The Moldovan Parliaments website design was supported by the Democracy Support Programme in Moldova" an initiative financed by the European Union and implemented by the Council of Europe Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money. Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists. Karachi, March 3 : The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) in Pakistan, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, has called for constant and active vigilance to thwart any attempt to disrupt the efforts by the countrys armed forces in rooting out terrorism from the troubled tribal regions of North and South Waziristan. The statement from the Pakistan Army Chief came amid targeted terror attacks, which have alarmed the security forces on the re-emergence of violence in the restive Waziristan region. "Peace has largely returned to these areas. The hard-earned normalcy will be retained and enhanced through collective efforts of the local population, civil administration and law enforcement agencies," Bajwa said during his interaction with the tribal elders in Mir Ali in North Waziristan. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the military, maintained in a statement that "General Qamar appreciated the tribesmen of their unflinching support and sacrifices in the fight against terrorism". "We have to remain vigilant and steadfast to thwart hostile attempts to create chaos and reverse the gains of Operation Radd-ul-Fassad," Bajwa said. Pakistan military has carried out at least 750,000 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) since February 2017, after it launched an anti-terrorist military offensive, Operation Radd-ul-Fassad, with an aim to root out all terrorist foot on ground without any discrimination. The IBOs carried out in the tribal regions were a coordinated effort of the intelligence agencies, including the ISI, MI, the Intelligence Bureau, along with the police and local law enforcers. "The IBO helped neutralise many terrorists and their supporters. Pakistan's grand strategy to counter terrorism includes clear, hold, build and transfer," he asserted. Pakistan has also been fencing its borders with Afghanistan to stop the gaps and openings that are utilised by terrorists to move between the two countries. Pakistan maintains that these gaps allow terrorists to sneak into Pakistan and carry out terror attacks in the bordering regions. The tribal areas of the country bordering with Afghanistan had been a sanctuary for terrorists in the past, where terror groups were able to hold on to their positions, maintain training camps and even run their operations for Pakistan and Afghanistan. However, with Pakistan's offensive, terror elements have been put on the run, making it difficult for them to regroup. But the recent incidents of terror attacks and targeted shootings on women have rang alarm bells among the military ranks, who have increased deployment and vigilance to ensure no terror elements are able to re-emerge in the region. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Claro and Entels Peruvian units have been cleared to offer 5G new radio (NR) fixed-wireless internet services via their existing 3.5GHz spectrum holdings. Perus Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) approved the move while announcing that the planning phase for an upcoming auction of 3.5GHz and 26GHz spectrum is now complete. As a result of this, the ministry will reveal the details and timeline of the tender process later this month. Explaining the authorisation, Telecom Minister Eduardo Gonzalez said: It is important to promote the initial deployment of 5G technology, even more so as in the last year internet data traffic grew more than 60% on the fixed network. Users demand more speed at lower prices, and the way to achieve this will be with 5G. This first stage will allow us to test the technology. Peru is strongly encouraging the deployment and uptake of 5G, with TeleGeography reporting that the ministry considers the technology instrumental to the countrys economic recovery. 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Replicon's Time Intelligence Platform offers solutions for global time and gross pay compliance, integrations with leading ERP solutions, and an SDK for continued development expanding the company's award-winning portfolio of cloud-based products for workforce management, including complete solution sets for client billing, project costing, and time and attendance. Replicon supports thousands of customers across 70 countries, with over 400 employees around the globe including the United States, Canada, India, Australia, and the United Kingdom. To learn more, visit www.replicon.com. Media Contact Kyle Celeste Resound Marketing for Replicon Email: [email protected] Phone: 609-279-0050 x111 SOURCE Replicon Related Links http://replicon.com French forces "tortured and murdered" Algerian freedom fighter Ali Boumendjel during his country's war for independence, President Emmanuel Macron admitted Tuesday, officially reappraising a death that was covered up as a suicide. Macron made the admission "in the name of France" during a meeting with Boumendjel's grandchildren. The move comes after Macron stoked outrage in January when he refused to issue an official apology for abuses committed during the occupation of Algeria. Instead, he agreed to form a "truth commission" as recommended by a report commissioned by the government to shed light on France's colonial past. France is home to millions of people with links to Algeria including descendants of former French colonists and the brutal eight-year Algerian War of Independence has been a deeply divisive issue between France and her former colony as well as within France's large Muslim population. Torture, disappearances and deaths in custody as well as during security operations marked the war, but successive French presidents have steered clear of a conflict associated with national humiliation and brutality. Boumendjel, a nationalist and lawyer, was arrested during the battle of Algiers by the French army, "placed incommunicado, tortured, and then killed on 23 March 1957," the Elysee Palace said in a statement. "Ali Boumendjel did not commit suicide. He was tortured and then killed," Macron told Boumendjel's grandchildren, according to the statement. A 'devastating' lie for many years It is not the first time the real cause of death was acknowledged. In 2000, the former head of French intelligence in Algiers Paul Aussaresses confessed to ordering Boumendjel's death and disguising the murder as a suicide, according to the statement. It added that Macron on Tuesday had also reiterated his desire to give families the opportunity to find out the truth about this chapter of history. Story continues Last month, Boumendjel's niece Fadela Boumendjel-Chitour denounced what she called the "devastating" lie the French state had told about her uncle. 'Never-ending memory war' French historian Benjamin Stora, who wrote the government-commissioned report, has said there is a "never-ending memory war" between the two countries. The report has been described by the Algerian government as "not objective" and falling "below expectations." While campaigning for president in 2017 Macron caused a sensation by declaring that the colonisation of Algeria was a "crime against humanity." A year later, he acknowledged that France had instigated a system that facilitated torture during the 1954-1962 Algerian war, which ended 132 years of French rule. But Macron has since ruled out an official apology, maintaining that there was "no question of showing repentance" or of "presenting an apology" for for the occupation of Algeria or the war. (FRANCE 24 with AFP) The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Rebels bikie gang member Christopher Rymer. Credit:Instagram A taxi driver drove himself and his Rebels bikie passenger to hospital for treatment after both were injured in a spray of bullets in Sydneys north-west, with detectives warning those responsible their investigation is going quite well. Police have been told the taxi driver, aged in his 40s, had earlier picked up 30-year-old gang member Christopher Rymer from a home in Sydneys west. Investigators believe the pair was shot after stopping at an address in Riverstone. The taxi driver drove the pair to Hawkesbury Hospital in Windsor where they were treated for gunshot wounds around 9.30am. Highlights A Melbourne-based man has alleged the iPhone X exploded in his pocket. The explosion caused second-degree burns to his leg. Apple spokesperson said the matter is being investigated. An iPhone user based in Australia is suing Apple over the allegations that his iPhone X exploded in his pocket, seeking damages. The man claims that the iPhone X began to warm, causing pain in his leg, followed by a fizzing sound that hinted to him the phone had exploded. He has alleged that the explosion caused him second-degree burns, for which he is now demanding compensation from Apple. The incident is said to have taken place back in 2019. Apple has responded to the allegations made by the Australian man. As reported by 7News.com, a scientist named Robert De Rose was sitting in his office when the iPhone X exploded in his pocket. Before the explosion, the device began to cause pain in his right leg. "I heard a faint pop sound, followed by a fizz and then I felt intense pain on my right leg, so I immediately jumped up and realised it was my phone," De Rose was quoted as saying in the report by the Australian publication. The man found iPhone X emitting black smoke when he took it out of the pocket. But by the time he did that, the explosion, he alleged, caused burns. "I had ash everywhere, and my skin had peeled back," he said. The iPhone X was a little over a year old, according to De Rose's statements. De Rose claimed that he contacted Apple and reported the incident but received no response. This is when he decided to file a lawsuit against the iPhone maker in Australia, seeking damages. Since the incident came as a shock to the scientist, he decided to warn other iPhone users about the dangers they might encounter. Meanwhile, there has another incident cropped up that puts a question mark on the safety of Apple devices. Tony Carbone who works at the law firm Carbone Lawyers' in Melbourne told the publication that he had come to know about another person in Melbourne who suffered burns in his wrist due to the overheating of the Apple Watch. The details about this incident are scarce but it seems Apple will have to claim the responsibility. An Apple spokesperson told the publication that it takes customer safety "extremely seriously" and that the two incidents are being investigated. Both the lawsuits are said to have been filed with the Country Court while Apple is said to be preparing a defence. Apple has touted that its products are among the safest devices that you can buy in the market right now. The iPhone and other Apple products are among the priciest in their respective categories, which is why it is natural people would expect the hardware to be robust and not prone to dangers such as an explosion. Previously, an iPhone X was reported to have exploded during the software update process in Washington, the US back in 2018 while an iPhone XS Max allegedly caught fire while inside the pocket of its user in Ohio, the US the same year. It has been found that ageing batteries are mostly a culprit in such incidents. Apple used to slow down the iPhone units with old batteries because of the software getting upgraded each year, a practice that landed it in one of the biggest controversies in the company's history. Not only did Apple CEO Tim Cook issue a public apology, but the company also has to make free repairs and replacements of impacted users. Apple later rolled out a big software update to tweak how battery power management is handled by the iPhone, in addition to informing iPhone users about the battery health in the Settings. The financial engine of the campaign to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom has been less populist and largely driven by mega-donors writing six-figure checks. But where do these mega-donors live? Most of the funds raised for the recall effort about 92% have come from within California, according to finance reports. And much of that in-state money has come from wealthy donors in the Bay Area, Orange County and Los Angeles. Advertisement President Joe Biden has urged Americans not to let their guard down even as COVID-19 infections plummet and vaccinations ramp up President Joe Biden has urged Americans to act aggressively against COVID-19 as the Republican governors of Texas and Mississippi lifted all their restrictions to fully reopen and other states started relaxing rules. His plea came as restrictions and mask mandates were dropped in Texas and Mississippi with all businesses able to reopen at full capacity within a matter of days. The two southern states join a rapidly growing movement by governors and other leaders across the US to loosen COVID-19 restrictions despite pleas from health officials. Despite the push, Biden on Tuesday asked Americans to remain vigilant and continue wearing masks as the COVID-19 vaccine effort continued across the country and new cases declined nationwide. 'There is light at the end of the tunnel, but we cannot let our guard down now to ensure victory is inevitable; we can't assume that. We must remain vigilant, act fast and aggressively and look out for one another,' he said on Tuesday. 'Now is not the time to let up,' he said. 'I've asked the country to wear masks for my first 100 days in office. Now is not the time to let our guard down. People's lives are at stake.' It came as Texas Gov Greg Abbott declared it was time to 'open Texas 100 percent' with all restrictions in the Lone Star state to end March 10. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves immediately followed suit announcing he is rolling back all county mask mandates and removing statewide restrictions on all businesses from today. Most of the country has lived under mask mandates during the pandemic, with at least 37 states requiring face coverings to some degree. Those orders, however, are increasingly falling by the wayside: North Dakota, Montana and Iowa have also lifted mask orders in recent weeks. Among the other states gradually reopening are Michigan and Louisiana with the easing of restrictions on bars, restaurants and other businesses. Massachusetts has lifted all restaurant capacity limits, South Carolina erased limits on gatherings and North Carolina allowed people back inside bars for the first time. Chicago and Las Vegas's public schools also welcomed back students this week and California has now reached an agreement that aims to get most children back in classrooms by the end of March. Biden's pleas came as Texas Gov Greg Abbott (left) and Mississippi Gov Tate Reeves (right) announced they were lifting all COVID-19 restrictions and mask mandates, with businesses able to reopen at full capacity within a matter of days As the easing of restrictions continues to varying degrees across the country, a number of health officials and medical experts were critical of the decision to drop all restrictions in some states - particularly mask mandates. Dr Ashish Jha, Dean of Brown University's School of Public Health, said he was disappointed by Texas and Mississippi's decision because the US was close to having all high-risk people vaccinated. 'We're so close to the finish line here in terms of vaccinating high risk people,' he told ABC's Good Morning America. 'I wish Texas, Mississippi and others state would just hold off another little bit. We're not talking about many more months, but certainly waiting until all high-risk people are vaccinated.' Andy Slavitt, a White House COVID-19 senior adviser, told CNN that they understood the pressures governors were facing but urged them to rethink lifting mask mandates. 'We think it's a mistake to lift these mandates too early. Masks are saving a lot of lives,' he said. 'I'm really hoping that the businesses and the community and people in Texas, the mayors, the counties, will rethink this. I hope the governor rethinks this. Hopefully states will stick with this until such a time as we get through all the vaccinations and see the other side of this.' The moves from Texas and Mississippi to reopen came just hours after CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky warned states not to ease COVID-19 restrictions too quickly - even as cases fall and the pace of the vaccine rollout picks up. 'We stand to completely lose the hard-earned ground we have gained,' Dr Walensky said. US cases have plunged more than 70 percent over the past two months from an average of nearly 250,000 new infections a day, while average deaths per day have plummeted about 40 percent since mid-January. The current nationwide average COVID numbers are at 2,000 deaths per day and 68,000 cases per day. Biden said Tuesday that the US is now on track to vaccinate all adults by the end of May after he invoked the Defense Production Act to speed up the manufacturing of Johnson & Johnson's newly-approved one-dose shot. While cases are plunging nationally, Texas and Mississippi are among a handful of states that have seen a slight uptick in new infections and deaths in recent days. Hospitalizations are still trending downwards in both states, according to data from the COVID Tracking Project. Texas will also do away with limits on the number of diners that businesses can serve indoors, said Abbott, who made the announcement at a restaurant in Lubbock. People sit at a bar and restaurant in Austin, Texas, in June 2020 TEXAS CASES: Like the rest of the country, Texas has seen the number of cases (depicted) and deaths plunge. Hospitalizations are at the lowest levels since October, and the seven-day rolling average of positive tests has dropped to about 7,600 cases, down from more than 10,000 in mid-February. Texas has seen a slight uptick in cases over the last week TEXAS DEATHS: Texas on Tuesday reported 1,637 new infections and 59 new deaths, according to state data (depicted) A year into the crisis, politicians and ordinary Americans alike have grown tired of rules meant to stem the spread of COVID that have damaged their livelihoods. Texas on Tuesday became the biggest state to lift its mask rule. The Lone Star State will also do away with limits on the number of diners who can be served indoors. 'Removing statewide mandates does not end personal responsibility,' Gov Abbott said at a press conference held inside a restaurant. 'COVID has not suddenly disappeared. It's just that now state mandates are no longer needed.' Retailers and other businesses will still be allowed to impose capacity limits and other restrictions on their own. Texas is fully reopening just ahead of the spring break holiday, which health experts worry could lead to more spread. Abbott's rollbacks come just as the US is picking up the pace of vaccinating people - with victory over the virus in sight. In Texas, 7.1 percent of its nearly 30 million residents have been fully vaccinated, according to state data reported to the CDC. Dr. Joseph Varon, chief medical officer at Houston's United Memorial Medical Center, said he called the hospital's top leaders immediately after Abbott's announcement and said they will need more staff and ventilators. 'I am just concerned that I am going to have a tsunami of new cases,' Varon said. 'I truly hope I am wrong. But unfortunately history seems to repeat itself.' Mississippi reported 301 new infections and 44 deaths on Tuesday. The state has recorded a total of 295,295, infections and 6,724 deaths. Attendees walk through the Mississippi State Fair in Jackson, Mississippi in October 2020 MISSISSIPPI CASES: Mississippi reported 301 new infections; the state has recorded a total of 295,295, infections MISSISSIPPI DEATHS: Mississippi reported 44 new deaths on Tuesday. The state has reported a total of 6,724 deaths since last year Biden says US will have enough vaccines for every adult by end of MAY Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that the US will have enough vaccine doses for every adult in the country by the end of May. Biden made the announcement on the heels of green-lighting the Defense Production Act to be used to assist Merck & Co with manufacturing Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine. As it's a one-dose vaccine, with Johnson & Johnson, more people can be vaccinated with fewer doses. Biden also announced an initiative to get schools reopened by prioritizing the vaccination of K-12 teachers and staff using the federal pharmacy program during a brief speech from the White House's State Dining Room on Tuesday. 'When we came into office the prior administration had contracted for not nearly enough vaccine to cover adults in America,' he said pointing a finger at former President Donald Trump. 'We rectified that about three weeks ago and were able to say that we'll have enough vaccine supply for adults by the end of July. 'I'm pleased to announce today as a consequence of the stepped up process that I've ordered and just outlined, this country will have enough vaccine supply - I'll say it again - for every adult in America by the end of May. That's progress.' Advertisement Some experts fear the recent deadly storm could see a surge in transmission given people were forced to huddle in warming shelters after rolling power blackouts left 4.3 million people without power and more than 14.6 million were left without access to safe drinking water. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said he is getting rid of most mask mandates and lifting most other restrictions, including limits on seating in restaurants, starting Wednesday. 'The governor's office is getting out of the business of telling people what they can and cannot do,' he said. 'Today, I signed what I expect will be one of my last executive orders regarding COVID-19. Our hospitalizations have plummeted, and our case numbers have fallen dramatically as well. In fact, our case numbers have fallen to the point where no county meets the original criteria for a mask mandate. He said he was replacing the current orders with recommendations. People are still being encouraged to wear masks and social distance but businesses will be left to make their own policies about reopening. Schools, which reopened in Mississippi back in August, will still have mask mandates where social distancing is not possible. Mississippi's cases, deaths and hospitalizations have also plunged in recent weeks and are now at the lowest levels since October. The state has now fully vaccinated 7.5 percent of its population. 'There will still be COVID in our communities, perhaps for a significant amount of time in our state, and across the country. We will all need to decide for ourselves how to assess the risks and rewards of each and every activity we choose to pursue,' Reeves said. 'But the risk of overwhelming our hospitals with severe COVID cases is coming to a close and gets less and less with each and every day we see more of our vulnerable get vaccinated.' The governors of Michigan, and Louisiana have also eased restrictions on bars, restaurants and other businesses, as did the mayor of San Francisco. In San Francisco, an upbeat Mayor London Breed announced that California gave the green light to indoor dining and the reopening of movie theaters and gyms. 'You can enjoy your city, right here, right now,' she said from Fishermans Wharf, one of the city's biggest tourist attractions. 'We are not where we need to be yet, but we're getting there, San Francisco.' In Massachusetts, Governor Charlie Baker lifted restaurant capacity limits entirely from Monday. Theaters can now open at 50 per cent capacity, with a maximum of 500 people. And capacity limits across all businesses have been raised to 50 per cent. In Massachusetts, Governor Charlie Baker lifted restaurant capacity limits entirely from Monday (pictured is a Boston restuarnt). Theaters can now open at 50 per cent capacity, with a maximum of 500 people, and capacity limits across all businesses have been raised to 50 per cent MASSACHUSETTS: Confirmed cases have plunged in Massachusetts since peaking during the holiday season In Missouri, where individual communities get to make the rules, the two biggest metropolitan areas - St Louis and Kansas City - have already relaxed some measures. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said Friday bars and restaurants could resume normal hours and all size limits on events and gatherings were lifted but kept the mask mandate in place. Over in Iowa, the governor recently lifted mask requirements and limits on the number of people allowed in bars and restaurants, while the town of Lawrence, home to the University of Kansas, now lets establishments stay open until midnight. Las Vegas on Monday became the latest of the nation's largest school districts to return children to classrooms. Pre-K children to third graders will go back two days a week, with other grades to be phased in by early April. In Chicago, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said that effective immediately, bars, restaurants and other businesses can increase indoor capacity to 50% and remain open until 1 a.m. 'We have made incredible progress in recent weeks and months, and I thank our business community for their ongoing commitment to saving lives,' Lightfoot said in a written statement. In California, Gov Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders reached an agreement aimed at getting most children back in classrooms by the end of March. Under the deal announced Monday, school districts could receive up to $6.6billion if they reopen by March 31. The decline in new infections over the past few weeks was treated as a blessing and a curse by public health officials like Dr Walensky, who said she was encouraged by the somewhat mysterious trends, but cautioned that it was not yet time for the US to relax. Experts struggled to explain the downturn, attributing it in part to the number of Americans who now have immunity from prior infection, in part to people getting serious and following restrictions and, to a lesser degree, the early effects of vaccinations. More than 15 per cent of Americans have now had at least one dose. The Karnataka Cabinet on Wednesday decided to constitute a three-member high-level committee headed by a retired high court judge to look into demands by various communities in the state for revising the existing reservation and advise the government. Besides the retired judge, the committee would comprise a former administrator and a social scientist and give a comprehensive report, Law and Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said. He noted that various communities have been pressing for revising their existing reservation and conceding it would lead to the quota exceeding the 50 per cent limit set by the Supreme Court. If it has to be exceeded, special criteria has to be identified. "To guide the government on this constitutionally and legally difficult subject, it has been decided to constitute the committee," he told reporters here after the cabinet meeting. The Cabinet has given the Chief Minister the authority to make appointments to the committee. The retired judge will look into legal and constitutional aspect while the retried administrator will go into administrative aspect, he said, adding at present demands by some communities were with the Backward Classes Commission and some others at the stage of anthropology study. "Once constituted, the committee will decide on the time frame," he said. Karnataka at present provides 15 per cent reservation for Scheduled Castes, three per cent for Scheduled Tribes and 32 per cent for the other backward classes (OBC), which adds up to 50 per cent. The Veerashaiva-Lingayats, to which Yediyurappa belongs, are demanding OBC status under the central list, whereas the sub-sect of the community Panchamasali Lingayats wants to be put under Category 2A (15 per cent) in the state quota. The other dominant Vokkaliga community has decided to seek enhancement of reservation, formation of a Vokkaliga Development Authority and greater quota access to the urban poor from the community. They want all Vokkaliga sub-sects to be included under the OBC. On the other hand, while the backward Kuruba community is seeking ST tag, the Valmiki community wants the ST quota to be hiked from 3 per cent to 7.5 per cent. The state government has already asked the Backward Classes Commission to look into the reservation demand of Panchamasali community to be included in category 2A of OBC reservation matrix. It is currently included under 3B (five per cent). Last year, Justice Nagamohan Das Committee had submitted a report to the government. According to sources, it has recommended increasing reservation for SCs from 15 per cent to 17 per cent and STs from 3 per cent to 7.5 per cent. Other cabinet decisions on Wednesday included setting up Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited to focus on waste collection, transportation, processing, and produce energy from solid waste, while giving it administrative and financial independence to the organisation. The city civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will have 51 per cent share in this and the state government 49 per cent. The Additional Chief Secretary will be its Chief Executive Officer, Bommai 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 am extremely disappointed at Canada's and BC's vaccination strategy. As of this writing we were 57th overall in the world and we even are taking vaccinations that should be sent to poorer countries in the world. This is shameful and embarrassing Health officials are excited about new vaccination choices. I am not. Why would someone want to choose a 62% effective vaccination when 90+% effective vaccinations are available? Yes, I may not die or get severely sick with Astra Zeneca but the mRNA vaccinations provide near total protection as I am led to believe Next, Germany and France are not giving AZ vaccination to seniors over 65 and South Africa has returned their AZ as they claim it does not work on their variant. And we are celebrating this? Then, Dr Henry is now saying we can go four months before a second booster shot although neither Moderna or Pfizer recommend this. Are we now human guinea pigs? Finally, Mr Horgan was asked if people could choose their vaccination. His reply was "that is not part of my strategy" Well, I do want to choose my vaccination since it is going in my body and effects my life choices. Giving people choice, even if they have to pay for it, would help offload the public healthcare system. It is time that Canadians do not blindly accept second rate performance from our elected and bureaucratic officials. Glenn Bucholtz The House of Representatives canceled its scheduled votes for Thursday after U.S. Capitol Police revealed it has received intelligence reports that indicated 'a possible plot to breach the Capitol by an identified militia group' on March 4. 'The decision was made that it was possible to finish all of the Houses legislative work for the week tonight,' said the office of House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer, on Wednesday. He sets the voting schedule. The Senate is scheduled to be in session and expected to hold a vote-a-rama: a marathon voting session on a series of amendments to legislation, in this case to President Joe Biden's COVID relief bill. This Thursday is predicted by followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory to be the day that Donald Trump will take power again, returning to D.C. to be inaugurated as president once more. Security is being beefed up around the Capitol ahead of the date and out of fears there could be a situation similar to January 6th - when pro-Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, resulting in five dead and a wake of destruction in the building. Members were forced to flee the House floor as rioters tried to break on to it. Staff hid in locked conference rooms and under desks as rioters rushed through the building. Capitol Police did not name a specific group in its statement on Wednesday but there is chatter the militia group the Three Percenters is involved - the group were among the rioters accused of breaching the Capitol on January 6 as part of a Make America Great Again mob. 'We have obtained intelligence that shows a possible plot to breach the Capitol by an identified militia group on Thursday, March 4,' USCP said in it statement, which came the same day that officials testified on Capitol Hill about security surrounding the complex. 'We have already made significant security upgrades to include establishing a physical structure and increasing manpower to ensure the protection of Congress, the public and our police officers,' they noted. Acting USCP Chief Yogananda Pittman said Wednesday that the security posture at the Capitol right now 'is enhanced' 'Our Department is working with our local, state, and federal partners to stop any threats to the Capitol. We are taking the intelligence seriously. Due to the sensitive nature of this information we cannot provide additional details at this time.' Acting USCP Chief Yogananda Pittman said Wednesday in her testimony to House lawmakers that the security posture at the Capitol right now 'is enhanced.' And acting House Sergeant at Arms Timothy Blodgett sent a memo to lawmakers and staff asking them to 'remain vigilant and to report suspicious activity' headed into Thursday. March 4 emerged as a new source of hope for QAnon loyalists after the original theory that Trump would win the 2020 election fell apart. Members of the National Guard are seen at the US Capitol Building on Tuesday. Security in D.C. has been beefed up as intelligence emerged of a threat from the Three Percenters, who may be planning to breach the Capitol on Thursday Members of the National Guard enter a gate in temporary security fencing near the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday. The Capitol is being guarded by almost 5,000 troops ahead of March 4 as Capitol cops receive word of a threat from the 3%ers This Thursday is predicted by followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory to be the day that former President Donald Trump (pictured on Sunday) will take power again and return to Washington D.C. for his inauguration Police sources told Fox 5 that they have now had vacation and days off canceled for the coming week as D.C. prepares to combat the threat posed by the new theory. Capitol police had announced earlier on Tuesday that they had been made aware of 'concerning information and intelligence pertaining to March 4th' and were increasing security as a result. The statement added that 'based on the intelligence that we have, the Department has taken immediate steps to enhance our security posture and staffing for a number of days, to include March 4th'. The Capitol is being guarded by almost 5,000 troops ahead of Thursday and US Capitol Police requested 4,900 National Guard troops remain in the nation's capital until at least March 12. For some soldiers, this means it is almost two months since they were first drafted in to the city following the MAGA mob riot on January 6 where Trump supporters broke into the Capitol in a violent riot that left five dead. A member of the National Guard guards the Captiol on Tuesday. Some members have been stationed there for two months People walk past a section of fencing blocking the Capitol grounds on Monday as securoty is increased The U.S Capitol Building behind temporary security fencing as members of the National Guard walk by on Tuesday National Guard patrol a section of fencing blocking the Capitol grounds as they prepare for a potential breach plot What is the Three Percenters movement? The Three Percenters are a loosely organized movement that formed in 2008, according to the Anti-Defamation League, the Jewish civil rights organization that tracks extremist groups. On its website, the right-wing group says it isnt an anti-government militia but 'we will defend ourselves when necessary.' The Three Percenters derives its name from the belief that just 3% of the colonists rose up to fight the British. They have vowed to resist any government that infringes on the U.S. Constitution. The Oregon Three Percenters joined an armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon in 2016. Dozens of people occupied the remote refuge for more than a month to protest federal control of Western lands. The group also took part in a violent right-wing rally in Portland last year. Advertisement It comes as the Michigan National Guard has blown the whistle on sub-par food being fed to troops that has caused more than a dozen soldiers on deployment to become ill. March 4 is important for QAnon conspirators because it was the former inauguration date of the country before the 20th Amendment moved it up to its current date in January. It was moved to lessen the time of a 'lame duck' presidency. QAnon followers believe that Trump will rally and return to the Capitol on Thursday, where he will be sworn in again. Forbes reports that room rates at Trump's D.C. hotel for the nights of March 3 and March 4 have spiked and far exceed the typical rates. A king deluxe room, for example, is going for $1,331 per night, which is 180 percent above the base rate of the hotel. Other hotels in the area are not making the same price increases for the coming nights. 'Raising room prices will surely be interpreted by QAnon as Trumps support for the March 4 narrative,' said Jason Blazakis, senior fellow at the Soufan Center, a nonpartisan think tank. 'They absolutely try to interpret the words and actions of President Trump very carefully. According to Fox, there is speculation that March 20 - the day the Republican party came to life in 1834 - and April 15 - federal income tax day - may also pose a threat. A memo from acting House Sergeant at Arms Timothy Blodgett claims that some of the threat for March 4 has diminished, Fox reports, despite the bulletin naming the Three Percenters. The right-wing group is a loosely organized movement that claims it isn't an anti-government militia but 'we will defend ourselves when necessary.' The Three Percenters derives its name from the belief that just 3% of the colonists rose up to fight the British. They have vowed to resist any government that infringes on the U.S. Constitution. The Capitol was the site of a pro-Trump insurrection on January 6 that left five dead, including a Capitol police officer. The mob believed Trump's false claims that the election was 'rigged' and 'stolen' from him. Members of the National Guard near the U.S. Capitol perimeter that is surrounded by security fencing due to a potential militia plot to preach the building again on March 4, on what used to be the presidential Inauguration Day Members of the National Guard at the U.S. Capitol where many of them have been stationed for two months The Capitol is being guarded by almost 5,000 troops ahead of Thursday and US Capitol Police requested 4,900 National Guard troops remain in the nation's capital until at least March 12. Members of the National Guard pictured on Tuesday U.S. National Guard soldiers patrol outside the Hart Senate Office Building on Tuesday. The news of the threat emerged Tuesday as further details emerged of the sub=par conditions being suffered by the National Guard at the Capitol According to Fox, there is speculation that March 20 - the day the Republican party came to life in 1834 - and April 15 - federal income tax day - may also pose a threat as the National Guard are called on to remain until at least March 12 Even after leaving the White House, and his suspension from favorite social media platform Twitter, Trump has continued to push the unfounded allegations. During his remarks at CPAC on Sunday, he mentioned the possibility of winning for 'a third time' if he chooses to run for president again. It suggested that he had won in 2020 and could run again in 2024. QAnon beliefs have rarely been validated by the realities that have unfolded around the conspiracy's followers. As well as believing Trump will return as president this Thursday, they think the former president is working against Satanic members of Hollywood and the Democratic Party who are running a pedophile ring, which led to the infamous Pizzagate incident. They also believe John F. Kennedy Jr. is still alive and that COVID-19 is a conspiracy that was invented to hurt Trump's reelection chances. Members of the Three Percenters have been among those charged with involvement in the January 6 Capitol riot. Members of the Three Percenters have been among those charged with involvement in the January 6 Capitol riot, pictured Security was upped around the Capitol after a MAGA mob stormed the building on January 6, pictured According to a George Washington University study published on Tuesday, rioters included members of military networks, military 'clusters,' and 'inspired believers'. Pictured, rear gas is released into a crowd of rioters on January 6 According to a George Washington University study published on Tuesday, rioters included members of military networks, military 'clusters,' and 'inspired believers'. Of the later group, they 'arranged their own travel, accommodations, and other logistics to join the crowds in Washington from areas throughout the United States,' according to the report. 'Charging documents claim that many of the more-organized individuals that participated in the siege were affiliated with nationwide anti-government militia movements, specifically the Oath Keepers and the Three Percenters. Both groups operate as umbrella organizations for dozens of militias throughout the country,' according to the group. They 'arranged their own travel, accommodations, and other logistics to join the crowds in Washington from areas throughout the United States,' the report added. Raw chicken, moldy bread and metal shavings: Poor food has hospitalized Michigan National Guard troops on patrol in DC causing state lawmakers to demand a new food vendor be brought in Members of the Michigan National Guard have been forced to eat raw chicken, moldy bread and meals containing metal shavings while they remain on guard in Washington DC protecting the US Capitol from attack. More than a dozen soldiers on deployment have become ill - with some serious enough to be hospitalized - after reportedly being given undercooked and contaminated food being supplied by a contractor to all troops stationed in DC. Soldiers have blown the whistle on the sub-par food by sharing photos of pink chicken, uncooked beef and moldy food with lawmakers and online while one staff sergeant revealed dozens of meals had to be thrown out when metal shavings were found inside dishes. The shocking conditions have sparked a group of bipartisan lawmakers to demand a new food vendor be brought in or for troops to be given a daily allowance to buy their own food, while some are calling for guard members to be sent home altogether. During their time protecting the seat of American democracy, National Guard members have endured substandard conditions, including being forced to sleep outside, as well as COVID-19 safety risks. Uncooked meat. Members of the Michigan National Guard have been forced to eat raw chicken, moldy bread and meals containing metal shavings while they remain on guard in Washington DC protecting the US Capitol from attack Raw chicken. More than a dozen soldiers on deployment have become ill - with some serious enough to be hospitalized - after reportedly being given undercooked and contaminated food being supplied by a contractor to all troops stationed in DC Moldy bread. Soldiers have blown the whistle on the sub-par food by sharing photos of pink chicken, uncooked beef and moldy food with lawmakers and online Thousands of Guardsmen were forced to sleep on the floor of a packed parking garage back in January when they were told to stop taking their rest breaks inside the Capitol by a Capitol officer. Meanwhile, hundreds of guard members tested positive for COVID-19 with insiders describing a failure by the National Guard to implement coronavirus testing and social distancing protocols evenly across the board. In the latest saga over the treatment of the men and women deployed to the Capitol, National Guard members are complaining the food they are being given is inedible and unsafe, reported TV6. Undercooked food left more than a dozen soldiers unwell including an unknown number who were taken to hospital as a result, one staff sergeant, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told 7 Action News. The guard member said the issue is not isolated, citing multiple occasions where dozens of meals were tossed due to the discovery of raw meat or other contamination. Almost 75 meals were thrown out Sunday after metal shavings were found inside them while another 74 meals had raw beef in them, they said. Aside from the poor - and sometimes dangerous - quality, the sergeant said troops are not being given enough food, with breakfast some days consisting of just a dinner roll and Sunny D ahead of a 12-hour shift. Metal shavings. One staff sergeant revealed dozens of meals had to be thrown out when metal shavings were found inside dishes The shocking conditions have sparked a group of bipartisan lawmakers to demand a new food vendor be brought in or for troops to be given a daily allowance to buy their own food Raw beef (left) and a bad orange (right). Just some of the food the troops are fed while protecting the Capitol Many guard members are said to be resorting to buying their own food because they don't trust the food being provided to them. Reports of the poor food has caused an uproar among lawmakers from both parties, with all 14 members of the Michigan Delegation in the House of Representatives sending a letter to Chief of the National Guard Bureau General Daniel R. Hokanson Tuesday. The letter, led by Republican Rep. Bill Huizenga of Michigan's 2nd Congressional District, demanded the National Guard void its contract with the current food supplier and either find another or for a per diem to be provided to troops. It was signed by Debbie Dingell, Tim Walberg, Brenda Lawrence, Jack Bergman, Haley Stevens, Fred Upton, Elissa Slotkin, John Moolenaar, Dan Kildee, Peter Meijer, Andy Levin, Lisa McClain and Rashida Tlaib. The bipartisan group hit out at the 'unacceptable and inadequate quality of food' that had 'hospitalized' some troops. 'We understand that the decision was made to provide contracted meals to support the entire federal response stationed at the Capitol,' the letter read. 'However, it is clear that these contracted meals are poorly prepared, oftentimes inedible, and highly inadequate to support our soldiers. It is completely unacceptable that our men and women serving in Washington D.C. are being hospitalized due to the food they are being provided. 'As Representatives of these service members, we request that either the current contract be voided and a new food provider be brought in or that the service members be provided with a per diem throughout their remaining time in Washington, D.C.' The Michigan National Guard released a statement saying reports of undercooked and inadequate food was 'very concerning' and 'unacceptable' Issues with the quality of food comes after a backlash in January when shocking photos showed thousands of Guardsmen forced to sleep on the floor of the packed Thurgood Marshall Building parking garage and in a park outside (above) Insiders described a failure by the National Guard to implement coronavirus testing and social distancing protocols evenly across the board. Pictured up to 5,000 troops in the garage Rep. Bergman said troops don't expect a '5-star resort' but what they have been served with is 'an embarrassment'. 'After visiting with our Michigan Guard troops in DC, I have heard from many over the past 48 hours regarding additional issues of contaminated and undercooked food being served,' he said, per TV6. 'This is unacceptable. Our troops don't demand a 5-star resort or expensive food, but at a minimum, they deserve meals that are safe to consume. 'This is an embarrassment for all those responsible for the care of our troops, and must be met with full accountability.' Bergman called for the guard members to leave DC altogether saying t is 'time to get our troops home to their families.' The Michigan National Guard released a statement saying reports of undercooked and inadequate food was 'very concerning' and 'unacceptable.' 'The Michigan National Guard finds the reports of undercooked and poorly prepared food provided to our service members in Washington, D.C. very concerning. The firsthand accounts and pictures of undercooked food being served clearly shows that what is being given to Michigan's service members is unacceptable,' it read. The guard said the issue was escalated to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer who called Acting Secretary of the Army John E. Whitley 'to communicate Michigan's concerns'. 'Other Michigan senior leaders also engaged at the highest levels of the federal government to inform those in charge and to ensure that they knew of our displeasure with the conditions. Every assurance was given that the issue would be addressed and corrected,' the statement said. DailyMail.com has contacted the DC National Guard for comment about how the issue is being resolved. The Egyptian Embassy in Rome has organised a virtual seminar to explain Cairo's vision regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a statement by the foreign ministry said on Wednesday. The online seminar has been organised in cooperation with the African Studies Centre in Turin with the participation of the Egyptian negotiating delegation in the GERD talks. The symposium comes as a continuation of the attempts by the Egyptian foreign ministry to clarify Cairo's efforts to reach a fair and balanced agreement on the near-complete $4.8 billion dam, the statement said. Egypt and Sudan have been in talks with Ethiopia for years now to reach a legally binding agreement on the filling and operation of the massive hydropower dam Addis Ababa is building on the Blue Nile. Over the past year, the African Union (AU), under the presidency of South Africa, tried in vain to help the three countries reach an agreement over the long-running dispute, with the last round being stalled in January due to Khartoum's withdrawal from the meetings in objection to the methodology upon which the talks had been held. The foreign ministry's statement revealed that the symposium has also dealt with clarifying the impacts of the GERD on the two downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan. Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry has repeatedly affirmed Cairo's commitment to negotiations on the 6,000-megawatt dam for almost a decade in an aim to reach a fair and just agreement that achieves Addis Ababa's development objectives while minimising the effects of the dam on Egypt and Sudan. Egypts 100 million-plus population relies on the River Nile for more than 95 percent of its renewable water resources. It fears the dam will significantly diminish its crucial water supply, which is already below scarcity level. According to an independent study on the GERD by Deltares, which was recently published by the Egyptian Embassy in the US, a decrease of only 1 billion cubic metres of water could eliminate more than 1 million jobs and $1.8 billion in economic production annually in all economic sectors in Egypt. Urbanisation would skyrocket due to rural depopulation, which would lead to an increase in unemployment, crime rates and transnational migration, causing serious ramifications in the Middle East and Europe. A loss of 1 billion cubic meters of Nile water would cost Egypt 130,000 hectares of lost cultivated land, $430 million of lost agricultural production, and a $150 million increase in food imports, the embassy said, quoting the Deltares study. On the other hand, in its three-page letter to the UNSC last June, Sudan said the GERD "will completely change the flow regime of the Blue Nile" by flattening its hydrograph, and with its gigantic size it "poses substantial threats to Sudan if not properly designed, constructed, filled and operated." Sudan fears the GERD would put the operation of its Roseires dam and the lives of Sudanese citizens 20 million Sudanese rely on the Blue Nile at "a very high risk" if an agreement regulating its operation and filling is not reached. Even though the AU has called for a binding agreement on the GERD filling and operation, Ethiopia announced that it is not seeking a binding agreement, but rather guidelines that can be modified any time at Ethiopias discretion. Short link: Woodbine Mohawk Park would like to inform all horsepeople that schoolers will be offered Thursday morning (March 4) following qualifiers. A total of 30 spots are open for Thursdays schoolers. Trainers are limited to a maximum of five horses each and are asked to indicate number of pacers or trotters when signing up. Anyone bringing a horse in for schoolers will also need to check in with the paddock judge when they arrive. Sign-up for Thursdays schoolers opens at 2 p.m. and is available by clicking here. (Woodbine) New Delhi, March 3 : As World Wildlife Day is being observed, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday appealed to ensure protection of animals and preserve forest and safe habitats for them. In a tweet, the Vice President said: "On this World Wildlife Day, let us all put in dedicated efforts to save and preserve the wildlife and create greater awareness on the need to maintain a healthy ecological balance on our planet." Prime Minister Modi saluted those working towards wildlife protection on the World Wildlife Day and teeeted: "Be it lions, tigers and leopards, India is seeing a steady rise in the population of various animals. We should do everything possible to ensure protection of our forests and safe habitats for animals." World Wildlife Day is observed annually on March 3 to celebrate and raise awareness of the world's flora and fauna. The day is about raising awareness about wildlife and educating the people about the diversity and importance of flora and fauna across the world. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Exclusive opportunity for Bombardier business aircraft customers to design their aircraft in collaboration with luxury British automotive manufacturer Initiative complements Bombardier's established design leadership MONTREAL, March 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aston Martin and Bombardier - two iconic brands - have signed a letter of intent to collaborate on custom design services for Bombardier business jets. The collaboration would give customers the opportunity for a truly unique design experience, with the meeting of the top creative minds from the luxury automotive and private jet industries. "Bombardier's discerning customers have come to expect our products' signature smooth ride and the company's no-compromise approach to design, performance and reliability at every level of our portfolio," said Peter Likoray, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, New Aircraft, Bombardier. "We would be proud to add a new facet to this experience that channels Aston Martin's distinct aesthetic approach." Aston Martin and Bombardier are known for creating masterpieces of engineering in which style never takes a back seat. This desire to collaborate reflects a common drive to innovate and opens up new possibilities for the cabin experience aboard Bombardier's Challenger and Global business jets. "Aston Martin has a highly refined set of automotive design principles, driven by the meticulous application of proportion, craft and technical innovation," said Aston Martin Vice President and Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman, "Bombardier's customers share our owners' desire for unique contemporary design statements. We are truly excited at the prospect of collaborating with Bombardier's accomplished design team to bring our respective design expertise together. Challenger and Global aircraft will give us an opportunity to take Aston Martin design to new heights." Bombardier's award-winning business jet cabins offer spaciousness, productivity and comfort for an unparalleled experience that is further enhanced by a signature smooth ride. Cabin innovations such as the patented Nuage seating collection and the sophisticated Pur Air system highlight Bombardier's unrelenting commitment to passenger comfort and wellness. Bombardier's refreshed portfolio of long-range, large-cabin Global aircraft has garnered design accolades including the International Yacht & Aviation Awards for the Nuage seating collection and the prestigious Red Dot award for product design for the Global 7500 aircraft. Bombardier's best-selling and multiple-award-winning Challenger platform is a top choice among top corporate flight departments and charter operators worldwide. About Aston Martin Aston Martin Lagonda is a luxury automotive group focused on the creation of exclusive cars and SUVs. The iconic Aston Martin brand fuses the latest technology, exceptional hand craftsmanship and timeless design to produce models including the Vantage, DB11, DBS Superleggera and the new SUV, DBX. Based in Gaydon, England, Aston Martin Lagonda designs, creates and exports cars which are sold in 54 countries around the world. Lagonda was founded in 1899 and Aston Martin in 1913. The two brands came together in 1947 when both were purchased by the late Sir David Brown. About Bombardier Bombardier is a global leader in aviation, creating innovative and game-changing planes. Our products and services provide world-class experiences that set new standards in passenger comfort, energy efficiency, reliability and safety. Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Bombardier is present in more than 12 countries including its production/engineering sites and its customer support network. The Corporation supports a worldwide fleet of approximately 4,900 aircraft in service with a wide variety of multinational corporations, charter and fractional ownership providers, governments and private individuals. News and information is available at bombardier.comor follow us on Twitter @Bombardier. Notes to Editors To receive our press releases, please visit the RSS Feedsection. Bombardier, Challenger, Global, Global 5500, Global 6500, Global 7500, Nuage and Pur Air are unregistered or registered trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries. ASTON MARTIN and the Aston Martin "wings" are registered trademarks of Aston Martin Lagonda Limited.. For Information Bombardier Louise Solomita +1-514-855-5001, ext. 25148 Louise.Solomita@aero.bombardier.com Aston Martin Raphaele Loheac-Derboulle Press Officer, Lifestyle Communications Mobile: +44 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/78943e64-f923-4036-b2a5-45c50f06c443 On February 27, the Alabama Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee hosted an online meeting titled The CDC vs. Science: What teachers, parents & students need to know. The meeting was organized after the release of politically motivated guidelines on school reopenings by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on February 12. An Alabama public school teacher chaired the meeting, which was attended by educators from across that state as well as California, Georgia, Hawaii, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. The featured speaker was World Socialist Web Site health care writer Dr. Benjamin Mateus, who gave a report on The critical role of ventilation and infection control in classrooms and answered questions. Students work on an art project during class at the Sinaloa Middle School in Novato, California on March 2, 2021. (AP Photo/Haven Daily) The following is an edited transcript of Dr. Mateuss report and the Q&A. Dr. Benjamin Mateus: I want to focus my report on the critical role of ventilation and infection control in classrooms, because its glaringly absent in the CDC guidelines. And I think once we get into it, itll be clear why its important. Given a respiratory pathogen like SARS-CoV-2, it becomes imperative to ensure that school heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems are constantly running and meticulously maintained. On the National Air Filtration Association website, in the section on air filtration for school, it quotes the American Public Health Association: Every child and school employee should have the right to an environmentally safe and healthy school that is clean and in good repair. It emphasizes the fact that schools are even more densely populated than a typical commercial building, making the bio-burden much more significant and leading to some of the worst air conditions in any environment. The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) report published in June 2020 found that 54 percent of public-school districts require the overhaul or replacement of multiple building systems or features in their schools. Specifically, 41 percent of school districts, or 36,000 schools across the country, need to update their HVAC systems. The same report explains that in 2019, before the pandemic, California did a study of its schools HVAC systems. These were 94 newly installed HVAC systems in K-12 schools. It found that 85 percent of them didnt provide adequate ventilation, meaning fresh outdoor air was not coming into the rooms. So even though theyre putting in these $100,000 or $1,000,000 units into their school systems, they dont know how to run them. They dont have the expertise. The GAO report also notes that a recent inspection of 21 schools in New Haven, Connecticut, found that two-thirds had dirty or poorly maintained ventilation systems. The inspection revealed years of neglect that predated the pandemic. In an article published earlier this month, on February 12, Christopher Ruch, the director of training at the National Energy Management Institute, said that poor ventilation is an age-old problem that predates the current COVID-19 crisis. Many classrooms did not have HVAC units operating at the minimum required ventilation rates even before the pandemic. The benefits of adequate ventilation, including reduced absenteeism, improved cognitive retention, and improved productivity, have been well documented in multiple publications. This issue needs to be addressed regardless of the COVID-19 pandemic. The term aerosolization becomes a critical factor in our discussion here. Dr. Kevin Fennelly wrote in July 2020 in the Lancet, data show that infectious aerosols from humans exist in a wide range of particle sizes that are strikingly consistent across studies, methods, and pathogens. There is no evidence to support the concept that most respiratory infections are associated with primarily large droplet transmission. In fact, small particle aerosols are the rule, rather than the exception, contrary to current guidelines. This was a tremendous leap forward in our understanding of the pandemic. It confirmed that preventative measures had to address this critical issue: the ventilation of indoor spaces. The concept of contaminated surfaces and respiratory droplets dates back to 100 years ago. Its only recently that weve had the ability to identify how respiratory pathogens really work. An article published in October 2020 in USA TODAY titled Ventilation and air filtration play a key role in preventing the spread of COVID-19 indoors includes a lot of important information from experts like Dr. Shelly Miller, professor of mechanical engineering at University of Colorado Boulder, as well as representatives from the American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers ( ASHRAE ) Epidemic Task Force. The article states that most HVAC systems cycle in about 20 percent fresh air, and the remaining 80 is recirculated air. This is done for energy efficiency. However, some aerosolization scientists recommend moving the air out completely and bringing in 100 percent fresh air. That means a greater energy burden. But the safety of children and teachers is more important than the extra cost of running these HVAC systems. As the article further explains, minimum ventilation rates depend on the type of activity occurring in that room. So, we need to ask not only how many people are in that classroom, and how big is it, but also, is this wood shop? Is it a gym class? And what season is it? Because the temperature and humidity will be different. For the school nurses office, having a negative pressure room is critical. And being able to isolate students and having some method by which to take students or a teacher from a class to the nurses office is also critical. ASHRAE recommends that in one hour, the HVAC system should provide six complete changes, and it recommends ventilating the room one hour to two hours before classes are opened, and one to two hours after classes are finished. There have been a lot of studies that have looked at infectious disease outbreaks and the use of ventilation. Theres one study from an outbreak of tuberculosis in 2019 at Taipei University in Taiwan. They noticed that rooms were under-ventilated. And they found out that the CO2 levels in these rooms were running around 1,200 to 2,000 parts per million. Its supposed to be somewhere between 500 to 600 parts per million. They increased the ventilation by 20-fold, and the outbreak ended. Before the ventilation, the CO2 reading was at 3,200 parts per million. Once the ventilation was improved, the CO2 readings went down to 600 parts per million. CO2 Sensor Helps to Reduce the Risk of COVID Transmission Indoors is the title of an article in the November 2020 edition of Electronic Engineering Times. It explains that in conjunction with improving and having appropriate HVAC systems, it is critical to have CO2 sensors in your room. People spend 90 percent of their time indoors, which means concentrations of pollutants indoors are often two to five times higher than outdoors. CO2 concentration is a key indicator of air quality. When your CO2 level reaches 1,000 parts per million, you can get headaches. You can get drowsy, and it can affect your concentration. When you get to 2,000 parts per million, it can actually have an impact on your cognitive abilities, and it can lead to health risks. If you have asthma, it can exacerbate that. Exhaling CO2 into a room can be a proxy for potential aerosolization of COVID-19 particles. And that means if your sensor goes off, you probably have a problem. If that happens, then you need to evacuate the room and ventilate before you bring students back into that classroom. In conjunction with running an appropriate HVAC system, its critical to use Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value Filters, or MERV filters. Many of you have already heard of these. The higher the value, the fewer particulates get through, but it puts more strain on your ventilation. So MERV-13 has been the agreed minimum standard. And the reason for that is because COVID particles tend to be in the range of 0.5 microns to 50 microns, and mainly between 1 and 5 microns. MERV-13 removes about 95 percent of the particulates in this range. Thats why its very important to have these filters in place. Another thing that teachers need to know is that acrylic dividers in classrooms are probably not a good thing. Dr. Shelley Miller, whos done research on this, especially with music classes, found out that plexiglass barriers change the aerodynamics in the room, and it can create dead zones where aerosols build up. She tweeted on September 9, 2020, We do not recommend acrylic room dividers for reducing risk of airborne transmission. At best it does NOTHING, at worse it changes the airflow patterns in the room and can cause pooling of air, hot-spots, and reduced ventilation effectiveness. On February 15 of this year, a group of scientists including Dr. Michael Osterholm signed a letter demanding that the Biden administration acknowledge that SARS-CoV-2 is an aerosolized pathogen as opposed to the current emphasis on respiratory droplets. The title of their letter is Immediate action is needed to address SARS-CoV-2 inhalation exposure. They write, For many months it has been clear that transmission through inhalation of small aerosol particles is an important and significant mode of SARS-CoV-2 virus transmission. ... Numerous studies have demonstrated that aerosols produced through breathing, talking, and singing are concentrated close to the infected person, can remain in air and viable for long periods of time, and travel long distances within a room and sometimes farther. Gatherings in indoor spaces without adequate ventilation place participants at particularly high risk, an important component of which is driven by asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic viral shedding of infected individuals. One new study of the coronavirus in buildings found that because of the viruses transmissibility and tendency to hang in the air over time, administrators may not be able to rely on the normal rate of air flow from their ventilation systems to clear virus particles from the air. A separate new study of Dutch schools found aerosols built up steadily in school gyms even when they had ventilation, but the combination of increased ventilation and the use of mobile air filters cut the concentration of aerosols in the rooms by 80 to 90 percent. The CDC does recommend bolstering ventilation beyond opening doors and windows. But what if each fan costs $100, portable filters cost $500, and putting ultraviolet germicidal irradiation into your ventilation ducts could cost upwards of $1,500? This could run into hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars, depending on the school. High-poverty school districts spend on average $300 less per student on capital projects like HVAC upkeep and replacement. There are more than 96,000 buildings nationwide ranging in size, age, and location, and according to the GAO, 36,000 of them have sub-standard HVAC systems. A Learning Policy Institute (LPI) article from December cites the GAO figure and adds that these systems could cost about a million dollars per building to upgrade, and even more for systems that have to be totally replaced. It estimates that about $72 billion would need to be spent to guarantee safe air quality in all classrooms. But the funding for school facilities, as we know, primarily comes from local sourcesabout 82 percent of it, according to the LPI. State funding is about 18 percent, and federal support is less than 1 percent. The LPI writes that Most states, for their part, are trying to fend off cuts to their K-12 education budgets and are not in a position to increase funding for facilities. In short, the federal government is the only entity that can provide the needed resources to ensure safe and healthy air quality in our schools. In its push to support the Biden administrations efforts to open schools rapidly, the CDC has altogether ignored the aerosolization of the virus. Its guidelines make no mention of these transmission mechanisms. This is because the acknowledgment of airborne routes of spread would necessitate ensuring that physical conditions at schools were thoroughly assessed and addressed before approving any reopening plan. A national project to refurbish school districts facilities and bring them up to code would have to become the primary focus over the intervening months as schools shifted to complete remote learning until the fall or whenever it is deemed safe. Teachers must realize that the science is with them. Their resistance isnt based on fear, but the recognition that the pandemic is serious and the dangers are certain. It comes out of a deep consideration for the well-being of their students, their families, and communities. And it is for these reasons that they actually put up such a heroic fight. The working class supports their fight. And the working class is the only class that can ensure that societys resources are used in the rational manner that is required to stop this pandemic. Thank you for allowing me to speak. Questions & Answers Q: The CDC said that if community spread of COVID was above a certain level, schools should not open, but now the government is pushing to open schools regardless. How should the level of community spread affect the decision to open schools? Dr. Mateus: Well, first Biden said that all were looking for is just one school open at K-8, then suddenly they change it to all schools K-12 open five days a week. So, this is a moving target. And yes, they even said that as long as you can maintain every mitigation effort, its safe to open schools regardless of how high the community transmission is. I would warn teachers that theres a direct correlation between school openings and the development of community spread. The data is clear that children can be infected, and they can spread the virus. And the belief that somehow theres going to be 100 percent use of masks and appropriate social distancing in class five days a week for nine hours is ludicrous. Even [CDC Director] Dr. Walensky had to admit that the compliance with mask usage in the United States among students was probably 50 to 60 percent, not the 100 percent that theyre looking for. And their guidelines say that if you cant maintain these mitigation efforts, you have to close. But its a moving target because they need to have kids back at school and parents back to work, and they need to get the economy rolling. There was at first a big emphasis on how theyre going to do testing of children once a week, and teachers twice a week, but now thats gone by the wayside. Now, its a suggestion as opposed to something that is definitely going to happen. Testing in the United States has remained at 2 million or less per day. They havent expanded testing, and they havent expanded contact tracing and symptom checks. So, I dont know what to tell teachers except that the CDC is not acting with the interests of the public in mind. They have the interests of the state in mind, and they are going to fudge and move the goalposts to ensure that teachers and students are back to school. And once theyre back to school, theres no shutting it down again. If you look at the population-based studies and modeling studies that have been cited repeatedly, we understand that the closure of schools is a critical factor for mitigating the pandemic. In the UK in December, after a partial closure, businesses and schools were reopened as the B.1.1.7 variant was climbing. They sent an urgent message to the media, to [UK Prime Minster] Boris Johnson, saying the pandemic is out of control, on January 4. Their health care systems were inundated. And on January 5, Boris Johnson ordered the hardest shutdown possible, and they closed the schools, they closed businesses, and the numbers began to come down. We are now dealing with a situation in the US where were seeing the decline in cases come to an end. It is plateauing, and its going to start climbing again. Dr. Osterholm and other scientists have made it clear that when this B.1.1.7 becomes dominant, because of its increased transmissibility, whatever mitigation that were doing now is not going to be enough and were going to see numbers climb. It is a perfect storm situation, in that not only do we see a dominant new strain, were also opening schools. So, were throwing fuel into the fire that is raging. And the children are that fuel. Theyre playing with the lives of the working class. I dont know how else to explain it. This is a dangerous situation, and we need to raise the alarm. Q: The CDC says that opening schools is safe. What study is that based on? Dr. Mateus: In order to answer that question, you have to go back to all the references they loaded into the reference section and start examining them. First, they are predominantly referencing respiratory droplets as a source of infection. Thats where the six-foot rule comes from, and wearing the mask. But what we now understand about the pandemic is that, first of all, youre infective before youre symptomatic. Infection can happen when youre asymptomatic. What we also understand is that young people and children are usually asymptomatic. That means they carry the infection and they can infect, but they dont know theyre infected. And theres nothing in the schools that is checkingtheres no symptom check. Theres no checking what they call a screening PCR test or screening antigen test at all. But what the CDC is referencing is these small studies that are done over a period of four weeks to six weeks in one particular school district, where the school knows that theyre being evaluated. And at a time when theyre not even doing the appropriate testing, they dont really see rising infections in the school while the surrounding community is seeing rising infections, and they say, aha, looks like this is safe. Well, then data comes out later in Montreal, where there is week-to-week analysis of whats happening. And they see, no, in fact children are getting infected and theyre actually going home and infecting their parents. We didnt realize that at first, but now we do. Then theres large contact tracing studies that are happening in India where theyre tracing everybody, and theyre realizing children are passing it to the elderly. Then in Germany, where they also said children are not susceptible, they do a seroprevalence study where they discover children have six times the antibody levels than we expected them to have, meaning that most of them were undetected. Then they do a study in Austria on seroprevalence in kids, and they see the same thing. The studies that the CDC makes reference to are very small studies and often they are studies from May or June when we didnt have a lot of information as to how the pandemic was working, and schools were shut down and huge lockdowns were in effect, so we couldnt tease out how kids are part of it. Its critical for them to push this agenda where they say kids are not susceptible for severe disease. However, kids do die, weve seen it. They can get MIS-C, which is devastating, and to say that they rarely get it is disingenuous. One child getting MIS-C is too many. If they were serious, they would analyze all the data, even those that go against their position, and say, well, where does the truth lie? Instead, they claim schools are safe, based on a Wisconsin study of about 11 schools, where they all got new masks and they had health monitors watching everybody there, and theyre all behaving well, and they didnt do a symptom check at all. Even though Wisconsin was seeing their numbers go up, their conclusion was schools are safe. I think theres a lot of political pressure to produce data and push data that supports the Biden agenda. Q: The media has been pushing the narrative that the mental health of students has suffered and there has been a rise in the suicide rate among youth due to not being able to attend school in-person. Can this really be any worse than the emotional stress caused by the fear of becoming infected and infecting others? Is it a tactic to press teachers into returning? And could the mental anguish that may be caused from not attending school be addressed without reopening schools? Dr. Mateus: It is a tactic. But I think children are having a very difficult time. Who could say theyre not? Parents are having a difficult time. The elderly are having a very difficult time. The pandemic, and the response to the pandemic, which is the response of the ruling elite, has essentially created a situation where things are a mess and they only want to make a bigger mess. You can open schools and maybe parents will die and grandparents will die. Were not out of the woods here. Mental health providers need to address issues with children. But we need to have a working-class response to the schools, to keep them closed. We need to provide the resources that families need to support them financially. I mean, how much of the stress is related to the fact that financially families are having hardships? What about in Texas, where homes were destroyed, or the familys lost a weeks worth of wages? How are they going to deal with those issues? So, the mental anguish isnt just with kids. Its with adults, grandparents, with the community. Its disingenuous to suggest its only children, and therefore we have to open schools. We will see the pandemic run away again. Health care systems are going to be inundated, and youll have nurses and doctors with post-traumatic stress disorder. Then theres all the people that cant see their loved ones who are dying in the hospitals. The situation is catastrophic, but it isnt because schools are closed. In the United States, theyve never suppressed the infection rates down to any controllable level, and they never built a contact tracing system. They cant even get the population vaccinated. So, this is the capitalist ruling class. And they are playing with the emotions of the working class. Q: Is there such a thing as herd immunity if the virus continues to mutate? They are already saying new strains are resistant to vaccines. Dr. Mateus: The only variants that have shown some resistance to vaccines right now have been the South African variant and the Brazilian. The South African variant is the B.1.351, and the Brazilian variant is P.1. Thats because these two variants have a mutation called E484K mutation, which alters what is called the immune evasion. Its not 100 percent immune evasion, but when the Pfizer vaccine encounters the South African variant, the amount of antibodies it produces is much lower. Or you can see the AstraZeneca vaccine in South Africa had a very low response. But other vaccines seem to work well enough. We need more study, but what the vaccines are doing is preventing moderate to severe disease. No one has died after getting the vaccine. So, it does protect you. But it doesnt necessarily mean that you cant get infected, and you cant transmit it. Thats very important to understand. If countries like the US and Brazil and the UK just let it rip, eventually the virus will become endemic, but at a great cost to the populations health and well-being. What happens then is that everybody develops some level of immunity, and they develop antibodies and T-cell responses. And they will develop some ability to suppress infection, so even if they get infected it wont be as bad. What endemic also means is that children now become the primary people who acquire the infection. The population as a whole has been immunized because they get it as children, and they dont get it as adults, or they get a very mild version of it. This is what happened with the common cold with the other corona viruses, and so they are anticipating that the SARS-CoV-2 will eventually become similar to other cold viruses. But remember, were at a point now where COVID-19 is not endemic. Actually, a majority of the population has not seen the virus. And we can suppress it, we can bring it down to no transmission in the community. We can prevent further loss of life. Other countries have shown that it is possible. This is not an unstoppable virus. Q: Our school district in Pennsylvania has just gone from hybrid to full in-person learning for grades 7 12 Monday through Thursday and virtual on Fridays. As a result, there will be 40+ students riding on a school bus. They tell us to open windows and use the cabin fan directed toward the back of the bus. And a lot of times we need to use the heating/defrost system. Is this safe? Dr. Mateus: I think if you have 40 kids in the school bus, and the windows are closed, its a super-spreading event waiting to happen, period. With the windows open its all about the dynamics of the situation that youre in, but lets say the kids are huddled in the back and theyre coughing or sneezing because theyre cold. Youre going to have a super-spreading event. It needs to be evaluated, and I think you need to be very careful about suggesting that school buses filled with kids with windows open is going to be somehow safe. Q: Two-part question: What does proper indoor air quality look like in schools? And can you also talk about how contact tracing works to slow the spread? Dr. Mateus: When you have a lot of people in one room, they breathe, they cough, and this produces a bio-burden. Schools tend to be very dirty environments for air. There are no CO2 detectors in most schools that I know of. Teachers can correct me if Im wrong. But the purpose of the CO2 sensor is to make a measure of how much CO2 is in a room, and as we said, when you reach 1,000 parts per million, you get groggy, you get sleepy. Youre not thinking straight because youre not getting the oxygen needed. So, thats what we mean by poor air quality. And many schools that are located in poorer neighborhoods are already dealing with highly urbanized centers where theres significant pollution, whether its lead in the water or air pollution. So, we have a lot of work to do on fixing the environment, not just air pollution, but paint on walls, asbestos, water quality, both in schools and in residential areas. With regards to contact tracing, this is a comprehensive package. Contact tracing follows up on somebody who has been exposed to someone with a known infection, and then checks to see who their contacts are and see what the risks are. We do tests on them and isolate them. The job of the contact tracer is to identify where the virus is going and spreading, and what has to be done to stop it from continuing to spread in the community. The United States has not built its contact tracing system. In December, at the peak of the pandemic, it had about 10 percent of the manpower it needed to appropriately track all the infections. One of the things about community spread is that if you dont have sufficient contact tracing, youre really going blind and youre in a situation where you need to shut down and get control of the pandemic. When youre blind to where the virus is, it will continue to spread. And then what youre going to end up with is a series: you have a surge, you lock down, you open, another surge, another lockdown. Q: How can we get an asbestos report on a particular school building? Alabama teachers have run in circles trying to find out who is certified to test our conditions. Weve been told that since the school was built in the 1980s it shouldnt have asbestos, but we have also seen reports that say asbestos was used in some cases until the 1990s. Dr. Mateus: What I would do is contact ASHRAE and ask them who their representatives are in Alabama and specifically for the city and the district. And then you can make a request for asbestos support or an assessment, for someone to come in and look and do a thorough investigation. Asbestos is serious, as you know. Mesothelioma is a serious health issue. It can be fatal. And if you have dilapidated buildings, you can get asbestos airborne. And it can cause long-term, serious health damage. Q: Good ventilation is a key factor. This has been known for decades, yet nothing has been done. How have they been allowed to go this long putting people at risk without addressing it? We keep being told we dont have the funding. Dr. Mateus: Well, on the World Socialist Web Site, weve said that the pandemic is a trigger event. And what we mean by that is that the pandemic has completely exposed all the most irrational inner processes of capitalism that were already at work. So, for instance, why did the 11-year-old boy [Christian Pineda] in Texas have to freeze to death, when we knew the electrical grid is outdated and nothing has been done about it? Why did the hurricanes devastate New Orleans and then Houston and nothings been done about it? Because theres no profit incentive. Theres no money for critical infrastructure because from the point of view of a capitalist, its a waste of money. All theyre trying to do is make more profits and they want people to work, but they dont want to make life better for them. Were in a situation where workers are paying more for their health care, but quality of life is deteriorating. Were even seeing life expectancy go down, and thats really a measure of the inability of capitalism to support the population. When we have so much science, when we know so much, and yet, you cant support the population. So, I think the answer to your question lies in a deep analysis of capitalism and its contradictions. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Patriot Accounting Software placed on the Emerging Favorites list "As our customers' reviews show, Patriot's accounting software is an easy-to-use and affordable solution for business owners and accountants alike. Our stellar USA-based customer service team also helps set us apart from others," said Jackie Greenfield, Accounting Product Manager. Patriot Software, LLC, an accounting software and payroll service provider, has been named as an Emerging Favorite on the 2021 Capterra Accounting Software Shortlist and Capterra Accounts Payable Shortlist. Gartners Capterra is an online software reviews provider that helps consumers make well-informed software decisions by offering user reviews and research. Gartner also owns Software Advice and GetApp. Along with being listed as an Emerging Favorite on the 2021 Capterra Shortlist for accounting software and accounts payable tools, Patriots Accounting boasts a user rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars on Capterra and has a ratings score of 48 out of 50 points. The software solutions included on Capterras Accounting Software Shortlist and Accounts Payable Shortlist were assessed based on a blend of user ratings and popularity. Capterra compiled the accounting software shortlist by assessing over 500 products in their directory and eliminating products that did not meet functionality and review requirements. They also assessed 196 products to create the accounts payable shortlist. "We're very excited to have our Patriot Accounting software recognized by Capterra," says Jackie Greenfield, Accounting Product Manager. "As our customers' reviews show, Patriot's accounting software is an easy-to-use and affordable solution for business owners and accountants alike. Our stellar USA-based customer service team also helps set us apart from others." Patriot Softwares Accounting has also earned a number of Gartner badges, including GetApp Category Leaders 2021 for Accounting and Accounts Payable and Software Advice Frontrunners 2021 for Accounting and Accounts Payable. Patriots recent acknowledgments from Gartners Capterra show that Patriots customers highly rate and recommend Patriots Accounting to other business owners and accountants who are looking for an easy-to-use and affordable accounting solution. Patriot Software, located in Canton Ohio, provides award-winning online accounting software and online payroll for American businesses. For information on all of Patriots products servicing the United States, contact Patriot Software, LLC at 877-968-7147, or visit http://www.patriotsoftware.com. Contact: Patriot Software, LLC Michele Bossart Marketing Manager 877-968-7147 mbossart@patriotsoftware.com Governments may be more likely to downplay the severity of COVID-19 in countries where there is a high level of economic disparity, finds new research from ESMT Berlin. The more unequal the disease's economic impact, the less the government may exaggerate the severity. The study shows that governments are more likely to downplay the severity of COVID-19 if they prefer to prioritize a healthy economy over public health. The opposite is true for governments who prioritize a healthy population over the economy, as they are more likely to exaggerate the severity of COVID-19. The researchers, Francis de Vericourt, professor of management science and director of the Center for Decisions, Models and Data (DMD-Center) at ESMT, Huseyin Gurkan, assistant professor of management science at ESMT, and Shouqiang Wang, assistant professor of operations management at Naveen Jindal School of Management, investigated how policymakers induce public compliance throughout their communication. They developed an information design framework, which accounted for the health-economy trade-off faced by both governments and individuals, the diversity of socioeconomic status within the population, and the individual impact of social distancing. From this model, the researchers found that as the disparity of socioeconomic status in a population increases, the government is more likely to misrepresent data and downplay the severity of the COVID-19 epidemic. The researchers also found that governments are completely transparent with the data and information they have when they equally value the economy and public health and are stuck in a balancing act between the two. Francis de Vericourt says, "Lockdowns and confinement measures are the best, non-pharmaceutical way of slowing the spread of an epidemic. The impact of these restrictions, however, relies heavily on individual compliance, which political leaders and governmental agencies garner by disseminating information on the epidemic's severity. To be effective, this communication must take into account both the economic and health impacts of these measures, as well as the different reactions within the population that this information might trigger." The researchers state that the communication strategy of a government is incredibly important in ensuring that the citizens comply with whichever approach they take in terms of COVID-19 - whether that be an economy first or a public health first stance. In these instances, it can be incredibly easy for governments to hide, manipulate, or misrepresent specific data sets to skew people's views. "Informing a population about an epidemic is challenging because different individuals weigh the trade-off between their wealth and health differently. This can cause huge differences in the level of compliance of each individual," says Huseyin Gurkan. "Governments are faced with the tough task of ensuring maximum compliance while also ensuring the economy is as stable as possible. Each government has a different priority level for these, hence causing some governments to downplay the risk of COVID-19 and some to exaggerate it." The findings of this study are particularly pertinent in identifying which strategies governments should take to achieve their goals in ensuring massive compliance to guidelines, even if these may be more focused on the economy as opposed to public health. The article has been accepted for publication in Management Science ### 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. Syria and Iran have pledged to establish technology scholarships, training courses, and student and professor exchange programs, writes SANA. Syrian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Bassam Ibrahim met Tuesday with the Iranian Vice President for Scientific and Technological Affairs Sorna Stari. The pair discussed joint scientific cooperation in the fields of technology and innovation and the establishment of research centers and tech incubators. Ibrahim talked about the distinguished scientific relations between Syria and Iran and the programs of scientific and cultural cooperation that include scholarships, training courses, and student and professor exchange programs. The Syrian minister referred to the importance of getting benefit from the experiences of Iranian research centers and applying Iranian technology in Syrian universities and hospitals. For his part, Stari asserted that Iran is ready to support Syria in the field of modern scientific techniques in agricultural, industrial and health sectors and to set up a joint scientific research center as well as to develop communication channels between innovation institutions such as incubators and technology centers. Iran is also ready to facilitate cooperation between technology companies and to develop technical products market and invest in it, Stari added, pointing out that an agreement will be signed in this regard. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. By Ritah Kemigisa All is set for Uganda Airlines to start the long intercontinental flights to Europe, Asia, and Middle East using its Airbus A330-800 neo. This is after the successful completion of the A330-800 neo certification process with the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority. In a statement, the management of the national carrier says the process of obtaining traffic rights, foreign air operator permits, and landing approvals in the target destination is progressing well. The Airline has so far obtained landing slots at London Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom and Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates. Dates of operation to these destinations are to be announced soon. The revived national carrier that began operations in August 2019 has four regional bombardiers (CRJ900) jets and two Airbuses A330-800 neo. "Having our work recognized as being among best-in-class both as a firm and an individual provider acknowledges our efforts are aligned in always putting families first. We are honored and thrilled. Mack International is a premier boutique C-suite executive search and strategic management/human capital consulting firm serving the family office, family investment firms and family business enterprise clients on a national and international basis. Clients range from first generation business enterprise owning wealth creators through multi-generational families of six or more generations. Clients also include multi-client family offices and select investment and wealth management firms that serve family office and ultra-high net worth clients. The firm and its founder, Linda Mack, were recently selected as finalists in both individual and firm categories at the 2021 Family Wealth Report Awards: Family Office Management Consultancy and Leading Individual Service Product Provider. The annual Family Wealth Report Awards program recognizes the most innovative and exceptional firms, teams and individuals serving the family office, family wealth management and trusted advisor communities in North America. The Family Office Management Consultancy category recognizes firms providing consulting services that help families think strategically about their objectives to effectively achieve success and sustainability. The Leading Individual Service Provider category acknowledges exceptional individuals working in the private client world. Commenting on being selected a finalist for these prestigious awards, Linda Mack said, We are committed to continuing our reputation as trusted advisors to our clients and sharing our key learnings, insights and ideas as thought leaders in the industry, benefitting clients and colleagues alike. Having our work recognized as being among best-in-class both as a firm and an individual provider acknowledges our efforts are aligned in always putting families first. We are honored and thrilled. Stephen Harris, ClearView Financial Medias Chief Executive, and publisher of Family Wealth Report was first to extend his congratulations to all finalists. He said: The firms and individuals who are finalists in our 8th Family Wealth Report Awards program are all worthy competitors, and I would like to extend my heartiest congratulations. These awards are judged by an independent panel of judges and finalists are selected on the basis of entrants submissions and their response to a number of specific questions, which had to be answered focusing on the client experience, and not only quantitative performance metrics. That is a unique, and I believe, compelling feature. These awards will recognize the very best operators in the private client industry, with independence, integrity and genuine insight the watchwords of the judging process - such that the awards truly reflect excellence in family wealth management. Im delighted that we have made these annual awards the brightest, and most keenly contested highlights in the family wealth management calendar. Winners will be announced on 6 May 2021 in Family Wealth Report alongside a series of videos and publications. About Mack International LLC Mack International is the premier, boutique retained executive search and strategic management/human capital consulting firm serving national and international clients in the family office, family business enterprise and the investment and wealth management industries on national and international basis. Founded in 2002, the firm has achieved an exceptional track record of success as evidenced by its unmatched industry expertise, in-depth market knowledge and unparalleled track record of success. Founder and President, Linda C. Mack has established proprietary methodologies such as the Mack 360 and is credited for having coined the term expert generalist in the industry. About ClearView Financial Media Ltd (ClearView) ClearView Financial Media was founded by Chief Executive, Stephen Harris in 2004, to provide high quality need to know information for the discerning private client community. London-based, but with a truly global focus, ClearView publishes the Family Wealth Report group of newswires, along with research reports and newsletters, while also running a pan-global thought-leadership events program. With teams based in New York, London, Singapore, Switzerland, South Africa and Malaysia, the company is one of the fastest-growing media groups serving the financial services sector. ADVERTISEMENT President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday presided over the 36th virtual meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Ministries of Interior, Environment, Works and Housing, Power, Finance and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are expected to make presentations at the meeting. In attendance at the meeting is Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari as well as ten ministers. The affected ministers include the Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed; Finance, Zainab Ahmed; Justice, Abubakar Malami; Agriculture, Sabo Nanono and Environment, Mahmood Mohammed. Others are the Ministers of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar, Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, Power, Sale Mamman, and Interior, Rauf Aregbesola. The Head of Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan and other ministers participated in the weekly cabinet meeting from their various offices in Abuja, online. (NAN) Even as the two major Tamil Nadu political parties are working out their seat sharing maths for the April 6 assembly elections, they are also in the process of finalising their poll promises that would attract the voters. The election is crucial both for the ruling led by Chief Minister K. Palaniswami and the opposition led by M.K. Stalin and their manifestoes are going to be very populist with lots of freebies thrown in, said political analysts. The government recently announced a loan waiver for farmers, loans against ornaments taken by the poor and farm labourers, loans to women self help groups (SHG), reservation for Vanniars, 24-hour three phased power for agriculture, all pass for students of 9, 10 and 11 classes and others. The government is already implementing various schemes like free laptops for students, free cattle, two wheeler purchase subsidy scheme for women and others. "There will be several welfare schemes and more freebies. The manifesto will also promise schemes for increasing self employment for the youth. There will be promises on giving government services online," an leader told IANS preferring anonymity. "It is a do or die poll for Chief Minister Palaniswami. The government is facing an anti-incumbency factor. Also, the 10.5 per cent reservation for Vanniars has made other castes unhappy and this may go against the government. So, the manifesto has to be populist," a political analyst told IANS not wishing to be named. Continuing further he said for the its manifesto has to be populist as it has to counter the loan waiver, Vanniar reservation and other decisions announced by the government. "The has been saying that the state government had implemented what it has been promising the people. So, its manifesto has to be populist and different," he added. It is learnt that the ruling party will wait for the DMK to come out with its manifesto before announcing its own. Political analyst Kolahala Srenivaas is of the view that the manifestoes of the two parties would be like a vision statement as they have been speaking a lot about their schemes. "The AIADMK government has done what it had promised like the loan waivers for farmers/poor/SHGs. The government also announced the 'all pass scheme' for students of 9, 10 and 11 classes," Sreenivas told IANS. "The AIADMK government was not able to make any new announcement relating to welfare schemes. The party in its manifesto may enhance the benefits under its existing welfare schemes," Sreenivas said. According to him, the government is trying to attract the rural votes as all its major announcements were focused on the rural populace while the DMK party seems to be focused on the youth. "The DMK was vociferous against the Tasmac (state government liquor retailing company) during the 2016 polls and promised that it would introduce prohibition. But this time around it is silent on that," Sreenivas told IANS. Perhaps the party is silent on Tasmac as the government would need revenue to implement the populist schemes the DMK would be announcing in its manifesto. "The DMK's stand on Tasmac will be known in its manifesto," Sreenivas said. Be that as it may, other parties are also giving the finishing touches to their manifestoes. "We will be announcing our manifesto soon," a leader of Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) floated by actor Kamal Hassan told IANS. The BJP is expected to finalise its manifesto soon. "We are hoping for Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to release it during the second week of March. The manifesto may contain promises like taking Hindu temples away from government control, appointment of additional hands in the subordinate judiciary and police force, a High Court bench in Coimbatore, transparency in government," a BJP leader told IANS on condition of anonymity. From the 'three measures' (around 4.5 kg) of rice for Re 1 scheme introduced by DMK founder C.N. Annadurai in 1967, competitive populism has been touching new heights in the state with the passage of time. The freebies include rice, free consumer durables like cycle, colour television, laptop, mixer-grinder, fans, livestock, loan waiver, free power and gold for brides, among others. (Venkatachari Jagannathan can be contacted at v.jagannathan@ians.in) --IANS vj/bg (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 owner of Vimto says sales are down a fifth amid an 80% slump in profits after the closure of pubs and cinemas across the country during the Covid pandemic. The classic British soft drink was first made by chemist John Joel Nichols some 113 years ago as a herbal tonic but soon gained global fame, and is now sold in 85 countries worldwide. However, the enforced closure of venues has seen the pre-tax profits of parent company Nichols, which also owns the Sunkist and Levi Roots drinks brands, tumble to 6.5 million from 32.4 million in 2019 after a year of 'unequalled challenges'. Shutting down pubs, restaurants, cinemas and theme parks for several months saw revenues plummet 61.4% in its so-called out-of-home market - where it supplies dispensed soft drinks, slushes and coffee products. This saw total sales fall 19.3% to 118.7 million and Nichols withheld guidance for the year ahead due to 'continued uncertainty' amid the pandemic. Shares in the firm fell 4% after the results were announced this morning. Vimto maker Nichols has suffered an 80% slump in profits as a result of the Covid pandemic Shutting down pubs, restaurants, cinemas and theme parks for several months saw revenues plummet 61.4% in its so-called out-of-home market - where it supplies dispensed soft drinks, slushes and coffee products Former Manchester United star Nani takes a sip of Vimto before flying to Moscow for a Champions League match Chairman John Nichols said the group had enjoyed a robust start to 2020 before the crisis struck, with first-quarter revenues up 6.2%. Vimto in fact out-performed the soft drinks market in terms of growth, and it remains the UK's number two squash brand, having overtaken Ribena, the company said. Mr Nichols added: 'The arrival of the pandemic in our markets at the end of the first quarter was a watershed moment for the year. 'The introduction of social distancing, the enforced closure of the group's out-of-home customers and the various lockdown measures introduced across the globe materially impacted our business.' Despite the pandemic impact, Mr Nichols said the group put in a 'resilient' financial performance, with grocery sales gaining market share. On an underlying basis, pre-tax profits fell 64.2% to 11.6 million. Nichols launched a review of its business last year following recent acquisitions and has recently cut around 20 roles in its out-of-home division as part of the overhaul. The Covid crisis has forced pubs (pictured, a boarded up window in Manchester yesterday) to close for months Cinemas (pictured being cleaned last summer) have also been shut for long periods, affecting Nichols' sales It booked redundancy costs of 723,000 in the results. The group has also seen a recent changeover at the top, with chief executive Marnie Millard quitting at the end of 2020 after seven years leading the Merseyside-based company. She was replaced by chief operating officer Andrew Milne on January 1. The unique taste of Vimto was first created in 1908 through a combination of fruits, herbs and spices, designed as a healthy pick-me-up tonic, to give the consumer 'vim' - energy and enthusiasm - and 'vigour' - strength and power. It was initially delivered to small outlets, cafes and temperance bars, but it soon became hugely popular both in the UK and overseas, and the Nichols group began developing an export market. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Ajay Devgn has been in the headlines since yesterday as his car was stopped for around 15 minutes in Mumbai by a man who was upset with the actor's silence over the farmers protest and had issues with the fact that he chose to stand with the centre. Ajay Devgn had tweeted on farmers' protest after international star Rihanna had commented on the issue on Twitter. Ajay wrote, "Dont fall for any false propaganda against India or Indian policies. It's important to stand united at this hour w/o any infighting #IndiaTogether #IndiaAgainstPropaganda." Dont fall for any false propaganda against India or Indian policies. Its important to stand united at this hour w/o any infighting #IndiaTogether #IndiaAgainstPropaganda Ajay Devgn (@ajaydevgn) February 3, 2021 When this incident happened, the actor was on his way to shoot for Gangubai Kathiawadi. According to ETimes, Rajdeep Ramesh Singh, the man who blocked Ajay Devgns car, urged him to speak out about the farmers' protest. Devgns bodyguard asked him to move out of the way which led to a heated argument between them. In the viral video, Rajdeep can be heard saying, He (Ajay Devgn) is against Punjab. This man is against Punjab. Punjab has given him food. How is he able to digest his food? How can you be against Punjab? You should be ashamed. You have been wearing turbans in movies with so much pride. Why aren't you ashamed? Are you going to run me over? Why can't he come out of the car and talk?" Heres the video: This is sheer injustice by @DGPMaharashtra The person in the video, Rajdeep Singh Dhaliwal, has only expressed his displeasure against @ajaydevgn stand against Farmers. Is that an offence? A crime? How could Police even file a case against him U/S 341, 504,506 IPC (FIR No 119) pic.twitter.com/GmBqT0goq0 Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) March 2, 2021 The incident took place around 10:30 a.m. Singh stopped Devgns car and demanded to know why the actor had not spoken in support of the protesting farmers. A complaint was lodged by Devgns bodyguard Pradeep Indrasen Gautam after which Singh was arrested, a Dindoshi police station official told ANI. Singh was charged under IPC sections 341 (wrongful restraint) 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation), said Senior Inspector Dharmendra Kamble of Dindoshi police station. However, he has been released on bail now. People were mighty pissed at the incident and started bashing the actor online with the trend #_ in the morning today. They are also bashing him for promoting tobacco and gutka all this while. Here are the reactions: Those who make money by playing with people's emotions, why don't they speak for the people. Fake Sardar... @ajaydevgn #___ pic.twitter.com/1vjG6kiSKb ( ) (@Chhotalikharii) March 2, 2021 Ajay Devgan who sells gutka calling cancer saffron Counting the benefits of new agricultural laws to the farmers. #___ pic.twitter.com/Cx1lveRygI Sachin (@Sachin88617922) March 3, 2021 Fake Sardar !!! They can only act like Sardar and earn money. But Salute to courage of real sardar who are raising voice of farmers #___ pic.twitter.com/yA7cdhVfIH K@ur (@pk13491349) March 2, 2021 There is a big difference between real sardar and fake sardar#___ pic.twitter.com/kJZSyMpAuT Dhillon ( ) (@davinder_7) March 2, 2021 Arresting a man for just questioning, what more to see ?? #___ pic.twitter.com/l9boaliapY Navneet kaur Sohi (@navneetkaursoh3) March 2, 2021 What do you have to say about the entire episode? Let us know in the comments section below. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Funeral Announcements A daily list of current funeral annoucements as heard on KXRA 1490 AM/100.3 FM News Updates The daily news, sports, and events delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Sports Update This current sports headlines delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Upcoming Events This email is the events of the area delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Breaking News The big news. Sent only as it happens. He was labelled the '29-year-old' virgin when he appeared on season six of Married At First Sight Australia, before marrying Lauren Huntriss in an ill-fated union. And Matthew Bennett - now 31, has made his first UK appearance with his British girlfriend Bella Jameson, appearing on Lorraine on Wednesday. During the show, Matthew, admitted he found the experience a 'painful' one but said it gave him the 'confidence to approach his girlfriend' who he met a couple of months after the show was filmed but before it aired in 2019. Scroll down for video Moving on: MAFS Australia virgin Matthew made his first UK TV appearance with new girlfriend Bella on Lorraine on Wednesday as he admitted the show was a painful experience but gave him the confidence to approach his girlfriend' All over now: Matthew was labelled the '29-year-old' virgin when he appeared on season six of Married At First Sight Australia, before marrying Lauren Huntriss, (pictured) in an ill-fated union Matthew, who married Lauren, 32, on the show on the day they met, was famously criticised for dumping her because he 'wasn't attracted to her' despite losing his virginity to her. His decision to separate also came after Lauren admitted to liking threesomes and swinging and said she used to be a lesbian. But Matthew insisted his intentions towards her were good, no matter how things played out. Not into her: His decision to separate came after Lauren admitted to liking threesomes and swinging and said she used to be a lesbian and he said he 'wasn't attracted to her' Happy ever after: He met Brit Bella a couple of months after the show was filmed but before it aired in 2019 He told Lorraine: 'I was sincere in that I thought I would get matched with my perfect partner and have a fairy-tale ending, but there was naivety. 'It was definitely trial by fire, I learnt lessons from it, and got the confidence to approach Bella. It was a painful thing to go through but overall good for me in the long run.' In a swipe at Lauren, he said: 'The show showed me what I dont want values that I didnt want in a person.' Bella said: 'I had never seen the show didnt know what it was Ouch! In a swipe at Lauren, he said: 'The show showed me what I dont want values that I didnt want in a person' (pictured on his wedding day to Lauren - also the day they met) 'He told me on our first date that hed been on TV I thought "oh whatever" its going to be something no ones seen, not a big deal. Then it turned out to be the most watched show in Australia. 'It was difficult for me to get my head around at first. I am probably still in denial about how big it was.' Matthew added: 'I cant watch it. There are some things that are better left in the past. 'I have a theory that some of the couples were matched because they are polar opposites. Thats where the drama sparks from. 'Initially when it first came out I got recognised. I am a quiet person, I keep to myself, its now died off.' Bella added: 'Anyone on the street who sees you have been really nice to you. They say they can relate.' Matt previously told MailOnline his experience on the show left him feeling uncomfortable with intimacy until he met girlfriend Bella. He said: 'I wasn't ever capable of saying "I love you" to someone before my girlfriend. 'Now I constantly say it all the time and tell her how gorgeous she is and it's not something I remember before.' This weekend, as Republicans gathered in Orlando, Florida, for the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, the agenda wasnt free markets or a strong foreign policy. Instead, their focus was on solidifying former President Donald Trumps control of the party. What united the speakers, including Trump and the partys top 2024 presidential prospects, was their contempt for public health measures and their embrace of lies about election fraud. To any Republican who dissents from this madness, the conference sent an unambiguous message: Get out. Advertisement Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis kicked off the event by denouncing lockdown statesthose that restricted business activity during the pandemicand boasting that he travels only to free states. Another speaker, COVID demagogue Alex Berenson, blamed lockdowns on Amazon, Facebook, and Google, which profit from keeping you in your house. A third speaker, conservative provocateur James OKeefe, denounced Facebook for censoring lies about COVID vaccines. Others derided Dr. Anthony Fauci, the federal governments chief medical officer. Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe to the Slatest newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. Several members of Congress, including Rep. Jim Banks, the chair of the 159-member House Republican Study Committee, bragged onstage and in interviews about not wearing masks. Sen. Ted Cruz, addressing the audience on Friday, ridiculed the idea that people should have to cover their faces after standing up from meals at restaurants. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, whose state leads the nation in recent COVID deaths per capita, denounced mask mandates and noted with pride that South Dakota was the only state that had never ordered any businesses to close. No governor should ever dictate to their people which activities are officially approved or not approved, she declared. Advertisement Lawmakers and former Trump officials also peddled fantasies about election fraud. They alleged or suggested that the election was rigged and stolen, through mysterious late-night ballot dumps and cars unloading piles of ballots in the wee small hours. They lauded Mike Lindell, Sidney Powell, Rudy Giuliani, and other conspiracy theorists. Matt Schlapp, the chairman of the American Conservative Union, which hosted the conference, claimed that Trump had been victimized by widespread voter fraud in cities run by the Democrat machine. Tom Fitton, the president of Judicial Watch, another right-wing organization, told the crowd that Trump had the votes to win, but the vote totals were changed because of unprecedented and extraordinary counting after Election Day. Sen. Marsha Blackburn expressed dismay that the media had dared to fact-check [Trump], the leader of the free world. Advertisement If youre one of these people, the signal from the party leaders at CPAC is that you dont belong. The speakers dismissed court rulings that failed to confirm their bogus allegations. Schlapp claimed to have firsthand knowledge that evidence of illegal voting had never been really scrutinized. He falsely asserted that judges in almost every case had refused to intervene because (according to his misrepresentation of their written opinions) the whole topic of election fraud was just too hot politically. Trump gave the same excuse in a speech to the conference on Sunday, arguing that courts had failed to step in because they lacked the guts to confront the fraud. Rather than confront right-wing extremists like those who had attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, the CPAC speakers targeted Muslims. Trump defended his ban on travel from Muslim-majority countries. His former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, added a religious dig as he celebrated the assassination of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani, Allah rest his soul. And a self-promotional video aired by the ACU affirmed that its not appropriate to build a mosque near the site of the 9/11 attack in New York. Advertisement Many people who identify themselves as Republicans dont share these views. They support security measures and public health guidance. They dont believe lies about a stolen election, and they dont countenance religious discrimination. If youre one of these people, the signal from the party leaders at CPAC is that you dont belong. Banks, whose caucus represents more than three-quarters of the House GOP, scorned anti-Trump Republicans. Fitton dismissed election-fraud skeptics as loser Republicans. Weve got a hell of a lot of RINOS out there, bellowed Dan Bongino, a right-wing radio host, as the crowd cheered. Primary season starts now. Get em out! Go! Were not gonna miss you! Please, get lost! Advertisement Advertisement The speakers named their targets, accusing them of imposing COVID restrictions or failing to stand resolutely with Trump. Fridays headliner, Donald Trump Jr., uncorked a diatribe against Rep. Liz Cheney, the third-ranking House Republican, and her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney. Rep. Matt Gaetz said the younger Cheney should be primaried and purged. Jason Chaffetz, the former chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, opened his speech with an attack on Sen. Mitt Romney. Schlapp and Josh Mandel, Ohios former state treasurer, took swipes at Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, the two Republican governors best known for taking the pandemic seriously.* Rep. Jody Hice blasted Brad Raffensperger, Georgias horrible secretary of state, who had defied Trumps attempts to overturn the election. Advertisement Trump finished off the conference with a tirade against RINOs who would destroy our country. He recited a hit list of 10 Republican House members who had voted to impeach him, including Cheney, Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (Thats another beauty), and Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, who had produced incriminating evidence against him in his second Senate trial. He also read off a list of Republican senators who had voted to convict him, including Bill Cassidy, Susan Collins, and Little Ben Sasse. Get rid of em all, Trump told the crowd. Advertisement When Trump ran for president in 2016, many Republicans thought he wouldnt get the nomination. When he won the nomination, they thought he would lose the election. When he won the election, they thought the party would rein him in. And when that failedwhen Trump took over the GOP and reduced it to a cult of rage and narcissismthey told themselves that the party would recover once he left office. But hes out of office now, and the party is still in his grip. Its in his image, too. And the message from CPAC is that the old party isnt coming back. Correction, March 3, 2021: This piece originally misidentified Josh Mandel as a former Ohio secretary of state. He served as Ohios state treasurer. As the pursuit continued, the driver of the vehicle turned off all the lights in the car in what the officer believed was a further attempt to flee, according to the release. While traveling without lights, the vehicle crashed into the trailer of a westbound semitractor-trailer, according to the release. The Arctic air that whipped into Texas last month put this season's Rio Grande Valley harvest on ice, and it has left many farmworkers with no or very little work. Paulina, 74, usually harvests crops in the fields of the Rio Grande Valley from 7 a.m. or 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. But she said her work hours have been drastically cut. "Right now it's very little [work], because the ice fell and we lost work [and] all the plants," said Paulina, whom NBC News is identifying only by her first name because she is undocumented, like at least half of the country's farm laborers. There is work with the onion crop, but the yield is expected to be reduced, leaving less work and competition for the jobs. "We go two or three hours, no more. We are in the house because there is not much work," she said in Spanish, saying the lack of work affects "many people, many people." Storm's severe fallout on citrus, greens, trees The winter storm froze many of the region's crops, particularly the citrus on the trees and blooms that would produce next year's crops of grapefruit, oranges, lemons and some limes, said Juan Anciso, a professor who is a vegetable specialist for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. "We lost the remaining fruit that was on the trees. They froze, and we also are going to lose next year's crop, because this is the time that the blooms start to set," Anciso said. "They need the foliage. It got interrupted, so there will be no crop next year, for sure, on the 23 to 26,000 acres of citrus." Citrus trees were covered in snow and ice when temperatures dropped below freezing during the peak of the cold weather. (Courtesy Dale Murden / via Texas Farm Bureau) After the snow melted and temperatures warmed up, the citrus trees began turning brown. (Courtesy Dale Murden / via Texas Farm Bureau) The citrus harvest usually runs from mid-September to about late May. February and early March are the usual bloom time for oranges and other citrus that will produce next year's crop. The frost "hurt severely" some of the crops of leafy greens, beets, Swiss chard, celery, cabbage, collards and parsley, according to Anciso. The storm also caused limb damage, and trees younger than 3 years are "probably dead, as well," he said. New wood is important for fruit to set. Story continues The early loss estimate from the crops alone is $300 million; that doesn't include the ripples to the area's economy, from the impact on other jobs associated with farming to the decrease in spending by farmworkers. The 'most vulnerable' "The entire U.S. depends heavily on the farmworkers," said Elizabeth Rodriguez, a farmworker justice advocate with La Union de Pueblo Entero, or LUPE. "When devastation hits ... they are the ones most vulnerable, and it is time for the rhetoric to change around undocumented workers. We need to recognize them as human beings and contributors to our community." Unlike other migrant farmworkers in other parts of the country, Paulina and her fellow farmworkers in the Rio Grande Valley don't travel because of Border Patrol checkpoints on highways, Rodriguez said. "We are counties that are right up against the border, and we are caught between the border and checkpoints," Rodriguez said. "A lot of farmworkers are here undocumented. They can't go through the checkpoint, so they are stuck here." Image: Icicles on a citrus tree in Edinburg, Texas (Delcia Lopez / The Monitor via AP) Paulina, who is from Mexico, has been in the U.S. for at least 12 years. She said farmworkers always fear going out, even to work, because of "police in the streets." For the same reason and because many workers don't have cars, they haven't been able to get coronavirus vaccinations. The clinic is about a 30-minute drive from her community, she said. She and her husband, son and daughter live in a trailer that she said is very "fragile" and didn't hold up well in the cold. Their son also works in the field, despite having a disabled leg. The family lost water and power, and food spoiled in the cold, she said. Store shelves have been empty. They don't get government assistance; the help they do get comes from LUPE, which has served them meals during the freeze, Paulina said. Rodriguez said that some workers are able to get jobs replanting and that some may be able to help salvage some of the watermelon crop, which was just beginning to be planted and is harvested in May. Some of the men are able to get some work in construction or yard work, but the freeze killed off plants and lawns, which would have stopped landscaping work for now. Undocumented workers didn't qualify for stimulus checks in last year's pandemic relief measures. In the second relief bill, passed in December, those who use tax ID numbers to file taxes were allowed to get relief. Under the Democrats' sweeping immigration bill, which incorporates many of President Joe Biden's proposals, farmworkers who pass background checks and can show that they worked 400 days or 2,300 hours over the past five years could apply for legal permanent residence and be eligible to apply for citizenship after three years. The bill would require support from 10 Republicans to pass in the Senate. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, and Sens. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., have also introduced legislation that would provide an immediate path to citizenship for 5 million essential workers, including farmworkers. Biden held a virtual meeting with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Monday in which he was expected to discuss a guest worker program for about 600,000 to 800,000 workers a year, The Associated Press reported. Paulina said that's the help the farmworkers want. "I would like for them to support us with a permit so we would be able to walk around here without fear," she said. Follow NBC Latino on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Canadian actor Jahmil French, best known for Degrassi: The Next Generation, has died, aged just 29. The cause of death has not been disclosed. A representative for the actor confirmed, It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of a dear friend and client Jahmil French. He will be remembered by many for his passion for the arts, his commitment to his craft, and his vibrant personality. I ask that you keep his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers at this difficult time. French played Dave Turner on the Canadian teen drama from 2009 to 2013, with his other credits including Soundtrack, Flashpoint, Lets Get Physical, and the 2017 film Boost, for which he received a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. You will always hold such a special place in my heart, Degrassi star Melinda Shankar, who played Daves girlfriend Ali, wrote on Instagram. Thank you for being one of the most talented, compassionate, kindest, funniest friends I have. You were so loved. Sharing some of my fav pics over the years to highlight his bright light. Ill miss our dance offs. Heartbroken over the loss of our friend Jahmil French, wrote Annie Clark, who played Fiona on Degrassi. This video is how Ill always think of him. So full of energy and fun. He was always dancing. A true talent and a great friend. We will all miss you so much Jahmil. Source: EW.com Related The National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, will hold a press conference on Thursday, one day ahead of the opening of its annual session. A spokesperson for the fourth session of the 13th NPC will take questions from Chinese and foreign reporters on the agenda of the session and work of the NPC, according to the press center of the session. The press conference, scheduled for 9:40 p.m., will be held via video link due to the COVID-19 prevention and control requirements. The event will be broadcast live by China Media Group and on xinhuanet.com. Baghdad, March 3 : At least 10 rockets were fired on Wednesday at a military airbase housing US-led coalition forces in Iraq's Anbar province, security sources said. A statement by the Joint Operations Command said that 10 Katyusha rockets were fired at the Ayn al-Asad airbase without causing casualties, while the Iraqi forces seized the rocket launcher later, reports Xinhua news agency. Wayne Maratto, spokesperson of Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve, said in a tweet that initial reports stated that 10 rockets targeted the airbase at about 7.20 a.m. Meanwhile, a provincial security source told Xinhua that around 12 Katyusha rockets were fired at the airbase from al-Biyader village east of the town of al-Baghdadi,some 190 km northwest of Baghdad. The source added that the security forces found a rocket launcher on a truck left in the village. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack. Iraqi military bases housing US troops across Iraq, as well as the American Embassy in Baghdad's Green Zone, have been frequently targeted by mortar and rocket attacks. Bharat Biotech in pact to supply Covaxin to Brazil, Ukraine and US Bharat Biotech International Ltd has signed an agreement with Brazil for supply of 20 million doses of its Covid-19 vaccine, Covaxin. Delivery of the vaccine will be completed during Q2 qnd Q3 of 2021, the company said. The Hyderabad-based pharma company is also in talks with the Ukrainian government to supply the Covaxin vaccine, reports said. The company said it is delighted to partner with Brazil in its battle against Covid-19 and aid its immunisation program against the virus. A team from Precisa Medicamentos has visited the Bharat Biotech facility early in January to discuss potential export possibilities of Covaxin, Indias first indigenous vaccine for Covid-19. The team had met Dr Krishna Ella, chairman of Bharat Biotech on 7-8 January at the Bharat Biotech facility in Genome Valley, Both sides, had, in principle, agreed to prioritise supply of vaccine for the public vaccination, through a direct procurement by the the Brazilian government. Supplies to the private market would be based upon receipt of market authorisation from ANVISA, the Brazilian regulatory authority. On Wednesday, Ukraine's health minister Maksym Stepanov visited Bharat Biotech's manufacturing facility in Hyderabad. The Ukrainian minister discussed supplying Covaxin for his country. "We will soon firm up the Covaxin delivery plan for the mass vaccination of our people, and further strengthen our partnership on intranasal vaccine supplies after initial results from its Phase 1 trials," the company said. Early in February, Bharat Biotech announced a tie-up with Ocugen Inc, a US-based biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and commercialising gene therapies to cure blindness diseases and developing a vaccine to fight Covid-19. Under the terms of the agreement, Ocugen will have US rights to the vaccine candidate and will be responsible for clinical development, regulatory approval (including EUA) and commercialisation for the US market. Bharat Biotech will supply initial doses to be used in the US upon Ocugens receipt of an EUA. In addition, Bharat Biotech will support the technology transfer for manufacturing in the US. In consideration for the exclusive licence to the US market, Ocugen will share the profits from the sale of Covaxin in the US market with Bharat Biotech, with Ocugen retaining 45 per cent of the profits. 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 vaccine maker said in a statement. Bharat Biotech is a vaccines and bio-therapeutics manufacturer and claims to have more than 145 global patents including a wide product portfolio of more than 16 vaccines, four bio-therapeutics, registrations in more than 123 countries and WHO Pre-qualifications. Located in Hyderabad's Genome Valley, Bharat Biotech has delivered more than 4 billion doses of various vaccines around the world till now. It continues to lead innovation and has developed vaccines for influenza H1N1, rotavirus, Japanese encephalitis, rabies, chikungunya, zika and the world's first tetanus-toxoid conjugated vaccine for typhoid. A Chinese man who spent a small fortune as well as a lot of time and effort turning a small wasteland into a pink paradise in order to impress his ex-girlfriend, has received a clot of compassion online, after failing to win back his old fling. Its fair to say that Xiao Xu, a young man from Hetou Village, in Chinas Guangdong province, went above an beyond to win back the heart of his ex-girlfriend. Over the course of a month, he spent around 100,000 yuan ($15,500) turning a small patch of wasteland rising up from a lake near his village into a fairytale Love Island complete with fake cherry blossom trees, swings, river rock arrangements, and more. He even convinced some locals to give him a hand and turn this place into the ultimate love letter to his former partner. Unfortunately, things didnt turn out the way he had hoped 30-year-old Xiao Xu met his ex-girlfriend while working in the city of Guangzhou, and the two were together since 2018 until last year, when he decided to return to Hetou Village, to take care of his elderly parents. Unfortunately, his girlfriend, who was born and raised in Guangzhou, didnt want to give up the city life, and her family didnt approve of her living in the countryside either. So they broke up But that wasnt the end, as far as Xiao was concerned, and to show his former partner that he still loved her, he devised a plan to put his feelings for her on full display. On December 20, last year, he started work on turning an ugly wasteland rising up from the lake near his home into a unique symbol of his love. The man spared no expense in his quest to impress his old fling. He planted dozens of fake peach and cherry blossom trees and plastic pink daisies, paved alleys with rocks, set up romantic swings and even enlisted locals help in building arched wooden bridges to this pink paradise. Building the unique place everyone started referring to as Love Island took over a month, and reportedly cost Xiao Xu about 100,000 yuan. After finishing work on the project, the hopeless romantic sent photos of it to his ex-girlfriend, confessing that he had done it all for her. Although impressed, the woman didnt respond the way he had hoped. Thank you for your sincere dedication! You will find something better than me, Xiaos ex wrote him back, which must have been devastating. The story of this unusual display of affection may have gone unnoticed by the world had Xiao decided to tear down his Love Island. But he didnt, and as locals and visitors to the village started taking photos of it and sharing them on social media, romantics from far and wide started visiting to see it first-hand. Soon, photos of this pink oasis located in an otherwise bland Guangdong village started going viral on Chinese social media. News outlets sent reporters on location to find out its story, and thats how Xiao Xus sad love story became known. Over the last couple of months, Xiaos pink island has hosted countless photo ops, as well as several wedding ceremonies, and it has become a symbol of love. Even though it failed in its original mission, the Love Island has fulfilled its purpose of sending a message of love, and its creator is at least happy about that. The Love Island did not fulfill itself, but it fulfilled others and witnessed the love of others, which is also a good thing, Xiao Xu told Purple Bull News. Xu Jingfeng, deputy secretary of Hetou Village told the same news outlet that the overwhelming success of Love Island has inspired local authorities to start promoting it on the internet in the hopes of boosting tourism even more. A man in his 30s who was arrested yesterday on suspicion of throwing a firework at gardai during an anti-lockdown protest last Saturday has been charged. Gardai confirmed the south Dublin man is expected to appear before a sitting of Dublin District Court - Criminal Courts of Justice No 3 this morning charged in connection with the case. The Dun Laoghaire resident is being held at Irishtown Garda Station after his arrest on Tuesday. Gardai said in a statement that he was in custody and is currently detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939. The suspect was last seen by gardai on Saturday in the city centre running at speed shortly after the firework incident which in which gardai were lucky not to be seriously injured. Read More A manhunt had been in place for the south Dublin man since Saturday and two properties were raided in the Dun Laoghaire area on Monday morning when members of the Armed Support Unit backed up investigating gardai to carry out early morning searches of the homes. However the suspect, who is previously known to gardai, was not present in either property. A massive investigation is ongoing into the riot which happened at an anti-lockdown protest in Dublin city centre on Saturday which led to three gardai being injured, 23 people being arrested and 13 people being charged with public order offences including a 68-year-old Shankill based dentist. Gardai say the investigation is ongoing. SAN FRANCISCO, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The global pressure sensor market size is expected to reach USD 24.48 billion by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. It is expected to register a CAGR of 4.6% from 2021 to 2028. The growth can be attributed to the growing application of pressure sensors in automotive, aviation, and consumer electronic appliances. The advancements in Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) technology and its rapid adoption in connected devices are expected to create opportunities for market growth over the forecast period. Key suggestions from the report: In terms of product, the absolute pressure sensor segment is expected to retain its dominance over the forecast period. The growing demand for absolute pressure sensors in applications that demand the provision of low-pressure range for the measurement of the vacuum level in industries is expected to drive the segment growth In terms of type, the wired segment dominated the market in 2020 and is expected to witness growth over the forecast period. The growing demand for wired pressure sensors in the industrial and automotive sectors is driving the segment growth In terms of technology, the piezoresistive segment dominated the market in 2020. The development of Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) is anticipated to drive the piezoresistive pressure sensor segment growth over the forecast period In terms of application, the automotive segment dominated the market in 2020. Rapid growth in the usage of pressure sensors in the automotive industry, in equipment such as tire pressure measurement systems, exhaust gas recirculation systems, engine health management systems, and Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS), is expected to fuel the automotive segment growth The increasing adoption of pressure sensors in emerging economies such as China and India is expected to create growth opportunities for the market players in the Asia Pacific region over the forecast period Read 150 page research report with ToC on "Pressure Sensor Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product, By Type, By Technology (Piezoresistive, Optical), By Application, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028" at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/pressure-sensors-industry Furthermore, increasing consumer preference for compact electronic appliances is creating the need for MEMS pressure sensors. MEMS is the technology that miniaturizes electro-mechanical and mechanical elements that are made using microfabrication techniques. Various companies are focused on providing MEMS pressure sensors for selective industries. For instance, Robert Bosch is providing MEMS pressure sensors for the consumer and automotive industries while Honeywell and NXP are focusing on automotive, medical, industrial, and aviation verticals. Government bodies across the globe are making it mandatory to implement a tire pressure monitoring system, which is driving the demand for pressure sensors. For instance, in September 2020, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in India announced that the tire pressure monitoring system would become mandatory in India in the coming days. India's government is moving on the path of transforming the automotive industry to increase its contribution to GDP. The COVID-19 pandemic is anticipated to impact market growth favorably in the near future. Heart failure is a major health problem and the leading cause of hospitalization in western countries. CardioMEMS is one of the therapeutic monitoring systems gaining traction in recent days. It is an advanced system that uses an implantable pulmonary artery pressure sensor. It was widely used for remote care for heart failure during the COVID-19 situation. Grand View Research has segmented the global pressure sensor market on the basis of product, type, technology, application, and region: Pressure Sensor Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028) Absolute Pressure Sensors Differential Pressure Sensors Gauge Pressure Sensors Pressure Sensor Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028) Wired Wireless Pressure Sensor Technology Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028) Piezoresistive Electromagnetic Capacitive Resonant Solid-State Optical Others Pressure Sensor Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028) Automotive Oil & Gas Consumer Electronics Medical Industrial Others Pressure Sensor Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028) North America U.S. Canada Mexico Europe U.K. Germany France Russia Nordic Region Asia Pacific China Japan India Australia Latin America Brazil Argentina Middle East & Africa & UAE Saudi Arabia List of Key Players in the Pressure Sensor Market AlphaSense City Technology Ltd. Dynament Ltd. Figaro Engineering Inc. Membrapor AG. Nemoto & Co., Ltd. Robert Bosch LLC. ABB Ltd. Siemens AG. GfG Europe Ltd Find more research reports on Sensors & Controls Industry, by Grand View Research: Industrial Refrigeration Systems Market The global industrial refrigeration system market size is expected to reach USD 26.90 billion by 2027 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.6% from 2020 to 2027. The global industrial refrigeration system market size is expected to reach by 2027 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.6% from 2020 to 2027. Smart Homes Market The global smart homes market is expected to reach USD 47.61 billion by 2020. Emphasis on reduced carbon emission and energy conservation are expected to be the key driving forces for the market over the forecast period. The global smart homes market is expected to reach by 2020. Emphasis on reduced carbon emission and energy conservation are expected to be the key driving forces for the market over the forecast period. Ammonia Market The global ammonia market size is anticipated to reach USD 76.64 billion by 2025. The rising demand for ammonia in the fertilizer industry is expected to boost industry growth. Gain access to Grand View Compass, our BI enabled intuitive market research database of 10,000+ reports About Grand View Research Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead. Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc. Phone: 1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 captains of the healthcare industry are happy and delighted with the increased budget for the health care sector. This move will provide more access to medical care for all in the country, fuel job opportunities and finally boost the momentum of the economic growth especially in the pharma and health care sector which did not draw much attention earlier. The pandemic has really alerted the entire world and the importance of health has taken a front seat both for the government and the people of India. The Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has proposed Rs. 2,23,846 crore budget outlay for health and well-being for 2021-22 as compared to Rs. 94,452 crore which was earmarked for the current fiscal year, registering and increase of over 130 %. Covid impact opened a new window for Pharma brands: The pandemic alerted all pharma companies to proactively help every strata of the population. In an unprecedented move, all major companies came together to help one another with knowledge and sharing of resources. The industry was facing new challenges both during the lockdown as well when the lockdown was lifted. There were several behavioural changes both at the doctor level and the patient level. Brands had to embrace technology in a big way and digital played vital role in this changing situation. The impact also boosted the online pharmacy as supply chain was disrupted and every pharma company ensured that no patient had to struggle to get their medicine. E-commerce and Tele medicine played a major role to ease out the tension of the patients. Huge Growth Potential for Healthcare Sector: The budget has appended the possibility for India to capture the China +1 opportunity.India is the largest drug manufacturer of generic drugs and Indian pharma has established trust by supplying over 50% of global demand of vaccines and 40% of the generic drugs in US and 25% of all medicines in UK. The US is the largest consumer market for Pharma and healthcare spending. Global healthcare market is pegged at US$ 10 Trillion by 2022 The big leap of India will be in diagnostic, preventive healthcare, wellness and anti-ageing as Indians are becoming more health conscious. Another area of growth will be anti- obesity as India is the Diabetes capital of the world. Non-Communicable Diseases accounted for 71% of the 56 MN deaths in 2016 and its pegged to reach 80% of all death globally. India's biotechnology industry comprising biopharmaceuticals, bio-services, bio-agriculture, bio-industry, and bioinformatics is expected grow at an average growth rate of around 30% a y-o-y to reach US$ 100 billion by 2025 and medical device market is pegged to be US$ 25 Bn by 2025. The current pandemic and the budgetary allocations will further activate Moores law in the pharma sector enabling to shorten the cycle of innovations and drug discovery. India is also pegged to further go deep in the learning of AI/ ML. Being Self Reliant and Progressive: Key factors that the budget will aid in achieving traction through various schemes like Ayushman Bharat, Swastha Bharat Yojana & Mission Poshan. Details of the delivery model to accentuate healthcare sector in India. Creating financial sustainability in an uncertain health economy by setting up health blocks and integrated public health labs Compliance and regulatory environment are fairly good Adapting to the changing needs of the consumer need, demands and expectations through ongoing R&D.- setting One Health Institute as per WHO guidelines Investing in Digital innovation and transformation India has shown readiness with the integrated health information portal across 15 states and union territories. Using new care delivery model to improve access and affordability Recruiting, developing and retaining talent India has a large pool. Adgully spoke to some of the experts in the healthcare sector on how the hike in the healthcare budgets will help the healthcare industry. Stating her views Susan Josi, Managing Partner, Havas Life Sorento said that with 2020 being the Covid year, it has been the greatest inflection point in the history of India to take healthcare seriously. Hence, no other sector came into sharper focus than healthcare in this years budget. Highlighted across media was the fact that this year witnessed a massive 137% boost in healthcare spends, up from INR94,452 crore last year to INR2,23,846 crore. But one needs to do some deep analysis of how Water, Sanitation and Ayush ministries are also part of this budget along with a substantial sum allocated to the new Pradhan Mantri Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana, which will be spent over a six-year period. Experts have concluded that the actual healthcare expenditure has been cut by 10% to INR74,602 crore from the revised estimates of INR82,445 crore last year. So is it a case of glossing over the actual underlying facts? Particularly, from the pharmaceutical industrys point of view, they were hoping that the government would give some special relief for R&D, and also, rationality of import duty was expected. Similarly, if the government had waived off some taxes on the input material, it would have not only given relief to the pharma industry but also to the consumers because medicines would have become more affordable for the common man. Bringing in his point of view on this Harshit Jain, MD, Founder and CEO, Doceree elaborated that the focus this time in the Budget was on healthcare, a sector which has long been awaiting a financial boost. The pandemic was a wake-up call towards particularly investing in Research and Development. The allocation of Rs 124.42 crores on various initiatives for development of pharmaceutical industry shows the government has recognised the importance to invest in pharmaceutical sector. In my opinion, it is at least a good start as the investment required is much more than what has been allocated to contain dependence on China for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and key starting materials (KSMs. The boost will also provide pharma an impetus to invest in new and innovative media, especially in the digital space that has emerged as a powerful medium with huge potential for pharma brands. Remarking on the on the support extended by the government for the Health sector Praful Akali, Founder & MD, Medulla Communications said that this budget will help the Indian pharmaceutical sector bolster its image as the pharmacy of the world and simultaneously help ensure that we could be an AtmaNirbharSwasth Bharat. While it is widely known that India is a key exporter of formulations, what is not as well-known is Indias (and the worlds) dependence on China for the APIS (active pharmaceutical ingredients) that are used in pharmaceutical formulations Indian drug-makers import around 70% of their total bulk drug requirements from China. In fact, last February, India found itself on the verge of a shortfall of essential medicines as China went into lockdown over Covid-19. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. I believe were settling into a bit of a pattern, and it wouldnt surprise me if we see real growth in April or May. The rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations has been more difficult than anticipated. In turn, the lifting of pandemic protocols and economic recovery have been delayed. The February National Association of Credit Managements Credit Managers Index (CMI) reflects these setbacks, but most readings remain solid. The February CMI lost some of the edge noted in Januarys datasimilar to patterns found in many other economic indicators released thus far this year, said NACM Economist Chris Kuehl, Ph.D. Overall, the latest CMI numbers are not bad and many of the indexs sub-readings are historically high. Kuehl said the burst of enthusiasm over the COVID-19 vaccine distribution was likely behind Januarys high scoresenthusiasm that later dissipated with vaccine distribution complications nationwide. We saw declines with the service sector because people are realizing these shutdown protocols are going to last a little longer than we thought, Kuehl said. I believe were settling into a bit of a pattern, and it wouldnt surprise me if we see real growth in April or May. Although muted optimism may account for Februarys dip, data still show manufacturing, construction and transportation sectors are recovering and were not hit as hard by the 2020 pandemic-induced recession. Service sectors remain the hardest hit, and its small rebound at the end of last year and the start of 2021 has faded. The CMI combined index slipped from 59.7 to 57.5, but the reading remains in line with three of the past five months. Similarly, the combined index of favorable factors (65.3), down 4.4 points since January, closely aligns with Decembers reading (65.7). Likewise, the combined index of unfavorable factors (52.2) nearly mirrors December (52.5) with only a 0.8-point slip from last month. Subsectors show a fairly universal pattern, Kuehl noted. Although most of the combined favorable subsectors fell slightly, all of them remain comfortably in expansion territory. Even with a 6-point decline month on month, the sales category (69.9) remains robust and a far cry from the 20 recorded in April 2020, Kuehl said. Dollar collections (59.2) took the biggest hit with a 6.8 decline, dropping out of the 60s, where it had been since July 2020. This downward move creates some concern after nearly seven months of steady growth, Kuehl said. It would appear that some companies have reached the end of their rope and are showing a little distress. He added companies were likely becoming cashflow protective similar to February and March of last year. Combined unfavorable subsectors also remain in expansion territory. Rejections of credit applications changed very little, going from 51.6 to 51.5. This is good news given that new applications are down a little, and it suggests that most of those companies seeking terms are acceptable credit risks, Kuehl said. There was a little dip in the accounts placed for collection category as it went from 52.9 in January to 51.6 this month. Although these numbers are in the expansion zone, they are trending in the wrong direction, Kuehl added. The reason being that businesses were in trouble last year and are still in jeopardy for the coming year. The disputes numbers showed a promising shift as they went from 50.9 to 51. And dollar beyond terms experienced a fairly dramatic decline, going from 58.9 to 52. There are more companies facing stress and falling behind in their obligations, especially those in the service and retail sectors, Kuehl explained. Overall, unfavorable subcategories have not declined to the same extent as some of the favorable subcategories. Overall, Kuehl contributes the February CMIs dip to the indexs favorable categories, which reflect immediate business prospects for companies seeking trade credit. Even in the worst of conditions, unfavorable categories could take two to three months to manifest, he said. Even with the drop this month, it only went back to the numbers we saw in November and December, Kuehl said. Its not like it was an utter collapse. Credit managers are making decisions whether to give people 60-, 90- or 100-day terms; thats still a pretty positive assessment. People are thinking things will be more normal in May or June. Thats the prevailing wisdom. For a complete breakdown of the manufacturing and service sector data and graphics, view the February 2021 report at http://web.nacm.org/CMI/PDF/CMIcurrent.pdf. CMI archives may also be viewed on NACMs website at http://www.nacm.org/cmi/cmi-archive. ABOUT THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CREDIT MANAGEMENT NACM, headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, supports approximately 11,000 business credit and financial professionals worldwide with premier industry, tools and information. NACM and its network of affiliated associations are the leading resource for credit and financial management information, education, products and services designed to improve the management of business credit and accounts receivable. NACMs collective voice has influenced federal legislative policy results concerning commercial business and trade credit to our nations policy makers for more than 100 years and continues to play an active part in legislative issues pertaining to business credit and corporate bankruptcy. NACM's annual conference is the largest gathering of credit professionals in the world. Contact: Diana Mota Andrew Michaels 410-740-5560 Website: http://www.nacm.org Source: National Association of Credit Management ### India: Tribal animists brutally beat pastor who refused to worship false gods Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A pastor in India was brutally beaten by tribal animists angered by his refusal to contribute money toward the ritual worship of tribal deities yet police refused to punish the assailants. In January, Pastor Lakshman Oraon, a convert from tribal deism to Christianity, was summoned by the elders of Jungur village, Latehar District in Jharkhand state, Morning Star News reports. The elders demanded that the pastor and other village Christians help fund the ritual worship of tribal deities. When he refused, they became angry. Then they turned to me angrily, Why you will not give money? and started abusing me in filthy language, the pastor said. I asked, Why would I give money? When I dont believe in the rituals or the deities, why would we give money for their worship/puja? It is hard-earned money, and we dont spend it for rituals we dont believe. And also, how does it make any difference, since I am also not partaking in any of the rituals? When the pastor explained why Christians could not comply due to their faith, the animists, who worship gods based on ancestors, spirits, and nature, replied that his ancestors were tribal priests and that he was a useless ingrate who adopted a foreign faith and must be taught a lesson. Tying Oraon's hands behind his back, the village leaders kicked him to the floor before the crowd of about 80 followers of tribal deities, he said. They also threatened to expel the Christians from the village. A mob surrounded me and, one after the other, they took turns to kick me on my back, on my head and punched my face, Oraon told Morning Star News. The beatings continued for more than an hour. They locked the village council premises, threatening the Christians that if they took any photo or video or tried to venture out from the spot or attempted to contact police, the phones will be seized, and the persons will also face the same fate. They told us that one after the other they will beat us all up to death. Despite persecution, the pastor said he was not angry, taking comfort in Matthew 5:11-12, which reads, Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. I received great strength from these words. There was a smile on my face all through, he said. Eventually, the mob released the pastor. Seeking justice, the Christians sent petitions to the Station House Officer (SHO) at Manika police station, the police superintendent, and the district collector. The SHO called both parties to the police station and effected a compromise that we would not file any case against them, and that they will not excommunicate us from the village, the pastor said. At the police station, the tribal leaders continued demanding funds for the rituals, and the SHO told the Christians to hand over the money, thinking that would resolve the matter, Oraon said. At the police station, we were asked to give the money, and we gave it, he said. We are praying for the salvation of village leaders and the devotees of tribal deities. The police assured us that they will be a phone call away if any problem arises, and that we will not face any troubles from the villagers after giving the money. Asked about the harassment of Christians in Jungur village, the SHO of Manika police station denied the mob assault, saying, no such incident took place. A recent report from Human Rights Watch warned that prejudices embedded in the government of the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party have increasingly infiltrated independent institutions, such as the police and the courts, empowering nationalist groups to threaten, harass, and attack religious minorities with impunity. India is ranked No. 10 on Open Door USAs World Watch List of 50 countries where it's most difficult to be a Christian. Open Doors notes that those who convert to Christianity are accused of following a foreign faith and blamed for bad luck in their communities. These believers are often physically attacked and sometimes killed, says Open Doors. If they do not 're-convert,' they may be boycotted by their community, with a devastating effect on their ability to earn income. Many believers are isolated and dont know any other Christians. Last year, India denied entry visas to representatives of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, who had planned to investigate reports of persecution of Muslims and Christians following the release of its report that designates India as a Country of Particular Concern. In a statement to The Christian Post, advocacy group The Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America said at the time it was deeply disappointed India did not receive the CPC designation in 2020. The national government allowed violence against minorities and their houses of worship to continue with impunity and engaged in and tolerated hate speech and incitement to violence, FIACONA said. The Indian government headed by the Hindu nationalist BJP party continues to claim so conveniently that all such violence against Christians in India is isolated incidents and not the policy of the government. 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. LONDON (dpa-AFX) - UK Chancellor Sunak extended the furlough scheme till the end of September as he vowed to protect 'the jobs and livelihoods of the British people'. 'We will continue doing whatever it takes to support the British people and businesses through this moment of crisis,' Sunak said in his budget speech Wednesday. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, or the furlough scheme, began last year to save jobs during the crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic. Sunak also said the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme will?continue with a fourth and a fifth grant. The chancellor extended the business rates holiday in England by an additional three months. Retail, hospitality and leisure properties are thus exempted from paying business rates for three months from April 1. Sunak also extended the temporary 5 percent reduced rate of VAT until September 30, 2021, thus benefiting 150,000 businesses in the tourism and hospitality sectors that employ around 2.4 million persons. Businesses will pay a 12.5 percent rate for a further six months, until March 31, 2022. The chancellor launched a GBP 5 billion Restart Grant scheme to help the high street, and a new Recovery Loan Scheme to replace the existing government guaranteed schemes that close at the end of March. Sunak announced an extra GBP 1.65 billion to maintain the momentum of the roll-out of coronavirus vaccination in England. The government will invest a further GBP 50 million to boost the UK's vaccine testing capability. The chancellor increased the funding for the Plan for Jobs schemes by GBP 126 million to boost traineeships, and double the cash incentive for firms taking on apprentices. The national living wage was raised to GBP8.91 from April. The budget also launched a new mortgage guarantee scheme that will enable homebuyers to secure a mortgage up to GBP 600,000 with a 5 percent deposit. The temporary cut in Stamp Duty Land Tax was extended to September. Fuel duty was frozen for the 11th consecutive year. Duty rates for beer, cider, wine and spirits were also frozen. Sunak said the rate of Corporation Tax will increase to 25 percent, but the hike will not take effect until 2023. Only businesses with profits of GBP 250,000 or greater will be taxed at the full 25 percent rate. The chancellor also said the UK will launch world's first sovereign green savings bond for retail investors to allow savers support the country's transition to net zero by 2050. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Microsoft has released emergency patches to address four previously undisclosed security flaws in Exchange Server that it says are being actively exploited by a new Chinese state-sponsored threat actor with the goal of perpetrating data theft. Describing the attacks as "limited and targeted," Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC) said the adversary used these vulnerabilities to access on-premises Exchange servers, in turn granting access to email accounts and paving the way for the installation of additional malware to facilitate long-term access to victim environments. The tech giant primarily attributed the campaign with high confidence to a threat actor it calls HAFNIUM, a state-sponsored hacker collective operating out of China, although it suspects other groups may also be involved. Discussing the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) of the group for the first time, Microsoft paints HAFNIUM as a "highly skilled and sophisticated actor" that mainly singles out entities in the U.S. for exfiltrating sensitive information from an array of industry sectors, including infectious disease researchers, law firms, higher education institutions, defense contractors, policy think tanks and NGOs. HAFNIUM is believed to orchestrate its attacks by leveraging leased virtual private servers in the U.S. in an attempt to cloak its malicious activity. The three-stage attack involves gaining access to an Exchange Server either with stolen passwords or by using previously undiscovered vulnerabilities, followed by deploying a web shell to control the compromised server remotely. The last link in the attack chain makes use of remote access to plunder mailboxes from an organization's network and export the collected data to file sharing sites like MEGA. To achieve this, as many as four zero-day vulnerabilities discovered by researchers from Volexity and Dubex are used as part of the attack chain CVE-2021-26855: A server-side request forgery (SSRF) vulnerability in Exchange Server CVE-2021-26857: An insecure deserialization vulnerability in the Unified Messaging service CVE-2021-26858: A post-authentication arbitrary file write vulnerability in Exchange, and CVE-2021-27065: A post-authentication arbitrary file write vulnerability in Exchange Although the vulnerabilities impact Microsoft Exchange Server 2013, Microsoft Exchange Server 2016, and Microsoft Exchange Server 2019, Microsoft said it's updating Exchange Server 2010 for "Defense in Depth" purposes. Furthermore, since the initial attack requires an untrusted connection to Exchange server port 443, the company notes that organizations can mitigate the issue by restricting untrusted connections or by using a VPN to separate the Exchange server from external access. Microsoft, besides stressing that the exploits were not connected to the SolarWinds-related breaches, said it has briefed appropriate U.S. government agencies about the new wave of attacks. But the company didn't elaborate on how many organizations were targeted and whether the attacks were successful. Stating that the intrusion campaigns appeared to have started around January 6, 2021, Volexity cautioned it has detected active in-the-wild exploitation of multiple Microsoft Exchange vulnerabilities used to steal email and compromise networks. "While the attackers appear to have initially flown largely under the radar by simply stealing emails, they recently pivoted to launching exploits to gain a foothold," Volexity researchers Josh Grunzweig, Matthew Meltzer, Sean Koessel, Steven Adair, and Thomas Lancaster explained in a write-up. "From Volexity's perspective, this exploitation appears to involve multiple operators using a wide variety of tools and methods for dumping credentials, moving laterally, and further backdooring systems." Aside from the patches, Microsoft Senior Threat Intelligence Analyst Kevin Beaumont has also created a nmap plugin that can be used to scan a network for potentially vulnerable Microsoft Exchange servers. Given the severity of the flaws, it's no surprise that patches have been rolled out a week ahead of the company's Patch Tuesday schedule, which is typically reserved for the second Tuesday of each month. Customers using a vulnerable version of Exchange Server are recommended to install the updates immediately to thwart these attacks. "Even though we've worked quickly to deploy an update for the Hafnium exploits, we know that many nation-state actors and criminal groups will move quickly to take advantage of any unpatched systems," Microsoft's Corporate Vice President of Customer Security, Tom Burt, said. "Promptly applying today's patches is the best protection against this attack. Management OMB deputy nominee appears to have an easy confirmation ahead The nomination of Neera Tanden to serve as President Joe Biden's budget director is in trouble, but Shalanda Young, recently staff director for the House Appropriations Committee, appears headed for easy confirmation to serve as deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget. Several Republicans said they'd support her if Biden nominated her instead of Tanden as OMB director. Republicans have they have publicly clashed with Tanden over her caustic social media history. "Everybody that deals with you on our side has nothing but good things to say [about you]," said ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). "You'll get my support maybe for both jobs, who knows?" The Hill has reported that multiple members of the Congressional Black Caucus are pushing for Young to get the job leading OMB if Tanden's nomination is scuttled. Biden officials say that the administration is still behind Tanden's nomination. At a Monday press briefing, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that the administration is "continuing, of course, to fight for the confirmation of every nominee that the president puts forward." She added: "We'll see if we have 50 votes. That's part of the journey. That's part of democracy in action." Young also voiced her support for Tanden's nomination. "I certainly think before this committee, you saw Neera Tanden apologize profusely about the tweets. I think what you also saw is an expansive knowledge of various policy areas. I do think we both bring some skill sets in different areas where we'd make a great team if both of us were confirmed," she said. "I hope if you listen to her time before this committee and [the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee], she really did lay out her vast policy experience." Young touched on federal IT and workforce issues under questioning from the committee. The modernization of information technology is fundamentally a resource problem, she told lawmakers. Congress doesn't prioritize it in its budgets, but updating IT systems could help with things like combating fraud in benefits delivery, Young said. She also talked about her roots as a civil servant in the National Institutes of Health. Empowering civil servants in OMB would be a goal if she's confirmed, she said, as would ensuring that benefits for feds are included in budgets. "Often in these budget deals that come up, one of the main losers are federal workers. We tend to cut their retirement. We tend to do things that don't do a lot for morale," she said. She said she wants "to let them know that we appreciate their service." A controversial lender advised by former Prime Minister David Cameron is fighting for survival after major backers walked away. Although Greensill Capital was founded by Australian Lex Greensill and is based in the small Queensland town of Bundaberg, its woes will reverberate in the UK where it has major operations. The companys demise is a serious embarrassment for Cameron who was hired as an adviser in 2018 and who regularly promotes the lender, which operates in the world of supply chain finance. Greensill Capital's demise is a major embarrassment for Cameron (pictured) who was hired as an adviser in 2018 and who regularly promotes the lender The crisis poses a threat to the British steel industry and the empire of Indian-born businessman Sanjeev Gupta, who relies heavily on Greensill for funding. Gupta owns much of what remains of the UK industry through Liberty Steel, part of his GFG Alliance. Problems for Greensill mounted yesterday when Swiss asset manager GAM said it would wind down a 600m fund they run together. The move came just a day after another long-term ally, Credit Suisse, froze 7billion of funds that invest in deals arranged by Greensill. It is now in talks with US private equity giant Apollo Global Management to arrange a rescue deal. To add to the companys problems the British Business Bank this week stripped it of a Government guarantee on its emergency loans to Gupta under the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan scheme. The guarantees meant the taxpayer would have picked up 80 per cent of losses on these loans. But if Gupta fails to repay them, the burden will now fall on Greensill. Regulators in Germany are also on edge. The countrys financial watchdog, Bafin, has appointed a special representative to oversee the day-to-day operations at Greensill Bank, which is part of the larger group and has lent heavily to Gupta. Former investment banker Greensill, 44, set up his firm in 2011 after seeing his parents struggle to make ends meet while waiting for their crops to grow on their farm in Australia. It operates in the hard and high-risk world of supply chain finance, lending to businesses to pay suppliers. Initially, it appeared hugely successful and hired Cameron as a paid adviser two years after he left Downing Street. Former investment banker: Lex Greensill set up his firm in 2011 after seeing his parents struggle to make ends meet while waiting for their crops to grow on their farm in Australia Soon after, in 2019, Japanese giant Softbank poured more than 1billion into the firm. At one stage the business appeared to be heading for a valuation of 5billion but Softbank also appears to be losing confidence, and is said to be preparing to write down the value of its stake to close to zero. It is quite a change in fortunes for the entrepreneur, who became a paper billionaire following Softbanks investment. GAM said yesterdays decision to close the fund came as a result of recent market developments and resulting media coverage related to supply chain finance. Credit Suisse decided to suspend its supply-chain finance funds due to considerable uncertainties around their valuation. Apollo is now understood to be looking to cherry-pick some of Greensills best assets. It is thought the parts that Apollo is interested in could fetch just 70million. A spokesman said: Greensill confirms that it has entered a period of exclusivity with a leading global financial institution with a view to concluding a transaction with them this week. The transaction is expected to include large parts of Greensills business and its assets under management. While the structure of the new business is still being determined, we expect the transaction will ensure the majority of Greensill clients will continue to be funded in the same way as they currently are while also preserving a substantial number of jobs. On Tuesday, Dr. Seuss Enterprises, which oversees the 20th-century childrens authors estate, announced that it had decided to discontinue publication and licensing of six books by Theodor Seuss Geisel, saying, These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong. Though four of the six books are basically unknown and make up a fraction of the authors oeuvre, Fox News and other conservative voices, as if on autopilot, are treating the decision as another example of cancel culture. Advertisement Philip Nel, a scholar of childrens literature whos written several books about Dr. Seuss, including Was the Cat in the Hat Black? The Hidden Racism of Childrens Literature, and the Need for Diverse Books, has thought a lot about all the contradictions in Seuss work. Childrens literature, he wrote in the introduction to that book, conceals its own racialized origins. Nel and I talked about Seuss responses to criticism during his lifetime and how the midcentury approach to tolerance often went hand in hand with racism. Our conversation was edited and condensed for clarity. Advertisement Advertisement Rebecca Onion: Can you describe the offensive content in these discontinued books? I think a lot of people have probably read And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, but the others are more obscure, and its difficult to talk about these issues without acknowledging the specifics. Advertisement Philip Nel: Yes, sure. There are racist caricatures of people of African descent, people of Asian descent, of Arab descent. For example, at the end of And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street [1937], the version that was published in the 1930s had a page that said, Ive seen a Chinaman who eats with sticks. The man was colored yellow and had a pigtail, wearing one of those triangular hats. He cleaned that image up a bit in the 1978 edition, cut off the pigtail and removed the color, changed the language to Ive seen a Chinese man who eats with sticks. In If I Ran the Zoo [1950], there are other examples. One page says, Ill hunt in the mountains of Zomba-ma-Tant/ with helpers who all wear their eyes at a slant and depicts Asian workers helping the character Gerald McGrew capture birds and other animals for his zoo. It also includes the African island of Yerka, with two characters, African men, who come right out of the typical caricatures of the 20s and 30sracial caricatures of Black people. Advertisement Advertisement Those are the most vivid examples. I was also looking at The Cats Quizzer [1976], where theres a question that goes something like, How old do you have to be, to be a Japanese? And of course the premise is, its an absurd question, because you dont have to be any agethe book is all about absurd questions. But youre using a Japanese as a punchline. Its a trope in Seuss books more generally to treat ethnic and foreign others as comic, even if he doesnt mean it in an aggressively malicious way. Hes not thinking about how making an entire group of people the subject of a joke has that effect. Advertisement I think what is surprising to people is that this was a guy who throughout his work tried to do anti-racist stuff. Think of Horton Hears a Whoone reviewer who read the book when it was published [in 1954] described it as an argument for the protection of minorities and their rights. The Sneetches and Other Stories [1953] was inspired by opposition to anti-Semitism. Some people look at that and think, We just must be wrong about Seuss. Thats because they see racism as an either/orlike, youre on Team Racism or youre not. But you can do anti-racist work and also reproduce racist ideas in your work. And Seuss wasnt aware that his visual imagination was so steeped in the cultures of American racism. He was doing in some of his books what he was trying to oppose in others. Advertisement Advertisement You mentioned that revision of the Mulberry Street book in the 1970s. Seuss died in 1991. Were there instances, when he was alive, of him being confronted by, or being aware of, these kinds of tropes in his books? How did he respond? Yes, there are some examples of him revising in response to criticism, and you can give him credit for thatbut I would only give partial credit! For example, he said something about the revision of Mulberry Street, to the effect of Ive removed the yellow color and cut off the pigtail, now he looks like an Irishmanjust kind of trying to make a joke but also trivializing the importance of the revision. He was also really resistant to criticisms of his work as sexist and wouldnt change it on those grounds. He most famously said of Alison Lurie, who wrote a critique of gender and Seuss works in the New York Review of Books, something along these lines: Tell her most of my characters are animals, and if she can identify their sex, Ill remember her in my will! Advertisement Interestingly, one change he did make willingly was: There was a line in The Lorax about Lake Erie, a reference to how badly polluted it was. Then they cleaned up Lake Erie, and some of the people behind that effort wrote to him, Hey, can you take this line out? And he did. Get Slate Culture in Your Inbox The best of movies, TV, books, music, and more, delivered to your inbox three times a week. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. Im interested in the way that the nonsense worlds and the humor of Seuss books can kind of act as cover for racism and sexism. Like, him saying, My characters are animals, as if that excuses it. Well, of course nonsense and the avant-garde are both ideological. So though its valuable to think about how they can challenge our habits of thought, upset our ways of thinking, they arent free of ideology. I dont want to belabor the obvious, but I think people dont always recognize that a fantastical or surrealist or nonsensical imagination still grows out of the very same culture that everyones else does. Advertisement You mentioned humor. Seuss actually has an essay, which I put up on my blog, where he thinks about racist humor and argues against it. Its titled But for Grown-Ups Laughing Isnt Any Fun and was published in 1952. He argues that writing for grown-ups is less interesting because theyre culturally conditioned. They have something called conditioned laughter. Heres the passage. This conditioned laughter the grown-ups taught you depended entirely upon their conditions. Financial conditions. Political conditions. Racial, religious and social conditions. You began to laugh at people your family feared or despisedpeople they felt inferior to, or people they felt better than. If your father said a man named Herbert Hoover was an ass, and asses should be laughed at, you laughed at Herbert Hoover. Or, if you were born across the street, you laughed at Franklin Roosevelt. Who they were, you didnt know. But the local ground rules said you were to laugh at them. In the same way, you were supposed to guffaw when someone told a story which proved that Swedes are stupid, Scots are tight, Englishmen are stuffy and the Mexicans never wash. Your laughs were beginning to sound a little tinny. Then you learned it was socially advantageous to laugh at Protestants and/or Catholics Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All of that, and he cant see it in his own work! When he was about to publish Sneetches, he almost didnt go ahead with it because he was worried people would think it was anti-Semitic, rather than critiquing anti-Semitism. His editor had to say, No, youve done a good job here, because he almost wouldnt publish it. So he had the capacity to reflect, but that capacity was curtailed by the fact that he, like everyone, lived in a universe that has influence over our thinking in ways that were not fully aware of. This dynamic is very mid-20th-century to me. I feel like there was a big mainstream American interest after World War II in ideas of tolerance and pluralism that were always conjoined with persistent racism. Advertisement Yes, there were all these anti-racist books that came out after the war, and whats interesting about them is how they both do and dont understand racism. They treat it as personal rather than structural, and in some cases they reproduce some of the racist imagery theyre opposing. Theres a 1948 book called In Henrys Backyard: The Races of Mankind, which was adapted from the cartoon of the same name, written by the anthropologist Gene Weltfish and sociologist Ruth Benedict. The book is trying to argue that racial differences are essentially meaningless in terms of thinking about a persons humanityusing science to argue that theres no difference. But then in its visual imagery, its reproducing caricature! Its trying to represent people from different parts of the world, with sympathy and kindness in some senses, but the iconography of it is not as successful. There are many examples of this kind of thing. Advertisement Advertisement Has Dr. Seuss Enterprises ever taken a book out of print before? Theyve allowed books to go out of print and then be published again, but thats not the same thing were talking about here. Right here, theyre doing basically a product recall, right? Like, Weve discovered a defect in this product, and were recalling it. In this particular case, we cannot fix the product, so its simply going to be off the market. They havent done that before. Ill mention, they were not thrilled by the publication of my Was the Cat in the Hat Black? book. The day it was to go to press, I got an email from them asking that it be sent to them for review before it was published. But Oxford University Press has good lawyers; they basically said, Well send you a copy of the book when its published; thanks for your note. We included a disclaimer at the beginning of the book saying that Dr. Seuss Enterprises was not involved with the publication. I understand why they would take that position. My interest is as an academic; their interest is as a business. They are running a profitable business and would like to keep it profitable. So the question they were bringing to the table was, How would a work that thinks about racism in Dr. Seuss affect our bottom line? And thats whats encouraging about this recent decision. It suggests that they have, quite likely for financial reasons, come around to the position that racism is bad for their business. What the motives are, I dont really care, for the most part; the results are good. If capitalism is what causes you to have a change of heart, we can go that route. I liked the reframing done by scholar Ebony Elizabeth Thomas yesterday on Twitter, and so Ill borrow that: Curation isnt cancellation. SEOUL, South Korea -- South Koreas central bank says the countrys economy shrank for the first time in 22 years in 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic destroyed service industry jobs and depressed consumer spending. Preliminary data released by the Bank of Korea on Thursday showed that the countrys gross domestic product last year contracted 1% from 2019. It marked the first annual contraction for the countrys economy since 1998, when it was in the midst of a crippling financial crisis. The economy would have been even worse if not for the countrys technology exports, which saw increased demand driven by personal computers and servers as the pandemic forced millions around the world to work at home. The bank expects South Koreas economy to manage a modest recovery this year driven by exports. But it says it would take a longer time for the job market to recover from the damage to services industries such as restaurants and transportation. The country reported another new 424 cases of the coronavirus on Thursday, bringing its national caseload to 91,240, including 1,619 deaths. ___ THE VIRUS OUTBREAK: CDC chief: Wear masks, follow federal guidelines Biden stands by timeline of vaccines for all US adults by May Drug maker says India vaccine is 81% effective European countries seek vaccine overdrive to catch up Follow APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic, https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak ___ HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING: TORONTO A national panel of vaccine experts is recommending that Canadian provinces extend the interval between the two doses of a COVID-19 shot to quickly inoculate more people. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization says extending the dose interval to four months would create opportunities to protect the entire adult population against the virus within a short time frame. The panel says many as 80% of Canadians over 16 could receive a single dose by the end of June simply with the expected supply of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. In comparison, the federal government previously said 38% of people would receive two doses by the end of June. Story continues The committees recommendation came hours after Newfoundland and Labrador said it will extend the interval between the first and second doses to four months, and days after health officials in British Columbia announced they were doing so. Manitoba and Quebec also say they will delay second doses. Ontario previously said it was weighing a similar move but would seek advice from the federal government. The provinces administer health care in Canada. ___ ATLANTA, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said Georgias government will open five more mass-vaccination sites later this month as he defended the states performance in delivering COVID-19 vaccines. The state will open sites beginning March 17, joining four sites the state is already running. The Republican governor said Wednesday that the sites are being set up in advance of a further expansion of vaccine eligibility in the state to be announced later this month. Numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that Georgia has administered only 68% of the vaccines it has received and has 1 million unadministered doses. The data show only the District of Columbia and Kansas lag further behind. Georgia officials have disputed the CDC data for weeks and said some health providers are slow to report when they put shots in arms. The states own numbers show it has given 76% of available vaccines, which would be in the middle of the pack among states, if no other states were allowed to adjust their numbers. Still, thats 700,000 doses on hand, when the state is getting 200,000 doses this week, rising to 223,000 next week. We cant control whos holding second doses, Kemp said. I dont think they should be doing that. They should be giving those doses. The supply chain is caught up. They dont need to be doing that any more. They need to get shots in arms. ___ FLORIDA The CVS Pharmacy chain is vaccinating Florida teachers under age 50, circumventing state orders that continue to limit coronavirus inoculations to those over that age. The chain also began vaccinating day care and preschool teachers Wednesday, even though Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has not yet opened the vaccination program to them. CVS is giving inoculations in two dozen cities across the state. CVS said it is following Biden administration guidelines released this week, which are broader for educators than Floridas. For teachers, Florida limits the vaccine to classroom teachers 50 and older who work in kindergarten through 12th grade. The federal guidelines allow day care workers, preschool teachers and educators in elementary, middle and high schools to be vaccinated with no age limit. Weve aligned with updated Federal Retail Pharmacy Program guidelines by making appointments available to pre-K through 12 educators and staff and childcare workers in all 17 states where we currently offer COVID-19 vaccines, the Rhode Island-based company said in a statement. The chain had been working with DeSantis to expand vaccine availability. Its executives held a press conference with the governor last week when the chain announced its Latino-focused subsidiaries in Miami-Dade County, Navarro Discount Pharmacies and CVS y Mas, would offer the vaccine. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program will prioritize all school staff and child care workers this month, following President Joe Bidens directive on Tuesday. Other pharmacy chains participating in the program in Florida include Publix, Walmart and Walgreens, but it wasnt clear if they would also start vaccinating younger educators. The governors press office declined to comment on CVS decision. ___ ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. The U.S. government needs to boost vaccine supplies if it wants New Mexico to meet a new mandate for getting at least one shot into the arms of all teachers by the end of March, top state officials said Wednesday. Health Secretary Dr. Tracie Collins during a briefing said the state already has vaccinated more than 15,000 educators and that the group was next in line to be prioritized under New Mexicos phased approach to distributing vaccinations. Still, state officials have been reluctant to offer a timeline for expanding eligibility given ongoing supply issues. They are a priority for us as well so were going to work closely with the White House to figure out how to make this happen, Collins said of the push to get more teachers vaccinated. She said discussions were underway with the Biden administration. Many New Mexico school districts have opted not to dramatically increase in-person learning despite approval from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. Some have opened on a limited basis, allowing students to attend in-person based on the availability of teachers who volunteer. Citing supplies as a limiting factor, Lujan Grisham said in a statement she was hopeful Bidens directive was an indication that the federal government would be sending more support to the states to get schools opened safely on a faster timeline. ___ MINNEAPOLIS: Minnesota state and health officials on Wednesday celebrated the arrival of the first shipments of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine, saying it will help speed up the pace of vaccinations and a return to normal in the state. Gov. Tim Walz visited an M Health Fairview warehouse in Minneapolis that was one of several sites across the state to receive a share of the states initial 45,200 doses of the new vaccine. Minnesota wont get any more for the next week or two, but the governor expects deliveries of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to rise in the meantime. This is a good vaccine. Its 100% effective against death, its almost that against hospitalizations or severe disease, Walz said at a news conference after his tour. Ill tell Minnesotans, when you get the opportunity, roll up your sleeves and take the vaccine. ___ MONTPELIER, Vt. -- An outbreak of COVID-19 at the Vermont state prison in Newport has grown to 100 inmates and eight staff members, making it the largest outbreak at a Vermont correctional facility since the start of the pandemic, the commissioner of the Department of Corrections said. Its all hands on deck for our response, Corrections Commissioner Jim Baker said in a statement Tuesday, adding that the prison is being treated as though it were a hospital. Officials are coordinating with the departments medical contractor, regional hospitals, the State Emergency Operations Center and the Vermont Department of Health to ensure the well-being of the staff and inmates, he said. The Vermont outbreak began after one staff member and 21 inmates tested positive for the virus on Feb. 23. The most recent cases were detected in testing conducted March 1. The ACLU of Vermont is calling for the the state to reduce the number of people in prison and to prioritize vaccinations for incarcerated Vermonters. The prison has been on full lockdown since the first positive result Feb. 25. All other state prisons are on modified lockdown. ___ OKLAHOMA CITY -- The number of Oklahoma deaths due to the illness caused by the coronavirus jumped by about 2,500 Wednesday as the state health department began using the count reported by the federal Centers for Disease Control. The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported 7,035 deaths using the CDCs number that is based on death certificates. The health department on Tuesday had reported 4,534 COVID deaths. There were 747 new virus cases for a total of 425,746 since the pandemic began, the department reported. On Tuesday, the Oklahoma City Council extended the citys mask ordinance until April 30, after hearing that the city could achieve herd immunity by June, an estimated 80% rate of vaccination in the population. Council member David Greenwell said the mandate could be extended, if needed. Weve been very flexible to have these extensions occur roughly every six weeks, just to take into account developments in terms of new information about the virus, Greenwell said. ___ HARTFORD, Conn. -- More than 200 inmates at the federal prison in Danbury, Connecticut, have declined to get vaccinated against COVID-19, including numerous medically vulnerable prisoners who have been seeking release to home confinement due to concerns about the coronavirus, according to federal officials. Federal prosecutors disclosed in a new court document filed Tuesday that nearly 550 of the approximately 800 inmates at the prison complex have been offered a COVID-19 vaccine and 336 have received at least the first of two doses. Another 212 inmates declined. Some inmates may be worried or confused about the safety of the vaccines, or do not trust them, said Ariadne Ellsworth, a Yale Law School student and member of the legal team representing Danbury inmates who filed a class-action lawsuit accusing federal officials of not doing enough to protect them from the coronavirus. Our understanding is that, as more information has become available and individuals have had more opportunities to educate themselves about the vaccine, a number of class members who initially declined the vaccine have since informed the facility that they are now willing to take it, Ellsworth said. The Connecticut U.S. attorneys office filed the new document as part of the class-action lawsuit, which was settled last July. The federal Bureau of Prisons agreed to promptly identify prisoners who are low security risks and are at higher risk of developing serious COVID-19 complication and release them to home confinement. Prison officials say inmates who decline vaccinations without a documented medical reason will not be given further consideration for home confinement. Officials say they are continuing to consider home confinement for inmates who accept vaccinations, up until the time they are fully inoculated, usually two weeks after receiving the second dose. ___ WASHINGTON The Biden administration will partner with health insurance companies to help vulnerable older people get vaccinated for COVID-19. White House coronavirus special adviser Andy Slavitt announced Wednesday the goal is to get 2 million of the most at-risk seniors vaccinated soon. Many older people live in relative isolation and some lack the internet access to make vaccination appointments. Insurance companies have ties to Medicare recipients through businesses that range from Medicare Advantage private plans, to prescription drug coverage, to Medigap plans that seniors purchase for expenses that traditional Medicare doesnt cover. Slavitt says insurers will use their networks to contact seniors with information about COVID-19 vaccines, answer questions, find and schedule appointments for first and second doses and coordinate transportation. The focus will be on reaching people in medically underserved areas. The two major industry trade groups, Americas Health Insurance Plans and the BlueCross BlueShield Association, separately announced their member companies will take part in the pilot program, which is being called Vaccine Community Connectors. ___ WASHINGTON The Biden administration is warning against virus fatigue and encouraging Americans to continue to wear a mask and practice social distancing despite many states easing restrictions. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the nation is at a critical nexus in the pandemic, and the next two months are pivotal in determining the remaining course of the pandemic. While vaccinations are set to rapidly ramp up, Walensky warned deaths and new infections have plateaued at a troubling level after falling off their January highs. She says: Fatigue is winning and the exact measures we have taken to stop the pandemic are now too often being flagrantly ignored. Walensky says the CDC has been clear in opposing states moves to lift restrictions and encouraged Americans to follow federal guidelines. ___ LA PAZ, Bolivia Authorities say they have arrested eight people in connection with the death of seven students who fell to their deaths from a fourth-floor university balcony during a crowded meeting held in defiance of Bolivias pandemic restrictions. The dead, all first-year students at the Public University of El Alto, fell about 56 feet when a balcony railing gave way during a meeting for candidates for Sundays local elections in Bolivia. A seventh student died on Wednesday, according to doctors. Gov. Felix Patzi declared three days of mourning and prosecutor Marco Antonio Cossio said eight people had been arrested, some for violating the ban on public meetings during the pandemic. ___ NEW DELHI, India The interim analysis of results from an Indian vaccine makers late stage trials shows its COVID-19 vaccine to be about 81% effective in preventing illness from the coronavirus. The Bharat Biotech vaccine was controversially approved by India in January without waiting for trials to confirm that the vaccine was effective. Since then 1.3 million of doses of the vaccine have been administered to people in India. The interim results are based on 43 trial participants who were infected by the virus. Of these, 36 hadnt received the vaccine, the company says. A second analysis will be conducted for 87 cases, and a final analysis 130 cases. Health care workers have been reticent to take the shots and health experts are concerned the regulatory shortcut has amplified vaccine hesitancy. Bharat Biotech has already signed an agreement with Brazil to supply 20 million doses of the vaccine by September. ___ COLUMBUS, Ohio Ohios mask mandate will continue until a critical mass has been reached of people who have received the coronavirus vaccine, a spokesperson for Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said. Despite announcements that mask orders in Texas and other states are being lifted, DeWine believes its important to continue mask wearing and social distancing until that critical mass of vaccinations is met, DeWine press secretary Dan Tierney said Wednesday. DeWine issued the states mask mandate in July. While people who have been vaccinated have great immunity against severe forms of the coronavirus, including protection from being hospitalized or dying, they could still get the virus in a weakened form, Tierney said. That means they could transmit the virus to people at risk of serious complications, he said. We need to wear the mask to protect ourselves and others from the virus spreading until we get that critical mass where the vaccine is doing that for us, Tierney said. To lay on my table, to vent, or for me to hear about what exciting news they have going on in their lives, that always makes me happy. It motivates me to keep doing what I do." Coralis Collins Quote China became the EU's largest trading partner in 2020, taking the spot occupied by the U.S. Though global trade was heavily impacted by COVID-19, bilateral trade maintained an uptrend. As the two sides sealed the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) in December 2020, more potential in cooperation awaits to be tapped. Outcome at right time The news that the EU and China had agreed on a framework for an investment deal was greeted with mixed views by commentators in the EU and America. Part of this was due to the simple issue of timing. The fact that negotiations for the pact had taken seven years to reach their conclusion meant that the environment in which this had all startedthe world pre-Donald Trump and pre-Brexithad changed. The EU had been through a torrid time over this period, with the Syrian refugee crisis in 2015, and then a series of horrific terrorist attacks in France and Spain, and finally the wave of populist electoral results. The decision by Britain to leave the bloc after the June 2016 referendum was a hugely symbolic moment. Many thought that Europe was breaking apart. It was only a matter of time before other countries would also leave what some saw was a failing project. Then newly elected U.S. President Trump's dim view of the EU and its trade practices only exacerbated things. Last year, the EU has at least come through this hard time. Countries looked at the political and economic consequences being suffered in the UK as it sought, often painfully, to find an exit to the EU, and decided that whatever the issues of this sort of unified market, it was worth being part of it rather than cutting loose. Even the EU's often poor handling of the COVID-19 pandemic did not result in a major backlash. On the whole, national leaders were the ones that received the most negative coverage. The vaccine fiasco of 2021, something largely due to centralized, and incompetent, decision-making within the EU, may well change this to a degree. But so far, Brexit being duplicated by any of the other 27 remaining member states looks remote. In view of this, what can be made of the CAI? While it remains to be ratified by the European Parliament, does it offer something new in the relationship between the two globally hugely important markets and economic actors? If one were assessing this issue by self-interest alone, then one set of criteria needs to be applied. The issue for the EU has been an increasing concern about reciprocity in its relations with China. This is an interesting change. Serving as a diplomat in the early 2000s in China, I remember a European business person stating at a meeting in Beijing that "the reality is that the Chinese are not proactive and good attractors of outward investment; it is the Europeans who are good investors. They are always seeking opportunities." That sort of confidence verging almost on hubris, however, was perhaps at its peak. The interesting thing is the way in which while the story of European investment in China has remained static over this period, that of Chinese investment back into the EU has been much more dynamic. This took a while to happen, for sure. But since 2016, the Chinese foreign direct investment overtook the flows the other way. This increased dramatically in 2016, when the Chinese values started to fall from their peak. The trend, however, remains unchanged. One wouldn't be able to restate what that business person said in 2001 with any great validity today. Clearly one of the structural issues that the CAI is meant to address is improving the conditions for European companies to work in the Chinese market. There have been successful investors thereBASF and Volkswagen come to mind, both, tellingly, from Germany. But these have been there for some time. The situation is the same with other EU member states. If they have companies engaged with China, they are all well established. There needs to be a new route for a fresher group to come in. Taking action It is true that the agreement is aimed at opening up sectors which speak more to EU strengthsfinance and services for instance. It is also true that it attempts to create a level playing ground, in terms of speaking about labor standards, and intellectual property and legal protection. These are things that the EU has been prioritizing in its relations with China for a long time. In symbolic terms, at least, the CAI should be seen as a step forward. The main impediments to this agreement having a material impact on EU-China economic and political relations, however, lie elsewhere. These divide between practical and then more geopolitical issues. To deal with the first set of issues, as others who have signed free trade agreements or other kinds of economic protocols have found, agreeing on doing something does not mean that one will then be able to do that well. These signed agreements create an enabling framework. They open the door. But there needs to be actors who then go through the door and do things. European companies, if the agreement is implemented, have a map which creates new pathways into China. But whether they will be willing, or even be able, to read that map is another matter. What will incentivize them is the potential size of the Chinese emerging middle-class market. But the CAI gives no information about how best to approach this market, how to understand the idiosyncrasies and culture of this market, and how to build on opportunities as they arise. It is true that this is also the case with Chinese companies coming to Europe. But seeing as they seem to be the more active investors these days, and the Chinese market is the one growing more quickly, the Europeans have the most ground to make up, and stand to benefit most if the CAI opportunity is properly managed. The second practical issue, of course, is the looming shadow of geopolitics. Even though the Trump administration has come to an end, the abrasive tone it created still remains. The U.S. and China have fractious relations at the moment, with no signs this is going to improve any time soonif it ever does. The fact that the EU announced the CAI with China just at the time the U.S. was in turmoil because of Trump's claims about the 2020 presidential election meant that it got dragged into the very polarized debate about China's place in the world underway in America. The EU has had to defend itself against the claims made in Washington and elsewhere that it is not a reliable ally and has put its self-interest above everything else, despite the fact that the U.S. has been doing its own trade negotiations with China in the last few years, culminating in a phase-one partial deal in January 2020. The CAI provides an opportunity for EU-China relations. That much is true. But for Europe, it is unclear at present whether they know what that opportunity is. This is a fast-moving space. Others are already looking in China for opportunities; there are other deals to be done. After seven years' investment of time and effort in reaching this agreement, it would be a pity if it simply came into existence and then brought about no change at all. For the EU, the downside of that outcome would be that unlike in the past, when they could argue that China was not available or open to them in the way they wanted, this time they had an agreement which might have remedied some of these issues, but could do nothing with it. In effect, it removes one more excuse for inaction. And after so many years of dialogue and work together, surely the time for excuses is over. Kerry Brown is director of the Lau China Institute, King's College, London, as well as an associate fellow on the Asia-Pacific Program at Chatham House. A total of nine people have died from a devastating fire in al-Hol camp near Hassakeh, writes North Press. The death toll from the fire that broke out last Saturday in the al-Hol camp, east of Hassakeh, has risen to nine people, including seven children and two women. On February 27, a large fire broke out in the fourth section of the al-Hol camp and reached the adjacent tent, which resulted in the burning of 36 residents of the camp, 33 of which were transferred to the nearby hospitals in the area. A medical source from the Hakma public hospital in Hassakeh told North Press that a child and a woman lost their lives after succumbing to their injuries, bringing the total number to nine fatalities. 17 people are still receiving treatment at the hospital, most with second and third-degree burns. Two people were discharged from the hospital after receiving treatment for light burns, the source added. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- China forced banks to hold more foreign currencies in reserve for the first time in more than a decade, its most substantial move yet to rein the surging yuan.The nations financial institutions will need to hold 7% of their foreign exchange in reserve from June 15, according to a central bank statement Monday. Thats an increase of 2 percentage points, and the first such hike since 2007. The move, which the Peoples Bank of China said will help liquidity management, effectively reduces the supply of dollars and other currencies onshore -- putting pressure on the yuan to weaken.Although analysts said the direct impact may be small, the move is the clearest signal by the PBOC that its unhappy about the yuans surge to a three-year high against the greenback. Authorities had until now limited their response to rhetoric: a former central bank official and a state-media commentary talked down the currency over the weekend.The PBOC wants to show the market -- if the rally keeps going, it has many measures to slow it down and the market will fail if it wants to make speculative bets, said Zhou Hao, an economist at Commerzbank AG in Singapore. Its more of a symbolic move, as no matter how the PBOC boosts funding costs on foreign exchange, the rate on the yuan will almost always be higher.The PBOC set its daily reference rate at 6.3572 on Tuesday, only marginally weaker than the average forecast in a Bloomberg survey of analysts and traders. The currency gained 0.2% to 6.3634 per dollar as of 9:52 a.m. in Hong Kong, while the onshore rate strengthened 0.1%.Betting on the yuan has been a successful strategy in the past year. The currency has surged 13% against the dollar since last May, when it was near its lowest level since 2008 amid the effects of the pandemic and the trade war with the U.S. Brokerages including Citic Securities Co., Scotiabank and Westpac Banking Corp. expect the currency to climb to 6.2 against the dollar. That would be the strongest since a 2015 devaluation.The yuan is supported by Chinas economic recovery and its higher-yielding markets are attractive to global investors. A backdrop of imported inflation is bolstering the argument for a stronger yuan. Against a basket of trading partners, the Chinese currency is the strongest since 2016.The foreign-exchange reserve ratio hike will likely freeze about $20 billion of liquidity, according to Guan Tao, a former official at the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. The increase demonstrates the Chinese central banks strong determination to curb rapid appreciation in the yuan, and PBOC has more tools if speculation emerges in the currency market, he said.Recent history shows traders should be wary. In the wake of the devaluation, the yuan fell about 11% by the end of 2016, surged 11% through its 2018 peak, before reversing again to sink 13% by September 2019. When momentum in the yuan became too extreme, authorities often took steps to arrest the moves. In early 2018, for instance, the yuan fell the most in two months as authorities gave banks the green light to submit quotes for weaker fixings.Still, analysts remain unconvinced of the potency of the latest measure. Fundamental factors supporting the yuan -- such as its interest-rate premium and high inflation -- remain intact, Citigroup Inc. economists led by Liu Li-gang wrote in a note.While this policy will lock in a certain amount of capital inflow and make foreign exchange funding costs higher, its effectiveness remains in doubt, Liu wrote.Any tightening in dollar funding onshore wont be sustained because global investors can easily obtain cheap foreign-exchange overseas and invest in yuan bonds, according to Ju Wang, a senior currency strategist at HSBC Bank Plc.Beijing seems to be sticking to its goal of liberalizing markets as part of President Xi Jinpings plans to reduce moral hazard. Its not just the yuan where direct intervention is now an unusual sight. The national team of state-backed funds is rarely seen in the $12 trillion stock market anymore, unless moves risk turning into panic or mania. Even in the commodities market, where officials are struggling to cool prices, efforts have largely been verbal rather than direct.If the central bank takes additional assertive actions, such as setting dramatically weaker fixings, that could reinforce the belief that only heavy-handed intervention is worth paying attention to. Yet the Communist Party has made it clear it will act to reduce speculation and guard against risks to financial stability, especially in the run-up to the centenary of the Partys founding this July.We dont see this as an one-off change, but likely the start of a trend, Becky Liu, head of China macro strategy at Standard Chartered, said of Mondays move by the PBOC. It could be seen as a new mechanism to manage the yuan in the medium term, together with other counter-cyclical measures.(Adds 5th paragraph to show PBOCs fixing on Tuesday and latest pricing of yuan.)More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.2021 Bloomberg L.P. Domestic travelers to New York will no longer be required to quarantine if they can provide proof that they've been fully vaccinated within the past 90 days. Governor Andrew Cuomo made the announcement at a press conference on Wednesday, his first official briefing on the state's progress with the virus in nearly two weeks. Cuomo abruptly stopped holding briefings last month after allegations emerged that he had sought to cover up data on COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes. In the past week his troubles have only deepened as three women came forward to accuse him of sexual harassment, prompting the state legislature to strike a deal to revoke his emergency powers on Tuesday. The governor acknowledged the deal at his latest press conference but declined to comment further. Instead he announced the changes to the travel advisory, which previously required anyone entering New York from a non-contiguous state to quarantine for two weeks or obtain a negative test four days after arrival. Domestic travelers to New York will no longer be required to quarantine if they can provide proof that they've been fully vaccinated within the past 90 days, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday (file photo) Going forward, domestic travelers will no longer be subject to that quarantine rule if they prove they are 'within 90 days of full vaccination'. Cuomo did not elaborate on why the 90-day time limit was implemented, nor did his office when asked directly by DailyMail.com. Officials say it is unclear how long a person will remain immune to COVID-19 after being vaccinated. 'Experts are still learning more about how long vaccines protect against COVID-19 in real-world conditions,' the CDC website states. Some experts believe that COVID-19 vaccines will have to be administered annually, like the flu vaccine. Cuomo made the announcement at a press conference on Wednesday, his first official briefing on the state's progress with the virus in nearly two weeks In early February New York announced that fully vaccinated people would not have to quarantine after exposure to a person infected with COVID-19 - mirroring CDC guidelines. But, that rule also came with a 90-day caveat. At the time officials said current data proved that immunity lasts at least 90 days after full vaccination, but it remained unclear for how much longer after that. Officials said the 90-day limit in that case would likely be a 'moving target' as more research is conducted. Cuomo also announced new key dates for reopening the state. Gathering limits will be raised to 200 as of March 22 and event spaces can reopen at 33 percent as of April 2, he said, citing ongoing declines in measures of COVID-19 spread. It comes as New York was able to open thousands of new vaccination appointments starting Wednesday as the state's vaccine supply expanded dramatically with the approval of Johnson & Johnson's single-dose vaccine. Across the state more than three million people, or 15.2 percent of the population, have received at least one dose of a vaccine and over 1.66 million (8.3 percent) have received two doses. Across the state more than three million people, or 15.2 percent of the population, have received at least one dose of a vaccine and over 1.66 million (8.3 percent) have received two doses. Pictured: A woman receives a vaccine in Bay Shore on Wednesday New York was able to open thousands of new vaccination appointments starting Wednesday. Pictured: People line up outside the Javits Center in New York to receive a vaccine on Tuesday Wednesday's 40-minute briefing took a bizarre turn later on when Cuomo choked up as he apologized over sexual harassment claims but insisted he never touched 'anyone' and vowed to fully cooperate with the state attorney general's investigation into him. Three women have alleged misconduct, including two former aides who both say he made inappropriate remarks towards them that were sexual. One of those aides also claims he forcibly kissed her on the mouth. A third woman came forward after them claiming that he'd asked to kiss her at a wedding. A photo of them at the wedding emerged in which he is clasping her face. Cuomo addressed the scandal before taking questions and refused to resign despite calls for him to do so as he urged the public to wait for the findings of the investigation. 'As you know the Attorney General is doing an independent review. I will fully cooperate with that review. The lawyers say I shouldn't say anything when you have a pending review - I understand that I am a lawyer too,' he said. 'But, I want New Yorkers to hear from me directly on this. First, I fully support a woman's right to come forward and I think it should be encouraged in every way. I now understand that I acted in a way that made people feel uncomfortable. It was unintentional. And I truly and deeply apologize for it. 'I feel awful about it and frankly I am embarrassed by it. That's not easy to say. That's the truth. 'This is what I want you to know and I want you to know this from me directly: I never touched anyone inappropriately. I never touched anyone inappropriately.' Wednesday's 40-minute briefing took a bizarre turn later on when Cuomo choked up as he apologized over sexual harassment claims but insisted he never touched 'anyone' and vowed to fully cooperate with the state attorney general's investigation into him CUOMO'S STATEMENT ON SEX HARASSMENT SCANDAL IN FULL I want to address the recent allegations that have been made against me. As you know the Attorney General is doing an independent review. I will fully cooperate with that review. The lawyers say I shouldn't say anything when you have a pending review. I understand that. I am a lawyer too. But, I want New Yorkers to hear from me directly on this. First, I fully support a woman's right to come forward and I think it should be encouraged in every way. I now understand that I acted in a way that made people feel uncomfortable. It was unintentional. And I truly and deeply apologize for it. I feel awful about it and frankly I am embarrassed by it. That's not easy to say. That's the truth. This is what I want you to know and I want you to know this from me directly: I never touched anyone inappropriately. I never touched anyone inappropriately. I never knew at the time that I was making anyone feeling uncomfortable. I never knew at the time I was making anyone feel uncomfortable. I certainly never ever meant to offend anyone or cause anyone any pain. That is the last thing I would ever do that. I ask the people of this state to wait for the facts from the Attorney General's report before forming an opinion. Get the facts please before forming an opinion. I will fully cooperate with it.Then you will have the facts Make a decision when you have the facts I have learned from what has been an incredibly difficult situation. I've learned an important lesson. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for whatever pain I caused anyone I never intended it. I will be the better for this experience. Thank you Advertisement Asked if he would resign, he said resolutely: 'I'm not going to resign. 'I work for the people of New York. I'm going to serve them. We have a full plate - we have COVID, we have rebuilding, a teetering New York City... so no. 'I am going to do he job the people of the state elected me to do.' He went on to vow not to hug or kiss people anymore, saying: 'I do not believe I have ever done anything in my public career that I am ashamed of. 'I didn't know I was making her uncomfortable at the time, I feel badly that I did. 'Sensitivities have changed and behavior has changed. I get it and I'm going to learn from it.' When asked about the photo that emerged of him clasping one of the accuser's faces, he said: 'You will find hundreds of pictures of me making the same gesture with hundreds of people - women men children. 'You can go find hundreds of pictures of me kissing people - men and women. It is my usual and customary way of greeting. You know that because you've watched me. 'It was my father's way of greeting people - you're the governor of the state you want people to feel comfortable. You want to reach out to them. 'I was at a event in Queens the other day. I hugged the pastors who were there... but that doesn't matter. 'What matters is if anybody was offended by it. If they were offended by it, I apologize. If they were hurt, I apologize. If they felt pain from it, I apologize.' Two former aides - Charlotte Bennett and Lindsay Boylan - say Cuomo sexually harassed them when they were working for him. On Monday night, a third woman - Anna Ruch, now 33, who worked at the Obama White House and met Cuomo at a wedding in September 2019 - said he asked if he could kiss her. She is who was pictured with his hands clasping her face. Before Wednesday, Cuomo had not been seen at a public event on February 24. He was opening a vaccination site in the Bronx but did not take any questions from the media. The last time he accepted journalists' questions was two days earlier, on February 22, which was his last televised COVID-briefing. He made one virtual appearance - on February 25 - at the virtual governors' meeting where he welcomed President Joe Biden, but he had not been seen since then. Emails from his office indicate that he has been in Albany throughout. Charlotte Bennett (left), 25, accused Cuomo of sexually harassing her during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in his Albany office, including quizzing her about dating older men. Lindsey Boylan (right) accused him of attempting to kiss her on the mouth in 2018 Authorities also vow to avoid sweeping variations in domestic financial market China will encourage cross-border capital flows at a more open level, while also being careful not to cause huge fluctuations in the domestic financial market, the country's top banking and insurance regulator said on Tuesday. The volume of foreign capital inflows will increase noticeably, as China's asset prices are attractive to investors and its economy is closely linked to other economies due to a high level of globalization, said Guo Shuqing, chairman of the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission. The size and speed of foreign capital inflows are under control, Guo said at a news conference held by the State Council Information Office. He stressed that the force and impact of proactive fiscal policies and ultra-loose monetary policies, which were adopted by many other countries, should be taken into more consideration, as these policy measures, though necessary for stabilizing the economy, also have side effects, which have gradually started to show. "The financial markets of developed countries in Europe and the Americas have been running high, which is against the ongoing trends in the real economy. If the difference is too huge between financial markets and the real economy, problems will occur, and the financial markets will be forced to make adjustments. So we are worried about financial markets, especially the problem that one day foreign financial asset bubbles may burst," he said. "We continue studying how to take more effective measures to encourage cross-border capital flows at an increasingly more open level on the one hand, while not causing huge fluctuations in the domestic financial market on the other hand. We have confidence in doing the work well." The efforts to reduce financial market volatility are in accordance with China's battle against financial risks. In the first year of the country's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission will take risk prevention and control as "an eternal theme of the financial sector" and will relentlessly monitor and tackle various types of financial risks, Guo said. "The regulator will also maintain a market environment of fair competition, strengthen anti-monopoly efforts, prevent the disorderly expansion of capital and ensure financial innovation is conducted under prudential regulation," he added. Dong Ximiao, chief researcher at Merchants Union Consumer Finance Co, said financial reform and innovation must obey and serve the eternal theme of financial work, which is preventing and controlling financial risks. "New technologies and new methods should be adopted to identify and control risks more precisely," Dong said. In recent years, China has reduced the high leverage ratios of its banking and insurance sectors. From 2017 to 2020, the average annual growth of total assets was 8.3 percent for the banking sector and 11.4 percent for the insurance sectorroughly half of the numbers from 2009 to 2016. Interbank assets idling within the financial system are now taking a significantly smaller part of total assets of the banking and insurance sectors, according to the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission. In addition, the banking sector disposed of 8.8 trillion yuan ($1.36 trillion) of nonperforming loans from 2017 to 2020, exceeding the total volume during the 12 years before 2017. The country also worked to dismantle shadow banking in an orderly manner, cutting its size by about 20 trillion yuan from the historical peak, Guo said. The broad measure of shadow banking is defined by the Financial Stability Board as credit intermediation involving entities and activities outside the regular banking system. Gu Shu, chairman of Agricultural Bank of China, said the large State-owned commercial lender continuously ramped up efforts to dispose of nonperforming loans in recent years. Last year, the Chinese banking sector disposed of 3.02 trillion yuan of nonperforming assets. The volume of disposal of nonperforming loans also remained at a fairly high level for Agricultural Bank of China, enabling the bank to maintain stable credit asset quality, Gu said. In 2020, China deferred principal and interest payments on 6.6 trillion yuan on loans to a number of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and export-oriented companies. That policy will come to an end on March 31. Agricultural Bank of China has been closely monitoring the asset quality of these loans, of which the risks still remain controllable, although their nonperforming ratios are higher than those of typical types of loans, he said. (press release issued after the press conference held on March 1, 2021 by Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) condemning the incarceration of Shiv Kumar of Majdoor Adhikar Sanghatan and hailing Majdoor-Kisan Ekta. It was addressed by Nodeep Kaur, Shiv Kumars father, Mandeep Punia and representatives of Kisan unions, trade unions, teachers organisation, womens organisation, democratic rights organisations and student organisations. Please also find attached a statement issued by CASR condemning the custodial violence faced by Shiv Kumar and demanding his release along with the release of all peasants arrested in the wake of the January 26th Kisan Tractor Rally. Campaign Against State Repression is a platform with over 36 organisations, including democratic rights organisations, students organisations, teachers organisations, trade unions and womens organisations, who have come together against increasing state repression, targeting of academics, activists, journalists, lawyers, trade unionists and all such voices of democracy.) Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) Press Release: Nodeep Kaur, Shiv Kumar, Custodial Violence and Majdoor-Kisan Ekta March 1st 2021 Condemning the custodial torture of Shiv Kumar by the Haryana Police, the Campaign Against State Repression organised a press conference today at the Press Club of India, Delhi against custodial violence and hailing Majdoor-Kisan Ekta. The Press conference was addressed by Surjit Singh Phool of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Krantikari), Joginder Singh of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), Vidya Sagar Giri of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Sucheta De of All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Rajveer Kaur of Bhagat Singh Chatra Ekta Manch (BSCEM), Ishwar Singh Rathi of Nagrik Adhikar Manch (NAM), Sanjeev Mathur of Bahujan Samajwadi Manch (BSM), Nandita Narain of the Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA), Rinchin of Women Against Sexual Violence and State Repression (WSS), journalist Mandeep Punia, Shiv Kumars father Rajbir and Shiv Kumars fellow arrestee, Nodeep Kaur of the Majdoor Adhikar Sanghatan (MAS). Surjit Singh Phool of the BKU (Krantikari) spoke of how Nodeep Kaur and MAS were instrumental in building worker-peasant solidarity and that this was the reason they were targeted. Besides workers and peasants, the government was also targeting intellectuals and journalists, an example of which is Mandeep Punia whom he dubbed a courageous son. He said there is a need to expose the falsities of the government and to demand the immediate release of all arrested alongside the quashing of the FIR on Nodeep Kaur and other activists of MAS. Joginder Singh of BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) spoke of how the Modi government falsely used the term democracy to introduce anti-people laws. Lamenting the plight of workers forced into twelve-hour shifts, Joginder Singh spoke of how people undertaking peaceful protests were routinely arrested under false charges. Taking the example of Nodeep Kaur, he said all she did was raise the issue of workers, peasants and women for which she was brutally targeted, arrested and tortured. Reiterating how rights of workers and peasants are intertwined and represent the interests of the people of this country, Vidya Sagar Giri of AITUC compared undemocratic legislation of th three Farm Laws to the replacement of forty-four labour laws by four Labour Codes. He said, the ways in which laws are made reveal how the practice of debate and discussion has been buried to steam roll new laws that serve big industry. It is significant that the Wage Code was consciously passed during the uproar resulting from the abrogation of Article 370 to circumvent debate and discussion. Furthermore, the other three labour codes received presidential assent on September 28th 2020, the birth anniversary of Bhagat Singh, in effect making a mockery of all that he fought for. Sucheta De of AICCTU remarked on the deplorable conditions of workers and peasants across the country and how the slowdown in industry post the COVID-19 lockdown has been used to sack workers and deny them wages. Comparing the state of workers to that of bonded labour, Sucheta De referred to the incident at the Wistron Factory in Karnataka where workers were exploited in direct violation of the law. However, when they struggled for their rights, the police conducted a brutal crackdown with mass arrests. She considered the work of Shiv Kumar, Nodeep Kaur and MAS as the need of day and particularly referred to Nodeep Kaur as an example of workers unafraid to demand their rights. She also compared the manner in which those who fought for peoples rights were regularly arrested, including many involved in the protests against the CAA, NRC and NPR while those who openly resorted to violence like Kapil Mishra remained free. Drawing parallels between the Bhima Koregaon, the protests against the CAA, NRC and NPR and the Kisan Andolan underway, Rajveer Kaur of BSCEM revealed the pattern by which the State routinely used fake charges to incarcerate those who stood against its anti-people and pro-corporate agenda. These fake charges are used alongside police violence and unleashing right wing goons to crush peoples movements. All three tactics were deployed against the MAS in Kundli with fake extortion charges, attacks by the police and the Hindu Jagriti Manch. Rajveer further expanded on the issue of fake charges referring to Rona Wilson arrested in the Bhima Koregaon case in whose laptop the State inserted fabricated documents. She also spoke of the brutal torture and casteist abuse Shiv Kumar suffered while in illegal custody and demanded his release alongside all those arrested in the Bhima Koregaon case and the North-East Delhi pogrom. She considered it the duty of all students and workers to join the peasants struggling for their rights today. Ishwar Singh Rathi of NAM, whose organisation had led protests against the arrest of Nodeep Kaur and Shiv Kumar in Sonipet, spoke of how all resources of the country were utilised only for the benefit of a few large corporate houses. When workers can be sacked at a whim and peasants fined over Rs. 1 crore for burning their own crops, Rathi said there was no option but to protest. He referred to the Kisan Andolan as a historic protest and hoped the implementation of the anti-worker labour codes on April 1st would draw a similar response. Nandita Narain of DUTA said that the words independence, freedom and democracy had no meaning today and those who wanted these things needed to fight for them. She considered unacceptable the Prime Ministers mocking of those who struggled for their rights as Andolanjeevi. She condemned the attempts at communally dividing people and spoke of the hypocrisy in treatment meted out to Pragya Thakur and Maya Kodnani while Prof. GN Saibaba, a person with 90% disability, was condemned to rot in jail and suffer COVID-19 exposure without bail. Rinchin of WSS spoke of the extent of police impunity in cases of sexual violence against women, especially dalit women. She saw the custodial sexual violence suffered by Nodeep Kaur coming in the wake of the custodial rape of a 19-year-old dalit girl in Butana, Haryana, the rape and murder of the minor dalit girl and subsequent cover-up by the police including forcibly cremating the body in Hathras, UP and Gurmandi, Delhi. These incidents reflected the misogynistic and casteist mentality of the police. Sanjeev Mathur of BSM considered the questions raised today to be in essence concerning democracy. Speaking of the need to hold the government accountable, he bemoaned the fact that the media was not playing its role. He reiterated the need for people like Nodeep Kaur and Shiv Kumar, linking their dreams and struggles to our survival as a democracy. Journalist Mandeep Punia spoke of the coordinated targeting of journalists underway across the country. Be it Utkarsh Kumar Singh in Bihar, the three reporters in Kashmir, Siddique Kappan in UP or the raiding of the NewsClick office, the targeting of those who refuse to toe the line set by government is becoming rampant. Narrating the torture he underwent, Mandeep Punia spoke of how he was stripped, doused in water, beaten relentlessly, abused and denied access to legal counsel. He said the fundamental rights of journalists are being trampled. Shiv Kumars father Rajbir spoke of how the police did not even bother to inform him of his sons arrest. In fact, while holding Shiv Kumar in illegal custody, the Police demanded that he and his wife produce Shiv Kumar in two days. After hearing of his arrest, when Rajbir tried to meet Shiv Kumar, he was denied access with the police stating quarantine requirements. Rajbir finally saw his son only when he was brought for a medical examination. He remarked that Shiv Kumar could barely walk and that his fingers and hands were bruised. Nodeep Kaur of MAS thanked all those who struggled for her release, recognising that without their efforts she would not be here today. She spoke of the pathetic condition of workers in Kundli and demanded that rights existing currently under labour law be implemented while the new labour codes be opposed. She spoke of how the police accused them of using the Kisan Andolan to organise workers, asking if the right to association has been banned and if workers demanding their due wages is extortion. She said the most pressing issue today is state repression and how it is on the upswing. She spoke of the branding as anti-national and targeting and arresting under draconian laws like the UAPA and NSA of all those who struggle for the rights of the people, particularly those coming from marginalised castes, communities and nationalities. These actions, according to the Nodeep Kaur are aimed at crushing peoples movements but in fact reflect the weakness, fear and paranoia of the State. This fear, she felt, was aggravated by the threat to its relationship with foreign powers for whom the State brokered lucrative deals. She was confident in the power of the masses, that if worker, peasants, students, women, adivasis, dalits and Muslims all rose for their rights, the State will collapse instantly. Furthermore, as witnessed in her case, the arrest of activists spurs the masses into renewed and intensified struggles. She referred to the State, irrespective of the party in power, is an agent of big corporations, domestic and foreign and that State policy is mainly aimed at enslaving the masses to these interests. She described the police as a tool used to attack the people and mentioned Prof. GN Saibaba as an example of the countless people languishing in jail today for raising the issues of the people. She felt that there is no true freedom or democracy for the people today; these can only be achieved through struggle against the State which is in truth anti-people and anti-national. o o Peoples Union For Democratic Rights (PUDR) Prosecute those guilty of Custodial Torture of Dalit labour activist 27 Feb 2021 PUDR strongly condemns the custodial torture of young dalit labour activist Shiv Kumar working in the Kundli Industrial Area by Haryana police. Shiv Kumar was arrested under 3 FIRs (no. 649 of 28/12/20 and nos. 25 and 26 of 12/1/21, Kundli PS) against workers who were protesting to demand their pending wages in Kundli Industrial Area, Haryana. The details of Shiv Kumars custodial torture came to light only after his father, a labourer, applied in the Punjab and Haryana High Court for his sons thorough medical examination. This was done only after Shiv Kumars family and lawyer could finally meet him, weeks after he had been picked up by the police. The results of the Court ordered medical examination, conducted by the Government Medical College Hospital (GMCH) in Chandigarh came on 24 February and proved the gruesome torture that Shiv Kumar had alleged. Shiv Kumar also recorded his testimony before the doctors team during his medical examination, giving details of time/place and the custodial torture he had undergone. He stated that he had actually been picked up on 16 January between 2 and 3 pm from Kundli by the police and tortured brutally thereafter. He was finally presented before the magistrate on 24 January, remanded to further police custody till 2 February when he was sent to jail, where he still remains. The nature of the injuries which showed up in a medical examination weeks after being inflicted include blunt force and grievous injuries, with specific details (such as right foot swelling which showed a large blackish discolouration area and toe nails that were blue and tender, among others) that were in consonance with the injuries Shiv Kumar narrated in his testimony of torture before the doctors, and reflect the severity and degree of the assault by the police. Shiv Kumar also displayed symptoms of mental post-traumatic stress at the time of the medical examination, though the doctors noted that he did not have any ideas/plans of self-harm. It is remarkable that despite this obvious physical state of Shiv Kumar, it required a High Court intervention to actually carry out a medical test. There is no doubt that those who inflicted these injuries are criminally liable. These brutal acts of commission by the Haryana police were perpetrated along with other crucial acts of omission i.e. their failure to inform Shiv Kumars family of his being picked up, or of his being presented before the magistrate, or of their failure to comply with arrest guidelines laid down in law (and D.K. Basu vs. State of West Bengal and Union of India, 1997). That allegations of custodial violence, and sexual assault were also made by Nodeep Kaur, Shiv Kumars fellow labour activist with Mazdur Adhikar Sangathan (MAS) in Kundli, who was arrested on 12 January under the same cases, indicates that this is a pattern. The police appear to be using these means of custodial violence and torture as the main tool of investigation into these cases against labour activists organizing to demand pending wages of workers in Kundli. Evidence gathered in these cases by the police through custodial torture and violence is bound to be suspect and the possibility of fair trial shall become fainter if the same police continue to investigate. The Haryana police might attempt to deny or downplay Shiv Kumars testimony of custodial torture as police do in all instances (except occasionally when custodial torture results in death). The reason is that there are almost never any independent witnesses in instances of torture in police custody, and the imbalance of power between the survivor of custodial torture and the police is usually too great, so most instances do not get reported. Where they do, the police investigate their own crimes, routinely granting themselves impunity as PUDRs findings in monitoring custodial violence over the last 40 years reveal. In this case however, owing to the courage of the victim, intervention by the lawyer and the assessment by a team of Government doctors, there is medical evidence of torture, and also a formal record of the victims own account of it. There is also the evidence of blatant flouting of law and procedure on arrest by the police. These provide ample basis to question the role of the police, and prosecute the guilty. PUDR demands: Criminal prosecution of guilty police personnel for the custodial violence inflicted on Shiv Kumar and Nodeep Kaur. Investigation by an independent agency/authority into the role of the police in these cases. Immediate release of Shiv Kumar and his hospitalization and medical treatment initiated in GMCH, Chandigarh. Payment of pending wages of workers in Kundli Industrial Area and guaranteeing labour rights of workers. Radhika Chitkara Vikas Kumar Secretaries pudr[at]pudr.org o o WSS Statement condemning the arrest and custodial sexual violence by the Haryana Police against labour organiser Nodeep Kaur [Feb 2, 2021] http://www.mainstreamweekly.net/article10484.html I was arrested because I raised the voice of other people: Activist Nodeep Kaur by Mandeep Punia (02 March 2021) https://caravanmagazine.in/crime/nodeep-kaur-labour-rights-dalit-activist-interview Someone like Shiv Kumar had to be tamed By JYOTI PUNWANI (March 01, 2021) At 23, he has experienced what very few of his age have: Poverty at home, a stint in jail for his student activism. His experience told him that if you want your rights, you have to fight for them. https://m.rediff.com/news/special/someone-like-shiv-kumar-had-to-be-tamed/20210301.htm Sonepat court grants bail to labour activist Shiv Kumar in two cases https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/sonepat-court-grants-bail-to-labour-activist-shiv-kumar-in-two-cases-220023 Punjab and Haryana High Court grants bail to activist Nodeep Kaur Kaur was arrested in Haryanas Sonipat on January 12, had maintained she was targeted and falsely implicated https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/punjab-and-haryana-high-court-grants-bail-to-activist-nodeep-kaur-217761 Knockanore Farmhouse Cheese in Waterford - which was supported by the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) - took home the Brexit Ready award at this years National Enterprise Awards. The award was presented to the company for excelling in its preparation for Brexit in light of the fact that it would have created specific challenges for it. The raw milk artisan cheddar cheese producers response to Brexit has seen the business actually grow on the back of the UK leaving the EU because of its ability to access new markets. Founded by Eamonn and Patricia Lonergan, the west Waterford company produces a variety of hard-pressed mature farmhouse cheeses, using raw milk, that includes red and white cheddars, as well as the famous Oakwood smoked cheddar. With a 170-strong top-class pedigree Friesian milking herd, Mr Lonergans USP is a top-quality cheese, made from raw milk from a single herd. Knockanore Farmhouse Cheese range in Co Waterford. Picture: Patrick Browne. Knockanore Farmhouse Cheese products are sold via distributors to major retail chains, independent retailers, and the food service sector in Ireland as well as to customers in UK, Europe, UAE, and US. We were up against some great innovative companies, so it really was a huge vote of confidence to receive the Brexit Ready award, said Mr Lonregan. While many view Brexit as a challenge, we saw it as an opportunity. Nearly two-thirds of all the cheese imported to Ireland comes from the UK and Brexit led to supply chain disruption. We seized on that opportunity by creating new ranges of the particularly popular UK blended cheeses such as crumble style cheeses similar to Wensleydale and a naturally smoked pasteurised cheddar as a possible substitute to the famous English Applewood to fill that new gap in the Irish market, continued Mr Lonergan. Its not just Ireland that is experiencing the consequences of Brexit...the same supply issues are being experienced across Europe and further afield. That gave us the impetus to develop new products and new markets in areas such as Lithuania, Germany and France. For us, Brexit has been about turning a negative into a huge positive. Meanwhile, Richie Walsh, Head of Enterprise at Waterfords LEO pointed to the challenging year that has been for small businesses in Ireland. It has been a challenging year for small businesses, so this is a momentous accomplishment for Eamonn and his team, Mr Walsh added. Throughout the years Eamonn has innovated, evolved, and enhanced his product offering. For many businesses Brexit has been a huge stumbling block, but in Eamonns case, his forward planning, vision and determination to overcome obstacles has seen him grow his business, his customer base and his export markets, while not losing sight of the companys integrity and traditional values. Knowing Eamonn, this accolade will only spur him on to looking at ways to further advance his business, develop more new artisan cheese ranges and proactively explore new markets. LEO Waterford is looking forward to continuing to support Knockanore Farmhouse Cheese in its endeavours to grow and thrive. All Texans will pay more for electricity following the Texas Blackout, so the critical question is whether we will get a more reliable grid for our hard-earned money. The Texas Blackout destroyed billions of dollars in capital and led some companies into bankruptcy. Damage from frozen pipes, water breaks, medical emergencies and other accidents triggered by the lack of electricity could eventually raise the total losses to $45 billion, according to some estimates. The electric companies and utilities which suffered losses will eventually recover that money from you and me through higher electricity rates and prices for goods and services. Texas political leaders, meanwhile, are offering sacrificial bureaucrats to slake the blood lust of 4 million home and business owners who went without power on the four coldest nights in decades. But if were honest, these folks were just following orders when the grid fell apart. TOMLINSONS TAKE: Texans must understand blackout before overhauling electric grid Lawmakers and the governor should pass meaningful legislation to prevent another total grid and market failure like we saw last month. But I attended the hearings in March 2011 following a similar blackout and watched corporate lobbyists slay the enthusiasm for reliability safeguards. The financial fallout from the 2021 blackout is only beginning to become apparent. Retail electric providers that managed to keep the lights on when prices skyrocketed from $30 a megawatt-hour to $9,000 a megawatt-hour came up $1.6 billion short when the Electric Reliability Council of Texas sent them bills. Texass oldest and largest electric cooperative, Brazos Electric Power Cooperative, declared bankruptcy on Monday, reporting $4.5 billion in debt. Brazos Power supplies electricity to 1.5 million customers from Waco to Cleburne and Lubbock to Corinth and is paying a high price for not blacking out customers. In total, ERCOT sent out bills totaling $20 billion for the electricity that remained online during the blackout. But since most electricity providers never imagined prices would remain $9,000 a megawatt-hour for four consecutive days, none were financially prepared. Moodys, the corporate rating service, warned investors that every company doing business with ERCOT is at risk. Public power utilities will have to draw down cash reserves, take out new loans and open lines of credit to cover significant natural gas and ERCOT market purchases. Some will seek to recover costs over a multiyear period through the issuance of long-term debt, Moodys added. Some utilities will spread cost recovery over multiple years instead of immediately passing higher rates on to customers. ERCOTs rules anticipated that some retail providers might fail to pay their accounts. They have a protocol that allows the nonprofit to raise the bills of other customers to cover those losses. Dentons city-owned utility filed a lawsuit refusing to help ERCOT make up for the bankruptcy of others. While the City is ready and willing to pay its own debts, ERCOT now expects it to pay the debts of other market participants, the suit says. Cities are not and cannot be responsible for covering the debts of third parties who were undercapitalized and undercollateralized. If the suit fails, then ERCOT will expect people like me who went four days without electricity to pay the bills of those who did have power but whose utility or retail electric provider went bankrupt and failed to pay ERCOT. While this feels like an insult added to injury, all of us are going to pay for those who had light and heat through higher rates in the years to come. Well pay more whether or not the Texas Legislature takes steps to make the grid more reliable. Right now, politicians are excited about mandating weatherization and subsidizing backup generators, but they have yet to vote on any legislation and industry representatives are not interested in new regulations. TOMLINSONS TAKE: Don't blame Texas energy players for blackout, blame the electricity grid's irresponsible game In February 2011, the last time a polar vortex triggered blackouts due to poorly prepared powerplants and pipelines, I was the state political editor for the Associated Press. I attended the hearings where many of the same players who testified last week reported the same problems with the same system a decade ago. Back then, as now, the governor, lieutenant governor and lawmakers were shocked, shocked there was gambling going on in ERCOT. They could not believe powerplants were unprepared, that blackouts shut down the compressors on pipelines that provided natural gas to the other powerplants, creating a cascade of failure. By the time the Legislature was wrapping up in May 2011, public anger had subsided, and industry lobbyists had spun their magic: no new regulations. A decade later, here we are again, with no significant legislative changes from 2011. There is still nothing to keep a blackout or political inaction from happening again. Well see what happens when session wraps up in May, but dont count on any real progress. Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and politics. twitter.com/cltomlinson chris.tomlinson@chron.com Donald Trump Jr. and Senator Ted Cruz joined a swarm of critics on Tuesday night to denounce the decision to 'cancel' six popular children books from author Dr. Seuss. Trump Jr. slammed it as 'craziness' that Dr. Seuss Enterprises - the publisher of the bestselling children's books - announced Tuesday that it is taking the six titles out of print. He posted a picture to social media of him and his son Spencer doing some bedtime reading with another Seuss classic 'Cat in the Hat' as he claimed, 'given the craziness of today it was definitely our first choice'. Cruz also took to social media to voice his opposition to the decision as he wished the author a happy birthday and claimed that President Joe Biden was making attempts 'to cancel Dr. Seuss' that were 'utterly asinine'. It came after the president on Monday removed all mention of the writer in the customary annual presidential proclamation touting Read Across America Day which takes place on Seuss's birthday on March 2. Amid the backlash, Universal Studios also revealed Tuesday it is 'evaluating' the future of a play area in Orlando theme park Islands of Adventure that is themed on the Dr. Seuss book 'If I Ran the Zoo'. Donald Trump Jr. posted a picture to social media of him and his son Spencer doing some bedtime reading with another Seuss classic 'Cat in the Hat' as he blasted the decision Trump Jr. claimed, 'given the craziness of today it was definitely our first choice' Senator Ted Cruz hit out at the 'utterly asinine' attempts to 'cancel' the Seuss books The Texas senator proceeded to wish the children's author who died in 1991 a happy birthday The children's book was one of six from the bestselling author, born Theodor Seuss Geisel, that Dr. Seuss Enterprises announced on Tuesday be pulled from publication. The move comes as criticism grows in the United States over the way minority communities have been portrayed in many of the author's books. Dr. Seuss Enterprises said it had made the decision after carrying out a review of its collection last year with the help of experts, including teachers. 'These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong,' the company said in a statement. Universal Studios also revealed Tuesday it is 'evaluating' the future of a play area themed on the Dr. Seuss book 'If I Ran the Zoo' (as pictured above in Orlando) The other titles being consigned to history are 'And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,' 'McElligot's Pool,' 'On Beyond Zebra!' and 'Scrambled Eggs Super!' 'Ceasing sales of these books is only part of our commitment and our broader plan to ensure Dr. Seuss Enterprises' catalog represents and supports all communities and families,' the statement added. On Tuesday, Universal Orlando confirmed that had taken the six books from the shelves of its gift shop in the area of the park known as Seuss Landing, which is based on characters and attractions from the books of the author. Among the attractions in Seuss Landing is the play area themed after 'If I Ran the Zoo'. This book was named among those that will cease publication Tuesday because of its portrayal of Asian people. It also includes a drawing of two bare-footed African men wearing what appear to be grass skirts with their hair tied above their heads. None of that imagery is portrayed in the play area but Universal stated that it was 'evaluating' the name and the theme anyway. Seuss Landing also includes the Mulberry Street Gift Store and a Mulberry Street sign based on another of the cancelled books, 'And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street'. In the book, an Asian person is portrayed wearing a conical hat, holding chopsticks, and eating from a bowl. 'Seuss Landing continues to be very popular with our guests and we value our relationship with Seuss Enterprises,' a Universal spokesperson told Spectrum News. 'We've removed the books from our shelves as they have asked, and we'll be evaluating our in-park experience too. But our guests can plan on continuing to be able to enjoy their favorite experiences at Seuss Landing.' Dr. Seuss Enterprises made the announcement on what would have been the birthday of the famous children's book author. Seuss, born Theodor Seuss Geisel in Massachusetts in 1904, published more than 60 books during his lifetime, including some of the most popular children's books of all time. Seuss Landing also includes the Mulberry Street Gift Store and a Mulberry Street sign based on another of the cancelled books, 'And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street' Universal has said it is 'evaluating' the future of the area of the park, as pictured 'If I Ran the Zoo', which was published in 1950, includes a drawing of two bare-footed African men wearing what appear to be grass skirts with their hair tied above their heads This image appears in the 1937 book 'And To Think I Saw It On Mulberry Street', shows an illustration of a 'Chinaman who eats with sticks' - a caricatured picture of an Asian man His most famous works include 'The Cat in the Hat,' 'Green Eggs and Ham' and 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas.' He died in 1991. Seuss's books have sold more than 650 million copies and have been translated into dozens of languages. They are being reevaluated, however, over their portrayal of Black and Asian people. A 2019 study published in the 'Research on Diversity in Youth Literature' journal studied 50 of his books. The report concluded that 43 of the 45 characters of color had 'characteristics aligning with the definition of Orientalism.' Seuss (pictured above), born Theodor Seuss Geisel in Massachusetts in 1904 , published more than 60 books during his lifetime, including some of the most popular children's books of all time The two black characters in the books were identified as 'African' and both 'align with the theme of anti-blackness,' the study said. Stereotypical characters portrayed as 'Arabian' appear in 'If I Ran the Zoo,' 'On Beyond Zebra!' and 'Scrambled Eggs Super!' 'The Cat's Quizzer' also features 'Arabian' figures as well as a character portrayed as 'a Japanese.' The study also said Seuss published anti-black and anti-Semitic cartoons in a magazine in the 1920s as well as racist anti-Japanese propaganda during World War II. However, his wartime cartoons for the liberal-leaning daily New York newspaper PM were also praised for railing against racism, anti-Semitism, and American isolationism. On Tuesday, Seuss's stepdaughter Lark Grey Dimond-Cates told the New York Post 'there wasn't a racist bone' in the author's body but described the withdrawal of the six books as 'a wise decision'. Dimond-Cates, whose mother Audrey Geisel was Dr. Seuss' second wife, said she was informed a day earlier about the decision to pull the six books. 'I think in this day and age it's a wise decision,' she said. 'I think this is a world that right now is in pain, and we've all got to be very gentle and thoughtful and kind with each other. 'We're taking that into account and being thoughtful. We don't want to upset anybody.' She said she is hopeful the books can one day go back into print. These six Dr. Seuss books will no longer be published because of racist and insensitive imagery, according to the company that preserves and protects the author's legacy Presidents Clinton, Obama and Trump have all mentioned Dr. Seuss in conjunction with Read Across America Day, which is designed to encourage school children to read more. The Obamas are pictured in April 2010 as the former president read 'Green Eggs and Ham' The announcement sparked a bidding frenzy for the scrapped books on eBay. The leading bid for a first edition of 'On Beyond Zebra!' soared from $14.99 on Monday to $810 at 2.15 pm Tuesday. The National Education Association, which founded Read Across America Day in 1998 and deliberately aligned it with Geisel's birthday, has for several years de-emphasized Seuss and encouraged a more diverse reading list for children. President Biden broke with tradition and left Dr. Seuss out of the 2021 Read Across America Day proclamation. The White House has not explained why Dr. Seuss was left out of this year's proclamation. Read Across America Day had traditionally featured on Dr. Seuss books including classics like The Cat in The Hat and The Grinch. The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, adjourned the corruption case involving a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, who is believed to be in the United Kingdom (U.K) The adjournment is the latest in the series of postponements the money laundering case has suffered due to the absence of the former minister since it (case) was filed over two years ago. Efforts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to have her extradited to Nigeria to face the charges have been stalled for many years. Ijeoma Ojukwu, the trial judge, again adjourned the case on Wednesday for the EFCC to appear and report to the cour its efforts to enforce the criminal summons issued against the former minister as far back as July 2020. Deadlock Earlier on October 28, 2020, Ms Ojukwu refused to grant EFCCs request for the issuance of a warrant of arrest against the former minister. The judge had said the summons she issued on July 24, 2020, ought to be sufficient for the commission to process her extradition to Nigeria to face her trial. She then adjourned the matter till December 3 for EFCC to report on its efforts to bring the former minister to Nigeria. On December 3, EFCCs prosecuting counsel, Farouk Abdullah, appeared before the judge pleading for more time to enable the anti-graft agency to enforce the court summons against Ms Alison-Madueke. The judge then adjourned till March 3, 2021 (Wednesday) for possible arraignment of the defendant. But neither Ms Alison-Madueke nor the prosecuting counsel was present at Wednesdays proceedings, a development that forced the judge to again adjourn the case. ALSO READ: Temporary relief for Diezani as court turns down arrest warrant Ms Ojukwu adjourned till May 17 for EFCCs report of compliance. She also directed the court registrar to issue and serve the hearing notice for the next sitting on the prosecuting counsel. Background EFCC had alleged that the former minister escaped to the U.K. shortly after the end of her tenure as minister. It alleged that she fled after she got wind of the plan to charge her with various offences of corruption allegedly perpetrated by her and her allies while she presided over the Nigerian plum petroleum sector under the former President Goodluck Jonathans administration. While still struggling to have her extradited to Nigeria to face trial, EFCC had secured several court orders for the forfeiture of assets linked to her. On November 11, 2018, the commission filed the 13 counts of money laundering against her before Ms Ojukwu. The former official was accused of, among other charges, unlawfully taking into her possession, $39.7 million and N3.32 billion when she reasonably ought to have known that the money formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activities. She was also accused of purchasing choice landed assets with the alleged proceeds of fraud using different fronts as the owners. ADVERTISEMENT Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. St. Patrick's Day 2021 Announcement Dear Friends, Beannachtai na Feile Padraig oraibh go leir o Ard-Chonsal na hEireann i mBostun St. Patricks greetings to you all from the Consulate General of Ireland in Boston. The month of March has arrived, and for the Irish among us that means one thing in Boston St Patricks Day events! Despite the challenges of the past year, so many of you have organised and attended virtual events celebrating your interest in all things Irish. Today, we are delighted to bring you our jam-packed Programme of Events for St Patricks Day 2021 as hosted by the Consulate, and our community partners across New England. Click on the link below for all of the details! SPD 2021 Programme of Events From cinema, to James Joyce, to virtual parades and networking events, there is something here for everyone! The attached programme is still developing even further with more events in the final stages of preparation that will be announced in the coming days. To ensure you are notified of all of these events, be sure to follow us on Twitter @IrelandBoston and/or subscribe to our newsletter here. Ta suil againn go mbainfidh sibh taitneamh as na himeachtai i mbliana - We hope that you enjoy this years events! La Fheile Padraig sona daoibh Happy St. Patricks Day! From all the team at the Consulate General of Ireland in Boston. Previous Item | Next Item The Government has announced a plan to guarantee mortgages with five per cent deposits, encouraging banks to lend to those with smaller savings pots. In today's Budget, Chancellor Rishi Sunak confirmed that the Government would back the home loans, which will be available on homes costing up to 600,000. The scheme will begin in April and will be available on new mortgages taken out until 31 December 2022. People from every country in the UK will have access to them. The new mortgages could help home buyers get on the ladder with less of an up-front cost The mortgages will be available to both first-time buyers and home movers, but will probably be most popular with the former as they do not have equity to draw on. The Government said buyers will have the opportunity to fix their rate for 'at least' five years if they wish. Banks and building societies are not obliged to offer the mortgages, but Sunak said in his speech that several have already committed to do so. He said that Lloyds, Natwest, Santander, Barclays, HSBC would offer the mortgages 'from next month,' while others including Virgin Money would 'follow shortly after'. Asked by This is Money whether they would also be offering the new five per cent deposit mortgages, a spokesperson for Nationwide said 'no decision has been made' because the details of the scheme were yet to be published. They pointed out that Nationwide already offers five per cent deposit mortgages to existing members moving home and via the Help to Buy scheme. A spokesperson for Metro Bank said it would 'digest the full details of the Government's guarantee on 95 per cent loan-to-value mortgages before providing an update in due course.' Matthew Carter, head of savings and mortgages at Coventry Building Society, another major mortgage lender, said: 'We're looking to see how we can participate and we'll look closely at the details over the coming days. 'We are very supportive of anything that helps people buy their first home and encourages a sustainable housing market.' The availability of five per cent deposit mortgages has been strictly limited since the beginning of the pandemic, as lenders adjusted their risk appetites and struggled to cope with demand from movers motivated by the stamp duty holiday. Guy Gittins, chief executive of estate agent Chestertons, said: 'The Government's introduction of a 95 per cent LTV mortgage presents good news for first-time buyers, keen to get on the property ladder. 'Another audience likely to benefit are existing home owners wanting to trade up or re-mortgage to release equity.' '[However] the loading of more debt onto private households is a risky undertaking and the detailed terms and conditions are yet to be released. We do hope that lenders are bound to tight due diligence checks that ensure borrowers are financially able to carry the risk.' The guarantee announced today is similar to the Help to Buy: Mortgage Guarantee scheme which ended in 2016. However, it is not limited to just first-time buyers or new-build homes. According to Savills, that scheme supported 105,000 transactions during its life from October 2013 to June 2017, or 28,000 transactions per year. However, some buyers on lower incomes, particularly those not buying as part of a couple, may struggle to access the new 5 per cent deposit mortgages because most banks will only lend someone 4.5 times their annual salary. Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the new low-deposit mortgage guarantee in today's Budget For example, a person on the UK average full-time salary of 39,000 buying alone would be able to borrow 175,500. If 175,500 was 95 per cent of their property's value, the most they would be able to afford with a five per cent deposit would be a home worth 184,600. House prices increased by 8.5 per cent in 2020, reaching a record high of 252,000, according to the ONS. Lawrence Bowles, director in the research team at estate agent Savills, said: 'Take-up for the mortgage guarantee [may] be greatest where house prices are relatively low and loan-to-income ratios lower. Take up will be limited in areas where affordability is already stretched. 'Take up for the Help to Buy: Mortgage Guarantee scheme was greatest in Leeds (1,404 transactions) and Birmingham (1,385). By contrast, less affordable areas such as Cambridge, Christchurch, and Camden each saw fewer than 50 transactions as loan-to-income caps prevented buyers taking advantage of the scheme.' We don't yet know what rates lenders will be offering on these mortgages, but a lower deposit usually means higher monthly mortgage payments. Bowles said: 'Borrowing at high loan-to-value ratios is expensive, so mortgage terms will be key to [the scheme's] success. 'The average quoted mortgage rate for a 95 per cent LTV mortgage was 4.07 per cent in January 2021, according to the Bank of England. Mortgages at 75 per cent LTV cost less than half that, 1.75 per cent.' The average deposits paid by buyers in different regions of the UK, according to Rightmove With more high-profile lenders now entering the 5 per cent deposit market, the increased competition could see rates driven down. Mark Harris, chief executive of mortgage broker SPF Private Clients, said: 'In January 2020 you could get a 95 per cent mortgage for less than 3 per cent but today you can't get a 90 per cent LTV deal below that rate. With the number and size of the lenders involved one would hope that rates become more competitive once more.' The Government has said it wants to turn 'generation rent' into 'generation buy'. However, the renting campaign group also called Generation Rent said the mortgage guarantee scheme was out of touch with renters' financial situations. Alicia Kennedy, director of Generation Rent, said: 'The Chancellor has announced 95 per cent mortgages, which is completely out of touch when 60 per cent of private renters had no savings at the start of the pandemic and another 18 per cent have had to use savings to pay their rent in the past year.' 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. Pacific islanders didn't need POTUS Joe Biden to notify them that climate change presents an existential threat. Climate change communication scientist Tahnee Burgess has investigated journalists on Pacific Island countries who reported global warming between December 2016 and March 2019. She said the report was assigned by ABC International Development to regulate how the Pacific islanders themselves were publicizing global warming without Western narratives showing up. Reports About Global Warming The survey outcomes were exciting and could deliver lessons for Australian politicians and media.The founder and director of the Climate Change Communication Research Hub and co-author of the paper explained: "Before the beginning of the project, he anticipated the Pacific island journalists would encounter similar challenges to their peers in this country, where the case is increasingly politicized, and climate science is sometimes dismissed." But reporting in the Pacific was better to the point. All the journalists and the politicians they cited, accepted that the climate change was real; reports about global warming were presented accessibly and accurately. She explained that in most of the 387 articles investigated, complicated data was transmitted in ways that integrated the science and life experience, to make that information significant to readers. ALSO READ: Human Health and Premature Death Influenced by Global Warming The Greenhouse Gas Donations Burgess explained that: Australia is gradually catching up. The most recent research of last year's black summer bushfires was the most encouraging, 16% of Australians reporting was related to climate change, but 5% of that was denialism. 5% may not sound like plenty, but about thousands upon thousands of articles is in the picture. The research time in the Climate Change Communication in the Pacific Island report includes Fiji's hosting of the November 2017 United Nations climate talks, the yearly CoP23 known as the Conference of the Parties. Fiji's remoteness from western and northern hemisphere nations meant the meeting was held in Bonn, Germany, where the secretariat for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is located. Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama directed - a first for a developing minor island state leader. At the Conference, Fiji set up the Talanoa Dialogue to enable participating countries to execute their greenhouse gas donations. Insightful Details on the Procedure Burgess further explained that Talanoa is the established Pacific procedure of sharing stories without judgment, as a way of creating consensus and understanding. It was officially adopted in 2018 by CoP24 in Poland. The Pacific countries have also been crucial in convincing member states to restrict global temperature rise to well below 2C, better still to 1.5, as set out in the Paris agreement. Crafting the Pacific as authorities is possibly the most popular theme we saw through all the pieces, and that's incredibly justified. Through the research time, Pacific was seen making these remarkable statements at international diplomacy meetings, as well as endorsing for their survival, and showing instances of taking action and adjusting mitigation. RELATED ARTICLE: Global Warming Blamed for Increasing Incidence of Type-2 Diabetes For more news, update about global warming and similar topics don't forget to follow Nature World News! It started with a rumour relayed over dinner with an old friend. She had said to me, that a group of people were spreading a rumour, that I had in some way offended against the person, 33 years ago, but... like rumours are... it was just in the vaguest terms, an ashen-faced Attorney-General told reporters on Wednesday. Attorney-General Christian Porter has denied historical rape allegations levelled against him. Credit:Trevor Collens The rumours had swept political and legal circles too. There were many names, many claims. At Parliament House, like a race track, rumours and conspiracies abound. Only a small number are ever proven. The first suggestions of something darker came ahead of the promotion of an ABC Four Corners episode Inside The Canberra Bubble. The November program had infuriated the Morrison government with claims of inappropriate behaviour from members of the cabinet, including Christian Porter. DETROIT Detroit is offering mental health services to its firefighters after two on-duty employees were involved in drunken driving crashes within a week of each other, The Associated Press reports. On Tuesday, Mayor Mike Duggan acknowledged that the fire department has a very serious problem, which he said was brought on by a reduction in leadership at fire stations and the strain of serving as medical first responders during the COVID-19 pandemic, AP reports. The city will conduct an audit that will allow employees to speak confidentially about alcohol use and other issues, he said. We dont know the extent of the problem, Duggan said. Were not here to focus on who is to blame. Were focused on how to solve it. RELATED: Second Detroit firefighter suspended for drinking and driving The latest incident occurred over the weekend when a captain, who was responding to a call, crashed a city vehicle and nearly landed it on a freeway while allegedly under the influence of alcohol, MLive previously reported. About a week prior, a firefighter was responding to a medical call when he crashed a fire engine into a parked vehicle; he had also allegedly been drinking alcohol. Both have been suspended from duty and could face additional consequences. RELATED: Michigan firefighter suspended for allegedly driving fire truck while drunk The head of the firefighters union said there is zero tolerance for drinking while on duty, AP reports. While not an excuse, the recent events that we addressed today only reveal and underscore the terrible emotional costs of our work, union President Tom Gehart said. READ MORE: Fiat-Chrysler to pay $8K in profit-sharing bonuses to UAW employees Hanging KKK flag next to Black familys home unfortunately not a crime, prosecutor says Restaurants, casinos, gyms, nursing homes: All the changes Michigan made to COVID-19 restrictions on Tuesday Wednesday, March 3, coronavirus data by Michigan county: Five counties had no cases in past week Michigan police officer resigns amid investigation into racist social media post Cindy Hillegass with Central Roofing Company in Minneapolis. I wish for every female in the construction industry what Ive found at Central Roofing. Theres gender equality here. It shows in the way people are treated and in the paycheck. Best of all, theres opportunity for growth in a company thriving in technology advancements. She knows what shes doing. Make this happen. Those were the words that changed Cindy Hillegasss career ... and brought her equality in the construction industry. In celebration of Women In Construction Week (March 7-13, 2021), Hillegass shares her story of moving out of drafting jobs that provided only an average $.72 salary increase over eight years to fairer compensation and recognition. The job market for women in the 1990s was not one of equal pay for equal hours, says Hillegass, a resident of Plymouth, MN. The construction industry excites me, but being a female, its been a long climb upwards. From 2004 to 2014, my salary increased just an average of $.80 each year. Breaking the Glass Ceiling Realizing the only way to advance in the industry and gain equal pay was to gain more education; Hillegass earned her MBA and Master of Management of Information Systems degrees. She also has a Graduate Project Management Certificate and Systems Analysis and Design Certificates. With all those credentials from Metropolitan State University, her talents were recognized by her employer. After more than two decades in the construction industry she was finally promoted to a managerial position with equal compensation. It took 22 years for me to break the glass ceiling, says Hillegass. However, it wasnt until I interviewed for a position at Central Roofing Company in 2018 that I felt truly valued. During an interview with Warren Stock, COO and senior vice president of Central Roofing Company, Hillegass showed him her portfolio of work. After what she says was the shortest interview of her career, Stock looked at an associate and said, She knows what she is doing. Make this happen. Those were the words that launched her career as a Senior Production Technical Drafter IV for one of Minnesotas largest commercial roofing companies. Feeling Valued "Drafting is hardwired into my DNA, says Hillegass. From a young age, Ive always been intrigued with the construction industry. Now Im living my dream job. Graduating as just one of three females from the Architectural Drafting and Estimating Program at Dunwoody Institute in Minneapolis, Hillegass advanced quickly in the industry. Unfortunately, compensation, female role models and opportunities for females were less than impressive during her first years in the construction industry. Working women, like any other male employees, want to contribute to the success of a company while having equal opportunities, says Hillegass. When I started at Central Roofing I finally felt valued. With her extensive and ever-increasing drafting knowledge, Hillegass creates drawings and plans for submittal when Central Roofing is bidding on a commercial project job. These documents include instructions for how and where roofing materials are to be installed. Additionally, she creates tapered insulation plans and details to ensure the proper flow and drainage of water from the roof. As jobs progress, her drafting skills are required to make changes, updates and as-built plans for project managers and the production crew. Adding Value Due to the continuous work load, Hillegass and her associate, Mick Lathe, juggle many project requests simultaneously. Some take several days to complete, others several weeks. Her current detailed work on drafting the new roofing system for Eden Prairie Central Middle School brings value to the overall project. From day one Cindy immediately jumped into the details of this project, says Kyle Forrey, project manager with Knutson Construction. This school has multiple areas where the new roof ties into an existing roof. These are challenging plans. Cindys drafting capabilities, paired with her construction knowledge, have made her an invaluable resource. Shes helping solve problems related to the scope of work for Central Roofing and also to adjacent trade workers. There is no doubt in my mind that the work Cindy puts into the project up front pays dividends to the install crews later on in the process. She helps remove many of the roadblocks that can slow down productivity. Focused on Quality On another project, a large commercial addition onto the corporate campus at Boston Scientific, the construction crew also relied on Hillegasss talents. Cindy provided an endless amount of suggestions for us to work through on this challenging project, says Catie Kilpo, assistant project manager with Mortenson. She came up with innovative ideas that made production in the field simpler for Centrals crew without sacrificing the quality of the product. Theres no doubt Central Roofing puts together one of the most detailed design plans I have encountered. I had complete confidence in Central Roofings installation because of the documents that Cindy completed. As a woman in the construction industry, Kilpo relates that shes also worked hard to find a place at the table. As time changes, technology changes, and the workforce changes, says Kilpo. Women will continue to find space in whatever areas of expertise, job title or position we encounter. The door has opened wider now for women and were going to keep it open. Inclusive Workplace For Hillegass, one of the key benefits to working at Central Roofing is that its a female-owned business. Finding women in leadership roles in the roofing industry is improving, but its still rare, says Hillegass. I believe the largest difference is female-led companies have more of an inclusive, rather than exclusive, work environment. Gerry Stock, our President and CEO, brings empathy to the company. Her leadership has proven key in attracting and retaining the industrys most talented people. Gerry makes people feel comfortable and valued. Shes become my role model and mentor. This company embraces the basic human need of inclusion. Its a true family. Ive learned here that its not your title that defines you; its your work ethic and output. Teamwork is the norm here; the company focus is unified and supportive. I wish for every female in the construction industry what Ive found at Central Roofing. Theres gender equality here. It shows in the way people are treated and in the paycheck. Best of all, theres opportunity for growth in a company thriving in technology advancements. This is the dream job Ive always hoped would exist for me. Central Roofing Company is a nationally-certified woman-owned and operated private corporation based in Minneapolis, MN. Established in 1929 the company has more than 200 union employees. Central Roofing Company focuses on projects for commercial roofing, exteriors service, and metal wall panels. For more information, visit http://www.CentralRoofing.com. ### Pope Benedict calls Biden a 'practicing Catholic,' concerned about Democratic platform Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI recently said in an interview that while he considers President Joe Biden to be a practicing Catholic, he is concerned about his support for the Democratic platform on abortion. The former pope was interviewed by the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera on Sunday, around the anniversary of his retirement in 2013 as head of the Roman Catholic Church. When asked his opinion of Biden, the second Catholic to hold the office of the United States president, Benedict offered a mixed opinion of the politician. Its true, he is a practicing Catholic and observant. And he is personally against abortion, he explained, according to Crux. But as a president, he tends to present himself in continuity with the platform of the Democratic Party. And on gender politics, we have not yet fully understood what his position is. Benedict also rejected any conspiracy theories regarding why he resigned in 2013. He became the first pope to resign in over 600 years. Benedict, who was born to the name Joseph Ratzinger, said his conscience is clear and that external forces did not influence his resignation. Within Catholic Church circles, there has been some debate over Biden's faith. While the former Delaware senator and former vice president is a regular churchgoer, his political policies on abortion seem to go against the Catholic Churchs teaching in opposition to abortion. For example, soon after taking office, Biden released a statement promising to codify the U.S. Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion nationwide in 1973. In the past four years, reproductive health, including the right to choose, has been under relentless and extreme attack, stated Biden in January. We are deeply committed to making sure everyone has access to care including reproductive health care regardless of income, race, zip code, health insurance status, or immigration status. Bidens support for abortion rights has led some in the Catholic Church, among them Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities, to conclude that Biden should not be considered a devout Catholic. The president should stop defining himself as a devout Catholic and acknowledge that his view on abortion is contrary to Catholic moral teaching, said Naumann in an interview with The Catholic World Report. It would be a more honest approach from him to say he disagreed with his church on this important issue and that he was acting contrary to Church teaching. Some in the Catholic Church believe Biden should be denied holy communion until he repents of his public policy positions on abortion. Others, including Cardinal Wilton Gregory, have stated that they will not deny Biden communion and will focus on working together on other issues and dialoguing. The kind of relationship that I hope we will have is a conversational relationship where we can discover areas where we can cooperate that reflect the social teachings of the church, knowing full well that there are some areas where we wont agree, Gregory told Catholic News Service last November. I hope its a real dialogue because I think thats the mantra of Pope Francis that we should be a church in dialogue, even with those with whom we have some serious disagreements." In 2019, Biden was denied communion at a South Carolina church because of his stance on abortion. Bidens political views on abortion have evolved through the years. He once stated during his first term in the U.S. Senate in 1974 that he thought Roe v. Wade went too far. In a 2006 interview, Biden called abortion a tragedy. Biden stated in his 2007 book, Promises to Keep: On Life and Politics, that he "stuck to my middle-of-the-road position on abortion for more than thirty years and noted that while he personally opposed abortion, he doesnt think he has the right to impose his view on the rest of society. In the lead-up to the 2020 presidential election, Biden criticized states that passed or introduced legislation meant to limit when abortions can be conducted, calling them extreme laws that violate a womans constitutional right to choose. In 2019, Biden officially ended his longtime support for legislation that blocks federal funding for abortion in most cases. Advertisement Members of the Michigan National Guard complain they have been forced to eat raw chicken, moldy bread and meals containing metal shavings while they remain on guard in Washington DC protecting the US Capitol from attack. More than a dozen soldiers on deployment have become ill - with some serious enough to be hospitalized - after reportedly being given undercooked and contaminated food.. Soldiers have blown the whistle on the sub-par food supplied by to troops stationed in DC by a National Guard contractor. They shared photos of pink chicken, uncooked beef and moldy food with lawmakers and online while one staff sergeant revealed dozens of meals had to be thrown out when metal shavings were found inside dishes. A group of bipartisan lawmakers are now demanding a new food vendor is brought in, or for troops to be given a daily allowance to buy their own food. Some are calling for guard members to be sent home altogether. Almost 5,000 troops continue to guard the Capitol amid fears of a fresh siege as sources say there is intel of a militia plot to breach the Capitol on March 4 - the same day supporters of the QAnon conspiracy theory believe Donald Trump will become president again. For some soldiers, this means it is almost two months since they were first drafted in to the city following the MAGA mob riot on January 6 where Trump supporters broke into the Capitol in a violent siege that left five dead. During their time protecting the seat of American democracy, National Guard members have endured substandard conditions, including being forced to sleep outside and put at risk of COVID. Thousands of Guardsmen were forced to sleep on the floor of a packed parking garage back in January when they were told to stop taking their rest breaks inside the Capitol by a Capitol officer. Meanwhile, hundreds of guard members tested positive for COVID-19 with insiders describing a failure by the National Guard to implement coronavirus testing and social distancing protocols evenly across the board. Uncooked meat. Members of the Michigan National Guard have been forced to eat raw chicken, moldy bread and meals containing metal shavings while they remain on guard in Washington DC protecting the US Capitol from attack Raw chicken. More than a dozen soldiers on deployment have become ill - with some serious enough to be hospitalized - after reportedly being given undercooked and contaminated food being supplied by a contractor to all troops stationed in DC Moldy bread. Soldiers have blown the whistle on the sub-par food by sharing photos of pink chicken, uncooked beef and moldy food with lawmakers and online In the latest saga around the treatment of the men and women deployed to the Capitol, National Guard members are complaining the food they are being given is inedible and unsafe, reported TV6. Undercooked food left more than a dozen soldiers unwell including an unknown number who were taken to hospital as a result, one staff sergeant, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told 7 Action News. The guard member said the issue is not isolated, citing multiple occasions where dozens of meals were tossed due to the discovery of raw meat or other contamination. Almost 75 meals were thrown out Sunday after metal shavings were found inside them while another 74 meals had raw beef in them, they said. Aside from the poor - and sometimes dangerous - quality, the sergeant said troops are not being given enough food, with breakfast some days consisting of just a dinner roll and Sunny D ahead of a 12-hour shift. Many guard members are said to be resorting to buying their own food because they don't trust the food being provided to them. Reports of the poor food has caused an uproar among lawmakers from both parties, with all 14 members of the Michigan Delegation in the House of Representatives sending a letter to Chief of the National Guard Bureau General Daniel R. Hokanson Tuesday. Metal shavings. One staff sergeant revealed dozens of meals had to be thrown out when metal shavings were found inside dishes The shocking conditions have sparked a group of bipartisan lawmakers to demand a new food vendor be brought in or for troops to be given a daily allowance to buy their own food Raw beef (left) and a bad orange (right). Just some of the food the troops are fed while protecting the Capitol Aside from the poor - and sometimes dangerous - quality, the sergeant said troops are not being given enough food, with breakfast some days consisting of just a dinner roll and Sunny D ahead of a 12-hour shift The letter, led by Republican Rep. Bill Huizenga of Michigan's 2nd Congressional District, demanded the National Guard void its contract with the current food supplier and either find another or for a per diem to be provided to troops. It was signed by Debbie Dingell, Tim Walberg, Brenda Lawrence, Jack Bergman, Haley Stevens, Fred Upton, Elissa Slotkin, John Moolenaar, Dan Kildee, Peter Meijer, Andy Levin, Lisa McClain and Rashida Tlaib. The bipartisan group hit out at the 'unacceptable and inadequate quality of food' that had 'hospitalized' some troops. 'We understand that the decision was made to provide contracted meals to support the entire federal response stationed at the Capitol,' the letter read. 'However, it is clear that these contracted meals are poorly prepared, oftentimes inedible, and highly inadequate to support our soldiers. It is completely unacceptable that our men and women serving in Washington D.C. are being hospitalized due to the food they are being provided. 'As Representatives of these service members, we request that either the current contract be voided and a new food provider be brought in or that the service members be provided with a per diem throughout their remaining time in Washington, D.C.' Members of the National Guard are seen on the East Front of the US Capitol Building on Capitol Hill Tuesday Around 5,000 troops continue to guard the Capitol amid fears of a fresh siege as sources say there is intel of a militia plot to breach the Capitol on March 4 For some soldiers, it is almost two months since they were first drafted in to the city following the MAGA mob riot on January 6 where Trump supporters broke into the Capitol in a violent riot that left five dead Rep. Bergman said troops don't expect a '5-star resort' but what they have been served with is 'an embarrassment'. 'After visiting with our Michigan Guard troops in DC, I have heard from many over the past 48 hours regarding additional issues of contaminated and undercooked food being served,' he said, per TV6. 'This is unacceptable. Our troops don't demand a 5-star resort or expensive food, but at a minimum, they deserve meals that are safe to consume. 'This is an embarrassment for all those responsible for the care of our troops, and must be met with full accountability.' Bergman called for the guard members to leave DC altogether saying t is 'time to get our troops home to their families.' The Michigan National Guard released a statement saying reports of undercooked and inadequate food was 'very concerning' and 'unacceptable.' 'The Michigan National Guard finds the reports of undercooked and poorly prepared food provided to our service members in Washington, D.C. very concerning. The firsthand accounts and pictures of undercooked food being served clearly shows that what is being given to Michigan's service members is unacceptable,' it read. The guard said the issue was escalated to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer who called Acting Secretary of the Army John E. Whitley 'to communicate Michigan's concerns'. 'Other Michigan senior leaders also engaged at the highest levels of the federal government to inform those in charge and to ensure that they knew of our displeasure with the conditions. Every assurance was given that the issue would be addressed and corrected,' the statement said. The Michigan National Guard released a statement saying reports of undercooked and inadequate food was 'very concerning' and 'unacceptable' Whitmer raised concerns about the issue almost two weeks ago on February 17 and was told it was being resolved, her office said. But further complaints have surfaced since. DailyMail.com has contacted the DC National Guard for comment about how the issue is being resolved. Guard officials said Tuesday they were working on the matter but insisted there had only been a small number of incidents where food was uncooked, no substantiated complaints about foreign objects in food and no cases of foodborne illness reported, reported Detroit News. Lt. Col. Robert Carver said less than 0.01 percent of the 1.2 million meals provided between January 6 and February 18 were undercooked. Carver said meals were being spot checked and kitchens examined but there was no 'substantial issues' found so far. Nearly 26,000 National Guard troops were sent from all 50 states in the wake of the January 6 Capitol riot to support the Capitol Police as part of the Post Inaugural Security Mission. The guard members from other states work under the command and control of the Washington DC National Guard, which made the decision that all troops would receive contracted meals. The contract was awarded and is monitored by the National Guard Bureau, according to the Michigan National Guard. Rep. Debbie Dingell said it is not just a problem affecting the Michigan guard members. Issues with the quality of food comes after a backlash in January when shocking photos showed thousands of Guardsmen forced to sleep on the floor of the packed Thurgood Marshall Building parking garage and in a park outside (above) Insiders described a failure by the National Guard to implement coronavirus testing and social distancing protocols evenly across the board. Pictured up to 5,000 troops in the garage National Guard troops sleep on the grass on the eastern front of the US Capitol in January 'It's not only a Michigan guard problem. I stop and talk to all the guard out there, and they said it's improved, but still far from perfect,' she said. Thousands of troops have returned home already but around 4,900 remain in DC until at least March 12 at the request of the Capitol Police. This includes 1,000 members from the Michigan National Guard. The agreed upon end date for their deployment is March 12. Issues with the quality of food comes after a backlash in January when shocking photos showed thousands of Guardsmen forced to sleep on the floor of the packed Thurgood Marshall Building parking garage and in a park outside. Images showed troops packed inside parking garages during their rest breaks with one unit of around 5,000 forced to sleep in one garage with just one bathroom between all of them. Before being located to the parking lot, the troops had been allowed to take rest breaks inside the Capitol building. The soldiers do have hotel rooms but their 12 hour shift pattern means they cannot easily return to their rooms during rest breaks. They had been asked to leave the Capitol building and take their rest breaks in a nearby designated parking lot by a Capitol officer who did not have the authority to do so. Capitol Police apologized later and said troops could return to the Capitol after some Guardsmen said they felt 'incredibly betrayed'. Later that month it emerged up to 200 National Guard members had tested positive for COVID-19, while several hundred more were in quarantine in hotels after showing symptoms or being exposed to the virus. Insiders described a failure by the National Guard to implement coronavirus testing and social distancing protocols evenly across the board, with some troops not being tested on arrival, some receiving only temperature checks and some told to cut short quarantine or skip it entirely in order to report for duty. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Security in DC is beefed up further after Capitol Police receive intelligence of a militia plot to breach the Capitol by far-right group Three Percenters on Thursday - the day QAnon loyalists believe Trump will be made president again Security in Washington D.C. is being beefed up even further after Capitol police received intelligence that militia group the Three Percenters could be plotting to breach the Capitol this Thursday, March 4. Cop sources told FOX 5 that Capitol officers were issued with an intelligence bulletin on Tuesday warning of a militia plot that specifically mentioned the far-right group. Members of the Three Percenters are among the rioters accused of breaching the Capitol on January 6 as part of a Make America Great Again mob. This Thursday is predicted by followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory to be the day that Donald Trump will take power again, returning to D.C. to be inaugurated as president once more. It emerged as a new source of hope for QAnon loyalists after the original theory that Trump would win the 2020 election fell apart. Members of the National Guard enter a gate in temporary security fencing near the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday. The Capitol is being guarded by almost 5,000 troops ahead of March 4 as Capitol cops receive word of a threat from the 3%ers This Thursday is predicted by followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory to be the day that former President Donald Trump (pictured on Sunday) will take power again and return to Washington D.C. for his inauguration Police sources told Fox that they have now had vacation and days off canceled for the coming week as D.C. prepares to combat the threat posed by the new theory. Capitol police had announced earlier on Tuesday that they had been made aware of 'concerning information and intelligence pertaining to March 4th' and were increasing security as a result. The statement added that 'based on the intelligence that we have, the Department has taken immediate steps to enhance our security posture and staffing for a number of days, to include March 4th'. The Capitol is being guarded by almost 5,000 troops ahead of Thursday and US Capitol Police requested 4,900 National Guard troops remain in the nation's capital until at least March 12. A member of the National Guard guards the Captiol on Tuesday. Some members have been stationed there for two months US Capitol Police said it was award of the threat on March 4 in a statement earlier on Tuesday People walk past a section of fencing blocking the Capitol grounds on Monday as securoty is increased The U.S Capitol Building behind temporary security fencing as members of the National Guard walk by on Tuesday National Guard patrol a section of fencing blocking the Capitol grounds as they prepare for a potential breach plot What is the Three Percenters movement? The Three Percenters are a loosely organized movement that formed in 2008, according to the Anti-Defamation League, the Jewish civil rights organization that tracks extremist groups. On its website, the right-wing group says it isnt an anti-government militia but 'we will defend ourselves when necessary.' The Three Percenters derives its name from the belief that just 3% of the colonists rose up to fight the British. They have vowed to resist any government that infringes on the U.S. Constitution. The Oregon Three Percenters joined an armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon in 2016. Dozens of people occupied the remote refuge for more than a month to protest federal control of Western lands. The group also took part in a violent right-wing rally in Portland last year. Advertisement It comes as the Michigan National Guard has blown the whistle on sub-par food being fed to troops that has caused more than a dozen soldiers on deployment to become ill. March 4 is important for QAnon conspirators because it was the former inauguration date of the country before the 20th Amendment moved it up to its current date in January. It was moved to lessen the time of a 'lame duck' presidency. QAnon followers believe that Trump will rally and return to the Capitol on Thursday, where he will be sworn in again. Forbes reports that room rates at Trump's D.C. hotel for the nights of March 3 and March 4 have spiked and far exceed the typical rates. A king deluxe room, for example, is going for $1,331 per night, which is 180 percent above the base rate of the hotel. Other hotels in the area are not making the same price increases for the coming nights. 'Raising room prices will surely be interpreted by QAnon as Trumps support for the March 4 narrative,' said Jason Blazakis, senior fellow at the Soufan Center, a nonpartisan think tank. 'They absolutely try to interpret the words and actions of President Trump very carefully. According to Fox, there is speculation that March 20 - the day the Republican party came to life in 1834 - and April 15 - federal income tax day - may also pose a threat. A memo from acting House Sergeant at Arms Timothy Blodgett claims that some of the threat for March 4 has diminished, Fox reports, despite the bulletin naming the Three Percenters. The right-wing group is a loosely organized movement that claims it isn't an anti-government militia but 'we will defend ourselves when necessary.' The Three Percenters derives its name from the belief that just 3% of the colonists rose up to fight the British. They have vowed to resist any government that infringes on the U.S. Constitution. The Capitol was the site of a pro-Trump insurrection on January 6 that left five dead, including a Capitol police officer. The mob believed Trump's false claims that the election was 'rigged' and 'stolen' from him. Members of the National Guard near the U.S. Capitol perimeter that is surrounded by security fencing due to a potential militia plot to preach the building again on March 4, on what used to be the presidential Inauguration Day Members of the National Guard at the U.S. Capitol where many of them have been stationed for two months The Capitol is being guarded by almost 5,000 troops ahead of Thursday and US Capitol Police requested 4,900 National Guard troops remain in the nation's capital until at least March 12. Members of the National Guard pictured on Tuesday U.S. National Guard soldiers patrol outside the Hart Senate Office Building on Tuesday. The news of the threat emerged Tuesday as further details emerged of the sub=par conditions being suffered by the National Guard at the Capitol According to Fox, there is speculation that March 20 - the day the Republican party came to life in 1834 - and April 15 - federal income tax day - may also pose a threat as the National Guard are called on to remain until at least March 12 Even after leaving the White House, and his suspension from favorite social media platform Twitter, Trump has continued to push the unfounded allegations. During his remarks at CPAC on Sunday, he mentioned the possibility of winning for 'a third time' if he chooses to run for president again. It suggested that he had won in 2020 and could run again in 2024. QAnon beliefs have rarely been validated by the realities that have unfolded around the conspiracy's followers. As well as believing Trump will return as president this Thursday, they think the former president is working against Satanic members of Hollywood and the Democratic Party who are running a pedophile ring, which led to the infamous Pizzagate incident. They also believe John F. Kennedy Jr. is still alive and that COVID-19 is a conspiracy that was invented to hurt Trump's reelection chances. Members of the Three Percenters have been among those charged with involvement in the January 6 Capitol riot. Members of the Three Percenters have been among those charged with involvement in the January 6 Capitol riot, pictured Security was upped around the Capitol after a MAGA mob stormed the building on January 6, pictured According to a George Washington University study published on Tuesday, rioters included members of military networks, military 'clusters,' and 'inspired believers'. Pictured, rear gas is released into a crowd of rioters on January 6 According to a George Washington University study published on Tuesday, rioters included members of military networks, military 'clusters,' and 'inspired believers'. Of the later group, they 'arranged their own travel, accommodations, and other logistics to join the crowds in Washington from areas throughout the United States,' according to the report. 'Charging documents claim that many of the more-organized individuals that participated in the siege were affiliated with nationwide anti-government militia movements, specifically the Oath Keepers and the Three Percenters. Both groups operate as umbrella organizations for dozens of militias throughout the country,' according to the group. They 'arranged their own travel, accommodations, and other logistics to join the crowds in Washington from areas throughout the United States,' the report 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. Shoplifting Complaint Leads to Meth Arrest By West Kentucky Star Staff MAYFIELD - A shoplifting complaint led to a Mayfield man's arrest on drug and other charges Tuesday.The Mayfield Police Department said officers responded to a report of a shoplifter at a store on Cuba Road. Police found the suspect, 36-year-old Jesse Piscatelle, walking down Cuba Road near Sunset Drive.After a brief struggle with officers, Piscatelle was taken into custody. He was arrested and charged with theft by unlawful taking or disposition under $500, fleeing or evading police, terroristic threatening, resisting arrest, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of methamphetamine and possession of synthetic drugs.He was lodged in the Graves County Jail. THE High Court has granted $5 000 bail pending appeal to the leader of Zimbabwe Peoples Front Party, Owen Kuchata, who was convicted for insurgency, sabotage, banditry, or terrorism in 2016 after trying to bomb the late former President Robert Mugabes Alpha Omega Dairy plant in Mazowe. Kuchata, who had already served more than half of his term, appeared before Justice Tawanda Chitapi for bail pending appeal. He was convicted after pleading guilty to the charge. Justice Chitapi said Kuchata was no longer a threat to State security as the State did not give evidence that he was likely to abscond if released. I consider that the applicant has established exceptional circumstances which warrant that in the interests of justice, he be granted bail as there is really little to differentiate him from the co-accused save that he served time for the offence for which he was convicted. This does not disqualify him as a suitable candidate for admission to bail, Justice Chitapi said. In granting him bail, Justice Chitapi ordered Kuchata to deposit $5 000 with the clerk of court, continue residing at his given address, report once a week on Fridays and not to interfere with witnesses. During the initial court appearance, Kuchata was charged together with Solomon Makumbe, Silas Pfupa and Borman Ngwenya, who were members of the Zimbabwe National Army and were all acquitted. Ngwenya was a Zimbabwe National Army corporal, while Makumbe and Pfupa were intelligence officers. It was alleged that the four underwent militia training in Mapinga, where they hatched a plan to commit terror acts. They were ambushed following a tip-off, leading to their arrest while on their way to the dairy farm. Kuchata pleaded guilty on his initial court appearance, but altered his plea due to changed circumstances two years ago. He sought rescission of magistrate Hosea Mujayas ruling. He complained that he was not advised of his rights when he first appeared in court, hence he pleaded to avoid torture. When I was in court, the man who had brutally assaulted me and instructed me that when I go to court, I should admit to such charges, was sitting in the gallery. I believe that man was a State agent since he was part of the officers who had heavily beaten and tortured me. The magistrate even saw him and his actions when I was in the dock, and got to the extent of asking him if he was a member of the Press, Kuchata said in his application for rescission. The High Court later visited the record of proceedings regarding this issue. Meanwhile, suspended National Pharmaceuticals of Zimbabwe acting managing director Zealous Nyabadza, who was arrested for criminal abuse of office after he ordered surgical masks to avert a strike by doctors and nurses, was yesterday granted $15 000 bail by a Harare magistrate. Newsday Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Advertisement Marvel's Thor: Love and Thunder is in its second month of production, and the Hollywood blockbuster's hard-working crew put the final touches on an impressive set along Sydney's picturesque coastline over the weekend. On Wednesday, Luke Hemsworth, Matt Damon, and Melissa McCarthy were seen shooting a play-within-a-film, similar to the one featured in Thor: Ragnarok, on the elaborate site, nestled on a cliff edge at Little Bay. Dressed in full Thor regalia, including a wig and fake beard, Chris Hemsworth's older brother Luke, 40, looked astonishingly like his sibling, he previously portrayed the God of Thunder in Thor: Ragnarok for an Asgardian play that depicted Loki's 'death' in Thor: The Dark World. Scroll down for video That's not Thor! Luke Hemsworth (left) took on brother Chris' superhero character alongside Matt Damon (right) on set of Thor: Love and Thunder in Sydney in Thursday From afar Luke could easily pass as Chris' double, but in real life he is actually shorter than Chris, and given his brother's intensive training, not as muscular. Chris, 37, has portrayed Thor in the franchise for 10 years, but his brother was able to take on the role temporarily in 2017's Ragnarok as he portrayed an Asgardian actor playing the role of Thor in a stage play that the real Loki (Tom Hiddleston) put on. In the play, Matt portrayed the Trickster god, who is normally played by Tom Hiddleston, and he was also seen on set on Wednesday in full costume as he wore a green and gold jacket and tunic to embody the character. Director Taika Waititi told Games Radar of the 2017 version of the play: 'We filmed it and then we realized it might be funnier if we make it more of an in-joke, where the stars of this play were stars on earth.' Seeing double: Dressed in full Thor regalia, including a wig and fake beard, Chris Hemsworth's older brother Luke, 40, looked astonishingly like his sibling Crew is back: In Thor: Ragnarok, the play was called 'The Tragedy Of Loki' and featured three celebrity cameos - Luke as Thor, Sam Neill as Odin (middle), Matt (right) as Loki, and it portrayed Loki's 'death' in Thor: The Dark World In the 2017 film, the play was called 'The Tragedy Of Loki' and featured four celebrity cameos - Luke as Thor, Matt as Loki, and Sam Neill as Odin. Joining Luke on set this week was Matt and Sam in their original cameo roles, and The Bourne Identity star was all but unrecognisable in a long, flowing black wig, with tresses past his shoulders. Sam was also seen on set taking the role of Odin for the mock play, wearing a wispy white wig, beard, and an eyepatch to embody Anthony Hopkins' character. The actor donned a white shirt, pink jacket and an eye patch in a fetching salmon tone to portray the character, it is not clear why they have portrayed him in such clothes. In character: Matt (right) was all but unrecognisable with a pale makeup complexion a long, flowing black wig, with tresses past his shoulders to embody Loki for the play Getting into character: Sam, 73, meanwhile donned a white shirt, pink jacket and an eye patch in a fetching salmon tone, while sporting a hefty beard to transform into Odin Given the trio are back on set, it's clear director Waititi would like to continue the joke, and the cast's costumes make it clear they are reenacting the events of Thor: Ragnarok. In the film, Thor and Loki met with Odin shortly before his death where they discuss the future of Asgard, the All-father then passes away and as a result releases Hela from her prison. Upon being set free, the Goddess of Death stays true to her moniker as she sets out bringing about Ragnarok on Asgard, and even destroys Thor's trusted hammer. During the play, Luke's on-stage character appears to beckon Thor's new hammer as crew use a wire to give the illusion of it flying towards him. Interesting! It appears Taika Waititi is keen to continue the joke by staging another play in Thor: Love and Thunder, this time depicting the events of Thor: Ragnarok Director Taika Waititi was also on set instructing his star-studded cast during filming. Melissa, 50, was seen cackling as she sported a huge green headpiece to transform into Hela, who was originally played by Cate Blanchett in Thor: Ragnarok, however, she has not replaced Cate but is instead playing Fake Hela. To portray the character, the American actress wore a dark black and green caped jacket and had black eyeshadow smudged across her eyes. She is believed to have secured the role after making a hilarious Instagram audition tape with her husband Ben Falcone on Christmas Day. Performance: Melissa (left) was seen sporting a huge green headpiece to transform into Hela for the mock play, who was originally played by Cate Blanchett in Thor: Ragnarok (centre) Last-minute touch ups: A makeup artist (right) was seen making sure Luke's beard stayed in place when 'action' was called, Luke played his brother Chris' iconic character in a hilarious mock play in Thor: Ragnarok (right) 'Melissa and I are desperate to be in the film Thor: Love and Thunder,' Ben began, as the pair insisted they'd be great 'local hires' as they were based in Byron Bay - Chris Hemsworth's hometown. Melissa has been in New South Wales since filming Nicole Kidman's Hulu series Nine Perfect Strangers last year. When filming wrapped, she extended her stay with husband Ben and children - daughters Vivian, 13, and Georgette, 10 - to film her upcoming Netflix series 'God's Favorite Idiot' in the country. The heavily guarded Little Bay set is expansive, with a multitude of tents and crew on hand, and enormous set pieces dwarfing the actors. Likely for privacy and security reasons, there is a large fence surrounding the area. In the cordoned-off area are large machinery vehicles, including a mobile crane telehandler to support a camera operator, as well as earth movers and scissor lifts. Lead actor Chris Hemsworth, who lives in Byron Bay, has been flying in and out of Sydney via private jet since production commenced in January. In the play, Matt (left) portrayed the Trickster god, who is normally played by Tom Hiddleston, and Sam (right) took on the role of Odin for the mock play, wearing a wispy white wig and beard, His friend and co-star Matt Damon has joined him on several of these journeys, which was an early indicator of the American actor's return to the franchise. While some fans thought the Bourne Identity star could be set for another play-style cameo in Thor: Love and Thunder, another theory doing the rounds was that Thor may need someone to impersonate his deceased brother Loki, and calls upon Damon's character to do so. Damon arrived in Australia in January and privately funded his two-week quarantine with his family at a $7,000-a-night mansion in Byron Bay. Director Waititi told Games Radar of the 2017 version of the play: 'We filmed it and then we realized it might be funnier if we make it more of an in-joke, where the stars of this play were stars on earth' The latest installment of Thor is being filmed in Australia after receiving a $24.1million location incentive grant from the Federal Government. Directed by Taika Waititi, the film is expected to bring more than $178million to the local economy, create 2,500 jobs and enlist services from about 1,650 businesses. According to Screen NSW, it's part of a deal which will see several Marvel films made in Australia over the coming years. In the forthcoming Thor installment, Natalie Portman is also back as Jane Foster, and will pick up the hammer and become the Goddess of Thunder (i.e. the female Thor). Thor: Love and Thunder is due for cinematic release in May 2022. A GREEN Party TD has lodged a High Court case against his own government in order to establish whether a referendum is needed to ratify the controversial CETA trade deal. Patrick Costello has confirmed he lodged proceedings in the High Court against the Government earlier this week to seek clarification on who gets to ratify the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) - a trade agreement between the EU and Canada. The Coalitions efforts to ratify the deal by way of a Dail vote have been delayed amid internal dispute within the Green Party over the deal which Costello and his party colleague Neasa Hourigan have voiced strong opposition to. Read More Opponents of the trade agreement claim it would allow multinationals to sue Ireland through an Investor Courts System (ICS) if strong climate and social rights protections are brought in. Ms Hourigan has said publicly she will not vote for the deal when it comes before the Dail. The three Coalition party leaders have agreed to allow an Oireachtas committee to further scrutinise the deal - but Costello, a TD for Dublin South-Central, says a referendum may be needed. Legal proceedings seeking a court judgement on the question were lodged on Monday and the case is listed in the High Court as Costello v Government of Ireland and Others. In a statement, Mr Costello said: I had sought the opinion of counsel on the ratification process, in particular the Investor Court System (ICS) element of CETA which will come into effect if ratified. The ICS involves a transfer of sovereignty and of judicial power incompatible with the Constitution. It is the opinion of counsel that there is a good state-able case that the ratification of CETA, and in particular the ratification of the ICS without a referendum would be contrary to Article 15 and Article 34 of the Constitution. It is of fundamental importance that the members of the Dail, myself included, who would vote on whether to ratify CETA know that our votes are constitutional. Only the courts can give us complete certainty on that question. I have taken this action as an individual citizen and it is a personal action. The treaty will be going to Oireachtas Committees for scrutiny on the question of should we ratify CETA and what are the consequences of that. This legal challenge will at the same time answer fully the question of how we ratify this can we do it by Dail vote or do we need a referendum. Investor Courts as seen in other jurisdictions are hugely problematic since they allow for the governments to be directly sued by companies outside of existing legal systems. This in turn may affect how policy makers decide policy in the long run. As such, it is of crucial importance that if CETA is to be ratified, then the process used is the correct one. While there might be different views on this question of does CETA need a referendum, the only place we can get a definitive answer is the courts. No matter their circumstance, bandits and kidnappers are criminals; in fact they are the devils incarnate. By formally negotiating with kidnappers and bandits, government isnt shoring up the safety of the people, stabilising the state or punishing those who terrorise Nigerians, instead what it is doing is dancing with the devil! When one dances with the devil, it is suggestive of cooperation and the willful choreographing of ones actions in coordination with a nefarious force, generally in order to advance a particular aim or goal. According to an African proverb, you have to heal the wound before it ignores the medicine. The increasing spate of kidnappings and abductions across the country is becoming very worrisome and if not effectively tackled, may snowball into something that may consume us all. The recent abduction of school children from their boarding school in Kagara, Niger State barely two months after the abduction of about 300 school boys in Kankara, Katsina and that of over 300 school girls from Zamfara indicates that kidnappings or abductions are fast becoming a thriving industry. According to data, last year, Nigeria had one of the worlds highest rates of kidnap-for-ransom cases. Other countries high up on the list included Venezuela, Mexico, Yemen, Syria, the Philippines, Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia. Kidnapping has remained the most virulent form of banditry in Nigeria. It has become the most pervasive and intractable violent crime in the country. It appears to have become a business, especially for unemployed youths. Unlike kidnappings, which, at times, take on a political dimension, such as those involving militants agitating against oil companies in the south, or Boko Haram in the north, the current wave spans every region in the country and is driven largely by economic hardship. But, perhaps, the most disturbing aspect emerging from these kidnappings and banditry in Nigeria is the ease with which elements of the government enter into negotiations with the gangs responsible for these crimes in order to resolve them and free the victims. It is of vital importance to understand that negotiating with these devilish terror groups turns their crimes into a lucrative business. There is a great concern regarding the formal negotiations carried out with kidnappers and bandits and the authorities, which has now become a trend in Nigeria. There is a fear that such negotiations with the authorities would open Nigerians up to further attacks, given that the negotiations have the tendency to legitimise the actions of the criminal groups, their objectives and ways. The authorities talking to bandits and kidnappers only serves to legitimise these criminal groups and, in turn, provoke more violence from them and weaken the fabric of the authorities. This engagement, in a way, suggests that the authorities acknowledge that criminal groups are making legitimate demands, even though the way that they are going about these is not proper. Also, if the authorities continue to encourage negotiations with these nefarious groups, it sets a precedent for other criminal gangs who watch the success of others and imitate those supposedly successful actions. The countless instances of abduction, which resolved positively for violent organisations have merely fueled the criminal activity in Nigeria, while providing new funds to arm and support gangs. There is no doubt that the entering into negotiations with kidnappers and bandits by the authorities raises several types of problems: The recognition of these groups as acceptable counterparts; the setting up of precedents, encouragement of these criminals to persist in their methods, and getting trapped in relationships that may elicit more concessions than necessary. If the formal negotiation leads to a continued cycle of violence and rewards the terror groups with greater legitimacy, power and access, then the authorities should not use or normalise negotiations with them in any form. In many Western climes, a no negotiation with terrorist policy is often applied during hostage crises and it is mostly limited to not paying ransom demands. There are multiple motivations for such policies, including a lack of guarantee of the hostages safe return upon payment, as well as not creating an incentive for future hostage taking. The prospect of kidnapping has now become a risk to us all in Nigeria because kidnappers are paid and are hardly ever apprehended. Commuting successfully between Abuja and Kaduna by road now warrants special thanks giving service due to the notoriety of abductions in that axis. Birnin Gwari road in Kaduna State for travelers has become a nightmare and Benin-Ore Expressway is fast becoming a hub for kidnappings. In the past, kidnapping victims tended to be the wealthy and the prominent, and so kidnappers had every interest in keeping their victims alive to extract the maximum ransom possible. Now, victims are often poor villagers, travelers or those in poor communities, who are sometimes kidnapped indiscriminately a departure from the targeted kidnapping of wealthy people. They struggle to pay ransoms quickly because of their relative poverty, and victims are much more likely to be killed. Many of those in authority are sitting comfortably in ivory towers and riding SUVs, seeming unconcerned about the current situation. It might be any of us being kidnapped today or tomorrow. We might feel secure in our gated communities or bullet-proof cars, but the moment one steps out of the comfort zone, one might fall victim. Children go to school, relatives go to the market; everyone of us in Nigeria is at risk of falling victim. Like Martin Luther King once said, When you know something is wrong, but you dont speak up, you become part of the problem and may as well be consumed by that problem. While securing every life is paramount, it is hard to subscribe to the formal negotiation tactic that is currently being employed by some factions of the establishment to ensure the release of kidnapping victims. In many Western climes, a no negotiation with terrorist policy is often applied during hostage crises and it is mostly limited to not paying ransom demands. There are multiple motivations for such policies, including a lack of guarantee of the hostages safe return upon payment, as well as not creating an incentive for future hostage taking. Many renowned security experts maintain that as long as a country consistently applies this policy on a no-exception basis, terrorists can anticipate that there will be no reward for trading hostages. This policy might just be what Nigeria needs to clean up the system. It should be noted that kidnapping is a serious crime and has the potential for transforming into other felonious offences, such as physical violence, financial victimisation, sexual assault and murder. Our security architecture must think outside the box towards curbing this menace. The people perpetuating this crime are within the shores of our country; they should be fished out and apprehended. In October 2020, a U.S. joint special operations force moved into Nigeria to rescue an American who was abducted by kidnappers who demanded a ransom from the mans father. Why cant our security forces replicate this feat rather than engage in negotiations where ransom will change hands? Many security experts have attributed the rising kidnapping cases to a lack of manpower and poor logistics of the countrys security architecture. In reality, efforts to stem the abduction tide have also failed because of weak sanctioning and deterrence mechanisms. Kidnapping thrives in an environment that condones crime; where criminal opportunism and impunity prevail over and above deterrence. The priority of government is to shore up the safety of the population, stabilise the state, avoid legitimising the group that attacked, punish those responsible, and remove incentives for future attacks by demonstrating that banditry and kidnapping doesnt pay. The kidnapping business is mostly perpetrated by criminal gangs and violent groups pursuing economic pay offs. These people are criminals and there should be no place for them on the negotiation table with authorities. Entering into negotiations does not necessarily end the violence, and it is a mistake to perpetuate the impression that it will. The cure presently enacted in Nigeria may just be worse than the disease. ADVERTISEMENT There is nothing less disheartening than the so-called appeasement in the face of kidnapping, banditry and terror attacks on innocent victims, by entering talks with the perpetrators. There is need for an urgent review of Nigerias current anti-kidnapping approach to make it more effective. Intelligence gathering and technology needs to be adopted in bringing this menace to a halt. And negotiations between the authorities and the criminals need to stop. Since kidnappings in Nigeria persists because the benefits of the crime exceed the costs, the obvious solution is to raise the costs by imposing harsher, surer penalties on those who have commercialised kidnappings. The present punishment for kidnapping is spending between one to 20 years in prison, with the possibility of life imprisonment for extreme cases, such as murder. However, this is not enough. It should be reviewed immediately, with stricter measures, such as life imprisonment or a harsher sentence, not being completely out of place in dealing with the menace of kidnapping. After all, the crime of kidnapping is a maximum threat that requires an equally maximum deterrence. The argument against the authorities negotiating with kidnappers and bandits is simple: Authorities must never give in to violence, and terror gangs must never be rewarded for using it. By engaging in violence against civilians, these criminal groups forfeit their legitimacy by breaching the conventions of debate required for negotiations. The authorities engaging with them would translate their violence into a legitimate means to be heard and, thus, lead other groups to engage in similar activities. Formally talking to the assailants would mean accepting such criminals as legitimate interlocutors, which gives them full recognition and would likely lead to increased attacks. The priority of government is to shore up the safety of the population, stabilise the state, avoid legitimising the group that attacked, punish those responsible, and remove incentives for future attacks by demonstrating that banditry and kidnapping doesnt pay. No matter their circumstance, bandits and kidnappers are criminals; in fact they are the devils incarnate. By formally negotiating with kidnappers and bandits, government isnt shoring up the safety of the people, stabilising the state or punishing those who terrorise Nigerians, instead what it is doing is dancing with the devil! Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @hanneymusawa President Uhuru Kenyatta Tuesday remembered the late Juja MP Francis Munyua Waititu as a patriotic leader who demonstrated all attributes of true servant leadership. Speaking during MP Waititus burial service at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) grounds in Juja, Kiambu County, the President said the departed politician generously served all people without discrimination. He never failed to do good. He never waited to be asked for help but rather he willingly offered to support anyone who was in need. He would offer support before being asked, President Kenyatta said. The President said it was on the basis of the MPs prudent utilisation of resources allocated to his constituency that he was re-elected to serve for a second term. Its never easy for a person to be re-elected especially here in Kiambu County. If you see a person being elected twice it means that people knew and understood him, the Head of State observed. The President pointed out that the late MP, popularly known by his moniker Wakapee, continuously worked hard to fulfill the pledges he made to his constituents. He challenged leaders to emulate the late Waititu by focusing on what is right for Kenyans especially projects that transform the lives of their constituents instead of endless politics and empty rhetoric. He has taught us that a leader is one who can stand and work for his people. Wakapee never stole even a penny from the Government. He was a leader who cherished peace and unity of the people he led, President Kenyatta said. The President assured Juja constituents that he will work with other leaders in the region to complete the projects initiated by the late MP. We are together with you and I will ensure we fulfill all the projects he had initiated, the Head of State assured. National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi, who also spoke at the solemn ceremony, said the late MP was a nationalist who strongly supported Government business in parliament. When it came to anything touching the Government, the late Francis Waititu didnt waste time but supported the Government position to the end. He was such an ardent supporter of you (the President) and I will miss him dearly, the National Assembly Speaker said. Speaker Muturi observed that the late MP, who succumbed to brain cancer, was a servant leader who utilized his skills in management to transform the running of Juja Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to become one of the best managed in the country. In his remarks, Kiambu Governor James Nyoro described the late Francis Waititu as a passionate and hardworking person who was devoted to the improvement of the livelihoods of Juja residents. Dr Nyoro said the late MP was particularly keen on the improvement of coffee farming and always sort expertise on how to expand agricultural production in his constituency and Kiambu County at large. The Governor said Wakapees boundless generosity endeared him to many people and that he was committed to building strong networks of friendship with people from all walks of life. We have lost a passionate person, we have lost a very humble person, we have lost a very generous person who was committed to helping all people, Governor Nyoro eulogised. Kiambu Town MP Jude Njomo and former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo also spoke at the funeral service attended by hundreds of mourners. Phuket Governor, 58, takes Sinovac jab PHUKET: Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew along with two vice governors and all their wives yesterday (Mar 2) all presented themselves at Vachira Phuket Hospital to receive their first injection of the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccination. COVID-19Coronavirushealth By The Phuket News Wednesday 3 March 2021, 10:12AM All were officially registered on the Mor Prom account as receiving the vaccine. None of the entourage suffered any ill effects from the vaccine. Photo: PPHO The move is hoped to boost confidence among local people to regsiter to take the vaccine. Photo: PPHO The move is hoped to boost confidence among local people to regsiter to take the vaccine. Photo: PPHO The move is hoped to boost confidence among local people to regsiter to take the vaccine. Photo: PPHO The move is hoped to boost confidence among local people to regsiter to take the vaccine. Photo: PPHO The move is hoped to boost confidence among local people to regsiter to take the vaccine. Photo: PPHO The wives joined to the call to take the vaccine to boost confidence among local people. Photo: PR Phuket The move is hoped to boost confidence among local people to be willing to take the vaccine in the hope of preventing the spread of COVID-19. Leading the way was Governor Narong, who is 58 years old, and his wife Ms Wandee, followed by Vice Governors Pichet Panapong and Piyapong Choowong, and their wives. None of the entourage experienced any ill effects from the injection, and all of them were registered on the Mor Prom (Doctor Ready) Line Official Account as vaccinated for COVID-19. The Mor Prom registration provides an e-certificate showing the registrants name, the date the registrant was vaccinated, the name of the company that produced the vaccine used, as well as the serial number and Lot number of the batch of the vaccine used to inoculate the registrant. Present to oversee the vaccinations was Vachira Hospital Director Dr Chalermpong Sukontapol, he reconfirmed that Phuket has received 4,000 doses of the Sinovac vaccine as the first phase of vaccinating people across the island. Among the first to be vaccinated will be 1,500 medical staff on the island, followed by 500 local officers, Dr Chalermpong explained. The vaccine requires two injections, he noted. A total of 1,800 doses will be used to vaccinate 900 medical personnel at the five government hospitals on the island: Vachira Phuket Hospital, Thalang Hospital, Patong Hospital, Chalong Hospital, and Phuket Provincial Hospital, Dr Chalermpong said. A further 1,200 doses will be distributed to vaccinate 600 staff at four private hospitals on the island: Bangkok Hospital Phuket, Bangkok Hospital Siriroj, Dibuk Hospital and Mission Hospital. In the next delivery, we will receive 16,000 doses of vaccine, and another 48,000 doses will come in May. In total, for the first three months, we will receive 68,000 doses of vaccine, he added. In total, the vaccine will be provided to our target groups, comprising those who have high-risk contact with infected patients, those who have chronic diseases, workers in the tourism industry, and elders more than 60 years old, Dr Chalermpong said. Amazon is well-known for its copycat ways, but it's not so often that another company calls it out on it, much less in a way that's funny. But that's exactly what Peak Design did today when it uploaded a video to YouTube comparing its Everyday Sling to a camera bag from AmazonBasics that shares the exact same name. "It looks suspiciously like the Peak Design Everyday Sling, but you don't pay for all those needless bells and whistles," the video's narrator declares. Those extras include things like a lifetime warranty, BlueSign approved recycled materials, as well as the time and effort the company's design team put into creating the bag. In its most on-the-nose jab at Amazon, the video includes a "dramatization" of how the AmazonBasics design team created their take on the bag. "Keep combing that data," a googly-eyed executive tells his subordinate, who's played here by Peak Design founder and CEO Peter Dering. "Let's Basic that bad boy," they say after finding the Everyday Sling. The segment points to an uncomfortable aspect of Amazon's business model, one that an in-depth Wall Street Journal report examined last year. According to former Amazon employees, the company had used proprietary seller data to design and price in-house products even though its own policies forbid it from doing so. The report came up when Jeff Bezos had to testify before the US House of Representatives last year during its anti-trust hearings. He said he couldn't guarantee the online retailer hadn't misused data from its third-party sellers. Peak Design ends the video with something of an appeal. If you don't want a product that's responsibly made by a small but innovative company, you don't have to purchase it. "Whichever one you buy, youll get exactly what you paid for." The Senate parliamentarian on Tuesday removed the $140 million appropriation for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's rail project included in President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package. According to a New York Post report, the Senate parliamentarian said the $140 million budget for the rail project was not under the so-called Byrd rule, which regulates unrelated items in budget reconciliation bills. "The Senate Parliamentarian has now ruled that the BART extension from San Jose to Santa Clara does not meet the requirements of the Byrd Rule because it is part of a pilot project. Therefore, it will be removed from the reconciliation package," Nancy Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill said in the New York Post report. Hammill added that a separate $1.5 million allocation for the Seaway International Bridge between Massena, New York, and Canada would also be scrapped. Republicans had denounced the funding for the rail project near Nancy Pelosi's California district as wasteful. They described the rail project as an example of unrelated "pork" in the bill, which is being pushed through Congress without Republicans' support through special rules that allow a simple majority vote in the Senate. Sen. John Barrasso mocked the rail project as Nancy Pelosi's "tunnel of love" ahead of an anticipated vote on the relief package later this week. Rep. Devin Nunes from the Central Valley said that they already knew that part of the relief money is going to build a tunnel from Silicon Valley to San Francisco. Nunes noted that Silicon Valley tech oligarchs are the last people that need anybody's money and a tunnel, according to an ABC 7 News report. But aides of Nancy Pelosi defended the project, saying that ridership for mass-transit plummeted during the pandemic that makes it reasonable to hike government spending. READ NEXT: House Approves $1.9T COVID-19 Relief Bill as President Biden Still Considers Lowering Income Threshold for Stimulus Checks Nancy Pelosi's Rail Project Fund Should Be Spent Elsewhere Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy argued that the rail project fund should be spent elsewhere. McCarthy said Republicans tried to redirect the $140 million fund to provide mental health services for kids, but every Democrat voted against it. The project, known as Phase II of the BART Silicon Valley Extension Program, will eventually connect the existing Berryessa station in Northeast San Jose to four new stations in San Jose and Santa Clara. It includes six miles of track, some five miles of which will be underground. Bernice Alaniz, a spokesperson with the Valley Transportation Authority, said this regional extension of the system would link the Bay Area's three biggest cities with a one-seat ride. Bevan Dufty, a member of the BART Board of Directors representing District 9, said the fund is needed to accelerate or fast-track the projects. More Exclusion in the COVID-19 Relief Bill The $15 an hour federal minimum wage increase could not also be included in the Senate bill due to budget reconciliation limits. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, with other progressive Democrats, promised to fight the decision of the Senate parliamentarian. Meanwhile, the White House and the Senate Democratic leaders said they would respect the ruling but would continue to look for ways to get the increase through another measure. READ ALSO: AOC Slams Democrats Who Oppose $15 Minimum Wage Hike, Says It Should Actually Be $24 Representatives of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and ambassadors of foreign states discussed the issues of humanitarian mine clearance in the Joint Forces Operation area in Donbas. Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Ihor Starobinsky, heads of diplomatic missions of the Kingdom of Norway, the Kingdom of Sweden, the Slovak Republic, the Republic of Croatia, the Republic of Albania and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine made a working visit to the JFO area, the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine informs. The main purpose of the visit of European diplomats is to support Ukraine in the implementation of humanitarian mine clearance. The ambassadors got acquainted with the work of one of the units of the State Special Transport Service of Ukraine as part of the JFO, which removes mines from infrastructure and territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Mines do not ask about nationality, age or social status. They are equally deadly to military and civilians who find themselves in a combat zone. For the seventh year in a row, this issue is extremely relevant for Ukraine as the territories of some areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions are one of the most contaminated with mines and ammunition in the world. Every destroyed explosive object is someone's saved life, Starobinsky said. He thanked foreign diplomats for supporting Ukraine in the field of humanitarian mine clearance and informed that a concept of "humanitarian demining" had been implemented in domestic legislation thanks to Ukraine's friends. Starobinsky stressed that Ukraine developed national mine action capabilities and enlisted the support of partners to clear land mines and explosive remnants of war in the Ukrainian territory. As reported, on March 1, nine Ukrainian servicepersons were injured in Donbas as their vehicle hit an unknown explosive device. ol It started with a rumour relayed over dinner with an old friend. She had said to me, that a group of people were spreading a rumour, that I had in some way offended against the person, 33 years ago, but... like rumours are... it was just in the vaguest terms, an ashen-faced Attorney-General told reporters on Wednesday. Attorney-General Christian Porter has denied historical rape allegations levelled against him. Credit:Trevor Collens The rumours had swept political and legal circles too. There were many names, many claims. At Parliament House, like a race track, rumours and conspiracies abound. Only a small number are ever proven. The first suggestions of something darker came ahead of the promotion of an ABC Four Corners episode Inside The Canberra Bubble. The November program had infuriated the Morrison government with claims of inappropriate behaviour from members of the cabinet, including Christian Porter. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison delivers the Royal Commission Report into Aged Care during a press conference at Kirribilli House in Sydney, Australia on March 1, 2021. (Jenny Evans/Getty Images) Australias $452 Million Immediate Response to Aged Care Royal Commission The Australian government has announced a $452.2 million raft of measures as an immediate response to the findings of the royal commission into aged care, as it sets out to reform the sector. The royal commission has made 148 recommendations to the Morrison government, including new laws to protect the rights of elderly people and increased regulator powers. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said senior Australians need to be treated with respect, care, and dignity and have access to quality care as they age. He said the findings provided the government with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to overhaul the system. I called this Royal Commission to ensure our oldest and most frail Australians could receive the respect and care that supports their dignity and recognises the contribution that they have made to society, Morrison said. I warned, when I called the Royal Commission, there will be stories that will be hard to hear. And that has been the case. It will test my government, the budget, and test the parliament, he told reporters in Sydney on March 1. It will test the way in which we are prepared to deal with this issue. The governments response will be shaped by five broad key pillars of home care; residential aged care quality and safety, residential aged care services and sustainability; workforce; and governance. The package includes greater oversight of home care packages, costing $18.4 million. This will consist of a program of audits of home care providers to reduce unjustified administrative charges and better fraud controls. Health Minister Greg Hunt said $18 million would go towards stricter oversight of the governments home care packages, which allow older Australians to continue living at home with extra support. The government will spend $32 million to improve the quality of aged care providers and expand the powers for the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, which includes a senior restraint practitioner, to boost regulation of physical and chemical restraints. The package will also provide residential care temporary financial support, costing $279.9 million, as a continuation of the 30 percent rise in homeless and viability supplements until the end of June, and supply targeted support for residential aged care providers in financial stress. An injection of $91.8 million will be spent to attract 18,000 job seekers to enter the home and residential aged care workforce. A further $30.1 million will be provided for governance training for aged home board members to improve quality standards and include an overhaul of the Aged Care Act, which has been in place since 1997. Morrison delivered an initial response to the royal commission on March 1, which published the eight-volume report. The government has promised a complete response by the end of May. Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck said the royal commission had made him question how the aged care system works in Australia. We need to look at a fundamental reform of the system, he said. The federal opposition said it will take time to go through the royal commissions final report and recommendations. The oppositions aged care spokeswoman Clare ONeil is worried the government wont fix the sector. I hope with all my heart that the government actually sees this as an opportunity to do the right thing, after eight years of neglecting this sector, cutting $1.7 billion out of it, she told reporters in Melbourne. What I heard from Scott Morrison didnt give me a lot of hope this is the person who cut funding to the sector and then turned around surprised when standards slipped. The final report was released on March 1 after two years of the inquiry hearing harrowing tales of neglect across Australia. AAP contributed to this article. A scheme to recover water from farmers to benefit the environment under the $12 billion Murray Darling Basin Plan has been abandoned, as the Morrison government says communities cannot sustain the economic impact of reduced irrigation activity. However, the Commonwealths former manager of environmental water has accused the government of caving to pressure from farm groups and experts warn the Morrison governments alternate water-saving policy may not return enough water to the river to restore its health. The Water Efficiency Program was designed to recover water through voluntary on-farm projects like lining irrigation channels, like this one near Shepparton. Credit:Michael Clayton-Jones The Howard government launched the Murray Darling Basin Plan scheme to restore river health by recovering 3200 gigalitres principally from farmers, who through historical government decisions had been over-allocated unsustainable volumes of water for irrigation. Federal Water Minister Keith Pitt on Wednesday axed the $1.5 billion Water Efficiency Program, which was designed to recover up to 450 gigalitres through voluntary on-farm projects like lining irrigation channels or funding efficient irrigation systems, and to share the savings between farmers and the environment. (Newser) Three young women who worked for a TV station in Afghanistan were gunned down in two separate attacks as they walked home from work in Jalalabad Tuesday, authorities say. Police say a fourth woman was shot and critically injured, the BBC reports. The three women killed were between 18 and 20 years old. Police say the lead attacker was arrested and has Taliban links, though a Taliban spokesman denied any connection to the killings, reports Reuters. Enikass TV says four of its 10 female employees have been killed in the space of three months. In December, the regional ISIS affiliate claimed responsibility after another woman who worked for the station was killed. story continues below The station says the slain employees worked dubbing dramas from India and Turkey into local languages, the AP reports. The killings come amid a wider wave of attacks targeting journalists, activists, and politicians. At least 15 media workers have been killed in the last six months. "These attacks are meant to intimidate; they are intended to make reporters cower; the culprits hope to stifle freedom of speech in a nation where the media has flourished during the past 20 years. This cannot be tolerated," the US Embassy in Kabul said in a statement. (Read more Afghanistan stories.) Four people are vying to fill the seat vacated by Rep. Diego Hernandez, who is resigning later this month from the state House of Representatives after women accused him of harassment. Oregon Public Broadcasting reports the four are: Robin Castro, a community activist who ran for Portland City Council in 2020; Adrienne Enghouse, a nurse who also tried to fill the seat in the Senate vacated by now Secretary of State Shemia Fagan; Cayle Tern, who works in human services; and Andrea Valderrama, a policy director and registered lobbyist for ACLU of Oregon. Hernandez originally said he would stay in office through March 31, then updated it to March 15. Precinct committee people will vote on the candidates and ballots will be tabulated on March 15. The results will be sent to Multnomah County commissioners, who will pick the person selected to fill out the remainder of Hernandezs term for House District 47. That person will have a powerful advantage as the incumbent in the next election for the strongly Democratic district. In November 2020, Hernandez easily won reelection even though he spent only $16,000 on his campaign and independent investigators hired by the Legislature were looking into allegations he sexually harassed women. The third-term Democratic lawmaker, once considered a rising star of his party, had faced allegations of harassment for months. After an independent investigation, members of the House Conduct Committee last month determined he harassed and created a hostile workplace at the state Capitol for the three women. Of the candidates to replace Hernandez, Valderrama has the most experience in Oregon politics. She chairs the David Douglas School Board and worked as policy adviser to former Portland Commissioner Steve Novick, then to Mayor Ted Wheeler. She ran unsuccessfully for a Portland City Council seat in 2018 and worked as advocacy director and a registered lobbyist for the group Communities of Color. Valderama was in a long-term relationship with Hernandez and filed a restraining order against him in 2020, as reported by Willamette Week. Missing from the list of contenders is Ashton Simpson, an Air Force veteran who works for an East Portland nonprofit and ran as a third-party candidate against Hernandez in the 2020 general election. Simpson, who was registered as a non-affiliated voter prior to signing up with the Oregon Working Families Party in August 2020, changed his party registration to Democratic the day after the November election, according to the Secretary of States office. However, that was too late for him to qualify for the current appointment process. Under state law, anyone who seeks appointment to a vacant legislative seat must have been registered with the same political party as the person vacating the seat for at least 180 days. Staff and wire reports London: Buckingham Palace has vowed to hold an investigation into bombshell claims that the Duchess of Sussex bullied young staff before she and Prince Harry split from the royal family, as a backlash towards the pair builds in Britain. The Queens household spent much of Wednesday in crisis mode after The Times newspaper reported that the couples well-regarded communications chief filed a bullying complaint against Meghan in the months after her marriage to Harry in 2018. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex split from the royal family in 2020 and have recorded a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey. Credit:AP The story, which has caused a sensation in the UK ahead of the screening of a tell-all interview by Oprah Winfrey with Harry and Meghan on Sunday (Monday AEDT), also contained damaging allegations that more effort was put into making the complaint go away than dealing with the substance of it. In a highly unusual statement, Buckingham Palace said: We are clearly very concerned about allegations in The Times following claims made by former staff of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Photo: NHNieuws A blast smashed five windows at a coronavirus testing centre in a small Dutch town early Wednesday, police said. Nobody was hurt in the explosion, which was condemned by the government and health officials. For more than a year, we've been leaning heavily on the people on the front line. And then this. Crazy, Health Minister Hugo de Jonge tweeted. The head of the countrys umbrella organization for local health services that carry out coronavirus testing called the blast a cowardly act. Our people have to be able to do this crucial work safely, Andre Rouvoet tweeted. Police in the province of North Holland tweeted that an explosive went off near the testing centre in Bovenkarspel just before 7 a.m. Police cordoned off the area 60 kilometres north of Amsterdam, and were investigating the cause of the blast. Police spokesman Menno Hartenberg said it was unclear whether the testing centre was deliberately targeted or when the facility would be able to reopen. He said it was clear that the explosive didn't "get there by accident. But we have no idea at the moment who exactly left it there and what the intention was. Police said a metal cylinder that had exploded was found outside the building. The northern regions of North Holland province have been identified as a virus hotspot in recent weeks, with infection numbers higher than the national average. In January, rioters torched a coronavirus test facility in the fishing village of Urk on the first night of a 9 p.m.-to-4:30 a.m. nationwide curfew imposed as part of the governments latest coronavirus lockdown. Attacks health workers and facilities around the world have increased amid the COVID-19 pandemic. A new report by the Geneva-based Insecurity Insight and the University of California, Berkeleys Human Rights Center identified more than 1,100 threats or acts of violence against health care workers and facilities last year. Some Dutch lockdown restrictions were relaxed Wednesday with hairdressers, masseurs and other contact professions allowed to reopen if they adhere to strict social distancing and hygiene measures. Non-essential shops also were allowed to reopen in the Netherlands for the first time since mid-December, though only to very limited numbers of customers who make an appointment in advance. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor Members of the National Guard are seen on the east front of the U.S. Capitol Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on March 2, 2021. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images) Militia Group Possibly Plotting to Breach the Capitol on March 4: Capitol Police The U.S. Capitol Police said that it learned of a possible threat against members of Congress and the Capitol complex by an identified militia group. The United States Capitol Police Department is aware of and prepared for any potential threats towards members of Congress or towards the Capitol complex, said a news release from the agency on Wednesday, adding that there is a possible plot to breach the Capitol by an identified militia group on Thursday. The release added: We have already made significant security upgrades to include establishing a physical structure and increasing manpower to ensure the protection of Congress, the public, and our police officers. The department did not elaborate on the nature of the threat or provide details on the alleged militia group. The FBI and Department of Justice have identified some individuals who were arrested after the Jan. 6 Capitol breach as members of militias. So far, more than 300 people have been arrested in connection to the Capitol breach, said FBI Director Christopher Wray in a Senate hearing. Wray also stated that the FBI is viewing the breach as a domestic terror incident. Due to the sensitive nature of this information we cannot provide additional details at this time, the release stated, adding that it is taking the received intelligence seriously. The department added that it is working to gather intelligence with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The announcement comes days after the Capitol Police Department stated on Twitter that it has taken steps to increase security around the Capitol. Inauguration Day used to be March 4 under the U.S. Constitution, until the passage of the 20th Amendment in 1933, which moved the date to Jan. 20. Claims have been circulating on social media platforms suggesting that former President Donald Trump would return as the president on Thursday to reclaim power. The U.S. Capitol is seen behind the metal security fencing around the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Feb. 18, 2021. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Photo) House Acting Sergeant at Arms Timothy Blodgett told all members of Congress in a message on Monday that his office and Capitol Police are monitoring information surrounding the date, which he said some have described as the true Inauguration Day. Blodgett, however, appeared to dispute claims that armed groups are plotting to storm the Capitol on March 4, saying officials have no indication that groups are planning to travel to Washington D.C. to protest or commit acts of violence. Meanwhile, the significance of the March 4 date has reportedly declined amongst various groups in recent days, he stated. Additionally, the National Guard continues to maintain a presence on Capitol grounds to support the USCP with maintaining an increased security posture. Members and Congressional staff should present their Congressional ID to any law enforcement officer or National Guard member staffing access points to campus, Blodgett told lawmakers. Several Republican senators and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser have in recent weeks complained about the barbed-wire fencing and National Guard presence around the Capitol, saying that its unnecessary after Inauguration Day. Separately, there have been conflicting statements by officials about how long the barriers and National Guard troops will remain, with some saying they will stick around until the fall. Mimi Nguyen-Ly contributed to this report. WILMINGTON, DE - DECEMBER 19: President-elect Joe Biden looks towards appointee for National Climate Advisor, Gina McCarthy, as he announces members of his climate and energy appointments at the Queen theater on December 19, 2020 in Wilmington, DE. Biden announced his climate and energy team that will advance an ambitious agenda to address issues of climate change. (Photo : (Photo by Joshua Roberts/Getty Images)) Gina McCarthy, the current White House National Climate Adviser, has never been worried about anything she can't manage. Trump Administration McCarthy watched as the Trump administration tried to reverse her legacy role as the Environmental Protection Agency president under Barack Obama, the Clean Power Initiative. About the reality that glaciers were disappearing sooner than science expected, seas were warming at an unprecedented pace, and the United States was being battered by deadly hurricanes and wildfires, Trump was doing the absolute opposite of what was needed to solve the problem. He pulled out of the Paris climate deal, cut environmental protections, and placed fossil fuel lobbyists in places of influence in the environmental field. For many climate scientists, all of this was catastrophic. McCarthy, on the other hand, was not discouraged. "Stop stressing about this nonsense if you can't do anything about it! In 2019, a characteristically frank McCarthy told HBO host Bill Maher in her Boston accent, "Let's all see what we can do!" Back in Charge McCarthy is back in charge four years after ordering an EPA staff shaken by Trump's victory to "sit your asses in your chairs" and survive the storm. McCarthy said on a panel just days before being called Biden's latest climate czar that "it's time to get our Anthony Fauci of the environment," restoring science and truth to the EPA and other agencies. She is currently in charge of supplying the public with straightforward, science-based knowledge on climate change and pressing the whole government to respond. Her confidence, particularly in the midst of a massive climate crisis, was one aspect that many people liked about her latest VOX interview. She told the media outlet, "These days, we have armies of people who care about climate change, even more than we did 40 years ago." "Who isn't only depending on us but also doing their own job, and it'll be a wonderful opportunity for forwarding progress." It isn't going to be quick. There are several things beyond McCarthy's reach that will decide if she is successful, such as whether Congress approves a bold infrastructure package that prioritizes clean energy or whether the courts strike down ambitious climate regulations. Related Article: Biden To Overhaul Offices to Promote Environmental Justice Who is Gina McCarthy? McCarthy, a lifelong bureaucrat who spent the bulk of her career in city and state governments in New England before moving to the federal government, was born in Brighton, Massachusetts, in 1954. In the early 1980s, her first government position wasn't in the environment; it was a public health officer in Canton, a Boston suburb. Canton's Health Agent She worked as Canton's health agent while still completing graduate school and receiving just $19,000 a year. According to a 2013 E&E post, one of her first major experiments happened in 1982, when a Canton barn containing old electronics and chemicals caught fire, spewing a peculiar smelling blue-green smoke. McCarthy partnered with the local fire department to evacuate the homes in the area, fearing that people would be exposed to harmful pollutants. McCarthy has said she is inspired by a shared thread: people deserve to live well, whether it was her early job fighting toxic waste or her later work with the Massachusetts state government on air quality issues. McCarthy joked in a 2009 interview with her alma mater, Tufts University, that she was a "terrible bureaucrat" because she worried for people. Praise from Colleagues She was lauded by those who worked with her, whether they be fellow elected officials or Massachusetts corporate executives she was charged with overseeing, for being forthright, constructive, and open, particularly when demonstrating to industry leaders that the state was enacting new environmental legislation they didn't like. McCarthy began her almost 20-year career in the Massachusetts state government in 1985. She rose through the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs' ranks' undersecretary of strategy under numerous Republican governors. Hand Picked by Romney She was hand-picked by then-Gov. Mitt Romney (now a sitting US senator from Utah) and Foy to help oversee a newly created Office of Commonwealth Growth in the early 2000s. The office acted as a forerunner to McCarthy's new role in the White House in that it brought together various government departments to collaborate on job creation and climate change. She and her team decided to learn about housing and transit growth in a more strategic manner. Romney and Foy aimed to minimize sprawl in Massachusetts and promote more compact and energy-efficient growth in metropolitan and suburban areas. The office approved economic planning programs while still looking at the environmental consequences. It planned to reconsider road construction as well as how to persuade more residents to take public transit. Legacy McCarthy and Biden's actions over the next four years would have far-reaching implications. The research is strong on the grave effects of climate change, and the short time we have to minimize biomass, methane, and other greenhouse gas emissions before things escalate. Even though US emissions dropped 10% in 2020 due to the pandemic, the Rhodium Community believes that we still have a long way to go to reach the Paris Agreement's new 2025 goal of reducing emissions by 26 to 28 percent below 2005 levels. ALSO READ: Biden First Day: POTUS Commits to 'Global Climate Initiative' as US Rejoins Paris Climate Accords For more news update about Climate Change and similar topics, don't forget to follow Nature World News! (@FahadShabbir) Washington, March 2 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Mar, 2021 ) :The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on senior Russian officials in a coordinated action with the European Union as US intelligence concluded that Moscow orchestrated the near fatal poisoning of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. In his first major action against Russia since taking office, President Joe Biden's administration said it was freezing any US assets and criminalizing transactions with seven senior Russians, including the director of the FSB security service. US intelligence assessed "with high confidence" that officers of the FSB, successor to the KGB, poisoned Navalny with the nerve agent Novichok on August 20, 2020, a US official told reporters. Navalny was flown to Germany for treatment but defiantly returned in January, only to be arrested and then sent to a penal colony after spurring massive rallies through his allegations of corruption by Putin. "The US government has exercised its authorities to send a clear signal that Russia's use of chemical weapons and abuse of human rights have severe consequences," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement. "We reiterate our call for the Russian government to immediately and unconditionally release Mr. Navalny," he said. The announcement comes one day after EU member states approved a fresh round of sanctions over treatment of Navalny. The bloc had already in October targeted the FSB chief, Alexander Bortnikov, among others on the US list. Officials newly targeted Tuesday by both the United States and European Union included Alexander Kalashnikov, the administrator of Russia's prisons. The Kremlin has denied responsibility over Navalny's ill health and on Tuesday asked Western powers what they would achieve through sanctions. "The answer will be obvious: such a policy does not achieve its goals," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking on a visit to Uzbekistan, warned of reprisals, saying that one rule of diplomacy "is the principle of reciprocity. " - Hardening US stance - The Biden administration has vowed to work more closely with allies and to take a harder line than defeated president Donald Trump, who voiced admiration for Putin even though he signed off on some sanctions on Russia. The Biden team has also made clear it is not attempting another "reset" in relations of the sort initially attempted by former president Barack Obama. Biden at the same time quickly extended New START, the last major nuclear reduction treaty between the Cold War powers. "We're not seeking to escalate, we're not seeking to reset; we are seeking stability and predictability and areas of constructive work with Russia where it's in our interest to do that," a senior official told reporters. Officials said that the United States would in the coming weeks also roll out intelligence assessments on other points of concern with Russia. The rows include allegations that Russia paid Taliban-linked militants bounties to kill US troops in Afghanistan, and early indications that Moscow was behind the massive SolarWinds hack that devastated US agencies and businesses. Navalny, 44, fell violently ill when he was taking a domestic flight. The doctors treating him in Germany said he had been poisoned with Novichok, a nerve agent developed by Soviet researchers and which was also blamed in a 2018 attack in England against Russian double-agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia. Navalny was sent to a penal colony east of the Russian capital after a judge ruled that, in going to Germany, he violated the terms of parole in a suspended sentence over a 2014 fraud case, which critics say was trumped up. Navalny has persisted in needling Putin, releasing a viral video that purported to show a palatial Black Sea residence belonging to the president, who was forced to deny publicly that it was his. The dissident has also mockingly said that the veteran Russian leader "will go down in history as a poisoner of underpants" -- where agents allegedly placed the Novichok. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Highlights Amazon has slightly altered its new logo for mobile shopping app after comparisons with Hitlers moustache. The company had rolled out the redesigned app logo in January. Amazon tweaked the logo a bit after receiving unfavourable feedback from the users. Amazon has slightly altered its new logo for mobile shopping app after comparisons with Hitler's moustache. The company had rolled out the redesigned app logo in January but soon after comparisons with a particular style of moustache that was flaunted by Charlie Chaplin and Adolf Hitler, Amazon had to alter the logo. Users found strange similarities between the Amazon logo and the toothbrush moustache that was popularised by Hitler and Chaplin. However, Amazon tweaked the logo a bit after receiving unfavourable feedback from the users. "Amazon is always exploring new ways to delight our customers. We designed the new icon to spark anticipation, excitement, and joy when customers start their shopping journey on their phone, just as they do when they see our boxes on their doorstep," an Amazon spokesperson told The Verge. The app logo that had invited the ire of the users featured a brown cardboard box design with the strip of the tape posted on the top centre of the logo. The blue-coloured tape which is placed above the company's signature smiling "arrow" logo resembled the moustache of the famous dictator. The moustache-style adhesive in the logo has now been replaced with a folded piece of tape that represents the joy of opening an Amazon package. But users on Twitter have dug out similarities of the redesigned logo with a popular cartoon character Aang from Avatar: The Last Airbender. "I know the new amazon app icon is supposed to represent their packages but every time I see it I just see Aang from Avatar smiling at me," a Twitter user pointed out on Twitter. Another user wrote, "Is it just me or does the new amazon app logo kind of look like aang.." This is not the first time an e-commerce platform was pulled up for its logo. A month ago, Myntra had to alter its app icon after an NGO accused the logo of being offensive and derogatory towards women. Myntra changed the logo soon after it was approached by Police. Activist Naaz Patel in association with Avesta Foundation NGO filed a complaint against Myntra and urged the e-commerce platform to remove the logo. "We found that the logo was offensive in nature for women. Following the complaint, we sent an email to Myntra and their officials came and met us. The officials said they will change the logo in a month's time." DCP Rashmi Karandikar of Mumbai Police's Cyber Crime Department said Chris Murray, a University of Washington disease expert whose projections on COVID-19 infections and deaths are closely followed worldwide, is changing his assumptions about the course of the pandemic. Murray had until recently been hopeful that the discovery of several effective vaccines could help countries achieve herd immunity, or nearly eliminate transmission through a combination of inoculation and previous infection. But in the last month, data from a vaccine trial in South Africa showed not only that a rapidly-spreading coronavirus variant could dampen the effect of the vaccine, it could also evade natural immunity in people who had been previously infected. 'I couldn't sleep' after seeing the data, Murray, director of the Seattle-based Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, told Reuters. 'When will it end?' he asked himself, referring to the pandemic. He is currently updating his model to account for variants' ability to escape natural immunity and expects to provide new projections as early as this week. A new consensus is emerging among scientists, according to Reuters interviews with 18 specialists who closely track the pandemic or are working to curb its impact. Many described how the breakthrough late last year of two vaccines with around 95% efficacy against COVID-19 had initially sparked hope that the virus could be largely contained, similar to the way measles has been. Scientists have told Reuters news agency that data in recent weeks on new variants from South Africa and Brazil has undercut that optimism felt in the scientific community following the success of the vaccines But, they say, data in recent weeks on new variants from South Africa and Brazil has undercut that optimism. They now believe that SARS-CoV-2 will not only remain with us as an endemic virus, continuing to circulate in communities, but will likely cause a significant burden of illness and death for years to come. As a result, the scientists said, people could expect to continue to take measures such as routine mask-wearing and avoiding crowded places during COVID-19 surges, especially for people at high risk. Even after vaccination, 'I still would want to wear a mask if there was a variant out there,' Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical advisor to U.S. President Joe Biden, said in an interview. 'All you need is one little flick of a variant (sparking) another surge, and there goes your prediction' about when life gets back to normal. Some scientists, including Murray, acknowledge that the outlook could improve. The new vaccines, which have been developed at record speed, still appear to prevent hospitalisations and death even when new variants are the cause of infection. Many vaccine developers are working on booster shots and new inoculations that could preserve a high level of efficacy against the variants. And, scientists say there is still much to be learned about the immune system's ability to combat the virus. Already, COVID-19 infection rates have declined in many countries since the start of 2021, with some dramatic reductions in severe illness and hospitalisations among the first groups of people to be vaccinated. Murray said if the South African variant, or similar mutants, continue to spread rapidly, the number of COVID-19 cases resulting in hospitalisation or death this coming winter could be four times higher than the flu. The rough estimate assumes a 65% effective vaccine given to half of a country's population. In a worst-case scenario, that could represent as many as 200,000 U.S. deaths related to COVID-19 over the winter period, based on federal government estimates of annual flu fatalities. His institute's current forecast, which runs until June 1, assumes there will be an additional 62,000 U.S. deaths and 690,000 global deaths from COVID-19 by that point. The model includes assumptions about vaccination rates as well as the transmissibility of the South African and Brazilian variants. The shift in thinking among scientists has influenced more cautious government statements about when the pandemic will end. Britain last week said it expects a slow emergence from one of the world's strictest lockdowns, despite having one of the fastest vaccination drives. U.S. government predictions of a return to a more normal lifestyle have been repeatedly pushed back, most recently from late summer to Christmas, and then to March 2022. Israel issued 'Green Pass' immunity documents to people who have recovered from COVID-19 or been vaccinated, allowing them back into hotels or theatres. The documents are only valid for six months because it's not clear how long immunity will last. 'What does it mean to be past the emergency phase of this pandemic?,' said Stefan Baral, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. While some experts have asked whether countries could completely eradicate any case of COVID-19 through vaccines and stringent lockdowns, Baral sees the goals as more modest, but still meaningful. 'In my mind, it's that hospitals aren't full, the ICUs aren't full, and people aren't tragically passing,' he said. Israel has issued 'Green Pass' immunity documents (pictured) to people who have recovered from COVID-19 or been vaccinated, allowing them back into hotels or theatres The documents are only valid for six months because it's not clear how long immunity will last. Pictured: People attend a show at the Khan Theatre in Jerusalem on February 23 From the beginning, the new coronavirus has been a moving target. Early in the pandemic, leading scientists warned that the virus could become endemic and 'may never go away,' including Dr. Michael Ryan, head of the World Health Organization's emergencies programme. Yet they had much to learn, including whether it would be possible to develop a vaccine against the virus and how quickly it would mutate. Would it be more like measles, which can be kept almost entirely at bay in communities with high rates of inoculation, or flu, which infects millions globally each year? For much of 2020, many scientists were surprised and reassured that the coronavirus had not changed significantly enough to become more transmissible, or deadly. A major breakthrough came in November. Pfizer Inc and its German partner BioNTech SE as well as Moderna Inc said their vaccines were around 95 percent effective at preventing COVID-19 in clinical trials, an efficacy rate that is much higher than any flu shot. Scientists said they were pleasantly surprised by how effective the 'first generation' of vaccines had been at curtailing the effects of Covid-19. Pictured: A medical worker prepares the Pfizer vaccine at a quarantine hotel in Perth, Australia on February 22 At least a few of the scientists Reuters interviewed said even in the wake of those results, they hadn't expected the vaccines to wipe out the virus. But many told Reuters that the data raised hope within the scientific community that it would be possible to virtually eliminate COVID-19, if only the world could be vaccinated quickly enough. 'We all felt quite optimistic before Christmas with those first vaccines,' said Azra Ghani, chair in infectious disease epidemiology at Imperial College London. 'We didn't necessarily expect such high-efficacy vaccines to be possible in that first generation.' The optimism proved short-lived. In late December, the UK warned of a new, more transmissible variant that was quickly becoming the dominant form of the coronavirus in the country. New variants of Covid-19 heralded a 'new chapter' in the world's fight against the virus, one vaccine specialist said. Pictured: A man receives a dose of China's Sinovac vaccine in Sibate, Colombia on February 24 Around the same time, researchers learned of the impact of the faster-spreading variants in South Africa and in Brazil. Phil Dormitzer, a top vaccine scientist at Pfizer, told Reuters in November that the U.S. drugmaker's vaccine success signalled the virus was 'vulnerable to immunisation' in what he called 'a breakthrough for humanity.' By early January, he acknowledged the variants heralded 'a new chapter' in which companies will have to constantly monitor for mutations that could dampen the effect of vaccines. In late January, the impact on vaccines became even clearer. Novavax's clinical trial data showed its vaccine was 89 percent effective in a UK trial, but just 50 percent effective at preventing COVID-19 in South Africa. That was followed a week later by data showing the AstraZeneca PLC vaccine offered only limited protection from mild disease against the South African variant. The most recent change of heart was considerable, several of the scientists told Reuters. Shane Crotty, a virologist at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology in San Diego, described it as 'scientific whiplash': In December, he had believed it was plausible to achieve so-called 'functional eradication' of the coronavirus, similar to measles. Now, 'getting as many people vaccinated as possible is still the same answer and the same path forward as it was on December 1 or January 1,' Crotty said, 'but the expected outcome isn't the same.' Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2021) - Blue Thunder Mining Inc. (TSXV: BLUE) (OTCQB: BLTMF) ("Blue Thunder" or "the Company") is pleased to announce the discovery of two new zones of metasediment-hosted gold mineralization in drill hole Muus20-01, the first hole drilled by the Company on the Muus Property. HIGHLIGHTS (Target Area 2): DDH Muus20-01: Two, near-surface gold-bearing zones intersected within an 18.6 metre (m) drilled length, including, - Zone 1 : 1.20 g/t Au over 3.7 m, including 3.42 g/t Au over 0.6 m; within a wider zone assaying 0.84 g/t Au over 6.0 m (14.5-20.5 m) - Zone 2 : 1.67 g/t Au over 3.2 m, including 3.74 g/t Au over 1.1 m; within a wider interval assaying 1.34 g/t Au over 4.1 m (29.0-33.1 m) DDH Muus20-02: - 2.38 g/t Au over 0.5 m (108.7 to 109.2 m) DDH hole Muus20-05: - 1.14 g/t Au over 0.5 m (102.5 to 103.0 m) "We are highly encouraged with results from our inaugural drilling program at the Muus property, where two new zones of metasediment-hosted gold mineralization were discovered in the first drill hole, Muus20-01. These drill hole results further support our exploration model that disseminated gold mineralization, similar to that reported at the nearby Nelligan Deposit continues northwest onto our Muus property. Importantly, several of the other holes from our program that targeted the Guercheville Deformation zone also returned anomalous values of gold, hosted within metasedimentary units close to the volcanic-sediment contact. We are excited that our teams' initial exploration efforts over the Muus property are already providing us with positive results and these new zones will be part of our focus during the 2021 exploration program, which will include targeted soil and till geochemical sampling, trenching and additional drilling." Robert Cinits, President and CEO In addition, the Company is providing gold results from the six-hole (1,278 metre) diamond drill hole (DDH) program that tested targets at the Lac des Vents and Lac Bernard grids within Target Area 2, and at the Lac Cowan grid within Target Area 3 (Figure 1), at the Muus property in late 2020. About the Muus Property Blue Thunder's Muus Gold project (the Project) is among the largest aggregate claim holdings in the Chibougamau Gold District (the "District"), comprising more than 51,000 ha in five non-contiguous claim blocks (Muus, Fancamp, Muus East, Nisk and Embry properties). The Project is strategically located in the eastern part of the Archean Abitibi Greenstone Belt and underlain by several key regional structures, including the Guercheville Deformation Zone (GDZ), the Fancamp Deformation Zone (FDZ) and the Philibert-Joe Mann Zone (PJMZ). These structures are associated with many of the known gold deposits and occurrences in the District, including the recently discovered Nelligan and Monster Lake deposits, which occur on adjacent properties on strike with Blue Thunder claims*. The Project is host to numerous underexplored mineralized occurrences that will be further explored during 2021. *Mineralization hosted on adjacent and/or nearby properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralization hosted on the Company's properties. Muus Property - Target Area 2 Target Area 2 is one of the key areas of focus for the Company on the Muus property, covering an approximately 18 km segment of the GDZ along the west-northwest trending sediment-volcanic contact extending from the Nelligan gold deposit (Figure 1). Recent drilling success by IAMGOLD Corporation on the western part of the Nelligan property and by Northern Superior Resources Inc. on their adjacent Lac Surprise property, highlights the potential for low-grade, metasediment-hosted gold mineralization extending to the west and northwest of Nelligan, potentially to parts of the Muus property along the GDZ in Target Area 2. Based on the Company's comprehensive geological review of the property, the Lac des Vents and Lac Bernard grids were chosen for follow-up exploration that comprised IP/resistivity (IP) surveys followed by four diamond drill holes. Drill holes, Muus20-01 and 02 both crossed a sequence of interbedded metasediments, including sandstone, siltstone, mudstone, conglomerate, and minor chert horizons. Between 14.5 and 20.5 m, hole Muus20-01 intersected 0.84 g/t Au over 6.0 m, including 1.20 g/t Au over 3.7 m and 3.42 g/t Au over 0.6 m. Approximately 8.5 meters further down the hole a second mineralized zone was intersected, which assayed 1.34 g/t Au over 4.1 m, including 1.67 g/t Au over 3.1 m and 3.74 g/t Au over 1.1 m. Both zones are associated with moderately silicified conglomerate and sandstone with trace to 2% disseminated pyrite and pyrrhotite and crosscut by a weak network of quartz-carbonate veinlets with trace to 2% fine pyrite. Drill hole Muus20-02 was collared approximately 300 m east of Muus20-01 and intersected 2.38 g/t Au over 0.5 m between 108.7 m and 109.2 m. Until additional work is done there is insufficient information to fully understand the orientation and geometry of the mineralization intersected in these drill holes. The mineralization intersected in holes Muus20-01 and Muus20-02 is significant in that it demonstrates the potential for Nelligan-style gold mineralization on the Muus property. Further work is planned for this area in 2021. Drill holes Muus20-05 and Muus20-06 targeted the GDZ in an area with numerous historical till sample anomalies. Hole Muus20-05 crossed an interbedded sequence of mafic volcanics and sericite schists with minor interbedded units of metasediments (arenite, graphitic mudstone) to about 160 m down-hole. Further down-hole the geology is dominated by metasediments (siltstone, mudstone, arenite) until the end of the hole at 270 m. Eight intervals greater than 0.20 g/t Au were intersected between 102.5 m and 262.5 m, straddling the transition between volcanics and metasediments. Grades of the intercepts range between 0.22 g/t Au and 1.14 g/t Au over widths ranging between 0.5 m and 1.5 m. These intervals are significant in that they indicate that the contact between volcanics and metasediments in the vicinity of the GDZ remains a strong target for gold mineralization. Further work is planned for this area during 2021. Hole Muus20-06 was drilled approximately 300 m south of hole Muus20-05 entirely within metasediments (sandstone, siltstone, mudstone) and encountered one weakly anomalous zone at 58 m down-hole that assayed 0.26 g/t Au over 1.0 m. Muus Property - Target Area 3 Target Area 3 straddles two significant merging deformation zones (the FDZ and the PJMZ) underlying the east-central part of the Muus Property. This is a structurally complex area that is of interest for lode gold style deposits in the Abitibi (Figure 1). The Company completed a review of historical data covering Target Area 3, that included data from the Company's 2019 airborne magnetic surveys, gridding and an IP/resistivity survey. Based on this work, two diamond drill holes (Muus20-03 and Muus20-04) were completed last fall, which tested an IP anomaly coincident with the volcanic-sediment contact south of the PJMZ. Hole Muus 20-03 returned one anomalous interval assaying 0.56 g/t Au over 1.8 m between 154.4 and 157.5 m, whereas hole Muus20-04 returned several anomalous intervals between approximately 30 m and 80 m drilled depth, ranging between 0.23 g/t Au and 0.31 g/t Au over widths ranging between 0.5 m and 1.0 m. Drilling Information A total of 1,278 metres of drilling in 6 holes were completed on the Muus Property between November 15 and December 15, 2020. Drilling produced HQ (63 millimetre) diameter core and in general core recoveries were excellent, averaging around 98%. Samples were collected over the entire length, averaging around 1.1 m in length. All gold assays have been received from the Muus drilling program and the significant mineralized intervals are reported in Table 1. Multi-element ICP analyses, including base metal and other pathfinder elements have not yet been received from the laboratory. Table 2 summarizes the drill hole details. Table 1: Significant Drill Results (>0.20 g/t Au) - Muus Property Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Interval(1) (m) Gold Grade (g/t) Target Muus20-01 14.5 20.5 6.0 0.84 Target Area 2 including 14.5 18.2 3.7 1.20 including 15.4 16.0 0.6 3.42 29.0 33.1 4.1 1.34 including 29.9 33.1 3.2 1.67 including 32.0 33.1 1.1 3.74 Muus20-02 108.7 109.2 0.5 2.38 198.5 199.5 1.0 0.38 207.2 208.5 1.3 0.20 Muus20-03 154.4 156.2 1.8 0.56 Target Area 3 Muus20-04 29.7 30.6 0.9 0.28 70.0 71.0 1.0 0.21 73.9 74.85 0.95 0.31 79.2 79.7 0.5 0.23 Muus20-05 102.5 103.0 0.5 1.14 Target Area 2 117.4 118.0 0.60 0.81 128.0 128.4 0.40 0.56 142.2 142.8 0.60 0.75 169.05 170.3 1.25 0.41 189.5 191.0 1.5 0.28 201.9 202.4 0.5 0.47 261.0 262.5 1.50 0.22 Muus20-06 58.0 59.0 1.0 0.26 Insufficient drilling has been completed to accurately determine true widths of these intercepts; however early interpretations suggest that true widths are approximately 60% to 80% of the drilled width. Table 2: Drill Hole Summary Drill Hole Azimuth (degrees) Dip (degrees) Length (m) Muus20-01 205 -45 207 Muus20-02 180 -45 237 Muus20-03 145 -45 285 Muus20-04 145 -45 180 Muus20-06 180 -45 270 Muus20-06 180 -45 99 TOTAL 1,278 QAQC and Qualified Person All samples collected from the drilling program were submitted to Techni-Lab, S.G.B. Abitibi Inc., in Sainte-Germaine-Boule, Quebec, part of the Activation Laboratories Ltd. Group ("Actlabs"), where they were analysed for gold by 50 gram fire assay with an AA finish and by 4-acid digestion ICP multi-element analysis (58 elements). The Company follows a rigorous quality assurance/quality control (QAQC) program for the sampling programs that includes the regular insertion of standards, blanks and duplicates into the sample stream. The scientific and technical information that forms the basis for parts of this press release was reviewed and approved by John Langton (P.Geo.), who is a Qualified Person (QP) as defined by National Instrument 43-101. COVID-19 On Wednesday, January 6th, 2021, the government of Quebec announced that it would be extending its holiday season lockdown to February 8th, 2021, for several sectors of activity of the Quebec economy; however, mineral exploration companies with prior commitments and essential work to complete will be permitted to continue working. On February 22, 2021, the government of Quebec down-graded the "Nord-du-Quebec" region, in which the Company's Muus Project occurs, from Level 4 (Red) to Level 3 (Orange). The Company continues to monitor developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic very closely. In conformity with guidelines proposed by the Quebec government's "Commission des norms, de l'equite, de la sante et de la securite du travail" (CNESST) the Company has implemented a strict COVID-19 management plan that complies with provincial government directives and guidelines with the main objective to safeguard the health and safety of our workers, stakeholders and local community members in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. About Blue Thunder Blue Thunder (TSXV: BLUE) (OTCQB: BLTMF) is a gold exploration company that controls 100% of a large land position near Chibougamau, Quebec. The Muus Project covers approximately 51,000 hectares in five separate blocks of prospective ground in the eastern part of the Abitibi Greenstone Belt. The Project is considered particularly prospective for gold mineralization, as a series of prominent ductile and brittle fault-sets transect the Property, including the Guercheville and Fancamp deformation zones, both of which are associated with numerous past and currently producing precious- and base-metal mines in the District. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Robert Cinits President and CEO Blue Thunder Mining Inc. 401 Bay Street, Suite 2100, P.O. Box 55, Toronto, Ontario, M5H 2Y4 (647) 848-1009 "Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release." Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding the anticipated content, commencement, anticipated exploration program results, the ability to complete future financings, the ability to complete the required permitting, the ability to complete the exploration program and drilling, and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, the state of the financial markets for the Company's equity securities, the state of the commodity markets generally, variations in the nature, the analytical results from surface trenching and sampling program, including diamond drilling programs, the results of IP surveying, the results of soil and till sampling program. the quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, variations in the market price of any mineral products the Company may produce or plan to produce, the inability of the Company to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required, including TSXV acceptance, for its planned activities, the inability of the Company to produce minerals from its properties successfully or profitably, to continue its projected growth, to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies, the potential impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on the Company's exploration program and on the Company's general business, operations and financial condition, and other risks and uncertainties. All of the Company's Canadian public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedar.com and readers are urged to review these materials, including the technical reports filed with respect to the Company's mineral properties. This news release contains information with respect to adjacent or similar mineral properties in the Chibougamau District in respect of which the Company has no interest or rights to explore or mine. Readers are cautioned that the Company has no interest in or right to acquire any interest in any such properties, and that mineral deposits, and the results of any mining thereof, on adjacent or similar properties, are not indicative of mineral deposits on the Company's properties or any potential exploitation thereof. Figure 1: General geology of the Muus Property and Target Areas 2 and 3 with Location of Geophysical Grids and Diamond Drilling To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6951/75982_1d4b03d65456ea47_001full.jpg To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/75982 Temenos, the banking software company, today announced that Croi Laighean Credit Union has selected Temenos front-to-back Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) to transform its digital banking. This strategic move from a legacy, on premise system to a community banking solution powered by Temenos SaaS will ensure that Croi Laighean has the technology it needs now and into the future to compete on a level playing field with the big banks and fintech challengers. For Croi Laighean, a strong community presence and the best in digital banking is a winning combination that will help the credit union to differentiate with a service that appeals to members and supports growth. Croi Laighean Credit Union now has over 38,000 members in its common bond which stretches from Rhode, Co Offaly in the West to Leixlip, Co. Kildare in the East. The seven branches are: Edenderry, Coill Dubh, Clane, Leixlip, Allenwood, Carbury and Prosperous. Paul Kennedy, CEO, Croi Laighean, commented: We are delighted to partner with Temenos to transform our digital banking capability. The Temenos platform puts us on a par technologically with the worlds biggest banks. The move from on premise software to Temenos SaaS was a strategic decision that will set us up for success long into the future. We are already well on the way to transitioning to the new system and look forward to launching new products and experiences for the benefit of our members this year. David Macdonald, President of Europe, Temenos, said: We are proud to welcome Croi Laighean to the growing community of credit unions choosing Temenos SaaS to accelerate their digital ambitions and attract a new generation of members. The flexible deployment capabilities of our community banking solution is ideal for the credit unions in Ireland, delivering the opportunity for a fully managed service that is secure, resilient and future-proof. This is a big step forward for Croi Laighean and the start of an exciting journey for its members. Hosted on Microsoft Azure in Microsofts Dublin data center, the service is already in use by a number of other credit unions in Ireland, including Capital Credit Union, Credit Union Plus and Tullamore Credit Union. Temenos community banking solution offers pre-packaged, front-to-back credit union products, processes and channels, all built on modern cloud-native and API-first technology. It gives Croi Laighean the capability to offer outstanding digital member experiences, bring new products to market faster and achieve efficiencies through increased automation and digitization of processes. Delivered as SaaS, Croi Laighean is always up-to-date with the latest in digital banking technology without the cost and risk of maintaining on premises systems. The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift towards digital banking and Temenos SaaS will help Croi Laighean to provide more member-friendly services, more efficiently, via mobile app on online. Before the pandemic, 60% of Croi Laighean members weekly transactions were in branch compared to 40% via digital channels. By the start of 2021, the proportion of weekly transactions via digital had increased to over 80% and this is trend is only expected to continue. About Temenos Temenos AG is the worlds leader in banking software. Over 3,000 banks across the globe, including 41 of the top 50 banks, rely on Temenos to process both the daily transactions and client interactions of more than 1.2 billion banking customers. Temenos offers cloud-native, cloud-agnostic and AI- driven front office, core banking, payments and fund administration software enabling banks to deliver frictionless, omnichannel customer experiences and gain operational excellence. Temenos software is proven to enable its top-performing clients to achieve cost-income ratios of 26.8% half the industry average and returns on equity of 29%, three times the industry average. These clients also invest 51% of their IT budget on growth and innovation versus maintenance, which is double the industry average, proving the banks IT investment is adding tangible value to their business. For more information, please visit www.temenos.com. For more information, please visit www.clcu.ie A new study has suggested that the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine may be less effective in people with obesity. The study carried out by a group of Italian researchers said that obese healthcare workers who received the coronavirus vaccine were not able to produce as many antibodies as their healthy peers. The researchers said that healthcare workers with obesity produced only about half the amount of antibodies in response to a second dose of the jab. While the study still has to be peer-reviewed, the researchers have, however, said that the data might imply that people with obesity need an additional booster dose to ensure they are adequate protected against the virus. They noted that a previous study has suggested that obesity increases the risk of dying by coronavirus by nearly 50 per cent as well as increasing the risk of ending up in the hospital by 113 per cent. They further added that this may be because people with obesity often have other underlying conditions, such as heart disease or type 2 diabetes, that increase their risk from the coronavirus. READ: US Must Stick To Two-dose Strategy For Pfizer, Moderna Vaccine: Anthony Fauci READ: Pfizer, Oxford Vaccines Reduce Severe COVID-19 In Elderly, Study Finds Researchers call for vaccination strategies evaluation Aldo Venuti, of the Istituti Fisioterapici Ospitalieri in Rome, assessed the antibody response following two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in 248 healthcare workers. Venuti noted that seven days after receiving the second dose, 99.5 per cent of them had developed an antibody response, and this response was greater than that recorded in people who had recovered from the virus. Venuti said that since obesity is a major risk factor for morbidity and mortality for patients with coronavirus, it is mandatory to plan an efficient vaccination programme in this subgroup. In the study, Venuti wrote, Although further studies are needed, this data may have important implications to the development of vaccination strategies for Covid-19, particularly in obese people. If our data was to be confirmed by larger studies, giving obese people an extra dose of the vaccine or a higher dose could be options to be evaluated in this population. Danny Altmann, a professor of immunology at Imperial College London, also said that the researchers always knew that BMI was an enormous predictor of poor immune response to vaccines, so this paper is definitely interesting. He added that the research confirms that having a vaccinated population isnt synonymous with having an immune population, especially in a country with high obesity, and emphasises the vital need for long-term immune monitoring programmes. READ: Pfizer-BioNtech Vaccine Shipment Arrives In HKG READ: COVID-19: Pfizer Vaccine 94% Effective, Mass 'Real World' Study Confirms Lebanon's Foreign Ministry has filed a complaint to the UN, asking for investigations into an that reached the country's shores late last month. The Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that it has asked for the UN's technical support, stressing the need for the world body to determine the causes of this leakage, and the party responsible for it, enabling to claim compensation for the environmental damage caused by the oil spill, reports Xinhua news agency. " does not have the capacity to address this environmental disaster and limit its incessant repercussions," the statement said. Black deposits were discovered late last month on the coast of Tyre, south Lebanon, and covered around 200 metres of the area that make up a major part of the Tyre Nature Reserve. Caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab blamed an Israeli ship for the --IANS ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 14:20:20|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HANGZHOU, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Fluent in Chinese, Dmitry Doronin, a doctoral student from Russia, is keen to share his experience in rural villages in east China's Zhejiang Province with his 1.4 million followers online. Having settled in the countryside since last August, the 32-year-old has created hundreds of video clips that record the leisurely rural lifestyle in Hengzhang Village, Songyang County, Lishui City. "The rice is grown in the terraced fields together with fish, which helps minimize pest damage and thus contributes to increased rice yield," said Dmitry while introducing local agricultural products on the popular Chinese short-video platform Douyin. Apart from filming videos, Dmitry also enjoys working with farmers in the fields, doing activities such as planting and harvesting vegetables, feeding buffalo and reaping rice. Dmitry said living in rural areas offers him unique and charming experiences, quite different from the hustle and bustle of big cities such as Shanghai where he studies. "To our surprise, the young Russian not only knows how to cook Chinese food but interested in working in the fields," said 76-year-old villager Bao Mingyue. Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the sales of local agricultural products had dropped significantly, so Dmitry volunteered to promote the products in his videos. In a few months, 10,000 kg of oranges, 4,000 kg of dried sweet potatoes and 300 kg of honey had been sold thanks to Dmitry's help. "After his arrival and benefiting from his live streaming, it seems that more and more tourists have come to visit our village," said 72-year-old Pan Xiannv who is delighted to see the positive changes in her hometown. "Thanks to your videos, I learned how beautiful the countryside life can be," said a comment under Dmitry's post. "In the countryside, you can immerse yourself in the traditional way of life and understand this country better," Dmitry said. According to him, the impressions of China among some Russians are still outdated despite the fact that China has progressed in leaps and bounds. "I would like to become a people-to-people envoy of friendship between the two countries, using the help of the Internet," he added. Dmitry has been living in China for over seven years. After seeing how rapidly rural areas of China have developed, he plans to stay in the countryside after completing his doctorate degree. "Every village in China is unique in its own way, and there is a lot to explore," he said. Enditem TOKYO, March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The dearMoon Project released a video announcement today announcing it has opened the application process for eight civilians to join a week-long expedition to fly by the Moon on SpaceX's Starship in 2023. The trip will be funded entirely by Japanese Entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa, who is motivated to lead this mission by his curiosity and desire to see and appreciate the Earth from afar. In the video announcement, regarding his motivation behind the dearMoon Project, Maezawa noted, "I began to think, every single person who is doing something creative with their lives, aren't they all artists? In that sense, I wanted my invitation to reach out to a broader community and give more people from around the globe the chance to join this journey. If you see yourself as an artist, then you are an artist." SpaceX's Chief Engineer Elon Musk shared, "What's really significant about the dearMoon mission is that it will be the first private spaceflight with humans beyond Earth orbit. I know that Maezawa is also providing places on the ship for artists and others to join, so he wants this to be something that is exciting and inspiring for the whole world." Given his belief that all humans are creative artists in their own way, Yusaku Maezawa is encouraging all who see themselves as artists to apply under two conditions: Applicants looking to be a dearMoon crew member must demonstrate a potential for individual growth from this mission and ensure their experience brings future value for the world, producing societal contributions that will benefit humankind for generations to come. Applicants must be able to support the fellow crew members who have the same potential and vision. Details The selection is launching today and will proceed as follows: To apply for a seat on Starship as part of the dearMoon Project, please follow this link. STEP1: Pre-registration (by March 14th 6:59 AM PST) STEP2: Initial Screening (by March 21st 6:59 AM PST) STEP3: Assignment STEP4: Online Interview STEP5: Final Interview and Medical Checkup (Late May 2021) About the dearMoon Project The first civilian mission to fly by the Moon is planned to take place no earlier than 2023. The Starship rocket developed by Elon Musk's SpaceX will make a week-long journey to the Moon and back. In 2018, Japanese Entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa purchased all the seats aboard this rocket. Wishing to give as many talented individuals as possible the opportunity to go, he announced in March 2021 his plans to choose 8 crew members from across the world. For more information, visit https://dearmoon.earth/. The press kit regarding dearMoon Project are available for download here. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/kte7bp6nq00z0d1/AADNNBjjTAK2mnfEmF3B_gDSa?dl=0 About Yusaku Maezawa Yusaku Maezawa, age 45, was born in Japan in 1975. Maezawa is an Entrepreneur, Art Collector, Moon Passenger, and Social Activist who hopes for world peace. After graduating from the Waseda Jitsugyo High School and spending time living in the United States, he began an import CD and record mail-order business. In 1998, the year Maezawa's rock band debuted their first major album, he also founded the company, START TODAY, which later grew to become Japan's largest online fashion mall ZOZOTOWN, which has been TSE-listed and valued at $10 billion. In 2019, Maezawa sold his company to the Softbank Group and stepped down as CEO. Since then, he has worked on a variety of projects such as investing in 13 different businesses to help them go public, running a money giveaway project, so far giving away $28 million, carrying out a Basic Income Social Experiment. (As of March,2021) SOURCE dearMoon Project CWB Logos CONTACTS: Joanne Sherwood President and CEO 303.365.8011 sherwood@citywidebanks.com Michael Wamsganz Director of Commercial Banking 303.643.3521 mwamsganz@citywidebanks.com Emily Rockhold Marketing Specialist 720.317.7838 erockhold@citywidebanks.com Denver, CO, March 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Joanne Sherwood, President and CEO of Citywide Banks, a subsidiary of Heartland Financial USA, Inc., announced that she will retire, effective May 3, 2021. The banks Board of Directors has approved Michael Wamsganz, the current Director of Commercial Banking, to become the new President and CEO of Citywide Banks, effective May 3, 2021. Joannes leadership over the past 21 years at Citywide Banks has made a tremendous impact to our clients, our employees, and our Denver community, commented Kevin Quinn, Regional President of Heartland Financials West Region. Her partnership and dedication will be missed, but we wish her the well in retirement. Joanne has worked in banking for more than three decades. She joined Citywide Banks in 2000, and has held multiple leadership positions across the bank. Her contributions have helped grow the bank from less than $500 million in assets to more than $2.5 billion today. She continually served as a mentor to up-and-coming bankers and developed a program to assist and support women in banking. In 2019, Joanne became the first woman to be named President & CEO of Citywide Banks. Joanne was also the first woman in two decades to be elected Chair of the Colorado Bankers Association. During her leadership, she testified before Congress and led advocacy initiatives for all Colorado banks. She has also been actively engaged with the Denver Hospice, Arrupe Jesuit High School, Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Denver, Colorado Chamber of Commerce, and the Home Builders Association. Michael Wamsganz joined Citywide Banks as Director of Commercial Banking in April 2020. He brings an extensive background in both the Commercial and Retail banking segments to his new leadership role. Prior to Citywide, as Business Banking Division Head at Huntington National Bank, Michael led a team that developed and managed a portfolio of $19 billion. During his time with Bank of the West, Michael managed teams across 370 branches as Executive Vice President of the Rocky Mountain Division. Michael has been an integral part of our Commercial banking teams growth and evolution. He is well positioned to continue Citywide Banks mission of serving the needs of businesses and individuals across Colorado, added Quinn. Citywide Banks through its parent company, Heartland Financial USA, Inc., has been named a Forbes Best Bank 2021. In its annual review of the largest publicly traded banks and thrifts, Forbes ranked Heartland 52nd among a nationwide group of 100 leading banking organizations with assets ranging from $9 billion to over $2 trillion. To compile the rankings , Forbes used data collected by SNL Financial through the third quarter of 2020 on the countrys largest publicly traded banks and thrifts. The data covered 10 metrics of financial health: return on average equity; net interest margin; nonperforming loans (NPLs) as a percentage of loans; nonperforming assets as percentage of assets; reserves as a percentage of NPLs; two capital ratios (Tier 1 and risk-based); and leverage ratio. Forbes generated its ranking based on an average of the individual ranks of each metric. About CityWide Banks About Citywide Banks Citywide Banks, is a subsidiary of Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (NASDAQ: HTLF). Citywide Banks is a state-chartered, community-invested bank with assets of approximately $2.3 billion and banking centers located across Colorado's Front Range, Foothills and Mountain communities. Citywide Banks is committed to delivering responsive service, local expertise, and comprehensive financial tools for Colorado businesses and families. For more than 50 years, Citywide Banks has been dedicated to finding ways it can impact its local community and to move Colorado forward. Visit www.citywidebanks.com to learn more. Citywide Banks is a member FDIC and an Equal Housing Lender. About Heartland Financial USA, Inc. Heartland Financial USA, Inc. is a diversified financial services company with assets of $13.2 billion. The company provides banking, mortgage, private client, investment and insurance services to individuals and businesses. Heartland currently has 114 banking locations serving 83 communities in Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Arizona, Montana, Colorado, Minnesota, Kansas, Missouri, Texas and California. Additional information about Heartland Financial USA, Inc. is available at www.htlf.com. Contacts President and CEO Joanne Sherwood sherwood@citywidebanks.com 303.365.8011 Marketing and Public Relations Director, VP Steve Ebner ebner@citywidebanks.com 303.365.4057 Marketing Specialist Emily Rockhold erockhold@citywidebanks.com The Nagol is Back! VTOs guide to this years Nagol, plus where to stay and play in south, central and north Pentecost. State officials will announce a plan today to vaccinate public and private school teachers with the newly approved, one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, a local state legislator confirmed. Rep. Bridget Kosierowski, D-114, Waverly Twp., a member of a joint vaccine task force of legislators, Gov. Tom Wolf and key members of his staff, said the task force will host a virtual news conference this morning to announce the plan. The idea is to resume in-person classes soon, Kosierowski said by telephone after the task force met Tuesday afternoon. The state Department of Health will target the Johnson & Johnson vaccine toward teachers, school bus drivers, cafeteria workers and other support staff, Kosierowski said. She said the targeted groups represent about 200,000 people, but about 100,000 already received vaccinations because they belong to a group eligible for vaccinations now. The existing eligible groups, part of Phase 1A, include frontline health care workers, nursing home residents, senior citizens and people 16 or older with risky medical conditions. Johnson & Johnson is almost like a 1A subgroup, we could say, its own entity, Kosierowski said. After teachers are vaccinated, Johnson & Johnson vaccines will go to existing eligible groups, she said. The plan will not reduce the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines meant for existing eligible groups, Kosierowski said. That was a key topic of conversation when the task force met Sunday because no one wanted to add more people to the eligible groups already struggling to find vaccination appointments, she said. Kosierowski said initial estimates show the state is eligible to receive up to 90,000 Johnson & Johnson vaccines in its first shipment. The plan will entail mass vaccinations, she said, but she did not have precise details. The move will come as pressure builds nationwide to get students back to in-person classes. On another front, at a House Aging & Older Adult Services Committee hearing earlier Tuesday, lawmakers implored Aging Secretary Robert Torres to do better getting vaccines to senior citizens, according to the Associated Press. This is unacceptable, Kosierowski said during that hearing. The stories and phone calls, and the complications people have getting appointments. And theres no communication. We have to fix that. Bill Johnston-Walsh, AARPs Pennsylvania director, said a survey of members produced a harsh assessment of what he called the confusing, complicated and challenging vaccine distribution program in Pennsylvania, including jammed phone lines, crashed websites and overbooked schedules. We cannot stress enough how difficult this process has been for so many Pennsylvanians, he told the committee. Torres said his agency shifted employees from other programs to help make vaccine appointments. I worry just as much as youve expressed about our seniors and getting them vaccinated, Torres said. In a virtual news conference, Lindsey Mauldin, the Department of Healths senior adviser for COVID-19 response, said more than 2.48 million vaccine doses have been administered in a state with almost 13 million residents. She said the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will help, but the state has not received its first shipment. There is still not enough vaccine available to meet the current demands, Mauldin said. There will be more vaccines coming, but patience is still required. In its latest daily report on new COVID-19 cases and deaths, the Department of Health reported 2,564 new cases and 74 deaths Tuesday, increasing the totals to 935,834 cases and 24,100 deaths. The new totals included another 175 cases and one death in the region that includes Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties. The region has seen 57,198 cases and 1,624 deaths. By county: Lackawanna added 45 cases for 14,009 total, including 2,103 probable. One new death raised the county total to 420. Luzerne also added 45 cases for 24,973 total, including 1,825 probable, and remained at 730 deaths. Monroe added 53 cases for 9,732 total, including 249 probable, and remained at 266 deaths. Pike added eight cases for 2,535 total, including 211 probable, and remained at 48 deaths. Susquehanna added nine cases for 1,711 total, including 197 probable, and remained at 53 deaths. Wayne added 12 cases for 3,068 total, including 264 probable, and remained at 66 deaths. Wyoming added three cases for 1,170 total, including 195 probable,and remained at 41 deaths. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Erin Molan had her first colonoscopy on Wednesday. The 37-year-old Channel Nine shared a photo to Instagram of herself in a white robe in hospital and urged fans to 'talk to a doctor if something doesn't feel right'. 'Today I had a colonoscopy. My first one. My sister was diagnosed with stage 3/4 bowel cancer at 27 - over a decade ago,' she wrote. 'I'd honestly been scared': Erin Molan (pictured) has had her first colonoscopy after her sister's struggle with bowel cancer 'I've had the genetic testing but not this. I'd honestly been scared. I kept coming up with excuses to put it off,' she added. Erin also reflected on how she nearly lost her older sister, Sarah Sutton, to bowel cancer. 'My sister went in for this procedure and woke up to life changing news... I sat on the edge of her hospital bed as her doctor said the words that no person/family ever wants to hear, so the thought of something similar happening terrified me,' she said. Tests: The 37-year-old broadcaster shared a photo to Instagram of herself in a white robe in hospital and urged fans to 'talk to a doctor if something doesn't feel right' 'I became an ambassador for Bowel Cancer Australia soon after Sarah's diagnosis and have dedicated a large part of my life to raising awareness... I am so proud of the work we and many others have done together.. yet I still PUT THIS OFF.' Erin explained she had a colonoscopy scheduled in for last year and 'Covid delayed it but it's finally done'. 'I can't stress enough how easy this was. The prep - a bit gross (but a great clean out!) - but seriously it's 24 hours and that's it - I didn't feel a thing once I went under.' 'My sister went in for this procedure and woke up to life changing news': Erin also reflected on how she nearly lost her older sister, Sarah Sutton, to bowel cancer over 10 years ago She added: 'I teared up a bit as the anaesthetic started to go in - I was a bit emotional - but my next memory was waking up without any soreness at all to the most wonderful doctor and nurses!' The 2Day FM breakfast show host also urged fans to visit a doctor if they notice any changes. 'If something doesn't feel right talk to your GP. If you notice changes talk to your GP. Bowel Cancer is the second most common cancer in Australia but if you get it early enough 99% of cases are treatable!' A Pennsylvania woman accused in the theft of Nancy Pelosis laptop during the Capitol riot made a video giving a Heil Hitler salute and making neo-Nazi statements, according to digital sleuths at the investigative website Bellingcat. The woman in the video wore a hat, sunglasses and a partial skull mask covering her entire face, but investigators said they could identify her as Riley Williams, 22, of the Harrisburg area, by matching her clothing, hair, eyeglasses, tattoo and unique items in the room to other photos where Williams face is visible. The website also said they found social media posts showing Williams was open about her white nationalist beliefs and willing to use anti-semitic slurs. More on this tonight at 9PM ET, MSNBC:https://t.co/Lilqhufu5C Rachel Maddow MSNBC (@maddow) February 24, 2021 Williams attorney told NBC News the video was meant as a joke to mock Nazis, and would not confirm nor deny that she was in it. The findings are important, Bellingcat reported, because the links suggest that Williams was more than just a Trump supporter caught up in the maelstrom, as her mother portrayed to a television reporter who visited her home shortly after her daughter was arrested. She is somebody who posted racist and Anti-Semitic content as well as filmed a video that appears openly pro-Nazi and promotes accelerationism (speeding up the collapse of society) as a pathway towards establishing a genocidal white supremacist state, Bellingcat reported. IDENTIFIED: Riley Williams, 22, from Pennsylvania stormed the buildings during the Washington DC siege. She attracted attention after she was filmed directing rioters up the stairs, up the stairs. https://t.co/dBsFoLKzsY pic.twitter.com/Aq4giwI9vH Cleavon MD (@Cleavon_MD) January 17, 2021 Eliot Higgins, founder of the online collective Bellingcat, told NPRs Terry Gross Tuesday, that the investigation into Williams shows theres more to the people at the Capitol on Jan. 6 than just supporting President Trump. He said some rally-goers were there for innocuous reasons, but others have a history of advocating for political violence. The histories of some of the people arrested so far reveal more about what they are seeking in the future and why they were on the ground that day, Higgins told Gross. Federal prosecutors accused Williams of participating in the riot at the U.S. Capitol and theft in connection to Pelosis missing laptop. Williams is currently free on bail. She graduated from Mechanicsburg Area Senior High in 2017, according to published lists of graduates and yearbooks. She has no prior criminal record in Pennsylvania, according to online court records, just six traffic violations from 2017 to 2019 in Cumberland and Dauphin counties. The federal affidavit said Williams traveled to the Capitol in Washington D.C. with her father, who lives in Camp Hill. They got separated at the protest but drove home together later, according to the affidavit. READ: Woman accused of stealing Nancy Pelosis laptop delays abuse hearing against man who called FBI READ: Not that Riley Williams: Mechanicsburg teen mistaken for woman arrested in U.S. Capitol riot The Super MILLION$ $10,300 Main Event is the crown jewel of Super MILLION$ Week at GGPoker with the event boasting a massive $10 million guarantee. Day 1b is now in the books and it contributed 142 entries to bring the total field size up to 449 entrants with two more opening flights to go on Saturday, March 6, and Sunday, March 7. After 22 blind levels of 20-minutes each, the Day 1b field size was trimmed down to just 18 players with Romania's Vlad-Stefan "HaiFanFan" Lache, playing at GGPoker under an Uruguayan flag, easily ending Day 1b as the chip leader after parlaying his 100,000 opening stack more than 28-fold into a 2,818,433 in chips. This put him inches ahead of Day 1a chip leader Luigi "shadinho94" Shehadeh who will bring in 2,705,791 into Day 2. Lache was cruising either as the chip leader or closely nearby almost the entire way on Day 1b. He cemented his status near the end of the day in a massive hand against Ukraine's Vlad Martynenko where he got three streets of value flopping a set and improving to a full house with kings against ace-queen suited with an ace also on the board. Four big names also joined Lache in bagging seven-figure stacks on Day 1b including Thomas Muehloecker (second - 1,943,839), Alex Foxen (third - 1,810,137), Michael Zhang (fourth - 1,234,272), and Wiktor Malinowski (fifth - 1,177,850), who has a what promises to be an epic drunken heads-up battle against Fedor Holz in the works. Meanwhile, GGPoker Ambassador Anatoly Filatov will advance to Day 2, although it will be with just an eight big blind stack unless he tries to improve his position on Day 1c and, if necessary, Day 1d as the tournament allows the best stack forward for players that already qualified to Day 2. Others booking their tickets to Day 2 from the Day 1b field included Wei Zhao, Elio Fox, Isaac Haxton, Alexandros Kolonias, Ioannis "Chitirijr" Droushiotis, Juan Dominguez,David Szep, Ian "potamophobia" Matakis, Francisco "VaPaCooler" Benitez, Blaz Zerjav, Arsenii Karmatckii, and David Yan. Not everything worked out for many of the players in the Day 1b field including for David Peters. Just before the end of the day, Peters jammed with queens and seemed to be in a good spot to double after Zhang got in with sixes. A six hit the board and Peters will have to re-enter on Day 1c (March 6), and/or Day 1d (March 7) to have a chance to advance to Day 2. David Peters just missing the cut on Day 1b. Top Ten Stacks of Day 1b Place Player Country Chips Day 2 Big Blinds 1 Vlad-Stefan "HaiFanFan" Lache Romania 2,705,791 135 2 Thomas Muehloecker Austria 1,943,839 97 3 Alex Foxen United States 1,810,137 91 4 Michael Zhang United Kingdom 1,234,273 62 5 Wiktor Malinowski Poland 1,177,850 59 6 Wei Zhao China 946,548 47 7 Elio Fox United States 819,380 41 8 Isaac Haxton United States 634,823 32 9 Alexandros Kolonias Greece 568,016 28 10 Ioannis "Chitirijr" Droushiotis Cyprus 377,925 19 Day 1c Next The tournament will resume with Day 1c on March 6 at 6 p.m. GMT (1 p.m. EST) followed by Day 1d at the same time the following day on March 7 with all surviving players from all four opening flights advancing to Day 2 on March 8 at 6 p.m. GMT (1 p.m. EST). Day 2 will play on until just nine players remain. Randy "nanonoko" Lew and Kevin "RotterdaM" van der Kooi will host a live stream of the final table when it kicks off the following day at 6 p.m. GMT (1 p.m. EST) at the GGPoker YouTube channel. Of course, the PokerNews Live Reporting team will also be on hand to cover these events and more, so be sure to stay tuned. Follow PokerNews Live Coverage of Five Events PokerNews will not only be live reporting the Main Event from start to finish but also four other huge events at the dedicated GGPoker Super MILLION$ Hub as follows: Date Time (GMT) Event Buy-in GTD Feb. 28 6 p.m. Super MILLION$ Main Event Day 1a $10,300 $10,000,000 7 p.m. Event #4: Sunday High Rollers ME Day 1 $1,050 $1,000,000 8 p.m. Event #6: Super High Roller Day 1 $25,500 $2,500,000 March 1 6 p.m. Event #4: Sunday High Rollers ME Day 2 - $1,000,000 March 2 6 p.m. Super MILLION$ Main Event Day 1b $10,300 $10,000,000 6 p.m. Event #6: Super High Roller Day 1 - $2,500,000 March 4 7 p.m. Event #17: High Roller $10,300 $1,000,000 March 6 6 p.m. Super MILLION$ Main Event Day 1c $10,300 $10,000,000 March 7 6 p.m. Super MILLION$ Main Event Day 1d $10,300 $10,000,000 8 p.m. Event #30: Super High Roller $25,500 $2,500,000 March 8 6 p.m. Super MILLION$ Main Event Day 2 - $10,000,000 9-Mar 6 p.m. Super MILLION$ Main Event Final Table - $10,000,000 GGPoker Super MILLION$ Week Schedule Date Time (GMT) Event Buy-in GTD Feb. 28 5 p.m. Event #1: GGMasters High Rollers $1,050 $1,000,000 5:30 p.m. Event #2: Bounty Hunters HR Main Event $525 $1,000,000 6 p.m. Super MILLION$ Main Event Day 1a $10,300 $10,000,000 6:10 p.m. Event #3: PLO High Roller $10,300 $1,000,000 7 p.m. Event #4: Sunday High Rollers ME $1,050 $1,000,000 7:30 p.m. Event #5: Sunday 500 Special Edition $5,250 $1,000,000 8 p.m. Event #6: Super High Roller $25,500 $2,500,000 March 1 5:30 p.m. Event #7: Bounty Hunters HR Special $525 $200,000 6 p.m. Event #8: Monday Main Event $1,050 $400,000 7 p.m. Event #9: Bounty $2,100 $600,000 March 2 5:30 p.m. Event #10: Bounty Hunters HR Special $525 $200,000 6 p.m. Event #11: Super Tuesday $1,050 $500,000 6 p.m. Super MILLION$ Main Event Day 1b $10,300 $10,000,000 March 3 5:30 p.m. Event #12: Bounty Hunters HR Special $525 $200,000 6 p.m. Event #13: Wednesday Main Event $1,050 $500,000 7 p.m. Event #14: PLO $5,250 $250,000 March 4 5:30 p.m. Event #15: Bounty Hunters HR Special $525 $200,000 6 p.m. Event #16: Thursday Thriller $1,050 $500,000 7 p.m. Event #17: High Roller $10,300 $1,000,000 March 5 5:30 p.m. Event #18: Bounty Hunters HR Special $525 $200,000 6 p.m. Event #19: Friday Main Event $1,050 $250,000 7 p.m. Event #20: Short Deck High Roller $10,300 $250,000 March 6 5:30 p.m. Event #21: Bounty Hunters HR Special $525 $200,000 6 p.m. Event #22: Saturday Main Event $1,050 $300,000 6 p.m. Super MILLION$ Main Event Day 1c $10,300 $10,000,000 7 p.m. Event #23: Mini Super MILLION$ $108 $250,000 7 p.m. Event #24: Bounty High Roller $5,250 $500,000 March 7 5 p.m. Event #25: GGMasters High Rollers $1,050 $1,000,000 5:30 p.m. Event #26: Bounty Hunters HR Main Event $525 $1,000,000 6 p.m. Super MILLION$ Main Event Day 1d $10,300 $10,000,000 6:10 p.m. Event #27: PLO Bounty $5,250 $500,000 7 p.m. Event #28: Sunday High Rollers ME $1,050 $1,000,000 7:30 p.m. Event #29: Sunday 500 $5,250 $500,000 8 p.m. Event #30: Super High Roller $25,500 $2,500,000 March 8 6 p.m. Super MILLION$ Main Event Day 2 - $10,000,000 Boost Your Bankroll With the GGPoker Welcome Package Dont have an account? Download GGPoker via PokerNews to grab your lucrative 200 percent welcome bonus worth up to $600 on your first deposit. The bonus releases into your account in $10 increments each time you earn 6,000 Fish Buffet Points, which is the equivalent of $60 in rake or tournament fees. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 06:13:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KIEV, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky was vaccinated against COVID-19 with AstraZeneca vaccine during his working trip to the Luhansk region, the president's press service reported on Tuesday. "Vaccination is important. I know what COVID-19 is because I had this disease. Therefore, I suggest that everyone is vaccinated. Despite the fact that I recovered from COVID-19, my antibody level is very low," Zelensky said after the vaccination at a military mobile hospital on Tuesday. Zelensky urged Ukrainians to follow his example and get vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to defeat the pandemic and return to normal life as soon as possible. On Feb. 23, 500,000 doses of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine arrived in Ukraine. The Ministry of Health expects to receive another 1.5 million doses of this vaccine by March 31 and 117,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine in early March as part of the COVAX initiative. A total of 1,357,470 COVID-19 cases and 26,212 deaths have been registered in Ukraine as of Tuesday, while 1,176,918 patients have recovered, according to the health authorities. Enditem It is always useful to have a single word with which to identify and marginalize the enemy in any kind of conflict, and "Balkanizer" seems to fit the bill. Balkanizers, who include white nationalists on one side and purveyors of Critical Race Theory on the other, are useful idiots for foreign and domestic enemies of the United States who would like nothing more than to get our people to self-identify by race (e.g. "person of color"), ethnicity, and/or religion as opposed to self-identifying as Americans. These enemies would like nothing more than to have the "woke" left persuade Black people that American society is their oppressor and they do not have an equal stake in our society while White supremacists foment hatred of all non-White Americans. Balkanization is why a Serbian terrorist murdered the heir to the Austrian throne in 1914. Archduke Franz Ferdinand was a reformer who wanted to make the Austro-Hungarian Empire's Slavic peoples equal to the ruling Austrians and Hungarians that is, create an entity in which all of its people would think of themselves as Austro-Hungarians as opposed to Czechs, Slovakians, Bosnians, Croats, and so on. These reforms would have obstructed Serbia's agenda of creating a southern Slavic, or Yugoslavian, empire by breaking up Austria-Hungary. Serbia succeeded at the cost of tens of millions of European lives and roughly 115,000 American ones, but Yugoslavia later broke apart because its people continued to think of themselves as Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes rather than Yugoslavians. The very weapon Serbia used against Austria-Hungary in 1914, Balkanization, later destroyed Yugoslavia itself. Today's Scottish independence movement suggests that the United Kingdom never succeeded entirely in getting its people to think of themselves as Britons rather than Scots, Irish, or Welsh. A "Bavaria Independence Party" wants similarly to secede from Germany, while the Soviet Union fell apart when Ukrainians, Lithuanians, and others reminded themselves that they were not Russians, had never been Russians, and did not want to be Russians. Ferdinand and Isabella did not completely unify Spain, either, because now many people in Catalonia want to leave. Balkanizers = Enemies of the United States or Useful Idiots The agenda of Balkanization is therefore to transform a unified country into a squabbling aggregation of different racial, religious, and ethnic groups. This makes its promoters useful idiots for foreign and domestic enemies who seek to undermine the foundation of American nationalism as described by Theodore Roosevelt. This is the proposition that America is one indivisible nation for all who share our values regardless of what they look like, how or if they pray, where they or their ancestors came from, or when they or their ancestors became citizens. Cui bono? (Who benefits?) Rival nations such as Mainland China and Russia have much to gain from internal division within, or even the outright breakup of, the United States. Vladimir Putin was formerly in the KGB, he knows how Balkanization broke up the former Russian Empire, and he doubtless knows how to use all forms of propaganda to undermine another country. It would not surprise me if at least some Balkanizing movements are projects of hostile foreign intelligence agencies, under the influence of hostile foreign nations, and/or supported with untraceable cryptocurrency from hostile foreign nations or non-state actors. Some far-right entities involved with the Capitol riot did apparently get Bitcoin donations, so we have to ask which other divisive entities in our country are getting them as well. Meet the Balkanizers Nobody knows who QAnon's Q really is, which is exactly why Russia, Communist China, Iran, and foreign terrorist organizations cannot be ruled out. They all have the means and motive to create an anonymous online personality to spread divisive disinformation about a shadowy global cabal of Democrats and Jews who harvest the adrenal glands of children to make adrenochrome, a chemical that can be purchased legally from chemical supply houses. The Black Lives Matter movement uses Balkanizing language such as "allyship," which demotes the relationship between Caucasian and Black Americans from "fellow citizens" to "allies," and also "white privilege" to divide rather than unify African-Americans and their Caucasian neighbors. This aspect of the BLM movement, as well as so-called "educators" who teach Critical Race Theory , allyship, and White privilege, makes them useful idiots for genuine foreign and domestic enemies of the United States. On the other hand, anybody who does treat an African-American as anything less than a fellow citizen is equally part of the problem. The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) had a web page that depicted " whiteness " as including values such as the nuclear family and the Protestant work ethic, as if non-White people lacked similar values before they encountered Caucasians. Japanese workers have a reputation for putting in far more hours than Caucasians, Protestant or otherwise, and the same goes for Asian-American immigrants. Black-majority nations in Africa also have a strong work ethic. The NMAAHC adds the Balkanizing statement, "People of color must always consider their racial identity, whatever the situation, due to the systemic and interpersonal racism that still exists." White supremacists also call on their followers to always consider their racial identity; it's the same Balkanizing trash from two different dumpsters. Systemic racism i.e., the proposition that the entire country is somehow racist as opposed to a small but visibly odious collection of White supremacists on one side and the likes of Louis Farrakhan on the other is another phony Balkanizing canard. It is definitely in the interest of our country's enemies to help the "woke" left persuade African-Americans that the United States is a systematically racist country and that all Caucasians are tainted with some kind of racist original sin, and simultaneously encourage and finance white supremacists to foment hatred of African-Americans to aggravate the division even further. Squad member Ayanna Pressley said, "If you're not prepared to come to that table and represent that voice, don't come, because we don't need any more brown faces that don't want to be a brown voice. We don't need Black faces that don't want to be a Black voice." If a White member of Congress said that about White faces and White voices, we would ask where he kept his sheet and hood, and we would probably find them . Squad member Rashida Tlaib said similarly, "When will the world stop dehumanizing our Palestinian people who just want to be free?" We do not have Palestinian people here. We have American people, some of whom may have emigrated from Hamas-infested "Palestine" the same way the ancestors of other Americans emigrated from various countries that were good places to be from, and I stress "from," like tsarist Russia, Nazi Germany, and fascist Italy. Balkanization has already resulted in the breakup of Yugoslavia, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the Russian Empire. Balkanization is the reason for proposals for Scottish, Bavarian, and Catalan secession. This makes those who want to similarly Balkanize the United States useful idiots for foreign and domestic enemies of the United States. We need to marginalize them as such. Civis Americanus is the pen name of a contributor who remembers the lessons of history and wants to ensure that our country never needs to learn those lessons again the hard way. The author is remaining anonymous due to the likely prospect of being subjected to "cancel culture" for exposing the Big Lie behind Black Lives Matter. Image: MasterTux via Pixabay, Pixabay License. Several dozens of people are protesting in front of the Bucharest Tribunal following the court's decision to reject the Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT)'s request to reopen the investigation against the former heads of the Gendarmerie in the "August 10" criminal case, according to AGERPRES. Some of the protesters unfurled a banner on the steps of the Tribunal with the message "We want the culprits for the August 10 #gendarmerie rampage", holding in their hands pictures of the people who were in charge of the Gendarmerie on August 10, 2018 stamped with the word "guilty". They are also chanting slogans such as: "August 10, we do not forget", "See you at the ECHR", "Shame on you, Romanian justice". Among the participants are members of the Declic community, who displayed messages such as: "Romania, police state!", "Shame on you, Romanian justice. See you at the ECHR", "Militia everywhere, justice nowhere". Several organizations and civic groups announced their participation in the event, including "Corruption kills", "Initiative Romania", "Declic", "Evolution in Institution", "Geeks For Democracy", "Resistance", "Reset Iasi" and "Civic Brasov". On Tuesday, the Bucharest Tribunal rejected DIICOT's request to reopen the investigation against the former heads of the Gendarmerie in the "August 10" case. The court's decision, which is final, was taken by Judge Daniela Isabela Mihet. Basically, by this decision, the case was closed, and the former heads of the Gendarmerie will not be prosecuted for their intervention against the demonstrators at the rally in Victoriei Square on August 2018. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 first arrival of COVID-19 vaccines to Kenya is offloaded from a Qatar Airways flight at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya, early Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Around 1.02 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India arrived at the airport as part of the COVAX facility, according to the Ministry of Health. (AP Photo) More African countries received the long-awaited first deliveries of COVID-19 vaccines on Wednesday, with Kenya and Rwanda benefiting from the global COVAX initiative that aims to ensure doses for the world's low-and middle-income nations. African and other health officials have been frustrated with the sight of a handful of rich countries rolling out vaccines after snapping up large amounts for themselves. "We will be known as the continent of COVID" if Africa doesn't quickly reach its target of vaccinating 60% of its population of 1.3 billion people, the director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, John Nkengasong, said last week. The continent last month surpassed 100,000 confirmed deaths. So far Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Angola and Congo also have received their first vaccine doses via COVAX, with several other countries including Mali, Senegal, Malawi and Uganda set to receive them this week. Rwanda is becoming the first African nation to receive the Pfizer vaccine via COVAX. The vaccine needs storage at ultra-cold temperatures, making rollout complex in hot countries and rural areas, for example. COVAX has faced delays related to the severely limited global supply of vaccine doses as well as logistical issues. And COVAX alone will not supply Africa's 54 countries with the doses needed to reach the 60% population coverage for achieving so-called herd immunity, when enough people are protected through infection or vaccination to make it difficult for a virus to continue to spread. That's why some countries such as South Africa, the hardest-hit African nation, are also pursuing COVID-19 vaccines via bilateral deals or via the African Union's bulk-purchasing program. The first arrival of COVID-19 vaccines to Kenya is offloaded from a Qatar Airways flight at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya, early Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Around 1.02 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India arrived at the airport as part of the COVAX facility, according to the Ministry of Health. (AP Photo) Despite the various challenges, some health officials expressed jubilation as the first vaccine doses via COVAX arrived. "We have been fighting the pandemic with rubber bullets but what we have acquired today is equivalent, metaphorically speaking, to bazookas and machine guns," Kenyan Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe said. Kenya received 1.02 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India. The minister said the vaccines will be administered to some 400,000 medical workers and the rest will go to other front-line workers such as teachers and police officers. "This first shipment of 1 million vaccines is part of an order of 3.5 million to Kenya," UNICEF spokesman Andrew Brown told The Associated Press. Kenya, East Africa's commercial hub, has more than 106,000 confirmed virus cases including more than 1,800 deaths. Many health workers for months have been disgruntled over the inadequate supply of personal protective equipment. They also say they were never paid the allowances that the government promised them for the extra work and risk while combating COVID-19. Rwanda received 240,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, with 102,960 Pfizer doses expected later Wednesday. The health ministry said these first doses will target front-line workers, those above 65 and people with underlying health conditions. Health Minister Daniel Ngamije said Rwanda's goal is to vaccinate 30% of the population by the end of this year, and 60% by the end of 2022. Rwanda has recorded 19,111 cases and 265 deaths. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. As polls near in Bengal, agencies shift focus to Indias fake currency hub, Malda India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Mar 03: The fact that in 2013-2014 alone, Malda in West Bengal pushed Rs 1,500 crore worth fake currency itself suggests the magnitude of the problem. Not much has changed and Malda according to officers in the National Investigation Agency is the primary hub for the racket. With the elections coming up, the Intelligence agencies have heightened surveillance as there would be a bigger push made by the racketeers to pump in fake currency, printed in Pakistan and smuggled through Bangladesh. An Intelligence Bureau official tells OneIndia that a close watch would be kept on Malda, which alone pumps in 95 per cent of the fake currency into the country. The NIA is conducting several probes relating to this racket and has arrested scores of racketeers from Malda alone. In one of its probes against the Jamat-ul-Mujahideen, Bangladesh, the NIA learnt that the members of the Malda module had set shop in the southern states of Karnataka and Kerala. They were circulating fake currency and using it for terror related activities. NIA court sentences two fake currency racketeers to six years in jail In a 2018 probe, following the arrest of one Sonaul from Malda, the NIA learnt that attempts were also being made to set up a printing unit in Malda. The module was being run by a person by the name Johny Shaikh and he was primarily responsible for the entire modus operandi. Malda is an easy landing point as it borders with Bangladesh. Once the money lands in West Bengal, several youth are picked up to execute the job. Several of them land up in cities such as Mumbai or Bengaluru and first find work as construction labour. They work for sometime and then circulate the notes in instalments. They stay on in these cities for a couple of months and manage to circulate at least Rs 2 lakh worth of fake currency each, investigations have revealed. While they personally circulate some of the notes, there is also a module which buys notes from them. The market rate in Bengaluru and Maharashtra varies. For Rs. 2,000 worth of fake notes, the price offered is anything between Rs 100 to Rs 200. These persons who pick up the notes have very often circulated such notes through banks. In 2018, the NIA arrested one Shahjahan. He told the NIA that they found working out of West Bengal easy due to the lack of proper checks. While the ease with which these operatives functioned was one such detail, the other was the quality of the notes. The accused persons revealed to the NIA that it was extremely easy for them to move the notes out of Malda and even stock it as there were hardly any checks. The officer cited above said that while invention is to hurt the Indian economy, the main reason for this racket being given so much importance is to raise money for terror. A few years back, the agencies had busted a plot where some radical elements had decided to begin a violent movement. The same was aimed at either emerging Murshidabad with Bangladesh or seek for Azadi. The plotters had even managed to rope in several like-minded locals into their fold. The funds too were being raised through various mechanisms that included fake currency peddling and also donations. Anurag Kashyap, Tapsee Pannu face tax raids by income tax officials| Oneindia News Bangladesh trained terrorists were preparing for a launch into this region and carry out a series of spectacular attacks. However the plan was foiled due to some tough measures taken by the central agencies. Liberal activist who helped craft Obamacare contraceptive mandate withdraws Cabinet nomination Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment President Joe Biden has withdrawn the nomination of Neera Tanden to serve as director of the White House Office of Management and Budget after senators on both sides of the aisle indicated they would not vote to confirm her. In a statement Tuesday, Biden announced Tanden's request to withdraw her nomination and indicated that he still wanted the longtime political operative to play an active role in his administration. "I have accepted Neera Tanden's request to withdraw her name from nomination for Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Biden stated. I have the utmost respect for her and her record of accomplishment, her experience and her counsel, and I look forward to having her serve a role in my Administration. She will bring valuable perspective and insight to our work." The White House also shared a copy of the letter Tanden sent to Biden announcing her decision to withdraw her nomination. "It has been an honor of a lifetime to be considered for this role and for the faith placed in me," she wrote. While Tanden expressed gratitude for the White House's efforts to secure her nomination, she admitted that "[i]t seems now that there is no clear path forward to gain confirmation, and I do not want consideration of my confirmation to be a distraction from your other priorities." Tanden, who currently heads the liberal think tank Center for American Progress and has a long history of bashing politicians on social media, concluded her letter by praising Biden's "leadership on behalf of the American people and for your agenda that will make such a transformative difference in people's lives." Tanden's acknowledgment that she lacks a clear path to nomination comes after the Senate Homeland Security Committee delayed a vote on her nomination because "members need more time to consider the nominee." The Homeland Security Committee's decision was a result of bipartisan opposition to Tanden's confirmation. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., announced last month that he would not support her confirmation, citing "overly partisan statements" she made on social media in the past as a cause for concern. With a narrow 50-50 margin in the Senate, Tanden's confirmation would have required the support of all 50 Democratic senators and Vice President Kamala Harris, who would serve as the tie-breaking vote. With Manchin's opposition, Tanden would have needed to pick up support from at least one Senate Republican to secure the votes needed for confirmation. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, one of the most moderate Republicans in the Senate, indicated that she would not support Tandens confirmation on Feb. 22. According to Collins, "Neera Tanden has neither the experience nor the temperament" to lead the Office of Management and Budget. Concerns about Tanden's temperament and partisan tweets directed primarily at congressional Republicans came up during her Feb. 9 confirmation hearing. When questioning the nominee, Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., pointed out that Tanden had a history of taking to Twitter to call Republican politicians "criminally ignorant," "corrupt" and "the worst." He also questioned why Tanden referred to people with religious convictions against the Obamacare contraceptive mandate as extreme. Tanden previously served as senior adviser for health reform at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. While in that role, she worked on provisions of the Affordable Care Act. Democratic National Committee Vice Chair Grace Meng and DNC Asian and Pacific Islander Caucus Chair Bel Leong-Hong touted Tanden as one of the architects of the Affordable Care Act who helped expand access to health care for millions of Americans, including no copay birth control for more than 55 million women. Tanden is the first of Biden's Cabinet nominees to withdraw her name from consideration due to bipartisan opposition. Many of the president's confirmed Cabinet members have enjoyed overwhelming bipartisan support, including Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough. While Tanden's withdrawal marks the first unsuccessful Cabinet nomination of the Biden presidency, it is not uncommon for presidents to experience such setbacks. In 2009, as he enjoyed a much larger Senate majority of 59 Democrats, President Barack Obama had three Cabinet nominees withdraw their names from consideration. The Health Minister has refused to give any further details on Northern Irelands Covid-19 lockdown exit strategy. Speaking at the Department of Healths weekly press conference on Wednesday, Robin Swann declined to give indicative dates on when restrictions may be lifted as he said it may lead to false hope. However, pressed for his prediction of the situation in Northern Ireland in the summer months, he said: I hope, well I suspect, we will be in a far better place. There is mounting frustration over the Executives long-awaited Pathway Out Of Restrictions document, which has provided a rough guide on how restrictions will be lifted. Mr Swann was asked for his reaction to criticism from some DUP MLAs, who have raised concerns over the strategy, including the phased return of pupils to schools. In particular, First Minister Arlene Foster has said the plan is not one her party would have had if they were solely responsible, suggesting they would have moved at a faster rate. Mr Swann said: The plan was signed off by all five parties at the Executive table and I would ask them for a consistency in message that we support the plan that is laid out in the document. I dont think its perfect but when you look at what other governments in other areas have produced as well, no-one has been able to produce a perfect plan to deal with this virus because this virus does not follow plans, it does not follow calendars. This is about the direction of travel that we as an Executive will take and we need to take here in Northern Ireland as a collective, because we know when we stand together, we can defeat this virus and we get a better result. Mr Swann was also asked for his response to comments by Prime Minister Boris Johnson that the majority of restrictions will be lifted in England by the middle of June. Mr Swann referred to four review dates laid out in the Executive plan, March 16, April 15, May 13 and June 10, although he stressed that it does not mean Northern Ireland will move to the next step at each review point. What the Prime Minister has set out in his plan for England is the earliest opportunity that they may move so again, it is about a target date they have set, not something that is set in stone, he continued. There is always a concern, it is a concern that we have shared about the opportunity and concern that comes by setting false hope as well. Its not something that I want to do, its not something that I think actually helps. When we get to June I hope, well I suspect we will be in a far better place. Mr Swann was speaking as Northern Ireland recorded a further four Covid-19 related deaths and 226 new cases were reported. However, figures are showing a significant decline in the number of cases over a seven-day period. They currently stand at 1,419, which is a 24% drop from the 1,884 cases recorded over the previous seven-day period and which were reported on February 24. Meanwhile, Northern Irelands vaccination programme is progressing at pace and Mr Swann has said he hopes the planned regional vaccine centre will be administering 40,000 jabs each week by the end of the month. According to the latest figures from the Department of Health, 582,881 vaccines have now been administered. Of these, 545,019 have been first doses and 37,862 second doses. There has been a 96% uptake by people over 80-years-old, with a total of 69,146 people in the cohort having received at least one dose. In the 75 to 79 age group, 91% of the cohort has received the vaccine, while 86% of the 65 to 69 age group has now had at least one dose. Just less than three-quarters of the 65 to 69 age group has had a vaccine and 45% of people who are in the clinically extremely vulnerable group have had a vaccine, although many of them may have already been vaccinated in one of the older age cohorts. Mr Swann said: I know it will provide very welcome reassurance and a sense of hope for many families as we see hundreds of thousands of our most vulnerable citizens gaining the protection of the vaccine. We expect the supply of vaccine to increase significantly this month, the programme is accelerating and we are moving very well through the priority groups. So please be patient, we will get to you. And remember that while every jab is taking us a step closer to the better times ahead, we still need to maintain our efforts to stop Covid spreading. An Australian doctor has revealed medical professionals in Australia are banned from promoting people get the coronavirus vaccine. Dr Preeya Alexander, a GP and mother-of-two, exposed the 'ridiculous' gag on a post on her Instagram account, The Wholesome Doctor, on Tuesday. She has pointed out the Therapeutic Goods Administration has warned that doctors would be breaking the law if they voice their opinions on a Covid vaccine online, while notorious anti-vaxxers are protected by free speech. Dr Preeya Alexander (pictured) said she and her GP colleagues are banned by the TGA from promoting Covid vaccines online Dr Alexander in a post on Tuesday said she was 'confused' and 'appalled' at the rule preventing her from providing information The Therapeautic Goods Act 1989 prevents medical professionals from advertising or promoting treatments including prescription medications. The basis for the ban is so that doctors remain impartial and objective when recommending treatments, however, Dr Alexander argues the rule also means those with expertise are unable to publicly advocate for a vaccine. She argues public figures arguing against a vaccine were given an uneven platform to spread misinformation - referencing well-known anti-vaccination campaigner and former My Kitchen Rules host Pete Evans. 'A former celebrity chef can widely spread misinformation regarding the COVID-19 and other vaccines as can a 'WAG' or former model. But a qualified health professional can't share their expert views on the COVID-19 vaccine?' she posted. 'Our hands are now tied and we are silenced, literally left powerless to fight the absolute nonsense and health misinformation.' Dr Alexander said she was 'confused' and 'appalled' she and her colleagues are effectively gagged from talking about a vaccine on platform like Instagram - which could affect people making an informed choice. 'When I and many of my colleagues on here discuss vaccinations it's not promotion - it's information,' she said. Most of those commenting on the post agreed - with many other doctors expressing their frustration not only at the gag law but at social media platforms for allowing misinformation to spread. 'Influencers can make any claim about any product but doctors can't discuss a TGA listed product ... My frustration levels have reached 11/10 at how ridiculous social media platforms are for allowing and promoting misinformation,' one person said. 'I get why the TGA has done this, we have amazingly strict rules on advertising to protect patients. But totally agree, it's accidentally led to us being hamstrung whilst misinformation can be spread far and wide.' another added. She said the rule allowed anti-vaxxer campaigners like Pete Evans (pictured) an uneven platform to spread misinformation Royal Australian College of General Practioners president Dr Karen Price said she has been in contact with the TGA about the issue - and they agree more clarification is needed. She explained she retweeted a list of vaccine from the World Health Organisation and asked if that would be against the law. 'They told me no, that was providing information the problem would be if I went on to say 'Come to my clinic' it's about the inducement.' she told news.com.au. 'But doctors can say they are going to offer COVID vaccines on this date, and clearly if you come into a clinic you can discuss it as you would normally.' She said her organisation and the TGA were in discussions about the issue. The TGA said in a statement that the same rules for any medication also applied to coronavirus vaccines. Dr Alexander from Sydney runs The Wholesome Doctor blog and Instagram account They said doctors could promote vaccines in general but not any particular brand of vaccine - and they could also share government authorised material about vaccines and the rollout with no issue. 'It is important to note that discussions and information shared between a health professional and their patient during a course of treatment (eg during a consultation) are not subject to the advertising requirements for therapeutic goods,' the statement explains. 'The TGA accepts however that not all information (including in social media posts) is advertising within the meaning of the Act. Distinguishing between factual, balanced and non-promotional information, and the promotion of the use or supply of therapeutic goods (ie. advertising) can be difficult and needs to be assessed on a case-by-case basis and in the context in which it is presented. 'For example, the Act could not prohibit a doctor from giving their view in relation to vaccination generally (which is a service rather than a product) however if that view extends to identifying particular vaccine products discussed in a favourable way it would likely be captured by the Act.' A Colorado man has been detained in connection to the shooting deaths of two women who went missing on Jan. 6, 1982. Alan Lee Phillips, 70, was arrested and is expected to be charged with murder for the killings of Annette Schnee, 21, and 29-year-old Barbara 'Bobbi Jo' Oberholtzer. The case benefited from forensic genetic technology that investigators used last year, reported CBS4. Leads connected Phillips to the case, authorities said, but they didn't detail what those were. His mugshot hasn't been released. Meanwhile, Phillips also faces charges of two counts of kidnapping and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, according to court records, ABC 7 reports. He is currently being held at Park County Jail and expected to be formally charged on March 8, according to jail records. Alan Lee Phillips, 70, was arrested and is expected to be charged with murder for the killings of Annette Schnee, 21, and 29-year-old Barbara 'Bobbi Jo' Oberholtzer. Both women went missing on Jan. 6, 1982 Oberholtzer's family would discover the woman's body the next afternoon in a snow drift just south of Breckenridge on Hoosier Pass Bobbi Jo's backpack was evidence that authorities eventually found Both women had been working in Breckenridge, Colorado, and were said to have been separately hitchhiking home when they went missing. Both women worked at the Rocky Mountains Tenmile Range. Oberholtzer's family would discover the woman's body the next afternoon in a snow drift just south of Breckenridge on Hoosier Pass. Schnee's body, however, was found six months later by a boy who stumbled upon her body, fully clothed, in a creek near Fairplay. Both victims had been shot to death. The cases went cold after about 18 months following an investigation. Evidence was found throughout Colorado pertaining to both murders Charlie McCormick, last year, expressed hope that the case would progress forward thanks to breakthroughs from DNA collected at the crime scene. 'I have no problem working it to the bitter end,' McCormick said at the time. 'You can't walk away from it, or I can't. Haven't wanted to. Tomorrow's another day, and you got stuff to do, and you see what might happen.' Schnee's mother, 87-year-old Eileen Franklin, had been holding onto some hope that someone would come forward with more information. 'I've been waiting,' Franklin said, 'but my time is running out.' Leitrim's County Councillors have called on Bank of Ireland to revisit plans to close 88 of its branches in the Republic of Ireland, including two in Co Leitrim. A further 15 branches will close in Northern Ireland. News of the closures broke just prior to the March meeting of Leitrim County Council. Councillors said they were 'mystified' by the rationale behind the decision to close branches in Drumshanbo and Manorhamilton later this year. Cllr Enda McGloin said that, in the case of Drumshanbo, a significant investment had been made last year in the provision of wheelchair access at the branch. Now they are closing the branch and the long term impact on the community and community activity will be enormous, he told Monday's council meeting. It is mystifying, especially when you consider that Bank of Ireland own the building. He said it wasn't clear the extent of services which will now be provided by An Post but pointed out that the loss was an enormous blow. Cllr Sean McGowan said that, while there was some relief that more branches in the county aren't closing, there seems to be an assumption that everyone is able to go online to bank. He agreed that Bank of Ireland should revisit the decision to close branches. His call was echoed by Cllr Enda Stenson who said he was shocked by the move. The closures have been described as a massive blow for the communities involved. These closures will have a long-term impact on the communities and economic activity, said Cllr McGloin. It is a huge blow to rural Ireland. Cllr Brendan Barry pointed out that the bank in Drumshanbo wasn't just about the provision of services, it was also a vote of confidence in the town. This was echoed by Cllr Gerry Dolan who pointed out the volume of business in the town justified the branch remaining open. Cllr Fallon pointed out that the closures will hit particularly hard in Manorhamilton where the community has already lost an Ulster Bank branch and now is losing its Bank of Ireland branch. This is a backward step. It is not good for business, he said. Cllr Felim Gurn, who is also a businessman in Manorhamilton spoke of the enormous disappointment at hearing of the closures especially in light of the financial and social impact of the pandemic. The loss of the Bank of Ireland ATM will also, he said, have a negative impact on the night time economy of Manorhamilton estimating it will take in the region of 400,000 out of circulation. This closure certainly doesn't augur well for the future of rural communities, said Cllr Sean McDermott. It's not just about having a bank in a town, it's about the personal service offered by staff to customers. That will be gone, added Cllr Finola Armstrong McGuire. Once these branches are gone there will be no personal connection between Bank of Ireland staff and customers in these communities and that is wrong, added Cllr Justin Warnock. We are also seeing branches go in Donegal. Now if you want to go to a Bank of Ireland branch and you live in North Leitrim, you'll have to go to Sligo. Cathaoirleach, Cllr Mary Bohan said that everyone was shocked by the news while Cllr Ita Reynolds Flynn observed that it's so unexpected. Cllr Paddy O'Rourke said it clear there is no joined up thinking by banks and other service providers noting that this was going to leave customers with little or no banking choice in the future. Cllr Des Guckian said he feared that more branches will follow" adding it's clear that banks have no respect at all for their customers. The only solution to stop this silly nonsense is to nationalise banks and to do it straight away, he said. Despite Bank of Ireland announcing a partnership which will see some customers able to complete financial transactions in their local post office, councillors remained unconvinced that this was the right way forward. People go to a bank for more than making a deposit or withdrawing money and that service won't be there in these communities. You have to remember that a lot of people don't have access to the internet as well. What will they do? asked Cllr Gurn. 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. Ronice Bruces two teenage children havent been inside a classroom in more than 350 days. Other parents in the Montclair school district have rallied for in-person learning. The Board of Education wants a judge to order teachers back into their classrooms. And Bruce is well, just fine waiting for school buildings to reopen in September, she said. Bruce, a widow, has already lost six friends to COVID-19, she said. She isnt in a rush to see Montclair schools open until the virus is fully under control. If I get sick and die from COVID, then my kids are by themselves, she said, her voice cracking. As parental pressure to reopen schools has gone into overdrive in many communities, Bruce is among the large number of Black parents who say they are willing to wait longer for in-person instruction, according to polling in New Jersey and nationwide. A Change Research poll of 960 New Jerseyans conducted last month found 36% of Black parents said the state is moving too quickly to reopen schools, compared to only 16% of white respondents. That racial divide is backed by a recent Pew survey of more than 10,000 people that found 48% of white adults want schools to reopen as soon as possible, regardless of whether all teachers have had a chance to get vaccinations. Just 19% of Black adults said the same. Whats striking about those results is more than just the difference of opinion, said Shennell McCloud, executive director of Project Ready, a Newark-based nonprofit with a mission to empower community members. The Change Research Poll that Project Ready commissioned also found Black children are most likely to be in remote learning, which many parents and educators agree is not providing the same quality of education that students receive in the classroom. Seventy-eight percent of Black parents in New Jersey said their children are in virtual school, compared to 41% of Hispanic families and 13% of white parents, according to the survey. Several of the states school districts with a majority Black student population, including East Orange, Irvington and Hillside, remain in virtual learning. This poll in particular was pretty heartbreaking for me, McCloud said. I think something unique is happening in Black communities. Policymakers and activists need to pay attention to it, and they need to address it. The Black community has long harbored distrust of institutions such as schools and hospitals due to racism and poor treatment, advocates and parents have said. McCloud is especially alarmed that Black families are most likely to report concerns about not being able to provide for their children because they can no longer work during the school day, she said. Virtual learning is affecting Black families the most, yet they are most willing to wait for schools to reopen. That was heartbreaking for me, she said. McCloud suggested the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus pandemic on people of color is likely the reason for the reluctance to hurry back to school. Black residents have been hit harder by the pandemic, but so far are getting vaccinated at a lower rate than other racial groups. More than 2.1 million vaccine doses have been distributed in New Jersey as of Tuesday evening, but only 4% have gone to Black residents, compared to 57% to white residents, according to the state. The Pew survey found 80% of Black parents surveyed nationwide believe schools should wait to reopen until all teachers who want the vaccine have received it. I believe there is a direct correlation between a low vaccinations rate in our Black communities and the willingness to return to in-person learning, which, I think, we cant blame people for being weary, McCloud said. Gov. Phil Murphy announced Monday that teachers will be eligible for vaccination starting March 15. The governor is fully expecting schools across New Jersey to have in-person learning safely and responsibly when the next academic year starts in September if classrooms have not reopened even sooner he said. Bruce, whose school-aged children are 15 and 13, said she understands and sympathizes with parents desperate to get their children back in school, especially young children or those with special needs, she said. She is especially rattled, however, by the loss of a close friend with children around the same age as her kids, she said. The goal of everyone right now should be not to get sick and not to die, Bruce said. If that means schools staying remote now and holding summer school or more afterschool support programs later, so be it, she said. I would just prefer that people work on a plan for September as opposed to trying to rush back, she said. Bruce was preparing to attend another funeral as she said it. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Adam Clark may be reached at aclark@njadvancemedia.com. Have a news tip or a story idea about New Jersey schools? Send it here. Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison, with two years suspended, for corruption and influence peddling in the so-called wiretapping affair. The revelation of criminal actions by the highest representative of the French state is a further blow to the legitimacy of the entire political regime. Sarkozy had sought to bribe a magistrate to suppress the fallout from the Bettencourt affair, named after the billionaire Bettencourt family with a fascist past. The affair exposed the familys financing of large portions of the French political establishment, and implicated the entire state apparatus. Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrives at the courtroom Monday, March 1, 2021 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) The imposition of a prison sentence on a former President is unprecedented under the Fifth Republic. The judges concluded that Sarkozys actions had undermined the legitimacy of the ruling class and its regime. The National Financial Prosecutors Office (PNF) had requested a four-year sentence, with parole after two years, against the former head of state, and declared that the presidential image had been damaged with devastating effect by the case. Along with Sarkozy, his lawyer Thierry Herzog and former high-ranking magistrate Gilbert Azibert were also sentenced to three years, with two years suspended. Herzog was banned from practicing law for five years. However, the judges stated that his sentence could be reduced if he agrees to wear an electronic bracelet. Sarkozy has ten days to appeal, and his lawyers have already announced that he will do so. Christine Mee, the lead judge in the case, explained in her statement that the corruption pact between Sarkozy and Herzog, made over a secret phone line under a different name, required a firm legal response. She said: The acts are particularly serious, having been committed by a former president of the Republic. He used his status and his political and diplomatic relations to reward a magistrate who served his personal interests. Mee continued: This case has seriously undermined public confidence by suggesting that proceedings before the Court of Cassation [the highest criminal and civil court in France] do not always involve a conflict before independent magistrates, but may be subject to hidden arrangements designed to satisfy interests. Yesterday, Sarkozy gave an interview to Le Figaro to proclaim his innocence. I have received many statements of support from French and foreign observers, he said, adding that he would appeal, if necessary, to the European Court of Human Rights. It would be painful for me to have to have my own country condemned, but I am ready to do so, because it would be the price of democracy. He is to speak at 8pm tonight on the TF1 public broadcaster. The so-called wiretapping affair dates from 2014. At the time, the PNF was investigating claims of Libyan financing of Sarkozys 2007 election campaign. Sarkozy had been accused of receiving Libyan funds, illegal campaign financing and criminal association. Investigators discovered an unofficial, secret line between two mobile phones in the name of Paul Bismuth, on which Nicolas Sarkozy and Herzog were exchanging information. The issue in this case was whether Nicolas Sarkozy tried, through Herzog, to help Gilbert Azibert get a job in exchange for information about Sarkozy in the Bettencourt affair. The Bettencourt affair erupted in 2010, after Mediapart published revelations about Sarkozy. The testimony of an accountant suggested that billionaire Liliane Bettencourt, who died in 2017, had illegally financed his 2007 election campaign. The accountant, Claire T., explained that she had withdrawn 50,000 euros a week from Bettencourts accounts. Part of it was used to pay doctors, hairdressers, small staff, etc., she said. And another part was for politicians ... Dede [Lilianes late husband, Andre Bettencourt] used to distribute it widely. Everyone came to get in on it. Some got up to 100,000 or even 200,000 euros. She also quoted Patrice de Maistre, Bettencourts financial adviser, who told her that 150,000 euros would be needed to finance Sarkozys campaign. These allegations directly implicated Sarkozys labour minister, Eric Woerth, who was treasurer of his election campaign, but Sarkozy himself has since been cleared in the affair. Sarkozy faces numerous other scandals, against the backdrop of bitter conflicts in the ruling elite over who is to run in the 2022 presidential elections. Sarkozy briefly ran in 2017. He is now due to appear in court as early as March 17 in the Bygmalion affair, on suspicions of illegal financing. Others indicted in these cases include Woerth, former Secretary General of the Elysee Claude Gueant, and former minister Brice Hortefeux. The PNF also confirmed on January 15 that it had opened an investigation of influence peddling and laundering against Sarkozy in connection with his consultancy activities in Russia. The corruption exposed by these affairs can only be fought against, in the final analysis, through the independent struggle of the working class against the capitalist state. Behind the various cases and the multiple charges are unmistakable political crimes that are the doings of not only one man, but an entire social order. The policies pursued in Europe over three decades since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 have criminalised the European capitalist class. Liliane Bettencourts father, Eugene Schueller, founded LOreal and financed the fascist group La Cagoule in the second half of the 1930s. La Cagoule spread terror through its violent attacks on Jews and communists. Since then, however, the family has played a large role in French politics, funding the major parties and their leaders. For the financial aristocracy, this is a small price to pay for the immense fortunes it has been able to accrue, at the cost of ever more brutal austerity aimed at the working class. Now, during the COVID-19 pandemic, this policy is being pursued through European bank and corporate bailout plans worth more than two trillion euros. The funneling of vast sums of public money to the super-rich is financed through a policy of herd immunity, in which workers are forced to continue to work in unsafe conditions, to finance the profits of the corporations. This policy, which is opposed by doctors and medical professionals, has led to more than 800,000 deaths in Europe. At the same time, French imperialism advances its geopolitical interests through dirty neo-colonial wars, particularly in Africa, such as the 2011 intervention in Libya. The French pseudo-left New Anticapitalist Party and Jean-Luc Melenchons Unsubmissive France backed the war and applauded the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafis government by Islamist militias backed by Sarkozy. Criminality and gangsterism underpin the policies of the financial aristocracy in France and internationally. On 6 January, Trump attempted an unprecedented fascist coup detat to overturn the outcome of the US elections. In France, the situation is not fundamentally different, even if the trade union apparatuses and the pseudo-left attempt to cover up the bankruptcy of the ruling class by hailing their social dialogue with the government and employers. While no capitalist leader has yet openly attempted a coup detat, there is increasingly open criminality by all the leaders of the French Republic in the 21st century. Jacques Chirac was the first president to be convicted for corruption in 2011, in the affair of the fictitious jobs at the Paris town hall. His successor has now been sentenced to prison. Under the Socialist Party presidency of Francois Hollande, the state conducted targeted killings of French citizens by the intelligence services. Faced with explosions of workers anger against the policy of austerity and war, including in the yellow vest protests of 2018, Macron hailed collaborationist dictator Philippe Petain. He has pursued a policy of herd immunity in all but name. The coronavirus has killed more than 85,000 people, most of whom could have been saved through a scientific policy. Only a politically independent and international mobilisation of the working class will put an end to this murderous policy and the capitalist system that underlies it. Tagged peregrine falconMust credit Andrew Dixon. Credit: Andrew Dixon A team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Cardiff University say they have found the strongest evidence yet of a "migration gene" in birds. The team identified a single gene associated with migration in peregrine falcons by tracking them via satellite technology and combining this with genome sequencing. They say their findings add further evidence to suggest genetics has a strong role to play in the distance of migration routes. The study, published today in the journal Nature, also looks at the predicted effect of climate change on migrationand how this might interact with evolutionary factors. The researchers tagged 56 Arctic peregrine falcons and tracked their journeys by satellite, following their annual flight distances and directions in detail. They found the studied peregrines used five migration routes across Eurasia, probably established between the last ice age 22,000 years ago and the middle-Holocene 6,000 years ago. The team used whole genome sequencing and found a geneADCY8, which is known to be involved in long-term memory in other animalsassociated with differences in migratory distance. They found ADCY8 had a variant at high frequency in long-distance (eastern) migrant populations of peregrines, indicating this variant is being preferentially selected because it may increase powers of long-term memory thought to be essential for long-distance migration. Tagged peregrine falconCredit Andrew Dixon. Credit: Andrew Dixon One of the authors on the study, Professor Mike Bruford, a molecular ecologist from Cardiff University's School of Biosciences, said: "Previous studies have identified several candidate genomic regions that may regulate migrationbut our work is the strongest demonstration of a specific gene associated with migratory behaviour yet identified." The researchers also looked at simulations of likely future migration behaviour to predict the impact of global warming. If the climate warms at the same rate it has in recent decades, they predict peregrine populations in western Eurasia have the highest probability of population decline and may stop migrating altogether. "In this study we were able to combine animal movement and genomic data to identify that climate change has a major role in the formation and maintenance of migration patterns of peregrines," said Professor Bruford. Professor Xiangjiang Zhan, honorary visiting professor at Cardiff University, now based at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said: "Our work is the first to begin to understand the way ecological and evolutionary factors may interact in migratory birdsand we hope it will serve as a cornerstone to help conserve migratory species in the world." The work was carried out by a joint laboratory for biocomplexity research established in 2015 between Cardiff University and the Institute of Zoology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing. A Derry radio station has been awarded a new licence to support its development. River Radio has been awarded a Community Digital Sound Programme (C-DSP) licence from communications regulator, Ofcom. Such licences are for community radio stations wishing to broadcast on DAB digital radio. They were introduced in 2020 primarily with broadcast via small-scale radio multiplex services in mind, although they also allow for broadcast on local radio multiplex services. Community radio services are not run for financial gain. Instead, they exist primarily for the good of members of the public or particular target communities and in order to deliver social gain. A spokesperson for River Radio said they were delighted to have been awarded the new licence. We are really excited to be the first in Northern Ireland and one of the first in the UK to have been granted this licence for our service which will be aimed at the youth population, the spokesperson said. The news is the latest boost for local community radio. Last month, local company Foyle DAB was awarded a 'small scale radio multiplex' licence from Ofcom. The service will ultimately provide a platform for licensed radio stations to access the digital radio DAB network. Richard Moore, who also set up Derrys Drive 105 community radio station, said that station's success played a major role in persuading Ofcom to grant the licence. He said the DAB network would help Drive 105 reach a greater audience. DETROIT, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Stratview Research announces the launch of a new research report on Composite Textiles Market by Reinforcement Type (Glass Fiber Textiles and Carbon Fiber Textiles), by Product Type (Woven Textiles, Woven Yarn, Multi-Axials, and CFM/CSM), by End-Use Industry Type (A&D, Marine, Transportation, Construction, Consumer Goods, Electrical & Electronics, Pipe & Tank, Wind Energy, and Others), by Process Type (Hand Layup, Resin Infusion, Pultrusion, Prepreg Layup, and Others), and by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World), Size, Share, Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2021-2026. This strategic assessment report, from Stratview Research, provides a comprehensive analysis that reflects today's composite textile market realities and future possibilities for the forecast period of 2021 to 2026. After a continuous interest in our glass fiber textiles market, carbon fiber textiles market, multi-axials market, and non-woven textiles market report, we have tried to further expand our research scope to the composite textiles market. The report estimates the short- as well as long-term repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on the demand for composite textiles at the global, regional, as well as country level. Also, the report provides the possible loss that the industry will endure by comparing pre-COVID and post-COVID scenarios. The vital data/information provided in the report can play a crucial role for market participants as well as investors in formulating short-term as well as long-term growth strategies. Composite Textiles Market: Highlights from the Report Composite textiles are becoming an inherent part of the textiles industry with their growing eminence across major end-use industries. There are more than 50 global and regional players, engaged in supplying composite textiles with a few players holding a distinct position in the market. Composite textiles have gained significant interest as structural materials in many end-use industries owing to their value proposition and their unique combination of damage tolerance, delamination, and free and complex shape formability. Impact of COVID-19 The COVID-19 outbreak recorded a massive downturn in the composite textiles market, wrecking the hopes of another successful year in 2020. Nevertheless, the long-term scenario still seems lucrative, backed by strong industry fundamentals coupled with the stakeholders' unmatched ability to strive through the crisis. The composite textiles market is likely to follow suit, moving parallelly with the industry's rebound, experiencing a gradual revival in demand from 2021 onwards. The sudden outbreak of COVID-19 panicked the market players, bringing in unsought changes in the business. Disruption in the supply chain, delay in B737 Max approval, hefty decline in the production of automotive and rails, halt in the construction activities and production of consumer goods are some key pandemic-related factors affecting the market. Stratview Research believes that the market is expected to rebound in the next five years with a healthy CAGR to reach a value of US$ 7.1 billion in 2026. Click Here and Run Through the TOC of the Report: https://www.stratviewresearch.com/toc/1067/textile-composites-market.html Based on the product type, the market is segmented into woven textiles, woven yarn, multi-axials, and Continuous Strand Mat (CSM)/Continuous Filament Mat (CFM). Woven yarn is expected to remain the most dominant product type in the market. There is a huge dominance of woven yarn in the electrical and electronics (E&E) industry, primarily used for making PCB laminates. Woven textile is also subjected to maintain its strong presence in the market in the coming five years, driven by increased usage in cost-sensitive applications. Based on the end-use industry, wind energy is expected to maintain its dominant position in the market for the forecast period. Despite the market environment, wind energy flourished at an impressive rate in 2020. Multi-axial fabrics are a choice of material in the wind energy segment, used to manufacture wind blades (blades). The Electrical & Electronics segment also accounts for sizeable market demand, close to the wind energy segment. Enquire Here for a Free Sample of the Detailed Report: https://www.stratviewresearch.com/Request-Sample/1067/textile-composites-market.htmlform Among regions, Asia-Pacific is estimated to hold the lion's share in the market during the forecast period. China alone registers more than one-third of the global sales in 2020. High penetration of the wind energy industry in China has partially offset the overall market decline in the country. North America is expected to remain the second-largest market during the forecast period. The USA acts as a growth engine of the region with the presence of key suppliers, OEMs, and tier players. Among all regions, Europe is the worst-hit region by the pandemic in 2020; however, the demand in the region is estimated to resuscitate in the coming years. The supply chain of this market comprises raw material suppliers, composite textile manufacturers, tier players, OEMs, and end-users. Key composite textile manufacturing companies are Owens Corning, China Jushi Co., Ltd., SAERTEX GmbH & Co. KG, Toray Industries, Inc., Kingboard Laminates Holdings Limited, Sinoma Science & Technology Co., Ltd., Taiwan Glass Group, Nitto Boseki Co., Ltd., and Chongqing Polycomp International Corp. (CPIC). Report Features This report provides market intelligence in the most comprehensive way. The report structure has been kept such that it offers maximum business value. It provides critical insights on the market dynamics and will enable strategic decision making for the existing market players as well as those willing to enter the market. The following are the key features of the report: Market structure: Overview, industry life cycle analysis, supply chain analysis. Market environment analysis: Growth drivers and constraints, Porter's five forces analysis, SWOT analysis. Market trend and forecast analysis. Market segment trend and forecast. Competitive landscape and dynamics: Market share, product portfolio, product launches, etc. Attractive market segments and associated growth opportunities. Emerging trends. Strategic growth opportunities for the existing and new players. Key success factors. This report studies the global composite textiles market and has segmented the market in five ways, keeping in mind the interest of all the stakeholders across the value chain. Following are the five ways in which the market is segmented: Composite Textiles Market, By Reinforcement Type Glass Fiber Textiles (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , RoW) Carbon Fiber Textiles (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , RoW) Composite Textiles Market, By Product Type Woven Textiles (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , RoW) Woven Yarn (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , RoW) Multi-Axials (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , RoW) CFM/CSM (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , RoW) Composite Textiles Market, By Process Type Hand Layup (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , RoW) Resin Infusion (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , RoW) Pultrusion (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , RoW) Prepreg Layup (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , RoW) Others (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , RoW) Composite Textiles Market, By End-Use Industry Aerospace & Defense (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , RoW) Marine (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , RoW) Transportation (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , RoW) Construction (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , RoW) Consumer Goods (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , RoW) E&E (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , RoW) Pipe & Tank (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , RoW) Wind Energy (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , RoW) Others (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , RoW) Composite Textiles Market, By Region North America (Country Analysis: The USA , Canada , Mexico ) Europe (Country Analysis: France , Germany , the UK, Russia , Spain , Italy , and Rest of Europe ) Asia-Pacific (Country Analysis: China , Japan , India , and Rest of Asia-Pacific ) Rest of the World (Country Analysis: Brazil , Argentina , and Others) Stratview Research has several high value market reports in the composites and advanced materials industry. Please refer to the following link to browse through our reports: https://www.stratviewresearch.com/market-reports/Advanced-Materials.html About Stratview Research Stratview Research is a global market intelligence firm providing wide range of services including syndicated market reports, custom research, and sourcing intelligence across industries, such as Advanced Materials, Aerospace & Defense, Automotive & Mass Transportation, Consumer Goods, Construction & Equipment, Electronics and Semiconductors, Energy & Utility, Healthcare & Life Sciences, and Oil & Gas. We have a strong team of industry veterans and analysts with an extensive experience in executing custom research projects for mid-sized to Fortune 500 companies, in the areas of Market Assessment, Opportunity Screening, Competitive Intelligence, Due Diligence, Target Screening, Market Entry Strategy, Go to Market Strategy, and Voice of Customer studies. Stratview Research is a trusted brand globally, providing high quality research and strategic insights that help companies worldwide in effective decision making. Stratview Research has launched 'Composights', an online portal which offers free thought leadership reports, whitepapers, market report synopsis and much more for Composites and allied industries, worth US$ 20,000 every year. Click here to sign up (No costs involved): https://www.stratviewresearch.com/composights/sign-in For enquiries, please contact: Stratview Research E-mail: sales@stratviewresearch.com Direct: +1-313-307-4176 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660595/Stratview_Research_Logo.jpg Recent measurements of the expansion rate of the Universe have plunged the standard model of cosmology, the CDM model, into a crisis. In a new paper published in the journal Physical Review D, a duo of physicists at the University of Southern Denmark proposes a simple resolution to this problem. Recent direct measurements of the expansion rate of the Universe using Type Ia supernovae as standard candles or strong gravitational lensing are in tension with the expansion rate inferred form the Cosmic Microwave Background when assuming the standard cosmological model, said University of Southern Denmarks Professor Martin Sloth and Dr. Florian Niedermannn. It is a hot subject of discussion whether unaccounted for systematical effects in astronomical distance measurements are responsible for this discrepancy or whether we have to refine our understanding of the history of the Universe by going beyond the CDM model. It could very well be the latter. A new type of dark energy can solve the problem of the conflicting calculations, Professor Sloth added. In our model, we find that if there was a new type of extra dark energy in the early Universe, it would explain both the background radiation and the supernova measurements simultaneously and without contradiction. The researchers believe that in the early Universe, dark energy existed in a different phase. You can compare it to when water is cooled and it undergoes a phase transition to ice with a lower density, Professor Sloth said. In the same way, dark energy in our model undergoes a transition to a new phase with a lower energy density, thereby changing the effect of the dark energy on the expansion of the Universe. According to the teams paper, early dark energy underwent a phase transition triggered by the expansion of the Universe. It is a phase transition where many bubbles of the new phase suddenly appear, and when these bubbles expand and collide, the phase transition is complete, Professor Sloth said. On a cosmic scale, it is a very violent quantum mechanical process. _____ Florian Niedermann & Martin S. Sloth. 2021. New early dark energy. Phys. Rev. D 103 (4): L041303; doi: 10.1103/PhysRevD.103.L041303 Justice Anne Molloy, from top left, John Rinaldi, Dr. Scott Woodside and accused Alek Minassian are shown during a murder trial conducted via Zoom videoconference in this courtroom sketch on December 11, 2020. (Alexandra Newbould/The Canadian Press) Verdict Expected Today in Toronto Van Attack Trial TORONTOA judge is expected to deliver her verdict today in the case of a man who deliberately drove a van down a crowded Toronto sidewalk killing 10 people and injuring 16 others. Alek Minassian has admitted to planning and carrying out the attack on April 23, 2018. But he has argued he should be found not criminally responsible for his actions because he is autistic. The 28-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont., has pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Justice Anne Molloys judgment will be delivered via video conference and broadcast on YouTube. The key issue at Minassians trial, which began last November without a jury, was whether he had the capacity at the time of the attack to make a rational choice. The Crown argued that Minassian is a mass killer who knew right from wrong and happens to have autism. But the defence argued that because of autism, Minassian never developed empathy, and that lack of empathy left him incapable of rational choice. A forensic psychiatrist testifying for the defence said Minassian did not know that what he did was morally wrong. But the Crown pointed to numerous statements Minassian himself gave to various assessors when he said he knew that killing was morally wrong. Two other forensic psychiatrists concluded Minassian did not meet the test to be found not criminally responsible. The trial heard that Minassian had fantasized about mass killings for years, starting when he was in high school, where he was bullied for years. Minassian told several psychiatric assessors he wanted to shoot up his high school, but was unable to find a gun. At one point he became fixated on an American mass murderer who hated women. He joined an online community of so-called incelsmales who are involuntarily celibate. Minassian told a detective hours after the attack that he sought retribution against society because he was a lonely virgin who believed women wouldnt have sex with him. Later he mentioned different motives to different doctors who analyzed him. He told them he had a strong desire to commit a mass killing, he was lonely, worried hed fail at his upcoming software development job, a belief hed never have a relationship with a woman, his infatuation with a mass murderer and, what many point to as his biggest motivator, the quest for notoriety. Three weeks before the attack he booked a rental van for the day after he completed his final college exam, the court heard. Around 1:30 p.m. on a bright and warm April day, Minassian sat in the drivers seat at Yonge Street and Finch Avenue at a red light. When the light turned green, he floored it, hopped the curb and began the attack. He drove for about two kilometres on and off the sidewalk as he killed and maimed unsuspecting pedestrians along the way. He was arrested moments later following a failed attempt to commit suicide by cop. Betty Forsyth, Ji Hun Kim, So He Chung, Geraldine Brady, Chul Min Kang, Anne Marie Victoria DAmico, Munir Najjar, Dorothy Marie Sewell, Andrea Bradden and Beutis Renuka Amarasingha died in the attack. New Delhi, March 3 : The government may make one last attempt next fiscal to sell more than two dozen sick and loss making entities that have failed to secure investor interest in earlier rounds of strategic sale. Failing this, these enterprises that have eroded their net worth, would be closed and their assets including land would be sold in parcels. Sources said that the ministry of heavy industries, that administers several of these sick and loss making entities, will be tasked to provide a revised list of public sector enterprises that can be put up for strategic sale, some for another attempt, to the disinvestment department DIPAM that will chart out the roadmap for their sell off. If such companies do not elicit a response from investors even in the earlier stage of the disinvestment process, the process may be ended and the company will be put up for closure. The government will also take up companies from an earlier list of over 30 entities approved for strategic sale by NITI Aayog for closure if it fails to elicit investor interest. The department of public enterprises (DPE) is finalising revised guidelines for timebound closure of loss-making central public sector units (CPSEs) and disposal of their assets. These guidelines would be applied for closure of the units after attempts for their sale fail. The guidelines would first be approved by the cabinet. The guidelines would allow for delinking land holdings from the process of closing the PSU, that would then be transferred to the administrative ministry for further action. Such land parcels could be sold for industrial development by the corporate sector. Some of the land parcels could also be developed as industrial clusters. A case in point here would be Scooters India which is already facing a legal dispute over its land with the Uttar Pradesh government. In the event the government decides to place the company again for strategic sale, and no buyer turns up, the company may be wound up and closed while its huge tracts of land would get transferred to the heavy industries ministry. The ministry could then take up the case with the UP government and find alternate use for this land. Other sick PSUs that may benefit from such an approach are Hindustan Fluorocarbons Ltd., Bharat Pumps and Compressors Ltd. and Hindustan Prefab Ltd. The government has a list of about 34 PSUs that have been given 'in principle' approval, some of which are still pending strategic disinvestment. These include companies such as Scooters India, Bridge and Roof Co., Cement Corporation of India, Ferro Scrap Nigam, Pawan Hans. The disinvestment process for a few such as Air India and BPCL is ongoing while THDC and NEEPCO has been taken over by NTPC. "With a pick-up in economic activity in FY22 these could be of interest for some of the sick and loss making entities among the investors. The government would like to test strategic sale of these units again. If they fail to pass muster, closure and liquidation of assets would be done," said a government official privy to the development. In FY19, about 70 loss-making CPSEs caused an over Rs 31,635 crore loss to the exchequer. Faced with the problem of losses the government has also closed over 20 such entities including HMT Watches Ltd, Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Hindustan Fluorocarbons Ltd. between August 2013 and March 2020. (Subhash Narayan can be contacted at subhash.n@ians.in) An unused back paddock has become a pathway to local employment for students east of Melbourne. Upper Yarra Secondary College, in the Yarra Valley, planted its own vineyard three years ago. On Wednesday, dozens of students ditched their textbooks and stepped out into the drizzle to take part in the schools first harvest. Upper Yarra Secondary College viticulture students Jasmyn Hay, Kayley Brewington and Jake Wiffen pick pinot noir grapes in the schools first harvest of its campus vineyard. Credit:Joe Armao Their task: to collect the ripe fruit from 1685 vines of pinot noir grapes. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday he is lifting the statewide mask mandate and allowing all businesses to fully reopen. The new rules take effect next Wednesday. Local officials will be able to re-impose limited restrictions if the percent of local hospitalizations from COVID-19 rises above 15 percent of the total. "This does not remove personal responsibility," Abbott said at a restaurant in Lubbock. "Personal vigilance is still needed to contain COVID. Its just that now, state mandates are no longer needed." READ MORE: Gov. Greg Abbott lifts statewide mask order, opens Texas '100 percent' Abbott's announcement drew immediate criticism from Democrats and applause from some Republicans. Texas is the largest state to scrap its mask mandate, which Abbott first imposed eight months ago. The virus has killed more than 42,000 Texans. Here's how Texans reacted to the governor's news: Ron Nirenberg, mayor of San Antonio Opening everything to 100 percent while simultaneously nixing our mask mandate is a huge mistake. COVID-19 is still widespread in our community and infecting too many of our vulnerable residents. You dont cut off your parachute just as youve slowed your descent. Please join me in continuing to wear a mask. Nelson Wolff, Bexar County Judge I just think hes very premature. Were going to have a lot more people die and were going to have a lot more people getting sick. Joaquin Castro, U.S. Rep. (Democrat-Texas) Its reckless and dangerous for Governor Abbott to intentionally undermine public safety because he thinks its good politics. Clearly this announcement is a desperate distraction from the Governors dereliction of duty during the massive power and water outages, which he has never accepted personal responsibility. Now Abbotts following the example of Ron DeSantis of Florida and Kristi Noem of South Dakota, both auditioning to be the next Donald Trump, and putting politics above the people of Texas. Lina Hidalgo, Harris County Judge With the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines, were inching closer to the finish line of this pandemic now is not the time to reverse the gains weve worked so hard to achieve. At best, todays decision is wishful thinking. At worst, it is a cynical attempt to distract Texans from the failures of state oversight of our power grid. Gilberto Hinojosa, Texas Democratic Party Chair By removing all previous state mandates and opening the state to 100 percent, Governor Abbott, who has never taken this pandemic seriously, is doing what he does best: leaving Texans to fend for themselves. Lance Gooden, U.S. Rep. (Republican-Texas) Texas is officially OPEN for business. Capacity limits on businesses are GONE and the statewide mask mandate will be REVOKED. Thank you Governor [Abbott] for following the science! Julian Castro, former mayor of San Antonio When [Abbott] reopened Texas too soon the first time, we were averaging around 5,000 cases per day. Now, as he ignores public health once again, Texas averages 7,000 cases per day. This is a reckless decision that will cost lives. Steve Adler, mayor of Austin Importantly, the issuing of the mandate communicates the importance of masking to Texans generally in an unambiguous way. Removing the mandate, even with associated messaging that urges voluntary compliance, sends wrong and confusing signals that masking is not important, not effective or that the virus is under control. Gavin Newsom, Governor of California Absolutely reckless. Lauren Boebert, U.S. Rep. (Republican-Colorado) God Bless Texas! Jonathan Stickland, former Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives Audi of America is offering qualified customers who purchase or lease a 2021 Audi e-tron or e-tron Sportback a subscription to Arcadia at no additional charge for up to five years. Arcadia connects renters and homeowners across the US to wind and solar energy through utility data and billing technology. 2021 Audi e-tron Participating Audi e-tron and e-tron Sportback customers may also be eligible to receive up to a $750 credit toward their electricity bill through the Arcadia platform with a subscription. The program runs from 2 March to 30 April 2021, while supplies last. Arcadias technology matches home energy consumption with renewable energy sources from a variety of US wind and solar projects using renewable energy certificates, all without any installation or disruptions to their utility service. The EPA provides further information on how renewable energy certificates are used to account for renewable electrcity generation and use. In select markets within Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island, Arcadias platform connects qualifying customers to community solar projects in their area. These customers are allocated a portion of the energy output from their community solar projects and earn credits on their power bills as the projects generate power and add renewable energy to their local grid. This program complements the benefits of driving an electric vehicle, with the US Department of Energy reporting that electric vehicle owners do 80% of their vehicle charging at home. Audi has previously collaborated with Arcadia in 2018 and 2020 to provide e-tron customers the opportunity to address a portion of their environmental impact as they transition to renewable energy. Based on customer polling data, 85% of e-tron customers and 90% of e-tron Sportback customers state that environmental impact is either important or very important toward purchase considerations, aligning with past and present initiatives Audi has introduced for e-tron customers. The Audi e-tron and e-tron Sportback are assembled in Brussels, Belgium, in a plant certified as carbon-neutral, according to Belgian testing company Vincotte, with suppliers also using sustainable production processes when and where possible. Audi was among the first automotive manufacturers to publicly support and align its actions with the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. The company has set itself the goal of reducing vehicle-specific CO 2 emissions by 30% by 2025. Audi aims to achieve net CO 2 neutrality globally across the lifecycle of its vehicles by 2050. The Audi e-tron was the first all-electric model to join the Audi lineup in the US, providing customers everyday usability of a true midsize, premium SUV while also being 100% electric. It was joined last year by the e-tron Sportback, which blends the utility of an SUV with a coupe-like design. Both models come with standard dual-motor power, providing up to 402 horsepower and 490 lb-ft (664 Nm) of torque in boost mode, allowing them 0-60 mph acceleration of 5.5 seconds and a top track speed of 124 mph. With among the quickest charging capability of any electric vehicle on sale today at 150 kW, both the e-tron and e-tron Sportback are capable of charging from 0-80% battery capacity in about 30 minutes using a public DC 150 kW fast charger. The 2021 e-tron and e-tron Sportback have EPA-estimated full-charge ranges of 222 and 218 miles, respectively. At this point, the recovery fitness boom is fully under way. The most popular connected fitness machines, like Peloton or MIRROR, offer restorative yoga and mat Pilates classes. Fitness wearables like WHOOP dont just track daily effort they keep track of rest, too, in order to give users an idea of how much their bodies can take. And the world of recovery toys has grown from the old guard (ice packs, lacrosse balls, foam rollers) to a dizzying array of massage guns, compression sleeves and herbal-infused balms. Its hard to keep up with all the new stuff coming out, but then, sometimes it isnt worth your effort. Alongside the real winners, the world of wellness will always be riddled with products that are either too complicated or made from crap materials. For a stretch, I was convinced weve thought of every effective and economical way to stretch the shoulders, knead the plantar fascia and/or release tension in the lower back. Then I got on the ground with a Chirp Wheel. If you recognize the name, thats because Chirp has had successful appearances on both Kickstarter and Shark Tank over the years. At first glance, its a pretty straightforward tool: its just an ABS plastic rim covered in a rubber mat. It looks like a hollow tire, and youll feel a bit confused that no one came up with the design 20 years earlier. But the key is a slight groove that trails down the very center of the tread, which allows the wheel to align precisely along your spine. Chirp didnt reinvent the wheel, but the Utah brand did invent one that provides enormous back-pain relief. As a writer and a runner, my weeks vacillate between two extremes: I hunch over a computer for eight hours a day, I drag my body through eight-mile runs. That routine contributes to my own bespoke brand of back pain. Almost every American has their own version; according to the American Chiropractic Association, 80% of Americans will experience a back problem at some point. So far, the Chirp Wheel is tackling my issues head on. In the brands Instagram videos, it likes to play a cracking sound effect whenever someone rolls back onto one of the wheels. Their marketing department is goofing around, but I can confirm that rolling on one of these will almost certainly release small pockets of air in your spinal facet joints. It is a ridiculously satisfying sensation. I like to roll back onto Chirps 12 wheel for a few minutes at a time, letting the groove travel from my low back, up to just below the nape of my neck. Unlike a foam roller, Chirp manages to get directly up against the back muscles that surround the spine (the spinae and trapezius muscles) and push them out horizontally. After a visit to the chiropractor, patients sometimes complain that while their joints found some relief, their muscles are more sore. This is meant to address that issue. Plus, while foam rollers are often deployed for trigger points in the quads, hamstrings or hip flexors, Chirp is designed specifically for the back. Thats a good thing. While foam rollers run perpendicular to the back, the Chirp runs parallel to the spine, explicitly targeting the area that needs the most relief. If theres one thing to gather from our new recovery fitness reality the fact that these tools and toys just keep coming its that there are no silver bullets. There is a bit of a learning curve in learning how to use your Chirp, and sometimes Ive found my shirt catching as I roll back, which is annoying. But by and large, this is yet another creative outlet for outsourcing your back pain. Use it as part of a dedicated overall routine to stretching, cold therapy and sleep, and youll add some years to your posterior health. Subscribe here for our daily deals and products newsletter, The Goods. The post Forget Foam Rollers. A Deep Tissue Wheel Will Fix Your Spine. appeared first on InsideHook. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Rohde&Schwarz joins the FiRa Consortium to show its commitment to the growing Ultra-Wideband (UWB) ecosystem Posted by Publisher Telecommunication . By joining the FiRaTM Consortium, Rohde & Schwarz contributes to the organization?s efforts to establish a certification program for UWB devices. Rohde?&?Schwarz brings along a broad expertise in mobile device testing and certification. Rohde & Schwarz announced today to have joined the FiRa Consortium as an associate member. FiRa, short for \fine ranging\, is an organization dedicated to growing the UWB ecosystem by ensuring interoperability between multiple devices through compliance and certification programs. The FiRa Consortium focuses on three core UWB services: hands-free access control, location based services and device-to-device services that rely on the latest UWB based secure ranging technology specified by the IEEE?802.15.4z. The advantages of the UWB standard include centimeter-accurate location measurements, allowing for doors to open when approached with a UWB device or bringing positioning functionality to indoor environments. UWB also features secure device-to-device data communications with very low power requirements. The very wide bandwidth and very low power density make it easy for UWB signals to share spectrum with other narrowband and wideband systems without causing interference. As a leader in wireless device testing, Rohde & Schwarz collaborates with industry partners to develop UWB test solutions for R&D, certification and production, including essentials like time of flight (ToF) and angle of arrival (AoA) measurements as well as device calibration procedures. Alexander Pabst, Vice President Market Segment Wireless Communications, comments: ?We at Rohde & Schwarz recognize the power of a secure and reliable UWB technology and are pleased to further strengthen our collaboration with members of the FiRa Consortium to establish a strong certification framework.? The R&S?CMP200 radio communication tester from Rohde & Schwarz, for instance, is ideal for solving UWB challenges in production as well as in R&D. It combines the capabilities of a signal analyzer and generator in a single instrument. In combination with the Rohde?&?Schwarz WMT software service to implement automated wireless manufacturing testing and a wide portfolio of shielded chambers, the R&S?CMP200 offers a complete solution for transmitter, receiver, ToF and AoA measurements in conducted and radiated mode, compliant to IEEE?802.15.4a/z specifications. The R&S?SMM100A is a midrange vector signal generator covering up to 44?GHz, and the only in its class to offer a maximum RF modulation bandwidth of 1?GHz, thus meeting the requirements to generate broadband signals used by UWB devices in R&D and production. For further information about the UWB test solutions from Rohde & Schwarz, visit: https://www.rohde-schwarz.com/uwb About FiRa Consortium Headquartered in Beaverton, OR, the FiRa Consortium is a member-driven organization dedicated to the development and widespread adoption of seamless user experiences using the secured fine ranging and positioning capabilities of Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technologies. To learn more about the FiRa Consortium, visit www.firaconsortium.org. R&S? is a registered trademark of Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG. Rohde & Schwarz is a leading supplier of solutions in the fields of test and measurement, broadcast and media, aerospace | defense | security and networks and cybersecurity. The technology group\-\-s innovative communications, information and security products help industry and government customers ensure a safer and connected world. On June 30, 2020, Rohde & Schwarz had about 12,300 employees worldwide. The independent group achieved a net revenue of EUR 2.58 billion in the 2019/2020 fiscal year (July to June). The company is headquartered in Munich, Germany, and has subsidiaries in more than 70 countries, with regional hubs in Asia and America. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 30 giorni fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Market Research Future Published a Half Cooked Research Report on Global Waterborne Coating Additives Research Report. Market Scenario Waterborne coating additives are added to improve the rheological properties of water-based coatings. They serve various functions such as wetting & dispersion, defoaming, surfactant, deaeration, hydrophobic agent, and rheological improver among other. The stringent regulation by E.P.A and REACH against the use of solvent based coatings, is expected to be the major driver to the growth of waterborne coating additives market during the forecast period. Free Sample @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/5892 Competitive Analysis Some of the key players of global waterborne coating additives market are Akzo Nobel NV (Netherlands), Allnex group (China), BASF SE (Germany), BELAMI FINE CHEMICALS PVT. LTD.(India), ALTANA (Germany), Evonik Industries AG (Germany), Dow Corning Corporation (U.S.), Falcon Technologies Inc. (U.S.), Harmony Additive Pvt. Ltd. (India), and UL LLC (U.S). Market Segmentation The Global Waterborne Coating Additives Market is segmented based on product type, end-use industry, and region. On the basis of the product type, the global waterborne coating additives market is segmented into wetting agent & dispersing agent, defoamers, surface control additives, deaerators, rheology modifier, hydrophobic agents, and others. Wetting & dispersion agents market is estimated to be the largest market due to high requirement for dispersing and wetting of resins and pigments in paints & coating industry and is expected to continue dominance over the forecast period. Other product types are also expected to show significant demand due to varied application in construction, automotive, and, the packaging industry. On the basis of the end-use industry, the global waterborne coating additives market is segmented into building & construction, automotive, packaging, and others. Building and construction industry is expected to have the major market share of waterborne coating additives due to high consumption of paints & coatings. Automotive industry is also expected to show rising demand over the forecast period due to strong automotive industry particularly in Europe and China of Asia Pacific region. Access Report Details @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/waterborne-coating-additives-market-5892 Regional Analysis The global waterborne coating additives market is spanned across five regions namely Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. Asia Pacific is expected to have the major market share of waterborne coating additives in terms of market size. North America and Europe markets are relatively mature and expected to show steady demand in the forecast period. Middle East and Africa is expected to show rising demand during the forecast period from growing construction industry of Middle East. Latin America is also expected to join hand with other regions and is expected to show rising demand from construction industry. Voters embraced mail ballots in 2020, but some legislators want to restrict their use. Steph Solis | ssolis@masslive.com/Steph Solis/TNS Hundreds of Bills to Restrict or Expand Voting A Gwinnett County election worker looks over absentee and provisional ballots at the Gwinnett Voter Registrations and Elections office on Nov. 6, 2020 in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Jessica McGowan/TNS Court-Ordered Changes Shook Voter Confidence Partisan Control of State Legislatures Source: NCSL Making Better Access Permanent Would Federal Voting Standards Work? Debate Rages Over Federal Voting Standards People wait in a long line Oct. 13 to vote at an early voting location at the Renaissance Austin Hotel. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman/TNS)The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would strengthen protections for communities of color. JAY JANNER/AMERICAN-STATESMAN/TNS Precinct representatives in line to turn in their election materials. Sue Dorfman/TNS Pleasing Losers Is a Big Challenge The mechanics of election administration became a national obsession in 2020. Whether from pre- and post-election disinformation about fraud or the efforts of public officials and private-sector groups to help voters during the pandemic, passions over election integrity have soared since the November presidential election. They reached a fever pitch following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol and in the weeks since, hundreds of bills have been put forward in state legislatures in the name of election reform.Now, voting rights advocates are on edge as the Supreme Court considers a case that could thwart efforts to protect minority voters. The Arizona attorney general and the state's Republican Party have asked the court to review an appellate court decision that Arizona laws restricting ballot collection and out-of-precinct voting are discriminatory. A worst-case scenario would be a ruling that not only overturns the earlier decision but also includes a departure from precedent that weakens the Voting Rights Act bigger percentage of eligible voters cast votes in November than in any other election in the past 120 years. Practices implemented to make voting safe during the public health emergency, such as early voting and vote-by-mail, were popular with voters and added to the turnout. They werent the only factors driving participation, however. A pre-election Pew survey found that more than 80 percent of voters felt that it really mattered who won the election.Both parties want to build on the lessons learned from the general election, but they have different ideas about what that means. Research and experience might show that absentee voting does not change outcomes, but some find it hard to believe there is no meaning in the fact that only a third of Trump supporters voted by mail, while nearly 60 percent of Biden voters used mail ballots.Election officials moved fast to make changes during the pandemic, says New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, the president of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS). Early voting and vote-by-mail were expanded in states with fundamentally different political viewpoints out of the necessity to prevent large crowds of people from gathering in one place.Now there's going to be contention over whether to codify some of those changes or to see them as problematic, says Toulouse Oliver. Largely, the states that are trying to make things more restrictive are coming from a point of view of believing the conspiracy theories that have been batted around. An analysis by the Brennan Center for Justice published on Feb. 8 identified 165 bills in 33 states that could restrict voter access, and more than 500 in 37 states that intended to expand access. Since that time, hundreds more have been introduced, says Eliza Sweren-Becker, counsel in the centers Democracy Program and the lead author of the roundup.Her most recent count is 253 restrictive and 704 expansive proposals in 43 states. Although no instances of irregularity or voter fraud have been found that affected the outcome of the election, state lawmakers continue to use the false charge that both occurred to justify restrictive legislation, says Sweren-Becker.Election administrators across the country made sure that voters could vote in a safe and secure manner, she says. After a historic turnout, were seeing a backlash, with state lawmakers trying to put stumbling blocks in the way of voters at every step of the way.These include such things as eliminating no excuse voting and permanent early voting lists, aggressive purging of voter lists, shortening early voting periods, banning drop boxes and preventing the mailing of absentee ballots to those who have not requested them. Five states are seeking to eliminate same-day voter registration, a practice that, according to estimates by social scientists , would give millions more Americans the opportunity to vote.An Oklahoma bill calls for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that, among other things, would prohibit the mailing of an absentee ballot to any citizen unless in response to a request that is notarized or signed by two other eligible voters. Violation of these and other requirements would be a felony punishable by at least five years in prison.Arizona bills would give the Legislature the authority to overturn results certified by election officials, says Sweren-Becker. An Iowa bill would impose criminal sanctions on election officials. A New Hampshire bill mandates that members of the public must be permitted to observe the processing and counting of absentee ballots without obstruction and from a distance of 6 feet.Of course, it should be the expectation that election officials are going to follow the rules, but thats not the way to lead qualified, dedicated election officials to stay on their jobs, says Sweren-Becker. The unrelenting pressures of the pandemic, the disparagement of election officials for adhering to the rule of law and threats against their safety have already led to a wave of resignations For those who have remained on the job, a flurry of bills seeking to cancel practices that resulted in increased participation can feel like one more attack, this time from state lawmakers. But some see things differently.Attorney Mark Braden served as counsel to the Republican National Committee for 10 years and has decades of experience in cases involving voting rights, redistricting and contested elections. The most important thing, he says, is for voters to believe that the system works which he is confident it does.Its important that the winners win, but equally important is the fact that the rational supporters of the losers believe that the person who won actually won, he says. Those are so much more important than anything else.While he considers 90 percent of the former presidents assertions about fraud to be total nonsense, he does feel there are legitimate reasons to be concerned about the process. For example, the disruptive circumstances of the pandemic led to election guidelines being revised through consent decrees and court orders.The Democrats couldnt get exactly what they wanted through the legislatures, so they just went to the courts, he says, setting a precedent for future midstream changes.Derek Muller, an election law expert who teaches at the University of Iowa, believes that these court-ordered changes late in the election process shook voter confidence. The appearance that alternate voting rules were coming from left-leaning courts or judges added to the sense that they were unfair, he says.Those who were willing to believe that voting systems were manipulated, despite paper records and recounts that indicated otherwise, are unlikely to be reassured by legislation, says Muller. I think the key is to get people to understand and trust existing procedures, rather than buy into concerns that arent empirically proven.Its not surprising that the combination of an exceptionally controversial and polarizing presidential campaign and a pandemic would impact the election process, says Braden, but the next election will be different. A lot of places will return to their more traditional system, which will be less controversial and should be easier for people to understand.More than three times as many bills have been introduced to expand access to the polls as to restrict it. We are seeing a number of state lawmakers look to 2020 and see which of the policies that were temporarily adopted worked, says Sweren-Becker.The Brennan Center found that proposed expansion legislation focuses largely on mail voting, early voting, voter registration and voting rights. These include proposals for no-excuse mail voting in every election and authorizing or requiring drop boxes for ballots. Lawmakers in numerous states want to allow election officials to start processing ballots before election day and to restore rights to persons with past criminal convictions.Bills that expand voting access have been put forward in states also considering restrictive policies. Republicans currently control legislatures in 30 states , and Democrats in 18. Republicans hold the legislature and the governorship in 23 states, the Democrats 15. With the putative leader of the Republican Party and three-fourths of self-identified Republicans still holding to the belief that the election was stolen , efforts to codify recent changes will be fought hard.In some states these bills will have no chance, says election law expert Rick Hasen, Chancellor's Professor of Law and Political Science at UC Irvine, of legislation aimed at increasing access. In other states where there's more cooperation or perhaps divided government and there's room for compromise, those bills could have a chance.If disagreement about best practices for election administration is the norm at the state level, differences could be reduced by setting federal standards. Article I, Section 4 of the Constitution grants Congress the right to make or alter regulations regarding the Times, Places and Manner of holding elections.HR1, the For the People Act first introduced in the House of Representatives in 2019 and passed by that chamber, aims to provide such standards. It was reintroduced in January and has the support of every House Democrat The For the People Act is built on three pillars, says Daniel Weiner, deputy director of the Brennan Centers Election Reform Program. The first expands voting access and creates a baseline federal standard that includes modernizing voter registration and restoring the right to vote to formerly incarcerated persons. The second puts safeguards over redistricting into place and bans partisan gerrymandering, and the third overhauls the campaign finance system.The election practices that HR1 would prescribe are already in place in many states, including online voter registration (40 states), automatic registration (18 states and the District of Columbia), same-day registration (21 states and D.C.) and pre-registration of voters at age 16 (23 states). Voter participation would be enhanced by practices such as two-week early voting periods, no-excuse vote by mail, prepaid ballot mailings, drop boxes and curbside voting.The bill addresses election security by eliminating paperless systems, setting standards for equipment and requiring it to be certified, and post-election risk-limiting audits . Provisions to end gerrymandering include the creation of independent commissions to oversee redistricting, a ban on the use of maps that favor or disfavor one party and uniform rules for drawing congressional districts. These would not take effect until after the 2030 Census.Campaign finance reform proposals include the creation of a small donor matching system which would provide a 6-to-1 match for donations up to $200 to Congressional candidates from a Freedom from Influence Fund.Small donor matching provisions are the most effective way to counter the trends weve seen over the last decade, says Weiner. The only way to have a different system, particularly given how the Supreme Court has ruled, is to create some sort of viable path for candidates to fund their campaigns in a different way.Mitch McConnell has called HR1 a power grab, but Weiner thinks it has a chance. Our democracy had a near-death experience in some ways, he says. Theres an unprecedented understanding that our democracys challenges are multifaceted and require a multifaceted solution.Mark Braden is adamantly opposed to attempts to nationalize the election system. One of the virtues of our system is that its diverse and done differently in different locales, which are appropriate because people have different situations, he says.For Braden and Muller alike, the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) is a cautionary tale about unanticipated consequences from federal action. In an effort to address controversy around the possibility that inaccurate punch cards affected the outcome of the 2000 presidential election, HAVA allocated $650 million for states to purchase electronic voting equipment that proved to be even more of a security concern.I can see the logic behind trying to create more of a standard across the states, says NASS President Maggie Toulouse Oliver. I still think it's really important for states to have a lot of freedom and flexibility and funding to be able to implement any sort of federal mandate.Theres little doubt that HR1 will pass the House, but Hasen isnt sure it will make it any farther. With a one-vote majority in the Senate, Democrats would have to get rid of the filibuster to push the bill through and there does not appear to be enough Democratic support to make this happen.HR1 also would strengthen the Voting Rights Act, referencing the Supreme Courts 5-4 Shelby County v. Holder decision in 2013. In this case, the court effectively ended a requirement for states and jurisdictions with histories of discrimination against voters to receive federal approval before implementing changes to their voting rules by ruling that the formula used to decide who should go through this preclearance was outdated.As HR1 moves forward, another federal voting reform bill is also in play, one that directly addresses the racial dimensions of voting rights and disenfranchisement of minority voters.The Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA), which passed the House and was renamed the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act in the Senate, proposes a new formula for preclearance, based on documented evidence of discrimination. It establishes guidelines for notifying voters about changes, and enables the attorney general to send federal observers to monitor elections, prevent voter intimidation and report what they have found.No legislation could be expected to cure all partisan fears, says professor Muller. When Republicans win elections, Democrats lose faith in the electoral process, and when Democrats win elections, Republicans lose faith. If a Republican loses in 2024, it wont matter what restrictions were placed on absentee voting or how many observers were allowed to watch vote counts, he says.Legal challenges are to be expected for any bills that make it to law. If the For the People Act did manage to make it into law, it should withstand a Constitutional test, says Joshua A. Douglas, a law professor at the University of Kentucky.As for the new state restrictions, I certainly expect them to be challenged, he says. Unfortunately, the latest Supreme Court precedent unduly defers to the states, making it even harder to successfully challenge election laws.It would be a mistake not to reflect on the role the will of the people played in the 2020 election. It may not be possible to gauge how much the 2020 turnout was due to opportunities introduced during the pandemic and how much by a sense that the very soul of the nation was at stake, but its a question worth asking.There are a lot of really important empirical questions that remain unanswered about the changes that Republicans and Democrats are talking about, says Muller. Despite the fact that there is so much partisan wrangling, its hard to know if all of these things are making very much of a difference.New Mexico Secretary of State Toulouse Oliver and her colleagues are still thinking about the ways that misinformation interfered with their work and public confidence in it, generating not just discontent but threats of violence against election officials.Weve started talking about reconstituting a committee or task force to try to get a better handle on public education, she says. Folks who were willing to buy into the conspiracy theories had no knowledge of, or no interest in, how election processes really work. Security camera footage has captured the shocking moment a 61-year-old man was pushed to the ground in New York by two hooded thugs before being kicked in the head and having $817 stolen. In the video, recorded in the Bronx on March 1 at about 1.55pm, the two attackers are seen approaching the elderly man as he stands in the street next to a number of grocery bags. The hooded thugs then surround the victim before the one wearing a red jacket shoves him to the ground. While on the floor, the man is then kicked in the head by the attacker in a blue jacket before the male in the red jacket slaps him in the face. Two hooded thugs were caught by a security camera pushing the 61-year-old man to the ground in New York on March 1 After the male in the red jacket shoved the victim to the ground, the male in the blue jacket then kicks him in the head A few moments later, the red jacketed-male then slaps the victim in the face as an item is thrown onto the sidewalk by the 61-year-old The clip then shows the blue jacketed-thug rifling through the 61-year-old's pockets before running off with $817 in cash. Throughout the footage, a number of people are seen to walk past the incident without intervening. The NYPD, who released the video footage, are now appealing for witnesses to come forward to help locate the two thugs in the clip. In a statement, the NYPD said: 'Two unidentified males approached the victim, a 61-year-old male, and demanded cash. Unidentified Male #1 pushed the victim and knocked him to the ground. Unidentified Male #2 kicked the victim in his face. The two hooded thugs then proceed to search through the victim's pockets. The NYPD said the man had demanded cash from the 61-year-old After pulling $817 in cash from the victim's pockets, the male in the blue jacket is seen running away, leaving the victim on the ground NYPD released the video footage and pictures of the unidentified males and are appealing to witnesses to come forward with information 'Both unidentified males searched the victims pockets, punched the victim about his head and relieved him of $817. The unidentified males fled on foot.' The NYPD also said that the victim had been transported in a stable condition to Montefiore Hospital, where he was being treated for pain and lacerations to his lip and head. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the NYPD's confidential Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Information can also be submitted their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, or on Twitter @NYPDTips. Nifty futures on the Singapore Exchange traded 52 points higher at 15,035, around 8.30 am, indicating a positive start for benchmark indices on Wednesday. Here are the top stocks that are likely to be in focus today: Ion Exchange: Rakesh Radheyshyam Jhunjhunwala and his firm Rare Investments on Tuesday offloaded shares worth nearly Rs 65 crore in Ion Exchange India Ltd, through open market transactions. RIL, Airtel, Voda Idea: India's first auction of telecom spectrum in five years ended on Tuesday with Rs 77,814.80 crore of airwaves being acquired, mostly by billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio which picked up 488.35 MHz of spectrum for Rs 57,122.65 crore. Bharti Airtel acquired 355.45 MHz at Rs 18,698.75 crore, and Vodafone Idea with 11.80 MHz for Rs 1,993.40 crore. International: The offer for sale for up to 16 per cent government stake at a floor price of Rs 88 per share in railway PSU will open on Wednesday.The base issue size of the OFS is 10 per cent with a green-shoe option to retain over-subscription of 6 per cent. BPCL: State-run Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd will pay dividend to its shareholders after the stake sale in Assam-based Numaligarh Refinery Ltd is completed, BPCL, said on Tuesday. JP Power, Power Grid: Jaiprakash Power Ventures's board has approved disinvestment of 74 per cent stake in Jaypee Powergrid to Corporation of India. Bank of Baroda: The company, on Tuesday, said it has closed the qualified institutional placement (QIP) round, which was conducted to raise up to Rs 4,500 crore. YES Bank: The company's shareholders have approved a proposal for raising Rs 10,000 crore capital. Indian Bank: State-owned Indian Bank on Tuesday held an extra-ordinary general meeting (EGM) to seek shareholders nod for raising equity capital up to Rs 4,000 crore through various means. Punjab & Sind Bank: The PSU lender will convene an extraordinary general meeting on March 25 to seek shareholders' approval for Rs 5,000 crore equity infusion by the government in exchange for shares. Ruchi Soya Industries: The company's promoter Patanjali Ayurved has created a pledge on 48.17 per cent stake. Engineers India: Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has awarded a project worth Rs 600 crore for execution of consultancy for overall project management and EPCM Services (Phase II) for capacity expansion of Panipat refinery from 15 MMTPA to 25 MMTPA (P-25 Project) to Engineers India. Motherson Sumi Systems: CRISIL reaffirmed long term credit rating as AA+ and revised outlook from Negative to Stable. IOC, HPCL, GAIL: The government expecrs IOC, HPCL and GAIL to raise Rs 17,000 crore by selling stakes in respective pipelines in the next fiscal, as per a media report. Kirloskar Ferrous Industries: The Board has declared an interim dividend of Rs 2 per equity share of Rs 5 each for the financial year 2020-2021. The record date for the payment of said dividend has been fixed as March 13. Mahindra Lifespace Developers: The company has launched its residential project 'Aclove', at Chandivali in Mumbai. Ninety medical practitioners and science leaders have written to the Governor of NSW calling for convicted baby killer Kathleen Folbiggs immediate pardon and release from jail, saying the death of her children was not her fault. The 14-page petition argues that Folbigg should be granted a pardon based on the significant scientific evidence of natural causes of death for her children. Convicted baby killer Kathleen Folbigg in 2019. Credit:Nine Folbigg was jailed for at least 25 years in 2003 after she was found guilty of killing her four babies Caleb, Patrick, Sarah and Laura in the decade from 1989. The children died aged between 19 days and 19 months. An inquiry that began in 2018 heard that the genomes of the Folbigg children were sequenced and it was found that the two female children had a novel mutation in the CALM2 gene, the petition notes. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 05:45:01|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, March 2 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday asked countries and companies to give up coal for energy and move toward renewable sources. In a video message to a summit of the Powering Past Coal Alliance, Guterres called on all governments, private companies and local authorities to take three steps: cancel coal projects in the pipeline, end international financing of coal plants, and jump-start a global effort to finally organize a just transition. He urged all countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to commit to phasing out coal by 2030, and for non-OECD countries to do so by 2040. Main emitters and coal users should announce their phase-out plans well before the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, in November 2021. The Group of Seven industrialized countries should take the lead and commit to this phase-out at their summit in June 2021 at the latest, he said. Guterres asked the leaders of main emitting economies to announce the end of their international financial support to coal at the earliest opportunity this year. "I look forward to seeing much more support to the developing countries that are embracing the transition to renewable energy to deliver universal energy access to their citizens. I also ask all multilateral and public banks -- as well as investors in commercial banks or pension funds -- to shift their investments now in the new economy of renewable energy." He called for the initiation of a global effort to organize a just transition, going coal plant by coal plant if necessary. Most studies estimate that despite inevitable job losses, the transition from coal to renewable energy will result in the net creation of millions of jobs by 2030. But the impact on regional and local levels will be varied, he said. "We have a collective and urgent responsibility to address the serious challenges that come with the speed and scale of the transition. The needs of coal communities must be recognized, and concrete solutions must be provided at a very local level. That requires engagement -- from governments to power companies, from labor unions to investors, both private and public." He called on all countries to embrace the International Labor Organization's guidelines for a just transition and adopt them as a minimum standard to ensure progress on decent work for all. The United Nations will fully support this just transition and efforts to ensure that thriving and prosperous renewable energy communities emerge from this transformation, he said. Guterres called on countries to embark immediately on a decade of transformation through a successful Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. Major emitters have a chance to present or re-submit more ambitious national climate plans in the next few months with credible emissions cuts aligned with the objective of keeping global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels, he said. "And if we take immediate action to end the dirtiest, most polluting and, yes, more and more costly fossil fuel from our power sectors, then we have a fighting chance to succeed." Phasing out coal from the electricity sector is the single most important step to get in line with the 1.5-degree goal. This means that global coal use in electricity generation must fall by 80 percent below 2010 levels by 2030, he said. Once upon a time, coal brought cheap electricity to entire regions and vital jobs to communities. Those days are gone. More than half of the renewable capacity added in 2019 achieved lower power costs than the cheapest new coal plants, he said. Fossil fuels-related air pollution causes one in five of all deaths globally each year. And coal's economic viability is declining. In virtually all markets, it is now cheaper to build new renewable energy capacity than new coal plants. For example, the International Energy Agency has found that the cost of building new solar utility-scale projects is cheaper than simply running existing coal plants in places such as China and India, with renewable energy costs around the world getting even cheaper by the day, he said. "We can have renewable energy and blue skies. We can have decent, healthy, and reliable jobs. We can have dependable, renewable power systems that ensure everyone has access to energy. We can power past coal and have economies that thrive on innovative businesses aligned to what the world is demanding -- sustainable development and prosperity for people and planet. We can make all of this happen, together," he said. The Powering Past Coal Alliance is a coalition of national and sub-national governments, businesses and organizations working to advance the transition from coal power generation to clean energy. The virtual summit was co-hosted by Britain and Canada. Enditem A man walks past a mural by street artist Smokey D. about the fentanyl and opioid overdose crisis in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, B.C., Canada, on Dec. 22, 2016. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press) Feds to Spend $3.5 Million on Vending Machines That Supply Opioids in 4 Cities The Liberal government has announced $3.5 million in funding for vending machines that will dispense prescribed opioids to registered drug users in four cities. Darren Fisher, the parliamentary secretary to Health Minister Patty Hajdu, said in a news release on Tuesday that the vending machines will be set up at five locations: two in Vancouver and one each in Victoria; London, Ontario; and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Fisher said the initiative is meant to help reach people living with an opioid use disorder who may face barriers accessing traditional methods of care, and can also prevent opioid overdose from increasingly toxic illegal drugs. These so-called MySafe machines, which resemble ATMs, will provide patients with hydromorphone pills based on their existing prescriptions. A palm scan is used for verifying the patients identity before the drugs are dispensed. According to the statement, the grant is part of the federally-funded MySafe Project, which aims to make it easier for Canadians to access hydromorphone as a substitute for toxic, illegal drugs. With files from The Canadian Press Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. 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Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 They grew up bearing the stigma of "children of torturers", shunned by their own communities, locked in a quest for identity that decades later remains without an end. Nearly 27 years have passed since the genocide in Rwanda, but the children born of rape perpetrated during the country's torment are still struggling with trauma, even as the country works towards national reconciliation. "In my heart I have many scars," said Patrick, 26. "I don't know who my father is and my future will always be complicated because I don't know my past." Over 100 days in 1994, around 800,000 minority Tutsis and moderate members of the Hutu majority were murdered, in a campaign orchestrated and amplified by the extremist Hutu government. A quarter of a million women were raped under a systematic campaign carried out by Hutu government soldiers and their allied militia, the Interahamwe -- and sometimes by local men, even neighbours. From this unspeakable violence, an estimated several thousand children were born. They were doomed to shame in a country where not knowing one's paternal lineage is deemed a dishonour. Patrick, who asked that his real name not be used, spoke to AFP from Nyanza, a town in southern Rwanda where he is studying accountancy. He often broke down as he recalled how he seldom mixed with other children at school. The burden and social isolation, he said, was such that he had twice tried to commit suicide -- once at the age of 11 and again at 22. "Up until a few years ago, society could not accept who I am because of my history," he said. "On the Tutsi side and the Hutu side, too, they didn't care about me." - Fear of rejection - According to UN figures, at least 250,000 women were raped during that period. Historians say many were kept as sex slaves and some were intentionally infected with HIV. Many have never told their children they were born of rape or shared their ordeal with the men they later married, out of fear of being rejected. Story continues But several recently agreed to speak to AFP at their home or on the sidelines of a workshop in the central town of Muhanga organised by a therapist, Emilienne Mukansoro. They spoke on condition of anonymity. Mukansoro, 53, who lost her father, eight siblings and other family members during the genocide, has been working for 18 years with rape victims. Since 2012, she has voluntarily overseen nine therapy groups across the country. Many of the women in these groups were raped and/or mutilated in front of loved ones or their community. "Rape was used as a means to demean and exterminate the Tutsi community," historian Helene Dumas told AFP. "By targeting these women's bodies, those behind the genocide sought to impose a radical breakdown of parentage so that no woman would give birth to a Tutsi child. "These were ideological rapes that were part of the genocidal campaign," she added. She pointed to the 2011 conviction by an international tribunal of Pauline Nyiramasuhuko -- who was minister for family welfare and the advancement of women in 1994 -- for her role in the genocide and incitement to rape Tutsi women and girls. "Up until today, the existence of these children born of rape is intricately linked to what happened to their mothers," Dumas said. "That's what makes this genocide never-ending." - 'Son of a murderer' - Patrick's mother, Honorine, said she was held prisoner for four days with several other women during the genocide by a group of Hutu extremists who would rape their captives after their daily campaign of slaughter. "They would say they wanted dessert... and the dessert was me, given that I was the youngest," said the 48-year-old, tears streaming down her face. Once the militiamen fled, Honorine said she tried to get back to her family in the north of the country and was raped once again during her trek. That is when she got pregnant. Despite living in denial of the pregnancy and having suicidal thoughts, she managed to raise her son, though she said she showed him no love and up until today feels guilty and blames herself for his ill-being. She subsequently married but her husband rejected Patrick, referring to him as "the son of a murderer." Hers is a story repeated among rape victims following the genocide that left Rwanda in tatters, with little attention initially given to women dealing with their trauma. But in recent years, associations grouping survivors and non-governmental organisations have been conducting crucial work to help the women process and come to terms with their grief. - 'Worst of human tragedies' - "This has helped a country in ruins and a society stunned by the worst of human tragedies to continue to live together," said Godelieve Mukasarasi, 64, the founder of an NGO called Sevota. Contrary to children who were orphaned, those born of rape in the small, mountainous, East African country were not recognised as survivors of the genocide. In the aftermath, they received no specific support. Naphtal Ahishakiye, executive secretary of Ibuka, an umbrella organisation of survivors and associations fighting the legacy of the genocide, said the children did nevertheless receive indirect help through their mothers, who were given assistance from a special fund set up after the massacres. The women who were raped, for the most part, hailed from modest families that worked the land. Shocked and weakened by their ordeal, many were left to fend for themselves after losing the men in their family or being shunned by their community or loved ones. Several of those interviewed by AFP recounted the struggle they faced in raising their children and paying for their education while dealing with their trauma. Martha, 46, who lives in Muhanga, was rejected by her brothers after giving birth to a girl in 1995. She said she was raped over several days during the genocide by militiamen who found her and several other women hiding in a forest. "I won't waste my time on you," she recalled one of her brothers -- who fought with the Tutsi-led Rwandan Patriotic Front which ended the genocide -- bitterly saying, on learning she was pregnant. "Even if you die, I wouldn't waste time burying you." Her brothers, she said, had planned to kill the baby at birth, but they never carried through with their pledge and left her destitute and in poor health. When AFP met Martha in December at her modest home surrounded by banana and eucalyptus trees, her 26-year-old daughter Diana was helping her 15-year-old stepbrother with homework. The teen was born after Martha's wedding to a Hutu man. Diana was nine years old when she began asking questions about the circumstances of her birth, said Martha, who appeared frail in her long dress and a scarf covering her hair. "I told her at the time 'you have no father, he is dead'," she recalled. But thanks to therapy, Martha said she was finally able to look at herself "as a human being" and has managed to tell her daughter the truth about how she was conceived through violence. "That's all, we never spoke about it again," Diana whispered softly. "I must come to terms with the fact that my father was a torturer and killer," added the slender young woman with a beautiful face and almond-shaped eyes. She said she considers her mother "very courageous" after having heard stories of women undergoing abortions or abandoning their babies born of rape after the genocide. But dealing with her own trauma on learning how she was conceived has been challenging. For years, Diana said, she blamed herself for the breakup of her mother and uncles. Today, however, she knows "she is innocent" of wrongdoing and has connected with her cousins through a WhatsApp group she initiated. Though her uncles refuse to let the children see each other, she hopes that time will help mend their relationship. - Open wound - For some of the children born of rape, the pain they "inherit" from their mothers is unbearable and cutting all ties is often the only way out, Mukansoro said. That was the case for Paradine, 57, who spoke with AFP during one of the therapy workshops in Muhanga. Despite her hardened face, she had a melancholic gaze as she told her story to the group. Her daughter has shut her out for three years. Paradine said she went to visit her daughter recently when she gave birth to her first child but "she wouldn't let me hold the baby" -- a disclosure that made the other women in the group gasp in sorrow. "She accused me of giving birth to her, even though she was unwanted, of not having an identity and for growing up without a father," said Paradine. She said although she had managed to overcome her rape ordeal and had raised her daughter on her own, being rejected by her child had plunged her once more into depression. "The wound is always there and it's like it's still bleeding," she said. In a poor neighbourhood of Muhanga, the mood is heavy at the home of 53-year-old Greta, who still needs daily tranquilisers nearly 27 years after her ordeal. She was a newlywed and pregnant with her first child when she lost the baby and was severely burned after her house caught fire at the start of the genocide, while her husband was away visiting his family. She said she "lost her mind" for weeks after the tragedy and was subsequently raped but she and her husband decided to keep the baby -- a boy -- and not share their secret with anyone. However in 2010, Callixte learned that the man he had called dad all his life was not his biological father following a heated dispute over the family's struggle to pay his school fees. - 'My queen' - He said he was in denial at first but has learned to live with the truth thanks to support from the NGO Sevota, which has helped pay for his schooling. "My mother told me that in any case she did not know the identity of her rapist and so I've just had to cope with it," said the tall, young man, whose self-confidence is betrayed by a slight stutter. "It's not a subject open to discussion," he told AFP, adding that still today, only close family and the NGO know he was born of rape. Another challenge facing many young people born of genocidal rape in Rwanda is the question of marriage and relationships. "When you manage to tell someone that you have no origin, they become suspicious," said Diana, who broke up with her last boyfriend two years ago when he learned of her story. "One must confide... but it becomes a problem when you say you are the child of a militiaman," added the young woman, who said she no longer believes in marriage. Ahishakiye, of the Ibuka help group, said it would still take decades to overcome the disastrous consequences of the genocide. "Rwandans are rebuilding unity day by day," he said. "But we must continue to sensitise the population on how to integrate these children born of rape." Callixte feels that ethnicity today should no longer play a role in society. "I am Rwandan, that's all," he said. "When I will meet someone who loves me, that person will not ask me about my ethnicity," he said. Patrick, for his part, said he was working on "accepting" his painful past and was finding it easier to share his story with fellow students and friends. "Slowly, slowly, people are accepting who I am," he said, stressing that there was an ongoing process of "reconciliation" in Rwandan society. His dream? To one day raise a family and make enough money to help his mother. "She is my queen, my everything," he whispered. lp/jz/ri/kjm EC notifies poll dates for Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry The Election Commission has announced the schedule for upcoming assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. While assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry will be held in a single phase on 6 April, West Bengal will have an eight-phase poll schedule and Assam will see three-phase voting starting 27 March. Counting of votes for the four states and one union territory will be done on 2May and results will be declared after the completion of counting. The term of the legislative assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry is due to expire in the next two months. The Election Commission of India (ECI) is entrusted with the responsibility of conducting free, fair, participative, accessible, inclusive and safe election to these legislative assemblies before the cessation of their term. At stake is 294 seats in West Bengal, 234 seats in Tamil Nadu, 140 seats in Kerala, 126 seats in Assam and 30 seats in Puducherry. Since elections to these states will be held amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Election Commission is expected to implement Covid-19 protocol for voting. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress chief asked the EC that if Assam polls can be conducted in three phases and Tamil Nadu in one then why Bengal polls were being scheduled in eight phases. She also alleged that the decision was taken to suit the convenience of the BJP. . The opposition parties in West Bengal welcomed the eight-phase elections in the state with the BJP saying that it was hopeful about the polls being free and fair. The Congress party in the state said that it was looking forward to an election in 10 to 12 phases, while the CPI(M) maintained that the number of phases does not matter if the elections are held violence-free. "We are happy. We hope that the elections would be free and fair and the people of the state will be allowed to exercise their democratic right without any fear," BJP's state vice-president Jaiprakash Majumdar said. State Congress leader Manoj Chakraborty said the elections should have been held in at least 10-12 phases, alleging poor law and order situation in the state. Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said voting will be allowed for an extra hour, considering the need to strictly follow Covid-19 guidelines amidst the pandemic, adding that arrangements would also be made for candidates to file nominations online. Further, he said, all poll officials will be vaccinated against Covid-19 before the elections. Vaccination drive has made the situation more conducive for elections. Everyone on poll duty will be declared frontline worker for vaccine purpose, the election commissioner added. Further, door-to-door campaigning has been restricted to five persons including the candidate. However, roadshows have been permitted. Attorney-General Christian Porter stood before the nation on Wednesday and revealed he was the member of federal cabinet accused falsely, he insisted of an historical sexual assault. It just never happened, he said. The rumours about an unnamed minister had been circulating for some days, but no major news outlet had published his name in connection with the claims out of a concern about defamation law, but also to preserve the right of the minister to procedural fairness. Attorney-General Christian Porter faces a press conference on the rape allegations in Perth on Wednesdy. Credit:Trevor Collens It was Porter himself who ended the speculation and the secrecy, and finally allowed us to talk openly about what is a very serious challenge for the government and to our commitment, as a nation, to individual justice but also to gender justice. For many, including myself, who have known of the allegations for some time, and have been contacted by people concerned about them, this was a welcome relief. Sadly for Porter, his vehement public denial cannot end the matter. Regardless of how sincere the Prime Minister and his cabinet colleagues find Porters impassioned denial, accepting the ministers untested word is not a sufficiently high bar for them to set when the allegation of rape is so serious and the threat to the governments integrity is so great. French bulldogs have become a hugely popular dog breed over the past decade particularly on social media because of their looks, size and adaptability. Theyre also expensive, ranging from $1,500 to $6,000. That could be why the breed has become a target for thieves, some of whom snatched the dogs from their owners after violent attacks, according to experts. The issue got national attention last week after Lady Gagas dogwalker was shot and the artists two French bulldogs were stolen in Hollywood. In a social media post Monday, Ryan Fischer, pop stars dogwalker, described the incident and his recovery from a very close call with death. Gagas dogs were returned unharmed last week, but an investigation was still ongoing, the Los Angeles Times reported. In January, three men allegedly assaulted a woman in San Franciscos Russian Hill neighborhood and robbed her 5-month-old French bulldog. Sarah Vorhaus said it was the most traumatic 24 hours of my life. Vorhaus has not responded to requests by The Chronicle. The investigation was ongoing as of Wednesday, police said. No arrests have been made, and the dog has not been returned. In San Jose, a familys French bulldog was stolen from their front yard Sunday, ABC7 reported. On Monday, a woman in San Lorenzo reunited with her puppy after it wandered off and was found four weeks later in Mexico. The man who returned the dog said he bought it for $1,000 and did not know it was stolen. With French bulldogs in such high demand, it isnt surprising that people have been stealing the breed, experts said. More for you Local San Francisco woman robbed of puppy, assaulted at... French bulldogs are considered a high-value ticket item, San Francisco police spokesman Robert Rueca said. The breed was the fourth-most popular in the U.S. in 2019, according to the most recent data available from the American Kennel Club. French bulldogs are usually between 11 and 13 inches long, weigh under 28 pounds and have a life expectancy of 10 to 12 years. Experts describe the breed as playful, adaptable and cute as a button, said Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, president of the animal shelter San Francisco SPCA. When you just think about all the things that make up a great companion animal, the Frenchies click off a lot of those items, Scarlett said. The breed is also popular among celebrities and on social media, with several accounts made for them. One is Manny The Frenchie, described by his owners as the Worlds Most Followed Bulldog, with over 1 million followers on Instagram. French bulldogs get more of a higher profile because there are plenty of celebrities that own them, AKC spokeswoman Brandi Hunter said. Theyre a very attractive breed for a dog owner, especially a first time dog owner because theyre a very easy dog to own. If you plan on purchasing a French bulldog, experts urge individuals to research and buy from a reputable breeder who isnt selling a dog that has been stolen. Experts also recommend owners to properly tag and microchip their dogs. Dogs shouldnt be left in front yards or in cars without supervision. If youve been attacked or assaulted for your puppy, police urge people to call local law enforcement or ask nearby residents or businesses for help. Frenchies are in right now, Scarlett said. If I had a Frenchie, I wouldnt let it out of my sightright now. Jessica Flores is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jessica.flores@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jesssmflores Baltic-based bank is the first in Central and Eastern Europe to utilise nCino to improve its lending processes LONDON, United Kingdom and RIGA, Latvia, March 03, 2021, the second largest bank in Latvia by assets, will adopt the nCino Bank Operating Systemto help modernise its Corporate lending business in the Baltics. Citadele will use nCino's platform to improve how applications for Corporate loans are processed and help drive greater efficiencies for its Corporate banking division. Understanding the need to use modern technology to enhance the client and employee experience, Citadele sought to replace several legacy systems to create a more efficient loan origination processand have a truly digital lending platform with greater visibility at all stages of the loan process. Using nCino's single platform, Citadele will be able to quickly and efficiently navigate Corporate and SME clients' loan journeys and replace manual, repetitive employee tasks resulting in more meaningful interactions with clients. Vladislavs Mironovs, Chief Strategy Officer, Member of the Management Board at Citadele Bank, said, "Citadele is a bank with one of the best customer services in the Baltics, and our goal is to provide the best possible solutions for our clients, allowing them to pursue their business interests. We are pleased to be working with nCino, a leading global technology solution provider for financial institutions. The nCino platform will provide us with the valuable next step in our Corporate and SME banking transformation as we look to further execute on our digital strategy in the Baltics. We've been excited by the work nCino does with major banks in the UK and across the globeand we strongly believe this partnership will result in an outstanding client experience across the markets we serve." Working with Citadele's existing internal workflow, the adoption of the nCino platform means Citadele can facilitate complex and intricate commercial, Corporate and SME loans rapidly and efficiently and provide a consistent experience across all loan types. Through nCino's flexible and scalable platform, Citadele can also expand its loan origination processes to other products and services the bank offers. Outside of increased time efficiencies, nCino will help Citadele realise additional benefits including reduced costs, improved auditing, reporting and compliance, and the ability to view the lending process at all stages. The digitisation of its lending and control workflows means Citadele team members can free up time to concentrate on servicing clients, while implementing valuable automation to back-end processes. Julien Sarat, Area VP Sales at nCino, added, "Citadele has a history of innovation and we're pleased that we can support them continue their mission of setting new industry standards in the region. As the bank grows its presence in the Baltics, nCino's flexibility and scalability can help give Citadele a valuable competitive advantage for the long term. We are very proud to be working together." About Citadele Bank and Citadele Group: Citadele's mission is to modernise the banking sector and offer more opportunities to private clients and businesses throughout the Baltics. Alongside classic banking services, Citadele offers its clients a range of services based on next-generation financial technology, including its modern app, contactless and instant payments, and finally, being the first in the Baltics to introduce opening of an account with a selfie, payment rings and payments to mobile numbers. In the yearly customer service evaluation survey by Dive, Citadele bank was named as the bank with one of the best customer services in the Baltics - for the sixth time Citadele's customer service in Latvia has been evaluated as the best, No. 2 in Lithuania and No. 3 in Estonia. Citadele Group is headquartered in Latvia, and its subsidiaries are located in Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Switzerland. Citadele Group's shareholders are an international consortium of investors with global experience in the banking sector and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. About nCino nCino. MEDIA CONTACTS Claire Sandstrom, nCino +1 646.520.0710 csandstrom@mww.com Natalia Moose, nCino +1 910.248.4602 natalia.moose@ncino.com This press release contains forward-looking statements within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally include actions, events, results, strategies and expectations and are often identifiable by use of the words "believes," "expects," "intends," "anticipates," "plans," "seeks," "estimates," "projects," "may," "will," "could," "might," or "continues" or similar expressions. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon nCino's historical performance and its current plans, estimates, and expectations, and are not a representation that such plans, estimates, or expectations will be achieved. These forward-looking statements represent nCino's expectations as of the date of this press release. Subsequent events may cause these expectations to change and, except as may be required by law, nCino does not undertake any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially. Additional risks and uncertainties that could affect nCino's business and financial results are included in reports filed by nCino with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (available on our web site at www.ncino.com or the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov). Further information on potential risks that could affect actual results will be included in other filings nCino makes with the SEC from time to time. CAIRO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd March, 2021) Foreign ministers of Arab League countries on Wednesday reappointed Ahmad Aboul Gheit as the league's secretary general for a new five-year term, Egyptian media reported. The foreign ministers unanimously backed Egypt's nomination, MENA reported citing diplomatic sources. The decision was made before the opening session of the 155th League summit. Ahmad Aboul Gheit is the eighth secretary general of the League of Arab States, which was founded in 1945. Before his first appointment as the secretary general in March 2016, he had spent decades holding high diplomatic positions such as Egypt's ambassador to the United Nations and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. UPDATE: Take a look inside the Northampton County clinic set up to vaccinate teachers (PHOTOS) The Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 will be the site for school employees and contractors from Northampton, Monroe and Pike counties to receive the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, part of Pennsylvanias plan mobilizing the National Guard to quickly get educators vaccinated against COVID-19 and back in the classroom. The Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 stands ready to serve and support this important work in every way possible, Executive Director Christopher S. Wolfel said in a news release Wednesday afternoon, shortly after Gov. Tom Wolf announced details of the anticipated teacher-vaccination initiative. The plan includes at least one vaccination site in 27 of Pennsylvanias intermediate unit regions with the goal of immunizing Pennsylvanias roughly 200,000 educators and staff and getting them back into the classroom by months end. Shots are expected to be available late next week. Allocations are determined by the Pennsylvania health and education departments. Eligible school staff will receive information about vaccine locations and registration instructions. Colonial Intermediate Unit 20, based in Palmer Township, specified that vaccination operation, scheduling and administration will be handled by the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and AMI Expeditionary Healthcare. AMI has managed weekly pop-up vaccination sites around the state. Colonials sole role is to provide host-site facility support. The Lehigh Valleys other intermediate unit is Carbon-Lehigh, in the Schnecksville area of North Whitehall Township. CORRECTION: Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 is based in Palmer Township. An earlier version of this post had the wrong township listed. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... PHOENIX Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey issued an executive order Wednesday for students and teachers to return to school later this month. The science is clear: its time all kids have the option to return to school so they can get back on track and we can close the achievement gap, Ducey said in a statement. Schools must return to in-person learning by March 15 or after their spring break. The only exceptions will be middle and high schools in counties where COVID-19 transmission rates are considered high. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ The Republican governor said he made his decision after consulting with public school leaders and looking at guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Going by CDC metrics, a dozen of Arizonas 15 counties have reached stages where they are eligible to open campuses. That includes the two largest counties, Maricopa and Pima. A majority of schools in the state are already offering in-person learning, Ducey said. He credits the move to reopen most other schools to prioritizing teachers for COVID-19 vaccines. Many teachers have already received a second vaccine dose, he added. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman expressed concern about the governors timeline. The Democrat said the March 15 date could be challenging for schools that may be following a different schedule based on circumstances in their community. As a state, we should be collaborating to provide as much preparation and planning time as possible ahead of significant changes to school operations, Hoffman said in a statement. To achieve stability for our school communities, its necessary to provide them with adequate time to inform and ready their staff, students and families. The order does not affect tribal nations who may still want to enforce stay-at-home orders, Hoffman added. The president of the Arizona Education Association, a teachers union, accused Ducey of taking credit away from school administrators and teachers who have been working toward reopening. Joe Thomas said the state needs to commit more funding if it wants schools to stay open and prevent outbreaks. The science also says that community spread is key to keeping our schools safe, yet Gov. Ducey has chosen to focus on reopening schools without any kind of measures to mitigate community spread such as a statewide mask mandate, Thomas said in a statement. The news comes as Arizona health officials reported 1,284 new COVID-19 cases and 29 deaths Wednesday. That brings the total numbers to 819,954 cases and 16,089 deaths. The state also opened its fourth mass vaccination site at Chandler-Gilbert Community College. All state-run vaccination sites are transitioning to vaccinating people by age group and will now allow people 55 or older to make an appointment. Dr. Cara Christ, director of the state Department of Health Services, said data shows that age plays a huge role when it comes to the risk of a COVID-19 infection. When we looked at 55 and above, thats responsible for 65% of our hospitalizations and 90% of all deaths in Arizona, Christ said while visiting the college vaccination site. In other developments: Arizona will distribute an additional $8.2 million in federal pandemic relief funding to help with homelessness. The funds will be split across 31 organizations, according to the state Department of Economic Security. The money will go toward emergency shelters and helping people stay in their homes or obtain replacement housing. A team of 30 U.S. Air Force medical personnel arrived at Kingman Regional Medical Center in northwestern Arizona to provide staffing support during the pandemic, the Kingman Daily Miner reported. In January, the hospital had asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency for additional nurses and respiratory therapists. Leading public health expert Dr Gabriel Scally says primary-age pupils should be wearing masks in school and that more attention needs to be paid to ventilation in the classroom. Dr Scally told a webinar on safety in schools that that he was at a loss to know why mask-wearing wasnt happening for children for children from six up, as part of the suite of infection prevention and measures. He cited behavioural scientists who say there is no reason why children over the age of six should not be wearing them and that they could adapt to the practice. We should providing high quality masks, especially childrens sized masks, Dr Scally told the webinar hosted by the Irish Scientific Advisory Group (ISAG). Read More Currently, only pupils in second-level schools in Ireland are required to wear face masks, and the question of extending that to primary pupils is under active discussion by the public health advisory group, Nphet. However, earlier this week, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn said he was not necessarily anticipating a change. The Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) is seeking the introduction of mask wearing for pupils in senior primary classes, who are due to return to school on March 15. ISAG is a multidisciplinary group of scientists, academics, and researchers who came together last year to advocate for a Covid-19 elimination strategy for the island of Ireland. Its founders include Professor Anthony Staines, Professor of Health Systems, Dublin City University and Dr Tomas Ryan, Associate Professor School of Biochemistry & Immunology Trinity College Dublin In a discussion document on safe school re-opening released today, ISAG also calls for mask wearing by pupils from age six up, in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines. Addressing the ISAG webinar, Northern Ireland born Dr Scally, Professor of Public Health at the University of Bristol and member of the UK Governments scientific advisory group, SAGE, also called for better attention to be paid to ventilation in schools. Ventilation is absolutely crucial and I am really surprised and disappointed that so little attention has been placed on assessing the level of ventilation in every classroom, both in Ireland and in the UK. He said parents in New York could read reports on the level of ventilation in their childrens classrooms and every space in the school and asked why do we not have this approach in these islands? The INTO and ISAG are also seeking the use of ventilation monitors in schools and that issue is also under review. The ISAG discussion document questions why few new risk mitigation practices have been put in place on schools to as the phased re-opening gets underway. Other measures sought by ISAG include; * a phased reopening plan that is linked with the Local Electoral Area 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 population *redefinition of close contacts to include all staff and school children who share the same classroom, to enable better containment of school cases *rapid testing and isolation at whole class level. *vaccination for teachers as soon as possible after very high risk groups beginning with those working with children and young people with additional needs. By taking these steps to make school spaces safer, schools can stay open and we can protect our vaccine roll-out and the health of our children, educators, and communities, while avoiding a fourth wave ISAG states. Read More When Saudi Arabian dissident and journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018, Saudi Arabias crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, had not expected the outcry that would follow. For perhaps the first time in recent history, Saudi critics and Saudi supporters were united in their condemnation of the extrajudicial killing. The allegations that Khashoggi, who had disappeared after entering the embassy on October 2, had been murdered and his body dismembered and disposed of by Saudi agents sparked a diplomatic crisis in Istanbul, Riyadh and London, but not in Washington DC. The then U.S. president, Donald Trump, continued to publicly support Saudi Arabia and Prince Mohammed, its de facto ruler. Two-and-a-half years later, the White House has a new occupant. New sheriff With a CIA investigation into Khashoggis murder now declassified, will the U.S. president, Joe Biden, shift the gear on US-Saudi relations? What the headline of the CIAs report into the murder of Jamal Khashoggi would be has been relatively clear all this time: Prince Mohammed approved an operation to capture or kill Khashoggi. And yet Trump was not interested in justice for the murdered journalist. Trumps focus on pursuing a transactional relationship with the Gulf state, quantifiable in billions made from weapons deals and arms exports, formed the baseline for the U.S. relationship with Saudi Arabia during his presidency. Biden, however, so far appears interested in restoring the importance placed on values in international relations, and has been more reticent about engaging with Prince Mohammed directly during his first month in office. The White House has signalled that Biden is looking to rebalance the relationship with Saudi Arabia. It is a challenge many U.S. presidents have grappled with before. Biden will supposedly seek to carefully balance cooperation with a long-standing US ally, while taking more of a stand than his predecessor did against Saudi Arabias excesses, such as its waging of war in Yemen, which has sparked the largest humanitarian crisis in the world. So far, Biden has ended U.S. support for Saudi offensive operations in Yemen. He has also put a temporary stop to arms exports to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, including precision-guided munitions, which have been used to target Yemeni civilians. This is significant, given that in the period 2015 to 2019 just under 75 per cent of Saudi arms imports came from the U.S. Alongside the publication of the CIA report, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a Khashoggi ban, which imposes visa restrictions on any individuals who have threatened dissidents overseas on behalf of a foreign government. The U.S. has immediately used the ban to impose visa restrictions on 76 Saudi nationals. Still friends? Ultimately though, none of these measures directly target or affect Prince Mohammed, who the CIA points to as the person who approved Khashoggis murder. While the White House has tried to send signals to Saudi Arabia and may not favour Prince Mohammed, it is likely he will take over the throne from his father and rule the kingdom for decades to come. The Biden administration may dislike Prince Mohammed personally, but they will probably need to work with him if the U.S. is to maintain a working relationship with Saudi Arabia. ADVERTISEMENT The Biden administration is sending a strong signal that past erratic behaviour by the crown prince will no longer be tolerated. However, it is not clear what, exactly, any consequences in response to such behaviour would be and the extent to which Biden is willing to put the U.S.-Saudi alliance on the line. It is also unclear whether the Biden administration will seek to target Prince Mohammed individually. Saudi Arabia anticipated Bidens position and has sought to sweeten the new administration by releasing Saudi womens rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul from prison and restoring diplomatic relations with Qatar. Having heard the promises Biden made while on the campaign trail, during which he called Saudi Arabia a pariah state, the timing of these is no coincidence. The extent to which the U.S.-Saudi relationship will indeed cool remains to be seen. Saudi Arabia is still considered a key U.S. ally to hedge against Iranian influence in the Middle East. Iran has steadily increased its reach in the region through proxy organisations which operate in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Equally, the U.S. may simply believe that they cannot afford to lose Saudi Arabia as an ally in the Middle East, particularly as the Gulf state is considered to be a key ally in counter-terrorism efforts. So, while the Biden administration may seek to distance itself from the cosy relationship that Prince Mohammed enjoyed with the Trump family and reset the relationship in that regard, it is unlikely that it will cut all diplomatic and political ties with Saudi Arabia. Where does this leave justice for Jamal Khashoggi? The CIA report does clarify where his body is. It is unlikely that Prince Mohammed will ever be tried by an independent judiciary for his role in the murder, or that he will be directly sanctioned by the U.S. Two-and-a-half years on, we are no closer to justice. Kaylan Adair at Candlewick has acquired, in a six-figure preempt, North American rights to Better Than We Found It by Frederick Joseph and Porsche Landon. In the YA follow-up to Joseph's debut, The Black Friend, the authors share stories of their own experiences with an assortment of essential topics, from environmental justice to gun control, anti-racism to housing security, and provide interviews with public officials, celebrities, and activists. Publication is set for fall 2022; Alexander Slater at Trident Media Group represented the authors. Alex Borbolla at Atheneum has bought, in a preempt, Roofhoppers by Andi Porretta. Comped to Booksmart and set against the backdrop of New York City, the graphic novel follows four friends the summer after high school graduation. When the group agrees to play a game of dares from their childhood one last time, what was meant to bring them all together could be the thing that tears them apart. Publication is scheduled for summer 2024; Natascha Morris at the Tobias Literary Agency handled the deal for world English rights. Tara Weikum at HarperCollins has acquired The Name She Gave Me by Betty Culley. This #OwnVoices YA novel, written in verse, centers on adopted Maine girl Rynn, who only knows that her original name was Scheherazade, she was born with a hole in her heart, and her birth mother wanted her to grow up on a farm. Her life is upended when she learns her birth mother had a baby seven years after Rynn was born and kept her. Publication is planned for summer 2022; Steven Chudney at the Chudney Agency brokered the deal for world English rights. Deanna McFadden at Wattpad has bought world rights to Until We Break by debut author and poet Matthew Dawkins. The novel follows Naomi Morgan, the only Black ballerina at her prestigious dance school, who while injured and reeling from the death of her best friend, meets a street artist named Saint, whose social justice messages spark something in her, changing them both forever. It's slated for winter 2022; the author was unagented. Scholastic has negotiated a seven-book publishing deal, comprised of a four-book middle grade series and three picture books, won in a multi-publisher auction, with activist, scholar, cultural critic, and author Dr. Brittney Cooper (l.). The Bees is a middle grade series celebrating Black girls and their friendships. Publication is set for late 2022; David Levithan and Maya Marlette will edit. The first picture book, Stand Up: 10 Mighty Women Who Made a Change!, wherein Cooper introduces young readers to 10 revolutionary Black women, will be illustrated by Cathy Ann Johnson; Liza Baker will edit. Publication is set for March 2022. Two additional picture books are also planned: Mama Says I'm Fine, a celebration of her single mother's unwavering love and faith in her, and one still untitled. Stephanie Lurie at Hyperion has acquired, in an exclusive submission, Winston Chu Versus the Whimsies, and an untitled sequel by Stacey Lee (The Downstairs Girl). Lee's debut middle grade novel is a modern-day reimagining of a classic Chinese folktale, following Winston Chu as he saves the owner of a curiosities shop from a robbery only to be gifted a broomstick and a dustpan for his troubleitems that turn out to be more a curse than a blessing. Publication is scheduled for fall 2022; Kristin Nelson at Nelson Literary negotiated the six-figure deal for North American rights. Julia Sooy at Henry Holt/Godwin has bought world rights to Nature's Design Challenge by Rebecca Donnelly (l.), illustrated by Misa Saburi, a middle grade graphic nonfiction series about biomimicry, in which animal contestants in a Shark Tank-style game show pitch designs and products based on their own physical or behavioral adaptations. Publication is planned for spring 2023; Molly Ker Hawn at the Bent Agency represented the author, and Lori Kilkelly at LK Literary represented the illustrator. Connie Hsu and Megan Abbate at Roaring Brook have acquired, in an exclusive submission, Bright by Brigit Young (Worth a Thousand Words; The Prettiest), a middle grade novel about a struggling student who joins her school's trivia team in a bid to avoid failing eighth grade. Publication is slated for spring 2022; Melissa Edwards at Stonesong brokered the deal for world English rights. Erin McGough at the Duxbury Rural & Historical Society has bought world rights to Ezra and the Mouse: The Search for Lafayette by Victoria J. Coe (Fenway and Hattie). The middle grade historical adventure, set in 1822 and inspired by actual events, weaves together the stories of a New England shipping magnate's son in pursuit of smugglers, and a mouse desperate to reunite with his family and find a 500-pound cheese called Lafayette. Publication is set for fall 2021; Marietta Zacker at Gallt & Zacker Literary represented the author. Whitney Leopard at Random House Graphic has preempted world rights to Hugo and Dino, a chapter book graphic novel series by Red Panda and Moon Bear creator Jarod Rosello. The books follow a boy who can change the world around him just enough to go on magical adventures with his best friend, Dino. Publication for the first book is scheduled for fall 2023; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary did the three-book deal. Neal Porter at Holiday House/Porter acquired an as-yet-untitled book written and illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Matthew Cordell. This David Bowie picture book biography focuses on the shape-shifting nature of the iconic rock star and his talent for creating signature looks, sounds, and personalities over the course of his illustrious life and career. Publication is planned for fall 2023; Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio negotiated the deal for world rights. Zareen Jaffery, while at Simon & Schuster, bought world rights to The Together Tree by Aisha Saeed (l.), illustrated by LeUyen Pham, a picture book about the pain of bullying and the redemptive power of friendship and compassion; Kendra Levin will edit. Publication is slated for 2023; Taylor Martindale Kean at Full Circle Literary represented the author, and Holly McGhee at Pippin Properties represented the illustrator. Christy Ottaviano at Little, Brown/Ottaviano has acquired world rights to H Is for Harlem written by Dinah Johnson (l.) (Black Magic) and illustrated by Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award-winner April Harrison (What Is Given from the Heart). This nonfiction alphabet book is a love letter to Harlem that draws connections between communities past and present. Publication is set for fall 2022; Allison Hellegers at Stimola Literary Studio represented the author, and Regina Brooks at Serendipity Literary represented the illustrator. Arthur A. Levine at Levine Querido has signed Dow Phumiruk (l.) (Counting on Katherine), for world rights, to illustrate Kristen Mai Giang's previously announced Last Flight, based on the true story of Kristen's family's escape from Vietnam six days before the fall of Saigon in 1975. Publication is scheduled for spring 2023; Erin Murphy at Erin Murphy Literary represented the author, and Deborah Warren at East West Literary represented the illustrator. Alyza Liu at Atheneum has bought world rights to Can You Imagine by Lisa Tolin (l.) and illustrated by Yas Imamura, a picture book biography about Yoko Ono, the avant-garde artist and activist. Publication is planned for fall 2022; Lindsay Auld at Writers House represented the author, and Freddie Dawson at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator. Grace Kendall at Farrar, Straus and Giroux has acquired world rights to My Name by Supriya Kelkar (l.), illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat, about how a name comes from generations of ancestors, places, and experiences to make you you. Publication is slated for June 2023; Kathleen Rushall at Andrea Brown Literary represented the author, and Alice Sutherland-Hawes of ASH Literary represented the illustrator. Jill Davis at HarperCollins has bought world rights, in a preempt, to I Was Born a Baby? and I Live in a Tree Trunk! by Meg Fleming, illustrated by Brandon James Scott, a rhythmic roll call of animals by their baby names (including the identical, unexpected, and unusual). Publication is scheduled for winter 2022 and winter 2023, respectively; Emily van Beek at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management represented the author and the illustrator in the two-book, six-figure deal. Lisa Rosinsky at Barefoot Books has acquired Dinner on Domingos by debut author Alexandra Katona (l.), illustrated by Claudia Navarro (La Frontera). In this celebration of family and food, inspired by the author's own childhood, a Latinx girl who doesn't speak much Spanish searches for ways to connect with her Abuelita. Publication is set for fall 2021; the author and illustrator represented themselves in the deal for world rights. Sailaja Ganti at Mango and Marigold has bought North American rights to Part of Me by Nandana Sen (l.), illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan, a picture book about love and identity, a spirited girl's search for her roots, and the bond of the heart that unites every family, adopted or biological. Publication is slated for summer/fall 2022; Karen Grencik at Red Fox Literary represented the author, and Stephanie Fretwell-Hill at Red Fox Literary represented the illustrator. Hannah Moushabeck at Crocodile Books, in an exclusive submission, has acquired Adrift written by Heidi E.Y. Stemple (l.) and illustrated by Anastasia Suvorova. Finding himself alone and scared in the middle of a storm, a small mouse finds comfort and strength when he sees another boat and is joined by others. Publication is planned for September 2021; Elizabeth Harding at Curtis Brown represented the author, and the illustrator represented themselves. Carolyn Yoder at Calkins Creek has bought world rights to The Fabulous Fannie Farmer: Kitchen Scientist and America's Cook, written by Emma Bland Smith (l.) and illustrated by Susan Reagan. In this nonfiction picture book, readers learn how Fannie Farmer created the model for the modern-day cookbook and taught generations that with science and precision, anyone can excel in the kitchen. Publication is set for spring 2024; Essie White at Storm Literary represented the author, and Stephanie Fretwell-Hill at Red Fox Literary represented the illustrator. Emily Settle at Feiwel and Friends has acquired world English rights to A Dupatta Is by Marzieh Abbas (l.), illustrated by Anu Chouhan, an #OwnVoices picture book that explores the properties of a dupatta and how it's much more than just a beautiful piece of cloth. Publication is scheduled for winter 2023; Lynnette Novak at the Seymour Agency represented the author, and Thao Le at Sandra Dijkstra Literary represented the illustrator. Madison Moore at Albert Whitman has bought world rights to a STEM picture book series entitled Kid Scientist by Sue Fliess (l.), illustrated by Mia Powell. Each book in this series features a world of budding young scientists: book one, Archaeologists on a Dig, introduces readers to the science of archaeology; book two, Marine Biologists on a Dive, focuses on a team of marine biologists. Publication is planned for spring 2022; Jennifer Unter at the Unter Agency represented the author, and Anne Moore Armstrong at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator. Jill Braithwaite at Beaming Books has acquired world rights to Sarah Rising, written by Minneapolis-based poet, puppeteer, and playwright Ty Chapman, and illustrated by DeAnn Wiley. Inspired by the Minneapolis uprising after the killing of George Floyd, this picture book follows a Black girl as she attends her first protest and realizes that she has the power to protect what and who she loves. Publication is slated for May 2022; Savannah Brooks of the Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself. Tiara Kittrell at HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray has acquired, at auction, in a six-figure, two-book deal, world English rights to Reject Squad by Alyssa Cole, illustrated by ONeill Jones. In this Sleeping Beauty-inspired YA fantasy romance graphic novel, a perfectionist princess powered by rage is hexed, placing her kingdom and her life in jeopardy, unless her newfound friends (the magical hot messes of the Reject Squad)and the irritating boy she's betrothed tocan help her save herself. Publication is set for 2024; Lucienne Diver at the Knight Agency represented the author, and Claire Draper at the Bent Agency represented the illustrator. Rosemary Brosnan and Cynthia Leitch Smith at Heartdrum have bought, in a preempt, The Summer of Bitter & Sweet by Jen Ferguson (Metis/white). In this debut YA novel, a demisexual Metis teen is settling in to spend the summer before college working at her close-knit family's ice cream shack with her best friend, ex-boyfriend, and newly back-in-town crush, when a letter from her white biological father, recently out of prison, threatens to destroy everything she cares about. Publication is scheduled for summer 2022; Patricia Nelson at Marsal Lyon Literary did the two-book deal for world English rights. Abigail McAden at Scholastic has acquired five middle grade novels by author Sayantani DasGupta. The deal includes a new three-book series following the flying pakkhiraj horses of the Kingdom Beyond, a spin-off to DasGupta's Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond series, slated to begin in September 2022; a sequel to DasGupta's forthcoming novel Force of Fire, slated for May 2022; and The Lotus Legacy, DasGupta's first work of realistic fiction for middle graders, which follows the Desi Posse, a crack team of feminist tweens, on a heist to expose a skin-lightening product, slated for summer 2023. Brent Taylor at Triada US handled the six-figure deal for North American rights. Sally Morgridge at Holiday House has bought world rights to Nothing Is Little by Christopher Award-winning author Carmella Van Vleet (Eliza Bing Is (Not) a Big Fat Quitter) The middle grade novel features Felix, a boy who has always liked being the smallest kid in school, but when he starts getting growth hormone shots, everything changes. Publication is planned for summer 2022; Marie Lamba at the Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency represented the author. Taylor Norman at Chronicle has acquired The Callers by Australian author Kiah Thomas in her middle grade debut. In this fantasy world, the ability to summon objects is a crucial skill for sustaining life. But when Quin discovers that the objects Callers summon arent conjured at all, but are taken from the other side of the world, where for years people have had their lives slowly summoned away, he must decide whether he should remain loyal to his family or betray themand save the world. Publication is planned for spring 2022; the author was unagented. Shelly Romero at Scholastic has bought world rights to Join the Club, Maggie Diaz by Nina Moreno (l.) (Don't Date Rosa Santos), illustrated by Courtney Lovett. The illustrated middle grade novel follows a 12-year-old Cuban American girl who is determined to discover who she is and what her "thing" is, no matter how many activities or clubs it takes. Publication is scheduled for spring 2022; Laura Crockett at Triada US Literary represented the author, and Jemiscoe Chambers-Black at Andrea Brown Literary represented the illustrator. Jordan Brown at Walden Pond has acquired Just Harriet by NBA finalist Elana K. Arnold. The first in a young middle grade series of the same name, Just Harriet introduces Harriet Wermer, a quirky girl in the tradition of Ramona and Clementine, who is spending the summer at her grandmother's B&B on a small California coastal island, and sets out to solve a cozy mystery with the help of a basset hound named Moneypenny and a cat named Matzoh Ball. Publication is set for winter 2022; Rubin Pfeffer at Rubin Pfeffer Content brokered the deal for world English rights. Cecily Kaiser at Rise x Penguin Workshop has bought two untitled picture books by singer-songwriter, political activist, and feminist icon Ani Di Franco. The first is an Ani Di Franco-style lullaby and is slated for publication in fall 2022; the second, an ode to the wisdom that surrounds us, will follow in fall 2023. Both books encapsulate ideas that Di Franco feels strongly about sharing with children: the authority to respect the world around you with love and compassion, and the strength of individual power and collective responsibility. Sarah Lazin at Aevitas Creative Management did the two-book deal for world rights. Simon Boughton at Norton Young Readers has acquired Only Ants for Andy by PW Flying Starts author Jashar Awan (What a Lucky Day!). The humorous picture book follows a picky anteater named Andy as he tries out new things and learns that different doesn't necessarily mean bad. Publication is planned for October 2021; Erica Rand Silverman at Stimola Literary Studio negotiated the deal for world English rights. Catherine Laudone at Simon & Schuster has bought world rights to Gilly and the Monster of Mustache Bay by Cyndi Marko (Kung Pow Chicken), a picture book about a spunky, water-loving girl who won't let anything, not even a terrifying monster, keep her from swimming in Mustache Bay. Publication is scheduled for spring 2023; Elizabeth Bennett at Transatlantic brokered the deal for the author. Courtney Code at Abrams has acquired world rights to How Old Is Mr. Tortoise? written by Dev Petty (l.), and illustrated by Ruth Chan. A tortoise celebrating a big birthday can't remember how old he is, but friends help him solve the mystery with old photographs, stories, and a few unexpected clues. Publication is set for spring 2022; Jennifer Rofe at Andrea Brown Literary represented the author, and Rebecca Sherman at Writers House represented the illustrator. Jacob Surpin at Parallax has bought A Lotus for You by Minh Le (Drawn Together). Described as the official authorized biography for young readers of Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, the picture book explores the life, teachings, and legacy of the beloved global spiritual leader. The text is written as if in conversation with a group of children, with Thich Nhat Hanh sharing his experiences, from becoming a novice monk at 16 to being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King Jr. Publication is slated for fall 2021; Stephen Barbara at InkWell Management negotiated the deal for world rights. Jessica Garrison at Dial has acquired, at auction, world rights to picture book When Santa Came to Stay by Billy Sharff, illustrated by Eda Kaban. Pitched as the offspring of The Grinch and Snowmen at Christmas, it tells the story of a family who learns the true meaning of Christmas when Santa (and sundry other holiday characters) outstay their welcome in an attempt to prolong the holiday magic. Publication is planned for fall 2022; Katelyn Detweiler at Jill Grinberg Literary Management represented the author, and Shannon Associates represented the artist. Megan Tingley at Little, Brown has bought world rights to Away with Words! Wise and Witty Poems for Language Lovers by former Children's Poet Laureate Mary Ann Hoberman, illustrated by her son, artist Perry Hoberman, in his children's book debut. This poetry collection celebrates the playfulness of the English language. Publication is scheduled for winter 2022; Gina Maccoby at Gina Maccoby Literary represented the author and artist. Maria Russo at mineditionUS has acquired world rights to A Pair of Shoes by Robie H. Harris (It's Perfectly Normal), illustrated by R. Gregory Christie (Freedom in Congo Square). This picture book is narrated by a child who, accompanied by a loving grandmother, regularly encounters a homeless man, and wants to help him. Publication is slated for fall 2022; Dan Mandel at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates represented the author, and the artist represented himself. Courtney Fahy at Little Bee Books has bought world rights to Fridge-O-Polis by debut author Melissa Coffey, illustrated by Josh Cleland. In this pun-filled picture book that touches on the problem of food waste, a city packed with old food and souring leftovers must be saved from rancid ruin. Publication is set for fall 2022; Charlotte Wenger at Prospect Agency represented the author, and the illustrator represented himself. Emily Easton at Crown has acquired world rights to One Turtle's Last Straw: The Rescue That Sparked a Sea Change by Elisa Boxer, illustrated by Marta Alvarez Miguens. A turtle discovered with a plastic straw stuck in its nostril is savedshedding light on the global ocean pollution problem. Publication is set for summer 2022; Steven Chudney at the Chudney Agency represented the author, and Kate Kendrick at Astound US represented the illustrator. Nancy Paulsen at Penguin/Paulsen has bought world rights to Goat Is the Goat by I Will Be Fierce author Bea Birdsong (l.) and illustrated by Kelly Murphy, about a goat who thinks he must be the G.O.A.T, the greatest of all time, though all evidence seems to be to the contrary. Publication is planned for fall 2023; Melissa Edwards at Stonesong represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself. Karen Smith at Knopf has acquired Gift & Box by Ellen Mayer (l.), illustrated by Brizida Magro. The picture book follows the adventures of a special gift inside a box that makes its way from Grandma's house to its exciting destination. Publication is scheduled for fall 2023; Karen Grencik at Red Fox Literary represented the author, and Anne Moore Armstrong at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator for world rights. Cindy Loh, while at Bloomsbury, preempted world rights to Sunday Before Sundown by Patricia Hruby Powell (l.) and Lesa Cline-Ransome, illustrated by James Ransome. This picture book is based on the true story of Joe Ernst, a teenager who welcomed Ella Fitzgerald and her band into the cafe where he worked and defied his small-town Illinois community's racism against African Americans in the 1940s; Sarah Shumway will edit. Publication is set for spring 2023; Anna Olswanger at Olswanger Literary represented Powell, Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio represented Cline-Ransome, and Ransome represented himself. Christianne Jones at Capstone has bought world rights to My Pet Cloud by Amanda Hill (l.), a picture book that follows a boy as he adopts a pet balloon, highlighting the importance of responsibility, problem-solving, and friendship; Laia Arriols will illustrate. Publication is slated for January 2022; Elizabeth Harding at Curtis Brown represented the author, and Chloe Morgan at Plum Pudding represented the illustrator. Courtney Code at Abrams has acquired world rights to The Museum of Lost Teeth by Elyssa Friedland (l.) (The Floating Feldmans), illustrated by Gladys Jose. The author's picture book debut follows first-lost-tooth, Toothy, on his journey from Liam Taylor's mouth to life beyond the gumline. Publication is planned for fall 2022; Louise Fury at the Bent Agency represented the author, and Christy Ewers at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator. Ariel Richardson at Chronicle has bought world rights, at auction, to The River of Dust: Africa to the Amazon by debut author Jilanne Hoffmann (l.), illustrated by Eugenia Mello. Celebrating the power and wonder of Earth's ecosystems, this nonfiction picture book follows Dust across the globe as it revels in the beauty of its journey and the vital role it plays in nurturing life. Publication is set for spring 2023; Lori Steel at Raven Quill Literary represented the author, and Elena Giovinazzo at Pippin Properties represented the illustrator. Carolyn Yoder at Calkins Creek has acquired Becoming Deborah Sampson by Beth Anderson (l.), illustrated by Anne Lambelet, a picture book on the iconic Revolutionary War soldier. Publication is scheduled for fall 2022; Stephanie Fretwell-Hill at Red Fox Literary represented the author and the illustrator in the deal for world rights. Meredith Mundy at Abrams/Appleseed has bought world rights to Odd Beasts: Meet Nature's Weirdest Animals and Odd Birds: Meet Nature's Weirdest Flock by Laura Gehl (Happy Llamakkah!), illustrated by Gareth Lucas. These board books will introduce babies and toddlers to some of the strangest creatures in the world. Publication is slated for fall 2021 and spring 2022 for Beasts and Birds, respectively; Erzsi Deak at Hen&ink Literary studio represented the author, and Claire Meiklejohn at Meiklejohn Illustration represented the illustrator. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. KYODO NEWS - Mar 4, 2021 - 01:21 | All, Japan Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. said Wednesday that its president dined with communications ministry officials mired in an ethics scandal involving Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's eldest son. Japanese weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun reported online earlier in the day that NTT President Jun Sawada had treated Makiko Yamada, Yasuhiko Taniwaki and another official to expensive meals. The ministry said it is looking into the matter. Yamada, who served as Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's press secretary, resigned Monday after drawing fire for lavish dinners with executives of Tohokushinsha Film Corp. including the prime minister's eldest son. The company provides broadcasting services. Taniwaki, vice minister for policy coordination at the ministry, was reprimanded with a salary reduction of 20 percent for three months after a ministry probe found he was among officials treated to dinners by Tohokushinsha executives. The National Public Service Ethics Law prohibits central government officials from receiving favors from stakeholders. Meals expected to cost more than 10,000 yen ($93) must be declared beforehand. According to the magazine report, Sawada and another NTT executive dined in June last year with Yamada, who was then vice minister for policy coordination at the ministry, and ministry official Eiji Makiguchi. Sawada footed most of the nearly 200,000 yen dinner bill and the two officials each paid around 10,000 yen. The NTT president and Taniwaki also dined in September 2018, and the meal cost around 90,000 yen, the magazine reported. Taniwaki had dinner with former executives of NTT and one of its group companies the same month and in July last year, with the cost of the three meals totaling more than 170,000 yen, according to Shukan Bunshun. Taniwaki did not submit a report on that meal in advance. He denied being treated to expensive meals by representatives of companies in the communications sector other than Tohokushinsha when he appeared in parliament over the scandal. Oswego law firm Amdursky, Pelky, Fennell & Wallen P.C. announced Amy Chadwick has been named a partner. Chadwick graduated from Le Moyne College in 2011 with a bachelor of arts degree in political science and a minor in criminal justice. She then graduated summa cum laude from Syracuse University College of Law in 2014. She is a member of the American, New York State and Oswego County Bar Associations (currently serving on its executive committee), as well as a member of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives. Her primary practice areas are Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). APFW Law is a multi-service firm with roots in the community for more than 100 years. The attorneys have experience in personal injury, criminal defense, real estate, Social Security and workers compensation, estate planning, family/matrimonial law, adoptions and appeals. If youd like to submit an item about People in Motion at your organization, send a press release including photo, to business@syracuse.com with Company News in the subject field. See all recent Company News items. The Kremlin has shrugged off new Western sanctions over the poisoning and arrest of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny as unfounded and pointless, but warned that Moscow will retaliate. US president Joe Bidens administration sanctioned seven Russian officials on Tuesday, along with more than a dozen government entities, over the nerve-agent attack on Mr Navalny and his subsequent jailing. It co-ordinated the move with the European Union, which expanded its own sanctions on Tuesday. Commenting on the US and the EU decisions, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the sanctions against top officials that included a freeze on their bank accounts duplicated Russias own law that bans them from having financial and other assets abroad. Expand Close Alexei Navalny is the most prominent critic of Russian president Vladimir Putin (Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Alexei Navalny is the most prominent critic of Russian president Vladimir Putin (Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP) Speaking with reporters, he said: These people dont make foreign trips anyway and they dont have the right to open accounts in foreign banks or have any other foreign assets. At the same time, he added that the US and EU restrictions represent meddling in Russias internal affairs and are absolutely unacceptable, inflicting significant damage to the already poor ties. Mr Peskov warned that Russia would now choose a response that would best serve our own interests, adding that the relevant state agencies would draft their proposals and submit them to the Kremlin. The principle of reciprocity in relations between states cant be abandoned, he said. Mr Navalny, the most prominent critic of Russian president Vladimir Putin, fell sick on August 20 during a domestic flight in Russia and was flown, while still in a coma, to Berlin for treatment two days later. Expand Close US president Joe Bidens administration sanctioned seven Russian officials on Tuesday (Evan Vucci/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp US president Joe Bidens administration sanctioned seven Russian officials on Tuesday (Evan Vucci/AP) Labs in Germany, France and Sweden, and tests by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, established that he was exposed to a Soviet-era Novichok nerve agent. Russian authorities have denied any involvement in the poisoning. Mr Navalny was arrested on January 17 upon returning from Germany, where he spent five months recovering from the poisoning. His arrest triggered massive protests, to which the Russian authorities responded with a sweeping crackdown. Last month, Mr Navalny was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for violating the terms of his probation while convalescing in Germany. The sentence stems from a 2014 embezzlement conviction that Mr Navalny has rejected as fabricated, and which the European Court of Human Rights has ruled to be unlawful. Mr Navalny was last week sent to serve his sentence in a prison outside Moscow, despite the European Court of Human Rights demand for his release which cited concerns for his safety. Photo: The Canadian Press A vial of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is shown at a UHN COVID-19 vaccine clinic in Toronto on January 7, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette Studies from Israel and the United Kingdom showed that a single dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine significantly reduced COVID-19 infections, helping to guide British Columbia's decision to delay the second dose of vaccines by four months. B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has said the plan is based on research in the two countries as well as evidence collected by the BC Centre for Disease Control and in Quebec. A study published by the University of Cambridge in the U.K., which has not yet been peer-reviewed, suggests that a single dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine can reduce the number of asymptomatic COVID-19 infections by 75 per cent. In Israel, researchers studied the effects of a single dose of the same vaccine and published their findings in The Lancet medical journal, concluding that it was 85 per cent effective against symptomatic COVID-19 infections. Also in The Lancet, a U.K. study found that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is 81 per cent effective when its second dose is given three months after the first, compared with 55 per cent efficacy after six weeks. Horacio Bach, an adjunct professor of infectious diseases at the University of British Columbia, says the province has enough evidence to back the four-month interval, though he believes it is the first in the world to delay the second dose for that long. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has declared Christian Porter is looking forward to returning from medical leave and rejected renewed calls for an independent investigation into the rape allegation denied by the Attorney-General on Wednesday. Mr Morrison said calls for an independent investigation from friends of the woman who accused Mr Porter, independent MPs and the Greens after NSW Police closed its investigation this week risked Australias rule of law and the presumption of innocence. That would say that our rule of law and our police are not competent to deal with these issues, Mr Morrison said. And they are competent to deal with these issues. They have reviewed the materials and theyve formed their assessment. Im pleased that [Mr Porter] is taking some time to get support to deal with what has obviously been a very traumatic series of events. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 3) Bank loans contracted 2.4% in January from the same period a year ago, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said. In a statement Tuesday, the BSP said outstanding loans of universal and commercial banks stood at 8.95 billion at the end of the first month of the year, 2.4% down from end-January 2020, when bank lending hit 9.17 billion. The recent figure comes after a 0.7% fall recorded in December after over 14 years of growth. In general, credit activity remained soft due to weak demand as banks continued to be risk-averse on concerns over asset quality and profitability, it said. Loans to non-residents dropped 21.6% in January, totaling 258.55 million during the period. Meanwhile, outstanding consumer loans were hit hardest in lendings to residents, posting a 6.9% contraction during the month to 861.42 million. This succeeds an annual growth of 4.1% in December. The central bank attributes this to a drop in credit card and motor vehicle loans, along with slower salary-based consumption lending in January. Loans to key sectors also continued to go down. In particular, loans for the trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles dropped to 1.06 billion, 6.9% less from end-January 2020. Loans to manufacturing went down 7.4% to 966.73 million, while lending for financial and insurance activities fell 6.3% to 814.33 million. Meanwhile, industries such as human health and social work activities saw loans go up 11% to 87.8 million with the reopening of business activities. Other sectors which posted growths include construction, transportation and storage, and real estate, noted the BSP. Outstanding loans to residents, in sum, went down 1.7% to 8.69 billion, data from the BSP read. The BSPs accommodative monetary policy stance continues to complement critical fiscal and health interventions in supporting economic activity and market sentiment, it said, reiterating its commitment to taking measures needed to ensure ample liquidity and credit. New Delhi, March 3 : Counting of votes for the bypolls of five municipal wards in Delhi began on Wednesday morning with AAP taking the initial lead. The bypolls were held on February 28. As per the early trends, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidates were leading in four wards -- Shalimar Bagh North, Kalyanpuri, Trilokpuri and Rohini C. A Congress candidate is leading in Chauhan Bangar. The AAP is leading in Ward No. 32N, (Rohini-C), Ward No. 02-E (Trilokpuri), Ward No. 08-E (Kalyanpuri) and Ward No. 62N, (Shalimar Bagh North). While, the Congress is leading in Ward No 41-E (Chauhan Bangar) The AAP is confident of winning all the five wards. Polling was conducted at 327 polling stations and 26 candidates were in the fray. Dhirendra from the AAP, Siyaram Kanojia from the BJP and Dharampal Maurya from the Congress are the main candidates in Kalyanpuri ward by-elections. In Trilokpuri ward, the main contest is between Vijay Kumar of the AAP, Om Prakash Gugarwal of BJP and Bal Kishan of the Congress party. Voting for the five municipal wards had recorded a turnout of 50.86 per cent. Out of total 2,42,414 eligible voters in the five municipal wards of the two civic bodies in the city, 1,23,299 people had cast their votes on Sunday. The BJP had retained all three corporations in the 2017 civic polls with the AAP finishing a distant second. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Armenia 2nd President: Incumbent authorities failed to fulfill their promises Armenia Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program is launched Yerevan court rules to conditionally release man who attempted to assassinate ex-presidential candidate People came to power in Armenia who consistently destroyed army combat-readiness, says ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President rules out collaboration with Nikol Pashinyan Central Bank chief: Armenia national debt exceeded 63% of GDP Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Turkey persistently crosses boundaries of permissibility Finance ministry: Armenia 2020 economic growth forecasts are revised downwards Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is disgrace when law enforcement agencies are subject to PM himself US sells oil seized from Iran Robert Kocharyan: Government does not pay enough attention to security issues Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague Armenia acting PM orders internal investigation into case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers bodies, remains Armenia ex-president Kocharyan gives interview to Russia newspaper Armenia acting deputy PM on unblocking of roads with Azerbaijan: There will be no troops standing there Nikkei: Toyota and Honda stop car production in Malaysia Armenia official on deploying international observers at Azerbaijan border: You will hear reaction on this matter soon USAID helps UN World Food Programme support displaced people in Armenia Armenia official: Work of trilateral working group on roads unblocking has stopped after recent incidents Russias Putin to Armenias Pashinyan: Relations between our countries are developing very successfully Armenia health minister: Improper storage of fallen soldiers bodies, remains was my omission 108 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia President to children: I believe that you will make our country much better Armenia CEC publicizes complete lists of political forces registered to run in snap parliamentary elections World oil prices going up Queen Elizabeth turns down PM's offer to name new royal yacht after Prince Philip Armenia parliament discusses 2020 state budget report Newspaper: Armenia acting FM resigns after 3rd attempt Newspaper: Yerevan mayor to leave office Israel, UAE sign tax treaty Newspaper: Even vagrants are persuaded, taken to Armenia acting PM Pashinyans rally in Vanadzor 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 The Leadership of the Appointments Committee of Parliament has debunked media reports which suggested the rejection of three of President Akufo-Addo's Ministerial nominees. It follows widespread speculations that the three includes Minister for Information Designate, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Minister Designate for Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto and Minister-Designate for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mavis Hawa Koomson have been rejected by the minority side of the Committee. However, responding to the matter in Parliament on Tuesday Chairman of the Committee, Joseph Osei-Owusu, rejected the claim noting that the Committee's duty is only to vet nominees and make recommendations to plenary. He said it is not the duty of the Committee or any of its members to make a pronouncement on the acceptance or rejection of a notice. We should not take out of here matters which have not been decided by the Committee and discussed as if they are the Committee's decision. This Committee has no power to reject anybody. Our duty is to make recommendations to the house. The house may refuse or reject our recommendations. There is nothing going on here which is final. If we understand that, that will influence our discussion, he said. Mr Osei-Owusu however admonished members of the Committee to desist from making public pronouncements on the nomination of persons who appear before it. So I encourage you to stay away from public pronouncements on things that undermine the integrity of the Committee, he added. Ranking Member of the Committee Haruna Idrissu further clarified that about eight nominees have been asked to provide further particulars on some matters later in the week before reports on them are finalized. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/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 Venezuelan Christians forced to eat pages of the Bible, have 'crosses' etched into their bodies Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment At least four Christian men recently suffered serious injuries after they were stabbed, forced to eat pages of the Bible, and had crosses etched into their skin by eight hooded men, according to a persecution watchdog organization. The attack by men suspected to be criminals from a drug gang took place at Restoration House in the city of Libertador on Feb. 16, Open Doors reported Friday. Restoration House is a church-led drug rehabilitation center in Venezuelas Merida State. The charity, which works with persecuted churches in over 60 nations, explained that Christians, who deter people from criminal lifestyles, are often seen as a threat to the illegal activities of drug gangs in Latin America. The criminals covered our faces and started to beat and stab us, a victim was quoted as saying. They drew X on our bodies and forced us to eat the Bible. While the four Christians have been discharged from the hospital, one of them remains in poor health due to two broken ribs and injuries to his lungs and head. Two others had casts put on their legs and arms. Weeks before the attack, in the middle of a meeting discussing neighborhood issues, two men said they were going to end the Restoration House because they did not agree with this type of program, Pastor Dugarte, who founded the center with his wife, told Open Doors. Pastor Dugarte remains strong in his faith, and he will carry on with the ministry in the predominantly Roman Catholic country. Calling for an investigation, the Evangelical Council of Venezuela attributed the attack to hatred towards religion, according to Premier Christian News. The cutting of crosses into the bodies of these young Christians, and the forced eating of pages of the Bible is deeply disturbing, Dr. David Landrum, Open Doors UKs director of advocacy and public affairs, was quoted as saying. This premeditated attack has all the hallmarks of the local collectives of the Maduro regime. This shows how Venezuela has become a dictatorial narco-state which is violently opposed to the drugs rehabilitation work of the church. Open Doors noted that while Venezuela is not in its 2021 World Watch List of the top-50 countries where Christians are persecuted, Christian persecution in other parts of Latin America is increasing. President Nicolas Maduro has been in office since 2013. In 2017, the U.S. Department of the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions against Venezuelan government officials and others accused of undermining democracy in Venezuela. Under Maduro, the Venezuelan government has deliberately and repeatedly abused the rights of citizens through the use of violence, repression, and criminalization of demonstrations, the department said in a statement at the time. At his direction, the regimes security forces have systematically repressed and criminalized opposition parties through arbitrary detention, military prosecution of civilians, and the excessive use of force against demonstrators. Any member of the opposition or critic of the regime risks being detained, imprisoned, assaulted, tortured, and assassinated. Maduros victory in the 2018 election was denounced as fraudulent by several countries, including the United States. Camera and video technology in Samsung Galaxy S20 FE handsets used to boost live, 24/7 streams of wild animals in the Balule Nature Reserve, part of Kruger National Park Samsung partners with African technology pioneers Africam to enhance the reach of its streaming infrastructure in the bush Supporting the work of The Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit, an all-female troop who uses non-violent methods to prevent poaching, which has surged during the pandemic Animal lover and DJ Peggy Gou calls on everyone to Take the Watch and bring the worlds eyes back to the animals the pandemic has left overlooked LONDON, March 02, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today Samsung announced the launch of Wildlife Watch, an ambitious new pilot that is using technology to help fight back against poaching in the African Bush. The pro-grade cameras in Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition (FE) handsets will film live footage that will be streamed 24/7 from the Balule Nature Reserve in South Africa, part of the Kruger National Park. Everyone is invited to Take the Watch and become a virtual ranger, helping to protect endangered animals from poaching by monitoring them in their natural habitat and enjoy live sightings of these spectacular animals from home. Samsung has joined forces with African technology pioneer Africam to reimagine one of its latest Galaxy mobile devices in an initiative that uses technology to help make the world a better place. Africams profit for purpose model means they charitably support The Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit; an all-female troop who use non-violent methods to prevent poaching, which has surged during the pandemic as illegal hunters take advantage of the sudden fall in tourism. Through the Wildlife Watch initiative viewers will be closer to the work of the rangers, see the animals they protect and have the opportunity to donate to support them. To see more visit: https://youtu.be/PfSPdBIApsQ South Korean born, Berlin Based DJ, producer, and fashion designer Peggy Gou, who loves animals especially giraffes is fronting the initiative to champion and encourage people to take part, take the watch and raise awareness. Story continues Four Samsung Galaxy S20 FE handsets have been installed as additional cameras in the bush, boosting the reach of the existing Africam infrastructure in the Balule Nature Reserve by over half for the duration of the pilot. The pro-grade camera in each handset is being used to film animals for the live stream. Supporting the rangers in their daily tasks, the bigger pixels, enhanced camera AI and 30x Space Zoom including 3 x Optical Zoom in the handsets have improved the quality of the photos the Black Mambas are able to take whilst on patrol. From a distance and even in low light and the unreliable conditions of the bush they can send clear and detailed images back to their base as evidence for investigations into poaching activity. A camouflaged jeep fitted with a Samsung Galaxy S20 FE will also be used by the rangers for surveillance patrols, and the live streamed action will bring you closer to the rangers and their daily experiences. Samsungs Galaxy upcycling programme aims to solve social needs, lengthen product lifecycles, and reduce waste by reimagining phones into new roles. Repurposing existing products to serve a critical new function is a great way to avoid needing to create new products. As part of the Wildlife Watch initiative Samsung handsets are being redeployed by the rangers as CCTV cameras for perimeter fences, as well as adding crucial tech support to improve the rangers daily patrols. By becoming a virtual ranger and taking the watch on wildlife-watch.com, you can alert rangers if you see animals in danger or signs of poaching, share what you see via snapshots on social to encourage others to take part and donate to The Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit. With different camera views its never the same watch twice, and you might witness elephants, lions and even giraffes in the wild from your sofa. Animal loving DJ, producer, and fashion designer Peggy Gou, said, "We all love these magnificent animals, but the harsh reality is poaching is on the rise all across Africa. It's amazing to think a device we use every day can help tackle such an important issue. The ability to become a virtual ranger and support the incredible real-life rangers battling against poaching, is really exciting." Mark Notton, Senior Director Mobile, Samsung Europe, said, As our lives have become more virtual, the power that technology has to bring people together to do something good and for the benefit of everyone has never been clearer. Wildlife Watch is a truly exciting pilot, and by repurposing one of our latest handsets in this way, we hope increased eyes on these incredible animals will not only support existing surveillance and raise awareness but bring pleasure by letting people see and learn more about wildlife from home. Committed to using technology as an instrument for good, Wildlife Watch supports The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a plan adopted by 193 United Nations Members, by addressing Sustainable Development Goal 15 Life on Land - of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Samsung has collaborated with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to launch an education and donation-based mobile app Samsung Global Goals. Currently on 100M+ Galaxy smartphones worldwide it has raised more than $1.5M in donations for the UNDP and provides millions of individuals the opportunity to make the world a better place and take action to achieve the 17 Global Goals. Wildlife Watch will be live for two months (3rd March 2nd May 2021). During which time, Samsung hopes to bring many peoples eyes back to the animals that have been forgotten during the pandemic. To watch the live stream and help protect vulnerable animals, go to wildlife-watch.com. Notes to Editor For more information on Samsungs commitment to achieving The Sustainable Development Goals and how you can join in making a difference go to https://www.samsung.com/global/galaxy/apps/samsung-global-goals/ About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, digital appliances, network systems, and memory, system LSI, foundry, and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at http://news.samsung.com. About Africam Africam was founded in 1999 with the key objective of connecting a global audience with the Live sights and sounds of the African bush. We are a passionate group of wildlife enthusiasts who have the collective ambition to protect our wonderful wildlife and the pristine ecosystems that they inhabit. With our live camera network placed in the remotest of Africa's locations, we broadcast our streams live to over 200 countries. To find out more or to become part of the Africam community, visit: www.africam.com About The Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit The Black Mambas Anti-Poaching Unit was founded in 2013 by Transfrontier Africa NPC to protect the Olifants West Region of Balule Nature Reserve. Within the first year of operation the Black Mambas were invited to expand into other regions and now protect all boundaries of the 62,000ha Balule Nature Reserve, part of the Greater Kruger Area in South Africa. Its teams work to the concept of the Broken Window philosophy, striving to make its area of influence the most undesirable, most difficult, and least profitable place to poach any species. With a passion for wildlife and rhino conservation, these women are the voice in the community through their conservation work. The objectives of the Black Mamba project are not only the protection of wildlife through boots on the ground but also through being a role model in their communities. They want their communities to understand that the benefits are greater through conservation rather than poaching, addressing the social and moral decay that is a product of the poaching within their communities. They are concerned for their childrens sake as the false economy has brought loose morals and narcotics into their communities. Samsung donated to the Black Mambas and the donate now function on the website will bring additional revenue and eyeballs to this much needed global situation. All press enquires please contact George Leyshon, Edelman, george.leyshon@edelman.com ADVERTISEMENT The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has urged the Nigerian government to implement a holistic security approach to protect the rights of children. This followed the release of the abducted female students of the Government Girls Secondary School Jengebe in Zamfara state. There has been similar mass kidnap of students in states such as Katsina, Niger, Borno and Yobe. CDD, in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES and signed by its director, Idayat Hassan, said authorities must come together and map out workable strategies that would ensure that every child is protected in his or her quest to seek development and learning. The centre said it finds it unacceptable that Nigerian children are being subjected to dehumanizing and traumatic experiences, which the bandits have continued to subject them to. It is a slap on the face of the entire country that common criminals have turned the national space into a lawless, chaotic, and non-habitable place, CDD said. It added that this is most unfair to the long-suffering citizens of Nigeria that the Buhari government has woefully failed to stem the tide of insecurity. It is not tenable that Nigerians, especially young people seeking an education, can no longer do so in a secure, peaceful, and conducive atmosphere. PREMIUM TIMES reported how the female students who were abducted from their school were released four days after they were kidnapped. ALSO READ: Buhari speaks on release of abducted Zamfara school girls The mass kidnapping can be attributed to the breakdown of security in the North-west and North-central regions of the country. The government can no longer continue to hide its head in the sands in the hope that the wave of the kidnapping of school children will simply go away, CDD said in its statement. In fact from the evidence on ground, the bandits will become even more daring, especially as they have been getting generous financial returns from hefty sums paid to them as ransom. The government, therefore, needs to effectively perform its primary function of ensuring the security of lives and property of all Nigerians, it added The centre urged the government to revisit and update existing school security policies such as the Safe School Initiative. Subsequently, a common national template involving the security agencies and communities should be activated to respond to the current threat of mass abductions, it said. The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. The operator of Bunratty Castle Hotel wants the High Court to overturn a finding by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) that it discriminated against a member of the Traveller community and should pay her 15,000 compensation. The hotel, which is close to Shannon Airport in Co Clare, claims the finding is flawed. Bunratty Castle Hotel Ltd claims the WRC heard the complaint without the hotels representatives being present. The hotel says it did not attend because correspondence from the WRC about the hearing was sent to the wrong email address. The complaint to the WRC was made under the Equal Status Act by Nora Ward who approached the hotel with a view to booking the venue for her wedding. In its judicial review proceedings against the WRC, and the deciding officer in the case, Ray Flaherty, the hotel wants orders quashing the WRCs decision and directing the complaint be determined in accordance with law. The hotel says it had had the original August date hearing of the complaint adjourned to a new date. It expected to be informed by the WRC of the new date, but did not receive any response. In January, it learned from a media report a finding of discrimination has been made against an hotel, where the facts outlined were similar to the allegations made against it. It discovered, unknown to it, the hearing had taken place last September and a decision was published in January. It also claims that correspondence, including the complainants submissions, from the WRC had been sent to the wrong email address. It claims the correspondence should have been sent to weddings@bunrattycastlehotel.com but was in fact sent to weddings@bunrattycastle.com, not an address used by it. It claims it has been denied a hearing at first instance, and has been exposed to greater sanctions and to publicity. In its decision, the WRC said the hotel had been dismissive in its contacts with the woman after she provided information that would have identified her as a Traveller. The WRC also referred to the failure of the hotel to appropriately engage with it. In her complaint, Ms Ward said she contacted the hotel in July 2019 by email about holding her wedding, with 100 to 120 guests. She claimed she received an email response that was positive, inviting her to a wedding showcase event. On the day of that event, Ms Ward said she supplied her surname and that of her fiance to the hotel. She told the WRC, when she turned up at the hotel, a staff member she had been in contact with was aloof and rushed. She claimed the staff member did not bring her on a tour of the venue, although another couple there told her they had been brought on a tour. Mrs Ward said she and her family members, who attended the wedding showcase event with her, were readily identifiable as members of the Traveller community. She said the staff member told her she would be in contact about available dates. Two days later, Ms Ward said she contacted the staff member inquiring about dates, but received no response. Ms Ward said her treatment left her feeling devastated, humiliated and like a second-class citizen. The deciding officer found against the hotel and awarded her 15,000, the maximum award possible. When the judicial review proceedings came before Mr Justice Charles Meenan, he granted the hotels ex-parte (one side only represented) application for permission to bring the challenge. The matter will return before the court in May. More than two years after Eunjee Kim was found unconscious in a Winnipeg apartment suite, justice officials have stayed a first-degree murder charge against her husband. More than two years after Eunjee Kim was found unconscious in a Winnipeg apartment suite, justice officials have stayed a first-degree murder charge against her husband. The entire case was a "rush to judgment" with no evidence, defence lawyer Martin Glazer says. Juhyon Park, 46, was arrested and charged with manslaughter following Kims death Jan. 9, 2019. The charge was later upgraded to first-degree murder, despite there being no evidence as to how Kim died. On Tuesday, what was to be the first day of arguments over a defence motion to stay the murder charge, prosecutors did just that telling Queens Bench Justice Ken Champagne there was no reasonable likelihood of conviction and prosecuting Park would not be in the public interest. KEVIN ROLLASON / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES The apartment building on Daer Boulevard where Eunjee Kim, 41, of Winnipeg, was found unconscious. She later died at hospital on Jan. 9, 2019. Juhyun Park, 44, was arrested and charged with first degree murder. "Mindful of its ongoing obligation to reassess its case, the Crown has concluded that the charging standard cannot be met and a stay of proceedings must be entered," said Crown attorney Dan Chaput. Park, who spent two months in custody before he was released on stringent bail conditions, should never have been charged in the first place, the defence counsel said. "Its a great victory day for him today, but hes lost a lot," Glazer said outside court. "Its really tragic to see someone like that victimized by the system." Park came to Canada from South Korea in 2017 on a student visa. Kim, his wife of 17 years, had only been in Winnipeg for a couple of days when she died. Glazer said Kim, 41, injured Park in the leg with a knife during an argument. Park "didnt want to get his wife in trouble," and did not call police, the lawyer said. Park tried to calm Kim down and gave her a couple of sleeping pills, Glazer said. Sometime later, Park and his daughter checked on Kim in the Daer Boulevard bedroom and found her not breathing. Park called 911 and performed CPR until paramedics arrived. He was arrested and remained under charge despite an autopsy report that did not identify a cause of death and in the absence of toxicology results, Glazer said. Toxicology tests from an out-of-province RCMP lab werent completed until months later, showing "trivial" drug levels in Kims system "that did not contribute to her death," the defence lawyer said. Glazer said he tried for two years to obtain Kims medical records from South Korea, without success. "We were confident that her medical history would have indicated that she had health problems, that she died a natural death and that it was not a homicide," he said. "Those records were never obtained. Without that, how can you prosecute someone (when) you dont know the full story?" This case is a perfect example of a rush to judgment, and should serve as a lesson to law enforcement not to act prematurely and assume that a homicide had occurred before a complete medical diagnosis is reached." Defence lawyer Martin Glazer Still the prosecution moved forward, with a trial set to take up most of March and April. "This case is a perfect example of a rush to judgment, and should serve as a lesson to law enforcement not to act prematurely and assume that a homicide had occurred before a complete medical diagnosis is reached," Glazer said. "There is no question in my mind that this was an unjustified arrest and an ill-founded prosecution." Park, speaking through an interpreter, declined to comment outside court, saying only: "I really appreciate what Martin did for me." In 2013, Glazer called for a public inquiry after another client spent eight months in jail for a death that was later determined to have been the result of a drug overdose. Robert Maier, 38, admitted he had assaulted Ronald McKinnon, 54, hours before McKinnon was found dead in his Balmoral Street suite Feb. 26, 2013. Months later, following the completion of toxicology tests, a pathologist concluded McKinnon died by overdosing on alcohol and prescription pills. "Here, (in Parks case) there never was a cause of death, and there never was evidence of foul play," Glazer said. In a recent report, a pathologist suggested Kim might have died from injuries sustained as a result of resuscitation efforts, Glazer said. "In which case, this would be an accidental death." Police should hold off charging people until all medical tests and reports are available in cases where the cause of death is uncertain, he said. "You charge a person without evidence and the evidence comes back indicating you dont have a case how is that justice?" Following Parks arrest, Winnipeg police told the Free Press its not uncommon to lay homicide charges before autopsy results are available. "Charges are based on the totality of the circumstances, and both autopsy and toxicology results are just part of the overall investigation," Const. Rob Carver wrote in an email. dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) published a consultation paper on Wednesday 3 March asking for comments on its plan to launch a new domestic card and payment scheme. The SARB said this plan would form part of the National Payment System (NPS), which encompasses the entire payment process, from payer to beneficiary, and includes settlement between banks. It added that the NPS contributes to the economy and financial stability in South Africa, stating that a card scheme is a key component of the plan. In South Africa, Visa and MasterCard have dominated the card scheme market. In 2019, approximately 48.8 million cards were in circulation in South Africa, and 5.6 billion transactions to the value of R2.1 trillion were processed, the SARB said. This is an increase in volume of 16.2% and in value of 15.6% compared to 2018. A card scheme is therefore a key component of the NPS. Launching a domestic card scheme could help to serve the unbanked market in South Africa and increase competition by taking on Visa and Mastercard. Domestic card scheme explained The card scheme posited by the SARB in its consultation paper refers to the creation of a card payment network for domestic use only. Eligible institutions could become licensed members of this network and issue cards bearing the logo of the scheme. This is similar to the issuance and acquisition of Visa and Mastercard cards in South Africa. Fees are charged according to the transaction flow of the card payment network. The SARB pointed to the success of national white label schemes of this nature that were deployed in Norway and other countries as a potential model for emulation. It noted that it would need the collective support of many stakeholders, including card issuers, card acquirers, retailers, consumers, regulators, policymakers, and more. To this end, the SARB is interested in obtaining views from all relevant stakeholders regarding the potential for a domestic card scheme that could compete with Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and other schemes locally. Cheaper than major brands One of the biggest drawbacks of this NPS card scheme would be that users could not use the domestic bank cards outside of South Africa or, potentially, the South African Development Community. However, the SARB cited a banking enquiry published in 2008 that noted: most South Africans have no immediate need of a card that can be used overseas. Additionally, having a domestic card scheme may result in lower transaction fees due to the lack of international payments, which would directly benefit consumers and allow the NPS card to be competitive with major players. This raises the question regarding the scope for developing white-label or locally branded cards as cheaper alternatives to the brands of the major card schemes, the SARB said. The SARB outlined the basic three-party and four-party models for major card schemes globally, as well as the fees involved in processing transactions, and requested feedback from stakeholders on the best way forward. It also seeks to establish whether merchant service fees are unreasonably high in South Africa and whether lower fees would lead to lower prices for goods and services if paid for using a domestic card. Stakeholders are invited to share their comments on the consultation paper by 31 March 2021. The full document is embedded below. Consultation paper on domestic card scheme Now read: South Africans can now deposit cash at Checkers Appearances can suggest we care less about things than we really do Two Hundred Twenty-Nine Years Ago: On the afternoon of March 2, 1792, Isaac Van Vleck, his wife, Bata, and their daughter Catherine, emerged from the vast forested wilderness in their covered wagon and looked out at the Salt Lake. The Van Vleck family arrived having traveled on a nearly one hundred seventy-mile journey from their home in Kinderhook, NY. The settlement they foundnear modern day Hiawatha Blvd. and Park Street-- was called Salt Point. The Van Vlecks became just the seventh family to settle in the marsh lands around Onondaga Lake. These intrepid pioneers were drawn to this land stewarded by the Haudenosaunee for millennia, by the lure of opportunity. Amongst all his earthly belongings packed into this covered wagon was a large iron kettle for boiling. They set to work immediately with an overriding motivation to harvest the white gold' bubbling up in pools all around them. Though the potential was enormous, the conditions the Van Vleck family found at Salt Point were harsh and extreme. The bitter cold of winter gave way to a spring thaw that brought rattlesnakes, wolves, and bearshence the street names in the areaand, in the summer, malarial fevers, which caused several fatalities amongst the group of approximately thirty settlers and their cattle. Yet, through this turmoil, with the generous succor of members of the Onondaga Nation, the settlement endured. On October 16, 1792, Mrs. Van Vleck gave birth to a son, Abraham, the first white child born in the area that would grow into the mighty Salt City. In 1793, Isaac Van Vleck, built a timber framed house--only the second such structure in Salt Point--to replace his familys mud hut. He is also credited with the construction of the first salt archesrows of cauldrons-- for boiling brine. Another pioneer, Elisha Alvord, took Van Vlecks ingenuity and improved upon it. Eventually, Alvords construction of large salt-blocks, buildings containing thirty-two kettles set in blocks of four, allowed for the incredible growth of the salt works in the burgeoning settlement. - Interior of a salt block in the 1880s. This was the final evolution of the salt blocks, which traced their origins to Issac Van Vlecks salt arches. Courtesy of the Onondaga Historical AssociationCourtesy of the Onondaga Histori Yet, even at this early and precarious stage of development, the prospects for the region were being extolled as far away as Philadelphia, the young nations Capital city. In late July 1792, just a few months before the birth of Abraham Van Vleck, Dunlaps American Daily Advertiser, the citys paper of record, reported the encouraging news coming from the gentlemen who reside on the military lands in the county of Herkimer. Dunlaps reported that under the leadership of Major Asa Danforth and Mr. Van Vleck, sixteen bushels of salt are daily manufactured. This was but a drop in the kettle. The readers in Philadelphia, which would have included nearly every eminent figure imaginable, including Washington, Jefferson, Adams, and Hamilton, were told whenever a sufficient works shall be erected at those springs, a thousand bushels of salt would be produced daily. Even Danforth, Van Vleck, and Alvord would have been astonished to know that by the onset of the Civil War, in the 1860s, the salt blocks they pioneered produced a staggering 5.5 million bushels (one bushel is fifty pounds) of fine salt annually. The boiling method they employed dominated the industry for much of the nineteenth century. By the 1830s, it led to the near total deforestation of the acres and acres of pristine woodlands the Van Vleck family emerged from on that blustery March afternoon during President Washingtons first term. Isaac Van Vleck and his descendants became prominent members of their growing community. In 1794, Issac was instrumental in the construction of the first stone blockhouse, built in part to offer defense in the face of an anticipated British attack. The attack never came, and the blockhouse became a storehouse for salt. In 1797, the New York State legislature passed the first laws directly related to the cultivation of the Onondaga Salt Spring, codifying the business started by a few men with a few kettles, a few years earlier. The next year, the village of Salina was incorporated. Salt Point was no more. Isaac died in 1801, while his wife, Bata, passed away in 1816, a year after construction began on the Erie Canal. They were both buried in the old First Ward Cemetery. According to Oakwood Cemetery records, their remains were removed to Oakwood Cemetery in 1877. Neither lived to see the transformations wrought by the industry Issac helped build or the community and the infrastructure that grew up around it. One of Abrahams sons, James, spent most of his career in the salt industry, working in Salina, the district his grandfather helped put on the map. The name lives on, even if the memory of the man and his deeds has faded into the fog of history. Van Vleck Road still runs along the westside of Onondaga Lake. One can only imagine what Issac and Bata would think of the view. Read more Upstate NYs Forgotten Abolitionists: Profiles of historys heroes who fought for freedom 1864: A nation focuses on Syracuse and a pivotal meeting of Black leaders LOS ANGELES, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bionaut Labs, a company focused on revolutionizing the treatment of central nervous system disorders (CNS) with its Bionaut precision medicine treatment modality, today announced its launch backed by $20 million financing led by Khosla Ventures. Other investors in the syndicate included Upfront Ventures, Revolution, BOLD Capital, and Compound. Proceeds from the financing support the advancement of the Company's lead therapeutic program in glioma through preclinical development, as well as help advance its program in Huntington's disease. "We are thrilled to bring Bionaut Labs out of stealth mode as it typifies the type of new impactful technology companies we like to help build," said Vinod Khosla, founder, Khosla Ventures. "Bionauts hold great promise as a new targeted treatment modality for severe brain disorders for which there are few, if any, effective treatment options. Moreover, the broad therapeutic potential of Bionauts extends to many diseases where conventional therapies are limited or lacking." A Bionaut is a novel treatment modality that uses remote-controlled microscale robots to deliver biologics, nucleic acids, or small molecule therapies locally to targeted CNS disease areas. Through precision localized brain targeting, Bionaut therapeutics could offer better efficacy and safety that cannot be achieved by other traditional treatment modalities. "Bionauts can transform the way the biopharmaceutical industry develops treatments, allowing us to engineer the therapeutic index for improved efficacy and better safety," said Michael Shpigelmacher, co-founder and CEO, Bionaut Labs. "The Bionaut approach allows us to be free of the constraints of conventional neurosurgery. They make it possible to get to the precise brain area we want to target, providing the freedom to explore new pathways and remove the device without leaving a footprint. We are extremely pleased to debut with the strong support of this world-class syndicate, to fulfill our mission of helping patients suffering from debilitating brain diseases who lack treatment options." Bionauts can be constructed in different versions with custom geometries and surface characteristics. Smaller than a millimeter, they contain moving parts controlled remotely by a magnetic controller, allowing them to safely reach the target and release a therapeutic payload from the cargo compartment. Engineering flexibility provides a broad foundation for designing Bionaut therapies for nearly any disease of interest. "The brain is uniquely designed to protect itself from external factors. This makes medical intervention in CNS extremely challenging. The Bionaut technology opens the door to precise treatment for a wide variety of severe brain disorders," said Santosh Kesari, M.D., Ph.D., Chair of the Department of Translational Neurosciences, Director of Neuro-Oncology at St. John's Cancer Institute, and a member of Bionaut Lab's Advisory Board. Brainstem glioma remains one of the most devastating tumors, predominantly affecting children and young adults. Conventional treatment for brainstem glioma offers modest gains in overall survival, but overwhelmingly fails to cure these young patients. Bionaut Labs has demonstrated safe and controlled navigation of its therapeutic Bionaut to and from the treatment locus in the brain, in a large animal in vivo model. Furthermore, the Company has successfully treated human glioma tumors established in mice, utilizing guided delivery of therapeutic cargos directly into these tumors to eliminate systemic toxicity. These results pave the way to the clinical trials of the Bionaut platform. "Bionauts enable safe, minimally invasive access to deep brain structures to treat CNS disorders by facilitating precise delivery of therapeutic agents. This approach enhances efficacy and eliminates off-target toxicity, while also allowing the targeting of a wide range of localized diseases with almost any type of therapy. What's even more exciting is that the anatomical targeting capabilities of the Bionaut platform make new therapeutic technologies such as antisense, siRNA, gene therapy, CRISPR-Cas9, and oncolytic viruses viable in challenging clinical settings," added Errol DeSouza, Ph.D., co-founder, Neurocrine Biosciences, and Head of Bionaut Labs' Advisory Board. "Bionaut Labs takes drug development to the next level with its Bionaut precision treatment modality, enabling full control over the therapeutic index. It shortens the time to market for new drugs and potentially even revives discarded drugs," said Aviad Maizels, cofounder and Executive Chairman, Bionaut Labs. "It is the perfect merge of engineering and biology." Bionaut Labs' Board of Directors includes Aviad Maizels (Executive Chairman and co-founder, Bionaut Labs; former Founder and CEO, PrimeSense [acquired by Apple]), Samir Kaul (Managing Partner, Khosla Ventures), Kevin Zhang (Partner, Upfront Ventures), and Michael Shpigelmacher (co-founder and CEO, Bionaut Labs). Bionaut Labs has been working under the radar since its founding in 2016 by Messrs. Maizels and Shpigelmacher, together with Alex Shpunt, former Chief Technology Officer of PrimeSense. About Bionaut Labs Bionaut Labs is focused on revolutionizing the treatment of central nervous system disorders with its Bionaut precision medicine treatment modality that uses remote-controlled microscale robots to deliver biologics, nucleic acids, or small molecule therapies locally to targeted disease areas. With the Bionaut medical modality, Bionaut Labs can transform the way the biopharmaceutical industry develops treatments, allowing the Company to engineer the therapeutic index for better efficacy and safety. Led by a world-class team of medical, engineering, and drug development experts, Bionaut Labs' headquarters is in Los Angeles, California, with additional R&D sites in Israel and at the Max Planck Institute in Germany. For more information, please visit www.bionautlabs.com. About Khosla Ventures Khosla Ventures provides venture assistance and strategic advice to entrepreneurs working on breakthrough technologies. The firm was founded in 2004 by Vinod Khosla, co-founder of Sun Microsystems. With over fourteen billion dollars under management, the firm focuses on a broad range of areas including consumer, enterprise, ai, fintech and financial services, semiconductors, health, agriculture/food, sustainable energy, and robotics. Khosla Ventures is headquartered in Menlo Park, Calif. For more information, please visit www.khoslaventures.com. SOURCE Bionaut Labs Related Links http://www.bionautlabs.com World Day: Cheetahs, which once roamed across much of India and West Asia, are now confined to just a few dozen animals in remote regions of Iran. The big cat was declared extinct in India over 70 years ago. The world's fastest land mammal is considered vulnerable under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)'s red list of threatened species, with a declining population of less than 7,000 found primarily in African savannas. However, on Wednesday, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said the government was working on re-introduction of Cheetah. This big cat will be a reality soon, he tweeted on World Day. The minister's tweet is in line with the Supreme Court's 2020 ruling, in which it agreed that authorities could reintroduce the cheetah to India. India has thriving wildlife & biodiversity. 70% of Global Tiger population .70 % of Asiatic Lions. 60% of Leopard population. The @narendramodi govt. is working on reintroduction of Cheetah,which went extinct in 1952. ...this Big Cat will be a reality soon. #WorldWildlifeDay pic.twitter.com/uhQFxI0yT4 Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) March 3, 2021 Madhya Pradesh's Kuno-Palpur identified as preferred location for Cheetah Experts from the Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India visited four places in Madhya Pradesh to look for the best habitat for the reintroduction of cheetah in the country in June 2020 - the Kuno Palpur sanctuary in MP's Sheopur district, the Nauradehi sanctuary in Sagar district, the Gandhi Sagar sanctuary on the northern boundary of Mandsaur and Neemuch districts and the Madhav National Park in Shivpuri district. WII's Faculty of Wildlife Science Dean Dr Y V Jhala and two other scientists inspected the four places to evaluate whether these habitats were conducive for cheetahs. According to reports, Kuno-Palpur was identified as the preferred location for Indias relocation programme as it has large grasslands, ideally suited to the cheetahs need to build up speed without worrying about trees or other obstacles. These grasslands were formed, in large part, through the removal of villages and rewilding of agricultural land to make way for the relocation of the Asiatic lion. Is India's Cheetah reintroduction plan scientific? In 2016, the court dismissed a parallel application for the reintroduction of cheetahs, reasoning that it would be paradoxical to elevate the claims of an exotic subspecies (African cheetahs) over those of an endemic (Asiatic lions). Then, in early 2020, the court made an unexpected U-turn and gave the green light for cheetah reintroduction to begin. Some experts questioned the science behind the decision. For example they point out that the cheetah is a wide-ranging species, known to travel across areas up to 1,000 sq km in a single year. Indian parks tend to be much smaller than those in Africa, offering less chance for such free movement. And, while the habitat is currently suited to cheetahs and lions some fear that it may ultimately evolve into dry, scrubby forest more suited to tigers. There is no science available currently to suggest that cheetahs, lions, tigers and leopards can coexist comfortably in the same habitat. It has never occurred anywhere else before, so there is no real-life experience to draw upon. Moreover, the reluctance of the Iranian authorities to part with any of these rare creatures has led India farther afield in its attempts to secure a founder population. Currently, the favoured option is African cheetahs available from Namibia, which has the worlds largest population. However, conservationists who have led the initiative insist that these fears are unfounded. They say a decision will only be taken after shortlisted sites are fully examined for habitat, prey and potential for man-animal conflict. According to Wildlife Institute of India, many things in MP stand in favour of the cheetah reintroduction plan. The state had in the past been home to the big cat. It has a long conservation history and the habitat. When and why did Cheetahs become extinct in India The country's last spotted cheetah died in Chhattisgarh in 1947. Later, the cheetah was declared extinct in India in 1952. Trapping of large numbers of adult Indian cheetahs, who had already learned hunting skills from wild mothers, for assisting in royal hunts is said to be a major cause of the species rapid decline in India as they never bred in captivity with only one litter on record ever. Studies show that at least 200 cheetahs were killed in India, largely by sheep and goat herders, during the colonial period. It is the only large mammal to become extinct after the country gained independence in 1947. Cheetah running through Savannah. Photo: Shutterstock Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- China forced banks to hold more foreign currencies in reserve for the first time in more than a decade, its most substantial move yet to rein the surging yuan.The nations financial institutions will need to hold 7% of their foreign exchange in reserve from June 15, according to a central bank statement Monday. Thats an increase of 2 percentage points, and the first such hike since 2007. The move, which the Peoples Bank of China said will help liquidity management, effectively reduces the supply of dollars and other currencies onshore -- putting pressure on the yuan to weaken.Although analysts said the direct impact may be small, the move is the clearest signal by the PBOC that its unhappy about the yuans surge to a three-year high against the greenback. Authorities had until now limited their response to rhetoric: a former central bank official and a state-media commentary talked down the currency over the weekend.The PBOC wants to show the market -- if the rally keeps going, it has many measures to slow it down and the market will fail if it wants to make speculative bets, said Zhou Hao, an economist at Commerzbank AG in Singapore. Its more of a symbolic move, as no matter how the PBOC boosts funding costs on foreign exchange, the rate on the yuan will almost always be higher.The PBOC set its daily reference rate at 6.3572 on Tuesday, only marginally weaker than the average forecast in a Bloomberg survey of analysts and traders. The currency gained 0.2% to 6.3634 per dollar as of 9:52 a.m. in Hong Kong, while the onshore rate strengthened 0.1%.Betting on the yuan has been a successful strategy in the past year. The currency has surged 13% against the dollar since last May, when it was near its lowest level since 2008 amid the effects of the pandemic and the trade war with the U.S. Brokerages including Citic Securities Co., Scotiabank and Westpac Banking Corp. expect the currency to climb to 6.2 against the dollar. That would be the strongest since a 2015 devaluation.The yuan is supported by Chinas economic recovery and its higher-yielding markets are attractive to global investors. A backdrop of imported inflation is bolstering the argument for a stronger yuan. Against a basket of trading partners, the Chinese currency is the strongest since 2016.The foreign-exchange reserve ratio hike will likely freeze about $20 billion of liquidity, according to Guan Tao, a former official at the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. The increase demonstrates the Chinese central banks strong determination to curb rapid appreciation in the yuan, and PBOC has more tools if speculation emerges in the currency market, he said.Recent history shows traders should be wary. In the wake of the devaluation, the yuan fell about 11% by the end of 2016, surged 11% through its 2018 peak, before reversing again to sink 13% by September 2019. When momentum in the yuan became too extreme, authorities often took steps to arrest the moves. In early 2018, for instance, the yuan fell the most in two months as authorities gave banks the green light to submit quotes for weaker fixings.Still, analysts remain unconvinced of the potency of the latest measure. Fundamental factors supporting the yuan -- such as its interest-rate premium and high inflation -- remain intact, Citigroup Inc. economists led by Liu Li-gang wrote in a note.While this policy will lock in a certain amount of capital inflow and make foreign exchange funding costs higher, its effectiveness remains in doubt, Liu wrote.Any tightening in dollar funding onshore wont be sustained because global investors can easily obtain cheap foreign-exchange overseas and invest in yuan bonds, according to Ju Wang, a senior currency strategist at HSBC Bank Plc.Beijing seems to be sticking to its goal of liberalizing markets as part of President Xi Jinpings plans to reduce moral hazard. Its not just the yuan where direct intervention is now an unusual sight. The national team of state-backed funds is rarely seen in the $12 trillion stock market anymore, unless moves risk turning into panic or mania. Even in the commodities market, where officials are struggling to cool prices, efforts have largely been verbal rather than direct.If the central bank takes additional assertive actions, such as setting dramatically weaker fixings, that could reinforce the belief that only heavy-handed intervention is worth paying attention to. Yet the Communist Party has made it clear it will act to reduce speculation and guard against risks to financial stability, especially in the run-up to the centenary of the Partys founding this July.We dont see this as an one-off change, but likely the start of a trend, Becky Liu, head of China macro strategy at Standard Chartered, said of Mondays move by the PBOC. It could be seen as a new mechanism to manage the yuan in the medium term, together with other counter-cyclical measures.(Adds 5th paragraph to show PBOCs fixing on Tuesday and latest pricing of yuan.)More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.2021 Bloomberg L.P. Charleston, WV (25301) Today A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High around 80F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers after midnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. A three-year-old chef has earned millions of TikTok followers for his cute instructional cooking videos. Chef Ilirian Kameraj from Great Neck, New York, has been experimenting in the kitchen with his mom since he was less than a year old. But since the pandemic hit, his mother, Dorentina, has turned his meal preparations into a TikTok cooking show, sharing dozens of adorable videos of Ilirian making everything from roast chicken to beef Wellington. What a pro! Three-year-old Chef Ilirian Kameraj from Great Neck, New York, has been experimenting in the kitchen with his mom since he was less than a year old Famous! Since the pandemic hit, his mother, Dorentina, has turned his meal preparations into a TikTok cooking show, sharing dozens of adorable videos of Ilirian Learning: He started with easy food like cupcakes, but eventually worked his way up to helping mom make roast chicken Variety: He has made spinach orzo salad, spaghetti and meatballs, pizza, rack of lamb, pumpkin pie, egg frittata, skirt steak and potatoes, turkey, burgers, cakes, cookies, and more Chef Ilirian's most popular videos have been viewed millions of times each. The clips show him in the kitchen with a 'Chef Ilirian' chef's hat as he seasons, chops with a safe chopping tool and mixes up different dishes. He has made spinach orzo salad, spaghetti and meatballs, pizza, rack of lamb, pumpkin pie, egg frittata, skirt steak and potatoes, turkey, burgers, cakes, cookies, and more. According to Today, Ilirian's love of cooking was ignited by a video on the YouTube channel Blippi. When Lior the Baker showed viewers how to make bread, Ilirian got cooking, too. He started with easy food like cupcakes, but eventually worked his way up to helping mom make roast chicken. Let them try! Dorentina said that kids can do a lot in the kitchen if given the chance Chopper! Mom puts safety first, keeping her son away from knives and using a chopping machine for vegetables instead. Busy busy! Ilirian's cooking started out as a way to keep the little boy entertained 'We've made it four times already. He likes to marinate it, he loves massaging it. And he loves putting all the stuff inside it,' she said. Ilirian's cooking started out as a way to keep the little boy entertained, but during the pandemic, he and his mom were cooking more than ever so Dorentina started posting the videos online. Dorentina said that kids can do a lot in the kitchen if given the chance though she does put safety first, keeping her son away from knives and using a chopping machine for vegetables instead. 'I showed him how to use it, and he loves slamming it,' she said. 'Now he has to use it always. I cant touch it if he sees it out in the kitchen, he goes and gets it.' 'Kids are capable of so much and lot of parents dont allow kids to try stuff,' mom said Fancy! Recently, Ilirian tried out several of Gordon Ramsay's recipes and seemed to be having a blast yelling instructions at the camera Whoops! Of course, much as he loves to cook, it doesn't mean things always go smoothly in the kitchen with a toddler What a mess! Dorentina has also shared several blooper reels of kitchen messes, with Ilirian pouring flour in his hair, spilling batter, and smashing eggs on the counter 'Kids are capable of so much and lot of parents dont allow kids to try stuff,' she added. Recently, Ilirian tried out several of Gordon Ramsay's recipes and seemed to be having a blast yelling instructions at the camera. The British chef has been tagged in a number of Ilirian's videos, with the youngster no doubt hoping to catch Gordon's attention, and maybe even earn a re-post on the cooking pro's own account. Gordon has earned a huge following on the social media app by sharing scathing reviews of other users' cooking videos - including on particularly sassy clip in which he chowed down on a huge beef burger while responding to a woman who urged him to go vegan. Thus far however, Gordon has yet to share a critique of any of Ilirian's videos - although the little boy is delighting millions of other viewers with his entertaining clips. Little chef! Two-year-old Cade went viral last year for a video in which he bakes cookies with his grandmother Got a taste for it! The hungry toddler wanted to try every ingredient as he goes Nom nom: He dipped his hand into the bowl to grab a fistful every time they added an ingredient Stop that! His grandmother struggled with him every step of the way Of course, much as he loves to cook, it doesn't mean things always go smoothly in the kitchen with a toddler. Dorentina has also shared several blooper reels of kitchen messes, with Ilirian pouring flour in his hair, spilling batter, and smashing eggs on the counter. Competition: The youngster has made several recipes by British chef Gordon Ramsay - who has also built up a huge fan base on TikTok, where he critiques cooking videos in a very scathing manner Last year, a hungry two-year-old went viral for a video of him cooking with his grandmother and sampling every single ingredient. Cade and his nana, Cindy Hunt, baked the cookies with butter, sugar, flour, and eggs and every step of the way, a very impatient Cade dipped his hand in the bowl and pulled out a fistful of ingredients, stuffing them quickly into his mouth. In a video that's been viewed hundreds of thousands of times on Instagram, Nana desperately tried to get Cade to stop scarfing down the raw ingredients, but the little boy had some very quick hands and a whole lot of determination. Nana naturally took charge in the baking process, and started off by unwrapping a stick of butter and telling Cade he could put in in the bowl. 'No eating the butter though,' she told him. Despite the warning, Cade dropped the butter in the bowl and then quickly dipped his hand back in to pull some out and stuff it in his mouth, while Nana pulled the bowl away laughing. That can't be good! He tasted the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar Not fast enough! His grandma tried to hold him back, but he was too fast Fun times! He made more and more of a mess throughout the process Yuck! He even dipped his hands in after they added raw egg and takes a taste Now that's just silly! After adding the flour, he dunked a hand in and put some in his mouth After they measured out the sugar, Cade once again pulled some out. In fact, Nana only turned around for a second to grab the next ingredient when Cade dipped his hand back in yet again, pulling out whatever he can get. They managed to pack brown sugar into a measuring cup before Cade lifted the whole thing to his mouth to take a link. She continued to laugh as she pulled away the bowl time and time again, while Cade determinedly went for more and more fistfuls. He even taked a taste of the flour and eggs, and only made a face and said 'yucky' when he tasted the baking soda. After eating the raw oats and chocolate chips, Cade was a mess as Nana rolled balls of dough. Learning a lesson! He said 'yucky' after tasting the baking soda Clean up will be fun! The oats flew everywhere as he took a grab at them All done! He gave his grandma a high-five when they finished and still had an appetite when the cookies were done Incredibly, he still has an appetite when the cookies come out but this time, he shares, offering a baked cookie to his grandma to eat, too. Incredibly, this wasn't Cade's first time cooking, nor was it his first time sampling his way through the recipe. Previous videos on his Instagram page, Little Chef Cade, show him cooking in the kitchen with his mom, Christy Hagedorn. Christy told PopSugar that she started cooking with her son at the beginning of quarantine and recording the process for loved ones. 'We initially only sent the videos to our family, but then posted one on Facebook and our friends seemed to really enjoy it,' she said. 'He loves to cook and make a mess.' Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Tear gas is released into a crowd of protesters during the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, Washington. Photo: Reuters/Shannon Stapleton FBI Director Chris Wray yesterday accused supporters of Donald Trump, who carried out a deadly January 6 attack on the US Capitol, of domestic terrorism. He has vowed to hold them accountable. I was appalled that you, our countrys elected leaders, were victimised right here in these very halls, Mr Wray testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee. That siege was criminal behaviour, pure and simple. Its behaviour that we, the FBI, view as domestic terrorism. It was Mr Wrays first testimony in Congress since the attack a failed bid to block Congress from certifying Joe Bidens November election victory was carried out by supporters of then-President Trump who, in a speech near the White House, encouraged them to march to the Capitol in protest. The Justice Department has charged more than 300 people on criminal counts. The rioting led to five deaths. At least 18 people linked with the far-right Proud Boys have been charged. Nine people tied to the anti-government militia known as the Oath Keepers are facing charges that they conspired, as far back as November, to storm the Capitol to prevent Mr Biden from becoming president. The FBI has yet to arrest any suspects in the death of Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, or for pipe bombs that were discovered outside the headquarters of both the Republican and Democratic national committees. The FBI has obtained a video that shows a suspect spraying bear spray on police officers, including Mr Sicknick, according to a law-enforcement source familiar with the investigation. The suspect has yet to be identified, and it is unclear if the bear spray contributed to Mr Sicknicks death. Read More In a newly unsealed search warrant, investigators say rioters carried weapons inside the Capitol including tyre irons, sledge hammers, tasers, bear spray and, in at least one case, a handgun with an extended magazine. Everyone involved must take responsibility for their actions that day, including our former president, the panels Ranking Republican Charles Grassley said. Now, in the wake of January 6, we must seriously examine the threats of domestic extremism. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin said the government has not done enough to protect against threats from far-right extremists and white supremacists, and accused the Trump administration of playing down those threats. He added that the Trump administration never set up a task force to combat the numerous incidents from the far-right, and instead focused on Black Lives Matter activists. Mr Wray also stated his belief that violent extremists, motivated by racial and anti-government ideology, have emerged as the biggest domestic terrorism threat to the US. The FBI sees the top domestic violent extremist threats for 2021 as racially or ethnically motivated, as well as those with an anti-government and anti-authority bent, the official said. That comes after acts of domestic extremism in 2020 that were unlike anything the bureau has seen in decades. Last year, three of four fatal domestic terrorist attacks were committed by individuals ascribing to anti-government or anti-authority violent extremist ideology, the official said. Although Mr Trump and his supporters cited urban violence by leftist anarchists who call themselves antifa, Mr Wray testified last year that white supremacists pose the biggest domestic threat. The FBI made 180 arrests related to domestic terrorism during 2020 using a mix of federal, state and local charges, the official added. Since the January 6 attack, the Justice Department and FBI have been conducting one of the largest investigations in their history, charging rioters with offenses from trespass to conspiracy. Attention is increasingly turning toward established groups like the Oath Keepers, who prosecutors say actively planned and co-ordinated the Capitol breach. Patna, March 3 : The Home Department of the Bihar government conducted raids in all the prominent prisons across the state on Wednesday morning. The raiding teams were headed by the District Magistrate (DM) of respective districts. In Patna, DM Chandrashekhar Singh, headed the team. Besides him, City Superintendent of Police (West) Vinay Tiwari, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), and other senior officers reached Bihar's largest Central jail at Beur in Patna around 5 a.m. Sources said the raiding team in the Beur jail searched several wards and seized mobile phones, SIM cards, chargers, pen drives and other prohibited objects. The raids were being held after a video of the Beur jail went viral a week ago wherein the inmates are seen partying and using mobile phones. Similar raids and confiscations were seen in the Purnea Central jail, Nawada Mandal jail, Katihar Mandal jail, Jahanabad, Bhabhua, Samastipur, Nalanda, Bhojpur, Buxar, Siwan, Gopalganj, and other districts. The DM, SP, SDM, DSPs and a large number of police personnel of respective districts were involved in the raids. On March 3, 2021, this report was posted online as an MMWR Early Release. Since December 2020, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Public Health Laboratory has been receiving 100 specimens per week (50 from each of two clinical partners) with low cycle threshold (Ct) values for routine surveillance for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. On January 25, 2021, MDH identified the SARS-CoV-2 variant P.1 in one specimen through this surveillance system using whole genome sequencing, representing the first identified case of this variant in the United States. The P.1 variant was first identified in travelers from Brazil during routine airport screening in Tokyo, Japan, in early January 2021 (1). This variant has been associated with increased transmissibility (2), and there are concerns that mutations in the spike protein receptor-binding domain might disrupt both vaccine-induced and natural immunity (3,4). As of February 28, 2021, a total of 10 P.1 cases had been identified in the United States, including the two cases described in this report, followed by one case each in Alaska, Florida, Maryland, and Oklahoma (5). The first Minnesota P.1 variant case was identified in a person who became symptomatic in early January and was hospitalized for 9 days. During the case investigation, the person reported having traveled to southeastern Brazil within the 14 days before symptom onset. The patients travel partner, who lived in the same household, also had symptoms of COVID-19 and received a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result after returning. The diagnostic specimen from this household contact was obtained for whole genome sequencing and confirmed to be the P.1 variant. The sequences from both patients were identical and had 15 of the 17 mutations associated with the P.1 variant, including the 10 S-gene mutations (2). The Minnesota patients were reinterviewed to obtain information on exposures and close contacts. This activity was reviewed by CDC and conducted consistent with applicable federal law and policy. The hospitalized Minnesota patient had interacted with four Minnesota health care facilities. Risk assessments were conducted for 111 health care personnel who provided care, and they were offered testing. No high-risk exposures were identified among these health care personnel; 22 (20%) submitted specimens for testing, and no positive test results were reported. The CDC Minneapolis Quarantine Station was notified of potential travel-associated COVID-19 exposures on the arriving international flight and a domestic flight to Minnesota. Because 19 days had passed since the flights, CDC did not initiate a full aircraft contact investigation; however, CDC did obtain information for potentially exposed passengers and notified health departments in their states of residence. In addition to health care personnel, 42 persons in Minnesota who might have had close contact with the patients were notified and offered testing; 20 were tested, and all received negative test results. The two travel-associated cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant P.1 in Minnesota represent the first identified occurrences of this variant in the United States. Initial identification of the P.1 variant in Brazilian travelers in Japan and its introduction into Minnesota were identified through routine sequencing, demonstrating the importance of genomic surveillance at state and federal levels to identify variants of concern and to track and prevent their spread (6). Genomic surveillance using whole genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 specimens is an important public health tool for identifying mutations and monitoring variants of concern (7). Identification of the P.1 variant in the United States underscores the importance of community prevention strategies to slow transmission of SARS-CoV-2, including use of well-fitting masks, physical distancing, washing hands, quarantine, testing of persons who have had contact with a person with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, isolating persons with symptoms of COVID-19 or with diagnosed COVID-19, and adhering to CDC recommendations to delay travel.** In addition, testing should be considered one component of a comprehensive travel risk management strategy. Properly timed testing, both before and after travel, together with self-monitoring for symptoms, a period of self-quarantine after travel, hand hygiene, and physical distancing, are critical elements of this strategy (8). On Feb. 25, Armenias top military leadership called on Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to resign. This threat came in the form of a letter signed by several dozen army officers, who cited attacks on the armed forces by the government. On Monday, pro-Pashinyan supporters demonstrated in one part of the capital while protesters demanding his resignation rallied at a separate site, Washington Post writes. Its not clear what the next moves might be and whether the army will attempt to forcibly remove the civilian government. But military coups are extremely rare in the countries that once made up the Soviet Union, so analysts are keeping a close eye on the situation and the potential effect on regional politics. Scholars have long noted that the USSR left a number of poor legacies for democracy but overly interventionist militaries was not one of them. The Soviet Union itself was remarkably invulnerable to coups, and Soviet clients in Eurasia and elsewhere were highly coup resistant. Though less frequent, military coups still happen: last year in Mali, for instance; and last month in Myanmar. One dataset tallies 109 coup attempts between 1991 and 2020, not all successful. Just two took place in the former Soviet Union two failed coups in Azerbaijan in 1995 and 1996. Of course, post-Soviet security services have hardly remained outside politics, but involvement by the army in ousting a leader is rare. We dont know whether this coup threat will bring soldiers to the streets or oust Pashinyans government. Regardless, this crisis poses a serious challenge to Armenian democracy, civil-military relations and the fragile peace in the region. The powerful military that was once the source of regime strength in Armenia now threatens to bring down the government. What happened in Armenia? Armenias parliament named Nikol Pashinyan prime minister in 2018, when a Velvet Revolution swept the regime led by Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan from power. This regime transition was the result of weeks of peaceful protests in the most recent example of a successful color revolution. But Armenians werent happy last fall with a peace deal that ceded Armenian-held territory in Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan after the long-standing conflict reignited. And many within the army took issue with the dismissal last week of the deputy chief of the army general staff. There are also reports that the army had refused an order to use force against protesters in December. Large protests on Feb. 20 brought thousands into the streets to call for Pashinyans resignation. On Monday, protesters broke into a government building, demanding that he resign. Former Armenian presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Robert Kocharian, along with high-ranking police officers, also called for Pashinyan to resign. While the large internal security service has urged calm, their position in any clash will also prove critical. Last Thursday, Pashinyan rallied thousands of his supporters to the streets of Yerevan and tried to fire the leader of the army. However, on Saturday the Armenian president effectively sided with the army and refused to approve the order to dismiss Gen. Staff Chief Gasparyan. During the Velvet Revolution, Russia notably stood on the sidelines, and Pashinyan gave assurances of his desire for continued close strategic relations with Moscow. So far, Russia has expressed a desire for a peaceful resolution to the current crisis, describing it as an exclusively internal affair that should be resolved through constitutional means. Is this really a coup? A standard definition of a coup is an illegal and overt action intended to seize executive authority in the state. Despite Pashinyans claims to the contrary, its not clear the scenario in Armenia is a coup attempt, using this definition. However, many scholars adopt a more expansive definition, which includes actions short of direct attempts to seize executive power. This broader scope would encompass an attempt by the military to unseat the sitting head of state via unconstitutional means. In this case, the explicit call for the removal of the head of government constitutes this act of insubordination and, arguably, a coup attempt. This leaves Armenias situation perhaps a parallel to the scenario in Bolivia, when the army effectively forced President Evo Morales to resign in 2019, but did not directly seize power. Like Bolivia, Armenia is seeing mass protests. This is in fact quite common as a lead-up to coup attempts and regime change. Why does this matter? Most basically, this matters for democracy in Armenia, which has been struggling to establish democratic institutions since declaring its independence from the Soviet Union in 1990. Many analysts viewed the Velvet Revolution as a democratic breakthrough against an authoritarian regime. Of course, this could turn out to be what some analysts call a good coup, if its a reaction to the governments plans to use the army against domestic protesters. But good coups are also rare, and coups overall tend to increase, rather than decrease, the risk of violent repression. To scholars, the potential involvement of the regular army in an effort to overthrow a government in the former Soviet Union is a novel development. After all, Armenias initial victory in the territorial conflict over the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region strengthened the regime in Yerevan and enabled the construction of a powerful security apparatus. We might now be witness to the double-edged nature of a powerful military: When military forces blame civilian leadership for poor battlefield outcomes, a coup attempt is increasingly likely. The wider implications, if the military overthrows the government and creates a more hardline regime, could include a threat to the relatively fragile peace agreement with Azerbaijan. In that scenario, the risk rises of resumed hostilities in a conflict that left thousands of casualties. And even failed coups can have tremendous consequences for democracy, as the post-coup purges in Turkey demonstrated. If Pashinyans regime shakes this threat off, would we see a similar purge of opponents in the armed forces? As of now, the army remains in the barracks, and its unclear whether Pashinyan will successfully maneuver past the coup threat. What is clear is that the challenge Armenias mass protests pose have grown more acute. Without a loyal army willing to defend the regime, Pashinyan may find he has few options to resist the growing clamor for his resignation. All school employees who work with the youngest and most vulnerable students get first priority in the states rollout of a COVID-19 vaccination program, Gov. Tom Wolf said in a news conference Wednesday. The policy is aimed at getting students back in the classroom before the end of this school year, Wolf said. The vaccines will be available for staff at public and private schools, Wolf said. The initial allocations of the one-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine will be reserved exclusively for the estimated 200,000 public and private school employees including administrators, teachers and support staff. As more of the Johnson & Johnson vaccines arrive, those who work with older students will be eligible to receive their shots. Thats the approach the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force has decided is the best way to return students to the classroom so parents can get back to work and the states economy can get rolling. Wolf, joined by task force members, said the state anticipates receiving 120,000 doses of the J&J vaccine, including doses reserved for retail pharmacy partners. Wolf said the one-dose vaccine provides an opportunity to get children back in classrooms more quickly than the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, which both require two doses given weeks apart. Our goal is to offer every public and private school worker a vaccine. We want to keep staff and students safer in schools and we want to help get students back into the classroom faster by doing it this way than another other way we could conceive, Wolf said. He said the bulk of school employees should be able to go back to school with the vaccine fully having taken effect by the end of March. This news was well-received by the Pennsylvania State Education Association, the states largest teachers union. The PSEA has been advocating for school employees to be considered a higher priority for the vaccine so that in-person instruction could resume and employees could feel it is safer in school buildings. Prioritizing the vaccine for educators, support staff, and administrators is absolutely essential to providing the best possible education to our students and keeping our communities healthy, said PSEA President Rich Askey. The men and women who teach and serve students every day in our schools have gone above and beyond for their students in a time of unprecedented challenge. Our schools are essential, and vaccinating the dedicated people who make them work is critical to keeping everyone in them safe and healthy, Askey added. Wolf said doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will continue to be reserved for teachers and school employees until every educator has the opportunity to be vaccinated. He said he expects that by mid-April those employees who have received or been offered the vaccine will be fully immunized and can return to the classroom. While the law doesnt allow school employees to be mandated to receive the vaccine, Wolf said, If youve been offered the vaccine, you ought to be willing to come back to school. Sen. Art Haywood, D-Philadelphia, another task force member, spoke to the hesitancy some people have about getting the vaccine. These vaccines are effective and safe and whatever ethnic or racial background you come from, they are effective and safe, he said. The choice between vaccination and being one of the half million who are no longer on the planet to me is clear. Rep. Bridget Kosierowski, D-Lackawanna County, a registered nurse who serves on the task force, also addressed concerns of those who feel the Johnson & Johnson with its lower efficacy rate when compared to the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines may be less desirable. She said while the Johnson & Johnson vaccine may put people at a slightly higher risk of getting COVID-19, all three are equally effective in preventing hospitalizations and death so in the long run, it is effective against COVID-19. The governor said local schools decide on their own about reopening and the state cant compel schools to open their classrooms again. However, he also noted that there is an expectation that schools will resume in-person instruction as community transmission levels decrease and staff is vaccinated but mask-wearing and social distancing will continue to be required. Sen. Ryan Aument, R-Lancaster County, a task force member, told PennLive this does not push teachers ahead of senior citizens and those with high-risk health issues. He said the states increasing allocations of Moderna and Pfizer vaccines will continue to be administered to those individuals in Phase 1A of the states vaccination distribution program. The state is partnering with the states 28 intermediate units, which will establish at least one vaccination site within their regions. The Pennsylvania National Guard and AMI Expeditionary Healthcare will administer the vaccine. Many of those locations will begin administering shots between March 10 and 13. Additionally, the Wolf administration is working with retail pharmacy partners to provide the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to all early childhood education workers, including those not associated with an IU. Rep. Tim ONeal, R-Washington County, another task force member, praised the effort to get children like his own back into school where they want to be while continuing to prioritize seniors and those with high health risks using the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. The former Pennsylvania National Guard who authored a bill that Wolf signed into law on Wednesday to have the Guard assist in the vaccine distribution said he also is grateful to see this first step in getting the National Guard involved in this effort. Ive seen the capabilities our military has to deploy millions of dollars worth of equipment and thousands of people across the world in a timely and efficient manner, he said. Our Guard is the perfect group to run this mission of vaccinating our teachers so school can reopen. Locally, the Capital Area Intermediate Unit administrative headquarters in East Pennsboro Township will serve as the site of the vaccination clinic for school employees in Cumberland, Dauphin, Perry and northern York counties. Vaccinations could begin being administered there by AMI staff as early as next Wednesday to those teachers who indicate their desire to receive a Johnson & Johnson vaccine, said CAIU executive director Andria Saia. Once the vaccine process begins, the planned times for shots to be administered by appointment are Monday through Friday from noon to 8 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday 12 to 8 p.m. As an educational support agency, Saia said, Being able to help all of our districts, our non-pubs, our charters, and our privates get their teacher vaccinated is right in line with the mission of my organization so Im very, very happy to be part of the solution and have this work for everyone. School employees who work with pre-kindergarten and elementary school students as well as those who work with students with disabilities and English language learners are being given first priority in this initiative. They are most susceptible to learning loss and their families more likely to face child care challenges, the Wolf administration said. The Pennsylvania School Boards Associations CEO Nathan Mains called the school employee vaccination initiative a step in the right direction to return students to school. Palmyra Area Middle School STEM teacher Jeff Remington said he too is grateful that educational professionals are being prioritized as essential workers needed to restore Pennsylvanias economy and its economic future through the education of our students to their full potential. I speak for many in that we need to do more than just value educational professionals, we need to have them feel valued. This is good practice for everyone and this vaccine move helps do that. He said as parents have seen through their childrens experience with remote learning, teaching is challenging. But not everyone is happy with the task forces recommendation to move school employees up the priority list for the vaccine. The Pennsylvania State Troopers Association say the 4,300 troopers who patrol over 85% of the commonwealth should be considered a priority. Thus far, over 700 troopers have been infected with nearly 1,000 department employees, overall, said President David Kennedy. An outbreak could cripple our department. Public safety should be a priority right now. The PSTA renews our call for the administration to vaccinate first responders so they can focus on doing their jobs. That was seconded by the Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association, who are renewing their call to prioritize the officers who work in the state prisons. Nearly 1,800 officers have been infected and several state prisons have suffered outbreaks and two corrections officers have died. Just last week, in only three days an outbreak at SCI-Camp Hill exploded to infect nearly 400. Some officers have been vaccinated but there isnt a consistent, systemwide effort, said PSCOA President John Eckenrode. This could be done in only a few short days if officers were a priority. Instead, they are overworked, exhausted and are working massive amounts of overtime due to COVID-19 illnesses. The mental anguish of passing the virus from prisons to their loved ones also takes a tremendous toll. Its time for this administration to use common sense in its vaccination plan. * This story was updated to include information from the Capital Area Intermediate Unit. Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy. There are many instances when it sucks to be a Democrat, and the emergence of claims of sexual harassment against Andrew Cuomo is one of them. Just months ago, the governor of New York was a shining liberal hero, upholding facts and common sense in combating the coronavirus in stark contrast to the reckless idiocy of the 45th president. Now Cuomo has become something else, and many Democrats are curiously uncertain what to say or do. Once again, gentle readers, you are being duped by the mainstream news media. The question facing America is not, no matter what Fox News or CNN or other news outlets might claim, Is Dr. Seuss being canceled? (Hes not.) The question facing America is Have you been pronouncing Dr. Seuss name wrong your entire life? The answer to that question is yes, you have. Dr. Seuss does not rhyme with goose. Dr. Seuss is a German name with a German pronunciation, and it rhymes with Joyce. Advertisement Take a deep breath. I know its hard to have the ground pulled out from underneath you like this, to have your long-held beliefs overturned. But its a strength, not a weakness, to be able to recontextualize the past, to understand it anew from our hopefully more enlightened vantage point. And thats what we must do with Dr. Seuss name, which, as Ive said, is actually pronounced Soice. Advertisement Advertisement Sign up for the Slate Culture newsletter The best of movies, music, books, TV, and more, delivered to your inbox three times a week. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. From the beginning of his career, Theodor Ted Geisel signed his middle name, Seuss, to his cartoons. His first steady job as a cartoonist was for the popular humor magazine Judge, and, faintly embarrassed about the silliness of the work, he wanted to keep the name of Geisel clean, he later wrote in his colleges alumni magazine, in case he ever were to write the Great American Novel. By April 1928 he was signing cartoons Dr. Seuss, the Dr. a tribute to the advanced degree he never earned. (Hed recently left Oxford short of his D.Phil.) Advertisement That middle name came courtesy of his mother, Henrietta Nettie Seuss, whose parents had emigrated to Springfield, Massachusetts, from Bavaria. She was 6 feet tall, an accomplished diver, and a crack shot with a rifle, according to Brian Jay Jones Becoming Dr. Seuss. She pronounced her name, as her son Ted did his middle name, Germanicallysoice, or honestly if were going full German 101, zoice. By 1937, the year Geisel published his first childrens book, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street (now one of the six titles his estate has chosen not to continue publishing, due to its racist imagery), Dr. Seuss was already fairly well known, thanks to his Judge cartoons, his long-running ads for the insecticide Flit, and his illustrations for two bestselling books, Boners and More Boners. (They were goofy collections of accidentally funny undergrad writing, and we can only assume they are also not being published these days for similar reasons.) But most everyone who knew the name mispronounced it in the unsophisticated American style. A college classmate even made hay of the mispronunciation in an affectionate verse review of Mulberry Street in the Dartmouth alumni magazine: Advertisement Advertisement Youre wrong as the deuce And you shouldnt rejoice If youre calling him Seuss. He pronounces it Soice. Over the years, Geisel simply went along with the mispronunciation. Louis Menand, in the New Yorker, suggests he did so because it evoked a figure advantageous for an author of childrens books to be associated withMother Goose. It also seems possible to me that Geisel, who told stories of being taunted as the Kaiser by classmates during World War I, may have been grateful not to be tagged with an audibly German name during World War II. But were in the age of righting historical wrongs, and its time to give Theodor Geisel his name back. Dr. Seuss may have published both racist and anti-racist work, as Philip Nel, author of Was the Cat in the Hat Black?, pointed out on Slates The Gist podcast, but he certainly did not deserve to have his name de-Germanified by provincial Americans for his entire life.* Advertisement Advertisement Its particularly outrageous that the commentators on Fox News, who supposedly revere Dr. Seuss so much that his purported cancellation requires hours of coverage, cant even bother to pronounce the mans name correctly. Come on, Steve Doocy. Respect the man! Respect the work! Say his name right! From here on out, I will only be pronouncing Seuss to rhyme with my own name, Kois. Advertisement Say it loud, say it proud: Seuss! Rejoice! Its Seuss! Make the choice . to say it Seuss! Dr. Seuss clearly the Rolls-Royce of uncomfortably dated midcentury childrens book authors! See? It just rolls off the tongue. You may find it odd, at first, but soon, if we all adopt this nomenclature, well forget we ever called this seminal, problematic author by any other name. So come on, lovers of childrens books, lovers of America. If you truly want to honor Theodor Geisel, its time to raise your voice and say it Seuss. Lucknow, March 3 : The Yogi Adityanath government has said that the proposed airport in Ayodhya will become functional early next year. According to the government spokesman, the state government has released over Rs 321 crore for the land acquisition for the project. Earlier, the Centre had released its contribution of Rs 250 crore. In addition to it, the state government has approved Rs 1,001.77 crore to purchase 555.66 acres of additional land for the construction of the international airport. So far, 377 acres of land has been made available to the Airports Authority of India for the development of the airport. Moreover, a budgetary provision of Rs 101 crore has been proposed for the development of the airport in the state's annual budget this year. The spokesman said that the centre had selected Ayodhya airstrip under Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS). He added that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had instructed officials to make an action plan for the international level air connectivity of Ayodhya. The Centre had selected Ayodhya airstrip for Ayodhya-Hindon air route under the RCS scheme. Subsequently, in November 2018, the chief minister had announced the development of the airstrip at Ayodhya for large aircraft such as A 320 and Boeing 737 and the construction of a suitable runway and terminal building. In order to develop an international level airport in Ayodhya, it was decided to develop it for Boeing 777-300 type aircraft. For this, the state government signed an MoU with the AAI. For the operation of civil air services in Ayodhya, an MoU was signed on February 24, 2014, between the state government and AAI. 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. March 03 : Diva Surveen Chawla just took to her social media and expressed her excitement as her next venture, a series titled Decoupled with stream on Netflix soon. Surveen took to her social media profile and dropped the poster. She shared, Looks like Netflix heard me when I said I'd like one large comedy! Super excited to announce that I will be a part of a new series called Decoupled! There'll be lots of laughs, fun characters and multiple reasons to smile Brace yourself for humorous times ahead @NetflixIndia @SurveenChawla #AbMenuMeinSabNew @NetflixIndia @BombayFables #AndolanFilms @chetan_bhagat @manujosephsan #HardikMehta @ActorMadhavan #vikramdityamotwane @sejtherage @writergaurav #bhaveshmandalia #AryaMenon read the full note. The series Decoupled follows Arya Iyer, a man who suffers from chronic objectivity, extreme clarity and the debilitating capacity to see in any situation what others are trained to ignore. It gets him in trouble with people wherever he goes. Naturally, his marriage is over, but he has persuaded his estranged wife (Surveen Chawla) to continue living with him in a large villa in Gurgaon to create the myth of family for their tween daughter, who is terrified of their divorce. Arya, as the second highest-selling pulp fiction writer in India after his old foe Chetan Bhagat, is a celebrity who has everything a man wants fame, money, a daughter who adores him, a home run by a woman and a hot young girlfriend. Yet, he is always somehow fleeing a crisis. Mining from the banal realism of daily life, Decoupled is an uncompromising comedy about the true nature of people, India and marriage. Joseph created Decoupled, and Hardik Mehta (Kaamyaab) is set as director. Decoupled is a production of Bombay Fables and Vikramaditya Motwane's Andolan Films. Tonight on Back Roads, Heather Ewart arrives in Eugowra NSW, a town at the centre of the richest gold escort heist in Australian history and, along the way, discovers where its real treasure lies. This time, presenter Heather Ewart has a go at driving a horse-drawn plough in the rich, farming country of the NSWs central west. The experience leads her to dips me lid to local legend, 92-year-old Wilf Norris. Wilf was only 14-years-old when he was put in charge of a ten-horse team of Australian Draft horses to work the family farm. He not only rose to the challenge, but also began a life-long love affair with a breed renowned for its endurance and hardiness. As Heather discovers, these are qualities Wilf himself embodies. Wilf is now immortalised in a life-size mural in Eugowra, one of 34 beautifully executed artworks that are the towns major drawcard. They are the brainchild of young mum and graphic artist, Jodie Greenhalgh, who shares with Heather what inspired her. While Eugowra is proud of its generations-long farming tradition, one of its local farmers is looking at the land through a very different lens. Kim Storey is using her passion for photography to challenge the stereotype of farmers as old blokes with bibs and braces. Through her eyes, stock standard images of drought-stricken landscapes are transformed into breathtaking panoramas filled with drama. Kims neighbours include three farmers of the future. Heather catches up with the cheeky, young charmers and watches them expertly going through their paces during a muster. Ella, Ava and Harry tell Heather theyre determined to follow their parents onto the land but not as a team because as siblings, theyd argue too much! Heather also meets Janet Seath, her daughter Libby and their cousin Julie Hutchings. The women share an extraordinary story with Heather about the truth of their ancestry, hidden from them for more than half a century. Production credits: Executive Producer: Brigid Donovan. Story Producer: Gerri Williams. 8pm tonight on ABC. Related If there was ever a perfect illustration of the state of the Green parliamentary party, it's the fact that Eamon Ryan wasn't present at the meeting when one of his own TDs informed the rest of the party that he was taking the Government, in which they all sit, to court. The bold Patrick Costello has taken up the mantle from the bold Neasa Hourigan as the newest pain in the neck for the three-headed Government. The below explains why I (as an individual) lodged proceedings to seek clarification on who gets to ratify #CETA. It is essential we as TDs understand if our votes are constitutional if we were to ratify the treaty in the Dail. Only the courts can give a definitive answer. pic.twitter.com/6FK5EKtlx4 Patrick Costello TD (@Costellop) March 3, 2021 A High Court challenge over the constitutionality of Ceta is unwelcome for a Government eager to have it passed and yet more proof the Green Party leadership can't get its TDs in line. Even those who study the Green Party closely did not see this particular development coming, and neither did the party leadership, but what they haven't seen coming in their own party could fill a filing cabinet. Sources say Mr Ryan has barely attended parliamentary party meetings in recent months, with Brian Leddin chairing the Zoom meetings, which one can only assume make Handsforth Parish Council look like Butlins. All the woes of the Greens have been laid out already, not least by this newspaper, so all the previous issues that got the Greens to this place still stand rapid membership growth without agreeing what the party actually stood for, a naivety about government, paired with the lack of party infrastructure and willingness from leadership to deal with issues when they arose have all contributed to the sorry state of affairs which increasingly mirrors the last time the Greens propped up a deeply unpopular government. The fish rots from the head and like every other rake that slaps the Green Party in the face, it could probably be avoided with some leadership and some sensible debate. Patrick Costello is on the record along with Neasa Hourigan that he won't vote for Ceta and both expect to be suspended by the party if they defy the whip. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins Like all cruel ironies, the fact the Greens campaigned so forcefully and so passionately against Ceta is probably one of the reasons Irish climate change activists are so well-read on the issue and so set against it. "The way it was conducted, the way it was negotiated, the way that it was really centred around lobbying by big corporate interests rather than the public interest is wrong," said the Eamon Ryan of the past, a ministerial position barely a twinkle in his eye. Nothing stings like a mess of your own making, which is probably why Eamon Ryan avoids parliamentary party meetings. Having to U-turn is part and parcel of government but one should expect to at least go down with a fight and if Eamon Ryan won't get into the ring, Patrick Costello clearly thinks he ought to. One could argue that Mr Costello knows his time in the party is limited anyway he's on the record along with Ms Hourigan that he won't vote for Ceta and both expect to be suspended by the party if they defy the whip, so a High Court challenge on your way out doesn't seem so outlandish. Those who previously voted for the Green Party because of their left-leaning credentials will have turned their back on the party already, and those who respect the Greens for their efforts in Government won't be inclined to vote for the TDs who cause such ruckus. This jaunt to the High court might be the last kick of a dead horse for any fight that's left in the Greens. A 66-year-old woman who worked as a teacher's assistant at Little Oak Middle School in Slidell was booked on a count of simple battery Tuesday after she allegedly struck a child with a stick during school dismissal Monday, according to Slidell Police spokesman Daniel Seuzeneau. The child is a 9-year-old boy who has autism, according to his mother, Nai Taylor, who said she learned what had allegedly happened when she was contacted by the school's principal Tuesday morning. Terry B. Pratts, a para-professional at the school, received a summons ordering her to appear in court on a count of simple battery after an investigation by school administrators and the school resource officer. A spokesperson for the St. Tammany Parish school system said Wednesday that Pratts no longer works for the system. Taylor said that while her son, a fourth grade special education student, is not completely non-verbal, he would not be able to tell them if someone hurt him. Taylor said she was told by someone at the school that another para-professional had seen Pratts strike her son with what was described to her as a "yardstick." The Slidell Police Deprtment called it a "meter stick." 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 "Right then and there, I went ballistic," Taylor said. "Why does she even have a yardstick?" She said she told the principal she wanted Pratt fired and was told that her son would not be in a classroom with her any longer. "I said, 'I want her fired...I don't want her working with anyone's child,'" Taylor said. Now Taylor said she's left to wonder how long her child might have been subjected to ill treatment. Two weeks earlier, he came home with a swollen lip, and she was not able to find out what had happened. "I'm grateful to the para who spoke up," Taylor said. Blogs.artcenter.edu scored 40 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 28 Jul 2019, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. The total number of people who shared the blogs.artcenter homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the blogs.artcenter homepage on Twitter + the total number of blogs.artcenter followers (if blogs.artcenter has a Twitter account). This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the blogs.artcenter homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if blogs.artcenter has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the blogs.artcenter homepage on StumbleUpon. The total number of people who shared the blogs.artcenter homepage on Delicious. Basic Information PAGE TITLE DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS art center, center, posts, blogs, the blog, wordpress, technology CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. Domain and Server DOCTYPE HTML 5.0 CHARSET AND LANGUAGE English (United States) UTF-8English (United States) DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Apache/2.2.15 (Red Hat) (PHP/5.3.3) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux The language of blogs.artcenter.edu as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Operative System running on the server. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Character set and language of the site. Type of server and offered services. Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world. Referring domains for blogs.artcenter.edu by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines. Facebook link FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The type of Facebook page. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The URL of the found Facebook page. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND If you are in Canada with your Canadian spouse or common-law partner and have fallen out of status, you can still apply for family sponsorship. Canada accepts spousal or common-law sponsorship applications from out-of-status foreign nationals If you are in Canada with your Canadian spouse or common-law partner and have fallen out of status, you can still apply for family sponsorship. Canada accepts spousal or common-law sponsorship applications from out-of-status foreign nationals If you are in Canada with your Canadian spouse or common-law partner and have fallen out of status, you can still apply for family sponsorship. Canada accepts spousal or common-law sponsorship applications from out-of-status foreign nationals If you are in Canada with your Canadian spouse or common-law partner and have fallen out of status, you can still apply for family sponsorship. Michael Schwartz Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A Among the recent challenges arising from the coronavirus pandemic is that many people are not able to travel to where they had planned and are consequently stuck where they are. A notable example of this phenomenon is the predicament of foreign nationals who have to come to Canada to visit their spouse or common-law partner who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. They arrived on temporary status, with the aim of making their stays permanent. However, due to various factors, they have fallen out of status. Perhaps their documents expired or they are otherwise without the documentation that they need to stay in Canada. Normally, being in this situation would mean that the foreign national would now be in Canada illegally. They would be potentially subject to a removal order, which would require them to leave Canada. Some removal orders may be so stringent as to prohibit the subject from ever returning to Canada. See if you are eligible for spousal sponsorship Fortunately, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) maintains a policy that balances order with the compelling interests of out-of-status foreign spouses or partners of Canadians. The former group are people who, often through no fault of their own, become stranded in Canada. These are individuals who have ties of marriage with a Canadian in Canada, who obviously have strong links with Canada and a good likelihood of becoming Canadian in the future. Consequently, IRCC has established a policy of providing a pathway for these individuals. Essentially, the policy states that, for such persons, IRCC will not consider the lack of status to require the person to leave Canada, and then re-apply to enter and to be sponsored as a spouse. Rather, as long as the Canadian half of the couple makes an undertaking of support, they can still sponsor the foreign half according to the rules that otherwise govern In-land Spousal and Common-Law Partner sponsorship. It is important to note that this exemption only applies to people who would otherwise suffer due to lack of status alone. It does not apply to people whose immigration to Canada might be problematic due to factors such as serious criminality or national security risk. Partners also have to be eligible for sponsorship. The inland spousal/partner sponsorship policy is an important tool that allows IRCC to spare couples whom, without it, would likely suffer considerable uncertainty, heartache, and cost. See if you are eligible for spousal sponsorship CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. Its a job Scott Elder has been doing since July, and he thinks he should keep doing it. I think what Ive demonstrated over the last year really is that I have the skills to lead a large, urban district, said Elder, Albuquerque Public Schools interim superintendent. And (I) bring a unique skill set because of the fact that I am local, that I know the players, that I know the politics and that Im ready to do this job. Elder, one of the three remaining finalists for the APS superintendent post, answered questions online from students and other community members Tuesday night. He also addressed questions from the APS Board of Education in a livestreamed interview. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ He said hes lived in Albuquerque his entire life, hes drawn to the people and the states landscape, and he really loves the food. He also said he has a nearly 30-year history at APS, including as a teacher and principal. Before taking the reins from Raquel Reedy, he had been the chief operations officer since 2016. Elder also talked about his mothers ties to APS. She was a working artist and eventually became the districts graphics illustrator something he pointed to when asked about backing fine arts education. When we talk about supporting the arts Im definitely in, he said. Elder admitted the district wasnt doing a good job in performance and digital art education, adding that funding is a real hurdle. As far as APS reputation in the community goes, Elder said it is important for the district to be transparent. We are the biggest animal in the state as far as education, and were going to ruffle some feathers sometimes. Theres always going to be somebody who is a little upset with decisions we make, he said. But I think we could help ourselves by, one, continuing to be transparent and when we make mistakes not be afraid to step up and admit them and try to work through them. I dont know that weve always done that really well. He also said that eventually he would like to work on communication at the school level to home in on whats being shared with the community to help shine a light on the good and work to improve the bad. I think we need to tell people that its OK to share data thats uncomfortable, share data that says, Were going to have to work harder or presents a picture that says, Maybe we have to change the way we do things, he said. Bolgen Vargas, a self-employed consultant and former superintendent of Rochester City School District in New York, will go before the community and the school board next, on Thursday night. Ignacio Ruiz, assistant superintendent for the Clark County School District in Nevada, took part in the first virtual forum and interview, on Monday night. Community forums are 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., and interviews are 7:15 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and all are livestreamed. The link is at APS.edu. The Board of Education is planning to make a decision on the candidates by the end of the week. 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. Seguin, Texas (78155) Today Thunderstorms likely, especially this morning. High 83F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Variably cloudy with scattered thunderstorms. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Credit: CC0 Public Domain It's an idea worthy of a Jules Verne novel; a mysterious layer at the center of our planet. Now researchers from The Australian National University (ANU) have confirmed the existence of the Earth's "innermost inner core." Lead author of the study, Ph.D. researcher Joanne Stephenson, says while this new layer is difficult to observe, its distinct properties may point to an unknown, dramatic event in the Earth's history. "We found evidence that may indicate a change in the structure of iron, which suggests perhaps two separate cooling events in Earth's history," Ms Stephenson said. "The details of this big event are still a bit of a mystery, but we've added another piece of the puzzle when it comes to our knowledge of the Earths' inner core." Ms Stephenson says that investigating the structure of the inner core can help us understand more about the Earth's history and evolution. "Traditionally we've been taught the Earth has four main layers: the crust, the mantle, the outer core and the inner core. "The idea of another distinct layer was proposed a couple of decades ago, but the data has been very unclear. "We got around this by using a very clever search algorithm to trawl through thousands of the models of the inner core. "It's very excitingand might mean we have to re-write the textbooks!" For the very least, Verne's famous novel may need a couple of extra pages. The research has been published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth. More information: J. Stephenson et al. Evidence for the Innermost Inner Core: Robust Parameter Search for Radially Varying Anisotropy Using the Neighborhood Algorithm, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth (2020). Journal information: Journal of Geophysical Research J. Stephenson et al. Evidence for the Innermost Inner Core: Robust Parameter Search for Radially Varying Anisotropy Using the Neighborhood Algorithm,(2020). DOI: 10.1029/2020JB020545 Francesca Paris is The Eagle's data and public records reporter. She was previously the North Adams reporter. A California native and Williams College alumna, she has worked at NPR in Washington, D.C. and WBUR in Boston. Find her on Twitter at @fparises. An VinFast car is tested in a factory in the northern Hai Phong City. Photo by VnExpress/Minh Tuan. VinFast plans to set up an automobile plant in the U.S. as part of its strategy to start selling there in 2022, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday. The company, a subsidiary of conglomerate Vingroup, did not provide details about when it will be set up or where. Bloomberg quoted its CEO Thai Thanh Hai as saying: "VinFasts vision is to become a global smart electric car company and the U.S. is one of the first international markets that we will focus on. "We will initially develop high-end models for the U.S." The company also plans to open 35 showrooms and service centers this year in California state where it has received a license to test autonomous vehicles on public streets. Malaysian newspaper The Star quoted Hai as saying VinFast believes it can win over American and other overseas customers leery of buying an automobile from a Vietnamese company they know little or nothing about by offering top-quality vehicles with high safety standards and advanced technology. The company has R&D centers in Australia, Germany and the U.S. VinFast, founded by Vietnam's first billionaire Pham Nhat Vuong, began selling cars with BMW-licensed engines in 2019. Last year it sold 31,500 units, all in Vietnam, where 296,634 cars were sold in all. SALT LAKE CITY - Utah researchers report significant new insights into the development of blood cancers. In work published today in Blood Cancer Discovery, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, scientists describe an analysis of published data from more than 7,000 patients diagnosed with leukemia and other blood disorders. Their findings provide new clues about mutations that may initiate cancer development and those that may help cancer to progress. The researchers sought to identify mutation hotspots, or frequent changes in specific locations of the cancer patients' genetic information. The researchers then used these hotspots to look for whether the same mutations were present in the DNA data of more than 4,500 people who were not known to have a cancer diagnosis. They found that approximately 2 percent of these presumably healthy participants had, at low levels, mutations identical to those frequently observed in the cancer patients. "Understanding how a disease develops is greatly benefited by studying persons who are currently healthy but are on a trajectory for disease onset," said Clint Mason, PhD, assistant professor of pediatrics at the U of U, who specializes in cancer genomics and bioinformatics and led the study. Mutations occur throughout the 3 billion bases of DNA that are present in human cells. Many will have no impact on health, yet certain mutations may cause or support development of diseases, including cancer. Therefore, scientists are working to discern which mutations have a significant impact on health. In this study, the researchers sought to understand which mutations are most frequently present in adults and children both with and without blood cancers. They hope this information may illuminate an understanding of these cancers, and further, may potentially be used to identify people who are progressing towards cancer. The team of researchers consisted nearly entirely of University of Utah (U of U) faculty and students. Mason was joined by co-first authors Julie Feusier, PhD, a trainee in the department of human genetics and now a postdoctoral fellow at Huntsman Cancer Institute, and Sasi Arunachalam, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at Huntsman Cancer Institute and now a research associate at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, in performing analyses along with other co-authors. For the first part of the study, the researchers completed a large data mining analysis to examine published data from 48 cancer studies that reported mutations present in persons who were being diagnosed with leukemia or other hematologic malignancies. Across the 7,430 pediatric and adult cancer patients of those studies, 434 DNA locations were identified as frequently mutated. Then, in a subsequent analysis of many terabytes of publicly available genetic data, the researchers identified these same cancer-relevant mutations at low levels among 83 of the 4,538 persons who were presumably free from cancer. "When identical mutations are found to be present in a small percentage of blood cells of a healthy person, it may indicate that something abnormal has begun to occur," explained Mason. This abnormal process (known as clonal hematopoiesis) has previously been found to be increasingly common as people age. As a result, researchers generally focus on the study of adults when investigating this phenomenon. Yet in this study, in addition to adults, the researchers analyzed data from 400 children who were likely to be free from cancer. They found preliminary evidence that early cancer mutations could be detected in this age group. In an accompanying commentary, to be published by Blood Cancer Discovery in its "In the Spotlight" section, Barbara Spitzer, MD, and Ross Levine, MD, of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, wrote, "This work demonstrates the first evidence that [clonal hematopoiesis] is observed in children outside of those with advanced malignancies." They further commented, "This expansion of the range of hematologic malignancy hotspot mutations goes beyond an improved understanding of the molecular repertoire of hematologic malignancies... More complete knowledge of relevant mutations may increase our detection of patients at highest risk for malignant transformation." Finding a low-level mutation identical to one that is frequently present at cancer diagnoses could be alarming to a currently healthy person screened for such events. But fortunately, because cancer frequently requires multiple mutations to be present in a sizeable fraction of cells, most persons with a single low-level mutation are not likely to develop cancer for many years or decades--if they develop cancer at all. Large longitudinal studies are needed to identify the timeframe over which specific mutations or combinations of mutations accelerate progression to cancer. The Utah researchers next hope to determine the stability of mutations identified at younger ages. This will give a preliminary glimpse into their potential to serve as biomarkers for those having greatest risk of cancer. Future intervention studies will require such an identification. "Our goal has been to help fill in gaps in the understanding of cancer development so that future prevention work can take place more quickly and effectively," said Mason. "We are grateful to have been able to contribute a few puzzle pieces to that monumental effort." ### The work was funded by the Pediatric Cancer Program, which is supported by the Primary Children's Hospital Foundation, the Intermountain Healthcare Foundation, and the Division of Hematology & Oncology in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Utah. The co-authors were supported by the National Institutes of Health, including the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, the Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program, and Huntsman Cancer Foundation. Associated Content: View the full commentary published in In The Spotlight at https:/ / bloodcancerdiscov. aacrjournals. org/ content/ early/ 2021/ 02/ 26/ 2643-3230. BCD-21-0025 About University of Utah Health University of Utah Health provides leading-edge and compassionate care for a referral area that encompasses Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and much of Nevada. A hub for health sciences research and education in the region, U of U Health touts a $408 million research enterprise and trains the majority of Utah's physicians and health care providers at its Colleges of Health, Nursing, and Pharmacy and Schools of Dentistry and Medicine. With more than 20,000 employees, the system includes 12 community clinics and five hospitals. U of U Health is recognized nationally as a transformative health care system and regionally a provider of world-class care. About Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) at the University of Utah is the official cancer center of Utah. The cancer campus includes a state-of-the-art cancer specialty hospital as well as two buildings dedicated to cancer research. HCI treats patients with all forms of cancer and is recognized among the best cancer hospitals in the country by U.S. News and World Report. As the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the Mountain West, HCI serves the largest geographic region in the country, drawing patients from Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. More genes for inherited cancers have been discovered at HCI than at any other cancer center in the world, including genes responsible for hereditary breast, ovarian, colon, head, and neck cancers, along with melanoma. HCI manages the Utah Population Database, the largest genetic database in the world, with information on more than 11 million people linked to genealogies, health records, and vital statistics. HCI was founded by Jon M. and Karen Huntsman. New Delhi: Terrorists in the Kashmir Valley are now on the run and they cannot continue to terrorise people, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said, maintaining that the governments priority was to clean up the Kashmir Valley of armed militants. He said the terrorists in Kashmir were now under great pressure and the financial crunch caused by demonetisation and the action taken by National Investigation Agency (NIA) on illegal foreign fundings have checked illegal activities in Jammu and Kashmir in large scale. Jaitley, who was participating in a television programme, however, refrained from making any comment on the standoff between India and China in the Dokalam area near the Bhutan trijunction, just saying let us have full faith on our security forces. Today no big militant can dream of committing terror acts and continue to terrorise the Valley for decades, but today their life shelf has dwindled to a few months. I will specifically praise the Jammu & Kashmir police for working hard (towards eliminating terrorists), he said. Jaitley said the country faced two serious threatsone with respect to Jammu and Kashmir with maximum incidents happening from across the border, and second being the problem of Left-Wing Extremism in central parts of the country. Since independence, Pakistan has never agreed that Kashmir is an integral part of India. That has been their unfinished agenda. They tried conventional war. But Indias capability was way ahead in the conventional war. The wars of 1965, 1971 and Kargil clearly proved this, he said. Jaitley said in the 1990s, they started changing their strategies and resorted to encouraging terrorism inside the country. There is domination of our forces on the Line of Control (LoC) and the international border and it is difficult for terrorists to cross them, he said at the India TV Conclave Vande Mataram. The defence minister said that there was a move by the security forces to clean up the Valley of armed terrorists. Also Read | Jammu and Kashmir: Top Hizbul commander Yaseen Yatoo killed in Shopian encounter He said the money received by terrorists and other such groups has been squeezed post-demonetisation and there has been the effect of the actions taken by the NIA against foreign funding allegedly used for subversive activities. Whenever there was an encounter (earlier), hundreds and thousands would come out to throw stones. Many a times, terrorists would escape under the protection of stone throwers. This is now becoming a history. Those who were coming in hundred and thousands, today their number is limited to 20, 30 and 50. For the first time in the history, we have been they have started looting banks, he said. Jaitley said the terrorists are under tremendous pressure. They are on the run. Their number is also declining. Security forces are dominating them, he said. He said India has been by and large free from the threat of the ISIS. There may be some isolated or exceptional incidents but there has been no influence in India. The defence minister expressed concern over some instances of glorifying the acts of terrorists or Maoists. Referring to the shouting of anti-India slogans by some in Jawaharlal Nehru University last year, he expressed concern over the association of mainstream political parties with those raising such slogans. Jaitley said a disturbing trend is coming up where efforts are being made to show the Indian state as helpless. To questions on Indias defence production, Jaitley said his ministry was working out ways to boost domestic production for the defence sector. We want India to become a global power in defence manufacturing sector, and towards that end, we are encouraging private players to come forward. We will, of course, also continue to strengthen our ordnance factories and defence PSUs, the minister said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. WALLINGFORD Almost 30 restaurants are participating in Wallingford Center Inc.s first annual Winter Wallingford Restaurant Week starting Thursday and running through March 14. In contrast to other restaurant weeks across the state, Wallingford restaurants are allowed to decide how they participate. Normally each restaurant has a menu comprised of appetizers, entrees and desserts with a set price for each person. Due to the differing type of restaurants, the decision was left up to the owners. Rosas Deli, 57 N. Colony Rd., a participating business, will be handing out free gifts to each customer that eats at the restaurant for the first eight days. Each day the gift changes. Rosas Deli celebrated its 40th anniversary around Valentines Day. Owner Rosa Landino said she is excited about the event and hopes it will bring in more business and new customers. It was really tough in the beginning of the pandemic but its stable now, Landino said. I consider myself lucky that we made it through a really difficult time. Other participants like Ola Restaurant, The Eatery and Pancheros Mexican Grill will offer special menus and discounted prices. According to Kathy Lilley, director of Wallingford Center Inc., one of the goals is to encourage people to support local businesses. This year with COVID we were looking at ways to get people out into the restaurants or at least buying meals to go, Lilley said. Ive spoken with a lot of restaurants who said it was pretty slow right now. Wallingford Center Inc. is taking care of all the promotion fees. They just have to be ready to package up those to go meals, she said. Or handle more people than they normally have coming in this time of year. Center Street Luncheonette is also participating. We will be running two special menus, a breakfast and lunch one, co owner Brianna Jadan said. Our breakfast menu will consist of different items or deals we have not offered yet, such as eggs benedict. The lunch menu will offer an Italian experience with different pasta dishes. The restaurant will also be raffling off two $15 gift cards. Anyone that goes to the restaurant and dines in or gets take out will be entered into the raffle. The winning ticket will be pulled at the end of the business day on March 14 and the winner will be announced on March 15. Like Landino, Jadan is looking forward to people coming out and acquiring new customers. Even if all we gain is one new customer, I would say it is a success, Jadan said. I love meeting and interacting with new customers. I thank the Wallingford Center Inc. for putting this together. Wallingfords restaurant week will be March 4 to March 14 and all of the special menus will be posted today at www.wallingfordcenterinc.com . fwilliams@record-journal.com203-317-2373Twitter: @faith_williams2 MEDFORD, Ore. The former UPS driver accused of shooting at drivers along I-5 in southern Oregon received his sentenced in Jackson County Circuit Court on Tuesday after victims of the shootings delivered their statements. State troopers arrested 49-year-old Kenneth Ayers in August following a string of shootings along the Interstate corridor between Douglas, Josephine, and Jackson counties one of which injured a woman near Central Point. A grand jury indicted Ayers on a total of 34 counts in December. Though the shootings took place in three separate counties, Ayers agreed to have all of the charges tried in Jackson County. Last week, Ayers agreed to plead guilty on 15 counts in total three counts of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, five counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, two counts of Criminal Mischief in the First Degree, three counts of Recklessly Endangering Another Person, and two counts of Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree. According to the Jackson County District Attorney's Office, Ayers will serve 20 years in prison for his crimes. The terms of his post-prison supervision are still being determined, but most of the charges carried supervision terms of one to three years. There will also be a hearing on restitution for the victims to be held at a later date. "During todays sentencing a number of victims addressed the court and expressed how traumatic this event was and the impact it had on their lives," the DA's Office said. "Ayers declined to make a statement regarding the case or his motive for the shootings." RELATED: OSP investigating shots fired at vehicles on I-5 between Josephine and Douglas counties (July) Oregon State Police investigated eight separate shootings between Central Point and Roseburg, stretching from May to August of 2020. During the investigation, a number of victims told police that they had been driving near a semi-truck when the shootings happened some identifying a UPS double or triple trailer. On August 19, a woman was shot in the shoulder while driving on I-5 northwest of Central Point. Witnesses said that a UPS truck had been getting on the freeway at the same time. State troopers later stopped a UPS truck in Douglas County, identifying the driver as Ayers. He was employed as a UPS truck driver at the time of the shootings. OSP forensic experts were able to determine that the gun used in each of the shootings was a .45 Auto Caliber Hi-Point, model JHP, semi-automatic pistol. After stopping Ayers and obtaining a search warrant for his truck, OSP troopers found the same model of pistol in Ayers' truck. According to the DA's office, Ayers admitted that the gun was his. The investigation also obtained GPS and ELD information from UPS, lining up Ayers' location with each of the shootings. Before May of 2020, Ayers drove a route for UPS that took him north of Roseburg, investigators said. He was put onto a route south of Roseburg around the same time that the first known shooting occurred. (Refiles, fixing typo in sub-headline) ROME, MAR 3 - Industry Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti on Wednesday hosted a meeting with representatives of the pharmaceutical industry to talk about producing COVID-19 vaccines in Italy. The meeting also featured the head of Italian medicines agency AIFA and the nation's new COVID-19 Emergency Commissioner, Francesco Paolo Figliuolo.. A statement by the industry ministry said many firms are ready to start producing a vaccine here. Giorgetti gave a mandate to the firms to identify enterprises that can help them be ready to produce vaccines before the end of the autumn. (ANSA). A young Northern Ireland man has told how he was blackmailed by cyber criminals who threatened to share compromising footage of him online. He was duped into posing naked on camera and then warned that unless he handed over hundreds of pounds, the video would be sent to his Facebook friends. The man was speaking out as the PSNI revealed a rise in sextortion cases here. Sextortion is a form of blackmail where a criminal threatens to reveal intimate images of the victim online unless they give in to their demands typically for money or further intimate images. The victim, a 21-year-old who wanted to remain anonymous, said he wants to protect others from being duped online by criminals demanding money. His nightmare experience started after he accepted a random Friend request on Facebook from what turned out to be a fake profile that tricked him into thinking it was someone he may have known. Those behind the profile bombarded him with messages and video calls. When I answered the video call, I could see a woman on a bed who started to strip down, he said. There was never any audio, just messages being sent, and I could see a naked woman on a bed. The victim was then asked to strip himself and to show his face, which he did. You get excited and I thought, why not? Literally, seconds later, they had my face on camera and sent a screenshot of that and a video of me doing what I did. All the proof they needed, they had it. I went into severe panic mode then and they said if I didnt send them 500 they would send it (the video) to my Facebook friends, he said. They also had all my contacts and they created a group chat of my family and threatened to send it to them. Obviously, the people who are closest to you, you dont want them to see that type of thing. They caught me off guard completely. I was mortified and really embarrassed, just severe anxiety came all over me. Like I was shaking. He explained to his mother what happened and she encouraged him to report it. You either risk it and let them send it out, or give them the money. For me, telling someone else, especially someone so close to me, meant I had support and someone could help me through it, he said. He said no-one believes sextortion will happen to them but it is very common. The severe anxiety was paralysing, it was really bad, and I can only imagine how bad it would have been if I didnt do something about it straight away. You have to act fast because the longer you leave it, the worse itll get. Nothing came from the cyber threats and police advised him what to do to protect himself online, he said. All that worry was for nothing. It was just for money and they didnt get the money so they moved on to the next victim, he said. The best thing is not to worry. You dont have control of what just happened. Detective Inspector Anthony Kelly, from the Criminal Investigation Branch of the PSNI said they are aware there has been a rise in such incidents recently. I would like to reassure anyone who finds themselves in this position that police are committed to fully investigating reports of online sextortion when it is reported to us, he said. Sextortion victims need to report whats happened and shouldnt let embarrassment prevent them from doing so, he added. Perpetrators can be located anywhere, targeting a number of people, targeting victims through dating apps, social media or webcams. Many are based overseas. For the criminal, this is a low risk way to make money and they can reach many victims easily online. These types of crimes are under-reported and often, the victim pays money rather than contact police, he said. We urge anyone who has been the victim of cyber-related blackmail to come forward and report it to police on 101 or 999 in an emergency as we can help you. He appealed to the public not to share intimate videos online or get lured into situations where clothes are removed or intimate acts are performed and to be wary of accepting invitations from strangers on social networking sites. The PSNI have also advised to use online dating sites that conceal both parties true email addresses or set up an email account without your real name. Further advice can be found on the Get Safe Online website at https://www.getsafeonline.org or https://www.psni.police.uk/advice_information/sextortion/. Spain is approaching an Easter week with restrictions on movement between regions in place. The majority of regional governments are in favor of leaving perimetral lockdowns of their territories in place. These are in force in all areas, apart from Madrid, Extremadura and the Balearic and Canary islands. The Health Ministry is studying a common plan that would be implemented across the country, and is seeking support to back it from the regions, according to the Castilla-La Mancha health chief, Jesus Fernandez. Via a spokesperson, the Health Ministry itself referred to the words of its minister Carolina Darias, from last week: The objective is to get down to 50 cases [per 100,000 inhabitants over the last 14 days]. It is easy for that number to go up and difficult to get it down. We are focused on protecting the health [of the population] and continuing saving lives. [We are calling for] prudence, responsibility and common sense. We are on a good path, but we cannot be overconfident. We are in the midst of the vaccination process, which is speeding up and its important that everything goes well. According to the latest data from the Health Ministry, Spains 14-day cumulative number of coronavirus cases per 100,000 inhabitants is 168.44, and while it would not be impossible to get below 50 cases in four weeks, it will be complicated at the current rate of descent. The data point has not been so low since the end of July. The ministrys comments echo those of Fernando Simon, the director of the Health Ministrys Coordination Center for Health Alerts (CCAES). Speaking on Monday to present the daily coronavirus report, he said: Im an epidemiologist, and Im interested in keeping the epidemic under control. Obviously, my visions are different from those that a businessman, for example, could have. If the transmission conditions are not correct for there to be a little more of a reopening, I believe that it should not even be considered, he stated. Health Minister Carolina Darias. EUROPA PRESS/R.Rubio.POOL / Europa Press This same message was backed on Tuesday by government spokesperson Maria Jesus Montero, speaking after the weekly Cabinet meeting. She also called for prudence, for there not to be an abrupt deescalation in order to avoid a fourth wave of the pandemic. Adding to this chorus of voices was the Andalusian regional health chief, Jesus Aguirre of the conservative Popular Party (PP), who said on Monday during a radio interview with the COPE network that the relaxation of coronavirus restrictions should be possibly smaller than is being considered, given that the curve of the epidemic is heading toward a plateau, albeit with very high numbers of hospitalizations and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions. We are on a good path, but we cannot be overconfident Health Minister Carolina Darias Adrian Barbon, the Socialist Party (PSOE) premier of Asturias, also voiced his support for restrictions this Easter. Asturias is planning to maintain the perimetral closure [of the region] while the state of alarm is in force, he said, in reference to the emergency powers the central government put in place that allow the regions to put limits on mobility without facing challenges in the courts against such restrictions. We need to burst the bubble of whether we can enjoy Easter week like we did Christmas, he continued, in reference to the spike in infections, hospitalizations and Covid-19 deaths that followed increased social activity in December and January. If we want to fall to objective levels of public safety we need to sacrifice Easter week, he concluded. Madrid, meanwhile, which currently is not under a perimetral lockdown, has distanced itself from this position. But its regional premier, Isabel Diaz Ayuso, has not made a definitive announcement about its approach. What we are doing is bringing together health and life, she has said. The economic engine of Madrid cannot stop and must seek sensible and balanced measures that marry up both factors. We will see how the situation progresses in order to protect lives and to not put our battered economy in even greater danger. During the pandemic, the Madrid regional government has often been at loggerheads with the central administration, which is led by the Socialist Party (PSOE) and junior partner Unidas Podemos. In the autumn of last year, this led to the central government intervening in the region to introduce stricter coronavirus measures in the face of Ayusos refusal. The regional government, which is run by the PP in coalition with center-right Ciudadanos (Citizens) and propped up by far-right Vox, has also opted not to follow the lead of other regions and close bars and restaurants during the third wave. Madrids 14-day cumulative number of coronavirus cases per 100,000 inhabitants is 273.39 according to the latest Health Ministry report, the worst of all 17 regions and the only territory that is still over the 250-mark considered extreme risk by the Spanish government. Unlike other parts of Spain, Madrid has not closed its bars and restaurants despite high infection rates. Jaime Villanueva Ayuso added this week that it is a bit early still to clarify the regions approach to Easter. Madrid is suffering major [economic] stoppages, she continued. I hope that Easter week allows us to recover somewhat. We have to be sensitive to this need, she concluded. Other regions are also opting to see how the data progresses. In Catalonia, the regional governments spokesperson Meritxell Budo said on Tuesday that her administration was starting to work on the planning of a calendar for restrictions over Easter, in order to give the hospitality sector a framework of what to expect. The Galician premier, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, responded similarly when asked last week about Easter. Whoever is making predictions does not know how this virus works, he said. Aragons regional government said something similar via a spokesperson: Its still early to take such a decision. In Aragon the data is being analyzed from day to day and we have to be prudent so as not to create false expectations. The Canary and Balearic islands, which have among the lowest infection rates in Spain, are not considering closing their borders for Easter, and will continue to require negative test results for arrivals. But if the rest of Spain is to close its borders, the practical effect will be that only foreign arrivals will be able to travel to the islands. English version by Simon Hunter. SUZHOU, China, March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CMAB Biopharma (Suzhou) Inc ("CMAB") congratulates its partner Innovent Biologics, Inc ("Innovent") (1801.HK) on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance of an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for its antibody candidate which targets the COVID-19 virus, an independently-developed project by Innovent. Utilizing its state of the art facility and robust quality systems, CMAB provided integrated CDMO services for this program from cell bank construction to cGMP production of drug substance at the 2,000 L upstream scale. "It has been our great pleasure to have this opportunity to collaborate with a preeminent organization like Innovent on such a critical product, and be able to contribute to its projects meanwhile", said Dr. Yongzhong Wang, CEO of CMAB, "Throughout the project, the two organizations worked collaboratively together to successfully complete the CMC activities efficiently, rapidly and according to international regulatory standards. Both organizations are very proud of this accomplishment and CMAB looks forward to continuing provide high-quality and fast CDMO services to Innovent and other biopharmaceutical companies in the future." About CMAB Biopharma (Suzhou), Inc. CMAB is a flexible full-service CDMO dedicated to providing bespoke development manufacturing services of antibodies and biologics for clients in China and across the globe. CMAB complies with global quality standards, we get European commission EudraLex (EMA) Vol 4. GMP guidelines which is a successful external QP Audit by Parexel. To find out more about our dynamic CDMO, please go to the website: www.cmabbio.com CMAB Biopharma (Suzhou) Inc Address: C37&C29, No.188 Dongping Street, Suzhou Industrial Park Tel: 0512-6799 5177 Business Contact: [email protected] Public Relations: [email protected] SOURCE CMAB Biopharma (Suzhou) Inc Related Links http://www.cmabbio.com Palestinians hail probe by ICC PNA, step long awaited in search for justice (ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, MARCH 3 - The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) has welcomed the decision by prosecutor Fatou Bensouda of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to open a formal investigation into alleged war crimes in the Palestinian Territories. "It is a long-awaited step - said the PNA's foreign minister in a statement quoted by local media - which is functional to the incessant Palestinian search for justice and responsibility, indispensable pillars of peace that the Palestinian people search and deserve". The PNA said it has offered full cooperation in the investigation.(ANSAmed). ZURICH, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cannadips Europe, a SpectrumLeaf Limited brand, is now offering its Natural Mint and Tangy Citrus flavoured CBD pouches at 59 COOP retail stores throughout Switzerland as well as online at COOP.ch. Cannadips CBD, an award-winning brand and a pioneer of the pouches format in the CBD hemp sector, was first introduced to Europe in Q3 2019 and has since been activated in 15 European markets, including Switzerland. "This latest addition of COOP retail stores in Switzerland is truly a fantastic opportunity for the Cannadips brand in one of our most strategic markets where Cannadips was already available at 107 Valora kkiosk stores and approximately 150 independent retail and wholesale providers," says SpectrumLeaf CEO Felix Sundstrom. "The newly added COOP stores will significantly increase the accessibility for our Swiss customers and the strong online presence and convenience of COOP.ch will undoubtedly further enhance that. With COOP being one of the largest retail and wholesale chains in Switzerland, this truly marks a new milestone for Cannadips in Europe, and we hope we can do the same in other markets as well in the near future," continues Mr.Sundstrom. The two Cannadips flavours to be available at COOP stores include Natural Mint and Tangy Citrus, both of which have been crafted using only all-natural and vegan-friendly ingredients. Cannadips CBD pouches are THC-free, nicotine-free, tobacco-free and utilizes a patented technology to delivery water-soluble CBD with high bioavailability for an enhanced delivery and absorption experience. Every pouch provides 10mg of hemp CBD with 15 pouches in each can and can be enjoyed discreetly per the user's preference. To find the closest COOP or other retail stores that carry Cannadips, access the online store locator function at Cannadips.eu. ABOUT SPECTRUMLEAF SpectrumLeaf is a company dedicated to selecting and sourcing premium CBD products according to customer's collective needs. One of the first products the company has introduced is Cannadips - a pouch-in-mouth CBD product that is all natural, discreet and fast acting, made through a proprietary process that preserves the valuable terpene and flavonoid compounds. The most recent product release includes a CBD Oral Strips line under the brand Elevar Hemp. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1439301/Spectrumleaf_CBD_Pouches.jpg According to the top cop the operation on Monday went smoothly except for a few reports received by the Command Centre that persons going to and from their essential jobs, were turned back by certain police officers in error. Monster burbot A burbot caught by Aimee Pike set a new state record - 32 inches long, 9 pounds. Photo courtesy Kristi Olson Pike. A young girls love of the fishing and the outdoors led to bragging rights when she unexpectedly caught a burbot that turned out to be a state record in the youth category 34.5 inches long and 9.2 pounds. Aimee Pike, 11, of Wasilla, was fishing at Lake Louise with family friends in early February and briefly left her line dangling through a hole in the ice. When she dashed back to retrieve her gloves, she found the fishing pole off its stand and in the water. I grabbed my pole and set my hook because definitely there was something on there, she said. I started reeling up. The fish fought back. It was literally taking my hands down into the water with the pole, the girl recalled. I just kept yanking it and yanking it. She caught glimpses of the fishs tail as it rose to the surface. It was an intense adrenaline moment, she said. Finally, after a few minutes, I got it out of the water by reeling as far as I could. That fish was probably the hardest fish to take out of the water that I ever caught, she added. And I never did put my gloves on. She knew she had reeled in a monster fish. Her first stunned thought: Its bigger than everybody elses. Alaska Fish and Game experts officially measured and weighed the fish two days later and determined that it was indeed a state record burbot: 34.5 inches long and 9.2 pounds. The guy at Fish and Game said it probably lost 1 to 2 pounds just from dehydration, said Aimees mother, Kristi Pike. Fish and Game was closed for two days after the fishing trip so we had to wait. Monster burbot Aime PIke, 11, and her best friend Aspen Rego laughingly smooch Aimee's record-size burbot. Photo courtesy Kristi Olson Pike. Aimee remembered squeezing the big burbot into the home freezer for storage for those two days. We had to bend its tail for it to fit in the freezer, she said. Get in there, fish. She was awarded a special certificate from the state of Alaska commemorating her catch. The hole she was fishing was about 9 feet deep and right over an underwater ledge, she said. Aimee has been fishing her whole life, so she knows a lot about her quarry. Thats probably why I caught this fish, because its a bottom feeder, she said. Kinda like a halibut. She takes after her mother, who loves to fish. The family doesnt have a boat, so they fish from shore. In July/August, we go almost every week, Kristi Pike said. Ive been fishing my entire life. And she knows Mom takes her to the good holes. All that training paid off last summer when Aimee hit the jackpot at her favorite fishing holes. For her, this summer, it was fish after fish, her mother said. Aimee loves ice fishing. Cuz you get to sit on the ice, open a chair, and its calm, she said. Then there is the excitement of your pole going up and down. Its kind of like reaching your hand into a treasure chest and finding something. Monster burbot Aimee Pike, 11, is the new state record holder for burbot. Photo courtesy Kristi Olson Pike. Kristi Pike posted the big catch on her Facebook page and the announcement wound up on an Alaska Facebook page. That promptly garnered more than 6,000 likes and lots of advice, especially from others who know a lot about burbot. Burbot are long fish with a head that looks like a frog, a camouflage body and an eels tail. Burbot are the poor mans lobster, said Aimees dad, John Pike, who is from Fairbanks. Every part of the fish tastes different. They are basically a freshwater lingcod. You can cook them any way that you cook cod or halibut or you can make it like lobster. Many readers recommended the family eat the liver, saying its so good. Another recommended saving the ear bones. Apparently, that is how burbot age is determined. According to Fish and Game, Aimees burbot was 12 to 15 years old. Aimee wants to be a surgeon when she grows up, but for now, shes pretty focused on her passion for fishing. Shell never forget this fishing trip. She commemorated the catch with a fun photo of her and her best friend puckering up to give the burbot a big kiss. Contact staff writer Kris Capps at kcapps@AlaskaPulse.com The resignations of Rio Tintos chairman and a long-serving director have renewed shareholder demands for greater Australian representation on the board of the worlds second biggest miner amid efforts to rebuild local ties after destroying Aboriginal rock shelters last year. Following months of pressure from Australian investors and key Indigenous leaders, Rio chairman Simon Thompson declared he would not seek re-election in 2022 and a search would begin for his replacement. Another director, Michael LEstrange, also announced he would stand down after this years annual general meeting. I am ultimately accountable: Rio Tinto chairman Simon Thompson will step down by 2022 Credit:Eddie Jim The departures and prospect of board renewal were welcomed by large Australian superannuation investors that led last years push for accountability over the mining giants blasting of the 46,000-year-old Juukan Gorge rock shelters. Their demands eventually led to the resignations of Rio chief executive Jean-Sebastien Jacques. Ian Silk, head of the $200 billion superannuation fund AustralianSuper, said the resignations of Mr Thompson and Mr LEstrange now provided Rio the opportunity to increase the Australian profile at board level. Are you a current print subscriber? 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[March 03, 2021] ADDING and REPLACING EHGO expresses concerns about arrangements made by departed Iconic Labs directors with Greencastle Capital Add after last paragraph of release issed February 2, 2021, at 12:06 p.m. ET: CLARIFICATION: The above article, originally published on 2 February 2021, refers to legal action taken by EHGO against Iconic Labs PLC. That legal action is between EHGO and Iconic only, and does not involve Greencastle Capital, Mr David Sefton, Mr John Quinlan, Mr Liam Harrington or Mr Sam Assante as parties, nor any allegations that former directors of Iconic breached any of their duties to Iconic. The updated release reads: EHGO EXPRESSES CONCERNS ABOUT ARRANGEMENTS MADE BY DEPARTED ICONIC LABS DIRECTORS WITH GREENCASTLE CAPITAL European High Growth Opportunities Securitization Fund ("EHGO"), an institutional investment company based in Luxembourg, has expressed significant concerns about arrangements made by the departed executive directors of Iconic Labs plc ("Iconic") with Greencastle Capital ("Greencastle"), a company established by the former Executive Chairman of Iconic, David Sefton. John Quinlan, Liam Harrington and Sam Asante resigned from Iconic on 31 January 2021, with Iconic also announcing it had received notices of termination of the management service agreements between the company and Greencastle Capital in respect of the JOE Media and TheLondonEconomic businesses. Greencastle Capital then announced that the former Iconic directors had joined them. Iconic had previously lent Greencastle Capital the 1m required to purchase JOE Media, having received the money in financing from EHGO. In a statement, EHGO said: "The timing and sequencing of the activity by these three departed directors of Iconic raises serious questions, to say the least. Especially as Greencastle is a vehicle established (and owned) by David Sefton, the former Executive Chairman of Iconic. EHGO provided Iconic with 1m in finncing, which Iconic then lent to Greencastle to buy JOE Media. The directors of Iconic then refused to honour our financing agreement, forcing us to take legal action against Iconic. The directors then departed for Greencastle, leaving Iconic holding the outstanding debt and pending proceedings, with Greencastle holding JOE Media (the acquisition of which was financed by Iconic) Greencastle then cancelled its service agreement with Iconic (thereby depriving Iconic of any benefit from the JOE Media acquisition). "We are gravely concerned about these moves. Iconic had been protected in its arrangements with Greencastle through a conversion right whereby it would have the right to equity (shares) in Greencastle by converting the debt. However, on December 7th last year, Iconic announced that it had amended its agreement with Greencastle in order to do away with the conversion right in respect of Greencastle shares. Such an equity conversion right was central to the business rationale of the Greencastle/JOE Media structure, as it meant that Iconic could come in at any time and become a direct equity owner in Greencastle. We note that the amendment of the agreement to do away with the equity conversion right with Greencastle followed less than two business days after EHGO's presented revised settlement terms to the Iconic board detailing terms on which it would be willing to settle its claim with Iconic. It would seem that the only parties who benefited from the amendments to the Greencastle agreement announced on December 7th of last year were David Sefton, and now that they have left, John Quinlan, Liam Harrington and Sam Asante (who were members of the board of Iconic at the time they made the decision to amend the Greencastle agreement). "These moves therefore appear to us to have been pre-planned in order to give the directors a lifeboat on which to jump ship to Greencastle and raise significant concerns about the directors' compliance with their fiduciary duties as directors of Iconic. "This follows their stewardship of Iconic in which they presided over huge value destruction for shareholders and a collapse in the share price of the company, leaving the company in an almost valueless state with significant debts owed to its creditors. This whole episode raises major questions about their conduct and the conduct of David Sefton, questions which we expect they will now be required to answer, whether in court or by the appropriate regulatory authorities." Ends Notes to editors About European High Growth Opportunities Securitization Fund European High Growth Opportunities Securitization Fund is an institutional investment company based in Luxembourg which focuses on financing innovative companies globally that are deemed to be significantly undervalued. CLARIFICATION: The above article, originally published on 2 February 2021, refers to legal action taken by EHGO against Iconic Labs PLC. That legal action is between EHGO and Iconic only, and does not involve Greencastle Capital, Mr David Sefton, Mr John Quinlan, Mr Liam Harrington or Mr Sam Assante as parties, nor any allegations that former directors of Iconic breached any of their duties to Iconic. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210202005931/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Ever-widening allegations of rape involving government ministers or staff members are being used to destabilise the already faction-wracked Liberal-National Coalition government. Very quickly, over the past two weeks, these accusations have been brought forward to throw a question mark over the future of Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his government, with corporate media outlets describing the resulting political crisis as an existential one for the government. Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison (AP/Kiyoshi Ota) Morrison, who has been in office for just two-and-a-half years, could become the latest in a string of prime ministers who have lost office since 2007, pointing to the underlying instability of the political establishment. By the start of last week, former Liberal Party ministerial staff member Brittany Higgins had been joined by three other women in making allegations against an unnamed former male colleague; three of sexual assault and one of sexual harassment. By the end of the week, the accusations had been extended to an alleged 1988 rape committed by an unnamed government cabinet minister against an anonymous woman who reportedly committed suicide last year. Today, after days of media speculation and pressure, Attorney-General and Workplace Relations Minister Christian Porter named himself as the accused minister. Porter declared his innocence of the allegations and refused to resign or stand aside, but said he would, with Morrisons support, take a period of leave to improve his mental health. That is unlikely to end the campaign against the government. If Porter were to quit the government or parliament, the government would lose its parliamentary majority, possibly triggering its fall. Last week, it lost its working majority on the floor of the House of Representatives when Craig Kelly, a vehement Donald Trump supporter, resigned from the Liberal Party. Morrison had unsuccessfully tried to bury the initial accusations by Higgins by announcing several investigations, including into workplace culture inside parliament house. One of the inquiries, being conducted by his own department chief, is deciding whether Morrison misled parliament in stating that he was not aware of the Higgins case until it was reported in the media. Liberal Party Senator Sarah Henderson also referred to the Australian Federal Police a complaint she said she had received about a historic sexual allegation relating to a Labor Party shadow minister. When assessing such sex scandals it is always essential to bear in mind that they have historically been utilised to execute political shifts. At the same time, basic legal and democratic principles, including the presumption of innocence and due process, have been ditched in a squalid media frenzy, without an ounce of political principle involved, let alone clear political differences. Many unanswered questions exist about the allegations and the forces arranging their release to the media. Untested accusations that have been known and circulating in political circles for some time are being published, creating a virtual trial by media. Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull asserts that he and his wife Lucy were sent the allegations in 2019. Labor Party foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong and Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, among others, received them last week through anonymous letters sent to their offices. There is a large measure of political diversion involved in this affair, which is occurring amid a mounting social and political crisis, intensified by the global COVID-19 pandemic. For days on end, the corporate media has been dominated by belated accusations of sexual assaults against young women, not the fact that on March 31 the government will throw more than a million workers into potential unemployment by ending its JobKeeper wage subsidy scheme, and cast another 1.6 million unemployed workers into dire poverty by scrapping the Coronavirus Supplement on JobSeeker dole payments. At the same time, the corporate elite is escalating its pressure on the government and the opposition Labor Party, which controls most state and territory governments, to end all pandemic restrictions and accelerate the cutting of the wages and conditions of the working class. The governments industrial relations bill, produced after months of closed-door talks with the employers and trade unions, has fallen far short of what big business has demanded to smash up workers conditions. And its COVID-19 vaccine program is becoming a debacle, with just 25,000 jabs in the first weekless than half the target. The government is failing to match its pledges to inoculate the population by October, and thus undermining its efforts to present vaccines as a silver bullet to fully reopen the economy for the sake of corporate profit. There is acute awareness in the ruling class that the discontent in the working class over the destruction of jobs and conditions, and rising social inequality, could erupt, as seen in the more than three-month fight by 350 Coles warehouse workers in Sydney against the companys lockout and its plans to close their facility at the cost of their jobs. The rape allegations have become one means by which Morrison and Labor leader Anthony Albanese, whose own position is precarious, are each being put on notice to more aggressively implement the corporate agenda or face removal. Todays Australian Financial Review editorial demanded that the minister stand up and reveal himself to put an end to the paralysis in Canberra. Notably also, Murdoch media outlets, which have previously supported Morrison, have been in the forefront of the campaign, alongside the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Turnbull, who was ousted in August 2018, allowing Morrison to seize the prime ministers post, has been particularly prominent. Yesterday, he demanded that the cabinet minister, identified today as Porter, out himself, and that Morrison stand him aside. He went further, insinuating that the alleged rape victim might not have committed suicide, and therefore could have been murdered. Whatever the motives of all the individuals involved in these allegations, Turnbulls high-profile intervention points to bitter conflicts engulfing the Coalition and the entire political establishment. Turnbull represents elements of the financial elite that exploit identity politics to present themselves as socially progressive, as against the more Trump-style right-wing populism of Morrison. Trump personally welcomed Morrisons installation as prime minister in 2018, and Morrison identified himself with Trump politically, to the point of refusing to condemn Trumps incitement of the fascist coup bid in Washington on January 6. Now there may be moves to replace Morrison with someone better able to work with the Biden administration as it intensifies the US confrontation with China, Australian capitalisms biggest export market. Certainly, the hand of Washington was seen in Turnbulls removal, as it was in the 2010 backroom Labor Party coup that ousted Kevin Rudd. Both Turnbull and Rudd were fully committed to the US military alliance but had expressed concerns about the prospect of a war against China. These tensions further demonstrate the underlying weakness and vulnerability of the Australian ruling class as the pandemic-accelerated global economic crisis worsens and the US-China conflict deepens. As it has throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Labor Party is continuing to prop up the Coalition government, offering it constructive support on every major frontfrom the formation of a bipartisan national cabinet to the October budget, which handed the corporations and the wealthy massive tax cuts, the cutting of JobSeeker unemployment payments back to $44 a day and the escalating demonisation of China. Albaneses response to the rape allegations has been to warn the government that unless Morrison stood down the accused minister, there would be very much a dark cloud over the parliament and over the cabinet. Whatever the immediate outcome of the crisis, its function, and the aim of all of the official parties, is to refashion the parliamentary set-up, so as to implement the austerity agenda and war plans of the ruling elite, and to suppress the mass discontent that is building up within the working class. Panaji, March 3 : The Bombay High Court in Goa on Wednesday granted transit bail to environmental activist Subham Kar Chaudhuri, who in his bail petition has claimed that he is being falsely implicated in the Greta Thunberg toolkit case, in which Bengaluru-based climate change activist Disha Ravi was recently arrested. In her order granting transit bail to Chaudhuri, Justice M.S. Jawalkar said that "reasons for apprehension of arrest is justified in the facts" presented by the applicant, while granting a period of 10 days to enable the latter to approach competent Courts for relief. Currently Goa-based Chaudhuri has expressed fear of arrest by the Delhi Police Special Cell in connection with the Toolkit case probe, in which two other persons Shantanu Muluk and Nikita Jacob are on the police radar. Chaudhuri in his bail application had said that he was in touch with Muluk and Jacob, both of whom have been booked for conspiracy and sedition in the Toolkit case, but their interaction had been in connection with another project altogether. "Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Muluk happen to be the members of the Extinction Rebellion India chapter, and his interaction with the said persons is strictly in capacity as liaison and in their capacity as volunteers in Extinction Rebellion -- which is completely unconnected with the offences that the hypothesis of the Delhi Police alleges. The petitioner reiterates that he has nothing whatsoever to do with the making of the alleged 'Toolkit'," his petition stated. Chaudhuri, 29, has been living in Goa for several months and has been campaigning for accreditation for Goa's unique estuarine land farming systems referred to as khazan farming with the UN. The world has experimented enough with both forms of governance, where the merits and demerits of both communism and democracy are clearly seen and understood. by N.S.Venkataraman The system and type of governance have been evolving steadily around the world over the last several centuries. In the beginning of history, it should have been a tribal leader, who could be violent and autocratic , controlling a group of people by force and intimidation, while keeping some well rewarded supporters helping the tribal leader to hold his leadership. In the next stage, sort of feudal leadership ( generally like zamindary system) have replaced most of the tribal leadership, controlling larger number of population. Then, the kings and queens ruled the regions, who constantly tried to expand their territory of governance by force or other means. The essence of all the above forms of governance were use of force, intimidation and suppression of individual rights and freedom. People were treated as soulless automaton Advent of democracy / communism Gradually , with the expansion of communication system and gradual spread of education, the rebellion movements started taking place slowly against the above type of dictatorship and monarchy rule and thus evolved the basic concept of democracy. Along with this concept of democracy, the concept of communism was also evolved , with communist philosophy eloquently developed and espoused by Karl Marx. His theme that workers of the world have nothing to lose except the chain caught the imagination of the suppressed and oppressed working class and many people thought that communist philosophy could provide the ultimate form of fair governance for the world. Communism vs democracy : Later on , it was war of words between the philosophy of communism where the protection of workers rights is the central theme and the philosophy of democracy, where the individual freedom and liberty is the central theme. Collapse of communism : The communist movement all over the world has now nearly collapsed for all practical purposes, with no country anymore claiming itself creditably to be having a communist form of governance . Now, China falsely claims that it has communist governance and one is not sure as to what Cuba claims now after the period of Fidel Castro, who claimed that he was leading a communist movement. Present Chinese leadership which claims itself to be a communist government and earlier the Soviet Union communist government have clearly proved that communist movement has not resulted in the envisaged leadership of working class but has only facilitated rule by a coterie of oppressive , ruthless and self centred leaders, who grab the power by clever strategies and perhaps, even by foul means. It appears that Karl Marxs expectation of governance by working class lie deeply buried. Democracy becoming chaotic : The recent US Presidential election with Trump battling against Biden and when hate speeches, unsubstantiated allegations were hurled against one another and the so called free media not being impartial and finally unruly and violent mob ransacking the Capitol Hill clearly and conclusively have shown that the system of democracy can not be the be all and end all of fair governance and certainly need changes and modifications. Search for new form of governance : Now, the world has experimented enough with both the forms of governance , where the merits and demerits of both communism and democracy are clearly seen and understood. The world is now realizing that with both communist and democratic systems failing to create a condition of absolutely fair governance, there is need for new form of governance , which could combine the plus aspects of both communism and democracy and shedding the minus aspects. Whether it is a utopian expectation or not, there is certainly a craving for such system of governance amongst the people at large. While kingdoms and military leadership still continue in some parts of the world, the question is how long this form of dictatorial governance would continue and whether they could sustain themselves in future ,facing the likely determined protest by people demanding liberty and personal freedom and expressing themselves strongly against oppressive practices. The immediate evidence of peoples reaction to the military leadership is the recent take over of governance by military in Myanmar and the spontaneous and sustained mass agitations against the military junta in Myanmar. The ongoing protest by mass of people in Hong Kong against the Chinese dictatorship form of governance is another evidence. Similar type of evidence against kingdoms, military leadership and totalitarian regimes are now being seen in one part of the world or other almost everyday , with mass protests by people. The consensus now appears to be that while amongst the various forms of governance, system of democracy is the better one, the growing feeling is that democratic form of governance also need considerable change in methodology and structure , even though the democracy assures liberty and freedom for individuals. Mob rule :- It appears that the movement for the process of change has already commenced , with mob rule happening to upset the existing systems even in democratic countries, where the standards of governance has become suspect due to widespread corruption , nepotism and attempts to entrench family rule under the guise of electoral democracy, where the undeserving people are able to get control over the governance . In the light of such conditions and increasing mob rule incidents taking place, demanding justice, freedom and personal liberty, many times the protest become violent and incidents of arson and shootings have been reported, even though the basic objective of the protest may be justifiable to some extent. Further, with the conditions of freedom without adequate check and control in democratic countries, vested interests also join in the protest with ulterior motives and cause unrest and public disturbance. This condition make discerning observers conclude that excessive freedom for people could be an undesirable scenario. Judiciary as a corrective force? : In such circumstances, some section of people seem to think that a strong and fair judiciary can correct the inadequacies of democracy. The ground reality is that the judiciary is becoming more powerful than the elected representatives of the people (politicians in democracies). This has become so, since with the politicians rapidly losing respect and credibility in the society and with the widespread feeling that they need to be controlled and disciplined, people tend to support the judiciary, viewing it as corrective force. The recent happening in Nepal where the judiciary has over ruled the decision of the Prime Minister to dissolve the parliament and President signing the document , is an indication how judiciary has become so powerful that even the democratically elected Prime Minister could be over ruled. Are judges infallible? While peoples expectations from the judiciary being what it is, the actual scenario is that the judges functioning in the judiciary are appointed by the politicians , whose credibility is suspect. Inevitably, some people have started thinking that judges may not remain without bias all the time and judgements could be motivated and flawed on occasions, since judges may feel indebted to politicians ,who facilitated their appointment. The criticism against the judiciary and the behavior of the judges is becoming too evident to be ignored anymore. Judges try to enforce their powers by demanding that judges should not be criticized and the judgements should be accepted in toto. This has made people, who thought that judiciary could be the corrective force in democracies to achieve fair governance , feel disappointed. The net result of this scenario is that the judiciary controlled democracies could also become a matter of disappointment in the coming days. Is absolutely fair governance possible at any time? Now, the genuine doubt is whether absolutely fair governance is possible at all in any country in the world at time. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) speaks during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on March 2, 2021. (Win McNamee/Getty Images) 17 House Judiciary Republicans Criticize Pelosis Pick to Lead Capitol Breach Review Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Tuesday, criticizing her selection of Russel Honore to lead the review of the Jan. 6 Capitol breach. The letter, signed by 17 GOP lawmakers, questions Honores impartiality given his disparaging statements about the U.S. Capitol Police and members of Congress. Honore is entitled to his personal opinions, but we are concerned that his selection will undermine the serious purpose of this review: to develop a fair and clear-eyed assessment of the systemic security and leadership failures concerning the events of January 6, the letter states. The Republicans pointed out in the letter that Honore has described members of the U.S. Capitol police as [expletive] hats for asking him to follow security protocols during a visit to the Capitol. This statement is troublesome as LTF Honore will undoubtedly examine some of these same security protocols during his review, the letter states. Pelosis office and Honores representative did not immediately respond to The Epoch Times requests for comment. The House Judiciary GOP letter points to other statements by Honore in which he accused the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP), without evidence, of aiding the rioters who broke into the Capitol. Honore said the rioters were able to gain access to the Capitol because 30-40 percent of the USCP officers are Trumpsters.' To call these remarks inflammatory is an understatement. These statements are deeply offensive and should be disqualifying for anyone to lead a serious and objective review of the Capitols security, the Republican letter states. Members of the National Guard are seen on the East Front of the U.S. Capitol Building on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 2, 2021. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images) Honore had also spoken disparagingly about several Republican lawmakers, the letter states. He showed his support for the detention of Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) and suggested that USCP officers put her [expletive] on the no-fly list. Honore wrote an expletive-laden tweet calling for Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) to be run out of D.C. and disbarred for raising an objection to the counting of electoral votes, according to the letter. The security of the Capitol requires a serious and objective examinationone in which all members and the American people can have confidence in the findings, the letter states. The Republicans concluded by asking Pelosi to share a list of candidates she considered for the position, an explanation of whether her office was aware of Honores inflammatory statements and whether she or her staff directed Honore to scrub his social media profiles of the derogatory messages. The 17 Republicans who signed the letter are: Rep. Matt Gaetz (Fla.), Rep. Jim Jordan (Ohio), Rep. Ken Buck (Colo.), Rep. Mike Johnson (La.), Rep. Darrell Issa (Calif.), Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Tom McClintock (Calif.), Louie Gohmert (Texas), Greg Steube (Fla.), Tom Tiffany (Wisc.), Chip Roy (Texas), Dan Bishop (N.C.), Michelle Fischbach (Minn.), Victoria Spartz (Ind.), Scott Fitzgerald (Wisc.), Cliff Bentz (Ore.) and Burgess Owens (Utah). plefevre/iStockBy CATHERINE THORBECKE, ABC News (NEW YORK) -- A Japanese billionaire is searching for eight members of the public to join him on a mission to orbit around the moon. Yusaku Maezawa, who made headlines in 2018 when he was unveiled as SpaceX's first private passenger to commission a trip around the moon, released a new video Tuesday to share updates on his pending mission. "Im inviting you to join me on this mission, eight of you from all around the world," Maezawa said in the video. He said the mission is now scheduled to take place in 2023 on a Starship spacecraft that is currently being developed by Elon Musk's private space-faring firm SpaceX. "I will pay for the entire journey," Maezawa said. "Ten to 12 of us will be on board, and I hope that together we can make it a fun trip." Maezawa initially said his plan was to bring artists from around the world into space with him, but said Tuesday that this plan has "evolved." "I began to wonder ... what do I mean by artists?" he said. "The more I though about it, the more ambiguous it became." "I began to think that maybe every single person who is doing something creative could be called an artist," he added. Now, Maezawa said the mission is open to anyone who has the goal of going into space "to help other people and greater society in some way." In addition, Maezawa said the crew members must be "willing and able to support other crew members who share similar aspirations." "If that sounds like you, please join me," he said. Musk also shared a message in the video, saying that the mission is significant because "it will be the first private spaceflight, first commercial spaceflight with humans beyond Earth orbit." He went on, "This has never occurred before and were going to go past the moon, so it will actually end up being further. This mission, we expect people will go further than any human has ever gone from planet Earth. Maezawa is also providing places on the ship for artists and others to join, so he wants this to be something that is exciting and inspiring for the whole world." Finally, Musk said he is "highly confident" that the Starship spacecraft will have reached orbit "many times" before 2023, and "that it will be safe enough for human transport by 2023." Those who want to join the mission can pre-register for the application process on the dearMoon missions website. Pre-registration must be submitted by March 14. Then there is a screening, assignment and interview process -- though further details for how the crew will be selected were not disclosed. The final interview round and medical checkup for the crew is expected to happen in late May 2021. Copyright 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Yang was ridiculed on Twitter after he posted that he was going to take the A train up to New York City's northernmost borough - despite the famed subway line ending before the Bronx. 'On the A train Bronx bound' Yang tweeted on Monday. New Yorkers were quick to point out his mistake and question his authenticity and knowledge of the city he hopes to lead as mayor. 'If you wanna get elected in New York, you'd better know how to speak New York. 'I'm goin up to the Bronx, switching to the D at 125th.' Nobody says 'Bronx bound'. This isn't a Pixar movie,' tweeted user CrazyJo. New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Yang tweeted on Monday that he was 'On the A train Bronx bound' Yang continued to tweet about his subway journey on the A Express train - but he would have had to change in order to reach The Bronx Twitter users were quick to seize on Yang's transportation faux pax Although the A line is the longest subway route in the city stretching from the beaches of Far Rockaway in Queens, it comes to a halt just before the Bronx, as several on Twitter were very quick to point out. 'Dude, There is no such thing as a Bronx bound A train. Can somebody please teach this man about this City before he does serious damage?' tweeted Kas Stolzman, a lawyer from New York. 'I'll be curious to hear what Mr. Yang learns about the Bronx after his A train ride,' tweeted former journalist Clyde Haberman. 'Whenever I took that train I lived as a boy at its northern terminus it never went to the Bronx. Still doesn't.' 'The A train doesn't go to the Bronx. Unless it's a magic train,' another tweeter joked. Yang seemed to be enjoying his subway ride and tweeted out his thoughts during a 66-block non-stop stretch without any stations. 'Love going express from 59th to 125th', he added. Some Twitter users were quick to generate memes of the mayoral candidate including this one showing Yang as The Joker as he walks down a flight of steps in The Bronx Twitter users were unforgiving when it came to the mayoral candidate's subway knowledge A campaign spokesman for Yang confirmed that the candidate switched trains to complete his journey but refused to comment on whether he knew the A train did not travel to the Bronx. Yang later issued a photo of himself eating beef patties with Democratic Bronx Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson as he toured the Highbridge and Concourse areas of the borough. Yang has lived in New York City for 25 years returning when he started law school at Columbia University, but he should probably be more familiar with the subway line given that he lives in Hell's Kitchen, a Manhattan neighborhood through which the A train runs. To get to the Bronx, Yang could would have had to switch to the B train, or D train at 125th or 145th Street which some people alluded to in tweets that sprung to Yang's defense. But there were also plenty of people who also sprung to Yang's defense 'As you can see, you can transfer from A train to other, to get to the Bronx...' wrote one. 'He said Bronx "BOUND", not to the Bronx; he has to transfer' clarified another. 'His words literally mean he is heading to the Bronx. I guess he could have written his exact route/transfer to make people feel better,' added one supporter. 'The A doesnt go to the Bronx!! Waaah he shouldnt run for mayor because of one letter! Man some New Yorkers are annoying AF,' wrote Danny in a posting on Twitter. For much of the coronavirus pandemic, Yang did not travel around the city on the subway and instead spent time at his second home in the small city of New Paltz, New York. Yang later issued a photo of himself eating beef patties with Democratic Bronx Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson Yang set out to see more of the borough as he runs in the New York mayoral primary in June Yang took time to speak with shop keepers and deli owners while in the borough The lawyer of a woman who accused a federal minister of rape has echoed calls for the politician to step down. Michael Bradley said now that police had closed their investigation 'it would be appropriate for the minister to step down' and for an 'inquiry to be held'. The comments aired on Sunrise on Wednesday come just hours before the senior federal cabinet minister is expected to publicly declare his innocence. The woman last year told police he allegedly raped her in a bathtub in Sydney's Kings Cross after a night of drinking and dancing in January 1988. She was was just 16-years-old at the time of the alleged incident. She took her own life just months after speaking to police. Michael Bradley (pictured), the lawyer of the woman who accused a federal minister of rape, said it would be 'appropriate' for him to resign while an inquiry is held Mr Bradley, later appearing on the Today show, said he hopes the minister 'will directly address the allegation' and that someone from the government will 'acknowledge the humanity of my client, which has sadly been absent so far'. While he acknowledged that the politician should have the legal presumption of innocence, he said the issue was whether he should resign while the matter is further investigated. 'The question here is we have a cabinet minister with a very serious allegation against him and the issue is whether he can continue in his role,' he said. 'I think it would be very difficult for him to continue with this hanging over his head. 'But that's a question for him primarily and if he decides he wishes to continue, then it's a question for the prime minister, whether he is OK with a cabinet minister remaining in cabinet in these circumstances.' Mr Bradley said it was important the public keep his client in mind throughout the political controversy. 'She was a person with a very tragic story and I would hope that everyone can keep centred the fact that there was a human at the bottom of all this and respect that,' he said. 'It is a deeply sensitive issue.' Commentator Jessica Irvine slammed the former Labor leader in an extraordinary outburst on the Today Show on Wednesday morning The rape allegation: A timeline 1988: Rape allegedly happens at event in Sydney when woman is 16 Late 2019: Woman engages lawyers and prepares a statement February 2020: Woman reports allegations to NSW Police March 2020: Police postpone trip to visit her due to Covid-19 June 2020: Woman dies by suicide February 24, 2021: Anonymous letter is sent to PM detailing allegations March 1, 2021: PM says minister completely rejects the allegations Advertisement Commentator Jessica Irvine got into a heated debate with Senator Matt Canavan on the Today show on Wednesday, arguing no minister who has been accused of sexual misconduct should be allowed to keep their job. She called for former Labor leader Bill Shorten to be kicked out of parliament over historical claims of sexual assault. Mr Shorten has previously denied rape allegations dating back to the 1980s after Victoria Police closed an investigation into him in 2014. The woman made the allegations in 2013, claiming Mr Shorten had raped her at a Young Labor camp near Geelong in 1986. 'This makes me really angry that we are going to give a national platform to a man who's been accused of rape,' Ms Irvine said. 'As an Australian woman, I find it sickening that this woman can't speak for herself, she's taken her life. 'And today we're going to hear from a man in an incredible position of power who's going to be able to plead his case and illicit sympathy for his situation.' 'We need to guard against members of parliament conducting themselves in ways that are inappropriate.' When asked by Senator Matt Canavan if Mr Shorten should remain in his job, Ms Irvin responded: 'no, I would say no' Senator Canavan accused Ms Irvine of assuming the minister, whose identity will be revealed today, is guilty. When asked by Senator Canavan if Mr Shorten should remain in his job, Ms Irvine responded: 'no... I would say no'. 'We need to change the standard of behaviour [of politicians],' she said. 'We do not want people who have been accused of such things [being allowed to stay in parliament].' While Senator Canavan accused the journalist of assuming the politician is guilty, Ms Irvine argued that no MP on either side of politics is that 'good enough at their jobs that they're irreplaceable'. 'I want the prime minister to take a stronger stance on this,' she said. Bill Shorten has previously denial rape allegations dating back to the 1980s after Victoria Police closed an investigation into him in 2014 Scott Morrison has been under pressure to out the minister, stand him down, and launch an inquiry since detailed allegations were sent to his office. He said the politician told him the allegation was not true, but the minister has now agreed to make a statement on Wednesday. Police on Tuesday closed the investigation as it had insufficient admissible evidence to proceed after the woman's suicide last June. The minister was hoping to keep the matter a private one for police to deal with but rumours have circled in Canberra and on social media over the past week. He is expected to unequivocally deny the allegations and refuse to stand aside or quit parliament, and Mr Morrison and the government to stand behind him. A woman who accused a minister of raping her in 1988 claimed the assault happened in a bathtub after a night of drinking in Sydney's Kings Cross (pictured in a 1980s file image) Such a self-outing would be similar to former Labor opposition leader Bill Shorten's denial of sexual assault allegations in August 2014 after Victoria Police closed a historical investigation into him. 'I will not go into details, except to say the allegation was untrue and abhorrent,' he said at the time.' The statement was intended to draw a line under the matter and Wednesday's is expected to attempt to do the same. Further pressure to come forward also came from former PM Malcolm Turnbull who insisted on TV the minister go public because 'everyone knows' who he is. 'The matter is now closed': NSW Police statement In November 2019, a woman then aged 48, attended an Adelaide (South Australia) police station seeking advice about reporting historical sexual offences, which allegedly occurred in 1988 in Sydney (New South Wales). The matter was then referred to the NSW Police Force and an investigation by the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad commenced under Strike Force Wyndarra. NSW Police Force has been the lead agency in respect to this investigation since February 2020. For various reasons, the woman did not detail her allegations in a formal statement to NSW Police. The woman passed away in June 2020. Following the woman's death, NSW Police came into possession of a personal document purportedly made by the woman previously. NSW Police have since sought legal advice in relation to these matters. Based on information provided to NSW Police, there is insufficient admissible evidence to proceed. As such, NSW Police Force has determined the matter is now closed. Advertisement The minister is said to have taken advice on defamation after Mr Turnbull's comments along with thousands of others on social media and blogs. Crossbench MPs also piled on, some demanding an independent inquiry that Mr Morrison has so far resisted. There were even fears an MP could use parliamentary privilege to out him with impunity when both houses sit again on March 15. Tasmanian Senator Jacquie Lambie claimed he should 'suck it up' and make a statement because 'every man and his dog knows, so he's only digging his hole deeper'. 'If he has nothing to hide then come out and face the music,' she 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. This year our dine and drink business locations throughout the Gorge have suffered with closures. You can help support your favorites by purchasing take out and gift cards. Many of these business will offer curb-side delivery and some will deliver to your home. Lets keep the Gorge going strong! [March 03, 2021] SPYR Technologies and Subsidiary, Applied MagiX, Discuss Roadmap to Capture Apple HomeKit Market Share NEW YORK, NY, March 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SPYR Technologies (OTC Pink: SPYR) and its wholly owned subsidiary, Applied MagiX, are meticulously following a roadmap they created for themselves to compete in the Apple HomeKit space. Last quarter, SPYR acquired Applied MagiX, a registered Apple developer, and reseller of Apple ecosystem compatible products, to join the growing multi-billion-dollar smart home market, a market expected by forecasters to balloon into the $100s of billions of dollars over the next 4 to 6 years. When asked what sold him on acquiring Applied MagiX, SPYRs Chief Executive Officer (CEO), James R. Thompson, said the company made the acquisition after a great deal of due diligence on the companys future plans and the man at the helm of Applied MagiX, Dr. Harald Zink, its CEO and Founder. In short, it was Dr. Zinks experience and vision for Applied MagiX. He has product development, engineering, and marketing experience, and he brings his wealth of experience and relationships with him, which he intends to make the most of to assist SPYR in its endeavor. Thompson pointed to Dr. Zinks long history with Apple products dating back to 1989 with his work on a real-time video digitizer card (Vision Plus Enhanced) for the Apple IIGS, and his relationships with Apple executives, which resulted in long-time collaborations with various manufacturers and developers, as well as Apple directly, over the past 25 years as reasons that Dr. Zink and his company, Applied MagiX, are ideal to help SPYR vie for its share of the smart home market. So, with Dr. Zink and Applied MagiX now under the SPYR umbrella, what is the near and long-term plan to begin growing SPYRs footprint in this market? According to both Jim Thompson and Dr. Zink, the companies have developed a multi-pronged approach to building, evolving, and growing Applied MagiX. We planned and budgeted for an initial period of establishing the basic infrastructure, performing competition research, conducting product research and sourcing. Acquiring our developer license, the Apple MFi license (Made for iPhone, iPad, etc.), and establishing a presence in Hong Kong to facilitate our work with our development and production partners in China were all part of that. The initial basic roadmap will see Applied MagiX sourcing various accessory and convenience products that will fall under the companys newly named, Truly Convenient sub-brand, including HomeKit products, to offer the public through the companys online store. While discussing the products that the company will be sourcing, Dr. Zink said, These products will be vetted as the sort of products we want to use ourselves. These products will be USB chargers, automobile USB chargers, lightning, and USB-C cables, and will be part of our proprietary Truly Convenient sub-brand that we created specifically for this purpose. We are also aiming to provide some Apple CarPlay devices, which will be geared towards improving the smart interfaces in modern cars. This initial product rollout will generate revenue for the company, establish distribution channels, and test the companys online store, which is part of this buildout phase that will see a reorganization of the companys website to include an online shopping experience, a more comprehensive and active blog, along with a support and discussion forum for its customers and fellow Apple-product enthusiasts. Dr. Zink, continuing to lay out the roadmap, said, Our second phase involves releasing proprietary products under our own brand. Product development timelines push these products out to roughly 6 months after initial development begins, so these products should start to emerge this Fall. What I can say about our proprietary product line is that those products will be, almost exclusively, HomeKit-geared products. Our product line will be composed of items that we know are in demand, as well as those that provide conveniences. So, our roduct line will provide cameras that support HomeKit Secure Video, security devices to allow monitoring your home and alerting you to intrusions, as well as associated accessories for existing popular Smart Home products. It should be clear that Applied MagiX focuses on the Smart Home market, but specifically as it relates to Apple consumers (HomeKit users), which covers a wide range of smart devices that can connect to HomeKit. Users have lots of options, including door locks, lights, power plugs, cameras, thermostats, motion sensors, window shades, you name it, and the Home app on your Apple internet-connected devices can handle all of it in one place. Dr. Zink says that the company focuses on the Apple HomeKit consumer market simply because most of the other market players are in a sandbox that is hopelessly overpopulated with mostly sub-par products that offer little to no profit margin, and its not a market that Applied MagiX is interested in. The Apple HomeKit consumer market offers great opportunities, not only because it is a market that appreciates premium products, but also because this market segment is still underserved. We see several items lacking in that market, which we hope to be able to serve. This leads to our product goalsdeveloping Applied MagiX-branded products that dont just fit the HomeKit space, but that provide a unique edge through unique features. While we are not interested in competing in the low-price space, we expect to offer some products that aim to provide a premium experience at a competitive price. Thus, instead of competing on lowest prices, wed rather provide additional features, abilities or performance with our products. SPYR wont stop at just the Apple HomeKit market either. The acquisition of Applied MagiX was merely the companys first shot across the bow into the technology sector. And SPYRs CEO says that his company has its eye to the future and on other technologies as well. Another area of the technology industry that is experiencing rapid growth has products for the home that have an AI or artificial intelligence component to them, as well as real-time locating systems (RTLS) for tracking personnel and assets, and wearable emergency alert systems, utilizing active Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology in commercial applications. While we lay the foundation for Applied MagiX and its initial sales, we are also exploring opportunities to bring in such products under the SPYR Technologies umbrella. Read SPYR Technologies press releases which outline its productive Q4 2020, its acquisition of Applied MagiX, the plan to move the company forward in 2021 and beyond, and the funding commitments the company has secured at https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/stocks/spyr/press-releases About SPYR Technologies SPYR Technologies is a technology company that, through its subsidiary, Applied MagiX Inc., develops and resells Apple ecosystem compatible products with an emphasis on the growing multi-billion-dollar smart home market. SPYR continues to identify and target acquisitions that will grow its footprint in the industry and expand the products it offers consumers, including companies developing artificial intelligence and smart-technology products. About Stock Market Media Group Stock Market Media Group is a news & media content development IR firm offering a platform for corporate stories to unfold in the media with press releases, feature news articles, corporate videos, radio-style CEO interviews, and research reports. This article was written based on publicly available information. Stock Market Media Group may, from time to time, include our own opinions about the companies, their business, markets, and opportunities in our articles. Any opinions we may offer about any of the companies we write about are solely our own and are made in reliance upon our rights under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and are provided solely for the general opinionated discussion of our readers. Our opinions should not be considered to be complete, precise, accurate, or current investment advice, or construed or interpreted as research. Any investment decisions you may make concerning any of the securities we write about are solely your responsibility based on your own due diligence. Our publications are provided only as an informational aid, and as a starting point for doing additional independent research. We encourage you to invest carefully and read the investor information available at the website of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov , where you can also find all of SPYR Technologies filings and disclosures. We also recommend, as a general rule, that before investing in any securities, you consult with a professional financial planner or advisor, and you should conduct a complete and independent investigation before investing in any security after prudent consideration of all pertinent risks. We are not a registered broker, dealer, analyst, or advisor. We hold no investment licenses and may not sell, offer to sell, or offer to buy any security. 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Our rights to sell any of this Restricted Common Stock are subject to prior compliance with all U.S. Securities Laws, including but not limited to Rule 144. Further, our sale of any of the Restricted Common Stock is subject to a volume restriction providing that we may only sell 5,000 shares daily for every 250,000 shares of daily trading volume. All shares have been held for the requisite period under Rule 144 and were eligible to be sold immediately upon reaching the requisite holding period without further notice. Stock Market Media Group and its management never accept compensation in free-trading shares for its marketing services of the company being profiled, however third parties that have compensated Stock Market Media Group may hold free-trading shares of the company being profiled and could very well be selling shares of the companys stock at the same time the content is being disseminated to potential investors; this should be viewed as a definite conflict of interest and as such, the reader should take this into consideration. For more information: www.stockmarketmediagroup.com . Contact: Stock Market Media Group info@stockmarketmediagroup.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The Guardian The potential consequences of the origins of the virus are shattering if they can be proved My own complacency on the matter was dynamited by the lab-leak essay that ran in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists earlier this month. Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters There was a time when the Covid pandemic seemed to confirm so many of our assumptions. It cast down the people we regarded as villains. It raised up those we thought were heroes. It prospered people who could shift easily to working from home even as it problematized the lives of those Trump voters living in the old economy. Like all plagues, Covid often felt like the hand of God on earth, scourging the people for their sins against higher learning and visibly sorting the righteous from the unmasked wicked. Respect science, admonished our yard signs. And lo!, Covid came and forced us to do so, elevating our scientists to the highest seats of social authority, from where they banned assembly, commerce, and all the rest. We cast blame so innocently in those days. We scolded at will. We knew who was right and we shook our heads to behold those in the wrong playing in their swimming pools and on the beach. It made perfect sense to us that Donald Trump, a politician we despised, could not grasp the situation, that he suggested people inject bleach, and that he was personally responsible for more than one super-spreading event. Reality itself punished leaders like him who refused to bow to expertise. The prestige news media even figured out a way to blame the worst death tolls on a system of organized ignorance they called populism. In reaction to the fool Trump, liberalism made a cult out of the hierarchy of credentialed achievement in general But these days the consensus doesnt consense quite as well as it used to. Now the media is filled with disturbing stories suggesting that Covid might have come not from populism at all, but from a laboratory screw-up in Wuhan, China. You can feel the moral convulsions beginning as the question sets in: What if science itself is in some way culpable for all this? * I am no expert on epidemics. Like everyone else I know, I spent the pandemic doing as I was told. A few months ago I even tried to talk a Fox News viewer out of believing in the lab-leak theory of Covids origins. The reason I did that is because the newspapers I read and the TV shows I watched had assured me on many occasions that the lab-leak theory wasnt true, that it was a racist conspiracy theory, that only deluded Trumpists believed it, that it got infinite pants-on-fire ratings from the fact-checkers, and because (despite all my cynicism) I am the sort who has always trusted the mainstream news media. My own complacency on the matter was dynamited by the lab-leak essay that ran in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists earlier this month; a few weeks later everyone from Doctor Fauci to President Biden is acknowledging that the lab-accident hypothesis might have some merit. We dont know the real answer yet, and we probably will never know, but this is the moment to anticipate what such a finding might ultimately mean. What if this crazy story turns out to be true? The answer is that this is the kind of thing that could obliterate the faith of millions. The last global disaster, the financial crisis of 2008, smashed peoples trust in the institutions of capitalism, in the myths of free trade and the New Economy, and eventually in the elites who ran both American political parties. In the years since (and for complicated reasons), liberal leaders have labored to remake themselves into defenders of professional rectitude and established legitimacy in nearly every field. In reaction to the fool Trump, liberalism made a sort of cult out of science, expertise, the university system, executive-branch norms, the intelligence community, the State Department, NGOs, the legacy news media, and the hierarchy of credentialed achievement in general. Now here we are in the waning days of Disastrous Global Crisis #2. Covid is of course worse by many orders of magnitude than the mortgage meltdown it has killed millions and ruined lives and disrupted the world economy far more extensively. Should it turn out that scientists and experts and NGOs, etc. are villains rather than heroes of this story, we may very well see the expert-worshiping values of modern liberalism go up in a fireball of public anger. Consider the details of the story as we have learned them in the last few weeks: Lab leaks happen. They arent the result of conspiracies: a lab accident is an accident, as Nathan Robinson points out; they happen all the time, in this country and in others, and people die from them. There is evidence that the lab in question, which studies bat coronaviruses, may have been conducting what is called gain of function research, a dangerous innovation in which diseases are deliberately made more virulent. By the way, right-wingers didnt dream up gain of function: all the cool virologists have been doing it (in this country and in others) even as the squares have been warning against it for years. There are strong hints that some of the bat-virus research at the Wuhan lab was funded in part by the American national-medical establishment which is to say, the lab-leak hypothesis doesnt implicate China alone. There seem to have been astonishing conflicts of interest among the people assigned to get to the bottom of it all, and (as we know from Enron and the housing bubble) conflicts of interest are always what trip up the well-credentialed professionals whom liberals insist we must all heed, honor, and obey. The news media, in its zealous policing of the boundaries of the permissible, insisted that Russiagate was ever so true but that the lab-leak hypothesis was false false false, and woe unto anyone who dared disagree. Reporters gulped down whatever line was most flattering to the experts they were quoting and then insisted that it was 100% right and absolutely incontrovertible that anything else was only unhinged Trumpist folly, that democracy dies when unbelievers get to speak, and so on. The social media monopolies actually censored posts about the lab-leak hypothesis. Of course they did! Because were at war with misinformation, you know, and people need to be brought back to the true and correct faith as agreed upon by experts. * Let us pray, now, for science, intoned a New York Times columnist back at the beginning of the Covid pandemic. The title of his article laid down the foundational faith of Trump-era liberalism: Coronavirus is What You Get When You Ignore Science. Ten months later, at the end of a scary article about the history of gain of function research and its possible role in the still ongoing Covid pandemic, Nicholson Baker wrote as follows: This may be the great scientific meta-experiment of the 21st century. Could a world full of scientists do all kinds of reckless recombinant things with viral diseases for many years and successfully avoid a serious outbreak? The hypothesis was that, yes, it was doable. The risk was worth taking. There would be no pandemic. Except there was. If it does indeed turn out that the lab-leak hypothesis is the right explanation for how it began that the common people of the world have been forced into a real-life lab experiment, at tremendous cost there is a moral earthquake on the way. Because if the hypothesis is right, it will soon start to dawn on people that our mistake was not insufficient reverence for scientists, or inadequate respect for expertise, or not enough censorship on Facebook. It was a failure to think critically about all of the above, to understand that there is no such thing as absolute expertise. Think of all the disasters of recent years: economic neoliberalism, destructive trade policies, the Iraq War, the housing bubble, banks that are too big to fail, mortgage-backed securities, the Hillary Clinton campaign of 2016 all of these disasters brought to you by the total, self-assured unanimity of the highly educated people who are supposed to know what theyre doing, plus the total complacency of the highly educated people who are supposed to be supervising them. Then again, maybe I am wrong to roll out all this speculation. Maybe the lab-leak hypothesis will be convincingly disproven. I certainly hope it is. But even if it inches closer to being confirmed, we can guess what the next turn of the narrative will be. It was a perfect storm, the experts will say. Who coulda known? And besides (they will say), the origins of the pandemic dont matter any more. Go back to sleep. Thomas Frank is a Guardian US columnist. He is the author, most recently, of The People, No: A Brief History of Anti-Populism Sorry, no valid subscriptions were found for this Publication. Please select from an option below to start a subscription. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 24 Hour Access Follow the live report of the Chancellor's statement on plans to support the economy out of the pandemic The long-awaited Budget has finally been unveiled, with the UK spending to rise to a total of 352bn over this year and next. The economy is now seen returning to its 2019 level by mid-2022 rather than the end of 2022, though the OBR lowered its growth forecast for 2021 to 4% from 5.5% this year. Public borrowing is estimated to be significantly less than previously expected, at 355bn or 17% of GDP this fiscal year, dropping to 234bn or 10% of GDP over the next. The winners so far have been banks, housebuilders, retailers and the hospitality sector. However, larger companies will be charged with a 25% corporation tax on profits starting in 2023, raising 16bn and 17bn respectively in the following two years. Firms looking to invest will enjoy a super deduction, which could see them get back 130% on any money spent. 3.35pm: Banks, green stocks stand out as winners Banks stood out as winners following the announcement, with ( ) up 4% at 168.18p; PLC ( ) rising 3% to 39.93p and PLC ( ) adding 1% to 188.35p. A stronger near-term economic outlook than previously expected bodes well for the sector, commented Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell. Aside from the sectors that will benefit from short-term reforms housebuilders, hospitality and leisure companies green stocks got a boost that may bode well for the longer term. The government has confirmed of the first ever UK Infrastructure Bank based in Leeds to drive a Green Industrial Revolution and support public and private projects. It will have an initial capitalisation of 12bn supporting an estimated 40bn of infrastructure projects such as offshore wind. The Treasury also unveiled a new retail savings product to give all UK savers the chance to support green projects, following the launch of the sovereign green bond. The stock market reaction was fairly muted, with Assets ( ) and Greencoat UK Wind ( ) rising 1% to 114.8p and 130.15p respectively. 3pm: Stock markets react coolly as Sunak keeps spending Following the announcement, FTSE 100 pared early morning gains and was up only 20 points to 6,634, while sterling was flat at US$1.3959. Hospitality, housebuilders, retail and airlines got a boost from the reforms announced. ( ) jumped 9% to 113.97p and J D Wetherspoon PLC ( ) advanced 7% to 1,327.5p, while SA ( ) and ( ) were up 6% to 214.95p and 3,599p respectively. Meanwhile, Tony Danker, director general of the CBI, said that hiking the corporation tax to 25% in one leap sends a worrying signal to those planning to invest in the UK. The government must now have a laser-like focus on the UKs competitive position in the round, including fundamental reform of the unfair business rates system, he said. ING Economics said that the measures to protect jobs should help minimise the rise in unemployment to 6-6.5%, though inevitably some workers and firms will slip through the cracks meaning a full economic recovery will take time. The fact that the Treasury has opted against ending the scheme in June when social distancing restrictions are set to end, suggests they are keen to avoid a repeat of last autumn, where firms started making redundancies in advance of the original furlough expiry date, they commented. 1.35pm: Wrapping up Rishi Sunak has concluded his statement and Keir Starmer is now addressing the Commons. The Labour leader said that the UK needed a budget to fix the foundations of the economy but instead it got a budget that papered over the cracks, with little attention for social care. A press conference will follow thereafter. 1.20pm: Focus on green projects The government is establishing its first-ever green bank with initial capitalisation of 12bn supporting an estimated 40bn of infrastructure projects, with a focus on offshore wind. The Treasury also unveiled a new retail savings product to give all UK savers the chance to support green projects, following the launch of the sovereign green bond. Meanwhile, small and medium-sized businesses will be able to get management training through a new set of UK-wide Help to Grow schemes. Small businesses will receive free training for the transition to online operations as well as discounts on software. To support scientific development, Sunak allocated an extra 1.6bn for the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and future preparedness alongside new visa reforms to attract high-skilled migrants. The pension industry will be given more flexibility to invest in growth projects and to encourage more companies to list in London. Sunak also revealed the establishment of freeports, which are special economic zones with rules to make it easier and cheaper to invest. They benefit from measures such as infrastructure funds to improve transport and tax breaks to encourage activity. It will be a UK-wide policy but Sunak has listed eight locations in England on Wednesdays announcement. They are intended to boost the economy and employment of former industrial hubs. 1.15pm: Only 10% of companies expected to get 25% corporation tax hike The Chancellor announced two measures in terms of fiscal decisions to ask for help from those who can afford it. The personal threshold for taxes will be frozen until 2026, while the VAT registration threshold will remain at 85,000 until 2024. The second step will see a 25% increase in corporation tax, which Sunak said will still keep the lowest rate among G7 countries. It will not take effect until 2023, when the economy is expected to have recovered. It will only be charged on profits so companies that are struggling should not be affected. Small businesses making profits of 50,000 or less will be charged at the lowest rate of 19%. Only businesses with profits of 250mln will be taxed at the full rate, so only 10% of companies will pay the highest tax. Tax treatment on losses will also be more generous to help with cash flow. Companies will be able to claim additional refunds of up to 760,000. Firms that invest can reduce the tax bill by 130% with a super reduction which is expected to boost investment by 10% to 20bn per year. The planned increases in duties of spirits like scotch whiskey wine cider will all be cancelled to help the hospitality industry, while all alcohol duties will be frozen. The fuel duty is also cancelled, Sunak announced. 1pm: Sunak announces grants, loans and VAT cuts for businesses Direct cash grants are coming to an end this month, but a restart grant will be introduced in April while individual businesses will be able to apply to new loans. The Treasury has allocated 5bn in new grants for non-essential retailers and the personal care sector, while the arts, culture and sporting sectors will receive 700mln in grants. Business rates holiday will remain in place until the end of June and then it will be discounted by up to two-thirds based on each companys economic situation, for a 6bn tax cut for businesses. In the hospitality sector, the 5% VAT will remain until September 30, rising to 12.5% for another six months and returning to the 20% standard rate from April 2022. Looking at the housing sector, the stamp duty holiday has been extended until June 30, then the cap will remain 250,000 until September, returning to 125,000 from October onwards. Sunak also unveiled a new policy with government-backed 95% mortgages being offered from this month to support first-home buyers. Todays announcement amounts to an extra 75bn measures implemented this year and next, so the total COVID-19 support package is 362bn, for a total of 407bn fiscal help from the government throughout the pandemic. 12.45pm: Businesses to contribute to furlough scheme from July to September Sunak said that recovery has been swifter and more sustained than expected in November. Economy is forecast to return to pre-covid levels by mid-2022, six months earlier than expected. However, it will be 3% smaller than it would have been in five years time. OBR forecast growth of 4% this year and also said that government interventions to protect jobs have worked. Furlough scheme to be extended until the end of September with no change of terms for employees. Businesses will be asked for a 10% contribution in July, rising to 20% in August and September. Self-employed people will receive grants measured on how much their turnover has fallen. Newly self-employed will also qualify. The 20-week support for low-income households will continue for another six months and the minimum wage threshold will also be raised. 12.35pm: Rishi Sunak begins the announcement The Chancellor has begun his announcement in the House of Commons. He said the government will do "whatever it takes" to support the country. 11.50am: Furlough to be extended until September It is understood that Rishi Sunak will extend the furlough scheme until the end of September, way beyond the end of all lockdown measures earmarked for June 21. It is a surprising move as recent media reports suggested June would be the end of the scheme, where the government covers 80% of staff salaries to avoid redundancies. The Chancellor is expected to allocate 10bn for the renewed furlough scheme, as part of measures worth at least 30bn designed to protect jobs. An extra 600,000 newly self-employed workers will also become eligible to receive financial support. Hospitality, travel and leisure names, which have relied heavily on such schemes to keep people into work, were among the FTSE 350 risers on Wednesday late morning. ( ) jumped 8% to 112.42p, while SA ( ), ( ) and J D Wetherspoon PLC ( ) were up 5% to 213p, 3,576p and 1,302p respectively. 10.30am: Rishi Sunak to start speaking at 12.30pm Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to deliver the Budget 2021 nearly a year after Britain entered lockdown. It is one of the most hotly anticipated ever as people across the country need support to make it through the pandemic. Sunak will begin his announcement in the House of Commons after Prime Ministers Questions, at around 12.30pm. The statement will be followed by a Downing Street press conference, while Sunak will be interviewed at The Martin Lewis Money Show Live on Thursday. The Treasury is expected to unveil measures that should be welcomed across the board, including a 15bn support package to extend the furlough scheme and Self-Employment Income Support scheme. There will be sector-specific measures such as VAT cuts and business rates holidays for hospitality players, while housebuilders will be boosted by initiatives to support first-home buyers, such as a more generous Help to Buy scheme. Corporation tax is earmarked to be raised from 19p in the pound to 25p over the course of the parliament while the worlds first sovereign green savings bond will be established. YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Officers of the Anti-Contraband Department of the State Revenue Committee discovered 365kg of heroin during customs control of a cargo stored at a Yerevan customs depot with authorities describing the seizure as unprecedented in the entire region. The 33 boxes containing heroin with a street price of nearly 45,000,000 dollars were hidden in a 18600kg cargo declared as bakers yeast. The cargo was meant to be transported from Iran, through Armenia into Western Europe, the State Revenue Committee said. Police and National Security Service officers were also involved in the intelligence work. The criminal scheme was discovered as a result of large-scale and comprehensive analytical work and complex tactical-intelligence actions, the agency said, noting that the K9 units played an important role as well. 6 suspects are under arrest. Authorities said they all hold different citizenships. Authorities said they are investigating to reveal any other possible accomplices of the syndicate. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! Mumbai, March 3 : Actress Kajol on Wednesday shared her cute love story with coffee. "Once upon a time there lived a girl. She loved coffee... and they lived happily ever after. The end," she wrote on Instagram story. Kajol keeps inspiring her fans and followers with motivational words on Instagram. In another story posted recently, the actress wrote: "Strong people break too, they just keep quiet, rebuild and keep going." On Tuesday, Kajol took to social media to celebrate one year of the release date of her short film Devi. Kajol was last seen in the recently-released OTT film, Tribhanga. The Renuka Shahane directorial also features Tanvi Azmi and Mithila Palkar. Highlights OnePlus 9 Pro will feature a 120Hz LTPO panel. It will be powered by Snapdragon 888. It will get Hasselblad cameras too. OnePlus 9 series is likely to launch later this month, and the company will be having high hopes from the upcoming flagship range. Last year, the OnePlus 8 Pro was very well received by consumers all over the world. It was a true flagship that could go neck to neck with flagship devices like the Samsung Galaxy S20, Pixel 5, iPhone 12, Mi 10 and more. OnePlus barely made any compromises with its flagship last, which resulted in a powerful and reliable smartphone. That being said, it's 2021, and the focus has completely shifted towards the upcoming OnePlus flagship dubbed as OnePlus 9 Pro. The device has already been subjected to a plethora of leaks ahead of the launch. We previously did a rumour roundup on the OnePlus 9 Pro, and here are we putting down another article to keep you updated with everything fresh bubbling up. OnePlus 9 Pro specs and features --OnePlus continues the practice of naming its device with a food name. For instance, OnePlus 8 was known as "instantnoodle," while the 8T was dubbed "kebab." Moreover, the OnePlus 9 series is codenamed "lemonade", as reported in our previous articles. --The OnePlus 9 Pro is codenamed "lemonadep" and bears model number LE2120. --The upcoming OnePlus flagship, i.e. OnePlus 9 Pro, has been subjected to a plethora of leaks helping us with the ins and outs of this device. The leaks and reports are also hinting towards a mid-March launch which is a month earlier than the debut of the previous OnePlus 8 series. OnePlus 9 series teased poster --Now we are seeing an official confirmation from OnePlus.The device maker teased a poster that details a big announcement on March 8. Moreover, the OnePlus 9 series has also been teased on Amazon's website, which confirms the launch date's announcement on March 8. Phoro credit - Dave Lee, OnePlus 9 Pro leaked image We know how the upcoming OnePlus 9 Pro would look like through various pictures and renders surfaced online. Back in November, a popular tipster, Onleaks, released a few design renders of the OnePlus 9 Pro. In addition to that, Dave Lee also released a video helping us with the first look at the device. --The images showcases a grey smartphone with a curved display on the front and a punch-hole Camera on the front. Whereas on the rear, it can be seen housing a rectangular camera module with a quad-camera setup, a laser autofocus sensor and a flash. Interestingly the module gets a Hasselblad branding on the module itself, which hints towards the OnePlus Hasselblad partnership. OnePlus 9 Pro scalable resolution and refresh rate --Several leaks have confirmed that the OnePlus 9 Pro will ship with a 6.78-inch QHD+ AMOLED panel with a screen resolution of QHD+ (3120x1440 pixels) resolution and a 120Hz high refresh rate. We also know that the screen resolution and refresh rate are scalable from the leaked pictures, meaning you can change it anytime according to your liking. --But that's not it, a credible tipster claimed that the device would get an LTPO display. For starters, Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Oxid, or LTPO, is an OLED display backplane technology developed by Apple. LTPO combines both LTPS TFTs and Oxide TFTs (IGZO, Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide). LTPO is applicable for both OLED and LCD displays, but this is only meant to be used in high-end devices for now. --This display tech been previously used on Apple Watches and smartphones like Note 20 Ultra and S21 Ultra. It is likely to make it to the upcoming iPhone 13 lineup too. Photo Credit- Techmaniacs.gr, OnePlus 9 Pro leaked specs --We already knew about the specs of the OnePlus 9 Pro from the previous leaks. Now a fresh leak has appeared to help us with the key specs of this device. This comes from a Greek blog that published a few screenshots of the About section and camera app of the upcoming OnePlus 9 Pro. --The screenshots reveal that the device will be powered by Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon 888 SoC paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of non-expandable storage. Photo Credit - Dave Lee, OnePlus 9 Pro HasselBlad cameras --In terms of the optics, the OnePlus 9 Pro is getting a decent upgrade. The upcoming flagship will feature a quad rear camera setup, including a 48-megapixel primary shooter, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide sensor, an 8-megapixel macro sensor, and finally, a 2-megapixel depth sensor. On the front, the device will get a 16-megapixel sensor for selfies. --Apart from the camera hardware, the device may also see some improvement in the camera software. Some of the notable camera features include tilt-shift mode, moon mode, hyper-lapse, focus peeking and more. --Finally, the OnePlus 9 Pro will ship with Oxygen OS 11 with Android 11 on top. The device will have support for 5G, WiFi 6E/6, GPS, NFC, and more in terms of connectivity. Not to miss OnePlus 9 Pro is expected to ship with a 4500mAh battery with support for 65W wired and 45W wireless fast charging. OnePlus 9 Pro India lauch OnePlus is about to make a big announcement on March 8, as suggested by the teased poster. Moreover, Amazon has also created a page teasing the big announcement on March 8. Other leaks suggested the launch to take place on March 23. OnePlus 9 Pro India price Currently, there's no information about the pricing of the OnePlus 9 Pro. However, we can expect it to ship at a starting price of Rs 59,999. In this file photo dated Monday, Dec. 7, 2020, cabins of a vaccine center that was introduced to the media are seen in Wiesbaden, Germany. With accusations of being slow off the blocks in the race to immunize its citizens against COVID-19, Germany faces the problem of having a glut of vaccines and not enough arms to inject. With its national vaccine campaign lagging far behind that of Israel, Britain and the United States, there are growing calls in this country of 83 million to ditch or rewrite the rulebook. (AP Photo/Michael Probst, FILE) Slow off the blocks in the race to immunize its citizens against COVID-19, Germany faces an unfamiliar problem: a glut of vaccines and not enough arms to inject them into. Like other countries in the European Union, its national vaccine campaign lags far behind that of Israel, Britain and the United States. Now there are growing calls in this country of 83 million to ditch the rulebook, or at least rewrite it a bit. Germans watched with morbid fascination in January as Britain trained an army of volunteers to deliver coronavirus shots, then marveled that the U.K.hit far worse by the pandemic than Germanymanaged to vaccinate more than half a million people on some days. The U.S. drive-thru inoculation centers and the COVID-19 shots given out in American grocery store pharmacies drew bafflement in Germanythat is, until the country's own plans for orderly vaccine appointments at specialized centers were overwhelmed by the demand. "Anglo-Saxon countries had a much more pragmatic approach," said Hans-Martin von Gaudecker, a professor of economics at the University of Bonn. "What normally makes German bureaucracy stolid and reliable becomes an obstacle in a crisis and costs lives." In this file photo dated Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, three vials of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine are pictured in a new coronavirus vaccination center at the 'Velodrom' (velodrome-stadium) in Berlin, Germany. Slow off the blocks in the race to immunize its citizens against COVID-19, Germany faces the problem of having a glut of vaccines and not enough arms to inject. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, FILE) The European Medicines Agency approved the AstraZeneca vaccine for all age groups, but several EU nations, including Germany, imposed tighter age limits. With its stockpile of AstraZeneca vaccine doses set to top 2 million, Germany is looking to make more people eligible for the shots that have so far been restricted to a fraction of the population: people in the top priority group who are under 65. France changed tactics earlier this week, allowing some people over 65 to get the AstraZeneca vaccine after initially restricting its use to younger people. Health Minister Olivier Veran said the shot would soon also be available to people over 50 with health problems that make them more vulnerable. France, which at more than 87,000 dead has among the highest coronavirus tolls in Europe, had used only 25% of the 1.6 million AstraZeneca vaccines it has received as of Tuesday. In this file photo dated Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021, a view of the BioNTech biotechnology building where production of the COVID-19 vaccine has started, in Marburg, Germany. Slow off the blocks in the race to immunize its citizens against COVID-19, Germany faces the problem of having a glut of vaccines and not enough arms to inject. With its national vaccine campaign lagging far behind that of Israel, Britain and the United States, there are growing calls in this country of 83 million to ditch or rewrite the rulebook.(AP Photo/Michael Probst, FILE) European nations' age restrictions on AstraZeneca compounded problems caused by initial delivery delays and some public reticence toward the vaccine. Yet data this week from England's mass vaccination program showed that both AstraZeneca and the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine were around 60% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in people over 70 after just a single dose. The analysis released by Public Health England, which hasn't been peer reviewed yet, also showed that both vaccines were about 80% effective in preventing hospitalizations among people over 80. Belgium and Italy, too, are loosening their age restrictions for the AstraZeneca vaccine as they scramble to confront a looming third spike in COVID-19 cases driven by more contagious virus variants. In Italy, Premier Mario Draghi's new government ousted the COVID-19 emergency czar this week and put an army general with expertise in logistics and experience in Afghanistan and Kosovo in charge of the country's vaccination program. In this file photo dated Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, front left, walks past Helge Braun, Head of the Chancellery, right, as she arrives for the weekly cabinet meeting in Berlin, Germany. Slow off the blocks in the race to immunize its citizens against COVID-19, Germany faces the problem of having a glut of vaccines and not enough arms to inject. With its national vaccine campaign lagging far behind that of Israel, Britain and the United States, there are growing calls in this country of 83 million to ditch or rewrite the rulebook. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, FILE) Denmark, meanwhile, stands out as an EU vaccination success story. The Scandinavian nation leads the bloc's vaccination tables along with tiny Malta and expects to vaccinate all adults by Julyfar ahead of the EU goal of 70% of adults vaccinated by September. Rather than hold back doses for the required second shot, Danish health authorities followed the British model of using all available vaccines as they came inan approach more EU countries are now considering. And all of Denmark's 6 million people have digital health records linked to a single ID number, allowing authorities to pinpoint exactly who is eligible for vaccination and reach out to them directly. British authorities also text people directly to set up shots. "There are historical reasons why we don't have a centralized register like in Denmark," said von Gaudecker, citing Germany's grim history of state oppression under Nazism and Communism. In this file photo dated Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, staff waiting for the start of the vaccination against the COVID-19 disease at the Arena Treptow vaccine center in Berlin, Germany. Slow off the blocks in the race to immunize its citizens against COVID-19, Germany faces the problem of having a glut of vaccines and not enough arms to inject. With its national vaccine campaign lagging far behind that of Israel, Britain and the United States, there are growing calls in this country of 83 million to ditch or rewrite the rulebook.(AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, FILE) "Of course a state can do terrible things with data," he said. "But it can also potentially do great things with data." Better targeting available doses for those who need them is one way European countries hope to stay ahead of the virus in the coming months, as more contagious variants spread. France and Spain plan to give just one shot of the two-dose vaccines to some people who have recovered from COVID-19, arguing that recent infections act as partial protection against the virus. Italy, France and the Czech Republic are prioritizing vaccinations in outbreak hotspots. Hungary's leader got a Chinese COVID-19 shot over the weekend and his country and Slovakia are buying Russia's Sputnik V to supplement other vaccines delivered by the EU. Poland's president has suggested that his country may follow Hungary's lead in getting Chinese vaccines. In this file photo dated Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020, a face mask discarded in front of the Old Opera in Frankfurt, Germany. With accusations of being slow off the blocks in the race to immunise its citizens against COVID-19, Germany faces the problem of having a glut of vaccines and not enough arms to inject. With its national vaccine campaign lagging far behind that of Israel, Britain and the United States, there are growing calls in this country of 83 million to ditch or rewrite the rulebook. (AP Photo/Michael Probst, FILE) The number of available vaccines across the EU could swell further next week if the European Medicines Agency follows the lead of the U.S. in approving the single-dose vaccine made by Johnson & Johnson. President Joe Biden has indicated the U.S. now expects to take delivery of enough coronavirus vaccine for all adults by the end of Maytwo months earlier than anticipated. "If we can't vaccinate the little we do have, then we're obviously going to have an even bigger problem when we get a lot of vaccine," said Baerbel Bas, a lawmaker with Germany's center-left Social Democratic Party. Germany's health minister said more than 5% of the population have now received a first dose. "But it's clear, we need more tempo," Jens Spahn said, adding that vaccine centers will be given greater flexibility to decide who to give the shots to. In this Monday, Jan. 25, 2021 file photo, a man wearing a face mask walks past the Corona Center in Duisburg, Germany. The former Musical theater has been turned into a COVID-19 test and vaccination center. With accusations of being slow off the blocks in the race to immunise its citizens against COVID-19, Germany faces the problem of having a glut of vaccines and not enough arms to inject. With its national vaccine campaign lagging far behind that of Israel, Britain and the United States, there are growing calls in this country of 83 million to ditch or rewrite the rulebook. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File) Ursula Nonnemacher, the top health official in Germany's state of Brandenburg, which encircles Berlin, vowed not to leave any precious vaccine doses in storage as she announced the start of vaccinations Wednesday in some doctors' practices. "Now we're shifting into overdrive," she said. 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. (Newser) As the scandals swirling around Andrew Cuomo intensify, even his colleagues on the left are starting to call for the New York governor's resignation. Cuomo, who was in the midst of a scandal related to his state's nursing home COVID deaths when a second scandal popped up, has so far been accused of inappropriate behavior by three women. After the third accuser stepped forward, Rep. Kathleen Rice, a Long Island Democrat, said "the time has come" for Cuomo to step down. Other members of New York's congressional delegation, including both of its senators, have called for an independent probe into the accusations, the New York Times reports. Business Insider reports impeachment is "emerging as a possibility," but per the Times, it still seemed unlikely as of Tuesday in the Democrat-controlled statehouse. story continues below The New York Working Families Party, on whose ticket Cuomo ran for his three gubernatorial wins, is also calling on him to resign, and one Republican so far has said he is "actively exploring" a challenge to Cuomo in next year's election. Fox News reports the sexual harassment scandal has caused past comments of Cuomo's to be resurfaced, including the time in May of last year that he told a female doctor wearing a medical gown, who was demonstrating a nasal swab COVID test at one of Cuomo's then-beloved news briefings, "You make that gown look good." In unrelated news, NBC New York reports that New York's Assembly and state Senate have struck a deal to strip Cuomo of his pandemic-related emergency powers, which would mean localities would control lockdowns and other similar mandates. (Read more Andrew Cuomo stories.) Team explored the relationships between the strength of the magnetic field on planet's surface and the composition of the crust in the Terra Sirenum-Terra Cimmeria region The planet Mars has no global magnetic field, although scientists believe it did have one at some point in the past. Previous studies suggest that when Mars' global magnetic field was present, it was approximately the same strength as Earth's current field. Surprisingly, instruments from past Mars missions, both orbiters and landers, have spotted patches on the planet's surface that are strongly magnetized--a property that could not have been produced by a magnetic field similar to Earth's, assuming the rocks on both planets are similar. Ahmed AlHantoobi, an intern working with Northern Arizona University planetary scientists, assistant professor Christopher Edwards and postdoctoral scholar Jennifer Buz in NAU's Department of Astronomy and Planetary Science, led a study looking for answers to explain these magnetic anomalies. The team explored the relationships between the strength of the magnetic field on the surface and the composition of the crust in the Terra Sirenum-Terra Cimmeria region of Mars. "Our findings show that in the area with the strongest magnetic patches, there is a verifiable positive correlation between the magnetic field and mineralogical data," said AlHantoobi. "This leads us to believe that the composition of those patches enables them to record the magnetic field exceptionally well. Therefore, Mars' ancient global magnetic field did not need to be as large to produce the strongly magnetized crust we observe today." The team recently published their findings in the journal Geophysical Research Letters in a paper entitled, "Compositional Enhancement of Crustal Magnetization on Mars." AlHantoobi, a student at Khalifa University in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), spent the last two summers participating in a program offered at NAU by Edwards and Buz to train and mentor Emirati undergraduate students in planetary science research. The program is part of Edwards' involvement in the UAE space agency's Emirates Mars Mission Hope orbiter project, which carries a unique new instrument he co-designed in collaboration with engineers from the United Arab Emirates Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) and Arizona State University (ASU). While AlHantoobi was able to be on campus during the summer of 2019, in order to continue his project during the summer of 2020 and abide by travel restrictions, the team was forced to adapt to the 11-hour time difference between Dubai and Flagstaff. "The impact of this study is quite high," said Edwards, "as it provides some of the first answers to details related to the magnetism of the Martian crust." "My research with Jennifer and Christopher was an eye-opening experience," said AlHantoobi, "and I believe it has impacted what I want to be in the future. I got to experience first-hand the beauty of discovering and answering the unknown." ### Other collaborators on the study included scientists from ASU and the Universite de Nantes in France. About Northern Arizona University Northern Arizona University is a higher-research institution providing exceptional educational opportunities in Arizona and beyond. NAU delivers a student-centered experience to its nearly 30,000 students in Flagstaff, statewide and online through rigorous academic programs in a supportive, inclusive and diverse environment. Dedicated, world-renowned faculty help ensure students achieve academic excellence, experience personal growth, have meaningful research opportunities and are positioned for personal and professional success. Bowdoins New Center for Arctic Studies to Be Named for John and Lile Gibbons A new center dedicated to the broad multidisciplinary study of the Arctic at Bowdoin College will be named the John and Lile Gibbons Center for Arctic Studies in recognition of Bowdoin trustee emeritus John A. Gibbons Jr. 64 and his wife, Lile R. Gibbons, of Old Greenwich, Connecticut, who have made a significant gift in support of the project. Designed by HGA Architects, the new 16,426-square-foot center will include a new home for Bowdoins Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum. The center is part of a two-building project to be constructed on a portion of the former Dayton Arena site, east of the David Saul Smith Union and across College Street from the Roux Center for the Environment. The projects other building is Barry Mills Hall, an academic building named in honor of Bowdoins fifteenth president. Construction was set to begin in 2020 but was put on hold during the COVID-19 health crisis. Site work is now underway. John and Lile Gibbons are the parents of four Bowdoin graduates (Jay 88, Adam 91, Jenny 96, and Amanda 03) and part of long and storied connections to Anchorage, Alaska, where Lile grew up after having been born in New Jersey. Her father, Elmer Rasmuson, was born in Alaska and ran the National Bank of Alaska. With his mother, Jenny Olson Rasmuson, he established the Rasmuson Foundation in 1955 to honor his father, E. A. Rasmuson. Today, it is the largest foundation in Alaska, one that focuses on serving the varied communities that make up the state. Elmer Rasmuson served as mayor of Anchorage from 1964 to 1967 and also guided the creation of the Alaska Permanent Fund, with assets today of $55 billion. The familys deep connection to the state and its people continues, with each of its members working, touring, hunting, fishing, and kayaking throughout Alaska. This transformative gift from John and Lile is yet another example of their longstanding devotion to Bowdoin and, in this case, their deep passion for the Arctic. President Clayton Rose It is a gift that recognizes Bowdoins historic and enduring multidisciplinary dedication to the study of that critical region, one that will benefit students and scholars for generations to come. The couple has a long history of great support for the College and its programs. For example, in 2005, they established the John and Lile Gibbons Arctic Studies Fund in support of the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum and its programming. They also created the Gibbons Summer Research Internship Fund and the Gibbons Family Scholarship and have been supporters of the Bowdoin College Museum of Art, the Philip H. Soule Memorial Fund, and the Jean and Raymond Troubh Scholarship Fund. Lile and John A. Gibbons Jr. 64 About John A. Gibbons Jr. and Lile R. Gibbons John A. Gibbons Jr. is owner and managing partner of Odin Partners, an investment management firm based in New York City. He previously served as a senior vice president and portfolio manager at Lord, Abbett & Co., LLC. After graduating from Bowdoin with a major in government, Gibbons went on to earn an MBA at New York University. During his time at the College, Gibbons was a member of Zeta Psi Fraternity and Masque and Gown, the Colleges student-run theater organization. He was the recipient of the Percival Wood Clement Prize for scholarly writing on the US Constitution, an award previously won by former Bowdoin trustee and board chair Paul Brountas 54, P91, H97. He also founded and served as president of the Bowdoin chapter of the International Association of Students in Economics and Commerce (AIESEC) and spent a summer in Zurich doing an AIESEC-sponsored internship in the investment department of the Union Bank of Switzerland. Since graduating, John Gibbons has served as a BASIC representative, planned giving chair, class agent, campaign volunteer, Bowdoin Club president, and Alumni Council representative. He chaired the Board of Trustees Information Technology Advisory Committee from 2003 to 2006 and from 2008 to 2014 and served on the board of trustees itself from 2002 to 2017. John Gibbons is a trustee of the Orvis Foundation and of the Charlotte Palmer Phillips Foundation. He also serves on the boards of the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine, and the Greenwich (Conn.) Emergency Medical Service, for which he is also treasurer. Lile Gibbons is a graduate of Smith College, where she serves currently on the board of trustees. She served in the Connecticut Legislature, representing the 150th district, from 2001 to 2013, and was ranking member on numerous committees. Before that, she was on the Greenwich Board of Education for nine years, serving as chair of the board from 1997 to 2000. She also served on the Connecticut Board of Education from 1991 to 2000. In 2006, she received the first Agewise Advocate Award from the Connecticut Commission on Aging. She also served as a trustee of the Hartford Foundation, with its focus on gerontology. Bowdoin and the Arctic The study of the Arctic has a long and broadly multidisciplinary history at Bowdoin. It includes the work of faculty teaching and conducting scholarship in areas such as government and legal studies, environmental studies, earth and oceanographic science, marine science and ecology, anthropology, economics, art, history, and physics. The John and Lile Gibbons Center for Arctic Studies will stand with Bowdoins Roux Center for the Environment and the Schiller Coastal Studies Center in Harpswell as critical and unique facilities for the multidisciplinary teaching and study of the Arctic and the environment. It will provide new teaching and laboratory spaces to encourage, enhance, and expand collaborative work among faculty, students, and visiting researchers focused on this increasingly important region of the world. The center will also provide modern galleries and support spaces for the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum currently located in Hubbard Hall. The museums collection includes films, journals, photographs, and material artifacts that chronicle Arctic expeditions by Admiral Robert E. Peary (Bowdoin Class of 1877) and Admiral Donald B. MacMillan (Bowdoin Class of 1898). It also includes exemplary art, artifacts, and cultural objects. The John and Lile Gibbons Center for Arctic Studies will provide a new home for the collection and dramatically improve the opportunities for students to work with the museums holdings, for Bowdoin faculty to teach using the museums resources, for the general public to explore and learn from the museums exhibitions, and for visiting scholars and others to engage with the Arctic Studies Program. View image caption A New York woman who lost her job is using some of her free time to help feed thousands of people in her community. Sofia Moncayo leads a group of volunteers who give out food to those in need in a neighborhood in Queens. On a recent rainy day, a large crowd lined up outside the Mosaic West Queens Church to receive free food. The team members helping Moncayo were wet, cold and tired. Some lifted heavy food containers while others separated items and removed snow from the street. Moncayo led her team in prayer. Were super grateful for these people here. In Jesus name we pray, she said. The group around her then cheered and added: Amen. Now, Moncayo said, lets get to work. The helpers receive no money, but said they were just happy to be there for someone else that day. Moncayo has led the food assistance program during the coronavirus pandemic. It launched in March and she took charge of the effort a month later. The program currently serves hundreds of people. Moncayo has faced her own struggles during the pandemic. She was let go from her job at a building company and remains unemployed. She also has a martial arts business with her husband that has suffered financial difficulties. But she has continued to raise money in the community and lead the effort to provide more than 1,000 boxes of food to families two times per week. I think helping others has to do something to your brain chemically because if we had not been doing everything that were doing, I think this would have been a much scarier time, Moncayo said. Being able to dig in and help others, it really gives you perspective and helps you believe that youre going to be OK too, she added. Most of the food is donated by a neighborhood restaurant and other businesses and organizations. There has also been help from the Farmers to Families Food Box Program, which is run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Moncayo, who was born in Colombia, said she was moved to volunteer by her Christian faith, as well as her own experiences with food insecurity while growing up in New York. She noted that she used to join her family in lines to pick up bread and cheese from food programs. Sometimes she said she felt ashamed. One of the things that we wanted to make sure is that we dont look at people on the pantry line as people that need food, and really focus on, hey, these are our neighbors. Neighborhood resident Carol Sullivan lost her job as a stage manager when New York theaters closed because of the pandemic. At first, she was not sure about receiving food from a pantry, but she said Moncayo and the other volunteers made her feel welcome. It has been a link to the community that I didnt have before. And it also saves a lot of anxiety over having to have money to pay for food over having to pay for the bills, Sullivan said. If you have a dollar, you have to stretch it in so many places. Having them has made the choice less stressful. Im Bryan Lynn. The Associated Press reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for Learning English. Susan Shand 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 grateful adj. feeling or showing thanks martial arts n. several forms of fighting and self-defense that are widely practiced as a sport perspective n. a particular way of considering something ashamed adj. feeling guilty of embarrassed about something pantry n. a room or closet used for storage or from which food is brought to the table focus v. pay attention to something stage n. the part of a theater on which the acting takes place anxiety n. an uncomfortable feeling or nervousness about something stress n. a state of mental tension and worry caused by problems in your life, work, etc. Police are seeking information about a man who reportedly coerced a teen girl into unwanted sexual contact near the Springwater Corridor trail in Southeast Portland. The alleged attack occurred in a secluded area near the trail and Southeast Luther Road, according to Portland police. The teen told police that the man was a stranger. The teen reported the incident shortly after it happened Monday afternoon, according to police. A search for the man was unsuccessful. Lt. Greg Pashley, a Portland police spokesperson, said Tuesday afternoon that many details about the incident remained unclear. He said officers still do not know the mans identity or have any information about him. He also didnt know whether the man had a weapon. Pashley said the part of the trail where the reported abuse happened passes through a combination of residential and industrial areas. He said the trail appeared to be well-traveled while police were investigating. Police ask anyone who was on the trail between noon and 3 p.m. Monday or may have video of the area during that timeframe to call Detective Joseph Cox at 503-823-0577 or Detective Bob Boylan at 503-823-0999. Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR Covid-19 has called cut for cinemas all over the world, but a new list of the world's most beautiful movie theatres aims to celebrate them in all their infinite variety. Time Out's 50 most beautiful cinemas in the world list ranges from multiplexes to opulent indies, and there's an eye-catching inclusion at No16 Dublins Stella Cinema. A beloved fleapit that closed in 2004, seemingly forever, the Stella sprung back into life in 2017 with a Gatsby-esque tszuj that restored it to its old 1920s grandeur, the global magazine says. The list is topped by Amsterdams Pathe Tuschinski, a mash-up of Art Deco and Art Nouveau styles owned by Pathe, followed by Le Grand Rex in Paris and New Yorks Village East Cinema. The Stella first opened in Rathmines in 1923. At the time, it was Irelands largest cinema with a capacity of 1,283 patrons decades before television brought screens into peoples homes. Read More Dublins Press Up Group relaunched the facility as a plush night-out proposition in 2017, retaining Art Deco features such as its mosaic tiling, handrails and ceiling mouldings, while serving dishes like churros, BBQ pulled pork fries and loaded nachos to cinemagoers seats. Being side by side with some of the most iconic theatres in the world of cinema is something we cherish and are incredibly proud of," said Karl Geraghty, the group's theatre director. The cinema's upstairs cocktail club pushes the Scott Fitzgerald vibe into the realms of French martinis and bourbon cocktails, Time Out adds. "Oh, and the screen itself isnt shabby either, with red armchairs, huge sofas and double beds to pick from. The Stella used to be Irelands largest cinema, now its just the swishest. Going to the Stella now is an occasion; it shows what can be done, historian Donal Fallon said in a recent episode of his Three Castles Burning podcast, which looks at the rise and fall of Dublins cinemas and a future when we may be able to treat ourselves to a night at the movies once again. The Press Up Group has also opened a sister cinema in the basement of Ranelagh's Devlin Hotel, although both screens are currently closed due to Covid-19 restrictions. Under Ireland's public health guidelines, cinemas, theatres, conferences and other "organised indoor gatherings" cannot open until Level 2 with social distancing, capacity limits (25pc in the Stellas case) and other health and safety measures in place. "Here's hoping that it won't be too much longer until we can warmly and safely welcome our guests back to Stella, Geraghty said. Time Out's full Top 50 can be found online here. A Chicopee resident who was killed in Las Vegas by a man who is accused of punching him during an altercation was a retired Connecticut State Police trooper, according to local police officials. Thomas Driscoll, 57, served as a State Trooper between 1987 until he retired in 2009. Driscoll was killed early Sunday morning when he was punched in the face during an altercation with another man. He died of blunt force craniocervical injury and the Clark County coroner determined his death to be a homicide, a spokeswoman for the office said. Police have arrested Brandon Leath, 33, on the charge of open murder. He is being held without bail at the Clark County Detention Center and is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said. Driscoll and a woman were walking across a street bridge in Las Vegas when Leath started yelling at them and following them. The couple went down an escalator, Leath ran ahead of them and Driscoll approached him after exiting the escalator, police said. The two got into a verbal altercation and Leath punched the victim causing him to fall to the ground unconscious, police said. Officers who were monitoring real-time crime cameras observed the altercation, which occurred at about 4:24 a.m. near the intersection of Flamingo Road and Las Vegas Boulevard, police said. Driscoll was taken to Sunrise Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Leath ran from the scene but was apprehended quickly by officers who responded to the crime, police said. Related content: BJP MP Kaushal Kishores son shot at in Lucknow India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Lucknow, Mar 03: The son of BJP MP Kaushal Kishore was shot at in Lucknow by unidentified persons. Kishore is an MP from Mohanlalganj. BJP MP's son shot in the chest, but his relative makes a shocking confession | Oneindia News The assailants shot Ayush, 30, in the Madiyava area of the district and fled in the wee hours of Wednesday. The police admitted him to hospital for treatment and he has been declared out of danger. Raees Akhtar, DCP North told reporters, Ayush son of the MP, has received a gunshot injury in his chest and was brought to the hospital for treatment. His condition is stable now. The case will be investigated. The BJP MP and his wife, Jaya Devi, a BJP MLA reached the hospital on being informed about the incident. Last year, Kishore's younger son, Akash had passed away due to kidney failure. 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 a third-generation coffee roaster and a co-owner of Henrys House of Coffee in San Franciscos Sunset District, Hrag Kalebjian has been working to bring the business into the internet age while keeping it rooted in his familys Armenian identity. This is not just a business for me, its part of my heritage, said Kalebjian, who owns the cafe with his father, Henry. The pandemic has been hard enough, forcing the store to close its cozy indoor space and instead focus on to-go orders and selling its signature powdery Armenian grounds online. While the cafes business is down by more than a third, online sales have shot up during the last year. If it wasnt for the online business, Id be crushed, the younger Kalebjian said. But now the family could be facing another challenge, one that places the neighborhood coffee shop in the middle of a battle over privacy and advertising between Apple and Facebook. A fracas erupted between the two tech titans late last year over Apples plans to prompt users to opt in or out of sharing data with apps like Facebook that can be used to track peoples activity on its apps and other sites. Right now Facebook users can opt out but arent automatically prompted to do so. That will change when Apple implements changes to its operating system in the spring. Facebook uses the information it collects to help businesses like Kalebjians find and market themselves to more receptive audiences. Kalebjian targets his Facebook ads about $8,000 worth each month to people whose online presence indicates interest in his coffee, culture or similar topics. The challenge opting in with customers is if they see something on their screen and think Facebook wants to share my data, theyre probably thinking Hell no! Kalebjian said. As an advertiser myself, it becomes a lot harder to filter that data because the customers on the other end is blocking that. Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle The new feature is part of Apples strategy to position itself as a champion of individual user privacy. The companys CEO, Tim Cook, has talked about other companies data collection practices as something Apple would never do, staking a user-focused privacy claim difficult to match for companies who thrive on monetizing user data through advertising. Apple did not respond to The Chronicles emailed request for comment. Facebook has responded to the expected changes from Apple by placing the focus on small businesses and taking out full page ads in publications last year to make the case that less-targeted ads will mean less revenue for small shops already teetering because of the pandemic. But Facebook also stands to lose revenue because of the changes, although how much isnt certain. In a blog post from December, the company said that it expected the change to hurt its ad business, but that the businesses who rely on it will suffer more. More recently, the company launched a campaign underscoring the connection between personalized ads and small and medium-size businesses. As part of that effort, the company is waiving some fees for some businesses and making it easier for those shops to advertise on the site and make marketing plans. That initiative, called Good Ideas Deserve to Be Found, is part of the companys long running support for small businesses, according to Michelle Klein, vice president of global customer marketing at Facebook. The last number of years, weve had a very concerted effort around the world to invest in a range of small businesses, Klein said, pointing to training and events run by the company to help businesses reach a wider audience. Facebook has insisted that privacy and targeted ads are not mutually exclusive, but some researchers disagree. Dealing with privacy, in the case of Facebook, is against their business model, said Ahmed Banafa, a San Jose State University professor who studies social media and cybersecurity. Increased privacy measures for Facebook means, You are telling them to make less money, he said. Facebook would likely find other ways to track users for advertising purposes if many people choose to opt out, Banafa added. Some of those changes are already under way. Google announced Wednesday that it will stop targeting ads based on individuals browsing history. Advertisers dont need to track individual consumers across the web to get the performance benefits of digital advertising, David Temkin, the companys director of product management, ads privacy and trust, wrote in a blog post. Lourdes Turrecha studies privacy law at Santa Clara University School of Law and said apps like Facebook have not always been transparent about the data they gather on people and how they use it. Privacy is one of these things that creates a competitive advantage for (Apple), Turrecha said, adding that a focus on privacy increases trust in Apple products and helps sales. Facebook has also argued the move by Apple will drive more traffic to the companys App Store, resulting in increased revenue for the computer maker. Despite the advertising challenges faced by businesses like Henrys House of Coffee, the focus on small businesses could be one positive outcome from the clash between the companies, according to Banafa. Back in the Sunset, Kalebjian is grappling with the changes. At the highest high level, I absolutely value my privacy, he said, adding that he is a fan of Apple and its products, but that the new feature will likely mean increased costs for him. That conflict is in part driving him to find other ways to connect with customers old and new. Kalebjian said he uses email marketing software to promote his products and is trying out a new texting service to connect with customers, along with advertising on Facebook and Instagram. To him the digital tools are a continuation of what his family has done for decades. Thats what my dad has been doing for 30 years, he said. Building relationships. Chase DiFeliciantonio is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: chase.difeliciantonio@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ChaseDiFelice CHICO, Calif. - A big thank you to several Chico police officers and residents at the departments annual Lifesaving Awards took place Tuesday morning. Three police officers and two citizens from Chico were recognized during a small ceremony, each one receiving an award for their efforts in helping save a person's life. Each person had a unique story, but one thing they all have in common is being a hero. "It feels really good," said award recipient, Juan Villegas. A few months ago Villegas jumped into action helping officers save a man who was stuck under a car. Officer Robert Kurtz saved a woman who was trying to jump from a freeway overpass. "Once I got close she realized that and tried to stand up to jump and at that point, I was able to pull her onto the other side of the railing," explained Officer Kurtz. A couple of months ago, Chico Police officer Peter Durfee and Chico resident Justin Petersen worked together to help save a man who was found unconscious in a Safeway bathroom. In May, Officer Thomas Cox saved the life of a man who was shot near the Rio Lindo and Highway 99 bike path. One by one, the local heroes went up to the podium as Chico Police Chief Matt Madden celebrated their courage, selflessness, and bravery. "It's really important for me to make sure the community knows all the great work that goes in by the police department and recognize their performance," shared Chief Madden. "The other great thing about today is we had citizens help on several of those incidents, so honoring our citizens that show their bravery and courage to get involved with their police department is very important." Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Environment Ministry wants constitutional ban on incineration of foreign radioactive waste The Economy Ministry sees processing of radioactive waste as business opportunity Slovakia should not miss. Font size: A - | A + A business opportunity that the country should not miss or an endeavour that poses risks for the country's environment, putting it in the position of the radioactive waste bin of Europe. Slovakia finds itself in the midst of a dilemma that remains at the core of the most frequent objections against nuclear energy: dealing with radioactive waste generated during the production of energy from decommissioned nuclear power plants. The state-owned facility that handles radioactive waste, Jadrova a Vyradovacia Spolocnost (Nuclear and Decommissioning Company), JAVYS, is located in the western-Slovak municipality of Jaslovske Bohunice. It incinerates radioactive waste (RAW) generated by Slovak facilities, but also from abroad, for example from the closed nuclear power plant in Caorso, Italy. The Economy Ministry, under which JAVYS operates, has considered this a good business opportunity Slovakia should not miss, given the expertise and capacities the country has for the job. Activists, thousands of people from the area around Jaslovske Bohunice and the Environment Ministry are in opposition, insisting that the incineration of foreign RAW should be banned by constitutional law in Slovakia. It is no development plan for this country to become the waste dump of Europe, said Environment Minister Jan Budaj (OLaNO) on the TV Markiza news channel. He believes that it is not appropriate to further increase the risks already imposed by the production of electricity in nuclear power plants in Slovakia. The incineration of radioactive waste leaves certain nuclides in Slovakia and increases the nuclear burden on our environment, he added. 3. Mar 2021 at 11:40 | Jana Liptakova The industrialists behind Renishaw are set for a 2.6bn windfall after putting the engineering giant they founded up for sale. Sir David McMurtry, 80, and John Deer, 83, set up the company in 1973 and built it into a world-leading manufacturer of precision measurement devices, worth 5billion. But they said they now 'felt the time was right' to step back from the business and sell their collective 53 per cent stake. The announcement sent the firm's shares soaring by 19 per cent, or 1100p, to a record 6900p. Selling up: Renishaw founder John Deer, left, has a stake worth 834m while fellow founder Sir David McMurtry, right, has a holding worth 1.82bn That valued McMurtry's 36.2 per cent stake at 1.82billion while Deer's 16.6 per cent holding is now worth 834million. 'We are both grateful for our continued good health, however we recognise that neither of us is getting any younger,' the pair said. 'Now finding ourselves in our 80s, our thoughts have increasingly turned to considering the future of our shareholdings in the company and how we can actively contribute to securing the future success of the business. 'We approached the rest of the board to indicate that we felt the time was now right to discuss the best way to achieve this. We are focused on ensuring that we find the right new owner for our business one who respects and will continue to nurture these important attributes.' The proposed sale raises the prospect of yet another high-tech British success story falling into foreign hands or to a private equity bidder. Berenberg analyst Anthony Plom said that Renishaw was 'one of the few world-class UK manufacturing businesses left'. McMurtry and Deer stressed that they will seek 'a buyer who will respect the unique heritage and culture of the business, its commitment to the local communities in which its operations are based, and who will enable the company to continue to prosper in the long-term'. Futuristic: McMurtry's 30million eco home doubled as a TV supervillain's lair in BBC's Sherlock The company is based in Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, and employs nearly 4,500 people. McMurtry, who is executive chairman, remains Renishaw's biggest shareholder, while Deer is non-executive deputy chairman and the second-biggest shareholder. The pair met in the 1970s while working in Bristol for Rolls-Royce, where McMurtry rose to be deputy chief designer. He had been tasked with finding a way to measure small fuel pipes used in Rolls's Olympus engines, to power the Concorde jet. Workers had been doing this with a traditional probe but during a weekend in his garage, McMurtry invented the first 'touch trigger probe' using basic materials he had at home. The electrical device, which triggered a signal when it came into contact with the surface of a pipe, was capable of measuring to one millionth of a metre. 'It took me all weekend, many hours, and nearly a divorce,' McMurtry later said. It proved far more accurate and consistent than the old methods, and soon became ubiquitous in the manufacturing world. And from that kernel, the pair started Renishaw Electrical together in 1973. They bought the company, which came with its name, as an empty shell to bypass the lengthy incorporation process at the time. At first, Rolls-Royce patented McMurtry's idea but the partners became sole-licensees, co-owners and eventually sole owners after buying out their former employer. Berenberg analyst Anthony Plom said that Renishaw was 'one of the few world-class UK manufacturing businesses left' Renishaw also fought several court battles to protect its intellectual property from copycats, before going on to list on the London Stock Exchange in 1984. Since then, it has grown and now owns nearly 1,900 patents. In 2019, before the pandemic struck, it boasted annual revenues of 574million and profits of 110million. The headquarters in Wotton-under-Edge is a 19th century former woollen mill, previously owned by fabric maker Courtaulds Textiles, in 26 acres of parkland. And, ever the inventor, McMurtry built his own futuristic eco-mansion nearby the spectacular Swinhay House. The eight-bedroom, 30million property, with its distinctive blend of glass-panelled ceilings, metal panelling and Cotswold stone, doubled as a supervillain's lair in BBC show Sherlock. Across ten storeys and three wings, it boasts its own underground garage, bowling alley, squash court, 47ft high viewing tower, jacuzzi, sauna and a 25-metre swimming pool. But McMurtry and his family prefer not to live in the country home, which is used to host charitable events and rented out for photography and film-making. Renishaw, too, has branched out from its roots. While its measuring products are used to make sure machinery moves precisely in production lines ranging from food manufacturing to televisions, it also works in robotics, dental products and 3D printing. Russ Mould, investment director of broker AJ Bell, said the sale could see Renishaw taken private and removed from the stock market. Warning that the UK stock market was 'battling an identity problem', he added: 'News that Renishaw has put itself up for sale is a further blow if it results in a sale to a third party that delists the business. 'One could imagine that an Asian company would be interested in owning Renishaw, but such a buyer may have different views on whose culture should prevail.' 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. Photo: CTV News A driver has been killed and her passenger was badly hurt in a head-on crash in North Vancouver. RCMP say the collision occurred late Tuesday night on Low Level Road. Police say a vehicle with a lone male inside crossed the centre line, hitting the vehicle with the woman and her passenger. By the time emergency services arrived, the man's vehicle was on fire, although he had been removed before the fire sparked. All three were taken to hospital, where police say the female driver was declared dead, her passenger remains in critical condition and the male has serious injuries. Police say alcohol may have been a factor in the crash. Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong, left, greets Lee Yong-soo, a victim of Japan's wartime sexual slavery, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul, Wednesday. Their meeting took place as Lee is urging the government to bring the sexual slavery issue to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). During the one-hour meeting, Lee asked Chung to arrange a meeting with President Moon Jae-in to discuss the ICJ issue. Yonhap Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong met with a victim of Japan's wartime sexual slavery Wednesday, as Seoul seeks to defuse persistent historical tensions with Tokyo amid Washington's calls for tighter trilateral cooperation with its key Asian allies. The meeting with Lee Yong-soo, Chung's first with a sexual slavery victim since taking office last month, came as the 92-year-old Lee has stepped up calls for the government to bring the case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) with no diplomatic solution in sight. The issue of the comfort women, a euphemism for the victims, has gained renewed attention, as a local court ordered Tokyo to make reparations for 12 former sex slaves in January, with a Harvard professor inflaming public sentiment with his paper casting victims as prostitutes. "We need to persuade Japanese Prime Minister Suga to take the issue to the ICJ and verify (the truth). We also need to bring the Harvard professor there and uncover (the truth)," Lee told reporters after the talks with Chung. She was referring to J. Mark Ramseyer of Harvard Law School who claimed in his academic paper that the comfort women were prostitutes under voluntary contracts. In response to Lee's appeal to refer the sexual slavery issue to the Hague-based international court, Chung said that it is a "matter that requires a prudent review." "Minister Chung said that in close communication with the victims, he would explore various solutions going forward," his ministry said in a press release. Chung also reaffirmed the government's will to continue efforts to restore the honor and dignity of the victims. During the press meeting, Lee, one of the 15 registered surviving Korean victims, underscored the urgency of the issue, as many former sex slaves have already passed away. "Time does not wait for me. With a desperate heart, I thought I should come here like this, and I sincerely appealed to the minister," she said. "We should get an apology by taking this issue to the law court and getting rightful judgment," she added. Last month, Lee demanded that Seoul refer the wartime humanitarian case to the ICJ to "hold Japan accountable under the international law," "resolve the issue permanently and live in peace with each other." The foreign ministry has stricken a cautious tone, saying it would listen to the victims' opinions and carefully consider her demands. Wednesday's meeting came two days after President Moon Jae-in extended an olive branch to Tokyo, reiterating his commitment to dialogue with Japan "at any time" and stressing that the two countries should not be bound by the past. Seoul's efforts to explore a diplomatic resolution have been stalled, as Tokyo has insisted that the comfort women issue has already been settled in a 2015 government-to-government deal, which critics say has failed to sufficiently reflect victims' voices. Amid the unresolved row over the issue, the U.S. State Department has called the wartime sexual enslavement an "egregious violation of human rights" remarks in tune with its key policy effort to promote liberal values like human rights. The comfort women case, along with the issue of Japan's colonial-era forced labor, remains a nettlesome challenge to Seoul's efforts to mend relations with Tokyo long strained over historical and territorial spats. South Korea has been seeking to enlist Japan's support in creating diplomatic opportunities to reengage with North Korea through such events as the Tokyo Olympics, scheduled for this year, at a time when the U.S. pushes for stronger trilateral cooperation among the three countries. On Monday, Lee also met with Gender Equality Minister Chung Young-ai. Lee stressed the need to bring the case to the international court to clarify Tokyo's responsibility for the wartime atrocity. (Yonhap) Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 The 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 Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. Germanys financial watchdog has temporarily shuttered Greensill Bank and asked law enforcement officials to investigate accounting irregularities at the lender, compounding the woes of parent company Greensill Capital. Regulator BaFin on Wednesday (Germany time) said it closed the Bremen-based lender for business after finding irregularities in how Greensill Bank booked assets tied to a key client of Greensill Capital, British industrialist Sanjeev Gupta. A spokesman for the prosecutors confirmed that the regulator filed a criminal complaint, without elaborating. BaFin said it closed the Bremen-based lender for business after finding irregularities in how Greensill Bank booked assets tied to a key client of Greensill Capital, British industrialist Sanjeev Gupta. Credit:Getty During a special forensic audit, BaFin found that Greensill Bank AG was unable to provide evidence of the existence of receivables in its balance sheet that it had purchased from the GFG Alliance Group, BaFin said in a statement. Guptas GFG invests in and revamps moribund steel and power plants and has been an early backer and client of Greensills firm. Greensill said in a statement late on Wednesday (UK time) that it had received extensive advice, from firms Noerr in Germany and Simmons & Simmons in the UK, on how to classify the assets, and that it immediately complied after BaFin advised it late last year and early this year that it didnt agree with its accounting. A British Army guardsman who duped three women into paying him 33,300 after trading off his 'military glamour' on Tinder has been jailed for more than two years. Nathan Walker, 29, persuaded three victims to part with thousands of pounds in loans or by paying for items like tickets and phone top-ups. He promised his victims a romantic future while trading off his 'military glamour' - but was actually feeding an 8,000 a month gambling addiction. The Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria veteran's victims said they'd been forced to take out loans to cover their loss. One woman said she couldn't see herself ever owning a house because her savings and credit rating had been decimated by Walker. Another said she felt she'd let her son down by choosing to help a stranger rather than provide for her child. He was jailed for two years and eight months at Winchester Crown Court on Tuesday. Judge Jane Miller QC told the conman his offending had been 'systematic, calculated and despicable'. Nathan Walker was jailed for two years and eight months at Winchester Crown Court, pictured, on Tuesday She accused him of promising his victims a romantic future and trading off his 'military glamour'. Walker's offending first came to light in 2018, when the mother of one of his victims - a vulnerable young woman - noticed money appear in her daughter's bank account then leave it. It turned out that Walker had persuaded the young woman, who he had met on Tinder, to take out loans in her name totalling 15,000. He even duped his victim into giving him the money from one loan, which he'd taken out without her knowledge, by saying his father had paid the money into her account so she thought it belonged to Walker. The woman was so scared of the soldier it took two interviews with the police before she began to open up about what he'd done. She said Walker had been in complete control. Thanks to her mother, the loans were stopped by the companies. A second victim came to light during the course of detectives' investigations into the fraud against the younger woman. She had met Walker online in 2017. He persuaded her to take out loans for him worth 15,000. He paid the monthly sums for a few months but then stopped. The woman, who reported the matter to Action Fraud, was forced to take out a 16,500 loan to pay back the sum taken out by Walker. He was arrested, interviewed and released under investigation in January 2019. But within 12 days of his arrest, he had made a first request of his third victim, asking her for 100 to get home. She was asked for money so he could buy a car, 50 to top up his phone, 112 for tickets and 380 for a train fare. It was agreed he had defrauded her out of more than 3,300. Walker met the women on Tinder and traded off his 'military glamour' to dupe them into paying him money Walker spent the money he conned from the women on betting, a car and at least one personalised number plate. Prosecutor Mary Aspinall-Miles summarised impact statements written by two of Walker's victims. One woman talked of having to ration her food, change where she shopped and live on a much tighter budget. Another felt 'disgusted' with herself. 'She felt she let her child down, choosing to help a stranger - that is, Mr Walker - rather than providing for her son.' The second woman said Walker sent her a Facebook message in January 2021 apologising for his actions and hoping that she and her son had a 'good future'. Ms Aspinall-Miles said: 'This message unnerved her, but she did think it a pity he didn't think that way when he was taking her money.' The investigation into the soldier was led by Wiltshire Police. Walker, of Lille Barracks, Aldershot, pleaded guilty to 10 counts of fraud. He had previous convictions in the courts martial for harassing a former partner and drink driving. Tom Acworth, defending, said his client's relationship with a former partner had broken down in 2017. He began gambling heavily, spending almost 3,200 with Bet365 in March 2018 and 8,700 in May 2018. The barrister said: 'That problem is significant. Indeed, he has behaved on the face of the crown's case entirely selfishly, pursuing these three women for money in order to gamble it away and spend it on himself. 'But your honour will know from experience in other cases that selfish behaviour... is not uncommon behaviour from those that suffer from addiction be it gambling, be it drugs.' Walker was said to have recognised the impact of his offending on his victims. Mr Acworth said: 'In his own words he 'hates himself' for it. It is something he simply couldn't see before.' He had now stopped gambling, with his last bet placed in December. He had a child from a previous relationship. A soldier for 12 years, he was awarded medals for service in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. He was a lance corporal and, according to his superiors, was a candidate for promotion. In the past year he had been in London supporting Covid testing sites. He suffered from poor mental health. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-04 03:29:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The peace process in South Sudan remains extremely fragile despite some progress in the past four years, said David Shearer, the outgoing top UN envoy for South Sudan, on Wednesday. Shearer, who will leave his post next month as the special representative of the UN secretary-general and head of the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, said the country has made progress both in terms of security and political stability. "At the end of my four years in South Sudan, I look back with a certain level of comfort about how far the country has come," he told the Security Council in a briefing. There is a cease-fire, a peace deal, and a transitional government. And local leadership is slowly being installed. The majority of people who flocked to point-of-care sites have either left or now live in newly transitioned camps for internally displaced persons -- a result of improved political security, he noted. However, he warned that the peace process remains extremely fragile. Many citizens are wary that the political will may falter. They fear the positive progress may collapse, he said. "It is for those people that we, the international community, must remain united and committed to pushing the peace process forward. We can't sit on the sidelines as spectators. Look back four years. That's what failure looks like and it's in no one's interests to return there." Enditem WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - President Joe Biden announced that his administration is on track to have enough anti-coronavirus vaccine supply for every adult in the United States by the end of May. To achieve this target, Johnson & Johnson will work with Merck to expand the production of the single-shot coronavirus vaccine developed by its vaccine division, Janssen Biotech. Biden said he invoked the Defense Production Act to equip two Merck facilities to the standards necessary to safely manufacture the J&J vaccine. Johnson & Johnson's vaccine manufacturing facilities will now begin to operate 24/7 to accelerate vaccine production. The President also asked the Department of Defense to provide daily logistical support to strengthen Johnson & Johnson's efforts. The Food and Drug Administration had issued an emergency use authorization last week for a third vaccine against the COVID-19 pandemic, named 'Janssen COVID-19.' Biden said retired doctors and nurses have been brought back to vaccinate people, with thousands more federal medical personnel to follow. 'We're also increasing the places where people can get vaccinated. We've sent millions of vaccines to over 7,000 pharmacies to make it easier for folks to get their COVID-19 vaccine shot like they would their flu shot,' he added. 'And with this increased production of three safe and effective vaccines, we have an opportunity to help address the urgent national need more quickly and getting our schools back open safely,' Biden said. Biden is directing all U.S. states to make sure that every educator, school staff member and childcare worker to receive at least one vaccine shot by the end of March. Starting next week, pre-K through 12 educators and staff and child-care workers will get priority for vaccination. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a press briefing that in the White House COVID team's weekly meeting with the governors, another supply increase for states, tribes, and territories - from 14.5 to 15.2 million doses per week, has been announced. Additionally, states are also receiving 2.8 million of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine this week, so they are receiving a total of 18 million doses. With 55161 new cases reporting on Tuesday, the total number of coronavirus infections in the United States rose to 28719624, as per Johns Hopkins University's latest update. In the same period, 1951 more people died due to the pandemic, taking the total death toll in the U.S. to 516608. Only three states reported more than 5000 cases Tuesday. A total of 46,388 COVID-19 patients are currently hospitalized in the country. The number of hospitalized patients has come way down during the past two months. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX JOHNSON & JOHNSON-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de Memorial Day speaker asks for remembrance, strength Memorial Day speaker Capt. Justin Allbee asked ceremony attendees to remember those who have fallen in combat and to be strong for the future New Delhi: Taking a dig at ruling Trinamool Congress' supremo Mamata Banerjee, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday (March 3) asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party is not an outsider in West Bengal. In fact, he said, the origin of the BJP is associated with the state. Addressing a public rally in West Bengal's Joypur, Gadkari invoked Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who was born in the state. "Mamata Ji says that we are outsiders. BJP was formed based on the ideology of Jan Sangh, whose founder and our inspiration Syama Prasad Mookerjee was born in West Bengal. How then are we outsiders?" Gadkari was quoted as saying by ANI. Gadkari said that the upcoming assembly elections are not about the future of any political party or leaders, but about the future of the people of Bengal. "This poll isn't about the future of BJP, TMC, Congress, CPM, nor is it about the future of Modi Ji, Amit Shah, Nadda Ji, Rahul Gandhi or Mamata Ji. It is about the future of Bengal's people. We want to change Bengal's image and make India a superpower," the minister said. Exuding confidence in the party's prospects in the polls, Gadkari said that 'Parivartan' (change)will happen on May 2 and that no one will be able to stop it. "Lotus will win. BJP will get a majority. On May 3, our leader will be elected. On May 4, BJP's Chief minister will take the oath. No one can stop it now," he said. Live TV Denton, TX (76205) Today Mostly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 75F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 59F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. ~The Dominican Health Tourism Association and AF Comunicacion Estrategica Host Summit for Health and Wellness Tourism Professionals~ SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC:--- The 5th International Health and Wellness Tourism Congress will be held June 9th and 10th in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The biennial summit promotes health and wellness innovation, integration, and the development of new businesses. The two-day event will feature keynote speeches, panel discussions and breakouts regarding topics in medical tourism, healthcare, hospitality, and finance industries. This edition of Congress will address new trends and projects that define the future direction of the healthcare and tourism industry, with a particular focus on the impact on Caribbean nations, said Dr. Alejandro Cambiaso, president of the Dominican Health Tourism Association. Key topics will focus on managing medical and wellness tourism during a pandemic, discussing health passports, reputation and destination crisis management, and Covid-19 vaccines. We are honored to help lead efforts to relaunch the health and wellness tourism industry by connecting individuals from all sectors for education, networking and investment opportunities, said Amelia Reyes Mora, president of AF Comunicacion Estrategica. The Congress will also set a precedent for how to conduct safe events as we continue to battle the ongoing pandemic More than 800 participants, 74 exhibitors, and 112 sponsors participated in the prior two conferences. Registration is now open for the 2021 conference. Tickets cost $150 (US) and can be purchased here. For more information on Congress, please visit https://congresoadts.com/en/. Spains tourism sector remains in an induced coma after nearly a year of record low activity. A surge in infections at the beginning of 2021 led to new mobility restrictions across the European continent, but in Spain this created a paradoxical situation: while travel across regional borders was largely prohibited, international visitors were still allowed into the country. The contradiction can be explained by the fact that, under the second state of alarm, it is the countrys regional governments who are in charge of deciding their own coronavirus measures. This is in contrast with the March-to-June period last year, when the central government made all the key decisions under the emergency powers granted by the first state of alarm. Business travel has particularly suffered from the coronavirus crisis. Most trade fairs have been cancelled, and those that have not are being held virtually In the current legal framework, regional authorities may close their own borders to all but essential domestic travel. But they do not have the ability to deny entry to European travelers through international borders such as airports or ports, which are centrally managed. It is up to the government of Spain to make that decision, but so far it has not done so, with exceptions for a ban on non-essential travel from the United Kingdom and from non-EU countries. The only condition that was introduced for passengers arriving by air or sea was a PCR test, although this was not required of people coming in by land. That is to say, nothing was stopping a German citizen from entering Spain through, for example, the city of Palma on the island of Mallorca. The only thing that has prevented more Europeans from coming to Spain is the fact that their countries of origin have significantly restricted outbound travel for leisure purposes. January figures This collection of rules, added to a poor epidemiological situation following the Christmas holidays, has led to an erratic start for the Spanish tourism industry. Despite the open borders, only 434,362 foreign travelers came to Spain in January, down 89.5% from the same month in 2020. The fall in spending was similarly dramatic: 452 million, a 90.5% drop from January 2020, according to data released on Tuesday by the National Statistics Institute (INE). And the Canary Islands felt it most keenly, as it watched its high season, winter, go up in smoke. This comes on top of a historically bad 2020, which posted the worst arrival and spending figures in half a century. At this point, the tourism industry is hoping that the vaccination campaign will help save the summer season, by which time the government hopes to have immunized 70% of the population. Business travel has particularly suffered from the coronavirus crisis. Most trade fairs have been cancelled, and those that have not are being held virtually. Business meetings have gone the same way. Even so, the drop in leisure travel has been so tremendous that the share of business trips is at its highest point ever as a percentage of total travel to Spain: 37% of trips in January were for professional purposes, and in December it was even higher, 41%. Those are the highest figures since 2015, when the INE began to break down the overall arrivals figure. LOST JOBS By Ignacio Fariza and Manuel V. Gomez Nine out of every 10 jobs that have been lost since February 2020 were in hospitality and leisure activities, according to figures released by the Social Security Ministry. Nearly 345,000 workers in these industries were laid off as a result of the coronavirus crisis in a country where tourism is a main driver of economic growth. And that figure does not take into account furloughed workers who were sent home through the governments ERTE job retention scheme. Using figures from mid-February, nearly half of the 909,000 people on this program were working in hotels or food and drink establishments. English version by Susana Urra. New Delhi: Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang has landed in Islamabad on a two-day visit to Pakistan which is being undertaken on the directions of President Xi Jinping as informed by the sources. He will be the special guest to mark the countrys 70th Independence Day, and call on President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a statement from the foreign office said. He is slated to participate in an inauguration ceremony of projects related to the USD 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Some bilateral agreements are also likely to be signed. The visit of Vice Premier Wang holds much significance for the entire south Asian region, especially in the backdrop of the ongoing tensions between India and China over Doklam. The Pakistani media has described the visit as a gesture symbolising the close brotherly and cooperative ties between Pakistan and China and Beijing's strong political support for Islamabad. Pakistan is celebrating its Independence Day on August 14. His visit on this important milestone for Pakistan is a reflection of the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between Pakistan and China, the Foreign Office said. As a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, Wang is among the top leaders in China. Also read: Bomb blast in Pishin Stop area of Pakistan's Quetta, 15 dead, 32 injured Pak court asks government to make changes in the controversial blasphemy law For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Teen Plumbing Wiz Fixes Her Familys Pipes That Burst During Texas Storm, Helps Mom, Brothers Return Home Texas high school student Meadow Quigley hopes to start her own business one day. Shes already practicing plumbing at the age of 15and recently saved the day after water pipes in her home burst during the unseasonably harsh winter storms hitting Texas. The familys plumbing disaster struck on Feb. 15, but Meadow knew what to do. Shes currently a sophomore at Construction Careers Academy in San Antonio, studying plumbing, pipefitting, and welding. Shes one of few girls in the entire school, and the only girl in her class. Im kind of Meadows biggest fan, the teens mom, Tracy Sinha, told The Epoch Times. Meadow Quigley at a Women and Machines event in November 2019 (Courtesy of Tracy Sinha) After the disaster struck, Meadow sprang into action. We went to Lowes and we got just some primer and cement from the plumbing section, she told KSAT. Then, we went back, and were like, Okay, we should probably wait til tomorrow because its going to freeze again tonight. The temperature inside the familys home dropped to a frigid 34 degrees Fahrenheit (1 degree Celsius). Tracy explained that Meadow took charge and knew what she was doing, restoring running water for her family and allowing them to return home within days. This girl is only 15 years old, and thanks to her, her three younger autistic brothers and I can finally go home, the proud mom posted on Facebook. She even swallowed her social anxiety and knocked on the neighbors door to see if they needed help with their pipes. Tracy implored her followers to show some love for her industrious daughter, and netizens responded by making Tracys post go viral. Meadow, no stranger to altruism, has also volunteered with local nonprofit Autism Community Network as a camp counselor. She has also for years taken part in her schools Buddy Program for students with special needs. Meadow has always been the type to put others first, Tracy told The Epoch Times. Meadow (R) with her mom Tracy Sinha (Courtesy of Tracy Sinha) Meadow will graduate with certifications in plumbing, pipefitting, and welding. Having helped her own family, she is looking forward to using her skills to help others in the future. To support Meadows pipe dream, family member Jonathan Quigley set up a GoFundMe page. Weve received thousands of uplifting comments and heard people telling us how seeing her story helped, motivated, or excited them or their children, he said. We are so proud of her! To date, the fund has raised over $7,500 of a $10,000 goal. Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Epoch Inspired Newsletter here: TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter The Lucknow police have arrested a close relative of BJP MP Kaushal Kishore, who allegedly shot the latter's son Ayush Kishore, 30, in the early hours of Wednesday. The weapon used in the crime has also been seized. Ayush, son of BJP MP Kaushal Kishore, was shot at by bike borne assailants in Mandiaon area in Lucknow, in the early hours of Wednesday. He has been admitted to the Trauma centre and is not yet in a condition to give a statement. According to ADCP North, Prachi Singh, Aayush was returning home around 2.45 a.m. on Wednesday when the miscreants opened fire at him. Ayush was hit in the hand and the chest while the miscreants fled. ADCP Prachi Singh said that the police are searching for the miscreants through the CCTV footage from close to the scene. This is the second time that Ayush has been attacked and there is a possibility of rivalry behind the incident. BJP MP Kaushal Kishore and his wife Jaya Devi, is a BJP MLA, reached the Trauma Centre on being informed of the incident. Last year, the MP's younger son Akash Kishore had died due to kidney failure. The search for an executive director for Hazleton City Authority continues Thursday when its board of directors will interview an applicant in executive session, authority officials said. The authority will continue its search for replacing longtime administrator Randy Cahalan, who is retiring after serving for three decades with the HCA. A weeks-long advertising campaign that included postings on monster.com, Pennsylvania CareerLink and advertisements with the Standard-Speaker and Pennsylvania Rural Water Association generated responses from a handful of applicants for the executive director post, Cahalan said. At this point, its three (applicants) that were considering, Cahalan said. One of those applicants, who has some 20 years experience in the field, will participate in an interview Thursday with the board of directors, authority board Chairman John Keegan said. Finding the right candidate is crucial, as responsibilities extend far beyond managing personnel, Keegan said. Its not just a top manager position, Keegan said. Were looking at somebody with a specialty in water. Its knowing the water system, knowing the distribution system. This position represents the CEO responsibilities of the authority. Cahalan announced last year that he will retire April 1, but said he would be available to answer any questions or help his successor. His knowledge of the water distribution system and filtration plant will leave the authority with a significant void, Keegan said. We take our responsibility as a board very importantly to address the void, Keegan said. Its going to be really hard to replace Randy. His knowledge of the water distribution system is just unimaginable. Cahalan served 10 years as operations manager and another 20 years as manager/director of operations/executive director for the authority. He oversees a water operation that serves some 15,200 customers in parts of Carbon, Luzerne and Schuylkill counties. The authoritys industrial division handles garbage collection for the city of Hazleton. Cahalans tenure with the HCA began in the late 1980s as an employee of American Water. When he first arrived, the authority was preparing to build a filtration plant off Arthur Gardner Parkway. The plant went online in 1993. Bob Zientek managed the authority at the time. Cahalan took over as manager when Zientek retired. American Water, meanwhile, did not extend its management contract with the local authority, which hired Cahalan as manager. During his tenure, the authority completed millions of dollars of renovations. Officials have since focused on identifying new sources of water to serve a growing customer base. He has been the guiding light over the years for this authority, Keegan said of Cahalan. He was under Bob Zientek when he started. Between the both of them, they provided invaluable knowledge. The authority board on Thursday will also consider resolutions that Keegan said will realign HCAs management structure in the hope of better assisting the new executive director. PAW PAW, MI -- St. Julian Winery in Southwest Michigan has been in the winemaking business for 100 years. Founded in 1921 by Mariano Meconi, St. Julian Winery is the longest-operating winery in the state of Michigan, according to a news release from the winery. The winery, located in Paw Paw, has continued winemaking and spirit production through a variety of challenges over that time, the release said. We have survived Prohibition, wars, The Great Depression, The Great Recession, fires, family tragedies, a pandemic, and countless other challenges over our 100-year timeline, said John Braganini, president of St. Julian Winery. As we move into our next century of opportunity, we have positioned the company for an exciting journey. Related: Paw Paw distillerys new 88-foot tanks can store 140K gallons of wine The company originally carried the Meconi family name, when founded in Ontario in 1921, according to a brief history on the St. Julian website. Mariano moved the business to Detroit after the repeal of Prohibition in the U.S., renaming it the Italian Wine Company. The name changed again, in 1936, when Meconis business moved to Paw Paw to take advantage of Michigans prime grape-growing region and began operating as St. Julian Wine Co. The name pays homage to San Giuliano who is the patron saint of Faleria, the founders home village in Italy. The company has been owned and operated by the family for the four generations since. It added spirits, which it makes from grapes, to its repertoire in 1998 and now offers a line of vodka, rum and brandies. To celebrate the 100-year milestone, St. Julian is releasing six special edition 2019 Cabernet Sauvignons, all of which hail from Mountain Road Estate Vineyard, the release said. Named the St. Julian Centennial Series, each of the wines begins the same but the first five in the series are then aged 14 months in French oak barrels from different cooperages, yielding delightfully different results, the release said. Element: aged in a CbyCADUS barrel, is meant to celebrate the elements and landscape of the vineyard; Iconic: aged in an Icone Elegance barrel by Seguine Moreau. Favored by winemakers for the structure and balance they impart on wine, these barrels are intended for high-end, full-bodied wines; Elevate: aged in a tight-grained Alain Fouquet barrel, which aids in enhancing the structure and expression of the wine; Expression: aged in a CADUS Sensorial barrel, producing a round, full-bodied wine; Classique: aged a Radoux Classique barrel. This old-world style Cabernet is rich in dark cherry and black currant flavors that mingle with baking spice notes, which come from the slow toasting process of the oak. Finale, the ultimate ode of the centennial, is a masterfully blended compilation of the five other wines in the St. Julian Centennial Series. This wine celebrates the convergence of nature, science, and art in winemaking. Intricate and layered, its cherry, currant, and mulberry flavors combined with great acidity and medium tannins is the definition of a perfect finale. The winery will release only 20 cases each of the limited-edition wines later this year exclusively at St. Julian tasting rooms for $100 a bottle ($85 for Wine Club Members), the release said. The winery will also offer 100 wooden boxed sets that include all six wines for $499 ($425 for members). The winery is also planning a Centennial Anniversary Celebration later in the fall. The special-ticket event will allow consumers to learn how barrels are a winemakers spice rack, the release said. The Braganini family will be present at the event. Related: St. Julian Winery in good hands despite death of leader, co-owner says St. Julian is already looking ahead to the next 100 years of wine, cider and spirit making. The winery is undertaking a $20 million expansion and modernization of their winemaking facility, which is the already the largest in the state, the release said. These efforts will help them achieve their goal of 500,000 cases per year, Braginini said. Also on MLive: To wed or not to wed?: How 6 brides are navigating weddings during a pandemic Girl Scout cookie milkshakes on menu at a Michigan bakery for one weekend only Time to vote for Kalamazoo and Southwestern Michigans Best Fish Fry 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. Advertisement London's hospitals have been told to prepare for another surge in coronavirus patients later this year, it was claimed today. Leaked guidance handed to NHS trusts in the capital last month revealed they would be asked to 'begin to plan for a possible wave three Covid surge', according to the Health Service Journal. The presentation, from NHS England and NHS Improvement, added: 'The purpose of the critical care de-surge plan (is to) ensure that the... bed base can expand safely in the event of a third Covid surge and/or other major incident/event.' NHS sources in the capital said the move was based on gloomy Sage predictions that there could be a third wave of hospitalisations in the autumn, even though all Britons are expected to have received their first dose by June. The HSJ claimed no other regions in England have been given similar instructions. Experts believe the disease is seasonal, like the flu. But it is not impossible for Covid cases to spiral in the summer, after South Africa which has its hottest months while the UK is in winter recorded an explosion of infections between November and mid-January thanks to the spread of a highly-transmissible variant. But ministers hope the mammoth vaccine roll-out will stop another surge in hospital admissions. There are concerns that a variant might partially dodge jab-induced immunity but No10's top scientific advisers insist jabs should still prevent millions from becoming severely ill. It comes after official data revealed outbreaks of Covid have been fading rapidly in London. Infections have nosedived in every borough over the fortnight to February 25, the most recent day figures are available for. The capital had 10 local authorities registering fewer than 50 cases per 100,000 people, putting them among the least infected areas of England. They were: Lewisham, Westminster, Southwark, Camden, Kensington and Chelsea, Islington, Kingston upon Thames, Bromley, Enfield and Lambeth. Boris Johnson has set out his roadmap to get the country out of lockdown, with the first stage seeing schools reopen to all pupils on March 8. The Prime Minister has said the earliest all restrictions will go is June 21, and has not ruled out pushing back his timetable should hospitalisations rise again. Coronavirus infection rates have plunged across the capital over the last two weeks to February 25. In England of the 16 local authorities with an infection rate below 50 per 100,000, as many as 10 are in London Above is the situation in London two weeks ago, when most local authorities had an infection rate over 100 per 100,000 The number of Covid patients on hospital wards in London fell 44 per cent over the last two weeks, and was more than 70 per cent below the peak of the second wave on February 26, the latest available NHS STAFF COULD BE FORCED TO HAVE COVID JAB UNDER PLANS BEING CONSIDERED BY MINISTERS NHS workers could be forced to have Covid jabs under plans being discussed by ministers. The Mail can reveal that a review of vaccine passports will consider whether health staff who decline an injection could be legally obliged to have one. The review is also expected to look at whether compulsion should apply to care home staff, most of whom are not employed by the state. Ministers believe the move could cut the virus death toll and limit delays to the easing of lockdown. However there are major legal and moral issues as well as uncertainty as to what could happen to those who still refuse to be inoculated. As many as 200,000 NHS and care employees have refused the offer of a jab so far, despite working in close proximity to the vulnerable. It is extraordinary that so many people in the health sector appear to have turned down the vaccine, a Cabinet source told the Mail. Advertisement The leaked presentation handed to the capital's integrated care systems which includes hospitals, local councils and voluntary organisations supporting the health service said they should make plans for a possible third wave. It added trusts also needed to set out 'goals' for giving doctors and nurses 'immediate rest and respite', cutting critical care capacity after it was ramped up amid spiralling admissions over January, and for cutting back the record waiting list for routine operations. Thousands of standard procedures including for hip replacements and cataract surgery have been disrupted during the second wave, with the number of people waiting more than a year jumping to levels not seen since April 2008. Department of Health data, however, shows Covid pressure on hospitals in the capital is still easing. The number of patients suffering from the virus on NHS wards in London plunged 44 per cent over the two weeks to February 26, falling from 3,939 to 2,223 patients, on average. This is more than 70 per cent below the peak in the darkest days of January when there were 7,750 patients with the virus. And in another promising sign, the infection rate in London has tumbled to be third lowest out of England's nine regions at 65.4 cases per 100,000. Only the South West (53.9) and the South East (65.2) currently have lower levels of the virus. The capital also accounted for 10 of the 16 upper tier local authorities in England recording fewer than 50 cases per 100,000 people. The six councils registering this rate that were not in London were Cornwall, Devon, the Isle of Wight, East Sussex, Bath and North Somerset and Gloucestershire. Lewisham had the lowest infection rate (38.9 cases per 100,000) after its cases plunged 62 per cent in two weeks, followed by Westminster (40.9) where they fell by 51 per cent and Southwark (41.7) where they also fell by 51 per cent. Camden had the fourth-lowest rate (42.2) after seeing a drop of 45 per cent, and Kensington and Chelsea had the fifth-lowest rate (42.9) after they fell by 56 per cent. Only two local authorities in the capital still had an infection rate above 100 cases per 100,000 in the week to February 25, but both had seen cases slide over the last two weeks. Ealing has the highest infection rate in the city (122.6), followed by Hounslow (114.9), Hillingdon (96.8), Harrow (94.8) and Brent (91.3). A spokesman for the Mayor of London said the capital's plummeting infection rates were down to the 'heroic efforts' of Londoners 'who have continued to stay at home and have followed the rules'. 'The Government's roadmap shows the path we need to stay on to ease restrictions and the roll-out of the vaccine means there is light at the end of what has been a very dark tunnel,' they told MailOnline. 'But the NHS remains under severe pressure - there are four times the number of Covid-19 patients in our hospitals than when restrictions were lifted last summer, and the vaccination programme has not yet reached all of the most vulnerable Londoners. We still have some way to go. 'The Mayor is clear that now is not the time to take our foot off the pedal, risking a surge in infections or the spread of variants. It's absolutely vital we keep up our efforts and follow the rules, and if you're offered a vaccine, please take it.' NHS trusts have been warned to start preparing for a third wave. Data from South Africa (above) shows it is possible for Covid cases to spiral over the summer months. They are in the southern hemisphere, meaning their hottest months are when the UK is facing its coldest weather The decision to use the formula means England is receiving 84.1 per cent of vaccine shipments from Pfizer and AstraZeneca, Scotland 8.3 per cent, Wales 4.8 per cent and Northern Ireland 2.9 per cent, based on their population sizes Despite fears the Barnett formula could lead to some areas lagging behind due to fewer supplies of vaccines, latest official figures show the home nations are jabbing at roughly the same rate Professor Paul Plant, Public Health Englands deputy regional director for London, told MailOnline: 'Infection rates in London have been moving in the right direction in recent weeks, as a result of lockdown and the great majority of Londoners sticking to the rules. 'Steadily improving rates in a number of boroughs is good news, but we mustnt celebrate too early. Some parts of the city are still reporting high rates and the emergence of variants means we have to remain vigilant. 'Were still in lockdown and urging Londoners to continue to stay at home and remember hands, face, space if they have to go out. 'Its crucial that rates across all boroughs decrease as much as possible as we look towards opening the city as a whole. We know how quickly rates can rise and none of us wants to go backwards.' It comes after it was revealed that a 'crude' and controversial algorithm is being used to divvy up Covid jab supplies across the UK. Department of Health bosses today confirmed officials deployed the Barnett formula to decide how many doses should be allocated to the devolved nations. The method used in the Treasury since the 1980s to distribute public funding is widely recognised as being flawed because it looks almost solely at population size. The Taxpayers' Alliance pressure group previously described the formula as a 'crude, back-of-the-envelope rule' because it doesn't consider different needs in different areas. It also doesn't account for a range of other factors, such as the number of elderly people, rates of poverty and ill health all of which make people vulnerable to Covid and bump them up the vaccine priority list. The decision to use the strategy means England is receiving 84.1 per cent of vaccine shipments from Pfizer and AstraZeneca, Scotland 8.3 per cent, Wales 4.8 per cent and Northern Ireland 2.9 per cent. A source told MailOnline that the devolved nations agreed that, despite its flaws, the Barnett formula was 'the most efficient method of vaccine allocation across the UK', given the urgency of the pandemic. Public health experts said the UK's jab allocation strategy 'should have been stratified' so areas with larger elderly populations, like Wales, got more doses quicker. But Professor Gabriel Scally, former director of public health for the South West of England, told MailOnline the success of the roll-out had 'probably nullified' any flaws in the Government's approach. NEW YORK, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Decision Diagnostics Corporation ("Decision Diagnostics" or the "Company") (OTCMKTS: DECN) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court for the Central District of California, and docketed under 21-cv-00418, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities other than Defendants that purchased or otherwise acquired Decision Diagnostics securities between March 3, 2020 and December 17, 2020, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), seeking to recover damages caused by Defendants' violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, against the Company and certain of its top officials. If you are a shareholder who purchased Decision Diagnostics securities during the Class Period, you have until March 16, 2021 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. [Click here for information about joining the class action] Decision Diagnostics purportedly offers, among other products and services, prescription and non-prescription diagnostics and home testing products. From March 2020 to at least June 2020, Defendants claimed that the Company had developed a finger-prick blood test that could detect COVID-19 in less than one minute. Defendants also made various representations regarding the Company's progress towards achieving U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") emergency use authorization ("EUA") for this purported COVID-19 finger-prick blood test. The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements, and failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operational, and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and failed to disclose to investors that: (i) Decision Diagnostics had not developed any viable COVID-19 test, much less a test that could detect COVID-19 in less than one minute; (ii) the Company could not meet the FDA's EUA testing requirements for its purported COVID-19 test; (iii) accordingly, Defendants had misrepresented the timeline within which it could realistically bring its COVID-19 test to market; (iv) all the foregoing subjected Defendants to an increased risk of regulatory oversight and enforcement; and (v) as a result, Defendants' public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On December 17, 2020, the SEC filed a complaint in federal court against Defendants, alleging that they had issued a series of press releases that falsely claimed that Decision Diagnostics had developed a finger-prick blood test that could detect COVID-19 in less than one minute (the "SEC Complaint"). According to the SEC Complaint, from March 2020 to at least June 2020, Defendants made false and misleading statements about the existence of Decision Diagnostics' COVID-19 device and progress towards achieving FDA EUA for that device. As alleged, at the time of these claims, Decision Diagnostics lacked a proven method for detecting the virus and had no physical testing device. The SEC Complaint further alleged that the statements created the misleading impression that Decision Diagnostics would soon introduce the COVID-19 test to the market, which led to surges in the price and trading volume of the Company's stock. Following the filing of the SEC Complaint, Decision Diagnostics' common share price fell $0.06 per share, or 60%, to close at $0.04 per share on December 18, 2020. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP [email protected] 888-476-6529 ext. 7980 SOURCE Pomerantz LLP Related Links www.pomerantzlaw.com COLUMBUS, Ohio - An Ohio House committee advanced a bill Wednesday that extends deadlines for K-12 standardized tests this spring and removes sanctions and penalties on low-performing schools and districts. House Bill 67 was originally written to instruct the Ohio Department of Education to ask the U.S. education secretary to waive testing this spring, due to the pandemic forcing at-home learning for many Ohio children. Lawmakers passed legislation a year ago to waive last years testing. But last week, the administration of President Joe Biden stated that it expected tests to occur, but that it would give permission for the assessments to be offered in a shorter format and at later dates than normal. It expects states to publish school report cards so parents and the public can see the impact on learning during the pandemic, although it said that it would give permission for states to not sanction or penalize schools as a result of the grades. Lawmakers described being blindsided by the U.S. Department of Educations guidance and began rewriting HB 67 to comply with the federal requirements. Some standardized tests are scheduled to begin March 22. The tests have been mailed out to the districts and schools. Among the changes made in the reworked version of HB 67 that passed out of the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee: - The Ohio Department of Education is instructed to seek a waiver from the federal government to exempt schools and districts from sanctions and penalties as a result of the test scores. -Schools get one- and two-week extensions to administer written and online tests for English language arts, math, science and social studies, depending on the test. -Schools are exempt from administering an American history end-of-course exam. The exam is a state and not federal requirement, which means the legislature can scrap it this year. -The Ohio Department of Education, which usually must release school report cards Sept. 15, will get until Oct. 14 this year. -Schools will not get an extension for administering the paper third-grade English language arts test because its used to promote kids to the fourth grade. But the bill gives the Ohio Department of Education extra time to send each district a list of individual scores. -Home schooled students will not have to take end-of-year assessments this year. Parents normally take their children to teachers for assessments that are approved by local educational service centers. -Seniors who are on track to graduate will get high school diplomas this spring if they have successfully completed the high school curriculum or individualized education program, regardless of testing. This bill is a tool to give relief to students and teachers in the middle of a pandemic when were trying our best to get kids educated, Rep. Kyle Koehler, a Springfield Republican who is a sponsor of HB 67, said in a committee hearing on the bill earlier Wednesday. The bill passed out of the committee 9-3 Wednesday morning, largely on party lines. Democrats on the committee were critical that home schooled children would be able to skip assessments, when other children would have to take them. Rep. Joe Miller, an Amherst Democrat who has taught high school and college courses, said that the legislature should extend the testing deadlines into the summer so that they dont cut into instructional time. Only parents interested in their children taking them should schedule time at the public library, school or at home, he said. While the tests are valuable, too much emphasis and money is put into them, Miller said. Id like 60% or 70% of the $60-some-million that we invest in these ridiculous tests back to put towards education of kids in other ways, he said. The bill is headed to the House floor for a vote, possibly on Thursday. More coverage: Ohio lawmakers scrambling to change standardized testing deadlines weeks before they begin With Johnson & Johnson vaccine, Ohios allocation this week will be 448,390 doses Liquor permit for Floods Urban Seafood Lounge in Warrensville Heights will be suspended for 120 days for coronavirus order violations Fewer people will get food, Medicaid, unemployment under Ohio bill requiring more fraud checks, advocates say Ohio is developing a $3.6 million centralized coronavirus vaccine signup system. Here are the details Francesca Paris is The Eagle's data and public records reporter. She was previously the North Adams reporter. A California native and Williams College alumna, she has worked at NPR in Washington, D.C. and WBUR in Boston. Find her on Twitter at @fparises. Lancaster City police are investigating an early Wednesday shooting they say injured a 27- and 24-year-old man. Reports of a shooting first came in around 1:52 a.m. near West King and North Pine Street, police said. While officers investigated the scene, the men arrived at the hospital in separate, private vehicles, according to police. Police said the 27-year-old was shot in the lower back/hip area, while the 24-year-old was shot in the right arm. Both men who are Lancaster City residents are in stable condition and expected to survive their injuries, police said. The men know each other and were together at the time of the shooting. Spent shell casings were found in the area of West King and North Pine, police said. No information on suspects or pending charges was immediately available. Anyone with information regarding the shooting is asked to call the Lancaster Bureau of Police at 717-735-3300. or Lancaster Crime Stoppers at 800-322-1913. Tips can also be anonymously submitted by texting LANCS and your message to 847411. READ MORE: Horse and buggy crashes with another vehicle in Cumberland County, ejecting people: state police 65-year-old pedestrian injured in Derry Township crash: police An ill-advised post on Facebook threatening the life of President Uhuru Kenyatta landed a man in court on Monday. 22-yer-old Simon Muchiri was arraigned before a Kiambu court where he was charged under the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act with misusing the social media platform by publishing remarks deemed detrimental to the office of the president and the people who occupy it. The prosecution told the court Muchiri committed the act on February 27 this year at an unknown place. That on February 27 at unknown place you published on your Facebook page that you would kill president Uhuru Kenyatta without hesitation if you had a gun, the prosecution said. Muchiri, who was arrested after police tracked him down using his mobile number, denied the charges. His lawyer pleaded for his release saying he is a young adult, a first-time offender, and his familys breadwinner. Kiambu principal magistrate Grace Omodho released the accused on a cash bail of Sh200,000 or similar bond terms. The court set pre-trial hearing for March 15 when the accused will be furnished with all the evidence the prosecution intends to use in court. ROCHESTER, Minn. - Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar is urging the Biden Administration to use live event venues to administer COVID-19 vaccines across the nation. Klobuchar led a bipartisan group of senators in sending a letter to the White House Coronavirus Task Force encouraging the use of venues to ensure every community has access to vaccines as supply increases. "Live event venues have been effectively shuttered by the pandemic and offer vast resources that could help to better facilitate vaccine distribution including facilities that offer spacious interiors and are designed to handle crowd management," the senators wrote. The group adds because live event venues are located in urban, suburban, and rural communities, their use could promote equitable distribution of vaccines. Here in Rochester, public health officials have been using venues, including the Mayo Civic Center, as mass vaccination sites. Mayo Civic Center President Joe Ward says they are well-situated to help with distribution. "They're large spaces. We can spread people out, and we specialize in dealing with large groups," Ward told KIMT "So it's really a good fit." Ward also says taking part in distribution is a great way for venues to be of service to the communities who support them. "Those are publicly funded venues on some level, and so I think it's a great way to give back to those taxpayers that have funded it, is to take care of them," Ward said. Ward tells KIMT about 2,300 people were vaccinated at the Mayo Civic Center last weekend. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-03 13:56:18|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close File photo taken on Aug. 27, 2019 shows bottles of Cognac liquor in Cognac, France. (Xinhua/Gao Jing) "This agreement is so important because it takes a new step, recognizing that there are key exports on both sides that need to be protected against misuse and copying," said Lorenzo Castellani, a political scientist with Rome's LUISS University. ROME, March 3 (Xinhua) -- As an ambitious geographical indications agreement between the European Union (EU) and China took effect on Monday, analysts said the deal can be a win-win situation for both sides, given that it is the first step toward protecting an even wider array of goods. The landmark agreement on geographical indications (GIs) between the EU and China protects and guarantees the authenticity of 100 GIs from each side. GI sign is used to show the specific geographical origin of a product and identify its qualities or reputation due to that origin. It is an important type of intellectual property right and a quality guarantee. WIN-WIN DEAL WELCOMED As a result of the deal, the total number of EU GIs protected in China increased to 134 while Chinese GIs that are officially protected in the EU were up to 110. The European products covered by the agreement range from 52 types of wine, 13 kinds of cheese, and various types of fruits, cured meats, and spirits, while Chinese products protected includes 28 kinds of tea and a wide range of agricultural products including specific types of apples, mushrooms, rice, honey and Goji berries. Photo taken on Jan. 6, 2021 shows Tie Guan Yin tea products displayed at a tea company in Anxi County, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Huaying) "This agreement is so important because it takes a new step, recognizing that there are key exports on both sides that need to be protected against misuse and copying," Lorenzo Castellani, a political scientist with Rome's LUISS University, told Xinhua. "This is a further step which testifies to the will of the European Union and China to work closely together," said Rodolphe Lameyse, chief executive officer of Vinexposium, a wine and spirits events organizer. Lukasz Karmowski, president of the Polish Association of Distilleries representing local agricultural vodka producers, called the agreement "a great success" for Polish national drink. As "China's first comprehensive, high-level bilateral agreement on GIs, its coming into effect fully testifies to China and the EU's commitment to upholding free and open trade, and supporting rules-based multilateral trading system," China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Monday. A China-Europe freight train heading for Belgrade prepares to depart from Wujiashan railway container center station in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, May 9, 2020. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu) "It will provide new impetus to China-EU economic and trade cooperation and be conducive to cementing the foundation, economic- and trade-wise, of China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership," he noted. EXPANSION OF DEAL EXPECTED Of the 100 European Union products protected by the agreement, 26 come from Italy -- more than from any other European Union member states. Among the Italian products listed in the agreement are mozzarella and parmesan cheese, Brunello and Barbaresco wine, San Daniele and Prosciutto cured meats, and grappa, a high-alcohol spirit. "This is just a start, focusing mostly on products related to gastronomic excellence on both sides," Italian scholar Castellani said, predicting a wider expansion. In his opinion, it will ultimately grow far beyond current levels to cover industrial products including vehicles and aerospace equipment. According to the agreement, the scope of the document will expand to cover an additional 175 GIs from each side by 2024. But Rolando Manfredi, head of quality management for Coldiretti, Italy's largest agricultural union, said he hopes it will eventually be expanded far beyond even that level for 2024. "There are 8,000 geographically protected products in Italy alone, which means this agreement protects just 3 percent of them," he said. "I would like to see the list expand to include more and more of these products." Their aspiration highlights the potential of win-win cooperation between the EU and China and also reflects the impetus of existing EU-China relations. Last year, China surpassed the United States to become the EU's largest trading partner. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce data showed that China has been the bloc's top source of imports and its second-largest export market, with the bilateral trade volume reaching 649.5 billion U.S. dollars in 2020. According to EU data, the bloc's exports to China rose 2.2 percent last year compared to 2019, while imports from China grew 5.6 percent. That took place when the EU exports to the rest of the world shrank by 9.4 percent and imports fell by 11.6 percent in 2020 amid the global economic slowdown sparked by the coronavirus pandemic. Kingstree, SC (29556) Today Some sun this morning with increasing clouds this afternoon. High 84F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. The media is no longer allowed access to the migrant housing facilities along the U.S.-Mexico border, as per a new directive from the Biden administration that claimed the ban is due to "coronavirus" concerns. Migrant housing facilities located in the border of America and Mexico are currently closed off to the media, a Biden administration spokesperson told Daily Caller. Members of the media are now barred from entering the Carrizo Springs facility for unaccompanied minors, which was previously opened in Texas. According to a Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families (ACF) spokesperson, "The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) is not hosting media tours of unaccompanied children (UC) facilities currently due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If media tours resume, we will send a media advisory." The decision to ban media from migrant housing facilities along the border may sound unlike something the Biden administration would order, especially after the decision to reopen the facility that the Trump administration activated in 2019 already garnered criticism. According to The Blaze, right wing leaders called out the Biden administration's hypocrisy, which was observed even by the president's frequent left wing supporters such as New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. A known socialist, Rep. Cortez took to Twitter to oppose the Biden administration's decision to open migrant housing facilities on the border, reacting to The Washington Post's story by writing, "This is not okay, never has been okay, never will be okay - no matter the administration or party." NPR reported in February that President Biden himself said that "Our hope and expectation is that won't stay open very long, that we will be able to provide for every kid that comes across the border to safely be housed in a facility that is licensed." The White House claims that the Biden administration's decision to ban media from the migrant housing facilities in the border was due to the need for "additional space because of the social distance requirements of the coronavirus." Press secretary Jen Psaki explained that the Texas facility was "the safest option available." However, the need for such "additional space" is not only due to coronavirus concerns, but actually because of the surge of immigrants coming into the U.S. following the Biden administration's failure to secure the border and impose stricter immigration rules. The Blaze reported that even Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) chief of staff Timothy Perry admitted that the agency needed to "prepare for border surges now" and "begin making changes immediately." Perry's urgency to prepare for such a surge was evident, as he said, "We should privilege action over cost considerations; do what is needed, and the department will work on funding afterward." The Biden administration's decision to ban media from migrant housing facilities in the border may be a move to limit coverage of the realities of those who are subjected to stay in those facilities. In January alone, there were over 5,700 unaccompanied minors who crossed the border, a number that increased from 4,850 in December and 4,500 in November, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported via NPR. The Biden administration insists that keeping children in migrant housing facilities will give them time to ensure that they comply with immigration laws and that they are placed in safe care by their eventual adoptive families. [March 03, 2021] Code Corporation Promotes Jessica Johnson to Director of Manufacturing Code Corporation, a global leader in barcode scanning and data capture technologies, today announced it has promoted Jessica Johnson to the position of Director of Manufacturing. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005862/en/ Code Corporation has promoted Jessica Johnson to the position of Director of Manufacturing. (Photo: Business Wire) "As an expert in manufacturing and process improvement, Jessica has a proven track record in driving international supply chains an managing manufacturing partners that enable Code Corporation to experience profitable growth," said Kent Hansen, CEO of Code Corporation. "Customers around the world confidently rely on us for barcode scanning hardware and software solutions that meet the highest standards of quality and performance. This is only possible because of great leaders like Jessica and we are proud to have her on our management team." Johnson has been with the company for 10 years. She started as an intern and steadily worked her way up to greater levels of leadership and responsibility. In this new position, Johnson will lead a team of seven and directly coordinate with the product development, engineering, design, software, marketing and quality teams to drive production needs including strategic planning, improvement, scheduling and budgeting. She will also communicate and coordinate with supply chain vendors, manufacturing partners and factories around the world to ensure the manufacturability, quality and large-scale manufacturing of the products are optimized. Johnson earned a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering in 2013 from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. About Code Corporation For more than 20 years, Code Corporation has been an industry pioneer, leader, and champion for data capture innovation and has garnered more than 100 patents. By crafting and continuing to perfect its unique decoding algorithms, Code and its line of image-based scanning and decoding technology consistently deliver unparalleled performance companies around the world depend on every day. Code designs and manufactures a complete line of market-leading hardware and software data capture solutions. Code products are not only valued for providing a consistent level of workflow efficiency year after year, but also for their ergonomic design, durability, ease of customization, and seamless integration. For more, please visit www.codecorp.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210303005862/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] English Spanish Portuguese NAIROBI, Kenya and JOHANNESBURG, South Africa and SAO PAOLO, Brasil, March 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Galvanize , the global leader in SaaS governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) software, today announced that the company now provides regional hosting in Africa and South America via local AWS Regions - AWS Africa (Cape Town) and AWS South America (Sao Paulo) Region respectively. This demonstrates Galvanizes commitment to its local partners and customers by supporting their data sovereignty requirements, and in particular ensuring compliance with POPIA in South Africa and LGPD in Brazil. In addition to data sovereignty compliance , the AWS hosting environment provides customers and partners with numerous other benefits including top performance, the highest levels of security, low latency, continuous availability , and automatic fail-over, ensuring customers avoid having a critical service dependent on a single data center. Galvanize on the News: By offering regional hosting in Africa, Galvanize customers who are sensitive to data sovereignty will have the peace of mind that their data will remain in Africa at all times. Theyll also benefit from AWSs world-class infrastructure and service. Having a Galvanize data-centre in Africa demonstrates Galvanizes commitment to the continent and its loyal customers. This is another step closer to Africas adoption of cloud technology as a primary choice. Dino Carletti, Head of South Africa, Surtech (Galvanize partner) Organizations worldwide face a new era of risk and uncertainty as a result of the pandemic. By partnering with AWS, Galvanize ensures data sovereignty in Africa and South America to meet regulatory and compliance requirements. This gives global organizations a unified, automated platform for any and all GRC needs. Dan Zitting, Chief Product and Strategy Officer, Galvanize Our investment in world class, locally provisioned AWS infrastructure demonstrates our continued commitment to providing a high-performance experience to our customers across Africa and South America. Data sovereignty is an extremely important issue for both our public and private sector clients, with in-country hosting often mandated for public and enterprise organisations. Galvanize is now one of the few global, cloud-based GRC enterprise software providers who provision their services in a locally hosted environment, ensuring data sovereignty and regulatory compliance. Barnabas Chirombo, Head of Africa, Revival Holdings (Galvanize partner) This is an important and differentiating investment by Galvanize. Data sovereignty is a must have customer requirement and being able to provide local hosting via AWS will give them confidence that these regulatory compliance priorities are being met by best-in-class infrastructure. Roberto Faria, Executive Director, Quality Nextech, Brazil About Galvanize: Galvanize is the leading provider of award-winning, cloud-based security, risk management, compliance, and audit software for some of the worlds largest organizations. The integrated HighBond platform provides visibility into risk, makes it easy to demonstrate compliance, and helps grow audit, risk, and compliance programs without incurring extra costs. More than 6,300 organizations in 130 countries rely on HighBond to meet their objectives, including many Fortune 1000 and S&P 500 companies, hundreds of banks, manufacturers, healthcare and government organizations. Whether managing threats, assessing risk, measuring controls, monitoring compliance, or expanding assurance coverage, HighBond automates manual tasks, blends organization-wide data, and broadcasts it in easy-to-share dashboards and reports. wegalvanize.com Contact information: galvanize@highwirepr.com The international version of the docuseries Century Masters will be available on the CGTN Documentary Channel starting at 7 pm on March 3, airing one episode every night for 15 consecutive days. The documentary, written and curated by Mo Yan and Zhang Yimou and hosted and directed by three-time Emmy winner Bill Einreinhofer, is China's first biographical documentary focusing on masters in 20th century art and culture. Taking 10 years to film the life stories of 100 figures, Century Masters selected 15 masters, covered over 15 episodes, to help overseas audiences understand the history of China's literature and art from a hundred years ago. The international edition has so far featured 15 art giants in 15 episodes, each 52 minutes long. The first season told the stories of 10 masters, including Mei Lanfang, Zhang Daqian, Cheng Yanqiu, Xu Beihong and Lu Xun translated into 8 languages such as English, French, Russian, Spanish, Arabic, Korean, Japanese and Portuguese. The second season, featuring Guan Shanyue, Huang Wei, Li Kuchan, Shang Xiaoyun, Wu Guanzhong, has been translated into English, French, Russian, Spanish and Arabic. As Bill Einreinhofer said, "These documentaries will be shot from an objective perspective. They will tell the world about the status of China's literary and artistic field in the 20th century through international experts and scholars, and present the masters as real living people so the world can see the changes happening in China." The international edition of Century Masters has been included as a production of The Sight and Sound of China a project presented by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee (the State Council Information Office). The first and second seasons will air on CGTN Documentary Channel from March 3 to 17 at 7pm every night, one episode per day. In addition, viewers can also watch it on the CGTN app and website. Other translated languages will also be broadcast on various platforms. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2021) - MAX RESOURCE CORP. (TSXV: MXR) (OTC Pink: MXROF) (FSE: M1D2) ("Max" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the "CONEJO discovery", a new type of copper mineralization hosted in igneous rock, at CESAR North within the wholly-owned CESAR copper-silver project in North Eastern Colombia (refer to Figures 2 and 3). The CONEJO zone spans 1.6-km by 0.6-km, is open in all directions, and lies along the CESAR North Kupferschiefer-type (SEDEX) copper-silver mineralization. This new mineralization is considered to be related to the sediment copper-silver system, but hosted in an igneous (volcanic) unit. It is associated with fracture-controlled primary chalcocite mineralization that becomes more continuous as fracture density increases (refer to Figures 1 and 4). "This discovery of a new type of copper mineralization hosted in igneous host rock, significantly enhances the Company's steadfast belief of CESAR as district scale with several pulses of mineralization," commented Max CEO, Brett Matich. " "CESAR provides Max significant exposure to copper, a critical energy metal and a key metal for the world's transition to clean green energy," he concluded. Over 200 rock samples have been sent to ALS; assay results are expected early April. The Max in-country team continues mapping of CONEJO to determine structural controls and extent of the footprint of this new mineralized zone. In addition, the Company will initiate a ground Induced Polarization (IP) survey. Figure 1. Fracture controlled copper mineralization hosted in igneous host rock at CONEJO. To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3834/75916_34df2b6194d2ca95_002full.jpg Figure 2. CESAR Copper-Silver Project. - Figure 3. The CONEJO sample locations. To view an enhanced version of Figure 2 & Figure 3, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3834/75916_34df2b6194d2ca95_003full.jpg Figure 4. CONEJO discovery outcrop. To view an enhanced version of Figure 4, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3834/75916_34df2b6194d2ca95_004full.jpg Max interprets the stratabound copper-silver (SEDEX) mineralization in the CESAR Basin to be analogous to the Kupferschiefer Basin in Poland. The Kupferschiefer deposits, Europe's largest copper source, produced 3MT of copper in 2018 and 40 million ounces of silver in 2019 from an orebody 0.5 to 5.5-metres thick, grading 1.49% copper and 48.6 g/t silver. This silver yield is almost twice the production of the world's second largest silver mine. Source: World Silver Survey 2020 and Kupferschiefer Deposits & Prospects in SW Poland, September 27, 2019. Max cautions investors that the presence of copper-silver mineralization at Kupferschiefer is not necessarily indicative of similar mineralization at CESAR. CESAR COPPER-SILVER PROJECT IN COLOMBIA The CESAR project in North Eastern Colombia consists of over 2,500 km cumulatively covering a major portion of the newly discovered CESAR district, and extends over 220-km of highly prospective copper-silver mineralization. This region enjoys major infrastructure as a result of oil & gas and mining operations, including Cerrejon, the largest coal mine in Latin America, jointly owned by global miners BHP Billiton, Xstrata and Anglo American (refer to Figure 1). Given the outstanding district-scale prospectively of the CESAR Copper-Silver project, Max has initiated a multiple faceted exploration program for 2021: Advanced Drill Core Analysis and Modelling: ongoing interpretation of seismic sections and analysis of historical drill holes, all being integrated into our structural modelling of the CESAR Basin, in collaboration with Ingenieria Geologica Universidad Nacional de Colombia ("IGUN") in Medellin (January 7, 2021); Geochemical and Mineralogical: geochemical and mineralogy research programs by the University of Science and Technology ("AGH") of Krakow, Poland. AGH bring their extensive knowledge of KGHM's world renowned Kupferschiefer sediment-hosted copper-silver deposits in Poland to the CESAR project; Geophysics: Fathom Geophysics is interpreting regional airborne magnetic and radiometric data, funded by the Company in collaboration with one of the world's leading copper producers; Proprietary Field Exploration & Techniques: Max exploration team are bringing proprietary exploration knowledge to the field programs that are now underway: CESAR North: - In 2020, Max identified stratabound copper-silver mineralization (SEDEX) spanning over 45 sq. km, with highlight values of 0.1 to 34.4% copper and 5 to 305 g/t silver over continuous intervals ranging 0.1 to 25.0-metres; The Max team is exploring this 40-km long belt; - In 2021, Max discovered fracture-controlled copper mineralization hosted in igneous host over 1.6-km by 0.6-km (CONEJO zone), open in all directions, and lies along the CESAR North Kupferschiefer-type (SEDEX) copper-silver mineralization; CESAR West: Max has initiated sampling and mapping the continuous 180-kilometre-long landholding with already discovered copper-silver mineralization; CESAR South: Recent 15-km discovered zone, highlight grab sample values of 11.4% copper + 656g/t silver. QUALIFIED PERSON The Company's disclosure of a technical or scientific nature in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Tim Henneberry, P Geo (British Columbia), a member of the Max Resource Advisory Board, who serves as a qualified person under the definition of National Instrument 43:101. ABOUT MAX RESOURCE CORP. Max Resource Corp. is an energy and precious metals exploration company, engaged in advancing both its district-scale CESAR copper-silver project in Colombia and the newly acquired RT Gold project in Peru. Both projects have potential for the discovery of large-scale mineral deposits; both SEDEX and copper-silver-type in Colombia; high-grade gold porphyry and massive sulfide in Peru. Max Resource was awarded a Top 10 Ranked Company in the Mining Sector on the TSX Venture 50 for 2021, achieving a market cap increase of 1,992% and a share price increase of 282% in 2020. For more information visit: https://www.maxresource.com/ For more information visit: www.tsx.com/venture50 TSX Venture 50 for 2021 video: MAX Resource Corp. (TSXV: MXR) - 2021 TSX Venture 50 - YouTube For additional information contact: Max Resource Corp. Tim McNulty E: info@maxresource.com T: (604) 290-8100 *The Venture 50 ranking is provided by TSX Venture Exchange Inc. ("TSXV") for information purposes only. Neither TMX Group Limited nor any of its affiliated companies guarantees the completeness of this information, and are not responsible for any errors or omissions in or any use of, or reliance on, this information. The Venture 50 program is not an invitation to purchase securities listed on TSX Venture Exchange. TSXV and its affiliates do not endorse or recommend any of the referenced securities or issuers, and this information should not be construed as providing any trading, legal, accounting, tax, investment, business, financial or other advice and should not be relied on for such purposes" 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 Except for statements of historic fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to delays or uncertainties with regulatory approvals, including that of the TSXV. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the commercialization plans for Max Resources Corp. described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties that could affect financial results is contained in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/75916 A Co Laois man was fined 500 (578) today after he admitted trying to pay for sexual services. In just the second case if its kind in Northern Ireland, Newry Magistrates Court heard that for 35-year-old John Bergin, media attention to his case has been humiliating and degrading and a salutary lesson. Although Bergin, from Fassidinas New Row, Abbeyleix in Co. Laois, did not attend court personally, defence counsel Kevin OHare entered guilty pleas to two offences on his behalf - trying to pay for sexual services and possessing class A cocaine on 18 October last year. A further charge of paying sexual services was not proceeded with and a prosecuting lawyer told the court how cops were alerted to report of suspicious activity on Monaghan Street in the city in the early hours of the morning when two women parked up in a white land rover. One of the females went into a house but police arrived a short time later and while they found her behind the door, Bergin admitted that he had contacted her through an escort website and arranged for her to come to the house. The females profile on the site was on the defendants phone, said the lawyer adding that cops also uncovered two small bags of cocaine. Arrested and interviewed, Bergin made admissions that he had been drinking when he arranged for the woman to visit him for sex. Losing a plea in mitigation, Mr OHare conceded that while Bergin was not the victim in the case he did spend a night in custody and was taken, in handcuffs, to a cash machine to withdraw 400 to secure his bail. He said that as well as getting attention in the national press, Bergin had also been all over social media which had been a humiliating and degrading experience and he has learned a very salutary lesson. Imposing 250 fines on each count, along with a 15 offender levy, Deputy District Judge Ann Marshall said it was quite an unusual type of offence so she could understand in some way, the press attention. In addition to the fines, Bergin also faces a legal bill after he was earlier refused legal aid by District Judge Eamon King. He raised a chuckle in the court when he told the lawyer: if he can pay for certain other services, I think he can maybe pay for this. The Torrington EMT suspected of arson fires at emergency services facilities on Saturday remains held as a fugitive from justice in Pennsylvania, authorities said. The EMT identified by police as 37-year-old Richard White was taken into custody late Saturday night after authorities said he set four fires that damaged a Roxbury home and emergency services facilities in Meriden, Old Saybrook and Roxbury. Pennsylvania state police said that White was stopped traveling west on I-80 Saturday after their troopers were notified by Connecticut law enforcement that he was in the area. He was later incarcerated at Northumberland County Jail to await extradition, Pennsylvania state police said. Police in Old Saybrook obtained a warrant Saturday charging White with arson and burglary for a fire at the Hunters Ambulance facility on Boston Post Road. It is not clear when he will face a judge in Pennsylvania or return to Connecticut, but authorities in Connecticut said they are working on filing more charges against White. Before allegedly setting the fires, White got into a fight with a fellow Hunters Ambulance employee after being placed on leave in a disciplinary hearing, police said. Officials have not said what led to the hearing. The string of events started with a call to police around 10 a.m. Saturday when officers were dispatched to the Hunters Ambulance headquarters in Meriden. Police say they learned White had been put on leave and then got into a physical altercation with another employee before fleeing in a gray Ford Taurus. Roughly six hours later, police say White allegedly lit a Molotov cocktail in the employee room of the Hunters Ambulance facility in Old Saybrook around 4:30 p.m. Saturday. By about 5 p.m., officials say Whites car was seen back at the Meriden facility as the driver threw a lit Molotov cocktail at the building before speeding off. An hour later, Roxbury officials were called to a fire at the EMS and fire headquarters, as well as a reported fire at a nearby residence. Connecticut state police said over the weekend that White is also suspected of setting those fires. Officials didnt say what was used to ignite these blazes, but did say similar evidence was found at all four scenes. There were no injuries reported from any of the arson fires reported Saturday, Connecticut authorities said. White was taken into custody around 10 p.m. Saturday more than 200 miles from Roxbury in Milton, Pa. Connecticut State Police Sgt. Paul Makuc said White has ties to the Roxbury EMS facility and the nearby home. Roxbury Ambulance Association Chief Sarah Lauriat declined to say over the weekend whether White was associated with the squad. Staff writers Peter Yankowski and J.D. Freda contributed to this story. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Ruben Vartazarian, the chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), was put on the defensive as he asked the National Assembly to confirm two new senior judges nominated by the SJC. During a question-and-answer session that began on Tuesday, deputies representing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinians My Step bloc ignored the nominations and accused Vartazarian of effectively siding with the Armenian opposition. They pointed to a November 15 statement in which Vartazarian urged judges to prove that they are honest professionals, rather than judges whimpering under walls. Pashinian lambasted unnamed whimpering judges in 2019 when he accused the Armenian judiciary of maintaining ties with the countrys former leadership. The My Step deputies charged that with his controversial statement Vartazarian encouraged courts to hand down anti-government rulings. One of those lawmakers, Hayk Gevorgian, noted that the courts refused to sanction the arrest of individuals charged with breaking into Armenias main state buildings and ransacking them immediately after a Russian-brokered ceasefire that stopped the war in Nagorno-Karabakh on November 10. Vartazarian insisted that he did not issue any politically motivated orders to courts. It was a call for restraint and soberness, he said. I reacted to an offensive political statement. I called on my colleagues to refrain from making any political decisions in favor of the government, the opposition or civil society and to be guided only by the law, Vartazarian told another parliamentarian. In recent months, Armenian judges have refused to allow law-enforcement authorities to arrest dozens of opposition leaders and members as well as other anti-government activists. Virtually all of those individuals are prosecuted in connection with street protests sparked by the Pashinian administrations handling of the Karabakh war. Pashinian claimed in December that Armenias judicial system has become part of a pseudo-elite which is trying to topple him after the disastrous war. Vartazarian rejected the criticism. Conservative fundraising arms. Big tech venture capitalists. Real estate investors. And a whole lot of retirees. Organizers of the campaign to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom have boasted that the effort is fueled by grassroots supporters angry about pandemic restrictions and the governors attendance at a dinner party that defied his own administrations guidelines. But the financial engine of the recall campaign has been less populist and largely driven by mega-donors writing six-figure checks. Of the nearly $4 million that recall organizers say they have raised, more than half has come from two dozen contributors wealthy individuals, deep-pocketed companies and Republican groups. Large contributions poured in over the past three months as the recall effort became a statewide and national Republican cause celebre, boosted by regular segments on Fox News and other conservative outlets. The effort received $185,000 from the California Republican Party after it got a cash infusion from the National Republican Committee; $109,000 from the Lincoln Club of Orange County, a prominent GOP group; and $100,000 from Huck PAC, the committee for Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas Republican governor and current commentator. Dan Newman, a consultant for Newsoms planned 2022 re-election campaign, said the contributions show the effort is being latched onto by national Republicans eager for an issue after losing the White House. This is a national Republican cause. The extreme right wing of the Republican Party has embraced this, Newman said. Its sort of a backdoor way to force California to have a (Donald) Trump supporter as governor. Leaders of the recall effort say the attempt to paint it as driven by national Republican groups is misguided. The two main committees behind the recall say they have about 27,000 donors combined. Photo by Mike Windle/Getty Images for Vanity Fair / TNS Information about many of those individual donors isnt required to be reported because they gave less than $100 apiece. Anne Dunsmore, campaign manager for Rescue California ... Recall Gavin Newsom, said the campaign has received a flood of small contributions in the mail since the states last reporting deadline, with an average donation of $36.50. This movement is born and raised in California, she said. At least 8% of the money raised by the two committees has come from outside California, with the largest portion from Huckabees operation in Arkansas. Money has also come from contributors in Nevada, Kansas, Texas and Arizona. Dunsmore said that, if anything, shes surprised the effort hasnt received more national support. She said many out-of-state donors were probably former California residents who were fed up and left. What starts here rolls across the country, she said. And if (Newsoms) type of governance is allowed to prevail, then everybodys in for a whole lot of misery across the country, so we are trying to stop it here. Among California residents, tech venture capitalists have made many of the largest contributions, including billionaire Chamath Palihapitiya, the former Facebook executive and founder of Social Capital who gave $100,000 and briefly considered running in a recall election. Other contributors in the tech field include Doug Leone, a billionaire and partner at Sequoia Capital, and his wife, Patricia Perkins-Leone; San Francisco venture capitalist Dixon Doll and his wife, Carol Doll; and David Sacks, a partner at Craft Ventures and former PayPal executive, and his wife, Jacqueline Sacks, who runs a clothing company. Jessica Christian / The Chronicle All gave between $90,000 and $100,000. Bay Area mega-contributors have given more than $500,000 to the recall effort combined. David McCuan, head of the political science department at Sonoma State University, said the recall has morphed into a sophisticated operation and isnt just citizens with pitchforks. To put the movement over the top, to cinch the recall in terms of qualification, you need elements of a citizen uprising framed by, funded by professional givers or a professional network, McCuan said. What you bring with that is not just money, he said. You bring resources, you bring a network. Recall organizers have spent much of the money gathering signatures to force an election onto the ballot. They have mailed petitions to millions of voters, primarily registered Republicans and some independents. As of Feb. 5, organizers had submitted 668,202 valid signatures from registered voters, according to the California secretary of states office. They must submit about 1.5 million by March 17, though theyll probably need closer to 2 million total signatures to make up for ones that are invalid. The recall campaign has also been fueled by contributions from real estate investors, including $150,000 from Geoff Palmer, a Los Angeles developer and top Trump donor, and $99,500 from Hofmann Land Development Co. in Walnut Creek. Lisa Hofmann Morgan, the companys president, said the firm plans to contribute more to stop this nonsense. She said Newsoms policies have caused employers to flee the state. Some of the recalls largest contributors have been a source of mystery. One contributor, listed as DGB Ranch, gave $150,000, but the Los Angeles-based entity isnt a registered company with the state and has no apparent online presence. Another contribution for $500,000 was attributed to Prov. 3:9 LLC, a little-known Irvine firm, which last month revealed its sole donor to be a man named John Kruger. A spokesman said Kruger contributed because he believed Californias pandemic restrictions on indoor worship services violated religious freedom. Beyond top-dollar donors, the recall has largely drawn support from retirees. About 45% of contributors who listed an occupation were retired. These are the Baby Boomer donors, said the recall campaigns Dunsmore. They do not want to leave here. Its putting their dreams of retirement in jeopardy. Randy Economy, a spokesman for California Patriot Coalition, another committee behind the recall, said that although the effort has raised millions, its pennies compared to the multimillions typically spent in state elections. Newsom is the one who needs to take a good look in the mirror in regards to how hes raised money and the special interests hes raised from over the years and his entire career, Economy said. Dustin Gardiner is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dustingardiner The Daily Beast Apple TV+Directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie, the upcoming Spencer), produced by J.J. Abrams, shot by Darius Khondji, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt, and written by the author himself, Liseys Story mayoutside of Stanley Kubricks The Shiningboast the most illustrious pedigree of any Stephen King adaptation ever. Enlisting a plethora of talent makes sense for this eight-part Apple TV+ series (premiering June 4), given that its chockablock with everything under the sun. Fantastical worlds, parental abuse, ghosts, torture, murder, scavenger-hunt games, monsters, sisters, trauma, mental hospitals, self-mutilation, flashbacks, possession, psycho killers, and familial and marital issues involving love, trust, anguish, jealousy, and betrayal are all a part of this swirling, bursting-at-the-seams package. There are even some overt nods to Misery and The Shining thrown in for good measure, along with incessant babytalk, make-believe terms, supernatural rules, and recurring motifs.It is, to put it kindly, a lot.Thats in keeping with its source material, which King has remixed in ways that are mostly minor (a chronological flip here, a corner-cutting snip there), save for his villain Jim Dooley (DeHaan), whos been transformed from a one-dimensional Southern-fried sadist to a more fully formedif still derivativeAnnie Wilkes-style obsessive literature fan.Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating TraumaDooley is an antagonist fixated on the late Scott Landon (Owen), a writer of out-there tomes that made him a national celebrity replete with hardcore acolytes he condescendingly referred to as deep space cowboys. At the start of this saga, Scott is dead, although his presence is nonetheless potently felt thanks to the recollections of his widow Lisey (Moore), whom Scott habitually referred to as babyluv and who, two years after his passing, now faces the prospect of having to clean out his barnyard office, where crates of scribblings and unfinished projects lie dormant, begging to be rediscovered.Lisey is in mourning, as well as in denial of the strange events that took place during her marriage to Scott. Those buried secrets come bubbling to the surface once entitled university professor Dashmiel (Ron Cephas Jones) shows up on her doorstep demanding that she hand over Scotts remaining output, since the public deserves it and sheas merely his bedmatehas no right to keep it for herself. When Lisey balks, he sets upon her the misogynistic Dooley, who proves to be simply the most dangerous of many threats to her well-being. As Dooley makes ever-more-intimidating demands, Lisey is forced to contend with her sisters Amanda (Allen), whos once more struggling with lifelong cutting compulsions that send her into a catatonic state, and Darla (Leigh), who resents Lisey for her wealth and good fortune. These calamities cause Liseys memories to come flooding back in waves and lead her to discover that Scott has left behind a beyond-the-grave treasure hunt of sorts (like the ones his brother made for him as a kid) that he calls a bool, with a mysterious prize waiting at the end.Liseys Storys basic premise is a smorgasbord of relationships and conflictsmany of which echo Kings prior workand it only grows more complex once Lisey starts letting her mind wander to yesteryear incidents shed just as soon repress. Scott, it turns out, grew up with an unstable father (Pitt) who believed that they were all cursed with a demonic evil known as The Bad (a term thats an improvement on the books bad-gunky), which soon got its grip on Scotts brother. Scotts harrowing adolescence is intimately connected to his young adulthood, when he demonstrated to Lisey that he had the ability to travel to an alternate universe that he dubbed Booya Moon where a giant blood moon hangs in the air, a towering creature known as The Lost Boy stalks the forest, and a shimmering pool offers visitors healing, enchantment, and inspiration (because its the actual pool of creativity from which all artists drink). Lisey goes there too, at multiple points of a story thats been shot and edited to dreamily blend the then and now, creating harmonious parallels across space and time in ways both big and small.Totemic language and objects abound in Liseys Story, be it the aforementioned phrases or the crucial shovel and lighthouse model in Liseys possession, and Larrain and Khondji bring their winding, disorienting drama to life with misty, shadowy, shimmering beauty. Mirrors, glass, reflective water and figures framed in distant doorways all speak to the transitional heart of this tale, as do the doubles that persistently appear across its eight installments. Another of the directors sagas about women in a state of anguished crisis, Liseys Story looks andcourtesy of Clarks soundtrack of unholy noises and sparse stringssounds magnificent. More importantly, it often captures the atmospheric essence of Kings books: that blend of terror, insanity and bittersweet longing for departed loved ones, all wrapped up in classic pop and rock songs (in this case, courtesy of an R&B wedding band) and the burning-embers light of a fall Maine sunset. At its finest, it conjures a prototypical King-ian sense of aching yearning for that which has been lost, even as it recognizes that nothing is ever truly gonefiguratively and, at least for brief moments in this magical fable, literally.Liseys Storys performances are, for the most part, similarly top-notch: the reliably great Moore captures Liseys determination, fierceness, fear and sorrow; DeHaan brings intense sociopathic creepiness to Dooley; Pitt goes fittingly over-the-top as Scotts perpetually soaked-with-sweat backwoods papa; and Owen radiates warmth and hurt as the scarred Scott. However, like the proceedings themselves, the cast is undercut by a surplus of lunacy. As with his novel, King packs this highly personal narrative full of myriad real-world and fantasyland elements and interests (including patricide and the power of storytelling), but the result is a case of more being less. Just as Moores Lisey exhibits various traits and yet never evolves into a fully distinctive human being, the plot itself is overflowing with threads, themes and issues and yet winds up not being about much of anything, save perhaps for Liseys quest to seize her female agency, and to confront and let go of her griefa mainline concern that holds true throughout, but is only one of innumerable things King aims to tackle.Which is to say, Liseys Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story. Larrain and company eventually venture into all sorts of wild places, some entrancing and others awkward, while hitting numerous notes that will ring familiar to the King faithful. Not all of it coheres, and its late, self-conscious excuses for convenient twists dont help. But it also has moments of quiet grace in it, as well as an admirable and thrilling dedication (by esteemed artists) to truly go for it, right up to a climax featuring a titanic beast of a thousand souls. Best of all, it flickers, now and again, with that classic King magic, when the emotions, dreams and desires of the past and the present collide and intertwine, no matter how much misfortune has been shouldered or abuse has been suffered, in this world or those beyond.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. 'Captured alive on May 8, killed on May 17 in alleged clash with Sabah police' FIVE ABU Sayyaf terrorists were killed following an a... Who here is sick of Zoom? It's not Zoom's fault, of course. Who can really blame Zoom for benefiting as a result of the pandemic? Its user numbers and revenue have grown quickly in the past year, as so many of us became instant remote workers, and Zoom calls replaced our face-to-face meetings. At the same time, we're suffering "Zoom fatigue," as a Stanford professor called it recently. I've written about the nuts-and-bolts of his report elsewhere -- the real, physiological reasons why Zoom calls are apparently more taxing than in-person communication, along with his simple, practical strategies to make them less exhausting. Yet I realized something else while reading the Stanford study -- something that could potentially lead to a big problem for a company like Zoom, if it hasn't already taken care of it. Regardless, it contains a big takeaway for your business. Here's the issue. Take a look at the following passages from the Stanford study (and the news release unveiling it), and see if you can spot the problem. First, from the news release: Prompted by the recent boom in videoconferencing, communication Professor Jeremy Bailenson, founding director of the Stanford Virtual Human Interaction Lab (VHIL), examined the psychological consequences of spending hours per day on these platforms. Just as "Googling" is something akin to any web search, the term "Zooming" has become ubiquitous and a generic verb to replace videoconferencing. Next, from the paper itself, published in the journal Technology, Mind, and Behavior: [T]he ubiquity of the software has resulted in genericization, with many using the word 'Zoom' as a verb to replace videoconferencing, similar to 'Googling.' Hence, I feel warranted in writing about 'Zoom Fatigue' as the brand name is getting traction as the semantic label for the product category. See the issue? It has to do with trademarks. As the 13 words in the first passage attest, and the first part of the second passage backs up, Zoom is very quickly becoming a generic word for "videoconference." The magazine World Trademark Review noted Zoom's potential trap last year. Back then, Zoom had 22 trademark registrations around the world, which was a smaller portfolio than professionals would expect a brand of Zoom's size and success to have. It was protected in the United States, the European Union, Canada, Australia, and Japan, but that left other areas of the world unprotected, author Bridget Diakun wrote, adding that a "notorious filer" who apparently is unrelated to the company had registered the mark in the United Kingdom. Moreover, there was a surge of domain names incorporating the word zoom. And while a professional trademark search would be beyond the scope of this article, I did check the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's online directory. Sure enough, a basic search turned up 1,762 U.S. trademark applications incorporating the word zoom. Most recent: "Zoom University," filed by a company called Lose Ya Cool LLC in Georgia last month. (Different field; I include it here just as an example.) I reached out to Zoom for comment on all of this, but its media department did not respond. So I can't tell you for sure whether this is a problem that Zoom has robustly or sufficiently addressed already. But I can tell you that no company wants to risk its trademark becoming a generic word that anyone else can use. Exactly 100 years ago (1921), for example, in what's seen as a seminal U.S. case, Bayer lost the trademark to the term "aspirin" because it had become a generic word for the drug acetylsalicylic acid. That's why modern companies sometimes run campaigns to persuade people not to use their brands generically. Examples: Johnson & Johnson's trying to stop the use of "Band-Aid" as a synonym for adhesive bandage Google's campaign to discourage "Google" as a synonym for web search Xerox's efforts to stop "Xerox" from being used as a synonym for photocopy It's important to note this isn't fatal to Zoom; as described above there are ways to combat trademark issues like this. Meanwhile, business is booming. I mean, think of your company, and tell me you wouldn't be happy if you had a product that was so successful that Stanford professors started doing research on how to cope with its overuse. It's what you might think of as a "good problem." Still, of course there's a lesson; perhaps two. First, intellectual property matters, and second, in the long run it's probably more economical to take care of your IP issues long before anyone else has reason to care about them. People take part in a protest against anti-Asian hate crimes in San Mateo, Calif., Feb. 27. Xinhua-Yonhap Korean American congresswoman leading resolution to condemn racist hate crimes By Bahk Eun-ji Asian American communities in the United States are living in a heightened state of anxiety as hate-fueled attacks against them have soared since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is believed to have originated in China. Reports of assaults have been growing lately, including ones against Korean Americans, and a bipartisan move has been made to condemn such attacks as racist hate crimes. According to U.S. media, a Korean American man in his 20s was attacked by two men when he was walking down a Koreatown street, Feb. 16. The man, Denny Kim, said the two men used hateful and racist language such as "Chinese virus" and assaulted him, pushing him to the ground. He suffered a broken nose and a black eye. After the incident, the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Los Angeles posted a notice on its website, Feb. 25, urging people to pay extra attention to guard against such attacks. "The LA Police Department also took the incident as a hate crime or criminal threat and are investigating this," the Korean Consulate General wrote in the posting. "Such hate crimes have been constantly taking place since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak here." It urged Korean Americans as well as Koreans visiting the city to pay attention to safety and call 911 in the case of any racist physical or verbal attacks. At the end of January, an 84-year-old immigrant from Thailand was attacked on a street in San Francisco and died a few days later. A 19-year-old man who assaulted him was arrested on suspicion of murder and elderly abuse but the victim's family called the attack a hate crime against the Asian community. On Feb.16, three assault cases that are believed to have targeted Asian women took place in New York City in one day alone. Korean American Republican congresswoman Michelle Park Steel / Korea Times file Regarding the issue, Korean American Republican congresswoman Michelle Park Steel said many families and individuals in Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) communities are living in fear after such attacks or harassment. "Since the start of the pandemic, there has been a dramatic increase in hate crimes and violence against AAPI. This includes 2,808 firsthand accounts of anti-Asian and Pacific Islander hate crimes from 47 states and the District of Columbia between March 19, 2020, and Dec. 31, 2020. California accounts for 43 percent of these incidents," Steel said in a recent written interview with The Korea Times. "A big problem is many of these incidents are unreported. It's important that those who commit these types of crimes and harassment know that they will be fully prosecuted and held responsible for their actions." Steel, together with Rep. Katie Porter, a Democratic congresswoman from California, introduced a bipartisan resolution condemning hate crimes committed against AAPI in the U.S. House of Representatives, Feb. 23. "We have a responsibility to stand up for our constituents and our communities. As a congresswoman I plan to advocate on behalf of the AAPI community, so they know they have a voice in Washington for them. Americans from coast to coast are saddened by these hate crimes and the continued harassment that our Asian American neighbors have faced. We can work together to make sure this stops." People take part in a rally against anti-Asian hate crimes in San Mateo, Calif., Feb. 27. Xinhua-Yonhap Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, say goodbye to law and order Joe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Yangon, March 3 : Myanmar's Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin attended an informal meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), a state-media report said on Wednesday. U Wunna Maung Lwin apprised the virtual meeting on Tuesday of voting irregularities in the November 2020 general elections, five roadmaps put forward by the military-run State Administration Council, and the review of electoral voting lists by the Union Election Commission, among others, Xinhua news agency quoted the report as saying. U Wunna Maung Lwin was appointed as the Foreign Minister by the State Administration Council, chaired by Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing. A one-year state of emergency was declared in Myanmar and state power was transferred to Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing after President U Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi were detained by the military on February 1. The coup was staged as the military alleged massive voting fraud in the 2020 general elections, which saw Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy win a majority of seats in both houses of parliament. Asean foreign ministers said in a statement on Tuesday that the regional bloc is ready to assist Myanmar in a positive, peaceful and constructive manner. ASEAN, founded in 1967, groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. Celebs started wearing 1973 necklaces to celebrate abortion and this pro-life fashion designer delivered a bold response Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Fashion designer Carla D'Addesi is on a mission to defend the unborn, with her Culture of Life 1972 (COL1972) fashion brand serving as a movement that protects and values human life. The designer recently told Politely Rude podcast host Abby Johnson that her business was birthed out of necessity after she and her daughters discovered that a number of popular fashion brands contribute to pro-abortion organizations something that left them dismayed. LISTEN: Subscribe to the Politely Rude With Abby Johnson Podcast on Edifi We discovered that there were over 70 brands that gave back to a culture of death, D'Addesi said, noting that COL1972 is a powerful alternative that aims to support Christian organizations and efforts. Listen to DAddesi explain her fashion brand as well as her popular 1972-themed necklace: And, according to D'Addesi, COL1972 which sells everything from clothing to jewelry is the only trademarked fashion brand that supports a culture of life. Were a fashion brand with a big, big ministry, D'Addesi added. One of the companys products is a necklace that bears the number 1972 on it. On the surface, this year might seem benign or mysterious, but it was chosen with intention, as it was the final year before the U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion across the United States. D'Addesi explained that her 1972-inspired jewelry is a direct reaction to a 1973-themed necklace famously worn by some celebrities in recent years to commemorate the contentious Roe vs. Wade abortion decision. Theyre hanging this tombstone of 60 million children around their necks [who] never had the right to life, D'Addesi told Johnson, going on to explain why she launched the 1972 alternative. We want to say we are using this year ... to celebrate the last year that we enjoyed a culture of life in the United States of America. D'Addesi said she wants the necklaces to honor the more than 60 million unborn babies who have died as a result of abortion. The designer also discussed the importance of Christians standing up for the unborn, and challenged those who are not actively speaking out on behalf of life. If we claim that we are a culture that really cares about life, it needs to start in the womb, she said. Period. End of story. Find out more about DAddesis fashion brand here, and for more conversations like this, subscribe to the Politely Rude With Abby Johnson podcast. Some Sand Mountain clinics are waiting on word from the state on when they could see their first shipments of the new Johnson and Johnson coronavirus vaccine. "We've got several patients. I call them and say, 'hey, would you like to come to Lakeside Clinic to get your vaccine? And they start crying,'" said Sydney Jones with Lakeside Clinic. That's how much people there want the vaccine. The staff at Lakeside Clinic in Guntersville is working hard to keep up with the coronavirus vaccine demand. So far, they've vaccinated about 2,500 people. "Extremely busy, we've went from seeing 100, 120 patients a day to 340 patients," explained Carolyn Morgan with Lakeside Clinic. Nurses are working on their off days to keep up with the demand. Staff are calling lawmakers and the Alabama Department of Public Health to get the supply of shots they need. They've been told to standby for information on when the new, one-dose Johnson and Johnson shot could be available. They hope it'll be soon. "It'll be an easier process for the patient to be one and done and go on," said John Boggess at Lakeside Clinic. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. CAGLIARI - Sardinia Governor Christian Solinas said Wednesday that the region will start testing people who arrive on the island for COVID-19 next week. This week Sardinia became Italy's first low-contagion-risk 'white zone,' meaning that it was possible to drop many of the coronavirus restrictions in force in the rest of the country. "As of next Monday we will ask those who arrive to take a few minutes to have a rapid test," Solinas told RAI radio. "If the result is negative, they can enter no problem. "If it is positive, the relative protocols kick in". Solinas said the aim was to "defend public health". Kevan Shah '22 Selected as Newman Civic Fellow Students who receive this honor are recognized for their commitment to solving public problems. By: Kristine Yahna Todaro Wednesday, March 3, 2021 11:39 AM Shah helped announce Muhlenberg's Opioid Prevention in Higher Education Grant to the community and the media in January 2020. Kevan Shah 22, a public health and neuroscience major, will join 212 students from 39 states, Washington, D.C. and Mexico to form the 2021 cohort of the Newman Civic Fellows. The Newman Civic Fellowship is a year-long program for students from Campus Compact member institutions. The students selected for the fellowship are leaders on their campuses who demonstrate a commitment to finding solutions for challenges facing communities locally, nationally and internationally, according to the non-profit organization Campus Compact, which works to advance the public purposes of higher education. Shah, who was also recently named a 2021 Truman Scholar Finalist, was instrumental in Muhlenberg receiving an Opioid Prevention in Higher Education Grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. The $100,000 grantthe largest amount awarded to any single institution in the statesupports a program in which Muhlenberg students learn to train members of the Lehigh Valley community to administer Narcan. After witnessing Narcan (opioid overdose rescue agent) save the life of someone my age, I realized that expanding access to it may be one of the most effective ways to combat the opioid crisis, wrote Shah in his statement for the fellowship. And so, I founded a nonprofit called End Overdose Together to ensure that all individuals in our community are aware and able to administer Narcan when confronted by an opioid overdose. Working alongside a team of changemakers has not only affirmed my commitment to serve those in my community but underscored the kind of deeply meaningful social change that can happen through collaboration. In her nomination of Shah, Muhlenberg College President Kathleen Harring said he is passionate about decreasing opioid overdose. Even before he matriculated at the College, Kevan was working collectively with the New Jersey Reentry Corporation to make health policy recommendations specifically related to opioid use. While at Muhlenberg, Kevan started an organization called End Overdose Together intended to give communities the tools they need to prevent overdose. The organization equips college students to lead training sessions with individuals and organizations in opioid overdose recognition and prevention and trains them to be able to use Narcan. Kevan is committed to the collective power of community health. The fellowship is named for the late Frank Newman, one of Campus Compacts founders, who was a tireless advocate for civic engagement in higher education. In the spirit of Dr. Newmans leadership, Campus Compact member presidents and chancellors nominate student leaders from their campuses to be named Newman Civic Fellows. Through the fellowship, Campus Compact provides Fellows with a variety of learning and networking opportunities that emphasize personal, professional and civic growth. Each year, fellows participate in numerous virtual training and networking opportunities to help provide them with the skills and connections they need to create large-scale positive change. The cornerstone of the fellowship is the Annual Convening of Fellows, which offers intensive skill-building and networking over the course of two days. The fellowship also provides fellows with pathways to apply for exclusive scholarship and post-graduate opportunities. We are proud to recognize these extraordinary student leaders and thrilled to engage with them, said Campus Compact President Andrew Seligsohn. The experience of the last year has driven home to all of us that we need open-minded, innovative, public-spirited thinkers and doers. That is what Campus Compact is about, and the stories of our Newman Civic Fellows demonstrate it's who they are. Rites said its consortium has secured a general consultancy order from Haryana Rail infrastructure Development Corporation for their Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor (HORC). On 11 February 2021, the company had informed that it had emerged as L-1 (lowest) bidder for the aforementioned contract. The order is for a new electrified broad-gauge double line (about 144 kms) from Palwal to Sonipat via Sohna, Manesar and Kharkhoda in the state of Haryana with speed potential of 160 kmph. Fee payable to the consortium will be about Rs 61 crore. RITES is a Miniratna (Category - I) Schedule 'A' Public Sector Enterprise and a leading player in the transport consultancy and engineering sector in India, having diversified services and geographical reach. As of 31 December 2020, the Government of India held 72.2% stake in the company. The PSU company's consolidated net profit declined 29.8% to Rs 105.31 crore on 27.51% decline in revenue from operations to Rs 449.29 crore in Q3 FY21 over Q3 FY20. The scrip shed 0.78% to currently trade at Rs 267.75 on the BSE. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The threat of rising extremism across the U.S. in the aftermath of the Capitol insurrection is real and right now we share confirmation of the feds working to thwart the danger which recently threatened a longtime Kansas City political leader. Here's the presser, TKC highlighted the local angle . . . Read more . . . Marionville Man Indicted for Threatening Two Congressmen SPRINGFIELD, Mo. A Marionville, Missouri, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for threatening two members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Kenneth R. Hubert, 63, was charged in a three-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on Feb. 23, 2021. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon Huberts arrest and initial court appearance. Hubert remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Monday, March 8. The federal indictment alleges that on Jan. 7, 2021, Hubert threatened to assault and murder U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver II, with the intent to impede, intimidate, and interfere with Cleaver while he was engaged in the performance of his official duties, and retaliate against Cleaver on account of the performance of his official duties. Cleaver represents the Fifth Congressional District in Missouri. The indictment also alleges that on May 6, 2019, Hubert threatened to assault and murder U.S. Representative Steve Cohen, with the intent to impede, intimidate, and interfere with Cohen while he was engaged in the performance of his official duties, and retaliate against Cohen on account of the performance of his official duties. The indictment alleges this threat occurred when Hubert called Cohens office in Washington, D.C. Cohen represents the Ninth Congressional District in Tennessee. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. It was investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Capitol Police, the Independence, Mo., Police Department and the Marionville-Aurora, Mo., Police Department. ########### Developing . . . South Africa: Police pounce on R500 million cocaine haul National Police Commissioner, General Khehla Sitole, has lauded the police in the Western Cape for seizing cocaine valued at over R500 million from a fishing vessel on the Saldanha coast on Monday. In a statement, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said the haul was made by detectives from the Organised Crime Narcotics Unit, working various tactical units, during an intelligence-driven operation to a fishing vessel. In the vessel, police said, 973 blocks of compressed cocaine were discovered. The drugs, estimated to be worth R583 million, were found hidden in three compartments of the vessel, Colonel Brenda Muridili said in the statement. The team apprehended 10 suspects, four from Bulgaria and six from Myanmar. The suspects were charged with dealing in drugs and are expected to appear in the Vredenburg Magistrates Court soon. In the statement, Sitole praised the team involved in the bust and has encouraged them to build a strong case to ensure that the suspects receive harsh sentences. "South Africa should not be used as a transit point or destination for the illicit drug trade. We have a responsibility of removing drugs from our streets. This is a welcome disruption and huge blow to drug organised crime," said Sitole. Police in the Western Cape have committed to continuing with investigations that will determine the origin and intended destination of the consignment. We are appealing to anyone with information on the illicit drug trade to report it to the SAPS Crime Stop number 086 00 10111 or send tip-offs on MySAPS App. All information received will be treated with confidentiality, police said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-03-03. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. [March 03, 2021] IDenta Corp to Equip Cargo Detection for UPS, FedEx and DHL Couriers by Federal Police in Brazil HOLLYWOOD, Fla., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- IDenta Corp. (OTCQB: IDTA) a worldwide leader in the development of Field Detection and Home Diagnostics Testing Kits for Drugs & Explosives and unique Forensic Products will supply detection field kits to the Federal Police in Brazil to check packages for UPS, FedEx and DHL couriers. IDenta's patented technology is simple to use, safe, reliable and does not require training, which makes the product accessible to everyone. Mr. Amichai Glattstein, Chief Executive Officer, commented: "The company's products continue to reach customer types in all different fields and in more and more countries. The number of shipments that are transported and delivered worldwide is tremendous. Testing those shipments is a significant and important task and our company is proud to be a part of it and the potential growth it will bring". About IDenta Corp. IDenta Corp. is a global leader in the development and supply of Field Detection an Home Diagnostics Testing Kits for Drugs & Explosives and Unique Forensic Products in the Homeland Security and Consumer Markets. IDenta develops, manufactures and distributes revolutionary products for both the professional Law and Retail markets which consistently pass the highest qualifications and testing procedures of law enforcement and security agencies around the world. Safe Harbor Statement Certain of the statements contained herein may be, within the meaning of the federal securities laws, "forward-looking statements" that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations as of the date hereof, and the company does not undertake any responsibility to update any of these statements in the future. Company Contact Information: Public Relations Tel: 240.545.6646 Email: pr@identa-corp.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/identa-corp-to-equip-cargo-detection-for-ups-fedex-and-dhl-couriers-by-federal-police-in-brazil-301239733.html SOURCE IDenta Corp. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] WE are now reading that the Minister of Sport has come out with a statement regarding our participation in the Tokyo Olympics. As with the usual run-of-the-mill political type, the statement vacillates, kicks the can down the road and seeks to avoid the issue. Let us be clear on what the situation is regarding these Olympics. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. ADVERTISEMENT The Yaba Chief Magistrates Court, Lagos, on Wednesday ordered the remand of Kamolideen Baale, 28, and Tunde Tawa, 26, over the alleged kidnapping of their neighbours five-year-old boy. The defendants were also accused of demanding N60,000 ransom from the boys parents. The magistrate, P.E. Nwaka, ordered that the defendants, facing a two-count charge of alleged conspiracy and kidnapping, be remanded at Ikoyi Correctional Centre, Lagos. They were remanded pending legal advice from the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP). The case was adjourned until March 16. Earlier, the prosecutor, Thomas Nurudeen, told the court that the defendants committed the offences at 8.30 p.m. on February 11, at No. 57, Freeman St., Kadara, Ebute-Meta area of Lagos. He said the defendants lured the five-year-old boy from their house with some sweets. According to him, the defendants went ahead to call his parents, demanding N60,000 ransom to release him. Mr Nurudeen said that when the parents reported the kidnapping to the police, an investigation was conducted and the boy was found in the custody of the defendants. The offences contravened Sections 411 and 271 (3) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015. (Revised) The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Section 271 (3) stipulates 21 years imprisonment for the offence of kidnapping with ransom requests. (NAN) 404 A 67-year-old Montclair man was arrested for trying to lure an underage boy for sex and exchanging sexually explicit online messages with minors, the New Jersey Attorney Generals Office said Tuesday. Keith F. Matheis faces charges, including luring a child, showing obscene materials to a person under 18 and distribution of child sexual abuse materials, according to prosecutors. Matheis remained held at the Essex County jail after being arrested Monday by state detectives at his home, authorities said. The charges came after investigators received a tip via the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children from an unnamed social media company, which reported that a user, identified as Matheis, allegedly sent child sexual exploitation content to another user using a direct message online, authorities said. Detectives with the state Division of Criminal Justice discovered Matheis had explicit chats with multiple users he thought were under 16, authorities said. No attorney information was listed for Matheis. The allegations against Matheis include his arranging to meet a suspected minor in Montclair to have sex with him, sending a photo of his genitals to a victim he thought was 15, and sending sexual abuse materials to multiple people, including minors, the Attorney Generals Office said in a release. The allegations against Matheis reveal a dangerous child predator and they raise concerns about other potential victims, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said in a statement. Cases such as this one highlight the need for parents to vigilantly monitor their childrens online activity and educate their children about the potential dangers of social media, Veronica Allende, director of the states Division of Criminal Justice, said. In addition to pursuing tips from NCMEC, we routinely conduct proactive investigations on social media platforms and peer-to-peer file-sharing networks to identify child predators and offenders distributing child sexual abuse materials. Anyone with information can confidentially contact the ICAC Task Force Tipline at 888-648-6007. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. By Krishna N. Das NEW DELHI (Reuters) - A Chinese state-backed hacking group has in recent weeks targeted the IT systems of two Indian vaccine makers whose coronavirus shots are being used in the country's immunisation campaign, cyber intelligence firm Cyfirma told Reuters. Rivals China and India have both sold or gifted COVID-19 shots to many countries. India produces more than 60% of all vaccines sold in the world. Goldman Sachs-backed Cyfirma, based in Singapore and Tokyo, said Chinese hacking group APT10, also known as Stone Panda, had identified gaps and vulnerabilities in the IT infrastructure and supply chain software of Bharat Biotech and the Serum Institute of India (SII), the world's largest vaccine maker. "The real motivation here is actually exfiltrating intellectual property and getting competitive advantage over Indian pharmaceutical companies," said Cyfirma Chief Executive Kumar Ritesh, formerly a top cyber official with British foreign intelligence agency MI6. He said APT10 was actively targeting SII, which is making the AstraZeneca vaccine for many countries and will soon start bulk-manufacturing Novavax shots. "In the case of Serum Institute, they have found a number of their public servers running weak web servers, these are vulnerable web servers," Ritesh said, referring to the hackers. "They have spoken about weak web application, they are also talking about weak content-management system. It's quite alarming." China's foreign ministry did not reply to a request for comment. But responding to a question on whether Chinese hackers had a role in attacking India's power grid which caused a blackout in Mumbai last year, the ministry said it was a staunch defender of cyber security. "China firmly opposes and cracks down on all forms of cyber attacks," its embassy in New Delhi said on Twitter, quoting the foreign ministry. "Speculation and fabrication have no role to play on the issue of cyber attacks." Story continues SII and Bharat Biotech declined to comment. The office of the director-general of the state-run Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) said the matter had been handed to its operations director, S.S. Sarma. Sarma told Reuters CERT was a "legal agency and we can't confirm this thing to media". Cyfirma said in a statement it had informed CERT authorities and that they had acknowledged the threat. The U.S. Department of Justice said https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/two-chinese-hackers-associated-ministry-state-security-charged-global-computer-intrusion in 2018 that APT10 had acted in association with the Chinese Ministry of State Security. Microsoft said https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2020/11/13/health-care-cyberattacks-covid-19-paris-peace-forum in November that it had detected cyber attacks from Russia and North Korea targeting vaccine companies in India, Canada, France, South Korea and the United States. North Korean hackers also tried to break into the systems of British drugmaker AstraZeneca, Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-healthcare-coronavirus-astrazeneca-no-idUSKBN2871A2 has reported. Ritesh, whose firm follows the activities of some 750 cyber criminals and monitors nearly 2,000 hacking campaigns using a tool called DeCYFIR, said it was not yet clear what information APT10 may have accessed from the Indian companies. Relations between nuclear-armed neighbours China and India soured last June when 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers were killed in a Himalayan border fight. Recent talks have eased tension. (Reporting by Krishna N. Das; Additional reporting by C.K. Nayak; Editing by Nick Macfie) "What scientists have achieved in a year since the discovery of a brand-new virus is truly remarkable," says Emma Hodcroft from the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM) of the University of Bern, first author on the piece, "but the tools scientists are using to study how SARS-CoV-2 is transmitting and changing were never designed for the unique pressures - or volumes of data - of this pandemic." SARS-CoV-2 is now one of the most sequenced pathogens of all time, with over 600,000 full-genome sequences having been generated since the pandemic began, and over 5,000 new sequences coming in from around the world every day. However, the analysis and visualization tools used today (including Nextstrain, co-developed by Prof. Richard Neher's group at the SIB and the University of Basel) were never designed to handle the volume and speed of sequences being generated today, or the scale of the involvement with public health response. "Across the world, genomic surveillance rests on the initiative of academic researchers to find essential answers. Public health decision making would benefit from a more sustainalble collaboration framework," says Christophe Dessimoz at SIB and University of Lausanne. What an improved sequencing would enable The genetic sequences from SARS-CoV-2 hold valuable information to implementing effective pandemic policies and staying ahead of the virus. Comparing how many mutations different samples share, for example, allows scientists to track the transmission of the virus - helping to identify super-spreading events and international spread. But at the moment it can be hard to combine this genetic information with other key variables - like who attended an event, and when symptoms appeared - which could help make these methods even more informative. The 'R-number' has gone from a scientific concept to a household word in the last year - it measures the average number of people an infected person will transmit to. Here, sequences can help too, by helping to pick apart imported cases from local transmission. This allows for a more accurate estimate of Re, but needs high levels of sequencing and complex analyses, which are currently not widely implemented. Finally, sequencing is the only way to identify and track the many mutations that arise in SARS-CoV-2. While mutations are a normal part of virus life, scientists need to know which are harmless variations and which could change the virus' transmissibility or clinical outcome. Combining sequences, lab work, and computational predictions could allow for a better understanding of mutational impacts, but there's little framework to help these different specialities work together. "The viral data - sequences and associated metadata- must be determined, gathered and harmonized thanks to stable infrastructures compatible with the principles of Open Data to facilitate peer-review by the community and their reuse", says Christophe Dessimoz at SIB and University of Lausanne, last author of the comment. Benefits for Switzerland "In Switzerland, the population could benefit from more systematic and representative sequencing, for example through better contract tracing, targeted isolation and quarantine of smaller regions, and guiding the closing and opening of schools based on the presence of certain variants", explains Emma Hodcroft. Harmonisation of health data practices is also a critical topic. Switzerland is already putting a lots of efforts at the national level through the Swiss Personalized Health Network (SPHN). The researchers are convinced that Switzerland's potential in terms of expertise and infrastructure is just waiting to be tapped, to the benefit of public health. "The tools to enable research are there, and researchers have self-organized and taken the first step: to scale up and sustain these efforts to bring research and public health closer together, we rely on a sustainable public funding", says Christophe Dessimoz. ### Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine ISPM at the University of Bern The Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM) provides undergraduate and postgraduate education and carries out interdisciplinary research in the fields of social and behavioural health, clinical epidemiology and biostatistics, and international and environmental health. It also provides a wide range of postgraduate education to train students to become excellent public health researchers and to work as public health specialists. This year, the ISPM celebrates its 50th anniversary. Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics The SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics is an internationally recognized non-profit organization, dedicated to biological and biomedical data science. Its data scientists are passionate about creating knowledge and solving complex questions in many fields, from biodiversity and evolution to medicine. They provide essential databases and software platforms as well as bioinformatics expertise and services to academic, clinical, and industry groups. SIB federates the Swiss bioinformatics community of some 800 scientists, encouraging collaboration and knowledge sharing. The institute contributes to keeping Switzerland at the forefront of innovation by fostering progress in biological research and enhancing health. Appearances can suggest we care less about things than we really do Rishi Sunak handed Covid-weary Brits a boost today as he froze tax on booze and fuel. The Chancellor cancelled planned increases in duty on beer, cider, wine and spirits for the second year in a row in today's Budget. The amount of tax on a tankful of petrol and diesel will also remain the same for the 10th year in a row. The moves came after a year in which many pubs and restaurants have been forced to remain shuttered and the majority of Britons have been working from home. But smokers will have to cough up more for tobacco, as the price will rise in line with inflation as expected this evening. UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said: 'The Chancellor has listened to the concerns of the hospitality sector. Details are yet to be pored over but it looks like crucial support will help businesses at a critical time. 'The Chancellor has announced support to help our sector get back up and running, now it is vital that the Government sticks to its date of June 21st for a full reopening of the sector. 'Delay would see more businesses fail, more jobs lost and undo much of the good work the Chancellor has done to date.' The Chancellor cancelled planed increases in duty on beer, cider, wine and spirits for the second year in a row in today's Budget The moves came after a year in which many pubs and restaurants have been forced to remain shuttered and the majority of Britons have been working from home. UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said: 'The Chancellor has listened to the concerns of the hospitality sector. Details are yet to be pored over but it looks like crucial support will help businesses at a critical time' Craig Mackinlay, the Tory MP for South Thanet and chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Fair Fuel: 'The continued freeze on fuel duty is absolutely the right decision and one that will be welcomed by hard-pressed motorists and hauliers up and down the country. 'The electorate resoundingly rejects the green lobby's unpopular policies at repeated elections. The Chancellor is quite right to dismiss their call for an increase in fuel duty too.' Howard Cox, the founder of FairFuelUK, said: 'It would be churlish, not to thank the Chancellor and the Prime Minister for maintaining the freeze in Fuel Duty for a tenth successive year. 'It has been a tortuous campaigning journey convincing the Treasury year after year that this fiscal policy has positively benefitted the economy. 'Motorists, van drivers and truckers across the UK will be pleased at this protracted decision from the Chancellor. 'They will hope this is just the start of more pro motoring policies, which have been sadly lacking in this Parliament.' Addressing the Commons today, Mr Sunak said: ''All alcohol duties frozen for the second year in a row - only the third time in two decades. 'And right now, to keep the cost of living low, I'm not prepared to increase the cost of a tank of fuel. So the planned increase in fuel duty is also cancelled.' In another boost for the beleaguered hospitality industry today, Mr Sunak unveiled a new 'restart grant' from April to help businesses reopen. He told MPs: 'Non-essential retail businesses will open first, so they'll receive grants of up to 6,000 per premises. 'Hospitality and leisure businesses, including personal care and gyms, will open later, or be more impacted by restrictions when they do, so we'll give them grants of up to 18,000. 'That's 5 billion of new grants, on top of the 20 billion we've already provided.' PHILADELPHIA (March 3, 2021) - According to a new study published in Medical Care, improving hospital nurse staffing as proposed in pending legislation in New York state would likely save lives. The cost of improving nurse staffing would be offset by savings achieved by reducing hospital readmissions and length of hospital stays. Researchers at the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research (CHOPR) at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, conducted independent research in early 2020 on whether pending nurse staffing legislation in New York state is in the public's interest. The study of 116 hospitals and 418,000 Medicare patients documented large differences in patient-to-nurse ratios by hospital from an average of 4.3 patients for each nurse to as many as 10.5 patients per nurse. The wide variation in patient-to-nurse ratios across hospitals in New York is contributing to avoidable deaths and unnecessary costs. The new study finds hospital deaths and costs of care are significantly lower in hospitals with better nurse staffing. Each additional patient added to a nurse's workload is associated with 13% higher in-hospital mortality and 8% higher readmissions. Similarly, the odds of staying a day longer in the hospital, a major cost factor, increased by 9% for surgical patients and 5% for medical patients. Lead author Karen Lasater, PhD, RN, an assistant professor and CHOPR researcher said, "Results show that improving nurse staffing in New York hospitals could substantially reduce deaths and save money that could go to funding improved staffing." Researchers estimated that if all New York hospitals had staffed at levels recommended in pending state legislation of not more than 4 patients per nurse on medical and surgical units, over a two-year period more than 4,370 deaths could have been avoided and over $720 million saved just among Medicare patients alone and likely considerably more across all hospitalized patients. Co-author, Linda H Aiken, PhD, RN, a senior researcher at CHOPR and professor at the University of Pennsylvania said, "This independent scientific study shows that setting a quality standard for nurse staffing in hospitals is in the public's interest. It is also feasible to fund because of significant savings associated with avoided days of care associated with better patient care." ### In associated research, CHOPR funded a Harris Poll in 2020 showing that 91% of the public surveyed in a national sample agreed that hospitals should be required to meet safe nurse staffing standards. The Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act (A2954/S51032) currently pending action in the NY Legislature sets a minimum nurse staffing requirement for all New York state hospitals that would serve to bring hospitals with poor staffing to an evidence-based minimum standard. Evidence suggests that New York state has a sufficient nurse supply to meet the ratios proposed in the legislation. California which successfully implemented similar legislation 17 years ago has substantially fewer nurses (11.3 nurses per 1000 population) than New York state (18.7 per 1000 population). The Nurse Licensure Compact providing multi-state licensure for nurses has been passed in 34 states but not in New York where the Governor had to use temporary emergency powers during the Covid-19 emergency to allow NY hospitals to recruit nurses. Other recent publications from this same study by the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing showing that mandating minimum nurse staffing standards in the New York state are in the public's interest: Lasater KB, Sloane DM, McHugh MD, Cimiotti JP, Riman KA, Martin B, Alexander M, Aiken LH. Evaluation of hospital nurse-to-patient ratios and sepsis bundles on patient outcomes. American Journal of Infection Control. 2020. https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 1016/ ajic. 2020. 12. 002 Open Access. Lasater KB, Aiken LH, Sloane DM, French R, Martin B, Reneau K, Alexander M, McHugh MD. 2020. Chronic hospital nurse understaffing meets COVID-19. BMJ Quality & Safety. Epub ahead of print 18 August 2020. doi:10:1136/bmjqs-2020-011512. Open Access. The study was carried out by the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing in partnership with the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. Funding for the study was from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, the National Institute of Nursing Research/NIH, and the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics at the University of Pennsylvania. Study Citation Lasater KB, Aiken LH, Sloane DM, French R, Anusiewicz CV, Martin BM, Reneau K, Alexander M, McHugh M. Is hospital nurse staffing legislation in the public's interest? An observational study in New York State. Medical Care 2021; Open Access About the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing is one of the world's leading schools of nursing. For the fifth year in a row, it is ranked the #1 nursing school in the world by QS University and is consistently ranked highly in the U.S. News & World Report annual list of best graduate schools. Penn Nursing is ranked as one of the top schools of nursing in funding from the National Institutes of Health. Penn Nursing prepares nurse scientists and nurse leaders to meet the health needs of a global society through innovation in research, education, and practice. Follow Penn Nursing on: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, & Instagram. About the National Council of State Boards of Nursing The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) is a non-profit organization based in Chicago whose US members include the nurse regulatory bodies in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and four US territories. NCSBN administers the national registered nurse licensure and other exams and led the development and implementation of the Nurse Licensure Compact that allows a nurse to have one multi-state licensure and practice in the other 34 states that to date have passed the Nurse Licensure Compact. About the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics Since 1967, the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn LDI) has been the leading university institute dedicated to data-driven, policy-focused research that improves our nation's health and health care. Penn LDI connects all twelve of Penn's schools, the University of Pennsylvania Health System, and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia through its more than 300 Senior Fellows. See more at ldi.upenn.edu and on Twitter @PennLDI. Ed Federico Associate Director of Public & Media Relations efed@nursing.upenn.edu China Aid's Bob Fu granted restraining order against protestors, billionaire Chinese media executive Bank of America closes Fu's accounts without explanation in act of political persecution Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Chinese-American pastor and China Aid founder Bob Fu has been granted a restraining order from protestors who gathered outside his home last year, forcing the family to remain in protective custody for several months. In an email sent to The Christian Post, Fu, whose human rights organization is dedicated to exposing religious persecution by the Communist Party in China and to promoting religious freedom for all in that country, revealed that after weeks of harassment, protestors finally left his family home in Midland, Texas. Fu said that a federal judge had issued a restraining order in February barring them from approaching Fu, his family, or the staff of China Aid. A copy of the restraining order given to CP names Chinese billionaire Miles Kwok, also known as Guo Wengui who Fu said paid protestors to stand outside his home from early October through January Wenguis media company, GTV Media Group; and Saraca Media Group, Inc. Set to expire on June 1, 2021, unless extended by the court, the restraining order bans Wengui or anyone acting in concert with him, from picketing Fus home, approaching within 100 feet of the activist, his family, or his employees, and picketing within 50 feet of China Aids business location. Fu and his family were placed in protective custody in October after protestors lined up outside his home, accusing the China Aid founder of acting as a fake pastor, a communist spy, and an operative of the CCP. Fus 15-year-old daughter had to be taken out of school by armed police as a result of the protests. The family returned home in December but remained under police custody. In November, Fu filed a federal lawsuit alleging that Wengui, the owner of Beijing Zenith Holdings, unlawfully targeted him through online death threats and protests. The lawsuit alleged that Wengui was orchestrating a multi-faceted campaign of character assassination to silence Fu and discourage his work promoting religious freedom and human rights within China. Although claiming to support the Chinese pro-democracy movement, [Wengui] employs his vast legal, financial, and corporate resources, together with his robust social media presence, to systematically target pro-democracy and pro-religious freedom activists in the Chinese American community, the lawsuit said. Since 2018, [Wengui] has attacked Chinese human rights activists and bona fide CCP (Chinese Communist Party) dissidents in the United States. This year, Plaintiff Bob Fu became [Wengui's] latest target. In an email to CP, Fu said that he continues to face harassment as a result of his activism. Last week, he revealed on Twitter that Bank of America a company that handed over customer data to the government following the Capitol riot on Jan. 6 had shut down the accounts of his entire family with no explanation. "Today it was discovered that 'Bank of America' had begun political persecution. The bank forcibly closed the accounts of everyone in my family, young and old, without any prior notice. Called over for questioning and even claimed that they have the right to close at any time without explanation, he tweeted. Fu suggested the shuttering of his familys accounts had something to do with an address he delivered in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 15 on persecution in China. He told CP that the sudden unreasonable shut down of all of the accounts for him and his family came as a total shock. BofA refused to give a simple explanation, he said. Based on the news reports about BofAs hostility toward President Trumps supporters and our impeccable record as customers with BofA for the past nearly 20 years, we concluded it must be politically motivated as BofAs malicious attempt against conservatives like us. Still, Fu said he doesnt have exhaustive evidence of this because BofA repeatedly refuses to give us an answer arrogantly. BofA did not answer CPs request for comment. A Coupang Eats rider delivers food on a bicycle in Seoul, in this Jan. 31 handout photo. Courtesy of Coupang By Kim Jae-heun Local food delivery platform Coupang Eats has met resistance from the union that represents its riders after reducing its commission fee for workers of the delivery service. Coupang Eats adopted a new fee system on Tuesday that pays delivery workers 600 won less than the previous 3,100 won of its standard commission fee. Instead, the food delivery player decided to pay an additional 10,000 won to those who travel long distances for a given delivery. This sets a maximum 16,000 won delivery fee for riders. However, for delivery workers who only want to travel short distances, this means a major reduction in their pay. Those who deliver 10 orders per day supposing that they only take orders traveling short distances will receive about 200,000 won less in earnings per month. A group of delivery workers on a Naver internet community proposed going on strike for a day. "If we accept Coupang's new policy, it will lead to a reduction in our pay with other food delivery services like Baedal Minjok and Yogiyo as well," one of the riders wrote online anonymously. "Also, Coupang's new system can pay you between 200,000 won to 1 million won less per month." It has not been confirmed how many delivery workers would join this proposed strike. On Monday the country's biggest delivery worker union, known as "Rider Union," started collecting signatures from their members to go on strike as an act of resistance against Coupang's new fee system. "We have to collect signatures from delivery workers to show Coupang how many of us oppose their new payment policy," a Rider Union official said. Coupang Eats said it cannot confirm the exact number as their riders are casual employees and it only knows they are working when they start accepting orders. A possible strike is not expected to cause chaos to the food delivery service as Coupang Eats is used by only 17.1 percent of all delivery service customers. And 81.76 percent of delivery service customers use the country's top food delivery service Baedal Minjok while 36.89 percent use No. 2 player Yogiyo, according to mobile phone market researcher Mobile Index, noting that most customers use multiple services. In the event that Coupang Eats cannot provide delivery service due to lack of delivery workers, customers will simply order food with other delivery services. Intelligent.com, a trusted resource for online degree rankings and higher education planning, has announced the Top 50 Master's in Education Degree Programs for 2021. The comprehensive research guide is based on an assessment of 195 accredited colleges and universities in the nation. Each program is evaluated based on curriculum quality, graduation rate, reputation, and post-graduate employment. The 2021 rankings are calculated through a unique scoring system which includes student engagement, potential return on investment and leading third party evaluations. Intelligent.com analyzed 195 schools, on a scale of 0 to 100, with only 50 making it to the final list. The methodology also uses an algorithm which collects and analyzes multiple rankings into one score to easily compare each school. Students who pursue any one of these programs can expect to gain employment much quicker in comparison to candidates without a degree. In addition to accessibility and cost, the steady job growth in this market is one of the many reasons Intelligent.com researched and ranked the Top Master's in Education Degree Programs. To access the complete ranking, please visit: https://www.intelligent.com/best-masters-in-education-degree-programs/ 2021 Master's in Education Degree Programs featured on Intelligent.com (in alphabetical order): Ball State University Bemidji State University Campbellsville University College of Saint Scholastica Eastern Oregon University Edinboro University Fordham University Fort Hays State University Georgia Southern University Grand Valley State University Indiana University Bloomington Kansas State University Louisiana State University Messiah College New York Institute of Technology Niagara University North Carolina State University Northern Arizona University Northern Illinois University Portland State University Roberts Wesleyan College Rutgers University San Diego State University Slippery Rock University South Dakota State University State University of New York, Albany Texas A&M University, Commerce Texas Tech University Towson University Trinity University University Of Alabama, Birmingham University of Alaska, Anchorage University of Alaska, Fairbanks University of Arkansas University of Houston University of Iowa University of Louisiana, Monroe University of Massachusetts, Amherst University of Massachusetts, Lowell University of North Carolina, Pembroke University Of North Carolina, Wilmington University of North Texas University of Northern Colorado University of Pittsburgh University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee University of South Florida University of Texas, Arlington University of the People Webster University Western Kentucky University About Intelligent.com Intelligent.com provides unbiased research to help students make informed decisions about higher education programs. The website offers curated guides which include the best degree programs as well as information about financial aid, internships and even study strategies. With comprehensive, user-friendly guides and hundreds of program rankings, Intelligent.com is a trusted source among students and prospective students. To learn more, please visit https://www.intelligent.com/. has warned its customers against a new sophisticated nation-state that has its origin in China and is primarily targeting on-premises 'Exchange Server' software of the tech giant. Called "Hafnium," it operates from China and is attacking infectious disease researchers, law firms, higher education institutions, defence contractors, policy think tanks and NGOs in the US for the purpose of exfiltrating information. "While Hafnium is based in China, it conducts its operations primarily from leased virtual private servers (VPS) in the US," said Tom Burt, Corporate Vice President, Customer Security and Trust at The Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC) found that "Hafnium" would first gain access to an Exchange Server either with stolen passwords or by using the previously undiscovered vulnerabilities to disguise itself as someone who should have access. "Second, it would create what's called a web shell to control the compromised server remotely. Third, it would use that remote access -- run from the US-based private servers -- to steal data from an organisation's network," Burt said in a statement late on Tuesday. The company has released security updates to protect customers running Exchange Server, and encourages all Exchange Server customers to apply these updates immediately. "Exchange Server is primarily used by business customers, and we have no evidence that Hafnium's activities targeted individual consumers or that these exploits impact other Microsoft products," Burt informed. This is the eighth time in the past 12 months that Microsoft has publicly disclosed nation-state groups targeting institutions critical to civil society. "Other activity we disclosed has targeted healthcare organisations fighting Covid-19, political campaigns and others involved in the 2020 elections, and high-profile attendees of major policymaking conferences," Burt said. In January, Microsoft admitted that alleged Russian hackers behind the massive SolarWinds attack that affected several top-notch enterprises and government agencies, attempted activities beyond just the presence of malicious SolarWinds code in its environment. Microsoft discovered that its systems were infiltrated "beyond just the presence of malicious SolarWinds code." According to Burt, the new China-based exploits are "in no way connected to the separate SolarWinds-related attacks". "We continue to see no evidence that the actor behind SolarWinds discovered or exploited any vulnerability in Microsoft products and services," he mentioned. Nine federal agencies and about 100 private sector companies were compromised as a result of the SolarWinds hack, the White House had said. In a wide-spread cyber-attack on US federal agencies and enterprises, hackers also broke into the networks of NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), The Washington Post reported, saying the Biden administration was preparing sanctions against Russia as the cybercriminals are "likely Russian in origin". --IANS na/dpb (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 ghost-hunting YouTuber couple have been slammed after posting a video of themselves discovering a human skull - which one of them picked up and flaunted to the camera before calling the police. Graphic footage, posted on the pair's YouTube channel, shows the self-titled 'urban explorers' stumbling across the remains in a wooded area near Bolton, Greater Manchester. But in a shocking turn of events, YouTuber Danny Duffy is seen in the video picking up the skull while partner Felicity Duffy films the incident. He then flaunts the skull to the camera during in a number of close-up shots while proclaiming 'this is as real as it gets'. After three minutes of inspecting the skull, the pair finally call the police. Officers have since confirmed that remains are that of a human - though no more details have yet been release. Now the pair, who have more than 150,000 subscribers, have come under fire after releasing an hour-long video of the discovery on YouTube. One viewer who commented on the video said: 'I can't believe you have posted this,' while another accused the pair of 'disturbing a crime scene'. And last night a former police officer turned private detective told MailOnline officers would not have wanted the pair to touch the remains before their arrival. The graphic footage, posted on the pair's Youtube channel, shows the self-titled 'urban explorers' stumbling across the remains in a wooded area near Bolton, Greater Manchester YouTuber Danny Duffy (pictured) is seen picking up the skull while partner Felicity Duffy films the incident The shocking video starts with the pair sharing a 'teaser' clip of the moment they discover the skull in a wooded area near to an abandoned pub. After a graphic footage warning, the YouTube duo then discuss news coverage of the discovery, which made both local and national headlines. Danny then speaks of his 'shock' at the incident, which took on Monday, before saying the discovery had prompted him to take a short break from YouTube. 'We were out just doing a normal paranormal investigation when we stumbled across this poor soul,' he tells the camera. He continues: 'What you are about to witness is 100 per cent real, nothing was staged, what you are about to witness is really really graphic. 'I think I've had an hour's sleep (since). What we stumbled across was absolutely disgusting, horrible, shocking.' The video then cuts to the pair walking through the woods before stumbling across the skull, which is found in undergrowth next to a green army-style jacket. After initially being shocked by the discovery, Danny is then seen putting on gloves to pick up the skull. 'This is 100 per cent real, this is someone's head, I am not joking right now,' he says as the camera zooms in on the remains. After inspecting the skull for three minutes, the pair then film themselves ringing the police. Officers are seen arriving and setting up a crime scene before the pair are guided away. The discovery was made in the early hours of Monday and the video was posted late on Tuesday night. Danny speaks of his 'shock' at the discovery, on Monday. He said the incident had prompted him to take a short break from YouTube, before posting the video on Tuesday After initially being shocked by the discovery, Danny, who entered the woods with partner Felicity, is then seen putting on gloves to pick up the skull Greater Manchester Police last night confirmed the skull was that of a human. Detectives say enquiries are underway to ascertain how the skull came to be in the area. But while viewers expressed sympathy for the pair, others appeared shocked that they had decided to pick-up the skull. One viewer commented: 'Danny put it down and call the cops bro!!' Another said: 'Why would you pick it up? You could clearly tell it's a skull without touching it. One viewer also criticised the pair for posting the video, saying: 'I can't believe you have posted this or that the police have allowed you to, if this was a family member or friend of mine I would be distraught that you had put this all over the internet.' But Danny replied: 'People die everyday that's the facts of life get over yourself.' The decision to pick up the skull before reporting it to police has also been questioned by a former police officer. Former Hertfordshire Police officer John Bateman, who now runs private investigations firm P&D Investigations Ltd, told MailOnline: 'As a police officer you wouldn't want any part of the crime scene disturbed. 'Any police force in the UK would want a scene as close as possible to how it was found. 'They would want members of the public to leave it as it was found until they could establish whether this was a suspicious death or death by natural causes.' Greater Manchester Police last night confirmed the skull was that of a human. Detectives say enquiries are underway to ascertain how the skull came to be in the area. The couple who made the discovery, Danny and Felicity Duffy, run a paranormal investigation Youtube channel. Pictured: Police at the scene on Tuesday Tests and forensic analysis is currently being carried out, Greater Manchester Police said last night However investigators do not believe that this is linked to any other investigations at this stage and are keeping an open mind. Specialist officers are continuing to search for any further evidence, but say they are yet to uncover anything further. Detective Inspector Debbie Hurst, of GMP's Bolton CID, said: 'This was a very surprising discovery made in the early hours of Monday morning and we have been working ever since to establish the circumstances here. 'What we do know is that the item found has been confirmed to be a human skull, but it is still unknown how old the skull is and how long it has been at the location for - these enquiries by specialist forensic officers are ongoing and will be determined in due course. 'By the very nature of this discovery, we do understand some concern in the community and of course the sheer intrigue that this investigation brings with it, however we are confident that there is no threat to the public and that this isn't currently linked to any other ongoing investigations. 'We are keen to establish the facts as soon as we can but the work that is ongoing must be conducted thoroughly and properly before we get to that stage. If anyone has any information about this discovery that could aid our enquiries we ask that they make contact with police.' University students are being hit with thousands of dollars in extra fees for switching degrees despite politicians promising existing pupils would not be affected by law changes. The federal government last year passed legislation raising the cost of certain degrees in a bid to get Australians to choose careers that would fill 'essential' job shortages. In June, then federal Education Minister Dan Tehan said those already enrolled in a tertiary course would not be impacted. 'No current student will be worse off. No current student will pay an increased student contribution,' Mr Tehan said. Fourth-year UNSW student Matt Gerrard, 21, (pictured) will have to pay $6332 to change his double degree from Law-Music to Law-Science But Matt Gerrard, 21, a fourth-year student at University of NSW, was recently told he would have to fork out an additional $6332 if he wanted to swap his double degree from Law-Music to Law-Science. Despite changing just one part of his degree, Mr Gerrard will be considered a 'new enrolment' and have to pay for the course under the fees set in Parliament last October. 'There was the promise and intention that existing students weren't going to be affected by this,' Mr Gerrard told 7News. 'Even though youre not a new student, the systems think you are.' Under the amendments to the Higher Education Support Act (2003), university fees for arts and law subjects were increased, while the price for in-demand courses, such as teaching, nursing, maths, science and engineering, were slashed. Although the cost of science has dropped, law fees have climbed, meaning Mr Gerrard will be forced to foot the price difference from when he first enrolled. He said the situation was a 'strange catch 22' because if he studies science over music, it would align with the aim of the legislation. The problem stems from fine print in the law, which differentiates between 'grandfathered' and 'current students'. If a student changes courses, they are no longer considered 'grandfathered' and are subject to the new rates. University students are being hit with extra fees for changing their degrees under new legislation passed last year Andrew Norton, a researcher at the Australian National Universitys Centre for Social Research and Methods, said about 10 per cent of current students might choose to swap courses during their tertiary education. This year, about 20,000 Australians will commence bachelor degrees and more than 60,000 bachelor students will be in combined bachelor degrees, according to data from the Grattan Institute. However, Mr Norton said the fee changes work two-ways, and those who choose to pick up, or transfer into, a STEM course will pay less. A UNSW spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia the university changed fees in January under the advice the Federal Department of Education, Skills and Employment. 'UNSW Sydney has written to all impacted students who have been approved for an internal program transfer in Term 1, giving them the opportunity to reverse their program transfer if they were financially disadvantaged by the change in program,' she said. Former federal Education Minister Dan Tehan last year said current students would not be impacted by the reforms Last year, Mr Tehan said the reforms would incentivise students and universities to align with the needs of industry to meet the skill demands for the new economy that will emerge from the pandemic. 'This plan will help Australians who have lost their job or are looking to retrain,' he said. 'It will also provide a revenue stream for universities and private providers to assist their financial stability.' A Department of Education spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia students who change courses are regarded as new enrolments because they are not remaining in an 'ongoing course', as defined in the Higher Education Support Act 2003. They added that students could avoid additional fees by staying in their course. Alternatively, the departmental spokesperson suggested students could reduce the cost of their degree by studying subjects with new, lower rates, which will now apply to anyone in those courses regardless of when they enrolled. Mr Gerrard has penned a letter to Alan Tudge, the federal Minister for Education and Youth, requesting revisions be made to the legislation. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Tudge for comment. REDMOND, Ore., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The hemp-growing market, mainly focused on producing medical CBD and CBG, rose like a rocket over the last several yearsuntil supply outpaced demand and prices plummeted. While the "glory days" of hemp growing are gone, the market is adjusting itself. Remaining are the most productive and efficient hemp farmers. One Oregon fertilizer company aims to help hemp farmers increase production, from the ground up. Dakine 420 Founder & CEO sporting his "Mad Scientist" wig. "The hemp market has been a rocky one," says Dakine 420 CEO, Kelly Martin. "Today's growers need every advantage to maximize yield quantity and qualityand our company has committed our expertise and manufacturing to make sure they get what they need to thrive, from the ground up." Dakine 420, an Oregon-based cannabis fertilizer company, was born out of a love of cannabis and hemp growing, passionate advocacy for the industry, and a firm foundation of rigorous scientific research and analysis. While innovative, award-winning branding has made the Dakine 420 an industry icon, the popular "Mad Scientist" character is based on a real, bona-fide scientist with dual PhDs in chemistry and microbiology, assisted by a group of botanists, chemists, horticultural specialists and other highly-qualified professionals. Together, they have over a half-century of combined experience, working in state-of-the-art indoor growing facilities. Because of their commitment to the science and art of growing a plant with a unique spectrum of medicinal and utilitarian uses, Dakine 420 has invested a great deal of research and development into producing finely tuned nutrients and grow media to help ensure profitability for hemp growers. "To put it simply, we believe in the hemp industry and we want to see it flourish," says Martin. "Of course, hemp has been grown for a long time, but recent scientific and medical advances have opened opportunities to tap new frontiers of the plant's potential. Our hemp-focused products are not our biggest market, but our enthusiasm for hemp growing remains high, and we want growers to get the best return on their investment." About Founded in 2013 by a cannabis cultivation pioneer, Dakine 420 brings cutting-edge, affordable grow supplies to the nationwide horticultural market, with the tools and support our customers need to obtain the best quality and highest yields in the shortest times possible. Our dedication to the Cannabis industry is unmistakable. Call (541) 420-4645, email [email protected], or find us at www.Dakine420.com . Media Contact: Kelly Martin [email protected] (541) 420-4645 SOURCE Dakine 420 Related Links https://dakine420.com EDISON, N.J., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- During last week's Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary nominee Xavier Becerra and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island agreed to work together on a pilot project to improve the end-of-life care experience for individuals and their families. Having supported more than 300,000 individuals and their families through advanced illness decision-making, Vital Decisions offers its knowledge, evidence base and recommendations in support of expediting wide scale improvements in end-of-life care. Research shows that individuals who receive advance care planning services are more likely to have conversations about their end-of-life care wishes , a turning point that increases the likelihood of receiving care that is consistent with their preferences and associated with better quality of life and greater satisfaction. Research also shows that having these conversations earlier in the illness trajectory has the most meaningful impact on the care experience, when the individual and the family can make optimal, unpressured decisions. From its vantage point as an essential partner to Medicare, Medicaid and Commercial plans nationwide, Vital Decisions offers policy considerations for advance care planning best-practices delivered on a national scale: Increase broad access to advance care planning services delivered by specialized behavioral health clinicians through a telehealth model. Proactively engage individuals with serious illness, along with their caregivers, in Goals of Care conversations as a covered healthcare benefit. Utilize evidence-based methods of intervention that demonstrate impact with diverse and underserved populations to improve access to care. Leverage a coordinated, technological infrastructure to streamline the integration of advance care plans across the healthcare ecosystem. When these best-practices are employed, Vital Decisions observes clinical evidence proving that activating and empowering individuals, their family and caregivers is transformational: Increasing satisfaction with care planning: Survey data from over 30,000 program participants shows an overwhelming 88% of respondents highly value the advance care planning process. Survey data from over 30,000 program participants shows an overwhelming 88% of respondents highly value the advance care planning process. Reducing unwanted, unwarranted care: More than 35 economic impact studies of the advance care planning provided through Vital Decisions' Living Well program show that care aligned with an individuals' preferences is consistently 20% lower in cost compared to care that does not incorporate personal preferences. "Individuals and their families need significantly more help with the emotional side of care. We applaud Becerra and Sen. Whitehouse for making this a priority -- it's a personal issue for us too. We must make far greater and faster progress on behalf of all Americans," said Leah Puccio, Vital Decisions' CEO. "Our organization was founded to change healthcare decision making for the better, at scale. We offer our platform as a research conduit to fast-track our government and policymaking partners' efforts." Recommended Resources: About Vital Decisions Vital Decisions ensures that the care of individuals with serious illness or in a medical crisis aligns with their values and wishes. Enabled by behavioral science methodologies, proprietary analytics and clinical experts, Vital Decisions provides collaborative decision making and advance care planning support for all members of a population through a suite of telehealth and digital solutions. The services help individuals and their families think through, communicate, and document their preferences to ensure their care is aligned with their wishes - now and in the future as their medical situation changes. Vital Decisions' solutions include personalized discussions with highly trained clinical specialists, education and referrals to palliative care, hospice and other available services, and online tools to document and share advance care preferences. These result in improved quality and high satisfaction among individuals, their families and their doctors. Vital Decisions is headquartered in Edison, NJ. Visit www.vitaldecisions.net. Media Contact: Sheena Desai 800.301.3984 [email protected] SOURCE Vital Decisions Related Links https://vitaldecisions.net/ Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Metito, a multinational global provider of intelligent water management and alternative energy solutions, said it has secured the contract for the design, supply, construction, operation and maintenance of the El Hammam agricultural wastewater treatment plant in Egypt. The project is being jointly developed by Hassan Allam, the Arab Contractors and Orascom Construction. The agricultural wastewater treatment plant has a capacity of 6 million cu m of water per day, making it the largest of its type in the world. Metito said its delivery capacity will be achieved by collecting and transporting agricultural drainage water from the north of the Nile Delta to the plant through a 120-km-long course. The treated water will then irrigate up to 500,000 feddans west of the Nile Delta area, it stated. The project forms part of the governments strategy to expand Egypts agricultural area and develop the Western Desert region. This also contributes to creating other positive social and economic impact, including the development of new agricultural and population communities, it added.-TradeArabia News Service VALHALLA, British Columbia, March 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Government of British Columbia and Eagle Graphite (TSX VENTURE:EGA) ("Eagle") are pleased to confirm release of the first tranche of grant funding in support of a 2-year program to develop and commercialize silicon-modified battery anodes made with graphite from Eagle's Black Crystal graphite quarry and plant in Valhalla, British Columbia. Highlights: Eagle is partnering with the University of British Columbia to research next generation graphite anodes for lithium-ion batteries with superior performance. Grant funding of $290,000 for the project was announced in 2019; the start of the project was delayed and held over in light of COVID-19 restrictions. The first tranche of grant funding has been released, and the project partners have agreed to the resumption of the 2-year project. In 2019, the Government of British Columbia, through the CleanBC Go Electric Advanced Research and Commercialization ("ARC") program, selected Eagle for a grant of $290,000. The official government announcement can be found at news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2019EMPR0021-001214. The University of British Columbia's ("UBC") Advanced Materials for Energy Storage Lab, under the leadership of Dr. Jian Liu, is the project's research lead during the initial stages. The project aims to establish baseline performance of battery anode graphite from Eagle Graphite's plant and quarry near the cities of Castlegar and Nelson, British Columbia. Further improvements to the formulation, incorporating silicon into the anode, will be tested, and if successful, advanced for commercialization. Dr. Jian Liu comments, We are excited to partner with B.C. local industry to advance research into high-capacity graphite-based anodes for high-performance lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles. This project is significant to build understanding about the characteristics of critical battery material that could lead to a supply chain in B.C. and promote the adoption of electric vehicles in Canada. Eagle Graphite CEO Jamie Deith comments, "We welcome 2021 with renewed excitement and optimism. Global adoption of new, more sustainable energy systems is intensifying, and superior materials for tomorrow's batteries will play an enormous role in that transformation. We anticipate exponential growth in global demand for battery graphite to continue for many years, especially for graphite formulations yielding superior performance." Through CleanBC, were supporting innovative companies like Eagle Graphite that help B.C. transition to a clean energy future, said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation. Developing new BC-based, world-leading technologies will attract investment and create jobs and opportunities for British Columbians. About the Advanced Materials for Energy Storage Lab at the University of British Columbia Dr. Jian Liu, Assistant Professor and Tier 2 Principals Research Chair in Energy Storage Technologies in the School of Engineering at UBC Okanagan, is leading a research group focused on advanced nanofabrication techniques, materials design for Li-ion batteries and beyond, and interfacial control and phenomena understanding in complex energy storage systems. About ARC BC The ARC program in British Columbia (B.C.) is a fundamental part of the Provinces CleanBC Go Electric Program, designed to support the development of companies operating in the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) sector, and to encourage international investment in the ZEV sector in B.C. The ARC program provides support to B.C. companies to invest in product development and commercialization activities through to long-term demonstration projects. Additional information about the ARC program can be found at https://arcbc.ca/about/. About Eagle Graphite Eagle Graphite owns the only natural flake graphite facility in western North America that is constructed and permitted for production. The Black Crystal quarry and plant are located 35 kilometres west of the city of Nelson in British Columbia, Canada, 70 kilometres north of the state of Washington, USA. The Company's shares are listed on the TSXV under the symbol "EGA". Cautionary Statements Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Such information is based on assumptions, estimates, opinions and analysis made by management in light of its experience, current conditions and its expectations of future developments as well as other factors which it believes to be reasonable and relevant. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking information and accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on such information. Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of its officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. In evaluating forward-looking information, readers should carefully consider the various factors which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. The statements in this release are made as of the date of this release. The Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of the Company or its securities, its financial or operating results, as applicable. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For More Information Eagle Graphite Incorporated Jamie Deith, CEO (604) 909-4237 jdeith@eaglegraphite.com CleanBC Go Electric Advanced Research and Commercialization admin@arcbc.ca www.arcbc.ca CleanBC Go Electric Programs gov.bc.ca/zeroemissionvehicles ZEVPrograms@gov.bc.ca Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose speaks during a briefing in Manila after four Filipinos were abducted during an attack on a Libyan oilfield, March 9, 2015. The bodies of four Filipino workers who were abducted by Islamic State militants from southern Libyan oil fields in 2015 have been found, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs announced Wednesday. The four were taken from the Ghani Oil Field along with two co-workers from Austria and the Czech Republic, said Elmer Cato, head of the Philippine mission in Libya. There had been scarce news about the fate of the six victims until 2017, when a video of their execution was found in a laptop seized from dead Islamic States fighters in Derna. The victims bodies have finally been located in a cemetery in the eastern coastal city of Derna on Monday, Cato said in a report to the Department of Foreign Affairs. After six long years, the families of four kababayans (compatriots) will finally find closure, Cato said. We are indebted to our Libyan friends for making this possible. He said the families of the four Donato Santiago, Gregorio Titan, Roldan Blaza and Wilson Elique had been notified. Arrangements for forensics experts to assist in identifying the bodies and bringing them home have been made. The six oil workers were employed by Value Added Oil Services, an Austrian contractor which had presumed they were dead although their bodies had not been recovered, Cato said. He said authorities were informed in 2018 that the bodies of the Filipinos could be among those recovered by the Libyan Red Crescent in Derna. Because of the unstable security situation in the region, embassy staff were unable to travel to Benghazi until October 2020 to secure assistance from Libyan authorities to locate the bodies. Libyan authorities led Cato and embassy staff to a cemetery outside of Derna where the bodies were discovered. Thousands of Filipinos work in Libya as laborers in oil fields, in construction sites or nurses and hospital staff. The government previously stopped deployments of workers there because of political violence that led to the death of Libyan leader Muamar Gaddafi in 2011. Local authorities accompany Philippine diplomat Elmer Cato (in black) to a cemetery in the Libyan city of Derna, March 1, 2021. [Handout/Department of Foreign Affairs/Anabelle Belting] Suspect in massacre of Bangladeshis arrested in Libya The bodies of the Filipinos were located on Monday, the same day one of the main suspects in the killing of 30 people, including 26 Bangladeshi migrants, was arrested in Libya, according to Agence France-Presse. The family of a human trafficker killed by migrants allegedly avenged his death by slaying 26 Bangladeshis and four migrants of African origin in May 2020. The massacre took place in the city of Mezdah, more than 150 km (90 miles) south of Tripoli, Libyas capital. The 23-year-old suspect confessed his crime under questioning, the Libyan interior ministry said, without revealing his identity, AFP reported. The arrest of the main suspect is a major victory, Libyan Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha told AFP. He said the arrest proved that these crimes could not be committed with impunity in his country. In June 2020, a Bangladeshi accused of heading a trafficking ring linked to the incident was arrested in Dhaka. The arrest came just days after 148 migrant workers returned to Bangladesh from Libya on Feb. 24 on a special flight in cooperation with the International Organization for Migration. The flight also carried bodies of seven Bangladeshis who died in Libya at different times, Shariful Hasan, head of the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee migration program, told BenarNews. Most of the returnees had ended up in Libya while traveling to Europe on travel visas. All the 148 people had been stranded for 10 to 15 years in Libya, he said. Jesmin Papri in Dhaka contributed to this report. TAMPA, Fla., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Startup Space, the leading innovative platform for entrepreneurship community building, announces the appointment of Reneida Leon as Head of Product and Molly King as Associate Director of Client Experience. They arrive during a fast-growth phase as the company expands reach and diversifies product offerings. Reneida Leon Molly King Leon will lead the vision around Startup Space's portfolio of web, mobile, and data solutions for ecosystem builders. Her focus will be to analyze present and future client and member journeys in order to craft value-driven user experiences of continuous engagement and growth. "I am excited about joining this team in its mission to empower our clients to grow their local business communities. Together, we will create technology and digital offerings that will vastly expand venture creation opportunity and accessibility to all entrepreneurs, breaking down geographic and demographic barriers to success." Leon brings over 10 years of digital product management experience in the EdTech and eCommerce industries, leading experience innovation teams at companies like Kaplan, WGU, and most recently, Kroger. She lives in South Florida, where she is an active participant in the region's emerging technology scene. She holds a bachelor's degree in business from the University of Florida where she currently volunteers for its Hispanic Alumni Association Scholarship Committee, and an MBA from the University of Maryland's Smith School of Business. Molly King joins as an Associate Director of Client Experience where she will assist our client team with onboarding, engagement, and delivery. From day one, King will be working to ensure that our communities have the tools and processes needed to support small businesses and measure impact. Since her very first job sweeping porches at a bed and breakfast, King's career has been focused on the needs of her customers and supporting their goals. For the past five years, King has served entrepreneurial communities across the country and internationally. She is excited to bring that experience with her as she connects with the Startup Space community. "Few people are more creative than entrepreneurs and fewer people are more dedicated and hard working than the community leaders who support them. It is a joy and an honor to support ecosystem builders who love their communities and leverage their skills to see them thrive." After earning a bachelor's degree in sociology from Union University, King chose to call Raleigh, North Carolina home. She spends her free time exploring her ever-changing city. "Our plan is to invest in great talent to fuel growth. Reneida and Molly coming onboard reflects that focus to add to our diverse and experienced leadership team to continue to build great products and delight our customers," according to David Ponraj, CEO of Startup Space. About Startup Space Startup Space is a leading community platform that helps connect entrepreneurs to resources in their communities while also providing data analytics and management systems for community builders. For more information, visit https://www.startupspace.us Contact: David Ponraj 8135082707 [email protected] SOURCE Startup Space, LLC Related Links https://www.startupspace.us The City of Winnipeg has voted to create a safe place for street-involved women, invest millions to reduce algae-promoting phosphorus and open up boards to more Winnipeggers. The City of Winnipeg has voted to create a safe place for "street-involved" women, invest millions to reduce algae-promoting phosphorus and open up boards to more Winnipeggers. The city will locate space in one of its buildings, possibly a community centre, to offer vulnerable women a place to find food, warmth and community. That plan will free up a site around the Dufferin area to host drop-in services where Sage House can serve vulnerable women for the rest of the pandemic. Meanwhile, Winnipeg will spend $10.5 million in capital and $2.2 million in annual operating costs to reduce the algae-promoting phosphorus that leaves its north end sewage treatment plant and winds up in Lake Winnipeg. That interim project is expected to begin reducing pollution by August 2023, several years before the city expects to complete a broader $1.8-billion upgrade at the north end plant that will further reduce phosphorus. Thanks to another vote, immigrants to Winnipeg will have new options to contribute to their city. Council approved a plan to let permanent residents apply and be appointed to city boards and commissions, an option previously reserved for Canadian citizens. The change is meant to increase diversity within those groups. In response to nationwide protests last year over high-profile police brutality cases, police agencies in New York were ordered to examine their policies and procedures in order to continue receiving state funding. The Auburn Police Department and Cayuga County Sheriff's Office have both completed that exercise and made their draft proposals available online, but it's not too late for the public to weigh in before the proposals are officially accepted by the city council and county Legislature. The plans are somewhat similar, because they both came about with input from community groups who looked into topics such as officer training and procedures, community relations and crime prevention. Both plans promote additional diversity training, support for school resource officers, and a desire to further investigate the use of body cameras for law enforcement officers. One MBTA passenger had a hellish encounter on the train this week. A fully masked man dressed all in black was kicked out of an Orange Line train station in Boston late Monday for frightening a 20-year-old woman by claiming he was Satan while staring her down, according to a statement from MBTA Transit Police. Transit Police officers received a radio call around 10:45 p.m. and were sent to the Forest Hills station in Jamaica Plain, where they were met by the woman who detailed her frightening experience, the statement said. While traveling on the Orange Line train, she recounted, a man sat across from her. He was dressed in all-black clothing, a mask that covered his entire face and a hood with the draw string pulled tightly around his face, according to Transit Police. The man proceeded to type on his phone and extend his arm out toward the woman to display the message, police said. I am Satan, the message read. He then intently stared at the woman. She told officers his actions scared her and pointed out the alleged Satan at the train station, authorities said. Officers approached the man, a 22-year-old Boston man who was dressed as the woman described, and questioned him about his actions, according to police The masked man admitted to showing the woman the message while staring at her ominously but claimed he was only flirting with her and trying to be funny, further claiming, I was going to try and get her number, Transit Police said. Police told the man his actions werent humorous and had the opposite effect he intended. He was then escorted by officers to the womans desired location and ejected from the station, according to authorities. 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. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is embroiled in the biggest scandal of his career following accusations from three women of inappropriate behavior. Anna Ruch, 33; Lindsey Boylan, 36; and Charlotte Bennett, 25, have come forward over the past week to accuse the governor of unwanted advances over a time period from December 2016 to June 2020. The allegations are only adding to Cuomo's political woes as his administration is under investigation for its handling of nursing home deaths during the pandemic. His fall from public grace comes after he emerged early in the pandemic as a star among Democratic leaders for his handling of the coronavirus crisis. PHOTO: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo speaks during a news conference at a vaccination site in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Feb. 22, 2021. (Seth Wenig/Pool/AFP via Getty Images, FILE) Dec. 13, 2020 Boylan, a former aide to Cuomo, was the first to accuse the governor of sexual harassment and kissing her against her will. In December, she wrote a series of tweets sharing her allegations for the first time. She tweeted, "Yes [Cuomo] sexually harassed me for years. Many saw it, and watched." "I could never anticipate what to expect: would I be grilled on my work (which was very good) or harassed about my looks," she continued. "Or would it be both in the same conversation? This was the way for years." At the time, the governor denied the accusations. "I believe a woman has the right to come forward and express her opinion and express issues and concerns that she has," Cuomo said in December. "But it's just not true." Feb. 24 Boylan expanded on the allegations in a Medium piece in which she accused Cuomo of acting inappropriately with her when she worked for the state's economic development agency. Boylan said she first encountered the governor in January 2016 and her boss at the economic development agency informed her Cuomo had a "crush" on her. In October 2017, Boylan alleged that Cuomo invited her to play strip poker as they were on a government plane together. MORE: Gov. Cuomo faces calls to resign from lawmakers after 3rd woman comes forward Story continues One year later, Boylan said she was promoted to deputy secretary for economic development and special adviser to the governor, a position she initially turned down "because I didn't want to be near him." She ultimately accepted following Cuomo's insistence. She also alleged that Cuomo kissed her on the lips without warning on one occasion in 2018 at his New York City office. "As I got up to leave and walk toward an open door, he stepped in front of me and kissed me on the lips," Boylan wrote. "I was in shock, but I kept walking." She resigned in September of that year. "There is a part of me that will never forgive myself for being a victim for so long, for trying to ignore behavior that I knew was wrong," Boylan said. "The Governor exploited my weaknesses, my desire to do good work and to be respected. I was made to believe this was the world I needed to survive in. ... It was all so normalized that only now do I realize how insidious his abuse was." When approached by The New York Times for comment on her claims, Cuomo's press secretary, Caitlin Girouard, dismissed them as "quite simply false." Feb. 27 Bennett came forward to share her account to the Times in a story published Feb. 27. She accused Cuomo of sexual harassment, alleging he asked questions about her sex life. Bennett, who was first hired by Cuomo's administration in early 2019, worked as an executive assistant and health policy adviser until November when she left his office. Bennett alleged that on June 5 she was alone with Cuomo in his state Capitol office when he allegedly asked her questions about her personal life that she interpreted as insinuating a sexual relationship. PHOTO: Charlotte Bennett, 25, poses for a photo in Warren, Vt., Feb. 27, 2021. (Elizabeth Frantz/The New York Times via Redux) He asked her if she thought age made a difference in romantic relationships, whether she was monogamous in her relationships and if she ever had sex with older men. In that June meeting, she said Cuomo made her uncomfortable when he allegedly complained about being lonely in the pandemic and said he "can't even hug anyone" and asked, "Who did I last hug?" "I understood that the governor wanted to sleep with me, and felt horribly uncomfortable and scared." Bennett told the Times. "And I was wondering how I was going to get out of it and assumed it was the end of my job." MORE: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo under investigation for nursing home deaths She shared what happened with Cuomo's chief of staff, Jill DesRosiers, and was transferred less than a week later to another job within the administration in a different part of the Capitol. She gave a statement to a special counsel to the governor that same month. In the end, Bennett said she decided against pushing an investigation because she liked her new job and "wanted to move on." In response to her allegations, Cuomo stated in a press release: "I never made advances toward Ms. Bennett nor did I ever intend to act in any way that was inappropriate. The last thing I would ever have wanted was to make her feel any of the things that are being reported." Cuomo said Bennett was a "valued member" of his staff with "every right to speak out" and he disclosed that Bennett had spoken to him about being a survivor of sexual assault. "The last thing I would ever have wanted was to make her feel any of the things that are being reported," the statement added. Bennett left state government in the fall and now lives and works in a neighboring state. The same day Bennett's account was published, the governor named former federal judge Barbara Jones to conduct a review of the claims. However, the move faced backlash and state leaders demanded an independent probe. Feb. 28 Cuomo bent to pressure and asked New York Attorney General Letitia James for a formal referral to create a special counsel with subpoena power to investigate the claims against him. He issued a statement Sunday saying, "I never intended to offend anyone or cause any harm." He added that some of his comments "may have been insensitive or too personal," "made others feel in ways I never intended" and "have been misinterpreted as unwanted flirtation." "To be clear I never inappropriately touched anybody and I never propositioned anybody and I never intended to make anyone feel uncomfortable, but these are allegations that New Yorkers deserve answers to," he said. PHOTO: A billboard urging New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to resign is seen near downtown on March 2, 2021, in Albany, N.Y. (Matthew Cavanaugh/Getty Images) That same day, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who has clashed with the governor in the past, issued a statement denouncing Cuomo's alleged behavior, saying, "the State legislature must immediately revoke the Governor's emergency powers that overrule local control." He called for two fully independent investigations into the personal misconduct allegations and deaths at nursing homes. New York state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi also denounced the governor's behavior, telling on ABC News his alleged behavior was "inappropriate." She had called on the governor to resign on Feb. 27. "It's abusive and it scares people because it's terrifying and the governor of New York should not be acting that way," Biaggi said. March 1 The New York Times published an account of alleged misconduct from Ruch. Unlike Boylan and Bennett, she did not work with Cuomo. She met him at a wedding reception in New York City in September 2019 and alleged Cuomo placed his hands on her bare lower back and face and "asked if he could kiss her." She also shared a photo of the alleged incident with the paper. She said the incident left her "uncomfortable and embarrassed" and she felt she "didn't have a choice in that matter." Cuomo ended up kissing her on the cheek, according to Ruch. James also announced on Monday that her office would begin an independent investigation, which included subpoena power, into allegations of sexual harassment against the governor. James' office told ABC News Monday evening it read Ruch's account in the Times and will decide whether to incorporate it into the just-launched investigation. March 2 Rep. Kathleen Rice has become the first New York Democrat in Congress to join mounting calls for Cuomo to resign in wake of the allegations. Six Democratic state lawmakers also called for Cuomo to be impeached. In a statement shared with ABC News, the lawmakers said Cuomo used his power to "belittle, bully and harass his employees and colleagues" and impeachment proceedings "are the appropriate avenue" for accountability. It further states Cuomo's withholding of information in regards to nursing home deaths is "sufficient to justify impeachment proceedings." The New York Attorney General's Office opted to incorporate Ruch's account into the ongoing investigation into Cuomo, a source familiar with the matter told ABC News. The attorney general's office will not limit the scope of the probe in case additional allegations surface. At the end of the investigation, a public report will be released. By evening, the State Assembly and State Senate prepared a bill to curb Cuomo's emergency powers granted during the pandemic. It will still allow Cuomo to extend existing emergency directives related to the pandemic, but repeal other emergency powers. "The legislation introduced today will repeal the temporary emergency powers immediately, while allowing executive actions critical to public health to remain," state officials said in a statement. ABC News' Aaron Katersky contributed to this report. Timeline: Accusations against New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and calls for his resignation originally appeared on abcnews.go.com SC Aghast over Arrest of Jaypee Infratechs Resolution Professional by UP Police for Accident on Yamuna Expressway: Report Expressing shock over the arrest of an interim resolution professional (IRP) in charge of Jaypee Infratech Ltd by Uttar Pradesh police for an accident on Yamuna Expressway, the Supreme Court (SC) has asked for immediate release of the IRP. It also issued a show-cause notice to investigating officer Bijender Singh asking why action should not be taken against him for taking such drastic step, says a report. The victims were travelling to Delhi when an over-speeding oil tanker jumped the divider and rammed into the victims' vehicle The collision led to the spilling of oil from the tanker, resulting in a massive fire that engulfed both the vehicles. Arun Veer Singh, chief executive (CEO) of Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA), sent a letter to the police commissioner of Noida claiming the accident occurred due to alleged inaction on the IRP's part in adhering to road safety measures on the Expressway, built and operated by Jaypee Infratech. The CEO of YEIDA also registered a first information report (FIR) against Jaypee Infratech and the IRP. The UP police team then went to Mumbai and arrested Arun Jain, who was appointed as IRP for Jaypee Infratech by the Supreme Court itself. Quoting the bench of justice AM Khanwilkar and justice Dinesh Maheshwari, the newspaper report says, "We are appalled to see the manner in which the Uttar Pradesh police has handled this case emanating from the first information report (FIR), registered at police station Beta-II in Greater Noida, including to take the extreme step to arrest the IRP Anuj Jain, who was working in that capacity pursuant to the order passed by the court and entrusted with the functioning of the company in question. It is seen that the police official dealing with the case is not familiar with the provision of privilege of interim resolution appointed by the court, in terms of Section 233 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code," the bench added. Senior counsels Parag Tripathi and Siddharth Luthra had brought the arrest of IRP to the notice of the apex court. Responding on behalf of the UP police, senior counsel RK Raizada contended that investigating officer Bijender Singh was of the view that Mr Jain, the IRP may leave India at any time to avoid prosecution and thought it necessary to arrest the IRP from Mumbai for securing his presence. The SC bench then decided to examine this aspect of the matter elaborately at an appropriate time by treating the application as substantive writ petition filed by Mr Jain under Article 32 of the Constitution of India. It asked immediate release of the IRP, who was in custody of Beta II police station at Greater Noida. The next hearing in this matter is scheduled after two weeks. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 3) More than 2,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered to frontliners and other personnel during the first two days of the Philippines' inoculation program, the Health Department said on Wednesday. "As of yesterday, we got information that they are now at 2,428 vaccinees," Health Spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire told CNN Philippines' The Source. "So for March 1 and March 2...we were already able to provide 2,000 plus doses of Sinovac vaccine." The Philippines kicked off its historic immunization drive against the coronavirus on Monday following the arrival last weekend of the doses of the China-donated Sinovac. Philippine General Hospital Director Dr. Gerardo "Gap" Legaspi was the first one to receive the shot, followed by fellow frontliners and some government and task force officials. Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. earlier said inoculation for the general public may begin as early as May, with the government setting its sight on vaccinating 50 to 70 million Filipinos by year-end. Meanwhile, Cebu City is geared up for its ceremonial vaccination program on Thursday. Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center plans to inoculate over 50 "influencers" or top officials in the hospital, including healthcare workers who have volunteered to take the first shots. Around 7,000 Sinovac vaccines have been delivered to Cebu. Helena Madamba, the center's spokesperson, said over 3,500 of its workers are eligible for the vaccines, but only more than 1,000 have given their consent to be vaccinated. "As of last count, we have 1,117 healthcare workers who have consented to get Sinovac over the next seven days," Madamba told CNN Philippines' News.PH. However, the number is higher than the initial 400 who agreed to take the vaccine. Madamba attributed the rise in confidence to the orientation it held over the weekend to encourage healthcare workers to get immunized. "All we wanted to make sure is that our employees have a full informed consent that they are aware of the benefits, the risk of Sinovac vaccine, and it's a personal choice," she stressed. "No one will force them to get vaccinated." Aside from the Sinovac vaccine, the Philippines is also expected to receive doses this week from British drugmaker AstraZeneca, which will be supplied through the COVAX facility. Historians with a very long-term view of the past that provides the context for 1971 would emphasise that people in the land that became Bangladesh had declared independence many times, in many idioms, over the centuries. by Anwar A. Khan Joy Bangla. Joy Bangabandhu. JOY MARCH 2, 1971. In March 1971, the vision of independent national sovereignty became politically dominant, for the first time. Its organizational strength and mass appeal remained outside the halls of constitutionalism, where its origins lay and where student organizations had nurtured its evolution; but now it began to acquire influential Bengali adherents in government circles. On 2 March, spontaneous hartals occurred all over East Pakistan. People came from all over Dhaka and suburbs to the Bat-tala at Dhaka University, where crowds sang of national independence, SBKCSP (Bangla Kendriya Chhatra Sangram Parishad) leaders solemnly declared independence, and A S M Abdur Rob, a Student League leader and vice president of the Dhaka University Central Student Union, hoisted the flag of Bangladesh to the tumultuous applause and cries of Joy Bangla. The next day, 3 March, the SBKCSP held a mammoth public meeting at Paltan Maidan, Dhaka and issued a declaration of Bangladesh independence, which began, Joy Bangla: Proclamation of independence. Independence for Bangladesh is hereby declared. It is now an independent and sovereign country. The name of this territory of 54,506 square miles is Bangladesh The SBKCSP invited people to form resistance cells in every village, town and city. They sang Amar Sonar Bangla as the Bangladesh national anthem. On 4 March, a complete hartal covered East Pakistan. Business, administration, and media stopped functioning. The violence of imminent war also began with deaths during Bengali-Bihari clashes and army assaults in Chittagong, Khulna, and Dhaka. Maulana Bhashani gave a public ultimatum for immediate national independence. On 5 March, the Pakistan army fired on striking workers at Tongi Industrial Area. Many more died in army assaults in Chittagong, and also in more Bengali-Bihari riots. Protesters raised barricades to obstruct army movements and burnt the wooden Tongi Bridge. Students in Dhaka mounted a huge lathi procession. Intellectuals and professionals took an oath of allegiance to national independence. On 6 March, General Tikka Khan became East Pakistans governor and martial law administrator, and crowds chased the army in Jessore, where Bengali-Bihari riots erupted. Faced with popular rebellion, Yahya Khan announced that the National Assembly would convene on 25 March, in Dhaka. Yet the Awami League and all the other East Pakistan political parties continued with non-cooperation. At this point, Sheikh Mujib may have hoped to force open the door to a federal future with the promise of endless mass rebellion, should his six-point plan be again denied. Events on 7 March 1971 dramatized Sheikh Mujibs political predicament, for he was, at that moment, both the personification of a Bengali nation in the midst of a popular rebellion against Pakistan and also the elected majority leader of parliament, poised to become Pakistans prime minister. On 7 March, millions assembled to hear him at Ramna Race Course, chanting Joy Bangla and waving lathis to signal their readiness to fight. In his speech, Sheikh Mujib dwelled at length and in minute detail on his six-point programme and on his conditions for joining the National Assembly. Until the Pakistan regime met his conditions, he said, all offices, courts, and schools would be closed, all cooperation with the government suspended. He directed people to make every home a fortress and to fight with whatever they had ready in hand. He ended his speech by declaring: This struggle is for emancipation! This struggle is for independence! His rousing speech had a double meaning. It evoked two meanings of independence by promoting constitutionalism and a freedom struggle. This landmark speech inspired a popular revolution, whose force and organization came from outside the halls of constitutional politics and quickly commandeered East Pakistan state institutions, as it generated numerous unambiguous declarations of national sovereignty, composed and endorsed by major public figures. On 8 March, non-cooperation intensified. All remittances to West Pakistan stopped. East Pakistan radio, television and administration obeyed Sheikh Mujib. On 9 March, the chief justice of Dhaka High Court refused to administer the oath of office to Pakistani Gen Tikka Khan as Governor in the-then East Pakistan. The Student League approved a declaration of independence and invited Sheikh Mujib to form a national government. Maulana Bhashani and Ataur Rahman Khan declared independence in a mass meeting at Paltan Maidan. Bhashani circulated a signed leaflet to explain the meaning of independence, which was complete national sovereignty. On 10 March, Ataur Rahman Khan invited Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib to form an interim Bangladesh government immediately. On 11 March, Bengali associations of the East Pakistan Civil Service and Civil Service of Pakistan declared loyalty to Sheikh Mujib. On 14 March, the SBKCSP prepared for war, by raising checkpoints in Dhaka to stop military supplies and cargoes to West Pakistan. Ataur Rahman Khan again called on Sheikh Mujib to form an interim national government. On 15 March, Yahya Khan arrived at Dhaka with senior generals and officers. The SBKCSP then proclaimed that Bangladesh was already independent, that the Pakistan government had no right to rule, and that Bangladesh would only obey orders from its chosen leader, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. They invited the citizens of Bangladesh to prepare for armed struggle. Nevertheless, on 16 March, Sheikh Mujib began talks with Yahya Khan. He continued to follow the constitutional path amidst a popular revolution led by loyal followers who rallied behind him, but also pursued a vision of national sovereignty rushing along very different path. As Sheikh Mujib continued his dialogue with Yahya Khan, the popular struggle entered its third week. On 18 March, the SBKCSP called on the world community to support Bangladesh national independence. On 19 March, East Bengal Regiments refused to fire on protesters. Fights broke out between East and West Pakistan soldiers at the Gazipur Ordnance Factory and Joydevpur cantonment. On 20 March, Maulana Bhashani held a press conference in Chittagong, where he asked Yahya Khan to form an interim government, with Sheikh Mujib as chief and to decide what relation independent Bangladesh would have with Pakistan. Pictures of the Bangladesh national flag appeared in newspapers on 22 March. On 23 March 1971, Pakistan Day became a Peoples Independence Day in Bangladesh. The SBKCSP led the mass rejection of Pakistan Day and directed all nationalists to hoist the Bangladesh flag on homes, offices, and vehicles. At Paltan Maidan, the Joy Bangla Bahini held an independence parade, where SBKCSP leaders received salutes from uniformed platoons, which saluted the national flag and sang the national anthem, Amar Sonar Bangla. Led by the SBKCSP, 10 platoons and a Joy Bangla Bahini band paraded to Shiekh Mujibs house, where they raised the national flag. On 24 March, soldiers chanted Joy Bangla and saluted the Bangladesh flag at the Jessore headquarters of East Pakistan Rifles. On 25 March Chittagong port workers and officers refused to unload cargoes from the Swat, a ship from Karachi full of military ordnance. The people of Chittagong raised barricades on major roads to stall Pakistani troops. Yahya Khan and West Pakistani leaders left Dhaka, and at midnight, the Pakistan army launched a brutal assault. On 2 March 1971, this initial version of the flag was hoisted in Bangladesh for the first time at Dhaka University, by student leader A. S. M. Abdur Rab, the then Vice President of Dhaka University Students' Union (DUCSU) The flag was conceived so as to exclude the star and crescent considered as symbols of West Pakistan (now Pakistan). Historic National Flag Hoisting Day is observing on Monday, March 2. The then DUCSU president ASSM Abdur Rab hoisted the green background with a red circle symbolizing flag of the dream of independent Bengal at historic Bot-tola of Dhaka University at a student assembly. Another student leader Shajahan Siraj hoisted the National Flag through National Anthem in the presence of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on March 3 next day. On March 23, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman first hoisted the National Flag at his residence in Dhanmondi. The National Flag was hoisted for the first time on April 18, 1971, at the Bangladesh Mission in Kolkata, India. The Red-Green National Flag with a Golden Map drawn in the middle of the red disc on the green field. Later the map was removed from the Bangladesh flag on January 12, 1972. The national flag of Bangladesh was adopted nationally on January 17, 1972. The people responded the March 2 strikes called by then DUCSU leaders against the exploitation, wrongdoing, oppression, injustice of Pakistani rulers. In fact, through the hoisting of the flag on that day, the Bengali students, people were inspired in the freedom struggle and started the path of attaining independence. The flag hoisting suggested that there is no alternative for independence and considered as a National Flag of Independent Sovereign Bangladesh that emerged in exchange for blood after 9 months long with many sacrifices and struggles on 16 December, 1971. History is a way of learning... The historical experience is not one of staying in the present and looking back. Rather it is one of going back into the past and returning to the present with a wider and more intense consciousness of our outlook. We return with a broader awareness of the golden past open to us and armed with a sharper perceptiveness with which to make our choices. Historians with a very long-term view of the past that provides the context for 1971 would emphasise that people in the land that became Bangladesh had declared independence many times, in many idioms, over the centuries. Political theorists and historians would also point out that even in the 20th century, the term "independence" has not been used only to mean national state sovereignty. Historically, proclamations of independence have taken many forms, each appropriate in its own setting. And so, they did in the land that became Bangladesh until in March 1971, when the idea of independence acquired a new context, which never existed before and gave proclamations of independence new meaning. Once again, Joy Bangla. Joy Bangabandhu. Joy March 2, 1971. -The End The writer is an independent political analyst based in Dhaka, Bangladesh who writes on politics, political and human-centred figures, current and international affairs Pakistan will have to enact laws on at least two counts to meet the three outstanding benchmarks of the 27-point action plan of the global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog FATF before the new June deadline, reported by PTI. In June 2018, FATF placed Pakistan on the 'grey list' and asked Islamabad to implement a plan of action to curb money laundering and terror financing by the end of 2019. But later on, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the deadline was extended. The new deadline was set by the FATF last month. In recent months Pakistan has been struggling to avoid being added to a list of deemed countries with anti-money laundering and terrorist financing regulations by the FATF. The government will have to submit an updated report within a month to the FATF on the progress on legislation and other steps to be taken to address the outstanding concerns. READ | Rahul Gandhi Demonising RSS Schools Legitimises Pak Terror; He Must Visit Shakas: BJP, VHP Pakistan's FATF Benchmarks Over the past few years to meet the FATF requirements, the government had changed almost three dozen laws. There should not be any hurdle in the way of making two more amendments, said Dawn, reported PTI During a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) on Anti-Money Laundering, Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh asked the Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU) and chairman of the FATF Coordination Committee and Industries and Production Minister Hammad Azhar to immediately finalise the timelines for additional legislation in consultation with agencies of the federal government and the armed forces. All the agencies and stakeholders should act in close coordination to meet the deadlines well in advance and the deadlines should be reasonable to be shared with the FATF, reported PTI. READ | BJP Jabs Bengal CM Mamata As Prashant Kishor Joins Punjab CM's Team; Claims 'means A Lot' Over the past two years, it was observed that Pakistan had made progress and was being appreciated by the International communities. But simultaneously it did not send a good message when international commitments and deadlines were missed repeatedly, reported by PTI. The additional laws have to cover some weaknesses in the existing framework that limits the authorities from taking action, including imposing a sanction or apprehending those acting for or on behalf of designated terrorist entities or individuals and prosecuting targeted persons and entities or those working for them, within certain deadlines. According to the reports, there are three outstanding action points include demonstrating that: Terrorism Financing (TF) investigations and prosecutions target persons and entities acting on behalf or at the direction of the designated persons or entities. demonstrating that TF prosecutions result in effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions. demonstrate effective implementation of targeted financial sanctions against all designated terrorists, specifically those acting for or on their behalf. READ | I-T Raids Premises Linked To Anurag Kashyap's Phantom Films, Taapsee Pannu & KWAN Agency READ | Rahul Gandhi Demonises RSS-run Schools With Pak Comparison; 'Education System Captured' (With PTI Inputs) Mayor Sam Cunningham said the new building is a single in the home run he hopes will be hit in downtown Waukegan. He said the footprint of the entire campus will be a third of the citys central business district, and a bright spot in the skyline people can see from the lake. A Roman Catholic diocese is urging the faithful to refrain from taking one of the available coronavirus vaccines due to its use of aborted fetal cells in production and testing. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans released a statement Friday expressing concern about the latest coronavirus vaccine granted approval for use in the United States, which was manufactured by Johnson & Johnson. The statement began by acknowledging that coronavirus vaccines have used "morally compromised cell lines created from two abortions that occurred, one in the 1970s and one in the 1980s." "The Archdiocese of New Orleans, in light of guidance from the Vatican, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and The National Catholic Bioethics Center affirm that though there was some lab testing that utilized the abortion-derived cell line, the two vaccines currently available from Pfizer and Moderna do not rely on cell lines from abortions in the manufacturing process and therefore can be morally acceptable for Catholics as the connection to abortion is extremely remote," the statement continued. Citing the same guidance, the archdiocese maintained that it "must instruct Catholics that the latest vaccine from Janssen/Johnson & Johnson is morally compromised as it uses the abortion-derived cell line in development and production of the vaccine as well as the testing." Source:The Christian Post Botswana, confronting an unprecedented rise in poaching, has refuted reports by former President Ian Khama that at least 120 rhinoceroses have been killed in the last 18 months. Instead, the government says, wildlife crimes have dropped by 70 percent since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Botswanas former president, Ian Khama, who stepped down in 2018, said Monday that poachers have killed 120 rhinoceroses in the past 18 months. Khama said poachers were killing rhinos with or without horns, and that after corona there will be none left for tourists to see, referencing the coronavirus. But the government swiftly moved to deny the accusation, instead saying wildlife-related crimes were down by 70 percent since coronavirus restrictions were introduced last March. The Department of Wildlife and National Parks director, Kabelo Senyatso, said Khamas claims were misleading. In a statement Tuesday, Senyatso said the government could not disclose official figures and other information as it was a sensitive matter. Senyatso said revealing the numbers and location of poached animals jeopardizes the anti-poaching operations. However, the Bhejane Trust, a non-profit rhinoceros conservation group, said 12 of the animals had been killed in the iconic Okavango Delta in just the last two weeks. Current President Mokgweetsi Masisi said during a recent graduation ceremony for senior army officers that the country is facing a poaching challenge. "Today you graduate at a time when this country is facing a security challenge, such as high levels of poaching which threatens to wipe out our wildlife resources, thats threatening the tourism sector which is one of the key engines of our economy. The number of poaching incidents, the tactics and the boldness employed in targeting Botswana Defense Force members is not only disturbing but a national security threat as well," said Masisi. Conservationist Neil Fitt said the government needs to involve other players more in the fight against poaching. I think our government needs to open up more and get help from outside of government. Government cannot do everything. Yes, it is a security issue. Other countries are using NGOs and other bodies to assist them in doing things," he said. In a bid to combat poaching, Botswana began dehorning rhinos and relocating them from the Okavango Delta last year. Most of the poachers are from neighboring Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The poaching is fueled by demand for rhino horn in Asia, especially China, where the horns are used in traditional medicine. Scientists have determined that rhino horns have no medicinal value. The Minister-designate for the Ashanti Region, Mr Simon Osei-Mensah, has outlined plans to boost industrialisation in the region when given the nod. The plans include the completion of work on the Kumasi Airport expansion project, the completion of the railway lines and the completion of the Boankra Inland Port. Mr Osei-Mensah said that when he appeared before Parliaments Appointments Committee. To realise the dream of industrialisation in the Ashanti Region in my next term if you confirm me, my concentration will be on three major projects; the completion of the international airport so that people can fly from outside Ghana straight to Kumasi. Boankra interchange has been on the drawing board for a very long time. I can assure you that without any railway line between Tema and Boankra and Takoradi to Boankra, the Boankra Inland Port project will still be a mirage. So my focus will also be on the extension of railway lines from Tema to Boankra and Takoradi to Boankra. When we obtain this, Im telling you definitely that the industrialisation agenda will be successful, he stated. Land secured The minister designate also pointed out that the government through the Ministry of Trade and Industry had acquired 3000 acres of land in the region for industrialisation purposes. He was confident that work would soon commence on the land to create more jobs for the teeming youth in the region. Energy Quest Show Lake Bosomtwe Mr Osei-Mensah also disclosed his plans to deepen tourism in the region. He said he would prioritise the tourism industry as an avenue for development in the Ashanti Region. Already, he said plans were in place to revamp Lake Bosomtwi, which is famous for being a natural lake. He said two investors had already shown interest in the revamping of the lake.I have asked them to submit detailed proposals, so we look at it. We want to see if it is possible to develop Lake Bosomtwe into an integrated international eco-tourism centre where people can go and visit. That is the only natural lake in West Africa and if we are able to develop it, it will help us a lot, he stated. Patent Kente The minister designate also noted that he was pushing to obtain a patent for Kente to make it exclusive to Ghana. He said he had previously discussed obtaining a patent for Kente, which is made from handwoven cloth strips of silk and cotton, with the Ministry for Trades and Industry. Some other countries are coming out with some designs that appear to be Kente and until we get the patent right for Kente, it will be difficult. If we are able to obtain patent rights for the weaving of Kente, it will help us improve the culture of this country and boost tourism, he said. Ashanti culture Mr Osei-Mensah also noted that the strength of the Ashanti culture was due to the respect and reverence they had for the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II. Ashanti Region is slightly different from all the other regions, in that, with all the other regions, every paramount chief has his powers, has his territory, and controls that portion.When you come to Ashanti, we all pay reverence to Otumfuo, the King. So when Otumfuo sits, everybody will be wherever he sits and it has been a tested tradition that has been there for years. More than 300 years, so it is even older than modern Ghana.And they see themselves as one because they use one common language. Apart from the Ashanti Region, all other regions you have different languages and you have different paramountcy wearing different powers. That is why in Ashanti, we are able to do that because we all respect Otumfuo, 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 Tim Allen has revealed that he got a kick out of how Donald Trump riled up critics during his time in the White House, and has also opened up about his arrest for selling cocaine that landed him time in a federal prison three decades ago. The comedian, 67, appeared on an episode of the WTF with Marc Maron podcast on Monday where he spoke about what it's like to be a conservative in Hollywood today and his past struggles with substance abuse. Allen famously attended the 2017 inauguration of Donald Trump and later provoked outrage when he likened being a conservative in Hollywood to living in Nazi Germany during the 1930s. Maron asked him how he minimized backlash for his conservative opinions, to which Allen responded: 'I don't preach anything.' 'What I've done is just not joined into - as I call it - the "we culture,"' he continued. 'I'm not telling anybody else how to live. I don't like that. "We should do this." "We should do that."' 'Once I realized that the last president pi**ed people off, I kind of like that,' the Denver-born father-of-two laughed. 'So it was fun to just not say anything. Didn't join in the lynching crowd.' Allen also spoke about his troubled past, describing his younger self as an 'eff up' after he started drinking aged 10 and was arrested in 1978 for selling 1.4lbs of cocaine to an undercover officer at a Michigan airport. 'I was an eff up': Back in 1978, Golden Globe winner Tim Allen faced life in prison after selling 1.4lbs of cocaine to an undercover officer at Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International Airport in Michigan (pictured January 28) 'I kind of like how he p***ed people off': :Tim - who openly hates paying taxes - famously attended the 2016 inauguration of former President Donald Trump (pictured Sunday) On the subject of politics, Allen told Maron that he although he's friendly with the Clintons, he was strictly opposed to Hilary's 2016 White House bid. 'Bill Clinton has been a very genuinely nice guy to me. When he was president, I sent them Christmas stuff from Disney. I sent all the movies we did. I sent it to Bush too and I sent it to the Obamas,' he said. 'I just didn't think Hillary should have been president.' He continued: 'In the end you go the other direction. I said, "It's nothing personal about it. If you don't like it then wait til the next election."' Elsewhere in the interview, Allen also discussed his disdain for paying taxes. When asked whether he views himself as an 'old school conservative' opposed to a 'right-wing whack job', Allen said he's always been a 'fiscal, conservative person with money.' He then shared his disgust with the American tax system. 'Once I started making money I had this silent partner that just took almost half of my money and never gave me anything for it and that was the taxes,' he said, confirming the 'silent partner' was the US government. 'I've never liked taxes...That's it, I don't like it. I work pretty hard for this stuff and I accomplished a lot and I was handicapped by my own errors. It's all my fault, I get that. But I had this silent partner. I never liked taxes.' 'I'm not telling anybody else how to live': The Home Improvement alum also discussed being a rare Hollywood fiscal conservative and, while he loves tweeting quotes to express his ideals, he has always tried not to be 'preachy' 'If you don't like it then wait until the next election': Allen said former President Bill Clinton has been a 'genuinely nice guy to me' but he still didn't think his wife Hillary 'should be president' (pictured January 20) While in his later years Allen has enjoyed great success in his career, the Golden Globe winner had to first overcome his troubled past, which included issues with substance abuse and a two-and-a-half-year stint in federal prison. At age 23, Allen was arrested in 1978 for selling 1.4lbs of cocaine to an undercover officer at Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International Airport, in Michigan. He was originally facing life in prison, but only wound up serving 28 months (1979-1981) in a federal lock up for drug trafficking after he agreed to cooperate with investigators and snitch on 20 others - including four major dealers. 'I was an eff up,' the Home Improvements star told Maron on reflection, adding that he started drinking as a child - a habit exacerbated by the death of his father who was killed in a car crash. 'After my old man died, I really just played games with people and told adults what they wanted to hear and then stole their booze.' Criminal past: The 67-year-old comedian wound up only serving 28 months (1979-1981) in federal prison for drug trafficking because he snitched on 20 others, including four major dealers Allen - who is now 23 years sober - said he first began drinking at the age of 10, inspired by Western movies that showed cowboys riding horses and drinking whiskey. 'That stuff's gotta be pretty damn refreshing,' he recalled thinking. By the time his father was killed by a drunk driver in 1964, Allen, then 11, said he was already an experienced drinker, describing himself as 'lost'. 'Really I was Eddie Haskell [from Leave it to Beaver] at that point: "Yes, Mrs. Cleaver. No, Mrs. Cleaver,"' said Allen. 'I knew exactly what adults wanted make your bed, be polite, use a napkin and then I'd go steal everything in the house.' The Last Man Standing alum's destructive path came to a head just over a decade later when he was arrested on drug trafficking charges in Michigan. 'We were a bunch of college kids - a bunch of the kids who overdid it, [but] two of us took [the punishment] for about 20 guys.' Allen that he 'was very contrite' after being arrested on account of his living a 'terribly stressful existence.' Confined to his cell, Allen said he began setting out goals for his life. 'I just shut up and did what I was told,' he said. 'It was the first time ever I did what I was told and played the game... I learned literally how to live day by day. And I learned how to shut up. You definitely want to learn how to shut up.' Tim admitted on Monday's episode of WTF with Marc Maron podcast: 'We were a bunch of college kids - a bunch of the kids who overdid it, [but] two of us took [the punishment] for about 20 guys' 'I'm going on 23 years sober and clean of everything': Allen - whose father was killed by a drunk driver in 1964 - finally got sober after his 1997 arrest for drunk driving in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan After being incarcerated for eight months, Allen said he finally adjusted to his surroundings and 'got used to' being in prison. 'Saturday we got better food. Eventually, I went from a holding cell arrangement to my own cell,' the Toy Story actor recalled. '[I called my mother at Thanksgiving and she said]: "Oh, that's good. Steve graduated from Purdue. Jeff's on his way to Michigan State. One of my oldest sons got his own cell."' Tim finally got sober after he was arrested in 1997 for drunk driving in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. 'I'm going on 23 years sober and clean of everything,' Allen announced. 'Alcohol never affected me like the other guys. I could drink copious amounts even [as] a young kid.' He continued: 'I look back on those things, this is sober guy stuff, I had so much shame at the things that I did ... especially driving people around. 'Coming from a dad that was killed that way, it's difficult to get past it.' Now, looking back, Allen says he's 'grateful' for his sobriety and his current life. 'I love my life,' he said. 'I'm not any more mentally stable, I have the same issues I had. Now, I can't hide from them.' 'Meatless Mike': The Emmy nominee executive produces and stars as sporting goods store executive Mike Baxter/Tim Taylor in the ninth season of the sitcom Last Man Standing, which airs Thursdays on Fox Reunited! Tim also executive produces and co-hosts the 10-episode builder reality competition Assembly Required with Richard Karn (R), which airs Tuesdays on the History Channel The Western Michigan University grad executive produces and stars as sporting goods store executive Mike Baxter/Tim Taylor in the ninth season of the sitcom Last Man Standing, which airs Thursdays on Fox. Tim also executive produces and co-hosts the 10-episode builder reality competition Assembly Required with Richard Karn, which airs Tuesdays on the History Channel. Speaking to Maron about his own behavior on set in character, Allen said his wife and even his management team have called him out for swearing too much. 'Sometimes I'm in that mood. I'm not doing it to piss anybody off. I don't know what it is with me and language sometimes. I say on stage it's lazy. There's probably a better word,' he said. 'I'm kind of mean onstage, which I love. One of my favorite bits is about kids...The fact that I make jokes of kids and truly the kids in my neighborhood sense this and they're like cats. The more they know I don't like them, the more they hang around me.' Allen added: 'I would never hurt a child or do anything inappropriate but I like being the smarta** and getting right in their face and go, "Are you looking at me? Stop looking at me."' Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko was once again a no-show for the mention of a case where he is charged with fraud. Trial magistrate Peter Ooko had issued production orders on Monday requiring Anti-terror Police Unit to present Sonko in court Tuesday morning. Deputy OCS Ezekiel Lulei, however, told the court the Anti-terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) court in Kamiti issued an order barring the police from interrogating and taking Sonko from the hospital. Sonkos defense team led by John Khaminwa told the court their client unwell and is due for a hip operation in South Africa. The court will be sailing in dangerous waters if a person who is in hospital and still receiving treatment should be produced in court, said Khaminwa. He urged the court not to interfere with hospital procedure and mention the matter in two months. We urge the court to consider all that. It is unfortunate that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) are eager to prosecute this matter, he said. Sonko is facing corruption charges involving a Sh14.1 million tender for heavy equipment. He is charged alongside Fredrick Odhiambo trading as Yiro Enterprises, ROG Security Limited and its director Antony Otieno Ombok alias Jamal. The former governors co-accused were opposed to the application to push the matter by two months saying they do not see any reason why the earlier production order was not complied with. Any delay will be prejudicial to us. We are not a lesser party in this proceedings, they said. The court re-issued its production orders and directed ATPU to produce Sonko in court on Thursday. 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.